Bella POV
The few weeks leading up to graduation passed by in a blur with the weather becoming slightly warmer to mark the passage of time although I had it on good authority the mountain range directly above our small town stayed like the depths of winter all year round. My knee, which had begun to heal, was painful but manageable. Carlisle had assured me that it would take at least six weeks before I would walk without a limp to mark the pain. It did not please me that I would be limping across the stage to get my diploma but at least the crutches and the brace were gone.
School was a waste of time for those of us who had already received our college acceptance letters. In English we would watch movies based on old classic novels. This was my favorite part of the day not because of the movies themselves but because when the teacher shut off the lights in the classroom, Edward would skate his hand up my thigh sending shivers of electricity through me. I had to give him credit for being so stealthy but as practiced as he was, I could tell he was just as affected by it as I was.
Alice was expecting a big crowd for the party and I was the taste test dummy for the food since for obvious reasons she couldn't be. We finally decided on ordering heroes and plenty of appetizers and chips. She wanted something more extravagant but I told her to save it for the wedding. High school kids didn't go for fancy fare like caviar and finger sandwiches.
The only dark cloud that seemed to be hanging over the town was a string of seemingly related small burglaries; the Newton store being the first of a few. The next place to be hit was the local grocery store and after that logs from the lumber yard. No money was stolen; only the inventory. Charlie was upset on how slow the investigation was going and by the fact that none of the shopkeepers had been vigilant enough to have security cameras installed. They all took it for granted that Forks being a small town wouldn't attract a criminal element like Seattle would.
Charlie made sure I always carried a full can of pepper spray with me since Newton's got robbed.
"Keep it in your pocket, Bells. Not your purse. You want to be able to get to it easily." He had said. I put it in my purse anyway. If he only realized how inconvenient it was to stick it into the pockets of my tight jeans not to mention I didn't always have pockets.
The night before graduation, I helped with setting up the decorations for the party. Alice, being Alice went a little overboard and was commanding everyone like a drill sergeant. Emmett and Jasper strung the lights outside on the trees along the road leading up to the house. Edward was responsible putting together the music mix. Esme and Rosalie decorated the inside while I made the various dips. It was the one thing they trusted me with since ladders were out of the question for me; with or without my bum knee.
"I hope I made enough." I said as I felt Edward's arms slide around my waste and rest his chin on my shoulder.
"I'm sure you made plenty, love. Why don't you relax for a bit? You've been standing on your feet for a long time."
I looked around the kitchen at the mess I made. Empty boxes, cartons and bags littered the Esme's beautiful granite counter tops. "I have to put all this away and clean up first."
"No you don't" He said and before I knew it he was whizzing around the kitchen so fast he left image trails behind him. The kitchen was spotless moments later and I just gaped at him. "I have my uses you know." He said with a smirk.
"You sure do." I stood up on my toes and pulled his head down to mine for a kiss. He backed me up against the counter encasing my legs between his and his hands lightly gripped the sides of my head as he pulled me closer deepening the kiss.
"Edward!" Alice shouted from the living room. "What's with the classical music? We want people to dance. Not sleep."
Edward groaned pulling away and rested his forehead against mine.
I chuckled. "Duty calls."
""I'll be right back. Then I'll take you home. We have a big day tomorrow."
Before he left I took the opportunity to trace my fingers in circles on his chest. "Are you staying over tonight?" I asked him seductively.
"You keep doing that and I may have to" He sighed then in overly dramatic sorrow. "But no, we have plans to go hunting tonight. Having one human in the house is easily tolerable especially since it's you." – He grinned- "but having 65…well we don't want to chance it….Is your dad taking to tomorrow to the ceremony?"
"Yeah. He took the day off."
"EDWARD!" Alice screamed again. "These songs aren't going to change themselves."
"C'mon" he said taking my hand in his and walked us towards the living room. "If she's like this now, God help us when it comes to the wedding."
"Vegas is sounding better and better all the time." I agreed with him.
"I heard that!" Alice accused playfully from the other room
Of course she did. Damn vampire hearing.
I didn't get much sleep that night. I never did when Edward wasn't beside me. But this was worse. My mind kept straying to the milestone before me and subsequently the bigger milestones yet to come. It was all happening so fast. Part of me wanted it all to be over already, to be married to Edward for eternity and the other part wished time would slow down, if only just a little.
