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.

A/N This chapter may be a little hard for some to handle.

If physical abuse will be too much, then please stop right now.

It's not graphic abuse, but some may find it to be too much.

"Passion is a positive obsession. Obsession is a negative passion."

- Paul Carve

Chapter 4

Nothing and Everything

Edward was reaching the end of his patience. He knew working with Jacob was going to be difficult. Each moment he was reminded as to why he never got along with him. Jacob was the epitome of arrogance.

It was late Friday night and Edward, Jacob and Esme were in Edward's office. Esme had stopped by just to check on her son. Jacob was there just to be a nuisance.

"You know when dad passes, his company will be mine," Jacob said. Then eyeing Edward he added, "Guess when that happens you and I will be in competition. Which Cullen company is bigger."

Edward raised his eyebrow, but didn't respond. Jacob still hadn't figured out that the company would not go to him, and Edward knew better than to enlighten him. Esme sat on one of the leather chairs not saying anything. Her face was blank, but Edward knew his mother wasn't fond of Jacob either. Partly because he was her husband's bastard son, and partly because of his attitude.

There was a light knock at the door.

"Come in," Edward called.

One of the housekeepers entered. "Mr. Cullen, Mr. Jenks is here to see you."

"Tell him I'm busy," he told her.

"I'm sorry sir, but he said it's urgent."

Figuring he needed more money, Edward nodded. "Fine, send him up."

"Yes, sir." Then she silently left, closing the door behind her.

"Jenks? What are you dealing with him for?" Jacob demanded.

Edward ignored his tone. "I hired him to track down Bella," he said simply.

"Bella? You still haven't given up on that bitch? Geez brother, she's probably moved on already or dead."

Edward's eyes flashed to his face. Jacob was walking a very dangerous line and shouldn't push him. Edward was like a thermometer, very close to bursting. There was another knock, and the housekeeper entered with Jenks behind her. She let him in and then closed the door behind her.

"This better be good. I was busy," Edward told him, looking for his checkbook.

"It is sir, you see..."

"How much do you need?" Edward asked, cutting him off.

"No sir, it's not that," he said. The urgency in his voice made Edward stop what he was doing and look up.

"I found her," Jenks said.

It was as if time had frozen. Edward had been waiting so long, so very long to hear these words, and now that he did he couldn't believe it.

"Do not make assumptions unless you're absolutely sure," Edward hissed. His voice was low and deadly.

"I'm sure it's her." Resting his briefcase on the table, he opened it and pulled out a manila folder.

Quickly, he sifted through it. "Riley was a...bit of a help," he admitted grudgingly, still going through his folder. He didn't elaborate on how much of a 'help' Riley had been or what they'd done to track her down, and at that moment, Edward didn't care.

After a few moments, he pulled out a piece of paper. He laid it face down in front of Edward and pushed it towards him. Edward's hands shook as he took the page, and for a brief second he was afraid. Afraid of what he would see. When he turned it over his heart felt like it would explode out of his chest. His breath caught, and he had to grip the side of the table to stop himself from tipping over.

There she was.

His angel.

The love of his life.

His Bella.

She looked exactly like he remembered, smiling at some unknown thing. There were changes, but small changes. Her hair was a bit shorter, but she looked the same. The brown eyes he'd fallen in love with held a spark of laughter. It was a close up of her so he could only see her. The camera hadn't a wide enough angle enough to see what had caused that laughter in her eyes.

"Where is she?" Edward asked, eager to know everything that had happened to her since she'd left.

"Sir, I'll tell you, but there is something else, or I should say someone else," Jenks said pulling out a second photograph and laying it face down on the desk.

Edward took a while longer to hold this one. He was terrified of what he would see when he turned it over. His fear was beginning to get the better of him. The possessive monster inside of him was the only remedy to his fear, but he didn't want to release it. By denying the monster, he had to let the fear take him. Mainly, he worried that she'd found someone else. That she'd already fallen into the arms of another man. That she'd forgotten him. The monster in him whispered that it didn't matter. That she would always belong to him, and he had every right to claim her. Carefully, Edward turned the photograph around and what he found he was not expecting.

This was a wider shot, capturing the full scene. Bella holding a little girl's hand. Edward knew without a doubt that the child was Bella's. Even from a distance, he knew. The child looked about two or three years old. He could see the traces of Bella in the child's facial features.

So she had found someone else. She had given herself to another person. He never thought of how much it would hurt, he never thought what it would mean for Bella to have a child with someone else. Knowing that she had been intimate with another man, had slept with him, and carried his child inside her, made him sick because after everything he'd done to her, he knew she would never do that with him. But aside from it all, it meant his original fears were real. She had moved on.

