22

Bella's heart was racing and her entire body was shaking as her eyes searched for the little girls who had been chasing each other in the stands a few moments ago. A loud scream broke out and the man Bella knew as Laurent stepped out into the open with Kelly in his grasp.

Edward took a step toward that side of the stadium and the red dot appeared between Bella's eyes, forcing him to return to his original spot. "Let her go," he screamed up to the man.

Bella's eyes were looking for Annie, she was sure Jimmy had her and it caused her to fear the Annie the most.

Another cry could be heard from the opposite side and this time Edward gasped loudly when Tanya stepped out holding Annie by the hair. He was reeling with confusion and felt his body becoming paralyzed with the sudden explosion of adrenaline.

Jimmy was the last person to step into the open, holding a high powered rifle aimed right at Bella. The girls were crying loudly and everyone was standing still, too afraid to move.

"Will you please join me up here, Bella," Jimmy said with a laugh.

Edward's grasp on her arm tightened and he said adamantly, "Don't,"

Bella was shaking and having trouble breathing as she looked at the terrified little girls.

"You get your kids or your wife, Eddie boy, not both," Jimmy told him and Tanya quickly spoke up.

"I'm his wife, so actually you get your whore or my kids," she corrected.

"You hurt those girls and I will kill you myself," Edward screamed at her. He was panting with anger and his entire body was tense, but Bella could still feel it, his acknowledgement that Jimmy could do whatever he wanted and there wasn't anything Edward could do to stop it.

"You know what," Jimmy said with a smile, "I don't think I like your attitude so I'm going to take them both. Bella, come on."

"Jimmy, you don't want to do this, we can work it out," Bella said with a panic. Deep inside she knew Jimmy was not looking for a conversation or any suitable compromise, he would want her blood and nothing else would do.

"Laurent," Jimmy yelled, "Send the kid to me."

"No," Edward screamed. "Don't you touch her."

"Daddy," Kelly screamed and Laurent pushed her toward Jimmy.

"I have to go," Bella said softly to Edward. "I can't let him hurt the girls."

Edward was panicked and he wasn't sure who to focus on. Bella finally held his face in her hands and said softly. "I love you, and you fill me with courage. I'll come back, okay. Wait for me, faithfully, okay?"

"Bella, I can't go on if I lose you, I can't," he said in fear.

"Shhh, take care of the girls and wait for me, I know how to handle Jimmy."

"He'll hurt you," Edward said in such anguish she worried about his mental health.

"I love you," she said and stepped away from him. He automatically reached out to pull her back to him but she moved from his reach.

"Let them go, Jimmy, and I'll come with you," Bella called out to him.

"Everyone else, get in the middle of the arena," Jimmy yelled and the small crowd of people walked quickly to the middle to huddle in fear.

Jimmy handed the crying Kelly to Tanya as he put the tracer back onto Bella's body. "Walk outside to the black car," he told her and she followed his instructions.

Laurent got into the driver's seat and Jimmy sat next to him, keeping the gun pointed on Bella. She climbed into the car and Tanya pushed the girls in also, before climbing in herself.

"You said you would let them go," Bella screamed at Jimmy. Annie climbed onto Bella's lap and Kelly glued herself to Bella side.

"I would, Tanya wouldn't," he laughed as Laurent backed up quickly to turn the car around. Just as he stopped to put the vehicle into drive Bella's door flew open and Jessica grabbed Annie by the arm pulling her quickly from the car.

Bella was ready to jump, but Tanya grabbed Kelly by the hair, holding her firmly in place. Bella hesitated, just enough to lose her opportunity. Jimmy spun around with his rifle and shot as Laurent sped away.

Bella saw Jessica fall and screamed loudly, mentally begging her to get up, but both Jessica and Annie were lying perfectly still as the car sped away.

"Damn you, Jimmy," Bella began to scream as she pounded on his head and back. He let his hand fly, connecting with her jaw, sending her head into the side window. It felt familiar, as if she was back in Texas and too afraid to tell anyone what was happening to her.

