5. Adult

Charlie and Bella ate dinner as I relaxed in their living room, the news playing in the background. I really wasn't paying attention. They hardly said two words as Charlie shoved down three helpings of her food. She must be an excellent cook. I'd just have to assume so, especially after listening to how content and happy Charlie was during the whole eating process. He might have even moaned in pleasure a few times.

"That was great, Bells." Charlie said while kicking his feet up on top of the table.

"I'm glad you liked it. How was work?" Bella asked after he sank back into his chair and rubbed his stomach, a move that reminded me of Emmett after consuming a grizzly bear.

"Sort of slow. Well, dead slow really. Mark and I played cards for a good part of the afternoon," he confessed with a grin. "I won, nineteen hands to seven. And then I was on the phone with Billy for a while."

My eyes roamed to Bella's face where her brow twitched. I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one. Either way, I didn't like it.

"How is he?"

"Good, good. His joints are bothering him a little."

I tried to listen into Charlie's thoughts, but he was blocking me almost as efficiently as Bella was.

"Oh. That's too bad," she replied, an edge to her voice.

"Yeah. He invited us down to visit this weekend. He was thinking of having the Clearwaters and the Uleys over too. Sort of a playoff party. . . ."

One she won't be going to, I added mentally.

"Huh," she acknowledged, her eyes staring at Charlie but not really seeing him. The quiet from their minds grew perceptively for a minute. Wordlessly, I sat in the living room wishing she would have said a little more; demanded that she didn't want to go. Instead, she looked like she was thinking about how she could convince me she should go. Fat chance, and she knew it.

Neither of them replied so she got up and started gathering the dishes. That was my cue to begin phase one of my plan. She turned the water on as I grabbed a dishtowel to help with the process.

I almost forgot he was here, A thought finally echoed through Charlie's quiet mind. He can't keep her from Jacob if I insist that she goes with me to the reservation.

My back was turned to him, but I could hear each of his individual breaths, every pound of his heart, and the sound of him moving as the chair scooted away from the table. He rose to his feet. Phase one begins. "Charlie," I called out casually. My voice was smooth, human. I turned to face him.

His heart jumped at his name on my breath. We'd been avoiding each other like the black plague. He raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. "Yeah?"

"Did Bella ever tell you that my parents gave her airplane tickets on her last birthday, so that she could visit Renée?" Again, my voice was aloof, steady.

I heard it before I saw it, the dish clattering on the edge of the sink before it rocketed to the ground, sending soap suds across all three of us. Luckily, it didn't break and no blood was shed. I could have stopped it, but I needed Charlie on my side, and scaring him with my suave behavior wouldn't win me any points.

Charlie also ignored the plate on the ground. "Bella?" he inquired in a shocked tone.

For a second I thought that she was going to ignore Charlie all together. Instead, she seized the plate from the floor and answered. "Yeah, they did."

He seemed to grow nervous at my nonchalance, a suspicion growing in his mind. He turned to me and his eyes turned to slits. He was always suspecting me – everything was always my fault and I agreed to a point. I didn't mind his doubts, he probably would agree with me if he knew the circumstances to my plan.

"No, she never mentioned it."

"Hmm," I said with indifference.

He was human, it was only a matter of seconds before he'd latch on and demand more information. Some people just couldn't stand a mystery. I let the bait sit there.

"Was there a reason you brought it up?" he asked, his voice stiff – falling perfectly into my plan.

I shrugged as if I was impartial. I was far from it. "They're about to expire. I think it might hurt Esme's feelings if Bella doesn't use her gift. Not that she'd say anything."

It would be nice to get her away from Edward. Charlie contemplated.

Bella looked sideways at me, an incredulous look displayed there. I was doing this for her own good. She'd forgive me eventually. That was just her nature.

"It's probably a good idea for you to visit your mom, Bella." Charlie stated. "She'd love that. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about this, though."

"I forgot," Bella conceded. She was a lousy fibber.

"You forgot that someone gave you plane tickets?" Charlie asked with a scowl on his face. She didn't think much at all about the Cullen's when he left.

His thoughts stung, but he wasn't the only one I had to hear these kinds of things from. Regardless, she still took me back. I didn't deserve her, yet she did. Now I was going to try and stop any and everything from harming the one person who had saved me.

"Mmm," was all she said as she pealed her eyes off Charlie and stared back at the dishes.

"I noticed that you said they're about to expire, Edward," Charlie went on without pause. "How many tickets did your parents give her?" How often can she get away from him? he added mentally.

I didn't hesitate. "Just one for her . . . and one for me," my voice was smooth, calm.

Bella's breath tumbled from her mouth, making a little noise, as she dropped another dish. This time it just clattered in the sink and neither Charlie nor myself tore ourselves away from the conversation. Though, in this moment all I could think about was prying into Bella's secret mind.

