DISCLAIMER. PLEASE READ: The next two chapters hold a court sentencing. As I was researching information I came across a real life court case. I will not be mentioning the case simply because I feel as though it's disrespectful to the family included. I have changed the words etc to fit my story, however the layout is loosely based around what I saw in the video. I am not a lawyer nor have I studied law and so everything that I include in the chapter came from information that I found online. The charges and sentencing are based off of Oregon laws, so please don't come at me if you feel like the years are too high or not high enough. Most states have a different punishment system.

This chapter holds scenes from the past and the present day. The scenes from the past will be in italics; they will be day-dotted but please make sure you are paying attention.

Warning: there will be descriptions or scenes that some may find hard to read.

Hereafter
Chapter 27

May 18th, 2018.
Bella.

Ever since I was a kid in school, I have always loved Fridays. Despite how much I loved my job, you can't beat that weekend feeling - you made it through the week and now you only have one more shift to go.

This morning was no different. My alarm went off at 07:05 as always, and within ten minutes I was in the shower washing my hair. I spent my time in the shower pondering over the day ahead of me and the plans I had for the weekend - I knew that I needed to call Jake at one point but that was the only thing out of the ordinary. I had been meaning to phone him for weeks, so I had finally added it to my planner.

I didn't take too long in the shower, and decided to forgo shaving my legs which made the whole experience much quicker. There was no reason why I couldn't shave tomorrow, and it wasn't like anyone was going to see them anyway. With the extra five minutes I had saved, I decided to put some effort into my appearance; I chose a smarter looking outfit and tied my hair up into a bun on top of my head. My make-up was simple, but for once I liked what I saw when I looked in the mirror.

Someone once told me that if you start your day off right, everything will be smooth sailing from then on. I don't know how true that statement is, but I suppose I would soon find out.

0-0

June 11th, 2019.

I used to love Fridays.

I would wear make-up on Fridays and my clothes consisted of blouses and smart pants instead of jeans and t-shirts. I don't know why I chose that day in particular to put effort into my appearance - it just happened that way.

I no longer love Fridays.

My wardrobe contained leggings, yoga pants, and hoodies that were way too big for me. I haven't worn make-up in over a year, and my hair hung lifeless down my back. I no longer pay attention to my appearance. Just as long as I can make it through a day, that is good enough for me. Today we were driving to Oregon for the court date, and it had been a long time since I last felt this scared.

For weeks Dad and Edward have been helping me with my speech. We have it all written out in full, and for hours on end I would read it aloud either with my headphones on or my headphones off. I had a feeling that I could do this, and I knew that if I didn't do this James won't be given the maximum sentence, however the fear still likes to trickle through me. I have suffered many a broken bone all because I opened my mouth in his presence, and now I need to do it again. I know that he can't hurt me physically, but he'll always have the ability to hurt me mentally.

Angela has offered me some tips and tricks to use before and after the sentencing, and Edward's parents have agreed for us to stay with them throughout our time there. It would make it slightly easier for me if I stayed in a familiar place. A new building would only add to my already severe anxiety.

I had a few things to look forward to - I would be seeing Esme, Carlisle and Nora again, and possibly Alice and Jasper. They are still practically strangers to me, however I do miss them, and Edward is constantly telling me that they are asking how I am and sending me their love. Most importantly I will finally be meeting baby Daisy. She is six months old now, and I love babies when they are at that age. My hope is get a cuddle and maybe even a smile from her.

We will be in Oregon for five days in total, and have planned a day or two either side of the court case to prepare ourselves and get relaxed. I keep telling myself that if I can get through the next few days, then I can accomplish anything that life throws at me.

We had decided to take Edward's car instead of the cruiser, mainly because of the size. Edward said that he was more than happy to drive there and back, and so Charlie will sit in the back seats with Luna and I will sit in the front. I prefer sitting in the front passenger seat because that way I get a full view of where we're going and I don't feel as cramped. I no longer feel as anxious in the car, however I'm used to the ten minute drives around town and not the five hour road trips. Charlie has made sure that everything is packed and organized, including a bag that mainly contains snacks for me to pick at when I need to. Along with my favorite Swedish Fish, I also have chips, dark chocolate and a fresh punnet of strawberries.

