Burning Desire

~1~

Come one, come all
Hurry, hurry; here's your chance
See the mystery and romance
Come one, come all
See the finest girl in France
Make an entrance to entrance
Dance la Esmeralda...
Dance!
- Clopin

Esmerelda hummed to herself, the bangles around her ancles jingling as she walked. She had a dance in her step, as she always had from when she was young. Well more so to say she did appear young so perhaps it would have been more correct to say since she was human.

Her roughed hands gently corrected the place off the bowel on her table, despite the move on with the world around her, she always found herself drifting more to the old way of things. She did like the perks of the future tho, such as basic human rights and not being burned at a stake. All great qualities.

Her eyes swept over her small cottage, this was somewhat of a new start for her. A new town to be the freaky crazy lady in. A small laugh escaped her at that thought, she rather quite liked being different from everyone else, made people leave her alone for the most part which she didn't always mind. Tho it always brought interesting company to her door.

A knock on the door rang threw the small cottage. Esmerelda readjusted her skirt and swayed a little as she went and answered the door. Stood there with a polite smile was her new friend, Cheif Charlie Swan. "Charlie." Her sweet voice rang out with a cheerful tone. Charlie smiled he was no longer wearing his uniform as he had been when they had met the first time. Of course then it was because a drunk man had assaulted Esmerelda and she had retaliated by breaking his nose and a few ribs. She may have spent the night in jail but she definitely made a new friend. "Hey Esmerelda. You still up for me being here?" she smiled letting him into her home. "Of course I am. Come on in. I'll make that tea I was talking about." She let him in and he took a seat at the small dining table. The witch began to prepare the tea, they both spent the rest of the evening talking and getting to know each other better.

Charlie told her all about his childhood and how his teenage daughter was living with him and how she spent all her time with her boyfriend. "I mean I completely understand that she's a young independent woman and she wants her freedom. But I miss my daughter." Esmerelda nodded, "It's understandable Charlie I mean she grew up living with her mother and you missed nearly everything. Of course you want to spend time with her."

Esmerelda also told him small things about her childhood, of course messing with the dates so she appeared more normal. "Wait so you've lived all over the world basically..." she raises her tea cup "and danced for them all." They clicked there cups together and drank of course they had moved onto the harder stuff.

It was nearing on midnight and the rain was coming down heavily, "It's ge...getting late.. I should go." said a slightly drunk Charlie. Esmerelda tipsy herself shook her head waving her hands all over the place, "No.. Noo it's fine you can s.. Stay here tonight. Ring.. Bella... Tell her you'll be home.. Tomorrow" once it was finally decided that Charlie was staying there he decided to call Bella.

The phone wrang for a few moments when Bella finally answered. She was sat in the living room with the Cullen, Edward having an arm around her shoulder as they had been watching tv together. She answered it and put it on speaker her phone had been messing up lately. "Hey.. Ch.. Dad is something wrong?" Her dad usually didn't call her this late so she was a little worried. "B.. Be..lla.. Bella I.. I have to tell you I'm not coing home tonight." The Cullen sat listening into the conversation, Bella was slightly confused. "What do you mean.. Are you drunk?" Charlie chuckled as he smiled softly, "N.. Little bit...im out.. At a friend's house." Esmerelda pocked her head around the corner, "Charlie.. You told her yet?" she was giggling and it caused Charlie to laugh a little. "I'm telling her now."

The Cullen's heared the womens voice over the phone, "Wait, who is that?" Bella asked as Alice muttered the same question. The Cullen and Hales shared a look confused, and they wondered if Charlie might have a girlfriend. "Oh, that's Esmerelda... Lovely woman with a good right hook.." More laughter was heard."I'm staying at her place tonight....." Bella was a little more confused, "Okay...." There was some more laughter and the sound of something falling over. "Dad, is everything okay?" Charlie chuckled, clearly drunk. "Yeah yeah Esmerelda was dancing and she... Haha she twirled into the wall... Haha. Anyways.. I'll leave you to it Bella. Night love you." The phone call ended and Bella looked to her phone confused, "I don't understand.... My dad doesn't know anyone named Esmerelda.." Edward tried to comfort her a little, "I'm sure its nothing..."