I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write this next week so I'd like to say Merry Christmas to everyone right now. If you don't celebrate Christmas please note that I'm note trying to be rude I'm just sick of people saying that I'm not allowed to say "Marry Christmas". I'd also like to post another shout out to all of my wonderful reviewers. Over 500!
Chapter 35- Charlie

Pov-Bella

Charlie walked around Billy's wheelchair and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I hugged him awkwardly not sure what to say. Charlie wasn't big on public displays of affection, of any kind. He was a quiet, simple man who enjoyed his small town and his small job and his small fishing boat.

"I'm so proud of you Bells." He said his arms tightening around me.

I felt myself choke up on the unexpected words. I couldn't remember the last time Charlie had openly said he was proud of me. I'd never been the sort of kid to seek out praise from my parents. I was the quiet good girl, getting good grades, staying out of trouble, and always home a half hour before my curfew. I hadn't realized how much I wanted to hear him say that.

I locked my arms tighter around his neck and blinked back tears that came out of nowhere. "Thanks dad. It's really good to see you again." I'd missed him more then I thought I had.

He pulled back slowly, holding me at arms length so he could look me over. I flushed as he took in the low cut, backless gold dress with its mile high slit.

He surprised me again. "You look beautiful Bella." He said letting me go.

My face was still burning as I pulled at the dress trying to make it look longer then it was. "Our choreographers pick out the outfits." I said shrugging.

A strong arm looped around my waist and Jake pulled me to his side. "Don't be modest Bells you look damn hot in that dress. I didn't think you could pull it off but, gold is definitely your color." He wolf whistled and I swatted at him playfully. This was starting to feel just like it had before, when Jake and I use to hang out around Forks all summer.

"Don't I get a hug?" Billy asked spinning his wheelchair so he was facing me and holding his arms out and giving me the guilt look because I hadn't hugged him yet.

"Of course you do." I twisted out of Jakes hold so I could give his dad a big hug and thank him for coming to see the show.

Billy Black was somewhere between the age of sixty and infinity. He held himself with an air of someone who had authority but managed to do it without flaunting the power. Billy's dad, Jakes grandpa, had been the last real chief of the La Push Indian tribe and, as his son people on the reservation still looked up to him for advice and wisdom. He had long, black, weather damaged hair without a touch of gray that he kept tied in a ponytail like his son and his eyes were such a dark brown they looked nearly black.

"You're looking good." I said as I backed up and stood closer to Charlie.

Billy shrugged his thick set shoulders and grinned, his white teeth flashing against his darker toned skin. "I'm still dancing."

"How have you been Bella?" Charlie asked.

"Really good, the shows amazing I still can't believe I'm even here."

"You were really good up there." He said taking my arm so we could walk along the stage and talk a little more privately. "You've come along way since that frilly pink tutu."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom still has it in the hall closet." I hesitated and snuck a quick glance up at him. "You remember that?"

He squeezed my hand and we sat down in two vacant seats in front of the stage. "I was at the recital when you threw up." He looked over at me and smiled softly, the skin near his eyes crinkled and it was clear that age and the sun were starting to catch up with him.

"Bella" He said softly. "I know I haven't always been the most supportive of this dancing stuff but, you have to know that I am so proud of you."

I nodded. "I know that."

"I didn't think dancing was something you could turn into a career and I still don't think it's the best idea. I mean, a dancer only has so much shelf life before your body simply won't be able to move like that anymore."

I nodded slowly. I knew that dancing wasn't a life time career. Charlie just didn't understand all of the different parts that dancing involved. Once I could no longer keep up on stage I could be a choreographer or I could teach others how to dance. I wasn't going to take the time to try and explain that now because I didn't want to start arguing with him. This was an old argument and if he was willing to never have it again, so was I.

"You look so grown up Bella." Charlie said looking over my dress again. "I feel like I've missed a whole life time in the last four years. Your hairs longer too."

I smiled and shook my head slowly feeling the soft smile tug up the corner of my lips. Charlie never had been very observant. "I cut it since the last time you saw me dad."

"How's your mom doing?" He said jumping topics.

"She's fine."

He nodded. "She and a couple of your friends are going to try to make it up for the next show. I think she might be bringing Phil along too."

"You've been talking to mom?" That was different. What if I didn't make it to next week?

He nodded and sort of shrugged his shoulders. "After the call from the show doctor when you got hurt she told me what you were doing so I could watch the show to. I didn't even know Billy had let Jake try out so now we watch the show together every week. I think the entire town of Forks is watching it now actually."

