Chapter 4 - Innocent Captor

BELLA

Alice led me down to a study. I didn't understand how we would "shop" here, but she pushed a button on the corner of the desk, a computer keyboard popped up, and the wall flipped over, revealing a huge wall-sized monitor.

She quickly pulled up a website and started picking out different clothes. "What do you think of this one, Isabella?"

I looked at the blue satin gown and then looked back at Alice. "Alice, where on earth would I wear that dress?"

Alice just smiled and added it to the virtual cart.

I rolled my eyes. There really was no stopping her. "Please, call me Bella, Isabella is just weird."

"Of course, Bella," she said, giving me a hug. "I just know we're going to be great friends!"

I was sure I had Stockholm syndrome when it came to Alice. She was hard not to love, even if she was one of my kidnappers. The strange thing was, everyone was so nice and trying very hard to make me feel comfortable. I was even starting to find crazy Edward interesting.

Edward joined us timidly. He brought me a snack, and I wondered what on earth everyone else ate, because I had yet to see them eat anything.

He watched intently, as I dipped the apple slices in the caramel sauce, and he smiled, when I hummed in delight. I loved caramel.

"You like it?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded my head yes, as my mouth was too full to answer.

"Would you like more? I can get you more," he said, eagerly pointing to the door.

I giggled and shook my head no and swallowed my bite. "No, this is plenty, Edward. Thank you very much for thinking of me."

He nodded his head in response and went to go sit in the corner, where he watched me, as it had become part of his routine. It was odd that he came across as being so eager to please me, and yet he seemed scared of me at the same time. He would sit in the room I was in, but not try to engage me, and when he did, he was so…weird, almost shy. I didn't understand him. I had never met anyone like Edward. He was intriguing to say the least.

Alice had picked out way more clothes than I would ever need. I tried to stop her, but she would just giggle in return and keep adding more to the virtual cart. I had a sneaking suspicion she was using me as an excuse to feed a retail addiction.

She smiled widely at Edward. "Now, Bella, it's time to buy you some lingerie."

"What?" I gasped. I noticed Edward stiffened out of the corner of my eye.

"What do you mean what? You need bras and panties and, well, underthings. You want silky sleep clothes, too, don't you?"

Edward quickly left the room, as he seemed truly agitated by the words "bras and panties" for some reason. I held back a giggle, as I watched him flee.

Once he was gone, I mock-glared at Alice. "That wasn't very nice. I've only known Edward a little while, and even I know women's underwear makes him uncomfortable."

"You noticed that, did you?" she said with a smirk and then shrugged. "The boy has got to warm up to women one of these days."

"How old is Edward?" I asked.

She looked at me and then shook her head. "He's not a boy, if that's what you think. Well, I suppose on some level, he is just a boy of seventeen, but in other ways, he's much older."

I assumed she meant he was more mature because of life experiences. I would suppose his odd behavior could be described as someone who'd had a rough life and wasn't all that stable. For some reason, he seemed to be connected to me. It was hard not to feel a little sorry for him. Especially since his sister obviously enjoyed teasing him.

"Alice, will I ever be able to go home?" I asked.

She frowned. "I don't see it yet, but it doesn't mean never. I'm sure we'll find a way to send you home, I promise. Just think of your time here as a sort of vacation. Is there someone you'd like to send a letter to, you know, maybe let them know you're okay?"

It was an odd offer, and I would have taken her up on it, but really, I didn't have anyone to contact. I wasn't that social and mostly kept to myself .

"Um, well, not really." I didn't really keep in touch with my parents, and if I sent them a letter out of the blue, they would get suspicious. "Maybe around Christmas I can send cards?" I asked, feeling kind of lame.

"Isn't there anyone at home worrying about you? We can help you contact them and let them know you're okay. That you're well taken care of and hopefully having some fun?" Alice asked with a bit of begging in her eyes.

"There isn't anyone to worry or tell about how much fun I'm having," I answered sadly.

She pouted at me and hugged me. "Well, you have people who'll worry about you now," she smiled at me.

Yes, I definitely had Stockholm syndrome. Alice was too sweet not to love. It was impossible to think of her as a kidnapper.

Then I did remember the most important person in my life, or most important kitten in my life. "My baby! Oh heavens, she's been all alone in the apartment. I'll bet she's starving! I have to get her, Alice!"

"Your baby?" she asked, completely shocked.

"My kitten, Mittens! Please, Alice," I begged.

"Let's go!" she said, not even pausing to shut down the computer. She was moving very quickly and smoothly out of the room, weaving down the hall. I could barely keep up with her pace, when suddenly, something hard slammed into us.

I grunted in pain and felt the familiar hard stone encasing me. "You can't have her. She's MINE!" Edward growled.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, but yours there has a kitten that's been unattended to for almost three days. We need to save it, if you want yours to ever speak to you again."

I looked up into Edward's burgundy eyes. "Please, Mittens is just a baby."

His hold on me loosened, and his expression softened. "Fine, but I'm coming with you."

"Fine, let's go!" Alice snapped.