Please don't cry one tear for me
I'm not afraid
Of what I have to say
This is my one and only voice
So listen close,
It's only for today

Shinedown- Second Chance

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

"Well folks, we have a story for you tonight! We've gotten reports flying in from an anonymous source with PROOF that our mayor, Renee Swan was in a secret relationship with none other than our very own Seattle Mariners short stop, Phil Dwyer! That's right, you heard me correctly.. A hidden relationship right under her husbands nose!"

Charlie sighed and shook his head as he watched the 6:00 news. He had a feeling his mother was the source. He knew how vindictive she could be if a family member had been hurt. He'd take the backlash- if any at all- from it when it came. He knew Renee was bound to have SOMETHING up her sleeve.

"Now, her husband is the chief of Seattle police and is up for appointment to become Washington police commissioner. Word has it that within the next month now, he'll be in charge of the entire police force and from what we've seen he'll do an amazing job."

Charlie snorted. "Yeah, right." He muttered.

"Hopefully. Nothing throws a man off like a divorce!"

He rolled his eyes at that. "Gee, thanks!" He huffed.

"To say nothing of the fact, a cheating wife! What are the public's views? There's shock and uproar! We've learned now that sheriff Swan has moved out of his shared home with his soon to be ex wife and is now living in a family home once owned by his great grandparents- just a house down from his mother."

"Mom!" He sighed. Now there was no doubt. He knew who it was. Renee would too.

"Ouch! You know it's bad when the parents get involved."

Charlie frowned. "Not cool!"

"Now, through all of this, their daughter Isabella Swan has been quiet and polite. She remains dignified in the eyes of the press even though we've had several people calling into the station to swear that she does nothing but drink and party at night. Tell us folks, does this look like the face of a party girl?" The reporter asked holding up a picture of Bella dressed in her Sunday finest on her way to church. She was standing beside her long time friend Angela, and no where near the Cullens (Edward or Alice at any rate).

Charlie sighed and turned the TV off. It had been three weeks since he'd moved out of the house he and Renee had occupied. He tried to say it was shared, but it didn't feel like it ever was at this point. He was happier now than he had been in years, and he was building up a new and re-forged relationship with his daughter- and his mother.

He'd taken a week off from work for some personal time and so far all he'd seen anytime he opened the front door were reporters. A knock on his door brought him from his thoughts before they became too dark. He'd been expecting his daughter and his mother for their new weekly Friday night dinner. It'd been happening that way ever since he moved back into his family's home. Ever since he sought to reconnect with them. Ever since they welcomed him with open arms back into their lives as though he'd done nothing wrong.

He couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips when he saw Bella standing beside one of her three guests she was bringing tonight. Angela was a good girl and he was glad Bella had someone like her to help her deal with the drama that had unfolded over the past few weeks.

"Hello girls." He greeted opening the door wide to let them by.

"Hello, dad."

"Hello, Mr. Swan."

Charlie arched an eyebrow at the two men standing behind the girls. "You, I recognize, you I don't." He said gruffly to Jared.

"Dad, it's ok. This is Jared Cameron. He's a friend of Angela's. His parents own the coffee shop she stops by every morning. That's where they met." Bella explained.

Charlie nodded. "Come on in boys." He sighed. He saw the news crews gathering again and rolled his eyes.

"I love what you've done with the house, Mr. Swan." Angela commented politely. She smirked when she caught Bella rolling her eyes. It was such an 'Izzy' thing to do.

"Angela, I've told you before. You're an adult now. And I've known you for a few years now, please, call me Charlie." He huffed.

She smiled. "Alright, you win." She said raising her hands in surrender. "It's still a little weird though." She admitted causing him to smile.

Jared grinned until Charlie turned on him after they were seated. "So.. What do you do for a living?"

He squirmed before he felt Angela's hand settle on his knee. "I work with Paul in our friends auto garage." He finally said.

Bella shook her head and sighed. "Dad, it's alright. He's a decent person. Angela and Jared met at the coffee shop, like I already said. And he and Paul are best friends. Paul introduced him to me. He's harmless."

Charlie sighed and nodded his head. He watched his daughter carefully after that. She'd changed since he'd last seen her in her apartment before the divorce went public. Somehow, he knew it was because of the man sitting beside her on the couch.

"When is grandma getting here?" Bella asked when she heard Paul's stomach growl for the third time in ten minutes.

Charlie hid his smile. "Soon.. If the vultures out front don't get her first."

"As if they'd get me." A voice behind them huffed.

They all jumped causing Marie to chuckle herself before Bella moved to ease the containers of food from her hands. Paul was quick to follow her and Jared and Angela followed him. Marie stood by her son watching as the four worked together to set the table and plate the food.

"Relax, Charlie. Bella trusts them." Marie told him.

Charlie only nodded before sitting down to eat with his guests. He begrudgingly admitted that at least Paul was better than Edward. He'd tipped off the news crews and told them exactly what Renee had done in hiring the boy to pretend to love and care for his daughter. They'd not seen him since he'd moved into the new house. He was perfectly content with that. For now.

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul tucked a piece of hair behind Bella's ear as they stood on her door step. He'd driven her home and was now in the process of telling her goodnight. He was trying to keep things light, but the look in her eyes was one he'd only ever seen with Izzy. It was so hard these days to differentiate the two.

"I had a good time tonight you know. I'm glad you and my dad got along so well."

Paul sighed. "He hates me." He said over dramatically.

She grinned. "He doesn't!"

"No… no he does. I'll tell you why too." He grinned.

Bella cocked her head to the side with a playful smile on her lips. Another quirk he associated with Izzy. He had to wonder briefly if she was even aware she was doing it.

"Well? Are you going to tell me or leave me guessing." THAT was definitely his Izzy.

Paul moved closer, caging her against her door. "Because, gorgeous. He knows I want you."

Izzy's eyes danced with equal amounts of lust and mirth- a combination Paul found he wanted to see more of. "Is that right?"

He ran his nose along the line of her jaw softly, just barely touching her. "That's right." He confirmed with the barest of a whisper, his lips moving lightly against the shell of her ear. He didn't miss her breath hitch, nor did he miss the shiver that raced down her spine.

"Paul…" Bella was warring with herself and trying to keep Izzy in check too. She couldn't deny the attraction, but she didn't want things to progress until she knew for certain that it was what was wanted by everyone.

She was brought back to reality when he pressed a gently kiss to her cheek. "Your pace.. Remember?" He asked before kissing her forehead as well.

A sigh left her lips. "Soon."

It was all she could promise. Things still needed to be figured out. She was too unsure. And she didn't want Paul to suffer. Neither did Izzy. It was one thing they both whole heartedly agreed on.

"Soon." He nodded. He understood somewhat. He'd be patient. He'd come this far. He'd already said he wanted her in his life. One way or another, he wanted her to be sure. Whichever personality that was… he wanted it. So he'd wait.

"I'd better get inside…" She said not making a move to leave the comfort of his arms just yet.

"It is getting late.." He agreed.

She nodded. "It is…"

"Go out with me tomorrow night… we can go to a movie… do something fun… take your mind off of things…" He was half expecting her to say no.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Ok. Call me tomorrow to let me know what time?"

"I can do that." He agreed.

"Night Paul." She left a soft, sweet and oh so brief kiss to his lips before slipping inside her apartment before he could say anything else.

Paul was left to stare at the door for a whole minute before smiling and heading down to his car. Maybe it would be sooner than he thought. That had been Bella to initiate something. And Izzy hadn't even flinched.

Did that mean they had agreed on something? Or was it something else all together. He shrugged. With a sigh Paul started his car and headed home. He'd take things as they came, when they came.