AN: There are mentions of abortion in this chapter. That will likely continue until Bella has given birth. Remember, the thing Bella is carrying is not human.


For this story, I'm picturing a scruffy Henry Cavill as Charlie. And for Nan, I'm going with Betty White. If you want to see the pictures they're on my Facebook page. BlueBubbleBurst.


Thursday 1 October 2009 –

Forks, Washington –

"Bells, we're home!" Charlie called as he carried two suitcases into his home and up the stairs. He placed one suitcase in the spare bedroom and the other went into Bella's bedroom. Renee insisted she wanted to stay as close to her daughter as possible.

He wasn't sure why both Marie and Renee had to come. They hadn't spoken to one another in eighteen years. Possibly longer. He wasn't sure. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure what caused the rift between mother and daughter in the first place. All he knew was that they seemed to hate each other, argued about everything, and eventually, he believed, Bella would end up being put in the middle of their argument. Marie wouldn't mean to do it, but Renee certainly would.

Bella adored her grandmother. But their relationship had always annoyed Renee. Charlie knew she was petty and vindictive enough to come between the two, it was just a matter of time.

He figured the only reason Renee wanted to be close to Bella now was so she could ensure Marie wasn't. That was likely why she decided to visit. She said it was to help Bella after her first heartbreak but Charlie doubted her sincerity. As soon as she heard Marie was coming, Renee booked the first flight out.

To complicate matters further, Marie brought her nephews; Damon and Stefan. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have minded the extra company. Even if the house would be a little crowded for a while. Marie had asked him if they could tag along, and he assured her it was fine. It wasn't until Damon shook his hand and Charlie caught a whiff of their scent that he realized he would need to invite vampires into his home.

He didn't have anything against vampires. Per say. He'd met a few nice ones over the years. Charlie's younger brother, Mason, was dating a vampire. Katherine was a lovely woman and she adored Bella. But typically, his kind and theirs didn't mingle. The bad blood between the species went back to the beginning. Whenever that was.

The last time they spoke, Mason was going on about some silly sun and moon curse but Charlie wasn't interested. Unlike his younger brother, who was new to being a wolf, Charlie embraced what he'd become. He even enjoyed it. Yes, having all two hundred and six bones in your body cracking and breaking sucks. But, when it was over and he was running free through the forest under the light of a full moon it was . . . freedom, unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. And, if he was honest, he wasn't interested in giving that up.

Having vampires in his house was going to be a new experience, but he was willing to give them a chance. He just hoped they stayed away from his daughter. After everything Bella has recently gone through due to the Cullen family, Charlie wanted to keep her life as calm and normal as he could. She didn't know about the supernatural yet, and he wasn't sure if he was going to tell her.

She'd already been mistreated, borderline abused, and had her heart broken by that Edmund boy. He didn't want her dealing with the supernatural on top of what she was going through.

Was it wrong for him to want her to have a normal life? Was that too much to ask?

Of course, this could all be a moot point, if she ever broke the curse.

He knew he should tell her. It was only right that she should know so that she could be safe and prepared. He wished someone had told him! Though, he wasn't sure his father even knew about the wolf gene. His older brother Richard didn't know. And Mason hadn't known until he triggered the curse. As far as Charlie's aware, there hasn't been a wolf in the Lockwood family for generations.

The problem was, Charlie didn't know how to bring it up with Bella. It wasn't something that just rolled off the tongue.

"So, uh, by the way, Bells, your old man's a werewolf. I just thought I'd let ya know. Oh, and, don't kill anyone or you'll break the curse and become a werewolf, too. So, what's for dinner? I'd kill for a good steak . . . "

Yep. That was sure to go down well.

Then again, if she could deal with the freaky Edwin, maybe she could handle knowing about the supernatural and what she might become if she triggers the curse.

