Chapter 10

Bella's POV

After I was finished with my second run, I was shocked to see more than one police cruiser in front of the house. They were not here for a personal visit. As I rounded the corner, the police photographers were leaving the house whispering to one another, saying something about a necklace. My dad was talking to one of his deputies and turned to see me.

He pulled me into a bear hug. "Where the hell have you been, Bella?"

"I went for a run." I said, pulling away and looked around the house to see the officers chattering with one another. "Dad, what's going on?"

"How long was your run?"

"I don't know about two hours."

Charlie sighed, "Someone broke in the house and went in your room."

My eyes widen and immediately, ran upstairs to see that everything I have ever owned was on the floor. My bed was turned over, my clothes were on the floor, and my closet door was broken –my closet!

I ran inside my closet and breathed a sigh of relief because whoever was in my room did not find my weapons or take any of the files that I'd secretly hidden. Charlie told me to look around to see if anything is missing but the more I look, the more I become confused. Why would a burglar kidnap a picture of me and take my hairbrush?

"Bella, I think it's safe that you stay at a friend's house," Charlie said when he came in, his eyes sweeping over the mess.

I scoffed, "I don't have friends, remember?" Charlie frowned at me. And I sighed; I cannot believe these words are coming out of my mouth. "Alice Cullen came by earlier with her siblings and offered me to sleepover at her house tonight."

Charlie smiled, "That's great. I'm going to call their parents and see if it is alright with them."

"Can't I just stay at your friend's house –the guy that gave me the car?"

Charlie shook his head, "The Cullens are nice people, Bella. I am positive that their sons will protect you."

"I don't know them," I said bluntly.

"Then you can get to know them. Besides, I am sure Jacob needs to focus on your car." He said and a blurry image of a small boy with a huge grin came to my mind.

I do not know how but Alice Cullen managed to get me to sleepover at her house.

I packed a few of my clothes, two books, and several small weapons in my duffle bag and wishing that I could chase this burglar than a sleepover at a stranger's house. I grabbed my laptop just in case and my eyes wandered around the room, hoping there is something that the burglar left. But what exactly? Is it just a regular burglar or a Division agent? I rather have a burglar after me.

Charlie drove me to the Cullen's house and for some reason; I did not find it surprising that the house I encountered on my first run in Forks has to be the Cullen's house. It suits their style: far away from town and quiet. Alice's face was the first I saw when the door opened and unexpectedly, she hugged me. "I knew you would change your mind! I knew it!"

"Uh, Alice I need oxygen." I gasped and noticed her siblings were in the living room behind her with amused smirks.

"Hello, Chief Swan. Our parents are inside so please come in." Alice said and the moment I stepped inside; my eyes wandered over the exquisite taste around from old artifacts to paintings to flowers. Mrs. Cullen must be some woman with this type of expensive taste. Then again, she has to be superhuman to take care of five children that were not hers. "Carlisle and Esme are upstairs in his office; I'll take you to them."

"Dad, no," I whispered, nearly begging.

I didn't want to be alone with them yet because that would mean, I would have to stay for the night.

"So why are you here?" Rosalie snarled at him as she took Emmett's arm. They looked like to be an old married couple. "I thought we weren't good enough to be your friends."

"I never said that, Rosalie. I decided to stay here because…someone broke into my room while I was out." I told him and shifted my feet uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at their faces. "Cha-my dad thinks it is best that I stay here."

"So you are endangering this family?"

I flinched, memories of my mom and Phil's death flowing back to me. "No, I am not. I do not know who would want to break into my room because they did not steal anything valuable to me."

"How do you know that? How do you know it is not the people that took you away?"

"Rosalie!" Edward yelled.

I looked away at the siblings and tried to remember how to breathe. Even if she is right, I have no other choice but to stay here. If it were a Special Division agent after me, he would know that I would take the first plane out of Washington. But that would mean…he knows that Charlie is my father and the Chief of Police now. Gosh, I hate not knowing.

Finally, the parents and Alice came down the stairs, Charlie stood by my side, and I wanted to grip his arm so he would take me out of here. But I did not. It would seem childish.

