The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephenie Myers owns all Twilight and the Characters

Chapter 23: Fourteen Hours

CHPOV

"Chief," I heard Mark say when he came into the station.

"Office," I told him as I hung the phone up.

"What's up," he said laying his hat on the bookshelf next to the door.

"Have a seat," I said pointing at the empty chair in front of me as I sat down in my chair.

"Chief," he said looking at the desk. I had the box that I had taken from the Cullen's house laid out on the desk. "What's all of this?"

"This here," I said motioning at the desk. "This is what was left at the Cullen residence this morning."

"Sir, how does Newton fit into all of this," he said picking up the ornament.

"All of these contents," I said taking the ornament back. "They are related to Bella and Edward's relationship. Roses were here favorite flowers; he would always surprise her with one for no special reason. The ornament he got her the Christmas that Renee left us."

"I understand that sir," he said still dumbfounded. "I still don't see how Newton is connected to all of this."

"He was always jealous of Edward," I said sternly trying not to let my blood boil. "He would do anything to get back at Edward at this point."

"Charlie," I heard someone say before Mark could say anything else.

"Eric Yorkie," I said looking over at the door.

"I'm sorry about Bella," he said coming into my office. "How can I help?"

"You majored in computer science right," I asked directing him to come closer to me.

"Yes sir," he said when he was in front of my desk.

"Good," I answered him "I need you to get me everything you can on Mike Newton."

"Really," he said shocked

"Yes," I answered him as I got up from my chair.

"I'll do it," he said proudly.

"You can use my computer," I said moving out of the way.

"When do you want it," he asked taking my place behind the desk.

"As soon as you get it," I told him as he sat down in front of my computer. "Mark come on."

The two of us left my office and headed into the main part of the station. If anyone could trace Newton it would be Eric. He was the one who hacked into the school's main computer to change his absences so that he could graduate his senior year.

"I need you to put out all the alerts on Newton," I told Mark as I continued my way to the door.

"Will do chief," he said taking a seat at a vacant desk and picking up the phone.

I took my coat off the rack and headed out the door. I needed to go and talk to the two people that I hated more than anything. I had hoped that I would never see again or even talk to ever again. Getting into my cruiser I made my way to Mike Sr. and Karen Newton's house.

CAPOV

I'm sitting in my office looking at all the pictures scattered on my desk. Birthdays, holidays, and any other special time were laying here. We were all happy, laughing and having a great time. How could this happen to my family? I remembered telling the rest of the family earlier.

"Where's Edward," Esme said walking back into the kitchen after Charlie left.

"He said that he needed to think," I told her rubbing my temples.

"Carlisle what are we going to do," she said moving closer to me.

"We are going to stay strong," I told her grabbing her waist and bringing her closer to me. "Bella will come to us. Nobody or anything will get or happen to Carly."

"Okay," she said into my neck. I could feel her tears slide down my neck. "We should probably tell the rest of the kids."

"I agree," I said standing up and walking over towards the doorway. "Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper could you all come down to the kitchen?"

"Poppie," Carly said running in and jumping into my arms.

"Carlybug," I said hugging and kissing her. "Why don't you go with Grammy? I need to talk with everyone else."

"Okay," she said when I put her down. She ran over to Esme and the two of them walked out.

"Mom," I heard Emmett say in the hallway. "What's wrong?"

"Your father will tell you everything," I heard her reply to them.

"Dad," Emmett said coming in and looking worried. "What's going on?"

"Sit down," I told him not wanting to say anything else. The rest of the troop made their way in with Alice bringing up the rear. "Sit down everyone I need to tell you all something."

"Is it about Bella," Alice said speaking up. "I told Edward that I felt like something was wrong."

"Yes," I told her. When everyone else heard my declaration the look of worry and fear crossed their faces. "Bella was kidnapped this morning."

"What," they all said at the same time. I looked over at the girls and they had tears rolling down their cheeks. Then looking over at the boys I could tell that they were worried about Bella, but looked as if they were planning something.

"She called Charlie and told her someone was in the house," I said getting up and getting the tissues for the girls. "He heard the whole thing happen."

