Chapter Fourteen: Another Heart Calls

Edward's POV

"Yes, Aunt Norah...yeah...I'm fine, honest!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I leaned back in the office chair; tired Converse encased feet resting on the ledge of my oak desk. Normally, I was never this lax on the dress code, but I found that working nearly twelve hours in a pair of stiff black Calvin Klein dress shoes could be a bit excruciating.

Besides, the pediatrics' ward was slow and steady today. No one would notice.

I looked down at my watch once more as Aunt Norah prattled on about my distant attitude today. She could sense the tension in my voice; in my sighs and the deafening silence in between. She was ruthless and damned persistent. I groaned as she let out an irritable groan; it was the groan. The groan I would receive every time I broke curfew during one of summer visits or when I were forced to do some sort of grueling chore. I rolled my eyes as I reclined back in the chair, waiting for her to lash out at any moment for being a secretive bastard.

Long pause...

Another long pause...

And yet another lon-

"Edward Anthony Cullen...pardon your auntie's demeanor...but what the hell is your damn problem today? You would think you were the one with swollen feet and pregnant..."

I smirked in reluctance, "You are half right, you know..."

The groan returned with a hint more of vexation laced throughout it.

"Edward, I am being serious. You are really on that high horse of yours today. Now, come on, I know you...damn it, I wiped your tushie for you when you were just a wee..."

I grimaced at the word 'tushie' and began to shush my stir crazy aunt; wanting desperately for her to spare me the gory details of my infancy. "Fine, fine! Bella and I got in a fight two days ago. There? Happy?"

A few silent beats murmured through our connected phone lines as I waited for her to respond.

"Well, what happened?"

I sighed heavily, assessing the verbiage that would best explain our first 'real' argument as husband and wife. Giving up, I finally shook my head in frustration; my bronze locks scattering across my forehead and into my eyes, "It was over the gift basket..."

"What gift basket?"

I groaned, "Come on, Aunt N...the gift basket you sent us...the Peter Rabbit gift basket with the Barefoot in the Park DVD in it..."

Silence slipped through the phone waves once more until Aunt Norah cleared her throat, "Edward...I did not send you that. In fact, I just sent out your package today and all I really got you guys was some clothing for the baby..."

I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest as it all slowly sunk in...my hands began to get clammy and shaky as a flash of ice cold shock went through my body as if I was getting dumped into a vat of ice cold water.

Fuck...what if Bel-

The door of my office flew open just before I could continue my thought. I looked up with trepidation to see a frantic Jasper; his icy blue eyes big with fear and his lips set in a shocking straight line. I tried to find the words...tried to find the will to ask him what was wrong. He beat me to it though in a matter of seconds...

"Bella....Edward, something is wrong with Bella..."

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BPOV

The flashing of red and white lights from the three police cruisers reflected portentously in the water that had collected in the potholes of the teacher parking lot; the constant flashes of light splashed across the broken glass scattered around the car...Edward's car...causing the specks to twinkle innocently as cameras clicked in rhythm of the clapping soles of the police officers shoes.

I shivered as Deb, who had come running out to the parking lot when she heard the sound of approaching sirens, wrapped her beige trench coat around me in effort to keep me warm. She kept her arm wrapped around me protectively as we both looked toward Edward's car where my father, Emmett, and Officer Yorkie surveyed for evidence of any kind: a strand of hair, a scrap of fabric, a drop of blood...anything that could target the culprit.

A tear rolled down my wind burnt cheek as I allowed my eyes to re-assess the damage. All the Volvo's windows were busted in along with the grill, headlights, and taillights. The body of the car was dented and battered; the once glossy silver finish keyed beyond recognition. Not mere scratches, but words etched into its body: 'Bitch', 'Whore', 'Cunt'...

But the worst...the scariest thing imaginable: etched into the hood of the car, the damning words that echoed in my mind for several years: "God can't protect you now." Then, if that wasn't terrifying and painful enough, there, right above the threat rested a relic of my past.

The chain of weathered silver was ripped in half and the ivory pearls that were set solidly in place on the chain were either chipped, cracked, or shattered into dust completely. The small, plain cross that hung modestly from the middle of the chain was warped and bent crudely.

My mother's rosary.

I remembered the day she gave it to me: a vivid memory that wasn't washed away with the rain that pounded the hospital windows of her room that day. I was still so young...still so desperate and in need of my mother's love. I was not ready to lose her, but she only got worse with time. Her once beautiful brown tresses laid limp and dull against her bony shoulders and hollowed pale cheeks. Her chest rose and fell in short gasps as she looked at me with such sadness. Weakly, she reached for my small hands; slipping the rosary beads that she had clung to for the those two long weeks into my hands. My eyes prickled with tears of anguish as she smiled feebly at me.

"Bella...keep this close to your heart...I will...protect....you.....God....he will protect....you..."

She died the next day when her heart went into cardiac arrest.

I kept that rosary around my neck; tucked under my blouses where it was close to my heart. I never took it off in fear that I'd lose not only the memory of my mother...but the protection she had promised me that day in the hospital.