I wanted to role my eyes again but, thought better of it after a moment. Forks had, at most, three thousand people in it and gossip spread like wildfire in dry wood. I should have guessed that once word got out that the chief's flighty defiant daughter was on TV they would all start watching me. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the show, I should have called."

He shrugged it off. "Just as much my fault. I haven't done a very good job at keeping in touch with you Bella."

"I didn't want to keep in touch. But I'm really glad you came here tonight dad. How did you even get here? The tickets must have coast a fortune."

He pointed over his shoulder, back the way we'd come. "Carlisle and Esme wouldn't take no for an answer. Billy was worried about the chair and I didn't really have the money to fly down here but, they insisted we come with them. Were staying overnight down the street at some fancy hotel too so we can come back tomorrow night. They're really good people. I've had a chance to work with Dr. Cullen a few times during some of the bad car accidents but, that's not really the right environment to get to know someone and his wife's really something too."

I nodded. "Yeah they're both really nice. Esme's adorable."

"Who was the blond girl at the end? She said you two weren't getting along." He asked and I felt my eyes narrow. Tanya's comments had been blunt and uncalled for. Just because we were fighting didn't mean she needed to air it all over the country.

"Bella?" Charlie asked again when I said nothing.

I tried to make my face more pleasant and less like I wanted to strangle someone (With strawberry blond curls) but it was hard to push down the bubble of anger. I'd never hated anyone before. There were people I preferred not to hang out with and people I didn't trust, but no one that I truly hated. I was pretty sure I hated Tanya and I felt bad for admitting it. I didn't want it to come down to Edward having to side with one of us but, it didn't look like Tanya was willing to share him. I didn't particularly want to share with her either.

"We just don't get along dad it's nothing to big." I said smoothly, amazed that my voice stayed even while I talked. "The show probably just cut it like that so it would look like there was more drama back stage then there really is." I added as an after though. TV was known for cutting things to look worse then it was so that was completely believable.

"I thought you and Edward seemed to be getting along well." He pointed out glancing back at were Edward and Emmett were sitting with their parents on the edge of the stage.

I felt the pink creep into my checks and hoped Charlie wouldn't notice. "We've been partners for awhile now. You get to know your dance partner pretty well in practice. Once you're on stage there's no such thing as a personal bubble."

He nodded and raised an eye brown in my direction. "So I noticed that dance was kind of racy are they even aloud to show that on TV."

I nodded and turned my head away from him a little as the blush darkened my cheeks. "They do dances like that a lot on this show and it was a big crowd pleaser so hopefully we'll draw in a lot of votes tonight."

"That reminds me." Charlie fished in his jean pocket and pulled out a thick black cell phone. I was amazed he even had a cell phone.

He flipped it open and dialed a string of numbers faster then I could follow along.

"Who are you calling?" I asked.

He put the phone to his ear and waited a moment while the other line rang. After another moment he smiled to himself and flipped the phone shut sticking it back in his pocket.

"I was voting for you."

I smiled. "Yeah! Now I know we'll get at least one."

"You'll get more then that. Your mom said your friend Summer's got the show number on speed dial and she spends the entire two hours calling in for you after every show. She's rounding up people from your school and your dance classes to vote too."

"Really?" It had been a couple of day's since I checked in with Summer but, she'd never mentioned that she was working so hard for me. I should have assumed she would do that, she was a great friend. And knowing her she was getting Sam to vote too, although he was probably voting for Erik. "I didn't know she was working so hard."

"You deserve it."

I glanced up and found Edward smiling down at me. Emmett, Esme and Carlisle were walking over towards us too and Jake was wheeling Billy in our general direction. I did formal introductions once everyone was gathered around.

"Dad this is my dance partner Edward Cullen and the big one's his brother Emmett. Guys this is my dad Charlie."

Edward shook Charlie's hand politely and Emmett pulled him into a big hug. "It's good to see yah chief."

"Hello Emmett." Charlie said with a smile. "Keeping out of trouble I hope."

He nodded with a sheepish grin. "Yes Sr."

I would have to ask him about that later.

"Hey why didn't I get invited to the party? I want to meet Bella's dad too." Alice asked skipping over to us and hopping off the end of the stage with perfect grace in her high heels. Rose and Jasper were trailing along behind her, everyone still in costume, and once they were all seated on the end of the stage or in a seat near by I introduced them too.

