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AN: I'm sorry it has taken so long to update, the end of our financial year is always a crazy time for me! I will try to update again around this time next week.

There have been a lot of hits but not many reviews, so I would like to thank those that have taken the time to review very much. It is wonderful to get an idea of what the readers are thinking as this is my first attempt at writing and it helps to keep me motivated to continue.

Thanks anyway to everyone that is reading - the numbers make my heart melt!

"What!" I couldn't believe it. I sat in stunned silence watching Edward as his attention turned from my stunned face to Alice, her glazed eyes revealing that she was having another vision.

"You're not leaving?"

Edward raised his hand in a halting motion, asking me silently to wait a second. He must have been tuning into Alice's vision and was a little distracted to say the least. It seemed like forever before a smile made its way across his face and Alice's attention came back to me. She put her hand on mine to stop the relentless pounding of my fingertips on the table that I hadn't realised I had been doing while I waited impatiently for someone to enlighten me.

"I don't know how he has done it, but Charlie has made a firm decision that he doesn't want to be in pain anymore and that he will NOT be an danger to anyone - least of all you or Sue!"

I looked to Edward in stunned silence and he nodded enthusiastically.

"It must be a manifestation of an ability! That is the only answer. I have never seen or heard anything like before! Alice has been getting flashes since the meeting outside with the tribe. Flashes of Charlie being extremely calm and human like in his actions, all of these being around the house here and in the presence of you and Sue. We didn't know what it meant, the time frame felt off but we assumed it was obviously years in the future although you were still human, and the weather indicated it was around this time of the year, but as I said we thought it was a time way in the future. Only just in the last half hour - since you and I were in our room, the visions are becoming clearer. Sue hasn't aged, neither has Billy, and Charlie is definitely a newborn, albeit with very different instincts!"

Jasper had come to sit by us as Alice was literally bouncing with joy and Edward was beaming at me. I was perplexed to say the least and I must admit a little freaked out by the atmosphere of excitement that was pervading the room. All I could manage to say was "Huh?"

Emmett burst out laughing at me "Leave it to you Bella to sum up a situation in one word!"

Laughter was breaking out all around me and I was totally confused and beginning to get a bit pissed off.

"Edward - what the hell? I don't have your mind reading skills and I sure as hell can't keep up with what is going through all of your speedy vampire minds! I don't get this!"

The laughter stopped immediately, and Edward looked at me with an apologetic grimace.

"I'm sorry Bella. I guess this," he waved his arms around the room indicating his brothers and sister "is a reaction to the stress of the day. We can't explain it either, we just know that something miraculous has happened. Alice's visions are definite, the future is far from bleak! You can relax, Charlie is going to be fine - it really is as if he didn't want to be in pain anymore and since he could hear us all talking and sense the pain of you and Sue he decided he wanted it to stop. I was aware of him thinking "ENOUGH!" and then Alice had her vision. He has heard every word of what all of us have been saying to him and the thought of him being a ravenous, undisciplined vampire revolted him. He decided he was going to be safe, disciplined - NOT an out of control newborn, and then Alice's vision of the future changed!

I was aware of five sets of vampire eyes on me, regarding me and my state of mind. I didn't know how they could expect to get a read on me and my reactions, when I didn't know what the hell I was feeling myself! Slowly, relief started to weave it's way through the confusion in my mind. Was this possible? I had to admit that part of me was unyielding, grasping onto the belief that we couldn't be that lucky, but after what I had seen and lived through the past few years, my subconscious was telling me that you know what? Nothing could surprise me anymore. Every fairytale creature ever conceived of could suddenly appear out of the woodwork and I wouldn't be surprised. Part of me was expecting to see Harry Potter and Ron Weasley to come bursting through the front door!

I was brought out of my reverie by Carlisle's voice booming down the stairs.

"Bella, can you come up here please!"

I stood and looked at everyone in the room. "Ok", was my only answer. I shrugged my shoulders at eveyone and the laughter started again. Edward took my hand and searched my eyes for an answer to his unasked question.

"I'm fine Edward. I just can't believe that everything can turn on its head in such a short space of time, but if Charlie is going to be ok and all of your family don't have to leave, then who am I to argue! I would have thought I had learned by now to suspend my disbelief at all the crazy happenings in this world."

I still had the niggling feeling of disbelief, I mean, what if Alice was wrong? I had to keep repeating to myself as I went up the stairs, "never bet against Alice, never bet against Alice."

