Chapter 20: The Morning After Disaster Strikes

3rd POV

The Morning After…. (MEN)

Carlisle, Caius, Marcus, and their sons sat around the large dining room table in Marcus's home trying to settle some important issues. The first order of business was if the accident Alice and Maggie were involved in was in fact an accident.

The second order of business was if they should talk to Victoria to find out why she killed Laurent. The reality is that Victoria didn't kill Laurent.

Bella killed Laurent.

But James and the others didn't know it had been Bella. James truly felt that out of the three of them Victoria was the most ruthless and the most likely to be capable of murder. So whether Victoria had killed or not she is being accused of doing it.

Finally the last order of business was discussing if the boys should tell the girls about their underground illegal business. Traditionally the men in the family could not tell their significant other about the family business until they are married but the boys were pushing that issue today.

"I feel like it's now a matter of safety at this point. The girls need to know about the business in case any dangers come their way from now until the wedding." Liam said.

"But that goes against tradition son." Marcus said looking at Liam.

"Screw tradition. My fiancée is laid up in a hospital bed right now recovering from something that might could have been avoided had she known. All Maggie knows is that she was on her way home from a night out when her car was shot at. When she was shot at." Liam shouted beating his fist on the table.

"I understand your frustration but YOU WILL remember your place nephew." Caius said to Liam in warning. Liam closed his eyes and took a long meditative breath before turning toward his father.

"I'm sorry father, but we can't keep them in the dark. I mean what about Victoria? She wasn't even told she had a guard. For all we know if they had known something maybe a good man that has been a loyal asset to the family for over 25 years would still be alive."

Emmett, James, and Edward all nodded their heads in agreement.

"How about we find out what the girls know first. James call Victoria up take her out, wine and dine her, and find out what the hell happened. Edward, Emmett do the same and Edward call Draco Malfoy his wife was in that car before it was shot at. She possibly could have been the target. I will go speak to Lucius myself. Jasper find out from Alice all she remembers make sure she leaves nothing out, any small detail could be helpful. Now GO." Carlisle snapped in a dismissive, end of conversation tone. The boys stood up from their chairs and one by one left Marcus' house to go be with their fiancées and wives.

"Maybe we should let the boys tell their fiancées about the business. One of them has now committed murder. Which according to Riley they we're going to try and cover up themselves!" Carlisle said rubbing his forehead with his fingers and willing his headache to go away.

((( Riley was the guard that lived. Laurent was killed by Bella. )))

"I will admit that maybe this is a special case and it would be beneficial for the ladies to have knowledge of." Marcus said always playing the part of the diplomat in the group.

"Absolutely not! There are reasons we have this rule in place." Caius said looking over Marcus to Carlisle.

"They are getting married in less than 3 months. The reason we have the rule is so that the girls won't be able to testify if they are married. They won't be asked to testify in a matter of a few months. Even if the boys ended up in jail today over a major matter. Caius please try and see reason. Your future daughter in law may have murdered her bodyguard. What about her protection?"

"I could give two shits about the girl. I want my son to be protected! If she did kill Riley she has now become a liability. I don't know if she will be a good match for my son. He needs a wife that can make him look good to the public. Victoria is smart mouthed and brash. My son is not thinking with the head on his shoulders when he looks at her. A few months ago I was having to pry him off of every set of legs he passed. Now he's getting married. What if Victoria can't be controlled?"

"If she can't be controlled… you already know what will happen. But I'm sure it won't come to that brother." Carlisle told Caius while patting his shoulder reassuringly.

Caius often portrayed the 'look at me wrong and I'll gut you' facade but that was what it was, an act. Deep down Caius was nothing more than a worried father. Seeing his youngest child ready to settle down was an eye opener. A fact that his children have grown up and that his time of reign would soon come to a close. Also Victoria scared Caius because she was someone that he had not picked out for his son and knew very little about. Of course Caius had made very little effort to get to know Victoria outside of what his wife had told him. It was an ill attempt at rebellion to James's choice in bride.

Okay… Maybe this is a little less Caius being a worried father and a little more Caius being a controlling father. But none the less in Caius' mind his intentions mean well.

Carlisle excused himself from his brothers to go find his wife at the hospital where she was sitting with Alice. Carlisle having been in Italy for so many weeks, was anxious to be with her again.

Carlisle had hoped they could figure out what had happened last night.

The Morning After…. (WOMEN) 3rd POV

Bella woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. While trying to silence her phone she accidently knocked it off of the night stand and onto the floor. She could barely hear the ding alerting her of a new voicemail when she felt her head throbbing. 'this must be what a hangover feels like.' She thought darkly.

Getting out of bed she made her way to the bathroom hunting some Tylenol and the toilet. Sitting down on the toilet she gave a soft sigh in relief, enjoying the feeling of emptying out her extremely full bladder. She even welcomed the coldness of the toilet seat as she rubbed her head willing her hangover to leave her.

