A/N: My deepest apologies for the wait. Life, yada, yada-same song third (4th? 5th?) verse. First, thanks to all my new subscribers and favorites! The sudden influx motivated me to finally finish this chapter. Thanks to dontrun for recing Untouchable in her most recent chapter of Homecoming. I was touched and flattered!
Also a big thanks to Saillor moon fan, who has read this lil' story not once, but twice. That review lit a fire under me- thank you, my dear, you rock! ;)
Thanks to MarchHare5 and twicrack83 who beta'd this baby so quick, it should have been up this morning... but I've been stuck on this FF I was reading [see closing note]. Thank you ladies, your edits and comments make my day. I love hearing what you think, more than you realize.
Thanks to nowforruin! ;)
Warning: adult content and violence. **Mention of physical and sexual assault. ** Language ** This is not for readers under 18! Forewarning: violence and sexual material!
Disclaimer: all recognizable characters and Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, the rest is copyrighted 2010 ElspethGordie
xoxo
Chapter 29: Culpability
"Nessie... Nessie... Why didn't you tell me?" My attention was brought back to Mrs. Masen. She looked ten years older, aging rapidly for the sake of a daughter. Vanessa didn't know the gift she had in her mom.
"I was scared." She looked down, unable to meet her mom's eyes.
Mrs. Masen gently tilted her daughter's face to meet hers. "You never need to be scared to tell the truth. I will always protect you."
I smiled at them through a blur of tears.
"Vanessa, will you help me?" I finally asked.
Her face changed, moving quickly from terror to grief and back again. Before I could add in a "please" she tore her eyes from mine and shook her head frantically.
"Vanessa... Nessie—" I started to plead with her.
"No." She squared her shoulders, glancing up into my face. She didn't hold eye contact very long before she looked away, a faint blush spreading over her cheeks.
"I—I can't."
Trying not to give an obvious external reaction, I closed my eyes, breathing in and out. Alice tucked her arm tightly around me. I knew that this was a possibility. But she had been our last try, our last hope. I thought maybe my misguided witnesses would grow a pair when they heard I had another victim testifying. Vanessa could have been my last card, forcing Jimmy to realize I'd won. But I hadn't.
"Don't you get that he can do it again?" Ali blurted out. "Some other innocent girl may not be as lucky as you. She might be like Bella." I tried to shush Alice. I didn't think she was helping. She glared at me and turned back to Vanessa and the still stunned Mrs. Masen. "Do you think you could live with yourself?"
Vanessa looked stricken and a tear escaped down her cheek. She gripped her mother's hand fiercely and gritted her teeth. "You don't get it. I can't!"
Her daughter's shout awakened her out of her stupor. Mrs. Masen gently shook Vanessa's hand. "Why? Why can't you, Nessie? I can't believe this happened, but I know you would never want it to happen again, so why?"
She looked down, her brown hair swinging in her face, blocking out view. "He promised."
I sat up, alarmed, my back tight. Alice stuttered beside me, "W-what did he promise?"
Vanessa's eyes glazed over, no longer looking at me or Alice or her mom. Mrs. Masen turned her chin, so she was facing Nessie's direction. She put on her mom face, confident, all-knowing, no-funny-business. "Vanessa Carlie Masen, who is this he? And what did he promise?"
"Jimmy. He promised that he would make our lives miserable. He knows Dad's boss—Daddy would get fired. And he said that me, Val, and Danny would be taken away." Her eyes came alive, wild, like a caged animal. "He can do it. I know he can."
"Vanessa, we do not give in to bullies," her mother chided almost too softly.
I shook my head. I didn't want this family to be given more trouble than they'd already been dealt. Jimmy didn't give idle threats. I was a testament. "Mrs. Masen, I don't want to hurt Vanessa or your family." I stood up awkwardly, whispering to Alice, "We should go."
"But the witnesses!" Alice whispered back none too quietly.
Mrs. Masen's head snapped in our direction. "What witnesses?"
I sighed exasperatedly. Alice answered quickly, "We had three witnesses that could testify to Bella's story, and they've been threatened or—we don't even know! But if they knew that someone else was hurt... if they knew about Vanessa, they would have to help!"
