Here's a new chapter! Woooooooot! Sorry for the long break, folks. As per usual, Real Life gets in the way. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 15

Edward PoV

All eyes were on Bella as her noisy truck pulled into the school parking lot. She seemed to take it in stride though, and ignored most of the stares. "I'm used to sticking out like a sore thumb," she mentioned when she caught my glance. "I'm sure you are, too." I nodded. Yes, we Cullens were all too familiar with being the social outcasts everywhere we went.

"Bella!" Mike yelled as he ran across the lot to greet her. "You're alive! We thought the worst."

Bella furrowed her brow as if confused by his statement. "What? I just bumped my head and was pretty sore from hitting the ground so hard. Otherwise, I'm totally fine. You're looking at me like I died and came back to life."

"Well, I heard that they found some internal bleeding or something and that you weren't going to make it."

She rolled her eyes. "Wow, the rumor mill around here gets outta hand fast. No Mike, I'm fine. My Dad is a bit over-protective and made me stay home for a couple days, but what do you expect when your father is the Chief of Police?"

Mike laughed, agreeing with her. "So the rumor about you and Cullen…" he pressed, speaking as if I wasn't even standing there.

"Now that one's true," she said, reaching out for my hand. "I gotta get to class to turn in the assignments I made up. I'll catchya later, Mike."

Throughout the morning, multiple people approached Bella and asked her about the accident. Each time, she simply said that she'd hit her head and that her body slammed against the ground really hard and she was just a little bruised up. Eventually word spread around the school and people stopped asking her about it. But that didn't keep them from approaching her. It was like she said, for whatever reasons, humans were naturally drawn to her, and then by proxy drawn to us.

Even though she was clearly showing that she and I were together, it didn't stop the other female students from trying to get near me. Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory were particularly troublesome. We were sitting at our usual table for lunch when they approached. "I know you're with Bella, and everything, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little side action. I'm sure she won't mind. Hell, maybe she even wants to join us," Lauren had suggested.

"No thanks," I replied. She pouted in a way that she thought was seductive, but really just made her look like a basset hound.

"Yeah, my brother is allergic to skank," Rosalie said, coming to my aide. She winked at me before standing in front of me to shield me from the humans. Bella heard Rosalie and stood up, giving her a look of consternation. Lauren was blushing to her roots and staring at her shoes as if they were the most interesting thing ever.

"Rose, let's not slut-shame," she stated. "Who and how many Lauren chooses to sleep with is her own business, and we should not judge her or call her names for it." Rosalie went to retort, but then held her tongue, seeing the error in her ways. She was slut-shaming Lauren, she realized in her thoughts. "And Lauren, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my boyfriend alone. He said no thanks; he's not interested. And while I'm sure three-somes are interesting to say the least, neither am I."

Lauren nodded, tears welling up in her eyes and ran out of the cafeteria, Jessica hot on her heels. Rosalie turned to Bella, taking her hand. "I'm sorry Bella. I didn't even realize what I was saying meant that until afterwards."

"It's okay, Rose. You'd be surprised how many people don't realize the true meaning of what they're saying until someone points it out to them. For instance, when we hear kids say to each other, 'you run like a girl.' It's meant to be an insult, right? But then, how's that supposed to make the little girl feel that heard it? She's likely going to start thinking being a girl is a bad thing, or that she's not good enough. And what does it say to the little boys? It tells them that boys are superior to girls, and that's knowledge they'll take with them through their whole lives." I saw other students gravitate towards us to listen to Bella's speech.

"Why do you think, in this day and age, women are still treated inferiorly all over the world? Even in the US, women make on average 79 cents to every dollar a man makes. It's all because we've been brain-washed since childhood with these stupid phrases and it's cultivated our minds as adults. Even if we don't mean them as insults. Even if we're just joking, it creates those thoughts. The little girls grow up expecting to be treated as lesser beings; they don't know any different. And the little boys grow up treating the girls as lesser beings, because that's what they were taught. Now I know it's not as black and white as that. Not all girls grow up feeling inferior and not all boys grow up feeling superior, but it's a general statement that rings true a lot of the time.

