Ben
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and putting up with my chaotic muse.
Chapter Twenty-Five-Charlie and Esme
"I'm sorry you lost your son." Luka said sadly.
Of all the things Esme expected him to focus on, it wasn't that part of her story. "Thank you." She said, reaching for his hand. "It was a very long time ago."
"Time doesn't matter. The pain never really leaves you." Luka continued softly. "You never forget."
"No, you never forget." Esme felt her remembered grief expelled with every breath she took. She didn't need to breathe, but it was a necessary action, a human one. Luka was so intuitive for one so young. He was right. She had never forgotten, not really. There was always going to be an emptiness inside her, a sheer nothingness that threatens to kill you entirely. Even decades later it was still there, she had just learned to cope with it better. She had tried to fill the void by mothering the others, but it was a distraction more then anything else. With this boy she felt it would be different. "Do you still wish to stay with me, Luka?" She asked him. "Even knowing what I really am?"
"Yes." Luka said firmly. There was no doubt in his mind at all.
Esme felt her mood lift and she pulled him into a gentle hug. "I'll always be there for you, Luka. I promise."
"And Ben?" Luka checked.
"And Ben, too." Esme added with a tender smile.
A sharp rap on the door pulled them apart. Esme sighed as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "That will be Charlie and Bella." She told Luka. "Don't worry." She assured him when she noticed him tense up. "I'll be right here with you."
Luka nodded, though he was still fretting inside. He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, to have his sudden good fortune snatched away from him again. It was a miracle that he had landed in such a safe place. Charlie Swan was a police chief. He was afraid that Ben's father would insist that social services get involved. If that happened there was no way that the authorities would let him stay with Esme while his stepfather still had a legal claim on him. His grey eyes followed Esme as she left the room. A moment later he heard the door opening and the sound of her gentle voice greeting the new arrivals.
Luka watched Charlie warily as he walked into the room ahead of Bella. He didn't know what he had been expecting. He had built an image of Ben's real father in his mind, which was nothing like the guy he was saw in front of him now. Charlie Swan was just shy of six feet, of average build, with straight brown hair cut in a regulation style, and a moustache. It was Charlie's eyes that really caught Luka's attention. They had the same earthy hues like Ben, a deep chocolate brown that had a way of drawing you into them. Luka felt himself relax. There was something trustworthy about Charlie Swan.
"Hey, kid." Charlie said as he pulled up a chair and settled down on it. "I'm Charlie."
"You're Ben's dad." Luka mumbled.
"Yep." Charlie agreed. "And you're his brother." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "This is Bella. She's my da- "
"He knows who I am, Dad." Bella rolled her eyes when Charlie continued to state the obvious. "Hey, Luka. How are you?" She said gently as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You're the one who found me." Luka's curious gaze rested on Bella. He watched a small smile flit across her angelic face. God, she was so much like Ben, right down to the tiny dimples on her cheeks when she smiled. Her hair was the same shade of brown, long and lustrously thick. She shared the same pale complexion as his brother-their brother. Luka's head was spinning at the thought of it.
"Are you okay?" Bella asked when she noticed the odd look on his face.
"Yes." Luka ducked his head to hide his embarrassment that he was caught staring.
Bella looked toward Esme for confirmation. "His temperature is within the normal range again. As long as he keeps his fluid intake up, he will be perfectly fine." She assured Bella.
"That's good to hear." Charlie interrupted gruffly. "Thanks for looking out for the kid."
"It was my pleasure." Esme shot Luka an affectionate smile.
Charlie focused his attention on Luka again. He was surprised that the brothers looked so different. But then he supposed that Luka had inherited his real fathers looks, like Ben had inherited his. "Look, kid, Bella told me a bit about your past…"
Luka's eyes widened slightly as he glanced in Bella's direction. Fortunately, Esme had been able to give him a rushed explanation of how they knew about him at all. Initially he had assumed Ben must have said something after promising him so faithfully he wouldn't. It eased his heart that his little bro hadn't broken that promise.
"Dad, do we have to do this now?" Bella asked in annoyance.
"Maybe we wouldn't have to if you hadn't kept me in the dark so much." Charlie snapped in response.
Bella's cheeks flamed red. "I said I was sorry." She mumbled.
"Sometimes sorry isn't good enough." Charlie retorted. "You need to learn to trust me. I'm your dad. I've always got your back. I thought you knew that."
"I did. I do. I'm so…" Bella sighed as she gazed at him pleadingly.
Charlie's expression softened as he reached out to his daughter and patted her hand in understanding. He hated being a hard ass. Luka watched their interactions with interest. Charlie seemed like a good, kind man. Even though he was pissed at his daughter, he still loved her unconditionally. He felt relieved, knowing that this guy would love Ben unconditionally, too.