Why the hell he ever allowed her to date that Edger, he didn't know! He was a weird boy, constantly watching and looking down his nose at Charlie, as if he thought he was better! He was an arrogant, chauvinistic, manipulative little boy and Charlie hated him from the moment Bella brought him into their house.

He'd tried to give Edweirdo the benefit of the doubt, for Bella, but the first time he heard the boy insisting Bella shouldn't eat her favourite Pop Tarts anymore—because she'd gain weight and he refused to have someone unworthy on his arm—Charlie's estimations of the boy plummeted and there was nothing he could do to win the Chief over after that.

His sister was just as bad. Always telling Bella how to dress, forcing her into clothes one might find on the fashion runways in Europe, not in Forks High, and plying her beautiful face with makeup she didn't need.

For some reason, the pipsqueak seemed to think she had Charlie wrapped around her finger and that he liked her! He didn't. She was only slightly more bearable than her freaky brother.

The whole family was . . . odd.

He'd tried to welcome them, to ignore all the talk down at the Rez about them, but when he was up close, there was just something . . . off about them. He couldn't put his finger on it.

The blonde beauty Queen and the one who looked like he'd be an excellent lineman were okay. He never had any trouble with them. They were always friendly and polite if he ever saw them, which he rarely did.

There was one more but he'd never met him or seen him around town. He didn't even know the boy's name. Jester or Gaspar or Casper . . . he wasn't sure. It didn't matter.

But the other four . . . they were freaky. And . . . overly friendly. Like they were trying too hard. And what was with those freaky piss-colored eyes; what the hell was that about? The whole family had the same eye color. Except when they were black. Strange, considering none of them were supposed to be blood-related.

He considered maybe they weren't human, but his wolf hadn't picked up on anything. Their scent was overly sweet and cloying; like they'd all been dipped in something artificial and overpowering. His wolf didn't like the scent, but he also didn't react to it the way he would a vampire, so Charlie wasn't worried. Though the freaky changing eye color was suspicious.

Shaking those thoughts from his mind, Charlie knocked on Bella's bedroom door but didn't hear a reply. Concerned, he slowly opened the door and poked his head inside. She was lying on her bed, fast asleep. He could see she'd been crying and, from the smell, he knew she'd thrown up again, so he left her to sleep. She was probably coming down with that stomach bug that's going around.

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

"Bella's fast asleep," Charlie told his guests. "She's not been feeling well so I figured I'd let her sleep."

"Oh, my poor baby!" Renee cried dramatically. "Her first heartbreak and she's sick. I should go see her!"

"Let the poor girl sleep, Renee," Marie insisted, looking at her watch. "Why don't I make us a nice dinner and we can all sit down as a family."

Renee huffed. "I'm her mother! I'll cook dinner!"

"I didn't think you cooked, dear . . ."

Renee smiled happily. "Phil has been teaching me."

"Ah," Marie nodded. "Shame you couldn't learn when your daughter was five and making her own dinner every night."

Renee's eyes narrowed.

With her words hanging in the air, Marie smiled innocently at her daughter and headed into the kitchen.

"I hate that wretched old woman," Renee hissed, turning her glare on Charlie. "Why did you have to invite her?"

He shrugged. "Bella said she was craving Nan's special apple pie."

Renee's eyes narrowed. "Fine. I'll make her my special pie and she'll love it even more than whatever that woman is making!"

Charlie nodded. "Sure, sure. Just don't burn down the kitchen like the last time. It's just been renovated."

Renee made a high-pitched screeching noise as she ran into the kitchen. "You redid my kitchen?" She cried. "Where are my yellow cabinets?"

"Gone. Bells decided we needed a remodel and I agreed; it was time. And, if you recall, Renee, it's my kitchen. Not yours. This house wasn't good enough for you."

She huffed. "That's right. My kitchen is three times the size of yours."

"Do you still use your oven as extra shoe storage, dear?" Marie asked as she began to gather ingredients from the fridge.

"I told you; Phil is teaching me to cook!"

"That's nice. What's he taught you so far?"

