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The second the door closed behind them, Bella released Alice's hand and crumbled to her knees. The air was filled with the sounds of her sobbing as she wrapped her arms around herself. She had done it, she'd killed him. Marcus Volturi would never hurt another little girl because Bella Swan had stopped him.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Edward whispered, kneeling next to her, wrapping his arms around her body and holding her against him. "I've got you."
"Charlie?" she choked out. "I need Charlie!"
"All right, sweetheart," he murmured, lifting her off the ground as he stood up. "I'll take you to her."
Bella threw her arms around his neck, holding her as tight as she could. She looked over her shoulder, watching as Garrett set explosives on the door. He shifted his eyes to her, winking before getting back to work. Burying her face in Edward's neck, she knew Garrett would cover their tracks, make sure that Marcus would never be found.
Edward carried her to his car, placing her in the front seat before he hurried to the driver's side and climbed inside. Jasper and Alice slipped into the backseat, and when Bella looked back at them, he saw her holding her as tears streamed down her face. She reached back, grabbing Alice's hand.
"We did it, Al. We fucking did it."
"It's finally over, B," she cried, her fingers tightening around Bella's.
"Finally," she whispered, shifting in her seat so she could still hold Alice's hand, but face Edward, who started the car, looked at her with a smile, before shifting it into drive, and pulling away from the rundown hotel. They hadn't gotten too far when a loud explosion filled the air, and she and Alice looked back, seeing the structure engulfed bright orange flames. "Finally."
—MfM—
They didn't have to drive far, only about twenty minutes, but it felt like a lifetime passed before Edward pulled up outside a small diner. As they climbed out of the car, several fire trucks flew past them. The four shared a look and laughed before they headed inside, where they found Emmett, Rose, Kate, and Jacob sitting in a booth in the back.
There between Rose and Kate was Charlie. She looked up, her brown eyes meeting Bella's, and she squealed, "Mommy!" before she jumped out from between them and ran over to Bella, who dropped to her knees, swooping the little girl into her arms.
"Oh, baby girl," Bella sobbed, pressing her face into her matted brown hair. "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."
"I was scared, Mommy!" she wailed, wrapping her arms and legs around Bella. "He said he was my daddy. He was lying, right, Mommy."
"Yes, sweetheart," she cried. "He was lying."
"I love you, Mommy," she sobbed, burying her face in Bella's neck.
"I love you, too, sweetheart." Bella tightened her arms around Charlie and stood up, looking over at Emmett, Rose, Kate, and Jacob. "Did he . . . did he hurt her?"
"No, we don't think so," Kate said, bringing her hands up to her mouth. "Is he . . .?"
Bella closed her eyes and nodded. "For T."
"Thank you, B," Kate cried, turning and falling into Rose's arms. "Just thank you."
"You're welcome," she whispered, turning and looking at Edward, who was watching her and Charlie's reunion with a smile and tears that matched all of theirs, she was sure. "So what happens now?"
He grinned wider as he walked over, placing one hand on the side of her face and the other on Charlie's back. "I'm kind of thinking about never letting either of you go again."
Bella smiled. "Yeah?"
Edward nodded. "What do you say, B? Gonna make an honest man out of me?"
Biting the inside of her lip, she leaned her head against Charlie's. "What do you think Charlie? Should I marry Edward?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed, turning and throwing herself in his arms. "Then you'll really be my daddy, right?"
"That's right, sweetheart." Edward pressed his lips to the top of her head before wrapping his arm around Bella, pulling her into his arms. "Will you marry me, Bella?"
"I thought you'd never ask," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "I love you, Edward."
"I love you, too."
Holding Charlie tighter, Edward leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. For the first time in a long time, Bella wasn't scared.
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