Stolen

By: Skyela Rickman-Walters

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own any of the Twilight Saga. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer. They only thing I own is the story plot and a few original characters I have created.

A/n: I didn't intend to get this out as soon as I did, but I did :) Here is the deal. The next chapter is going to be pretty long, I'm going to try my hardest to get it out next week, but I want it to be a good one, so please don't kill me. I mean, two updates in one week??? I must love you guys a lot...lol--PLEASE READ, ENJOY AND REVIEW!!!! TWO MORE CHAPTERS LEFT!!! Oh, lol, and check out my new avatar I made ;) I think its pretty neat. And you can also find me on myspace and facebook! Look me up under Skyela Rickman-Walters!!! Love you all!!!

Chapter 12: Breakthrough

"Hope is the dream of a soul awake." French proverb

Bella's POV

?

I don't know when I decided to float away again. I don't know when we arrived at our destination. I do know that when I came to, Vince was back again. Paulo was still there, driving recklessly—a way I had once been accustomed to. Vince was holding me tightly in his arms, while Emma and Grace sat huddled in the bucket in front of us. There was a stale, stiff smell in the air, but it could have been just my imagination carrying away with me. I blinked through the haze that kept me safe, trying to figure out where everyone else had gone—why it was just Emma, Grace and I out of all the other thirty-some girls that I had seen. The truck bumped along the dirt road, and as my head whipped back to bounce against the side panel, all the buzzing that had been in my ears evaporated and I was able to hear the radio announcer.

"…I repeat, Vincent D'Attilio is to be assumed armed and dangerous. If you see him and/or Isabella Swan, please notify the authorities immediately. Again, Isabella is five feet, four inches tall, 110 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She might respond to Bella. She was last seen in southern San Diego at about 2:15 in the afternoon…"

I think my heart stopped beating upon hearing this. My entire body went rigid within Vince's tight embrace as a flicker of hope resurfaced from my soulless body. I strained to hear more, but Paulo abruptly shut off the radio—he probably heard the stutter of my heart. Vince felt my sudden tense and he immediately began to stroke my face, as though he were consoling his frightened child.

"It's alright Isabelle," he murmured, his voice low and gentle as he brushed his dry lips to my forehead. "I won't let them find us…we're going far, far away where they will never find us…"

My stomach dropped at hearing these words. I can't let that happen, I thought wildly, struggling in Vince's arms, struggling to free myself from his tight grasp. But he brought a swift hand to my face, and in his hand was a white cloth…I held my breath as he pressed it to my nose and mouth, but the fumes were still dizzying and disorientating. I could feel my eyelids flutter helplessly as I struggled, trying not to breathe. I let my body fall limp, let Vince believe that I was sound asleep in his arms again, but my mind was constantly whirring, like a fan spinning around on a warm summer's day…

At some point, the car heaved to a sudden halt and my eyes snapped open with fierce determination. Vince pushed me into a sitting position. I rubbed my eyes and peered around, catching sight of Emma's painful twitching from the seat in front of me. I reached out to give her a reassuring squeeze but I pulled my hand back to my heart almost instantly.

Emma's hand was like touching freshly fallen snow. My breathing hitched up inside my throat as I peered around at her, only to see that she had been bound and gagged. Only to see her eyes rolling around, unable to fathom the incredible pain she was in. Only to notice the bite mark on her neck, that mirrored the one I had on my forearm. My horrified eyes switched to Grace beside her, but her body was slack, her mouth shaped into such a terrified expression, I was sure that was dead. But Emma…

My hand unconsciously went to my own neck, but I was unscathed. If I had been thinking rationally, I would have known that I was completely fine. I had run with vampires in the past, and knowing what I knew about them…but knowing what I knew didn't calm the bubbling panic that had begun to brew deep within the pit of my stomach. It felt as though someone had set free a dozen birds inside me. I felt someone tugging me out the door, but I couldn't really bring myself to be apart of what was happening. Staring at the transforming Emma, I continued to dwell in the past, the cold fear hugging me tightly as I wondered what was going to become of me. I wondered how truly twisted and bizarre my life had become since arriving in Forks. I was most definitely a magnet for trouble…

