Just a quick note to say there is some violence in this chapter, and I hope it offends no-one.


Chapter 12 – RPOV

I followed Vera into her house which was as tidy on the inside as it was outside. In the kitchen we found a little boy who was about eight months old, and I was guessing this was Vera's child. He was a very sweet child: with light brown downy curls and inquisitive blue eyes. It made me think of Bella at that age, and a wave of grief came over me before I pulled myself together and remembered this woman could help me to find her.

"Would you like some tea or something to drink?" she asked, however, as soon as the child saw his Mother he started to scream, and she sighed before picking him up and quieting the sobs, "You may have to wait a minute."

"I can take him if you want," I offered and she looked warily at me.

"He doesn't usually like strangers, but you can try I suppose," she said and passed him over to me, "His name's Henry."

"Hello gorgeous boy," I cooed and he smiled at me.

"That's a surprise," Vera told me but I just shrugged.

"I've always had a way with babies and children," I admitted, "And as weird as it might sound I'm technically his Aunt."

"That's just a bit too weird for now," she told me, and then blinked, "Hang on you must be that girl that Royce married and no-one approved of: I read about it in the paper."

"Yes, that's me," I sighed, bouncing baby Henry on my knee as he played with my bracelets, "The one and only Rosalie Hale."

"So why are you here if you married Royce; if you're trying to help him in some way get to me you had better leave now," she said turning defensive.

"Hold on, let me explain," I said and she reluctantly left her child with me, "Yes I married Royce but I was stupid and pregnant with his child. I never really, truly loved him and only now I know what real love is I see it was only in my mind I loved him. Anyway, as you probably know Royce can be very abusive and he stopped once we were married. However, he started on my daughter Isabella so we left him and now he's taken her away from me in a custody battle. Nevertheless, he didn't stop there and they've now disappeared: he has not told anyone where he's going, but has taken Bella and left."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, but I smiled at her.

"Don't be: it's not your fault," I told her and ran my hand through Henry's soft curls.

"I suppose you should hear my story then," she said sadly as she put down my cup of tea on the table and took a seat opposite.

"Only if you want to tell it."

"You deserve to hear it," she said firmly before looking fondly at her son, "Henry don't even think about it Mister," she chided as he reached up to pull my hair.

"He's scarily like Bella," I laughed and she put a hand on my arm sympathetically.

"Let me start with my first real memory from my childhood," she said and looked off into the distance, "I must have been three and our Nanny had just plaited my hair and put ribbons in it because we were going out, when Royce came in and told I looked stupid. He was three years older than me so I believed him and started to cry. Then he got a pair of scissors and just cut them off so when Mother came in to collect them she was furious and I was sent to bed with no meal whilst they went out. This pattern continued over the years, and it was always me that was punished even though it was always his fault. It was never too physical until the day when he turned eighteen and he had a huge party at some private club where he consumed more than his fair share of alcohol. The alcohol, as you probably know, made him enraged and he just went berserk. He arrived home and came to my bedroom wielding a knife and whilst I screamed he attacked me like I was just a piece of meat. Everyone ignored me as they always did, so it was only when our maid came to check my room early the next morning that was I found and rushed to hospital. Apparently if I'd have been left ten minutes longer, well I would not be sat here today."

She finished and I just stared at her in horror. I knew my ex-husband was violent, but to physically maim his own sister was just ridiculous. He had even less of a heart than I thought he did, and I worried for Bella now, more than before; I knew what he was capable of and that scared me.

"Did he not get arrested?" I asked finally.

"Of course not – he blamed the maid and threatened her with the deaths of everyone she loved if she didn't comply. I still visit her every week but there's nothing either of us can do: Royce has friends in all the right places," she said sadly before taking the sleeve of her jumper and rolling it up to her elbow.

I gasped as I saw the mutilated scars from where this beast of a man had harmed an innocent person on purpose. It made me sick to the stomach to think I had ever lived with him; shared a bed and a life for four years. How could he do something like this and not feel guilty? It was inhuman and wrong on every level. He needed to be locked up somewhere he would never escape from.

"It's hideous isn't it?" Vera said, taking me away from my thoughts, "I don't know how my husband can look at me. But, that's done and what I'm now worried about is your daughter... My niece."

"Is there anywhere Royce would be inclined to go?" I asked and she shook her head.

"He'll have connections everywhere which means he could be anywhere. Not necessarily in the United States at all, and don't bother checking airports as he'll have flown in a private plane from the families private airstrip."

I nodded: I had been on that plane and airstrip many a time so had already had the detectives check it out. I looked down at my lap where Henry gurgled happily on my knee; oblivious to everything happening around him.

"Here, let me take him as he's due a nappy change," she smiled and I passed him over to his Mother who kissed him lovingly like I did Bella, "Feel free to look around the house."

