Author's Note: I just wanted to thank everyone for adding the story to your alert lists. This story is completed as it is up on another site. I didn't (and still don't) have a beta so I'm re-editing as I am posting this on . Also, I'm having trouble with the formatting on FF so if anyone knows how to make the chapter have breaks where there are supposed to be, please let me know.

Just a reminder, this story is rated MA. There is some language and talk of abuse (sexual, physical and verbal).

I'm off to edit chapter four while I have a little free time. Enjoy!

-Lisa

PS-Please feel free to leave me a little note to let me know if you are enjoying the story…I love feedback (the good, the bad and the ugly, it's all good to me )

Chapter Three

After dinner, Carlisle and Charlie had retired to the dining room and drank coffee and talked about the football season as Alice and Bella sat in the kitchen sharing a bottle of wine and catching up.

"Do you miss Boston?" Alice inquired as she poured herself another glass of wine.

"No. It was time to move out of the city. I'm excited to be here and starting a new chapter of my life," Bella lied through her teeth. She could almost hear Edward laughing at her lies. She did miss Boston. She didn't want to dwell because everyone was really happy she was home. She was nervous and scared. She was sick of talking about herself and decided to change the topic. "What are you doing around here when you have free time?"

Alice blushed and a smile formed on her pink lips. "Well, I don't want to jinx anything, but I have been seeing this boy who I really like. I called him a boy because he makes me feel like such a school girl. He is also a doctor and is in Seattle. He is a pediatric psychologist. We met during a conference. I think he might be the one, but I don't want to talk about it just in case it doesn't work out. Our relationship is still so new. What about you? Are you involved with Mike still?"

Shaking her head she offered a sad smile. "No, we broke up before I moved home. I guess it just wasn't met to be," she said.

"Okay, that'll just make next Saturday more fun." Alice told her friend as she got up and put the wine glass into the sink.

Fearing what her friend had planned, Bella looked at her. "Alice, what's next Saturday?"

Smiling, Alice took a sip of water from the sink. "Our trip to Seattle. The details are a surprise!"

"You know I hate surprises! Tell me what you have planned!" Bella told her friend with a small smile on her face.

"You'll just have to find out next week!" Alice was about to say something but Charlie walked in and interrupted her.

"Thank you Alice for dinner. Bella, I'm going to get going. Do you want a ride home?"

Alice interjected immediately. "That's all right; I can give her a ride home. I want to finish catching up. How does that sound Bells?"

Bella smiled and agreed to stay. She hated relaying on people for rides. She was going to start looking at cars to buy a car within the next few days.

After Charlie left, Alice grabbed Bella's hand and skipped into the living room to put on a movie. The girls talked and talked for hours barely paying attention to the film. After the first had ended, Alice put on the next.

Alice had left the room in the middle of the second movie and it felt like Bella only rested her eyes for a moment when she heard her phone ring. She looked around the room. The lights were off and there was a blanket on her. She looked at the clock, which read 3:13am before she looked at her ringing phone. "Incoming call Mike. 617-555-0213."

"Hello?" She answered half asleep and half at attention.

"Hey beautiful, how are you doing?" he asked in a whisper.

Bella wasn't in the mood to talk to him but tried to be polite. "I'm doing well. How about yourself?"

"I'm good. I miss you." Almost a minute had passed before Mike spoke again. "Well baby, don't you miss me?"

Even though it was dark she glanced down at her wrists. "I've been busy."

She could feel his anger through the telephone. "You've been fucking busy? Is that all you can say? Are you all ready screwing someone else? I always knew you were a slut."

"No, I'm not dating anyone else. You woke me up when you called. I'm not fully awake yet. Is there something I can help you with?" She said sounding almost angry.

"Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice," Mike told her in a calm, mellow voice.

She sat up on the couch and crossed her legs. Now she was wide awake. "Mike, we broke up and I think you were right and it was really for the better. I'm across the country and I don't think we would survive a long distance relationship." She paused for a moment. "I don't think you should call again."

"What did you fucking say to me? I knew you were sleeping with someone else! Who the hell is he?" He yelled as he she heard him hit something. "Baby, just keep in mind that I will call you or do whatever the hell I want to you when the hell I want to."