"You don't have to worry about me, sir." Luka piped up eagerly. "I'm safe now."
Charlie leaned forward in his seat. "You are, kid. I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way." He said earnestly. "That stepfather of yours will be prosecuted…"
Luka's face drained of colour immediately. His breaths came in short gasps and he felt like he was going to pass out. His heart hammered in his chest and the room began to spin. He felt sick. If Charlie Swan got the law involved then he was doomed. His stepfather knew how to play the game. The authorities wouldn't believe him. Luka knew that.
"Luka, you're having a panic attack. Just focus on my breathing. Copy me." Esme's arms wrapped around him as she gently coaxed him to match his breathing to hers. Eventually the black spots began to fade and his head fell against Esme's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, kid." Charlie apologised guiltily.
"Charlie, may I have a word?" Esme asked as she stroked the back of Luka's head soothingly.
"Of course." Charlie said gruffly.
Esme reluctantly let go of Luka and let Bella take her place. She motioned for Charlie to follow her into the open plan living room. He did so, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly when she turned around to face him. "I didn't mean to upset the kid. I thought it would reassure him knowing that we all had his back."
"You've got a kind heart, Chief Swan." Esme said sincerely. Her compliment gave him a warm glow inside. "And I love that you want to do the right thing by Luka."
"I do." Charlie agreed.
"Then for his sake and Ben's, you need to keep the authorities out of it."
The warm glow vanished and Charlie frowned. "Now just a minute, Mrs, Cullen…"
"Esme." She interrupted him.
"Esme." Charlie repeated impatiently. "Please respect that I do know what I am doing."
"I respect you very much, Chief Swan." Esme responded with a warm smile.
"Please call me Charlie." He found himself offering. "I think we can dispense with the formalities."
"Thank you." Esme gifted him with another sincere smile. "I do appreciate you know what you are doing in regards to the law, but in this case, you do not have all the facts."
"Which are?" Charlie's frown was back as he placed his hands on his hips.
Esme looked him steadily in the eyes. "There are lot of monsters in this world, Charlie. And Luka's stepfather is one of them. As much as I want to have faith in the law, you know as well as I, that it doesn't always protect the victim like it should…especially in abuse cases like Luka and Ben's."
Charlie flinched when she mentioned Ben. He listened in taut silence as Esme listed the extent of the abuse that Luka had suffered in defence of Ben. She described what Alice had seen in her vision, and also added what Luka had confided to her. She noted his emotional reaction, how his shoulders tensed and his breathing quickened when she spoke about how terrified Ben had been of his abusive stepfather.
"You bring that monster back into their lives, you may never get rid of him again. If the authorities choose to side with him-and you know that there is a possibility that could happen-then you could not only lose Ben, but you could push him and Luka back into the very situation they escaped from." Esme finished severely. "You may be Ben's biological father, but under the law you lost all rights to that when you didn't come forward to stake a claim before his wicked stepfather adopted him. You'll have a fight on your hands, Charlie. What if you lose?"
"Shit!" Charlie swore as he ran his fingers through his hair. Bella had left out so much information. She hadn't told him that the evil stepfather had actually adopted them. He knew from past experience how costly and emotionally draining custody battles could be. He'd been through the wringer with Renee when they had gone to court over his right to see Bella. Trying to wrest Ben from the monster who had adopted him would be nigh on impossible.
"Charlie, you are not alone in this." Esme promised. She put a hand on his arm as she gazed up at him imploringly.
Charlie felt himself getting lost. Esme's golden-brown eyes shone brightly, like they were reflecting the warmth of the sun. They were such a unique colour, a mix of light and dark. She was such a beautiful woman, all of the Cullen women were, but she was on a whole other level.
"I can take care of Luka. I'll guard him with my life, Charlie." Esme vowed earnestly. "Just like I know you will do for Bella and Ben. He's already expressed a wish to stay with me. I've fostered before. His place is here with me, like Ben's is with you. Just think, the two brothers reunited. I'll buy a house, closer to yours. Ben and Luka can see each other every day. We'll all be like an extended family." She continued wistfully as she painted the perfect picture in Charlie's mind. "I know Bella would love it, too."
"And what about your husband?" Charlie questioned roughly.
Esme's voice lowered an octave. "Carlisle and I are over." She stated firmly.
Charlie stared into her doe-like eyes for a long time. "An extended family." He echoed her.
"Yes." Esme smiled brightly, knowing that she had won him over.
A/N-thanks for reading and stay safe everyone! Hugs