He could feel his heart shattering into a million pieces. The agony he felt was too much. Suddenly, he wanted the monster. He wanted anything that would prevent him from feeling that pain.

"Sir!" Jenks' voice was a bit more forceful this time. He'd been calling Edward for some time, but Edward had been too far-gone to hear him. "It's not what you think," he said quietly.

"Alexis Emily Swan was born June 12th, 2003 in Clallam County Hospital District #1 at 2 AM," Jenks said.

"Wait, June 2003? That's just five months after Bella left-" His breath caught again.

Jenks pulled out a third photograph and handed it to Edward without putting it down. It was a close up photo of the girl. For the second time Edward's breath caught, and it wasn't the similarities in the child's face to her mother that caught him. It was her eyes. Or to be more precise, his eyes.

The child had vivid green eyes.

Just like his.

The little girl was his daughter.

Esme stood up and took the photograph from him. Her hand flew to her mouth when she saw what he'd seen. When she made the connection.

"Hold up," Jacob said, raising his hand as if to halt a precession. "You mean she was pregnant?"

"Her birth certificate doesn't list a father, but looking at her, you can't deny she's yours, Edward," Jenks said. "If it comes to it, you could always demand a paternity test."

"Did she know she was pregnant? Is that why she left?" Edward asked, mainly to himself.

Jenks answered anyway, "It's possible. I was able to track her whereabouts after she left here." He pulled out another piece of paper and held it in his hands as he read.

"After she left I tracked her whereabouts to a battered woman's shelter in downtown Chicago. She stayed there for a few days. When she left the center, she was transferred from Chicago to Oregon."

"Transferred?" Esme asked. She was still gripping the picture of her granddaughter. Her eyes never left the picture, even when she asked her question.

"Yes, transferred. That was where I hit the problem that delayed my search. There is a group of women who work to help victims of domestic violence flee from their husbands. The group is smart. They don't know where the woman who they help is. They just know where they are supposed to take her. It took some...incentives, but I was able to get the information.

"From Chicago, Bella was driven to Wisconsin. From there she was transferred via another woman to Minnesota. Then via another to North Dakota. Then via another to Montana, and lastly to Oregon. From there Bella went off on her own. The woman had no idea where she went. That was where I hit another problem. It looked like she'd vanished. Then, with Riley's help, I was able to trace her to Seattle, Washington. She stayed at one of the shelters there for some time.

"Bella then went to Forks, Washington, a small town in Clallam County, Washington with a population of only about thirty-five hundred. While there, she stayed with a Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater. Mrs. Clearwater volunteered at the shelter in Seattle. Bella lived in one of the properties the couple owned, paying rent to them. Mr. Clearwater passed away a month before Alexis was born, and his wife left Forks and moved to California with her sister. The house was left in Bella's name. I guess they were fond of her or something. Alexis was born June 12th. Three years later, they still live in that house, and Bella goes to school part time, studying to be a nurse.

"She still works part-time at the local gas station. Crappy job. The place has been robbed so many times it's a wonder they still make money. One of the police reports that were filed happened while Bella was on shift and pregnant." Digging into the folder again, Jenks pulled out another paper and continued reading.

"She's sinking fast. She has a lot of bills mounting up. Her salary isn't great as it is, and the place is run by a real sleazeball who rips off the employees any way he can. So with that and going to school part time, plus caring for Alexis, Bella's at a bad place." Jenks put the paper back in his folder. "Well, that's it."

Jenks finally looked up, but Edward wasn't watching him. He was facing the window. Esme and Jacob were also watching him, waiting to see how he would react.

"Jenks," he said without turning. "Contact Dean, and tell him I need a flight to Forks."

Jenks nodded and headed out the door.

"What are you going to do?" Esme asked.

Edward didn't reply.

"Edward, you have to get her," Esme said. Edward looked at his mother, confused.

As if seeing the question on his face, Esme continued. "Alexis is my first grandchild. I have to see her," she said, passing her hand over the photograph. Edward didn't understand what Esme meant by "get" Alexis.

Did she really mean for him to kidnap Alexis, like he'd done with Bella?

He didn't ask her. Dean's voice came through the intercom then, telling him that a car was outside waiting to take him to his private plane.

"Why don't you just grab the brat from her mother and be gone?" Jacob, ever one for foolish ideas suggested.

"No," Edward replied.

