Chapter Twenty Six

Charlie

I heard a knock on the front door as I got a fresh beer from the fridge, it was almost empty again and I knew I would have to make a trip to the store and stock up. Maybe buy a few TV dinners too, I lived on those now when I bothered to eat at all. I'd get some flowers though, put them on Bella's grave, check it was still looking tidy. I knew some others tended it too, I'd seen Jacob Black there a couple of times and once Mike Newton and Jessica his wife. I avoided them by going back to my car but it was good to know she wasn't totally forgotten, my little girl. If only she hadn't come to Forks, her mum always said this place was like a grave and I guess she was right. Friends had tried to persuade me to move away when they realized how much Bella's death had affected me but I couldn't leave my baby girl all alone here. Who would look after her? Tell her all the news, bring her flowers regularly? No, I was chained to this place by grief and guilt and would be until the day I died and I hoped that was soon, then I could lay beside her at peace finally and free of pain. All these thoughts ran through my head as I shuffled across the threadbare carpet back to the sitting room popping the beer as I did so. The knock came again and I hesitated then sighing put my can on the ledge by the door and unlocked it, pulling back the stiff bolt with difficulty, arthritis made things like that increasingly difficult and I wondered why I was bothering. It was probably some cold caller or maybe someone from the Res. Jacob called regularly although I never spoke or invited him in, just stared in silence until he turned and walked away. We had nothing to say to each other, it had all been said years ago. Why he thought time would change the way I felt I had no idea. Now he usually only visited on her birthday and at Christmas, oh yes and of course the anniversary of her death, he followed the same routine every time. Maybe it made him feel better, to show me he hadn't forgotten either, as if I cared. The porch light had burned out and I hadn't bothered to replace it so all I could see were two shadowy figures standing there.

"Whatever you're selling I'm not buying."

I went to close the door again when I heard her voice,

"Dad?"

I froze, the door partially shut and waited, had I finally cracked? Was I hearing things? Maybe I'd died and didn't even know it or fallen asleep and this was a dream, then I heard it again.

"Dad? Can we come in?"

I opened the door wide, turned, grabbed my beer, and shuffled back into the sitting room easing my aching bones back into my chair and muting the TV. If the ghosts or dream people wanted to come in and chat well hell why not? I heard two sets of footfalls and then they were in the room with me. My beer dropped to the floor spilling its contents onto the stained carpet and a white hand stretched down and picked it up, setting it on the table as I allowed my gaze to travel to their faces. Bella was as beautiful as ever, no, more beautiful in an unearthly way, her skin almost glowed it was so pale now and her eyes had turned a rich deep gold colour. Standing by her side stood...I knew that face...I delved back in misty memories of before. Everything was divided into before and after. Before and after Bella's death. Yes, it was one of Dr Cullens boys, Jasper and he looked just as I remembered, pale like her with the same eyes. Were these ghosts or dreams? I waited apprehensively, worried that if I spoke they might disappear like smoke.

Bella

Looking at this poor wreck of a man it was hard to believe he had once been the upright, good-looking young cop that Renee had fallen in love with, my father, but I could recognise him in there.

"Dad its Bella. I'm so sorry I never came back before now but I had to see you."

"Bella?"

His hand reached up trembling and touched my outstretched one then he withdrew it rubbing his fingers together as if trying to feel something between them. I knelt down at his side and took his hand in mine, they were almost the same temperature and I realized just how cold the house was. There was no fire, no logs chopped and stacked ready by the hearth, no heating on.

"Dad, it really is me. I didn't die like you thought. Not really,and I know I've been away for a long time. I am so sorry"

His eyes switched from me to Jazz,

"I know you young man. Your brother Edward Cullen brought me a lot of heartache."

"I know sir and I'm very sorry but this is Bella, changed but still your daughter"

He shook his head and I saw tears in his eyes,

"No son, my Bella is dead. She took her own life many years ago, she'd be a hell of a lot older than this pretty girl by now although I have to say she looks very much like her. What do you want? I don't have any money, the car's on its last legs and the fridge is empty, so you're plum out of luck."

I turned his face back to me,

"Do you remember the legends? The Quileute legends and how Billy and the others hated the Cullens?"

He nodded slowly,

"Yeah I remember."

"Well they were all true dad. The wolf protectors and the cold ones. The Cullens were cold ones that's why the Quileutes hated them so much. The cold ones were vampires, Edward, Carlisle, all of them including Jasper here are vampires. They never age. I was turned into one by another vampire called Victoria and kept out of the country for years but now I'm back and I wanted to see you."

"Vampires? Wolves? Well I guess anything is possible in this crazy world."

I could see he didn't believe me so I struggled to think of a way to convince him then he concerned me by coughing loudly, his whole body shaking with it. Without conscious thought I wrapped my arms around him and held him until the coughing stopped then helped him lean back in his chair. On his lips was blood and I knew Alice was right, he was dying, but there was no way he would die here alone in a cold dirty house with no comfort. Jazz must have felt my emotions because when I looked up he was gone.