A/N: I know most of you are shocked at where this story is going and I really never planned it to go this route, but of course, shit happens, characters take you places you never expected. Hopefully, I keep you entertained in the process.
Many thanks to my beta xrxdanixrx. She really is quite amazing.
DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns all rights and property of Twilight. I just like having fun with her amazing characters.
Chapter 21
BPOV
Edward and I stayed in each other's embrace for at least another twenty minutes, both of us refusing to let the other one go, and when my phone vibrated for the millionth time in my pocket…I knew our time was coming to an end. The drama that was unfolding upstairs needed my attention, and the prospect of seeing Edward anytime soon was still unclear. I couldn't make him any promises or tell him for certain when we would see each other again—fuck! How did I get here? It boggled my mind that I couldn't drag myself away from him. The gravitational pull I felt towards this man was unprecedented. It was beyond my realm of comprehension, and to be quite honest, I was tired of trying to understand it. What Edward and I shared just was. There was no way to explain something that was this strong and raw. The love and devotion I felt towards him was one of the many mysteries in life, things that couldn't be rationalized. It was the first mystery that I'd found myself not caring to hash out. The insistent need to get to the bottom of it was just not there. This was a rarity in itself, because normally, that's what I did. If there was something I didn't understand or was anonymity to me…well, you better believe that I was going to figure that shit out.
There was no way I was going to waste my time pondering it when I was wrapped up in Edward's arms. The warmth of his body relaxed my aching muscles and the scent, that was all Edward, overwhelmed me. It was quite intoxicating. Where was I going to find the strength to pull myself away from him? How was I going to manage to utter the word goodbye? Why was this so hard? Perhaps it was because I wasn't stupid, and was well aware of the long and tedious hours that lay ahead of me. God only knew how long the interrogations were going to take…ten, maybe fifteen hours, and that was not even factoring in the paperwork. It was going to get hectic around the office, and my life was going to be hell.
What really surprised me was that my heart was no longer in the job. Before Edward came waltzing into my life, I would've been ecstatic with the insane work load. The fire and passion I once possessed was now just lack luster. It might sound a little self-centered, but now, all I wanted to do was leave with Edward so I could take him home and rid him of his sexy tux.
What I wouldn't give to devour him right now…
"This sucks," I groaned, irritated.
Edward chuckled as he pulled away from me. The amusement in his eyes as he stared at me adoringly, only made me ache for him more.
"It won't be forever, remember?" Edward asked sweetly, throwing my previous words in my face.
"That's the problem; I don't know how long it will be. It's just…I rather like spending time with you," I whispered coyly, glancing away from his piercing gaze.
"Hey," Edward said as he placed his hands on my cheeks and gently pulled my face to his again, "do you think you could possibly get away Sunday evening?"
"I doubt it," I admitted sadly.
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them, because Edward's brokenhearted expression crushed me. It didn't matter who I had to kill, I would be available to him Sunday. No, I wanted to be with him Sunday.
"But, I'll find a way," I interjected quickly.
Edward's face lit up. "Really?"
"Whatever it takes, I'll make sure that my schedule is clear on Sunday," I stated firmly.
Edward's lips captured mine fiercely, and I completely melted. My mind was getting lost in the sensation, and I had a hard time remembering the task at hand, well, that was until the harsh vibration of my phone interrupted our bubble.
Nooo!
"Fuck," I hissed, yanking away from his warm, soft, and inviting lips.
Edward smirked as I angrily pulled out my phone. It was a message from Alice. My body tensed up slightly as I read the text.
Okay, um, Bells...it's been a little over a half hour. I told you I would handle Rosalie, but I didn't mean the whole night. If you don't want her stomping down there and collecting you, I suggest you get your cute butt up here…pronto.
"I've got to go." I sighed.
"I know, baby. It's okay, really," Edward assured me.
I frowned slightly. "You say that now, but give it time. This shit is about to get old. It always does."
"Why do you say that? Are you planning on getting rid of me?" he asked dejectedly.
"No, definitely not. It's just…I don't expect you to wait around—"
"Now you're talking in circles," Edward interrupted me as he chuckled with amusement. He shook his head at me disbelievingly. "Listen, all you got to worry about is making sure that you get Sunday off, okay? My parents are really looking forward to it."
My eyes widened. "Your parents?"
"Is that a problem?" Edward asked warily.
"No, I'm just surprised. What brought this on?"
"Well, my mother is very persistent, and she wasn't kidding when she said she wanted to introduce you to everyone," Edward started to explain, and my stomach tightened with every syllable. The fear and reluctance must have been written all over my face, because he pulled me into an intense hug. "Don't worry; it's only one person, really. An old college buddy of my dad's."
I pulled away as my brow furrowed with confusion. "Why is that person so important?"
"I don't know," Edward said, shrugging. "But he invited my parents over for dinner and my mom asked-no, she demanded I bring you. Normally, I would have blown her off, but it seems I rather like spending time with you, too."
I smiled. The blush was creeping up on my cheeks and enflaming my skin. Edward reached out and caressed my face. The moment of silence was nice, and we really didn't have to say much, because he knew as well as I did. It didn't matter if I was uncomfortable with the situation, I would still do anything to be by his side. Time with him was never enough, and when my phone buzzed in my hand again, I knew I was stalling.
"I've really got to go this time," I said quickly as I placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
"I would reckon that we have gone over our allotted time together," Edward murmured.
"Detective Swan," an agitated tone called from behind me.
Without having to turn around, I knew who it was. I smiled sheepishly at Edward.
"Yes, Agent Hale," I answered as I turned and faced Rosalie's wrath.
She was standing at the entrance of the door, glaring at me. Her stiletto heels tapped furiously on the concrete, and her arms were folded rigidly over her chest.
"Well, I was just wondering if you ever were going to join us. I mean, after all, the ligature marks that are on Mr. Spero's neck were, in fact, caused by you," Rosalie spat.
"I was just saying goodnight. I will be up in a minute," I told her brusquely.