"No, we don't say it outright to them anymore. It's not like centuries ago when a woman was expected to be subservient to her husband, and women had no rights, etc. It's not like biblical times where if a woman wasn't a virgin when she got married, she was to be put to death. Or that a rape victim was required to marry her rapist. It's not so extreme anymore. But these little subtle messages affect our children on a sub-conscious level. Hell, I even heard a little girl say to a boy that he throws like a girl, and she meant it as an insult. She didn't even realize she was, in essence, insulting herself.

"And it carries over to when we're older and we shame young women for owning their sexuality. If Edward was Edwina and Lauren was Larry, we wouldn't have had those thoughts about his promiscuity when he came on to Edwina. Most likely scenario is we would have high-fived him for his conquests. But no, because Lauren is a girl, we immediately go into the realm of chastising and accusing her of being impure and a 'skank'. Why the double standard?

"It's like I said. Because we've all been conditioned since we were little kids that girls aren't as good as boys." Bella turned towards a group of boys and addressed them directly. "Just think about how many times you said something to one of your buddies and called them a girl's name, or indicated they were feminine in anyway. You meant it as an insult, right? Is it because you truly feel girls are less than you? Or is it because over time, it's 'just what people do?' And girls, how many times have you judged another girl for being sexually active? Meanwhile, the guy that's just as sexually active is getting praised and congratulated. Why is this okay?

"It's not," one of the boys piped it. Eric Yorkie. "If a girl is being called a skank or a slut, the guys should be, too. Or better yet, let's not judge on that at all."

Bella smiled. "That's the ticket, Eric. Let's not judge at all. And let's not teach our children the phrases 'you run like a girl' or anything similar, right?"

Everyone started clapping and hooting for Bella. Soon some teachers came in, assuming a food fight or something was going on. What they saw was a group of a hundred or so students cheering at Bella, who was just standing there smiling shyly. "What's going on?" Mr. Varner asked Angela Weber, who was standing nearby him.

"Bella just gave the best speech I've ever heard," she replied, still clapping.

The bell rang then, and we all scurried out of the cafeteria and to our classes. I know Bella didn't expect the world to change overnight, but she felt like she did some good. "Even if one girl learns that being a girl isn't a bad thing, it will have been worth it," she told me.

The rest of the day passed with a few girls coming up to Bella and telling her their stories about how they've experienced the inequality she was talking about. Angela told her that her father openly favors her younger brothers, and that she's even heard him say that he wished he had all boys. "That has to be so hurtful for you, Angela. I'm so sorry. What does your mom do when he says these things?"

"She just giggles and pats him on the shoulder as if he's telling a joke. I don't think she even realizes the words he's saying. And when I mentioned it to her, she brushed it off. 'Oh you know your father loves you, Angie. He's just playing around,' she'd said. I think you're right about everyone being brainwashed. It's like we've come to expect the treatment instead of realizing it's not okay."

At the end of the day, she was approached by Jessica Stanley. "Thanks for saying what you did about Lauren, earlier," she said. "She'll never thank you herself, she's got a bit too much pride and she's far too stubborn. But late at night when she's talking to me on the phone and after she's had a bit of alcohol, she'll tell all. And I already know she's grateful for you sticking up for her. I know you're not friends with her and she's never been the warmest to you, but that's due to her own insecurities. Hell it probably goes right back to what you were talking about at lunch.

"We girls do get brainwashed into thinking we're not good enough. In a lot of ways, huh? So thanks from me for opening my eyes to that realization. Who knows how long I'd have been traipsing through life thinking men are better just because… just because, y'know?"

Bella smiled. "You're welcome, Jess. And so is Lauren. Yeah, she and I aren't friends, but that doesn't mean we have to be cruel to each other, right?"

After school, Bella and I drove to her house to spend the evening together without my meddlesome siblings. "I love them, I really do," she said. "But sometimes I do like it to just be the two of us."

"I know what you mean. I, too, need a respite from them from time to time."

We took a few minutes to complete our homework and then simply snuggled on her bed before Charlie came home and I'd have to disappear for a bit. I promised to be back once he was asleep and then dashed out the window to head home for a shower and change.

"How was school?" Esme asked as I came in the door. She kissed my cheek as is customary whenever I or anyone else returns. We always get kissed on the cheek. Even after all these years, she was still excited to see us every day.