I was unaware of walking, very quick paced up the side street. I was completely oblivious to the screeching sound of the truck as Paulo hauled out of sight. Vince kept his hand clasped around mine as we walked, his eyes darting every which way. It was then that I noticed how under wraps he was; fake beard, dressed in the same get up that I was. I staggered momentarily, tripping over my own to feet as we raced across the square, a tiny motel just miles away from us. A couple of times my knees actually hit the ground, and Vince would pull ruthlessly on my arm, snapping my shoulder from its socket. I hissed in pain, put continued after him. He would pull me close and whisper, "Don't fight me…don't make this difficult…"

How on Earth could it be more difficult? How in the world was this not difficult already? Couldn't he see that I was trying to move as quickly as I possibly could? Couldn't he see that I was already avoiding the many eyes that watched us with edged suspicion as he half dragged me toward the dumpy Sleepytown Inn. As I fell a fifth time, my busted shoulder aching, embarrassed tears flooding my eyes, I caught the eyes of someone watching us from across the way. I watched as he reached into his cruiser—with a pang of regret, I thought of my dad—and pull out the walkie. I imagined what he could possibly have been telling the dispatcher, as his wary eyes never left our retreating forms as Vince pulled me into the hotel office. In fact, I did the worse possible thing I could have done, but it was the only chance I had.

I looked the officer right back, staring him full in the face, my eyes pooling over like an overflowing sink.

And then Vince slammed the door in my face.

***

Vince was pacing. He kept peering out the window, like a parent waiting for their rebellious teenager to stroll in well past curfew. I sat on the bed sniffling, rubbing my pained shoulder as I watched his anxious movements. The motel room was shabby; yellow and red striped wall paper, a dingy brown rug and one full sized bed with a tarnished green comforter. An old rabbit ear television sat in the far corner with a tiny remote chained to the stand. It smelt of mold and must in this room, and I wondered how many times the room had been cleaned. A couple of times, Vince would catch my eyes and he would flash me a smile—but that smile never touched his apprehensive eyes. That made me feel uncomfortable. Finally I broke the silence.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked. I myself, felt like I was a fugitive too, running from the law like I had been the one at fault. And maybe now I was aiding and abetting some secret operation that Vince and Paulo had created. Maybe the CIA knew about vampires—maybe Vince was caught in the same bizarre lifestyle that I was.

Vince gave me a searching look, his eyes worried and desolate as they touched my face. He reached out a hand and wiped away the stains my tears had left. "We're waiting to get word…" I had to lean in close to hear just what Vince was saying; he was mumbling like someone who was certifiably insane. Even his eyes kept twitching, constantly looking left to right "…She's going to come….and then everything will be all better for you and me, Izzy." He clasped a cold clammy hand in mine and firmly squeezed it.

"Who?" I pressed, curiosity getting the better of me. I watched Vince's tortured expression as he stared at me, feeling the ache that tugged at my heartstrings.

Vince knelt down in front of me, taking my other hand in both of his. I was baffled by his desperate emotions, but I held my expression tight. "Izzy," Vince said, his voice barely just a whisper. "Isabelle—I used to watch you as a little girl you know." He laughed as he said this. I felt my stomach churn as I thought about him watching me grow up—I swallowed the bile back down that followed. "I've know you since you were five. I used to let you pick out anything you liked at Halloween. I used to send you and you mother Christmas cookies. I would watch you as you played and I would watch you while you were sleeping." Vince gave a sigh as though reminiscing on happier times. "I loved you the moment I saw you, Izzy. And I had to have you.

"But when I tried to bring you home, you weren't there. So—so I had to take the other girl. People would be suspicious if Lydia was to tell her mother that a strange man was inside her house. Paulo…before he became…" and Vince shuddered, unable to speak the truth, "…used to watch you for me as well. He said he would try for you…but then you went away. And I searched for you everywhere. I followed your mother to Jacksonville—I tailed her all year. But I could never find you. And then, they found you in Washington. And that was my chance."

As Vince spoke, I began to realize how crazy he truly was; his words slurred together drunkenly and his eyes seemed to glaze over at the memory. For the first time, I really saw how unstable Vince was, how mentally incapacitated he was. It frightened me, but I nodded, urging him to carry on.

"But then I met her," Vince said, squeezing my hand tightly. "And she said she would help me find you, see? And she did and now she's going to make everything better…for the both of us."

"W-who?" My voice trembled under the strain; in the distance, I heard the slam of a car door, but I was too tied up in what Vince was saying to register it. "Who said she'd help you?"

