A/N: Ok, so here's Bella finally telling her dad about her relationship with Edward...one parent down, and one to go right???

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Chapter 10

Bella went through dinner, trying to figure out how to tell her father about Edward. After finding the picture of her mother in the cruiser, she felt like he'd understand but wasn't sure if it would go over well still. Even sympathy for her feelings wouldn't take away the anger he had for the way Edward treated her. She was still his only daughter, and knew the need he had to protect her would keep his anger towards the man that hurt her alive.

The small talk was running out, both out of easy subjects. No more talk of the weather, or her plans to see her mother in Phoenix the following week. All that was left was Edward, and her current situation with the Cullen's and Bella still wasn't sure how to tell him. She barely ate, and wanted nothing more then to run to her room and find Edward waiting for her, to take away al the fear she held for telling her father the truth.

"Bella just tell me." Charlie said as he put his dishes in the sink. "There's something on your mind, I can tell. Just tell me."

"Ok, but maybe you should sit down first." She said as she put her own dishes in the sink. Bella followed Charlie into the living room reminding herself that she could tell him about Edward.

"You aren't pregnant are you?" He blurted out and she shook her head.

"No! God no!" She nearly screamed and sat across from him. "I'm seeing someone." She said easily and he nodded.

"That's great, you've been alone too long and I know you claim not to mind but I know that's not true. You should be around people." He said smiling at her, genuinely happy that she wasn't alone anymore. "Tell me about him, what's his name?"

"That's the thing, you already know him. He went to school with me." She said and he nodded, waiting for her to continue. "It's Edward." She finally choked out and watched as his face turned red. "Please hear me out."

"No!" He growled and got up to get another beer from the fridge. "Why Bella? Why would you let him hurt you again?"

"Please listen to me." She practically begged and he sat back in his recliner to look at her. "We ran into each other. Carlisle has been my teacher all semester, and while at first I didn't want him to tell Edward, or anyone that he knew where I was. I couldn't hide it right before Thanksgiving break. I walked in on him and Esme arguing because he never told anyone that about me. I decided that it wasn't fair that they were all at war with one another, over to keep my secret or not. So I confronted Edward myself, I had to know."

"What did you have to know? What was so important that you would go see him after all this time?"

"I wanted to know why he left, why he didn't talk to me after he was gone. How he could walk out on us and not even give me a real reason why."

"And you just let him in?"

"I needed to know, and talking to him was the only way to get those answers." She said and started to pace around the room. "I didn't just let him walk back into my life. But we are working on things, I love him and no matter what I tried that wouldn't go away. Its just as strong today as it was when I first walked into that classroom. We're working on us, and I'm not letting him go. I need him to be happy."

"No you don't!" He screamed and jumped up. The moment he raised his voice and she seen the anger on his face she couldn't hold back the tears anymore. They were brimming on her eyes and she could no longer blink them away, so she let them run down her face.

"Charlie I love you, but I won't walk away from Edward for you. I love him, and I wont give him up, I can't. He's part of me." She said and put her face in her hands. "Please don't make this a choice between you and him."

"I'd rather you were pregnant." He said and she continued to cry.

"I don't know why I thought you'd be happy for me. Part of me thought you'd understand." She said and seen the shock cross his face as she reached for her coat. "You still love mom, and are still holding on to that from what, twenty years ago? You won't even change the things she did around the house. So how can you blame me for holding on to love from three years ago?" She said and opened the door. "I'm going for a walk and I'll change my flight information tomorrow. Don't worry, I won't stay here long since you clearly are disgusted with me and my decisions. I'll leave for Phoenix as soon as I can."

The moment she slammed the door she felt two cold arms wrap around her. She didn't even look up to see his face. She knew and wasn't surprised that he followed her after all.

"Come on love, why don't we go for that walk." he said and they went into the woods.

"You came," she said quietly and he nodded. "Alice seen this didn't she?"

"Ya and I know I said I'd give you your time, but…" she put her fingers up to his lips to stop him.

"I'm glad you're here. Whether I was here alone or not, I would be returning to you after Phoenix. Though it looks like I might be there sooner then I thought if she acts like Charlie."

"He just needs time. He'll come around. He's upset because he knows I hurt you and doesn't want me to do that again. He's trying to protect you, and no one can fault him for that."

"But he would barely listen to me."

"He will, you just need to let the shock wear off. He was expecting it to be someone new, someone who hadn't hurt you before that you could get a fresh start with. He never thought that it would be me. Last he knew I was in LA with my family. He'll listen when you try again."

"I don't think so." She said and clung to his shirt, just letting him be strong for her.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I know so." He said and pulled her against him, trying to lighten the mood.

"Are you going to leave?" She whispered and looked up at him.

"Not unless you want me to." He said and she leaned up to kiss him.

"Good because I don't think I could sleep without you there with me." She said and he nodded. "Oh and thank you."

"For what?"

"Coming here to see me, the presents in my bag when I got on the plane and for loving me."

"Never thank me for taking care of you, or loving you. It's natural to me to do both. You're my other half, my love and my mate its my job to take care of you. Whether it be spoiling you beyond reason, or being there for you when you are having a bad day."

"You know that goes both ways, I know that I don't have a lot to offer you…" she started and he cut her off with a shake of his head.

"You give me you, and to me that's everything. I can buy anything I want, can go anywhere, but I can't replace the way I feel when I'm with you. The love I feel for you, and the love you give me." He said and adjusted her in his lap as they sat in the woods. "Bella I love you, and knowing you love me is enough. I don't need anything else." He said and she nodded, as she leaned into his touch as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I don't want to go back," she said and he shook his head.

"Yes you do, he feels bad that you left upset. He didn't want to fight with you."

"Then why did he?" She asked and he turned her head to look at him.

"He doesn't want to see you hurt, he keeps running it over in his mind. The way you were right after I left, the way you shut yourself off from the world, and it's a memory he'd give anything to loose." He said and she reached up to touch his cheek, knowing he wanted to rid himself of the image as well. "We should head back, he wants to come looking for you."

"Will you come back?" She asked as they got up, hopeful she'd have him with her when she went to sleep that night.

"No where else I'd rather be." He said and leaned down to kiss her forehead before disappearing into the trees when she was in front of her house.

Bella took a deep breath before she finally walked back through the door. She felt better now that she talked to Edward, and that he told her that Charlie was feeling guilty for how things happened. Somehow it made her hopefully, that this second talk would go over better.