A/N: Hellllloooo again :D so here is the next chapter...I swear these things are getting longer each time I write them :P Anyway, I hope you like it anyhoo and make sure you review because it makes me feel loved and want to get the next chapter up quicker :)

Oh...and I am looking for an offical Beta if anyone who like to help me with that. Whether you are a Beta or know someone whos a Beta, then let me know. My UNoffical beta takes too long and I would really likem someone else opinion on what I am writing and where I am going with the story..(someone who its my best friend who cba to look over the chapters and takes DAYSSSS to send it back ;)

Disclaimer: As always SM owns Twilight...I own a broken Iphone *sob*

POV - Bella

Chapter 7 - Missing Person

My blood ran cold and it felt as if my heart had stopped beating. It was stupid of me to think that just because I had gotten away from him, it would mean I would never have to hear from him again. I was too naive to think that he would just accept me leaving and taking the kids. He was coming for me, I knew it absolutely.

The phone slipped from my hand, crashing to the floor. Edward was by my side in an instant.

"Edward, take Lizzie."

I thrust Elizabeth at him, who dropped Antony to the floor taking his hand so he could accept her. My knees began to buckle beneath me, unable to hold myself up any longer. I dropped to my knees and braced my hands on the floor. I felt my breakfast bubbling in my stomach.

Edward dropped to his knees besides me, dropping the kids gently on the floor and began to rub my back.

"Breathe, Bella."

I tried to do as he said, but I got no relief from breathing in. My breath soon came out in short pants and I began to hyperventilate.

"Ed. Edward. Can't. Breathe."

"Bella, please just try. Nice deep breaths. You need to calm down."

Trying to do what he said, I grabbed hold of Edward who was still rubbing my back, encouraging me. Relief filled me and I finally got oxygen to my lungs. However, the sudden rush of air caused me to become light headed and dizzy.

"Bella, what happened?"

Edward was holding me to him, my back pressed against his chest, while a crowed circled around us, Anthony and Elizabeth standing just in front of me looking terrified. I flopped back into his arms, too weak to hold myself up any longer.

"Please, what's wrong?"

Edward's breath danced along the skin on my neck, leaving goose bumps in its wake, shivers running through my body. His voice was filled with agony and worry. It broke my heart to hear how much he must have cared.

Maybe he's just worried how this will affect the children.

You're right, they must be so scared! Bella, you need to sort it out. NOW!

Taking a deep breath, I gathered the strength to push away from Edward's arms and pulled myself off of the floor, grabbing my phone. I turned back to see Edward still sat on the floor, legs spread where I once laid, face slightly hurt but worry still present.

"I have to go. I'm sorry."

I turned to the kids and threw Elizabeth onto my hip getting ready to bolt. I looked down at Anthony who had tears in his eyes and a cute pout on his face.

"It was really nice to meet you Anthony; I really hope I see you again."

He raised his arms up to me, signaling a hug, so I bent down with Lizzie balanced on my hip and squeezed his little body to me as his tiny hands fisted my blouse. I kissed his forehead before standing up.

"Take care of your Uncle Eddie, okay?"

I winked at him as he nodded. I glanced back down at Edward who had his arms resting on his legs, looking down at the floor, before taking off out of the school.

I ran across the parking lot, threw open my car door and strapped Elizabeth into her car seat. Peeling out of the car park, I threw open my phone and dialed Jake's number.

"Bells?"

"Jake, did Charlie call you?"

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with him. He was really worried about you Bells, apparently you dropped the phone on him."

I sighed deeply into the phone.

"Yeah Jakey, I know. It was just a bit of a shock, that's all."

It was Jake's turn to sigh deeply.

"Yeah, I know Bella."

"Meet me at the station."

"I'm already on my way."

I shut my phone, throwing it into my purse.

*.*.*.*.*.*

"Dad!"

I walked into Charlie's office with Elizabeth, soon running into the comfort of my father's arms.

"I came as soon as I could."

Charlie's arms tightened around me.

"I was so worried when you wouldn't respond to me on the phone."

"I know dad, I'm sorry. I panicked a little."

"I know sweetheart, so did I."

I pulled away and handed Elizabeth over to Charlie just as Jake and Mason came through the door.

"Hey there little man."

I bent down and held my arms open for Mason who didn't think twice about jumping into my embrace.

"How was your day baby?"

"It was okay." Mason said gently into my shoulder. I scooped him up and sat down on a chair with him in my lap. Jake strolled over, kissing my cheek in greeting before sitting down next to me. Charlie let go of Lizzie who paddled over to Jake, and patted his knee in indication she wanted to sit on his lap. Charlie took his seat behind his desk, fiddled around with some papers before folding his arms and gaining our attention.

