Chapter Six: Here to Stay

Carlisle's POV

I awoke the next morning, my arm draped over Lizzie's body, to my phone ringing through the room. I gently moved her hand and began seating for my phone on the ground. Blindly sliding it open, I answered it.

"Hello?" I asked, falling back into bed as Lizzie cuddled closer to me.

"He raped her, Carlisle." Emmett's voice yelled, sounding scared and out of it. "He really raped her...like hardcore strapped her down with ropes, raped her."

My Bella. My beautiful Bella. That disgusting excuse for a man forced himself on her and I felt dirty for her. I let my phone drop to my floor as my body numbed over. I could barely breathe with the thought of Bella laying there helplessly while some man got himself off at her expense. I didn't think he'd try again. But I was so very wrong.

"Carlisle?" Lizzie asked as she shook me. "Carlisle, what's wrong?"

"He got her." I mumbled as I looked up at the ceiling, unable to move I was shaking so hard. "He got her this time."

"Who?" She asked.

"Michaelson." I told her. "Got Bella."

"Is she...is she dead?"

"No he raped her." I told her. "With rope."

"He raped her with rope?"

"No he used robe to tie her down so she couldn't get away." I explained. "She probably has rope burns now."

"You have to go to her."

"I can't, she'll get kicked off of campus."

"Carlisle,"

"I can't go, Lizzie!" I shouted as I sat up. "If I go I have to look at her as she lied lifelessly in a hospital bed...completely tramatized! If I go I have to say goodbye all over again! I can't put her through that pain! Not again...not now!"

"She needs you..."

"She has Alice." I told her. "She's going to be fine. She bounced back once...I know she can do it again."

Lizzie and I got up and began getting ready for work. Edward had been thoroughly warned about Lizzie staying the night, and he didn't do anything stupid when Lizzie sat down at the breakfast table. She was surprisingly good with him, asking him about the piano and soccer and he even played her a part from the piece he was working on. I watched as he got on the bus and went inside to finish getting ready.

"You know, you could make her a video." Lizzie suggested as we got our coats.

"What?" I asked.

"I mean make her a video saying that you know what happened...like a video diary." She explained. "That isn't breaking the rules."

"Emailing it to her would be."

"Have Edward email her." She shrugged. "They didn't say anything about Edward having contact with her."

"True," I mused. I'd never thought of using Edward as a way of contacting him. Plus, he missed her just as much as I did and I didn't think he'd be able to talk to her. But, Dean Gregory said I couldn't have contact with her. "Good idea, Liz."

"I'm bound to have a few of them every now and again." She laughed as she got into her car.

Emmett kept me informed throughout the day. Bella didn't have any major sustaining injuries and they were going to let her go the next morning. Professor Michaelson had been caught and was being put into custody. I so badly wanted to drive up to New York and beat his ass, but I couldn't also go to jail. That wouldn't help either of us.

But, I couldn't concentrate that day. I had my classes do silent reading and note taking on their own. Anytime I opened my mouth to speak, Bella would come out and I couldn't be doing that during class. So, they worked while I starred at a picture of Bella and I in Barcelona, two years ago. I couldn't believe it'd been two years since we took the trip of a lifetime together.

I remembered telling her the story of my grandparents and how excited she got when I explained how they met and fell in love. The way she awed at all the landmarks and how much she enjoyed the food there. The way she listened so intently on what I told her about the city, even though she probably didn't really care. She cared for me.

"Hey," Lizzie greeted at the end of the day.

"Hi, you ready?" I asked, grabbing my laptop bag and slinging it on my shoulder.

"No, I'm going out for drinks with the girls tonight." She laughed. "You go home and do what you need to do."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I was really starting to like her and I didn't want to scare her away with all the Bella drama in my life.

"Completely." She smiled, leaning and brushing her lips agains mine. "Go do what you need to."

"Thanks," I nodded, giving her another kiss before leading her out of the room. I locked both rooms and walked her to her car before finding mine. Edward would be home by now since practice was canceled and I just picked up food from a local diner. I walked inside to the beautiful song he'd been working on for weeks, the one that I finally recognized.

"Sounds good." I told him as we sat down for dinner. "You going to tell me what it is?"

"No." He told me. "Not yet."

"Okay," I agreed, not wanting to pry. "Hey, you wanna do something for me?"

"Sure,"

"I have to email Bella something, and I need your email address."

"Okay, go for it." He agreed immediately, and began talking about the math test he'd had that day. With all the work him and Bella did, he managed to get into a higher math program at his new school and I was so proud. Math was the thing he hated most, and he overcame it. "So, am I allowed to talk to Bella?"

"It's our loophole." I smiled. "The dean never said anything about you not being allowed to talk to her."

