AN: Thanks to ShearEnvy for the awesome beta job. Everyone go wish her good luck next week, she's moving across country and starting over. I adore you, bb. *channels Rob Schneider in Waterboy* You Can Do It! :)

Thanks to everyone whose reading (and reviewing). I appreciate it.

Chapter 4: "Different"

"If I could wake up in a different place, at a different time, could I wake up as a different person?"
- Chuck Palahniuk

Three things were clear to me when I made my way downstairs the next morning, seeing Charlie sitting at the kitchen table with a copy of The Seattle Times open in front of him.

One- he still couldn't cook. The stench of something burning lingered in the air, although there was no sign of food anywhere. I imagined whatever it was lay on the bottom of the trash can, purposely hidden from sight.

Two- I'd grown over the years. That one should've been common sense, but it wasn't until I squeezed my ass into an old pair of my flannel pajamas from high school that it dawned on me exactly how much. The pants were snug and hugged my curves like leggings, barely even reaching my ankles. The top was short and rode up when I raised my arms, exposing my stomach. I looked absolutely ridiculous, like an overstuffed teddy bear with some of the fluff sticking out.

And three, the most obvious thing of all- I still had no idea what the hell I was going to do.

Charlie seemed to know exactly why I was there without even asking. He hadn't questioned my presence, instead simply saying it was good to see me and that I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted. It was as if he'd been expecting me to show up, his usual brand of coffee already replaced by the gourmet hazelnut he knew I drank.

There was a fresh pot already brewed and I poured myself a cup before opening the refrigerator and pulling out the carton of eggs. I went to work making Charlie some breakfast as he flipped through his paper and hummed to himself. I listened to him for a bit in silence, trying to place the tune. It was vaguely familiar and quite upbeat, something Charlie typically was not.

Humm-hum-hum-humm

Humm-hum-hum-humm

I finished an omelet and slid it onto a plate, setting it on the table in front of Charlie. I took a seat across from him, watching as he carefully folded up his paper and set it off to the side. He stopped humming long enough to start eating, his eyes finally meeting mine. "Thanks, Bells."

I nodded, acknowledging him. He was never one for big productions so I knew that was enough. "So, what song was that?"

He shrugged and grunted in response, continuing to eat.

After a moment I gave up and grabbed his newspaper, sifting through it for the lifestyle section. I flipped past my column, already knowing there were two not-so-pleasant reviews running, and stopped when I reached Jake's page. Truth be Told, the headline said. Realistic Advice for Life's Crazy Problems. Under it in bold stated: 'For entertainment purposes only. The opinions expressed here are solely of the writer and not those of a trained medical professional. We are not responsible for any injuries or losses caused by the advice administered.'

Jake hated the disclaimer, but the paper felt it was necessary after he wrote a piece on STDs that involved setting your pubic hair on fire and stabbing crabs with a fork.

Dear TbT,
My husband refuses to accept my Facebook request. He says there are some parts of our life that should stay separate, but I've recently discovered he befriended my friend. They both deny wrong-doing. Am I overreacting?
Sincerely,
Confused

Confused,
Overreacting? I'd say you aren't reacting enough in the first place! Recent studies show that 60% of married men admit to cheating, up from 24% a decade ago. What's changed? The internet, honey. He wants to keep his Facebook to himself? Then you keep your kitty to yourself. And the fact that she's your friend means squat. That didn't stop Kelly from banging Dylan while he was still with Brenda. Didn't you watch 90210? Shameful.
Truth

Dear TbT,
My best friend doesn't like my new boyfriend. I've asked her to give him a chance because I want them to be friends, but she refuses to even consider it. What do I do?
Sincerely,
Conflicted

Conflicted,
Are you dumb? Go talk to 'Confused' and count yourself lucky.
Truth

Dear TbT,
I'm almost nine months pregnant and not sure who the father of my baby is. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Scared in WA

Scared in WA,
Call Maury.
Truth

I smiled and shook my head, glancing over at Charlie. He was finishing his breakfast, the fingers of his left hand drumming against the table. It was the same rhythm as a moment ago and I sighed, closing the paper.

"Seriously, what song is that?"

He stopped drumming immediately, looking like a kid that got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What song?" he asked, grabbing his plate and standing up. I watched as he put it in the sink, taking his time to thoroughly wash his hands afterward. He was obviously evading me. For a cop, he wasn't really that slick.

"Where were you last night, Charlie?"

