She stares at me like I'm the sun. And I fucking feel like I am.

Her eyes, glassy and shiny, look straight into me. I wonder if she can see the blood in my cheeks and in my dick.

Her eyes lower and I think she can. I know she can. The sheet tents and then I groan because last night was so fucking intense, but I know she's probably sore, and I'm not going to be that guy.

Even though I want to be that guy.

That guy inside her all the time.

That guy who can sense what her pussy feels like when it explodes.

That guy who—

"Are you okay?" she whispers quietly, pulling me back.

The sky lights gently outside as the sun wakes. It's early, and dark, and I just want to lay here with this beautiful girl. What did Jasper used to say… he'd lay in bed with Alice and be okay with it? Fuck, I get it now. I make a mental note to tell him. He'll rub it in, but I don't care. I fucking get it.

Before I can stop myself, I'm reaching over to push Bella's hair from her eyes so I can watch her watching me.

"I'm good," I say gently.

Truth is I'm not. I'm really fucking scared. Dim's up to something, I fucking know he is.

Didyme thinks so too. She told me not to be surprised if police show up at my house. Charlie has to pretend to work with them for the plan to work, so if they ask him to do something that would fuck me or J over, he'll have to do it.

"What the fuck do I do then?" I ask her when we decided on this shitty plan.

"If police arrest you, hold tight. Say nothing," was her only response.

Instead of rolling my eyes, I stared her down. A middle aged woman who looks like she should be in line to pick her kids up from school and not directing an illegal drug selling ring tells me to hold tight.

I'm so fucked.

"You look nervous," Bella says.

Shit, she's noticing.

I smirk and play it off. "I'm just trying not to roll you over on your belly and fuck you hard from behind like I really want to."

Her cheeks light up and her eyes glaze over.

Bingo!

She looks down and my dick grows harder. Fuck, she's so perfect.

And then she surprises me by rolling over onto her stomach, throwing the blankets off her, and turning her face to me.

Now she's smirking.

"What's stopping you?"

This fucking girl.

Before I know it, I'm rolling a rubber down my dick and feeling the arousal between her legs coat my fingers. It coats everything and everywhere.

"What's got you so wet, Bella?" I ask, lining up at her entrance.

"Nothing," she says, squirming.

"Hmm," I say evenly, dragging the head of my dick through her folds. Her hips raise and push back against me as she gasps into the mattress. "Let me ask again," I tell her softly, leaning down. My shaft rests between her lips, dragging up and down as I move. "What's got you so wet?"

She moans each time my cock presses into her clit.

"You," she pants. "This."

I align myself with her entrance and push just slightly. "More specific."

"Remembering last night," she whispers contently, her chest settling into the mattress.

I know, baby. I know, I think to myself, watching her muscles relax at the memory.

And then I slip inside her tight channel, forcing space in the tightest hole my dick's ever been in. Pain wraps around my shaft as her pussy swallows me whole. Just like last night, I get half way in before I'm blocked.

"Relax, baby," I whisper in her ear, bending down.

The curves of her body contour to mine. I don't know if she does it on purpose, but she molds herself so beautifully against me. My heart beats wildly as she moves her head to the side and her little fingers reach up to hold onto my wrist as I push further in.

"Wow," I grunt, looking down, taking in the scene. Her hips pushed back, her chest arched into the mattress, her hair everywhere, the hot breaths of pain and pleasure against my hand that rests near her mouth. "You look so fucking good, Princess," I tell her honestly because she does.

Isabella Swan is absolutely magnetic as she pulls me in and all I want to do is get lost in her.

When my body presses against her ass, I know I've sunk as far as her body will allow, and that's good enough for now.

"You're so deep," she pants, out of breath from nothing but the fact that my dick is probably inside her lungs.

The smirk on my face ignites the devil in me. I love the pleasure I give her, and I love the control she gives me. We feed off each other in the best ways possible.

"Do you like it?" I ask, grinding into her.

"Yes," she hisses.

My hips roll back and push in slowly so she can get used to it. Fuck, she's right. I'm so much deeper in this position. It hurts to pull my cock through her tight hole, but that doesn't stop me. I just fucking wish I could feel her and not this stupid condom.

"Harder," she cries into the sheets, fingers gripping my skin.

Nails dig and tear as I pull out and push back into her. It's harder than before, but not as hard as I can go—as I want to go. But this is only her second time, and I don't want to hurt her.

"More," she says breathlessly.

My hips pick up the pace and I can feel the arousal spread across my shaft as she milks me. Fuck, I'm about to bust right now. I slow my movements, bending down to kiss between her shoulder blades, before pulling out all the way.

"What—" she whines, turning her head to watch.

When her eyes lock onto mine, I slam into her pussy with need. Her eyes close and her head falls back onto the sheets.

"Yes," she whines, panting the same three letters over and over and over until—

"You like that, Bella?" I ask, removing one hand from her grip to run down her back, gripping her hip tightly.

She nods quickly. "You're gonna make me—" she stops suddenly as I pick up the pace.

Now she's breathless. Her body writhes under me and I never want this to end. I'm only half aware that my phone vibrates face down on my nightstand.

Bella pushes back into my thrusts with her ass and I'm so fucking deep into this girl—her pussy, her mind, her heart. I love all three equally… maybe her pussy the most right now, though.

"Let me feel you, baby," I tell her. "You're doing so well for me. Your pussy loves to be pounded, doesn't it?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

But she doesn't answer so I stop.

"No!" she groans. "Why'd you—"

"When I ask you a question, I expect an answer," I reason, picking up the pace a little. "Now, tell me. Does your pussy love to be pounded?"

