DC: I don't own it.

Thanks to my reviewers! Judging the from the reviews I'm starting to get the idea that nobody likes James (lol). Anyway, graphic sex scenes...kinda.

Chapter 9,

Edward Cullen was like a drug. Bella missed him almost instantly and found that she needed him more than air most of the time. She pretended that she was busy studying for semester finals, which were only a month away. It was a believable excuse for someone who couldn't read her face.

So Edward thought that she had lost interest. All too soon he stopped trying to approach her outside of class and it stung. But there was nothing she could do. James hadn't raped her again since that night. He had gone back to his usual routines.

"You're changing," James observed one night as he played with her hair. "You don't talk as much anymore. You're such a good little pet."

It was true. Bella hated to admit that she was right but he was. Alice and Jasper were inseparable again and were making up for lost time. They had gone to Aro and the marriage to Jane had been cancelled. Just as predicted, Aro was bound by law to protect the citizens and Jasper told him that he would kill himself if he married Jane or any other woman of his father's choosing.

Alice was excited on one beautiful December morning before school started. She sat down next to Bella and on her finger was a beautiful diamond ring. "He gave it to me last night. Oh, Bells can you believe it? I'm engaged?! It's...unreal."

"You two are perfect for each other," Bella said with a smile.

Alice smiled and started to giggle. Jasper sat down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "She's been like this since yesterday."

"Hyperactive little pixie," Emmett sighed.

"So have you guys set a date?" Bella asked.

"No, not yet, but we're probably going to have a long engagement," Jasper said. "We both want to go off to college after all and it'll be a long time before I can afford to support a wife and family."

"I'll wait forever for you," Alice said, sealing her promise with a kiss.

"I'm officially disowned!" Jasper said.

"Oh! Congratulations!" Bella said happily.

"That is such an odd statement," Emmett sighed.

"My grandmother is taking me in. She thinks Alice is fun."

"Grandmother Hale is most certainly the favorite," Roselie said with a smile. "Will you be okay?"

"Yes," Jasper said, putting his arm around Alice, "I have everything I could ever want."

It was hard for Bella to watch the two of them no matter how happy she was for them. Every time she saw them kiss she thought about how that could have been her and Edward.

"You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?" Alice asked as they left the cafeteria for class.

Bella didn't give her a verbal answer but she nodded.

"I haven't had any visions about you lately but I think that's because I can't completely control this yet."

"Or maybe there just isn't anything to see," Bella suggested. Alice shifted her books uncomfortably.

"You know how that makes me worry," she said. "I mean if I can't see your future what if it means that..."

"Everybody dies, honey, but I'm sure my time won't come for a while yet."

"I hope so," Alice sighed. "So how are things between you and..."

"I don't know," Bella said, "there is just so much going on that I don't have time for anything else. Besides, the risks are way too great right now."

"So wait until next semester! Bells I'm telling you, don't let him slip away."

Bella didn't answer. She stopped at her locker and switched out her books. "Listen, I'm going to head off to the library, I'll see you later okay."

"Alright, have fun."

Bella nodded and hurried off. She chose a table in the back because it was secluded. She knew the odds of Edward finding her there were pretty high but technically she was in school so she couldn't avoid it, and he wasn't going to kiss her in public just yet.

But he did show up.

"I thought I might find you here," he said. "Can I sit?"

Bella nodded.

"What's up with you lately?" Edward asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Bella said quietly, "I'm just weird."

They shared a silence where Bella copied notes from Alice's book to hers. Edward watched her silently. He didn't like how her dark hair was always around her face. She looked thinner too. Her skin was paler than usual.

"Smile for me," Edward requested. Bella looked at him confused at first, but she smiled anyway. "No, really. Smile. Like you used to."

Bella went back to her notes.

"If you ever need to talk I'm here, I want to help you."

"But you can't," Bella said, closing the book and putting it in her bag. "You can't help me Edward, so please stop trying."

