Need You Now

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on this story!

Part Ten

Bella stood opposite her father on the Black's front porch, anxiety welling in her gut. Why wasn't he saying anything? She was expecting anger, disappointment, or a million questions, but not silence. He had his hands on his hips while he paced. Sometimes he would raise his eyes to meet hers, but then his would slide away again and he continued on with his endless pacing. Bella folded her arms across her chest as she looked out at the horizon. The ground was a sea of white in all directions. Charlie's cruiser was almost completely buried under a pile of snow. The snow was still falling, but it was gentler now. The Black's house wasn't as exposed as the mountain. The tall trees tossing in the wind sheltered it from the worst of the storm's effects.

Finally Charlie stopped walking back and forth, but when he spoke he said the last thing that Bella was expecting. "Bells, when did things get so serious with Jacob?"

Bella stared at him for a moment, bewildered that after everything that he had learned, this was what he was focusing on. "We've been spending a lot of time together...talking and stuff. We had a lot of issues to work out. Jake's a great guy, dad." She stumbled over her words as she tried to find a suitable explanation about her sudden switch in relationships. She didn't think Charlie was ready to hear about imprinting on top of everything else he had just learned.

"He is. He and Billy are practically family." Charlie coughed and cleared his throat. He was clearly finding this conversation difficult. "I'm not very good at expressing myself about these things. You know that." He raised his head to meet her troubled gaze and his eyes softened. "Jake's a good kid. Billy's done an amazing job of raising him mostly on his own. Not like me." A guilty expression crossed his face and he ducked his head again.

"Dad." Bella tried to protest but Charlie raised his hand to silence her.

"Let's not make any excuses, kiddo. I've been an absent parent for most of your life. Renee did her best, but I know what she can be like. I figure growing up like you did forced you to compensate and try to surround yourself with a new family." Charlie continued roughly as he rubbed a hand over his face. "That's what the Cullens became to you, wasn't it? A family who were there for you because I wasn't."

Bella broke down. Jacob was right that Charlie was more self aware then she had ever given him credit for. She shook her head in denial and tried to hold back her tears. "It wasn't quite like that, dad."

Charlie's jaw flexed as he tried to control his own emotions. "Let me own my mistakes, Bells. Jake's a great kid." He said again. "He's exactly the kind of boy I want to see you with. He adores you. Anyone can see that. He can protect you-"

"Dad." Bella tried again. Her tears were coming thick and fast now. She wondered how much longer her father could hold his inside. His brown eyes, so like hers, were sparkling with moisture.

"I never liked that Cullen boy. It was something about him. A gut instinct you know. But I was so afraid of losing you like I lost your mother if I said anything and tried to split you up." Charlie took a deep breath and blew out his cheeks. He shook his head to clear it. "When you said to me you didn't want to be trapped here like Renee when you ran away that time-"

"I was lying, dad. I was-"

"I know that now. I know." Charlie cut her off again. "But I should of known then. Instead I let my hurt pride get in the way and you went off alone."

"I was with Alice and Jasper." Bella whispered. "We were tricked, dad. All of us were."

"You nearly died, Bella." Charlie cried. "You nearly died. I could have lost you."

Then his arms were wrapped around her. Bella sobbed as Charlie hugged her tightly, his own tears beginning to fall. "Forgive me, Bells. Forgive me for not being there when you needed me the most." He pleaded hoarsely.

Jacob was waiting for Bella when she came back inside with Charlie. He had overheard the entire conversation, even though he had tried to ignore it for privacy's sake. He shot a glance in Sam's direction. Uley had heard it too. He wondered what his Alpha was thinking. He had been very quiet since Bella and Charlie had gone outside. Billy was quiet too. After a few brief words assuring Jacob that he was alright, he had sunk into a brooding silence.

"Hey, Bells." Jacob whispered as he came toward Bella. He leaned down to kiss her, his lips warm against hers. Charlie coughed, and Jacob pulled away with a smile and grabbed her hand. "Hi, Charlie."

"Just keep the PDA to minimum when I'm around, okay. Just because I approve doesn't mean I need it shoved in my face." Charlie smiled tiredly. He was only teasing, sort of.

He knew it was ridiculous under the current circumstances but Jacob couldn't help but be pleased that Charlie had given their relationship his seal of approval. The older guy knew what he was and had accepted it. Charlie was just like Bella, he was definitely good with weird. Jacob watched as the police chief pulled out a chair and sat down next to his father. The two men exchanged a long look before both relaxed and Billy silently passed Charlie a beer.

Sam cleared his throat bringing everyone's attention on to him. Jacob put his arm securely around Bella's shoulders as he she sought comfort from his sturdy presence. "We need to talk about tomorrow." He said bluntly.

Charlie's fingers nearly crushed the can he was holding. His eyes slid to Billy's. The two men seemed to have another silent exchange. Jacob fancied the two of them could read each other's minds. He noticed Bella looking at them curiously, probably thinking the same thing.

"You tell 'em, Chief." Billy finally said as he was the first to break the deadlock.

