Chapter Eight: Compartmentalize

"We Belong" by Pat Benatar

~Agent Cullen~

"Liefje?" I stepped into the house at half past six. I had hauled ass through the showers and out of the office to get home since my wife got the "go ahead."

Fuck, it had been a long eight weeks.

To say I needed a different kind of release besides my mental and physical ones was an understatement. My shower each morning wasn't doing it for me. Bella helped a few times, but it wasn't the same when I couldn't fully be with her. There was something about having that connection to her; staring deep into her eyes and watching her lose herself with me.

The house was dark with the exception of a light filtering down the upstairs hallway. It was the time of year that once dusk set in, the house became dark and quiet. I pulled off my jacket and shoes and set the security panel by the door before I made my way to the stairs.

With each step, music playing from our bedroom grew a bit louder. I walked to our doorway and peered around the corner before walking in. There,in only a short black silk robe, was Bella. Her hips were swaying to the beat of Pat Benatar as she lit candles on our dresser. A tray of strawberries, cheeses and other finger foods was next to them, along with two glasses of wine.

She looked absolutely edible herself: all long creamy legs, hair down around her shoulders and her face warm with excitement.

Bella flicked out a match and threw it in the garbage as I pushed off the doorway and snuck up behind her.

"Oh!" She jumped in surprise as my hands gripped her waist and steadied her. I leaned down to place a kiss at the juncture of her neck and she trembled.

"Mmmm. Good evening, Agent Cullen."

"Good evening, Mrs. Cullen." I was already rock hard from her first indication of tonight's plans on the phone, and I pressed against her.

"Someone's happy to see me," she chuckled, and I let my hand move from her hip, around her stomach to her belt.

"I'm always happy to see you," I murmured as my lips and tongue moved across her shoulder and up her neck. My hand worked her robe away as Bella tipped her head to the side while my other hand fumbled for her belt.

I found the tie and pulled until the robe came open, and then I spun her around. I knew she wouldn't be feeling all confident and sexy. I had to show her that again. She looked amazing, fuller maybe, but I loved it. She was the mother of my children, how could I think any differently?

Her espresso eyes met mine as I leaned in to taste her while at the same time pulling her against me and pushing her robe to the floor. The silk pooled around our feet as our tongues met and I pushed mine inside her mouth to claim her.

Eight weeks of need erupted between us. I knew I needed to be slow and gentle the first time, but it was going to practically kill me.

Not the worst way to go.

Bella pushed her hands on my shoulders and I moved backwards toward the bed. I sat and pulled her between my legs as her hands relieved me of my shirt and then shimmied my jeans down my legs. Her fingers worked their way back up over my thighs, my abs and my chest as her eyes took me in. I could tell she was hungry for me, as hungry as I was for her.

When she settled her gaze on my new tattoo, a shiver ran through me. Her lips kissed right over the fresh ink—only a few weeks old—noting mijn meisje and her birthdate. My fingers threaded through her hair and I brought her back up to kiss me, long and hard and deep.

Just like I planned to take her.

I snaked one hand down and circled lightly to get her ready. I could tell by the way her hips met mine and she pushed into my hand that it wouldn't take much. But I still had to make sure she was ready.

When a low moan escaped her as I trailed my tongue down her chest, careful to avoid her nipples, but still tasting her, I knew she was ready.

Standing up, I pulled her into my arms and turned around to lay her on the bed. I was aching for her, but it needed to wait. I needed to show my wife how beautiful she was to me, how much I loved her, and how I couldn't live a day without her.

Lips, fingers, hands, I used everything in my power to kiss every inch of her. From the pink scar on her lower abdomen to the sweet spot along her inner thigh, I had her shaking and begging me.

"Edward please, just…make love to me."

I crawled up her body and placed my hands on either side of her face before I kissed her.

"Let me know if I'm hurting you," I murmured as I met her gaze.

She nodded and then sighed as I pressed inside, feeling more complete than I had in eight weeks. It was as if the world was right again.

Hot, tight…Jesus.

"Fuck Liefje." I gritted my teeth because, damn, she felt perfect.

She bit her lip as I pulled back and pushed in again, going deeper. I felt her tense and then relax as I pulled that lip from her mouth with my teeth.

