Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: This is the second chapter of a five-chapter AH story. Italics = flashback.

Spell My Heart page
http://fragilelittlehuman[dot]wordpress[dot]com/fan-fiction/spell-my-heart/

In this dark, flint a spark.
Shady lady, it glows out of you.
Through this complex of cobwebs
revealing a heart for open view.
And I mind...

~ "Follow the Lady" Carbon Leaf
http://www[dot]imeem[dot]com/people/EybzBYN/music/h1gz0Z-4/carbon-leaf-follow-the-lady/

Chapter 2

The drive to Forks from Seattle was a long one, one Charlie hadn't anticipated making tonight. As he left the lights of Seattle behind him, he had a lot of time alone with his thoughts ahead of him.

Finding them entwined in naked sleep had not been how he wanted Bella to to discover their secret, but he was glad it was finally out in the open. Hiding Alice when all he wanted to do was be with her was taking its toll, and Bella's early return home was a blessing in disguise. At least he hoped it would be eventually.

He could understand Bella's shock and disappointment, but he never thought she would be so cruel. Calling him names was something he could handle; she said nothing worse than the things she screamed at him so many times after the breakup. However, he was surprised at the level of animosity she had toward Alice. Maybe he'd been naive, thinking Bella could ever accept Alice as his...what was she? Girlfriend seemed so juvenile, while lover seemed to emphasize the sexual. And his relationship with Alice was so much more than that.

Knocking on the door of Bella and Alice's apartment, he was uncomfortable in the new suit he'd purchased. It wasn't every day that his little girl graduated college, and he wanted to look his best for graduation. He wanted Bella to be as proud of him as he was of her.

The door swung open, and he was completely unprepared for the exquisite woman who stood before him. Her beautiful violet eyes sparkled, and her smile widened when she saw him. Her fair-skinned face was set in a halo of dark spiky hair. Mesmerized by her full, red lips, he hadn't noticed she was speaking to him until she hugged his neck in excitement.

"Charlie!" Alice cried. "It's so good to see you." She stood back and looked at him approvingly. "You look so handsome in your suit."

Just like his daughter, he blushed wildly. He wasn't sure if it was from the compliment or the butterflies Alice was causing in his stomach. "Thank you, Alice. You look pretty nice yourself."

He thought he saw her cheeks flush, but, before he could say anything else, Bella bounded to the door, hugging him and dragging him into the apartment. As he stepped into the crowded room filled with family and friends, he looked back at Alice, who stood smiling in the doorway.

The entire day, as he celebrated with his daughter, he stole glances at Alice. It had been eight months since he'd last seen her, and something about her had changed. In his eyes, she'd always been Bella's loyal friend, a personable and excitable girl. Now, she was a beautiful, outgoing, intelligent woman who turned his brain to jelly with one look, and he wanted to know this new Alice.

During the post-graduation party held at the apartment, Charlie walked into the kitchen to grab another beer. While he was far from intoxicated, the alcohol had settled the unease he'd felt since he arrived. Turning from the refrigerator, beer in hand, he collided with Alice.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," he said, jumping back from the contact.

Alice rested her hand on his arm. "It's okay, Charlie. I didn't mean to spook you."

His skin tingled where she touched him. Their eyes met, and, after looking at him intently, Alice dropped her hand and backed away from him.

"So," she said, leaning back against the counter, "do you like the party? I'm sorry Sue couldn't make it."

Charlie didn't think she looked very sorry. "The party is great. Your parents seem to be having a great time, too. Where's Jasper?"

She looked at her hands, wringing them slightly. "Jasper and I broke up a few weeks ago. We're still friends, but he thought it might be awkward to be around my family right now."

"I'm sorry, Alice," he said unconvincingly.

She laughed. "You don't look a damn bit sorry, Charlie."

He opened his mouth to protest, changing his mind when he realized she was right. Again, she was looking at him intently, and the look in her eyes made him want to do uncharacteristically impulsive things.

"Alice?"

"Yes?" she whispered.

"Would you be interested in going to lunch with me sometime?"

The white line of the highway continued to speed past as Charlie thought back to those early meetings. He considered canceling the first lunch several times, going so far as to pick up the phone and dial the first five digits of her phone number. He had the unshakable feeling that his whole life was going to change, and he wasn't sure if it was something he wanted.

Once he was sitting across from her, however, his doubts disappeared into the ether. He tried to convince himself it was simply two old friends catching up over a sandwich, but, as they continued to meet and talk, he had to admit he'd grown dependent on spending time with her. Hearing her voice over the phone became a daily need, and, after seeing her for a few hours, his jaw would hurt from smiling so widely.

Still, Alice was his daughter's best friend, and, when he was being honest with himself, he believed their age difference would make a relationship impossible. He resigned himself to being the pitiful older man longing for a young woman who would never return his feelings. Falling further under Alice's spell, he retreated from his relationship with Sue, and he hated himself for it. She was a wonderful woman, and he wished he could want her the way he wanted Alice. If anyone deserved a man irrevocably in love with her, it was Sue.

