A/N: OOC Predominately in Bella, Edward, Tanya, and & Jacob POV.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

NO CHEATING in this story.

Chapter 21

Corporal Jacob Black POV

I waited many days outside of Isabella's house for any movement giving me clues as to her whereabouts. The day of her wedding, I was aghast at the sight of her in a wedding gown. I didn't understand, and it took a few long seconds for my mind to comprehend what it meant. I was a few hours too late to stop her marriage to another man when she had been fooled into believing I was married.

I wasn't sure who was behind the scheme, but I could think of a few suspects. I waited to until I saw her ladies' maid Angela walking out with a basket, surely to make the day's shopping at the market. I approached her and her eyes went wide.

"Please, Angela, can you tell me where Isabella was taken?"

"I-I'm s-sorry sir, I thought they were going on their wedding trip but something seemed to have happened that urged their return to her husband's estate."

"Where's this estate?"

"I wouldn't be able to tell you sir, I'm sorry."

"Has her family written to her?"

"Not yet, sir."

"Please, I'll be around. If they send out a card to her, allow me the information to where it's being sent."

"I don't know if that's wise, sir." She gave me a regretful look. "Miss Isabella is now married, I don't believe it right."

"Angela, I just want that information. I don't know what I would do with it myself. I just need to know she's well, and I'll let her be." Like hell, but I needed this information.

"Very well, I'll try."

"Thank you Angela."

It was a whole week later that I saw her at the corner of the mansion looking in all directions. When she caught sight of me she smiled and walked towards me.

Edward Anthony Cullen POV

"The only ingredients missing are the eggs, flour, and starch. I've already written the list and will send little Thomas to retrieve it from the storehouse"

I was aware of Tanya speaking, she had been doing so, for a little while. I had no interest in really understanding what she was informing me about because as always, it seemed she had it under control.

"May I?" the voice of Godfather Carlisle came from the door of my office.

"Come in, Godfather. We were just done." I looked up and met Tanya's eyes and smiled so as to not make her feel that I was cutting her off. She smiled softly back and went to kiss Father Carlisle's hand. She let us be right away.

"Why is she still in charge of the inventory? That's your wife's duties."

"Isabella wants no part of it, Godfather."

"Maybe because you still favor this young lady, Edward!"

"No, it's not that." I blew out a breath and walked around my desk and leaned up against it. "She's going back to her family."

"What now?" he questioned.

"She asked, and like the weak man she makes me be, I finally gave in."

"I want to talk to her."

"It won't make a difference, she's set on it. Like the idiot I am, I have even begged her, almost got on my knees and asked her to please not leave me! I feel I've reached the end of the rope."

"Maybe you should. Beg her on your knees, I mean. Son, you were barbaric to her in the beginning."

"She made me be, Godfather! She brings out the worst kind of person in me, yet makes me a puddle when she throws scraps my way."

I could see that Godfather Carlisle was sympathizing with me, but I didn't want that. I needed him to help me or pray that I could actually go through with letting her go.

Isabella Swan-Cullen POV

I was following slowly behind Jessica toward Esmeralda's room in search for her. My waist still hurt and despite Edward ordering me to stay in bed, I simply couldn't and wanted Esmeralda's company. Jessica knocked on a door and out she came. I walked forward to her and grabbed her hand.

"Esmeralda, it's late in the day, why are you still in your room?"

"I haven't been told I can leave it, Mistress."

"I've already talked to Edward, you can go back to your duties."

She smiled at me and I could tell she was holding her tongue. It dawned on me, then, that Jessica was still standing behind me.

"Thank you, Jessica. You may go back."

She curtsied and scrambled away.

"I talked to Edward, Esmeralda."

She quickly grabbed onto my hands and encased them in hers.

"Did you really share that you were trying to escape, mam?"

"Yes, I confessed to it."

"So you're staying?" She asked very hopeful.

"He's already agreed to let me go, Esmeralda."

"Buy why, mam? P-please, reconsider it."

I looked out since we were now walking into the gardens. My gaze landing on the beautiful garden Edward had fixed when we were still betrothed.

"It's just, I don't even think he wants me to stay anymore. I've behaved appallingly."

"But mam, if you could see the way he looks at you, through my eyes, you would have no doubt in your heart either." She smiled at me in hopes to get through to me, I'm sure.

"I long to be able to look through your eyes, Esmeralda." I smiled at her and hugged her to me. Just then I felt a sharp pain in my waist and Esmeralda pulled away.

"I had a minor accident."

I told her the ordeal, and she listened intently. That's what I loved about her, she genuinely cared and gave her honest unabridged advice and not what she thought I wanted to hear. She was helping me back up to my room when Edward was stepping out of his office.