BPOV

The next day was a Saturday, and although it was a weekend I was informed there was Saturday school, so when the alarm went off at seven the other girls helped me find my uniform and took me down to breakfast with them.

I hadn't slept well: I missed Mama, especially if Daddy had already killed her, though I knew I would feel it when she really died. I also had what she would call jet-lag which made my brain hurt because it was so confusing. I wasn't that hungry either and didn't want to eat this foreign food so sat there, pushing my cereals round in a circle.

"You'd better eat that or Madame will get very angry," Svetlana whispered kindly to me and I smiled.

"I'm not that hungry," I whispered back.

"If you don't eat it she'll punish you and make you stand on the stool in front of the whole school during assembly," she replied and so I ate the soggy mush: forcing it down my throat.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Elodie asked me.

"No, it's just me, Mama and Mr Emmett at home," I replied.

"All of us are only children too," Annabelle smiled, "But who's Mr Emmett?"

"He's my teacher but Mama and I live with him because Daddy wasn't very nice," I said and they nodded.

"So why did they send you here?" Sofia questioned and Lara gave her a hard look.

"Don't worry; it wasn't them it was Daddy who sent me here and I just want my Mama to come and pick me up," I said as I felt the tears prickle my eyes.

"Don't cry," Lara said and put her arm around me, "You get used to your parents not being around: I only see mine twice a year for a week in the summer and my Birthday which is on Christmas."

The other girls nodded as though their situations were very similar. I felt sad for them not having a Mama like mine who loved me more than anything. Why would someone become a parent if they didn't want their child? I knew Mama wanted me and that made me happy.

"Is that picture by your bed your Mother?" Elodie asked once we returned to our rooms to brush our teeth.

"Yes, that's me and her at my Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper's wedding," I said and the other girls came over to look.

"She's beautiful," Sofia told me and the others nodded.

"Is she a model?" Svetlana said, "Because my Mummy was a model and she was beautiful like yours."

"No, she's a lawyer," I said as I realised that Svetlana was saying she didn't have a Mama anymore and that reminded me of what Madame Houston said yesterday.

I fought off the tears once more and followed the girls down the stairs where I was instructed to stay with them all day as our classes were the same because we were the only ones in our year. I didn't mind this, but they said our first class was French and I realised I didn't know any.

"Right class," the teacher Madame Vincent said as we sat at desks, "We're going to go through the clothing items we learnt last lesson. Now Isabella, do you know any French?"

I shook my head: ashamed, but she smiled and told me I'd catch up in no time and that Elodie would sit next to me because she was French so could help me.

The lesson passed in a blur of 'le' this and 'la' that, none of which I could really understand, so I wrote it all down: copying the teacher's letters onto the sheet she gave us and thought about what Mr Emmett's class were doing now. They were probably doing sums or alphabets, not learning another language like I was. I could see the empty desk next to Emma and wished she could be here with me; she'd like the other girls as well and she'd help me find Mama. I didn't want to ask the other girls yet, because I couldn't quite trust them at the moment.

RPOV

As I was wandering around, admiring the neatness of Vera's house I noticed some pictures on a bookshelf. They were the first set of photographs I'd seen in this house so I decided to take a look. There was one of Vera and her husband on what must have been their wedding day, one of baby Henry, a few of grandparents, then right at the back was a picture of a little girl with bunches making a snow angel in the snowy wilderness. As I looked closer I realised it was Vera and wondered why she had that picture of her childhood and no others.

"Which one are you looking at?" she asked, making me jump as she re-entered the room and put Henry on a play mat.

"The one of you as a child," I replied, willing my cheeks not to turn any redder.

"That's the one time in my childhood I remember being happy: it was taken by my Nanny when we were left alone because I'd been naughty again or something so my parents took Royce out alone. My Nanny knew it wasn't my fault at all so she let me out to play in the snow and took that picture of me," she smiled fondly at the memory.

"That's not New York is it: it never snows that much," I commented and her eyes lit up.

"How could I be so stupid?" she exclaimed and I gave her a puzzled look, "That was taken on a holiday at our family home in Russia. It was Royce's favourite place to go and I'm sure it was left in our parents will to him because everything was. I'd forgotten about it until now, but I can bet my bottom dollar that's where he's gone with your daughter."

I couldn't help but hug her as a huge smile appeared on my face. This was the first real lead we had and no-one could know Royce better than his sister. She hugged me back finally and celebrated with me.

"Thank-you, this means so much to me: you don't know how much it means. What can I ever do to repay you?" I gushed.

"Nothing except bring my niece back safely, but also get my brother behind bars," she told me forcefully and I nodded.

"I promise I will do that," I said before adding, "And would you mind being a witness at the trial because you're the only one who bears conclusive evidence of Royce's abuse?"

"Of course I will if it helps the cause."

