Again, thank you to those who have -favorited, followed, and reviewed. You all are my Ramen. Always wanting more lol.

Chapter 4: Secrets and School

It's been a few days since Charlie welcomed his other daughter into his home. Bella took on mothering Ava. Charlie was surprised Bella had taken to 'taking care' of Ava. Getting her situated in the house, seeing what kind of food she liked, her favorite colors, just everything. Bella liked taking care of people. Unfortunately, she had to do the same with her mother. Charlie was not blind. He knew the real reason Bella came to stay with him, and he didn't blame her one bit. She took care of him. Although instead of doing everything herself, she never had to worry financially. Charlie was the one to make sure the bills got paid and money for anything else she needed. He did his own laundry and picked up after himself. He looked on as the girl's sat down on the floor in front of him as he sat on the couch watching tv. Bella was having a hard time with her math homework and Ava was tutoring her. This is how the current conversation got started.

"Ava, what year were you in before you left your home?" Charlie asked curiously. He'd have to call New York to see about her transcripts.

"Um, well." Ava took a sip of water not saying anything.

Charlie and Bella looked at each other.

"What's wrong? You didn't go to school?" Bella asked as she looked at her paperwork. "You sure know a hell more than I do."

"Well, I did. Up until ninth grade. Then when…. When…." Ava whispered but Charlie and Bella didn't hear her.

"When what?" asked Charlie leaning over and touching Ava's shoulder. "It's ok."

Ava looked at Charlie, then Bella, then her water. She sighed. "When my foster mom became more violent. I dropped out and took online courses. If I had issues, I'd go to the library during the day when she was working. At first, the librarian felt sorry for me, I think she knew some of what was going on. So she helped me with signing up for online courses there. Along with my friend who got me my paperwork, they were able to take care of everything. I was able to get rather ahead. So, honestly," she stood up and went upstairs, while Charlie and Bella looked at each other shrugging their shoulders.

She came back down a few moments later and handed Charlie a folder. "My transcripts." She sat back down next to Bella.

Charlie leaned over so Bella could see and opened the folder.

It took a few minutes for them to say anything.

"Fuck," Bella whispered as Charlie bumped her with his knee. Ava chuckled. "Sorry Dad. But these grades. Are these official?"

Ava nodded her response.

"Ahem, well. From what I see, since you're seventeen and by this you haven't graduated yet, I need to re-enroll you. Is it something you want to do? I don't want to rush you, especially with this situation. I can talk to the principal and see what we can do. There's no online stuff here, if you were to do that, it'd be a school out of town." Charlie said to Ava still looking over her paperwork.

Ava didn't respond right away. "I…. I don't know. I think it'd be too much right now."

Bella looked at Ava. Her heart broke for her sister. She didn't think her heart could break anymore. But she realized something that she'd come back to later. She shook her head.

"Hey, like Dad said. He can talk to the principal and see what they can work out. I think it would be awesome to have you with me." Bella took Ava's hand. Ava looked at Bella. "Side by side. Forever."

Ava looked at Bella and smiled slightly. "Okay. Let me know what he says, and we can go from there."

"Okay," Charlie said closing the folder. "I'll take this tomorrow. I'm off tomorrow, so I'll deal with it then. I mean you're more than welcome to come with me."

"Ava's eyes went wide."

"Of course, you can wear your jacket with your hood up. That way people think dad is taking just another kid that probably skipped class," Bella chuckled.

Everyone laughed at Bella's joke.

"Can I think about it?" Ava asked Charlie.

"Of course. I'll be leaving at nine. That way kids are in class already." Charlie replied as he got up. He looked at the clock. It was already after ten, so he wished the girls good night and went up to his room.

Ava continued to help Bella with her homework. Once they were done, they gathered their stuff and went upstairs to their room.

Like Charlie noticed, Bella really started taking care of Ava. In just two days, she got rid of her full-sized bed and got a king sized for her and Ava to share. All with new bedding of course. She also, along with her bed order, she had Charlie purchase another desk just for Ava. So, the bed ran along the side with the window looking out the front, and one desk sat along the side where the bottom of the bed was and the other desk by the door. She even purchased a bigger dresser for them to share as well as made room in her closet and got rid of some clothes she didn't need or want (stuff Alice and Edward bought her). Like Charlie noticed, Bella went all out for Ava. He didn't mind. He was perfectly happy to do so.

"I'll shower first then you?" Ava asked as she got her pjs ready. She still had her old clothes. Once the weekend came up, Bella was going to take Ava to get some new clothes. Charlie all but pushed his card at Bella and told her to get plenty for Ava and for herself too. He had told Bella that it was nice of her to step up and take care of Ava, but that she also couldn't forget herself in the process. He had mentioned it's cruel to give someone something and then have it taken just as quickly. As, if Bella forgets herself, how can she be there for Ava? Which was true. So, Bella acquiesced to Charlie.

