Chapter 6

In that moment it felt like the world turned upside down and threatened to shake me off of it. Panic gripped me by the throat - even though I didn't seem to believe what Carlisle was telling me. Words of denial poured out of my mouth, my eyes wide in horror.

"What? I - no...NO! My mom's in Florida with Phil. She's not - she can't be - NO! You're wrong!"

"Bella..." Carlisle began gently, pulling the car over so he could turn his full attention to me. He eyed me warily, as though afraid I might shatter - but his words were firm.

"Alice is certain. She and Jasper followed James halfway across California before Alice saw Victoria decide to approach you and Edward back at our former house where Edward had left you. They turned around and came back to help us protect you and Edward, believing that James had just been luring them away all along so Victoria could attack.

"But when they arrived, they found Edward chasing Victoria through the woods. He almost had her when Alice saw the vision of James taking your mother. By that time Alice and Jasper were right behind him, so Edward saw what she saw - along with Alice's intention to leave Victoria to Edward and Jasper so she could return to the house and take you away without his interference. That was when Edward...came back. He chased Alice down and passed her, trying to get to you first. Jasper followed to protect Alice, and Victoria got away. You know the rest."

I stared at Carlisle in silence for a few seconds...and then I felt the bile rising in my throat. Desperately flinging one hand over my mouth, I wrenched the car door open with my other hand, flinging myself out of the car and managing to land right in the ditch on my hands and knees. I didn't care. I retched until I was dry heaving, emptying the contents of my stomach into the ditch beside the car, sobbing and gasping at the same time. I was vaguely aware of Carlisle hovering nearby, but I was too sick even to be embarrassed.

It was so much worse than I'd even thought. Edward had been hunting while I was tied to the bed, all right - he'd been hunting Victoria. The thought of him going one-on-one with that monster was almost as scary as what Carlisle had told me about my mom...almost. And it explained why it'd taken Edward so long to show up after his family arrived: he'd been too busy chasing Victoria alone, at least until he saw into Alice's head and had to come back to kidnap me again before Alice could. The whole thing made my head spin.

But the worst by far was Renee. I dry heaved again just thinking about my harmless mother in the clutches of James.

Finally the horrible retching stopped. I pushed back away, crawling backward a little before pushing back off of my knees and falling backward to sit on the ground. I drew my knees up toward my chest, holding onto them.

"Maybe she just saw what could happen," I begged almost desperately, looking up at Carlisle as I rocked myself back and forth. I could feel my entire body tremble. "My mom's in Florida. She is. There's no way James could have found her there...not yet. Maybe there's still time. I could warn her..."

"Bella...please listen to me." Carlisle knelt nearby, not touching me. "Your mom's not in Florida. You've been missing for days. Charlie called her two days after Edward...left with you, and she flew to Phoenix immediately to look for you there. This morning she apparently decided to fly to Washington to be with Charlie."

Denial was beginning to fade. Unfortunately, it was replaced with anger. I pushed up furiously to my feet, gesturing frantically. To my frustration, Carlisle just remained where he was, looking up at me.

"How the hell did Alice not see this happening before this?" I raged. "And why were so many of you following me and Edward instead of James? You could have stopped this!"

"You are the target of this, Bella," Carlisle told me reasonably - which only infuriated me more. It wasn't reason I wanted. "Our strategy was the most logical. With Jasper and Alice on James, they could relay information to the rest of us about his location - not to mention that as a team they are almost unbeatable in a fight. Rosalie was protecting Charlie. And with the rest of us following you and Edward, we could be there near instantly if either James or Victoria attacked the two of you. And if it was James who did so, that would also bring Jasper and Alice to the scene as well. We would have a united front against them to protect you."

"But...Alice still should have seen it!"

Carlisle shook his head sadly. "It was a snap decision on James' part. He didn't expect to find your mother in Forks. None of us did. Rosalie was outside the police station shadowing Charlie when Renee arrived at your father's house from the airport by cab, with no warning. Neither Charlie nor Rosalie knew she was coming.

"After leading Jasper and Alice away and doubling back to Forks, James had intended only to go to your house to familiarize himself with his prey - to look for something he could use against you to track you down. Alice had seen that Charlie would be safely out of the house, so in their haste to get back to you and Victoria, she didn't focus on it. She simply didn't see your mother. Perhaps your mother's decision to go to your house was erratically made, another snap decision. James simply took advantage of the opportunity."

Well...that would just be...typical, I thought: Renee making a harebrained, erratic decision. A sob ripped out of me then. It wasn't like I hadn't always figured that Renee's flighty ways would eventually be the death of her; I just hadn't counted on it being this way.

"We have to do something," I managed to tell Carlisle miserably, feeling my knees begin to buckle from all the trembling. He shot to his feet instantly from where he had still knelt below my level, steadying me.

"We are, Bella. I'm keeping you safe because the rest of my family is simply too thirsty to be around you safely. Rosalie will stay with Charlie just in case. Emmett, Jasper and Edward will go after your mother - especially when Alice is done convincing him. I feel certain that Esme and Alice will catch up with us shortly, though they'll have to maintain a distance."