"Thank-you so much again, but I'd better get going and relay the information," I said and we walked towards the door.

I paused to kiss Henry goodbye and promised I'd bring his cousin over to meet him, to which he gurgled, before Vera led me to the front door.

"Rosalie would it... Could I possibly have a picture of Bella to keep?" she asked timidly and I smiled.

"Definitely," I said and rummaged through my bag till I found a picture portraying my baby in her best light, "This was her last summer in Paris – her Aunt Alice had dressed her up and got her to pose in front of the Eiffel Tower."

"She's beautiful," Vera complimented, "She looks just like you, only she has my hair and eyes."

I smiled appreciatively at Vera. Before they were always Royce's hair and eyes, but his sister had the same complexion so everyone would be much happier if they were at root hers. She knew what she'd done and hugged me one more time, promising to keep in touch before I left.

Finally things looked up and something had gone my way. Everything else was in tatters around me, however, with this new found information, maybe I had the chance to get my baby back. I was certain that Royce would have taken her there: he wouldn't know I even knew about Vera and he'd never taken me to Russia or mentioned it so it was perfect in some ways. Nevertheless, he didn't realise how much I loved my daughter and how much I'd do for her because he would never do this in a million years.

BPOV

In the afternoon we had to attend a full school assembly which was held in the Chapel. Apparently because there were lots of different religions in the school we didn't have any sort of prayers, though if you did belong to a religious group then there were special sessions you could attend. I had never really been raised religiously so I didn't think I'd go, though Lara told me she went as her family was religious.

Madame who owned the school as far as I could tell, though no-one knew her last name took it and we all had to file in in single file and sit in special pews that were reserved for each year group. Apparently you had to be quiet the whole way through and no-one was allowed to sleep or leave.

Madame Houston led us in and sat me next to her because I was the newest. We stayed stood up until Madame entered and told us to sit. Then she started to tell us about the school and what was happening. I listened attentively until I felt something running down my face. Confused I put my hand to my face and realised my nose was bleeding. I tapped Madame Houston on the arm, but she shook her head apologetically.

By this time the blood was all down my front yet I was still not allowed to leave. Annabelle had passed me a tissue but it didn't last very long. Mama always knew what to do when this happened, and again I wished she were there. Finally Madame looked towards us and as she spotted me in my bloodied state she screwed her face up and came over to Madame Houston, saying something quietly but angrily to her. Madame Houston took my hand and led me out; all the girls turned to look at them until Madame shouted.

"I'm to take you to her office," Madame Houston told me and delivered me there with a box of tissues, "I'm not allowed to stay though. Sorry. I have to get back to the others or Madame will be even angrier."

I went in and sat down on a chair that was placed there. At the back of the room was another girl who looked older than I did. She turned when she saw me and came over.

"Hi," she said and I smiled before trying to wipe myself down and hold my nose, "Here let me help you. I'm Maddy by the way, and I don't care if Madame says it's Madeline because my name is Maddy."

"I'm Bella," I whispered as she wet a tissue with the tap and started to clean my face.

"Not Isabella then?" she grinned and I looked at her.

"Yes, I'm pretty much always in here so I hear everything," she told me.

"How old are you?" I asked her.

"I'm sixteen so I only have two more years left in this hell hole," she said, "I've been here since I was younger than you if you can believe that."

She went silent for a bit before talking again.

"Let me guess, you're in here because you had a nosebleed during assembly," she said and I confirmed it, "That woman. She punishes people for nothing. If your parents really dislike you she knows and she makes your life hell. I'm here because I looked at her funnily this time. It's just an excuse to torment children really."

"But my Mama loves me," I told her.

"I heard your Mother's, um, departed from this world," she said softly.

"No she's not. I won't believe it. Daddy just took me away from her and threatened me if I didn't choose to stay with him; now he's left me here," I explained and she nodded.

"That's tough. My parents don't care. I've seen them once and that was when we went to my cousins wedding – I didn't even know it was them until my cousin told me. But when I'm out of here I'm going to do whatever I want," she said.

At that point Madame came in and Maddy disappeared back to her seat with a wink in my direction. Madame glared at all the tissues and at Maddy's back.

"Madeline have you finished your work yet?" she asked sternly and I flinched.

"Yes Madame – it's on your desk," she replied.

"You insolent girl: how dare you assume it goes there just because you've been in here many times before. For that you will spend the rest of the day in here," then she turned towards me, "And you who disrupted my assembly. You will stay here and write out why you're sorry and what you did wrong until I say you can go."

"Yes Madame," I said quietly and she gave me some paper and a pen.

"Now get to work you girls or there will be more punishing things coming your way."

A few hours later Madame looked up from her desk and glared at me.

"Isabella I have just received correspondence that there is someone here to see you, so you will go and meet them in the parents room immediately," she ordered and told me where to go.

