10

My first stop was to see Esme and Carlisle. I knew they wouldn't know me, but I wanted to get their take on what happened. It was ironic that Esme was the suspect before, and now it was her words that convicted Edward. I drove up to the gate and asked to speak with Esme. I was let in and pulled up to the front of the house.

As I walked toward the door I saw Laurent. I called out and waved at him, smiling from ear to ear. He gave me an odd glance and went back to work. I felt foolish and quickly rang the doorbell. Esme answered without any recognition of me. "May I help you?" she asked politely.

"My name is Bella Swan, and I'm a reporter for the Journal. I'm doing an article on Edward's innocence," I announced.

"His innocence?" she asked to make sure she heard correctly.

"Yes, I don't believe he killed his parents and I want to prove it," I said.

She stepped back and let me into the house. It was changed from the home I grew to know and more open and light. She walked me to a sitting room and offered me a drink. I declined and shot off my first question. "Who would have a reason to kill your sister?"

"I have no idea," she answered instantly. "Elizabeth was a wonderful, kind, loving woman."

"When Edward asked her about the safety of the house, did it make her worry about anyone close to them?"

Esme shook her head and replied, "It made Elizabeth uneasy with Edward. He seemed to be pushing her to protect herself for some reason. The court felt it was his own way to save her before killing his father, but she didn't listen to him."

"Why would Edward kill his father?" I asked pointedly.

"He wouldn't," she corrected.

"Did the prosecution give a motive?"

"They felt the pressure made Edward snap."

"Was Edward under pressure?"

"Not that I saw," she said loudly.

"Did Edward ever tell you what happened that night?" I pushed.

She inhaled sharply and nodded. "He said he found the old laundry chute that evening before bed. He woke up when he heard some noises. He saw someone leaning over the bed struggling with Elizabeth. Edward senior was already dead."

"Did he recognize the person?"

"No, it was only a shadow. The hall lights were on and it blinded him from seeing clearly."

"Doesn't it seem weird that a killer would turn on the hall lights?" I mused.

"Yes, it was just what the prosecution argued," Esme said sadly. "All the doors were locked when Aro arrived the next morning and there was no evidence of a forced entry."

"How could a twelve year old boy have the strength to do what they say he did?"

"Adrenaline," Esme said with disgust.

"That's ridiculous," I murmured, and she nodded her head in agreement. I now had to get to a more difficult subject. "What's Edward like now?"

She sighed and looked so devastated. "He inherited a lot of money, so he just….hangs out."

"He doesn't play the piano anymore?" I asked.

"No, he hasn't touched a key since the murders. He refuses to play."

"Why?" I asked, thinking it would be something that comforted him.

"He says the music is gone now. That is all he ever says about the subject."

I nodded and then asked if I could see the attic. I thought she would politely ask me to leave, but it must have felt good for her to have an ally in her nephew's innocence. She stood and led me up the stairs and past the room which used to be Edward's. I glanced inside but everything had been changed. We headed up the narrow staircase and into the attic. It was just the way I remembered it. I walked over to where the blood stains used to be and found nothing. I headed to the mirror as my palms began to sweat.

I moved the sheet aside and found the familiar wooden frame but the glass was completely gone. Esme spoke softly and said, "Edward destroyed it."

My heart clinched and I couldn't speak. I only let the material fall from my hand and walked back down the stairs. I promised Esme I would let her know anything I was able to uncover and headed across the yard to talk to Laurent. The sun was beginning to set and long shadows formed on the lawn.

He saw me coming and walked to meet me half way. "Hello," I said and introduced myself to him again. He shook my hand and gave me a weary glance. "You stayed on after the murders?" I asked.

"I was in France. I had nothing to do with it," he protested.

"I know," I said, and saw him relax a bit. "I just meant with the parents gone and Edward locked away….."

"The Cullen's moved in here to care for Edward until after the trial. They stood by him and made this his home. He chose to leave."

"Does he visit?" I asked.

Laurent shook his head sadly and said, "He doesn't like them to see how messed up he is."

"Do you think he did it?" I asked and braced myself to control my anger if I received the wrong answer.

"No, he didn't have a violent bone in his body. What they put that kid through was wrong, period."

I smiled and said, "I agree, and I'm going to prove it. If you can think of anything that can help him, will you call me?" I handed him a card and then got back in my car and drove to Edward's place. I knocked several times but nobody answered the door. I finally headed home and decided to get a good night's sleep before talking to James and Victoria again.

I unlocked my door and stepped into a dark apartment. I turned on the light and screamed when I saw Edward sitting on my couch. He didn't smile or apologize so I leaned against the door and tried to steady myself. I placed my hand on my chest and said, "You scared me to death."

"Who's Jake?" he asked, without explaining.

