Obviously, time passed.

Well, not so obviously. My room didn't have any windows, and the clock made no sense to me. The fact I knew it was a clock was enough.

Anyway, Marcus stayed by my side, never leaving, never sleeping. Spencer was there, too, almost constantly, teaching me sign language. I caught on quickly, and soon so did my half brothers. The four of us practiced signing, and soon I was speaking with my hands, not needing to whisper in Marcus' ear, which I was grateful for. I didn't really like the idea of using my voice. It just felt so...wrong.

Edward, Dr. Cullen's son, didn't exactly show up again. Agent Morgan kinda intimidated me, especially since he was so...perfect. However, he seemed to understand what little Spencer translated from my signs for him. He seemed to understand more than what little I shared, as if he didn't need to hear from me what happened to know what went on. It was like he simply...knew.

On the second day of my being in the hospital, though, Spencer gave me this stuffed bear from the gift shop. It was a light brown bear with soft fur and a red ribbon around its neck tied in a pretty bow. I thanked him for it not only in my signs but in a hug, which caught him by surprise, but he returned it after a few moment's hesitation. That bear never left my side. I took comfort in rubbing its foot whenever my stomach started squirming and the room felt hot. Sure, you could call it nerves or anxiety, but I didn't quite understand why it was so sudden. It was as if someone else was making me feel this way.

Maybe it was my supposed mother, Renée. Ever since I admitted I couldn't remember my family, ever since I refused to speak, ever since...well, forever, it seemed, she didn't seem to like me. She especially seemed to hate my attachment to the bear.

Eventually, about a week or two after I arrived in the hospital, Dr. Cullen, the FBI agents, and my family all assembled in the room. Of course Marcus was still at my side. Very quickly the bear's foot was in my hand and being given a very thorough rubbing.

Dr. Cullen smiled. "Bella, it's time to go home."

In my confusion, I signed, 'Home?' out in letters, unsure of the sign, which Spencer quickly gave me.

Spencer nodded. "Yes, a place for you to live."

"It has already been decided that you will stay with your mother, Renée, and your stepfather, Agent Hotchner," Marcus stated, and instantly I looked at him in fear.

'What about you? Please don't tell me you're not coming!' I signed quickly.

Marcus sighed, signing in reply, 'It's for the best. I'll go turn myself in, protect you-'

I quickly placed my hands on his before starting my signing. 'No. I don't want to go anywhere without you. I don't care that you're connected to my old life. You're the only person I trust.'

Marcus sighed. 'I'll look into moving into an apartment nearby then.'

Spencer quickly said, "You could stay with me until then."

'You live nearby?' I signed.

Spencer nodded. "As a matter of fact I do."

I smiled softly. I liked knowing this. Maybe going "home" wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. 'Okay,' I signed. 'Good.'

Spencer smiled.

Renée and Agent Hotchner's house was small yet rather nice. It was what Marcus claimed to be a raised ranch, yet a tad bit bigger, with a season's room - a room with lots of screened windows to keep out bugs - in the back. My room was on the smaller side, and, according to Renée, remained unchanged since my disappearance. In one corner was a bed with fluffy purple covers and pillows. In another was a small desk and chair. The wall next to it hosted a closet with doors that slid and pulled out. There were a few bins with my old toys - Barbies and stuffed animals, mostly.

I was mostly left to myself, though Agent Hotchner did check in on me every once in a while. The first time he walked in, he was a bit caught off-guard by my having simply laid on the bed the entire time. When he returned again, I had moved to the desk, but I was still just sitting, doing nothing. When he came in again to find me still at the desk, he called Jack into the room and the agent pulled one of the bins filled with stuffed animals down and took out a worn out stuffed dog.

"Hello Jack! My name's Max. I've come to play!" Agent Hotchner said, moving the dog's head as he pretended to make it speak.

Jack laughed outright, but I pressed my hand to my mouth, still unsure of if it was okay to express emotion.

Jack pulled out a stuffed cat and made it say, "Hi Max! I'm Haley!"

Agent Hotchner's smile drooped a little, but he kept his enthusiasm and made Max the Dog reply, "Hi Haley! Let's see if Bella wants to play!"

Jack looked up at me with hope in his young eyes. He had Haley the Cat hop up on my knee and the two looked up at me. In his Haley the Cat voice, he asked sweetly, "Bella, will you come play with us?"

I nodded slowly. 'I'll try, at least.'

Jack's cherub-like face burst into a beautiful smile, and I couldn't help but smile back as I got down off the chair and combed through the box of stuffed animals. My hand recognized the softness of a bird I vaguely remembered playing with. I pulled it out and smiled. It was a dove.

'I'm...' I paused. What was I supposed to call it? I couldn't very well call it "Dove" or "Bella," but I didn't know many other names for a girl bird.

Jack looked at the bird, then pointed to a small tag where the tail met the rest of the bird. "What does its tag say?"

I carefully turned the dove over and looked at the letters carefully. 'O-l-i-v-e. Olive!' I smiled softly. 'Hello. My name is Olive.'

