I'm crossing my fingers hoping everyone enjoys the Epilouge. *Tips hat and whips away the tears* Thank you for your support everyone during this adventure. Batgirl and Storypainter I couldn't have asked for better people to walk me through all of this with my comma addiction and my lack of ability to spell...YOU'VE BEEN WONDERFUL. I'm glad to call you friends even if its the internet.
Chapter 35: Awakening and Endings
The court room has more reporters than people who are actually involved in the case. I can feel the tension grow as James Turner is brought into the courtroom and scans the onlookers. I watch as his steps falter as his gaze locks on something or someone near the back of the room.
I don't have to look because I already know what he's looking at. I knew they would be here, even though he said he didn't want them here.
The Cullen family sits in the front row while Billy, Jacob, and I take the row behind. The Cullens turn and look even though they already know who James Turner is looking at too. It's a very bittersweet moment him before the guard nudges James to continue to seat.
I'm not sure how the Cullens feel about James Turner, but I can't look at him as an evil person anymore. He's a broken man and has been broken in the most violent of ways. He's still a human being. It's sad to understand how different things could have been for James Turner had certain events had played out as they should have.
Do I want him to get off scot-free? No. He's worked very hard at breaking everyone that he had contact with. He wanted to torture anyone he thought was a threat. He wanted them to feel his pain as their own. His interference has been life altering and constant. I thank the Lord that it is no longer the case for many of us sitting in this room. It won't matter to me how the jury decides the fate of James Turner. I have closure and, because of recent events, my father will too. Will it erase what all of us have been through? I doubt it, but at least we have answers.
"All Rise for the Honorable Judge Aro Volturi!"
Everyone stands until the judge is seated behind the stand. He looks around the room before speaking.
"You may sit. Please, bring in the jury." His voice shows no emotion and seems detached.
I think we all know this is a formality. We all know James Turner is guilty of shooting Dr. Carlisle Cullen.
I watch the jury being lead into the room. Only one man will look at James Turner. Mr. Laurent grips James' shoulder and receives a slight nod. He knows his fate.
We know James Turner shot Carlisle Cullen. I know it's because Carlisle was the primary doctor for Victoria Turner in Chicago. Even though she had already passed away, Carlisle was the man that called her time of death.
"Mr. Foreman, has the jury arrived at a verdict in this case?"
"We have, Your Honor."
"Mr. Foreman, will you give your verdict to the bailiff?"
A piece of paper is passed from the juror to the bailiff, from the bailiff to the judge, and back again. It's an innocuous piece of paper but what's written on it is sobering.
"Please, read the verdict Mr. Foreman."
"On the charge of attempted murder, we the jury" the man looks at James Turner in the eye during his entire speech, "find Mr. James Turner guilty as charged."
The outcome of the verdict is no suprise. The last two days light has been shed on all his secrets. During our conversation, he resigned himself to the fact that he is guilty and without excuse. There is no joy or sadness in the word, guilty, only fact.
The judge finishes up with the formalities and releases the courtroom after placing a sentencing date on his docket.
James Turner is lead from the courtroom with tears in his eyes after being granted one last look at his family. A family he refuses to speak with.
Outside the courtroom, I wait for Mr. Jenks. This case being his last before retiring. I want to congratulate him. It's been a long journey in a relative short amount of time.
The hall remains empty of the press. Reporters wait outside the building for questions and interviews.
"Now that everything's said and done, Mr. Jenks, am I allowed to talk to the Cullens?" Unexpectedly, Mr. Jenks gives me a hug, whispering in my ear.
"You can do anything you want, Ms. Swan, but this is not the last you will be seeing me. I have one more investigation to finish up and that shouldn't take but a few more days. Then, I will be seeing you again."
"Oh great, not what I wanted to hear, Mr. Jenks. So not what I want to hear."
"Go, spend some time with your dad and talk to whomever you want, Ms. Swan. I have questions to answer," he says, pointing to the front door. Mr. Jenks let go of me and heads out the courthouse doors into the lion's den of reporters stationed outside.
"Ms. Swan!" Oh, crap.
I'm engulfed in a hug by Carlisle and Esme before I can even turn around completely.
"Thank you, Carlisle, but I really need to be going," I inform him.
"We'll be there," Carlisle states.
"When you say we-"
"When I say we, I mean my family and I. That is, if you don't mind."
Four of the six present stand by the door, waiting for Carlisle and Esme before departing. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett stand on the sidelines. I hope they can all move on now.
Emmett gives me a quick wink and reminds me what we through in the last twenty-four hours.
I walk through the metal detector's frame after placing my keys in the black container to my right. The officer behind the contraption pushes it into a hole that has a clear plastic barrier that flaps as the container connects with it.
