A/N: First off, I want to say thank you so much to every one who reviewed, favorited and followed. You guys are so awesome. Hope I don't disappoint with this next chapter. Thank you to SassYNoleS for listening to my ideas from the get go, while I was still playing around with concepts, desperately trying to catch myself a plot bunny (elusive little buggers). She has a busy life, but she always makes time to listen to/read my ideas. Many of you were on the right track with your reviews, but maybe this chapter is going to give you some answers.

Enjoy

P.S I don't always add songs to my stories, but when I do, it's because it builds on the emotions the characters feel. And I've listened to this particular song a hundred times, but it only stuck with me after I started on the idea for this story. It fits so well.

Disclaimer: Twilight and all its recognizable characters belong to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Song to listen to: Gnash ft. Olivia O'Brien – I hate you, I love you

Chapter 2 – Confrontation

After the funeral, Bella and Cameron stuck around to mingle with the friends she hadn't seen in years, relieved to find them welcoming her back with relatively no grudge held for her lack of contact with them over the years. Jake had been the most pleased to see her, eager to introduce her to his wife and two children.

Jake had grown into an unbelievably beautiful man – not that he'd ever been an ugly duckling by any stretch of the imagination – and his wife was equally, if not more stunning. Melissa – that was her name – greeted her with a megawatt smile, absently rubbing her belly as she asked Bella how the drive to Forks had been. It made her smile to see how well they fit together. Melissa was very much like Jake – spontaneous and buoyant, and you couldn't help but love them from the moment you met them.

It was strange for Bella to find Jake and rest of her childhood friends so surprised by the fact that she had a child – it seemed Sam had neglected to tell any of them about her predicament and the reason she left Forks in the first place.

But still, no one asked the question that must have been on the tips of their tongues, as Bella introduced Cameron to them. They were either too well-mannered to do so, or completely sure about who her son's father was, and therefore didn't bother to ask. But even so, they made Cameron feel welcome, not an ounce of judgement was thrown their way, and she felt almost overwhelmed with gratitude. She had given them no reason to be so nice after she left without saying goodbye, and once again she realized that these people were kindhearted and good. She had missed them so much.

"Mom," Cameron placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention while she was speaking to Jared's wife. "I'll catch up with you in a bit. Blaine wants to show me something real quick."

She nodded, watching him take off with Jared and Kim's eldest son. Cameron's size had always made him a bit intimidating, and he often found himself struggling to make friends. So, seeing him hit it off with kids his own age on the Reservation, warmed her heart. It's like he belonged here – like he's lived here for years.

As she watched her son disappear into the woods with his new friend, she noticed that Blaine wasn't much younger than Cameron, and before she could think on it too much, Kim took the opportunity to fill in the blanks.

"We had him while I was still in high school," She seemed to feel the need to explain. "Big scandal in the beginning." She shrugged, a pensive smile working its way up onto her lips. "But I wouldn't change a thing, to be honest. I can't even begin to imagine what life would have been like without him in it."

"I know what you mean." Bella agreed, feeling a little more connected to Kim now that she knew this girl had been in the same boat. Kim knew what it felt like to have people stare at her with judgement when they noticed the baby bump she sported at such a young age. She knew what it felt like to try and hold her head up while the people around her pointed and whispered. Made fun of her and called her a slut. But through adversity, she had come out on the other side a stronger woman.

The jovial laughter and low buzz of conversation halted suddenly, a tense silence oozing in among the group gathered together, talking and reconnecting easily. Catching up on the events of the last seventeen years. And as Bella looked up, she saw why. Sam was steadily making his way over to them, weaving through the throng of older guests who had also stuck around for a little while longer. It was absurdly comical to see the people around her scatter into different directions, like water on hot oil, and she knew instantly that they had no doubt Sam was Cameron's father. And they clearly didn't want to be there when he confronted them about their presence here today.

