When you hear them saying "Trust me"
Don't wait to see what's next
Thrown to the wolves
Forever trusting
Raised in a form of living hell
Sing a one note song of rage
live and die within your heart
So beware in the shadows

'Family Tree' by Megadeth

Alice didn't notice our serious faces. She handed me a bag she held and I frowned at it.

"Why are you giving me this?" Her bright eyes sparkled and it made my frown deepen. "Alice," I groaned. "What did you do?"

"I may have bought that skirt for you," Alice said sheepishly.

"Alice!" I groaned, ignoring the stares of passer-bys. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Bella, grow up. You looked fantastic. It's going to kill Edward." She giggled slightly.

"Did you talk to her, Rose?" Alice asked. Wait a sec, they had planned that? And here I thought Rosalie was just being nice. Did she even mean what she said?

"Sort of, Alice. I didn't get to the juicy bit though!" Rose exclaimed. Juicy? I thought. That can't be good.

"Juicy?" I asked timidly. Alice laughed darkly.

"Oh, you just wait, innocent little Bella. Now come on! We need to get you something to wear! And I know exactly where to go." Rosalie jumped about excitedly.

"Yay!" she squealed. "I love this shop." Rosalie grabbed one of my arms and Alice grabbed the other. I was pulled along the mall, practically running to keep up with them. We came around the corner and was met with a bright, yellow, neon glowing sign. It read 'SHIRTLESS'. I froze as I looked at the crop tops and see-through shirts in the window.

"No way," I told them.

"But Bella, this is the place to get your club clothes. And there is a more conservative section. Please Bella?" She looked at me, pouting, with wide round eyes. I groaned.

"Fine! I'll go in. I'm not saying I'll try anything on though," I warned them. They both nodded hard and fast, obviously desperate to get me into the shop. I must have a death wish, I thought wryly.

They ran forward eagerly and I followed reluctantly after checking that no one was watching me enter. Just breathe Bella, it can't get any worse.

I walked in and was met face to face with a very gay man. He was wearing tight, gold sequined shorts and a purple shirt. He had on red, pointy cowboy boots. I blushed as scarlet as his boots and looked around him to see Rosalie and Alice struggling to keep from laughing.

"Can I help you at all, pretty lady?" he asked in a nasal voice. And then he slapped my ass. My body convulsed and my breathing quickened, despite knowing he wouldn't hurt me. He looked down at my breasts. I flinched away from him, but he wouldn't stop staring.

"We need to get you into something a bit more tight and revealing, honey," he said in the same nasal voice that burst my eardrums. And then it happened in slow motion. I saw his hands move upwards and he pushed my breasts together and up. I couldn't stop him. I gasped and my body convulsed again.

"What are you doing?" I managed to say, hissing.

"You have great boobs, honey. We just need to get them out!" He squeezed them harder and my hand moved forward and hit him across his face, a loud slap echoing around the store. When I drew my hand away, there were 5 red marks on his face, searing into his cheek. He gaped at me.

"Why did you slap me, lady?" he asked, indignantly.

"I didn't slap you," I hissed. "I high-fived your face." I said this more confidently than I felt. Inside, the little girl was crying out, wanting to be comforted. The tears started when I walked away, silently running down my cheeks. I made my way to Alice and Rosalie who were looking at me in shock, having abruptly stopped laughing.

"Alice just choose me something, I want to go home," I said quietly, looking at the dark floor. I sniffed and wiped away the ears from my face but more just fell.

"I'll take her to the car," I heard Rosalie say. Alice passed Rosalie the keys and we both hurried out of the shop. We walked in silence to the car. Occasionally, I saw Rosalie half lift her hand, as if to wrap her arm around me but she would always drop it. We both climbed into the back seat of Alice's car and it was then that she started to speak.

"Bella?" she asked nervously. Rosalie was never nervous. She was the most confident person I knew.

"Bella, honey? Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" The tears fell down my face slightly faster. I wanted more than anything to tell her what was wrong. How could I tell her that it had reminded me of my past? How could I explain everything? I couldn't. He would kill me, I knew he would. I shook my head, my brown hair slapping against my cheeks.

"I...I...c...can't," I sobbed. My voice broke on the word 'can't.' Someone please help me, I pleaded inside my head. Rosalie frowned at me, her worry line creasing on her forehead.

