Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.
All plotlines, characterizations, and details in Eternally Intertwined belong to the author: Bronzehyperion. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without the author's authorization. ©2009-2010 Bronzehyperion. All rights reserved worldwide.
What happened previously.
"What can you tell me about what happened to Ms. Sapphire Daggett at the carnival this afternoon?"
I sighed. Again.
This was going to be a long night.
"Can I at least make a phone call?"
This chapter will be in Bella's POV.
Chapter 33: LONG NIGHT
"Goddamnit!!!"
The sound of the curse echoed through a room that was normally perfectly serene.
I wasn't an expert on how to deal with stress but I was pretty convinced I was surrounded by stressful people right now. Which added to my own stress indefinitely.
This was odd because I was fairly certain I had never seen any of the Cullens stressed. In fact they weren't the type to panic. Even if the entire world would collapse, the Cullens would still keep their cool.
They looked anything but cool right now.
Emmett, the one responsible for this foulmouthed slip just seconds earlier, was always so carefree. Right now, he was anything but. He looked beyond angry. He was livid. And while Emmett was a terrifying guy to look at, he had quite a gentle and non-aggressive soul.
And now he was verbally showing his distress.
It was the only foul mouthed thing I had ever heard coming from any of their lips.
Even Edward had never cursed. Well, not in front of me, at least.
"Calm down," Esme demanded quietly.
"Calm down?!" Emmett bellowed. "Tell me how the hell I am supposed to calm down when my brother is currently hauled up at a police station, getting his vampire ass handed to him by some downgraded sheriff. This is a disaster!"
He threw a few more profanities around, followed by the sound of a slamming door and a shattering sound outside.
Like boulders crashing.
Jasper followed after him quietly.
In truth, it was unrealistic of me to think this would not affect the Cullens. Their son and brother was at a police station in Port Angeles, being questioned about Angela's disappearance.
While we all knew he was innocent, there was no way to doubt that for any of them, it didn't mean he'd be let off the hook.
Not to mention what this could do to the big family secret. This was the first time a Cullen was under suspicion. What if they started digging?
Jacob's words, ever present in the back of my mind, pushed themselves to the walls of my brain with a frightening force.
Something bad is gonna happen.
A chill crept up my spine. How truthful those words seemed to ring right now. And it didn't seem like this was the high peak of it. It was only the beginning. And the thought of more crap coming our way was maybe more unnerving than this entire night turned out to be. It was eerie to say the least.
"It's your entire fault, you know," a stone cold voice spoke from behind me. I turned to see Rosalie standing there. Her golden eyes were blazing. She had never liked me, but she was bordering on hating me now.
"Rosalie," Esme warned. "Don't start."
But Rosalie was not about to stop. She needed to get something off her chest and while I had a fairly good idea what it was she was about to launch at me, I was sure she would put enough venom in her words to break me.
"If he hadn't met you, or if you had stayed away from him, keeping your hands to that mutt of yours, or ex-mutt I guess, than nothing like this would have happened. Alice wouldn't have gotten all school spirit on us," she stalked closer to me…looking very scary, very much like an angry vampire.
"She would not have been involved with befriending you and with that befriending Angela, organizing that stupid carnival and the masquerade ball and Edward would have been home tonight. Far away from YOU!!!"
She shouted the last word for emphasis.
"You should have stayed in the desert. If we have to move because of this, I will make sure you wish you were back in that desert…"
I stood there, mouth agape. Rosalie gave me one more poignant glare before she flitted out the door.
Esme and Alice, still in the room with me, looked mortified. Apologetic.
Deep down inside I believed they probably blamed me too.
"It's going to be fine," Alice interrupted the tension of Rosalie's rant with confidence. "This sheriff can't keep him there."
"This is all wrong," I whispered. "Just wrong."
"Rosalie is right. It's all my fault." I nearly choked on my tears.
"No she isn't. Rosalie is just a bitch sometimes. A lot of the time actually." Alice muttered.
The second time tonight I heard a Cullen swear. Alice's scolding of Rosalie didn't make me feel better though.
Esme came to my side and put her arm around me. "It'll be fine, dear. Rosalie is just upset but she has no right taking it out on you. This is not your fault and everything will be fine. Carlisle will take care of it."
