A/N: This is one hell of a chapter. The longest one I've ever written. Special thanks to my beta, Hadley Hemingway, for having to take a look at this doozy with such scrutiny!

Chapter 45

We used to have it all, but now's our curtain call
So hold for the applause, oh
And wave out to the crowd, and take our final bow
Oh, it's our time to go, but at least we stole the show

Kygo

Bella's POV:

We arrived in London in the early afternoon to a flurry of photographers and reporters trying to jam microphones in front of my face. Everyone wanted the details and had no tact to their questions.

"Isabella, what happened with your former manager?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Did he touch you?"

"Jesus Christ! Back the fuck up!" Edward roared.

He grabbed my hand and stood as a blockade between me and the cameras. His display of protection only solidified the rumors we were back together—which prompted a new slew of questions directed to Edward about our relationship.

Edward and I were prepared for this reaction. Our relationship throughout the entire tour would be on display when the documentary aired. Yet, there had to be a happy medium to the pendulum of our public relationship. We decided we would no longer have a secret love affair; it only fueled our jealousy and insecurities. It also went against everything Edward was trying to rectify by being more open and honest. However, neither of us wanted to be painted as "America's Sweethearts" again and grace magazine covers—it was just another false image. So we made a joint decision to simply "fuck it." We would live our lives and our relationship freely, but we refused to put on a show for anyone. We didn't need to explain ourselves. In the end, the gossip columns would continue spinning stories, regardless of what either of us said.

Edward and I kept our heads down, ignoring the barrage of questions. A situation like that should have sent my anxiety skyrocketing, but this time, I was able to tune everything out surrounding me. There was something incredibly freeing about not giving a fuck.

The same scene ensued when we arrived at the hotel. It actually took a little force from Peter to help push our way into the lobby.

"Fucking animals," Edward muttered, glancing back at the revolving doors.

"What do they think I'm going to do? Stand in the middle of the mass and give a huge speech?" I scoffed. Edward did a double take and let a slow smirk creep across his face. Whatever he found so amusing, I hadn't been clued in on the joke. "What?"

"You kind of already did that, Bells… so, yeah, that's exactly what they're expecting."

I glanced around the lobby while we waited for Rosalie to check us all in. There was no sign of Demetri. I was sure he was avoiding me; it was the smartest thing he could do at the moment. Before leaving for the airport earlier that morning, Rosalie had put me in contact with the lawyers she had hired. After discussing the case against James, I asked them to draft a letter to Sony. I demanded to be released from my contract with all rights to my music and full royalties, or I would sue Sony for gross negligence. Edward's eyes practically bugged out of his head when he overheard my demand.

"Does Rose know about this?" he asked, when I got off the phone.

"Not yet."

He shook his head but was grinning. "You're fucking ruthless."

"I don't plan to give it to them right away. I want to have it in my back pocket."

"I guess I should take a look at the business proposal Emmett drafted and get us rolling out Cullen Enterprises, huh?"

I paused, not wanting to get preemptively excited. "So you've decided to join?"

"Well, how can I say no when you're involved?" He wrapped his arms around my waist and pecked my lips. I almost fawned over his sweet words until I saw the mischievous glint return to his eyes. "You're gonna make me so much money."

"Ass." I shoved him away. He smiled brightly, unphased by my rebuke. "Maybe I don't want to work with you; did you consider that? Maybe I don't want to mix business and pleasure."

"But doing business with you is always a pleasure." He winked.

I walked closer to him, swaying my hips, and slinked my arms around his neck. "Does this mean you're my superior now? Should I call you 'sir?'"

Edward's eyes darkened; his tongue darted out over his lips. "Only in the bedroom… or the recording studio, if we're alone, 'cause that's another fantasy…"

"I'm sure you'll have an office with a large desk too." I twirled a finger through his hair.

"Add that to my 'places-to-do-you' list," Edward groaned. He leaned his forehead against mine. "But seriously, Bells, this'll be a collaboration. There's no denying, when we get together, we make magic in the studio. We're partners through and through, you understand?"

I bit my lip and looked up at Edward with doe eyes. "Yes, Sir."

Edward growled and threw me backwards on the bed. We barely made it to the airport in time for our flight.

Jacob had been in the corner of the lobby on, what seemed to be, an unpleasant phone call. He ended the conversation, muttering to himself, and marched over to me.

"How are you doing, Isabella?"

"I'd like to forget yesterday ever happened and just move on," I told him sincerely.

"Yeah, listen, you know our friendship always takes precedence, but my editors are really pushing for me to get an interview with you. I'll totally respect your wishes, but they're making me ask."

"I'm not ready to talk about it, Jake," I said honestly. "Especially not for the benefit of people's morbid curiosity. I also don't want to say anything publicly right now and have it affect James's trial."

"I understand."

"Tell you what," I offered. "When I am ready to talk about it, you'll have the exclusive—whether you're still at People, or another publication, or writing my biography."

"As long as I get to pick the title," he grinned.

Before I could give a snappy comeback, there was a commotion at the front door with security. Edward and Jacob instinctively became my bodyguards, stepping in front of me.

"I'm checking in!" a man yelled.

"Sir, the hotel is at full occupancy," a guard replied. "I suggest you find another hotel down the road."

"No, I will not! My daughter is in there, goddamnit!"

"Charlie?" I pushed past Edward and Jacob to reach my father.

"Isabella!"

Peter swiftly told security to move aside. Charlie ran forward and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Daddy!" All the emotions I had skillfully kept at bay for the past twenty-four hours came flooding out the second Charlie hugged me. Huge tears soaked his shirt as I gasped and hiccuped in his arms. It was a cathartic release I didn't realize I needed.

"Did he hurt you?" He grabbed my head to look at me. His eyes glistened in pain. "I'll never forgive myself for leaving you in his care."

"Dad, it's not your fault!" I sniffed. "I swear I'm fine. It was terrifying, but it's over now."

"Did he hurt you?" Charlie repeated, examining my face. His eyes clouded with anger when he looked at my neck.

I used the back of my sleeve to dry my face. "He tried. If it wasn't for Edward…"

At the sound of Edward's name, Charlie looked over my shoulder and noticed Edward standing behind me.

"You!" He lunged at Edward before I could stop him. My horror turned to shock as Charlie wrapped his arms around Edward's shoulders and hugged him. "You saved my baby girl! How can I ever thank you?"

"I love your daughter, Mr. Swan. I'd do anything for her."

Charlie pulled away and stuffed his hands in his pockets. I realized he probably had shown more emotion in five minutes than he had in five years. "I believe you."

I slid next to Edward and looped my arm around his, trying to take advantage of their heartfelt moment. "Does this mean we have your blessing?"

Charlie looked at us stunned. "Are you two getting married?!"

"What? No!" I yelped.

At the same time Edward fumbled with his words. "No, not yet… I mean, someday…" I jabbed Edward with my elbow to shut him up.

"Charlie, Edward and I are back together," I said matter-of-factly. "I'm sure you have some sort of feelings about it one way or another, but I want you to trust me. You don't have to worry about me."

"You're telling me not to worry about you the day after you were attacked?" he asked incredulously. "Let's get one thing straight here, Isabella—I'm your father. I'm always going to worry about you!"

"I know you will, Dad. I know you want to protect me and not have me make the same mistakes you did. But this," I gestured to Edward and myself, "isn't the same as you and Mom. You have sacrificed so much for me; I'll never be able to repay you. You and Renée had different goals. Maybe if she loved you more, she would have sacrificed her dreams for you. Maybe if you loved her more, you would have never asked her to. I don't know. What I do know is that you deserve to have your own goals now—and you deserve someone who will be just as supportive to you as you've been to me."

Charlie gaped at the two of us, at a loss for words. Finally, he nodded in resignation.

"Well, on that note…" he awkwardly scratched at the back of his head and glanced behind him. For the first time, I noticed an older woman with beautiful, black hair standing a few steps behind him; she looked vaguely familiar. "Isabella, do you remember Sue Clearwater?"

Mrs. Clearwater had lived a few houses down from us. She was a single mom who had two sons, a few years older than I was. She'd always been friendly to us—waving from her garden or bringing over home-cooked meals. My dad had brought the friendly neighbor all the way to London. Oh, my God, Charlie was dating Sue Clearwater!

"Would you look at that," Edward muttered to himself.

I stared back and forth between the two in complete bewilderment. This was what I wanted: someone for my dad. So why did it feel like I was gaping at two newly-found species? Edward coughed and tapped my hand, and I realized I still hadn't properly said hello.

"Mrs. Clearwater, so nice to see you again," I said a little too pleasantly. "What brings you to London?"

Stupid, Isabella! Charlie is what brings her to London! Edward snickered beside me.

"Isabella, I'm so happy to see you're all right! Your father was beside himself yesterday. Charlie's been raving about you the past few months and insisted I see your show. We're going to spend a few days here in London and then explore a couple of cities in Europe together."

I nodded and smiled as I tried to wrap my head around everything she said. Months. Charlie had been dating Sue for months! And they were traveling around Europe together! Holy shit, when did Charlie Swan become a romantic?

"Charlie!" Edward's parents rushed over. "We're so happy to see you again!"

"Carlisle… Esme," Charlie nodded to them. "This is my… erm, this is Sue."

Esme embraced Sue as if they were old friends. "A pleasure to meet you! I'm Edward's mother."

Rosalie came back from the front desk with a handful of room keys.

"The doorman said something about the hotel being booked?" Charlie asked Carlisle.

"It is, but I'm sure Rosalie can pull some strings," Carlisle offered.

Rosalie sorted through the cards. "I booked a separate room for Isabella and Edward. Are you two planning to room together?"

"Yes," Edward responded immediately. I could have feigned irritation at his lack of consulting me, but the truth was, after last night, I had no intentions of sleeping without Edward.

"Then I have one room available!" Rosalie extended a key card to Charlie. "Will one room be enough, or will you need two?"

Charlie coughed and sputtered. "No, one room is fine."

"Damn, Charlie!" Edward whistled.

With both our faces beet red, Charlie and I scowled at Edward.

"Ohhh, that's creepy," Emmett exclaimed, walking up behind Edward. He pointed to me and Charlie. "You and your dad have the same angry face."