"The usual."

"Work?" I asked. "Because I called the station, and they said you weren't on duty."

"Ah, yeah, I was down in La Push."

"Billy's?" I asked. Billy was his longtime friend and usual fishing partner, which was why he went to La Push most of the time. Charlie grunted in response again, his way of answering but still telling nothing. "At midnight? That's awfully late."

"Is this an interrogation, Bells?" Charlie asked, amusement in his voice. "You forgot to read me my rights."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm just making conversation."

"Well in that case, how about that Tanya?"

I tensed. Okay, he was slicker than I gave him credit for. "I haven't seen her yet."

Charlie snickered as he squeezed my shoulder, the sound of his laughter putting me on edge. "I'm sure you'll have the pleasure of meeting her later," he said before walking out of the kitchen, humming once again.

Make that four things I was certain of - Charlie was, without a doubt, hiding something from me.

I pushed the sleeves of my top up to my elbows before plunging my hands into the soapy water. It was hot, a prickly sensation stabbing at my skin as I washed the few dishes leftover from breakfast. Sports Center was quietly playing on the television in the living room, the house relatively peaceful. It was strange being back here after having spent the last few years in the heart of the bustling city. There was a calmness I wasn't used to anymore, the feeling almost surreal. No rushing, no feeling of being dragged underwater while fighting the current in an attempt to stay afloat. There was no struggling for air, no panic. There was only stillness and tranquility.

Well, that was until the sound of the doorbell shattered my bubble. My chest grew tight from alarm as I listened to the stirring in the living room, followed by the sound of Charlie's feet shuffling across the floor. He opened the front door and a few moments of silence passed before he hollered my name.

"Bella, door!"

The plate I'd been holding slipped from my grip, sinking back into the water. I quickly dried my hands off before rushing in that direction, my heart skipping a beat the moment I turned the corner. Standing right inside the entryway was Edward, dressed immaculately in a pair of black slacks and a white polo shirt. His hands were in his pockets and he looked strangely nervous, fidgeting as he stared at his feet. Dress shoes again, this time black. He finally looked up when I approached and the corner of his mouth turned up into a crooked grin.

"Hey," he said.

I smiled back at him, my head swimming from dizziness. Jesus, I was eighteen and swooning again from just a look. "Hey there."

Charlie headed back to his chair and Sports Center, but I could feel his eyes on us. Edward seemed to sense it too and glanced that way, his nervousness returning. "I just wanted to come by and you know... say hey."

"Well... hey."

We both started laughing after a second and Edward ran his hand through his hair, making it stick straight up. My smile grew at the sight of the chaos. It was familiar, welcoming. It was the not-so-perfect Edward I knew, the only man I'd ever met that made the 'I'm too lazy to even shower' look seem attractive.

"So what have you been up to?" Edward asked. "Any guys in your life I should know about?"

Before I could respond, Charlie laughed loudly and attempted to cover it with a blatantly fake cough. We both turned in his direction and it was obvious that he seemed to be fighting the urge to say something. I felt myself blushing... yep, I was definitely a teenager again, awkward and inexperienced, and ten seconds away from dying of embarrassment in front of my crush.

I ran down the steps quickly when the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house, beating Charlie to the door. "I'll get it," I said, waving him off. "It's just Edward."

Charlie shrugged and went back to sit down as I let Edward in. "I'm almost ready," I told him. "I just need to grab my stuff."

"Stuff?" Charlie interjected. "What are you kids up to?"

I groaned. It drove me crazy when he listened to my conversations, but Edward just laughed, used to Charlie's eavesdropping by now. His mom did the same thing, claiming she couldn't help it we talked so damn loud.

"We're heading to La Push to celebrate my birthday early," Edward replied. "Gonna stay there for the weekend."

"Ah, you and Bells camping?" Charlie asked, grabbing the remote and nonchalantly starting to flip through channels. He seemed to have lost interest in the conversation already. It certainly wasn't anything he hadn't heard before.

"Yep," Edward replied. "Some of my friends are coming along too."

The moment those words cut through the air something shifted, and laid-back Charlie suddenly morphed into Police Chief Swan. He sat up straight in the chair, setting the remote back down as he eyed Edward suspiciously. "Which friends?"

"Uh, Emmett, Riley, Eric, Tyler... you know, just some of the boys from school."

"And what about girls from school?" Charlie asked. His voice was calm, almost disinterested, but I could see the alarm in his expression. "Any of them coming?"

