Playlist:
Snow Patrol: Lifeboats
Lenka: Live Like You're Dying

Baby You Can Stop Running
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Thirty One

Bella

I could hear the buzzing of Edward's alarm clock in the deepest depths of the room. It was probably closer than it sounded but I was certain that I had never been so exhausted before in my life. And well, though that was a lie, I just knew how I felt in that moment, and that was as though I hadn't slept in days. It was probably the truth, with everything that had been happening since arriving back from San Francisco, things had been rather tense to say the least and though I would never tell him for fear of alarming him, Edward hadn't been the most peaceful in his sleep as of late. He was often tossing and turning which kept me awake making sure that he was okay.

He had told me a few times before about the nightmares that had haunted him. The frightening image of James' eyes when they locked on his in the execution room, the images of blood that although he hadn't witnessed firsthand, he had seen the pictures during the trials; he had said that they were burned into his memory and he knew that no amount of therapy would ever rid him of it. I couldn't blame him really, I had my fair share of nightmares; images of the past that seemed to sneak up on me when my guards were down.

I pulled the pillow over my head, doing everything I could so silence the sound that was coming from the clock so I could stay in my state of sleep. His sleeping had become one of the reasons why I had spent the past week fighting with him about letting my sleep in my own bed. I felt bad, and I assured him that as much as I loved waking up in his arms, I couldn't stand getting up early; something he always had to do for his job. Eight in the morning was just too early for me, I didn't have any place to be and the warm bed was like a cocoon that I could wrap myself in.

"Bella…" His velvety voice filled my ears and I groaned trying to bury myself deeper into the bed thinking that maybe he would just go away and let me sleep.

"Go away." I grumbled and I could hear his soft laugh.

"Wake up." He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me flush against him before nuzzling his face against my neck.

"Why?"

"Because we have to go to the hospital." He spoke as though it was the most normal thing in the world and maybe it was for him, but I wasn't going to go and sit there while he was off at work, not when I could be sleeping.

"You mean, you have to go to the hospital. I can stay here and sleep."

"So do you. I need to keep my eye on you."

"You're going to have to drag me out of this bed because I'm not going anywhere. It's too early and we went to bed too late."

He pulled the blankets off of me and I rolled over, finally opening my eyes and glaring at him, eliciting a laugh from him. "You really thought I wouldn't?"

"Give those back Edward Cullen!"

"No, you are coming to the hospital with me so I know you are okay."

"I'm in your house… I am fine."

"I have a couch you can sleep on."

"Why can't I just stay here?"

"Because Alice and Jasper are going to Seattle to look for an apartment with Esme and Carlisle is going to be at the hospital too. That means that you'll be all alone here and I can't risk that."

"Then take me home. Emmett will be there." I grumbled angry with his protectiveness and the cold that my body was feeling since he had stolen the blankets.

He was shaking his head no and I had a sudden urge to yell at him, to tell him that I was twenty two years old and could take care of myself. "Why?"

"Because the only way that I know that you are actually safe is if you are with me."

"But you'll be with patients so technically you won't be with me so you wouldn't know that I'm okay." I sighed and reached forward to touch his face. To say the past few weeks had been tough would have been an understatement but I did know that if we could survive this, would could survive anything. I hated seeing the guilt that was plastered on his face, the one that told me that he regretted his decision to be with me but I knew it wasn't because he didn't love me but rather because he was afraid that his past would take my future. He was such a pessimist and I knew that I had to be optimistic, I had to show him that we were going to be okay, that everything was going to work out just fine because they had to, we still had so many more thing to experience together and I wasn't ready for it to be done, for everything to be over.

"But I will know where to find you."

"If I'm at home I'm not going to go anywhere. And I have a phone Edward… And you have the number so you can call me whenever and I'll answer it as long as I'm not sleeping."

"Promise?"

"Have I ever broken a promise to you?" I questioned and he shook his head.

"I promise and if it makes you feel better I'll turn the volume on really loudly so that even if I am asleep, it will most likely wake me up."

"I'd appreciate that." He smiled ruefully before placing a kiss on my forehead and pulling the blankets back over me, allowing me to snuggle back into the bed for just a little while longer while he got ready for work. "I'm going to take a shower… Keep resting then."

"Are you going to need clean clothes? I don't want Charlie to get angry with me for bringing you home wearing mine… Not to mention the fact that when he finds out what is going on he is going to murder me for putting you through this, for putting you at risk." He sighed as he paused by the door.

Even though I couldn't see his eyes from my place on the bed, I knew the look that had more likely than not, taken residence back on his beautiful face. Not even bothering to think, I stood up and walked over to him, keeping my eyes trained on his own.

