CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:
It was just beginning to drizzle when Edward dropped me off back at my house. Charlie wasn't home yet, so I pulled out my old radio, and listened to Potterwatch until I heard Charlie's car in the garage. I'd been... avoiding it lately, not wanting to be reminded of the unhappiness, when I was actually kind of happy.
Hearing the front door slam, I pushed away the now familiar sickness that clung to me like a second skin after being updated on the world I'd fled, and walked towards where I could hear Charlie banging around under the stairs, putting his tackle away. "Hey dad," I greeted him.
"Hi there, kiddo!" he replied, turning to try and give me a hug. I skip backwards.
"Ew dad! You stink!" I exclaim, and he laughs, dropping his arms back to his sides.
"Whoops, sorry Bells."
"Go clean up, I'll heat up some dinner." I roll my eyes.
"Okay." Charlie agrees, without complaint.
I fix us up some of the left over fish fry that Charlie brought home the other day while he showers, and it doesn't take long till we're sitting at the table, eating in silence. It was Charlie who broke the comfortable silence.
"What did you do with yourself today?" he asked.
"Well, this afternoon I just hung out around the house..." Only the very, very recent part of this afternoon, actually, but, semantics. "And this morning I was over at the Cullens."
A grin split Charlie's face in half. "Dr. Cullen's place, huh?" he asked, and I blushed.
"Well, I sort of have a... date with Edward tonight, and he wanted to introduce me to his parents." I mumbled. Charlie chuckled.
"The Edward that doesn't go for girls like you, huh?" he teased me. I blushed harder.
"Dad!"
"So is he your boyfriend, then?" Charlie's voice was still teasing.
"I don't know!" I groan, "maybe? Sort of?" Charlie snickered, enjoying my embarrassment.
"When is he coming over then?"
"He'll be over in a few minutes."
"And where is he taking you?" I groaned again- loudly.
"Dad! What's with the Spanish Inquisition? We're just going to play baseball with his family! Promise!" Charlie observes me for several long moments, before his face creases into a smile.
"I'm happy you're feeling happier, Bells."
"Edward makes me feel happy." I admit, "it's so... nice." I hear the roar of a car engine in the driveway and jump up, ready to start clearing the dishes.
"Leave the dishes, I can do them tonight." Charlie interrupts my movements. I smile at him.
"Thank you dad." The doorbell rings, and Charlie instantly stalks off to answer it and I follow him, amused. As Charlie opened the door to reveal Edward standing on the steps, looking like a male model in an advertisement for raincoats and umbrellas, a thought hit me that caused me to pale.
Edward could read Charlie's mind. Charlie knew I was a witch.
Oh god!
Why hadn't this struck me before? I wondered, hysteria starting to creep up inside me. Oh, Merlin's saggy testicles. I needed to get Edward out of here, asap.
"Bella?" I heard someone say, and my gaze flipped up, and my cheeks went pink as I realized both Edward and Charlie were staring at me.
"So, I know you guys have already met, but dad this is my boyfriend Edward. Edward, this is my dad. Charlie."
"Chief Swan," Edward smiled, dipping his head in a respectful manner.
"Go ahead and call me Charlie." Charlie said, stepping to the side so that Edward could step inside, out of the rain.
"Thanks, sir." Edward smiled, as he stepped into the house.
"Have a seat there, Edward." I grimaced. Edward sat down fluidly in the only chair, forcing me to sit down next to Charlie on the couch. I quickly shot him a dirty look, and he winked at me when Charlie wasn't looking.
Okay, the plan was to keep the conversation firmly away from any topics that could lead to Charlie thinking about anything related to my status as a witch, and to subtly get Edward out of here as quickly as possible.
"So, I hear you're getting my girl to watch baseball." Charlie stated.
"Yes, sir, that's the plan." Edward smiled.
"Well, more power to you, I guess." Charlie laughed, and Edward joined. Screw subtlety.
"Okay, enough humor at my expense. Let's go." I scowled at them both before getting up and stalking back down the hall and yanking on my jacket. Edward and Charlie followed me, both looking amused.
"Not too late, Bells." Charlie said.
"Don't worry, Charlie. I'll have her home early." Edward promised.
"You take care of my girl, all right?" I groaned, but they ignored me.
"She'll be safe with me, I promise, sir." Charlie couldn't doubt Edward's sincerity, it rang in every word. I stalked out. They both laughed, and Edward followed me, only his supernatural reflexes stopping him from walking straight into me when I stopped dead on the porch. There, behind my truck, was a monster Jeep. Its tires were higher than my waist.
Charlie let out a low whistle. "Wear your seat belts." He choked out.
Edward followed me around to my side and opened the door. I gauged the distance to the seat and prepared to jump for it. Amused, Edward lifted me in with one hand. Charlie didn't notice, still busy gawking at the monstrosity that was this vehicle.