There is a high chance that my hunger may vanish and so Heidi said that if I have my chosen snacks beside me then I may be more inclined to eat them throughout the day. Esme had sweetly asked for my meal plan, but as long as I am given nutritious foods then it won't be a problem.

0-0

"Anything you need before we go, Bells?" Charlie had found me in the kitchen as I slipped my feet into the slipper-boots that Alice had bought for me.

"I'm… okay."

"Good. Well Edward should be here in a minute, so I'm going to let Luna out into the back yard and then we'll be on our way."

It was still fairly early in the morning and so I had just finished my second breakfast and had completed my stretches for the day. I had found that my stretches were getting easier and that they had really helped my stability - I no longer needed an aid as I walked, and I could stand for a longer period of time without needing to hold onto anything. My favorite thing to do was to track the difference in my appearance - I love nothing more than to watch how my arms fill out along with my boney hands and feet. I still cannot see much of a difference in my chest and stomach, but apparently that is the last thing to change. Which is ironic if you think about it - it is so easy to put weight on around your stomach, but not when you need to gain it.

Everything was sorted and ready to go by the time that Edward turned up outside. I could feel the tell-tale signs of panic rising, but I had just taken my medication and so hopefully that would stop anything from happening. Luna guided me towards the car where Edward was stood waiting for us.

"Hey, sweetheart." He smiled and gave me a brief hug. His hugs always made me feel slightly better; especially when he gave me a kiss on the head too.

"Hi."

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"Okay." My answer was an honest one. I wasn't excited for the trip, nor was I terrified.

I made myself comfy in the car as Edward helped Charlie pack all the bags into the trunk and then made sure that Luna was settled in safely. She had grown so much since our last trip to Oregon, but seeing how Nora manages in the car told me that Luna should be just fine. She lay across the seats directly behind the driver's seat, which made it easier for me to reach back and touch her if I needed to.

"Are you good to go?" Edward asked as he pulled the seatbelt across his front. He wore a gray V-neck sweater and blue jeans. Edward always seemed to dress semi-smartly. I liked that about him. When my true feelings became apparent to me I had noticed many things that I liked about him. It had annoyed me at first when he hadn't picked up on my obvious hints, but I continued to drop them from time to time, and so hopefully he'll realize what I was trying to say. I thought it would have been as clear as day when I said that I had feelings for someone I hadn't known for that long, but guys see things differently.

At first I was worried that perhaps he did understand but that he didn't want to hurt my feelings. I suppose I wouldn't be anyone's first pick. Even in high school nobody ever asked me to go to prom with them. Edward probably didn't see me in that light, and I was more like a little sister than anything else.

I made a mental note to ask Rose and Alice about it. I've never had girlfriends to discuss this stuff with, and I'm sure they'd offer the perfect advice.

As we drove away from the house Charlie told me where the first stop was and how long it would be before we got there. I replayed that information over and over in my head as a way to calm myself. It almost works like a countdown - work through the first hour, and then continue the process until we had arrived at our destination.

On that dreaded day, when I had been literally thrown into the back of James' car, it felt like I was in there for days. I don't know if I'd ever be comfortable travelling to Oregon again, but at least this time I had a window to look out of and I no longer had a gun pressed against my temple.

0-0

May 18th, 2018.

I was in the kitchen with twenty-five minutes to spare before I had to leave for work. I always left at eight o'clock, and it only took me ten minutes to get there, however I needed to give myself time to relax before my shift started at eight-thirty. I remember I once left five minutes later than planned and the anxiety that ran through me was like nothing I have ever experienced before. This schedule works for me, so I see no reason to change it.

I always make sure to eat something before I leave; whether that be a granola bar or a bowl of cereal. As a kid I used to be terrible at skipping breakfast. Usually Mom would still be in bed when I left for school, so she never noticed or cared, but when I moved in with Charlie he was adamant that I changed my ways. I suppose that was when I began my routines, and I couldn't thank him enough for it.

