"Just breathe, baby. You're safe."

Edward had found me.

I felt sobs starting to form and I flung my body forward and into him. He clutched me to him, and I finally let myself cry. The racking sobs were like a purge of all of the evil of this place. He had found me, and I was alive. We were going to be okay.

As my tears abated, I felt myself behind lifted gently by Edward. His arms around me were everything I had needed in the last couple of days. They'd held me fiercely and possessively as I cried, now they relaxed but still formed a steel-like vice around me. It didn't feel claustrophobic, it just felt right, like home. The comparison from my entrance into the cave to my exit was tangible. I could feel the relief coming off me in waves as I felt new, slightly cooler air hit my skin. For the first time I wasn't breathing in stuffy cave air, the door was open and I was moving towards it. Soon I'd be at ground level, then be outside. It was probably freezing but the idea sounded like heaven right now.

I pressed my damp forehead against Edward's shoulder as he moved slowly out of the room. His eyes only left mine briefly to glance at the floor in front of him so as not to trip.

"Edward?" I asked, my throat dry.

His brow furrowed as his eyes came back to me, the piercing green studying me for injuries. "Yes, baby?"

My stomach tightened slightly at the pet name, which seemed to reinforce how empty it was. But I had priorities.

I smiled at him. "Can I have some water?"

His eyes widened and he put me down quickly, but carefully. "Did you not have anything to drink this whole time?"

I shook my head.

Edward growled, casting his eyes resentfully at Caius' body. I knew he was probably cursing the fact that he hadn't got to kill him himself, but I'd barely come to terms with the fact he was dead, and by my hands. I didn't regret it. I had no idea what was going to happen, and if I hadn't done it I could have been the one lying dead on the floor. But comprehending the rapid switch in power between us, then the switch that allowed me to surrender all power as soon as Edward appeared, it felt so incongruous. I was safe, I told myself. He had me.

Edward managed to find some water from one of the guys, and gave it to me. I drank gratefully, and deeply, the water cooling my body but also calming my overheated senses, dulling the pain and reinstalling clarity. Edward's arms moved firmly around my waist from behind, steadying and anchoring me.

I focused my gaze upon Emmett. I studied him again from top to toe and struggled to find anything wrong with him. He gave me a sheepish smile when my eyes reached him.

"What happened, Em? You-you were shot. I saw the blood. There was so much blood?"

His eyes crinkled as his smile turned apologetic and he came towards me. The wonder of being able to speak without my throat cracking was divine.

"I'm okay, see?" He responded, holding his arms out and doing a little twirl in front of me. "I'm sorry. I was wearing a vest."

"But why? The blood," I crinkled my nose in confusion, feeling stupid.

"It was contingency plan in case something went wrong. Fake blood. Let the bastard think he shot me for real, so we looked even weaker. He wouldn't have imagined we'd come for him after that," Emmett explained slowly.

It made sense, but the relief on top of all my other relief was almost too much to handle.

"So you're okay? Like really okay?" I asked, my voice sounding truly happy for the first time in ages.

"Well I wouldn't say really okay." He winked. "Get a load of this!"

He pulled up his shirt then, and I slapped my fingers to my eyes. I peeked through them and frowned when I saw a massive bruise on his chest.

"Gross, put that away," I teased, though my eyes betrayed my concern.

He obliged, pulling the shirt down with a cheeky grin on his face. He pulled me in for a hug, and Edward's arms dropped from my body. I felt the loss instantly but I embraced Emmett all the same. The big man was careful not to squeeze me too hard, I guess they were all uncertain what kind of injuries if any I'd sustained here. To be honest, I didn't quite know myself.

"You're no fun, Peps," Emmett said as he hugged me. "I mentioned my little war wound to Rose on the phone and she was totally diggin' it."

I rolled my eyes as he released me, glad for a sense of normalcy. "Sure she was..."

After Emmett backed away, I glanced around quickly and saw a few men I sort of recognised as Cullens and one man that stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Jacob," I said, in greeting. I didn't know why or how he was here. His eyes were watching Emmett, and as I spoke they darted to me. His expression changed from concerned to relieved as his gaze changed focus. I had so many questions, but they weren't best asked right now. "I don't understand what's going on, but I'd like to get out of here if that's okay."