She sat motionless, just staring at me. It was slightly uncomfortable, and I didn't want her there as I wished Edward goodnight.
"Thank you, Agent Hale, but I know where the narcotics department is and I believe I can find it on my own-without your escort," I said coldly.
Rosalie huffed in annoyance as she turned and stomped back into the building. I rolled my eyes as I watched her disappear from my sight.
"You need to go, Bella. Rose didn't look too happy," Edward said as he kissed my cheek.
"I know, but whatever, I don't even care anymore," I responded blatantly.
"That may be, but I don't want to be the reason you get in trouble. So, goodnight, love, I will text you later," Edward said as he wrapped me up in a hug.
"I love you, Edward."
"I love you, too. Now, go…" Edward urged as he released me and directed me towards the door.
So, that's exactly what I did. My whole body fought against me as I moved, but I made sure that I didn't look back, because If I was to turn around and catch a glimpse of Edward just standing there looking all fuckable in that killer tux of his…I knew I would just say the hell with it and leave with him. I had no idea how long I'd been down there, but it was unacceptable. I knew that the whole time, too, but I honestly didn't care.
As I began to ascend the stairs, my mind started to go into overdrive. This was going to be the moment of truth. While I was outside reuniting with Edward, I knew that everyone was getting debriefed. Alice said she was going to handle Rosalie, but Alice wasn't a miracle worker, and Rosalie definitely wasn't a woman who could be handled. She fucking proved that when she came downstairs to get me. It was obvious that she saw my tardiness as an act of defiance. As if my thought process was all about pissing her off—no, my problem was my selfishness. The fact that I stood outside for the last half hour cuddling with my boyfriend, instead of going upstairs and getting straight to work, was a clear indication of me just thinking only of myself. My priorities were shifting quite rapidly. Once I agreed to go to dinner with Edward's family on Sunday was the moment it all became clear. My job, what used to be my life, was now taking a backseat. At first, the thought scared me, making me feel like I was giving up my life for my man, but then I realized it was what I wanted to do. It wasn't Edward giving me the ultimatum. He wasn't demanding I quit and spend more time with him. He didn't even utter the word balance to me. The decision was entirely my own. Despite his over-protectiveness for my safety, Edward never once insisted that I leave my job. He didn't even try to talk me out of going to the party with James. It'd surprised me how understanding he'd been; granted, it had only been three weeks, and tides could always change, but for some reason, I felt secure. It was this tiny voice in my head telling me that everything was going to be okay, that sticking it out with Edward was worth it.
That voice sounded suspiciously like Alice.
When I walked into the office, I saw that Alice, Emmett, and Captain Cullen were huddled in a group by my desk. The office wasn't filled with people and it wasn't exactly empty, either. The night shift crew were whispering amongst themselves as I walked towards my desk. Apparently, word had spread about the James situation. I held my head high as all three sets of eyes shot up at me.
Captain Cullen gave me a warm smile as he placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "How are you, Detective Swan?"
"I'm good, Captain, thanks. I'm sorry for not being up here earlier," I apologized.
"No, worries, we were just waiting for Agent Hale," Captain Cullen said reassuringly.
That was an odd piece of information, because when Rosalie came downstairs and threw her tantrum, I was kind of under the impression that they were all waiting on me. In fact, even Alice insinuated that through her text.
"Why are we waiting on Agent Hale? I kind of figured that I was the one holding up the show," I stated, confused.
"Agent Hale is on a conference call with her bosses in my office," Captain Cullen started. I gave him a confused expression. "She decided to update them about the situation, and from what I could gather, they aren't happy."
"Do you think they are going to shut us down?" I asked tautly.
"It's unclear at this point, but the odds aren't in our favor," Captain Cullen answered despondently.
"This is my entire fault, Captain," I professed shamefully.
"Detective, I hardly think all of this is your fault," Captain Cullen refuted, shaking his head.
"He's right, Bella. How were you to know that James was going to kidnap you?" Alice asked suddenly.
Did they need me to explain in detail how much I fucked up this case? They could all try to feign ignorance, but they all knew exactly how I was at fault. It started with Edward—I practically mauled the poor guy on the second day. What the hell was I thinking? Then the whole James situation was a huge red flag of where I went wrong. If I hadn't been so consumed with Edward, I would have never lost my focus. It was so fucking obvious, since I laid my eyes on Mr. Masen in third period English, that I hadn't been using my head. So, as much as the whole, it's not your fault, was appreciated, I knew it was a bold-faced lie.
The real sick and twisted part about all that was...I would do it again.
How fucking selfish is that?
"There's more to it than James just kidnapping me, Alice, you know that," I replied emotionlessly cryptic.
Alice stared at me, slightly offended, and I was getting annoyed with everybody tip-toeing around me. Why did everyone think I was some delicate flower? Alice was always babying me, and Emmett admitted to following me when I was undercover. Then there was Edward, who at times, got a little over protective of me, and now, I had to deal with Captain Cullen looking at me all concerned and shit. It was like he was expecting me to break down into tears. It was all too much at the moment.
I needed a distraction. Luckily, Rosalie was making her way back to us and everyone's attention shifted to her.
Hallelujah!
If there was one thing I could count on, it would be Rosalie's distaste for me. The cold glare she gazed upon me as she approached was expected, and to be honest, it was fucking nice. It was better than being looked at like a wounded bird. If my friends wouldn't be truthful with me, I could always count on Agent Hale to tell it to me straight. She was the only one who had called me out on my missteps. I understood her anger towards me. The F.B.I put all their eggs in this one basket, and what happened? Some Seattle detective, a fucking rookie, ruined it all. Aro wasn't elusive this time, no, it was my fucking incompetence that allowed Aro to escape.
Are you done beating yourself up? my inner-Bella asked, annoyed.
Would I ever be done berating myself? Probably not, but I didn't think I deserved a reprieve.
"So glad you could join us, Detective Swan," Rosalie's icy voice broke through my inner musing.
