Charlie's POV

The last few days had been less than pleasant. It started with having to arrest and old friend for DUI. Harry Clearwater certainly knew better. His wife had been furious when she came to bail him out of jail and I almost felt sorry for Harry. Almost! He had narrowly missed an accident with a minivan, which would have been terrible in his Dodge Ram King Cab. I arrived home that night to dozens of cars on my street. I figured one of the neighbors must have been having a party, and prayed for a quiet night. Once I pulled up in front of my house, reporters and cameras surrounded my car. I lowered my dark shades, my cop glasses as Bella always called them, and put on my serious 'cop face' before I stepped out, ready to ask why all these people were on my lawn.

I didn't get a chance to ask a thing. As soon as my door was open, the questions were being fired at me left, right, and center.

Are you happy for your daughter?

Have you met your son-in-law?

Where did they get married?

How did they meet?

We need baby pictures of Isabella.

How do you feel about your daughter becoming a Cullen?

By the time I reached the front door, I was ready to scream; yet I kept my composure and steady pace. Apparently, my baby girl had some explaining to do. I continued to ignore everyone around me while I listened to their questions, trying to get as much information as possible, without giving anything away. I was thankful I had years of experience perfecting my 'cop face'. Finally made it to the door, and opened it thankfully, closing it quickly behind me. I leaned against the door and took a few deep breaths before making my way around the house and closing all the blinds, to keep all of the prying eyes outside at bay.

As soon as that was done, I bypassed the beer that was waiting for me in the fridge, and grabbed the scotch from the cupboard. I had a feeling I was going to need it.

I picked up the phone and dialled Bella's number while I grabbed a glass from the cupboard. I had half hoped that she would have some explanation for this media circus on my lawn, other than the fact that she was married to some guy named Cullen.

"Hello," my little girl's voice said into the phone.

"Isabella Marie Swan," I said sternly, knowing she would know I meant business since I never used her full name. "What the hell is the meaning of this?"

I heard some squealing and a large crash of what I assumed to be the phone tumbling out of her hands and onto the floor. I could hear some muffled voices, both male and female talking for a few minutes, my phone call obviously forgotten. I almost hung up and dialled her cell phone as my level of agitation was growing by the second.

"Crap," I heard her say as she moved closer to the phone. "Hello?"

"So it's true?" I asked her.

"What's true?" she asked, her voice rising an octave. I knew my baby girl so well, there was nothing more she needed to say to confirm the validity of the statements I had just heard, but I needed to hear it from her.

"You're married?" I asked, or stated depends on your point of view.

"I'm gonna kill Jake," she growled; my tiny angry kitten. She tried to sound so menacing but it never really panned out for her. I only hoped that she had married a good...

Wait!

"Jacob knew?" I asked. I was going to kill that boy, before she got the chance. He was supposed to be keeping tabs on her, keeping her safe... now I find out that he knew that she was married and didn't tell me? He was getting his ass kicked!

"If he didn't tell you then who did?" she asked, cutting through my murderous rage that was directed at my best friend's son.

"The twelve reporters that are camped out in my front lawn," I growled. "You better start talking, Baby Girl."

"I will, Dad," she said, nervously. "I promise, but can I please talk to Emmett for a few minutes and call you back?"

"So that's my son-in-law's name?" I asked. "Emmett Cullen?"

I'd make sure to have him checked as soon as possible.

"Yeah," she said sheepishly. "Sorry, Dad. Let me get this all figured out and then I'll call you back and explain everything."

"You have twenty minutes, then I'm calling Jake and coming to Seattle," I threatened, knowing that it would likely be Saturday before I could get there, and that Jake was getting a call no matter what.

"Fine. I love you, Daddy," she said, hanging up the phone.

The second she disconnected the call I called the station to talk to my deputy who was still on duty.

"Hey, Chief," he said. "What's up?"

"Hey Mark," I said. "I need you to run a name for me."

"Sure, Chief," he said. "What name?"

"Emmett Cullen," I told him.

"You mean from the Emmett Cullen, from the Cullen family?" he asked, rather dramatically.

"I guess," I said. I mean he wouldn't be Emmett Cullen from the Masen family. What was his issue?

"You don't know who the Cullen's are do you, Chief?" he asked, laughing a little.

"I've never heard of the Cullen's," I answered. "Should I have?"

"You really need to watch anything other than ESPN," he laughed. "The Cullen's are a wealthy familybased in Seattle and have three kids, Emmett, Edward and Alice. They own Cullen Hotels, as well as many other mega successful businesses. Why are you asking about Emmett?"

"Apparently he is married to my daughter," I said.

"Bella married a Cullen? Holy shit! When did this happen?" he said.

"Hell if I know. I had no clue until I got home and there was a swarm of reporters on my front lawn," I said.

"You sure it was Emmett and not Edward?" Mark asked. "Edward Cullen is a doctor and he just moved back to Seattle. Maybe that's why he broke it off with Rosalie Hale!"

"How do you know all this shit?" I asked him.

"I read it on the internet!" he said.

"Where?" I asked.

"You need to get with the times, Old Man," he laughed. "Let me see if anyone has anything on this wedding thing."

He paused for a few minutes and I got hear his fingers tapping at the keyboard. I didn't know if I wanted him to find anything or not, the very thought of my daughter's private life being on display for anyone to see was disturbing to me.

"Hah!" he said finally.

"What?" I asked.

"Sources say that Seattle's most eligible bachelor, Emmett Cullen, is off the market. A source has revealed that he was married recently, to Isabella Swan, a doctor at Seattle Grace Hospital. Though no date was provided, Emmett Cullen was seen arriving in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon with a few friends, most notably Jasper Whitlock, who is engaged to Alice Cullen, and his brother Edward Cullen, who just began his job at Seattle Grace Hospital. Don't cry to hard, women of Seattle, Edward Cullen, who was supposed to marry Rosalie Hale this Saturday, has released an official statement through the Cullen spokesperson, Jane, calling off the wedding. Forget the flu shot, I need a trip to meet that hot doc," he read.

"I have to go, Mark," I said. "Don't say a word about this to anyone else until I hear exactly what's going on from Bella herself."

"You got it, Chief!" he said. "The gossip mill in Forks is going to go crazy!"

I hung up the phone and paced the living room, before giving in and turning on the TV, turning off the ball game and turning to one of the gossip channels. I watched for anything they might have to say about the Cullen's, or Bella. I dialled Jake's number a few times but I was more anxious to hear from Bella herself. Finally, twenty one minutes after our call ended, my phone rang.

"Bella?" I asked.

"No, Sir," the female voice said. "I am Alice Cullen."

"Emmett's sister," I said.

"Yes, Sir," she said.

"Where is Bella?" I asked her.

"Well, I asked her if I could talk to you first," she explained.

"And?" I asked.

"I wanted to explain some things. Things that Bella herself doesn't know yet, that may help you to understand this situation," she said.

"I don't think that's possible, Ms. Cullen," I said. "I don't understand at all how my baby girl could up and marry a man that I've never even met. Then how she could let me find out from strangers on my lawn rather than calling me herself."

