DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended. Additionally, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" belongs to Dylan Thomas. No copyright infringement is intended.
Previously:
"D-dad?" He took two steps toward me then stopped. I could see the indecision, his desire to come to me warring with his uncertainty with what I could handle. Just the sight of him brought tears to my eyes again. "Daddy." That jarred him from his stupor, and he rushed toward me pulling me into his arms.
"Oh God, Bella." He crushed me to his chest holding me as tight as he could. It was a little hard to breathe, but I wasn't complaining. I felt safe and loved in his arms. I hadn't felt that in years.
Once I'd pulled myself together and Charlie had felt like he could let me go, the woman that had stopped the men approached us. She stood a few feet away and spoke softly in a kind voice. She introduced herself as Esme Cullen, a Victim Specialist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She explained that all she wanted right now was to get me to a doctor. Everything else could wait. I appreciated that more than she'd know; I was already feeling overwhelmed as it was.
"Wait," I said when she turned to leave when it dawned on me. "Aunt. Aunt, right?" She smiled and reached up to pat Edward's cheek affectionately.
"Proud to be," she said as she smiled at him with love. She reached for a man to her right. The blonde gentleman stepped to her side. "This is my husband, Carlisle. Carlisle, this is Bella." The man held his hand out, and after a short hesitation I shook it.
"It's nice to meet you," he said. I could detect a slight British accent. "Edward has told us so much about you."
"Uncle Carlisle," Edward admonished causing Esme to giggle.
"Oh Edward, hush," she said as she hit his chest playfully. "Let's get you to the hospital now, okay?" I nodded. Charlie stepped to my side.
"I'll be there the whole time, Bells. I'm not letting you out of my sight," he said. I just nodded, still trying to wrap my head around everything.
"Well, mate," Carlisle said as he laid a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Let's head to my office. Agent Acker needs to speak with you about the escape." I froze, but within seconds Edward was squeezing my arm.
"I'm going to head to the hospital with Bella," Edward said. "Once she's settled, maybe." I let out a breath. I knew eventually he would have to go back to his life, but I needed him to stick around for just a little bit longer. I needed to know if I could trust these people before he left me.
"That's fine. But tomorrow is Sunday. Don't forget you're expected at the house," Esme said while she looked at him pointedly. Carlisle and a few men turned to leave while Edward, Charlie, two men, and I followed Esme to a blacked-out SUV.
"Tomorrow?" I asked Edward after we were inside and on our way.
"Family dinner. Every Sunday," he said then reached up to pull my hand from my arm. I hadn't even realized I was scratching.
The next few days were a blur. Once we got to the hospital, I was put through every test imaginable. I had to talk to the doctor about everything I'd gone through over the last three years. Esme stayed with me the entire time, and that was both humiliating and comforting. I appreciated having someone there, someone that wasn't my dad or another male. But this was Edward's aunt. I wasn't sure how Edward felt, but I had hoped we could at least remain friends. If that were to happen, then Esme was going to be a part of my personal life. I didn't want her to think bad of me, but as she found out what I'd done…there was no way she'd think I was good enough to be part of her nephew's life.
After the tests, they hooked me up to an IV and starting administering medication. I fought them at first, tired of being poked against my will. Esme explained, though, that I was dangerously malnourished. She didn't realize this was normal life for me. The doctor said the IV would help get the right nutrients into my system. Once the IV was started, they also administered all kinds of medicine. She explained each thing they were giving me, but all that really registered was antibiotic and something about treating for STIs. That just started a new round of tears.
By the second day, I was jonesing for another hit. Esme recognized the signs and asked me about it. I had tried to keep it from her. The doctor knew, and I'm sure Esme did too, but she already knew I was a slut. I had hoped to keep the fact I was a junkie to myself. She tried to assure me that it didn't change her opinion of me, but I knew if it didn't now, it would if Edward and I became friends. The doctor gave me something she said would help with the withdrawal. It made me tired, so I slept a lot.
I had trouble keeping track of the days. There were so many people that came to see me including a psychiatrist that wanted to talk with me every day about the things that had happened while I was gone. Charlie stayed at a hotel across the street from the hospital. He said he'd taken a leave of absence so he could be here for me. I had no idea what I was going to do when I was released from the hospital. I couldn't go back to Forks though. If there was any chance they knew who I was and where I was from, I couldn't take the chance.
Edward came to visit me at least once a day. He may not have stayed long, but he always brought a game or something fun for us to do. His visits were low-key with no expectations. He didn't ask about my time away or my recovery. We just spent time getting to know each other. It was the levity I needed to break up the monotony of the day.