"Alice," I cut in, tugging on her arm and pulling her towards the doorway.
"Bella!
Not as quiet as I intended, I whispered, "Ali, I don't want to hurt them more than they've been hurt. I will not manipulate her into helping me. I am not him." Letting go of Alice's arm, I placed my hands on my belly and turned to the Masens. "I'm sorry, we'll be going now."
I pushed past the side table holding my untouched water, but stopped abruptly less than a foot away from an imposing man. Eyes wide, I sucked in a surprised breath and hastily stepped backwards, bumping into the old sofa. Like any considerate person he reached to steady me.
I twisted out of his grasp. "Don't touch me!" Wrapping my arms around my middle, I moved farther into the room. I barely contained a whimper. After seeing Jimmy last night, I didn't know if I could stand a flashback without falling apart.
Like magic Edward was in the room with Jasper following closely behind. He rushed past whom I assumed to be Mr. Masen, Vanessa's father, and neatly placed himself as an impenetrable wall between me and any would-be foe.
"Bella, are you okay?" Alice rushed to my side. I nodded, not trusting my voice.
"Liz? What's going on?" A baritone voice came from my close call. Mrs. Masen shook her head, obviously having no more answers than her husband.
"Bella?" Edward asked deeply, the question implied.
"I'm fine. It's okay. I'm sorry." I gained eye contact with Vanessa's father. "Sorry, Mr. Masen, you surprised me." I smiled weakly. It was honestly pathetic.
His face was weathered and wrinkled, but his jaw was strong and his eyes kind. His bushy eyebrows bunched together in confusion as he replied slowly, "That's okay, but..." he looked at his wife again, "you are?"
"Isabella Swan. And this is Alice, Edward, and Jasper."
He offered his hand to us. "Jack Masen." I gulped at the sight of his out stretched hand; fortunately Jasper and Edward had the presence of mind to shake it.
He cocked his head in question, looking at his bewildered wife and guilty daughter. "Can I help you?"
Edward looked to me for direction; my eyes must have still been wide and if I saw myself in a mirror I would have looked like a ghost. I couldn't have called a blush in that moment for anything. I didn't know why he surprised me so much. He wasn't a threat, at least not any more than Jasper was, but I didn't feel like myself here. I didn't feel safe. I wasn't prepared to face a new man today, whether he was the grocery bag boy or the cable man. I didn't realize I needed to prep ahead of time, but it made total sense. Wouldn't you mentally prepare yourself to go into a potentially dangerous situation? I'd mentally prepared myself to talk to Vanessa, to plead with her, to share with her. I hadn't thought beyond that.
Alice stepped in again. "We were talking to your daughter, hoping she'd help us."
"About what?" He moved closer to his family. "Vanessa, who are these people? Have you gotten yourself into more trouble?"
"Mr. Masen, we're not trying to bring any trouble." Edward held up his hands in defense, then smiled his most charming smile. The smile that can get him out of AP English... or at least that I'd heard.
"We were just hoping that Vanessa would be willing to make a statement or testify," Ali continued.
"Statement? Testify?" he asked, his voice hard.
"Jack," Mrs. Masen interjected, "Nessie was attacked."
His head whipped around in concern. "What? Who? Did these punks hurt you?" He glared over his shoulder at the towering teenage boys standing in his living room. Edward crossed his arms. Jasper rolled his eyes.
Leaving me behind the couch—gotta love those protective barriers—Ali pranced around the front and sat daintily on the couch like it was a throne. "Honestly, you guys need a circle of truth in this house. Jimmy Crawford, that's who." She ended in a very unladylike snort.
Circle of truth? Where does she come up with these things? I took the time to roll my own eyes at the ceiling and hold them there for a second. It was necessary.
"Guys, I think we need to let the Masens talk." Alice snorted again. I bent down to retrieve my purse where I'd dropped it earlier. Reaching inside, I pulled out the envelope of developed pictures. I uncapped a pen using my mouth and neatly wrote down my name and cell number. I groaned as I stood, the joints in my hips, knees, and ankles creaking and popping. I placed a hand on my lower back and arched, popping it as well. I smiled impishly at Edward, who chuckled at the audible-ness of my body.
Vanessa hadn't said a peep since her father arrived, but I could see the sorrow in her features. And I knew what that was like.