"Of course. I'll just get my stuff ready in the meantime," Bella said as she started getting her bag ready.

Ava nodded and went into the bathroom and started her shower.

While Bella was packing, she heard something fall to the floor. She turned and noticed Ava's backpack had fallen off her table.

She walked over and picked up her bag, but it had fallen upside down so a few things fell out. Bella righted the bag and began to put stuff away. When she picked up a notebook, she noticed pill bottles on the floor. Three of them.

"Okay. She didn't mention medicine." Bella whispered as she put them in the bag. "If she wants us to know, she'd say something. Bella took a moment with the bag, nosiness creeping in, but she shook her head and put the bag back onto the table and walked back over to her bag. Every so often she'd glance at Ava's bag.

She had a feeling. To check the bag. It kept gnawing at her.

She listened to Ava in the bathroom and found she had the water still running. She darted back to Ava's bag and pulled out the bottles. She looked at each one and nothing sounded familiar. So she fired up her laptop real quick and typed in the names on the bottles. What she saw made her face drain of color. She couldn't believe what she was reading.

Bella heard the water shut off and immediately turned off the laptop and put the bottles back in the bag the way they were so Ava wouldn't notice and went back to packing and went to the closet to see what'd she'd wear tomorrow.

"Alright, that feels better. All yours Isa. I promise I left hot water." Ava smiled at Bella. Bella turned and smiled back and grabbed her items and went to the bathroom. When Bella closed the door, she fell against it with her back.

Bella shook her head and began her showering routine.

The next morning Ava woke up to find Bella had already left. She got up and walked over to her desk, noticing a note.

Ava, go to school with Dad. See what they can offer you. I've stayed home before, it gets boring really quickly. There's not much to do. Especially since you've been helping with chores, there's even more time for both of us to wallow in our pity party. We can't have that. So I hope to maybe see you in the halls today, if only for a few minutes.

Isa

Ava doesn't know exactly why she decided to call Bella, Isa. It just seemed natural. Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Ava looked at the letter again.

"Hey Ava. Did you sleep well?" Charlie said from the door.

"It was okay, you know," she pointed to her head, "dreams get me once in a while."

"I can understand that. Bella had some real nightmares from…. From…" Charlie didn't know if he should continue or not.

Ava shook her head. "I understand. She's been through pain too." She looked back down at the note. "Give me ten minutes and I'll be down."

"You're coming?" Charlie was shocked.

"Yes. Better than being in the house all day. Fresh air will probably do some good." She started getting her stuff ready.

She didn't see the smile on Charlie's face. "Okay, good. I'll be waiting. It's rather cold out. Do you have a good jacket, if not, I'm sure Bella wouldn't mind you borrowing hers until you get one."

"I'm good. I don't get cold that easily."

Charlie nodded and closed the door and went back downstairs.

As Ava got ready, she pulled the bandages from her around herself and looked at her stomach. The wound was healing, albeit slowly. "That bitch really did a number on me. I'll need to get some cream." She put what cream she had left on the closing wound and rewrapped her bandages. She told Charlie and Bella what happened, but neither of them asked to see the wound. She was grateful they offered some privacy. Charlie just told her if she needed help with more care of it, he'd take her to the clinic. It wasn't her first wound, so she knew how to take care of it.

As she went down the stairs, she saw Charlie waiting with her folder.

"Alright kiddo let's see what the principal says. I've already made a call, so he's expecting me. I told him you may or may not come."

Ava nodded and they left for the school.

"It's not far at all," Ava commented as they pulled in ten minutes later. It was actually sunny today, just a bit cold.

Charlie just smiled and they both got out. She saw Bella's truck parked a little further out in the parking lot.

"Okay," Charlie said as he nodded their way towards the front of the school. Ava pulled her hood over her head to keep her face hidden. They made their way inside.

They walked to the front office. Ava staying behind Charlie.

"Good morning, Chief Swan. Mr. Acer gave me a heads up this morning. Right this way." The lady behind the desk said. Ava got the vibe she was nice, but nosy. She kept her head down.

"Thank you, Mrs. Prescott." Charlie said as he and Ava made their way to the back.

Mrs. Prescott knocked on the door and there was a 'yes' on the other side.

"Mr. Acer, you're 9:30 is here," she said to him then turned to Ava and Charlie, "please have a seat."

Charlie and Ava walked inside and sat down and she closed the door.

Mr. Acer shook Charlie's hand. "Well Chief, what can I do for you today."

"Well, first off, there's a story. I can't go into detail right now. I'm still working on the kinks. But I would appreciate if you didn't ask questions right now and just go with the flow for the time being." Charlie stated. But he stated it in a tone that made no mistake of seriousness.

Mr. Acer, to his credit, didn't flinch. "You've got it."