"Bella, we can help you," she told me, her face serious and her eyes laced with concern. She was wrong though. No one could help me. I shook my head at her. Before she could say anything else, Alice climbed into the car. She was breathing heavily and her cheeks were slightly red as if she'd been running. She threw a bag in the back next to Rosalie and I.

"Bella, what happened?" she asked, noting my still tear-streaked face. I couldn't reply. Rosalie and Alice exchanged a look.

"Let's get you home, Bella," Rosalie said, squeezing my shoulder before climbing into the front next to Alice. I closed my eyes and surrender to the blackness. I could hear Alice and Rosalie whispering to each other up front.

"And she wouldn't tell you?" I heard Alice say.

"No, not wouldn't. Couldn't." There was silence for a couple of minutes as Alice started the car.

"I called Edward," she said. Rosalie sighed loudly.

"I think he loves her Alice. Have you seen him? And the way he was with Mike? It's going to kill him to see her like this." Alice made a noise of agreement.

"Do you think she's told him anything?" There was another silence as the car purred its way through the journey.

"No, I don't think so. She can't tell him either."

Something happened then. My whole body seemed to blank out and was consumed by the never-ending darkness. I couldn't hear anything. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't do that either. My arms wouldn't move and now words couldn't come out my mouth. My breath quickened as the black overtook my world. Suddenly, they were there. Both of them. They were walking towards me and my body started shaking, shuddering wildly. I struggled to break free from this nightmare but my arms pulled against something. I looked down and saw ties against my arms and legs, keeping me from moving anywhere. I was panicking and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

I looked up again and they were both standing above me. I don't know which one of them hit me first but pain suddenly exploded in a colourful burst of light. The pain in my ribs intensified and then my mouth could move again. I didn't say anything. Instead, all that came out was a cold, high shriek. The nail-biting sound continued as the sharp jolts of pain continued. Then the pain moved to my face. One loud crack followed another. My vision clouded deep red as the blood ran over my eyes. I could taste the blood in my throat and I coughed, seeing the colour splatter against my legs. I could feel someone's nails scratching against my skin, tearing into it.

"Alice, for fucks sake, hurry up," I heard someone growl and strong pressure was applied to my arms. The pain once again moved to my ribs and I spluttered, coughing up more redness as my body was beaten and again and again until I just lay there, flopping around like a rag doll. The unnatural screams coming from my body intensified when I saw James looking at me with the glint he had in his eyes that night. He leered at me and I struggled harder against what was holding me back. I felt the pressure decrease and the pain in my arms was back, the nails digging deep into my arms and scouring over them. I felt James lift his hand up to my breast and squeeze it tight. I let out one continuous scream. It lasted forever. I didn't stop to breathe. I just had to get away from him.

"Bella! Oh my god, Bella! Fuck it! Bella, sweetheart. Bella, listen to me, it's Edward. Fuck, Bella, open your eyes." An angel's voice came from afar and I stopped my screams, the picture in front of me fading a little. James seemed to get further away from me. I felt arms wrap around me and I could smell something delicious, not too far away from me.

"Carlisle, fuck, what do I do? She's a mess. Fucking hell, Carlisle, help her! Bella, love, please! Open your eyes." I felt warm hands caress my face and I sighed softly. "Bella, oh god, Bella. Fuck, look at her arms. Oh Christ, Bella, please!" The angel's voice broke on the last word and I frowned in my haze. I couldn't make the angel upset. I forced my eyes open, struggling to raise my lids but managing in the end. A beautiful face was hovering over me, his eyes filled with unfallen tears and his face looking as if he'd been tortured. His body seemed to collapse in relief. It was only now that my angel started sobbing.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," he crooned. I sat up, wincing as I did and threw my arms around him, my own sobs starting up again.

"Edward," I said, my face buried in his neck. His arms were tight around me and I cried in relief at him being here. My angel. He had saved me again.

"Oh god, Bella. What happened?" he whispered. I moved back to look at his face and wiped away the tears that lined his beautiful face like the scars that lined my arms.

"They were there again. Only this time, it was worse. I couldn't focus on anything else. I couldn't move. Edward, I couldn't do anything!" I threw my arms back around him and he hugged me again, his hands rubbing against my back soothingly.

"Oh my poor, poor, Bella."

"Ah, Edward?" another voice said. Edward's head shot up and he let go of me. I turned to see Carlisle standing there.

"Bella, I'm afraid I need to clean you up a bit."

