Disclaimer: Stephenie owns the names, I own the plotline.

The third chapter, Bella and Edward get unofficially paired up as partners.

And It Continues

The party was perfect. Thanks to the girls, the boys were saved from Esme's wrath, well atleast for the time being. Due to the party being a late night affair, the next day was given off for resting. At the party, Bella met all the officials at the 12th. Some were happy to meet her while some envied but Bella being Bella was polite and gentle with everyone, even those who jumped on her with personal question. The worst was Tanya, Edward's girlfriend. She was so jealous of Bella's sudden closeness with Edward that she made sure her territory was marked.

"You must be Bella." Tanya regarded her in the most polite way she could.

"I am, and you are?" unable to catch the threat, Bella asked curiously. Before the party Bella was told about everyone along with their features but as far as she could remember there was no mention of a girl with strawberry – blonde hairs.

"I am Tanya." She nothing but gritted her teeth. "Edward's girlfriend." She added with a sickly sweet smile. Bella's smile flattered for a moment before she composed herself. Thankfully Tanya was too busy looking for Edward that she did not see the change in Bella's facial expression.

"Oh! Really? Cauz Edward never mentioned you." She shot back trying to figure out whether she was lying or not.

"He didn't, oh well now I am telling you." Just as Bella was about to say something Edward himself came.

"Eddie!" Tanya squealed loud enough to make Bella's ears bleed.

"Hello Tanya." Edward greeted her politely, unaware of their earlier conversation. Before he could say anything Tanya planted a full kiss on his lips. As the kiss became more passionate Bella left feeling like an intruder with an unknown ache. When Edward pulled back to explain Bella he only found empty air. He knew that Tanya was his girlfriend and it was fair for her to kiss him but he still felt a need to explain it to her.

"Alice, can I talk to you for a second?" Bella asked through gritted teeth. After escaping Edward and Tanya's love feast Bella went in search of Alice for an explanation.

"Sure" Alice said in a scared tone as if already knowing about the mess.

"Why didn't you tell me ab…" Bella never got to finish her sentence as Alice started explaining.

"I know, I know. But it was not our fault, we thought she was not invited but guess we were wrong." Alice lied smoothly. It was her idea not to tell Bella about Tanya. From the first time Bella entered the 12th she could see the invisible attraction between her and Edward. She for bringing out the foreign feeling of jealously in her, Alice purposefully left Tanya out of the guest list.

"Aly?" Bella asked sweetly, so sweetly that Alice suspected some trouble.

"Yeah….." she replied as she tried to figure out what she was gonna say next.

"Why in the hell did you have the need to lie to me?" Bella asked in a sickly sweet voice as her face twisted into a somewhat dangerous smile.

"Lie? Why would I lie to you?" Alice asked nervously. Sometimes not even Rosalie could catch Alice's white lies but knowing her for such small time, Bella did an exceptional job in catching her. If it wasn't for the fact that Alice was guilty, she would've appraised Bella until she was red as tomato.

"Alice" now her voice was taking a dangerous yet warning tone.

"It's nothing Bella, seriously." She tried to shake Bella off her. She was immensely grateful when Carlisle called for everyone's attention for a toast. The rest of the evening was quite uneventful and boring. Bella bailed out a bit early claiming tired. When she went home she quickly changed and removed all the makeup and pins. As she walked out clean and comfy she instantly crashed on her bed and fell into a deep slumber.

Next morning the sound of the phone ringing woke Bella up. Groaning, she picked up the phone without checking the id.

"Yes?" she asked in a croaky voice.

"Is this how you usually answer your phone?" Edward asked jokingly.

"Edward?" Bella asked, getting more awake as the time passed.

"The one and the only." He replied with a chuckle.

"What do you want?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"Ouch, that hurt." Being as melodramatic as he is Bella could almost see him clutching his heart in fake hurt, which was exactly what he was doing at the moment.

"Alright, enough with the dramatics. Now, what do you want?" She asked in a fairly better voice.

"Esme asks if you'll like to spend the day here with us, if you're free."

"Sure, why not. Tell Esme I'll be there in about an hour, if that's alright?"

"Alright with her." He replied in a sing – song voice.

"I swear the more time you spend with Emmett the more you are turning into him." Bella teased him with a chuckle.

"Am not." He defended.

"Are." She argued back in an amused voice.

"Not." He argued in an equally amused voice.

"Are."

"Bye." And with that the line went dead. Bella laughed to herself as she shut the phone. She quickly took a shower and got dressed. While making breakfast she thought of checking her mails. There was only one message since she had checked most of them the other day. She was about to shut it until the senders address caught her eye. She pulled a chair to sit as she opened the mail.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

"But why is she sending it like that?" Rosalie argued. As soon as Bella finished reading the mail she went straight to the Cullen's to inform Carlisle about it. Right now, Rosalie and Bella are having an argument about the style of the mail.

"Because she is being monitored." Bella as it was a matter of fact.

"But why…." Rosalie was cut off by Carlisle stern tone.

"Enough you two. It's been half an hour since you both started arguing."

"But…." Rosalie started to argue but was silenced by Carlisle.

"Not buts'!" he looked sternly at both of them.

"Sorry" they both said in unison.

"Alright, now Bella open the mail." Bella did as instructed. While everyone read the mail, Bella once again went through the story. "There should be some kind of encoding in it." Carlisle mumbled as he finished reading. The word 'encoding' got Bella thinking as she took the laptop and went through the mail once again.

