CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

*Five months later*

Haven had weathered through a particularly difficult winter, one of the worse recorded since the establishment of the township. So when the snow began to melt and reveal the greenery underneath, you would think that it would bring joy to the residents of the Cullen manor.

But much had changed in the five months since the governess left the premises. No longer were the young Cullen daughters held to the high standards that had been required in the past. In fact, no governess came after for replacement which left Rosalie and Alice to educate themselves. Normally, you would think that the girls would love the kind of relief their absentee father provided after years of stringent policy however, as they rarely saw their father these days, both daughters greatly missed him.

Spending most of his waking hours in his office, Edward had become obsessed with figuring out the mystery that Isabella had left in his care. The office was littered with charts and notes but even with all his investigations, Edward was no closer to finding the culprit behind the "cursed murders," as he came to call it. He was beginning to think that more than one person must be involved but what kind of people would ban together to do such a heinous thing?

The other part of Edward's investigation led him looking for Isabella Swan. Since her departure, it seemed that she had been wiped off the face of the earth. There was no trail in sight and that seemed to worry him the most. What if Bella never arrived at her final destination? Edward had tracked down and questioned the cab driver extensively but the last known whereabouts had Isabella at some shady motel in Albany. After that, the trail dried up.

Unshaven and reeking from the lack of proper hygiene, Edward cracked his neck as he found himself once again awaking from his hard wooden desk. His eyes began to focus on the list of names and various ways of demise and once again his own dearly departed wife's name caught his attention.

She had passed a couple of months after the birth of their two twin daughters. After giving birth, Hope had become very ill and within a matter of months, she was no more. She wasn't killed by a wild animal or some self-inflicted gunshot the way most of the deceased in Haven seem to perish from. There was the occasional heart problem or car accident but the majority of people seemed to pass from being mauled or too depressed to carry on. Edward started to think that maybe some of these self-inflicted demises may not have been self-inflicted at all.

The door opened a crack and Edward's blazing eyes snapped toward it.

"Master Cullen. I have your breakfast," Mrs. Cope announced.

Edward was to the door before she could finish her sentence.

"How dare you enter! You know the guideline regarding my office," Edward snarled.

Mrs. Cope took a small step back. She knew it was a mistake to come here but days had passed and she couldn't contain her curiosity. Neither she nor Mr. Whitlock knew what their master had been working on and it troubled them greatly.

"I know, sir. But you haven't had a bite to eat in days. You haven't come out from there. You need your nourishment."

"What I need is for you to mind your place and leave. I will eat when I see fit. You are not the master of me."

His tone was harsh but his words were worse. Mrs. Cope sighed and backed away from the door unable to even catch a glimpse of what lied inside. She marched the tray of food back down toward the kitchen and gave Mr. Whitlock a failing look as she passed him.

Mr. Whitlock followed her in and made sure the door was shut tightly behind him so they could enjoy a whispered conversation in private.

"What did you witness?" Mr. Whitlock asked.

"I could barely get the door open before he was there. He looks a fright. Unshaven and smelled positively dreadful. I haven't seen him in this shape since his wife's passing. I can't imagine he cared for the Swan girl in the same manner. He must have something else going on behind that closed door."

Mr. Whitlock looked out the window and tried to ponder what his master had been up to for the past five months. His master had changed drastically rendering his position practically useless. Master Cullen hadn't left the house so he did not need to drive anywhere and he hadn't requested his services in any form.

"I tried to go into his office four nights ago and it was locked. Most of the time when I walk by there is nothing but silence however, every occasional moment, I can hear him muttering to himself and it makes me worry that maybe he is losing his mind," Mr. Whitlock offered.

"Losing his mind over what?" Mrs. Cope asked exhausted. "This just can't be about the Swan girl alone. How could she have such an effect when she wasn't even here a month? There is something else going on here and I fear if we don't find out what it is, you and I may be looking after two orphan girls."

Two orphan girls.

Rosalie had done her best at creating and following a set curriculum for Alice and herself. Even though they were no longer expected to meet for weekly assessments, Rosalie wanted to make sure they were prepared the moment their father requested their presence.

After Isabella Swan left without even a farewell, it nearly crushed the two young girls. At first they felt hurt and then betrayed but when they saw what toll it had taken on their father, they knew that something serious must have taken place. Rosalie and Alice were well aware of the positive effect that Isabella was having on their father. They could see a change but since her hasty departure, Master Cullen hadn't reverted back to his old ways; no, it seemed as if he had given up entirely.

"Why don't we take a break? We need some fresh air and with the snow finally melting…maybe it would be a good time to visit the maze," Rosalie said.

Alice sighed and looked outside toward the high walls with their tops still covered in snow.

"Do you think father is going to die too?"

Rosalie looked taken aback by the question. It was something that was troubling her as well but she never spoke of it to Alice.

"I don't know," She whispered with a small shrug of her shoulders.

