Disclaimer/Warning: I am not responsible for any bodily harm that comes from this chapter. I am not responsible for the hotness that is Fightward. I am not responsible for swooning, sniffling, and/or any emotional outburst due to angst.

Oh, and I'm not Stephanie Meyer. I don't own Twilight or any of its characters….but I do own Fightward….BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

CHAPTER – 6 EPOV BPOV I KNOW/ DOWN AND OUT

I Know – Fiona Apple

So be it, I'm your crowbar
If that's what I am so far
Until you get out of this mess

And I will pretend
That I don't know of your sins
Until you are ready to confess
But all the time, all the time
I'll know, I'll know

And you can use my skin
To bury secrets in
And I will settle you down

And at my own suggestion,
I will ask no questions
While I do my thing in the background
But all the time, all the time
I'll know, I'll know

Baby-I can't help you out, while she's still around
So for the time being, I'm being patient
And amidst this bitterness
If you'll consider this-even if it don't make sense
All the time-give it time

And when the crowd becomes your burden
And you've early closed your curtains,
I'll wait by the backstage door
While you try to find the lines to speak your mind
And pry it open, hoping for an encore

--

EPOV

I woke up around 10:30 feeling pretty damn good about myself. Bella was all smiles and giggles for the most part. Her face was just glowing and I wanted to hunt down my 'two week ago self' and tell him to find her and take her right then. We lay in bed for almost an hour; piddling with each other. It was so normal and peaceful. I felt like my chest was swollen up inside and it was constricting my breathing but in the best way. Her hair fanned out across the pillow as I kissed her, her small hands holding onto me, and her eyes glittering in the morning light. It was like this warm soft blanket was wrapped around my insides. She was consuming me at an alarming rate and I was loving every second of it.

Her smile made me smile. I learned every ticklish spot and every sensitive patch of skin. She radiated cleanness and white and…love. Curling up with her under the covers was a new sensation for me. Just cuddling and laughing really is all it's cracked up to be.

Being like this with her really made me think about the rest of my life. I knew when I'd started fighting, that it wouldn't be forever. I would eventually have to move on to other things. I wanted to do something like Jasper. I wanted to help guys like me find an outlet for their anger. I wanted to help someone else achieve that victory on the mat that I had felt. Training really was something that interested me. I was fascinated with the process of creating a fighter. And fighters were created not born. However much I wanted to get out of the career path I was in now, nothing paid as well as fighting and I had more freedom between matches to do whatever I wanted - which to be honest wasn't much but train.

Was it worth the change in salary? Fight for the big bucks and risk not coming home one night or play it safe and protégé? Bella deserved the security of knowing I would be here for her. She didn't need to be paranoid that I was going to get beat into a coma. But at the same time, I could afford to give her all the things she wants and deserves by continuing to fight. I could keep her comfortable despite how much she hates being a 'kept woman'. I could make sure she was set in case something did happen to me.

I'm sorry, but how long have you been in this relationship? Like a month? What the hell is wrong with you? This is the kinda shit you think about like after a year not a month. Stop being obsessive.

It was hard for me to think about going into the ring tonight and fighting James. I wanted to shake this feeling of utter dread but it kept clinging and nagging at me. There weren't many ways for him to get the upper hand without dirty fighting. I was prepared to take all the rabbit punches and elbows he was willing to dish but something was telling me there was going to be more. There was going to be more to this than just a few stray uppercuts to my throat and some knees to my groin. It was fights like this that made me want a referee.

I stretched, feeling damn good despite the soreness in my legs. One would think that with all the training I did, having sex wouldn't be so strenuous.

We need to add last night's performance to the workout schedule. For training purposes, of course.

Last night might not have been pure romance but it was the only way I knew how to show her. I thought all week about flowers, picnics and romantic evenings. I thought about buying her something but then quickly threw that idea away. Bella couldn't be bought. I already knew that. And last night it seemed like I was running out of time to show her how I felt. Then it just hit me. Just give her what she wants. It didn't hurt that I really wanted it, too. I felt shitty not being able to tell her I loved her back. I wanted to; it was right on the tip of my tongue. I know I love her. But it would make it so much more difficult for me to go in there today and do what I had to do. She had to know. After I told her that she owned me, I thought it would be pretty clear to her that I was invested in this…in us. Admittedly, the intensity of my feelings towards her was freaking me out a little. Or a lot.

