{"id":967,"date":"2024-08-23T02:10:34","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T02:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=967"},"modified":"2024-08-23T02:10:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T02:10:35","slug":"chapter-08","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=967","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 08"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 08 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cI killed Esme,\u201d Grant said as he took a sip of his beer. They were sitting in Bella\u2019s courtyard because he\u2019d wanted to have a chat with her. He\u2019d come clean towards the Michaels about his real name and Bella calling him \u2018Grant\u2019 no longer made him wince. \u201cShe was keeping up pretenses while Carlisle\u2026 uh, anyway, I tortured her for your location and then killed her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She wasn\u2019t surprised to hear that. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant shrugged. \u201cSpur of the moment thing. Angry. For what they did to us. Especially you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI take it you did it before you contacted NCIS?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, I made it look like an accident, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen I don\u2019t really see an issue, to be honest. She had it coming,\u201d Bella said coldly as she took a sip of her drink. \u201cIt\u2019ll make Carlisle feel alone for the rest of his life, he\u2019ll feel what it feels like to miss a part of you.\u201d She hated it that her family wanted to be so violent in their dealings with the rest of the family, but if Grant\u2019s story of a few weeks ago had been true; that Edward had \u2018left\u2019 for a year, why wasn\u2019t he dead yet? Was he that special?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly,\u201d Grant agreed. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t feel guilty about it whatsoever. Nor contacting NCIS to help and get you. As much as I have a friend in the FBI, I only trust a handful of them and they\u2019re not here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smirked. \u201cAnd here I thought you loved the Suits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHell no! Just Auggie and some others. NCIS agent Dwayne Pride and I go way back, he owed me a favor. He\u2019s an okay guy, and his team follows his orders so\u2026 they\u2019re good guys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou think I\u2019m in trouble with them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, you\u2019re protected by the FBI. Neal\u2019s friend Peter made that abundantly clear over the phone, something about you being their star witness in a high profile case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She winced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cItsy bitsy Bella, the Suits\u2019 star witness,\u201d Grant laughed. \u201cYour worst nightmare!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He took a sip of his beer with a big smile on his face. \u201cNarc.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou need to stop, or I\u2019ll hit you over the head with this,\u201d she pointed to her cast. However, seeing as this was one of the best conversations she had with her brother since she realized he was her brother, she was worried. The look on his face kept switching between concerned, fun and regret. \u201cAre you going to stick around in New Orleans? Or is this chat a goodbye chat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m leaving for a bit,\u201d Grant admitted as he took another sip of his beer. \u201cI have a few things to clean up for us and then hopefully I can come to live in New Orleans permanently again. Just some loose ends and all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to if you like what you\u2019re doing, traveling and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do, but I can do things that I like here in New Orleans, too. I\u2019d love for us to truly reconnect, maybe I can introduce you to my adoptive parents, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll like them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no, that would be a bad idea,\u201d Bella laughed, shaking her head. \u201cJust promise that you\u2019ll come back and that we will get to know each other better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you promise to get better and allow others to take care of you. You don\u2019t always need to be in the driver\u2019s seat, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying!\u201d She said defensively, taking another sip of her drink. \u201cYou know\u2026 it doesn\u2019t make any sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat doesn\u2019t?\u201d Neal asked as he walked into the courtyard. \u201cHim?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHa!\u201d Grant laughed, shaking his head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. Well, yes, but that\u2019s okay,\u201d she smiled at Neal. \u201cNo, it doesn\u2019t make sense why they took me instead of straight up killing me as per the rules,\u201d Bella continued. \u201cThe whole thing doesn\u2019t make sense as they did kill Peter and Charlotte. They sent the Volturi after me because I left them,\u201d she looked at Grant. \u201cYou told me that Edward left and found you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen why was he allowed to return and why wasn\u2019t I? I mean, leaving is breaking the rules, and I accepted that but Edward\u2019s my brother. Not only did they send the Volturi after me, Emmett came after me as well. Shouldn\u2019t they have killed me after Lucy took me to them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant and Neal uncomfortably exchanged looks. \u201cThey did leave you to die, Bella. If we hadn\u2019t found you, you would have died a slow, agonizing death as they weren\u2019t planning on returning. They got what they needed,\u201d Grant eventually said. \u201cTo see you suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut why didn\u2019t they do that to Edward?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons I\u2019m leaving, to answer that question because that never sat right with me and I\u2019ve had Cole do his hacking thing. He didn\u2019t come up with anything so I\u2019m going to try to find every safe house and known house that belonged to the Cullens, even those who aren\u2019t on the FBI\u2019s radar, yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo digital trail, huh? I could give you a list. I know most of their off-grid houses, they\u2019re all under aliases.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019d work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeal and I could help?\u201d Bella suggested with an innocent look on her face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Both Neal and Grant chorused. \u201cAre you insane? You were released from the hospital only days ago!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was laying in Neal\u2019s arms in bed, drawing circles on his chest with her index finger. It had been a few days since Grant had left, and almost two weeks since she was out of the hospital. She hated it that she still felt so slow, but her body was still healing and Neal had to help her a lot. She was so lucky with him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d Bella didn\u2019t stop paying attention to his chest as she looked up at him. \u201cLike\u2026 you know\u2026 all that has happened lately?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m fine now that you\u2019re back,\u201d Neal let out a breath as he played with her hair. \u201cI still don\u2019t regret making the call to have the authorities take care of the Cullen\u2019s network, while the idea was fun, we were way over our heads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDebatable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStill not giving up, huh?\u201d he laughed. \u201cWe did a lot of damage, the Suits can do the rest, I mean, if they dig deep enough into that list they\u2019ll find enough stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know\u2026 but\u2026 giving up control is hard. I\u2019m working on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpeaking of working on things\u2026 I think we both need a change once this is over. I mean, the trial against your family is about to start, but after that\u2026 we deserve something different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella smiled. \u201cLive like artists? Although\u2026\u201d she lifted up her hurt hand. \u201cNot sure if that\u2019s going to happen for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEarly days,\u201d he kept playing with her hair. \u201cYou\u2019re still healing. Nerve damage takes months to heal, your bones a few weeks. And until your surgeons say otherwise, we\u2019ll expect a full recovery, deal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She should feel some pain in her hand, even though it was in a cast, and the only thing she could feel at the moment was the tip of her index finger, it felt cold. She couldn\u2019t quite move her fingers because they were neatly wrapped up and it felt like a log was attached to her arm. \u201cWhat about a security firm? You did that before in Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, but wouldn\u2019t it be fun to do that again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd how would our new friends like that idea?