"Yes," she moans as I pound into her. She thinks it's hard, but fuck, it's no where near how hard I'd love to give it to her. Images of her with purple-blue fingerprints bruised into her skin makes my dick thicken as I plunge into her.

"You better come before I do, Princess," I tell her honestly, but she's already there. Her walls quiver with my words, and then I feel her little fingers rubbing against her clit to help her along the way.

Soon she won't need them. Soon she'll come from my dick alone. Soon she'll ride me in ways that feel good for her, she'll take control, she'll make me come as she steals pleasure.

Bella explodes under me. Her body goes rigid under mine, and I feel her fingers slip away from her center. I grab them, pin them into the bed, and help her ride through. She shakes and rolls, and fights against the pleasure. Her walls pulse against me, and I try not to blow my load before she's done. She pants, and breathes, and rolls her hips into me as she chases what's left of her orgasm before I do everything I can not to slam into her the way I want to as I come.

It's hard and fast and so fucking good I can't even hear my phone vibrating nonstop.

"Edward," she whispers.

I can barely hear of the ringing in my ears. When I glance down, she's a sweaty mess on my sheets. Blackness clouds my vision from the force of that orgasm.

"Fuck," I grunt, falling to the side.

I slip out of her and we both groan from the loss of warmth, the overstimulation, the emptiness.

"Edward, that was—"

"I know, Bella."

"Is it always—"

"It's never been like that with anyone else."

And I fucking mean it.

~!~

We shower together. It's simple and innocent. Soap runs down our bodies, out of our hair, down the drain. The water washes us away simply and wholly. It's warm under the showerhead, so I pull her to me and when she kisses me, it's nothing like I've ever felt.

"I love you," she tells me sincerely.

It's cheesy, corny, sweet. "I love you, Bella."

~!~

She dresses in a pair of my sweats and a tee shirt before laying back in bed to play on her phone, and that reminds me.

When I look at my phone there are 17 missed calls.

Fuck.

Jasper, Didyme, Charlie fucking Swan.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"I'm going to grab a drink. Want one?" I ask Bella.

"Water."

Downstairs, I call J.

"Dude!" he answers immediately.

"The fucks going on?" I ask.

"Cops dude. They're headed to you next. Get the fuck out of there."

I hang up and call Didyme.

Hold tight. Say nothing.

"Edward," she answers easily.

"You said—"

"I said they probably would, Edward. Have they?"

"Jasper said I'm next."

"And so you shall be. Remember what I said?"

"Yeah, but—"

"But nothing. What did I say?"

"Hold tight. Say Nothing."

There's a pause. "And Edward?" She doesn't wait for me to answer. "Don't do anything stupid. I have people on the inside, remember? They won't find anything. Trust me."

"It's kind of hard to do that when—"

"Have I ever gone back on my word?" she asks, her tone laced in annoyance.

I haven't talked to Didyme much, but anything I've ever asked for, she's provided.

Money for Jake Black and his crew, illegal drugs to be placed with Dim and Aro, money for Charlie fucking Swan.

My throat nearly convulses as I swallow. "No."

"Good. I'll be in touch." And then she hangs up.

It takes me four second to run up to Bella who's almost back to sleep.

"Hey, I gotta run out with J for some shit. I'll give you a lift."

She can't be here when they—

"Can I just stay here?" she asks through a yawn, stretching her perfect little body on my bed.

Stay focused.

"Normally, yes. You know that, Bella. But I don't know when we'll be back and my dad—"

"Oh shit!" she says, snapping out of it. "Your dad! When's he getting home?"

Yes, I can use this to my advantage. I look at the clock and fake panic. He won't be home well into the afternoon, but she doesn't need to know that.

"Like, any fucking minute. Hurry, Bella. If he catches you, I won't be able to fuck you up here for a really long time." Okay, that part is definitely true, though.

She giggles, collects her clothes, and we book it to the car.

I'm dropping her off in record time. The street has never been quieter, though. No cars in her driveway or Jasper's. Wonder where he went.

I walk her to the door like a fucking gentleman and promise to call her later.

In the car, I'm calling Jasper over and over and over. When he doesn't answer, I'm calling Alice.

She's hysterical.

Apparently the cops picked him up on charges.

"On what, Alice?" I ask.

She cries louder.

"What did they find?" I scream into the phone.

"Just a bunch of marijuana!" she cries. "But it was a lot. He doesn't normally have that much. I don't—"

"Where was it?" I ask, pulling over into the nearest parking lot. "Where in the care, Alice?"

"Under the back seat."

I hang up and rip my car apart. Nothing under the hood, under the front or back seats, in the console.

My phone rings.

Charles Swan.

"You mother fuck—"

"In your trunk, under your bookbag. I tried calling both you fuckheads this morning!" he screams. "I didn't think they'd search you so fast. Fuck!" He's panicking and he fucking should be. I'm going to tear his throat out.

There, in my trunk, right where he said, is a brick of weed.

"Is this all?" I ask.

"That's all Dim planted."

I toss the drugs in a mailbox a few feet from me and get in my car. It's quiet save for the panicked breath of my girl's dad on the other end of the line.

"If they book Jasper—If they fuck up his life, his chance of getting out of here… I swear to fucking God, Swan, I'll shoot you in both your fucking kneecaps. You'll never be able to walk to the bar again. You'll—"

I'm stopped by the red and blue lights in my rearview. I hang up and put the phone down without thinking.

"Step out of the vehicle," the officer says.

"What's this about?" I ask.

"We have reason to believe you have drugs in the vehicle."

"I can assure I do not."

The cop doesn't care. He's state. He cares about the tip off and that's all.

