A/N… So this chapter ran long. Not that you'll complain. I'm just saying… Anyway, I'll let you guys get to it.

~oOo~

Chapter 9

BELLA

"Bells, wake up," Rose dragged me out of a restless sleep. When I finally cracked an eye open, she looked like she'd gotten about as many hours of sleep as me. "Jasper and Al are back."

"Okay. I'm up." Rubbing my face, I sat up, glancing around.

The two of us had stayed with Sue, not that she'd given us much choice in the matter. She'd basically forced us into her apartment and told us she was going to feed us and keep us company until Jasper and Al had a chance to track down Emmett and Edward. Alice had stayed up with us. All of us had sort of crashed out in Sue's living room.

After using the bathroom and washing my face a little, I stepped into Sue's kitchen, where she was feeding everyone. She offered me some apple juice, which I took, but I shook my head about the food.

Jasper's expression was worried, but Al seemed calm when he started to talk.

"We tracked Emmett and Edward to the old diner. The front window was shattered, but they had taken out what looked to be an entire company of raiders. There were bodies everywhere that they hadn't cleaned up yet. The problem is—"

"There was blood inside that diner," Jasper interrupted, shooting a warning glare at Al. "Don't sugarcoat shit. They don't want it, and they need to know, Al." He glanced between Rose and me. "Someone got shot. They had to have been, but they're still mobile, because the blood trail left out the back door of that diner."

I took a shaky breath, shaking my head. "Where? Where are they?"

"We think they had no choice but to go inside the Sound," Al replied softly. "I don't think they were caught, but I think they decided to seek out a safe house inside instead of risking getting caught. Which is smart, because the raiders weren't looking for them inside the walls."

I shook my head, getting up from the table.

"Bells, they'll follow the twenty-four-hour rule," Jasper reminded me, and I nodded.

"What's that?" Alice piped up from where she'd been leaning against the kitchen doorway.

Jasper smiled her way and answered, "After anything we do – raid, slave retrieval, even hijacking a damn train – we allow one whole day before we truly start to worry. There are safe houses everywhere so that we can stay out of sight until raiders stop looking. We know they allow for twenty-four hours to look for us, so we do the same. We go dark and quiet for one whole day in a safe house." He looked back to Rose and then me. "Tonight, if they're not back, you can leave your dad a note. But I honestly don't think they've been caught."

"But one of them is hurt?" Rose asked the question I could barely think.

"We think so, but they moved, which means they're not dead," Al replied softly.

I gritted my teeth, fighting tears and nausea. The smell of Sue's breakfast was making me queasy, but I wasn't sure if it was morning sickness or nerves. My hand went to my stomach as I turned to face out the front window.

The people of Oz were starting to rouse, but they were also getting ready for Thanksgiving. The day looked gray and cold outside, and I wondered if we would end up with snow soon. That was the inane shit going through my head – weather, Thanksgiving, and movement outside.

"I don't want to wait to leave Dad a note," I stated, shaking my head and facing them again. "Not this time. Please, Al."

Alistair smiled sadly. "Okay, kiddo. Write it. I'll go put it in the 'mailbox.'"

"You know, after the train, they'll raid us today," Sue surmised, looking to me.

"If they haven't caught someone," Jasper finished.

"Fine," I said, walking to Sue's desk in the corner of her living room. I jotted a quick note to my dad, keeping it free of names but surreptitiously asking him to check around for his son-in-law. Once I'd handed it over to Al, I added, "I'll take the bank building roof to see if there's a warning."

Jasper got up, handing me over his walkie-talkie, and Sue offered me her binoculars. Alice pushed away from the wall, glancing around at all of us.

"Want some company?" she offered as I walked to the door.

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled, swallowing around the lump in my throat because I was fighting every emotion imaginable.

We were quiet as we left the apartment building, turning toward the old bank. As we took what seemed to be endless amounts of stairs, Alice finally broke the silence.

"What happened to this building?"

"Raiders." I glanced her way. "There were several families using this building as a shelter before Oz became organized. It had somehow kept its power, so after the virus had taken so many, we were using this building to stick together because we could see them coming. It's one of the taller ones on this side of the wall.

"One night, they used rocket launchers to take out power and several floors before they sent in like a hundred raiders. They took so many slaves that night." I whispered that last sentence. "If someone tried to stop them, they were shot immediately. That's how my mother died."

"Here?" Alice squeaked.

