Thank you! The feedback on the last chapter was great! I ADORE reading all your thoughts and theories! So, we're almost there…I hope you all enjoy!

As always, big hugs to my pre-reader SparklyMeg and my beta's Marly 580 and Mauigirl60. They help make this fic, and I owe them so much. Any mistakes are mine – I can't help but change things!

Pattinlethr continues to be my rock.

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EPOV

I fling the door open, coming face-to-face with Bella's boss.

He's soaked to the bone, his cell phone in one hand and the other mid-air, as if he was attempting to knock again.

"Edward, you're in. Thank God!"

His tone makes my blood run cold, and I know then that something is wrong.

My legs give way as I crumble to the floor.

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Alec's cell phone drops through his fingers, clattering to the floor as he tries to catch me. His attempts are futile; I fling my hands out in front of me, letting them take the impact of my fall.

I ignore the sharp pain, as my thoughts are focused on something else.

Bella.

I'm too late. Something's already happened to her.

Alec drops to his knees in front of me, chanting my name and trying to get my attention. It doesn't matter. Nothing does now.

My body succumbs to shudders as the chilly air attacks my skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake. I try to sit up, flinching against the cool wall as I lean on it for support.

"Edward?" Alec gently slaps my face a few times. "C'mon, you gotta get inside."

"Wh-what?"

"Inside. You'll freeze to death otherwise." He grabs my arms and supports the majority of my weight as I stand and move into my apartment. He kicks the door closed behind us, leading us toward my living room. When the couch is in sight, I groan and let my body fall onto it.

He sits in the chair opposite me, remaining silent.

"Why are you here?"

He holds up his cell phone. "I tried calling, but your phone just kept ringing. I know it's late, but Bella mentioned you worked at a club so I figured you'd still be up." He looks up at me nervously. "And it's important."

I nod, bracing myself for bad news.

"You did say I could call at any time if I needed."

"Yeah," I clear my throat. "I did. It's about Bella?"

He nods. "Yeah."

Another shudder runs through my body, reminding me that I'm sitting here almost naked. "Um, you mind if I put some clothes on first?"

He shakes his head and chuckles softly. "No. Not at all."

I quickly dry, dressing in the clothes I'd left out before taking a shower. I eye my backpack, wondering if I'll still need it or if it's just a lost cause now.

Deciding that I need to wait and hear why Alec's here, I leave my bag where it is and hurry back to the living room.

Instead of waiting in the seat I left him in, he's pacing in front of my TV, scowling at his phone. As he watches me approach, he stops and takes a seat again.

I painfully swallow the huge lump in my throat. "Is Bella okay?"

Alec rubs his hands on his knees and leans forward. "I think so." He sighs. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" I ask, confused.

He chuckles sadly. "It's been a long day."

"I'll say," I mutter.

I sit in the seat opposite him. "Alec, why are you here?"

"Did you date Lauren for long?" he asks, avoiding my question. I'm not sure if it's on purpose or not, but I answer anyway.

"Yes. We were engaged."

He flinches and nods his head. "You loved her?"

"I thought I did," I say quietly.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

I frown. "Why? What does this have to do with why you're here?"

He looks up at me and I can't help but feel sorry for him. His face is ghostly white, his eyes sunken, and I can tell he hasn't slept in days.

"I just need to understand something. I'll explain everything, I promise."

I nod. "Well, like I said, we were engaged. We hadn't set a date yet—thank God—but we were thinking about it. Anyway, one night I came home from work early and found her in bed with someone else." I shrug. "I threw him out and then threw her out. That's it."

With a frustrated sigh, he rests his head against the back of the chair. I bounce my leg impatiently he continues gazing at the ceiling, but I know I need to give him some time alone with his thoughts.

After a while, I can't take any more. "Alec, c'mon, man! You're killing me!"

He stands slowly and paces the living room.

"Alec?"

"She told me she ended it."

"Ah."

"I mean, not that it matters. When she told me all this, I didn't know who you were, she just said her ex." He looks at me, his eyes pleading. "I never imagined it was you."

"It's okay. So, it matters now?"

"I think so." He sits back down. "I've been thinking a lot since we talked. There were a few things that just didn't add up with her."

"What do you mean?"

He snorts. "Well, I think it's clear that we didn't quite fit together. I always thought it was weird that she was interested in me, you know? But I just left it alone. I figured she'd been burned by someone else and was interested in something more than just having some arm candy."

As I watch the guy, I can't help but feel sorry for him. He clearly was well and truly played by Lauren, and isn't even aware of what a malicious bitch she can be.

"Apparently, I was wrong about her."

I need to get his attention back to the present, and to Bella. "Did something happen after we talked?"

His eyes are glazed over and he continues talking as if I haven't interrupted him. "Things have been a bit weird with us for a few weeks. Pretty much since she dyed her hair, actually…" He just trails off with a blank look, and I know he's lost in his thoughts again.

I stand up, needing to do something before I go crazy. Alec, seemingly unaware of my unease, continues staring off into space.

