Bella was gone. Esme felt like she had been punched in the gut. The word quickly spread and pretty much the entire town had joined in the search. The police set up a base camp at the church. They were searching through the security cameras on the street, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bella. So far they had had no luck. It was as if she had vanished into thin air, just as the day she was taken.
Esme felt guilty because if she had just forced Bella to go to therapy then maybe she wouldn't have felt the need to run away. Bella needed professional help and they had failed to get her any.
Search parties looked throughout the woods and Carlisle drove in circles throughout the town, hoping he might spot her. Where could she have gone? As far as he knew, she had lost all of her memories. All the places she may have gone to when she was younger, she didn't remember. Carlisle was at an impasse. With great reluctance, he turned the car around and headed back towards town.
"Honey!" Carlisle called as he got out of the car. He jogged over to where she was standing with another search group.
"Did you find anything?" Her voice was hopeful.
"Nothing." Carlisle sighed.
Esme's face fell and she embraced her husband in a comforting hug. "What if she was taken again? What if James found her?"
"Her bag was missing, Es." He whispered. "I don't think he kidnapped her again. Bella ran away."
"But why would she do that?"
Angry tears filled her eyes. "Was there something that we were missing? Did we do something to hurt her?"
"I don't know, honey." He ran his fingers through his swooped back hair. "All that matters now is finding her. Somebody has got to have seen her pass by."
"You're right. Maybe if we just-"
"Excuse me?"
Carlisle and Esme swing around to see a man standing behind them. He had black hair, tan skin, and muscular build. He had a notepad in his pocket. He was a reporter, Carlisle thought bitterly.
"Yes?" Esme snapped. She was not in the mood to deal with the vultures today.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but my name is Sam Uley," He held out his hand. Carlisle shook it out of respect. "I'm not here to ask you any questions about Isabella. I just thought that you should know, I'm pretty sure I saw her earlier. She was getting on the Express bus that heads to Seattle and towards Oregon."
"Are you sure it was her?" Esme gasps. She has Carlisle's hand in a death grip.
Sam nods his head. "She had her hood up but I saw her face when she looked my way. I'm almost one hundred percent certain that it was her."
"Did she look ok?" Carlisle asks. "Was she hurt or anything?"
"She looked really upset. Her eyes were red as if she'd been crying. I was too far to go over to her but I could tell from a mile away that something wasn't right."
Esme lets out a sob, not able to hold it back any longer. Esme knew that she was in danger if she went to Seattle. There had recently been a string of murders throughout the city. Half the girls were found murdered and the other half haven't been found. Girls were disappearing left and right. She didn't want any more suffering to come to Bella. The poor girl had already been through too much.
"I'm going to go talk with the police," he said. "I'm sorry. I wish that I could have helped you more."
"You've been a big help," Carlisle whispered. "More than you can imagine."
The man goes to the closest police officer. This was bound to make the news: Kidnapping survivor, Isabella Swan, disappears again. Where could she have gone?
"We have to find her, Carlisle!" Esme said. "Anything could have happened. There are worse people out there than James Hunter."
"I know Esme."
"What are we going to tell the kids? They think that she's still somewhere in town."
"We are just going to have to tell the truth. They are old enough to handle this. They deserve our honesty."
"What about Alice?" Esme worried. "She's on the edge of a literal mental breakdown. How much more can she handle?"
Carlisle doesn't speak. Esme had a point. He didn't want a repeat of before. It nearly killed his daughter.
"We're going to have to tread very lightly with her. Try to keep her as calm as possible."
"We both know how that is going to go. She blames herself for everything that's happened to Bella. This is only going to kill her."
"We have no choice. Alice is going to find out eventually and I'd rather it be from us. You don't want her finding out from the news or someone at school, do you?"
Esme shakes her head. "You're right. It's the best thing to do."
It's been a week. A week since Bella ran away and a week since Alice has turned into a walking zombie. She ate, she slept, she went to school and to an outsider she would appear normal, but to anyone who knew and loved her, something was seriously wrong.
When Carlisle and Esme told the kids about Bella, Alice seemed to have taken it too well. She seemed a little off-put but continued on as normal as she could be. She didn't cry or scream or dwell on the past. She just felt numb. Bella was gone once again. The first time it was her sister who had been harshly stolen away from her. This time… it was a stranger. A strange girl who may have physically resembled Bella but certainly did not act like her. Alice let envy get the better of her which lead to dire consequences.
Emmett was notably angrier, spending more and more time at the gym, working out his frustration while Edward brought more and more girls home every night. It was the only way to keep him distracted from the pain that had filled his entire presence. As soon as he started warming up to Bella, she had to disappear. That is why he never committed to a relationship, they always ended up leaving.
On the other hand, Esme and Carlisle were constantly in and out of the house. The FBI had taken over the investigation into James Hunter as more remains were being discovered. It only took a day to unearth the body of Maria Santos. She was exactly where Bella said that she would be buried… under the tree.
