A/N: Chapter made possible by my great beta Icul8er (Hugs and Kisses)

Challenging Humanity

Chapter 23: City Showing a Point

I fully opened the window and let the wind blow on my face. It was exhilarating. I was glad Liz convinced Charlie to take Rosalie's BMW for the drive. Rosalie wasn't happy, but accepted with an eye roll.

Charlie was driving ten miles above the speeding limit, much to my surprise.

"So where are we going?" I signed to Charlie. His carefree attitude was rubbing off on me.

"It's a place I like to go when I have had a bad day or something; it has good memories," from his tone, I could tell that he wasn't ready to elaborate.

Charlie drove in silence. There was an awkward moment when he put on some country music, but I couldn't hear anything because of the wind going through me my face.

Once we reached out of town we finally stopped. I ignored the welcome sign to Seattle. He parked in a dark area, it wasn't a parking lot. It was more of an open ground of dirt. It seemed like we were in the middle of a forest.

"Step around carefully, I hope you're not wearing heels," his voice was filled with humor. I rolled my eyes, following his lead. I was glad I that I had made Alice agree to let me wear my shoes. After I promised to go shoe shopping with her.

The trees slowly cleared away, and the view beyond took my breath away. I could see the entire city; I think we were standing on top of a hill or cliff. The whole city was lit up and little houses resembled to ants. I remembered when I had seen sights like this on TV, I had wished at that time I could see it in real. I smiled realizing my wish had just been answered.

"This is amazing!" I signed, standing closer to the edge. I wish I could yell and echo my name.

"Be careful, step back a little," Charlie warned. He sat against a tree and looked at the view wistfully.

I smiled, walking over to him, and sat down next him. "So why here?" I questioned.

Charlie smiled back, "the view here is best at night. When I was training to be a cop, I had to wake up early and run couple of miles to keep in shape. I used to drive here and run, just so I could watch the sun rise from here. This place is where my dream had begun." His eyes didn't move away from the point ahead.

I waited for him to continue.

"The first day I witnessed the sunrise, I promised myself I would build a house here for my family." I gasped silently at his confession. "At that time I didn't know what the future ahead of me would be." He smiled, putting his arms around and hugged me. I hugged him back, absorbing the feel of having a real dad. He let go and moved back into sitting position.

He sighed, "the house I live in now, belongs to my parent's. It was the house I was born in. I used to go to school in the La Push Reservation. At that time, there were no schools or even people in Forks. That had been one of the reasons my dad chose to live here. He was very private, and he liked to keep to himself. My mom had a different personality; she liked to care for everyone. She used to be a nurse in the army that is where she had met my dad. He was a general in the US army. He was known and respected by many people. After he fell in love, my mom had made him leave the army, because she had wanted to live safely together. My dad wanted the same safety for my mom, so they had resigned together. My dad found this small town, and they never looked back."

"Where did he live before he moved here?" I asked, intrigued by the idea of my grandparents in the army.

"My dad used to live in New York, but my mom used to live in one of those army academies. Her home was in Italy. That is where you got your name from. Isabella is Italian. Beautiful. I named you after her."

I smiled at that little trivia. I always had wondered who had named me. It made me feel proud to be named after her. I didn't remember anything about her, if felt good to know that I had something connected to her. "Did she ever meet me?"

He smiled sadly, shaking his head, "They both died in a car accident one month before you were born. I think that was when it stung me. I always had my dad's support, now I was really an adult. You know since I was a kid, I had all these rules like military type. Waking up at the crack of dawn, and making the bed right after. Basically, I was a trained solider at the age of seven. But, little by little my life turned to normal. My mom involved herself in the community. She joined the elders' council, which was like the law court in La Push. It still is. No one allows anyone outside their ancestors to join the council, but my mom was tough. I don't know how or why they accepted her.

I became friends with the guys in the reserve. I joined sports, and basically, was being an ordinary kid. Dad was still strict, but only when it came to school and chores. My dad started to work in Police force, but it was on special cases. Like one or two cases here and there. If it was too big for them to handle, my dad stepped in and it was believed in those cases, he didn't have a family.

That was another reason for the move to Forks. He wanted safety for us. Only close friends know about me and Mom. When I joined high school, I started to think about what I wanted to be? I always had admired my Dad. I thought about joining the army, but my Mom didn't want me to. She had decided since I was little that she wouldn't let me join the army.

My dad humored her, because she was the one who cooked for us." He chuckled, and I joined in. "Honestly, he told me to do what I want, but never settle for anything less. That is the only mistake I had made. I had settled for better. I met your mom in my junior year. That was the year I was going to New York. I told my dad I wanted to be a cop, he knew people that could have train me perfectly. Before I graduated college, I would have been already part of the force. My mom made me promise to be a cop in Forks; to be always with her. I agreed because I loved Forks too.