"Mmhmm," I hummed, nodding a little. "Yeah, Demetri led a team onto the floor where we were living with like two other families. When he blew the door, he knocked my dad across the room. When my mother stepped in front of me, he just…pulled the trigger."

"No wonder you hate him."

I snorted humorlessly. "I do, but he has no idea that one of his leading raiders has put themselves into position to kill him. My dad hates him more." Opening the rooftop door, I added, "I hope before this is over that I get to see Demetri's death, though."

"Aro's too," she added firmly.

I smirked her way. "Definitely."

She grinned, glancing around. "Okay, so what are we doing up here?"

I pulled out the binoculars and scanned the Sound, from the main gate all the way to the raiders' barracks.

"Raiders are dumb," I told her. "Maybe dumb isn't the right word. Maybe they're habitual. They never mix up their routine. We do something to them, then they come at us the next morning. They take the same route around the inside of the walls like clockwork. My dad does his best to alert us to raids or any changes to those routines."

I scanned the barracks down the line until I got to the end, continuing to explain. "If they caught one of us, then they won't raid us." I scanned over to my dad's barrack, and the damn curtains were tied in a knot.

I put the radio to my mouth. "Signal sighted."

"Copy that," Al replied. "Ring the bell, Weber."

I looked to Alice, handing her the binoculars. "Look at the space between the two tallest buildings. See the line of small portable houses?" I asked her, and she nodded. "The last one. There's a knot in the curtain. That's a signal that they're gonna raid Oz. You can also see two Hummers getting loaded up."

The old church bell started to ring, and I took back the binoculars, leading Alice down the stairs.

When we made it back down to the ground floor, Jasper was there waiting for us. I handed him back his radio and Sue's binoculars.

"Get in the bunker, Bells. Both of you." When I started to argue, he held his hand up. "Don't start with me. Please just go. I know we're short Em and Ed, but I can't risk the two of you. Go. Please?"

"Shit," I said through an angry sigh. "Fine. Shoot a few for me, then."

"Gladly." His grin was crooked and shameless as he pointed toward the auto shop. "Go."

Alice laughed, but she took my hand. I could hear parts of Oz going dark and quiet. When the church bell rang, they knew to hide, to cover up, to go silent. By the time Alice and I were underground and pulling the pallets over us, gunfire sounded in the distance.

I met her worried gaze. "If they're here, then it means Emmett and Edward are still free. Apparently hurt somewhere, but not captured."

I paced as the sound of fighting went on in the distance. My eyes raked over names carved into the walls. Alice had added hers, along with the date. I traced a finger over Edward's name over and over. He'd used Al's knife to do it, and he'd helped me carve mine.

We'd had to hide so much in the beginning that we didn't actually carve them until about a year after Edward had brought me home. By then, we were together most of the time, inseparable best friends. I needed my best friend back in one piece and safe in my arms.

"This will be a long damn day," I muttered, meeting Alice's gaze. "Twenty-four-hours puts us into tonight, well after dark. I may go crazy before then."

Alice smiled sadly from her seat. "You should eat something, though. For the baby, Bella."

There was a bag of beef jerky on the shelf with some jarred vegetables and fruit. I grabbed that and fell down into the chair beside hers, pulling out a piece of meat and taking a bite.

"Thanks," I told her.

"Well, I kinda get the feeling that if we don't take care of you, Edward will be a tornado of pissed off."

I laughed, like a real, true laugh, and I gazed her way, still giggling. "Girl, you have no idea."

She grinned. "I bet." She patted my arm. "Relax, please. I also get the feeling that he wouldn't want you to worry yourself sick. When he brought me here, he was calm and protective. He knows exactly how to get around on the other side of that wall." She nodded when I gazed her way again. "He'll bust his ass to get to you. I know that much. We just have to…"

"Wait," I finished for her when she trailed off, because the bunker door above us slid open to reveal Rose and Sue waving us up. "Yeah. We just have to wait."

~oOo~

EDWARD

"Let me help you," Mom offered, handing me a pair of Dad's jeans. Mine were covered in blood and ripped where the bullet had entered my leg. "Can you even stand?"

I nodded as I stood. It was shaky and there was pain, which meant getting back to Oz would be slow and unpleasant.

"I won't be raiding the Sound anytime soon, but we'll make it back," I told her, glancing out my old bedroom window.

The sun had set, and I'd allowed another two hours for the raiders' shift change. However, I knew I'd be pushing my Bella's patience and worry, so I wanted to get back. She had enough stress without adding me to it. I needed her and the baby to stay healthy and calm, but Emmett and I had blown way beyond the twenty-four-hour rule because we'd needed darkness and I'd needed to stay off my leg a bit longer.

