The Gift
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all Twilight and the Characters
Chapter 20: A Twist of Events
BPOV
I awoke the next morning stretching out on the couch thinking of all the events that had occurred the day before. Could it really have been possible for Edward to knock the shit out of Mike? I was surprised that he came over to start with. I mean Mike not Edward; yet again I was surprised that he Edward came over too. To see Edward defend Carly and I like that made my heart skip a beat. I love him so much that it kills me. I can't let him think that he can walk in and out of my life when things get hard. I turned over to my side and noticed the huge Christmas tree before my eyes. Then glancing down I realized that I was wearing his clothes. Of course I was still at the Cullen's it was too late to go home and Carly was asleep in Edwards's bed. I got up from the couch and went to the bathroom down the hall to change. As I walked out of the bathroom I threw my hair up into a ponytail and walked towards the kitchen and the sweet smell of Esme's breakfast.
"Morning Esme," I said as I walked into the kitchen. She had her back towards me digging for a pan.
"You're up early," she told me getting the pan out of the drawer for biscuits. "Did you sleep well?"
"Okay," I said as I saw Emmett walk by the kitchen holding his gym bag. "Hey Em."
"Yeah B," Emmett said walking into the kitchen placing the bag on the table.
"Get that stinky bag off my table," Esme told Emmett.
"Yes mom," he answered her taking the bag off the table and placing it on the floor.
"Can you take me home before you head to the gym," I asked him.
"Sure," he said questioning me. "Don't you want to stay here with Edward and Carly?"
"He needs to spend some time with her," I answered him. That was true he needed to spend time with her to where it was just the two of them.
"Give me a few minutes and we'll go," he said walking out of the kitchen.
"Bella," Esme said once he was out of the kitchen. "You really don't need to leave."
"Yes," I said quickly. If anyone could talk me into staying it would be her. "I'm going to go check on Carly and then head out."
"I love you Bella," she told her as she hugged me goodbye. "Promise me you won't give up on hope just yet."
"I promise," I said hugging her in return. "I love you too."
Once she let me go I walked out of the kitchen and headed towards the steps. I hoped that they were still asleep when I walked in. I didn't want to see Carly cry or see the sadness in Edward's eyes when they found out that I was going home or already at home. I silently opened the door and walked into the room. I glanced between the bed and the couch to see the two people that I loved more than anything still sound asleep. Walking up to the bed I placed his clothes at the end of the bed still folded, and made my way up to Carly.
"I love you sweet girl," I whispered into Carly's ear as I brushed a curl from her face. I placed a kiss on her forehead and then one on the tip of her nose. I got up from the floor beside the bed and made my way over to the couch. My stomach had butterflies fluttering all around when I was close to Edward. I bent down and ran my hand through his messy bronze hair. How he loved it when I would run my fingers through his hair. After I did that a couple of times I placed my hand on his right cheek and closed my eyes.
"Bella," I heard him say. When my name came out of his mouth I opened my eyes to see if his eyes were open. To my amazement they were still closed and he was still sleeping. "I love you, don't leave me again."
"Never," I whispered into his ear as I removed my hand from his cheek. I leaned down a little further and placed a gentle kiss on his right check. I got up and made my way towards the door. Before leaving I took one more glance at my family.
"Not much longer," I whispered to myself as I closed the door.
I hurried down the stairs and out the front door towards Emmett's jeep.
"Ready," he said as I closed the door.
"Yeah," I answered him.
"B," he said once we were on the road. "Are you sure that you want to go home."
"Yes," I said getting a little pissed. Why couldn't they accept my answer to that question? "Em he needs to spend some time with her alone. Not to mention the rest of you all need to spend some time with her as well."
"So do you mean that Rose and I can use her as practice too," he said with a cheesy grin.
"Of course," I said laughing. Didn't he understand that she will be five soon, and he won't know what hit him when his children came. Before I knew it we were in my driveway. "Thanks so much Em."
