AN: Thank you to Somah for being my wonderful beta throughout this story! Enjoy!

I do not own.

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Chapter 12: 'Meeting'

"Bella, I may not be able to influence your emotions, but I can still feel them," Jasper told me when I walked in the living room and sat down on the fluffy white couch. Jasper and Emmett were playing one of their favorite video games. Jasper paused it as I came in, feeling my mood. I gave him a faint smile.

"What's wrong, Bells?" Emmett asked when he looked up from the now paused game to where I now sat. "You haven't looked like that since last year when Charlie first came to see you."

I gave a quick laugh at his surprisingly accurate observation of my face. I'm sure I did look the same . I was certainly still worried about my father, and having him know the whole truth about me brought back that same worry I had just last year.

"You're right, Em," I confirmed. "Charlie is what I'm worried about."

"That's not worry I'm feeling, Bella," Jasper said. "At least not all of it. You're angry and confused about something also."

"What happened, Bella?" Emmett asked, completely forgetting about the paused video game and focusing on trying to make me feel better. "What can we help with?"

"Nothing happened, at least not yet," I answered. "I can't talk about it right now, sorry guys."

Jasper nodded in understanding. Emmett looked confused, slightly opening and closing his mouth several times so fast - only vampire eyes could catch it - as if to ask for more detail, but decided better of it. I smiled my thanks at them both. I loved my brothers, but this wasn't a conversation I wanted to have with them yet, at least not directly.

No conversation is private in this house, unless of course you are lucky enough to have the house to yourselves. I've been told several times by Edward that there are no secrets in this family, and I've found out for myself several times over the past year to be very true. But I do know, the best kept secret in this family are the thoughts that run through my head, unless I so choose to let them loose.

"Where are Edward, Carlisle, Jacob and Renesmee?" I asked, changing the subject. "The house is oddly quiet right now."

"Carlisle is in his office, and I think Jake and Edward are at the cottage playing with Nessie," Jasper answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," I said thoughtfully. I had just come home from talking with Sue, and needed some advice about what was going to happen. I still wasn't happy with Jacob for going behind my back on this, and I knew I wasn't ready to face him yet, no matter how justified he might've been for doing it.

"Thanks guys. Sorry for interrupting your game," I said, getting up from the couch to go talk to Carlisle.

"No problem, Bells. Interrupt any time," Emmett called after me as I headed up the stairs, the sounds of a quickly un-paused video game following me.

Before I had gone to talk to Sue, Alice, Rose and Esme all went out shopping with Tanya, Kate and Tia, while Benjamin and Garrett went on a short hunting trip together. Eleazar and Carmen had already gone back to Denali -- So the house was completely deserted from any prying ears that might overhear my conversation with Carlisle, aside form Jasper and Emmett who, though preoccupied with their game, could probably still hear anyway.

"Come in, Bella," Carlisle said through the door just as I was about to knock. Of course he knew I was coming, he could hear everything that was happening downstairs.

I opened the door and quickly stepped inside to find my father-in-law lounging at his desk with a tattered medical book in his hands.

I walked to an empty chair opposite him as he carefully placed the book on the desk and sat up.

"What can I help you with, Bella?" he asked when I hadn't said anything. I just sat there, trying to think of what I wanted to say. He didn't try to pry into my thoughts with questions or push me into talking, that was one of the things I respected about Carlisle, he was always patient and let us talk and explain when we were ready too.

I took a deep, unnecessary breath before I finally spoke. "I need to talk to you about something that's been bothering me for some time now."

He nodded for me to continue.

"I was just at Sue's, talking about the wedding," I started to explain. "Then she told me that she wanted to tell Charlie the truth about the pack, and all of their legends before they get married. She doesn't want to live a lie with him anymore."

"That is understandable, Bella. But there's more worrying you about it isn't there?"

"Yes, because it was through those legends that I found out about you all being vampires. Charlie would find out about us, about me."

"Ah, yes, that would certainly be cause for concern."