I nodded tersely at her. It was best to keep my mouth shut, because despite all that had happened, we still had a job to do…or at least, I hoped we still did.
"So, what's the word?" Emmett asked.
Rosalie rubbed her eyes roughly as she let out a huge sigh. "We've got twenty-fours. Then they shut us down."
"Twenty-fours to do what?" Alice asked anxiously.
"To bring Aro Volturi in," Rosalie answered resignedly.
"They can't really think that's possible?" Captain Cullen asked in disbelief.
"They really don't give a shit anymore at what is actually possible. In fact, they think they are being generous by allowing us to have twenty-four hours. If it wasn't for the kids that we have in custody, I would be on a plane heading towards Washington as we speak," Rosalie said bitterly. Her eyes flashed towards Emmett, and she sighed. "I would be surprised if they didn't already box up my belongings."
No wonder she hated me. She was going to lose her job over this case. How naïve I was to think that there would be no repercussions for her. If anyone deserved to be out of a job, it was me. All Rosalie ever did was put her trust in us. Look at where that fucking got her.
"Well, I guess all we've got left to do is interview them. At least we could get some information on how Aro works," I heard myself say.
Rosalie rolled her eyes at my suggestion as if I was the biggest jackass in the world, which may have been true, but she still owed me some professional courtesy.
"Or we could let them go. Fuck it; why even try anymore, eh?" I questioned angrily.
"You know, Swan, you sure have got yourself a mouth," Rosalie said through clenched teeth.
I was definitely pissing her off.
"Look, these kids are our in. Don't you see that?" I asked, flabbergasted.
Alice leaned around Emmett with a curious expression, and Captain Cullen stared at me with interest. Rosalie, however, wasn't having it.
"Well, its looks like you solved the case, Swan, bravo," Rosalie said sarcastically.
"Oh, I see. So, apparently because I fucked up this case royally, it's impossible for me to have a good idea?" I asked incredulously.
Rosalie shrugged.
"What are you getting at, Bella?" Alice asked inquisitively.
Rosalie and I glared at each other, just waiting for the other one to flinch. It sure as hell wasn't going to be me.
"What I'm saying is that we never know if we don't ask. We've got twenty fours to make some head way," I told Alice, never breaking my gaze from Rosalie. "I say, we talk with James. He's the key."
"He was the key, Swan. Now, he's a steel trap. He's not going to tell us anything," Rosalie stated resolutely.
"Did you interview him?" I asked Rosalie. She shook her head. "Then how do you know? What else are we going to fucking do?"
Rosalie shook her head with skepticism as she chuckled to herself. It looked as though she wanted to disagree with me, but I saw it as clear as day. She knew I was right. Now, the question was: what was more important…her pride or catching Aro?
"Agent Hale," Captain Cullen called softly. Rosalie broke her eyes from me to look at him. "It's worth a try."
"Fine," Rosalie said stiffly, "but I interview them, no one else."
We all nodded in agreement, because unbeknownst to her, that was how things worked around here. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever interrogated one of my leads. It just didn't seem like a logical option, because there was always too much emotion involved. If I was to interview one of my leads, James especially, it would end up being a huge disaster. There was no way I was going to get anything out of James, and the asshole would end up trying to taunt me.
It was odd that Rosalie felt like she had to make that point clear to us. The bitch was probably trying to flex her muscles…flaunt her power.
Damn, she's exhausting.
Ten minutes later Alice, Emmett, Captain Cullen, and I were all cramped into the surveillance room-waiting anxiously for Rosalie to get in there to question James. The technology used by law enforcement had really changed in the last fifteen years. Two way mirrors were long gone and now we heavily relied on video. The interrogation room was plain, at best, and had one solitary recording device, which fed back to the small room that we were sitting in. The video feed wasn't the greatest of quality, and at times, the gritty screen made it hard to see the perpetrator's expressions, but that was the least of my worries tonight, no, what irritated me was the small confines I found myself in, because the room was way too small. It only had two chairs and four monitors, but that took up ninety-five percent of the space, leaving only comfortable breathing room for two bodies.
We were packing in four.
"This is so exciting," Alice chattered as she bounced around in her seat.
I narrowed my eyes at her overzealous attitude. "This is serious."
"I know that, but it's still…I don't know, it's like Law and Order," she said excitedly.
I laughed.
"Law and Order? How can you compare a script to real life?" I asked incredulously.
"It's based on real events, Bells," Emmett chimed in.
"Jesus, not you, too," I groaned.
Alice giggled as her and Emmett fist bumped each other.
"It's amazing. How old are you guys again?" I questioned the two knuckleheads.
Captain Cullen shocked me with his low chuckle, and I swung my head around to see that he was laughing.
Even Captain Cullen thinks the shit is funny.
I gaped at him, shaking my head dubiously. "Don't tell me that you condone this type of behavior?"
Captain Cullen gave me a small smile, shrugging his shoulders. Even though I asked the question, I knew his answer. He was the type of Captain who was like a father figure to all of us. Granted, he wasn't that much older than us, in his mid-forties, but he had an older and wiser demeanor about him. It was a shame that Cullen and his wife, Esme, couldn't have kids, because the fatherly aura that surrounded him was blinding, and I saw it the first day I walked into Narcotics as an Officer. Captain Cullen had instantly taken me under his wing, telling me that he had high hopes for me, and knew I would be a valuable addition to their Pro-Active Squad. The faith he had in me back then was impetuous, and I'd been trying to live up to his expectations ever since. His approval meant the world to me, and I feared his disappointment.
Did he see me as a failure? Was he saddened to see that all his work had been flushed down the drain?
I searched for the answers to my unspoken questions, but as I looked into his soft eyes, I saw…happiness. The underlying stress was still there, but the dominant emotion in his face was, without a doubt, happiness, and it confused me.
"Anytime you guys take a moment and not let this job get to you, I see as a blessing. You know my stance, Bella. Have I ever been the type of boss who forbids my people from having a good laugh every now and then?" he asked, patting my shoulder.