"How will he know?" I asked, moving closer to him and wrapping my arms around his waist. All I wanted to do was comfort him, to be there for him when I knew he needed me, even though I had no idea what I could do for him.

"The FBI will set up headquarters at the police station."

"But that doesn't mean that they are going to tell him what is going on."

"Full disclosure, they'll use the force for extra help."

"Charlie is going to kill you…"

"I know." He sighed and pulled away, glancing only once over his shoulder before heading to the bathroom, leaving me alone, in the dark, with the thoughts that were now swimming through my mind.

Charlie

"What's going on here?" I asked as I walked into the department. There were five black, unmarked cars in the parking lot.

"Chief Swan." I watched as a familiar tall boy walked closer to me, extending his hand out to meet my own. I nodded and griped his large hand in a firm handshake. "I'm Sam Uley, Assistant Agent In Charge. We are here investigating a case that was brought to our attention."

"Sam Uley… Josh Uley's son?" I mused as he nodded his head.

"I grew up on the reservation, yes."

"So what's going on?"

"Two weeks ago, we were notified about possible mob activity in Forks."

"Mob activity?"

"The Malinovsky family have a vendetta against Edward Masen and have located him here in Forks."

I couldn't place the last name. "Masen?"

"Cullen. He was adopted, he goes by Edward Cullen now."

"He's a surgeon at the hospital here… Saved my life." I commented and watched as Sam merely nodded, his eyes not leaving the file that he held in his hand.

"I see… Anyways, the FBI has been after the Malinovsky's for a long time now… We are hoping that we are going to put an end to this all now."

"If you don't mind me asking… What do they want with Edward?"

Sam tossed the file down on the desk. My desk, which he apparently had taken over. "His mother got involved in some shady politics back when she was a Senator and when she tried to back out, they had to eliminate her. They never found her son and have been looking for him. About four months ago they caught wind that he was in Washington and found him working at the hospital…"

"But what did he have to do with his mother's politics. He was merely a boy."

"It's how they work. They kill anyone even remotely close to the member."

"My daughter… She's dating Edward."

"Isabella?" He asked and I nodded. "Yea, they know about her too…"

Bella

I could hear the cruiser as it pulled into the driveway and I knew that Charlie was home. I also had one of those sneaky suspicions that he wasn't going to be in a good mood. It was barely four in the afternoon and he was already home. He never came home that early and I knew that it could only be because of one thing. Edward's secret was out… My secret was out…

The door slammed with a ferocity that almost scared me, a few of the pictures on the wall rattled and I was surprised that they hadn't fallen and crashed to the floor. Though I didn't want to, I watched as Charlie walked into the room. He hadn't bothered to remove his belt and hang his gun, something he always did before coming into the house, always saying it was for safety precautions. I knew instantly from the expression on his face that he knew, that he had figured it all out, that the one thing I wanted to keep from him was now completely out in the open and I was afraid. I knew what his reaction would be like and I wouldn't be able to bear it.

With everything that he had been through, I wasn't even certain that his heart would have been up for the stress. Sure they had said that the heart attack in the hospital had been due to the stress on his body from the shooting but what if he was just over worked and over stressed? What if this news had the same effect? I didn't want him to worry and I didn't want him to blame Edward. But I knew that if he did know, that that was exactly what was going to happen, he was going to worry and he was going to blame Edward, even though this was all out of his control. How could he help it if some crazy mob was after him because of a decision that his mother had made in her past? How could someone hold that against him? It was bad enough that he held it against himself.

Charlie just stood there looking down at me from my position on the couch, both of us not willing to say the first word. I knew that he only wanted confirmation and I was too busy trying to find a way to calm him when the words were finally uttered. I looked him in the eyes and I saw everything I never wanted to see; the anger, confusion and betrayal that was written across his face and I wanted nothing more than to bury my head in the pillow to escape the questions that he was about to shoot at me. I felt like an innocent victim, accused of murder and about to face the firing squad. I knew in the deepest depths of me, that there would be nothing I could do to convince him that everything was going to be okay, he had seen too much in his lifetime and had been through so much recently that I was certain that he would do anything to keep me away from Edward from this point on. I would have to convince him that I was safer with him than I was away from him. A thought that was more a truth than a lie.

"Bella… Is there something you haven't told me about?" He asked as he hovered above the couch trying to make contact with my eyes.

"No."