Bella sighed. This was pretty much how their break up went. On second thought, this was pretty much their entire relationship. He always had something degrading to say to her and was a jerk. "I'm hanging up the phone and shutting it off."

"No, wait," he yelled in a different voice. This was again calm and apologetic. "I'm sorry I said those things. I do miss you. If nothing else, you were always a good friend to me."

Before Bella had the chance to say anything back, she let out a yawn, which irritated Mike. "You know I am trying to be nice to you damn it and speak to you nicely but you really don't deserve it. You are such a selfish whore. Because you are so selfish, I don't feel guilty about all those times I slammed you up against the wall or on the floor and hit you or punched you. You more than deserved it. You were never there for anyone and never will be. You aren't good enough for any man, unless he is using you as a sex doll. Then we're talking a different story. You are always good in the sack," he paused as she pictured him smiling on the end of the phone.

She heard him take a puff of his cigarette and continued. "I'm the only one who loves you and who ever will love you because you are unlovable Isabella. The only other relationship with any male you have is family and I bet they even want to pound your face. You're so annoying. You darling Edward I'm sure would love to take a swing at you, or maybe even screw you, if he hasn't fucked you yet. He's such a smug self righteous bastard. Bella you know I am the only man capable of loving you. You are nothing but a fucking whore to anyone else, except you'd probably give it away for free just to feel loved." He paused and heard her sobbing.

In a mocking tone he continued. "Jesus Christ Bella, the truth hurts, doesn't it? You know I am the only man who will ever love you and put up with you. Stop your boo-hooing and face fucking reality. You know you and I were meant to be together. I will get you back at any means, remember that. You belong to me Isabella. Come home and don't make me drag your worthless ass across the country."

"Why are you doing this to me Mike? You are the one who broke up with me?" She cried and yelled into the phone. She was trying to keep her voice down and thought she did a good job of it.

"I didn't want to break up with you!" He stopped. He knew he had said too much. He continued, "Stop being such a fucking baby all ready! Let me guess, as soon as we get off the phone you'll be in the bathroom with the razor. Where will the emotional scar be this time Bells? Will it be on your legs or stomach? I wish I was there to help you do it. Maybe we could use it on your wrists again and maybe this time you'd go a little too deep and then you wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. Maybe I'd help you end it all."

"Don't you ever call me 'Bells' again. Only my family calls me that. You are nothing but a selfish bastard Mike," she yelled into the phone, praying Alice didn't hear her.

"Bella you are fucking mine and only mine and don't you ever fucking forget that. Don't you ever fucking raise your voice at me and talk to me like that again. If you were in front of me I'd smack you. Don't you worry, you will see me again and you probably won't like what is coming." he yelled as he hung up the phone.

She threw the phone down and began sobbing hysterically. She was crying so much that she thought she was going to start hyperventilating.

"Bella?" She heard Carlisle's soft voice. She was so wrapped up that she couldn't respond. He walked closer to the couch and turned on a light on the end table. The soft light reviled Bella's red, wet face. Her hair was a mess. "What is going on? What happened to you?" He asked as he sat with her on the couch. He hugged her and tried calming her down. She looked and sounded like she was going to hyperventilate. "Are you all right? Talk to me."

After a few moments Bella was able to control her crying and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "It was nothing, I'm fine now."

Carlisle shook his head as he sat closer to her and held her free hand. "Please don't lie to me. I can tell you are anything but fine. Tell me what happened."

Bella was silent for almost two full minutes. When she saw that Carlisle wasn't going anywhere, she decided to tell him everything.

"Mike and I met at a bar a few years ago. He was so charming and good looking and dressed really nicely, which caught my eye. I found out he was a lawyer working at a big firm in Cambridge. We hit it off right away. He was always a gentleman. He was so nice to me. He brought my favorite chocolate bar and would leave it in the ER when he knew I was working late, or send me flowers with these really nice things on the cards. Several times he also waited for my break to have dinner with me in the cafeteria. Sometimes he would even pick something up and eat with me."

