Thanks again for all of the reviews! You make me sooo happy! This is one of the chapters I KNOW everyone has been waiting for! *duh duh DUH!* Enjoy! oh, and this is not for the faint of heart or stomach. R&R! Warning: This chapter contains very graphic violence.

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Chapter 9: Burning Truths

BPOV

The last two weeks flew by in a rush of speed and coke. I found a job working after school at the Diner in Forks, so that I would be able to afford more. I had only even had to sleep at all every five days or so, even though it was definitely cutting it close at the end. However, the Oxy's, as promised, did help with that as well. I slept for hours without a single dream, and woke feeling more refreshed than I had in years. Granted, I usually had a bit of a headache after, or sometimes felt a little sick, but it was better than the haze I usually was in.

Even Charlie's punishments were more tolerable, because the pain was dulled significantly. The only part that still was completely horrible was having to be a bitch to Edward. I had been skipping Bio lately, just to avoid him. He had tried to talk to me for several days in a row, until he finally gave up. A part of me ached at not being able to be around him. I realized in the last couple weeks that I had developed feelings—perhaps just a crush, on Edward. In the end though, I just remembered my reasons for staying away. It was for his own good.

Luckily, I wasn't as alone still as I had been before. I had hung out with Alice and Jasper a few times since. I think Jasper knew something was up, but knew better than to say anything. Alice on the other end though, was just thrilled that I seemed to have more energy to keep up with her.

I stood in front of James's house now, waiting for him to come down and let me in. I had called him an hour ago to let him know I was coming. I had made enough tips that I was sure I would be able to afford more. The only one I had anything left of was the Oxy's, because I didn't sleep as much as I am sure he thought I would.

"Hey Bella." James grinned as he came downstairs. His eyes were dilated to small pupils, and he was carrying himself lazily.

"Hey James. Came to refill. Thanks again, those definitely did the trick." I said, practically bouncing on my heels.

"No problem! Come on up!" he said quietly, with a big smile on his face.

I followed him back up to his apartment. He already had some bags ready on his mattress for me.

"How much are these going to be?" I ask, pulling out my wallet.

"Relax a bit, stay awhile." He grins a little.

I blinked, and sat down, shifting a little. I didn't want to sit still.

"So, for the same amount as last time, which should last you another two weeks, it's going to be 435$." He said.

My jaw dropped, I didn't think they were that expensive. "That's so much. I didn't know it was that expensive." I said.

"Stuff doesn't come cheap, and I have to make a profit, or else I wouldn't be selling it. Its mostly the Oxy's and the coke that cost so much. The speed isn't cheap, but not as expensive as the others. However, I can offer you a discount."

I look at him wearily, not liking the look in his eye.

"A discount?"

"Yeah. Help me out a little… and I will drop it to 300$." He said.

I had 315$. I didn't have enough for it all otherwise.

"Can't I just buy a weeks supply?" I ask

"Well… you could, but you would be spending more money in the long run. You would have to pay 200$ for the one week. I already gave you a bulk discount. I don't want people coming up here that often, might make neighbors suspicious, you know?" he said.

"What's the discount entail?" I ask

"Nothing much… Just since Victoria broke up with me, a guy is a little lonely." He said, grinning a little.

I swallowed uncomfortably. I could barely let any man touch me. Ever since the episode with Emmett, it had been consistent than anyone besides Edward would send me into what I now realized was a panic attack. Not to mention, I was not a prostitute.

"I.. I'm not sure." I said.

"Come on, baby. I know you want to." He said as he started reaching for me. I quickly jumped up away from him before he could touch me.

He looked pissed.

"I just helped you out big time, and took loss financially for you. The least you could fucking do is just give me twenty minutes of your fucking time!" he spat at me.

"I.. I don't. I can't It's not you, I just cant." I said.

"I see, you are just too much of a little girl to realize how the real world works." He said as he started picking up the baggies to put away.

"W-Wait! I will do the one week's supply!" I said.

"Why should I sell to you?" he spat.

"Because you want the money." I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Fine. 250$" he spat.

"You just said one week was 200$!" I said outraged.

"Yeah, that's with the friend discount. You just pissed me off. If you want it, it will be 250$." He said, glaring at me.

"Fine!" I said, throwing the money on his mattress.

