Hello again! So let's see what Edward's thinking… and some of you wanted to know what Charlie found out… maybe I'll explain a little here. Some of you were quite disturbed that Charlie would automatically believe a child molestor like Tanya… well… I think dear Charlie is just a little overwhelmed that maybe he misread Edward… or did he just assume?

Poor Charlie's allowed to have knee jerk reactions. Especially when it comes to protecting his baby girl from a flogger and handcuffs… if he only knew….

Linkin Park- Somewhere I Belong

~~oo~~

Chapter 61: Just right.

EPOV

I held Bella close after she fell asleep, feeling the need to comfort her from my life that had once again intruded on her.

Having been betrayed by someone was something she had taken much harder than Esme and Chief Swan realized. I could sense it in her stiff body as she lay there fast asleep beside me.

I knew how it felt.

Someone you trusted, whom you thought would protect you, suddenly becomes someone you detest.

I could see it in Bella's eyes. Betrayal and then anger at being made a fool of.

She would never be a fool in my eyes.

She had taken a chance with me, and supported me from the start, when she could have just as easily turned her back on be because of the complexities of my life.

I needed to start standing up for her.

I needed to show her I could handle this. Handle my life.

I held her a little closer to me, taking some comfort in her heat.

I should have been in my own room, but I couldn't bear leaving her here alone. Esme had peeked her head in at one point and let out a soft sigh, but with her under the covers and me without, I supposed she thought I would behave.

Like I would do anything with the threat of her father returning at any time.

As it was, I couldn't keep from drifting off to sleep.

Bella always relaxed me.

So when I heard the car pull up and the engine cut off, I was awake instantly and slipping from bed, careful to not to wake her. Tiptoeing towards my room, I stopped to listen when I heard the Chief's voice coming from downstairs.

His voice was garbled, but Esme's startled response was enough to bring me to the shadows at the top of the stairs to listen in.

"Charlie, you can't possibly believe her!"

He replied with something that sounded like reasonable argument.

"She was twenty four, Charlie! Edward was sixteen!" Esme exclaimed.

"The age difference is deplorable, I know, But I can't do anything because of the age of consent, Esme," he replied. "She gave me detailed accounts on their actions. And how he seemed more than willing, Esme. I can't have my daughter involved in that sort of mentality, regardless of the abuse or not."

"It wasn't his fault, please Charlie."

"So he was impressionable. I understand that. But what's to say he isn't taking advantage of Bella's innocence too? I've seen how he looks at her, Esme."

"And how does he look at her?"

"Like something to eat," he shot back.

I blanched at his words.

I thought I had more control than that.

But his next words made me cold.

"I don't want her involved with someone like that."

I didn't realize I was coming down the stairs until I saw Chief Swan turn and glower at me.

"I wouldn't hurt her," I said, standing in front of him, my heart racing at the idea of challenging him.

He looked at me for a long moment before his stern eyes softened slightly.

"I want to believe you, son," he replied, shaking his head. "But you've been twisted up in some disturbing lifestyles. I don't want my daughter involved in that. It's best if you stay away for awhile, until I can understand it all better."

I could feel the panic starting to rise.

Denied Bella?

"Charlie," Esme pleaded. "Edward is so considerate of Bella. And you can see how happy they are when they are together. Don't mistrust Edward based on the words of that awful woman, she can't be trusted."

I eyed the Chief warily.

"What did she say?" I asked.

He shook his head and the stern look was back.

"I confronted her over coming to the school. And what she planned with Bella. She replied that she was looking out for Bella, that you had issues that would hurt her," he said and shifted in his stance, clearly uncomfortable.

"Son, I don't pretend to ignore that what she did to you was wrong. It was. But what you engaged in, what she said you enjoyed, I can't allow that. I didn't know. Bella didn't tell me the complexities of your issues. And I didn't dare believe Dr. Cullen," he said.

"Tanya doesn't know what my issues are, and neither does my father," I shot back, feeling emboldened at the threat of being labeled after all the confidences I had built on since meeting Bella.

Esme stepped in and hugged me close to her side, looking up at the Chief with a ferocity I remembered when I was a child and I had come home terrified of the bullies.

"This is not right, Charlie and you know it," she hissed. "Tanya is after something, and I know my husband is at the heart of it. He wants Edward and Bella to pay for his situation. You're buying into something that has been a lie from the start."

He raised his eyebrow and took a look at me.

"Are you going to deny that you engaged in sexual acts with that woman that included bondage and…" he said, stammering and his eyebrows wrinkled. "What do they call it? S and M?"

Esme tensed beside me.

She had never really known the extent of what Tanya and I had done.

And I feared that Tanya had told him in great detail.

Everything.

"Edward?" he asked, his voice a little weaker.

"I had no idea what I was getting myself into, sir," I murmured, seeing from his eyes the disappointment. That he had misjudged me.

"So you did those things? All that? Tying up? Whipping? Whatever the hell else you do?" he asked, the disappointment growing.

I would never be able to deny it. For all I knew she had provided pictures or video.

All the times she controlled. Subjected me to pain, and pleasure.

All the times I was defenseless.

And enjoying it.

Sick and twisted.

It was all I had known.

What would it serve to lie to the father of the girl I loved.

"Yes, sir," I whispered and lowered my gaze, feeling that strange feeling I had felt with Tanya when she chastised me. How easy it was to revert back to that role.

After all, Chief Swan felt he had all the control here.

"So the tying up? She said you did that with her. What else?" he asked, interrogating me like a criminal.

I looked down at my feet and shook my head.

