Title: Stealing Cinderella
Rating: G
Authors Note: Song fic. Song Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wicks
Summary: Song fic in which Edward comes to ask Charlie for Bella's hand in marriage. Edward understands Charlie better in his love and protection for Bella
I came to see
her daddy for sit down man to man
It wasn't any secret I'd be
asking for her hand
I guess that's why he left me waiting in the
living room by myself
with at least a dozen pictures of her
sitting on a shelf
I pulled up in front of Bella's hands and looked at her, smiling. We were about to tell Charlie about our upcoming engagement. I didn't have to be able to read Bella's mind to know that she was nervous about telling Charlie. This was the last place in the world she wanted to be at the moment.
Gently, I kissed her hand before getting out of the door and walking around to open the door for her.
"Don't worry. It'll be okay."
She frowned and clutched my hand tightly as we walked into the house. Charlie wasn't in the front room.
"He's probably upstairs. I'll go get him." Bella muttered hurrying upstairs.
I looked around the house that I had become so comfortable and familiar in, and walked over to the fireplace, on a mantel, I looked at the pictures he had of Bella.
She was
playing Cinderella
She was riding her first bike
Bouncing on
the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the
sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking
up at him
In her eyes I'm Prince Charming
But to him I'm just
some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella
There were pictures of Bella from her youth. There was a picture of her from Halloween when she was three years old, she was smiling at the camera, her two front teeth missing, dressed as Cinderella, next to it, sat Bella and Charlie, taken on a summer she visited Forks, he was holding her on top of her first bike, she smiled at the camera, proudly at this accomplishment, but Charlie was looking at his daughter, with love and adoration.
I looked at the next two pictures, Bella was in her home in Arizona, running through the sprinklers, and bouncing on the bed, her eyes sparkling with merriment.
The picture that got my attention was a picture of Bella and Charlie at a father daughter dance back in Phoenix that he must of went down for. I didn't know what surprised me more, the fact that Bella had willingly gone to a dance, or the way she looked up at Charlie with such adoration and love.
I leaned in
towards those pictures to get a better look at one
When I heard a
voice behind me say "Now, ain't she something, son?"
I
said "Yes, she quite a woman" and he just stared at me
Then I realized that in his eyes she would always be
Playing
Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and
looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a
big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In
her eyes I'm Prince Charming
But to him I'm just some fella riding
in and stealing Cinderella
"Can I help you with something Edward?"
I looked over my shoulder, Charlie had come downstairs. Bella was nowhere to be seen, but I knew she was probably listening, in case she felt the situation needed to be defused. Suddenly, I felt nervous. His answer depended on my entire life's happiness.
I cleared my throat and turned around to face him properly.
"Yes. I…I…" oh god why was this so hard. "I want to marry Bella!" I blurted out. Smooth Edward, really smooth.
I expected to see Charlie's face color with rage, instead, he paled and sat down mutely on the couch, gesturing me to take a seat across from him. Nervously, I sat across from him.
"How do I know, Edward…" Charlie began, "that you won't hurt her again? I don't think I need to tell you the mess you left her in last September."
I winced. I could read his mind, and I could read the pain I put her through. He was remembering how she looked when Sam brought him to her, remembering the zombie like state she stayed in. How he must hate me.
"Because I love her Charlie." I said seriously. "I came back because I love her with all my heart. The fact that I hurt Bella makes me feel sick inside. I would never hurt her again. I swear to you, I will spend the rest of my life making her happy."
Charlie nodded, not looking fully convinced.
"And your family? How do they feel about you marrying at such a young age?"
"My family loves Bella, I have already discussed my plans of marrying her with them, and they are happy, and eager to have Bella as a sister and daughter in law."
"And what about College? Do you expect me to let Bella run off and get married and not further her education?"
I shook my head, finally, something we could agree on. Bella going to College.
"Of course not. Didn't Bella tell you? She also got an acceptance letter from Dartmouth, we'd go together. I'd pay for her tuition of course, but trust me, I have no intentions of Bella not going to College." I hope she heard me, because I meant it. After she was done 'adjusting' to our new lifestyle, she'd be going to College, weather she liked it or not.
Charlie seemed impressed by this, he frowned, thinking this over.
"You really love her, don't you Edward?"
"Yes sir, more then you can imagine."
He slapped me
on the shoulder
Then he called her in the room
When she threw
her arms around him
That's when I could see it too
She was
Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed
and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with
a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
If
he gives me a hard time
I can't blame the fella
I'm the one
who's stealing Cinderella
Bella entered the room when he called her, he was smiling, and she let out a cry of joy and hugged him.
"Thank you daddy." She muttered against his ear. 'Daddy'. That was the first time I had ever heard her call him that. It was always either dad or Charlie. When I looked at her hugging him, I could the little Princess that Charlie must always see her as.