There were a few moments of silence, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. Charlie coughed slightly before began talking.

"I received a call a couple of hours ago from Phoenix state police. Apparently someone filed a missed person from James's work. He hasn't been in for the past couple of days. So a work colleague got in touch with some of his family, Victoria and Laurent, who went over to your house to find it empty. After failing to contact him, they filed a missing person complaint. Naturally, they looked into his files and brought up your name, but after they couldn't contact you, they tracked me down. I told them that you had left him and were staying with me. I also asked that that piece of information to be kept in confidence."

My mind was running around at 100mph, trying to process everything Charlie just told me. James was missing…no one could get hold of him…he could be anywhere…he could be closer than we thought!

"I contacted a few friends in the stations all around Washington to keep an eye out, put up missing signs in case anyone sees him, so they will let us know if they see him coming."

He was coming for me.

"He's coming for me."

Charlie and Jake looked over at me, but I couldn't look back at them. I felt too ashamed for putting them in this position. They could be in danger because of me now. James had connections, in high places. There was no chance that we could stay hidden for long. He would find us eventually. He would use my family as bribery and I wouldn't refuse him.

"Bella, everything is going to be alright. We will not let him get to you."

"Yeah, and even if he does, we will spill about everything that's he's done to you. There would be no reason to keep it under wraps any longer."

I snapped my head in Jake's direction, looking him square in the eye.

"No one will believe us. James is well known and respected in high places. If he wants something to disappear, then he can make it happen. He can make anyone he wants disappear. Besides, I already tried telling someone once. A lot of good that did. He claimed I was under the influence of medication and that I was very accident-prone, hence the bruising I showed them. They let him take me home and he 'punished me' for my stupidity. I now have no feeling in my right pinky finger where he was so rough with me."

Charlie stood from chair and rounded the desk before kneeling before me, picking up my right hand and placing kisses on my pinky, even though I couldn't feel it.

"I am so sorry for what you had to go through Bella. If I had known, I would have taken you away in a heartbeat."

"I know dad, it's not your fault and it can't be helped now."

Charlie spent the next hour, trying to gather any information on James he could find, so if the time came, we could have something to blackmail him with, but it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Charlie sighed, dropping his head into his hands.

"Bells just go home. You're tired, the kids are tired and I don't know how long this is going to take. Get some dinner and hit the hay, if I find anything I will call you."

"Are you sure dad?"

"Yeah honey. Just take care of the kids and my future grandchild."

He patted my still fat stomach and kissed my cheek before saying goodbye to the kids.

"I'm going to stay here with Charlie. If there are two of us then there will be a better chance of finding something quicker."

I nodded before giving Jake a hug goodbye.

On the way home I picked up some Chinese from the take away around the corner from the station before making my way back to Charlie's. I pulled into the driveway, quickly grabbed the kids and food and climbed the stairs onto the porch. I took a quick look around, to be on the safe side. I had the key in the door when I felt a hand grip my shoulder.

I screamed out, dropping the food and grabbing Elizabeth and Mason closer. I was suddenly spun around and met with frightened green eyes.

Edward.

I stop screaming and clutched my heart, trying to take keep breaths to slow my now pounding heart.

"Bella, are you alright?"

He still had his hand on my shoulder. I slapped it away.

"Geez Edward! Hasn't anyone told you NOT to sneak up on a pregnant woman?"

"I am so sorry."

"You almost gave me a heart attack."

I took a few moments to catch my breath.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well, after you took off so suddenly at the school, I wanted to come by and see if you were alright. You seemed really shaken up."

"It was nothing really. Something just shocked me, is all."

"Bella, I was there. I watch your face drain of blood. I saw the look of horror cross your face. I watched you fall to the floor and struggle to breathe, so please do not stand there and tell me it was nothing."

He took a step forward so that we were almost nose to nose.

"I don't know what it is about you Bella, but I want to help you and I can only do that if you let me in."

I was trapped in a trance, staring into his dark green eyes. He wanted, no, needed me to trust him. But I didn't want to put him or his family in danger from James. But it was just so hard to refuse him when he was looking at me like that. I would trust him as must as I could without risking his safety.

"Okay Edward, I will let you in."

I opened the door, ushered the kids in, whom I had forgotten all about, while Edward picked up the fallen Chinese that luckily stayed together in the bag. I held the door open for him. He smirked at me before I shut the door behind him. That damn smile that I'm sure would convince me to tell him everything.

