DISCLAIMER: I do not own twilight or any of its characters...

A/N: sorry this is so late RL interupted my alternate life..lol i just want to let you guys know, i dont know a whole lot about police stuff and this is just stuff i have heard happens and remeber this is fan fic, so it doesnt have to mimic real life totally..lol ok so i want to thank everyone who reviewed you guys rock! Im sorry if any of this is confusing Charlies POV is not easy to write cause he has NO idea whats going on so hes just full of assuptions and what not, anywho read and review and let me know what you think? please..

(Charlie's POV) Chapter Twenty Five

Falling from grace

It took ever ounce of control I had not throw Edward up against the wall, and put my pistol under his chin and demand to know where my daughter was. Everything in me was screaming that everything they were telling me was a lie. Call it instinct, call it intuition, call it what you will but I know with certainty they weren't telling me the truth. I looked at all of their faces especially Edward's, even with convincing grief stricken look on his face there was something more behind his eyes, something more he knows, his alibi had holes in it seeing as he was not with them the whole time.

I was having an early dinner in La Push when the call came in, and things like this don't happen in my town very often, so I knew it was crucial that I get to the scene, and start collecting all the evidence I could.

I was at the scene where his car was discovered within half an hour of the call. I felt the hood of the car and it was still warm, I hadn't missed who ever did this by much or so I thought.

I began to chastise myself for ever having wasted an ounce of worry on Edward's wellbeing. He stood only feet from me, with only his father between us. He was covered in blood, his family had claimed he had gotten that way cleaning the animals they had shot while hunting. I began going over the conversation in my mind I had had with them prior to Edward showing up.

~ Flash back ~

I had come here under the assumption that both Bella and Edward had gone missing, and fighting my own dread and fear that was eating me alive, I had to tell the Cullen's that their son was missing and possible dead, from the amount of blood in the car. I took a deep breath and put the car in park in front of the Cullen's house. I walked slowly to their front door and stood silent for a moment, thinking of how I was going to do this before knocking. Suddenly the door opened up to reveal a very content looking woman; it was Edward's mother Esme. She smiled politely she was a very strikingly beautiful woman, all the people in her family had a strange beauty about them.

"Well hello Charlie I didn't expect to see you here…please come in... can I get you something to drink?" she said stepping aside to allow me entrance.

"No… thank you is Carlisle home?" I asked wanting to speak with both of them.

"Yes he is… Carlisle could you come down here for a moment, Charlie is here and would like to speak with you?" her voice did raise above a normal conversational tone, and from the direction she was looking I would have doubted he could have heard her, but moments later he appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Charlie what a pleasant surprise… what can we do for you?" he said descending the stairs and coming to rest beside his wife. I felt my stomach knot at what I was about to tell them. Esme's expression change when she took in mine.

"Please have a seat you look positively ill, are you ok?" she said walking to the couch. I took a seat opposite them.

"It's about Edward and Bella" I said, my voice sounded raspy as there names fell from my mouth. I saw Esme tense and Carlisle wrapped his arm around her.

"What about them?" Carlisle asked seeming confused and my statement.

"We received and anonyms call tonight about a suspicious character and possible abduction. The person claimed to see a young woman being pulled from a car off the side of the road, the caller didn't give any more detail before they hung up" I felt my chest tighten just repeating the phone call. " When I arrived on scene I immediately recognized the car… it was Edward's" Pictures began to fly through my head of the state of the car the blood spatter on the dash and windshield the blood on the steering wheel. I shook my head trying to erase the images from my mind.

"Bella!" Esme gasped, placing her hands over her mouth.

"Charlie I don't understand is Bella hurt? Is she at the hospital?" I could hear his voice laced with Panic for Bella, but he wasn't showing any concern for their son.

"Carlisle I'm telling you your son is missing and you don't seem concerned!" I said slightly raising my voice, what the hell was I missing?.

"Charlie, I'm sorry but Edward is out hunting on our property with his brothers and sisters… he wasn't with Bella" the panic never leaving neither his face nor his voice. "Is Bella alright?" he asked quickly leaning forward further.

