DISCLAIMER: Stephanie Meyer owns everything; I just have an overly active imagination.

ATTENTION: This story's theme is rape. Actual scene in this chapter!

A/N: As always the beginning italics is a flashback and the basic type is present day. Get you seat belts ready cuz this story is taking off!

Here begins the new collaboration. My Beta danna0724 has now become a fellow writer. This beautiful chapter is the first to be done by her. This chapter is a RPOV. Get your tissues ready and…

Enjoy!

A/N #2~(danna0724): I would like to thank Jessi Cullen for having the cajones to post this, ask me to read it, allow me to beta it, and now collaborate writing it! She is my partner in crime, my beta, my inspiration…and I wanna be just like her when I grow up (just ignore the fact that I am older than her)!

Tortured Sole

Rosalie's POV

"Oh, my goodness, Rosie…he's taking his first steps towards you," Vera exclaimed proudly, as her little Henry attempted hobbling in my direction. He was unsteady to say the least, but determined none the less.

"Come here little man," I cooed, while reaching for him.

A wobble and a save later, little Henry was in my arms. I adored his dimples as he looked at me and smiled. And those eyes, oh how they sparkled.

"Rosie, I see that look in your eyes," Vera interrupted my admiration.

"What look?" I retorted.

"You know very well what look, Rosie!" I think I got 'the look' a mother gives to a child.

"I honestly have no clue what you are talking about Vera," I attempted defending myself. Which was useless, as I had been caught red handed, admiring her son. Not today, and not even tomorrow or next year, but one day I wanted to have kids. I've known my whole life, that when I grew up, I wanted to be a mommy.

"Um hmm…" she groaned, while rolling her eyes.

"What? Okay, okay… he truly is a miracle Vera. I'm just in awe over how wonderful he is," I attempted to explain.

"I don't mean to brag, but I know right?" she exclaimed proudly.

"One day, Vera, one day I will find the right man and settle down and have a whole litter of kids running around," I proclaimed.

"Yeah, the trick is the first part Rosie, finding the "right" man."

"Don't I know it? But honestly, right now isn't the time or the place for me to even think about that," I began.

"So how is school going anyway?" Vera questioned.

"Oh you know, papers, thesis, exams, presentations, clinical studies, professors that forget what it's like to be student," I began complaining. Honestly, I really didn't have it that bad. The psychiatry program here in Rochester was one of the best in the nation, I am fortunate to have gotten in to be perfectly honest. And while I may dream of being the wife and mother one day, that particular dream always came after my dream of being a psychiatrist. The human mind and its processes have always fascinated me, and I want to help people. Genuinely help them.

"Yeah, and you expect me to believe you, Miss Rosalie Hale, is a typical student? The girl who is taking 22 class hours a week, just to get ahead, so she can graduate early?" Vera started in on me. "Student you are not, by any means, addict might be a better description for you."

I rolled my eyes in her general direction, and snuggled the top of Henry's head to my nose. What is it about the way the top of a baby's head smells? It's like that baby lotion, but more, clean and sunshine and innocence. It was such an intoxicating scent for me. I could just sit here and sniff the top of Henry's head for the rest of the night, but what toddler wants to hold still for that?

"You know, the King's, have that scholarship program for budding psychiatrists. I hear they are pretty picky about whom they chose, but Rosie, if anyone should get that scholarship, it should be you." Vera stated.

"The King's?" I questioned. "As in little Royce King, who used to pull on my pig tails and tell me that he would have his daddy fire my daddy? Who fell out of my Aunt Renata's tree when we were 11 and broke his arm? THAT King family?" I quizzed.

Giggling and nodding, Vera looked back in my direction. "Yes, THAT King family, although Royce isn't so little, or awkward anymore."

"I know Vera," I started. "I came to visit in the summers when I was in high school too. He was relentless in trying to get me to date him. I was just never interested in him, in that way. Sure he's good looking, and comes from an established and wealthy family, but he's a putz. That little boy that fell out of my aunt's tree and tried to blame it on me, grew up to be a man that holds no values or interests that I would qualify as interesting."

"Geesh Rosie, you are so cynical! I swear, for you to find the "right" man, it's gonna be nothing short of a miracle."

"So I have high standards, and while everyone else may think Royce King is the catch of Rochester, he's just not my cup of tea. No. Thank. You." I defended myself. But it did make me question my standards. Was I too hard to please? Would I end up a bitter, old harpy with no kids because I never could find the right man?