"Please," she said. "My name is just Alice. I can't necessarily explain all that, but I want to tell you about my brother. My brother has always been very closed off, defensive, and afraid to let anyone get too close. Then he met Bella. You have to know he is not a spontaneous person. He thinks every move through before he makes it, yet he married her after knowing her for just a few hours."

"That doesn't make me feel better. Hours?" I said.

"You should see them together," Alice said. "I have never seen my brother so at peace, content to just be near her. He loves her, and she loves him. You can just see it."

"But she didn't even call," I said.

"I really don't think she had much of a chance," Alice said. "There was some confusion the morning after they got married and Bella ended up flying back to Seattle with Jake, actually unaware of the fact they were married or even who Emmett really was."

"She didn't know who he was?" I asked, not liking the sound of it at all.

"I don't know if you are aware of who my family is," she said.

"I do now, sort of," I said. "My deputy... friend, Mark told me. But I didn't know when I heard the name."

"Well, she didn't either," Alice said. "Honestly, you two must come from another planet, we can't do a damn thing without reporters talking about it. It is very frustrating."

"If it isn't on ESPN or in the sports pages then I don't see it," I said, with a sigh. "And Bella is just her own person. I don't know how I feel about her being pulled into all of this."

"You and Emmett both," Alice sighed. "If he could give it all up for her, he would."

"Anyways, she started to try to look for him and he started to try to look for her," Alice explained. "It wasn't until she met Edward at the hospital... well and with a nudge from Jake..."

"You know Jake too?" I asked, feeling left out.

"Yeah," she replied with a giggle. "Great guy, I can't wait to take him shopping."

"That sounds dangerous," I said. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into. None of us will come within a mile of Jake when he shops."

"My family feels the same way about me!" Alice giggled. "Anyways, the reason I got on the phone was to help you with the parasites on your lawn."

"If I ignore them, they'll go away," I said, firmly.

"Not going to happen," Alice said. "They're leeches!"

"So what do you suggest?" I asked.

"Our publicist is going to confirm the news of their marriage to our sources now. I suggest you do the same," she said.

"So, I'm supposed to get out on my porch and say my kid got hitched?" I asked.

Alice giggled on the other end of the line and it made me smile. This whole situation was so bizarre.

"He loves her?" I asked, confirming with Alice.

"With all that he is, Chief Swan," Alice said.

"What do I say?" I asked.

"I suggest... 'My daughter Isabella is married to Emmett Cullen. I look forward to spending time with them this weekend' or something like that," she said.

"Won't they know if I don't spend time with them this weekend?" I asked.

"You aren't coming down with your three days off?" she asked.

"How do you know I have three days off?" I asked.

"Jake," she said. The boy couldn't keep his mouth shut about anything. He was over-excitable at best and once you got him talking, he'd spill about anything... except Bella. When they were little both young, Billy and I had hoped that Jake and Bella would end up together. I think I knew it wasn't going to happen fairly early when Jake was more interested in Bella's dress up clothes and Barbies then she was.

"So I am supposed to come down?" I asked. "How do I know that Bella has the time off?"

"She does," Alice answered.

"Jake?" I asked.

"Jake," she replied.

"Why do I think that you and Jake are going to be trouble together?" I asked.

"Me?" she giggled.

"So, can I talk to my girl now?" I asked. "She is still my little girl you know."

"Always," Alice said. "Let me get her."

There was a short pause while Alice found Bella, then I could hear the two girls talking. Bella had cooked for them all, and apparently Alice was impressed. My girl was incredible, of course she was impressed.

"Hello," my little girl said into the phone.

"Hi, Baby Girl," I said.

"How are you?" she asked.

"A hell of a lot calmer now," I said, listening to Bella's voice. Her voice told me so much, when her words, or mine, were inadequate. I could tell when she was sad, stressed, nervous... just by the sound of her voice. This tone was one I hadn't heard in far too long. She was happy.

"What did Alice say?" she asked, with a little giggle. "You were ready to have a coronary the last time we spoke."

"She told me what a good guy her brother is and that he will treat you right, mostly," I said, believing the perky woman that I had just spoken to.

"You didn't do the cop-dad thing did you?" she asked, groaning in frustration. I tell you, you chase one boy away and you never live it down. All I said to her prom date was that if he thought about getting under that dress, I'd know and he'd be singing soprano for the rest of his life. Not like I threatened to kill him or anything!

"No," I said, thinking about the boy who had run down the front steps so fast he face-planted in the grass before hopping into his car and driving away. "I'm saving that until I meet him."

"Dad!" she said sounding very much like the teenage version of her that arrived downstairs to find that her prom date had run away.

"It's my job, Honey," I said, laughing at the memory of her kitten-like anger. "I have to."

"Be nice," she warned.

"I'll try," I said, knowing that if he was good to her that I'd have no issue with him. "No promises. Now I'm off to call and interrogate Jake."

"He's at work," she said, sounding a little smug. "Good luck with that."

"No worries," I said. "I'll just use my police chief rank."

"Dad!" she groaned.

"Bye, Honey," I said. "See you on Saturday." I hung up before she could say anything else. As soon as I had done so, I called Jake and laid it on thick. He told me pretty much the same thing that Alice had, including the way that Bella looked at Emmett, and that Emmett looked at her the same way.

"Just wait until you see them, Charlie," Jake said. "You'll see it, too."

As soon as I had hung up the phone with Jake, I adjusted my uniform and opened my door, stepping out onto my porch to face the reporters who seemed to have multiplied since I went in. They started screaming questions at me and I simply held up my hand, motioning for them all to be quiet.

"I have a statement that I will make. I will not answer any questions, leaving those for the Cullen spokesperson to deal with," I said, pausing to make sure they all understood.

The twenty-three reporters and cameramen that were in my front lawn were silent. The only noises were from cameras that kept flashing and other equipment that they carried.

"Yes, my daughter Isabella has married Emmett Cullen in a private ceremony. They have asked that their privacy be respected and that any further questions or comments be directed to the Cullen representative. From me, I will add that I am looking forward to spending some time with both Isabella and my new son-in-law. Thank you," I said.

The questions started flying again and I held up my hand.

"This is a small town, with a small police force, which I am Chief of. If you do not wish to be arrested for trespassing, harassment, or public nuisance, I recommend that you all get back into your cars and head back to Seattle. I will guarantee that anyone in this town who would actually say anything to you about Isabella doesn't know her well enough to say anything at all," I finished. "Good night."

The reporters scrambled quite quickly after that, and I went inside, locked the door and grabbed the glass that I had taken out of the cupboard, filling it with three fingers of scotch. I returned the bottle to the cupboard, and swirled the amber liquid in my glass. I hadn't even taken a sip when my phone rang.

"Hello," I said, cautiously, wondering if some reporter had managed to get my number.

"You look good on TV, Chief," Mark said laughing at me.

"Already?" I asked. "Shit, I just came in and grabbed a drink. It's already on the air?"

"So it's true?" he asked.

