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Edward's eyes widened as he looked from Bella back to the video, which had ended. He reached over and let the video replay, leaning closer to see what she did, but all he saw was this person trashing her house.

"Are we sure that's even a man?" Bella asked, and when they all looked at her, she bit her lip and slunk back in her chair. "I mean, look at them. They're kind . . . kind of dainty, don't you think?"

"What do you mean by dainty?" Carlisle asked, leaning across her, but when she tensed and inhaled a sharp audible breath, he moved away with his hands up in front of him. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about how close I was to you."

"It's okay," she said, throwing Edward a look before she added, "I'm not an expert, or whatever, but, I mean, look at them." She gestured toward the screen. "They're . . . feminine. They move with purpose. And now that I think about it, they're smaller than the person who broke in and masturbated on my bed. That person was a least six inches taller, and their skin was a lighter shade of . . . white? I don't know . . . I just don't think this is the same person."

"Put the videos up side by side," Edward said, wrapping his arm around Bella and pulling her out of the chair so Alice could sit back down. Bella looked up at him with wide eyes, but she reached down and covered his hand that now rested on her hip.

"Why?" Alice asked, but slid into the chair and minimized the first video and opened the saved video of her stalker on Bella's bed. With a few strokes of the keyboard, she put both videos up side by side and hit the spacebar, which had them playing in perfect synchronicity.

In both videos, the person, or persons, slipped out of the laundry room, confirming their mode of entry. Unlike in the second video, the person in the first video made a beeline for Bella's bedroom. They, too, opened the drawers and rifled through her clothes, pulling out a pair of her panties: a small red pair made of lace. Bella shifted next to him and when Edward looked down at her, her face was bright red. He gave her waist a squeeze, causing her to look up at him and he winked, trying to reassure her that there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Holy shit, Al, pause it," Jasper said, and Alice reached up and pressed the spacebar and the video stopped with him lying on the bed with his pants undone and his hand wrapped around his very clear, very hard penis, and in the newer of the two video, of the person inside Bella's bedroom rifling through her drawers.

"She's right." Jasper looked at Bella and then Edward. "Those aren't the same people."

"What? Are you sure?" Carlisle asked, and motioned for Alice to move before he sat in the office chair. "They both have the same tattoo."

"You mean the ones they have?" Jasper asked, pointing toward Edward and Bella, who shifted uncomfortably with all the attention. "Look, the first one is clearly a guy. I mean, we all see his dick."

"Jasper, language," Esme scolded.

"I'm sorry, Mom, but a dick is a dick, and he ain't hiding his. But look at the person who broke in yesterday, they're a solid six inches shorter than him, slender. I think Bella is right and our second intruder is a woman."

At Jasper's words, everyone but Edward and Bella moved over and stood around Carlisle, their heads tilting from one side to the other as they took in the differences between both intruders.

"So, one of them is Marcus and the other is who exactly?" Emmett asked. "I mean, maybe he has a girlfriend, or something."

"Or maybe it's not him," Alice said, and when she turned, her eyes landed on Edward, and she frowned. "I think she's right. I don't think either of these are Marcus Volturi."

"Why do you think that, Al?" Carlisle asked, slipping out of the chair and turning to face her.

"I mean, like she said, both of these intruders are younger than he would be. He's, well, he's old."

"He's not that old," Charlie grumbled, folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Whatever," Alice scoffed. "But not just the fact that he's much, much younger than Marcus is, he has a young looking penis."

"Oy, vey, all this talk about penises," Esme muttered, throwing her hand up in the air.

"Look, maybe we're wrong, but this guy . . . there's something about the way they move, something deliberate about it. He . . . he went straight for her bedroom, like he knew the layout of her house. Whoever this person is has been inside of her house."

"That's not possible," Bella insisted, and when everyone looked at her, she scooted closer to Edward and said, "Nobody comes into my house except me, Ro, and Charlie. Nobody. When I say I am private, I mean I am private."

