Chapter one

Charlie's pov

As usual my alarm woke me at five a.m., I got up, took a shower and downed a mug of coffee before I got in my cruiser to go to the police station. Over the past fifteen years I have done the same routine over and over and over except for the few weeks a year I spent with my daughter, Bella. My job had replaced the wife that had left me in terms of occupying my time and the daughter I hardly ever saw in terms of having me worried.

It's not that I worried because my job was stressful, no I worried because it was what I did best. I kept track of my men to make sure they were happy with the job they were doing and managing to keep a steady home-life. I emerged myself in the public life of Forks so I could keep tabs on things that were going on in town without having to use my formal status as a chief, but I never truly felt like I was off duty, unless it was for those two blissful weeks each summer that I spent with Bella, or the days that I went fishing with Billy.

With a heavy breath I forced myself to forget about my glum mood and head out to work. While I rode to the station I thought about the latest town-gossip. Apparently a new doctor, his wife and their three teenage sons were moving to town in a few weeks. How Mrs. Newton knew all the details on it was beyond me. I suspected the woman was far more computer savvy than anyone gave her credit for, but since I had no legitimate reason to investigate her Internet use, I tried to shove aside my gut-feeling on that woman.

Mark, the deputy who had manned the station last night, was asleep in his chair when I walked in. The kid had gotten married a year ago and now was a new father. He used most of his time at the station catching up on his sleep. I knew, as his boss, I shouldn't condone it, but seeing as Forks had a crime rate of pretty much zilch, I let it slide. He would pick up on the time when his nights would get more stable and he would be used to having an infant around the house.

With a stab of regret I remembered those first two years of Bella's life. I had been short-staffed at that point and I had to work more shifts than I ever wanted to, but I had still loved every minute I did get to spend with my little girl tucked safely into my arms.

I knew that part of the reason Renee took off was my devotion to my job and I honestly couldn't blame her, but if I was truly honest with myself, I had to admit that I knew from the start she would never stay with me. Forks was too small and too quiet for her. Renee needed space and variety and a wide choice of options that Forks, or any of the other towns close by, could not provide for her.

I finished making coffee, while I remembered how Bella had looked when she was so little and gently shook Mark to wake him. When the guy finally realized who was waking him, he shot up out of his chair.

"Shit! I'm sorry, chief. I know I promised it wouldn't happen again..."

I held up a hand to silence him. "Settle down, Mark. Grab some coffee and take a little time to wake up. I told you this before and I will tell you again: you do not have to apologize for sleeping. As long as you are alert and awake when I need you, you can adjust to your new rhythm in your own way. I know you'll make up for lost time when we need you to."

Mark sighed in relief. "Thanks, chief."

"It's nothing."

Mark thanked me again and then set to work on finishing up his paper work and getting ready to head home. When he was at the door he turned back to me.

"Chief?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say that you're like the dad I never had and I wanted to thank you for that."

"Sure, sure. Go to your wife and son, Mark."

It wasn't until he left that I allowed myself to feel the brief pain of his words to settle in. I just wish I could be that kind of a dad to my own daughter. I knew she hated coming to Forks so over the past few years I had taken a two week holiday with her in California. The problem with us, though, was that we were too much like each other to have an easy working relationship.

Bella was just as socially awkward as me and the both of us were private people, we didn't like to share our feelings and emotions with others. I knew she loved me, just like I knew she was aware of how much I loved her. The problem was, we never said it and every year when I got back to Forks after our two weeks I kicked myself for not being more warm towards her.

I was startled out of my thoughts by a shrill ringing of the phone on me desk. Shrugging off my haze I grabbed the horn. "Good morning, Forks Police department, this is chief Swan speaking."

"Hi, dad!"

"Hey, kiddo! I didn't expect you to call for another two weeks."

There was a brief pause on the other end, but after a small sniffling noise, Bella spoke again. "Listen, dad... I wanted to ask you something."

"Anything, sweet heart."

I could almost hear Bella's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline in surprise when she heard the endearment. "Can..Can I come live with you?"

I almost choked on my own saliva. "S-sure! What brought this on?"

A muffled sob reached my ears and I was instantly on the defense. "Bells? Honey, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing, dad. Just let it go. I'll talk to you a little more when I know when I can get there, okay?"

"Sure. If you need money for the ticket or anything else, please call me."

"I will. I'll call you sometime next week."

"Okay. You sure you're alright."

"Oh, dad," she cried. "I can't talk about it right now, but I will when I'm home okay?"

Home? She was considering Forks, home? When did that happen?

"Sure, Bells. Promise you'll take care of yourself?"

