And Then There's You

by StewLuv

A misunderstanding makes the Cullens plan a cruel prank on unpopular Isabella Swan for vengeance. But as Edward takes on the challenge of seducing Bella he quickly discovers her dark world at home. Edward must now save the girl he was supposed to break.

16. I'll Bring You Back

WOW!

So last chapter, you showed me some love! I mean REAL LOVE. Some love with a little anger because I left you with a cliffhanger, but still…LOVE.

I thank you from the bottom of my small heart. Writing is the only thing I'm sort of good at in life and it makes me feel amazing that some of you love it too. I actually have a knot in my throat and tears in my eyes (not really, I'm just theatrical).

Anyway, again I do warn, this chapter contains violence and strong, abusive language. It will be the most violent out of the whole story. I'm sure I'm spoiling it, but writing violence that is abuse on a child or a woman or anybody is exhausting and emotionally draining. It's hard and I'm pretty sure it's difficult for you to read. So just for your own relief and mine, this is as bad as it gets. There is still some "violent crap" in the future, but like I said before, something good can come from something bad.

Ch 16/Edward/ I'll Bring You Back

I shoved my phone into a pocket of my jeans and ran down stairs. I looked around for Carlisle or maybe even Emmett. Either of the two would be helpful in kicking the shit out of that motherfucker. Well Emmett would and Carlisle would know what to do, "legally."

Esme and Alice were in the kitchen, blabbering about a reality TV show while washing dishes together. But there was no sign of Emmett or Carlisle.

"Mom, where's Carlisle?" I asked breathlessly and Esme turned and looked at me. It had been the first time we had spoken in days, but this was no time for stupid grudges or feelings that were still hurt. Besides with the panic in my voice, I think both Alice and Esme also saw it in my face and forgot how I've been acting as of late.

"He had to go to the hospital. They had some emergency and they were short of staff." Esme said with a questioning face.

"What?"

It couldn't possibly be Bella, I mean I just got her text message!

"Is there something wrong? Do you need anything?" Esme asked. Both she and Alice had stopped washing the dishes and their attention was fully on me.

"Where's Emmett?"

"He went out with Rosalie." Alice answered in her small voice.

"Of course that fucker did!" I yelled and both girls jumped. I ran my hands through my hair, thinking of what to do. I know I was pacing and scaring the shit out of both of them.

"Edward, what's wrong? Answer me son." Esme said, and though I didn't want to upset her anymore, I couldn't possibly tell her now. I couldn't worry her and Bella hadn't told me if it was okay to tell anybody else. Besides, what could Esme possibly do?

"Nothing mom, but I might be late tonight." I turned away, ignoring Esme's questions and Alice's looks. I took the keys to my Volvo and headed out.

I needed to get there.

I needed to help her.

I didn't have time to wait on others. If I had to act alone, I would. I would act alone and risk my neck if it meant that fucker wouldn't put another finger on Bella. He could kick my ass again, but not hers.

Before I left, I ran into the garage, knowing Emmett had left his baseball bat behind. I took it, making sure Esme and Alice weren't looking. They would probably call the cops on me, and that's the last thing I need. I sped my way to the Swan residence and even though it wasn't a long drive, my nerves and impatience made it seem like an eternity. I lost my breathing again and my heart pounded in my ears as I neared Bella's house. As I spotted the white, two story house, I quickly scanned the area for the demon's cruiser, but there were no signs of it.

I passed the Swans and parked in front of the neighbor's house and ran to Bella's tree with the baseball bat in one hand. As I ran, I tripped on something and fell belly first into the ground. I groaned and shouted some profanities, but pulled myself up in a fucking hurry. I climbed the tree in record time. Fucking Spider-Man didn't have shit on me.

I landed with a loud thud on Bella balcony and took one last look around too see if anybody on the outside had spotted me or of the demon's cruiser had appeared, but I was still safe.

For now.

I peaked into Bella's room, but couldn't see shit. Her usual study lamp was off and it was dark as hell. I lightly knocked on the balcony door, but got no response back. I squinted one more time, hoping I could catch something, but it was fucking ridiculous because I couldn't. A neighbor's dog started barking, making me jump and I cursed again.

"Fuck…" I muttered.

I took a deep breath and decided to stop being a pussy and fucking get into the house. I pulled the balcony door open and slowly and cautiously stepped into Bella's room. Her scent of strawberries hit my face and I would have smiled at the familiar smell, but I was fucking scared of what I could find.

The room was too dark and I hit my knee on something, making me curse again, but this time in a whisper. I quickly rubbed the spot on my knee.

"Bella!" I whispered-shouted, but there was no feedback. "Bella!" I said one more time, but it was no use. I was filled with an eerie feeling and I couldn't fucking catch my breath. I felt the sweat beads running down my face and my heart was in my fucking throat.

I moved my free hand around, touching the walls, trying to find the light switch in Bella's room and in the process knocked over some of her drawings. I finally found the fucking light switch and sighed as the light came on, but as I turned around to face the room again, I felt the air leave my lungs and my fucking heart stop. I fucking jumped back, not expecting to find her.

But there she was.

Bella.

She was on the floor by her door, rolled into a small ball. Her arms were wrapped around her head as if she was trying to cover her ears and from where I was standing, it didn't look like she was breathing. It didn't help that my eyes were now foggy and I was about to fucking pass out.

