Synopsis:

After a forced marriage filled with violence, Bella escapes from Edward with their unborn child. Almost four years later, Edward has found her and their daughter and he refuses to let them go.

"Sadness is always the legacy of the past; regrets are pains of the memory"

- Author Unknown

Chapter 1: All I Need

May 2006

"I told you it wasn't over," his voice was sharp, and even in her dreams it caused chills to run down her spine. Part of her sleeping brain knew it was just a dream, but seeing her biggest fear in front of her, scared her too much.

Bella woke with a gasp, her breaths coming in fast huffs. Every time she blinked, she kept seeing his face, unchanged by the years they'd been apart. In her dreams, he was still the sick person he was when they'd been together. Still the same monster.

"It's okay, it's not real. It's okay." The dream had felt so real that she had to keep telling herself over and over to calm down. It happened almost every night for the past four years. She would dream of him, dream he'd found her. Found them. Thankfully, it always ended around this part. What would happen if he found her? She didn't want to know. She couldn't bear the thought.

When her breathing finally returned to normal, Bella looked at her clock.

6:15 a.m

Lying in bed, she listened for any sounds coming from the other room, but it was still quiet. Pulling herself out of bed, she made her way over to the window. Pulling the thin curtain aside, she looked out into the rainy morning. Rain. Of course it was. That was all it ever did in Forks. With a population of fewer than four thousand, Bella had gone there to escape her past and start a new life for her and her daughter. Forks, with its constant rain, was a complete one-eighty from the sunny Florida sun she was use to. But it was far enough from him that it would have to suffice.

Her back ached a bit from sleeping on the mattress on the floor, but she had no choice. She could only afford one bed and Alexis was sleeping on it. Walking down the hall to Alexis's room, she was greeted with the form of her daughter. Or, their daughter. Alexis was fast asleep; her chest rising and falling with each breath, the bear Bella had gotten her on her first birthday, gripped in her arms.

At three years old, Alexis was the perfect combination of her parents. With her ivory skin and a smile that melted your heart, she had her mommy wrapped around her fingers since the day she was born. She had her grandfather's, Bella's father's, curls, and Bella's shaped eyes. Except for the color. She had her father's green eyes. Bella smiled slightly to herself. Despite everything that had happened, the one good thing that came out of it was Alexis. Bella loved her daughter more than words could ever express.

At that moment, she wished she could sleep as peacefully as her daughter. Carefree without the memories.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Angela said as Bella came out of her car.

Jessica was passed out in the front seat from too much alcohol, so Angela, true to her word, was the driver.

"Okay, take care," Bella said as she waved them off and made her way to her house.

It was almost 4:00 am when Bella finally made it inside. The house was quiet. Bella's mother worked the night shift to make ends meet so there was no one to smell the alcohol on her.

That was the one thing Bella was glad for. At least when she left for college, her mother would have one less person to care for. Making her way up to her bedroom, she dropped her keys and phone on her dresser table, then fell back onto her bed. A cool breeze was coming through her open window. It lifted her curtains and chilled the room. Bella closed her eyes, resting for a few minutes before she took a bath and changed her clothes. A small thump caused her to jump and her heart race.

Sitting up, Bella saw Edward standing in front of her open window. He was dressed in the same clothes she'd seen him in earlier but something about him was...off.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

This was too much for her. Harassing her was one thing but entering her home like that? If he kept this up, she would have to file a restraining order against him.

"I had to see you," Edward said. He looked - strange. His green eyes seemed dark and hot somehow, as if he were burning inside. His face was tense and grim. There was a sort of electricity in the air, but it wasn't a good electricity.

It was purely dangerous.

Her mind screamed at her to get the hell away from him. That he was bordering on psychotic.

But, this was Edward. He wouldn't really hurt her. Would he?

"And I told you, it was over between us," she snapped at him. "Now get the hell out of my house."

"I know you did. But it can't be. I can't stay away, Bella. I just can't. I can't bear the thought of being without you. I need you. I love you, and I can't let you go. It makes me crazy just thinking about it." Crazy seemed to be the adequate word. "It causes me pain to think of living without you.

"Please take me back. Please. I can't live without you," his voice sounded pained and desperate.

Bella's heart seemed to jump into her throat and stay there, pounding hard. Her palms were sweating, but she refused to wipe them because that would only show how scared she was. She fought to keep her face calm.

