Uh oh! Ready to find out what Charlie is going to do? What do those devilish kids have planned?

The song for this chapter is Carry On Wayward Son by NEONI. Shout out to my Supernatural homies.

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Disclaimer: I'm only doing this for a friend. I don't get anything from it but her undying appreciation. I certainly don't get to have fun with Emmett and the boys in my head.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Carry On Wayward Son
CPOV

Carlisle. It's Charlie. I have a delicate matter I need to discuss with you. Can you meet me at the diner?

It wasn't often that I felt fear but when I saw Charlie's text come in, I immediately wondered if he had figured out my feelings for his daughter was preparing to threaten or shoot me. I finished the last of my notes, packing away the others into my briefcase to do overnight. I really couldn't concentrate, even with my heightened abilities while Charlie's message sat heavily in my thoughts. Once I'd gathered my things, I locked my office behind me and headed to my car, murmuring pleasant goodbyes to coworkers as I passed them, a knot forming in my stomach. Once I was seated behind the wheel of my car, I took off with more speed than was strictly safe and pulled into the parking lot at the diner in record time. I walked slowly to the door, rolling my sleeves up as I went and loosening my tie. Charlie was seated in the back corner, right by the kitchens where there weren't any windows, his back to me so that I could only see the top of his brown curly hair. I made my way over to him, ignoring the smell of greasy food and old coffee hanging in the air mixed with the scent of humans.

"Charlie," I said, stopping next to the booth. He looked up at me and I didn't miss the flash of relief in eyes as I deeply inhaled the acrid smell of fear rolling off him.

"Carlisle, good to see you. Please sit." I took a seat in the booth across from him and watched as he fiddled with a coffee mug. I wondered how much caffeine was coursing through his system: he was fidgeting and nervous.

"I have to say, I was a bit surprised by your message. Is everything okay," I asked lightly, watching him carefully for any sign that he was about to call me a cradle-robbing pervert and then shoot me.

Oh god, I was starting to think in melodramatics like Edward.

"I know it was sudden. But this is a… time sensitive matter, Carlisle. And I think you're the only person who might be able to help." His eyes were darting around as he spoke, like he expected someone to jump out at him at any moment.

"I'll do anything I can," I offered calmly. He nodded absentmindedly.

"I can't tell you many of the details and I'm sorry for that. But I've been working on a case. It's a multi-county case and the state police are offering their assistance but it's been a tough nut to crack. Without revealing information relating to the ongoing investigation, I have reason to believe that the perpetrator is targeting Bella. Or has plans to, at least."

Glacial iciness covered me from head to toe.

"What," I asked lowly, nearly growling. He didn't notice my tense posture, focusing on the table in front of him.

"I received some pictures of her that were clearly taken from a distance, without her knowledge. Along with pictures there was a message that made his intentions quite clear."

"What do you need from me," I asked, forcing the words out in something that resembled human speech and not the animalistic roar I felt in my chest.

"I don't have any family left. No parents or siblings. It's the same on Renee's side of the family too. We were both only children. I don't have anyone that I can send her to stay with for safe keeping. To be honest, I was prepared to call in every favor with some of the forces in other states. But then Alice and Edward were telling about that new security system that you had installed after the vandalism attempts and Esme's concerns." I kept my face blank in the face of this completely new lie my children had told. "I don't want to burden you and god knows your family has practically adopted Bella into the fold already. But if she could stay with you, she would be so much safer than being alone at our house for hours and hours on end."

He wanted Bella to come live with us? Would this make it that much worse when he found out about Bella and I?

Bella is in danger.

That single thought ricocheted around my head, stirring me to action and filling me with nothing but the deepest desire to hunt down whoever was posing the threat and disposing of them in the cruelest way possible.

"What about school," I heard myself asking him as I tried to fully process the bombshell that had just been dropped in my lap.

"I'd like to say that she's safe at school but I can't make those kinds of promises. She might need to stay home until I finish this. Out of sight, out of mind is what I'm going for here."

"I could write a doctor's note for the school. If Bella caught a serious case of mono, she'd need to complete her studies away from campus," I suggested and relief split across his face like a shaft of light.

"That would be wonderful. I'm so sorry to ask you for something so big, Carlisle," Charlie started but I held up a hand.

