Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight

Chapter Four

"Royce!" I growled, pulling my cell phone from my pocket. "I'm calling the police." I said firmly. Before I could dial 911, Rosalie snatched the phone from my hand, her eyes frantic. "No! Don't!" she shouted on the edge of hysteria.

"Are you crazy?" I almost yelled. "Of course I'm calling the police. Now give me my phone back!"

She shook her head franticly from side to side. "Bells, please for me, don't. I'm begging you. I'm fine." she begged, straightening herself up on the couch, trying to convince me that she way "fine".

"I don't think I can do that." I told her honestly.

"Bella, please, I'm sincerely asking you to please don't."

Taking a deep breath, I glanced over at her. "Is this first time this has happened?" She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She closed her mouth and took a deep breath before trying to answer. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she lightly brushed over her swollen eye. "No, this wasn't the first time."

"Give me my fucking phone!" I growled, and reached over to grab it from her but she lifted it up high in the air out of my reach.

"BELLA!" she shouted, trying to sound firm. I sighed "Rose, I care about you."

"I know, Bell. I know. But please." she begged. Raising my hands up in defeat, I reluctantly took a step back from the couch "fine. But under one condition."

She nodded firmly.

"If this happens again, you call somebody. Or I will. I don't give a shit what you say." I looked up at her. "You got that?"

"Thank you so much, Bella." She said elated. "Don't thank me." I frowned.

"Please don't tell anyone. It would be bad..." She trailed off.

I nodded once, before walking away. I stomped up the stairs to my bedroom. Flipping the light switch, I slammed the door shut behind me. With an aggravated sigh, I plopped down on my bed. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and pointer finger.

I didn't know what to think. I had nothing to say. Finally it all made sense! The nights Rosalie would attempt quietly "sneak" in, her muffled cries always giving her away, the bruises that would appear - as if out of nowhere - on her arms, and legs. I smacked my forehead with the heel of my hand.

How could I have been so oblivious?

I didn't understand my sister. Why would she let someone do this to her? She has always been so strong, and so intolerant of other people's bullshit. I contemplated going behind Rose's back, and calling the police. But I decided against it. I wouldn't betray her trust that way.

I loved Rosalie. She was all the family I had left.

We weren't close growing up. I was five years old when they left. I vaguely remember Renee and Charlie getting into a huge blow out that resulted in Renee snatching up Rosalie, leaving and not looking back. The last I heard from my mother was the card I got for my seventh birthday.

Growing up it didn't bother me in the slightest that she left. At least I had Charlie. We had an easy relationship. He trusted me, as I trusted him. He always supported me, and gave me a good laugh, or a shoulder to cry on. He protected me with his life. He was my life. And when he died, I felt as if the whole world - my whole world had crumbled beneath my feet.

I could remember the day he died as if it was yesterday. Years later, and the pain of it still creates a deep hole in my chest.

Only a few short months after Charlie's sudden death, I caught them in the act. It was like the universe was doing everything in it's power to break me down. It was un-real. Sometimes, I feel as if it was all a horrid nightmare.

I wish it was.

At the tender age of twenty Rosalie left her home in Phoenix, Arizona to come be with me. Not too long after she arrived in Forks, she was appointed my legal guardian. I'm not sure if I would've survived without her.

I owed my sister so much.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a soft knock at my door. "Come in." I mumbled. Rosalie slowly ventured into my room with a brown paper bag in her hand. I smirked.

"It is still your birthday." She laughed, as she crawled on to my bed. She handed me the bag, and I grinned as I pulled the bottle from the bag. I quickly un-screwed the cap and took a long gulp of the alcohol.

"Bella," she whispered. I glanced over at her. "I know you care about me. I'm truly thankful to have a sister like you. But please trust me, okay? I can handle this on my own."

I sighed. "Did you even think about looking at it from my perspective?" I asked calmly. I didn't give her a chance to answer. "You're my big sister. You're my only family. And if something were to happen to you, well that would be on my shoulders because I didn't do anything to stop this. I'm worried about your safety! I can't lose anyone else, Rose. I'm just not that strong."