"What are you doing here?" He sounded cold and harsh as he came to a stop in front of her, eyes frigid and unwelcoming. He looked good - well cared for, thanks to Emily. He looked unnervingly attractive in his black suit and powder blue tie, and a sudden but brief surge of jealousy flared up inside of her when she thought about how lucky Emily was to have him for a husband.

Bella squared her shoulders and tilted her head back to look him dead in the eye. She was strong enough not to cower before this intimidating man. "I came to pay my respects." She kept her voice soft and even. "I'm sorry about your mom. She really was a magnificent woman."

He barked out a humorless laugh. "Like you'd know. You didn't even stick around long enough to get to know her properly."

"No, I didn't," She agreed. "But it's not like I had much of a choice." He couldn't blame her for leaving, could he? He was the one who'd ultimately forced her to pack up and leave.

He scoffed. "Well, the funeral is over, and your presence is no longer required. So, why don't you do what you do best and leave."

"Excuse me?" She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him incredulously. He had some nerve to blame her for leaving, and at the same time making it sound like she was the bad guy. Somehow suggesting that she had left him here, broken and alone to go have fun in Florida.

Cameron chose that moment to sidle up next to her, either curious to meet his father, or concerned for her emotional state. But now was as good a time as any for Sam to meet his son, whether he wanted to or not. "You alright, Mom?" He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him protectively.

Sam assessed her son with a huge frown and wide eyes, like he was just realizing who this boy was. "Mom?" He checked.

"Yes." She nodded sharply. "Mom. Don't act so surprised all of a sudden. What did you think I was going to do? Get rid of him?"

"What do you mean, what did I think?" He looked confused. "You show up here unannounced after seventeen years, no phone calls or messages, with a boy that looks a hell of a lot like me, and offer up zero explanation."

Bella looked around her at the people staring. "Maybe this isn't the best place to talk."

He nodded tersely, agreeing. "Guess not. Where are you staying?"

"Probably at Charlie's, if he'll have me." She shrugged. Her father didn't even know she was here yet, and showing up on his doorstep with a teenage son was just another daunting hurdle laying before her.

"I'll come by after I see off all the guests and clean up this place." He looked around him at the guests who were slowly starting to depart. "And then you'd better explain."

"Yeah, okay." She didn't particularly feel like discussing the issue, but she had no choice. And it was better to do it somewhere where they could be alone. Things were going to get heated, of that she was sure, and it would be better not to get into a fight with Sam while their friends were present. This was a private matter, needing to be discussed between Sam and her, before the news could leak through the entire Reservation.

Bella walked slowly up the steps toward the front door of her father's house, knocking twice, before stepping back to stand next to Cameron. "Is it weird that I find this more daunting than I did the funeral and seeing Sam?"

"Yeah, it kinda is," Cameron chuckled. "I don't know why you're so nervous, Mom? I think it's safe to say that grandpa is probably going to be a cakewalk compared to my father.

"I'm scared of Charlie's reaction." She sighed, chewing nervously on her cheek. "At least I knew Sam's thoughts on the matter."

"It'll be fine. Just give him a chance to hear you out, before you automatically assume he's going to flip out." He assured her. "The way you talk about grandpa makes me think he's a pretty reasonable man."

She stared up in amazement at her boy with his soft, kind eyes, surprised by his wisdom. "How did I raise such an incredible boy? Such a wise little owl." She hooked her arm around his shoulder, pulling him into her side and placed a dozen smacking kisses on his cheek.

"No idea." He teased, trying to fight his embarrassment at her easy display of affection. Typical teenage boy. "But you must have done something right."

The sound of the front door being unlocked made both of them look up, their easy smiles slipping away. The door opened to reveal a salt-and-pepper-haired Charlie. He had gotten old over these last seventeen years. But what did she expect? For him to never age? For her to come back and find him looking exactly like he did all those years ago? It probably wouldn't have been as obvious, had she come to visit him more often.

"Bells?" Her father's eyes widened in surprise, mouth popping open.