"Yeah, apparently they met in Vegas and tied the knot four hours later," I said.

"That's great," Mark said. "Now I can say I know a celebrity."

We chatted for a few more minutes before signing off. I checked outside and my lawn was empty of people and the street was void of any strange cars. The next morning, I got up and watched the damned celebrity news. Apparently, some of the reporters hadn't gotten the memo and they were interviewing everyone they could in town about her. So far, the only person who had said anything other than the fact that Bella was sweet and a good girl was Jessica Stanley, a bitter girl that Bella went to school with but never associated with. All her statement did was to make her look like a bitter harpy; that may have been a result of her most recent round of plastic surgery though.

The day went on with endless phone calls at the station. If it wasn't one of the local residents checking to see if the reports were true, it was a reporter hoping I would give them a scoop on Isabella's past. By that evening I was ready to get home and chill, and watch the game on TV. I was thrilled to find that the front of my house was completely unencumbered by vehicles or reporters and I breathed a sigh of relief. That sigh was short lived when I got in the door. The light on the answering machine was beeping. Seventeen missed messages. Shit!

I made my way to the fridge and grabbed a beer, before I went to the damned contraption and pressed the button. This number was private so I knew whoever called me here knew me.

"Hello Charlie, it's Sam." Delete. He just wanted to know about Bella. He could talk to Jake.

"So she's a married woman," Billy's voice said from the machine. "On my way over for beer and ball so you better be ready to order pizza, Old Man." Delete. I hoped the old coot got here soon.

The next eleven messages were all friends calling because they heard about Bella. I deleted them all and figured it would work itself out in the wash.

The next message made my blood run cold.

"Hey Charlie," the tentative voice said. It had been a long time since I had last heard that voice, and it wasn't one I wanted to hear now. She walked out the door without a backwards glance at either Bella or me. Renee. "Long time, no hear. I saw that our Bella got married. You looked real good on TV. I'd tell you to call me back, but we both know that won't happen. I'll try to call you another time."

How dare she? How dare she call now? She walked out on Bella and I when Bella was two and never contacted us again. Now she wants back in because Bella is all over the television. Damn it! I called Mark and asked him to run her name, I knew she had been in and out of trouble over the years and I wanted to find out where she was now. I was still on the phone with Mark when Billy let himself in.

"She's in prison in Utah," Mark said. "Embezzlement, fraud, and about twelve more charges. She's in for thirty years."

"Thanks, Mark," I said. "I think she's trying to make trouble again. If she calls again, I'm going to have my phone tapped. Bella doesn't need this shit."

"I've got your back," he said.

"Who's making trouble?" Billy asked.

"Renee," I said.

"Shit! I haven't heard that name in years," he said.

"And I could have gone many more years without hearing it again," I said.

"Agreed. What shit is she into now?" he asked.

"She's in prison again. Fraud, embezzlement... and a dozen other things," I said.

"And she's contacting you now because of Bella's name is on the news?" he asked.

"That's my guess," I said.

"Well, shit!" he said. "Baby Girl doesn't need that stress, especially with everything else going on in her life."

"No more talk about Renee," I said. "What do you want on your pie?"

"Do you even have to ask?" he said.

"Just checking," I laughed. I dialled the pizza joint and Leah answered the phone.

"Hey, Chief," she said. "You want the usual?" Stupid call display!

"Yeah, and Billy is here tonight too," I said.

"Thirty minutes," she said. "Oh, and tell Bella congrats. We saw you on the news. So exciting."

"Thanks, Leah," I said. "Seth delivering tonight?"

"Of course," she said. "See ya, Chief!"

I hung up the phone and grabbed the beer from the fridge so I wouldn't have to get up and get it again. Seth knew us so well; he'd just come in and drop the pizza before heading out again. Billy had the game on and took his normal seat. We sat in silence just sipping our beer. Seth arrived a short time later and dropped the pizza on the coffee table between us and grabbing the twenty we left in the regular spot.

"So how are you?" Billy asked when the game ended.

"I am scared shitless," I said honestly. "She's married and I have no clue who the guy is. He has more money than God, and the press is looking for any little sin that Bella may have ever committed."

"Jake says he's a good guy. He likes everyone, but the father-in-law. Apparently, he gave Baby Girl a pretty hard time."

"What?" I asked. "Why didn't I hear about this?"

"I think the kids were trying to deal with it. Apparently the husband is pretty pissed and so is the sister," he said.

"Alice," I said. "I talked to her. She seems like a nice girl."

"You just gotta trust her, Charlie," he said. "Just be there for her no matter what."

"You know it," I said.

"Well I had three, I'm heading for the guest room," he said.

"I have to work early. Just lock up on your way out," I said.

"You bet," he said, moving slowly down to the guest room.

I quickly tossed the empties in the recycling bin and put the leftover pizza in the fridge; breakfast of champions tomorrow. I climbed the stairs and headed for bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I was up with the alarm at six o'clock the next morning, ready to be at work by half past. I had a quick shower and shave, before tossing on a fresh uniform. I put my gun belt and badge on and ran a comb through my hair and headed out the door to my cruiser. The phones were actually quiet this morning, and I thanked my lucky stars for that, and set about catching up on paperwork. It was after nine that I got the call that set my world on fire.

My Baby Girl was in trouble. Hostage situation... gun man... one person shot... Bella was in the room, as well as a female patient.

I almost slammed into Mark as I dashed for the door.

"Where's the fire, Chief?" he asked.

"Bella's in trouble," I said to him. "I have to get to Seattle."

"Let's go," he said. "I'm driving."

I didn't argue. I just ran for the door, heading for his squad car. He jumped in and we both fastened our belts before he flipped on the lights and sirens. I hadn't even told him what was up but he just knew it was something big. About an hour into the drive, he finally asked what was going on.

"Hostage situation at the hospital," I said. "The gunman has already shot one person."

"Shit!" he said, pressing the accelerator even harder.

It took us a little over three hours to make the usually four-hour drive. Once we got to the hospital there were squad cars and SWAT vehicles all over. I approached the nearest officer.

"Excuse me," I said. "I'm Police Chief Charlie Swan. My daughter is in there."

"Chief Swan," he greeted smartly. "Our chief told us to expect you. Wait here for a minute while I get the liaison."

I waited for a minute, pacing like a caged tiger. Mark stayed nearby and tried to calm me down but now that I was close to her, I just couldn't. I was her daddy and I needed to protect her.

"Chief Swan," the new officer greeted. "Let me fill you in on all the latest. She is being held captive with Rosalie Hale. The gunman is Congressman Royce King II."

"Congressman King?" I asked, shocked that someone in such a position would do something like this.

"Yes, Sir," he said. "We made contact with her about twenty minutes in. She had already secured the injured man got out with another doctor who was in the room with her. She told us all she could. She seemed calm and in control."

"Why the hell is he doing this?" I asked.

"It has a lot to do with Rosalie Hale," he said. "She was the target and it seems that your daughter may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"So what now?" I asked.

"We have a conference room set up on the far side of the seventh floor for the family to wait," he said.

"Who's there now?" I asked.

