Chapter 9

Charlies' POV


...Just Broken

The snow sloshed underneath my hiking boots as I followed my long time friends, Billy Black and Harry Clearwater. We had just finished our three-month hike from Snow Lake. (Real place, on my profile) Finally, we were on our way down the mountains.

"If my boy has done anything to my house..." Billy grumbled nervously. He was worried about his sixteen-year-old son, Jacob Black, being like we were.

"I'm sure Jake can handle himself," I said in an unconvincing voice. "But, c'mon, were we any different?" I asked taking a rest on a near-by boulder, the other two took a rest too. "Billy, both your dad and mine, caught us doing all kind of wacky stuff back in the day..."

"So, you would allow Bella to do all those-oh shit!" Billy was shocked about what he had just said, Harry was too.

I felt my smile turn down; Bella. My sweet, beautiful baby girl. I haven't heard from her in eleven years. She's sixteen now, not so much my little girl anymore. When her mother and her had left, I had expected child support, a letter, a e-mail, an address...something. But in the end, I got nothing. It was as if I never meant anything to my little girl.

The lump in my throat was daring to come out. Swallowing hard, I stood up and continued walking. Eventually, I heard the two pairs of footsteps following. "It's OK, Billy. I don't want you guys to have to watch what you say around me," I said softly to my childhood buddies. "Plus, if Be-She, ever she came up here I wouldn't let her leave my side." I laughed softly while Harry and Billy chuckled. I could tell they noticed my slip up with her name. I tried playing it off, "Though keeping her away from Jake would be quite hard," I joked letting them have a taste that I was...accepting.

Four Days Later

"First thing I'm doing when I get home, is taking one huge sleeping pill and going to bed!" Harry said once we got to the cruiser and on the interstate.

I was driving the cruiser so we could beat traffic and get home quicker.

Yawning loudly, I pulled into the rest stop five hours later. The sun had set three hours earlier and it was getting hard for me to keep my eyes open. "You got one of those sleeping pills with you?" I asked, they knew I was joking; I didn't take any type of pill unless necessary. I leaned the driver seat back and closed my eyes.

As soon as the others were snoring, I turned on my side and slipped open my cellphone. A picture of a little girl at the age of four and me on a couch. Slowly, a small lone tear ran down my right cheek. Hastily, not wanting to think about that just now, I checked my messages.

15 Messages unanswered!

"Dang..." I muttered under my breath clicking my code in and the phone to my ear.

Twelve were about what was going on in Forks, Washington. I told the guys back at the station, to call every Friday for an update. Nothing too serious, boys on the reservation starting a bonfire on one of the cliffs in La Push, a small reservation on the side of Washington.

The last three were from an unknown callers. The first two were the same message:

Hello, I'm Victoria Varnish. I calling to speak to a Charlie Scott Swan. I work with Child Protective Services. I need to speak with Mr. Swan as soon as possible. Thank you for your time.

Child Protective Services? What the hell? I thought saving those. The last one brought all the puzzle pieces, the hidden tears, and the hidden anger together:

Charlie, its, um, Bella. I know its been a...a long time since we've spoken and seen one another. But...I need you. I need you to call me back at this number as soon as you can. I promise to answer everything you ask, but over voice-mail...isn't the way to do it. Amber needs the phone now, but I love you Daddy. Never forget that!

Ten seconds later, we were back on the interstate. Several questions were running through my head all at once. What happened? Why is she in Child Protective Services? Where is Renee? Why did she sound like she had been crying? Why does she need me? Who the hell is Amber? None of those were going to be answered till I got back to Forks and on my phone.

Twelve hours later

"Oh...look at that. We're in Port Angelas..." Harry mumbled sleepily. I nodded, eyes wide open and determined. "Holy shit! We're in Port Angelas!? Charlie when did we start driving again?"

I shrugged my stiff shoulders. "About eight...ten minutes after you guys fell asleep."

"What? You've been up all night? Why?" He all but yelled. I handed him my cell. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Listen to the voice-mails on there," I said switching lanes swiftly.

Five minutes of silence followed, he had a dazed look on his face. "Bella?"

I nodded "Pretty damn weird right?"

"Child Protective Services? Why in Gods name would she be there?"

I just shrugged pulling off the Forks, Washington exit. "I don't know, but wake Billy for me. Then I'll drop you both off, go home and get this under control."

He nodded "Call Mrs. Varnish first, she probably won't go into hysterics."

once we had Billy awake, we told him what was going on, and let him listen to the voice-mails. "Somethings off in her voice," he said while we helped grab his camping and fishing gear. "She sounds so..."

"Tired?" Harry finished throwing the tents into the shed, Billy shook his head.

"Upset?" I guessed tossing the sleeping bags and pillows in the linen closet, he shook his head once again.

"Broken," Billy finally answered pouring us some hot coffee. "She seemed hurt, torn, and just...broken."


There's Chapter 9! God it took long enough right?! Anyways...sorry it was a little short. Next chapter is going to be longer. Probably be up by Thursday!