So I realized that I had accidentally deleted this story. This annoys me quite a lot. Lol well sorry, here it is again! :)
"What is that Bella?" Edward asked her, lightly running over the dark bruise on her arm.
Bella quickly pulled the sleeve of her shirt down, covering it up. She looked down at the meadow floor, her hair falling in her face as she answered, "Nothing. It-it's nothing."
Edward sat up a little straighter, hearing the change of tone in her voice. Worry flew through him. "How'd you get it, Bella?"
"I fell down the steps. Can we not talk about it anymore, please?" she asked quickly, still refusing to meet his eyes.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" he asked her, his eyes pleading her to tell him the truth he already knew. Edward had heard the thoughts of Charlie again and again as he repeatedly beat his daughter. It caused Edward so much pain, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to save Bella. That's why he went to Carlisle. He told Carlisle every thought that had passed through Charlie's mind, every sound that came from the house. He begged Carlisle to do something, but was told he couldn't interfere. Edward was told he had to wait for Bella to tell him what was happening. They had to be patient.
"I'm telling the truth," she lied.
"All right," he sighed, kissing her forehead lightly. "If you say so."
Bella closed her eyes, loving the escape from her father's hand. She nuzzled herself closer to Edward, not caring that he was making her freezing cold. Her eyes then flew open, realization of evening covering the sky. "Wait," she exclaimed, pushing out of his hold and reaching for her bag. "What time is it?"
She was panicking, thoughts of her punishment flying through her head. Bella quickly unzipped the backpack and took out her old cell phone, checking the time. Half past five.
"Oh, no," she cried, fumbling to her feet, snatching up all her belongings. "I have to get to Charlie's. Now."
Edward stood then too and pulled her in front of him, holding her upper arms. "You'll be okay. You don't even have to go back if you don't want," he told her, not being able to let her go back again. He didn't care what Carlisle had said, he couldn't take this anymore.
"Edward, please. We'll talk about running away together another time, but I really need to get home. You don't understand," she said, trying to escape Edward's grasp, but he wasn't letting her go anywhere.
"Bella, please-"
"Edward let me go!" she shouted.
His hands fell to his sides. "Please. Bella. Don't go home. Don't go back to Charlie's."
"Why?" she asked angrily. "Why wouldn't you want me to go home?"
"You know why," he replied.
Her anger putted out and exhaustion took over her. Tears welling up in her eyes. "You know," she whispered, not a question, but a statement that sent her world shattering.
Edward nodded. "I know."
"How?" she asked, barely audible.
"His thoughts were pretty loud," Edward replied almost just as quietly.
Bella bit her bottom lip, almost to the point of drawing blood, trying to hold the tears back. She shook her head slowly. "It's not his fault," she said quickly. "He drinks too much. He doesn't mean to. He doesn't."
Edward pulled her into his arms as the tears flooded down her face. "He really doesn't. He's always so sorry for hurting me."
Edward stroked her hair lightly, murmuring sweet things in her ear. "I won't let him hurt you ever again. You never have to go back. Ever. You can stay with me forever. I'll always keep you safe. No matter what. I don't ever want to see you hurt or crying again. You'll always have me, Bella. I won't ever let go."
His words made her tears fall rapidly, soaking his shirt. "I can't. I can't leave him. He's my father," she told Edward.
"He abuses you, Bella. He can't get away with that. He can't keep doing it to you."
Bella then stiffened in his arms, pulling back from him. "You can't tell anyone, Edward. This stays between you and me. Charlie can't go to jail. He can't."
"Sh, calm down Bella. I've only told Carlisle and he wouldn't tell anyone against your will."
Bella nodded, bitting her lip almost to the point of drawing blood. "As long as you promise. . ." she trailed off.
Edward pulled her closer to him. "I swear."
"I do need to get home though," she said shaking a little. "You're my ride."
"Let's go," Edward said.
The ride to Charlie's was deathly silent, the only sound was Bella's uneven breathing.
Bella slowly took a deep breath, and opened the front door. She quickly walked in and closed it behind her. Bella could hear the faint buzz of the television coming from the living room. The Saints were down by three. She stumbled over her own feet, confirming to Charlie she was home.
"Bella?" she heard him call from his position on the sofa.
She inhaled deeply, shaking slightly, and replied, "Yeah, Dad. It's me."
Bella heard the squeak of the springs as her father got up from the couch, his feet pounding against the hard wood floor as he made his way over to her, beer in hand. "You're late," he remarked, looking up at the clock in the hall.
"I'm sorry," she said quickly, the car keys she held dug into her palms as she clutched them tightly.
"Where were you?" he asked.
A lie quickly made it's way into her mind, hoping he had drunk enough alcohol to believe it. "I was at work."
"You don't work Tuesdays," he said, taking a swig of beer.
"Mrs. Newton called me. She needed another hand at the shop. I had to help her close up, that's why I ran a little late."
He didn't say anything back, his jaw set, his eyes distant, but trying desperately to focus. "You're lying."
"I am not," Bella replied, maybe a little too quickly.
Charlie's fist clenched and unclenched. "Bella, why can't you just do as I ask? I don't ask too much of you. Just be home on time, fix dinner, and go to school. Is that too damn hard?" Bella flinched a little at her father's tone. He was practically yelling in her ear. "You don't respect me, do you, Bella?" No reply fell from her lips, knowing any reply would cause his anger to pike even further. "Answer me, Bella!"
"Yes. Yes, I respect you," she said, tears of fear forming in her eyes. She knew what was coming.
"Don't lie to me, Bella! I know damn well you don't respect me at all! If you did, you would have been home on time, and you would not have lied to my face!"
"I didn't lie," she said, begging he believe her.
A hand made contact with her cheek, causing her to fall to the floor with the impact. Bella instinctively abandoned the keys and clutched her cheek, a few tears trickling down her face. Charlie saw the gleam the light shone on them, causing him to kick her roughly in the stomach. Heaving and coughing, Bella's hands moved from her face to her stomach, trying to cease the pain that erupted through her. She tried desperately to hold back the tears, but was unsuccessful, the tears pouring like a stream from her eyes. "Don't lie to me again," Charlie said, his shoes squeaking against the floor as he turned back to the living room. As soon as he was out of hearing distance, Bella lay on the floor, sobs racking her body. She curled into a ball, trying to calm herself, but failed, the heaving becoming too much.
"Go start dinner and get me another beer," he practically shouted from the living room.
Bella wiped her tear-streaked face and stood, pressing her hands tightly against her lower stomach, pain shooting through her with every step she took. After she had given Charlie another drink, fixed him his dinner, and cleaned the kitchen, Bella went upstairs to get a shower. She turned the hot water on, testing it on her hand. She then lifted her top up and over hear head, glancing at her reflection in the mirror. A patch of blue and purple covered a third of her torso. Bella apprehensively touched the dark spots, barely running her fingertips over her pelvic bone, wincing and crying out in pain. She realized it was becoming unbearable to stand on that leg. Bella shifted her weight to the right side of her body and examined herself further in the mirror. Another dark purple bruise covered her right cheek, giving her a black eye. Bella silently prayed that makeup would cover these marks. After she undressed and limped into the shower, she relished the feeling of the hot, steamy, water run over her skin, causing goosebumps to rise. The water relaxed her muscles, taking some strain off of her. She sighed deeply and turned the temperature even warmer, fogging up the room.
Bella walked back to her room, practically tip-toeing, hoping not to wake Charlie. She pulled the towel tighter around her, still having to limp. The pain was becoming worse by the second. As she started to turn the knob on her door, she collapsed to the ground, clutching her side. Tears rolled down her cheeks.