\u201d Neal smiled at her. \u201cBecause between the two of us, we could make a place so secure, nobody would be able to get in or out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, they would\u2026 for the right price,\u201d Bella smirked. \u201cWe can always secure a building like you\u2019d build a jenga tower\u2026 but take away one important piece, and the tower collapses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow about a quieter life?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She smiled up at him. \u201cYou\u2019re going to miss the adrenaline. The puzzles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI won\u2019t, I\u2019ve got you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Bella mused as she slowly got up and kissed him. \u201cI think you\u2019ll get bored, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what about you, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have my computer,\u201d she stuck her tongue out to him and left the bed to go and make coffee for them. That was the one thing she could still do one-handedly. It sucked not having any feeling in her fingers and she couldn\u2019t wait to start physical therapy or something to try to get some use back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNaked coffee,\u201d Neal mused as he followed her. \u201cI like it! Would you want to have pancakes for breakfast?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes please,\u201d she replied and picked up her phone from the counter as it was flashing with a new message. \u201cUgh, we need to get dressed. Auggie and Peter are coming by in 30 minutes. Something urgent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, that doesn\u2019t sound good,\u201d Neal said worried. \u201cEverything okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, Mingus left Shitface a message saying that they were stopping by and that it was urgent,\u201d Bella shrugged. \u201cNot sure what could be so urgent unless they have more questions, but how could they be urgent? I mean, I could just call them. Normally he asks for me to call him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see, at least there\u2019ll be coffee and pancakes waiting for them in the courtyard,\u201d Neal smiled at her as he lifted her into his arms and walked off to the bathroom with her. Bella had somewhat accepted the FBI\u2019s watchdogs outside the house, and he promised her that should someone needed to come in, it would be Peter or one of his team that Neal was acquainted with, but only as far as the courtyard. No further. Surprisingly, Bella had agreed with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Auggie and Peter both making the trip out to New York to come by for a visit, urgent or not, something must have been wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They had only anticipated Auggie and Peter to come and visit, and Bella tensed at the door when she saw that they brought friends. \u201cOh, hell no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t really get a choice in the matter,\u201d Peter replied as he gently pushed her aside to let everybody in. \u201cGood to see you Bella, you\u2019re looking good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m still not too happy with you two in my house and you bring friends?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRelax,\u201d Auggie smiled widely. \u201cWe\u2019re the good guys!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s debatable and you brought friends! To my house! Without telling me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, I know,\u201d Auggie said as he felt for her arm and then moved up to her shoulder go gently squeeze it for reassurance. \u201cIf they break anything in your home, you can break them. But they need to be here and we\u2019ll tell you why in a second when we all sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed and nodded. \u201cCome on in, the courtyard is right ahead, there\u2019s no steps if you keep walking straight,\u201d she eventually said, closing the door behind the group of people. She felt uncomfortable. She watched as Peter helped Auggie to sit down as the other two sat down as well. Neal was offering them coffee and beignets and Bella was leaning somewhat against the wall, her arms crossed over each other. \u201cI\u2019m not going to lie, but this is making me feel really uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs it should,\u201d one of the other men said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing that Bella didn\u2019t like pleasantries at this point, Auggie decided to bite the bullet and just get out with it. \u201cThis is Harold Finch, he\u2019s the prosecutor in the case against your family, and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProsecutor? Auggie, I told you everything and you recorded it, what is a prosecutor doing in my home? Should I have my lawyer present?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you have a lawyer?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need a lawyer, miss Cullen,\u201d Finch replied as a matter of factly. \u201cWe have collected enough evidence against your siblings and your father to put them away for a very long time, even without your testimony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen what are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour immunity has been approved, however, only if you testify at both trials in the flesh and go into WITSEC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd have everyone and their favourite monkey know where I live? So even after testifying I\u2019ll have a target on my back for the friends of the Cullens that I can\u2019t remember or don\u2019t know about. No. I just bought this house and I have no intention of leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can say that you\u2019ve lived in one of the homes that the Cullens own, it won\u2019t trace back to New Orleans. You\u2019re very cooperative, you can come back here. The only people who know where you truly live is Agent Burke\u2019s team, myself, and this man here, US Marshall John Santini. He\u2019s willing to work with you on your new identity, and Neal\u2019s, if he chooses to come with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNormally someone in WITSEC will be moved away from their home, from their friends,\u201d Santini said. \u201cHowever, having heard your story from Anderson, and Burke, and knowing the time you\u2019ve been in New Orleans and who your neighbors are, I am willing to keep you here,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019ll be here in New Orleans as your contact and Burke and Anderson are swapping New York for New Orleans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy dad knows I\u2019m in New Orleans, he sent Emmett here to kill me,\u201d Bella replied as she looked at Neal, who had a passive look on his face. \u201cWhat do you think about all this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the alternative?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeal, if you do this, you won\u2019t ever be able to contact Mozzie again,\u201d Peter reminded him. \u201cI don\u2019t know who else you\u2019re still in contact with from your old life, but it\u2019d be no more Mozzie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not worried,\u201d Neal replied with a shrug. \u201cYou know Mozzie, he will never tell a soul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you bend the rules for me because of my story, you can bend the rules for Neal. He deserves it,\u201d Bella said as she finally sat down. \u201cMozzie is important to Neal, and he may be\u2026 an acquired taste, if you want me to keep my new friends because I never had any, Neal should be able to get to keep his old friend who\u2019s this vault that nobody can crack but Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter thought for a moment before looking at Santini. \u201cMozzie will find him anyway, no matter how deep we\u2019ll put Neal. He should be included in the deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santini had a faint smile on his lips as he looked through the papers. \u201cWell, I suppose that I have to remove Mr. Theodore Winters off the list of allowed contacts and replace it with that Mozzie\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheordore is fine,\u201d Neal\u2019s face broke out in a huge smile. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother matter to consider is that you\u2019re not allowed to do anything that has to do with your current life, to minimize exposure. No more hacking, no more running cons. For Neal, no more jobs where people can see your face,\u201d Santini continued. \u201cThere\u2019ll be more restrictions for you than there will be for her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re talking as if I already said yes,\u201d Bella said as she took a sip of her coffee. \u201cAs if Neal already said yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d the prosecutor said as he retrieved a bundle of papers from his pocket. \u201cYou\u2019re being summoned by the judge for your testimony as a witness, going against that will not be a good thing as you\u2019ll be arrested and held in contempt of the court.