"Nope," Edward replied, shrugging like it was no big deal, but Charlie's ears were turning red.That definitely wasn't good.

"None?"

"Nope," he said again, laughing afterward. "Well, Swan, if she counts as a girl."

I rolled my eyes as Edward nudged me with his elbow. It was a joke, I knew that, but it still stung a bit when he talked about me that way. He considered me "one of the boys", even though I had nothing in common with any of his other friends. They all played sports and talked about cars, when both of the subjects were completely lost on me. I didn't hang around them much for that reason, but Edward asked me to make an exception for his 18th birthday.

"I'm gonna get my stuff," I said, turning and heading for the stairs.

"Don't forget your bathing suit," Edward yelled after me.

I scaled the steps quickly, heading into my bedroom. I shoved some clothes in a duffel bag, hesitating before grabbing my bathing suit out of my top drawer. I left the bag sitting on the bed as I went down the hall, rooting through a closet for some camping supplies. I grabbed sunscreen and bug repellent before heading back, gasping in shock when I nearly collided with someone right inside my room. Charlie stood near the doorway, looking just as panicked as me.

"Jesus, what's with people scaring me in here?" I muttered, grabbing my chest as I brushed past him.

"People? What people?" Charlie asked, his voice rushed. "Has someone been in your room?"

"No, I'm just saying... you know..." Shit, I didn't even know what I was saying. Charlie would lose it if he knew the answer to that. "You scared me. Is there something you need?"

He stared at me hard, like he was trying to gauge whether I was hiding something, but after a moment he shrugged it off. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About?" I asked, raiding my closet for some flip flops. I found an old pair of brown ones on the bottom and shoved them in the bag before zipping it up.

"About, uh, things."

My brow furrowed as I turned to him. "What things?"

"Just... things."

I stared at him for a moment in confusion, having no idea what he was talking about. "Is something wrong, Charlie?"

He sighed. "Look, Bells. You're growing up. You're not a little girl anymore. And when girls grow up, things happen. These things, you know, they're things we should talk about."

Once it clicked where he was going with the conversation, I stared at him with horror. "Oh God, no. Not this..."

"I need to get this out, okay? Sometimes when boys and girls get together things happen, people get carried away, and they don't think about what they're doing."

"Please, Charlie..."

"Just listen to me, Bella. I understand what it's like - I was young once, too - but it's important that you plan ahead. Because when you get caught up in the moment, it's not always easy to stop. And certain things, they can feel good, and make you want to do more things. And those things..."

"Stop," I said, shaking my head. "Just... stop. You're a little too late here."

His face turned bright red and he blinked rapidly, looking like he was about to fall over. "I'm too late?"

"Yes! Well, no... I mean, Esme's already had this talk with me. A long time ago, actually."

"Things change."

"They don't change that much," I said. "The mechanics are still the same."

"But it's different now, Bella. Back then you weren't... you know. I just want you to be responsible and safe about things, because there's so much that can go wrong. I'm not ready to be a grandfather!"

"Jesus, I know! You won't be!"

"So you're being safe?" he asked. "You're using condoms?"

"Oh God, Charlie! I'm not doing anything!" I yelled. "I'm a virgin, all right?"

His eyes widened with surprise and he stared at me for a second before smiling. He looked excited, when I just wanted to die from shame. "Oh, well, that's great," he said. "I'm glad we had this talk."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag. "I'm going now."

Charlie followed me out of the bedroom and I froze, my blood running cold when I heard the sound of a toilet flushing. I swung around toward the bathroom, absolutely mortified when Edward stepped out. He glanced between me and Charlie as I held my breath, hoping like hell he hadn't overheard.

Edward said nothing, though. He simply took my bag for me and bid Charlie goodbye as we left. We were both fairly quiet as we loaded up the Ford Explorer he'd borrowed from his father, packing the back full of tents and sleeping bags, coolers and lanterns.

"Is that everything?" I asked, surveying it once we were done.

Edward looked at me, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "You tell me, Swan. Did you remember to pack your condoms?"

I turned bright red. "Fuck you."

Edward raised his eyebrows as he smirked, but he said nothing. He didn't have to. I already knew exactly what he'd say...

I grabbed Edward's arm and yanked him out the front door of the house before Charlie could say anything to embarrass me. I pulled the door shut so he couldn't listen to our conversation, and Edward started laughing, staring at me peculiarly.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You," he replied. I narrowed my eyes and put my hands on my hips, wondering exactly what he meant by that, but something about my stance just made Edward laugh harder.

