A/N… I won't even bother saying anything up here. You guys are about to worry yourselves sick. Go!

~oOo~

Chapter 20

BELLA

I startled awake, confused as to where I was, but a glance around settled me a little. I wasn't sure anyone felt like actually going to bed tonight. We were all camped around the living room.

Carlisle and Esme were on the chaise side of the large sectional. Alice was propped up in the corner, and I was curled up with her. Dad had taken the recliner, which left the middle of the sectional for Emmett.

And he was the only one awake, flipping through channels.

"You okay?" he asked in a whisper.

I nodded, sitting up and rubbing my face. "What time is it?"

"Almost two."

I got up and went into the kitchen for a bottle of water. When Emmett joined me, taking a seat on the other side of the counter, I held my bottle up, silently asking if he wanted one.

"Yeah, sure."

As I handed him his water, I said, "You'd think we'd have heard from him by now."

Emmett smiled. "Maybe. James has been a slippery fucker, but Edward's wicked smart. He always has been. He'll call when he knows something." He leaned his elbows on the counter, toying with his water bottle. "If he catches him, then you guys will have to stay protected until the trial. The better scenario is that James doesn't survive. That leaves Powell free of any connection to his nephew and relieves you guys of any testimony. All cases are closed."

"Edward may shoot him for that frustration alone."

Emmett grinned, letting out a light laugh. "You're not wrong, Bella." He tapped my bottle with his own in a mock toast, adding, "You should try to get some sleep. We may not hear anything for a few hours."

Nodding, I sighed deeply. "I know, but I can't. I used to wait up for my dad sometimes. Especially on things like this."

He took a drink, smiling sadly my way. "I'm glad you get it – what Edward does. He needs someone who won't freak the fuck out on him for his job."

"His ex?"

"Yeah. He told you?"

"Yeah. He said she had issues with his schedule," I told him, rolling my eyes at that. "Like a cop has a set fucking schedule."

Emmett laughed, covering his mouth not to wake everyone in the other room. "Oh, she had issues, all right," he muttered wryly, smirking at my snort. "I only met her once, but… You, I like. You're good for him."

Smiling, I shrugged. "Well, he's stolen my cat." Emmett grinned my way, but I added, "Which tells me more about Edward than anything any of you have ever said."

Emmett nodded, and we both jumped a little when his phone vibrated across the counter. He looked at the screen and frowned.

"Why is Garrett…" He swiped the screen to answer the call. "Garrett?"

Emmett was a pretty easygoing guy. He was quick with a smile and an encouraging word or two, but to watch that giant of a man go white as a fucking sheet made my legs start to shake. Because if Garrett was calling – not Edward – and Emmett was suddenly on his feet and pacing, then something really fucked up just happened.

I swayed a little, and Emmett rushed to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to guide me to the kitchen stool. However, his hand never left my shoulder as he listened to Garrett on the other end. He was close enough now that I could catch a word here and there. I caught words like bullet, surgery, and DOA.

"Em?" I squeaked my eyes begging him to tell me something, any-fucking-thing.

"Are they clear? Can I bring them to you?" Emmett asked, squeezing my shoulder gently.

I heard Garrett state, "James is dead," over the line, and I gasped.

"Fine. Good. I'll get them all up, and we're coming to you," Emmett said, dropping his phone into his pocket. He still hadn't let go of me, but he grasped my other shoulder to make me focus. "Bella, I need you to stay calm, but your brother showed up at the warehouse tonight. Offered himself up to James, but what he really did was give James a distraction so that Edward and Garrett could finally corner him."

I gasped, my mouth falling open. "Who… Emmett, who the fuck was shot?" I snapped, and I heard people joining us in the kitchen, and I grabbed Emmett's shirt. "Tell me who was shot, Emmett!"

"Jasper…and Edward."

The gasps behind me were loud, and I suddenly felt my dad's arms wrap me up. Briefly, I allowed the panic to rise. I couldn't lose either of them. Jasper – as much trouble as he could be – was my brother. But Edward… Edward had my heart, and suddenly, I regretted not telling him. Too soon or whatever, I should've told him.

"What… What do you know, son?" Dad asked, holding me close as tears welled up and spilled over from my eyes. "Easy, Bells. Don't panic until there's something to panic over." Those words were whispered against my head near my ear.

"They don't know anything yet. They're both in surgery. That's all I know."

"Where?" Carlisle asked.