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, the whole WITSEC thing was being used as an incentive,\u201d Auggie grinned. \u201cYou have no choice, Bella.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re having way too much fun with this,\u201d Bella muttered, panic rising in her chest. \u201cI\u2019m not comfortable at all. I\u2019m getting way too much law enforcement time lately. I don\u2019t think I can face them, the idea of being in a courtroom and seeing them, and cops and the jury\u2026 I can\u2019t. I-I\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said as she got to her feet. \u201cHave fun talking to each other but I need to get out,\u201d she pushed her chair to the side and quickly made her way out of the door into the tunnel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella made her way into the Michaels\u2019 home and didn\u2019t even realize she was intruding when she walked to the nearest alcohol table and was met by stares from Nick, Myriam, Cole and what looked like John and a woman she hadn\u2019t met before. \u201cDon\u2019t mind me,\u201d she said as she poured her drink and backed away. \u201cI was never here, I\u2019ll return the glass later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s alright, we have an open door policy, you know that,\u201d Nick said kindly as he looked at her. \u201cNo need to leave, are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stopped walking and nodded as she took a large gulp from her drink. \u201cCurrently, there are two suits, a prosecutor and a US Marshall with my con-artist boyfriend in my house right now and I know that sounds like the start of a bad joke, but it isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds to me, you need a lawyer,\u201d John piped up from his seat, he was the fixer for the Michaels, much like she\u2019d been for the Cullens, but he got his hands really dirty. The Irishman kept surprising her. \u201cI am one,\u201d he added. \u201cWhat? I\u2019m not just a pretty face, y\u2019know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see why I need a lawyer, they want me to testify against my family in exchange for my immunity and witness protection – to which I don\u2019t agree on but they are somehow lenient and they\u2019ll allow me to stay where I am.\u201d Bella downed the rest of her glass before walking back to the alcohol table and poured herself another, her hand slightly shaking from the anxiety attack that she tried to hold back and from pouring with one hand. \u201cIt\u2019s funny how things can change so quickly. At first, I wasn\u2019t afraid of them. I\u2019d happily have them kill me for breaking the rules. But the sheer thought of going into a courtroom with so many people in them and seeing my family\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou need a lawyer, lass,\u201d John nodded. \u201cTo talk to those assholes in your house right now and serve as a barrier. I\u2019ll happily do that for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re going to need a doctor\u2019s note,\u201d Myriam replied before looking at the strange woman next to her. \u201cAnd fortunately for you, Bella, we have a psychiatrist right here. We\u2019ve spoken to her about you, and I think that if you have one or two conversations with her, she can have John arrange a different way of testifying for you, isn\u2019t that right, Camille?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the girl?\u201d Camille said surprised as Myriam nodded. Camille got to her feet and approached Bella with an extended hand before realizing Bella was holding her glass and she couldn\u2019t use her other hand. \u201cHi, Bella, nice to finally meet you. My name is Camille. I met Nick and Myriam through various courses we went to together and I would be honored to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not crazy, I don\u2019t need a shrink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho said that only crazy people needed someone to talk to? No, Myriam\u2019s right, I can help John and you with arranging a different way to testify. If the sheer thought of going through that process is making you shake like a leaf as you are now, I\u2019m afraid what it\u2019ll do when you actually set foot in that courtroom. You\u2019re not weak by accepting help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella kept her eyes on Camille as she drank her liquid courage. The woman seemed to be telling the truth. She was truthful. She then looked to John, who she heard so many great things about – and not so great things – but she wasn\u2019t surprised that he had passed the bar. She was tired. She just wanted this to be all over. \u201cYeah, fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bella was surprised how well Neal handled the fact that she was ruining his life. He hadn\u2019t asked for all of this, and yet, he stuck with her. He claimed that it was alright, he had left his life before, and seeing as things would barely change for him now, he was content. It would also give him a life back, an identity nobody could poke holes in anymore. It\u2019d make him safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having John deal with all the crap surrounding her testimony and her and Neal\u2019s impending change in status gave her a lot of peace and quiet, less stress and anxiety in having to deal with. Bella hated being a bundle of anxiety. She absolutely hated it and told Camille this, too. It felt as if she could jump out of her skin at any time or burst out in tears at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was arranged that she would do her testimony through a skype call from NCIS headquarters. It was secure and the briefing room was informal with large windows that would allow Bella to look around her and not feel locked up. And while she, or her situation, had anything to do with the Navy, Dwayne Pride wanted to help Henry Taylor\u2019s long lost sister – yet again, because he owed him that much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dwayne Pride also owned a bar and Neal, Bella and the Michaels went to the bar a few times so that Bella could get to know Pride better. If you were from New Orleans, you\u2019d know Dwayne Pride, he was a local legend and he always stuck to his word. Bella realized that he had a big heart, he was very laid back and a great cook. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella knew this, because Pride invited her and Neal over to the station to get herself familiar there and he had cooked them a meal which they ate in the briefing room with his second in command Christopher LaSalle. Unlike Peter, Pride and LaSalle actually made her forget that they were Suits, too, just\u2026 not dressed in a Suit and wearing a different badge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant checked in with her a few times, saying he was close to discovering something new, finding evidence of something he wouldn\u2019t say just yet. He wanted to be absolutely sure about this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella visited the doctor the day before the trial and she needed to have more surgery on her hand as some bones hadn\u2019t set properly and some nerves weren\u2019t healing well so they wanted to check the blood flow and other stuff that she didn\u2019t fully understand and didn\u2019t particularly remembered because she was so busy with what was going to happen only a day later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cState your name for the record, please.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIsabella Marie Cullen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what\u2019s your relationship to the defendants?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m their baby sister.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella had to explain the relationship to her siblings, how they worked, why she left and why she was testifying against them now. She had to stay available for the rest of the day and the rest of the week but she was only a call away from the NCIS building and a five minute walk. Liquid lunch was waiting for them at home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am so proud of you,\u201d Neal said as he put his arms around her as soon as they stepped into their home. \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSlightly less terrified but still very much so,\u201d Bella replied as she let out a breath. \u201cI\u2019m doing the right thing, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. You\u2019re solving this peacefully, not without any bloodshed on your part. That makes you better than them. You\u2019re helping them to get what they deserve,\u201d he kissed the top of her head. \u201cWhat would you like dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSurprise me,\u201d she smiled up at him. \u201cAnything I can do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can keep me company,\u201d he lifted her into his arms and walked with her to the kitchen before sitting her down in one of the chairs at the bar. He poured her a drink before looking into the fridge to look what to make for food. \u201cRoasted chicken with roasted vegetables?