I glance at my watch, very much aware of the fact that if I want to make the red-eye to LAX, I need to leave soon.

"Alec?"

"Sorry," he mutters. "Okay, what was I saying now?" He looks at his phone, frowning, and then looks up at me. "I think Lauren might be up to something." He pauses. "And I think it might involve Bella."

Although I already know this, my heart plummets.

"Why?"

"Something just didn't sit right after you left my office. I tried calling Lauren at work but she wasn't there, so I called her cell phone, which kept going straight to voicemail. So I went home."

My phone beeps, cutting Alec off, and I rush to check it. It's Emmett, telling me that he left Mike at the police station and he's on his way to Rose's place. His quick "good luck" at the end makes me smile. I quickly send off a reply and turn back to Alec.

"Bella?" he asks.

"No. She's not answering her phone for me."

"Still?"

I chuckle softly. "It doesn't even ring now. I just get her voicemail."

He frowns. "It's not even ringing?"

I shake my head. "No, I really screwed things up with her." I pull out my phone and run my thumb over the screen when her photo pops up. I can't bear the thought of anything happening to her. I can't let it happen.

Before I can speak again, Alec holds his hand up, cutting me off as he brings his phone to his ear.

"Alec, what are you doing?" I whisper. "It's four in the morning."

"She should always have her phone on; it's part of the job. There must be a reason why she's not answering."

"There is. I messed things up and she doesn't want to talk to me."

Part of me wants to roll my eyes at him for being so melodramatic, but deep down, I know he must be acting so uptight for a reason. I still have to get the full story out of him, and who's to say he's not involved in all of this?

"Hold on."

He scrolls, clearly looking for another number, and tries again. "No answer," he mumbles.

He looks up at me. "Angela isn't answering, either."

He seems legitimately concerened. I watch as he scrolls through his phone, trying to call them both a few more times. Any doubts I have about Alec begin to fade as I can see how worried he is about them.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised they're not answering. It's four a.m."

"No, you don't get it. Angela always answers her cell—no matter when, no matter where."

Fear prickles through my veins. "You think something's wrong? Their phones could have just died." My voice rises as panic takes over. I'm grasping at straws here—I've known she's been in trouble since the minute Alec showed up at my door.

He speaks slowly, his eyes focused on his phone. "If it was just Bella, then yes. But Angela knows better. I might need to reach them at any time."

Frustrated, I sit and pull at my hair. In hindsight, everything's so much clearer and I just wish I hadn't been such a hothead and screwed everything up. "Ugh! This is such a mess!"

"We'll sort this out," Alec says, trying to calm me down, but his words fall on deaf ears.

"I wish I had your confidence," I mutter, thinking back to the last time I saw Bella. I'm not even sure I deserve her forgiveness.

"So." I sigh. "What happened when you got home?"

"Right," Alec mumbles. "Well, like I said, something just didn't sit right, so I left the office. I knew I needed to face Lauren, but I just wasn't ready to, so I drove around for a bit. The more I thought about things, the more everything started to piece together, and I realized that Lauren has just been using me." He smiles sadly at me. "I should've known, right?"

"Don't even try to blame yourself, Alec. Lauren is a rule unto herself."

"Anyway, when I got home, she wasn't there."

I frown. "Well, where is she?"

He holds his hands up. "I'm getting there. So, she wasn't there, but she'd clearly left in a bit of a rush. Things were knocked over and she'd left some stuff out—one of them being her laptop."

"And …"

"She left two tabs open. One was for my work emails, and the other was the United Airlines website."

"So she knows where Bella is?"

"Yes."

"When was her flight?" I ask.

"Not sure. The page had timed out."

"Fuck," I mutter. "This isn't good." Now that I know how much of a headcase Lauren is, the need to get to Bella is even greater than before.

"I think she's been planning this for a while. If she can get into my emails, Edward, then she's probably been messing with us for months. Like, when Bella sent me the article that was all messed up? And when she wasn't getting my emails about the office meetings?"

"Shit!"

"Yeah."

Alec's giving me such a sympathetic look that I can't doubt his innocence in all this mess. He's just some bystander who fell for the wrong person. After my discussion with Mike earlier, I think that Alec deserves the same honesty that he's shown me.

"Alec? I um…I think there's something you should know. I mean, if it were me, I'd wanna know."

"About Lauren?" he asks.

"Yeah," I stutter, trying to find the right words. "Um—"

"She was screwing around?"

I glance up at him, shocked. "Um, yeah. How—"

"It makes sense." He smiles sadly and I feel like shit for having to tell him.

"I'm sorry, man. I only found out today. Bella's ex came around and told me he's been involved with her from the start. They planned this whole thing. She was playing you both."

He sighs. "I appreciate your telling me."

I shrug. I'd want to know.

Drained—both from lack of sleep and information overload—I lean back in the seat. Everything is so much clearer now. While we may have assumed Lauren was behind it all, we never imagined she'd go to such lengths. And for what reason? If it's me she wants, why is she focusing on Bella?

