Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all. I'm just grateful that she lets us play around in her little world.

A/N: Okay, so I lied. I couldn't stop writing on this chapter – so it has been broken into two. Don't worry – my beta already has the other piece. I'll have it up soon.

As I bring another story to close, I have to admit it has been a journey for me. Having never written before I attempted with Harvest Moon, I have to say that writing, even for fun, is often a painful process. I can't tell you how many times I've screamed in frustration – ready to quit.

THANK YOU to each and every one of you who have taken the time to leave a review – it seriously makes my day to think that you like the story enough to give me feedback. They have been my nirvana when I thought this story just plain sucked. You are the best!

Edward POV

The rest of the family, along with Jacob and Evelina, stepped out of the boat while Charlie and Bella continued to hug one another. Charlie's mind, usually so quiet to me, was filled with relief, love, and lots of questions. He wanted to yell at Bella for having left him, but he was too happy to have her in his arms to do so at this moment. I was certain he was saving that for later.

He knew what she was. Carlisle had taken care of that. I saw brief snippets of Charlie glaring at Aro, as well, as he explained the rules of our world and why "Isabella" could not allow him to know she was still "living." I wanted to know the how, the details of why Charlie was here, but no one's mind was open to me right now about it. They were focused on the still trembling man being embraced by his vampire daughter. It was a poignant moment. Charlie's tears splashed over Bella's face, and it was almost as if her tearless sobs had produced them as they glittered on her face. They were both unashamed at the display. I wished in that moment for a camera to capture the moment for Charlie.

"Charlie, I don't understand?" she finally forced out.

"I hear there's some fancy house on this island. Unlike you, the sun is killing me here Bells. I'm hoping there is an air conditioner there as well, because we are far away from cool, shady Forks," he joked. "Maybe we can talk there?" he suggested, taking in the shimmering face before him.

"Of course, of course," she gasped turning toward me, her arm around his waist.

"Edward," he said sternly as they approached where I stood.

"Charlie." I acknowledged.

He held my gaze as he recalled his conversation with Emmett, the one where he'd been told of my mind reading capabilities and Bella's ability to block them. Charlie had wanted to get Bella to block Emmett's mind from me, so that Emmett could deck me for him.

"I'll let him do it anyway, if it will make you feel better, sir."

"I may still take you up on it," he grumbled back at me. Bella looked up at her dad, grinning at the mischievous look on his face. I wondered if she would be so happy if she knew that her father wanted my brother to beat the crap out of me and tear me to pieces, and then he would decide whether or not to light them. Only thing stopping me is that you're my son-in-law, and that only by the slightest of margins.

Carlisle and Esme stepped to my side, giving me subtle smiles, and we began to make our way up the short path to the house.

Just wait until Aro and I can tell you and Bella the whole story, my father begged, knowing I was anxious to hear the explanation.

Jake just kept repeating I'm sorry in his head.

As soon as we made the door, I blurred over to the control unit for the air conditioning. Bella and I hadn't needed it, of course, but I would imagine the muggy heat would be too much for Charlie, who was so used to the cool temperatures of the Northeast. Having programmed the right temperature, I turned to see him watching me with wide eyes. I'd not thought to control my speed.

"Damn, you're fast," he blurted out.

I felt almost embarrassed, but as the family crowded around us, I moved to take my place next to Bella. She'd sat on the couch with her father, clinging to his hand. She was always surprising me. She sat beside him, gently touching him as if the smell of his blood didn't make her throat burn like the fires of hell.

You okay? Carlisle asked me.

Just because I was back to my normal self didn't mean the smell of blood didn't entice me. It always had…always would, I suppose. I turned and smirked at him, letting him know that I was fine. This was Charlie…I wouldn't hurt a hair on his head, even if he wanted to separate my head from my body and dance a jig around the fire.

Aro moved gracefully to the chair opposite us and sat down. It was difficult not to be irritated at the pompous, satisfied air he exuded.

"Isabella, it would seem that your intelligence runs in your family," he smirked looking over to Charlie. "Charlie was on to us, thanks to Jacob."

We both gasped and looked over at the embarrassed wolf.

"Thanks, Aro," he grumbled out. "Now tell the whole story before they take turns stomping me." Amazingly, Eve didn't look too alarmed.