"I hope you reconsider, Vanessa." I moved until I was standing directly in front of her. We were exactly the same height, and if not for the baby weight we would have been the same size too. I gently tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. "You're not alone." I placed the envelope in her hands. "In case you forget, or you need proof... I know what you've been through."
A tear slid down her cheek, but she kept her eyes on her feet. I smiled wanly at Mrs. Masen. "My number is on the envelope if you have any questions, or if you reconsider. Thank you for your time."
I walked widely around Mr. Masen but smiled, and as calmly as I could, I scooted by him through the crowded living room. Edward joined me quickly, placing his hand on the small of my back.
Alice and Jasper exited the room. Ali's lips were pursed, but Jasper's hand in hers was keeping her from saying something. Thank goodness for small miracles.
Just before we were gone, I stopped mid step and looked over my shoulder. Mrs. Masen had pulled Vanessa into her lap and was petting her head. Mr. Masen had knelt down on the ground so that he could get closer to his girls. His one arm around his wife, and his other hand was holding Vanessa's.
"Vanessa?" I asked. Her head popped up, probably expecting us to already be gone. "Your family loves you. You don't realize what you have."
The moment we were in the car Alice released a barrage of questions and complaints, but mainly complaints. I leaned my head back in the seat ignoring all of them. After a few minutes she stopped asking them and huffed.
"Alice, just let it go. We did our best." Edward said quietly.
"But—"
"Sorry, Alice." I couldn't help but apologize. I felt like she expected this to be some magic cure-all. We'd come, she'd help us, and all would be saved. That's not how life works.
"Argg," she groaned. "It's not your fault. But I just wish I could string that bastard up by his balls and... yank off his finger-nails!" she ended dramatically.
I think I saw both boys flinch.
Edward rested his hands on the steering wheel, still staring up at the Masen's front door. "Where to? You want to head back to Renee's?"
I shook my head. "Let's get some food... I don't know, maybe they'll come around."
We made our way into town, Alice and Jasper commenting and arguing about the trees. Mainly it was Alice arguing about the trees and Jasper laughing at her. Edward took my left hand in his free one as he drove with only one on the wheel.
I closed my eyes, getting lost in the sensation. Edward's thumb moved slowly, repetitively along my hand. His touch made me feel safe. Like I was home. This place, the house where I grew up, even Phoenix wasn't my home. It was right here. Holding his hand.
"Oh my gosh! Is that... what do they call it? A redwood?" Alice screeched.
"Darlin', those are in California, we're in Washington."
"Same coast, whatever." She giggled.
I sighed. Yeah, this is home.
OoOoOoOoOo
"Eww, mushrooms! How do you even eat that stuff, Bella? It's like a fungus!"
I rolled my eyes. "You wanna try some, Ali?" I dangled a forkful of ravioli and mushrooms in front of her face. She made a funny face as she squealed and hid in Jasper's arm.
I stuffed the forkful in my mouth, smiling through it. I was starving. We had finally decided on an Italian restaurant called Bella Italia—Bella Italia. Edward thought it was hilarious. But I'd been there a few times and remembered they had great pasta.
They did have good pasta, but the service was terrible. The stupid waitress couldn't keep her eyes or hands off of Edward.
Speak of the devil, Edward chuckled. "You're glaring again."
I stabbed my ravioli a few times. "No, I'm not."
Alice giggled. "I wouldn't be surprised if she spit in your food, all the foul looks you keep giving that poor girl."
I turned my glare to Ali this time. "Ha, funny." I looked down at my pasta dish and suddenly set down my fork.
Edward guffawed. "Aw, sweetheart, I'm sure she didn't do anything to your food. You wouldn't want that to go to waste, right?"
His eyes were alight with mischief. But it was true, I was hungry and I didn't want it to go to waste. I picked up my fork begrudgingly and took another bite.
"That'a girl." He smiled his lopsided smile.
"You need anything else?" The touchy-feely waitress showed up again, placing one hand on Edward's shoulder and the other on his lower arm.
My glare turned on again and I might have growled.
Edward looked pointedly at her lack of subtly and responded, "We're all good, thanks." The second she moved away, he whispered, "Down, Bella."