From: Louranda

Subject: Life story of a Dead

Date: 20th December 2009: 5:45

To: Isabella Swan

From: Louranda

Subject: Another part of the story.

Dear Isabella,

This is another chapter of the book. Please do view it and make the necessary changes if needed. I am very grateful of you to accept my request into showing my story the light of the day. Just remember, I see my stories as a person so this story is like someone to me, someone who deserves justice.

Regards,

Louranda

That line that caught her eye was 'like someone to me, someone who deserves justice'.

"This story is really important to her. Here, in this line" she said as she pointed to the line "tells us how much she cares about the victim."

"Hey, this mentions a specific street." Rosalie said as she pointed towards a line in the chapter "Maybe we can get something out of the people living in that area."

"That's a good idea." Carlisle agreed.

"Alright. I'll just get ready." Edward said getting up. Within ten minutes Edward was all showered and dressed to go.

"Can I go with you too?" Bella asked.

"I am sorry Bella, but this is a federal investigation. You can't be involved in it." Carlisle explained with a sad smile.

"What will I have to do to get involved?" she asked turning to him.

"You will have to be a part of the federal body."

"And how can I do that?" she asked curiously.

"Well, you can partner up with an agent." Jasper suggested.

"Partner up?"

"Yeah, be some agent's partner. Like Alice in my partner and Rosalie is Emmett's." he explained.

"Who is Edward's partner?" she asked curiously.

"No one." Edward replied.

"Why?"

"Because I don't like working with a partner." Was his simple reply.

"Well, I can be your partner." Bella said with enthusiasm.

"What part of 'I don't like working with a partner' don't you understand?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"I don't understand any part of it." Bella replied coyly. "So, can I be his partner?" Bella asked, turning to Carlisle with bright, shining eyes.

"Um, I don't know." He replied with hesitation. Bella's face flattered a bit.

"But why?" she wined.

"Because, Tanya has already applied for being his official partner." Alice spoke for the first time since the conversation started.

"I can compete with her." She replied sternly.

"Of course you can, but she has proper FBI training. She'll be their first preference." Jasper stated.

"What are the things that you learn in training?"

"We learn fighting, all in forms." Emmett started.

"I can fight." Bella said in a confident tone.

"Yeah and I can live by one of Alice's shopping sprees." Emmett mumbled.

"Hey!" Alice protested.

"I can take you down." She challenged him.

"You're on." He said in a joking voice.

"Alright, enough of this. No one will fight, are we clear?" Carlisle decided to step in, thinking of Bella's condition after fighting with Emmett.

"But I can!" Bella wined.

"Even if you can fight, you should know how to use a gun." Jasper quipped.

"But Aly doesn't know how to use a gun, then how is she your partner?" Emmett asked.

"Because she is a part of the team while Bella is practically an outsider. She does not work here, she'll only serve as Edward's partner so she should know the basic agent techniques." Jasper explained.

"I know how to shoot." Bella stated.

"You do?" Edward, Jasper and Emmett asked at the same time.

"Yeah, I have done target shooting. I can use almost any gun. In fact, I have a gun at my apartment. And yes, it's legal." She added before anyone could ask.

"You have a gun? Why?" Carlisle asked incredulously.

"For protection. Charlie insists that I have a gun with me."

"Charlie?" Edward asked. Edward felt something wrong when Bella said Charlie. In his mind he was wondering if Charlie was her boyfriend.

"Charlie's my dad." As those words left Bella's mouth, Edward felt an odd wave of relief wash through him.

"And you dad told you to keep a revolver with you?" Emmett asked incredulously.

"He's the Chief of Police." She explained.

"Wow. So you're the daughter of a Chief and our Chief is you godfather." Jasper concluded to which Bella nodded. "This just keeps getting better." He nothing but mumbled the last line to himself.

"What else do you know?" Alice asked.

"I can perform first aid, know the basic and advance self defense, know target shooting, can shoot through any gun at any range, I can speak some foreign languages, have good computer skills and sometimes can access a situation psychologically." She completed.

"This was like hearing an army ranger's resume." Esme said as she entered the room. When Bella came early, she excused herself for making some refreshments.

"Yeah and I am sure as hell Tanya can never match her." Emmett boomed.

"Enough now." Edward said as he turned towards Carlisle "Can we go now?"

"We?" Carlisle questioned in an amused tone with one eyebrow raised.

"Yes we, since she is going to be my partner why not start working with her now." He explained. Mostly Edward was glad that he was being paired with Bella instead of Tanya. In a sense Tanya makes a good girlfriend but being partnered with her is a totally different thing.

"But…" he started but was cut off by Edward.

"I know the rule but it's a holiday so I am not on duty and plus they don't know who I'm going with. What they don't know won't harm them, right?"

"Right, but if you got caught by any chance then it's your responsibility. Are we clear?" Going back to his Chief mode, Carlisle asked in a stern tone.

"Crystal." And with that they left.

"And it continues." Bella murmured as on her way she picked up the sheets of paper on which the address was mentioned. She jumped in the passenger seat with the door held open by Edward with a small thanks. Edward started that car and together they went on their first interrogation as partners. Little did they know that it was just the beginning of something special, something so important that it could turn their life upside down.

I am being upset now. I am updating the story quite frequently but you guys are not reviewing.

Please review and tell how it was or I'll have to take it down from FF.

Bella