HE LEFT ME!!

love and reactions

I carried Bella into the guest room, relishing in the feeling of relief that finally began to wash over me. The relief, of course, would not be complete until I had taken Mike apart limb by limb, but that would have to wait until Bella and Allie were safe in our home. I made a mental reminder to talk to Carlisle when I arrived at the house. We would need to arrange for the best lawyer in the states. In the country, if necessary. Bella would have Allie. I would have Bella.

All would be right again.

"Are you scared?" I asked her as I set her down on her bed. She stared up at me with those beautiful, deep brown eyes.

"A little," she paused, "About Mike, you mean?" I nodded, urging her to continue. She sighed, her gaze drifting off to the side, "Okay, I'm terrified."

"Why?" I lowered myself onto the bed next to her, my fingers stroking along her cheek. "Bella, he won't hurt you. I'll be there, if you want me to."

"No!" She shouted, her eyes wide with shock, "If he sees you, he'll say I committed adultery. He'll find a way to make it worse."

"Well, just know that I will be there, even if he can't see me." I reminded her, trying not to be taken aback or hurt by her words. It was silly to be hurt when I knew she loved me.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, "But I'm not scared about him hurting me, Edward. It... hurts, of course, but that's not what frightens me."

"You're scared about what he could do to Allie." I offered, knowing it was true. Alice had told me as much earlier. Bella had been undecided until tonight. As Alice had predicted, her confrontation with Mike had forced her into a decision. I only hoped it was a good one.

"He could take her from me forever," her gaze lowered to the blankets as she twisted a stray piece of fabric nervously about her finger. "He would hurt her, I know he would. After the things he said tonight. He was so horrible. He just... uses her. I wonder if he cares for her at all."

I winced, turning away. I knew how Mike felt about Allie. Even through my anger and desire to get to Bella before he harmed her, I had taken note of his mind. There was no happy thought of Allie. He manipulated her into loving him for the sole purpose of causing Bella pain. I tried to hide my eyes from Bella, afraid she would see the horrible truths within them. Perhaps she knew me too well.

"What are you hiding?" she asked, her trembling voice a note quieter than before. She leaned around me, trying to catch my eyes. "Edward, what do you know?"

"It's nothing, Bella." I turned to her, my eyes holding a false reassurance in them. She didn't believe it for a second. I sighed, "He has no good thoughts about Allie, Bella. Alice said he's thought terrible things. Horrible. He's not good for Allie, Bella. He's not good for you."

"What kind of things?"

Death. He wanted to kill her.

But I couldn't bear to tell Bella that. She was shaken enough with the mere thoughts of abuse. If she knew that Mike had thought of killing Allie at one time, it would shatter her. So, I gave her half of the truth, "The things you already said you fear. She saw him getting violent with Allie."

I watched as her face crumbled in pain and felt my dead heart go along with it. I pulled Bella into my embrace, my hands tracing through the beautiful, long strands of her hair. I whispered her name against her forehead, decorating her skin with soft kisses. Finally, I felt her relax yet again. I pulled back to stare at her. The pain was still there, but she was better.

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?" she had been silent for a moment. I had lost myself in her deep gaze.

"Can we do something tomorrow?" she lowered her eyes to the blanket, breaking me out of my trance. My brow furrowed in confusion. What could she want to do? It didn't really matter, of course. Whatever it was, I would more than likely agree.