She slid down further in the seat and Kelly fell sobbing against her side. Bella was too stunned to respond and offer any comfort to the terrified child. She sat perfectly still and stared at the seat in front of her.

"My plan would have been easier," Tanya yelled at Jimmy.

"She wouldn't come see the boat," he yelled back, "And that asshole husband of yours showed up, he saw me with her."

"One kid is enough, just kill her," Tanya instructed him.

"The kid may not be enough for Billy, we need Bella," he said and then turned to look directly at Bella, "At least for a bit longer."

They pulled onto a side road where another car was waiting. Tanya grabbed Kelly by the hair again to pull her from the car. Bella quickly followed, vowing not to leave Kelly's side.

Jimmy opened the trunk and got a rope to place around Kelly's neck. "Just a little precaution," he said and handed Tanya the other end.

Laurent took off in the first vehicle and the rest travelled in the new one to a small dock. Bella felt a sense of defeat, if they were taken out to sea Edward would never find her. She also wished she had Annie with her instead of Kelly, Annie could swim in any depth of water, but Kelly wasn't nearly as proficient.

They were dragged onto a boat and taken below deck and locked in a room. Bella began looking around for anything they could use as a weapon. She noticed Kelly's shoes with their small heel.

"Give me your shoes, sweetheart," she said and shoved the heel under the door as a wedge. They were not only locked in, but now Jimmy and Tanya were locked out.

"Kelly, I need you to prepare for the possibility of having to swim," Bella said with a confident voice.

Kelly's eyes grew wide and she shook her head back and forth, "I can't, not in the ocean."

"We will look for the rescue ring, okay. If we jump, you can jump with the ring and use it to hold onto and float."

"What if there isn't a ring?" Kelly asked with tears.

"Then you'll hold onto my back and we'll swim together, okay?"

"I want daddy," Kelly cried loudly and Bella pulled her into her arms.

"I want him, too," she admitted.

Edward saw Jessica go down into the dirt with Annie in her arms. He ran to them expecting to see the worst, but heard Jessica telling Annie to stay still. He grabbed his daughter who had lost her bladder control from fear and held her tightly as they both cried.

"Edward," Jessica said with a soft voice, "I'm hit."

He looked at her with shock to see blood soaking through her dress. His training kicked in and he rushed over to her and grabbed the material of her gown, ripping it from her body. The bullet had entered her side from the back and he hoped it went straight through.

"You stay awake and talk to me," Edward yelled at her. "I'm not about to give you CPR."

She chuckled and said, "You would probably just try to tongue me anyway."

Jessica's husband ran up with a blanket and placed it over Jessica before kneeling at her side to hold her hand. "Will she be okay?" Glen asked.

"She was never okay," Edward said as he winked at Jessica.

"I saved your daughter," she said and then cried out in pain when Edward put pressure against the wound.

"Yeah, and now I have to like you, it really pisses me off," he said to keep her alert and talking.

"Come on, Edward, you always liked me," she said and closed her eyes.

"Jessica, stay with me. I'll strip you naked if you go to sleep on me," he threatened and she smiled.

"Everyone in this town has seen me naked."

"Not with lights on," Edward said and she frowned but opened her eyes.

"You really are a little shit, Edward."

"Stop talking dirty to me in front of your husband."

The ambulance pulled into the long driveway and when the paramedics rushed over Edward pulled his bloody hands away so they could take over. He stood and watched them start a fluid line and place Jessica on a gurney before taking her away.

He slowly felt his knees give out and he sunk onto the ground as the realization of losing his daughter and Bella sank in. He stood there helplessly as his family was ripped apart and the guilt was almost too much to carry.

The police officers descended on Edward and began asking questions. He had no information to give them. He was sure Tanya and Jimmy would ask for ransom, it was money they would be after. He tried to keep himself from imagining what Jimmy would do to Bella when he had her alone, he couldn't let himself imagine.

Billy was standing quietly off to the side and Edward had a strange feeling that he had a plan he wasn't sharing.

The boat chugged out to sea and Bella tried to pay attention to the direction they were heading. She thought they had turned south which would send them past La Push. She hoped Jimmy would stay close to the shoreline so she would have lights or something to swim toward.