How long is this going to take? What happened to my nerves of steel? Melted I guess. My inter monolog continues as another officer uses a wand between my legs, around my torso, and ends at my fingertips that are stretched out from my sides.
Detective McCarty flashes a badge and walks freely behind.
After placing my name in one box, on the log sheet, I write James Turner in another. The man in uniform behind the glass instructs me where to sit and that it'll be about fifteen to twenty minutes.
My knee bounces while I sit. Officer McCarty is like a rock, quiet and still. He's the epitemy of calm, unlike me. After what feels like forever, Officer McCarty taps my shoulder and points to a man and an open door.
"Isabella Swan."
"That's me," I say,standing. The man motions for me to follow, and Officer McCarty shadows behind. Once seated in a large gray room, the wait continues.
"Do you know what you're doing, Ms. Swan?"
"Not really, Officer McCarty. It's just a feeling," I explain. Before he can continue the door reopens and standing there wearing an orange jump suit is a very tired and angry looking James Turner. His eyes narrow and his face turns cold after our eyes lock. It's hard to swallow or breathe, but I do it. I'm scared shitless, but I do it.
Once he sits across the table from me, his bindings are secured under the table. His custodian only steps back as far as the wall. This will not be a private visit.
"What the fuck do you want, bitch?" Fear causes me to look away. I slide my hands under my thighs to hide how bad they shake.
I can do this, I tell myself, I can do this.
"Please, Mr. Turner, I only have a few questions and then I'll leave you alone. Please," I beg. I only want an answer as to why he shot Charlie. When I look up, His grin reflects the menacing nature I've seen in just one photo.
"This might be fun. Ask your questions, princess."
I let my breath out slowly before putting the first question out there.
"Why? Why did you shoot my dad, Chief Swan?"
"Why? Why does everyone always ask why? Does it really matter? I shot your father because he was nothing more than a backstabbing asshole who decided it was more fun to play with my future than help me find out what really happen to my wife and daughter. He ran me around, pretending to be on my side all the while, conspiring to set me up for something I didn't do. That's why I shot him. If I get out of here, you and his flunky are next. Then,"
Pretending, flunky, Forks, Chicago, Dr. Cullen—What's the connection?
"Then, what?"
"Then, I'm going to take my time with Amanda."
"Amanda, Amanda Cope?" Did I just say that out loud.
"I'm the primary suspect in my wife's death and that bitch disappears the day after, leaving me holding the bag. I've been tracking her for years, and believe me when I say it's not over. It will never be over until I'm dead and buried. She doesn't even have the decency to tell me what she knows. She runs and hides like the coward she is."
Hours later, back in Forks, Officer McCarty and I knock on the door of Shelly Cope, Amanda's mother, house.
When the door opens, I think I'm going to be sick and my hands cuff my mouth. Shelly Cope is older now, of course. Her hair has grayed but her eyes are still a pale blue, but that's not what makes me feel sick.
Wrapped around her waist is a four year old little girl with long red hair, a long slender face resembling her mother's. Piercing steel blue eyes, exactly like her father's.
"Bella, Bella Swan, is that you, all grown up now? Please come in and meet my granddaughter, Jamie Vannessa Cope." With wide eyes, I can only look between the sweet faced girl and Officer McCarty.
In and out of the elevator, I follow the lights in the ceiling to my father's room. I make a silent wish as I open his door, hoping to see him looking at me. Is it too much to hope that he knows who I am? But that's not what I see when the door is opens.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, looking at the familiar stranger standing at Charlie's bedside, scribbling in his chart.
"Monitoring my new patient's progress," he says so cocksure. "I've already started backing off his medication, so it shouldn't be much longer before he begins waking up."
"But Dr. Pantra is…"
"Was," he voices, cutting me off. "Was. This really isn't his area of expertise, Bella. My father and I consulted on his case until the verdict came back today. Dr. Pantra has turned his care over to us. Sorry you were left out of the loop."
Edward keeps writing in Charlie's charts before he places it on the end of the bed.
"Let someone know when things start to change." Then he's gone, and the door slowly closes behind him. I'll figure it all out later. Right now, what's important is my dad.
I lay my head at the side of the bed, placing Charlie's hand on my face and wait. With no guarantees what his mental capacity will be when he wakes up, I pray, letting knowme become my mantra.
Quietly, I pray our wait is short, but logically, I know could take a while. I don't know how long I sit, watching for anything as a sign before I let my eyes close. The clock ticks.
