Authors note:

Hello!!! I want to apologise for the lateness of this chapter. As I write this I'm lying on a sun lounger in Lagos, Portugal. Due to my busy sun tanning timetable I haven't been able to update until now. I won't update again until I'm back in Ireland as I'm travelling to Fatima and Lisbon next.

I also want to apologise for not replying to any of my reviews. I will reply to each and every one of them when I return to the emerald isle.

I felt so guilty for leaving my story on a cliffie and then going on holiday so I thought this quick update was better then nothing.

I found this chapter hard to write even though this was one of my most clearly imagined chapters of the story. I think its due to some psychological subconscious factor that wont let me write Edward as being distraught and grieving so I don't really think this chapter actually works or is any good but hey I'm sorry to disappoint.

Sorry again, lots of love Áine xxxx

Unofficial Beta Note: Raven-Rach: *rolls eyes* Here she goes again, seriously guys, let's let her know how fantastic she is!! Whooooo Go Áine with your fantastical writing! =]

So, yeah, Áine is off on hollie-days... I'm all on my lonesome waiting anxiously for her return! If you check her profile page it actually states the Country as "Portugal" instead of Ireland!! Hope she's having fun! Enjoy the chapter guys,

Raven out =]

___________________________________________________

Chapter 11

Bella's POV

My heart was racing, pounding. It felt like it was about to explode out of my chest. I dropped my bag on the floor as I raced forward.

I tripped over my own feet. I put my hands out reflexively but I never felt the expected and unfortunately familiar contact with a cold floor.

My arms dangled limply in the air. I lifted my head as I opened my reflexively squeezed shut eyes to see what was keeping me from hitting the floor... Only to be hit by a pair undeniably familiar golden eyes.

I inhaled sharply, gasping because all of a sudden the most beautiful eyes on the planet were gone. In fact I couldn't see anything anymore, everything was blurred. I felt warm salty tears begin to stream down my face.

At long last I was crying. It was a huge relief in a strange way. All my overbearing emotions and agony was finally being released. I was shaking with sobs. Gasping in between whimpers.

Without realising how I got there, I was on my knees. Even for me, Bella Swan, I fell forward gracefully and swiftly, collapsing gently into Edward.

I cried and I cried as I began to soak Edward's clothes. I felt one of his arms wrap round my lower back and the other around my shoulder blades. It hurt a little, not because he was holding me too tight but because whatever was around his wrists was digging into me.

"Shush… Shush… I've got you," he whispered in my ear trying to soothe me. His voice was soft, barely audible.

His scent, his touch, his voice, everything about him enveloped me. I would never let go of him. Not again.

Abruptly Edward stiffened. It was like he was completely frozen. His out of habit breathing even stopped.

His arms broke the lock that was around me and he began to pull away much to my displeasure.

I finally got a good look at his face. His flawless, beautiful alabaster skin was a direct contrast to the panicked bewilderment that now dominated his expression. He looked in shock to something that was behind me, his focus leaving me. A confused burrow developed clearly in his brow as he opened his mouth as if to speak but nothing came out. It was as if someone had punched him in the stomach, stunning his breath out of him.

I practically swerved round to see what was behind me. It was Charlie. But why would seeing him cause Edward to react this way?

"Wha… What happened to Alice?…" Edward stammered incredulous. He was still staring at Charlie.

My heart stopped. He had read Charlie's mind. It was obvious. Since he couldn't read mine it was the only explanation as to how he'd know about Alice. His confused yet pained eyes were now back on my tear soaked ones. I whimpered.

"Bella?…" he whispered begging almost. His voice was hollow yet traced with a sense of fear as if he already knew what my answer could be. He searched for my hands before taking them in his practically frantically.

I pulled my right hand from Edward's cold grip and patted down his askew collar which resulted from our embrace.

"Alice is… dead," I grimly admitted, trying to hold back a sob with little avail.

My eyes stung and my tears flowed freely but we gave each other undivided eye contact.

"How?" was all he could muster up into a question.

"The Volturi... They killed her… Esme said that they believed we're the reason for this happening and that we should have tried to have stopped it. She said they wanted to make an example of her," I explained holding back as many cries as possible. Edward's gaze left my eyes. He was silent, frozen. He stared at the floor. I took a deep breath trying to calm myself but it wavered.

"It's all my fault that this is happening! That you're in here! I should have never-" I began yelling exasperated.

At vampire speed Edward put his hand to my mouth silencing me.

"No… Bella… No," he interrupted, his voice dead yet with a hint of anger though not directed at me. His hand trailed down to the nape of my neck. He pulled me towards him. Moulding our kneeling bodies together. His chin rested on the top of my head.

