Chapter 2

EDWARD'S POV

"You did what!"

I sighed as Alice leaped from the chair she had been sitting on.

"Don't make me feel worse than I already feel." I said, folding my arms.

"Don't make you feel worse? What about Bella! How do you think she feels?" Alice came and pulled the chair from underneath me.

I was quick to catch myself, and stand back up.

"Go back to her before she does something stupid!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Bella isn't stupid."

Alice's eyes softened a bit, but her voice was still hard. "Of course Bella isn't stupid, but if Bella ran away from you, what would you do?"

"I'd go…after her." When the words sunk in, I thought of Bella, driving around searching for me.

Suddenly, Alice grabbed a chair, and sat down. She seemed to be concentrating.

"Alice, what are you seeing?" I asked, putting my hands on her shoulders.

"Oh my God." Alice looked up into my now scared face. "Bella is going to be kidnapped."

BELLA'S POV

When I reached the meadow, which took me awhile, I looked around. Not too far away, a large tree had been knocked down.

I went to it, careful not to fall, and touched the bark. Parts had been brutally scratched and kicked and punched. Edward had been there.

I sank to my knees, fresh tears spilling out. Where was he?

The last time Edward and I had been to the meadow, I had been lying in the grass, and when I opened my eyes, he was gone.

After calling his name, I realized he was playing a game with me. Now I was embarrassed. Edward was somewhere close, watching me.

I took off into the trees, searching for his pale skin, his topaz eyes. But of course, I ended up tripping on a branch, and as I was about to fall face first into the dirt, cool arms caught me around the middle.

"Were you following me?" I asked, hoping I sounded angry. I wasn't, but I wanted Edward to be sorry for hiding from me.

"Of course I was. It's fun to watch you when you don't know I'm around." Edward sounded highly amused.

"I knew you were around," I snapped, "I just didn't know where."

He laughed and sat next to me. But he wasn't getting off that easy. I scooted away, only for him to pull me back.

"Don't try to dazzle me Edward Cullen." I looked away.

Edward turned my face towards him with one of his strong hands, and held it to my cheek. I looked into his beautiful eyes, but I blushed when I saw that he was looking into my eyes too.

"Don't be angry." He said.

"I wasn't angry." I said, trying to look calmer. "I just get embarrassed when you watch me like that."

He pulled his face down to mine, and murmured against my cheek, "You should never be embarrassed of me."

I breathed in his scent, closing my eyes to truly take it in.

Now, I was alone. Edward wasn't holding me. Edward wasn't kissing my neck. Edward wasn't whispering words against my skin. Edward wasn't making me shiver. He was gone.

More tears escaped when I thought of Edward, telling his family how he never wanted to see me again. And worst of all, I thought of the Cullens' moving away.

Just thinking of that made me hyperventilate. I tried to breathe, but I just kept crying harder and harder. When I stood, I walked around dizzily, trying to regain lost air. I was just about to pass out when I felt a hand cover my mouth.

Something sharp pointed at my neck. It definitely wasn't Edward.

EDWARD'S POV

"How could I be so stupid!" I shouted. Alice was in the passenger seat of the Volvo.

"Just calm down Edward, and drive. Maybe we can get to Bella before she's even kidnapped." Alice touched my hand. "She'll be alright."

I snarled. "If she isn't, there's going to be hell to pay."

I drove faster, hoping that Bella was still sitting in the meadow, and that there wasn't anyone trying to get her.

I pulled to a stop, and was out of the car in seconds. Alice followed close behind as we ran deeper into the trees.

We reached the spot Alice had seen Bella in. It was right where the tree I had knocked down had been. Bella had seen the tree.

"Where is she?" I asked, rushing around. "Bella!"

"Edward, look." Alice picked up a white shirt.

I took it from her, and snarled again. The shirt was the one I had given to Bella – the exact same one she had been wearing.

"Alice…where did he take her?" I asked, trying to control myself.

"Not far from here, there's a small cabin nearby." Alice took off. I followed.

BELLA'S POV

I shivered, and tried to cover up as much as I could. The man who had kidnapped me had ripped off my shirt, and now I was in my bra. Luckily, he hadn't taken my jeans – yet.

"Relax little girl, make yourself as…comfortable…as possible." The man smiled evilly at me, looking me up and down.

As he turned, I made a dash for the door, only to trip over a shoe as I was about to grab the doorknob. I hit my head against the door. As I tried to recover, the man had me around the throat.

"I said, relax!" He threw me across the room, on top of the bed.

I hit my head again against the wall. I shook my head, trying to shake off the dizziness.

Suddenly, the man was undoing my jeans. I cried out, and tried to kick him off of me. There was no way this guy was going to rape me without a fight.

My response was a slap across the face.

"Now you just calm yourself down so I can get this over and done with."

"Edward!" I called out, trying once more to fight back. I swung at the man's face, and he just laughed.

"I like them feisty."

He began undoing my jeans again, and had just pulled down the zipper when something crashed through the door.

"Bella!" I heard Alice cry.

"Alice." I moaned, trying to wriggle away from the man. "Where's Edward?"

