Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Blood And Steel

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 13:

La Push Washington

“Are you sure they said they were showing up tonight?” Jake asked Sam. The entire wolf pack was present. Word had been passed. Bella was coming to La Push along with her new friends.

The excitement Leah showed was causing everyone to feel optimistic. She had not phased since she and Seth had been staying with Charlie but everyone noticed a change had come over her. No one knew exactly why. Jake had mentioned it casually to Seth who shrugged his shoulders and made no comment.

“I received a call from the British guy this morning. He told me to find a large clearing where two large aircraft could land. He said they were sort of like helicopters but larger. It needed to be remote but have access to a logging road within 3 miles so a small base camp could be built and hidden by tall trees in the borders of La Push. Once I found the spot send him the GPS coordinates. That’s what I did. I called him and he said to expect them tonight around 9. That’s all I know.” Sam explained.

“Well I don’t see any aircraft or hear any. Maybe they decided to wait until daylight. I don’t even know if they can land a helicopter at night here with the trees and… holy shit what is that?” Jake asked.

Everyone looked up and saw two sets of what looked like three small circular lights. The lights were getting larger as if the circles were falling straight down.

The dark gave way to the lights as the objects came down quickly. Sam prepared to order his pack to run but he doubted anything short of an Alpha order would make them do so. He was too mesmerized to move himself.

Everyone stood motionless as the lights suddenly stopped about a hundred feet above their heads. It was then the pack could make out that the lights were not independent objects but belonged to two very large objects.

“Holy fuck, they have UFOs.” Quil whispered.

The two black craft were hard to make out in the dark even for the wolves. They didn’t make a sound. They would be impossible for a human to see were it not for the lights. It appeared one was towards the point of the triangular craft and the other two were mounted under the wing section of the craft on either side.

The silence by the night was destroyed by the very loud sound of Sweet Home Alabama blaring from one of the aircraft.

The crafts began to descend and the pack moved. The two landed side by side barely making a sound. Not even and engine could be heard running.

The backs of the crafts opened and men in black rushed out, rifles ready. Then three women walked out.

One woman was immediately recognized despite the changes in her appearance. One woman that Jake and Sam were sorely afraid they would never see again. She was dressed like all the others and looked very different. Her hair was darker and not as full, hanging straight, just past her shoulders. She was leaner and stood straighter. She moved without looking at the ground.

She was smiling.

Her smooth steady walk didn’t last long. Seeing Jake and Sam staring at her from a distance was too much and she ran to them. Sam got to her first and Bella jumped into his arms that wrapped around her. He let her down fighting back his own tears and Bella saw Jake. His sunny smile she had missed so much was planted on his face. He opened his arms and Bella stepped inside them, accepting his hug and returning it.

“Bella, you look… amazing.” Sam said. Jake said nothing but did wipe a tear from his eye. The pack surrounded her and soon she was surrounded by warm bodies hugging her. The only one who wasn’t near Bella was Leah who had locked eyes with Winter.

Winter smiled and tried to look away. She didn’t have the chance. Leah walked up and wrapped her arms around her, pulling their bodies closely. None of the pack noticed, the focus being on Bella.

“I missed you.” Leah told her quietly.

“I was gone a week,” Winter laughed, trying to make light of the situation but secretly glad that the feelings she thought she picked up from Leah on the phone only seemed to intensify in person. Winter also admitted she felt better here. That feeling of something being wrong ended the moment her feet touched the ground. She swore she could almost feel Leah’s presence the closer she got.

“We have to talk. Can you get away in the morning? I need to talk to you alone. First Beach? I can text you directions. Where are you guys going to be staying tonight? You can come to my Mom’s house. Seth and I have to go back to Charlie’s but she wouldn’t mind. Or you could come to Charlie’s…”

Winter laughed.

“Leah chill out. I’m going to be here for a while. Yes I can meet you at First Beach tomorrow.” Winter whispered to her.