Slowly, we gained speed, pushing and pulling and just feeling everything between us.

"Oh God, I forgot how amazing you feel," Bella moaned in my ear. My tongue laved at the spot below her ear as I pulled her leg higher to push farther, deeper.

Always deeper.

"I know. I missed you Liefje."

"I missed you too." She groaned as I thrust again, harder. She closed her eyes and dug her fingers into my back. The pain provided a moment of clarity for me, because I was hanging on by a thread.

I sat back enough to move my hand between us and run circles over her clit, simultaneously pulling all the way out slowly and then driving back in quickly.

"Edward!" Her hair was tossed back against the pillows and her full breasts moved with each thrust.

Damn, breastfeeding sure had its advantages.

My own head fell back, unable to take in the sight before me, lest I lose it before I got her there.

So I talked instead.

"That's it baby. Fuck Bella, you feel so fucking good." I looked back down seeing her body flush red, so close to losing it. I covered her with my own body and pulled her legs higher as I drove into her. She finally snapped and clung to me as she came, her body tensing and then pulsing around me. I groaned at the feeling and thrust again until the most powerful orgasm I had felt in ages ripped through me.

We gasped for breath as our sweaty skin stuck together. But I didn't care. I kissed all over her face as our breaths steadied, and gave her a silly grin.

"What are you staring at Cullen?" She asked, and I knew she was feeling okay. She only called me Cullen when she was frisky and teasing.

"My sexy wife."

Bella rolled her eyes and I shook my head at her.

"Don't. You look fantastic. You give yourself too much grief. I love you no matter what, but seriously Liefje you don't even look like you just had a baby." I kissed her slowly, trying to make her forget about her insecurities.

"Yeah?" she finally asked as I pulled away.

I smiled down at her and dug my fingers into her side, making her wail with laughter. "Oh yeah, and as soon as we have something to eat, I'm going to show you again," I teased.

"Hmmm. You're on Agent Cullen." Her eyes sparkled with mischief and I grinned back.

Two times in one night. Hell yeah.

*&^%$#

"Hey E, what's up man?" Emmett shouted into the phone.

I could hear the buzz of a precinct in the background and I knew Emmett must be at work.

"Not much McCarty. What's up with you?"

"Same old, same old. Some cracked out joker decides he needs to take a few hookers hostage and my day's all fucked up. How's the family? How's Bella doing?"

"She's good…" I paused, needing to get to the meat of things. "So the reason I really called…" I trailed off.

"I knew there was a reason. You don't usually call me during the middle of the day for no reason. I just had to wait you out." He chuckled and I smiled to myself.

"I need a favor. You worked in Miami for a while right? You still have some connections down there?"

"Yeah, I've got some friends there. Why? What do you need?" The buzz started to diminish as I could tell he must have been seeking some privacy.

"Word on the street is there's a contact in Miami. Volturi was able to get his men out back in '04 somehow, and they all went to South America. I'm thinking it might have been down there."

"So, why does that matter now?" Emmett questioned.

I looked down at the packet of information before me. Garrett had been keeping me in the loop on any developments with Volturi, Raven, Kebi, and even J. Frederico. I wasn't sure his role yet, whether he was related to any of these men, but my instincts told me he was.

And one of the issues on the paper sparked an interest in me.

"Because something's not adding up to me. Agent Morgan has been keeping me up to date. He flags any increased black market traffic in the fifteen largest metros. Recently, drug and human trafficking has increased 12% in Miami, which isn't that strange considering the amount of different black market contacts down there."

It was common knowledge Miami-Dade was like a chasm for black market product. The extremely diverse makeup of the area, climate and number of ways product could be shipped in and out of the area made it very attractive for any black market entrepreneur. But 12% in an area that was already one of the biggest importers and exporters of commodities was a huge increase.

"Well you know Battle was the big one down there when I was there. I worked on the mission to put him away."

I nodded, knowing only too well of Jose Miguel Battle Jr., "Who stepped in after him?" I mumbled as I looked at the pictures before me.

"I don't know, there was word of some Brazilian infiltrating, but I left once we sacked Battle and moved on to the next mission. You know how it is. You wash yourself of a lot of things when you move on…" McCarty trailed off and I knew what he meant.

