Chapter 23: Outtake, Charlie and Bella's conversation at Bella's apartment

CharliePOV

"You gonna be alright there, Bells?" I asked, trying to comfort her with a pat on the shoulder.

"I'm okay, Dad. Just going to miss them, that's all," she sniffled, obviously trying not to cry.

Please don't cry. Never did know what to do with a crying girl.

"She'll be back real soon, honey. Let's get out of here."

She nodded, following me out to the car in the airport parking lot. Once we were loaded up and on the road, I tried to evaluate her as inconspicuously as possible. She appeared to have stopped with the crying, but she still looked sad. Unacceptable. I wanted to have a good day with my little girl before I had to go back.

"You sure you're gonna be alright with the Cullens, Bells? 'Cause you could come home with me if you want…" I meant it, but I didn't really know how that'd work, seeing as I had stairs, and I couldn't carry her. And that whole shower thing…

She put on her brave smile, shaking her head. "No, Dad. I'll be fine. What do you want to do today? It feels like forever since it was just you and me."

I grinned, twitching my mustache at her the way that made her laugh when she was little. She giggled, and I grinned wider.

Still got it, old man.

"How's about we just spend the day at your place? Haven't been there for a while, and that way you won't get all tired out or anything."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "I'm not an invalid, Dad. But yeah, my place sounds great. Hopefully I can still remember my way around."

"Your place it is, then."

*

We pulled into her apartment building, and I was on high alert for any bastards with cameras. I was still pissed I didn't get a swing at that Newton character. Even though Edward did do me proud.

I was pretty pleased with Emmett for cracking his camera, too.

As we parked, I noticed some movement out the corner of my eye, and I halted Bella with my arm and a finger to my lips. Stepping out of the cruiser quickly, I realized there was in fact somebody staked out in a car. Cigarette butts and empty coffee cups littered the ground beside his driver's side door and I marched straight over to him, my gun on clear display. Rapping twice on the window, he jumped when he saw me, and rolled it down quickly.

"H-h-hello, Officer. Can I help you?"

Twerp.

"Yes. You can tell me which apartment you reside in at this address, or vacate the premises immediately. This is private property and this lot is reserved for residents only. So you can provide some ID, or be gone by the time I count to five."

He gulped visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. I held back an evil smile as he started to sweat, trying to think up some excuse.

Love it when I make 'em sweat.

"One…two…"

He started his ignition up, flying into reverse and out of the garage, before I got to three.

All in a day's work.

Walking back over to my cruiser, I saw Bella watching me with an amused smirk on her face, waiting patiently for me to open her door. Playing innocent, I held her crutches out for her as she hoisted herself out of the seat.

"My hero," she deadpanned.

"You want me to call him back? I haven't gotten to kick a perp's ass in a dog's age, Bells. I'm just itchin' for a good fight…"

She rolled her eyes, limping away from me towards the elevators. "Settle down, Desperado. Let's just get to the apartment, okay?"

Once we were inside the apartment, she started trying to be predictable Bella, heading to the kitchen straight away.

"Are you hungry, Dad? I don't know if I even have anything in here, I could make some coffee, maybe…"

"Bella, would you please go park your behind on that couch and not move until I tell you to?"

She glared at me, but behaved, limping over to the couch and plopping down. "Do I need to ask for permission to use the bathroom, too, Chief?"

"Such a smartass," I grumbled, sitting down beside her. Her eyebrows furrowed, and I followed her gaze to the albums on the table. She looked at me questioningly, and I felt my face heat.

"Those are from when me and Alice and Edward came over to clean up your place. You know, turn off the coffee machine and such. Kind of got caught up going through memories."

Her eyes got all watery for a minute, before some kind of realization hit her, and she groaned. "Dad! Are you telling me you regaled them with the formidable-years-of-Bella-Swan stories all day?"

"Relax, Bells," I laughed, but sobered up as I remembered some of the stories I had told. She'd kick my ass. "It wasn't too bad, I swear."

She arched her eyebrow at me, not believing my act for a second. She softened after a couple of minutes of glaring, eyeing me speculatively.

"You got really close with Alice and Edward while I was gone, didn't you?"

I shrugged, a little uncomfortable with too much feelings talk. "Yeah, I mean, he and I understood what the other one was going through. You may be all grown, but you'll always be my little girl, Bella."

"And Alice?"

I snorted thinking of that little munchkin. "She didn't leave me much choice, to be honest. And…it felt good to be a dad to someone while my little girl was missing. Plus, it's kind of hard to stay down around that one. I needed that sometimes."

She put her hand on my arm, smiling at me sweetly. "You don't have to explain yourself, Dad. You're the best, I can't blame Alice for wanting to get to play daughter with you. I don't mind sharing you, as long as you don't forget to like me best," she smirked.