My answer came when someone had the man from behind. I heard a sickening snap, and then I saw the man being hurled across the room.

Edward helped sit me up. "Are you alright…he didn't-"

"Edward!" I threw my arms around him, crying against his shoulder.

"Shh, I'm here." Edward held me to him, rubbing my back.

"Edward, we should get out of here." Alice said, smoothing my hair back.

"Close your eyes my love." Edward whispered.

I closed my eyes and buried my head against his chest as he took off running, holding me close the whole run.

EDWARD'S POV

Alice was nice enough to drive us back to the house, while I held Bella in the passenger seat. She had pulled the shirt on eagerly, and was shaking uncontrollably.

"Bella, calm down." I said softly.

When she didn't respond, I pulled her away, and touched her face.

"Are you alright Bella?"

She shook her head, and stared aimlessly out the window. I gently turned her face so that she was looking at me.

"Bella, please…talk to me." I begged.

It broke my heart to see her in so much pain. Her eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away.

"You don't have to be so brave."

"Yeah I do." Bella's voice was hoarse as she spoke.

Alice pulled into the driveway, and before I could open the door, Bella shot out and was inside before I could unbuckle my seat belt.

When I ran inside, I saw Bella just as she turned the corner upstairs. I ran after her, and stopped at the bathroom door. I was about to knock when I heard her throwing up.

I sank to my knees. If I hadn't left, Bella wouldn't have been in the meadow, and she wouldn't have been kidnapped. There was no telling how dirty and uncomfortable she felt.

"Bella, please, let me in." I said after awhile.

"I don't want you to see me." Bella whispered. She knew I would hear her.

"But I do."

The toilet flushed, and then the door slowly unlocked. Bella was lying in a heap on the floor, crying and shaking.

I reached for her, but she slapped my hand away. "Don't!"

I reached again, and even though she slapped at my hands, I pulled her into my arms and held her tightly to me.

"No, Edward, no!" Bella cried.

"Bella…calm down. You're safe now." I said.

"I know that I'm safe. But I feel so…" She stopped.

Carefully, I stood, still holding her, and turned on the water for the bathtub. I set her down on the edge of the tub.

"I'll wait out-"

"Stay." She interrupted.

I nodded. She lifted her arms, and I pulled the T-shirt off slowly. I went to kiss her neck, but she stopped me.

"I'll feel better after I'm clean." She insisted.

"Alright."

She took off her jeans, and I turned while she slipped off her bra and underwear. When I heard her climb into the water, I came and sat next to the tub, pulling my knees into my chest.

It was silent except for Bella washing her body. Then I decided to break the silence.

"Bella…did that man…did he touch you?" I asked.

"He wanted to."

"We don't have to talk about this if-"

"I was kneeling next to the tree, and I thought that you were leaving me for good. Then I thought about your family leaving, and I couldn't breathe. When I stood, he grabbed me, and put a knife to my throat. Then he ripped my shirt off, and dragged me to his cabin. I tried to fight him, but he ended up throwing me on the bed, and was unzipping my jeans when Alice busted in."

I clenched my teeth. That guy deserved more than a broken neck.

"It's all my fault."

Bella came down to where I was, and lifted her arm out of the water. "No it's not."

"If I hadn't left…" I buried my head into my knees.

I heard Bella get out of the bath. I felt her towel against my skin as she sat next to me, and buried her head into my shoulder.

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have made you so angry."

"I hurt you Bella, when I grabbed your wrists."

"Actually, I was more shocked than hurt." Bella kissed my ear.

I looked up. "I feel like a monster."

"That man is a monster," Bella touched my cheek, "you're a hero."

I hugged her to me, being careful not to make the towel fall off. I kissed her neck, which was still wet. She sighed, and I felt better when she smiled against my shoulder.

"Do you feel better?" I asked, holding her away from me.

She stood. "Yes."

The next thing I knew, Bella blushed. "Edward…try not to embarrass me."

I smiled. "What do you mean?"

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Bella looked away, still blushing, and dropped the towel.

My jaw dropped. It was so unlike Bella.

"Bella-"

"I just want to feel more comfortable around you." She was still looking away.

I crawled to her, and put either hand on her ankles, and ran them all the way up to her waist. I stood, and ran a finger up from her belly button to her throat. Her heart was pounding.

My lips touched hers, and she kissed back. At first she was cautious, but then I let her know it was alright by kissing a little harder.

BELLA'S POV

I woke up in a set of pj's I had never seen before. I groaned.

"What's wrong Bella?" Edward asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Did you buy me more clothes?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Alice went shopping while you bathed."

I blushed when I remembered. I had let Edward see me. My plan had worked a little though…I felt a little more comfortable with my body after letting him see it.

"Don't be embarrassed."

"I'm trying." I said. I lifted my head up onto his shoulder, and saw our legs tangled together.

"Carlisle had a look at you when he and the others returned from hunting. Nothing is broken, but you have a few bruises and scrapes."

"Was I fully clothed?"

"Of course." I saw him roll his eyes.

"Well I didn't know!"

"Bella, I would never let any other man see you naked."

I blushed again. Maybe my plan hadn't worked as much as I thought it had.