My head was fine; the split in my skin hurt worse than the bump left behind by the glass.

Mom helped me with my jeans and backpack. I limped into the living room to see Dad and Emmett emptying out the cabinet with the medical supplies my parents had hoarded away.

"Don't they do inventory?" I asked Dad teasingly.

He chuckled, walking to me to help me sit down. "I bet they do now."

Grinning, I nodded. I was truly looking forward to having them back in my life, and even more, I was excited to show them Oz. The real Oz. There was a sense of community and unity. We all just wanted safety and freedom, but some of us wanted revenge for having been put into this situation in the first place.

Aro's days were numbered. I could feel it. I felt it in my bones, deep in my soul. I wasn't sure what Flash could do about getting the information out there, but the other walled cities needed to know that a handful of people had held them down long enough.

"Here," he said, walking to the front door to grab a set of crutches.

"How?"

"Neighbor. Her daughter sprained her ankle a few months ago. I told them my wife had just twisted hers, which was my excuse for work. They gave them to me," he explained as he adjusted the height on them.

I glanced between them both. "Are you sure you're ready to do this? Once we go, there's no coming back."

"And they'll hunt you," Emmett added softly as he set the bag of medical supplies down by the door. "Don't get me wrong; we can totally hide you, protect you, but they'll freak out once they realize one of their doctors has gone MIA."

Dad nodded. "We're sure. I want my family together again."

Guilt hit me a little, but I could see it was hitting him, too. Any grudge I'd held in the past was now gone. Alistair was right; this was Aro's doing, not my parents. He'd lied and manipulated everyone into thinking he was this savior, when really, he was the devil himself.

"Okay, then let's load up and get this freak show on the road," Emmett stated. "My Rosie's gonna kick my ass for being late."

I huffed a laugh, but it wasn't in humor. "And Bella's probably worried herself sick."

Bags were slung across shoulders or strapped to our backs, Mom did one more walk-through of the apartment to make sure she didn't forget anything, and everyone knew to walk straight to the stairwell. Just as we reached the door, there was a knock on it.

"Ah, shit," Emmett hissed, holding up a finger as he looked out the peephole. He snorted, turning back to meet my gaze. "Oh, Bells totally lost patience." He pulled open the door to reveal Charlie on the other side.

Charlie stepped inside the apartment, and Emmett closed the door behind him. Bella's father eyed every last one of us, smirking a little.

"So… Got a note some shit went sideways. Want some help?"

I laughed softly. "Only if you're clear to do it."

"I'm good. What about you? I followed a blood trail just about the whole way here. Once it went to the underground instead of any safe house, I figured you came here."

"I'll live, Charlie, but we've got to go."

"All of you?"

"Yes, sir."

The smile that curled the corners of his mouth had a touch of pride to it. He nodded once, patting my shoulder.

"Okay, let's get you back before my daughter burns the Sound and all that's in it just to get to you."

Sighing and ignoring Emmett's laugh, I nodded, because he wasn't really wrong. If the roles were reversed, I would've already torn up the Sound looking for Bella, so my need to go home was almost making me sick because Bella had been nervous about this train from the beginning. To leave her waiting felt cruel. And I didn't like hurting my wife, even if it was unfortunate circumstances.

Charlie gripped my shoulder. "I'll take the lead. Em, you watch our backs. This will be touchy because Demetri is as mad as a wet hornet, so he's made it his mission to find you."

That sobered up the group of us, but we followed Charlie out into the hallway, quickly disappearing into the stairwell. Those ten floors of steps were just shy of pure fucking torture. However, no one rushed me, and no one seemed to be worried. Charlie stayed at the lead, listening to each door whenever I had to stop, but by the time we made it down to the parking garage, I was pouring sweat.

"You gonna be able to go underground?" Charlie asked as he reached for the doorknob.

I nodded, squeezing my eyes closed. "Yeah, the damn ladder will be easier. I can use my arms more than my legs. Just…go on." Before he could open it, I added, "And don't you go and get yourself in trouble. If you're supposed to be on duty, go. We can get through the underground and back to Oz."

"I'll take you at least to the alleyway, kiddo. Once you cross the street to the wall, I'll come back here and play stupid," he said, cracking the door so he could see if anyone was out there.

The chilly autumn air hit my sweaty brow, making me shiver just a little. Emmett walked to the manhole cover and pulled it open. Charlie went down first, using a flashlight to help light the way for my parents. Both he and my dad helped me lower myself down. Emmett was the last to join us, and he pulled the manhole cover back over us.