Meanwhile Bella was finally released from the hot arms around her. No one commented but everyone who she hugged noted she was much, much stronger. The story Mina had told Sam and Jake must be true.

The music stopped blaring from the sound system of one the Aurora, piloted by Dante Youngblood and silence returned. The pack stepped back and Sam smiled.

“There is one more guy that’s waiting to hug you Bella.” Sam pointed to a tree where Charlie Swan stood.

“Dad? I thought I wouldn’t see you until morning?’ Bella asked, shocked to see her father out in the middle of the forest at night in the misty rain.

“You think after two years I would stay away?” he asked, his voice cracking. The closer he got the better Bella could see him. His eyes were puffy and red. The moisture on his face was not all mist. He had been crying.

He was still crying.

Bella ran to him, careful not to knock him down when she reached him. He wrapped her in his arms and felt his daughter for the first time in two years. Two years where he worried every day that he would never see her again. Worried about where she was and how she was surviving in hiding. Worried whether Edward Cullen or the Volturi would find her.

To find out what she had been through from Winter broke Charlie’s heart but gave him hope. She was alive and she was no longer hiding. Then he found out today that she would be here tonight. He agreed to ride on Jake’s back to get here while he was phased, due to the difficulty in reaching this place especially at night. That in itself was unnerving. Now to hold his daughter in his arms once again…

“So are we all happiness and joy? Good. I like to see happy people. Makes me feel warm all over. Call me sentimental.”

Charlie and Bella turned towards the ship where Dante Youngblood and Ty Gavin exited. Behind them was the man who had just spoke.

While the soldiers around him were difficult to see in their black clothing this man was easy to make out. He wore a white t shirt and blue jeans over brown leather cowboy boots. He also had a straw cowboy hat on his head that looked like it had seen better days. As the man walked closer to Charlie he could make out words on the man’s t shirt. He expected the words to be Navy or Army or Marine Corps.

I am not illegal was written across the shirt. What the hell was this about?

“Noticed the t shirt did you? A Hispanic friend of mine I served with came from El Paso. He gave it to me as a joke. He said it was his lucky shirt. Sorry we are late. Brody hasn’t flown since he got out of flight school when he first joined the Army. He had a lot to catch up on in the past few days and let’s just say those of us with Dante were glad we weren’t with Brody. Still he got his half of the team here alive. I’m Lt. Commander Jason Connolly and this is my team. Not all of them are here. The others… well let’s just say they are of a supernatural variety that would not be welcome on this land without forewarning. They will be here in the next few days.”

“Supernatural variety?”

“Vampires.” Connolly told him causing silence.

“I thought you… your team killed vampires?” Charlie asked.

“We do. They help.” he explained calmly.

“Vampires are murdering bastards.” Charlie said with venom in his voice.

“No argument here, but I have four who are my murdering bastards. My goal is to take out the Volturi and Cullens and any other coven I can find. Having counter intelligence is important. I need them and have decided they are genuine in their desire to help. That means they are my crew. If the devil himself popped up and wanted to help me take out the Volturi I would accept it. The mission is all that matters. You can understand that, can’t you Chief?” Connolly asked.

“Yeah… I guess I can.” Charlie admitted feeling a little shell shocked.

“So if you are the commander why aren’t you dressed like your team?” he asked, trying to regain his bearings.

“I can answer that Pops.” The large black man said, walking up.

“Who the hell… who are you?”

“I’m Ty Gavin. We as a team voted and decided LT here could dress civilian since we thought there might be a chance you might be here tonight.”

“Why does that matter?’ Charlie asked, more confused.

“Dad, Jason is my… boyfriend.” Bella explained. She did not look at Jake when she said it.

“I… can you some closer please?” Charlie asked Connolly.

Connolly stepped closer. He was only slightly taller than Charlie and looked the man in his eyes. He recognized Bella’s eyes.

“You uh… you don’t turn into… anything right?”

“Not unless you count me turning into a hell of a singer when I’m in the shower. I can sing classic rock like you wouldn’t believe. I truly believe if God didn’t put me on this Earth to kill people I would have been a rock star. Country star at least.”