"Well, I know there is a perfect "little" man that seems to be quite smitten with you," Vera teased.

I looked down and Henry was still in my lap, just twirling one of my blonde locks in his fingers. Not pulling my hair, but caressing it. Do toddlers even know how to be gentle?

"Well, I think the age difference here would definitely make me a cougar," I began. "But with the way you call my cynical, I may still be single when he becomes an adult."

"You know I hardly mean that Rosie, sure you have high standards, but that's a good thing, don't ever settle for less than what you want." Vera attempted comforting.

"I know Vera, I don't intend on ever settling. Life is too short for that." I responded back to her.

"Well, Henry here, may think he's all grown, caressing your hair and giving you googly eyes," Vera started walking towards me with her arms reaching out, "but he is in dire need of his bed. I can't believe it's already nine o'clock. It seems like you just got here."

"Is it really nine already?" I asked, a bit surprised and agitated. "I have to go, I have an exam tomorrow and I need to get some studying in tonight. Otherwise I might bomb it."

I started gathering my belongings, and leaned in to give Vera a hug and Henry a kiss. And to sneak in another sniff of the top of his head.

"Are you going to call Renata to come get you?" Vera asked.

"Nah," I started, "it's such a nice night and the walk will get my blood flowing so I'm alert to study."

"Okay, if you are sure, call me when you get home."

"Thanks V, I will."

It truly was a nice night too. It wasn't too hot or too cold out, with a slight breeze. Just perfect for my tastes. I rounded a corner a few blocks from Vera's and spotted four men grouped together just ahead. 'Oh great', I thought to myself, I always get uncomfortable in large groupings of the male population. I'm not sure why, entirely, but I think it has something to do with my appearances. I have had more passes made at me than I can count, and it doesn't matter the age of the men either, my father's co-workers shamelessly flirted with me when I was in high school. Okay, yeah, I admit it…I'm attractive. I was blessed with good genes, what can I say? I try not to be too conceded about it, but I will admit to using it to my advantage when I can.

"Hey 'Blondie'," a familiar voice called out.

I turned my head in the direction of the four men, squinted my eyes, and attempted to see if I could place a familiar face to the voice I recognized. Sure enough, there was someone I recognized. How in the hell am I running into Royce King just after talking about him with Vera. This has got to be some sort of weird cosmic coincidence or something.

"Oh, hey Royce," I stated. I really don't have time to deal with his attempts at dating antics right now. I really need to study.

"What are you doing out here all on your own?" he questioned.

"I've just finished visiting with Vera and her little Henry, and I'm on my way back to my place to get some studying done for a test tomorrow, which I desperately need to get done, so I will see you around," I attempted blowing him off.

"Hey wait, come over and at least let me introduce you to these guys," he attempted.

"Royce, really, I have got to get home," I stated as firmly as I could. I really didn't have time for a social hour with the Playboy's of Rochester.

By this point all four of the Playboy's had managed to encircle me, stopping me dead in my tracks. I looked to Royce to reiterate that I was in fact in a hurry.

"Royce, I really need to get home," I attempted again. They were really making me nervous entrapping me like this. My fight or flight instincts started kicking in, and my mind started running through what little self defense techniques I knew. Can't see, can't breathe, can't walk… take those away and you can stop your attacker. But there are four to my one. SHIT! I was going into full fledged panic mode now.

"Roy-" I began, just as an arm wrapped around my upper torso. The arm was strong and effectively wrapped around my shoulders, enveloping me easily, and pinning my arms to my sides. I flailed out my legs in attempt to get some grounding and possibly kick something or someone and cause some damage. The man holding me by my upper body wrapped his other arm around me as well, and maneuvered it so that his hand was effectively covering my mouth.

Oh. My. God! I panicked. I began kicking my legs out more furiously, in attempt to connect with anything, do something. I'm not going down without a fight. I was being drug in a backwards motion. Where are they taking me?

"This one's got some fight in her," the man restraining me grunted in a Southern accent.

"Yeah, she always has been feisty John," Royce replied to the man.

I tried getting purchase with my legs again, as this John drug me where ever we were going with Royce and the other two following along. We rounded a corner, and I noticed that we were in a very deserted, very dimly lit alleyway. At this point full on 'flight mode' kicked in. I was petrified. I shook my head as much as I could trying to get released from John's hand, so I could get some form of a noise out to draw attention to this situation. In response, he tightened his grip even more.

"Help me out here guys," he ordered.

