Chapter Sixteen
A Warning
Grace Cullen

"I can't believe it." I shook my head, repeating that sentence for the hundredth time in the past hour.

Charlie delivered a beautifully moving proposal I'm sure, but I didn't hear a word of it from the intense shock I felt. Luckily Esme recorded it for the kids and future record, so I can go back and watch it with them later, but I just couldn't wrap my mind around the concept of me getting married.

"It's a beautiful ring, Charlie." Esme fawned over it. "Alice did a good job guiding you."

"Alice?" I questioned her. "So was I the only one who didn't know you were planning this?" I asked Charlie.

"Pretty much, yes." He chuckled and Carlisle clapped his hand down on Charlie's shoulder. "It didn't feel right to not ask permission."

"He asked for your blessing?" I turned on Carlisle.

"Mine, Edward's and Emmett's, asked everyone else what they thought about it, and even told Bella she had a veto on the whole thing if she wasn't okay with it." Carlisle chuckled. "It was quite touching."

"I don't know what to say." I shook my head, marveling at the sweet man that I was somehow blessed to have been destined to be with.

"Just please don't say 'I can't believe it' anymore. It's making me anxious." Charlie chuckled and I hit at his arm playfully from across the counter.

"Three hundred and sixty-seven years just to find out I've been waiting all this time for a snarky cop." I laughed at him.

"Snarky Chief." He corrected me and we all laughed at him.

"So I'm thinking the wedding should be early August." Alice announced suddenly as she came stomping through the kitchen door with Jasper trailing close behind. She didn't even stop, just continued through the room headed for the stairs up to her bedroom. "That way you can still have at least a two week honeymoon and get away for a bit before school starts in September."

"Alice? Where are you two going?" Esme giggled at her as she began to march up the stairs while Jasper hung around in the doorframe of the kitchen.

"If I'm gonna pull off the wedding of the century I've got to get started now. It's not everyday Grace Cullen gets married people." She huffed, pausing halfway up the flight.

"You're not even going to stop to congratulate your aunt?" Esme asked her, floored completely.

Alice sighed dramatically and marched back into the room.

"Congratulations you two. Obviously, I'm thrilled. And of course I'll be your wedding planner and of course I'll get started right away." She giggled, hugging me and Charlie right before vanishing up the stairs.

"Congratulations." Jasper smiled easily, hugging me tight before offering Charlie a careful handshake. "By the way, she didn't tell anyone but me. You'll get a bigger reaction out of the others I'm sure." He chuckled before slowly climbing the stairs after Alice.

The sound of Emmett's Jeep pulling into the garage hit my ears then and the rest of the kids soon came inside.

"Hey! How was your night?!" Esme asked everyone excitedly, pulling Bella over to the kitchen island to sit in a bar stool.

"I'm gonna go ahead and confess. Mom, you should be expecting to get pulled aside Monday at school." Emmett chuckled and an awful feeling settled in my stomach.

"What did you do now?" I asked him, knowing I was going to regret whatever came out of his mouth.

"Well, me." Rosalie snickered and I had to refrain from laughing uncontrollably.

"We got caught sneaking back into the party from the tree line." Emmett explained. "Except they thought we were off drinking so that's probably going to be the conversation they tell you."

"Oh god." I sighed, putting my face in my hands.

"Wow." Bella laughed and everyone turned to her. "And here I was thinking I was going to get in trouble for only making it through two songs before having to go sit in the car." She giggled.

"Didn't have an ounce of fun." Edward laughed at her.

"You thought you were going to get in trouble for not having fun?" Charlie chuckled, messing up her hair. "That's ridiculous kid."

"Oh like you and the Cullens had a wild night?" Bella laughed at him, swatting his hand out of the way.

"We kind of did." Esme giggled. "At the Stanley house, the PTO moms brought up some nasty rumors about Grace. Carlisle acted mad at her and took her out to the car to 'yell' at her while I had to quell the rumors. Grace said I got inducted into the PTO Mom drama." She stated proudly.

"Then I got pulled over by the Chief of Police on our way home for speeding recklessly around corners." Carlisle laughed.

"And then Charlie and I got engaged." I added nonchalantly and the kids all cheered and pounced on us.

"Oh my god! Aunt Grace! You're getting married!" Rosalie squealed, squeezing me tightly. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Finally, Mama Bear!" Emmett cheered, lifting me high in the air and shaking me around. "Hell yeah! Chief Swan's hanging around!"

"Emmett, put her down." Edward told him, catching me and steadying me on my feet as Emmett dropped me. "Congratulations mom." He smiled sweetly at me before hugging me gently. "Chief Swan, you're a very lucky man." He shook Charlie's hand.