I was completely speechless, what the hell was going on? I said to myself again. This didn't make any sense; Bella had told me Edward was going to pick her up. What other reason would she be in his car if he hadn't been with her?.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" I said shouting as I got to me feet. Just then Alice and her siblings came in. Alice looked at me and froze; her eyes seemed to gloss over like she was looking right through me. The blonde boy who was walking in behind her, damn near bowled her over as she has stopped so quickly.

"Hey Charlie!" the Larger of the two Bellowed as he caught sight of me. It took me a second to recall his name Emmett was his name. My brow furrowed as they all piled in behind him, there was another there that I didn't recognize. A tall strawberry blonde woman, her looks seemed to match those of the Cullen family strangely beautiful.

"Charlie you ok man" Emmett asked, as his brow furrowed and his head tilted slightly to the left.

Then it occurred to me Edward wasn't with them, I waited for a moment to see if he would show up when he didn't I turned swiftly to Carlisle.

"Where is Edward?" A whole new picture began to play in my head, Bella had been acting strangely when she had come to see me, and I could feel something was not right with her. Had she finally come to her senses and told him she wasn't going to marry him? Why did I leave her alone? I should have pressed her harder for more information about her odd mood.

Alice spoke first "He stayed behind, to clean the two deer Emmett and Jasper had killed" her voice was shaky. There was something off about her story.

"Do you often leave him to clean the animals alone?" I asked skeptically.

"We make wagers on our hunts the losers have to gut and clean the animals… Alice bet on jasper and Rose bet on me, as to who would kill the first two deer. We only take two deer at a time so Edward lost" Emmett answered without hesitation.

"Where are your guns? I didn't see you carrying any when you came in" Something was off about their story, almost as if it were rehearsed.

"They are in the shed out back, Esme doesn't allow guns in the house" Jasper spoke up his face showing slight irritation at my question.

"Can I see them?" I asked trying to see any defiance or discrepancies in their stories.

"Charlie what are you getting at?" Carlisle's calm facade was now slipping.

"What am I getting at?" anger filling my tone. "My daughter is missing! And so is your son, if he was not with her how did she get his car?" I said never taking my focus off Carlisle.

"Missing? Charlie you don't honestly think Edward would do anything to hurt Bella?... He loves her" Carlisle said getting to his feet as well.

"How did she get to be in his car if not with him?" I could feel my anger beginning to boil over.

"Charlie she showed up here a couple of hours ago by cab to see Edward, and when she found he wasn't here she asked of she could borrow his car to run home and get something she had left." Carlisle said looking at his watch. "Shouldn't we be out looking for Bella, instead of trying to place blame, she could be hurt" a pained expression covered his face, either it was genuine or he was one hell of a poker player.

"I am already on top of that! there is a search party out looking as we speak, I also called Billy down at La Push and got them searching as well, so don't presume to tell me what I 'should' be doing. I thought I was coming here to break bad new and it seems I'm the only one who was dealt it… I want to speak with Edward" Every instinct in me told me they were hiding something, and I wasn't leaving till I found out what it was.

~ End of Flash back~

I knew they were hiding something, I just needed to get Edward down to the station away from his family and I would get him to talk. I left telling them I would be in touch, come hell or high water I would have his ass in my station by morning.

(Edward's POV)

The ride to the station was filled with an uncomfortable silence, I caught Charlie glaring at me through he rearview a couple of times, his thought were only of Bella, and how he was going to get me to tell him where she was. I honestly couldn't believe he thought I had done this, from the many times he had seen me only show love and affection toward Bella, since I returned. I would do anything I could to make up my leaving to her and him. I had begun to earn Bella's trust back but never regained any of his, as well was his right. I had hurt the only thing in this world he cared about, and it would take more then words and years to change that.

When we arrived at the station he had his deputy take me straight to booking, now this was going to be fun. I had no real oil on my finger to adhere to the ink, and my finger tips were hard and smooth they would not form to the paper. As he tried to roll each finger from one side to the other he cringed at how cold my hands were, to the touch. His mind wandered through a few misconstrued reasons for my oddly cool temperature. 'Wow this guy has really poor circulation maybe that's why he's so pale?' I couldn't help but smirk at his theories.