Charlie laughed at the look on Jacob's face, and decided to enlighten us.

"Bells, when Jacob came back and told me that you'd committed suicide, my life ended." He looked over to her and brought her ice cold hand to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it. "The next few weeks were ones I never want to experience again. But then I realized it just didn't feel like you were dead. Something just seemed…wrong. It just felt like I would know if it was true, instead I just had a feeling in my heart like you needed me somehow. Then the mutt disappears again, and when he comes back he has company. Her…" he pointed to Eve "…I like. The brother not so much; he's causing pandemonium back home amongst the ladies. Almost like when you all appeared…" he looked around at my father, brothers, and me." He laughed without humor. "At least you all did your best to stay away from everyone and somehow they were a little spooked by you. Of course, now I know why… Not him, he's attracts women like a magnet and he enjoys it…and that is causing chaos in my little town."

He glared over at Jacob, causing our friend to bow his head in shame. Only Charlie could get a supernatural creature to be afraid of him. It was funny to watch him intimidate Jacob, and I realized that he didn't seem to be intimidated by Aro either. That might not be such a good thing.

"Then, even though he attempted to cover his tracks well, Billy slipped and told me that Jacob and Eve were planning on college. Not just the Port Angeles community college, but University of Washington. I knew that neither Jacob nor Billy had that kind of money, because I was planning on using some of my "lottery" money to send him." He said the word with just the right amount of humor. "Again, the same sense that something was…off…just took over. I called an old friend in Seattle and hired him to do some investigation, and low and behold, what did I find? Unexplainable savings accounts in their names…even little Seth, who had also conveniently disappeared. There was only one person I knew who had that kind of money." He looked directly at Carlisle.

My father shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. Charlie knew though. He knew that we and Aro all had our hands in it.

"With appropriate enticement, my friend did some further investigation and found that the money had been wired from Florence, Italy."

Bella and I both looked at him in fascination, but our family had more time to process the reality than we had. They just smirked, and I realized there was more coming.

"So one night, a month or so ago, Jacob and this Alrik decide to go out drinking…"

Bella's gasp covered him up and she growled out, "JACOB BLACK!"

Jacob just shrugged unrepentantly. "I was attempting to bond with Alrik. He's still not totally one hundred percent behind Eve and me getting married…"

Eve blushed brightly and I saw memories of her and Alrik having discussions about Jacob. Alrik was caving, but not entirely sold.

Charlie snickered, and I realized he was enjoying Jacob's discomfort. He held Jacob responsible for keeping Bella from him as well, so he was taking a certain amount of pleasure that Jacob's love life wasn't all roses. "He and Alrik had a little too much to drink and ended up causing a scene…not that they did anything wrong, but some local yokels decided to impress the ladies by taking on the two biggest men in the bar. The other men got their asses handed to them." Charlie was actually proud of that. "I got called. Jacob's just lucky that he didn't get busted for underage drinking, which I still could arrange by the way," he threw out causing Jacob to wince.

Charlie rolled his eyes and turned back to Bella. "I threw them in the jail cell to teach them a lesson. My deputies put them through a strip search and everything. Their personal possession were placed in an envelope and handed to me."

I saw what Charlie wasn't saying…the female deputies that had volunteered for the duty. But, I was absolutely amazed at his mind when I saw what was coming next.

"Now, I'm not all into the newest gadgets, but when I did the inventory, even I realized just how expensive that little phone was that Jacob was carrying around. So, I did a little search through the call history…and guess whose name is programmed into the device? And even though it had an American number, the history revealed multiple calls to Italy and South America."

Emmett chuckled in appreciation. Now I know where Bella got her instincts from. Charlie looked to the smiling Emmett. "My guy is good."

No, Charlie, you're just that good, I thought.

"Which, by the way, I could have you arrested for?" Jacob snarked.

"Prove it," Charlie threw back, calling Jacob out. "I have witnesses to your illegal activity, you have none to mine," he smiled evilly, and we all chuckled at the look on his face. More and more, like Emmett, I realized just how much like Charlie Bella was.

"I never realized how bad the police corruption was in Forks, Charlie," Jacob snarked back at him.