"Virginia Mason."

Carlisle was immediately on his cell phone, giving names and requesting information as soon as possible. He muttered words like nephew and status.

"Bells," Dad whispered. "Focus, baby girl. Go get dressed."

For a split second, I leaned on my dad, but my gaze spun to his. "Jasper was planning this!" I hissed, shaking my head. I'd told Dad and Alice about that call, but I'd just thought he was having a bad day. "That stubborn asshole… He seemed to be saying goodbye."

"Well, you can tear him up at the hospital. Go." He waited until I slipped down off the stool before adding, "Take Ali with you."

My eyes followed his gaze, and poor Alice was shaky and pale, her hands holding that belly of hers. Tears were coursing down her face. Despite their ups and downs, Alice loved my brother, and my heart hurt for her. Not knowing anything was just bullshit. Those two men needed to make it.

"Shit," I said through a heavy sigh. "C'mon, Alice. Let's get dressed. James is dead, so we're officially out of hiding." I linked her arm with my own. "And right now, I'd dare someone to come near me."

Emmett snorted, but he pulled out his phone. "Rosie, call Tanya. I need you guys to meet us at the hospital."

I led Alice upstairs to her bedroom. "You need help?"

She shook her head. "What do I… What happens if…"

"Let's get there before we ask those questions, Ali," I soothed her, brushing her hair from her face. It had gotten longer, and it looked good on her. "We'll have each other, yeah?"

She sniffled, nodded, and swiped away tears. "Yeah. Definitely."

~oOo~

It took a little over an hour for all of us to get to the hospital and upstairs. Everyone was eerily quiet, and Alice and I were nervous wrecks.

Garrett met us in the hallway. He looked exhausted, pissed off, and he was covered in blood. My eyes widened, and I squeezed Alice's hand.

"Hey," he said through a deep sigh, shaking Emmett's hand and then Carlisle's. "They just told me Edward's in recovery. He's good, stable." He tapped his shoulder just below his collarbone but not quite to his arm. "He was hit here. No bones, no major arteries, no organs. Just muscle. A fucking lucky-ass hit, really. And if it weren't for Jasper, then I'm not sure he'd have been so lucky."

"And Jasper?" Alice asked in a weak whisper.

Garrett smiled sadly. "He's… He's still in surgery. The bullet that hit Edward went through Jasper first. Here." He pointed to his left side just under his ribs and then his back. "It caught his stomach, but it barely missed his kidneys."

Carlisle nodded solemnly, stepping away to the closest nurses' station. However, Garrett stepped closer to Alice and me.

"You need to know that Jasper made Edward swear to watch over the two of you…and the baby," he said nervously. He shook his head slowly, glancing around at all of us. "Jasper knew what he was doing. We found out he'd been working at the cement factory. I'm pretty damn sure he was getting himself into position to either help us or kill James on his own. Tonight, he fucking used the opportunity to give James what he wanted – himself. Once he was inside that warehouse, nothing else mattered to James. Until we showed up to finally serve the warrant.

"Before we could clear the room, James threatened you, Bella. And your brother lost his shit. Beat the man bloody. Edward was about to pull him off James, but he'd had a gun, and before he could aim it Edward's way, Jasper fell over him, fought with him." Garrett rubbed his face. "James's weapon discharged, and Edward fired off a round. I fired a shot, too. James was dead before Jasper and Edward hit the ground." He frowned, shaking his head slowly again. "Bravest shit I ever saw. Both of them."

It was too much. I let go of Alice's hand, leaning against the wall, but Dad immediately hugged me closely. I wasn't sure if I wanted to shake the shit out of my brother or hug him. I just wanted the opportunity to choose.

Because there was a reason he'd asked me about Edward when we'd talked earlier. Jasper found the one thing he thought he could give me – Edward. He'd gone into that warehouse with the sole purpose of handing James over. He'd gone in there thinking he could end it all.

"C'mon, Bells. We'll sit down in the waiting room until someone can give us an update. Edward's gonna be fine. And Jasper's strong, so we just have to wait. Okay?" he soothed me, but he was soothing Alice too.

Both of us nodded, and he guided us into the closest waiting room. We found Rose and Tanya already in there. Both were dressed in jeans and sneakers, and both looked like we all did – like it was three-something in the morning and we'd been yanked out of bed.