He walks out of the room, and starts measuring out half of the stuff. He comes back a few minutes, and tosses the bags at me. "Get the fuck out."

"With pleasure." I spat back as I left.

I walked back towards my house, not particularly caring that Charlie was going to be home. I was in the mood for a fucking fight. I would rather hit someone who deserves it more. James maybe opportunistic, but I couldn't burn that bridge. Charlie I would just be giving him a taste of his own medicine.

Before I went inside, I went out to the shed behind the house and did a couple lines of coke and speed, and left my bags in there, before heading into the house.

"Heh, just the girl I wanted to see." He said, grinning. "You've been skipping." He says as he stands up, making his way over to me. I knew the look in his eye should terrify me, but I had a hard time being scared of anything right now.

"Yeah? What of it, Dad?" I stepped towards him.

"Since when was it okay for you—", he knees me hard in the gut, "To talk back to me?!"

I straighten up, and send my good fist flying into his face. Taken off guard, he staggers back. "You fucking bitch!" he says, swiping at the blood running from his nose.

"Yeah, Fuck with me today Charlie! I dare you, fuck with me!" I yell at him, seeing red. I had never been angry like this before, and I was slightly scared of what it was doing to me, but I also felt empowered. I couldn't stop.

Charlie then charged at me. I dodged out of the way, and he ended up ramming into the wall. I then kicked him hard in the back of the knee, forcing him down to the ground. I then grabbed one of his bottles laying nearby and smashed it over his back.

For a moment he didn't get up, and I thought maybe I had beaten the monster for once, until he got up, pure fury in his dead brown eyes, like I had never seen.

"You are going to pay for that, Renee." He snarled, and before I even knew what was happening, I was on the ground, and he was slamming my head onto the ground repeatedly. I almost lost consciousness, but was forced back awake when he started kicking me with more force than I had ever felt. Just when I thought he was done, he came back with the rope from before. I tried to get up to get away, but was too weak. He grabbed me, and tied my hands together, before dragging me to the garage. He tied me up to a beam, before pulling me so I was hanging. I wasn't expecting what came next. He grabbed the welding torch he got years ago when he thought he would try to fix a plumbing issue himself. I felt my eyes widen as he lit it, a menacing grin filling his face.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. But you certainly as hell won't fucking fight back again." He grins before he brings the flame to my leg. My pant lit on fire, before suddenly blinding pain. All I could smell was burning flesh, and hear my own screams as my leg burned. He then poured water on it until it went out. I vomited from the pain, shaking all over, tears running down my face. Even the coke couldn't numb that pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please stop!" I begged, having never resorted to begging before.

He just grinned. "How else are you supposed to learn?" he smiles before he does the other leg. I screamed again, until everything went black.

I woke up a few hours later, panting from another nightmare. There was fire, and Charlie was burning me. Then the pain registered, it wasn't a dream.

He had let me down since, and I was laying on the ground of the garage, both legs burned so badly on the thighs that I could barely move them.

I had to get out of here. I didn't know how I would get out, but I had to. I couldn't handle it anymore. I was fucking turning to drugs to try and survive, and he was getting more brutal, and I was defenseless. Even when I fight back, I couldn't win.

I pulled myself up, and screamed from the excruciating pain the movement caused. I made it inside slowly. Charlie's cruiser was gone, which meant he probably went out to a bar or a friend's house. I didn't know how long I had. When I made it to the phone, I collapsed, bringing the phone down onto the floor with me. I dialed 411, asking for the Cullen residence.

When I was put through, a chirper voice answered. "Hello! Who's this?"

"Alice, it's Bella, can you put Edward on the phone?" I whispered, my teeth clenched.

"I thought you guys were having a fight?"

"Please, Alice, please?" I said, breathing through my mouth, trying not to yell out from the pain again.

"Bella… He isn't home right now. Do you want his Cell phone?"

"I don't have anything to write it with. Please, can you call him and tell him to come to my house? Please? And hurry?"

"Is everything all right? You sound weird."

"I can't. No, it's not, please, just get him here."

"Alright." She said, before hanging up.

I don't know why he was the one I called, probably because I knew he already knew something was up. I would have to hope that he could keep his mouth shut.