She looked down at the princess gown Kelly was wearing and quickly began tearing off the full skirt. "We need to make it where you can run, honey," Bella said, leaving out the idea of swimming.

Bella removed her own shoes and tied them by the laces around her neck. She pulled the long ribbon from Kelly's dress and tied it over one shoulder and under the opposite arm on the girl so she had a way to pull her if she panicked or let go of Bella.

Then they both crawled onto the bed and rested as they waited. Waiting was always the worst part for Bella. Jimmy never got right to it when he was angry, he would make her wait, never knowing when his rage was coming, but knowing for sure it would.

"I need to pee," Kelly said so Bella opened the small door where a toilet and shower were hidden. A tiny round window was at the very top of the wall. Bella opened it slowly, trying not to make any noise and realized they were at the back of the boat.

"Kelly, grab the bottom of your dress and hand it to me," Bella said and the girl brought the wad of purple material to her. Bella tore it into large strips and toss it out the window and into the surf.

After Kelly used the bathroom Bella opened the window again to see if she could hear anything. It sounded like Jimmy and Tanya were arguing, but she couldn't make out any words.

They returned to the bed and a few minutes later the door attempted to open. Kelly began to cry and Bella held onto her tightly. Jimmy kicked at the door and yelled for Bella to open it.

"Shoot it open," Tanya told him.

"I can't, it's the only room with an outside lock."

"Fine, let them rot in there, they can go down with the boat," Tanya yelled and walked back up the steps.

"Pour me some whiskey," Jimmy said as he followed her.

Bella knew she had less than an hour to come up with a plan. If Jimmy got wasted, he wouldn't think twice about using the gun to get into the room. He also knew she would be either raped or beaten.

She began pacing the room as she thought and finally walked over and tried the door. She was right; Jimmy didn't relock it when he left. It opened slowly with a soft creak and Bella froze to hear if anyone was coming.

She motioned for Kelly to join her and said, "If he catches me, run back to this room and put the shoe back in place, okay?" Kelly nodded but her entire body was shaking.

They tiptoed up the stairs and listened for the sound of either Jimmy or Tanya. She could hear them talking and it sounded like it was coming from somewhere in front of them. Bella stepped one foot onto the deck and crouched down to look around. She could see the back of Jimmy's head so she motioned for Kelly to stay low and follow her.

They made their way to the back of the boat and Bella quietly took the rescue ring off the hook and handed it to Kelly. She turned to leave and her eyes caught sight of a vinyl square containing a self expanding raft. She quickly dragged it along the ground behind her as they headed to the small ladder off the side of the boat.

"I'll be right behind you, sweetheart," Bella whispered.

"No, I can't," Kelly said with tears.

"Kelly," Bella said harshly. "Do you want to die? Jimmy plans on killing us, you have to be strong honey; your Daddy needs you to be strong."

She climbed hesitantly over the side and took two steps before stopping. Bella followed and passed her on the side before putting her arm around her waist and pulling them both into the cold, dark ocean.

Kelly cried out and Bella quickly covered her mouth as they clung to the floating ring.

The cold water stung her flesh and she worried about Kelly being able to keep her body heat once they got into the raft. The boat continued on without slowing or turning. Bella finally pulled the cord on the raft and it shot out as it quickly filled with air.

Kelly was helped in first and then Bella struggled as she climbed in. She was breathing heavily and shaking beyond control when she fell into the raft. Kelly hurried to her side and then lay together under the moonlight crying loudly.

23

The night wore on and there was nothing but blackness as the small raft bounced and floated. Kelly eventually stopped shivering as they huddled together and fell asleep. Bella prayed they wouldn't be pulled further out to sea and help would find them as soon as the sun rose.

Edward was close to his breaking point. People were coming and going, offering assistance and comfort. He was even told if Tanya faked her death his marriage to Bella would be valid and his marriage to Tanya would be ended by appearing in front of a judge.

