The Newborn

part two / chapter eight.

Early the next morning I walked back into Charlie's house just as he was preparing to walk out, ready to leave on a fishing trip. He grinned at me as I wandered in, sifting through an array of poles and tackle boxes. He had been looking forward to this getaway for weeks and had booked the time off of work especially for it. I helped him carry his gear to the cruiser and when he was all packed up he gave me a quick hug goodbye. "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon probably, depending on the weather."

"Sure, Dad... Hey, are you going with Billy?"

He nodded and opened the door of his car. "And Harry. Takes at least two of us to get the wheelchair onto the embankment but we make it work."

"Will you ask him to ease up on Jake?" I asked, not for the first time. "Things aren't getting any better and it's really getting him down."

Charlie shook his head. "Honey, you know it's none of my business. I'm not going to tell another man how to raise his kid. What if Billy had done that to me when you were young?"

"But Jake's not that young, he's sixteen." I pointed out desperately. "Only a year younger than I was when I came here permanently. He needs the same support I needed and he's not getting it."

"Bella listen. I appreciate how much you love Jake and you're just looking out for him, but Billy is his father and while Jake is a minor he does get final say on how he's raised. Now if Jake was in danger or out on the streets then I would step in but I know Billy and he's not like that. He doesn't like his son's friends, so what? Lots of parents don't approve of their kids' friends. It's not as big of a deal as it feels, honey."

"He doesn't like me, Dad." I exclaimed. "He's said so to my face. He thinks I'm dangerous, he thinks I'm a monster. He thinks you should be doing something about it. Don't you take that a little bit personally?"

He shrugged and leaned back against his car. "Not really, I can see both sides of the argument."

"Wow..." I gritted my teeth in annoyance. I had really been expecting him to take my side, on that front at the very very least.

"Bella, you're a vampire." Charlie sighed, putting his hand on my shoulder. "It's a lot to take in, especially for someone that has always believed in their existence and is convinced that they're dangerous. The tribe and the Cullens have always had a feud, that kind of thing is historical. It won't go away overnight. If you feel like Jake isn't being supported by Billy, then you need to support him twice as much. If Billy asks for my opinion I'll tell him I think he should drop it and let Jake hang out with who he wants, but I'm not going to force parenting tips down his throat. Okay?"

"Okay... Have a good trip." I mumbled sulkily. I had, if truth be told, been expecting to win that particular discussion and to have already had Charlie on my side. I couldn't see why Billy couldn't just get over his aversions to myself and the Cullens for the sake of his relationships with Jake and Charlie. But I could see now that things ran a lot deeper in Forks than I had realised and it would take a lot more than a dislike towards his daughter to make Charlie cast Billy aside completely.

Charlie smiled a little apologetically at me and I felt bad for trying to guilt him into agreeing with me. "Thanks honey, see you soon."

I nodded and started to wave him off before remembering something and stepping forward to tap on his window. "Oh wait, Dad?"

He rolled the window down manually and raised an eyebrow at me. He was keen to get going, he didn't often get more than one day off in a row. "Yeah?"

"Is it okay if I skip school on my birthday?"

He narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "Why, is it going to be sunny?"

"Er, I'm not sure. I just thought since it's my birthday I could take it off to do something fun... With Edward."