Chapter Ten: You F&$ked Up

Debra Swan's Point of View

I still couldn't believe Charlie. In less than five minutes, not only did my husband possibly destroy our relationship with Bella, my stepdaughter, but he also alienated us from my sister, brother-in-law, son-in-law, and our new family. All because he was a stubborn, overprotective father that was placed in this green vale with lots of heart, lots of passion...

and very little brain.

I adore him; truly I do. Ever since day one when he showed up in my classroom for a career day presentation, I felt enamored by him. He filled the emptiness that my first husband's, Cameron, death had left behind...him and Bella both. They gradually became my family.

Charlie was a kind man and I knew that, in his own way, he loved Bella and I both. Our needs were always kept even if it meant pulling extra hours down at the station. My husband was a good, hardworking man, but at times he screwed up.

Tonight was one of those nights that he did. He messed up big time.

After everyone watched in shock as my stepdaughter disappeared to her bedroom in tears, Edward asked everyone to leave. He didn't hide the hurt, disappointment, or curtness in his quaking voice. It took everything I had not to reach out and hug him as we walked out the door. The last thing I ever wanted was for my son-in-law to feel absolutely alienated by his own family.

The drive was unsettling and silent. Normally, whenever we were in the company of Amanda and Rob, we were all smiles and laughs. Tonight was the first night that their witty demeanor was abandoned for a protesting silence. The only sound that filled the cruiser was the buzz of the calm CB radio, the purr of the engine, and the steady rhythm of our breathing as we inhaled and exhaled.

We dropped Amanda and Rob off at their front door. Amanda made her disdain for Charlie's behavior clear as she slammed the back door of the cruiser a little too hard, causing Charlie to wince and grunt. I rolled down my window once Amanda knocked on it.

"I'll call you later, sis."

Without another word, her and Rob stormed up to the front door; disappearing inside. Neither her or Rob said a word to Charlie.

It wasn't until we turned back onto the main road home that I finally spoke up.

"Well, Charles, what do you have to say for yourself?"

His eyes remained cut in anger and frustration as he looked forward. His only response was a barely audible grunt.

I hated it when he responded like that.

"Charles..."

"Stop calling me Charles, Debra."

"Until you stop calling me Debra and acting like a pompous ass, I'll call you whatever I want. Got it, Charles?"

He grunted...again.

"And for God's sake, can you stop grunting? Talk to me. Acknowledge me."

Without warning, Charlie slammed down on the brake, swerving us onto the shoulder of a dead road. I looked at him in trepidation; too stunned at his recent actions. I shook my head, taken aback, as he slammed his weathered palms against the steering wheel.

"What do you want me to say, Deb! Do you want me to say what I'm truly feeling right now? Okay, I'm feeling like the worst father and husband in the world. I feel like I'm watching my little girl get sucked into this big black hole of the unknown and that she is WAY over her head and every time I throw her a rope to pull her out, she just ignores it. I feel that I am too damn young to be a grandfather. I feel like nothing I do is right for my family's well being even though they are always my top priority. I feel that my daughter was right on the money: maybe if I did spend more time with Renee she wouldn't have died. Maybe I did kill her mother..."

I bit my bottom lip, overcome with deep sadness, as I listened to Charlie rant. I allowed myself to whisper, "Is that all?"

He looked down at his lap, watching as he picked at a hang nail on his thumb, before clearing his throat that was thick with emotion. "No...I also feel that you are too wonderful for words and I never really tell you how much you mean to me. I know I'm not around much and I know you constantly worry that you will never be as loved or as appreciated as Renee was when she was alive. I also know that you brought me and Bella both back to life. I owe you. I fear that I will never be able to pay off my debt to you...I fear that someday I'll wake up and you will be gone too..."

A tear slid down my face as I looked back into the brown glossy eyes of a vulnerable Charlie Swan. I've only seen Charlie cry a few times before and during our marriage: when he told me about Renee's death, when he found out Bella was raped, and when she moved to Chicago. He had always been a man of few words and emotions up to this point. Hesitantly, I reached up and cupped his cheek, rubbing the stubble on his tense jaw line.

