So here goes another chapter, I have to say that I'm liking this one a lot better. First chapters are always awkward.

chapter 2

Getting Help-

Bella sat on the couch, with the phone in her hand, deciding she needed to figure out what exactly was going on, before she called Alice.

Jacob meant everything to me, and I had assumed the feeling was mutual, until recently. We had met in high school, and although we didn't plan it, we attended the same college, Jacob getting his degree in psychology, and I getting mine in business. We stuck together, looking for a familiar face in the new surroundings, and somehow in the middle of it all, we fell in love. We both finished out their years, and soon after they were engaged, then married, and not long after pregnant. It seemed like it had happened so fast, and yet we'd been married over five years now.

Jacob was a good father. He'd never hurt Connor, and he'd supported them so I could stay home with the baby. We had a small apartment, yes, but it was a nicer one, in the good parts of town. We'd never really felt the need to move, but had discussed the possibility of it once Connor got older. The apartment was fine with just a baby, but when he grew into an energetic little boy, it would be much too small. We needed a bigger house with a backyard, with room to run.

But now… It's not like he had hit me just once. It had been a few times, over the head, making my head spin and my nose bleed. And now I had him pushing me into walls. This situation was clearly not going to get any better, he didn't even see what he was doing wrong. He had been so detached lately, she had assumed it was work, although he got a degree in psychology, and had wanted to be a child's psychologist, he worked as a social worker, and was surrounded with violence and hurt children every day. I was always sure he would never do any of the things he saw, much less to me. I didn't know what to believe now.

I was truly a mess. I'd been forcing myself to think through this, don't feel, just think. I decided I'd done enough thinking for now. I dialed Alices number, hoping she was home. The phone rang three times before the answering machine picked up.

"Hey, it's Alice. I'll call you back when I'm home. I also screen calls, so leave a message because it's my caller id right now…"

Bella giggled. Alice was always such a goof.

"Hey, it's me. Are you there? I'll give you a chance to get to the phone, I guess. Anyways, I needed to talk to someone, and I really need your help. Things aren't going so good right now, and I really need your opinion…"

"Bella?" Alice finally picked up; I could just imagine her bouncing even as she stood.

"Hey, yeah, it's me. Obviously." I fidgeted; this was going to be harder than I thought.

"Yeah, what's up? You don't sound too good."

"It's Jake. Um… I'm thinking about moving out, but I don't know where to go, or what to do, seeming as how I haven't worked since I got pregnant."

"Why? What's going on? I thought things were good between you two, I mean, you just had Connor and everything…"

"Yeah. I thought so too. But, uh, he hit me last night, and it wasn't the first time, either, and I just have a feeling it's not going to get any better, because when I tried to talk to him he wasn't sorry, and didn't see how it was wrong, and then he threw me against a wall." Everything came out in a rush, because I knew that if I didn't keep going, I would stop, and most likely lose it.

"Oh my God! Bella, are you okay? Has he hurt Connor? Why did he hit you? Can you come spend the night with me? I promise I'll help you, okay?" Alices multiple questions came in a panicked fast voice, which didn't help me stay calm at all.

"Um, yeah, I'm okay. Nothing serious. My back got pretty bruised up from last night, No, I doubt he would ever hurt Connor. And, well, the first time he hit me was because I didn't get something fast enough, and then last night because I talked to him about it. Alice? How the hell am I going to pull off staying at your house?" I answered her questions one at a time, thanking my experience working in an office and having a million questions thrown at me from all directions.

"Just tell him we're going shopping, and then we'll call and say that it's gotten late, so you'll just stay here. And bring the baby of course."

"But I'm really not in the mood to shop." I sighed. Of course Alice would see this as an opportunity to shop.

"We won't be shopping, silly" She giggled, "We'll be talking to some friends of mine, they're looking to rent out their apartment complex, which happens to be just about as far from here as we can get." You could tell she was extremely enthused, and her mind working a million miles a minute, off in some land that I wasn't even sure I ever wanted to see.

"That's great! But where is this apartment, exactly?" I knew I had to get as far away as I could, but honestly. She knows that I like it here in Florida. I had been living on the beach since we moved here.

"Alaska. Now, I know what you're thinking, but just let me explain. These are really good friends of mine, and I just know that they'll love you immediately. And I know that you hate the cold, but that's also why Alaska is a good idea, it's extremely cold, obviously, and Jake knows you hate the cold. That's why he'll never think of Alaska. Anyways, about my friends, one of them is a lawyer, so I'm sure he would help you with getting everything that Jake did to you down, and put on record, in case he ever find you again, which, he won't."

Okay, this was actually starting to sound like a good idea. Alice always had good intentions, and wonderful ideas, but they didn't always work, like, for example, when she decided she wanted to consult people on their fashion, and make sure all their outfits matched. While I loved her style, not everyone is the same. She didn't exactly see that, and her customers hated her when she was done yelling at them. I think she actually told one she would be a mismatched skank once. Anyways, back to moving.

"And how will I pay for this new apartment?" I wasn't going to let her skip over one of the biggest details. I was sure this plan would flop, but I was surprised by her answer.

"I'll call them. They owe me a favor anyways, and I'm pretty sure the lawyer just fired his secretary. I'll make sure to ask him if he's still looking for a new one… Oh. The other two, Well, you know Edward is a lawyer, but Jasper is a contractor and Emmett is in Jaspers business. So, that's how the apartment came to be. So far I think it's just those three living in it, maybe a couple others, but it's pretty empty so far. It'd be perfect!" Now I could literally hear the bounce in her voice, and wondered what she was jumping on.

"Okay, I'll give it to you. So call them, while I pack. God, this is so sudden." I could feel myself starting to crash, and had to remind myself of all the bruises that were sure to come if I didn't get out. "I'll try to get as much stuff as I can, as much as I know you'd love for me to get a whole new wardrobe, I really won't be able to afford it. Anyways, I'll let you call your friends, and be over in a half hour or so."

"Yay! I'm so excited! Okay, see you then! Just remember that everything will be okay, just focus on getting out. Bye, Bella." I was taken by surprise when her voice was suddenly so serious. I knew this was going to be a big step.

"Bye, Alice." I whispered.

I hung up the phone, and went to get Connors things ready, along with my own, filling all of our suitcases and bags that I could find.

So please review, etc etc. I might mess around with doing different POV, but not yet. I don't think i'm into the story enough.. I might doing one from Jakes Pov... let me know what you think!