"Well, I wouldn't know anymore, would I, Jacob?" he responded, causing Bella to gasp out.

"Dad, what do you mean?"

He blushed now, a deep rich blush that spread across his face. "I resigned, Bells, closed up the house. I cashed in everything I had except the house, and added it to the miraculous lottery money I'd been stockpiling…because I was coming to Italy to find you."

"WHAT!" she stood up, totally amazed by what her dad had just revealed to us.

"Isabella, give your father a chance to finish his story," Aro murmured. "He still has much to tell you, and this is the 'good part', as the saying goes." He'd brought his steepled hands before his face, the tips at his smiling lips. He really was enjoying this…entirely too much.

Charlie continued, "I gave the phone back without Jacob realizing I was on to him. I tendered my resignation the next day and began staking out the reservation. I borrowed a good ATN Thermal vision binocular from an FBI guy who owed me a favor and waited to see if I could catch Jacob in something…anything."

"Let me guess, you caught Jacob phasing?" Bella whispered, almost in a horrified manner.

"Is that what it's called? Biggest damn dog I've ever seen - whatever it's called."

"I'm not a dog! I've told you that," Jacob swore out.

Charlie was just harassing him. "Oh, that's right. Wolf, protector… Whatever. Your dad still owes me for all that secrecy. Damn, I'm not Indian by birth, but I might as well be an adopted member of the tribe for all the time I've spent at the reservation, celebrating with your family. What if I'd shot one of you when all those stories of those bears were circulating? Guess you all would have let me in then, right?" He huffed at Jake's face, and I realized that this had been an ongoing argument between them.

"Dad, what did you do?" Bella asked sitting back down, but I could tell she was almost afraid to ask.

"Well, first thing I did was go home and have a few beers."

Emmett broke out laughing, enjoying Charlie's candor. Damn, he's funny, Edward. I never knew. Just wait until he gets to the part where he met Aro. You won't believe what he said to him. Balls the size of grapefruit…

"Then I got to thinking about something…how much Jacob hated Edward at first. I didn't even have to get on the internet or sit in a tree for days getting mosquito bit to figure out the most likely cause." He turned to grin at Bella. "I loved to sit and watch the cheap B grade movies on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid. Godzilla, the Swamp Thing…fake suits with visible zippers and all. But do you know what was always my favorite? Dracula versus the werewolf…do you know how many movies were made about that mythical struggle?" He said the word mythical in just the right sarcastic tone.

Bella's mouth dropped.

"I have to admit a few things threw me. How they could come out in the daytime? How Carlisle could practice at the hospital? Why Esme shopped every week at the supermarket? How the hell Bells could have that bite mark on her arm and not be a vampire herself?"

I stirred in distress. Don't worry, we explained that to him as well, Alice threw me.

"But then other things hit me as well. How well behaved you all were…even for teenagers. It was like you were actively working to stay under the radar. Your impeccable manners. The way you spoke and the words you used at times. The sense that something was 'off'…well, it just righted."

"After he figured it all out, he went back to the house and waited on us," Jake snarled. "We smelled him, of course, so we phased and came back to the house as humans, totally unaware that he'd figured us out. 'Pretty brown coat, Jacob,'" our friend mimicked what were most likely Charlie's first words.

"Then I asked where the hell you were. When he wouldn't answer that, I asked where the hell you were," he said looking to me. "I knew she would be with you, having figured it out. Don't worry; Carlisle and Aro have explained it all to me. I don't pretend to understand it, but I respect that you were trying to leave her human. You about killed her doing it, though…" he left off, purposely eliciting the guilt he was hoping to induce in me.

"Yes, sir. It is my biggest regret. I was trying to keep from doing that exact thing."

"Jacob, for once, kept his big mouth shut, denying everything. But what he didn't know was that I was already headed to Italy. I had a good idea of the vicinity. I thought it would be easy…wandering around the streets at night until some vampire found me. Honestly, I was praying and hoping it would be one of the Cullens, or at least a friend of theirs. I broke into your house to steal some of your clothes. Knowing how sense of smell is for most predators, I figured the scent would at least attract attention, and hopefully peg me as one of yours."