"Isabella!" He rushed over to me and must have seen the pain in my face. "You should be resting."

"I thought I could walk a bit."

"I'm a medic, I know what I'm telling you." He lightly scolded.

"I wanted to see Esmeralda." I answered softly. Just then he noticed she was standing on the other side of me, and tried sending her away.

"No please, Edward." I looked up at him through my eyelashes. "I'd like her company, its quiet upstairs."

He looked down closing his eyes and nodded. Without asking me, he reached down and picked me up to carry me up the stairs. I held on to his broad shoulders and looked back at Esmeralda, who was following behind us, her eyes were casted down but her smile was pronounced. I really wondered why she wanted to see me happy with my husband. He had been very cold and even cruel to her at times, yet she maintained loyalty to him.

Edward set me down on my bed and lingered. I watched him and thought he would take a seat on the edge of the bed, but squeezed my hand once and walked out without another word.

"I think he wanted to stay." She said sitting on the chair next to my bed.

"But he didn't." I answered softly.

"It makes you sad." It wasn't a question.

"OH! Mistress Cullen!" Damiana appeared in my room. "I've just heard you were in an accident, mam."

"A minor one, nothing to worry about."

"But you couldn't walk, I heard Master Edward had to carry you up!"

"It was the scare mostly, I'm well Damiana. Thank you."

"We'll aren't you blessed to have a husband who is also a doctor."

"Yes, that's true." I answered looking over at Esmeralda who was looking at me.

"Would you like some warm milk?" Damiana offered. I wanted the time with Esmeralda so I accepted but I saw her pull on the bell, instead. I smiled at Esmeralda and I think she understood my look.

A little while later, Tanya came back through the door with the warm milk. She also handed me over a letter. All three were still in the room with me as I read it. A smile formed on my face when I read my Aunt Winifred's letter that she was on her way to see me. It was far too soon for her to "pick me up", Edward must not have even sent a letter about that yet.

"My aunt is coming to see me!" I announced to the room. Tanya smiled and walked back out.

"Oh! How delightful!" Damiana clapped her hands together. "When should she be arriving?"

"It was sent about a week back, soon I hope." I was pensive just then. "Though, I don't know if it should make a difference."

"Why do you think that, mam? I'm sure your husband will allow it."

"I'm going back home." When I saw the surprise in her eyes I tried to diffuse the situation. "Just for a little while. My husband gave me permission."

Just then Esmeralda finally spoke up.

"He might miss you far too much mam, and go get you after a few days."

I smiled and Damiana's face returned to normal.

"My, my, is there nothing the Master won't give in to." She smiled and I didn't respond.

Corporal Jacob Black POV

"Give me some water." I called out to Paul.

"You've drank so much already!" He complained.

I was limping and leaning on a cane to assist me on the travel. My leg felt it was on fire with all this walking. Paul and I had been walking for days. Sometimes we were able to ride in someone's wagon, but they would only go so far.

"Now tell me Jacob, what's your plan once we arrive at this estate."

"Well, I'll ask for work. Hopefully I never have to talk to this Cullen face to face or I just might strangle him."

"You're going to need to lose the limp my friend. I find it hard to believe they could give you work if you can't do the job."

"Yeah, I'm worried about that…damn."

"If only she be waiting for us at the gate." He laughed.

We talked a lot of the way and he gave me a hard time to lift my spirits I think.

The sun was getting low in the sky when shots rang out.

Paul and I quickly threw ourselves into the bushes on the side of the road. I thought we might have been found, and were being shot at.

"Do you see anything?" Paul asked out of breath. My heart was down in my stomach as well.

"No, I think it might have been some other unfortunate soul down the road."

Just then we heard the hoofs of horses coming straight towards us at a high speed. Men were yelling and shooting up at the sky for no apparent reason. We laid low for a couple minutes waiting for complete silence.

Finally, when we were convinced the roads were clear again, we slowly started walking again. Soon enough we came across the body of a man. Paul ran toward him and looked up at me and shook his head.

"They took his money." Paul noticed the man's pockets and suit case were discarded near his body.

"They just had to kill him, sick sons of bitches."

Paul felt his pockets and produced a letter. He handed up at me and I couldn't believe my luck.

"He was headed Cullen Estate!"

Paul's eyes grew wide. I tried opening the letter as carefully as possible.

"He was the new accountant! This here says some Benjamin Chaney was sending him over."

"Well I'll be." Paul breathed.

"Do you know what this means?" I asked Paul, he waited for my explanation.

"Looks like I'm going to be this Adolf Foster."

"What?, Are you insane?!"

"Quick, the clothes in the luggage? Are they clean?"

