I sat in the small, confined, interrogation room within the J Edgar Hoover FBI building in Washington D.C. Trying to keep myself together as I did.
I had already been interrogated by three different men, and made to write out a description of the events that had happened. The entirety of it.
As I finished writing down everything that happened throughout the entirety of our trip, I blinked away tears, trying not to let everything affect me.
But as I stared down at the twenty papers explaining in great detail everything that we experienced while in Brazil, sans the boat, I could feel myself begin to loose my grip on everything that I had been holding back. My walls had begun to crackwithout my realization and I could feel the damn about to break.
"Please make sure to sign the paper at the bottom and date it correctly." The man said.
I nodded before signing at dated everything and began to get up as my Uncle walked into the room. "Logan, you may be excused." I heard my Uncle say as he walked in.
"Sir?" The man asked.
"Go." My uncle said.
The man nodded before he turned and left the room without another word or look to spare my way.
I waited until the door closed before rushed to my uncle and pulling him into a fierce hug without hesitation.
"I thought you were hurt, kid." He whispered as he hugged me back just as fiercely.
I snorted, "No. Bullet grazed my upper arm. It was surperficial. No harm done." I informed him as he lifted my arm to look at the bandage that was wrapped around my upper arm.
"From what I hear Cullen and you managed to neutrilize both men effectively, long enough for help to arrive. Great job, Bells. I'm glad that the training I gave you when you were younger kicked in." He told me, proudly.
I sighed, moving the hair away from my face. " 'Kicked in' is putting it loosely. I thought you said it would get easier." I whispered.
"I said the loss would get easier. Not vengeance, my dear." He replied as he smoothed down my hair.
"That wasn't vengeance, Uncle Aaron. That was justice. For my parents' deaths. Now they can rest in peace. I can be at peace as well." I told him as I looked down at my feet.
He hummed in response, "Can you though? After everything that happened this past week? Between you and Mr. Cullen? Can you be at peace now?" He asked, knowingly..
I frowned, looking away, before taking a deep breath and shaking my head. "Nothing happened between Edw- Mr. Cullen and me. It was a marriage of convenience, and benefit. To help save his friends. The case is closed, that means we're done." I informed him.
"Really? You seemed to be getting along quite well when we spoke the other day." He said, thoughtfully.
I laughed dryly before sighing. "You told me to not do anything stupid. You never said anything about being nice." I reminded him.
He chuckled and shook his head, "It was implied, Bellsy. But it's said and done. So, are you ready to go home?" He asked me.
I nodded. "Can I have a paper first?" I asked him.
He raised a brow before nodding and turned to leave the room for a few moments. When he walked back in, he had a yellow notepad, and handed it to me without hesitation.
I scribbled something down before tearing the paper off the pad, folding it in half before I handed it to him.
"Give this to him." I mumbled before moving to leave.
"I will, the first chance that I get." He promised.
I nodded. "So, what do I do? Can I go back home?" I asked.
Was this it? Would things go back to the way they were?
He stayed quiet for a moment before sighing and moving to sit on the silver metal table, facing me, "All the officers involved in the conspiring were apprehended, and taken into custody. So, yes you can go home. Officer Whitlock will escort you all the way home if you wish. Which I advice you to take, for now. Unfortunately, I can't go see you until I am finished going over all the paperwork. But I will go see you once this is all taken care of." He promised.
I nodded, trying not to cry at his sad expression, as he pulled me gently into a hug.
"Be safe, my little Bella. I promise I will explain everything when I do." He repeated.
I nodded before stepping back and moving towards the door.
A tall, blonde, lean man dressed in a pair of dark jean, a white tshirt, gray hoodie under a black coat was standing next to the elevator door.
"I'll see you soon, Bella." I heard my Uncle call after me.
"I'll be waiting." I replied as I pressed the button.
The blonde man quickly followed me onto the elevator.
"You must be Mr.Whitlock." I mumbled as the elevator began to go down.
He nodded, sighing as he leaned on the back wall of the elevator. "You must be the new Mrs.Cullen. Would you like to get anything to eat before we head to the airport?" He asked me.
I frowned, as I checked my watch for the time. I hadn't eaten since this morning in Albequerque.
"I-I guess, I could eat." I conceded.
"Great. I know this great Chinese place that's located a mile down. It doubles as a steak house." He told me, enthusiastically.
I chuckled at his sudden show of enthusiasm, as he lead me to a black SUV with darkly tinted windows.
He wordlessly opened the door for me, helping climb me in, before closing the door and walking around the front of the car, to get into the driver's side.
Without warning he zoomed down the street, around the corner. He drove for a few minutes before suddenly pulled to a stop in front of a restaurant.
"To go or do you want to eat here?" He asked me as he pulled out a menu from the glove compartment.
I raised a brow at him before taking it. "To go. I think." I replied.
"Alright. What would you like to eat Mrs. Cullen?" he asked me.
I ignored his amusement as he said the name before turning to look at the menu. My eyes scanned the menu for a few seconds before sighing and turning to look at him. "Some chicken teriyaki, egg fried rice, the steak, and an order of egg rolls." I told him.
He nodded, before moving to get out. "I'll be back, I'm going to get the order, and then we'll head the the private airport the director got." He told me.
"Do you need me to go with you?" I asked him.
He smiled and shook his head, "Nah. You look dead on your feet. Get some rest while I get the food…" He said, before hesitating by the doorway of the car. "Oh, before I forget. What type of drink do you want?" He asked me.