The way she had me wrapped around her finger was refreshing in a worrisome way. I enjoyed being accountable to her. It was nice to feel like I belonged to someone. And she was perfect for me. Her beauty, her fire, her dry humor that always managed to make me smile. She could put me in my place verbally any day and it was thrilling to know that I could have an actual conversation with her, that I could debate with her in the car. It meant something. She was full of opinions and ideas and I found myself hooked on anything and everything she had to say. The little everyday things she would do that I'd never noticed about anyone before caused me to zone out. Her stumbling and blushing weren't irritating like I would have thought; they were endearing. She didn't fault herself for those traits; she embraced them and worked around them. It just proved how much more determined she was to survive in the world.

Shove a tampon in it and move on already.

Bella snapped me out of my thoughts with a shove. I looked up to her beaming smile and grinned back at her. She was naked and walking backwards to the bathroom with a look of evilness plastered all over her face. I wanted to comment that it probably wasn't a good idea for her not to watch where she was going but quickly thought better of it. Once she was in the bathroom, she turned and jumped in the shower. I heard the water running, then the spray flip on. I was out of the bed in two seconds and sprinting towards the shower stall.

No way was I missing out on this. I had weeks to make up for.

BPOV

I was on cloud nine this morning. Waking up post coital with Edward is an experience that no one should be without. It's too bad I won't let that happen.

We cuddled and played around for almost an hour.

Then we had sex in the shower. Hot, hot sex in the shower. And I learned from repetition, that Edward liked to talk dirty.

I giggled when he got shampoo in his eye and downright laughed when he hit his head on the showerhead when he tried to wash his eye out. He growled at me and threw my loofah over the glass doors and into the sink.

We splashed water and washed each other…which almost led to more shower sex. Unfortunately, I was getting pruney and we had to get out.

As soon as we left the bathroom and began to dress, it seemed we both realized what today was. I threw on a pair of jeans and a red tank top. I felt so nauseous that I couldn't eat lunch. Edward had a power bar. We sort of just stood at the kitchen island looking at anything but each other for almost fifteen minutes. I loaded the dishwasher and started it, trying to regain some sort of normalcy.

"What time do we have to be there?"

"I have to be there at seven."

"We will be there at seven."

"I don't want you there, Bella."

"I need to be there. Don't you want me cheering you on in the front row?" I was trying to interject any kind of humor I could into this very unfunny conversation.

"I don't want you there. You know why I don't want you there. I don't want you to see that happening. I know if it were you, I couldn't do it."

"Well it's not me, it's you, and I have to be there. I have to see what happens. I'm going whether you like it or not."

He sighed and nodded his head, still looking intently at the countertop and rubbing his finger over a chipped tile. I nodded, mostly to myself for the small victory I had achieved. He wasn't going to get rid of me that easily. I was going to be at that match if I had to run there. Wherever there is…

"So where is it?"

"It's at The Ring. Which is unusual, because Emmett hates having matches there; he gets paranoid about cops showing up and arresting him."

"So why have they decided to have it there tonight?"

"Not sure. I think it might have something to do with King."

"Who is King? I keep hearing everyone talking about him."

"King is…well he's…" He sighed, frustrated and gripped the edge of the counter, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. I waited patiently for him to collect his thoughts and continue while thinking of things to say to him if he didn't.

"King is one of the big boys in the Chicago scene. He has his hand in tons of things. He gambles away his trust fund and his father's money. Horses, cards, sports, and in the past two years he has been frequenting the fighting circles. He was doing the whole boxing thing but I assume got bored of all the rules that got in the way of fixing the fights to his liking. King is the reason why I have been making as much as I am right now. When he came onto the scene, he also brought along his high-roller friends. He has connections all over the country. The only reason Emmett puts up with his irritating ass is because of all the money he throws down on these matches. I'm not the only fighter under Emmett's belt. And King seems to be in this phase right now where he himself has been obtaining fighters. James being one of them. So James has King backing him on this fight."

"So he's like what Emmett is to you…to James?"

"Sort of. Emmett is my friend. King is using James to make himself money and James is using King to get ahead in the social circles he wants to belong in. I'm not in this for the glory that James wants. I'm just trying to make a living. It might be cavalier to say so but it's the truth."

"Why are Jasper and Emmett so worried about this fight? They seem to think something bad is going to happen."