Edward was at a loss for words. Bella put the bag over her shoulder and walked out of the library, fighting the stinging in her eyes. She ran down the hall and was stopped when she crashed into someone hard.

"No running in the halls, Miss Swan," James purred.

"Let me go!" Bella cried. "I hate you! I hate you and every breath you take! I wish you would drop dead!"

"Long after you sweetheart, long after you."

"Why can't you just leave me alone?! What did I do to you?!" Bella cried.

"You exist, halfblood," James said quietly, "that alone is sin enough."

Bella remained silent. She started to zone out again and go to her happy place. She was jerked from the happy place when Alice ran up announcing that they were running late for class.

--

James's words still rang through her mind as she listened to Grunge babble about the Blood Laws and the origins.

It's because you exist

Bella gripped her pencil. She was beyond taking notes now. She didn't hear a word Grunge was saying, in fact she had tuned him out up until he brought attention to it.

"Miss Swan would you care to pay attention?" He snarled. "Especially when I am trying so hard to educate you."

"Sorry," Bella mumbled.

"Now as I was saying, this was the first time in history that the humans and the vampires started living together. I big mistake if you ask me. This was when the three kings were still in Volterra and had the nickname The Volturi."

"Why were the laws established?" some student asked from the back.

"Because the humans opposed being hunted," Grunge said.

"Wouldn't you?" Bella asked.

"Miss Swan I'll have to ask you don't speak out of turn," Grunge said with a wicked grin, "what the humans failed to realize is that they are our natural prey."

"Sir, I think you failed to mention that the vampires were being hunted as well," Edward said from the side, "humans were hunting us just as we hunted them. Only they hunted out of fear for their lives."

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen, for correcting me," Grunge growled. "Back in those times, there was strict separation between the humans and the vampires. It was against the law to mate with one and...reproduce."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Do you have a problem with my teaching?"

"Beyond the extremely racist comments and personal attacks, no, Mr. Grunge, I have no problem with your teaching."

The class gasped.

"You have a problem with my comments?"

"Yes, I do," Bella said, "I am so sick and tired of you hating people you don't even know. I'm sick of you picking on me in class whether it be impossible questions or comments about my mother."

"Let me tell you something, Miss Swan, if you think I am nasty then you should have lived back then. I assure you that the only reason you would have been alive to see eighteen would be from your father's compassion. A child like you would have been killed at birth if not before. I can tell you horrible things, Miss Swan, about what happened to people like you. It is my job to teach you the facts," as he spoke he walked to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick volume.

"You don't teach just the facts," Bella said darkly, "you use them to attack me daily. If you were to stick to just the facts you would mention that people like me were hated and unwanted in the past and nothing more. But no. You insist on reminding me almost daily."

Mr. Grunge threw the book in front of her and opened it. "This is what would have happened."

"You have a book of torture?!"

"Mr. Grunge can you continue with the lesson?" Edward asked.

"Silence, Cullen, your job is to observe!" Grunge barked.

"Sir, I can't sit by and watch you torment a student."

"Cullen, please go to the office and make copies of this assignment," Grunge said, snatching up a paper and throwing it at him. Edward's eyes darkened and hit clenched his jaw.

"How many?" He asked stiffly.

"Fifteen," Grunge said. "Take your time."

Edward left in a flash but before Grunge could really tear into Bella he was back. "Mrs. Jones said their is a jam so your copies will be done in an hour."

Grunge growled nonsense and turned back to Bella. "The flaw in the Blood Laws, class, is that the humans were required to give blood every two weeks."

"Any more frequent than that would cause sickness," Bella said angrily, "there would be too much blood lost."

"Does a cow not give them milk daily?" Grunge asked.

"Did you just compare a human being to a cow?" Bella growled.

"Cows are more useful," Grunge said. "Cows can't make eighteen year mistakes."

