A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only wish that I owned Twilight or its characters.

Chapter 7

"Do you two know each other?" It is easy to see Charlie is uncomfortable with the situation that has presented itself. The dumbstruck expression on his face clues me into how shocked he is at my outburst as well as Edward's sudden appearance.

I can't even answer his question because of the anger that is raging through my body and clouding my thoughts. If I open my mouth its going to be all Fucks and Assholes, so I let Edward handle it.

"We've met. Briefly." I don't miss the way he discreetly rolls his eyes in my direction. "She came into the shop last night before closing."

"Don't forget to tell him how you treated me like I was some sort of town pariah."

"YOU DID WHAT?" Uh-oh..someone's in trouble.

Apparently Charlie isn't too happy with the townsfolk treating his only daughter like shit. "Bella will you excuse Edward and me for just a second?"

Before I can even reply he has grabbed Edward by the back of his jacket and pushes him out the door, following closely behind.

Seconds later I can hear them arguing but can't make out exactly what they're saying. I never expected my father to stick up for me, which only further proves he truly is sorry for what has passed. It is almost too much to take. I sit back down on the couch and wait for both of them to return.

I still don't understand why Edward has so much resentment towards me; he doesn't even know me. Damn him and his pretty copper colored hair and his chiseled jaw that at times, I can't decide whether I want to punch or nibble on it.

It's mostly punch though, especially right now.

Soon they both return and Charlie has us both sitting on opposite ends of the couch like we're back in grade school and have been put in timeout.

"Now you two need to talk this out. You're both very important to me and I won't have any animosity between the two of you. Bella, I've talked to Edward and I understand the reasons behind the way he was acting."

I look over to said-person and he's smirking in my direction, it only makes me want to punch him harder.

"But that doesn't make it right." Now it's my turn to smirk as I watch the self-satisfied expression fade from his face.

"Now I'm going to leave the room and I expect you both to talk things out but if I hear any fighting or punches, Bella that means you, -Damn, I guess I didn't hide my desire to knock his pretty teeth out as well as I'd thought- you'll both be on my shit list. Comprende?"

Charlie leaves the room and leaves us both to stew in awkward silence. It's minutes before Edward finally breaks it.

"Charlie told me you didn't have a choice when you left, that you were really young and your mother was a controlling bitch. Well he didn't exactly call her a bitch but you know what I mean."

"Do you really think calling my mother a bitch is going to get you in my good graces? Even if it's true, she's still my mom."

I don't know why I'm defending her, I mean it's true, she is a bitch. It's because it's him, he can't call her that, only me.

He lets out an exasperated breath that clues me into just how little patience he has with me.

"Look, I'm trying to say I'm sorry. I've acted horribly to you because I thought you abandoned Charlie. I know you didn't have a choice when you were younger but I couldn't understand why you never visited, why you never called him just to check in, why you would ignore one of the best men that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. And any time I brought it up he'd break all over again." It's obvious, how much he cares about Charlie, as if he feels the same pain.

I'm glad Charlie has his own set of fans but that doesn't make it better, I don't deserve this.

"That's why everyone in the town hates me? Because they think it's MY fault? That I didn't want to know my father? That I chose to be abandoned by him?"

I cannot get a handle on the thoughts in my head. I'm so angry at the close-minded people in this town and the assumptions they made just because I was forced away from my home when I was so young.

"I get it now, I understand that you never received the letters he sent you and didn't know that he tried to contact your mother. But all we saw then was how torn up he was that his little girl was gone, that his calls and letters went unanswered. Plus I mean most of the people in this town remember your mother, they weren't exactly her biggest admirers."

I look up from my lap to see him staring directly at me. His eyes meet mine and I can see that they are stormy again in their conviction; He wants me to believe him, needs me to.

"Okay I believe you, I can tell you're telling the truth, but that doesn't make it okay... even if I do understand the opinions about my mother. She really is a monster."

We both half-heartedly chuckle. It feels a little forced but it does help to throw away some of the tension.

"For what it's worth I truly am sorry that I prematurely judged you. I understand now that you were just as much a victim in this situation as your father." I nod my head agreeing with what he's saying. We were both hurt by this. Thanks mom.

"I'm not a bad guy Bella and I'd like for us to be friends since we'll both be spending a lot of time with Charlie."

I want the drama to end I just don't know if I can trust him yet. And the way my life has been lately trust is kind of high up on the list of attributes I look for.

"I know you care about Charlie or you wouldn't have acted the way you did; you were protecting him. So DEEP DOWN maybe you are a good guy but you'll have to prove it to me."

I wink at him. He knows it's my way of not saying yes, but I'm not saying never.

His smirk is out in full force, the one that I have no doubt has had women on their knees at his feet, and believe me if I hadn't experienced how big of an asshole he can be my panties would already be on the floor…in my father's home…on his couch...

Stop with the sexual fantasies and focus Bella! I snap back to attention just as I hear his reply.

"I do love a challenge Bella." My name rolls off his tongue; he makes it sound sooo much dirtier than a name ever should. It's not hard to hear the innuendo in his voice.

I can't believe he actually thinks I'd go there with him after the way he treated me. I swear he makes my emotions go from opposite ends of the spectrum in two seconds flat. His cocky attitude is making me want to slap him across the face when seconds ago I was ready to take my clothes off for him.

Too bad for him, I'm stubborn as hell.

"That's never going to happen Edwardo. You might want to get used to the pain you're going to be feeling because I've heard blue-balls can be a bitch."