"Clean me up?" He nodded and glanced at my arms. I looked down at them and saw deep, red gashes along them, blood still oozing from a couple them. I gasped in disbelief.

"What happened to me?" Carlisle looked at me seriously.

"You did this to yourself, Bella." I did what? My eyebrows creased. "I'll explain later, Bella." He moved forward and then I glanced down again. My eyes widened in realization. My scars. He would see them.

"No!" I said and jumped up from where I sat. I ran towards the door but strong arms wrapped around my waist. I sobbed again as Edward turned me round to face him.

"No, Edward, no! I can't! You know that!" I hit his chest weakly in surrender. This was it. The beginning of the end. He lowered his head to my ear.

"Bella, I'll clean you up. Don't worry. Please don't cry, beautiful." He looked over at Carlisle who nodded strangely and handed Edward a pack of antiseptic wipes. He also gave him some antiseptic cream and a couple of bandages.

"I'll leave," he told me. As he walked out of the room, Edward turned back to me and set the things on the table. He then pulled me towards him and lifted me up until I was sitting on the table.

"May I?" he asked politely and I nodded and blushed, looking down at the floor. Edward's hands ghosted over my abdomen and his fingers slipped under my top, feeling my skin for the first time. My breathing grew quick. Help! I thought. We hadn't even kissed and I was acting like a freak in front of him. Who even said we were going to kiss?

His hands grabbed the top of my top and he pulled it up over my head. I heard him gasp slightly, and then a quiet growl slipped from his throat. I looked down at my chest and saw little purple bruises dotting across my stomach. My arms looked like they'd been gouged at with claws. My cut from yesterday was still tender and the bruising still surrounded it in all its blue glory.

"Fuck, Bella." He reached across and pulled out a cloth. He started rubbing it over my left arm so gently I could barely feel it.

"Does that hurt?" he asked softly. I raised my face to his and found him staring at me intently, his eyes still filled with the un-fallen tears. I shook my head.

"It's fine." My voice was still hoarse after my breakdown. What was wrong with me? I let out a breath quickly and I closed my eyes tight for a moment.

"Bella, what's wrong? Are you okay?" My eyes flickered open and saw him gazing at me still, his eyes dark.

"Edward, what's wrong with me?" I breathed out, my voice breaking. In a second, I was in his arms again and he was rubbing my back soothingly.

"Bella, nothing is wrong with you, sweetheart." I half snorted, half cried at his response.

"Edward, you can't fool me. I see the way everyone looks at me. I know that I'm different. A freak."

"Oh god, Bella. You are anything but a freak. You are a gorgeous, amazing person, who's had a hard life. There is nothing wrong with you! You may have some sort of illness, but Bella, you are not a freak. You are different in such a brilliant way. Everyone here cares for you so much. We just want to help you, my beautiful Bella." I sniffed and he wiped my tears away, his cool fingers feeling good against my skin. Unconsciously, I leaned into his hand and he smiled. I felt my cheeks heat up in response and he chuckled.

"There's my girl."

I cracked a small smile and he grinned at me, his whole face lighting up. He looked back at my arms and he picked up the bandages, wrapping the line of cloth around my forearm. His fingers pressed down lightly on my arm. I could see he was trying hard not to hurt me any further.

"How are your ribs?" he asked, when he had finished. He ran his fingers lightly over my bruises and he frowned at them.

"They're okay," I whispered. He looked up at me through his lashes, his eyes a fantastic shade of green. He leaned forward slowly, keeping his eyes on mine. And then he pressed his lips against my skin. He trailed his mouth along every one of the bruises that marked my pale skin. My breaths were ragged and they came in short, sharp gasps.

"I wish I could make it better," he sighed against my skin, refusing to move his lips from my abdomen.

"You do," I told him. He raised his head.

"Oh, Bella, you are so...perfect." He reluctantly dragged his lips away from me and helped me put my top back on. I once again felt safe behind the dark black of my top. He helped me off the tabl top and I winced slightly as I moved my body. His beautiful face darkened again and I heard him mutter under his breath, something I wasn't meant to hear.

"I will kill whoever hurt you." I looked down in embarrassment and saw his hands, clenched into tight fists. I reached out and brushed my fingers along his knuckles and they relaxed reflexively.

"Bella, I suspect Carlisle will be wanting to speak to you." I inhaled sharply and shook my head frantically at him.