I felt the anger deflate out of me like a popped balloon. That anger had been so misplaced it didn't even bear considering any more. Without even my anger to hold onto, my composure took a drastic turn for the worse. I felt the sobs begin to build in my chest, my trembling intensifying until I could barely stand.

"Come, Bella. I'll take you somewhere that you can clean up."

It was the first I'd thought of what a mess I was - especially after being sick. Mechanically, I allowed Carlisle to lead me back to the car.

ooo

After a quick stop at a convenience store, where Carlisle disappeared inside for a minute or two while I hugged my knees and stared blankly out the windshield, we quickly pulled into a rest stop off the main highway. Carlisle placed a bag in my hand, which after peeking into I realized contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, some soap, deodorant, and a hairbrush.

Despite my misery, I managed a tiny smile.

"That bad...wow. Sorry."

Carlisle smiled graciously. "For your comfort, my daughter. You'll feel better if you can clean up a little. I'll be right outside."

Tears sprang to my eyes. "I'm sorry...about yelling at you before. I know you're doing all you can."

Again, Carlisle just smiled. "I understand. We can't stay long, Bella. Go ahead."

Managing a tiny, still remorseful nod, I stepped out of the car.

I shivered a little as I entered the secluded rest stop bathroom, imagining monsters behind every partly open stall door. Looking back over my shoulder toward the main door, I reminded myself that Carlisle was right outside - and that despite his gentle demeanor, he was a very experienced vampire who could easily overcome any human attackers. It just wasn't the human attackers I was worried about.

I brushed my teeth to clear myself of the horrible aftertaste of being sick, feeling better almost immediately - at least physically. Quickly I washed my face, washed up a little bit, and brushed my hair. After throwing everything back in the bag, I set it down on the sink and made my way into one of the digusting stalls to use the facilities.

Just as I was preparing to open the stall door and let myself out, I suddenly froze into place at the sound of a metallic thud from inside the bathroom with me - just outside and above the stall door.

I froze into place, not even daring to breathe.

One second passed.

Two.

Three.

Four.

I could hear my own heartbeat.

And then my heart leapt into my throat as I heard the main door to the outside fly open forcefully.

"Bella!"

In relief, I swung open the stall door.

"Carlisle?"

He was in front of me instantly, a protective arm outstretched.

"Are you hurt?"

I stared at him in blind terror. "No...why?"

His voice was calm as ever, but his nostrils flared as he sniffed the air, his eyes searching the room. "She was here. Just now."

It felt like my heart stopped beating - and then I followed his suddenly still eyes up to the skylight in the ceiling, meant to provide natural light during the day. A small, metal window to the side of it was pushed wide open, allowing cold air into the room. My heart picked back up at an alarmingly rapid pace as I realized that Victoria had come into the bathroom - just a few feet from me - via that skylight. The metal thud I'd heard...

But why would she have come in and then left without making herself known? Or killing me?

"Let's go, Bella. We're getting you out of here."

ooo

Carlisle's expensive in-car speaker phone system was already ringing when he pushed my too-terrified-to-be-of-assistance form into the car, closing the door and almost immediately reappearing in the driver's seat.

He never even glanced at a caller ID as he punched the button to answer it while simultaneously peeling out of the parking lot at dizzying speeds.

I might have wondered how he knew who it was before he even answered...if I hadn't already known myself, as well.

"She's fine, Edward," were his opening words. "She didn't hurt her. Stay with Emmett and Jasper. You have a job to do."

"I'm coming to get her. Now. I mean it, Carlisle..." Edward's rich voice filled the car, marred by obvious terror.

"Edward!" His name ripped out of my throat as half shout, half sob. I'd never been so glad to hear his voice.

"Bella!" Edward's voice was pure desperation when he heard me. "Tell me where you are! I'll be there immediately."

"No, son," Carlisle interjected firmly. "Emmett and Jasper need your help to rescue Bella's mother. You're the only one who can read James' thoughts when you find him."

"They don't need me!" Edward growled back fiercely. "They have Alice. With her help, Emmett and Jasper can take him easily. I just saw it in Alice's thoughts - Victoria was within a foot of Bella. You can't protect her like I can. He only has her mother to get to her and you know it! Dammit, Carlisle, tell me where you are!"

Carlisle didn't even bat an eye at the way Edward was speaking to him, though I had no doubt it was the first time he'd ever dared. "I'm sorry, son. Right now you need to focus on getting Bella's mother back for her. And why is Alice still with you? I thought she and Esme were shadowing Bella and me."

"Hi, Bella!" Alice's musical voice filled the car, and I wondered how she'd coaxed the phone away from Edward - until I realized she could almost certainly hear Carlisle's questions even with Edward holding the phone, and was probably just speakng into it as Edward held it. "Esme is following the two of you. She'll be close by. I'm staying with the boys so I can warn Jazz and Em fast if Edward decides to take off again."

I didn't even give Carlisle a chance to answer. "Alice! My mom...please tell me she's going to be okay." The raw fear in my voice must've been more than Edward could take. I heard a sharp hiss, and then it was Edward's voice that answered.