His face froze into a blank mask for a moment and he smoothly slid his hand over the beveled edges of the tiles in front of him.

"Jasper and Emmett are worried because they know that James is an intense fighter. He has a lot of drive and he is going to be tough to beat."

I wanted to shout 'Bullshit!' but I knew better and just nodded at him instead. He huffed some and gripped the counter edge to lean himself back. My eyes wandered from those stellar fingers up to his muscular shoulders which had me trying to contain the drool from becoming noticeable. I cleared my throat and put down the hand towel I was wringing the threads out of.

"So what do you need to do before the fight?"

"Well, I usually go for a walk then I head over to the arena and warm up for about two hours, then spend an hour just relaxing before the actual fight."

"Okay, well I don't want to get in the way of your warm-up stuff, so I'll just hang out here I guess and read or clean."

He looked at me for a moment, like he was trying to see something in my eyes or face. I blinked and he looked away.

"Would you want to come on my walk with me? I walk up to Oz Park and usually stroll around."

"I don't want to interfere with your routine or relaxing or-"

"I want you to come."

And when said it like that, I slipped on my shoes and walked out the door with him. He held my hand and we walked in silence. It was still hot but with the shade from the buildings and the breeze, it felt good. It took us almost an hour to get there at the rate we'd been going but Edward didn't seem to mind and I had a feeling it wasn't supposed to be a fast pace anyway. We entered the park at the east entrance and I noticed the three sandy mounds at the corners of the field. Tall lights were littered around the edges of the trees. It looked as if baseball was played here. Suddenly I thought about Phil and had to tamp down the panic.

Don't be ridiculous. They don't know where you are and Phil has no reason to show up here of all places. Not to mention, you are holding hands with a ring fighter right now. Edward wouldn't let anything happen to you.

I breathed out calmly and Edward squeezed my hand with a questioning look on his face. I grinned at him and he smiled back. He didn't buy it for one second but he let it go and I was grateful for that. It was a bright day and out here in the cool shade, everything seemed normal and perfect. We were just two people taking a stroll in the park with not a care in the world. Edward's countenance was sending out waves of tension. We walked along the cement path between the huge oak trees and I watched as Edward's face was hit with patches of light that made their way down from between the foliage. He was wearing faded jeans that fit loosely on him, sagging low on his waist and a gray t-shirt with Henley written on the front.

He stared straight ahead and if he hadn't had a death grip on my hand, I would have thought he had forgotten I was there. He didn't seem relaxed at all. In fact, he seemed to be terrified of wherever it was we were walking towards. I reached up with my other hand and stroked his arm while leaning into his side. He released my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders keeping that same firm grip on me. I noticed how our strides matched up and we walked together quite well. I had a feeling that had more to do with Edward keeping my pace rather than my natural grace.

Soon the path started to clear out and off to our left was a small picnic area that had been landscaped. I paused and then led us over to a bench. He sat with his back against the table and settled me on his lap. I leaned my head down and pressed my face into his neck, kissing him there and nuzzling his jaw. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head softly. He sighed heavily, so I peeked up at his face to see him staring off in front of us. Glaring, really. I turned my head and saw the bright neon sign through the trees. It took me a second to realize what it was and how it pertained to this little field trip.

Lincoln Park Hospital.

Instantly, I felt ill.

"If I get hurt and I need to be taken somewhere, that's where they'll take me. Jasper knows a doctor in the ER who is good about keeping things like this quiet, so we go there. If anything happens to me, I have talked to Emmett about what to do. I want you to promise me that you will continue to stay at the apartment and not do anything rash."

I was stunned. I was speechless. I was surprised. I was mad. I was so goddamned mad, I felt the red haze start to close in on my vision.

"Edward Masen, you listen to me. You are going to get in that ring tonight and you are going to kick that asshole's ass. You hear me?! I will not hear you talking like this! You are going to be fine! I am going to be fine! We are both going to be fine!"

Unfortunately, my angry tirade soon turned into a mess of tears and he began rocking me and murmuring how sorry he was that he upset me. It only made the sobs come harder and I felt so stupid for making this worse.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just…I don't want to hear you talk like that. You're the strongest person I know and I know you'll win this fight."