"Remove yourself from the vehicle, Cullen."

"So, you know my name?" I know getting smart with the office won't help, but it's in my nature.

But then I remember Didyme's words. Hold tight. Say nothing.

Easily, I step outside of my own car. Thank fuck they don't have the dogs or I'd be in a whole world of mess. So many drugs have been through this car that I'm sure the dog would pick up on it in less than a second.

One officer puts me in cuffs and while I want to fight, I don't.

My dad's going to be so fucking disappointed in me, and the thought alone kills me.

I watch as the state trooper looks through every square inch of my car before slamming the doors and holding up a roach.

Jesus fucking Christ.

"What's this, kid?" the old fuck asks.

Say nothing.

So I don't.

"Take him down," the guy says easily.

I don't panic or let them think I'm scared because I'm not. It's a fucking roach. What are they going to charge me on? Possession of one millimeter of a joint?

Down at the station I see Jasper talking with a police officer. Correction, the police officer talks to Jasper. Jasper stares at him. I celebrate internally at his quiet. It comes natural to J and makes other uncomfortable. Good.

I think back to Alice and how upset she was. Crying, hysteria, fear. I hope Bella doesn't find out.

And then there's an officer in front of me saying some bullshit about my rights and asking me dumb fucking questions but I don't say shit.

Not for hours. And then another few when I'm alone. The clock reads 2:35 and I know my dad's on his way home by now. I hope he thinks I'm just chillin' with my friends, out with Bella, whatever else he thinks I do. I hope he—

"Son," a voice from beside me breathes softly, relieved.

It's my dad.

Shit.

"Hey dad," I tell him quietly, but I don't look at him.

"Edward, what…" he can't form a sentence. He can't form a thought. All he sees is his son handcuffed. "Take these off him this instant," my dad yells. "How long has he been here? Look at the marks you've caused on his skin by leaving these on for—how long has it been?"

"Six hours," the cop says.

"Six hours!" he roars. "Six hours and nobody called me? I should hire a lawyer. What did you find? The end of marijuana cigarette?" my dad asks and I can't help but laugh because it's a little funny. Marijuana cigarette. He's so nerdy but fuck I'm glad he's here.

"We—"

"You nothing!" he shouts.

The cop jumps up and releases me. I don't need to be told twice as I get behind my dad who's obviously running things.

"And if I ever find out you've held my son with no cause again, Walter, I'll be talking to your mother."

The cop lowers his head.

Fuck yeah, dad!

"Let's go, son."

Looking around on my way out, I try to find Jasper but he's nowhere. A DEA agent pops out of an office, and I note his name reads Pete. He's a tall, weird looking fuck with a scar over his left brow and a heavy mustache. We stare each other down before he walks to wherever he's going, and I follow my dad out.

We drive home in weird, heavy silence. He passes me my phone when we walk through the front door, but I don't look at it. The raw edge of cuts from my cuffs all day catch both our attention. We walk silently to his office.

"Tell me right now," he says, whipping around, but when he opens his mouth to ask what he wants so badly to know the answer to, he can't. The tears in his eyes surprise me and I fucking hate myself.

I've never hated myself more.

Disappointing the people you love feels like your heart is imploding.

"Did you—" he can't bring himself to ask.

"Did I what, dad?"

"Did you kill them?"

Kill?

The look of shock answers anything he needs to know.

"Oh thank God," he breathes, slumping in his chair.

"Kill who dad? And why would you think I did it?"

"There was a murder at Charles Swan's house—"

I'm standing and running for the door.

"It wasn't her, and it wasn't her father," he says. "Now sit down." I don't. I cant. "Now, Edward."

He uses the tone with me that tells me he's not fucking around.

"Who was it?"

My dad shakes his head. "They were brought it in a little after one. One had a gun shot to the shoulder, leg, and chest. Charles Swan was with him."

Dimitri? Aro?

"Then another was found in the alley near Charles Swans house by the old playground. Gun shot to the back of the head."

The guy was running away.

"Where's Bella?" I ask, panicked. "She was there. Is she okay?"

My dad shakes his head. "I don't know. I was at the hospital and then I got the call about you. Imagine how my day has gone."

"Why would you think I did it?" I ask.

"Charles was in a state of terror. He had blood on his hands, his shirt, everywhere. He was in shock. He kept saying the guy was going to rape her. That's why I thought maybe you…"

I stand again and this time my dad has to beat me to the door.

"I asked where she was. Her dad says she escaped."

The ball in my throat floats and floats until it's in the back of my throat and I want to puke. I'm going to puke. I dropped her off there. It's my fault.

"I need you to tell me what's going on, Edward. You forget I am your father and not your friend. Tell me. Now."

~!~

It takes twenty minutes to give him the abridged version. He doesn't know it all. He thinks it's weed I'm selling to pay for college. He thinks I only made a few grand. He thinks it started this year.

He doesn't know the truth, and that's how I need it to stay. The look of disappoint right now brings tears to my eyes and down my cheeks. If he knew the actual truth, the disappointment would kill me.

So, I tell him what he needs to know for the story to make sense. He tells me Aro was the one shot multiple times and Dimitri was the one fleeing.

"But it wasn't Charlie?" I ask.

My dad shrugs. "I've given all necessary paperwork to the police for them to handle."

"Please let me call her dad. Please."

My dad stands and opens the door. "We're not done here, Edward."

I nod. I don't care. We can talk about it for a million more years, but I have to talk to Bella right now.

She tried calling seven times. Then Alice. Then Didyme.

I call Bella back. Nothing.

I call Alice. Nothing.

"Fuck!" I roar, throwing a water bottle at the wall.

