SM owns all things Twilight

A/N:Sorry about the cliffhanger in the last chapter. It wasn't my intent to end it that way, but it just sort of wrote itself.

Thank you all though for the love you have shown this story!

Chapter Fourteen

"Edward, it was him. He was here and he knows my name."

As soon as she got the words out I could tell she was falling back to wherever she had just been.

I could feel the rage boiling up inside of me. I think at that moment I could have killed someone. I was shaking, shaking so badly I could have hurt her.

"Edward man you have got to pull it together." Jasper was in my ear more or less begging. "She is teetering right now and your reaction is going to push her to a place we may not be able to pull her out of. You have got to calm down and talk to her again."

I knew he was right but it still took everything I had in me to find the strength to calm down.

"Bella sweetie, it's ok. You are safe right now. Right now at this moment you are safe." I looked over at Jasper and at Dad to see if this was the right direction to go. The nod of their heads told me to continue.

"Bella love, look at me, look into my eyes. Let me see those beautiful brown eyes that remind me of the richest chocolate in the world." She looked at me for the first time since I took her in my arms.

"Edward?" She said as if she was just waking up. Tears were falling down her face. Her whole body was trembling.

"Bella dear, I'm right here. Can you move? Can you stand up for me? We want to get you out of here. We want to get you somewhere that you will be more comfortable."

Bella shook her head yes and began to stand up.

The rest of our group had made their way over to where we were. Charlie, Renee and Emmett were trying to get to Bella, but dad and Jasper were begging them to hold off rushing over to her and possibly sending her back over the edge.

After we were on our feet again, we stood there for a few minutes as I waited for her to gather her strength to walk. She started to move when her legs gave out from underneath her. I swooped her up into my arms and began to carry her to the exit. She pulled her arms up around my neck. When I looked back, I saw Charlie and Emmett both trying to get past Jasper and Carlisle to rush to Bella.

I shook my head at them to let them know I had her and to follow us.

"Edward, where are you taking me?" I could barely hear her even though she was so close. Her head was buried in my chest, her hair falling around her face, protecting her.

"Just getting away from here sweetie. Emmett is going to get his Jeep and we are going to head out."

As we got closer to the entrance and the crowd of people grew thinner, Emmett and Peter both rushed past me to get their cars. Thankfully, Bella didn't notice, she was very still and her breathing had calmed a great deal.

I found a bench and sat down while we waited for Emmett and Peter to return with the vehicles. Everyone was standing around us, looking at Bella, trying to figure out what was going on. Charlie was holding Renee who was shaking from her sobs. I could tell that it was killing Charlie to not come over and take her out of my arms. Had it been anyone other than dad telling him he needed to step back and let me do this I knew he would have taken her away already. Alice had her head buried in Charlotte's shoulder, her body movements the same as Renee's. Jasper was standing behind me watching Bella for any signs of another attack.

As we were sitting there waiting, Bella's body suddenly went limp, like she was dead weight.

"Bella sweetie." I whispered in her ear but got no response. Panic began to fill me and I looked over at Dad begging him to come over to us with my eyes. He calmly told Charlie and Renee he was going to check on us and would be right back over.

"Edward, what's wrong?" he said in a whisper, trying not to raise panic in the others. Jasper was now kneeling down in front of us.

"Dad she just went limp." It took everything I had to whisper and not scream the words at him. I was trying so hard to be calm for her, but those words he was here; he knows my name, kept running through my mind.

"Bella sweetie?" Dad whispered into her ear. When she didn't respond he pulled her hair back out of her face. Her eyes were closed and she looked like she was asleep. He pulled her head back as easily as he could so he could check her pulse and her breathing.

"Her breathing is steady and her pulse is calm. I believe she passed out from fear and the exhaustion from the panic attack. This is her body's way of dealing with the stress."

Dad went back over to Charlie to explain what was going on and to keep him at bay.

"Jasper what the hell happened?"

"I really don't know Edward. She was fine and smiling at me when she offered to take a couple of the drinks I had that were about to fall over. After she took them, she suddenly dropped them. I looked down at the drinks, trying to figure out the mess and when I looked up at her she was frozen. All of the color had drained out of her face and then she just fell to the ground. I could tell she was having a panic attack, but I cannot figure out what prompted it."