Bella snapped. Everything James had told her over the past semester and all the crap she had taken seemed to explode from her being. "Where do you get off thinking you're better than me?" Bella asked in a shaking voice.

"Would you like the reasons, Miss Swan? One, I am entirely vampire. Two, there were never laws saying that someone like me was to be killed at birth, and third, and most importantly, my mother wasn't a whore that forgot to make her one night stand wear a condom."

Bella pushed the desk aside and lunched at her teacher. Her fist collided with his jaw and knocked him over. She felt two cold arms around her middle.

"Let me go!" She yelled, swinging back at Edward. "Don't make me hurt you too!"

"Bella calm down! Stop!"

Bella's leg swung back and hit Edward square between the legs. His arms loosened around her middle and he stumbled back. "Not cool!"

"Bella, he isn't worth it," Jasper said behind her. He was holding her tight but his ability to calm made it harder to resist. "You have one semester left and if you hit him again that is all he'll need to have you expelled. Now you'll probably be suspended, but at least you were justified."

"SWAN TO THE OFFICE! CULLEN TAKE HER NOW!

Grunge was livid and Bella felt a little sedated.

"No problem," Edward rasped.

"Shall I accompany you?" Jasper asked.

"Please," Edward grunted. He took Bella's hand and pulled her out of the room.

"You'll feel better in the morning," Jasper promised in an airy tone.

"I think you broke one of them," Edward groaned. "Who taught you how to kick?"

"I took dance when I was little," Bella mumbled.

"That would explain the flexibility," Edward sighed.

--

Bella was suspended for attacking Mr. Grunge but she was delighted when he faced trouble as well. Edward made a statement about what Mr. Grunge had been saying and that there were several witnesses in the class.

Charlie was beyond angry. "You attacked your teacher! Bella what were you thinking?!"

"Dad, before you go taking his side, can you at least listen to me?"

"Charles what are you going to do with her?" Carlotta demanded, storming into the room with her clone of a daughter in tow. "Suspended?! For the rest of the semester!"

"For two weeks, Carlotta, two weeks. She'll be back before finals. And I'm just getting an explaination."

"She attacked her teacher!" Carlotta cried.

"He attacked me first! He compared humans to cows and..."

"Same thing really," Scarlett said.

"Scarlett," Charlie snapped back, "up to your room."

"Charles I think it best she learn from this example," Carlotta said.

"Cows go moo!" Crimson said brightly from the corner.

"So does her mom," Scarlett muttered.

"Dad!"

"Enough!" Charlie said loudly. "Scarlett to your room. Bella, explain."

"He kept talking about how vampires are the superior race. He said that he was better than me because he was pureblood and he said that I am an eighteen year mistake. I snapped! Sometimes people just snap! I am so sick of taking this from people! I'm not very different!"

Charlie sat on the sofa and put his arm around Bella's shoulders. "Listen to me, sweetheart, you are different, but it doesn't mean you're bad. You have to understand that some people just don't care. You have to learn to accept that. Sweetheart you can't just attack people."

"So people can attack me and you want me to sit and take it?" Bella asked.

"As your father I will have to punish you for attacking your teacher, but as your dad, I have to say right on."

Bella smiled and gave her dad a hug.

"Sweetheart I feel somehow responsible," Charlie said, "I mean I'm never around anymore and the minute we find whoever is behind the threats I'll be a full time dad again."

Bella let the hug go on for a few moments longer. Charlie rubbed her back softly and kissed her head.

"You've grown into such a strong and beautiful young woman," Charlie said with a sad expression, "you used to be able to sit on my knee and I was your hero. Now you're too old."

"You'll always be my hero, dad," Bella said. "But yeah I think I am a little too big for you knee."

--

"I hear you got suspended," James said that night as he cradled her against his body. "I love a girl with spirit."

"And yet all you want to do is break it," Bella muttered. James pressed his lips against her forehead.

