Chapter 21: A Lie

Three weeks passed since Bella last saw Jack, the three worse weeks of her life. Edward did his best to comfort her and she could tell that he missed Jack as much as she did.

One day, Bella was sitting in Carlisle's study when Carlisle came in. He was able to sneak home during the night safely without being seen by any of the other vampires. "How are you holding up?" He asked. Bella looked at him for a second.

"I haven't seen my son seven-month-old son in three weeks, how do you think I'm holding up Carlisle?" She asked.

Carlisle nodded as he stood behind his son's girlfriend and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Everything's going to be okay, Bella, we'll find James before he can hurt you again," he told her.

"Stop promising that because you don't know. We don't know how many vampires is on James's side," she answered.

She stood up and looked at the man that she thought of as a second father. "You can't keep promising me that everything's going to be okay when it's not! He's after me, he will keep coming after me. I don't know what I did to make him come after me but he is!" She exclaimed. Tears were pressing hard against her eyes. "It's all my fault that this is all happening…if it weren't for me you guys would still be human. If it weren't for me none of this would've happened!" She exclaimed. Carlisle grabbed her arms.

"Bella stop," he told her, anger showing on his face.

Bella stopped and stared at him. "If it weren't for you my son would still be miserable. If it weren't for you there would be no Jack. You brought this family closer together Bella. It was not your fault we were attacked, it wasn't your fault we were changed," he insisted. Bella closed her eyes and let out a shaky sigh. "Bella, you are part of this family now, we protect our family," he told her. Bella sniffled.

"I want my son back, Carlisle," she answered.

He sighed as he pulled her into his arms, hugging her gently. "I know," he told her.

(Later that Day)

Bella was sitting on the couch when Edward walked over and sat next to her. "Hey," he murmured.

"Edward if you ask if I'm okay I'm going to punch you," she told him.

"Not that it will affect me but I wasn't going to ask that anyways," he answered with a small grin.

Bella sighed as she leaned against him. "Could you just hold me please," she whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Do you think Jack's okay?" She asked.

"He has his teddy bear uncle, I'm sure he's fine," he replied smiling.

She sighed, closing her eyes.

After awhile, Bella was going to call Rosalie's cell phone when her phone began to ring. "Hello?" she answered nervously. Her eyes widened in horror when a baby's cries could be heard over the phone.

"I think I have something that belongs to you," James said into the phone.

"You sick son of a bitch," she hissed quietly.

"No, no, no, play nice," James answered.

Bella sighed. "Meet me in the abandoned warehouse in at 4:00 you know what I'm talking about and you'll get Jack back safe and sound," he assured her. Bella closed her eyes. "You play nice and you can get Jack back," he told her.

"Fine," she answered quietly.

"Better figure out a way to get by your vampire family," he sneered.

Bella silently agreed before hanging up. She looked around and let out a deep breath. Alice and Edward had gone hunting, leaving her there with Jasper. She grabbed her jacket and quietly left the house.

(Warehouse)

Bella wrapped her jacket tightly around her body as she walked inside. She heard a baby crying and ran inside. "Jack!" She called, running down the hall. She went into a large room as the cries echoed off the wall. She ran towards the closet and ripped it open only to find a tape recorder inside. Her heart sank…it was a trap. She heard an evil chuckle and turned around to see James there. "Jack wasn't even here," he commented. Her heart sank even lower when he shoved her up against the wall.

"Nope…sorry…needed something to get you away from your friends though," he commented.

Bella swallowed when he pinned her against the wall. "You make it so easy," he whispered, moving his finger along her cheek. She looked from side to side, trying to find a way out. Tears pressed hard against her eyes. "And no Edward here to save you this time," he sneered. Bella let her pepper spray drop from her sleeve and she sprayed him in the eyes with it. It distracted him enough to run from him, but right as she got close to the door, he dropped down in front of her. She let out a scream before he grabbed her by her jacket and threw her across the room.

(Outside)

Edward was running down the street with Alice. "Where the hell is she Alice?!" he snapped.

"I just saw a warehouse, that's it!" She answered.

"There's a thousand damn warehouses in this fucking town!" He exclaimed.

"JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!" She shouted.

"BELLA MIGHT NOT HAVE A MINUTE!" He shouted back.

Alice froze and her eyes widened. "Alice?" He asked. His twin sister spun around and pointed across the room.

"There!" She told him.

Edward ran as fast as he could, not caring he was going vampire speed, into the warehouse.

He ran up the stairs. "BELLA!" He shouted. Edward ran through a door and he saw a limp form on the floor. "Oh God no…" he murmured. He ran over and dropped down next to her prone form. "Bella? Bella, can you hear me? Come on baby wake up," he insisted, his hands on her bloodied face. Bella opened her eyes for a brief second.

"Jack…not…here…" she whimpered.

Edward closed his eyes tight, cursing James for what he had done to her again. He touched her chest, her heartbeat was slowing down. "No!" he hissed. He picked her up and ran out of the warehouse with her.

(Cullen House)

Edward was sitting by the bed, holding Bella's hand while Carlisle looked at her. "Edward…there isn't anything I can do," he said sadly.

"What?! There has to be something?!" Edward insisted.

Carlisle looked at him. "No, no way! I'm not doing that to her," he told his father.

"She's dying. Her injuries are too extensive," Carlisle answered.

Edward closed his eyes. "Edward you better make a decision and you better make it now!" he snapped, anger showing in his eyes. Edward leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Bella's.

"I'm sorry, God please forgive me for what I am about to do," he whispered.

Edward carefully moved Bella's head to the side, exposing her neck to him. He let out a deep breath. "Bella forgive me for what I'm about to do," he added. He leaned forward and his teeth sank into her skin.

Carlisle stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him just as Bella's screams filled the entire house.

Edward moved more onto the bed and held Bella in his arms, pressing his forehead against the side of her head. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Bella," he told her over and over again. While Bella was screaming in pain, he carefully got up from the bed and walked over to the door, locking it. He stayed locked in the room with Bella for the next three days, comforting her as she went through her burning torture from the venom coursing through her body.