Alec stands, interrupting my thoughts. "Well, I should go. I only came to tell you about Lauren."

I nod and stand as well. "Thanks, Alec. I really appreciate it."

"So, what are you gonna do?" he asks as we walk to my front door.

"About Lauren? I have no idea." I shake my head. I don't even know where to begin with that. But I imagine the police will be on my doorstep when we get home from LA. "Right now, I have a flight to catch." I leave him in the hallway, rushing back to my room to pick up my bag.

As I return, Alec glances at my bag and then back to me. "You're going to L.A? Now?"

"Yeah," I say, as I pack the last few things. "I have a flight to catch."

"Need a lift?"

"That would be great. Thank you," I say honestly. Finding a cab at this time would be a nightmare and I think I've called in all my favors to Emmett.

I double-check the apartment and lock up while Alec waits in the car.

He smiles as I get in. "What are you gonna tell Bella?"

I snort; I've been wondering the same thing. "I have no idea."

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I usually hate flying. Thankfully, first class and the early flight mean I'll get at least a few hours' sleep. It's still not enough and I wake, groggy and grumpy, as the sun breaks through the window.

I stare out at the view of the city as we begin our descent, my thoughts on what the hell I can tell Bella. I have no idea where to even begin, and I just pray she'll let me explain things. I know I'm in for a hell of a fight when I do see her, but it'll be worth it.

My phone chimes as soon as I turn it on. Alec has sent me the details of the villa that Bella and Angela are staying at and, at my request, Lauren's number. With everything that's been happening recently, I just feel having her details would be handy. I quickly read through the text and come across Bella's schedule. She's on her last day here; after some interviews in the morning, she should be free.

I try Bella's number again, hoping to speak to her before I arrive unannounced.

"Damn it!" I grumble as her phone rings but goes to voicemail. Again.

Showing up at her villa isn't going to go down well, and I'd rather both of us are prepared.

Within the hour, I have a car and I'm heading to see Bella. The sights of the city blur together as I drive out to Santa Monica, my thoughts occupied by what I'm going to say to her.

Will she want to speak to me?

Will she throw me back on the first flight back to Seattle?

Nerves get the better of me and I have to pull off the highway to try to get myself together. I take a few sips of water, wishing the tension away. Now is not the time to worry—I'm here; I just have to try my best and hope she talks to me.

I climb back in the car and focus on the drive. Thankfully, Alec's text also gave me basic directions; otherwise, I would have been lost the second I got out of the airport.

Finally, after what feels like the longest journey ever, I pull up outside of what I hope is their villa. I park next to their rental and sit for a few minutes, gathering my thoughts. I haven't seen Bella since the night I yelled at her and told her to leave my apartment. Any greeting I receive is going to be frosty, at best.

Putting my groveling shoes on, I get out of the car and approach their place. Before I can knock on the front door, a disheveled-looking Angela pulls it wide open.

"Edward!" She looks over my shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Bella. Is she in?" I ask hopefully.

"She's not, no."

"Oh. Will she back soon? It's kind of important."

A worried look crosses her face. I know that look. I've seen it on my face and on Alec's over the last few days.

"You better come in."

I follow her inside. She continues down a hallway until we step out onto a patio, leading onto the beach. She takes a seat and gestures for me to do the same.

I wring my hands together. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know where Bella is."

Tears fill her eyes, and she closes them tightly to prevent them from spilling over. I slide closer to her and tentatively put a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll figure it out. Tell me what happened."

She takes a shuddering breath and nods. "Okay. Well, we finished our round of interviews this morning and came straight home. Our flight isn't until later tonight, so we were going to spend a few hours on the beach before we had to leave." She smiles softly. "I never knew Bella loved the beach so much."

I mirror her smile. I never knew that, either.

"Anyway, I ran out to get some supplies and Bella said she'd meet me on the beach. But when I came back, all her stuff was gone and I found this note."

Angela,

Tell everyone I'm sorry.

Bella. Xo

With the note still held tightly in my hands, I stand and begin pacing around the room.

"When did you find this?"

The tears are falling freely now and she sniffles, trying to get her crying under control. "Just now."

I read the note again. And again.

There's no way Bella would do this—it has Lauren written all over it.

Dread settles in my stomach like a dead weight as I begin to realize just how much trouble Bella is in. Lauren is crazier than any of us thought, and Bella is now at her mercy.

My hands shake and my legs begin to buckle as I sit in the seat behind me. It didn't feel as real before. Lauren was just an ex who had me set in her sights and didn't want to let go. I never thought she would go this far.

I blink back tears as my thoughts take a darker turn.

The thought of never seeing Bella again.

The thought of never seeing her smile, or hearing her laugh again.

I can't allow that to happen.

Taking a deep breath, I stand and try to get a plan together. I know what needs to be done.

Angela begins sobbing quietly next to me, but I can't focus on that. Instead, I pull out my phone and call someone I never thought I'd need to speak to again.

It rings once before she answers.

"Edward? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

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Please don't hate me…Happy Ever After, remember?