"You have to understand," Edward was saying."Please try to understand. I need you. We were meant to be together. Without you, I'm nothing."

He took a step toward her. His green eyes seemed black and fathomless, and Bella could almost feel their heat. As he took his step towards her, she took one back.

"Say you understand," Edward said. He reached a pleading hand toward her, as if trying to grasp onto the relationship they'd had.

"I understand," Bella said grimly. "And I still want you to stay away from me."

"I can't. I have to make sure we'll be together, the way we were meant to be. And there's only one way to do that."

His eyes seemed to be filled with a sudden determination. They narrowed at her. Her eyes meanwhile, widened with fear.

"I need to make sure that you'll always be mine."

He took a step towards her, causing Bella to take another back.

"Yours?"

He crossed the room towards her and she stepped back till she was pressed against her wall. He knelt on one knee, and taking her hand in his, he gripped it tightly.

"Bella, I love you and I always will. Please, please marry me. You will be happy. I promise."

"Happy?" Her mind seemed to be moving too slowly. It couldn't comprehend that her obsessed ex-boyfriend had just proposed to her. "I will never be yours," she whispered.

What would ever possess him to think she would ever marry him? She didn't know, but no words would ever make her willingly go down a dangerous path like that with him.

Suddenly, she was furious. Angry that he'd think such a thing.

"You're disgusting. I hate you. And nothing can ever make me love you ag-"

She didn't get to finish. In one swift movement, he was standing in front of her. And then he grabbed her.

"You'll change your mind," Edward said. He grabbed her arms and attempted to pin them at her sides, but she fought against him. They stumbled and she landed hard on the floor, but he wouldn't let her go. They struggled for a while, till he had her pinned on the floor of her bedroom, holding her arms at the side of her head. She cried out for help but he swept both her hands into one of his and the other covered her mouth. She was immobilized.

"Please," he said again straddling her, holding her down. "Just say you'll be mine. Say you'll marry me"

She shook her head. Her eyes angry and fierce.

"Why not?" he yelled at her. "So you can be with some piss-ant like Tyler? He could never love you like I do, and that stunt you pulled with him just reinforced what I already knew. That if I don't have you now, I could lose you forever. Just marry me, Bella. Once it's over you will be happy. I promise. You'll be safe with me. Happy with me."

He removed his hand from her mouth to hear her response.

"I will never marry you!"

"You'll change your mind."

Holding her arms at the side of her body, he pulled her up until they were both standing. Bella attempted to twist herself away but his grip was too strong. He began dragging her towards the door. Fear gripped Bella that he would actually try to kidnap her. The sound of tires on the gravel outside caused them both to freeze. A few seconds later, a car door slammed.

Renee had returned.

Bella attempted to yell out to her mother, but Edward slammed her into the wall next to the door. Covering her mouth with his hands, he pressed his lips close to her ear.

"If, you tell her or anyone anything about what happened I will end them. You may not know this, Bella, but I have the means and the resources to get what I want, and I want you. This is not over between us."

He let go of her and strode to her window. With one last determined look at her, he went through her window and into the night.

Bella should have told her mother right away what had happened in her room. She should have told her what Edward did to her and showed her the marks their struggle had left on her arms, but she didn't. Edward's threat scared her into silence. She never told her mother about that night. Maybe if she had, things would have been different. Maybe if she had, none of this would have happened.

It was six-thirty when Bella finally shook Alexis awake. They both needed to get to school. Alexis was grumpy at first but cheered up as soon as Bella turned on the old radio in the living room. The house they lived in was small and falling apart. Bella stayed there when she first moved to Forks, paying rent to the elderly couple who owned it up until the husband had passed away. After that, she was surprised to see he had signed the house over to her. The house might have been nice at one point, but at that moment, not so much. It was old and Bella found it hard to keep up with the utilities and maintenance. Being a single mother, working part time, and going to school made that even harder. She was studying to be a nurse, which was ironic seeing as she hated the sight of blood. But in such a small town, nursing was the second highest paying job after doctor. She had to make sacrifices to make a good life for Alexis. She worked during the night at a gas station. It would have been better to do it the other way around, work during the day and go to school at night, but with Alexis in preschool during the day, she did not have the extra money to pay for care at night. So, Alexis came with her to her job.

"Mommy-o," Alexis said, while Bella turned to lock the door behind them.

"Yes?" Bella answered without turning. The door was jammed and wouldn't close easily. It took some yanking but she managed to close and lock it.