All of these people were my family; I would have happily protected them. My goal went into…well actually it was just changed for better or for worse, I still don't know. When your mom came into my life, my life changed over 360 degrees around. She was one of those girls that everyone hated, but always gave attention to. I lost all my attention on her. She was the first girl I approached, who I wanted to beyond a friendship with. She made me feel, and question things I never thought about. Little by little, I started to change my ways to be with her. However, there were things I overlooked, the way she would look at this town, like it's just a temporary hotel to stay at. Or the way she would talk about traveling the world. I ignored it all, because that is what everyone thinks; everyone, who hasn't seen the world anyway. My parents had seen it, even the worse side, for them this place was the world. I wanted to see the world once too. But, that changed when I thought of leaving the only place I knew. Renee was excited for me about going to New York, she said she was applying to New York university for interior designing," I raised my eyebrows at him.

He started to laugh when he had caught on, what I was implying, and "I should have asked her to show me some of her sample work." He chuckled, causing me to nod in agreement.

"But she just was so full of life. She was funny and unpredictable. She had kept me guessing. I did the craziest things with her, and for her. For me, she was perfect."

I smiled sadly for him.

I wish Renee could be here right now, I wish Renee would say the same thing to him. However, the rational part of me was glad she wasn't. Charlie was too good for Renee.

"It was also the year, when she told me she was pregnant."

I gasped silently and looked at the view ahead. I didn't know if I was ready to hear this. But the other part of me was anxiously waiting for him to say the worst. I didn't know if I could handle it if he did.

Charlie continued on, "I don't remember the date, or the time, what I do remember is seeing Renee's crying face in my bedroom that early morning, my brain going numb that day. I had never been this confuse before, but then I could picture it all, Bella. I could see myself ahead." He turned toward me in excitement. "I didn't go to school that day, and came here. I thought about you. How would it be to be a father? If I can protect my family, why can't I create one? I mean, that is the main goal right? Get a career, make money and then family. Why not take the last step first? Why let time get in the way of something I might not get later? I was at that time ready to take on the world. I went, and told my parents. My dad was disappointed, but didn't disown me like I had expected. My mom was silent, and then she looked me right in the eye and asked me what am I going to do? I told her I wanted to give you my name. I was going to marry Renee. My mom didn't say anything, but she didn't have to she just hugged me to her. After that I went to Renee. I knew she wouldn't agree,"

I bit my lip but my eyes must have asked the unspoken explanation.

He laughed when he saw my expression, "your mom was kind of a drama queen. Nothing came easy with her. I had to fight tooth and nail with her on everything." I laughed too.

"With me too," I signed in surprise.

"Really?" Charlie laughed.

I nodded in confirmation.

"Well I guess some things never change. Anyway, I brought her to this place at night. I made her stand right in the middle. I got on one knee and I proposed." I smiled at his blush.

"That was the time of day, I really felt the change; the responsibility of being an adult. I promised myself, I will be all I can be for your mother and you. Renee moved in with me. She used to live with an old couple here, I think they were her adoptive parents or something but I rarely met them. Renee went to and told them her news. They kicked her out, and Renee was seventeen so she decided to get herself emancipated. Her adoptive parents moved away. I brought her to my home. My mom had tried everything to help her. My dad agreed to let me still live with them, if I kept my goals straight. He still wanted me to go to New York. I agreed, because I knew I had to do something for my family. I got married, I wanted something small like court marriage, but Renee made a huge event out of it. She invited everyone in Forks to the wedding. My mom kept worrying about Renee's condition. I just went through it, and next day I left for New York. Renee wanted a honeymoon, but my dad wanted me to complete my course and come back when Renee was having you. Truthfully, I was more excited about you, than my wedding. I already asked my dad to make sure I had time off, if I didn't complete the course in time, to make it on delivery day. Mom promised to call me if there was any problem, and I left. Renee wanted to come with me, but I couldn't take her with me. I was going there for training. After I left I got busy with trainers. I came back when I got the worse news in my life." Charlie's voice started to get a little choked up, I waited until he was back in control.

"My trainer told me, my dad and mom died in a car accident. I left my course and come back to Renee. Renee was not the same girl I fell in love with, she was this bitter woman that I couldn't recognize. My dad had left a will for me, he named everything to me. My mom's will was not given to me. That will was named only for you." He looked at me expectedly.

I gasped. My grandmother had left something for me.

"I could only read her will when you are present and at the age of eighteen."

I bit my lip, thinking. I had just turned seventeen a month ago. It made me sad to think I still had a year to wait. "What happen then?" I signed. I couldn't let him stop now.

