𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐎 | Twilight

1.4

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Charlie had been thrilled when Bella went out on the weekend with her friends. He often worried that the girl was too isolated for her own good, much like he used to be before Tango.

But today had not been a good day for either Tango or Charlie. First they had gotten a report of a dead body and when they went to investigate Charlie was heartbroken; It was Waylon. It was currently late at night but the small police station was absolutely swarming with people, although most were going home due to the late hour now.

Tango and Charlie had yet to go home. When they arrived on scene, Tango had immediately pulled Charlie to where the rotting smell was coming from, he'd been crushed when it was revealed that it was Waylon. The deputies and coroners office had arrived quickly and taken the body away, most people giving Charlie their condolences since people knew of the chief's friendship with the man.

Carlisle had just left the morgue where he examined the body, "Charlie, I'm sorry for your loss," the man nodded in thanks. "Here's my report on the body, everything I was able discover is written down. Looked like an animal attack, with bite marks over the body and a very low blood quantity. My best bet why the animal didn't eat parts was that Tango scarred it away pretty fast when you arrived." Carlisle nodded to the dog who stood next to Charlie at his desk. "The time of death wasn't long before you got there, but at least the family have a body to bury."

Those words were hard for Charlie to hear, to think if he'd just visited him earlier maybe he could've saved his friend. But at least he was chewed or something, or maybe that was the worst part, that he still looked like himself. Maybe it would've been easier to see his body if he'd been mutilated, because then it wouldn't look like his friend was just passed out.

"Thank you, Carlisle." They shook hands and the doctor left.

Charlie sat down at his desk which was now covered in papers and sighed. He was a man of few words but he felt things deeply, he greatly appreciated it when Tango rested her head on his leg and pawed his other one. The man gently took her paw in his hand and stroked over the soft fur, Tango could tell he was sad. He smelt different and hadn't been as active, he'd been different since they found the body.

"Hey," Bella approached her dad and dog hesitantly, both of them looked sad.

Charlie barely glanced at her, "Hey."

"Dad, I'm really sorry."

"I've known him going on 30 years." Charlie muttered glancing at Tango who licked her nose but didn't take her eyes of him. There was thirty seconds of silence and Bella didn't know if she should say anything. "Don't worry, we're gonna find this thing." The father gripped his daughter's hand which she rested on his shoulder. Pulling out a green taser from his draw he handed it to Bella, "Meantime, I want you to carry this with you."

Bella grimaced at the idea of having a taser, "I don't know if you-"

Charlie interrupted his daughter before she could protest, "It'll give your old man some peace of mind." Perhaps it was guilt tripping but it made no difference.

Bella muttered an 'okay' and grabbed the taser, fiddling with it in her hands.

"Let's go home." Tango stood up as she recognised the word, her tail didn't wag as she sensed the upset mood. Charlie didn't even bother clipping the leash on her as she walked at his side. Bella climbed in the passenger side of the car and turned around to pet Tango. She massaged between her ears, the dogs eyes closing in bliss and before she knew it they were home.

Bella grabbed her bag and went up to her room after saying a quick goodnight. Charlie took off Tango's harness and she immediately put her head in his neck whining softly, she didn't want her human to be sad.

Charlie hugged his dog back, thankful that even when he had lost a friend he still had her. He kissed between her eyes but headed upstairs, only after filling up Tango's water bowland food bowl, Charlie didn't feel that hungry anyway.

After eating her dinner the dog went upstairs to Bella's room. The girl was sat at her desk flipping through a book and typing on a computer, Tango had no clue what she was doing as she whispered to herself but didn't mind the company.

"It's crazy isn't it?" Bella asked Tango who had laid down on her bed. The dog picked up and tilted her head at her second human. Bella held up a book closer to Tango and she sniffed it but didn't understand what Bella was trying to get her to do.

The girl turned around and continued on her research, when she made no move to get into bed Tango got up and licked her arm as a goodnight before going back to Charlie's room. He still smelt so sad.

The chief of police laid away in bed, staring at the ceiling with a sorrowful mind. Tango hopped up in bed not waiting for an invitation and rested her head on his chest. Charlie brushed his hand through her long fur and mentally made a reminder to wash her, anything to get his mind off his dead friend.

"You need a bath, stinky girl?" Charlie whispered to his dog who only blinked at him. Sometimes he felt like she could understand him, when really she was just a very emotionally connected dog. Her tail wagged at the idea of a bath, Tango absolutely adored them. Charlie not so much since it always involved in her shaking and he ended up soaked, maybe he could get Bella to bathe her?

The next days were much the same but Charlie seemed to get better, still sad but not unhappy. It was just one of life's challenges, how to move on after a friend dies. Bella seemed happier, she also smelt different to Tango. Because the girl had discovered the Cullen's secret and after long talks with Edward, she'd discovered so much about the world she never knew. Plus she was getting better at training Tango who was only now starting to see Bella as an authority figure.