Ah, we're at that terrible time of the year when you don't know what day you're on. That strange period between Christmas and New Year.

I also forgot to post yesterday. Sorry!

I woke up to a tickling sensation on my face and a sweet giggle filling the room.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a smirk, my eyes still closed. I slowly opened them to find Isabella putting something on my face. Lipstick.

"You'll pay for that." I laughed and sat up quickly before taking her body in my arms.

"Stop it!" She giggled and squirmed under my fingers tickling her sides.

I loved hearing her laugh.

"Please!" She laughed louder, and I rolled back into the bed, pulling her with me.

"Never," I joked as she came face to face with me.

Face to face. Mere millimeters away from each other. I looked with longing into her eyes. I must have looked like a right idiot, but I didn't care in that moment. Does she feel that? My heart skipped. I think she did. She does feel it, doesn't she?

Slower than I thought possible, Isabella lowered her lips to mine; I took in a ragged breath as they touched. When her warm lips shaped themselves over mine, it was the sweetest feeling in the world. The simple innocence of her movements had me craving for more. More of her.

I know she kissed me, but is this what she wants? Did she want me? Was it too soon? Was she ready for something like this? Did she think she owed me this? The thoughts raced through my head, full speed ahead.

"Stop thinking, Edward," Isabella whispered against my lips.

So, I did. I stopped thinking and just enjoyed the moment.

…

"I love your hair," she whispered as she lightly ran her fingers through it.

Personally, I thought it was a mess and needed a cut, but Isabella's opinion was more important. "It bugs me, gets in my eyes all the time." I chuckled back against her lips.

She was straddling my waist now.

"You're so cool and calm, always in control. I like seeing something out of place with you." She smiled back.

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be like this, under a woman and feeling relaxed, I would have laughed. For most, this was a sexual position, but it wasn't at the same time. This was just us.

"I'm never calm around you, you always have me on edge," I said honestly.

"Is that a good thing or not?" Isabella asked, and I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"A little of both," I admitted quietly, while her lips found mine of their own accord.

Our gentle kissing lasted well into the night, and only when we stopped, did I ask about the girls. She had politely asked them to go after I fell asleep. Although Isabella had enjoyed their company, she hadn't felt comfortable around them while I was sleeping.

I didn't blame her one bit. I wouldn't like it either. I held her body close as she drifted off to sleep, wondering where this would lead us. I wanted this. I wanted it so much but also knew she still had a long way to go.

Isabella wasn't healed, she was healing. She would need time. She needed her father back. She needed closure. Isabella needed so much, but I could be there. I would be there.

…

Isabella had been with us for over a month now. I wish I controlled time, I really did. I had put this day off for so long, but it still arrived. Now I dreaded what I would have to put her through.

How would she react? How would I react? The police needed a statement, and a written one wouldn't do. They wanted to speak to her. With help from Dad, we'd got the paperwork sorted to make it a telephone interview. Although it wasn't that unheard of, it had meant going through a lot of red tape.

Dad filed the paperwork, Jasper tweaked a few things, and even Rose had replaced some of the files which were needed. They were all protecting her as well.

Isabella was still a little wary of them, but she was coming around. She'd started joining us for dinner, even though she stayed quiet most of the time.

…

"Isabella Marie Swan," she whispered holding my hand tightly.

"And how old are you, Isabella?"

"Eighteen."

"And how old were you the day your mother and Philip Dwyer were killed?"

"It was two days before my fourteenth birthday."

"Do you remember that day, Isabella?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me a little about it?"

Her eyes screwed shut in pain while she thought about the question. I wished so hard that she could forget all of this, but it would be over soon. Just a little while longer, and then the people who'd done this to her would be in a place where they could never hurt her again.

Rose, Alice, and Mom walked in before she could answer the interviewer's question.

Isabella had gotten quite close to Rose, just like I'd hoped she would. Rose sat down, then took her other hand to offer moral support in the contact. Alice and Mom sat in front of Isabella on the floor. Nothing was said. It didn't need to be. She knew we were all here to support her.

I had advised her not to mention James or the attack outside the library. His case was still open, and there was no way I wanted her to admit to killing him. Isabella agreed, and other than that, she would say what she wanted or needed to.

"Mom and I were shopping that day for my birthday. It was a Sunday, but we still went. She wanted to buy me clothes, and I wanted a new book. We had playfully fought over which shops to go in. We had an early breakfast at a little café. Mom had a pancake meal, and I had fresh fruit and bacon. I liked the sweet and salty mixture. The weather was really hot, and I got bad sunburn on my nose, that's why we came home early."

She was rambling in a way, working herself up to the hard part. I could tell by the way her hand tightened on mine as she continued to speak.

"I had just finished getting some food ready that afternoon, for the barbeque, when there was a knock at the door. Philip was in his study, he lived in that room, and Mom was having a shower. I went to answer the door, but as soon as I opened it, I was knocked to the side. The next thing I remember was being held by the tops of my arms while someone dragged Philip into the living room."

She went on to tell how her mom had come down in nothing but a towel. How she was knocked to the ground and didn't wake up again. They had shot her in front of Isabella and Philip. There had been blood everywhere. So much that she couldn't get past seeing her mom's blood on the walls, the stairs. My heart ached for her. She'd seen everything; those monsters had never shielded her from it. Then, Isabella said something even more shocking.

Philip had pleaded for his life, and all but begged them to take Isabella in payment. My blood was beyond boiling at this point. I wanted to bring him back to life, just so I could tear him to shreds.

The men agreed, but beat him pretty good regardless, then shot him as they left, taking Isabella with them. I would have shot him, too, just for a different reason. He'd had no right to put her on the offering block like that.

Isabella spent the next four years either locked up like I'd found her or with her other two 'owners.' She was quite precise with the details, so the police officer didn't have to ask her too many other questions.

He praised Isabella for her courage and strength before ending the call.

…

The next few weeks were spent keeping Isabella busy. None of us were comfortable with her leaving the house, so we took her out into the gardens, talked to her, played board games, and watched films. With time, Isabella opened up, and accepted the men living in the house around her.

Dad was overjoyed she was happier now. Granddad loved having yet another granddaughter to dote on. Half the time, you couldn't even tell that he was a shrewd and dangerous businessman. Jasper was her new best friend. They spent hours together, when he wasn't working, talking about books and art. Emmett loved her like another sister, and although we had to rein in his excitement with her sometimes, she really was developing a close bond with him. I loved it. I loved how she had so simply fitted in with everyone.

Isabella loved to cook, too. Something I'd learned one morning after burning her toast. So now, she helped to cook dinner with the other family members. It was surreal to come home from work and see her put a dinner on the table for us. I loved it.

Not in a macho way. I just loved the fact that she was finally healing.

…

It was time. Which meant I was now pacing the room, waiting for the phone call.

We were all waiting for confirmation that the judge had closed the case under 'special circumstances.' Once that was done, we would be able to proceed.

The night I'd 'bought' Isabella, it had been only the first step in a long string of events. The smaller, low-down people were dealt with as and when they crossed our paths, but it was my direct family who had taken down Ms. Maksimov and her men.

For all the time Isabella had been with us, Ms. Maksimov and her men had been held by us, too. Getting the same treatment, they'd subjected Isabella to.

I'd checked in on them a few times. It wasn't a pretty sight, to be honest, but they were getting off light. Once that magical call came through, it would all be out of my hands… and into the hands of my sweet girl. At this moment she didn't have a clue, but soon she would.

And when she knew everything, it would take one word from her to seal their fates.

Three chapters to go! Eeep! anyhoo, isn't it sweet how they are together!