It had been two hours since Carlisle had taken off to the police station.
I'd remembered the look on his face when Edward had called. His eyes had instantly met mine, but since Edward was only allowed one phone call, I'd never had the chance to talk to him.
"Bella is fine," Carlisle had told Edward while he kept looking at me. "Yes, Alice and Jasper picked her up shortly after the sheriff took you to the County sheriff station in Port Angeles."
"You shouldn't have answered the sheriff's questions, Edward." Carlisle had chided him. "You are officially seventeen according to your identification papers and you don't have to answer questions without a parent or lawyer present," Carlisle had explained.
I had listened intently. Kind of relieved that Carlisle had seemed level enough to think about this in terms of legal rights. He had probably thought about this more than Edward had. And knowing Edward, he was righteous and stubborn enough to answer all the questions fired at him, just to be fair and honest in hopes to prove his innocence.
"Yes. I will be right there. Alright," he nodded.
"Yes, I'll tell her," he'd soothed into the phone, after which he had hung up.
"Bella," he had spoken softly. "Edward is fine. Everything will be fine."
"He told me to tell you not to worry. And that…he loves you."
I had nodded and tried to smile at the words Carlisle was passing along, but had barely managed to do so.
In fact, I had wanted to scream at the fake assurance people were trying to give me. Who cared about a bunch of soothing words? Edward was not here, so clearly, things were not alright. Far from, in fact.
"Will you go over there?" Esme had inquired quietly, her voice laced with concern she had tried to hide.
"Yes. What they've done is absurd. Holding him there like that, firing questions at him without an adult. Of course, Edward answered them. He shouldn't have." Carlisle had muttered, before he had kissed Esme's cheek, gave me a small hug and left us to support Edward at the police station.
Two hours and this routine had been going on for a while. The worry, the reassurance. The waiting, the stress for a phone call that had yet to come. A car that didn't drive up to the house. No Edward walking through the door.
It was exhausting.
My body felt dislocated from my head, I was so incredibly tired. But since my brain didn't agree with my body, nor supported it in any way by stopping an actual process of worrying, thinking, worrying some more and trying to think of best- and worst case scenarios – I was pacing around; stressed much like the rest of my new found family.
Because family they were. And worried they were. And normally, I would have believed their comforting words, but now they just fell flat. Even Alice's infallibility didn't make me feel better.
She had been wrong before.
Admittedly, I was acting a little silly. After all, being the daughter of a cop, I knew very well that Edward couldn't be charged without proper evidence. And there was none, because I had been clearly and firmly at his side all night.
Plus, even if I hadn't, I knew for certain Edward would never do anything to hurt Angela.
Unfortunately law enforcement and law in general would probably be less convinced.
After all, they had brought him in for… well… for what exactly?
I shivered as I looked out the window, trying to tune out the things Alice and Esme were discussing. I believed they were scolding Rosalie some more but I couldn't bring myself to listen.
I no longer saw Emmett and Jasper outside and Rosalie was nowhere to be found either. I figured they had gone somewhere to blow off some steam.
Staring out the window, the darkness evident and threatening, I wished for nothing more but to see Carlisle's black Mercedes driving up, Edward jumping out and speeding inside, scooping me up in his arms and never letting me go.
So much for wishful thinking.
The darkness stayed dark and my thoughts became even darker when I thought of earlier.
How I had stood there, alone, desolated and frightened on my own front porch. Never feeling more unsafe. Not even when I had stood in between Edward and Jacob, when I'd gotten injured. That had been cake compared to how cruel and unsettling I had felt standing here alone with principal Daggett.
The danger, the unsafe feeling radiated off the man who'd been standing next to me. Crisp, proper, not a sign of being phased by any of this. This surprised me. Surely, it had been his daughter who'd been a victim of assault earlier. Why was he so at ease?
Did he not see the bigger picture? There was someone out there. Someone who had taken Angela. He had a daughter her age. How could he not be worried? Not even a little bit for appropriate measure. I knew Charlie was probably freaking by now. Whilst pretending to be stoic and unaffected, of course.