"What's Charlie doing," Jasper asked speaking out first.

"What can we do to help," Emmett said next.

"Charlie and everyone else are doing everything that they can to find her," I told them taking a deep breath. I really didn't want the girls to know the next part about Carly. "We are going to stay here and be strong for Carly and Edward."

"How is he doing," Rose said wiping the tear away with a tissue.

"The best that he can right now for Carly's sake," I said patting her hand. "I can you this once that door closes and Carly is asleep he will break. Girls can you go and check on Esme for me?"

"Yes," Rose said getting up and then helping Alice up out of her chair. Once they were out of the kitchen I turned my attention back to the guys.

"This is my fault," Emmett said before I could.

"No it's not," I told him. Where in the hell did that come from?

"I dropped her off this morning," he said smacking the table.

"Cool down now," I said sternly. I can understand that he is pissed but we can't have that right now. "You wouldn't have known that could have happened. Plus that we have a bigger problem on our hands."

"What else is there," Jasper said leaning in so that he could hear me better.

"Whoever did this won't just stop with Bella," I told them taking a deep breath. I was about to tell them about Carly.

"What do you mean," Emmett said in a panicked tone.

"The kidnapper wants Edward all to themselves," I said watching their facial expressions change. "Carly could be next on their list."

"Hell no," Emmett said standing up. "This sick asshole needs to brought down."

"Emmett," I said trying to get his attention but I was failing at it.

"Emmett," Jasper said grabbing his shirt. "I agree with you on this. We need to be smarter than the kidnappers."

"Jasper has a point," I told Emmett when he was able to sit down. "I don't want Carly left anywhere by herself. Either Edward or the one of the two of you are to be with her."

"Okay," they both said at the same time.

I continued to look down at the pictures but I was ready to snap.

"Damn it," I said standing up and pushing everything off my desk.

"Love," Esme said running in and looking at the mess that just landed in the floor. "What's wrong?"

"Fourteen hours," I said pointing at the grandfather clock in the corner. "It's been fourteen fucking hours since she was taken."

"I know dear," she said coming closer to me.

"The longer she is gone," I said as the tears started to come down my cheek. "The smaller the chance that she will come home to us gets."

"We can't give up," she said as I welcomed her arms around me. I nodded my head in agreement with what she was saying. "Bella is a fighter and we will find her."

"I love you," I whispered into her ear.

"As I love you," she replied and I kissed her forehead.

We just stood there as I let the love of my life comfort me at the end of this trying day.

EPOV

"Carly," I said as she was throwing a temper tantrum. "Please baby it's time for bed."

"I want mommy," she said jumping up and down and crying. I couldn't blame her because I wanted Bella as well.

"I know sweet girl," I told her picking her up in my arms. When I held her close to me she started to cry harder. "I want mommy too."

"When will she come home," she said sniffling.

"Soon," was all I could tell her holding her and rocking her. "Mommy will be home soon."

I walked back and forth across my bedroom floor holding her. Her tears slowed down and I started to hum her lullaby. When I was about halfway through it, I felt her breathing slow down against my neck. I finished humming her lullaby before laying her down on my bed.

"I love you so much," I said kissing her forehead. I covered her up and walked over towards my couch to have a seat.

This is harder than expected I thought to myself. I hate being helpless and not knowing what to do. I racked my hands through my hairs trying not to pull it out.

"Edward," I heard Rose say popping her head into my room. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," I said moving over to one side of the couch.

"She's so beautiful," she said stopping by the bed. "I can see both you and Bella in her."

"I can too," I said trying to smile.

"How are you doing," she asked sitting beside me on the couch.

"The best that I can right now," I answered her. That was the truth because I didn't know how to feel or what to feel.

"She's going to come home," she said trying to reassure me.

"I hope that she does," I told her. "I don't know if I can do this alone. Quite frankly I don't know how Bella did it all by herself for so long."

"That's because she is strong," she said before getting serious. "When she comes home you need to be stronger than ever."

"I will," I asked her questioningly. "Rose can I ask you why, even though I will be strong?"

"She will feel off," she said looking over a wall with a straight face. "She will have nightmares, and probably won't leave the house for a while. You need to be there so she knows that everything is okay."