Leaving the restaurant, Charlie walked Alice to her car, a VW Beetle. He couldn't help but smile, thinking how the tiny car suited it's tiny owner. They'd been meeting in Port Angeles for lunch weekly for the past two months, and, each time, the walk to her car made his stomach turn.

Alice turned to face him and leaned back against the car. "Thank you for another wonderful lunch, Charlie. Are you ever going to let me pick up the check?"

As silly as it seemed, picking up the check let Charlie imagine these lunches were actual dates, and he wasn't about to give that up. "I'm old and old-fashioned, Ally. I can't in good conscience let you pay, even if you do make more than me." He winked to let her know the fact didn't bother him.

Alice blushed. "I like it when you call me Ally." She looked up at him through her thick lashes. "And you're not old."

Looking at her, cheeks flushed and flirting with him, he realized that he might not be the only one wishing these lunches were something more. Forgetting all the reasons why he shouldn't, he moved toward her.

Placing his hands on either side of her, he pinned her against the car. Her eyes were a deep amethyst, and her lips were parted in a sigh. He leaned toward her and lightly brushed his lips against hers. He'd wondered what it would feel like for so long, and, when he sensed her body freeze, he was suddenly scared that maybe she hadn't.

All his doubts were erased when Alice placed her hand on his chest and closed the minuscule distance between their mouths. Her lips were soft, and her tongue was warm and wet as it darted out and teased him. Wrapping her in a tight embrace, he opened his mouth, and the taste of the deepened kiss made his head spin. He held her slight body against his, finally feeling the curves he memorized the day she answered her door.

He groaned when Alice broke the kiss, and he leaned his forehead against hers. He was afraid to speak, afraid to hear her voice telling him this was a mistake.

"What are we doing, Charlie?" she whispered, and he shivered, feeling her warm breath through his t-shirt.

"God, I wish I knew, Ally." He tilted her head so their eyes met. "I just know that I can't pretend I don't want you anymore."

Tears were welling in her eyes. He steeled himself for her rejection.

"What about Sue? More importantly, what will we tell Bella?"

His jaw dropped. She wasn't rejecting him; she wanted to know how they'd tell the people closest to them. His heart swelled, immediately followed by a sick feeling of dread.

"I'll talk to Sue right away. I don't want to hurt her." He paused, weighing his words. "As for Bella, let's not do that until we're sure where this is going, okay?"

The welled tears began to fall. "Are you ashamed?" she murmured. "I'm not, and I don't want to keep you a secret."

"Baby," he said, tenderly kissing her trembling lips, "I could never be ashamed of you. But we need to be sure about us before we let everyone else have their say." He bent his knees so he could look her in the eyes. "Once we're sure, I'll shout it from the rooftops."

"Fucking coward!" Charlie screamed as he beat the steering wheel with his tightly-balled fist.

He'd been sure of his feelings since their first kiss, and, not long after, Alice made him sure of hers. But every time Charlie thought about telling Bella, his stomach turned. Each time he asked Alice if she wanted to tell Carlisle and Esme, her face would blanch. The longer they kept quiet, the easier it became. They each had their confidants, but their families remained on the periphery. Together, they were devoted and faithful lovers. Apart, they had their roles to play. He was the confirmed bachelor, and she was the self-sufficient career woman. And they counted the seconds until they could be themselves again.

Shaking with rage, Charlie jerked the wheel to the right and screeched to a stop on the shoulder of the road. When he began to travel frequently to see Alice, he bought his first vehicle in years, a crew-cab Ford F-350 truck. Bella, wondering why he stopped driving his cruiser everywhere, grilled him mercilessly about the purchase. Even something as simple as buying his own truck with his own money became a state secret, as had almost everything else in his life. He pulled down the visor and looked at the picture of Alice he kept there. Her beautiful violet eyes sparkled, and her love was plain on her face. It was his favorite picture of her. He took it on a weekend trip to Vancouver, another secret they'd kept from everyone. Just as Sue had warned him, once they began to lie, they didn't know how to stop.

Dinner with Sue had been uncomfortably quiet. Now that he knew he and Alice felt the same way, he had to let Sue go. It was bad enough that he'd kissed Alice, and he wouldn't disrespect Sue any further by continuing to see her now that he was sure he loved someone else. He fidgeted, trying to formulate the words in his head before spoke. Just as he'd took in a deep breath to begin, Sue spoke.

"Charlie," she said sadly, "I don't think we should see each other any more."

Charlie was stunned. He looked down at his clenched hands, suddenly relaxing as he realized he no longer had to be the bad guy. He hated being the bad guy. When he finally gazed toward Sue, however, he could see in her eyes that he was why she was doing this. He was the bad guy, after all.

"I'm so sorry, Sue..." His voice trailed off, and he struggled to maintain eye contact. After hurting her, the least he could do was look her in the eye as she had her say.

She sighed. "I realized a couple of weeks ago that these lunches you were having with Alice were more than you were letting on. That there were more of them than you were telling me."

"We haven't been carrying on behind your back, I swear."

