I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyers does.
Chapter 4
"Please..." Charlie whispered as he watched his wife packing her suitcase.
"I'm sorry Charlie but I just can't stay here any longer. I'm dying here." Renee said not looking at him.
"I've saved money Renee, we'll take a long trip. We can go to Spain, France, England...wherever you want." Charlie told her. He was begging he knew but she was cutting out his heart.
"It's not enough Charlie. We would still come back here and I just can't live in this town any longer." Renee told him throwing some more clothes in the suitcase, not bothering to fold them.
He couldn't let her leave. "I'll leave with you...we can go wherever you want. Live wherever you want." Charlie whispered. It would hurt him to leave his beloved town but he would do it. He loved her and Bella more than his life here, more than his dreams. He couldn't be happy here without them.
She turned to him and looked at him for the first time. Her eyes were wide with shock, but she swallowed hard and shook her head no. "It's more than just the town Charlie. I want to be free. We married so young...I had so many dreams..." She shook her head again and turned back to her packing.
"I don't want to be forty and married to a small town cop. I want to be free and explore the world. I want to do new things. Meet new people." Renee shut her suitcase hard.
Charlie heard her words. It wasn't just that she wanted to leave this town, she wanted to leave him. He became angry for the first time, what would she do with Bella while she was exploring...
"You're not taking Bella." He growled at her.
Renee looked up at him shocked. "I am Charlie." She told him her eyes narrowing.
"I'll fight you." Charlie said becoming determined.
Renee stood up and stared at him hard. "You will lose. No judge is going to give you custody over me."
"We'll see." Charlie said his lips firming with resolve.
"Then we will drag each other through the mud with Bella in the middle. Is that what you want Charlie? You know she would rather be with me. Or maybe you think we should ask her and make her pick one of us?" Renee asked.
Charlie closed his eyes, hurt at the truth of her words. Bella did gravitate more towards Renee. She was bright, energetic, charismatic, everything Charlie was not. He didn't want to hurt Bella by dragging her through court battles and making her choose one parent over the other.
"She can stay with you in the summers Charlie." Renee said quietly.
Charlie lowered his head in defeat. He didn't say anything or turn as she left their bedroom. He heard them moving around upstairs in Bella's room. He heard their quiet chatter, but his mind didn't register what they were saying. He heard them approach his door and put a smile on his face with great difficulty.
"Go hug daddy, Bella." Renee told her.
Bella hesitated looking at her mother in question. "Where are we going?" She asked.
"On a grand adventure." Renee told her with a smile.
"Where is daddy's suitcase?" Bella asked.
Charlie cleared his throat. He looked at his daughter and smiled with all the love he felt. "I have to work Bells but you will come see me soon." He told her softly.
Bella smiled and ran to him. She hugged him and Charlie held her as long as he dared. He didn't want to upset her by holding her too long but it was hard letting her go. Bella laughed and ran back to her mother with a shy wave to him. Charlie returned the wave then turned to Renee.
"Call me when you get where you're going so I know you are okay." He said quietly.
Renee gave him a bittersweet smile and ushered Bella out the door. Charlie stood there still hoping that she would change her mind, until he heard the car start up and drive away. He sank to the ground and pulled his knees to his chest and put his head in his hands as grief overwhelmed him.
Charlie was two days late. In all the time Jasper had known him he was never late. He saw him every Friday. It was now Sunday and Jasper was worried. He paced back and forth in his cabin. He needed to go check on him but he was loathe to go so close to town.
Jasper growled and put on his jacket, making sure to cover his face . He made his way to town quickly and carefully. It was late so there wasn't a lot of people to avoid. He felt almost overwhelming despair as he approached Charlie's house and picked up his pace. He didn't bother to knock before entering. He could tell Charlie was the only one there. He found him in his bedroom on the floor curled up in the fetal position.
Jasper fought the sadness that threatened to swallow him. He pushed calm to Charlie, trying to give him some peace. It was difficult to concentrate but he felt Charlie's emotions start to lighten and he looked up at Jasper for the first time.
"Jasper..." He whispered in a raspy voice.
"What happened Charlie?" Jasper asked.
"She left me...she took Bella with her.." Charlie murmured and lowered his eyes.