"Her husband and his family, I believe," he said. "As well as one very tall native guy in Snoopy scrubs."

"Jake," I said. "Is there anyway to get into her?"

"She's a smart girl, Chief," he said. "We're doing what we can to help, but there is no way in other than the one door and we have no line of sight into the room."

"So she's trapped? I said, feeling my heart plummet into my stomach.

"Yes sir," he said, reluctantly after a small pause. "She's been incredible. Our crisis negotiators are more than thrilled with her quick thinking."

"Why is that?" I asked, needing any bit of hope I could get. I knew the statistics on long drawn out hostage situations.

"She was the one to answer to answer the call and after talking to the negotiator, she has the phone off the hook so they have a direct contact into the room. She is doing everything she can to keep the man talking, and calm, plus, she keeps dropping little sayings telling us where in the room they are, in case we get an opportunity to enter, we have a bearing on where the two hostages are."

I nodded my head. I knew my baby girl was smart.

"She also has him talking about things that are important to him, giving him hope that he can get out of there safely," he said.

"I told her..." I started to say but couldn't say anymore. He led Mark and I up to the elevators and to the seventh floor. I had only been here once before, two years ago when Bella started her residency. The place before me looked nothing like a hospital, more like a COM center. There were officers everywhere and I felt the panic grip me further. It was real. My baby girl was in trouble and there was not a damned thing I could do about it.

"Are you okay, Chief?" Mark asked as we stood outside the door.

"How am I supposed to go meet my daughter's husband without her?" I asked. "I don't think I can do this."

"You can, Chief," he said. "Put on your cop face and get it done."

My cop face….

Bella had coined that one when she was little and she and Jake were in trouble. She was only three at that time and she and Jake had snuck a bag of cookies from the pantry. I probably wouldn't have noticed the cookies missing if it wasn't for the chocolate handprints on the wall and the two messy faces.

"Isabella Marie and Jacob Taylor," I called to the two little miscreants.

"Don't tell him nothin'," Jake stage whispered to Bella. They linked hands and clip clopped down the hall in little plastic high-heeled shoes. Even then Jake could walk better on heels than Bella.

"Yes, Daddy," my little baby girl said, looking so innocent and guilty at the same time.

"Did you take some cookies?" I asked, giving her a serious look while trying not to laugh at the cookie covered face in front of me trying her best to look innocent.

"We're in trouble, Jake," Bella stage whispered to her cohort in crime. "He's got his cop face on."

From then on, whenever I got serious, I had my cop face on. I looked at Mark and smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. I stood up straight and did exactly what Mark suggested. I put my cop face on.

Once we got in the door, Alice was the first one to come see me. Actually I think she reached Mach 2 trying to get across the room.

"Charlie," she said, hugging me tightly. "I'm so glad you're here."

Jake gave me a half smile from his seat next to a bronze haired man. The man had blood on him and I could only assume that he was the one that had been in the room with Bella. I wanted to ask how it was that he was out and she was still in there. Call me sexist, but I would have never left a lady behind. Never.

I introduced Mark to Alice and she introduced us to the others in the room.

"Charlie, Mark," she said sweetly. "This is my fiancé, Jasper, my parents, Esme and Carlisle, my brother, Edward, of course you know Jacob, and this is my brother, Emmett, Bella's husband."

"Chief," Emmett said, sticking his hand out for me to shake. I grabbed his hand and shook it, but didn't let him go.

"Emmett," I said, almost scowling at him. The boy was big and burly, looking like he probably lifted weights. By the size of him, I imagined that he could probably carry my Bella around as if she weighed nothing. But upon further inspection, he looked like a strong wind could knock him over. He was as broken as I felt and I wanted to say something, anything.

"She's going to be okay," I said to him.

"I know," he replied. "She has to be."

"Exactly," I said, finally letting go of his hand.

Jake was at my side next and he threw his arms around me and sobbed.

"I should have been with her," he cried. "I promised to look out for her."

"She's going to be fine," I repeated. "She'll be out in no time."

I recall briefly shaking everyone else's hands and finding myself in front of Edward, who wouldn't even look me in the eyes.

"Edward," I said.

He looked up sadly.

"I tried," he said. "I really did."

"I know you did, Son," I said to him. I just knew, looking at his broken expression that he would have still been in there now if he could.

"So what do you all know?" I asked, which caused Mark to chuckle.

"Always the chief," he said.

We compared notes on what I knew, and what they had been told, which was not a lot. They also shared what led Congressman King to this point. My problem is that every time Carlisle Cullen opened his mouth, Billy's words came back to me. He had a problem with my daughter being a part of his family and so I found myself clenching my fists at the sound of his voice. Jake stayed close to me, whether he sensed that I may need some help staying calm or he just needed the comfort of a friendly face. It was good. I watched as all the Cullen's

reacted to the stress. Edward closed himself off, hardly speaking a word to anyone. Carlisle tried to get things done, trying to see if a monetary reward would end this. Esme flitted between everyone in the room, doing what she could to soothe each person. Alice stayed almost perfectly still, just leaning on Jasper for support. Jasper stared off into space, holding Alice close. Emmett did a million different things, pacing, cracking his knuckles, glaring at his father, pacing some more, looking at his phone... the list goes on.

Finally, after what felt like forever, we heard some commotion in the hall. Emmett flung the door open to see what was happening, only to be pushed back in and told to stay there. We all stood silently, anxious to see or hear anything.

Mark slipped into the hall, using his uniform to try to blend in and get some information for us. The minutes ticked by and I swore I could hear the clock slowing down as each second passed. Then the door was open and I knew Mark was back with some information for me. I looked up expectantly, aiming to meet my friend's eyes so that I would know before he said anything, but instead of Mark, my baby girl stood there. She was covered from the neck down in blood, which made my heart skip a beat. Was she hurt?

Bella's eyes went straight to Emmett, and she practically launched herself into his arms.

"Bella," he called out in a strangled sob, pulling her up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him, and her legs. I could see what Jake and Alice had said. They were in love, and I knew the man that cradled the person that meant more to me than anything in the world, would take good care of her.

I felt the shuddering breaths that escaped my chest as I fought to maintain my emotional control.

"She's safe," Jake muttered over and over again next to me. I didn't know if he was saying it to calm himself or me.

"I love you," I heard my baby girl say to the man who held her tightly in his arms. "I love you so much."

The giant man didn't care that we were all still in the room, he took a great shuddered breath of his own and told her how scared he had been.

"I'm okay," she soothed him. "This isn't my blood. I'm perfectly fine."

He placed his mouth to her ear and began whispering to her, and I watched as her body relaxed against him. I stared at the two of them; I just couldn't pull my eyes from my baby girl. She was okay, and she was in love. Neither of them seemed to notice the rest of us in the room.

"Okay, best friend needs a hug, too!" Jake yelled from next to me, obviously getting impatient.

"So does the father," I added, letting my impatience out.

Emmett and Bella shared one tender kiss, the kind where those around feel the need to look away because it's so intimate. He set her down on her feet, though it seemed she was reluctant to let go. Once she was down, she moved over to me.