"Hi, Dad." She tried not to cringe. It was heart breaking to see him look so stunned by her sudden appearance in Forks.

"Come in," He stood aside to allow them entrance, shutting the door before speaking again. "What are you doing here?" He cleared his throat. "Not that I mind," He backpedaled. "It's just a surprise, is all."

"We came for the funeral." She explained, certain that he'd heard about it. "Thought we'd see you there."

"I just got off from work ten minutes ago." He waved a hand over his uniform – top button of his work shirt undone, and shoes absent, revealing a pair of mismatched socks. He was still as useless at taking care of himself now, as he was back when she was still living with him. His gaze jumped to Cameron as he spoke, eyes dark and troubled.

Before he could ask the question she knew he was itching to ask, she took it upon herself to clear things up by introducing the two men to each other. "Dad," She indicated to her teenage boy, "This is Cameron. Your grandson."

Charlie's eyes jumped back up to meet hers, wide with shock and realization. "Grandson?"

"Yeah," She nodded, looking down at her feet. She was scared of her father's reaction to the news. Scared of seeing the disappointment in his eyes when he realized what had actually happened all those years ago. The reason she had so hastily fled from this town.

"He sure looks a whole lot like Sam." Charlie pointed out and raked a hand through his hair, blowing out a heavy breath.

"Not a drop of Swan in him." She chuckled nervously, providing her father with an indirect answer. She didn't deny that Sam was the father.

And then out of the blue, Charlie Swan, emotional retard at best, started crying and pulled them both in for a hug. "All this time," His voice cracked as he spoke. "For seventeen years I've wondered why you left."

"I'm sorry, Dad," She whispered, finding herself overcome with a profound sadness. Her father had missed so much of Cameron. Never got to buy him ridiculous amounts of toys and spoil him rotten. Never got to watch him take his first steps or speak his first words. Never had the chance to see him ride a bike or take him fishing, and it seemed so unfair to both parties. Had she been the reason for it all? Or could she shift some of the blame onto Sam? If she'd been less of a coward – just said fuck it, and ignored what Sam had wanted – would Cameron have been better off for spending more time with Charlie, and even his late grandmother? Would he have benefited form spending time in the presence of a male – a replacement father-figure of sorts? Phil was a decent stand-in, but he just never seemed to have that special bond with Cameron. Never did a whole lot of grandfather-grandson activities with him. "I just couldn't face you. I was too afraid to have you be disappointed in me."

Charlie pulled back and roughly wiped his tears away with the back of his hand, clearing his throat as embarrassment followed his sudden display of emotion. "I wouldn't have been disappointed, Bells. Just a little shocked, is all." He punched Cameron on the arm. "Just look at you, huh?" He grinned proudly at his grandson. "Your mother did a fine job raising you, it seems. Not that I know you, but I can already see that you're a good man just by looking at you."

"He is, Dad." Bella assured Charlie. "Such a good boy." She ruffled his hair with affection, and planted a kiss on his head, making him groan in annoyance.

"Guess I had to get something from the Swans, didn't I?" Cameron joked, before turning serious. "Mom's had nothing but good things to say about you, Grandpa."

"Grandpa..." Charlie played with the word, smile widening behind his ever-bushy mustache. "It's got a good ring to it."

Bella finally felt herself relax as she saw how well Charlie was taking the news. She had expected worse. Much worse. And it made her feel guilty for underestimating her father's ability to sympathize on this particular matter.

"Are you two staying here tonight?" Charlie asked and ushered them into the kitchen, reminding her that she hadn't asked him if he'd mind. She noticed that the house still looked the same inside as it did when she'd still lived here. Nothing had been moved. No pictures were added. Even the kitchen cupboards were still painted the same ugly yellow, and she found it a little sad to think that Charlie's life had basically remained stagnant throughout the years.

She smiled impishly at her father. "If it's not too much trouble?"

"Trouble?" He laughed. "Not at all. I'm just so glad that you're back."