Groggily, I made it out of bed when the phone rang. Charlie must have picked it up because it didn't ring after the second time. After putting on my robe, I carefully made my way down the stairs to see who was on the phone.
"Yeah. Okay. I'll be there." Charlie hung up with a grim look on his face.
"Was that Mom?" I asked hoping it was her calling to wish me congratulations but I knew it wasn't. If it had been her, Charlie would have handed me the phone.
He looked up surprised, not aware that I was in the room with him. "Sorry. I didn't see you there."
"So it…uh... wasn't Mom?" I asked sullenly.
"No. I'm sorry. She'll probably call you later. That was the station. They need me to go in." He said approaching the subject with hesitation.
"Today?"
He raked a hand through his hair. "Yeah. There was another burglary. The gun and hobby shop this time. Weapons were stolen."
"Weapons? You mean like guns?"
"That's exactly what I mean. Maybe knives too." I must have looked really upset to him because he gave me a sympathetic look. "Oh, shit, honey. I'm sorry. I'm going to make your graduation. I promise. I'm just going to be a little late. Do you think you can drive yourself?"
"Sure dad. This is important to you. Do what you have to do."
Charlie got off the couch an embraced me in a bear like hug. It almost reminded me of one of Emmett's hugs, except much warmer temperature wise. He tilted my chin up with his thumb. "I wouldn't miss this day for the world. I hope you know that. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"I know that Dad." I said my throat convulsing as I was trying to hold the tears back so he couldn't see how upset I was.
"I'll see you later. Love you kiddo."
"Love you too Dad."
He gave me a rare kiss on the cheek and after picking up his badge and gun, he left. First my mother, now my father. I knew this was important. Stealing weapons was a serious matter. Chin up, Bella, I scolded myself. Stop being so darn selfish. Charlie would be there…eventually. I knew he would. So I would just be driving myself to my own graduation. So what?
After hopping in the shower, I dressed in a short black tank top dress and matching bolero jacket courtesy of Alice. After the last fiasco I was hesitant to wear it but Alice assured me that it would be perfect. The graduation gown would cover it throughout the ceremony and the jacket lent it an air of respectability, that was until I would take it off when Edward and I would be finally alone after the festivities were over. The flats I had to wear with it were necessary given the state of my knee but I was never one for heels anyway, not with the balance issues I had.
I finished getting ready and glanced at the clock. I just had enough time to drink some coffee and eat a pop tart hoping the carbohydrates would elevate the sudden down turn of my mood. Just as I finished off the pastry, the telephone rang. I debated answering it, knowing that it might delay me but thinking it might be Edward, I picked it up.
"Hi baby." It was Renee. It was official, I was going to be late but at least Renee called. She hadn't totally forgotten her daughter.
"Hi Mom."
"I'm so sorry I couldn't be there today but you understand don't you."
"Sure I do. It's okay." I assured her. It wasn't her fault that Phil broke his stupid leg. She continued to prattle on how Phil was doing, on how great the weather was in Fort Lauderdale, how fulfilling her life and how much she missed me. Every so often I would make a noise just to let her know I was still there and she wasn't talking to thin air, though I doubt she would even notice if she was. Never the less, despite how flighty and scatterbrained she could be, she was my mom and I loved her.
"I can't believe my baby girl is graduating high school today. And I'll be a mother-in-law by the end of the summer. I feel so old." She lamented.
"Mom, you could never be old."
"You're such a sweetie for saying that. Listen, I just wanted to wish you congratulations."
"Thanks."
"I want you to take lots of pictures and please try to be in some of them."
"I will." Renee was well aware of my aversion to being in front of the camera as opposed to behind it but I knew that although she couldn't be here today, my graduation was still important to her.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Good girl."
"Um, Mom, I have to go. I'm running late." I said as I looked at the clock once again. It took about 15 minutes for me to drive to the school and the ceremony was due to start in five minutes.
"Oh, sure. Have a great time at Alice's party and don't forget to tell Edward I said hello."
"I won't Mom."
"Love you baby."
"Love you too Mom."