"Anytime," he said as I closed the door. I was walking towards the door when I heard him yell at me. "Be careful B."
"Always am," I yelled back to him as I unlocked my door.
Once I was in and the door shut I heard his jeep pull out of the driveway. That's when I heard it. A noise from upstairs and it sounded like someone going through draws. I dug my phone out of my pocket and dialed Charlie's number.
"Please pick up," I said as I made my way to the back of the house.
"Bells," I heard Charlie say when he answered.
"Dad," I said in a panicked tone before he could say anything else. "There's someone in the house."
"Where's Carly," he asked quickly.
"Edward's," I said before hearing someone come down the stairs. "Daddy please."
"Get out," he said in hurried tone. "Get out now. I'm on my way."
"There you are," the intruder said. He was taller than Edward and dressed all in black with his face covered and he was coming towards me.
"Get away from me," I said trying to get away. I still had my phone in my hand with Charlie on the other line.
"Bells," I heard Charlie screaming on the other line. Also in the background I could hear the sirens from his cruiser going.
"You're coming with me," he said grabbing me by my ponytail. I tried my best to fight him and to get away. "I don't think so you little bitch."
"You fight Isabella. Do you hear me fight," I heard Charlie say before the intruder placed a white cloth over my mouth. As soon as he did that I fell into complete darkness.
CHPOV
Sue and I had just finished breakfast when I heard my cell phone ringing. I looked down at the caller id and saw that it was Bella calling.
"Bells," I said when I answered the phone.
"Dad," she said in a panicked tone before I could say anything else. "There's someone in the house."
"Where's Carly," I asked quickly. I knew that Bella could defend herself, but Carly was just a little girl. As soon as I heard Bella say that someone was in the house I grabbed my gun and keys quickly.
"Edward's," she said before I heard her take a breath. "Daddy please."
"Get out," I said in hurried tone heading towards the door. At least Carly wasn't at home with this son of bitch being there. "Get out now. I'm on my way."
"What's wrong Charlie," Sue said in a worried tone.
"Call Mark at the station," I said as she followed me to the cruiser. "Tell him to get as many men as he can over to Bella's now."
"There you are," I heard the sick bastard say as I started my cruiser. I glanced back at my house and saw Sue on the phone talking quickly. I turned my phone on speaker and placed it in the holder.
"Get away from me," I heard her scream.
"Bells," I said screaming into the phone. I could hear breaking and things being throwing around almost like she was trying to get away.
"You're coming with me," he said and with that I pushed my foot on the gas a little harder.
"You fight Isabella. Do you hear me fight," I said to her as I crossed the Forks city limits. After I said that the line went dead. I didn't have time to think about the worst possible outcome. I just needed to get to her house.
Pulling up to her house I noticed that I was the first to arrive. I got out of my cruiser with my gun drawn and headed towards the door. There was nothing strange about the front of the house as I made my way into the house. It was if nothing even happened here just mere minutes ago. I went to the living room first and nothing was out of place there. I then made my way to the kitchen and before I was halfway down the hall I heard glass crunch. I looked under my foot and noticed a picture frame under my shoe. Looking closer at the picture it was a picture of Bella and Edward when they were younger. How did this picture get down here? This was up in her room hanging on the wall. I went on to the kitchen and saw more broken glass along the way. It looked as if she put up a fight with all the glass that was broken. Looking at the back door I noticed four things. One the screen door was barely hanging on to its hinges. Second the door frame to the back door was kicked in. Third her cell phone laid in pieces in front of the backdoor. The fourth and final thing was a small trail of blood that leads out the door and towards the woods in the backyard. Seeing that sight made me sick to my stomach, just thinking that it could be her blood, and that sick bastard hurt her in anyway.
"Chief," I heard Mark say from the front door.
"All clear," I yelled at him. "I'm in the kitchen."
"Chief," was all Mark could say when he came into the kitchen. "We'll do everything we can to get them back."
