A/N for 2019-05-01: Charlie is one of my favourite characters - he's just so much fun to write. Hope you all enjoy him and Edward here. And don't forget to thank the incredibly sharp Eeyorefan12 for the mad Beta skills going on with this story.
~ Erin
Edward was prepared when Charlie Swan arrived.
He'd heard him coming, of course, the enraged thoughts and fantasies spinning out in a broken kaleidoscope of options, some more violent than others, but none which boded well for Edward.
In contrast, Charlie's physical voice was calm when he asked to see Doctor Cullen. The only disparaging note rested in his emphasis of the title.
"Hello, Chief Swan," Edward said, walking slowly out to the waiting room.
"Dr. Cullen. I thought we might go for a walk."
Didn't he, though. Charlie was actually wishing for a good chunk of deep forest to lose Edward in.
Then Charlie's mind remembered what Bella had looked like when Sam Uley had brought her out of the woods.
Edward hoped his professional mask remained intact, because the feelings that image stirred up left him hollow and weak inside. "Of course," he managed.
Edward followed Charlie obediently, peripherally aware of the man's intentions. They walked silently, Charlie ahead, and Edward a few steps behind, until they came to one of the area's small parks.
"Have a seat," Charlie said, pointing to a bench, then sat down himself.
Edward did, relieved by a sudden shift in Charlie's progression of thoughts.
"I'm guessing you've got a pretty good idea about what I'd like to discuss," Charlie said.
"I think so, yes."
"Bella is my only child, Edward, and I've already had to watch her go through hell three times. The first time was when you left. The second was probably started by the first. The third I can't blame you for."
Edward fervently wished that was true.
Both of them had been staring at the park's playground, empty at the moment. Now Charlie faced him. "But it will be a cold day in hell before I let you hurt her again."
"I only showed up because I was the doctor on call—"
"Bullshit. I am not blind, Cullen. I can read a face. Body language. You are as much a doctor to her as I am her local law enforcement."
Edward nodded. He wouldn't insult the man by insisting on a ruse neither of them believed in.
"She has been through more than anyone her age should have seen, let alone experienced. I will do everything and anything to keep you from hurting her, without a care for the consequences to myself. Am I clear?"
Charlie's thoughts were most articulate. Several explicit scenarios played out in his mind. The one involving the accidental discharge of a firearm in Edward's presence was the kindest of them.
"You are very clear," he replied.
Charlie grunted, his thoughts full of disappointment at Edward's easy acquiescence. "You could probably date any woman you wanted to, Cullen. And yet, here you are, in a city of several million of them, with my daughter. And you just happened to be her on-call doctor. Care to explain the improbability of that?"
No. He didn't.
Lying was something he did so well, he had to catch himself before letting one slip from his tongue. He wanted what was between them to be the truth.
"I have few regrets in my life, Chief Swan." That was true for this life, at least, this spasmodic span of twenty eight years. "But my greatest wish is that I could undo what I did when I left Bella. It was the worst decision I've ever made. If I have a chance to do any good for her now, I will. But I have no hope that she will ever forgive me. I'm beyond that."
Charlie was in no way convinced. "I doubt very much that will stop you from trying."
"You seem to think she's willing to let me try."
"I didn't say that," Charlie said, glowering.
But Edward could hear what Charlie didn't say: that he was afraid Bella would be all too willing to give Edward another chance and would open herself to heartbreak yet again. Edward owed Bella's father the knowledge of his honest intentions and found himself nodding in agreement. "I will try," he said. "Because she deserves the chance to reject me."
Now Charlie stared. He called Edward several well-deserved names in his head. "Are you an idiot?"
Edward didn't answer what was clearly a rhetorical question.
"She's grieving. She's stressed to all hell, and has two kids to raise under crappy circumstances, with no family or friends nearby." Although Charlie didn't voice the thought, he wanted to ask if Edward had been dropped on his head as an infant—and then, with a mental wince, wondered if that was why he'd wound up in foster-care. The speculation didn't soften Charlie's anger, however, and he pressed on with his warnings. "She's in no state to navigate the kind of emotional burden you're shoving her way." He stood, clearly agitated. "Stay the fuck away from my daughter if you care about her at all." Then he walked away, muttering increasingly-unkind characterizations of Edward's emotional abilities, possible childhood trauma be damned.
