Edited by Stilldreaming85 and Banshee69

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Isabella Cullen.

We were back in Manhattan once again. I was grateful to be back though. There had been no freedom at the estate, no one else to talk to, no other people to see and nowhere to go.

There was one thing I did hate, one thing that bothered me, and that was Vito. I felt bad because the man had not done anything to me, in fact, he hadn't uttered a single word. Vito's only crime was taking Garrett's place.

I needed to see Garrett for myself. I needed to see with my own eyes that he was alright, I couldn't just accept the words from Edward. Garrett had left the estate after the shooting, Edward had sent him away. I needed to apologize to him. Because of me he had been hurt again. I just prayed that he would forgive me one more time.

"Do you know where Garrett is?" I asked Vito, who was sitting at the kitchen bench with a coffee and the paper in hand.

Anthony had made the headlines. That was publicity none of them had wanted.

Anthony Cullen, son of notorious underworld boss, Carlisle Cullen, back from the dead.

No one knew how the media had gotten a hold of that information. Carlisle wasn't happy about it. However, Carlisle wasn't happy about anything these days. I would never say it out loud, but I was smiling on the inside when Edward had shot his father. Does that make me a bad person because I had taken joy in his pain?

Vito looked up at me from the top of the paper and then continued on with his reading.

"You know, it's rude to ignore someone when they are talking to you," I said. "I know you're not deaf."

Vito continued on his mission to ignore me. It was very frustrating. If we were going to be stuck together, he could at least have the decency to talk to me, was that really a hard thing to do?

I stood there in front of him on the other side of the kitchen table, impatiently drumming my nails, hoping that the noise would irritate him.

I heard him as he let out a deep sigh. He gently lowered the paper and folded it up neatly, pushing it to one side. He looked at me, clearly irritated. He motioned with his eyes to his left. I followed his eyes to see what he was on about, but there was nothing that I could see except a fruit bowl.

"Do you want a banana?" I asked.

He stared back at me with a look of utter disbelief. Did he not realize that this would be so much easier if he voiced what it is he actually wanted, right?

"I don't speak gestures. If you want to tell me something, use that thing on your face just below your nose," I said. He wasn't the only one frustrated by this situation.

"He's at the door," Vito said.

"You can talk," I said, clapping my hands. "Praise Jesus, it's a miracle."

"Don't get used to it."

"Are you not allowed to talk to me or are just being annoying?" I asked.

"You and I have nothing to talk about. I'm here to do a job, not to be your friend," he said, as he sipped on the rest of his coffee.

I stared back at him with the same look he had given me seconds ago. "You, I don't like," I said.

He shrugged, obviously not bothered. "Door," he said.

Right, door, Garrett. Has he been out there the whole time?

I opened the door to the right of the elevator, sticking my head out into the hall. Garrett stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

"You are not pulling this fucking shit on me again," he said, pushing on my shoulders until I was back inside.

"I'm not running, I wanted to talk to you."

"Right. Get back inside. I have nothing to say to you."

"Please, I'm sorry," I begged.

"I'm not falling for that again, Isabella. You never learn, do you?" he sighed.

"Just come inside, please."

"I can't leave my post," he said.

"Even though there are two others out there."

"I can't leave my post," he said again.

"Well, get grumpy to fill in for you," I said. "You are going to talk to me whether you like it or not."

"Grumpy?"

"Vito," I clarified.

However, Garrett wasn't giving in. I knew he was upset with me, but he, at least had to give me the chance to apologize.

"If you won't come in, can you at least take me somewhere? Vito won't take me anywhere." I lied, I hadn't even asked him.

Garrett took his phone out of his coat pocket and typed something quickly. I knew what he was doing.

"Why are you asking him if you can take me? He said I could come and go as I please," I said.

"Because that's not my job anymore," he said, as his phone chimed.

"What did he say?"

"Let's go, grab your coat." He looked up at Vito, whistling for his attention, signaling for him to move it.

