Well, here we go, Thursday update and it's a big one, see you tomorrow.

Chapter 9

I pull back to find Bella's eyes are now open and she's looking right at me.

"I just wanted to wake you," I say after clearing my throat.

"We need to step up the pace in finding you. Morgan asked Santa to bring you home for Christmas."

I just smile at her and nod. I wait until she's in the shower before getting up.

The day seems to go with Charlie following all and any leads he gets. Bella and I take to the street again. I think for Bella it was more just the need to do something.

"Hey, bitch," James growls at the same time Bella's being pulled into the alley.

I look in shook as James holds Bella by her throat against the wall. "Your daddy is pissing me off!"

"What did you do to Edward?" Bella gasps out.

"Edward, oh yeah, your lover boy," James says with a sneer. "I told you when you took Mom away that I would take everything you cared about! It was so easy, I didn't even have to try," James says leaning into Bella. "He doesn't even care about you! We always talked about fucking you so hard that you wouldn't be able to move for weeks."

I feel the anger come out of me and I aim to hit him, but my fist just passes through him. I fall to the ground losing my balance as it happens. I watch helplessly as Bella fights him harder and all he does is squeeze her throat harder. I freak as he runs his hand up the inside of her leg.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" I yell jumping up, only this time I make contact and he turns looking at me like he actually heard me.

"What?" he stutters out looking around.

"Stay. Away. From. Her." I say with authority and again his eyes show me that he can hear me.

"I don't know what game you're playing. As I've warned you before, if you tell anyone about me, I'll kill you and little Morgan, too. You got me?" he asks before looking around. He drops Bella in a heap on the ground and runs away.

I move to Bella putting my arms around her. "That's why?" I say feeling a sob work its way out of my body. "That's why you never told me, because he threatened Morgan."

Bella closes her eyes and I know that's exactly why she stayed silent.

"I can't believe I called him a friend. You need to tell your dad."

Bella shakes her head at me. "I think he had something to do with what's happened to you."

"I think you're right, and I know he killed Riley," I say with a sigh.

Bella just looks at me as she covers her neck with her jacket.

"What?" I ask.

"Dad?" she says getting up moving toward Charlie who is now standing there.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," he says and Bella looks at me then to him.

"Dad, what is it?"

"Edward's step-dad, Ed, just identified Edward's body."

"No," Bella says as she starts to sob.

"He's not dead, Dad, Ed's wrong, he has to be wrong. He's probably too drunk to know if it is Edward or not, he most likely doesn't even know what day it is!" Bella yells angrily.

"Baby, he had his wallet on him and his state identification was in there."

Bella shakes her head. "I want to see him, I'll know if it was him or not."

"He was in the water, baby, his body isn't in good shape. I don't want you seeing that."

Water? I close my eyes and remember picking up two wallets that night. I tucked Riley's back in his pocket. I must have mixed them up. I never looked in my wallet after that night.

"Bella, it's Riley that is dead, his wallet must have gotten mixed up with mine," I tell Bella as she sobs.

"Edward said it must be Riley's body. Daddy, please you have to check."

I tell Bella everything I remember and she tells her dad who looks stone-faced.

"Dad," Bella sobs out, "he was scared," Bella says as she looks at her dad pleadingly.

"I know, honey, I just wished he would've come to me."

Bella nods. "Please let me see, to make sure it's not him?"

Charlie sighs. "How about I view the body?"

Bella bobs her head as she walks with him to the car.

The drive to the hospital goes by fast and we enter the building.

"Stay right here, Bella," Charlie says as he walks into the morgue.

"It can't be you," Bella says and I clasp hold of her hand.

"If it is me, I want you to move on. I know that you've done everything you could," I say feeling defeat.

"What? No! It's not you, it can't be you."

I sigh and turn to talk to her, before I can say anything Charlie is there.

"It's not him, baby, and I know where he is."

Both Bella and I turn to face Charlie. "Riley is meant to be in the ICU. I can only assume that if Riley is in the morgue with Edward's name tag then just maybe Edward's upstairs with Riley's name tag."

We all head upstairs and Charlie leads us to the same room Bella hid in when we were here last time. The curtain is pulled back and I look down at my body.

"He was badly beaten, they're stunned that he's still alive, but ..."

"But what?" Bella says and I look at Charlie.

"They think he's virtually brain dead, they want to shut off his life support, and the time frame for contacting his next of kin is almost up."

"You have to get back in your body," Bella says to me. I can see she's barely holding back her tears.

"How?" I ask worried about what's going to happen if I do. Will I really be brain dead?

"I don't know," Bella says softly touching the hand of my body.

She's touching my body and I can feel her, it's like she's touching me.

"I can feel you touching me," I tell her as I close my eyes. "Change what you're doing, touch me in another place."

I gasp as I feel her soft hand touching my face, and I put my hand on my own cheek to show her I can feel her. I move my own hand and I feel her lips on my cheek kissing me. I place my hand over it again and look at her. "You kissed me," I say and she nods.

"Dad, please buy us some time ... please."