"Can we get pizza tonight?"

Bella tried not to wince too much. Pizza was a luxury she could not afford right now. She knew the bills would start rolling in soon enough.

"Maybe another time," Bella said to pacify her.

Thankfully, Alexis was not a demanding child, so after a moment, she went on to talk about circles and Santa Claus. Bella dropped Alexis off at preschool then made her way to her own school.

Before, when she saw her future, Bella saw herself going to the New York Institute of Photography. Earning her degree and finally being able to open up her studio. Nowhere in her plans did she see herself living in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere with a daughter, going to a community college, studying to be a nurse, while eluding her monster of a husband. The classes at the school weren't bad, they were just not something she ever planned to do. Just thinking about what it would actually be like in the ER made her sick to her stomach. But as always, she thought more of how this was better for Alexis. When the last class came, and they were practicing drawing blood, Bella had to fight not to pass out in the middle of the room.

When her classes eventually ended, she stopped off at home to make dinner for Alexis to take with them, but the cupboards were bare and the fridge was the same. Tears sprang to her eyes in frustration that she couldn't even make a meal for her child but she wiped them away quickly. Tears never solved anything. They were just weakness in her eyes. She knew she didn't have enough cash to buy anything. She wouldn't get paid until later that night, so she would have to take Alexis to the Center for dinner.

After giving up her search, Bella went through her bills, which did not help her mood. They were filled with numerous last notices. From the electricity to the heat, they were all threatening to cut her off because of long overdue balances. She left the house a few minutes later in frustration. Alexis was in a happy mood when Bella picked her up from school. She talked endlessly about her day and all the latest drama at her school. Bella couldn't help but be cheered up by her daughter. Alexis had the uncanny ability to brighten up even the darkest of days. After a quick visit to the swings at the park, Bella and Alexis made their way over to the Center.

"Where are we going?" Alexis called from the backseat of Bella's truck. The truck was a piece of junk. It was a gift from the same couple who gave her the house, but with the way things were going, she might have to sell it just to make ends meet.

"We're going over to the Center for dinner."

The Center was an organization that provided free meals to children whose parents couldn't. The catch was that only children, whose parents didn't work were allowed to receive, so Bella couldn't go in with her. The town was small enough that people knew Bella worked. Alexis had a better chance blending in with the other children. The other downside was the meals were only provided for children so Bella would have to do without. She didn't mind. She was just glad that Alexis was taken care of.

When they reached the Center, Bella looked for one of the older kids who might take Alexis inside. She spotted a girl about fifteen heading in, so she stopped her.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure." The girl seemed nice enough and Bella prayed she was not trusting her daughter to a crazy teen.

"Can you take her inside?"

"Sure," she held her hand out to Alexis, who took it after a moment of hesitation.

"I'll be right here when you're finished," Bella assured her.

Bella watched Alexis go in with the girl. When the door closed behind them, she sat close by on one of the benches people-watching while she waited. Almost a half hour later, Bella saw the girl run out and Alexis was not with her.

"Hey!" Bella called after her. She didn't stop, she just kept going.

Fear gripped Bella, but before she could panic more, a small voice called from behind her,

"Mommy!" Turning, Bella sighed with relief when she saw Alexis coming towards her. She held her arms out and hugged her as soon as she was within distance.

"Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you."

"Okay."

"Tada." Opening her eyes, Bella saw a pink cupcake in Alexis's small hand. It was squeezed slightly on the sides from being gripped too tightly. "I saved it for you."

"Thank you," Bella said, pressing her lips to her little girl's head then accepting the treat. By the time they made it to Bella's work, the sun had long since set.

"Hey, Bella, Alexis!" Victoria, Bella's co-worker called from behind the counter. Victoria sighed with relief that her shift was finally over.

"Hey," Bella called back, less enthusiastic.

Victoria was nice, but too much of a talker for Bella. While Bella was positioning Alexis on one of the stools behind the counter, Victoria jumped into one of her latest gossips.

"Did James call you yet?"

Bella's hand froze. This could not be good. Victoria took her silence as a negative so she launched into her story "James is cutting pay again. Some crap about times being tough," she huffed, her hands on her hips.

Bella groaned. This was the fourth time James cut pay in the last four months. She was barely making ends meet as it is. She didn't know how much more cut backs she could take. She had at least another year before she graduated from school. With the rate James was cutting pay, she and Alexis might not even make it until then.

