A/N: I'm posting this from bed as I have an awful dose of the flu; the worst I've had in years!

Thank you to everyone who followed and favorited this week and especially to those who reviews.

I have managed to answer some so please forgive me if I missed one of yours and didn't answer, please know that I am truly grateful for every single one of them

My thanks for Fran and her beta skills and for getting this one back to me quickly

Disclaimer: SM owns it all last time I looked and I doubt anything has changed since then

Now read on for Edward's side of the story

Chapter 21

"Tanya," Edward began, "We had been friends since we were small children, ever since her parents moved from Forks; they were one of those Forks Families your dad was talking about.

"She was Royce's girlfriend, but when I finished college and returned home we got together at one of her parent's parties, and she dumped him. She was no longer living at home, and I never did move back to my parent's house opting to get an apartment in Seattle. It was easier for my work, and she was there, so it seemed natural.

"She and I got on really well for the most part until she got the idea that it was time we moved forward and started badgering me to move in together. She wanted to get a larger apartment in a better part of town, but I resisted. I realized that I wasn't actually in love with her, and in retrospect, I probably never really was. I just couldn't find a way of saying it to her without breaking her heart. I knew she loved me and I didn't want to hurt her, and while we were just dating, it was all fine.

"The night we argued in the bar was the final straw. She confessed to sleeping with Royce, and although she said it was only the one time, I got the impression that there was more to it than that. Anyway, I told her that we were over and we left, with her following me, and screaming that it wasn't over and she loved me too much to let me go.

"She wouldn't give up, and followed me when I headed for my apartment. I told her to go home and sleep it off, and that I would talk to her more tomorrow. I hoped that when she woke the next day, she would be calmer and would actually listen to me, but I had no intention of going back on what I said; we were over.

"I took the usual short cut through the alley close to the apartment, with her still following me. I sped up a bit and refused to answer her, hoping that she would get the message and back off. I wasn't angry anymore Bella; you have to believe that I would never hurt anyone, even Tanya."

Edward's voice wavered and my grip on his arms, which were still around me, tightened as I assured him that I did believe him.

After a few minutes to allow himself to get control of his voice, he continued, "I turned around to face her at the end of that alley, once again saying that she should go home; I wasn't going to change my mind. I told her that I would get her a cab, and was pulling my phone from my pocket to do that, when she pitched forward, falling into me, collapsing into my arms. I dropped my phone, grabbing her as she fell, and lowered her to the ground. Blood was everywhere, her blood! God, there was so much of it, it was all over me, and I knew at that moment that she was already dead. I couldn't think or move or speak, and was only just aware of sirens in the distance getting louder, knowing that they were already too late. I have no idea who called the ambulance, but someone called the police too, and before I knew it, I was being shoved into the back of a squad car with handcuffs on, having been read my rights.

"I was in shock, and not really coherent, just yelling for them to call my dad. It was the only thing I could think of doing, but they just said I would get my chance at calling him when I was allowed my one phone call. Before I knew it, I had been divested of all my clothes, fingerprinted, given a paper suit to wear and then thrown into a cell. I have no idea where the time went, but it seemed like only minutes later, the door flew open and I was led to the desk and offered my call. I have to say I broke down when I uttered the words telling my dad that Tanya was dead and I had been arrested, practically sobbing into the phone, begging him to come get me."

He stopped there, and I could hear the tears that he held back, in his voice.

"Anyone would have been scared in those circumstances, Edward. You may not have loved her then, but she was your still friend, so it's absolutely okay to be upset about what happened." I soothed him as best I could, allowing him time to regain control. He sniffled, and, like me, brushed away the tears he allowed to fall.

He cleared his throat and continued, "James Hunter interviewed me and wouldn't listen to anything I said. Jenks, our family lawyer, urged me to stay silent, but I just couldn't let them think that I killed her. I told them that she confessed to sleeping with Royce, and that we had a row. They accused me of being angry enough to murder her. I told them that I had never even held a gun, never mind fired one, but they just came back at me saying that there was no need for skill. The gun that killed her was found over the fence behind me where she died, and they accused me of trying to throw it away. Nothing I said made any difference; they just kept badgering me and going over the same details, again and again, looking to trip me up when I responded."

"After that interview, Jenks demanded that I be released, but they were adamant that I would have to remain overnight and would be arraigned in the morning, when the judge would make that decision. Jenks assured me that he would be able to arrange for bail, and left to go and see my dad."

Edward stood and wandered back and forth, as if he couldn't bear to stay still. Standing in front of me, with his hands in his hair, I could see the strain recounting all of this was doing to him. His tone became tight and he couldn't look me in the eye.

"That was the worse night ever, and I hardly slept a wink. The following day, my whole family turned up at the courthouse to support me. The DA wanted me to stay in prison until the hearing and kept trying to convince the just that I was a flight risk. I maintained my not guilty plea, and Dad put up the bail money for me so I could go home with them."

Taking the seat next to me again, he was silent while gathering his thoughts, and continued.

"A couple of days later, I met Jenks downtown at his office and went over the whole story with him. He said he might be able to get me acquitted, but he was worried that if I stuck to my original plea and was subsequently found guilty, the sentence would be much harsher. He said that of course, he believed I was innocent, but there was no evidence of anyone else being involved. I had been with Tanya the whole time, I had been angry with her, we had a shouting match in full view of the people both in the bar and outside, and others had come forward saying that they had seen her following me along the streets towards my apartment."