"Bella, Charlie told us about what has happened and we will try and make sure you will feel safe," Esme told me. Her beauty is just as similar as the rest of her family but her dark-haired beauty reminded of Snow White. And for some reason, her hair color and smile made me miss my mom more.

"Are you sure you are okay with this? What if Rosalie was right? What if it was my kidnappers?" I questioned them.

"We have your father's number on speed dial."

"Yeah, that's not creepy at all," I mumbled under my breath.

"I'll call you tomorrow morning," Charlie promised and patted my shoulder before thanking the Cullens again and leaving me alone in their house.

"Okay, so what should we first?" Alice jumped with excitement and I had to step away from her happiness.

"Homework."

"Nails."

"Homework."

"Movies."

"Homework," I said once again in my monotone voice. If I did my homework slowly, perhaps they could leave me alone. For all I know, they already finished their homework.

"But it is a Saturday," Alice whined.

"I like a head start."

"Alice, leave her alone," Edward spoke up and I looked at him gratefully but felt a tiny hit of guilty because I yelled at him before.

And Alice invited me to her house...

"If we watch one movie right now, then can I do my homework?" I asked with a sigh and grimaced as Alice gave me another hug and she ran upstairs to pull out the collection of movies with Jasper by her side.

"Her hyper and cheerful attitude is not contagious is it?" I asked and everyone around me chuckled.

Unfortunately, I did not do any of my homework after watching the movie because we watched three more after that and it already became dark enough to eat dinner. I was surprised to see a lot of food on the table but then again, she has Emmett as a son and he looks a bear. We ate in dinner in silence but at times, they would ask me innocent questions and I appreciate that but then, Rosalie would ruin it for me with her inappropriate and angry questions.

"So Bella have you decided which college you would want to attend to next year?" Carlisle asked me.

I sipped my water, trying to think of an answer. But I have none. I have made many lies in the past about colleges but those were undercover. I actually never thought about attending college –hell, I never thought I would attend high school.

"Um, no not really. I never thought about it in the past." I told him honestly. "But I do want to go. My parents could not attend college when they had me –they were my age and I do not want my dad to feel…like he didn't raise me right."

"Well, that is the most honest answer I have ever heard." Esme smiled. "Your father is lucky to have you."

I chuckled at her choice of words, "No ma'am he's not. I am lucky to have him."

"Because he's alive and not in the ground?"

"Rosalie!" Esme gasped at her daughter.

I turned my head, my eyes staring at the cold, gorgeous woman by Emmett's side. "You don't know me."

"Yes, I do in fact. You are just a teenager girl who wants everyone to feel bad for her and befriend her –"

"You honestly think that I want people to feel bad for me? You think I am just a pathetic little victim. Let me tell you something, Rosalie. I am not weak –I was never weak. So do not make accusations at me because you do not know me or my past. And to answer your earlier question, yes I am lucky to have my dad alive right now because if he wasn't…" I sighed, trying to think of the right words to finish that sentence but my eyes stayed focused on my drink.

"If he wasn't…?" Edward questioned for me to continue.

I lifted my eyes, staring at Edward's now topaz eyes. "You really don't want me to finish that sentence. Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Cullen but I lost my appetite."

Suddenly, Edward grabbed my wrist as I tried to make a run to the stairs but his grip is too hard to run away from. "Rosalie, apologize to her," Edward demanded from his sister.

"She doesn't have to, Edward."

"Yes, she does."

"I want an apology from her, not a force one. Now let me go."

Edward scoffed as he released his death grip on me. "Then you will never get one. Rosalie is selfish."

"And I think Bella is too," Rosalie added as if Edward's words did not hurt her at all. If I had a sibling telling me that, he would end up in the hospital five minutes later. "She wants to keep her secret a secret from everyone including her own father and she loves the attention at school."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. If you don't, why have you told anyone about your past?"

I closed my eyes, remembering the blood, the sounds, the smell of gunpowder, and the faces. I reopened my eyes and stared at this perfect family. "William Glasser once said, 'What happened in the past that was painful has a great deal to do with what we are today.' Why don't you think about that for a while?"