I turned, jogging up the stairs to grab my coat and my shoes, but not before sticking my tongue out at Vito as he went past me. Childish, yes, but in my defense, Vito is an asshole.

~MINY~

"He told me he put you in a coma," I said, as we sat on the park bench.

Garrett chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. Something told me I had just caught Edward in a lie.

"Unconscious, yes, coma, no," he said.

"Well, you don't have any broken bones so that's a good sign," I said. I wanted to laugh at myself with how stupid I sounded. "I am so sorry Garrett."

"You keep saying you're sorry and yet…" he trailed off. "When are you ever going to learn?" he asked. "Do you have any idea the danger you put yourself in?"

"I know it was stupid." I didn't need anyone else to remind me of that. "I just...I couldn't...I needed to get away from them, all of them."

"Do you want to know what I think?" He asked.

"Do I?"

"I think you need help," he said.

"Help?" I gave him a funny look. There was no one that could help me, not even him.

"Professional help, Isabella."

"I am not crazy," I said, standing up from the bench.

"Hey," he called after me, grabbing onto my upper arm as he walked alongside me. "I didn't say you were crazy. I do however, think you need someone to talk to, about everything that's happened to you. So that you can deal with everything better."

"How exactly am I going to go and see a therapist without Edward knowing? What would I say to them? What do I do if they recognize me? 'Oh hey doctor, I was kidnapped, forced to marry my husband and his twin brother abused me for months!'" I said, not realizing I was shouting at Garrett, until he placed his hand over my mouth.

In a way, I knew Garrett was right. I needed help. I needed someone to help me sort all the thoughts and feelings in my head. I needed someone to teach me to deal with my nightmares.

"You can talk to me. I can help you," he said.

"You?" I wanted to laugh. He could not be serious, only he was. "Why? So you can run and tell Edward? Record everything and play it for him?"

Garrett's loyalty would always be with Edward and never with me. Edward was his boss and he could be intimidating on the best of days. Garrett knew all too well what Edward was capable of doing, after all he had been on the receiving end more than once.

"The only thing I would ever tell him is if you try and pull another stunt," he said.

I walked a few paces ahead of Garrett. I was thankful when he didn't pull me back or walk next to me. Even though I knew he was right behind me, he left me by myself. He didn't try and stop me or tell me where to go.

I looked around at the other individuals in Central Park. People taking their dogs for a walk, playing with their children, people walking aimlessly. Some noticed me, some weren't even paying attention to themselves. No one knew me anymore or no one cared. I was dead.

I turned back around. Garrett halted in front of me.

"I'm angry," I said, looking up at him. "I'm angry and I don't know why."

"You have every right to be angry, Isabella," he said.

"I don't know what I'm suppose to be angry at anymore."

Garrett reached out and pulled me into his arms, holding me in a gentle hug. I was stunned by his actions, it was the last thing I had expected him to do.

"Anger is good. Feeling angry is better than feeling nothing," he said, resting his chin on top of my head. "If you felt nothing it would mean you were giving up and you should never give up, no matter what."

"I don't want to be though. I want to let it out, I don't want to let it eat away at me anymore, I just don't know how."

"Do you know what you need?"

"What?"

"A few rounds with a punching bag. We can even tape a picture of Anthony on it."

"And Carlisle," I added.

"I'll find you a family picture," he laughed.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" I asked.

"I forgive you, but this is the last time. Don't ever pull a stunt like that on me again."

We had left Central Park. Garrett had insisted on taking me shopping, he said it would make me feel better if I gave Edward's card a good workout. I can't say it made me feel better, but it was fun. I had never spent so much money before. I didn't know if Edward was going to be upset with me or not. However he was the one that had given me the card, told me to get whatever I wanted.

It was nice to buy things for myself for a change, instead of having things mysteriously appear, even underwear. Garrett didn't come in with me, he waited outside. It was sign he was showing that he trusted me.

"Finished?" Garrett asked, as I walked out of the store.

"Can we go back home now?"

"Oh, thank God," he sighed, relieved.

As we arrived back at the building, the one person I thought I would never have to see again was arguing with the concierge.

