"Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it."
David Star Jordan

CHAPTER 21: A MAN OF INTEGRITY

Good grief! Could either of them have been any more obvious? I rolled my eyes as I headed up the stairs to my old room. I was a little tired but I had the ulterior motive of wanting to force them to talk without me being there acting as a freaking referee. Men. I shook my head.

I knew they would get along o.k. once they broke through their obvious need to prove to the other that they loved me.

I quickly realized that my dad was still pretty protective of me. I also was becoming rapidly aware that Edward was a little possessive. I rolled my eyes. How about extremely possessive.

I couldn't believe he'd walked me up to the door like that… As if he owned me, like he wanted to send the message to my father that he had claimed me. I started feeling really, really irritated, and then… I thought about how Edward had explained to me on the plane how he felt about meeting Charlie.

He'd also seemed pretty nervous when we'd first arrived and I had tried to make him feel more certain of himself. I obviously had been extremely successful. I laughed to myself. I've created a monster. I knew that Edward respected me. Valued my opinions. Even deferred to me on things. He wasn't trying to be disrespectful; he was trying to show my dad that he would be the one to take care of me now and that Charlie didn't need to worry.

I also realized that to my dad, Edward was the boyfriend, the fiancé, the 'other man.' He had no idea that Edward was basically already my husband. I decided that when Edward came up to check on me, I would ask for him to stay in my room for a little bit so I could speak with my father alone. He needed to know how completely I was in love with Edward, that there would never be anyone but him for me from now on.

~~:::~~

I was apparently a lot more tired than I'd realized, since I ended up sleeping for almost two hours. We'd arrived in the late morning and I was pretty sure my dad wasn't prepared for us to eat at the house. He probably had plans to take us to his favorite steak house in town. I smiled to myself. Edward would like that; something else they had in common—enjoying a good meal that included red meat as the main course.

As I stretched out on my old bed, wondering when Edward would be coming to check on me, I heard my bedroom door creak just a little bit.

Seeing Edward tentatively enter my room made a wide smile appear across my face. As I finished stretching out, sort of cat-like, his eyes darkened slightly.

"Hi there, beautiful." He had a smirk playing across his features. "You look comfy." I giggled as he came and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Your dad wants to take us out for a late lunch… Are you hungry, love?" He gently ran his fingers down my cheek and I felt my body begin to respond to his touch. As much as I wanted to reciprocate his obvious want for me, I knew that Charlie was just downstairs… I sat up and as I stood, I patted him on the head. He chuckled at my antics.

"That sounds great. I am pretty hungry, actually." I gave him a happy smile. "Um, could you do me a favor, though?"

"Anything, love." He was still sitting on the edge of my bed and was now looking up at me expectantly.

I felt my eyes narrow at him just slightly. I wanted to be crystal clear. "That little stunt you pulled when we walked up to my father's home? I understand that you wanted to be clear that we're together but Edward…" I softened my eyes and reached out to place my hand on his shoulder. "As far as he's concerned your basically just a man who's interested in his daughter. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

His eyes grew slightly wide and then… Just a little defensive. "You belong to me now, Bella. I just wanted to make that point clear."

He then carefully placed the hand of the arm I was resting against on my hip, as he reached across his chest to place his other hand on top of mine on his shoulder. "But yes, I understand."

He raised his other hand from my hip to run it quickly through his messy, sexy hair. "He doesn't know or completely understand the depth of our love, and therefore feels rather protective of his only daughter." Dropping his hand from his hair he turned his face to kiss my hand. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I promise I'll be more respectful."

He sighed gently against my hand, giving the area between my thumb and index finger a tiny lick with the tip of his tongue then kissed it. "I didn't mean to make you feel like an object, Bella. I promise to be more respectful towards you as well." As he'd spoken, he looked up at me through his eyelashes a little sheepishly.

"I'm not sure that little move you just did with your tongue supports that statement but…" I sighed in response to him. Not exasperatedly. Not annoyed. But in contentment. "I love you so much, Edward." I squeezed his shoulder as I closed my eyes. "Thank you."