"Fine," I answered. "Bella had to fix the rumours that were spreading around about the 'accident' or 'van-pocalypse' as she calls it. Then she gave a speech during lunch about not slut-shaming girls and about the divide between boys and girls that's practically programmed into us since birth. Kids say, 'you run like a girl,' or 'you throw like a girl,' and it's meant as an insult. Even girls do it to boys and each other. Bella opened up everyone's eyes to that inequality, and I think instigated some change. At least at Forks High, and that's a start. Even I have been guilty of that in the past, I think. She really created a new thought process for everyone, vampires included."

Esme smiled that proud motherly smile of hers. "Bella really is a wonderful person, Edward. I'm so happy you two found each other. Has she planned the dinner with Charlie yet?"

I nodded. "She's going to right now, I think," I answered. "I left just as Charlie was getting home, then I'll go back after he goes to bed."

"Now Edward, don't tell me you two are going to sneak around like some rebellious teenagers," she chided, pursing her lips at me.

"Not at all, mom. She just wants to ease Charlie into everything. He's aware that there's something other than humans out there, and she doesn't want him to have to jump in with both feet first. He knows she and I are dating, and he's fully aware that she's not exactly a child, but Bella loves him as if he were her Dad, and doesn't want to overwhelm him. We'll have dinner this weekend, as predicted, and then Charlie can get used to me being a fixture at their house, or Bella being over here fairly often."

The others were out and about either hunting or just driving around and Carlisle was still working. I kept Esme company, helping her in her greenhouse until it was time for me to return to Bella. Having a pretty good idea of when Charlie typically goes to bed, I arrived just as he was entering his first REM cycle.

"Perfect timing," Bella stating, smiling from her perch on her bed. She had an Austen classic open in her lap. "We're go for dinner with you and your parents on Saturday evening. I'm making a roast. Charlie wanted me to make some of his freshest catch, but I figured if fish smells bad to me, it must smell all kinds of awful to you." I nodded, eyes wide. Fish was disgusting. Bella laughed. "After I talked him out of that, he asked if all the kids wanted to come over, and I reminded him that there are five of you and a gathering of that size might make more sense for a holiday of some kind."

"In other news, have you thought any more about what to do about Lukas?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Yes, but I don't like it. All signs point to having to destroy him. Every trace of The Company must be removed from existence, and he's the last trace, apart from me, and we all know I can't die. I still have to figure out if he's a sleeper from a still active sect that I never found or if he's just still got programming from part that I already took care of. I haven't done a real deep read on him yet, and I'd like to put that off for a couple more days. Maybe Sunday I can take care of it."

I had to pretend to understand what she was going through with this guy. If it were me, I'd be embracing him, welcoming him into my life, especially if I thought I was the only one of my kind like Bella is. But then again, she said he's not as evolved as her, and wouldn't survive any transitions like she has. After meeting him, he didn't seem to have the mental capacity like hers, either.

In the morning we went to school again and the day passed by without much incident. A few of the girls did come up to Bella with stories about how they were going to take their power back as women, taking their cue from her. Our lunch table was full again, too. This time with Jessica Stanley, Angela Weber and even Lauren Mallory. She sat between Jessica and Angela, still wanting to keep her distance from Bella, but her thoughts revealed her desire to get close to her. She admired and even looked up to Bella, but she'd never admit that out loud.

That evening, Billy and Jacob Black showed up at Bella's house to watch the game with Charlie. She and I decided to hang out at my house, much to Charlie's chagrin. "Don't worry, Pops," she told him. "Eventually we'll all be able to be under the same roof at the same time, but right now, let's not poke the bear, eh?" Charlie grimaced but agreed and we drove off in her truck to my house.

Back at home, Esme was busying herself in the kitchen making food for Bella, Carlisle was in his study going through all the experiments we'd done on Bella's blood thus far, Emmett and Rosalie were watching a movie, and Alice and Jasper were playing Chess. Alice always did her best to not look into the future when playing chess with her mate, but she still won most of the time.

"I wonder if I can block your visions," Bella suggested as she eyed Alice concentrating harder than ever on not seeing Jasper's decisions. "I mean, I can manipulate thoughts, so maybe I can help at least. Would you like me to try?"

