The Desires of The Heart

Telling Charlie

**Sorry this has taken a while..we are now in the midst of trying to move so things have been crazy! I'm really trying to give time to my writing, but it's never consistent. I promise I haven't forgotten, I thank you all for your patience with me!!**

We head outside to take my car into Forks, seeing as it's raining—shocker, and Jasper actually takes his time driving in. This quiet time is filled with an understanding of what might come up while at Charlie's, and it seems Jasper is content to tell my father if that's what I'd like to do. As we pull up to the house, I've come to the conclusion that my father deserves to know he's going to be a grandfather. Jasper squeezes my hand, and we smile at each other as we pull up outside my childhood home. Making our way up the stairs, I knock a few times and my dad answers surprisingly fast.

"Hey Squirt, Jasper. Good to see you guys, come on in." He smiles at us, almost grateful to see us, and we head into the living room that has the baseball game on–in typical Charlie fashion.

"How are you guys? Would you like some water, or anything? Uh..beer?" He offers to Jasper making me giggle cuz my dad is so awkward, but at least he tries. Jasper politely declines as we sit on the couch and I feel my excitement start to build.

"We're doing really good, Dad. How are you?"

"I'm alright. Works been decent, Sue and I have been doin' some fishin'." I smile hearing that their relationship has been blossoming and my dad has been able to find love again.

"But I am worried about your sister. Have they any update on her illness?" I feel Jasper tense as the lie is brought up and sending him a bit of calm, I shake my head.

"We haven't heard a whole lot. Carlisle translates a lot of the medical stuff for everyone and it seems they are still running tests and she's at least feeling alright. Don't worry Dad, she's in capable hands." He runs his hands through his hair in worry and my heart breaks for my father and the fact that he can't even see his own daughter, believing she's close to death–which who knows...she might be.

"So Dad," I start hoping to pull his mind off of things. "I noticed with Jasper's family that only a few of them have nicknames. Is that something we decided to do or did it just happen?" He smiles widely, shaking his head a bit and the silliness of my question.

"Well, I know your Mom decided on the names for you two to be able to have nickname. But the nicknames you and I have, we just came up with on our own." He shrugs, his smile getting bigger as he thinks about the names the two of us share making me smile too, excited for my next statement.

"So like: Squirt, kiddo, Daddio, Gramps..." I watch as Dad does a double take, his face falling into confusion, before pinning me under his famous Chief Swan stare.

"What was that last one?"

"Gramps. You know like when you get old—"

"I'm not that old, I know that's not what you mean. Are you serious?" I can simply nod, and tears come to my eyes as I watch his well up, one almost slipping over.

"I—I....when? How?—Actually don't answer that...I don't know why I asked." He shakes his head in embarrassment making Jasper and I chuckle.

"I found out after we'd been back from the honeymoon a while. It's still fairly early, but the doc was able to guess about May."

I watch my father stand with the largest smile on his face and make his way over to embrace me in his famous bear hug, embracing Jasper shortly after we separate. My father is speechless, which doesn't usually mean a lot, but he's always got something to say with me, so it's a bit crazy.

"I'm really so very happy for you both. It's an incredible thing to become parents, and I think you guys will be spectacular."

His encouraging words mean so much to me and I'll be forever grateful that I was able to let my dad be a part of this new journey for me. He invites us to the diner for dinner, just like old times, and I'm thankful that nothing has changed between Charlie and I—if anything our bond has gotten stronger and I thank my lucky stars every day for that.

Jasper pretends to nurse a bowl of soup, claiming the nerves of telling Charlie have his stomach in knots, and Angie brings my Dad and I our usual meals, and I can just feel that everything is going to be alright.

Heading home that night, the ride is a comfortable one with a blissful silence and the worries of before seem to drift into the inky sky before us. Jasper kisses the back of my hand, holding it the rest of the drive and I'm reminded just how lucky I am to have found him again, and that we get to spend the rest of our time together, especially with this new blessing.

Although as we pull up the drive, I can feel what seems to be a dark cloud descending on the Cullen residence causing the moods of the household to be bleak and shadowed. I can't shake the feeling that we are going to be walking into a fire fight, and who knows if we'll all make it out...