A/N: So a lot of you commented that a shotgun seemed big to hold in the belt, and I was mistaken. I actually meant a handgun. Sorry for the confusion, I don't really know the difference.

On with the chapter…

Chapter 31: Facing the Music

BPOV

I felt the blood drain from my face as I buried my face into Edward chest. This was definitely not going to help my dad's view of Edward. My dad stared at the both of us in complete shock. His hand had reached for his gun, but he had pulled away before touching it.

"Downstairs now!" He said in an angry whisper before walking away.

"I'm so sorry, Edward!" I said the tears forming in my eyes. "I shouldn't have put you in this position." I continued as he put his finger to my lip.

"Bella, I'm just as guilty as you. I will go talk to your dad if you want me to." He added wiping away my tears.

"He'll kill you, Edward. I can't let you face him." I protested. I knew my dad had a bad temper, and I was not going to allow Edward to face him on his own.

"But you're not going down there by yourself either. We're adults and I'm sure we can reason with him." Edward added as we got dressed.

"You don't have to go. It might be better if I talked to him by myself." I replied not wanting Edward to be embarrassed.

"Love, I'm going down there whether you want me to or not." He stated firmly.

"Isabella, I told you to come down here this instant!" Charlie yelled from downstairs before I was able to respond.

I took his hand and slowly made my way down the stairs where I found my dad pacing back and forth in the small living room. His face was tomato red in vivid anger. "I'm sorry, dad." I spoke softly as I took a deep breath.

"I don't know what is going on in that head of yours!" He said angrily staring at me. "What makes you think this is alright?"

"Dad." I started.

"No, Isabella. You do not get to talk right now you are going to listen." He interrupted throwing his arms in the air. "Are you aware of what you are doing? I thought you were more responsible. I thought your mom and I had taught you better."

"We didn't do anything wrong." I interrupted feeling the anger burn inside of me.

"You didn't do anything wrong!" He screamed. "I just walked in on you and your boyfriend having sex, but that's not wrong!"

"Dad I'm no longer a kid!" I said taking a deep breath.

"I'm really sorry, Chief Swan." Edward added squeezing my hand.

"I will speak with you later. Isabella, please join me in the kitchen." He said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He yelled at me as I walked in.

"What do you mean, dad?" I inquired.

"Do you know what it's like to walk in on your daughter and her boyfriend having sex in your own house." He said running his fingers through his hair.

"Dad, I'm almost twenty-one years old. I'm not a child." I told him crossing my arms across my chest. "We are in a committed relationship."

"Bella, you're just a child. What's going to happen if you get pregnant? Will he stand by you?

Are you ready to be a single mother?" He asked seriously.

"First of all, I stopped being a child a long time ago. And if by any chance I do become pregnant

I know he won't leave me. We would face the consequences of our actions together." I answered firmly.

"So you think it's perfectly acceptable for you to sleep with your boyfriend whenever or wherever you want?" He questioned with a glare.

"No, I understand that it was wrong to do so here. We made a mistake and we're sorry." I replied.

"You're damn right it was wrong. You have both disrespected me, and I honestly do not think this guy is a good influence you. The Bells I knew would never be so irresponsible." He argued.

"Charlie, I'm the one who started it. It was not Edward's fault. And I have changed it's called becoming older." I responded. "I'm sorry if you can't accept the fact that I'm no longer a child."

"Bella, I know you're not a child, but being adult does not give you the green light to do whatever you want. Being an adult comes with responsibility." He explained.

"Dad, I'm aware of this. I just wish you would start treating me like one." I said.

"I will as soon as you start acting like one. Please call in that boy you call your boyfriend. I want to have a few words with him." He requested.

"Dad, please don't take it out on Edward. I mean it's not his fault." I said trying to calm him down.

"Both of you are guilty, and I am going to have a few words with him." He replied and I refused to move. "In private." He clarified as I reluctantly left the kitchen to send Edward to his funeral.