The Miami mission had been his most gruesome, deepest cover that he had. In a lot of ways it was as bad as Romania for me.

Then I thought of something. "When did you take Battle out?"

"It was early 2006, why? Where are you going with this?"

I sighed as I rubbed my temples. None of the men in the pictures before me looked familiar. But something was nagging at me. "That's right after my mission in Brazil ended," I responded.

Silence swept between us and I could almost hear the wheels turning in his head.

"You think you flushed someone out? From Brazil to Miami?" Emmett asked. "What's it matter anyway?"

"I've just been…thinking. You know I turned down Fortnight's offer, but I'm still trying to piece some things together if I can. I'm trying to help put together any names faces, etc."

"You just can't let it go, can you?" Emmett jibed. "It's alright man, I get it. Listen, let me call a couple people and see if I can get any information. If anything we'll make a trip south. Drink some mojitos and hit the beach."

"I'm not leaving New York and you know that." My voice was firm, though his offer intrigued me.

"Edward, I'm not suggesting we go down and fuck around for a week. Two days, we go hit the beat, I hit up some old contacts and find out what we can."

I hummed as I thought of McCarty's offer. I didn't want to leave Bella and the kids, but something in my gut was telling me that Miami held a secret.

"What would Rose say? It's not like you can just take off now either. You have Ethan and another one on the way too," I half-heartedly tried to convince him.

"It's business. Rose will understand…Listen E, if it will put your mind at ease, or make you feel useful, then I think we should do it. I don't think it will hurt anything. It's been a long time since I was there and you've never been there. So what can happen?"

"Right," I muttered. "Let me think about it."

"Well keep me posted. I have to let the department know a few days in advance. But I can pretty much go whenever you need me to. Now that Bella and the kids are in the townhouse, you should be okay. I'll even have a few of the Blue do an extra sweep of the area while we're gone."

"Ok, I'll get back to you."

"Later man."

I hung up the phone and scrubbed my hands over my face. I wasn't sure what Bella would make of me leaving for two days to go on a wild goose chase in Miami. But I felt like I knew something. Pouring over papers from last missions and new information about the crime contingents across the country was only cathartic to a point. Now that I thought I might have found something—I wasn't sure what yet—I felt like I needed to act on it.

I flipped through a few more pictures and photographs on my desk when suddenly a face caught my eye.

The photo was grainy, but I could make out jet black hair that nearly reached her ass and a thin arm around a familiar curly haired head.

I stared at the photo, trying to determine if I was making something of nothing. Perhaps I was projecting my memories onto the information before me because I wanted it to mean something. But the photograph didn't get any better and neither did the feeling my gut.

"Yeah we'll see," I sighed to myself as I threw my head back.

*&^%$#

"Daddy!" A storm of blond hair hit me with a rush and I reached down to pick up Eric and spin him around.

"What are you doing Zoonie? You're covered in..." I looked down and frowned, "glitter."

"I was making a turkey?"

"Turkeys don't have glitter on them." I scrunched up my face and my three year old rolled his eyes.

Great.

"Not a real turkey daddy, an art turkey."

Art. That's right it was Tuesday.

Ever since Bella had been home with Eric she decided to have more "structured" time with him. She wanted him to be ready for preschool the next year so she started to plan times with him. Mondays were for music, Tuesdays were for art, Wednesdays were food days where they made something fun in the kitchen together, and Thursdays were for Karate.

Once Bella was cleared for activity again, she started taking self-defense and martial arts classes with her trainer. It made me nervous—just the thought of her having to defend herself again—but I was glad she was doing it. As a result, she had decided to start showing Eric some of the basics and it was a fun way for them to bond. We wanted him to do all sorts of different classes—piano, karate, sports. But at the age of 3 he wasn't quite focused enough to sit through an entire class or lesson. Though many other kids started that young, I didn't want to push him into anything and burn him out on it. This way it was just fun, and good bonding time for them. Then, if he really showed an interest in something we could sign him up for it.

I carried Zoonie into the kitchen and looked at our usually sparkling granite counter top which was now covered in glue, glitter, construction paper and other decorative things. Bella was humming and putting a finishing touch on a turkey as Lucy was asleep in her portable rocker.

"Hi Liefje." I leaned down to kiss her and she hummed into my kiss.