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took two weeks for the trial against her siblings to be concluded and them sentenced properly, and Bella felt a lot lighter. For a week, she was free to do whatever, her father\u2019s trial wasn\u2019t until next week. And she wanted to have some fun. However, now that she was free, she could have another surgery on her hand that they had wanted to do two weeks before but she couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, she didn\u2019t have to stay, but she hated feeling miserable and out of place. But she wasn\u2019t going to show anyone that. It was normal to feel like shit after being knocked out and she had planned a romantic donkey pulled cart ride through New Orleans for her and Neal, followed by dinner at a fancy place that he\u2019d appreciate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella loved the look of surprise on his face. \u201cI get the feeling I don\u2019t tell you enough that I really appreciate you and how much I love you,\u201d she said as they were walking home in the darkness. Music filling the streets, people laughing, smelling of alcohol. \u201cYou\u2019re handling all of this so well, and you don\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love you,\u201d Neal replied, a bright smile on his face. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t I stand right next to you while you go through all of this? We\u2019re both going through this and once this is all over, you and I will both have new lives, in a gorgeous city with friends. No more looking over your shoulder, and you can finally start living. I can\u2019t wait to see what will become of you without your family holding you down. Living without fear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat if you don\u2019t like me then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHa, as if,\u201d he barked out a laugh. \u201cI do have to admit, you\u2019ve changed my life in so many ways and I never thought I could change, but you made it so easy and natural.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, you had it in you,\u201d Bella smiled at him and then stopped in him front of TrueTone, the bar belonging to NCIS agent Dwayne Pride. \u201cI have another surprise for you. Right in there,\u201d she thumbed over her shoulder towards the bar. \u201cAre you ready for it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d Neal asked suspiciously as he allowed himself to be pulled towards the bar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI arranged another surprise,\u201d she said happily. \u201cAnd I think you\u2019ll like it. It\u2019s long over due,\u201d she opened the door and pointed Neal towards one of the corners as she kissed his cheek. \u201cHave fun!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked at her confused before looking at where she was pointing at, and couldn\u2019t believe his eyes. \u201cMoz?\u201d Neal laughed and hugged his friend. \u201cYou\u2019re here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeal!\u201d Mozzie said surprised. \u201cI received an invitation from Shitface, expecting her to show up, but you\u2019re here!\u201d He then pulled Neal closer. \u201cDid you know that there are cops in this bar?\u201d He said in a hushed voice. \u201cI counted at least three!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Neal laughed as he pulled his friend down to sit. \u201cHow have you been, Moz?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sat down at the bar and smiled at Jimmy. He was Pride\u2019s half-brother and taking care of the bar with him. \u201cCould you send Neal and his friend a glass of wine?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll happily pour you two glasses, Bella, but you\u2019ll have to take them yourself,\u201d she wanted to say something but he put his hand up to shut her up. \u201cYou can walk to them twice, I know you\u2019re a one-armed bandit for the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded as she watched Jimmy pour the two glasses and one by one, brought the glass over to Neal and his friend. The short, bespectacled, bald guy who looked like he was a conspiracy nut. Well, he was. And he looked the part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is this wine?\u201d Mozzie said as he sniffed it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMoz,\u201d Neal playfully warned him. \u201cYou\u2019re in a bar, you can\u2019t expect top shelf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, this smells horrendous. Get me another one,\u201d Mozzie said as he put the glass down. \u201cThis is how establishments like these make money, you know, cheap booze. It\u2019s bad enough we\u2019re meeting in a cop bar. Shitface has one strange sense of humor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re such a snob,\u201d Bella rolled her eyes at Mozzie. \u201cIf you want something else, there\u2019s the bar,\u201d she sat down in Neal\u2019s lap and extended her left hand to Mozzie. \u201cHi, I\u2019m Shitface. Well, not for much longer, but I\u2019m her nonetheless,\u201d she added before kissing Neal on the cheek. \u201cHappy with your present?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery,\u201d he whispered in her ear. \u201cBut play nice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am playing nice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Shitface? I thought you\u2019d be older!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeep your voice down, Moz,\u201d Neal said as he took a sip of his wine. \u201cAnd there\u2019s nothing wrong with this wine,\u201d he added as he put his glass down and wrapped his arm around her. \u201cThis is Izzy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re together? You\u2019re the person that changed Neal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo? He\u2019s perfect, he doesn\u2019t need to change, but he wanted to,\u201d Bella replied, trying not to get agitated. This was for Neal. She wanted to place nice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to retire anyway,\u201d Neal shrugged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re what?\u201d Mozzie said shocked. \u201cNeal, you can\u2019t retire. You\u2019re far too talented to retire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked around, the bar was buzzing and there would be no chance of people overhearing them talking due to the music. \u201cYou can tell him,\u201d she told Neal before kissing him again and got off his lap. \u201cI\u2019m going to sit at the bar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She watched from a distance as she nursed her iced tea. It was good that Mozzie was allowed to stay in Neal\u2019s life after all of this was over. It just didn\u2019t mean she had to like him. Then again, maybe they\u2019d gone off on the wrong foot and the man would grow on her eventually. Neal already told her many times that the man was an acquired taste, but that he had also done a lot for Neal, so she was going to have to be nice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, for now, from a distance, because she wanted to take the shotgun that Jimmy had behind the bar and shoot Neal\u2019s friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Izzy, if you\u2019re going to loiter,\u201d Jimmy said as he pushed a tray of drinks in front of her. \u201cAt least make yourself useful and take this to that table over there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She eyed Jimmy for a moment and then the tray before looking back at him. \u201cI can\u2019t carry that, not without two hands!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen bring it over, one glass at a time,\u201d he winked at her. \u201cI\u2019m short-staffed at the moment, just do that one table? You\u2019ll get a free glass of cola from me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy do I get the feeling you\u2019re trying to teach me something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI might be, or I might just be short-staffed,\u201d he said as he pointed at the table again. \u201cI don\u2019t want you to look all bored at my bar while your boyfriend is catching up with a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella let out a breath and hopped off the chair before she started to walk back and forth to give that table their glasses. In theory, she could lift the tray with her left hand with no problem. She\u2019d been a waitress before, plus her teachings had her balancing things all the time, but she had her other hand to catch herself when falling or to do a better job at lifting things. Bella was right handed, and she still couldn\u2019t use her right hand. However, she was now feeling a little banged up in her cast so maybe something was healing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She helped Jimmy for an hour or so, giving Neal plenty of time to explain things to Mozzie, and she had kept an eye on Mozzie\u2019s face. His surprise, his worry, his concern and his sympathy. But most of all, his understanding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after being out for a couple of hours with Neal and making sure he had a great time, Bella was finding it harder to ignore the feeling that she needed a nap. Or sleep. Whichever came first. She sat down next to Neal and gently took his hand. \u201cHaving fun?