"What about before you moved in?" Alice asked. "You've only lived there a few years, Bella. It's possible that whoever these people are, were already obsessed with you long before you bought that house."

"But what about the tattoos?" she asked. "I keep it covered at all times. Nobody even knew I had it except for Ro and Charlie. It's not something I am proud of having on my body."

"Maybe . . ." Jasper stood up and dragged his hand through his hair before he turned and looked at her and Edward. "Maybe we're both right."

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"Look, we all agree that whoever these people are, they are connected to you through your time in the Gathering of Twilight, right?"

"Sure, if you say so," Bella quipped, clearly not agreeing with him.

"What if Marcus started fresh after the explosion?"

"You think he formed another cult?" Carlisle asked, frowning. "It's been twenty-five years, Jasper. Don't you think he would have popped up on someone's radar?"

"Not if he learned from his mistakes and kept his circle tighter than his brothers did."

"I don't know, Jasper. I mean, I still have my ear to the ground, so to speak, and I haven't heard of anything even close to what the Brothers had going on."

"Doesn't mean he didn't learn from his mistakes? I mean, look, I would love for these people not to be connected to Marcus Volturi, but the tattoos, the roses, the way they worded their letters," Jasper rattled on. "I'm just saying that, if Bella is right, and I think she is, I think we are looking for a group of people, not just him."

"Great," Bella murmured, pulling herself out of Edward's arm and turning and walking toward the door. "Like one crazy, psychotic stalker wasn't bad enough, now I get to deal with multiple ones. Just fucking great."

And without another word, she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Rosalie gave Charlie a look before she followed. Edward walked over and sat on the couch, placing his elbows on his knees and closed his eyes. His heart was racing and his head hurt, and all he could think about was how just a couple hours ago, she had kissed him and now, they'd rocked her world again. Was there ever going to be a day when they didn't shatter her hear?

"Edward."

At the sound of his father's voice, he opened his eyes, finding him, Esme, Jasper, Emmett, and Alice watching him closely.

"Edward, talk to us," Carlisle said, pulling the chair over and sitting in front of him.

He shook his head. "I don't . . . I don't know what to do here, Dad. I don't . . . How do we keep her safe when we don't even know how many of these fucktards are out there?"

Esme laughed, slapping her hand over her mouth. "Sorry, it's not funny, but at least you're creative with your curse words."

Carlisle snorted and turned back to him. "We keep doing what we've been doing. We dig into every person who has had contact with her in the last five years, at least, and we bump up her security."

Edward groaned. "You just won't give up on bringing him in, will you?"

"Felix has more to bring to our team than just muscle, Edward. He . . . He went through what you and Bella did, he knows firsthand the kind of man his father really is. Now, maybe Bella and Jasper are right, and neither of these people are Marcus Volturi, but whoever they are, they have a connection to him, to the Gathering, and I really think Felix can give us more insight into the kind of man his father really is."

"Until she says yes, we don't bring him in." Edward stood up, pulling his hands back when his father reached for him. "I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."

Edward shifted his eyes between each and every one of them, noting the way Charlie almost seemed relieved, before the turned and walked out of the office. He expected to find Bella and Rosalie in the living room, but they weren't there. He checked the garage and kitchen next, but found both empty, so he turned and started up the stairs to the third floor, but stopped when he heard them talking inside the guest room next to Emmett's room.

"I don't know, Ro, he just . . . he makes me feel wanted, needed? I don't know how to explain it," he heard Bella say, and he couldn't keep the smile off his lips. "I've never felt like this before."

"Oh, Bee," Rosalie said. "I won't deny that I'm a little worried about you and Edward, and whatever is going on. I mean, it just seems a little too co-dependent, but I've never seen you look at someone the way you look at him, you know?"

There was a pause before Rosalie spoke again. "I'd better go reassure Charlie that you haven't runaway. Just . . . just think about what I said, okay?"

"I will. Thanks, Ro."

"You're welcome, Bee."