I spent the next half an hour falling in and out of consciousness, my head pounding from the several times he slammed it into the ground. My ribs ached, and the severe burns on my legs were excruciating. I hadn't even dared look at them. I could smell it though.

The door opens, and I hear footsteps walking into the house. I pray it isn't Charlie.

"Bella? Where are you?" I heard a slightly irritated velvet voice say.

"Near the kitchen." I rasp out.

He rounds the corner, then stops, his eyes widening in horror.

"What the hell happened?! Who.. Oh my god."

"I'll tell you everything.. please.. please I need to get out of here.. I can barely move. Please?" I begged him.

He nods, and quickly bends down, picking me up as gently as he could, but even then, I ended up screaming in pain, tears erupting in my eyes.

"Shh. I'm sorry.. " he whispered in a panicked voice as he tries to calm me down.

I bit my fist hard enough to draw blood trying to stop myself from screaming again when he got me into the passenger seat of his car. He quickly got in on his side.

"Shit, I have to take you to the hospital." He said, as he started his car.

"No hospital." I whispered, leaning my head back trying to keep my breathing even.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." He says, gripping the steering wheel.

"I am not fucking kidding you. Charlie is the fucking chief of police, and he will find out if I went to the hospital, and he will fucking kill me."

He looks at me with a serious look. "What the fuck am I supposed to do then?!"

"I don't know." I whispered in a defeated voice.

"My dad's a doctor." He said, sighing. "But I don't know that he will have everything necessary to treat that at home."

"I don't really care. They will heal on their own eventually. I just had to get out. I can't handle anymore… not tonight." I said tiredly.

"You mean, you expect me to do nothing? And you are just going to go back!? Are you fucking insane?!" he yelled.

"I don't have a choice! I tried to run before, and he just put out an amber, and got me back, and the punishment for that was almost as bad as this! I will never escape him until I am no longer a minor. He is the law, I can't fight it." I caught my breath, closing my eyes to keep myself from crying. "That's why I pushed you away, because I knew you would want to help, and I knew you would be putting yourself, and me in more danger. I can't allow that. You can't tell anyone."

"That's bullshit." He said, though his tone was defeated.

"Do you remember Riley?" I asked quietly, feeling all of the strength I had gone.

"Adams?" he asked in a monotone voice.

"Yes. Obviously, you remember that he went missing when we were in seventh grade. Everyone figured he got lost in the woods, and was attacked by an animal or something, since no one found him. The town was destroyed by it, because he was such a good kid." My voice broke a little as I kept the tears from coming.

"You guys were pretty close, if I remember right. You used to sit together at lunch, hang out at recess, right?"

"Yeah, he was my best friend. He found out though, or rather, he didn't find out. I told him. I told him, because I was too much of a fucking whiny baby to take it. I told him after Charlie broke my arm for the first time."

Edward's hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"It wasn't your fault." He said in a tight voice.

"Except, that it was. If I had never told him, he would still be alive. He confronted Charlie, when he came to check up on me. I don't know what he was thinking. I don't know." I whispered, swallowing thickly, reminding myself over and over again that I wasn't allowed to cry.

"Charlie fucking threw him around a bit, toyed with him, then he killed him with his shot gun. He made me sit and watch, so I would know exactly what would happen if I told someone again. I don't know how he hid the body, but I imagine knowing how to find a body as an officer, made it easier to know how to hide it in such a way that no one would find it." I said.

"I am not Riley." He said, pulling over to the side of the road.

"You can't tell. I won't be responsible, not again. Please, protect yourself."

"He's going to fucking kill you!" he said, motioning at my legs.

"He hasn't yet. I only have a year and a half left. That's it." I said "Please. "

He punches the steering wheel before running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But you are getting help. I will see if Carlisle can set up a private room in the hospital. I don't want my little sister seeing you like this." He said through his teeth.

"Alright. " I said quietly, knowing that this was the only way he was going to agree to not telling.

He drove in silence after that until we made it to the hospital. He called his dad in advance to let him know we were coming. Night had already fallen.

He parked, and came around to my side. He looked at me apologetically before he picked me up again. I fisted my hand in his shirt, biting my lip until it bled, trying not to scream and make a scene.