But the principal didn't even pretend to not care. He really didn't. Or rather, he seemed to care about other things. Plus, he was actually….
Enjoying himself?
I could feel it. He had arranged this, somehow. Which was strange, because it had been Edward who had saved Sapphire. Why would he lead a sheriff to my house? How had he even known Edward would be here? And why would he have pointed the sheriff to Edward? Plus, why did the sheriff comply?
That smelled like corruption. Charlie would never allow it.
"Miss Swan," he had finally spoken. His voice had chilled me even more.
Keep breathing, I had told myself. Keep breathing and play it cool.
Easier said than done at the time. The coolness of the night with the terror rolling off Principal Daggett in mean and chilling waves had made me shiver so badly it had made my teeth shatter in a disturbing rhythm. I had been forced to keep my mouth shut to make sure he wouldn't notice.
But he had noticed. Oh, he had definitely noticed.
"Are you cold, Miss Swan?" he had purred.
Purred, yes. Well, it had sounded like he had purred. But not the kind of purr I would have enjoyed hearing. The kind of purring Edward sometimes did to tease me.
Or seduce me.
This naturally had the opposite effect. It had iced my bones, making me freeze up. That didn't exactly help with the teeth shattering.
"I am fine," I had mumbled, never certain what this man wanted from me, what his real intentions were.
Though I'd been fairly certain he was up to no good.
We might have both stood there for hours. As I tried to remember how long it actually had been - standing there in the cool night air, feeling more frozen with every second that had passed - there was no way to know. It had probably been no more than a few minutes, but it had felt like forever.
Even now, as I stood here, in the safety and warmth of the Cullen house, I still felt the hint of a chill as deep as it had sunk into my bones.
I could not help but let my mind wander back to the encounter with principal Daggett, in front of my own house no less. The idea of being on my own property should have made me feel bolder, braver and definitely safer but it never had.
"I am certain your father will be back soon," the principal had told me with a smile playing on his lips. It was supposed to be a friendly smile and I was certain he hoped I would believe in his sincerity.
I never did.
"Yes, I hope so," I had nodded, wondering if I was really supposed to stand there, pretending to be polite enough to have an actual conversation with this man who gave me major creeps. Plus, my dad would not be here soon. He'd gone fishing as far as Bellingham which was hours away.
Walk. Away. And give him the finger while you are at it.
Alright, that last part would bring me no good, so I had skipped it. But then, I hadn't executed the first part either. I'd been standing there, frozen, scared. Tired. Angry. Though I hadn't managed to channel that last emotion properly.
"In the mean time, I don't think it's a wise thing for you to stay here all alone," he had spoken firmly.
"Especially with a horrible and very threatening perpetrator out there," he'd added his voice dropping to such a low level it made his words sounding grim and full of dangerous forebodes.
It was a warning, but not one involving concern for my safety. It sounded more like a promise.
"I am staying at the Cullens. I'll go back to their house until my father comes back," I had told him, trying to keep my voice from faltering.
I'd been sure he would protest and surely he had. "I don't think you should drive out there, it's dark, you must be shaken and I wonder how your father would feel if she knew you were staying at the house of a boy who's a suspect of a terrible crime."
Something in his words, apart from the threat and the inaccuracy – had made me realize some things right there and then. It wasn't so much that I hadn't thought of these things at other times but before tonight I had never been in the principal's presence long enough to give his behavior and the bad energy he was radiating a lot of thought.
It finally seemed to really click.
Principal Daggett was evil. More evil than I had expected beforehand. I mean, there had always been a certain dangerous aura around him, but every principal had a certain mean streak, a persona of authority. That alone wasn't necessarily enough to call him evil. And evil was a strong word.
But there was more to it with principal Daggett. More reasons that would justifiably earn him the 'evil' factor.
He had been in town for a small week and it was strangely evident he didn't like the Cullens. If he had, he wouldn't have even cared where I'd go for the night. It wasn't like he cared about my well being. He would not have showed up on my front porch tonight, smiling smugly with a sheriff by his side finding pleasure in the fact Edward had to be interrogated by the sheriff.
More importantly, he wouldn't have been so desperate to have Edward be guilty, especially after it was Edward who had saved his daughter. He should have been grateful and wasn't. Not even the littlest bit.