"What?" I said softly.

"Jake called," he said, and nodded toward my answering machine. "He said to turn your cell phone on and call him before he shows up here to drag your ass home."

"This is my home," I said angrily, and hit the delete button on the machine. I was grateful Edward didn't answer but I knew I had to face Jake sooner or later.

I stayed on my side of the room and we stared at each other silently. My heart was pounding and the intensity of his eyes bore into mine. He finally said, "Do you have gum?"

My hand automatically rose to enter my purse and then stopped to stare back at him. He remembered me and I wasn't sure how to respond. I let my hand fall again and only nodded.

"How?" he asked. It was one word, but it spoke volumes.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I went to your house ten days ago to write a story about the murder of the Masen family….all the members of the family."

He remained quiet so I added, "I saw you in the mirror that day. I don't know how or why. I just know you were still in 1991 and I had to try and save you."

He sat forward and let his head fall into his hands. I thought I heard him crying, but I wasn't sure. I walked slowly to the sofa and he suddenly reached out and pulled me close, locking his arms around my waist and sobbing loudly into my stomach. I let my body fold over his and I held him back. "I'm so sorry," I said as I cried with him.

"I needed you," he sobbed.

"I'm here," I told him. "I'm here and I'm never leaving again."

We rocked back and forth until he was able to gain control. He wiped his face with his sleeve and then sat back on the couch without looking at me. I moved to kneel between his legs and spoke softly. "Edward, I don't know how this is happening, but you didn't kill your parents and we need to prove it."

"It doesn't matter," he said sadly.

"It matters to me. I saved you once, and I'm going to do it again."

He smiled awkwardly and then looked into my eyes with all the pain he was feeling visible. His mouth opened but his voice had no volume. I patted his knee and said, "What is it, Edward?"

He spoke in a whisper and said, "I didn't think you were real. I loved you as a young boy loves a beautiful woman, but you weren't real. I used to imagine you coming into my cell to hold me and tell me everything was okay, but you didn't really come. I would walk drunkenly down Michigan Avenue and search every brunette for your face, but you were never there."

"I moved here several months ago. I couldn't come because I didn't know. But now I know and I came. I'm here now, Edward," I said, and moved in closer to hold his jaw in my hands.

One lone tear fell from his long lashes and his lip trembled as he said, "I'm married."

My hands fell from his face as if touching something hot. I felt like he had kicked me in the chest when I had my own relationship that excluded him. It was crazy to feel this way. He was only an image in a mirror I spoke to for a week. I didn't even know the man in front of me, but it hurt all the same.

I scooted away from him and sat silently on the floor. He was also struggling to make sense of what we were both feeling. He groaned and punched his leg a couple of times before finally addressing me directly. "I managed to hurt myself beyond what death would have done to me."

"Why didn't anyone help you? Why did Aro just leave you and the others move on with their lives."

"They must have thought I did it," he said sadly.

I shook my head. "No, they knew you better than anyone. Laurent told me that there is no way you did it."

"You spoke to Laurent?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes, and I e-mailed Aro at his school in Italy. James and….."

"Aro is dead," Edward said with anger, thinking I was lying to him.

I tried to make sense of what he was saying. Aro found the bodies, he wasn't killed with them. Maybe Edward didn't know the man was still alive. "Aro is running a music conservatory in Italy. He was devastated when you died."

Edward didn't falter and said, "He hung himself from his apartment balcony when I was found guilty. He left a note saying he didn't know I was under so much pressure. He believed what they said about me."

I should have realized how painful it was for the young Edward to believe his beloved mentor betrayed him, but I was too concentrated on why the facts of Aro's life would change so much with Edward's conviction. He continued on when he thought the boy was dead, but thinking he was a murderer pushed him over the edge….why? Was it guilt? But he would have felt guilty before if he had killed his student.

"This doesn't make sense," I mumbled. "Aro didn't kill himself when you died, why would he do it when you were convicted?"

"Would you want to be known as the creator of a monster?" Edward said cynically. "Nobody would have hired him."

"He knew you were not a monster. He knew you well. If anyone could profess your innocence it could have been Aro. No, something is wrong. Why did it change?" I said mainly to myself. I was deep in thought and forgot all about Edward sitting on my couch. I glanced over at him to see he was staring at his hands with a stressed expression.

I reached for the purse I dropped onto the floor and pulled out some chewing gum. I held it up to him and he laughed before reaching for my hand. Our flesh connected and I felt some sort of electricity. I let the pack fall into his hand and then pulled away nervously. He smiled widely and let his eyes slowly move to mine. He spoke barely above a whisper and said, "For so long I wished you were real. Now I wish you weren't."

He stood and put the gum in his pocket before walking out my door.