As he went around to the driver's side, at a normal, human pace, I tried to put on my seat belt, but gave up, frustrated- there were way too many buckles. "What the hell is all this?" I asked, when he opened the door, anxious to get out of here. Charlie was still in far too close proximity- I didn't know how far the range was for Edward's abilities, but I was assuming Charlie would still be within that range.
"It's an off road harness."
"Ooookay... you're going to need to do this for me." I admitted, and he chuckled, leaning across to quickly click all the right parts into place. I tried not to focus too hard on how his hands lingered at my neck and brushed along my collarbones.
Edward turned the key and the engine roared to life. I waited until we'd turned out of the street before speaking up again. Relief filled me- maybe it was luck of the draw, but I must have gotten away with it. If Edward had learned that I was a witch, I'm assuming he'd have made some kind of comment by now, so I was pretty sure my secret was safe. Still, I couldn't help but try to figure out what he had heard and casually asked; "So, Charlie's mind tell you if he likes you or not?" Edward looked thoughtful.
"Actually, his mind is like yours."
"Really?" I asked, honestly surprised. "You can't read it?"
"No. I'm feeling quite impotent, actually," Edward admitted. I couldn't help my grin.
"Well, you know what they say about men with big cars."
"It's Emmett's," Edward chuckles, before adding, "I didn't think you'd want to run the whole way." I wrinkle my nose.
"Ew. You thought correct."
Huh. It seemed like I'd found out which side of the family my magic came from- one of Charlie's ancestors must have been a witch or wizard for him to have enough latent magic in him to protect his mind.
I don't know how Edward found his way in the gloom and downpour, but he did somehow manage to find some side road that was less of a road and more of a mountain path. Conversation was mainly impossible, because I was bouncing up and down in the seat like a jack-hammer, glaring at him each time he laughed.
He stopped the engine when we reached the end of the road, and I pulled a face. "You know what? I'll just wait here." I tell him.
"What happened to all your courage?" he teased me. I glowered at him.
"I haven't forgotten last time, yet. And I didn't bring a change of clothes for when I puke all over these ones." Edward pulled a heartbreaking expression on his face.
"Please?" I folded my arms. He would not break me.
"No."
"Please?" He was suddenly out of his seat and pressed up against me. My eyes widened slightly.
"N-no." His cold lips brushed against the hollow of my throat, his cold breath tickling my skin.
"Please?" His nose drew a line up the skin of my throat to the point of my chin. Merlin, even his smell disturbed my thought process.
"No!" He lifted his face to kiss my cheek, slowly, stopping just at the corner of my mouth.
"Please?" His lips brushed against my trembling lower lip, and I sagged into his grasp as I gave up.
"Fine."
He instantly took my face in his hands, almost roughly, and kissed me with earnest, his unyielding lips moving against mine. My arms reached up to twine around his neck, and I sighed happily against his lips. "When I throw up, I'm aiming at you." I mumble against his lips, and he laughs.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"You better."
He pulls away from me, after several long moments. "No more putting off the inevitable." He told me, a cheeky smile on his face, before he moved off my seat, back to his, then out of the car.
He ran to my side of the car with a burst of preternatural speed, and pulled the door open, swiftly undoing the buckles holding me in place. I groaned as he lifted me from the seat, gently throwing me across his back. I locked my legs around his waist and secured my arms in a choke hold around his neck, squeezing my eyes tightly shut. I could feel the vibrations of his laughter, and I scowled.
To be honest, I could hardly tell we were moving. I could feel him gliding along beneath me, but he could have been strolling down the sidewalk, the movement was so smooth. I was tempted to peek, just to see if he was really flying through the forest like before, but I resisted. It wasn't worth the awful dizziness.
I wasn't quite sure we had stopped until he reached back and touched my hair. "It's over, Bella."
I dared to open my eyes, and, sure enough, we were at a standstill. I stiffly unlocked my stranglehold on his body and slipped to the ground, landing on my butt. "Bloody hell!" I huffed, as I hit the wet ground. Edward stared at me, incredulously, obviously wondering whether or not to laugh. I glowered. "Don't you dare." I warned. This, apparently, was the catalyst.
He burst out into laughter, and I shot him the darkest expression I could. "Bloody vampires." I scowl, staggering to my feet, brushing the mud and bracken off my jacket and butt the best I could, then striding off into the forest.
Immediately, I felt his arm around my waist. "Where are you going, Bella?"
"To watch a baseball game. You don't seem to be interested in playing anymore, but I'm sure the others will have fun without you." I tell him.
"You're going the wrong way." I turn to him and fix a ferocious glare on my face. He wilts under my expression in seconds.
"I'm sorry Bella, I shouldn't have laughed." He apologizes, expression maybe half sincere.
"And you call yourself a gentleman." I scold him. Edward held out a hand.
"Would the fair maiden please accompany me?" He asked, in an overly posh accent. I pretend to think it over.
"As long as the noble gentleman promises to buy said fair maiden one of those disgustingly, unhealthy cheeseburgers she loves tomorrow."
"Consider it done." Edward vows, solemnly, and I accept his hand. "Let's go."