It gave him little comfort since he didn't believe Jimmy would ever let her go alive. By the time the sun began to rise a group of men from the reservations showed up to see Billy. Edward noticed something in the leader's hand. It was purple and looked like Kelly's dress.

"Where did you get that?" he asked with hope.

"It washed up on first beach. Do you know where it came from?"

"It is a piece of the dress my daughter was wearing," Edward said as he held the material to his cheek.

"He's on a boat," Billy said and quickly pulled up some navigational charts on the computer.

Sam showed him where they found the dress and everyone began using cell phones to call for help. The coast guard was called in to search further from shore as the local fisherman volunteered to search the coast.

Edward felt a small amount of hope begin to build. He had to believe Bella was okay and protecting Kelly, or his life held no meaning. Annie woke up and made her way quickly to Edward's lap. He hugged her tightly and inhaled her scent as he closed his eyes.

"Daddy loves you, my Annie," he said softly.

"Are Mommy and Kelly coming home?" she asked.

"I hope so, very soon," he told her.

"I don't want our old mommy to keep her," she said with a sad voice.

"We have a lot of people searching for them."

Annie snuggled against Edward's chest and said, "You're such a good Daddy."

He didn't feel like a good father. He felt like he had let his family down when they needed him the most. He should have seen something building and not dismissed Bella's concerns so quickly.

Of course Tanya could fake her death in Forks; a town so small would never insist on an autopsy when her purse and ID were in the car. Edward had fallen for her tricks three times now, he was wondering when he would ever learn.

Someone called Sam to tell him three more pieces of material had been found and the boat seemed to be moving steadily south. Edward closed his eyes and prayed only the pieces of dress would be found and not pieces of his daughter.

When the sun woke Bella she sat up and gasped to see there was nothing but water as far as she could see. There wasn't a sign of land anywhere. She looked at Kelly as she slept and knew they needed water and shade if they were going to last any amount of time adrift.

Bella removed her jeans and laid them across the end of the raft so they could keep their faces in the shade. She had to hope rescuers would find them before dehydration could set in.

She rested her head next to Kelly's and let the gentle rocking of the raft lull her back to sleep. She had no idea how long she had slept but the sound of waves crashing woke her up. She sat up and looked at a small island jutting up out of the sea.

"Kelly, wake up," she said and shook the girl.

Bella saw a long stretch of sand before it forming into large jagged rocks. They had to somehow make it to the sand or the raft would be ruined. She grabbed the floatation ring and began using it as a paddle to turn them toward the sand. When they got closer she jumped into the water and pushed the raft as she swam next to it.

Her feet began to touch ground and she cried out in triumph. Kelly jumped from the raft when it hit solid ground and helped Bella pull it ashore.

Edward drove to the hospital to see Jessica. She had undergone surgery but was in remarkably good spirits. Glen was sitting in the chair next to her as she talked nonstop about what had happened. Edward stuck his head in the room and she looked at him with a smile.

"You better have good news for me, brat," she teased. Edward had to admit it made him feel better to look at Jess. She was a direct link to Bella and it made him feel closer to her somehow.

"Sorry," he said and entered the room with his head down. "I have really bad news."

"What happened?" Jessica asked as she braced herself for news about Bella.

"You're going to live," Edward said and pretended to wipe away tears.

Jessica gasped and grabbed the Kleenex box and threw it at Edward. He smiled and walked over to give her a hug. "I did hear you are doing great, I'm sure it was my medical expertise at the crime scene."

"I just refuse to let you be my savior, don't get a big head," Jessica said and took hold of his hand gently. "Any news on Bella?"

"They are on a boat, heading south, it is all we know," Edward said sadly.

"But that is good news right, I mean a boat will be easy to find," Jessica said with hope.

Edward refused to point out the possibilities of Bella and Kelly being killed and dumped at sea, or all the horrible things that could happen to them without a hope of escaping. He shook his head and tried to keep the despair from showing on his face.

A nurse walked into the room and looked surprised to see Edward. "Dr. Masen, you shouldn't be here," she said and he wasn't sure if it was because of his honeymoon or the fact his wife and daughter were missing.

