A/N Hello everyone. Thanks for waiting. I was thinking about how I wanted the story to go. Now this chapter was just as sad as the last one to write but I don't think that it will make you cry...but what do I know? I am leaving for Chicago today and won't have any internet access so this will be the last chaper for a while but as soon as I get back I will be better about updating. And I would like to think my wonderful beta TayBee for helping me with this. Now, please enjoy!
Megan :D
EPOV
Rose and I ran down the beach in the direction Bella had gone. She had gotten enough of a head start that we couldn't see her. After a minute or so of running, I spotted her.
"Rose, look!" I pointed, she was curled in a ball on the very edge of the shore so that the freezing water hit her bare feet. I started running towards her, but Rose grabbed my shirt to stop me. I spun around and gave her a questioning look.
"Edward, listen to me," Rose sighed, "I need you to grab Bella's keys and take everyone home. Okay? I'm going to call Esme and the two of us will take care of her. She needs girls right now."
"Okay," I sighed. I spotted Bella's bag to my right and ran to it to dig out her keys. I unzipped the first pocket and spotted her keys shining from the bottom. I grabbed them and yanked them out of the back.
"Shit." I mumbled as a few things fell out of her bag. I bent down and grabbed a receipt from the gas station, her chap stick, and a few other things. I stopped moving when I picked up a small clear circle filled with little pills labeled monday through sunday. I looked at the name of the medicine and realized that Bella was taking... birth control?
"Edward, hurry up. I've got to talk to her soon." I shoved the contraceptive in her bag and spun around to see Rose standing behind me. "I just called Esme, she's on her way. Get everyone else home."
"Please Rose…help her!" I begged, "She's your best friend and my future. Please help her. You know what she's been through."
"Don't worry your pretty little head Edward. I will help your Bella," Rose chuckled trying to lighten the mood. I blushed and held Bella's bag out for her.
"I'll leave Bella's bag back here," I sighed, "And, thanks Rose." I smiled before walking slowly back to our friends. Emmett was a mess when we left, I can only imagine what he's like now.
I found the three of them right where they were sitting when I ran off. Emmett's head was in his hands. Alice had her arms wrapped around Emmett. Jasper rubbed his hands on Alice's back. They heard me approach and stood up.
"Edward?" Alice asked her voice hoarse, "What are you doing over here?"
"We've been here a few hours, so I'm going to take you guys home. Esme is on her way to help Rosalie with Bella. I'm sure we will get more details when they all get home."
"Thanks Edward." Emmett said. "You're good for her, you know." Emmett smiled weakly. His eyes red and puffy from crying.
"Thanks Emmett. I am glad that you trust me with your sister," I smiled.
"I do… but if you hurt her I will kill you!" Emmett growled.
"Don't worry Emmett, I promise you that I won't hurt her," I smiled at him sincerely.
"I trust you Edward," he smiled.
"That's good Em, I'm going to be your brother-in-law someday." I chuckled and gave him a hug.
"If you guys are done with your man hug I think that it's time to get home, mom just pulled up," Alice sighed slightly.
"Okay. Let's go home and focus on other things until they all get home." I smiled.
"We still have to learn the choreography for this summer's dance recital. We need to plan it, too." Alice interjected.
"Yeah!" Emmett cheered, "I get to dance with my Rosie again this year! And Ali gets to dance with Jazz and then that means…Eddie gets to dance with Bella!"
"Emmett… you are quite weird sometimes. No offense," I chuckled.
"None taken," Emmett smiled for the first time today.
"Let's go guys," Jasper called walking hand and hand with Alice back to Bella's car.
"Hey Mom!" Alice called softly to Esme when we were a few yards closer to her.
"Hello kids," she smiled sadly at us.
"Hey," Emmett sighed, realizing that everything was still happening.
"Don't worry Emmett, I am going to talk to them now," Mom sighed.
"Thanks Esme," Emmett half-smiled a fake smile.
RPOV
Edward and I found Bella curled up on the edge of the beach. I knew exactly how she felt.
Once when Edward was gone, I got Bella to breath normally again. I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure where to begin so I was just going to start at the beginning.
