AN: Hi everyone!
Another chapter and this time it's both Edward and Bella point of view :)

Things are going to get a bit darker though... Charlie will worsen and Bella will take it hard... so be prepared, or skip until I tell you the heaviest stuff has passed again.

anyway, hope you'll enjoy reading!

Chapter 6 - drifting

BPOV

I sank down on the couch with a heavy sigh. Charlie was worsening by the day. It wouldn't be long now the nurses had warned me.

But then again he'd proven them all wrong time and time again these past few months.

He'd already surpassed his prognoses.

Still, it was worrying and exhausting both mentally, emotionally and physically.

It hurt to see him so fragile. It was getting harder and harder for him to breathe and I hated seeing him in pain. The guys hadn't visted again, he was too tired for that much commotion now. And I knew that also frustrated him. He knew he was getting weaker and that realization broke my heart.

It was hard to see him deteriorate this quick within a week. I rubbed my eyes tiredly. Jake put his head in my lap and I scratched his ears gently. It was getting late, I'd been at Charlie's for quite a while.

I pushed Jake's head from my lap and headed to the kitchen to start dinner. I quickly made some pasta carbonara and filled Jake's bowl with kibble. I turned on some mind numbing reality TV as I ate quietly.

After dinner my phone chimed, signalling a text. I looked at the screen to see it was a text from Harry. I quickly opened it.
he was inviting me to come to training tomorrow to meet the team.

I sighed. I wasn't really in the mood to be social and play nice with these athletes that probably thought they were hot shit. It had been the one thing I hadn't missed when I left for Arizona. Dad had always taken me to the park with him and the amount of cocky, pretentious, assholish guys that walked around the place really ticked me off. They'd always disregarded me, or worse; harassed me. I wasn't really looking forward to throwing myself back in there again.

I typed out a non committal reply, that I'd see if I had time after visiting Charlie tomorrow. I put my phone on silent and curled up on the couch, flicking through channels before settling on a film of some sort.

I wasn't really paying attention to anything anyway.

Before I knew it Jake was nudging me awake with his leash in his mouth. I grinned.
'Sorry boy, did I fall asleep?' I muttered.

I glanced at the clock. It was already ten o clock. I tried to walk Jake earlier than that every night. So I quickly dragged myself from the couch to walk him around the neighbourhood. After we got back I brushed his teeth and then started my own night routine. When I finally crawled into bed, it was after midnight. I was tired and spent and not ready for the next day.

A phone was ringing somewhere.

I frowned, groaned and rolled over, willing it to stop.

The ringing still persisted and I opened an eye. I looked at my phone on my nightstand and saw the screen lit up. I dragged myself up to a sitting position and grabbed it, the hospital name was flashing across the screen and dread filled my stomach.

With a trembling hand I pressed answer.

'Hello, Bella Swan.' I muttered.

'Ms Swan, I'm afraid it's bad news.' The nurse spoke, her voice strained yet gentle. 'There was a code tonight. We tried everything in our power to get him breathing again. The doctor intubated and we thought he would pull through, but I'm sorry to have to tell you that your father passed away fifteen minutes ago.'

The world seemed to stop. My heart was beating wildly in my chest and I couldn't seem to breathe.

A broken sob escaped my lips. I pressed a fist to my mouth. I was trembling all over. a lump so big it felt like a boulder was in my throat and it felt like my heart was breaking into a tousand pieces. I didn't want this to be real. i wanted this to be a dream. but I knew this was truly happening. I knew It had fainlly happened. Charlie had died.

It had been inevitable. but that didn't make it hurt any less.

'He went peacefully in the end. No pain. I'm so sorry for your loss.' the Nurse's voice only dimly registered in my foggy brain.

'thank you.' I whispered brokenly. 'can I see him?'

'We'll transfer him to the funeral home, Charlie already made arrangements in the event of his death. They will contact you as soon as they take possession of the body.'

I nodded as tears started flowing freely down my cheeks.

That was Charlie. He wouldn't want me to be inconvienced and he didn't want me to have to worry about planning his funeral. Another sob broke through.

'Thank you for calling.' I whispered finally.

'I'm so terribly sorry.' the nurse said.

I pressed end and broke down.

EPOV

I was batting along with the others when Paul was called away urgently. I cocked a brow at Emmett, who just shrugged. Ten minutes later, someone came to pull Emmett away as well.

I turned to Jasper. 'What do you think is going on?'

Jasper shrugged and focussed on his machine. 'Don't know. If it's important they'll tell us.'

I shrugged and focussed on batting as well. I was ramming out my frustration today.

Bella hadn't been at the park yesterday either. I'd really hoped that I would see her because it had been a Saturday. But sadly I wasn't that lucky. She was still a mystery to me. I had set my hopes on today though.

But meanwhile I could make sure to ram those balls as hard as I could and get some of my frustration out that way.

After a while Emmett came back and blew the whistle hearding us towards the locker rooms. I tried to catch his eye to tell me what was going on, but he was avoiding my gaze.

He seemed upset. His face was drawn and he was shifting around a lot.

We entered the locker room and Emmett followed after us, which was odd. Then paul stepped in next. Shit, something big was going on.

'Guys, hold off on the showers for a moment.' he announced.

We all turned to face him, getting uncomfortable. Something was up we all felt it. and it was bad.

Rhe door opened then and Harry clearwater stepped in, everyone immediately stood up a bit straighter.

'Mr Clearwater.' Paul said, nodding to him.

He nodded back. 'This morning, I received the news that Charles Swan sadly passed away during the night.'

Fuck.

My stomach dropped.