I frowned, "Any type of Snapple, or Sprite." I mumbled, as I reached up to rub my eyes.
"Alright. I'll be back with that then." He said as he closed the door and disappeared into the restaurant.
As I watched him walk away my mind went to what happened earlier in New Mexico.
The moment my scream pierced the air, Edward sprung into action, and took Neil down.
The gun Neil was holding slid towards me, and I grabbed it and point it it at the old man, even though my arm had begun to feel like it was on fire.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance." He growled at me.
I aimed the gun at him, "Move again and I'll put a bullet through your fucking skull." I said, straining to see past the searing pain.
He began to laugh as I stared him down, "You won't do shit. You're too much like your father." He sneered.
I raised a brow at him, before moving the gun doen and letting a round go, without hesitation, aiming to his shin.
My ears began to ring as I saw him fall on his ass clutching at his shin in pain. A moment later, I felt a hand wrap around my hand. "Bella, we're safe it's over." Edward told me as he slowly easyed the gun out of my hand and handed it to someone as he pulled me into his arms into a fierce embrace.
I could feel my body begin to shake as he slowly guided me to a seat, and began to work on my arm. I could hardly feel as he applied pressure or wrapped it.
Everything suddenly felt like it was moving to quickly for me to understand. One moment we were hugging, the next we were both escorted out of the airport and driven to another one.
Edward held me the entirety of the flight, promising that it would be alright. I wanted to believe him, but part of me syrugled to believe him.
The moment we landed in D.C, we were separated, and I was escorted into the interrogation room, where I had been interrogated, for hours by different men to check if I changed my story.
"Bella?" I heard Mr. Whitlock ask.
I blinked back, "Hm?" I asked.
"Food. Drinks are here. You ready to head home?" He asked me as he pulled away from the curb.
I yawned and nodded.
The next morning:
Our flight landed sometime after ten o clock in the morning.
The drive from the airport lasted another six hours, and I was dead in my feet by the time we finally drove into the city limits of Clearwilde.
Jasper, as Mr. Whitlock, told me to call him sometime during the flight, told me that he was Edward's brother in law, married to his little sister Alice. And that he was really happy to meet me.
I was feeling extremely awkward until he accidentally touched his eye while having hot sauce on his fingers. Then we laughed at his stupidity and went on our way.
It was well past nine at night when we arrived to my house.
My baby sat in the driveway along with my aunt's truck as Jasper pulled up to the front of the house.
I could only sigh as I heard Jasper turned the engine off.
My Uncle had sent for all of our scattered things so I now had everything I took along with all the other stuff we acquired down the line.
Jasper got out of the car first, and grabbed my bags as I slowly got out and took a deep breath before turning to walk up the driveway, and towards the house that seemed to have grown bigger than it was since I last saw it.
I slowly went up the porch, pulled out the key from the eave and unlocked it.
Jasper went inside to check that everything was clear for me before allowing me inside. He then took my things and placed them in the living room as I stood by the door staring around.
"Bella, are you alright?" He asked me once her turned around.
I frowned, looking down at the two rings on my left hand, unsure of what to answer.
Was I alright?
It took me a moment to allow everything to sink in, before I looked up at him and shook my head at him.
"I don't know." I told him honestly.
He gave me a small smile in understanding, as I looked down to the carpet.
"Do you know when Edward is going to come out to see you?" He finally asked.
I looked up at him surprised, "I don't think he is. We only got married because he need help accessing the tribal leaders. With the case being closed, I don't think I will be seeing him any time soon. The marriage is probably over." I told him honestly, as I walked down the hall and into the kitchen to get myself a drink.
He sighed, "Why do you say that?" He asked.
I walked over to the cupboard, pulling out a wine glass before moving to pull out one of the bottles.
I uncorked it, served myself a helping amount before finally turning to look at him. "Because he made it clear when this entire situation began. He was doing it to save the lives of his friends. They're safe now. Meaning this is probably over to him. But don't worry, I won't fight. He can file for divorce. I promise I'll sign without a fight." I told him.
He sighed, "I hope to God that I am wrong about this. But if I am not, and it turns out to be true. Promise me you'll give him a chance to explain everything to you." He finally said.
I frowned, before taking a large gulp, and turning the glass in my hand before looking back at him, "I'm not following you."
He chuckled, "I know. Alright, so, let me explain." He replied, as I pulled out a drink and slid it to him. "Edward has always been hesitant to go into any type of relationship. He's been hurt too many times so, in order to keep both of you from getting hurt. So, odds are that he's going to do is stay in D.C." He informed me.
I nodded, figuring that that was going to happen. "I figured. Which is why I am going to be the one to proceed with the divorce first. I don't want to… prolong his pain." I mumbled, as I chugged the last of my wine.
He gave me a disappointed look, shaking his head at me, "You two are made for each other. Seriously, both of you are stubborn as fuck, annoying as hell, but all together a great people. Don't let him bullshit his way out of this. You're good for him." He finally said.
I sighed, "Jasper, I've lost a lot of people I cared about in my life, and though I hurt, mourn, and am saddened by those losses, I've lost too much to beg for any type of affection or sentiment from anyone. I can't. I won't make him stay with me if he truly wishes to go." I finally told him.
He nodded, "I see, well, you're in your right to do what you wish." He responded simply.
I nodded, "Take any guest room you want. I'm heading upstairs to sleep. Have a good night." I mumbled as I set the empty glass in the sink.
My mind continued to reel as I went up the stairs. I showered mindlessly, and climbed into bed, falling asleep almost instantly.