Author's Note: Taking a break from studying to update! Aren't you glad?

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 14

Bella

I shiver even in my thick hoodie. I'm sitting huddled in the corner of a van James stole just hours before, trying to warm myself up in this cold. I can hear the rain pounding down hard on the roof of the car.

I think back to this afternoon, when I was at the grocery store with Esme. I'd just told her about my argument with Edward about him wanting to leave me for my own good when James pulled the gun on us. Neither of us saw it coming. There was no time to prepare. It was obey him or get killed right then and there.

All I could think was to do as he said. I had to save Esme. I didn't want her to get involved in my mess either. She was already stuck babysitting me because her son was off trying to catch this man. I didn't want to be responsible for her death either.

I shudder. I was so close to him, physically speaking. He sat me in the passenger's seat of the stolen car and talked in that smooth voice of his. It was unnerving, the way he spoke. Like he wasn't a total psycho, like he and I were close acquaintances going on a ride together.

But I know better. He's planning to kill me. No, he'll taint me first. Touch me inappropriately like he did with Jessica. Then, he'll push me off a building. I'll fall to my death, like those women before me.

I squeeze my eyes shut, shaking my head violently. Just thinking about it makes me feel like I'm already falling to my death. It's my worst nightmare coming true. James killing me, with no one there to save me.

I don't know what James is planning. I don't know what's going on out there. But Esme must have gone straight to Edward or Carlisle after I was kidnapped. They must be looking for me. Edward must be so worried. How is he going to find me? James is famous for his flawlessness. They didn't have many leads before. I trust them to find me eventually, but I'm just afraid that I'll be long dead before they do.

Edward...

"I miss you," I whisper. Tears leak out from my eyes. I feel more alone now than ever before. I'm succumbing to the darkness. It's so heavy and dragging that I can't endure it anymore. How can I, when hope isn't left anymore?

I don't know how much time has passed. It must be nearing midnight by now, or already past. James has refrained from touching me so far, which makes me even more anxious. He must be getting close...and my death should be drawing near.

Edward, are you finding me? Do you miss me? You'll find me, right? You promised to come back to me soon. You don't lie. Find me, please...

I give a little sob. I miss him so badly. I miss Alice and Jasper. I miss Charlie. I miss the quiet, private life I was leading before all this happened to me. I miss the beautiful, nightmare-free night I shared with Edward. I miss everything that isn't now.

I want to be in his arms right now. I regret that we fought. I want to feel his lips on mine, to feel his body intertwining with mine. I want to hear him say those three precious words over and over again. I need his warmth and comfort more than anything.

"He can't leave," I whimper. "He might as well kill me if he's going to leave me."

I speak out loud for my own sanity. Aside from the rain, everything is so deathly silent. I feel like I'm the only person left in this world. That everyone has somehow escaped elsewhere, leaving me behind.

"I have to convince him to stay with me," I say to myself. "I can't live without him anymore. I'm a mess without him. Just look at the state I'm in right now."

I jump violently when the van opens and James hops inside. He's grinning widely. I have to admit, he's much better-looking with short hair and sans beard. He looks almost normal. I watch him warily, wondering what he'll do next.

"It went very well, Bella," James says conversationally. Again, like we're just friends. "He took bait, your lover."

Fear overtakes me. "W-what did you say to him?"

"Oh, this and that," he says mildly. "I called him hours ago. I led them on a wild goose chase. Then, I figured out a way to get into Willis Tower and borrow it for the evening. I don't think you'll mind spending our night there, Bella? It's the highest building in Chicago."

I try to contain my panic. I don't want to give him satisfaction, but I'm feeling wildly out of control. I'm getting dizzy from hyperventilating. What would Edward say if he were here with me now? Breathe, Bella. Just breathe.

"It's fifteen minutes til midnight," he says, glancing down at his watch. "Time to go, my little snitch." He winks. "Stand up, please."

