A/N Well, it's Saturday again and the results of the fingerprinting are back! I don't want to take up too much of your time so I won't way much. I do find it necessary to say Thank You to everyone who continues to read my story! I'm so glad you continue to enjoy it because it makes writing it that much more enjoyable for me. You are all amazing! Anyway, here's the chapter! There'll be another A/N at the end for you to read. Thanks again!
Chapter 45 – Results
When Charlie hung up the phone, he immediately turned to go back upstairs. He had been on the phone with Bella for just over five minutes and felt bad that Carlisle had been up there by himself working hard.
On his way up, he couldn't help but feel extremely proud of Bella. She was handling this whole situation so well. After Renee's accident he had noticed that she had become prone to panic attacks. She had done pretty well handling then on her own up to this point, but Esme had mentioned that she had had a pretty severe one yesterday morning; one bad enough for her to have given Bella a two milligram Ativan.
Then last night at the restaurant in Port Angeles when she started to worry about him staying at the house when it was in such disarray, she had another minor attack. He was so impressed with Edward and how quickly and efficiently he handled it. He simply pulled out a tiny pill and whispered something into Bella's ear. As if Bella trusted him with her life, she took the pill and swallowed it without question. After less than five minutes, her breathing had evened out and she was back to normal.
He was really beginning to understand the strong connection between these two young people and it made his heart soar. Bella had definitely found her perfect match in every way and he couldn't have been happier for either of them.
Charlie was a dad, so of course he worried about Bella, but this morning she sounded perfectly normal. Despite everything that had happened, she was back to trying to take care of Charlie however she could. She was such a beautiful person both inside and out and Charlie felt a swell of pride coursing through his veins at how well she was holding herself together.
Just as he reached the top of the stairs, the phone rang again. Figuring it was Bella who had forgotten to ask him something, he hurried back down to answer it. "What'd you forget?" he asked as a way of answering.
"Um… hello? Chief Swan?" the voice on the other line asked.
He immediately recognized the voice of Jacob Black. "Oh, hey Jake. Sorry, I thought you were Bella. What's up?" he asked, hoping that he finally had word about who did this shit to his house.
"Well the results of the prints came back and I wanted to go over them with you. Is it something you want to do over the phone or do you want me to come over there?" he asked sounding a little unsure.
Charlie thought about it for a minute and then cleared his throat. "Jake, tell me this. Was there a match in the system to any foreign prints? That's all I really want to hear right now."
Without hesitation, Jake answered him. "Yes sir. There was a positive match that didn't belong to you, Bella, or Edward." Jake paused, waiting for further instructions from him.
He sighed heavily before deciding what to do. "Alright Jake. I'm here with Dr. Cullen right now working on painting and cleaning. Why don't you head over here and we can all go over the results together." Thinking for a second, he quickly added, "Oh, and Jake? Don't mention the results to anyone else, okay? I'd like a chance to hear them first."
He could hear keys jingling in the background as Jake was getting ready to leave. "You got it, Chief. I'm on my way now." Without another word, he heard the line disconnect so he put the receiver on the hook and headed back upstairs.
The instant he walked in Bella's room, Carlisle noticed something was off with him. "Charlie?" he asked sounding really concerned. "What is it? What's happened?" Again, Charlie thought of how good a friend Carlisle had always been to him and he smiled.
"Everything's okay really. The first call was Bella. She and Edward are picking us up some lunch at the Lodge before they come over. They should be here in about forty-five minutes. The second call was from Jake down at the station. Apparently the results of the fingerprinting came back and there was a match."
He was planning to leave it at that but Carlisle wasn't having it. "Oh no, you've got to give me more information than that." He was clearly agitated, like he couldn't wait to rip the throat out of whoever caused all this destruction.
He couldn't help the smile that crept over his face at Carlisle's reaction. "Carlisle, Jake is on his way over now so he can discuss the results with both of us. I didn't want to hear them over the phone." He paused briefly before adding, "I wouldn't even think of doing this without you. I've been here for me throughout this entire ordeal and I need you there for the rest of it. I just don't know if I could handle it without you."
He had to admit that he was being a little sappy, especially for him, but he couldn't help it. The last two days had been emotionally draining on him and he felt the need to draw strength from his best friend.
Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door and they both headed downstairs. Charlie opened the door to see Jake standing there with a file in his hands looking extremely nervous. He stepped to the side and gestured for Jake to come inside. After closing the door behind him, he suggested that they all have a seat around the kitchen table to go over the results.