That wasn't all though. It was mostly the fact no one knew anything about him, apart from the fact he was a widower with a teenage daughter. My dad was practically in the same boat and he didn't give off the evil vibe.
I supposed principal Daggett was different because of his odd behavior, especially tonight. The way he had spoken to me at the masquerade ball. The way he had apparently kept an eye on the Cullens during the ball. Knowing their every move. The way he had showed up here. I had stood there, in close proximity to him, trying to figure out how he had known he could find us here.
I hadn't been able to figure it out.
He had remained standing there, staring at me. His cold eyes boring into mine.
I had wanted to spoke up and tell him he was wrong about Charlie and Edward and everything, but I knew that would be the exact thing he'd want to hear, the thing he'd want to counter and tell me I was wrong.
But his eyes, cold and the way his lips were set into the mocking half smile, it set something off deep inside me. Some sort of small bravery that allowed me to set the record straight.
"As far as my father is concerned," I'd finally spoken evenly, as I looked him in the ice-blue eye, "he has no reason to doubt my safety at the Cullens. So if you will excuse me, I am leaving now."
I had turned and bounded off the porch, when Alice appeared in view. I had soon spotted the big Jeep across the street, with Jasper behind the wheel.
"Hi Bella," she had spoken softy. "Jasper and I are here to pick you up."
I'd felt so relieved. Back-up, finally. I may have managed to turn my back at the principal, looking brave but at the time I'd been so very worried he would not have let me go.
"Principal Daggett," Alice had addressed him. "Good evening."
There had been no emotion in her voice; she had been as calm as he. Though her eyes gave away there was an edge to her greeting.
"Ms Cullen. Evening."
Alright, so I'd stood there feeling like I was watching an off standoff of some kind.
"Bella, let's go," Alice had pulled me with her.
Principal Daggett had simply watched us drive off. His cold stare had haunted me until he was out of sight.
"Penny for your thoughts." Alice dragged me from the events earlier. The sky was still dark and there was still no Mercedes driving up to the front of the house.
More time had passed and still no word on Edward. From Edward.
"Just tired," I smiled weakly.
"It'll really be okay, Bella." Alice gave me a small squeeze.
"I guess," I muttered.
I wasn't certain what exhausted me more. The nagging feeling that I always had when Edward wasn't around, multiplied by a billion because he might be in trouble and Carlisle hadn't even contacted us, after being away for almost three hours now.
Or the annoyance I felt whenever one of the Cullens tried to tell me I had nothing to worry about, that everything was going to work out. I knew they didn't even really believe that.
It was a darn long night. One that needed some kind of resolve. Soon, before my mind would snap and my body would cave.
"You need some more tea. Esme is making you some," Alice offered as she dragged me to the sofa. The living room was empty still. Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett hadn't returned from wherever they had taken off to and I assumed Esme was in the kitchen. Making me more tea.
I suddenly missed my mother. She was a little – okay a lot – erratic, but I needed some motherly love. While I appreciated what Esme and Alice were trying to do, I needed a gesture a little less supernatural and a little more human.
Of course, I could not tell the Cullens that. It would hurt their feelings and they did not deserve that. They were trying to make me feel comfortable and I knew this wasn't easy for them at all, because they were as concerned for Edward as I was.
After Alice had pulled me away from principal Daggett and we'd been in the Jeep she had explained how she had a new vision, one of Edward being taken away by the sheriff. She had called, but of course, I didn't answer since my cell phone had been at the Cullens and not in my purse, for which Alice had minutely scolded me.
"Bella, you do not have a cell phone for nothing. How are we supposed to help you when you have no device to contact us with?"
I had sighed and tuned her ranting out. Jasper had given me a weak smile through the rearview mirror. He knew Alice well. Enough to know it was best not to contest her words and just let her get everything off her chest.
She had for a while, but eventually Alice let it go and by the time we almost arrived at the Cullens she had moved on to the fact it was strange how she got these awkward vibes around the principal.
"It's like I get blinded or something," she had said.
It stuck with me now, as I watched her stare out the window. I knew she was worried about Edward but she seemed confident everything would be fine. While I partially believed her – I had no reason to distrust her words, she was sincere I had no doubt about that – there was something which made me believe her less.