Alice thought for a moment before saying what she was afraid to say.

"Do you think he loved her?"

Rosalie's eyes widen and Alice jumped to provide evidence.

"He acts as if his heart is broken. We've read about love since I can remember. Every story father has ever asked us to read or memorize has shown me the lengths people have gone to preserve love. These characters would rather die than to be without their love. How can I not think that maybe Isabella was someone father loved? He's dying, Rosalie. Every day…he seems worse."

The two girls stared at one another for a long time without saying another word. Rosalie finally walked over to their window and looked out it.

"Maybe…we can find her. Tell her what state he is in. Maybe she will come back and father can be happy once more," Alice said.

"That's ludicrous. How are we going to find her? We haven't the foggiest idea where she went and we have no means," Rosalie dismissed.

"What do we have to lose?" Alice pressed. "We stay here and do nothing and father may not make it to summer. We have to do something. We know she left Haven so maybe when we get out of Haven, we can locate her."

Rosalie and Alice didn't know that their father had already done everything he could to find Isabella. Edward went so far to even hire a private investigator; Sam Uley but Sam hadn't found one trace. It took a lot for Edward to call upon Sam. For one, the Uley's held their loyalties to the Swans. This was something he used to help sway Sam's mind. Sam would help find Isabella because it is what Charles would have wanted. However, every report back to Edward left him more and more hopeless. Edward didn't know that the reports he received were false though.

"Rosalie…we have to try," Alice pleaded.

Rosalie's eyes were still on the snow covered ground. It was up to her to make a final decision. Rosalie always took on the responsibility to ultimately decide. She thought through different scenarios in her head. What Alice was asking for was highly dangerous and incredibly risky. Neither of them had ever been out of Haven before. They had no mode of transportation and no funds but this was a mission to help their father.

Rosalie turned back around and looked determined.

"We're going to need money. We can't do this without it."

Alice smiled in relief that her sister was on board.

"I know just where we can find some."

It was a dangerous mission Alice had planned. The only target that was tangible was Mrs. Cope. So while Alice made a diversion at the table during lunch, Rosalie snuck off to locate Mrs. Cope's wallet from her quarters.

The girls ate every bite on their plates not knowing when they would have another hot meal. They bundled themselves up and located Mr. Whitlock and Mrs. Cope before making their getaway. They had a long way to walk before they would even approach the town center but they had many plans to make over the course of their journey.

It wasn't until dinner when Mrs. Cope carried out the first course that her eyes fell upon the empty dining room table that she suspected something was amiss. She set the serving tray down and went off to search for her missing charges. Mrs. Cope was prepared to put the fear of God into the Cullen girls for their late arrival but she could not find them. They weren't in their room. They weren't in the library and after Mrs. Cope had searched nearly the entire house, she quickly rushed off to her master's office once more.

"Mater Cullen!" She shouted busting through the wooden door.

"MRS. COPE!" Edward yelled back. "I have told you…"

"The girls are missing!" Mrs. Cope cut him off. She was out of breath and panting but as this was her first time in the offices in months, she suddenly couldn't help herself from looking around at the disarray.

"What do you mean?" Edward calmed slightly long enough to hear the woman out.

"They didn't come for dinner and I've done a search of the house. There's no sign of them anywhere."

Edward didn't know what to think. It was unfathomable that the girls would go somewhere without word. He stood up and decided to go to the maze. Perhaps they lost track of time; something that had never happened before but he refused to believe in a more sinister plot.

He showed Mrs. Cope out of the office and made sure to shut the locked door behind him. He rushed out toward the maze and began to holler their names. He ran through quickly without thought screaming but when he came to the other end of the maze, his heart ran cold by icy thoughts. He wanted to take a moment to think of what could have happened but as his mind was frazzled he didn't allow for common sense.

He yelled for Mr. Whitlock who was already standing by and ordered him to drive him into town. They would search for signs of his daughters on the way. Edward couldn't imagine that the girls would end up in town without hearing word from some gossiping wretch.

Mr. Whitlock and Edward made their way through the town but there was still no sign of them anywhere. Thoughts of wild animal attacks entered Edward's dark thoughts and for a slow second, he was willing to take down the whole town if it meant finding the answers to all the questions that plagued him for the past five months.

The time it took to drive through the town allowed Edward to reflect on the past five months. What reason could there be for his daughter's absences? There was no sign of struggle so he couldn't imagine them being taken. All the residents went through the house and grounds thoroughly and there was no sign of them so was it possible that Alice and Rosalie left on their own volition?

"Go to the bus stop." Edward ordered.

Since Haven was a small town, there bus stop only picked up and dropped off three times a day. Edward hoped that if his daughters ventured there, then maybe he had a chance to get to them before they did anything senseless.

As they drove up, there was no mistaking the outline of two small figures huddled together on the provided bench. Rage coursed through Edward's body as he took in the sight. Never had he wanted to beat their backsides so harshly till now.

