Minor Inconvenience
Chapter Nine
"Charlie! It's me, Bella! Dad! Hello?"
The house was silent. I ran upstairs. Nothing. I checked the bathroom, Charlie's bedroom, my bedroom, the hallway closet. Nothing. Back downstairs, I checked the pantry, living room, and dining room. Still, nothing.
"I guess I should've known when the car was gone," I mused, "Perfect."
I spent the next 20 minutes bustling around the house, rushing to my room to grab some clothes, a couple books, and other odds and ends. Creeping into Charlie's room, I took some of his emergency cash out from underneath his mattress. I'd be needing it later. Returning to the kitchen, I put some granola bars, pop tarts, and other food stuffs in a brown bag. Looking around the quiet, comfy house, I exhaled. It's time to go while I still haven't been discovered. Before I leave, I go to the hallway closet, grabbing my final line of defense: Charlie's shotgun. With any luck, I will not have to use it. Clearing it, I load the gun and put on safety. Squaring my shoulders, I open the front door and step outside.
"Fuck. No," I groaned in disbelief. In front of me was a horseshoe of vampires—the fucking Cullen Clan. God hates me; it's official.
"What Bella? Did you simply think that we were just going to let you leave? Let you go, after everything that has happened?" questioned Edward.
"Please, just let me go back to Arizona," I pleaded with them, "I swear I'll tell no one."
"You won't have to! They see you and that's proof enough," stressed Carlisle, "I signed your death certificate, Ms. Swan. For all intents and purposes, you are believed to be decease. No one knows you're even alive. What semblance of a life do you plan on building for yourself?"
"I-I'll figure out something. I don't even have to go to Jacksonville or Phoenix. I could go to New York or—"
"No. Bella, you need to accept the cards you've been dealt. We planned this entire escape. WE. PLANNED. IT. You cannot leave. You must accept that you'll be with us for at least the next five years, perhaps longer."
"I-I–I don't believe you. You're lying again!"
"Bella, please."
Breathing became impossible.
Shaking my head feverently, I backed away from the Cullens. They're lying, they must be. I edged further from them, but they just continued to follow, like some sick game of Cat and Mouse.
"You're lying!" I heaved to my left, toward the car, as I flashed Charlie's gun.
"You WILL let me leave. I'll never hear from again. No one will know that I survived and your secret will not be told. This I can promise you. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's best that I get going."
Miraculously, they let me get in the car. Turning the key in the ignition, I revved the engine as a final good-bye and sped away, leaving the Cullens behind.
I sighed, "You did it, Bella. You're finally free."
No sooner had I gone a couple blocks, that I noticed movement in my rear-view mirror. In a flash, I saw Rosalie appear beside me
Running alongside the car Rosalie shouted at me, "You little bitch! Get out from my car before I rip your arms out of their sockets!"
"You wish." I punched it. Looking in the rear-view mirror, I swear I could see Emmett's jaw slacken. I was free. Oh shit! I had done it! I escaped from the house, found keys, and managed to make it out scot-free. Next stop: the airport.
Rosalie raced ahead of me, stopping in the middle of the road. In a game of chicken, it was between her and me. On one hand, I could stop and go with the Cullens, but there's also a chance for me to punch it, force her to move, and escape once and for all. I look the latter. Unfortunately, Rosalie was more ballsy than I gave her credit for.
The windshield shattered while I heard the front of the car crunch. My seatbelt yanked me back to the seat while the airbags simultaneously went off. I was dazed, my only conclusion only adding to the frustrating fact that my get-away car was now totaled
The driver's side door came unhinged and I felt two quick slashes above my shoulder and at my waist. My shoulders were gripped by harsh, angry hands that were jerking me nonstop.
"You crazy bitch! What the fuck are you doing!"
"Hey! Are you trying to give me shaken-baby syndrome or something? Calm the fuck down."
"I will NOT calm down!"
"Rosalie – give her to me."
I tumbled out of her arms, into Edward's.
"Isabella, are you alright?"
"I can handle myself, thank you very much! It was just a car crash – for the record, I hope you got insurance because this was not my fault."
"In that case, why don't we just report you to the police for car theft?" smirked Emmett.
"Sure, I know a damn good police chief who would be surprised to see me," I retorted.
"Carlisle, I think she reopened some of her cuts," interrupted Edward as he stripped off his shirt and pressed it to my wounded hands after wiping my forehead, "And made some new ones."
"Stop fussing with me, Edward. I'm fine," ignoring my frustrated plea, Edward continued to wipe various cuts along my face, putting pressure on my temple.
"This one's pretty deep, Carlisle. You may have to put stitches in it."
Not another needle. I forcefully knocked his hands away and shot forward four steps before turning around.
"I'm sure someone must've heard the crash, you all will probably want to get out of here. If you don't mind, please let me borrow your car, Carlisle, or give me a lift into the next bus stop at the next town over. Come on every one, we need to get moving."
"You're not going anywhere, Bella. We are all sticking together."
"The purpose of me leaving was to separate me from you. Human from inhuman. I'm leaving."
Brushing off Edward, I started walking down the road, ignoring the limp that I got from the crash – not my fault – as well as the minor cuts. I just need to get some distance between us, then find someone to get me further away—and fast!
