Chapter 12

A/N ok i know that it has been ages since i updated but christmas holidays in my family are always pretty hectic.

thanks needs to be given to Jess because without her i dunno how this story would have gone. it would have lacked any detail what so ever, she is always telling me to add more. she is a good friend and a fellow rambler, i couldnt have made it this far without her.

ok enough with the lovey dovey stuff... i have kinda scared myself lol

although that being said this chapter is coming to you un-betad as Jess has to study... so any mistake is mine...good luck on your finals!

on with the story. italics are memories

Charlie;s POV

I made my way into the church, Renee still clutching my arm tightly and Phil walking slowly behind us. I was trying to keep the tears at bay but without success as tears were still making their way down my face, making my vision blurry.

I sat down in the front row, pulling Renee down beside me. The black coffin holding my girl was up front covered in flowers. Carlisle said that her injuries and burns were to bad to have an open coffin. The funeral director caught my eye, and with a small nod from me, began the service.

"Although Isabella Swan only just returned to out small community, she made friends quickly and became a much loved member of this town. If you look around this room you will see just how loved she was. She preffered to be called Bella and always put others needs above her own. Bella had a loving spirit and will be missed by all."

He continued to speak but I couldn't hear him, I was to busy remembering how we used to be.

"Daddy! Daddy watch this!" A four year old Bella was running towards me from the other side of the park, the kite I gave her for her birthday high in the sky behind her. "It's flying!" It's flying!" Her little face was alive with joy, she was wearing the biggest grin I had ever seen.

"Well done sweety." I laughed, sweeping her little body into my arms. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and giggled into my shoulder.

A second later I remembered the kite.

The rainbow coloured kite went crashing to the ground.

"OH NO!" Bella cried, scrambling to get out of my arms, and indignant pout replaced her smile. "It took me ages to make it fly and you made it cwash!"

I smiled at the way she pronounced her r's.

"It's not funny!" She yelled.

I quickly smothered my laugh and placed her back on the ground. "I know its not but we can make it fly again, I promise."

"You think?" She asked, sounding unsure.

"I don't think, I know. Would I ever lie to you?" I whispered going to grab the kite and holding it above my head.

"No." Bella murmured, I was overwhelmed by just how much trust shone in her eyes.'

"OK, grab the string and start running." I called out to her, holding the kite even higher above my head.

She grabbed the string, a small apprehensive look on her face.

"Do you trust me?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded her head hurriedly and began running, amazingly not stumbling once.

The kite was tugging my arms, like it was begging to be released. I hope that it flies the first time, I already made a promise.

I let it go.

The kite started to go down and I got worried but suddenly the alight breeze lifted it into the air, making it soar high above us, trying to reach the clouds.

Bella's excited giggles reached me and I went running after her.

Later that day as I was tucking her into bed, she pulled me down beside her and made me climb under the covers with her. She cuddled into me, her little arms around my stomach and her head snuggled into my chest. I 'wrapped my arms around her and pulled the doona over the both of us.

"I love you daddy," she whispered, holding me tighter.

As her breathing slowed and she drifted into sleep, I felt an overwhelming sense of love grow in my heart for the little girl asleep in my arms.

I lightly kissed the top of her head and made myself comfortable, realising that there was no place else I would rather be.

Suddenly I felt a hand shaking my arm and a voice calling my name.

I shook myself out of my daydream and looked around myself. Renee was sitting beside me, her hand on my arm and a worried look on her face.

"What?" I asked.

Renee studied my face for a moment before saying, "It's your turn to go up and say a few words, you have been lost in a daydream, we couldnt get you to answer us." Her voice was full of concern, "Are you alright to get up there?"

I nodded before pulling myself up, but a sharp pain stabbed through my chest, my head spun and I started to stumble, Phil quickly reached out and grabbed my elbow to steady me, I shook him off, "I'm fine, just stood up to quickly." I lied, I think Phil knew but he ignored it and just squeazed my arm before sitting back down.

I rubbed my chest lightly and continued to make my way up the stairs and stood behind the podium.

I looked around the room, studying the faces of those who turned up. There were quite a few people there.

Her friends, teachers and othere people from around the town were spread out aroud the room. My work mates were sitting near the front, wearing their dress uniforms like I was. They got pretty close to Bella when she was younger, she knew each and everyone of them personally.

Billy, Jacob and others from La Push were sitting in the second row.

I looked towards the doors and saw the Cullen family sitting there, everyone except Edward and the blond boy. I was kind of glad that Edward stayed away, I don't I could have controlled what i said around him today. Carlisle had a really concerned look on his face, like he knew of the pains in my chest.