"Who's a bitch?" We both jump at the sound of Charlie's voice. Edward turns beet red, obviously embarrassed and a little scared that my father might have overheard him practically propositioning me. His sudden change in mood makes me feel satisfied and I face Edward with my arms crossed and my own version of his smirk plastered on my face.

"Yeah Edward, why don't you tell Charlie what we were just talking about. What was I referring to again?"

Charlie raises his eyebrows waiting for an answer while Edward looks like he is about to puke, and maybe spank me at the same time. Usually I wouldn't mind the spanking part but I like seeing him squirm more.

"Uh, I forget." He glances down at his watch and makes a big show of the time before telling us he has to go.

"That's a good idea. I don't like that you left Angela by herself over there, you should get back." Edward nods along to what my father is saying as if he totally agrees. Why does Charlie care when Edward goes to work?

He makes his way to the front door. As he opens it he looks back to the pair of us, "I really am sorry Charlie I didn't mean to disrespect you or your daughter. I hope you can forgive me soon Bella." And just like that the smirk is back filling my head with naughty thoughts.

Damn him.

"Uh Huh." I walk over to the door and start pushing him out of it, "okay, bye now!" As I close it behind him I can hear him cracking up while he walks to his car.

*JB*

I turn back to Charlie and he's watching me like he is suspicious about something.

"That was interesting... Did you and Edward settle your differences?"

I roll my eyes. He's acting as if we're both 5 years old and all Edward did was cut the hair off my Barbie doll. My feelings toward him can't be resolved with a ten-minute time out and a short discussion.

"Sure. I mean I understand but I'm not going to be best friends with the guy. He's kind of an ass Charlie."

Charlie sighs, "He's a good kid Bella. I've known him since he first moved here, kind of took him under my wing because his dad was always working and because I missed having you around. But, I understand why you're hesitant, and I won't push. I just ask that you be civil to one another."

I look down at my lap and fiddle with the end of my t-shirt. I'm a little ashamed that I insulted someone that obviously means a lot to him. "Of course. I wouldn't do that to you Charlie, I wouldn't embarrass you. Now, if I could just get the rest of the town to change their opinions about me."

"I wouldn't worry about that too much Bells. It's Forks, I'm sure the word about you will be out within the hour."

We laugh because we both know he's right. In a small town like this, word travels fast.

"Now tell me why you left L.A. Last I heard you were being considered for some period piece and dating that Jared guy."

I'm shocked to find out that Charlie knows the details about my career. "It's Jake. And how do you know about that?"

"Well of course I know about it! just because your mother wouldn't let me talk to you doesn't mean I didn't care what you were doing. I know how to use Google. Of course I couldn't tell just how much of what I was reading was true."

I chuckle at the thought of this tough guy sitting across from me reading Perez Hilton or any other gossip site that currently has my name plastered all over it. But it seems he doesn't know about the pictures, which three days ago you couldn't get away from. Now, if anyone Googled my name they'd find them. Those pictures would forever be attached to me and would probably be the first result that pops up on the screen.

I don't know if i can handle him looking at me differently when he finds out. He still thinks of me as his little angel...

little does he know.

"I guess you haven't checked the sites recently then huh?"

"Well I've been a little busy." He can tell I'm close to breaking down now. I can barely look him in the eye and my palms are sweaty from the anxiousness that is attacking my body. "Bella, what's going on."

And just like that, I'm sobbing. I tell him the whole story, about my "fake" relationship with Jake, about the pictures, about the meeting and how I needed to get away and that he was the only face I wanted to see. He takes me into his arms and provides me with the comfort only a father can give. He doesn't shun me or look at me with the judgment I get from my mother on a daily basis.

"This will all blow over, you'll see. Someone else will shave their head or beat up the paparazzi or get arrested and no one will remember. But until then you can hide out here. I highly doubt anyone will be looking for Marie Dwyer in Forks."

I'm extremely grateful for his offer because I hadn't thought that far ahead. What if he had turned me away? Where would I have gone?

But his words also bring dread into my system. No one will remember you. Is that what I wanted, to give up my career? I wasn't so sure yet but I knew I need sometime before I could ever go back to L.A..

"Thanks Charlie…Dad." He hugs me a little tighter and I can feel his happy tears fall onto my head. Neither of us mention them.

We sit in silence for a couple minutes before I realize something important. "No one in Forks knows I'm Marie Dwyer too, right?"

"No. I never told anyone. The last thing I needed was these nosey old ladies to ask me for things or hound me about Hollywood gossip." He shivers as if the thought to him is absolutely horrifying.

I laugh at his antics, finally feeling as if the decision to come here was the best one I could've ever made.

"I better get back to the hotel and get something to eat." With my mention of food I remember Charlie's involvement with Edward's work. "Dad, why do you care so much about when Edward works? Is he in some kind of trouble or something?" I mean the guy is a jerk sometimes but I don't want him to get hurt or anything.

"Bella, I own the bakery. Edward just runs it for me while he works on his side 'projects'." Side projects?

"That must be where I get my cooking skills from then, I love to bake." These are the things I'm looking forward to learning, what my dad and I have in common, what I may have inherited from him besides the deep brown color of my eyes.

I can see how proud Charlie is with my assumption; he wants to know these things too. "If you want you can help out there. We always can use an extra pair of hands and well, it'd be a good chance to spend some time together."

It would be a great way to reconnect with each other while doing something we both love.

"I think that's a great idea Charlie. I'll stop by tomorrow. I better get going, I need to check in with some people, let them know I'm okay. I'll see you tomorrow though."

With one last parting hug and more goodbyes I exit the house the most relaxed and optimistic that I have been in years.

They're good feelings to have.

A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review! They keep me wanting to continue! You guys are great!