That was a boldfaced lie. He was the strongest person I knew; I was freaking out that he was going to get hurt and I was going to have to drive from The Ring to the hospital in what would be utter freak out mode but saying that was not proactive right now, so I lied. Hearing the hushed whispers from Emmett and Jasper were starting to get to me. I had this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. Woman's intuition was kicking into overdrive. I suddenly felt like any moment, I was going to turn the corner and find him on the ground again.

Edward can do this. He will be fine. I will take care of him and everything will be fine.

I repeated that mantra over and over again to myself; as if somehow the words would materialize into a giant club and kill whoever this guy James was. We sat on the bench for a little longer. Edward seemed to relax a little and on our way back to the apartment he stopped to look out over the baseball field. I saw a small smile play at his lips as he looked down at me.

"My dad used to play with me with I was little. It was the only thing we ever really did together. I stopped playing when I left home." He said quietly.

I nodded my head and carefully placed this information in my 'Edward's Past" mental file. He likes baseball. Oh the irony. I smiled, perhaps a little tightly and we continued on walking down the street and back to the apartment. Once back in the air conditioning, I went to the bathroom leaving the light off and ran a cool washcloth over my chest and neck, trying to swipe as much sweat off as possible. Edward's hand covered my own. I looked up at him in the mirror and he took the towel from my hand and rubbed it over my neck and shoulders. We were silent, just standing there. He kissed my shoulders and my neck gently. I did not want to cry but it was hard when he was being so sweet. He set the wet cloth down in the sink and spun me around, lifting me up and setting me on the counter. Placing himself between my legs he braced his hands on either side of my hips and leaned his head down on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and rested my own head against his neck.

"I don't want you there tonight."

"I'm going. You can't tell me what to do."

He sighed and I felt his hot breath run down my arm. My skin was getting warm and damp again from his body heat. I felt his hands lift up and settle on my waist, his thumbs pressing into the bones there.

"You mean the world to me, you know?"

"I know. You mean the world to me, too. I'm going to be there for you tonight. This is apart of who you are. I accept that. Just try and accept that this is who I am. I have to be there, Edward."

He nodded and placed a kiss below my ear. I leaned back and looked into his eyes. The only light in the bathroom was coming from the bedroom sunlight. The door was wide open and casting a shadow on the right side of his face. He looked pained. I smoothed my hand over his brows hoping to ease the tension there. His eyelids dropped and he exhaled in a shuddering breath. My fingertips found the raised indention of his cut, where I had stitched him up so many weeks ago. It seemed like so much longer.

We stayed like that for a few moments before he pulled away from me. It was sad how the foot of distance between us felt like a mile. I could see it in the way he was standing, the way his face slackened and his shoulders were set. He was detaching himself from me. He was pushing me away right now. Making this situation devoid of any emotion, to make it that much easier to do what he was about to do. I knew I should have been doing the same but I couldn't stand it. He was the first good thing to happen to me in years and I couldn't stand the thought of losing him, even for a few hours.

"Don't do that. Don't. I can't stand that. Please, don't shut me out."

His blank mast stayed in place before I saw his eyes soften and his jaw unlock. I wonder if he thought he was that good at hiding his feelings. He kinda sucked at it. Or maybe it just seemed that way to me because I had been around him almost 24/7 for over a month. He reached up and stroked my cheek, leaned forward and kissed me on the lips softly. I kissed him back and he pulled away, walking out of the bathroom and leaving me to wonder if that kiss was an 'I'm sorry but have to' or an 'I'm sorry, I won't do it again.'

I clenched my teeth in irritation. I'm almost positive that was an 'I'm sorry but I have to.'

Tamping down the urge actually growl out loud, I hopped off the counter and sauntered into the living room to plop down on the couch.

He'd better not be thinking of ways to trick me out of going to the fight. He soon walked out of his office toting a small duffel bag. I glanced up at him from my book, the one I wasn't really reading and smiled at him. I think I looked constipated though, so I stopped trying to force it. He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

"I'm going to head down to there now and start my warm-ups. I'll see you before I go in?"

"You know I'll be there."

He smiled at me and walked out the door. Once the locks were in place and I heard the Volvo pulling away, I really felt the walls closing in on me in the apartment. I wanted to leave and go with him to his warm-ups but he hadn't invited me and I didn't know if that was something he had to do alone. Showing up unannounced might put me in on a shit list somewhere. The phone rang suddenly and I almost jumped out of my skin.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Jasper."

"Oh, hey Jas. Edward just left to go to the gym."

