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The Morning After

When Bella woke Jacob was still sleeping, his head resting close to hers. The dark fringe of his eyelashes settled softly on his cheeks. She felt his hot breath against her face. His arms wrapped around her protectively, instinctively, even as he slept. Bella didn't want to move, she could have stayed there forever, but the light was already filtering through a crack in the curtains, a whole new day had dawned, and one glance at her cell showed that it was already way past nine in the morning.

Not wanting to disturb Jacob just yet, Bella tried to gently ease herself out of his embrace, but even this slight movement woke him. Immediately alert, he scanned the room quickly. He breathed deeply through his nose, smelling for danger. Finding none, he relaxed, smiling at Bella through half closed eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?"

Bella nodded, reaching out with her hand to touch his face. "You?"

Jacob grinned and pulled her closer to him. "Yeah." He said, dropping a quick kiss on her forehead. "You know I could get used to this, waking up beside you every day."

Just as Bella leaned in for another kiss, the sound of the front door opening made her freeze. "Who's that?" She mouthed.

"Shit, its Charlie." Jacob whispered frantically, rolling off the bed in one smooth movement, he landed nimbly on his feet. He began scrambling around for some clothes.

"Bells? Bella? Where are you?" Charlie called out loudly.

"Oh, god, I can't believe this!" Bella hastily clambered off the bed, but her legs got all twisted up in the thin blanket and she ended up falling on the floor with a dull thud. "Oof!"

"Bella?" Charlie called out again. "Is that you?"

Digging deep in the overflowing laundry basket, Jacob had finally found a clean t-shirt. He yanked it over his head, quickly pulling on the same shorts he had been wearing the night before.

"Bella?"

Skin flushed red with panic, Bella untangled herself from the blanket, and made a grab for her clothes, unfortunately she wasn't quick enough. Alerted by the noise coming from Jacob's room, Charlie opened the door without bothering to knock.

"What do you think you're doing?" He bellowed, his face turning a dangerous shade of purple.

Jacob thought he would rather face a horde of ravenous vampires than an enraged police chief. "I didn't want to leave her alone." He mumbled incoherently. He glanced over at Bella, who was standing mutely behind him, then back to Charlie. "Nothing happened. I swear."

A low chuckle came from behind Charlie, making him jump. He swung around, startled to find Billy standing beside him in the narrow hallway.

"You need to relax, chief." He said with a broad smile. "It was a distressing night. Of course, your daughter didn't want to be alone. Maybe you should cut the kids some slack, huh?"

Charlie didn't respond. He stood gaping at Billy in shock, with his mouth hanging open. It had been so long since he had seen his old friend standing upright, he had forgotten that Billy was a good few inches taller than he was.

"How did you…?" He failed to finish his sentence as he looked Billy up and down, running his fingers through the greying strands of his hair. He shook his head in disbelief.

Billy chuckled again, reaching out and putting his hand on Charlie's shoulder, he steered the confused police chief away from the open door of Jacob's bedroom and headed in the direction of the kitchen. His presence providing the perfect distraction, just like he had intended.

"It's a long story, Charlie. Let me make you some breakfast and I'll tell you all about it."

While Jacob was in the shower and Billy was in his room getting dressed, Bella finally found the courage to face her father. She edged into the kitchen, to find Charlie sitting at the table, working his way through a plate of toast and eggs. Billy had made enough to feed an army, or in this case, two hungry werewolves and a bewildered police chief.

Bella made up a plate for herself, and sat down across the table from him, and they both began eating in awkward silence. For the first time ever, Bella really wished for conversation. The lingering embarrassment she felt at being caught with Jacob in his room still made her face burn, even though it had been totally innocent, she could see how it must have looked to Charlie.

"How are you?" She finally asked, trying to sound casual.

Charlie sighed heavily and pushed his empty plate away. "I may have overreacted just a little bit." He admitted, his eyes rising to meet hers. "I'm sorry."

"I know how it must have looked." Bella cringed at the idea of having to explain herself, but thankfully her father seemed to have accepted Billy's explanation, and he was no longer interested in pursuing it. "After everything that happened last night, I just didn't want to be alone. Jake knew that and stayed with me."

"I know. I get it."

The conversation stalled and they sat knee deep in silence again. The faucet dripped into the sink behind them, each drop reverberating around the room like a cymbal, yet neither moved to stop it. Outside the house was as silent as the inside. There was no sound of birdsong, the wind had died, leaving behind a sinister quiet.

Bella's food felt like cardboard in her mouth. No amount of chewing made it possible to swallow. Her mouth felt dryer than a sandbox in summer. She glanced across at Charlie. His head was bowed, as if the events of the night before were weighing him down. At the same time her own memories were resurfacing. After spending such a restful night in Jacob's arms, without his warm presence to keep them at bay, Bella's composure began to crumble.

"I was so scared last night, Dad." She choked out. "I've never been so terrified in my life."

Charlie reacted instantly, pushing whatever was troubling him to the back of his mind, he reached out and caught her hand in his. "I was terrified, too." He confessed; his voice gruff with repressed emotion. "I hated leaving you. I did. I thought you would be safe here on the res with Billy, Jake and the others. And then, to find out you were the target for those monsters, it just about killed me. If it had not been for Billy…. I'll owe him forever for saving your life."

"You know about that?" Bella sobbed. She hadn't been sure just how much Jacob's father had divulged to Charlie, but it seemed he had told him everything.

"Yes." Charlie's brown eyes glimmered with moisture. "I should have been the one to protect you."