"I know it." Charlie nodded, smiling my favorite smile of his widely at me.

"Bella? What do you think about this?" I asked her. "You're awfully quite over there."

"I'm just really happy." She smiled beautifully, and I knew she got it from her dad, tears lining her eyes.

"Oh Bella, don't cry!" I cooed, rushing over to hug her tight.

"I'm just so happy." She shook her head. "I promise they're happy tears." She laughed.

"Bells." Charlie chuckled, looking touched she had such a good reaction to the news.

"We're all very happy for you two." Carlisle smiled, pulling me into a soft hug as I let go of Bella. "And we're excited to get to welcome the Swan's into the family officially." He spun me in a quick circle, offering Charlie and Bella a wide smile.

"Alright, alright, everyone's very happy. Now let go of me brother." I laughed as I tried to writhe my way out of his arms.

Later that night, after things had settled down and everyone had changed out of their dresses and suits, I managed to get Bella alone on the porch to talk.

"I think this is one of my favorite views." Bella suddenly spoke, interrupting the silence as I tried to think of what to say to her. "Everything always seems so safe right here." She mused as she stared out over the tree line.

"It's like a hiding place." I nodded. "An escape from reality."

"It really is." She nodded.

"So, Bella, I know your dad said he asked you about it...but are you really okay with all of this?" I asked her, deciding to go ahead and get it off of my mind.

"Okay with what?" She asked me, turning to look at me.

"Your dad and I getting married." I clarified. "He said you had a veto option you chose not to use. But he didn't say anything about how you felt about it. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I meant it earlier when I said I was happy for you two. My dad really loves you, Grace. And I know you love him just as much." She nodded.

"Bella, it's not simply a matter of loving someone here." I shook my head. "You just got your dad back, in a sense, and I would hate for you to feel like I'm trying to take him away from you or insert myself where I'm not welcome. I have to be hyper aware of your feelings here. I hate to reduce it to this, but you're human. I don't want you to feel like vampires are controlling your life. You have a say here." I explained to her.

"I don't think any of that." Bella shook her head.

"I mean it, Bella. You say the word and I'll call the whole thing off." I swore to her. "I've waited nearly four centuries for Charlie to come along, I can wait a few more years until you're comfortable with everything." I promised her.

"Grace, stop." She laughed, catching my hands in hers tightly. "Is this really about my feelings?" She asked me softly. "Because if it is, I'm thrilled for you both. I've said it before, but I've never had two stable parents at the same time and so the thought of having you as another mom really excites me." Bella smiled at me. "So, if you're really worried about me don't be."

"Of course this is about you." I assured her.

"Really? Because I think you're a little freaked out about getting married after being alone for so long." Bella accused me teasingly.

"What?" I laughed. "No." I shook my head, my stomach suddenly feeling funny.

"You are." Bella nodded. "I think it's perfectly understandable to be nervous, Grace. I would be."

"I love Charlie."

"I know," she assured me. "that doesn't mean you can't still be scared." She giggled. "You can tell him no. He'd understand."

"I can't do that." I shook my head. "I want to marry him I'm just-"

"Scared." Bella nodded.

"And that's okay?" I asked her honestly.

"Perfectly okay." She nodded genuinely. "I think I'm gonna go back inside. It's getting cold out here and I'm getting pretty tired." She told me, standing from her chair and going towards the door.

"Bella." I stopped her. "Thank you." I smiled gratefully at her.

"Of course," She smiled back me. "Mom." She added before quickly disappearing into the house.

"There you are." Charlie smiled at me, coming out of the house a moment later and sitting in the seat Bella had just occupied. "I've been looking for you."

"Bella and I just had a talk." I smiled softly at him, still experiencing the high of hearing Bella call me mom for the first time.

"I'm assuming it went well by the gorgeous smile on your face." Charlie teased me.

"She called me mom." I confessed and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, that's a big word." He nodded. "I wonder what brought that on."

"I'm nervous." I also confessed. "About getting married." I clarified.

"Me too." He nodded.

"You are?" I gasped. "Then why did you ask me?!"

"Because I'm in love with you." He smiled widely at me. "It's you. For the rest of my life I'll only ever want you. So why should I waste time over worrying if we're rushing things or what the town's going to think or how Bella is going to be affected by this? We're soulmates so it's inevitable, I could care less what this town thinks, and Bella obviously adores you. For once in my life I'm going to make a good choice for me." He explained. "It's been a long time since I've been married, and that didn't end well, but this is new and different and meant to be. So yes, I'm nervous, but I'm more excited than anything." He leant over and kissed me sweetly.

