Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
A/N: I do not reread what I write because I'm insanely lazy. So there are probably lots of errors, please excuse and ignore them.
Without needing to open my eyes, I knew that I was cuddled against Athenodora. Her scent alone was a dead give-away, but there were different ways I could tell it was her. The best reason being that I knew that whichever two queens I hadn't fallen asleep next to, would make sure they were one of the ones I woke up next to. I could almost imagine in my head a silly argument between the three with two of them saying since I had fallen asleep with one, it was only fair for me to wake up with one of the others. I personally didn't really care, but it seemed important to them; it was probably just a way to have more cuddle time with me. I was just happy to have them to snuggle up to.
A good indicator that it was Athenodora that I was snuggled up against rather than Didyme was the way she held me. All three of them seemed to hold me differently. Just like they all three very different personalities, they all had very different ways they interacted with me on an intimate level. I would probably never be able to fully explain it, but just the way I could feel her arms around me told me it was Athenodora and not one of the others.
"Good morning Bella, did you sleep well?" Athenodora asked when I tightened my grip I had around her waist as I laid on top of her.
"I did." I mumbled into her neck. "What time is it?" I asked. I wanted to see Charlie as soon as possible and if I could, I would like to have breakfast with him.
"It's nearly lunch time. You must have been a lot more tired than we realized." Athenodora said as she started to run her hands up and down my back, making me somehow relax further into her.
"That and jet lag I'm sure." I mumbled as I mentally fought off the want to fall back to sleep from Athenodora's actions.
"Before you fall back asleep my dear, why don't you go take a shower and then once you're ready, we can take you to see your father?" Sulpicia said from somewhere in the room.
I was really starting to like how easily they could read me. I could understand how someone might not like it, but with these three, it's different. To me, it just seemed to bring us closer. I loved that with a look, or even just lack of certain words, they knew what I was really thinking and what I wanted. I would like to think I could at least read fairly well but there were still times they threw me off, almost like I was being kept on my toes. I couldn't see myself doing that to them because of how well they seemed to be able to understand me and I was really starting to love it.
"Shouldn't I visit with the Cullen's first though?" I asked as I started to slowly pull away from Athenodora's hold.
I really wanted to see my father, but I would feel rude if I at least didn't visit with the Cullen's for at least a little bit. Most of them I hadn't seen since they left and I really did want to talk with them. I didn't want to just come here, sleep here and then not even talk with them. I knew, obviously, that they hurt me by just leaving and not even saying anything to me about it. I knew though, even though nothing was said about it and I'm sure I could ask Sulpicia to verify for me, that Edward had something to do with them not saying anything. I just couldn't believe they would all willingly leave me without saying anything. Even Rosalie, with as much as she didn't like me, knew that I was a liability with knowing their secret and their responsibility until I died one way or another.
"I'm tired of being around the Cullen's." Athenodora said with an adorable pout. I'm sure if I had pointed it, she would deny it with a glare, so instead I just mentally cooed at how cute it was and smiled as I continued my slow trek to the bathroom.
"The Cullen's were planning on having you for dinner anyways Bella, you can visit then." Sulpicia added when she undoubtedly saw that I was going to push visiting with the Cullen's some more.
Before I could respond, Sulpicia picked me up bridal style, making me blush of course, and quickly had us in their rented car. She had moved so quickly, that I didn't even have a chance to notice if any of the Cullen's were even in the house. I'm sure they were, but I didn't want them to think I was rude if they weren't there and just thinking I didn't stick around to visit.
As soon as Sulpicia and I were in the car, we were off towards Charlie's place. It didn't take long for me to realize that just like the Cullen's, she definitely liked to drive fast. I think that was the fastest I had ever put on a seatbelt.
"The other's aren't coming with us?" I asked as Sulpicia drove.
"Actually, if it's alright with you, Athenodora and I will be talking with the Cullen's about the situation and get more information and make some plans. Didyme said that she would like to go with you to have lunch with Charlie." Sulpicia explained with a small frown.
"What kind of plans are you guys going to come up with? What's wrong?" I asked as soon as I noticed the frown.
"Demetri has some news for us, so we'll listen to it and go from there." She paused slightly, and it wasn't until I grabbed her hand to prompt her did she continue to talk. "We all want to meet your father, since he is so important to you and we are here. Esme mentioned though, that it probably wouldn't be good for all of us to meet him at once for lunch. So, we agreed."
"Oh, okay, that makes sense." Charlie is going to be thrown off enough with just one of them showing up, so it wouldn't be good to have all of them there. I'll also have to explain why I suddenly left Forks, before graduating and why I'm randomly in Italy. "So, you guys decided that you would be the one to meet him first?"
"Well, Didyme put her foot down." Sulpicia said with a pout. "She said that apparently Athenodora would scare or piss off your father and that I would apparently get bored too quickly and have us leave too early."
I couldn't help but giggle a little at what she said. I could easily picture her or Athenodora doing exactly what Didyme had predicted. I definitely wouldn't like either of those things happening with Charlie. I suppose having Didyme being the one to meet Charlie first would be a good thing. She's definitely a people person and can easily have Charlie agreeing with anything she says.
"Well, I'm sure you two will someday meet Charlie." I said when I noticed she had sent a small glare my way that for once, I proudly admit, didn't affect me at all.