"Bella, it's going to be all right. I promise. They'll find her. Just promise me you'll stay close to Carlisle until I come for you. Promise me." His words were clipped, his tone intense.

"Edward? You're going to crack my phone in half." Alice again, this time in the background. "Take it easy...that's a diamond encrusted Vertu Diamond. Do you have any idea how hard those are to come by?"

"Edward," I begged, ignoring Alice. "You have to listen to Carlisle. You have to find my mom. I'll be fine. Please... this is all my fault. I can't let her die because of me. I can't. Please!"

"No!" Edward's insistent voice filled the car again. "Bella, I need to be where you are. It's the only way I can be sure you're safe. My family will take care of your family. I need to take care of you."

Carlisle cut off whatever I might have said. "We'll be in touch, son. Alice, make him understand."

Before I realized what had happened, Carlisle hit the button and disconnected the call, then turned off the ringer. The absence of Edward's voice left me feeling even more empty than before.

ooo

More time passed as the car hurtled along the dark streets before I was finally able to speak again.

"You hung up on him," I accused.

"Yes," Carlisle stated gravely. "Though certainly not to be unkind. Now that he knows you're unharmed, contact with you can only distract him from what he must do now."

I nodded, mutely, wondering if there was anything in the entire universe that could actually distract me from the horror of what was surely happening to my mom.

ooo

After several more hours of silently staring out the window, trying and failing to make any sense of some very hushed conversations Carlisle held over his handheld cell phone, I almost panicked when he finally pulled into my driveway.

I couldn't even form words. I just turned to stare at him in wordless shock.

"He's not here, Bella. I spoke with Rosalie earlier. Phil called Charlie this afternoon. He became concerned when he never heard anything else from Renee after she called from Phoenix and said she was getting on a plane to Seattle to see Charlie. Charlie never even knew Renee was coming. He's flown to Phoenix to look for both of you."

A lump formed in my throat. What must Charlie be going through? It was hardly news to me that he'd never gotten over my mom. Now she and their daughter were both missing. He must be frantic.

"He's safer there, Bella, and there would be no reason for James to pursue him at this point," Carlisle assured me. "Rosalie's on her way back here, as is Esme. They're going to watch your house from the woods. When Victoria inevitably tries to reach you again, the three of us will take care of her. You'll be perfectly safe, Bella. All you have to do is go about your normal routine as much as possible. I'll remain inside the house with you, but I won't interfere unless necessary."

Again, I stared at him dumbly. "I'm bait?"

Carlisle shook his head, allowing a tiny smile. "No. Absolutely not. Even if I would consider such a thing - which I would not - Edward would kill all of us first and ask questions later. No, this is simply an effort to give you as much normalcy and stability as is possible until we catch her. Victoria could find us anywhere we take you. The only advantage to bringing you here is that you can be more comfortable."

ooo

Six hours. That was all it took.

One moment I was staring blankly through the TV in the living room, not even aware of what I was watching, while Carlisle stood like a statue at the door to the living room.

The next moment, Carlisle's head shot up at something his ears could hear that mine couldn't.

"Bella, stay inside! Esme and Rosalie intercepted Victoria outside! I'm going to assist them!"

And like that, Carlisle disappeared - chasing his wife and daughter who were chasing the vicious monster that wanted to kill me.

I felt very alone all of a sudden.

At least, until I heard a ringing phone that I didn't recognize.

The first six times it rang, I sat frozen on the couch, trying to figure out what it was.

After a brief pause, it began ringing again. Muting the television set, I stood up on suddenly shaky legs and began following it. Without even knowing what it was, I only knew that it couldn't possibly be good.

The ringing got closer as I made my way up the stairs...closer still as I made my way to my bedroom - but it started to grow softer again after I passed the bathroom.

Again it stopped ringing, paused, and then started again.

Turning around, I carefully walked back to the bathroom, my eyes scanning cautiously as my heart thudded in my chest. I only saw one thing out of the usual: my little bag of toiletries Carlisle had bought me, that I'd taken with me into the rest stop bathroom.

With a shaking hand, I reached in and pulled out what I suddenly knew was going to be there:

A cell phone.

Victoria's cell phone, or one she had stolen - possibly from someone she killed. The reason she'd come into the bathroom. She must have been following us, and took the opportunity of my being away from Carlisle a few moments to swoop in and put it in my bag.

I knew who was going to be on the other end, as well - and it wasn't going to be Victoria. She'd simply led Carlisle and the others away so that they couldn't hear.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice not nearly as shaky as I'd expected.

"Hello, Bella," came an overly polite voice - and my blood froze in my veins even though I'd known it was coming.

"Please don't hurt her. Please. I'll do anything you want."

The sound of James' evil, cold voice rang through the lines.

"Oh, I'm counting on it."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Note:

Please, please, please hit that little green button! I'm truly enjoying writing this story, but it's much more fun when I get reviews in turn for my trouble. The more you review, the faster I write! Also, if you're enjoying this one, please check out my other story Second Chances. :)