I opened my eyes to gaze at him. He was gorgeous but he was more beautiful on the inside. And that's what really mattered. And I knew that's what would ultimately matter to my dad as well.

"Can you stay up here for a little bit? I'll tell my dad you were tired, too. I need to tell him… To explain that we're a package deal, Edward."

He seemed to consider it for what it was; a request for him help me help Charlie understand our situation, and to bring us all closer together more quickly. He nodded his head and flopped backwards onto my bed.

"I can't promise you that I'm actually going to sleep in your old room, though. Knowing that you slept here for so many years…" He raised his head up to give me a silly but sexy look.

I shook my head in exasperation at him but he knew I was happy. "Whatever! I'll come back up and get you in a little bit." We both laughed. He could read me so, so well…

And my dad could too. As I came down the stairs without Edward, he was standing by his armchair in the living room and I nervously realized that I'd sort-of forgotten that…

"Bells… What the hell is going on with you two? I understand that you're planning on getting married, I remember what you told me over the phone a few weeks ago, but you've only known each other for a few months, for cryin' out loud! And… He's…" He was trying to whisper but he was still a little loud.

"Dad! Calm down. I'll tell you whatever you want to know, so you don't need to yell." I walked past him and sat down on the couch slightly stiff.

He slowly dropped his frame into his armchair and stared at me for several moments. He then spoke very quietly. "You love him more than you've ever loved anyone in your life. Even Jacob." He wasn't accusatory, he was making a statement. "And, I'm not saying I don't like him. Because... Well, honestly, he seems like a good guy, its just..." My dad stopped and looked up at me exasperatedly.

I sighed as I smoothed my gray, eyelet skirt out that I'd decided to wear. I'd wanted to wear something feminine and pretty. I wanted my dad to see that I was different than when I'd been with Jake, a little more ladylike and less… Well, less indifferent, careless.

My top was a simple, white short-sleeved silk blouse with a dark gray cardigan over it. Other than my engagement/wedding ring, I'd also worn the bracelet that I'd gotten when Rose took me to Emmett's store. I wore it on my right wrist, and as I'd crossed my legs and rested my right hand on my knee, he saw it.

"My God, Isabella. How wealthy is he?" Now my dad was apparenly starting to feel a bit apprehensive. I suppose between the ring and my bracelet, it would be a little shocking to him. I'd never warn anything like these pieces before in my life.

"Dad. I know you think that things with Jacob and I were perfect but they weren't." I stared into my father's eyes until I could see him finally listening to me. He was confused but he was listening. I could see the wheels turning in his head, to try and decipher where I was going with this.

"I need for you to understand, that with Edward…" I closed my eyes for just a moment and let out a small sigh. "Things are perfect. He's perfect for me, and I'm perfect for him."

He crossed his arms over his chest and I had to fight to not laugh at him. Like father, like daughter…

"Regarding the money issue... Even though it's completely irrelevant to why we're the way we are with each other… I didn't even know about Edward's financial situation until after we'd gotten serious. He is… tremendously wealthy. I'm not going to even try to conceal that fact. I'm also going to do my best to not fight him on wanting to buy me things, because he only wants what's best for me. He only wants to take care of me… And, well, love me."

I leaned forward and reached over to my dad's knee to gently squeeze it. "He's everything to me Charlie, and he wants me to be anything, do anything that I want to." I felt the tears coming… My dad could sense it too and had moved his arms down from across his chest. He was holding my hands in his. "He's… The other half of my soul, dad."

He sucked in his breath tightly and looked mystified and then… Enlightened. He was finally beginning to understand. I don't think he'd fully accepted things before but now he was trying. Because he loved me. And he realized that Edward truly, deeply loved me too.

"If he's the one Bella, all's I can do is support you in your decision." He pulled me up to stand in front of him as he stood. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a tight hug. "If you're happy, then I'm happy. And, Isabella?" He looked down at me and smiled one of the biggest smiles I'd ever seen on his face. "If he ever hurts you, I'll kill him."

I laughed and rested my head against his chest for just a second before he released me. "But, honestly, Bells, I don't think he ever would."

I blushed as I responded to him, so as I spoke I took the opportunity to turn to head up the stairs to go and get Edward. "Thank you, dad. I know he wouldn't either."

