A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites. You really made me happy. All mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: All characters and original storyline belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

Chapter 2

Jacob reaches the last point where Bella stopped. He noticed that her new car is missing. Without thought, Jacob phases on the fly and runs to the Swan's home. He wanted to catch her before anyone else got to her.

Meanwhile, Charlie and Billy are driving back from the store and diner. They are on their way to Billy's house. The two make small talk while in the cruiser. Once, they reach the Black's home, Charlie sets up their snacks, Vitamin R's, and dinner for the upcoming game on TV. After a while, Billy's curiosity can't be contained anymore.

"Alright, Charlie. We've been friends since we were practically in diapers. What was with you today at that sham of a wedding your daughter, who I'm so very proud of right now, ran away from?"

Charlie took his time before he answered Billy. "Bill, it took me a while to see some things. Some things that I had in fact noticed from the very beginning, but really didn't take into account," Charlie starts.

Billy knows that this is one of their serious conversations, so he turns off the TV and gives Charlie his undivided attention and unconditional support. "Charlie, what happened?"

"Harry's death and funeral, then Bells' sudden runaway adventures, and her subsequent agreement to marry Fuckward."

Billy is both shocked and impressed with Charlie. Guilt hangs heavy on Billy's shoulders. "I have a feeling that I, too may have had a role in this."

"You're right, you did. As well as Jake, Sam, Seth, and especially Leah." Charlie tells Billy. He can see Billy is getting uncomfortable and is starting to feel guilty. Charlie delights in it at first, but remembers that he is just as much to blame. So he trudges on with the story.

"I am embarrassed to admit that I should have seen things earlier than I did. I knew that there was something funny, odd even, about the Cullens. But I turned a blind eye to it because the citizens and especially the mayor were excited and so accepting of them. My gut was telling me that something was out of place, until it suddenly stopped one day after meeting Carlisle."

Billy remembers that day vividly. His own reaction was volatile when he heard that Charlie had met with the Cold One who knew his grandfather and made the current standing treaty with him.

"Remember that boating accident down at the quay?"

"I remember."

"Well, it was when I had to speak with Carlisle to make my report and any impending arrests that things turned strange. My first thought when I met Carlisle was that he was unbelievably beautiful. You know that was a shock to me. Then I noticed the bags under his eyes, faint but there. It seemed as if he tried to put makeup on to conceal them. I chalked it up to the story that everyone was given about him and his family moving from Alaska to Forks and the fact that he was the number one doctor with the most versatile experience at Forks General, to date. So, I assumed that he wasn't sleeping enough for being in such high demand. I went to his office to gather information when I noticed the pictures of his family. All of them, every last one of them looked just like Carlisle. I couldn't believe it. He noticed my reaction and told me that story they gave everyone about how his family came to be. Yet, something still didn't settle with me. I was too at ease with everything, which at the time I welcomed."

"I remember. In fact I was almost glad that you were okay with it because you were under a lot of stress and had so many people breathing down your neck. But, I wondered about your complete about face concerning the Cullens."

"Yeah, well it was much later and after multiple meetings that I became complacent just like everyone else in Forks. Bella finally comes home and things change, strangely so. When Bella caught Shitward's attention, I was both worried and dazzled by the implications. Fast forward to Harry dying and it's because his children turned into wolves."

Complete shock is all over Billy's face. He was certain everything was hidden from the rest of the population, especially Charlie. Billy couldn't figure out how in the world Charlie found out about the wolves. Billy knew that he had to hear the rest of this tale.

"Don't look so surprised. Remember, we grew up together and your father used to tell us the stories about the wolves and Cold Ones. I had came home in a daze after Harry died and I saw a huge reddish brown wolf run into the woods behind my house. I thought I was hallucinating and I just wanted to go straight to bed. However, when I went inside the house and I found out by a hastily scribbled note that Bella had left to save Edward. At the time she had no phone, so I knew that there was no way I could get in touch with her. Depressed even more, I just sat in my recliner trying to figure out what happened and why she would chase after that no good sonofa…" Charlie stops and takes a breath and a deep pull on his Vitamin R.

"I must have dozed off. I was dreaming of a huge wolf. It was in the woods by your house. At first I was scared out of my mind. I hoped that it wasn't looking for something to eat, like me. I tried to be quiet, but I accidentally stepped on a twig which caught the wolf's attention. It's head shot up in my direction and I was frozen right on the spot. We stared at each other for a while until I got a good look at its eyes. They seemed so human. Like it had the intelligence of a man. It triggered the memory of the same type of wolves we saw back when we were kids. It was like around the time that your Grandfather stopped telling the tales and your father picked up. Remember how we tried to follow Ephraim into the woods, but he would always catch us? Well, looking at this wolf made me think of him, immediately. I jerked awake and the first thing on my mind was that everything we were told was real. I started putting things together, like how did Sam find Bella, how did almost all the kids change overnight, especially Leah, and seeing that wolf leave my house...it just started to make sense. I figured that if there was wolves, then Cold Ones were not to far away.

