Re-viewed/Edited 29/01/2013

Eternal

Prologue l

Special Friends

Mama spetle ferend hurts
He not awowolled!

The smile that was radiating from Charlie Swan's face dulled when he spied his crying daughter struggling with the straps of her car seat. He wanted Rene to drive faster so he could free his little girl from her restraints and smother her in kisses until her tears turned to delightful giggles.

With his attention solely focused on the distressed baby, he didn't see that it wasn't Rene driving the car, but the latest of her 'boyfriends', more like some fool who thought she actually gave a damn about them.

As soon as the car was stopped, Charlie was throwing open the backdoor and pulling Bella from her seat, wrapping his arms around her as he adjusted her little body on his side.

He gave the 'new man' in Rene's life a nod before glancing over Rene and then back down at his daughter. "Tell Daddy what's got you all upset baby girl." He cooed, stroking her warm red cheek. "Why's my little princess crying?" He kissed her head before turning to Rene. "What happened?"

Rene shrugged and opened the boot. "She's being dramatic. I've been asleep on the way here and she's probably upset I didn't give her any attention." Her careless attitude made Charlie frown and hold Bella closer to him. He wasn't sure whether it was a bad day for her or just for show to the new guy that she could deal without her daughter. Or, the horrible thought ran through Charlie's head, she actually doesn't want the stress of a baby while looking for someone to satisfy her.

They moved her small bag from their boot to the boot of Charlie's cruiser and he reluctantly offered Bella to Rene to say goodbye. He was shocked though, when Bella clung tighter to him and began to cry again. "Hey, hey, don't you wana say goodbye to your Mama?" The strong shake of her head had him looking at Rene with a lost look. Something wasn't right.

Rene shook off the rejection and stroked the back of Bella's head before walking back to the car and sliding in. Not once did she mention the man behind the wheel, or show any indication she saw that he was looking out the window at Bella and Charlie for as long as he could before they went out of view.

Charlie didn't immediately strap Bella into her car seat in the back of his cruiser, he opened the passenger door and sat with Bella on his lap while he tried to make her talk to him. He managed to get a smile and a kiss but it was obvious Bella wasn't in the mood to be sociable.

"Jake and Billy are going to be over later, Bella." Charlie said, glancing in the rear-view mirror to see her eyes brighten at the mention of her best friend. It was cute really how well they got along considering they were only two, well Jake was turning three soon, but they still got along without much fuss.

Bella fell asleep on the journey from Seattle to Forks, her little breaths deep and even. Although she looked perfectly content asleep, Charlie still couldn't shake the feeling that something had seriously upset his little girl. Usually she was so happy when she saw him and didn't hesitate to say bye to her mom and jump up and down to get to her daddy's arms…but seeing her in tears just made him want to kill the person that put them on her little face.

Eternity

"Do you Mama got a spetle ferend?" Bella asked Jacob, her little voice even more little as they played under the kitchen table while their dad's chatted on the chairs above them.

Jacob seriously considered the question, he thought long and hard about all the friends his mama had but none of them were special. "Nope, my Mama no got one." His voice loud and cheerful, not a care if his Daddy overhead him.

"Mama spetle ferend hurts here." Jacob watched as Bella pointed to a place where his Mama had told him was her and his sisters own place that no one should ever touch, no matter how mean Rachel and Rebecca were being.

"He not awowolled!" He shouted. "Daddy!" Jacob shouted, his desire to do something right overriding the look of fear on Bella's face as he shouted for his father.

The two children were scooped from under the table by their respective daddy's and Jacob carried on shouting. "Daddy, he not awowolled! Beeeella hurt in her place. Mama said no touch own place." Charlie looked completely baffled but Billy seemed to understand what his son was getting at.

"What did Bella say Jacob?" Billy asked, the tears running heavily down Bella's cheeks had him praying that it was all a misunderstanding.

Jacob pursed his lips and scrunched his face up. "She say, Mama has speciural fwend nd hurt ere." He pointed to himself where Bella had pointed. "But no touch thar, own place, Mama says."

Jacob looked over at Bella and saw that she was crying which made him think that what she said was a secret and he shouldn't have told his Daddy and began to cry himself, trying to say sorry to Bella between his sobs.

The crying infants were unaware of the paleness of their fathers faces, unaware that what they had just said would help bring peace to mind of many mothers.

Letting out a shaky breath, Billy shifted Jake to one side and reached for Bella. "You need to get this sorted Charlie, now before it gets any worse." Charlie nodded, his face still whiter than snow but now held a look of pure determination.

He hugged Bella before begging Billy to stay here with her and then left for the station to get every policeman and woman looking for the bastard that hurt his baby.

At his house, Billy carried the now quieter infants up the stairs to Bella's room and placed them in her crib, side by side before pulling over the rocking chair and soothing them when they began to panic again.

"Its okay, its okay." He repeated over and over until they both fell asleep. He stood and looked down on their small bodies knowing that it was far from okay.

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