III

"Do you truly want your daughter to think you didn't want her?"

January 25, 2005

Charlie was sure he was cursed or someone out there really hated him. It's been only a week and Bella was already in the hospital: another car accident. He was just grateful no one had been killed. At the thought, he glanced over at his other daughter. Teddy was hovering back and forth by the door Bella had disappeared through.

Sophie Snow was standing a few ways from his daughter, her back to him so he only noticed her long blonde braid. She towered over Teddy at 5'8. She turned slightly and Charlie caught sight of her thick round glasses before she took them off to wipe the lens. She said something to Teddy and his daughter came to a stop.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as the nurse came back with forms he needed to sign to release Bella from the hospital once she has been cleared. Signing quickly, he made his way to Teddy and Sophie.

The blonde girl gave him a tentative smile before nudging Teddy. As soon as blue eyes met his, Charlie couldn't help but relax. Teddy's face was twisted in concern, eyes watering a little.

"Daddy," she whimpered as he reached her.

He awkwardly returned her hug before letting her go. "How did you get here? I didn't see you at school earlier."

"I was still on my way from the station. I only knew what happened because Sophie waited for me so she could take me here."

Charlie gave the blonde a grateful smile. "Thanks, Soph."

"No problem, chief," came the soft reply as Sophie smiled at him. "I'll, um, I'll be over there with my dad." She pointed to one of the officers standing by the doorway. "You going home with your dad, Teddy?"

"Yea." Teddy hugged Sophie before turning back to him, arms crossing again. Teddy looked past him at the crowded room. "It feels like all of Forks is here."

Charlie sheepishly nodded as he looked around the room. It did. Well, at least, most of Forks High. He turned back to Teddy when he heard her deep sigh.

"What?"

"Bella is going to hate this," she muttered as she stepped closer to him, head tilting towards his. "She hates the attention."

Charlie could only agree as he sighed too. At the reminder of his other daughter's hate for attention, he added slowly, "I, ah, I also called Renee."

"Oh!" Teddy's eyes grew wide before a grin covered her face, the tension slipping from her body. "She's going to hate that even more."

Charlie could only sigh once more. There was a moment of silence between them, the two ignoring the crowded room. Charlie knew that it was only his uniform that kept everyone away. Otherwise, he knew that everyone would be demanding an answer.

"Do you think..." At Teddy's pause, Charlie turned back to her.

His eyes furrowed together. "What is it, Teddy Bear?"

"Do you think Bella's going to leave?" Teddy shrugged as she leaned on the heels of her shoes, eyes down as she bit her lips.

Charlie opened his mouth with a refute, but quickly closed his mouth. He knew better than to make false promises. Rubbing his neck, he also looked away. "I'm not sure, buddy. She's enjoyed the last week, though, so she might not."

Or at least he hoped. He studied his daughter, thinking about what he knew of his two children.

Theodora Helen Swan and Isabella Marie Swan.

The two were born mere minutes apart, Theodora being the first to greet the world. Charlie frowned at the memory. Teddy had been so quiet and oddly still, making no sound except for her breathing. It wasn't until her twin sister was born that Teddy began crying.

And that's how it would be for the rest of their time before Charlie and Renee divorced; Teddy crying only after Bella cried, waking only after Bella woke, and sleeping only after Bella slept.

During those first few months, with his parents rising illness and Renee's increasing depression, he'd been thankful that the twins were good babies. They calmed each other and were two peas in a pod. But the two did have their favorite parents.

Bella took to Renee while Teddy took to Charlie.

The few rare tantrums or long nights of crying were only settled when each baby was held by their favorite parent. It was difficult for Renee with Teddy, especially after she left Charlie. Charlie learned to stay up late in case she called Charlie for advice on how to cheer Teddy up.

It hadn't surprised anyone when Teddy's first words were daddy and Bella's, mommy. And when Teddy began speaking in full sentences, she had begun asking for 'daddy'. Teddy was five when she began asking Renee and Charlie if she could stay with Charlie. Neither of them had taken her seriously.

However, it got worse when Teddy turned seven. Teddy, energetic and always happy Teddy, stopped eating and not even Bella could cheer her up. When the twins had gone to visit Charlie that year, Renee hadn't objected when Charlie said that Teddy should stay with him in Forks.

It was the hardest decision Charlie has ever made. He hadn't wanted to hurt Renee or separate Bella and Teddy. But Billy had talked him into taking Teddy's demands seriously...

"Am I boring you, Charlie?" Billy nudged him, the police officer snapping to attention even as he felt his neck warm.

Clearing his throat, Charlie scoffed at Billy. "You're finally getting the hint, huh."

"Yea, yea." Billy shook his head at Charlie, gaze following his as the children disappeared from sight. "So, has it been decided then?"

"Has what been decided," Charlie mumbled as he turned back to Billy.

His friend met his eyes with a look that spoke beyond his years as if Billy saw something that Charlie didn't. At times like these, Charlie wanted to squirm. But then Billy's eyes softened and a smile whisked itself onto the other man's face.

"Teddy, Charlie. Has it been decided if she is staying with you when Bella returns to Renee?"

Charlie breathed out softly, casting his head down to study the sidewalk. "Renee isn't happy about it, but," he rubbed his neck, "it's what Teddy wants. She's been asking for years now, and they're about to start school and everything and..." Charlie stopped, turning back to Billy. "Am I a bad father for wanting this, Billy? Even if it means separating them?"

