Choices

Chapter 15

When everybody was done shopping at the mall many items had to be sent directly to the Cullen house. The sheer amount of gifts was staggering, even though only a gift or two were bought for each person. By the time everyone got back to the house, Charlie was so tired he decided to stay rather than go back to his own house. Belle had for all intents and purposes moved in with the Cullens. Alice asked Jasper to take her shopping bags that she managed to cram in the car, and went to talk to Charlie and return his credit cards.

"Charlie?" She called to him and he joined her on the front porch. "I think you will want these back." Holding his cards out for him.

"Alice, I figured that you had something to do with these going missing." Charlie said placing the cards back in his wallet.

"I'm sorry that I stole your cards Charlie! Please don't be mad at me. I was only trying to get you to see that money in our family is no object. I'm truly sorry if I have over stepped my bounds." Alice wouldn't bring her eyes to meet Charlie's.

"Alice please look at me. I am not going to talk to the top of you cute spikey head." Charlie said, and waited until Alice was looking at him before he continued. "I view you as a second daughter and nothing you do will ever change that. You are right though, when I found my cards missing I was mad for just a split second. Then I thought about it and realized that, again, you were right that Belle and I should realize that being in our new family comes with lavish things. It may take us time but we will learn. Thank you for trying to make me seeing things more clearly." He stood and wrapped Alice in a hug.

Since finding out Esme was his True Mate, Charlie had opened up more emotionally, and was more willing to show affection physically. Belle was shocked at the change in her dad, but she realized that her whole life she had been craving this part of her dad. Belle was always been the parental figure growing up and she now finally felt like she could be the child in her relationship with her dad.

Alice was relieved that Charlie wasn't mad at her and she felt pride when he told her that he felt like she was a daughter to him. Although she loved Carlisle and truly thought of him as her father, there was something special about Charlie that Alice couldn't put her finger on.

A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Charlie? Could you help me out with something?"

"Sure Alice, I'll do whatever I can to help you. What do you need?" Charlie said, curious as to what he, as a human, could do for Alice.

"When I was changed I tried to remember my human life, but it is totally blank. Now when Vampires wake from their transformation, our human memories are quite blurry and can sometimes fade, but I can't remember anything except for my name. Could you help me figure out my background?" Alice said hoping that with his police resources he would be able to find out her history.

"I think I can do that. I would have to log into the police database and sneak around a bit, but I am willing to do that for you." Charlie said.

"Can you log in from a computer here at the house if Jasper can bring it up?"

"I suppose so. Should I bother asking how many times you have done this in the past or what other agencies you have looked into?" Charlie asked knowing full well what the answer would be.

"I wouldn't tell you so no guilt by association." Alice said smiling.

"Alright then let's go and find out your background Alice." Charlie said. He stood and offered his hand to Alice.

Jasper had already set up the computer in the dining room, so Charlie and Alice set straight to work. "What is your full name Alice?"

"Mary Alice Brandon is what I was told by the Vampire who changed me. He was going to tell me more but he never returned from a hunting trip and I think that he was killed. In my early years I didn't have as much control over my gift as I do now." She said sadly.