I feel like the Grandpa in The Princess Bride at the moment.

*Pan to Princess Buttercup about to get eaten by eels…cut to grandpa, looking over his glasses above the book… "She doesn't get eaten by eels. I'm telling you this because you looked a little worried…" *

She doesn't get eaten by eels dearhearts… I'm cliffy cruel… but I am not that cruel… besides… how would there be eels in the Olympic mountains? *winks*

Your reviews spurred me on to stay up way too late past my bedtime so I could finish this. It's still Monday in Hawaii, right? But I was determined to make sure you were all comforted. So amazing to see how much people care about dear Bella and Edward! And Charlie and Jasper! I love you guys….

Without further… completely unedited and written super speedy. Don't mind the errors. MWAH!

Superman- Five for Fighting

~~oo~~

Chapter 65: Everything sir….

EPOV

"Well, Edward. That's certainly a big push towards progression!" Alice said, grinning.

I let out a long breath and felt with its release a greater sense of ease.

Not just because Alice understood what I was going through, but because she validated my relationship with Bella so easily.

"So have you two talked about limits or what you are comfortable doing?" she asked. "It's important in every relationship to set boundaries, not just in your case. But in every relationship. Setting limits and talking is the healthiest thing for couples."

"Bella is nothing if not open," I said, smiling to myself about the night prior.

So easy going, so willing. So…

Bella.

"Bella is a good match for you, I will definitely agree about that," she said quietly, still smiling.

I eyed her for a moment, wondering exactly what they had talked about the day before.

It must have been good. To convince Charlie to let me continue to see her, to prompt Bella to open up like she did in her truck.

"You're going to be okay, Edward."

I looked down at her words, feeling a little embarrassed over them.

I knew that.

I did.

It was difficult some days to believe it.

But since meeting Bella, I knew things would be better.

"Edward, I don't think you really need too much more from me," Alice said when I remained quiet.

That made me look up in surprise, earning a chuckle from her.

"You can of course continue if you like," she amended. "You might even want to come in with Bella once or twice. But really, the two of you are healthy, well balanced young lovers that have so much to explore on your own. Frankly, I think the two of you have it better than most couples that have been together for a decade or more. You just have to trust in one another."

"I think so too," I replied, grinning down at my hands in my lap.

Yes. I was seeing myself in the future with Bella.

maybe not the old people on the porch imagery.

But definitely living together.

College.

And beyond.

"Edward?"

I looked up and laughed.

"Sorry. What did you say?" I asked.

She pretended to scowl at me and wagged her finger at me.

"Listening is very important in a relationship. You can't always get caught up in a moment, no matter how incredible it is," she chided. "I asked you if you felt comfortable coming in as a couple at some point."

"Oh," I said, pausing to think.

Would Bella agree to it?

Would it help?

We seemed pretty open now.

But I knew she still had questions.

"Um," I started. "We could talk about anything?"

She nodded.

"I know she and I have questions," I said. "Like about certain things."

Alice nodded and looked serious for a moment.

"I would be happy to help. Whatever you want to talk about," she said simply.

I let out another relieved breath and couldn't help but smile.

I was all right.

We were all right.

"So, why don't we see how you do for a week or so, and maybe think about checking in before Thanksgiving?" she asked, straightening her skirt to stand.

I stood with her and nodded, hands in my pockets.

A couple of weeks.

That felt great.

"Thanks, Alice," I murmured, not sure how to relay to her just how much I appreciated her help.

With everything.

She smiled and rested her hand up on my shoulder. I was surprised she could reach it so easily, I was so much taller than she was.

"You're a very special and good person, Edward. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently. You have a lot of heart and loyalty. Go out and be proud of that," she said quietly.

"Thanks, I will," I replied and made my way towards the door.

I stopped at the door, one thought still in my head unsettled.

"Um, I know you can't say anything about yesterday," I said, watching her smirk. "But Bella's dad. He isn't going to shoot me tonight, right?"

She laughed and shook her head.

"No, I think if you go in there with your heart showing, and you show him how dedicated you are to making Bella happy, things will be just fine," she replied.

"Okay. I can do that," I replied nervously.

Show him how much I love her.

Without really showing him…

Esme's comments about gentlemanly behavior played in my head over and over as I drove to the bakery, wanting to surprise her.