I look to Charlie who looks as if he's holding back tears. "Okay, baby, I'll see what I can do."

As the time passes, I try just about everything to get inside my body but nothing works.

"Bella, baby, you should head home. Edward's parents have been found and are coming in. For what I'm about to do, it'll be best if you aren't here for it."

Bella nods and I walk out with her.

"You should stay," she says and I shake my head.

"I'll get you home first."

Bella sighs and starts to walk.

"What do think we're doing wrong?" Bella asks as a car screeches to a stop close to us.

"Bella, run," I shout as James jumps out of the car.

"Really, you chose to run, Bella? That has never saved you before."

I start to try to hit James as he drags Bella into the car, I leap in, too.

"Let her go," I yell as Jacob starts to drive away. James looks at me narrowing his eyes

"How in the fuck are you doing that?" James says as he twists Bella's arm.

"Doing what?" Bella asks.

"Sounding like him," James says as he puts Bella's arm behind her back.

"She's not, asshole, I'm here," I spit in his ear.

"I'm going to hurt you so fucking bad," James hisses in anger. I pull back knowing every time I speak it's making him hurt Bella more.

Jacob stops the car and I see we are back in the woods. James drags Bella out of the car and pushes her to the ground.

"I fucking hate you," Bella says as she stands up fighting them off.

I try hard to help her, but nothing I do stops them or hurts them.

"This ends now," James says bringing out a knife.

I dive for her, but I'm too late and she falls to the ground holding her side.

"You asshole!" I yell throwing a punch at James, only this time I make contact with the side of his face.

As he hits the ground he looks at me. "What?" he says looking right at me.

"James, she's getting away," Jacob yells.

"Leave her, let's get out of here," James says clearly shaken.

As soon as they drive away, I take off to find Bella.

"Oh, Little Bit," I say taking her in my arms. I start to sob seeing the blood come from her.

"Hold on, please, hold on," I sob kissing her. "You're not the one that's supposed to die."

"It's okay, I'd gladly give up my life for you," she gasps out.

I shake my head at her. "No – you're so much better than me, you have more to give. I love you, really love you, please live for me."

I close my eyes praying. Slowly, I can hear talking and my eyes open. I jerk and my body moves, but I feel stiff. My eyes focus and I can see Charlie looking down at me.

"Bella," I try to say, but no sound comes out and I remember I have a tube down my throat. I start to pull on it, knowing I need it out to tell him to save Bella.

"Calm down, son, you'll hurt yourself."

I shake my head grabbing a hold of his arm and looking right at him. Again, I try to say Bella's name hoping he can see the fear in my eyes.

"Hi, Edward," a doctor says and I start pulling at the tube.

"I think he wants you to remove it," Charlie says.

"I will once I know he is stable enough," I shake my head and glare at him.

"Fine," the doctor sighs knowing that either he's going to remove it or I will.

"Breathe out, in three, two, one ..."

I breathe out as he pulls but still it hurts like a bitch.

"James stabbed Bella, she's in the woods," I say in a rasped voice.

"What?" the doctor and Charlie say together.

"She left here about an hour ago, to go home, she's home and fine," Charlie says.

"No! Please, Chief, she's hurt. You need to get to her, now."

Charlie just looks at me strangely.

"Top Cat," I say and he looks flabbergasted, but nods.

I move to get up, but everything spins.

"Where do think you are going?" the doctor asks.

"To get my girl," I rasp out again as everything fades.

I wake to find I'm alone in the room. I slowly get out of bed and walk toward the door, only I bang into it. "Ah, fuck," I say moving back a little.

I rub my head, but it feels like there is a heavy weight on my arm. I look to my arm and see a bag attached to it, so I disconnect it.

"Looks like I'm back," I say to myself and open the door. I actually smile that I'm able to actually open a door the right way again.

"Okay, Bella, where are you?" I start moving down the hallway and when I get to the nurses station, I see the patient board. I easily find Bella's name and head for her room.

I move as fast as I can, but I'm nowhere near as fast as I used to be. When I find the room, I open the door. I let out a sob when I see her connected to all the tubes and wires. I move to her bed and stand by the chair beside it.

"Hey, Little Bit, you need to come home now," I say in her ear. "Please, come back to me," I beg.

I take a deep breath as I brush her hair from her face.

"I'm so sorry for everything I've ever said to you, and for what I allowed them to say to you. I know I have no right to be in your life, but I hope I can earn a place. This time with you has shown me that I have more than Morgan to live for. You have to wake up – I love you."

I kiss her head softly and lay my head beside her body as I sink into the chair. As the hours pass, I just start talking about random shit that has happened to me since I left the children's home. By the time the hall lights brighten to show the new day, I've poured out my whole life story. Not that it's a happy story, but it is the whole story of my life.

A/N: So what did you think of that twist? Just a little different, huh? We told you all along that Edward wasn't dead and a couple of you guessed it right. When Edward put Riley's wallet back in his pocket, he accidentally put his own wallet in Riley's pocket. The story isn't over yet, but what are your thoughts about how things have went so far?