Edward was with me, still holding my hand, and I was aware of the rest of the family following behind us. We arrived at the door of the room Charlie was in and we all squeezed in. The sight that greeted us was wonderful, and everyone turned to me to see my reaction. Charlie was so peaceful, he could have been asleep and I found myself hoping to hear one of his deafening snores break the silence in the room. Sue was ecstatic.

"Can you see the difference Bella? He is going to be ok! Carlisle has told us what has happened and I can't believe it, do you think it is true?" She was begging me and asking all at the same time. Tears were streaming down her face as Billy moved his chair to be beside her. He pulled her into a hug as best he could and nodded to her. They both then looked to me and although I still wasn't sure myself, I did my best to reassure her.

"It has to be Sue, look at him. The change is incredible." and as I said the words I realised the truth in them. Charlie was serene. There was no other word for it. His skin was now as pale as the Cullen's, and he was more handsome than I remembered, but there was an aura of calm coming off him in waves.

I looked at Jasper and he just smiled and held his hands up. "Nothing to do with me Bella, this is all your father's doing." He grinned as I realised what a relief it must be for him now that Charlies suffering was over.

Jasper looked at Edward then at Alice as he and Edward said in unison "Never bet against Alice!" They both laughed and the little pixie herself huffed at puffed out her chest as she pointed at those two "Don't you ever forget that boys!"

The whole room erupted in laughter then and the relief was intoxicating. Everyone started talking at once, so Carlisle was forced to quiet them all down "Okay, Okay! Lets give Charlie and Sue some peace huh?" He looked meaningfully at Billy and herded the rest of us outside the room and downstairs.

Emmett picked up Billy's chair in a rush and brought him down with us. If Billy was upset by this he didn't show it, but thanked Emmett humbly. Emmett just winked at him as he left the room with Rose, probably I thought to myself, to have some "alone" time after all the dramas and tension of the day.

Esme went to the kitchen to make some coffee for Sue, and asked Billy and I if we wanted any as she did.

"No thank you Esme, I think I need to be leaving to get the show on the road." He looked at me as he said this.

"Yeah, thanks Esme, but I guess we had better be going too?" I asked of Edward and Carlisle.

They were obviously having another of their silent conversations but stopped as I spoke. Edward nodded to Carlisle and put his arm around me as he looked to Alice who came over to us.

"Bella," she said in her best "this is what is going to happen, so don't argue with me" tone. "It's time. Everything is going to go according to plan. You will call the police, and Billy will arrive at your house with Sam around the same time the police do. They will do most of the talking since you will be too upset to talk too much." She looked at Billy as she said this and he nodded.

As Alice continued to fill me in, Sam knocked on the front door and Carlisle ushered him in. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud as the uncomfortable look on his face was priceless! I wanted to pinch myself as I realised that this was an event of enormous magnitude. Sam the leader of the wolf pack had come willingly and in peace into the Cullen's living room!

Sam and Billy said their goodbyes and left to start their part of the charade. Alice continued on as Edward grasped my hand tighter. "Ok, Alice, we get the picture. Are you ready to go Bella?"

"Yep." I took a deep breath in, "Lets do this." Edward went to retrieve my bag and I realised I hadn't thanked them all for what they had done for Charlie and me today. How could I possible find the words to say thank you for the incredible sacrifices they were all willing to make for my father and I?

"Carlisle, Esme?" I hesitated, not sure how to start. Esme, bless her heart, knew what I was feeling and came to my rescue.

"Bella, you don't have to thank us you know. We love you as a daughter, and Charlie is part of our family now too. We do whatever we have to, to protect our own. You have brought so much to our family, we owe you forever for bringing Edward back to us. Please don't ever forget that. Now you go and do your part and we will be here waiting for you when you get back. Sue is going to stay for the duration, I'm hoping she will get some sleep at some point though, coffee can only sustain her for so long!"

Carlisle smiled reassuringly at me "Go, Bella. Charlie will be fine. There won't be any change for at least another 40 hours or so. At least that is what Alice tells me. " He smiled as he looked at his daughter.

"Yes that is right." She nodded as she gracefully pranced around the room pointing a finger at me. "So there is no reason for you not to get some sleep. Ok."

"Ok, Ok. I'll try." Edward smiled at his sister as we said our goodbyes and left to go through to the garage.

"Ring me if anything changes alright" were his parting words to his family.

As the Volvo sped down the Cullen's drive, I could feel the exhaustion start to take over my body. Edward seemed to sense this and said to me as he drove "Just a little while longer Bella, we'll deal with the police and then you need to get some rest."