"Well, I'd offer you a drink Jake, but I haven't made it to the store since everything happened. Whoever the jerk was that did this," he said gesturing to the mess around him, "took my beer and used the soda to cover every surface of my kitchen. I'm afraid all I've got to offer is tap water." He paused for a second thinking, and then added, "I guess I could always make coffee if you'd like that."
"Nah, I'm good Chief, but thanks. Are you ready to go over the results?"
…..
Every time Edward looked at Bella, his gaze was filled with so much love and adoration. When their eyes would meet, it literally took her breath away every time. He had asked her how he got so lucky, but she knew it was her who should be considered lucky. It didn't matter what kind of crap was going on in her life, he stayed by her side regardless. He was her true love, her best friend, her shoulder to cry on, her strength, and her lover. He was remarkable in every way.
Just before heading upstairs to get dressed, Bella realized that all her new clothes were still tucked away in Edward's car. She asked him to dig through the bags and find her a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as well as a clean pair of panties and bra.
Alice had thrown a fit when Bella had added jeans to the clothes she bought yesterday, but Bella didn't really care. Yes, the clothes Alice had picked out for her were all fashionable and somewhat sexy, but they also weren't very practical. What was she supposed to do, go to the grocery store in a mini-skirt? The thought alone was enough to make her cringe.
She had finally put her foot down and told Alice that she was getting them regardless of what Alice said and ended up with three pair of skinny jeans in various shades of blue.
Edward walked in a few minutes later with her dark blue jeans, a black tee, and a black lace bra and thong. She smiled at his choice of undergarments, knowing that he would come in with something lace.
Once they were dressed and ready to go, they walked out together hand in hand. While Edward locked up the house, she went to wait by his car. He joined her seconds later and kissed her lips sweetly before opening the passenger door and helping her in. Like he always did when they drove together, he leaned across her and buckled her seat belt before kissing down her jawline. "I love you, Beautiful," he whispered sending chills radiating throughout her entire body.
With a huge grin on his face, he sauntered around the car and climbed in. A few minutes later, they were at the Lodge ordering the cheeseburgers and fries for Carlisle and her dad. Bella had just finished placing the order and was about to pay for it when Edward slid his card to the cashier. She tried to protest, but he insisted. "Let me take care of you, Love," he whispered in her ear as he folded her in his strong arms. She relaxed into him as she nodded her head.
Ten minutes later, the food was ready and bagged up for them. Bella carried both drinks while Edward carried out the bad with the to-go boxes of burgers, fries, and pie in them. When they got to his car, he unlocked it and opened the back door. He placed the food on the floorboard and then opened her door for her and helped her in again. This time, instead of kissing down her jaw, he kissed her neck just below her ear and then blow hot ear on the slightly wet skin.
He watched her as the shiver made it's way from her neck down to her toes and smiled again. "I love watching what my touch can do to you, babe. It's so sexy to see you shiver like that," he told her before sucking her earlobe into his mouth and gently grazing it with his teeth.
He must have realized that they needed to hurry if they were going to make it to her house within the hour she promised her dad, because he pulled back and walked around the car to get in.
Five minutes later, he was pulling up in front of Bella's house. The first thing she noticed was the extra car parked in front of her house. Charlie's cruiser was there, of course, as well as Carlisle's black Mercedes, but there was a second Forks Police cruiser out front with the words Crime Scene Technician emblazoned on the side.
She recognized it immediately as the car Jake drove. They had just seen it yesterday when he fingerprinted them both to rule out their prints. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and wanted to beg Edward to take her away from there. She knew he was probably there because he had the results from running the prints but she wasn't sure she was ready to hear what they were just yet.
Edward looked at her and it was like he saw right through her. He must have known immediately by the way her breathing became quick and shallow that she was having a small panic attack. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled a small bottle from his jacket pocket and shook out a tiny white pill before handing it to her. She took it from him and swallowed it, again without question.
They sat in the car for a few more minutes while her breathing evened out. When Edward asked if she was okay, she was able to answer confidently. "As long as I have you by my side I'll always be okay." She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his lips. "I love you," she said with her mouth against his. After another second, she pulled back and he came around to open her door for her.
After helping her out, he grabbed the bad of food from the back seat. As he did that, she leaned in and grabbed the cokes that were in the cardboard cup holder on the floorboard and then straightened up. Edward reached for her free hand with his and they walked linked together to her front door to find out exactly what was going on.
…..
Edward was so proud of Bella for staying so strong through everything that happened. Any other eighteen-year-old girl would be in complete shambles right now if the same thing had happened to them. Granted, she didn't see the full extent of the damage that was done, but still; she had to replace pretty much everything she owned because some asshole felt it was necessary to tear her world apart.