"Yes well, of course we will. You are our mate and your father is important to you, it's important that we meet him. I'm sure in time we'll eventually be able to meet your mother as well; if we play our cards right of course." Sulpicia said, still fighting her pout which made her even more adorable.
"You guys actually want to meet my parents?" I asked a little shocked.
I knew the three queens wanted a serious relationship with me, that is what you have with your mates after all. I just had never thought they would have wanted this. I hadn't thought they would want to meet my parents. I had thought they just wanted to be with me, not necessarily my life. I didn't think they wanted to do the normal 'meet the parents' thing. I didn't even think they had thought about it. It was a pleasant surprise.
"Of course we do Bella. They are important to you and therefore should be important to us." Sulpicia answered as we parked in front of Charlie's house.
"I didn't expect that."
"We're full of surprises." Didyme said from my suddenly opened door.
I jumped from her sudden appearance and covered my hand over my heart as it seemed to want to beat out of my chest. Didyme was kind enough to at least cover her mouth as she tried to not laugh at me, but Sulpicia had no problems laughing at me.
"It's not funny, you scared me." I said with a small pout as Sulpicia continued to laugh at me.
"I'm sorry my dear, it wasn't my intention."
I had finally had a chance to undo my seatbelt and Didyme held my hand as she pulled me out of the car. Sulpicia met us on the side of the car, leaning against the front of the car. Didyme gently lead my hand that she was holding to wrap around her waist and let go it as she then wrapped her hand around my waist as well.
"I'm going to go talk with the boys about what they've found out and see what Jasper has to say about the army." Sulpicia said as she eyed mine and Didyme's arms around each other.
The look Sulpicia gave Didyme and I being in each other's arms wasn't a look of jealousy like I had thought it was going to be, She looked at us happily, she looked more genuinely happy than I had thought and she looked almost as if she was accepting a challenge. I felt Didyme gently squeeze my waist and then released me. I was surprised I didn't want to release her waist either, but I had to. If Charlie were to look out the window and see us, he would figure out our relationship, and since she was supposed to be my boss, that just couldn't happen.
"As soon as we get back, you'll fill us in then?" Didyme asked as Sulpicia started to walk backwards, probably getting close to flashing away before someone saw her.
"Both of us?" I asked a bit skeptically, still not used to them wanting to involve me in everything.
"Of course we do, why wouldn't we want you involved in something that involves you?" Sulpicia asked and gave me a look that actually made me a bit embarrassed that I had asked in the first place. "As soon as you two come back, we'll fill you in. Text us when you're on your way so we can make sure we aren't in the middle of something. You know how Athenodora can be." Sulpicia said before she was gone from my sight.
"How can she be?" I asked as Didyme put her hand on my lower back as she started to guide me towards the front door.
"She tends to get very caught up in the hunt, she's very much a strategist and since this fight includes protecting you, she'll be very involved."
I gently knocked on the door and opened it. I knew I wasn't gone for long, but I had decided to live over-seas at the spur of the moment without saying goodbye to Charlie. I didn't want to just walk in the house when I had walked out on him. I wasn't sure how upset he still was and I didn't want to assume we could just go back to how it was… well, how it was before Edward broke my heart at least.
"Charlie, it's me, are you here?" It wasn't a necessary question because I knew he was here from the cruiser that was parked outside. I also knew there weren't any guests here because it was the only car here, so either he was watching TV, which is a high possibility or he was making lunch. I just had to find him.
"Right here Bella." Charlie said as he rounded the corner from the living room where he was no doubt watching TV.
He looked a bit apprehensive and very much upset, but as soon as we made eye contact, his anger seemed to go away and he walked closer to me. Even though we both weren't very 'touchy feely', I was more than willing to accept the hung he pulled me into. It had seemed like I hadn't seen him in a long time and it felt good to be in my father's arms again.
"I missed you dad." I murmured into his chest.
"I did too Bells, you had me worried." He said before he placed a kiss on top of my head.
"I'm sorry dad." I was about to say something about why I had left, since that was obviously what he was hinting at, but Didyme's soft cough reminded us both that she was still in the room. "Sorry, this Didyme, she's uh, she's my boss. Didyme, this is my dad, Charlie."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Didyme purred as she extended a hand towards Charlie in greeting. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at what Didyme was obviously doing. I didn't have proof of it right now, but I knew she had to be using her gift on my dad so that he wouldn't be mad at me. "I'm so glad Bella has joined our little family in Italy, she's done us a lot of good working with us."
"Well, I'm glad she's fit well with you." Charlie said a bit hesitantly as he shook Didyme's hand.
"I'm assuming you have a few questions for me though right? Some concerns, perhaps? I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have over lunch."
"I think that would be a good idea." Charlie said in a voice that I knew he used specifically for when he was in 'cop mode'. He was probably mentally preparing himself to interrogate Didyme about everything.
"Do you guys want to go to the diner or maybe I can cook us up something here?" My question was directed more at Didyme since she was the one that had to hide that she can't eat.
"I think we should stay in, if that's okay with you Didyme?" Charlie answered before Didyme could.
"I believe the kind of conversation you want to have would be perfect here. Are you sure you want to cook though Bella? I could help, or we could even order in?"
"I would okay cooking for us here; I haven't had a chance to cook in a while." I said with a pointed look at Didyme to which she just giggled.
"It's settle then, why don't you two get something to drink, and then we can decide what to eat." Charlie said.