"Daddy," she said, tears flooding her pretty brown eyes. "I remembered. I remembered everything you told me."

"I knew you would, Baby Girl. I knew you'd be okay," I said, feeling my emotional cover-up slip. I pulled her to me tightly and let my tears slip down my cheeks. I wasn't sure when my baby got so grown up.

"I love you, Baby Girl," I said, giving her one last squeeze. "Thank you for being okay."

"I love you, too, Daddy," she said burying her face in my shoulder. "You told me what to do, and I did it."

Once I let her go, I rubbed the tears off my cheeks and tried to smile at her. She moved her attention to Jake, who promptly burst into tears, sobbing incoherently. I watched as my girl melted into her best friend's hug and smiled. Even with a new hubby, Jake was still her best friend.

As she made her way around to the rest of her new family, I couldn't pull my eyes from her. I watched as both Esme and Alice held her, telling her how important she was to their family. Jasper hugged her too and they shared some quiet words. Whatever Bella said, really affected him. He gave her a strange expression and moved to Alice before they made their way out of the room. Jake whispered in my ear telling me about Jasper and Rosalie's connection. When Carlisle approached my daughter, I almost went for my gun. He held out his arms to hug her and I could see her hesitate before stepping into the hug. There was a quiet exchange between them and I noticed as Emmett moved close and as soon as he could, he pulled her into his arms.

She leaned against him for support and they shared a few words that had her scoping the room out. As soon as her eyes landed on Edward, she frowned and turned to Emmett. She asked him something, but he just shook his head and said a few words. Bella pulled away from him, though it looked like it pained them both, kissed him and moved to talk to his brother. We all moved away out of respect, but I could see that all of the Cullen's watched, hoping my little girl could help him.

As Bella looked over at us, we all tried to busy ourselves with something, anything, so they could have some privacy. I could hear bits and pieces of the conversation, we all could and I realized how horrible he must have felt, leaving her in there while he was safe. Emmett couldn't stand it anymore and went to Bella's side, talking to Edward himself. Both he and Bella letting Edward know that he did all he could. I listened as she talked about the guard as though he were one of her friends and swore to Edward that she was unharmed after he left. He finally seemed to get it and smiled at her, guilt still marring his features. He hugged her and we all breathed a sigh of relief as they started to chat, joking with each other. Finally at Bella's insistence, they all re-joined the group.

"So, Dad," she said. "I guess you've met the in-laws."

"You're still in trouble for the Vegas thing," I said, trying my best to use my cop face but failing miserably as I couldn't keep the happy smile off my face. My baby girl was safe, and loved. "I was supposed to walk you down the aisle."

"Sorry," she said with a sheepish smile.

The next second, everything seemed to stop as the sound of a gunshot echoed through the place. Bella cringed instantly, burying her face into Emmett. Other than Edward, the rest seemed uncertain as to the sound. Emmett asked and Bella simply nodded. I expected some kind of relief for her, but like with everything Baby Girl surprised me.

"He had kids, Em," she sobbed. "He had two kids that he loved. That loved him."

There was nothing any of us could say, so he just wrapped her into his arms, trying to protect her from everything else. Bella broke down, and began sobbing. I looked around and I could see that everyone else was feeling just as helpless as I was.

"I love you, Sweetheart," Emmett said softly to her, holding her to him and I felt like I was intruding in something so I pulled Jake from the room. Evidently I wasn't the only one as Edward, Carlisle and Esme followed us out. Carlisle set to work immediately, making plans to get everyone out of the hospital with a very minimal media circus. He was obviously used to that... didn't mean I liked him though. I really needed to talk to Jake. I needed to make sure what he had said to my daughter, exactly, word for word, before I let my anger completely take hold of me.

"Chief," Mark called, coming through the throng of officers that were in the hall. "They'd like to talk to you."

"Is he dead?" I asked him, knowing that if he weren't, I'd kill him myself.

"Yes, Sir," he said formally. "He ate his gun."

I cringed knowing exactly how messy that was, but glad that Bella wouldn't have to deal with a trial or the fear that he'd return. I followed Mark through the surrounding officers until I was introduced to the Chief of Police in Seattle. He wanted me to be involved with the press conference announcing what happened. I wasn't going to have to say anything, only stand there, so the appearance of support was there. I nodded my head and agreed to do so.

I was led up to a makeshift podium and stood behind the Chief as he announced the successful completion of the hostage situation. Successful from his standpoint maybe, but a man was dead, another was fighting for his life, and three more lived through their own version of hell. I shook his hand at the end and smiled at him, trying my best to look convincing.

"What are you doing now, Chief?" he asked.

"I don't know. Alice Cullen is right over there," I said. "I'm sure she'll know what's up."

We moved towards her.

"You looked great up there, Charlie," she said.

"Whatever," I responded, feeling my cheeks heat up at her compliment.

"They wanted to question Bella tonight, but Emmett nixed that plan, unless you wanted to override him. Apparently they decided not to ask you," she said as she noticed my face. How dare they ask for her tonight!

"We have some cars to take us back to the house. Do you want to stay for the night?" she asked. "Jake is staying with us."

"If it's not an imposition," I said.

"No worries," she said.

"How about you, Deputy?" Alice asked.

"If you have the room," he said. "Then I could get back on the road first thing in the morning."

"Oh, we have the room," Alice said, giggling.

Mark and I opted out of the limo ride in favor of his cruiser. The Seattle police asked us to use lights and sirens to clear the mass of reporters outside then turn them off once we were clear. I planned on staying to help Bella through the police questioning, then I was supposed to be visiting on Saturday anyways, so I figured I'd just take a quick stop at a mall on Friday to grab a few necessities and then grab the bus back to Forks on Sunday night.

We followed the limo through the crowd and for the next twenty minutes until we came to a large gate. After the limo went through, we were waved right through and started up a driveway that reminded me a lot of Forks; very green.

"Where are we going? Canada?" Mark asked after we had been on the driveway for a couple of minutes.

As soon as he said that, the road opened up and we were in front of a huge house. We looked at each other in awe and he was the first one to find his voice.

"I guess they do have room," he said.

"Wow," I said. "Kinda makes my house look small."

"This place is bigger than half of Forks," he said.

"We aren't in Kansas anymore," I said.

"Trish is going to freak out when she hears about this," Mark said.

It was true, his wife, Trish, was the biggest celebrity gossip-hound there was. She had practically flipped her lid when she head Bella married Emmett, and now her husband was staying in their home.

"I bet," I chuckled. "Maybe Esme will let you take some pictures."

"I could never ask that," he said.

"Your loss," I chuckled.

He pulled up behind the limo and Alice came bouncing over to the car to show Mark where to park. By the time we were parked and put of the car, all of the Cullen's had disappeared except for Alice and Esme.

"I assume you don't have any bags with you," Alice said.

"No," Mark said. "We got the call and hit the road."

"Well, we have toothbrushes, some casual clothes... boxers or briefs?" she asked, causing Mark to choke slightly.

"What?" I asked.