"Fuck!" Garrett cursed.

"I don't care, I need to get up there. I'm his girlfriend," Janina said, staring down at the poor

young man behind the desk.

"Miss, I am sorry, but no one is allowed on the top floor without authorization," the young man said.

"I have authorization!" Janina yelled.

"Miss, you are not on the approved visitors list. Please leave the building or I will have security escort you out."

"Fine. I will call Edward myself and you can see that I have authorization. I am going to make sure you lose your job after this," she said.

I don't know what it was about this woman that made my blood boil. Maybe it was because she had slept with Edward? Maybe it was because she tried to seduce him with me, his wife, under the same roof? Or maybe, just maybe, all that anger that I was holding onto, all came to the surface.

"You need to leave," I said, gaining her attention.

I took a step towards her, but Garrett grabbed my arm holding me back.

"Let's not go from zero to one hundred," he said in my ear.

"You," Janina said, pointing her long fingernail in my face. "You have ruined my life. The secret wife that no one knew of, or even saw. No wonder he kept you hidden, look at you."

"Miss Orsani, I think it's best you leave now," Garrett said.

"I came here to see Edward and I am not leaving until I do."

"I will inform Mr. Cullen of your visit."

"Why are you being so formal to this slut?" I asked Garrett.

"Excuse me?" Janina said.

"Do you not understand English very well, Janina . Is puttana, better?" I said.

She laughed, her heels clicking on the floor as she came towards me. The concierge was ready to call security. Garrett raised his hand, telling him to stop.

"Let's not use big words that we do not understand little girl," she said.

"You're pathetic, you know that?" I said.

"Yet, he wants me."

"Does he?"

I was surprised with myself that I was doing this. Why was I defending Edward? Why was I arguing with this woman when she wasn't in the wrong. Edward had slept with her of his own free will, hadn't he? Or was there something that he was hiding from me again?

"He asked me to come here because he knew you were gone," she said.

"Why would he do that if he isn't here himself?"

"Listen here you little bitch…"

"No," I said, shrugging out of Garrett's grasp. I grabbed a fist full of Janina's hair and stood right in her face. "You are here to see a man who used you and tossed you aside."

"No, he did not," she said, her teeth grinding together.

"Because you are trash," I added.

Her eyes narrowed, and her breathing became ragged. She made a play to grab my hair only to have Garrett stop her. He put one hand around my waist, trying to maneuver me away from her. However, I was not letting go. I had let all that anger come to the surface, I was not going to drown in it again, not when letting it out felt this good.

"Thank you for visiting us, Miss Orsani," Garrett said.

Janina didn't seem to care much for Garrett, in fact, she ignored him altogether. Garrett had managed to remove my fingers from her hair as Janina took a step back. She smiled at me, as if she had won some game. Is that what she saw this as, a game?

"Remember one thing, little girl," she said. "I am the trash that fucked your husband, who then got in bed with you. What do you think you are to him? Hmm...You are trash to him, little girl, that is why he keeps you hidden away."

"Janina," Edward's voice called out. He jogged over to us with Anthony following behind.

I don't know what I had expected him to do? Come and stand by my side, maybe? Of course he didn't do that, no, he went to her. He spun her around to face him, with his hands on her shoulders.

I closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself, but it was useless. I had reached a point of no return. I had reached a point where I did not care.

Anthony stood by me, only one step in front. He was watching the scene in front of him, his brother and his brother's mistress. My eyes wandered down Anthony's back. I knew he had a gun tucked in the back of his pants, I knew Anthony never used the safety.

Blinded by anger, blinded by rage and a newfound freedom, I didn't give it a second thought. I knew I would have to be fast because Anthony was faster.

I reached for the gun in the back of his pants without Anthony making any sort of effort to stop me.

"No!" Garrett shouted.

Although it was too late, I had already pulled the trigger. The loud bang that echoed from the weapon in my hand snapped me back to reality, to what I had just done. To the crime I had committed. To the blood on my hands.