“ You aren’t a vampire right?” Charlie asked, peering closely at Jason’s eyes.

“Dad!” Bella shouted.

Charlie dropped his head.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure you are… uh… not that I have anything against these guys.” Charlie motioned toward the pack. “I mean they are family to me. But I know there are other things out there and I just wanted to make sure you… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay Dad. I understand.” Bella told him. She couldn’t be too irritated. She had made some bad decisions in her romantic life.

“So you’re not then? I mean you are… normal?”

For the first team since landing the entire team broke into laughter.

“That’s fucking first. Connolly being called normal.” One very large man said.

“Shut it Hawk. Yeah. I’m just a normal, everyday average guy Chief.” Jason assured him.

“That’s good. I mean…”

“I am also the best killer in the world. These assholes don’t like to admit it. Especially the lady who met with Sam. Isn’t that right Mina?”

“I shot you.” A female voice said from the circle of soldiers surprising the hell out of Charlie. Sam had told him he was contacted by a woman and two men. Charlie had no idea she was actually a member of the team though.

“Yeah and I threw your ass out the window.” Connolly countered.

“Let’s not talk about that little encounter ever again, okay?” Bella suggested.

“I don’t even know what you are talking about darlin.”

“That’s better.” Bella told him with a smile and patted his cheek.

“Chief Swan I would love to get to know you better and I promise you we will have time. Why don’t you get caught up with your little girl and your niece over there can go with you. Just do me a favor and stay the night in La push all right? I don’t like my team to be in vampire territory without back up and I don’t want anyone in Forks to know Bella is back just yet. I need to get our base here set up and hide our airpower. We will probably be working through the night. How about we all get together for breakfast and I will let you grill me on every facet of my life?” Jason suggested.

“Okay. That okay with you Bella?” Charlie asked, taking her hand and trying to pull her away only to stop when he realized he couldn’t make her budge. She had gotten a lot stronger.

“Actually Dad why don’t you go to Sam’s and Winter and I will be over there in a few hours. We have to help. This is our team so we all have to do our part.” Bella told him. She wanted to go but she had a job to do first. Once the Cullens and Volturi were dead she could spend weeks with her father. Right now she had a base camp to set up.

“Okay. Just come over as soon as you can okay?” Charlie half asked and half begged.

“I will Dad.”

“Come on Charlie. I will take you back.” Jake told him. Even in the dark, Bella could see Charlie pale a bit. Jake hugged Bella once more.

“Okay. Just… take it slower this time?” Charlie asked quietly.

“No problem Chief. Bella I will see you soon?” Jake asked. Bella did not miss the look he gave Jason. She looked up at Jason who winked at Jake.

“Not a problem Chief Black. We will be done in a couple hours and you and your pack can have her for a little while.”

Leah had been listening to the exchange with Winter near her. Leah fought the urge to hold her hand. Instead she whispered in her ear.

“Looks like I don’t have to go to Charlie’s tonight. Want to stay the night in La Push with my Mom? We could catch up or something?”

“I would but I really need to stay near Bella. She is my partner. We like to stick close together in case one of us needs the other. Especially after what happened to Su… my sister.”

“I understand.” Leah told her disappointed.

“But I will be there first thing in the morning. I promise. Text me directions to her house and we can walk to the beach together.” Winter said, hoping to lessen the disappointment in Leah’s voice.

“Sounds good.” Leah said, hiding her disappointment as best she could.

Charlie hugged Bella one last time and walked away with Jake. The rest of the Pack stayed.

“I wasn’t aware that vampires were part of your team.” Sam told Connolly.

“Yeah it was part of a compromise we had to make with a priest so he would help us find some secret archives in Rome belonging to the Vatican, that we have to break into. When he came three others were captured by us and have proven useful. So we figured fuck it, you know what I mean? I mean if Bella and Winter didn’t care, they had the most reason to hate vampires. Besides Bella took one out in hand to hand combat by her lonesome so they pretty much know they can’t take us. Like I told Charlie, I will do whatever it takes to complete the mission.”