"We're heading home again tomorrow," Bella informed him, so he was prepared for it when they left early the next morning.

"Nonsense," Charlie was having none of it. "I've barely gotten a chance to spend time with you two. Take some personal leave and stay until Sunday, before you tackle the long drive back to Florida. Relax a little and get some rest. Cameron and I have some serious catching up to do, and there's no place better than at the river, so Billy and I can teach him how to fish."

"Cameron has school on Monday." She reminded Charlie. "He's already missing three days as it is."

"So, he'll miss one more day, Bells. Just one. Please? Make an old man happy?" It was the weirdest thing to hear her father encourage her to let Cameron stay away from school so easily. When she'd been living under his roof – as short a time as it may have been – he never took kindly to her skipping school. He was making it awfully hard for her to say no. And when she saw Cameron looking at her with wide, pleading eyes, she found it even harder to say no. He had been without his grandfather for all of his life, and she hated to be the one to keep him away from Charlie – hated being the bad guy.

"I'll think about it," She promised her son. "But don't get your hopes up. Let's first see what happens when your father gets here."

"Sam's coming over?" Her father's eyes hardened abruptly, his easy smile falling away to make way for a moue.

"I can ask him not to drop by?" Bella suggested hopefully, not looking forward to the impending conversation anyway. "I'm sure you're dying to find out what happened back then, before I packed up and ran away."

"No," Charlie waved away her offer. "Don't delay the inevitable. Besides, I bet you've got a lot to talk about. We can talk some more later."

"You sure?" She double checked, just in case he changed his mind.

"Positive." He assured her. "You want something to drink, kiddo?" She wasn't sure if he was referring to Cameron or her. He opened the fridge, resting his arm on the door and dipped his head down to check the contents. "I've got beer, cola or milk?"

She cocked her head in question, waiting for Cameron to make his choice.

"I'll have some cola, thanks." He accepted.

"Beer for me, please," She put in her request, pulling out a chair at the small kitchen table, sitting down and resting her head on her arms. "It's been a tense day, and I'm not sure it's gonna get any better until after I've talked to Sam."

Charlie grunted in acknowledgement and handed an already open bottle of cola to Cameron, reaching down for two beers. "Glasses are in the cupboard above the sink," He said and closed the door a little harder than he probably meant to, placing an ice cold can of Rainier in front of her and pulled out a chair for himself, too. "Take a seat, son." He told Cameron, and gestured to the chair across from himself. "You're not gonna get any taller just standing there."

"When did you two get here?" Charlie asked as he popped open his can of beer and gulped down half of its contents.

Bella pushed herself up, sitting back in her chair and followed Charlie's example. The beer tasted bitter, but this was the only alcohol she knew he'd have in the house, and she desperately needed liquid courage. She couldn't afford to be picky right now - she'd take whatever she could get, even if it was beer. "We got here this morning, just in time for the funeral."

"I really would have liked being there, you know?" Charlie murmured. "Allison was a real pillar in the La Push community. Always tried to help others."

"Yeah, I know," She agreed. "I regret Cameron never getting a chance to meet her." She turned her head toward him. "You would have liked her."

"I'm sure you had your reasons for doing what you did, kiddo." How did she deserve a father like Charlie? He had already forgiven her for disappearing from his life, and apart from that, he seemed so understanding.

A loud knock on the front door made Bella look up, eyes widening in sudden dread. This was it. Sam was here and now she had to face him. But, actually, he was the one who needed to be scared. Not her. He'd pushed her from his life - abandoned Cameron and her. Not the other way around. "I'll get it," She said and pushed her chair back, taking slow deep breaths to calm her racing pulse as she headed through the living room, toward the front door. She took one last deep breath and turned the doorknob with a trembling hand, door opening to reveal a weary-looking Sam. His tie was pushed into his left pocket, haphazardly hanging out, and he had unbuttoned the first three buttons on his dress shirt, showing off a little bit of his toffee torso. His hair was ruffled, and in her mind, she could see him dragging his long fingers through his hair in frustration, as he made the drive over to Charlie's house. Was her presence really causing him so much stress?