I call Didyme and she greets cheerily.

"Good job, kid."

"Good job for what? Everything's fucked!"

She giggles. Like she actually giggles.

"It all went as planned. You two kids got picked up long enough for the cops to get off our backs. Dim and Aro are taken care of, albeit messily, but whatever. Money is dispensed as promised."

"My girlfriend was almost raped, Didyme. Her father's covered in blood. No one knows who did it. And my best friend's in jail for—"

"He was released as of ten minutes ago. All charges dropped. I told you I have eyes inside. Your girlfriend made it out, I would never have allowed that to happen. Jeez Edward, what kind of person do you think I am? And her father, well, I told him to stay gone. I'm not sure why he was even there. I gave him a time frame to be out of the house so the job could be done but—"

"Why his house?"

"People there don't give two shits who comes and goes, the noises they hear, or anything. It wouldn't fly with the nosey bitches in Dimitri's neighborhood, and Aro has kids at home."

"Where's my girlfriend?" I ask, irritation lacing my tone.

"Last I heard, she escaped out of the window or something. My guy made sure Aro got more than what was coming to him. We don't take well to sexual assault of any kind. My apologies to you and your girlfriend for that. I normally run a better program, but there are fires everywhere, and another colleague vetted Aro upon hire."

She speaks like this is a corporate business, and I guess to them it is.

My phone beeps and when I pull it away, it's Bella calling.

"I gotta go," I tell her, not waiting for a response.

I breathe deeply before answering.

"Bella?"

She cries instantly and I need to touch her. Hold her. See her.

"Bella, are you okay?" I ask, tearing up, feeding off of her emotions.

She can't answer, the phone shuffles, it's Jasper.

"She's good. Allie told me what happened. What a fucking nightmare. You good?"

I can't help what happens next, and I'm so embarrassed to admit it, but I break the fuck down. Jasper listens to me and tells me it's all good, and I know it is, but I fucking hate this life I've created.

My dad hears and when he comes to check on me, he pulls me into this chest immediately. It's been so long, too long, since I've felt like the child in our relationship, and I miss my mom so fucking much, but I also miss my dad. So I let him hug me, and I hug him back even harder.

After a while, when I'm calm, my dad pats my shoulders.

"I know you want to see her, but I also hope you know you're grounded. Forever."

I can't help but laugh a little. I do want to see her, but I respect him enough not to sneak out.

Maybe I can sneak her in though.

"But if you want, I'll allow you to have her over tonight to feel a little better."

Relief floods through me.

"Bella," I say instantly when she picks up. "Come over. Please come over. I need you, Bella. Please come over," I say repeatedly until she asks Jasper for a ride.

He drops her off soon after, and I'm running to her, pulling her into the foyer, breathing for her.

She looks perfect, angelic. Not a hair is misplaced.

She tells me everything as my dad orders a pizza.

"I was sleeping in my room and I heard all this commotion downstairs. I thought it was just my dad being my dad, you know how loud drunks can be, but then it got louder and louder. My dad was knocking on my door, yelling something I couldn't understand and then he said 'run'. I don't know why," Bella stops and sniffles, looking away. I pull her to me on the couch. She's practically in my lap now but I don't care. "I don't know why, but I opened the door. My dad fell inside. He was bleeding from everywhere. His head, his nose," she pauses before continuing. "And then I look up and see Aro. My dad tells me to run again but Aro runs over my dad and grabs me. He tried to tear off my clothes but I was kicking and screaming." Bella cries harder now, and I know it's difficult for her to talk about this with my dad in the room, but she's doing so good, so I tell her.

"It's okay, baby," I whisper. "It's okay now. I'm so proud of you, Bella."

"And then this huge guy runs over to him and he—he—" She's frightened now. Her heart beats fast through her pulse point on her wrist. "He pulled him off of me and dragged him over my dad into the hallway. I opened the window and was able to make it to the ground before I heard the quietest gunshots ever. But I know they were gunshots because after that everything was quiet. It took me a long time to move. Like a really long time. And then Dimitri and the guy who shot Aro were running by down to the alley and I just… I ran as far as I could until I remember my phone in my pocket. I called Allie and then she told me about Jasper. And I didn't know what was going on, and you weren't answering, and I was so scared, Edward."

I pull her close and tuck her head under my chin.

"You're okay now, Bella. I'm okay. Everything's okay."

The relief flooding through me at the feel of Bella on my skin after the day's events makes everything seem so peaceful. Like the trauma of today didn't happen, but we both know it did. Now, we just have to work on moving forward.

Bella falls asleep shortly after her story, and when the pizza shows up, dad asks to speak with me privately.

"That young lady was nearly sexually assaulted today. For real. And from what you're telling me, she's had the fear of a grown man trying to rape her for months." I nod when he's done because it's true. "She needs help, Edward. Professional help. Her mother passed away, she lost her best friend and her father, then her father became the town drunk and no one has taken care of her for years."

"I'll talk to her, dad."

"Good because if you don't, I will."

~!~

It's nearly ten before dinner is done and my dad heads to bed. He's allowing her to stay the night tonight given the circumstances, but we aren't to sleep in the same room. I have to roll my eyes a little, but only when he isn't looking.

I put a movie on for background noise as I pull her into me. It's not sexual, it's love. It's peace and joy in the feeling of closeness. It's passion and warmth in the form of skin on skin. It's Bella and it's me.

"Did you see anything today?" I ask.

"Like blood?" I nod. "No. I just heard what I told you."

"Did the police question you?"

She shakes her head. "Should I tell them?"

I don't know. I really don't know. Aro and Dim are both… gone… and I don't know what's going on with Charlie yet.