The weather was typically dreary filled with cloud cover, I noticed as I got in my truck and started it. Pulling out of the drive, my truck started to make those laboring, puttering sounds again.
"Oh, no. Not today." I grumbled as I drove slowly down the wet winding road towards the school. "How is this even possible?" I knew I was talking to myself but I didn't care.
After one particularly loud sputter and shake, the truck just died.
"Shit!" I was at least a good 5 miles from the school if not more. It was way too far for me to walk even with a good knee. I popped the hood and got out of the truck slamming the door.
Peering into the engine, I realized I had no idea what I was looking for. "Who am I even kidding?" I grumbled as I closed the hood. Just for good measure I kicked the tire.
"Ow! Crap! Ow,! Ow!" I yelled out hopping up and down on one foot. Bad idea, Bella. Now both legs hurt. Completely irritated with myself, I yanked open the door and fished my cell phone out of my purse and called my dad, praying he would not be too busy with his investigation to answer.
"Dad!" I said into the phone as soon as he picked up.
"Bella. Where are you? I'm at the school. Everyone's worried about you. Shouldn't you be here by now?"
"I know, I know. The truck died. I'm about 5 miles from the school. Can you pick me up?"
"Yeah. Just give me a minute to tell Carlisle and I'll be on my way."
It was ironic that I was the one that was late and not Charlie. As I was putting the phone back in my purse, I heard a faint rustle behind me.
"Hello, Bella."
Startled, I turned around to see Jacob standing there. He looked and sounded different. There was an unholy light in his eyes and a cruel twist to his lips. As I inspected further, I noticed him holding a gun in his hand. Instinctively I backed away until my back was against the truck and I could move no further. If I ran, he would just catch me.
"It was you, wasn't it? You were the one behind all the burglaries."
He shrugged indifferently. "You caught me…now I caught you." He stalked closer to me, closing the gap of space in between us to grab my upper arm. I hitched my breath in pain, felt the skin already starting to bruise.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked him with an angry stare.
"Keeping you from making the biggest mistake of your life." He spat and yanked my arm. I tried to pull away but I was afraid my bone would snap from the biting force he was putting on my arm.
""I won't go with you Jacob." Strangely enough, I wasn't afraid of the gun he was holding. He wouldn't shoot me, not if he thought he was trying to save me.
He sighed unpleasantly. "Now how did I know you were going to say that?"
The last thing I saw was the butt of the gun as he raised it and slammed into my head. There was a burst of pain and everything went black.
Edward POV
We arrived early at the school. The football field was adorned with metal folding chairs and a fabricated stage complete with podium and microphone. I was hoping to have some time with Bella before we were scheduled to sit in our assigned seats. Since I was a "C" and she was an "S" we wouldn't be sitting near each other during the ceremony.
Scanning through the sea of yellow caps and gowns, I couldn't locate Bella nor could I smell her scent. It was beginning to worry me. My gut clenched. Something was off.
We were being herded towards our seats by the teachers but my concentration was elsewhere. Where the hell was Bella?
"She'll be here Edward. She's probably just running late." Alice whispered to me as we sat down. She too noticed Bella was missing.
"Calm down. Charlie's not here either. Isn't he driving her here?" Jasper told me.
I forced myself to relax. They were right. It's just where Bella was concerned I would always worry. My attention alternated between the empty seat where she should be sitting and to the entrance of the Spartans field. I looked over at the rest of my family sitting in the bleachers. They, too, looked disturbed.
The principal started to speak then, his voice echoing in the open air. It was the same typical speech that I had heard too many times to count so I didn't bother to listen. I spotted Charlie entering through the gates then and watched him look over the crowd of graduates. He was looking for her. Why? Shouldn't she be with him?
I nudged Alice sitting beside me. "Charlie's here but not Bella." I informed her through clenched teeth trying to rein in my apprehension.
"I don't know what's going on Edward. I haven't seen anything"
I observed Charlie go up to Carlisle and Esme.
"Have you seen Bella?" He asked them.
"No" Carlisle shook his head. "I thought she was with you."
"There was another burglary this morning. I had to check it out. Bella was going to drive herself."
Fear, sharp as a knife's edge pierced me. As I went to get up to find out what the hell was going on, Jasper prevented me by putting a restraining hand on my arm.
