I still own nothing to do with Twilight- never have, never will. Never will change. I just love the movies, and books.

OKAY... So, I am so worried about this chapter!

I have a feeling it will be a major disappointment and that I've let you all down... I honestly hope not :'( I'm literally biting my nails in anxiety! Please be gentle! I'll go hide now! I still love you guys, though! You're all so wonderful, and I cherish and appreciate you all so much! I get so flattered, and, as I said, I'm so sorry about this chapter! If you really do hate it, go ahead and say so! I am hating it! :( XX

Chapter Nineteen

He just wasn't giving up. I wasn't sure whether it was exactly Edward or not, but it appeared to be.

Roughly every half an hour or so, there would be a loud and urgent knock on the front door. I knew he wanted to see me. I knew he wasn't going to give up that easily. But I wished he would, even just for one night. I needed time, and space, alone to think. Why couldn't he see that? I could tell Charlie was beginning to get frustrated with it. He would look at me, while we were watching the television, and ask; Why don't you just go out there and talk to him? Maybe that'll make him relax and settle down enough to go away?

This time was the last and final straw for Charlie.

"I'll go check on it, Bells," he said, looking anxious. "I'll see if it'll help. I'll just tell the kid he needs to let it be for a night, or two. I'll tell him to tone it down a notch, all right? He's acting as if this is killing him, or something. Surely, he's been through a breakup before, right? I mean, he looks old enough?"

I shrugged, and bit down on my lip with worry, while I watched him approach the door cautiously.

My heart sped up, because Charlie took his rifle out from his leather holster. I didn't want him attempting to shoot anyone, not even out of self-defense. I didn't feel that was necessary, at all. At least, I hoped it wasn't.

Charlie got up real close to the wood, "I told you, kid, Bella doesn't want to-" His words fell alarmingly short, because the ear-splitting noise next managed to drown him out.

What followed next, was a loud clamour of noise. The sound of wood breaking, being crushed into splinters. Someone had managed to break through the front door.

Edward?

The blood drained from my entire face. Oh, god. Please don't tell me he just hurt Charlie!

"Dad?" I screamed, running out to him.

I felt all air leave my lungs; He was, thank god, still alive. But he was struggling. And he was not alone. The guy in the room was not Edward, though. He was the pony-tailed guy I had spotted previously outside in the backyard.

Him and my father were engaged in some sort of tug-of-war with my father's shotgun. Dad was grumbling, trying to keep a firm grip, his mouth twisted, eyes wide. The pony-tailed guy had his hand tugging on the rifle by it's long nozzle.

Immediately, and without thinking, I hurled myself onto his back with a charge and a determined scream.

"Get out!" I yelled, pounding my fists into his hard back with all my might. "Get out of our house!"

Only, it was no good.

He possessed the same strength Edward had. He was the same as him, I was sure of it.

He swung around, took clasp of my hands that were wrapped around his neck, and flung me off. A sharp stabbing sensation shot through my spine when my back hit the hardwood floor, catching me off-guard. Within the blink of an eye, he had turned on my father, and was staring down at me. There was something there in his look that bugged the life out of me. And those eyes, they definitely said it all.

There was no use in fighting against them any more. They were all the same. Charlie and I were just no match. Already, we were beaten, before we had even started.

"Ah, Isabella! Eddie's human soulmate! We meet at last!"

What the-?

"No, get away from me!"

He lunged down and grabbed me by the ankle, jerking me forward, his pale fingers tightening hard into my skin. I kicked and kicked furiously. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I slapped him across the face.

Behind his back, another one came in, catching Charlie unprepared. He took hold of his arm, wrenched it back, and flung him face-first into the sofa. My eyes widened, and I whimpered at the sight. No. No! They've got to stop hurting him! Charlie gave out a pained yelp.

"Stop it! Don't you dare hurt him! Stop!"

Someone was grabbing me from behind, pulling me up off the cold floor by the forearms into them, shushing me. I recognized that voice at once. He was probably the only one I could get through to, the only one I could reach out to for help in order to make it all stop, no matter how unreasonable all of this was, and when... this was most likely all his doing.