"I own my own clothes store," she said like it was nothing. "I'll have one of the girls put some stuff together for you. Boxers or briefs?"

"Boxers," I said.

"You're about a 32 inch waist?" she asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"How about you Deputy?" she asked.

"Boxers as well, Ma'am," Mark said, finally finding his tongue.

"32 as well, right?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered, still shell shocked.

"It's just Alice, silly!" she said, skipping ahead into the house.

"Trish is going to flip!" he said again.

"Let me show you guys to your rooms. Jacob has already headed for the kitchen to get a head start on food, so I recommend you hurry up. That boy can pack away the food," Esme said.

"That he can," I laughed. I'd been feeding the kid since he was in diapers and still had no clue where he put the food. She led us into the house and Mark was in awe.

"Trish is going to flip," he said.

"Trish is your wife?" Esme asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," Mark said. "She loves all the celebrity stuff."

"You'll have to take some pictures then," Esme said. "I'm sure she'll enjoy, even if she can't be here."

"Really?" he asked.

"Sure," she said.

"Thank you," he said.

She showed us into huge guest rooms, both decorated nicely. I was scared to touch anything. Each room had it's own bathroom, with massive showers and jetted bathtubs.

"Wow," I said.

"We like to make sure our guests are comfortable," Esme said.

Mark was quick to slip off his boots and drop his badge and gun belt in his room, opening the top button on his shirt, to be more casual. I reluctantly did the same. I really wanted to keep my gun with me but I figured I'd better not. We followed Esme down to the dining room and my stomach snarled as I caught a whiff of the food.

"Emmett and Bella have decided to eat at the cottage this evening," she informed me. "They'll be by to join us for breakfast, if that's okay Charlie."

"She needs a good rest," I agreed, wanting to see her, but knowing her husband would take care of her.

Esme handed us each plates and told us to dig in. Jake was already there with his plate piled high with food.

"Hey, Papa Bear," he said, his mouth full.

"Didn't your father teach you any manners at all Jacob Black?" I asked him.

"Yes, Sir," he said swallowing. "It's just so good!"

I rolled my eyes and filled my plate. A young lady came around and offered us our choice of beverage and my ears perked up when I heard beer.

"I'll have a beer," I said with a grin.

"Foreign or domestic?" she asked.

"Domestic, please," I said.

Mark asked for the same. We were simple backwoods bumpkins and this was already overwhelming enough. Alice and Esme joined us at the table, telling us that the Carlisle, Edward and Jasper were eating in the study as they dealt with all the ramifications of today. I think I was glad for the chance to eat a meal without Carlisle Cullen in the room. After the meal, I was ready to retire to my room and grab a shower and some sleep. Mark and Jake were quick to follow, but Alice halted us.

"I have something for you all," she said. She led us through to the front hall and handed us each a couple of bags. These were not bags from Target, and from Jacob's reaction, I had a feeling that we were way out of out league.

"Thank you," Mark and I said, not even looking inside, instead watching Jacob rummage through his bags as he oohed and ahhed, and squealed like a little girl.

We headed up the stairs and into our rooms. I wasn't inside for two minutes when there was a knock at the door.

"Even the underwear are name brand," Mark said, opening the door. "Seriously! It would take me a day's salary to buy one pair!"

"Exactly!" Jacob said, walking in. "Isn't it awesome!"

"I am so out of my league," I said. "What am I ever going to be able to give Bella now?"

"Charlie," Jake said. "You know Bella's not like that."

"But really, Jake," I said. "I don't have anything like the Cullen's. Hell, you could probably fit all of Forks on this property."

"What did Bella want for Christmas when she was ten?" Jake asked. "Or even last year?"

"Jake," I said.

"She doesn't love you for what you can give her," he said. "It isn't going to change because she's married to Emmett."

"He's good for her," I said.

"He is," Jake said.

"So what happened with Daddy Cullen?" I asked Jake.

Jake's eyes got big and he let out a huge breath. "I will tell you, Charlie. But I am exhausted and we'll need a bit to talk about it. Can we do it in the morning?"

I agreed, simply because I was exhausted. I said goodnight to Jake and Mark and headed for the bathroom to have a shower. I decided that was something I might need to splurge on when I was done. Five showerheads were definitely something worth having. I opened my bag of clothes and found a pair of plaid sleep pants and a white t-shirt, which I slipped on, not even bothering to look at brand names, not that they would have meant anything to me. I brushed my teeth and climbed onto the king sized bed, sinking into the comfortable mattress gratefully.

Even with the quiet of the room and the comfort of the bed, I was awake before six the next morning. I lay in bed, thinking through all that had happened the previous few days. My heart leapt into my throat at the thought of my baby girl being in danger as she had been and I was glad I had been the overprotective daddy and told her all those things. They very well might have saved her life. I headed for the bathroom and had another shower. Nobody could blame me for that, that thing was heaven. I looked in the bags again, deciding I should be Daddy today, not Officer Swan.

I slipped into some of the casual clothes that Alice had arranged, amazed at how well everything fit, and went out into the hall. It may be early, but it was not too early to wake Jake and find out what was up with Carlisle Cullen.

"Jake," I said, knocking on his door.

"How did I know that you wouldn't wait until a decent hour?" he answered, opening the door.

"I need to know," I told him. "I heard a bit from Billy, but for the most part Carlisle himself has been giving himself away."

"How so?" Jake asked, sitting on his bed.

"He never offered to shake my hand," I said. "He won't keep eye contact for more than a second. I need to know Jake."

"You aren't going to like it," Jake said.

"That bad?" I asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," he said. "You have to know that both Emmett and I stood up for her... And you should have seen how she stood up for herself too..."

"What the hell did he say?" I asked, clenching my teeth.

Jake filled me in on the conversation that he had witnessed in the hospital, and admitted his part in it. Then he told me about the conversation in the doctor's lounge, as told to him by Alice. By the time he moved on to the way he treated her in this house, I was already shaking with anger.

"So he had her investigated?" I asked, trying to reel in my anger.

"Apparently," Jake scoffed. "Like there is anything to find."

"What happened after that?" I asked him.

"He told Emmett to ditch her... that she would make a good mistress but that she wasn't worthy of being a Cullen."

"I need to find him," I said, fuming.

"Charlie," he said. "Just wait."

"Like hell, I'm waiting," I growled. "How dare he insinuate that my daughter is a gold digger? How dare he treat her that way? He had no fucking clue about her at all, yet he chose to throw all these things at her! What happened to innocent until proven guilty? He didn't even give her a chance!"

"Charlie," Jake said. "Let me finish."

"There's more?" I asked, feeling sick to my stomach.

"Emmett looked like he was going to kill his father," Jake continued. "He said that IF Baby Girl chose to take his name that he would be honored, but that he'd never expect it because he knew she worked hard to get where she was. And then something about him being an ass or something."

My new son-in-law was gaining many brownie points with me.

"Carlisle insisted that Bella was in it for the money. Then he said 'what else could it be?'," Jake said. "Bella stepped in at that point. You would have been so proud. I think she called him a condescending pompous ass, and then I told him that he not only prejudged her, but Emmett as well, when he insinuated that there was nothing she would find in him other than his money."