Jasper and Emmett flashed in front of me.
"If you'll excuse me boys," I said as I angled myself to walk around them.
"Ms. Swan," I heard Carlisle calmly speak, "You will be coming with us. It's up to you how you chose to. I suggest you come back here so we can return to the house and look over your wounds."
"No thanks, Doc. I can doctor my own cuts." Emmett began reaching for me, when I pivoted and went the other way. But, just as history has shown to repeat itself, I barely made it a step and a half before two hands grabbed my biceps.
"No more, Bella. You're done."
Despite my injuries and depleted strength, I resisted, "Please don't do this!"
"I'm sorry, dear, but you need to stay with us. Come now, we need to get going. We need to return to the house so you can pack and change into some comfier cloths."
"What about my car? We can't just leave it here, can we?"
"Rosalie," huffed Jasper.
"No, she's right. There's no way we can clear all of this without leaving evidence behind or someone discovering what we're doing. We need a plan – and fast."
"What if we were drunk driving!"
"Emmett, be serious," exasperated Esme.
"Wait, I see what Emmett's saying," vouched Edward, "We can stage the car crash so that it looks like Emmett and Rosalie were in the car when the accident occurred, not Bella."
"From the Forks hospital, we can have them transferred to Seattle, since its hospital is more equipped for severe cases," supported Carlisle, "I'm sure I could arrange that. It would even give us the necessary cover to leave Forks because of a legitimate family emergency."
"You're all crazy. They can't believe that that would happen – they'll test the blood and check to confirm it was you, right? They're going to know it was me bleeding in that car." My legs gave out and I slid onto my knees, gasping. "I'm just so…exhausted," I sobbed, trying to regain control of my voice.
"I know, honey," Esme, "Come now, it's best that we get home so you can rest."
I looked up, "We're going to stay here afterall?"
"No, Bella. We have another house in Canada and a few other scattered throughout the US. We'll be going to Seattle to finish some business. Now, I believe it is best if we head home."
Tears continued to slip out of my eyes as I sniffled, "There is no home for me."
"Don't say that, Bella," Alice murmured, "You belong with us. We stick together, like a family."
"I want MY family – not yours," I snapped.
Alice stepped toward me, crouching down and tilting my chin so she should look into my eyes, "When you're ready, Bella, you will have a family in us. We're here for you, though you may not presently want us here or even desire to be here."
"I won't make this any easier for you than it already is. If you want me to go back with you, then you'll have to figure it out – otherwise, I am completely content to wait here until the next car drives by to give me a lift somewhere."
Edward squatted down beside Alice, "I would expect nothing less, Bella." Grasping my forearms once again, Edward attempted to get me up. I refuse to make this easy for them; they already have so much on their side – no reason to make it any easier. I pulled away from him, trying to remain low on the ground. I braced my feet against his ankles and pushed, hoping to either make him fall or force him to release me.
Catching onto me, Edward let go and stepped backwards. "Perhaps, Carlisle, this would be a good learning opportunity to see if Jenks delivered. Do you have it?"
Confused, I look to Carlisle for an explanation, while fearing confirmation that he had "it."
Removing keys from his pocket, Carlisle selected what appeared to be an electric car key. "I am sorry, Bella, but it is much better to test these sort of things when the situation is controlled and no severe damage is possible to occur. Edward, refrain from interfering unless immediate harm is inevitable."
The family seemed to disappear in an instance. Only Edward and Dr. Cullen remained in front of me.
Are they really letting me go?
Turning, I headed back towards the car to grab a duffle filled with the essentials. I grazed the car with my right hand, only to feel a sudden sting. Thinking it was merely a shock, I continued down the length of the car, but the stinging continued. In fact, it felt more like a bee or wasp was stinging me. Dropping the bag, I sought out the pesky cause of my discomfort. I found nothing but the bracelet.
"What did you do," I questioned while backing away from the pair, diverting from the paved road and into the nearby forest. The world seem to slow, I felt as though I was no longer in-touch with my body, but rather outside of it, observing what was going on as an outside would.
A minute passed, during which my body began to feel more and more like Jell-O. Leaning against a tree, I slipped down to the earth, feeling more drained with every second. On my neck, I felt two fingers. Carlisle was checking my pulse. "She's doing fine; much more efficient than I was expecting."
"You're cheating," I screeched, "You're not letting me have a fair shot."
Inhaling, Edward hummed gentled into my ear, "Bella, there's no level playing field; you're human and we are not. I'm sorry, but the odds are always going to be in our favor unless there is no cloud cover." With that, he swung my up into his arms.
My mind was disconnected from my body; even my motor skills were not responding to my desire to scream or at least argue.
"Don't worry, Bella. I got you. We're going back to the house now. Just sit tight and we'll be there in no time."
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Hey every one. Sorry for the long delay, but i've just been caught up in the craziness that is life. FINALLY hit 20,000 words! Never thought I'd ever be able to write that much :] Thanks for sticking with me throughout all of it. Not sure when the next chapter will be. With any luck, in 2 weeks, perhaps more if I'm inspired or have time. At a minimum I'll try to have a chapter a month.