"Dad, Billy these are some of our friends: Alice Brandon, and Rosalie, and Jasper Hale. Guys this is my dad Charlie and Jake's dad Billy." They'd met Carlisle and Esme the same time I did week one so I didn't need to reintroduce them.

"You all did a great job tonight. You should be very proud." Esme said giving everyone a warm hug. I had to bit my lip when she caught Jasper off guard and hugged him too keep myself from laughing. He looked pleasantly surprised and hugged her back.

"Dancers, we need to get everything packed up and back to the studio."

All of our heads shot up and turned in the direction of the stage were a man dressed in crew black was gathering the dancers up.

"I guess that's our cue hu?" Emmett said pulling his mom into another hug, lifting her off her feet and spinning her in a circle.

"Looks like it." Jasper said hopping back up onto the stage and offering Rose a hand so he could pull her up.

Rose waved good bye as she followed her brother off across the stage. "It was nice to meet all of you."

"I guess we got to go. It was nice meeting you Charlie, Billy." Alice waved once before skipping up the steps to center stage and dancing across the stage behind the curtains after them.

"I guess you've got to go too." Charlie said holding his arms out to me.

"Yeah, thanks again for coming to the show." I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him for a moment.

"No problem honey. We'll see you tomorrow night ok kido. Good luck."

"Bye dad."

Emmett held his hand down to me and hoisted me up onto the stage with one hand.

"You know steroids are bad for you right?" I joked as we walked to the door that lead back stage.

He laughed and messed up my hair, which I swatted at him for.

"It's not my fault you're so tinny." He said with a smirk, which won him another swat. He flexed his mussels and dodged one of my hits with a smart ass smirk. "Besides Bella, these bad boys are all real." He flexed and his arms rippeled impressivly. Emmett was built like a spanish bull and just as sneakily cunning as one right before it charged you.

He was distracted by showing off his arms and a slapped him in the back of the head.

"Hey, stop that." He caught my hand before I could hit him again and pouted at me trying to look like I'd really hurt him. "Edward your girlfriends hitting me." He whined turning his pout on Edward while I tried to pull myself free of his strong hold. It was useless, I wasn't going anywhere.

Edward just smiled at us and laughed.

"Let go of my hand." I said wiggling against his grasp trying to get free.

He let go just as I pulled again and I wound up ungracefully on my butt.

"Emmett you jerk."

He laughed. "You said to let go."

Edward was chuckling quietly as he helped me up. I hit Emmett again.

"I didn't think you'd actually listen to me." I turned around and swatted at Edward too. "And you had better stop laughing at me."

Edward's laughter turned into coughs as he tried to cover them up but he and Emmett were both still grinning at me stupidly. I huffed and snagged my clothes off my chair before retreating to the changing room.

"Jerks." I mumbled to myself as I striped out of the gold dress and back into a pair of black warm up pants and a sweater. I slipped my bare feet into flats and tied my hair up in a pony so it was out of my face.

Jason pouted at me when he saw how I was treating the soft curls he carefully put in my hair and I ignored him while I packed up my costumes. The blue solo dress I hadn't needed to use yet along with it's under clothes. The gold dress that I found myself oddly attached to and the ribbon for my hair.

My mind wondered as I locked up my box and followed the others out to the bus. A few people who must have seen tonight's show were still standing outside and I ducked my head from their stairs. So much had happened tonight and I was trying to take it all in at once.

Charlie had come to the show and thought I did a good job. He was proud of me. Mom and Summer were going to come down next week, assuming I made it through the next round. Butterflies erupted in my stomach before I could stop the nerves and it fought against the last of my adrenalin rush. In just under twenty-four hours two more dancers would go home and we would have to start the process of learning our dances all over again.

Max's team of costume making energizer bunnies was waiting to take our boxes away when we got to the studio and empty them for next week. I declined an invite from Jake to come watch a movie with some of the other dancers in his room and climbed on autopilot up the stairs to my own bedroom.

I caught Tanya's eye in the hall as she opened the door to her room and we exchanged no words as we glared at each other. We didn't need to speak. I'd thrown the gauntlet down very evidently when I'd refused to agree to stay away from Edward and my blatant claim on him at the club had been like rubbing salt in an open wound.

She had retaliated by publicly trying to slander me, probably in hopes that I would simply get kicked off in the next round because no one would vote for me. I wasn't going to go down simply and she new it. I also knew she wouldn't let up now that this fight between us ad started. I had a feeling this was just as much about her pride now as it was about Edward. One of us was going to get hurt.