My pride in my baby girl just went WAY up!

"Carlisle defended himself, stating that he would never degrade his son," Jake said. "He would have gone on, but Emmett threatened him with bodily harm."

The fact that Emmett stood against his father for Baby Girl was giving me some peace, and it was likely the only thing that was preventing me from grabbing my daughter and getting the hell out of here.

"Bella told him that if he thought money was the answer to everything, that she pitied him," Jake said. "Then he told her she had a price like everyone else."

"A price?" I asked, seething.

"He gave her some papers, against Emmett's wishes I might add," Jake said.

"What was on the papers?" I growled.

"It was what was in them that was so bad," Jake said. "A check for twenty five million and annulment papers."

"Twenty five million?" I asked, never having contemplated an amount of money.

"Yeah, and she ripped it up telling Carlisle that she didn't want his money, but that if Emmett asked her to sign the papers, she would, without a cent," Jake said. "Emmett tore up the papers before she finished her statement, and I thought that would be the end of it. Then the ass whips out a pre-nup."

"Pre-nup?" I asked.

"A contract to protect the Cullen money in case Bella and Emmett split," Jake said. "Emmett nearly blew a gasket and told her he didn't want or expect it."

I liked that boy.

"Carlisle asked her if she would have married him if he had nothing?" Jake said.

I hated that man. Thank God, Emmett seemed to have gotten his sense from his mother.

"She said that when she met him, she didn't know if he drove a Pinto or a Porsche and that she would sign his stupid papers if that's what it took for her to prove to him that she didn't want his money. But even that wasn't good enough for Carlisle and he snarked at her as she looked at the contract. The only time she balked was when it spoke of what money she would get. She told him that she wanted no part of their money, and only relented when I begged her and pointed out that she was never going to be able to go back to being just Bella again."

"I need to find that man," I said.

"Wait Charlie," Jake said.

"There's more?" I asked, looking at him incredulously.

"Baby Girl asked Emmett if they could leave, and Emmett's parting glance and words were cutting at best. I couldn't even speak I was so mad. Emmett tried to get her out of the house. Carlisle followed and Emmett told him that he would feel like a complete ass for his assumptions about her and that even if she forgave him, he didn't think he would," Jake said.

Damn, I was going to have a hard time pulling the strict father thing when he was already proving to be such a good guy.

"Then Esme and everyone got involved and Carlisle just looked like someone kicked his puppy," Jake said in his characteristic flamboyant style. "Then we had to talk about what Rosalie could do to hurt them."

"Rosalie? The other girl that was in the room with Bella?" I asked.

"You don't know about that? Ewww," Jake said.

"What do I need to know?" I asked, crossing my arms slowly, warning Jake with my body language that I wanted to be told and now.

"Well, first, she's Jasper's sister. Not that he likes to broadcast that... and Edward was engaged to her until a couple of days ago. When everything went down at the hospital, Rosalie was an absolute bitch to Bella. Edward saw her for who she really was and called off the wedding. Then a private investigator gave them some pictures and papers that proved Rosalie was sleeping with another man and was pregnant with his baby," Jake said.

"It's like living in a freaking soap opera," I said, frowning.

"Guess who the daddy is? Was," Jake said.

"The congressman?" I asked.

"Exactly!" Jake said. "After he went running into the room Baby Girl and Edward ran in to try to protect Rosalie."

"What the hell!" I asked. "If they were worried about Rosalie or the congressman, why would anyone let Bella get near them?"

"She ran into the room, Charlie," Jake said. "I was dealing with another patient but the other nurses heard Edward beg her to stay out and she refused. You know what she's like when she gets her mind set on something."

"And yet this Carlisle character still thinks my little girl is some kind of gold digger?" I asked.

"Apparently... he apologized to her, but she wasn't sure that she accepted," he said.

"She damn well better not," I growled. "I need to have words with that son of a bitch!"

"Just leave your gun behind," Jake said. "Baby Girl does not need to visit her daddy in prison, no matter how much Carlisle deserves it."

I darted out of the room, with Jake hot on my heels. I made my way down the stairs towards the kitchen. I knew that Carlisle's office was along that corridor. If he wasn't there, I wasn't sure what I planned.

"Carlisle Cullen," I yelled as I reached the corridor.

"In there," Jake said pointing to a closed door.

I opened the door quickly, happy to hear the slam of the door opening into the wall behind it. Carlisle was at his desk, sitting with his head in his hands. He didn't even lift his head to acknowledge my presence.

"So I'm not good enough for you to even look at me? Is that what it is?" I asked angrily from my position in the doorway. "Apparently, my daughter is worth twenty five million, though!"

He moved his head and looked up at me. His eyes were bloodshot, and if I thought I had seen him at his worse yesterday, I was wrong. The man looked like he hadn't slept in a month.

"Charlie, I..." he started to say.

"You what?" I asked impatiently.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"You're sorry?" I asked. "For what part of this shit storm? The fact that you told my daughter that she wasn't good enough to be part of your family? Or that you tried to throw money at her to make her leave your son? Or was it the fact that you bullied her into signing your damned contract?"

He just stared at me, unable to say a word.

"Maybe you're sorry that my daughter ended up locked in a room with a gun-toting madman because of you!" I snarled, crossing the room so I was standing directly across the large mahogany desk from him.

I heard Jake come into the room, though he just stood behind me. He didn't say a word, but I knew he wouldn't. He was going to give me my chance to tell Carlisle exactly what I felt. Then he'd probably try to stop me from doing anything too stupid. Of course, he'd have to remember to keep his thumbs out when he punched.

"Charlie, I didn't want her to be hurt," he said, sounding quite dejected. It didn't soothe my anger in the least.

"No," I said. "I guess it would have been better for you if the son of a bitch had killed her!"

"No, please," Carlisle said. "I know I was a jackass..."

"Were?" I asked, not really wanting an answer. "You're a father, dammit. Not only do you have two sons, but you have a little girl of your own. Is that how you would expect her to be treated by her husband's family? Is that what you want her to have to hear?"

"No," he said, putting his head back in his hands.

"So my little girl didn't matter to you? My little girl's feelings didn't matter?" I asked.

"I didn't think..." he said, not moving his head from his hands.

"No, you didn't. You didn't think she had a family that loved her? You find out about the useless woman who walked out of her life when she was a baby and make assumptions based on that? But wait, you didn't even have that information when you first disrespected her," I said, feeling my anger boiling inside of me.

"I didn't think," he said again.

"You didn't think that anyone would stand up for her? Or maybe you didn't think she was worth that! Let me tell you something, my baby girl is good," I said, my voice breaking, as I fought to keep myself in check. "She didn't deserve anything you dealt her. She didn't deserve to be treated like a common whore, or someone who wasn't worthy of respect."

"Charlie," he said, standing up and looking at me.