My eyes widened as the other two guys approached me on either side of my lower body. If these jerks were stupid enough to think I won't kick their teeth in just as soon as they are in range, they are sadly mistaken. But just at that moment, that thought must have entered their heads, as they looked at each other, they nodded, and worked together to restrain my lower body. I was now hovering above ground, my torso pinned to John's body, and my legs each being restrained and spread apart. I looked to see Royce approaching me, while undoing his belt buckle.

"You've always been such a cock-tease Rosie," Royce said menacingly. He positioned himself between my legs that were being restrained, slid his hand up my inner thigh until he reached my panties. He shoved my sundress up around my waist, and yanked my underwear clean from my body.

"Baby, you've resisted me for so long, and I'm gonna give you what you deserve," he spat at me.

I was still struggling, wiggling with everything I had in me, trying to find purchase with any of my limbs. Royce grabbed each of my hips, stilling my movements. He leaned in placing his face mere inches from my own. He breathed out a liquor coated breath and said, "I am the best in this town, and you will be mine." And with those words he forced his manhood into my unwilling body. I moaned out in pain, and terror. Tears fell from my eyes uncontrollably. He continued his thrusts, harder with each movement, causing me more pain. His movements became erratic, he hunched in close to me and placed a sloppy kiss on my forehead and with one final push deep into my body, he spilled his his pleasure into my core.

"Now it's your turn," Royce said to John. And in one swift movement, Royce grabbed a fistful of my hair by the root, my whole body was lowered downward, and I felt and heard the crack of my skull hitting the pavement. And with that, everything around me closed in and went black.

"Make sure you grab that rain coat Alice got you last year for your birthday," I said to Bella. "It's always so wet in Forks, and you know you'll need it."

"Thanks Rose," Bella said as she reached and pulled said raincoat from the hook off her closet door.

"I almost wish I was going back home with you," I said.

"Me too Rose, but I need to go alone I think, to sort out my thoughts," she replied.

"I can appreciate that Bella, truly I can, but don't lose yourself in your own thoughts," I started in on her. I knew what she was doing, she was running, she was closing down. Who am I kidding? She shut down a year ago, and has been adding more and more deadbolt locks to the door over the course of this year. It will be a nearly impossible feat to start getting all those locks unlocked and get back in to her.

"That's what I have my writing for Rosie, I lose myself in there," she retorted.

"Speaking of which, that poses a problem, you getting lost in that story? Bella that style is so not like you and that story is not a pretty one to be sucked in to!" I retaliated. I got up to head downstairs to grab my cell from my purse.

"Where are you going?" Bella blurted in an almost panicked voice.

"I'm going to get my cell, I left it in my purse downstairs, and I'm expecting Em to call when he's on his way over to help you with your bags to get you to the airport," I explained. Curious, for someone who has wanted to be left alone for the last year, she sure seemed pretty upset that I was leaving the room to get my cell phone.

"I'll be right back up in a jiff," I said trying to stay light.

"Okay, just please…never mind," she replied choosing not to finish her thought. I looked at her and cocked my eyebrow. What is going on with her? I know she doesn't want to have the coming conversation any more than I want to rehash my past, but I know that if I let her in a little, she just might in return let me in a little. And that was the goal here. I needed to get her to open up, start unlocking those dead bolts, one by one if I have to.

With that I turned and headed downstairs, located my cell and made a quick call to Emmett to tell him to give me more time, as Bella seemed to be stalling a bit, and I still needed time to talk with her. He agreed and said that he would find something else to do before coming to take Bella to the airport. I looked at the clock, her flight left in 3 hours, and with having to be there an hour early and travel time, that gave me about an hour and a half to try and get Bella to talk to me. I could work with that, I'm a psychiatrist, which works by the hour as it is, granted I usually get an hour a week, face to face. But I'll take this time and see what I can do to keep her open to me, keep up the communication while she's gone.

"So Bella…" I began as I reentered the room. She jumped about three feet in the air and turned to me with a startled look on her face.

"You scared me to death Rose," she scolded, placing a hand over her heart.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to, you seem to be more on edge than usual, anything you want to talk about?" There, open with a question, make her start talking, get your stethoscope on Dr. Hale-Cullen, it's time to start unlocking some deadbolts.

"No, um… I just, oh never mind," she stumbled. Yeah she's hiding something.