James knew the story behind the rosary. He was the only person that did...I never told Dad or Deb merely because it was such a sacred thing to me. I only told him...

And he used my dead mother's words against me that night...I squeezed my eyes closed and covered my mouth to dull the sobs as the memories began to flood into my mind...

The opal white buttons of my button down blouse popped off and clattered against the hardwood floor and surrounding walls as he tore through my clothing. Each cry...each scream...each plea....silenced with the hard clout of his hand against my swollen cheeks and temples. I could feel and taste the blood that slid from an open cut on my lip as it crept down the corner of my mouth and through the crevices of my teeth. My body shook like the tremors of a raging ocean as he forced me back against the mattress after successfully cutting my bra apart with his Swiss Army knife; its cold blade sliding up and down the valley of my breasts. Frantic, I began to whimper.

"P-Pplease.....ple-oh-god-pleassse...n-n-no..." I shook and cried in terror, reaching up to clutch the cross that rested against my quivering stomach.

"P-p-p-please....God.......mom....God...p-pleas-...plea---se...protect me....."

James looked at me, amused by my despair. He leaned forward as he slid the blade of the knife under the rosary chain that rested right next to my left nipple. Acidly, he spat out, "God? GOD!?! Bella...God isn't going to do shit for you! He fucking let your bitch of a mother die, right? HUH?! Are you THAT fucking dense?!"

Swiftly, the hand that held the knife jerked upward; slicing the rosary in half. I sobbed uncontrollably as I felt all my hopes die accompanying the aching pain of my mother's memory ignited all over again. As my cries began to get louder, James' anger began to grow. Within seconds, I felt the cool blade of the knife flush against my throat. His eyes glared down at me as he moved his other hand down my body to push my panties aside. I trembled in fear as I watched him sneer down at me. Slowly, he leaned forward, whispering huskily into my ear as he drove three stiff fingers into my core; scratching roughly at my barrier:

"God can't protect you now."

I shivered once more as a cool gust of wind pressed against me. My eyes remained tightly sealed until the velvety voice that I've been wanting to hear for the past two days broke through my father's orders to the other officers and detectives on duty.

"BELLA?! BELLA!!!"

Swiftly, my eyelids fluttered open, unleashing a fresh trail of salty tears that burned my skin. I scanned the crowd until my eyes caught a glimpse of bronze silk tresses blowing riotously in the wind.

"BELLA?!"

Arguments aside, I pushed myself up on my feet and out of Deb's protective grip and ran through the crowd. My sob echoed through my ears as his voice became closer and closer. I couldn't contain the pain anymore and all I wanted at that moment was him. I no longer cared what had happened between us. None of it mattered anymore as his name fell from my trembling lips, "EDWARD!"

His frantic jade green eyes met mine from a few feet away. It didn't take long for him to push his way through the crowds and the Port Angeles police that came to assist my father's team. He was almost to me when one of the P.A. officers jerked him back roughly by the neck of his black wool overcoat.

"Sir! This is an official crime scene! I must ask you to leave..."

Edward, already frantic and near tears, tried to jerk out of the officer's grip. "THAT IS MY WIFE, GODDAMN IT! LET ME PASS!"

Before the officer had the chance to fight him off, Emmett ran over and pushed the men apart.

"Officer Aro! Let Mr. Cullen pass to see his wife!" Emmett's order was firm and full of anger as he pushed the officer hard in the chest.

Edward gratefully moved past Emmett and Officer Aro and continued to run to me. Tears slid down his face as he finally reached me; scooping me frenetically into his trembling arms. I sobbed into his chest, not caring if I stained his fresh white shirt with my mascara, blush, or lipstick. My hands slid up his chest and clutched to the lapels of his coat as his hands rested against my hips; pulling me close to his body that shook with his own sobs of anguish.

"Oh E-Edward...I...I....Iam...so...sorry...o-h...god...w-w-hat...kind of dan----ger have I...gotten y-you into...?" I cried out into his chest.

His grip became tighter as he began to drop anxious kisses on top of my head, "You were right...I didn't want you to be...I wanted to..."

I felt him bury his face into the flow of hair that collected on the right side of my neck; his gasps for breath warmed my cool skin as his salty tears moistened my hair and exposed collar bone. Mournfully, he let out weak sob full of regret and fear.

"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry that I failed you, love..."

Author's Note: I know, another short chapter, I'm still pretty busy at work, so please bear with me. The next chapter may take a few days to write and I must warn you, it may be graphic. If so, I will post an A/N before the chapter starts so everyone is aware. It's definitely not going to be an easy one to write.

A big thank you to my beta, AmandaCullen84 and to everyone who has continued to read, review, and recommend this story! You all are amazing! Also, a big thank you to everyone who has nominated and/or voted for Our Lips Are Sealed as best ALT/AH in the Indie Twifics! Voting ends tonight at midnight eastern!

Look for an update soon. I'm hoping to work on it Saturday night!

Thanks and continue to review! I'm interested in seeing what you all think so far!

-Toxic