It was as I was taking some milk from the fridge that I noticed I hadn't made my lunch the night before. On Fridays, when my food supply was getting low, I usually grabbed lunch from the deli across the street from the bookstore. I had just the right amount of cold meats to make up a sandwich, and I liked to save money where I could, so I decided last minute to quickly throw some food together for lunch.

That was one of two mistakes that I had made that morning, but I wouldn't know that until it was too late.

0-0

June 11th, 2019.

To my surprise, I managed to arrive at Carlisle and Esme's house without having a single panic attack. It only had just gone three o'clock by the time we pulled up, and so the summer sun still shone brightly in the sky. I looked as though I was dressed up for winter, but everyone else walked around in light clothing. I couldn't wait to enjoy the summer again.

"My darling!" Esme cheered as she brought Edward in for tight hug. It must have been hard for them with Edward living further away now, so it was nice to see how much they loved their son.

Charlie and Carlisle greeted each other, but I was quickly distracted when Nora was seen running from the house and down towards the car. I managed to have the door open just in time for her to say hello in her own special way. Nora rested her two front paws on my knees and licked my cheeks excitedly.

"Hi Nora." I chuckled.

"Nora must have known that you were coming," Carlisle smiled. "She has been hyper all morning."

Once Luna had been let free from the car, the dogs distracted themselves by running around and chasing each other.

"Do you want me to call Luna over?" Carlisle asked as he held out his arm for me to take as I stood from the car. I was very touched that he had asked that.

"It's okay… I… can do it."

"Bella." Esme came over to our side and, like with Edward, continued to give me a hug. "You look amazing."

"Thank you."

"Now, let's get you inside, shall we? We can leave the boys to unload the car!"

The distance from the car to the house wasn't far, and I could have managed it unaided, however the stones made it slightly more difficult. I had only taken two steps before I realized how unsteady my feet were on the uneven ground. "Esme…" My voice was quiet, like I was too scared to ask for help.

"Yes?"

"Can I…?" I held out my hand in a silent plea.

"I'm so sorry; I should have offered you my arm in the first place."

"It's okay."

I held onto her arm until we had reached the house, and then we both made our way into the living room where a special armchair had been set up just for me. It had a blanket resting over the top and a couple of plush cushions placed delicately against the back of the seat. "Thank you." I would have been fine with the couch, but the fact that she had put so much effort into making that seat as comfortable as possible meant a lot to me.

"You only deserve the best, my sweetheart."

0-0

May 18th, 2018

It never seemed to matter the time of year - it will always be raining in Forks.

The light drizzle had started up as I was washing my cereal bowl. My rain jacket was upstairs in my closet, and I suppose I could have left it there, but knowing my luck the light rain would turn into a monsoon the second I left the house.

Like with the sandwiches, I took an extra minute to turn back around to collect said jacket. This was my second mistake of the day. I was still leaving on time, however had I decided against those ideas I would have left my house a few minutes earlier, and my day would have taken a different route.

I was heading towards my truck when I noticed the woman walking along the sidewalk. She was a complete stranger to me, so I paid her no attention and left it at that. I was searching for the keys to my truck when she first spoke to me.

"Can you help me?" She asked. That was when I looked up and noticed how dirty her clothes were, and how out of control her fiery red hair appeared to be. This poor woman looked as though she had just escaped from hell, and suddenly I no longer cared if I was late for work. She was in desperate need of some help, and I wasn't the sort of person to ignore that. "Please?" She begged.

"O-of course. My dad is the Chief - he'll be more than happy to help you." I had no idea what this lady had been through, however Charlie was the best person to call. Perhaps she had been held hostage and had somehow found the courage to escape? Who knew something like that would happen here?

At least I was the first person she came across.

I was looking for my cell phone and had been deciding whether or not to take her inside, when I felt a force hit against my arm. Before I knew it, the lady had grabbed my bag and was pulling it away from my shoulder.

"Hey!" I called, doing my best to keep a tight hold onto the straps. "Look, I'll help you, but I need to call my dad!"

