I don't own character names.

A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews. I'm sorry for the cliffhanger but it was the perfect place to stop and I also didn't have this chapter written yet. I figured one week of torture was better than 2 weeks of waiting. Of course… I might be wrong.

51

Alice had muffled my scream as I watched Edward's face get smashed into the wall by Felix then given a knockout punch to the jaw. I watched in horror as Edward collapsed to the floor. Blood was on the wall and all over his face. I jerked and yanked against Alice's hold on me. Tears were streaming down my cheeks with my muffled squeals under Alice's hand.

"Shhh, Bella," I could hear her plead.

"Let me go. Let me go," I pleaded as I jerked in her hold. I had to get to Edward!

I suddenly broke free of her grip and I hurried over to where Edward lay on the floor. Felix grabbed me and I squealed struggling to get away from him.

"Let her go Felix," I heard Demetri order. "Then she might shut up."

Felix let me go and I rushed over to Edward sobbing. He had fallen near the kitchen and I grabbed the hand towel that lay on the counter. I picked up his head placing it in my lap and worked to stop the bleeding. He had a cut on his eyebrow and his nose was bleeding profusely. "Edward," I sobbed quietly and sniffed as my tears spilled over running down my cheeks.

Alice was in the kitchen now and I heard her open the freezer followed quickly by the thrashing of cubes. She dropped to the floor and handed me two hands full of ice cubes. I looked up at her enraged that she had held me back but I completely changed my feeling when I saw her face. She had tears in her own eyes and I knew she was worried about him too. She must have had her reasons for doing it. She might have even saved my life.

I wrapped most of the ice inside the bloody towel and took one cube to the other side of his nose while placing the towel over the other side and his eyebrow. I had most of his blood cleaned off and the flow was slowing quickly. That had to be a good sign right?

Felix moved to guard the door once again looking at us with a smirk. Demetri walked over to us and squatted down with the gun in his hand. I wrapped one arm protectively around Edward's head and the other across the front of his body as if that would protect him from the gun in Demetri's hand. "Well that's unfortunate," he said in mock sympathy. I glared up at him wanting to gouge his eyes out. "Oh come now, Isabella. You have to admit Felix was quite gentle. He could have done a lot more damage." He stood up frowning. "It's too bad it wasn't lover boy though. It would have been more entertaining."

Alice stiffened next to me at his words. She knew, as I knew, that he meant Jasper. For some reason this bastard wanted Jasper. Was this a jealousy thing? Or was it something else? Where was Jasper anyway? Edward said they both were coming over.

As if my thoughts were being answered Edward's cell phone began to ring. "Grab his phone and give it to me," Demetri ordered. I reached down to Edward's pant pocket and grabbed his phone. I caught a glimpse of the caller ID before Demetri snatched it from my hand. He snorted after he looked at the caller ID and brought the phone up to his ear he listened for a second then laughed, "Ah Jasper, I'm afraid that they will not be joining you for dinner like you and Edward had planned." He paused and chuckled, "My, you really are quite quick." There was another pause, "That is very comforting, Jasper. Now how about I make a proposition?" He paused, "Very good. First don't involve the police. It would cause a whole big mess and I really would hate to cause harm to your dear friends and your… brother, is it?" He smiled looking our way, "Good. Now second, since you are at this restaurant why don't you pick up a couple pizzas before you head over and third... I can't wait to meet you, so hurry."

He snapped the phone shut and had a smug look on his face as he placed the phone on the table. "Well, it seems that lover boy is bringing us dinner," he said and sat down at the table watching us.

I felt Edward's head move and I heard a low groan. "Edward," I gasped looking down at him and stroked his face with my free hand as my other kept the ice pressed to his nose and eyebrow. He lifted his hand and moved it up to his face where my hand was and grasped it. "Edward," I sighed in relief as his eyes opened slowly. My eyes shed a new set of tears.

Demetri got up, strode over and squatted next to us. "Oh good the brother has awoken." I could tell that Edward wasn't seeing clearly just yet and his eyes tried to focus on the person speaking. Demetri flashed his gun and Edward stiffened and looked quickly up at me. He was terrified but not for himself, it was for me. He moved fast but wavered a little as he rose up in front of me so he was now shielding me. Demetri chuckled standing up, "You are quite brave. I admire your instinct to protect your woman but you needn't worry. I don't plan on hurting you or her so you can relax a little."