Jasper clenched his fists. He suspected Renee would some day leave but he had hoped she wouldn't. Charlie was such a good man he deserved better than Renee but Jasper knew Charlie wouldn't see it that way. Charlie thought Renee was better than he was. He had told him often that she was too good for him.
Jasper gripped Charlie's shoulder and helped him sit up. "Charlie I need your help. The Wallis kid is spray painting the school again. If I try to stop him I will scare him to death."
He felt a glimmer in Charlie's emotions, a sense of duty fighting through the darkness. He helped the spark along. "When I ran by the Rollins house I heard a party going on. I'm sure you told me last week that Mr. and Mrs. Rollins were going out of town. Do they have kids?" Jasper knew they did but he was trying to get Charlie to interact with him.
"Yes, LeeAnn has been a little rebellious lately, she's going through that awkward stage. She's probably trying to fit in with the popular crowd. I better break it up before she gets herself in too much hot water. Maybe you should go scare Ronald. I've already caught him two times and he is still vandalizing. A good scare might do the trick." Charlie said getting up slowly. He looked down at his clothes and frowned.
"I should probably change." Charlie said.
"Go ahead, I will wait for you." Jasper told him and turned to leave.
He made his way to the kitchen and started to make a sandwich. He was sure Charlie hadn't eaten in awhile. He started some coffee and had just finished it when Charlie showed up at the door. He handed him the sandwich first. Charlie started to shake his head but Jasper increase his hunger to the point that Charlie couldn't resist. He ate the sandwich as they walked out the door. Jasper passed him his cup of coffee as he entered his car and nodded at him as he took off down the driveway.
"She's coming tomorrow." Charlie said with the first genuine smile Jasper had see in months. It had been an uphill battle but Charlie was beginning to climb out of his depression. The fact that Bella was coming for the summer helped a lot.
Jasper had stuck close to him those first weeks after Renee and Bella had left. He even stayed at his house at first, he had been afraid to leave him. He had used his empathy almost constantly trying to help his friend. He made sure he ate, slept, made it to work. Slowly his job and his love for his town had begun to heal him. Jasper helped him more often and he had come to understand a little of Charlie's love for the place. Helping people filled a hole in Jasper and helped chase away his own darkness.
Charlie wouldn't talk about his pain but instead focused on Jaspers. He was concerned that Jasper couldn't sleep. He said it wasn't right that Jasper had no break from his constant thoughts. He searched for a way to give Jasper peace and finally suggested that Jasper try meditation. Charlie claimed it wasn't for him but might help Jasper rest his mind. It was a god send. Jasper was able to escape his guilt and insecurity for those hours he meditated. It also seemed to give him more control over his gift.
Charlie would ask him questions about his past life. Jasper answered all of it knowing that Charlie found peace in helping others. He began to heal too as Charlie accepted him. Some of his suggestions helped him, others didn't work out but it was nice having someone genuinely care about him. It was nice to have a friend that he genuinely cared about.
Charlie didn't talk as much as he used to, for that matter he hardly talked at all any more. His emotions that had once been so positive now were dark. It was nice to see a little joy in that darkness.
"There was a group of rowdy fisherman camping south of your cabin. I'm a little concerned that they may cause trouble. Can you keep an eye on them?" Charlie asked. "I don't want my first day with Bella interrupted by drunk fisherman."
"Of course." Jasper answered with a smile. He actually liked helping him.
"Are you sure you won't come over and meet my daughter?" Charlie asked.
Jasper's smile disappeared. "I don't want to scare her off." He told Charlie only half joking.
Charlie nodded and stood. Jasper stopped him. He held out some money for him. Charlie scowled and shook his head angrily. "No Jasper I'm not taking your money."
"I didn't steal it Charlie. I worked a short security job last month." Jasper told him. He knew Charlie wouldn't think he stole it but he was hoping that if he acted offended Charlie would take the money. He knew Charlie sent every dime that wasn't needed for his mortgage and food to Renee. The woman was awful with money and was constantly calling Charlie with some emergency that amounted to her forgetting a bill and buying some unneeded item. Charlie never told him that but Jasper could hear both sides of the conversation when she called.
Charlie still wasn't taking the money. "Look Charlie, I know you want to spoil Bella while she is here. Take the money." Jasper told him.
