Bella's POV

I could see Charlie beginning to panic even more as he fully realized what I'd become. He was so pale, he could've been a vampire himself, and he was clutching his chest; I was worried he was going to have a heart attack. Yet, I could hear the beats, and while faster than normal, they were steady.

"D-Did one of the Cullens do this to you?" he asked finally, his tone a mix of worry and absolute fury. "Did you ask for this, Isabella? What were you thinking? What about Lizzie? What about me?"

If I could've cried, I would have. The anguish in his voice was ripping me apart inside.

"No!" I told him quickly, shaking my head. "No, Dad, I didn't choose this. I-It wasn't the Cullens. It's a very long, complicated story. Umm..." I clenched my fists into the hem of my shirt, biting my lip. "Can, uh, can we go inside and talk about this? It's not really something I want to talk about"—I waved my hand around—"out here."

Charlie looked over his shoulder to the house and then turned back to me. "Is it safe? For Sue and the baby, I mean."

I smiled as Jake finally spoke. "It'll be fine, Chief. Seth and I will be in there, but Bella's fine. I wouldn't let her around you if she wasn't."

My father nodded, still slightly hesitant. He took a deep breath, turned his back on us, and walked to the house, slipping inside the open door.

Now that it was time to tell Charlie my story, my nerves got the better of me. I gasped for a breath I didn't really need, bending at the waist with my hands on my knees. My eyes were closed, so I heard and smelled Edward before I saw him. He had me wrapped in his arms before I could say a word.

"It's gonna be okay, love," he murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Would you like me to be in there with you?"

Mutely, I nodded, feeling a wave of emotion settle over me—calm, confidence, and support from Jasper, who was hidden in the trees at the edge of the yard.

I squared my shoulders, drawing in a deep breath, and thanked him quietly before taking Edward's hand and walking to the door, where Jake was waiting.

"Ready, Bells?" he asked, smiling sympathetically. "He'll be okay. Charlie's tough. He can handle it."

"Thanks, Jake," I told him. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Nervously, I walked through the door and into the living room, spotting my dad standing beside Seth across from the couch. When he raised an eyebrow at me and then the couch, I knew that's where he wanted me. I wasn't surprised when he turned a dark, angry look on Edward, but I wanted to stop him before he said anything.

"Dad, this isn't Edward's fault," I said quickly, pulling Edward to the couch with me.

"Did you know, Bella?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest and still glaring. "What he was, I mean. When you were dating him, did you know?"

I nodded slowly and answered, "I figured it out not long after I met him."

"And you still—" Charlie cut himself off, turning around and hitting the wall with such force that he left a fist-sized dent in the plaster. Without turning back to face me, he hissed, "Did he do this to you? Did he make you into a mo—"

"Bella is not a monster, Chief Swan," Edward said, his voice a low growl.

"I'm not talking to you," Charlie barked, whipping around and pointing at Edward.

"Charlie!" I gasped, gripping Edward's hand tighter. "Dad, please! This isn't Edward's fault. He didn't want this for me, even then."

His shoulders relaxed slightly, some of the ire leaving his eyes as they moved from Edward back to me.

"This... This wasn't supposed to happen now. Especially not like this," I said brokenly. "Please, Dad, sit down and listen."

Charlie shook his head, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms again. "Just tell me, Isabella," he said with a sigh. "Start at the beginning."

"I knew right away something was different about Edward and his family," I began without preamble, figuring the only way I would get it all out would be just to tell him.

I told Charlie everything—Edward saving me from Tyler's van and the men in Port Angeles, my guessing what he was because of the story from Jacob and all the clues I'd noticed in his looks, demeanor, and behavior, and finally, the baseball game and everything that had transpired with James.

Charlie's heart picked up again as I described the basics of what happened in Phoenix. "I think I'll take that seat now," he said quietly, staggering over to his chair and dropping down with a hard thud.

I looked worriedly at Edward, who said in a way Charlie couldn't hear, "Go on, love. He's okay."

I skipped all the details of my birthday party—Charlie knowing how close Jasper had come to attacking me would do him no good—and just said that after Phoenix, Edward had thought long and hard about staying in Forks and had realized that to keep me safe, he'd thought it best to remove himself and his family from my life.

"Not that it worked out exactly like that, of course," I sighed, glancing toward the stairs, where I knew my daughter was sleeping. "Still, as misguided as he may have been—and as badly as he handled it—he was only doing what he thought was right. I know that now." I squeezed his hand, showing him once again that I'd forgiven him.

Charlie had listened quietly throughout my story, but he finally spoke. "What happened that day, Bells? Why are you...?" He motioned to me with a wave of his hand as a completion to his sentence.

"L-Laurent, the other man with James who had—" I paused, unsure of how to phrase it "—played everyone for fools and made us think he wasn't a bad guy, found me that day out in the woods. I'd gone out to a special place Edward had taken me to, and Laurent tracked me down there. He..." I swallowed, blinking back the sting of venom in my eyes. "He bit me, intent on draining me, but was interrupted when Jake and the pack showed up. Jake saw what had happened and took me up into the mountains until I was finished changing."

Charlie's eyes flickered to Jake, "You knew she was al—" He cut himself off, obviously rethinking his wording. "You knew where she was and kept it from me?" he asked angrily.

"Charlie, I—" Jake started.

"Dad, no, don't blame Jake," I said vehemently. "We didn't think it would be safe for me to be around you. Most newborn vampires are...out of control. We thought it would be too dangerous."

He settled slightly again, scrubbing a hand over his face. "So if you're so dangerous to me, why are you here? Should I be worried?"

Edward spoke again then, explaining about Alice's gift, everything we'd learned about familial blood, and the fact that I was a shield, all of which combined to lead us to where we were now.