I gently placed the baseball bat on the ground and made my way to her. I don't know how I made my feet move or how I got my mind to react, but I fucking did. I kneeled beside her and I hovered over her.

"Bella!" I said in a desperate whisper. I couldn't see her face as it was covered by her brown curled hair and her arms. She was lying on her side, so I gently placed a hand on her ribs. I could feel that she was slowly breathing and her slow heart beat.

"Shit! Bella!" I whispered louder, unsure of who was in the house. "Bella! Fucking answer me!" I was so concentrated on trying to get a response that I ignored the desperation in my voice and the blood rushing to my head.

I ran my hand up to her right arm and gently started pulling it away from her face.

"Mother of…" Bella was wearing a tank top and I was sure the large red, soon to be blue, spots on her arm were fucking new.

With all the tenderness in the world, I placed her arm on her side, but her face was still covered by her hair. My heavy breaths were blowing some strands off. I quickly moved hair off her face and gasped as her eyes were slightly open and her face was wet.

"Bella?" I said again, but Bella didn't blink or acknowledge me. "Hey…" I whispered, but she just stared off into the nothingness. "Bella, fucking come back. Not this shit again! Please snap out of it! Please…please Bella." I almost choked on my saliva. I placed a hand under her head and sat down. I pulled her into my lap and the rest of her hair came off her face.

I was too fucking late.

Bella's left eye was swollen. A large red bruise started from the bottom of her eyebrow, covering her eye lid and part of her nose, all the way to the top of her cheek bone.

"Fuck Bella! He fucking punched you?" I held Bella's face in my hands. The damn blank expression took over her face. Her eyes, slightly opened, stared straight into the fucking nothingness and her mouth was closed shut. She was not blinking, making her eyes red and dry. Her face was tear stained and wet and all I could do was shake her, but her limp body didn't respond.

"Bella, please wake up! Snap out of it! Please!" My voice broke, but I kept begging. I pulled her small, limp body closer to me. I wrapped an arm under her back and with my free hand, caressed her face, moving her wet hair away from her face. "Bella! I swear to the fucking…please. Please. Please. Come back…come back Bella." I cried.

I fucking cried.

Tears spilled out of my eyes onto her pretty but broken face. "Bella, just please…for me." I cried into her hair. I kissed the top of her head and hugged her to my body. I started to rock and back forth and placing light kisses on her forehead. "What do I do, my Bella? Just tell me and I'll fucking do it." This wasn't working. Bella wasn't answering me. I couldn't just brake down.

"I'll fix you!" I cried and gently took her off my lap and stood up with her in my arms. It fucking hurt since I was just barely getting over my aching bruises, but I didn't give a shit. I rushed to her bed, gently placing a pillow under her small head. I sat at the edge and hovered over her. I placed my lips into her ear. Maybe I could still pull her away from that fucking place she goes to when she blanks out.

"I'm gonna make it go away my Bella. I fucking promise!" I whispered into her ear while I held her hand. I kissed her forehead again and she let out a broken sigh making me look down at her face. She had her eyes closed and with one more sigh and whimper tears began flowing down her cheeks. She slowly opened her eyes again to face me. Her brown eyes were so broken and I wanted to fucking kill Charles.

He fucking broke her!

Bella had been so alive these last few days and that piece of shit broke her!

He had to pay.

Bella was still blank as I let go of her hand and walked to the bat on the floor. I quickly picked it up and took one last look at her. She wasn't even looking at me. I sighed in frustration.

"I'm gonna make it go away. I'm gonna make it go away, Bella." I repeated and headed out her room.

Something in me had snapped. The anger took over me. It took over my mind and body. The need for vengeance was overwhelming. I wanted that motherfucker to pick on someone his own size. I wanted him to be a man and face me.

I held on to the bat with all my fucking might as I walked down the stairs of Bella's house. It was fucking quiet and dark and even though the cruiser wasn't outside, I hoped to god I would find that piece of shit so I could fucking give him a taste of his own medicine. I wanted to make him pay for the shit he did to Bella. I wanted to break his face. I wanted to break every fucking bone in his body. I wanted to break him. I had never felt so much rage and I could feel my body shaking to the point of pain. As I inhaled and exhaled deep breaths, I could feel my own saliva on my chin. Tears kept running down my face.

What the fuck is wrong with me? Man up! Bella needs you "to make it go away". So quit crying you pussy.

She fucking needs me.

I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve as my tears had now made it foggy.

I reached the bottom and looked around again. No sign of the fucking demon. There was broken glass on the floor and it wasn't until I neared it, that I realized it was from Bella's glasses as the frame lay beside the glass.

Fucking asshole.

It was dark, but some moonlight was coming through the windows lighting the living room. I ran up to a window and looked for any sign of Bella's fucked up parents, but there were no vehicles outside, besides Bella's truck. Apparently the fucked up demon wasn't home and there were no signs of Bella's mom.

So they fucking commit fucking crimes and then runaway? How fucking convenient! I felt like standing by the door, just to wait for the fucking demon so I could beat the shit out of him, but Bella needed me.

Where the hell was her mom? Shouldn't she be with her?

I spotted the kitchen and slowly made my way into it with my bat ready to knock the fuck out of anybody or anyone. I couldn't see shit. I could barely make the refrigerator out. I yanked it open for some light when I remembered that Bella could use some ice.