"Do you remember seeing anyone? She said he was here, that he knows her name? Did someone talk to her?"

"Not that I could tell, but there were so many people around Edward, we were both getting bumped on all sides." He had a look of pain on his face, like he was angry with himself for some reason and his voice was full of remorse.

"Jasper it's ok. What you did for her back there was amazing. I would have freaked out so badly and made it so much worse. Thank you for keeping a cool head about you and making the rest of us do the same. I know we give you shit about being a head doctor, but damn, right now Jasper I couldn't be more thankful."

He laughed and I could see the pain leaving his face.

Emmett and Peter's cars pulled up and Emmett rushed over to Bella and I. Dad and the others came over to meet us as well.

"I think we should take Bella back to our suite at the hotel. She can rest there while we try and figure out what happened and what she said."

"What do you mean, what she said?" Charlie barked at dad.

"Charlie, we'll talk about it once we get back to the room. I need you to remain calm for now." He said holding his ground with Charlie.

Emmett picked Bella up out of my lap and I rushed over to his Jeep, jumping in and taking Bella back into my arms. She never moved. Dad got in beside me and Charlie and Renee piled into the Jeep with us. The rest jumped into Peter's Suburban.

Charlie kept looking back at Bella. I could tell Dad's words were running through his head.

"Do I need to contact Jake and Sam?" Charlie asked looking at me.

"I think so sir."

I could see the look of anger taking over the panic on Charlie's face as he pulled out his cell phone.

"Jacob, its Charlie. Something's happened."

Once we were back in the room, we laid Bella down in the bedroom. She had not moved the entire time we were in the car or as I carried her to the room. Dad checked her vitals again and went back into the living room part of the suite, waiting with the others for Jake and Sam. Renee and mom were in the room with us, sitting on the bed. I paced the floor back and forth, her words running through my mind.

"Mom, were you there when it happened?"

"No darling, when Alice and I came out of the bathroom, they were on the ground. Jasper was holding her face trying to get her to focus on him."

"Edward, what did she say, what has you so worried?" Renee asked walking over to where I was pacing. She stood in front of me to get me to stop. I couldn't look at her; I didn't want to say the words to her.

"Edward, please!" She begged.

I turned my head to Renee but couldn't look at her; instead I looked over at Bella. She looked like an angel sleeping there so quietly. No trace of fear or panic on her face.

"She said it was him… he was there… and that he knew her name."

"No." Renee whispered before rushing back over to Bella and taking her hand.

Esme was sitting on the other side of the bed holding Bella's other hand. I could see her shoulders slump, God only knows what thoughts were running through her mind.

I went back to pacing the floor only to have raised voices in the other room stop me in my tracks. I didn't want to leave Bella, but I knew I needed to go see what was going on. I looked over at mom for help.

"It's ok Edward, go see what the problem is, we're here for her."

Opening the door, I could see Charlie in dad's face yelling at him.

"Carlisle, you asked me to wait and I did, now tell me what the hell happened back there."

"It was him." I said trying to draw Charlie away from Dad.

All the color drained from his face and he just stood there, not moving.

Renee, having heard Charlie yelling at dad had walked out of the bedroom as well and over towards Charlie. I started to finish what Bella had said when there was a knock on the door. Emmett opened the door, and Jake and Sam walked into the room.

"Edward, Charlie what happened, where's Bella?" Sam asked.

"She's lying down right now." Carlisle said walking over to the detectives with his hand out. "My name is Carlisle Cullen, Edward's dad." I could see the Doctor in dad taking over, feeling like he needed to take control of the room for the sake of everyone there.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Cullen." Sam said taking dad's hand. "My name is Sam Uley and this is Jacob Black." He said pointing over to Jake who's hand was extended out to take dads. "Is Bella ok?"

"She is now. Something happened at the game, something triggered a panic attack." Dad answered.

"Bella said he was there, that he knew her name." I said, barely able to control my anger.

This new information sent a wave of shock and tension through the room. The air was suddenly so thick I swear you could see it.

"Edward, tell me what happened." Sam asked me, a look of great concern on his face.