"I'm game," Jasper agreed. "I'd love to not have to think of a million different moves before making a last second choice to thwart her."

Alice smiled. "It doesn't work anyway, Jazz. Your decision patterns have become predictable after all these years."

With Alice's approval, Bella delved into her mind and found where her gift was kept. I only could go off of the description Bella gave as she did it because I couldn't see what she saw once she was in the depths of Alice's brain, as I only saw passing thoughts, not the deep sub-conscious ones.

"I've found where she sees Jasper's decisions. I'm re-routing them to a different part of your mind. I can't turn off your gift all together, but I can hide it. Just don't go looking for it while you're playing the game." Jasper quickly re-set the pieces and the game began again. After a couple moves, Alice had a huge smile on her face.

For the first time, she had no idea what Jasper was going to do before he did it. Bella had to maintain concentration on Alice's mind throughout the whole game. "Vampire minds are a lot more complex than a human's," she commented to me. "First of all, I've never had to thwart a human's ability to see the future, and secondly when I have had to do some mental manipulation, I barely have to devote any concentration to it at all. It works in the back of my mind and I just simply check up on it every now and then. With this, I have to maintain active concentration to keep her mind from re-routing itself."

Alice turned to Bella. "I'm not trying to re-route it. You told me not to."

Bella smiled. "Not consciously you're not. But sub-consciously, your mind is searching for ways to make your gift work. Your default setting is to function properly. When something affects that, your brain tries to create new connections and paths to fix the error. Human brains do that as well, but not as efficiently."

"So what you're saying," Jasper interjected, "is that we should hurry up and finish this game, right?" Bella laughed but nodded appreciatively.

In the end Jasper did beat Alice, a fact he would never forget for as long as he existed. "Just let me know when you want me to do that again, Alice and I'm here."

Carlisle had come down from his study to watch the game. "I wonder if you can thwart other gifts, too. Like Edward's for instance?"

"I'm not sure. The reason he can't read my mind is because I'm also a mind reader. I don't know what would happen if I tried to delve into the mind of a fellow telepath."

Carlisle nodded. "Right, but you can do more than just read thoughts. Edward can only hear thoughts as they pass through someone's mind. From what you've described, you're a true telepath and can not only hear thoughts but can communicate mentally and change someone's thoughts."

"In theory, Edward should be able to, as well. You said gifts can be developed and expanded over time. If one can read thoughts, then it follows that they can also project thoughts into someone's mind. All of the research and mythology into telepathy indicates that it's not just a one-way street. I read a lot of comic books trying to fully understand my powers. Plus, my brother Damien was quite the comic book lover, so of course, he had a field day when he learned his new sister was a superhuman. He put me through every test that every comic book origin story could offer."

Turning to me, Carlisle asked, "Edward, have you ever tried to manipulate thoughts or send your own thoughts into someone's head?"

"No," I replied simply.

Bella looked at me perplexed. "Why wouldn't you want to develop your gift?"

"Because it's not a gift, it's a curse. At least you can turn yours off. I always hear everyone's thoughts. All the time always. I can tune them out, but there's always a din of noise in the background. Plus, I don't want that kind of power. It could so easily be used for wrong."

"Yeah, if you were an awful person," she retorted. "You're good, Edward. Like a good person. Yes you're a vampire, and as such may have taken a few lives. My hands certainly aren't clean either. Quoting Spiderman here, with great power comes great responsibility. Honing your gifts and expanding the abilities isn't a bad thing. Hell, if you work hard enough you may indeed be able to turn it off like I can. Wouldn't that be nice? And if you could implant thoughts, too, that could have its uses. For instance when some nosy human gets too close to the truth or too curious, you could steer their mind in another direction rather than having to pack up and move.

"I've done that more than once. Never harming anyone, but just convincing them that the differences they noticed in me weren't real or not worth their time. Whatever works. Having the power doesn't inherently make you evil. Just like being a vampire doesn't automatically make you evil. You all have chosen to rise above the hand you were dealt and retain your humanity. You're probably some of the only vampires that have done this. You and your cousins that will be visiting soon.

"I think you'd all be doing yourselves a great disservice by not training yourselves to your full potential. Having a gift does come with rules of course, we're not out to make you super villains or anything. But knowing everything you can about an ability and getting the most out of it is very important, in my opinion."

