A/N: Here's the next half! Thanks for baring with me.
Chapter 9
"She can't stay here." He stated.
I nodded. "He'll just come back for her."
"And witness protection won't be of any use when it comes to James."
I nodded again, arching my eyebrow and suggested the only logical option I could think of.
"Let's take her back with us."
I looked up at Edward, my eyes pleading. He nodded this time, agreeing. He had never even looked back at me.
"Let's take her back with us."
That was a huge surprise to me. Edward was the type of person to think over every decision, speaking about the pros and cons. He would do it in a split second if he had to, but it was always well thought out and still with great difficulty instead of this... ease.
Japer offered to carry her out but Edward was adamant.
I lead the second search for evidence- both evidence of our involvement and James' whereabouts. The remaining men were searching the forest. Meanwhile, Edward had taken her to the van which held the stretchers.
He rode back with her Carmen and me, and called to order that the quarters upstairs be cleaned and prepared for her before he got home.
I watched as he reverently wiped her face and cleaned her hands. He refused to remove her clothing and cleanse her further, so he left me to do that. When I had put her into a robe, Edward had returned, helping me set her onto the bed, so that her stomach was on the mattress and her head was elevated by the pillow. That was what Carmen had recommended.
When we got her settled, she had begun to speak and to mumble.
Edward's face crumbled when he heard her cry. I had tears in my eyes myself when I saw Edward massage her back and whisper in her ear. She calmed soon, and he continued to rub her back and keep her calm.
When she had gone quiet, Edward stood. Emmett was calling, he had told me, to find out about the mission. After reporting its 'failure', his shoulders had slumped, his brow had furrowed- his entire demeanor had changed.
I followed him down the stairs- he marched down in front of me, the phone at his ear once again; all traces of the softer Edward gone.
Some idiots might have said that it was because of what Edward does. They would say that it was because of his lifestyle. But I'm not one of those idiots; I knew why he changed.
I regretted nothing that brought us any closer to succeeding, but I couldn't help look back.
I thought about all the events that lead up to where we were today- all the trails and failures and sorrows that drove us to become murderers and thieves.
Maybe it was that last day...
I was pulled from my musings by a panting Jasper bursting through the door,
"Alice, call Edward."
He was covered in sweat, and I checked him out while I checked for injury. My husband was safe, and sexy as usual.
Then the staunch white envelope in his hand caught my eye.
My stomach fell, and blood pulsed in my ears as soon as I saw it.
"James,"
Jasper nodded, even though it was a rhetorical question.
"Edward?" I called out, worried and angry, as Jasper left to change his shirt.
I tried not to, but I couldn't help it. I thought about the last time that we received a message from James- a pure white large plain envelope of the same kind. That's when I felt it- the fear running through my spine. I could not allow it to affect me.
Fear wasn't optional when you were in a mob.
Fear was not an option when you were up against James.
"Edward, Bella? I think you should come downstairs. There's something you should see."
This was serious.
Important A/N: Now you should understand a lot better.
I'm asking you to stick with it and to remember my predictions from chapter two. I don't want the BDSM or lemons to be what attracts people to my story so I didn't put it in my summary. I'm as old fashioned as cannon Edward when it comes to my fics, and I put my soul into them. I like to know that it isn't only pulse racing lemons that keep my readers.
But the lemons are coming.
Next chapter we will make certain everyone, including Bella, is ready to get the plot ball rolling. Please review!
I'm going to start a new fic... I'm doing something that has never been done before... prepare to meet Islandward.