Edward howled with laughter. "Well, shit, I'm screwed now, Bells. Anytime you get pissed at me, all I'm going to see is Charlie!"

"Good," Charlie grumbled.

Renée and Phil arrived in London a few hours later. I felt a great sense of relief that our hotel was filled to capacity, and we would not all be under the same roof. Esme, however, seemed to have made my broken family her pet project and insisted on us all doing dinner together. What could possibly be worse than Renée and Charlie sleeping in the same vicinity? Sitting around a table together, trying to make polite small talk.

"She's just trying to be a good host!" Edward defended his mom.

"Edward, it's just going to be the eight of us! Do you realize how awkward this is going to be? At least Emmett would have provided some comic relief!"

"No, Emmett would have provided me comic relief," he corrected. "He would have embarrassed the hell out of you."

Thus, the dysfunctional family dinner commenced: Me with my ex (who was no longer my ex), my father, his girlfriend, his ex-wife, her new husband, Esme and Carlisle—the only normal relationship at the table. We started dinner with tight-lipped pleasantries, but Esme and Carlisle carried most of the conversation. When the waitress came to get our drink orders, the mood shifted.

"I'll have a glass of Chardonnay," Renée said.

"Renée!" I scolded in a hushed whisper. Everyone stared wide-eyed between me and my mother. Edward rolled his eyes, and I could tell he was irritated.

"Your mom can order a glass of wine if she wants, Isabella." He turned and muttered through clenched teeth, "Now who's making it awkward?"

"No, no! How thoughtless of me," Renée said, completely flustered.

"What else is new?" Charlie said under his breath. Sue and I were sitting on either side of him; thankfully, we were the only ones who heard his comment. I picked up a napkin and fanned my face, feeling flushed.

"How is your, um, condition?" Renee asked Edward.

"You make it sound like he has a disease!" I said.

"Technically, it is." Edward shot me a look, silently telling me to knock it off. I sunk lower in my chair. He turned his attention back to my mom. "Ninety-eight days sober today."

"Congratulations. You should be very proud," Renée said sincerely.

"We're all proud of you." Esme looked lovingly at Edward.

"What are your plans after the tour?" Charlie asked.

Edward and I spent the next few minutes relaying the decisions we made with Dr. Uley. For once, all of the adults looked at us approvingly.

"I may have invited myself to your Thanksgiving dinner," I told Esme sheepishly.

"Goodness, Isabella, you don't even have to ask! I've told you, we think of you as a daughter. Hopefully, one day…"

"Mom…" Edward warned, not wanting a repeat from earlier.

"Slow down. I just wrapped my head around these two being back together," Charlie said.

"That's not true!" Sue spoke up. "You've been saying, for quite some time, you knew Isabella and Edward were going to end up back together. I think you even said you couldn't imagine her with anyone else, if I'm not mistaken."

Sue gave me a little wink, and I immediately fell in love with her. Not only could she take care of my dad, but she could put him in his place when needed.

"Aw, Charlie, I knew you always had a soft spot for me!" Edward gushed.

"Acceptance isn't the same as fondness."

"But it's the first step!"

"All that matters is Isabella's happiness," Renee said.

"Well, what a novel time for you to start considering that, Renee," Charlie snapped.

My parents glared at each other from across the table. The dinner was quickly spiraling out of control. I turned to Edward and silently pleaded for his help.

"So, Phil, how's baseball?" Edward asked with a little too much volume.

Phil turned to Edward, startled he had been included in a conversation. If Charlie was a man of little words, Phil spoke even fewer. It was one of the reasons I suspected Renee fell for him. With all the arguing she and Charlie did, she needed a man who would simply nod and smile. Phil started talking about the team he coached. Edward nodded along, though his eyes glazed over. Much to my dismay, Edward was not as interested in baseball as the rest of my family. Luckily, Carlisle joined in to the conversation. I grabbed Edward's hand under the table and squeezed it, letting him know how appreciative I was. Edward entwined his fingers with mine to keep us connected.

"So, Sue, how did you and Charlie meet?" Esme leaned her chin on her hands as if she was receiving good gossip.

"Oh, we've been neighbors for a long time! My boys are a little older than Isabella, but they all grew up together. My husband died shortly before Charlie and Isabella moved to Forks. Charlie was always such a big help whenever I needed small repairs around the house—that is, before my boys were old enough that I could put them to work. I'd try to repay the favor by sending over some home-cooked meals here and there.

"After Isabella started singing, I didn't see much of either of them; they were always in and out of town. But earlier this year, I saw Charlie hanging around his house more often by himself. My sons had moved out and started families of their own, so Charlie and I began a friendship. It was nice to have someone around to talk to and share my day with. It wasn't long until both of us realized we were each other's highlight of the day."

Sue and Charlie shared an endearing look. I had never seen Charlie stare at anyone that way before—certainly not at Renée, even when they were together. He always looked at me with proud affection, but Charlie's eyes burned for Sue. I glanced at Edward, who was looking at me with the same intensity. Oh, my God, Charlie was in love! Tears pricked at the back of my eyes. I was so happy for him.

Our dinner arrived, and the conversation began flowing more smoothly. Edward and I shared the plans for Cullen Enterprises. Esme and Carlisle excitedly talked about preparations for Emmett and Rosalie's wedding. Carlisle joked he had his tux custom designed with an extra pocket for all the tissues his wife would need. Charlie and Sue relayed their travel plans to us. We all offered various tips on places to sightsee. Renée went into extensive detail about her new business venture selling essential oils. I, personally, thought it was a pyramid scheme, but Esme happily agreed to try some samples. All in all, it ended up being a pleasant dinner, much to my astonishment.

When the check came around, a polite argument started between the three sets of parents—each insisting they pay the bill. Before it could escalate into something bigger, Edward snatched the check.

"I'm richer than all of y'all. I'll pay," he said, exasperated, and handed his card to the waitress.

As we walked back into the hotel, Charlie and I hung back, taking the opportunity to have a private conversation.

"Sue's nice," I tried to appear nonchalant.

Charlie shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, she is."

"How come you never mentioned her to me?"

He shrugged. "We've just been enjoying each other's company. I didn't want you to make a big deal about it."

I briefly wondered if "enjoying each other's company" was 50-year-old slang for "fuck buddies" and then tried desperately to push that image from my mind.

"Well, traveling around Europe together kind of seems like a big deal."

"I suppose."

I should have known better. If Charlie could barely share his emotions with me, he certainly wasn't going into any detail about Sue. A thought suddenly crossed my mind and stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Oh, my God, Charlie, are you going to propose?!" I whispered loudly.

"What?" Charlie's face paled. "No! I moved way too fast with your mother. I'm not making that mistake again. We're old—there's no need to rush anything."

"Well, I'm glad you're happy. You deserve it."

Charlie paused and scowled. "Are you happy?"

"I am." I hoped he could see my sincerity.

"I didn't know what kind of condition you'd be in when I first arrived," he confessed.

"I know. James tried to break me, but he couldn't. It was the most terrifying experience of my life, and it could have ended so much worse. But it's over now… and it finally feels over. I don't have to keep worrying about James or the Denalis anymore. I'm walking away from Sony and not looking back."

I knew people were concerned with my mental state after the attack. While I didn't want to talk about it, I certainly wasn't trying to glaze over the severity of the event. I couldn't think back to those moments in the room without getting nauseous. Remembering his hands grabbing my neck and ripping at my shirt made my skin crawl. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he would have raped and killed me. Truth be told, I was actually surprised I had managed to sleep so peacefully. As always, being in Edward's arms kept the nightmares at bay.

In some sick, twisted way, the relief I felt from it all being over was because I was able to have a bit of vindication. The Denalis and James had controlled my career for so long, and in the end, I had no control over their fates. I had to sit back and be satisfied that karma delivered them justice. With James, I was finally able to fight back. I delivered his justice. Then I got to see the life beaten out of him before he was handcuffed and carted away.

"When Esme called to tell me you'd been attacked, all I kept picturing was your face when you begged me not to leave you," Charlie choked. "You told me over and over again you didn't trust him."

"Dad, we've been through this already. It's not your fault," I said, trying to hold back the tears. I hated seeing Charlie upset. "You had no clue… and the people who did, never did anything."

"Where's Demetri?" He scowled. "I'm going to strangle that man!"

I shook my head. "No. I will deal with him. Demetri's not a bad guy. His family's been hurt through all this too. Under different circumstances, if I had been placed with him instead of James, I think he would have been a great manager. But too much has happened, and I'll never be able to trust Sony again."

Charlie stepped back, his eyes filled with awe. "How'd I get so lucky to have such a strong-willed daughter?"

"You raised me, Charlie."

"I know I don't say it enough, Isabella, but I love you more than anything in this world."

I threw my arms around him and wiped my tears against his shoulder. "I love you, Dad."

He pulled away and was back to his gruff demeanor. "So, Cullen, huh?"

"Charlie…" I sighed, not wanting to talk in circles.

"You opened this box when you brought up my love life!" he huffed. I couldn't stop the grin creeping up my face, hearing him refer to love. "You love him?"

"You know I always have."

Charlie gave a curt nod. "Well, it seems like he's taking rehab seriously. If I had met this version of Edward first, I probably would have approved… Doesn't mean I can forget what he's done to you though."

"I can't either, Charlie. But you learn to forgive. Our therapist keeps telling us trust comes with time. Give him time."

"Doesn't look like I have a choice, if you're in it for the long haul."

"You and Sue could come join the Cullens for Thanksgiving," I offered. "Make it a whole family affair."

"Well, now that I know you're not coming home for Thanksgiving, I was gonna talk to Sue tonight about extending our vacation… Maybe go see Rome or travel around Italy."

My eyes twinkled. "Rome is very romantic."

"Yeah, I've seen Roman Holiday with you enough to know your thoughts." He shooed me off as Sue walked closer to us. "Have a good night, Isabella."

Edward was waiting for me by the elevators. I slid into his arms and pecked him on the lips.

"Good talk?" he asked.

"My dad's in love," I sang in a breathy whisper.

Edward chuckled. "Well, that was pretty obvious at dinner."

"Dinner wasn't that bad," I conceded.