Agent Hotchner, Jack, and I played with Max the Dog, Haley the Cat, and Olive the Dove for what seemed like a long time. We laughed - or rather, they laughed and I covered my mouth, only letting small giggles slip out. Renée pulled Agent Hotchner away, though, and told us dinner would be ready in ten minutes.

"And what do we do before we eat?" Agent Hotchner asked.

"Wash our hands," Jack answered.

Agent Morgan and Spencer joined us for dinner, but it felt weird, eating. I wasn't used to eating so much. Thankfully, it was only soup and salad - "to get Bella back on the right track, Dr. Cullen's suggestion," Renée explained to Jack when he asked why the meal wasn't filling.

Marcus appeared not long after we finished eating, joining us for a movie before Agent Hotchner and Renée enforced "bedtime."

Marcus went with me to my room and nodded. "Very fitting. Much better than the cell they kept you in."

I frowned, but scooped up Max the Dog, Haley the Cat, and Olive the Dove and placed them on my bed. I pulled the bear Spencer had given me from the bag my things had been packed in when I left the hospital before laying on the bed.

Marcus was about to leave the room when he heard me sit up. He turned. "Yes?"

'Will...will they find me? Is anyone going to hurt me?' I signed, my bottom lip quivering.

Marcus sighed, coming over to me and sitting on the bed beside me. 'Bella, I promise you I will protect you. I will let no harm befall you as long as I am here, even if it means taking on the Volturi single-handedly.'

I nodded slowly, before flinging my arms around him. "I'm scared," I whispered ever so softly.

"I know," he whispered back, "and I am sorry."

I couldn't sleep; a light from downstairs kept me up. I quietly got out of bed, taking my bear with me, and walked towards the light, hiding in the shadows.

Agents Hotchner and Morgan, Spencer, Renée, and Marcus were seated in the living room, all but Marcus holding a cup or having a cup next to them. Their voices were low, but I could still hear them.

"What kind of bird?" Marcus asked.

"A dove," Agent Hotchner replied.

Spencer frowned. "She still doesn't feel safe, but she wants peace."

"She's afraid," Agent Morgan added.

Marcus laughed lightly. "Afraid? She's terrified. She's so used to the abuse and lack of activity that it's become a part of her. She finds it normal. I dare say she is afraid they will find her again, and what they will do when they do."

"They won't find her," Agent Hotchner negated, "I'll make sure of it."

Marcus sighed. "Then you've underestimated Aro. They have countless...assistants ready to act. Caius wants her back, and as soon as they get their hands on her, they will destroy her. I dare not say how, for it is best you do not know." He sighed again. "I wish I could explain, but I am in enough trouble as it is. Just know they will find her, and all of us, and therefore our fates are utterly doomed." He lowered his head, staring at the floor.

"How would they...destroy you?" Agent Morgan asked.

Marcus' head bolted up. "I beg your pardon?"

"How would they destroy you?" the agent asked again, causing everyone to turn their focus onto my confidant.

The vampire shifted in his seat. "It...isn't pleasant."

"Unpleasant is part of my job description."

Marcus sighed. "Why is this important?"

The two locked eyes. I could sense Marcus' nostrils flaring like they did when he was annoyed or smelling out a problem.

"That explains it," he muttered. Regaining a normal volume, he said, "I do believe it is time I retired. And Bella" - he turned to stare directly at me - "pray tell why you are not in bed? The hour is late."

I stepped out into the light shyly. 'Sorry, but the light kept me awake.'

"What did she say?" Agent Hotchner asked.

"The light, it kept her awake," Marcus translated. "Bella, dear, it is time I departed. I will see you again soon."

Agent Morgan narrowed his eyes as the man left. "Did you hear how old-timey his words became? 'Pray tell?' That sounds like something Shakespeare would say."

"Jane Austin, too," Spencer added. "Very 15th to 18th century."

Agent Morgan gave him a look. "Exactly."

Agent Hotchner nodded. "Morgan's right. How can we be sure we can trust him?"

I narrowed my eyes, signing furiously, 'How dare you accuse Marcus of being wrong in any way! He has helped me more than you ever could! He snuck me out, brought me here, and put his existence at risk just to protect me. I trust him, because he has sworn never to hurt me! He has never wronged you, and never will. Just because he is distant and odd means nothing. It's just self preservation. He still is unsure if he did the right thing by saving me, or if he has only endangered me more. Master and Sir would have killed me the night he took me to safety. My own birthday! And you want to believe he is only here to harm me! He cannot go back, or they will kill him. You don't know what you are up against, with Master and Sir. Marcus is probably one of the only people who can stop them from hurting me again. You all would be next to powerless against them.'

The room remained silent as Spencer caught up with my signs. Something in Morgan's eyes changed. It was almost as if he knew something I did not. With all the eyes on me, I quickly picked up my bear and raced back up to my room, throwing myself onto the bed. I sensed that I was being watched, but I was so used to it that I still cried myself to sleep, though my sleep was all but peaceful.