"Great. Everything thinks that I'm crazy and a druggie," I deadpanned. "I'm on drugs, but magic happy pills." I pinched my nose, parking my car in front of my apartment. "Thank you, Alice, for your help. If you want to drop off the clothes at the Hampton Suites near my office. Is Jasper going to bring them?"

"No. I'm coming myself. I want to see you, big brother," Alice murmured. "I miss you and I need to see you. I need your strength to finally stand up for myself and get out from Mom and Dad. I'm sooooooooo done!"

"What happened, Alice?"

"I'll tell you when I see you, Edward," Alice replied. "I love you and I'll see you tonight." We hung up and I went up to my apartment, packing for at least a week's stay. On my way to the hotel, I picked up some essentials for Bella: tooth brush, tooth paste, hair brush, shampoo and razors. I checked in for us and made sure that everything was set up. Leaving the hotel, I drove to Harbor View and parked next to Carmen's SUV. I sent her a text, sitting down in the waiting area. I waited for an hour before Emmett came in. He nodded to me and we went back into the treatment area, following a nurse.

"Do you know her husband?" I asked Emmett as we navigated the maze in the emergency department.

"If it's who I think it is, then yes," Emmett replied. "The guy's a piece of work. He works in narcotics and he's known for his brutality. He's got numerous excessive force complaints, but somehow they disappear." We entered Bella's room. Her hair was clipped back and a female doctor was working on a cut along her hairline. "Mrs. Black?"

"Swan," she murmured. "My name is Isabella Swan. I never changed my name after I married my husband." She looked at Emmett, her eyes narrowed. "You're not going to hand me over to him, are you?"

"No, ma'am," Emmett said. "If Detective Black did this, he will pay for his behavior."

"Mr. Cullen has documentation of my injuries, thanks to my neighbor, Rosalie," Bella said. I handed him the flash drive. I'd saved all the information onto my laptop, encrypting the file.

"I also have my medical findings, verifying her injuries and corroborating her story," the doctor said. "Dr. Jane Volturi, emergency department attending physician."

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Volturi," Emmett nodded. "Now, can you tell me about your marriage, Ms. Swan?"

Bella nodded and she described what could be easily compared to hell. Her husband had taken her under his wing after both of her parents had died. He wined and dined her while she was grieving the loss, but when she said yes to his marriage proposal, his behavior changed. She was deprived of food, water, and access to the outside world. He would lock her in their apartment, in a room where there was a bed, a toilet and rags for clothes. Somehow, she'd managed to open the locked room and got free, but was too terrified to leave, until she met Rose. That's when they began documenting her injuries.

When Bella became pregnant, she was determined to free herself from the torture of her husband but he'd been so brutal with her that she lost the baby. When they went to the doctor, Jacob, her husband, had explained it away as she fell down a set of stairs. The doctor believed him and took care of it. However, as Bella was describing all of this, she was so cold and detached. Her eyes were empty and her face was devoid of all emotion. Carmen, who was as prickly as a cactus, was crying as Bella described her living conditions and her husband's brutal treatment of her.

"Do you want to press charges against him?" Emmett asked as he finished taking her statement.

Bella glared at him, anger and rage pouring off her in waves. "I want him to pay for what he did to me. I know he's not done brutalizing women and innocents." Her hands were clenched into tight fists but they were turning bright red. "I want to press charges and then I want him to experience what I did, times ten."

I moved so I was next to her, taking her hand in mine. I was shocked at how hot it was. "We'll make him pay, Bella."

She blinked toward me, her chocolate-colored orbs swirling with anger, rage, and power, and she smiled. "We will, Edward." It was a terrifying smile graced her face and she took a breath, her head falling back onto pillow. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gripped my hand. That unexplained warmth surrounded me and something inside me that needed protect her.

But I needed to protect her from more than just her husband or ex-husband or whoever. This was something more than that. I just didn't know what it was, but it was an inherent need to do so. Nothing could happen to Bella, or me.

A/N: Edward is feeling protective over Bella. He's recognizing something within her and something within himself. What is it? When will it come to fruition? Only time will tell. Leave me some loving!

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