The Man She Never Knew

AN: To my loyal readers, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I loved writing it, and as of right now it is my favorite. Please let me know what you think. I hope to put up two more chapters by Christmas, but no promises.

Chapter Eight:

I had left my parents house that night with a smile on my face, even though I had lost the cook off, I had won at the same time because she agreed to talk about Charlie. I had to work in the morning, so I knew that I wasn't going to see her the next day, but secretly wished I was. I still couldn't believe that someone I hardly knew had affected me as much as she had in such a short time.

I sighed as I stepped out of my shower. Bella was everything that I wanted in a woman; she was smart, witty, had a great sense of humor, knew movies, and to top it off she could really cook. I had brought home her meal that she had made me, and ate before my shower. I don't know what Carlisle was talking about, her chicken wasn't dry; it was mouthwatering and perfect to be completely honest. She had won fair and square.

Bella had walked me out to my car after dinner and coffee. I was surprised that she hadn't gloated about winning, and it made me smile. "You know Edward, I was worried about this trip, but I am glad that I came, you alone have made it the most fun I have ever had on a holiday."

I smiled at her. "Well no offence Bella, but from what you were saying to me at the diner, made it sound like anything was better than the Christmas' you have been through with Charlie."

She walked up to me and hugged me. I couldn't help but think of how good she smelled. I could smell the shampoo she used; something with strawberries and cherry blossoms, the smell of the chocolate cake, and a smell that was totally and uniquely Bella. I sighed as I breathed in her scent, loving the feeling I had received from it. She smelled like home and happiness, of the seasons and nature, it was the first time I had ever felt completely right about something, or more importantly someone, and though I knew I would be a fool if I walked away from her right now, I knew it was too soon to try and ask her out.

"Edward…" she sighed my name as she held onto me. I loved the feeling of her in my arms, and couldn't help but tighten my hold on her. I wanted her to be connected to me, to hold her so close to me that she became a part of me, of my soul. I wanted her, all of her, and it scared the hell out of me.

"Bella, I got to go. I have to go to work in the morning." I said softly into her ear. This moment we were having was too intimate to speak any louder. She placed her head on my chest and sighed.

"I know." She said sadly, and right then I didn't want to leave her. "I just feel so relaxed with you and when you're near I feel as if everything fits, I know that sounds strange, but it's how I feel."

"It isn't that strange." I said softly. "I can't help feeling the same way." She looked up at me, and I stared in wonder at her eyes. They were sparkling with warmth, and compassion, and it was the most beautiful thing I think I had ever seen in my life. It was in that moment, that single moment that I knew my life was going to be different, and for once I welcomed change.

I leaned down and brought my hands to cup her face. "Bella, I'm going to kiss you." I stated knowing I had heard this line from some movie. Before she had a chance to back away, I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She tasted of love and freedom, things I didn't know I wanted. She was hesitant for a moment then kissed me back with a fierceness that was unlike anything that I had ever felt before. Her hands climbed from my shoulders to my neck playing with the hair there. I felt her hand go deeper into my hair grabbing it so that she could feel it through her fingers, and I softly moaned into the kiss. I felt myself start to harden while holding her in my embrace, and I couldn't help loving the feelings she was making flow through my body.

Bella finally pulled away with a sigh that sounded almost like regret. Though she was the one to pull away there was no mistaking the fact that it wasn't really what she had wanted to do? "Edward, thank you for the wonderful day, I can't remember having so much fun. I hope you sleep well." She stepped away from me with an angelic smile upon her face. "I'll see you later." She sighed again.

"I don't have to go yet." I said softly taking her hand in mine. "We could just sit on the swing and talk if you want."

She smiled warmly at me. "As much as I would love that, you have to be up early in the morning, and I don't want to be the one responsible if you're cranky at work." I laughed with her.

Just then the front door opened and I heard Emmet call out. "Hey Bella, when Edward finally allows you to come in can we talk?" Bella had turned to look at him and I sighed. There went any chance I had of getting another kiss. I thought to myself sadly.

"Sure Emmet, I'll be in there in just a minute." Emmet went back into the house. Bella turned to me and smiled again. "Well since I'm being summoned by Emmet I guess I should get back inside. Why don't you go home, and get some sleep. I'm sure we'll see each other soon."

I leaned in and kissed her quickly. "Good night Isabella." I said stepping around and getting into my car. "I'll come by after my shift at the hospital." She nodded and walked towards the house. I started the car and as I backed out, I saw Bella had turned to watch me drive down the driveway.

I sighed again thinking about that wonderful kiss we had shared outside. She had opened my heart and allowed my soul to shine through, now all I had to figure out was how I was going to get her to become mine. I laid in bed thinking about how I was going to get her to date me, and as a plan began to form in my mind I fell into a restful sleep.

~ * ~

I stood there watching Edward drive away, wishing that he would have stayed here. He made everything here just seem ordinary, and ordinary was something that I needed. Emmet had caught us being rather intimate towards each other, and even though that didn't really bother me, I was still a little upset. I mean, Edward and I have only known each other for just a little while, and we're already acting like we have known each other for a lifetime.

I sighed as I reached for the front door, but before I could open it, Emmet came out with my jacket and two cups of hot chocolate. "I thought you and I could sit out here and talk. Sometimes, it's better to be a little cold than be in a crowded room."