I could hear the frustration in his thoughts 'why isn't this working!' after the forth time he tried he finally gave up. The images I left on the paper looked more like a Rorschach test then finger prints. They took my picture next; when that was finished the deputy was told to take me to a holding cell. He pointed the direction he wanted me to go, he didn't want to touch me and I could see a hint of fear in his mind. And he should, I was only going through this charade for my family, had I been alone their lives would have been forfeit, the second they tried to stop me from looking for the reason I now exist.

I knew I needed to get out of here and quick, I needed to be looking for Bella and my patience was wearing thin, at playing this game with them. I could easily break out of here, but that would expose us and that was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

I looked around the room I was in; there was a small miserable excuse for a cot placed against the wall but little else. There was a small barred window near the ceiling with sunlight shining through, I let out a large sigh one more thing to complicate my life. I maneuvered around it and saw the sun making its presence known. It didn't last long though before it was once again swallowed by cloud cover. I walked over to the cot, and sat in the middle with my back to the wall I brought one knee to my chest and rested my head against it. My mind began running over the last words I spoke to Bella 'you have some choices to make, and I wont stand her to influence them.' "I'm so sorry Bella" I had been a coward, I wasn't able to look at her why, why didn't I just turn and look at her?The last conversation we had were spoke in anger and hurt 'NO' it wasn't going to be the last time we will talk. We will have many, many more years of pointless arguments and fruitless debates. Time seemed to almost stand still the ticking of the clock, which was somewhere in the station was mocking and taunting me. I pulled my head up quickly in frustration hitting it against the cinderblock wall I was leaning against, causing it to crack slightly.

"You're going to give yourself a concussion if you keep that behavior up" A masculine voice said from the other side of the bars. My whipped up and I turned my head to see Carlisle standing there.

"Yeah if I could only be that lucky" I scoffed leaning my head against the wall again.

"Are they treating you ok in here?" he asked tilting his head to the side.

"Well Charlie hasn't tried intimidation by gun point but he seriously considering it!" I said looking away from Carlisle.

"Your guilt is eating away at you isn't it" his voice has suddenly become low, my head snapped up at his words.

"What are you talking about?" I said shooting him a confused look, had Bella told him what we had argued about? What had she told him or should I say how much had she told him?

"For leaving her alone and unprotected when you knew that other vampire was still out there, how could you be so reckless Edward? I really thought you loved her" the disappointment in his tone and on his face was debilitating. I hung my head in my hands in shame, he was right if I clamed to love her as I did, how could I leave her alone and defenseless? My body began to shake as the guilt raked over me. Then as subtle as a light breeze, it was so faint I barely heard it even with my hearing, there was a small light laugh. I turned to look at him; he held no expression now he was completely unreadable. I slowly got off the bed and walked toward him, he backed away ever so slightly. I cocked my head to one side narrowing my eyes.

"Why are you here? Why aren't you out looking for Bella?" my voice laced with curiosity.

"I came to check on you" he said innocently. I examined him more closely; I sniffed the air his sent was vaguely different. He saw me taking in his sent and a large smile started forming on his mouth, and he took a step forward. His thoughts were making no sense, before I could react his hand shot through the bars grasping my neck; he pulled me forward and pressed his lips harshly to mine. I shoved him back send him into the wall behind him. I was stunned to see a dark haired woman now stood where Carlisle should have been, she laughed menacingly as she used her forefinger and thumb to wipe the sides of her mouth.

"No wonder she likes you so much" she said as her full appearance came into view, my eyes widened in disbelief. I shook my head to regain my senses and crouched immediately into an defensive position, the growl that erupted from my chest cause my whole body to vibrate violently.

"Ah, ah, ah" She said swaying her finger back and forth at me. "this building is full of unsuspecting humans, not only will you expose yourself and your family, but I can kill the one named Charlie before you can make it to me… he is her father right? And if by chance and its slim might I add you do destroy me… after I kill him, do you think she will forgive you for causing his death?" she said folding her arms across her chest.

