Two Weeks Later…

Charlie (POV)

I drove to the Cullen mansion. I still had use of my cruiser for a while. I thought about everything that had happened. It was time to bite the bullet. I didn't know who I was going to see, or talk to, or who I should talk to. I already talked to Bella, but so many things were left unsaid. What I had done was unforgiveable, yet Bella had forgiven me. It had been strange the feeling of keeping something dangerous away from her, an earie sort of emotion. It wasn't rational. I couldn't deny that I had also felt fury and dislike. I couldn't explain why I did it. I didn't know why. I couldn't take it back now. I had no choice; it was time to stop being who I was. I had already offered my resignation, it was going to feel strange not being the sheriff anymore. It was going to take time getting use to that. Driving to the Cullen's took longer than I figured they truly lived far from the outskirts of town. I thought about my decision to come here. I had no choice. I had to take back what happened. I didn't know how.

I've had to assimilate what has happened, in spite of what exist. What I know exist. How had it come to this? I tried to kill someone that couldn't be killed. I've had to have a discussion with a wolf. It was better if I just didn't think about it or talk about it. I wanted to know what it was about Edward, but I didn't want to know about Jacob, or the specifics of Jacob's existence. I remembered Bella having told me once, that she had seen giant wolves in the forest. I wondered now if there was any correlation between Jacob and the strange sightings in Forks.

I pulled up to their driveway. Their mansion was stark white and very luxurious. I knocked and rang the doorbell. Could anyone hear the bell, if they were at the back end of this mansion? Carlisle opened the door.

"Hello Carlisle."

"Good morning Charlie. How are you? "He spoke in a smooth polite voice.

"May I speak with you?"

"Certainly!"

It was hard not to be impressed by their house. It was like entering a well taken care of museum. There was exotic looking kind of art and furniture. Carlisle was no doubt a collector. We sat at a very large wooden table. I vaguely wondered how old it was. Carlisle sat down. Carlisle was very composed in his actions. He seemed so much wiser than anyone I had ever met. Not for the first time, I wondered if he was the same, something else as Edward, or the rest of the Cullen's could be.

"I guess I owe you an apology." I owed everyone else one as well.

"You don't need to apologies to us, but to Bella. Forgiveness would have been difficult on her part if you had taken Edward from her."

"I'm sorry." I said again. "I have told Bella so."

I felt extremely uncomfortable. I didn't know where to begin to explain. I was probably in the same predicament as someone I would arrest. I felt like Carlisle was someone I could confide in, in spite of the strange circumstance.

"It was never my intention to hurt anyone, much less her.''

"You've wounded her." Carlisle said compassionately.

"I have no choice but to abandon my life as I know it."

"You have another chance to start again, nothing permanent has happened."

"I've committed murder."

"No you haven't, you can make it right. Life has given you the unique possibility to make another choice the second time around."

"Carlisle what is going on?"

"We cannot tell you that Charlie." Carlisle was set in his purpose. I could tell secrecy was a kind of commandment with them.

"Need to know." I said grudgingly.

"That is correct."

"Were you alright with it, the impossibility of their relationship?"

"Years have taught me, it's fruitless to try to change what is." "It could end with disastrous results… or tragic ones." He said quietly.

"I know." I admitted….

"I realize that we need to respect her choice."

The glass door opened. Bella and Edward came in, laughing playfully. They both stopped when they saw me.

"Hi Bella." I said gently.

Edward looked from Carlisle to me. Edward's posture straitened.

"Chief Swan, I would like to formally ask for the honor of your blessing, for our wedding?"