Jake wrapped his arms around Bella and held her for a few moments. When Ben walked back into the room, Jake stepped back from Bella.

"Bella, we're going to sedate you for a while. Just to give your ribs a decent chance to heal. I'm going to admit you to the hospital for at least three weeks."

"I can't stay here for three weeks. I have to get home." She looked at her father, panicked. "Dad, I can't stay here!"

"Bells, its what's best for you. I back Ben's decision. I'll tell Mike what's going on."

Ben walked toward her with the needle in hand. "I'm not staying!" she screamed.

"Jake, hold her down." Charlie held her legs down as Jake wrapped his arms around her, effectively pinning her against his chest as Ben administered the shot.

Tears were running down her face as the sedative started taking effect. Mike was going to do worse than kill her. She knew it.

****

For the first two weeks, Ben kept Bella almost completely sedated. Jacob sat guard in her room. Charlie had a guard outside the room never knowing that there was another inside. So it was that Jake heard each and every time Mike tried to come and see Bella.

"Damn it, Chief! She's my wife! You have no right to keep her from me!"

"She's still my daughter! And she needs time to heal, Mike!"

"I just want to see her!"

"Mike, someone's been beating on your wife. By the looks of things it's been like this for a long time. Right now, she's hurt badly enough that Ben's keeping her completely sedated. She wouldn't even be able to talk to you."

"Who could be doing that to her?"

"When I find out, you'll know. That's another reason I'm not letting anyone near her. I'm not going to take the chance that the person who did this to her could get in and finish the job. I'm not prepared to loose my daughter." Charlie sighed. "Go home, Mike. I'll call you when I know something."

Mike stomped out of the hospital, determined to see his wife one way or another.

At the start of the third week, Jasper was getting worried. He was worried that maybe Mike had killed her and hid the body. He slipped up alongside the Newton's home, hoping to get some information on Bella.

"Chris, I need to get her back in the house. She's my property and I don't want her telling anyone about what's been going on lately."

"Mike, keep it together, man. If her dad finds out that you've been beating his little girl, you're toast."

"I want her back where I can control her. As it is, I'm going to have to teach her a lesson for running off that night."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I figured I'd start with a good old-fashioned beating with my belt and progress to other more painful items. I'll keep her in the guest room while I punish her of course. Wouldn't want any blood getting on any of the furniture."

Both men laughed, not realizing that death stood just outside Mike's window.

****

That night, Jasper snuck into Bella's room to guard her. He knew that Mike had some serious plans for Bella's homecoming. He just didn't expect to see Jacob sitting there when he arrived.

"Jasper, what are you doing here?"

"Given what I just heard Newton talking about doing to her with one of his buddies, I'm not going to leave Bella unprotected."

"She told me that it was Mike. Down in the ER just before Ben knocked her out in order to keep her here and allow her a chance to heal."

"Ben knocked her out?" Jasper couldn't believe that shy Ben was a doctor who would take such measures to help out a patient.

"He's changed a lot since high school. Him and Angela are married. I think she's been really good for him." Jacob got serious again. "You don't need to be here, Jasper. I've been here for two weeks straight."

"Why don't you take the chance to go run in the woods or take a nice hot shower? I'll sit with her. No one will get past me anymore than they would you."

"You know I don't trust you."

"I know. I've changed a lot in the last ten years as well. I'm not the vampire that attacked Bella because of a paper cut. I've learned to control myself."

"Control or not, I don't trust you. It's not built into my system."

"If I hurt her, then I hope you do tear me apart. But for now why don't you just take advantage of the chance to go stretch your legs?"

Jake stood up. "I'll go. But I won't be gone too long. I don't want to give you the chance to test that self-control you claim to have learned."

"My self-control is not the issue you seem to think it is. I carried Bella from her house to mine with blood flowing freely down her arm and never once considered even the tiniest sip."

"Impressive for a bloodsucker."

"I'll be here waiting for you. Just go for now."

Jake climbed out the window and took off into the woods. Jasper sat down in the chair Jake had vacated and took Bella's hand.

"I'm here, Bella. I was worried about you and went by your house. You can't go back there, darlin. You just can't. He'll kill you."

"I don't have a choice, Jasper." Bella's whispered voice carried clearly to his ears. "He's my husband and unless I want to divorce him, I have to go home eventually."

"Run, Bella."

"To where? My dad may love me but he won't stand between me and my husband."

"Then tell him what's been going on. Tell him what Mike's done to you." Jasper wasn't above pleading with her.

"I can't. I should have never told Jake."

"Bella, what happens if you get pregnant and he does this to you?"

"Like I told Jake, I'd miscarry. It wouldn't be the first time and I'm not so sure it would be the last."

"You've lost babies before to this monster?"

"Twice. He never even knew that I was pregnant. I never told him because I knew what his response would be."

"He killed two of your babies and you're willing to just go back to him?"

"I took vows to him. The vows I had once thought to say to Edward. It said for better or worse til Death do you part."

"But Bella …."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter now. I took the vows and I will not be the one to break them."

Jasper stopped trying to argue with her. "At least tell me that you still have the cell phone."

"It's in my pants pocket. Jake made sure that no one found it and that it's still there. I made him check twice."

"Good. I meant what I said. Don't be afraid to use it. It might just save your life."

"I promise, Jazz." She drifted off, not knowing how hearing his nickname from her lips felt to him.