Innocence Lost; Chapter Ten

Bella stood there in the room watching her father leave. I saw her knees quiver; she probably didn't even notice it. I got up from my seat to go catch her.

She had just told her father the worst thing possible, it probably would have been easier to tell him that she was pregnant and we were getting married. Less likely, but definitely easier.

"It's okay, Bella."

"He's angry at me, he doesn't want to talk to me anymore," of course she had twisted his anger to anger at her and not at the rotten piece of flesh down at the Forks police station.

I held her in my arms, careful to not upset of any of her injuries and she cried into my shoulder. More heartbreaking sobs. I felt my dead heart twist in agony for her. If only I had Jasper's power, I could lessen the pain for her. For me. Make it more manageable.

But that wasn't right. It was just like telling Charlie for her. I had to let Bella work through her pain. It would be better in the long run.

Apparently.

"He hates me," she cried out, "How can you even love me right now?" I felt her pull away from me but I fought her and held her closer.

I ran us up to her room and sat down on the bed, still refusing to let go of her. I pulled the quilt around, I took the scrunchie out of her hair and ran my fingers through it, careful to avoid the still tender stitches.

I kissed her forehead, "Bella, your father loves you. He could never be angry with you," our homecoming from Italy flashed in my mind, "not for this," I added, "He's angry at Newton, as he should be. We all are. We're angry at ourselves, Bella. Everyone in this situation had the ability to stop it from happening. Except you."

"How can you still love me though?" she hesitated, "I'm not whole anymore."

I held back a laugh of disbelief, "Do you think I care about, Bella? I may have been raised in the early 1900's, but I hardly hold those beliefs anymore. Do you think I would be staying here with you every night in this bed if I held those beliefs?" she shook her head listlessly, "I could never stop loving, I never have stopped loving you and I never will stop loving you. No matter what could ever happen to you, whole or not, perfect of not."

Human or not, I admitted to myself.

"Is that true?" she asked, her voice weak and child like.

"Would I ever lie to you?" I regretted saying. She raised her eyebrow and smiled. She smiled.

"What will happen at the trial?" she asked, snuggling back into me.

"Well, later on today we will go into the police station and give our testimony. I won't be able to be with you then," I looked down at her to gauge her reaction. She blinked her eyes and looked away from me, not wanting me to see the fear of what would happen in her eyes, "And then at the trial, you'll be questioned by Newton's attorney, he's probably a court appointed attorney since the Newton's aren't extremely well off.

"You'll most likely have to repeat what happened. And then our lawyer will question you-"

"Wait, your lawyer?" she looked up at me. I grabbed her hand, which was fiddling with my collar and kissed her knuckles.

"You don't think our family would let you hire your own lawyer. We have the best lawyer there is, he's been around longer than Carlisle has," she smiled and again and rolled her head.

"Of course there are vampire lawyers. As long as it doesn't turn in to Wolfram & Hart," I scoffed at her reference to the demon law firm, "Any vampire celebrities? Like Antonio Banderas, although I suppose he isn't pale enough. Huh."

I smiled, delighted to her light heartedness coming back, "It's too hard to be a celebrity since there are always going to be pictures of you, people would catch on after a couple of generations," I twisted a lock of her still wet hair around my finger, "Anyway, back to the trial," I hated turning the conversation sour, but I knew I had to, "You'll be questioned by both lawyers as will Black and I, probably that Sam kid and some other kids at the party. Newton's lawyer might call a couple of character witnesses depending on his plea.

"It'd be absolutely moronic of him to testify as innocent, there's too much evidence against him. But they could use it to show that he would never do something like this," I spit out the words, "again.

"It shouldn't take too long. Everyone has the right to a fair and speedy trial. Especially you. You should get some sleep now, before your father calls or remembers that he didn't kick me out," she laughed and turned into me, I pulled her closer, cradling her against me. I never wanted to let her go.

"Sing to me, Edward. Please," she added in after though, she could order to me to do anything.

"Your lullaby?" I asked.

"Do you have anything new?"

"Yeah. I was writing something for you earlier today," I began to hum the new melody to her until I came to the end where I began to introduce new notes, darker ones hinting at the nights events. The dark notes led to lighter notes hinting at what was to come.

I felt her pulse slow down, she was asleep. I would stay with her till she awoke, praying to a god that she wouldn't have any nightmares.

We would have to go down to the station to report what happened soon. I looked down the battered angel in my arms, the peace and bliss on her face. The police could wait a few more hours.