"No, you haven't, but…" I paused as I looked over at Alice and Emmett, and saw that they were playing a round of rock, paper, and scissors. I turned back to Captain Cullen and smiled. "Look at them—they're acting like kids."
"You're a bright woman, Bella. You know as well as I do that sometimes it's best to let your inner child out. Can you imagine what kind of life this would be if we didn't allow ourselves a little fun?" he asked somberly.
There was no disputing his logic, because I did agree with him. It was this belief that got Alice and me through all the rough patches and countless undercover stings. The things I'd seen throughout my career were things that would make most people go crazy. Even though I barked and demanded Alice and Emmett to be serious, it was all a show. It was the way I interacted with them. If one day they decided to take shit seriously, I would be lost.
"Well, thank god they got me to keep them in line, right?" I asked, smirking.
Captain Cullen gave me a kind smile. He understood me better than anyone, and it had a calming effect on me. In spite of the fuckery I caused with this case, he held no contempt for me. I would even venture to say that he was actually proud of me.
Wow…
"Damn, Bells, you fucked him up!" Emmett exclaimed.
My attention was quickly shifted back to the monitors where I saw an officer bringing James into the room. Despite the gritty video, I could clearly see the rope burns around James' neck, and I oddly felt horrible about it. He looked so young to me and not like the monster I'd seen in the past.
The officer removed James's handcuffs, firmly sitting him in one of the chairs. As the officer turn to leave, James looked up into the camera and winked. The monster was back and it was unsettling. If this kid, some seventeen year old boy, was released out into the word, what destruction would he cause?
I shivered at the thought.
The door to the surveillance room opened slightly, pushing on Emmett where he leaned against it. Rosalie poked her head in.
"Okay, guys, just giving you a heads up. The parent's have been called on Miss Taylor and Miss Smith, so questioning them will be limited. We don't have much to hold the two young ladies for, well besides, aiding and abiding in a kidnapping of an officer. James, however, had no next of kin, so he is all ours…unless he asks for a lawyer," Rosalie said, rushing through her words.
"Sounds good, Agent Hale. Did you need another detective to accompany you?" Captain Cullen asked.
"No, Captain, I should be fine," Rosalie replied.
She gave us all one last look before poking her head back out and closing the door behind her. At once all of our eyes shifted back to the monitors. Alice leaned over and turned up the volume.
James sat, slouched in his chair, staring aimlessly. He looked relaxed, and I wondered what could possibly be going through his mind. Did he have any idea the shit he was in? Did he even care?
We're about to find out, I thought as the door to the interrogation room opened.
Rosalie sauntered into the room confidently, catching the eye of James. He looked her up and down like a dog in heat, and I glanced over at Emmett to see his reaction. He looked unfazed by the whole situation; in fact, he looked captivated as he leaned over Alice to get a better view of the screen.
"Good evening, Mr. Spero, my name is Agent Hale, how are you feeling?" Rosalie greeted casually as she sat down.
"Like sht—did you see what that bitch did to me?" James spat as he gestured towards his neck. "I could sue you guys for police brutality!"
"That's highly unlikely, Mr. Spero. You see, you kidnapped an officer with the intent to kill. If you did attempt to sue, the judge would see that as self defense and ultimately side with Detective Swan," Rosalie said dully, barely giving him an inch. "You have no case."
James stared at Rosalie passively, sitting completely still. She never looked up from James' file as she read quietly. The silence in the room was deafening, and I wondered what strategy Rosalie was aiming for.
James shifted in his chair anxiously, finally letting out an angry sigh. "Well, I ain't telling you shit!"
Rosalie looked up at him as she closed his folder. She placed her hands on top of the table, interlinking her fingers.
"Well, why don't we start off with what you can tell me," she suggested nonchalantly.
"What's with you bitches? You think I'm an idiot? You think I don't know what you're up to? Like I don't know what you fucking want," James said dryly.
"You lost me, Mr. Spero. We already know what went down. We have Detective Swan's statement," Rosalie replied with mocked confusion.
"That's not why I'm here," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Of course that's why you're here. What other reason could there be?" she asked, surprised.
James looked up at the camera, locking eyes with it, and I tensed involuntarily. The cold, piercing gaze he gave, traveled straight through the device and right to me.
He knew I was watching.
"Where are you, Bella? Why aren't you in here finishing what you fucking started?" James asked, never breaking his eyes from the camera.
"Hey, casa nova, eyes on me. Bella's not there, you're talking to no one!" Rosalie snapped.
The anger in Rosalie's voice was unexpected, and the way she said my name was somewhat protective.
James shot his eyes back at her and nodded once. "Yeah, right."
"So, if you know so much, Mr. Spero, why don't you let me in on the secret?" Rosalie sneered.
"Oh, you would love that," James goaded as he leaned over the table. "Like I said, I ain't telling you shit."
Rosalie huffed with annoyance as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, that's unfortunate, because you ain't leaving until I get some answers."
And so it begins…
James knew how to keep his mouth shut and Rosalie knew how to wait. As for me, I was getting restless. It was already three in the morning, and I was exhausted. It was very important for all of us to be there, but damn, it was going nowhere. They spent hours just staring at each other in complete silence. At one point, it had seemed that Rosalie was going to give up on him, because she'd stood up, but that was only to stretch. James was like a statue. He never looked away from Rosalie, and never fidgeted in his seat. He just sat motionless in his chair. How did he do it? My eyes studied him as I watched his facial expressions, looking for any cracks. There was nothing he let slip…he was just emotionless.
It was chilling.
The cramped room was starting to feel like a coffin, and I wanted to escape these compacted confines. My eyes begged for sleep, but I ignored their plea as I sipped my coffee. There had to be a break at some point, right? This couldn't go on forever. My mind was in a weary mess, and I found myself wondering about Edward. He was probably at home in his warm bed, sleeping, and I couldn't decide who I was most jealous of, Edward or the bed. Regardless, both of them sounded nice and I wished I was with them both.