The DNA sample taken from her body matched to the young girl. She was kidnapped when she was six years old. Her older sister, Lucy left her alone in the front yard for just a few seconds but that was all James needed to make his move. When Lucy came back, Maria was gone.
The FBI closed the case after a year of searching. She was declared dead on her eighth birthday. That was eleven years ago. But by examination of her body, she lived to be about seventeen years old. The examiners concluded that she died from organ failure, most likely it was due to severe starvation.
Now, with the new body, the police were able to extract Jame's DNA, something that hadn't found on any of the other girls. It looked as if Maria had fought him at some point, scratching and clawing at his skin. They were able to collect some blood from underneath her fingernails.
That is what lead to his discovery. He had been arrested two weeks prior, approximately two days after Marie escaped, for suspicion of drug trafficking. The officers didn't even think to put two and two together. He refused to cooperate with the police, giving them no indication of his identity. He's been at the Portland County Jail all this time, waiting for his trial. Little did he know, he was about to be charged with a whole lot more.
Emmett shut off the news and slumped back on the couch. He was physically and mentally drained. The latest news update was that the bus driver had been tracked down. Apparently, he was paying more attention then Marie thought. He told the FBI that Marie got off in Seattle and so their search moved there.
This didn't calm down the Cullen family one bit. The likelihood that Bella had found shelter was slim to none. She was lucky if she wasn't already dead. The officers were certain that they were searching for a body now, not an actual alive breathing girl. The first twenty-four hours of the kidnapping were the most important because there was still a chance they could be found alive. But it's been a week and with the recent discoveries around the city, they were certain Isabella Swan was dead.
"What are you thinking about?" Rosalie sighed. She was curled up on the couch with Emmett, who was unusually quiet.
"She's dead." He whispered.
"Don't say that," she all but growled. "There is still hope-"
"Don't say that there is still hope," he scoffed. "You know what has been happening to those girls. They are kidnapped, raped and murdered. The police are no closer to catching these people then they were at the beginning of the year. Why would those sick fucks spare Bella?"
"She's a fighter," Rose whispered. "She already survived eight years of hell. Who says that she can't survive another year?"
"Everybody gives up at some point. We're not immortal, Rose. There comes a time when enough is enough."
"When did you get this serious?" Said Rose somberly. "What happened to my big Emmy Bear?"
Emmett wraps his arms around her, pulling her against his body. "Isabella happened." he said. "I want to have hope, Rose, I really do but you haven't been here for the past few weeks. You don't know what she has been like. Every step forward for Bella is another step back. The things she has told me will never leave my mind. I don't know how she has survived for this long."
"Well, I will always be here." she squeezed his hand. "We will get through this together."
"I love you," said Emmett sincerely. He gazed into her crystal blue eyes, full of sadness. He leans towards her, placing a tender kiss on her lips. For a few moments, there in their little happy bubble full of love but their fantasy soon ends by the shrill ring of the doorbell.
"Don't answer it. It's probably just another one of Edward's whores." She rolls her eyes. "How many girls has he got up there right now?"
"Like two," Emmett smirks.
"Of course he does."
The doorbell rings again, causing them both to grumble. Didn't they get the picture? They weren't wanted!
Ding Dong!
"Fuck this!" Emmett mutters. He pushes himself off the couch and stomps to the door ready to tell girl number three to fuck off.
He swings open the door and is surprised to find an officer standing on the porch.
"W-what are you doing here?" It is the first thing to come out of his mouth.
"You must be Emmett Cullen." She politely smiles.
He nods his head, still confused. How did she know his name?
"I'm Officer Graham. I worked this case before it was passed over to the FBI. I'm sorry to show up like this but I need to tell Carlisle and Esme something. I tried calling them several times but they didn't pick up. I thought that I might stop by."
"My parents aren't home." He said.
"Okay. Well, do you know when they are going to be home?" She sighs, tapping her foot on the ground.
"Not for a few hours."
She heaves in frustration. Graham just needed to speak with Carlisle and Esme.
"You can tell me anything and I can just tell my parents." He suggested.
Graham realizes that he is right. The whole family would find out eventually. "I know that it is tough right now with everything going on. I'm sure that you are aware of the DNA test, Bella took?"
Emmett nods his head. Where was she going with this?
"The results came back this morning and I can guarantee with 99.9% accuracy that the girl is truly Isabella Swan."
Marie didn't know whether she was about to pass out or puke. She opened her eyes only to be met by darkness. Her legs were tied together with rope and arms were bound behind her back. Whatever she was in was moving and sent her tumbling forward as it took a sharp corner. Her head banged against the ground causing her to hiss in pain.
A car. Marie realized. She was in a car.