"You better damn well believe that," I answered him pulling my phone out. "It's just Bella that's been kidnapped."
"Where's Carly," he asked when he heard my answer.
"Over at her father's" I told him.
"She let Newton have her for Christmas," he said dumbfounded.
"No," I said realizing that not everyone knew the truth yet. "Edward Cullen is her biological father and she is over at his house with his family."
"Where do we start," he asked changing the subject.
"Go brief everyone else about the situation," I said dialing a number on the phone. "I want alerts out everywhere, and everything is to be dusted for prints. I'm going to call Billy to see if he will bring some of the guys down from the rez with the dogs."
"Will do," he said as he left the kitchen.
Billy agreed to bring a bunch of the guys and all the dogs that they could. I couldn't help but scream at the top of my lungs. Why? Why did this have to happen? Why did this have to happen to her? I ended up taking a seat in the living room and placing my head between my legs to take deep breaths. Plus if I didn't sit down I would have probably collapsed.
"Chief," I heard Mark say bringing back to the real world. I didn't know how much time had passed, and really didn't give a shit. "You need to come outside."
"On my way," I said standing up.
When I got outside I saw the one person and all my fears surfaced. I ran and picked up Carly and held her close to me.
"Pawpaw," she said when I hugged her close to me and the tears started to fall. "Why are crying?"
"Pawpaw is just so glad to see you," I told her as I wiped my face quickly. "Who brought you home?"
"Daddy," she said with a smile. "Where's mommy? Why are all the olice here?"
"Charlie," I heard the one voice I didn't want to hear right now. "Where is she? Where is Bella?"
I put Carly down and as Edward came closer to me I slugged the shit out of him. Shit! That felt so good to lay one on him. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulder.
"You son of a bitch," I said as he was still on the ground. "This is your entire fault."
"My fault," he said standing up holding his jaw. "How is this my fault?"
"You walked out on her," I said pissed. "You broke her heart. Now we may never see her again."
"What do mean," he said shocked. "What do you mean we may never see her again?"
"She was kidnapped this morning," I said looking back at Carly. "I listened to happen when she called me, and got here as fast as I could."
"What do want me to do," he said as his face turned pale white.
"Take care of my grandbaby," I said picking her up. "Carly you listen to pawpaw okay."
"Okay," she said nodding her head.
"You are going to stay over at daddy's for a while okay," I said handing her over to him. "I'll have a deputy take the two of you home."
"Charlie," he said with pleading in his eyes. "What can I do really?"
"Take care of your daughter," I said walking over and kissing the top of her head. "She is going to need you more then you know. Especially when she wants to know where her mommy is and when she is going home."
"Can I call Carlisle real quick," he said passing Carly back to me.
"Of course," I said holding on to dear life of what I had left of Bella until she was safe at home. "He needs to know. Maybe he could call around to some of the local hospitals in case a Jane Doe was dropped off."
"I'm sure he would do that for you," he said dialing the hospital. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen please, it's his son."
While he waited for Carlisle to answer I stood there holding Carly and plotting to kill the sick bastard who had my little girl.
EPOV
"Daddy, daddy," I heard my sweet girl say as she was bouncing on me. "Get up, get up."
"Okay," I said as I grabbed her and started to tickle her. "Daddy is up."
"That tickles," she said as she laughed. "Where's mommy?"
"I think that she might be downstairs," I said as I stopped tickling her. "Why don't we go down there and see for ourselves?"
"Okay," she said getting off of me.
I got up from the couch and headed downstairs with my sweet girl right by my side. Going into the living where I had left Bella sleeping seemed empty all of a sudden. I looked over at the couch and noticed it bare with the blanket lying back on the top of it.
"Daddy," she said tugging on my hand. "She's not in here."
"I know," I answered her racking my mind about where she could be. "Why don't you play with your toys and I'll go look into the kitchen."