I couldn't deal with it all right now, there were too many people, too many faces, and I didn't want to think about any of it a few metres away from a dead body of my making. Edward's arms slipped round me again, and my eyelids fluttered slightly, then the contact was removed. I looked to him for explanation, taking another sip of my precious water.

"Would you rather walk?" Edward asked me, his expression now more cautious as he watched me.

I tilted my head. It was an odd question. Not 'can you walk?' but did I want to. Yes, my muscles ached, but I was physically capable of moving. The real question was would I rather be without his arms around me? And despite everything, there was always only one answer to that.

I shook my head slowly and he breathed a sigh of relief, sweeping me up into his arms as if I were doing him the favour and not the other way around. I sunk into him, and we finally left that horrible place behind.

**TLoU**

Within an hour, I had changed and was comfortably settled in a bed back in a safe house in Seattle. Well, comfortable enough, considering there was a needle in my arm. Damn IV. The boys had insisted on it after realising how dehydrated I was, and I couldn't resist the look that Edward gave me. He was so damn smouldering and I couldn't handle it. I doubt he even realised the power he had over me.

Presently, Edward was sat in my room having a low conversation on the phone. He kept darting looks back to me as he spoke, like he was checking I was still there. I couldn't tear my eyes off of him as he paced about the room. He hadn't left the room since I'd arrived, hadn't stepped more than a few paces away from me the whole time. It was intense, and I almost felt suffocated by his presence. But it was almost like being suffocated by him was the only way I could truly breathe.

Alice had come in first, followed by Jasper. Then Esme. Their relief and happiness that I was okay was incredibly comforting. It almost felt like a family, and made me miss Charlie terribly. I'd have to see him soon. The same warm thoughts were not bestowed upon my mother. The truth in Caius' accusations had not yet been proven, but my distrust for the woman who had given birth to me had increased tenfold. I was glad she was alive, and that was it.

I cast my thoughts away from my mother, settling my focus on a much more pleasant distraction. We were alone now, and he was my favourite distraction. Edward Cullen. Who would have thought it?

His phone call ended and I quirked an eyebrow as he came to sit on the edge of the bed. His hand reached for mine. Our hands met and he looked at the intertwined skin. "Eleazar."

The word was the explanation. "He was on our side?"

He nodded. "I think so. I might have misjudged him."

His thumb stroked my flesh and a shiver went across me. It was idiotic how such a small touch could affect me, but I was hypersensitive under his spell as always.

"And Aro?"

He wrinkled his nose. "I'm not sure."

I thought for a moment. "Caius said he outmanned and outgunned you, but when we left there didn't seem to be much sign of struggle. Was he lying?"

Edward shook his head, "Technically he was right. But I think they'd caught wind that Caius was out on his own so as soon as we turned up half of them surrendered. The other half were easily dealt with."

I took in this information, nonplussed about Edward's casual mention of death. These men had imprisoned me against my will.

Edward's grip on my hand increased. "I wanted to kill the ones who surrendered."

I met his harsh gaze and the force of his anger went through me. I absorbed the emotion coming off of him as best I could, squeezing his hand back. "I know. You did a good thing."

He sighed deeply, scratching at his scalp with his free hand. "I don't give a shit about doing a good thing. When it comes to you, to us, good goes out the window. The normal laws of morality don't seem to apply and I just want to do what feels right by you. And by the laws of us it would have felt fucking right to kill those men."

I smiled despite his frustration. "If you applied 'the laws of us' to every situation then a lot of people would be dead."

His eyes brightened with mischief. "Too fucking right they would. Anyone that touched you."

I giggled. It was sweet, in a kind of unhealthy way. "Not including you, of course?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's the laws of us, not the laws of you. I'm clearly exempt."

"How convenient," I replied, sticking out my tongue.

Edward's eyes darkened slightly and I watched him lick his lip. My stomach tensed with butterflies as I felt lust roll off him. He caressed my hand again and a blush started to rise on my cheeks. His free hand reached up and stroked across my face softly, the back of his finger barely grazing the skin. My breath caught as I looked at him steadily. I tried to ignore the eager pant of my heart as his eyes lingered on my collarbone.