"I'm only checking on Jessica," he said and headed to the door.

"Edward," Jessica called out and he turned to look at her serious face.

"They're going to find them, and everything is going to be fine," she said adamantly and he could only nod in return. "And, thank you, for helping me."

"You saved my Annie, I don't have to words to tell you what it means to me," Edward said and Jessica noticed the name was the same as what he had called Bella. She smiled with a new appreciation for him.

He walked out of the hospital and got a phone call from Billy. "They picked up Laurent trying to get out of the country."

"Was Bella or Kelly with him?"

"No, he said something had gone wrong. He was supposed to meet them with a second boat and they were going to blow up the one with the girls after receiving a large sum of money from me and you."

"What went wrong?" Edward asked as his heart pounded furiously.

"Bella and Kelly escaped off the boat in the middle of the night. Laurent ran, Jimmy is searching for them," Billy said and then quickly added. "I have most of the tribe checking the shoreline and the small islands that dot the coast."

"Kelly's not a good swimmer, and neither is Bella," Edward pointed out as he felt his hope beginning to diminish.

"Bella wouldn't do something stupid," Billy said to bolster him, "If she got off that boat it was the best thing to do."

Bella and Kelly hugged each other and jumped up and down that they made it. Bella knew they were not out of the woods but they were out of Jimmy's grasp. She looked around to see if there was anything that could be used as shelter. They walked together down the beach and noticed fire pits.

"People come here," Bella yelled and ran over to see the burnt wood surrounded by rocks. She realized Labor Day had passed and the boating season was ending with the start of school, but surely one last visitor would come to the island.

"Look," Kelly said and pointed to a cooler lying on its side partially buried by sand at the edge of the water.

Bella ran over and opened the lid. She tossed out the plastic containers of rotted food and screamed when she saw a six pack of water bottles. She tossed one to Kelly who opened it and drank quickly.

"Thank God," Bella yelled as she pulled out a jar of peanuts. It might as well have been prime rib steaks from the joy they felt. She poured a handful into Kelly's palm and they both ate them gratefully.

"What's that?" Kelly asked as she pointed to a colorful object in the bottom of the cooler. Bella picked it up and felt tears begin to fall.

"It's a lighter," she explained and watched the flame spring to life.

She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to light a fire to signal for help, but Jimmy was most likely the only person looking for them on the water. The drinking water and peanuts wouldn't last long and she knew they needed to do everything they could to find help, but the risk was too large.

She put the lighter in her pocket and they continued looking along the shoreline for anything they could use to survive. Kelly took hold of Bella's hand and said, "I really wanted to be at school tomorrow."

"I know dear, but when you show up and they ask how you spent Labor Day you can say your daddy got married and you discovered a deserted island. I bet you have the best story of all."

Kelly walked in silence and Bella could tell the poor traumatized child had something on her mind. They kept walking and Bella asked, "How do you feel about Tanya being alive?"

Kelly tightened her grip on Bella's hand and shook her head. "Do me and Annie and Daddy have to live with her again?" she asked with a terrified voice.

Bella laughed loudly and Kelly looked up at her face almost in tears. Bella smiled down at her and said, "I can't have babies, so when and you and Annie came into my life I loved you as much as if you were actually my daughters. I will never let anyone take you away from me, never. I would die before letting you go."

Kelly smiled and her hand released its tight grip, so Bella continued, "And regarding your daddy…he is the only man I will ever love. I will never hurt him or be mean to him, because I love him so much." Bella broke into tears and ached at the thought of Edward. She knew he would be franticly looking for them and prayed he would find them.

They finally made their way to a spot where a patch of thick forest filled the small knoll. Bella gave Kelly some more of the peanuts and they sat against a tree and stared into the vast ocean.

Edward made his way to his mother's house to check on Annie. Rosalie was fixing some food for the family and Alice was reading a book to Annie on the back porch. When Edward walked in the door Emmett and Jasper jumped up to hear if there was any news, he filled them in on what he knew and listened to the men talk to each other.

"Remember that small island we stopped at on the fishing trip we took a few years back?" Jasper asked Emmett.