Damn, I just refereed to a bed as an entity…I must be exhausted.
"God, this is so boring." Alice's sudden whine brought me out of my pondering.
"Alice is right," Emmett agreed. "Can we just arrest his ass and call it a day?"
"As much as that is appealing to us all, Detective McCarty, we have to trust that Agent Hale knows what she's doing," Captain Cullen answered.
"What is she doing?" I heard myself ask.
Before Captain Cullen could respond, we heard commotion coming from behind the door, and suddenly, the door was jerked open, almost causing Emmett to fall on his ass. Once Emmett regained his balance, we all looked up and saw an unknown man standing in the doorway. He was incredibly short with slicked black hair. He was wearing a black suit and a scowl on his face. He narrowed his eyes at all of us.
"Where is Agent Hale?" the man demanded.
"She's questioning a suspect. Who are you?" Captain Cullen asked.
"I'm Agent Reed. I was sent to clean up Agent Hale's mess, so it's imperative that I speak with her," he answered snootily.
Who was this jackass and why did he think it was okay to talk down to us the way he did? He stated he was here to clean up Rosalie's mess, and I wondered what that entailed. Was he going to take over Rosalie's job and start spouting out orders to us? I hoped not, because I think I disliked this douche more than my dislike for Rosalie.
"Well, Agent Reed, like I said, she's currently interviewing a suspect. Can we grab you some coffee while you wait?" Captain Cullen asked with a condescending tone.
I smiled at his attitude as I watched Agent Reed glare coldly and unyieldingly at the captain.
"No thanks, in fact, I have no time to wait. What room is she in?" he inquired, but when he saw that we weren't going to respond to his orders, he huffed with irritation. "I'll find her myself."
He slammed the door behind him and we all busted into a fit of laughter.
"Who was that tool?" Emmett snorted.
We all shook our heads. This night was turning into a fucking circus, and I barely had enough strength to keep up. Only thing I didn't lose was my need to fight.
"Did you hear that bullshit? Clean up Rosalie's mess. What the hell was he talking about?" I asked, furious.
Captain Cullen shrugged. "Well, it seems like Washington is none too happy with the progress we've made thus far, so my guess is that they sent down some reinforcements."
"Lame," Emmett said, rolling his eyes.
"Poor Rose," Alice stated sadly.
For once, I was in agreement with Alice, because Rosalie didn't deserve the shake down she was about to get, and I knew she would take it all upon herself. The last thing she would do was point fingers and that was admirable. Not too many people in this world were willing to take all the blame, especially if it wasn't their fault. The crazy part was, no matter how much Rosalie loathed me, she would never throw me underneath the bus.
I would never understand her.
It didn't take long for Agent Reed to locate her, and we watched on the monitor as he opened the door to the interrogation room. The look on Rosalie's face went through several emotions. When she realized who it was, I clearly saw a look of annoyance. It would seem that she wasn't fond of the douche, either.
"I better get out there," Captain Cullen stated glumly as he stood up and left the room.
"Ooh, me, too!" Alice exclaimed as she hopped off her seat and followed the captain out.
Emmett left without saying a word and I found that I was now alone in the room. The extra space was nice, but the intense gaze I was getting from, the equally alone, James was disconcerting. He had this ability to look straight through the camera and zone in on me. The hatred grew within me as I glared right back. He knew a lot more than he was willing to tell Rosalie. His whole attempt at being coy was getting on my nerves and I wanted this shit settled already. I wanted to go home. He was interrupting my sleep, and more importantly, my time with Edward.
James kept his eyes on the camera as he spoke, "Come out and play, Bella."
It should have freaked me out that he knew that I was watching, but it only angered me. It could've been exhaustion that made me get up from my seat. It could've been the fact that I missed Edward with every second that passed, that made me grab my handcuffs. Perhaps, I could blame James for not confessing his deepest darkest secrets to Rosalie, and that was the reason I snuck past everyone as I made my way to the interrogation room.
Whatever the reason, I had one goal in mind as I walked into the room with James. If he was going to play this game of cat and mouse, I was determined to prove that he was the mouse that dangled from my mouth. The control he thought he had was self-appointed, and he was going to realize quickly that he was powerless.
The smirk on his face as I shut the door behind me was arrogant.
Yeah, whatever, asshole…
"I brought you some jewelry," I said as I threw my cuffs on the table.
"Awe, it's going to be like that?" James pouted.
I pulled out my gun and pointed it at his head. "Yeah, James, it's like that, and I don't like to repeat myself."
James chuckled, shaking his head as he cuffed himself. He looked up at me as I walked over to the camera and shut it off. He raised his eyebrow questioningly.
"We need to discuss some things and I don't want you to lie or beat around the bush, and I figured the fewer eyes the better. Off the record, so to speak," I replied as I sat down.
James leaned over the table, closing the distance between us. "You know, I never wanted to kill you."
"Is that supposed to comfort me?" I asked skeptically.
"It should," he answered simply. "I have a soft spot for you."
I scoffed at his insinuation. "Charmed, I'm sure."
He leaned back into his seat and shrugged. "Whatever, I just wanted you to know that."
What game was he playing with me? Did he think that his little confession was going to get me to feel sorry for him? He had no idea that I knew a liar when I saw one, and it didn't matter that James was the best I'd seen. He was still a liar.
"Why did you feel that you had to kill me, James?" I asked, keeping my voice neutral.
"I already told you," he retorted.
"Well, forgive me if I can't recall. I wasn't exactly firing all pistons at the time."
"That's for sure," he said, laughing.
I glared at him expectantly.
"What?" James huffed with annoyance.
"You know exactly what the fuck I want!" I nearly shouted.
James rolled his eyes as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It was obvious that he wanted to tell me. The smile that played on his lips was all the evidence I needed.
"Yeah, well, we can't always get what we want, now can we?" James said sardonically.
"We'll get him, James," I stated matter-of-factly.
James shot me a look of resentment. The fury in his face was so raw and for a brief second, I feared him, but then I remembered I had the gun, and he was just a seventeen year old boy.
