Disclaimer: The usual apply. I own nothing.

A.N. I know, I know. I've been M.I.A. Im forcing my muse out of hiding and getting back into my stories. This chapter is a little short and seems like filler, but just know that I have the next chapter almost complete, so there won't be a long wait for it. If you're still with me, thank you. Enjoy.

Also, all mistakes are mine. Not beta'd.

Dinner should have been uneventful, but as with anything that concerns Bella, nothing goes as planned. As soon as they stepped foot into the diner, the whispers started. Bella, having been used to hearing them, just followed along behind her father to their usual booth. The only difference this time is that she was pulling someone behind her. A male someone. A very attractive, male someone.

Once they reached the booth, she pushed Clark in first and followed soon after, taking the aisle seat, while Charlie made himself comfortable across the table from them. Charlie laughed at his daughter's discomfort while Clark looked on amused. Without looking up from the slightly tacky menu, she pulsed her shield around both of the men with her, only to sigh and give up when they both laughed louder.

Bella only looked up from her menu when the waitress appeared at their table to take their orders. Raising her eyes, she hid her amusement at her luck that their waitress was none other than Jessica Stanley. Giving Jess her order of a burger and chocolate shake, she quietly excused herself to the bathroom. "Enjoy yourself," she whispered quietly, knowing that Clark would still hear her, as she ducked into the bathroom.

Once finished she stepped out, barely managing to sidestep an elderly lady as she bustled past her in a hurry, and looked towards her companions. She could barely hold in her laughter at the blush that accompanied Clark's uncomfortable look and her father's gaping mouth. After a few more moments of shamelessly watching, she decided to relieve them of whatever was coming out of Jess' mouth.

Unceremoniously plopping down in her seat, she reached for Clark's hand, entwining her fingers with his. She didn't miss the way Jess' eyes moved to their hands or the way they stayed glued there.

Snapping her fingers, Bella attempted to get her attention. "Jess."

Watching as her mouth opened and closed, Bella decided to put the girl out of her misery and make introductions, if only to get her to go place their orders. She was hungry afterall.

"Jess, this is Clark. Clark, Jess. We went to highschool together."

He gave her a small smile. "It's nice to meet you Jess."

She smiled and returned the sentiments before narrowing her gaze on Bella. "You've been holding out on us."

"Excuse me?", Bella sputtered but she wasn't heard.

"He is definitely a step up from Cullen. Why haven't you brought him around before? Obviously he's important to you if he is meeting the Chief and we all know how much he disliked Edward, so for him to be here eating dinner with the both of you must mean he likes him and it's serious. He is cuter, no, not cute. Handsome. Sexy. Manly," she paused for a second to allow her eyes to roam Clark's body, well as much as she could see what with the table in the way, before picking back up on her tangent. "Yes. Definitely manlier. Wait until Angela and Lauren get a look at him-"

Bella did the only thing she could think of that would bring Jess back to the present. She smacked her across the face. Hard.

"Bella!" Both Charlie and Clark whispered, one harshly and one in astonishment.

Before she could answer, Jess was back with them. "Thanks, Bella. I needed that."

"No problem. Do you mind placing our orders?"

"Sure, no problem. It was nice to meet you, Clark. Chief." With that, all three occupants watched as she shuffled off to place their orders and no doubt scurry to the back to call Angela and Lauren.

"What was that?"

Bella shrugged. "We graduated together. After my 'break up' with Edward, her, Angela and surprisingly Lauren, all kept me from falling too deeply into a depression. Between them and Jake, I was back to myself faster than I would have been if I shut everyone out."

Neither of them missed the way Charlie shuddered, clearly remembering the first couple of weeks of her withdrawal. The nightmares, while scary for her, were terrifying for her father. It wouldn't be good for any parent to wake up to their child screaming, but in her situation, knowing she had to go through it in order to get Edward's effect out of her system, only aged him more.

Bella reached across the table and laid a comforting hand on her father's arm, giving him a reassuring smile when his gaze met hers. He cleared his throat and patted her hand in acknowledgement before moving them off the table to make room for the food that Jess was bringing them.

Once she set everything down and left, the all dug in, no one more enthusiastically than Bella and Charlie, one because she was hungry and the other because he was uncomfortable in the emotional turn their day had taken.

After finishing half his meal, Clark took a drink of his water before asking a question that had been bugging him.

"Do you have anything special about you, Charlie?" At the confused look Charlie gave him, Clark hastened to add to his inquiry. "Or is what Bella and I are just a side effect of how we were conceived?"

Clarity dawned in Charlie's eyes. "No. Nothing too special about me, I'm afraid."

Bella caught the specific wording he used. "Too special?"

"I age slower than the average human on Earth."

"How much slower?" Bella whispered out.

Charlie grimaced before he lowered his voice even more. "Technically," he looked around before continuing, "I look about your age now. This," he said, waving his hand towards his face, "is makeup."

"That's not slow, Dad. That's damn near stopping!" she hissed. "Why haven't you moved on? Surely working as the Chief of Police is not remaining inconspicuous."

"I like it here. I don't mind getting up a little bit earlier every morning to do a little magic in order to live the life I have been accustomed to."

"It's not safe anymore! If Clark is here, don't you think that maybe there might be others. Others who aren't as nice?"

"When you move on, I'll go with you."

Bella just sat there gaping at her dad. Clark reached over and gently pushed her chin in order to close her mouth.

Charlie sighed. "Exactly. Look, Bells. We have friends, damn near family, here. You moved away from me in order to keep me safe. I understood even if you didn't have the courage to explain things to me. All I ask is that you give me the same consideration. We will talk everything out once we get home and come to a decision together, only now it will include your mate."

"My what?!" she shouted.

"Mate?" Clark asked curiously.

Charlie had the decency to looked chagrined before something behind Bella and Clark caught his eye. "Just what she needs right now. Asshole." He started muttering to himself just as the person made their presence known.

Bella furrowed her brows as she was picking up her dad's musings. "Dad?"

"Hello, Love."

Edward.