"What the hell are you doing, Jasper?" I seethed.
"Preventing you from overreacting. Now sit down." He ordered.
I heard the distinct sound of Charlie's cell phone ring and I strained to listen to what was being said.
"Bella. Where are you? I'm at the school. Everyone's worried about you. Shouldn't you be here by now?... Yeah. Just give me a minute to tell Carlisle and I'll be on my way."
Charlie closed his phone and turned to Carlisle. "Bella's truck broke down about 5 miles away. I'm going to go pick her up."
I sat back down visibly calmer. "Did you hear that Edward. Bella's safe. It's just her truck." I heard Carlisle's thoughts directed toward me. Nodding once, I turned my focus back to the stage where the Valedictorian was now giving her speech.
"You see Edward. Everything is okay. Bella is fine. Though I can't say the same about her truck." Alice said.
As speeches went, it was short and to the point. Something I was grateful for albeit uncommon after hearing my fair share throughout the years. Our row was instructed to stand and wait for the calling of our names to receive our diplomas. I took the opportunity to search again for Bella. Her seat was still empty. I had to force myself not to panic. They probably just had to wait for a tow truck or maybe pull the truck over to the side of the road to get it out of the way. If she wasn't here soon, she would miss receiving her diploma entirely.
"Isabella Swan." The principal called into the microphone. There was absolute silence as students began to look around them. He cleared his throat. "Isabella Swan." He called out again louder this time and still no Bella. I heard a dim buzz around me as our other classmates spoke in low tones wondering as I was about her whereabouts.
"Maybe she's in the bathroom."
"She probably fell down again somewhere."
"I hope nothing has happened to her."
"Something's wrong Edward." Alice said fearfully, placing fingers around my wrist, her eyes wide in panic.
It was then that I heard it, actually listened for it; the distinct sound of police sirens about 5 miles away. The distance Bella supposedly was when she called Charlie to pick her up.
That was it. I wasn't waiting anymore. I got up and tried to walk at a human pace to where the rest of my family was sitting in the bleachers. Alice and Jasper followed me, none of us caring that we were interrupting the graduation ceremony. Our sole focus was Bella.
I heard the unmistakable sound of Alice's hitching breath behind me. Halting in mid stride, I spun around grabbing her shoulders, giving them a slight shake. Jasper hissed at me but I didn't care.
"What, Alice, What?" I asked desperately. Terror was strangling me to the point where I could barely function.
Her eyes were the saddest I had ever seen them when she looked back at me. 'I…I can't see her anymore Edward." Her bottom lip trembled as she spoke.
I saw into her mind. There was nothing but a black void where Bella's future should be. I wanted to roar in grief. No! She is alive…she has to be.
As we ran to our cars, I shed my cap and gown, tossing them carelessly on the ground. Jasper and Alice jumped in the car with me and the rest of my family went into Emmett's jeep. My tires screeched loudly as I sped out of the parking lot.
"Don't…don't you dare manipulate my emotions, Jasper." I said harshly as I felt the influence of his gift.
"It won't do you or Bella any good if you go into whatever situation this is half cocked."
He was right, I knew he was. But I needed to feel this anger, this pain.
The street ahead was a mass of flashing lights and squad cars as I skidded to a full stop and jumped out of the car. Bella's truck sat idle in the middle of the road as if nothing was wrong. I spotted Charlie in the fray of police officers. His thoughts were a chaos of splintered fragments. He looked up at me with such stark fear in his eyes that it was all I could do not to sink on my knees in agony. The force of it matched my own. My steps slowed down as I got closer to the middle of the scene, terrified of what I would find there.
It was then that I saw it; an evidence marker by a wet spot on the dark pavement. I didn't need vampire eyesight to know what it was. I could smell it. It was blood…more specifically, Bella's blood.
Alice POV
SNAP! I could literally hear the already frayed tether that linked Edward to his sanity sever the moment he saw Bella's blood on the ground. We all watched horrified as my brother sunk to his knees before the puddle reaching out to touch it but stopping his hands from actually connecting. His shoulders shook with dry sobs and his face was a twisted mask of agony.
Please, please let her be alive, I prayed to whatever deity that would listen.
It was Charlie that placed a comforting hand on Edward's shaking shoulder. "We don't know if it's her blood, son."