"So beautiful," he murmured. My blush intensified and he grinned wolfishly. I swatted his hand away playfully and he mocked cradling it as if I'd hurt him. As if I could ever hurt Edward Cullen.

"You should get some rest," Edward said ruefully.

I pouted. "Do I have to?"

"Yes," Edward instructed. "You've lost a lot of fluids and had a lot of stimulation."

I raised my eyebrows. "Alright, doc!"

He shrugged. "I'm older than you. I know things."

I pinched my brow together and scowled. "The age card? Really?"

He held his hands up. "Can't deny the truth, babe."

I tried not to flutter at the pet name. Instead, I smiled in a sickly sweet way as I positioned my arm as comfortably as I could considering the wires. "Ok. Thanks, dad."

He barked out a laugh, his voice mimicking me. "The dad card? Really?"

I shrugged, smirking. "If the shoe fits."

Edward leaned in towards me, and then over me, his eyes on fire as his mouth touched gently to mine. He kissed me softly, and then it was all over as soon as it began. I tried not to frown but my disappointed eyes gave me away.

He smiled his crooked smile. "Age is just a number, baby. Experience: that's what counts. And I've got that in spades."

The beautiful man stood and walked to the door. "Sweet dreams, Bella."

He closed the door. I hadn't even tried to speak. I'd just been stunned. If that happened every time he kissed me I was done for. Maybe I could just live in this state forever. The Edward coma. God, he was gorgeous. And he could actually be sweet and funny when he wanted to. I'd known that already, but before there always seemed to be an agenda to disagree, to stay away, and now I had no objections.

I felt mentally and physically like one of the Cullens. Before I was the white, and they were muted shades of black. But now it was hard not to see my own character hopelessly entangled with the darkness, and perhaps the richer for it. Even if this whole experience had been far from expected, it was hard to imagine being anywhere else and with anyone else.

**TLoU**

I don't know how long I had been out, but I could feel myself drifting back into consciousness as a soft knock came on the door. I was about to blink myself back into the land of the living when I heard Edward's voice come from inside and I realised that he was in here with me once more. I wondered how long he'd been here, and decided to remain in the weak clutches of drowsiness a little longer as I listened in.

"You can see her, but I'm not leaving you in here with her alone."

The response was a gruff voice I recognised instantly. Jacob. "I'm more here to see you anyway."

"Some friend," Edward replied.

It wasn't anger, but determination that seemed to fuel Edward's words. I don't know what had happened whilst I'd been gone but Edward seemed to have accepted Jacob's presence in some sense even if he didn't like him. He trusted him enough to allow him to come rescue me, which was an interesting development.

"Don't bother. I don't want to fight today," Jacob said wearily.

"Why are you here, then? If not to see her."

"I'm leaving now."

"And why are you bothering me about it? I'm surprised they even let you talk to me. You were helpful, and that's why you're alive. Don't push me," Edward seethed, annoyance filtering out into his words as I felt his hand brush mine and envelop it.

"Look. I don't like you, you don't like me. But Bells likes both of us. She's important to both of us. I can see that you love her."

His assertion was met with stony silence from Edward. I wasn't supposed to be hearing this, so I shouldn't get upset about something I shouldn't have even heard, or not heard in this case. Loved me? Edward? My disbelief was matched by Edward's lack of reply. Maybe he felt just as incredulous at the idea as me. He liked me, we had chemistry, and there was a bond there I could never deny, but love? Nope. When you're in love, you know. That's what they all say. And the problem was, I didn't know if I was in love with Edward. Which surely means I'm not. Right?

Edward eventually replied. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to tell you that I might not approve of you, but I know you'll give your life to protect Bella. Like I would. I'm not going to rat you out on this week's activities, you have my word. You know we only really have finance on you as yet, anyway."

A pause. "Thank you."

Jacob wasn't finished. "But if you ever slip up, I will be on your tail. And not just criminally, if you ever do wrong by Bella, I'll kill you."

A light chuckle. "If I do wrong by Bella, she might kill me herself."

I resisted the urge to smile or move. Cheeky bastard.

Jacob let out a small laugh too, more out of relief than amusement. "Yeah. She's different with you. I hope it's a good thing."

More silence.

Jacob filled the awkward air. "What's your next move? Go after Aro?"

Edward sighed. "It's none of your business. But no, we have a fragile truce at the moment."