"Since when are you drawing a line? You did, with her mother, just do the same thing with the kid. Besides, if Bella has a brain in her head, she isn't going to let you anywhere near that kid." He paused for a second, and when he spoke again, his was venomous. "Or you could forget about the skank and move one. I'm pretty sure Alexis already has a step-dad who's getting deep into her mother."

The thermometer broke.

Edward's patience with Jacob was already wearing thin and to hear him talk about the mother of his child like that pushed him over the edge. Before Jacob could react, Edward swung, punching him square in the jaw. The force of the punch was enough to make Jacob's entire head turn, and he collapsed onto the floor hard.

Edward walked around his desk till he was kneeling by Jacob. "Listen, fucker. I let you get away with all that bullshit before, but not anymore. You will never disrespect the mother of my child again," he hissed.

He stood and walked toward the door. Jacob was gripping his jaw, as blood began pouring out of his mouth.

"Why the fuck would she want anything to do with you? She ran, remember? Any shot you had with her was over the second you kidnapped her and forced her to marry you. She probably hates you by now," Jacob spat at him, the blood landing on Edward's office floor. "She ran when she found out she was pregnant. She hated you so much, she never even told you that you were a father. I bet she hated knowing that a monster's child was growing in her. I bet when she gets even a whiff of you coming, she'll grab that kid and run again."

Edward's expression hardened as he stared at Jacob, but he didn't respond. He didn't want to admit that his words cut Edward deep, because deep down he knew they were true. The monster was feeding off of Jacob's words. Using them as an excuse as to why he needed to slip back into his old self. Edward slammed the door as he left the office.

Stalking to the elevator, Edward heard his office door open and close behind him. He braced himself, waiting for Jacob to strike. Turning he saw it wasn't Jacob. It was Esme. She met him as he was pushing the elevator button.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

Edward, sighed.

"I have to see them. You heard Jenks. She needs help."

Esme looked at her son skeptically. They both knew that that was not the only reason he was going.

The elevator arrived then, and Edward stepped in with Esme behind him. She waited until he pushed the button for the ground floor before continuing.

"I hate to admit it but Jacob is right. Bella isn't going to let you into Alexis's life so easily."

"I know that."

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. "What are you going to do then?"

"I don't know." Edward was becoming slightly frustrated with his mother's questions. She was bringing up things he didn't want to think about.

When the elevator dropped them off onto the ground floor, Esme grabbed Edward's arm as he was about to make his way to the exit.

"I'll let you go now but remember. Bella is not going to make this easy. She's going to try to keep you out of Alexis's life. But Alexis is your daughter as well, and you have every right to be in her life. Also, I want to meet Alexis and as you know, Bella and I didn't exactly get along while she was here."

Edward was about to question that - he'd never understood why Bella and Esme had never gotten along - but Esme stopped him by raising her hand.

"Let me finish," she said, gripping his arm tightly. " Please don't let her lock me out of my granddaughter's life."

She released his arm. Looking at his mother, Edward knew what she was trying to say.

She did want him to take Alexis from Bella.

"I can't do that to her," Edward said simply.

He left Esme by the elevator and continued to the exit. Dean and two other bodyguards were waiting in his car.

"Mr. Cullen, Mr. Jenks left this folder for you," Leah said, as he was passing.

Taking it, he saw that it was the folder containing Bella's information.

"Cancel all my appointments. I'm taking an early vacation," he told her as he left.

Edward made it to the airport a half hour later. His plane stood on the runway waiting and ready.

"Let's go," Edward said to pilot as he buckled himself in. A few minutes later he was in the air, closer than he'd ever been in the last four years to Bella.

When the plane had leveled off, the hostess walked over to him.

"Would you like a drink, Mr. Cullen?" she asked.

"Yes." She poured him a gin and tonic and then left.

He continued to stare at the photos Jenks had given him of Alexis and Bella. Alexis looked so much like her mother, but he was there in her as well. In the shape of her face and her of course eyes. He never thought of the possibility of having a child. He never saw himself as a father. Looking at Alexis now, deep down something felt...right.

Part of him was angry. Angry that Bella hadn't told him she was pregnant. That she'd taken their child, his child, away from him without even giving him a chance to be in her life. He knew he shouldn't blame her for that of course. None of what had happened was her fault. It was all on him. But he couldn't help his anger.

The other part of him felt...joy. He was a father. He'd created this tiny being with the person he loved most in the world. Her conception was not something he was proud of, but he was glad for her. He knew that no matter what happened, he and Bella would always be connected through Alexis. He hadn't even met Alexis yet, but already he loved her. Just like with her mother, he knew he could never live without her.