"Yes." He shook off a coat.

"Let's take the luggage, I'm going to change quickly."

"You've damned lost your marbles." Paul whined.

"Just help me, will ya?"

Looked like I would have to possibly meet this Cullen, after all.

Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen

Later that night I was in my nightgown, I was just walking out of the wash room when there was a light knock on the door and Edward walked in. His sleeves were rolled up and he looked like he was ready to get into bed too.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you." I said softly. He assisted me while I settled into the bed.

"Is the pain bearable, I could give you something?"

I rubbed at my waist and shook my head.

"Sometimes calmatives do the opposite for me."

I saw his eyes land on my nightstand where the letter taunted him. Our eyes met and I knew he was curious as to who wrote me and what it contained.

"My Aunt Winifred. You can read it, if you like."

Maybe just allowing him to read it eased his mind because he shook his head and looked down at my hands were I continued to massage my own waist.

"Here, let me." He sat on the edge of the bed and had me face the other end. He rubbed his palms together and I felt his hands gently massage my waist and back.

"Hmm" the noise that escaped my throat made my face flush. Thankfully I was not facing him.

His hands stilled minutely, but then continued. The room was quiet and all my ears registered were his hands on my nightgown. My eyes kept fluttering shut and I found myself desiring his hands under the fabric instead of over it, but I would never express that. His hands started moving over my belly and higher up and lower on my back. His fingers then threaded into my hair and my heart picked up its pace. I usually braided it, but I didn't get around to it when he entered the room, and I was glad for it.

I felt him shift behind me and I realized he was lying down behind me. My heart definitely picked up its pace.

"Don't worry, I know you're hurt." He whispered behind me. "I just want to make sure you fall asleep fine."

"I'm not very tired." I whispered back.

His hand stilled on the center of my belly and my eyes closed involuntarily. His thumb rubbed slowly and I felt his lips on my bare shoulder. My breathing picked up audibly.

I felt his lips begin to travel slowly toward my neck and I surprised even myself when I adjusted to give him more room to place his soft warm lips.

His hand gently grabbed onto my belly, barely pulling me tighter to his chest. His breathing also picked up and I very carefully started to turn back around.

When I came face to face with him, his eyes burned with desire and I couldn't deny my own. The few candles that were lit casted a warm light over his face and he looked incredibly handsome. His jaw was tense and I wanted to place my hand over it to ease it.

He delicately placed his lips on mine and began to move them. I grabbed onto his shoulder and allowed him to open my mouth when I felt his tongue on my lips.

I was past the point of stopping him, the pain on my waist forgotten.

"Isabella…" he whispered near my ear.

My fingers shook as I reached over and began to unbutton his vest.

He looked down at my hands and I saw him swallow.

"Put your hands on me, Edward." I could barely hear myself.

The hand that was on my waist gently and barely moved, but it started making its way to my chest.

No sooner had I felt his palm on my swollen flesh when I leaned back moaning and he swallowed it up.

"Isabella, my love, what are you doing to me?" he moaned.

Our lips moved together furiously and I felt my waist protest but I ignored it.

His fingers clawed at my nightgown trying to bring it higher. His warm fingers finally touched the back of my thigh and my body was reacting in ways I had never felt before.

I worked to unbutton his shirt while still capturing his lips with mine.

I felt possessed. I could never behave this way with a clear mind. I would dread confession.

Then suddenly, our night collapsed.

"Mistress Isabella, Are you ready for your warm mi-ahh!"

The sound of porcelain shattering on the floor broke us apart and I sat up so quickly that it made my waist make me cry out.

"Heaven all mighty, forgive my impertinence!" Damiana cried and shut the door quickly.

Edward's face was in his hands breathing raggedly as he sat over on the edge of the bed.

My wincing made him look back at me with a worried face.

"I'm alright!" I smiled.

"No you're not, here, let me help you."

I chuckled and he met my eyes and seeing the smile on my face made one appear on his.

"I actually mean it, Isabella."

"I forget she brings me warm milk sometimes."

"She should learn to knock." He said.

"She might start to now." I giggled.

"Well, I'll make sure of it. Are you really alright?" His palm cupped my cheek.

I didn't move away. I accepted the embrace and minutely leaned into it while nodding at him.

"You should really rest, love."

My heart fluttered. His weight suddenly left the bed and I felt instantly colder.

"Don't go." I didn't even have time to contemplate it, the words came out on their own accord. My mind didn't even process it and looking back, I now see that it was my heart that spoke for me.

A/N: I need to pick up the ball, sorry for being MIA. I don't want to leave this story abandoned, it's just that RL is soooo busy:( boo...anyway, Hope you enjoyed:)