And maybe eat one of her muffins.

But when I pulled up, her truck was gone.

I looked at my watch. It was just barely one o'clock.

Maybe Jasper let her go early because it was pouring rain?

That would be cool.

I hated thinking about her driving that beast with the rain the way it was.

I pulled out, sending her a text to let her know I had just missed her and wanted to know what time she wanted me there for dinner.

With a little time on my hands and hunger gnawing at my belly, I drove down the burger stand. I had a craving for a milkshake.

And maybe they had muffins.

I ordered to go, eating in my car and listening to some music while I waited for Bella to text me back.

A half an hour passed and still no answer.

Weird.

She always texted back within minutes.

Unless she was in the shower.

I grinned at that visual and sucked a little harder on my strawberry shake.

One day.

We were taking a shower together.

I closed my eyes for a moment to think on that, doing myself no good in working myself up while sitting in the Burger Hut parking lot. I let out a long sigh, knowing that I wouldn't get any relief tonight.

I could behave.

I could!

I opened my eyes and sucked down the last of my shake, dashing for the garbage in the pouring rain before nearly getting wiped out by the tidal wave caused by a passing logging truck.

They drove too fast, even if the road was technically a highway.

I jumped back in my car and texted Bella, thinking she may have missed my text if she had been in the shower.

-Would it be weird if I did a drive by? Miss your face.

I popped the phone in the passenger seat and eased out back towards her house. Chewing on some gum to clear away the shake and fried bear claw I had gotten.

No muffins and Bella's bear claw was so much better.

I drove past her house, frowning when I saw no one was home.

Bella's truck was gone, as was the police cruiser.

Maybe she was grocery shopping.

Damn. I should have texted her and asked her if she needed anything.

I could have done that for her at least.

I turned around and parked across the street and down one house, just so I didn't look too conspicuous if the Chief came home.

I didn't want to look like some creepy stalker that was keeping tabs on where my girlfriend was.

So I texted her again.

Where are you. I feel bad now that you're out in this rain buying groceries or something. Call me?

I settled back into my seat and watched her house, sure she'd be back any minute.

I leaned back, listening to my music while I waited and checking my phone ever couple of minutes.

It was nearly two thirty when the Chief pulled into the drive.

The rain was still falling, but that didn't stop him from eyeballing my car.

From fifty feet away.

He raised an eyebrow and looked back at the house, frowning when he turned back around to look at me again.

And then waved me down like the Chief that he was.

All authority.

Commanding.

Still with a gun on his hip.

Crap.

He was going to call me out on stalking.

I sighed and shut off my car, jumping out of it and jogging to my doom.

"What are you doing here?" he called as I approached.

"Um, I'm coming over for dinner tonight, sir," I said haltingly.

He motioned me to follow him up to the porch and out of the rain while he talked.

"Dinner's usually after sunset, son. And besides, Bella isn't even home," he said, eyeing me sideways.

I could see him stripping down the stalker tendancies layer by layer.

"No sir. I was actually a little worried. I know that sounds a little…"

"Stalkerish?" he said with a twitch of his moustache.

"Um, concerned?" I suggested.

He fiddled with the door until he got it open before checking his watch.

And frowned.

"She had to stop at the market I think," he said, smirking when he turned back to me. "She wanted to make dinner special."

"I texted her, she didn't answer," I replied, dooming myself a little more with the stalker stereotype.

"She probably left it on silent. She forgets to change it most of the time," he rationalized. "Well, come in or stay outside on your stakeout. I have to shower. Covered in mud."

I hadn't noticed until he had said it, he was covered in mud on one side.

The non gun slinging side.

I stepped inside the house, looking around nervously on where to go while he started up the stairs towards his room.

"You can sit in the living room. Turn on the game, would ya? I think it started already," he called as he continued up the stairs.

I swallowed and checked my phone again.

Still nothing, and now I was trapped in the house with the Chief.

Sent to turn on the game.

I had no idea which game he meant.

Was it still baseball season?

Or was he a travelling sports fan. Into whatever sport was in season.

Football?

Or maybe basketball.

I noticed the well worn lazy boy to one side, the one with the remotes and custom cup holder carved out of driftwood.

The Chief throne.