As I reached the first step of the stairs, I ignored my blushing cheeks to turn and face my father again. "I suppose that we're all pretty hungry by now, so I'm going to get Edward so we can head out, o.k.?" He nodded to me and I went to get my best friend, my confidante, my lover, my conspirator, my husband… My everything.

~~:::~~

As Bella came into her room, I wasn't sure if she'd want to know that I'd heard everything that she and her father had said. I didn't want to embarrass her but I didn't want to hide anything from her, either.

I got up from the bed with my arms open wide for her, waiting for her to enter her old room.

As she came into the room expecting me to still be on her bed, she looked a little surprised and then… She came to me and melted into my body as we wrapped our arms around each other, holding each other tightly.

"You always know exactly what I need." She turned her face to my chest, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Though, honestly, part of what I need we can't really accomplish here and now…" She looked up into my eyes trying to look innocent but failing miserably.

I shook my head at her slowly and chuckled. I changed my face to a more serious look. "Just so you know, I heard everything that you and your dad said." She tensed a little bit but I continued quickly. "But I don't really want your dad to kill me before the wedding. Rather too difficult to explain to everyone why the groom never arrives, don't you think?"

She stifled a giggle and reached up to me on her toes to kiss me. I reciprocated, of course. "Love you." I rubbed noses with her.

"Love you…" She gave a little sigh. "We should go back downstairs. I'm kind-of hungry and I'm sure you are too. My dad's going to take us to his favorite steak house. You'll love it. Lots of red meat and manly talk."

I laughed at her. But… I suddenly wanted to know what it was that her father had asked her before she had ever even come upstairs, when we'd first arrived. I held her in my arms and looked into her eyes more seriously. "Bella… The only thing I couldn't hear was what your father asked you right before you came up here the first time, before you took your nap. Will you tell me? Or is it too personal?"

She moved her hands from around my torso to rest them on my chest. "Edward, there isn't anything that's 'too personal.' I'll tell you about anything and everything you ask me. You know that." She gave me my favorite smile. "He wanted to know if you were always… So… Intense. About me." She actually batted her eyelashes at me. Beautiful, sexy wife of mine.

I felt a little nervous. I had probably gone overboard in setting my boundaries around Bella. Just a little bit. I suppressed a chuckle. "Yes. I am. Especially when it comes to you."

She blushed. Before I could wonder why, she told me. "Um, Edward, I know I berated you a bit for that but really… It was very… Well, if not exactly romantic… It was really sexy."

The air in the room suddenly felt too warm for me… I started to get that feeling of pulsing electricity when things became passionate between Bella and I. Before I did something impulsive like ravish her right there, I attempted to calm myself by moving away from her body. So she wouldn't think anything of it, I quickly took her hand in mine. "Let's head downstairs now, love."

I wanted to carry her down the stairs but I refrained. I settled for continuing to hold her hand as we walked down to meet her father.

I ended up not letting go of her hand for almost the entire evening. Quite a feat. But I instinctively knew that would tell Charlie more than anything else I could say to him.

We had a great time. He seemed more relaxed around me by the end of our evening. I was relieved and glad.

I'd started the day out simply wanting acceptance. Then I had the overwhelming need to prove that Bella was mine. Which of course she was. But then… I wanted to be able to get to know her father as… Well, her father. Remembering what I'd told him when I'd first met him and shook his hand, that really was what I wanted.

To get to know the man that had raised and nurtured my wife.

~~:::~~

We spent the next week visiting the places she had spent her childhood around. She had the cutest look on her face as she tried to explain her awkwardness during sports when she was in high school. I tried to explain to her how hard I found that to believe, with her current grace and ease. I received a beautiful deep blush to that comment.

She showed me her dad's trophy in the case at her school for Best Defensive Player in American-style football. She was very proud of him and I could see why. We'd already visited him at the Police Station for lunch and had a great time.

He'd been nothing but friendly and supportive as we'd gone around town, visiting places and people. Charlie even accompanied us on some of our excursions.

The one both Bella and I ended up being the most appreciative of his presence at, however, was our visit to La Push.

~~:::~~