"I remember this place," my mother whispered, gazing around as Charlie led us down the underground street. "It was a tourist attraction. Um, late 1800s, they rebuilt the city a few stories higher. But this was… You paid to come down here."

Smiling her way, I nodded. "Thanks to Charlie, we now use it to move about in the Sound without anyone knowing. If you look carefully, Emmett marked the walls." I pointed to an old bakery, but there was a spray-painted arrow pointing to the left with a simple house drawn next to it. "Go left here, and it ends just a few blocks from an old elementary school. Charlie brings the slaves to the school. I bring them from there to Oz." The arrow pointing to the right had a zero with a line through it. "That symbol is a crack in the wall. And that's where we're going."

Emmett chuckled from behind us. "Well, this space down here is like a maze. When I was a kid, it was easy to get lost, so I started to mark my way around down here."

"You've been doing this since you were a boy?" Dad asked him.

"Oh, yeah. My grandmother is an elder, along with Charlie up there. I barely remember going to protests, but I did. The last protest the Outer Zone had against the Sound went violent. My parents were killed right at the main gate. The raiders said we were sick. My parents tried to tell them we weren't, but they were attacked. Grandma says everyone had been anxious and twitchy, so when shots were fired, everyone just…snapped."

Dad sighed and rubbed his face roughly. "They told us that you guys attacked first."

Snorting, I glanced his way as we continued down the underground street. "I bet they did. That's how I met Emmett. He was in the Sound looking for fuel. I was exploring our building. We met in the garage. At first, I couldn't understand how he wasn't sick. I believed everything they'd told us until I met him. He wasn't sick, and he—"

The sound of a rumbling engine echoed down from above us. We all stopped, going still. If my calculations were correct, then we were beneath what used to be an old bookstore – the same bookstore that my Bella raided just about every time she came over the wall. The engine stopped, and doors opened and slammed closed. My heart sputtered at the sound of Demetri's voice, addressing the guards at one of the watch-posts.

"I want those bastards fucking found!" he ordered loudly. "I know we tagged one. The blood trailed out the back of the diner they were hiding in, but they've killed twenty-five men, raided a supply train, and destroyed the tracks. All in the span of one damn night!"

"Tsk, aw," Emmett whined sarcastically in my ear. "Poor things. Maybe they should've been better shots."

Grinning, I shrugged him away.

"Those two have caused me more trouble than I can count," Demetri went on. "It's that big one and Dr. Cullen's son. I want them found. I want them dead!"

"Sir!" several voices replied.

"Double up on patrols now. Tonight. Double the cars on the street, and double the lookouts on the walls. Go! Tell those officers if they find these assholes, there's a promotion in it for them."

I turned to Charlie. "You want a promotion? Now's your chance."

He snorted. "Shut up, Edward," he hissed back as doors closed and engines started up again. "And risk my daughter's wrath? Are you crazy?" He rolled his eyes at my grin and chuckle. "You guys need to move your asses. I'd better get back. Go now before they have a chance to implement those new orders."

"Copy that, Charlie," Emmett said, giving his shoulder a squeeze on his way by to take the lead.

"Charlie," Dad called him before he could walk away. He held out his hand to Bella's father. "I want to thank you. For…a lot of things, but mostly for getting us to see the truth, for taking care of my son, protecting him. I owe you."

"No, you don't. Honestly, I'm glad that we'll have you in Oz, especially since Bella is gonna need you. You want to pay me back?" he asked, and my father nodded. "Then make sure my daughter and our grandchild stay healthy," Charlie stated firmly.

"On my life," Dad replied.

My mother hugged Charlie before he could leave us, and the last thing he said was, "Give Bella my love."

"Sir," Emmett and I both replied.

"C'mon, gimpy. Let's hobble you back home," Emmett taunted. "We need to beat them to the wall."

It was several more underground blocks before we finally came to the ladder that led up to the alleyway. Emmett took the lead, slowly and carefully shifting the manhole cover and the garbage bin to the side. He'd wait for the patrol to go by before waving us up.

As he watched for raiders, I turned to my parents. "We're almost there, but I need you two to do what I tell you." When they both nodded, I continued. "Up top is an alleyway. Across the street is an old apartment building about four stories tall. Don't go to the front door. You're gonna run straight to the right of the building to the back. Once you're there, there are enough shadows to hide you."

"I'm going last," Emmett stated from the top of the ladder. "Come on." He waved my mother up first, helping her out of the manhole.