I sighed and looked over at his perfect features as he expertly manoeuvred the car around the bends in the road at a speed that I wondered how I would ever get used to.

We reached my house in record time and as we walked into the kitched I stared at the phone, dreading what I had to do next.

"Bella, you can do this. You know you can." Edward took me into his arms and I melted against his hard chest. What I wouldn't do to be able to stay like this and not have to make this damn phone call.

"Once I make this call, it's real. Edward, there is no going back. Are you sure I'm able to pull this off, cause I'm sure as hell not! What if I fuck it up?"

"You won't Bella, have faith in yourself. If nothing else, know that Alice has seen it, and in her vision, you pull it off perfectly. I have faith in you, I know you can do it. Once it is done, you will feel much better."

I nodded and picked up the phone, better to just do it, i thought, like ripping off a band aid. Fast and painless. Fuck! What was I going to say. I put the phone back down and looked at Edward and he understood immediately,

"You have just got home from my place, and Charlie is not here. When you rang Billy to find out when he was coming home, he said that Charlie went fishing by himself this morning because Billy didn't feel up to it, but that he thought Charlie should be home by now. Since it is dark and nobody has heard from Charlie and he is not answering his phone, you thought it best to ring and speak to the deputy."

Oh god, i thought. Okay, I can do this. It all sounds believable, and I just have to go with it. With that, I picked up the phone again and dialled Charlies work number. His deputy Mark answered the phone and after I got through my story, he seemed convinced and promised me he would look into it. He also said he would come over shortly. I thanked him and put down the phone and breathed out a huge sigh of relief. Edwards phone rang immediately and he answered with a smirk.

"Yes Alice?"

He nodded and said thanks and closed the phone while looking at me.

"Alice congratulates you on you spectacular acting skills and says to tell you that you get even more impressive when Mark arrives here."

I couldn't help but laugh as Edward wrapped his arms around me again and led me slowly to the couch. I snuggled up into his arms and let the warm feeling of peace envelop me as he hummed my lullaby softly to me. There was nothing better as far as I was concerned than snuggling with Edward this way. Well, maybe there was something better, but for now I wasn't going to let my mind go there and concentrated on being content with being just like this.

My eyes had just started to close when I was startled into alertness by the sound of a car in the drive. Billy and Sam were here. We got up and opened the front door as Billy was wheeled in by Sam. Just as they entered another car could be heard announcing the presence of Deputy Mark Stain. Billy chuckled and as I shot a questioning look at him he shrugged and said "The accuracy of her visions is amazing, that's all." I remembered then Alice saying that the deputy would arrive around the same time as Billy and I smiled back at him.

"Yep. Never bet against Alice." I turned back to the door then and thanked Mark for coming as he too came inside.

I even impressed myself with my performance and sighed with relief as Deputy Stain made his exit after staying for an hour and assuring me that Charlie would be found first thing in the morning. I thought he was going to insist on staying all night, but thankfully Billy and Edwards insistence that I get some rest convinced him to take his leave.

Now that he was gone, we all relaxed a little more as thankfully that part of the charade was over. Sam and Billy surprised me by making conversation with Edward as I left to heat myself a glass of milk on the stove. The conversation was stilted, but they were all making an effort and my heart filled with gratitude to them all. I asked Billy and Sam if they would like some hot chocolate and they heartily accepted and all came to join me in the kitchen.

We all sat down at the kitchen table as conversation came to an awkward halt. I felt the hysterical giggles welling up in me at the awkwardness of the situation, and gave up the fight as I allowed them to take over. I was doubled over on the table giggling hysterically, when all of a sudden the tears started. I could feel Edwards arms around me and then he was soothing me by rubbing circles on my back with the palms of his hands. Billy's concerned voice was what bought me out of my hysterics.

"Bella, Bella, it's going to be ok. Are you alright?"

I looked up at him through tear stained eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry, I guess it is just the stress of the day. I mean who would believe this day. Charlie is about to become a vampire, and here we are, all here sitting at Charlies kitchen table having hot chocolate!"

Billy and Sam both chuckled then, and I nearly fell off my seat when Billy said "Well actually Bella, we would. We haven't been exactly forthcoming with you all because we weren't sure, but now that events have unfolded as they have, we know."

For the third time today, I was stunned into silence, trying hard to understand what the hell was going on.

"Huh?" was my brilliant reply, which brought forward more chuckles as Edward stiffened and leant forward in his seat.