Trembling, I slowly rise to my feet. It's difficult and I'm a little awkward as I do it, since my wrists are tied in front of me. He helps me out of the van and into the pouring rain. I'm already shivering from the cold, so the rain makes me wince.

"This will be very fun," James says. "In we go."

I'm surprised to find myself in front of Willis Tower already. The streets are deserted. The inside is deserted too, but the doors are open. James smiles smugly, as though he knows exactly what I'm thinking. He hums along to the elevator tune as we go up.

As we're climbing the last few flights of stairs to get to the roof, he says casually, "Did you know Willis Tower is one thousand four-hundred and fifty feet tall? It's a very nice building. Awesome view."

I bite down on my lip to keep from bursting into tears. I won't lose my pride to a scumbag like him. If this will be my end, I might as well accept it. Suck it up, Swan.

"It's such a lovely night," James yells over the pounding rain. I can barely see him in the heavy rain and lack of light. It'll take my eyes a while to adjust.

Oh, yes. Lovely night. There's a thunderstorm overhead and we're on top of the highest skyscraper in Chicago. What a beautiful night to fall to my death. I shiver even more violently.

"You want to see him, don't you?" James asks. "Your FBI lover?" He stops me when we're ten feet away from the edge of the roof. There are no railings here.

"He'll be here soon," he calls over the rain. "I told him to come up here alone. I thought it would be a lot more dramatic than just delivering your dead body to him, you know?"

I feel dizzy and confused. I'm also incredibly tired. Considering the situation I'm in, I would think I'd be a little more alert. But no, all I want to do is go to sleep. It's getting increasingly difficult to concentrate on his words.

"Five more minutes! I'd love it if he was late!" He laughs like a madman.

Vaguely, I register him checking me out appreciatively. He's done it once before at the bar, but now, I can't bring myself to care. I stumble slightly, catching myself from falling, cringing at the thought of falling to death thanks to my own lack of coordination.

James suddenly tenses and steps closer to me, his hand drifting into the inside of his jacket pocket. I follow his gaze to the door where we just came from. Standing there is Edward, very much alone and in danger.

"No!" I yell. "What are you doing?" I'm trying to yell out more insistently, but it's hard to get the words out. My words slur from exhaustion.

"Bella!" Edward calls out. "Are you alright?"

My eyesight has adjusted well enough to see him perfectly. He's wearing a black jacket over the shirt he was wearing this morning. He's definitely alone.

"Edward!" I cry out. I'm so desperate to run into his arms.

He must feel the same, because he starts striding toward us. There's a clicking sound in my ear and my right temple is suddenly feeling something cold. My stomach clenches in horror. I have to bite down on my lip to keep from crying out loud.

Edward stops dead, fifteen feet away. He looks absolutely murderous, lethal and dangerous. "Let her go," he demands.

James smiles pleasantly while I try not to freak out. He's holding a gun to my forehead. I don't dare to move. I don't dare to breathe.

"It's so nice of you to accept my invitation, Agent Cullen," he says. I flinch when he moves behind me, grabbing my arm to make sure I don't move. "I love this dramatic setting. There's absolutely nothing you can do right now. I love that."

"Did you touch her?" Edward growls. "Did you fucking touch her?"

"My goodness, Cullen, you really don't know me very well. If I'd touched her, she wouldn't be here right now. She would probably be on top of a car, already dead." James laughs cruelly. I can't believe this crazy man is touching me right now.

"Shut up!" Edward takes a step toward us, but James presses the gun to my head harder. Edward freezes.

"Let me tell you how satisfying it is to finally see you so helpless, Cullen," James sneers. "For weeks, your brother and that beauty queen of his were following me so closely I couldn't do a thing. It was very annoying."

"Let her go!" Edward roars.

"But I have a bigger grudge against Bella," James says, shaking his head. "I want you to watch me kill her. I'll have my revenge against her, and then I'll kill you too."

Abruptly, he removes the gun from my head and instead points it on my right shoulder. Bang! I drop to the ground like a marionette cut from its strings. The pain is bewildering. I think I must be screaming.