"Hi, how was your day?"

"It was good. I see you've been busy."

She smiled. "We have. Eric, why don't you show Daddy everything we made."

I settled in beside Eric as he showed me all of his "hand turkeys" and other decorations they made for the upcoming holiday. Bella laughed as Eric babbled and got even more glitter all over himself.

She started dinner while I dug into my share of adornments and soon enough we were both covered in glue, glitter, fake eyeballs and feathers.

Wow, how the mighty have fallen.

Bella grabbed Eric to clean him up for dinner and I walked to the sink to attempt to wash some of the crap off of me. I glanced in the reflection in the window and realized I had it all over my face and even in my hair.

I looked up to see Bella laughing as she clasped Eric in his highchair and walked around to help me.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You. My tough agent all covered in glitter."

I leaned over at the twinkle in her eye and snaked my hand to her ass. "I'd like to see the glitter on you, only the glitter."

Bella's breath caught as my lips grazed her ear and I gave her ass a squeeze. I pulled back to see the dark look in her eyes and her flushed cheeks.

"Perhaps that can be arranged," she whispered, and I smirked.

"Later," I whispered and gave her a quick, but hard kiss and turned back around to finish cleaning up for dinner.

Just then Lucy began to stir and I finished washing my hands so I could grab her.

"Are you just going to feed her here?"

"You can feed her. I pumped earlier."

"Getting ready to go back?" I asked knowingly as I picked her up.

"Yeah. And trying to save some for when we actually get to have a night out." She smiled as she warmed up a bottle for Lucy.

"That's right. I can't wait."

The following weekend my parents were planning to come and stay with the kids. They had officially moved into their new apartment and either sold or moved the rest of their things to the Hamptons house. But my Mom was missing her grandchildren and we needed the night out. It was a win-win for everyone.

It would be our first "date" since Lucy had been born. Then the following week Bella was planning to start working again.

She had decided she couldn't give it up completely, but she was training one of the coordinators, a level down from her position, to handle several of the things she used to handle. She would no longer handle the interns—a job she wouldn't miss at all—and would focus solely on new exhibitions. This would allow her to work from home more often and have a more flexible schedule, as she wouldn't have to be on site to manage the interns.

I was glad she was going back to work, now that we were a few weeks past everything. I could tell she was getting stir crazy and ready to go back. It was amazing the level of comfort moving to the townhome gave us. It was a clean break from where everything happened and I felt like I had more control over the security and a better eye on what was happening in our neighborhood.

Lucy began to whimper and I bounced her gently. She was much sturdier now, but she was still a little peanut, weighing in at just over 11 lbs.

"Hey baby girl. Are you hungry?" Her eyes fluttered and her mouth puckered in search of nourishment.

"It's okay Mijn Meisje, it'll be ready in a minute." I held her close and kissed her head, taking in her sweet baby smell and rubbing my chin on her thick dark hair. She was an exact replica of Bella, but her eyes looked to be more like mine.

Bella handed me the bottle as she set up Eric with his meal. I just stared at my girl and watched as she drank. It was in those moments that I knew I made the right decision. I belonged here, with my family. Bella and our children were the best thing that ever happened to me and I couldn't—wouldn't—forget that.

Once Lucy finished with a sigh, I put her on my shoulder to burp her and then walked to the nursery to change her. She was a fantastic baby, a thousand times better than Eric, and already sleeping through the night at only 2 ½ months old.

Bella set out our meal once I returned and put Lucy on her play mat. We ate and talked about our days, how Eric loved his art time and how Lucy did.

Then I told her about Miami. Emmett called me back later that day saying he could go the coming weekend.

"Are you sure you need to go?" She asked with trepidation.

"I think so. I'm not going back in the field," I said quickly. "It would just be investigative. But I do feel obligated to help out in any way I can. I know that I am an intricate part of this whole thing, and if I can lend any kind of information, and it will keep you all safe, then I need to do it."

She nodded hesitantly and I put my fork down to look at her. "I was thinking, Charlie and Sue could come here and stay with you."

"Or I could go there."

"Well…" I trailed off.

"Ah…but they don't have a high-tech security system rivaling that of Fort Knox, do they?" She quirked an eyebrow and I shrugged sheepishly.