After she was finished she walked over to the sink to wash her hands when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She gasped at her self image. She could easily impersonate a raccoon with the black eyeliner she was sporting last night all over her eyes. Grabbing a clean washcloth and towel Bella walked over the shower and turned it on adjusting the water to her preferred temperature. Taking off her last piece of clothing she climbed into the shower, a small hiss escaped her lips when the hot water pelted down her back. Wetting her hair she applied a generous amount of shampoo and lathered her hair up and scrubbing deep in her scalp. Standing there under the spray of hot water last night's events came rushing back into her head.

She had killed a man and that man had some how mysteriously disappeared. A million questions/thoughts were running through her mind at the moment. Including if the police were going to show up. If she should go to the police and explain what happened. How the man had disappeared. Why these men had been watching and following them in the first place. Bella went to grab the bottle of conditioner, it slipped out when she saw her hands. Thick blood coated her hands. Panicked she started rinsing them under the spray only to find that the blood was coming out of her shower. Bella felt the blood sliding down her body and in her hair. She cut the shower off and stepped out. looking in the mirror she screamed at the sight of the blood covering her body.

"Bella? It's me, it's Vicky. Are you okay? Open this door."

"No, go away. I'm fine."

"Bella I'm not going to go until you open this door."

The towel Bella was using had dried some of the blood off. Bella cautiously went to go unlock the door. Bella waited for Victoria to see her drenched in blood.

"See. I'm glad I didn't have to beat the door down. I have to pee you bathroom hog. Move it." Victoria went to pee and came back to Bella who was now sitting on the cold tile floor.

"Why are you on the floor Bella? And why did you scream? Did you see a spider?" Victoria chuckled.

"Don't you see it?" Bella asked looking up at Victoria.

Victoria was worried at this point. Bella was holding her legs to her chest like she was trying to hold herself together with a white fluffy towel draped over her. Crouching down Victoria moved to sit next to Bella when Bella shrieked.

"Don't come near me. You'll get it on you and then we will both be covered. I can't get it off. It won't come off. It won't come off. It won't come off." Bella chanted with large tears pouring out off her eyes and she gently rocked her body.

"What will I get on me Bella? What is it?"

"You can't see it? Are you blind?"

"See what?" Victoria said loudly, panicked for her friend.

"The blood." Bella squalled. Showing her arms to Victoria. "It covers me. It's in my hair and on my skin. I can't get the blood off. What do I do?"

Victoria looked at Bella seeing nothing but Bella's creamy complexion and her dark locks wet from water with suds still in her hair. In Victoria's eyes Bella looked like a child in that moment. A scared little kid.

"Bella honey look at me. Look at me. Have I ever lied to you?"

"No."

"Well I'm not going to start today. Bells.. there is no blood on you. You look like you just stepped out of the shower. Freshly clean."

Bella looked at Victoria like she grew a second head and opened her mouth to give a rebuttal butt Victoria put her hand up as to silence her.

"Again.. have I ever lied to you Bells?"

"No."

"Bella close your eyes and take long deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth." Victoria told Bella in a soft, dreamy soothing type voice.

"Good now we are going to stand up and go to the mirror. Keep breathing and keep your eyes closed. I will guide you." Victoria led Bella to the mirror which had cleared up some from the fog the shower had created with its hot water.

Placing Bella in the center of the mirror Victoria moved to her side. "Now open your eyes and tell me what you see."

Hesitantly Bella opened her eyes only to find herself. All remnants of the blood had disappeared and it was just her staring back at herself.

"It's gone." Bella whispered running her hand over her face and down her neck.

"Bella the blood was never there. Your mind told you it was because you feel like you have blood on your hands from what happened yesterday. You didn't mean to kill that man. And I'm so sorry this has happened to you but you have to move forward. You have to find a way to forgive yourself."

Rosalie came barging into the bathroom holding her cellphone up to her ear. She went straight for the toilet in the large bathroom they were all currently occupying.

"Yes. Of course. We will be there as fast as possible. Bella looks like she just got out of the shower. So after I jump in and maybe Victoria too we will be on our way. Yes. We will. See you soon. Bye." Flushing the toilet and pulling up her shorts Rosalie turned to where Bella and Victoria were standing at the mirror.

"That was Esme. Alice and Maggie's car was shot at last night after dropping Hermione off at her place. We need to get dressed and go to the hospital. Alice is good but Maggie is in recovery. She had to have emergency surgery last night." Rosalie said while turning the shower on. Rosalie was so worried about Maggie that she missed the way Bella fearfully glanced at the shower head.

The Morning After... (HOSPITAL)

3rd POV

Bella, Rosalie, and Victoria had made it to the hospital in under an hour. Each girl had chosen to wear their damp hair in a simple French braids in various styles to save on time. The girls had put their makeup on in the backseat on the car on the way to the hospital. Victoria always hated hospitals the white sterile environment reminded her of her childhood.

"Oh good. You made it. When I couldn't get you on the phone last night I was so worried." Esme said engulfing us in hugs.

"Alice is about to be released. She is fine. I'm about to meet Carlisle but I will take you three to Maggie first. Her mother and father are sitting with her. They arrived here a little while ago."

"Did you say meet with Carlisle? Are the boys back too?" Rosalie asked her future mother-in-law.

