Disclaimer: Meyer owns Bella and Edward's characters. I own the rest.

"Each day we meet

Both demons and Buddhas." Santōka Taneda 100 translated by John Stevens

Chapter 14

"I've got the address," Nichols said over the phone.

"Well, give it to me," I told him, pounding the steering wheel.

"You can't just drive out there."

"Like hell I can't. He's got Bella."

"He's got Bella?" Nichols asked. "He didn't kidnap her, did he?"

"Would you just give me the address for Baker's cabin?"

"You owe me," he said.

"I already owe you, and I'll owe you again. Just give me the address."

He did.

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My heart leapt into my throat when I came around the bend.

Bella was face-down on the ground, not moving, with Baker standing over her.

He raised his arm like he was going to take a swing at her just as I slammed on the brakes.

The tires spun, the car skidding on the blanket of red-brown leaves.

We were in the middle of nowhere, a forest surrounding us. A simple wooden cabin sat beside Baker's car.

An idyllic little hideaway.

"Oh, thank God you're here," Baker said, turning towards me as I rushed out of the car. "She just fainted."

"Hands up," I told him, my gun already trained on him.

He had already dropped whatever he'd hit Bella with—it looked like a spanner. But I wasn't taking any chances.

"What?" he feigned confusion. "But she needs help."

"Hands in the air," I ordered.

Baker slowly raised his hands. "Really officer, I don't know what's wrong with her. We need to call the paramedics."

I paused to check for Bella's pulse, my eyes on Baker as I confirmed that she was indeed still breathing, even though she appeared to be unconscious. Somewhat reassured, I approached Baker, turning him around so that I could pat him down and put him in handcuffs.

"You have the right to remain silent," I started.

"But what are you arresting me for?"

"Assault, to begin with," I said, and continued with the Miranda warning.

"You can't possibly think that I did this to her. You're wasting time—she needs help now!"

I chanced another glance at Bella, my heart seizing at the sight of her crumpled on the ground. She was already stirring, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Get in the car," I said, nudging him towards my vehicle.

After securing him in the backseat of my car, I turned to check on Bella.

She was sitting up, but she was holding a hand on her forehead and looking around as if she wasn't quite sure where she was.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Of course.

Of course, she'd go off with a murderer and get knocked out and then ask me if I was okay.

Instead of answering her, I pulled out my phone. I knew that Nichols was already on his way, but Bella needed to see a paramedic.

It took me less than a minute to relay the information to the dispatcher. Hanging up, I glared at Bella.

"What?" she asked, sounding annoyed and sickly all at once.

"You idiot," I couldn't help blurting as I watched her, wondering if I would be stepping over a line if I touched her to make sure that she really was alright.

Despite her beleaguered state, she was clearly offended. "I am not—"

"What the hell were you doing getting into a car with him?"

"I'm not good on back-country roads," she said, as if it was just a matter of getting lost.

"Haven't you got any instinct for self-preservation?"

"How'd you know that I was here?" She ignored my question.

"I followed you from the Institute."

Deciding that I didn't care if I was crossing a line, I squatted in front of her, running my fingers over the back of her skull. I paused when she cringed. "How's your head?" I asked, stupidly.

"It's fine," she lied, taking a deep breath as if to will away the pain that she was obviously feeling.

"Thank God you didn't bring your brother," I said, realizing just how bad it could have been.

I was angry—not just at Baker—but at Bella. Because what kind of a fool goes off into the woods with a guy like Baker when there's a murderer running around?

"You should at least try to avoid being murdered for his sake," I said, bringing up her brother because I knew that would be best way to get to her.

Never mind what her death would do to me.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if trying to figure out what to say.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" I asked.

She swatted my hand away. "You're not a paramedic."

I felt almost giddy. If she could argue with me, then she had to be okay.

At the same time, I felt like shaking her and yelling at her for being so damn foolish.

I had been so worried—

She was alright, though. People sometimes developed complications from head wounds, but the paramedics would take care of her. She would be just fine.

Until the next time she decided to go off in the woods with a potential killer.

Why did she do stuff like this? Why did she walk through dark alleys in the middle of the night? Why did she go on vacations to strange islands with people who had no interest in looking out for her? Why did she keep taking care of parents who were taking advantage of her?

Why didn't she trust me?

Was she serious about everything she said? About not knowing the difference between reality and dreams?

"I maybe shouldn't ask you this when you've just been hit on the head," I said. "But maybe this is exactly the right time too." What better time to get the truth out of her? "D'you really think the world doesn't exist?"

A pained look crossed her face and I thought for a second that she wasn't going to answer, but she did.

"I'm not an idiot," she said. "I know how it sounds. But I didn't make it up." There was a pleading note in her voice, like she thought that I would doubt her. "The Gnostics didn't believe in the world. And other people said the same thing."

"The world exists because it has to," I explained. "There's too much we'd lose if it wasn't real."

She grimaced. "I haven't got anyone."

"You've got your family."

She shrugged.

I knew she didn't mean it. "Your brother," I reminded her.

Her eyes flashed to mine.

She loved her brother. But was she willing to give him up on the off chance that some heretics a couple of thousand years ago were right about the nature of the world? Wasn't he worth taking a chance that those heretics were wrong?

Wasn't I worth it?

The wail of a siren sounded in the distance.

AN:

Apparently, copious viewing of Law & Order does not qualify a person for writing scenes like this.

But thanks for reading.