"I'm so sorry…" She whispered, dropped a hold of my bag, and used all of her strength to push me against the side of my truck.

Before I could say another word, she slapped her hand against my mouth. "Hey!" My words were muffled by her palm. "Stop it!"

"Shut your fucking mouth." She sneered into my ear. "Do as you're told, or you'll live to regret it."

Despite what she had told me, I continued to scream and cry with the hope that someone would hear me.

I thought my prayers had been answered when the heavy sound of an engine was heard pulling up behind us. My neighbors often leave for work the same time as I do, so I had imagined that one of them had seen the attack and had parked up to help.

Her hand slipped from my mouth and I felt the weight ease as she pushed herself away from me.

"I don't have much, but the bag is yours if -." My rambles came to a halt when I noticed that the person who had pulled over was not a neighbor. Instead it was a man, unwashed and unkempt like the lady, with an evil grin painted across his face.

"You brought a snack…"

0-0

June 12th, 2019.

It was clear to see that Emmett and Rosalie were born to be parents.

Emmett's usual childlike behavior shone whenever he held his daughter, or made her smile and giggle. Daisy's favorite game involved clawing her tiny hand into his mouth and he would pretend to nibble on her fingers. Emmett made animated noises and had a playful gleam in his eyes.

Daisy is the perfect mix of both her parents; with crystal blue eyes and light blonde hair that had started to curl at the back of her head. She was only six months old, and so new faces were still daunting to her, but her confidence grew the longer that we sat here. Everybody had arrived, and even though various conversations were started, we were easily distracted. I appreciated the distraction, mainly because it kept the focus away from what was happening Monday afternoon.

After a while people started to leave the room in order for them to get work done, lunch made, and to complete other mundane tasks. Rosalie and Alice stayed with me which gave me the perfect opportunity to discuss my issues concerning Edward. We were all sat close together which meant that I could talk quietly without the fear of Edward hearing me.

"Can I… ask a question?"

"Of course." Rosalie replied as she unclipped one side of her nursing bra in order to feed a rather grouchy Daisy. It amazed me at how comfortable she was feeding Daisy in front of everyone. I mean, I know that she's around family, but I don't think I'd be that confident exposing myself like that.

"Um…" I wasn't sure how to word it. All of the questions sounded so childish and petty.

"Bella, you can ask us anything." Alice reassured me.

"How…" No, that doesn't sound right. "When… did you…" Argh! My fluster had caused the words to get lodged in my throat. I pulled at my hair in frustration as I found my trusty notepad and pen and scribbled down my question.

When did you know that Emmett and Jasper had feelings for you?

Both sisters read the note and gave each other the same excited smiles. I would have rolled my eyes if I wasn't so confused and irritated by everything.

Alice answered first. "I scared Jasper away when we first met - I knew he was it for me, and I refused to give up until he realized that. Then one day he asked me out to dinner, and we've been together ever since!"

I appreciated the answer, however it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Fortunately, Rosalie's response was more helpful.

"Emmett saved me from a dark depression after I had managed to escape my abusive ex-boyfriend. I never saw myself loving anyone ever again, but his care and protection quickly changed that for me. I knew he had feelings for me when he would appear at my parent's house with flowers and chocolates, just because I liked them."

Edward sometimes buys me ice cream and candy? Does that work the same way? I remember Rosalie saying that our stories were somewhat similar, but the part about care and protection really tied our stories together.

"Bella," Alice sat forward in her seat. "What made you ask us this?"

I think they both knew the answer, but I wrote it down regardless.

I need help. My feelings towards Edward have changed, but I feel like he doesn't see me the same way.

Alice let out a loud laugh which didn't sit well with myself or Daisy. She quickly apologized before explaining the reason behind her outbreak. "My brother may be incredibly smart, but he's an idiot. All men are idiots; their brains don't operate the same way ours do. I believe that Edward has an idea, but until he admits it to himself then nothing can be real or true."

"You… think?"

"Absolutely! Do you think he would move his entire life around if you weren't so important to him?"