“I’m sorry, did you say secret archives in Rome?” Paul asked from nowhere.

“Yeah, apparently one of these vampires has feelings he gets about trouble. Plus we got a cowboy shaman named Chris who can travel to the other side… I’m talking about ghosts of course, that other side, who runs a school for special children with weird powers. Anyway he is the one who was given these swords that Bella and Winter carry. He found Winter and her sister. I guess you know Winter’s sister was killed by one of the Volturi. Anyway he is concerned about some Japanese demons who are possibly trying to break into this world with a lot of lost souls. Bad people, you know what I mean? People who are so bitter not even hell can suck their souls in. So these demons are pounding on these seven gates. We have no idea why or what happens if they destroy these gates. We really don’t want to find out. However first we have to find out why the Volturi is keeping the bodies of the people they feed from. We aren’t exactly sure they are but we want to find out one way or another. So first things first, we have to kill the Volturi. Then we can investigate the castle and find out what is going on in that place. See if it has any connections to the demons trying to break into this plane of existence and pretty much run over the world of the living. It’s a lot to do and we don’t have much time. ” Connolly explained.

Silence filled the clearing.

“Ya’ll get all that or you need me to go over it again?” Jason asked.

“No… I think, strangely, that what you just said makes as much sense as anything else in this world.” Sam admitted.

“Did you say a school with children who have weird powers?” Quil asked.

“Yep.” Ty answered.

“So he is like a cowboy version of Professor X?”

“Yes! What is your name son?” Connolly asked.

“Quil sir!” Quil told him smiling broadly.

“Any man that knows the X Men is my kind of guy. You are going to be my liaison to the pack if it’s okay with Sam of course.” Jason told him.

“Sweet! Do I get to wear a black uniform?” he asked.

“No.” four voices of the black clad men told him at the same time.

“Quil why don’t you stay quiet? I don’t think we need a liaison since we will all be working together. We will have to talk about these vampires being on our land. It is forbidden.” Sam told him.

“By who?” Jason asked.

“We… you see…”

“You worked with the Cullen’s to kill the newborn army right?” Ty asked.

“Yes…”

“Well this army we are about to fight is a lot stronger than newborns. At least more deadly and more numerous. Besides one of the vampires you know. Jasper Hale?” Jason asked.

“He is a Cullen!” Sam nearly yelled. The pack became very tense quickly.

“Yeah but his wife is fucking Edward Cullen so we are pretty sure where his loyalty lies. Besides he helped train you guys to fight the newborns.” Connolly pointed out.

“We watched and learned quite a bit about vampires.” Sam said cautiously, digesting Edward Cullen… fucking any female.

“Great! You can learn more.” Connolly told him. ” Now I really need to get these guys workin on the camp. I want it set up and camouflaged before sun up and Bella probably needs to spend some time with her Dad so… thanks for the spot. It looks good.”

“Do you need help?” Sam asked.

“Like I said Sam, I’ll take help from anyone interested in killing my enemies. You guys want to pitch in Ty can show you some heavy shit that needs to be unloaded. I’m going to need you guys Sam. I’m not your enemy and I want us to get along. We can all meet as a group tomorrow and I will give you all a more detailed account of everything I explained tonight. So, we got a deal?” Jason asked, sticking out his hand.

Sam looked at it and nodded, taking his hand.

“We will stand with you.”

“Great! Just remember how well the US government and Native Americans worked together in the French and Indian war and forget about everything else. We will pretend the vampires are French.” Connolly told him winking.

“That’s not what happened. The British fought the French and the Indians. The US didn’t even exist at the time.” Sam said.

“Yeah I know. I was hoping you didn’t though. Don’t worry. We are going to make the world a safer place together.”

Sam laughed despite himself. He liked the man in front of him. It was easy to see why Bella was drawn to him. Sam was very glad Jake was in a relationship and hoped he had moved on from the idea of a romantic relationship with Bella.

