Chapter 18

Now, there were three things Bella knew for sure.

One, Jake Black was a self-righteous asshole.

Two, he needed to be knocked down a peg or two.

And three, the most important thing, was that Jake Black needed to see reality and not his Bella induced fantasy.

There was no way Jake's feelings for Bella could be true.

He didn't even know anything about her.

He didn't care about her; he only thought that he did.

He wanted the shiny new squeak toy, Bella Swan, before anyone else could.

But what Jake couldn't understand- what he wouldn't acknowledge was that Bella Swan was already destined for someone else.

Edward Cullen.

"Let's go! What are we waiting for? The wolves are getting away!" Emmett was pitching a fit as Rosalie rolled her eyes. She was looking at some car magazine, bored.

Esme took it upon herself to start making some human food in the kitchen. Making human food meant that she took it out of the grocery bag, unwrapped it, and put it in the oven.

"You should get that," Alice said to Bella with disinterest as she lay over the couch while reading one of the magazines she brought. "And be upset, tearful, and maybe a little bit scandalized if you could."

Bella looked at Alice with curiosity before her cell phone started to ring. She bound up and rummaged through her purse before answering it.

"Hello?" Bella said cautiously.

"Bella, where are you?"

"Hey, what's up, Dad? I'm at Edward's house, why?"

"That's what Jake said. You were supposed to be with Alice!"

"I was- I still am with Alice. You weren't home- you were out so I went with Edward for a walk. Which Jake rudely interrupted by crashing it and we all came over here."

"You weren't out walking! Jake said he saw you and Edward kissing and… worse-"

"Um, actually, we WERE walking around until all the wolves started to come out of the trees like some Teen-wolf Children of the Corn! We had to run inside! I can't believe you'd believe the things some jealous fifteen year old boy said!" Bella scoffed. "Besides, Jake was the one trespassing and being all hostile, not us!"

Charlie was taken aback, "What?"

Bella spoke more slowly, "He came to Edward's house with his pack. They were all growling and threatening! What was I supposed to think?"

"He threatened you?"

"Well, if you call gathering his pack and surrounding the house, growling and snapping their jaws in their gigantic wolf bodies, then yeah. I felt threatened. Thank goodness for Edward's forward thinking to run into the house to protect me from them, don't you think? I mean, can you imagine me trying to fight against six wolves?" She cried. It was only something she did if she really truly had to.

"Bella's good." Edward snickered quietly. All his family members nodded or smiled in agreement. They knew Edward was in for it with Bella as a mate.

Edward knew it, too. But he was happy this was all directed at Charlie and not himself as he would surely give her the moon had she asked for it.

"Edward? Well, I guess it was good he was there to protect you because Jake said he was touching you against your will."

Bella snorted a laugh through her fake sobs. "That's ridicules. Edward would never do that." The end of her sentence had a certain bite of anger to it as she eyed Edward. He agreed. "Edward and I are dating and Jacob is jealous. That's all this is about. They interrupted our date. Jake's the one who wants to do things against my will, Daddy! He's the one who tried to that weird imprint thing on me once already!"

There was silence on the other line, but a bit of fuming pants from Charlie.

"I don't even know what that means!" Bella was letting her teenage rage come through beautifully.

"It means, uh," Charlie seemed very uncomfortable.

It was time to step it up a notch, really get Charlie going.

"Is it a tattoo or something?" Bella gasped, "Is he going to brand me?" Her voice pitched and she could practically see Charlie wince over the phone.

"Calm down, Bella. I am sure it's nothing so dramatic-"

Edward rolled his eyes as he shook his head, biting back his smile.

"He did some chant, Dad. He did some spell or something and says I need to kiss him or something to make it take. What happens if it does take?"

"I don't really know-" Charlie floundered. "I could ask Sue."

"Yes. Ask Sue because Jake says you want us together like that. He said, you'd welcome it!"

Alice giggled, shaking her head, obviously seeing how this would all play out.

Bella having sexual relations was not a topic he wanted to delve into. Ever.

The line went quite, so Bella went for the kill.

Then Bella whispered. "You don't know what imprinting is? It's not like some impregnating thing is it? Cause he's like… fifteen."

"Oh, that did it." Alice giggled and whispered, "You, Bella Swan, are evil."

"Bells, I need to go and have a chat with Jake Black. He won't be bothering you-"

"Thank you, Daddy. I knew you would fix this. I was so worried." Bella interrupted. She laughed quietly when her father gave a gruff acknowledgement before ending the call.

"That man is going to tear Jake a new ass." Alice sniggered, closing up her magazine as Bella hung up the phone.

"Good." Bella stood up abruptly and went right for Edward with a sly smile. "Now, where were we?" He grinned and opened his arms to her, enveloping her in his strong embrace.

He'd never grow tired of that.

Edward used his finger to tilt her head up toward hers and leaned down to kiss her.