Bella headed into the kitchen to see about what Esme was cooking up for her. The rest of us stood motionless in the sitting room considering all she had said. Perhaps we were squandering our potential. Carlisle used his vampire brain to learn new medical techniques all the time, but the rest of us just kind of let our gifts be the way they were when we got them.

Jasper, on the other hand, had honed his gift under the tutelage and demands of his former companion, Maria. She wanted to get everything out of him that she could so when he wasn't training and culling newborns in her armies, he was practicing manipulating emotions. Alice could more easily sort through her visions, so as not to drive herself mad, but that's as far as it went. And as for me, the only expanding I'd done is increasing the distance in which I can hear thoughts. That and working on tuning out the inconsequential ramblings of human minds as much as possible.

Maybe it was possible for me to completely turn off my gift when I need to. Or maybe I really could implant thoughts or at least communicate with others the way they can with me. That would really be something. As I pondered this, I noticed Emmett's thoughts were running along the lines of a comic book character. Namely Professor Charles Xavier from the X-Men series. He was picturing me in the Professor's device called Cerebro, reaching out to all the vampires worldwide, communicating with all of them as easily as if they were in the same room with me.

I realized then that the downside of expanding my gift would make me a bigger target for the Volturi. Our coven as a whole for that matter would likely be on the chopping block. Best to keep any plans to train under wraps for the time being. The last thing we'd have wanted is Aro making a visit to the Pacific Northwest. Especially with me finding a mate in a non-vampire.

Bella returned to the living room with a plate of snacks. "Wanna watch a movie or something?" she asked, effectively pulling all of us from our thoughts of superpower expansion. "Hell, we could watch a superhero movie or something, get your minds thinking on how to expand your abilities."

"But only three of us have gifts," Rosalie said.

"Unless you count extreme vanity as a superpower," Alice teased. Rosalie hissed and stuck her tongue out at our pixie-sized sister. "Sorry Rose, you know I'm only kidding."

Shaking her head, Bella refuted. "I think that's not the case. Didn't you explain to me that you bring your strongest traits from your human lives over into your immortal ones? I would think that almost any trait could be honed into a special ability of some kind. Even enhanced beauty, like yours, Rosalie. Or the extreme compassion and zeal for learning that Carlisle has, and of course the motherly love that emanates out of Esme. There has to be an ability attached to all those traits one way or another. It's just a matter of accessing it and learning how to use it to your benefit or the benefit of others."

Bella gave us a lot to think about. After the movie, I drove her home and then left to discuss her ideas with my family. Saturday was the family dinner we had planned with Charlie, so I was leaving Bella to her own devices until then. Plus she said something about absence making the heart grow fonder and that we shouldn't spend every waking moment together. I made a joke about all my moments being waking moments and she rolled her eyes. She did giggle a little, so I knew my joke went over well.

As a family, we decided to bring the Denali coven in on our plans and tell them all about Bella. With her permission, of course. Plus, if it turned out that we could indeed use her blood to convert a vampire back to a human, there'd be a whole other level of experimentation needed. For the past few weeks, Esme had been working on a secondary house on our property. There had been a small cottage on the rear of the lot that had seen better days. Rather than tearing it down and starting anew, Esme restored it back to its former glory and added a few extra rooms. It was big enough to house the Denali coven, and would be their home while they visited. Much like we had our own home on their property when we stayed in Alaska.

It would just be complete for their arrival, she'd said, if we helped her after school and overnight. So all night Friday night, and most of the day Saturday, the seven of us made trips back and forth from the cottage to the house to bring supplies and tools and get the place finished. I knew we could have asked Bella for help, and she probably could have constructed the whole project just by staring at it, but I liked us all working together as a family. Plus, Bella was busy making a roast, and I had no idea how involved a process that was.

"Come on over whenever," Bella had sent in a text. It was Saturday afternoon, and we were ready to visit hers for dinner. Carlisle drove while Esme sat in the passenger seat, and I in the rear. When we arrived, I could sense that Charlie was setting the table on their back porch while Bella moved around in the kitchen.

"Bells, shouldn't we have some hors d'oeuvres or drinks to offer when they get here?" I heard Charlie ask, popping his head into the house.

