Thanks again for the reviews! Heres the next chapter! sorry for the slower posts, internet went away last night.
Stephanie Meyer owns all.
chapter 9
EPOV
It had been a little bit over a week since Bella started staying with us. We hadn't heard anything from Charlie, Which was starting to worry me a little. Why hasn't he come for her yet? Maybe he wouldn't. I hope he didn't.
Bella still hadn't told any of us what happenned. She was still too afraid to give us the evidence we needed to put him away, but I think she is getting closer to being able to. Bella had even gained some of the weight back. It was a slow process, but every meal, we got her to eat a little bit more.
It was a sunday now, and we would both be going back to school tomorrow. I had been staying home with her, to make sure she wasn't alone. I didn't want to risk her falling asleep alone. Over the last week though, some of the color had come back to her cheeks, and the dark circles were finally gone from getting a solid week of the sleep she needed.
Tonight, Alice, Emmett, Bella, and I were all in the living room watching a movie. Princess Bride, one of both Bella's and Alice's favorites.
"God, Emmett! are you seriously going to eat ALL the popcorn?" Alice yelled, as she crawled onto his lap, trying to grab the popcorn from him. Emmett held it high above her head, grinning, his mouth filled with popcorn.
Bella just sat there, watching them with an amused look on her face. I was sitting next to her, my arm draped over her shoulder.
Emmett swallowed, and grinned at Alice. "Too bad you are so short! Or else you could get some!" He grinned, standing up, and holding it up as high as he could, letting out a hearty laugh.
"Emmett! pleaasee? pleaase? I want some! Its Moms special cinnamon popcorn. and I want some!" She stomped her foot, and crossed her arms, and putting on her best pout. As expected, Emmett cracked, and ruffled her hair, handing her the bag.
"As you wish." Emmett said, grinning at his own reference to the movie we were watching. Bella chuckled a little bit. I loved the sound of her laugh, it was like bells.
Alice grinned, and took some of the popcorn before offerring some to me, and Bella.
"No thank you." Bella said, and I sighed a little bit, but took some of the popcorn, eating it myself.
"So... Bella. I was thinking. You totally need a girls night. Tomorrow night, I am kidnapping you. We will have makeovers, and manicures and pedicures, junkfood, 80's music! everything."
Bella looked shocked at this idea, and I could tell she probably wouldn't want to. She didn't seem like the type to enjoy makeovers. However she nodded, and smiled a little bit for Alice. "Sure Alice, it sounds like fun. When did you want to start?"
"Right after school, Theres a lot of stuff to be done!" Alice grinned, and Bella attempted to grin back, and looked at me as if pleading for help, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Okay, right after school." Bella agreed.
Then Carlisle came into the living room, stilling wearing his white jacket. He must have just gotten home from work. "Edward, Can I speak with you in my office for a few minutes?"
"Yeah, of course dad." I said as I stood up, rubbing Bella's shoulder before I followed Carlisle up to his office. Once we got inside, he motioned for me to sit down, and he did the same on the other side of the desk.
"Edward, the rape kit, the xrays, everything from Bella's file has gone missing. Everything. The only thing in there is what looks like a mental evaluation, claiming her as unstable, and delusional since the death of her mother."
I listened to this, consumed with shock. "Her father. He did this, didn't he?" I said, not even having to hear the answer.
"We think so. He got rid of any evidence that could convict him, and made her word dirt."
"But what about the files in the computer. They are still there, right?"
Carlisle just shook his head, and I pounded my fist on his desk. "Damnit! What are we supposed to do now? Without any proof, he could just come in here and take her back."
Carlisle just shook his head. He knew I was right. He must have already thought of that.
"Is there anything we can do?" I asked, pleading.
"I don't know, I need some time to figure it out." He said, putting his forehead into the palms of his hands.
