Seven more regular chapters and an epilogue to go, see you tomorrow with more.
Chapter 8
As I stand and watch Bella with her parents, I can't help feel envious of the love they all share. I can't just see it, but feel it as well.
"I missed you so much," Renee says with a sob.
"I missed you both, too. Can you guys sit down; I need to tell you something?"
Renee and Charlie share a worried look as they move to the sofa.
"There's been a lot going on, and I have sort of been fired and kicked out of my college course, too."
My head snaps up looking at Bella. I knew she had gotten fired, but I didn't know about her being kicked out of college. Then I realize she hasn't even attended a class in the last month.
"Bella?" I say feeling hurt and sad about how much this girl has lost because of me.
"What – why?" Renee says looking between Bella and Charlie.
"Edward is missing," Bella says quickly.
"Honey, I know you care about him, but I think it was clear that he was planning to leave."
"No, you don't understand. He's gone, and Morgan's still here."
Renee looks a little white. "I need to make a call," Renee says standing up grabbing her cell.
"Stop ... wait and listen, she's safe, I have her," Bella says and Renee looks at her in shock. "I had no choice," Bella says with a sob.
Renee sighs and rubs her head. "Tell me you didn't give them money?"
"I'm sorry, I had to; I couldn't find another way."
"Okay, we can fix this. I just need to find where the hell Edward went."
I look to Renee frowning over how much love and care was in her voice when she said my name.
"I think he's been hurt, badly," Bella says looking at me.
"Why do you think that?" Charlie asks.
"Because I can see him. I've been able to see him for over a month. He's actually right here with us, he's standing there," she says pointing at me.
"Not this again," Charlie says rubbing his face.
"It's real this time, you have to believe me."
"We do, honey. I'll give Rose a call," Renee says giving Bella a warm smile
"I swear to you, he is really here, please believe me."
"Come on, let's go and get some rest," Renee says, as she tries to lead Bella to her room.
"I have to get Morgan." The sadness in Bella's voice tugs at my heart.
"Bella," Renee calls out.
When Bella gets to the door she turns to face her parents. "I've never lied to you about anything – why would I lie now?" Bella wipes her tears away and looks back at them. "You said I could ask you for anything, so I'm asking you for three things. First, I ask that you believe me, because I'm telling you the truth. Second, I'm asking that you allow Morgan to stay here where she'll be safe until we find Edward. Last, the third thing I need is for you to help me save Edward and get him reunited with Morgan. We need to find him and make sure he's safe and sound. We need to somehow help him get Morgan into his care."
Bella walks out the door and I move quickly to catch her up.
"Bella?" I say quietly
"It's fine, don't worry. I'm not letting them stop me from finding you."
"That's not what this about," I say making her face me. "You're risking so much, maybe too much – for a prick like me."
Bella shakes her head and starts to walk again. "I need to find you," she whispers out after a few minutes.
I feel my heart thump hard against my chest. Even after everything I've said and done to her she still shows me more compassion and love than I've ever felt before in my life.
"Bella," Morgan says as she runs straight to Bella's open arms.
"Hi, baby, did you have a good day?"
"Yeah, it was so great! I made a picture of Edward today. Do you think he'll like it?" Morgan asks holding up the picture. I smile when I see the picture she drew. It's clearly her and me walking with Bella.
"He'll love this picture, baby," Bella says as she spies my smile. "Okay, baby, we need to talk about something before we go home. My mom and dad are back."
Morgan drops her head looking to the ground. "Does that mean I have to go back home, or to one of those places Edward stayed at when he was younger?" Morgan asks and I'm stunned by the look of fright on Morgan's face.
"No, I will not let them take you away from me, until we find Edward. Even if I have to run with you, I will. I swear to you, I'll be by your side until Edward comes back."
Morgan hugs Bella tightly and then looks her in the eye. "He loves you, too," Morgan says softly.
"Baby, he doesn't love me the way that you do, and that's okay because we'll always be friends," Bella says holding out her pinkie.
"But what if he still wants to leave, I won't see you again?"
"Baby, let's just wait until he comes home. Then whatever he does or wherever he takes you, it'll be because he's doing what's best for you."
Morgan nods at Bella and I can't remain silent. "I'll stay wherever you are, because she means so much to you."
Bella turns her head a little giving me a weak smile before looking back to Morgan. "Come on, baby, time to go home."
We walk into Bella's home to find a tall woman with blond hair standing there.
"Rose?" Bella says and Rose gives her one of these creepy smiles that therapists seem to give.
"Your mom and dad called saying you're having some problems?"
Before Bella can answer, someone knocks on the door, and Bella opens it to find Alice standing there along with Jessica.
"Hi," she says walking in.
"ALICE?" Rose says with a hint of anger.
"Oh shush, Rose. Hey, Morgan, I'm Alice, can you show Jessica here your room for me, please?"
Morgan nods and Jessica takes her hand. We all seem to wait until we hear Morgan's room door close before Alice starts to talk again.
"Look, here's the deal—like it or not—Bella can see Edward, but we have to find him soon. It's been thirty days that he's been out of his body. He's running out of time."
I look to Charlie and Renee who look to be in a bit of shock.
"Edward, maybe you could prove to everyone that you're here?" Alice suggests.
"What do want me do?" I ask harshly, even though only Bella can hear or see me.
