Esther POV
Edward rushed over to me, and carefully pulled me into his cold stone arms. "You came for me," I whispered, more happy than ever. My family was saving me. Edward smiled at me, and lifted me from the ground, then turned. That was when I noticed his outfit. A lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck. "Cool disguise," I muttered, which made Edward chuckle. "Let me guess. Alice's idea?" I asked, trying to forget about the intense pain in my arm and ribs. Edward smiled and said sarcastically, "How did you know?"
Footsteps approached us, and at once my body froze. "You got her! Thank goodness!" Jasper said, and at once I relaxed. Jasper rushed up to us, but froze when he saw Robert holding his bloody nose on the floor. For a moment, I prayed Jasper would suck Robert dry, but with a disapproving look from Edward, I kept that thought to myself.
"You guys should go... We'll hold Robert off the best we can," Nathan said, and shot me a small smile. For some strange reason, I smiled back. "Good idea," Jasper said, and him and Edward began to carry me away. But they froze at once when the alarm to the building went off. "Oh perfect! Just perfect!" Jasper said. Edward turned to Jasper and said, "Try to stay behind and confuse the people that come this way. I'll meet you back at the mansion."
Jasper nodded, and Edward began to run me down the hall, human speed. The whole time we ran, I held Teddy close to me, enjoying the comfort from his fur. "STOP!" A worker yelled, but Edward just rolled his eyes, continuing to run me toward the exit. As soon as we reached the entrance, Edward grabbed the nob, trying to open it. But it didn't budge. "No!" Edward growled, then turned around annoyed.
Other footsteps approached, and I closed my eyes shaking in fear. "Relax Esther. It's just Emmett and the others," Edward said, and I opened my eyes in relief. The first person I saw was Emmett, in a guard outfit (figures), but then when I saw the other two behind him, I froze. The first person I saw, was a man with short brown hair, and deep red eyes. "Uh... Did you guys make a new friend?" I asked, confusion written all over my face.
A chuckle made me stare at the guy next to the human drinking vampire, and at once I froze. The guy beside Red Eyes, had dark brown hair, and crystal blue eyes. He was about 19 or 20, and had slightly pale skin. "Dad?" I asked, shock vivid on my face. Dad smiled and said, "You remember me!" Before I could blink, dad was beside Edward and I, stroking my air with his warm hand. "I knew you were alive," I said, tears falling down my cheek. Dad smiled, and kissed my forehead softly.
"Look," Emmett said, interrupting the moment, "I'm sorry to interrupt the reunion, but we gotta get out of here before we're arrested. I'm not exactly sure I want to spend eternity in a cell." Edward nodded, and then said, "Do you guys know another way out then?"
The red eyed guy smiled and said, "I have a better idea." Walking toward the door, red eye grinned widely as he reached for the door nob. A loud crunch was heard, and I stared wide eyed as the door nob fell to the ground. The door swung open freely, and the red eyed guy stood aside. "Ladies first," he teased, and Edward chuckled quickly walking out of the building. Once he stepped outside, I was greeted by cold spring air, and it felt really painful on my broken bones.
"STOP!!" Edward turned in shock, to see about twenty men running after us. "Time to go!" Emmett said, and Edward took off running, at a very fast human speed. "Where's Carlisle with the car?!" Dad asked. Right on cue, Carlisle's black Mercedes came speeding through the facilities back ally. Carlisle stopped the car in front of us, and Emmett quickly yanked the door open, "Get her in. I'll wait till Jasper get's here with the stolen car."
Edward nodded, and carefully placed me in the back seat of the car. Felix jumped in the front of the car beside a determined Carlisle, and Dad got in the back with me along with Edward. "Meet you back at the house," Emmett said, and closed the door with a wink. Then the car took off forward, and we headed toward freedom.
With a sigh, I leaned against my dad's shoulder, then closed my eyes enjoying having my father next to me.
As we drove toward home, the men sprung a conversation, obviously thinking I was asleep. Of course I was sure Edward knew otherwise. "Aro's going to have our necks," Felix said, and dad chuckled softly. "Probably... But he needs to realize that I'm not returning to him any time soon," dad whispered, and I felt him brush a strand of hair carefully from my face. "You don't have to go back to him," Edward said, his voice sincere.