“I believe we are Jason. I sense that you and your team are good people.” Sam told him honestly.

“We aren’t Sam. We are bad people. That’s okay though. The world needs bad people to keep the evil people at bay. Team let’s move. We have a forwarding base to set up!”

With that word the team began to move. The wolves stood still.

“Come on wolf dudes. We got heavy stuff to move and we usually only let Winter, Bella and Hawk lift that shit. They will be grateful for the help.” Ty said.

The wolves followed Ty into the interior of the Aurora.

“Holy shit.” Quil whispered as the pack took in the interior. “It is a UFO.”

“Nah it’s an Aurora. Now that’s it been identified you can’t call it that anymore. This one’s name is Suzy.” Ty explained.

“What do you call the other one?” Jared asked.

“Beyonce. Webb got to name this one. Dante named the other one.”

“After the singer?” Paul asked.

“No after Beyonce Divine. Pretty popular porn star. If you spent as much time in foreign deserts as we do you would understand. Don’t judge.” Ty told him and began pointing out crates that needed to be moved. Bella walked up to a wall and pulled out a large crate longer than she was and walked out with it over her shoulder. Winter did the same.

“Yeah those chicks got some muscle.” Ty agreed, in response to the looks on the wolves faces.

Leah was fascinated by Winter. She moved with such grace but was obviously very strong. Winter had explained this to Leah but she realized a part of her didn’t actually believe it.

She quickly grabbed a crate and the wolves followed.

With their help the camp was set up by midnight. Computers had been set up and Sam was shocked to see the detailed satellite images of La Push even in the dark. Clive, King, Brody and Dante took up guard duty and the rest of the team went to sleep for the next four hours with the exception of Bella and Winter who ran into La Push, handling the terrain with ease in the dark and surprising the hell out of the pack that ran beside them. They had swords pulled from a black case strapped to their backs. The swords. The ones the pack had been told about.

Sam had to admit since he phased he didn’t believe anything would surprise him anymore. He was wrong. Seeing Bella running gracefully through a forest at night surprised the hell out of him. Leah refused to phase and ran beside Winter in human form. Sam wondered what that was about but didn’t bring it up. He didn’t want to push. For the first time in a week she was in a good mood. If she wanted to run with the girls he wouldn’t stop her.

When Bella and Winter arrived at Sam’s house, Emily was there to greet Bella at the door.

“There is a face I thought I would never see again.” Emily told her, eyes glistening. “You’ve changed.”

“Yeah got a new toy.” Bella told her smiling and tilting her head to the sword on her back.

“No. I heard about that. What I’m talking about is something else. I can tell you are different.”

“New haircut?” Bella tried.

“No. It’s your eyes.” Emily whispered.

“What about them?” Bella asked, bracing for the response.

“This is the first time I have ever seen that much confidence in them. Also you look happy. Not like when Edward returned. You don’t seem drugged or dazed anymore. Your eyes are clear and they are beautiful.”

Bella felt a blush on her face. She thought she was beyond that. Emily always could read her like a book.

“Where is Dad?” Bella asked her while hugging her old best friend.

“On our couch sitting up. He refused to sleep until you returned. He fell asleep sitting up. I guess it has been a long day for him. I told him I would wake him when you got here but he refused. Maybe you can wake him and talk him into one of the extra bedrooms. You and your friend will have to take the other one.”

Bella walked in and saw Charlie was sleeping soundly at the end of the couch with his arm slung over the back of the couch.

Bella unstrapped her sword and sat next to him. Rather than wake him she curled up into his side and closed her eyes. Charlie’s arm dropped over her shoulders and she snuggled closer into him.

She thought it would be strange not to sleep with Jason tonight but found she didn’t mind this once. Being in her father’s arms was more than enough after not seeing him for so long. She planned to be in her mother’s arms as well once the Volturi were dead. It was with that thought that she drifted off to sleep.