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he smiled at her. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen I\u2019m going to send Cole a message to come and pick me up. You can catch up with your friend for a bit longer, I just don\u2019t want him inside our home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr, Moz and I can continue to catch up in the morning and you and I are going home together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no, by all means, take him,\u201d Mozzie waved his hands in no particular direction. \u201cI have all the time in the world and I\u2019m going to enjoy New Orleans, perhaps search for a place with better wine and music. Call me,\u201d he said as he rose to his feet with a smile. \u201cNice meeting you, Izzy and thank you for the trust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal went out with Mozzie the next day, leaving Bella alone in her home. While it was a lot safer now that the FBI had taken care of some of the immediate threats, it was still strange to be alone in her house. It was far too big to be alone and that was a strange realization as she bought this home with the sole purpose of being alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had loud music playing throughout the house and she decided to do some chores. The laundry. Some cleaning. She\u2019d do what she could. Bella often wondered what she was going to do after her father\u2019s trial was over and she and Neal would be in WITSEC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the terms was that she couldn\u2019t access her money anymore, so it was a good thing that she\u2019d set up pencoin accounts for her and Neal and she was slowly moving most of her money there. Not that the government knew about those accounts, but this was just in case she had to hand over all of her aliases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which was likely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They didn\u2019t have to do things anymore for the rest of their lives. Didn\u2019t have to work, and just have fun with life, but Bella knew that both she and Neal were going to get restless. Maybe get in a little bit of trouble. Neal wanted to live like artists, and that wasn\u2019t so bad. New Orleans and art would go really really well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She didn\u2019t know what to expect from a normal life and wasn\u2019t sure if that would ever happen. She and Neal could always continue with their shenanigans, especially in aid of the Michaels should they need it, by creating new aliases and just keep going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least Neal could. If Bella didn\u2019t get full functionality of her hand back, hacking was going to be out of the question because she\u2019d need speed. Developing cool code and apps was something she could do in her own time though. So maybe not a lot would change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella was just in the middle of yelling along with some Green Day when the bell of the tunnel door rang. Looking at the CCTV, she saw it was Grant. She turned down her music and buzzed him in. \u201cHey!\u201d she called out to him. \u201cI\u2019m in the kitchen!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course you are, Grant called back and soon emerged around the corner with something in his hands. \u201cWhere\u2019s Neal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOut, why?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI found something and I already gave the original to John to hand in to the FBI, but I asked him if I could tell you first,\u201d Grant said as he sat down at the kitchen counter. \u201cBut I think you want Neal around when I do tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s out with a friend,\u201d she said as she turned on the kettle. \u201cIs it important? Something that I need to know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to think so, yes. That\u2019s why I handed it over to John, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She let out a breath and nodded. \u201cYou were gone for weeks,\u201d she said as she shot Neal a message to come home and bring Mozzie but leave him in the courtyard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was,\u201d Grant nodded. \u201cWas fun. Cleaned up along the way. Found some skeletons that Carlisle likely intended to kept buried, so I gave those to John as well, however\u2026 this,\u201d he said as he pat the file in front of him, \u201cis going to blow your mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen why wait until Neal gets here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re impatient,\u201d Grant laughed. \u201cWe wait until Neal gets here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She shrugged as she took out her tea kettle and put a bag of tea in it while still waiting for the water to boil. She put the sugar on the counter and a few mugs. Turning around, Bella took a large plastic container from the counter behind her and put it next to the tea with a big smile on her face. \u201cCookies. Made them myself,\u201d she said proudly. \u201cAnd the help of my KitchenAid, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant smiled and opened the container and happily took a cookie out of it. \u201cNice, thanks!\u201d Grant took a bite off the cookie and spoke while he chewed. \u201cSo, any ideas of what you\u2019re going to do after putting dear old Carlisle away for good? WITSEC, wasn\u2019t it? And you\u2019re allowed to say here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded. \u201cYou\u2019re staying as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNew Orleans is my home, if I\u2019m not away on assignment, I\u2019m here, I already told you that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, but it\u2019s good to hear that again,\u201d Bella smiled at him. \u201cMy whole world fell apart and continues to be a bit wobbly, it\u2019s nice if some things stay the same, you know. At least just a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant breathed out and nodded. \u201cYeah, I can understand that. Especially after everything. You chose your own family now, you\u2019re making friends. You\u2019re building your own life, you have the control.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you belong in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d Grant smiled at her. \u201cI\u2019m never going to give you up, let you down or run around and desert you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re rick-rolling me now? Seriously?\u201d Bella laughed as she poured the hot water into the tea pot. \u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m your brother, I have 15 years of trolling to catch up with, so you better be prepared, because I\u2019m so going to put plastic wrap all over your toilet seat when you\u2019re not looking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Neal had left Mozzie at a museum before rushing home. It was strange for Bella to send him a message to come home, but when he saw who was sitting at the kitchen counter, basically eating all the cookies Bella had made. \u201cHungry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are just too good, man,\u201d Grant smiled at him. \u201cGlad you could make it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, of course,\u201d he replied as he kissed Bella. \u201cWhen my girl calls, I drop everything. Well, nearly everything,\u201d he added with a smile. \u201cIs your this man bothering you, ma\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d she said curtly as she looked at her brother. \u201cHe wants to tell me something but refused to do so without you present and I have no idea why.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause I took this news okay-ish, but seeing as you spent your time only with the Cullens, this might hit you a little harder,\u201d Grant replied as he played with the folder in front of him. \u201cI thought it\u2019d be better if Neal would be here, someone familiar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, now you\u2019re scaring me,\u201d Bella said as she reached over the counter to get the folder and opened it. In it were news clippings that were 25 years old mentioning abducted twins, a boy and a girl, who had been in an accident with their parents near Seattle. Parents were found dead on the scene but there was no sign of the twins. The police only knew about the twins because of their grandmother insisted that they had only been born two weeks prior to the crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parents were two high-ranking officials in the little town of Forks, Washington and they were buried there. Honored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were also birth certificates of those twins. Geoffrey and Helen Swan. Another news clipping was an update after 10 years. And 20 years, with the decision of law enforcement putting the case to rest and declaring the twins dead as there was no living relative of those twins alive, they\u2019d all died of natural causes or accidents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She eyed Grant. \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeep digging,\u201d he replied. \u201cYou haven\u2019t gotten to the worst part yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWorst?\u201d She wasn\u2019t even sure why Grant was showing her these clippings, but kept on looking at the copies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal kept quiet. If the stories Mozzie had told him were true, Esme Cullen had a hysterectomy after the birth of her youngest, Edward. If that was true, it was a fair possibility that these news clippings were about Bella and Grant. While he suspected Grant would be alright with this news, seeing as he\u2019d been away from the Cullens for a long time and was raised by loving parents, he believed that Bella would take this discovery differently. Her life was already crumbling underneath her feet, this would just shatter it entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, it could also lit a fire inside of her to make sure that Carlisle wouldn\u2019t see the sun ever again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospital records of Esme undergoing a hysterectomy five years before Bella was born. Then birth certificates for Isabella Marie Cullen and Grant Charles Cullen, but even though these were copies, she saw that they were fake. It was so easy to spot that they were fake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, so I get the fake birth certificates,\u201d Bella said as she looked at Grant. \u201cBut why is this of any importance? Why did they keep this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome on, Bella, you\u2019re smart, this isn\u2019t rocket science.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She let out a snort. \u201cYou think that the twins from these clippings is us? Grant, the birth dates, and the year, don\u2019t match.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cObviously. The first thing about any kidnapping or changing of the facts,\u201d Grant replied shaking his head. \u201cChange the dates, make it look real, some razzle-dazzle and Bob\u2019s your uncle. Or, in this case, Carlisle is your daddy. It\u2019s only a couple of months difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhich is why I came back only after I found something with familial DNA on it – I went to Forks for that, terrible place, and had a lab test it,\u201d he retrieved a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. \u201cWe\u2019re the dead Swan twins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat? How? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI dunno, maybe Agent Burke will find that out for us,\u201d he replied calmly. \u201cBut what I do know is that we must have stumbled upon this when we were kids at some point and saw the word Swan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere did you find this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMount Denali.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I haven\u2019t been there since\u2026 you died,\u201d she said solemnly as she kept looking at the original birth certificates and reading the names of their supposed parents. \u201cDo you mind if I keep digging? Maybe I can send the results over to Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat else is there to find?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese news articles didn\u2019t say anything about who they were, who we were supposed to be. There must be a reason why we were taken. How about looking at the police report of the crash?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe FBI can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe FBI isn\u2019t me,\u201d she said angrily as she grabbed the folder and walked off to her computer room. \u201cI may only have the function of one good hand, but I can still do what I am good at,\u201d Bella muttered under her breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal watched Bella walk out of the kitchen and looked at Grant. \u201cYou didn\u2019t give John anything, did you? They don\u2019t know yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant smirked. \u201cLike Bella, I don\u2019t trust the Suits and even with one hand, she\u2019s better than Auggie. She\u2019ll have the complete picture in a few hours and then we can send it off. She deserves this. She\u2019s had everything taken out of her hands because there was simply too much. She needs a personal win. She needs to prove to herself that she\u2019s still Shitface.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook at you, being the psychologist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust looking out for my sister,\u201d he replied as he grabbed another cookie. \u201cSpeaking of which\u2026 I always have someone else forge my stuff for me, but I could really use your help,\u201d Grant said as he pulled another piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Neal. \u201cDo you think you can replicate that painting for me? It\u2019s for a future job, once this is all over. It needs to be able to pass inspection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need busy work, you know,\u201d Neal knew the painting quite intimately, having had painted it many times over. \u201cI know I\u2019m the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s because you\u2019re the best I\u2019m asking you. As I said, it\u2019s for a future job but it needs to be able to pass all scrutiny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven carbon dating?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love a good challenge,\u201d Neal nodded. \u201cNo time pressure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, we\u2019re all laying low until this shit is over. With the FBI involved with this, and the trial, things are getting a little bit too hot,\u201d Grant replied. \u201cWhich is fine by me, gives me more time to dig up shit to hold against Carlisle for Bella. It\u2019s the least I can do. I couldn\u2019t have been a brother for her since we were nine, but now\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe thinks you don\u2019t really feel that family connection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I do. I try not to. I\u2019m not brave enough to have anyone in my life I can\u2019t walk away from. The Michaels would understand and my adoptive parents would too,\u201d Grant sighed as he leaned back in his chair and looked at Neal. \u201cOr, you know, to have someone in your life you\u2019d do anything for, so much that you\u2019d actually get into trouble and have to fight your way out of to make sure that person is safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I understand,\u201d Neal smiled knowingly. \u201cBella has this way with almost everyone, I guess. One look at her and you just want to protect her and want to make sure she doesn\u2019t have to want for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, and you\u2019re the sucker who fell for that,\u201d Grant grinned. \u201cThe damsel in distress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no. She\u2019s not a damsel in distress. A damsel, yes. But I think she\u2019s stubborn enough to have taken down the Cullens all by herself if she hadn\u2019t been so distracted by other people coming into her life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoing after the Cullens alone would have killed her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey almost did. Twice now,\u201d Neal pointed out. \u201cAnd this is why I don\u2019t mind having to deal with the FBI or the US Marshals. Once this is all over, she will be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not going to be easy for her, Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know,\u201d he nodded and let out a breath. \u201cSeeing as she\u2019ll be in her man-cave for a couple of hours, I\u2019ll be cooking. Are you staying over?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, sure, why not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella looked over her wrought iron railing in the computer room when she saw Neal and Grant walk in with food, plates and drinks. \u201cFood?\u201d she asked confused. \u201cHas it been that long?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, not going to bring it up to you,\u201d Neal laughed as he set the food down on the table she had in her room. \u201cBut I figured you didn\u2019t want to be away from your computer for too long, so Grant and I are coming to have dinner with you here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cOkay,\u201d Bella replied as she turned around to grab a stack of papers and joined her boyfriend and her brother in the lower part of her computer room. \u201cAnything you need me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEat and drink,\u201d Neal replied as he pulled a chair back for her. \u201cDid you find anything?