"I just don't know what to do. Jacob's in on this too. Sue already talked to him about having a council meeting, and he agrees with her in telling Charlie. But he knows how mixed I feel about this and Charlie. He won't do it unless I want him to."

"It sounds like you need to be talking to Jacob about this instead of me."

"Yes, I know. I just need some advice. Should we tell Charlie the truth, or continue lying to him?" I knew what I wanted to do, what I wanted to hear, but I also knew that it wasn't my call to make. This wouldn't just affect me, but my whole family.

"The one rule we must keep as vampires, Bella, is to keep the secret. However, you did find out about us - what we are - when you were human. Your father already knows more than he should about us and about the pack, just by being allowed to see you. It's only a matter of time before he finds out the truth," Carlisle stated, looking in my eyes as he spoke.

"I know you're right, and I want him to know. I hate lying to him. But I also remember what it was like for me after I found out."

"But this is not you - a clumsy, "danger magnet" seventeen year old - we are talking about, Bella. This is your father," Carlisle stated, using air quotes with his hands and he described how human-Bella was. "I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't do regarding this. I won't do that. But I will support you in whatever you decide."

"Thanks, Carlisle." But that really didn't help me make up my mind.

"It sounds like Jacob has made the decision up to you whether or not the council meeting happens," he questioned, breaking me out of my stupor.

"Yes, he did," I nodded in confirmation, worried, but keeping my face blank.

"Bella, I know how badly you want to tell your father. I also know that if anything were to threaten him, our family and the pack will be able to protect him … together." He looked at me sympathetically, seeing my worry painted on my face. I couldn't hide it any longer and I felt my face crumple slightly.

I nodded. He was right, Charlie would have more protection than I did if anything does happen. The Volturi came to my mind before James and Victoria did. I shuddered as the memories of my trip to Italy and Phoenix.

"When you were human," he continued. "We were fighting to protect you not only from others of our kind, but also from the wolves.

"However, the treaty that once was, is not longer between this family and the Quileute pack." Carlisle stated with a smug smile on his face. I already knew this, but to have it said by Carlisle, the patriarch of this family, put a smile on my face as well.

"So, do you think we would be able to tell him together? Could we be present at the council meeting?" I asked, hopeful.

"I think we need to talk to Jacob about that, but it wouldn't hurt to try," he nodded as I pulled out my phone, pushing Edward's number on the speed-dial. I wanted to talk to him now, get this over with.

"Bella?" Edward answered on the first ring.

"Edward, I'm fine," I reassured him. I could hear him exhale into the receiver. He always worries about me when we're apart, and I rarely call him on the cell phones. "I'm at the house talking to Carlisle. Can you come, and bring Jake? We need to talk to you both."

"We're on our way. What's this about, love?"

"I'll explain when you get here. I love you."

"Okay, I love you too," Edward said before hanging up.

Within seconds, Edward and Jacob arrived at the house quickly dropping Renesmee off to play with Emmett and Jasper in the living room while we had our grown-up talk.

Edward walked in first with a blank look on his face. As soon as he came to sit next to me at the desk, pulling me in a quick hug and lightly giving me a kiss, his expression turned to knowing and concern.

"Are you alright, love?" he asked, taking my hand in his as he settled in the chair next to me.

"I'm fine," I replied. I could tell that he was getting a recap of our conversation from Carlisle, and I could already guess that Jake had already told him everything that Sue had talked to me about.

When Jacob came in the office, I turned to glare at him. He slowly moved further into the room toward us, keeping his eyes on me as he stood at the opposite end of the desk from where I sat, keeping Edward between us. He knew he was in trouble with me for keeping this from me.

"I'm sorry, Bells," Jacob apologized before I could say anything. "Sue wanted to tell you herself. I promised I wouldn't tell you anything before she had a chance to talk to you first."

"I understand that Jacob. But a little warning would've been nice." I continued to glare at him.

"So what's the plan with the council meeting?" Edward asked before Jacob could respond to my statement.