Edward turned toward the stairs, but stopped when he heard Rosalie walk out of her bedroom. He shoved his hands into his pants before he turned and looked at her. She raised an eyebrow before glancing back into the room, but didn't say anything before she hurried past him and back downstairs. Edward was still leaning against the wall when Bella walked out of Rosalie's room, her face red and still moist from her tears.

"How long have you been out here?"

"Long enough to hear you tell her that I make you feel wanted and needed," he admitted. "Sorry, I can't lie, especially to you."

"Good, I don't want you to lie to me." Bella wrapped her arms around herself. "Did you decide who my stalker, or stalkers, are?"

"Dad still think it's Marcus Volturi, the rest of us aren't as convinced."

She nodded. "Does this make your head hurt, too?"

Edward laughed. "Yes."

She leaned against the wall behind her. "What do we do now? I mean, if we are looking at multiple stalkers, how . . . how can you keep me safe, Edward?"

Edward opened his mouth once, twice, a third time before he said, "Dad still wants to bring Felix in."

As he expected, her entire body tensed. "Why?"

"He thinks he might have some inside knowledge on the way Marcus thinks."

"Because Marcus is his father?"

Edward nodded.

"Why don't you like Felix?"

"It's not that I don't like him, Bella, it's more that every time I look at him, I see Marcus, and it makes me edgy and Felix doesn't hold back much. He went through the same as us, but he doesn't let it get to him like we do, I guess, and it makes me feel like . . . like . . ."

"Like you're weak?" she asked.

"And pathetic, and stupid for being a thirty year old man, who until about an hour and a half ago, had never kissed a woman before."

Bella bit her lip as she smiled. "It was a good kiss."

"I thought so," he snickered.

Her smile dropped. "Do you think we should bring Felix in?"

Edward inhaled a deep breath before he said, "As much as I don't want him anywhere near you, I think we're running out of time to get prepared for your media tour, Bella. If Marcus Volturi has a new band of followers targeting you, then we need to be prepared, and that's going to mean bringing in reinforcements. The label isn't going to provide you with adequate security, and Felix has resources that could be valuable."

She shook her head. "I just . . . I just don't know what to do. I mean, I'm just now feeling somewhat comfortable with all of you around me. How do I open myself up to more people who know things about me that I don't even know?"

"I don't know, Bella. I really don't. All I can do is give you my opinion, but at the end of the day, we have to do what we think is going to keep you, keep us, safe, and that's going to mean more security than we can provide. Mom and Al don't really go into the field, so that just leaves me, Emmett, Jasper, and Dad."

"And Charlie."

Edward snorted.

"You don't trust him."

"I don't know him well enough to trust him," he admitted.

"Suppose that's fair," she murmured, biting her bottom lip. "You don't know him the way I do. He never gave up on me, always there to hold me when I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming, when I refused to sleep for days because I was afraid that I'd find myself locked in a Hell that I didn't even understand. As I got older, I learned to manage, to cope and function like a normal human being should be able to. I know it doesn't seem like it, but generally, I'm not such a loser."

"I don't think you're a loser," Edward said, frowning.

"We can agree to disagree," she scoffed with a shake of her head. "Charlie's been there every day for me, Edward. Even when I refused to let him come to me, he was available day and night."

"I'm not saying he wasn't. I just . . . I just don't know him well enough trust him. Like you don't trust my family."

She sighed, but nodded. "Suppose that's fair."

Edward pushed away from the wall and walked up to her, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her body flush with his, causing her to inhale a deep breath. "We won't bring Felix in until you're ready, Bella, but we only have a handful of days left until we have to leave here and reenter the real world, and we need time to prepare."

"You think we should bring him in."

"I do," he admitted. "As much as I don't like it, I don't think we have any other option."

Bella's eyes closed as she shook her head and leaned her forehead against his chest. "I don't know what to do."

"We don't have to decide right this second, sweetheart."

Bella tilted her head back and looked at him. "We don't?"

He smiled and shook his head. "I believe you and I had plans for the afternoon."

