Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twilight!
Charlie Swans POV-
After I had handed the redheaded woman who tried to kidnap Leah's son Caleb to the state cops for holding, I decided to head home so I could speak with my daughter. I knew the paper work I had to file could wait one day; though I couldn't be sure if young Caleb had that much time to spare. The sooner I spoke with my only daughter the better I would feel. I may not have been father of the year when Bell was younger, but at least I hadn't abandoned her life her own mother had. Of course mistakes had been made, but I'd always done my best to teach Bella the difference between right and wrong. Despite the things she had done wrong in the past, I hoped she would never stoop so low as to let an innocent child die just so she could get revenge on her ex for having moved on.
By the time I had arrived home, Bella was already there eating a t.v. dinner on the couch as she watched television. Bella didn't even look my direction when I entered. I should be used to her behavior by now, but sometimes it hurt having a child who barely even looked at you let alone start a conversation or ask how my day had gone at work. Well, it looks as if I was going to be the one to start a conversation today; a conversation Bella was going to hate.
After taking off my jacket, I went to sit down next to her on the couch. For a few moments I was quite while trying to figure out what I wanted to say in such a way it wouldn't cause Bella to go on the defensive right away. "If you didn't feel like cooking something tonight I could've picked something up you know; all you had to do was call."
"It's cool dad, I wasn't very hungry to start with, but I can make you a couple sandwiches if you want." She replied still not looking at me once.
"I'm not that hungry either and if I want something I capable of making my own sandwiches without burning the house down since sandwiches do not need to be cooked. Bella, you and I haven't really talked much since you came back, especially on the top of Mason."
Immediately my only child tensed up, her spine going rigid. "What is there to talk about? Mason is brain dead and no discussion can fix that. Mason is basically dead minus the expensive funeral. I've dealt with his accident dad and I've moved on so you should do the same."
I set my hands in my lap. "Bella, we both know you may have moved on from your son, but you haven't moved on from Edward. You just sat here and told me that Mason is never going to get better so how about you explain to me why you won't sign the papers allowing his organs to be given to others?"
"Why should I?" She shot back with a raised eyebrow. "The only reason this topic has even been brought up is because Leah Clearwaters newborn son needs a heart. Why should I do anything to help her or her children? She already has my ex so she doesn't need a part of my child as well. It's not my fault the kid has a weak heart."
"Do you even hear yourself Bella?" I could literally hear my heart break at the uncaring look in her brown eyes. "Why does it matter whose child Caleb is? You and Edward are no longer together so who he dates is none of your business. That little boy deserves a chance at life. Mason deserved a life, but because of your neglect that is just not possible. My grandson is never going to another baseball game with me, I'll never take him fishing again, I won't be able to read him a story before bed, he will never grow up and have a family of his own, and he deserved to have all that and more. I know on some twisted level you cared for Mason and if you ever loved your son then you would not want his body to go to waste when it could do so much good."
"So you want that little bastard to get Mason's heart so you'll have a grandson again?" Her words were laced with anger. "I suppose you want Leah Clearwater to be your new daughter am I right?'
"You're my daughter Bella and no matter what you do, even if I may not agree with it, I will always love you. Nobody could even replace you. Yes, I consider Leah a daughter, her father was my bestfriend, but just because I see her as a daughter it doesn't mean I stop loving you. I am not going to lie to you by telling you I'm disappointed because I am. I wish you would have made better choices, but more than that I wish you would learn from your mistakes." With a shake of my head I stood up and frowned sadly. I wondered if my daughter would ever get it. "No, I do not want to replace you with Leah or anyone else; what I want is for you to do the right thing once in your life. I want you to stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about others for a change. I raised you to be be Better than this Bella and all I want is for you to start acting like it."
Bella scowled deeply. "Have you ever thought that maybe I turned out the way I have is because you weren't much of a father?"
Hearing the words leave her mouth, I turned to look at her once more. It used to be I would take the blame for her mistakes, but not anymore. "No Bella, you cannot put the blame on me anymore. I know I wasn't number one dad, but I did the best I could and there are children who had lives worse than you and they turned out to be wonderful and amazing people. All of this, everything you have done and are still doing is on your shoulders not mine. You are an adult now so it's about time you take responsibility for your actions."
TBC...
Please R&R like always!