My mind was running over every possible outcome if I attacked her, would I really be willing to sacrifice Charlie's life to save Bella's? Would she understand? Would she forgive me? 'No' I couldn't and wouldn't do that to her. I felt defeat flow through me as I dropped to my knees in front of her.

"That's more like it" she said taking another step closer. " I asked her this question now I'm going to ask you… what is so special about this girl that two immortals would risk so much for her?" she asked her tone turning to one of irritation.

"You would never understand, has there ever been anything in your vile existence that you would trade to save your soul?" I asked resting my hand on the floor in front of me.

"Soul? A Vampire with Faith now that's one I haven't seen before what makes you think you have a soul?" she laughed bitterly, mocking my pain.

"She 'is' my soul, she is the very essence of my being, my life, my strength, my love, she is the epitome of every thing I ever was, am, or will be. Therefore there is nothing I won't do to save her. I will find her and I will destroy who ever took her from me" I raised my head to look at her through narrowed eyes. "I have dealt with your kind before you are greedy and controlled by your lust for blood, you will never know love, your loyalty will always be misplaced which will end up leave you nothing more then a smoldering pile of ash. " I saw anger flash in her eyes as she took another step closer wrapping her hands around the bar that separated us.

"Don't presume to know me boy, you hide behind these human in an attempt to hide what you really are, you think these little plights you make will grant you some sort of reprieve from what you are, what you have done in your past. Yes I know about you, killing humans you deemed unworthy of living even killing your own kind, so make no mistake in thinking you are any better then I." she hissed, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to calm her self. She opened her eyes slowly and focused her eyes intently on mine.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I got to my feet, cursing myself for being so weak in front of her.

"I just wanted to check out the competition" she smiled smugly.

"If you both let her go now, and leave never to return I will not search for you, I will not hunt you down like the dogs you are and destroy you" I said taking a step closer, my hands now balled into tight fists at my side. Her laughter echoed in my cell, I stared at her intently, searching her mind for any information that would help me find Bella.

"Bold talk for a walking corps who will soon meet the same fate, did you think he didn't think this through before he took her? When word reaches Voltera about your…um predicament, they will come they wont risk exposure just for little ole you. They will come and destroy you, your family, and all other humans involved, and you can stop trying to reach my mind. You won't find anything useful to you, well any more then I allow" she took a step back, and let her mind flow with images of Bella being held against a wall by her throat. I cringed as I watched her taunt Bella; she looked so frightened I couldn't stop the feral snarl that escaped my lips.

"There won't be a hole deep enough for you to hide in if you hurt her" I was seething from the images she had shown me.

"Relax she is being handled with the upmost delicacy… while she is human of course, but it wont be needed for much longer" her voice seemed to teeter between hate and disgust.

"He can't change her! It will most likely kill her" my body suddenly felt as though it was being deprived of oxygen that it desperately needed, although I knew that wasn't possible, I winced as it felt as though my chest was caving in on itself.

"Well then it saves me the trouble then doesn't it?" She hissed and I was brought back to reality in the hidden meaning behind her words; maybe I could use this to my advantage.

"You care for him don't you?" I said trying to soften my voice; I knew I had to tread lightly, if I was going to use this to my advantage.

"He is a dear friend and has been for many decades" she said eyeing me with skepticism.

"you don't want Bella with him anymore then I do" it came out more as a whisper then a statement, and I really don't know if it was her or myself I was talking to.

"I want what he wants, and he want her" she couldn't hide the small fragment of sadness that flickered in her eyes. Her head turned quickly to the right and looked as though she was concentrating on something intensely, my mind was to preoccupied focusing on the information I had just ascertained. I looked in the direction she was looking and listened, the officer on duty had decided we had had a long enough visit, and was coming back to tell us the visit was over. When I turned back to face her she had once again shape shifted in to Carlisle.

"You hang in there son!" she said loudly as the deputy made his way over to us. It was more then disconcerting the way she had adapted to Carlisle's mannerisms, she must have watching our every move, studying us closely. How could I have been so blind? I knew deep down he wasn't gone. I knew he was just waiting in the shadows to pounce, and I gave her to him on a silver fucking platter. I had been so wrapped up in my own feelings and self pity, that it only took me letting my guard down for a second and that second was all it took for my world to be ripped from me.