While Bella's face was a portrait of horror at what Charlie had planned, Aro smiled in absolute delight as the story was recounted. I didn't like where his mind was going. Charlie was entirely too smart for his own good…but perfect for Aro's.

"Daddy, where did you meet my Fath…Aro?" Bella asked.

Charlie looked up, having caught her slip. "Aro explained it all, Bella, not just part. I know he and the big one are the ones that changed you and that you would have died otherwise. I know in what capacity he has served for you. Honey, if I had had the pleasure of having another child, it wouldn't have decreased my love for you in any measure."

Charlie was telling Bella it was okay…okay to love them both. It threw Bella and me both for a loop.

"Ah…here comes the sheer genius of the story. Charlie didn't stop at just acquiring clothing with your scent. He took his time in looking through the house," Aro murmured in pure delight, bringing us back to the tale of the human that tracked vampires.

"What I found only served to convince me I was right. The rumors of the siblings being more than siblings, the bedrooms gave credence to it. The total lack of food in the house. But Carlisle's study proved the gold mine. I found the picture there of Carlisle and the other three…"

By the way, Edward, Caius really likes Charlie, Jasper sent to me. He appreciates Charlie's sarcastic wit and keen mind. From what I can tell, this is an unheard of occurrence. Whatever happens, Caius will be an ally in this. Ever the strategist, my brother. He, of course, would be thinking of everything we needed to argue our case with Aro. I feared it was a lost cause. Charlie would either die or be one of us.

"…I knew they had to be the key. It was obvious from the picture that they were royalty and that Carlisle had been with them at some point in time. So, I knew I was looking for at least three ancient vampires. Little did I know…" He smirked over at Aro. "I took a picture of the portrait and had it developed. I hoped that when I met the first vampire it would slow them down long enough to not kill me and that their curiosity as to how I would know about the three in the picture would at least insure that I'd been taken to them."

I had to admit, I wanted to see a vision of Charlie's face when he saw the Volturi and the guard for the first time.

"I was packing to leave, when the doorbell rang," Charlie said next. "It was your two friends, Bells. Damn, he is one big guy. She's a sweetheart."

What? Jane…sweetheart? It seemed Aro was not the only one Charlie had charmed.

"I took one look at their eyes and asked, 'Are you here to take me to Bells?'"

Aro POV

Watching the burgeoning astonishment in Isabella and Edward's face, I relaxed back into the chair, "enjoying the show" as the newer generations would call it.

"Felix informed me that he'd been sent to retrieve me. I never looked back," Charlie told them. "Well, I did call Jacob to tell him the gig was up and that I was headed to Italy."

Isabella looked to her shifter friend, and he blushed prettily.

"I still didn't tell him," Jacob refuted. "But I did call Aro," he further informed her, before glancing to me. "I told him that if anything happened to Charlie that you would never forgive him. I was quickly informed that my presence was requested, along with Charlie's." He'd mumbled a few choice words at my insistence. You'd think he would've known that I could hear them. He'd been around vampires long enough to know. "Longest damn airplane ride of my life. I never knew that a man could stare you down for hours at a time without saying a single damn word. Now I know how Edward feels, not being able to hear you…wondering what's going through that devious mind of yours."

I smiled in glee, seeing Isabella's smirk and Edward's accepting shrug. It was good to see my daughter again. It had been a long three weeks. She looked radiant. The boy was taking very good care of her. He was resplendent as well. If the states I'd caught them in were any indication, I doubted they were doing much more than mating…with the necessary feeding thrown in. Whatever they were doing, it was working. I hated to break up their honeymoon, but I needed them back in Volterra. The separation from her was killing me. Oh, I knew they were planning to come back to me as soon as the year was up and I refused their plea for more time, but the man before me was my insurance policy.

No one, other than my wife and my mind reading son-in-law, need know that I'd just wanted to see her smile. If delivering her father to her was the key…so be it. She'd never asked, but I knew her heart even if I couldn't read her mind. The secrecy from Charlie was a festering sore within her. She would've never broken our rules, I knew, but the joy in her face when she'd saw him made my stretching of them worthwhile.