"No, it wasn't. If I can make one observation, though... I recognize you're trying with your mom—maybe try a little more?" He raised his voice and used his fingers to pinch the air. "Or just hold your tongue from so many snappy comebacks? It was like a father-daughter mumble fest tonight."

"Since when did you become Renée's champion?"

"I can see how badly she loves you and wants to make amends for all the fucked up shit she's done. Sound familiar?"

We stepped into the elevator, and I leaned against the wall. "Well, then you should also remember how much attitude I gave you, even after I forgave you. It took time."

"I just figured you were trying to fight off my allure." Edward placed his hands on my hips and stepped in front of me. He nuzzled his head into my neck. "Now this situation feels familiar…"

He emphasized his words by pushing his pelvis into mine. I let out a soft moan that Edward quickly swallowed with his mouth. His kisses were needy, and his hands skimmed down my back and towards my bottom. I wrapped a leg around him, needing to feel the friction between us. I ground into his erection while he sucked on my collarbone.

"I love you, Bella." He nipped at my ear and then captured my lips in another heated kiss.

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Edward cupped my ass and hoisted my other leg around him. We continued kissing feverishly as he carried me off the elevator. Edward took one step towards our room, and we collided with Charlie and Sue.

"What the…" Edward glanced at the elevator buttons.

"Oh, it looks like you forgot to push your floor!" Sue giggled.

"Yeah, we were a bit… um, distracted," Edward chuckled.

I unwrapped my legs from Edward and slid off him. He tried to inconspicuously adjust himself behind me. I made the mistake of glancing at Charlie, whose face was pale. My face flamed bright red. Before the situation could become any more uncomfortable, I grabbed Edward's hand and yanked him to the stairs.

Just as the elevator doors closed on an amused Sue and an uncomfortable Charlie, Edward whipped around and shouted out, "Enjoy yourself, Charlie!"

Edward POV:

After a few days of rehearsal, we'd reached our final performance. Bella and I had spent a considerable amount of time in the recording studio reworking a few songs. It was finally agreed that Bella would sing "Save You," as long as I sang "Sober." I still thought Bella was much better suited to sing my song, but she insisted it was my story and needed to be my voice.

Dr. Uley had arrived in London the day before. He claimed he was coming strictly for the entertainment, but I had to wonder if he was checking on Bella. The two had a one-on-one session to discuss the incident. When Bella came to bed later that night, she slipped into my arms and told me everything they discussed.

"Good session?" I asked, tracing my fingers down her naked torso. Making the "no pajamas" rule may have been my best idea yet.

"He says what I'm feeling is perfectly normal," she said, nuzzling into my side. "It all depends on the person. Some people would be deeply affected by something like this, and others can bounce back easily."

"And you've bounced back?"

She shrugged. "He let me know the signs of PTSD in case it hits later on. He said I may be more affected by everything once the tour ends or when James goes to trial."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Bella lifted her head and kissed me slowly. I rolled onto my side, hitched her leg over mine, and slid my hand up and down her bare thigh. Bella gave a hum against my lips.

"You're already doing everything to help."

"So what are the warning signs?"

"Nightmares… disturbed sleep… emotional numbness or avoidance."

"Hmm, you don't seem to have trouble sleeping now."

"What little sleep we get," she giggled and ground into my erection to emphasize the reason for our lack of sleep. It was true—our sex drive was at an all time high. I figured between all the months apart and the time we'd be separated coming up, we were allowed to overindulge.

I pressed my erection between her legs. "And your emotions seem strong."

"Very strong." She opened her thighs, guiding my shaft along her slit. Jesus Christ, just the thought of sex left her soaked!

I flipped her onto her back and positioned myself at her entrance. "Tell me what you're feeling now."

"Excitement," she panted.

I pushed my tip inside her folds. "And now?"

"Your big, hard… Oh, my God!" she cried out as I slammed into her.

There was no time for slow and steady. We set a quick, rough pace. My balls slapped against her with each forceful thrust. Bella arched her back and screamed. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and her nails clawed at my back. I pulled out of her completely and jumped off the bed. Bella groaned in protest and tried to sit up, but I pushed her back and slid her bottom to the edge of the bed. Lifting up her legs and keeping them pressed together, I thrust back into her at a rapid pace. Bella sobbed beneath me. Her walls spasmed and clenched tightly around me, taking me with her, and we cried out together. I let go of her legs and dropped onto her chest. When I could finally catch my breath, I peppered her breasts with kisses.

"How are your emotions now?"

"Spent," she panted.

I lifted my head to look at her. Her eyes were still closed, and her hair was splayed out in a damp, messy halo around her.

"You're perfection," I breathed out.

She opened one eye and smirked. "And you're incredible."

I climbed up her body to kiss her lips. "Looks like you've got a range of emotions."

Still drained from our hard fuck, Bella gave me a loopy smile and slung her arms around my neck. "I love you."

Bella slept peacefully in my arms as the morning sun streaked through the window. I thought back to our escapades the night before and started getting hard all over again. Hoping for a reprieve, I took a breast in my hand and gently massaged. She shifted her ass into me but stayed asleep. Using more pressure, I pinched her nipple and rolled it between my fingers. She let out a soft moan and turned her head. I bent down and captured her lips.

"Good morning," she sighed.

I squeezed her breast again and started a trail of wet open kisses down the back of her neck. Bella ground her ass into my erection. My hands skimmed down to cup her sex, while I sucked on her collarbone.

Bella's phone dinged, and we stilled our movements.

"Ignore it," I mumbled into her back.

It dinged again. I sighed and rolled onto my back, knowing curiosity would get the best of her. She slid away, and I immediately missed her warmth.

"It's Demetri," she frowned. "He wants to meet."

"Tell him to fuck off."

"Of course he waits until the last day to reach out to me," she scoffed, then quickly typed a response. I tried to pull her back to me, but she stepped out of bed and walked towards the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" I whined. The last thing I wanted to see was her curves walking away from me.

"Getting ready for my meeting," she called over her shoulder.

I sat up. "Then I'm going with you."

The sound of the shower turned on, but she stepped in the doorway and put her hands on her hips. "No, you're not. I can handle him myself. He's not a danger you need to protect me from."

I wanted to argue, but her steely expression let me know it wasn't up for discussion. I threw my head back on the pillow. "Fine."

"I'm meeting him in forty minutes."

"Okay."

She remained in the doorway of the bathroom with a twinkle in her eye. "It can take me five minutes to shower."

"Okay… Oh!" I scrambled off the bed, tripped over the covers, and landed on the floor. Bella's peals of laughter turned to shrieks when I scooped her up and tossed her in the water.

After our romp in the shower, I didn't see Bella for the majority of the day. When she went off to confront Demetri, I met up with the guys to do our final press junket. An hour before the documentary aired, we were all crowded in a green room with multiple TV screens flanking the walls. In the corner, a long table had an assortment of delicacies spread out for our dinner. I was grabbing a piece of chicken with a pair of tongs when Bella walked in.

"Isabella, get back here!" Alice chased behind her with a palette of makeup.

"Alice, I'm not trying to escape you! I'm starving, and the documentary is going to air soon." She plopped on a stool and let Alice get to work. Bella noticed me by the food and her eyes lit up. "Babe, can you make me a plate?"

"What do you want? They have Italian, seafood, Chinese, sushi…"

"Get me a little of everything." When I looked at her doubtfully, she shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't get a chance to eat lunch."

I loaded up two plates with one of everything offered, grabbed a can of Diet Coke, and brought it over to Bella. Alice stood in front of her, applying concealer to her forehead. I extended the can to Bella, but Alice swatted it away.

"Straw," she commanded.

"Don't mess with Alice," Bella teased. "She's in authoritative mode."

"Don't knock it. How do you think I landed Jasper?" She winked.

I cracked open the can, dropped a straw in the hole, and handed it back to Bella. Alice was applying some sort of powder on her cheeks. I picked up a piece of sushi and placed it in Bella's awaiting open mouth.

"So I'm feeding you now?"

"A girl could get used to all this pampering," she quipped.

I placed another piece of sushi in her mouth. "How'd your meeting with Demetri go?"

"Fine. He apologized for everything that happened with James."

"An apology doesn't cut it."

"No, but I could tell he was being sincere." She opened her mouth for another bite of food. I picked up a piece of chicken and extended it her way before bringing it back to my mouth. "Hey!"

"I'm hungry too, woman!"

Her pout was wiped off her face when I handed her a forkful of ziti. "Anyway, I think he's kind of accepted that I'll be leaving Sony. We didn't discuss it, but he seemed resigned to the fact that our relationship wasn't working. He talked a lot about taking Sony in a new direction. Of course, he doesn't suspect The Volturi will also be cutting ties with them. I'm sure once the tour has blown over, he'll be a little more aggressive in trying to keep me."

"By that point, Rosalie and Emmett should have all the paperwork drawn up," I said. She tried to nod, but Alice held her head still while she applied eyeliner.

"Alice, I could probably do this part on my own."

Alice stepped back and placed her hands on her hips; she was glaring. "Oh, okay. I'll just step out on stage and sing your songs tonight too!"

"Sorry, Bells, you're on your own for this one!" I placed the plate of food on a stool beside her and shuffled away from Alice's wrath. Bella shot me a deathly glare but started apologizing profusely to Alice.

Everyone began crowding into the room to prepare for the viewing party. Vanessa rushed around on her phone making last-minute preparations. For the first time ever, Rosalie seem unaffected by the chaos. She and my mom sat together in the corner going over a seating chart for the wedding. Bella's parents were in the room, but they sat on opposite sides, talking to their significant others. Jasper and Emmett were camped out in front of a TV and had switched the feed to play Madden.

"Alice is schooling Bella in cosmetology," I said, deciding to join them.

Jasper smirked but never took his eyes off the screen. "That's my girl."

"Should someone run interference?" Emmett asked.

Jasper shook his head. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay right here. I once insulted Alice by telling her I thought she looked beautiful 'au naturel.' "

"Isn't that a compliment?" I asked.

"Not to a makeup artist. I've picked up on some keywords that can get me out of any jam, though, like 'shading' and 'contouring.' "

"What's contouring?" Emmett asked.