I huffed, turning back to my meal and grumbling to myself about what I might do with her hands the next time she came over.
Edward wrapped his arms around me, both protectively around my tummy. "Come on, you know you're my girl. She doesn't even compare to you."
I sighed. "She doesn't resemble a beached whale."
"You're not a whale." He chuckled.
"Not yet."
"You're beautiful. You glow." He kissed me on my temple, just below my hairline.
"Aww, come on, guys! Get a room!" Ali whined, but I could hear the teasing in her voice. Despite my crushing on her brother, she was happy for us.
I giggled and pulled away so I could smack a huge kiss on Edward's cheek, and if it just so happened that Miss-Little-Too-Helpful came back at just that moment ...oops.
I gave her a self-satisfied smile.
She returned it with a glare of her own. I would not be refilling my drink anytime soon.
As Edward paid the check, Alice and I took a visit to the restroom (well, it was my third one in the past hour), my phone rang causing us both to jump in surprise.
Alice squealed. "Is that her? Is she gonna help?"
I checked the caller ID and shrugged. It wasn't a number I recognized, so it could be Vanessa.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby—" I snapped the phone shut.
Alice looked at me expectantly. I shook my head. "Wrong number." She squinted her eyes at me, but shrugged, accepting my lie.
Bastard. How did he get my number?
It rang again, making me jump again. "Hello?" I asked hesitantly this time.
"Bella?"
"Yeah?"
"It's Nessie. Can I talk to you?" My shoulders sagged in relief.
"Sure."
Alice's eyes were wide as saucers, and she kept mouthing something that I assumed to be "Is that Vanessa?" or "I love Jasper." Either was valid, so I just nodded.
"So, I talked with my parents... They think that I should help you."
I was momentarily elated, but she hadn't said whether she'd help. It had to be her choice in the end, no matter what her parents wanted. I waited, not knowing what to say.
"You there?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm still here. So, what do you want to do?"
"These pictures, are they real?"
I sighed. "Yeah, they're real."
"Why'd you give them to me?"
I switched ears. "I don't know. I guess I thought that it'd convince you, or remind you."
"I didn't look this bad."
"Well, Jimmy was more sober. And he drugged me." I paused. "I couldn't fight back."
She was silent for a few moments. Her voice cracked when she spoke again. "I'm sorry, Bella. You must think I'm a horrible coward."
"No, no. Just the opposite. You see, this happened seven months ago, and I'm just now trying to do the right thing." I sighed. "I'm not really doing it for me either. I'm doing it for my baby. I didn't protect myself... or you... but I won't make that mistake with her."
"It wasn't your fault, Bella."
I ran my fingers through my hair. "I know."
She sighed. "Okay. I'll do it."
"You sure?" I held my breath.
"Yeah, it's the right thing to do."
"Thank you... You don't know what this means." I bit my lip to keep from crying.
"So my dad wants to talk to the police tomorrow. Is that soon enough?"
"That's fine. Thank you, Vanessa."
"Nessie." She said so quietly I could almost not hear.
"Nessie."
"Hey, Bella?"
"Yeah?"
"You know what you said about my family?"
"Yeah."
"You said it like you don't have one. But you do."
"What do you mean?" My head tilted in confusion, even though she couldn't see me. My mom didn't believe me like Mrs. Masen. My friends had shunned and ostracized me. Sure, Charlie believed me, but he wasn't here. He didn't protect me.
"Your friends with you today. They're your family."
I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, eyes bright, honey brown, stunned. She was right. "They are. Thanks."
"Bye, Bella."
"Bye." I hung up the phone. Alice was waiting, bouncing from foot to foot, like she was ready to take flight.
Inspecting my reflection, flushed cheeks, pink lips, protruding baby bump from my tiny body, I spoke to myself just as much as her. "She's going to help."
Alice screeched, jumping up and down with joy.
I watched my face break into a beaming smile. "She's going to the police in the morning."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Alice yelled, causing the other patron in the bathroom to bypass washing her hands and leave the room as quickly as possible. Can I say ew?
"We have to tell the guys." I bolted out the door, flying into the atrium of the restaurant. "Edward! Nessie just called me. She's going to help!"