"Billy and I were talking." Charlie crunched his beer can again before raising it to his lips for some fortification. He gulped the cold liquid down before crushing the can completely. His eyes were hard. "You say they are gonna come via the water."

"Yes." Sam said warily. "That's what the psychic leech told us."

"But you don't believe her?" Charlie demanded.

"Her visions are subjective." Sam's eyes flicked to Bella. She nodded slightly, confirming what he had just said. "We don't know whether Jake's decision to bring Bella here has changed things in that respect."

"I doubt that would have made a difference on how they get to Forks. It was an insane idea to hide Bells up in the mountains. You made the right call." Charlie smiled grimly at Jacob.

"Thanks." Jacob pulled Bella closer to him and kissed the top of her head.

"Moving an army of vampires that big, even during the night, would be difficult. They would be spotted. It makes sense they would use water to conceal themselves until the last possible moment." Charlie's expression turned calculating. "But we have the advantage of knowing where they'll land."

"Dad?" Bella was astonished at the way Charlie was throwing himself into things. It seemed focusing on a strategy to protect everyone he loved stopped him feeling helpless. She loved the way that Jacob and even Sam were listening to him with such respect.

"You say that these vampires can be destroyed by fire?" Charlie looked at Jacob and Sam for confirmation.

"Yes, we burn their remains afterwards." Jacob agreed.

"How are you planning to take them down?" Charlie asked.

"The plan was to use Bella's scent to lead them to the chosen battlefield. We're counting on the fact that the newborns know nothing about the pack and with the element of surprise it would give us an advantage." Sam explained in detail to Charlie the strategies that had been discussed with the Cullens and how one of their number, Jasper Hale, had helped train the wolves to prepare for the battle.

Charlie frowned. "What do you mean the newborns won't know about you? Hasn't the damn redhead been trying to break through your lines for months trying to get to Bella. She knows all about you. It sounds like she was testing your abilities. You can damn guarantee that she would have prepared her army for that even if she has kept them in the dark about your actual existence."

Sam and Jacob exchanged an uncomfortable glance. Of course they had considered that, but up until now they had been relying on Alice's visions, certain that the agreed strategies would work. But now they knew just how unreliable they could be it had thrown their plans into chaos.

"You need a backup plan." Charlie said thoughtfully.

"What are you suggesting?" Jacob questioned. He had never seen Bella's father so animated and self assured. He felt Bella stir restlessly by his side. He stroked her back comfortingly.

"Lure them to the battlefield just like the original plan, but then set a trap." Charlie suggested. "If fire is one of their biggest fears then use it to our advantage."

"I see where you're going with this." Jacob said eagerly. "We get them in the centre of the clearing and using an accelerant we can start a fire, trapping them in the middle."

"It will be chaos. They won't expect it." Sam mused. "Then we can pick them off as they try to escape."

"It will be too dangerous. You could get hurt." Bella interjected worriedly. "Who will even start this fire? The newborns are unpredictable and aggressive. It's too risky."

"We'll be careful, Bells. This is what we're made for." Jacob turned her around in his arms so she was facing him. "We'll plan everything meticulously. The fire will enable us to dispose of their remains straight away so they have zero chance of reanimating again. It will prove a good distraction if nothing else."

"And the Cullens?" Bella knew it wouldn't be long before she heard from Edward. He must be with reunited with his family now and Seth with his. "You'll have a battle on your hands to convince them that this is a good plan after you brought me here without consulting them."

There was an awkward silence. Jacob glanced at the others before leading Bella into the kitchen. Sam might still overhear their conversation but the old men wouldn't. He cupped Bella's face in his warm hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. "I know you're scared, honey. So am I."

"You're not showing it." Bella whispered brokenly. "I'm sorry, Jake." She trembled under the weight of her fears. "I didn't mean what I said in there. I trust that you know what you're doing. I just panicked."

"I know. We're just strategising, Bells. I know that we can pull it off. As much as I don't want to we'll talk to the Cullens. We'll work it out. For the time being we are all on the same side." Jacob leaned down to kiss her.

As soon as his lips touched hers, Bella melted against him. All Bella felt was heat. Jacob was kissing her long and slow, drawing out the moment as long as possible. She became lost in him as something began to unfurl behind her closed lids. For one brief never ending second, as if she was looking through the filter of Jacob's thoughts, she saw a path open up before her. She could see Renee and Charlie mixed into a strange collage with Billy and Sam and La Push. She could see years passing, and meaning something as they passed. She could see the enormous red brown wolf that she loved, always standing as protector if she needed him. For the tiniest fragment of a second she saw the bobbing heads of two small, black haired children, running away into the familiar forest. Bella felt tears smatter on her cheeks as she called out to them. They stopped, paused, then turned to face her wearing matching smiles. Jacob's smiles. They were his children, and hers. They were her future. If only she could reach out and touch them.

Bella's cell phone ringing was like a bucket of cold water being dumped over her. She and Jacob jumped apart. Breathing heavily, still partially lost in the vision of the two beautiful children, she reached for her phone. It was Edward calling. Silently she handed the phone to Jacob and waited for him to answer it.

A/N-thanks for reading! (words in italics are lifted from Eclipse).