"You know Bella, I think it's time," I began. If she wasn't going to open up and show me her wounds first, I would have to show her mine, and just pray that she returned the gesture. "Time I told someone about what happened that night with Royce. Time to tell you, in particular," I said not sure how exactly to do this delicately. Let's face it, the topic itself cannot be used in the same sentence as the word delicate without it being an oxymoron, but I had to tip toe around this. I remember how I was just after my own rape.

"Royce was a spoiled little rich boy, that got everything he wanted," I began. "That is, until I came along. I'd known him since we were kids, and as we grew and I kept seeing him over the summer visits to Aunt Renata's house, he developed an attraction for me."

"You had known Royce," Bella said.

"Oh, yeah, I'm surprised you've never figured it out. Remember that story I told you about the little boy that fell out of the tree and blamed me and I got grounded for a week?" I questioned her. She nodded in response. "That little boy was Royce. You know, that's one of the killer parts of the whole fucked up situation. I knew him, I had known him. Our families mingled and interacted for years. I guess by some sort of weird stigma, it's more appropriate to be raped by a complete stranger, than it is by someone who actually knows you, knows the people you love." Bella's eyes widened at that comment, and her bottom lip went into her mouth as she began chewing on it. I was onto something here, all my years of being a psychiatrist, and knowing this woman most of our lives, I knew what her "tells" were, and that lip thing, she was mulling something over in that head of hers. Could she know who her rapist was, not a random person like she has insinuated? I hit a nerve here that I need to explore further.

"Anyway, I had just left my friend Vera's house. She had a baby just under a year old named Henry, and you know how much I've always loved kids," I continued. "I had spent the entire afternoon, catching up with her and giving affection to the baby, getting my "baby fix" if you will," I smiled at the memory. "Well it was absolutely gorgeous weather out, and I decided to walk back to my house when I left there. I made it a few blocks when I ran into Royce and three other guys."

Tears started pricking at my eyes. Could I do this? Can I really delve this deep into myself and share it? I have to… game face Rose, it's time to woman up and get this out. You are doing this for Bella, for Edward, for Nick and Nattie, God rest their souls.

"I kept telling Royce that I needed to get going, that I had studying to do. Well he wasn't paying attention to a word I said. The four of them encircled me, trapping me." I looked down, took a deep breath. "A guy named John grabbed me from behind, and they drug me to an alley. I fought with everything I had in me Bella," I said looking her deep in the eyes. "I went through all the self defense stuff Charlie taught us when we were younger, but I was outnumbered, and they were so much stronger than me," my voice started to crack with emotion, and the tears welled up and fell over. "I felt so weak, so helpless, so petrified. I knew that Royce had an unhealthy attraction for me, but I never imagined he would go as far as he did. His words, his voice from that night will haunt me my whole life."

"What…what did he say?" Bella inquired sheepishly.

"Well, mostly he kept mentioning how I was 'his', that I belonged to him," I stated. Bella bit down harder on her lip, I was sure, after one more good bite down like that, she would break skin and start bleeding. "Anyway, I think it was a power trip thing for him, he always got what he wanted until me, so he decided to just take me I guess."

I swear Bella went three shades paler than her normally porcelain complexion. Interesting, this is definitely a reaction from her.

"Oh Rosie, I had no idea it was like that for you," she began. "I mean rape in itself is a very personal violation, but that possessiveness that he…" she trailed off shaking her head.

"Bella, the thing is, even though in his eyes, he was taking me, I didn't give myself to him. For the longest time, I felt as if he stole part of my soul, it took many years for me to realize, that it simply wasn't the case. He abused my body, but my soul remained mine, until I met Em that is." I put to her as matter of fact as I could. "I was broken, yes, but fixable. And I had to fix myself, and it took me forever to be near a man again, you remember that." I looked at her, trying to spark her memory of the Rose I had become post rape. "I was barely remaining afloat emotionally, I shut down for a while, but Em brought my walls down so to speak. By showing me patience and unconditional love, and I realized after some time that I needed to trust in him and trust in myself that it wouldn't be like that with him."

Bella nodded in agreement, still gnawing on her lip. "Rose, what happened to Royce afterwards?" she inquired.

