Happy Birthday Edward! 123 looks good on you. And we also had a first Father's Day for our boy last weekend. This is our last regular chapter, the epilogue will post next weekend and then I'll start posting Neighborly Gestures as I finish that one up and work on pre-writing my new stories. I will also be hosting a little giveaway in my group between the posting of this chapter and next week's epilogue, so head over to the group to enter.

Chapter 34

Edward was up with a fussy Teddy, wishing he could calm his son. Lance was pacing right alongside Edward, barely avoiding being underfoot. Alice had been released from the hospital and was moved into the Queen's Bedroom. Besides wanting to guarantee her safety after what she'd lived through, Edward knew Garrett would focus better with his fiancée well protected.

Earlier in the evening, Jack had updated Edward on the status of everyone who had been injured or killed, and Edward had called those he could reach to check on them personally. Once upon a time, he'd put those men in their positions, so he felt responsible for them.

But with the night slowly chasing the dawn, he couldn't sleep.

"Something is happening," Alice rasped from the doorway.

"Why do you say that?" Edward asked.

Alice walked in and sat on the ottoman for one of the rockers. "Garrett called me earlier, but we were interrupted. He hasn't called back yet. If it had been nothing, he would have."

Edward was about to respond, but Alice's phone buzzed in her hand. She opened it up and looked at it, stunned.

"The FBI raided John Caius's house an hour ago."

Edward began to shake with rage, bad enough that Teddy grew fussier. He returned him to his crib and motioned for Alice to follow him.

"If that man has anything to do with this, I will skin him alive."

"There'll be a line behind you, trust me. Let's see what the news actually has on it."

The pair moved into the Treaty Room and turned on the television to get whatever update they could. Unfortunately, there wasn't much. It wasn't a forceful entry and not much was taken, but the former Congressman and his wife did leave with investigators.

"That doesn't make sense. He wasn't handcuffed, but they took them both for questioning. What are we missing?" Edward mused.

"Sir," Agent Wilson said from his position against the wall. "There's a secure call being transferred up here for you."

Edward stood just as the landline rang. "Hello?"

"Edward, she's alive," Garrett said.

"How do you know? Is this connected to Caius?"

"We were hoping that wouldn't get out, but yes. He saw her tonight."

"What do you mean he saw her? That son of a bitch was behind this?"

"No, but someone trying to impress him is. Her pin got stuck to the bottom of his sneaker and once we got him in a room, he told us everything. It's fucking insane, but we're trying to figure out how to breach where they're holding her. But we'll be moving shortly. With any hope, we'll have her back soon."

"Then do whatever it takes. I'll be waiting for your next call." Edward hung up and sat beside Alice again. "Caius may be the key to all of this. But until Garrett can call again, I don't know exactly what that is."

"Do you want to go to the office?" Alice asked. "Or we can make a call to the FBI and see what they can tell us? I can be a real pain in the ass when I'm after something, Edward. And if you need me to—" Alice began to cough, a fit that quickly turned into a violent hacking. An agent in the background radioed and a bottle of water was brought in for her to sip.

"I can make some calls. But you're still recovering. Bella wouldn't want you to make yourself sick fighting with a bunch of people who don't know what you're capable of." Edward spoke of his wife in a way that he knew would comfort her best friend.

"It's been more than two days now. How are you so calm?"

Edward let out a humorless laugh. "I'm not calm at all. But I save my falling apart for when I'm alone in our room. Garrett and Fitzwilliam keeping me somewhat informed is a big help in keeping me from losing my shit. But I wish I knew more now."

Emmett walked in, dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt. "I may be able to help with that."

"They briefed you?" Edward asked.

"Yes, the hope is that I'll be making some kind of statement in the coming hours. Apparently, Caius had a lot of information dropped in his lap from the man in charge of the attack."

"What's their association?" Alice questioned.

"There's a connection, but I don't know what. But they were planning a raid on some location based on everything they've learned."

"It couldn't happen soon enough for me." Edward responded.

~WTFF~

Bella shifted on the concrete, pain radiating through her hip. There wasn't much of her body that didn't ache. All she wanted was to get off that floor. But she wasn't sure she'd ever see the outside of that room again.

Caius had seemed stunned to find her there but didn't offer much assistance. It was too much to hope that he'd run to the authorities.

The latest visit from the man who enjoyed tormenting her was the reason her face throbbed and her left eye was swollen shut. If she did die in that room, it would be at his hands.

She almost slipped back to sleep when a distant banging caught her attention. It sounded different from Alec's usual approach, but she couldn't make out much beyond that.

Her mind drifted to Alice, who she'd left in that bathroom, and Agent Harper, who she'd seen before the gas and smoke had gotten too thick. It hurt to think of the woman who spent so many intimate moments with her out of necessity, gone like that.

More shouting, then a familiar voice called, "Clear!"

The jangling of keys made her try to sit up, but she had so little strength. The door opened and blond hair peeking out from beneath a protective helmet caused her to sob.

"We have Phoenix," Garrett radioed. He moved to her side and gave her a brief check. "Is there anything seriously hurt, or can I lift you and carry you out?"

"Everything hurts, but nothing that would be made worse by you getting me out of here," Bella told him in a shaky voice. "How are they?"

"Alice is with Mihos at the White House. Though I'm sure he'll be on his way to the hospital as soon as he gets word. Now, let's get you out of here."

Garrett lifted her gently and noticed the chain around her ankle.

"Can someone come in here and cut these chains," Garrett hollered.