"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. They've changed the local. It's not going down at The Ring anymore. It's going to happen at a building across the street from Belmont Harbor. I'll try him on his cell again."

"Hey, what's the address?"

"You're going?"

"Ummm, yeah?"

"Oh. I just didn't think Edward would allow you to go."

"Allow me?"

"That's not how I meant that and you know it. These fights are not a good place for someone like you Bella. Edward will obviously be preoccupied as well as Emmett and me. There is no way we can watch over you at the same time. We will take good care of Edward."

Choosing to overlook his 'someone like you' comment, I tried to put as much civility into my voice as possible. It didn't really help though.

"That's sweet Jasper, really, my vagina thanks you for all the thoughtfulness but I'm going. You can't stop me and neither can Edward. He knows that. So give me the damn address."

"215 West Roscoe St. The building is the biggest on the street. It looks scary as hell, too. You can't miss it."

"Like scary big or…horror movie scary?"

"Like straight up Texas Chainsaw Massacre scary."

"Great. That would be the most clichéd place to have one of these fights, too…I'll be there a little before seven. That is when the fight starts right, at seven?"

"Yep, seven. See you there, darlin'."

"Bye Jasper."

I put the phone back on the cradle and grabbed the map under the coffee table. Finally finding the harbor Jasper spoke of, I located West Roscoe St. and made notes on how I was going to get there. Didn't seem far…and looking at it, I was morbidly relieved to see it was pretty close to the hospital that Edward and I had seen today. Just thinking those thoughts made me feel like a traitor. I looked up at the clock and noticed it was already after five. Jumping up, I headed for the bedroom and quickly showered. I couldn't help but smile, thinking about the activities Edward and I had been partaking in here earlier.

I dressed in my only pair of nice jeans and a nice black top. I tried fixing my hair and gave up on styling it, deciding that the best I could do was a pony tail then I glared at the tiny make up bag for about ten seconds before I just globed on some lip gloss and called myself done.

By the time I was done getting ready, it was about six-fifteen and I was sure I would need extra time to get there in case I got lost. Hopping in to the truck, it roared to life and I chugged down the street. I was lucky enough to only get turned around twice before I saw the monstrosity that Jasper was talking about. It looked like an old factory or warehouse. It seemed out of place in this neighborhood. I pulled in near the street, ensuring that I had a way out and that even if anyone parked around me, I could still just pull forward and leave.

I exited the cab and walked carefully to where I saw three large men standing around an entrance and smoking.

"Um, I'm here to watch the fight."

"And who might you be pretty thing?"

"Ummm…I just want to know where to go inside…"

"Why don't you stay out here with us for a bit?"

The only one speaking to me was a tall dark haired man. He had dark tanned skin and was just as big as Edward. He leaned forward and reached out a hand to grab at my hair.

"I'm Jacob. I'm James' trainer. He's fighting tonight you know? My boy is going to win for sure."

I opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off when another voice did it for me.

"Stop fucking with Masen's girl."

I looked up and saw Emmett's face looming over them. I smiled at him gratefully and walked between the men. They stared me down and glared at Emmett. He just smiled back at them sweetly and threw an arm over my shoulder, leading me toward another door.

"What are you, her owner?" Jacob asked.

"Watch it Black, you wouldn't want to give Masen a reason would you?"

Emmett turned his attention to me. "I was waiting for you to show up. Jasper said you might not know where to come inside."

"Thanks. I appreciate it. How is he?"

"He's good, but he always is."

I smiled at him and he grinned back at me. We were trying to be strong for each other and it made me die a little inside knowing that. Something told me we both knew what was going to happen tonight.

"What is this place?"

"It used to be an old factory. From what I've heard, they used to make staplers. King's father owns the building so we should be okay. But on the off chance that the cops do show up here, I want you to stick close to me and Jasper, okay? We'll make sure you get out, alright?"

I stifled a giggle at the relief in Emmett's voice. Edward was right, he is paranoid.

I felt that prickle of fear hit me again when I saw the mat in the center of the room. The ring being used here was much nicer than the one at Emmett's gym. It looked almost brand new and lacked the gray scuffs in the center of the white canvas that I had come to see at The Ring. There were two rows of metal chairs directly around the arena and metal bleachers behind them. All the stuff looked new.