She had a point, I guess.

"Have you said anything to him?" Rosalie asked, to which I nodded. "What did you say?"

I had to rely on my paper once again.

I said that I wanted to go on a date with someone, but I hadn't known them for very long. I don't think he understood what I was trying to say.

"Like I said - he's an idiot."

"What… do I do?"

Rosalie adjusted the way that Daisy sat on her lap as she offered me her advice. "Honestly? I'd say to keep doing what you're doing. He's different around you - we haven't seen this side of him before."

Their words gave me hope.

Hope that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't alone in this mess.

0-0

May 18th, 2018.

"Her dad's a fucking cop!" She spat.

That was when I realized that I was in deep, deep trouble.

Running on autopilot, I turned on my heel to try and escape the situation, when the lady grabbed a hold of my wrist. She was much stronger than I first thought and all of a sudden I was scared that she was going to break a bone.

Everything after that happened in a blur; the man took over and all but dragged me towards the parked car. I tried as hard as I could to fight him off, but every time that I moved he would hold on tighter. Charlie always made sure that I carried a can of pepper spray in my bag, and I used to think that it was the most ridiculous, embarrassing thing to have in my possession. Unfortunately, the one time that I needed it, I didn't have it.

The lady, with my bag hung off of one arm, opened up the trunk of the SUV and I was flung inside like a garbage bag. Before I could scramble away, or even make a noise, the icy cold steal of a gun was pressed against my head. My breathing came out in heavy, uneven pants. I couldn't remember ever being more scared in my life. I hadn't given much thought to how I would die, but it was suddenly staring me in the face.

The unnamed man took a hold of my neck, still with the gun in his hand, and brought his face in closer. "If I hear you make a single noise, I'll blow your fucking brains out. Do you understand?" A rotten smell wafted from his mouth as he spoke. I was close to throwing up, but I had no idea whether it was because of fear, or the stench.

"Tie her hands up!" He whispered his order and moved away to give the lady the space to complete her task. Despite the fact that she was tying my hands behind my back, the man continued to grip and squeeze my neck. I even sent up another prayer to God basically saying that if I was going to die anyway, I would prefer it to be from suffocation.

If there really is a God up there somewhere, he must have been busy that day.

The man let go of my neck, only so that they could flatten out a thick piece of industrial tape over my mouth. I knew I shouldn't have said a word, however when your mouth is literally taped shut, you can't help but call out and scream.

"Ah, ah, ah…" He smirked and pointed the gun directly between my eyes. "You don't want to leave the party early, do you?"

The trunk was slammed shut. Not even a single beam of light entered the cramped space.

As the engine started and I felt the car drive away, I knew that I was going to die at some point.

I tried my hardest to keep the tears at bay, but they trickled down my cheeks uncontrollably. I cried out of fear, out of anger, but mostly out of sadness.

Would Charlie ever find out what had happened to me?

How long would it take for someone to realize that I was missing? How long would this torture last for? And how long would it take before someone came to save me?

0-0

June 14th, 2019.

The time had come.

It was currently five in the morning; I had seen every hour on the clock and no amount of meditation or music could lull me off to sleep. I tried reading at one point, but I found myself rereading the same line over and over. Every scenario ran through my head, and even though I knew that today is a good day, I couldn't stop the negative thoughts from taking control. James is finally getting the punishment that he deserves, however I still have to stand in the same room as him. It's almost like throwing a tiny mouse into a lion's den - there will be an escape route, but until that happens the mouse needs to face its predator.

As expected, my mental barrier appeared again last night. I was happily having a conversation with Esme as we were eating dinner, and then suddenly I could no longer reply. They were very understanding and knew that it was nothing personal. I hadn't managed to say a single word since then, and so I hoped that it wouldn't interfere with the court case later on. My words were crucial, especially being the only living victim.

I wish it was as easy as opening my mouth and talking, however if I my head doesn't want me to speak then nothing that anyone says or does is going to change that.

I lay in bed until seven o'clock when I heard the tell-tale signs of someone making their way downstairs. My stomach was rumbling, and I had had enough of lying in bed with only my dark thoughts for company.