"It's hers." Edward whispered hoarsely his face buried in his hands. His tone suggesting there was no doubt in his mind who the blood belonged to.
"We need a DNA test to be sure."
Edward rubbed his palms to his eyes as if trying to halt the flow of tears as he got up slowly moving like a robot that was low on power; like an old man.
When he turned to look back at us; his family, I gasped at what I saw. His features were suddenly gaunt and his eyes dark as pitch. I saw his steely resolve when he turned back to Charlie.
"What happens now?" He demanded.
Charlie's answer was brief and full of resolve. "We search."
He nodded and made his way back over to us, anger etched in the lines of his face.
"It's the wolves." He said so low that only we could hear. "Specifically one wolf. His stench is all over this place."
"I never liked that stupid treaty anyway. Let's get us some wolf dinner and get my baby sister back." Emmett clapped his hands and licked his lips in anticipation.
"Now wait a second." Carlisle interrupted. "Before we do anything, we should talk to Sam first. He may know what's going on.
"I never questioned your judgment before Carlisle but I'm doing it now. Are you insane? Sam is the alpha…he probably perpetrated the whole thing."
"Edward! We are all worried for Bella but that's no way to talk to your father. Apologize right now." Esme reprimanded.
Edward immediately looked contrite but I could still sense the seething anger underneath. "I'm sorry Carlisle."
"I understand, son. Look, I know you don't trust Sam, I really don't either but we spoke not too long ago. I don't believe he would have done this. He preserves human life. He wouldn't have taken Bella…not like this. I will go to the borderline and see if he knows anything."
"You won't have to. He came to us."
Edward was looking to a point behind where Carlisle was standing. I followed his gaze to see bright yellow eyes staring back at us eerily. The wolf walked silently backwards into the shelter of the trees beckoning Edward to follow.
Unnoticed by the police who were busy tagging the crime scene both Carlisle and Edward followed Sam, leaving the rest of us behind.
Our house became command central that night. The food and refreshments so carefully prepared for the party guests now served as sustenance for the various search parties that came in and out of the house. We had enough space to provide a rest stop for Charlie's men and as well as the space for a complete communications set up.
Night had fallen swiftly with no word on Bella. Esme and I had stayed behind to keep the searchers well fed and full of caffeine while Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett joined the search.
Carlisle had told us that Sam was sure that Jacob was the one that took Bella…that he had been acting strange lately and rarely shifted into his wolf form. Edward surmised that he did that so the rest of the pack wouldn't be privy to what he was up to. The Quileute's would search their own territory along with some of Charlie's men as we were bound by the treaty to stay off the reservation. Edward was not too happy with that arrangement. He felt the treaty was already broken.
As the hours wore on without any positive word, our worries increased until they were a living breathing thing. I felt completely helpless and bound by the limitations of my ability. If Jacob never left Bella, there was no way I could see her…no way I could tell if she were hurt or even alive. Judging by what Sam had to say, Jacob may be so far gone in his obsession with Bella that her death would be the better alternative. If he couldn't have her, he wasn't going to allow anyone else too. And that frightened me more than anything else.
Taking a brief moment to calm myself, I looked around the room at the various townspeople that were converged in our living room. It seemed like everyone in Forks had joined the search. Esme sat down next to me and placed a comforting arm around my shoulders. The stress and worry were apparent on her face too. She had claimed Bella as one of her own long ago and she worried as any real mother would.
"It's amazing how a situation like this brought the town together." I didn't realize I spoke aloud until I heard Angela return my comment.
"I have only seen it like this once before and Bella was the one missing then too." She said.
"What do you mean?" Esme asked curiously. No one had told her what happened on the day we left months ago, but I knew.
"The day you left last September." Angela said softly. "Bella just disappeared. Sam of the Quileute's found her near catatonic in the woods. We had a search party then too."
"Oh, dear God." Esme exclaimed, her hand covering her mouth in mortification as she blinked back tears that could never fall.
"She was taken this time." I reminded her fighting the images in my hand of all that could have occurred in the hours since Bella went missing.
"We'll find her. Edward will find her." Angela said comfortingly. "You have to believe that."
Yes, I had to believe that because God help us all if they didn't.