A/N Hi everyone! Welcome Back! I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. You may or may not know it, but they can truly turn a bad day into something wonderful. It's a great pay it forward thing. I think I have replied to each person individually. At least I hope I have!

Now, I know that some of you are wondering why I keep using character names over and over. I don't know! I just know that when I try to change them, it just hurts and I can't do it every time. Just humor me please...Thanks... lol. (I did change it a few times, but not ever every time).

This chapter was Beta'd by insange and Marly from Project Team Beta, and they are in no way responsible for any and all errors that still may exsist. They did a wonderful job! Especially with what they had to start with... *snickers*. (and Marly. I didn't notice the change in settings while you were editing because I look at the color of the comments, hehe, until I read your note).

I am also defending my word choice using numb. Yes, the beta's suggested I change it to dumb, but I just couldn't do it. Dumb will always be dumb, but numb is unfeeling, stupid, and dumb all rolled into one. I ask my kids "Why are so numb?" all the time. That word is me in this chapter.

HNHH Chapter II

***Broken***

It wasn't the same hill where Edward had found her, or sunrise, but it was still a beautiful dawn as bittersweet as her memory of that night was. Instinctively, Bella rubbed her arm where she had broken it six months prior, noticing the change in the texture of her hands after working the ranch. It had been a clean break and healed just as the doctor had said it would. But the doctor told her she would always feel a twinge of pain now and again. The doctor didn't understand that the pain would be heartbreak.

Edward stormed away from the house. If Bella continued to ignore him, he was going to ignore her. He was the master of ignoring things, and people. As he moved toward the bunk house, he glanced over to where he had tethered Aro, thinking how he should have removed the horse's saddle earlier. He hadn't planned on taking so long storing hay. He should have been working on the fence line hours ago.

Brought up short, Edward realized Aro wasn't there.

"What in the world?" Edward knew he had tied a good knot: he'd learned that lesson a long time ago. Flashes of Phil laughing at him as he chased a much younger Aro across the property his first summer at the ranch made him smile.

Distracted with the memories of Phil, Edward approached the spot he had left his horse. He looked around; Aro had to be close by. It wasn't until he noticed the odd-shaped footprints that he began to think something was amiss. The footprints resembled the treads on a tennis shoe. Edward didn't wear tennis shoes while on horseback or while he worked the ranch. He only wore boots.

Bella, on the other hand...

His thoughts were cut short as Charlie reared up and screamed a warming, creating a scene. Edward looked between the house and Charlie as his blood ran cold.

"She wouldn't...Fuck, she would!" Edward said to no one in particular as he dashed for the house. This time, he didn't knock before throwing the door open.

"Bella?" But Edward's search came up just as empty as the quiet answered his question.

"Stupid, stupid woman! Wait 'till I get my hands on her! What the hell was she thinking?" Edward ran faster toward the stables as their heated conversation replayed his angry words.

Charlie reared and neighed as Edward entered the barn, grabbing a blanket and bridle from the tack room. He hated riding Whiskey, but Whiskey was surefooted and used to the land that encompassed the ranch.

Charlie continued his aggressive behavior, spooking the horse and making it impossible for Edward to coax the gray from his stall. Edward yelled and cursed as his anger and frustration level overflowed.

"I don't know which one of you is crazier, you fucking glue factory. If Bella gets hurt out there before I find her, I'm putting the bullet in you myself-"

Edward had more threats running through his head, but he couldn't force them pass his lips. He could only stare at Charlie, who was now quiet, his head hung low. His head was twisted to the side just enough that Edward was sure the horse was looking at him, and when Edward looked at Charlie's ears, they were pointed in his direction. Interested or listening, Edward wasn't sure.

No one had been able to saddle, let alone ride, Charlie in the last four years. Phil was the only one besides Bella who could even get close to him. And yet, here Charlie was acting as if he was willing to help.

"This better not be a joke," Edward whispered, slowly approaching Charlie with a blanket and bridle. Charlie raised and lowered his head, watching closely, as Edward approached. Edward dropped the blanket to the ground while handling the bridle. He couldn't remember the last time Charlie had accepted a bridle. Was it four years ago? Or five? Where was Phil when you needed him? Nevermind.