"You surprise me everyday, Charlie Swan." I smirked at him. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." He nodded, a serious look on his face suddenly.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Close." Charlie frowned, nodding his head at something over my shoulder.

I turned, and I immediately wished I hadn't.

There, off in the distance, stood a huge wolf. A shapeshifter from the La Push reservation. Barring his teeth and snarling as I stood from my seat.

"Carlisle! Edward!" I called out for them. "Come quick! Everyone else, stay inside!" I ordered.

"Stay here on the porch." Carlisle caught Edwards shoulder as they came rushing outside from the back door. "Don't aggravate the situation if we can reason with him. Can you translate?"

"He's come here to pass on a message." Edward frowned. "Apparently La Push isn't very happy about Charlie marrying a vampire."

"Well, that's hardly any of their concern." Carlisle huffed, turning on the protective big brother switch.

"Why exactly is he here?" I asked Edward, ignoring Carlisle's comment.

"Just as a warning that the treaty still stands." He answered me before stepping off of the porch. "Okay, we understand, you can run home and play telephone now." Edward growled at the shapeshifter.

"The treaty goes both ways!" Charlie called out at the retreating wolf.

The wolf spun around in surprise, pausing to give Charlie a long pointed look.

"Don't think I don't know the law." Charlie warned him and the wolf disappeared into the trees. "Are you alright?" He reached out to put a careful arm around me.

"Fine." I nodded. "Just shaken." I shrugged. "And a little pissed off."

"I told Billy I was going to ask you." Charlie confessed. "I knew he wouldn't like it, but I didn't think he'd turn around and threaten your family."

"A warning. Not a threat." Carlisle shook his head. "He's your friend, it's understandable why you told him, but they have no reason to threaten us. We did nothing wrong."

"We haven't changed anyone, we aren't hunting on their lands, and we're not making a scene in town." I agreed. "No reason to claim a break in the treaty."

"This is supposed to be a celebratory night." Carlisle reminded us all. "Let's keep it that way, shall we? My baby sister is getting married!" He teased me, wrapping me up in his arms.

"You're right, Carlisle." Charlie chuckled as Carlisle set me down. "We shouldn't be standing around in the cold worrying about a reminder." He smiled at me as he took my hand.

"Right." I nodded. "Let's get back inside, you must be freezing." I told him, pulling him towards the house while Carlisle and Edward followed.

"Is everything all right with the shapeshifters?" Jasper asked immediately, a protective arm out in front of Alice. "We could all smell them."

"Them?" Carlisle questioned.

"There were multiple surrounding the house. The scent came from all sides." Emmett explained.

"We were surrounded and didn't even realize it." Edward frowned at me.

"We were watching the windows from here. We wouldn't have let anything happen." Jasper assured us.

"Is everything alright?" Bella asked, coming into the room with Alice.

"Fine." Charlie nodded. "We should get going. It's getting late."

"Okay, let me go get my bag." Bella nodded, heading back up the stairs.

"Charlie-" I spoke the second Bella made it up the stairs and out of earshot.

"There's no sense in scaring her." He cut me off. "She doesn't know about the shapeshifters. Let's keep it that way for now. What she doesn't know won't hurt her." He addressed the room.

"I agree." Edward nodded. "It was just a reminder. There's nothing serious going on and we haven't broken any part of the treaty."

"Exactly." Charlie nodded.

"Enough with all this worry." Esme huffed, coming over to hug me and Charlie tight. "Congratulations you two." She smiled excitedly at us as she pulled away and went to Carlisle. "We should all be focusing on celebrating a wedding and new family. Not silly feuds."

"What feud?" Bella asked from the top of the stairs, coming down the steps carefully in her boot.

"Oh! Carlisle and Grace's silly feud." Esme laughed, easily fooling Bella. "Twins." She shook her head, sending us both playful looks.

"She always starts it." Carlisle jabbed at me playfully.

"Oh whatever!" I laughed, jabbing him back. "Who are you going to believe, Bella? Your future step-mother? Or a random stranger?"

"Random stranger?!" Carlisle laughed.

"Enough you two!" Esme hushed us. "I'm sure Charlie and Bella are tired. Let's let them get home and away from your bickering."

"Come on, I'll drive you both home." I told them, wrapping my arm in Charlie's.

"You seriously think I'm gonna let you drive a police vehicle?" He laughed at me as we walked to the door.

"It was worth a shot." I teased him before kissing his cheek.