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella nodded and put the stack of papers on the table. \u201cI think I\u2019m almost completely down the rabbit hole. When you look at all the reports and files, you see that the accident that killed our birth parents wasn\u2019t an accident. I\u2019m pretty sure that if I dig deeper, I will see how Carlisle paid for it to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re hacking the police?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, no, not exactly, seeing as Forks PD only went digital a few years ago. I\u2019m looking for snippets online and as it turns out, someone else had been looking into it. A uh\u2026 Phil Dwyer,\u201d she said as she took a sip of her drink. \u201cPhil had copies of the reports, I don\u2019t know how but he did. The food looks delicious, Neal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to find a system for us to just maybe plan every meal of the day for a week or so,\u201d Neal laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy? I think it\u2019s fun to just see what we have and make a meal out of it,\u201d Bella shrugged. \u201cKeeps you on your toes, at least,\u201d she added with a playful smile on her face. \u201cAnyway, Phil Dwyer was a close friend to the Swans. He started looking into the accident, quietly, and then got into an accident five years later. He didn\u2019t die, he kept looking and at some point uploaded it to the internet for safekeeping. I found it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella took a bite of her food and sighed happily. \u201cGeoffrey Swan was the mayor of Forks and his wife Helen a very important influencer. At least, on the surface. Helen had some dirty hands and upset a few people, all behind good Geoffrey\u2019s back, of course. Phil suspected that the Swans were killed by members of a European crime family, hired by a family here in the States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo way,\u201d Grant said shocked. \u201cAre you fucking serious?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan\u2019t say for sure it\u2019s them,\u201d Bella said calmly. \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m looking for now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan\u2019t you ask Phil?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe died ten years ago. No living relatives. He was considered to be the village idiot. Convenient, huh?\u201d Bella took another bite of her food and smiled. \u201cI know it\u2019s morbid. But I don\u2019t know these people and I suppose that if I find as much about them and the whole thing around them it\u2019ll make sure that Carlisle will be dropped in a hole that he\u2019ll never get out of. I\u2019m going to be as thorough as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be honest,\u201d Grant said as he took a sip of his beer. \u201cI thought you\u2019d take this the wrong way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. It\u2019s just another piece of the puzzle. If Helen Swan screwed Carlisle over, I suppose she had it coming,\u201d she then realized something as she sat back in her chair. \u201cHuh. That would actually make so much sense. And it explains a lot when it comes to behavior towards his own kids or why he was so adamant in me staying behind or work from the shadows\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWould Garrett know?\u201d Neal asked. \u201cI mean, he and Carlisle were friends, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t Garrett have told me if he knew about this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI dunno, would he? He did come across as wanting the best for you, so maybe if he knew about this, he\u2019d have kept quiet because he didn\u2019t want to hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf he does know about this, maybe you can persuade him to testify against Carlisle,\u201d Grant pointed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe would have told me,\u201d Bella said, determined. \u201cBut sure, after I\u2019ve emptied my plate, I\u2019ll go and give him a call,\u201d she said as she pointed to her computer with her fork. \u201cIt would be terribly convenient to have someone alive who knows about that Carlisle did to Geoffrey and Helen Swan. There\u2019s no way we can be that lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not even surprised?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella sighed and shook her head. \u201cNothing surprises me anymore at this point. I just hope that I\u2019m right and that you\u2019re wrong. I know Uncle Garrett. He\u2019s a good guy, he\u2019s done some bad things in the past, but he\u2019s a good guy and he\u2019s very overprotective over me. I haven\u2019t been calling him because I want him to be safe, but this is something we need information on,\u201d she then scrunched up her nose. \u201cOh, right, we have to go through Liam, first, because he hid Uncle Garrett somewhere safe and I don\u2019t know how to get into contact with him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After dinner, she went back up to her perch, Grant and Neal in tow and she dialed Liam\u2019s number from her masking software on her computer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Liam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLass! So good to hear your voice! Neal called me a few weeks ago after getting ya to th\u2019hospital, how are ya?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m good, you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFit as a fiddle. What can I help ya with?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs you may know, the trial against my siblings has come and gone, and Carlisle\u2019s trial is next,\u201d Bella replied as she ran a hand through her hair. \u201cI was kinda wondering if Uncle Garrett would be available for me to talk to about something that Grant found out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrant? As in ya brother Grant?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe knows about me?\u201d Grant said surprised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s no secret that she\u2019s half of a twin, lad, but that you\u2019re still alive is a miracle.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEh, not really.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella could Liam walk away from where he was, opening a door and continuing to walk to open yet another door. \u201cHey, gotcha a call from Bells.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBella, you need to save me, Liam\u2019s holding me hostage.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh grow up, ya twat. I\u2019m keeping ya safe. Ya not shackled to anything or locked away,\u201d <\/em>Liam scolded Garrett. \u201cOnce Carlisle is behind bars for good, ya can go and visit Bella in New Orleans.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella hadn\u2019t thought about that. She wasn\u2019t sure if Garrett and Liam were included in the WITSEC deal of her knowing where she was. Ah, who cared? It wasn\u2019t as if Garrett would allow that to stop him from coming around. \u201cYeah, that\u2019s why I\u2019m calling, actually,\u201d Bella laughed, shaking her head. \u201cGrant found something and I started to dig, and maybe you know something about this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garrett let out a groan. \u201cYou know I don\u2019t like talking about the stuff I did with your father.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, but when did you two actually decided to work together?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI dunno, a long time ago. You were already there, with Grant.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo the names Geoffrey and Helen Swan mean anything to you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShould it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Bella replied. \u201cI wish it did, though, sort of, in a way. Grant found something, and all we have is the findings of a village idiot and fake papers and other circumstantial shit. Aside from a lab report proving that Grant and I aren\u2019t Cullens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat! Are you telling me that that asshole abducted you as children? Okay, that\u2019s it. Tell your lawyer or your FBI friends that I want in on bringing him down. I\u2019ll happily tell them everything I did for him. It\u2019s time we nail that asshole even if that means that I\u2019m going down as well. His recent actions already made me want to come over but Liam insisted I\u2019d stay, but he\u2019s not going to hold me back now. Kidnapping children? I draw the line at that!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re an ass,\u201d <\/em>Liam scolded Garrett. \u201cYou\u2019ll be locked up for ya own crimes!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t give a fuck, Liam. You\u2019re more than welcome to come with me to the US and watch things from afar, but Carlisle needs to fucking pay.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAye, I agree.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo tell who you need to tell, Bella, we\u2019re coming to bury Carlisle along with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