The door to the girl's floor opened and we broke eye contact as Rosalie and Leah walked into the hallway. They were laughing about something and talking about the show and I ducked into my room before they could try and talk to me or I could catch Tanya's eye again.

I striped in the backroom and left my cloths on the floor, not in the mood to pick them up, and stood under the hot jet of water until it turned cold letting it wash away the aches in my mussels and the sweat from working all day.

I let my wet hair hang around my shoulders when I slipped into my pajamas and sat hard on my bed grabbing for my phone. I had a few missed calls from people who'd called during the show. The first one was from the very woman who'd taught me how to samba and owned the dance school I worked at, Erika Maxwell.

Erika was a hundred and thirty pounds of lean, hard, dancer mussel. She had long legs with ripped thighs. Lots of curly red brown hair that hung in her amber eyes and to top it all off she was sharp as a tack. She was only twenty-eight but she'd been running Samba sun for five years when she took it over for her aunt Mabel. The only thing she liked to do more then dance was teach others how to dance and her soul had been born to dance the Samba.

I selected her call and put the phone to my ear as I listened.

-"Bella!" She called into the mouth piece and I could hear people talking in the back ground. "We caught the show Hot Stuff that was fantastic. I want that boy working at Samba Sun, you need to give me his number. Anyone who could get you to move like that has a gift and he needs to share it." I could hear her complain and another voice asked for the phone and then a male voice was speaking. "Bella you little fox, if you'd done that at our last samba show we would have won! We're all rooting for you and voting to so, Hay what gives!" There was some more fighting and then Erika's voice was back and she sounded slightly out of breath. "Sorry Bella, Parker and the some of the others are over at my house watching the show with me and the punk took my phone away." "I'm not a punk" Parker shouted from the background and a chorus of other voice all started talking at the same time. I clutched the phone to my ear and laughed as she wished me luck and said they would call after the next show before hanging up the phone.

Mathew Parker was a dancer from Samba sun and we usually paired together when the school got accepted into competitions. We'd won a few trophies and they were in the lobby display case to give the school more credit. He had dark brown hair and soft blue eyes and when he smiled you could see that he only had one dimple. He was a year older then I was and the schools best student.

I rolled my eyes and moved to the next message. A short one from Renee and Phil. They'd caught the show and loved the dance and my mom made a few embarrassing comments about where the other half of my dress had been. I moved onto the next one before it was finished.

-"Bella! Who's the bitch with the blond hair? I'll kill her for you. No one will ever suspect me. I'm cute and they won't find the body if we drive her into the dessert and let the coyotes eat her." I smiled to myself, it was my best girl Summer. "She made you look bad and the audience was totally buying her bull shit! I can't believe the show played that, it should be against the rules." I could hear someone else talking in the background but, Summer was ranting and I couldn't hear what they were saying. "If I ever get my hands on her she's toast. And not the floppy kind of half bread/toast my brother likes to put butter on. I mean burnt black and crispy toast…No, get los-" I could head a struggle on the other end of the line and then a deep male voice started speaking. It'd been weeks since I'd talked to Sam directly but, I'd recognize his calm voice anywhere. He was the voice of reason behind Summer's angry shouting. "Bella you need to watch that Tanya she's gunning for you and she's going to fight dirty. I'm not sure what you did or how your fight started but make her burry the hatchet before she stabs you with it." He paused and I heard Summer mouthing off in the background. "Give me that phone back Sam!" More struggling and it sounded like whoever was holding the phone fell down. "I'll keep Summer under control." Sam promised quickly. "But fix things with Tanya." The phone disconnected with more muffled cussing from Summer and I giggled into my pillow.

What if I didn't want to fix things with Tanya? Maybe I felt like being stubborn.

I sent Summer a text letting her know that I wasn't going to take any of Tanya's crap and brushed out my hair when it started to frizz into curly knots. By the time I slid under the covers my mussels were starting to protest again and I was so tired I was starting to fall over. It was almost midnight so I was betting that Edward had been bared from coming down for the night so I closed my eyes and instantly fell asleep.

~Darkrose

Guess what!

I got nominated for an award in the thread I hang out on. I need a few more votes to make it to the next round so if everyone who likes my story would go vote it would mean a lot to me. I'll put the link below (Someone tell me if it doesn't work) but it should. I got nominated in two categories the best "Edward/Bella story" and "best Comedy". Please go vote for this story, I'll beg. I won't grovel but I'll beg. Please! Pretty please.

http:/forum(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/topic/66481/20624122/1/