Emmett caught the two of them up, and Dad led Alice and me to some chairs in the corner. I tried not to listen. I wasn't sure I could take the story again, where my brother threw himself in front of a bullet aimed at Edward. We weren't the only ones in the waiting room, but due to the time, it was quiet. Even the TV was down low.

My eyes felt like sandpaper, burning with tears I was trying not to shed and a lack of sleep. I pressed the heels of my hands in my eyes to relieve some pressure and itching. Just as I was about to go hunt a cup of coffee just to do something, one appeared in my vision.

"Okay, so it's probably not as good as Common Ground coffee, but…my sources were limited," Tanya said, taking the chair next to mine.

Smirking her way, I took the cup. "Thanks."

"Rose and I grabbed a few cups," she said, pointing to the coffee table in front of us. "And a hot chocolate for Alice."

Smiling, I glanced over to Alice, who said thank you softly.

Carlisle had disappeared, but I could imagine he was using everything he had to find out information. Esme sat with Rose and Emmett, but everyone was quiet. Garrett paced on his cell phone with several people – one of them his wife, Kate, and the other their chief, Banner. The latter was concerning the warehouse, but I could tell they were glad the case was over.

Sipping my coffee, I stared unseeingly at the TV. The news was on, but it only showed the normal stories – sports, weather, crime. But not the crime that took place mere hours ago.

Garrett and Emmett had been deep in conversation, but Emmett's voice rose. "Why the fuck would Banner take Edward's badge?"

I glanced to my dad, who had been quietly watching them, but he answered before Garrett. "Because someone died while issuing a warrant. Edward will have to be cleared before he gets his gun and badge back." Garrett nodded but said nothing when Dad went on. "There shouldn't be an issue. Sounds like there were enough to give witness that it was self-defense. It's standard protocol."

"He didn't do anything wrong," Garrett stated simply. "Banner will give his report, and they'll clear him. He took mine too."

Wrinkling my nose, I shook my head a little. It sounded like nonsense to me, but I couldn't deal with Inferno's management system, either. I was happy I owned my own business.

Tanya snorted next to me. "Your face is a neon sign that you have no patience for bureaucratic bullshit."

Smirking her way, I shrugged. "None whatsoever. Dad went through the same thing when he was shot during a robbery. He killed the suspect. Had he not gotten hurt, they'd have given his badge back, but he was." I sighed, rolling my eyes. "It's the assholes asking the questions that irk me. There's no gray area. There's no compassion as to why self-defense was the only recourse. I get they have shitty job, but I couldn't do it."

"Internal Affairs," Garrett answered with a chuckle. "Yeah, they're… Well, they're there for a reason, but they do tend to make everyone feel like they've done something wrong."

Dad snorted. "So glad I'm retired from it. But Edward will be fine. He's got a good head on his shoulders. He handled it all better than I probably would have. James pulled a weapon, and everyone reacted as best they could."

"But if they don't give it back…" Emmett started, but Garrett and Dad stopped him.

Garrett spoke first. "They will. Banner has been overseeing this whole case once we discovered a pattern at Inferno. He'll tell them all to go to hell. He was there tonight, so…don't sweat it."

"All Edward wanted was to be a cop," Tanya stated to no one in particular. "After his parents, he wanted nothing but to be the opposite of his father."

Emmett nodded, but I looked to her. "Yeah, I can understand that."

Tanya smiled sadly. "I'm glad he told you. I'm glad you get…this." She gestured a finger to Emmett and Garrett. "That's half the battle."

I huffed a laugh, but we all froze when Carlisle stepped into the waiting room. His usually stoic and calm face showed a bit of stress, and before we could panic, he walked to Dad, Alice, and me.

Pulling a chair closer, he sat down in front of us. "Jasper made it through surgery. He's in recovery now, and from there, they'll put him in ICU. I will tell you it was touch and go for a bit, but his surgeon said that his heart was strong, that despite the bullet nicking his stomach, Jasper came out okay. They'll watch him closely to make sure there are no perforations. He'll be unconscious for some time."

"Touch and go," I repeated, because it sounded like we almost lost my brother.

"He flatlined twice. Too much blood loss. Abdominal gunshot wounds can cause multi-organ failure, and depending on the trajectory of the bullet, several things could be damaged. What they'll watch for over the next twenty-four hours is hemorrhaging or any organ failure – kidneys, liver, pancreas. You can see him, but he won't be awake or aware for a while."

"What… Will he make it?" Dad asked him.