"Edward! I c...can't! I can't tell him! I can't tell you! I can't ever! Never, Edward!" I shook again, my body shuddering with silent sobs. He reached out to touch my face and bring it up to look at his eyes.

"Why can't you tell us, Bella? Why?" I shook my head again. I couldn't. He would kill me. He would kill Edward. He would kill everyone I wanted.

"Bella, please. You can tell me. Why can't you say anything?" I stared deep into his eyes. They bored into me, eating away at my heart and stealing another piece of me. Except this, I wanted to give to him. This was Edward. I could trust him. I would not let them hurt him.

"Bella," he urged, running his hand along my neck. I took a deep breath and let it out.

"Because they'll kill me."

*****

EPOV

The words Bella uttered shot through me like the sharpest arrows. No wonder she couldn't say. They'd threatened to kill her. But who were they? When I knew who they were, they would wish they had never fucked with Bella. I would fucking tear them apart.

I stood with my arms around her. How could I protect this beautiful creature? She was a threat to herself. How could I save her when she couldn't tell me what to save her from? I needed to speak to Carlisle.

"Bella? Let me go out and talk to Carlisle. I'll ask him not to question you just yet. You stay here and then I'll come back and we'll go to my room." She nodded her head and backed away from me, slumping into a chair, completely exhausted after her revelation to me. I quickly made my way out of the room and was met by a number of people wearing holes in the floor.

"Edward! Is she okay?" Alice jumped into my space, her voice raised slightly.

"Shhh," I warned her. "Look, I need to speak to Carlisle. Could you please go in and keep her company? Distract her with something else." I walked off, not bothering to wait for Alice to reply. I made my way straight to Elizabeth's office where I knew all of them would be gathered. I didn't knock but strode straight in. I interrupted whatever my father was saying.

"Carlisle, Esme? Could I please speak to you? In private?" I added. Esme glanced at my worried face and nodded immediately, standing up and walking towards me quickly. She pulled me out of the room and Carlisle shut the door behind us. We were in the hallway now and I looked up and down the corridor before starting to speak.

"Bella just told me something. I told her that you might want to talk to her and she started freaking out again. She was fucking hyperventilating and was screaming at me that she couldn't speak to you. That she couldn't tell you, couldn't tell me what was wrong. I asked her why. She said...she...she said because they would kill her." I hung my head and before I knew it, I had raised my hand and there was a loud smash as my hand came into contact with the plastered walls. Carlisle grabbed my wrist and flung me back.

"Edward, that is not going to help." I growled at him.

"I am going to kill them, when I meet whoever hurt her. I swear to fucking God. I. Will. Kill. Them." Carlisle stared at me, his eyes once again filled with confusion and that same unknown emotion that he had shown back in the medical room.

"Edward, please just calm down. We will help her. But before we can do anything, we need to find out what happened to her. Get her to tell you."

"Fuck. Off. I am not fucking with Bella for you. She is worth more to me that a half ditch attempt to get information for you. I will not force her to do anything." He sighed at me.

"I am not saying to force her. That did not come out right. I meant, you could be with her if you want. Just please, if she tells you anything, tell one of us. We need to be able to help her." My eyes widened enormously at Carlisle's words.

"We can...be together? Properly?" Bella and I? Me and Bella? Though I suppose, I would have been with her even if Carlisle didn't give his fucking blessing.

"Thank you," I said sincerely. It was probably the only decent thing I had said to him in over 6 months. "And I'll tell you, but only if she wants me to. I will not go against her wishes. I can't do that to her. She trusts me." He considered this before nodding.

"Fine." I started to leave but Carlisle grabbed hold of my arm again. "But, Edward, find out soon. I don't know how much more her body can endure." I nodded once and then moved off, desperate to get back to Bella. I opened the door of the room she occupied and saw Alice hastily stuff something back in a bag.

"Alice, what are you doing?"

She smiled sweetly at me, "Nothing to worry about Edward. Just wear loose trousers on Friday night." She winked at me and then left the room. Rose giggled and followed after her. My eyebrows rose after them and I heard Bella give a light laugh. I spun round to face her, my smile big enough to light a room. Bella had laughed. I bounced over to her and picked her up, though being carful of her bruises, and spun around the room with her in my arms. She laughed freely at my over reaction and her eyes lit up when she looked at me. I couldn't help but smile when I saw her. Her bright, hazelnut eyes were both the bane of my existence, and my reason for living.

