PRAYERS ANSWERED

Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.

"Bella, it's time for you to return to your body. And, Edward, it's time for you and Michael to continue on with your quest. We won't be meeting again, but, I do have faith that with your current determination and reason for succeeding that you'll fulfill your purpose." Then with that said both Bella and Chloe disappeared as Edward and Michael parted for what the last part of their walk-through time.

CHAPTER 25: REVELATIONS

Chloe wasn't far from Bella as she was silently watching over her. She had been assigned to Bella before she had been born, but, it had taken a lot of work to try to keep her young charge as safe as she could without interfering with the order of life where mortals had freedom of choice. Glancing over at her young charge, Chloe watched as Bella reentered her unconscious form while at the same time being very much aware of Edward and Michael leaving the scene. She felt the sadness that both Edward and Bella felt at having to say goodbye to the other half of themselves that made them feel complete.

Renee had continued talking throughout the events that were spiritually taking place in her daughter's hospital room without being aware of any, out of the ordinary, happenings going on. But, suddenly she ceased talking in mid-sentence as she felt the hand she had been holding give a slight twitch. It halted and then was repeated once again.

Coming out of her shocked state fairly quickly Renee did rush over to the door, not thinking about pushing the summoning button, to call for a nurse. It was necessary to summon help since Bella was showing signs of coming around. Renee wasn't thinking at the moment, only reacting to what she could sense and see as to the changes taking place with Bella. She wanted verification that she wasn't imaging things.

Poor Renee hadn't stopped to think about calling Charlie to let him know about Bella. In fact, Carlisle would have to be called since he was the patient's listed doctor.

The nurse heard Renee's call and immediately came into the hospital room to check on the patient and to see what was causing Renee to create all of the commotion. It didn't take long for an explanation to be forthcoming and the nurse began to check closer for any indication that Renee wasn't just doing some wishful assuming. And, after checking all of the patient's vital signs it was confirmed that Bella was indeed beginning to wake up.

XXXXXX

Edward and Michael arrived at the very last time R. J. had been alive and was trying desperately to fit in with her brother and his friends. She thought that her quick, shy glances at Edward were going unnoticed by the three guys, but, she was totally clueless to the fact that she wasn't being very sly about hiding the crush she had on Edward from at least two of the guys. The only person present that wasn't aware of her feelings was Edward, the human Edward, but, as the spiritual Edward watched he was able to pick up on what Demetri and Felix had seen. Things that they had chastised him so strongly about after R. J. had been killed. Why had he been so blind to all of it? Edward mentally questioned himself as he, along with Michael, continued to watch the scene before them play out.

Neither Michael or Edward were paying any attention to the subject of the conversation, it probably was about girls, who they wanted to tap and who they had already tapped and how well they rated, in the scheme of the overall conquest of the campus lovelies, against what the guys considered was an accurate rating system, but, they should have been watching R. J very closely so they wouldn't miss the moment she left the room and decided to sneak out to meet up with her mysterious guy that she hinted about from time to time.

As Edward was about to become completely lost in his thoughts of the past, his attention was quickly snapped back to what he was supposed to be observing when Demetri asked R. J. where she was going.

"Not that any of you seemed to have noticed, but, I do have a life outside of all of your superficial interests. But, to answer your question, I have a date with my guy." And with that said she walks out giving a little extra hip action in case one particular individual was watching.

Michael turned to the spiritual Edward and commented, "You definitely were a self-absorbed ass back in that time, weren't you?"

Edward looked at Michael for a second or two before answering just by nodding his head at first. Then he answered further by saying, "Yeah, I was and I was so full of my own importance that I wasn't really concerned about anything or anyone else. I'm not saying I went out of my way to hurt someone, but, I definitely wasn't making the effort to consider anyone else, either.

"All of my family tried talking to me, tried telling me what a mess I was becoming, but, I thought I knew more about things than they did. Every time my dad got a call to come bail me out of a mess, no matter what it might have been at the time, experimenting with drugs, petty stealing, playing the superior bully card, or, whatever, I got the same lecture to where I just closed myself off from listening. Now, we see where my hard headedness got me."

