Chapter 4

Edward POV

Somehow, I arrived in Forks before my family did. This surprised me, as I was returning from Brazil, and they from Alaska. Perhaps it's because they were taking the cars, loaded with all of their belongings and I took a plane and ran from Seattle.

I began to pace. I was only thinking these idle thoughts to distract myself from the dilemma at hand. Bella, my dear, sweet Bella was in harm's way. How could I have left her? I thought that I was keeping her safe, but… I can't believe that her parents disowned her! Surely they have if she's landed herself in government custody at an asylum! I left her in their hands, thinking that she would be safe and happy living a normal human life. What have I done to my precious love?

I was interrupted from my self-loathing when I heard a car pull into the driveway, and then another, and then another. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face the oncoming onslaught of the family I haven't seen in months.

Esme jumped out of the car as it was still moving upon sight of me. Within an instant, she was at my side giving me a tight hug that was full of love. Then, she turned to look at me. "Don't you ever do that to your poor mother again. I missed you so." I couldn't help but grin. "Yes, Mom."

Carlisle was at my side next. He put his hands firmly on my shoulders. "It's alright, son. This isn't something we can't fix. She'll be in your arms soon enough. But I need to tell you… Edward, she will not be physically or emotionally healthy in the least. I just need you to know this."

I looked at him with pleading eyes. "Carlisle, we need to go. Now."

"Yes, and we are going. There is just one errand I need to run," and he had a small smile on his face.

My eyes widened at his thought. "Carlisle… I hadn't even thought of that! But its absolutely necessary, considering…" My voice wandered off with my thoughts.

Emmett was standing nearby. "What is it?" He looked back and forth between the two of us.

Carlisle's smile grew a little. "I have to get custody of Bella, or else we are going to have to forcibly remove her."

"I don't mind!" said Emmett excitedly.

But I could see it in Carlisle's mind. He knew they could easily forcibly remove her, but… He really, really, really wanted to be able to call Bella his own. And he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. This is not what he told Emmett, though.

"Emmett, the law clearly states that you have to be the guardian of the patient to proceed in checking said patient out. She is probably in the custody of the state…"

Jasper surprised us all by coming out of the house hand in hand with Alice and a stack of papers. Alice smiled.

"Alice told me over the ride that these would be necessary. So I contacted J. Jenks, and…" he looked at Alice. "He faxed them to me."

Carlisle looked as if he was going to cry with joy. "Thanks, son," he said meaningfully while taking the papers. "Now let's go and get Bella."

Bella POV

I had first tried to hold my breath until I was blue, but my instincts kicked in and rescued me with a deep breath. I knew that was not going to work. The only other option was to use the only thing I had, my clothes. I knew I'd have to be quick, because there was a camera in the room, looking for antics exactly like this. I was far beyond caring though. I took off my shirt and tied it around my neck.

Not even five seconds had passed before something like a SWAT team had shuffled in and held my arms behind my back. After replacing my shirt, they led me, struggling, to another room. One with a chair.

I immediately was reminded of Alice, and was rewarded with a jolt of pain within my torso at the thought of her. Alice, my best friend. The one I needed most at a time like this. But I'll never see her again.

They placed me in the chair and cuffed my wrists and ankles to it. I screamed and struggled and begged, but to no avail.

"You'd better stop that now, sweetheart," one of the men said harshly, earning himself laughs from the others. But I didn't listen. Before I knew it, an electrical shock was sent throughout my body. I silenced myself immediately.

After they had left the room and locked the door, I allowed myself to cry, and cry, and cry. I just wanted to die. Soon.

Days passed slowly and painfully. I managed to earn myself quite a few more shock treatments, partly because I thought I deserved some more pain and asked for it, and partly because I was not in a good state of mind.

I threw fits to earn myself more shock treatments because I kept allowing myself to think about them. My hallucinations were worse than ever, and I had begun to see not only Edward, but Alice, Carlisle, and even Esme. I just wanted to forget. The nightmares were really bad too. My screaming in my sleep would earn me a lot of punishments, and most of the time I would wake upon receiving them.

I stopped eating. I had no interest in life, and therefore no interest in food. I was punished for that, too. But I didn't care.

One day, I was sitting and not thinking when a man came into the room and removed me from my chair. I was too tired to care or think, when I was led into a room filled with people I was sure I'd never see again. The Cullens.

That was the moment that I knew I had lost it. My mind immediately tried to protect itself from the onslaught of pain from seeing their beautiful, sad faces, and I passed out.