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Chapter Four:
Cold Hard Truth
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Sam returned to the rez, spilling the found information to the elders.
Billy had been adamant on going to see Charlie immediately.
Arrangements had been re established for the pick up of Bella's body and the two others were informed of the change in plans.
Three vehicles pulled in to the Swan driveway. Sam and Paul helped Billy on to his chair and aided him up the steps to the door.
Carlisle was already waiting at the door.
"Mr. Black. Sam. I'm sorry, I never got your name?" Carlisle said politely with a small nod.
"no, you didn't." Paul replied rudely.
"Paul." Sam said in a low tone, then turned to the vampire, "Carlisle."
Billy nodded curtly and rolled himself over to where his lifelong friend sat in misery. When they saw each other they broke down again, and they reach for one another in a hug of solidarity. A mutual consolation for their great losses. At least they had each other.
"How did..?" Charlie finally asked, finishing the question wasn't necessary.
"Charlie. I need you to be strong, for Jake...and for Bella. I have something to tell you, dear old friend. And it wont be easy to take." Billy p;eaded.
Sam had already gotten two beers and placed them in front of Charlie.
"Do you think now is a good time for this?" Carlisle voiced his concern. He really didn't know if the human could really take much more, much less the truth of what had happened to his daughter.
"given the circumstances, I see no better time." Billy replied.
He told his friend every detail regarding the legends, the pack, the Cullens. The truth behind Bella's sudden departure to Italy. Embry and Quil were called in to tell their tale regarding what had happened to Jake. By the time the boys were done, the car transport from the airport had arrived and the last two to witness Bella's last moments entered the home. Edward, kneeling in front of Charlie, face tracked with tears of black venom...sobbed.
"I couldn't save her, Charlie...and she made them promise to let me exist. I am a coward, and I deserve your hatred. I am disgusted with myself for being here instead of her. If anyone deserved to live, it was Be-" Edward was interrupted by a shaking weak voice.
"Don't." Charlie whispered-yelled, "don't you soil her name by speaking it no more. Anything that comes in contact with you is spoiled...you-" He lifted his head and spoke directly to the demon that haunted his daughter for the past year with pure contempt, "killed her...not once...but twice."
"I'm s-"
"TWICE!" Charlie bellowed, his face turning red with fury. He felt robbed. The little amount of time he got to share with her was not enough.
The regret of not having fought harder for her, having been part of her life for such short time, then having lost her twice to this...
insignificant...bug...left a sour taste in his mouth.
"Leave. my.
sight. Leave.
This. town. Leave. The. FREAKING. STATE! LEAVE! I. NEVER. want to lay eyes on you for as long as I should live. Or so help me, god...Everyday the sun rises without my daughter...its a day you don't deserve to exist." Charlie said through clenched teeth, looking at him through narrowed, hateful eyes.
Edward stood and slowly, even by human standards, made his way out the front door.
Then he turned to Alice, who had been sitting like a statue.
"I want to know." Charlie said, his voice wavering.
Alice turned to face him, speaking for the first time since she left Italy, venom escaping her sockets as she did, "Oh...Charlie...I- I can't...ple-ase...don't..." she pleaded.
Embry had had enough of the melodramatic bullshit, he needed to know it was true. He moved fast to grab her by the shoulders and shook her violently, "Listen, you fucking little bitch-!"
"EMBRY!" Sam, Billy and Charlie yelled at the same time.
"NO! This stupid bitch-" His voice caught on a high pitch, giving away that he was barely holding on, "She saw what happened! She was there! I need to know why! I need to know it all, detail...by fucking gory detail!" He said spewing saliva, pouring torrents of tears, knees giving out, barely able to shake her any further, "Please..." he begged.
Alice took her scarf and wiped his face as she gave in, "okay, Embry. Okay."
And that's how she lost the last shred of sanity along with Embry. She laid the letters labeled for Charlie and Jacob on the table as well as the royal decree. Every told torment Bella had suffered, the torture Jake endured without knowledge of what was happening. Down to the last breath.
"...she said his name...with her last breath...she said his name." Alice said as her body shook with wretched sobs.
The door slammed open and a chorus of "Embry!" followed a thundering pack, following on their brother. He had taken off with the letter Bella had written for Jake.
Billy and Charlie were both a mess as they read the letter Bella had written for her father. It it were no lies. Just words of love, wishes, dreams and hope that had been shattered with the snuffing of her light.
How could someone be so perversely cruel to such a selfless soul. Billy was the first to speak, "It would be the honor of the tribe if you allowed for Bella to be buried next to Jacob in the island, Charlie."
"I don't know, Billy. Wouldn't that be against tribal law? Get you in to a lot of-" Charlie began but Billy saw no sense on letting him continue.
"She was his imprint. And as such she has the same rights as anyone born with Quileute blood. Even more so since he was the wife of the next-" Billy couldn't finish. Jacob would never get to carry out his duty as Chief of the tribe, nor will he be able to take his rightful place as alpha of the pack...or feel the love of his imprint...
his Bella.
"He would have wanted it this way, Charlie." Billy muttered.
"Of course, Billy. Those two deserve to be together." Charly whispered, trying to contain more tears.
"I will push for Jacob's funeral for tomorrow at dawn instead. This way Bella can be prepared as well. Come on Charlie. My people are your people now." Billy said making his way to the front door to find Carlisle waiting for them.
The treaty had been lifted for this rare time of sorrow. Carlisle had promised to fund a scholarship program to cover not only the pack, their imprints and their children, but several generations of Quiluetes to better their own lives in the name of Bella Black, and a fund for the renewal of habitats and homes with in the reservation in the name of Jacob Black. Carlisle also invested in buildings around the reservation and funded for restoration and actualizing them for the use of commerce and business for the pack members. When his generosity had been met with hostility and resentment, he explained that It was part of Bella's part of their fortune, as she was considered dearly as one of his children and that she would have wanted it that way.
Carlisle drove the Hearse as Charlie rode with Billy in the front. The boys long gone after their pack brother in his moment of distress.
Once at the Black residence, Carlisle was directed to the tribal lounge to drop off Bella's body to be prepared, as Charlie aided Billy onto bed to rest. Today was hard, but tomorrow they said goodbye to their children one last time.