He was but a human and therefore his life would pass quickly…unless of course I could convince him to undergo the change. I knew this was one I would not be able to force without losing the individual for which his presence was necessary. There were other humans privy to our secret, but they were either desirous of the change, and therefore willing to prostrate themselves before us to obtain it, or they were threatened enough by our sinister nature to not ask the questions that would necessitate the ending of their lives. Charles Swan didn't fit the mold to either, but for now, he would be allowed his human life until I could find a way to manipulate this all to my bidding, or he asked for immortal life first.

And for now, I covered my indiscretion, my hypocrisy, under the guise that I'd had to go after Charlie, to retrieve him because he'd been coming for us and thereby posed a risk. It didn't hurt that reports had been brought to us by our agents in Florence that questions were being asked about the wire transfers…it didn't hurt that I'd intercepted the call and asked the man to come to us instead and report in front of a crowd of the Volturi and visitors.

I'd manipulated it all to my benefit.

I looked to see Edward's eyes trained on me and smiled victoriously at him.

I can't read him clearly. I get glimpses of his past, but instead of being the delicious flow of knowledge pouring into me to which I'm accustomed; it is like snapshots of only the things he is willing to share. He is an enigma, as much as she is…a private man…a useful man.

His arched eyebrow bordered on insubordination. He was calling my thoughts into question, reminding me that he knew the true nature of my choice. He loved Isabella too. There was nothing either of us wouldn't give her, and he knew that was my true motivation. Edward also knew that it wouldn't benefit him to make my reasons or plans public knowledge. I was thoroughly enjoying having someone who knew my every thought. Edward, my son-in-law, was becoming an unusual and, I daresay, trusted companion. I was almost as covetous of the relationship with him as I was his father. I could care less that he knew my thoughts because he would only call me into question in privacy…and I was anticipating the challenge of him doing so.

Charlie continued with his description of what had happened as Edward and I communicated nonverbally. "When we arrived at the…castle…it was all I could do to keep from screaming your name out," he said, squeezing her hand.

"Aro gave Jasper, Carlisle, and I the responsibility of meeting Charlie. Wasn't that kind of him?" Emmett said drolly. I grinned allowing him his sarcasm.

"I was furious," Charlie admitted. "I wanted to punch them, but I knew that it would mostly likely only hurt me, which Emmett has since confirmed, of course."

Carlisle smiled softly, squeezing Esme's hand as he joined in. "Bella, your father looked directly at me and snarled. All he wanted to know is what happened to you. I told him that you were just fine and that we would explain. He was quick to tell me that I would indeed be explaining."

Isabella giggled at the look on Charlie's face. His cheeks were stained with a delicate blush. I was glad that I was the only real vampire in the group, because the perfume of his embarrassment was delicious.

"Bells, I was seriously angry, particularly with Carlisle. I'd trusted him, defended him to others…to the Quileute, and to know he'd lied made me furious."

Isabella began to speak up to defend Carlisle, but Charlie shushed her. "I know…I know…death sentence for the teller and the listener for breaking the secret."

The man was quite clear where he stood; maybe I should just go ahead and set a time within which he would need to be turned. I saw Edward twitch at my thought. He was going to be the one that had a problem with Charlie's change, not Isabella. She had not one reservation about her vampiric nature, now that her choice of food sources didn't cause her anguish. He, I suspected, would always carry reservations.

"I took Charlie to your room. I thought it would make him more comfortable seeing where you lived, and then while we waited on Aro, I explained everything," Carlisle said softly.

I'd found his initiative thoroughly satisfying. Carlisle had flourished over the past months, and whether he and Esme wanted it or not, they were now acknowledged, publically and privately, as part of the Volturi. He was firmly and permanently fixed in my household, as was appropriate. Carlisle had come home.

"Everything?" Isabella breathed out.

"Yes, Bella, everything. Charlie knows about how you and Edward fell in love. What you were and are to Edward. What happened when you ran to Arizona, your birthday party, why Edward left, and what has happened since you've been in Italy. I didn't leave anything out, and Jacob finally told Charlie about the Quileutes and their legacy. He knows everything."