"The fuck if I know! I just look deep in her eyes and say all sultry, 'Baby, that is some beautiful contouring,'" Jasper said in his deep southern twang. While Jasper had been our friend since high school, he moved to Los Angeles freshman year from Atlanta. Over the years, he had lost most of his accent, but he could easily turn it back on to impress a lady with his "southern charm."

"How come it's only sexy when you talk like that?" Emmett asked. "I tried that accent on Rosie one time, and she laughed so hard my dick went limp."

"That's because when you try to sound like Jasper, you speak like Crocodile Dundee visiting Texas," I laughed.

Emmett rubbed his chin. "Maybe I should take some acting lessons."

"To hell you will! I'm putting my music career in Rosalie and your hands. You're not getting any side gigs!" Jasper exclaimed.

"Oh, that reminds me! Rose and I decided to start the process sooner. We had our lawyers draft all the paperwork. We have a shit ton of documents for you to sign, Edward."

"Yeah, that's fine. I can review them all on the flight home tomorrow. Bella thinks Demetri knows she's gonna leave Sony and won't put up much of a fight."

"Rosalie wants us to scout for office locations while she finishes wedding preparations. Are you going to be able to do that while you're in group?"

I nodded. "I'll have to work around my therapy sessions, but Dr. Uley said I'm free to come and go."

Emmett tossed his controller onto the coffee table and leaned back on the couch. "So this is it, huh? Closing one chapter and beginning another."

"I'm gonna miss making music with you two," Jasper nodded solemnly.

"We'll still be making music together," I said. "Just in different ways. Band or not—we're brothers."

"Let's not get too sentimental. We're gonna have enough emo angst watching that damn documentary," Emmett said. He glanced at me with a concerned look. "You ready to see it?"

I shrugged. I was curious, but wary. "Are you?"

"Hell, no!" Emmett scrubbed his hand over his face. "I don't want to relive any of that!"

"You guys know I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for you…"

"Edward," Jasper's voice was strained. "It's like you just said—we're brothers."

"Can we wait to get this deep until the documentary airs in half an hour?" Emmett asked. He had turned his head away, and I could tell he was trying to compose his emotions. "Tonight is going to be a fucking roller coaster of feelings. I just want to enjoy the time we have left."

"Fair enough." I plopped down on the couch next to him and grabbed Emmett's remote from the coffee table.

The three of us didn't say much more as we focused on the game in front of us. The minutes dwindled on, and other crew members started to clear out of the room. There were other areas to watch the documentary, if they chose, but Rosalie made it clear the green room was strictly for friends and family viewing. My dad and Dr. Uley were the last of our party to enter the room. Too distracted by the movements around me, I put down the controller and watched Dr. Uley make small talk with Bella. After a brief conversation, Dr. Uley patted her on the shoulder and made his way over to me.

I stood up and shook his hand. "Watching the documentary with us, Doc?"

"Isabella invited me during our session yesterday. She thought I may be a good resource to have on hand if anyone needed to process their emotions after it airs."

I glanced over at Bella; Alice was doing final touches to her hair. "How is she?"

Dr. Uley frowned. "You tell me, Edward."

I immediately realized my question made it sound as if Bella and I weren't clearly communicating. I quickly tried to explain myself. "She seems to be okay. She tells me she is. I believe her. She relayed your whole conversation to me last night. I just worry it's all going to catch up with her one day."

"It may... It may not. After our conversation, I feel confident Isabella isn't in a state of shock. She had a very scary situation happen, but she recognizes it could have been significantly worse. Much of that can be attributed to you and your ability to protect her." He leveled his gaze at me. "Isabella actually shared with me her concerns about how you were coping."

"Of course she did," I smiled wryly. "I think I was more shaken up than she was. It was like an out-of-body experience. I had no control over myself. All I felt was rage. It's frightening to think what I could have been capable of doing."

"Edward, you were fiercely protecting the woman you love. It does not mean you have any deep-seated issues inside you that you need to confront."

"Well, that's a relief—'cause I already have enough demons inside me," I tried to joke.

Dr. Uley gripped my shoulder. "No, you don't. Not anymore."

The finality of his words and the entire evening suddenly hit me hard. Tonight was the last page to the chapter of my life I was closing. I was no longer the man I had been fighting against for so long. The struggle was over. It was like an epiphany washed over me, realizing how Bella was able to maintain her composure. There was no one left to fight—not even ourselves. The thought was liberating.

I pulled Dr. Uley in for a quick hug and slapped his back. "Thank you for everything, Doc."

Dr. Uley chuckled and said quietly against my ear, "Don't tell anyone, but you're one of my favorite patients… and it's not just because I'm friends with your dad."

I pulled back and smirked. "It's my devilishly handsome good looks, isn't it?"

He threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Here I was going to say something about being most improved, but I'll let you think what you want."

Bella walked up, and Dr. Uley patted us both on the back. "You take care of each other. I'll be here if you need me."

Dr. Uley stepped away to sit with my parents. Bella snaked her arms around my waist and looked up at me with a scowl that was more cute than hostile. "You left me hanging, Cullen."

I gave her deliciously pouty lips a peck. "If you pick a fight, I'm not finishing it for you. Besides, I actually went to call in reinforcements, but Jasper said it was best to stay out of the line of fire."

She snickered. "He knows Alice too well. Lord help him when she moves in."

"He's gonna need to buy a bigger house."

With only a few minutes before the documentary aired, Vanessa stood in front of the TV screens to make an announcement. We all found seats quickly to get comfortable for the show. I sat on the couch next to Emmett and Rosalie and pulled Bella onto my lap.

"When I was brought on to this tour to film the documentary, the one thing Edward asked me to do was tell his story. He didn't want it sensationalized; he wanted the raw and gritty truth. Through our interviews, I've gotten to know most of you in this room on a fairly deep level. And after a few months together, I'm proud to call you my friends.

"Edward saw his story as a warning sign of what not to do when you're famous. I'm sorry to say, Edward, that's not the story that will be portrayed tonight. While yours and Isabella's story is about mistakes made and lessons learned, it's also about forgiveness and hope. This is not just Edward's story. It is every single one of yours in this room. It's not just about Edward's actions affecting all of you, but how your unwavering support helped a broken man pick up the pieces.

"I want to thank you all for letting me into your lives these past few months. I hope I did your story justice. Without further ado, Rising Dream, Fallen Star."

"Vanessa," Bella gasped, hearing her song lyrics used as the title of the documentary.

Vanessa gave a small smile but said nothing as she joined Jacob on a couch off to the side.

Rosalie smacked Emmett on the arm. "Move over, you big lug. Make some room for Isabella."

"I'm fine right here," Bella said. She wrapped her arms around my neck and spoke softly against my cheek, "We're about to relive some of our most painful moments together. We won't pull away from each other. We will hold each other tighter."

I squeezed my arms around her waist. "I'm right here, Bells. We're in this together."

The lights dimmed, and all the TV screens simultaneously went to black. Bella's voice could be heard singing:

Do you even know who you are?

A rising dream or a fallen star?"

The title of the documentary faded in to the center: Rising Dream, Fallen Star: The Redemption Tour.

"Okay, if you could state your name and something about yourself?" Vanessa's voice could be heard off screen, as I sat in front of the camera.

"I'm Edward Cullen… Lead singer for The Volturi… and I'm a drug addict."

Emmett appeared next. "I'm Emmett Cullen… drummer for The Volturi… astonishingly more gorgeous brother of Edward."

"Jasper Hale. Guitarist for The Volturi. Best friend to Emmett and Edward."

"My name is Rosalie Hale. I am The Volturi's publicist and Emmett's fiancé."

"We are Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Proud parents to Edward and Emmett," Esme said brightly into the camera while clasping Carlisle's hand in her lap.

"My name is Isabella Swan. I'm twenty-five years old, and I really don't want to be doing this interview."

The entire room erupted in laughter, and Isabella buried her head in my chest in embarrassment.

"Why not?" Vanessa pushed.

"Well, contrary to how it appears all over the tabloids, I'm a pretty private person."

"Your name has been dragged through the mud for quite some time. Don't you want a chance to set the record straight?"

"I want a chance to move on," Bella sighed.

"Maybe this will help?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "How can I move on when I have to literally live with my regrets the next couple months?"

The camera switched back to me.

"Let's start at the beginning," Vanessa said.

I smirked and ran my hand through my hair. "Which beginning are we talking about?"

Carlisle and Esme were back on the screen.

"Emmett and Edward are only a year apart. The two of them have always been pretty inseparable. From a mother's perspective, I loved their friendship," Esme said.

"From everyone else's viewpoint, they were a tag team of little hellions," Carlisle chuckled. "Those two were constantly causing trouble."

"It was my idea to get them into music," Esme said. "I thought it would keep them grounded. I started teaching Edward piano, and Carlisle had the bright idea to buy Emmett a drum set."

My mother gave my dad such a huge side-eye on TV, Emmett and I howled with laughter.

"In hindsight, a guitar may have been better," Carlisle shrugged.

"Or a flute," Esme scoffed.

"Thanks so much, Mom!" Emmett yelled. "I thought I was your little drummer boy!"

"Just wait," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Your father and I have been planning our revenge for years. The minute you have a child, we're buying them a drum set."

"Esme!" Rosalie yelled. "The only person you're hurting is me!"

"Dear Lord, I don't want to know what revenge they have in store for you," Bella muttered.

"Ignorance is probably bliss," I gulped.

"Listen, I'm not gonna pretend that my father's connections didn't get us in the door to record labels," I said on the TV. "But our talent is what got us our contract."

Images flashed on the screen of some of our first performances, music videos, and interviews. Vanessa provided voiceover documenting our rise to fame. I watched our past, feeling as if it was a lifetime ago. We were so young and innocent.

"When The Volturi headlined their first European tour, it was there they met another lesser known, albeit, rising star," Vanessa said.

Isabella's backstory now played out in front of us. Clips of her on American Idol were interspersed with pictures of her when she was younger, traveling around doing small gigs.

"Where did you get your love of music?"

"I got it from my mom," Isabella stated. Then she snidely added under her breath, "It's one of the few good memories I have of her."

Bella squeezed my hand but kept her eyes trained to the TV. I stole a glance over at Renée; she was clearly shaken. Her lips pursed together, hands clasped tightly in her lap, and her shoulders sagged. Surprisingly, it was Charlie who gently rested a hand on her shoulder to silently offer support.