"Motherfucker!" Edward lunges like a viper, avoiding the second bullet from James's gun. He kicks it away and it lands a few feet away from my face. I'm weak and helpless, unable to move. I can only watch – as the rain pounds down on my face – as two outlined figures move back and forth, fists flying and defiant cries filling the night.

I make a sound of protest when James gains the upper hand and knocks Edward down. His handsome face is bloody and bruised. He looks dazed. James snatches up the gun from the ground and points it at him. And Edward is undefended.

"No!" With a sudden adrenaline rush, I heave myself off from the ground and throw myself on top of Edward's body. My body jerks involuntarily from the force of the bullet. The side of my abdomen erupts in fiery pain.

"Bella!" Edward is cradling me, pressing his hands against my wounds. "Shit! No! Bella, stay with me!"

But my consciousness is drifting in and out. His face is blurry. Clear. Blurry again. I can hardly keep my eyes open. The rain keeps trying to poke my eyes out. I just want to close my eyes and sleep...

"No, stay with me, Bella!"

"Stupid woman," James sneers. "A nuisance, nothing more. Good riddance."

Edward's head snaps up. Renewed determination and hatred fills his eyes. With a cry of defiance, he leaves me on the ground and throws himself into the fight once more. I lie there in a cloud of dazed pain and freezing rain, watching as the two men get further and further away from me. Closer and closer to the edge of the building.

I blink. I can't bring myself to register what's about to happen. I can't muster up the energy to care that one of them is about to fall off the building. And just as a blurry figure of a man makes a wrong step and slips on the wet ground, he makes a useless grab for anything to hold onto as he falls to his death.

One thousand four hundred and fifty feet into free fall.

#$%^&*()

My eyelids feel heavy. It takes a great amount of effort to open them even the slightest bit. Everything is foggy. I feel like I'm in free fall. Maybe I'm dead. Maybe James succeeded in pushing me over the edge of the building. But then why does everything hurt so much?

"Carlisle, talk to me!" a familiar voice says. It sounds like an angel, my own personal angel. But he sounds so agonized, so upset...

I want to scream when gentle hands fly over me, putting my body in more pain. Someone opens my eyelids one by one, shining a bright light for a few seconds at a time. If this is death, it really sucks.

"She's got hypothermia," a terse voice responds. "She's been shot twice. Maggie! Get an OR right away!"

"Carlisle, save her! Please, save her!" the angel begs.

"I'm going to save her, son. But you need to stay here, alright? Maggie!"

"It's ready!" an unfamiliar female voice informs him.

"Carlisle, please..."

"Edward, I need you to stay here! Esme!"

"Edward, you need to stay here so Carlisle can save her!" Another familiar voice. Female. She sounds like she's crying.

The ground underneath me is moving rapidly. The angel and the female that's restraining him is getting farther away. I want to go back. I want the angel by my side. I need him. I need him to call my name. I need him to save me.

I dive in and out of consciousness as people move rapidly around me. There are beeping sounds, clanging of metal instruments, and bright lights. I don't like it. I want my angel back.

Something abruptly covers my nose and mouth. I try to make a sound of protest, but I'm quickly subdued by the fogginess in my brain. Someone is counting backwards: Ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...

I sink deeper into dark sleep.

#$%^&*()

Screams and curses fill the air. I watch helplessly as a woman with blonde hair is ripped apart mercilessly. She has no hope left in her life. She will die in this way, pride trashed and broken. There's no one to help her. I can't help her.

When he's finished with her, he chokes her against the railing. His expression remains serene. "It's nothing personal, Lauren. You're just helping me send a message to someone who betrayed me. I mean, we don't know each other that exclusively like you and I, but that's still no excuse. So you see? You're doing a good deed."

"Please...please..." the woman pleads, her lips bleeding and her eye bruised.

"It was fun, Lauren," the man says. "Very nice to meet you." And he shoves, hard.

Her scream seems to echo throughout the city as she falls to her death.