I rolled my eyes, nudging her shoulder playfully. "Of course you're my favorite, Bells. You cook better."

She scoffed, punching me back. "Thanks. I feel the love, Dad…But seriously, who are you venting to these days? I worry about you."

I felt my face take on a three-alarm flush, and I pretended to choke on air to distract her, but she wasn't buying it.

"Dad? Is there something you'd like to tell me?" She sat back, with her arms crossed, giving me my own don't-fork-around-stare.

That's actually pretty intimidating.

Gulping hard, I focused real hard on the edge of her coffee table. "You know. I have friends."

"Friends don't cause that look on your face. Friends are Billy Black and Stan Fletcher…Daddy?" she cooed. "Do you have…a lady friend?"

We are now at five-alarm fire on the face. And I can feel my mustache a'twitchin'.

"Aw, damnit, Bells. Quit pickin' on me," I mumbled, not even able to look her in the eye.

"Oh my God!" she squealed. "Do you? Do you really have a girlfriend? Oh, Dad, I'm so happy for you! What's her name? Where did you meet her? How long have you been seeing her? When can I meet her?"

"Geez, Bells, settle down! I think you and Alice have more in common than I thought. I'm not really seein' her, we just talk a lot. You know, on the phone. I've been here in Seattle with you, and she lives in Port Angeles."

"Port Angeles?" she asked, confused.

I nodded my head, gauging her reaction carefully. "Yeah, Port Angeles. She's a nurse at the Olympic Medical Center. Her name's Sue. Sue Clearwater. I met her when…when you were there. She's…she's real nice, Bells. I think you'd like her. I…I was thinking about bringing her to your birthday dinner if you wouldn't mind."

I should have known better than to worry about her bein' upset about it. Her face broke into a huge grin, and she actually started crying.

Again with the tears, damnit!

"Oh my gosh, Dad. I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to meet her."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, eager to change the subject off myself. "So when are you gonna move on from the dog, Bells? I'd like to see you taken care of."

She scowled, smacking me in the arm. "I don't need a man to take care of me, Dad. I take plenty good care of myself, thank you very much. And I'm not stuck on Jacob, why you'd even think of him blows my mind. There just hasn't been anyone."

I narrowed my eyes on her, catching the unspoken 'until now' in her tone. She fidgeted slightly under my stare, looking away quickly.

Wonder if it's too late to have her fitted for a chastity belt.

"Bella."

She waved her hands around all crazy-like. "What, Dad? You really want to talk boys?"

"I want to know if there's somebody in my little girl's life, yeah. So out with it now. Who is he?"

Wish I'd sent her to a convent when she turned thirteen.

She flushed fire-engine red, but realized I wasn't backing down. There was only one man I could think of that would do right by her in my opinion, but I'd learned my lesson last time. Unless she wanted him, he'd get no help from me.

"Edward," she mumbled, before pushing her face into a pillow.

Oh thank God.

Although now that means he and I are going to have a little chat.

"Bella," I coaxed her. "C'mon, Bells. Don't be embarrassed. I'm not really that surprised, you know."

That got her attention. She jerked up, wide-eyed and panicked. "What do you mean, you're not surprised?! Is it that obvious? Do you think he can tell? Oh my God, I sound like I'm thirteen all over again!" She threw her face back into the pillow again and I just shook my head at her. Times like this I could see the Renee in her.

"Bella, it's okay, honey. You two just have a way around each other is all. He's a good man, Bella. I'm happy for you."

She brought her face up again, and I could see her eyes filling up.

Jesus, not again. This has to be all that damn medication. How many times a day can she cry? I have to be doing something wrong.

"But Dad, there's nothing to be happy about. He has no idea, and I can't bring myself to tell him, because I don't want to make things weird. If I started trying to explain to him every little thing that I loved about him, he'd probably run for the hills."

My eyebrows shot all the way up to my hair.

Only daughter. Loves. Boy. Does. Not. Compute.

"Daddy, I really, really, like him," she whimpered softly, and damn it all, I just knew that she wouldn't be doubting herself like this if that dog hadn't done such a number on her. That psycho didn't help any either.

"Aw, Bells," I muttered, pulling her closer to me with my arm around her shoulders. "You gotta remember, sweetie. Us men, we're pretty simple folk. He'd be a fool not to feel the same way." And I've heard him playing piano for you every night this week so you won't cry. "You just gotta talk to him. I don't think Edward's running anywhere, except to you. Give him a chance, Bells."

And if he blows it, I'll kill him. Simple.

She searched my eyes for a few moments, and I just sat there and let her. After a bit, she sighed, snuggling in close to me like she did as a kid when we'd watch games together.

"So…tell me more about Sue."

Aw, hell.

*