My father sighed beside me, and I felt his warm lips on my forehead again. "I don't have a choice... If I don't, Aro will most likely come after my children," Dad said, and I heard the pain in his voice. Biting my lip, I tried hard not to cry. "But what about Esther and Nick? They've been through so much," Carlisle said, his voice soft so he wouldn't wake me. Not like I was asleep.
The car fell quiet for a moment, and I felt father wrap his warm arms around me. It irritated my broken bones, but only for a second. "I'll stay for a week or so, but I can't stay forever. The only reason I really came down here was to make sure my kids were alive," father said. At once I gasped, and pulled away from his side; though I regretted it once I felt the intense pain in my side.
"What do you mean you're not staying?!" I cried, my eyes beginning to water from disbelief. Dad stared at me in shock, and said, "Esther... Did you hear every word I just said?" Glaring at him, I nodded. My father covered his face in deep regret, and sighed loudly. The red eyed guy turned in his seat, and looked at me with hard eyes. "What your father decides to do in the end, is non of your concern," he hissed. Edward growled at him, wrapping a protective arm around me. "Don't talk to her like that Felix. Or I'll make you get out and walk back home," he said threateningly.
Felix rolled his eyes, and then turned in his seat annoyed. "What's she to you Cullen?!" Felix hissed, and at once I leaned into Edward stone side in tears. "My sister," Edward hissed back. Carlisle sighed in the front seat, and said, "Do we have to talk about this right now? We're in an enclosed car, with an injured child. Let's discuss this when we get to the hotel." The last part came out in a type of command.
The car fell silent, and Edward's grip on me loosened. My father was sitting up straight now, his eyes watching the passing fields outside. Passing fields? My eye's went wide, and I looked at Carlisle confused. "Hotel? Where exactly are we?" I asked, wondering how far I was dragged away from my brother. Edward was the one to answer. "We're in Kansas. Robert thought a more secluded area would make it easier for him to get you back if you escaped. Turns out he was wrong," Edward said, and a smile formed on his face.
"How did he find you in the first place?" Carlisle asked me, now curious.
That's when it all hit me. Looking down at the scar on my broken arm, I realized, he was going to find me again. Gasping, I looked at Edward frantically and said, "I need a knife!" Every one looked at me in total confusion. Every one except Edward, he was glaring at me. "Are you insane! Their are other ways to get things out of your body! Cutting yourself isn't the only way."
With a frantic expression, I cried, "But it's the easiest!" Dad suddenly grabbed my face, and forced me to look at him. "Esther Carrie Ross. You. Will not. Cut. Yourself," father hissed, with very serious eyes. Gritting my teeth, I hissed, "Why do you care?! You're leaving Nick and I! What's me being dead got to do with this!" Dad's eyes softened, and he let go of my face with a pained expression.
"If you'd just understand why I can't stay, this would be so much easier," he whispered, and looked out the window.
"Then explain it to me," I begged, my good hand tightening around Teddy's worn paw. "I already did!" Dad cried, hitting his forehead in frustration. "You'll get killed if Aro finds out where I am! I'm not even supposed to be here right now! I only came to make sure you and Nick were safe!" He cried, and I saw his eyes begin to water.
Now, I was completely speechless, and I looked out of Edward's window in tears. No one said a word for the next couple of hours. Eventually I got bored enough, that I leaned against Edward, and closed my eyes drifting to sleep. It was only when Carlisle woke me to find out what I wanted to eat, that I realized dad had taken from Edward's shoulder, and made me rest on his own. I had to admit he was warm, but the thought of him leaving made me keep these thoughts to myself.
"Esther... Are you hungry?" Carlisle asked, still waiting for my answer to his question. Nodding, I said, "Whatever you find is good enough to me." Carlisle sighed, and turned back to the road, his eyes hard. With a yawn, I tried to sit up, but my broken ribs screamed in pain, which made me whimper. Dad immediately turned to me worried, "What is it Esther? What's hurting?"
Closing my eyes, I clutched my right side with my left hand in pain. "Nothing," I hissed through gritted teeth. "Do you need me to pull over and look at it Esther?" Carlisle asked, his eyes concerned. My pain worsened, and my eyes began to tear. "No," I hissed, and then said more calmly, "Just give me a minute." Closing my eyes hard, I tried to heal my breaks once more, but the bones were to badly damaged to be healed on their own. With a gasp, I let go of my side, and fell against dad weakly.
