CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

(BPOV)

Charlie came barging in with four large boxes of pizza in his arms, and nearly dropped them when he caught sight of Jacob and I on the couch together. I pulled away from Jacob in response and felt him reach for me instinctively before looking to Charlie and scooting himself over to the other side of the couch, his hand coming to rest on Clarissa's stirring form, as she slowly began to wake from her long afternoon nap.

My father looked perplexed and somewhat annoyed when he greeted us and headed for the kitchen.

"Bells, I can go if-"

"No, Jacob. Please, don't go. Stay for dinner with us. I'm sure Clarissa needs a bottle. Did you bring one?"

"Yeah, it's in the diaper bag on the kitchen counter. Your dad put it there before he left."

"I'll go make it for her." I replied, as he scooped Clarissa up and placed a kiss to her forhead.

"Thank you, honey."

I placed my blanket over Clarissa and went into the kitchen after Charlie, my steps halted when he pulled me aside the second I was around the corner.

"Bella, what the hell is-..."

"Shhh." I chastened him with a nervous glare. "Clarissa just woke up and she'll startle if you start going off on one of your loud rants about this right now. We can talk later. Thank you for picking up dinner. You should call Billy and see if he'd like a ride overhere to join us. It's the polite thing to do and I've missed his company today."

I dug through the small diaper bag Charlie handed over and quickly held out the ancient landline to him, earning myself another grumble and a huff before he dialed the number he knew better than his own some days.

"We are going to have a talk about this later." He sourly informed me before plastering on a forced smile when Jacob wandered into the kitchen with sweet Clarissa.

I warmed her a bottle while he changed her and she eagerly reached out for me when I handed the bottle to him.

"I tested it to be sure it's not too hot for her. Here you go."

Jacob took it with half a smile and fed her while Charlie grabbed his keys and headed out again to pick up Billy for dinner.

"I'll be right back. I'm getting your old man. Save him some pizza. I know your appetite, son." Charlie chuckled, seeming to unthaw a bit at the sight of Clarissa happily enjoying her bottle. Charlie was a softy deep down he just rarely ever showed it.

When the house door closed, I looked over to Jacob apologetically and he didn't seem bothered by Charlie's stern look from before.

"He's just worried that I- well... that we'll... I mean, it's not like that I know. I would never-"

"It's alright, Bells. You don't have to explain. I get it and I love your dad for his concern. He's a good man."

"So are you." I sincerely added.

Jacob kept Clarissa balanced in one arm as she gripped her bottle tightly with her tiny hands and reached for me.

"Are we okay? After everything today? I know there's a lot to talk about still and we will. I promise, but I don't want to leave here later without knowing for sure that we're okay, honey."

"We're okay, Jacob." I assured him. "We got off track a long time ago and I don't want to go back to that. I want us to start new. No more secrets and no more half truths or lies. You're my best friend. I don't want that to ever change."

"Me neither, honey." He replied, drawing me in close to his side again as we watched Clarissa finish her bottle.

"You're a good, dad. She's lucky to have you, Jacob. I hope you know that?"

"I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't scared shitless about doing this alone." He humbly admitted.

"You're doing great and you're not alone. You have a whole pack behind you." I offered to him in support, leaving his side to set the table for dinner.

"How long is your leave?" Jacob asked.

I stilled at this, catching the dread in his tone and turning to see his pleading gaze roam over me from across the room.

"Nine days left."

Jacob nodded and adjusted Clarissa in his arms as he looked out the window to see Charlie's police cruiser pulling back in the yard.

"I'll ask Billy tonight after we leave. See what I can get out of him for some info."

"Okay, are you leaving right after dinner?"

"I'm in no hurry." He softly countered. "I think Clarissa likes it here. She sure took to you fast."

I smiled warmly at him and paused when Charlie wheeled Billy in through the front door, his welcoming gaze settling over Jacob and I with a classic Billy smirk in place.

"There's my boy." Billy beamed up at Jacob, as he leaned down and hugged his father tight. "Let me see my grandbaby. How is she doing today?"

"She just woke up from a nap. A long one." Jacob replied.

Billy held Clarissa with a wide smile and she giggled at him, the sound making us all laugh in return.

When dinner was through, Charlie grabbed the six pack of beer from the fridge and handed one to Billy, their banter making me chuckle as they fought over who was going to win the local hockey game on TV.

"Did you get enough to eat? I noticed you stopped at four slices? Unusual for you." I asked Jacob when he pushed his plate away.

"I'm still full from the breakfast buffet you served me earlier." He sighed, patting his stomach.

"Well at least you're not leaving hungry."