"Okay, Charlie, here we go," Edward said calmly, letting out the breath he was holding. Edward raised the bridle, opening the straps and buckles wide. From his body language, Edward could tell Charlie was nervous.

"Deep breath. You can do this," he encouraged himself and the horse. Edward didn't move or attempt to force the bridle into place but waited for Charlie to make the next move. And He did, after sighing loudly. After the bridle was in place, Edward slowly placed the striped wool blanket across Charlie's back, pulling it forward over his withers.

It wasn't until Edward tried to place a saddle on Charlie that there was trouble. Charlie didn't bolt in fear, though the edges of white around his eyes told Edward otherwise. Charlie simply moved away or sidestepped, eyeing Edward the whole time. The horse was trusting Edward but not the saddle.

"You're damn lucky I know how to ride bareback, but I swear... if you throw me, bite me, or anything else... it's not too late to shoot you."

Charlie hoofed the ground, as if agreeing with the set terms.

Edward dropped the saddle and stroked the horse's neck, or crest, as he prepared himself to mount a very nervous Charlie. Edward felt the same. Sure, he had worked and trained with Charlie as a yearling (and even when he was a colt), but Phil was the only one, up to this point who had ever mounted and then actually rode him short distances.

Both the rider and creature's nerves settled as Charlie moved one leg forward, then another and another until they were out of the barn. Edward looked at the sky judging the weather and time of day, a habit that he had formed eight years ago. The sun was dropping below the tops of trees, letting him know they only had a few hours of daylight left. Three at the most.

Edward wasn't sure how many miles Aro and Bella had traveled or where to continue looking as darkness surrounded him. He had to relax and trust that Charlie knew where he was going. Being out here in the woods when it was this dark was just plain stupid. And when they finally did find Bella, he was going to make sure she knew how stupid she had been and what it was exactly she had risked with her stupidity.

When Charlie froze mid-gait, Edward noticed his ears pricked around but relaxed when he blew out and nickered. He hoped they were close to finding Bella. It was late, and both he and Charlie were exhausted.

It was a cracking of branches or leaves that brought Charlie to a halt again just before Edward saw something white. It could have been the moonlight reflecting off a rock or maybe some water; he couldn't tell for sure. Edward was forced to dismount when Charlie refused to move further.

Stumbling forward, Edward made his way closer to whatever it was.

"Aro," he whispered in relief, walking closer. Aro was nervous, but Edward didn't know that. So, when Edward cleared a nearby tree, Aro took flight, leaving Edward afoot.

"Ugh, crazy fucking horses," Edward growled as Charlie rushed past and followed after Aro.

Now, Edward was stranded, making it impossible to find Bella. That woman was going to be the death of him. Indentured himself to Phil, just so he could go to school, was the stupidest thing he could have done. Did Phil's death null and void their arrangement? He wished it did, but it didn't.

But if Aro was there, that meant only one thing. Bella couldn't be that far away...he hoped.

"Bella!" Edward called out over and over as he moved. He hadn't been this far from the ranch house in years. "Bella!"

Edward listened closely to the world around him as he paused to listen. He was hoping for a clue in what direction to move when he heard a noise. When he recognized the sound of sobbing and the direction it was coming from, he took off running.

"Bella!" Edward hollered as he broke through the scrub of trees into a clearing at the top of the hill.

***Lost and Found***

Bella's mind drifted back to the nightmare that could have been the beginning of something powerful between them. Even though Edward was angry, he'd taken care of her, ensuring her safety first. For one brief moment, a year in the making, Edward was approachable. He even acted as if he had truly cared about her, and Bella's heart pumped at a different beat. But it was all a lie, a set-up.

It was well after dark when she realized she was lost. She didn't know what direction to head to get back home, and Aro was being difficult. She tried to spur him on in one direction, and he kept trying to go back the way they had just traveled.