Emily and Sam smiled at the reunited father and daughter and quietly showed Winter to her room. Winter walked in and undressed, climbing under the sheets. This bed was too comfortable she told herself. That was why she couldn’t sleep.

No. It was Leah. She had just said goodbye to her and had to watch her walk away to go to her mother’s house. She had hoped they would have more time tonight. Instead it seemed someone was always nearby.

She would be alone with her in the morning. She had that to look forward to.

A feeling of peace swept over her suddenly and she turned into her pillow and dreamed. She dreamed of wolves and a beautiful Indian woman, not knowing that woman in her wolf form slept outside the window of Sam’s house. Leah too felt peace for the first time and slept deeply. Just being near Winter was enough for Leah.

For now.

The next morning Bella and Charlie awoke at the same time. Charlie smiled, surprised to find his daughter in his arms. She smiled as well.

Kissing him on the cheek, she walked off to take a shower. It was 6 AM.

A knock on the door.

Charlie looked around and realized everyone else must be sleeping. He walked slowly to the door and opened it to find Jason Connolly. He didn’t have his cowboy hat on this morning. Instead faded blue jeans covered his combat boots and he wore a sleeveless blue Metallica concert shirt. Charlie noted that he had a nasty scar on the right shoulder and a tattoo of the Seal’s emblem on his left. He also had a small barely noticeable scar on the left side of his neck.

“Mornin Charlie. Is it okay if I call you Charlie?”

“Yeah… uh you are Connolly right? I know you told me last night but with everything going on…”

“No sir. You got it right. You can call me Jason. Bella around?”

“She is in the shower.” Charlie told him.

“Great. I could use one myself.” Jason told him, stepping inside. Charlie’s hand stopped him.

“I was just kiddin Charlie.”

“There are some things a man doesn’t joke about with a father.” Charlie told him. Connolly looked at him and grinned.

“Charlie you gotta have a sense of humor to get though crazy ass shit like this life. But you are right. I won’t say a word about anything your daughter and I may have done or will do. I’ve never really had a girlfriend before so I’m kind of new at the whole meeting the father thing. I apologize.”

Charlie let out a breath and gave a small smile.

“Why don’t you come in and we can see if we can find us some coffee.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

After making a pot of coffee Charlie poured two cups not bothering to ask if Jason wanted cream or sugar. He had an idea that the man drank it black.

“So tell me about yourself Jason.” Charlie instructed.

“What would you like to know Charlie? I’m an open book. I mean considering you know most of the top, top secrets in the government I suppose I can pretty much answer anything you want to know.”

“Where did you grow up?”

“Galveston Texas.”

That explained the accent.

“That’s where your base is now right?”

“About three miles off the coast underwater but yeah, pretty close.”

“I see. Your parents still live there?”

Charlie immediately regretted asking. It was brief but he saw a shot of pain cross Connolly’s eyes. He was trained at reading faces. This man’s face was a bright sunny smile that hid a killer underneath but the façade broke for a second.

“No, they died when I was four. I had a couple of foster families. The last family really took me in and gave me a direction in life. I joined the Marines as soon as I graduated high school. Went into Force Recon where I worked for five years. Became a Seal and took some online classes while out in the field. Got my degree and became an officer. Worked my way up and was given a Seal team to run. Ran some missions, and got called to the White House after one of my closer calls and was told I would be fighting vampires by the President and to pick a team of the best operators in the world. I did. I lost two men in Mexico and recruited two more. But we got a long ways to go. Right now we are a small international team. I got a British SAS soldier and I believe you heard about the Israeli spy I have on the team. She is actually quite the assassin and very good at what she does.”

“This would be the one who shot you?” Charlie asked.

Jason took a sip of coffee.

“Complete misunderstanding.”

“How many times have you been shot?” Charlie asked, fascinated and wanting to know more. He knew Jason had brushed over a lot of details in his story.