Charlie ignored the two women and went to the fridge.

"You have a lovely home, Chief Swan."

He looked over at Stefan and sighed. "Call me Charlie, son." He insisted, handing the young boy a soda from the fridge while he got himself and Damon two cans of beer. "I won't bite if you don't."

Stefan chuckled nervously and followed the man into the living room. "I, uh, I wouldn't . . ."

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

"What are you?" Damon asked, taking the offered beer from Charlie.

He wasn't really a beer man, but it was alcohol and he figured it was better than nothing. Thankfully, he'd remembered to pack a few bottles of his favourite bourbon. That should hold him over for a while.

Damon looked back at the older man curiously. "You're not human."

"Damon," Stefan hissed.

"What?" Damon shrugged. "I saw his eyes change when we shook hands at the airport and when Renee insisted on sleeping in Bella's room. That's not a human trait." He looked back at Charlie. "You hesitated to invite us in, but you also knew you needed to invite us inside. Marie says you're human. I say you're not . . . so what are you?"

Charlie frowned. "What do you mean, Marie says I'm human? Marie's human . . ."

Damon shook his head. "Marie is a very powerful witch."

"Damon!" Stefan hissed again. "You can't just—"

"Relax, would you?" Damon sighed. "Marie gave me permission to tell him if it turned out he's not human. And he's obviously not."

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

A witch.

His ex-mother-in-law is a witch!

"Does that mean Renee . . ."

"No," Damon shook his head. "Marie wouldn't tell me much, just that Renee doesn't have any kind of power. She's totally human."

"But Bella . . ."

"Marie says now that she's eighteen, she'll come into her powers. I'm not sure why it didn't happen sooner. I've known witches younger than eighteen who have power . . ."

Son of a gun!

His baby girl was going to inherit power from her grandmother and him.

Now he'd have to tell her his secret. Witches—from the very little he knows—are as prone to killing as any other supernatural species. If Bella triggered the curse . . . well, to be honest, he wasn't sure what would happen. He may be a werewolf but his knowledge of the supernatural world is limited. He guessed she'd be a hybrid witch-wolf . . . if that was even possible. He wasn't sure. He'd never heard of such a thing. But then again, he's never met a witch. Come to think of it, he's never met a hybrid, either.

With a sigh, he made himself comfortable in his recliner and opened his beer. "Well, I know what you boys are, so I suppose it's only fair . . . I'm a werewolf."

Damon laughed. "No way. Impossible. Way too Lon Chaney. Try again."

"A werewolf?" Stefan frowned. "You're a—a werewolf?"

Charlie nodded.

"Werewolves don't exist. I've been on this planet one hundred and seventy years, never came across one. If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?"

"Most are nomadic," Charlie answered, shocking the two vampires. "They live in packs, stay close to forests and mountains, living off the land. Most prefer the wilderness and nature to suburban life. From the little I know, it's rare for a werewolf to own a house let alone work in a job like mine."

"So, you're saying you're a werewolf?" Damon asked.

"Yes."

"Great. This is just great. A hundred and forty-five years as vampires and now we find out werewolves are real!"

"It ain't a big deal," Charlie shrugged. "I'm pretty much human until the night of the full moon."

"Pretty much?" Stefan questioned.

"My senses are heightened, especially my sense of smell and hearing. As you saw, my eyes glow when I'm angry, threatened, or sometimes if my senses pick up something unnatural. If I'm forced to defend myself, my emotions can heighten my abilities for a short period, which allows me to access the power of my wolf to give me an edge."

"And on the full moon?"

"What do you think?" Damon growled, staring at his brother. "He's a real-life Lon Chaney and we're Bella Lugosi and Bella Lugosi junior and totally screwed!"

Charlie chuckled. "It ain't that bad. Like you said, you've walked this earth for a hundred and seventy years and never seen a werewolf. The chances of you coming across another are slim. And, if you do happen to cross one, just remember to steer clear of its teeth on the full moon."