Charlie had always been a good man. When Jasper and I had been traded to the cubs he'd taken the time to actually welcome us and he was heavily involved with the running of the team, even coming to batting practices every once in a while. He was a good man and it sucked that he had to go like this. Cancer was horrible at any age, but it always hurt a little more when it was a younger person. Charles had only been forty five.

'His body has been brought to the funeral home and his daughter is planning the arrangements. The funeral will be next Friday, I expect each and every one of you to be there. If you want to sent any flowers or condolences you may, the address details will be up on the board today. We'll suspend training for the rest of the day and tomorrow. Of course Friday is suspended as well. The rest of the week I'd like you all to wear the black armband that we'll provide during training.'

He took a deep breath. Harry had been close friends with Charlie, this had to hurt him more than he was letting on.

'What will happen to the team?' Laurent asked and I glared over at him.

That was not an appropriate question at all right now. Who the fuck cared about the team? A man had lost his life, a daughter had lost her father. Fucking hell.

'We don't know yet. The reading of the will, will be done after the funeral. We'll plan a team meeting on Saturday and hopefully we'll have more information about it then.' Harry spoke in a hard voice. he wasn't very happy with that question either.

'How's his daughter doing?' Emmett asked.

harry sighed. 'she's keeping strong. hanging in there.' He said, smiling gently. Emmett nodded. 'Alright that will be all.' harry dismissed us then, clapping his hands together to signal that was all.

We all nodded and turned to the showers as the coaches all filed out again.

Jasper and I turned to look at eachter. He was shaking his head. 'Damn shame.' He muttered.

I nodded in agreement. 'Can't imagine what the daughter is going through. What's her name?'

'Isabella Swan.' Jasper said. 'I've met her once. She's so kind and genuine, it's horrible that she has to go through this all alone.'

'Alone?' I echoed.

'Her mother is gone too. As far as I know she had no other family except for Charlie.'

'Damn.' I sighed. 'That's rough.'

Jasper nodded. and we headed for the shower with grim faces. the lockeroom was quiet for a change and most of the guys were down too. all of us felt this loss on a personal level. this wasn't just some faceless boss who'd died. Charlie Swan would be missed. by everyone.

I decided to sent some flowers and a card to Isabella Swan, to show my compassion. I wrote down the adres that was pinned to the board after I got out of the showers and then headed home. I didn't have the energy anymore to take Mike all the way to the dog park.

I settled on a quick walk before I sank down on the couch and just held my head in my hands for a moment, thinking about Isabella. I hoped she at least had friends that were helping her through this.

The following morning I headed out to the flower shop to pick out a bouquet and a card. I brought Mike with me, making it a walk at the same time. Plus he enjoyed coming with me whenever possible. WE headed down the street to a small boutique flower shop I had noticed last night, but as soon as I stepped inside, I knew I was in over my head. I hardly ever ordered flowers, and I shure as hell never ordered sympathy flowers. I wasn't sure what was appropriate and frankly I was overwhelmed by the abundance of different types of flowers surrounding me.

Thankfully the shopgirl noticed.

'Can I help you?' she asked kindly. Mike started wagging his tail beside me, immediately strutting over to her to get some cuddles.

I chuckled. 'Uh yeah, sorry about him, he's a cuddly bear.'

'That's fine, I really like dogs.' She assured me as she gave me a coy smile, I recognized it instantly. She was hoping for something.

I groaned inwardly and quickly dropped my smile and turned back to the flowers, hoping not to give her any wrong ideas. Although in my college years I definitely would have pounced on such an oppertunity, I was getting too old for that shit. I didn't want nameless hookups in the back of stores or bars anymore.

'I uh… I wanted to sent some flowers to someone who recently lost her father.' I quickly said.

'oh I'm sorry.' the girl said, stepping closer and putting her hand on my arm in a show of sympathy. I didn't miss how her fingers gripped my forearm though, and how they lingered.

I nodded my head in thanks as i stepped back and away from her touch. her nails trailed over my skin and I supressed the urge to shudder.

'Did you know them well?'

I rubbed my neck awkwardly and nodded. 'I guess.'

'I'm sorry for your loss.' She said again, stepping closer again. I pulled back immeidately, without seeming too rude.

'what type of flowers are appropriate?' I asked her.

'I can arrange a bouquet for you, if you'd like' She seemed to finally be getting the hint, as she turned to look at the flowers around us.

I nodded eagerly. 'yeah, that would be great.'

'I'd keep it mostly white, but add a few lilacs and some rose lillies in as well, to give a bit of colour to the bouquet.'

'That sounds good.' I nodded, galncing at the flowers she was pointing out. I didn't even know there could be colour in a sympathy boquet. but the lilies were nice, a soft shade of pink, that was understated yet lovely.

'How big did you want it?'

'uh just standard I guess?'

She nodded and then set to work, grabbing flowers from the buckets and putting them on a counter before arranging them together artfully.

'do you deliver?' I asked suddenly remembering that I couldn't very well drop them off myself. I wasn't really sure Isabella would want the team on her doorstep bringing her flowers and imposing on her, right now.

'Yeah we can arrange delivery. Did you want to add a card?'

I nodded. She pointed me to the cards and I quickly picked one out and signed it. I wasn't sure what else to put on there except my name.

So I didn't.

The girl finished the flowers and added the card before turning to me. I gave her the adres it needed to be delivered to and then paid her.

She promised the flowers would be delivered that same day.

I nodded and thanked her for her help, before quickly heading out of the store before the girl could suggest anything else to help me with. Judging by the looks I was getting there wasn't much she wasn't willing to offer.