I stood up, and left the room. I went into my room, and onto the balcony, and immediately lit up a cigarette. I let the smoke fill my lungs as I leaned back, pinching the bridge of my nose. This was too much. Couldn't we catch a break anywhere?
Alice came into the room a moment later, and wrinkled her nose at my cigarette, then her expression turned very serious. "Edward, come downstairs. Charlie."
I threw my cigarette out, and bolted down the stairs. Carlisle and Esme stood infront of the door, with emmett behind them, sheilding Bella from view.
"She is my daughter, and she is very mentally ill. She needs to come home, now."
I got over to the door, and I could see him. It made my blood boil. Mentally ill my ass. Then I noticed it. He had three other cops with him. He wasn't going to leave without my Bella.
Bella started stepping towards the front, but I grabbed her shoulders. "No Bella. Stay here." I whispered urgently into her ear. I knew it was futile, there was nothing we could do.
"I'm sorry Edward. I will not be the reason that your parents go to jail." She said, and then she hugged me, and stepped through. "Thank you Esme, Carlisle for having me. And I'm sorry for all the problems I've cause." She said, and looked up at my mother. Esme had tears in her eyes.
"Bella. You call if you ever need anything. You are always welcome here." then Esme handed her something. I took a closer look, it was a Cell phone. good.
Carlisle then stepped up very close to Charlie, and glared down at him, being a little taller than him. "You hurt that girl again, and I guarentee you will not get away with it." He said with more venom than I have ever heard in his voice.
Charlie then grinned. "Is that a threat? She's my daughter. I would never hurt her. I don't know what delusions she has been filling your head with, but I love her, and take care of her. Whatever she does to herself, I have no control over. She is very mentally ill."
"You and I both know that is a lie." Carlisle said in a very even voice. Bella stood there, as Charlie motioned over the other officers. They each took one of Bella's arms, and lead her to the cruiser. she looked back at me, our eyes locking for a moment, before she was put inside the cruiser.
Charlie then grinned. "I have whats mine, and I would watch yourselves, next time you try to butt into anyone elses business. Good day. " he said in a venomous voice before getting into the cruiser, and driving off with Bella.
"Damnit!" I yelled, punching the wall. I was seeing red. "Why Didnt you stop him! Bella Can't be with him! He'll kill her!"
"Edward, don't curse!" Esme scolded.
"Edward, he had a warrant, as well as other officers with him. We wouldn't be able to help her from jail. We had no choice."
"Why? She has never done a damned thing to deserve this! Why must he hurt her?" I yelled, and crumpled to the chair, my forehead in my hands, trying to calm down.
Esme then came over and hugged me. "Its alright Edward. We are doing everything we can to get her out of there, legally. We gave her the cellphone, so she can call if shes in trouble. If we don't do this the right way, then we will end up in jail for kidnapping, and Bella will end up back with her father, without any chance of getting out. I know it hurts honey, but our hands are tied." she said quietly, trying to calm me down. It wasn't working.
I shook my head and stood up. "I need some time." I went up to my room, and sat down on the Balcony, and lit up another cigarette.
What the hell am I supposed to do? How are we going to convince the police that their cheif is the one hurting her. That shes not crazy? He could be hurting her, right now, and theres nothing I can do to stop it.
I decided then, that I was going to her house tonight. I had to make sure she was alright. I had to wait till I was sure Charlie would be asleep. That would be hours. It was only eight PM by now. I didn't know if I could wait that long.
Around 10 pm, I called her cellphone. I had gotten the number from mom about an hour ago. I waited for a few rings, then it went to voicemail. Immediately I got worried. I stood up and started pacing, calling her phone again. Again it went to voicemail.
When after a fourth time, she still hadn't picked up, I got in my car, and drove as quickly as I could to her house. I parked on the side of the road next to the forest so that if her father was awake, he wouldn't see it. I then ran to the house, and checked the windows. all the lights were off, and no one looked to be up and about. I went to the front door, and tried it, but it was locked, so I looked around the yard, I noticed one light was still on. Up on the second floor. That window had purple curtains, so it must have been Bella's room. There was a tree right next to her window, I was pretty sure I could get in from there.
