CHAPTER THIRTY - EIGHT

(JPOV)

I slept through most of the night, only stirring once when I heard my father return home sometime later. The sound of the door shutting waking me only for a brief time before I dozed back off.

Around four in the morning, I woke up again and couldn't get back to sleep. My thoughts consumed with the angry words Charlie and I had exchanged earlier. It wasn't suppose to be this way. I didn't want Bella to ever feel like she had to choose between us. Taking my side was noble but it stood to only damage the relationship between them further and that was the last thing I wanted. I knew how damn much Charlie loved Bella and I would be a selfish ass if I tried to get in the way of that.

I slowly moved out from under Bella, and quickly dressed, soon making my way into the kitchen for some coffee, and pacing there, nearly wearing a hole in the old floor and pondering what the hell I could possibly do to sort things out with Charlie.

I understood his anger and his worry. Placing myself in his shoes, if I had a daughter, would I want her with someone like myself?

I shook my head and sighed because I knew the damn answer, as I grabbed my keys and threw on my jacket, quietly leaving the house and heading for Charlie's. I tried to think of a way to approach him with all this as I drove over, but every scenario I played out in my head would end with the two of us fighting.

When I reached Bella's street, I was surprised to see that Charlie's cruiser was gone. The house appearing to be empty. I pulled in and got out, waiting there for nearly an hour on his front step before he returned home. He wasn't in uniform and he looked to be pissed already when he got out of his cruiser, slamming the driver side door shut.

"Look Jake- if you're back here to fight some more, I really don't have it in me, just go home, alright."

I stood and moved out of his way so he could unlock the house, my heart heavy with how awful things had suddenly become with us.

I stayed silent for a minute as my mind went back to a time when this same man had been behind the anchored friendship that held my father and us kids together after mom died. Charlie had done anything and everything he could to help during that difficult time. He had taken me and my sisters to school, made sure we had food in the house and even paid a few bills when he could. Just to keep us a float when my fathers grief had nearly consumed him.

I swallowed hard, feeling my throat constrict at the memory.

Charlie turned back when he unlocked the house, seeing that I was still there. His look still cold and I had to admit, it cut me open like a knife. Truth be told, I'd much rather he had just punched me than carry on like this.

"Jake, I said go home. There's nothing left to say, alright?" He sighed heavily, proceeding to enter the house.

"Charlie..." I spoke up, swallowing down the lump in my throat and seeing him pause there. "When mom died, you were the only person who held dad together. Who took care of us like his own for the longest time. Remember?"

He slowly turned and met my gaze, his look slipping from angry to just plain worn out and exhausted.

"Yeah Jake, course I remember."

"Dad would've never made it through that time without you, Charlie. You know that and you know what you mean to him. " I swallowed harder. "To all of us."

He kept my stare for a long moment before silently gesturing for me to come in. I took my open window and crossed the threshhold. He shut the door and placed his hands on his hips, his look confused and bordering on angry again.

"You don't think this isn't tearing me the hell up? That us being like this isn't enough to make me sick with stress. I love your father like my own brother, would take a damn bullet for that man twice on any given day without question... and your sisters... and you... Hell Jacob -" He sighed, shaking his head and running his hands over his face in frustration. "You've always been like a son to me. I watched you grow up. Watched you face the loss of your mom and I was proud of who you were... who I thought you were - You have to know that. But this- all this- I can't just turn a blind eye here and play dumb. Jake you pulled Bella out of that dark place before. When Edward had left her in the woods. I was terrified I was gonna lose my daughter. I watched her slip away for weeks and weeks and then you came along. And for the first time, a genuine smile lit up my baby girl's face and it was always there when she was with you. I knew she felt something for you even when she was with Edward. It was plainly there even if Bella herself had a hard time seeing it, or acknowledging it. And on her wedding day, I remember wishing right before the ceremony that I was giving her away to you and not him."

His words had my throat damn nearly closing, like someone had me in a choke hold.

I met his gaze and saw the genuine concern there in his eyes for Bella and he was justified in that fear, because in a perfect world, there would be no magic and no monsters. There would just be Bella and I. He had a right to be scared for her. Any good father would be.

"And now?" I asked, my voice strained.

"Now? I don't even know what the hell is real and what the hell is true. But I do know this..." He paused, with another heavy sigh. "I know you love my daughter."

"With all of me."

He nodded thoughtfully and headed for the kitchen. "It's damn early. I'll put a pot of coffee on. You want a cup?"

"Sure... thanks."

He fixed us each a cup and sat down at the kitchen table, gesturing for me to join him. "Bella know you're here?"

"No, she was asleep when I left."

"Your old man?"

"Snoring away too. But I'm sure he's up by now. You know dad, always up before damn dawn."

"Yep, sounds about right." He replied, taking a sip of his coffee. I glanced over toward the fridge to see the many pictures scattered there. My eyes settling on the one taken when I graduated High school. Charlie had been right there rooting with the rest of the Reservation. He and dad smiling so wide I was sure their faces would crack from it.