"My dad was—" she stops, breathing in a few times before starting again. "My dad was trying to save me."

"How do you feel about that?" I ask quietly.

She cries softly into my neck. Her tears are hot and wet, burning into my skin as they fall from her eyes.

"Bella, what do you think about seeing someone like I do? You've been through a lot, and I think maybe it'll help."

"I don't know," she whispers, unsure.

I nod, accepting her answer. "Think about it for a while, okay? I didn't think it was helping me at first, but I was wrong."

She nods and when her little snores start, I disconnect and walk down the hallway to the spare room.

"Hello?" the voice says as it answers.

"Tell me what happened from start to finish."

Charlie tells me everything.

He went home to grab so stuff before heading out to let Didyme's guy do his thing. Turns out, the guy was late. He was supposed to incapacitate both, throw them in his truck, and dispose of them elsewhere, but that didn't happen. He heard Bella walking around upstairs, and then Aro showed. He heard it too, and the two of them got into it. Charlie got fucked up by Aro because he's weak even when it comes to his own daughter's safety. That fucking pisses me off. But then he says he was guarding Bella's door because Aro was smashing the lack with something. He was yelling for Bella to run, but then she opened the door. Everything matches with what Bella said. The guy finally showed, pissed that he was about to rape a young girl, he shot Aro point black three times in the hallway with the silencer on. That explains the quiet gunshots.

Then Dim shows up, sees the mess of Aro, and books it. Didyme's guy shot Dim in the back of the head as he was running away or else he would've gotten away.

"What a fucking mess," I say crossly.

"You're telling me. I've got cops on my ass about the murders."

"What did you say?"

"Not a whole lot. I know they're going to pin it on me. Who else would it be?"

"But that means—"

"They're going to formally arrest me tomorrow, and then—"

"But Bella—"

"Didyme said they'll place her with someone she's close to and it depends on the judge for the child welfare case. They may let her live out the last two months of seventeen, or they may place her in foster care."

I'm quiet for much longer than I want to be. Stunned. I'm sadly stunned into silence.

"Tell her—" Charlie starts but doesn't finish.

We both stay on the line for a little bit longer.

"The money is in a backpack in my closet under the chest. You'll see what I mean when you get to it. Make sure she gets it."

"You can use it to make bail," I explain.

"No," he says quietly. "No." Charlie clears his throat. "I've never taken care of her a day in my life. Not once. This will be it."

Charlie hangs up after that and I live with the truth for the rest of the night. I should go to my room, I should follow my dad's rules, but I can't. I don't want to. Bella needs me and she doesn't even know it yet.

~!~

I'm up when my dad walks down the stairs at six. I follow him to the kitchen and tell him what's going on.

He nods. "Maybe she shouldn't go to school today." I just stare at him. "Same with you. Have you gotten any sleep at all, Edward?"

"I'm fine," I say, averting his gaze as he looks a little too closely.

"I told the hospital these last two weeks are my last for overnights, and then I'm working daylight from here on out."

"Dad, you don't have to. I'll be headed to college soon and—"

"I need it for me too, kid. In fact, I just might go on a vacation this summer."

A smile breaks through. "Now you're just being crazy," I joke.

We share a smile and I know we have a long way to go to rebuild the trust that I fucked up, but this feels good. Fresh. New. My dad makes his coffee and walks down to his office.

A few minutes later, Bella wakes and walks over to me in the kitchen. She settles in next to me and rests her head against my arm.

"Was it a dream?" she asks.

I shake my head. "A nightmare, actually." Bella drinks the water I place in front of her. "And I have some more news, baby. It's not the good kind either."

"Just tell me," she says.

"They're going to arrest your dad for the murders."

I watch her throat as she swallows, taking in the news.

"Oh. Uhm. Will he be released after that?" she asks, fingers squeezing the water bottle.

I shake my head sadly. "No."

Bella doesn't say anything for a while, in fact, she doesn't say anything at all.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"I should head home to get ready for school."

"No school today," I tell her.

"Edward, I have to go to school. It's… school."

"You'll be alright for a day."

"It's almost the end of the year. I might miss—."

"No. School."

She huffs and crosses her arms. "I'll just call Alice, she'll pick me up."

I'm dialing Jasper before Bella can get off the stool.

"Yo," he answers.

"Keep Alice home today."

He laughs. "That'll be easy. We weren't planning to go anyways."

"Perfect."

"You guys up for a ride? I gotta clear my head."

"Sure."

"Pick you up around eleven."

"We'll come to your house," I tell him easily.

When I hang up, Bella looks annoyed. Like, seriously annoyed.

"They weren't going anyways."

"Well I want to! And what about work, Edward, I can't just skip everything because my dad's a murderer."

My eyebrows shoot up. She's finding her nerve.

"He's not. He didn't kill those men—"

"Not those men, but I'm sure when he sold those drugs some people died!"

Anger seeps out of her.

"That's a possibility."

"I want to go home."

"No."

"Edward, I'm not asking. I want to go home. Now."

"And I'm not telling you again. No."

"Fine," she says, standing and walking through the living to the front door. I beat her, walking through the hallway of the foyer. "I'll just walk."

"We'll go to your house when I'm ready to go."

"You're being unfair," she says, but tears on the brink of her glassy eyes.

"You know what you're going to see," I tell her quietly. Her dad. The blood. Everything.

"I don't care."

"You do."

"I hate him!" she says. "I don't care what happens to him. I hate him! I hope he gets arrested and never gets out. I hate him!" she cries, her body losing rigidity as it falls into the door. "I hate him, Edward. I hate him."

My hand on her back comforts her in the way she needs right now.