She paused and tears fell again. "I don't know when it changed. I don't know when I changed him, as he says I did, but things got bad it seemed over night. He'd call me these horrible names and make accusations that I was sleeping around. He even accused me of sleeping with Edward. Actually he has said that on several occasions. I just rolled my eyes when he mentioned it. Not at him though.

"To make a long story short, he started hurting me. The first time it happened I was late meeting him at a restaurant. I called him and told him I had to stay at work because there was a terrible accident. I was coming off a thirty four hour shift and stayed an extra four hours. When I finally saw him, he was quiet and didn't say anything once I finally met him for dinner. He didn't say anything until he drove me home. Edward was working, so he wasn't home. When we got into the apartment he started yelling and screaming at me. He threw a glass dish at me and a potted plant. Then he," she began to lose composure but gained it again as she continued, "hit me. First he threw me up against the bookcase. Then he pushed me and I fell into the kitchen and hit my head on the bottom of the stove. I had a pretty bad cut there. I couldn't use shampoo for a while because it stung. All I could think was thank god I have long hair, otherwise I was afraid that Edward would start to ask questions.

"Before I could get up he sat on me. He hit me again and again. I literally couldn't get up. I was covered with my own blood. When I thought it was all over and he was going to get off of me, he tore off my clothes and, well," she paused to look at Carlisle for the first time. He too had tears in his eyes and shook his head. He looked both sad and angry. He definitely seemed like he understood where she was going with the story. She regained composure again and then continued. "After it happened, he left. He left me on the floor in my own blood and just walked out of my house without saying a single word. I took the shreds of clothes and threw them in the fire place. I showered and cried. I went to grab my toothbrush when Edward's razor fell out of the medicine cabinet. I went to put it back and couldn't let go of it. I-I used it and made small, painful cuts around my ankles. I figured no one would be able to see them there."

Silence filled the dimly lit room. Carlisle was utterly speechless. He delt with patients over the years who were in similar predicaments, but no one who was ever close to him had any experiences like this. "Of course there were other times, weren't there?"

Bella nodded. "There were, in other places. I'm a doctor for crying out loud, I'm supposed to be helping people, not doing that crap to myself. Anyway, after a while I did get some help. I had a great therapist. She helped me through a lot. I finally had left him. About three weeks later, he claimed he too got help and he'd like to see me again.

"I was a fool and fell for it. After only a few days he got really possessive and told me I was never going to leave him. When I accepted Dad's offer, he said he was going to come and torch the place so I would have to run back to Boston. I was going to break up with him and end things. I went to see him before I left and very coldly he broke up with me first. I hadn't heard from him until-until tonight," she began crying again in full tears as she recapped the latest conversation. Carlisle pulled her close and just let her cry. He even shed a few tears and silently cried with her. He held her until she had fallen sleep in his arms. He gently placed her back down on the couch and covered her with a blanket on the back of the couch. He tucked her in and hoped that she would have a restful sleep.

"Bells, do you think you are ready to start on Monday?" Charlie had asked Bella as she finished her training and orientation. He was proud and excited to have his only daughter working alongside of him.

"I am. It'll be fun. I'm surprised that I have patients all ready. I moved my belongings in here today and I'm ready." Bella proudly told her father.

"But are you ready for what I have planned for us tonight?" Alice interrupted and entered Charlie's office.

Charlie laughed as he got out of the seat. "Well, I am going fishing tonight so I won't see you lovely ladies before you leave for Alice's adventure. Have fun and stay safe. Do you both have the mace I gave you?"

Bella and Alice both shook their heads. Charlie was very much Alice and Edward's second father growing up. The Cullen twins spend lots of time at the Swan residence.

"Of course we have the mace Charlie!" Alice smiled. "Luckily I have never had to use any of the twelve cans you have given me."

"All right, I get the point. You girls might be older but I still have all the reason in the world to worry about you two, you are my girls." Charlie said as he stood to walk out of the room. "Seriously, have fun and be safe."

"Yes daddy," both Bella and Alice said before giggling. Alice sat in the leather chair and smiled. "So, as I asked before, are you ready for my plans?"