~o.O.o~<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WITSEC wasn\u2019t so bad. She got to keep everything in her life, including her own home and her friends, and for the first time in her life she felt free. There was no cloud hanging over her head like she had felt in France, there was no pressure, no stupid rules. No, just her and Neal in their home on Dumaine Street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter and Auggie had transferred to New Orleans, and Peter\u2019s family had moved with him. Elizabeth was a wonderful woman and Neal was just over the moon with his tiny namesake. Bella had to admit, seeing Neal with a toddler made her ovaries rattle a bit, but she was nowhere near ready for a child. She was old enough, sure, but she didn\u2019t feel like she could be a good mother. For now, babysitting Tiny Neal worked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe they should get a dog from the rescue center or something and see if they could keep it alive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neal was working on something for Grant, but nobody was to know, especially not Peter, and Neal even joked that it felt just like old times, doing things right under people\u2019s noses for different reasons this time. And Bella happily watched him work while she did her hand exercises. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While she didn\u2019t regain full mobility back over her hand, she could still move the middle three fingers and that was fine for now. It wasn\u2019t necessary to hit the space bar on a keyboard with two thumbs anyway, and she could train her ring finger to hit all the places she\u2019d hit with her pinkie. But, she now also had to learn how to do things left handedly, because grabbing things were a bitch, so painting was out of the question now too, and that sucked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garrett had made a deal with the FBI. He didn\u2019t want immunity or any kind of special treatment, but he had offered his services to them so he didn\u2019t actually go to jail. Instead, he was sent back to Paris to work there, seeing as he spoke the language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bella and Neal spent Christmas at the Michaels with Grant. They celebrated with good food, presents and good music. It felt special to Bella that the Michaels included them in their family tradition of writing wishes down on a piece of paper and burning it. It was similar to blowing out a candle and making a wish while doing so, but this felt different. It was special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life felt good. Different. Carefree. Fun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For New Years, Neal had the perfect gift; they were going to visit every Disney park across the world, spending a week in every city so they could visit the park whenever they wanted to, and on their way back to New Orleans they made a stop at Dollywood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were away for two months and of course, they didn\u2019t quite behave. Tourists were so easy to manipulate and pickpocket and she and Neal managed to do it so easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon return to New Orleans, Cole needed Bella\u2019s help with something for a new job and just like that, she and Neal were doing back to doing what they loved best, just not in public, but she and Neal could definitely help with forging papers, hacking and other things that needed be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was good living in The Big Easy, and Bella never ever wanted to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*THE END*<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 08 \u201cI killed Esme,\u201d Grant said as he took a sip of his beer. They were sitting in Bella\u2019s courtyard because he\u2019d wanted to have a chat with her. He\u2019d come clean towards the Michaels about his real name and Bella calling him \u2018Grant\u2019 no longer made him wince….<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":933,"parent":935,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-967","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 08 - MeekoBuggy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 08 - MeekoBuggy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 08 \u201cI killed Esme,\u201d Grant said as he took a sip of his beer. They were sitting in Bella\u2019s courtyard because he\u2019d wanted to have a chat with her. He\u2019d come clean towards the Michaels about his real name and Bella calling him \u2018Grant\u2019 no longer made him wince.... 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She usually sat perched on one of the tombs as the newly consecrated witch appeared on the Ancestral Plane, usually with a confused look on their face and unsure what to do next. Bella wasn\u2019t a people person,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/intermission.png?fit=1150%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/intermission.png?fit=1150%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/intermission.png?fit=1150%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/intermission.png?fit=1150%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/intermission.png?fit=1150%2C400&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":364,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=364","url_meta":{"origin":967,"position":1},"title":"Chapter 01","author":"Buggy","date":"August 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 01 New Orleans, 1781 General O'Reilly's arrival a few years ago had been the best that had ever happened, according to Mr. Jenkins. He brought back crime, invested a lot of money into New Orleans and changed the shape of everything. Of course, he was only taking advantage of\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bs1-e1723730795835.jpg?fit=1000%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bs1-e1723730795835.jpg?fit=1000%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bs1-e1723730795835.jpg?fit=1000%2C563&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bs1-e1723730795835.jpg?fit=1000%2C563&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":872,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=872","url_meta":{"origin":967,"position":2},"title":"Chapter 12","author":"Buggy","date":"August 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 12 She chained Stefan up in the little holding cell that she had installed and walked over to the cabinet where she kept some of her tools. The only person who\u2019d be aware of this dungeon would be Klaus, as she had kept the werewolf Mason Lockwood in there\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lagniappe-2.jpg?fit=1071%2C341&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lagniappe-2.jpg?fit=1071%2C341&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lagniappe-2.jpg?fit=1071%2C341&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lagniappe-2.jpg?fit=1071%2C341&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/lagniappe-2.jpg?fit=1071%2C341&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":567,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=567","url_meta":{"origin":967,"position":3},"title":"Chapter 02","author":"Buggy","date":"August 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Chapter 02 Bella had told him that she wanted some time alone, by herself, and Kol granted her as much space as needed while keeping an eye on her. She was adamant that she continued her teaching job and he made sure that she had a daylight ring to walk\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/oops.jpg?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/oops.jpg?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/oops.jpg?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/oops.jpg?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/meekobuggy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/oops.jpg?fit=1150%2C575&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1198,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=1198","url_meta":{"origin":967,"position":4},"title":"Chapter 11","author":"Meeko","date":"December 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By the time that Steve made into the 5-0 office, some time passed because he had to go home to shower and change first. Waiting for him was Danny and an amused HPD lieutenant. Confused, he greeted everyone as he welcomed the visitor into his office. \"How's it going? What\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1238,"url":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/?page_id=1238","url_meta":{"origin":967,"position":5},"title":"Prophecy","author":"Meeko","date":"December 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Story Title: Prophecy Pairing: Sheppard\/Teyla Fandom: Stargate Atlantis Summary: It was always meant to be. (crappy summary I know) Warning(s):\u00a0 Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Author Note: This story was written for SGA Beya Secret Elf exchange on LiveJournal. It does contain some spoilers for the Legacy books in the last\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=967"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":969,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/967\/revisions\/969"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meekobuggy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}