Billy overheard my comment to Jacob and soon added in his two cents.

"He never leaves this place hungry or anywhere else for that matter."

Charlie tapped his open bottle of beer against Billy's and they both chuckled at this.

After watching the rest of the hockey game that had gone well into the evening, I checked my phone for the first time all day and noticed that Callie had left me a voicemail earlier. I played it and saw Jacobs head turn my way when it started, his keen wolf hearing undoubtedly picking up on most of what she'd said.

"Hey Bella, it's me. Just checking in on you. I'm finally scheduled for my first physical therapy appointment in the morning. Bright and early. I'm in high hopes to be back on the job before too long. Hate being stuck in a chair or on crutches all day. Everyone misses you around here. Feels odd not seeing our favorite nurse wandering the halls at dawn. Anyway, I hope you're having a great time back in Washington. Please tell Jake and his little girl we send our best and we look forward to seeing you back next week. This place isn't the same without you. Oh yeah, before I go, Roman wanted me to relay a message for your friend. He says he has a place for him in the training program next month if he's interested. Maybe he could take a trip back our way? See you soon friend. We love you. Bye."

I ended her message and placed the phone in my lap as a warm hand came to rest on my knee.

"Callie sends her best. She's recovering."

"That's great to hear." Jacob offered up in reply, watching Charlie and Billy playing peek-a-boo with Clarissa. Her face lit up and she giggled in response to them. It was precious to see.

"She loves that." Jacob chuckled, his grin making me smile back at him.

I lost track of the time and soon found it hard to stay awake as the hockey game was swiftly replaced with an outdoor hunting show.

"Can you believe how easy they make that look. I've gone deer hunting dozens of times and only ever shot one buck! I'd like to know what bait their using out there." Charlie casually grumbled, polishing off his third beer and handing Clarissa back to Jacob. She was fast asleep for the night in mere minutes, her face nestled into his neck and her long lashes casting shadows onto her round cheeks. I watched the show until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

"What do you say we get going on home now, son? You could stay over at the house if you'd like? Always up for some company."

Jacob nodded and started to get up as I looked Charlie's way, his stern look of disapproval from before now gone and replaced with a tender hearted expression I rarely saw from him.

"You know, Billy. It's uh- pretty damn late. Roads tend to ice up after ten and it's nearly midnight. Wouldn't want any of us out there this late so, why don't we all call it a night and camp out here for the rest of the evening? I still have that spare air mattress upstairs. I'll go get it."

"Well, that's alright by me, old friend. Jacob, would you mind staying over?"

"No." He replied to him as I got up and helped Charlie fetch a few more blankets from the hall closet.

"It's settled then. This will be fun. Just like old times, huh? When you two were teenagers. Time sure does fly." Billy reminisced.

Charlie set them up comfortably in the living room and Jacob was already half asleep by the time we turned out all the lights.

"Night, kiddo. Lock the house when you come upstairs. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, dad. Love you."

"I love you, too."

I checked the locks on the door and draped an extra blanket over Jacob and Clarissa, before heading up to bed, my eyes beyond heavy from the days events.

My mind raced as the quiet of the night filled the house and I laid in bed listening to the wind whip harshly around the eaves.

It was only a few hours later when the sound of rustling from downstairs startled me awake, my eyes going to the clock as I reached for the lamp and switched it on. I crept down the stairs, trying not to trip as I entered the living room. Billy was fast asleep and snoring away but Jacob was awake. I could hardly see through the darkness as I approached him, my eyes struggling to adjust when a warm hand shot out and grasped mine.

"Bells."

His voice was broken and his hand trembling when it held mine.

"I'm right here, Jacob." I replied, finding the place next to him and gasping when he raised his head.

The moonlights glow touched his face then, his eyes red rimmed from his tears. I placed my palm against his cheek and he leaned into it with a quavering breath, the agony that flowed from him palpable while he struggled to keep his tears silent. He shook violently, but not from the tremors I'd seen take hold of him countless times before, no, this was an emotionally raw kind of shaking. The kind I knew well because I had been there myself, and I'd seen it before in the grief I witnessed at the hospital when we couldn't save someone. I checked on Clarissa beside him, his one hand still protectively placed over her rising and falling chest while she slept. I quickly arranged the pillows as they had been before, securing her there next to us before I took hold of him. I pulled him to me, wrapping us both in the oversized duvet and holding him close.

His words to me from early this morning had never felt more true than they did right now. Maybe we were meant to be there for each other.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please review if you'd like. Another two chapter update today! :-)I have loved hearing from all of you. I hope you enjoyed this latest one!