Following Emmett, I started to really feel out of place here. I wasn't sure if it had to do with the reason I was here or the place itself. As we were approaching a hallway that looked to be heading toward offices, someone flicked on more of the over head lighting and the place illuminated brightly. I squinted my eyes against the sudden light and almost bumped into Emmett when I jumped. Emmett opened a door halfway down the hallway and I saw Edward leaning against a desk. I felt my insides melt when I saw him. He was wearing a pair of red shorts and nothing else; the waistband was thick and wide, hugging him around his abs tightly. He had on a pair of black flip-flops and his ankles and feet were taped up. Jasper was currently taping up his left hand. He looked up at me and grinned. Jasper rolled his eyes and hit his fists with the flat of his palm. They nodded at each other and I stepped into the room and stayed in the corner, giving them room to do their thing.

Edward held his hand out to me and I went to him, glad to have contact with him. He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned against him as he leaned back on the desk. Jasper just had to go and ruin the moment.

"Alright, now just remember what we went over during training. Watch the rabbits, the kidney punches and definitely watch for his liver punches…you know how much James favors them. Remember that you are faster than he is and you're better at blocking, so use that to your advantage. In the sparring you two have done in the past, I've noticed that he gets a little hot headed around the second round so make sure you save up your energy for that one, it should be his downfall and - "

His pep talk was interrupted by a knock at the door. Emmett furrowed his brows and opened the door.

"Thirty minutes until they announce."

"We got it."

That rock in my stomach really needed to stop bouncing around. Jasper continued speaking to him while helping him put on his thin black gloves. They had a pitiful amount of padding over the knuckles and looked more like mittens with the tops cut off.

"Anyway, we're going twelve rounds in this one. Try to save your energy for the first round and lay into him heavy on the second. We'll regroup on the third if we get there and then hopefully never see the fourth but I think we might be in this 'til the tenth or eleventh round."

Edward nodded and squeezed me tightly before releasing me and we filed out of the room.

I sat in a corner chair right behind Emmett and Jasper's spot at Edward's corner. There were people all over the place and in the short amount of time we were in the office, the place exploded with rich people. I looked at some of the arm candy around me and felt so shitty wearing jeans. Sucking it up, I realized I was here for Edward and he didn't care if I was wearing a sack. I focused in on his face as he jumped and shook his arms around. He was so fucking hot. I sighed and then mentally slapped myself because he was about to get hit multiple times. Emmett rubbed down his shoulders and neck while Jasper shoved a clear rubber mouth guard into his mouth. He then grabbed a Gatorade water bottle and handed it to Edward. He tossed it back and took a few gulps. I was a little out of it as I watched his throat muscles moving and his back arching drank. I had it bad.

Edward raised his head and found my eyes instantly. I smiled at him and he walked over to me. When I stood he took my neck in one hand, roughly wrapped the other around my waist and kissed me hard. He kissed me very, very, very hard. I almost bit my lip. It didn't stop it from being one of the best fucking kisses of my life but the desperation, the fear behind the kiss floored me. I felt the heat rise to my face when I realized we were still in a crowded room waiting and I was making out with a half-naked Edward. When he finally pulled away, we were both breathing hard and panting. He leaned his head against mine and spoke.

"Please leave. Wait in the parking lot; I don't care if you don't go home. I can't do this if you're watching, Bella. Please? I won't be able to think straight if I know you're right here. For me, just wait outside. It will all be over soon and we can move on."

The urgency he used when he spoke made me feel guilty. I didn't want to be the reason he got hurt. Tears welled up in my eyes and I looked away, trying desperately to hide the emotions there. I didn't want him to see my fear.

"Okay, I'll leave. But so help me God, Edward, you'd better be walking out of here later. You have to come back to me."

"Shhhh. Nothing could keep me away from you. Nothing. Now, run, Bella. Run and wait for me."

A short burly man stepped out into the center of the ring and began announcing the fight. I held my breath and Edward turned to enter the canvas.

"In this corner we have Edward Masen! Twenty-six years old, one hundred and ninety-five pounds, all American fighter! He has won his last five bouts! His strengths are speed, agility and stamina! I give you Masen, ladies and gentlemen!"

The voice took on a playful tone, like he was at the carnival introducing the clowns or elephants. Edward stared at the canvas as the man spoke and didn't acknowledge the crowd cheering. Many of the women in the crowd began to leer at him.