Charlie made a similar noise as Bella, his more from being enraged then of him being stunned. But it wasn't Charlie I was paying attention to, it was the sweet girl facing the sink. The scent of her blood was suddenly stronger and after catching a side-long glance at her I could see her neck and ears reddening from…anger? disbelief? distrust? Her heart pounded on, a little faster this time.

"That's out of the question!" Charlie exclaimed, gritting his teeth in out-rage.

"Why?" I asked innocently. I knew this was coming, that is why I made sure he would say yes to her going before I mentioned myself. "You just said it was a good idea for her to see her mother." I spoke coolly, with assured diligence. I had made it sound like he was contradicting himself. If this didn't work on him, I knew it would on Bella.

My words had no effect on him. I had a feeling this might happen, and yet again I was prepared for it. Phase two begins. "You're not going anywhere with him, young lady!" he shouted, his finger pointing in her direction.

She spun around, her clothes lightly wet and soapy from the dishwater, and her eyes narrowed at the finger pointed directly at her. I had expected this, planned on this – for her to fight back.

"I'm not a child, Dad. And I'm not grounded anymore, remember?" Bella's tone was indignant.

"Oh yes, you are. Starting now," he said just as sharply. She was supposed to be flying away from him, not bringing him along.

"For what?!" her voice rose an octave. I knew she would fight him on this, I knew she couldn't stand to be bossed around. I could hear it in her tone when she told me know one had custody of her. She meant it, now she was going to prove it.

"Because I said so." Charlie replied in his typical authoritative voice and with the classic parental phrase.

Phase three begins. "Do I need to remind you that I'm a legal adult, Charlie?" Again, I was right on target with her reactions, which was far from normal. Over time, it was getting easier.

"This is my house - you follow my rules!"

There was silence for just a second, and I could almost feel the temperature drop. Any second I thought icicles would form on the walls Bella looked so glacial. It was a look I'd rarely seen. "If that's how you want it. Do you want me to move out tonight? Or can I have a few days to pack?"

Where would she go? Charlie glared at her, his face turning an unflattering color of magenta. Not to his house!? His eyes flickered my direction. Not on my watch!

Bella's cold glare faltered. "I'll do my time without complaining when I've done something wrong, Dad, but I'm not going to put up with your prejudices."

I have every right to be! he wanted to say but only jumbled splutters were heard.

"Now, I know that you know that I have every right to see Mom for the weekend. You can't honestly tell me you'd object to the plan if I was going with Alice or Angela."

"Girls," he replied under his breath, the logic lost on him.

"Would it bother you if I took Jacob?"

My eyes turned to slits at the name, my teeth mashed together as if I were cutting steel and my vision turned red for a second. It was just automatic when I heard his name that I had these reactions, it was twice as bad when it came out of Bella's lips. Those lips that I wished would only speak my name. But, I had to play the game, keep my mouth shut. I needed Charlie on my side, and now Bella was fighting with me, on our side.

Jacob's different, was all Charlie thought. He still struggled with an answer, lying was just as hard for him as it was for his daughter. Must be hereditary. "Yes," he replied, his voice just as unnatural in the lie as Bella's. "That would bother me."

"You're a rotten liar, Dad."

Agreed, I thought, but kept that one to myself.

"Bella -"

"It's not like I'm headed off to Vegas to be a showgirl or anything. I'm going to see Mom," she pointed out. "She's just as much my parental authority as you are."

He wilted under her words, realizing she was right, but he didn't want her to be right. When Charlie didn't speak she continued. "Are you implying something about Mom's ability to look after me?"

He shrank under the embedded warning underlying her words. She was an excellent manipulator – sort of like Alice. No wonder they were best friends.

"You'd better hope I don't mention this to her," she continued after realization that this line of threat was most effective.

Last thing I need is another call from Renée. "You'd better not," he cautioned. "I'm not happy about this, Bella."

"There's no reason for you to be upset." And really, there wasn't. He just didn't know that this was all about keeping her safe.

Charlie rolled his eyes like he could hear my thoughts. He dropped the argument. If he didn't, Bella might move out and possibly tell Renée about what he said, or so he was thinking. He didn't want that, and so he was letting it go. She's right, though, he thought, she is an adult now.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief and turned to pull the plug from the sink. "So my homework is done, your dinner is done, the dishes are done, and I'm not grounded. I'm going out. I'll be back before ten-thirty." Her tone was matter-of-fact and slightly smug.

"Where are you going?" Charlie asked, his face turning pink again. I hope she doesn't plan to move out anyway…

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I'll keep it within a ten-mile radius, though. Okay?"

He made a noise that didn't sound like approval while Bella turned and marched out of the kitchen, ignoring his grunting protests.

"We're going out?" I whispered. This was new, and instantly I wondered what was up her sleeve…what her plans were. It was always exciting – different – to not know someone's every move.

She turned on me, her eyes showing her displeasure. She had a scowl on her face. My enthusiasm vanished. "Yes. I think I'd like to speak to you alone."

All great plans have consequences, I thought warily.

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