"That's bullshit and you know it. That little undercover operation you guys had going was destined to fail. Even if you fucked me every day until Sunday, you would've never gotten close enough to Aro to catch him!" he pronounced heatedly.
"What do you mean it was destined to fail? How do you know that?"
"Because, Detective, Aro recruits…he doesn't take applications," James spat.
"Recruits?" I asked, confused.
"Do you actually believe that any of us went looking for him? We didn't stumble upon Aro…he found us!"
The tone in his voice convinced me that he was telling the truth. If everything he was telling me was true, than that meant that the plan to infiltrate into Aro's drug ring was pointless. He went looking for his employees, which meant he did background checks. He would have investigated me, Alice and Emmett, and we would've been found out. How did we not anticipate this?
How did we expect our plan to work? Were we that fucking ignorant?
"Yeah, so you see, no matter what I tell you, you will never get him," James said mockingly.
"How did he come across you?" I asked.
"My police record," he replied dully.
"What record? We already checked up on you and we couldn't find anything."
"That's because Aro made sure I wouldn't have one. He needs his employees to check out clean," James said, irritated.
Holy shit…
"How would he do that?" I inquired eagerly.
"Are you serious? The man is fucking powerful. I don't know how he does the shit he does, but I fucking know I wouldn't mess with him…" he paused as he looked up at the camera. He looked back at me with a slight frown. "I guess it doesn't matter anymore, I'm a fucking dead man."
"We will protect you, James, we just need your full cooperation," I said tenderly.
"No one can protect me. Aro will find out that I got arrested and will assume I betrayed him. I will be dead before the end of the day."
As I reached out to comfort him and pacify his fears, the door opened, and I felt someone's eyes burning into the back of my head.
"What the hell?" Rosalie hissed.
"Times up," James snickered.
"Apparently," I said as I stood up from my seat.
Rosalie stomped into the room, looking over at James cuffed hands, and my firm grip on my gun. The anger that flushed through her face was understandable, but I already got what I needed from James. The answer to our problem was clear.
The hard part was getting Rosalie to listen to me.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" Rosalie seethed.
Ignoring her comment, I turned on my heel and walked out of the room. Standing in the doorway and blocking my way was Agent Reed. He was looking at me disapprovingly, and I shoved my way past him, not even giving him a second thought. As I exited the room, I saw that Emmett, Alice, and Captain Cullen were staring at me in complete shock. I narrowed my eyes at them as I passed. What was their deal? Once again, everyone was treating me like what I did was so unexpected. It was getting ridiculous around here, and I just wanted to be done with it all. First, I had to make it to my desk; unfortunately, Rosalie was quick to intercept me.
"You have a lot of explaining to do," she said through her clenched teeth.
"I was getting tired of us getting nowhere with him. I knew he would talk to me," I told her truthfully.
"So, turning off the camera was a way to accomplish that? Why must you always go against me, Swan?" Rosalie asked, exasperated.
I closed my eyes in frustration as I tried to reel in my anger. "I turned off the camera to earn his trust. If he felt like he was speaking with me privately, I knew he would spill his guts, and that's exactly what happened."
"Is that so? What exactly did he tell you?" Rosalie asked begrudgingly.
"He told me that our undercover operation was pointless, and I believe him," I answered sharply.
Rosalie narrowed her eyes at me as she crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't like to be told that her plan was an epic failure.
"You do, do you? I find that not surprising," she said hatefully.
"Fine, be a bitch, but you need to know that there was no way we would have ever got close enough to Aro. He does background checks on his recruits. How long would have it taken before he figured us out…" I paused as I watched the small smile grace her face, my jaw dropped. "You fucking knew that? You were setting us up?"
"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Swan, how did you expect us to go about the situation? We needed people to lead us to his location," Rosalie said dismissively.
"By using us as bait?" I spat disdainfully.
The whole concept was fucking disgusting.
"We have to make sacrifices in this job. I thought you knew that," she said coolly.
"I make sacrifices for this god damn job all the time. That's not the issue. What you did was deceitful and cold hearted. How can you even call yourself a fucking leader?" My voice was filled with anger and the more I thought about her callousness, the more infuriated I became.
"Agent Hale, I thought you said you had everything under control here," Agent Reed stated out of nowhere.
Where the fuck did he just come from? I hadn't even noticed that he was standing next to Rosalie.
Fucking ninja…
"Peter, not right now…" Rosalie snarled at the little hobbit. She shot her icy blues right back at me. "You need to watch yourself, Swan, you are about to cross the line."
"No, Agent Hale, you just crossed the line," I said, raising my voice as pushed past her. "I'm fucking done! I quit!"
I was enraged, and the lack of sleep wasn't helping matters. The fact that I just quit my job didn't go unnoticed by me, but I had enough of all these fucking games Rosalie was playing. Ever since she came to Seattle and decided to lead this ill-fated undercover operation, things had been just going to hell.
Being used as bait didn't piss me off, in fact, I'd been down that road many times, what made me so angry was that Rosalie hid that piece of information from us. The whole plan to get close to Aro was to dupe us in the end. She lied over and over, and I couldn't see past her dishonesty.
I stormed up to Emmett and Alice. "Can we leave?"
"Um… I just…um," Emmett stuttered.
"What?" I snapped.
Alice reached out and touched my arm lightly. "Bella, you should really calm down."
"You know, I am so fucking sick and tired of people telling me to calm down. I want to go home—now!" I said in a hushed tone.
I really wasn't trying to make a scene, but if people kept on pushing me…there was no telling how large the explosion was going to be.
Rose didn't get that memo…
"Detective Swan, you really need to relax and take stock of the situation. The last thing you want to do is make rash decisions," Rosalie's condescending warning came from behind me.
Somewhere deep inside me, where my calm and rational thought was, agreed with her. I knew I was being overdramatic, and I knew I just needed sleep to come to terms with everything, but right now, I didn't see any of that. All I saw was my blinding rage, and Rosalie pointing out the obvious did nothing to calm me down. It made shit worse.