It was the bigger picture of it all. I believed Alice when she said it was going to be fine in terms of tonight's events. I too didn't expect Edward to get arrested. Now that Carlisle was there, I was certain they would play up the fact Edward was a minor and how he couldn't be held accountable for things he had said without a parental or legal authority present. That might work in his advantage during a trial.
But it wouldn't come to that. Would it?
"Bella?"
Alice had stopped looking outside and was completely focused on me again.
"Yes?"
"You better get some sleep after you finish your tea."
I nodded. As I stared at Alice, who was still staring at me, I remembered her words in the car.
It's like I get blinded or something
"What did you mean earlier?" I asked her.
"What are you talking about?" Alice asked in surprise.
"When you said it felt like you were blinded?"
I saw her blanch. I knew that I wasn't supposed to have caught that.
"That meant nothing."
"Alice," I warned. "I want to know what you meant."
She sighed. "Principal Daggett is just a weird man. Not easy to read. No visions about him," she shrugged, like it was no big deal. Her eyes gave away it was a big deal. A big unnerving – more reasons to be freaked out about the Daggetts – deal.
I nodded. "I think Edward feels that way too."
Edward had never told me with so many words, not seeing as I had concluded some things about the principal myself tonight. He was a mystery. A creepy – difficult to read – powerful mystery.
"Why do you think that is?" I wondered not so sure if I wanted to know the actual answer.
Alice shrugged again. "You aren't easy to read either. I mean, especially for Edward, but for me too sometimes."
What? What did that mean?
"Huh?"
"Look Bella, it's not that significant. Maybe it's that we've spend so much time around humans it just makes them more difficult to access." Alice pondered. "Like we are getting desensitized with our powers."
"So you don't have visions about me?" I asked, surprised.
"Bella," Alice warned. "Let it go."
"So it's true?"
"Look, Bella…from the beginning I have never really had that many visions about you. If I did and now when I do, they usually involve Edward. Like you two are intertwined or something. When you are alone, it is more difficult to see something."
"Nearly impossible, actually," she admitted.
I was intrigued by her answer. It made sense, because Edward and I were completely intertwined. So it made sense too that it was easier for Alice to focus on me, when I was close to Edward, or when he was involved somehow in a future decision I made.
Of course, he was always involved. He was my future.
"Wow," was all I could say. "Is that good or bad?" I wondered.
Alice smiled. "I don't know. Not good, nor bad. I guess it makes sense. Though I usually see someone's future, regardless of the fact they are boning my brother," she teased.
"But you can't see principal Daggett either?" I pointed out.
"No worries, Bella. I am quite certain he is not boning my brother," she winked.
I rolled my eyes. "Be serious."
She was about to say something, when my cell phone rang. Right, I had left it here earlier. Alice grabbed it and tossed it.
I looked at the caller-ID, revealing it was Charlie.
"It's my dad!"
"Dad!" I breathed. "Where are you?"
"Bella! I am a few hours away. You're with the Cullens, right?"
"Yes, dad. I am here."
"You okay? When I heard about Angela I got very worried. The principal said you were alright but I called home and you weren't there and then I realized you were with the Cullens. It was actually shocking to hear from the principal."
Right, he had called my father.
"What did he tell you?" I asked warily, worried the principal would have told my father about how Edward had left me alone at the masquerade ball. The last thing I needed was a lecture from my dad to Edward about responsibility.
"He told me about Angela and how my assistance was needed as soon as possible. He told me you were alright. Bells, I have been driving for hours. I'll never go to Bellingham to fish again. It's too far away."
"Dad, you are careful right I don't want you to get into an accident," I spoke, swallowing my tears of worry.
"I'll be fine."
"Okay," I whispered.
"Bells, I don't want you to worry about a thing. We're going to find Angela," he told me.
More fake reassurance. And such a lie. I couldn't just pretend everything would be fine. Plus, the concern that laced my dad's voice made his promise sound that less convincing.
Unfortunately I couldn't go without telling him about Edward. In fact, I needed him to know.