On day nine, Esme came into my room after breakfast with a smile on her face. The smile wasn't unusual, but there was a glint in her eye different from the other days. She sat on the bed beside me and took my hand into her own.
"How do you feel about getting out of here?" she asked. I could only stare. Out?
"What do you mean?" I asked. "Like an outing?" She shook her head.
"There's no reason for you to stay here. It's time to leave the hospital for good."
"But-" I didn't know what to say. "How? I don't have a place to stay. I don't have a job. I don't-"
"Deep breath, Bella." She reached forward and ran her fingers through my hair. "I know this seems like a daunting ordeal. There's a big world out there that you'll have to learn to live in again. I understand that." I turned to look at the window as the city started to wake up. "You are not going to be alone though. We have someone that you're going to live with for a bit while you get back on your feet. It's a couple actually, the Hales. They are trained to do this; it's their job. They know that you're a survivor of human trafficking, but they don't know any details. That is your story to tell when you're ready."
"Do you know this couple?" I asked after she was quiet for a few minutes.
"I do. They've helped three other women in similar situations before. The man, Emmett, is former military, so he's great to have around for protection. The woman, Rosalie, is a life coach. She has a few clients, mostly working with the wealthy so she doesn't keep a long client list. She likes to focus on the women she helps like you."
"Do you…do you think I'm ready?" She tugged on my hand to get me to look at her.
"Honestly?" I nodded. "No one's ever ready. You just have to make the choice to try. It's not easy, but with time it gets easier."
"Does Charlie know?" She took a breath.
"I explained to Charlie how this works. He may not be happy about it, but he understands. He wants you safe, happy, and healthy. He knows this is the way to get you there."
By the end of the day, I was ready to go. The doctor had been in to do a last check, and the psychiatrist had been by to talk to me about our daily appointments she had set aside. Edward had been by briefly. He had a day full of meetings at work so he was only there long enough to give me lunch. He'd made taco soup when he found out it was my favorite. He seemed so proud of himself, and when Esme walked in to find what he'd done, she beamed brightly and hugged him. The tips of his ears turned red before he made his excuses to leave. I stopped him though and asked Esme to excuse us.
"Is everything okay?" he asked as he moved the chair closer to the bed.
"I, um…I'm leaving," I said. His brow furrowed before he wiped the expression from his face and sat back rigidly.
"That's good." I picked at the blanket covering my legs.
"Your aunt has someone for me to stay with here in Seattle." He seemed to relax a little at that point. "I don't know how it's going to go since I don't know anyone here."
"You know me." He sat forward and took my hand. "You know Alice. She may not know you're back yet, but when she finds out, you know you won't be able to get rid of her." We both laughed. He was correct; Alice was a force to be reckoned with when I knew her. From what I could gather, that hadn't changed about her since.
"I'm scared." He seemed to be one of the only people to whom I could admit this. He sat on the bed and pulled me into his arms.
"I can only imagine what this is like for you, and it's okay to be scared. You just have to remember that you have quite a few people out there that are going to support you and help you in any way we can." I reluctantly pulled back so I could see him.
"Will you only be there to help me, or do you want to be my friend?" I held my breath as I waited for his answer. I'd wanted to ask him for a few days but was apprehensive of the answer. What if he was just here to get me on my feet? What if he didn't want anything to do with me outside of this situation?
"Bella, I want you to listen close." He paused, and I nodded once I'd prepared myself for the rejection. "I will help you because you're my friend. You mean a lot to me. I'm going to be a part of your life because I want to be. I want to get to know you better, and this is not out of some misplaced sense of obligation. I have a desire to be a part of your life, no matter how you came into mine. Got it?" I smiled and nodded. Only time would prove his words, but I had a feeling he was telling the truth.
"Got it."
AN 09/23/18: The end...for now. I don't have a date for when I will start posting the sequel. I only have about six chapters written, so I'm no where near being ready to post. I want at least 75% of it written before I start posting it for you. Let me know your theories, your questions, things you really what to know so I can consider it when writing.
What do you think about this last chapter? Excited about the team that's surrounding Bella? We'll hear more from each of them, including Charlie, in the sequel. And Alice doesn't know Bella is home yet. You'll get to see that reunion.
Thank you to everyone that read and everyone that reviewed. I loved hearing from you. I hope this story opened your eyes to something that you may not have really thought about before. It's a topic that not may people think about but happens in all of our backyards. And while we get a happy ending and Bella makes it home, it's important to remember that 99% of human trafficking victims don't. 99%! Please be aware of what's happening around you.