"Dad, you were needed elsewhere. No one could have predicted this was going to happen. You left me in safe hands. Please don't blame yourself." Bella pleaded.

"I know that in my heart." Charlie focused on his empty plate, blinking back tears. "But it doesn't make it any easier."

"It must have been awful for you last night, being in the thick of it like that." Bella looked at him with compassion, squeezing his hand gently.

"It was pretty bad." He admitted. "Some good people have lost their livelihoods. It could take months for the insurance payouts to come through. And now I must manage the investigation, pretending I don't have a clue as to what was behind the spate of arson attacks on the local businesses."

"I'm sorry, Dad. It must be hard for you."

"It is." Charlie sighed again. "I don't know how I'm going to look those people in the eyes, knowing what I know. I can't exactly tell them that a bunch of mythical creatures straight out of their nightmares was behind it. They'd haul me straight off to the loony bin." He added with a grim smile.

"Would you rather have remained ignorant?" Bella asked, her voice thick with guilt. "Do you regret finding out the truth?"

"No, kiddo." Charlie rushed to reassure her. "It was worse not knowing." He opened his mouth to speak again, then abruptly closed it, falling into a brooding silence.

Bella waited patiently, knowing that he had more to say.

Eventually, Charlie's eyebrows drew down in frustration, as if he was struggling to find the right words to express himself. Then, after another agonizing few more minutes wait, he collected himself and looked her directly in the eyes.

"You're a smart girl, kiddo. You're more or less a grown woman now." He smiled at her weakly. "So, I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but I'm still gonna worry."

"You really have nothing to worry about."

"Uh huh." Charlie gave her a knowing look. "I'm your dad, I'm gonna worry. I just want you to be careful. Take things slow – "

Bella felt her face burn as she tuned out the rest of his speech. She could tell where this was leading. "Um…Dad…as much I'd love to chat some more…I think Jake is out of the shower now. It's getting late, so I'm just gonna take my turn." She rushed off just as he was getting to the good part.

Charlie was taken aback at her sudden departure. "I was just gonna say I'm glad you've found someone like Jake. Sheesh." He mumbled under his breath, shaking his head again in exasperation.

Even with the noise coming from the shower Jacob still overheard everything. He listened as Charlie and Bella made small talk about the fire investigation, which then led into a more deep and meaningful conversation about their feelings. Charlie had never been a particularly demonstrative man in the past, normally keeping his feelings close to his chest, but since Bella had come to live with him that had all changed. He was much more open now, able to discuss what was on his mind without the old awkwardness that stilled his tongue.

Just as Jacob was toweling himself down the conversation took another turn.

"You're a smart girl, kiddo. You're more or less a grown woman now. So, I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but I'm still gonna worry."

"You really have nothing to worry about."

"Uh huh." Charlie gave her a knowing look. "I'm your dad, I'm gonna worry. I just want you to be careful. Take things slow – "

Jacob paused, wondering where Charlie was going with this little speech. Then he heard the sharp scrape of the chair legs on the wooden floor of the kitchen, followed by Bella's hurried departure. Jacob smiled to himself, realizing Bella had completely got the wrong end of the stick and fled before Charlie got to the point. He heard what the police chief muttered under his breath.

"I was just gonna say I'm glad you've found someone like Jake. Sheesh."

As he opened the bathroom door, he heard the light patter of Bella's bare feet on the floor as she ran to the hallway. He could tell she was completely freaked out. As she rounded the corner, Jacob stepped out in front of her.

"Bells?"

Bella jumped like a startled rabbit, taken by surprise by his sudden appearance. "Oh, Jake." She whined breathlessly. "I can't believe it."

"Believe what, Bella, honey?" Jacob feigned ignorance.

"Charlie." She cringed, glancing behind her as if expecting her father to materialize out of thin air to continue their embarrassing conversation. "He was only trying to have the talk with me."

"The talk?" Jacob struggled to keep his face composed as he tried not to laugh at Bella's mortified expression. She was so cute. And too adorable for her own good. He should really put her out of her misery, but where was the fun in that?

"The talk!" Bella whispered impatiently, glancing over her shoulder again. "You know…the one that begins with S."

"Nope." Jacob shook his head, looking puzzled. "I have no idea what you're talking about, honey."

"God, Jacob, do I have to spell it out for you?" Bella snapped, putting her hands on her hips.

"It might be a good idea." Jacob folded his arms across his chest and gazed at her intently.

"Oh, for the love of…. the sex talk, Jacob. Charlie was trying to have the sex talk with me, until I hightailed it out of there." She glared at him, as if it was all his fault.

Jacob could not contain it any longer. He cut up laughing, becoming breathless at the bewildered expression on her face. His laughter was so free and pure, so childish despite his age. It came to Bella's ears as a tickle and bounce - and only a rocky heart could do anything but join in such generous mirth as it finally dawned on her that he had been teasing her the whole time.

"Gah, you knew the whole time!"

Jacob smiled at her mischievously. Bella began to giggle. The joyful sound rolled about the room like a child's spinning top, vibrant and heartwarming, releasing her from the stresses of the last few hours. It came in fits and bursts - loud to soft to nothing at all and back to loud again.

It attracted the attention of Billy and Charlie who came to investigate what all the noise was about.

"What's going on here?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"Beats me, chief." Billy said, scratching his head.

Their fathers' bewildered expressions just made Bella and Jacob laugh harder.

Beneath a sky that only promised icy rain and with a stressful day ahead that threatened to stretch into infinity before nightfall, their childish eruption of pure glee was the gift they didn't know they needed.

A/N-thanks for reading!