"Yes the boys got back early this morning. I sent them to lay down for a few hours. They wanted to see you but I knew you would want to see Maggie. Don't worry dears you should be with them tonight." Esme told you Bella and Rosalie giving them a knowing smile. Before checking her phone. "Oh dear. Girls keep walking straight the recovery ward is ahead. Room 502. Carlisle sent me a text and said Alice needs help."

Esme gave us another smile before walking off in the opposite direction texting away on her phone. The girls kept walking down the hall in the direction Esme said when they heard angry voices coming from a exit only alcove in the hallway.

"No! I counted on you Liam. I gave you MY BABY! MY BABY! And look where she is. Barely in Chicago for two weeks and is in the hospital from a gunshot wound."

"Mrs. Fitzpatrick" Bella mouthed to Rosalie and Victoria. Rosalie put a finger over her mouth to signal them to be quiet.

"I know. I'm sorry. I should never have let her go out without me. I didn't know this would happen. I would never put her in danger." Liam said sounding defeated.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick scoffed at Liam. "You put her in danger when you decided to marry her, don't kid yourself boy. I'm so thankful she is alive. But when she wakes up she is going to wish she was dead."

"Why would she wish she was dead?" Liam asked confused.

"Oh you don't know? Maybe if you didn't run out earlier for a fucking business meeting you would know." Mrs. Fitzpatrick snapped.

"But don't worry I'm going to tell you. I'm going to tell you so you can be the one to tell her. Because I can't do it. I can't tell her. You get to look her in the eye and tell her the bullet went though her uterus leaving her barren. Her dream of having children has been crushed. I'll let you explain to her that she will never birth your children. Or feel the joy of life growing from within her. I had faith in you and you failed me Liam. You failed Maggie." Mrs. Fitzpatrick fled the alcove, the tears in her eyes blinded her from seeing Maggie's childhood friends standing there against the wall in the hallway where they had been listening.

Liam came out of the Alcove with tears in his eyes looking like they would fall at any moment. Liam's glossy eyes landed on Victoria, Bella and Rosalie standing there with sullen and heartbroken expressions on their faces. Liam knew from their faces that they had heard what happened. He didn't know how much more he could take. He had not even faced Maggie yet and the guilt was killing him.

"I failed her." Liam said to the girls. The dam of tears built behind his eyes broke as he fell down and sobbed. Bella was the first to respond. She fell down to where Liam was and hugged him tightly. Letting him cry on her shoulder. Rosalie was next she grabbed both Bella and Liam and held them tightly letting her own tears fall. I would like to tell you Victoria was last but that isn't her style.

"Guys get off the floor and pull yourselves together. Maggie didn't die. She just can't have kids. If she sees all of you like this it will destroy her. You need to make it seem like it's not that big a deal."

Bella and Rosalie gave Victoria a cold glare while Liam processed her words.

"She's right. Maggie can't see us like this. I just God, I thought I was going to lose her this morning and then Maggie's mother… the weight of the day got to me. But I need to be strong now. For her." Liam said getting up off the floor and wiping his eyes to rid himself of any tears while walking toward Maggie's room. Turning back to the girls he added. "Thanks for being there for me. But… I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone, namely my brother, father, uncles, or cousins about me crying. I'll just deny it if you do."

Victoria rolled her eyes and gave him a slight smile. "Yes we get it, macho man. Honestly…"

Liam gave a shaky smile and a curt nod before opening the door to Maggie's room. Once Liam was inside the room Bella gave a deep sigh.

"This might just be the worst week of our lives."

"No kidding." Rosalie said wiping her eyes careful not to smudge her eyeliner.

"Well you know the Chinese curse. May you live in interesting times." Victoria said.

"It's scary to think that only a few weeks ago having money for the newest handbag at Coach or Marc Jacobs was my biggest concern. Now it just seems pathetic and juvenile." Rosalie said.

"Honey, It was always pathetic and juvenile. But it's nice that you are finally catching on to life's bigger problems." Victoria snapped.

Rosalie was about to retort when Bella threw up her hands in frustration.

"Can I take you two no where? Behave children. Besides we are here for Maggie. For five minutes act like adults."

"She started it…" Rosalie muttered under her breath.

"Bella."

"Bella. wake up."

"Bella."

Opening her eyes Bella smiled at the sight before her. She lovingly whispered a single word.

"Edward."

Sitting across from the girls in hospital waiting room James and Emmett were seated with amused smiles on their faces.

"You guys look like fallen domino's." Emmett chuckled.

Sure enough Victoria was leaning on the side of the couch Bella was leaning on Victoria and Rosalie was leaning on Bella.

Bella blinked her eyes a few times trying to become more alert. Her eyes quickly found Edward once more.

"You're back. Finally."

Edward is finally back! I'm so happy I missed him terribly. :) Review if you want more chapters. I was a little dissapointed in my last few chapters. I was going to delete them but I think I will keep going and just work on my writing some more. I tried to focus on adding more material to make you, the reader feel like you strongly visualize the scene play out before you.