Cracking the first smile since we'd arrived, Charlie said, "I always knew there was something special about you, kid."

I chuckled, shaking my head, relieved that he seemed to be taking everything in stride.

~*~*~FC~*~*~

Edward's POV

Bella and Charlie continued to talk as I listened to as much of his thoughts as I could. It was important for us to know what he was really thinking, so before Bella had revealed herself, I'd asked her not to mention my telepathy until I did. Charlie was hard enough to read without him worrying about censoring his thoughts.

At first, Bella explained more about vampires in general—our strength and speed, enhanced abilities, and the usual myths about sunlight, crosses, garlic, and holy water. Charlie was stunned throughout it all—even more so when she explained more about our diet. His thoughts were muffled, but from what I could tell, he was slightly appeased that we appeared less like the monsters of the movies than he'd thought at first.

When Bella explained that we'd been by the house on a handful of occasions since her change—first outside and then in—to test our theories and her control, Charlie's mind exploded so much that I heard him clearly.

I can't believe they would risk Bella like that! What were they thinking? What if she hadn't been able to control herself? I wouldn't have been able to stop her!

Verbally, he simply asked, "I'm assuming those visits went well, or else you wouldn't be here now."

Speaking quickly, at a pitch Charlie was unable to hear, I told Bella, "He's very upset that you would take the chance to come here without anyone. You might explain that you never came alone, and that fact combined with Alice's talent made it as safe as possible."

Nodding almost imperceptibly, even to me, she looked up at her father. "Of course, I never came alone," Bella said, smiling wryly. "Even though I'm apparently very abnormal, no one—including me—was willing to risk Lizzie's safety, nor yours and Sue's. Edward was always with me, as were at least two other members of the family. Jake and Seth were even here a couple of times as well."

Charlie nodded, quiet and lost in his thoughts for a minute. He'd slowly been losing the fear he'd been feeling since seeing the wolves and then realizing what Bella had become.

When he asked about my history and the ones of my family, six voices in my head sounded off at once.

Feel free to tell him what you think he can take, son, Carlisle said.

Esme said almost the exact same thing. Whatever Charlie can handle hearing of my past, you're free to share with him, Edward.

Emmett was, of course, the loudest, shouting, Hells, yeah! Tell him all about the bear and about my angel, Rosie!

Alice was a cross between Emmett and our "parents," excited for Charlie to hear the story she loved to tell of how a vision had lead her to Jasper—who just said, As long as Alice is okay with it, I'm an open book, Edward.

Rose was much more cautious—she'd never liked opening up to anyone—but like the rest of the family, she agreed to let me tell what I needed to tell.

Unable to hear their thoughts of consent, Bella said, "Oh, well, Dad, I don't know if the family would apprec—"

"It's all right, Bella," I said, squeezing her hand gently. "I was given the okay for one of us to tell the stories if Charlie asked."

She smirked, making me think she'd guessed when I'd been given the permission. "Oh, okay. Well, why don't you do it? You can recall everything better."

Turning around slightly to face Charlie, I began with Carlisle's story. "Carlisle is the eldest of our family. As best he can remember, he was born sometime in the 1640s, in London, England."

Charlie gasped, mouth agape. "Dr. Cullen is almost four hundred years old? That's so...old!" He shook his head, looking sheepish. "Sorry, I mean, that's...uh... I'd have guessed twenty-seven."

From outside, my family broke out into peals of laughter, and when Bella grinned over at me, I knew she'd heard them, as well.

"Yes, well, he does look good for his age," I confirmed, grinning at him.

For the next few minutes, I told Charlie about Carlisle trying to nurse my parents back to health and stealing me away from the hospital after my mother's dying wish, as well as the rest of my family's pasts. Charlie listened without much comment, only showing extreme reactions to Esme's and Rose's stories. He found it amusing that Emmett now got his revenge on the bear that had killed him by hunting bears whenever he was able, and he was captivated by the idea that Alice had known to wait so long for Jasper in the diner in Philadelphia.

"That must come in very handy sometimes, I'd imagine," he said of Alice's gift. Then his eyes clouded over. "Why didn't she see...?" His eyes cut to Bella.

"None of this was Alice's fault, Dad," Bella said, frowning. She came as soon as she saw something had happened to me."

It took a moment, but finally, Charlie nodded.

Just as he was about to speak again, I heard a change in the fluttering little heartbeat from Bella's room and then a soft cry.

Lizzie was awake.

I could tell Bella wanted to see her, but Charlie's thoughts gave him away before he could speak. I gripped Bella's hand, hoping to keep her calm.

"Bells," Charlie started, "I...I think you should go for now. I need some time to process all this. I know she's your daughter, but she's my granddaughter, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with all of that yet."

Bella visibly recoiled slightly, as if she'd been struck. Pain was mixed with understanding and longing as she smiled sadly.

Charlie's thoughts registered surprise at the emotions even he could see there.

"I understand," she whispered, looking over at the stairs wistfully, as if her gaze was enough to suddenly conjure an image of her daughter.

After a moment, she stood, releasing my hand as she stepped over to her father, who had also stood. Slowly, as if approaching a skittish animal, she wrapped her arms around his waist, dropping her head to his shoulder.

Her words, said quietly enough that they were meant for Charlie's ears only, were still easily heard over the small room. "I love you, Dad. I'm sorry."

And then she was gone, out the back door at a speed only vampires and wolves could see.

Charlie gasped and looked around, seeing nothing but the door as it stood open from where she'd exited. As he became more agitated and nervous, his thoughts became more and more clear.

I don't want...gone forever. God...little girl. I just need time, Bella. Please, I wish you understood!

"Jake and Seth know how to reach us," I said softly, nodding once at Charlie before running out the door after Bella.