"In this corner we have James Hunter! Twenty-five years old, one hundred and ninety pounds, Aussie - American fighter! He has won his last three bouts! His strengths are his stamina, power and determination! Hunter, everyone!"

James was nothing like I had imagined he would be. He was built up much like Edward but with tanned skin and honey blonde hair. His black shorts were identical to Edwards. He looked really sweet actually and I had to do a double take. His facial features were boyish and soft. Edward turned his steely glare on me, so I did what he asked of me.

I turned and made my way down the crowded isle. There were men standing everywhere, packed into the room trying to see what was going on. They all held similar pink slips of paper, which I assume was proof of whoever they bet on. Suddenly, my stomach heaved and I felt sick. All these people were trying to make a dime off of Edward's pain. All these people don't care about what happens to him after the fight. They only want one thing.

I found the doors to the side lot that I had parked in and took in a huge gulp of fresh air. I felt like shit for being out here when he was in there. I crouched down against the brick wall and rocked back on my heels. Taking in gulp after gulp of hair and trying not to vomit.

You know what you have to do. You know why. He needs you. He might not say it now, but he needs you. He owns you.

I pulled what I had left of my resolve and strength out of the reserves and stood up, shaking like a leaf but standing. I re-entered the building and I made it all the way to the far wall before I had to catch my breath. I was in a darker corner and when I turned around I could see the ring clearly. A man in a pinstriped suit was walking in and people gave him a large berth. A striking blonde in a red dress was sidled up next to him. She looked bored and pissed off. They sat down in the front row.

He must be King.

Before I could study him for much longer the bell dinged signaling the fifth round and my eyes snapped to Edward's predatory frame. I couldn't move, I could barely breathe. I clutched my fists to my chest and watched as he took to the mat. James came forward and they bumped fists. James smiled and the sickness in my stomach grew ten fold.

They started off bouncing and circling each other. The four minute round lasted forever and two minutes into it, neither of them had yet to land a hit. Edward made first contact and delivered a right jab to James' face. James sneered at him and they continued their circling. In an instant, everything just snapped and they were throwing wild punches at each other. They were kicking and swinging and dodging. I couldn't keep up. When the round ended, Edward was pulled back by Emmett. Jacob snatched at James, forcing him to retreat to his corner. Emmett handed Edward his water bottle and he took a few swigs before standing again and focusing on James.

Inside the room, there was wild cheering, yelling, screaming and aimless chatter. Somehow out of the abyss of it all, I heard someone say 'Eddie Boy' and I looked around to find its owner. That voice was familiar…

Mike stood only twelve feet from me talking with a dark haired man. My brows furrowed and I eased back and closer to them.

"Did you do it?" asked the dark haired man. He had a slight French accent and he sounded annoyed.

"Yeah, I did it. Good thing they had this thing moved here or I would never have gotten in."

"King figured as much. How much did you use?"

"The whole thing."

"What?! Are you serious? Shit. You were only supposed to use a fourth, at most half. He's going to drop like a fucking Rhino now."

"What the fuck?! All you told me to do was pour the shit in his water bottles. You do realize that if any of them had seen me they would know exactly who did this shit right?"

"It won't matter, that shit only comes up on a special type of blood screening. They would have to be looking for it. Hopefully, James can make it look like he just sucker punched the asshole and we wont have to worry about it."

"So what does that shit do to you anyway?"

"It's ummm…. well it's like a barbiturate infused with nitrous oxide and amyl nitrate. Basically, it's going to fuck him up and make him crash."

"Doesn't this seem kinda shitty though? I mean, I thought James was supposed to be better than Eddie. I didn't think he'd need this shit to win."

"That's because James doesn't know it's going down. Well, he sort of knows. He knows there's a possibility of it happening. King is the one who wanted it done. He has too much money riding on James to chance him losing."

I didn't need to hear anymore, I had heard enough. I looked up to see the Ring Girl coming off the ring with a sign signaling the sixth round was starting and Edward standing up to get back in the match. I saw him sway slightly and shake his head. He put his arms up in a defensive move and stumbled to his left.

No…no no no no no no.