The sound of Edward's car door slamming caused Rosalie and Alice to look up immediately. Fear began to fill them as they looked into their father's harden eyes and gruff exterior. Rosalie pulled Alice toward her tightly as if to protect her from what was about to happen.

Edward had every intent to snatch his daughters up and haul them off toward the car but as he walked closer, his eyes caught sight of their two small knapsacks on the ground and it caused him to pause.

They were running away, he thought. Edward began to go over the past five months in his head and suddenly he had a revelation. He hadn't spent time with Rosalie and Alice. He hadn't checked their school work to ensure they were being educated properly. He hadn't even spoken to them on the Christmas holiday. He hadn't been a father to them at all.

The mysteries that plagued his mind these days had completely taken over every thought. Of course his children would feel unwanted and unloved. They were justified in their actions.

"Father," Rosalie voice quivered as she slowly stood up from the bench. "Please don't punish Alice. This is my fault. I take full responsibility."

Alice jumped up from her place and stepped in front of Rosalie.

"No, this was my idea. I talked Rosalie into it. I devised the plan to steal Mrs. Cope's money and I begged Rosalie to come with me. I was so scared, father. I thought if I could find Miss Swan then maybe you wouldn't be so unhappy anymore."

Edward's mouth dropped slightly. His daughters weren't running away, they were going to search for Isabella.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this was?" Edward slowly asked. "You are two little girls who would have been taken advantage of. Every place outside of Haven isn't like Haven. People aren't nice and you both could have been harmed or far worse."

Rosalie and Alice looked at one another.

"We had to try. Your heart is broken because Miss Swan left." Alice replied.

"We already lost our mother. We didn't want to lose you too," Rosalie added.

Edward's heart wasn't broken but hearing these true words pained him. He walked slowly toward his daughters and surprised them when he pulled them in a warm embrace.

"My heart isn't broken. I did care for Miss Swan but if anything ever happened to you, my heart wouldn't survive it."

The air was turning chilly once more. Even though there had been a peek of green through the snow that day, it would still be weeks before they could enjoy a warmer evening.

"We need to go home. Your faces are like ice and I fear that you may become ill."

Edward picked up the girls knapsacks and steered them toward the heated car where Mr. Whitlock stayed waiting. Once they were safely inside Edward decided to tell them of his failings.

"I need to tell you something but first I need you to promise that you will never do anything like this again. I know that this is my fault because I haven't made myself available to you but leaving is never the right answer."

Both daughters made their promise.

Edward sighed and looked out the window at the passing town. He thought about what exactly he was going to tell them before saying it aloud.

"I know that Miss Swan left without saying goodbye and I am to blame for that. She cared a lot for you but I dismissed her because I thought it was the right thing to do. I am not going to say anything further on it then that but…since she has left; one of the things I have been working on is trying to locate her. I know you had every intention to try and find her but I have paid very intelligent people to help find Isabella and we have had no luck yet. If any sign of her turns up, I will let you know."

Mr. Whitlock was taking in every word as he listened in on their conversation. It piqued his interest when he said that finding Isabella was one of the things he was working on. It made Mr. Whitlock even more curious as to what the other thing could be. He hoped that Mrs. Cope had some luck with the office in their absence.

"Tomorrow I promise to not let my obsessions get in the way of my life with you. From now on I will work hard to be a better father to you."

Rosalie and Alice didn't exactly know what he meant by that. Did this mean that they would be quizzed on their past lessons? Would they go back to weekly assessments? Only time would tell.

They arrived home and the moment they entered the house, Edward ordered Mrs. Cope to the kitchen to make up some soup. He sat at the dining room table and ate dinner with his daughters for the first time in months.

As Edward stared into his bowl, his mind was once again plagued with thoughts of Isabella. Where was she? Had she been hurt? If she had been, surely there would be something written about it. A person didn't just disappear off the face of the planet. Where had she been for five long months?

Five long months indeed. However, the moment that Isabella crossed over the boundary line bringing her back to Haven, she suddenly felt those five months seemed to pass in a day. She didn't know why she was brought back here but from the look of things, she couldn't imagine it was for any positive reason.

How many times had Isabella thought about coming back to Haven to seek out Edward but she had remained strong and managed to never give in. In the end it wasn't her choice. She looked at the back of the head of the driver and narrowed her eyes in disdain. She peeked a look at the two malodorous men on each side of her.

Her conversation with Harry Clearwater ran through her head and she knew that danger was upon her. If her constrained hands hadn't already given her that indication, the sight of Jacob Black certainty worked well enough. She didn't know what plans they were making for her but one things for sure; Isabella was prepared to fight. Fight for her life and the life that rested inside her.

AN: Thank you all for your patience. I know its probably getting harder and harder to wait for chapter updates but with everything going on I am having more and more trouble finding the time to write. I am still trying to finish both of these stories before I go into labor. Thank you for your continued support and reviews!

Disclaimer: Story is mine, characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.