"Why am I funny?"

"Do you see yourself?" he asked. "What the fuck are you wearing?"

I glanced down quickly and cracked a smile, remembering my too-small pajamas. "I forgot my suitcase in the car last night, so I made do with what was in the bedroom."

"It looks like the seams are about to bust."

I rolled my eyes. "Funny, Edward."

"I'm serious. I'm kind of scared right now. You might pop a button and take an eye out."

He laughed again as I pushed him. "I'm not that big, Edward."

"It's not that you're big, Swan," he replied. "They're just really, really small."

I glanced down at myself again. "It's weird. I think they must've shrunk, because I was always kind of, uh, thick back then."

Edward shook his head. "You just had curves. Hell, you still have curves. There's nothing wrong with that. It's nice, actually."

"Nice?" I asked playfully. "Have you been checking me out, Edward Cullen?"

He smirked. "Would it be wrong if I was?"

The moment he said those words, a shrill ringing cut through the air. He cursed and reached into his pocket for his phone, his expression shifting instantly when he looked at the screen. He answered it, taking a step away as he did. "Yeah, babe?"

I frowned. Tanya. Apparently the universe had a sick sense of humor.

"I just walked next door," he said, pausing briefly before continuing. "No, I don't know if you should..."

He pulled the phone away from his ear without finishing his sentence and put it away. "She'll be over here in a second."

"Oh."

It was the only word I could force from my lips. I was tongue-tied, my mouth suddenly dry. A queasiness brewed deep within the pit of my stomach, putting my nerves on edge. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to run away. I wanted to cry. I wanted to drag Edward to my car, shove him inside and drive really fucking far away from there.

I was anxious... even more anxious than I'd been meeting Jake all those years ago. This woman stood between me and what I wanted most, a roadblock in the middle of the path I was on. I'd been traveling on it probably my whole life, whether or not I'd realized it. But this woman had appeared out of nowhere and threatened to take everything that mattered away from me. She was my mortal enemy, the wicked witch in my Wizard of Oz. She was the demon to my angel, the werewolf to my vampire. If I were Harry Potter, that bitch would be Voldemort.

She was a golddigging, homewrecking, evil, soulless twit. She probably had a wart on her nose and a unibrow, and had Edward under some sick love spell cast by a voodoo witch down in New Orleans. She was a horrible person. She was disgusting. She was vile. She was...

...definitely not what I expected.

I hadn't even seen her coming. Suddenly she was just there, a blur of red and white rushing right for me. I went rigid as Edward stepped to the side, my heart pounding rapidly in anticipation. I thought she was going to tackle me. I was afraid she was going to punch me. I threw my hands up defensively as she grabbed a hold of me, but instead of shoving me away she pulled me right to her.

"Oh my God, I'm so excited to finally meet you!" she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. Her voice was chipper and high-pitched, almost sickly sweet. She smelled strongly of vanilla, like a fucking sugar cookie.

I grimaced and just stood there, completely dumbfounded with my arms smashed between us. I didn't know her from Adam, but yet she was hugging me like we were old friends.

Something told me that didn't bode well for my plans.

She let go after a moment and took a step back, giving me some room. As soon as I finally got a good look at her it felt like a weight had been dropped on my chest, and I nearly lost my breath.

She was gorgeous. Her long red hair was unnaturally shiny, parted straight down the middle and hanging loose. Her skin was pale, almost like porcelain, and her features were sharp. Her lips were plump and coated with gloss, the rest of her makeup almost natural looking. She was thin in a way I knew Jake would call 'stacked like a supermodel'. Long legs stuck out of the bottom of a bright red dress, accentuated by a pair of deadly high heels.

Literally deadly.

They were at least six-inches high and so thin you could stab someone with them. How the hell had she run in those things? I would've broken both of my ankles.

Her blue eyes sparkled as she stared at me, and the biggest smile I'd ever seen before lit up her face. There was no wart and no unibrow, instead just some small freckles scattered around her nose. Freckles. And she looked young... really fucking young. Like, damn near 'where the fuck is Chris Hansen when we need him?' young.

"Uh, hi," I managed to say. "I'm Bel-"

"Isabella Marie Swan," she said, cutting me off. I cringed as she said my name. "I know exactly who you are. I've heard so much about you. Edward just raves and raves about his best friend. I swear I feel like I already know you!"