I did not wait for anyone to say anything else as I ran up the stairs and closed the bathroom door behind me. I knew they had another bathroom downstairs but it wouldn't mean I could get away. My hands then gripped the counters of the white sink, trying to remember how to breathe, and lifted my head to see my reflection. My face was red with anger…or was it embarrassment? Was Rosalie right? Am I being selfish by not telling my dad about Special Division? But I am protecting him…from something he does not know exists.

"Damn it," I screamed as I punched the wall and cursed once more, seeing blood on my knuckles and a hole on the wall. This is the worst sleepover ever.

"Bella, is everything okay in there? We heard screaming." Carlisle's voice said outside.

I opened the door to see Dr. Cullen standing there with a concerned look on his face. I did not say anything but show him my hand. His lips twitched, almost like he was going to smile but he did not and pulled me aside, to his office. He has a lot of books and paintings in his office but it did not surprise me to see photos of his family. I sat down; watching as he took out bandages and everything else that could be at a hospital.

"Did you rob the hospital or something?"

Carlisle chuckled, "Well you never know when a person is injured outside of the hospital."

"I didn't do this on purpose. It was an accident. I lost control of my anger for a moment –and I promise I will pay for that hole on the wall." I said.

"Bella, don't worry. Besides, Esme always waited to recreate that bathroom for a long time." Carlisle said and then, smiled. "You just gave her a perfect excuse and she, and I are not mad at you." I hissed at the sizzling pain of alcohol on my hand. "I know Rosalie can be much but she should not have –"

"She's angry and worried about the safety of her family. I get it." I interrupted him. "I would be too if some girl is staying for the night at my house because a burglar stole things only from her room. I am sorry though for my actions and my choice of words at the table. It was rude and inappropriate."

Once Carlisle was done with my hand, he put the medical tools away to the side and looked at me. "Bella, I understand how hard it is to open up to someone especially if you do know him or her. No one is forcing you to reveal your deep, dark secrets in one day. Alice already sees you as a potential friend and Edward…they want to be your friend. I think you do as well."

"But I can't."

"Why not?"

I tried to grip my hands but one of them bandaged up. Why is he pressing this issue on me? "I'd rather not go to another funeral."

Carlisle's golden eyes soften. "Is that what you are afraid of? That if you get close to people, they will die."

I shrugged, "People always leave one way or another. If you don't mind, I rather get ready to go to bed."

"It's nine o'clock."

"I'm tired." I walked out of the room before he could say anything else.

My feet carried me down the stairs to see Edward and Alice talking in hushes whispers –or more like angry whispers. Edward lifted his head, his eyes locking with mine and I looked away, feeling my heart quicken by the second. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything. But I am going to bed. It's been an interesting Saturday so far."

"But you cannot sleep on the couch."

"I'm sure it's fine, Alice. I would rather be down here than…up there if I hear anything." I said with a sad smile.

"Rosalie and Emmett are out with Jasper. They won't be back until later tonight." Edward informed me and stepped around Alice to walk to me. "Bella about before, I want to apologize for telling my family about our private conservation."

"Hence the word 'private'." I reminded him.

"I am sorry."

Those words did something to my chest because I could see how sincere he was. His handsome, pale face revealed the worriedness and fear that I wouldn't forgive him. Then, I did something I would have never thought to do: I tiptoed up and kissed his cheek, whispering "Thank you." And I walked around him to get my duffle bag.

"We'll leave you alone," Edward said, and grabbed Alice's arm before she could say anything to me.

After changing into my sweat pants and a rock band T-shirt, I pulled out my laptop onto the table in front of me. None of the Cullens was around downstairs, so that means the coast is clear. I pulled out different files that Xander sent me before about the mysterious murders of the others. There has to be another connection. There has to be something that can show me how Special Division found them. If I did not kill Peter, would he have called Noah and tell him about my fake death? But the bigger question is, if I never came to Forks would Maggie still be the victim?

"No, stop it, Bella. You cannot think about the 'what ifs?'" I told myself and continued typing.

But after an hour on my laptop, there was nothing I could have found. It was just luck for Special Division to have found them. My eyes stared at my desktop background; it was a photo of me with Charlie and Renee, a couple of weeks after I returned. The last memory I have as a family together. Now I really regret killing Peter because I could have asked him how he found me in Phoenix.