His fingertips brushed over Bella in the picture. Just as it had been before, she left two sides of him came up when he looked at her. The fearful side that knew Jacob was right when he said she probably hated him. She hadn't told him she was pregnant. She didn't want him in Alexis's life. She had every reason to keep him at bay. He knew she would try to run the second she saw him. Keeping him from Alexis had been her mission all along, and she would do whatever it took to continue that. To counter the jealousy, the monster reared its ugly head. It whispered that all of that could be easily solved. Legally, he and Bella were still married. He never filed the divorce papers, and from Jenks' files it seems she hadn't either. He didn't want to do it. He didn't want to hurt her again, but he wanted her. He wanted to have some chance with her. He wanted his family with Bella and Alexis. But he knew she would never want that.

He couldn't deny that the bruise on her face unnerved him. Knowing that he'd put it there, made it worse. He hadn't meant to hurt her. To strike her like that but her refusal had hit him hard. Just like he'd told her when he'd gone to her room, he wanted her, needed her, and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. He knew that she didn't want it. The tears on her face were evident to that, but

at that moment he didn't care. His joy blinded him to her pain. He hoped that over time she would change her mind as Emmett had said.

Edward had security take her from the basement where he held her hostage to a hotel upstate. Knowing she would try to run the first chance she got, Edward had guards assigned to her. It was late at night when security drove them to the hotel. She didn't speak to him. She just stared out the window, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Are you going to say anything to me?" he asked. She didn't reply. She just continued to stare out the window at the dark landscape.

After a few moments, he reached into the center console and pulled out a small black box. Her eyes followed him as he did. Opening the box he held it out to her. Inside, was a white gold ring. Four diamonds ran up the side. Two layers of diamonds surrounded the square top, where a stone lay. Even just by looking at it, Bella knew it was expensive. She couldn't completely hide the shock from her face, but she made no motion to take it.

Edward sighed and then taking her left hand in his, he slipped the ring onto the ring of her left hand. She didn't fight him as he did, knowing it was fruitless.

"A symbol of my undying love," he said, smiling crookedly. Before, that smile would have made Bella's heart stop and cause her cheeks to turn pink but after all that had happened, it had no affect on her. She pulled her hand away and turned back to the window. They didn't speak for the rest of the drive, and when they reached the hotel, security ushered them through a private

back entrance from the garage up to the suite Edward had rented. Edward chuckled slightly as Bella's eyes widened at the sight of the extravagant room.

"Is there anything else you may need, Mr. Cullen?" Dean asked.

"No, we're fine."

Dean nodded and left the room. They would remain posted outside the door, and several more guards on the floor to ensure that Bella did not escape.

Edward walked behind her, and wrapping his arms around her waist he whispered in her ear, "Why don't you go wash up and change, and I'll have room service bring something up for you to eat. I had clothes brought in for you."

She shrugged out from under him and stomped to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Edward frowned slightly at the closed door, calling down to room service he ordered her favourite dishes.

Sitting on the couch, waiting for the food to arrive, Edward heard the shower in the bathroom start. Very faintly through the sound of the water, he heard the sound of her sobbing.

Not wanting to hear anymore, Edward was glad when he heard the knock from room service at the door. He answered it quickly and let them place the dishes on the dining room table. As they were leaving, Bella came out of the bathroom freshly showered, dressed in a black sleeping tank top and short sleeping pants. Her hair was still damp, and Edward could see that her eyes were swollen and red. He tried his best to ignore it as he gestured to the food. He knew she hadn't eaten anything while down in that basement. It was cruel to deny her food like that, but his desperation to break her thwarted any thoughts on kindness and cruelty.

Bella hesitantly sat opposite him, but her hunger got the best of her so she began digging into the food. Edward waited till she had eaten a few bites, then he sat opposite her by the table and began helping himself to some of the food.

"Emmett's girlfriend Rosalie is a wedding planner, so she's organizing our wedding," he said.

Her eyes widened, and Edward waited for her to respond but she didn't. "Don't you have anything to say?"

"Why should I say anything? I don't seem to have much input in anything," she finally said. Edward frowned at her answer but didn't respond. They ate in silence then, and when they were done, Edward led her over to the couch and sat opposite her.

"This will work out," he whispered, taking her face in between his hands. His thumb was resting on her bruise.

She yanked her head away and stood, walking away from him. When she turned, Edward could see her anger burning beneath the surface. "You said I would be happy, but I don't see how locking me in a room and hitting me could make me happy!" she yelled.