He was leaning against the opposite wall, ankles crossed with his hands in his pockets. His auburn hair was sticking up everywhere. His face snapped to mine, his eyes assessing me before he took the two steps between us, breaching the distance. Edward scooped me up in his arms. "That's great news!"
I pulled away, more happy than I'd been since I'd arrived in Washington. Edward was smiling so big I was afraid his face would crack in half. Unable to contain myself, I kissed him.
Full body, lip nibbling, tongue massaging, music swelling, movie climax kiss. Hot. Damn. He might as well have dipped me.
Pulling apart, Edward's eyes twinkled and there was something deeper there, something my insides were buzzing over. Looking into his eyes, I could still feel it, that buzzing out-of-this-world connection, like we were some ridiculous lost soul mates who searched for each other every generation. Cheesy, but it felt so real. Alice and Jasper didn't even notice us; they were doing a little dance. Well, Alice was doing a little dance pirouette thingy while Jasper held her hand over her head and laughed.
The locals probably thought we were crazy.
"We should head back to Forks," Edward stated. He may have still sounded a little out of breath. I licked my lips. They were a little swollen. Edward was staring at them as I rubbed them together. I would have paid money to know what he was thinking at exactly that moment. If we didn't need to get back, I might have given into my baser urges... within propriety of course.
"Oh! We need to tell Charlie!" I exclaimed.
Alice shouted in a mock-whisper, "Do you think he'll get the witnesses back?"
"One can only hope, darlin'," Jasper answered for us all.
"One can only hope," I whispered to myself. I'd forgotten all about the "wrong number" call in my excitement.
OoOoOoOoOo
Nessie did just like she said. On Saturday morning we got a call from both the Forks and the Port Angeles police departments. Forks informed us that, even though the crime took place in another city, Vanessa's testimony could help support my case as a character witness against Jimmy. The Port Angeles DA would also be filing her own charges against Jimmy in a second assault case from Vanessa's statement.
Charlie basically danced from the kitchen to the family room all morning. Every time he got another call he did this insane little jig; I think it might have permanently affected my psyche. Ali took all the good news personally, like she single-handed lyconvinced Vanessa to testify against Jimmy.
We hadn't heard from the witnesses, but Edward was sure it would only be a matter of time.
We sat around the kitchen table talking, sometimes about the case, but most of the time about random stuff, like Jasper's weird obsession with Westerns. According to Alice he had an entire book case at his house full of them.
"Jazz, aren't they all the same? Like romance novels? Once you've read one, you've read them all!" I asked, genuinely curious. I was partial to the classics.
He groaned, leaning back over the kitchen chair. "Bella, darlin', so misguided! They are not all the same. And they are not romance novels!"
Alice crossed her arms and huffed, "What's so wrong with romance novels?"
I looked at her agape. "It's like reading soft porn!"
"So?"
Jasper's eyes widened before he awkwardly laughed. Edward's embarrassment was evident, and he glared a little at Jasper. Poor Jazz raised his hands in defense, still laughing.
I continued. "Well, they're so predictable. You can tell who'll end up with who from the first chapter."
Alice sighed dramatically, "I know. It's so wonderful."
Rolling my eyes, I chuckled. "You're hilarious."
"I'm just saying, if I'm gonna read something, I have to know that it's gonna end right. What's the point otherwise?" She fluffed her hair over her shoulder, sniffing pretentiously.
"Whatever you like is fine, darlin'," Jasper saved.
"What about you, Edward? What do you like to read?" I asked, turning my body towards him. He blushed lightly as I directed my attention to him, or... he had a very interesting reading collection.
Alice giggled. "Science fiction! Space ships, aliens, mind reading. Romance is normal compared to him."
"Hey, it's intricate story-telling." His ears were pinker than they were before.
"Sure, for geeks," Jasper joked.
Edward raised his eyebrows. "At least it's not about a lone gunman regaining his honor to earn the attentions of the local barmaid."
"Ah, come on, man." Jasper reached across the table to grab Edward. I don't know what he was attempting to do, some weird male wrestling thing, but I pushed my chair back to stay out of the way. Edward pushed his chair away too, just to go flying around the table, narrowly missing Alice to tackle Jasper, hooking him in a head-lock. They were laughing and goading each other on when Alice jumped on Edward's back, yelling like a banshee. He released Jasper and swung her around, tickling her sides till she let go of his neck.