"Yeah it sucks. That's fuck-."

"Victoria!" Bella admonished, nodding towards Alexis who was coloring, but Bella was sure she was listening.

"Sorry. But can you blame me? Cost of living is going up but our pay is dropping. It's getting so hard."

Bella wanted to point out that Victoria didn't have children and still lived with her parents so technically she didn't know hard, but figuring she wouldn't want to start a fight with her, Bella held her tongue. After some small talk, Victoria left, leaving Bella and Alexis to 'the graveyard shift'. After five rounds of tic-tac-toe Alexis fell asleep, leaning on the counter. The place was quiet. Outside, Bella could hear the occasional sound of cars passing on the wet road.

After coming from laying Alexis down on one of the couches in the backroom, Bella heard the bell above the door ding, signaling the arrival of another customer. Looking up, she saw James, her boss, making his way to the counter. The smell of beer said he'd stopped off at one of the bars before going there.

"So? How is my favorite employee?" his voice was slurred and he drifted a little as he approached the counter. James was an asshole sober and when he was drunk, he was almost unbearable.

"Fine."

"Well, princess, I'm guessing big mouth Victoria told you the great news!"

"Great news? How is cutting pay great news?"

He thought for a moment. "Well, it's great news to me." He smiled. Bella rolled her eyes in response.

"Well, there is one thing you could do to get a bonus," he said deviously.

James walked to behind the counter, holding his arms out as if he was going to embrace her. Bella stepped back already knowing what he wanted to do. Almost every night it was the same routine. He would get drunk and then seek her out.

"Don't even think about," she hissed at him.

"Oh come on. Just one night. Is that so hard? I'll raise your pay."

"Yeah right. Like any amount of money would ever make me sleep with you." She was desperate but not that desperate.

James froze. For a second, Bella thought he was going to attack her, but instead he went over to the counter where they kept the cigarettes and pushed them all onto the floor.

"Clean this shit up," he said. He pulled an envelope from his back pocket and threw it at her.

He stalked out of the store then and when the door closed behind him, Bella sighed in relief.

When he was gone, Bella went to check on Alexis before cleaning up the mess. She was still sound asleep. Bella had evaded his advances for one more night, but how long would she last before she gave in? How long could she hold out till her desperation made her do things she wouldn't usually do.

Opening the envelope, Bella saw her measly paycheck.

She didn't know how she and Alexis were going to survive another month. Ever since she'd moved to Forks when she was pregnant, they had been living month to month, and this may be the hardest month yet. The bills were piling up and her pay was going down. There was no one Bella could call to help her out. She might have called her mother, but Bella hadn't talked to Renee since the day Edward had her kidnapped. She tried not to think about how much her mother must be suffering, not knowing where Bella was. After Bella's father had died, Renee was torn up over the loss. She fell into a state of depression till Bella was able to pull her out of it. Bella wanted to go to Renee the second she'd escaped, but she couldn't risk it. That was the first place Edward would go to look for her, and she could not do that to her mother. She couldn't drag Renee into her trouble.

So where did that leave her with Alexis? Alexis. Another reason to stay away from Edward. Not just to keep her away from him, but also from his horror of a family. Often times when looking at Alexis, Bella couldn't help but be sadden by how much she looked like Edward. Edward hadn't known she was pregnant when she left. She'd hoped that when she left, she was leaving him and the bad memories behind, but a part of him went with her wherever she went. In the form of Alexis.

It pained her to know that someone she loved so much could remind her of someone she hated.

Thank you to each and everyone of you amazing people who story alerted, favorited and reviewed this. Also those who reviewed and gave their opinion. It was greatly appreciated. I know some people are wondering about the level of violence? Don't worry, it will not be over the top or graphic. Just enough to convey the point.

I have another question and if you want, while reviewing you can answer it. Or you can ignore and just review like normal.

Often times in domestic violence the issue of children come up and it isn't always black & white. I read that in some states/countries, unless it can be proven that the batterer has harmed the child, they can't be legally kept away. I'm not 100% sure of this so if someone would like to clarify, that would be great.

What is your opinion on this? If violence has already be proven against one parent, should that be enough? I am open to all opinions no matter what it is.

As an added bribe...ummm..I mean treat, everyone who reviews will get a teaser for one of the up-in-coming chapters.

Special Thanks to Project Team Beta, Tds88 & Dragonfly336 for proofreading