"That's fine," she sighed. "I'll talk to my Dad and see if they can do it."

"Well, I kind of already did." I scratched the back of my head as I grabbed for my wine glass.

"Edward," she sighed again and grabbed her plate to put it in the sink. Before I could answer her, Eric interrupted.

"Mama, I'm done. Can I go play?" Eric put his hands up and Bella shot me a look. We would finish our discussion later.

I nodded, properly chastised by my wife, and proceeded to clean up Eric. The rest of the evening passed in routine fashion; making a fort, playing airplane, bath time, story time, and finally bed time. I was worn out, but I was also tense. Perhaps I was anticipating Miami or worked up over our little spat. Or maybe it was our renewed intimacy, I wasn't sure. But I felt like I was wound up tight.

As I walked into the master bedroom, I heard the shower running and began to undress. I understood why Bella was angry with me, but I couldn't take any chances. I had failed at protecting them once and I almost lost them. It would never happen again.

I stripped out of my dress shirt and pants as I walked into the bathroom. Showering together wasn't something we got to do until the kids were asleep and it didn't happen very often even then.

The steam poured over the top of the tile, fogging up the doors on the way. But I could still make out her form through the glass. Her long hair was thick with shampoo, trailing down her back and making a path over her round ass to its end.

I watched for a moment, just taking her in, and my hand made its way to my cock without even thinking. Equal parts of me were torn between groveling and sweeping my wife to our bed to make love to her, and taking her hard against the wall of the shower.

As I stood there watching the soap suds move over her rounder curves, I was leaning toward the latter.

The door clicked behind me as I stepped in. My hand trailed over her shoulder, down her side and then gripped her ass. Desire, deep and frantic, suddenly raced through me. It was a common feeling when I was near her, but it was even more consuming in the last few weeks.

Since I could have her again, I wanted her even more. The release, the feeling of white heat leaving my body, taking away the tension and pushing away the monster was what I sought each day.

It was a constant state of balance. I felt like I was perched on a high wire. I had to compartmentalize my thoughts to those of work, of home, of FBI, of father, of agent, of family man.

This was the only place it mixed.

My hand gripped Bella's hip without thinking and I spun her around.

"Oh. Edward what are you…?"

But I silenced her with my lips. My mouth pressed hard against hers, my tongue plunged into her as I pulled her against me.

Bella responded vigorously, as I hoped she would. Even though she was mad at me, it was rarely enough to turn down sex. Instead sometimes is spurred us on. My wife was every bit as passionate as she had always been, and if I had learned anything in our four years together, she didn't like me to go easy on her. If anything she liked it when I was a little rough, uninhibited. I used to have a problem with it, but now I realized that it was perfectly natural.

It was a heady feeling, being able to be like that with someone you loved so unconditionally.

I pressed my hands through her hair, tipping her head back and latching onto her neck as I sucked hard on her skin. I felt her tense as her back hit the cold wall and without another thought I lifted her.

Her eyes met mine as I pulled back for just a moment and then drove into her.

"Fuck." She whimpered and bit her lip as I moved against her. Hands gripping my shoulders as my fingers dug into her ass, driving, reaching to relieve the tension as I reached that spot deep inside my wife.

It was the only place I felt like I was weightless, where I could let it all go: anger, passion, urgency, frustration, tension.

Bella bucked her hips into me, eagerly seeking what I was giving her until it was all too much and I captured her mouth as we both came. I kissed her more softly as I set down her shaky legs and held her to me. I turned her around and began to wash her and hugged her back to my chest.

"I'm sorry," I murmured as I pressed my lips to her shoulder. I trailed my hands over her shoulders, gently washing her, hoping my apology was coming through with my actions.

She sighed and turned around to put her hands on my shoulders and look me straight in the eye.

"Edward, I know the pressure you're under and I know the war that's raging inside you right now. Don't think I don't. I do. I know what you gave up by choosing to stay and not go on that mission. I just want you to make me your first call when you're thinking of these things. Not my father, not the protective detail and not Emmett."

I nodded, swallowing as I let her continue.

"I have no problem with you going to Miami with Emmett. Just tell me. Okay? Just tell me."

"Okay." I nodded and kissed her again as the water began to cool around us.

With that our fight was forgotten and we readied for bed.