"Oh, more than you know," James whispered against her skin. "I am being kinder to you pet, the last halfbreed I destroyed had a family with a little boy."

"You're sick."

"I want you," James groaned. "But you're talking too much."

Bella undressed for him and laid on her bed. James went to her closet and pulled out three things, a belt and two scarves. He sat straddled her hips and wrapped the belt around her wrists above her head and tied the scarf around her eyes.

"Now you'll just be quiet and enjoy the ride," James said, balling the scarf up and putting it in her mouth. Bella heard him go to her desk and then she heard the sound of tape peeling and she felt it over her mouth.

Bella pushed on the scarf with her tongue before she gagged. She was cold and the tape smelled bad.

"Now I love this," James said. Bella heard the sound of something click. "For later."

Bella felt his hands and it seemed as though her body was super sensitive. She felt his fingers everywhere and each time she felt herself die a little.

She found herself apologizing to the memory of Edward. It kept her strong knowing that she would see him again and feel his warm eyes connect with hers.

James was half way through his enjoyment when her phone rang. He gripped the tape and ripped it off of her mouth.

"OW!"

"It's your father, answer it and be a good girl," James said, freeing her hands.

With shaking hands, Bella took the phone and answered it.

"Hi, daddy."

"Pumpkin I just wanted to check up on you. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine. I was just going to sleep."

"I'm sorry, I won't keep you," Charlie said, "look can you do me a huge favor?"

"Sure."

"Can you tell Carlotta that I won't be home tonight?"

"Work?" Bella asked. She saw that James was feeling impatient.

"No," Charlie sounded guilty, "Renee needed my help with something and her new boyfriend is out of town. But can you please tell Carlotta that I am working or something."

"Yeah, I will," Bella promised. "I love you dad."

James took the phone and was about to throw it when it rang again. James rolled his eyes but looked at the number. With a wicked grin he handed the phone to Bella.

"Put it on speaker, I want to hear what he says. And you will behave right?"

"Y-yes," Bella said looking at the number. "Hello?"

"Bella," Edward said, "listen I know you're probably busy but I had to talk to you."

James ran his hands along Bella's soft thighs and spread her lower lips. He mouthed keep talking to her.

"I'm just about to go to bed," Bella said, desperate to get him off of the line. She felt James's cold tongue and bit her lip.

"Bella I know you don't want a relationship," Edward said, "but I love you. I can't stop thinking about you and when we were talking in the library...I miss talking to you."

James grinned against her.

"You've changed so much lately," Edward continued, his voice was heavy, "Bella I miss you."

"I know, I miss you too. I hope we can still be friends..."

James's eyes flashed.

"...but I don't want to ruin your career."

"I know," Edward said quietly, "Bella I don't want to start sounding mushy and emotional but..."

"Edward, please, can we talk about this later?"

"Just let me finish, please," Edward said quickly, "then I'll let you go forever if that is what you want. Bella every time I am with you I feel happy. All of those small talks we've had...Bella I feel so close to you. I love you and I would risk everything."

"Edward please, I have to go," Bella sobbed. She couldn't listen to this when James was thrusting his tongue in and out of her.

"What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later, please,"

"Alright, sweet dreams," Edward said, sounding defeated.

"Night."

Bella hung up and dropped her phone.

"I thought I told you to stay away from him," James said, coming back up.

"I have," Bella said, "I've tried my best to..."

James slapped her, "lying bitch! You've been seducing him!" James leaned over her and ground his hips against hers, "but oh how I loved tasting you while you talked to him."

"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" Bella cried. "You're taking away everything I could have ever wanted."

"Let me get this strait for you," James growled, pulling her up against his body. "You were a mistake. You should have been killed at birth. I'm just finishing the job. I will kill you Bella. When I grow tired of you I will kill you. So perhaps you should be thankful that I love raping you every night."