"Dad, the Clallam County sheriff took Edward to the police station in Port Angeles," I told him, my throat closing up at the idea of him being formally charged with something.
Not to mention Charlie's reaction. What if Charlie believed Edward was a logical suspect. What if he sided with the sheriff?
"It'll be alright, sweetheart." Charlie assured me.
"He's not alone, is he?" he wondered.
"Carlisle is with him," I told my dad.
"Good. Doc Cullen is a smart man; he won't let anything happen to his boy."
"I guess…" I mumbled.
"You sound tired, Bella. Try and get some sleep. I'll be back in a few hours. I'll go straight to the station though. I think the sheriff will formally pass the case up to me and my department. Maybe they'll assist by sending some men. I'll be sure to sort everything out. We'll find Angela and the person who's responsible for this."
I wanted to believe him. He wanted me to believe him.
It didn't have the desired effect. Charlie didn't seem to be convinced by his own convictions.
"I love you, Bells."
"Love you too."
After Charlie hung up, Esme brought me more tea. Trying to sooth me.
That also didn't help. Nothing did. There was only one thing that could.
I wanted Edward. Well, I always wanted Edward but tonight I wanted him more than ever. Like a sulky child that hadn't gotten her treat before bed – I wanted Edward.
Oh, and I also would not have minded to have sex with him again.
"I think I am going to try and sleep a little bit," I said.
I went up to the second floor, grabbing a bed spread from Alice's room and heading straight for Edwards.
I plopped down on his sofa; hoping time would pass that much quicker if I shut my eyes.
But when I did, all I saw was the terrifying darkness mixed in with horrific images of blood smeared shirts, a judge calling order in a courtroom, followed by Edward being dragged away in handcuffs mouthing 'I love you' to me.
I opened my eyes in shock. Night terror without being asleep.
Of course, keeping my eyes open didn't do much good either.
The ceiling was mocking me, threatening to come crashing down on me if I stared at it too long.
I sighed. I shouldn't be lying here alone. Edward should be with me, holding me. Whispering soothing and sweet things in my ear after making love to me.
How did this night turn out to be such a disaster? I could barely comprehend it.
My friend was missing. My boyfriend was at the police station, explaining how he was not involved.
My dad was not there to lead the investigation into Angela's disappearance or to make sure Edward would not be formally charged with some crime he never committed.
What a disaster, indeed.
The ceiling didn't change and it looked more and more threatening and white as I stared at it. Whoever said that staring at an unmoving object would make your eyes flutter and lull you to sleep - had clearly been wrong.
I was wide awake and I would be until Edward would walk through the door.
Eventually I lost out to my consciousness though. I could not precisely pinpoint the exact moment I had fallen asleep and sleep was too big of a word to explain how I felt, because technically the horrible images I'd seen when closing my eyes when I had been awake, were even more frightening when I was actually unconscious.
More blood, more shouting. I felt the stress, the worry. Edward in an orange jumpsuit. Principal Daggett laughing at all of us, while Sapphire blew Edward a kiss.
It was a downward spiral of grand pitch black proportions.
Until…
…there was a strange electric current. A heavy pulsing. A romantic and slightly sexually charged atmosphere. I was in this meadow…a field of flowers and Edward was hovering over me, grinning wickedly while he kissed his way down from my neck to my belly button.
Apparently I was wearing a sexy bikini. Huh, I always wore things like these in my sexy dreams. Interesting. I was certain I didn't actually own a bikini. It might be time to buy one though…
As I lost the fine line between reality and dreaming, I felt a slight nudge and wanted to hit whoever had decided it was a good idea to wake me from this wonderful dream.
It already felt like I had gone to sleep a minute ago and I was not about to open my eyes and start the process of having to fall asleep over again.
I was not about to fight through the nightmares to get to the good stuff.
"Bella," the one daring to nudge me, whispered. "Bella. It's me."
The voice was familiar. More than familiar. I knew this voice. This voice brought with it the current, the thick electrifying atmosphere.
I knew this voice like I knew my own. This voice was the voice I had been longing to hear all night.
And so, for like a minute I assumed I was actually still dreaming.