I carefully climbed the tree until I was at level with her window. I reached to a branch above me, and planted my foot on her sill. I used my other hand to open her window, and slid into her room. I looked around, not seeing her. It was very bare. there were some books, and a bed, and a desk with a very old computer on it, but nothing else.
I quietly went to the door of her room, and made my way into the hall, everything was quiet. The sense of forboding increased as I made my way to the stairs downstairs. The first step creaked, and my heart thudded in my chest. I stayed very still a moment, but then I heard a loud snore from what I assumed was Charlies room. I let out a breathe I didn't know I was holding, and went the rest of the way down the stairs. What I saw when I got there made me freeze. Bella was on the floor of the living room, she had some new cuts, and her arm was at a weird angle, and she was unconscious, blood at the base of her head, and all in her hair.
I ran over to her, and gently placed her head in my lap. "Bella! Bella! wake up!" I whispered frantically. I pulled out my phone and called Carlisle. "Carlisle. I'm at Bella's house. Charlie.. He.. He hurt her again. It's bad."
"Stay there. and whatever you do, do not move her. I will be there as soon as I can."
"Alright dad. Hurry, please." I said, my voice frantic. I did as he said, and didn't move her. However, a few minutes later, I saw the upstairs light click on, and heard the heavy footsteps. "Shit, Shit shit!" I whispered, and stood up, standing infront of her protectively.
Charlie made his way downstairs, and took one look at me, and his face turned bright red. "What the hell are you doing here, Cullen?" He said as he started advancing on me. I stood my ground.
"How can you do this to your own daughter? To Bella?" I asked, anger radiating in my voice.
"Easy! Wouldn't you want to punish the killer of your wife and newborn daughter?" He said, giving a slightly maniacal grin.
"You're lying. she would never hurt a fly!" I said, looking over at her, then back up at Charlie.
"Little did you know. She is the reason her mother, and her little sister are dead. She lit the house on fire 7 years ago. She was the only survivor of the people in the house. She should have died with them for what she did." He said, as he spit on the ground, and glared at me.
"So, how do you feel about her now? How do you feel about the monster you are trying to protect? Who would murder her own mother, and her baby sister?" He grinned at me, and stepped forward.
I didn't know what to think. Was this true? Had she really killed her mother and her sister? I could only imagine the guilt she must always be feeling. Is that why she never tried to escape this before? It couldn't have been on purpose. I doubted it was even her fault. She would never on purposely hurt anyone.
"You know damn well she would never do that. Even if there was a fire, there was no way it was her fault." I said. Suddenly, I saw Charlies fist flying at my face. I ducked quickly, and he stumbled a little.
"You don't know anything Cullen!" He yelled as he threw himself at me. He pinned me to the wall, and punched me in the gut, hard enough that it knocked the wind out of me. Just at that moment, the front door slammed open, and In came my father, followed by four police officers. They rushed over to Charlie and handcuffed him.
I looked at my father in awe, and then at Charlie as he was being moved to the cruiser outside, being read his Miranda Rights. Carlisle then immediately kneeled down next to Bella, and started checking her over.
"How did you do it?" I asked him.
"Good timing is all. When we got here, he was already telling you everything. The police just listened, and as soon as they had some eye witness proof that he was a danger, they came in. He wont be bothering anyone anymore."
I looked at my father with a new sense of pride. He was amazing, and Bella was finally safe. Safe from Charlie. "How is she.. Will she be alright?"
"She's banged up, and she has a small concussion, but she seems alright. Lets bring her home, alright?"
I nodded, and I picked up Bella, and held her close to my chest. She leaned her head against me in her sleep, pressing into my chest as we walked out of the Swan Residence, hopefully for the last time.