"Bella?" I asked turning her head slightly.
She didn't speak, but she did turn her head to acknowledge my presence.
"Bella do you…" I began but was then caught off when my cell phone began ringing. My caller ID read "Esme!! :)". It seemed odd to have such a happy name on such a sad call.
"Hi Esme," I sniffled looking at Bella's hurt expression.
"Hey Rosalie. Stay strong for her Rose, she will need it. I will be there in a minute to help you talk to her," Esme sighed.
"Thanks," I smiled into the phone hanging up as I saw her coming out from the shadows of the forest. It was still scary to be there by myself sometimes but I have gotten used to it. Royce killed himself within his first week in jail, so I knew he couldn't come after me anymore. It didn't always help though. I could sometimes still feel his hands, too tight on my waist, his knees, too heavy on my legs, his mouth, too hot on my neck...
I shuddered away from the memories and refocused on the situation.
"Bella?" I asked.
"Yeah Rose?" she replied, finally looking back at me.
"Everything is going to be okay. We are going to keep you safe, nothing like that will ever happen to you again. Esme will be here in a minute," I smiled trying to reassure her.
"Thanks Rose. You've been a really good friend. I am glad that someone knows what I went through," she sighed, "Not that I'm happy this happened to you." she added quickly.
"Don't worry," I smiled.
"Rose?" Esme called.
"Hi Esme," I smiled helping Bella stand up. When I got her up she swayed side to side before her knees gave out. "Maybe you should sit down." I said.
"Probably," she sighed.
"Okay, Bells," Esme took a deep breath, "I need you to tell me everything that happened to you. There is no need to go into graphic detail, but I can help you more if I know about everything."
"Okay," Bella sighed. I remembered Esme doing this to me not to long ago, it was so scary to have to relive one of the worst times in my life.
"Well when I was thirteen I started dating James Copper. He had the reputation of a player so I carefully guarded myself from him. He said that he liked me a lot and he wanted to change for me. I was stupid and believed him. I loved him so I believed every last lie he told me.
"I thought we were perfect, but one day I caught him kissing his ex. He told me she came on to him, and I believed it. I knew that he was lying, but it didn't hurt as much if I pretended to keep believing him. When I turned fifteen I caught him making out with my best friend in my guest bedroom at my birthday party.
"I ran downstairs and ran right into the arms of my step-brother. He seemed like a smaller version of Emmett so I trusted him. I told him everything and he helped me through all the tough times.
"One night about two months later, my mom and Phil were away on some kind of business for his team so it was just me and Connor at home. Late that night, James came over. I had no clue that he did. He came into my room when I was asleep. He covered my mouth with his hand and started undressing me. When I asked him what he was doing he said that he was taking what was rightfully his. I was so scared that I didn't even put up a fight."
Bella took a deep breath and I put my arm around her tense shoulders and played with her hair to relax her. Esme was holding one of her hands trying to get her to control her breathing. Bella took another deep breath before continuing.
"Later that night when he finally finished, Connor walked in. I expected him to help me out and kick him out. I was wrong. So wrong. Connor did that stupid knuckle punch thing and walked over to me. He whispered in my ear something like "Now it's my turn to take your virtue." They continued like this for another year, they never raped me when my parents were in town, but they touched me and kissed me when no one was home. About a month after I turned sixteen my parent were out for the night and James came over again. Connor raped me first and then just as James was finishing my parents walked into my room.
"I was crying and trying to get him off of me this time because I was tired of this but I was too weak to do anything. Phil came over and ripped James off me and then grabbed Connor and him and dragged them downstairs. My mom came over to me tears streaks down her face. She said that she had tried to call me but I didn't answer so they came home to make sure everything was okay. Phil called the cops and both James and Connor were charged as adults.
"They were both eighteen at the time so the judge charged them with endangering the welfare of a child and rape. The trial was horrible. The lawyer for the boys kept asking me questions that made them seem innocent. He asked me why I didn't tell anyone, and why I didn't try and fight them off. It was the worst time in my life. When the trial was finally over I begged my mom to let me move to Forks and she finally gave in after about a week saying that I needed my friends and my brother more than anything. The last thing that the guys said to me after the trial was, "You are going to pay for the hell that you are putting us through."