I was laughing harder than I'd laughed in a long time. Quickly tired out, all three of them collapsed onto my mom's tiny kitchen floor, spread out but still touching.
"You guys are crazy." I giggled.
"You know you love us, lil' momma." Jasper drawled, eyes barely open.
I smiled even bigger. "Yeah, I do."
Alice propped her-self up on one arm, and twisted to look at me over her shoulder. "What are you gonna name her anyway?"
"The baby?" I cocked my head. Edward sat up too, scooting across the floor to lean against the bottom cupboards. He watched me intensely.
"Yeah, you have some names right?" She smiled, her eyes lit up with ideas.
"I have a few ideas, but I'm not really sure yet. I think I want it to be a surprise," I said, thinking aloud.
"Aw, but can I help?" Ali whined.
"Alice, it's her baby. She should decide," Edward interjected, but he wasn't looking at Alice, he was still focused on me.
"Well, Nessie said something to me yesterday. She said that you guys are my family, so if you have any suggestions, I'll consider them," I said quietly. I looked down at my growing belly; it looked bigger every day. She was growing like a magic bean!
"How about Alice Jr.?" Ali squealed and clapped her hands. We groaned simultaneously. "Okay, then what would you pick?" she pointedly asked the boys.
Jasper opened his eyes; his brows bunched in concentration. Pulling himself off the floor, he plopped his gangly form into the chair opposite me at the table. Edward looked equally focused. He pursed his lips, and stared at my belly. Feeling self-conscious, I rubbed my middle with my right hand. Catching the movement, he looked up at me and smiled.
"Amanda or Emily," Jasper spoke up. "Something sweet, like the sugar she'll be."
"Oh! I know! Sophie or Tavia," Alice continued.
Jasper and Alice started throwing names back and forth. Jasper liked traditional feminine names where Alice liked unique names that no one else had. She believed that it was important to be the only one in your class to have your name so you don't have to be Emily S. or Emily L. It kept going until Alice passionately shared her top five girl and boy names for her own kids.
I watched bemused. Looking across the kitchen, Edward was still thinking. His eyes would move from my face, a small half-smile playing on his mouth, to my belly. I stood up and walked over to him, sliding down the cabinets to sit next to him on the floor.
Now face to face, I asked, "What do you think?"
His eyelashes were thick, framing his green eyes. It was at this moment that I wished that he was my daughter's father, so that she would have a chance to inherit his eyes. They were breathtaking.
I took his hand in mine, placing it on my belly. She'd just woken up from a nap and had decided to kick my ribs. His eyes lit up in awe.
"C—" he started.
"We got a witness!" Charlie whooped from the other room. He came flying into the kitchen, sliding on the floor. "She just called me and said that she'd testify that she saw Bella in the game room before and after Jimmy was there."
"What?" I asked, out of breath, like the wind was knocked out of me.
"Really?" Alice yelled, argument forgotten.
I placed my hands on the cupboards behind me, trying to pull myself. Edward's hands on my waist steadied me. "Dad, start over. Which witness?"
He looked like a kid who just got first prize in a pinewood derby; he sobered suddenly to explain. "A girl from the party stepped forward. In your testimony you mention that after you entered the room with the pool table and collapsed in the corner, someone opened the door and peeked in. Mary Jackson is the girl who saw you in the room. Allegedly she came back, but it was too late."
I took a breath. I didn't want to know earlier who they were. Now I had a face. She had known. I was relieved and angry at the same time. I was grateful that she stepped forward, but pissed that she wasn't willing to do so until now. She knew what Jimmy was capable of... I had to dash these thoughts from my head; they would lead me nowhere.
My therapist would love this.
Charlie's smile returned to his face. "This is just the start. Once the others hear, they'll step forward too."
I took another deep breath, steadying myself. A hand slid into my own, rough and huge. I smiled softly up at Edward, who tilted his face down to kiss my head. "Everything is going to work out, you'll see."
I nodded. "Tell me the name later?"
"Yeah." He squeezed my hand reassuringly.