"My dad had thought of everything. After you had turned one year old, I could have still continued my training. He had arranged a trainer to come here for me, and train me for Forks police. I joined my high school back, to continue with my education. I was eighteen by then. All my friends in Forks, pitched in to help me. Billy's wife used to come and cook for me, when she also had two kids of her own. Sue came around to take care of Renee too. Renee was very difficult. She would always do something crazy, which could have hurt you. During those days, I used to stay in the house, and help around with planning for you. That was when I had met Carlisle."

He smiled fondly, "he was starting to join the internships, and my dad had called him to live in Forks, before he had died. He was one of my dad's special cases too. After my training had ended I had decided to take on all of my Dad's cases. I made Carlisle think about moving here again, Esme was pregnant with Edward and Alice too. And Liz also knew them. She used to visit them in Massachusetts for winter breaks."

"Edward and Alice are twins?" I interrupted.

"Bella, honey, isn't it obvious?" he asked slowly, holding back his laugh.

I blushed at my stupidity, now that I thought about both of their appearance, it was quite obvious.

He laughed a little, "yeah they are twins, and Emmett I think was barely one year old. They rented the house beside my house. Esme took care of Emmett and herself, plus Renee. Esme always made Renee take her pregnancy seriously. Carlisle was like me, he was learning his way into the medicine world. Nevertheless, he moved to Chicago, but use to come and visit Forks every summer."

"That's how you know Alice since she was little?"

He nodded, "Alice and Emmett were always a handful. One time I remember, I came into my room. I saw Alice; she had taken all my clothes from the closet and piled them on the middle of my bed. She had been jumping up and down, and singing something that sounded like twinkle twinkle little star."

I started laughing, trying to imagine a little Alice ripping off clothes from the hangers.

"I began searching for the camera like a mad man. I had finally found one, and started taking pictures. Emmett advised me to hide it for blackmailing, in case she would force me go shopping with her in the future," he grinned evilly.

I shook my head and laughed, "I might have to borrow it sometime," I sighed.

Charlie laughed, "yeah, I forgot today was your first experience with Alice shopping. How was it?"

I rolled my eyes, "it's shocking, and I can still feel my hands and legs,"

Charlie nodded, and looked back at the view, "I was happy too Bella, somehow I was making it through, as close you were coming to this world, Renee started pulling away more. She didn't want to live in this little town. I tried Bella; I tried to explain to her, that my mom is here. I can feel her in this land, but she wanted to move. Finally, I even agreed to move, but it was too late. She didn't want me either."

I tried to hold back my sobs, when I saw Charlie hiding his tears.

"I just wanted her to be happy, so I gave her what she wanted."

"Why didn't you fight for me?" I signed, fisting his shirt sleeve in my hands and shaking it desperately.

"I couldn't stay away from my mom, how could I have made you do that?" His shoulders started to shake, I cried with him.

All my arguments had escaped my mind, at his words.

"What about the fact of my being a mute? Wasn't that the reason for your divorce?" I asked, after we both had quieted down.

"No Bella, you're the reason we lived together as long as we did. We were actually over before then," he stated.

"But, I always thought it was because of me? I thought you didn't want to move, because of my school?"

"Is that what Renee told you?" He furiously accused.

I shook my head in refusal.

"Did you ask her?" He looked at me.

I shook my head again, "she didn't want to talk about you, at all!"

He looked back toward the cliff with a disapproval frown, "she should have, she should have made sure you understood," he kissed my forehead. "Nothing was ever your fault. You're the one gift that had made my dreams into reality. I missed you so much kiddo. You're the reason I had kept fighting."

I arms tightened around him, then loosened my grip, "what happened after we left?" I wiped away the wetness from my cheeks.

"Well, right after you left, things turned difficult for me. I was always use to seeing your smile when I first walked into the house. After you left, it was pure torture just to see the empty rooms. I had started to distant myself, until my friend Matt, asked me to help him join the police force. With him, I started to work more in the force too. I traveled a lot; I went back to New York and reworked through my courses. I did what I could to keep myself busy."

I avoided looking at him, after that confession. That is where I got my habit, of keeping myself busy, from. "What about the Cullens?" I shifted the topic.

He was thoughtful, "actually it was then I had started to get closer to them. Carlisle was the one, who had found your Phoenix school and Renee her job. He also found me a good therapist…"

"Therapist?" I looked at him with widen eyes.

His cheeks turned a little red, "like I had said, it was very difficult for me. I started therapy. I also had started going back to my friends," he had a faraway look, "Do you remember when you first got the chicken pox?"

I shook my head in confusion, "why?"

"I think you were three. That was the first time I felt like, I was getting a heart attack from worrying. If someone would point a gun toward me, I won't even blink, but a 3 year old getting all red, and shaking, had sent me straight into panic."

I bit my lip to hide my smile.