Bella was too exhausted to pay attention and started to drift in and out of consciousness. Coyotes howled in the distance, bringing Bella out of the fog she had drifted into. The howling continued, startling Aro and caused him to jump in retreat, throwing a confused Bella from the saddle. When she hit the ground, her arm broke just above the wrist.

When Bella screamed out in pain, Aro bolted in fear, leaving his rider behind.

Bella rolled around on the ground, screaming. She only wanted Edward's horse to come back—not run away.

After she screamed herself out, Bella felt the desire to just give up. She shivered and shook as the temperature dropped.

"You really thought this one through, didn't you, Bella?" she muttered. "Now what?" If there was one redeeming quality about Bella, it was her ability to look ahead, create a plan, and then follow through with it.

"It's dark. You're alone. You're hurt, and nobody knows where the fuck you are," Bella whispered to herself. Looking around, she noticed the moonlight streaking through the trees.

"I need to find a spot where someone will find me—a clearing or... or something," she continued. Pulling herself together, she managed to find the perfect spot with the aid of the moon. Her feet hurt when she sat in the open field.

It was colder there and her body trembled painfully. She rubbed her arm, fighting the pain radiating from it. She needed warmth but had no clue what to do, so she sobbed.

The night was filled with strange noises, but Bella could hear everything. And everything heightened her fear. Trying to calm herself, she held her arm across her middle and rocked back and forth.

Her eyes widened fearfully as an owl taunted her from behind. She prayed the howling from the coyote would stay away. She prayed someone would realize she was missing. She even cursed the day her Uncle had lured her to Colorado. And then she cursed herself for being angry with Edward.

"Morning will be here soon enough... you can figure out what to do then," Bella chanted over and over. "Everything is going to be fine," she ordered as she sobbed.

When Bella heard her name being called, her body twisted and she took in a shadowed form moving toward her.

"Edward," she called out in relief as his silhouette broke through the trees. Then she started sobbing again. The pain in her arm increased as she tried to move.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, kneeling next to her.

"I think it's broken," Bella cried out in reply, shaking her head. She didn't care how Edward had found her, only that he had.

Edward dropped the pack he'd grabbed when he'd realized what Bella had done. Phil had taught him that on his first day. "Always be prepared because you just never know. It's not like we live in the city, son." Using the knife sheathed at his hip, Edward cut apart a pillowcase he'd kept in his pack. "A pillowcase can serve more than one purpose," he heard Phil say before shaking the old man's voice from his head.

Edward inhaled deeply as he used his roughened fingers and hands to inspect the tender flesh of Bella's arm, feeling an electrical pulse. Bella was right. Her arm was broken, but Edward didn't tell her that. Instead, he used the strips of cloth to create a sling and then fastened her arm to her body so she couldn't jar it.

"You're freezing, and it's still a few hours until morning. We'll stay here until it's light and then figure out what to do," Edward said, leaving no room for discussion. He removed his jacket and wrapped it tightly around his broken girl and forced her to lie down. Then he covered them with a silver emergency blanket to help keep them warm.

"Try to get some rest," he said, pulling her closer to him, letting her use one of his arm as a pillow and using the other to protect her form. He hoped she'd listen to him for a change, because one of them needed to get some sleep.

"Won't you be cold?" Bella asked, tugging at his jacket.

"I never get cold," he lied.

They both laid there, wide awake. Edward breathed in her strawberry-scented hair, while Bella felt the heat radiate off him, slowly warming her entire being.

They remained still, watching the sunrise as it brought new light to their darkened world.

Their quiet bubble was broken with the sounds of cracking twigs and leaves.

"Bella," Edward whispered.

"I hear it," she whispered back.

"Stay here while I check it out." Edward released her from the hold he'd maintained throughout the night as they laid together. Instantly, he was cold and felt there was something missing; disconcerting emotions washed over him. Maybe he was feeling, protective?

As Bella's fears began to surface, Edward's return kept her from drowning. His return was truly a sight to behold.

With a set of reins in each hand, Edward led Aro and Charlie toward her.

Her knight in worn-out blue jeans and a white Stetson hat.