I looked around the freezer trying to find some ice, but there was nothing. I spotted a Hot Pocket and a bag of frozen peas. It was all they had. For someone reason, that pissed me off as well.

I grabbed both the Hot Pocket and the frozen pees. I opened the bottom and there was nothing but beer bottles. I almost fucking yelled, but I kept it together. I looked around, making sure I was still alone and rushed to the stairs. The bag of frozen peas was slipping out of my hands, so in the fight to grab it, the fucking bat slipped out of my hands, hitting the floor and rolling into the living room. My heart and my breathing stopped. I froze my body.

"Shit!" I gasped. What If someone heard that? What if someone is here?

I waited for a minute, waiting for someone to come running into the living room to see what the fuck was the noise, but there was still silence. It was too dark and I wasn't going to look for Emmett's bat and it would be fucking stupid to turn on the lights.

"Aw fuck it!" I whispered angrily and ran up the rest of the stairs. I barged into Bella's room without thinking about it. Bella gasped and jumped a little.

"No!" she yelped and covered her head with her arms.

She was sitting on her bed, with her knees up to her chest, hugging them close. She looked scared out of her fucking mind, but most importantly, she was back.

"Bella! Shit, you alright?" I dropped the peas and the Hot Pocket and rushed to her side.

"Edward? What…how…when did you get here?" She asked in a low and broken voice. She dropped her arms from her head. Her face was still wet and her eyes were still red. She was shaking and her lower lip was trembling. I sat at the edge of her bed and gently placed my palm to her cheek trying to calm her and reassure that I was here. She closed her eyes and let out a broken sigh. I gently caressed the good side of her face with my thumb and neared my face to her even closer.

"I got your message and I fucking ran over here…well drove."

"You…came?" she whispered, more tears escaped her eyes at the surprise. Shit, I was surprised. I wasn't surprised that I wanted to help Bella, I was surprised that I actually thought about someone else's well being besides my own.

"Yes." I took a deep breath. "I told you I would." I was shocked at how broken my own voice sounded. I could hear the knot in my throat and the desperation in my breath.

I fucking let her down. I was too fucking late. We both should have known that I'm not hero material.

"You did." She agreed in a low whisper and opened her eyes. She looked at me in the face and placed her small shaky hand on my own cheek, cupping it. We started into each others watery eyes for a long moment, before I grabbed her small hands in mine.

"Are you hurt? I mean I know you are…but do you want anything? I mean your eye is swollen." I said and she gulped. She slowly took one of her hands out of my hold and ran her finger tips over her swollen cheek and eye and winced. "I brought something cold." I said and ran to the peas and Hot Pocket and rushed back to her side. I gently placed the Hot Pocket over her eye and she hissed in pain. "It's gonna make it better." I said and she took over the Hot Pocket leaving my hands free.

We stayed in silence. She probably needed it. She looked exhausted, but I had to know. I had to do something.

"Bella…" I whispered, but she didn't look at me. "Bella, what happened? And you have to tell me, no later crap! Tell me Bella!" I begged and without looking at me in the face Bella began.

"I think my mother is cheating on Father…again." She grimaced. "Father found out and I'm so fucking stupid! I just got in the way. I got in the way of his fist…again."

"How? What…" I was still so fucking confused and fucking pissed. I could feel the heat in my face, my fast palpitations, and heavy breathing. My blood boiled and I ached to get my hands on that motherfucker's face.

"I was knocked out." She said pointing at her eye. "I don't even know how I got to my room! I don't know what happened after. Shit! Where is my mom? Oh my god! Did he leave her alone? How do you get in here and how did you get into my kitchen? Edward if he finds you…what if comes back?" Bella had finally awoken and lost it all at once.

"Shh! Bella calm down." I said trying to sound comforting and calm. Thing was, I wasn't calm. I was fucking enraged. "Your parents aren't here. I went down to find him, but there is nobody. I wish I had found him."

"What?"

"I wanted to kick his ass Bella. He can't do shit like that. Someone has to make him pay and I will gladly volunteer to do so. How fucking dare he? How dare he touch you? I would fucking kill him Bella. I would tear him apart. I would kill him for you." I said and stood up. I felt like the anger was going to suffocate me and if I didn't get away from her, I was sure I would scare her even more. I ran my hands through my hair and huffed and puffed and I tried to calm myself, but I could feel the anger running through my body and taking over.

"Edward, don't say that!" she shouted.

"Why? I fucking mean it." I paced back and forth.

"No you don't. Besides, he could hurt you. I could never live with that. He can't hurt you. Not you. No…no…no he can't hurt you…he just can't…" Bella's face crumbled and she began to rock back and forth. "He can't hurt you. Not you!" She gasped one more time.

"Oh Bella…" I sighed in frustration. I closed the door to her room and locked it. I rushed to Bella's side, this time sitting next to her on the bed so I could take her in my arms. She let go of the now semi-frozen Hot Pocket and buried her face into my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. I held her tight and kissed her head while she sobbed. The need in her grip was somewhat painful, but if it made her feel better, I would take it.