The faint sound of music and voices came from the front. Marie shook in terror. Victoria promised that she would get her help. She promised that she would be safe. Victoria lied. Hot tears filled her eyes. How could she escape one fucked up situation only to end up in another one? This was supposed to be her new start. She wasn't supposed to get kidnapped again.
Marie had been through this before. She knew what it was like to have all of your freedom taken away. She didn't want to experience it again. Marie was going to either escape or die fighting. She couldn't handle another lifetime of captivity.
Suddenly the car stops and the music turns off. The only sound that could be heard is the thumping of Marie's heart. What was happening? It felt like hours before she was finally pulled from the shadows.
The trunk opened and Riley roughly pulled her out by the arm. She landed with a hard thud on the ground.
"Let me go!" Roared Marie. She tried to stand only to remember they had completely tied her up.
Riley yanks her up by the hair and she whimpers in pain. He brings his lips to her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "Don't test me, little girl," he calmly whispers. "You are in no position to be making demands. Nobody is coming to save you."
This was a warning. A warning for her to behave or else she would face the consequences. Marie thought, fuck it. She wasn't going to be their little bitch. Without a second thought, a large blob of spit flies from her mouth landing in Riley's eye.
"You fucking cunt!"
His fist connects with her face sending her head swinging to the side. Marie was sure that he had broken her jaw. It was like a fire had burned across her skin. Marie couldn't help but scream in agony.
"Riley!" Yelled Laurent. "How many times do I have to tell you not to damage the girls? Aro wants them one piece. No one is going to want to buy an injured girl!"
Goosebumps crawl across her skin. Buy? What the fuck were they talking about? Marie struggles to get away from him but he only holds her tighter.
"The fucking bitch deserved it! She spit in my face!"
Laurent rolls his eyes, annoyed with his friend's outburst. He honestly didn't give a shit about what she had done. "Just get her the fuck inside. We're already late," he grumbled. Laurent turns to Victoria who is quietly waiting by his side. "Go tell Aro, Caius, and Marcus that we will be there shortly. We've just got to deal with a few things."
Victoria nods her head and flickers her eyes to the struggling girl and Laurent's clenched fists. "Do you want me to bring reinforcement?" She murmured so Marie couldn't hear.
"No. We can handle her." Laurent grabs her face, roughly kissing her on the lips. He eventually lets her go and signals to the guards at the door to let her through.
Laurent turns his attention back to the young girl. He recognized her as soon as soon as Riley knocked her unconscious. It was a wonder to him, how she had managed to escape James. None of his pets had ever made it out alive.
Laurent gently takes the girl from Riley. Her head is bowed down as little whimpers sound from her quivering lips.
"Shhh." He tries to calm the girl. Laurent is sitting on the steps with her swung across his lap. He's forced her head down on his shoulder and is softly petting her hair. "We don't want to hurt you. Trust me when I say that is the last thing we want to do."
Marie just cries louder, not believing a word he is saying. If they didn't want to hurt her then they shouldn't have kidnapped her in the first place!
"If you continue fighting back then we'll have to punish you. Just obey us and you can have a very happy life. You are in complete control of your fate."
Marie sniffles. She lets his words sink in. She was in control of her fate. She just had to submit to them, which was the last thing she was going to do.
"That's it, girl," said Laurent softly. "Just breathe."
Marie listens to his instructions. Inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. He slowly rubbed her back with the pads of his fingers. She already felt herself relaxing. Marie decides to take a chance. She wouldn't get in trouble for speaking, would she?
"W-where am I?" Her voice shook.
"Welcome to Volturi," Laurent said with a cruel smile. "This is your new home for the time being."
It didn't take long for the stress overcome her. Like a vine, exhaustion crept throughout her body, spreading to every nook and cranny, sending her into a deep sleep.
Author's Note
Hey everyone! Thank y'all so much for reading this chapter! I know that I said that I wasn't going to update for a couple of weeks but I just started writing and couldn't stop! I hope that you are all excited about the new changes that happened in the story! Many of you had already (correctly) guessed that, Marie is Isabella Swan! Plus, James has been found thanks to sadly, Maria.
A lot of people have been asking if this is an HEA for Edward and Bella, and all I'm going to say right now is that it eventually will be. It may be in this story or it may be in the sequel. There are still a couple chapters left to come so I ask y'all to patiently wait. Maria, is to come up again in the sequel as well as Jane Volturi(lawyer). You may have noticed that her last name is the same as the place that kidnapped Bella. That is not a coincidence! You will be learning more about Jane if you plan to stick around for the sequel (I hope that you do!).
Lastly, I wanted to say, that I know that it's a tragic situation that Bella has been sucked back into that horrible life. It is estimated that about 450,000 children run away from home each year and one- third of teenagers on the street will be approached by a pimp within two days of leaving home. There are many reasons why these vulnerable teenagers run away such as abuse, neglect, or other past bad experiences. Human Trafficking is all to common and more children are being affected by it everyday around the world.
Thanks for reading and I promise to update again soon!