“Uh… hell I don’t know. I guess the most serious shot I took was in the neck. I kept fighting and probably would have bled out if Ty hadn’t knocked my ass down and carried me out. I guess with the calf shot on the last mission and the chest shot I took because of shitty body armor, plus a few more, I would say probably five, maybe six times. Most of them weren’t serious. That’s not counting the body armor shots I have taken. That’s been a shit load unfortunately. You ever been shot in the vest Charlie? Feels like you got kicked by a fucking horse.”

“I see.” Charlie said, looking at him in a different light. He was more than a killer. He was a survivor. A warrior.

“Yeah I’m kinda hard to kill. Also got stabbed eight times. Never in a one on one knife fight though. Still when you are in the Middle East, well those bastards are sneaky and like to gang up on you. I also got a pretty mean scar on the top and down the back of my shoulder from a vampire’s hand in Mexico. Bella stitched it herself. Mina talked her through it.”

“Bella hates blood.” Charlie pointed out then realized how ignorant that statement was considering a vampire had been sucking her blood under his nose for two years. He was still angry about that but his anger was directed at himself and only him.

“Bella can handle a lot. She already has. Her and Winter sliced through half the army we killed in Mexico. She is one tough lady.”

“Were you serious last night when you said you were the best killer in the world?” Charlie asked.

“Yes I was. Course it’s hard to verify something like that when you take into account vampires who have been around for a thousand years but I know when I am told to kill something or someone I do it. Haven’t failed so far.”

“What about after you get out of the military? Any plans?”

“Plans? What do you mean when I get out?” Jason asked, confused.

“I mean you can’t keep getting shot and stabbed forever. Eventually you are going to want to do something else. Right?”

“Honestly Charlie in this life you don’t look past the next mission. You never take a day for granted and you try not to look too far ahead. It makes you lose focus and makes you sloppy. Sloppy gets you dead.”

“And now Bella is in that life.” Charlie said more to himself.

“I’ll protect her.” Jason told him.

“She sliced through half a Mexican vampire army with Winter. How can you protect her from that?”

Connolly took a moment.

“You are right. I can’t sit here and promise to protect her. I can promise I will never leave her behind. If she goes I go right by her side and I don’t plan on dying.”

“Nobody ever does.” Charlie observed.

“True. Very true. But I’m not just anybody. You are just gonna have to trust me Charlie. I won’t put her in a situation, her or Winter, if I think they can’t handle it. I just haven’t come across anything they can’t handle yet.”

Charlie finished his cup and rose to pour another. He topped off Jason’s cup.

“So you got a degree. What kind of degree?”

“I have a Bachelor of arts in philosophy.” Connolly told him.

“What the hell do you do with a degree in philosophy?”

“Kill people mostly.” Jason told him honestly, causing Charlie to laugh.

“I had to have a degree to be an officer. It seemed like the easiest route. I admit it does give me some great one liners when I am in a fight. Much better than the cheesy action flick shit that Stallone and Arnold throw out. I can quote Aristotle with the best of them.”

“I see.” Charlie said continuing to drink his coffee to stop from laughing.

“Seriously I don’t know what I want to do after the military. I never really had a reason to think about it before I met Bella.”

“I can understand that. So how long have you and Bella been romantically involved?” Charlie asked.

“I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about that?” Jason asked for clarification.

“I don’t mean… I meant… never mind.” Charlie finished, now blushing himself. Jason bailed him out.

“I met her when all this shit started and fell in love with her the first time I saw her. It just got more intense after that. I guess you could say while we were together for a couple weeks in Death Valley and it was just the two of us we kinda let our feelings be known.”

“Death Valley? You took my daughter to Death Valley?”

“For training purposes only.” Connolly clarified.

“So you if you were there for training how did you two come to… let your feelings be known?”

“Well it kinda came to a head when I shaved her legs with my knife and then when I refused to hit her in hand to hand combat she got pissed and I had to admit to her that I couldn’t do it on account of loving her. It sort of escalated from there.”

“Did you say you shaved her legs with a knife?” Charlie asked.