"Yeah, you want to check it out?" Emmett asked.

"It would be the last inch of land before hitting open water. If they missed it they would be drifting in the pacific. It would be like a needle in a haystack."

"Wouldn't they swim toward the shore?" Edward asked as he tried not to show his hope dwindling.

"Surely Bella wouldn't jump into the ocean without something to keep them afloat. They would be pulled away from the shore by the tide," Jasper said and all three men nodded in agreement.

"Let's go," Emmett said and both men took off to find a boat to rent.

Edward walked out to sit next to Annie on the steps. She pulled out of Alice's arms and climbed on Edward's lap. "Hi, my little mermaid," Edward said and kissed her forehead.

Annie giggled and it was music to his aching heart. He had to stay strong for Annie; he couldn't ruin her life by falling apart. Bella had been such a great mother in the short time they were with her. He felt awful for the lonely life Annie would have if Bella and Kelly never returned.

"You need to get some rest Edward," Alice said and he nodded as he continued to smile at Annie.

Rosalie walked outside and told Annie she needed to talk to Edward a moment. She held out her hand for Edward to take and led him back into the house. She sat him in front of a plate of food and insisted he eat. He took a couple of bites but nothing had any taste.

She watched his effort and finally said, "You should have told us, Edward. We would have done anything to help you."

He knew his mother had filled in his sisters on the state of his marriage to Tanya and the deception she pulled on him. "I was lost without Bella," he admitted, "I made one mistake after another and excused it all because I had Kelly and Annie in my life. I love my daughters, Rose."

"You've done a really wonderful thing for those little girls, Edward."

"They are my daughters, I don't care whose blood is in their veins, they are my little girls."

"Edward, you need to keep having hope, but you also need to think about the possibility of losing Bella and Kelly. Mom is moving to Seattle and we think you should, too. We could help you with Annie and hold you together for awhile."

Edward stared at his sister who always seemed so much older and disconnected from him. Now she was his lifeline, offering to help him when he needed family so desperately. There was no way he could return to Bella's house if she was gone forever. He felt his tears falling down his cheeks and he welcomed his sister's arms when she pulled him into her embrace.

24

The sun was beginning to fall into the western sky and Bella worried about the coldness of the night. Kelly only had on panties and the top half of her dress. They gathered wood for the fire pit, but it still worried Bella to make their presence known if Jimmy was close by.

They were gathering dried moss for kindling and stepped onto the beach just as a small boat of teens pulled ashore. Bella pulled Kelly to the ground as she watched them for a moment. They were Quileute boys who looked to be about sixteen and one girl.

"Stay here," Bella instructed Kelly and she stepped into the open. The boys looked at her with surprise and their eyes instantly looked around and noticed Kelly so Bella called her forward.

"I need your help," Bella called to them.

"Where's your boat?" one of the boys asked.

"We were in a raft," Bella said and pointed to the bright orange object hidden in the trees.

"Are you shipwrecked?" another boys asked.

Bella took a deep breath, not sure what she should admit and finally said, "We were kidnapped and got away. There is a reward for our safe return."

"How much?" the boys asked.

Bella smiled and said, "Five thousand dollars."

"Really," the girls gasped. "For both of you or for each of you?"

"If you get us back tonight, five for each of us."

They all looked at each other with a huge smile and one boy stepped forward. "My name is Embry, welcome to our boat."

Bella grabbed Kelly and picked her up to walk through the water to the small boat. Just as she reached the ladder another boat could be heard approaching. Everyone turned to see a boat coming around the knoll with a blonde man standing on the deck with a gun pointed in their direction. Bella grabbed Kelly's hand and ran as fast as she could, dragging the girl back into the trees. She could hear shots hitting the sand around her but she continued running into the thick brush.

Kelly was crying loudly and Bella didn't bother telling her to be quiet. She let her express her fear since she truly believed they wouldn't live much longer. The teens were lying on their stomachs with their hands held high in surrender. Bella watched as Jimmy walked from the water onto the sandy beach.

"Bella," he yelled. "If you don't come out they are all going to die."

