A/N: HOLY SHIT BALLS! No you're not seeing things, this is a real update! If you don't know, I've been super busy with RL (full-time school, motherhood, wife-hood) and it's been hard to switch my mind over to writing. Sadly, when I finally could, I've had major writer's block. I even contemplated just giving an author's note stating the ending in a nutshell and leaving it as that.

Chapter 8: Don't Let Me Down 'cause This is My Fight Song

EPOV

"You can do this. I'll be right next to you and I won't leave unless you say so," I tell her again as I drive down her father's street.

We had decided to stay the remainder of the night—since it was about three in the morning—in Spokane before taking our trip to see Bella's dad that afternoon. I had called the detective and asked about a nicer hotel we could stay in and she suggested we use her spare bedroom. It wouldn't cost a thing and, even though she didn't expect any problems to arise, it would be nice to have an extra eye on us. We shared one bed because Bella was still freaked out and I didn't want to leave her to battle her demons alone.

"'Kay," she says softly. After several seconds of silence, she quietly says, "Thank you, Edward," and looks over at me.

"Of course, but what exactly are you thanking me for?"

"For stopping Sam from killing me that first night, taking care of me every day after …" She shakes her head and looks down. "For everything, really. I don't know if I could have survived without you," she explains, finishing as I pull into the driveway and park behind the old Ford Taurus Bella had mentioned should be here.

I don't know what to say. I feel like I did what anyone with a basic set of morals would have done. Although, her trusting me helped. "Uh," I clear my throat, "there's no need to thank me. Giving me your trust was enough." I don't know how to take things like this so, feeling uncomfortable, I change the subject. "Are you ready to see him?"

Bella takes a deep breath, staring at the house like it's going to magically morph into an angry face and disown her. I guess, to her it might feel that way because she doesn't know how her dad will take her news. When she lets out her breath, she nods and says yes. We open our doors and I wait until she's beside me before putting a hand on her lower back and guiding her up to the front door. She only hesitates for a few seconds, glancing at me before knocking. I can tell that she's both excited and nervous as hell to see him. I quietly tell her one last time that I'm right beside her, no matter what.

We hear footsteps getting closer and then the door finally opens, revealing a dark-haired man in a long-sleeved plaid shirt and blue jeans. I can instantly see the resemblances between father and daughter.

"Bella? What's happened to you? Who is this guy and why do you both look beat up?" His questions show concern and thankfully so do his voice and actions. He steps out of the house and pulls her into a hug, which Bella returns, gripping the back of Charlie's shirt.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I should have come to you so much sooner." Bella gets out between stuttered breaths.

"It's okay, Bells. Why don't you both come inside, and we can talk." She nods, and they release their holds to go inside. I follow closely but silently as we walk into the living room and sit on the couch. Charlie sits next to us in one of the two lounge chairs, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and hands clasped in front. "Tell me what's wrong. All I know is that Sam came to me saying that you were missing, but then he found you. He said that you broke your phone and that's why he couldn't reach you. And please explain why there's a strange man with you who looks like he was used as a punching bag." I grimace a little at that remark, simply because it's true.

"Well, to answer that last question, this is Edward and he's been helping me through a really hard time."

"Isn't Sam supposed to be doing that?" Charlie decides to ask, a slight hardness to his tone.

Bella tenses and huffs out a breath, answering anyway. "If Sam was a proper husband then yes, he would be, but he isn't and will no longer have the chance." He goes to speak again, but she stops him. "Please, Dad, let me explain without interruptions. When I'm done, if you still have questions, you can ask." He just nods, apologizing and urging her to continue.

She relaxes and glances my way before starting.

"I'll spare you the details, but Sam started to become controlling just after our first New Years. Then, it eventually escalated to verbal and then physical abuse." She takes a deep breath, gathering herself for the worst parts. "He stayed away from my face because it's the only place that I can't cover."

Bella looks down at her hands in her lap. I lift one of mine, palm up, silently offering to hold hers if she wants. I hope my action doesn't make Charlie angry or suspicious, considering he already looks like he wants to shoot someone. Besides, holding her hand might act as an anchor for when he blows up once he hears this next part.

She smiles for a second and takes my hand in hers before continuing. "Um, due to his abuse and all the stress from it, I had my third miscarriage several days ago—"

Charlie stands up, shouting, "No. No! I don't want to hear anymore! Where is he?! I'll call Buddy and be there when he arrests him!"