"Why?"

Charlie smirked. "Our venom is toxic to vampires. It'll kill ya slow and there ain't no known cure."

Damon swore under his breath and took a sip of his beer. This conversation was going to require something a lot stronger than beer.

"Why don't you live in a pack?" Stefan asked.

Charlie shrugged his broad shoulders. "Never felt the need to join one."

That wasn't entirely true. His wolf longed for the company and unity of a pack, a family. But Charlie, the man, wasn't as eager. Family had a habit of leaving and, at his age, he wasn't interested in experiencing the pain that came with being abandoned by those you love most. He put his heart on the line one too many times. He knew better.

"Now that's out in the open," Stefan said quietly, "Damon, do you smell what I smell?"

Damon looked up and sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything . . ."

"Charlie, have you ever had a cold one in your house?"

Charlie looked down at his beer. "The only cold one I know about is in my hand, son."

Stefan smiled. "No. This is a different breed of vampire."

Charlie's eyes widened. "There are different breeds of vampires?"

"Just two. Our kind and cold ones. I don't know much about them. They're numbers are smaller than ours but they've been around a lot longer. We're stronger and can blend in with humans, especially with a daylight ring. I knew a cold one back in the twenties. I met him while I was in Chicago."

Damon frowned. "Wait, I think I remember you telling me about him. That freaky boy . . . Uh, what was his name?"

"Edward," Stefan answered. "Edward Mason."

Charlie shook his head. "Don't know any Edward Mason's. I knew an Edward Cullen though. Freaky boy. Strange yellow eyes. His whole family had them . . ."

Stefan shook his head. "It doesn't sound familiar. But a lot of my time in the 20's is a blur . . ."

"Don't cold ones have red eyes?"

Stefan nodded. "Yeah. Bright red eyes. Ice cold, marble-like skin. Deathly pale complexion. Unquenchable thirst. And they sparkle in the sunlight."

Charlie grinned. "Come again?"

Stefan smiled. "Their, uh, skin sparkles in the sunlight."

"We go up in flames, they sparkle," Damon shook his head. "Go figure."

"Sorry son, I think I'd notice if a sparkling fairy was running around Forks."

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

Bella woke to the scent of something delicious cooking. For the first time in days her stomach rumbled. She didn't recognize what was cooking, but it smelt amazing and she knew if there was a smell as wonderful as that coming from the kitchen, it meant Nan had arrived.

Moving much slower than she was used to, she slid out of bed and quickly headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

Carrying the Devil's Spawn was taking it out of her. She felt completely drained. She'd spent the better part of the day with her head in the toilet. She hadn't been able to keep anything down in days. Charlie thought she just had the stomach bug that was going around. She hadn't yet figured out how to tell him what was really happening.

He's going to be so angry . . .

When she was finished in the bathroom, she threw on a pair of black leggings and a mustard-colored sweater with a cute owl on the front. She wasn't showing yet, but she also couldn't get into her jeans anymore, so it was only a matter of days. Possibly hours. Bella wasn't sure. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun at the top of her head and slipped her feet into fuzzy socks to stay warm.

She was careful not to trip as she went down the stairs. Not because of the thing she was carrying, but for her own safety. She had no fear that it would be harmed. Her fear was the opposite. From everything she knew about vampires and what she'd researched in the last few days, she was almost certain this thing couldn't be killed until it was ready to come out of her. The question was, would she survive the birth?

Once downstairs, she greeted her Nan with a big hug. Though, as soon as the white-haired woman touched Bella, she tensed and pulled back. Their eyes met briefly, blue on brown, and then Marie looked at Bella's flat stomach.

"Oh dear," she whispered.

"Nan?" Bella worried, her voice just as soft.

Nan shook her head and pulled Bella into her for that hug. "It's all right, my darling. Everything is going to be okay."