"And as for you, my little eavesdropper..." The man turns to me, where I remain frozen and unable to move. "I'll prepare a special event. Just for you and Cullen. So wait for me." His smile is as big as the big bad wolf as he lunges toward me.

#$%^&*()

My eyes try to fly open, but they can't. My eyelids still feel heavy. I fight against them and manage to win. Slowly, they open and I take in the sights.

The ceiling is white. The walls are white, save the TV mounted in front of me. There's a steady beeping noise coming from my left. There are needles poking me in both arms. When I try to move, they pull on my skin. I muster up the courage to raise one arm to take them off.

"No, sweetheart," a sweet, maternal voice says. "You must leave it alone."

I turn my head to my left and see Esme sitting beside my bed. Her eyes are puffy, but they seem bright. She's wearing simple clothes like she wears around the house. I'm confused.

"Esme?" I attempt to say. My voice comes out in a horrible croak.

"Yes, Bella," Esme says, smoothing my hair gently. "I'm here."

I want to sit up. But when I jerk my body involuntarily, my shoulder and side erupt in a fire. I grimace.

"Careful," she soothes. "You don't want to accidentally rip open your stitches."

At those words, I try not to vomit all over myself and her pretty dress. I guess it's obvious I'm pretty horrified, because she chuckles. "You've had a rough three days."

I've been out for three days?

"What happened?" I ask.

Her face darkens. "That wretched man shot you in the shoulder and the side of your abdomen."

I want you to watch me kill her. I'll have my revenge against her, and I'll kill you too.

"From what Edward's told us, Keller tried to shoot him but you threw yourself in front of him."

He's raising the gun to shoot Edward, who's lying helplessly on the floor. I throw myself in front of him just as the gun cracks. My side erupts in pain. Edward is screaming my name, begging me to stay with him.

"Silly girl," Esme whispers. "Why would you do that? Edward could handle himself."

"He couldn't have," I mumble. "He was lying on the ground. He was hurt."

"You're a dangerous girl," Esme says, with a watery smile. "I'm sorry you were hurt, but as a mother..." Her tears threaten to fall. "I thank you, Bella. You saved my son. For that, I will be eternally grateful."

I feel embarrassed. It was an instinct, to throw myself in front of Edward like a shield. I suppose love really does incredible things to people. A couple months ago, I would never have the courage to do anything like that. I never even had the courage to attempt to stop James from hurting Jessica, and only came forward with my story because I couldn't stand the guilt.

"And you had hypothermia," Esme finishes, wiping away her tears. "That man kept you waiting out in the cold for too long. Carlisle had to operate on you right away. You'll be fine. Luckily, you weren't hit in major organs."

Enough about me. As much as I love Esme, I'm impatient to hear why Edward isn't the one sitting by my side telling me all this.

"Where's Edward?" I manage.

I'm half scared that Esme will hesitate and lie through her teeth, saying that he'll be back soon. He might not have changed his mind, especially after everything that's happened. He'll be blaming himself, undoubtedly, because he left me alone without anyone who could have rescued me from James.

But it seems like I'm worrying needlessly, because Esme smooths out my bed sheets and says without missing a beat, "He's finishing the case up."

That triggers another memory. The dark outlines of two men as they fight to gain the upper hand in the rain...a man slipping and trying in vain to grab onto something...

I flinch at the memory and immediately regret it as pain shoots through my body. Esme isn't lying to me, is she? She isn't pretending...?

But she looks so calm, so happy that I'm awake. There's no way she can hide the fact that her son is dead. She would be in despair, in uncontrollable tears. I've seen personally how concerned she is about her children. There's absolutely no way.

"I saw someone fall..." I whisper.

Esme beats me to it. "Not Edward, darling. You saw that awful man fall."

"James fell?" My voice oddly hangs onto the last word.

"He and Edward were fighting, do you remember?"

"Yes."

"They were fighting near the edge." She shudders before continuing. "Anyway, James accidentally slipped and fell off. It was...unfortunate."