Bella stood aside to let Sam enter. He had definitely grown taller than he used to be, because he almost had to duck to get through the door. Way back when, he could still enter easily.

"My dad is in the kitchen with Cameron," She explained and gestured for him to follow her.

"Cameron?" He mused. "I like it. You picked a good name."

"I know," She shrugged, trying furiously not to roll her eyes as she continued walking. It's not like she had needed his permission or blessing when she chose a name. He had given up his right to that a long time ago.

In the kitchen, Charlie froze with his beer halfway to his mouth, glaring at Sam as the two of them entered. "You!" He growled and got up so fast that his chair toppled over with a loud bang. "You piece of-"

"Dad!" Bella stopped her father from completing the sentence. "PG language, please!"

"I was gonna say piece of work," He defended himself briefly, before returning his gaze to Sam. "All those years that I tried to find out why Bella left, you pretended to be so distraught. So broken. And you actually knew exactly why she left."

"Why does everyone assume I knew?" He asked, nonplussed. Or pretending to be, at least.

"Don't play games with me, Sam Uley. I told you I was pregnant." Bella briefly looked over at Cameron, who was pretending not to listen. She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. "And you said it was my choice to keep or abort the baby."

"WHAT?!" Charlie exploded next to her.

"Dad," Bella tried to appease him, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Calm down before you give yourself a heart attack."

The three adults barely noticed as Cameron got out of his chair and mumbled some lame excuse of giving them a minute.

"Look," Sam held up his hands in defence. "I don't know how you came to the conclusion that I didn't want to take responsibility for getting you pregnant." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "In fact, I don't know why you keep saying that I knew about it in the first place. You never told me you were pregnant."

"I sent you a goddamn text. And you replied," Her chest heaved in fury. She couldn't believe that after all these years he still tried to play innocent.

"A text?" He gaped at her in shock. "A bloody text? You thought that was the appropriate way of breaking the news?"

"Yes, Sam. I was alone that day, while you were helping your mother get everything ready for the annual Christmas lunch at the Tribal Center, and I didn't know what else to do." She sighed resignedly. "I was scared."

"You couldn't call?"

"Look, I was a stupid teenager back then. I admit that a text wasn't the ideal way of telling you."

"Right." He nodded sharply, agreeing with her.

"But we're getting off topic here," She continued. "You broke up with me, saying that you and Emily were in love and that things between us weren't going to work out, because I was too young."

"Hold up," He seethed. "You honestly believed that? After EVERYTHING I told you? After all the promises I made to keep loving you until the day I die?" His chest rose and fell noticeably, eyes dark and angry as he waited for her answer.

"What was I supposed to think, Sam?"

"I don't know," He shook his head in exasperation. "But I never got that text. I never replied to that text." His eyes widened in sudden realization, jaw set. "Emily," He gritted out through clenched teeth, raked a hand through his hair and turned away. "God dammit, Emily Young!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charlie chipped in.

Sam turned back to them, the muscle in his jaw ticking furiously. "She was over at the house the day I helped my mother with the preparations, lending a hand as well." He scoffed. "I guess that's how I never got the text." He looked up at Bella. "She was the one who told me you had called to say that you were leaving Forks for good, and that you didn't think you were ready for such a serious relationship yet."

Bella clapped a hand to her mouth, feeling the bile rise in her throat. She sat down, trying to come to terms with how badly Emily had messed up her life. Their life – Cameron and hers, and Sam's too.

"Seems like Emily and I have some talking to do." He said in a deadly calm voice. She knew that tone – it meant run and hide. Whenever Sam had been as angry as he was now, everyone had known to stay out of his way for fear of becoming collateral damage. "I'll come by in the morning to see you guys again, but right now I want to hear from Emily why she did what she did."

"We're leaving tomorrow." Bella informed him. "You won't find us here."