"You can't arrest him, Dad. He's dead." That seems to stop him, and he turns to look at us. "I shot him in self-defense in the motel room we were hiding in over in Spokane."

"Oh, baby girl." He rushes over, pulling her up from the couch into another hug, but pulls back after she lets out a pained squeak. "Oh god, what now?" She responds by telling him that she's still sore and then goes on to explain why.

The topic leads to how her and I met, all the way through up to today. I even throw in why I was at that shitty place in Seattle to explain the gun in the ending. Charlie says that both of our situations could have gone completely different if we each had chosen to take different, more appropriate paths to begin with. Ultimately, he's more thankful that Bella's free of the bastard and that she had me to help her. He tells us that he'll talk to Buddy, who is apparently the newest police chief of Forks and another fishing partner, about my situation. Buddy has friends in the Seattle PD that can help me out there as well.

I know I have to go back there at some point, but I don't want to. Bella can take back her life and start fresh. I'd like to be a part of it, even if it's only as a friend. I'm already thinking of all the ways I can stay in her life.

*GOA*

BPOV

Seeing that gun on the floor, I knew I had to keep it away from those monsters. It may have only been a second, but in the time it took for me to bend over and pick it up, all the thoughts running through my head were chaotic. I knew I had to protect both myself and Edward. Sam, Demitri, and Alec couldn't have it, or we would die for sure. But what if I was blindsided and lost the gun? What if I accidentally shot Edward? That last thought made me realize that I couldn't just shoot. I had to have their attention, so they would stop moving. It'd been years since I fired a gun, and it was only once when dad showed me.

Now that he's gone, there's some things I need to do—get to do. I'm overwhelmed as I sit next to Edward on my dad's couch, drinking a glass of water. I need to figure out what I'm going to do with the house, money, and insurance. I have no clue on what's to happen with Sam's auto shop, and then there's the question of all his friends and whether or not they knew about how he got rid of his temper. I'm honestly scared to know.

"Hey," Edward quietly says, pulling me away from my mind that feels like it's been hit with a wrecking ball. I look at him and he continues. "What's going on inside your head?"

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I explain that I'm lost on what happens next in my life. "I know I have to prioritize things, like my house and all that, but I just don't want to. I simply want to skip past it and start over. I can finally do what I want, when I want, and not get punished for it when I get home."

Edward takes the glass from me, setting it down on the coffee table. Grabbing my hands, he says, "Bella, I've told you that you don't have to do it alone anymore. Your dad loves you and will help you whether you want him to or not. You both lost so much time with each other that he will do everything he can to make it up. And the same goes for Alice."

A stiff silence comes between us as I notice that he didn't mention himself. Then again, he has his own life problems to attend to in Seattle. My mouth, however, doesn't take the hint and asks anyway, "And you?" I can't look at him for fear that I'll see what I'm sure will match his words.

"I have to go back to Seattle, at least for a short time. But," he squeezes my hands a couple times to make me look at him, "we still have phones. We can call and talk as much as we can, or text if we can't actually talk. Anything you need from me, I'll do everything I can to do it."

Wow. I don't know what to say to that, so I just nod.

Edward's phone rings just as Charlie walks back in from the bathroom, causing me to sigh.

"I'll take this in the kitchen and give you two a moment," he says.

I watch him go and then turn to my dad. He watches me with a look of regret. "I might not be the most affectionate, but can your old man get one more hug?"

A smile tugs at my mouth. "Sure, Dad. I'd like that."

This hug feels good. It makes me feel like the weight of the world isn't there, that my life didn't just implode … that things will be okay. Footsteps interrupt my thoughts and I turn, still embracing my dad.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but that was the Seattle PD. They need me there tomorrow morning, so they can officially start paperwork for investigating and future trials."

I don't know how I didn't notice earlier, but he looks exhausted, much like me. He lost his father, found out some things about him, ran to stay alive, and ended up trying to save us both. The man standing ten feet away from me amazes me. I sigh, realizing he needs me as much as I need him. Edward will have to leave soon and as much as I pray he doesn't let me down, I can't let him down either.

Together, we fought to live. We both made it, but it's not over. Soon, we can fully take back our lives. This is our fight song.

A/N: Epilogue next!