Bella's POV
"Bella? Bella you'll never make it out there, you'll have to come home at some time and when you do" My stepfather was screaming at me from a distance I didn't know if he was coming closer or not and I didn't have enough energy to move my head to look. I knew I needed to go and get away from this forest but I couldn't find not one ounce of strength in my entire body. I was completely drained emotionally as well as physically. The screams faded with time and I had a sense that it was over-for now anyways. So I took everything that was left in me and curled up into a ball and fell asleep!
Alice's POV
We were sitting at lunch, all looking off in different directions. When I had a very startling vision!
Vision
A girl with brown hair running with a look of such terror on her face stumbling around in the woods around our house she falls for what is the fourth time but. She stays put and a man with blood in his hands in his mid forties yells from a distance "Bella? Bella you'll never make it out there, you'll have to come home at some time and when you do" Bella curls into a ball ignoring all of the cuts and bruises she had and falls asleep in the rain.
End vision
I heard Edward gasp because he would have seen exactly what I had seen just exactly as I had. Rose, Emmett, and Jazz all looked at us with puzzled expressions. Edward explained to them the same scene that we had just watched in horror.
I couldn't wrap my mind around why I kept seeing visions of some human girl whom I had never met in my life, but then all of a sudden it registered with me. We had to help this girl. She was to be in our family but first we had to get her away from that horrid man who was as I guessed her father.
Esme's POV
The kids came home from school but I could feel immediately by the looks on their faces that something was wrong. In a sudden frenzy I asked what was wrong. Alice was searching the future once again so she was beyond noticing my sudden anxiety. A calm went through the room so I knew at once that Jasper was calming me down and I welcomed it. No one had answered me yet so I asked once again.
"A stupid human girl is going to get hurt tonight and now all of a sudden were the ones who have to help her" Rosalie spat through her teeth. Emmett put his arm around her but she shook it off and stormed out of the room.
Edward's POV
Carlisle came home a while later and was just as concerned as Esme was about the girl.
They both kept thinking things like Oh the poor thing, that poor dear, and what can we do to help?
We decided that Alice, Carlisle, and myself would go find the girl tonight. I didn't really want to go I didn't even know this girl, but Alice insisted that I had to go she kept her thoughts blocked all the while so I never could figure out her reasoning behind this. She said that a girl would need to be there but her thoughts thought otherwise. Of course Carlisle would be needed because he is a doctor.
Bella's POV
When I woke up I could tell that I had been asleep for a while my muscles were so stiff from being curled into a ball, but before I could stretch them out. I was silenced by fear.
"Bella" Yelled a velvety smooth voice that was like nothing in this world.
"Bella" Yelled a chirpy voice.
"We won't hurt you" yelled one more voice it was also a similar voice but nothing like the velvet or chirpy voices.
I wasn't sure if I should respond or not I had never heard voices like these before and how did they know my name? The fear washed over me so completely it locked my muscles up. I had known fear but nothing like this because in that instant I knew who these people would be. John probably had people looking for me just so they could bring me to him and he could torture me to death. I was barely breathing when three of the hands down most beautiful people in the world emerged from somewhere in the forest.
They were all striking in their own ways the one in the back left was a girl that was thin to the extreme and very short she had black inky hair. The smile on her face looked like she might bust into a dance any minute. On the back left was a man with honey blonde hair and was the oldest of the three. That's when I saw him! He had bronze colored hair and the most beautiful face I had ever seen in my life.
All three were pale-paler than me even and each had caramel colored eyes.
The oldest one spoke first. "Bella", he said.
I immediately pulled my arms up over my face to protect myself.
"We won't hurt you" He said after I did this. His voice was very persuasive and I almost believed him until I remembered that I had heard that line before and it almost always meant that pain was coming, soon. A violent shudder ripped through my whole frame as I remembered this.
"Edward" The small pixie girl said.
I was then in the arms of the Greek-God. I didn't even try to protest for one I knew I was to weak and for two I felt safe, which was very odd considering the fact that I had never met this man before. I drifted into a sleep in the arms of Edward, I assumed.
Edward's POV
She fell asleep moments after she was in my arms. She was so beautiful even being as scared as she was. I walked back to the house at human speed while I watched Bella dream.
As soon as I walked in everyone gasped except Rosalie because of course she wanted no part of this always thinking of herself!
Yay! My sister, my shopping buddy, my best friend. Oh I cant wait to decorate her room and giver her a makeover. Heavens knows the girl needs one I mean look at that hideous green jacket. Alice thought.
I tried to block everyone out best I could but some still managed to slip in my head!