I spun around and glared at the amazon…fucking bitch was tall.
"Listen, Agent Hale, I'm going home because I need sleep. If you want my advice, I suggest you get Jane, Victoria, and James to agree to come over on our side, because honestly, having three detectives posing as students was never going to work…" I paused, taking a large breath in hopes to control my fury. "Is that clear?"
Rosalie stared at me in disbelief, and I wondered what was going through that pretty little head of hers? Was she going to be able to look past her ego and finally listen to me? As I watched the conflicting emotions on her face, it was clear she was fighting hard. She didn't want to relinquish her control. She didn't want me to be right.
"Go home, Swan," Rosalie ordered dully.
I scoffed. "Gladly."
I shot my eyes over at Emmett and he jumped to attention quickly. He nodded under my intense gaze and started to grab his belongings. Alice mumbled something about grabbing her purse as she hustled towards her desk. Rosalie and the large man child stomped off, leaving me alone with Captain Cullen. It was clear that he'd witnessed my whole tantrum and that realization made me feel like a complete ass, but what was done was done.
"I'm sorry," I murmured softly to him.
"Bella, I understand you have been through a rough night, and quite honestly, you should have left hours ago, but even if I had suggested that to you, what would you have said?" Captain Cullen asked me.
I laughed humorlessly. "I would have probably told you I was fine."
"Precisely. So, here's the deal. Go home, get some sleep, and return Monday morning fresh and collected, okay?"
"That I can do," I replied.
Captain Cullen placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "Don't worry about things around here. It seems that Agent Hale and Agent Reed are going to dominante the case from here on out, and I'm not sure if the time limit still applies, but my guess is that their scrambling to make this case a success."
"Did you know about Agent Hale's plan to throw us in the case blindly and using us as bait?" I asked. The sadness and disappointment was evident in my voice.
"No, I didn't, but I don't think she did it with vicious intentions. You have to realize that she has people shouting and demanding orders at her every day. A little understanding would go a long way," Captain Cullen said warmly.
Now I felt like complete shit. If there was anyone who could talk me off the ledge, it would be my captain. He had this way of putting things in perspective for me with his undeniable realm of understanding. He could point me in the right direction without the badgering or the belittling, but with kindness and warmth. It was that approach that made me feel like such a hothead and a complete brat. Even if I didn't want to feel sympathy towards Rosalie, I felt myself surrendering.
Damn it…
"I know, Captain, and you're so right." I gave him a small smile. "Thank you for putting up with me."
He chuckled. "You're quite the handful, Detective..." He gave my shoulder one last gentle squeeze, "and you're welcome."
"Okay, ladies, were here," Emmett's said as he shook me awake.
My eyes opened slowly, and I saw that we were pulled alongside the condo. My mind was still so hazy, and all I really wanted to was to sleep, but I was glad to be home. My bed was calling to me and I didn't want to keep it waiting.
Thanking Emmett quickly for the ride home, I was comforted with his bear hug he gave me. It was so brotherly, I wanted to cry. I didn't deserve Emmett or Alice, especially after how I treated them. When we left the station, I made a point to apologize for being such a bitch to them. It was obvious that they didn't merit my wrath, and I tried not to give them lame excuses for my actions, because regardless of my reasons, it was uncalled for. My temper was something I needed to learn how to control. It was unfair to the people I loved to have to put up with it—which they did.
Thank god they were understanding and forgave me without hesitation.
It was a little after five in the morning when Alice and I trudged up the walkway to our apartment. My feet dragged at a slow and sluggish pace. As we rounded the corner, I briefly caught a glimpse of a mop of messy bronze, and it completely stopped me in my tracks. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, and maybe it was a mirage…wishful thinking. I stepped closer in that general direction. I realized quickly that it was Edward, and he was waiting for me.
He sat on one of the steps that led up to our porch. He was dressed casually in faded jeans and a plain white V-neck t-shirt, and he was holding, what looked like breakfast. He wasn't paying attention to us as we approached, but that all changed the moment Alice stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. She clicked her heels on the cement…feigning agitation.
"Well, good morning, Mr. Masen," Alice chirped.
Edward looked up at the little pixie and smiled. "Morning, Alice."
"So, I see you brought breakfast," Alice stated as she held out her hand expectantly.
Edward looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language, and Alice shook her head as she snatched the bag from his hands. Of course, he didn't fight her as she went skipping off towards the house. He looked so good sitting there, and I couldn't get over how much I craved him. It was like he really didn't have to try to look good, he just did, and I was acutely aware of how tragic my appearance must have looked right about now.
"Hey," I greeted shyly.
Edward stood up and gave me a guilty smile. "Hey…um, I brought breakfast, but Alice stole it."
"I saw that," I replied, laughing.
He reached out to take my hand, but I was too tired to beat around the bush, and ended up throwing myself into his arms. It was crazy how complete I felt when I was near him. The pounding of his heart against my chest matched my own. The feel of his breath on my neck sent my body into frenzy. It was sensation overload and it nearly overwhelmed me.
"I'm glad you're here," I whispered.
"Me, too, baby. It has been hell all night, and I couldn't seem to get to sleep…so, I figured I would bring some breakfast or something." Edward chuckled softly. His face fully immersed in my hair.
I pulled away from him and smiled. "Would you like to come in and go to bed with me?"
"Hmm, sounds kinky," he joked as he waggled his eyebrows at me.
"Not like that, perv," I groaned.
He chuckled. "Hey, I'm a man. What do you expect from me?"
I shrugged, because I didn't expect anything from him, and I sure as hell didn't want him to change. I interlaced my fingers with his, tugging on him as I led the way into the house. When we stepped inside, I was surprised to see that Jasper and Alice were standing in the foyer. They were holding each other in an intimate embrace, and I realized this was the first time I actually saw them together. The scene before me was staggering. Jasper towered over Alice, but it wasn't weird…it looked right. His forehead rested on hers, both of their eyes closed, and I suddenly felt like I was intruding. The love and devotion that emanated from them was undeniable.