Somehow—Bella wasn't sure how—Nan always knew. It didn't matter what it was, what had happened, or what was worrying Bella, Nan always knew. Right now, she didn't care how she knew, she was just happy to be wrapped up in Nan's warm embrace. It made all the difference.

"Oh, Bella!" Like nails on a chalkboard, Renee's voice pierced the quiet comfort surrounding Bella.

She was pulled out of her grandmother's arms, rather harshly, and grabbed by Renee, who smothered her daughter's face against her breast.

"Mo—Renee," Bella mumbled, "I can't breathe. . ."

"Oh," Renee laughed, "sorry my sweet baby." She let Bella go, pushing her away a little roughly, and Bella stumbled backward, bumping into a hard chest.

"Ah, good! Bella, my darling, this is Damon." Nan said, looking over Bella's shoulder.

Bella turned to see a very handsome man with piercing light blue eyes. In combination with his black hair and light complexion, his eyes stood out as he gazed back at her. His look was intense and she felt suddenly flustered and warm.

Oh my. He's gorgeous!

"Damon, this is Isabella, my granddaughter," Nan introduced and then leaned into Bella to whisper, "We're related to him."

Bella's eyes went wide. "Oh, gross," she cringed, making Nan and Damon chuckle.

With a smirk on his lips, Damon took Bella's hand in his and brought it to his lips. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Isabella."

"Bella," she corrected automatically. "So, we're related, huh?"

"Damon and Stefan are my nephews," Nan answered as another handsome male walked into the kitchen. He had light brown hair and forest-green eyes. He looked younger than Damon, who Bella thought was in his mid-twenties. Stefan was probably in his late teens. No older than nineteen, she figured, but that was just a guess.

"Very nice to meet you," Stefan greeted with a nod of his head.

Bella smiled. "And you."

"Well," Nan smiled happily, "now the introductions are out of the way, why don't we eat? Damon, be a dear and get the lasagna out of the oven for me, please."

"Certainly," he smiled again at Bella and then turned away to help Marie.

"Charlie dear," Nan called, "dinner's ready."

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

When he came into the kitchen a moment later, Charlie greeted his daughter with a kiss atop her head.

"Hi, Daddy," she said softly, leaning into his embrace.

"Hi, baby."

As soon as he looked at her, he knew something was wrong. He wasn't sure what, but . . . was she getting thinner? And she looked completely worn out.

Was this because of a stomach bug?

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

"Okay, everyone! At the table, please."

Renee huffed. "Must you keep telling everyone what to do?"

"As the matriarch of this family, and the oldest member in the room, yes, I must," Nan smirked.

Renee dropped her fork and Bella knew she was about to go off. The last thing she needed right now was to listen to her Nan and mother arguing over nothing. It was like this every time they got together. Why they both came in the first place she didn't know. They've never got along. Not as long as Bella's been alive, anyway.

"Now listen here, old woman!" Renee started.

"I'm pregnant!" Bella blurted out, causing everyone at the table to stop what they were doing and turn to stare at her.

Charlie cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Bells, I think I went deaf for a minute, what did you just say?"

"I . . ." she took a deep breath, "I said I'm . . . pregnant."

"Yes," Charlie nodded with a frown. "That's what I thought you said."

"Uh," Stefan smiled lightly, "congratulations."

"And," Charlie was still staring at her with wide, shocked eyes. "The, uh, father . . ."

"Oh. Umm. Well . . ."

"No." Renee shook her head. "You are not pregnant."

"Seven pregnancy tests would disagree with you . . ."

"No." Renee continued to shake her head. "No. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. No. No. You will not ruin your life like I did mine. You'll get an abortion!"

Bella stared back at her mother in shock.

"You will not ruin your life like I did mine."

The words echoed in her mind.

In Bella's head, they sounded an awful lot like the words she'd recently heard from someone else she thought loved her.

"I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not. I've let things go on much too long. You're not good enough for me."

Similar or not to an outsider, to Bella they could've been spoken by the same person. They meant the same thing.