It was at this point a motion caught the attention of both Edward and Michael which caused a halt to the conversation. They saw Felix saying goodbye to Demetri and the mortal Edward as he quickly left the Carlson house. Both Edward and Michael looked askingly at each other as they were puzzled by what Felix was about to do.

"I don't remember Felix leaving shortly after R. J. had." Edward told Michael, but, at the same time it was as if he was really talking quietly to himself.

"Edward, it wouldn't be unusual not to remember it since it wasn't something that evidently didn't seem to be out of place to anyone. It's as if Felix leaving was an ordinary happening that didn't seem to give off any warning signals. So, I wouldn't be too concerned about that fact.

"However, where should we go next? Are we curious enough to follow Felix or do we check out R. J. and her mystery fellow?" Michael tried to reassure Edward and then asked what Edward thought the next move in time should be.

"Our purpose for this time period is to watch R. J. and discover who she was meeting. Also, to see who was with her the night she was killed." Edward replied.

"No, you have that a bit wrong, my young friend. Chloe had said to return to the last time R. J. was trying to spend some time with you three guys as there was something that needed to be seen. And, then you were to go to the night she was murdered in hopes of seeing what actually happened and to see who committed the crime."

"So, I guess to answer my own question, we have seen what I'm sure we were supposed to see or hear here, so, it's time to move on to the night that is really important: R. J.'s murder."

Edward looked at Michael for a moment or two before voicing a questioning thought. "I wonder why Chloe wanted me to return to this particular moment? Other than not remembering Felix leaving shortly after R. J. had, I don't see anything outstanding that would be of any help." He commented and then he reached for Michael so they could move onto the night that seems to be his beginning of the end of his life as he knew it.

XXXXXX

Everyone was still discussing the facts that Alice had revealed and how that information could have influenced what had happened to both families. Both had lost a beloved child, true in different ways, but, that child had been removed in a violent manner in each case.

"Carlisle, Charlie, do you really believe that what happened in the past is really connected and was the reason young Bella was taken and then Edward was framed for killing R. J.?" Emmett questioned each of the men, but, it wasn't either one of them that answered his question.

"Yes, we do, the three of us. It's the only logical answer that explains all that has happened over the past years." Esme answered with solid conviction sounding in each word she had spoken.

"But, couldn't there be another explanation?" Rosalie questioned immediately back.

"There is always a possibility of another explanation, but, can you come up with one that would explain what has happened in the case of both families who happened to have been connected to the same criminal incidents?" Esme answered and then questioned right back at her daughter. And, as she waited for some kind of remark or answer back, she received none.

But, before anything else could be discussed or questioned everyone was startled by the sudden ringing of the phone. Carlisle rose to go answer it and after listening for a moment he quickly looked over to Charlie and then the rest of his family. The conversation was short and as he hung up he told Charlie, "You and I are needed at the hospital as soon as we can get there. It seems that Bella has regained full consciousness once more."

With that being said, it didn't take long for the two men to make a move. Esme told them that she would be joining them at the hospital as soon as she was able. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, all looked at Esme waiting for her to let them know what they should be doing in a way that would or could be helpful.

And, as Esme looked at them she marveled at how blessed she had been to have given birth to three wonderful children and how blessed their daughters had been to find wonderfully, caring husbands such as they had. She was also thankful that she and Carlisle had been able to have some sort of communication with Edward that could now bring closure to his loss and at the same time, maybe, be able to find the real killer. True, she told herself, it wouldn't bring her son back to life, but, at least his name would be cleared.

Esme did tell her children they could stay until she or Carlisle returned or not, that it was totally up to them, but, that she needed to get ready to head to the hospital to be with Renee, Bella's mother, to help give her support. And, with that said she did hurry off to get ready to drive herself to the hospital.

XXXXXX

Edward and Michael arrived outside of the night club that had been the frequent meeting place for all of the college crowd and had remained so even after they had graduated and moved on with their lives. R. J. was usually with the guys when they did come here, but, they never allowed her to drink; that was just an unwritten law that they felt was best for her. Every once in a while she would protest the unfairness of it, but, not very often. She was wise enough to know that if she ever showed up at home with liquor on her breath that her mother and father would have one hell of a fit. So, the argument was always halfhearted, at best.