I wrapped my arms around Edward's shoulders from behind. He grabbed my forearm and held it as he stared at Demetri and then his gaze shifted to Felix who smirked at him. Edward's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. I knew he realized that he was the one who smashed his head into the wall. I looked up at the wall where his head hit and shivered as I realized there was an indent in the wall where the blood was. I held him tighter. I didn't know if Demetri was lying or not about not hurting us. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I also didn't fail to notice that he didn't say a thing about Alice or Jasper. Was he planning to hurt them? Oh God, I hope not.

"You're the med school brother, yes?" Demetri asked. Edward shifted his gaze toward him and gave one stiff nod. "Edward…Can I call you Edward?" he asked but he didn't stop to get a reply, "I'm not a medical type of person but I don't think eating another's blood is all that healthy. I, for one, am not a fan of sharing my dinner with a person who is liable to drip blood on my portion so why don't you take that beautiful woman of yours to the bathroom so she can help you clean up your face. I would suggest you don't close the door unless to want to make Felix angry and cause him to break down the door." I got up with Edward and he wrapped his arms protectively around me as we headed for the bathroom. "Oh," Demetri started and we stopped in our tracks, "and no funny business. I meant what I said about not hurting you but I could change that if you provoke me."

I shivered and Edward tightened his arms around me try to give me comfort. I have to admit it didn't help as much as I wanted it to. We made it to the bathroom and he picked me up and placed me on the counter in front of him. He lowered his head to look me in the eye, "Did they hurt you?" he asked concerned as his eyes assessed me and moved his hands around exploring my body over my shirt. It wasn't at all in our normal lust filled way but it was in a clinical way.

I felt a new set of tears spill over and I shook my head 'no'. I looked down at the area he was checking and noticed it was bloody there. "The blood is yours," I choked out.

He stopped and looked up at me before he moved to look at his face in the mirror. "Shit," he hissed.

I placed my hand on his cheek, "I'm so sorry," I sobbed. He leaned forward and rested his forehead to mine. He sighed and lifted his head slowly kissing me gently on the lips. The kiss was so filled with love that I actually began to feel like everything was going to be okay but that feeling was short lived when we heard Demetri order Alice to have a seat on the couch.

Edward pulled away and he took a long inhale, "I better get this fixed," he said. He bent down and grabbed our first aid kit from under the sink and placed the box on the counter next to me. He opened it and started pulling peroxide and steri-strip stuff out of it. I slipped off the counter and grabbed a couple hand towels from the linen closet. He grabbed me and lifted me back up to sit on the counter once again. "Ok, I'm gonna need your help cleaning this," he said. He continued to instruct me and before long I was done helping him fit the steri-strip over the cut on his eyebrow.

"What about your nose? Did he break it?" I asked. It didn't look like it was but what did I know.

He moved closer to the mirror and pinched the bridge of his nose. He winced. "No, but it will swell," he said irritated. He grabbed a couple wash clothes and we cleaned our faces of his blood.

Edward dropped his towel and sighed, "Bella…" he looked at me with worry and love and seemed to be at a loss for words.

I grabbed him by his neck and pulled him forcefully down to my level and kissed him with everything I had. I swept my tongue through his mouth committing the feel to memory. I wanted to show him that I loved him and that I wasn't ready to let him go in this life. I had no idea how this was going to turn out and I wanted to tell him in as many ways that I could that I loved him. Felix seems unremorseful and that he would just love to snap our necks if given the order. Demetri playing around with his gun like it was a toy, frankly, scared me. He was too comfortable with holding innocent people at gun point if you asked me.

I pulled away when I heard footsteps, "I love you so much," I whispered and a tear fell down my cheek.

"I love you too and I will not let anything happen to you, I promise," he said with conviction wiping my tear away.

"But what about you?" she squeaked. "What if they…?"

"Don't worry about me," he interrupted, "I'm not going anywhere."

I wanted to tell him he couldn't know that but Demetri came to the door way, "You clean up quite well," he commented, "Why don't you come join us in the main room. Lover boy should be here shortly with dinner."

Edward looked at me with worry before he helped me down from the counter and wrapped his arm around my waist. He made sure that he was between me and Demetri and we joined Alice on the couch.

