A/N: Thanks to my KH for asking the tough questions and ETL1901.

"Edward? Say something, please." She pleaded to me.

My jaw was tightened and I felt my embrace on her was too. Her voice brought me out of the dark place I was in and I loosened my grip on her, locking me to her in a more loving wrap.

"We are going to find them, Bella. I promise you." I will find them. "Just know this will never happen again. You'll get through this."

She has to. Old Bella must come back to me.

Chapter 3

I turned my head to look at the side of hers and moved her bruised head to face mine so I could look into her wet eyes.

"We will get through this, Bella." I said sternly, putting my palm on her cheek. "I love you."

"What they took from me, Edward – it didn't belong to them." She whispered through a wet face. Her quiet declaration was so profound it was almost as if it came out in a scream.

I knew what she was telling me. She was just as hurt over her stolen virginity as I was. The bruises would go away, but the pain I could see in her eyes would linger.

"It doesn't matter, love. It doesn't matter." I said, shaking my head. "Don't worry about it. I love you. It doesn't change anything."

I pressed my cheek against hers, keeping my arms where they were, around her, and gently trying to reassure her that it didn't matter by drawing circles with my thumbs over her skin.

Bella could have been paralyzed, deaf and blind, but I would still want her. My feelings for my fiancée could never be hindered. I would always love her. She is the reason for my existence. I would shelter her no matter any circumstance.

But for now, for her sake, it was time for me to lighten the mood.

"Charlie was here. He told me to take care of you; he told me that you'd be in good hands."

I felt her face move into slight laughter, instead of tears.

Ah… yes, success. I was able to do that.

"Thought you'd never hear that come out of Charlie's mouth, huh? Yeah I was pretty shocked too. He left me with an important job – taking care of you. And I plan to do just that." I said turning her face back to mine.

"Was he okay?" she asked, her tears starting to subside a bit.

"He's fine, love. He had to leave and start this case. I don't think he's going to get much sleep or think about anything else until this is resolved. This not only happened in his jurisdiction, but to his only child."

"I know- I'm worried he's going to feel guilty about this. I think he's great at what he does. This wasn't his fault he was just doing his job."

Typical Bella: putting everyone else in front of her, after an ordeal like this. Actually, the thought of it made me smile, made me remember why I loved her so much, as if I could forget.

"Are you still in pain? Should I call a nurse for you? Do you need some water? Are you hungry?"

I bombarded her with questions, still wanting her more comfortable. She had just told me about the worse experience of her life and I wanted her to relax more.

"Yeah, I think I could use another dose of painkillers. And I am a little thirsty."

I pushed the button to call for a nurse and maneuvered around her to pour her some more water.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" The nurse asked as she walked in. Not the same one from the ER, but Sally, the nurse assigned for Bella's care while she was in the hospital. She felt bad for Bella. Silently, I could tell she wanted to make Bella comfortable too and made no attempt to tell me to leave Bella's bed, as I still had her in my arms.

"Just push the button here on your IV, when you need relief." She pointed to the red button hanging on the IV.

"Are you hungry? I can have the kitchen bring up something for you?"

"Um, no… maybe a little later." Bella weakly replied.

"Maybe you should eat something Bella, it might help." Bella looked at me, I smiled.

"Okay… I guess a little food wouldn't hurt." She gave in.

"It'll be up in no time." Sally replied, looking at me with a look of thanks.

We sat there in a comfortable silence. I held her. I cherished the feel of her body leaning on mine.

And then she spoke.

"Where do I go from here?"

"We will figure it out." I kissed her hair.

"But how do we…"

"Bella, right now you need to settle back and unwind, sweetheart."

"These bruises will heal, Edward. But… oh God.. I'm so sorry…."

"What in the world do you have to be sorry about?" I sat up and turned her head a bit so she could look into my eyes. "Nothing, I repeat, nothing could make me love you less. I will always, unconditionally. These men... why wasn't I there?"

"Oh no, you don't! I should have listened to you, I should have let you drive me… none of this would have happened." She started to clutch at my shirt sleeve.

I looked determinedly in her eyes. "This. Is. Not. Your. Fault."

She eased back into my embrace.

We sat there a while longer. My thumbs started to make more circles on her shoulders, caressing her, while I heard her heartbeat ease back into its familiar beat.

"Dinner is served." The nurse came in with a tray of food.

"I tried to keep the Jello at bay." She winked at Bella.

"A good friend of mine works in the kitchen, he made you a chicken breast with sautéed mushrooms over it." She said.

Carlisle's doing for sure. He was using his power at the hospital to make sure Bella was happy. I would have to thank him later. He knew that I was sitting with her, making sure she was okay, rather than to ensure the food she would eat would be some of her favorites.