"No amount of spoiling is going to make her happy to be with me Jasper." Charlie said frowning.
Jasper could have kicked himself. Renee had made a point of telling Charlie how unhappy Bella was to have to come to Forks for the summer. Charlie had nearly caved and told her she didn't have to come but Jasper had talked him out of it.
"Maybe not but I'm sure she doesn't want to live on peanut butter and jelly and I know you still can't cook." Jasper told him.
Charlie actually chuckled and ended up taking the money. "I'm paying you back." He said then turned away.
"So LeeAnn and Ronald are actually getting married?" Jasper asked again.
Charlie chuckled but Jasper could feel no real joy in his laughter.
"What's wrong Charlie?" Jasper asked.
Charlie looked down, his mood darkened. He was doing so much better lately. He never went back to the same Charlie, Jasper had met all those years ago but in twelve years he had settled into his life and his job as chief of police. He wasn't talkative and he rarely shared his thoughts with anyone. He probably only really talked to Jasper. He went fishing with some friends from the reservation but Jasper knew they only talked about fish.
Sometimes it angered Jasper to the point of wanting to hurt Renee but he knew that Charlie wouldn't want that and he didn't want to be that person anymore.
"Bella has decided that now she is twelve she is not coming to Forks for the summer anymore. Renee suggested that I take her to California but I don't know where I would get the money to do that." Charlie told him.
Jasper clenched his fists as anger nearly overwhelmed him. He knew Charlie lived for his summers with his daughter. Jasper had seen her from a distance but still hadn't met her. She was a pretty little girl with brown hair and brown eyes. Her emotions felt a lot like Charlie's. She seemed mature for her age and Jasper wouldn't have guessed that she would hurt her father like this. Maybe he had been wrong about her, maybe Renee influenced her more than he thought.
"Don't worry about it Charlie. I'll loan you the money. I have some stashed." Jasper told him. He did odd jobs here and there. He didn't really need money, the only thing he ever bought was clothes. He liked to have extra though because Charlie still gave most of his money to Renee and their had been times where the man needed it. Charlie always paid him back, he knew he didn't have to but it was a matter of honor to him.
Charlie let out a breath of relief. "Thanks Jasper I'll pay you back."
"I know you will." Jasper answered.
"I'm going to talk to Billy this weekend about buying that old truck of his." Charlie told Jasper as they sat on his porch.
"Why do you need that? I thought you were allowed to drive the police car anywhere you needed?" Jasper asked him.
Charlie grinned widely. "Bella is coming to live with me." He answered.
Jasper turned to him in shock. Bella had made it clear she hated Forks why would she come here to live?
"Renee is marrying some baseball player and Bella decided she would give the newlyweds time." Charlie answered his smile only faltering a little. Jasper knew that Charlie's love for Renee had died long ago but it had to hurt that Bella was only coming to live with him for Renee's sake.
Jasper shook his head. "That doesn't explain the truck." He told him.
"I'm getting it for Bella." Charlie said smiling widely.
Jasper turned away for a moment trying to get his anger under control. Charlie couldn't afford the truck...but with Renee marrying again and Bella living with him maybe he wouldn't have her draining his money dry. Still buying Bella a truck because she didn't like riding in the police car...
"Stop Jasper, It's a privilege I didn't think I would get. I'm buying her, her first car and she is going to live with me for a couple of years. I never thought this would happen and I'm happy regardless of the reasons." Charlie said happily.
Jasper studied Charlie again. He was happy. Happier than Jasper had seen him since Renee had left him. Jasper returned his smile.
"I just hope I can make her happy, I'm not exactly Renee." Charlie said his smile fading a bit.
'You're better than Renee' Jasper thought but didn't say it out loud.
"So when is she coming?" Jasper asked knowing that trying to reassure the man would get him no where.
"Next week!" Charlie said smiling again.
Author's note: Okay just to let you know Jasper is not going to like Bella at first. He is Charlie's friend and feels she doesn't treat him right...honestly I felt that way when I read the books. Don't worry though, while this well not be an immediate we are mates story they will have a strong love. As far as the wolves go...They haven't started phasing with just Jasper there because it is not enough of a threat. They won't start till the Cullens appear.