An agent promptly did as Garrett asked, and soon, he was carrying her out. There were sheets covering more than a dozen bodies, while others were cuffed and lying on their stomachs. Garrett didn't stop walking until he was climbing into the ambulance.

They drove to Walter Reed where a medical team was waiting to examine her. It felt like hours of scans, physical exams, and psychological questioning, all with Garrett at her side. When they were finally left alone, Isabella turned to her protector and friend.

"How bad is the team? I know about Harper. But the rest?"

Garrett blew out a deep breath. "From your details, we lost Harper and Eleazar. Samuel was injured, but he'll recover. Five field agents died when you were taken, and Royce King was killed by Alec Wentworth."

"That psychopath is John Caius's illegitimate son. He was there, Garrett."

Isabella began to hyperventilate, and Garrett reached for her hand while taking her oxygen mask off the blanket and placing it over her face to get her to breathe deeply for a moment.

"He's actually how we found you. Not that he came and spoke to us, but he's claiming he was afraid they followed him. He stepped on your pin, so after almost two days of radio silence, we got a signal."

"How long was I held?" she asked quietly.

"Three days. But from everything the doctors said, there's no serious damage. And we can get you a trauma therapist to help with what you're feeling. It'll pass, Bella. I promise." Garrett's head dropped to where their hands were joined, and she squeezed his hand softly.

"Stop blaming yourself. If you had been there, you probably would have died getting to me."

A knock interrupted their talk as Edward peeked his head in the door. "Christ, I've missed you."

Garrett stood. "I'll give you some privacy. If you need anything, knock."

Before he could exit, Edward pulled Garrett into a fierce embrace. "Thank you for bringing her home."

After a few more back pats, Garrett left the First Couple alone.

"I was so afraid I would never see you or the babies again. How are they?" Bella sobbed.

"Missing Mommy, but otherwise they're perfect. How badly were you injured?"

"Cracked skull, some broken ribs, and an infection from the two bullets that hit me is the worst of it. I'll be limited in my mobility for a while, but nothing that won't heal."

"If you're up for it, we can watch Emmett announce your safe return."

"Yes," Bella breathed out.

Edward sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to hurt his wife as they relaxed on the mattress. He turned on the TV to a broadcast station a moment before the news cut to the White House where Emmett stood at a podium in the East Room.

"Good afternoon, My Fellow Americans. It is with great relief that I can now tell you President Swan-Masen has been rescued and is undergoing a medical evaluation. We've been informed that she is conscious and is doing well considering the ordeal she's been through.

"While I'm unable to give specific information about her condition, I've been assured that the President will be returning to the White House soon to continue her recovery and she'll be able to update everyone on her condition more as she recovers.

"For the time being, we ask that you give the First Family the privacy to heal out of the public eye. Thank you."

Emmett offered a curt nod and stepped away from the podium as the broadcast cut back to the studio.

"We're going to have to work on how he sticks the landing if he wants this job someday," Isabella remarked.

"Is that really all you can think of?" Edward was a little shocked by her reaction.

"I'll have a lot of down time to analyze how he interacts with various people and in multiple situations. It'll be good practice for when he's at the head of the table."

"Can't you focus on healing?" Edward pleaded.

Bella met his eyes, her own softening at the harried look on his face. "I will. Which is why I'm focusing on Emmett's performance. Not because I'm going to rush to be back in the Oval Office tomorrow, but I plan to let him be the forward-facing member of the administration until my ribs are healed enough that I can move around. I'll handle phone calls and emails from the Residence. But they will be scrutinizing him more closely now and I want him to get it right."

Edward sighed in relief. "Thank you. And I know you won't step back completely, so that is a compromise I can live with."

"I already know there will be struggles, Edward. When I close my eyes, I'm back in that room not knowing if I'll ever make it out." She began to tremble, the memories too much for the moment.

Edward squeezed her hand in reassurance. "You're safe now, Bella, and you'll stay that way."

After a final round of tests, the doctors at Walter Reed released President Swan-Masen to her medical team at the White House Medical Unit. In the middle of the night, she was driven back to the Residence and settled into bed. She was regularly checked by someone from the medical unit, but otherwise, she was left to recover.

Isabella had quite a few visitors from her Administration in the early days of her bed rest, but she was sure to pose for some photos with those stopping by so they could be released to various news outlets.

The healing of her mind was as important as her body, so when she wasn't reviewing meeting notes or taking calls, Bella was meeting with a trauma therapist. It didn't stop all of the nightmares, but having her family close was a soothing balm on troublesome nights. Teddy and Lizzie prattled and babbled on the bed, and though she couldn't hold them for long, seeing them was enough after days of separation.

Her birthday was a quiet affair, photos being released to show how she was doing halfway through her recovery, but other than that, she was not seen by those outside her inner circle.

The morning of October fourteenth had been decided as her return to full duties, nearly two months after her abduction. That morning, she dressed slowly and took extra time giving love to her children and fur babies, as Donut and Lance had stayed close during the entirety of her confinement.

With a full detail, including a new face she would need to learn, she descended to the West Wing. It had upset her that she'd been unable to offer personal condolences on the loss of the agents who had given their lives to try to save her, but she had spoken to each family and had plans to visit those graves when she was able.

She reached the Oval Office and took her seat behind the desk; Garrett posted just inside the door. It only took a moment before her intercom chirped and Shelley Cope's voice came through.

"Secretary Cullen and Ms. Brandon are here to see you."

"Send them in, Shelley." Isabella said, ready for the work to begin again.