I smiled. "Yes, you're right." And we made our way over to the porch swing. Once we were situated, I turned my body towards Emmet. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked him.

For the first time since I had arrived, Emmet looked unsure of himself, and then I knew. He wanted to talk about my relationship with Charlie. "Bella, you're a wonderful person," he started but I cut him off.

"Emmet, if this whole conversation is going to be about Charlie, I'm really not in the mood."

"Bella." He said taking my hand in his. "I need this conversation more than you know. I need to understand, and you need to understand. Can we at least attempt to have this conversation, or at least start it?"

Looking at him, I could tell that he really did need this, and a part of me knew that I was going to have to start this soon and with someone, it might as well have been with Emmet. "Okay, but I have the right not to answer anything that makes me uncomfortable."

Emmet smiled. "Fair enough Bella, I can agree to that."

We sat there for awhile trying to figure out how to open the conversation, when finally I opened up my mouth. "Emmet, how do you know so much about me?" I know he had made the comment that Charlie would talk about me all the time, but if that were so, wouldn't Edward have tried to tell me stories as well?

"Well Bella," Emmet said taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "Are we calling Charlie your dad, or just Charlie?" he asked me. Hearing him refer to Charlie as dad seemed foreign to me so I told him to call him Charlie, so he nodded and continued. "Charlie came every year during the summer. I guess it would have been when you went out of town to your mother's house. He would get here a day o two before Edward came home from school and for that time he would catch us up on you. I was the only one that remembered you from childhood. You were so small, and an unnaturally quiet baby Bella. I always thought there was something wrong with you because you never cried, so naturally I always asked Charlie about you.

"I know from what you have said he was a terrible father to you, and that is something that I don't think I will ever understand, but I don't want you to think that I am happy about the way you grew up. No child should be without a father, and I know that even though he was there, he wasn't really there for you. Bella, despite the fact that he wasn't what you really needed him to be, you turned out well. I see that you are a loving and compassionate person, and that has nothing to do with him. I just don't understand why he could shower us with all the love that he should have been giving to you?"

I stared at Emmet for a long while trying to give him the answers he wanted and then finally sighed. "Emmet, I'm going to tell you a story, and I want you to take it for what it is. When my mother was with Charlie, things were good. He gave me piggy back rides, and taught me how to climb the oak tree in the back yard, read me bedtime stories, and kissed me good night. He even told me that he loved me, but when mom started pulling away from him, he started pulling away from me. I guess I look too much like my mom." A sad chuckle left my mouth. "When mom left, so did my father. He stopped speaking to me, but I didn't go without mind you. He always made sure there was food in the house and I had clothes, but he wasn't there if you understand what I'm saying. He wouldn't look at me, talk to me unless it was about getting high marks in school, he made it impossible to form a relationship. I thought parents were supposed to love their children no matter what, I guess I was wrong." I looked at Emmet. "What was he like?" I whispered.

I hadn't realized I was crying until Emmet wiped my tears from my cheek and pulled me into a hug. "Charlie was a good man, Bella, I don't know why he pushed you away, but I know he loved you. He loved you very much Bella. Your father may not have been able to give you the love and attention that you dearly wanted, but trust me when I tell you that I didn't doubt for a moment that he loved you.

"When Charlie would talk about you, his eyes would light up and the smile on his face seemed almost magical. I had asked him one year why he never brought you with him, and he said that you wouldn't want to come to Chicago, that you like Florida. I always found it odd that he never brought you with him, but I figured that it was what you wanted."

"I never knew about you all." I whispered. "I had met Carlisle years and years ago, but I never knew who any of you were." Tears were streaming down my face as I sobbed for all that I never had. Emmet would have made a great brother figure, and Alice was a wonderful woman that I would have loved like a sister, and Edward, well Edward would have been the guy that I would have dreamt going out with and falling in love. Thinking about this was making me angry. Not only did Charlie screw me out of a warming life of happiness, but he deprived them as well.

"I wish we would have known you other than through Charlie." Emmet whispered. "I wish that things would have been different. That Charlie was better to you."

"It doesn't help to live in the past." I said softly to him. "But I know that even though we hardly know each other, I already love you all. I'm just so sorry that Charlie ruined the chances for us to grow up and get to know each other."

Emmet hugged me tighter to him and sighed. "Bella, were you…"

I knew what he wanted to know. "Yes, I was there when he died. The only thing he said to me was 'Isabella I want you to do something for me. I want you to go and see Carlisle Cullen. He'll know who you are. Remember his name, now get out of here.'" I stared into Emmet's eyes, and for the first time I saw the exact same emotions that I was feeling reflected in Emmet's eyes. "Emmet, can we keep this conversation between us for right now? I'm not ready to talk about Charlie with Carlisle, or Esme. They knew him best, and I'm too emotionally unstable to be able to sit there and not be judgmental."

"Edward knew Charlie the best out of us. Charlie had a special bond with Edward that he didn't have with us. If you really want to know about Charlie, I would talk to him." He said standing up. "Now I think we have had enough emotional crap for one night what do you say to playing some mortal combat on the Sega?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "You still play a Sega?" I said standing.

"Hell yeah!" Emmet exclaimed. "I am the fucking king of Sega!"

"Alright fearless leader, lead the way." And we entered into the house.