"You sure you don't need help?" Dad asked.

"Go. I'll be right behind you. Em will go last in case there's trouble."

Emmett whispered the same instructions to them again, only this time, he was able to point where to go. They ducked down when another patrol went by, and he urged them to run once it was clear.

I handed up the crutches, and Emmett took them once he was satisfied that my parents were safely across the street.

"They're good, they're good. C'mon, Ed."

I used mainly my arms to take the ladder, relying heavily on my good leg to push up. When I was up to the street level, I sat down with my legs hanging in the manhole just to catch my breath.

"Yeah, so this will be touchy, bro," he whispered, helping me to my feet. "We'll let another patrol pass. I'll watch your back."

We tried like hell to keep this crack in the wall a secret. This one was how we saved slaves, how we got in and out better than any other portion of the wall. We didn't need trouble right there. And I wouldn't be my normal speed crossing the street.

Emmett got me to my feet, handed me the crutches, and held on to my shoulder until another raider truck passed us.

"Go, dude."

As best I could, I moved across the street, slipping into shadow as the next truck's lights started to shine our way.

"Damn, that was fast. They're already doubled," I muttered to my parents, who were pressed against the back of the old apartment building. Once I caught my breath, I pushed off the apartments and aimed toward the wall in the corner. "Dad, go first," I whispered.

"What about Emmett?"

"He'll be fine. He's pretty fast. Faster than me right now."

Dad slipped through the concrete wall's crooked space, and he helped my mother do the same. I passed my crutches through, and he steadied me so I could finally set foot back into Oz.

Just as I was getting the crutches back under my arms, Emmett appeared behind us.

"Guess all those assholes need a damn promotion, because they're every-fucking-where," he said as he tried to catch his breath.

A sense of safety and just…home came over me as we made our way through Oz. The streets were quiet, but I could see most of Sector B had set up for Thanksgiving. Booths and tents were up, along with tables and a few barrels for fires.

"You're just in time for Thanksgiving tomorrow," Emmett told my parents. "It's every kind of food imaginable. Maria's family is makin' tacos! Grandma makes a killer turkey."

Grinning, I nodded, but I didn't say anything. He was right. Tomorrow would be a good day. Even the Sound didn't usually bother us on Thanksgiving. Usually. That was a grim thought as we neared the auto shop, that raiders could terrorize Oz on a day where everyone was out and about.

The auto shop was dark as we passed it by, but up ahead, every light was on in every apartment in our building. However, it was the pissed off brunette slamming out the front door that broke the silence of the night.

"I said give me a minute, Al!" she snapped, plopping down onto the steps.

Bella didn't see me, but Alistair sure as hell did, and his laughter pissed her off even more.

"What's so damn funn—" She turned his way, but he was already in motion toward me.

"Jesus Christ, kid. What happened?" he said, walking to us.

It hurt me to watch fat tears well up in her beautiful brown eyes.

She was off the stoop and wrapped around me before I could say a word, but her sobs were hurting me more than the damn bullet I'd taken in my leg. Putting my weight mainly on my good foot, I wrapped an arm around her and pressed kisses to the top of her head over and over.

"I'm sorry. I know I scared you. I'm okay, love." Over and over, I repeated those things to the crown of her head. "Baby, let me sit so I can hold you."

She pulled away from me, and it looked like it pained her to put any space between us, but she helped me sit down on the step where she'd just been sitting. She leaned my crutches against the railing, and I chuckled when she immediately fell into my arms again, standing on the bottom step between my legs.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, Edward Cullen," she squeaked into my neck, and I wrapped my arms all the way around her to tug her to my lap.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again. "I didn't want to stay gone so long, but we didn't have a choice. I was… I needed help."

She pulled back, cupping my face and eyeing my forehead. "You're okay?"

"I'm always okay when I get back to you," I whispered, shrugging a little. It probably sounded cheesy, but it was the fucking truth. "I also brought someone back with me." I nudged her cheek with my nose toward my parents.

My mother's eyes were watery, and my dad's face was a combination of amused and sympathetic as they watched us.

"Holy shit, they came!" Bella barely said aloud, swiping at her tears with the back of her hand, but I chuckled at her shock as she stood up off my lap.

"They did. If it weren't for them, I'd have probably bled to death."

"Damn it, Edward," Alistair said through a deep sigh, shaking his head.

"And your dad said to give you his love," Emmett piped up behind my parents.

"Oh, my God… I can't. Seriously?" my wife muttered, looking back to me. "This must be some story."