"Okay daddy," she said skipping over to her toys in the corner. I walked down the hall and towards the kitchen and the sweet smell of mom's breakfast.
"Mom," I said walking in, and noticed that she was by the oven.
"Yes dear," she responded to me taking a pan of biscuits from the oven.
"Are you okay," I asked her taking a seat at the table. If was as if she was thinking about something long and hard.
"Yes," she said quickly putting the hot pan on the counter. "Where is Carly?"
"She is in the living room playing," I said before looking down at my hands folded on the table. "Have you seen Bella this morning?"
"She had Emmett take her home about thirty minutes ago," she told me. Why? Why would Bella leave without saying goodbye? Why would she even leave at all?
"What do you mean she left," I said slapping the table with my hand. "What kind of mother does that? Just gets up in the morning without even saying goodbye."
"Edward Anthony," she said using that tone that all mothers use when they are pissed off at us children. "You will not speak badly about Bella. Do you understand me?"
"Yes mother," I replied.
"She didn't leave without saying goodbye either," she told me taking the seat from across me.
"What do you mean," I asked looking up at her.
"She went upstairs before she left to tell Carly goodbye," she said taking my hand in her. I took my other hand and gently rubbed it on my right cheek. So maybe it wasn't a dream at all. She really did give me a kiss on my cheek. "I guess that you and Carly were still sleeping when she left."
"I've made a mess out of everything," I said barely above a whisper.
"Yes you have," she answered me. "There still is hope here."
"I don't know," I said looking down at the table and shaking my head. "I've lost the one person who means the world to me."
"Don't think like that," she told me trying to encourage me just a little. "Let's not forget that you do have a little pawn in the other room."
"What do you mean," I said looking up at her.
"The two of you share something that means more than anything in this world," she explained to me. "You have to show her that you are the best father and not over react when something gets complicated or hard."
"When do I start," I said with an eager tone in my voice.
"Right after you bring me my grandbaby in here for breakfast," she said getting up.
"Thanks mom," I said standing up and hugging her. "I can't lose her again mom."
"I know," I heard her say as I left the kitchen. I made my way back to the living room. I would prove to her that she was the only one for me, and I wanted my family more than anything.
"Where's mommy," Carly said when I walked into the living room.
"She already went home," I told her. When she heard those words come out of my mouth her face fell. "How about after you eat breakfast we head over there to surprise her?"
"Okay," she said running over to me. I bent down and hugged her close to me. "I love you daddy."
"I love you too, sweet girl," I replied kissing the top of her head. "Grammy is waiting for you in the kitchen with breakfast."
As soon as those words came out of my mouth she ran down the hall towards the kitchen. I in turn went upstairs to my room. Once inside I noticed a set of folded clothes sitting on the end of the bed. Picking them up I realized that these were the clothes that I gave Bella last night to wear. I unfolded the shirt and held it up to my nose. It smelled just like her, just like strawberries. How I felt like melting when that smell hit my nose. I laid the clothes back on the bed and took a shower.
"Edward," I heard Alice screaming at the top of her lungs. I knew something was wrong when she started to scream like that.
"What is it," I said walking out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel on.
"It's Bella," she said hurrying into my room. "Something is terribly wrong."
"Alice breath," I said putting my hands on her shoulders. "She is fine."
"No," she said as the tears started to fall down her cheeks. "I can feel it Edward. There is something wrong, and you need to get over there."
"Okay," I said going towards the dresser to get some clothes. I knew now that something might be wrong because Alice doesn't cry for any reason. "Let me get dressed and then get Carly dressed."
"Don't worry about Carly, Rose is getting her dressed," she said as I ran back to my bathroom. "Edward bring Bella home please."
"I will," I told her as I exited my bathroom. Before I headed out of my room I stopped by and kissed the top of her head. "I promise that I will bring her home. I will bring her back to where she belongs."