"There was a lot of damage. I'd like to give him some time to make sure they found all the problems. He's fortunate that his kidneys and pancreas were untouched. I'll know more in twenty-four hours," Carlisle explained gently. "If it's okay with you, I'm going to oversee his recovery. I'm aware of his history."

Dad and I nodded, but Alice was just about to shake apart.

"Thanks, Carlisle," Alice whispered, rubbing her belly. "When can we see him?"

"Once they take him to ICU, you'll be able to see him, but he won't be aware," he answered her.

"Okay."

I looked to Carlisle. "And Edward?"

He smirked a little. "Is asking for you," he said, standing up and offering me his hand. "He's doing fine after his surgery. Of the two, he came out infinitely easier to operate on."

Carlisle led me out of the waiting room and down a couple of hallways. All the rooms and nurses seemed to blur by, but before we went into a room at the end of the corridor, Carlisle stopped me.

"I want to…" He sighed deeply, grasping my shoulders gently. "I just wanted to ask you if you're ready for this. Edward, despite his intelligence and bravery, suffers from anxiety. That anxiety comes out…rough." When I huffed a laugh, he smirked my way. "I'm sure you're aware. I just… You've become important to him, Bella. Try not to take it to heart if he gets—"

"I'm okay, Carlisle. I promise. He's um… He's important to me too," I interrupted his nervous query. "He's gotten better, but I get why you're worried. I'm not going anywhere."

However, I noted that Edward's uncle had diagnosed his nephew, which probably explained how he and Esme were so good at dealing with him. They knew his reactions were sometimes unavoidable.

And once again, my hatred for Ed Sr. flared hot and fiery. Deep down, I hoped the man at least pissed himself when they ended him. Maybe shit himself. Maybe he cried like a little girl. I hoped he understood in the end just what a horrible person he had been.

But I doubted it.

Carlisle smiled softly, holding the curtain back. I wasn't prepared for the sight of a big, strong, belligerent Edward in a hospital bed. I just wasn't. He always seemed larger than life, bravery incarnate.

Long eyelashes rested against pale cheeks. His hair was everywhere, but it was the large bandage on his shoulder, along with the sling for his left arm, that had tears spilling down my cheeks. Quietly, I reached over to brush that stubborn curl from his forehead, and those beautiful green eyes opened.

"Hey," I whispered, leaning into his touch when he reached for my face.

"Hey," he rasped, wiping away tears. "Technically, I'm still in one piece."

I snorted, ugly and raw, and I wasn't sure if it was a laugh or a sob. I leaned over, pressing my forehead to his and cupping his face at the same time.

"You are." I sniffled. "You said you'd come home to me, though. You're definitely in trouble for breaking the other half of that promise, since we all hauled ass here."

"Yeah, that's on me."

Grinning and still sniffling, I asked, "Are you seriously breaking up with me here?"

He huffed a weary laugh, brushing a kiss over my lips. "Never."

I wanted to smother him in kisses, wrap myself around him, and tell him I loved him. I got one simple kiss in before Carlisle stepped back into the room. Edward didn't let me go far, linking our fingers together when I pulled back to see his uncle.

"They're taking Alice and Charlie up to ICU, Bella. If you want to go, I can have them wait."

"Yes, please." I nodded vehemently and then turned back to Edward. "I'll come back to you. I just…"

He kissed my fingers and nodded, but he looked to Carlisle. "Is he… Will he…"

"Jasper made it through surgery," he answered when Edward didn't finish his question. "Now we just have to watch him closely. He's fortunate it didn't hit anything other than his stomach. You're both extremely lucky."

Edward nodded, glancing my way. "He… Bella, he just showed up! I didn't know. I did everything to—"

I kissed him. "I know what he did," I said softly, meeting Edward's worried gaze. "He specifically took a job near James's warehouse. He waited for you to make your move, and he went in there to make sure the one thing I wanted and needed came back to me. You. He wanted to end it because he felt he owed me."

Edward's brow furrowed, and he shook his head slowly. "He could've been fucking killed!" he snapped, his nostrils flaring.

"Or you could have," I countered calmly. "I'm not sure I give a shit about the whys, Edward." I shrugged my shoulder before raking my fingers through his hair. "James is dead, but you two aren't. I can only focus on that right this second."

"That's what he meant," Edward mumbled, rubbing his face with his uninjured hand. "He told me to tell you he was sorry, that 'Mom was wrong.' He said it was the only way to do it."

