PURE PERFECTION

CHAPTER 10

A/N:

Baby's first Christmas.

Read and review, please and thank you!

From the moment the Bella came into Charlie's life everyone teased him about Renee's jealousy. Charlie knew that Renee was insecure and had tons of hangups, but they'd known each other most of their lives, Charlie felt that had to account for something.

Each day passed, Charlie and Bella grew closer. Both quiet and introspective by nature, they flowed like water over sand. The two of them had a way of communicating. Renee would watch them move together in a fluid manner, as if Bella were picking things out of Charlie's head and she responded in-kind and in action. Bella was never disagreeable with Renee but she was never at peace with her either.

Charlie and Renee had been married a little over six-weeks. It was Christmastime. Charlie was over the moon about sharing the holiday with his girls. He claimed he had the perfect family, however, Renee's insecurities oftentimes got the better of her. They'd set up the tree, as a family. Renee and Charlie blending their childhood traditions into their first married Christmas, and with the addition of Bella, they would make new ones.

Renee had noticed Bella admiring a crystal snowflake ornament that had been Charlie's grandmother's. The way the Christmas lights hit the crystal caused the light to fragment even more, it was as if the snowflake was glowing.

With her imagination running wild, Renee attempted to lay a trap for Bella. Hoping to crack the small child's perfect facade. Charlie and Renee sat snuggled on the sofa, Bella was again admiring the crystal snowflake. Bella heard Charlie's mind ponder why the child wouldn't reach out and grab an ornament like he'd seen Billy and Harry's kids do. His mind revealed that he expected Bella to break a few, that piecing together ornaments was as much a part of Christmas as the tree itself.

Bella's eyes darted to Charlie, asking permission to touch the crystal snowflake. He nodded, urging her to explore the tree. Bella noticed Renee watching her closely. She did not trust the woman. Renee's thoughts always betrayed her, there was so much rage towards the girl while her words were saccharine sweet and complementary. Bella had become accustomed to shielding herself whenever she was alone with Renee, to block the woman's mental tirades. It was more difficult when Charlie was around because she wanted to hear him. It made her feel whole to know that he almost always said exactly what was on his mind and that every word he said to her was truthful. He truly did love her as his own, he wanted desperately to be her father and for Bella to be his daughter.

Renee got up from the couch and knelt down in front of Bella, taking the ornament from the tree. "Here sweetie, you wanna see what happens in the sunlight?" Renee asked with false sincerity, Bella's face showed a wary expression - she did not trust Renee, however, her thoughts stayed on Charlie, hoping that he was watching them. Renee led Bella to the window where the morning sun shone through. She held the ornament up by the string in the sun rays. Bella's mouth fell at the rainbows that glinted around her, the light refracting through the crystal snowflake so that there were bits of color here and there.

Charlie barked out a laugh at Bella's expression as he grabbed his camera, capturing the moment. "Here Bella, you try." Renee offered as she dangled the ornament above in the child's face and releasing it. Before Bella could react, distracted by the flash of the camera, the ornament came crashing to the ground. Charlie gasped, frowned, and scooped Bella up, away from the sharp shards. Renee smirked triumphantly, confident that Charlie would be cross with the child for breaking a family treasure. Bella's lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears as she looked between Renee's smug and Charlie's concerned faces. She was confused.

"Oh my god Bella!" Charlie yelled, placing her on the couch. His hands running over her body, down to her bare feet. Bella was so confused, Charlie's actions were as frantic as his mind. She did not understand what he was feeling, it was all so overwhelming. "Are you hurt? Your feet, did you get cut on the glass?" Charlie questioned. "Bella, baby, give your old man something, are you alright?" Behind him, Renee huffed and stormed out of the room.

This continued for months. Renee's insecurities overwhelming her ability to properly support her husband with Bella's care. She resented Bella, hated her. This mysterious child came into their lives and disrupted her plans to take Charlie away from Forks.

Charlie was fed up - he had grown concerned that Bella was always cagey around Renee and how Renee seemed to be the only person in Bella's life who wasn't in love with her. He finally confronted her.

"Renee, we need to talk." he said sternly, directing her towards the couch. Bella had gone to bed and he hoped that Renee would stay calm and not disturb the child's sleep. Renee sat and turned, facing her husband, nodding her head silently urging him to say what was on his mind. "What's your problem with Bella? You seem to be the only one she's met that isn't in her corner. I don't get it. She's just a little girl, almost three years old." his voice began to rise with his frustration level. "why is she a threat to you?"

Renee's eyes darted around the room as she wrung her hands and her lip began to quiver. "I, I don't have a problem with her Charlie. Maybe she doesn't like me," she attempted to sound offended. She let out a sigh in defeat, believing it was best to just put it all out there, "I don't trust her, its like she's got everyone under some sort of spell Charlie. You said she got the shot, right? I've heard about some mutants with mind control powers, maybe the shot didn't take" Charlie nodded, confused as to where this was going. "Maybe I just don't trust you Charlie," she finally let out.

"What are you talking about? I haven't given you any reason not to trust me. Have I?"

"You come home from working out of town with a kid Charlie, and not only that, she looks just like you, acts like you, looks at you like you hung the friggin' moon. I'm stuck here in bloody, rains-every day-Forks while you're off in Port A or better yet, California, getting chicks pregnant!" Charlie's mouth fell open at Renee's accusations. He knew she had trust issues and was insecure but he honestly felt that they were beyond this.

"How could you say something like that. I've loved you since we were in tenth grade Renee. I would NEVER cheat on you. All I've ever wanted to do was to make you happy. Why isn't anything I do good enough for you, why aren't you ever satisfied?"

"Why aren't I satisfied?"she asked incredulously. "I'm not satisfied because every time I get close to getting my way you go and do something stupid like bring home some orphaned mute who looks at me like she wants to make my head explode. Charlie that kid freaks me out, she's creepy. I don't want her here anymore."

"What? You can't be serious."

"I'm your wife now Charlie. Doesn't that mean anything to you. You said you wanted to make me happy - that brat not being here will make me happy." Renee's rage was too close to the surface and all eloquence of words was gone, she spoke from pure, raw emotion. Charlie looked at his wife as if he was seeing her for the first time. He's known this woman most of his life and been in love with her for the past ten years. The person who sat on the other end of the sofa was an absolute stranger. "Contact whomever you need to and get her out of my house by the end of the week, I'm serious. It's her or me."

"I can't believe you Renee. I'd always known that you've always felt a bit superior to everyone but hell, this takes the cake," Charlie said, shaking his head slowly at her. "Don't you dare make me choose because it'll be her every time. You're a grown woman Renee. Take some responsibility for yourself. Bella's just a kid, not even three years old yet, but you feel threatened by her because she has my attention. I don't even know who you are right now Renee, this person here," gesturing broadly over her shape, "is pretty disgusting."

Charlie stood up from the couch and headed for the stairs. "And no Renee, Bella is not mine biologically, but as soon I can, she'll be mine permanently. She's just a kid Renee. She needs a family, someone to care for her. To show her that the world isn't all that bad, but if she has to share a home with the likes of you, then I'm failing her. Giving her up, casting her aside because she makes YOU uncomfortable Renee, is not the way I was raised. How dare you." Charlie growled out, making Renee flinch. "For the record, this is MY house, and you're free to leave at any time."

A/N:

I'm not happy with how the last few chapters came out, I hope I didn't lose too many readers, it gets better, I promise.

This chapter was a means to an end, I had to write Renee out of the story. She's insane!

Thanks for the feedback!