"I was still baffled by how Alice was able to swoop in and get Bella before I could even get home. I knew that Jake was with Bella because he said that they got caught in the storm and he was going to ride with Bella so that she could change and to keep her company until I got home. It was like Alice was psychic and knew the right time to steal Bella from the house. After Bells came home,she was different. Almost like a POW with PTSD. Edward clung to her like a parasite. The girl couldn't go anywhere without him always showing up or being there. Now this is what finalized things. The day that Jacob came and told me about the bikes, I was extremely upset with them. But, I got to thinking that if all the trouble she got into with Jake was a couple of motorcycles, then I was okay, not happy mind you, but okay with it. Once Bella got home, I saw the confrontation between Edward and Bella and Jacob. I honestly didn't know what to think. As she argued with Jake, I saw a glimpse of the girl she used to be before Renee married her latest beau and before Edward came into her life. I was so upset and disgusted with the whole situation. I called Bella in and Edward followed right on her heels. The girl couldn't walk up the stairs without him holding on to her. I thought at the moment that Bella would have been better off with Jake instead. As soon as I thought that, Edward winced and tried to placate me so that he could stay longer. I was not having it. I told him no, but I was thinking worse things than what I was saying. I figured that I would test what I saw from Edward the next time he came around. The very next day as I was leaving for the station, I drove up the street and that that...thing was parked right up the street. As if he was just waiting for me to leave. I drove past him and all I could think was that I hated him and I wished that Bella had left him to die like he did her in the woods. The boy grimaced and turned away. I was still too angry to notice that detail. It wasn't until much later that I realized that Edward only reacted after I thought what I did as I passed him. That's when everything hit like a lightening bolt. I had finally pieced everything together and I was ashamed that I didn't catch on quicker.

"Here I am, the Chief of Police and I had these strange beings running around my town, right under my nose. Then I was really mad because Bella seemed to be in the thick of it. None of these issues started until she hooked up with Edward. I got to thinking about that accident in Phoenix and I realized that it wasn't an accident, that something terrible actually happened to my baby girl. From then on out, I made it clear verbally and non that I preferred Jacob to be with Bella.

Soon after Bella spends the night at the Cullens, she comes back saying she's engaged to Edward. I was so furious with her. We argued, more than once about it until she finally said that she wanted something more permanent than what I had with her mother. That shut me up, good too. I finally saw what it was that kept her hanging on to Edward the way she did. I sat her down and we finally talked. Just talked about everything and I learned that I was a shitty father to my own daughter. Here I helped you raise the girls and Jacob, then I leave my own daughter to fend for herself."

"You can't blame that part on yourself, Charlie. That was all Renee's fault," Billy said trying to encourage his friend and hoping that he would drop the guilt he carried around, still.

"Thanks for trying to help." Charlie tells Billy. Charlie was glad to finally get everything off his chest and into the open. "I'm not going to lie, I was mad at you for a while."

"I know. I just couldn't figure out why," Billy said honestly.

"It's because I felt that you should have warned me about everything. Until I thought about it. You're the Chief of your tribe. You still have to put the needs of all your members first. Once I thought of it that way, I knew I could let go of my anger towards you. I decided then, that if Bella was going to be involved with the supernatural, then I rather it be with the wolf I knew. The only person who could bring life out of Bella."

"Jacob."

"Jacob," Charlie agreed.

"This is a lot to take in. I'm so sorry that you went through all of this on your own. I wish that I could have helped," Billy said earnestly with tears building in his eyes.

"It's alright. I know that you have to answer to the council about many things. So, I figured that this came under that jurisdiction." Charlie tells Billy.

The pair just looked at each other, shook hands and started watching the game again.

As the dads were talking, Jacob made it to the Swan's house. Only Bella wasn't there. Both Jacob and his wolf began to worry. They knew that Edward wasn't one to give up easily or fairly. They had to find Bella, fast. Jacob thought and thought of possible places that Bella would run to and then it hit him. Their driftwood tree! Bella almost always ran there to think or just to get away.

Jacob ran as fast as he could through the short cut he found long ago during his nightly treks to Bella's window. Jacob didn't want to give up hope, but fear is a difficult feeling to shake. However, it can be a great motivator. Jacob didn't know what he would say to her, but he knew that he would have to listen, really listen, in order to move forward. Bella was worth it, and more.