My mind drifted as I curled around Bella and sleep found us. I was cleared to go to Miami, I just wasn't sure what I would find there.

*&^%$#

Bella Cullen

"Bella!"

"Hi Quil. What are you doing here?" I smiled and ruffled my nephew's head. He was as much my nephew as any kid. Leah and I had become much closer in the last few years and my father made Sue's grandkids his own as well.

"Grandma's watching me because Mom has to work today." He shrugged, seemingly content with it.

"She's working on a Saturday?" I asked. That was strange considering she was just an entry level analyst.

"Mom says her boss is a hard a—"

"Quil Black!" Sue stopped him and bopped him on the head." I chuckled and laughed at Quil's shrug. He ran off to play with his brother and I handed a sleeping Lucy to Sue as she followed Quil and Embry into our home.

"Hi Sue, how was the drive in?" I half-hugged her as she stared down at my baby girl.

"Just fine, I just couldn't wait to see this little one." She stroked her face and held her close. "Where's Eric?"

"Taking a nap. Where's Dad?"

"He's grabbing some things from the car."

I nodded and led her to the family room where Quil and Embry were already setting up Edward's X-box.

Boys.

The snacks were already arranged and the boys were well on their way to a riveting game of Madden when my father walked in. He kissed me on the head and immediately stole Lucy from Sue and took his spot in the big oversized arm chair.

We chatted and caught up on our past few weeks while everyone settled in. At Edward's prodding, Charlie and Sue had come to stay with us for the weekend. Edward and Emmett were able to catch a flight late Friday night and I convinced him we would be fine until Charlie and Sue got there Saturday morning, especially considering we had a protective detail outside.

Though I had to admit I was uneasy with him gone, and I was nervous about him being in Miami. He always seemed invincible to me, but rationally I knew he wasn't. I just wanted him to be careful. Yet, I also knew he had to do this. I could see it eating away at him that he felt like he was on the side lines. A true mission hadn't been put into place yet because they didn't have enough information to go after any of them—Raven, Kebi etc. Instead, Edward told me they were working their contacts in South America and Europe. Our agents across the world were keeping their eyes open and the Bureau was hoping for a break.

Then…what? I wasn't sure. Edward wasn't even sure since he turned down Fortnight's offer. But I knew something big was on the horizon.

I pulled myself from my thoughts and got up to refill the bowls of snacks and grab some drinks for the kids. It was nice having them there, but I was starting to feel a bit housebound with everything. It was important for Edward to go to Miami. He wanted Raven and whoever else was in on my attack caught, so that we could go back to living our lives like normal.

He was very nervous about my return to work and even set up a driver to take me to and from the office. We would no longer be taking Eric and Lucy to our former daycare provider's either. Instead, Eric and Lucy were going to a private daycare close to the Met for the few days I would be working. I was disappointed because June was so good with our kids. But I understood his reservations about the security at our former building.

I popped more popcorn and tossed in some M & M's when I heard footsteps coming into the kitchen. I looked up to see my father standing in the doorway, hands in his pockets, flannel shirt and jeans, just as he had always been.

"Want a beer Dad? We have Coors in the fridge."

He nodded and walked over, but I could tell by his silence that he was pondering something to tell me. As I prepped the last of the snacks and grabbed juice for the kids I looked up at him.

"Is something wrong?"

He sighed and took a long pull from his can before setting it on the granite counter top. "I brought that stuff of your grandmother's here."

"Okay. Well did you have a chance to look through it yet?"

"No." He shook his head. "Part of me is worried to. I don't know if I want to know what it might tell me."

"What do you mean?"

He scratched the back of his head and leaned over the counter. "What if it tells us we're related to a bunch of criminals? That's a lot to stomach."

I shrugged, having moved past my relation to Aro Volturi long ago. But I also wasn't on the streets seeing firsthand the kind of destruction the mafia and their counterparts waged on the people of the Burroughs.

"You always said we were Swans right? Regardless of the blood?"

"Yeah." My Dad nodded but continued to contemplate something.

"There's something else too. I'm a little concerned about—"

"Bella, I think…Oh I'm sorry, I hope I wasn't interrupting?" Sue walked in just then with a fussing Lucy.

"It's okay Sue. She's probably just hungry." I smiled and took her from Sue. I patted her back and turned back to my father.

