A/N: Well here we are. At the last chapter of this little story. Thank you for joining me as we see dumbward evolve into slightlylessdumbward. You guys have been the coolest readers in the history of the world. More news at the end. Oh and I plan to write an epilogue soon.

Thanks to Twike and Profmom for betaing. Thanks to Everwondering for validating me. Thanks to Daisy for being my love.

Characters are not mine.

Good Enough Chapter 15

By the time we got to the hospital, Bella still hadn't regained consciousness. She was bruised up and had an entrance and exit wound from Victoria's bullet, but her vitals were good. She was obviously still in shock, and her body couldn't cope with the combination of emotional and physical torture she'd endured.

I refused to leave her side even for a second. I was fine. The worst I'd received was some of Victoria's nasty slobber and having to smell her rancid breath. I was the reason for this entire mess, and I was the only person to walk out of that house on two legs.

Alice had been drowning in a flurry of activity. She was up against a wall trying to explain the breech on the safe house, account for all the dead bodies, and make sure Bella and I stayed well guarded at the hospital. Now James was sure to be twice as pissed off at me. I'd put him in jail and killed his little witch. I was a dead man walking.

When Alice finally had a spare moment, she came and stood next me as I stroked Bella's hand. "So did you two get a chance to work things out?"

"Yes and no," I answered.

"What does that mean? I was hoping you were together now."

"We talked and everything was pretty much perfect, but it still can't happen." The despair in my voice was enough to make Alice wrap her arms around me.

"Why not, Edward? You obviously love each other."

"Alice, I don't think I'm going to survive this. You know James almost as well as I do. He's not going to stop. If I do testify, he'll get revenge. The best thing for Bella is to get as far away as from me as possible and never look back." I ran my fingers through Bella's hair and tried to memorize every detail of her face. The memory of her would get me through whatever darkness I'd be walking into.

"No…" Alice started to argue, but I interrupted her.

"I've been selfish my entire life. I used my intellect and my family's money to get what I wanted. Being able to read people gives me the power to manipulate them. You warned me over and over that the way I treated women would come back to haunt me, and it has Alice. I decided none of those girls were good enough for me, but I finally figured out that it was me. I wasn't good enough. She made me want to change that. Bella is my life now, but we can't be together." My voice cracked as I said the words.

Alice had tears streaming down her face.

"I don't know. I see what you mean, and a part of me thinks we need to keep her as far away from this mess as possible. The other part of me still thinks you need to let her make that choice."

"But I can't! I know what she'll choose, and I can't live through that again. The things they did to her, Alice. You didn't hear her crying out begging me to save her, and all I could do was stand there and watch. I considered shooting her myself to save her from the torture, but I couldn't even do that. I'm too weak, Alice. I'm too weak to risk putting her through that again. There isn't a choice here." Alice started crying harder and hugged me tightly. She nodded in acceptance of my decision, and we both knew it was the only way.

I continued to watch my angel's face and thanked God for the short time I'd had with her. I noticed Alice and Emmett talking in corner a few minutes later. I could barely make out that Alice was relaying the conversation we'd just had to Emmett. He let out a string of profanities and punched the wall on his way out of the room leaving a hole in the plaster there. Emmett and Alice were losing Bella too. This was going to kill all of us.

Alice informed me that they were sending a doctor in to examine her again. She had some pretty bad bruising on her face where Victoria kicked her, and they wanted to do an x-ray. When Newton walked in the door, I lost it.

"He's not getting anywhere near her," I growled.

"He's just going to check her wounds," Alice said trying to calm me down.

"Get the hell out of here!" I started toward him aggressively.

"I'm just doing my job," he squeaked while backing up nervously.

"You're job is to stay away from her!" I swung a sharp right hook making contact with his nose. I could feel it break under my knuckles. It felt good to hit that imbecile.

Emmett had come back into the room and grabbed me before I could hit him again.

"Get him out of here. The doctor needs a doctor now." Alice glared at me, and one of the other agents lead Dr. Doesn't-Even-Know-How-To-Take-a-Punch out of the room.

"Can you just call my dad?" I suggested while rubbing my aching hand.

"That was not cool," Alice snarled at me.

"No, Edward, that was freakin' awesome!" Emmett chuckled. "Maybe you're not such a pansy after all."

I gave him a death look, and he stopped laughing.

My dad came down and examined Bella. He said she could be released the next day if she woke up by then. That meant she would be going to another safe house – a safe house without me. I had screwed up her life in so many ways. She had been my salvation, and I her damnation.

My dad put a supportive hand on my shoulder, and I tried to borrow some of his strength. My mind was made up. I wouldn't show the same weakness of mind I had earlier. I wouldn't let her get hurt again.

I was exhausted physically and mentally, and eventually I dozed off in a chair next to Bella's bed still refusing to let go of her hand. I hated to waste any of the minutes I had left with her. I'm not sure if it was hours or minutes, but I woke up to Bella squeezing my hand.

"Hey." I sat up quickly.