She placed the tray on the cart and pulled it to Bella. I moved carefully from behind her to a chair next to her bed, in order to help her eat if she needed it.

She picked up the fork.

"Looking at this food, I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was." Bella said, diving into the chicken.

I smiled. She was coming back to me, sooner than expected.

Bella ate more than I thought, after half a chicken breast, along with the mushrooms, and a poke or two at her green beans, she reached for her milk and took a sip.

"I think I'm full and now… tired."

"Okay, love. Sleep, I'll be right here." I pulled the tray away from her and helped her settle cozily into bed.

Bella slept through the night, as I stayed at her side. As I looked at her, listened to the delicate rhythm of her heart and what seemed to be easy breaths, all I could think about what was to come.

And then my phone vibrated in my pocket.

A text.

Alice.

She's going to be okay, Edward. It's going to be a tough road, but she will be okay.

I wasn't sure I wanted to know the details of "a tough road" but I would ask later. To know that we would come out of this was all the news I needed to hear.

My phone again.

A text.

Alice.

We are working on it. Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie and I are tracking them.

I texted back.

I want them alive.

I.

Will.

Have.

Revenge.

Looking up at Bella sleeping, my anger slowly faded away. I still had her. I would still have an eternity with her. One day, maybe, centuries from now, her, my family and I would recount these events and joke about the fact that I should have changed her sooner, so she could rip their limbs from their bodies. What a trivial and careless fact to think of now, but time heals all wounds. My long existence has taught me that. Stories like this are re-told with strength and humor, as Rosalie does with her own story.

Rosalie. I bet this brings Bella and Rosalie to a common ground. I could hear it in her thoughts. I saw the concern in her eyes. She often talks about her elaborate revenge on Royce, and how good it felt. I was certain she would be there for Bella.

I sat until the next morning, never leaving. I knew Charlie would be back in the morning to see Bella. Between how we found her and what she had told me the night before, I would help her re-count her story to the people that would need to know, to bring justice.

Justice- I would have it.

Once I heard him coming down the hallway with frantic thoughts of his daughter and her condition, I quickly stepped to the cot I had asked Sally to bring me hours before and laid down upon it.

Once he entered the room, I shuffled my body to act as though I was waking up.

I turned around and he was looking right at me.

I stood up, giving Charlie my full attention. Bella was still sleeping soundly.

"I just finished talking to Carlisle. He told me how you found her."

"Did he give you all the details? Because, Charlie, anything else you need to know, I'll be happy-"

"I know, Edward, I think I've got what I need from your end." He looked at his daughter lying in a hospital bed. "I just need to talk to Bella, oh… God…" He walked towards her bed with a tongue-gaping stare. The sight of her turned him back into the desecrated father.

"I've called in my some back-up, a buddy of mine, Frank, a cop from Port Angeles, to help me with this. Frank will be here in a few minutes to help me get her story. He knows Bella from when she was young. I am certain he will be gentle with her, questioning victims is his specialty, which is why I asked him to come. I'm afraid I'm a bit biased in this case. I need to know her story, as much as it will kill me. I have to know what happened to my own daughter." His voice cracked, his eyes on the verge of tears.

"She told me what happened last night."

Charlie quickly looked up at me with eager eyes.

"Please tell me, help me find out who did this."

"Anything you need from me, I will give you, without hesitance. Charlie, I want to find them as much as you do." I said through gritted teeth, my anger rising again.

Suddenly, we both turned our heads to Bella and noticed she was starting to stir.

"Bella?" Charlie questioned, excited to hear her move, be alive, than actually trying to grab her attention.

"Dad?" She wearily said, through closed eyes still.

"It's me Bells!" Charlie moved immediately to her side, almost knocking me out of the way.

"Dad, is that you, are you okay?" Bella questioned her father, opening her eyes.

"Yes! Bella! I'm okay, are you okay? How do you feel? Are you hurting? What can I get for you?" Charlie attacked her with questions, excited to hear her voice, as I was last night, doing the same thing.

"No, Dad I'm fine… sore… but happy to see you." Bella raised her hand to Charlie's face.

Charlie responded with grabbing her hand and giving it a big kiss.

"Oh honey… you are already coming around… looking so much better than you did last night."

"I'm happy to see you, Dad, happy to see that you are alright."

I smiled, standing behind Charlie, knowing that one of Bella's worries was fading away.

She looked very happy gazing into the face of her father. And from Charlie's thoughts, I could tell that he felt the same.

"I'm so happy that you are here, safe." Charlie sighed.

"You're safe too, right?" Bella asked, trying to sit up, be strong for her father, to let him know that she was okay.

"I'm fine, honey. I'm more concerned about you right now." Charlie said.