My throat closed with the lump forming in it. "Yeah, I figured that's the stance he took." I leaned in to kiss his forehead and then lips. "I'll be back to check on you in a few. I just want to set eyes on him. Okay?"

"You don't have to—" he grumped, stopping mid-sentence when I raised an eyebrow his way.

"If you finish that in some sort of cranky way, Detective, you will not like my reaction." I leaned closer, whispering, "After yesterday morning, I would think you'd understand that you're now my official responsibility."

Edward froze like a deer in headlights, blinking up at me. I waited for him to continue his belligerence, but he swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few."

~oOo~

EDWARD

My body felt like it was filled with lead or concrete. I was exhausted, but the pain would wake me up when the meds wore off. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, I'd wake up to see Bella curled up in the chair, sleeping. If she wasn't there, it was Aunt Esme.

Eventually, I saw just about everyone. Banner and Garrett stopped by, explaining that the death of James Hunt was under investigation, but there had been enough officers there to verify that it was justifiable. Honestly, I wasn't sure I felt remorse – other than Jasper's part in all of it.

"Here," I heard to my right, and I glanced over to see Tanya there with a drink and what looked like a muffin. "Alice had some cramping, so they're giving her an exam. She needed Bella to go with her. They're afraid that the stress is causing some complications."

Frowning, I nodded, pulling my tray closer when she set the food and drink down.

"Anyway, Bella said you'd wake up hungry. She made sure I gave you something." She sighed, shaking her head at me. "Way to scare the shit out of all of us, bestie."

Grinning briefly, I picked up the drink and took a sip. "Sorry."

"Stop stressing your girl out. She's strong, but damn…"

I huffed a humorless laugh, meeting Tanya's gaze. "She is strong."

"She's good for you."

Nodding, I picked at the blueberry muffin in front of me. It was okay, but Common Ground's muffins were better. Bella used fresh berries. That thought made me truly realize how spoiled I was by her. I knew it was now my turn to spoil her. She deserved it. She needed it. She needed help with Common Ground once we all went home, and I was in. Wholeheartedly.

And I couldn't fucking wait.

"You told her about your parents," Tanya stated softly, sitting in the chair next to me when I nodded. "That's really good, Edward."

"She deserved the truth, T. She needed to know how fucked up I am before we… Now that we're…" I smiled over at her. "It was only fair."

"Good. Now, if you get stupid, we really will team up on your cranky ass." She blinked innocently at me, wearing a smile that would've scared weaker men. As it was, I knew she wasn't kidding.

"Yes, ma'am," I agreed, picking up a piece of muffin and popping it into my mouth.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a train – sore, tired, heavy." I gazed out the hospital window to see the afternoon was about to turn into twilight, and rain was coming with it. "Any update on Jasper?"

"No, he's still out, but so far, he's holding steady."

I nodded, my brow furrowing. "Good. Steady is good," I muttered, going back to the last bite of the muffin. "If he doesn't make it…"

Tanya sighed, sitting forward in the chair. "They're all aware that he made this decision on his own. They've run the gamut of emotions over it – pissed off, confused, and finally resigned. They aren't blaming you, not for a bit of it. Garrett told them your reaction when you realized Jasper had thrown himself into it all. They also know that one or the both of you could be dead right now, so…the consensus is that they're grateful for where we are at this moment."

Tanya didn't lie, and she never fucking sugarcoated shit, so I was mollified at the moment that Bella, Alice, and Charlie weren't blaming me for everything. We both looked up when one of the nurses came in to check on me.

She was an older woman, with a bright smile and dark skin. She looked me over, raising an eyebrow. "Are you gonna give me trouble? Your uncle seems to think you might."

Tanya snorted into a laugh, reaching over to ruffle my hair. "He might. You let us know if he does."

I rolled my eyes up to the nurse, noting her name was Peggy. "No. I'm not."

She chuckled. "I got my eyes on you. Now, how're you feeling?" she asked as she went about taking my blood pressure, temperature, and pulse.

"Like I've been shot."

She smirked my way. "Well, officer, you were. And you'll be sore. What's your pain level? On a scale of one to ten?"

"Seven or eight-ish?"

She nodded. "They wanted me to let you know they're gonna keep you at least the night for observation."

"Okay."