I let the restrained sense of relief flood through me. It seems so surreal. After weeks of him terrorizing me, he's finally gone. Out of my life.

"They also caught Victoria."

"Who's Victoria?"

"Victoria Wilde was the mole at the agency," Esme says. "She was feeding him information about your whereabouts. She loved him to the point of obsession, they say. She was hysterical when she found he died."

I'm still dazed. This is happening so fast. "So Victoria was his girlfriend?"

"In her mind, yes. Clinically speaking, they say she's crazy. It made it easy for him to manipulate her to do his bidding because he knew about her obsession with him. He used it to his advantage." She makes a face. "In the most brutal way."

I stare up at the ceiling. It's over. It's finally over. I can go back to Seattle. I can go back to Alice and Jasper. Charlie. Back to my small apartment. Back to the constant overcast weather of the city. The memories will never leave me, but I feel confident that my nightmares will dissolve in time. It's over.

There's a soft knock on the door, and Esme calls, "Come in!"

I turn my head as much as I possibly can. Carlisle walks in, wearing a white lab coat and a smile. "Bella. You're awake."

"Hello, Carlisle," I say. "You look good in a lab coat."

He chuckles. "Well, what can I say? This is where I belong." He winks.

I smile faintly. "Esme says I'm going to live."

"She would be right. You'll be fine." He smiles knowingly, correctly interpreting my pondering. "Edward called. He's on his way."

Another sense of relief. "Thank you."

"We've prepared for your ride home when you're out of the hospital," Carlisle says. "And counseling. If you'd like, of course."

I nod slightly. "That would be helpful."

"Excellent. You don't have to worry about a thing, Bella. Everything will be taken care of for you. All you have to do is focus on getting better."

Another gentle knock on the door. It opens before anyone can speak. Edward walks in, looking glorious and handsome as always. He brightens when he sees I'm awake. "Bella."

I smile at him. "I missed you."

Esme rises from her seat and Edward replaces her. He takes my hand into his and kisses it. "I missed you more. How are you feeling?"

"Good, now that you're here."

"You two are adorable," an unfamiliar voice says.

My eyes focus on a plump woman with short hair. She has beautiful olive skin and hazel eyes. She's smiling warmly at me. I look back at Edward, who smiles.

"Bella, this is Siobhan," he introduces. "Siobhan, my Bella."

My heart warms at the possessive word use. I smile back at her. "Hello."

She nods. "Hello, Bella. It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Siobhan was the one who alerted the right people about Victoria," Edward says quietly. "If it weren't for her, there's a possibility that many things could have gone wrong. We're indebted to her. She saved you."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far." Siobhan laughs. "I'm just glad you're okay, Bella. I feared I would be too late."

I smile. "Thank you, Siobhan. Thank you so much."

She shrugs lightly, her eyes bright. "I just did what I had to do."

"Alright," Carlisle says. "Esme and I will walk you out, Siobhan. Bella needs some rest."

"And some privacy, I'm sure," Siobhan adds, grinning. She winks at me. "You feel better, Bella."

"Thank you."

The three of them file out the door, leaving Edward and me alone in the room.

I study him. Upon closer glance, I realize he hasn't escaped completely unscathed. He has a bruise on his right cheek and a cut on his left. His lip is a bit swollen but luckily seems to be healing. The back of his hands are bruised and scratched. I can only imagine what his body looks like underneath his clothes that hide the scars.

My eyes lower down to our hands, which are intertwined. "James?" I ask quietly.

"He's gone, Bella," Edward says, just as softly. "He'll never bother you again. Gone forever."

I close my eyes. My nose burns when I think back to his falling body. Karma's a bitch, as they say. He met his death the same way he killed all his victims. But does he deserve that? Does anyone deserve a fate so cruel? Yes, he's tormented me, tossing me into the darkest period of my life, but I can't help but feel bad for him. He had problems too. He needed help. There just wasn't anyone who loved him enough to give it to him.