"Let it out," I encourage.

She cries sadly into the wood, my front to her back. She's so short the top of her head barely grazes my chin, but I tuck myself in and hold her against me.

"What happens to me?" she asks after she's done. "What happens now? I'm so scared."

I turn her into me, and we walk back to the couch. The blanket on the floor gets pulled around us, and we cocoon ourselves for the next little while.

I explain to her what her dad said. Didyme will try to put a bug in someone's ear about letting her stay with Alice, but Didyme already told me late last night she doesn't have a lot of pull or connections in the child welfare system.

When my dad clears his throat, we pop out of the blankets. Bella's eyes puffy from crying, my shirt soaked from her tears.

"Is there anything I can do?" My dad asks.

Bella shakes her head and lays back down.

"I'm heading out for some meetings, but I'll be back around dinner. See you then, son."

After he leaves, I check my phone.

Nine. Is all the text from Charlie reads.

It's ten right now.

I check local news stations, Facebook, news articles. Nothing.

"Come on," I tell her.

She doesn't ask where we're going as I pull out of the driveway. We turn onto her street and walk up to her house.

"Is he in there?" she asks.

I shake my head no.

Bella waits downstairs while I check around. Mostly everything is cleaned up. I guess Didyme's guy came back to finish a job he started. I wonder if Charlie tries, he'll be able to get out of it. No evidence of anything exists except for two stray bullet holes in the floor in the corner.

Bella showers while I enter Charlie's room.

It's weird, and wrong, and I want to throw up when I walk in, but I power through.

Dirty clothes and cans upon cans upon cans of beer litter the floor. His bedsheets are brown from dirt there's a small spot where he'd lay when he was home. The other parts of his bed are taken up by junk, and bottles, and beer cans, and debris.

In his closet sits a chest, I pull it out.

Inside are pictures and trinkets and things I'm sure Bella would love to go through, so I move it closer to the door before going back to find the bag he described under where the chest was. Inside are stacked bills, crisp and clean. I hadn't given him my portion yet, so I guess this is from Didyme. Although she mentioned it would be electronic. I'm sure Charlie didn't have a bank account though, so this makes sense.

I pull the backpack on and carry the chest out, closing his door behind me.

"What's all that?" Bella asks, brushing her wet hair, wearing a sweater and jeans.

She makes even the purest clothes look sexy.

"It's the uh, the money your dad got for… everything."

"Oh."

I nod. "He wanted me to make sure you got it."

"Oh."

"I'll keep it in my car for now. I'm not sure if anyone will be by the house to investigate."

"Ok."

"I know it's a lot right now, but talk to me. What are you thinking?"

"Honestly? Nothing."

I nod in understanding. It's a lot, and this is how she's coping.

I take the chest of pictures and stuff, and the bag with the money, and put them in my trunk before we head over to Jaspers.

It's a quiet ride out of town until we make it to wherever the fuck he's driving us. The weather is oddly warm and humid, and the sky darkens the closer we get to where he's headed.

He parks in a clearing and walks us through a lush forest before the trees break way and we're sitting in, essentially, a cave.

"You make this?" I joke.

"Nah, Allie and I found this when we first got together. Isn't it awesome? We come here every so often, but figured today would be perfect."

We walk inside, under the shelter of huge rock slabs pressed into the mountain. It overlooks a body of water and the other curve of the mountain straight ahead. It's actually really fucking beautiful.

I turn around and notice Bella and Alice sitting on a blanket on the ground. Alice pets Bella's hair as she lays in Alice's lap. There's a small smile on Bella's face, and I'll have to thank Alice for that later.

Jasper and I are a little more daring as we sit on the edge of the cliff. Okay, it's not so daring I guess. Under us is another platform, and under that is the same.

"She good?" Jasper asks as he looks back for the tenth time.

"Yeah," I sigh. "No," I correct. "I don't fucking know," I admit.

Behind me, Alice squeals in excitement.

"Jesus," Jasper laughs.

When I turn around, both girls are blushing as they look at me.

I scoff. "I think my girl's telling your girl about our first time."

"No shit," Jasper says, pulling a joint from his pocket. "Smoke?" he asks.

I nod because I definitely fucking need it right now.

Jasper pulls it out and lights up when I glance back at my girl. Her eyes shine as they stare over at me.

"I get it now," I tell Jasper as he takes the first pull. "I get what you said forever ago, about sleeping with a girl but not sleeping with her. I get it now."

"It's something, ain't it?" he asks, passing it to me.

"It sure is."

We smoke half before the girls sit on either side of us. Bella reaches for it, but I don't want her too fucked up, so I shotgun her. I'm not sure what tonight holds, or who's going to try and contact her, but the last thing she needs is to be high as a kite for it.

"Alice already talked to her dad," she says quietly as the two love birds walk off.

The first drop of rain starts. It's heavy on my jeans.

"Yeah?"

She nods. "He's okay with me staying there."

"That's good," I tell her softly, pulling her into me. The sky opens up and the rain falls faster, harder around us.

When I stand to go, she pulls me back down.

"Stay?" she asks. Of course I'll fucking stay. I'll stay wherever she asks me to. "I kind of like it."

Bella leans back on her palms, neck extended so her head falls back, and lets the rain drip across her.

She's soaked, and so am I, but the calm rolling off her body and the high from that clip we just smoked has me feeling everything but sad right now.

"Where are they?" I ask Bella over the pitter-patter of rain.

She giggles. Fuck I love that giggle. "Alice says they like to fuck in the rain."

I'm laughing too. "What are they, cavemen?"

Bella full on laughs and I want to swallow her up. I missed this. I need this.