I didn't give her anytime to answer because I ran out of my room and headed towards my car. Once I was near my car I noticed Rosalie buckling Carly in.
"Thanks," I told her as I got in.
"Daddy," I heard Carly say as I started the car. "Where are going?"
"We are going to mommy's house," I said trying to stay calm.
She didn't say anything else after that. The more that I thought about what Alice said the more worried I became. I wanted to get there as fast as I could but I couldn't. I had to think of Carly and had to keep her safe. As I got closer to Bella's house I saw police cars and lights all over the street. I felt my heart drop to the bottom of my stomach at that site.
"Daddy," Carly said speaking up. "What's appen?"
"I don't know," I said trying to rack my brain around it all.
I parked the car and got her out of her seat. Taking her hand we walked up to the house. With each step I felt like a piece of me was dying. All I could think was please let everything be okay.
"Chief Swan," I said to the officer at tape.
"Stay right here," he said before walking to the front door.
I glanced at the front door and didn't see anything wrong. What in the hell is going on? Where is she? Just then I saw Charlie come outside and Carly ran to him. He picked her and I could see the tears running down his face. No! This couldn't be happening.
"Charlie," I said getting his attention. "Where is she? Where is Bella?"
The next thing I know he is putting Carly down and I end up on the ground. I could feel a sudden pain in my jaw. I guess that I deserved that.
"You son of a bitch," he said as I was still on the ground. "This is your entire fault."
"My fault," I said standing up holding my jaw. "How is this my fault?"
"You walked out on her," he said pissed as his face started to turn red. "You broke her heart. Now we may never see her again."
"What do mean," I said shocked. "What do you mean we may never see her again?"
"She was kidnapped this morning," he said looking back at Carly who was standing beside me. "I listened to happen when she called me, and got here as fast as I could."
"What do want me to do," I said as my knees started to go out from under me. My worst nightmare had come true. She was gone.
"Take care of my grandbaby," he said picking her up. "Carly you listen to pawpaw okay."
"Okay," she said nodding her head as I watched.
"You are going to stay over at daddy's for a while okay," he said handing her over to me. "I'll have a deputy take the two of you home."
"Charlie," I said trying to keep it all together. "What can I do really?"
"Take care of your daughter," he said walking over and kissing the top of her head. "She is going to need you more then you know. Especially when she wants to know where her mommy is and when she is going home."
"Can I call Carlisle real quick," I said passing Carly back to him.
"Of course," he said taking her and holding onto her for dear life. "He needs to know. Maybe he could call around to some of the local hospitals in case a Jane Doe was dropped off."
"I'm sure he would do that for you," I said dialing the hospital. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen please, it's his son."
"Dr. Cullen," I heard him say.
"Dad," I said holding in. "She's gone. Someone has her."
"Who's gone," he said in a hurried tone.
"Bella," I said wanting to break down so bad, but I couldn't just yet.
"We will find her," he told me. "Charlie and I will do everything find her and bring her home to you and Carly. You listen to me Edward. You need to stay strong for Carly?"
"I now," I told him. "Charlie wants to know if you can call around to all the hospitals to see if anyone has dropped off a Jane Doe."
"I'm on it," he said. "You two go home and stay there. You need to present the united front."
"We will," I told him. "Thanks dad. I love you."
"Love you too son," he said as he hung up the phone.
"He said he will make the calls," I told Charlie as he handed me Carly back.
"That's a start," he said as we walked towards on his men's cruisers. "Stay at home and I will keep you updated."
"Charlie," I said after Carly got into the car.
"We will find her," he said placing his hand on my shoulder. "Sorry about earlier."
"It's alright," I told him rubbing my jaw. "I did deserve it none the less."
I climbed into the cruiser and held Carly close to my side. I placed a kiss on the top of head and closed my eyes. Bella would come home and I will fight to get her back. This was my time to show everyone that I would fight for them and not leave when things get tough.
"You will come home safe," I whispered to myself.