"Yes, well," Billy replied and then continued tentatively "you see, Old Quil Ateara saw this happening too. It has actually been a long forgotten legend in our tribe that one day there would be a partnership between the strange golden eyed cold ones and our tribe. Those of us that remembered it thought it had come true when we fought together in the battle with the newborns and then when Carlisle helped Jacob to recover from his injuries. As today's events unfolded, probably as far as we can tell around the same time Alice had her vision, Old Quil saw the same thing - that Charlie would be attacked and become one of you," he pointed at Edward "the difference to Alice's vision is that he could also see then and there that Charlie was destined to be different from other newborns and that he and Sue would be joined together in marriage, therefore joining our two clans together in friendship and family as well. I can tell you that when you gave your little speech out there for us today Bella, more than a few of us realised the truth in your words, so we decided that we had to give Charlie a chance to realise his destiny, well all of our destinies actually. Now that Alice has seen it happening as well, that just reinforces our determination to make this work." He smiled uneasily at Edward who was looking more shocked than I had ever seen him "It won't be easy, but we are more than willing to try if your family is as well?"

Edward was silent as he stared at Billy and Sam. I was totally floored by this revelation, so I can only guess at Edwards reaction which quite honestly was starting to have me worried. I squeezed his hand and thankfully that seemed to pull him out of his stupor.

"Billy, Sam." He looked at them and then threw a reassuring glance my way "I honestly don't know what to say. I am honoured that you are willing to make the effort to bring a peaceful friendship between our families and I am sure they will be also."

As if on cue his phone started ringing and as he answered we could all hear Alice's squeals of delight over the phone. Edward assured her that he would pass on his families thanks and acceptance as he hung up the phone. He turned towards Billy and shook his hand as Sam stood up so that they could shake also.

Sam looked uncomfortable and he and Edward both laughed and agreed that this might take some getting used to. Edward then looked Sam straight in the eyes and said,

"Carlisle and the rest of my family wish to extend our deepest gratitude for what you have done for us today. This is a truly momentous occasion and the start of a new future for our families. He wants you to know that you are all welcome at our house and wondered if you Sam would be able to come over once you have dropped Billy off to discuss the finer details of the coming days. Billy, naturally you are welcome as well, but Carlisle is concerned that everyone gets some rest in preparation for the coming days."

I looked at Billy with a ridiculous smile plastered across my face not sure what to say, when the realisation that I hadn't seen Jacob since earlier on today hit me.

"Sam, where is Jacob." I asked. "Is he ok?" Billy's face clouded with worry, but Sam was quick to reassure us both.

"He is going to be ok Bella, this is going to take some getting used to for all of us. He is, right now, running the perimeter of our territory with Jared and Paul. Now is not the time to forget our responsibilities."

Edward nodded at this, "Perhaps we can help there Sam" he smiled awkwardly "no time like the present to start working together. I'm sure Carlisle will have some ideas when you see him."

Sam smiled and the look on his face said it was the last thing he would want to talk to Carlisle about, but I had to admire his effort at being friendly.

He looked at me as he turned Billy's chair to make their exit, "You must be exhausted Bella, we'll get going so you can get some sleep. The search starts first thing in the morning. We will see you then."

I took Billy's hand and gave him a peck on the cheek and also looked at Sam, "Thank you, both of you, for everything. I'll see you in the morning."

As their car disappeared down the street I closed the door and looked at Edward "Did you have ANY idea?"

For a vampire that doesn't need to rest he looked totally wiped as he forlornly admitted "Not a fucking clue! They know about Alice's abilities and were able to keep their thoughts from me extremely well. Not a one of them slipped up. Alice is in as much, if not more shock than me, but she is extremely excited at the thought of talking to Old Quil and testing their abilities together. God help the poor man."

I laughed as I threw myself down on the couch.

"Oh no you don't," Edward admonished me "Up to bed with you - you've got an extremely big day ahead of you."

He picked me up and flew up the stairs with me, giving me my PJ's and telling me to change. I raised my eyebrows, as I started to undress in front of him. He let out an exasperated sigh as he watched me "Oh god Bella, please don't test me any more than I have been already today."

In truth, I was too exhausted to argue, so I went into the bathroom to clean my teeth and change. As I returned to my room he was waiting for me on the bed with his arms outstretched. I hesitated, needing to talk about all the events of the day and the implications they would have on our future, but as the exhaustion was threatening to overcome me, I instead snuggled into him and allowed the blissful sense of peace I always found in his arms to overcome me. We could always talk tomorrow.

Once again, sorry for the delay in updating. I hope you liked this chapter and I'm excited to get to the next one. Please, please, please leave me some words.

It really helps me to keep on writing!