"Can we go somewhere tomorrow?"

He quirked a brow at me and I stopped him before he told me Edward wouldn't like it.

"Dad, I'm just as safe with you as I am with Edward. Hell, bring a squad car. I don't care. But I need to get out of here for a while."

He nodded, acquiescing to my request. "Where do you want to go?"

I swallowed and looked down at the fragile little beauty in my arms. My life, a part of me that, just like Edward and my father, I would stop at nothing to protect.

"The shooting range," I said as I looked him in the eye.

With that, I walked out before he could tell me 'no' and went to go feed my daughter.

Oh the juxtaposition of that statement, I thought humorlessly as I climbed the stairs.

*&^%$#

"You need to bend your legs a bit and put one foot slightly in front of the other so you have better balance. If the gun kicks back and you're locking your legs, you'll have to step and it will throw you off balance before your next shot. This way you can absorb it better and move to your next sequence."

My father shouted instruction at me and adjusted my arms to show me better technique. I was rusty. Not that I was ever a sharp shooter by any means. The few times he took me to the range after Eric was born were enough to make me learn how to point and shoot a gun, but I didn't really master the technique of shooting at a target very well.

But that was going to change.

I was convinced that I was going to protect myself. Regardless of how much Edward wanted to protect me, I knew there would be times that I would be by myself. I couldn't carry a gun, but should I ever get in the position where I had one, I wanted to know how to use it.

Edward showed me how to access the security "command center" that he installed in our attic only a week prior. At first I was intimidated. But then my need to protect our family kicked in and I wanted to know everything. He kept all of the guns behind the secured wall except for one.

Edward had one hand gun stored in the top of the closet. It was high and away from the kids, but easy access just in case we needed it.

It was a Glock, standard issue FBI, and I requested to shoot with the same gun at the range.

My father wasn't exactly happy about bringing me here. He saw it as putting his little girl in harm's way. But I wasn't a little girl anymore, and harm seemed to find me without my seeking it.

So I had to act. I had to be the one to become an asset, and not a liability like I had been for so long.

I never liked guns, and never liked the idea of having them in the house. But I had to admit the cool metal in my hand and the powerful kickback from each shot sent a jolt of adrenaline through my body. I could understand the rush, the electric feeling that being in command of something so deadly gave a person.

I fired the last bullet from the Glock and lowered my aim. My dad pressed the button and the target sped toward us on an electric wire.

"Hmmm," he hummed and hawed and assessed my work. "Not bad. Not bad at all, you're starting to get the hang of this."

I smiled wide as I noticed that I hit the target with every single shot this time. It wasn't great, but it was in the circular space and I was very happy about it.

"Well, I'm planning to come every Wednesday. I'm also taking a class from the same trainer that I worked with before on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday afternoons."

My father gave me a questioning look and I knew what he was thinking.

"I have to be able to defend myself Dad. I can't have something like that happen again. And whether you and Edward like it or not, I can't live in a bubble for the rest of my life either," I said sternly.

He nodded and turned to look at the target lying on the table.

"You always were stubborn, just like me. But your tenacity is your mother's. I never could argue with her about anything." He shook his head lost in thought for a moment and then sighed heavily. "I'll meet you here…on Wednesdays."

I started to protest but he stopped me. "I want you to know what you're doing, and I don't want any of these yahoos showing you," he gestured.

I laughed under my breath because I wasn't oblivious to the looks I got when I came in. But I was also Captain Swan's daughter and they wouldn't fuck with me for that reason alone.

My father hummed for a moment before glancing around furtively. "Yesterday in the kitchen…there's something else I need to tell you. I haven't told Sue and I didn't want to say anything around the kids."

"What Dad? Is something going on? You're not sick or something are you?" I said nervously.

"No, no. Nothing like that." He reassured me. "It's Leah. There's…" he trailed off and blew out a breath. "I think there's something going on with her boss, but I don't quite know what yet?"

"Really? But, I thought the FBI vetted Reycon after the takedown and Kebi skipped the country?"

"I thought so too. But it's very possible that he had someone working on the inside there that wasn't flagged. It was a big operation. Sometimes when you're focusing on the bigger fish, smaller ones slip through the net."