I watched as the one who knew where Bella was waltzed away, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I walked back to the cot, and sat on the edge resting my elbows on my knees and placed my face in my hands. When exactly did my future slip from my grasp? if anything happens to Bella the volturi won't have to come looking for me, I will find them one way or another Bella and I will be together again. I brushed my hands roughly through my hair, why was I acting like I was already beaten? I stood up from the bed and began to pace the room 'think Edward' my time to find Bella was cut considerably short, he was going to try to change her.

If he 'Had' been near us the whole time, he had to know how dangerous changing Bella would be! I quickened my pace as I walked past the bars of my cage, that's exactly what it was a cage and I was a caged animal. My movement mimicked those of a tiger you would see through the glass shield at a zoo, thinking of all the ways I could be free. I knew what I had to do there was no way around, it if I wanted to be free I would have to expose what I was to Charlie. If he knew what danger Bella was really in and I was the only one who could help her, he would have to let me out. My thoughts began to race at all the possible ways I could reveal myself to him, I could feel my anxiety rising. I was stopped abruptly by a sudden searing pain in my shoulder; I had done nothing to cause it so I knew it was Bella. I could feel my anxiety quickly change to fear, but I didn't know if it was her fear or my own.

"Edward?" a soft voice called to me. I turned to see Esme standing in front of my cage, her hand lightly brushing the bars her face was full of so much sadness it made me ache even worse. I took a step forward then froze, I felt a growl begin to rise in my chest, as it escaped my lips I took a step back lowering my head and narrowing my eyes. I could feel my body tense as I instinctively began to crouch.

"Edward what's wrong?" she whispered raising her brow.

"Why are you here?" I growled, if this wasn't Esme I wasn't in the mood for more of her vicious taunting.

"Edward I just came to see how you were doing? And to tell you your brothers and sisters are searching for Bella, why are you behaving like this?" Her face was full of confusion and sadness, she reached her arm through the bars and I quickly moved back.

"why did you try to kill yourself when you were human?" if this was Esme I hated bringing this up, I knew it hurt her to think about it but I had to be sure of who she was, and I knew only Esme would know the answer to that, we had not spoke of it in years.

"Edward what are you talking about? You already know why" her hand dropped to her side and she lowered her eyes. My ache intensified again but I had to be sure it was really her.

"Answer the question please" I said lowering my head as well.

"I had lost my son, and I wanted to be with him" she said her voice cracking on her last words. I flew to her and embraced her through the bars kissing her forehead.

"I'm so sorry I did that, but I had to know it was you, really you." I said resting my forehead on hers.

"Edward what's going on? I don't understand?" she said pulling her head back to look at me.

"The shape shifter was here, she impersonated Carlisle to get in" I said letting out a heavy sigh.

She inhaled a quick breath and looked down the hall before turning back to me. "Well that explains the odd question the deputy asked me about visitors" she said looking bewildered.

"What did he say?" I asked wondering if she had said something to make 'Dudley do right' out there begin to question her sanity.

"He said visiting hours were almost over, and if any other people had planed on visiting? and to keep 'this' visit to 5 minutes… Edward what did he say" she gently brushed the hair from my forehead causing me to close my eyes I could feel the love in her touch.

"It's not a 'he' it's a 'she', and they planed this from the beginning, they are trying to get us exposed to the Volturi will step in and clean up this mess." I heard a small gasp fall from her lips and I pushed off the bars quickly feeling my frustration build.

"Alice would have seen this Edward and she hasn't, so maybe they won't find out." she tried to show no fear, in hopes it would calm me.

"There is more… he is going to try to change Bella" I said shutting my eyes tightly, pressing my rolled fist to my forehead.

"Do you know when?" she asked her voice flooded with panic.

"No, but I'm sure sooner rather then later, he hasn't left with her yet, if the shape shifter is still here." I said as I began to pace the room again.