YEAH!!! Emmett was screaming!
You like her I can feel it Edward, don't try to deny it. Jasper thought.
I don't think its too bad a few minor cuts and maybe a few broken bones. Thought Carlisle.
I asked Esme where I should put her and I immediately ran to Carlisle's office to lie her down because she was shivering and my cold skin probably wasn't helping a thing.
Everyone followed to my surprise even Rosalie.
Bella's POV
I woke with a gasp someone's cold hands were prying mine off of their shirt. I looked up and saw that it was Edward. I looked around and saw that seven anxious eyes were all staring at me. My breathing immediately turned to gasps and before I knew it I was hyperventilating! I knew my eyes had to be filled with a look of terror, because Edward then picked me back up and sat me on his lap. I don't know why but it felt like a natural thing to do so I leaned into his chest and started sobbing uncontrollably. He wrapped his arms around me and I immediately started to calm down. Once my sobs were under control and it was just tears running noiselessly down my face Edward turned me around in his lap to where I was facing his family.
On the either side of me sat the pixie girl and standing over her was a male who also had blonde hair he had his arms on the top of her shoulders and I assumed that if they weren't there she would be bouncing up and down! Standing the farthest from me was a girl with a hostile expression on her face she had blonde hair she was so beautiful that I felt pained even being in the same room with her. A man with dark curly hair had his arm around her and to say that he looked strong would be an insult his arms were the size of pythons. Sitting on a chair in front of me was a woman with a heart shaped face she had a very motherly look to her and sitting by her feet was the man who was also their earlier.
The man sitting down got up stood up and introduced himself as Carlisle he also identified the women in the chair as Esme, the blonde beautiful girl as Rosalie, the dark haired boy as Emmett.
"I'm Alice and this is Jasper.", trilled the girl sitting beside me.
No one moved for a few beats of silence and then I shivered because I still had my wet clothes on. Carlisle came towards me with a blanket and I screamed "NO!"
Everyone looked startled so I sprung out of Edwards arms and ran towards the door I didn't get very far because Emmett was there in front of the door and I knew I wouldn't be able to get past him.
"I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE" I screamed as I hurled myself at Emmett it didn't do any good I could have been pushing up against a tree for all the progress I was making.
"Bella? Bella calm down. No one is going to hurt you" Alice had my wrists in her hands and she was staring me right in the face.
"H-how do you know my name?" I stuttered. "Who are you people? Just let me leave." I whispered the last part "Please?"
"If you would sit down we would explain everything to you" Said Jasper and at that he began to walk towards me . I cowered into the corner and squeezed my eyes shut awaiting the pain.
But after a few seconds nothing had happened so I opened my eyes and Jasper was looking at Edward as though he had said something. But I hadn't heard anything Jasper then slowly moved back to stand by the couch.
Edward took a deep breath and then walked over to where I was still standing in the corner.
"Will you please come sit down so we can explain everything to you. I promise no one will hurt you." His voice sounded so amazing but I knew that I needed to be on my guard.
I didn't say anything. I didn't even look up at him.
"Were trying to help you." He said with another attempt at persuasion.
"We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. Would you please come sit so we can explain." I looked up about to say something but it was as if I could see right into his soul, and I couldn't even remember my name.
He sighed and bent down to pick me up.
He had me in his arms with ease. I started to trash and kick and scream! I don't want this to happen, I don't want this to happen was the only thing running through my head at the moment.
"PUT ME DOWN!! PLEASE!!!!" I yelled while he has walking me back to the couch.
"NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND I CANT DO THIS! PLEASE! I JUST WANT TO LEAVE!!" By this time I was seated on the couch in is lap my breathing was irregular and tears were streaming down my face.
"Its ok. Its ok. Your safe! No one will hurt you here you can trust us!" Edward murmured. He began rubbing soothing circles in my back and I began to calm down.
Once I was back to my senses I was ashamed of myself I just went off on these people that I didn't even know. But that's the thing I don't know them!
Alice cleared her throat. "We are the Cullen's" She said in a very serious tone. She shot a quick glance at Edward and he nodded so she continued. "We knew your name because I am a psychic, Edward is a mind reader, and Jasper is an empathist."
I stopped breathing at the thought of all the horrors that could come from them reading MY mind, seeing MY future, and feeling MY emotions.
"Bella breathe" Edward said as soon as he noticed. I did what he said immediately.
"Edward can not read your mind, Bella." Jasper said I merely nodded.
"Bella, Carlisle will need to examine your body to make sure that you are not hurt. Ok?" Edward said this in a very non-threatening way but still the idea just caused me pain!