"It's not a big ask. We love Bella and we would be devastated if anything happened to her. Having her stay isn't even a hardship," I assured him with a smile. He rubbed his hand over his face tiredly.

"Thank you. I will try and keep you updated but I'd be lying if I said that whoever he is, he's taken an interest in me specifically and her by association. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to see her without endangering her. But rest assured that I am doing anything and everything I can to catch the son of a bitch."

"I know you want her to be safe, Charlie. No one could doubt that. Is there anything at all I can do to help you?" He smiled thinly.

"No. I am using every resource available to catch and stop this guy. It's just a matter of time before we arrest him. In the meantime, I can rest knowing that she's safe at your house." A twinge of guilt twisted my gut. She would be safe with us but thinking about living with Bella made me acutely aware that I was sitting across from her father and he had a gun.

"I promise we will keep her safe," I vowed and he took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'm going to tell her that there's damage to the house and insurance is having it fixed so she'll be staying with you." I frowned.

"You're going to lie to her?" He frowned back.

"I can't tell her that some psychopath is threatening to hurt her. We can come up with a reason for her to miss school but the less people that know about this the better. If you can talk to your kids and just let them know not to let her be alone, that would help. But I can't have her living in fear that someone is going to come after her."

"You don't think that information would make her more vigilant?"

"I know that she lost her mother less than a year ago. I know that her time in this town hasn't been the easiest. I know that Bella is wonderful but she is so selfless at times that she would cut her own hand off just to give it to someone she loved who needed it more. And I don't need her worrying about if I'm coming back home or if she's going to end up orphaned, either. It's just better if she doesn't know about all of the details." We sat in silence before he heaved a sigh. "I hate lying to her. I hate all of this. But I can't bring myself to steal her piece of mind. Knowing her, she'd just try to start her own investigation and the last thing I need is Bella taking an interest in the bastard taking an interest in her."

"What do you know about this guy," I asked with barely contained rage.

"I can't give details of an ongoing investigation. We don't have specifics, anyway. But this guy has killed before and won't hesitate to do it again. I'm sorry to put you in this position. I'm hoping that your security measures will stop him from targeting you as well. Honestly, I'm hoping that if she just disappears, he'll lose interest completely and then I can focus solely on catching him. Since that threat, all I can think about is that she's in danger and I don't know who he is."

"It's a small town. Surely a stranger would stand out."

"Yes and no. We get enough people stopping as they pass through that we can't possibly track all of them. And this guy knows how to sneak around without being noticed. He's already done it." Comprehension dawned on me.

"The logging accident," I prompted and he didn't say anything but his eyes tightened. "Charlie, you need to be careful. Whoever did that knew how to cause massive damage with very little effort. I don't want you to show up at the hospital with an injury that's even worse."

"I know," he groaned, resting his head on the table. "It could be worse. I know that. Whoever he is, he's intelligent and knows what he's doing. But I already have several agencies assisting with identifying and catching him, so I'm hopeful that if I remove Bella from the picture, he'll be easier to catch. Or that they'll come through and we'll be able to identify the guy and then he won't be able to hide."

"I will do whatever I can to help you," I promised.

"Thank you. Just keep my baby girl safe. I trust that you will protect her, Carlisle. She's safe with you." My throat tightened at the words. I knew he meant in this instant and that he was talking about my family as well as me. But the affirmations warmed me, feeling far too much like the approval I wished I could get from him but would never ask for.

"I will protect her with every ability I have and more," I assured him and he nodded, moving to stand up.

"I'll tell her when I get home and have her pack up tonight. Is that enough time for Esme to make arrangements for her?"

"We can be ready tonight," I told him. "I can send the boys to come pick her up and bring her home."

"Thank you," he said, voice choked and I saw the brightness of his eyes that betrayed how much it killed him to send her away.

"She'll be back in no time," I said quietly and he nodded, clearing his throat before heading out of the diner. I waited for a moment, to give him time to get in his cruiser and leave before I stood up and followed, already pulling my phone from my pocket to call Esme and then Alice.

All the while, I kept my head on swivel, looking for the shadowy figure that would meet an unpleasant demise if he even breathed on Bella.