(Charlie's pov)

I sat at the bar with Billy perched beside me in his chair. I had had three shots of Johnnie Walker already and was working on a glass of cola and Captain Morgan's rum. He was gently nursing a bottle of Jack Daniels. At first it had been pandemonium, the news had shocked everyone, but people soon started making their way to the open bar, offering heartfelt congratulations and genuine toasts. Some joked about taking back their wedding gifts, to which I gave a very ecstatic 'go for it' to. Mrs. and Mr. Stanely had whispered their relief to me, they had heard a lot about Bella and Edward from their daughter, all three of which had been very concerned for her. The Newtons also paid Billy and me a visit and confessed their great relief as well, Mrs. Newton had admired what a hard worker Bella was and she and her son thought the world of her. I was sorry that it had taken Bella so long to realize just how toxic this relationship was, that it had hurt as much as it had, but I was deliriously grateful that she had run. Ending a toxic relationship is never easy, and as chief of police I had unfortunately had to respond to my fair share of 'domestic disputes', I dreaded my daughter becoming one of them someday. I took a drink as I pondered, if I could have forbidden her from ever being with him I certainly would have, but she was eighteen and I couldn't risk her moving out of my house and in with him and his creepy family. I feared what would happen to her if she did. I tried to go the legal route, without her knowing. The little shit had a squeaky clean record, except for his and his family's odd obsession with speeding ungodly fast on the freeways. I, and my policemen, had pulled them over and issued ticket after ticket, I even tried to get them for reckless endangerment of the other motorists but somehow each and every ticket and court summons mysteriously 'went away'. Rich bastards.

I placed a hand on Billy's shoulder and squeezed. "You have no idea how much I owe that son of yours, Chief."

"I'm proud of him, and thankful as well. I'm proud of that daughter of yours too, Sherif."

"Just how much did you know about this?" I asked as I finished my drink and gestured to the bartender for a refill.

"Enough."

"You gonna fill me in?"

"Soon." He took a drink from his bottle.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Means you and I are over-do for a very long talk."

I turned a bit more towards him. "I have always felt that you were holding out on me, Old man."

"I'm sorry for that, Charlie, truly I am. If there had been any other way- doesn't matter. We'll talk, I promise." He took a longer drink and placed his empty bottle down, getting the bartender's attention and ordering a whiskey on the rocks.

"So, what are we going to do about our offspring?" I asked.

"Support them, advise them. Plan family holidays and pray for the swift arrival of grandkids." He teased with a casual smile.

I laughed, "Well, we don't want to appear too eager. When it happens we should pretend to be at least a little mad about it. I could point my shotgun at him and demand matrimony if you want."

"That would be a sight!" Billy and I shared a deep belly laugh. Renee appeared behind me, getting my attention by gently placing her hand on my shoulder. Billy and I turned towards her as she took a seat on the bar stool to my right.

"Pineapple mojito." She ordered from the bartender.

"Renee." I greeted. Billy gestured a greeting with his glass.

"I liked the speech you gave earlier." She began.

"Speech? It would be lucky if it made two sentences."

"Well, you never were a man of many words, dear." Her drink arrived and she thanked the bartender. "My heart was in my chest waiting for the two of you to walk through those gaudy doors, I almost cried with relief when you showed up alone." She took a deep drink from her glass.

"Really? I thought you wanted this." I asked, incredulous.

"Ask any mother, Charlie, and she will tell you that the harder you fight your children on something the more thoroughly they are going to do it. If you and I had kicked up a huge fuss about this we only would have prevented her moment of clarity."

"You knew she would see reason?"

"Of Course I did, she's my daughter, I know her better than anyone. She came from me, Charlie. Our Isabella is a very intelligent young woman, she just has a lot of insecurities and most of the time they cloud her judgment." She turned her attention to Billy. "I take it we have your son to thank for this?" She raised her glass to Billy in a toast. He grinned and raised his glass as well, "Yep and couldn't be prouder." We all three took a healthy swig to that.

Renee ordered us another round of drinks, when they came she toasted, "To our children's future, may they find true happiness and love in each other." The three of us drank companionably and after a while the alcohol began to make my head swim and Billy had begun to slur his words. I barely felt the oddly ice cold hand on my shoulder. I thought I could hear the southern accent of the blonde Cullen brother, his words were far away and garbled but it sounded like he said something along the lines of '..taking these…two…to rest…'. I tried to protest but my tongue suddenly felt thick and heavy and my intended words were quickly forgotten as I surrendered to the blackness.

I don't know how long I had been out for, hours, days, I could only guess, it seemed like an eternity. When I finally did recover consciousness, my head felt like it would pop off and roll around on the floor. I groaned and opened my blurry eyes to find myself in a very… strange room, on a cot with something cold and metal around my ankle. Confused, I sat up and looked around, and began to panic. I was in a strange, cold, concrete room with a thick metal door. Across from my cot was another one, with Billy sprawled on top of it, just starting to come too, like me. As I slowly became more aware I looked down to notice a thick, long chain that attached me to something on the wall behind the bed. I strained my ears, trying to catch any kind of sound that would give me an indication as to where we were. Silence.

"Uh, Billy, what the fuck?" It wasn't an intelligent response, but it was the only one I had.

"Shit." he groaned as he used his arms to try and sit up. "Look's like we're having that talk sooner than I wanted, Sheriff."