"Edward, tell them, please," I begged, through uncontrolled sobs. My hands flew up to cover over my mouth, as the pony-tailed guy stepped over to join the other one that was holding my father still, despite his brave, muffled protests through the seat. He handed his friend something, without an ounce of care; a strange circular object. A second later, it dawned onto me, that it was duct-tape. "Tell them not to hurt him!"

"I told you." His voice came right behind me, deceptively calm. "I told you to keep the father out of this. Leave him there, but don't hurt him anymore. Go ahead and duct-tape him, but that's it."

Through my frenzied, blurred eyes, I saw the two did what Edward said at once. Edward had all the control.

And that only just made it all the more worse.

My stomach sank. I felt like I was going to throw up.

He was the reason for all of this. No, I was. I was the reason, because he was my boyfriend.

"Come on, darling. We've got what we need now."

Which, a second later, he made obviously clear, was... me.

"No!" I squealed, the second he lifted me up and tossed me over his shoulder. "No!"

It was as if I was a ragdoll to him. Nothing more.

I fought with all my might, despite being aware of how hopeless it was.

I punched him in the back. I slapped him in the back of his thighs. Nothing worked. Nothing at all.

"Bella, it's just me," he was panting. "Calm down, baby. Please."

"No! You let me go! Now!"

"Here, let me show you how it's done, man. She's hysterical." Someone said near us, their voice gruff and deep, and, so abruptly, pain rippled through the side of my face, as a hand connected with it. My face puckered in sheer agony. My ears began to ring.

Last thing I tasted, was a bitter, salty tinge of blood coating my mouth, and heard Edward's high-pitched yelling that he specifically said he didn't want bone, nor hair, out of place, before my vision went dark, and I felt myself go limp as a noodle over his shoulder...

I woke up gasping and groaning.

The side of my face was still throbbing. I went to lift my hands to touch it and see if it's swollen, only I found myself unable to.

My heavy eyes flitted open.

First thing I realized, was that my wrists were tied into my lap by a man's tie. Second, there was Elvis Presley music blaring all over me. And, thirdly, I was not alone...

A hit of smoke reached and stung my nostrils. Somebody was smoking.

Dragging my wet eyes upwards, I discovered I was in somebody's car, and that they were speeding so fast, it was next to impossible to make anything out of the scenery.

Blinking heavily, I commanded my eyes to stay peeled open. I so wanted to go back to sleep, and yet, I didn't want to. I was too scared.

Someone's hand rubbed up against my left kneecap; probably their failed attempt in soothing me. A built-up wail got caught in my throat, as I tossed my head into their direction.

Edward.

He was humming along with the music, eyes distracted on the road. He looked as calm and collected as a summer's day. He held a burning cigarette in his hand, and as he pressed it in between his lips, and drew in some smoke, I guessed then that that was where the smoke-smell was difting from.

As he blew out through his lips, he finally turned to glance over at me, as clouds of whitish-grey smoke submerged over his face. "You're finally awake, at last." There was soft astonishment in his tone. "How are you feeling, darling?"

My head swirled at his careless words. I felt then, that I was hyperventilating along with them. My entire body trembled in the car seat.

How am I feeling, you ask? How do you think? I so wanted to say, yet could not even manage to find my voice.

"I really hope you're doing all right," he went on, nervously. "I never wanted it to be this way, honestly. But it just had to be. It was either me losing you for what I am, or me forcing you into coming along with me to understand. I suppose I took the easiest option I could live with." He just wouldn't quit talking. "I know it was incredibly selfish of me, but I need you, baby. You're everything to me. Everything."

He leaned over the console quickly to kiss me on the forehead, just below my hairline. I couldn't even push him away. My hands were bound too tightly. I couldn't even fight against it. I was rendered immobile.

Somehow, a moment later, I had managed...

"Get away from me!" A pitiful, high-pitched, squeaky rasp. "Stay the fuck away!"