"No!" I shouted once again.
He began to rub soothing circle into my back again and then asked. "Well could you please tell us why we found you in the woods?"
I shook my head furiously and said. " N-no you'll get h-hurt if I tell you."
They bust into a laugh and this overwhelmed me even more then I already was. This day had to be the longest day of my life. I could feel the exhaustion creeping up on me and I tried my best to fight it but while they were laughing I fell into a deep sleep.
Edward's POV
She woke with a gasp I was prying her arms off of my shirt. She looked around and saw that seven anxious eyes were all staring at her. Her breathing immediately turned to gasps and before I knew it she was hyperventilating! Her eyes were filled with such terror so I did the only thing that I could think of. I picked her back up and sat her on my lap. I didn't know how she would respond but she shocked us all by leaning into my chest. She began to sob uncontrollably so I put my arms around her. It felt like a natural thing and this scared me because she was only merely human. She reacted to my embrace in a good way she began to calm down and once her sobs were just tears running down her face I turned her around to face my family.
My family was all scattered in various positions, I was concentrating so hard on trying to read Bella's mind that I didn't catch a thought that went through their minds.
Carlisle introduced himself as well as everyone else but just then Alice interrupted him wanting to introduce herself because she knew that they were going to be best friends!
"I'm Alice and this is Jasper.", Alice trilled she was so beyond happy at the moment while Bella was so terrified, although I couldn't read her thoughts it was very evident on her face.
Umm Im not sure what to say, Edward. Thought Carlisle
Ugh could someone please get her out of here. Thought Rosalie.
At that moment Bella shivered I forgot all about how she must be cold. Carlisle grabbed a blanket from off the back of a chair and started to come towards Bella to give it to her.
"NO!" She screamed.
It took everyone a moment to do anything from the shock, before I could reassure her she sprang out of my arms only to pause when she saw the way Emmett was blocking the door. I myself didn't know what to do and I was way past noticing what anyone was thinking.
"I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE" She screamed as she hurled herself at Emmett. I knew it had to have hurt her she was so fragile looking and innocent.
"Bella? Bella calm down. No one is going to hurt you" Alice had her wrists in her hands and she was staring into her eyes trying to reassure her Im guessing since I wasn't paying much attention to her actual thoughts still in shock myself.
"H-how do you know my name?" She stuttered. "Who are you people? Just let me leave." She whispered the last part "Please?" Her eyes were so agonized and it hit me-hard! I didn't understand I had only known this girl for a few hours and I felt so connected to her. It didn't make any sense!
"If you would sit down we would explain everything to you" Said Jasper and at that he began to walk towards me . She cowered into the corner and squeezed her eyes shut.
"I'll get her calmed down." I said much too low for Bella to be able to hear me.
She opened her eyes and Jasper started to move back to the couch. Good of him!
I took a deep breath. Bad idea! Her scent was so potent that my throat was a pit of flames! I walked over to where she was in the corner.
"Will you please come sit down so we can explain everything to you. I promise no one will hurt you." I said this with as much persuasion as I possibly could. She didn't even move.
"Were trying to help you." I said.
"We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. Would you please come sit so we can explain." She looked up into my eyes but didn't say anything so with a sigh I bent down to pick her up.
She was feather light but she trashed and kicked and screamed against me.
"PUT ME DOWN!! PLEASE!!!!" She yelled while I was walking her back to the couch.
"NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND I CANT DO THIS! PLEASE! I JUST WANT TO LEAVE!!" What she said was the truth no denying that I didn't understand and frustrating me. I had her in my lap seated on the crouch. She was still crying and her breathing was irregular!
"Its ok. Its ok. Your safe! No one will hurt you here you can trust us!" I murmured.I didn't know what to do, I had never been in a situation like this before so I began rubbing small circles into her back and she began to calm down.
Everyone's thoughts were in unison for once!
!!!!!!!!!! Wordless I didn't think that could happen in this family!
Alice cleared her throat. "We are the Cullen's" She said in a very serious tone. She shot a quick glance towards me and I nodded so she continued. "We knew your name because I am a psychic, Edward is a mind reader, and Jasper is an empathist."
I stopped breathing and this worried me.
"Bella breathe" I said as soon as I noticed. She listened.
"Edward can not read your mind, Bella." Jasper said she just nodded. And that made me wonder why she was so afraid of the idea of me being able to read her mind. What could she be thinking?
Edward, she is probably injured I need to check this out. Thought Carlisle.
"Bella, Carlisle will need to examine your body to make sure that you are not hurt. Ok?" I said.