Bella pushed away from him and he fell on top of her. "Now, perhaps I should suspend you from the ceiling. I have many ideas, Bella, many good ideas. I want to make you bleed. James took a knife from his jeans and started to cut her. He cut her breasts and her stomach. As she bled he licked it and moaned. Sometime along the way, he entered her and she felt the familiar sensation similar to being rubbed with sandpaper.

All Bella could think about was Edward. He was in love with her. Someone like him was in love with her. James slapped her and as he did his nails cut her cheek. He licked the blood away and groaned.

Bella's hand closed around one of the decorative iron bars on her bed. She was crying. She was crying harder and harder.

"Stop it! Stop!"

"Didn't you learn the last times that there is nothing you can do to stop me?" James grunted. "I'm going to drink all of your blood by the time I'm done with you my little whore. I should have you call Edward again. Let him listen to you as I have sex with you. He dreams of this. I don't have to be a mind reader to know that he wants you like this."

Bella squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the metal tighter. She felt a surge of adrenaline as he pushed her onto her stomach and began cutting her back. He covered her mouth with his hand as he entered her again, this time from the back. She was going to die. This was it. The last night. That is the only explanation as to why he was violating every opening she had and being so brutal.

It was that thought that sent a surge of strength through Bella's body. The iron bar broke from the bed and she swung it around. It crashed loudly with James's head and he fell back. Bella kicked him away from her and swung again and again. She hit him in the head, the back and the neck. Crying and blinded by tears, she kept swinging, hitting every part of his body.

Finally James stopped moving. Bella pulled on the first pieces of clothing she could find and jumped out of her window. She landed on Carlotta's new mercedes but she didn't care. She didn't even notice that there was a huge dent in the roof of the car.

It was so cold but it didn't stop her. Bella tore down the snowy street wearing nothing but a t-shirt and shorts. She hadn't even stopped to put on shoes or socks. James would be awake soon. She didn't have her phone and wished she did.

Then it hit her. Get to Edward.

I'm running to Edward Cullen. I am going to run to Edward Cullen. I AM DECIDING TO RUN TO EDWARD CULLEN!

Bella was running out of breath and she was still several blocks away. Her feet were numb from the cold but she couldn't stop. Her foot caught on something and she fell to the ground. She cried into the snow.

"Edward...help me..." she sobbed. "Get up...Get up!"

She kept trying to will herself to stand, but it was so hard when she was so tired.

Bella, I love you

The words ran through her head over and over again. Edward loved her. Edward would help her. She loved him too. She needed him.

"Please," Bella pleaded with herself, "please just keep going."

Shakily, she stood and her burning legs moved. Her muscles were starting to ache and become unresponsive. She had used so much of her strength knocking James unconscious. She prayed that Alice could see her or that someone would help her. A few cars passed but they didn't stop. Nobody stopped for people like her.

She heard someone running in the distance. That gave her the energy she needed to run again. The fear that it could be James spurred her on. It had started to snow again. She was so cold. Her vision was starting to blur. She sank to the ground. She wanted to sleep.

She could see something coming towards her but she didn't care. She fell into the snow and blacked out.

--

"Yes she is with me, thank you for calling me Alice. How is she? Asleep."

Bella opened her eyes slightly and looked around. She was in Edward's living room under what seemed like an endless pile of blankets. Her body was tingling and she was starting to feel her toes.

"I'll call you back," Edward said, noticing she was awake. "Bella, are you awake?"

"Edward," Bella whispered. "I'm sorry."

Edward kissed her forehead softly. "I'm going to call my dad to see what I should do. I can't warm you up myself because I don't have body heat."

Bella didn't say anything. She couldn't find the strength to. Edward dialed quickly and waited for Carlisle to answer. He did eventually.

"Dad, please, I need help! No, I'm fine, it's Bella. I found her in the snow, dad, her lips are blue, she was dressed in shorts, a t-shirt and no socks or shoes. She passed out," Edward turned towards Bella, "can you touch your pinky finger to your thumb?"

"Kinda."