"If it's anyone's fault its mine. I should have gone to Volterra like Carlisle asked me to. I could have heard something from their minds and stopped this from happening," he said glumly. It was like he was disgusted with himself. His normal self-hatred expanding into something even worse. However he whimpered into my neck as he shifted his weight making me more comfortable. It was a soft, quite cry and due to our proximity is probably the only reason I heard it. But even though it was barely audible no one could possibly question that the sob was drenched in woe. As awful as this sounds I was glad he was letting it out instead of bottling it up.

"I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry…" I murmured quietly as I held on to him as tightly as I could, my hands resting on the small of his back. I could tell that he was holding on to me as hard as he could too. But without hurting me of course.

I didn't know how much time was passing but the tears never stopped. I could really tell that they had been building up the past day or so, my drought was over. I began to feel guilty over ruining Edward's shirt. He was in the same clothes I had seen him before he was arrested. So my tears only really added to their already scruffiness.

Time continued to pass and until someone cleared their throat I forgot I was in a cell, surrounded by police officers. I pulled away slightly from Edward and he didn't seem to mind. I looked around. John and Charlie along with two other armed guards were the only other people in the cell. They were all staring at us and except for Charlie they looked practically wide eyed, angry even. But none of the officers were doing anything about it. I could tell some were unsure of themselves like when they came to arrest him. It was like they were really scared of him.

I stood up though my knees did ache a little, tingling with dreaded pins and needles. I stretched out my hand for Edward. I knew he didn't need any help up, but he accepted the gesture anyway. A minute passed as I took in my surroundings. My tears were beginning to subside though the grief and agony I felt emotionally didn't.

The rectangular room had white concrete block walls with a line of painted gray blocks circling the cell through the middle. Cold, bare and dull was the only way I could describe it. Other than the four security cameras, the room was bare apart from three metal chairs and table in the middle of the room.

"Bella, how did you get in here? They told me I wasn't allowed any visitors or any phone calls," he said distracted, breaking me from my own reverie.

"Having a dad who's a police chief has it benefits," I replied trying to lighten the tense atmosphere. He half smiled in response but the pain in his features was more dominate than anything else.

"I'm serious though, thank you for coming," he thanked me genuinely as he pushed some damp hair behind my ear.

Even though I was with Edward I felt slightly awkward. I didn't know what to say or do. This moment just seemed too surreal. He gestured towards the table and chairs. I nodded and as we made our way over, my hand never leaving his.

However, our grip broke as we sat down. Edward sat in the single chair at the opposite end of the table. I could tell he was used to sitting there. As I sat in one of the two on the other side of the square metal table I could feel the stiffness in my legs ache as I tried to make myself comfortable. Our hands once again joined on top of the bare metal table.

I finally realised what was on Edward's wrists as the familiar noise of metal scraping against metal rang in my ears. It was a pair of broken handcuffs. He must have pulled them apart as his hands were separated.

"I brought some things for you," I told him softly, breaking the brief silence.

"Oh?" he responded sincerely surprised but with no other emotion readable.

"Don't get too excited though. I didn't get to leave my house. I didn't exactly know what I could actually give you and also I don't know how long you're going to be in here for so I thought these might help," I confessed.

I touched my shoulder to pull off my bag but I remembered I dropped it on the way in. I looked behind me. Charlie had it crumpled in his hands.

"Dad, can I have my bag please?" I asked. He nodded positively as he took a step forward. His eyes never leaving Edward. He evenly walked towards me and handed over my bag. He glanced briefly at the empty chair before apprehensively stepping away.

"It's okay Charlie, you can sit down," Edward said calmly. Even though I wasn't a mind reader I could tell Charlie was pondering whether he should sit down or not. Charlie took the seat cautiously as I began to rummage through my bag for Edward's presents. I gently handed them to him.

"I know it's not much but it's the best I could think of without being able to leave my house," I said matter-of-factly.

His thumb graced over the title of one the books and flicked through the pages of the other.

"I'm sorry, I know we don't really have the exact same taste in books but I saw these ones in your room before so I thought-"

"They're perfect Bella," he reassured. "Thank you."

He began to shuffle through the photos I had stuck in between the two books. They were from Edward's birthday party almost a year ago. One of Emmett, Carlisle, Rosalie and another of Jasper and Esme.

He smiled as he looked at the picture I gave him of just me and him. We were both smiling in the picture and they weren't posed smirks either. It was genuine happiness as we were wrapped in each others arms. It was one of the only pictures I liked of myself. Of course, Edward always looked perfect in every shot.

His smile instantly faded as he stared at the final picture. It was of Alice. She was alone. Also not posing but looking beautiful and graceful as she stepped forward while holding a neatly wrapped present in her hand. He sighed.

"Thanks for these too. You have no idea how much I appreciate it," he said trying to hide any pain in his voice with no success like all men try to do. I leaned forward and squeezed one of his hands in mine as I placed the other on his cold cheek trying to somehow comfort him.