"NO!" I said to him. "You get to listen to me. That little girl didn't have the easiest life. I raised her. I knew nothing about kids, especially little girls. Hell, I couldn't cook to save my life, and most of her meals came from the diner until she learned to cook. She could have had a cheeseburger every night, but she ate salads, and healthy meals all on her own. By the time she was four she was making sure I ate my vegetables."

Jake came over and stood right behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder as if to support me in some small way. Carlisle just looked at me, absolutely silently.

"If she wasn't with me, she was usually with Jake and his dad, and she took care of them too," I said. "When she was nine, she got her first part time job, helping neighbors with small tasks like weeding their gardens or light housework. She worked for them for six months, putting every penny in a jar. I'd ask her if she wanted to spend it on anything but the answer was always no. Finally, just before Christmas, she told me she wanted me to take her to a toy store. I was glad to, thinking that she finally wanted to see a reward for all of her hard work. I was wrong," I said.

Carlisle just looked at me, seeming to drink up the information I was providing.

"She managed to fill two carts full of toys," I said, watching his face as I continued. "I questioned all the different things she picked, but figured that she may have been planning on sharing them with Jake and some of the other boys on the reservation that gravitated towards her. But no, on the way home she asked to stop at the hospital. She wanted to drop off all the toys for kids who didn't have anything else."

Carlisle flinched.

"This was the girl you said wasn't worthy of being in your family," I said.

"Charlie," he said, moving around his desk. "I..."

"No," I said menacingly. "I am going to tell you how my little girl made friends with everyone in our town. She claims it is the small town atmosphere, but I know it's her. I can't go anywhere in town without someone asking how she is doing and really wanting to know. She affects everyone she meets."

"I see that now," Carlisle said.

"Then why? Why did you treat her like she didn't matter? Like she wasn't worthy..." I said.

"I don't know, Charlie," he said. "I don't. I panicked and overreacted."

"And that makes it alright?" I asked.

"No," he said. "It doesn't."

"I had an experience when I was young... I was taken for a ride by a young lady who thought I was her meal ticket. When Emmett came back, he was so broken... I didn't understand. When Esme finally managed to pull what happened from him, I thought he had been taken. I saw and felt my hurt through my son and I put Bella in the same category as... Elizabeth. You're right I didn't give her a chance," he said.

"So you attack her at her workplace?" I asked. "And even after she told you that she didn't care about your money, and your son made it clear that he loved her and wanted to make it work you still tried to convince him that she was only worthy of being his mistress."

"I was so stunned. There was so much going on... Edward was about to marry an absolute bitch, and Emmett had been so broken he could barely move!" he said. "I was a father to my boys. I tried to protect them the only way I knew how."

"By attacking my daughter? By treating her like she wasn't worth the toilet paper you use to wipe your ass?" I asked.

"I can't change anything, Charlie. I can't, I can't go back. I told Bella that I was sorry. I explained and I hope at some point she will grant me forgiveness," he said.

That was too much for me. He knew my daughter had a forgiving nature and was trying to use it to his advantage. Something in me snapped and I reached over, grabbing him by the front of his very expensive shirt.

"And you think that saying sorry is going to fix it? That she can forget all the terrible words you said? That she will forgive you for everything? It doesn't work that way. Do you know what she has been through? Do you have any idea of how hard she had to work to get where she is?" I asked.

"God, Charlie. I want to fix this. I was an ass. I treated her terribly when she didn't deserve it. I was wrong and I don't know how to fix it. You're right I couldn't look at you. I knew that someone would have told you what I'd done and I was ashamed. I didn't see her, not as a person. I saw that my son had been hurt and then I saw her in the same light as Elizabeth. I didn't see her as someone's friend, or daughter. I didn't take the time that my family did to try to get to know her before I passed the most heinous judgement against her and my stupidity has cost me so much you'll never understand. Not only does my daughter-in-law probably detest me, my son hates me. My wife is so angry she won't even speak to me, and informed me that I better not even attempt to sleep in the same room. My daughter and son-in-law-to-be can barely look at me. Edward is hurting and he won't even talk to me. I have to live with that because for the first time in my life, I can't fix it. I can't just throw money at a problem and make it go away. I can't take back a thing I said, but I want to..." he said, dissolving into tears.

I let go of his shirt. I didn't even know how to deal with him. He had seen what I needed him to see, but I didn't know how to help him deal with the problem he had created. I didn't know if I wanted to.

"I know she's a good person, far better than I will ever be," he said, breaking into my musing. "I know that she had no reason to give a shit about Rosalie Hale, yet she willingly ran into that room to protect someone who treated her like crap. I know that she risked her own life to save the guard that was shot. I know that she begged Edward to take the guard out of there, instead of begging Royce to let her go. I know that I have never misjudged anyone as much as I misjudged her."

"So you say the right words now. How does that excuse the horrid things you accused her of? How does that excuse you telling her she wasn't good enough for you and your family?" I asked.

"It doesn't," Carlisle said, looking me in the eye. "I can make a million excuses. Some good and some not so good, but at the end of the day, I saw my son hurting and I jumped to conclusions. And Emmett and Jake... and you Charlie... You're all right. I decided that she was to blame, and I created an image of what I expected to find, without ever looking at her. And I am sorry. I am so sorry, you could not possibly understand. I look at her, and I look at my son... And I have hurt them both with my stupidity and I can't make that right. They should be allowed to be newlyweds and enjoy their life, but I made that impossible. I brought that on them, and I can't take it away!"

"And I am supposed to feel sorry for you? You did this to yourself," I said.

"No, I..." he began to sputter.

"Bella didn't grow up with this," I said gesturing around me. "She grew up in a house with two bedrooms and one bathroom. The whole bottom floor would fit in this room. She didn't go to parties, she didn't cause trouble... She went to prom because I begged her to. She was so smart and determined but she was ready to go to community college because she knew we'd never be able to afford what she really wanted, and it was only through the grace of scholarships that she got anywhere! In fact, she was accepted into four different schools, all with a scholarship. She ended up choosing Stanford because she was able to get a job while on scholarship as long as she kept up an impossibly high GPA. And she did it. Do you know how much of her college fund she touched? None. She has school loans for some things, but still refuses my money to pay for them. This is the girl that you accused of being a gold digger!"

"Charlie..."

"No!" I roared. "You don't get to talk!"

He just nodded.

"All I wanted for her was for her to be happy. I wanted others to see what an amazing person she is," I said. "But you didn't even give her a chance! You were judge, jury, and executioner."

He bowed his head.

"I don't know how you're going to make this right with her. And I'm sure my opinion doesn't matter, but I doubt that I could ever feel anything for you, but contempt. However, I will not lay the sins of the father on the son, because I can see how much your son loves her. I will support them both and be there in any way that they want or ask me to, because that is what a father should do." I said, before turning on my heel and walking out the door. Jake followed me back up to the bedrooms that had been assigned to us and I went looking for Mark, hoping to thank him once more before he returned to Forks.

I meant what I said about Emmett. My little girl loved him and no matter how big of an idiot his father was, I would make nice with my new son-in-law. My baby girl deserved every happiness in the world, and I would make sure she had it!