I open my eyes when Edward wipes away my tear. I stare into space. Just feeling remorse for the man who was after my life will continue to bother me; I just know it. The image of him falling from the building will enter my nightmares. My imaginations will think up gruesome images of his body on the ground.

Edward squeezes my hand, breaking my reverie. He shakes his head, his eyes never leaving me. "Don't think about it," he pleads. "Don't do that to yourself, Bella."

I swallow the lump in my throat. "I can't help it." My voice cracks.

He sighs heavily. "You are too good, Bella. Too pure, too beautiful. In my opinion, he doesn't deserve any of your compassion."

"He was human too, Edward. He just made a lot of mistakes."

"That doesn't justify his actions."

A beat of silence. And I agree, "No, it doesn't."

We stay like that for a while, each lost in our own thoughts, hands intertwined. He tells me not to think about it, but I know he thinks about it too. He must be more traumatized than I am. He's fought James personally. He's seen him falling. He's seen his body. He's seen my broken body. It hurts me to see his cuts and bruises. The angel I heard in my stupor was inconsolable.

Edward finally flashes my favorite crooked smile. A very small one. "You can go back to Seattle now. Are you excited?"

My heart sinks. I fight the renewed lump in my throat. "Not if you're not there," I whisper.

He doesn't speak for a long time. I can see the hesitation and uncertainty in his eyes. He's undecided. He doesn't know what to do with me yet. He can't. He can't leave me. I can't endure by myself, not after everything I had to go through. I can't do it without his help.

"Please, Edward..." I start crying earnestly. It racks my entire body with pain, but I don't care. The fact that Edward thinks his leaving will make me safer hurts more than anything. "Don't do it..."

It might be the blurriness of my own vision, but his beautiful green eyes seem unusually bright. His thumb brushes across the ring still on my finger. He still has his on too.

"Shh," he shushes. "Calm down, love, or the nurse will kick me out. I'm not going anywhere. So just breathe."

I quiet as best as I can. "You're not leaving?" I manage through hiccups.

He shakes his head. "You're right. I can't leave you. I can't live without you. I don't see myself living in a world without you. And after everything that's happened...even more so."

My heart doesn't seem like it's gonna die on me now. It's slowing. The words are sinking in. He's staying. He's not leaving me.

"I need you, the same way you need me," Edward whispers. "I was a fool to think I could ever leave you alone. I can't."

Breathe in. Out. In, out. In. Out. He's staying.

"So I'm staying by your side. We'll just have to deal with the injuries and the possible threat of my death always hanging over our head." He flashes his crooked smile, wider this time. "If you can deal with that, you're not getting rid of me. And that's final."

Relief. Gratefulness. Happiness. Everything blends together and floods through me.

I bite my lip. "You're so mean. How can you even think to leave me?" I hiccup.

He looks amused. "I don't deny it. I've never been the wisest with women. I never will be. Can you accept that?"

"I told you I can." Hic! "It's so easy to make the decision. Why go the long way around? You're a jerk."

"Also acknowledged. Anything else? Get it out of your system."

"Esme would hate you if you ever left me. I told her everything."

"She already beat you to it. I've heard a few bitter things from her while you were out."

I smile, feeling foolishly happy, even as my tears fall. "Good."

He nods. "She's a very wise woman, my mother." He laughs quietly, then reaches out to wipe away my tears once more. "I love you, Bella. Thank you for accepting me as I am. Thank you for living."

"If I wasn't hurting so much, I would hug the life out of you right now."

He laughs loudly. "I'll let you hug me all you want when you get out of this damn hospital."

"Since I can't go there, can you come here?" I request. "At least let me kiss you."

He flashes me his mischievous smile. "Your wish, my command." He leans in and presses his lips to mine.

I can't stop smiling, even as I kiss him back. Though there will inevitably be dark days as I head down the road to recovery, my future hardly seems bleak if Edward is there to love me just as I love him.

An: One last chapter to go! Review!