"You can't kill him Edward. It's not like you and he could hurt you. You can't Edward. I can't lose uh um…you can't get hurt" She sniffed. I kissed her head again and held her even tighter. It was as if holding her tight would keep her from shattering into pieces. But, I think it also kept me from shattering.

She held me together. We held each other together.

"I'm not going to kill him Bella. I was just pissed and it was word vomit. I'm still pissed, but I'm trying not to scare you anymore. You don't need that. I'm sorry. I should have been here for you Bella. I should have kicked that piece of shit in the face."

"Don't! They'll believe him because he's a cop and he'll hurt you or…me and…you just can't."

"I won't…for now. But we have to do something. I don't know…we could tell my parents. We could call someone from the state and let them what kind of piece of shit chief of police they have around here. I don't know…something! Please!"

"Edward," she whispered into my chest. "I've lived through this, time after time and even worse all my life. Over time, with knowledge of the truth, it hurts a little more, but I'm exhausted. Its bullshit when people say bad things don't kill you and only they make you stronger. Bad things break you down. That's worse than dying. They make you tired and I'm tired Edward." She let out a deep breath. "I'm tired."

"Well I'm not!" I shouted. "I'm fucking full of energy and we are going to get help."

"Edward, just stop it! I don't deserve it."

"What? Are you fucking serious? Why would you even think that? You don't deserve an ounce of this!" I said pointing around. "Why would you think…I don't understand. And why are you still in this hell hole? Why don't you runaway? I could…I mean I could help you." I whispered the last part and Bella said nothing. I held her tighter again as we had loosened our hold on each other with our conversation. I buried my face into her hair and inhaled. In the middle of all this shit, Bella still smelled like amazing strawberries. I inhaled a deep breath of her beautiful scent and kissed her head…yet again.

"I don't deserve help, because it's too late. I'm already ruined." She whispered and I was about to argue with her because she was seriously pissing me off, when Bella cut me off to continue.

"He started pulling, tugging, and pushing me around when I was six. A little after that he started using verbal abuse. He would tell me I was stupid and retarded and he would make me say it. He would make me tell myself that I was stupid in his presence. I didn't know any better or that he was a lunatic so I would say it, because I believed him. He would laugh and then…he would push me and repeat that I was in fact stupid and a retard." I clenched my jaw. I wanted for her to continue; maybe we could get somewhere if I let her talk.

"One day, when I was nine, he made me mop the house. I did it. I didn't mind, but I was too small to carry the mop. He didn't give a shit." She chuckled darkly. "When I was done, he yelled at me because the floor didn't look clean enough. He snatched the mop from my hands and threw it across the house. He then grabbed me by the arm and pulled me towards the mop. The floor was wet and I slipped. He caught me by my hair and dragged me across the wet floor of the house and shoved me into a wall. I went in face first and got a fat lip. He began slapping me. That was the first time he hit me and it certainly wasn't the last." She took a deep breath.

"It didn't matter who pissed him off, he would take it out on me. He would never hit my mother. He would yell at her and she would yell back, but he knew how to humiliate her verbally to the point where she crumbled to the floor. He knew she was weak and liked seeing it. That was enough for him. The rest of the time I've been his punching bag. He hits me in places I can hide the bruises, my arms. I think I've had some of my bruises for years." She gripped my shirt.

"Then, it just started getting out of hand. I would beg my mother to runaway every damn day, but she wouldn't listen." Bella's voice broke, but she continued. "After all, she didn't have any money. Where was she going to take us? She didn't finish high school because she got pregnant with me and Father wouldn't let her get a job. He blamed her for getting pregnant and made her stay with me and the house. She always said it would get better, but it never did. It just got worse."

"Why didn't you runaway?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I did. When I was thirteen." She whispered and stopped.

When she was thirteen…

"Bella, what happened?" she stayed silent and though the fucking silence was painful and I fucking hated it, I couldn't push her. That motherfucker had already done enough of that. "Its fine, if you're still not ready, I'll understand." She pulled out of my arms and sat up beside me. I could already feel the warmth she had left behind in my arms and chest disappearing. I tried to hide my discomfort caused by this, but if she paid attention she would see it in my face.

This need to hold her was becoming ridiculous and I was starting to feel like a fucking pussy, but I couldn't help myself. I needed it.

She sighed and searched for my hand and when she found it, she intertwined our fingers and placed our hands in her lap. I wanted to smile at this, but the look on Bella's face made me forget how to smile. I turned my body to face her completely. I gently ran my finger tips over her bruised arm and she let out a broken sigh. She didn't look at me and only stared down at her lap.

"Does it hurt?" I asked in a whisper and she simply answered with a nod. The way her lip was in between her teeth made me realize she was trying to hold it in and it angered me. I wanted to do so much more. I turned around and grabbed the small bag of frozen peas and turned back to her. I placed the bag over her arm and she jumped a little from the sudden cold contact with her skin, but didn't push it away.

We sat in silence for a few minutes and my hand was starting to hurt from the cold, but I kept it on her arm. She grabbed her head with her small left hand and groaned.

"I have a headache." She said lowly and I tried to calm myself down before I opened my mouth and made her upset.

"Well, being punched in the face does that to you. Do you have any aspirin?" she shook her head and I sighed in frustration. She took the bag peas from where I had it and placed it against her eye. "Does your arm feel better?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Not really." I slumped lower into the bed with my head still against the headboard. I leaned forward and softly placed my lips against her now cool arm. She quickly dropped the bag of peas, letting it fall on the floor and looked down at me. She looked confused. I gave her arm another quick peck, before looking up at her and giving her a soft smile.