I looked to Charlie. He was awkwardly looking away. I could tell he felt like he was intruding.

"So it's really true about Alice?" Edward inquired looking for any sign of hope.

"Yes…," I responded. "But I wish every second that it wasn't."

"Where are Carlisle and Jasper? Are they still in Volterra?" he asked.

"Jasper ran off. Carlisle's been looking for him but he told Esme that he would meet her in New York on Thursday night," I told him. Edward didn't respond but he looked past me and groaned. He pulled his hands from mine and placed them flat on the table in front of him.

The older male officer who said it was okay for me to bring my presents into Edward walked over to us with a pair of handcuffs and keys in his hands.

"That's the third pair in less than 24 hours Cullen," he scolded teasingly as he freed Edward from the broken cuffs that already held his wrists. The officer half smiled as he locked Edward into the new cuffs.

"I'm sorry. I guess I keep forgetting my strength," Edward responded his voice once again dead. The gray haired officer was surprised by Edward's reaction as if he expected Edward to play along. The man glanced at Charlie and I as I walked away, lingering a little longer on my face.

"Who was that?" I asked Edward curiously.

"Frank? He's the only one who's been nice to me in this whole place," he answered grimly.

"Are things really that bad here?" I inquired.

"In a way yes," he replied truthfully. "Because I'm not human I don't receive the same the same basic rights as everyone else. Apparently I don't deserve them. Sometimes I think they don't know what to do with me but apart from those who are afraid of me they absolutely hate me. They think I'm a murderer… A monster. Well, at least they got one thing right-"

I tried to interrupt him but he didn't let me. I frowned.

"Since they know I don't sleep, eat or need the bathroom I haven't been given anything or left this cell once since I got here. Besides a doctor, Frank and a number of other guards no one else has come in here either."

"A doctor? Why?" I asked surprised and somewhat confused.

"Let's just say Carlisle's theory about us going under the microscope if we were found out came true."

"Oh Edward! I'm sorry, If I-"

"It's okay Bella," he interjected. "It wasn't that bad. All they did was take a few samples including my venom. They also tried a physical but that didn't work out so well. There weren't many human experiments- if you will- that would actually work on me"

He sighed as he took a deep unnecessary breath.

"But I chose to be here. I have my plan to try to tell our side of the story so my family can continue to live in peace. Anyway, even with the way I'm being treated Frank is one of the reasons that it's somewhat bearable. Another is having you here with me now," Edward continued.

"Frank has been kind, considerate even. He's the only one who's talked to me like I'm a human and he's the only one who knows about my ability. I read in his mind that I remind him of his young son who became a police officer following in his footsteps but died during a drug raid 6 months ago. I paid him my condolences and that's how he figured out my power. Since he isn't really allowed to interact with me and he's usually guarding outside my cell he has been having private conversations with me through his thoughts. It helps me pass the time and keeps my hopes up. He thinks that turning myself in was the right thing to do and he trusts me. He said he'll help me in anyway he can to prove that my family mean no harm-"

"Hold on a second!" Charlie surprisingly interrupted.

"You can read minds?!" he stated incredulous, meaning it as a question.

Oh God… I told Charlie everything except for that. At least Charlie knows now but could this be the revelation that pushes him over the edge. I can't believe that I forgot to tell him this which is such a huge part of Edward. Then again, the fact that he can't read my mind is probably why I forgot. Edward's attention quickly left me and went to Charlie.

"Yes, Charlie. Remember in the interview with Victoria when she said that some vampires have extra abilities or powers. Well I'm one of them. I can read peoples thoughts, well except for Bella's," he explained.

"So you can hear what I'm thinking right now?" Charlie asked still trying to get his head around Edwards power. "You have always known what I was thinking?"

"Yes…," Edward replied simply yet apprehensively.

"Oh," was all Charlie could reply with. He blushed. Charlie, my father actually blushed. For the first time in almost over two days I practically felt like laughing.

"Don't worry. I know how intrusive my power can be. Believe me it can be more of a burden than anything else. But as with everyone else Charlie I keep what's private, private," Edward reassured.

Charlie began to calm down but this time we all tensed as we heard someone shout from outside the cell.

John left the cell immediately and Charlie even got up to see what was going on. As Charlie left the table Edward squeezed my hands to get my attention.

"I'm sorry about Charlie. It's all my fault this has happened to him," he apologised.

"That what's happened to him?" I asked confused.

"He didn't tell you?" he questioned taken aback slightly. I shook my head. I began to get very worried.

"He's been suspended from his job until further notice," he revealed.

I was shocked but as I was about to respond Edward practically gasped before a serious grimace engulfed his face.

"It's Victoria…," he said with a edge to his voice.