If he didn't shoot me now, it was only because he didn't have his gun.

"What about the torture?"

"That's enough,Charlie. You're bringing up things we don't want to rehash," Esme said, gripping me harder.

He ignored her; I could still feel his eyes on me waiting.

"She said you liked it. That there was punishment and that you enjoyed ," he said, and his voice cracked. "I can't even think about that right now."

"She liked it that way, sir. I didn't know better. I do now," I whispered. "I'd never hurt Bella."

"You let her hit you?"

I sighed. And then nodded.

"And you touched her? Did… things to her?"

Again I nodded.

"And she taught you to like it. Showed you how? So that you could do it to her? She said..."

He couldn't finish.

She had told him a lot.

That was it.

It was done.

I felt completely exposed.

Vulnerable.

Raw.

"Unbelievable," he muttered and stepped past us towards the stairs.

"She did this, not Edward," Esme said, turning us around to watch as he slowly started up the stairs.

He turned and shook his head, clearly disgusted.

"But he engaged in it. Even at his age, it still matters. I'm sorry Esme, but I can't let my daughter be around that sort of depravity," he said.

She pushed away from me and strode towards the Chief, his eyes widening by her sudden approach.

"Well let me tell you something, Chief Swan," she grated. "I love my son. I know what kind of man he is. And regardless of what that whore said, I know that on the inside Edward is a loving and caring young man, who wouldn't dream of hurting Bella. He is nothing like the bastards that get off on that lifestyle, believe me."

The Chief paused and stared down at her warily.

She pushed her chin out a little and stared him down.

"Oh yes, I know all about that lifestyle," she continued. "Surprised? That someone so sweet and normal as little demure Esme Cullen could have come from something like that? I came away from that lifestyle to be who I am today. That is why I know my son has too. My son is not depraved. We are both perfectly normal loving individuals that fell into something wrong. Don't judge us because of our past."

"I…I didn't mean to say," he stammered and glanced towards me. "It's just better if Bella has some distance from all of this. She's far too sheltered and I won't see her hurt, even with your good intentions."

"Don't you think you should let your daughter decide that?" she shot back.

I had never heard Esme be so forceful.

But I appreciated it, because I could feel my world slipping away with each step the Chief took towards the bedroom upstairs where Bella slept peacefully.

"I'm still her father. I don't feel comfortable with her being involved while there is so much turmoil going on. She doesn't need to be constantly worried about this," he replied and turned to stride up the stairs, the matter settled.

Esme remained at the bottom stairs, looking up for a moment. I heard her heavy sigh, not bothering to watch as she turned around and walked towards me.

"It'll be all right, Edward," she whispered.

I shook my head and grimaced.

"Don't offer me false hope, Mom. You and I both know what he thinks. You don't change that attitude in a simple argument. That was Carlisle's plan all along. To make it so I couldn't have her. That was his plan all along," I muttered and stepped away, drifting towards the kitchen.

I couldn't handle seeing her walk out the door and away from me.

How could I possibly convince Chief Swan that I was safe for his daughter?

I reached the door just as I heard her voice, softly asking her dad what was wrong.

Hearing her voice pulled me back, away from fleeing. I was hopelessly drawn even if it pained me to witness her leaving.

I lingered in the shadow by the kitchen door, watching her as I knew I would regret.

Tousled hair from where I had touched it.

Her face a little flushed, eyes a little puffy from sleep.

Pouting out of frustration.

Esme hugging her.

Bella turning to find me, so easily, like a magnet.

She was saying something, but her words were lost.

Her last words to me.

"Edward?"

I could hear the confusion and fear.

I could see Chief Swan pulling her away.

"Bye, Bella," I said and looked up to see the comprehension dawning in her eyes.

Too late, she was out the door.

Gone.

Ripping at my heart.

Gone.

Bye Bella.

Carlisle had won.

The fucker knew I wouldn't be able to fight.

Always the sub.

Always obeying.

Always giving in.

She shouldn't be around you.

Depraved.

Sick and twisted.

But she made me feel.

Feel alive.

Feel good.

Feel normal.

She made me feel right.

She fought for me.

Again and again.

What had I done?

Given up?

Time and again?

Because they expected me to?

They thought they knew me.

They had.

Before Bella.

This was with Bella.

There was no After.

Except Happily Ever.

That's what I wanted.

And in order to get that, I would have to step up.

Show them all.

Show that I was more than what they thought.

Better than what they labeled me.

Healed and good and right.

"Edward? Where are you going?"

I ignored Esme.

I ignored the fact that I was probably going to look like some crazy stalker as I followed the police cruiser towards Bella's house.

Ignored the rain as it started to fall, making it harder to see them as they talked in the car.

I parked down the street, ignoring the shrubs and fence of her neighbors as I climbed and pushed.

Ignored the fact that I could very well get shot this time as I climbed to her window, slipping into the warmth and comfort of her room.

I ignored all the fears and possibilities of never seeing her again.

It wasn't an option.

Bella was right.

About everything.

She was just right.

She was right for me.

And no one could take that.

And I felt that when she closed the door and came to me, and I felt her in my arms.

She was right.

Felt right.

Just right.

Always a comfort as she whispered softly to me, telling me it would be all right.

She knew it too.

All we had to do was show everyone else.

We were all right.

Together.

~~oo~~

AN: awww. Boy's coming out of his vulnerable shell. Let's see him stand tall shall we?

Maybe he'll prove to Charlie he is worthy of his dear "sheltered" daughter.

More soon!

MWAH!

steph