"That was your fault! Why couldn't you have just said yes!" he yelled back. He stood up, his hands clenching and unclenching. Emmett's plan wasn't working. She was supposed to have given in. What more did he have to do to break her?

"You know what, I still hate you! You ruined my life and why? Because you have some fucking sick obsession. I will never be happy with you. I will never love you again," she screamed at him. Her chest rising and falling with heavy breathes.

That was when he lost it.

Edward ran at her and began hitting her repeatedly all over her body and in return Bella tried to fight him off, but Edward was stronger than her so she still got the brunt of the beating.

"Edward! Please don't!" she begged as his hand collided with her shoulder.

"Why can't you just give this a fucking chance?" he screamed letting his fists express the anger and sadness he felt.

"Stop, please! You're hurting me."

"Because you won't give me a fucking chance! Give us a fucking chance!"

He hit her one more time before he backed away. He watched as she crawled away from him, until her back was resting against the far wall. She held her face and arm where he'd struck her. The sight of her sitting there, terrified by what he'd done, infuriated him. At that moment he hated the monster he'd become. He hated himself for what he'd done to her, but he wanted her so badly.

"Ah!" he yelled in frustration, before turning on his heels and walking out the door, slamming it as he went.

Edward spent the next several hours in the hotel bar, underage drinking be damned, trying to erase from his mind what he'd done. He couldn't turn back now. Letting her go meant losing her forever. He couldn't do that.

It was almost three in the morning when he finally made it back to the suite. The lights were off in the room. Moonlight streamed in through the window. He could see her form on the bed. Quickly and quietly, he undressed and put on soft pants and a shirt, slipping into the bed. She was facing away from him, but she wasn't sleeping. Edward saw that her body was shaking from sobs.

He reached out to touch her hair, but she tensed away from him. Putting his hand under her chin, he turned her face until she was facing him. Her eyes were wet, and there were tear trails down her cheek. Bruises were already forming on her face and arms from where he'd struck her earlier. Her eyes were hard as she met his.

He pressed his lips softly to hers and then releasing her face, he let her turn away from him again.

When Edward pulled up outside Bella's house, it was almost dawn. The street was still quiet, and gray clouds loomed overhead. There weren't many houses around. The nearest neighbor was on the other street. Forest surrounded the property. Dean met him outside his car. "Stay close but hidden. I don't want her to be too alarmed."

Nodding, Dean and the other guards drove around the corner. When they were out of sight, Edward turned, taking in the house.

It was small with a faded roof and peeling paint. An old red Chevy truck stood in the driveway. It looked like something his great grandfather would drive. Clearly unsafe. Walking up the path to the house, Edward saw a child's bicycle on the porch. It was old like the truck.

Looking at the house, Edward didn't know how to proceed. He knew knocking would be fruitless. One look through the window would send Bella running.

Trying the door, Edward wasn't surprised to find it locked. Pulling out his wallet, he took out his credit card. Slipping the card in the crack between the door and the frame, he tilted it until the lock snapped back. The door opened before him. Undetected, he stepped into the house, careful not to make a sound he closed the door behind him lightly. The house was one story, and from where he stood, he could see the living room and in the back, the kitchen . Toys were scattered on the living room floor. Making his way down the adjacent hallway, the house was still quiet. There were three doors, one of them open showing the tiny bathroom. Another one at the far end and one opposite the bathroom. Edward didn't know which one belonged to Bella and which to Alexis. He tried the farthest one first.

It was Bella's.

The room was small with books scattered across the floor. He could see her sleeping form, lying on a mattress on the floor. He briefly remembered when he'd held her hostage, and she had to sleep on a mattress on the floor in the basement as well. He hated the memory of it. Bella was curled up on the mattress, still fast sleep.

Standing in the room, Edward couldn't believe it was her. It was finally her. The pictures Jenks had given him did not do her justice.

"Absence does make the heart grow fonder," Edward, whispered to himself.

He didn't think it was possible to love her anymore, but he did. Unsure how to approach her, Edward went for the direct one. Walking to where she lay sleeping, Edward stooped close to her. He pressed his finger gently to her lips. The pressure caused Bella to startle awake, and she opened her mouth to scream, but the sound never left her lips. His hand covered her mouth, muting it. He didn't want her to terrify Alexis in the next room. Her eyes widened in fear, and her heart race quickened. She prayed it was a dream. That he was not standing in front of her. But it wasn't. The monster from her nightmares was standing in the middle of her room.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited and story alerted.

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Special thanks to Project Team Beta, Dragonfly336 & BelleDean for proof-reading.