"No, you're not." Sam said with such finality that it left her gaping incredulously at him.

"Yes, we are." She challenged. There was no way she was going to let him tell her what to do.

"If you think you're taking my son away from me again, you've got another thing coming."

"You don't have a say in the matter." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I've had to be the parent for sixteen years. I've had to be the responsible one in your absence. So, don't you tell me what I can and can't do. Besides, Cameron has school on Monday and I have to work. He's got a grandma and pseudo-grandpa back in Florida. He's got friends there."

"I'm telling you now," Sam spoke in a slow, clear voice, leaning closer into her. "He's not setting his foot out of the Pacific Northwest. And if he does, I swear to god I'll hunt you down. I'll get a court order. I will do whatever the fuck I have to, to keep him here. He's got a father and a real grandfather here, too. We never got the chance to get to know him, like your mom and Phil did. And I'll be damned if I let you take him away from us."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me!" He ground out. "I dare you."

"I'm sorry, Bells, but I have to agree with Sam on this one." Charlie chipped in, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What?" She gaped at her father in shock.

"It's our turn to have him here, now." The two men looked at each other, and Sam nodded once in Charlie's direction as a sign of thanks for having his back. For standing by him on this particular matter.

"It's not that easy, Dad." She shook her head, not ready to give in. "I've got a good job in Florida. I need to work to be able to provide for Cameron. And he's used to his school environment. I really don't want to uproot his life in his junior year."

"It's not that big a deal," Sam shrugged. "He seems like a smart kid, and this way, he'll be with his own people. He belongs here. And as for a job, I know for a fact that Jake needs a PA. His current one is going on maternity leave in two weeks time, and she's not coming back."

"And we'll help, too." Charlie offered. "We want to help you financially, if that's what you're worried about."

"Why are you forcing me into this?" She asked her father. "You're being awfully selfish." She shifted her gaze to Sam, next. "Both of you are."

"No, Bella," Sam disagreed. "You're the selfish one right now."

"Why don't we let Cameron decide what he wants to do?" Charlie suggested. "It affects him too, after all."

"I agree," Sam folded his arms over his chest, staring Bella down. "And if he says he doesn't want to stay, then we'll let you guys go."

"With the promise that you'll come and visit at least twice a year." Her father added, looking smug.

"Fine," She conceded begrudgingly. But they were right. This wasn't just her life, and it wasn't solely her choice to make. "Cam? Will you come here, honey?" Bella called toward the living room, assuming he had made himself scarce to go and watch some TV.

They waited in silence for Cameron to make his appearance, but Bella realized with surprise that the house was eerily quiet. Had he perhaps fallen asleep on the couch? She couldn't blame him, it had been a particularly trying day. She couldn't hear the TV playing, or any movement inside the living room, so she looked questioningly up at Sam. He'd be able to hear better.

A dark, panicked look crossed his face, and he pushed away from the counter he was leaning against, taking massive strides through the kitchen and into the living room.

Bella and Charlie followed hastily, hot on Sam's heels, and as she rounded the corner, bumping into Sam where he'd abruptly come to a stop, a deep-seated dread took a hold of her. He wasn't here.

"Cameron?" Sam called out, and headed two steps at a time up the stairs. "Where are you?"

Bella hurried up too, leaving Charlie to search the rest of the downstairs area.

"He's not here." Sam said when she finally made it up to the second floor, just as he emerged from her childhood bedroom. "He's not in your room. Nor is he in Charlie's room, or the bathroom."

"Oh my god!" Bella clapped a hand to her mouth, pulse racing as she worried about her son's whereabouts. "What do we do now?"

Sam grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look into his eyes. He seemed sure and calm, but underneath, she could see the worry churning away. "Now we go out and find our son."

A/N: Get the answers you were looking for? Did it surprise you that Sam never knew Bella was pregnant, or did you think it was going to be something along those lines? I'm anxious to hear your thoughts.