I set the kids up with their food in the living room, putting on the Disney channel and went back into the kitchen. Edward was sat in one of the un-matching chairs looking so out of place in Charlie's kitchen. I sorted out my own food before offering some to Edward which he declined. I poured myself a large glass of red wine and sat opposite Edward before tucking into my dinner. We sat in silence for the majority of my dinner, occasionally making small talk. Once I was done I washed up my plate and went to check on the kids who were fast asleep.

"Edward, would you mind giving me a hand with the kids. They're tired through. We can talk then."

Grabbing Elizabeth, while Edward grabbed Mason we made our way up the stairs and into the kid's room. I changed them into their pajamas while Edward washed their faces and together we tucked them in. I was coming out of the bathroom when I heard Edward talking to someone. I popped my head around the corner to see Edward sat on the bed next to the kids, gently smoothing Lizzie's hair from her face.

"I promise that I will look after your momma and make sure that the bad man never hurts her again."

Something in my chest clenched while looking at the gorgeous man act so tenderly around my children.

"She is a very special lady and I am going to need your help in making her feel as special as she is."

I gently wiped the tear that escaped the corner of my eye, struggling to compose myself. I wasn't use to hearing compliments as sweet as that. I leaned on the wall; hand on my heart, praying for the stinging in my eyes to dull down.

"Bella are you okay?"

For the second time tonight, Edward managed to make me jump out of my skin, frightening the life out of me. He soon then noticed the tear track marks on my face and the small blotchy patches littering my face from holding in the tears.

"Bella! What's wrong?"

I was pulled against his strong chest, his arms fitting around me rather nicely. I got so lost in his warm spicy man smell, that I forgot he was waiting for an answer. Should I tell him the truth or lie?

"Bella?"

He pulled me back slightly, looking down into my eyes, waiting for his answer.

"I…I…It's just been a long day."

His eyes turned soft as he smiled gently and stroked my hair. A pang of guilt washed through me for lying to him. It wasn't over anything big, just the thought of lying to him makes me feel bad.

"Come on, let's talk."

He tugged on my hand and pulled me downstairs and into the living room, setting me down on the loveseat, before walking back into the kitchen and handing me a freshly topped up glass of red wine. I thanked him as he sat across from me, resting his elbow on the top of the loveseat and resting his head on his hand, sat there staring at me waiting for me to start.

Taking a large gulp of my wine, I began to tell him about everything that had happened today, starting with the phone call, up until leaving Charlie's office.

"…And then I came home only to having the living daylights scared out of me, by a mad doctor who seems to be stalking me!"

Edward chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"I am really sorry Bella. I never meant to scare you like that. If I had known what was going on, I would have definitely made sure to let you know I was there."

"Don't worry about it Edward. I'm sure that even if you had said my name, it would have still scared me."

He smirked, looking down at the seat and picking at the fabric while I ran my finger along the edge of my wine glass. It was so quiet and peaceful in the house. I rested my head on the back of the chair and closed my eyes, letting the stress of the day drain from my body. I felt Edward pick up my hand closest to him and play gently with my fingers causing a small smile to appear on my face.

Suddenly the phone rang, frightening me, causing me shoot up and drop my glass onto the floor, shattering it.

"Oh crap!"

I sighed heavily, bending down to pick the glass up.

"Edward, can you get the phone for me? It might be Charlie with some news."

He nodded and ran to get the phone, just in time I might add. I carried on picking up the broken glass. I deposited the larger shards into the bin in the kitchen before heading back to pick up the smaller pieces. I carefully scooped them into my hand.

"Shit!"

I dropped the glass I had in my hand and clutched my now bleeding finger. I must have alerted Edward, as he came running back in the room, obviously now off the phone.

"What happened?"

I sighed heavily looking down at my finger.

"I cut my finger on a piece of glass. I think it's still in there."

Edward took my hand in his and gently plucked the small shard from my finger, before bring my finger to his lips and gently sucking on my finger, clearing the blood. The moment my finger met his lips, I died and went to heaven. His lips were so soft and velvety, just as I had imagined.

He pulled my finger from his mouth and placed a soft kiss on my cut. I looked up into his eyes, him looking back at me through his long thick lashes. His hand reached up and caressed my cheek, his thumb rubbing small circles on my cheekbone. I froze in place as he stepped forward, lent down and rested his forehead on mine, his green eyes penetrating into my soul. His smell enveloped my senses making me dizzy.

"Edward." I breathed gently into his slightly parted mouth.

"Bella."

A/N: Hehe! I love the ending...Can't wait to start the next chapter ;)

So let me know what you think and I will get the next one posted ASAP! Oh and don't forget about the Beta thingy...so yeah :D

Lizzie

xxx