An intake of breath. "A truce? With Aro? Didn't you say he told you he had no idea where Bella was?"

"Yes. And that hasn't been proved false."

"This is bullshit! Did I not tell you? Aro signed off on the development of that prison that Caius fucking built."

What? Oh, Christ. Edward released my hand quickly.

"What? Fuck. Are you serious?"

His question was low, trying not to 'wake' me perhaps.

With anxiety laced in my mind, I remembered back to the cell, specifically to Caius saying no-one knew where we were, that no-one would find us. Seemingly, Aro had more awareness of Caius' actions than even he knew. This implications of this could never be good.

"Yes. His name was all over the planning permission."

I could feel rather than hear Edward shifting and fidgeting. "Fuck. Okay. Lying motherfucker. Thank you for your help."

"Kill him, if you can," Jacob said sombrely.

"Thanks," Edward spat.

That seemed to be their only verbal goodbye, and I heard footsteps leaving. I fluttered my eyes open and adjusted to the light to see my man pacing across the floor, his eyes locked down in concentration.

"Edward?" I said, my voice a little groggy from sleep.

He instantly stopped in his track and his face turned to me. He looked at me guiltily as I saw the emotions warring in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, baby, did I wake you?"

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. What time is it?"

There was low lighting in the room but outside the window the night was falling.

Edward glanced at his watch. "It's eight pm. You've only been asleep an hour."

I nodded, but before I could respond Edward started walking swiftly towards the door.

"You should rest through the night, I'll leave you."

"No," I responded firmly.

He looked back. "What?"

"I'm so sick of being cooped up! I've got cabin fever. Can we get out of here?"

He thought for a moment, his face pained. "I'd like that. But I've just found out that Aro is potentially a lot more culpable in this mess than I previously thought. I've got too much to do here."

I swallowed. "And I should be dealing with my mother, and probably speaking to Jacob, and definitely be explaining my absence to my father. But you know what?"

"What, babe?" He asked softly.

"All those problems will still be there tomorrow."

He sighed.

I cut across him before he could protest. "You can tell your boys if you have to, get them aware and working on it. But for the rest of tonight, I need to get outside and take my mind off everything. Please will you come with me?"

His eyes were resolved. I prayed it was resolved in my favour. "Well, when you put it like that.."

I grinned, and his answering smile made me grin wider. Yes. Some fucking freedom!

"What about your IV?" Edward queried, gesturing to the monstrosity I was still attached to.

In a flash I quickly glanced at my arm, pulled off the offending tape and then in one fluid motion, I pulled out the needle. I didn't really feel the sting of pain but it was an off putting sensation so I breathed out deeply to calm myself.

I winked at Edward. "All better!"

He had seemingly watched the process with disgust, and I laughed at his expression. The man killed regularly but hated needles? How silly.

The tension on his face melted as he looked at me. "You'll be the death of me."

I rolled my eyes as I hopped out of bed. "Promises," I chastised.

I had a slight wave of vertigo and he steadied me, his arms already around me before I knew it. I pushed him off, determined to prove I could leave without a problem.

Edward let his arms fall but clasped my hand in his. He pulled me out of the room gently. "So, Miss Bella, since it's your fault I'm playing hooky on my responsibilities, do you have a place in mind that you'd like to go to?"

I smiled. "I'm ill! You're making the decision."

He chuckled. We reached the bottom of the stairs and he pulled a woman's coat out of the closet and half-forced me into it. "Selective illness, I see. Don't worry, I have just the place in mind."

He grabbed a scarf and wrapped it round my neck, then pulled me closer with it until we were chest to chest. He leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead, and then my nose, and finally my mouth. They were all tender, but far far too brief. My desire must have been as palpable to me as it was to him, because he laughed affectionately.

And as we left the safe house and walked into the night, I welcomed the breeze on my skin and the wet smell of winter.

But as I caught his eye, I was slightly regretting letting him decide where we went. The mischievous glint in his eyes hinted I might not like the result.

**TLoU**

AN: Thanks for getting me to 1000 reviews, I love you guys! The support in the form of favourites and follows has been lovely throughout as well. Much appreciated.

Just so everyone is aware, TLoU has three or four chapters left until it is complete.