"Hi Dad."

The words stuck to the air like sweat, nervous, shaking. Carlisle asked if she'd like some privacy but she shook her head no. She might need him and Rose there.

"Bella!" he beamed. "How you holding up, kiddo? Carlisle said they're taking care of you over there but, jeez Bells, it feels like forever since I've heard from you."

"I know, I'm sorry dad. There's... there's been a lot going on." She sighed and turned to Rosalie who nodded supportively. Both vampires could easily hear the conversation from both ends.

"Carlisle mentioned therapy?"

"Yeah.,," She didn't know what to say, how to begin.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I know the fire changed a lot of things but I promise we'll get back on our feet. We're lucky we have such hospitable friends... Except..." he cleared his throat jokingly. "Well, I love Billy to death, but damn do I miss your cooking."

Bella laughed weekly.

"How you holding up?" He asked, more seriously. "They said you weren't hurt much from the fire but you did have some other injuries from a earlier. I told them that you're always stumbling around but they said that they looked as if someone else..." he trailed off into silence for a moment. "Bella, you'd tell me if anyone hurt you right?"

Bella cleared her throat. She was on the verge of tears. And she hadn't even said hardly anything yet. "That's actually why I'm calling."

There was a pause on the other line.

Threateningly, "If it's one of the Cullens..."

"No, of course not. They've been amazing."

She glanced at Carlisle and Rose, who smiled modestly.

"I just had to make sure. You know I like them. Good family. But, Bells, you've gotta tell me. It's my job as your father and as chief. You know that."

Bella moved her mouth away from the phone for a moment as a sob and the first tears came. Rosalie rubbed her back soothingly, whispering "you can do this, love. Just tell him. It'll be okay. He'll get those pigs and soon this'll all be over." Bella straightened up, hearing Charlie ask if she was still there.

"I'm here." She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "First off... Dad, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I.... I was so scared and I..." she trailed off and Rosalie could hear Charlie's heart beat increase. Carlisle heard it too but knew it was normal.

"Bella? It's okay. Are you crying? Oh, honey. It's okay. Tell me."

It took another five minutes, but eventually she told him. The story took about half an hour to get out. When she was finished, she was sobbing so hard that Carlisle had to intervene.

"Chief Swan," he said calmly but sternly into the phone. He put it on speaker so Bella could hear too.

"Yes-yes, I'm here. Wha-a-" he stammered, shocked by the news of his daughter's attack.

"I have been aware of Bella's situation since the evening it occurred. I made a grave mistake in not telling you and accept any punishment you see appropriate." Rosalie began to protest but he hushed her with a raised hand. "That night I, and my daughter Rosalie, collected evidence off of Bella. We know that at least one of the three young men are still on Forks."

Charlie had to take a moment to absorb that. Carlisle could hear his heart beat spiking, breath shaking.

"You.... knew?"

Rosalie cringed at his words. She knew where this was going. Out of the things Carlisle had told him-including the fact that they had evidence and therefore a case to go against the attackers-the only thing Charlie had heard was that Carlisle had known, and hadn't told him a thing. That his child was hurt, and he wasn't able to help her.

"I can't tell you how sorry-"

"You can keep your apologies, Cullen. This is my daughter here! Didn't you think I had a right to know?"

"Of course. You have every right to be upset-"

"And what right did you have, Carlisle?"

Bella inhaled sharply, eyes wide. "Dad, no, I asked him not to say anything. He was just-"

"Dammit, I'm coming over!" he boomed.

"What? No, Dad, wait!"

Click.

Rose and Bella exchanged panicked expressions. A shiver ran up Bella's spine.

"What do we do?" Rosalie asked, standing as if preparing for battle.

"Carlisle, I'm so sorry," Bella sobbed. "I should have just told him-I didn't mean for you to get mixed up in-"

"Bella, please," he said as he got to his feet. "The fault rests with me alone here."

"But I didn't tell either," Rosalie begun. Carlisle stood before them, not a twinge of fear to be found. Even now he stayed calm. He looked remorseful as hell, but composed.

"Ladies, listen to me. Charlie's just angry right now. He's just found out about everything and it's natural for him to react this way."

"But he's taking it out on the wrong person," Rose hissed. "He should be out arresting them. not wasting time yelling at you."

"Then the sooner this is resolved the better," he concluded, slipping off his lab coat and exiting the study. Rosalie sank back into her chair. For a long time neither of them could speak. There was too much to take in. Could the day get any more hectic? First with spotting Lucas and now this. Bella found herself shaking. Rosalie did her best to sooth her, but in reality wasn't doing much better. Alice had already left to go talk with Natalie. She hadn't been able to focus when they'd gotten Bella home and Natalie took off. The rest of the Cullens were told to stay back, though Esme was thoroughly ticked off. Bella had never seen anything resembling hostile from her and it only made her guilt worse. When Charlie arrived in his new cruiser-the first one being too badly damaged in the fire-he was just as furious if not more. The car door slammed, echoing off the surrounding trees. Carlisle came down the steps to meet him, Bella and Rose close behind. When she saw her father for the first time in what felt like months, though it had only been days, she ran to him, a crying mess all over again. Rosalie didn't try to stop her. For a moment Charlie's anger subsided as he opened his arms to catch his daughter. She sobbed into his jacket, apologizing and trying to make him see reason. But his perception had been changed. To him he could no longer trust these people. How could he know if his daughter was really safe anymore if they didn't even have the nerve to tell him when something so incredibly massive happened? He mildly pushed her away and told her to get in the car before pulling out a pair of handcuffs and walking toward Carlisle.

"Dad, please stop!"

Carlisle willingly extended his wrists and Charlie cuffed him, though even then you could tell he felt lousy doing it.

Rosalie knew Carlisle could snap the bonds with the slightest pull and that he'd actually have to be careful not to break them if he was to go with Chief Swan. She knew this was the fastest things were going to go, though she hated the fact that Bella's father had to react so irrationally. Carlisle was doing the right thing, as eventually Charlie would. But if she could speed things along in any way, she certainly would try. Quick as lightning, she dodged back into the house and returned before Charlie had even opened the door for Carlisle.

"Wait," she called, leaping down the steps. Bella was crying behind the glass of the front seat. Charlie looked up at her, still seething.

"This is for when you're ready to get the real criminals," she said as she shoved the file containing all the evidence into his hand.

For a moment they just stared at each other, but Rosalie could see that he was beginning to regret his reaction. He accepted the file and would later cry over its contents. Carlisle helped himself into the back seat and Charlie shut the door. Bella's tear stained face stared after Rose as the cruiser drove away. Rose's stomach churned, despising that there was nothing more she could do.

A/N: I really am sorry for not being able to update lately. I hope it changes, but based on this new, busy pattern my life's been taking, I seriously doubt it. Please bare with me. Believe it or not, I actually get very down when I don't have time to write. I hope you miss my updates as much as I do and that you like this one. Let me know. Thanks for reading!!

Love, MIS.