I couldn't believe Mama was here for me already. How did she find out? My heart raced excitedly as I all but ran along the corridors towards the room. I couldn't wait to tell her how much I loved her and how I would never ever leave her again. As I approached the door I took a deep calming breath and went in...

It wasn't Mama.

"Well Isabella," Daddy said as he turned to face me, "It seems you're in trouble already. That's not good enough, so I felt the need to come here and punish you myself, in a way that the teachers here cannot."

I took a step towards the door at these words, but he grabbed me and much like Miss Trunchbull in Matilda threw me across the room before picking up an old fashioned horse whip he had brought with him. He hit me repeatedly but I refused to scream. I would not give in to him, but he was relentless. Finally, as I was on the verge of unconsciousness he stopped: breathless and picked me up.

"You are to tell no-one about this," he whispered, bringing his face so close to mine I could smell the alcohol on his breath, "And if I hear of you getting in trouble again I will be back and it will be worse."

I couldn't imagine anything worse than this agony I was feeling, but I nodded and he put me down.

"I've told the lady in charge that you're looking too well fed, so you will be having separate mealtimes from now on and she will do as I say as I am paying her a fortune and we are good friends," he informed me, "Now get your act together you worthless rat or there will be hell to pay."

He left then and I stayed where I was; trying to ignore the throbbing from where he'd thrown me and the welts I could feel appearing on my skin. Then, holding my head up high I left the room and made my way to bed where I stayed until Madame came up; thoroughly enraged.

"What are you doing in here? You have not finished your punishment yet," she snarled, "But now you've disobeyed the rules so we'll have to teach you them."

She took me by the arm and led me down many corridors and up many stairs until we reached a room that was cold, bleak and damp. She took me in and sat me on a sparsely covered bed.

"You will stay here until you've learnt," she hissed, "And don't try and ask for help because I own this place and me and your Father are very old friends. Of course I know what went on between you two, but don't think I'll report it. In fact, I may have to call him back and tell him what you've done this time."

She laughed maliciously before walking out and locking the door behind me; leaving me alone in the cold, dark room.

RPOV

I burst into the hotel room smiling happily whilst I waved the address for the house in Russia about in the air. Vera had texted it to me so I could give it to my family who would then decide what to do with it. They'd probably get the team of Private Detectives to check it out first, but if there was one thing I knew, it was that I was going to be there when we found her no matter what.

"Jazzy, Eddie, Daddy," I laughed as I twirled into the room, "Look what I've found!"

I jumped into Jasper's arms and he spun me around as he had done ever since he'd grown taller than me. As he put me down and Edward hugged me tightly I noticed another person sat in the corner of the room. My jubilation faded and my smile dropped as he stood up and picked up his coat.

"I'll be back tomorrow to help with that then," Emmett said as he headed for the door and passing me added, "Rosalie."

How I missed him. It cut me like a knife: this frigid formality and his lack of words. I'd lost my daughter and also the best person ever to come into my life, yet he was still here which made it almost worse. It killed me to see him walk away again, but there was nothing I could do until he wanted to talk to me.

"So Dozy-Rose what have you got for us?" My Father asked as he tried to ease the awkwardness in the air.

"I have the address for Royce's family house in Russia where Vera said he would most likely go," I said as I was pulled back into the present, "And I'm an Auntie."

Jasper turned pale at this:

"You mean Alice's pregnant," he whispered as he sat down.

"No silly," I scolded, "Vera is Royce's sister and I was married to him which makes her my sister-in-law and Bella's Auntie, but her little baby Henry is my nephew too."

"Oh darling I'm so happy for you," My Mother exclaimed as she entered the room, "You have another little one to spoil now. Oh, do you think this Vera would mind us being replacement Grandparents?"

"Okay, calm down – let's not think about that quite yet until we have our first grandchild back in this country love," Daddy said as Jasper and I rolled our eyes at each other.

"Now let's get this all sorted out," Edward stepped in, taking control of the situation, "Edna has agreed to help us if it means getting her 'beloved Roycey' back so we boys will work with her, and we'll give this information to the team to go and get Bella."

"Hang on," I interjected, "I'm going with the team to get my baby. I promise I'll stay out of danger, but I am going with them. Bella will not leave with them – she'd too well trained and I can handle her whilst they get Royce or do whatever they have to do with him."

"What! You are not going Rosalie Hale; it's too dangerous," Jasper exclaimed, "Dad tell her she's delirious."

"No, I agree with Rose. She needs to go for Bella's sake, but also her own. And darling, we're not kidnapping Royce or taking him hostage. He'll come back when the Court summons him because otherwise the Police will be after him," My Father said and I hugged him tightly.

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Rose-petal," Daddy said kissing the top of my head, "But you need to go and pack."


I hope you are enjoying reading this story - it'll start getting happier from here. Tell me what you think! Thank-you, XxX