"If it were anyone else, yes, Pops. But trust me, the Cullens don't like to snack before a meal. Especially a big one like this. Carlisle and Esme don't drink alcohol, either, so don't worry about opening that one bottle of wine you own, nor about relinquishing a can or two of your precious Vitamin R."

"But they won't care if I have a can or two, right?" he asked.

Bella snorted. "Of course not, Charlie. It's your house anyway. Now if either of them were recovering alcoholics or something, it'd be mighty courteous of you to abstain for the night, but that's not the case. They're just not alcohol drinkers. Simple as that."

We waited a few moments longer before getting out of the car and approaching the house. We were all sure to shut our doors loudly so Charlie would hear us coming. Bella, I was sure, knew we were here before we even had the car in park. "I think they're here, Bells," Charlie called out as he walked through the house to the front door.

"Yes, I know, Pops. I heard them coming down the street, y'know," she teased.

Charlie merely harrumphed in reply. Carlisle reached out to knock and Charlie waited a full three seconds before opening the door, despite being on the other side of it. Then again, he didn't know that our hearing was as keen or nearly as keen as Bella's. "Um, hello Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, and Edward. Please come in." Charlie eyed me speculatively, as if deciding whether or not I was good enough for Bella. In his thoughts, he reminded himself that Bella was a grown woman, despite her appearance and could make her own decisions. But truthfully, to Charlie, no one would ever be good enough for Bella. A lot of fathers felt that way, I was certain.

"Good to see you Chief Swan," Carlisle said, taking Charlie's proffered hand. "Please call me Carlisle, and my wife Esme." Charlie took Esme's hand and then mine. We had all taken time to place our hands on the vents of the car's heater to help warm them a bit. He didn't seem to notice anything off, or if he did, it didn't pass through his mind.

"Sure, Charlie it is, too, then," he replied. "But you," he turned to me. "You can call me Chief." I nodded in assent. "Please come on in. No need to take off your shoes or anything. Um, Bells is just getting everything ready in the kitchen. I've got the table set up out back. Um can I get anyone anything to drink?"

Carlisle smiled. "No thanks, Charlie." Esme disappeared towards the kitchen, to presumably help Bella, who I knew would tell her she didn't need any help.

"I'd offer a tour, but this is pretty much it," Charlie said, holding his arms out to indicate the space. It was a small-ish house, with just the kitchen, staircase, living room, and a small dining room on this floor. "Um, the bathroom is upstairs, should you need it. Otherwise the upstairs is just the bedrooms. Do you do much fishing, Doc?" he asked Carlisle, who was staring at a photo of Charlie on the wall. In the photo, he was holding up a sizable trout with a huge grin on his face.

"Not so much," my father answered. "But not for lack of interest, just lack of time. I so rarely get a full day off, and when I do, I like to spend it with my wife and/or family. And they're not so into fishing. We do quite a bit of hiking and camping though. Occasionally, my son Emmett will pack a fishing rod if he knows we're going to be near a lake or stream and he can catch a few." That was actually true. My brother, who had the attention span of a gnat when it came to everything else, could sit for hours with a rod in the water. Even if nothing was biting. He found some kind of calm, relaxed, comfort in it.

"Well if you're ever interested, you're welcome to join me some time," Charlie offered. Carlisle thanked him and truly considered the offer. He wanted to get to know the pseudo father of my mate. If Bella was part of our lives, it would follow that Charlie would be too, to a degree. He couldn't know certain things of course, but Carlisle was interested in calling him a friend.

I noticed the sun was shining in the backyard, but the overhang from the house covered the table in shade. As Bella was still in the house with Esme, I figured it appropriate that we not test her theory just yet. Unless she'd already placed the subliminal messages in Charlie's mind. "I'm going to go check on the ladies," I said as I excused myself to go back inside.

"Hello Love," I said, greeting Bella. She stopped what she was doing, stirring gravy, it appeared, and smiled at me. She then turned her cheek so I could give her a chaste kiss. "How are you faring here?"

"Oh just fine," she replied. "I'm nearly done. Just waiting for the rolls to get done and this gravy to thicken. You could help by carrying those things out to the table," she said, using her head to point at two large casserole dishes on the kitchen table. Esme was preparing a basket to carry the rolls in.