"I didn't know what was wrong with you. You started to get a temperature, and started turning really red. I didn't have my car either, that day. I had a flat tire and had to leave it at Billy's garage. I'm glad it was during the summer. I ran to Carlisle, bare feet. Carlisle was shocked. He had just reached to Forks a couple of minutes ago, and was starting to eat. It was the first time he was seeing you. He had made a joke about, how I had given you my blush. He treated you right away. I was just standing there, hoping I wasn't not in the way. That night you stayed over at the Cullens. Emmett kept touching your cheek 'to change the color.' Edward and Alice shared their toys with you."

"Renee told me, that was the age we had moved to Phoenix?" I signed.

His smile change to pain, "yeah, that was the last summer I was with you. Carlisle had arranged everything with the lawyers and the divorce papers. Esme had tried to talk to Renee out of it, but Renee wouldn't hear it. Everyone just gave up."

"Why didn't I meet the Cullens before that summer?"

"I used to take you to the La Push area, or the Cullens were busy. Carlisle wouldn't have even come, because he started his practice in Chicago. Esme just had her heart here." He sighed.

I waited for him to explain, but he never did.

A/N: Hi everyone. I delayed this chapter for many reasons, one I wanted it to be perfect and two, I received a negative review which made me to lose my inspiration to write once more. My friends in this fandom stood by me and helped. Ofcourse your reviews were the best medicine to make me feel better again.

I have been busy with my websites. Challenging Humanity website is now ready and running. You can find teasers, quotes and songs for chapters I will update from now on. You can also see what fanfiction I am currently reading. Check it out ChallengingHumanity (dot) tumblr (dot) com.

(I need help with my website, if anyone is interested please PM or email me)

I am trying to make my website for my banners big too. I joined affiliate with many other websites and I am looking for more. PM for information on this. My website for my banners is Mehek18 (dot) tumblr (dot) com.

I am active in tweeting too. Join me in tweet world (at mehek18)

Review Winners (Love you all soo much *smiles*)

InhaleLoveExhaleHate

Oh. My. Gosh. I absolutely fell in love with this story ! It's just such a great plot and it's written better than a lot of stories I've read on FanFiction ! This story needs an award ... Oh , look , I found something !

Here's An Award To mehek18 ; For the Outstanding Story 'Challenging Humanity ' / Best Story Mackie has read this month (OCTOBER) !

Awww , what a great award *wipes tears from eyes* Please continue and update soon (: Mute Bella is my favorite out of everything .

Mackie.

2brown-eyes

Best Bella is story I have read, so far. I love the depth of the other characters. Definitely a lot of drama to keep you interested. Looking forward to Bella and Edward getting together soon, but I understand why the wait. Looking forward to more to come.

msfleabite

i love this sorry it is awsome and i cant wait to read more of it! 3 3 I LOVE THIS STORY! its so diffrent then the ones i normaly read!

twilightJoker

I absolutely love this story! You are a really amazing talented writer! I really hope that Edward and Bella get together soon cause am waiting for some fluff! ;) LOL! I really want to murder Renee...grrr! Loved this chappy it was awesome as usual!

Please, please please update soon cause am waiting to read!

Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of hug and kisses from meee! :)

jediahsokaroxx

okay.. i dont know the right word to describe how AWESOME this story is! I absolutely LOVE IT! :D I would've have stayed up all night to read it if i had to, but my dad caught me and sent me to bed :( Sooo sadly i had to wait till morning to finish the story! It was torture! Plus i LOVEE the dialogue in this story, its hilarious and brillant! I still cant get over "And thats how you stop a food fight!" It still cracks me up! :D No pressure, but PLZ update soon!If you do i will be the happiest person in this planet!(k maybe im exaggerating a little bit but you kno what i mean) Again, no pressure... :)

SpenceSince1993

Wow, go Charlie, but now i'm beyond curois as to what Charlie wants to say. I love Charlie but hate renee, actually i love to hate her it makes everything funner.

GO JASPER! *cough* *cough* all better. Jasper is always hotter when he has a darker past, haha.

Can't wait to read more please update when you can.

Spence

7HockeyStarVampireObsessed7

Great chapter! Wow poor Bella, I would go with my dad, even if he does embarrass me a lot I love him and I would love to skip school for a day. She is not selfish, but I feel so bad. Why didn't alice notice her red eyes? Edward is really noticing things about her and now is he realizing that he likes her? Charlie is a great dad, and liz is just plain awesome! Rosalie is an annoying brat, but I hope she changes. I really feel for jasper, I hope that he can feel better about Richard and Rosalie and that his life will get better. I still think renne is a jealous bitch. Charlie is sooo sweet. I hope esme will feel better, and right now I am in a car that bumps a lot and I keep having to go back to retype words because of all the miss hit keys. But it is so worth it. :) great chapter! Update soooooooon. Oh, I hope Leah, Sam, and Seth are getting better.