Hello again! Slow updates, I know. One more tech week… one more… its my new mantra…

Music might just be because of my mood… but maybe Bella is cracking her knuckles… preparing…

Break Stuff- Limp Bizkit

~~oo~~

Chapter 60: He's just a normal boy.

BPOV

"Bells?"

I sighed and shifted in the warmth of the blanket, wondering why I couldn't feel Edward against me. He had been right there, fingers running through my hair a moment ago. My eyes opened groggily to the darkness, cut through by a light in the hallway.

Not our hallway.

Not my bed.

"Edward?" I called, unsure of where I was.

"Time to go home, Bells."

My eyes opened a little more to see Charlie sitting on the edge of the bed, a dark silhouette against the light from the hall.

"Where's Edward? What happened?" I asked and sat up. "Did you find her?"

He slowly stood, as if the effort to do so was too great. He nodded and let out a sigh.

"What time is it?" I continued.

"It's late, Bella," he said and I could hear the weariness in his voice. "Come on. I want to take you home."

I slid out of the covers and straightened the bed whiel he stood by the door and watched me.

"Esme can do that, Bells."

"She took the time to fix it for me," I started. My voice dropped off when I heard his frustrated huff.

"It'll be fine, really."

I turned to see the irritation in his face.

Charlie was rarely irritated like this.

"What happened? Did you talk to her?" I asked.

"We can talk about this at home," he said, his tone clipped.

He glanced out in the hall and motioned for me to get moving.

I knew he got crabby when he didn't get his sleep. And perhaps learning about how I had been manipulated had really set him off.

Maybe he had to run Tanya out of town.

I hoped so.

Because if he didn't, I was going to.

One swift kick at a time.

She had no business being anywhere near us.

I followed Charlie down the stairs to find Esme at the bottom, her face unreadable as she watched me move towards her.

"Thank you for letting me stay, Esme," I said and moved in to hug her. She hugged me lightly and stepped away almost immediately. I looked at her in question, but her eyes were already concentrating on Charlie beside me. They seemed cool and detached.

"You will let me know what happens?" she asked simply.

He didn't say anything, he simply nodded.

I glanced past Esme to find Edward standing in the doorway leading towards the kitchen. His hands tucked into his jeans, his eyes downcast.

"Goodnight, Edward," I said, hoping to get his attention.

I wanted to go over and hug him, tell him it was all right.

But something in his glance towards me made me stop. It was... defeated?

Charlie had his hand at my elbow, drawing me towards the door without delay.

"Edward?" I asked quietly.

"Bye, Bella," he murmured and continued to look at the floor.

What the hell had happened while I was asleep?

I turned to ask Charlie just that, but the firm set of his jaw and the hand on my elbow froze my throat. He mumbled goodnight to Esme and pulled me out into the darkness towards his cruiser. I glanced back to see Esme at the door, leaning into the frame and watching us with sad eyes.

"What happened, Dad?" I asked as I slid into the front seat.

He shook his head and started up the car.

It wasn't until he had turned onto the road that he let out a long breath and shook his head.

"There's a lot I didn't know," he said into the night.

"What do you mean?" I asked, watching him hard and suddenly feeling a little panicked. "What did she say?"

He shook his head again and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.

"You said he had issues," he said and frowned.

"And that she abused him," I replied, worried now. Was there more? Had he not told me everything for fear of me running?

"You didn't tell me what he did with her," he said, grimacing.

I was confused. I had told him in very general accounts. He didn't need to know the specifics. It wasn't any of our business, no matter how much I knew now.

What mattered was that she had hurt Edward. And now she was here. Plotting.

"Because it didn't matter, Dad," I reiterated, turning in my seat to watch him fully now. "She abused him."

Charlie's hands tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles were white.

"But I had to learn how by her," he said and glanced at me. "And to learn the how… and what… the things she described... I can't even begin to understand."

I grew more and more uneasy.

"It's not something to understand, Dad," I said. "Because it's not who he is."

I watched as Charlie's stiff demeanor morphed into a wince before turning into something like pain on his face.

"He hasn't done that to you, has he?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"What did she say exactly?" I asked. Was it worse than Edward had said? Was it more than what I understood in my limited capacity.

Why hadn't I asked more? Or looked it up to learn for myself?

"Is the whole family really that messed up?" he questioned, more to himself than to me.

He wasn't going to tell me specifics, perhaps to protect my sensibilities? Well that was just wrong.

