Caught in the Flames

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

Chapter 128

EPOV

"So, how does it feel to be back?" Emmett asked, sitting down next to me in the briefing room and stuffing his face with a banana nut muffin that Bella had made for the house. "Heaven knows that I'm glad you're back. The lieutenant who filled in for you was a douchebag. I missed my wingman."

"I didn't miss your affinity to cover me in your breakfast," I said grumpily, wiping my arms of his crumbs. "Say it. Don't spray it, Em."

"Sorry," he snickered. "How is Bella? I didn't get a chance to talk to her at Alice and Jasper's engagement party."

"She's jumpy, but alright, I guess. She has to travel to Florida for a business trip. A company associated with Universal Studios wants to update their website and got her name from Summit. She's afraid to go down to Orlando because it's so close to everything from her past," I frowned. "Peter volunteered to go, but he has a wedding he's shooting the weekend she's flying down. I can't go with her because I've used up so much of my leave."

"Edward, you and I both know that Garrett would give you the time off. He saw your condo. He knows what's going on. Hell, those detectives have been here every week since the fire at your place," Emmett replied. "They are curious if we're getting any fires that match the mold of what happened. So far, we've got nothing and I haven't heard anything on the scanner, either."

"I just hate this," I sighed, tugging at my hair.

"I hate that it's happening to you and to Bella," Emmett soothed. "When is she leaving?"

"Alice is dropping her off at the airport right now. She'll be back in two days," I said. "Peter is charge until she gets back." Garrett walked in and our conversation came to an end. He went through the daily briefing, handing out various assignments. His briefing was cut short by the alarms. We listened to the dispatcher, jumping into action when the entire house was mobilized for an apartment fire. It was a brownstone, divided into six smaller apartments and the middle floor was engulfed in flames. The tenants on the first and second floor had been able to evacuate, but the top floor was inaccessible. We would have to rescue the tenants using the ladder.

Working together, we managed to get out the two families on the top floor. One resident was older and was combative, not wanting to leave her home. Jacob and I carried her out. She was clawing at us until she saw the flames from the apartments below. Then, with strength I was shocked she had, she clung to me like a limpet.

Settling her into the ambulance, I helped strike the fire. A few hours later, we're back at the house. Working with Jacob, we did some maintenance on the truck. We worked on the truck until dinner. As we were finishing our meal, the alarms went off and it was another fire. The address sounded familiar. We rode to the address and we arrived a townhouse. It was engulfed in flames. We jumped into action, but I stopped when I saw a form laying on the ground. "Go, start checking for anyone inside," I barked to Jacob.

"Understood," he nodded, running with my crew and Emmett's team.

I crouched next to the unconscious form. He was badly bruised and breathing erratically. Rolling him on his back, I saw that half of his side was burned. I also recognized him. "Peter, it's Edward," I said, rubbing his sternum. He groaned, trying to curl away from the pain I was causing on his chest. "Peter, open your eyes."

"Edward," he panted, looking at me without really seeing me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I drove home from work. I saw a car behind me. I tried to shake him and I thought I had," he said weakly. Angela and Jessica arrived, strapping an oxygen mask around his face.

"Edward, we have to get him to the hospital," Angela murmured.

Peter pulled down his mask, looking directly at me. "It was James, Edward. He followed me ..." Peter began coughing. Helping Angela and Jessica, we strapped him to the gurney and loaded him up into the ambulance. I wanted to go with him, but I had to put out the fire. We worked quickly, striking out the fire. It held a great deal of similarities to the fire in my condo, minus the dead body. However, the source of the fire was Peter's dark room. With the chemicals from the developing agents, the fire moved quickly.

As we loaded up the truck, anger surged through my bones. James had managed to get close to another person close to my Bella. At least he was able to get away, but all of his belongings were gone and he was injured. I was grateful that Peter got away, but afraid at the repercussions of what had happened.

How will it affect Bella?

What did it mean for us?

Was James getting closer?

Were we next?

A/N: I am sorry that Peter was injured, but at least he got away. Up next we'll find out what happened with Peter and James next chapter and like I said, things will come to a head soon. Leave me some!