- 0 -
Marsha brought Bella home before going to get the children from daycare and for this, Charlie was grateful. Conversations with Mer and Josh around were delightful, but not very productive.
"Put your feet up," Charlie said, watching Bella sit down.
She chuckled. "You miss rubbing my feet, or something?" She wiggled her toes.
"Sure. Gotta keep in practice for Sue."
He perched on the other end of the couch, picking up Bella's foot and starting the massage, beginning at her heel. He and Sue had taken a course in, of all things, reflexology. Sue had insisted he needed a distraction from taking care of Bella. He'd practiced on Bella, who had laughed at first, but soon learned to enjoy the benefits of his skill.
She sighed as he worked her foot in small circles.
Perfect. He wanted her relaxed. He had no plans to ambush her, but very much wanted to hear what her open thoughts were on Edward Cullen.
"Good day at work?" he asked.
"Yeah. Nice kids. Good lesson plan." She closed her eyes, and melted back into the couch cushions with another breath. "But if you keep going at this, I'm going to fall asleep."
"Did you not sleep well last night?"
"No, no. It was fine. Just catching up, I guess. The sleep hasn't been great lately. I've had a lot of dreams."
Nightmares, he suspected, but he didn't push the point.
"Getting to know any good people at work?"
"A few, here and there. It's hard to when I'm at so many schools."
"But you'll get a contract at some point."
"Probably," she admitted. "It would be nice going to the same place every day."
Charlie kept working, moving up to her arch.
"You don't have to beat around the bush, Dad. I know you want to talk about Edward."
"I do," he said. "I've already spoken to him."
Bella tensed. "What?"
"I went to his office."
"Dad—"
"Let me talk," he said, taking a firm grip of her big toe. It was her most sensitive spot, and she stopped moving. "I didn't tell him anything specific about you, and I couldn't bring my gun across the border, so I left him in one piece."
"Awesome," Bella said, grimacing.
"But I did tell him that I'd seen you hurt enough, first when he left, and then with all the other things life has thrown your way. I made it very clear that I wouldn't stand by to watch more of it happen at his hands."
"Not going to happen, Dad. It was just like he said, he was the doctor—"
"That's bull, Bella, and you know it. A city this size? He finagled this somehow. I don't know how, but he did. That boy wants a second shot with you."
"Did he say that, Dad? That boy?" She smirked a little at his choice of wording.
"Like I told him, I'm not blind or stupid. I'll let him speak for himself, whatever crap he wants to spew, but I'm done watching you be hurt if I can prevent it."
His fatherly protectiveness nearly brought tears to her eyes and her voice trembled a little when she spoke next. "You can't stop life hurting the people you love, Dad. I think we both know that."
"No, but I can tell Edward Cullen that there'll be hell to pay if he hurts you again."
"And what will you do, Dad? Smuggle a gun across the border and shoot him?" She tried to suppress another smile, but Charlie wasn't fooled.
He frowned, not liking her levity.
"You feeling okay?" he asked.
Her facial expression sobered immediately. "Yeah, sorry, it's just easier to joke about this."
Of course it was.
"I have no interest in seeing more of Edward Cullen than I need to, Dad." She paused, biting her lip. "Though, having a doctor who makes house calls feeling beholden to you is mighty handy."
Charlie snorted. "For you, yes. You are the most accident-prone person I know."
"And I seem to have passed that gene onto Mer, too."
Charlie grunted his assent. So far, in her short life, Meredith had seen many hospital visits. "As long as he doesn't hurt you, he can be your housecleaner for all I care. Just—guard your heart, honey. I see how you look at each other."
It was Bella's turn to snort. "Maybe you need to get your vision checked then."
"Nice," Charlie said. "Make fun of Grandpa." He smiled, happy to have these words of reassurance from her. He didn't believe it for a minute, but if Bella wanted to live in denial about how she felt about Edward Cullen, all the better. Maybe the boy would give up and move on. A man could hope.
DISCLAIMER: S. Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.