I gripped the mug in my hand a bit tighter and saw him taking notice of the picture himself.

"What am I supposed to do Jake?"

I looked him straight in the eye when I spoke my answer. "Trust me... Trust me enough to take care of her. Believe in me enough to know that I would and will do anything needed to keep her happy and safe."

"Trust is earned Jacob-"

"Then give me the chance to earn it back."

"At the expense of my daughters well being? I want what's best for her."

"So do I." I replied.

"I believed, not so long ago, that you were what was best for her."

"... And that's all shot to hell now?" I quietly asked, seeing the disappointment clear in his eyes.

He stood up and shook his head. "You have to understand the risk you're asking me to take here. Jacob - she's my daughter and like I told Bella, one day when you have a child of your own, you'll know what that kind of love feels like and you'll fiercely protect it. Even if it means at the sacrifice of yourself. I know you can't understand that right now-"

"You're wrong." I sighed. "I do understand that kind of love."

Charlie went silent, his eyes meeting mine with question as I stood up. "You wanna know how I can understand that kind of limitless love, Charlie? Because I love Bella like that. And if you'll just listen to me. I'll tell you everything. Every single detail of what I am I'll lay out for you to know, so you're no longer in the dark. So you know exactly what I stand for and that I'm still the Jacob you watched grow up... still the very same guy in this picture." I said, taking it off the fridge and laying it on the counter next to his coffee mug. "All I need is for you to hear me out- Please?"

He glanced at the photo, taking it in his hands and placing it back on the fridge. His look uncertain when he spoke. "How much time do you need?"

"A lot." I admitted.

He sat back down and gestured for me to do the same. "Sit, I'm listening."

I obliged and spent the next six hours pawing through every detail I could for him. Telling him all about the legends and the cold ones and how the Volturi had strict commands not to ever betray their secret. I told him how Bella kept him in the dark for his safety and that while her choices were thoughtless and misguided back then, her intent for him and his safety was always firmly in tact. I told him the truth about the Newborn Battle and how Victoria had come for Bella with that crazed blood thirsty army. I explained in great detail who exactly the Volturi were. How powerful they were, and that while I had destroyed a few of their key members recently, their leader was still out there and I swore to him I wouldn't rest until he was found and no longer a danger to Bella. I admitted that the Italian clan still posed as a threat to her, explaining to him what she had promised Aro in return for her life at that time.

I closely watched him absorb all this, seeing his face pale on more than one occasion from the truth I told.

"So they ... the Volturi... could still come after her, now that she's chosen a human life with you?" He asked and I nodded my reply, further answering any and all questions he had, even broaching the subject of imprinting and what it meant, explaining to him all that had really transpired between Sam and Leah and how Emily had come to be his world with one look.

I paused when he suddenly stood from his chair, his look unreadable for moments on end, as he processed this. I was just about to tell him that Bella was my imprint when he gave me a look that told me he already knew.

"She's- Bella's... your imprint?"

I stood with him and nodded, watching him carefully to see which way the pendulum was about to swing on this. Good or bad... great or indifferent. At least now he knew.

"So before you became a wolf, all that had transpired between the two of you. That connection before..." Charlie struggled, and I quickly corrected where his thoughts were misleading him to.

"Still matters. Charlie, I've loved Bella since before I really even knew what love was. Imprint or no imprint. I want to be nowhere else... with no one else. To be honest, I hated the idea of imprinting at first. It seemed cruel and unfair to rip someone away from another simply based on the imprint buy now, I wouldn't trade that connection with her for anything. I know what we have runs so much deeper than just that."

I sat back in my chair and waited for him to say something. His stance switching from one foot to the other several times. "This is- I can't even... holy shit."

"I know this is a whole hell of a lot to digest, Charlie. I get it. Trust me."

I glanced at my watch and noted it was nearly noon and Bella would be getting worried if I didn't show back up soon.

As if he read my mind, Charlie voiced this. "You should get going. She'll worry if you're too much longer."

I nodded and thanked him for listening as I headed out. I hadn't made it to the door when Charlie yelled my way.

"Jake... Hold on."

I turned back to face the man who I had nothing but respect for and saw his eyes become glossy when he extended a hand to me.

I felt the lump in my throat return when I firmly shook his.

"Thank you for coming here and trying to explain all this. I just need some time... or something, alright?"

"Sure. I understand that. I'm only a phone call away if you have anymore questions."

"I'll remember that. Please tell Bella that I love her and miss her?"

"I will, Charlie. Stop in and see dad sometime soon. Don't let this ruin the two of you. My father considers you do I."

"We'll see, once I've had some time to process all this stuff.m" He trailed off.

"Till then?" I asked, hopeful that this had been a good step in the right direction for everyone.

"Yea Jake... Till then."