Everything was just...wrong.

"What she did to Edward was wrong, Dad," I insisted. "What Dr. Cullen is doing is wrong. Edward was just caught in the middle of it all. The whole situation is messed up, Dad. Dr. Cullen has that family so turned around. I don't get it most days."

He glanced at me and swallowed hard.

"You need to keep your distance from him, Bells."

I grunted and looked out at the road.

"I don't want to be anywhere near Dr. Creepy, Dad. That's the point of the restraining order," I grumbled.

"I didn't mean Dr. Cullen, Bells."

My head turned slightly, and the look on his face said it all.

Uncomfortable regret.

I blinked at his words.

"No," I stammered. "You mean Edward?"

"Please don't argue with me, Bella," he said and looked back to the road, his face hardening. "I don't know what to think of it all, but it makes me uncomfortable. Learning what happened, it's a little much, Bells. They were into some weird stuff, the whole lot of them. And to think of how you are involved…"

"How am I involved?" I hissed. "When you won't even tell me what that twisted bitch said!"

His flaring nostrils told me maybe I had overstepped.

"What I am trying to say, Dad, is that she can't be trusted," I continued, a lot calmer. "Yes, what she and Edward did was crazy, but that's not him. He was vulnerable and she preyed on him. She used his weaknesses and played with him."

"Poor choice of words, Bella," he growled and pulled into our driveway.

He shut off the engine and turned to look at me hard.

"She told me she came down here initially to mess things up for Edward and Esme, to get back at them for whatever happened. She said she thought that Dr. Cullen was going to move back with her. But when she got here, she realized that Dr. Cullen wanted to cause enough trouble to convince Esme that they all needed to move again. He wanted Esme back, not her. He just needed her to help. Force the situation to his will. He has a thing about controlling them," he explained.

"Sounds about right," I huffed.

It didn't explain Charlie's change of heart towards Edward.

"And then she said she saw you with Edward, and how he was portrayed the same traits that Dr. Cullen displayed when she first met him," he continued.

"You mean when he started cheating on Esme?" I shot back. "When he decided that being with that woman was more important than his family? That…"

"Do you want to hear this or not?" he snapped. I closed my mouth and let him continue.

"Bells, I know she was wrong. Unfortunately, I can't arrest her for coming into town. Nor for what she did to Edward. I can only make sure she doesn't do it again."

"What do you mean she saw the same traits as Dr. Cullen in Edward," I pressed. "He is nothing like him."

"He spends all his time with you. He is a little possessive about you. He defies authority to be with you," he said and frowned at me.

So he knew that Edward snuck into my room.

"That doesn't make him like Dr. Cullen," I argued.

"She said he keeps you close at school. That you felt nervous about staying after school without asking him…."

"Because he drove me to school, Dad!" I retorted, exasperated. "And which would you rather me date,Dad? Someone who cares about what I am doing, and that I am happy, or someone that is overbearing and maybe beats me for fun?"

He sighed and closed his eyes.

"Bella, I am still trying to get my head around the fact that this town has turned into some kinky refuge camp, let's not talk about beating people for fun," he replied wearily. "I really don't want to think about all the things that go on behind closed doors now. Not after what she told me goes on behind those doors."

"Edward cares about me, Dad. He was afraid he'd hurt me," I said and closed my mouth.

Yeah, awkward.

"So he doesn't like to hurt for kicks?" Charlie asked, and again that uncomfortable look crossed his face.

"No, Dad."

"He hasn't done anything that's weird or makes you uncomfortable?"

"No, Dad."

"Has he made you do things that you wouldn't have done with a normal boy?"

"He is a normal boy."

"You and I both know there's more," he chided.

"And I am eighteen and can do what I want,Dad," I shot back. "Do you really want to know about my sex life?"

His face contorted into the most awkward face, like he had swallowed a lemon and he waved his hands around.

"Please, no. No."

I sighed and tried to calm him down.

"I'm okay, Dad. We care about each other. Anything else, and it's really none of your business," i replied gently.

"If I find my handcuffs missing…."

I ignored his comment.

God forbid he should ever learn about Edward's spoons.

"He's not like that," I said instead. "He cares about making me happy."

He eyed me as if to gauge that I was telling him the truth.

That hurt a little, to see the doubt in his eyes.

Charlie had always trusted me. I supposed it was hard to take everything in. I had been a little overwhelmed too.