I slipped my feet into a pair of shoes, found the hoodie that had been flung over the bed frame, and then called Luna to attention with a tap of my hand against my thigh. Luna's trainer had taught her a few hand gestures to go along with the signals incase I couldn't verbalize them. I tapped my thigh for 'watch me', I pointed forward for 'walk', and I would tap my feet together for 'side'. Her main command and skill is to find me a safe, quiet place if an episode begun when we were outside somewhere. She's still in the process of learning the full routine, however she'll soon know to sit me down, put all of her weight on top of me, and then bark for help. Thankfully I wouldn't need a hand gesture for that - she'll pick up on my heart rate and labored breathing.

I think she's currently being taught to go into rooms before me and watch out for potential triggers. It always amazes me just how quickly she learns something new, but also how incredibly smart these dogs are.

I no longer need Luna's leash walking around the house, and so with the correct gesture, she began to walk a step before me as we left the spare bedroom and made our way downstairs towards the kitchen.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Esme smiled. "I was just making myself some tea if you'd care to join me?"

I took my usual seat opposite where she stood behind the breakfast bar. I nodded in response as I picked out a banana from the over-flowing fruit bowl. I wasn't sure whether Esme had bought all of this fruit for our arrival, or if it usually looked like this, but regardless of that I thoroughly enjoyed the endless supply. I noticed that the bowl didn't contain a single apple, so I had assumed that Edward had informed them of my fear foods.

Esme opened up a cupboard to reveal a large selection of various herbal teas. She mused around for a second before selecting two boxes and turned them over to show me. One was chamomile and the other was peppermint. I chose chamomile.

We sat in a comfortable silence, sipping on tea and, in my case, making my way through two bowls of cereal. Esme would occasionally start up a conversation, however it can be incredibly hard to continue it when only one of us is talking.

Everybody else joined us in stages, and before I knew it we had a full table of people. Edward and Charlie sat on either side of me, and even though they knew I wasn't going to answer, I appreciated it when they included me in the conversations. They didn't discuss the impending court case, mainly to distract ourselves from the evil of it all. The entire gang had decided to join us for moral support, and thankfully the local schools had just finished for summer, which meant that Alice and Jasper were also free to come along. It meant so much to me that this family, whom I'd barely met a handful of times before, were willing to do this for me. Of course Edward had his own part to play, and so it could have been that they were there for him, however they still supported me just as much.

After breakfast I continued my morning routine as if it was just a normal day. I took my medication, completed my stretches, and even had time to fit in a small nap before I had to get myself washed and ready. I had two outfits to choose from - my usual legging-hoodie combo, or a dress and sneakers. In the end I went with what I would be more comfortable in, but also the outfit that showed off my vulnerable side. If it's any consolation, my leggings were the ones from Lululemon, and so they appeared smarter than the cheap, cotton ones from Target.

"Knock knock." Edward's voice appeared on the other side of the door. He poked his head around the frame cautiously, and then walked straight into the room when he saw that I was decent. "I wanted to catch you on your own before we left." He stole the spot beside me on the bed and watched as I brought a brush through my damp, tangled hair.

"Whatever happens today, Bella, I just want you to know how incredibly proud I am of you." I shot him a soft smile. Edward patted my thigh as he continued on with his little speech. "It may not be easy, however I need you to remember that James cannot hurt you. Not only will he have security guards watching his every move, but you'll have two cops sitting right beside you in the form of Charlie and Emmett."

I nodded my head and continued to brush.

"You'll also have me." Edward added with a smirk. "And if you think I'd allow anyone to hurt you, then you obviously don't know me very well."

It was statements like that, that made me wonder if Edward does have feelings for me. Perhaps Alice and Rose were right? Maybe Edward hasn't admitted it to himself yet?

I dropped the brush beside me and brought Edward in for a deep hug. His words meant a lot to me, and I hoped that this sweet gesture would help him realize how I felt. "Thank you," I whispered just beside his ear. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

He rubbed my back soothingly. "Prove James wrong; show him how brave you are." He finished the embrace with a gentle kiss to my forehead.