"Anyhow, some of the things Leah has mentioned just make me think that something is going on there."

"Like what?"

"Well she's often working at odd hours. Not just overtime, but weird hours like late at night. And it's not just checking emails or remote access, things like you do. She's making deliveries and meeting with 'business contacts.' It all seems odd to me."

"Wait, what division is she in again?" I knew she had just been promoted, but our life had been so crazy that I couldn't remember where to.

"That's the other thing. She's not a scientist; she has a business degree. But she's working in the new product development area and even more specifically with development of antiserums for different strains of biological weapons."

"Isn't that kind of work usually confidential?" I asked, wondering how my father knew this information.

"Nothing is ever completely confidential, Bella. You of all people should know that."

I rolled my eyes, properly chastened, but still wondering what he was getting at.

"Regardless, she's not qualified enough to be there. I can't help but wonder if she wasn't promoted there because of who she is."

Suddenly I finally understood what my father was getting at.

Jacob. His contacts with the Dracs and other men in the underworld.

Our family.

"You don't think she's in on it do you?" I asked hesitantly.

"No. But I do think her boss might be using her for her level of knowledge about the city and the less than appealing parts of it."

"Why would Leah know about that?"

My father sighed again and rubbed his head.

"Dad?"

"Harry told me this in complete confidence, so you can't let on that I told you anything. But when Leah graduated from high school she was pretty lost for a few years before she settled down with Jacob. She was in with some shady people, some of which are the ones Jacob dealt with. Let's just say she didn't make her money the way her parents wanted her to."

I gasped, disbelieving that the Leah I knew could ever do something like that.

"Are you saying she was a prostitute?" I whispered lowly.

"I don't know about that, but she was a dancer at a very dangerous club up in the Bronx. And she started to develop a pretty nasty addiction before Sue and Harry hauled her home and cleaned her up. Then she went to school for a year or two and met Jacob. No one really knew except for a few of Harry's closest friends because he needed us to keep an eye out for her."

"Dad…" I said shaking my head. I couldn't believe all of this. But I still didn't understand what he needed from me. "Why are you telling me all of this now?"

He leaned against the corral and crossed his arms over his chest, double checking to make sure no one could hear us. But honestly it was the perfect place for this type of conversation. It was loud as hell in there and no one could hear us unless they were as close as we were.

"Because I feel like it's all coming to a head again. Her boss previously worked in Kebi's department. He comes up clean in our background checks but we're still keeping an eye on him. And I'm concerned with everything that just happened to you. I'm worried that they might try to get to you through her."

I nodded, finally understanding. "Have you talked to Carlisle about this? Maybe he could do something? Or Edward?"

He shook his head. "Not yet, but I'm also worried that if one of them starts snooping around then we will lose the trail, if there is one."

"Hmmm," I hummed, my mind spinning with the new information. But before I could ask any more questions, my father asked one of me.

"I need you to do something for me." I nodded for him to continue and leaned in. "I want you to try to get some information from Leah about her boss. Find out if she knows anything about his background, about who she's meeting with outside the office. Maybe then we can put some things together. I don't think she would suspect anything, nor would it get back to her boss because she would just think you're showing an interest in her new job."

Recon on Reycon, by me.

Well this ought to be interesting. I felt like I was in Edward's position now.

I pondered it for a moment, thinking about how I could corner her. We were definitely friendlier but it wasn't like we hung out without our families.

Maybe it was time to start.

"I can ask her to lunch." I nodded.

"Just be careful. If you think it's not going anywhere, don't push it."

I nodded, lost in thought about how to go about that.

"Captain Swan?" A man called from the doorway to the range. "You have a phone call."

"Why don't you do another round while I take this?" My father nodded to me and I agreed.

I set up my weapon and checked my stance before aiming and firing at the bull's-eye thirty yards away.

A breath of air left me as the paper buzzed through the air back to me. My thoughts were as scattered as the bullets on the sheet. But they were all in the same range. Where that was good with my shooting, it was starting to concern me as to my thought process.

Just as the sheet hit a stop, my father's voice broke my concentration.

"Bella!" He hurried over to me, eyes wide and concerned.

"What's wrong Dad?"

"I just got a phone call. From Seth." He swallowed. "Aro Volturi has been released from prison."

XXXX