Perdition Chapter 21

“Is anybody ever going to tell me who died?” I ask petulantly, after I finish my long winded explanation as to where I’ve been.

Bella stares at me incredulously. “You, Edward. You’ve been missing for ten days, and presumed dead! The fire was so intense at your house that the authorities were sure you didn’t survive, and your body couldn’t be recovered!” she exclaims.

“What? No! All of this happened last night and today! What the hell?” They planned a memorial for me? Fuck, I lost ten goddamn days. I hope I can make up for them somehow.

The tears slip down Bella’s cheeks again. “I’ve spent the last week and a half thinking you were dead.” The expression on her face is almost enough to actually kill me. Her skin is sallow, her eyes shadowed and puffy. Her cheeks are red and wet from her tears. She’s such a beautiful sight. My mind is in overdrive, as I look at the tearful faces that mean the most to me. It’s then that I notice Mallie is not among them.

“Mallie?” I ask, worried that she still thinks I’m gone.

“With Sue,” Mom replies. “She’s explaining that you were sick and in the hospital, not dead. She takes good care of her.”

“Yes, she does.” Reassured, I turn my attention back to Bella. “So what happened to you? How did you get away from Black, and who got Emmett released?” I try to shift, but it’s really uncomfortable. My legs and back still feel raw, and if I remember anything from burn care, it’s because they’ve peeled the dead skin off and it is, in fact, raw. I’m on my side in a cradle type bed, and it feels cool against my skin. My memories are foggy, but I do remember collapsing in Bella’s arms. The look on her face was so shocked, and now I know it’s because she thought she was seeing a ghost. Somehow she got away from Black, and fuck, my brother was standing there, out of jail!

“Jake took me to the chapel on the res and had us married.” I start to interrupt, but she holds up a hand. “Don’t worry, it wasn't legal. We sat in his house and ate; well, the men did. I had already decided I would do whatever it took to get out of there,” her voice shakes.

With dread in my gut, I watch the heavy swallow she forces down. “Oh, baby, tell me he didn't.”

She shakes her head almost violently. “I killed him,” she whispers, grabbing my hand for comfort.

Inside I’m cheering, but I don’t have the strength on the outside. “Thank God. How?”

“All his men got shit-faced drunk and passed out. There was a stupid bobble head trophy on his dresser. He got close, and I smashed it down on his temple and ran. Seth found me outside, and he drove me away from there. We-” She stops to catch her breath. “We passed your house, and there was nothing left but flames and ash. I thought you were nothing but ashes,” she quietly weeps, and I grip her hand tighter, pulling her closer.

“I’m here, now. All I could think of when I woke up was coming to get you. I managed to hide in the woods until the coast was clear, then flagged down a ride with someone. I’m not sure where the person that picked me up took me. Do you know where Olympic Memorial is?” I stroke my hand down Bella’s hair as she leans as close to me as she can with the odd shaped bed and the machinery.

“Port Angeles,” Dad answers. He offers me a cup of water, and I greedily drink it all.

“That’s right. I was a bit delirious, but I thought Black might have taken you there to hide you. I must have said it out loud.” Turns out she really was a kind person.

“Charlie ratted out Jake when he was arrested, that’s how Emmett got released. He told them everything, because they didn't tell him Jake was dead before he started running his mouth. Royce King is dead, Rosalie is in jail. Leah is taking a deal, and she’ll be out any day now,” Bella explains.

“So, what? The FBI got there just after you got yourself out?” The thought pisses me off, that Bella was almost raped because they were dragging their feet.

Bella nods sadly. “Unfortunately, some kind of red tape with the Sheriff’s Department held them up for another hour past my escape. They raided all of the operations simultaneously and rounded up everyone that was left. They came to Sue’s when they were done and took my statement, and thanked her for all of her help. I wasn’t really up for visitors, so I’m not sure what exactly they discussed.”

“You’ve gotten your information, honey. I think you should rest now,” Mom interjects. I have to agree; I’m so exhausted. Letting my eyes close, I fall quickly to sleep, no doubt partly due to the morphine.

I wake to the steady beeping of a machine and a vise around my left hand. Bella has fallen asleep, her head resting on her pulled up knees as she sits next to my bed. Nobody else is with us at the moment.

I close my eyes again, and some time passes as I listen to her even breathing and the whooshing of the machines surrounding me. I hear the door open and quiet footsteps, so I open my eyes again. My parents are back, followed by Alice and Emmett. They creep over to my bed, Mom glancing at Bella and clucking her tongue.

“That girl needs proper rest,” Mom whispers.

“We tried to bring her with us earlier, Mom,” Emmett responds. “She wouldn’t budge.”

My mom brushes her hand indulgently over my brother’s hairline, and I realize that everything is going to be okay if they’re standing here.

“Hey,” I croak. Eight eyes fly to my face.

“You’re awake again,” Alice says, sounding relieved.

“I’m not going anywhere, either. I promise.” I swallow thickly, the feeling in my mouth dry and cottony.

“That’s a damn good thing. We were all so distraught, thinking you were gone.” She glances at a sleeping Bella. “This one the most. She was functioning, but she wasn't living.”

My chest hurts at that thought. I didn't do it on purpose, of course, but I feel guilty nonetheless. “The only thing I want now is to heal and start my life with her and Mallie.”

“Um,” Emmett starts, stepping closer to the bed. “I won’t take Malone from you, you know that, right? I know you’re best for her. If things had been different, I could never have been half the dad you are. I just want you to know, I’m Uncle Emmett until she’s old enough that you think she’d understand. I just want to be in her life, however you think it would work best.”

My eyes tear up at his confession, and my heart swells. “You’re my brother, and I’d do anything for you, even give you my little girl. But I don’t think that would be best for her, and I have to think about her well-being above anything else.”

Emmett nods. “She’s really taken to Bella, I noticed. They have this crazy level of understanding, it’s like she was meant to be her mom.” He rubs the back of his neck as he grins at me.

Now I do cry, glancing again at a sleeping Bella. “That’s what I want.”

“That’s what you’ll have,” my big brother replies as he smiles hugely at me.

Bella wakes soon after that conversation, and the sunny smile she gives me assures me that it's over now. All the lying and sneaking around, following someone else’s rules. We no longer have to hide our feelings for each other, and we can build our family.

“Marry me,” I blurt out.

The surprised, tinkling laugh is all the answer I need.