"I'll make it go away." I whispered against her arm and I could see her skin goose bump.

She slowly and probably painfully, moved all the way into her bed and laid her head against my chest. Bella had a weird obsession too. She loved to place her face in my chest, but who was I to judge. Besides, I liked it. I wrapped my arms around her and felt the relief as my weird obsession was being helped. I placed my chin on top of her head and inhaled her scent.

I'm a fucking creep

"You have to tell me one day. You can let it out with me. It'll make you feel better." I said while I rubbed circles on her back while she gripped my shirt a little tighter.

"I want to."

"What's holding you back?"

"You'll think I'm a freak. You'll think I'm pathetic, which I am, but you'll leave." She snuggled her face into my neck and I laid my cheek against hers. "I don't want you to." Her warm breath against my bare neck made my eyes flutter.

"I don't want to leave either. I won't. I can't. "

"You will."

"Bella, I fucking won't! We're friends remember? How can I just leave you when this shit just happened? I'm staying here to protect you. Besides, I'm not like your former fucked up friends that just stopped talking to you."

"It wasn't their fault. I caused it."

"Does it have to do with what happened when you were 13?" I asked and she pulled away from my neck and placed her head on my shoulder and nodded. "Whatever it is…let it out. I'll be here. Just let it out." I said and caressed her cheek, under her bruised eye and she placed her hand over mine. She took her eyes away from mine and looked down at my chest. She placed her hands on my chest and took hold of my shirt again while my hand fell on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and gulped. She looked like she was bracing herself for something as she held onto me.

"On the morning of my 13th birthday, my best friend left on a trip with his father. They were going to be gone for a few months because of his dad's business. He gave me their address and tried to convince me to runaway and go with them, but I said no. He gave me the address and his number just in case I changed my mind. He knew I would." Bella took a moment to breathe, but still didn't look at me in eyes.

"That afternoon, my mom, with the little money Father gave her, made a cake and decorated the kitchen with balloons and ribbons. I was so excited. I had never had a birthday party. I mean, it wasn't going to be a party; it was just her and me. But still…" she stopped and took another deep breath. I never imagined it would be so hard for her to talk about it. I could see it now and I felt like a shithead for pushing her to talk, but I needed to know.

"My mom was so nice that night. She kissed me and hugged me and I had never felt so loved by her…by anyone. I know she loves me, but for someone reason I really felt it that night. Father came into the kitchen and looked around and then just left the house. I think he wanted to say happy birthday, but he chickened out.

Anyway, it was around nine when I went to my room. I was drawing when I heard my mother talking to someone down stairs. It sounded like a man's voice and it kind of freaked me out. I snuck out of my room and spied on who my mom was talking to. It was some young guy and by the conversation I realized he was my mother's lover. They were arguing about his presence in the house and I ignored the rest of the conversation because I was so pissed at her.

All the love I had felt from and for her vanished.

I didn't care for Father. I felt like she was lying to me. I thought it was just me and her, but the whole time, she had been looking for some kind of happiness without me. Why couldn't we be happy together? She never wanted to runaway and now she was spending her time with some stranger.

I was a selfish little girl, I guess.

I ran into my room and filled my back pack with clothes and other crap I thought I would need and some money that I had received from my best friend. He thought I would need it for when I ran away. I had money to buy train or bus tickets. I had to get of there. I had to be anywhere but home. "Home" didn't hold that same comfort that it has for others.

I snuck out my balcony door and ran. It was so cold that night. I remembered how I couldn't breathe and how my lungs ached. But that that didn't stop me. I had never moved my legs so fast in my life. I realized that I really wanted to leave. As I got closer to the bus station, the damn guilt started creeping in and the tears started foggy my vision. Why was I leaving my mom? She needed me even though she has been lying to me. Once I left, she would be left alone with Father with nobody to comfort her. I felt so selfish and childish. Where the hell was I going to go? I loved my mother too much to just leave her by herself, no matter what she had done."

"So you came back?" I asked and Bella nodded…still not looking at me.

"I did. It took me longer to get back then it did to leave. I could feel it in my bones; I didn't want to come back, but something pulled me towards this house. When I finally made it back home, I noticed his cruiser was back in the driveway. I snuck up back into my room and right when I entered the room…"

Bella stopped and seemed to blank out.

"Bella? You alright?" she nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. She swallowed some saliva and opened her eyes again. She gripped my t-shirt a little tighter.

"I heard my mother scream." She whispered. "I dropped my bag and ran downstairs…and…" Tears started accumulating in Bella's eyes. I had never seen so much pain in someone's eyes before.

"He…they were in their room…when they shared the same room. I ran to the room and…I shouldn't have. I should've have ran away. But it would have meant that he would have killed her." The tears finally came down and washer over Bella's cheeks.

"He was hovering over her while she was screaming and his pants were undone. Apparently, I wasn't the only one that had found out my mother's lover that night and he wanted to show her who was the better man.

He was slapping her and ripping her clothes off and I was just standing there…witnessing it. I had never hated another human being so much in my life as I hated my own father that night and as I do now.