Bella just shook her head. "I'm never ready for what you have prepared, you should know that! What do you have planned?"

Alice sat in the chair next to Bella's. "I have toned things down a lot just to let you know. I figured we'd head to Seattle and have a good dinner and maybe hit a few of my favorite clubs and let off a little steam and dance. Does that sound all right to you?"

"Actually Alice, it sounds perfect. I expected more, but I can handle this."

After a few more moments Bella also left the room and was heading home when Carlisle was leaving his office at the same time. They hadn't spoken in a week since Mike's phone call. Silently, he signaled for her to join him in his office and he closed the door. He broke the silence first. "How are you doing?"

"I'm all right." Silence filled them again as she looked away. "I wanted to thank you for not saying anything to my dad or Alice. I've changed my number and I hope I never hear anything from him again. I'm also sorry I had a break down on your couch so early and woke you up that night."

Carlisle offered a weak smile. "You didn't wake me. I was in the study reading. Don't be sorry. You went through something horrible and with him calling it just brought up memories and feelings again. As for not saying anything to Charlie, you have to make me promise."

"What's that?" Bella asked a little surprise.

He sighed. It was against his better judgment but he wanted her to trust him. "I won't say a word to Charlie just as long as you keep me updated if he calls you again or contacts you at all."

Bella nodded. "That sounds fair."

"Also, you have to promise me not to hurt yourself. It's not worth it."

She nodded. "I promise. I haven't done that stuff in months and don't want to do it again, but I promise."

He offered her a kind smile and reached for her hand. "I know you don't want to talk to Charlie or Alice, but I know and please talk to me about this if you need to."

Nodding again, she offered him a kind smile in return. "I promise. Thank you for listening." She paused for a moment and then changed the subject. "I should get going. I need to get ready for Alice's adventure."

Finally chuckling, Carlisle got up to walk her out the door. "After the other night, I'm glad to see a smile on your face. I hope you have fun with Alice."

She thanked him and was on her way out when she saw him again. "Emmett, right?" She asked as he filled out some paper work.

He smiled back at her. "Yes, and you are one of my new boss' daughter, right?"

She returns his brilliant smile. "Guilty. I'm Bella, Charlie's daughter. He's the one with the dark hair and mustache. I guess they hired you then. Congratulations"

"Thank you. I start Monday." He said as he stood up and leaned against the wall. Bella thought he defiantly looked like a football player. "What about you? Are you starting soon?"

"I also start Monday."

Emmett smiled at her. "I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other."

Bella nodded as she offered a smile. She was hoping he'd say that.

"Shhh, if you are any louder you'll wake up my dad," Alice told Bella as they returned home from their night of dancing. Alice felt like she was in high school. She was sneaking an intoxicated Bella into her house. There was no way Alice was going to drive Bella home to face Charlie. Alice held onto Bella and hoped she'd make it up the main staircase without waking Carlisle up.

Bella just burst into laughter for no apparent reason. She was holding onto Alice and the railing when the toes of her shoe hit the railing, got stuck and twisted her ankle. She began to slip down just a few of the stairs. Tears filled her eyes. "Alice, I think I'm hurt."

Alice shook her head. She was embarrassed in her own house of her friend who was like her sister. She thought she'd be able to hold her own but she obviously couldn't.

Bella was different that night and Alice couldn't put her finger on why. Bella was out going and dancing with several men. Of course Alice thought her mini make over helped Bella out and gave her more confidence, even though she claimed to hate how she looked. Alice had dressed her in a wide band mini ruffled skirt with a red sequence top and a cropped black cardigan. She added silver four inch heels. Bella looked pretty before but by the time Alice was finished with her she looked sexy. She looked like she stepped off the stage of a runway show. At this particular moment, Alice was sorry she did it. Bella was obnoxious at that moment.

"Alice?" A voice came from upstairs as Alice began to walk Bella down the stairs.

"Alice I can't move. It hurts too much. I need to sit down." Bella cried as Carlisle turned on the hall light and approached the landing of the stairs. Bella went to sit down on a stairs but lost her balance. Carlisle caught her before she fell. He sat her down and looked at her ankle.