He shot me a deeply hurt look. "Bella, language, please. That's hardly necessary."

He looked as if he was about to say something else but, rather instead, paused to unwind his window and flick his cigarette out. Once he wound it back up, he raked his fingers through his hair, and turned to me again.

"Look, I've always been searching for the right girl who is able to look past what I am, and who still wants to actually be with me despite it all." He chuckled to himself bitterly through his teeth, and the sheer anguish in his voice, demanded my attention. I just had to look at him and, when I did, he was focused on the road again, his eyes pained, small slits. "The first girl I find myself in love with... the first girl I've managed not to kill... and, goddamn it, Bella..." He sighed heavily through his mouth. "She doesn't even want to be with me anymore. I've scared her away."

He looked like he would cry, if he could. Maybe he couldn't- maybe that was another vampire thing about him that I didn't know, or understand, yet. It broke me into pieces, yet again, to the point where I wanted to cry myself. I started crying soundlessly. I just couldn't believe this was happening, that he was even remotely capable of doing such a thing, like this.

"I just... I needed some time," I whispered under my breath, miserably. "I... I was scared, when I found out! I thought you were going to eat me!" Speaking it out loud now, it did sound kind of stupid.

And, something about saying it, made him come undone completely. He looked at me; his mouth popping open, eyebrows raised.

"You assumed I was going to eat you?" Suddenly, he shook with incredulous laughter. "Do you have any idea how much of a sheer impossibility that even is for me?"

I was stunned. "W-what?"

"Bella, I can't eat." He laughed again, his voice softening, "How ridiculous. I reveal my true self to you, and first thing you assume, is that I am going to eat you?" He was full of wide-eyed disbelief. "My body doesn't even fuction the way yours does, sadly enough. I can't eat- anything. Solid, or otherwise. I can only consume human blood. Drinking, yes. But eating..."

"Oh, sorry?" I muttered, sort of contritely.

"Even if that were possible for me, don't you think it would be hard for me? Why would I want to kill the girl I love, my soulmate?"

Soulmate. There goes that word again. He sure knew how to take the breath out of a girl. And make her feel sick, all at once.

"Then, if you love me, like you say you do, why are you doing this?" I motioned to my hands, bound and knotted together by his green tie. "Why did you send all those people to hurt... Ch-Char..." I couldn't even stomach saying his name. I did this to him. This was all my fault!

Edward rolled his eyes. His mouth was pressed into a thin, tight line. He was frustrated again. "Why do you think I have to resort to doing this, Bella? It was the only option I had left. Don't you think I wish things were different? Do you think I wanted this to happen? I knew, either way, that things would most likely get out of control, and that I'd have to reign it in. I didn't intend for them to hurt your father like that." His face was full of guilt, his voice low and trembling. "But that's simply the way it is. Half of those guys, they've been out of civilization for a little while. They're out of touch with reality. They weren't thinking of the consequences that came along with their actions."

"Oh, and you were?" I huffed out, in bitter disbelief. "What type of person sets people into the house of the girl they supposedly love, in order to intimidate them, steal her away and, in the meantime, assault her father? Is that how you people show the person that you love them?"

"Bella, I never said I was a saint, all right? Sometimes I can be irrational, and I can do things without even thinking. Clearly, this afternoon, was one of those things. I never meant for things to get so out-of-hand. James was simply meant to keep him out of the way, and keep him duct-taped, in order for me to persuade you to somehow come with me so that we can live a long and happy life together, with no drama. That was simply it. And, besides, do you think I'm enjoying having to keep you tied up, like some kind of captive?"

"Then, you know what to do," I prompted. "Untie me."

He laughed again, as he brought his eyes back over to me. "All right. I untie your wrists and let you have your hands all to yourself. Then, what?" He searched for it in my expression with his eyes.

I held his gaze, unwavering, because I wanted to make it clear on him...

Nothing. I would do nothing. Not until we made a pit-stop, anyway.