Isabella sent Carlisle a blinding smile, clearly pleased that there were no more secrets. It was also clear that she believed that was no one could have done the job better than Carlisle. Charlie turned toward the Cullen patriarch and the stress in his face relaxed, as well. They'd fallen victim to his magic. Carlisle had that effect on everyone…and most definitely on me. I wanted him to release my stress, but that of course hadn't happened yet…although my magnanimous behavior toward Charlie had garnered me an embrace from him. I'd been so startled by the feel of his arms wrapped around me, that I'd barely considered taking advantage of it before he withdrew. Edward's eyes snapped to me and he was actually grinning as I relived the memory. He smirked and shook his head at me.

Hearing them speaking of that day, I reminisced back to what I'd witnessed. I'd walked in to find Charlie standing at the fireplace, looking at the pictures of him, his ex-wife, and her husband that I'd obtained for Isabella.

"How?" he turned to Carlisle, but I answered, having walked silently in.

"I have associates that I hired to obtain regular pictures and reports for Isabella. She has been keeping up with you through them."

Charlie spun to me at that point, narrowing his gaze on me. "And you are…the devil?"

I imagined I might look that way to him, dressed in my all black formal robes, pale skin, and red eyes.

Emmett found this funny of course. "El Diablo," he murmured under his breath irreverently.

"Sabe más el Diablo por Viejo que por Diablo," Charlie muttered, piggybacking on Emmett's comment.

'The devil knows more because he is old, than because he is the devil.' I chuckled at Charlie's audacity. Isabella was definitely his daughter. "Are you complimenting my intelligence, or just commenting on my age."

"Both, but I believe you must be more of the devil than anything to control this pack of killers," Charlie threw back at me.

I chuckled, enjoying his candor and bravado. It wasn't the first time I'd been called the Devil, and I was certain it wouldn't be the last time either. The shocked look on both Emmett and Jasper's face was priceless. Carlisle just smiled at me indulgently. He well knew my warped sense of humor.

"However, it would seem that I owe you more than I will ever be able to repay. Charles Swan," he introduced himself, holding out his hand. "Oh, and by the way, Carlisle has already informed me that by extending my hand to you, I'm offering up everything. Come pilfer my simple mind."

Simple mind, my eye. He was brilliant, I reasoned, as his disjointed memories poured into me. But I even cracked a smile at his next comment.

"And now you know about the most important things in life…how to fish, drink beer, and watch baseball," he'd said, smiling as he pulled his hand back.

"Dude! So true," Emmett had nodded, agreeing with at least the baseball part.

Isabella's hand remained firmly wrapped in her father's for the entirety of the day. She only moved from his side when his stomach growled, and only then long enough for her and Rosalie to fix him, Jacob, and Eve sandwiches. The stress of the whirlwind last few days finally caught up to our human, wolf, and werewolf companions. They were sound asleep not long after dark.

"Aro?" Isabella asked as soon as we heard their heartbeats soften into the cadence of deep sleep.

"He can't return, Isabella; you know this and so does he. I've arranged a house in Volterra. It is connected to the castle by the ancient underground sewers so that we can come and go as we please. You and Edward will reside with and protect him until this is all settled."

It was too dangerous to have a human as precious as Charlie Swan in the castle on a constant basis; accidents did happen, after all. If I had my way, he wouldn't need the protection long and would have a newborn's strength to take on anyone who challenged him. Charlie Swan's mind intrigued me almost as much as his daughter's. He'd been able to learn everything he needed to do a credible job of tracking us down, based solely on his own ingenuity. He would make an intriguing immortal, one I hoped I would get to see, and whose skills I would be able to utilize.

For now, though, I was just happy when my daughter rose from beside her husband and walked me out onto the beach nearest the house.

"Father."

"Yes."

"Thank you."

"For?"

"Don't be coy - for bringing him to me. You can fill everyone else's head with that nonsense about doing your duty to protect the secret, but I know you did it for me. I promise though not to tell," she said softly.

I smiled and looked up to the large moon that hung low over island. "Not to tell what?" I asked her, swinging our joined hands between us.

She turned to me, her golden eyes luminous in the light given off by the large moon. "That underneath it all, buried deep below the manipulative, autocractic tyrant, there is a man of integrity and grace."

Please let me know what you think! HEA up next.

I am privileged to have crmcneill as a beta – even when he drives me crazy. Many, many thanks Master. I promise to thank you profusely on the last chapter.