"I'm in good hands." She smirked over to me.

"I know, I asked him to take watch over you last night. Did he do a good job?" Charlie teased with her, trying to make her laugh.

"Excellent job, Dad. I have a feeling he didn't leave my side all night." They both turned to me.

"I was asked to do an important task, one that would have me nowhere else." I said, adding to the many times I had said that out loud and to myself over the last 24 hours.

"I'm going to run to the bathroom. I can leave now knowing you are in good hands." I grinned to her, knowing full well that she was on to my plan. And relaying the same sentiment Charlie had granted me hours before.

"I'll be back in a minute." I said before looking warmly at her, showing her my love, slipping out of the hospital room.

Of course I wasn't on my way to the bathroom but walked down the hall, so that I could still hear their conversation.

Eavesdropping: it was what I did best.

My plan was foiled when I heard Carlisle.

"Edward, she should be doing fine." He assured me in his calm way.

"I know. Alice texted me. She said they we're tracking them." I relayed, wondering if he knew anymore.

"They've been running all night. They've got the place where they are staying, and they are currently waiting for their return."

"So they've found them?" I asked, but obviously knowing where this was going.

"Yes." Carlise said.

"I want them." I growled.

"I know you do. But Son… you must remember…"

"I know Carlisle. But I want a piece." My anger spawned a growl, through my voice. My infuriation started to consume me, dictating my thoughts of revenge.

Before I could even act, Carlisle had pushed me into a supply closet, slamming the door closed, and held my shoulders against a wall.

He didn't want to hurt me, but I knew he needed my full attention to get his point across.

"This isn't the way we do things, Edward."

"I know, Carlisle!" I growled again.

He released my shoulders and put his hands on my face in a fatherly way.

"I would want this as bad as you, these men, inflicting this on Bella, but you have to remember, we can't take care of this ourselves. Yes it would be easy for you to kill them, and it may feel good, but that's not the way we handle things." Carlisle was trying to recoil my fury, reminding me.

"I know… but they did this to her… THEY RAPED her." I snarled, finally using that word, my common sense taking a back seat to my rage.

"Edward, you must remember! I need you to regain your composure. Justice will come to them. I promise. Alice promises me… she promises all of us." He said, trying to diffuse the anger in me. "We have to trust in her visions, now more than ever. Promise me, Edward, you won't do anything that you will regret."

"I can't say right now I would regret extracting their heads and their limbs, ripping and throwing them from their bodies while I watch them die…"

"Edward." Carlise said in a soothing voice. "I understand how you feel. I know how much Bella means to you and of course, I understand the severity of wanting them to suffer for what they did. But that is not the way we resolve things, remember?" Carlisle was trying to remind me. I'd never been faced with a bigger test in all of my existence. "I know it's different now. I know what they did, to her, to you, to the both of you. But we must have strength. This is hard for me to tell you, but justice will come."

Carlisle was talking me off the ledge from revisiting my years from when I was away from him.

"Promise me, Edward. Promise me you won't do anything." Carlisle asked.

"I understand what you are telling me, Carlisle, but it's just so hard for me to not take matters in to my own hands and make it right." I pleaded with my father to understand.

"I know how hard it is, Edward, but I ask you to remember who you are."

I had to give in. It hurt me to, but I couldn't deny him what he was asking. Carlisle was right.

"I promise to do my best." It was all I could offer at the moment.

"Thank you, Edward."

His hands let go of my face. We both straightened up and looked at each other in the dark supply closet.

"Bella is my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and I love her. I love what she has given you, this family. Of course we will protect her. There is no doubt about that. And we will. I just need you to remember who you love. Do you love her enough not to seek ultimate revenge?"

He was asking me to make an example out of this situation. Two men had violated her in the worst way possible, and I'd have to let it go. And trust others to take care of it.

Heavy request.

But I would try.

That didn't mean that they wouldn't suffer… just a little.

I looked at Carlisle and he knew. He knew that I would behave… to an extent.

We made our way back into the hallway and Carlisle left me with Alice's knowledge.

"Alice says Charlie will be working around the clock to resolve this. In the meantime, you will suggest that Bella will come home with us. This will go over well. You have no idea right now, but Charlie will trust you with her life. He wants these guys in jail… and he won't rest until it happens." I was happy Carlisle was sharing Alice's news with me now, even though Alice hadn't shared it with me yet.

"Take her home Edward. This will turn out for the best." Carlisle looked me in the eyes, wanting me to trust him. And of course, I did.

He thanked me silently and I nodded to him as I walked toward Bella's room. I could do this. I would be Edward, the vampire that was once a human, who Bella had helped me to remember, not Edward, the monster who she had experienced the first time we met.

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