"Hey," she smiled weakly. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"No, love, I'm fine. Emmett came back and saved us. Victoria's dead, and I imagine Laurent has quite a headache right now." I raised her unbroken hand to my lips and kissed it. "You're pretty banged up, but they said you can leave in the morning. You've been unconscious for a long time."

"I had the most awful dream. I dreamed you were telling Alice that I was just your nurse and then you left me. I was afraid you wouldn't be here when I woke up."

"I'm here, Bella."

"Edward, please don't leave me," she cried. My throat constricted in my chest, and I thought my heart might burst from the pain. She knew. She knew I had to go. I loved her so much that I couldn't stay with her.

"Shhh, don't cry, my love." I wiped the tears off her cheek and felt salty tears start to sting my own eyes. I bent down over her and kissed her cheeks making my way to her mouth. The kiss we shared was soft and gentle but urgent. We both knew this was a goodbye.

"Bella…" I started to tell her why it had to be this way when Alice came bounding into the room.

"Ijustgotthecall! He'sdead!" Alice spewed while bouncing through the doorway.

"Alice, slow down."

"All these years we've been trying to put him out of commission and all it took was one Sureno, a homemade knife, and two minutes to accomplish it!" Alice continued while still bouncing around the room like a kangaroo on crack.

"Alice, stop!" I grabbed her by the shoulders to hold her still. "What are you talking about?"

"James is dead. Somebody killed him in lock up. You're free!"

All the air left my lungs and I couldn't form a coherent thought or sentence.

"Edward!" Bella and Alice said in unison. My mind was spinning. If this were true there would be no need to testify, no need for revenge, and no need to lose the only thing I wanted!

"You and Bella are safe," Alice grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

"We're safe!" I yelled and grabbed Alice in a hug picking her up off the ground. Then I remembered the girl of my dreams lying in the bed and literally dropped Alice on her butt. Unable to wipe the smile off my face, I started kissing her all over. "I love you. I love you so much. I'm never letting you go. I'm going to marry you. I'm going to make babies with you. I'm going to grow old with you. I'm going to do this over and over and over and over," I said between kisses.

Bella just giggled. All of her grogginess and sadness had evaporated with the good news. "I love you too," she said between kisses.

Emmett and Rosalie came rushing into the room as Alice stood up rubbing her sore behind. "I just heard!" Emmett roared grabbing me up into a big hug. I laughed feeling caught up in the moment. He let me go and moved onto Bella who was now attempting to sit up . Rosalie had been standing behind him and reached out to me like she wanted to hug with a nervous smile on her face. I checked her hands for weapons, and when I saw that she was clean, I hugged her. I was more than a little surprised when she squeezed my ass, but I was too happy to care.

Bella and Rosalie cried and hugged awkwardly since Bella's leg was immobile. They were acting pretty girly which caused Emmett and me to look at each other and cringe.

"This is so great," Alice clapped. "Everybody has somebody. Everybody gets to be happy and in love and alive. I wish Jasper were here. This little love fest is making me horny. When I get home I'm going to ride that cowboy like…."

"Alice!" Emmett and I both covered our ears in disgust.

I focused all my attention back on Bella. She was bruised and swollen, but she was still the most beautiful thing in the world to me. I noticed she had some dried blood or dirt or something on her neck. "Here let me help you with something." I grabbed a Kleenex, dipped it in her ice water, and dabbed at the spot. "You've got a little something on your skin." Then I had an idea.

"Okay, everybody out! Bella needs her rest. Alice, go home and find Jasper and have your way with him. Emmett, I'm sure you don't need any direction in that department. I mean it, everybody out!"

I shooed them out the door, turned around, and looked at Bella. "Lay down, I'll be right back." Bella made a pouty face that I wanted to kiss, but I was on a mission.

I ran down the hall as quick as my tired legs would carry me. I found Jake, tapped him on the shoulder, and told him what I needed.

"Sure, sure" he answered me. My eyes nearly popped out of my head, but before I could ask him why he was no longer mute, he walked off to get what I needed.

I'd only been gone a few minutes, when I wheeled the cart back into Bella's room. "What are you doing?" she giggled when she saw me.

I grinned at her hoping I looked more alluring than goofy and answered, "You're filthy, and I'm giving you a sponge bath."

A/N: Waaaa. That was the end. Well for now. But waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I'm going to miss you guys. I love spending this time with you and I love your reviews. And I love you.

Now – click review and tell me you love me too, or my heart will break and I won't be able to write the epilogue.

NEXT – click on my profile and go to my new one shot – Unspoken. Its for the For the Love of Jasper Contest. If you don't love Jazzy that much I have two suggestions.

Erase the picture of Jackson with the ugly hair from your mind and replace it with Taylor Kitsch.

If that still doesn't work for you then just pretend Jasper is Edward in this story and you'll be fine.

Now please please read it and then vote for me to win later. I need to win or I'll die. Right? I love being dramatic.

I'll be posting the epilogue along with a NEW multi chaptered comedy in week or so. Until then…. REVIEW!