Grinning briefly, I nodded, but my amusement didn't last. "It is, but we need to brace for raids soon. They'll come looking for them. I don't think it'll be tomorrow because Dad won't technically be missing for another couple of days."

Bella faced my parents, who looked a little uneasy until she said, "I'm so glad you came!"

Mom was the first to move, and she cupped my Bella's face in both hands. "Gracious, Edward was right; you grew up to be just stunning, Bella."

"Thank you," Bella said back softly, looking to my dad. "I know we need to catch up, but I think…" She trailed off, glancing my way. "Until we find you a place of your own, would you like to stay with Edward and me?"

I would've offered it, but it seemed to mean more to them coming from Bella.

"That would be lovely, Bella. Thank you," Dad replied.

I met Alistair's gaze. "We've got a lot to go over," I started, flinching when my head gave a throb. My leg was aching, too, and I was exhausted after everything. "You need to know they've doubled patrols, and there's a bounty on Emmett and me. A promotion if we're caught."

Emmett grinned. "We offered it to Charlie, but he declined."

There was laughter and scoffs, but I reached for my crutches. Bella got to them before I could, and she set them in front of me. It took a few tries to get me to my feet and up to our apartment. Dad took some of my weight to keep me steady, and Bella opened the door to let us inside.

Bags were set down in the living room, except for my parents' bag. Bella led them to the spare room – the room that would eventually be the baby's room. I continued on down to our room, falling down onto the edge of the bed as I tried to catch my breath. I heard Bella show them where everything was and tell them to make themselves at home.

However, my dad stopped her before she could leave them to it. "Bella, I… I owe you an apology."

"No, you don't," she countered softly.

"I do. I should've talked to you and Edward when Aro gave you to me. I should've told you my fears, that it was dangerous to go against him. It's my biggest regret that I didn't communicate with you both."

"I didn't blame you."

"But Edward did," he argued.

She laughed softly, and it really wasn't in humor. "Maybe at first, but he watched over you, no matter what. It wasn't that he didn't want to come back. He couldn't come back because they'd have killed him."

"We know, sweetheart," Mom soothed her. "He told us."

Bella didn't say anything for a moment but then finally said, "I am really glad you came with him. He has regrets too. Tomorrow, we'll show you around, and you can see how this side of the wall lives."

Dad chuckled. "We look forward to it, Bella."

Bella came into our room, shutting the door behind her and leaning back against it.

"Come here, love," I said softly, pulling her between my legs when she stepped to me. "I know you want the story. And I promise to tell you, but baby, I'm…"

"Exhausted," she finished for me, her fingers gently pushing my hair from my forehead so she could see my wound. "Are you in pain? And how bad is that leg?"

"Yes, to the pain, but my leg will be fine in time. My dad fixed it up," I told her, frowning when she stepped away to our bathroom to bring me back two pills and a cup of water.

Holding the pills up, I said, "Thanks." After downing them, I set the water on the nightstand, pulling her back to me. Gently, I lifted her shirt, pressing kisses to her stomach. "You two okay? Did you eat or sleep?"

"A little of both."

I nodded, kissed her stomach again, and hugged her close, turning my head so I could hear her heartbeat.

"I was so worried, Edward."

I squeezed her closer. Honestly, I'd scared myself. This was too close.

"That beach is starting to sound like a fucking fantastic idea, love," I mumbled, smirking when her laugh shook us.

She pulled my face up so she could kiss me. "I don't care where we end up. I just… We just need you." She placed my hand on her stomach.

"C'mon, let me hold you…both of you."

Bella helped me out of my boots, eyeing the bandage on my leg once we tugged my jeans off. For a split second, I wondered if hormones were driving her emotions lately, and then I pushed the thought away. It didn't matter. She'd been worried before this train mission, and she'd been right to worry. It went in a direction none of us expected.

I knew we all needed to sit down to discuss the Sound and Aro and Demetri tomorrow. I knew that I wanted my dad to check on Bella and the baby. And I was looking forward to showing my parents around, but tonight, I just wanted my wife. I was just grateful to be home.

~oOo~

A/N… Okay, everyone take a deep breath and let it out. He's home, he's safe, and no one got caught.

I need to thank all of you for the love and support. It means so much! Thank you again. I'm not out of the woods yet with my never-ending issues, but I've pretty much given up hope on my car. Fuck it.

Anyway, teasers will be Thursday or Friday and then an update next Sunday. Until then… Mooches, Deb ;)