Carlisle looked at her shoes. "Alice, it's like you are trying to kill her. Bella, can you take off your shoes?"As Bella slowly took her shoes off, Carlisle looked up at Alice and whispered. "I can't believe you let her get this drunk. How much did she have to drink? Where were you when she was drinking? Do you think you could get some ice for her ankle? Also, some water and Advil she can take?"

Alice stood up and put her hands on her hips and pouted. "I can't even believe that you are putting this on me! She is a grown woman! She's almost thirty years old! I went out with my friend to have fun, not to babysit! She said she wanted a few drinks to loosen up. So she had too many drinks, it happens dad! I can't believe you are even arguing about this with me," she shouted. She did what her father asked and retrieved ice, water and Advil from the kitchen and came back. She turned towards Bella. "Bella, I'm sorry that I wasn't a better friend and you had too much to drink and now you are hurt, but you did look like you had a good time at the time. I'll see you in the morning. Father, good night," she said as she stormed away.

Carlisle just shook his head as he watched his daughter storm off. He would deal with her in the morning. "Why don't you hold on to me and I'll help you upstairs. We'll ice your ankle up there."

Bella nodded as she placed her arms around his neck and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently picked her up. She shook her head. "Alice is pretty pissed at me, isn't she?"

"Don't worry about her. I think she's angrier with me. Come on, let's move nice and slowly," He said as he helped her to the guest bedroom one stair at a time. Once up there, he flipped on the light and walked her over to the bed. She laid back and collapsed. "Bella, I'm going to be right back. I'll ask Alice if you can borrow a set of her pajamas."

A few moments later, Carlisle came back into the room with a purple stripe night shirt and shorts. The nightshirt was button down and resembled an oxford shirt. He again left the room for a few moments while she changed. Once he reentered the room, he looked at her and smiled. "Feel free to sleep here as long as you want. I have to ask, do you do this a lot?"

Bella let out a loud laugh as he placed the ice on her ankle. "Do I what? Drown my sorrows with drinks? Let random guys buy me drinks, kiss me, touch me, and dance with them for the entire night? Do I usually let them put their hands all over me? No, this is my first." She was quiet before she spoke up seriously. "I was just thinking about Mike earlier today. I don't know why. I am just scared that he might come here and hurt me or my dad. Drinking was stupid, but it made me forget about him. Dancing with all of those guys made me feel wanted. I'm not stupid, even in this state of mind; I know they only wanted one thing, which they wouldn't have got." She began to cry. "I was stupid, but I am scared. I don't want him here. He said he was going to get me no matter what."

Instantly, Carlisle pulled Bella close into his chest and let her cry. "It's not stupid. He threatened you. It's not stupid at all honey. "

A few moments had passed before Bella broke from their embrace. "Once again you have come to my rescue. It's good to have you around." She said as she wiped her eyes.

"I'm glad I could be useful. Now I think it's time you should go to bed. You are going to need sleep. The swelling in your ankle has all ready gone down. I think it should be better by the morning." He explained as he covered her up with the blanket at the end of the bed. "And take these and drink all of this water so you are hydrated," he added as he handed her the bottle of water and the Advil.

Bella did as she was told as he sat by her bedside. She stared at him for a minute before speaking. "You know, when I was younger I had a crush on you. I have never told anyone that before. You were always so nice to me and never treated me like I was the youngest. Plus, you were very good looking, still are. You know, you haven't really aged, at least not like my dad has. It's like you have a stash from the fountain of youth hidden somewhere." Bella began to run her hand through his hair. "I mean you don't even have a grey hair. How do you do that? Do you dye your hair?" She asked inspecting his roots.

Smiling, Carlisle sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her hand away from his hair. "Well, thank you I am flattered, really. No I don't dye my hair. It's all natural. If your still interested I will show you my beauty regime another day. You do need to go to sleep now."

Bella sat up. "Thank you for everything. I do appreciate it." Just as he was about to get up, Bella leaned forward and met his soft pink lips with hers. To her amazement Carlisle kissed back at first and then quickly stood up and said good night as he left the room.