"Come on, beautiful." I pulled her out the door and she danced lightly after me, seeming to fly across the floor. For once, she wasn't the clumsy, nervous girl that had arrived two days earlier; she was graceful and happy and confident.

I led her up the stairs and opened the door to my room. She stepped inside and looked around, confused.

"Yeah, this is my room," I said nervously. It was kind of weird. I had a lot of music and a giant punch bag in the middle of the room. She walked over to the punching bag and I tried not to laugh as she ran her fingers along it, her brow furrowed.

"I see you like Jacob then."

BPOV

What? Did he say Jacob? He had named it?

"You've named it?" I asked disbelievingly. It was a punch bag. How could he name it? He chuckled at me and nodded.

"Guys name everything." Everything? Did that mean he's named his....? I blushed and turned back around. The punch bag was right in front of me and I stumbled backwards so as not to walk straight into it. I studied it again, my brow crinkled. I couldn't get the image of Edward in front of it out of my head. I couldn't imagine how sexy he would look. The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Can I watch you?" He looked stunned and then his mouth slowly lifted into a huge grin.

"Watch me, Bella?" I blushed and walked over to his dresser, looking at the pictures he had on it.

"Bella?" he asked questionably, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist, leaning his head on my shoulder. I refused to answer but instead pretended to be absorbed by a picture of him and Alice that was there. I picked up and traced over his face. It must have only been taking a year or so ago. He looked similar to himself now. His hair was still in the usual disarray of sexiness. Before I could examine it any more, he had plucked it out of my hands and was leading me to the bed. He sat me and down and pushed me backwards until I was leaning against the headboard. I frowned at him.

"What are you doing?" I asked. He smiled crookedly at me, making my heart leap.

"I'm giving you a show, Bella," he said innocently. My eyes widened as he walked over to his music player and a song came thumping out of the stereo. My jaw dropped when I heard what was playing, Methods of Mayhems "Get Naked". Crap. I could feel the heat intensify in my cheeks as the first lyrics busted out.

Seventy seven million dollars made

From watchin' me cum under the sun

Under my vacation.

I was finding it hard to swallow and he just stared at me, smirking his stupid face off. My already wide eyes grew even wider when his hands reached down and pulled off his t-shirt. I objected, but it was already off. My mind exploded in a wonderful array of disorder. I tried to make a sound but my mouth was frozen. Edward was a god. His hard abs were clear in the bright light of his room and I gripped tight onto the bed, trying to stop myself from reaching out to him. I swallowed loudly, unused to this reaction inside me. It was so different to anything I'd ever felt.

He walked over to a door and pulled out a pair of boxing gloves, slipping them on before walking back over to the punch bag. Just in time for the chorus.

Cause it's them ass cheeks that make my ass weak

And I've been runnin' with the blue balls since last week

He made his first punch and I jumped as his fist connected with the bag. His face was the picture of perfection, his eyes concentrated on what was in front of him.

Get, get naked.

Come on baby make it hot.

Get, get naked.

Ride the cock till you hit the spot.

Edward glanced over at me at this point and winked at me. My hands were shaking slightly as my breathing accelerated as the heat from both him and the song made me shiver in delight. I licked my lips languidly. I could feel my eyes getting heavy from the lust and I was sure my face must have been a picture.

Edward continued to smack into the punching bag until there was sweat dripping off his body. I was beyond control at this point. My mind was in hysterics. The electricity that was flowing off me in waves was unrecognisable.

In the methods of mayhem we trust.

It's a must so rip off yer clothes and expose yer bust.

He turned to face me and his eyes melted into mine. They were dark, so, so dark and he was staring openly at my body.

Queen Bitch, red lipstick.

The all black harlot call me black Barbie.

Fuck a blow job; it's a mother fucking hobby.

Under 7 inches, aye sorry.

The words of the song made me glance down, past the waistband of Edward's low cut jeans and I followed the V of his hips. I stopped breathing when I saw his trousers straining forward. I made some sort of non-coherent noise and I didn't know what to do. I gazed back up to his eyes, which were still undressing my body.

I stood up hurriedly and without taking a backward glance at him, I shot down the hall before I could embarrass myself by doing something to him. I ran into Alice's room and slumped onto the floor.

"Alice," I whimpered as my mind continued to play the film over and over in my head.

Thanks to my betas! Darknessofthemoon in particular!