"Let's talk about your mom for a second. You say you're a private person, but your album is pretty much an autobiography about your struggles with her. You lay all your emotions out raw in your music."

"I have… yes," Bella said, smiling to herself. "But when I write my music, my emotions are universal. I'm sure some will read through every lyric and try to interpret my life, but I'd like to think most people like my music because the songs resonate with their own experiences."

"What's easier to write about? Love or heartbreak?"

Bella threw her head back and looked at the ceiling. "Hmmm. Well, love songs are obviously more fun to write. I wouldn't say it's easier to write sad songs, but I think they're probably my best work. Music is cathartic—not just for me by writing it, but for listeners who are going through the same thing as well."

"On this tour, you're expected to be a storyteller with your songs. I'm going to list some songs, and I'd like you to share your inspiration."

Bella nodded.

"I Do Not Hook Up."

On cue, her song softly played in the background. A slow grin spread across her face, and I could see the memories from our first tour together going through her head.

"That was my first impression of Edward. He was this smooth and arrogant sweet talker. He got under my skin so badly! I think he expected me to fawn all over him, and when that didn't happen—the chase was on."

"My first impression of Isabella?" I smirked on screen. "She was gorgeous, like naturally beautiful. No effort needed. I flirted with her relentlessly. But Bella wasn't like all the other girls; she didn't care about my status, and she wasn't easily impressed. It was annoying as hell, but also, it was a breath of fresh air. At first, I wanted her because it felt like a cat and mouse game. But the more I got to know her, the more I realized I simply wanted to be with her. I looked forward to anytime we were together… even if she was busting my balls."

"Oh, hell, Edward fell hard for Isabella!" Emmett laughed. "The highlight of that tour was watching her shut him down time and time again!"

"What changed?" Vanessa asked.

Bella smiled to herself. "He let me see the real Edward. He wasn't some one-dimensional, cocky womanizer. He was sweet and sensitive and cared about what I had to say. I fought my feelings for him for a while. I tried to convince myself it was all a part of his game. But Edward was determined to prove me wrong. He was a gentleman. He took things slowly because he wanted to earn my trust. I guess you could say he wore me down."

"I didn't actually meet Isabella until a few months into their relationship," Esme said to the camera. "But I had been hearing Edward gush about her for months! You have to understand my son. I had seen plenty of magazine covers with various women, but he never mentioned anyone to me. I'm pretty sure I knew he was in love with her before he even realized it."

Rosalie appeared on screen next. "They had a great partnership—in and out of the recording studio."

"What made you decide to keep your relationship a secret?" Vanessa asked.

"That was all Bella," I confided. "She was coming off of the drama from a reality competition and wanted everyone's focus to be solely on her music. I went along with it because she was determined to make a name for herself without my help."

Bella was looking away from the camera. When she turned back, there were tears in her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if it was my fault. Edward said he had trouble differentiating between his persona for the public and who he really was. I asked him to continue the façade and keep our relationship quiet. Sure, there was a part of me that would have loved to tell the world we were together, but I liked that we could start a relationship out of the public eye. There is an even bigger part of me that liked having a version of Edward no one else saw all to myself."

Bella stiffened in my arms when she heard her confession from weeks past. Holding her tighter, I pulled her back against my chest and kissed the side of her head.

"Nothing was your fault," I mumbled against her ear.

She kept her eyes glued to the TV but nodded and squeezed my arm.

"In your song, I Do Not Hook Up, you sing, 'Oh, Sweetheart, put the bottle down. You've got too much talent,'" Vanessa read off the lyrics.

"Ironic, huh?" Bella said.

"Did you know Edward had a problem back then?"

"No! He didn't have a problem… at least not in the beginning. It was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek about his hard-partying lifestyle. I had no idea it would foreshadow our relationship."

"When did you first realize he had a problem?"

"When he stopped returning our phone calls," Carlisle spoke into the camera.

"When he showed up drunk to perform," Jasper said.

"He'd been making a lot of fucked-up choices," Emmett said with a scowl. "At first, I tried to help cover up his mistakes, but I realized it was actually a problem when he couldn't stop lying to everyone."

"When did I realize he had a problem, or we had a problem?" Isabella asked. "We had been struggling long-distance with our crazy schedules, but when I joined the tour, our issues only exacerbated. Deep down, I knew our relationship was spiraling. I didn't actually put two and two together that he had a drug problem until I saw it with my own eyes though. That was the night before I left the tour."

"I didn't realize I had a problem until I was laying on the hospital bed," I told Vanessa angrily. "I ignored everyone who begged me to get help. If I actually listened to their warnings, I may not have lost everything, huh?"

Vanessa's voice laid over images of Bella and I together while she told the story of Isabella joining the tour. Video of our performances were interspersed with various interviews we did together. Tabloid headlines intermittently flashed across the screen, all of them bringing scandal to Bella's career because of something I did or said. The interview we already saw with Charlie was next, and he stated why he couldn't remain Isabella's manager any longer. Even though Charlie denied it was my fault he left; after seeing all the horrible headlines I had brought Bella's way, there was no denying I had pushed him to that point. My grasp on Bella slipped as I replayed all the damage I had done to her personally and professionally. She entwined her fingers with mine and clutched my hand, refusing to let me pull away.

"That was right around the time Edward stopped taking our calls," Carlisle spoke. "Edward had publicly embarrassed Isabella; Charlie left the tour, and then there was the car accident. Throughout all of that, he never spoke to us—whether it was from shame or fear of our disappointment, I don't know. All I know was that, as wild as our son can be, this was completely out of character for him."

"We had to get all of our updates from Emmett," Esme said tearfully. "and he couldn't offer us any relief. He was just as worried."

"I knew exactly what was going on," Emmett angrily spat. "I knew why he drank himself into a stupor every night. I knew why he told lie after lie. And I didn't tell my parents. I didn't tell Isabella. I covered for him because, somehow, I convinced myself I could help him. I only hurt him more."

I glanced over at Emmett on the opposite couch. His jaw was set in a hard line, and his nostrils flared. Rosalie gently stroked his arm, trying to calm him down. While I knew I had Emmett's forgiveness, the anger he still had for me and himself brewed underneath. I wasn't sure it would ever be fully quelled.

One of the more recent songs I had written on tour began to play in the background of the interview:

When will this end
It goes on and on
Over and over and over again
Keep spinning around
I know that it won't stop
Till I step down from this for good

"Was there something that triggered your addiction?" Vanessa asked me.

I hung my head in shame and answered in a low voice, "I cheated on Isabella. I was high as a kite and didn't even realize what I had done until it was literally staring me in the face the next morning. I knew if I told her, I'd lose her. I was so fucking selfish. I thought my moment of indiscretion would hurt her more than her never knowing. So I lied. And I fucking hated myself for it. The alcohol helped numb the guilt, but only led me to make more of an ass of myself. It didn't seem to have a negative impact on my persona—it was practically expected of me. But I was bringing down Bella. With each fuck up, I'd lie some more, drink myself into a guilt-ridden stupor, snort some coke to get me through a performance, and then, inevitably, fuck up again. It was a sick cycle."

Sick cycle carousel

Sick cycle carousel

"How did the lies finally catch up?"

"I saw him," Bella said. "At first he still tried to deny it, but when I threw his precious bag of cocaine in his face, it all came crashing down, and he admitted everything. I couldn't bear to look at him anymore. The man I loved was gone."

"Your manager stated you left the tour due to your injuries…"

Bella rolled her eyes. "The same night I caught him, I wrote "Breathe Again." I was off the tour the next day. You put the pieces together."

A fan video played of Bella performing Breathe Again at the piano. This song had become the highlight of her set each night. While I had seen her performance from the side of the stage countless times, this perspective felt different. Bella's head hung low, and her voice hitched several times throughout the song. Occasionally, the audience would get a quick glance of her face. The camera zoomed in tighter and focused in on the tears streaming down her cheeks. It was then I realized this was Bella's first performance of the song—the night she left me.

"Do you remember the night she left?" Vanessa asked me.

"I remember every word she said. She told me I was fucking stupid. I had everything I wanted in life, and I decided to ruin it all. I had destroyed everything around me, and she refused to watch me destroy myself. She told me to get help, and she never wanted to speak to me again."

"He didn't get help," Jasper said. "It only got worse after that. Our performances were falling apart. He refused to listen to anyone who tried to intervene, and we had basically stopped communicating all together."

"When they ended the South American leg of the tour, Emmett and Rosalie rushed home and told us everything," Esme said.

"Emmett was so broken up. He felt he betrayed Edward's trust and his parents at the same time," Rosalie told the camera. "He was worried sick."

"We had just gotten engaged; it was supposed to be the happiest time of our lives. But my own goddamn brother couldn't even call me back," Emmett spat. "As angry as I was, I knew this wasn't Edward. He needed help because time wasn't fixing anything."

"I had a friend at Promises Rehab I reached out to," Carlisle said. "We intended to set up an intervention. We would all arrive at Edward's house under the guise of celebrating Emmett's engagement. However, no one could even reach him on the phone. We finally decided to just show up at his house. We were supposed to wait for the therapist to arrive to help facilitate the meeting, but when my wife and I arrived, Edward's home was trashed. We were worried something was wrong and entered his house before everyone else arrived. Needless to say, it was a failed intervention."

"The last thing I said to him, before he stormed out, was that I quit the band," Jasper's voice was filled with remorse. "My last words to him…"

News coverage of my overdose was edited together in rapid fire. Headlines scrawled across the screen. Anchors announced the breaking news while cameras followed the ambulance racing down the freeway. I dug my fingers into Bella's side. If I was holding her too hard, she didn't flinch. She wrapped her arm around my neck and leaned her head back so that our cheeks were touching. I closed my eyes and let myself feel her presence. I didn't want to see the images on TV anymore, but I couldn't bare to look at anyone else in the room either—seeing their faces relive the worst experience of our lives all over again would break me.

"When I woke up in the hospital, everyone was so scared… and angry. It was the first time my eyes were opened to all the pain I was causing everyone. For so long, I had been consumed with my own pain and guilt; I was blind to what I was doing to everyone else."

