Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.
The sky had begun to turn all shades of purple and pink. It was miraculous. I felt like mother nature had put on this show just for me. I walked down the sidewalk toward the small shack-like home I was being forced to live in and for once I didn't think of it as such a bad place to be. I had Renee and Phil, Aurora, and the golden sun was a nice bonus. All that was missing was the Cullen family. Especially Edward. Even when I wasn't thinking of him, which was rare, I always had an ache in the pit of my stomach. It felt twisted and wrong, and I couldn't help but wonder if the baby had anything to do with this small discomfort.
At the time it never occured to me that this feeling might be coming from something other than my pining. But then again, a lot of things didn't occur to me then.
I was practically skipping up the driveway of the house I felt so elated. The day had been so wonderful. Ice cream, and a nice long talk with my new friend. It was a wonder I wasn't floating off into the air I was so happy.
A loud crash came from inside the house and I ran up to investigate. Just when I was reaching out to yank open the screen door, another crash sounded.
Then I heard it. The one sound in the world that would change my life forever. A strangled whimper. Cursing and screaming. The sound of Phil beating my mother.
At first I didn't comprehend what I was hearing. I just stood there, paralyzed with fear. My gut clenched painfully, and I lost control of everything.
Tears ran down my face, my knees gave out, and I fell onto the cracked gravel. My skin burned, split and began to bleed. I tried to scream out, but my nothing came out. My body was wracked with unimaginable pain and I couldn't make a sound. I prayed for death.
Loud banging noises echoed from the house. My head swam. The salty tears blured my vision till all I could see was vague, watery images. More banging.
Somewhere deep inside, I knew I had to move. I couldn't stay crumpled on the doorstep. I had to hide. I tried to move but my limbs were weak. My fingers clawed at the ground and I inched my way behind the bushes along the side of the house. Once I was completely hidden by the green foliage, I went limp. I had no more strength to do anything but listen.
Phil was ranting. I couldn't understand half of what he said, but I caught some of it. He hated Renee. He had married her for her non-existent money. She was good for nothing to him. She was helpless. My heart broke for my mother.
It was as if everything had fallen in place in my head. I understood why Renee had been acting the way she had. Why she was so very angry with me when I arrived. She didn't want me here, to see the real Phil, and she didn't want me in Forks with the boy who had, in her mind, knocked me up. She was torn. She didn't know what to do. So she had done the only thing she knew how to do. Control everything and hope for the best. Unfortunately for her, she hadn't expected Phil's reaction to me being here. He didn't want me here, and now she was paying dearly for a mistake she didn't make. Guilt washed over me. This was my fault.
Slowly, as Renee's whimpers continued to find me outside, my guilt turned to rage. Rage at how Phil could possibly think he could hurt my mother. Rage that she let him. All through my growing up, she had been independent, never letting a man rule her life. Why now? Why wasn't she fighting him? Why had she given up? Why did she stay?
All of these questions flew through my head, and I couldn't answer them. I felt so helpless lying behind a bush, hiding. Was I doomed to run and hide behind something or someone for the rest of my life? I had run from James when he hunted me, but when I had gotten the chance I had run to face him on my own. I ran with Alice all the way to Italy to save Edward.I had stayed behind Edward when Victoria had tried to kill me, but when things had gone downhill in the fight I practically jumped at the opportunity to help him.Why wasn't I fighting back now? Renee had not raised me that way. She taught me to always stand my ground, yet here I was.
Something was wrong with me. The baby had me acting differently than I normally would. At any other time, I would be in the house, at least attempting to beat the crap out of that bastard. Now I was pregnant, vulnerable, and suffering from paralysis.
If Phil were to come outside and discover me, I would be defenseless. The helplessness rushed into me freely now, and I didn't like the feeling. I tried to stop the tears trickling out of my eyes in vain. Why was I left helpless now? When I needed the ability to fight most? Was this the child's sick way of keeping me safe?
"Please mother, be still. Be quiet. Be safe. For me."
Shock ran through me. What?
"Be still. Be quiet. Be safe."
What the hell is that supposed to mean? Hello?
The shouting was growing louder. Phil was moving toward the front door. All of the sudden, the screen door flew open and crashed against the side of the house causing a spray of splinters and siding to rain down on me. Phil stormed out of the house, each fall of his work boots vibrating loudly in my ears. He got into his car and sped off, tires squealing. I lay there on the ground, not breathing. Was he gone for good? Somehow I doubted it.
Slowly, my arms and legs began to come back to life. And with it my sobs were renewed. The pain dulled, and with it the sun, which had been a glowing crystal orb only moments before. I understood so much now.
All this time the aching pain hadn't been me longing for Edward and the rest of my family. It had been a warning to me. Phil posed a threat to me and the baby. And I had no way to keep myself safe.
Well I hope you liked it. Surprisingly this chapter wasn't that hard to write. I thought it would be. Until next time...