"She said kinda. Okay I'll do that," Edward said. He ran into the kitchen and fumbled around. He came back out with a thermometer. He put it in Bella's mouth and waited. "About seventy seven. Bella what is your usual body temperature?"

"E-eighty," Bella answered.

"Her usual temperature is about eighty," Edward said, moving away from her as to allow for more heat. "Should I give her a warm bath?"

Bella closed her eyes, ready to sleep again.

"No, Bella, honey, stay awake."

"Tired," Bella grunted.

"Please, stay awake."

Bella glared at him and snuggled deeper into the slight warmth she was getting from the blankets. Without her own body heat it was hard to feel warmer. Edward didn't have to worry about temperature, so he didn't keep the heat on very high. But now she knew it was about ninety in the apartment.

"Thank you dad, I love you too. Bye."

Edward sat down on the couch beside her.

"My father is coming here, he is going to take a look at you. Until then I am going to put you in a warm bath. Is that alright?"

Bella nodded. Edward pulled off some of the blankets and carried her into the bathroom. He started the bath and ran the hot water for her. Bella shrugged out of the blanket and nervously began undressing. Edward seemed a little awkward around her naked but she was too cold and too weak to care.

Gently, he lifted her and set her in the hot water. He left in a flash and returned with a cup. "Relax, please," he said softly.

Bella remained tense.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Edward promised. Bella obeyed reluctantly but kept her eyes on him. Edward filled the cup with the water and poured it over her shoulders and chest. "Does this feel okay?"

"Yes," Bella answered, sinking a little further into the hot water. "Thank you. How did you find me?"

"Alice called in a panic. She had a vision about you running and looking for me. I took the most direct route from my place to yours and found you collapsed in the snow."

"I should call her."

"Only when you feel better."

Bella nodded and started to chew on her thumbnail.

"So are you going to explain any time soon?" Edward asked.

"I love you Edward," Bella said instead of answering him. "I love you but I can't talk about it just yet. Please let me just have a few more moments of peace."

"Anything you'd like," Edward said softly. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "If I had tears I'd be crying right now," he admitted.

"Why?"

"Because finding you unconscious in the snow was the scariest moment of my life."

Bella didn't say anything. She closed her eyes and sighed. She felt warmer now. After a few more minutes of soaking, Edward helped her out and while she was drying off he brought her a sweatshirt and some sweatpants. He sighed when he saw how beautiful she looked in clothes a few sizes too big for her. He pulled her into his arms and rested his head on hers.

"What's his name and where can I find him?" Edward asked.

"Please don't ask me," Bella sobbed, "please Edward just a little bit longer."

"You have to tell me sometime," Edward said. He led her out into the living room and wrapped her in blankets.

--

Carlisle came into the kitchen after Bella was fast asleep. "How is she?" Edward asked.

"Battered, psychologically unstable and recovering from mild hypothermia. I'm taking her to the hospital."

"Is it that bad?" Edward asked.

"I have to do a rape kit," Carlisle said. Edward broke the counter he was gripping. "You can see how bad."

"Tell me," Edward said. "I don't want to see it, I just want to hear it."

"She has severe bruising in the vaginal area and tearing a little further back. She has several knife wounds and bruises. I think she knows who did it."

"She wouldn't tell me," Edward said, "she refused and for some reason I can't read her mind."

"Edward," Carlisle began with difficulty, "I think it was the same person that killed your mother."

Edward didn't say anything. He walked by Carlisle and into the living room where Bella was laying watching an infomercial on television. She didn't seem to be paying attention. She didn't really notice Edward until he was beside her, holding her tight.

"Bella," he sobbed, "Bella I'm sorry. I should have protected you."

Bella bit her lip and buried her head in his shoulder. "Don't let him kill me."

"I won't," Edward promised, "I'll never let him touch you again."

Bella squeezed him tighter. Silently, Carlisle left the room to give them some time alone.

TBC