"Just a second, Edward, I have an idea. Here, Dad," Bella says giving him a pen and notepad.
"What?" Charlie asks.
"Do something, write something, draw something, anything," Bella says and then looks at me.
I nod and move behind him.
"This is stupid, Bella," Charlie says.
"Will you just do it?" Bella says narrowing her eyes at him from across the room. He sighs, but starts to draw what looks like a cat.
"He's drawing a cat, I think," I say out loud. I start to chuckle because his drawing abilities are rather childish. "I think it might be Top Cat, you know that cartoon cat? Wait you might be too young to remember that."
Bella shakes her head at me and shrugs. "Are you drawing Top cat? Edward tells me it's a cat and it looks cartoonish?" Bella says looking at her dad as his pen stops as he looks up at her.
"How did you know?"
"Edward told me, he's standing behind you." Charlie's head slowly turns and he looks right at me.
"Hi, Chief," I say.
"He says 'Hi Chief.'"
I watch as Charlie swallows and then speaks to me as if he can see me. "What did I say to you when you were done with your time?"
"You told me I only had one life and to sort my shit out. You said to know that my own mistakes are that, mine. You said I should take responsibility for them instead of hiding or being angry at the world, because the truth is the world owes me nothing."
Bella repeats everything I say and Charlie pales a little.
"I need to know everything he remembers, everything."
Renee takes Morgan out to go shopping, so Charlie can do his police work without upsetting Morgan.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Charlie asks looking at Bella.
"Being out on Halloween with Morgan," I say and Bella repeats.
"Okay, what about before that?"
I close my eyes, but things just seem to be a jumble of memories.
"There were some stolen cars a few days before Halloween; did you have anything to do with that?"
I close my eyes and I can see myself in a car driving down the road.
"Yes," I say weakly and Bella looks at me sadly before repeating my answer.
"Who else was there?"
A flash of James, Jacob come to me, but I can't turn in my friends.
"Who was it, Edward, it could be important?" Bella says to me.
As I look at her I see the hurt in her eyes, it's like she knows it's James that I'm protecting. Yet again, I'm brought back to earth with a crash reliving the pain I saw her in when she was younger.
"Okay, let's move on from that, where was he when all this started?"
"The woods, north of town," I say.
"Okay, let's go," Charlie says.
The drive does seem to take us an overly long time, and all three of us head together into the woods.
"I don't know why I didn't think of this," Bella says lowly.
"It's okay, I didn't think of it either."
Bella stands well back as we allow Charlie to do his work.
"There's some blood, but I don't think he's here anymore. If he was here, he would be dead, and according to the small pixie he's still alive. So as I see it, he has to be in the hospital?"
"I have tried that already, Dad. They don't have anyone with his name or anyone listed as John Doe either."
"Well ... I'll try," he says sounding sure.
"Look, baby, I swear to you I will find him. I have a contact who's friends with Edward and James. I'll give him a ring and see what he knows," Charlie says.
"Who?" Bella and I ask together.
"Riley."
As soon as Charlie says the name, my mind takes me back to the bridge. I'm standing there watching as James shoots Riley. I relive being made to help throw his body into the cold water. I fall to my knees as I feel like someone has taken the breath from within me.
"Edward," I can hear Bella cry. "Dad, he can't breathe do something!"
"Edward, don't leave please don't go."
The woods seem to fade and there seems to be a bright light with people in blue moving around me, one of them looks at me and everything turns black. I open my eyes seeing I am alone in the woods and it's now dark out.
"Bella?" I yell looking around not finding her. I run to where we left the car and see it's no longer there. I close my eyes putting my full thoughts on Bella. I hear sobbing and it makes me open my eyes, to find I'm back in Bella's bedroom and she's in bed crying her heart out.
"Bella," I say moving to the bed.
I stop when she looks at me. Before I can open my mouth again she is in my arms hugging me so tightly.
"I thought I lost you," she says between her sobs, "it's been two days." She carries on and I pull back from her, it felt like minutes to me. I look her over seeing she looks tired and ill. My eyes run down her body seeing that she's again in the old worn-out t-shirt. I look at it and I see it has the logo for the school I attended on it. She turns her back on me and there, in plain sight, is my name across her back, MASEN.
"I left this for you?" I say pulling her back to me as I gently touch the t-shirt.
"Yes, you did, to help me sleep after you left."
I sink to the bed. "Little bit," I say sadly. "You're such an amazing person. How I couldn't see it, I'll never know. I love you," I say kissing her head as her mouth drops open. "Come on, you need to sleep," I say pulling her back to lie on the bed.
Just like the other times I've been in bed with her she moves placing her head above my heart. It seems to calm not only her but me. As I lie here with her, I can't help feeling that we fit so well together. I close my eyes drifting off to sleep, but I can stop the dreams of what could've been from filling my mind. Even without them, I know deep in my heart we could have been great.
The next morning I wake before Bella and she's no longer in my arms, but she's facing me. I slowly brush her hair from her face. I can't help but smile even with the aura of sadness that seems to be on her sleeping face, she's still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
"I would give up everything I own or would ever own, except for Morgan, just to have one more chance with you." I move forward slowly and kiss her lips, and just like everything else they just seem to fit just perfectly.
A/N: Well that took some convincing, but at least Charlie believes her now. What do you suppose will happen now?