Vince grinned—and this smile was unlike any I had seen in my life. It was almost like he was dreaming the most wonderful dream. "She's beautiful, Izzy. But nowhere as beautiful as you." He touched my hair, pulling away the scarf. "She's got very red curls." He touched the deep circles that had found themselves a home under my eyes. "And her eyes…" Vince shuddered, as though remembering the rush of unsettling fear that I had felt upon seeing those eyes too. My heart began to rapidly beat within my chest as I realized—as it clicked inside my encompassing mind. My breathing hitched and I found my hands now clutching my chest as I fought to breathe…Vince really didn't have to continue, although he did any way.

Victoria.

The door to our dingy room thrust open—backfiring like a gun—the light from the day blinding the both of us. I threw my hands up over my eyes as Vince spun around, blinking blearily. Once the initial shock of bright light faded, I saw them; at least a dozen officers standing in the doorway, guns at the ready, their patrol lights flashing from outside.

My brain went on autopilot as I sat in dull shock, staring at the officer I had seen from across the street. He stood, observing Vince and I, his gun pointed directly at Vince's heart. For a moment I couldn't breath. For a moment, all I could do was stare aimlessly at the officer as he slowly made his way inside the dark musty room. Three more men followed, a young woman officer hovering in their wake.

Before my brain could even begin to process that what was happening was very real, the woman officer was in front of me, her warm hazel eyes staring at my face, memorizing it as they had probably done months earlier.

"Isabella Swan?" she asked, her voice echoing loudly through my foggy thoughts. Again, it was like someone had slowed down everything and turned up the volume. My brow furrowed in confusion while she spoke, as I tried to focus on what she was saying. "Is your name Bella?"

At first, I almost shook my head—I was afraid that Vince might lash out and throttle me if I said yes. I could feel my lungs heaving, my heart thumping unevenly in my chest as I struggled to speak a coherent word—as I fought to do anything at all. The woman gently pulled the scarf away from my face, her fingers pushing my messy curls away from my eyes. A thankful smile stretched wide across her lips as she stared at me in wonderment. I could hear another officer mumble something to his partner. They knew the most important truth before I was even aware of it.

"Bella? Is that your name, sweetheart?" It was the male officer from across the street. I looked at him while the woman stroked my face.

Trembling from head to toe, I made sure not to look at Vince as I nodded my head; slowly at first, but as the seconds grew longer, my head began to bob up and down furiously as if I were trying to convince myself of this known knowledge too.

"Yes!" I finally choked, the strain of the shock finally wearing off. Before I could control it, I was crying again, completely far gone. When I pictured this moment in my head, months and months ago, I was never crying. Instead, in my dreams, I screamed joyously, I hugged the officer who had rescued me. I was all smiles while being returned to my parents arms. Nothing could have ever prepared me for the ugly tears that sluggishly slid down my cheeks or the way my body shook like a frightened dog. I nodded again, needing the added confirmation that this was real. "It's me…I'm Bella…"

Blinded by my tears, I was unaware of someone wrapping a thick, wool blanket around my shoulders. I assumed the woman officer helped me to my feet and led me out of the motel room. I couldn't help but look back into the darkness as I wondered what they were going to do with Vince. I felt guilty—like I was abandoning the one man who had kept me alive this entire time—as the woman ushered me through the crowd; I heard people cheering! I heard clapping, I heard sobbing…I felt millions of eyes staring at me as the officer ducked me into a squad car. Her fingers touched my face again. I looked up into her kindly eyes and she smiled at me once more and I watched in bafflement as a tear slid from her eye.

"C'mon Bella," she said gently, taking a foam cup from some officer and handing it to me. I took the warm liquid into my hands, but didn't drink. "Let's get you home."

I finally let out a heart wrenching sob, shutting my eyes as I did so. I don't know how long I sat like that, but the kind officer wrapped her arms around me and held me close to her bosom. She even nestled herself into the back of the cruiser with me so that I could lean on her while she stroked my hair and whispered encouraging things in my ear. No matter how many times I thought the words through my head, it still didn't seem real.

Home…I'm going home…

A/n: So this chapter was kind of short, but I figured Chapter 13 is going to be a doozy anyway, so I took the first part of it and posted it. Thank you so much for all of your reviews and I expect to see more of them this time around!!! Keep reviewing guys, you are all awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This chapter was put out especially for you, so REVIEW!!!

All my love,

Skye:)