I knew I was going to lose. He was and is so much bigger than me, but I wasn't going to let him do that to my mother.

I took a vase that was in her room and threw it at him. It hit him on his arm and it didn't break or hurt him, but I did get his attention." She stopped and sat up. She grabbed my hands and took a deep breath. "He charged at me and I swear I had never seen so much evilness in his eyes. I froze, because that's what I do. I freeze. He took me by my hair and shoved me into the wall. I was losing my balance, but he made sure I would meet the floor. He pulled my right arm down, and violently threw me on the floor.

I thought he would stop there, but he didn't. He never stopped.

He…he kicked me in the ribs with his heavy boots. I cried out and I knew he had broken something already as I could feel the pain so deep, it made me scream. It hurt so much. He yelled for me to shut up, but the pain was too much. He grabbed my head and turned my face towards him and slapped me, not once, not twice, but many times. I could hear my mother screaming.

I begged and cried to my mother to do something. But she didn't.

My begging only pissed him off even more. He said I didn't deserve help and that I deserved what he was doing to me. He said I was a whore just like my mother. I didn't know why he was saying that, but it was stuck in my head for years after.

He didn't stop. It only got worse. He punched me and I lost some consciousness. I couldn't feel anything but excruciating pain all over my entire body. He had kicked, slapped and punched me to a pulp. He was taking out his anger with me.

I could taste the blood in my mouth and feel the blood in my eyes. I started to choke violently on my own blood and I was still begging my mother. I begged so much that I lost my voice. I didn't really know where I was anymore. I couldn't hear her and or anything else and I couldn't see. I didn't see his foot headed towards my face. I couldn't move but I felt the puddle of blood I was laying in. I knew it was me. It felt like I was bleeding out of every pour of my body. It scared me. It smelled like rust. Since then I can't stand blood. He finished me off with his boot.

Then…" Bella paused and squeezed my hands. "Then there was darkness. There was darkness for a very long time. I was in a coma for a week." Bella whispered. I could tell she was ashamed and she didn't have a reason to be, but it wasn't time to give her a fucking pep talk

"Didn't the hospital do something? I mean didn't they see?" I could hear the frustration and anger in my voice, but I could also hear the sadness. Bella shook her head.

"My group of friends in the La Push, from the Quileute tribe, were a bunch of trouble makers. Not bad kids, they just enjoyed the excitement of causing trouble. Again, it wasn't dangerous trouble, but the whole town knew them as bad kids and especially the authorities. When he realized I was dying, he took me to the hospital. He made up a story that I was in a fight with some gang because I hung around the Quileute kids. They…they believed him, because I was the only white kid that hung around in La Push. They investigated my friends and threatened to jail them all if they didn't say who was responsible for what happened to me when he was right there with them the whole time! I couldn't say the truth because I was in a coma and by the time I woke up, my friends hated me and Father already had everyone convinced. After all, he was the chief of police of a small town. Why would he make that stuff up? They didn't arrest anybody, because they couldn't find enough proof, but the whole reservation hated me.

The only one that didn't and doesn't know was my best friend. He hardly came to La Push or Forks after that so I guess nobody ever told him. But I lost all my friends. I lost everything.

He had broken my jaw, so I couldn't talk for weeks. I was in bed rest for days, but I don't remember anything. I didn't know myself during that time.

I was lost in some world and I didn't come back for months. I was ruined.

I don't remember much from the weeks that happened after I woke up. I vaguely remembered the doctor telling me I might suffer from some mild vision loss and I would need glasses in the future. I did just a few months later. But the worse part was I had broken so much that I missed school and had to stay home. I spent my days locked in my room. I didn't come out of my world, ever. It was safe there. I didn't see him. He didn't touch me again until a year after. Since then, I'm scared and paranoid of everything. When anything happens that reminds me of that night or I feel physically threatened, I sometimes go back to that place. I go blank. But in those days, it was every day…all day.

I spent all my time drawing. I didn't eat much and I lost a lot of weight. I barely remember a doctor coming into my room and examining me. I heard him when he told my mother that it would probably be best if I saw a psychiatrist, because I seemed to be in depression and that I was too young for that. He just didn't know that I felt safer in my room. I didn't have to see or hear anybody else. It was where I couldn't hear my mother telling me that I couldn't tell anybody what really happened because we had nowhere else to go and he would finally kill me if I opened my mouth. She never asked if I wanted to see a shrink. She was probably afraid I would tell him everything and she would get in trouble too.

I sometimes drown myself in guilt and shame, because I feel like I hate my own my mother. I think I hate her, Edward! I don't want to hate my own mother. I care for her, but…" she hiccupped and wiped her tears away.

"The day I woke up from my coma, she cried for me to forgive her. But she also begged me not to say anything because she wouldn't know what to do with me.

How could she?" Bella shook her head. "She never once stood up for me and she didn't do anything to save me that night, but she begged me to help her. Didn't she see that I tried? I had since I was a little girl. When she would go into my room at night to hide, I was there. She would hold me tight and cry all night. Why did she lean on me and why couldn't see I was too young? Why couldn't she see that I was the one that needed her? I needed my mom.

I've always lifted my hands up to her, but she has never lifted me." Bella sobbed the last sentence and I hugged close to my body and let her cry on my shoulder. This shit was too fucked up.