Both Michael and Edward wandered around inside the club on the watch to try to locate R. J. and to see if Edward could identify the guy she was supposed to be with. At first, they didn't see her, but, a small commotion off in a darkened corner drew their attention the same as it did others at the tables nearest where it was going on.

A guy stood up and Edward immediately recognized one of his old classmates. He was Matthew Harper, a womanizer from the get go and brutal to a fault. As he reached down to pull a woman to her feet Edward and Michael recognized her as being R. J. She looked both pissed off and a bit scared at the same time. And, Edward knew from the gossip he had heard that she had every reason to be scared of this man. He questioned why she was even with him in the first place.

Harper grabbed her by her arm and was forcing her towards the back of the building. Edward and Michael followed, but, they missed seeing the other person that was following the couple. Harper continued on with R. J. until they were out the back door and in the alleyway. Once they were in the alley Harper slammed R. J. up against the brick wall of the club and started making out with her while at the same time roaming his hands up and down her body and looked to be dry humping her all at the same time.

R. J. could be heard saying 'no', 'quit' and 'stop', but, it wasn't doing any good. Finally, Matthew got tired of hearing her protesting, raised his head, looked down at her and then suddenly hauled back and hit her with a closed fist. The hit caused her head to bounce off of the wall. But, before she was able to say anything or to move he was back to pawing on her once more.

Finally, she came to her senses and Harper was observed to jerk back quickly as he made a grab for his lower regions as he doubled over with a groan and then a growl. She started to move around him, but, was quickly grabbed and thrown back against the wall once more. And, although, he was moving a bit slowly, Harper attacked R. J. repeatedly hitting her with his fist.

All of this was very hard for Edward to watch knowing that there wasn't any way he could help put an end to it. With all that he knew about Matthew Harper he found it hard to believe that he was the one that killed R. J. and, as that thought passed through his mind, Edward and Michael noticed the sudden movement of Harper being jerked backwards and falling on his back in the alleyway. Next, before anyone could blink he was having the hell kicked out of him by another man. No words were being spoken by any of the three in the alley, but, after a bit R. J. moved forwards to stop the damage being done to Harper. She spoke quietly, but, decisively as she laid a hand upon the punisher's arm.

R. J.'s defender turned towards her which gave Harper the time to rise and move in a jerky manner down the alley away from the couple and to get the hell out of sight. But, the biggest surprise came when her rescuer threw her back against the wall and proceeded to attack her; he was ripping at her clothing as he was trying to rain kisses up and down her neck, roughly palming her breasts and then stepped back to undo his jeans. As they rode low on his hips he quickly penetrated R. J. and muffled her screams with his mouth on hers.

R. J. was trying to fight him off, but, to no avail. After he was done and she was able to move she quickly attacked him with anything in the alley that she could find as a weapon. Tempers flared and suddenly a knife appeared and as R. J. had her hand raised to strike another blow she was stabbed. It appeared as if the man wasn't going to stop as he kept demanding 'why not him', but, he seemed to finally come to his senses and did stop.

It was in that moment as the heat of passionate anger subsided that Edward and Michael had their first good look of the man. "I be damn. No. NO! NO, I don't believe it. Why? He would never-" Edward kept saying over and over again and again.

Michael was ever bit as surprised and shock as Edward was. He asked in a very hesitant manner, almost as if he was afraid that his eyes were deceiving him, "Edward, isn't that-"

"Yes. Yes, Michael, it is." Edward answered him in a disbelieving response.

A/N: Edward is in shock by what he has discovered. Bella has regained consciousness. Edward's sisters and their husbands are questioning why everyone else would assume that the two mishaps would have to do with the past incidents with the Carlotti family. But, the biggest question is who did Edward recognize as the murderer?

Thanks for reading and looking forward to your thoughts and reviews. Also, a quick note to all of you, I will be finishing this story before update any of the others. We're coming close to the end of this one and I know all of you would like to have it finished. Thanks for all of your patience.