"I told Sue that she needed to talk to Bella about telling Charlie first," Jacob explained. "I understand why she wants Charlie to know our legends, but I won't do it without Bella's approval. Because Charlie will find out everything about all of us, and I know how important keeping your secret is to you. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that … again."

"That's very considerate of you, Jacob," Carlisle said. "Thank you for your concern."

Jake nodded.

"I still don't like it," Edward said, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand, while he held onto mine with the other. "You all know my opinion about this. Charlie can't know about us, not more than he already does."

"Edward," I said in a calm, quiet voice. I knew very well that he didn't want any other humans to know our secret. One was enough - and that was me. "I know, but he's going to find out eventually anyway. You know how much I hate lying to him; I want to tell him, I want him to know. Now that he's marrying Sue, she wants him to know just as much as I do, if not more. She can't lie to him either, she can't live like that again. We both know how important true honesty is to any relationship."

Edward nodded, but continued with this losing battle. He could never win an argument against me where my wishes were concerned, and he knew it but pressed on anyway until there was no fight left in him and he gave up trying. It never seemed to take long.

"I understand that, love. But I still don't like it, and I don't approve of telling him either. Think of the danger that he would be in when he finds out. I know you remember that well, you think of it often." Edward stared in my eyes as he spoke, pleading with me to see this from his view. I wasn't budging.

"I do remember," I sighed, but held my ground. "But talking to Carlisle helped me realize that this isn't me we're talking about. This is Charlie. I was the danger magnet, remember? Plus, he'll not only have us protecting him, but the pack as well. That is, if there is any threat on his life. Besides, there are other humans who know about us, and they are all fine." My thoughts went back to when I first met Emily, Sam's new wife and imprint; then to the other imprints who were at the bonfire and council meeting Jake invited me to. They were all human; they all knew vampires existed, and they knew that I was dating one. They all called me the "vampire girl".

"She does have a point, Edward," Jacob agreed. "We can protect him, like I've said before."

"Carlisle, you're being awfully quiet," Edward turned toward his father, probably looking for support for his side. "What do you think about this?"

"It doesn't matter what I think, son," Carlisle spoke, first looking at Edward, and then turning toward Jacob. "This is Bella's father, it should be her decision. I will fully support her in what she chooses, and will be there with her through the choice."

"And I have chosen," I said matter-of-factly. Carlisle's words had given me fresh hope and confidence for what I wanted to say, I knew this was right. "I want Charlie to know. I refuse to lie to him anymore. He's bound to find out anyway, and I don't want him to find out about me, Renesmee, or any of us from anyone else. I want to be the one to tell him."

I watched Edward's face as I spoke, looking only at him as if he were the only one in the room. He remained calm while listening to my words, although his face was slightly pained.

"You know I can't say no to you, love," he whispered. "I understand where you're coming from, but I'm also worried about Charlie's reaction."

"I know my father, Edward," I stated, nodding. "He will be fine, a little shocked, but he will get over it. He's a strong man. Besides, he's taken to Renesmee quite well even though she's changing every day."

"Yes, he has done that," Edward chuckled.

"I know the legends," I said turning toward Jake. He was forgiven now, I couldn't be mad at him for long anymore, and never have been. "And I don't want him to get the wrong impression of us being vampires -- of me being a vampire. Can we all be there at the meeting to tell him then and there?"

"I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem, Bells," Jake said thoughtfully, smiling to himself - he knew he was off the hook with me. "Some of our legends have changed, and new ones have been made due to recent developments. I'm sure you all would be interested in hearing them, considering they do involve our family - Nessie and I included."

"We would be honored to be there, Jacob," Carlisle stated, giving Jake a warm smile. "Thank you."

~End Chapter~

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AN: Any feedback I get from you lovely readers is a huge help! Please, don't hesitate to press that big review button and leave a comment or two. Let me know what you think of Carlisle's conversation with Bella, and Edward's reaction and concern. I really want to know! Thank you!