"Excellent!" He yelled, finishing his meal and putting his dish in the sink before going upstairs. I finished my dinner and went to do the dishes. Something that wasn't as much fun without someone to do them with. After everything was cleaned up, I made my way upstairs and went into my room and opened my laptop.

I spent a good hour talking into the webcam, telling Bella everything I thought she needed to hear. I so badly wanted to break all the rules and go see her. My love was in the hospital after being attacked. She would never take me back after now showing up, but I was hoping this would help her through it. Give her the push she needed to overcome what had happened.

Edward sent the video the next morning before going to school, and I called in sick. I wasn't ready to teach yet, and I didn't want to sit there as they just read in their books yet. So, I decided to rewrite lesson plans and clean the house to try and keep my mind off of things. But, cleaning only reminded me of Bella and how often she cleaned up after Edward and I.

I checked Edward's email constantly, but I was pretty sure she hadn't opened it yet or even used her computed since the attack.

"Hello?" I asked after an unknown number showed up on my Caller ID just as Edward was getting home.

"Dr. Cullen?" A familiar voice asked on the other line.

"Miss Brandon, what are you doing calling?"

"Bella doesn't want to go to therapy." She explained. "She doesn't want to talk about anything."

"Tell her she has to!" I screeched. "Tell her I told her she needs to go!"

"Bella doesn't work like that and you know it, Dr. Cullen." She sighed. "Bella doesn't do what she's told to do a lot of the time and if I force her, she's going to make going to this guy a total joke."

"I know," I sighed. "She's going to do it her way on her own time, Alice. You know it and so do I."

"But..."

"Trust me, the nightmares are going to get the best of her." I sighed. "That's what happened last time. She told me she couldn't stand seeing his face every time she closed her eyes anymore."

"Every time she closes her eyes, she sees you." Alice told me. "She told me she dreamt of your wedding day and the day you two had a baby together."

"So do I." I cried. "Hey, Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"Is she...is she seeing anyone?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Boy wise."

"Kinda," She whispered. "It isn't my place to tell you."

"Please, I just wanna know."

"Are you seeing someone?"

"It isn't serious." I shrugged. "She doesn't want it to be serious and neither do I...I just need someone to talk to, Alice. Keep my mind off of Bella."

"Well, she's living with Jacob Black." She told me and I nearly choked on the coffee I'd just taken a sip of. "She told me she feels more safe with him and his friends than with me if anything should happen."

"Guys?" I asked.

"There's five of them living in the apartment." She sighed. "They're twice my size, and she's just doing it so she feels safe."

"Well, what about Jake?" I asked. "Doesn't he have a thing for her?"

"They slept together last week." She sighed. "But, I don't know if anythings going to happen."

"She's living with one of the best looking guys she's friends with." I mumbled. "Of course something is going to happen."

"I'll keep you posted." She laughed.

"One more thing!" I stopped her before she hung. "Make sure Bella looks at her email."

"Will do." She promised before hanging up the phone.

"Hi, Edward. I just want you to know that I'm okay. I really am I don't want you worrying about me. I want you to focus on school and soccer and piano. How's that going, by the way? Obviously the piano's good, but how about soccer? Is it as good as back home? Well, anyway, I want you to tell your dad I got his video and I get it. I love you and I really can't wait until I can see you again. Bye, buddy!"

Then, the screen went black and Bella was gone. She'd gotten my video and I felt an odd sense of closure for us. At least for now. She was safe with Jake and I knew Alice and Jasper would keep her safe. I was somehow able to breath again, something that had been hard for this last week. Thanksgiving was finally approaching which meant Edward and I were heading back to New York.

"Can I send her a video?" Edward asked as he packed a bag for the city. "I mean, you said we'd found a loophole."

"I know we did, but I don't think it's a good idea to be sending her a ton of stuff, bud." I sighed. "She has to focus."

"Yeah, on the new freaking boyfriend." He sighed. He'd overheard Emmett and I talking the other night.

"Hey, don't be upset." I sighed. "If Bella and I are meant to be, this thing with Jake will only last a few months."

"I hope so." He mumbled. "I really miss her, dad."

"I do to."

"How can you say that you miss her...and be with Lizzie at the same time?" He asked. "I mean if you love and miss her like you say...shouldn't you just stay single until you can get her back."

"Being alone only makes it that much more real that she isn't with me, Edward." I sighed. "It makes it that much harder."

"But I'm here."

"It isn't the same, kid, and you know that." I told him. "It's a different kind of lonely."

"Okay, well all I have to say is you two better get back together or we're going to have a major problem." He warned and I knew he was completely serious. He'd hate me one hundred percent if Bella and I didn't end up getting back together.

"I'm going to do my best." I sighed, digging in his closet for his blue sweater for Thanksgiving dinner.

I pulled Edward out of school early the next day so we could get a jumpstart to New York before rush hour. The drive was a lot more fun than last time we had a roadtrip and he was actually enjoying himself. We ate too much junk, listened to bad music, and even played road trip games including the license plate game. We pulled into my mothers driveway at six thirty, and she was already waiting for us on the porch.

"My babies!" She cried as Edward ran over to her, nearly knocking her over with his hug. I gave her a tight hug before she led inside where my dad was watching a football game. After we'd said hello to him, we brought our bags in and got settled in our rooms.

After all these years of not living here, my room was exactly how I'd left it. My trophies were still on the wall from elementary school. My prom pictures with my high school sweetheart, Sasha. The tux I wore for my wedding day was still hanging in my closet and my mother even had the same bedspread out. I loved how much my mother cared that she kept everything.

As I was leaving to turn off the lights, I noticed the picture I'd been avoiding that was still on my dresser. A picture of Esme and I on our wedding day. I made my way over there and picked it up, looking intently at it. Esme looked better with shorter hair in my opinion and I still regretted letting my hair get that long. But aside from everything. We looked happy. Genuinely happy. We were looking at each other, goofy smiled on our faces. Looking in love.

"That was one of the biggest smiled I'd ever seen on your face, kiddo." I heard my mother sigh. I turned to see her leaning against the doorframe, smiling at me. "That smiles gone now, baby."

"No it isn't." I lied. I never smiled like this anymore. Not since Bella.

"Carlisle, I know you better than I know myself." She laughed as she sat down on the bed with me. "You haven't smiled your real smile since you left NYU."

"Mom,"

"Now, I know you miss her, dear." She sighed, running her hand through my hair. "But, maybe this was a good thing."

"A good thing?"

"Now you can get over her."

"I don't want to get over her, mom." I told her. "I want to be with her."

"Carlisle you two were so different."

"No we weren't, mom." I argued. "I'd never met someone who I was more alike than Bella. More compatiable with."

"You were so far apart in age, how could you ever have much in common?"

"Age didn't matter." I shrugged. "We're just right for each other."

"Well what if she stays with this new boy of hers?" She asked. "What if she wants to stay with someone her own age?"

"Then, like I did with Esme, I'll pick myself up and move on." I sighed, realizing it could very well happen. Jake and Bella were the same age, things would be easy for them. "But, she's coming back, mom. She is. I know she is."

"Well, baby, I don't want you to give up all hope." She whispered, kissing my cheek. "But, I don't want you to never smile again."

"I'll smile again, mom." I assured her. "Someday, I will."

"I sure hope so." She sighed. "You have too beautiful of a smile to keep it hidden away."

I had yet another sleepless night and was up bright and early to get ready to go over his grandfather's house with Tyler. I got him dressed and watched as he ran to Tyler's car. I was spending Thanksgiving with only my parents, just like old times.

Edward and I spent the rest of his break in the city, visiting some of our favorite spots. I nearly broke down into tears when my parents decided to take us to Acappella's for dinner our last night here. I put on my brave face and went inside with them, but couldn't hold it in any longer when I saw the table we shared my thirty forth birthday at.

"So, can it be present time?" She asked, looking giddy and excited.

"Bella, you've done more than enough for me tonight."

"No I haven't." She argued as she dug in her purse for my gift. She handed me a thin box with only a bow to wrap it. I looked at her smiling as I opened it and couldn't believe what she'd given me. I was holding two plane tickets to Barcelona Spain and a receipt for a five night stay at a hotel.

"Bella, this is too much." I sighed, putting it down on the table. "I mean I love the thought but I can't let you spend this money on me."

"I barely spent any money." She told me. "It was a graduation present."

"What?"

"My parents told me for my graduation that they would pay for me and one other person to go anywhere I wanted to go." She explained. "I didn't get to use it before I left for school, but the offer still stood. My dad is really good friends with a travel agent and got the best deals out there."

"This is still too much."

"No, it isn't." She argued. "I didn't know where I wanted to go until you told me you've been dreaming to go to Spain ever since you took your first year of Spanish in high school. Now, I wanna go to Spain with you so you can live out a dream of yours."

"What about your dream place?"

"I have plenty of time for that." She laughed.

She loved me so much and I threw it away. I threw everything away so she could stay in school. I kept trying to tell myself it was what was best, for her to stay at NYU and graduate with Alice. But every time I told myself that, I knew I was lying. I only wanted her to be with me and she wasn't because of me. I threw it away.

"Dad?" Edward whispered as he handed me a napkin. "It's going to be okay."

"I hope you're right, Edward." I cried, wiping my face. "I really hope you're right."