When they pulled up to her house, they immediately noticed that Jake's car was back, parked right where it was when he showed up yesterday. From the corner of his eye, he saw Bella tense up. He turned his head to look at her and their eyes met. He knew by the way her breathing quickened that she was on the verge of another panic attack, so he withdrew the small bottle of pills from his jacket pocket and tapped one out into his palm before offering it to Bella.
Without a word, she took the tiny pill from him and swallowed it. Not caring if the food in the back was getting cold, he sat with Bella in the car until her breathing evened out and he knew the attack had passed.
"Are you okay, Love?" He could see that she was, but it was still nice to hear her confirm it out loud.
There was no uncertainty in her voice when she answered him. "As long as I have you by my side I'll always be okay." She leaned in to him smiling as she kissed his lips. Still pressing against them, she whispered, "I love you."
After kissing affectionately for another few seconds, he felt Bella pull back from him. He immediately felt the loss but didn't want to make her feel bad, so he quickly got out and went around to her side of the car to open the door and help her out. He grabbed the bag of food in one hand while Bella grabbed the drinks then he reached his free hand out to hers. Once joined, they twined their fingers and walked up the front steps.
He felt her take a deep, steadying breath before reaching out for the knob and twisting it. Wanting to offer all the support he possibly could, he squeezed her hand and smiled down on her reassuringly. He watched as she nodded her head ever so slightly and then led him into her house with sure, steady steps. She seemed ready for anything.
When she opened the door, she gestured for him to go first so he stepped inside the threshold and then slid to the side to allow her to enter. Once inside, she called to her dad and waited. A second later, after a few hushed whispers, he called out, "In the kitchen Bells." Edward allowed her to lead him down the short hallway and into the kitchen.
There, they found Charlie and Carlisle sitting at the dining room table with Jake and they all looked more than slightly upset. Bella had brought the drinks over to the table and set them down in front of Charlie so Edward did the same with the food. He was just setting the bag down when something caught his eye.
There, in the center of the table was a file folder that lay closed. Immediately, he knew that in that folder was the name of the person who had desecrated Bella's room as well as the rest of her house. He was suddenly seeing red and wanted nothing more than to find the asshole and knock the shit out of him.
Without thinking of the possible repercussions, he lunged forward and grabbed the folder, shocking everyone in the room. Before he could even tear it open, Carlisle's hand was on his shoulder, restraining him.
"Son, I know you want to tear in to this prick, but there are better ways. At least sit down for a few minutes and listen to everything we know," he practically begged.
He knew his dad was right. He should do anything rash, but he couldn't get past the overwhelming feeling that his whole life was going to change when he found out what was in the folder on the table. He glanced over at Bella and saw the terror in her eyes.
Only then, did he realize that he was the cause for her terror this time. She was afraid of what he might do. He could see it in her eyes and it nearly broke his heart. More than anything, she was afraid for him.
Almost an entire minute had passed while he was looking into Bella's eyes. She was silently pleading for him to listen to what their fathers had to say. He could see there, looking into those two milk-chocolate colored orbs, all the love she had for him. She didn't want him to do anything rash; that much was clear to him.
Slowly, he set the file folder back on the table without opening it. When Bella smiled in appreciation at that simple gesture, he found himself approaching her without even thinking about it. He needed to be close to her – to be holding her tightly – and that's just what he did. In two strides, he was standing in front of her, wrapping her in his arms.
When he felt her tiny hands wrap around his waist and her head lean into his chest, he finally broke down. "I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't mean to overreact and scare you. I just love you so much and want nothing more than to protect you." He slowly pulled back from her and tilted her chin up so their eyes would meet. "Can you ever forgive me, Love?"
When Bella pulled herself back into his chest and whispered, "There's nothing to forgive," he felt tears well up in his eyes. He would never deserve this amazing woman but he would never stop trying.
He wasn't sure how long he stood there holding her to him in front of everybody, bun finally someone in the room cleared his throat. They both turned to see three pair of eyes watching them awkwardly and couldn't help but smile at each other.
Finally, Carlisle spoke to both of them. "I have to warn you both that the information in this file is going to be difficult to hear. We discussed everything in detail before you both got here and decided that this was definitely something you would need to know in order to protect yourselves. Are you ready to hear the truth?"
A/N Alright PLEASE don't hate me! I said the results were in... not that they would be revealed in this chapter! If you want to know what they are and what is so pressing for Carlisle and Charlie to feel the need to discuss it with Edward and Bella, please review and let me know! :) I'd really love to hear what you think! Thanks again everyone!