I thrust my eyes open quickly when I feel his fingers twitch against my face. I grasp his hand and look at his face. His eyes move behind his lids, reminding me of someone searching for something. Is he trying to find his way out of the dark?
"Hey, Dad, it's Bells. You're almost here. It's time to open your eyes. As soon as you open your eyes, I have a lot to share with you, am, I'm looking forward to it."
Now, the waiting game begins…it's only a matter of time. My dad is coming back. I watch all the equipment and continue to talk, letting him know he's not alone.
It takes him a few minutes to wake up enough to know what's going on around him. The tears come so fast, he's a giant blur, but I feel him pinch and tug my hair. When his eyes finally open, I see the reflection of chocolate brown and recognition.
His voice is raspy and dry. It's just a whisper, but I hear him.
"Bells," he chokes as I struggle breathe. He knows who I am.
Using my free hand, I wipe the tears from my eyes. I'm so caught up with emotion that I don't hear the door open or close.
"You never listen," Edward comments as he moves around to check on Charlie. He finally stops trying to get me to leave the room when Charlie gives him the bird. It feels so wonderful to laugh even though it's not appropriate. Charlie passes test number one.
After a thorough examination and several questions, it's apparent it's going to take some time to bring my dad up to speed but I'm too excited to care, Charlie's confusion be damned.
After Charlie drifts back to sleep, I slip away, entering the elevator, for a short break. I need to let those around me know that my dad has a long way to go, but he'll be here with us for the long haul.
Before the elevator doors have a chance to shut completely, a hand forces them open. Edward stands there, wearing light blue scrubs, a white lab coat and a lopsided grin that does crazy things to my brain, causing it not to function at all.
After the door closes and the elevator starts to descend, Edward presses the emergency stop button.
This kind of scene only happens in movies, right? I'm too flustered to think, Edward stands facing me, his eyes locked with mine.
"Isabella Swan, when your father is well enough to return his care to Dr. Pantra, I'm going to come looking for you and ask you out on a date. You're going to say yes because we both know you're not engaged to Mr. Black." His eyes search mine for some kind of answer.
I'm beside myself and have no clue what to say or do. Before I can formulate and put words to speech, he makes his move.
It's short and sweet and when his lips leave mine, I'm left breathless and wanting. My heart races as he places his forehead to my own, his eyes still searching mine.
"Not a word. I've wanted to do that since the day I met you. You're an amazing woman, Bella Swan. I don't give up easily, so consider yourself warned. I hope I've made my intentions clear."
Trapped in the depths of green, I'm too befuddled to do anything other than nod.
EPILOUGE
The scene before me is bigger than it's ever been. For the first time, people arrive in droves, enjoying the art gallery, and as always, I'm watching from the outside as people invade the park.
It feels like a lifetime since I've sat under this tree, watching people move in and out of the Gallery. The only difference is, today, I'm not alone.
The last month has been a whirlwind of activity, tying up loose ends, bringing Charlie up to speed, and watching the chips fall where they may. It's almost taken keeping a journal to keep it straight.
Now, Jessica is back under the tent, looking happy, giving me two ThumbsUpas she collects another number for her little black book. My ears still ring from the phone call a week ago when I asked if she was interested in meeting me and working the Gallery again. Jessica...always the professional.
Carlisle and Esme sit with Emmett, Rosalie, Jazz (as I've come to know him), Alice, and their two grandchildren, Calab and Renesme, enjoying the feast of a picnic that Alice, Esme, and I, put together.
Garrett, Kate, Benjamin, and Kebby (Benjamin's fiancé that he met in Egypt) provided the sandwiches.
Billy's stayed with me over the last month,and it's been nice having someone else in the apartment.
Jacob finally found a house to buy somewhere between Forks and La Push. Jacob and Leah can't wait to move in. It's a two bedroom and Jacob already has plans to build on another room. It seemed the day after they signed the papers, Leah informed him that she was pregnant. So, the house is going to fill up faster than they planned.
Angela and Ben have been dating since they met. He and Angela went out on a date every night for two weeks before becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. Ben wants to ask Angela to marry him, and asked me what I thought about the ring. It's beautiful.
Mr. Jenks is here today to celebrate and experience the Gallery for the first time. Two weeks ago he called me to his office, and while I watched him pack up boxes, he told me about his investigation into Courtyard Rehab.
Apparently, Mrs. Jane has been a very naughty person. Though things aren't quite finished, an audit showes Mrs. Jane has been embezzling money from Courtyard. Evidently, Charlie's insurance was enough to cover all his costs. When the police showed up wanting to speak with me and Charlie, she got nervous and jumped the gun by firing me. Evidently, I was supposed to be her scapegoat. To complete her set up, she told potential employers I'm more hassle them I'm worth.