She looked at the terrified faces lying in the sand and knew Jimmy wouldn't think twice about killing them, when they had been kind and offered assistance to her and Kelly.

"I'll come out if you leave everyone alone. Just take me and I'll come out," she yelled and Kelly cried louder.

"Okay, it's a deal," he agreed and she had no other choice but to trust him.

"Kelly, honey," she said as she leaned down to talk to the girl. "I want you to remember I love you, okay. Tell Annie and your daddy I love them with all my heart."

"No," the little girl cried as she clung to Bella.

"Honey, you're safe now. Stay in the trees until the big boat leaves, okay. The kids will take you to daddy."

"Mommy," she begged with tortured cries and grabbed Bella's shirt with both fists.

"Kelly, you have to be brave, for me, okay. I need you to be a brave girl so I can do what I need to do, please," Bella begged as she began to cry. She pulled Kelly's hands from her shirt after kissing her several times and walked out of the trees and onto the beach.

Jimmy smiled and motioned for Tanya to come on shore. "You promised, Jimmy," Bella yelled and he nodded.

"I'll keep my word," he said and when Tanya walked up next to him he turned and punched her right in the face sending her collapsing into the sand. Bella gasped and Jimmy quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into the surf and to the boat ladder as he shot large holes in the boat the kids had arrived in.

Bella climbed quickly and refused to look back when he pushed her to the ground and backed the boat from the knoll and headed out to sea.

Edward got a call just as darkness set in from the police department. Jasper and Emmett had found Kelly. He noticed right away how they only mentioned Kelly and not Bella. He was told about the teens finding them both on an island just as Jimmy arrived. Bella gave herself up to save them and Tanya had been left behind.

"Where's Tanya?" Edward asked with a tight jaw.

"The reservation police have her and they're bringing her in," the officer said. "You need to come here to pick up your daughter in about an hour."

He put his phone back in his pocket and walked over to the front door of his mother's house before falling onto his knees in loud sobs. Rose and Alice each ran to comfort him but his cries drowned out any soothing words they tried to use.

He was completely broken. His love was gone and only Tanya remained. He wanted to kill her himself, but mostly he wanted to die. Kelly and Annie would need him, but he had nothing left to give. He cursed the day he left Forks, his pride made him feel he needed to be something important for Bella. He now knew she would have loved him just the same if he would have stayed.

Bella kept her eyes down as Jimmy steered the large boat. She was void of any hope and knew he would never let her leave alive. She considered offering him money, but she knew revenge was what he wanted now, money would come up later.

He finally pulled her by the hair down the stairs and as soon as she entered the room his punches began. She felt a blow to her left eye that sent a bright flash through her brain before she fell in total darkness.

Her thoughts became disjointed and more a series of unrecognizable images. She saw a beautiful man with clear green eyes smiling at her; she saw a little girl riding a horse through a field of flowers and then quickly moved to under the water as a tiny mermaid swam past her with a smile.

The noises around her didn't make sense. She heard grunting and laughing and long series of silence. Then music played and beeping noises interrupted the sound of children singing. She felt bright lights but never opened her eyes to look at them. People mumbled around her but she never heard actual words.

Edward was taken to the station by his sisters and when he saw Kelly he felt newfound strength. He ran to her, pulling her into his arms as she cried into his neck. "Daddy, my daddy," she cried over and over again.

"I've got you, baby. I've got you," he assured her.

A second car pulled up with Tanya in the back seat. Her eye was swollen shut and Edward stepped into the station to keep Kelly from having to see his reaction to Tanya. Alice took the girl as Edward walked slowly down the hallway to the door where Tanya would be brought through.

She flinched when she saw Edward waiting. "Will he kill her?" he asked with an unreadable expression.

Tanya smiled and then quickly grimaced from the pain it caused. "I sure hope so," she finally managed to say.

"You should have stayed dead, Tanya," he said coldly, "Because I'm going to make sure you wish you were."

"Are you threatening me," she yelled and looked at the officer for assistance.