"Okay," he turned to Ava. "Ava?"

Ava sighed, then took off her hood and looked at Mr. Acer.

His eyes went wide. "Ava?" He looked at Charlie.

"This is my other daughter, Ava Wilson. Ava, as you've probably figured out, this is Mr. Acer, the school principal." Charlie said.

"Nice to meet you," Ava said.

"Well Ava nice to meet you." He turned to Charlie, "one thing I'll say Chief, your girls have manners." Mr. Acer nodded to Ava with a smile. She nodded back to him.

"Thank you. Well, I have Ava's transcripts here," he handed the folder to Mr. Acer, "I wondered if you could see where she can be placed. She needs to finish school."

"Ah, I see." Mr. Acer said as he opened the folder to review the paperwork. It took only a few moments before he looked at Ava wide eyed. "You're seventeen? With grades like this?"

Ava nodded and shrugged her shoulders.

"Ahem, well." Mr. Acer looked further into her paperwork. After a few minutes his computer went down. "Oh, what the hell," he said hitting some keys. "I'm sorry Ms. Wilson, Chief," he continued pressing buttons. He got on his phone, "Ms. Prescott what the hell is going on with the computers? A massive shut down, why? Oh hell, it probably has to do with the boards. Get IT." he hung up with the phone. "Sorry, the computers have been crap lately. We need an upgrade, but IT for some reason is having trouble bypassing the codes from the older model. And the supervisor is out of town on vacation. We must wait until he comes back," Mr. Acer shrugged. "Well anyway, for Ms. Wilson here, I'd have to schedule an out-of-town placement exam. There's a waiting period though."

There was a knock and Mrs. Prescott came in, "Mr. Acer, one of the IT's got shocked, we're sending him to the ER."

"Damn it," he sighed.

"Um," Ava spoke up and everyone looked at her, "may I see your board room? Maybe I can help."

"Uh," Mr. Acer began.

"Try it," Charlie said. "She got my internet up and working the best it's been. I haven't had a slow down moment since she's been with us. Girl's a whiz with that infernal devil box," Charlie gestured to the computer. Ava hid a smile with Charlie's comment.

"Well alright, but if she gets shocked, I'm not paying medical bills," Mr. Acer said as he got up and led the way to their circuit board room.

There were two other people there. "Mr. Acer," one began.

"I know I know, here, Ms. Wilson said she can possibly help," he waved her in.

Ava looked around and although there were some sparks, it wasn't bad. She put down her back pack and pulled out some gloves. She went over to where the sparks were coming from and noticed some frayed lines. "Do you guys have replacement lines?"

One of the techs pulled out some wires from his bag and handed them to her and she got to work. A few minutes later she asked for a laptop and the tech handed one to her and she typed away. Between typing and playing with the wires, the system came back up faster than before.

"Okay, it just needs a major reboot, but should be good after that. I would consider doing it once the school day is over. It should be up and running before the start of tomorrow." She handed back the laptop.

"Amazing kid. You want a job?" one of the techs said as he went over what she did. There were some chuckles as Mr. Acer along with Charlie and Ava, made their way out of the room and back to the office. They sat down.

"Well Ms. Wilson, you've saved us a bunch of trouble." He looked down at the folder on his desk. "I'll personally make some arrangements for you to take the tests here at the school. Perhaps next week?"

Ava looked at Charlie.

"It's up to you," he said.

Ava looked back at Mr. Acer and nodded.

"Okay, so once I get everything settled, I'll call Chief Swan and set it up. Once you finish the tests, it should take around 24 hours for the results and then we can set up your schedule. I mean it is two weeks until Christmas break, you won't have time to really settle in. Would you rather start after break?" Mr. Acer asked, filling out forms as he was talking.

"I don't mind. I can have a week to see where I need to start." Ava said looking at the paperwork in front of her.

Mr. Acer nodded. He handed the papers to Charlie. "If you could sign this Charlie."

"She is emancipated Mr. Acer. She signs her own stuff." Charlie replied.

"Oh, well, okay, sorry, I did not know." Mr. Acer brought the paperwork in front of Ava. "Well then no offense, why are you here when she could've come by herself for this?"

Ava looked at Charlie as Charlie looked at Mr. Acer.

"We've got a history Mr. Acer. I'm not inclined to speak of anything. But when push comes to shove, she's, my daughter. She and Bella deserve my support no matter what. Emancipated or not."

"I did not mean any disrespect Charlie. But I understand about support. These kids need all they can get." Mr. Acer and Charlie nodded to each other. What Charlie didn't see was the small smile that graced Ava's face at Charlie's comment.

There we are lovelies. So Ava's 'superpower' is revealed lol. I haven't read a story really with much computer work from certain characters, so Ava's going to have an interesting part other than being Bella's twin sister. Also, her 'secret' becomes more prominent as the story goes on. See you next week!