I grabbed the remote and sat a careful distance from the throne.

I wasn't stupid.

The further away I was, the less likely he could throw things at me.

I turned on the TV and thankfully was immediately tuned to football.

I hoped this was the game he meant.

I waited patiently while I listened to the water turn on upstairs.

This wasn't weird.

Was he testing me?

Seeing if I'd go sneaking around to dig around Bella's underwear drawer or something?

Shit, I should pay attention to the game so I can give him a blow by blow.

Good thing my brother played.

I could follow along even if I didn't care for it.

The Chief's phone ringing startled me.

He had one of those old cordless phones cradled on the table in front of his chair.

Did I answer it?

It could be Bella.

But why wouldn't she call me?

I was definitely not answering it.

Nope.

It rang five times and then went silent.

I looked back towards the hallway leading to the stairs, wondering if he had heard it in the shower. The water was still running, so I doubted it.

I returned to the game, tapping my fingers impatiently on the arm of the sofa.

The phone rang again a few minutes later.

I looked down the hall again and contemplated answering it that time.

Something was nagging me.

Enough that the hairs on my neck were itchy.

The phone went silent again.

I pulled up Bella's name on my phone and called it.

I didn't like this feeling.

It was probably that I was in the house alone with her dad.

And his gun.

But it was almost three now.

It didn't take two hours to get groceries, no matter how special it was.

Her phone rang five times as well and went to voicemail.

I listened to her voice, wishing it were real before the beep sounded.

"Bella, Im just calling because I'm at your house and you're not here yet. Call me, okay? I know you're probably shopping or something, but I just have this feeling. Um, call me okay?" I said and glanced back down the hall again quickly.

"And I love you," I whispered and hung up.

I heard the water turn off and the Chief moving around.

The staircase creaked as he made his way down, taking his time before he popped his head in.

"You want a soda or something?" he asked, that moustache twitching again.

"Um, no I'm okay, thanks," I said.

He turned and disappeared into the kitchen, coughing loudly before returning with a beer.

"What's the score?" he asked as he eased himself into his chair, sinking into it deep.

"Um, Stanford just scored, but Oregon's leading by 5," I recapped. "Your phone rang a couple of times before you came down."

He raised an eyebrow and took a quick sip of his beer.

"Did you answer it?" he asked, eyes gleaming.

"No, sir," I replied quickly.

He chuckled and nodded.

"Just messing with you, kid. Of course you didn't," he replied. "Billy was supposed to call about fishing tomorrow. I'll call him back in a bit."

I glanced at my phone and frowned again.

"Bella left the store before one. It's been a while, shouldn't she be home by now?" I asked, cringing at how creepy that sounded.

Charlie looked at the clock on the mantle and leaned forward, reaching for the phone.

"That is a little late, even for her," he murmured and dialled up the phone.

He waited and motioned for me to mute the TV.

I did just as he started talking.

"Bells, Dad calling. I got your boy here. If you want to see him alive when you get home, call me."

My eyes widened at his words.

It sounded a lot like a threat.

He wouldn't hurt me, right?

"Kidding, boy. I can't hurt you," he said and took another sip of his beer. "She'd kill me if I did."

His moustache twitched again as he side eyed me again before waving for the remote.

I gladly gave it up.

The king now had his sceptre.

I never understood the watching sports on the TV for hours while you relaxed in a lazyboy.

Emmett could do it for hours.

My ass just got numb.

But rather than upset Chief Swan, I sat straight and watched while Utah slowly fell behind on their passes.

"So."

I blinked at his voice.

I didn't jump.

"Bella really has her heart set on you," he said, his eyes still on the game.

He waited for me to say something.

Um.

What do you say to that?

To the gun toting father if the girl you love?

"She means a lot to me," I managed.

"The world?" he asked, glancing towards me.

Was that a trick question?

Like to see if I was just playing with him, saying all the things guys say to woo a girl.

"Everything, sir," I said.

"What about college? She won't get this scholarship now, so she'll probably stay here for a year to work," he said, his eyes now on me.

"I won't be far. Seattle is just a few hours away," I said and closed my mouth when he shifted in his chair.

"I know I may have acted irrationally the other night. I should have heard you out. But you need to understand. She's my little girl," he said and looked away briefly. "She'll always be my little girl, regardless of what… you know. Whatever you do."