"It was true that no one had actually seen me shoot her, but the gun that killed her was found not twenty yards away where from where she died, and I could have easily thrown it. Although I was visibly upset at Tanya's death at the scene, that could be explained away as acting on my part. I argued back that there was no gun residue on my hands, but he countered with the fact that a pair of gloves found close to the gun proved to be mine, and there was residue on them. I denied having worn gloves at all that evening, though I remembered having them with me when I got to the bar."

"The more we went over the facts, the more scared I became; there didn't seem to be anything that would prove beyond a doubt that I was innocent. Jenks said he would use the services of a Private Investigator to see if they could find anything else, but either there was nothing, or whoever had shot her had been clever enough to clean up thoroughly."

"They must have searched my apartment; you saw the tape across the door, though I'm not sure why it was there; it wasn't a crime scene. They never found the envelope, and that makes me believe that they didn't really look any further than the row Tanya and I had, the gloves, and the gun. They were convinced it was me and just stopped looking."

"Later on, after the autopsy, I found out that she was shot directly in the heart and died instantly."

He swallowed hard, reining in his emotions and stopped talking to take a deep breath; going over this was obviously wreaking havoc with his emotions as it was mine. After several minutes, he started talking again. I was holding the tears back by now, holding his hand and willing him to be strong. He squeezed back, his grip telling me he was fine.

"Looking back over the last month before she died, she was always nervous, especially when we were around Royce. It's obvious to me now, that she was afraid of him, and having found that list, I'm sure there was something going on, more than them sleeping together. In retrospect, she must have been compiling the evidence, and there is no doubt in my mind that she was trying to protect herself."

"I know it was stupid to run away, Bella, but I couldn't think of anything else to do. All I knew was that Royce was somehow involved, and the police were absolutely convinced I had committed the crime. There seemed to be no way out, and I just had to get away. I'm ashamed to say that I don't know if I would have ever returned without those men coming to find me."

"What happened that night, Edward?" I turned to look at him, "The night you disappeared?"

"I was on my way out of the door to come and meet you as we had arranged when I caught sight of two of Royce King's men. They split up, one going round the back and the other to the front door. I had no idea what they wanted but I knew it couldn't be good; they were acting far too oddly, so I grabbed my backpack and left out the window. I ran down to the beach and walked along the sand towards the hotel where I picked up a cab to the airport."

"I'm sorry I didn't come and see you before I left; it was too dangerous, and I had to remove myself immediately before they had a chance to see me or work out where I went. At that point, I wasn't really sure where to go, and just called Jazz on the off-chance, before heading to LA. It did cross my mind that if I came to see you, I might have also put you in danger and I couldn't have that. I just hoped, at the time, that they didn't hurt you instead and I'm glad you came looking."

He stopped there heaving a sigh of relief, as I had done; it was now all out in the open.

"I believe in you, Edward; I know you wouldn't have hurt her, they're wrong, and somehow, we will prove it."

We sat there for another hour, letting the now warm sunshine wash over us. Gradually the emotions from our confessions drained away leaving us more at peace and in tune with each other. Neither of us was under any illusion that this was over, there was so much that was still unexplained, and somehow we would have to find enough evidence to stop him from being convicted.

"Why are you doing all of this Bella? You could have walked away and yet you're still trying to help me. I suspected you of being somehow involved, I was an ass to you when you found me at Jasper's, and you're still here." Edward spoke from behind me.

Before I could stop myself, the words I had damned up for over ten years came pouring out; the reason I couldn't let this go and leave him.

"My Mom and Dad divorced when I was four years old, and Mom left Forks for Arizona, taking me with her. When I was fourteen, there was a break-in at our house in Phoenix, where we lived at the time. I had been out with my friends while Phil, my step-father was out shopping for Christmas presents. He returned to the house unexpectedly and found her lying at the bottom of the stairs. He said she was already gone when he got there and called both the ambulance and the police."

My voice faltered as the horrific memories of that day washed over me. I swallowed back the tears, wanting to release them but knowing that I needed to get the words out, before that overtook me.

"The house had been ransacked, and all her jewelry had been taken. It was worth a fair amount and when the police found out that Phil had lost his job a few months ago and had no money left, they accused him of her murder. The fact that he had taken out an insurance policy a few months before, put the nail in his coffin so to speak. Although they found other fingerprints on the front door, there was no other evidence that anyone else had ever been in the house. Eventually, he was convicted on circumstantial evidence; they never found the gun that killed her."

I choked back a sob and continued, "He was sentenced to twenty-five years and served eight of those before they found the person who actually committed the crime, purely by accident. They had been called to a shooting at a house near to ours, and the fingerprints on the gun the robber was using matched those on the front door and it was enough to get his conviction over-ruled."

I went to my mom's funeral and then came to live with Charlie after that. Phil and I stay in touch, but he doesn't like to be reminded of Renee, so it's sporadic, even though he was a great father to me before it all happened."

"That's just one of the reasons I have to do this; I have to help you. No one should have to spend time in prison for something they didn't do, and …" I turned to face him, "… especially not the man I love."

Edward took my face in his hands and kissed me softly and gently, "I'm so glad you felt you could tell me something that must have been so traumatic for you. I love you too, sweet girl. And I'm so happy you didn't give up on me."

**CD**