***On The Run***

Bella put the car into gear, pushing the gas. She didn't even stop at the coffee shop to say goodbye to her friend Alice when she stopped in Georgetown for fuel before continuing.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean her presence went unnoticed.

"Hey, Bella! What brings you into town?" Emmett asked as he approached. He had just filled his police cruiser up and was headed to work. He hadn't expected to see her until the following week, when she journeyed to town to collect the first real guests for the ranch. "New unexpected vacationers?"

"Bella?" Emmett asked, concerned, when her shoulders slumped. After placing a hand on her shoulder, Emmett's eyes were wide in disbelief as the two came face-to-face.

"I'm sorry, Emmett," Bella began. Emmett pulled Bella into a bear hug to comfort her. But before he could even attempt to get more details from his distraught friend, she broke their embrace and pulled away.

"I can't...I'm going back to New York. Make sure Alice still helps out at the ranch. Edward's going to need it."

"But...Why?" Emmett asked, confused and in disbelief. Bella had worked so hard, for too long...

"I don't belong here! I never did!" she yelled, climbing into her car and escaping more interrogation.

Emmett was too stunned at react at first. What the hell happened? Edward! And then he was angry. If anyone belonged here, it was Bella Swan-Dwyer. Then realization came, with sadness. She didn't know—and he was bound by the law not to tell. He stood rooted in place, watching as her car disappeared from sight.

A full day passed, then a week, which turned into a month—and Edward was still unable to reach Bella. He'd called and called, but each time he got her voicemail answered. Edward was beyond livid. Sometimes with Bella, but mostly himself. He couldn't figure out what he had said that set her off this time. She was so unpredictable.

"What the fuck, Edward! What did you do to Bella this time?" Emmett screamed. He didn't even allow Edward the courtesy of a hello as he approached the bunk house.

"Fuck you, Emmett," Edward joked back, not realizing that Emmett was serious. "Who pissed in your Wheaties this morning?" Edward continued, oblivious.

"They were tears, not piss! And for your information...Those tears were Bella's,"

When Emmett mentioned Bella and tears, Edward sobered up.

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked. "Bella's still asleep in the house!"

"Are you sure?" Emmett asked. There was no way Edward could be that numb. "Where's her car, you dipshit? She's not asleep. She went back to New York! And from the look on her face this morning, she isn't coming back. What the fuck did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Edward snapped.

"Well then..I guess that explains everything! Doesn't it?" Emmett finished off, before leaving Edward to his own devices. He didn't have it in him to deal with Edward and his stupidity any longer.

Edward dropped the letter back on the table and pulled his hair. What was he going to do? Everything... everything Bella had worked for over the last eighteen months was going to go up in flames. The next day marked a milestone. Twenty executives were arriving for a leadership retreat. It was going to be a full house. Edward had no clue what he was going to do.

He knew Bella had been quiet for a few days. He figured she was contemplating the party that was showing up tomorrow, not leaving.

It wasn't until he talked to Alice that he'd remembered his passing remarks as he watched Bella train with Charlie. Edward had decided to give into Bella and teach her the things that Phil had taught him. Bella didn't know it, but Edward wasn't a cowboy when he'd first come to the ranch, even though he had grown up locally.

"Just some kid, my ass. And to think you thought he was your uncle."Edward mumbled under his breath. He had his arms folded, resting over the top rung of the training corral, his chin nestled on the padding of his arms. His foot was kicked up on the bottom rung of the fence as he imagined talking to Phil, while watching Bella build her relationship with Charlie inside the ring.

Edward hadn't realized that Bella had heard him. He'd finally put the pieces together himself. Watching her train Charlie was like watching Phil all over again—only shorter... and definitely female. Bella Swan wasn't just some kid, but his kid-Isabella Swan-Dwyer. Edward couldn't believe it had taken him so long to figure it out. Now he understood why Phil seemed sad Bella had decided to stay in New York every summer, instead of visiting him and the ranch.

Please feel free to pimp me out. I'm cheap-not easy! lol. Read, Review, and Reshare! Gotta run and edit the next chapter of Focal Point and another chapter for HNHH...