Because Edward was here. His beautiful, soothing and perfect voice rang in my ears. But I believed it was just my subconscious fooling me. After all, all night I had tried to sleep, for the longest of minutes the ceiling had betrayed me, the walls had mocked me with their shadows. Edward had never physically been here and I wasn't about to believe he was now.
But there was this humming electricity, a desirable sensation always present when Edward and I were close.
Maybe I wasn't dreaming after all, because it all felt too real.
"Edward?" I mumbled sleepily.
I heard a soft chuckle.
"Hello love. I didn't mean to wake you."
Edward was here. He was back. Not in jail, like I had feared.
The shock of it jolted me up right. Straight into his arms, like I was waking up from a really horrendous nightmare.
Which I was. Which this entire night had felt like.
A nightmare.
"Edward," I nearly shouted, as I grabbed him tightly and buried my face in his chest. He encircled me right away, holding me against him whilst rubbing my back softly.
"Bella," he breathed as he pressed his lips into my hair.
I pushed myself away to look at him. "Are you alright?"
Edward flashed me a brief smile and nodded. "Yes."
"What happened? What did they ask you? What took you so long?' I fired my questions at him in a desperate demand to make sure he was fine.
"Ssh love," he soothed me. "You should go back to sleep. Alice told me you were awake half of the night. You need rest Bella."
"How can you say that," I said in frustration. "Do you know how worried I was about you?"
"Everything is fine. Carlisle pointed out to the sheriff that he had no right to keep me. Especially not without a lawyer. Plus, I told him everything honestly and Carlisle convinced the sheriff I had answered all his questions and there was no reason, legal or otherwise to keep me. He budged when Carlisle threatened to call out a higher authority."
"Carlisle makes for a good lawyer, he was quite convincing," Edward grinned.
"This is funny to you?" I muttered. "If it is all such a big joke, I suppose I worried for nothing. I could have spent all this time, staring at the ceiling, worrying sick about you, sleeping..."
Dreaming about bikinis and sexy things. Edward and his mouth doing naughty things. Kissing me in places the skimpy bikini covered me just barely.
Edward's expression morphed from slightly assumed to suddenly severe. "You are right, it is not funny. They still don't know what happened to Angela."
Angela. I had to admit to myself, and in full shame, all I had worried about tonight had been Edward.
"They don't have any leads?"
Edward shrugged. "I certainly pointed out enough leads for them to focus on. But the sheriff was more interested in me."
"Why?" I wondered. "He knows you're innocent. You have an alibi," I stated firmly.
Edward raised his eyebrow instantly, definitely questioning my words. "Do I? Have an alibi, I mean?" he wondered skeptically.
I nodded fiercely and took his cool hand in mine. "I was with you all night."
Edward's lips curled up in a loving and appreciative smile, but just for a small second. Then his face was severe again.
"Bella... I was not with you ALL night. I ran to a bathroom, which is now a crime scene. That doesn't scream innocence to them. Nor does the blood on my shirt." he explained
"But that's circumstantial. They don't even know what happened to her. How can they have suspects in the first place?" I argued.
Edward shrugged. "They are going about this in an interesting way," he mused.
"Yes, a way which is not only unfair but also against the law," I said.
"Yes, well... the people with the power are the ones in law enforcement," he chuckled humorlessly.
"But you're okay now, right?" I practically demanded, instead of asking. I needed nothing more but for Edward to be fine and preferably; off the hook.
"I mean, the sheriff spoke with you, you told him you had nothing to do with Angela's disappearance and now they'll go and actually investigate like they should have in the first place, right?" I said bitterly.
"The sheriff will hand an initiate investigative report over to your father, who will probably take over from him."
"I know. I spoke to my dad. But that's okay. My dad would never suspect you." I stated firmly.
Edward sighed, shaking his head. He didn't seem to agree with me. "Bella, your father might call me back in for questioning..."
I threw my hands in the air in frustration. "But why?" I wondered angrily. "Everyone knows you're innocent. You shouldn't have even been brought in, that was all kinds of wrong. Like the sheriff has a file on you, like you're the usual suspect," I grumbled.
Edward gave me a small smile as he traced a finger along my lip. It was distracting and made me want to kiss him.