"I will. Love you, dad."

"Love you too, Bells."

We said our goodbyes and hung up. I sat back in my chair, baffled by what had just taken place. Bella was coming to live with me and we had both been more emotional on the phone than ever before. What on earth was going on?

"That was so sweet," a soft melodic voice interrupted my thoughts.

I jumped, not expecting anyone in the office, let alone a witness to the life altering call I just received from my daughter.

"Thank you miss..."

"Oh, sorry. It's Mrs. Cullen, but please call me Esme."

I stood and offered her my hand. "Charlie Swan, I'm the chief here. Can I help you with something?"

As I spoke I took in the woman before me and my mind blanked out on me for a second at the sight. She was gloriously beautiful. Her face was that of an angel. Golden eyes gleaming with warmth under a dark fringe of lashes, a mouth that was just too tempting to look at, a small nose and delicately shaped eyebrows. Her caramel colored hair flowed around her shoulders and her body was slim but curvaceous in all the right places. This was a woman of worth and all it took for me to realize it, was one look.

Then my brain caught up with me and reminded me this was a married woman who needed my help, so instead of keeping my eyes glued to her like a horny teenager, I composed myself and listened to her response.

"I'm sorry to bother you this early, but I just arrived in town and I'm not really sure I know how to find my way to our new house. My husband bought it and I know it's somewhere on a dirt road off the high way, but I'm afraid I'll get lost if I don't ask directions first."

"Didn't your husband leave you the information?"

She looked down, fiddling with the strap of her shoulder bag. "You see, the thing is...my husband is no longer moving out here to Forks."

"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here then?"

She looked up at me and despite the fact that her eyes were dry, I could see that she was hurting really badly. "I left him. I'm moving here and my kids will join me in a few weeks. My husband is staying behind in Alaska."

"I'm so sorry. Why don't you sit down and I'll get you some coffee or tea."

"Don't bother chief Swan."

"Please, it's Charlie and it's no bother."

"I really can't keep anything down right now, not even fluids, so really..."

"Okay. Why don't you give me the address and I'll write out the directions for you."

She nodded before fishing a scrap of ruffled paper out of her bag and shoving it towards me across the desk. I picked it up and looked down at the address.

"Ah, I know the place. It's been abandoned for years. We boarded it up two years ago to keep teenagers from sneaking in. Needs a lot of work, though."

"I know, but I'm looking forward to the distraction."

I smiled. "A project will help with that, yes," I mused.

"You speak of experience? Oh, I'm so sorry. That was far too forward, you really don't have to answer."

"I don't mind. It's been fifteen years since my wife walked out on me with our two year old daughter under her arm. I know all about burying yourself in work in order to forget. I just focused on my job here. I'm afraid my house would have benefited from a little more attention, though."

Esme smiled tentatively. "Let me guess, you never got around to taking down the things that reminded you of her?"

I nodded. "Do a lot of people do that?"

"I've worked as an interior decorator for a while and I saw that a lot with people who were either grieving or too busy to care. I'm guessing with you it started out as the first and now ended up as the latter."

I chuckled. "I think you are right. Well, let me just jot down the directions for you so you can start on your own project."

"Thank you so much, Charlie. This means a lot to me."

I waved my hand dismissively. "All in a day's work."

I scribbled down the instructions and handed her the sheet of paper, but before she could take it from me, I snatched it back. I wrote my cell phone number on the top of the page.

"Just in case you still get lost, you can reach me on that number. Or, if you need anything else in the future and you think I might be able to help."

Esme took the paper and stared up at me in silent gratitude.

"No need to thank me, go and see what your house looks like. Good luck, Esme. I'll see you around."

"You will. I'll find a way to thank you for this, Charlie."

Suddenly an idea came to mind. "Esme, I think I have an idea of how you can repay me."

She looked up a bit startled. I frowned, wondering what she thought I meant, but deciding to ask her before I lost my nerve.

"If you don't mind, I would like it if I could call you if I need help when my daughter comes to live with me. She just called me about it and she's at an age that a man can't help her with everything. She needs a woman she can lean on if necessary. Would you mind helping me out if I need it?"

Esme laughed the most delightful laugh I ever heard. "If your daughter doesn't mind, I would love to. Maybe you can give me a hand with my boys if I ever need one?"

"Deal. We'll be each other's back up plan."

Esme smiled, her eyes shining even more than before. She reached up and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. "Thanks again, Charlie. You have already made my new life here in Forks ten times better."

She was out the door before I could say another word. I stared at the door for a good half hour before my brain finally fired up again.

Man, I was going to be in trouble.