People always blame others when they act bad or when they are assholes in life. I know I did. I still do. I blame my real and real fucked up parents all the time. But Bella…but Bella doesn't blame anybody and doesn't act like an asshole. All she wants is for someone to help her and support her. She wants her damn mother. That bitch doesn't deserve Bella. She deserves the world. She deserves to see it all. She should know that there are good people out there. People like Carlisle and Esme, who I've fucking selfishly and blindly hurt.

I deserve a Mr. and Mrs. Swan as parents.

Not Bella.

I pulled Bella away a little so I could look at her in the face. I held onto her shoulder and she held on to my shirt.

"Bella, she can't lift you up because she is too damn weak. I'm sorry if she's your mother, but after what you have told me, she should have taken you away from all this. She would have stood up for you, but she's too damn weak. But you Bella…" I cupped her face with my hands causing her to look at me in the eyes. She sniffed and tried to control her crying, but she was too much in pain. "But you Bella are too damn strong. You can leave all this. You have what she doesn't. You have the power and strength to get the fuck out of this shithole. I say, fuck them and get the hell out of here." Bella pulled away and wiped her tears away.

"I can't. If I leave, he'll kill her. He never hits her and hits me instead, because I know that in his twisted, sick mind, he loves her or thinks what he feels is love and I'm the one who ruined everything by coming into this world. I'm the one who got them stuck in the town. This might sound sadistic and stupid of me, but I love my mother in all her weakness. I stay to protect her. When I tried to runaway when I was 13, I wasn't here when he first tried to hurt her, but once I did get here…well you already know. He hit me instead of her. I have to protect my mother."

"Mother bird…baby bird. I get it now." I whispered.

"Yeah." She said nodding. "If I'm here to take the punishment, she'll be alright."

"You can't be someone's punching bag Bella! That shit isn't right. You can't take punishment for someone else's mistakes."

"But what am I to do? I have nothing!"

"You fucking have me!" I shouted causing Bella to finally leave her eyes on me.

"I have you?"

"Yes! Shit, Bella I thought you would know by now. Let me help you and your mother. You don't have to do anything if you don't want to and I won't tell anybody until I know what we can do. Until we have a plan, Charles won't know what the fuck awaits for him. We can get you and your mother out of this."

"We don't have any money, Edward. He hardly gives us money for food."

"Don't worry about anything. Leave it up to me. My dad probably knows some people that can help since he's a doctor. Just let me help you. Do you trust me?" I asked. Bella closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath.

"Yes," she breathed out and opened her eyes. "I trust you Edward." I smiled at her and pulled her into my chest again.

"You don't know how fucking good that feels Bella." I sighed in her hair.

"But why Edward? Why are you helping us? Don't give me that friend excuse." She said and I held her tighter.

"Because I once felt like you felt Bella." I said and she wiggled her head to be able to look at me but I didn't dare look at her. "Someone saved me and I should do the same for you. If I that didn't deserve it and was saved anyway, you definitely should be too. You deserve it more than anybody I know. Besides, it feels good to do something good. And whether you like it or not, you and I are bonded together. Don't tell me you can sleep when I am not around? I know I'm a fucking mess." I confessed and I didn't regret it as she wrapped her arms around my body and finally stopped crying.

"I'm a mess too."

"See…" I said and she let out a light chuckle and I kissed her forehead as she buried her face into my chest again. "I was serious about staying Bella. I'm not leaving you with that psychopath."

"You can't stay Edward. What if he comes back? He lives here, so he will come back." In that moment my phone vibrated. Bella felt it too and was about to get off me, but I felt the panic creep in and pulled her back into my chest. I pulled out of my phone and noticed it was Alice.

"Hello?"

"Mom isn't mad. Just wants to know if you're alright. There was a huge fire near La Push. The cops, including the chief of police from Forks and the entire fire department are all over there."

"Shit! Well are you okay."

"Duh, we don't live near La Push."

"Don't be a smartass. Well I'm not anywhere near La Push…wait did you just say the chief of police from Forks is over there too?"

"Uh, yeah. Bella's father. He came on the local news warning us to stay away from the fire. It looks like it was an accident in the woods. He said it might take all night to clear up and that he would be in charge of it all along side the fire department. He's scary looking by the way."

"Awesome!"

"How is that awesome?"

"I mean…it's good that he's handling it." I lied.

"Okaaay." I hated when Alice extended words like that.

"Well I have to go Alice. I'm with a friend and it's fucking rude to be talking on the phone."

"Right, and you're so damn respectful and nice."

"You're fucking right! Goodnight Alice!" I said and ended the call.

"What happened?" Bella asked and I smiled at her and she looked confused.

"Your dad isn't going to be home for a long time."

"Why?"

"There was a fire somewhere and he's being the hero. So he isn't coming home."

"Is anybody hurt?"

"Nope."

"Oh…" she said and placed her head back into my chest. "I wonder where my mom is."

"Don't worry about her. I'm sure she's okay. You can be selfish for once and just enjoy that you're alone with me."

"I am enjoying it." I smiled.

"Me to."

We didn't say anything for a while letting the peaceful silence calm us down. I looked down at Bella and couldn't tell if she was asleep.

"Bella you awake?"

"No, I just talk in my sleep." She said and I chuckled.

"You're back!"