"What else did she say?" I asked quietly.

Charlie shrugged and looked out towards the house.

"Tanya Denali seemed open and willing to discuss everything that happened," he continued, still grimacing. "She came to do as Dr. Cullen bid, or whatever those people call it between that master and servant stuff. And then she met you, and she realized that you were simply another version of her about to be trapped in a relationship the same as she had been."

"I'm nothing like her," I reiterated. "And Edward is nothing like Dr. Cullen."

"So why would she go against his wishes and try to help you out? That's what I don't understand. What made her change her mind?" he asked, a concerned look on his face. "She was trying to help you with that scholarship. She said she wanted you to have better. She really made them all out to be twisted individuals and she was a victim. She didn't want to see you be a victim."

"I don't trust her, Dad," I said. "No matter what, she has an agenda. And I doubt it was to help me do better. I doubt there was ever a scholarship. She just wanted to manipulate me like Dr. Creepy did. To see if I could be. Maybe she was seeing if I could handle, Edward. I don't care. She violated him, and she violated me. I wouldn't want that scholarship now, just on principal."

He sighed and moved to step out of the car.

"It doesn't matter now," he murmured. "She won't be at school anymore. Too much scandal for the town. Like I said, I can't arrest her. But she won't work in this state, or anywhere that does a check now. And now there is an open enquiry to Dr. Cullen, thanks to Principal Jennings being on the City Council. I doubt he'll remain in town much longer before the city council insists on having his licence revoked."

"As it should be," I said and stepped out of the car with him and followed behind as we made our way to the house.

He opened the door, turning on the light before turning to me, his face troubled still.

"So why won't you let me see Edward?" I asked, watching his face grow more solemn.

He grew more awkward as he stood there, avoiding my stare.

"Dad?"

"I just don't understand it, Bells. Abuse or not, what they did was unfathomable. And if he was exposed to that, who's to say he doesn't still," he said and paused, looking up at me finally. "I trust your judgement, Bells. But if he thinks that's how you treat a girl…"

"Dad," I said forcefully. "He's not like that. That's what Dr. Cullen wanted him to think. Wanted all of us to think. He's just a normal boy."

Charlie grunted and pulled me in for a hug.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," he grumbled and then sighed heavily. "I know you are a good judge, Bells. But you'd tell me if anyone hurt you? Even Edward?"

I hugged him back.

"I would, Dad," I whispered. "Edward is a good person, Dad. Please don't make him think that you don't trust him. He gets enough from his father."

"I don't trust any boy with you, Bella. But I'll try and behave," he said and pulled away to offer me a tired smile.

"Come on," he continued. "It's been a long night, and you have school tomorrow. You need some sleep."

I said goodnight and slipped into my room, not really surprised when I turned to find Edward standing beside the window. With a slow click of the lock I found my way into his arms and stayed there for sometime, the two of us silent as we simply held one another. With the sound of snoring next door, Edward finally broke the silence.

"He told me to stay away," he croaked. "But I couldn't. Seeing your reaction when you left…"

"It's okay," I whispered, brushing my fingers across his lips. "I talked to him. He didn't understand."

"I can't lose you, Bella," he murmured.

"You won't."

He held me a little tighter, his breath tickling my neck as he sighed and breathed a little harder.

"Tomorrow," I murmured. "We'll still be together tomorrow. And things will change. We're not going to let anyone manipulate this anymore."

"Yeah and how do we do that?" he asked, a weak chuckle vibrating in his chest.

I pulled away to look up into his searching eyes.

"By being true to each other. By being sure of ourselves," I replied.

"Why do you always make so much sense?" he said, his lips coming close to mine.

I concentrated on his lips, licking my own in anticipation.

"Because that's what I'd do for you. I believe in you," I whispered.

I couldn't say much more.

His lips were far too distracting.

Which was fine.

Tomorrow would come.

And we deal with it all.

The whole lot of them.

~~oo~~

AN: yeah yeah… didn't fully explain Charlie's talk with Tanya. But sometimes a Dad just doesn't want to talk to his little girl about ball gags and cat o'nine tales… you know? Sometimes ignorance is bliss… too bad Chief Swan has learned his town is Kinky central. Wait till he learns about the Whitlocks and what they know?

Yes yes, I will discuss the Whitlocks soon enough… and Dr. Creepy… pitchforks and torches ready?

More soon.

MWAH!

steph