"Why hasn't he left yet? What is he waiting for?" the worry in her voice only added to mine.

"I don't know" I quickened my pace once again 'come on Edward think what reasons would he have to still be here!' then it hit me like a hard slap to the face, I stopped pacing and turned my head toward Esme.

"He's waiting to make sure the Volturi destroy us!, he wants no one left to challenge him and that's also why he is going to change her, he won't take a chance on the Volturi finding her human still" My revelation sent a chill up my spine, but also strengthened my resolve.

"I'm going to tell Charlie what I am, there is no way around it, either I tell him or he finds out when the Volturi come and they kill him regardless." I walked toward Esme, she still had he hands wrapped around the bars, and I soft covered hers with my own. I could tell from her silence she knew I was right her mind was only of our family. 'Why does this keep happening to my family? I can't lose anymore of my family, Charlie will never forgive us, and we will lose him too' I heard her let out a ragged breath.

"I know…" The sadness in her voice was excruciating. 'That son of a bitch is going to pay for doing this to my family' I was taken back by her thoughts, she never used foul language except for the occasional 'shit' she would whisper when a sudden storm would ruin her flowers. I flashed her a half smile when she looked at me, she returned it when she knew I had heard her.

"Listen to me mom" I knew she loved it when any of us called her that, and I had not said it near as often as I should have. "I need you to get the family all together in the same room, and ask them a question only they would know the answer to, once you are sure that's it is safe I want you to tell them about the shape shifter and their plan involving the Volturi, ask Alice to keep an eye on the Aro. If all goes well with Charlie I should be out of here soon, but I can't be sure. If it doesn't… I want you to take the family and leave…" I said putting as much determination in my voice as possible.

"NO! Edward, we will not leave you!" she screeched, her hands tightly clutching the bars.

"Please just listen to me… no one else needs to be hurt because of this; if the Volturi do decide to intervene they don't need to know you were even here, that you had no risk to exposure. Please don't make everyone pay for my mistakes, not that it matters. If Bella dies there will be nothing left here for me, please just promise if the Voturi come you will leave!" I was not above begging, I loved my family and wasn't going to sit back and watch them needlessly be destroyed.

"Edward I…I don't…"she couldn't manage to keep her voice from shaking as the words tried to push there way out. I raised my hand to her face and stroked her cheek with my thumb, I raised her face to meet mine.

"Please…please just do this for me" I asked keeping my voice soft and soothing.

She nodded quickly not speaking; I kissed her forehead and let my lips linger there for a moment before whispering into her hair. "I love you mother" I said releasing her from grasp. She looked as though she would be crying if she could.

"I love you my son" she said reaching her hand through the bars and gently cradled my face in her hands I leaned into her touch.

"Don't give up Edward, we are here and we will get through this together" I nodded, she took a step away and brought her fingers to her lips, then brought them forward blowing me a soft kiss. She mouthed the words I love you again and left.

I felt even more empty when she walked away, I didn't fill her in on everything, there was no point in making her even more upset. I thought back to the intense pain I had felt in my shoulder, I knew Bella had been hurt, but I didn't know how badly. I needed to get out of here and fast.

"Deputy!" I called through the bars, it was now or never. I was glad this was such a small town with such a small budget; they had not installed cameras in the cells or hallways leading to them.

"What do you want Cullen?" he Barked at me as he made his way down the hall.

"I need to speak with chief swan" I said in a meek voice, I needed him to do as I asked, with out a lot of questions. He nodded and headed back out the room his thoughts told me he thought I was going to confess to what I had done with Bella, little did he know 'this' confession would change Charlie Swans life forever.

A/N: sooooo...?? lol i hope you enjoyed what you read please let me know either way and for those of you who are reading my story and are not reviewing i still want to thank you for continueing to read it and thanks for all the Fav's and alerts that my story has been added to its great!

The song for this chapter is *12 Stones: let go.* i will have it on my profile with lyrics check it out if you have not heard it..it fits well with this chapter for how edward is feeling *sniff, sniff* and thanks again show me love me reviewing! that would be sweet! till next time...Love,peace....Later!