Not very good timing, Bella. I scolded myself. But darn it, the same feeling from earlier made it into the forefront of my brain. I wanted Edward. Not just sexually, although my body was practically screaming to get as close as possible to him.
I wanted and needed him close and safe period. I had been so worried tonight, and now... I just wanted to bury myself in him and have him bury himself in me.
"Bella, the sheriff was a pain in...well in the proverbial ass...tough guy but unimpressive. I was doing just fine, explaining to him that had nothing to do with Angela's disappearance."
"Good. So he knows that. He took your statement on that, right? I mean, you probably would have fared better if you had waited for Carlisle before answering his questions, but your statement is valid."
Edward nodded, but something in his eyes told me it was not that simple.
"Edward?" I pressed.
"I thought I was done, explaining how Angela and I didn't know each other very well, admitting that running into that bath room hadn't been the best move I had ever made. Pointing to Ben as being the one to have seen Angela last..."
"Not to mark him as a suspect," he added, "but just to point out it would be better to get some answers from him, especially before the trauma of Angela's disappearance would make him forget details and such."
"Yes... and?" I was really starting to become unreasonably anxious.
"And the sheriff believed me. He thought I was a punk and all, but he believed me."
"Good, so why did all of that take so long."
"Because then, out of the blue, he brought up the event with Sapphire; what happened at the carnival," he muttered.
"Why? That's an entirely different occasion."
Edward frowned. "Yes, but that didn't prevent him from asking me about it. He was a lot tougher with his questions about that, than he was about Angela's disappearance."
"But you saved her and she didn't even all the police, so how would he know..."
"I mean two separate events. It's probably not even legal to interrogate someone on two events. Why would he…"
Suddenly it clicked. Another realization.
"Her father...principal Daggett."
Him. Again.
"Yes. He is the reason the sheriff picked me up in the first place."
"Why, why would he do that?"
Edward didn't answer, nor did he have to. He didn't know why. But he was definitely worried about the possible reasons.
"Bella… it's been a long night. In the morning, we'll have to put some things together. Your father will be back and I am certain his approach with this investigation will be different."
"Right now, you need sleep. And I need you close. Hear you heartbeat and listen to your breathing.
"Dream with you."
He smiled as his lips searched mine. When he found them, his kiss was eager and desperate. We'd been separated tonight and the kiss broke the anxiety over that.
His tongue found mine and soon my heart was racing and our breathing became ragged. My dreams were good, but the real thing… billion times better. His cool lips, his icy tongue, the perfect antidote against my overheated skin. Melting away that chill in my bones I had felt all night.
After a minute Edward released me, giving me the space to catch my breath.
"I love you Bella." He whispered against my lips as he placed a chaste kiss on them.
He scooped me up, holding me closely to his chest as he wrapped the bed spread from Alice's room around me.
"I love you too" I whispered as I laced our fingers together.
"Edward?" I asked the darkness.
"Yes, love."
"Promise me something…"
"What, Bella?"
The hint of hesitation in his voice wasn't lost on me.
But I had to make him promise anyway.
"Never leave me again. I thought I'd lost you tonight. It kind of felt like I did."
Edward remained silent for a minute, burying his lips in my hair, taking a whiff.
"Promise me, Edward."
"Bella, I…"
"Lie to me, if you have to…"
"I promise, Bella."
"I'll never leave you again…"
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About some of the reviews. First of thank you ;) Really…reviews really make writing more fulfilling than it already is. So help me get to +700 for this chapter. No really… review if you want to, know that I appreciate it but don't do it because you think you need to. I am happy people like this story, regardless.
Anyway, about some of these reviews, some of you said "Edward is a minor, he cannot be questioned without an adult/parent present. Actually authorities can take him in and question him. He just doesn't have to answer because there's no parent or lawyer present. He did, so he is not very smart when stressful :P Rosalie is a big bitch by the way. Expect more of that kind of behavior in future chapters.
The Daggetts are evil, not a surprise. But their evilness will be revealed as we go along.
Next chapters will deal with Charlie's return, him taking over the investigation and all that follows.
I am not a legal eagle, and this is fiction so maybe there is some legal inaccuracy or legal convenience to suit the story.
Leaves me to say: Happy weekend :)