"I'd never seen Esme and Carlisle so broken," Rosalie confessed on camera. "And Emmett… He's such a goofy, fun-loving guy—nothing ever fazes him. But he was in a really dark place for a while. He was angry with Edward, himself, and basically everyone else. I can't tell you how many times he snapped at me because he thought I should have done something different. I had always been the one to wrangle Edward in, but he was so far out of control, no one had a clue how to handle him anymore."

Emmett shook his head. "I was so fucking scared. That's all I can say about that day. I try to block it out; I never want to relive it."

"There were reports you were at the hospital too?" Vanessa asked Isabella.

She nodded solemnly. "I happened to be in Los Angeles when the news broke. I rushed right over. Regardless of how Edward and I left things, I still cared for him. I don't think I ever realized how bad a drug problem he had. I told him he needed to get help, but I never fathomed he would have an overdose. I thought I lost him… I mean I had already lost him but to not have him in this world…"

Bella's voice broke, and she looked down. Her body shook, and she feverishly wiped the tears away from her face. The camera remained on her, and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Her raw emotions were on full display, and you couldn't help but feel it along with her. I couldn't see Bella's face, but her tears splashed in large droplets on my hands. From the corner of my eye, I could see other people in the room wiping away their tears as well.

I laid my forehead on the back of her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Bells," I whispered hoarsely.

"Right now, what's upsetting you most?" Vanessa asked her.

"Remembering his lifeless body in the hospital room. He looked nothing like 'my' Edward… but he hadn't been 'my' Edward for a while." Bella let out a soft sob. "I left him… when he needed me most, I walked out on him. But what was I supposed to do? He hurt me so badly!

"I replay the night I left him with different scenarios in my head all the time. He begged me to give him another chance. Would that chance have helped save him? If I had given him an ultimatum, would he have taken it? Is there any situation where he would have chosen me over drugs?"

In the background, Bella's voice sang hauntingly the song she had written for me in the hospital. I had been performing it routinely at each of our concerts, but Bella had only just gotten the courage to perform it for our last concert. She must have told Vanessa the backstory to this song and given her a recording. Interestingly enough, the explanation to the song was never discussed.

"Everyone blames themselves for my addiction," I told the camera. "My parents think they raised me wrong. Emmett and Jasper feel guilty for threatening to quit the band. And Bella blames herself for not seeing it sooner. I honestly don't know what's worse: living with the pain I've caused everyone or with the unnecessary guilt they've placed on themselves. It was never anyone else's fault but mine. Everyone tried to intervene, but I never listened to any of them. It was my choice, my actions, and ultimately, my responsibility."

"What was rehab like?"

"The toughest thing I've ever done in my life. They make you take a long look at yourself, when the last thing you want to see is the person staring back at you in the mirror. Once I was able to get over the withdrawal period and move past my pride, though, I was finally able to start the healing process. I had to make peace with myself before I could make it with anyone else."

"How were you able to do that?"

"It's a never-ending process," I said honestly. "With an addiction, there's never really an endgame. I have to make the conscious decision to wake up every day and forgive myself for my mistakes. It helped understanding my triggers and why I made the choices I did. For me, I had a hard time differentiating between the image of Edward Cullen from The Volturi and the Edward my friends and family knew. They should have been the same person, but I enjoyed the bad boy image I was given. It seemed like I could get away with more because it was what was expected of me. I thought I could switch the two personas on and off with no repercussions, but the more mistakes I made, the more I figured my life really was the one-dimensional character I was given."

"How do you forgive yourself?"

I sighed. "I remind myself I'm not the person I was. I have the chance to rewrite my story and be the man I want to be. My mistakes will not define who I am."

"How were you able to forgive Edward?" Vanessa asked my parents.

Esme's smile was full of love. "He's my son. I'll always forgive him."

"Edward was humble enough to ask for forgiveness," Jasper said. "That was enough for me to see how much he changed."

"It took some time for me," Emmett confessed. "I needed proof Edward was taking rehab seriously. I refused to see him the first few weeks. I'd get updates from my parents, but a part of me feared they were seeing everything through rose-colored glasses. I had seen Edward's lying and manipulative ways too many times to simply believe his word. It was during his last week of rehab when I finally went to talk to him. I could actually forgive him when I could see the change with my own eyes."

"I forgave him because we both needed it," Bella said. "I thought it would finally give us the chance to move on and be happy."

"Have you been able to do that?"

"We're on tour together and retelling the worst moments in our relationship to a sold-out crowd nightly—what do you think?"

"London: Rehearsal" flashed in large letters across the screen. The camera was set up in the audience of the stadium. The guys and I were talking with Rosalie in the seats; a few other random tour members lingered around. The camera panned up to the stage where Isabella sat at the piano. She had a scowl across her face and angrily pounded at the keys.

"We need some new songs," Demetri told her from the base of the stage.

"What the hell, Demetri?!" Isabella snapped. "This isn't the first day of rehearsals! Why are you suddenly on my ass about everything?"

The view switched back to Bella's face while Vanessa interviewed her. "You don't seem thrilled to be a part of this tour. I think a lot of people are surprised you're doing it. Why did you agree to it?"

"That's a pretty loaded question that I don't know if I have an answer for," Bella said, shaking her head. "It seems like I've asked myself that question every day."

"Do you view it as a chance at redemption like Edward does?"

"I thought it was a chance to save my career," she bluntly stated. "Right now, I have no voice and no power when it comes to my music. Everyone wants to know why I didn't speak up after I left Edward, and my name was dragged through the mud. At first, I was stupidly trying to protect him. I didn't want to air his dirty laundry. But it became evident pretty quickly that Sony's main priority was only Edward's reputation. They put a gag order on me, so I couldn't defend myself! In the past few months, they've dictated what my next singles will be, where I'll be performing, and whose arm I'll show up on. They promised, if I did this tour, they'd give back all my artistic rights, switch out my manager, and let me have control of my career. And I fell for it."

"You don't think they'll follow through?"

"I don't know if it's worth it." She shook her head. "Feels like all I've done is sold a little bit more of myself to the devil."

"What was your initial reaction when you heard Isabella was joining the tour?" Vanessa asked me.

"I thought she was blackmailed," I simply said. "There's no way she'd willingly place herself in a situation like this with me."

"So why do you think she agreed?"

"She told me the agreement she negotiated with Sony. They're finally encouraging her to sing her own music. It's about damn time because every song she writes turns to gold. I really think this tour has the potential to broaden her career. She has so much to sing about, but I worry she's holding back. She doesn't want to tap into those emotions, and it's stifling her."

"What do you think is holding her back?"

Sorrow washed over my face. "Me."

The camera switched back to Bella as she stormed off stage and away from Demetri. I stood up from where I was sitting in the audience and watched her go. The camera zoomed into the scowl on my face. I took a quick glance around and then jogged off into the direction of Isabella's dressing room.

"What happened between you and Edward in that dressing room?" Vanessa asked Bella.

She narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Edward gave me some straight talk. He knew I was capable of better, and he knew I was holding back because of him. He told me to knock it off."

"10 Minutes Later" flashed on the screen, and it showed Bella walking back onto the stage and taking her seat at the piano. While she played "You Lost Me" for the first time, the camera panned away from her to zoom in on my reaction. My face contorted between sadness, shame, and awe. My Adam's apple noticeably bobbed as I gulped deeply and tried to maintain my composure. The juxtaposition between her lyrics and my face made it clear how painful the song was for me. When the song ended, I closed my eyes.

"It was beautiful. Now perform it every goddamn night," I rasped out, before turning around and walking out of the arena.

"I know you were worried about Isabella holding back," Vanessa asked—the camera now back on my interview. "But now that she's singing all these songs about your breakup, how do you feel?"

"I had to call my therapist after hearing her song."

Hearing my confession, Bella let out a small gasp in my arms. She shifted in my lap to look at me, silently giving me a questioning look. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Why was it so difficult for you to hear?"

"Because I'm the cause of all the pain in her songs… and I'm still so goddamn in love with her! I know I have no chance to rekindle what we've lost—I have no right to even ask. But when I'm near her, I can't help but feel hope that maybe she still feels the same deep down. Maybe I can make her remember the good times. But her songs are a reality slap to the face. There is no hope for us."

The screen went to black before the headline, "Opening Night" appeared. The noise of a cheering crowd could be heard in the background. The lights were slowly raised on the stage to reveal me playing the piano. Jasper was to my left at a microphone with his guitar, and Emmett sat behind me at the drums. I tilted my face closer to the mic on top of the piano and began singing:

Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you
But ain't nobody love you like I do
Promise that I will not take it personal, baby
If you're moving on with someone new

Shots of various audience members were edited to intersperse with my performance—some were singing along, while others appeared to be crying. The camera cut back to me singing, but this time the view was captured from the side of the stage. In the background, Bella could be seen watching the performance from the opposite wing.

'Cause baby you look happier, you do
My friends told me one day I'll feel it too
And until then I'll smile to hide the truth
But I know I was happier with you

Isabella's image grew larger in the frame as the camera zoomed in to capture her reaction. She stood rigidly and barely blinked. Her arms were folded across her chest, but her fingers dug tightly into her arms. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. When she finally opened them back up, tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"What made you so emotional during The Volturi's performance on opening night?" Vanessa asked in a voiceover, while the image stayed on Bella backstage.

"You caught that, huh?" Bella asked wryly. The camera switched to Bella's interview. She had one eyebrow raised, but her mouth was set in a slight frown. "It was the first time I heard their new set. I didn't want to listen to their rehearsals; I was afraid it would throw me out of my zone, and I needed to stay focused."

"How did you feel hearing his version of the breakup?"

Bella sighed loudly and looked upwards. "How did I feel? I felt regret... sadness… anger. Every emotion you could feel when you're reliving the worst time of your life. But, I was proud of Edward."

It cut back to the view of us on stage; Bella could be seen in the background brushing the tears from her cheeks.

"It was the first time I heard him be so honest and vulnerable in a long time," her voice played over the footage.

"A lot of his songs are about wanting you back…"

"That's the beauty about music: you can sing about whatever you want. Doesn't mean it's reality," Bella snapped. "Listen, if we can get through these next two months coexisting, maybe actually being amicable with one another, I'd consider it a win. Sometimes things are too broken to ever put back together."