"Yeah, well sometimes I don't feel like I will. You still wanna hang around me even though I'm crazy?" she muttered.

"You're not fucking crazy." I huffed. "Where do you go?" I whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Where do you go when you blank out? I found you like that when I got here. It scared me to death."

"You found me like that? I thought I was knocked out."

"No. You had your eyes open and even cried. I tried to snap you out of it, but you didn't respond."

"I don't remember that…" she sounded embarrassed.

"You don't remember me shaking you or calling your name?"

"No" she answered and sat up in my lap. Her face was only inches away from mine. "I don't remember."

"Where do you go? Is it somewhere better than here at least?" I whispered staring into her brown eyes. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I pulled her closer, pressing our foreheads together. I could feel and smell her sweet breath. I closed my eyes just to feel her warmth in my face and I inhaled her unique and beautiful scent.

"It can be nice. But it's just a world of lies. The happiness in that world isn't real. I don't want to go there Edward. I'm scared that it will finally fool me and convince me to stay and I'll never come back to reality. What if I don't snap out of it? What if I don't come back? What if I don't come back to you?" I opened my eyes to see the raw worry in her brown eyes.

"I won't let that happen. I'll always be here to bring you back. I'll fight for you. I'll be here to remind you where I am and where you should be. I'll do my best to take good care of you. I'll bring you back." I breathed into her face as she grabbed the back of my head. She fisted my hair in her hands and pressed our foreheads even closer and pressed our noses together.

"You will?" she whispered with her eyes closed. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around her small waist. I never knew how cold I was until I held Bella.

With her in my arms, everything was warmth.

"Yes I will." She sighed and shook a little. "I'll come to you and take you by the hand. Just make sure to reach out for me so we can come back together."

"I will. Always…" she whispered back.

I slowly opened my eyes. Bella still had hers closed. I reached up and gently kissed her forehead. I gently and tenderly, so I wouldn't hurt her, moved my lips down to her bruised eye and softly placed them on her bruised cheek bone. I dragged my lips across her skin to the space between her cheek and her nose and kissed her there too. Bella let out another shaky breath. I could feel a warm tightness in my chest. I let out shaky breath of my own and let the warm feeling take over me. I moved my lips from her cheek to the corner of her lips.

I didn't think about it.

It was the warmth. It was everything.

I gently and slowly kissed the corner of her mouth and before I could question what the hell I was doing or before Bella could move away and escape my tender kiss assault or ask, I took her lower lip in between mine. I don't know what had moved me to do it, but it was all I wanted to do in that moment.

In my naïve state of warmth, I felt like I could make everything go away and make her feel good. But in the back of my head, my fucking inner voice asked what the fuck I was doing. I flipped him off.

I gently sucked on her lower lip and felt like my heart wanted to jump put of my chest. I groaned into her mouth and pulled her body closer. I needed it. I failed to realize Bella had let go of me and no longer was touching me. I was blinded by how amazing her warm lips. I was the one pressing our bodies together.

She didn't kiss me back and probably didn't know how, but I couldn't stop. Her soft and warm lips tasted so good and I felt so good that it was almost impossible to stop. I gently pulled her lower lip with my lips only to take it again. I pressed my lips harder to hers and just as I was going to move my mouth to deepen the kiss, Bella quickly pulled away and quickly pressed her forehead against my shoulder.

I had forgotten how to breathe.

I was breathing heavily and so was she. She pulled away from me and sat on the bed, no longer making contact with me. Not once did she look at me.

"I um…uh…um I'm going to go to sleep now." I could she was blushing a deep red and looked nervous as hell. She didn't look happy, more like upset…again.

I felt like a fucking idiot. I was a complete asshole! Fuck! I nervously ran my hands through my hair while trying to catch my breath. I didn't know what the fuck to say or do. I fucked it up. I fucked everything up!

She turned her back to me and hid herself under her covers. She scooted as far as possible from me and it hurt.

It was my fault anyway. I fucked up. I hit the back of my head against the bed's headboard. I kept replaying the kiss in my mind. I couldn't let it go.

Bella didn't talk to me for the rest of the night. She didn't face me.

What did I just do?

---

I'm so damn nervous (Bella style) about this chapter. So much shiz happened. When I thought the story up, I knew all of this would happen in this chapter, but I had such hard time writing it. Go gentle on me.

I don't feel like this is a cliffy. But if you feel like it is, please feel free to angry review. I didn't mean for it to be. A lot of you hated that I gave you a cliffy last chapter and even though I've only given you three or maybe four intentional cliffies in all 16 chapters, I promise you, it's not something I do often. It's just for the effect of the story.

Kelala1004 (hoping you don't mind me pointing you out) I guess we are married. Rings and all… Haha. I hope you don't mind that I do dedicate an unhealthy amount of time to KStew. Though I don't play for the other team and though you're my wifey now…I did love her first. Bahaha

Again and always, thanks crazy9girl for the banner.

P.S I do plan to write another story after ATTY (with a beta!). I won't tell you what it will be about (maybe if you beg) but I will let you know two things. 1st, it will be angst. Why? Because it seems that I'm good at making people cry haha and 2nd, Charles will be Charlie again. He will be nice and cute just like book and movie Charlie. Seriously, he so freaking cute I want him to be my dad. Bahaha Unlike ATTY Charles…no comment.