"I know, Charlie. You wouldn't do that to someone, especially after the hell Renee put you through. I'm hurt, I won't deny that. But I'm not angry with you. In the legends of our tribe, we talk about fate and destiny. I can see it when I look in your eyes, Charlie. She's your destiny. Who am I to stand it the way of that?" She reached across the table, squeezing his hand gently. "I think she's loved you for a long time. I'm only surprised it took you so long to figure it out."

His eyebrows furrowed, and he looked at her questioningly. "I don't know what you mean, Sue. We didn't decide anything until yesterday."

She laughed. "I know you don't, Charlie. But you will." She paused, squeezing his hand again. "What are you going to tell Bella? And are you ready for Carlisle and Esme? They won't be happy."

He'd been so worried about Bella, he hadn't given any thought to how Carlisle would react. "Shit, I didn't even think about Carlisle. Wow, he's probably going to fucking kill me, isn't he?"

"He'll be sorely tempted, but I'm sure the Hippocratic Oath will keep you alive." She smiled sweetly, and her face immediately turned serious. "You've got to tell them, especially Bella. The two of you are so close, and she'll feel completely betrayed if you keep this from her. Not to mention that Alice is her best friend." When he began to speak, she waved him off. "I am not saying that you should not pursue this with Alice. What I am saying is that you shouldn't hide it or lie about it. Once you lie, you'll forget how to tell the truth."

He scratched the stubble on his jaw nervously, the sick feeling returning to his stomach. "I can't, Sue, not yet. I don't know where all this is going. What's the point of upsetting everyone for something that doesn't last?"

Removing her hand from his, Sue pointed at him angrily. "See! You've already started lying!" Sighing, she stopped pointing and rested her hands in her lap. "Don't do that to me. If you can't be honest with anyone else, be honest with me. You know you love her. I can see it all over your face when you talk about her. There's no doubt in my mind where you two will end up...and I don't think there's any doubt in yours."

Driving away from Sue's house, Charlie thought about what she said. If he and Alice kept their relationship secret, Bella would be hurt, as would Carlisle and Esme. He didn't want to tell them, though. He'd never been so happy, and he didn't want anyone or anything to take that away from him. Sue was right about one thing, though: Charlie had no doubts about where he wanted to be.

Four hours later, he stood at Alice's door. It was midnight, and he'd never done anything so impulsive...unless you counted the lunches...or the kiss.

Alice answered the door, her hair obviously messy from her pillow and her eyes glassy. Charlie couldn't help but look at her body, barely covered by a violet cotton chemise that almost matched her eyes.

"Charlie," she whispered, confusion clouding her eyes. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

Stepping toward her slowly, he took her into his arms, leaning down to place his lips against hers. He suppressed a groan as he felt her hands grab fistfuls of his shirt and her mouth open for his tongue. The kiss had none of the hesitancy of the one at her car. This kiss was unguarded and unrestrained, and he was completely lost.

He pulled away reluctantly and looked into her eyes. "Sue broke up with me. She said she knew I wanted to be with someone else."

Alice gasped. "She doesn't think we..."

"No, no," he said, stroking her cheek with his thumb, "she doesn't. But I knew Bella was out of town, and I wanted to tell you in person." He paused, unsure if he should ask his next question. "Can I come in, Ally?"

Alice smiled sweetly, but he could see a wicked glint in her eye. He was ready for whatever she wanted now, and, as she led him into the apartment, he closed and locked the door behind them.

Charlie traced the outline of Alice's face in the picture, wanting more than anything to go back and shout from the rooftops as he promised after their first kiss. It the last year, they hadn't been completely isolated. Sue remained a close friend, and, when she began seeing Billy Black, they became Charlie and Alice's Forks confidants. Fearing she would somehow run into her parents, Alice rarely visited him there, but, when she did, they always made time to see Sue and Billy. Sue still believed their secretiveness was a mistake, but, at Billy's urging, she stopped mentioning it each time Alice invited them over for dinner. In the long, dark days between moments with Alice, Charlie turned to Sue and Billy for company and support. They were good friends to both him and Alice.

In Seattle, their confidants were Jasper and his new wife Angela. Charlie had been uncomfortable befriending Jasper at first. After all, he'd once been Alice's lover, and Charlie hated the thought of anyone else having touched her. Jasper and Angela had also been classmates of Alice and Bella, and he worried they judged him unfavorably, not only for his relationship with Alice but also for keeping it hidden from Bella. It was soon clear that Jasper and Angela were Alice's support when he wasn't with her, and for that he was thankful. Over a few dinner and movie nights in Alice's apartment, the four became close friends. However, just like Sue, Jasper disapproved of the whispers and the sneaking. He encouraged them to tell their families that they were in love.

Sitting on the side of the road, staring at Alice's smiling face, Charlie was tired. He was tired of lying. He was tired of sneaking around. And he was tired of being separated from her.

Gunning the engine, Charlie glanced briefly into his rear-view mirror before making a U-turn in the middle of the highway and heading back toward Seattle.