"I was with her when it happened sir." Jasper told Sam. He recounted his story for Sam and the others, also explaining some other reaction that Bella had earlier in the day.

When he was finished, silence filled the air once again. Nobody knew what to say.

"So you didn't see anyone?" Jake asked Jasper.

"No one that stood out or did anything in particular. There were so many people around us, it would have been hard to figure who he could have been and what made her think it was him."

Jake looked at Sam who nodded his head in response.

"Jake, what is it?" I asked.

"We were worried that he may try something again."

"What!" Emmett yelled. He had been standing behind us near the door but he was now in Jake's face. "And you're just now telling us this."

Peter walked over to Emmett and pulled him away before his temper got the better of him.

"Let him finish Emmett." Peter said.

"It was something that Bella said in her statement, he told her not to fight him that he had waited too long for this. It had us worried that she wasn't just a girl that he had chosen because she was walking down that path. We were worried that he followed her, perhaps had been following her for some time."

"You think he was stalking her?" I asked.

"It was always a possibility, Edward and unfortunately now I think it's a reality."

"Do you think he is a student?" Renee asked.

"Either that or someone who works on campus. He would be someone who had seen Bella on a regular basis."

I noticed Jake kept looking over at Charlie who had been unusually quiet during Jake's admission. When he caught my eye he turned his back to the group, his head hung down. I wasn't the only one who noticed the exchange.

"Charlie?" Renee questioned him.

"I was afraid this was going to happen." He said, just barely loud enough for the rest of us to hear. He was still turned away from the group.

"What do you mean you were afraid? Did they share their concerns with you?" Renee asked with an accusatory tone in her voice.

Charlie lifted his head and looked back at Renee. "Yes, they did."

"Charles Swan you knew there was a possibility your daughter was being stalked and you didn't say a word to any of us." There was so much anger rolling off of Renee at that moment I would have felt sorry for Charlie had I not been in shock.

"Why do you think I have been so damn adamant for her to get a gun?" He snapped back at her.

"Don't you dare yell at me Charlie! How could you keep this from me, from Bella?"

"Because I was fighting between my urge to get her the hell out of Seattle and back home and the fear she would hate me for making her leaving. You know how stubborn she is Renee. She wouldn't have left, no matter what we told her."

"How dare you blame her for you failure to share earth shattering news with your family."

"I'm not blaming her." I could tell Charlie was struggling with his words, trying to say the right thing. "It's just…I knew…damn it! Renee, think about it. Think about how that conversation would have gone. Me telling her what Jake, Sam and I suspected. I would have told her she had to come home and she would have told me she was not going to allow someone else to dictate how she was going to live her life. I would have begged her to leave and she would have begged me to stay. And where would you have been in all of this Renee? You have been telling me since she left for school that I needed to let her grow up, but would you have been willing to let her knowing this news? I was just trying to keep this from happening. I was just trying to give her some normalcy, to keep this from pulling us apart. I should have told you and her both, I know that. I screwed up Renee. I tried to do what I thought would be best for all of us while fighting the urge to throw her over my shoulder and pull her out of here kicking and screaming." Charlie broke, he couldn't say anything else. To admit all of that out loud had to have been one of the hardest things he had ever done. He turned back around, his back to the rest of us.

"Charlie." Renee sighed walking over to him and putting her arm around his shoulder. She was whispering something in his ear, trying to calm him down.

There was a shuffle in the room as everyone tried to focus their attention to something other than Charlie and Renee.

"Detective Black, was there something else that made you think he was after Bella specifically?" Dad asked trying to ease the tension in the room.

"Please call me Jake."

"Of course, Jake." Dad responded with a smile encouraging Jake to continue on.

"The biggest thing was what he said, but it triggered this gut feeling for both Sam and I. What DNA we were able to get off of her clothes and from under her nails gave us no clues at all. There were no hits locally. We even expanded the search to cover the entire US but got nothing. And as odd as it sounds, the place of the attack didn't seem right. If you were not someone familiar with the campus you wouldn't really know what the path was or where it led or even think that it would be a good place to wait and attack anyone. We searched the woods surrounding the area and there were no signs of someone living there or even that someone had been waiting in those woods looking for someone. That's what made us think he was someone on campus, possibly someone who had been watching her and more than likely someone who followed her down that path instead of hiding there waiting."