A montage of interactions between Bella and I followed, seeming to contradict everything Isabella had just stated. Bella's voice sung in the background with one of the more recent songs she'd written on the tour.

One more go, I kinda thought if we took it slow
It might be easier for us, yeah for us to know
I know we never been quite here before
I wish I knew it when we lost it

In the first clip, Isabella was animatedly talking with Rosalie and Alice. I was off to the side with Jasper and Emmett, yet I was completely tuned out from their conversation. My eyes were trained on Bella. When she threw her head back and laughed, a smile ghosted across my face. I remembered those first few weeks on tour clearly—I'd felt lost in the dark for so long, I would have given anything to bask in Bella's glow. Her smile warmed my soul… even when I knew her smiles weren't for me.

The next clip showed Jasper and I sitting cross-legged in the center of the stage on yoga mats. I remembered we had taken a break in rehearsals, and Vanessa asked us to show her how we unwound. When we stood up to do a simple sun salutation, the camera panned to Isabella sitting off to the side of the stage. Her eyes were hooded and full of desire as she watched me stretch. Ever so slightly, her tongue darted out and licked her top lip.

"Damn, Iz! Someone was thirsty!" Emmett hollered. The entire room snickered.

Bella's face turned crimson, and she buried her head into the crook of my arm. I could barely hear her when she mumbled, "I'm gonna fucking kill your brother."

"Aw, Bells, it must have been so hard for you to look, but not touch," I whispered teasingly against the side of her head.

"Keep teasing, and you'll be the one looking and not touching," she grumbled.

"Don't make empty threats, Baby." I brushed a strand of hair off her neck and lightly kissed her on the neck. Her breath hitched when I dragged my tongue up the column of her neck to her ear and sucked on her lobe.

"Damn you," she breathed out.

The bone breaks

It grows back stronger

The next clipped actually showed us starting to interact. We were standing beside Rosalie and Emmett backstage in Alice's costume room. Emmett was being his typical goofy self and playing around with some of Tanya's costumes while Rosalie rolled her eyes at him. I made some smart-ass comment, and Bella laughed. It was such a small, simple moment, but it was the first carefree one in a series of tense interactions between us.

The bone breaks

It grows back stronger

Our next moment together was more intimate, and I hadn't even realized it was captured on film. Bella sat at the piano, and I stood next to her looking over some music. By this point, we had been on cordial speaking terms with one another, and she had asked for my input on one of her songs. After a few moments, I sat down beside her on the bench and began playing. She placed her hands on the piano to join in. At one point, she even scooted closer to me to reach a few keys. We turned our heads towards each other at almost the same time. While our fingers maintained the melody, our eyes seemed to be taking in all the features of the person in front of us. I remembered savoring that moment—being so close to her, with no tension as a barrier between us. I gave her a slow smile, which she returned unashamedly.

The bone breaks

It grows back stronger

The last clip in the Edward-Bella Love Reconnection montage was when we were dressed in our costumes at the children's hospital. Vanessa had caught the cute interaction between me and the little girl with the crown. While I helped her decorate it, Bella looked on with a mixture of curiosity and endearment. Towards the end of our visit, the same adorable kid went up to Bella. The whole time they talked, Bella's amused eyes stayed focused on me, and I knew the little munchkin was spilling all my secrets. As we walked out, I grabbed Bella's hand and spoke closely by her ear, but she shook her head and giggled. The camera zoomed in on our hands still clasped together.

"Listen, we're all aware something is going on between Edward and Isabella… but could you please not ask them about it?" Alice spoke to Vanessa in an interview. A chyron with her name, describing her as the tour stylist and Isabella's friend, was on the bottom of the screen. "Whatever's happening between them is natural and being done at their own pace. I'm afraid if you bring attention to it, it'll scare them off—especially Isabella."

"Why do you think she's so skittish?"

"She's being asked to give her trust back to the same man who destroyed it. That's not something anyone would take lightly. I think Isabella's slowly starting to see Edward's not the same man who broke her heart… but it's gonna take time, and it can't be forced."

"Do you want them back together?"

Alice paused. "I want… whatever's best for them."

The same sentiment was echoed by Emmett, Jasper, and my parents in follow-up questions.

"Edward and Isabella have both been going through their own personal struggles throughout this tour," Carlisle said. "Somewhere along the way, they began turning towards one another for support. Right now, they seem to be the best thing for each other. I don't know what will happen after the tour is over, but I support whatever helps them heal."

"I'll still be their biggest fan—whether that's separate or together," Esme chimed in.

"What's been your biggest struggle on this tour?" Vanessa asked me.

"I've had a few nights where I've felt sorry for myself for one reason or another," I confessed. "The nights where I'm alone and feeling down are the nights my addiction hits me hard. It's goes from an afterthought in the back of my head to being a full-blown thirst."

"How do you quench it?"

"I have my therapist on speed dial. I'm fortunate enough to have a large support system surrounding me on this tour. As badly as I've hurt most of them, I also know they're the ones I can turn to when I start to feel insecure. I've finally realized I hurt them more when I push them away."

Vanessa repeated her question to Bella. "What's been your biggest struggle on this tour?"

"Can't I just say the entire tour?" she smirked. Vanessa must have shaken her head because Bella sighed and took a moment to think. "I'd say my biggest struggle has been trying to find my voice—especially when it's constantly being taken from me."

Scenes from Bella's appearance on Wetten Dass..? played out next. Bella looked stunned as the host happily introduced Tanya to the stage. Her face flushed red, and while the average viewer would never pick up on it, I could see the exact moment she went from shock to rage. Tanya had the audacity to try and hug Bella. While she stood rigidly, I could tell she was seconds away from bitch slapping her. Now that would have made for good television. Then all the rage for she held for Tanya and James's trickery spewed out.

"It's so sad how the media constantly tries to pit women against each other!" Tanya declared.

"Really? I thought you pit yourself against me when you slept with Edward!"

Bella flinched in my arms. I knew she hated publicly addressing the rumors and probably wished Vanessa hadn't added this part into the documentary, but there was no denying the headlines her outburst made.

"So, Tanya Denali?" Vanessa asked me. I bit the bottom of my lip and nodded. "Care to explain?"

"We were both high when I made the biggest mistake of my life. It was a one-time thing, but clearly it's had some horrible long-term effects."

"Why is she on tour with you?" Vanessa's voice rose in disbelief.

I let out a crazed laugh. "That's what everyone wants to know! I guess you'd have to ask Sony why they decided to sabotage us."

I glanced over at Vanessa, and when I caught her attention, I silently mouthed, "Thank you." Whether it was intentional or not, Vanessa had been vividly painting a picture of how much Sony messed up Bella's career throughout the whole documentary. It would come as no surprise to anyone when we all eventually announced our departure from the record company. I felt a bit of vindictive glee thinking of the damage control Aro would be inundated with, after the movie aired.

My interview with Vanessa was interrupted as Bella walked into the frame. "Oh, shit, sorry!"

I turned to her with a frown. "How are you?"

Bella looked away from me, ashamed. "You saw?"

Vanessa had caught our entire interaction on film. Bella went on to ask if there were any truths to Tanya's lies on the show. While she said it wouldn't make a difference, her eyes practically pleaded for me to confirm I hadn't slept with Tanya. I lowered my head in shame when I had to admit, once again, I cheated. Vanessa asked for Isabella's thoughts on what happened. We switched positions; Bella sat on the stool and blinked rapidly. I hesitated, giving her one more glance, before leaving the room.

"Alright, let's get started," Vanessa said. Bella nodded, but she seemed like she was having trouble focusing. Her face was flushed, and her pupils were dilated. "You revealed a lot of information today… Oh my God, Isabella!"

Everyone in the room watched in horror as Bella's eyes rolled in back of her head, and she slipped to the floor. Her head smacked against the stool on her way down.

"Somebody help!" Vanessa yelled.

I came barging back in the room a second later. When I saw Bella on the floor, I cursed and dropped down to the ground to cradle her head. "What the fuck happened?"

"She fainted! She hit her head pretty hard on the way down."

"Get my dad," I ordered, then turned my attention back to Bella as she was beginning to stir. "C'mon, Baby, wake up."

Within seconds, almost everyone else had crammed into the tiny room and were creating a large commotion. Bella was slightly off-screen, and my back blocked her view on camera. Since I didn't have a mic on, you could only hear our hushed voices talking to each other. Vanessa's voice covered up most of what we were saying as she updated Carlisle on what happened. Carlisle knelt beside Bella, asked about her symptoms, and took her vitals. Soon after, Carlisle declared she was in a state of exhaustion and dehydration and would be unable to perform that night.

"Well, this was bound to happen," Rosalie complained to Emmett. "She's worn herself so fucking ragged from trying to stay a step ahead of James. That stunt with Tanya today was the last straw!"

The camera was jostled around a bit as everyone tried to make room for Bella.

"I've got you, Bells," I said and scooped her up in my arms. Bella laid her head against my chest and closed her eyes as I carried her out of the room.

Rosalie's face appeared on the screen next, and it was full of anger. "Listen, I'm just going to say it, and at this point, I don't really care what the repercussions are: Isabella is being sabotaged by her own fucking management. I don't know why. All I know is that Isabella and I have been busting our asses to try and thwart all of her goddamn manager's plans to ruin her reputation. It's constantly something with that ass!"

Breaking News flashed across the screen with countless headlines of Bella's failed drug test. A camera was stationed in a hotel lobby, looking out to a swarm of paparazzi crowding the entryway. Rosalie tried to shove her way towards the door, pulling Bella behind her. Bella kept her head down as reporters shouted obnoxious questions her way. I was surprised to see it was actually my dad who spun around and defended Isabella and me to the crowd. The minute Rosalie made it safely inside and saw the camera, she took out her wrath on Vanessa.

"Seriously? Put the fucking camera down!" Rosalie yelled.

The view switched back to Bella in an interview. "Who is James Laurent?" Vanessa asked.

"More like 'what' is he," she sneered. "He's a disgusting, immoral leech."

"But he's your manager?"

"For the time being," Bella stated. "I've tried to fight back against that man for far too long. Every direction he's pushed me in has been the wrong one. The fact that he's representing Tanya and me should clue you in to his priorities. I'm done. I'm ready to walk away no matter the cost."

