A/N: This got deep and emotional… Listened to Heart of Stone by Iko on repeat. I promise – it will get more positive. TRIGGER WARNING - stories of animal abuse.

EPOV

After June left and Bella went to nap I damn near melted onto the huge leather couch in the living room. What had I just listened to? Did this kind of thing really happen that often? I couldn't even begin to imagine how horrific it must have been for June to go through that and I refused to let my brain replace the people with Bella and James. God, if he ever got his hands on her again I'd fucking kill him. No question.

"Hey dude. You look rough, wanna talk about it?" Emmett was the only guy who could say something that girlie and get away with it. There was just something about this big oaf that you knew you could absolutely trust.

"June just told us the most insane story..." I filled him in on the conversation and he whistled as he plopped down on the other end of the couch.

"Damn! You think James would pull that with Bells?" He asked the million dollar question I didn't want to think about.

"Not while I'm alive." I snarled. Emmett nodded in agreement. "I just don't understand why this had to happen to her of all people! She's the sweetest, kindest, most gentle person I have ever known..."

"It's not even about that. Hell, it could actually be just about that now that I think about it. Who'd be more trainable?" He whispered.

"She's not a goddamn dog, Em!"

"Never said she was. I am simply saying he knew what he was doing when he went for her. It's only a bonus that she's as gorgeous as she is." He explained. I sighed and rubbed my hand over my face roughly. "She doesn't blame herself does she?" His voice even smaller than before.

"Of course she does! And I don't know how to make her stop." I felt myself choke up a bit at that.

"Maybe show her the tougher ones here? Show her that even if you've been brutalized you can still recover and actually become stronger than you were before." Emmett was making way too much sense for my liking. I nodded.

"When she gets up I'll see if she wants to go for that walk."

~V~

I woke up to a light tapping on my shoulder. Opening one eye I searched for the person who dared wake me from my slumber. It was a very timid Bella. Her hand coming out to tap me again, stopped mid-reach. She was chewing on her bottom lip and had her other arm crossed over herself. I went to sit up and she jumped back so fast curling in on herself that I thought I hurt her somehow. "Are you OK?" I asked, concerned.

"I-I just...I wanted to tell you I'm ready for the walk now but I was afraid to bother you. Emmett said it would be ok but I'm really sorry if I disturbed you." She explained in the tiniest little voice I think I had ever heard.

I sat up slowly and smiled. I felt like I was trying to approach a wounded deer and if I moved too fast she'd bolt. I watched her tremble slightly and I sat stock still. "I'm glad you woke me! I would have been disappointed if I made you miss our adventure." She let out a breath I didn't realize she'd been holding and smiled.

"So you're not mad?" She asked, timidly.

"Of course not, Bella! Don't ever be afraid to wake me. I don't care if it's three in the morning. If you need something I'm here for you." I assured her as I got up and stretched. "Now...are you ready for something awesome?" I grinned crookedly.

"OK!" She squeaked. I suppose that was the most excited she'd get for now. I held out my good hand for her to take. She stared at it for a few seconds before she took it. I squeezed her hand lightly as I led her out of the house and down to the far end of the kennels where our troubled lot were. It was a bit cozier and quieter for their needs. I almost jumped out of my skin when she spoke after what felt like forever. "Where are we going, exactly?"

"You remember I said we own a rescue shelter, right? Well, I'm taking you somewhere Emmett suggested. Do you trust me?" I paused just outside of the door. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, blushed a bit and nodded. "OK. Now, these buggers are skittish so we have to be sensitive to that."

"Like me..." Bella whispered. My heart broke into dust. I wasn't sure if this was such a good idea anymore. "I'm ready."

Steeling myself I opened the door. There were currently two dogs in this outbuilding. They were pit bull mixes. "This white one is Diamond. She was a bait and breeder dog." Bella slowly moved over to Diamond and held her hands out, palms up to show her that she wasn't a threat. I'll be goddamned if Diamond didn't sniff the air and come right up to the door. She was one we were really worried about because of her injuries. "She's severely injured as you can see. Alice is working to keep her going so she can heal and get better."

"What happened to her?" She whispered. I stared, transfixed on the two of them as Diamond actually let Bella caress her battle worn face.

"She was kept for breeding and when she wasn't pregnant they would tie her up and let the dogs that were training to fight attack her." I explained. I heard a little choking sound coming from Bella as she slowly went to her knees and actually reached in to hug this usually timid dog.

"I know, Diamond. I know. You'll be OK though, right? You want to go to a nice family don't you, girl?" She cooed as she gently rubbed Diamond's neck. Diamond let her without complaint. I had to take several calming breaths before we moved on. At this rate she was going to make me sob like a baby.

"Over here we have Darcy. He's a shar pei, pit mix. See his wrinkles?" I pointed to the dark grey pup across the room. Bella gave Diamond one more scratch and got up to move across the room. He popped his head up and tilted it to the side, checking us out. He was a guard dog supposedly and when he didn't do whatever it was his owner wanted he was beaten severely. Someone had video of the guy actually picking Darcy up by the throat and choking him. The Good Samaritan got the dog away from the asshole and we took him in. He's almost all healed up but he's probably our toughest case we've had in a while. He still won't come anywhere near Emmett or me." I ran my hand through my messy hair absentmindedly.

I looked down at Bella and she was openly crying the most heart wrenching tears I'd ever seen. "Why would Emmett want me to see this?" She quaked.

"Because, we want you to understand fully that there isn't anything that you've ever done to deserve what has happened to you. That you will survive this and you will come out stronger on the other side." I needed her to understand this more than I ever needed anything else in my life. Every single time I was around her my body and mind had only one thing they wanted: for Bella to be better, and if at all possible, with me for the rest of her natural existence. I was an asshole.

She looked up at me with such open wonder that I almost lost the ability to stand. She was so damn fragile! How could anyone hurt her? I'd never understand. She looked back at Darcy and headed over to his kennel. "Hi Darcy. I'm Bella." She cooed. Darcy continued to stare her down. I almost jumped in front of her, worried he might snap at a stranger. Hell, it took me a month to get into his kennel without help. I tried to control myself though.

She walked up to him just as she walked up to Diamond. "Ya know? I think the worst is when you did your very best and it isn't good enough. It is hard to understand why the pain comes anyway." Darcy listened intently and I had to turn my head away. The tears I knew would come eventually weren't staying back any longer. I was angry and sad at the same time. I didn't know how to feel. "I'm going to let you sniff me so don't bite me, OK?"

I was almost across the room to stop her but her hand was in his kennel before I could do anything. I froze. There was no air in the room. I watched as Bella calmly placed her hands inside the kennel slowly. Darcy's eyes never left Bella's face. Finally she knelt down to be at his level and Darcy stood up. This was it. He was going to maul her...

Thank fuck I had a wall to grab onto because for the second time today I almost fell over. His tail started wagging wildly as he started licking her hands. Bella giggled and smiled. "See? I'm just like you, too." She reached up and actually opened the kennel door before I could register what she was doing and he bounded out and knocked her down.

"Bel..." Bella held her hand up to stop me. I bit my lip so hard I thought I tasted blood.

"Who's a good boy? Are you a good boy?" Bella squealed as he continued licking her. "Yes you are! You're a very good boy!" I went to step closer and he stood over her and growled at me. "I guess he only likes me. We're from the same club, though so that might be why."

I stood still as she had Darcy go back in his kennel. "What?" I was shocked so badly I turned stupid.

"I think they know I'm like them." She shrugged.

"This was a bad idea..." I groaned.

"Why do you say that?" Bella asked, confused.

"You're not like one of these dogs." I almost growled. My mind was racing a mile a minute and I couldn't get a clear thought going.

Bella walked over to me and hugged me. I froze and stopped breathing. She pressed her cheek to my chest and sighed. "Oh, but I am, Edward. You've been saving them for how long now? Just accept that they are the cuter, fuzzier version of me."

"I can't, Bella! I can't accept that you had to endure that. I fucking can't do it." I sobbed. Like a fucking child. In front of a woman I was supposed to be strong for. I felt her tug on me and we sank to the floor. She wrapped me in her arms and rocked me. She rocked me and shushed me like a baby. "I can't stand that myself. I can't..." I choked.

"Edward! It will be OK. I will be OK, I think... No, I know I will be OK because you're here now." She said.

I looked her dead in the face and said what I had been thinking for years, "I knew you were there, Bella. I knew you saw me with Lauren." I felt her stiffen. I held her in place. "I did it because I thought you liked me and I knew I was a piece of shit. I had to hurt you so you'd stop wasting your time on me. Had I not done that. Had I just been a fucking man I would have told you how I felt to your face and I would have let you decide. I decided for you and I pushed you into his arms. I am the reason you've gone through any of this. I did this to you."

"I loved you, Edward. You broke my heart." She whispered. I cried harder. "But, you didn't cause my pain. No matter how much you want to tell yourself you did. Only James is responsible for that. I know that now."

"I will never. Never care about another human being as much as I care about you. I'm not trying to complicate anything. I'm just telling you the truth." I sighed, taking a few deep, cleansing breaths. I pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, memorizing every little detail of her face, in case she chose to go.

"You are more amazing than you could ever know. I've never felt more safe in my life, what with a bunch of hunks - furry or otherwise - surrounding me? You haven't complicated anything, Edward. Don't worry." Bella smiled and kissed my cheek before standing up and dusting herself off. I just realized how much pain she was probably in from sitting on this hard floor.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." I mumbled as I stood and brushed myself off, too.

"How's that now?" Bella asked confused.

"Sitting here probably wasn't pleasant." My eyes dropped to the floor.

"It was worth it. Ya know, Edward... I don't think I'm the only one who needs to heal and accept what's happened. But, I'm glad to be healing with you." She grabbed my good hand and tugged. "Come on... it's got to be close to dinner time. I'm starving and if I'm starving, Emmett might be eating the dog food."

A laugh that came straight from my toes surprised me as I envisioned Emmett eating cans of dog food. "Oh, please let that be real..."

"You're such an ass." She giggled and shook her head. "Come on."

She didn't know it, but she could lead me into the burning fires of Hell and I'd follow her. All she'd have to do is ask.