OoOoOoOoOo
Charlie was right; it was only the beginning. By two o'clock p.m. we heard from the female nurse at the hospital who did the rape kit, and all the evidence that later disappeared. But she could testify that it had been rape, due to the internal and external damage done.
By dinner time we heard from the kid who drove me to the hospital. After Mary Jackson found me in the game room, she asked Tyler Crowley to take me to the hospital. It was obvious that I'd been hurt. Tyler had carried my unconscious body to the emergency room and left me there. He was afraid that they'd think he was responsible, so he took off. His testimony would prove that the original mugging was a cover-up.
It seemed like all the pieces were falling together.
Alice and Jasper ran out to the diner to pick up our take-out. None of us really wanted to make dinner, even though Renee had picked up groceries. She'd been avoiding us since I banished her. Part of me felt guilty for sending my mom to her room, but the other part of me felt validated for keeping her out of it. She'd proved herself to be loose a cannon time and time again. This was not a time to take risks by including her.
While we were clearing dinner, Edward came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle and resting his head on my shoulder.
"Hey, beautiful, whatcha doin'?" he said, slightly muffled because his nose was in my hair. I chuckled as he inhaled deeply.
"Washing the dishes," I replied.
"Want me to dry?" He kissed my shoulder.
"Sure." I handed him a dish towel.
"How are you doing with everything?" He nudged me gently with his hip as he took up a clean, wet plate and rubbed it with the towel.
I shrugged. "Good. Tired. Overwhelmed. Grateful. But mainly relieved that they're going to arrest him tonight."
Charlie informed us that the Forks P.D. had enough information to obtain Jimmy Crawford's warrant for arrest for sexual and physical assault, perjury, and obstruction of justice.
Woot. Go us.
"He can't get away with it this time." Edward's voice was hard. I peeked over my shoulder to find him gritting his teeth.
I nodded, hoping to reassure him. I turned the water on and off, scrubbing and rinsing another plate. "I'm more worried about him getting off on bail. He's not going to react well, and I'm pretty sure that his father is going to freak."
He stacked his dry plates neatly on top of each other and took the wet one from me. "His dad is the mayor, so they have to know that something is coming."
I chewed on my lip, rinsing another plate. "I don't like that much either."
Edward dropped the dish towel on the counter, placing his arm around the top of my back, pulling me tight to his side. "Don't worry. I won't let him touch you."
"I know. I can't help it." I sighed.
He kissed the top of my head again before he went back to drying the dishes. I smiled. He'd been doing that a lot lately; I could get used to it.
I helped him put them away; two hands made the work go faster.
"Take a walk with me? It stopped raining." He looked at me with puppy dog eyes. I melted instantly. He didn't even need to pull out the look; I would have said yes anyway.
"Sure, let me grab my coat."
Edward helped me put on my jacket, and I yelled to Charlie and Alice, "We're gonna take a walk. We won't go far."
"Wear a coat!" Charlie called back.
"Take your phone!" Alice hollered.
Edward and I snickered. "Got it!"
He held the door open for me and took my hand as we stepped down the slick front stoop. I'd forgotten how much it rained here. It was literally the rainiest town in the US. More rain fell here than any other town in the entire country. Lucky us.
Interlacing our fingers we started off down the street. It was amazing; we literally started like this, walking down the street hand in hand. This is how we started trusting each other. And here we were in another state, dipping into my deepest and darkest secrets, but still hand in hand walking down the street.
"Have you thought about what you're going to do after all this?" Edward asked, turning his head to watch me.
I shrugged. "Go back home. Go to school. Get the baby's room ready. I guess just back to life." I paused a few minutes, still walking. "Charlie said the trial won't be for a while. They might try to rush it, but I won't be able to travel again until after the baby is born. I might have to tape my testimony before we leave, or from Phoenix."
"Are you okay with taping it, or would you rather be there?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I just want it over. I want her to be safe."
"Me too. You'll both be safe." He squeezed my hand.
"I'm sorry this is so crazy. It's been all about me and whatnot."
He guffawed. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You've been there for me when I've had a hard time, and I wanted to be here for you."
I leaned my head on his shoulder as we walked. It was awkward, but it was nice.