Alice reached over and grabbed my hand. I looked at her and her eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry," she whispered. I gave her a weak smile. I wanted to say it wasn't her fault but I knew that would be a lie. They were here because of her but I also couldn't hold it against her. After all, she did try very hard to stay hidden from them.

"Well isn't this nice?" Demetri said sitting casually on the other end of the sectional couch. I shifted uneasily and Edward tightened his hold around my waist.

"Would be nicer if you were gone," Alice mumbled under her breath.

Demetri chuckled, "Oh Ali, if I didn't know any better I'd say that you weren't enjoying our visit. Didn't you miss me at all?" I saw a shift in his eyes and it struck me as odd. It was almost conveying…sadness?

"Not really," Alice mumbled.

Demetri sat back and his jaw clenched for a second before it relaxed and he looked up toward Felix.

"What do you want with my brother?" Edward asked.

Demetri fixed his gaze on Edward now and grinned, "I just want to know what this guy has that I don't. Ali here sure has taken a liking to him and I want to know what it is he does for her."

"He treats me like a woman should be treated," Alice grumbled.

Demetri looked at Alice, "Ali I treated you well, didn't I?" Alice snorted. "I gave you everything your little heart desired."

"Yeah," Alice said sarcastically, "and I almost died because of it."

Edward and I snapped our heads up at that. Alice almost died? That was what she meant by a close call? Demetri grimaced and looked as if he was going to say something when there was a knock on the door. "That must be lover boy now," Demetri said as he rose up off the couch. Felix poised himself again. Edward clenched his fists so hard they were white knuckled as he watched Felix start to open the door.

Felix opened the door and Jasper walked in with 3 pizzas in hand. Jasper's eyes darted around the room until they landed on the 3 of us on the couch. He sighed in relief as he saw Alice sitting there and seemed to be unharmed. "Jasper, we have been anxiously awaiting your arrival. We're famished," Demetri said, "Please go place them on the table. Isabella, my dear, why don't you get us some plates." I stiffened and Edward held me tighter. Demetri took in our posture and rolled his eyes, "Honestly Edward, I told you I wasn't going to hurt her, now why are you so defensive?" "Isabella," Demetri gestured with his gun, "come on. We don't want dinner to get cold." I looked at Edward conveying my worry and started to get up.

Edward held me fast for a moment and then slowly loosened his grip. "I love you," he whispered just before he let go and I walked quickly over to the kitchen. I didn't like being away from Edward. I felt more vulnerable. I stood on my tip toes to get the plates from the cupboard. I heard Edward growl and Demetri sighed, "Felix, show some respect." I turned with the plates in hand to see Felix eyeing me appreciatively with a smirk on his face. I shivered and hurried to place the plates on the table with the pizza. The sooner I did that, the sooner I would be back with Edward, I hoped.

As soon as I put the plates on the table Jasper grabbed my hand and pulled me next to him. Jasper squeezed my hand and I felt a little better. "Isabella, go ahead and get some pizza for you and Edward." Demetri said. How this guy expected any of us to eat anything I'll never know but I did as he said anyway. After I filled our plates and grabbed a couple napkins that were already on the table I headed over to Edward.

Edward took the plates and put them on the arm of the couch and pulled me down next to him. He pressed his forehead to mine and we both sighed in relief that we were back together.

Demetri held out his hand to Alice in offer for help off of the couch. Alice looked at it and she hoisted herself out of the couch not even touching Demetri. He pursed his lips and silently gestured for her to go over to the table. Alice practically ran over to the table and into Jasper's arms. Jasper held her tight and kissed her on the top of her head.

Demetri turned away, a flash of anger crossing his face. His eyes flashed to mine and Edward's. "You're not eating?" he asked us. We just starred at him. "I doubt that your brother poisoned it. Eat up." My stomach churned and a wave of nausea washed over me. I really didn't want to eat. How do you tell a guy that had a gun pointed at you and your friends, no, loved ones that you don't want to eat? Edward grabbed the plate and hesitantly took one bite. It seemed that he really didn't want to eat either but was complying just to please the man with a gun. "Very good," Demetri said, "Now you Isabella." I gave Edward a wary look and he gave me a look of apology. He offered me a bite out of the slice he had bitten from and closed my eyes before taking a small bite of the pizza.

On any other occasion I probably would have enjoyed the taste of the tomato, cheese and pepperoni but right now it tasted like vomit and I worked to get it down hoping that Demetri would leave it at that.

