A/N: Sorry it's been so long, school has my stress levels rising above the roof. Hope you've had a great Christmas!

Chapter 4

Carlisle's POV:
I sighed in relief as I pulled into my extensive driveway, not hesitating for a second before getting out of the car and hastily striding to the front door. I slid my key into the lock, only to find that it was already unlocked. My dead heart crept up into my throat, before I came to the conclusion that Bella had probably just unlocked it to prove a point. I rolled my eyes and smiled a small, affectionate smile. Her stubbornness truly was endearing- when it wasn't getting her into trouble, that is.

I briefly rested my head against the heavy wood and searched for her unique yet steady heartbeat. But to my horror, I was met with complete silence.

Yanking open the door with a newly found panic, I rushed inside and frantically tried to find a fresh scent.

"Bella? BELLA?!" I roared, multiple scenarios (all equally terrifying, mind you) filled my mind. Victoria? The Volturi, perhaps?

But no, the only potent scent was hers, mine and my family's. Although none were fresh, meaning only one thing: Bella had disobeyed me.

Bella's POV:

Darkness was all around me, but my other senses were as alert as they could possibly be.

"I concocted this one myself!" The man exclaimed, placing a special emphasis on his lisp. "The other doctors told me it was cruel, that it defeated the whole purpose of pain relief! They didn't appreciate my talent- but you do, don't you my sweet girl?"

But before I could reply, he tugged my still-bleeding lip into his cold grasp and probed at the sore cut. I hissed in pain and thrashed my head from side to side, seeing nothing apart from a malevolent pitch-black.

"Now, we won't be having any of that." He chided me as though he were speaking to a child, and I had a brief flashback of Carlisle doing the exact same thing. My heart ached, and I wondered whether or not he was looking for me yet, or if he was simply too angry to be concerned. Even thinking that, I doubted it were true. Carlisle was such a kind, forgiving soul- well, I hoped for my sake that he was.

"W-what other doctors?" I asked, trying to distract him from what he was about to do.

His tone was noticeably agitated when he spoke again. "The ones from that hospital- you know the one."

"Um, no, I don't."

"Well that's hardly my fault, is it?!" He screeched, and I jumped as much as I could underneath the harsh weight of the heavy chains.

I waited stock-still in the unrelenting darkness, fearing what the man's next move might be.

"You truly are being naughty, aren't you Isabella?" He said, considerably calmer. The calm before the storm, as my father might have said.

I flinched as my name casually fell from his lips, but before I could muster up the courage to ask how he had come across that knowledge a cold, wet gag was forced into my mouth. My eyes bugged as I frantically tried to adjust. My throat contracted against the intrusion and I struggled to swallow the rising bile. Cold water trickled down my throat, though it was more of a relief than anything. I was completely parched, and my stomach was sore- most likely due to all the medication I was unwillingly on.

"There! Much better!" The man rejoiced, his voice creepily light and airy. I shivered.

My lip was once again prodded at by his abusive fingers, but I was forced to suffer in silence. For a few minutes, the oblivion comforted me. I couldn't see what he was doing, and to be entirely honest, I didn't want to. That was until what I assumed to be a long, thick needle was violently pushed through my lip. He kept pushing, hands occasionally shaking and spasming to add to the ferocity of the pain, until the needed protruded out of the other side.

My body didn't know how to react, unable to move or see what was going to happen next. Agony exploded in my mouth, travelling up my face and down my neck. I could feel thick blood gushing out of the wound, and the psychopath squealed with delight.

Minutes that felt like hours passed. Just as I thought the pain had begun to ebb away, he said: "Just four more to go!"

A/N: It is so freaking hard to type with acrylics on! Please review, constructive criticism appreciated.