He got me inside, trying not to jostle me too much, and immediately a gurney was ready. A Doctor was waiting with blonde hair, and blue eyes, and Edward's jawline. He looked at us, and at my legs in shock, before shaking his head, and helping get me on the gurney. I bit back the scream again from the movement.

"What happened, Edward?! " He asked in a shocked tone.

"We went to Port Angelus for a movie, but got separated. A group of guys cornered her, and I guess when she fought back, they beat her up, and lit her on fire. She jumped in a puddle, and was able to put it out, but I think they did some major damage." Edward explained without so much as a stutter. He must have thought of that story on the way here.

He nodded, looking grim, but also looking a little skeptical.

"Bella, we are going to sedate you so we can take care of your injuries, alright?" The doctor, who I assumed was Edward's dad said, and I nodded.

"He put a needle into my arm, and moments later, I was out.

When I woke up, my legs were entirely numb, and wrapped in bandages. My ribs were taped, and my broken wrist from weeks ago had a cast on it.

"You're lucky. The damage from the burns, though very painful, will not cause any permanent damage, other than scarring. I have you on pain medication. You can walk around, but it may be too painful for now. Also, you had a concussion, and several broken ribs. Your wrist was broken… but it looked like it was weeks old. Why did you not have that taken care of earlier?"

"I thought it was just sprained." I said quietly.

He nodded, though not looking convinced.

"Also, you are severely underweight. Have you been eating?"

I nod. "Not as much as I should, but I do." I said, sighing. It wasn't a lie.

"I would like to keep you here overnight because of the concussion, but you can go home after. I guess Edward offered to have you stay with us for awhile? Charlie is staying at a friend's house for a few days?"

"Yeah, and I don't want him to worry." I said, smoothly adding onto whatever Edward told him.

"Alright. Well, Edward is waiting to come back in." He said, shaking his head a little as he leaves the room. Edward comes in, and sits down on the chair beside the bed.

"Hey, thanks, for you know.. Everything. Covering, picking me up, and yeah…. Everything." I say, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Yeah, I am not happy about covering for him. I won't say anything for now, but we have to find a way to get you out of there." He said, wiping his nose a bit.

"Thanks. I'm sorry.. you know, for everything. I know I am a pretty shitty friend."

"Yeah, kind of." He grins a little, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Gee, thanks, Monsieur." I roll my eyes. "I'm so tired." I yawn after, turning my head to face him.

"Maybe you should sleep." He says like it's the most obvious thing.

"You know that's not going to happen. Someone gave me something for dreamless sleep, but I don't have it."

His eyes narrowed. "Who gave you what?"

"I can't tell you who, because I am sworn to secrecy. Not my secret to tell. But Oxy. I only take it when I really have to sleep, every five days or so." I say through a yawn.

"I don't even know where to start on that. One, Oxy's, that's practically the same fucking thing as Heroin."

"I know, but it isn't, so I wasn't breaking a promise."

He shakes his head. "You have only been sleeping every five days? How the hell are you staying up that long? I knew you were taking something." He said, not accusingly, just in a factual voice.

"Coke, and speed." I whisper. " I was desperate. I had to push you away again, I was fucking hurting, and I was so tired of being… well.. tired." I said with a sigh.

Edward runs both hands through his hair, messing it up more than it already was. "I don't want you fucking doing that shit. That's the whole reason why I didn't want you near me in the beginning."

"I'll stop if you stop." I say, knowing it would be harder for him than me, but I knew I was giving up a lot too to do it.

He considers, sighing. "I'll fucking try, alright?" he said.

"Good. Then I will stop. I am not addicted to anything yet." I said quietly, not looking forward to the return to a no respite exhaustion.

"I don't know why I am even considering this. We barely even know each other." He says in an irritated tone.

"Because I am just the most amazing girl you have ever met, and you would do anything to make me happy. Right?" I say with a cheeky grin.

He starts chuckling. "Only you could say that after having been lit on fucking fire."

"Damn straight. Now, I know that hospital food sucks, and I am hungry. There's money in my jacket. I want real food." I said, looking right at him, daring him to refuse.

He chuckles again before shaking his head. "I'm not taking your money. What do you want?"

"Bacon cheese burger." I grin a little, and he nods before leaving.


I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, and have some questions answered! Don't kill me! I promise that we are going to have some lighter chapters soon as a respite. R&R! Thank you!