She's on her back, legs dangling off the edge, and I straddle her hips, leaning down to kiss her throat.

"Do you?" she asks.

"Do I what, baby?"

"Do you like to fuck in the rain?"

Oh, shit. Her eyes are half high and full horny.

So many things should stop me—Aro and Dim's death around her, her dad going to jail, Aro almost getting her, the gun shots she heard, the fear in her eyes, the shake of her touch—but I can't because the look in her eyes begs me to help her forget.

So I will.

"I like fucking you rain or shine," I explain against the coolness of her skin.

She's wet from the rain and electric from my touch.

Her pants are around her ankles the same moment mine are. She's got her legs spread, arousal glistening on those beautiful, plump lips, and I need to taste them even for just a lick.

She groans as the first hit of thunder sounds above us. It scares me but she fucking basks in it.

Bella's pulling me up and I'm pressing into her before we can even think. My cock slides inside, skin against skin, and she pulses so fucking warm around me.

"Please," Bella begs. "Please."

I roll us so that her back doesn't get scratched against the rough rock we're on. She's on her knees, impaled on my dick, gasping as the rain soaks our skin.

I help her move sensing her unease.

"Do what feels good, Bella," I encourage as her hips slowly glide forward and backward.

My fingers against her skin, gripping and pulling, loosen little by little as she gains the confidence to ride me.

"Does that feel good?" she pants.

"Hell yes," I grit.

Bella then gets on her feet, flat on the rock, and bounces up and down.

This literally makes my eyes roll into the back of my head. Her tight pussy grips my cock as she rides me bare for the first time ever.

"Bella," I grunt out, stilling her hips. "Not yet."

She giggles. She fucking giggles.

"Were you close?" she asks, pausing her movements.

"Yes."

She does it again but I grab hold of her and slam her down as far as she'll go. Her gasp surprises me, but I refocus. The lightening across the water electrifies the experience. Her wet hair hangs in waves around her face. Fuck, she's beautiful.

"Need I remind you who's in charge?" I ask.

But she stares down at me with parted lips and a glazed stare.

Oh shit.

Oh shit she wants me to remind her.

I grab her wrists and pin them against her hips, holding her above my lap before I start pounding into her from below. It's not hard, but it's fast and I can feel her walls quiver around me.

"Come for me," I tell her. Her hand wriggles loose and she goes for her clit, but I grab it and hold it behind her back. "No," I tell her. "Come on my dick."

She squirms and circles her hips and tries to ride me, but I stop her. I hold her hip in my right hand, and her wrists behind her back in my other.

And when her mouth falls open after the fourth crash of thunder, I resituate and pound into her harder.

"Yes!" she yells over the noise of the storm.

The moment I feel her pussy contract unevenly, signaling her orgasm, I let her go to do her own thing.

Bella falls forward, catching herself with her hands against my chest, but she doesn't stop or lose rhythm. Bella chases her own orgasm—the one I give her, the one my cock pulls from her.

"You look so fucking sexy right now. Riding my cock like I've always picture. Shit, Bella, don't stop."

Bella gets back on her feet, remembering how she nearly made me come earlier, and thrusts herself as hard and fast as she wants to against me. I take a moment to note just how hard and fast she can take it right now, and damn, it's more than I thought she could.

Bella's breasts bounce inside her t-shirt, her nipples hardening from the cold as it sticks against her soaking skin.

My eyes fixate on where we're joined. Her pussy lips drag against my shaft as he rides me. Her orgasm creamy white as it coats my dick.

"Bella," I warn, but she doesn't stop.

I help her ride my length by pushing her up with her ass and enjoying the feel as she slams back down.

"Bella, I'm gonna come," I tell her again as my balls tighten. She doesn't hear me over the pounding rain. I remember I'm bare inside her, sliding against her walls gripping my cock as she pulsates around me.

Pure Bella and nothing else.

Oh fuck.

The thought turns me on more than anything ever has before, and I can't help but explode. Quickly, I pull Bella off of me and come hard and heavy against her thigh and folds.

"Bella," I pant. "Bella I think I—"

"It's okay," she tells me, panting just as hard. "I have an IUD."

"A what?"

"It's birth control inside me. It's okay."

"Since when?" I ask, pulling her down onto my chest. The rain still beats around us.

"Since we got back together. Alice was afraid you'd get me pregnant. She took me to the clinic."

"Oh."

"Yeah," she laughs.

"Remind me to thank her," I say, joining in with her but really I just want to slam her back down on my length.

I help Bella into the makeshift cave away from the rain. It's mostly dry in here, and I wish I could say the same for us, but I wouldn't change that for the world.

We slip on our underwear and wait for the other two to get back from doing their thing.

My back's against the far back wall, and Bella's between my legs. My fingers trace the skin of her thigh up to the center and back.

"I didn't hurt you did I?"

Bella turns to face me. "No. Did I hurt you?"

"Of course not."

"Edward that was so incredible."

I nod in agreeance. "It definitely was."

~!~

Alice and Jasper stroll back just as soaked as we are, but they toss us some sweats and Alice winks at Bella.

"Amateurs," Jasper jokes. "Didn't even bring any extra clothes."

"Is this all you two do? Find places in the woods and fuck?" I ask, pulling off my boxers to slip into the warm sweats.

The two look at each other and shrug.

"It's not all we do," Alice answers.

Bella busts out laughing, and when the rain lightens, we head back to the car.

Bella gets out with Alice when we pull up to her house, and I hate to say goodbye to her, but I know I need to.

"I love you so fucking much," I whisper into her ear.

She kisses me chastely before Alice shuts the door.