The room fell silent as everyone took in Jake's words. Rage consumed me again. I wanted to kill this son of bitch. I wanted to find him and put him out of our misery. I wanted to make him suffer for what he had done to Bella and for whatever sick thoughts were going through his mind.

"Of course it's all just speculation." Jake's words brought me back from my murderous thoughts. "And a great deal of frustration. I want more than anything to find this bastard, to stop him before he hurts her or anyone else again." Jake seemed to have the same rage in his voice that I felt.

"If we knew for sure what happened today, knew for sure that he made contact with her, we could get a warrant to pull security videos from the stadium. It might not help at all, but at least it would be something."

"He said 'hello Bella.'" Said a tiny quiet voice.

All eyes in the room turned towards the bedroom door, to Bella. She was standing in the doorway, mom's arm around her waist, supporting her. She was still very pale, but her focus seemed to be clear, the look of panic gone from her face.

"Bella, you shouldn't be up." Dad said as he rushed over to her.

"I'm ok Carlisle." She smiled up at him, raising her hand up to his face trying to calm him down. It was the same gesture I had seen her do countless number of times to all of us.

"Bella, I know it would help to talk about this, but maybe right now isn't the best time." Jasper said. I could tell he was concerned talking about what happened so soon might trigger another attack.

"Really Jasper, I'm ok. I need to let Jake and Sam know what happened."

"Bella are you sure?" Jake asked "We can come back in a few hours and get your statement."

"I'm positive Jake."

I walked over to Bella and took her hand walking her over to the couch where Jake stood. She looked so relieved to see me and the touch of her hand helped me to calm the rage that was trying to take me over.

After we sat down, Renee came over and sat on the other side of her, Charlie stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at Charlie and nodded her head like she understood him. I didn't realize it, but she must have heard Charlie's confession.

"What happened today?" Jake asked her.

"I was standing outside of the women's restroom waiting on Alice and Esme when I saw Jasper fighting to keep all of the drinks he was holding from spilling over. I offered to help him, taking a few of the drinks out of his hands when someone brushed up against me. At first I thought they said excuse me, but there was something about their touch and that voice that made me freeze. I could feel myself falling; feel the world crashing down on me. I could hear Jasper and the others talking to me, but I couldn't speak. My mind was clear as day, but nothing else was working. In the back of my mind I knew there was something wrong, something evil about that bump, something evil in his words. It wasn't until Edward came over and started talking to me that everything became very clear. The calm that Edward's voice brings me helped me fight the fear that was blocking out what just happened."

I could feel Bella's grip tighten around my hand as she looked over at me and smiled.

"He didn't say 'excuse me', he said 'hello Bella'. And he didn't just bump into me; he had brushed his hand against my back, running his fingers across my shirt." Bella and I both shuttered at her words.

"Bella are you sure?" Sam asked. I could tell from the tone in his voice he believed her, but he had to hear her say for sure that she knew it was him.

"It was him. I would know that voice anywhere. It haunts my dreams every night. I may not have gotten a look at his face, but that voice, it will stay with me until the day I die."

"Thank you Bella, I know that wasn't easy for you." Sam said kneeling down in front of her. "We're going to head back to the station and talk to our captain, see if we cannot try and get a warrant to pull security video. Like Jake said, there is no guarantee, but we have to at least try."

Sam and Jake shook hands with Charlie and said goodbye to the rest of us before heading back to the station.

"Bella sweetie, how are you doing?" Dad said walking over to her and kneeling down where Sam had just been.

"I'm ok Carlisle. My head is clear, I feel safe. I just feel run down, kind of like I do after I have a migraine." Dad had taken Bella's hand in his and was checking her pulse rate.

"Well your rate is good and your pupils seem to be back to normal." He said with a wary smile on his face. "But you need to take it easy Bella. The stress you experienced today was too much for your body and that is why you shut down like you did. If you feel anything, any sort of panic or fear or stress, anything at all, you have to let me know."

"Yes sir." She said smiling at him.