"How do you know all of this," I asked reaching for her hand.

"Something similar happened to me," she said as her faced turned white. "I was in my second year of college and his name was James."

"Oh god Rose," I said shocked.

"I was walking back to my dorm room alone in the dark," she said taking a deep breath. It was almost as if she was reliving the whole ordeal. "I felt someone grab me from behind and cover my mouth with a towel. I passed out and the next thing I know is that I'm tied to a bed with no clothes on."

"How did you get away," I asked her while handing her a tissue.

"My roommate Victoria," she said wiping the tears away. "When I didn't come back from the library she called campus police. They were able to capture James with the help of the sheriff's office. I was missing for a total of thirty-six hours."

"What happened to this James guy," I asked her when her tears slowed down.

"He pleaded out," she said taking another deep breath. "The DA thought it best that I didn't relive everything again. He was sentenced to four years behind bars. Emmett managed to break the walls that I built after my ordeal."

"How," I asked her as I noticed Emmett come in.

"Before Emmett," she started to say when he came over and comforted her. "I never went anywhere alone or anywhere at night especially. I woke up screaming every night from nightmares. Emmett showed up at my door one day with flowers, and I slammed the door in his face."

"You slammed the door in my face every day for six months," he said holding onto her tight. "I didn't go anywhere at all though, and you kept all the flowers."

"Step by step things got easier," she said in a relaxed tone. "He was there with me for every step."

"Now we need to get you to bed," Emmett said placing a hand on her stomach where their unborn child was. "You too Edward, you need to sleep as well."

"I can't sleep," I answered him rubbing my face.

"You won't be any help to Bella," he was saying when we heard a loud crash. "What the fuck?"

"Fourteen hours," we heard dad yelling from his office. "It's been fourteen fucking hours since she was taken."

"Don't worry," Rose said hugging me. "We will find her. Now get some sleep."

"I'll try," I told her when they left my room.

Carly hadn't moved a muscle since I laid her down. I still couldn't believe what had happened to Rose. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that about her past. I just pray that nothing like that would happen to Bella. I won't know what to do with myself if she was harmed in that manner. Like Rose said I needed to be strong. I just hope that Jenks calls me in the morning. I climbed into bed bringing Carly close to me.

BPOV

I had awoken to the feeling that someone was on top of me. Opening my eyes I saw a dark shadow over me.

"Don't move," he said pressing a knife to my throat. I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath. I could feel his breath on my neck, and it made me want to be sick. "You smell so sweet."

"Please stop," I managed to say as he ran his tongue down my jaw line, and turning my face away.

"What did I say," he said pressing the knife closer and harder.

"Fight," I heard Charlie say.

I was laying on my back as he straddled over me. Remembering the self-defense classes I took I bent my knees up with a hard jerk. The reaction was quick as his grabbed his parts and I flipped over trying to get to the open door.

"Stupid bitch," he said grabbing me by my hair and jerking me up. "I'll teach you a lesson yet."

He slapped me across the face before taking his knife and taking a quick swipe at my face.

"James," I heard Tanya's voice yell. "What the fuck did you not understand?"

"I just wanted to have a little fun," he said as I felt the blood trickle down my neck from my cheek.

"I told you to let me handle her," she said slapping him. "You never fucking listen to me."

"Sorry," he said as he pushed me down back onto the floor. He walked back over to Tanya rubbing her shoulders. "You're so tense. Let me work that out for you."

"Let's go," she said turning around and walking towards the door. "Don't worry Isabella tomorrow will be your day."

Once that door closed I started to work my hands around to see if I could loosen the ropes. I just hoped that they were close to finding me. While I worked at my wrists I couldn't help but think about my family. What was Carly doing? How was everyone doing? They were the only strength that I had at this moment. After sometime I was able get one hand freed. It felt so good to be able to move them. I brought them from around my back and up to my face automatically. I didn't know how deep the cut was, but I knew that it was kind of bad. The bleeding hadn't slowed down and it scared me a little. I couldn't worry about that right now. I needed to come up with a plan and come up with one quickly.