CHAPTER 2: ACCEPTED

"Ok, Bells, April Fools' Day is not for about five months," he said matter-of-factly. He didn't know my eyes could pick up the faint beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and dewing on his neck.

It was so like Charlie to be in denial.

"Dad, ever noticed something about Carslile?" I asked him.

"Well, I'll admit, there are a lot of unique things about him, but not unnatural at all."

"He's extremely good-looking, has ice cold skin, looks like he needs a good night's sleep and never ages a day in his life," I reply.

"Ok, maybe he was blessed with good genetics," Charlie reasoned. "That hospital is always freezing my butt off, I happen to know that doctors can be on call 24/7, and maybe he's got that fancy anti-aging cream."

"Dad, he's a vampire!"

"There are no such things!"

"And I suppose you say that there are no such things as werewolves either?" I retorted. Seth sat up and proudly stuck out his chest.

Charlie went pale. "That's a different story."

"Actually, they're connected! Cool, isn't it?" Seth chimed in. He quieted down after a warning glance from his mom.

"Dad, vampires are good-looking as a hunting skill. Think about it, Carslile could lure just about any unsuspecting girl into a dark alley anytime." Charlie shivered slightly.

"And vampires don't really have any blood; they have no heart. They're not warm, they're cold as ice." He looks at my hands, probably remembering the coolness of our embraces.

"Vampires never sleep. It's physically impossible." His eyes drift to the permanent circles under my eyes.

"And lastly," he clutched the arm of his seat tightly, "vampires can live forever."

There was a moment of silence and the oven rang, startling everyone but me. I got up, took out the bread pudding, cut it, put it into separate plates, and walked back to the living room, four plates in my hands. I did that… in five seconds.

"Could a human do that?" I asked him, putting the plates down.

"What the hell?" he muttered, staring at me in horror. "Bella, what did they do to you?"

…...

"Do you understand now?" Carslile asked calmly, putting his hands on the table.

I had found myself incapable to explain it properly to Charlie, so I had taken him to the Cullens' house. Edward, Carslile and I had sat at the table with him, doing the best we could. After almost two hours, he was finally starting to accept it.

"So my… my baby girl is… is a…."

"…Vampire," Carslile helpfully filled in.

"Why the hell would you do something like that to her?" he demanded.

"Dad, it was completely my choice," I assured, putting my hand on his. He flinched away, scooting his chair ever so slightly.

Ouch. Now he's afraid of me?

Edward took my hand, pulling me towards him. "We all disagreed, but Bella was ever so persistent. When she was at the verge of death… well, we just couldn't let her go," he muttered, putting his face into my hair.

"But you don't kill humans," he said, as if reassuring himself.

"Not unless it's because of self-defense, although I'm certain that rule applies to humans as well," Carslile said.

"Well, yeah, sure I guess so," Charlie said, frowning. "So… Nessie… she won't ever die?"

"Technically speaking, then yes," Edward answered.

"And you all… you'll live forever?"

"That's the idea," I softly replied.

He shook his head. "You could've told me sooner, Bells."

"And expose you to the Volturi? No way. If they found out we were having this conversation right now, everyone in the room would be dead like that." I snapped my fingers.

"Wait 'til I get my fingers on those jerks," he grumbled. "Messing with my family like that…." He went on ranting like that about the Volturi and about life.

"Well, I guess I'll take some time at home to… reflect," Charlie announced, standing up.

"Great, I hope you'll understand," Carslile said, shaking his hand. Charlie stared at Carslile's hand with new curiosity, as if wondering what would happen if he ran over it in his cruiser.

I walked him to the door.

"Well, now there are no secrets," Charlie said to me outside.

"I prefer it that way, dad," I said, hugging him tightly.

"You take care now. And make sure you all visit soon; I haven't seen Nessie in a while," he said.

I promised I would, and he walked back to the cruiser. As he pulled out of the driveway, I could still hear him muttering to himself about vampires.