"I think we need to give Bella a little space." Peter said

"No Peter, I'm fine, please don't feel like you have to go."

"I know, sweetie, but Carlisle's right, you need to rest a bit. We'll be back ok. We'll bring dinner back for everyone and just chill out in the room tonight.

"That sounds like a great idea." Dad said. "Charlie, I know you guys already checked out of your room planning on leaving today, but something tells me that isn't going to happen. You two should just stay here tonight. Esme, Renee and Bella can take the bedroom. The king bed should be big enough for the three of them. With the two couches and the big chair in here, the three of us should be able to sleep out here." Dad said pointing to Charlie, himself and I.

"Thank you Carlisle, we would appreciate that very much." Charlie said. It was the first time he had spoken since his admission earlier.

"Emmett, would you mind giving me a ride back to the dorm so I can get my car and our stuff." Charlie asked.

"No sir, not at all."

"Emmett can I catch a ride to, I'd like to get my car so I can have it in the morning to take mom and dad to the airport." I really didn't want to leave Bella, but I knew she was in good hands.

"I should get mine too." Jasper chimed in.

"Sure thing." Emmett replied.

"Sweetie, I'll be back in a little bit. Please try and get some rest like dad asked ok?"

"I'll try." She said smiling at me. There was a hint of light coming back to her eyes which did my heart good to see.

I leaned in and kissed her cheek before getting up off the couch. Poor Alice was standing next to Jasper with a look of shell shock on her face. She hadn't said a word that I could remember since she came and got me at the game. I felt so bad for her. I knew this had to be killing her as much as it was me. As we gathered our stuff together to leave, I pulled Alice into a hug, hoping to comfort her.

"She's ok now Alice. I know that was scary to see, but she's ok now. Go sit with her, hold her hand. It did wonders for me."

"Thank you Edward." She whispered wiping tears from her eyes.

The ride back to campus was very quiet, none of us really knowing what to say. I could see something was running through Charlie's mind.

"I need to ask you boys a big favor." He finally said.

"Anything Charlie." Emmett replied.

"I know there is no point arguing with Bella about her leaving school even though I want nothing more than to take her home with me. So I need to know that you will watch over her for me, make sure she is ok."

"Of course we will Charlie." Emmett replied again before I could say anything.

"I don't want her walking around by herself. I know it's asking a lot and she will probably hate it, but I want someone with her at all times when she is out and about on campus."

"It's not asking a lot at all." Emmett said. "Besides, I already have it figured out. Between the three of us and Mike and those guys we will make sure she always has an escort."

Charlie's small smile told us he was proud of Emmett for being on top of things.

"Edward." He turned to me. "I know we didn't get off on the best foot and that is my fault."

"It was understandable sir given the situation." I said trying to let him know it was forgiven and forgotten.

"No Edward, it really wasn't. I should have handled it better. I need you to know it has been hard for me to see the two of you together this past week. Not because I have a problem with you, but because I see for the first time in her life that some guy other then myself is taking care of her."

"Hey what about me?" Emmett piped up acting like he was crushed.

"Big brothers don't count Emmett." Charlie said chuckling.

"Edward she cares a great deal for you and I can see that you feel the same way about her. She needs you right now, probably more then she needs anyone else. Like I said that is very hard for me, but having witnessed the two f you together, it makes it a little bit easier for me to let her stay here. I just need to know that you will continue to be there for her no matter what."

I was very surprised at his words. I knew it had to be the hardest thing he would ever do leaving her here, but he was doing so and he trusted me to take care of her.

"I promise you Charlie, I will be there for her no matter what. She means the world to me and I will do everything in my power to make sure she is safe and feels protected."

"Thank you son, you have no idea how much that means to me."

When I got back to the hotel room, Bella and Alice were sitting on the couch crying.

"What's wrong?" I said rushing over to Bella's side.

"Nothing Edward, we were watching Wall*E." Alice answered.

"Wall*E? Isn't that a kid's movie?" I was finding it hard to believe a kid's movie could make anyone cry like that.

"It's not just a kid's movie. It's a love story. A very sweet, story about the innocence and beauty of the truest kind of love. The last few minutes of it are so heartbreaking and then so heartwarming that it make us cry every time." Bella said, wiping her eyes.