Charlie watched as Billy took in his words, the other man rubbing his chin and eyes looking away. "While I would never suggest separating the family, I think you have to remember that this is what Teddy wants, Charlie."

"But she's so young," Charlie began, but Billy shrugged his words off.

"And she is young," Billy interrupted as turned back to Charlie, "but have you thought about how it might do more harm to reject her, Charlie? As young as Teddy is, she will remember you sending her away when all she wanted was to stay with you. Do you truly want your daughter to think you didn't want her?"

At his words, Charlie's chest ached...

And it ached now as Charlie studied Teddy.

When he'd told Teddy that she was staying, she'd thought that meant Bella was staying too. While Bella hadn't wanted to leave Teddy, she also didn't want to stay in Forks and Teddy hadn't wanted to leave him. So the decision had been made.

Teddy had cried herself to sleep for a week straight, crawling into Charlie's bed every night for a month before she could go back to sleep in the empty bedroom that she and Bella always shared. Towards the end of the year, Renee had moved herself and Bella to Phoenix and Charlie went with Teddy to Arizona for Christmas. It was hard seeing the two separate once more, but as the years went by, it became easier.

Despite the distance, the two were close. However, the distance did its toll. To make matters worse, the two hadn't seen each other in two years, the last time was when Teddy visited Phoenix in 2003.

So Teddy had been ecstatic when he told her that Bella was going to be spending the rest of junior year with them in Forks. He'd even allowed for the room switch and paid for all the redecoration and new furniture. While his pocket took a dent, he certainly didn't regret it.

Something nudged him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Daddy?" Teddy waved a hand in his face. "Did you hear me? I said that I think Bella is coming out."

And sure enough, Bella came out and just as Teddy predicted, she hated the attention and they left as soon as possible. Charlie, at Bella's obvious relief, almost smiled at the fact that this was the first time he'd ever seen Bella so happy to be inside his cruiser.

...

Bella sighed into the dark, eyes opening when sleep eluded her. After having calmed Renee down, she'd gone to bed. Teddy had just slipped into bed and turned off the lights. The whole day ran through her head. She couldn't stop thinking about Edward and the Cullens. About the accident and about Edward's strange words to her at the hospital.

Remembering her conversation with Charlie, Bella turned on her side. She stared into the darkness where she knew Teddy was. Nothing made sense. Since she noticed the Cullens, Forks had suddenly become more interesting but nothing made sense. Not since the Cullens. Not since Edward.

"Teddy?"

A shift, bed squeaking, and Teddy replied, "yea?"

"What," Bella bit her lips, pausing, before, "what do you think of the Cullens?"

"The Cullens?" Bella heard as the bed shifted again. "They're nice. Quiet, but nice. Why?"

Bella curled an arm beneath her head, eyes searching the darkness. Tell her, she told herself, tongue heavy and throat suddenly dry.

Tell her.

But tell her what? That she should be dead? That the Cullens weren't normal? That Edward Cullen shouldn't have been able to do what he did? Bella shook her head, eyes squeezing shut.

"Bella?"

"Edward," Bella breathed, eyes snapping open. "Edward. Edward Cullen. He- I, uh..."

"Oh." Teddy sat up, her bed creaking. "Is this what I think it is? Are you- do you," sharp intake of breath, "Bella, I know that he saved you and all, but trust me when I say that having a crush on Edward Cullen isn't the greatest idea. Half of the school does and, well..."

Bella coughed, covering her choke. "No! I don't- Teddy, that's not it-"

"Urgh, okay, that didn't come out the way it should have. What I mean is... he's a fine male specimen?" Teddy's bed shook as she moved around. "Wait, no. I-I mean, if I was straight, I would find him attractive too! Wait, ah, no, that's not right either. I don't mean to make it sound like you shouldn't have a crush on Edward Cullen. I mean, it's not like I can control that! If I could, I wouldn't like Le- I mean, Edward! Wait, no. Not Edward! I don't like Edward!"

Bella opened and closed her mouth, unable to follow Teddy's words. But it was clear that her twin was distressed by the sound of her squeaking bed.

"Wait, wait, wait. I mean, there's nothing wrong with Edward. He's nice! Like really nice and there isn't anything wrong with you liking-"

"Teddy!" Bella groaned, covering her eyes. She didn't know if she should cry or laugh. "It's... what?"

The creaking of her twin's bed answered her. "Oh man. Oh god. I'm being a bad sister, aren't I? I mean, if you like Edward-"

"I don't like," Bella stopped short. Actually, she didn't know what she felt for him. He fascinated her. And she couldn't stop thinking about him. Did she like Edward?

"Suuurreee" came the slow reply from her twin, as if answering her thoughts.

Groaning, Bella flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling even though she couldn't see it in the dark. Maybe confiding in Teddy wasn't the best thing to do.

"Forget I said anything."

"But-"

"No."

"Bellaaa-"

"No, Teddy." Bella scoffed but followed it with a soft laugh even as her thoughts weighed down on her chest. "Just forget it."

"I-"

"It's fine, Teddy." A shift, a creak. "Go to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Silence, then a sigh. "Okay."

"Goodnight, Teddy."

Another sigh from the other side of the room, followed by "Night night Bella Bear."

And when sleep finally claimed her, long after it had already claimed Teddy, Bella dreamed beautiful pale dreams.

A/N - Sunshine and dreams