She didn't say anything as she grabbed the bottle from me and took a large swig of her own, and she handed the bottle back to me. "You worry too much, everything will be fine."

I didn't bother commenting. I downed more of the brown liquid, rolling my eyes at Rose.

"Happy eighteenth birthday Bella! You are now legally aloud to look at porn!" she exclaimed, and I knew we would be okay.

-oooOooo-

I groaned when I woke up the next morning. I squinted my eyes as they adjusted to the blinding rays of the sun. I glanced at the clock, and my eyes widened. I sprang out of the bed, and instantly regretted it as the room spun violently around me.

I laughed quietly to myself when I noticed Rosalie curled up at the foot of my bed like a cat. I didn't bother with a shower; I didn't want to show up to work any later than I had to. I pulled my hair up into a pony tail and quickly pulled on the first pair of jeans that I saw. I grabbed a band tee from the floor and slid on my black North Face jacket.

I carefully slipped on a pair of socks. I grabbed my bag and slipped on a pair of old beat up converse. I went into the bathroom and quickly brushed my teeth. Making sure not to wake Rosalie I kissed her lightly on the cheek and grabbed my phone before rushing downstairs.

I pulled the keys from my bag and quickly jumped up into the icy cab of my truck. Without second thought, I pulled the door shut, and stuck the key into the ignition. The truck roared to life, and I backed out of the driveway.

Emmett, along with everybody else laughed at me as I sprinted into the shop. "Fuck all of you." I grumbled under my breath, as I took my seat behind the front desk.

"You're late Swan." Emmett snapped in mock seriousness.

"Put a sock in it Cullen." I shot back. He shook with laughter, and strode over to me. I eyed the cup of coffee in his hand hungrily. He smirked when I gratefully took the cup from him. He also handed me to small pills that I recognized as Advil.

"You are a God send Emmett." I told him as I popped the pills. The coffee burned as I traveled down my throat, but it didn't bother me.

"Esme says, and I quote," he began, "Isabella, you best remember that you are eighteen and not twenty-one." He said in a horrible impression of his mother's voice.

"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled dismissively.

"Loved your song," Embry commented from behind me.

"Thanks man," I said smiling, a slight blush appearing on my cheeks.

I fished around in my bag for the gauges Emmett had gotten me yesterday. I smiled triumphantly when I managed to find them in the messy contains of my purse. I reached for the mirror that was standing at the far end of the counter, and pulled it in front of me.

I ripped open the package and placed the two pieces of plastic on the counter. I removed the plugs that were already in my ear and slowly pushed the new ones through the hole. I winced as the plastic gauge stretched the tissue of my earlobes.

"Those are awesome." Renesmee commented, and I nodded in agreement. I put the mirror back where I had found it, and took a swig of my coffee.

"Hey Bells!" Emmett called from another room. I slid off the stool and walked over to Emmett's office. I poked my head inside, and he smiled cheekily at me.

"I have to talk to you." He said seriously. I eyed him wryly, and slowly sat down in one of the two black chairs in front of his desk.

"Is everything alright?" I asked urgently.

"Uh, I'm not sure," he answered, "which is why I have to talk with you."

I raised an eyebrow at him, and he took that as a sign to continue.

"Did you ever find out what happened to Rose last night?" he asked nervously, his voice thick with concern.

I groaned inwardly. My rational side was screaming at me to tell the truth, but I couldn't bring myself to betray Rosalie's trust. By keeping my promise to Rose, I was also betraying Emmett's trust. I wasn't sure if I was capable of lying to him, but I was going to have to.

"Oh yeah..." I trailed off, srambling to come up with a cover story for my sister. "Um... she was feeling a bit under the weather so she ended up staying in last night." I lied through my teeth.

"Is she alright?" he pressed, his eye brows drawing together in concern.

"Yeah Em, she's great." I told him, smiling a bit more than necessary. I was struggling to maintain composure.

He nodded once, and stood up. "Okay," he smiled, and patted my head as he walked out of the room. I groaned and buried my face in my hands. I cannot believe that I just lied to Emmett. I seriously hope it was worth it.