"Now, you listen to me, Charles Gregory Swan, and you listen good. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, got that? I won't go unless you tell me to. As for owing me, you have no debts here. You have always been an amazing husband and father. You always, ALWAYS put our needs first. In fact, there are times when I wish you would put yourself first for a change. I worry about you too, you know. Amanda does too. You get so stressed out with work, the bills, and Bella...if anything I'm afraid I'll be losing you..."

He winced slightly at my own fear. I don't think he ever thought about how scared I can get too. I licked my lips tentatively before continuing.

" I love you, Charlie. I love you and your stupid over reactive temper. I love you and your horrible taste in 70s music...including that god awful Bee Gees record you play constan-"

"Hey, they were an awesome ban-"

"Ah! Let me finish...I love you...and even though you may not feel it's true right now, Bella loves you as well. Her words were brought on by your own. She was upset and with her being...pregnant...her emotions are running wild. I know for a fact that she didn't mean what she said...well except for the whole 'my husband and child aren't a product of evil' thing..."

I smiled as I heard him chuckle lightly, "Boy, I'm a screw up...scared my favorite son-in-law off..."

I grinned softly as I pulled him into a hug, "Charlie...you are not a screw up; just a human. We make mistakes, you know. You did not kill Renee. It was just her time. She would not like to see you this way."

A giggle escaped my lips as I felt the stubble on his chin scratch lightly against my soft cheek as he gave me a gentle kiss. "Since when did you get so smart?"

I laughed, "First graders can be teachers too, you know."

His warm laugh filled the car for a minute or two before finally dulling back down to the silence around us, "What am I going to do about Bella?"

I sighed heavily, "I don't know, Charlie...how about you call her in a day or two? Give her some space. It will also give you some time to getting used to the idea of Bella having a baby."

He smiled sadly, "My baby...having a baby of her own..."

"She's a woman now, Charlie. She'll always be your girl, but you have to realize that she knows what she is doing. Edward and her both know. They are ready for this. Edward was raised well and you raised Bella well too."

"We both raised her well," He corrected firmly. This acknowledgement awakened the butterflies in my stomach; the same ones that fluttered the first time I heard Charlie's voice fill my classroom (giving a lecture on how not to talk to strangers). The same ones that fluttered when we first kissed after just being friends for three years. The same ones that fluttered when I heard Bella was having a baby.

I nuzzled my nose gently against his before continuing, "She's ready, Charlie, and so are you. Let your little girl grow up. Give her space and support her. She needs her daddy right now."

He nodded and slowly leaned in to peck my lips, "Okay...you're right...you're always right."

I laughed and gently thumped him in the stomach, "Is there anything else you are feeling right now that you need to share?"

He grinned half-heartedly, "Yes..."

"What is it then?"

"First, I love you. So much. I'm sorry I don't tell you that enough."

"Char-" He cut me off by gently pressing a firm finger to my lips.

"Second....I think Bells added too much pepper to that stroganoff. MAJOR heartburn."

The silence enveloped us a few beats before we both broke into a fit of laughter. It was at that moment I knew that we were okay and we would continue to be okay.

Our family, for better or for worse, was going to be just fine.

Author's Note: Okay, first, the chapter name. It's a song by Ween. I know you all are probably like, "WTF???" Well, there's your answer. Now on to the important stuff...

1) I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as the others. I know, Deb is not a big time character in this story, but I thought it'd be interesting to see how she handled the situation. Plus, I wanted a little C/D interaction since we don't see them often. I hope that I didn't disappoint. Tomorrow, hopefully, will be a new chapter with either Bella or Edward's POV. Which POV are you guys dying to see?

2) Speaking of POVs, I am still keeping my word about the EPOV one shot most of you voted on. Since my weekends are now open for this month, I will be working diligently on getting this done (this weekend may be the time I finish it). Since I've been delinquent, I'm extending the voting one week. Go to my profile and start voting for what you all want to see!

3) Thank you for all the wonderful feedback and reviews. You all are very sweet and inspiring! Keep sending the feedback; it helps a lot!

Till tomorrow!

-toxic