Thank you so much to everyone who reads and reviews. You guys are the best! Seriously! I still don't own any Twilight characters. The amazing Stephenie Meyer does. This is just for fun so I don't pull all my hair out waiting for Breaking Dawn.

Chapter 12 – Waiting

EPOV –

Bella's pulse increased and she stiffened slightly in my arms when she heard Carlisle approach and enter the room.

They've found Paul, he thought. Tension seeped through every particle in the room.

Now it was my turn to stiffen. I looked up and met my father's wary stare. I took in a long staggered breath, bent my head down slightly and relayed the news softly into Bella's ear.

Bella sat up-right instantly. Her glassy eyes met mine but they didn't remain still. Her focus bounced back and forth between me, Charlie's still body, and Carlisle so quickly I wasn't sure she was seeing anything at all.

"Where… where is he?" she asked, looking at Carlisle.

"They're keeping him in La Push, Bella."

The room filled with tensioned silence once again. I watched intently as Bella continued her frantic eyeing of her surroundings.

"Billy Black informed me that they are going to keep him there," Carlisle said. I heard the strain in keeping his tone soothing but I wondered if that would escape Bella's notice. "They have detained him."

"Good," Bella snapped, hard and fast. "Who found him, how?"

Jacob.

"Of course," I moaned, and rolled my eyes. I tightened my grip around Bella's waist knowing his name was not going to ease the torment of the situation.

Carlisle voiced his answer this time looking intently at Bella. "Jacob found him." Carlisle too looked for a reaction in Bella that never came. Eventually he continued, "He was in wolf form when it happened and saw everything. Billy told me that Jacob turned around immediately and got lucky when he crossed Paul's scent on his way back to Forks. He followed him, caught him and brought him back."

I kept my eyes on Bella throughout Carlisle's explanation. She didn't display even the slightest change in demeanor. The sound of Jacob's name, that regularly encouraged a response of distraught from Bella, did nothing. Every line in her features remained the same, her pulse, already steady, remained steady and her muscles, tightened in all the wrong places from the stress, didn't move in the least. Odd.

Carlisle took a few steps toward us and lowered his voice as if he were trying to keep the information from the sleeping Charlie. "As you can imagine, this situation must be handled with tender care. We won't know what Charlie saw, or what he remembers of the event until he wakes up. Billy has assured me that Paul will stay put in La Push regardless though. I'm sorry but right now, we just have to wait." The next move depends on what he remembers from the attack.

"How does that have any bearing on what happens to that mutt?" I shot back. My immediate anger caused me to respond aloud to an unspoken statement. Bella turned to me hesitantly and confused.

Think about it Edward, please. Consider the possibility that Charlie won't remember that Paul transformed into a werewolf in front of him. He remains safer not ever knowing about any of our true existences. If that is the case, Paul's punishment cannot be determined by him. If he does remember however, then everything would be handled differently. We won't know until…

"STOP," Bella bellowed, angrily. She looked back and forth between Carlisle's eyes and my own searching for remnants of our silent communication. Her voice turned soft and pleading "I have to hear all of this, please." She looked at me, eyes earnest and worried.

I sighed. "If Charlie remembers what happened, then maybe he should be allowed to take part in the discussions surrounding what happens with Paul. If, however, he doesn't remember the specifics, it would be better that he remains unaware and Paul would have to be dealt with differently."

Comprehension lit her delicate features. I could imagine what she was thinking. She must have been remembering how much safer she used to be before she entered my world. The number of Bella's near death experiences multiplied tenfold when I introduced her to the darkest shadows of our existence. Charlie would inevitably face the same fate. But if the option for him to remain unaware still existed, she would never allow that same danger to near him.

"They'll keep him in La Push?" Bella inquired, angry again.

Carlisle nodded.

Bella pressed back into me, resting fully against my chest and nestling her head under my chin. I felt her warm arms wrap around me then squeeze. "So we wait," she quietly confirmed.

I pressed my lips to her warm hairline.

Oh poor Charlie! Poor Bella!

Stupid mutt.

That werewolf is dead.

"Bella, are you okay with some visitors?" I asked once I heard the babbling of thoughts approaching. "Esme, Alice, and Emmett are here."

Bella nodded quietly and at that moment, they entered Charlie's room. Bella released herself from my grip and quickly crossed the room to their open arms. Esme and Alice embraced her and I could see fresh tears spill from Bella's eyes. Emmett waited his turn but watched Bella as I had. He noticed her grief and couldn't keep the fury from filling the lines of his face. Another surge of anger heaved within me as I watched the ones I loved most wade through the pain.

"Please don't take offense Bella," Alice begged, "but Jasper must keep his distance and Rosalie offered to keep an eye on La Push. But we're here to stay."

Bella shook her head with a look of that's ridiculous in her eyes. "Of course, I understand," She choked out.

Esme and Alice embraced Bella again and held her while she sobbed, more controlled now.

What's the plan? Emmett was looking meaningfully at me. I could see he was tensing, readying his muscles for a fight.

"We're waiting." I kept my voice quiet.

Simultaneously, Emmett's eyes and mouth widened. For what?!

I couldn't believe what I was about to say to him. "Calm down Emmett. I want to hurt him as badly as you do but we have to approach this rationally." It was a bunch of bull but if he knew I had no stock in what I was saying, he'd try to convince me to start the hunt tonight. Try, and probably succeed.

He rolled his eyes exhaustively in response. Can you believe that Billy Black still had the nerve to scowl at us when he saw us here? I swear Edward, this isn't just about the thrill of a fight. I've had enough of these dogs. He started envisioning a very pleasant, well pleasant for us, confrontation with Paul. Emmett always had a very detailed imagination and he was making my prior resolve extremely difficult.

"No. We do this the right way Emmett. And keep fantasies of breaking him to a minimum. This is hard enough without the visual."

Fine! And with a huff we stalked off and sat in the available chair in the far corner of the room.

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