I looked away from them and pulled my speech from my pocket. I read through it quickly but none of it seemed to make sense. I had written it the day before when I was too upset to concentrate on it. I folded it back up and put it in my pocket again.

"Um... Bella came to live with me not that long ago and I was so happy to have her back. She saved me from my attempts in the kitchen and she provided me with the company that I didn't know I needed it until she wasn't with me. We never said that much to each other as both of us are a bit bad with the emotional stuff. I am going to miss her a whole lot because now I am alone again. I never knew just how much I needed her until she was gone. When I first found out that she was gone I didn't believe it. I went home and sat in front of the TV to watch a game and waited for her to come home. I honestly did. I was waitng for the sound of her truck to pull into the street and for her to walk for the door saying 'dad I'm home.' I waited for three hours for that to happen. I seriously believed that it would but when it didn't happen I knew that what Dr Cullen had told me was true, I knew that she wasnt going to come back to me. I had these scares a few times since has been home where I thought that she wouldn't come home to me but she always did, I guess I just expected that to happen once again." I paused for a minute, trying to work out what to say next but nothing came to me, I didn't think that I needed to say much more. "Bella I will miss you so much, I love you so much and I wish that I had told you that more when you were here with me. I hope that you will wait for me, because I can't wait to see you again. You are a special girl and I will think of you and miss you every day."

Tears were clogging my throat and I knew that I couldn't have said any more, even if I had wanted to. I walked over to her coffin and layed the single flower I had been holding all that time on top. I kissed my hand and pressed it right where I knew her cheek was.

"I love you Bells," I whispered, "and I am sorry that I didn't protect you when you needed me."

I wiped the tears from my eyes and walked back to my seat, rubbing my chest lightly, a pain still sitting there, my left arm beginning to tingle.

Renee patted my knee in a comforting manner before she too walked up to the podium.

I tried to listen to her but I was to upset to be able to understand a word she was saying. My chest was still hurting and I only caught a few phrases like 'bright, happy girl' and 'loved her so much' but not much else.

Once the service was finished, I along with Phil, Mark and a few others from the station walked to Bella's coffin and picked it up. We carried it out to the hearse and loaded it into the back. It would take her to the cemetery where she was going to be buried.

Just as I was about to get into my cruiser someone stopped me. I turned around and saw Carlisle standing there, the concerned look still on his face.

"Charlie were you having chest pains?" He asked, quick and straight to the point.

"It was nothing, I just had to say goodbye to my daughter, it is natural for me to hurt a bit." I responded, trying again to get into the car but once again Carlisle stopped me.

"Charlie, I saw you rubbing your chest and your left arm, you could be having a heart attack." He said trying to get me to listen to him.

"I'm fine Carlisle, just let me go bury my baby." Before he could stop me I jumped into my car and drove off behind the hearse, everyone else followed.

All too soon my baby was lowered into the ground.

As they started to fill in the hole I turned away, unable to watch them fully take her away from me.

"Goodbye Bells." I whispered, wanting to stay longer but I had to go. I couldn't break down more than I already had, everyone was giving me looks of pity, sadness and Carlisle still looked worried. They all murmured their condolences and I just couldn't take it anymore.

As I wandered back to the car, Billy caught up to me.

"It will be alright, Charlie. I know it feels horrible right now but as time goes by it gets easier, I'm not saying it will hurt less, I'm not saying that but it will get easier." He whispered.

"Thanks."

He nodded, patted my arm once more before letting me go.

As he wheeled himself away, I got into the car and drove home.

I didn't want to empty the empty house but after a few minutes I got up and dragged myself inside.

As I opened the door there was a crash from upstairs.

I froze for a second and listened, quiet footsteps could be heard through the ceiling.

I quietly pulled my gun from its holster on my hip and clicked the safety off.

I slowly walked up the stairs looking behind me every few moments.

As I reached the landing I listened, trying to work out which room it was coming from.

A scrape of a drawer came from Bella's room.

I quickly pushed the door open and pointed my gun at the person inside.

"Police, dont move!" I shouted. I realized with a start that it was a women searching through Bella's cupboard.

The girl started to run towards the window.

"I said don't move!" I moved towards her, gun pointed towards her chest at all times.

As she was about to jump out of the window she looked back and I saw her face.

MY heart started to pound and my chest hurt even more because the girl looked so familiar.

Her face looked different, more matue and grown up but there was no mistaking who it was.

"Bella?"

ok i know it has been ages but I make up for it with an extra long chapter... longest chapter ever ... hope you all enjoyed please R&R