"I have money now, remember. I can pay some lifer in prison to do pretty much anything I want. You better watch your back, dear." He turned and walked away feeling a bit of vindication but it didn't last long. His reality was too painful to find joy in rattling Tanya.

A loud noise came from a tray dropping onto the floor and Bella jumped. She looked around the room at the others and didn't recognize anyone or where she was. She looked down to see she was sitting in a wheelchair and gasped loudly.

A young girl ran to her side and said, "Jane, you're awake. Dr. Cullen will be right here."

"Who are you, where am I?" Bella asked.

"My name is Becca. Dr. Cullen is on his way."

"Who is Dr. Cullen?"

The door opened and a man in a doctor's coat rushed to her side. He knelt next to her chair and smiled at her. He was very good looking, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Bella began to relax just a bit.

"Hi," he smiled. "Can you tell me your name?"

Bella looked back at the young girl and answered, "Jane?"

The doctor gave the girl an angry look and turned back to Bella. "Do you remember where you live?"

Her mind was totally blank; she couldn't imagine anyplace she belonged. She shook her head and looked back at the chair. "Am I crippled?"

"No, you can walk," he assured her. "You were found drifting on a boat; do you know why you were there?"

"No," she whispered.

"Okay, we'll work on it. You are in a hospital in San Diego. You have been here for six weeks while you heal. We will let the police know you are awake and they will most likely want to speak to you."

"Will you stay with me?" she asked with a panicked voice and reached out to grab his hand.

He smiled and nodded, "Sure, I'm Carlisle Cullen."

Bella smiled back at his kind face and felt her entire body begin to relax.

Billy showed up at Edward's mother's house and asked to speak to him. They got in Billy's truck and went for a drive. "Son, I need you to come home, bring your daughters and come take care of them. You inherit anything of Bella's and…."

"She's not dead," Edward said with emphasis.

"Right, so we need to make sure she has something to return home to. If Bella finds a way to get free, she'll come to the ranch. I know you wanted to be a doctor, but those little girls need their daddy. You can be my partner and take care of them at the same time."

Edward didn't know how he was going to work out his situation and continue on to become a doctor. Billy was right, he was needed at home and he would put his daughter's happiness first. He no longer feared Tanya taking them from him, but he did fear some low life biological father coming out of the woodwork.

Edward had made sure over the years that the girls couldn't be taken legally, but he did worry about their emotional health if someone came forward to say they belonged to him.

So Edward gave up his dream, when he was only seven months short of finishing. He took the girls back to their perfect rooms Bella had made for them and lived with the ghost of her everywhere. Waiting for the day he would receive his miracle and she would come back to him.

The police were hesitant to release Bella's picture to the media. She couldn't remember who placed her in that boat and then left her for dead. The man could easily return to claim her and they wouldn't know the difference.

They decided to reach out to police departments, to see if they had any missing women she could possibly be. As they waiting for a response Bella and Dr. Cullen were getting closer and closer.

She would light up when he arrived to work and he spent much more time with her than any other patient. He couldn't deny his attraction to her any longer and finally asked her to go with him on a date.

"Outside of this place?" she asked.

"This isn't a prison, Jane; you can go out if you like."

"I don't have any clothes," she said as she stared at her hospital scrubs.

"I can get you something to wear. Would you like a dress?" he asked with a smile,

"Why are you so nice to me," she asked and her face reddened.

"Because I like you, and I think you like me, too."

She nodded and couldn't help the smile forming on her mouth.

When it was time for him to leave work he came to get her. They walked hand in hand out the door and to his fancy sports car. She climbed in and they headed to a small store where she tried on several dresses.

She stood silently in the dressing room staring at her scarred body. When Carlisle knocked on the door she opened it and let him see what she was doing.

"What happened to me?" she asked with tears.

"We don't know, but you're safe now, and I will never let anything happen to you again," he said and ran his finger gently down her cheek.

"I used to have a feeling that I belonged to someone, that someone is looking for me or waiting for me. But if this is what he's done, I don't want to belong to him."

"You belong to me," Carlisle said softly and pulled her into a hug. "I have been waiting for you for a very long time."