I closed my laptop out of frustration and jumped, seeing Edward. The small dining table was a barrier between us.

"Jeez, don't you have a bell or something? Don't scare a girl like that."

He smiled at me, "Sorry." Unexpectedly, he sat down on the table across from me and taps my laptop. "Research?"

"Something like that," I chuckled. "So why are you down here? Don't have anything to do on a Saturday night."

"No, not really."

"What do you do if you and your family don't go to town?" I asked.

Edward shrugged, "My family and I do different things to occupy ourselves for the nights."

I grimaced. "Ew, that was something I did not need to imagine."

Edward laughed again and I stared at him surprised. People at school say he has this brooding and depressing attitude but the more I am with him; I do not see it as much. Maybe it was his ominous attitude that is contagious. "I mostly allow myself to drown in my music." He said.

"Do you play anything?"

"I play a bit of everything but the piano is my sanctuary. What is your sanctuary, ?"

I could not help but chuckle. He acted like a gentleman in the early 1990's. "Well, if you must know Mr. Cullen, it is reading and writing. I like to write what I feel, what I see…it feels good to be lost in something that seems like seconds, but really hours."

"You just took the words out of my mouth."

And then, we just talked.

Well, I did actually, because Edward started playing twenty questions with me and he was still not done with his questions. I never felt so talkative before and I do not know if that is a good thing. He asked me about boyfriends and I, of course, told him that no guy would want to be with a girl with a secretive and disturbing past. But the other questions are making me laugh having fun –a feeling I have not had since my mom's death. It was almost midnight and I was surprised that I allowed Edward to sit on the same couch with me but I kept a pillow in front of my chest, almost like a barrier.

"Do you believe things happen for a reason?" He asked me. That was his final question of the night.

"Wow, that is something I never thought you would ask me. Um, give me a moment?" I asked and began tapping my knee, trying to think of the right choice of words.

"Our lives are like books, so we have many chapters. Some are really interesting while others are horrible in this sad way. I can regret everything I have ever done in my life but it cannot change –I cannot change it. At times, I wish I could change the past…but sometimes the past changes me. I have to take everything as a lesson and try to move on. But I cannot just close my story; I have to turn to the next page instead."

"Bella, if you spend your life regretting about your mom's death, or anything else that has happened in the past –trust me when I say this to you." His topaz eyes held me as he speaks. "You will have wasted your valuable life on regret and mistakes."

"Sounds like to me that you are an expert on that."

"I have spent my life trying to fix my mistakes but I can't."

"Mistakes are a part of being human, right?"

"Its part of 'life is not fair'," he smiled –a crooked smile that I instantly like.

I could not help but smile, remembering our first conservation together. I cannot believe he remembered my last words to him before the almost car accident. Then, I realized we have been staring at each other, without talking, longer than seconds and turned my head away, trying to focus on something else interesting.

"It is getting late and we should probably go to bed." He spoke up and I turned my head around, agreeing with him.

"So tomorrow is my turn?"

"Your turn for what?"

"To ask the twenty questions," I said and saw the horror look on his face. "Relax, Edward. I am not going to ask any embarrassing questions or anything too personal. You respect my past –my life and I am going to respect yours."

I lay down on the couch with the blankets on top of me and watched as he walks up on the stairs, his figure disappearing with the darkness. I closed my eyes and whispered, "Good night Edward."

Before the drowsiness could get to me, I thought I heard a faint whisper, "Goodnight Bella."

A/N: As far as you could tell, I have decided to return back to writing "Shadows of Revenge." It's been years and while I did appreciate those that granted me to have the time to want to rewrite it or rather, take a pause - thank you so much. I love the kindness and truth behind each and every one of you readers. Although, I did not appreciate those that personally messaged me threatening me and calling me names or those that anonymously complained and did the exact same thing.

I am only human and it is my right to want to stop writing especially with those that did take my own words. I will be updating the chapters that were previously deleted and some will be rewritten. Hopefully, by the end of this year, I will have finish this story completely.

Thank you,

DisneyRBD