Bella groaned and hitched her leg around Edward's as she grabbed the hair at the back of his neck.

"I think that would be our cue!" Alice said, grabbing Jasper's hand. He was oddly silent the whole time and looked a little frazzled, actually.

"And miss the live show?" Grumbled Emmett as Rosalie pulled him to his feet. He was hoping for a fight with the wolves and that didn't happen. He was upset. He dragged his feet as they went through room and out the door.

Esme told Bella she had set the timer and gave her a hug. Carlisle led his wife out, giving a small wave as they left, not that they noticed because Bella and Edward didn't bother to separate to walk their guests out.

"Finally! I thought they'd never leave!" Bella sighed.

Edward clicked the lock and turned to his mate. "They probably heard that. We have excellent hearing even from far away."

With a laugh, Bella said, "Whoops. I'm sure they know we want to be alone."

"That's true. So… now that you have me all to yourself, what are you going to do with me?" Edward cocked his eyebrow at her with a sexy smirk.

Smolder.

Bella smiled and grasped at Edward's hands. He closed his fingers over hers after braiding them together and pulled her to his chest. She stood on her tippy toes and kissed him, just to give him an idea of what she wanted to do with him.

"Your mom's ring tone is the B52's?" Edward snickered as he turned out of his drive way and onto the 101 headed toward Bella's house.

They had had a quiet night together as they sat at the dining room table while Bella ate the lasagna Esme put in the oven. They sat at the table with everything other than candles, because Edward had an irrational fear of fire, that Bella realized Edward led a very boring afterlife. He literally did nothing but write, draw, sit, stand, and hunt. He only broke the tedium with endless years of high school and college and working.

He didn't even have a television for background noise.

Bella also decided that her mate was too smart and could very likely be the vampire version of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Although Edward did enjoy being affectionate with Bella and he did drive.

But when he corrected her on several instances that night, she realized Mr. Perfect was not so perfect as it was vastly annoying talking to someone who literally knew everything- or at least thought he did.

At least Bella was tolerant and able to tell him to shut it as he had had a huge head start on the learning curve.

High school would be fun together!

"Yes. It's Rock Lobster." She answered his question, ignoring the call with a swipe of her finger.

Edward snorted a laugh. "Why?"

Bella sat back in her seat pressing ignore as she switched to a texting screen. "Because it's her favorite song of theirs and it's all about sex."

"Really?"

Bella was watching Edward as he tried to recall the lyrics so Bella started to sing,

"Motion in the ocean

His air hose broke

Lots of trouble

Lots of bubble

He was in a jam

He's in a giant clam"

"Huh," There really wasn't very much else to say.

"Yep, my mother digs deep." Bella scoffed as her fingers swiveled and swooped around the keypad.

"And you're texting her I would presume?" He was curious and yet not wanting to interfere.

"Yep, right again."

Edward loved being right, and being told so. It was one of those things she learned to say that Renee taught in her, 'how to please a man' talks.

Edward sat with his eyebrows raised, waiting.

Bella sighed, clicking send before she side-eyed Edward. Relenting, she whispered, "I told her I have a boyfriend and now she wants to talk boys- which I won't be doing while in the car with you or at all."

"Why not?" Edward asked before he turned into her neighborhood.

Edward's laugh was cloying on her sensitive nerves.

"Because I need to keep you guessing. You already know too much and knowing too much doesn't keep a relationship interesting."

Edward nodded his head as if that made sense- which it didn't. He made several turns until he finally parked in front of her house.

"I had a great time with you, Edward." Bella was sincere but suddenly nervous. She shouldn't be since they had so much time together to talk and kiss with a bit of fondling, but sitting in the car in front of her house with Charlie peeking at them from the living room window put her on edge.

"As I did with you," He smiled, pulling up her hand and laying a kiss on her knuckles.

When he put Bella's hand down, Bella whispered, "What's Charlie thinking? I don't want to go in there blind."

Edward paused for a moment, "At this moment, he's wondering what's taking you so long to get out of the car. He wants to talk about the incident with Jake since Jake denies all of the stuff you alleged this afternoon. Oh, and you're mom called the house which was also distressing to him and amplifying his tension. He apparently loathes her. I don't see why. She's a charmer."

"Oh, sarcastic Edward is fun!" Bella bit back.

"My purpose in life is to please you," He said in a completely distracting way. She didn't need to start thinking about how or the ways in which he could please her.

"Don't be an evil incubus, Edward, especially when I have to get out of the car," She chided and chanced a glance at the window. It was now unoccupied. "What else is he thinking?"

"He's thinking about the present. Renee asked about the box, and… Charlie said he saw it in your room and she asked if it was opened. He acknowledged it was, in fact, opened."

"How would she know I opened it?"

"That's all he's got, I guess you need to call and talk to Renee. I'd also insist she comes back to Forks."