"What the hell? Isabella! What the fuck are you doing?" His voice came up behind us. I don't know how we didn't notice anything sooner. Jimmy was in his red sports car. He'd stopped in the middle of the road and proceeded to get out, slamming the door behind him. "Who is this guy, Isabella? You whoring around, you little slut?"
He tromped over to us. I froze. Edward stepped directly in front of me, using his body as a shield.
"I'd advise you to keep your mouth shut," Edward said, gravely soft.
"Who the hell are you? And what do you think you are doing with my girl?" Jimmy spat, now less than five feet away. "Isabella, come here, baby. You knew I'd find you."
Jimmy squatted down in front of me and gently moved my hair out of my face, holding his hands to my head. He forced me to look up at him, tugging my hair in the process.
"I've been looking for you everywhere, Isabella." He smiled. "I always find you."
Shaking my head, I stepped out from behind Edward. "I'm not your girl!"
"You need to leave, now." Edward warned again. He sounded so controlled, scarily calm. I didn't know whether to be proud that he hadn't pummeled Jimmy's face in yet, or worried that he was about to. I grabbed his hand tight and held it in my own.
"Do you even know who I am? If you know what's good for you, you better leave now. Isabella, get in the car." He pointed sharply at the red car behind him. His face was murderous, even worse than that first night when he surprised me in the kitchen. His face softened for a second. "You don't want him to get hurt, do you, Isabella?"
His hands held me against the wall, and one reached up to grip my face. He forced his lips against mine, his breath tasted like ass and alcohol.
I tried to turn my face away.
He laughed darkly. "Come on, baby. Don't be such a prude. You know you want it."
Edward squeezed my hand tightly, pulling me out. "Call 911." With my free hand, I pulled out my cell phone, dialing the police. "I know who you are, Jimmy. You're the bastard that raped my girlfriend. You're the son of a bitch that beat her up and terrorized her. You're the motherfucker that changed her life forever. And you're not going to get away with it."
"We're being threatened by Jimmy Crawford on Calawah Way North. He's cornered us on the road," I explained quietly to the operator.
"What are you doing, Isabella?" Jimmy growled. His fists tightened at his sides and he bared his teeth like he was an animal.
The terror rose up in my throat, but I couldn't eek out a scream. Instead I began blubbering, the fight almost gone from me.
"Stop. Please. Stop. You're hurting me. Don't hurt me."
He yanked at my shirt again, tearing the rest of the buttons off so that I was exposed, my little blue bra bare to his hungry eyes.
"Stop fighting, baby. You know you want it."
"Please come quickly!" I hung up and dialed Charlie.
"Hey, bastard, look at me!" Edward yelled. "You are not going to get away with what you did. You're going to rot in prison. You know what they do to pretty boys like you in prison? Especially rapists?"
"That's it. Isabella, I warned you!" Jimmy pointed at me, sneering.
"Pick up, pick up, pick up!" I whispered frantically.
Ripping, tearing, shredding of fabric. A blow against my face, whipping my head to the side, smacking it on the floor. Grasping, shoving—penetrating
The sharp pain—that never stopped.
The violence, the rage, the victory in his eyes.
Without warning, or perhaps with a lot of warning and a little bit of baiting from Edward, Jimmy barreled towards us, yelling loudly.
"Hello?"
"Charlie!"
And he took a swing not at Edward, but at me.
dun. dun. dun. ;) You know you loved those E/B moments! I think I gave myself butterflies ;) xoxo
Recs:
High School Confidential by troublefollows1017 This story kept up til 2am on a school night, and then I tried to read it between periods all day. Addictive, and soo good.
Summary: Bella, fresh from a breakup, starts a new job as a guidance counselor at Masen HS under the watchful eye of her very handsome but very married principal, Edward Cullen. A connection begins to develop as they work together to help the troubled students.
The Day the Earth Stood Still by Sare Liz
Summary: Her body, her mind and her blood - these were the three things my world now revolved around. I don't know what I'll do if I can't have all three... -Winner of two Mystic Awards.-
When Fiction Becomes Reality by BITTENEV
Summary: Bella is a writer whose most successful book is one she wrote about Edward, her high school crush. Edward is now an A-list actor and has signed on to star in a movie based on Bella's creation. AU/AH