I swallowed and took a deep breath.

Alice had said I needed to show him my heart.

And my faith in her.

"She's very special to me, Chief Swan. I'd never let anything happen to her. I'd take care of her," I said, feeling my feelings for her support my claims.

"Take care of her?" he asked warily. "Do you mean support her, or please her?"

I could feel myself heating up in embarrassment.

I knew what he meant.

"Everything, sir. I want to give her everything. I won't let anything happen to her that she doesn't want," I explained.

"The things that happened to you," he pressed his moustache twitching again. "Did it affect you like your father said?"

I shook my head adamantly and braced myself.

"A lot of things happened to me, Chief Swan. A lot of bad things. A lot of people telling me that I was wrong. Depraved. Sick. It took your daughter to help me see that I am just like any other guy. Better than them, actually. Because I know what it is to hurt. And I'd never wish that on your daughter."

He nodded and watched me for a while.

When he finally spoke, his voice was a little softer than the bad ass cop.

But only a little.

"I don't want anything weird going on in my house. You keep it clean and civil here," he said and then looked me in the eye intently. "And by that I mean that you respect her. No more late night visits or… well. These walls are thin. And I need my sleep. "

He closed his mouth and then opened it again, as an afterthought.

"And don't let me catch you outside or in a public place or in the car or park or… well. You understand me."

"Yes, sir."

He took away just about every fantasy I had with that last statement.

I could live without sneaking into her window. But there was still the clearing at school.

And the janitors closet.

Maybe under the bleachers when the team played a home game.

Her truck again.

"I mean it," he said, pointing at me with the hand that held the beer.

"I agree," I said, nodding.

He nodded and looked up at the clock again, frowning.

"Now you've made me paranoid," he grumbled and picked up the phone again.

It had only been maybe ten minutes since he had last called.

"Bells, I decided not to shoot Edward. But he's worried now, because you haven't called him. Or me. So unless you want me to press charges on him for breaking and entering through the window, you better call."

He smirked at me and hung up, the phone remaining in his hand.

"You can help me trim that tree tomorrow afternoon," he said as he dialled again.

"Um, yes sir," I replied.

Like I said, I could live without sneaking into her room if it meant he'd allow me to see her at all.

"Whitlock, Chief Swan here," he said into the phone. "Is Bella there?"

I waited while he listened, his eyes creasing and glancing towards the window, where we could see the rain was coming down pretty hard again.

"When did she leave?"

Uncomfortable silence and more moustache twitching.

"Down the old Burnt Road?"

I had no idea where that was.

"No she's not here, that's why I called," he said into the phone, standing suddenly.

I was up with him, following him as he walked with purpose towards the kitchen.

"Give me the address…. No I'm not mad at you for sending her…. No, her boyfriend hasn't been able to and neither have I."

What was happening.

My neck was prickling.

The chief poured the rest of his beer down the drain before grabbing the pad of paper off the refrigerator to scribble down an address.

"No that's a pretty busy logging road. I'm sure if she broke down, she would have called or flagged someone down."

Logging road?

I had almost gotten flattened by a logging truck.

They drove too fast.

What if Bella broke down?

What if they…

"All right. Call the lady who ordered it and see if she got there. Then give the station a call so they can relay your call in to me. Oh wait," he said and he looked at me uncomfortably.

"Actually let me give the phone to Edward. You call him. I won't be in my car."

He handed me the phone.

"Give him your number son, I need to go get changed. You're driving."

I took the phone and waited until he was out of the kitchen before I put the phone to my ear.

"Jasper, it's Edward," I said.

"I am so sorry, Edward!" he said immediately. "I rode my bike today. She was just supposed to deliver it and head home. I'll hate myself if something happened!"

"It'll be all right, Jasper. The Chief and I will go looking for her. She'll be allright."

I hoped.

"I gotta call Alice. Give my your number, man. I'll call you back right after I talk with Miss Denali."

Instantly my blood ran cold.

"Denali?" I hissed. "She delivered to a Miss Denali?"

My blood was raging.

Tanya.

Carlisle.

"She needed a birthday cake for a party," Jasper said, his tone suddenly suspicious. "Why?"

"Nevermind," I muttered. "Call me when you reach her."

