Chapter Eight

After the bonfire, we go with Jake back to his place to talk to Billy.

Jake, however, conveniently forgot to mention to his dad that he would be back after the bonfire and may have made it sound like he would be running patrols all night.

"Is that my dad's cruiser?" I frown, as we walk up to the back door where Jake quietly uses his key.

Edward nods as we enter. "Based on the soundtrack playing in Billy's room, I'd have to say yes, Charlie is here."

"Soundtrack?" I question.

"Yeah, the whoopie whoopie soundtrack." Jake grins. "He means they're making love, Bella." Jake snickers.

I look at them both with uncertainty. I still have a hard time believing Billy and my dad have a relationship that is anything other than platonic.

Well, there's one way to find out for sure.

"Don't catch this," I tell the boys as I pick up a cheap, generic, easily replaceable vase from the counter and drop it loudly and intentionally on the ground.

Sure enough, my dad comes running out of Billy's room with a shotgun and far less clothing than I would ever want to see him in.

"Don't shoot, Dad, it's just us." I grin, putting my hands up.

"Fuck, Bella, you kids gave me a heart attack. Lemme go get dressed and we'll talk." He sighs, storming back into the bedroom muttering about how he 'knew this day was coming but did it have to be tonight'.

"He would have been in a much better mood if you'd waited about five minutes," Edward smirks.

I shake my head dramatically. "Okay, nope. That's too much information."

When Charlie emerges he is mercifully fully dressed. "I suppose it's too much to ask for you kids to believe that Billy had to go out of town tonight and I am just house sitting?"

I squint my eyes and shake my head. "Yes, no. Nice try, though." I compliment.

"Ah, dammit. Babe, they didn't buy it." He frowns, opening the door for Billy who wheels out laughing.

"Told you they wouldn't. In fact, I'm pretty sure they knew what they were walking in on." Billy shrugs. "Supernatural hearing, remember?"

Charlie nods, looking daggers at all three of us. "Yeah, I'm a little surprised to see Edward on the Rez..."

"Things are...different now." I begin, becoming very aware of how close Edward and Jake are standing to one another. Jake also has his arm draped loosely around my waist.

"Things certainly seem different, yeah. I thought these two couldn't stand each other? Mortal enemies and all that." Charlie puzzles.

"Things changed dramatically after the battle," I admit.

Billy winces, shakes his head, and facepalms.

"Battle?" Charlie frowns.

"I, uh, hadn't gotten around to telling him about that yet," Billy states glancing apologetically at my dad. "Didn't want him to worry."

"What battle is this?" Charlie demands.

"Victoria came back. The redhead? With an army. Of newborn vamps." Jake explains. "The Cullens and the pack joined forces to kick their butts. It worked for the most part. But I got a little squished in the process." Jake shrugs nonchalantly.

Billy scoffs. "If by 'a little squished' you mean that a bunch of your bones were shattered and I didn't know if you were going to live or die, then yeah you got a little squished."

My dad looks taken aback and he pulls up a kitchen chair beside Billy's wheelchair. "Is that why you sounded distressed last night when I called to say good night? You said you were just tired but I knew better. I should have followed my damned instincts and come over."

Billy strokes my dad's face lovingly, which is a little surreal for me, but I'm gonna need to get over that.

"I told you, I didn't want you to worry. Doc took care of him. And I tell ya, legends or no legends, it's pretty damn hard to keep hating someone after they save your son's life." Billy admits.

"Yeah, I bet. God, you must've been so scared." Charlie's brow furrows as his eyes search Billy's face with concern.

Billy smiles. "It all turned out okay. We can talk more later in private. Pretty sure these three will revoke our dad cards if we get too mushy."

Charlie's face changes as he remembers we're still here. "Right, okay. So, you kids must have questions. I have a few of my own about all of this right here." He says, gesturing between Jake, Edward, and I. "How about you three explain first and then we will?"

I sigh, nodding, and decide to take the bullet for the team.

"Okay, so, do you know about the Imprint?" I begin.

Charlie nods. "Yep. Why do you think I kept trying to get you to come over here and stop hanging out with the Cullens."

I nod. "Okay, so I'm Jake's imprint, but I'm also Edwards mate. Vampires have mates kind of like how wolves have imprints."

"That sounds fishy, Bella. No offense, but Edward left you. Does that sound like something a mate would do?" Charlie reasons.

"He left to protect me. He knew it was dangerous for me as a human hanging around vampires and he didn't want to turn me because of his beliefs. He was worried about my soul."

Charlie still looks unconvinced, so I decide to explain about the incident with James, and my birthday, and Italy.

Not only because they illustrate the point I'm trying to make but also so that he will know what was going on with me during that time when I grew distant and kept disappearing.

"That is a lot, Bella. Edward was right to think it's dangerous for you. You almost died in Phoenix. Hell, Jake almost died fighting vampires and he's supernatural. Can't we just lock you kids in a padded room and stop you from growing up and having dangerous experiences?" Charlie frowns.

I laugh. "That's exactly it, Dad. Life is dangerous. There's no way to protect me entirely. You just have to trust that I'm going to be careful and try to make wise choices.

"Also, things are different now. Partly because I am choosing to be with both Edward and Jacob which means that they can work together to protect me instead of fighting one another. But also... it's different because I'm going to become a vampire." I tell him in a tone that leaves no room for discussion.

Charlie nods, slowly. "Yeah, I figured that was coming eventually when I couldn't convince you to cut this one out of your life." He says, pointing his thumb at Edward.

"Sorry, Chief Swan. I really did try to stay away from her. Some loves are just too hard to fight," Edward apologizes.

Charlie and Billy exchange a look. "Yeah, I think we know a little something about that, hey?"

"So, is it your turn to explain, or do you have more questions?" I ask my dad.

"I mean, I have a lot more questions. But I don't think I can ask any of them without prying into your business and honestly, I don't think I necessarily want to know the answers." Charlie admits.

"Okay. There are a few other things we should talk about but we'll get to them after you have a chance to say your piece." I suggest.

"Right, okay, here goes nothin'."