Jacob Black

Seth and I were on the floor of Charlie's living room alternating between eating pizza and laughing at the three stooges sitting on the couch.

My dad Billy and his best friends Charlie Swan and Harry Clearwater, Seth's dad, have been thick as thieves since high school. They've stood by each other through the good and the bad.

I've heard a lot of their stories a time or five...dozen, but I don't mind. They're funny to listen to when they have a little beer in them. Charlie was just retelling the story about how they got caught jumping naked off the cliffs down at the rez when the door bell rang. I jumped up to get it as he carried on - it must be one of the boys coming to scrounge some food and or beer.

I opened the door and looked down to find the most captivating brown eyes staring up at me from the porch. After a moment I heard a throat clear which drew my eyes down to the small smile highlighting a beautiful face. Shaking my head, I cleared my throat and tried not to sound like an idiot.

"Hey, can I help you?"

"I hope so. I'm looking for Charles Swan." she replied.

I nodded my head while staring at her before realizing I should probably answer her out loud.

"Sorry, yeah, hang on." I managed to say before calling out to Charlie without moving my eyes from the girl.

"Charlie! Someone's here to see you!"

The girl wrinkled her nose before looking off to the side. Seeing her side on reminded me of someone, but I couldn't think who it was as I looked her over. A long brown fishbone plait hung over her denim clad shoulder with an army green canvas bag slung across her body. I paid closer attention to her snug workout looking pants.

I could hear Charlie mumble as he made his way to the front door. "If its Mrs Keats, I've already put the missing pos-" he'd obviously spied the stranger on his porch. "Oh! Hello," he finished politely.

The girl looked at him then down at a piece of paper she was holding in her hand, then back up at Charlie again.

"Charlie?" she asked softly, a touch nervous.

Charlie, with obvious curiosity, answered her. "That's me. Do I know you?"

She looked over his face a little before shaking her head with a sigh. "No, you don't. Um, my name is Bella," she cleared her throat, obviously from nerves, "and I believe you knew my mother," she finished while holding out the paper to Charlie. It was a photo.

Charlie looked at the picture and froze. "Renee", he whispered.

I took a glance and saw a young smiling Charlie wrapped around a pretty, blue eyed girl.

"Your mother?"

She tentatively nodded her head in answer to his whispered question, even though he wasn't looking at her.

Charlie smiled wistfully as he studied the photo, obviously seeing more than what was in it. But the smile soon melted from his face and his gaze snapped back up to Bella.

Bella's gaze turned wary as a myriad of emotion crossed his face.

Taking one more look at the photo, Charlie fixed Bella with his no-nonsense stare. I saw the familiar glint in his eyes as he looked at her. It's the same look he gets when he's on the job.

"How old are you Bella?" he asked with a firm voice and stiff brows.

I've witnessed many shrink under 'The' look. I myself was one of them. But I watched in awe as this tiny, doe eyed girl stood firm and held his gaze.

With a lift of her chin I heard her whisper, "19".

Utter silence.

Bella's entire form stilled. I could see she wasn't even breathing. But what was more alarming was the anger radiating from Charlie. He kept switching between glaring at the photo and staring at Bella's face.

The tension was mounting as the silence grew.

Bella took a step back. "I should have called." Sighing as she took a few more steps back she whispered tightly, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

"No!" Charlie's shout had both Bella and me jumping but I quickly pulled myself together. I gripped Charlie's shoulder in warning when I saw Bella's quivering hand grasp the strap of her bag. Her glassy eyes as she peered up at me, caused my heart to ache and pulse with a need to protect her.

"Charlie c'mon you're scaring her," I said quietly.

He bowed forward and gripped his knees, trying to calm his heavy breathing. I leaned forward and squeezed his shoulder in comfort.

"Maybe I'll call you later," she whispered, backing down the steps slowly.

Charlie held up a hand and looked up at her. "Wait. Please." His voice rasped as he pleaded with her.

She paused for a moment, looking at Charlie with a torn expression. A tear slid down her cheek and she turned her head to the side as she wiped it off, looking a little embarrassed and a lot sad.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Charlie!" We turned to see Harry walking toward us with Seth and dad following closely behind.

"Hey, you ok? What's going on?" Dad questioned.

The sound of a car starting caught our attention and we whipped around in time to see Bella pulling away from the curb and driving off.

Charlie groaned and rubbed his face harshly with one hand. The other still held the photo Bella left behind. "Shit!" He whisper yelled.

"Who was that?" Dad asked, still looking in the direction Bella had driven in.

Charlie exhaled shakily, head tilted back. I could smell the tears he was trying to keep from falling. After a moment, he looked back down, unable to meet anyone's gaze.

"I think that was my daughter."