Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Shadows
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Prompt: Appease

Charlie's eyes blinked as I walked into his room. "Hey, Bells," he said. Thank goodness for vampire hearing, his voice was so quiet there was no way I'd have understood him as a human.

"Hey, dad." I moved to perch on his bed. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, like I've been hit by a mack truck, but the driver managed to take out the guy with the jackhammer in my brain," he said, forcing a laugh.

"That's good, at least." I took his hand. It was colder than normal and seemed so feeble.

He nodded, and then winced. "Bad idea. I think Carlisle scalped me." He ran his free hand over his head. "At least he left my hair behind. I'm glad he didn't shave it off. When the anthropologists exhume my body in a thousand years I don't want them to think I was bald."

I laughed. Actually I snorted. "There's the smile I was looking for," Charlie said. I made my smile larger. He grimaced. "Don't fake it to appease me. I want it to be real. You don't smile enough."

"Well, I'm losing you. Not exactly a reason to smile."

"It was gonna happen sooner or later."

"So I'm a little pissed it's sooner, okay?" Edward placed a hand on my shoulder and I smiled up at him, welcoming his nearness.

"Carlisle is on his way," he said, looking from me to Charlie.

"Is he going to spring me?" Charlie asked.

Edward chuckled. "Not for a couple days, but you'll be out of here soon enough."

"Are either of you going to tell me what happened in that field?"

"That's something I'd like to hear as well," Carlisle said, striding into the room. "Esme called and said Emmett was in charge?"

"Emmett?" Charlie said, looking shocked. "Please tell me that's a joke."

Edward shook his head. "Not a joke, but also no longer true, per se." Charlie waved his hand, indicating he wanted Edward to continue as Carlisle examined his incision.

"After you ran off, Charlie, Marcus asked Carlisle to end his life." Charlie's eyes went wide as his gaze shifted to Carlisle. "He had to do it," Edward hurried to add. "If he didn't it would plunge our world into civil war."

Charlie nodded in understanding. "It's better that one man die than a war be raged where many are killed."

"More than one died, though," Carlisle said, eternal sadness in his eyes. "It did turn into a battle."

"Still better than a war," Charlie said, fixing Carlisle with his you-better-listen look. "I've killed a man or two in my time on the force." I gasped in shock to hear this. "Didn't want to, but I knew it was him or some innocent."

Edward resumed his tale. "A few of their guard are talented, although that's a bad name for it. They are able to harm people with their thoughts alone. Bella couldn't keep up, she's able to protect others by the way."

"That's my girl."

A small smile formed on Edward's lips. "Mine, too." He cleared his throat. "Someone I didn't recognized grabbed the device Aro had used and turned it on her. That's when chaos broke out. I convinced Bella to go after you…"

"After throwing me across the field…"

"To keep you safe…"

"Good man," Charlie said, nodding for emphasis.

"When she was safe Emmett and I ran into the fracas and Emmett came up with the flame-thrower. To say he was using it rather indiscriminately is to put it mildly. Anyone who threatened him was fried. He rather enjoyed himself." Edward shook his head, smiled at the memory, and rubbed the back of his neck. "It wasn't too long before he'd taken out enough of our enemies that the rest gave up."

"How did he lose his arm?" I asked.

Edward shrugged. "He didn't see who it was, so neither did I. I do remember him hoping the vampire he burned wasn't holding it when he aimed the device at him. He considered it a small price to pay for freedom and safety."

"Since he was the one people were surrendering to, or dying at the hand of, he ended up being elected by consensus to lead the discussion of what to do with the prisoners." Edward's smile grew as he reached his hand out to take mine. "Emmett likes to act as if he's an idiot so people discount him. It's a tactic he's perfected with humans to keep them from being afraid of him, not to mention he likes to make people laugh. He knew if he spared the survivors and gave the victors the opportunity to have a voice, he'd win over both sides. It's a great protection for our family. They know we won't fight them for power, but will fight for our safety."

Charlie yawned, a huge face-splitting thing. "Sorry, son."

"You need your rest," Carlisle said. "You had surgery today. Tomorrow will be the roughest day, but you should still be able to go home. I've already talked with Sue and Seth about your care."

"Thanks, doc," Charlie mumbled, his eyes blinking rapidly even as his head dipped and jerked. "It's a great story, tell it to me again sometime?"

Edward patted his leg. "I'll be happy to."

I leaned in and gave my father a hug, making sure not to breathe too close to him. He patted my arm once before it drifted to his side and snores filled the room.

"You might as well both go home," Carlisle said. "I'll stick around for another few hours to monitor his progress, and will see you after that."

"All right," I said, feeling bone-weary myself. "What do vampires do to rest?"

The look in Edward's changed to one I recognized. "Remember the pine needles? How about I offer you something more comfortable?"

Desire shot through me. "I'll race you home."

I got lots of goodnight kisses from the most handsome guy in the world! Granted he's two and a half and calls me mamaw. I may be biased.