I pushed my way through the crowd. I got closed in and pushed back. I'm pretty sure I was even groped a few times on the way. I jumped, trying to catch a glimpse of the ring and where I was going exactly. The crowd split open for a few seconds and suddenly I saw Edward, glistening with sweat, his legs shaking, his breathing harsh and he was looking right at me. I could see the confusion and anguish in his eyes. Then the people around me swallowed me again and my vision of Edward was lost. When I finally made my way out into the clearing of the front seats, I saw Edward falling onto the mat and at the same time Jasper threw the towel out over the ropes and jumped into the ring.

Jasper threw in the towel. It's over.

Edward was lying on the mat, blood seeping from his mouth and James frowning down at his prone figure.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to kick and scratch and rail. But all I could do was slide my belly onto the canvas and pull myself toward him. I rolled him into my arms and held onto him tightly. Jasper was by my side instantly. Emmett was shouting around and waving his arms. I couldn't hear anything. The volume was way down and everything outside of and around me and Edward was a blur. My vision raked over his body and I noticed the redness and swelling coming from his ribs and arms. His cheekbone was swelling and his left eye was puffy, his lower lip was bloody and red. I ran my thumb over his lips and then I drifted my hand lower to place it over his chest and felt his heart beating wildly. His eyes were fluttering quickly and he was moaning. Tears were streaming down my face and I was aware of the crowd going wild. Everyone was running and yelling, some trying to get on the canvas; others trying to leave. Women were shrieking and the doors were groaning as people tried to find exits.

Soon we were the only ones left in the whole place besides James, Jacob and a few of their friends. Emmett and Jasper grabbed Edward and hauled him off the mat. I followed but stopped before the door. I turned around and saw James watching us leave, a towel in his hands. The one Jasper had thrown into the ring. With all the confidence I could muster in my five foot three body, I stalked up to him and looked him in the eyes. He stared blankly at me for a moment before my hand came up and slapped him across the face. I hit him hard enough to turn his head but nothing more. He turned back to look at me and I glared hard at him before snatching the towel out of his hand.

"He's better than you. And you proved it tonight when you had to drug him to win. You are pathetic." I spun on my heel and stormed out of there.

Those damn traitorous tears were giving me away despite my rigid posture and my head held high.

I made it outside before retching against my truck. I yanked open the rusting door and got in; heading toward the hospital that Edward had showed me.

I felt emotionally numb and exhausted. I barely saw the traffic lights or the other drivers. My tears were coming in earnest now but I had yet to let loose a sob. Gripping the wheel tightly, I pulled into the parking lot and saw Emmett's Jeep parked near the ER entrance. I sucked in a shaky breath and willed myself to calm down and go inside. But the longer I sat there, the harder it was to get out. Getting out of the truck meant going inside and seeing him like that. It meant coming to terms with losing him. I looked over at the passenger seat and saw the bloody towel crumpled up in a heap. I picked it up and pressed a clean spot to my face and breathed it in. Edward's sweat and scent were all over it. That spicy sweetness that I loved. I cried into the towel and used it to wipe my face down.

I had to go inside. I had to tell them what I had heard. I had to help him. I had to make this better. I had to. No matter how badly I wanted to sit here, close my eyes and pretend today never happened, I had to be what he needed me to be.

I'm coming, Edward. I'm coming.

I slid out of the truck and walked into the hospital to find the man that owned me, heart and soul. It was funny how well he had used that word. Owned. I smiled weakly and walked through the sliding doors, walking up to the front desk.

"Hi, I need to find an Edward Masen. He was just brought in a moment ago."

I'm here, Edward. And I'm never going to leave you again.


And if it gets too late, for me to wait
For you to find you love me,
and tell me so
It's ok,
Don't need to say it
(I know)


A/N: So I'm hoping that you enjoyed that…but not because he got hurt…

Anywho. Yeah I hafta hand out the props where they're deserved…

Cheddah, my partner in crime who beta's for me. She's the shizzle for rizzle.

LucyLu, I'm so so sorry about that. I know you've been freaking the fuck out for like the past three days. I'm sorry. But…I mean at least it's out of the way….kinda…I mean I kinda left it with a cliffy…which I didn't even realize until this second…huh.

All those sweet chickies over at the T'd forum who make me smile while I'm banging my face on the keyboard trying to get what's in my head into Word.

And thanks to all the sweeties who reviewed! I try to answer as many as I can and I apologize if you don't get a response! But I love you all and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

If you got any questions feel free to hit up the T'd forum or send me a message and I will do my best to answer you! Just...dont ask me about whats going to happen...i have no clue.

Leave me some love...