Due to the slanderous statements made by Mrs. Jane and Mr. Jenk's revealing investigation, I'm expecting a letter of recommendation and possibly a large check from the parent company to compensate everything that I have been put through. If they play ball with Mr. Jenks, he won't push me to take everything public, but that's always a possibility.
When Mr. Jenks is through with Jane, she will be very lucky if she doesn't spend time behind bars herself.
Since contacting the parent company, Joanne's name has been thrown into the hat to take over running the facility.
She's also, unofficially, the culprit that initially handed over Charlie's medical records, at least the ones she had to Dr. Cullen.
"Well, you weren't going to do it, so..." was all she had to say. shrugging her shoulders. It's our secret.
Thinking back to the night Charlie woke up still causes tears to come to my eyes. It only took a week befored Charlie was passed back to Dr. Pantra with Dr. Carlisle Cullen as a consultant.
After Charlie had a few days awake under his belt, we had a very emotional conversation about the last three years.
Amanda Cope was Victoria Turner, personal manager. She arrived at James' house to find Victoria in the midst of giving birth as Victoria's manager, Caius Withers, riffled through the house looking for the signed movie contract. The unsigned contract could cost him everything.
After helping Victoria deliver her baby and promising to keep her child safe, Amanda went into hiding. After returning to Forks, she picked up her high school romance with Officer Tyler Crowley who helped protect her.
After Officer Crowley's arrest, it came to light that he thought my dad was working with Caius, not James, so he warned her to get out while she could. He probably won't do any time in prison, but he'll never work as a police officer again.
Originally, when Amanda Coop ran, she thought it was Caius returning to make sure Victoria was dead instead of James returning home. If she had known that it was James that had tracked her down in Forks, things might have turned out entirely different. Victoria wanted to spend the first year of her daughter's life with her instead of on the road, filming.
It was Tyler Crowley's deception that set James Turner off. Up until he and Charlie where sitting in his cruiser, waiting for a search warrant, all James wanted wwa answers. Answers to what happened to his wife and daughter. Charlie was the only one that believed he was innocent and went above and beyond trying to prove it.
No charges were being brought up against Amanda Cope for kidnapping or accessory to murder because it's obvious to everyone she was terrified for her and the little girl's safety.
Caius Withers was found dead when the police, with an arrest warrant, showed up to take him into custody.
Though it will take a lot of work on my end, Harbor View Medical would take great pleasure in having someone of my character, return to the fast track program and finish off my internship, thanks to letters written by Dr. Rick Pantra, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, and Nurse Joanne Baker.
I'm not sure right now what I want, but as soon as I know, they will too. They would do anything they could to help me finish my education and become a Doctor of Medicine.
When today's done, Edward and I are going on our first date. Tomorrow, at Charlie's request, we're headed back to Forks to prepare the house for his homecoming. He will still need someone to watch after him for a while, but the doctors believe Charlie will make a full recover. His memories are still disorientated and out of sequence, but everyday things are being put back into chronological order. He will always suffer some physical symptoms from his ordeal but nothing compared to the last three years. But It will take it.
"Hey, young man, why don't you help an old fool down this hill? I don't want to impersonate my daughter." Charlie's chuckles to lighten the mood between the three of us.
"No problem, old man. I think she needs a few minutes to herself anyway." After a slight squeeze of my hand, Edward helps Charlie maneuver down the hill towards his family. I'm still stunned he knows me so well after such a short time. I watch, through the lens, them go whole way, until Charlie Swan and company all turn and give a wave.
There is more thann twenty pairs of hands showing through the lens.
Click click click.
THE END
MAYBE...
A/N I can't believe it's over...Over a year and now it's done. SORT OF. I'm still working on EPOV of the story. Hopefully his side of things wont be so angsty...lol. I'm still wondering what kind of thoughts he has about everything.
I hope MOST of your questions were answered and if they weren't I hope Edward will answer them himself. I hope you recomend this story to your friends and encourage them to review as well.
I just finished my gift up to everyone who reviewed. If you don't have your pm on, please direct messange me with an email addy so you can get your gift for reviewing. Shhh it's a suprise.
Well, Merry Christmas everyone. I hope everyone get's what they're hoping for plus some.
I'm taking a little time to catch up on some TBR's, Hope nobody minds.
After the first of the year I will be posting a shortstory that again wrote itself. It has nothing to do with TTL but it is a BxE. Hope you'll add me to alerts. I'm hoping to post a chapter a day after my wonderful Beta's get done with it. YES THAT MEANS YOU STORY..LOL. AND BAT ONCE YOU GET SETTLED AGAIN.