He quickly grabbed hold of my shoulder, which happened to be apart of my broken arm. My arm screamed in pain, and I gasped from the stinging in my arm, and flew back on Edward. That was a mistake, because my ribs stung badly from the impact. "That's it," Carlisle said, and pulled over on the side of the road. "Edward, get my bag from the back of the car," Carlisle ordered.
Edward obeyed, and jumped out of the car, disappearing. Carlisle quickly arrived in the open doorway, and carefully forced me to sit halfway out of the car. "No," I cried, "I can fix it! I just need some time to regain my strength." Carlisle ignored me, and took his black bag from Edward, going through it with concentration.
He at once forced me to give him my arm, and I did so, wincing in pain. He gently wrapped gauze around my swollen arm, from my upper arm, all the way to the palm of my hand. "I didn't break my whole arm," I muttered, glaring at my now wrapped arm. Carlisle ignored me, and put the remaining gauze in his black bag. "I'm heading straight to a hotel now. There I'll take care of your ribs. So sit still, and don't move," he ordered.
After I was back in the middle of the backseat, Carlisle and Edward were back in the car, and we were of to a hotel. It took us only fifteen minute's to reach the closest one, and Carlisle threatened to ground me if I moved while he went to buy us a room. Sighing, I looked out the window, not really wanting to make contact with anyone. A cell suddenly rang, and my dad jumped, shocked that it was his.
He looked at the caller idea, and his eyes turned wide with horror. "Uh... I gotta take this," he said, and jumped out of the car. Felix was right behind him, and closed the door leaving me alone with Edward.
"What's going on?" I asked, seeing Edward listening to dad's conversation. "It's Aro... He knows your dad is with you, and he isn't one bit happy about it. Your dad's trying to make a deal with him, but Aro isn't buying it," Edward said, and at once my face fell. "Can I call Nick?" I asked, knowing Edward had a cell.
Edward smiled, and handed me his cell. Dialing with one hand, I held it to my ear, closing my eyes from the eagerness of wanting to hear Nick's voice. Bella was the one to answer of course, thinking I was Edward. "Edward! I've been waiting for you to call!" Smiling softly, I said, "Sorry Bella. It's Esther. Is Nick there?" There was silence for a moment, and I prayed he would be there.
"Esther!" Nick's familiar, caring voice came on the other line, and at once I sighed in relief. "Yeah Nick. It's me," I said. "Thank goodness! How are you? Are you hurt? Is dad with you?" he asked, eager to get an answer. Frowning, I skipped the part about dad, and whispered, "Other than a few broken bones, I'm okay." Edward snorted at that, and I glared at him, hissing in my head, 'I am okay!' He held up his hands defensively, then looked out the window.
"What do you mean 'broken bones'? Did Robert hurt you?!" Nick asked, his voice sounding angry. Biting my lip, I whispered even softer than before, "Yeah... Dylan and Nathan stopped him in time though."
Nick gasped on the other line, shocked by my words. "Dylan and Nathan actually helped you?!" Nick asked flabbergasted. Smiling softly, I said, "I guess some people do have a change of heart." Nick chuckled and said, "No kidding. Do you know how far you are from home."
"We're stopping at a hotel," I whispered, "So I have no idea."
Nick sighed from aggravation, and said, "Well call me in the morning sis." Nodding, I said, "Okay Nick... I'll call tomorrow." After that, we exchanged good-byes, and then I handed the phone back to Edward. He smiled kindly at me, but other than that, was quiet.
Carlisle was suddenly back, and said, "I got a room. Presidential sweet. You can head on up with Esther, Edward." Edward nodded, and then got out of the car. He carefully pulled me out, and placed me gently on my feet. "Can you walk Esther?" He asked, staring cautiously at me. Nodding, I began to walk, but at once my ribs screamed in pain, and I clutched my side in agony. Edward caught me as I lost my balance, and pulled me up into his arms. "Well, at least we'll get to the room faster," he muttered, and carried me toward the hotels entrance.
With a sigh, I closed my eyes tiredly, letting my pain drag me into the pits of unconsciousness.