0-0

We all arrived at the Multnomah County Courthouse with thirty minutes to spare before the sentencing began. My lawyer, Jason, wanted to meet with us privately to discuss any last-minute changes or answer any questions that we had. Butterflies had started to swarm my stomach, and Luna had noticed my change in attitude. In the car over here I had to sit in the back seats because she refused to leave my side.

Once we had signed ourselves in our first issue became known - we had to walk through a metal detector. Usually I was okay with things like this, and it was just the same as the ones you found in airports, however I had to go through by myself. Even though it was only a few steps, the fact that Luna had to leave my side for that split second didn't sit well with me.

A security guard asked me to remove Luna's harness so that she could walk it through separately. "Harness!" She called out. The high-pitched beeping only caused more discomfort. It was clear in Luna's eyes that she wasn't sure what was going on and she had been trained to stay beside me if my heart rate spiked. It must have been very confusing for her.

The guard tried her best to call Luna over, but nothing seemed to work.

I don't need this added stress right now.

Please, I just want to be on the other side.

A cold sheen of sweat coated my body as the adrenaline and anxiety peaked.

Thankfully, after I had caught Luna's attention and had gestured forward a few times, she finally completed the task at hand.

"Okay, miss - it's your turn."

Charlie gave my shoulder a squeeze and told me that everything was going to be okay.

I had been so caught up in what was going on that I had completely forgotten about the cell phone in my hoodie pocket. Usually it was kept in a bag. The second I had made it past the detector, the alarm began to ring again. This time it was louder than before, and my only reaction was to cover my ears and to drop down into a ball. It felt like a sharp knife slicing my eardrum.

Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.

I want to go home.

I need this to end.

"Miss? Miss, I need you to stand for me, please."

"She needs me! I need to get through there!"

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Luna licked my face and nudged my hands away from my ears.

My family called for me from the other side of the detector.

Luna barked for attention.

The ringing continued, and I couldn't tell whether it was real or fake.

Black spots covered my vision.

I closed my eyes.

My breathing became labored.

My head felt heavy.

"Bella, honey, I'm here."

I could feel Charlie's hands on mine. He was sat on the floor beside me and he simply held me until the episode subsided.

"Can you stand up?" He asked with a soft, caring tone. My body felt weak, but with the help from my dad I managed to stand on both feet. "Atta girl."

The security guard checked me over to see what had caused the alarm to go off, and then one by one, everyone else made their way over. Edward came first to double-check that I was okay. I was far from okay, but at least the attack had stopped. For now.

I'm not mentally ready for this. I don't think I ever will be.

The next half an hour seemed to pass by in a blur; I couldn't recall a single thing that had been discussed with Jason. I mainly focused on my breathing and thought about the positives.

I'll be home soon, and then I can restart my life.

"Bells?" Charlie tapped my shoulder to get my attention. I noticed that everyone else had stood from their seats and were making their way towards the door. "It's time to go, honey." He gave me a sad smile. Jason had predicted that this would only go on for a couple of hours, but we all knew that anything could happen in that time.

I was led down a few corridors in what seemed like a never-ending maze of rooms.

All of a sudden, Jason came to a halt. From the other side of the doors I could hear the whispers and mumbles of the audience. Esme, Carlisle and the rest of the family were sitting in that room. I wondered what was going on inside their heads; was James in there already? Could they smell the same foul stench that refused to leave my memory?

Edward gave my hand a comforting squeeze, and Charlie rubbed my back as we waited for Jason to let us in.

We were probably only standing there for a couple of minutes, yet it felt like hours before Jason cleared his throat and announced that it was our turn to enter.

The grand doors opened and I was faced with my nightmare.

0-0

The flashbacks will continue in the next chapter…

Incase you aren't a member of my Facebook group then you won't know that I am having to return to work tomorrow after three months of self-isolation. I will try my hardest to get chapters written frequently, but before then if you want to keep informed then come and join us on RosieRathbone FanFiction where I always tell you when I'll be updating stories.

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