Police are at Bella's now, and Jasper and I stay and watch in his car.

Jasper pulls up his phone and reads a headline. "Forks Man accused of two drug dealers deaths."

"Well, at least the said they were drug dealers and not some stand up citizens," I tell him.

"Tomorrow should be fun at school," Jasper says. "You know how kids at school talk."

"Let them," I tell him easily. "I'll fuck them up."

~!~

That night I speak with Bella who calls me crying about the news. I talk her down, letting her know we prepared for this, we know the truth. She says a police officer stopped by and is talking to Alice's dad right now.

After we hang up, Rosalie calls. My dad filled her in and she reams me a new one. She's being a bit of a bitch, but then I remember she's pregnant, so I cut her some slack.

When my dad heads to bed, so do I. Really, I just need some time to process shit alone.

Bella. Her dad. Jasper. Me. Aro and Dim. Everything.

I didn't think Didyme was going to off Dim. Aro I knew for sure because he double crossed everyone… but Dimitri is a surprise to me. I don't think about it long or else I'll start to feel guilty and I really don't want to.

I light up a joint and inhale deeply just as my phone rings.

"Baby," I smile reading her name lighting up my phone.

"A caseworker just left, Edward. They said I can stay with Alice until then, but if the judge says I need to go into foster care, then I have to leave, Edward."

She's crying all over again, and it tears me up. I wish she was here. I wish she was in my arms, her skin on my lips, her legs tangled with mine under the bed sheets. I wish her life was easier, less messy, fun.

I wonder what would have happened if Alice and Jasper never got together. If we hadn't become reacquainted. If I didn't fuck her up. But then I remember it was her dad that did this. He started fucking around with Aro. I didn't introduce them.

Relief runs through me but only briefly.

"We'll figure it out, Bella. I promise."

~!~

The next few days at school suck ass. I'm on high alert for any news about anyone trying to fuck with Bella. Victoria's smart—she keeps herself in check. Not a peep comes from her or her friends.

Some underclassmen try and start shit, but one look in their direction and they scatter like bugs.

I finally get ahold of Didyme.

"You have to do something," I tell her. It's three days until the hearing.

"Edward, I don't know anyone—"

"You got her into this mess, now you get her the fuck out!" I yell, hitting the end button.

Didyme has been dodging me for days, and I'm done with it. I don't know where she lives, but if Bella gets sent to a foster care home away from us, I'll find Didyme and I'll make her pay for this.

One day before the hearing, my dad asks if everything is okay.

"No," I tell him simply.

He appreciates the honesty.

~!~

The day of the hearing, we all go together.

The judge is small, old, female. She wearing black rimmed glasses and has snow white hair.

She looks mean.

Shit.

It's a simple, small room, but Bella asked that I stay, so of course I do.

The judge reviews the case, the caseworker puts in her two cents as needed, and the judge flips through papers.

"Your mom died when you were young?" she asks my girl.

"Yes, your honor."

The judge shakes her head. "None of that," she says, irritated at Bella's politeness. She swallows hard next to the caseworker. "And your dad?"

"He was a drunk."

"Your whole life?"

"After my mom died, yeah pretty much."

"And your plans?"

"For what?"

The judge looks at her like she's dumb. "Your life, Ms. Swan."

"Oh, uhm. Truthfully, I don't know. I didn't think I had any options until this year. I've been working everyday after school since September. I have a job lined up in Seattle when I move. I'm starting as a freshman at the University of Washington this fall."

"And this boy behind you who hasn't stopped looking at you since I walked in? Does he factor in?"

Bella turns and smiles.

"Yes. That's my boyfriend."

The judge scoffs.

"He's actually my best friend. One of them, at least. They all helped me get through this year, and the recent events as well. My best friend, Alice, has taken care of me before I even thought I needed it. She hasn't let me go hungry, unbathed, or unfed since I was thirteen."

The judge sits stone faced as my girl talks, but when Bella finishes, they just stare at each other.

"You aren't eighteen for five more weeks," the judge says.

"Correct," Bella replies.

"And what happens if I allow you to stay under the care of Mr. Brandon and you get hurt?"

"Uhm, then I go to the hospital?" she questions.

"What about your schooling?"

"Alice drives me everyday anyways. It'll actually be more convenient."

The judge looks past Bella to Alice's dad.

"Mr. Brandon," she says, shuffling papers. "Thoughts?"

He stands. "Bella has been my daughters best friend since we moved her. I've grown to know and love the young woman she's becoming. She's a good girl with a smart head on her shoulders. Bella is welcome for as long as she needs under my roof."

"Well, I guess that settles it then," the judge says, stacking her papers. No one really knows what to do or what this means, so we're all quiet. "Isabella Marie Swan will stay under the care and supervision of Mark A. Brandon or the next 4 weeks and six days."

Bella stands and hugs me to her before hugging Mr. Brandon in celebration.

"Ms. Swan, if I may?" the judge says, sitting back in her chair, hands clasped. "Your story is truly one to think about. Seventeen and through so much. I've seen a lot in my days of law, but your spirit says a lot about you. Adversity is like a strong gust of wind—it tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn so that we see ourselves as we truly are. You are strong, I can see that. Continue to be so. I wish you all the luck."

And then she stands, so we stand, and the judge disappears through the door she came in.

Bella turns and smiles, blinking away tears.

The judge was right. "You're so fucking strong," I remind her.

In this moment I know absolutely one thing is for certain.

If I were in Bella's shoes, I would have never survived, never made it out alive, never be here standing and smiling.

She's the absolute magic in life.


A/N: Well, how are we doing!? Thoughts? Where do we go from here? Can't wait to read what you have to say!