If you reach her.

I gave him my number and hung up.

"Chief Swan!" I yelled up the stairs. "We need to leave now! It was a trap!"

The Chief was suddenly barrelling down the stairs, back in his uniform, gun belt in his hand.

"What do you mean a trap?" he said, eyebrows knotted.

"The delivery was to Tanya. She was set up! We gotta go!" I exclaimed, my hand already on the door.

He reached for me and held my shoulder.

"It'll be all right, son. I need you to remain calm. I can't take the cruiser. Not with the beer," he grumbled. "But I'll call in Deputy Stevens and see if she can get a head start for us."

"We gotta hurry," I said in a rush. "I know he's behind it! He'll hurt her!"

"We'll get there, grab your car while I call it in,son."

We bolted out into the rain, the Chief to the cruiser to call back up, me to my car to pull it around for him. As soon as he was in the car, we were off.

I couldn't think about speed limits.

even with the Chief in the car.

But he was sure to remind me.

To ground me.

I just needed to get to Bella. To be sure she was safe.

Away from Carlisle.

And Tanya.

"Slow down, son," he said gently. "We won't do any good in a ditch."

I took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel hard, concentrating on the road ahead.

But in my mind, all I could think about was Bella.

What if?

All my fault.

Fucking Carlisle.

Tanya better not touch her.

"Slow down up here and take a left. That's the logging road. You're doing great, kid."

Windshield wipers on high, the rain pelted down hard. Making it more difficult to see. Forcing me to slow down until I growled at the road.

"They can't get far. His car has a antitheft. The station is trying to track it down. We'll find her, son. Slow down for the curve."

Bella.

What had I done?

I had told the Chief I woud take care of her.

And then my life came into play.

If I ever saw Carlisle or Tanya again…

My breathing was fogging up the windows.

"Calmly, Edward. She needs you calm."

Measured breaths.

Like working through the pain.

Except this pain was real.

I could feel my heart tearing.

I'd kill him.

If he hurt her.

I'd kill him.

"Wait, slow down. I see lights up ahead. Fuck."

My heart sped up when I saw the flashing lights.

No.

Shit. No.

Skid marks.

Debris.

"Slow down and pull off over here, Edward."

I slowed down as fast as the wet road would let me and threw the car in park, out of my door before I had the key fully out of the ignition.

The Chief was right beside me.

Heading towards the police car parked across the road.

Beside a steep embankment that was littered with fallen trees.

"Holy Jesus," the Chief breathed and started down the embankment towards a truck.

A giant red big rig on its side.

I saw then that the trees weren't fallen, they were logs.

Timber that had come off the tipped over trailer.

Scattered everywhere.

And through them.

Through the pile and under the trailer….

Red lights.

A glow like brake lights.

Bella.

"Bella?" I croaked, terrified to know if that was her truck under the mess.

Crushed.

"Bella!" I cried out, sliding down the embankment behind the Chief.

"Edward. Stay back. It's slippery and loose here! You could shift the logs!" he called back at me, a dozen feet below me and nearing the cab of the truck.

"Bella!" I shouted from where I stood, gripping onto a severed tree.

The Chief and his deputy, a burly woman were closer to the cab, but had stopped when they heard the logs groan.

"Bella!" I shouted again when they shifted, obscuring the red lights.

"Bella!"

"Edward?"

I cried out at the sound of her voice, somewhere closer to the Chief.

She was alive!

"Bella!" the Chief called and slid a little closer to the cab of the big truck.

"Dad! I'm here!"

A small hand reached out of the sideways cab and I was sliding down. Logs be damned.

I was never letting Bella go again.

"Bella!" the Chief and I both called as we came within feet of the truck.

If he was mad because I had disobeyed him, he didn't show it. He simply helped me as we both slid towards the windshield of the overturned big rig.

"Dad? Edward?" she called.

"We're right here, Bells. Stay still, we'll get you out!" the Chief called.

The hand disappeared and I felt a moments panic.

"Bella!"

"I'm okay!" she called and relief spread through me.

Okay, but in an overturned truck.

Where was her truck? How did she get out from under the logs?

"The driver is hurt! I can't move him," she called.

"All right, we'll get him out, Bells. Are you okay?" the Chief called.