"Get a room," Edward joked, breaking the silence.
Both their eyes shot over to where Edward and I stood, and Jasper gave us a faint smile.
"We have a room…we just got side tracked," Alice retorted.
My eyes narrowed at the two of them as I realized that only Edward was waiting outside and I never saw Jasper.
"How did you get in?" I asked bluntly.
Alice looked away quickly and Jasper chuckled.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"I sort of have a key," Jasper answered sheepishly.
"Oh," I replied lamely.
What was I to say to that? Alice had already given Jasper a key? Apparently, asking me, her roommate, if it was okay to give her boyfriend a key never occurred to her.
She's lucky that I am too exhausted to fight.
"Anyways, Jasper and I are going to bed…perhaps we'll do dinner later?" Alice inquired as she pulled Jasper towards the stairs.
"Um, sure." I answered, not knowing really what else to say.
"Night." Jasper winked.
I sat dumbfounded as I watched the two lovebirds ascend the stairs. My mind was in a fog and my eyes were heavy with exhaustion. It wasn't long before Edward was calling for my attention as he peppered my neck with his soft, tantalizing kisses.
"Shall we go to bed," he murmured against my flushed skin.
"Absolutely," I answered without pause.
Two minutes later, Edward and I lay in my bed, wrapped up in each other's arms. The feel of him was like coming home, and the tranquility that came over me seemed to wash the night's worries away. When I was with Edward, I never thought beyond us. It was just him and me. Everything else faded away. The only thing that didn't fade was the irrational fear that what we had would disappear. That one day the feeling would leave, and the mere thought sent a surge of panic through me.
Edward sensed my mood change instantly. "Baby, are you okay?"
"Edward, can I ask you something?" I asked softly.
"Of course, baby, you can ask me anything," he murmured into my neck.
"Does this scare you?"
"Does what scare me?" Edward asked back.
"This—us. The fact that we have known each other for only three weeks, that we have progressed so much in such a short span of time. Are we are being stupid and rash in our feelings for one another? Do you think it's actually possible for us to love each other the way we do? Maybe we are too wrapped up in the feeling of a new romance…like teenagers. Does all of this scare you?" I rambled, almost incoherently.
There was a long silence, and I tensed immediately. Even though I asked him the question, I wanted to retract it from the universe. The conversation was something I needed to know the truth to, but I was afraid that I wasn't going to like the answer I got. It was a double-edge sword. I wanted to know, but was scared to know. What if he realized that he didn't really love me, and all it took for me was to point out the obvious to him? This morning was the first time I'd seen Alice with Jasper, and what I saw between them was indisputable. The look in his eyes as he stared at Alice was…heart stopping. It had literally taken my breath away, and I wondered if that was what Edward and I looked like to other people. I could have sworn in several occasions that I saw the same look from Edward, but was that wishful thinking? Was I only seeing what I wanted to see?
As the silence lengthened, I feared the worst.
Edward hugged me tighter to him. "I don't know how to answer that, baby. I know what other people think, and I would be lying if I said I wouldn't judge other people's sanity if I saw them moving as fast as us." he paused and I died a million times as he confirmed my fear, "but I know what I feel for you, and as hasty as all that seems, I would never give it up."
"So, you're telling me that we are moving too fast and perhaps we need more time," I said as a statement and less as question.
"No, not at all. In fact, the word time annoys me. Why do I need more time to figure out I love you? People always use that term 'it takes time,' but I don't think that applies to us, because the more time I spend with you, the more I find myself loving you…" He sat up and pulled my face to his. He looked down at me as he caressed my cheek. "Do you need more time, Bella? Is that what this is all about?"
Even though it shouldn't have, his question threw me off guard. Was that the impression I gave him? Did he think I was the one having the doubts?
"No, I don't need more time to figure out I love you—I just…I wanted to know what you thought. I needed you to confirm to me that we weren't crazy and that all of this was real," I answered wholeheartedly.
"Of course it's real." Edward chuckled as he leaned down and kissed me softly. He pulled back and gazed at me, piercing me with his emerald greens. "Love is not something that is easily explained. It just is. Did my mom tell you how long she dated my father before they were married?"
"No," I replied.
"Two months."
My eyes narrowed as I tried to comprehend his statement. "Two months? Really? Wow."
"Yep, only two months and my father said he would've married my mom the first time he saw her, but of course, he figured it was too soon," he said with a faint smile.
"What about your mom? What did she think when she saw your dad?" I asked.
"The same thing."
"So, both of them wanted to get married the moment they saw each other, but didn't because they feared it was too soon?" I asked as I tried to wrap my head around the notion.
Edward nodded. "You see, baby, time is irrelevant. The people who need more time are the people who are not sure of their feelings. I don't need more time…I never have."
There was that look again, the same look I witnessed with Jasper and Alice, and I started to believe that time was irrelevant. It had been a non issue since day one, but I was too stupid and too scared to realize that. I even went as far as to try to explain my intense feelings for him as lust. Sure, the lust was there, Edward was gorgeous, but it went deeper than that, and that was what the pull was about. Even though I spent most of my time in our relationship in denial, I couldn't help but see the connection we shared, and the guilt I felt for being one of those people, who felt they needed more time, would always be there. Edward stated he was always so sure about us. I wished more than anything, that I could tell him the same.
There was nothing like the present.
"I don't need more time, either," I declared.
"No more time?" he asked earnestly.
"I've had enough time, Edward. I know that I want you. I know that we belong together. Time will never change that," I answered honestly.
Edward gazed at me as his eyes searched my face, seeming to look for something. I reached up and smoothed his brow. He smiled at my touch and nodded as if he was decided. I cocked my head at him curiously.
What is he thinking?
"Why don't we just do it then?" he asked in a whisper.
"Do what, baby?" I countered softly as I marveled at his beautiful face.
"Why don't we just get married?"
A/N: Awe, I love Edward…please review.