Felix came over to Demetri and glared at him, "Enough of this Demetri. We were sent here for a reason," he whispered.

"Back off, Felix, I will handle this the way I want," Demetri growled back in the same low tone though it had more authority.

Alice and Jasper looked at the exchange and Jasper spoke up, "What is the reason you're here?"

Demetri looked between the two in their embrace and his expression hardened a little. "Ali, did you honestly think that after what you did we wouldn't come looking for you?" he asked.

I looked up at her curious as to what she did. Alice looked almost just as confused. "I let you go thinking that you were smart enough to respect the family," Demetri said.

"What do you mean respect the family? You almost killed me. I wanted the hell out of there," Alice said more confident than I ever thought she should to a guy with a gun pointed at her.

"I had nothing to do with your OD," Demetri growled through clenched teeth. It looked to be a sore subject for him.

"Oh whatever," Alice snapped back.

Demetri raised his hand like he was going to backhand her but caught himself and curled his hand into a tight fist bringing it down to his side. His lips were pressed into a grim line. I don't know what stopped him. Was it because he thought better of it because of Jasper holding her and looking like he was going to retaliate? Or was it something else?

"Ali, damn it, I wasn't even there," Demetri's voice rose slightly with some irritation.

"And you think that just because you weren't in the room that you had nothing to do with it. I'm not stupid Demetri," Alice's voice rose a little as well and becoming irritated.

Felix chuckled, "She really does know the family, doesn't she?"

"Felix, shut it!" Demetri growled

"You also were too high to remember anything clearly," Demetri commented snidely pointing a finger at Alice.

"I had you and your family to thank for that," Alice hissed.

"No, you have my father to thank for that! Not me!" Demetri kicked the coffee table with his foot, his face red. Demetri was shaking with anger and Edward held me tight to his side as he watched Demetri's shaking hand that carried the gun.

Demetri took long deep breaths before speaking in a calm tone, "Look, I came here to find out the reason why you hid from us."

"Why do you think?" Alice asked, "Do you honestly think that I would want any of you back in my life?" Demetri looked pointedly to Felix and looked to be communicating a message to him. It almost felt like 'I told you so'. Felix sniffed defiantly at him. "When Felix saw me in Denver, all I could think about was, I did not want to be sucked back into that world again. And you know that I would do anything to stay away from that."

Demetri cleared his throat. He looked up at Felix then back to Alice and then sat down on the coffee table. "Both of you sit here," he told Alice and Jasper motioning with his gun to the couch in front of him. Jasper led Alice to the couch and he sat close beside her. "Ali, I want to be straight with you. I'm here because Aro wants you to be brought back to the city. I'm not gonna lie to you. He wants Jasper now too."

Edward tensed and I gripped his thigh. Alice gasped snapping her head up to look at Jasper. Jasper clenched his jaw and held Alice tighter. "Why?" Alice whispered.

"It took a lot of skill to defer your identity and whereabouts from us. It took me having to resort to tracking down your parents in order to track you down," he said. "He wants to use you for a job," he told Jasper.

"I don't just do that kind of thing for anyone. Tell your perverted father he will just have to do without my services and my Alice," Jasper said tightening his hold around Alice's waist.

Felix began cracking his knuckles with an infuriated look on his face and started to make his way over to Jasper. "Back up Felix," Demetri ordered.

"Demetri, he just insulted Aro," Felix protested angrily.

"You forget that I do have ears Felix. I know what he said," Demetri said looking at Jasper. Felix huffed angrily back to the door and punched his fist through part of the wall the wall making a huge hole that you could only see from inside the apartment. Demetri continued to look at Jasper unfazed, "As you can see we do not take insults to the family lightly."

"What does Aro want with Alice?" Edward asked. I gripped Edward's thigh tighter not wanting him to get into the middle of this. It was bad enough that Alice and Jasper were in this situation but I couldn't bear it if Edward got pulled in and hurt anymore than he already was. Edward squeezed my hand and began rubbing light circles in the back of it.

"You see that's the funny thing," Demetri said turning from Edward back to Alice, "He feels she's a threat of some sort."

"A threat?" Alice asked, "A threat to what? I would think I would be more for 'eye candy' than anything else." Felix chuckled showing a glazed look over his eyes like he was remembering something. Alice glared at him. I could only imagine that what he was remembering was Alice in the skimpy lingerie she wore around their place. Jasper hissed and held her closer to him.

