Home Again, Home Again.. - Bella's Castle

Bella pulled up to her house, parking at a diagonal angle in a seemingly random spot. She pulled a clove from her silver case, bringing it to her lips. She struck a match, lighting the end, then settled back against her car, waiting for Charlie to arrive.

He arrived no more than a couple of minutes late, the Audia A8 pulling up and parking alongside Bella's car before the engine was turned off and Charlie exited.
He looked no worse than he had back at the Regency though he didn't look any better either. In the end though the status quo of his current mindset was better than some of the options.

He locked the car up with a touch on the remote on the keys as he walked up to Bella, brushing a hand through his hair as if to make sure he still looked presentable.

She offered him a clove as he approached, seeming to greatly enjoy the soft breeze rustling the trees. "Any ideas on what you want to do?"

He took the offered clove with a brief smile, tucking it between his pale lips before pulling the lighter from his pockets. For once not having to pat them all in order to figure out which one he'd put it in.
"Beats me.." Charlie admitted with a light shake of his head as he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and leaned his head back as he exhaled. His eyes slowly opening again as he gazed up at the stars. "As stereotypical as this is going to sound for someone still considered a kid in our society, I feel lost"

Bella sighed some, lowering her head a bit. "Just keep pressing through.. that's what I do." She gave a small smile, "Then you aren't lost, you're just on an adventure.."

It actually brought a brief smile to his lips as he looked at her, slowly straightening up properly so that he wasn't staring at the sky anymore.
"I guess that's one way of looking at it" Charlie offered softly. "I just hope this doesn't break her"

"Cass seems like a strong girl, underneath that pretty frame. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?" She gently nudged the other, before taking a long drag of her clove. "And trust me, those three are intent on no one bringing any harm to her." As she spoke, thick smoke spilled from her painted lips, her gaze never leaving Charlie.

"I've tried convincing her of that. Guess now is the time we find out if she believes in herself" the youth spoke, still a bit tense but much much more himself than what he'd been back at Elysium. Steel blue eyes meeting hers with out the underlying seething anger from before.

He was rewarded with a warm smile as his gaze met hers, a kind look in her eyes. "If not, she's lucky to have such wonderful friends to support her. The thing about kindred is we bounce back, y'know?" She nodded subtly, bringing her clove to her lips once more to take a deep drag.

"Some do" he answered, leaving it at that. Not everyone did. Some simply let things devour them because sometimes it was easier to give in than stand up. Cassiel though... he wasn't sure just how broken she already was. So he guessed he could only hope.
"A proper friend though wouldn't have left her to get in such a mess in the first place"

"So.. what happened?" Bella asked, a gentle curiosity about her.

"I think... you better ask her, assuming she wants to tell" Charlie sighed. "I'm not the type to tell on my friends even if I'm sure you're simply asking out of concern" he offered with an apologetic smile.

"Simply out of.. oh." Bella nodded, chewing on her lower lip. "I understand, I wasn't meaning to pry.." She pushed herself up off her car, moving towards the large front doors. "We can smoke inside, it's just habit to stay outside at this point.."

"Hey.." he reached out, touching his hand to her arm as he took a couple of quick light steps to catch up with her but did nothing to actually stop her. "I'm sorry?" he offered gently. "You didn't mean to pry and I didn't mean to offend by suggesting it in the first place"

"It's okay.." She offered a reassuring smile, allowing her free hand to gently brush against his hand. "It's just a strange thing for me to get used to.. in Seattle, I was that person everyone leaned on.. it's strange, readjusting.. that's all."

"I don't lean on people if I can avoid it" Charlie said gently. "So it's nothing personal, it's just who I am. And you're already doing plenty, Bella. This?" he held up the clove and motioned to the open space around them with a soft chuckle. "This has done me good. The little things, hm?"

She grinned playfully, "Well good, I do what I can."

"And you do it well" he chuckled softly, taking a light breath of the cigarette before resting it between his fingers again.

As they entered her house, she held the door for him. The ballroom was, as remembered, expansive, the stairs mirroring each other as they crawled up the walls. Bella guided Charlie to a pair of large, comfy chairs in front of an empty fireplace, an ornate ashtray set up between the two chairs.

Comfy chair looked comfy and he needn't really be asked twice, or even once before slumping down into one of them with the sigh of someone nursing a bit of a headache. He did smile though, even if he looked tired, as he looked up at her.

"Are you okay..? I mean, all things considered? Did you want a drink?"

"I'm fine, Bella, thank you though" he smiled, still slumped back into the chair in a truly teenage way. "I think I need to keep a clear head right now. Or, you know" he smirked briefly. "at least try to"

Bella rotated so she was facing Charlie, though she was sideways across the chair, her legs lazily slung over the arm closest to Charlie, her back propped up against the other. She took a drag of her clove, letting the smoke drift from her lips. "Do you want entertainment, or do you just want to.. chill?"

"This is quite fine, you know" he smiled again, pulling himself up a little so that he wasn't looking as much as a teenager with a bad posture and an attitude problem. "But I'd hate to bore you"

"Charlie Cusack, I will be shocked of surprise the day you bore me." She smiled kindly to him. "We can sit here and talk, we can sit here in silence, we can watch a movie, I can look into your patterns.." A casual shrug. "These next couple hours are up to you, I am at your service."