"Well, he was around for a while, which struck fear into me, because I thought he would do a repeat performance, but there was an 'accident' and he met what some would call an untimely death. I, however, would call it divine justice." I replied coldly. I won't lie, him passing eased my mental state tremendously. "But see the thing is Bella, I lived in fear just afterwards that it would happen again. Looking back now it was improbable, but if I had opened up, told someone about it, anyone at all, they could have helped. I remained silent about the attack because who would believe me, I mean it was Royce-fucking-King, Rochester's own Playboy. His reputation preceded him, and I wasn't known well enough for anyone to take my word over his. So after I was found, and they ran all those tests, proving that I was in fact raped by more than one person, with all the damage done how could I not be, I knew I had been used and shared amongst the Playboy's and nobody would have believed me. And if I had said anything, my Aunt Renata would have been shunned, but that wasn't a good reason to remain quiet. I know that now. That Royce's family was powerful and had influence, in ways that might possibly have been illegal, but if I had said something it would have helped my mental state exponentially. If I had just placed myself first and thought it through I would have realized that I didn't need to suffer the way that I did."

Bella looked at her lap and started kneading her fingers in contemplation. "Rose, do you really think it would have made a difference if you had said something, I mean, nobody else got hurt and you did heal."

"That's just it Bella, I don't know that no one else got hurt. If Royce was capable of doing that to me, he was sure capable of doing it to another woman," I said back forcefully. Where was she taking this? "That is actually one of my biggest regrets, by my silence did another girl or woman suffer at his hand? So in essence, my silence was very selfish of me. I could have prevented it from happening to another innocent person."

Bella's eyes widened to the size of saucers and she mumbled under her breath, "not another innocent person…" I was sure she thought I couldn't hear her, but I did. And I wondered what exactly that could mean.

I waited, staring at her expectantly. The ball was in her court, she needed to say something. I cocked my eye brow in anticipation.

"I…I don't want anyone else to get hurt Rose," she started. "I can't imagine my fuck up causing someone else pain…"

"Wait…hold the fucking phone Swan! YOUR fuck up? How on earth can you possibly think that being raped was in anyway your fault?" I asked incredulously.

She hesitated. "Rose, if I had done what he said, Nick and Nattie might still be alive…"

Okay Doc, here it is, she's opening up. She told the cops she didn't remember much, she's admitting to remembering part of a conversation with her rapist by admitting that. There has got to be more to it.

"Sweets, rapists are sadistic fucks, I'm sure that there is nothing that you could have done that would have changed what happened to the twins. I know your trauma exceeds my own because of what happened to them, but honey, you have got to understand, that once their mind is made up to take what they want, they take it." I attempted convincing her.

"Oh, Rose…I just don't know what all I can say…I don't want to be responsible for anyone else getting hurt," she stammered.

"Bella, I want to remind you that not only am I your best friend, and a fellow rape victim, I am also obligated to follow doctor/patient confidentiality. And you my dear, need to be reminded that because you just slipped up and indicated that you do in fact know more than you have been leading on. You know who raped you, don't you?" I questioned hopefully. It was a forceful outing on my part, and she could shut down, but I was tired of beating around the bush and she needed to be called out.

"Rosie, what I'm about to say…" Bella started. And in that moment, my monkey man husband walks in the room.

"Let's get this show on the road ladies, the drive to O'Hare is grueling this time of day and I hate parking in their garage," Emmett interrupted.

Damn it, she was just about to spill. I could just kill Emmett DEAD! I looked to Bella, a look of almost relief washed over her. Oh NO, I don't think so!

I looked at Bella and pulled out the bitch brow, "Don't even think we are done here Swan! You may be leaving to Forks, but you will continue to talk to me. I want two phone calls a week. And I will be texting you as well."

"I will Rosie, I promise," she said.

And with that promise, I proceeded to put my best friend on a plane, to go to our childhood home and attempt to heal. But I would get her to open up to me. I will help her, that's why I was in Rochester going to school in the first place, and in some cosmic way, my own rape is a price I would be willing to pay to help her. I chose this profession to help people. And who better to help, than my battered and broken best friend?

A/N: Whew, that was a tough chapter. This one is pretty much entirely thanks to my now collaborator Danna0724. I personally think she rocked this chapter. She wrote down what I couldn't even form properly into words. So much emotion went into this chapter… I wanted to cry.

I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did. Cuz, apart from a few bolded words I sat back with a box of Kleenex on this chapter.

So thank you all for reading, and keeping with this story that has changed so much from its original chapter that I was sole on to this new collaboration. You all know what to do. Let us know what you think!

A/N #2: *le sigh* alright my peeps…some of you have asked me to post, well, I wrote, I posted and now I wanna conquer! Heh! NOW…if you want to see more from me, you MUST give me some warm fuzzies and hit that little review button down at the bottom. Tell me the honest truth! Go ahead, I'll wait…. Till later ~~Toodles~~

~Jessi Cullen & danna0724