Edward raised one eyebrow. This must have been new information to him. I never told him that Alice was "requested" to wear barely there clothing and how Aro used to watch her with a lustful eye.

"Ali," Demetri sighed, "Look, do you remember anything from the week before your OD?" Jasper winced at the term 'OD'.

Alice furrowed her brow in concentration. She shook her head, "Not really, besides trying to find my next fix."

"Do you remember anything else?" Demetri asked with one eyebrow raised.

"No. Why?"

Demetri sighed lowering his head. "Oh come on Demetri. She's obviously lying," Felix boomed.

"Why would I lie?" Alice asked glaring at Felix.

"You went through an awful lot of hoops to not be found, Alice. You obviously are hiding for a reason," Felix said.

"Did I miss something?" Alice asked, her voice turning condescending. "Since when is Felix, the muscle bound monkey, in the hierarchy of the family?"

Felix moved quickly and started barreling toward Alice. Jasper stood pulling Alice behind him taking a protective stance and Edward poised to stand as well. Felix moved to strike when…

"Felix! Back off!" Demetri barked pointing his gun at him, surprising us all. What the hell is going on?

"You were always too mouthy Alice," Felix growled pointing his finger at her. "And what the hell are you defending her for?!" Felix yelled pointing at Demetri, "She ain't your bitch anymore!"

Demetri cocked his gun readying it to fire, "You forget yourself Felix. Do not test my temper," Demetri said, his voice menacing.

"Aro was right to not want you to come here," Felix growled. "How you convinced him to let you come I'll never know?"

"It's because I made a deal with him," Demetri answered, "Something that is a perk of being his only son."

"What deal, Demetri?" Alice asked in almost a whisper.

Demetri kept his stance keeping his gun on Felix but glanced at Alice from the corner of his eye, "The deal was that I be the one to come here and find out what you know. Based on that, I am to decide your fate. In exchange, I'm giving up Heidi and marrying Mancini's daughter, Jane. As for Jasper, Aro wants him for a job."

"Like I said I don't…"Jasper began but Demetri cut him off.

"I realize you wouldn't do it for us, but you would do it for her," he said. A cell phone rang and Demetri lifted it out of his jacket pocket, "Pronto…" he answered. He began to speak in Italian to the person on the other end. As he spoke Felix's face turned smug then to disbelief.

Alice was looking in Demetri's direction and looked to be concentrating on his words. Did she know Italian? I suppose it's very possible since he was around her for a while it seemed. Although… she was on cocaine at the time and if she says everything was a haze back then. How is it possible for her to learn a language?

Demetri closed his phone, "Felix get back over by the door and do not interrupt me again," he ordered.

Felix huffed and glared at Alice, "I guess a piece-of-ass has a lot more weight then it should. The head she gives must be out of this world," he grumbled before walking over to the wall next to the door and leaned against it.

Jasper growled and Demetri chuckled with a smirk. "Forgive Felix, he's just pissed he's missed out." Jasper turned his glare to Demetri and his jaw clenched tightening his grip around Alice. Demetri noticed then looked to Alice whose eyes were narrowed and was clearly ticked. I remembered Alice telling me that Demetri liked her for her "services" so to speak and now he was bragging. "I apologize Ali, I didn't mean it like that." Alice turned into Jasper burrowing her face into his chest but nodded in acknowledgment.

I didn't understand. What exactly was he apologizing for? Was it the fact that he used her addiction for sex or was it because he used it as a taunt to Felix? Their body language was also… bizarre. Alice obviously hated Demetri based on prior conversations and didn't want him to be in her life again. If I was in her shoes right now I would be stiff and rigid but she… is on her guard, yes, but she is also very calm and collected. It is almost like she trusts Demetri in some way. Was that left over from their relationship? Earlier he admitted to letting her go but he was disappointed that she hid from him. What did that mean?

A/N: Hmm, I have to admit it's hard for me to write this. It's not the story or the plot, it's the fact that I'm not used to writing third party. True it is from Bella's POV but I keep finding myself forgetting to write her emotions for some reason. I had to rewrite a lot of this and add stuff.

Anyway, REVIEW and tell me what you're thinking. I want to know if I need more emotion or if I'm getting too detached.

Next chapter - Edward's POV.