"In addition to getting Charlie to not notice your skin glittering, I'm going to attempt to get him to not notice that you don't eat. So don't even bother putting food on your plates. I know there's a lot of food, but he loves leftovers and this'll all keep long enough for him to get through it this week."

Nodding, I grabbed what she pointed to and headed out towards the table. Soon Esme and Bella followed with the gravy boat and a basket of rolls. I quietly told Carlisle not to even take any food onto his plate and about what Bella was going to attempt. He nodded nearly imperceptibly, not bothering to break his eye contact with Charlie.

"Wow, Bells, this looks great," Charlie exclaimed as he lifted the lid off the casserole dish that held the roast.

"Thanks Pops, go ahead and serve yourself. The other casserole has the veggies in it. Make sure you take a hearty helping of those."

"Yes, mother," Charlie complained. "She's after me about my heart health for some reason," he added for Carlisle. "I'm fit as a fiddle, though."

Carlisle smiled. "Not to get all doctor-y, but when was the last time you had a check up? I know you've not been to see me, but I'm not the only physician in Forks."

Charlie had to think about it. "Well I have to get a yearly physical for work, and I've seen Dr. Gerandy for a long time. I guess it's coming up on a year pretty soon. I get a notice about it when it's due."

"Well, maybe have Dr. Gerandy run some extra blood work, and maybe an ECG just to make sure. I hate to tell you, but you can't actually get younger." Charlie laughed.

"Yeah, Bella may be the exception to getting older, but I think the rest of us have to deal with that, right?"

"One way or another," Carlisle agreed, smiling.

As we sat out on the table, the sun moved and I noticed Esme's bare forearm just starting to shimmer. Charlie made no mention of it, though. I glanced at Bella and she was simply eating her meal. For whatever reason, I thought she'd have to place more concentration on her task, but maybe it was like she had said the other day. Human minds were easier to manipulate than vampire ones.

Carlisle, Esme, and Charlie carried on conversing while only Charlie and Bella ate food. None of us even put any food on our plates, let alone mimed eating it. I was mostly left out of the conversations, as was Bella. This was more about our parents getting to know each other than anything.

"So you all know all there is to know about Bella then?" Charlie asked, looking at each of us individually. "And you'll not tell a soul?"

"Of course not," I replied. "Bella is very important, not just to me, but to my entire family. The moment we met her, we all knew she was going to be a part of our lives. I would no sooner tell anyone her secrets as I would shoot myself in the head. And trust me, Chief. I'm not suicidal."

"And Bells, you trust them?"

She nodded. "With my life."

"Then that's good enough for me," Charlie decided. "And I dunno what it is the Quileutes have against you. You don't seem like soulless leeches to me."

Bella spluttered, nearly choking on her mouthful. "Charlie, they did not use those words."

Charlie laughed humourlessly. "Oh yes they did. That Sam Uley has a real stick up his butt about you all. No idea why. When I ask, he won't tell me, just utters things like that under his breath when he thinks I can't hear or am not listening. But as you know, I'm the chief of police. I see all… I hear all… I know all…"

That had all of us laughing. I noticed then that all three of us were in full view of the setting sun and Charlie said absolutely nothing. Looking through his mind I could see that he saw us for what we were, sparkly skin and all, but Bella's subliminal messaging worked. He saw the glittering flesh, but didn't take notice of it. If this worked on Charlie, one of the more observant humans that we'd encountered, then it was sure to work on the teachers and students at Forks High School. If Bella could keep up this plan with the entire student body, staff, and faculty, then there was no reason we had to miss school on nice days. Then again, it was nice to have a respite from high school every now and then. Maybe we could skip some, but not all. And maybe we could work it out that Bella could skip with us.

There was plenty of time to figure all of that out, though. And we had a few more pressing matters at hand. Bella still had to deal with Lukas, and we had the blood experiments to work on, too. More work could be done on that once the Denali coven arrived within the next week. Until then, though, Bella needed to focus on Lukas. I knew I'd support her in any decision she made about him, but hoped it didn't come to his total destruction. For her sake, I wanted her to not have to take another life. We'd just have to see what the next day brought, though.

A/N: Up next will be Bella dealing with Lukas... there's more to him than we think! Also, the Denali coven will arrive!