As we wiped away at the windshield, I caught sight of her face through the mud.

Dirty, a little bloody by her forehead.

But suddenly smiling as she caught sight of me.

"Edward."

"I'm here," I said, perhaps not loud enough for her to here. "We'll get you out, Bella."

The chief and I worked to peel back the windshield, with the help of the crowbar that Deputy Stevens had grabbed. It took a little work, we had to be careful so as not to shift too much. We had no idea how stable the ground was.

"Bella?" Deputy Stevens called as we worked. "What do the injuries look like for the driver?"

Bella looked down and I could now see an older man trapped down near the passenger side.

"Broken arm I think. And his leg. He was pinned but we got him loose. I just can't pull him out. He hit his head too I think," she relayed, like a little Chief.

Even in the face of terror, she was so calm.

The windshield gave, allowing us access to her.

"Grab my hand, Bells," the Chief was saying.

She reached out and grabbed, her lithe body coming to us easily.

The sound of the logs creaking made us all freeze.

The trailer was still attached to the rig, and everything could easily continue down the hillside. As soon as the creaking stopped, the Chief was pushing Bella into my arms, his face serious.

"Get her up and out of here," he said, eyes piercing, moustache stock-still. "Take care of my little girl."

I nodded, my own eyes conveying the unspoken pledge to him.

I held her close as we slowly made our way up the slope, my hands holding her gingerly in case she was hurt where I couldn't see.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she murmured and clutched at me.

"I'm never leaving you again," I said, my voice gravelly.

"It was all so fast. And then the driver was screaming…."

We reached the top of the hill and I pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I almost lost you," I whispered. "I can't believe Tanya."

"How do you know about that?" she asked into my shoulder.

"We called Jasper. We were worried," I said into her hair.

It smelled like trees and brakes.

She was alive.

I couldn't resist her anymore.

I gently took her scraped chin in my fingers and tipped her head up to mine, my lips capturing hers a gently as I could, given the maelstrom of feelings coursing through me.

Alive.

Against all odds.

Alive.

In my arms.

Free from all the carnage below.

I held her a little more tightly than I probably should have.

But I was never letting her go again.

Never.

She was in my arms and on my lips and I would never let go.

"You came for me," she said against my lips.

"I couldn't stand it… if you…"

"You saved me," she whimpered into my mouth.

"Bella," I groaned.

I kissed her all over again. Along her cheek, tasting everything, back to her mouth that tasted still like Bella.

I could breathe again with her here.

Safe from harm.

With me.

"How did you get out from under all these logs?" I asked when I pulled away to let her breathe, glancing down at the dim brake lights under the pile.

"I didn't," she said and pulled away enough to look down at the pile.

I looked down at the pile with her, boggled.

We heard a slight creaking and turned to see the cab move.

Chief Swan and Deputy Stevens had the driver on their shoulders, clear of the wreckage finally and on their way up. They cleared the debris as it started to shift again.

"You all right, Bells?" the Chief asked, pulling her into a tight embrace.

I'd only let go of her for him.

"Yeah, Dad. Scraped up, the truck took the brunt of it," she said, her eyes searching for me around his arm.

My hand on instinct reached out for her. Touching her to know she was here.

"It looks like it," he murmured and looked down at the wreck.

"How did you get out Bella?" I asked again, her arms wrapping around me as she stepped away from her father.

He looked at me as if he had been thinking the same thing.

"I crashed about 100 yards down the road, on the other side," she said quietly, her eyes troubled.

I turned back to the pile of timber. I saw the faint glow of taillights flicker.

"That's not your truck?"

She shook her head and looked up at me with unreadable eyes.

"No. It's your father's car."

~~oo~~

AN: Ok Doky. We all know that Bella's all right, right? *doting smile* so many reviews terrified I would hurt her badly. I could never hurt dear sweet Bella….

Dr. Creepy on the other hand… I always loved playing "pile the Lincoln Logs on my brother's Tonkas"!

I posted a teaser of BPOV next chapter on the Bio Project Facebook page and on my FB timeline.

You can find me here:

H t t p s : / / www . Facebook . com / holdme . ransom

Bella POV by Wednesday!

Thanks for all the lovely reviews! You guys are simply the best readers a writer could have!

MWAH!

steph