"Bella it's not your fault," Esme smiled.
"I know it's just what if they get out and they hurt someone that I love?" she sobbed into my shoulder.
"They won't get out. And if they do, Charlie will make sure that everything is okay," Esme soothed her.
"Sweetie, I know it's hard. Trust me," I smiled at her.
Bella looked up to me. "What is your story Rose? Why did Royce pick you?" she asked. "If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."
"No, it's okay, I can talk about it.
"Royce was the captain of the football team when I was a freshman. Emmett and I had been dating for a little over a year then.
"Royce was obsessed with me and he wanted to be with me. Back in seventh grade we had dated for like a day. Even after three years, he still followed me. He asked me to homecoming, and I said no. That night after practice I was waiting for Emmett outside the locker room, and Royce came out. He looked very happy to see me and greeted me like any other time he had talked to me. He said it was no big deal about homecoming.
"Instead of walking away he dragged me into the alley out behind the school and raped me. It was the worst thing that could happen, losing your virginity to someone who you could never love. Emmett found me curled up in a ball in the alley with no clothes on and called 911. He thought that I was going to kill myself, because I was just rocking back and forth like I was possessed. I told him everything that had happened and he took me to the hospital to get checked out.
"I was late that month and I was scared out of my pants. I knew that I was way to young to take care of a baby. I found out that I was pregnant and I told my parents, our friends and Emmett. Emmett was so nice to me, he said that even though the baby wasn't his he would stay by my side no matter what. He was even prepared to marry me, in ninth grade.
"About three months into my pregnancy, I wasn't even showing yet, we were at school standing out in the parking lot waiting for school to begin. I started feeling dizzy and ill and then I saw blackness. The next thing I knew I was in a hospital connected to an IV. Emmett was right by my side holding my non-IV hand and sleeping. I gently woke him and he started crying when he saw me. He told me that I had a miscarriage and that was why I had fainted. Apparently, I lost of blood. I was in the hospital three weeks before I woke up and then I was in for about two more to make sure that I was okay to go back to school.
"When I got back to school the rumors were flying, some said I was in a mental hospital, some said that I tried to kill myself but I just shook my head and laughed. Emmett never left my side for three weeks after that, he even skipped basketball practice claiming that I was more important than his spot in the games. The coach was happy to give him excused absences for three weeks but then he had to be back. When he went back to practice I would sit and watch him and then after I would go into the coach's office and talk until Emmett was ready to go. About a year later, I could finally be by myself. While I was unconscious in the hospital, Royce was convicted and sentenced to twenty years. He killed himself a week into his sentence. I woke up two weeks later. Sometimes I still get scared, but it gets better when I think of Emmett." I smiled.
"Thanks Rose," she smiled.
"How are you doing Bella?" Esme asked.
"Much better. Thank you so much," Bella smiled.
"And remember that if you ever need to talk to someone about anything we are always available," I smiled.
"Thank you so much guys. It's really hard to talk about, but knowing that someone that I love like my own sister went through the same thing makes it easier to talk about," she smiled.
"You girls ready to get home?" Esme asked.
"Yeah. Did they take my car Rose?" Bella asked.
"Yeah. Emmett and Edward were freaking out so I told them to go home," Bella smiled at the mention of Edward's name, "Come on lover girl let's get you home so you can talk to Emmett."
"Okay," she sighed.
"Don't worry. I will be right beside you when you tell him," I assured her.
"Thanks Rose. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you," she smiled giving me a hug.
"Let's go girls," Esme called chuckling at us.
"Come on Bells," I smiled hooking arms with her.
"On the bright side…at least you didn't have to tell Emmett about your belly button ring," she chuckled.
"True," she smiled hopping in the back of the car. The hard part was just beginning for her. I knew that there was something that she wasn't telling Esme and I but I didn't want to push her, she would tell us when she was ready. I was just happy that I could help her through this time in her life.
A/N Hello again everyone! Please review! Tell me if you like my story and try and guess what the next big surprise is. I shall update as soon as I get the chance. I will update when I get at least seven reviews.
Megan :D