"I know, I know." Bella groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Ugh, why is my life so complicated?"

Edward frowned and kept quiet. He couldn't help but wonder how much he was complicating her life.

"Stop it." Bella snapped when she saw his troubled face. "Edward, you're the only calm in my life of craziness. My crazy, hair-brained mother, my lonely, gun toting father, my delusional werewolf childhood friend… It makes me happy you're so chill because I honestly feel like I am totally balancing all of this on a tightrope."

"Chill. What about your intrusive, psychic, vampire friend and your self-indulgent, mind-reading vampire boyfriend?"

Bella was not appeased so he relented and kissed her hand again and squeezed it before he said, "We'll figure it all out together. Nothing needs to be figured out tonight."

"But that's exactly it. How will we figure it out? She shouldn't know I opened the box, Edward. I am totally, internally flipping out!"

"Well, let's go inside and talk to Charlie and put him at ease first, then when he goes to bed I'll come into your room and we can put together what we can about Pandora's Box. Okay?"

Bella nodded, looking at Charlie peeking at them again.

"Okay,"

"Okay, let's go face Charlie. He is ready for me."

"What do you mean?"

"It's gun cleaning time, apparently." Edward smirked before he leaned over and stole a kiss and then opened the door to get out.

"Excellent." Bella sighed, and followed him.

…

Now, there comes a point in life where everything is suspended.

Stilled.

Quiet.

Void.

Where time stands still to catch up to the past.

When memories of what happened so long ago are suddenly so acutely painful and brought to the forefront.

Where the forest from so long ago is suddenly is greener with more life- more fragrance from the new foliage.

The river churns and bubbles, brought to life.

It's louder if possible.

Suffocating.

Where the decisions made will affect the whole of reality.

And those decisions affect the strings of fate.

For Charlie.

For Renee.

For Bella.

For Edward .

Where one person stands ashen; his pain and loneliness illustrated over his face in hard lines.

He stands in front of another, who hasn't aged at all.

At all.

Minds twist in memory and truth and lies and fear.

Relief and yet, anger?

Scenes falter and fade in and out, rejecting the thoughts that say the truth… with disbelief.

Where bonfire stories, mere legends used to teach lessons to future generations

To scare them, to warn, to entertain them

Become reality.

Where the cold ones and ancient tribesman, merge from the past to the present

Where cold ones devoured and killed and werewolves were created

But for a diverse few… treaties made.

Stories were not really just stories…

And then there are the secrets.

The allusion of what is different, but not.

Where accepting a lie is easier than rationalizing truths, facts.

That's where Charlie Swan stood, mentally.

Hand in hand, shaking cordially

With him.

The one from that fateful day

And only because of the commonality they have together.

Bella.

But Edward Cullen, in Charlie's head, was a kid!

He was a kid with a dad and mom and brothers and sisters.

A high school kid.

He was a kid who was kissing his daughter, according to Jake.

A kid who was dating his daughter.

The same daughter that Renee was carrying within her that day.

He could not be the same man who dipped under the water, grabbed his young wife, and stood holding her by her throat.

He could not the man who disappeared after, never to be seen or to explain, again.

Until now.

Strong, warm hands grasped the boy's cold hand, gripping tightly.

Charlie and Edward stood defiant, one in a cold sweat and a red face.

History and reality was horribly convoluted and Charlie, being Charlie, sucked it all down deep and stored it away to contemplate later.

But he needed to sit and talk and figure things out, now.

"Should we sit down?" Edward said, reading Charlie's mind.

It was too loud in Charlie's ears, but he nodded.

Hands released and Charlie moved slowly to his chair, sitting in it carefully.

He was feeling tired, faint.

Bella's eyes were on Edward for a moment, lip biting and wishing she knew what just transpired.

She wanted to grab up Edward 's hand and take his gift, hearing what Charlie thought about all of this, but then again, she didn't. She didn't want in Charlie's mind or in his memories.

It would be painful, right?

Would it change how she felt about Edward?

They were so new, just barely learning about each other.

She looked at Edward, seeing his eyes full of pain as he sat down, away from her.

Bella sat on the couch, sick to her stomach.

Would it be like this with Renee?

Or worse?

Probably worse.

"Hello Sir, my name is Edward Cullen."

Charlie was already shaking his head before Edward completed his introduction.

"Let's not do this," Charlie said gruffly, pointing in between them. "Let's not do the dancing around everything and just give it to me straight. You have some explaining to do, so you best get to it."

.

A/N: I hope you understand this chapter... it's basically Charlie in his head trying to make sense of seeing Edward, his world changing and twisting and him coming out of it wanting the truth of things. Many asked if he knew Edward, the answer is… No. He had no reason to have met him other than to know he's one of the Cullen kids. But now, as Edward isfront and center and involved with Bella, he knows differently.

He knows about the wolves and their legends and he's realized their legends are not just stories but truths.

Thank you for reading.