I'd figured as much, and I had a feeling that we'd have been here anyway to wait to hear about Jasper's condition. I also didn't want anyone going back to Common Ground without me. James was dead, and he'd posed a threat to the girls, Charlie, and probably me, but I didn't feel comfortable just letting them go back to that building without me.

Powell could seek revenge over his nephew's death, but I doubted it. James had embarrassed his uncle by fucking up in an epic way publicly. I was curious, though, as to how Felix fared after the whole night. I'd be willing to bet that he was "arrested" to keep up his façade, but he'd be free to shift over to work for Powell now, maybe take James's spot in the distribution of drugs. However, I wondered briefly what would happen to Inferno and all the remaining employees, but I didn't dwell on it.

My eyes started to close, and I let sleep take me. When I woke up again, the room was darker, and the TV illuminated things a bit. Curled up in a chair was Bella, who was bleary-eyed and watching whatever show was on the screen. She caught my movement and stood up to come closer.

"What time is it?" I asked her, reaching out to touch that sweet, beautiful face.

"A little after midnight. How do you feel?"

"I'll survive, beautiful," I said, slipping my fingers through her hair and bringing her in closer so I could kiss her. "Anything I missed?"

She nodded, kissing me back once before raking her fingers through my hair. "Alice had some cramping, so Carlisle called in a favor to give her a checkup. She's okay. She was a little dehydrated, so they gave her an IV of fluids. I got to see the baby on the screen, though!"

I grinned at the little happy squeak that came out of her. She looked excited and proud as I asked, "Yeah? Like heartbeats and toes and fingers?"

"Yes!" She nodded, beaming like a sunny day. "They think it's a boy."

"Charlie will be happy."

"No shit," she agreed. "Jasper is still hanging in there. His kidneys are working fine, and there's no blood in the bag, so that's good. His blood pressure and heart rate are strong. They're giving him stuff to keep down infection. They said if he continues like he is that he stands a good chance of being okay."

"I'm really sorry, beautiful," I said truthfully. "I didn't—"

She kissed me to shut me up. "I know my brother, Edward. This wasn't on you. I promise I don't blame you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay," she repeated with a small smile and a sigh. "Now, how are you feeling really?"

"Sore. Uncomfortable. I gotta pee."

She huffed a laugh. "I'll get the nurse."

I tsked. "No," I whined. "Just…make sure I don't snag anything." I pointed toward all the lines going every-damn-where, ending at my arm.

I stood up off the bed with shaky legs, but my balance was fine. I rolled the stand with me, making sure I didn't catch on anything. Once I was done and back in bed, Bella helped me get situated again – pulling up covers, making sure the IV lines were cool, and finally pillows and raising the bed a little. I hissed in pain.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, starting to back away.

"No, baby. That wasn't you. C'mere," I said, pulling her close as I shifted myself over a little. "Get in here with me. On my good side." She shook her head and was probably about to argue. "Just get in here, Bella. You look exhausted. You should've gone home with my aunt and uncle."

Her brow furrowed, but she climbed in, resting her head on my chest. "No one went home… I mean, Emmett, Rose, and Tanya did, but no one from the house. We're all still here," she told me, looking up at me, and I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Dad's with Jasper. Alice is in maternity just in case. And Carlisle and Esme are in his office. Your uncle is calling in all the favors at this point. I'm… I wouldn't have gone anyway."

I pulled her closer, closing my eyes. "Why? You've got to be exhausted."

"Because…everyone I love is here, Edward. I'll sleep when you're all out of this place," she stated but froze a little.

I smirked into the top of her head, dropping kiss after kiss, finally asking, "So…it's not just me, then?"

Her head popped up, and she gaped at me. "No. It's not."

"Definitely no breaking up now…" I whispered, pressing my lips to hers. She kissed me back with fire and warmth, and when we pulled away, I pressed one more to her forehead. "Sleep, beautiful. I know we scared the shit out of you, but I'll be fine."

"You did," she whispered. "I was… My heart shattered when Garrett called Emmett."

"Shhh, I've got you now. Your heart is safe with me."

She snuggled in closer, whispering, "I know, Edward."

~oOo~

A/N… Jasper's condition is still up in the air. Edward's fine. Bella's exhausted. Yes, they sort of/kind of said the three magic words but not really. LOL ;)

This will update again next week – probably Tuesday. Before you ask, this story isn't quite over. There's a bit more to it.

Until next time… Mooches, Deb ;)