"You're really going to teach me how to fight?"

"Unless you've changed your mind," he challenged.

"I haven't," she was quick to reply. "And all you want is for me to sing to you?"

"Well, I wouldn't say no to another kiss, too."

Bella bit her lip before she leaned up and brushed her lips against his just briefly. "Like that?"

"To start."

She laughed and pulled backward, slipping her hands over his, which were still resting on her hips. "We might can work something out, but first, you teach me how to fight."

Edward narrowed his eyes as her, but threaded his fingers in with hers before the two headed back downstairs. Rosalie and Esme were sitting on the living room, and both women smiled at the two as they bypassed them and headed through the kitchen, and into the garage. Edward released his hold on her hand as he raised the door to the garage and motioned for her to follow him outside.

"Okay, the key to fighting back is to know that the person you're fighting isn't going to care about the rules."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, fight dirty." He stood in front of her. "If someone comes at you from the front, raise your knee in front of you, hitting them in the nuts. Kick them, whatever you have to do to keep them away from you."

"Okay," Bella said, bringing her knee up in front of her.

"Chances are, though, they are going to come up to you from behind," he said, placing his hand on her shoulders and turning her so that her back was toward him. He could feel how tense she was. "They'll probably try to lock their arms around you, like this," he said, wrapping his arms around her and gripping his forearms with his hands. "If they do this, throw your head back, hitting them in the nose. It will hurt, Bella, but it will hurt them more."

"Okay," she whispered. "And if that doesn't work?"

"Kick them in the shin, stomp on their feet, and go limp so they have to hold your body weight up. Chances are all of these will cause them to let you go, and then you will be ready to jump into action."

"And then what do I do?" she asked, tilting her head back so she was looking up at him.

Edward exhaled a deep breath before he released her and stepped away from her. "Face me again."

Bella turned and looked at him.

"Clinch your hand into a fist."

She did as he told her, tucking her thumb under her fingers.

"If you do that, you'll break your thumb," he said, prying her thumb from between her fingers and positioning it in front of her knuckles. "Keep it tight. When you throw a punch, you want to connect with the flat part of your fingers, not the knuckles. You'll break your hand if you hit them like that. Keep it firm and hit hard," he said, bringing her hand up and showing her by placing her fist against the palm of his hand. "Understand."

She nodded. "What else?"

Edward smiled. "Keep your elbows in, tucked up against your ribs. Always protect your blindside, Bella. That's very important."

"Okay," she said, pulling her arms up against her ribcage.

"When you strike, you want to use your whole body, not just your arm. Keep your other arm against you when you throw your fist, don't give them the opportunity to get a cheap side in. Twist at the waist, throw your weight behind it. Make them feel it, Bella."

"Twist at the waist," she murmured, turning her hips as she slowly threw her fist out.

"Always keep your fist turned to the side," he said, turning her hand so that her fingers were horizontal to the ground. "You'll have more power, more force that way, and you won't hurt your wrist. As much anyway."

Edward moved so that he was standing behind her, placing one hand on her hip as he brought his other one over her fist, extending her arm out as if there was someone standing in front of her. "Aim for their face. Punch upward, drive their nose into their skull. It will burn, their eyes will water, and they will choke on the blood as it pours down their throat."

"What else?" she asked, leaning against him.

"Don't stop punching until they stop moving. Kick, scream, be savage, Bella."

"What if I'm not savage?" she cried, and when he tilted her head backward, he saw the tears in her eyes. "I'm scared, Edward. I'm really scared."

"Me, too, sweetheart, but all we can do is fight. For our families, for each other."

"Edward," she sobbed, turning and leaning her head against his chest. "I . . ."

"I know, sweetheart, I know."

"We'll bring him in," she whimpered, tilting her head back and looking up at him. "We'll bring Felix in. I just . . . I just hope it's not a mistake."

"Me too."

And while Edward knew his father wouldn't be pushing for Felix to join their team if he didn't trust him one hundred percent, he didn't want that man anywhere near Bella.

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