"Uh, wow," I mumbled, looking at Edward for some kind of help, but he was just smiling as he watched us. He looked goofy. What the hell was wrong with him? "I wish I could say the same about you."

"I know, but things have been such a whirlwind! I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other, though. How long are you in town for?"

I shrugged. "Not sure, really. It was kind of a spur of the moment visit."

"Well I hope you stay for a while! At least until the wedding."

My brow furrowed. "You're getting married here?"

She nodded excitedly. "Yes! In exactly three weeks! We were going to marry back east, but Edward thought it would be great if..."

She continued to prattle on, but I couldn't seem to hear anything past 'three weeks'. That was it. In twenty-one days it would all be over.

She was still talking about God knows what, only select words registering with me. Friend. Park. Rain. Seattle. School.

The moment she said the last one, I cleared my throat. "How old are you, exactly?"

"Twenty-one," she replied. "Or well, I will be in two weeks. Edward and I share a birthday. Isn't that wicked?"

Wicked? Just fucking lovely. She was only twenty years old. I started my period before she could even walk. I was crushing on Edward when she was still shitting herself. Those few years may not seem like a lot to most, but to me it felt like a century. I was ancient compared to her. Suddenly my back was starting to hurt and my bones were creaking as I fidgeted nervously. I may as well invest in a cane for my inevitable walk of shame. She was young and beautiful, and I was just plain, old Bella Swan.

What the hell had I been thinking?

Tanya grabbed Edward's arm, linking hers through it as she leaned against him, and I just stared at them. They looked happy, a striking picture-perfect couple who complimented each other in every way. Even a passer-by would probably stop and gawk, envious of the sight. They belonged on the cover of a magazine.

A magazine I wanted to rip the pages out of and start a fire with.

The problem was, that wasn't Edward. I knew Edward. Time may have passed, but he was still the same person deep down inside. Edward loathed perfection. He might be swept up in things, blind to reality, but I could see the truth. If he married Tanya, he'd live to regret it.

The question was, could I make him see that before it was too late?

I plastered a smile on my face as Tanya continued to talk, refusing to react even as he leaned down to kiss her. She said she was going back inside and hugged me again before bouncing toward the Cullen's house.

Her shiny lip gloss had smudged and left a trail of stickiness on Edward's bottom lip. I watched as his tongue darted out, brushing across it slowly. He was tasting it... tasting her.

I wanted to puke again.

"I should probably go," Edward said, reaching over and squeezing my arm gently. It was a friendly gesture, completely platonic. It made my chest ache.

He strode off after Tanya, and she stopped halfway through the yard, screeching excitedly. "A pair of Stuart Weitzman pumps laying in the grass! Thank you, shoe Gods!"

My brow furrowed in confusion, having no idea who she was talking about, until she picked up a familiar looking high heel. I sighed, realizing I'd kicked them off before climbing the tree and completely forgot about them being outside.

She picked up the other one, still smiling as she started toward the house again. "Tanya, babe, those shoes aren't yours. They're..." Edward started to say, but she didn't let him finish.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers," she sang.

Edward looked at me, seeming panicked, but I waved him off. The message was received. She could keep the shoes - I didn't care. I didn't even like them really. But as for the man?

He was mine.

Edward smiled before turning back around, jogging to catch up with Tanya. I stood there for a moment, trying to get my thoughts straight before heading back inside. The first thing that greeted me in the entryway was the sound of Charlie whistling, the same damn tune I'd heard all morning. It was already stuck in my head, playing in the back of my mind even though I still couldn't place it.

He walked by me toward the stairs, stopping the whistling long enough to speak. "So how about that Tanya now?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as he grinned with amusement.

"She's, uh... different."

I got it now.

Charlie laughed but said nothing else as he made his way upstairs.

I was completely overwhelmed and wrapped my arms around myself, on the verge of tears. The fabric of the pajama top pulled taut against my skin and some of the stitching abruptly gave way, tearing a hole along the shoulder that nearly ripped the whole damn sleeve off. It stunned me for a moment as I stood there, before I just started laughing at the absurdity of it all. I was a complete and utter mess, already falling apart at the seams. Literally.

If any moment were to warrant an "I'm in over my head" text to one's best friend, it would be then. Too bad I was pretty sure Edward wouldn't understand.

Yet.

See ya next Friday, as usual