EPOV

I sat in the couch hating the fact that Bella was facing the music on her own. I heard the occasional yell, but I couldn't really make out what either of them was saying. After about a half-hour, Bella stepped out of the kitchen.

"He wants to talk to you." She said somberly. "Don't argue with him, it'll just make matters worst." She warned as I nodded walking into the kitchen.

"I'm really sorry, Chief Swan." I began not sure of what to say.

"Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't hurt you? Or throw you out of this house?" He asked staring at me.

I stayed quiet for a few moments unsure of whether or not he wanted an answer. "I'm waiting for an answer." He stated tapping his foot.

"Because I love your daughter and she loves me." I replied.

"If you really loved my daughter than I would think you would have more respect for her. She's not some whore you pick up on the street." He commented. "I'm suppose to believe that you're different than every other guy out there. That by some miracle you won't hurt my daughter." He added.

"I can't promise to be perfect, but I will never intentionally hurt her." I responded.

"Do you think what you did was right?" He asked me.

"With all your consideration, Sir. I don't think what we did was wrong. I love your daughter more than words can express, but I do understand that it was disrespectful to behave that way in your house." I answered.

"What are your intentions with my daughter? Are you just going to disappear now that you've gotten her in bed?" He inquired.

"Ofcourse not, Sir. Bella is everything I could've ever hoped for in a woman and more. I love her with all my heart, and I want nothing but the best for her." I responded honestly. "She's the woman I plan to marry."

"Are you ready and willing to commit yourself fully to her? Marriage is not a game, and I don't think you truly understand what you're saying." He said leaning against the counter.

"I understand that marriage is a life-long commitment, and I've known for a very long time that I want to marry her." I said bracing myself to be screamed at.

"How long have you two been together?" He inquired drumming his fingers on the table.

"Almost five months." I answered immediately.

"Five months, and in five months you are sure you want to spend the rest of your life with Bella?" He questioned taking a deep breath.

"I've never been surer of anything in my entire life." I replied.

"Have you thought about how you're going to support her? From my understanding both of you are still in school, and I don't think the jobs you two have will be enough to run a household." He commented.

"We're both in school, and I have more than enough money to make sure Bella lives comfortably. Money will never be an issue for us." I answered.

"Are you bringing up the issue of marriage as a way of overriding what you did? do you think bringing up marriage would somehow make me like you?" He inquired.

"No, Sir. I've actually already bought the ring. I just haven't decided how or when I want to propose. I can show it to you if you don't believe me." I responded.

"You're actually serious about this?" He said his demeanor changing slightly.

"I am. I knew from the moment I saw Bella that she was the girl for me." I stated thinking back to the first moment I had seen her in the library.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you. You are probably not as bad as I see you, but I don't ever think any man will be good enough for my Bells. It's really hard for me to see her as the women she's obviously become when I still picture her as the six-month old baby who left this house. It's hard to accept that she has grown up, when I never got to witness her first word, her first step, her first day of school, or even her first date. It may sound trivial, but when you become a father you'll understand." Charlie spoke to me leaving me in utter shock. He was actually opening up to me.

I really didn't know how to respond to Charlie. There was really nothing I could say to make him feel that I was good enough for Bella, when I didn't think I was good enough for her. She was far too perfect for me, or any man out there.

"For the sake of my sanity, please don't pull another stunt like that again. What I don't know can't hurt me, and I really don't want to know the extent of your relationship. But I am going to warn you. The day you hurt her is the day I will kill you, no matter the explanation." He added authoritatively.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Chief." I replied as he surprisingly shook my hand.

A/N: I am surprised by the number of you who thought that Charlie would physically hurt Edward. Even though the thought crossed his mind I don't think he ever would. He obviously still doesn't like Edward but really has no choice since Bella is an adult. He can't ground her.

I can't thank all of you enough I have reached and surpassed 1,000 reviews. I am speechless and don't know what to say. Besides that I have the best readers in the universe.

We have one more chapter in Forks before we're off to Disney. I plan on writing tonight, and I hope to post it tomorrow morning or afternoon.

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