Little pin-pricks of red were dotting around the green of his irises. His true color was gradually beginning to seep through again. Why hadn't I ever noticed it before? I paid a lot of attention, back then. I enjoyed observing everything about him, all his handsome masculinity. So, why hadn't I picked up on this?

Startling me, he slapped a hand onto the side of the steering wheel. I recoiled in my seat a bit.

"Then what, Bella?" He repeated, exasperated. I've made him impatient. Good going, Bella.

"Then nothing! I'll just sit here, and let you drive. I won't even make a move, I swear. My wrists are starting to ache, please!

"Fine," he surrendered, bitterly. "But I am only doing this, because I don't want you uncomfortable in any way. Not because I can't see through your lies and hideous acting!"

"I'm not lying, Edward! I'm telling you the truth!"

"Do I really appear that blind to you? I know what you're doing."

"I said, I won't do anything!"

He glanced over at me again, silently deliberating. And then, finally he started to warm up to the idea. But the instance he brought his hand over to start undoing the knot around my wrists, a cell phone rang out.

"What is that?" I gasped.

"It's my cell phone. Keep quiet. I need to answer it."

He dug through his trouser pockets, until he found it. With an irritated sigh, he held it up to his ear. I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs then, just to make the person on the other line heed my request for help. Only, with the look of warning on Edward's face, I took the responsible route and kept my mouth shut.

"Hello? Oh, yes. Thank you for calling me back on such short notice... For two, yes... We'll be staying there roughly for one night." My mouth fell open. Where was it that he was exactly taking me? "Also, how is the complimentary breakfast?" He paused for a moment, a peculiar smile coming across his face at what the other person on the opposite line was telling him. "Excellent. That'll do perfectly... Would it also be possible for you to attach flowers with that? Roses, would be best. It's my kind of.. theme... Excellent, thank you. We will be there in roughly two and a half hours. Mr and Mrs Masen, yes. Thank you very much... Great, see you, then."

He hung up, and tossed his phone onto the dashboard.

Mr and Mrs Masen? Holy hell!

"Where are you taking me exactly? I guess it's safe to assume that, like on our first date at the restaurant, I'll have to pretend to be your wife? Why?"

He didn't look back over to me as he spoke next. He kept his eyes ahead on the road. "I thought, since we have a very long drive ahead of us, it would be more considerate of me to make a stop at a hotel on the way, so you can sleep. It's certainly more comfortable than the car seat, wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh, that's so considerate of you," I retorted, heavy on the sarcasm. "You kidnap me, take me away from Charlie, and yet, you still have the time to be considerate. What a true gentleman." I rolled my eyes, and scoffed loudly. I couldn't believe him at all!

He just laughed loudly, like I was joking.

"Seriously, though?"

"Seriously, I am taking us to a hotel where, yes, you may sleep." He turned to look at me, his expression deadly sincere. Well, that kind of had me relieved. That wasn't quite what I was expecting. "Then, in the morning, you will receive a complimentary breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup, and eggs." His voice was quiet and soft, unconcerned.

"Oh, aren't we spoiling our hostage?"

He scoffed. "Bella, I am hardly holding you hostage, darling. Think of it as a mere... road trip."

"Oh, you're not holding me hostage, yet you've got my hands tied?"

With that, I made a loud grunt, twisting my wrists that way and this way, hoping to loosen the tie's hold. Of course, it doesn't effect it whatsoever.

"Stop, just stop it, please." He leaned over the console and grabbed the sides of my wrists with his hand, stilling them from their wriggling. "You'll really hurt yourself." He sounded concerned. How laughable.

"Fuck you!" I was shaking all over. "Take me back home this instance, or, at least, untie my hands! Now!"

"Go back to sleep, baby," he murmured, underneath his breath, high on irritation. "You're not thinking straight." At that, he pulled himself out another cigarette, slipped it in between his lips, and lit it. I slumped my head back into the seat, preparing myself for a smoke-induced headache to come. Seemed I really ticked him off; That was human.

But, no.

No! He was the one not thinking straight here! He was the one that did all of this!

Hope this chapter wasnt a disappointment? Please let me know xx