author's note: Sorry for the long wait. RL has been crazy lately and school starts tomorrow but don't worry I have no plans to abandon this story. I all ready know where it goes ;)

Just ask for your patience. Thanks!

Ch. 3 Swan Family

"You did the right thing you know," Bella said to Spence.

The two girls were up in Spence's room. Bella's family was out hunting. It was the first time that Carlisle and Esme felt comfortable leaving Bella alone. Usually when they went on hunts, one of them or more would stay behind. She was seventeen and didn't need babysitting, she had told them as much but it wasn't so much as babysitting as it was not wanting to leave Bella behind while they tended to their natural feeding urges. And despite the cold temperatures tomorrow was going to be sunny.

Spence had offered Bella to stay at her place in town and given that they were biological cousins, Carlisle didn't have a problem with it. Edward had promised to be back as soon as he could but Bella told him not to rush and to have a good time.

When they arrived at the house Spence offered up her bed to Bella. Ever since her own changes she found that she didn't really need one. Even though she did sleep a task most likely from her wolf side, she found she could sleep just about anywhere.

"Yeah but did I," Spence asked. "I mean Jacob will phase anyways, at least Sam's convinced of it. So would it really matter if he knew before hand? I just hate freezing him out like this and I know how much it bother's Charlie. I can just sense it. Billy has always been Charlie's family and now it's like I'm driving a wedge somehow and it only pulls me away further."

"Well I can't tell you what the right thing to do is but from what you've told me Jacob seems like a really nice guy. He may hate the situation, you both probably do but right now it seems like it's for the best. You don't take orders from anyone but you know keeping your distance from Jacob is the right thing to do."

Spence looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah, I know," she said.

From a mile out Spence heard Charlie's cruiser.

"Shoot Charlie's coming. I haven't even made him dinner yet."

As the two of them walked downstairs Bella asked, "Are you sure he's going to be okay with me staying? We haven't seen each other since Friday."

"Despite it being awkward," Spence said raiding the pantry, "I'm sure he'll be fine with it. You are his daughter."

"That's debatable."

Spence stopped what she was doing. "You two just need to give it time. Things won't happen overnight but they won't happen if neither of you try to figure out some sort of relationship and you're bound to if our sleepovers become routine."

Bella smiled and walked over to the stove. "Want me to help with that?"

"You can cook?"

Bella smirked, "I live in a house full of vampires of course I cook."

"Then by all means I wouldn't mind help at all. My sense of taste hasn't been the same since I phased."

The girls continued to joke and cook until they heard the door open.

"Something smells good," he said.

"Still working on it," Spence called out as Charlie made his way to the kitchen.

"Um, hi Bella," he said unsure of what to say next.

"Hey," Bella replied.

"Bella's family is out camping," Spence said to Charlie before he could react to anything. "I told Bella she was free to stay here."

"Um sure," replied Charlie. "I don't have a problem with that." He then said to Bella, "You're not really a camper?"

"Not when it gets below 20 degrees. My family likes to rough it," Bella replied.

"What happens usually?"

"Usually one of them stays behind."

Charlie seemed baffled by Bella's answer. Not that he minded having Bella here at his house, which he didn't but so much was changing so quickly and in such a short amount of time. First Spence had come to live with him, second he found out he had daughter and that she and Spence were cousins, and then there was the situation with Spence.

In just a week the girl had gone from a small 5'4" to a sprouting 5'8" with a body musculature that looked like fighter Gina Carano. Charlie didn't follow MMA style fighting but he wasn't oblivious to some of those athletes either.

And then there was the situation with Jacob. Billy had been a long time friend of his and it had been Charlie's hope that Spence would get along with Jake, hoping she would have at least one friend. They seemed to hit it off at first but then Charlie started to notice Spence backing away from Jacob, never being around when he was visiting. He had talked to Billy about it once and all Billy had to say was that sure Jacob was bothered by it but that Spence was forging her own path and that maybe things would work out somehow. Charlie couldn't find the optimism in that when all he saw was her pushing Jacob away.

While the girls cooked Charlie went to the living room and turned on the TV just channel surfing. With him out of the kitchen Bella sighed.

Spence placed a comforting hand on her cousin's shoulder. "It'll get better."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

Spence let out a small laugh. "Looks like we're both in the dog house," she looked up not realizing her word choice until a second adding, "no pun intended on my part since I am one." She focused her attention back to the subject at hand. "Charlie just doesn't know how to act around you and he's sure as hell mad at me for freezing Jacob out so he's got a lot on his plate right now."

Bella shook our head, "So is this our new normal?"

"Seems that way," Spence replied.

Dinner was ready so Charlie came over to the table. Spence only made plates for Bella and Charlie.

"You're not eating?" Charlie asked even though Spence sat at the table with them.

"Not really hungry," Spence answered. "I'll eat later."

At least she was telling the truth, to a certain extent. Only Bella knew that Spence would be going out later that night searching for a fresh kill.