Bella was going through a phase at the moment – or so Charlie hoped. He had heard of the terrible two's, but he had never imagined his daughter – so perfectly behaved, usually – to kick and scream like a bat out of Hell.

And yet…

The girl was laying on the floor of the grocery store, surrounded by flour and sugar as her father watched. Charlie was amazed his eyes were still in his head, because they felt as though they'd fall out at any second.

An older woman, seeming to be around forty, watched with her nose scrunched up in annoyance… or disgust. Her eyes remained settled on the tantrum. As soon as Charlie had the conscious thought of well, at least this couldn't get any worse, Bella noticed the woman watching her.

Pale cheeks turned pink, and then red, fresh tears falling from behind her lashes as she let out another scream.

Was it really hot in this store, or was it just Charlie?

Gathering some of his senses, he walked over and picked the girl up off of the floor, abandoning his cart as he rushed to the family restroom. If possible, the screams elicited became even louder.

"Bella…" He begged. They really needed groceries, but it seemed like this trip was doomed. How was anyone supposed to shop with a kid along? "You can't eat the frosting out of the jar."

Brown eyes met brown eyes, and he felt the deep breath lift his daughter's chest as she inhaled. "I wanna!" She shrieked. Charlie sighed as he lifted her again, this time facing her outwards from him as he quickly walked back towards his cart.

Guess we'll be eating yogurt for dinner.

He quickly paid for his two containers of vanilla yogurt and nearly ran to his car. As he attempted to strap the girl into her seat, she kept straightening her body and refusing to sit. She kept grabbing her straps and pulling them away from her, all the while still screaming.

Wasn't she tired yet?

"Bella, you've got to stop."

She looked at her father, a rebellion burning in her chest as she told him no. Then there was laughter behind him. He turned, truly not willing to deal with anyone at the moment. As it was, he was barely able to handle his own daughter.

"Can I help you?" He growled, frowning as he saw the familiar face of Waylon. He quickly apologized to his friend.

"I think the question would be can I help you?" He laughed, ignoring the glare Charlie sent him – unapologetically this time. "What's going on Bella?"

He was oddly cheerful for being in the presence of a crying toddler – sticking his tongue out playfully, earning a small giggle behind the tears.

He lifted her out of her seat, which she still hadn't been successfully buckled into. "Why are you giving your old man a hard time?" He asked.

"He meanie." She stuck her tongue out this time, only it was directed towards Charlie, and not playfully the way Waylon had.

"Ah, he means well, kid." Then his smile turned mischievous. "How about you take him home and let him have it?"

Bella's eye lit up at the suggestion, and she nodded her head excitedly, reaching for her seat. Waylon set her down, and stepped away so that Charlie could buckle her in. She allowed him this time, her smile never faltering.

"Thanks." Charlie said sarcastically. Waylon couldn't help but laugh as he pointed towards the window next to Bella. She was sound asleep already. A new frustration built within Charlie's mind. Why couldn't he have done that? Why was she so hellbent on screaming at him?

Yeah, yeah. People always said that kids were worse for the people they trusted, but that made absolutely no sense.

All well, tomorrow she had an appointment at the pediatrician's office, maybe he'd ask then. Before her vaccinations, so she wasn't already angry with him.

He drove her home, stopping at a fast food restaurant before reaching his destination, and carefully lifted her out of her seat. Her head lifted for a moment as the cold air hit her warm face, then she smiled at her father, and rested back on his shoulder.

Not long after dinner, it was time for a bath and bed. Bella still seemed fairly tired after her short nap in the car, but not overtired like she was in the grocery store. Maybe they'd have a peaceful bedtime like they used to – before this phase.

As Charlie placed her in some footie pajamas, opting for warmth rather than ease (Bella hated the restriction of her feet), Bella began humming to herself. He couldn't help but smile. Days like these were exhausting, but small moments like this made it so worth it. He could see the frustration in her face as soon as he had pulled the clothing out, but she had settled down quickly. Now, as she hummed something that he didn't recognize, and her head laid against her own shoulder, Charlie couldn't seem to remember why he had been so frustrated such a short while ago.

She reached up for her father, and he complied in lifting her towards him. She rubbed her cheek against his mustache, a quirk she had had for so long, and sighed deeply.

In less than five minutes, Bella had been deeply asleep and in her bed.

Now it was time for her appointment. Charlie felt incredibly guilty each time she had to go to the doctor's office. Her face always twisted in anxiety once they entered the building. The toys, which he had assumed where there to distract the kids more than entertain them, were long forgotten for his baby girl.

She wouldn't touch them. She wouldn't leave her father's lap. The only thing she would do was lie against his chest with her arms wrapped around his neck, whimpering quietly in his ear.

"Bella" The nurse called cheerfully. It was all fake of course, they knew Bella here. She had been coming to this office since she had been born. Even when she lived in Seattle with Renee, this was her pediatrician. Her visits had slowed as she aged, and so it was still possible and plausible to keep her coming.

It was going to be a sad day.

She took some general measurements to ensure proper growth and health, and stepped out, smiling softly at the small girl on the table.

All too soon, there was a knock on the door, signaling the doctors arrival. "Hi, Bella." She said softly.

The girl sat stiffly, allowing the doctor to work without much fuss – her anxiety was too great to allow for anything else. She didn't complain as she examined her ears and throat, or as she felt her knees and elbows.

"Do you have any questions, Charlie?" She asked.

"She's been having a lot of tantrums lately. I'm not sure what to do." The doctor smiled and nodded.

"Mostly you want to let them play out, but if she starts causing harm to anything then I'd advise stepping in." She explained. "It's common at this age, and there's many theories, but she's truly just learning her boundaries and testing you as an authority figure."

Charlie groaned. "Then why does she behave for others?"

The doctor laughed then. "You're her dad." She explained, watching for understanding, continuing when it didn't come. "There's people she trusts, and then there's her parental figures. The ones who bathe her, feed her, hug her – even when she's misbehaving."

She sighed. "To put it simply, it's easier to be yourself and test the people you know will always love you."

The man blushed, not quite sure how to handle that information. How was that true? Could Bella really know all of that at only two?

It came time for vaccinations, and Bella was trembling in his lap, having wanted off of the table as soon as the doctor finished her exam. The nurse entered the room and smiled sadly as she prepped the needle and bandages.

She held out several choices for Bella, who shyly picked the purple flower band-aids. The nurse put on her gloves, unstuck the band-aids and re-stuck them to her rubber gloves.

The time came for Bella to lay on the table again, and Charlie continued to hug her close even as she lied sobbing on the noisy sanitary paper. He noticed the nurse lower Bella's jeans and begin to squeeze her small thighs, quickly sticking needle after needle in her little leg.

Then came the true tears. Bella began hyperventilating and hugged her dad as tightly as she could, a few tears escaping his own eyes – though he'd allow no one to see. It was over, and the shots truly were over before she began the big tears.

Maybe she did deserve to eat some frosting out of the can after today.