"So there is a federal car staked outside the house for no reason at all?" I sat up so I could see out the window and sure enough, a black car was parked across the street. It hadn't been there an hour ago and there wasn't anyone in this town that drove anything that resembled it. So much for being discrete.

"Exactly."

"I'm not an idiot Bella and I know when you are lying." He sighed. "You thought I wouldn't figure it out? You do realize that I'm the police chief here right? You know that they came to the station to set up headquarters."

"I know I should have told you but I didn't want you to worry…"

"I'm going to kill that boy." He bellowed and I jumped onto my feet and made my way around the couch so I was standing in front of him, my hand placed firmly on my hips.

"No dad, you aren't."

"And give me one good reason why I shouldn't?"

"Because he can't control the past! Because this isn't his fault! Because no one could have ever seen this coming!"

"He knew about his past Bella, he told me about his past but I thought he was just muttering some random bull shit. And here it is, it's come to life and they are after not only him but you too! He put you in this position."

"No. He told me about his past before I made the decision to be with him. I've known the consequences all along but I didn't care and I still don't care. I want to be with him and he needs me right now and I need him."

"No. You need to go to Florida and live with Renee for a while." I shook my head and I could see how Charlie was stiffening, how uncomfortable this conversation was making him.

"I'm safer here with him then I am off on my own."

"Bella stop being so naïve! You have no idea what it is you are up against! For Christ sake, stop acting like a child!"

"A CHILD!" I was yelling, ready to put him in his place, unhappy that he couldn't just respect my wishes and what knowledge I knew. I didn't know what the FBI had told him, but I did know that I was better off here than alone. That if I was alone they would continue to seek me out and if this was going to be settled, it had to be settled here, with the two of us together, not apart. "You have no idea what I've been dealing with for the past two weeks! And I didn't tell you because I knew you would react like this!"

"He isn't good enough for you Bella. He's troubled."

"Aren't we all?"

"Not like him! He's putting your life in danger!"

"No. You don't get to chose who I spend my time with. You loved Jacob dad, and look what he did to me! He left me and anything could have happened when I was pregnant and he didn't care! He could have easily gotten in touch with me if he really wanted to, he knew what I was going through but he stayed away. Edward is here for me Dad… He is doing everything he can to make sure that I'm okay and you want me to leave? No. I won't do that."

"You aren't staying here Bella."

"Fine. Then I'll pack my things up and go to the Cullen's."

"Bella, I called your mother… She is expecting you in Jacksonville tomorrow. At least until this all passes… I can't have you here in this town. It's too small and they'll find you."

"What about Edward?" I demanded, angry that he had made this decision without even consulting me first.

"He will be fine."

"How can you be so hypocritical?"

"Because Edward isn't my daughter." I rolled my eyes.

"Well you can tell mom that I'm not going. If Edward is staying so am I."

"Bella, you aren't staying, your brother and I already agreed to this. You will get on that plane tomorrow even if I have to drug you first."

I didn't stay to hear what else he had to say. I was out the door and in my car, Charlie's shouts were a distant sound in the background, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do. But I knew what I wouldn't be doing. I wasn't going to go to Jacksonville. I wasn't going to leave Edward alone. I was going to stay.

A/N:

First off… I apologize for how long this has taken to get out… I've been really busy and this week doesn't look much easier… I have to write my personal statement for grad school to get to my English professor who is writing a letter of recommendation for me… I have a creative writing assignment due on Friday… And two papers due on Monday… So it's going to be a bit hectic.

I also apologize for the short length… It's the shortest chapter I've posted in a while, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to write and when I figured it out I was running out of time… I'm not exactly pleased with it… But I think the drama is starting to set in… Charlie knows now, Emmett knows (well, it's implied that Emmett knows) and soon, someone is about to show up… I'd give the story about five to seven chapters before it's finished. Then it's off to the sequel which is already in the works…

Sooo… One more question: with the busyness of my week I offer you two options: shorter, more frequent chapter or longer, less frequent chapters… the choice is yours!

Another note: I'm writing another story… I've got about one chapter on my processor and it's based on the one-shot "Dimes" that I posted earlier in the week. It's going to go through the whole story instead of just the few shots that I gave in the short story. I plan to post it this week… It's going to be called "You Found Me" so please keep a look out for that! It's going to be different than this story, much less dramatic in the sense of a big bad… More fluffy… And I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE you if you checked it out!

As always, review and I'll send you a preview of the next chapter!!!

And a great big thanks to everyone who is reviewing, and those who continue to add this story to your alerts/favorites! I love you all! You inspire me to continue writing this! I hope you are all excited about where this is going… And about the upcoming sequel (which will be called Thinking Of You).