"Seriously?" I asked her with a smirk on my face.

"Have you seen it yet?" She asked a little irritated with me.

"No."

"Then you have no idea. I'm going to make you watch it with me sometime and you'll see. You may not cry, but you'll see!"

"Ok." I said doubting I would be able to see what she was talking about.

"And if you laugh at me when I cry, which I know I will, I'll never speak to you again got it?" She said with the biggest smile on her face. It was so good to see that beautiful smile and the light in her eyes return.

The others arrived shortly after as did Peter and Charlotte with dinner for everyone. They had brought a good mix of different foods and set everything up buffet style. Laughter filled the room and everything felt like it had the tailgate.

It was nice to be in that room, sitting around with friends and family. I was once again overwhelmed by the feelings of love that filled the air. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that anyone of us would have given the world to Bella if she needed it. We were a family, the twelve of us were a family and Bella was the center.

We sat around and talked in small groups for a few hours before the party broke up. I never left Bella's side, wanting to keep her close to me in case something triggered her panic again.

Alice, Emmett, Jasper and Rose decided to stay with Peter and Charlotte who also had a suite at the hotel. We all wished the others goodnight after agreeing to get back together in the morning for breakfast.

We said our goodnights to Bella, Renee and mom as they moved to the bedroom and we settled into the living room. I took the oversized chair and ottoman and sat there quietly letting the day take over.

I wanted to stay wrapped up in the love in the room for Bella, the love that I felt for Bella. It scared the hell out of me, but I knew it was true, I knew that I was in love with her and that it was a love that I had never felt before in my whole life.

I tried to focus on that love and it was easy to do when she was there, when we were surrounded by family. But here in the dark, alone with my thoughts, I couldn't think about anything other than him.

It was bad enough to think of some random son of a bitch hurting Bella, but the idea that he was out there stalking her was too much. I was terrified of what could happen to her. Terrified of what sick thoughts could be going through his mind. A bit terrified and consumed with hatred and anger that I felt towards him and the desire that I had to hurt him. I never thought of myself as violent person, but as I lay there, all I could think about was what I would do to him if he ever tried to hurt her again.

I had been sitting there running through vengeful scenarios in my head for hours when her screams started.

"No, don't touch me. No stop it, please God stop him! Make him stop speaking! Make him shut up!"

I ran into the bedroom with Charlie and Dad following close behind me. Bella was sitting straight up in the bed, but she looked to be still dreaming. She was thrashing against mom and Renee who were trying to wake her up.

Instinct took over and I crawled on to the bed, stopping on my knees in front of her.

"Bella, sweetie it's me. It's Edward. I'm right here. Wake up love, it's just a dream." She grabbed a hold of my arms trying to push me away.

"Bella! Wake up! I'm right here! You are safe! He is not here!" I raised my voice this time, trying to draw her out, shaking her lightly.

Her grip on my arms tightened and she suddenly opened her eyes. She looked straight at me, panic in her eyes. She sat there for a moment, looking at me and the others when she finally realized where she was and that she was surrounded by people who loved her.

"Edward, he kept saying my name over and over again."

I pulled her into my arms and cradled her. "Oh sweetie, it was a dream, your safe. Safe here in my arms. Please try not to think about him. Think about good things. Think about Alice and Emmett. Think about how much your parents love you. Think about how much I…" I wanted to say how much I love you, but I couldn't. Not here and now. I didn't want a reaction to a bad dream to be the first time I confessed my love to her. "Think about how much I enjoy being with you." It was weak I knew, but it would have to do for now.

"Thank you Edward, thank you for those words."

I rocked her back and forth until her breathing calmed down. Mom and Renee got up off the bed to allow Bella and me to lie down, me holding her in my arms, tightly against me.

I looked over at Charlie nervously, not sure if he was ok with me doing this.

The look on his face, in his eyes told me that he knew I would keep my promise to him and always be there for her. And that helped him to be ok with seeing me lying down in the bed with his daughter, holding her half dressed body next to mine.

I also knew that without a doubt from this moment on, I would always keep my promise to Charlie.

A/N: Reviews are always welcomed. There are happy times to come in the next chapter.