I don't want you.

I never did.

You're not good enough.

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to cry. She'd spent too long crying for people who didn't want her.

"You know," she said softly, shaking her head, "I've always known that's what you thought. Deep down inside. I knew. But at least you had the decency not to say it out loud until now."

Renee frowned. "Say what?"

"I ruined your life," Bella spat.

Renee's eyes widened. "I—I didn't mean that . . ."

"'You will not ruin your life like I did mine.' Your words, not mine, mother. Is there another way I'm supposed to interpret that?"

Renee narrowed her eyes. "You're twisting my words, Isabella."

"How?" Bella asked. "How else am I supposed to take that?"

"You know what I meant!" Renee argued. "Having a child at such a young age isn't easy. You're still in school. You have no job. No money. No place to live. No man! How are you going to support yourself and this baby? Babies take time and hard work. You can't take care of a child!"

"I took care of you, didn't I?" Bella spat. "How much harder can it be to raise a child? At least a newborn baby has an excuse to lay around the house demanding food and attention."

Renee's eyes narrowed. "I am your mother—"

"Oh, you're my mother? Seriously? Now, you're my mother! You may have given birth to me, and taken care of me for a few years, but as soon as you got bored of me, that was it, job done! Maybe you should've acted more like my mother when I needed you."

"I was always there—"

"Yeah. You were there." Bella nodded her head. "You came home just long enough to change your clothes and head out to whatever party you were going to or on a date with some loser who'd only end up breaking your heart."

"Well," Renee sneered, "at least Charlie stuck around to help with you. Where's Edward, hmm? One night with you enough for him, was it? Or were you just not that good?"

"You will not ruin your life like I did mine."

"You're not good enough."

"At least Charlie stuck around to help with you. Where's Edward, hmm?"

"Your mind is like a sieve. You'll forget in time."

"One night with you enough for him, was it?"

"My kind, we're easily distracted."

"Or were you just not that good?"

"I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not. I've let things go on much too long. You're not good enough for me."

The words—Renee's and Edward's—echoed in Bella's mind. And it was just too much.

Without thinking, Bella was on her feet. She felt her hand connect with Renee's cheek and heard the cry of pain as the sound resonated through the quiet kitchen.

"I hate you," she hissed. "Get the hell outta my house!" From the corner of her eye, she saw purple wisps of . . . something curl around her fingers as Renee glared back at her.

"This is mine and Charlie's house, not yours, Isabella!"

"God, you are delusional, aren't you? You left him! You broke his heart and left him and because you're such a selfish, inconsiderate, childish bitch you took me with you, causing him even more pain. I want you gone!"

"Oh dear . . ."

"I never want to see you again, do I make myself clear?"

"I'm your mother—"

"My mother!" Bella screeched. "You're having a laugh, right? You won't even let me call you Mom! You pretend like we're sisters and best friends whenever some guy comes along who's far too young for you! You've never been a mother to me. Don't start now! Get your shit out of my bedroom and leave. That's what you're good at!"

"Damon, take her . . ."

"GET OUT!" Bella screamed and went to lunge for Renee but before she could move, arms wrapped around her middle and she was pulled backward.

"C'mon, Scary Spice. It's okay. Let's let Nan and your dad deal with this mess and we'll calm down in the living room. Stef, want to give me a hand here?"

Stefan shook himself and followed Damon into the living room, wondering what the hell just happened.

─── 。゚: *. .* :. ───

Charlie watched in shock and horror as Damon dragged Bella into the living room. She was putting up one hell of a fight but her human strength was nothing compared to the vampires.

Charlie turned to his ex-mother-in-law as Renee stormed up the stairs, making as much noise as she could, and asked, "What the fuck was that?"


A/N: You know, I think this is my favourite chapter so far. It's safe to say, Bella needed to let out a little anger and Renee just happened to be the one to piss her off.

Hope you like it! Let me know what you think. xoxo.