“You brought it up. But honestly it was completely innocent. I couldn’t let her do it. She was barely learning to use that sword of hers. She would have cut off her leg with my knife.” Jason quickly explained.

“So… innocent? So you two aren’t… intimate?”

“Oh no Charlie we are. It just didn’t happen then. Since it has happened we have been intimate every chance we get sometimes two or three times a day. We got intimate on the Aurora the other day. Almost got walked in on by Brody. Funny story we…” Connolly stopped when he saw Charlie’s face.

“Hey you brought up the whole intimacy thing. Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to. I told you I am new at this but I’m an honest guy. You ask me if I’m having sex with your daughter then I’m going to tell you.”

Charlie dropped his head and nodded.

“Yeah I kinda asked for that one. So what do you do for fun?”

“Pretty much just…”

“Kill people?” Charlie guessed.

“Damn Charlie. See I knew you would understand me. I knew it when Bella told me about you. Trust me Charlie, I’m your kind of guy. We both want the same things in this world. To kill the fuckers that want your daughter. I do like to hunt and fish, when I get the chance.”

“Really? What do you like to hunt?”

“Pretty much any animal that can fight back. I prefer to use a bow or machete. Makes it more sporting in my opinion than just shootin one between the eyes from a thousand yards away.”

Charlie laughed.

“A thousand yards? That’s a good one.”

His laughter stopped when he saw Jason wasn’t laughing.

“You doubt I can shoot a target in the bulls eye from a thousand yards away? Set up the shot anywhere you want. Pace it out yourself. I got a case of the best Tequila you will ever lay your lips on that I can put three in the middle with three bullets. I’ll even let you spot for me.”

“Spot? No that’s alright. I uh, I don’t doubt you.” Charlie told him, afraid of what he would have to pay if he lost the bet. Something told him he would.

“That’s too bad Chief. I was lookin forward to the challenge.” Jason told him with a wink.

“Still I’d like to see it. I don’t know about animals that can fight back. I don’t think you can kill a bear with a bow or a knife…”

“Sure I can. I killed a lion in the Congo with only my K Bar. Course that fucker got sloppy. He probably was making plans on how he was going to use his philosophy degree after he got tired of hunting me. See what I mean Charlie?”

“Yeah I guess I do.”

“You want to go bow hunting for a bear? Let me know after the Volturi are dead. I’ll take you.”

“I’m a pretty fair hunter myself but I prefer a rifle.”

“We can do that too.”

“You got a deal Jason.”

Bella arrived in the kitchen and walked over to give Charlie a hug. She kissed Jason on the cheek and then yawned.

“So what is the plan for today Commander?” Bella asked, with amusement.

“Today we all meet and go over everything with the wolves and Chief Black. Then you, me and Winter are going to arrive at Charlie’s. Jasper calls Carlisle and tells him you are back. Then we wait.”

“Wait for what?” Charlie asked. “For the Cullen’s to show up? Did you say Jasper? Jasper Hale? He is one of your vampires?”

“Yep.”

“You are okay with this Bella? How can the two of you trust him?”

“I broke his neck once Dad. If he betrays us I will take his head and he knows it. I don’t think he will. Edward is fucking his wife and I get the feeling he isn’t happy about it.”

Charlie was shocked at Bella’s language and shocked that Edward fucked girls. He wasn’t sure which one surprised him more. When he was told by Sam that Edward never tried anything physical with Bella besides drinking from her he assumed Edward was probably gay.

In the light he took his daughter in more closely. She had grown up in the years she had been gone. She was no longer the shy, timid girl he knew before.

She was still his baby though.

“Yeah I plan to use the Cullens to spring a trap on the Volturi here.” Jason explained.

“And after?” Charlie asked.

“I plan to kill them too.” Jason said smiling. “Maybe a few before just to get the point across about how serious I am.”

“And Edward?” he asked Connolly

It was his baby girl that answered.

“He is mine Dad. No one kills him but me. He had my blood for two years. It’s time I had his.”