Alright! To clear a few things up from the last one...

1 – Yes, we saw Edward's gift in the last one. In fact... THERE WAS AN ENTIRE CHAPTER ON IT! Ugh...

2 – Yes, James bit her before he was killed. But I explained that a human can't become a vampire unless they OFFER their blood. I laid all of this out in the... tenth chapter, I think.

Anywho... so now that that's out of the way, let's get this bad boy rolling, shall we?

Four: The Ugly Truth

"We're going to move to Jacksonville this summer," Renée told her over the phone. "We were hoping you'd come and visit us... But that's OK. So are you excited? Did my present come in the mail yet?"

Bella smiled as she and her mother talked on her bed. It was Edward's hunting night, so he wouldn't be coming over today. She used this opportunity to catch up with her Mom and schoolwork. Admittedly, Bella hadn't been paying too much attention to her homework of late. Something she wasn't proud of, but she did her best to keep her head above water. She wasn't failing anything yet, so she had to be doing something right. As she spoke to her mother, she worked on her math homework, double-checking to make sure she got things correct. "I don't think it has yet," she confessed. "Either that or Dad is hiding it from me." She switched shoulders. Her birthday was only three days away, meaning t hat she would have to tell Charlie about her and Edward fast, or her time would be up. She didn't want that to happen. "And yeah, I'm excited," she continued. "I haven't been to Seattle all that much, so it'll be an adventure. Jacob's coming with me too, actually. So it'll be just like old times." She paused, tapping her paper with her pencil. "Hey... Mom?" She shifted. "You know that... I'm not a... a virgin, right?"

"Oh hell, Bella," came her mother's reply. "I knew the day you lost it. Mothers have that kind of radar. Why?"

"Well..." Bella lay down on her bed. "I'm... dating a guy right now. And he wants Dad to know we're serious. Um... I just don't know how to tell him..."

"Just hike up your big girl panties and do it!" came her mother's confident reply. That elicited a laugh from Bella. No matter how old she got, Renée would always be Renée. Forward thinking and saying what she wanted to.

"OK Mom," said Bella with a smile. "So how are things with Phil...?" They talked a little longer, laughing and swapping stories about their significant others. As it turned out, Phil had quit his job as a minor league player and started coaching instead. He had been given a job offer in Florida, which was the reason they were moving. Though Bella didn't tell h er this, she was glad she wouldn't have to suffer through the humidity and bugs during the summer. They conversed just a bit longer, when a knock came to the door. She looked up to see Charlie smiling at her.

"Dinner," he said brightly. Saying goodbye to Renée, she hung up the phone and hurried to catch up with her father. It was lasagne tonight. Bella could smell the sauce from the stairs. Sitting down, she poured herself a glass of milk and started to eat. She could hear her mother's advice floating around in her head. She glanced at her father. If she was going to do this, she did in fact need to "hike up her big girl panties", as it were. Unless she just got out there and said it, it would never be said. But how...? Should she ease into the conversation? Perhaps try and start out lightly? Clearing he throat, she figured she'd start the conversation with a casual subject.

"So... how was your day?" she began.

"Pretty good," said Charlie. He took a bite of lasagne. "There wasn't much going on today. Steve caught a couple of taggers near the railroad, but their parents bailed them out. I imagine they got grounded or something like that. How about your day?"

Bella shrugged, trying to choose her words carefully. "OK, I guess..." She was starting to get cold feet. Maybe it would be best if Charlie didn't know. Perhaps he never would. Then again, perhaps ra inbows and butterflies would fly out of her ass and sing "The Lollipop Guild." She mentally gave herself a kick and plucked up her courage. "Things... have been going OK. Edward and I..."

Charlie began alert. "What? Did he do something?"

"No, no," said Bella, holding up her hand. "No... it's... we're actually doing very well."

"Oh..." Charlie went back to eating. "Well that's good."

"Yeah." Bella stared at her plate. She needed to do it now, or it'd never get done. She took a breath and finally spat it out. "We've been having sex."

Not quite as subtle as she would have liked.

Charlie's fork dropped to the plate and he began to cough. He choked on his food and took a swig of milk, trying to calm himself. Bella clutched her hands in her lap, waiting for his blow up. He turned to her, a bit of color having left his face. "You've... been...?" Bella nodded, wordlessly. There was a silence as he stared at her. He shook out his head and looked up. "When? And... and where?"

Bella bit her lip. Might as well come clean. "After I get home from school..." she admitted softly. He blinked at her and put his forehead in his hand. "He leaves before you get home..."

"Holy shit..." he sw ore. He furrowed his thick brow and closed his eyes, as though trying to overcome a migraine. He looked up to her, frowning. "Are you safe?" he asked. "Does he make you do anything you don't want?"

"No!" said Bella quickly. "He's... really very gentle. He would never force me into anything, and he knows that. In... in fact, most times we don't get into it... he just... comes by and we talk for a few hours." She felt her face grow hot. Why was she going into such detail? Perhaps it was to cushion her father's anger?

He ran his fingers through his hair and stood up. Pacing, Charlie was collecting his obviously muddled thoughts. Bella kept her eyes on her plate, unable to look him in the face. "For how long?" he asked.

"A month and a half," she admitted, her head hung.

"Jesus Christ, Bella..." He sat down and glared at her. "Just when where you planning on telling me? Hm?"

"I'm sorry!" she said pleadingly. "It's just... I didn't know how to! I know you're worried about me, but I feel safe every time! If I don't feel like doing anything, or if I'm unsure, he doesn't push it. He just let's me decide..." He leaned against his chair, tapping the table.

"I see..." He sulked, staring at his plate as well. A few uncomfortable minutes passed by. "Are you two safe?" he repeated.

"I won't get pregnant or sick," Bella swore. She couldn't exactly tell him that he had no semen.

"And you feel completely comfortable?"

"I wouldn't do it if I wasn't."

Another tense silence followed the statement. Charlie ran his hand against his stubbly chin. He then pointed to her. "No babies."

"You got it," said Bella with a nod. He sighed, slowly coming to the realization that his daughter was a grown-up now.

"All right... But I want to talk to him about this."

"After my birthday?" said Bella earnestly. "Please? He's going to take me to his house so that I can... um... you know... be introduced and stuff..." She shifted. "Dr. Cullen still doesn't quite know yet..."

Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. But I want to talk to him the minute you turn eighteen." He stared at his food. Bella got the impression that he wasn't hungry anymore. Bella moved her hand forward and gripped his. He looked at her.

"Daddy," she said kindly. She smiled weakly. "I love him..." He stared at her a bit longer and then gave a small nod. He put his hand over hers and smiled reluctantly.

"Then... I guess I can deal with it...."

Bella jumped to her feet, relief washing over her. She rushed her father and hugged him around the shoulders. His usual chuckle came up from his chest as he embraced his daughter. They hugged a bit more before they broke apart. "But if I catch him sneaking into your room at one in the morning, he's a dead man. Understood? And the next time he comes over, invite him to stay or something."

"Yeah. Thank you, Daddy!" Kissing his cheek, she sat back down and continued to eat, now in a considerably better mood.

Now all that was left was telling Carlisle.

Yes, a short chapter. Sorry I didn't update earlier, but I've been a bit busy... starting college in a month!

~T.