"No!" She shouted once again.
I began to rub small circles into her back again and then asked. "Well could you please tell us why we found you in the woods?"
She shook her tiny head furiously and said. " N-no you'll get h-hurt if I tell you."
We all bust into a round of laughter. The idea of course was hilarious to us all. Before we could explain more she drooped in my arms and fell asleep.
I sat her down in Alice's bed to sleep then returned back to my family.
Ooooh. Thought Jasper.
How sweet shes like a damsel in distress and you get to be her prince, Edward. Alice practically cooed!
Finally. Esme thought in a tone that was coated with relief very heavily.
Eddie boy finally got him a girl. Emmett smirked.
I knew this would happen but it didn't bother me. I knew it was true I liked her so much even after only knowing her for a few short hours! She was like a drug to me and it was an odd sensation that I both loved and hated at the same time.
Bella's POV
I awoke very disoriented. But then I was immediately happy I hadn't had a dreamless sleep in years!
"Hello Bella" The voice startled me and I jumped. " Sorry, did I scare you", said the voice that I couldn't see although I knew exactly who it was!
"Hi" I said weakly.
A loud bang from downstairs sent me flying into the corner where I at once curled into a ball and began to shake uncontrollably. My hands were at my head at once to protect me.
He came and was standing over me. "Please don't hurt me I said" My voice came out sounding half strangled! He knelt down and picked me up at once again cradling me against his chest I felt at ease at once and this was something I did not understand. I haven't felt safe in what like ten years!
"Shh shh" He whispered. His arms were so cold I guess I hadn't realized before but it didn't bother me too much because I was in his arms.
He sat me back down on the edge of the bed and waited for me to look up at him. When I finally did I was stunned into silence-he was so beautiful!
"Bella" He said in his velvet voice.
"Yes" I said weakly.
"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" He said.
This brought me up short since no one had every asked anything like that of me. So I just replied "No thank you!"
"Please for me?" He batted his eyelashes in such a way that I just had to say yes, and well honestly I was I just didn't want them to feed me and then expect things from me. So I just nodded my head and then he was gone but before I could even blink he was back with a turkey sandwich and a glass of water.
I felt self conscious from the way her was watching me eat so I asked. "Where am I?"
"Forks, Washington. At my family's home."
I nodded not sure what to say. After a few seconds of awkward silence I was finished eating so he took the plat and moved it to the side. He took both of my hands in his. Of course this sent my heart pounding so loudly it hurt inside my ears!
"Could you please let Carlisle check you out and tell us why we found you in the woods alone?" He said in a very serious tone.
I wasn't ready to talk about it or let this Carlisle person check me out so instead I asked if I could take a shower first. To buy me some time to think everything over!
"Oh I forgot about those kinds of things." He said at this once. Of course this made me blush!
"Alice?" He called and there she was! How did they move so fast?
She just nodded and then he was gone she pulled me from the bed and showed me to the shower. I thanked her and let the shower help me to think things through I figured I would get my answers first then-maybe-tell them!
As soon as I stepped out of the shower Alice was there with some clothes. I gave her a tentative smile then she left and while I got changed!
I walked out and then I wasn't sure what to do so I walked down the stairs and I almost cried from how beautiful this house was my heart was pounding once again but I was able to keep my breathing under control so that was a good sign. In an odd way I felt comfortable here apart from still being scared of John and not knowing who are what these people are.
Alice was waiting at the bottom of the stairs which was a good thing because I fell as soon as I got to the last step, but she caught me. Must be that future seeing thing!
"Hi Bella" Alice said in her chirpy voice.
"Hi" Was all that I could manage to choke out.
She dragged me into another room the family room I assumed. Everyone was in there and they were all staring at me which obviously made me more nervous. I sat on a couch in between Alice and Edward!
Carlisle got up and walked towards me again and my breathing got ragged so he stopped dead in his tracks. And for that I was grateful!
"Carlisle is a doctor Bella and he needs to check you to make sure that you are ok?" Alice said in a very soothing voice.
I began to hyperventilate but knew that if I planned on staying here, which I was, I didn't have anywhere else to go I would have to let him check me out eventually. The fact that he was a doctor gave me a little bit more peace of mind but not enough to calm me down.
I knew I wasn't going to be able so I nodded a weak nod.
Edward and Alice both got up and Carlisle began to walk towards me again. I started having a full blown panic attack! So Edward was back at my side again and said. "Would you like it better if I stayed here and held your hand?" I nodded once again, and at that everyone was gone except for Edward holding my hand, me of course, and Carlisle.