The next footage came from the following day when Bella addressed the reporters. I'd never seen her exude more confidence than when she affirmed her innocence. Her eyes blazed with anger and determination when she threw Sony under the bus for a lack of action. The cherry on top was seeing her chin jut up as she said she would be looking for new representation.

"That's my girl, Iz!" Emmett clapped loudly in the room.

Charlie looked at Bella with a sly grin. "I don't think I've ever been as proud, seeing my little girl stand up for herself, Isabella."

"That's no little girl! That's a strong ass woman!" Emmett whooped. "And she's gonna be…"

Rosalie jabbed Emmett hard in the ribs, eliciting an ooph noise from him. "Stop talking, you doofus."

Emmett realized he was about to publicly spill the beans on our plan for Cullen Enterprises and snapped his mouth shut. As much as we trusted Vanessa and Jacob, it was still best to keep our business plan under wraps—at least until the paperwork was processed.

"She's going to be my bridesmaid, and I couldn't be happier!" Rosalie smiled sweetly.

"Nice save," I chuckled.

"I needed to make that statement," Bella explained to the camera. "Not just for my fans, but for Sony. They need to understand I won't be a piece in whatever game they're playing. I can't work with people I can't trust."

"Who do you trust?" Vanessa asked.

"My friends. Rosalie's my go-to girl. Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Edward."

"At the beginning of this tour, you didn't think you could ever trust Edward again. Now you've rattled off his name without a second thought."

"I guess I did," Bella said, and then grew silent, seeming to ponder that thought. "I do trust Edward. I don't know if I trust him with my heart… but I'd like to try."

"I want to protect her," I told the camera. "I know she's more than capable of doing it on her own, but I want to be there for her. We've made so much progress the past few weeks—more than I could ever hope for. But now that hope has ignited a desire, and I want so much more."

The view switched to the inside of an airport. At first, I wasn't sure what we were supposed to be watching until the camera zoomed in down the corridor to James and Bella. He was in her face in an extremely threatening manner, which was obvious even watching from a distance. Alice stood nearby frantically on her phone. Up until now, I hadn't even realized this moment was caught on camera.

I came flying across the screen and tore James away from Bella. You could see fury rippling off my body as Jasper tried to hold me back. Bella stepped between James and me as a buffer. While you couldn't hear any of our conversation due to the distance, it was evident she was trying to talk me down. I lunged for him again, but Jasper yanked me backwards. Bella grabbed my face, and I could read her lips enough to see she was repeatedly mumbling, "please." Thinking back to that moment, I couldn't actually remember anything Bella did or said in front of me because my only focus was getting to James. She turned her chin up, and her lips captured mine. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and her mouth kept moving until I finally responded.

A huge roar of applause could be heard from the arena. I had completely forgotten our entire audience was watching the documentary air at the same time.

"Guess you don't have to worry about your fans' reaction to us," I said, kissing the side of Bella's face.

We both sat together in front of the camera now while Vanessa interviewed us. "It seems in the past week or so, a page has turned in your saga, and you're trying to reconcile. What's changed?"

"I guess I changed," Bella spoke first. "I saw how much Edward was fighting. He was fighting for his sobriety and to be a better man. He was fighting for us. I realized I didn't want him to fight alone anymore."

"What is the status of your relationship now?"

"We're figuring it out together," I answered.

Vanessa's cell phone started going off just as Jacob came flying onto the screen. "Holy fucking shit! Did you see the news?"

Jacob handed Bella his phone, and she read the headline out loud, "Breaking News: Eleazar Denali Arrested for Money Laundering and Embezzlement."

Footage of Denali's arrest and sentencing played, while Demetri's voiceover explained the whole embezzlement situation with Eleazer, James, and Sony. I realized Vanessa must have secretly recorded him at our meeting. News footage showed FBI swarming Sony's headquarters and taking hundreds of boxes out of Denali's office. The last clip was from the tour camera's perspective. It showed Tanya's tear-streaked face as she was escorted through the main lobby and out the doors by police.

"Are you relieved it's all over?" Vanessa asked Bella.

"Is it?" Bella asked. "I guess, in a way, I feel vindicated. I suppose they're getting the justice they deserve. It doesn't feel over, though. It still feels like I'm wrapped up in a mess I didn't ask to be a part of."

Vanessa stood up from her spot next to Jacob and crouched down beside us. "Isabella, I should warn you about what's coming next…"

The screen went to black. James's voice growled in the darkness, "There's no one to save you now. No one to hear you scream."

A blood-curdling scream followed.

Bella jumped off my lap and paced across the room. She looked like she was about to be sick. Charlie, Dr. Uley, Carlisle, and I all stood up at the same time, unsure how to help her.

"I'm so sorry, Isabella!" Vanessa cried. "I tried to edit this out so many different ways, but there's no way I could omit this part of the story. It's all over the news!"

"What's your emergency?" A voice spoke in the darkness.

"I need to report an attack," Embry's voice shook on the other end of the line.

"Bella, Baby, talk to me," I pleaded.

Bella squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, trying to erase the memories.

"I'm fine," she rasped out. Carlisle walked over to the catering table and brought her a bottle of water. She thanked him and twisted off the top, taking a long gulp. "I wasn't expecting to hear his voice again. It shook me. I promise I'll be okay."

I shot a worried glance at Dr. Uley, but he simply nodded and sat back down. Bella took a few more deep breaths and walked back over to me. I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back into the safety of my arms. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and buried her head into my neck.

"I've got you, Bella." I squeezed tighter

"Just tell me when it's over," she mumbled.

I looked up at the TV, where words filled the entire screen: On Sunday, November 11th, James Laurent attacked Isabella in her hotel room. He was restrained by Edward and apprehended shortly after by the police. Isabella received no major injuries from the attack. She has asked for respect of her privacy during this time.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Bella sat next to me in the last interview we did with Vanessa. "I will someday… but not now. I will say, though, it finally feels over. Maybe I was always waiting for James to show back up. I don't know. But now that he's gone, it feels like I can finally breathe and move on."

I nodded my head in agreement. "I'm just ready to be done this tour and start the next chapter together."

"What happens when the lights go down, and the cameras turn off?""

Bella and I looked at each other and smiled.

"That's when the real work begins," I said. "We're going to take the time to focus on ourselves individually and as a couple."

Another one of the songs I wrote on tour began to softly play in the background:

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well there's so much they hold

"So are you guys stating you're officially a couple?" Vanessa's voice rose in excitement.

Bella smiled brightly. "Yeah, we are."

The stadium roared to life again causing Bella to lift her head up and smile.

"I dunno, guys. I'm not sure they're sold on your relationship," Alice snickered sarcastically.

"God, the PR for this is beautiful," Rosalie breathed out.

"Rose!" Bella wagged her finger. "Only music! No relationship!"

"But you make music together!" she whined.

"We make a lot of things together. Doesn't mean we're documenting it for the whole world to see," I said. In the corner, Charlie blanched. "Shit, Sir! That came out wrong! That's not what I meant!"

"You never know when to shut up." Bella shook her head but gave me a sly, little smirk.

"You all need to shut up! The movie's still on!" Emmett yelled.

And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

"That's not to say it isn't going to take work," Bella continued. "Communication is our biggest issue, and it's much easier to tackle when we're on tour together. The true test will come when we get back home. But Edward's come so far, and we've made so much progress together. We deserve to see this through."

"And in this new chapter, Isabella is my beginning and end," I added.

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

"What lessons have you learned?" Vanessa asked.

Isabella pursed her lips and spoke first. "I've learned it takes just as much courage to forgive as it does to let go. I'm certainly not saying everyone deserves forgiveness. But if someone is asking for a second chance, maybe it's worth seeing if they can prove themselves. Edward's not the same person he was six months ago, but that doesn't mean he's someone different either. He's grown and become a better version of himself.

"I've also learned, no matter how fiercely you love someone, you can't change them. Edward didn't get better because of me. He did it for himself, and that's the only way someone can truly make a change.

"As for myself… I've learned I'm stronger than I thought. Before this tour, I thought strength meant having to do everything on my own. Now I've learned there's strength in asking for help and putting your trust in others. Strength doesn't mean you win the battle either. Strength comes from picking yourself back up and continuing to fight every time you're knocked down."

Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it

I cleared my throat and spoke next. "Oh, man, I swear I could write a book about how much I've learned. I've learned no amount of fame and fortune can buy you inner peace. I've learned other people can't define you or your happiness. Most importantly, I've realized how important it is to ask for help.

"I struggled with my personal demons for so long, too ashamed to admit my insecurities to anyone. I don't know why I didn't feel I could share that part of my life with the people I loved most. Maybe I was afraid I'd disappoint them? But I'd like to tell anyone listening, if you're struggling with something, don't keep it locked inside. Don't try to numb the pain or escape it. I used drugs and alcohol as a way to cope, which only made me hate myself more. Talk to someone. Find someone who loves you and ask them to listen. If you don't feel you have anyone to talk to, then find a professional. I have both. The more people you have that can surround you with support, the better. Don't push them away—embrace them and your flaws fully.

"And if you have messed up… If you feel you're too far down at the bottom of a pit you've dug for yourself, know there's always a way out. It's never too late… and no matter how much you may hate yourself for what you've done or the relationships you've ruined, it's not the end of your story. You're not alone. Find help. Ask for forgiveness. And start a new chapter."

Our image faded away as a number and website appeared on the screen for anyone who was seeking help. I looked over at Vanessa and tried to gulp down the emotions that were welling up inside.

"Thank you," I rasped out.

She brushed away a stray tear from her eye, and I noticed she wasn't the only one in the room crying. "Thank you guys for sharing your story with everyone."

"You did a wonderful job, Vanessa," Bella sniffed.

The number faded away from the screen. It remained black for a second longer, as the last notes to my song played:

No, I won't give up.

A/N: We've pretty much reached the end! I was happy ending it here, but I'm writing one final chapter to tie up all loose ends. There will be an epilogue as well!

Song Lyrics:

Lonely Girl - Pink

I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson

Sick Cycle Carousel - Lifehouse

Happier - Ed Sheeran

But We Lost It - Pink

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz