Minor Inconvenience

Chapter Six

Bella POV

My eyes flashed open. One word resonating in my mind instantaneously: vampire. Sitting up, I rose and walked towards the window. The sun was absent, as though it has abandoned me to this horrifying existence as it lay hidden beneath a vast expanse of cloud coverage. The sky was a nasty gray, speckled with deep blue and angry purple blotches. It looked as though it was going to rain soon—no, not rain, storm. A storm was coming. Lovely.

My stomach interrupted me from my musings with a growl. I looked for the tray that Dracula's Mom left in the room but it was gone. Like I'd eat it anyway. Shit! Vampires. I'm in a house of vampires!

"Fuck," I cursed softly. Hesitantly, I brought my hand to my mouth: no fangs. That's good, right?

I brought my knees to my chest. "Get a grip, Bella. They're clearly a family of psychopaths. Vampires don't exist – they're just mythological creatures exploited by Hollywood," I murmured, "He's just a freak, abnormal, and a complete serial killer."

Fuck. How am I going to get out of here? Charlie and Renee must be devastated. Tears pricked my eyes. Parents aren't suppose to burry their children. I need to get to them, to assure them that I'm alive, and reveal the real circumstances surround my classmates' deaths – Angela's death. Tears were flowing down my cheeks at this point. I will get out of here, somehow, someway. The world needs to know about this injustice – for Angela, for Mike, and for everyone else who was slaughtered and burned. Their families need closure just as my parents need to be made aware of my present liveliness. These…people, they need to be caught and medicated, or whatever it is they do to a family of psychopaths.

Hesitantly, I walk towards the door and try the knob.

Locked. Of course.

I was just about to return to my prior position when the window once again caught my attention. Could it really be that simple? Could it be more than my gateway to the world – a gateway to my freedom? To Charlie, Renee, and the retainment of my life post-Edward's interference. Only one way to find out.

Still being cautious, I flip the lock. Despite the layer of dust ailing the window, it opened easily, not even squeaking.

Success. Just call me Pollyanna.

Lifting one leg onto the window sill, I heaved myself onto the ledge while maintaining a firm grip on the sides. Cautiously I turned and reminded myself NOT to look down. I reached my arm up, easily grasping the roof above. I'd need a little jump for momentum, but I should be able to muscle myself up. Wiping my palms one at a time on my dirty shirt, I prepared for a real leap of faith.

Without further hesitation, I launched myself upwards, managing to obtain a solid grip and start heaving myself up. Swinging one leg up, I managed to maneuver myself onto the roof, leaving me out of breath. As I panted, I listened for news of my jail break to reach the Cullens.

I didn't have long to wait either.

A steady knock interrupted my pounding heartbeat, causing it to skip. As I sought to regain my breath, Esme entered my former room—or cell. I heard her gasp and the Cullens swarm into action, looking for the escapee: me.

With my head over the edge, I tried to listen, but they seemed to be whispering, making it hard to pinpoint their locations and plan of action.

Looking down, I noticed a small lattice overhang. It looks unsteady, made of mere 2x4z and plywood strips. Could it hold me?

My view was blocked by a mass of blonde hair – Jasper.

"Fuck!" I screamed.

"She's on the roof!" he shouted.

"I got her, Jaz." This voice didn't come from below. It was behind me.

Turning, I faced none other than Alice.

"Bella, we need to get down. This isn't safe. Please," she urged, "give me your hand and we'll go back inside." As she spoke, she inched towards me, both offering her hands to me, while simultaneously trying to calm me. It wasn't working.

"No, Alice. I don't want to be locked away inside, to be a prisoner for the rest of my life. I'd rather take my risk jumping than allowing myself to stand by when we "move" to another state. And even if I do die, an investigation will have to be launched and you ALL will be found guilty of my death. I'm positive some connection will likewise be drawn to the school slaughter. I can only hope that my death would bring justice to those who were murdered."

"Please just come down with me. We are not mad and all of us understand where you are coming from. This is not the way to get what—"

I jumped midway through her sentence, loosing my stomach and regaining it after I landed on a vine covered lattice that sheltered the backyard deck. I was alive! Bruised but not broken, I scaled the lattice and thumped down onto the deck.

"Shit, shit, shit," I breathed with exaggerated gulps of air, "Run, Bella, run."

I booked it down the stairs, running towards the front of the house, intending to follow the driveway out. I didn't even make it all the way to the front. In front of me stood Emmett. There were just too many Cullens. I couldn't take them all on at once!

"Emmett! Please, I'm sure we could come to some sort of agreement."

He cocked an eyebrow, smirking slightly as he pondered my words, "An agreement?"

"Yeah! You know a deal? Please, just let me return home – Charlie needs me, so does Renee. I'm their only kid! They don't deserve to live their lives believing I died when in reality I'm alive. Please, Emmett. I promise not to tell anyone about you guys. Scout's honor."

His smile faltered for a minute, only to recover and say stonily, "Sorry, Squirt, but we gotta get you back in the house."

He swept me gently into his arms. No. Not again—fight Bella. Fight! I began kicking, screaming, and clawing at his arms, trying to escape Emmett's iron grip, but all my attempts seemed to be in vain as he continued to advance towards the house. I have to give myself some small ounce of credit though, he did seem to have difficulty containing me during all my squirming, especially upon entrance into the white mansion: his home and my prison.

Walking past the living room, Emmett saw Rosalie. He paused with me in his arms as she approached.

"Ah. We have another visitor. I don't know about you Em but I do believe I have seen this person before," smirked Rosalie, "Welcome back Isabella. So nice of you to join us."

I lunged towards the smug blonde, but I was once again caught and repositioned in his arms.

"You should be thankful that this oath—Emmett is it, or should I say Em—is restraining me. You can't possibly begin to fathom what I would do to you!"

Raising one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows, Rosalie grinned, "Tsk. Tsk. You've had Biology class right? Aren't you familiar with natural selection—you know, survival of the fittest and predation?"

An angry look crossed my face; I suck at hiding my emotions.

"Opps! I guess you missed that lesson, but let me fill you in. Vampires are the top consumer, humans, like you, aren't. Lucky for you, you're one step above that grizzly bear Em had last week. Get the picture?"

Unable to contain myself any longer, I growled angrily at Rosalie.

Relax Bella. Make them think you're calm. I relaxed in Emmett's arms, causing him to bring his guard down and relax his hold on her. Success. In a split second, I wretched out of Emmett's arms and launched myself at Rosalie. Knowing I had maybe a second or two, I raised my uninjured hand and formed a fist, hell-bent on beating the shit out of Rosalie.

I never got the chance though. Stupid, cheating vampires. She was stronger and quicker than I thought. She grasped my fist mid-punch and twisted my arm behind my back. Keep moving Bella, I thought, and tried to turn myself to have another go at her but I was unsuccessful. After regaining his composure, Emmett stomped towards Rosalie with a sympathetic look for her, while saving a disappointed and irritated one for me. Shit. Reclaiming me, Emmett continued through the house.

On the stairs, Carlisle's eyes penetrated me and I briefly stopped struggling.

"Isabella. Are you trying to hurt yourself," questioned Carlisle.

I resumed fighting, now with more ferocity than before and retorted back, "Don't call me that! It's Ms. Swan to you! You have neither grounds nor the privilege to call me by my first name. And yes, maybe I am. It's not like you would care, seeing how I'm being held prisoner!"

"I see you are going to make this harder on yourself. Fine, Ms. Swan. Please, you must listen to me and relax. We are sorry for this inconvenience, but you have to calm down. Do not make me medicate you because you know that I have the means and will not hesitate to do so."

"Excuse me! An inconvenience? You think me being held against my will with a group of people I don't know is an inconvenience? Well I got news for you Dr. Carlisle Cullen. This situation stopped being an inconvenience the moment your son—Edward—turned into a monster and slaughtered a classroom of innocent people—only to leave one survivor—ME! So don't patronize me," I shouted, "I demand you release me!"

Near hysteria, I was still trapped in Emmett's iron grip, which prevented me from slapping Carlisle, so I did what any person in her situation would do – with these words, I spat in the good Dr. Cullen's face. In response to this, Carlisle grimaced and wiped my saliva off his pale face. His calm façade was never broken despite my harsh words and constant struggling.

"I am sorry Bella. You and I both know that we cannot allow you to leave, at least not yet. Emmett—"

"So what they is true: like father like son," I interrupted.

"Please escort Ms. Swan back to her room."

Out of my eye, I saw sudden but deliberate movement as something moved closer to me. In an attempt to dodge whatever it was, I retaliated in Emmett's grasp—but my attempts at freedom only proved to be futile. As a hand came into my vision, it purposefully touched my neck in precise places while applying different amounts of pressure. The bombardment from the hand on my neck caused me to relax instantly as a peaceful atmosphere settled around me. Slowly, I stopped all of my fighting and slouched against Emmett. Everything that had happened to me seemed to slip as I lost consciousness and fell into unconsciousness—which I welcomed yet feared at the same time. Fear. Fear of not having control over my future and not knowing where I would be when I woke up—if I would even wake up. At these thoughts running through my head, I began to whimper in distress that I will soon be unable to express. I was shushed by a velvety voice before I completely gave into the unknown as my eyes shut.

- 3rd Person POV -

"Thank you son. Please put her in the interior bathroom while we have a family meeting," directed Carlisle, "Be careful not to jostle her too much and make sure you secure the door. We'll be in the living room."

Taking advantage of her unconscious state, Bella was swiftly relocated in the Cullen Manor and a family meeting was called. Instead of her prior room, she was placed temporarily in the refurbished bathroom that has yet been put to use. Carlisle decided to use this opportunity to call a family meeting. Slowly his 'children' drifted into the living room as each person sat with their spouse—that is everyone except Edward, who resort to pacing and captured the bridge of his nose with his hand.

"I am sure you all heard about Bella's little attempted escape earlier today. Thankfully, Emmett was able to contain her before she left or obtained a phone. We all need to be cautious. She is much smarter than we originally thought and more resourceful than anticipated. Therefore, we need to make some precautions. Keep your cell phones on you at all times. Jasper, Emmett, and Edward – I'll need your help later in removing all phones from the house. We will leave only two: one in the garage and the other in my office. "

"Carlisle, are you sure this is all necessary?" questioned Esme.

"At the moment, yes. Perhaps in time we can reintegrate these 'temptations' back into the house," answered Carlisle.

"In that case, we should conceal our laptops or at least put in passwords to access internet," Jasper said.

"Yes. Having a human in the house will be a challenge in itself. Esme, we need to stock the kitchen with food—ranging from fresh produce to canned items," stated Carlisle, "Alice, I'm sure Bella would like some clothes instead of her current attire."

"Yay!" bounced Alice, "I'll head for Seattle in an hour."

"Also, we all need to feed regularly and keep our thirsts manageable. Rosalie and Emmett, I want you two to go first. Then Alice, Jasper, and Edward. During the weekend Esme and I will hunt. Bella is never to be left alone under any circumstance," responded Carlisle.

"So we're Bella-proofing the house," stated Emmett.

"In a sense, yes," answered Carlisle.

"What about the doors and windows—our rooms," Rosalie scoffed.

"We should put child alarms on the doors—possibly windows on ground level too," Jasper commented, "That way, if by some chance she is able to get in a room or leave the house, we will know when the sirens go off."

Rosalie interrupted, "Why don't we just lock her in the basement? Or better yet, call her crazy and leave her at an asylum in Canada? And if not that, just kill her? We could bribe her. Humans are—"

"For God's sake Rosalie! NO! N. O. No. What part don't you understand?" said an exasperated Edward.

"All of it! Jesus, Edward!"

"What do you want, that could make you content?"

"Geez. I don't know? Maybe some normality. There's no reason we all should suffer for something stupid that YOU did," exclaimed Rosalie.

"Rose—," began Emmett.

"Don't 'Rose' me Emmett. This little situation concerns and effects me just as much as it does you and everyone else," shot back Rosalie.

"Just give it some time. I'm sure that she will adjust—we will too," Esme offered.

"But what if it doesn't? She will always resent him—resent and hate us for letting this happen. She's going to blame us for this, even if she doesn't already," countered Rosalie.

"I don't think so," murmured Edward, "That doesn't seem to be part of her nature. She's so trusting, forgiving, and warm. I think Esme is right. Bella will see reason soon enough. She'll survive and accept it."

"Optimism has never been one of your stronger qualities Edward," contested Rosalie, "Why now all of a sudden?"

Shrugging, Edward replies, "It's time for change, why not now."

"Well said, son. Don't forget, we need to keep up the pretense of a family mourning the loss of children from the community. Therefore we must attend the funeral service this coming Friday."

"What'll we do with Bella?"

"It's imperative that all of us are in attendance. If she is not cooperating by then, we'll have to lock her in a room. I'm not opposed to medicating her if it'll ensure her safety and silence. Besides, she must be extremely stressed out and a little sleep could help. Until then, just remember to stay alert."

After the "children" left, Esme approached her husband.

"Carlisle, we cannot wait to move till the end of the semester. Knowing Isabella, she'll come up with some ingenious way to get out again."

"I know, Esme, but we can't just drop everything and leave. It would look suspicious."

"I could leave with Bella. It might do her some good to get away from everything."

"But what about hunting? We cannot leave her unsupervised and it's not safe for you to go for long stretches without feeding. No, I'm afraid we'll have to wait. If the situation worsens, then we'll reevaluate it."

"Fair enough, honey," Esme said with a kiss.

Author's Note: I hope this was worth the wait :]