-Bella-
I felt so weak when I woke from a dreamless sleep. My injuries were draining me, my still damp clothes leaving me to the mercy of the weather. I pushed the pain to the back of my mind. They will come…they will realise I'm not at school and they will come and see what's wrong, I thought desperately. Yes, I was relying on vampires to save me before I die.
I no longer cared that Charlie would last out at others, because I realised something. For someone so smart, I sure am stupid. If Charlie lashes out at anyone… he would go to jail. He had made me believe no one would believe me if I told…and he was true, because I once told…and that person laughed.
I had told Billy, Charlies best friend and Jacobs father.
"No, Isabella, your father wouldn't hurt a fly" He had said. Well, I wasn't a fly…and he was sure hurting me. I didn't want to be like this… death would be better than this….and with a start I thought that might be it. I would be killed by my father if I continued on like this. I discovered a few things about myself in my cold prison.
One: I really didn't want to die. And Two: I really wanted to see the Cullen's…. Why, I wasn't sure. Feeling foreign to me flooded my body when I thought about them. It almost felt like trust. Typical me, I was a danger to myself, trusting vampires was asking for death.
The darkness did nothing to help me stay awake, my eyes drooped and I once again fell into a dreamless sleep
-Edward-
Bella wasn't at school today, I couldn't catch a scent of her. I started to worry when I didn't see her before school; I didn't see her truck either. I was left worrying the whole day, wishing I could go but at the same time needing to stay and keep appearances. Time had never moved so slowly for me.
At lunch the others shared the same anxiety. I waited until school was over, those being the longest hours of my life, and drove to Bella's, not really caring that the others were with me. I parked a way down the street, and disappeared before anyone spotted us, into the woods. I scanned the area…no one was home. I only picked up one heart beat that came from within Bella's room, I heard no minds.
Everyone was at work or at school. I looked at the others.
"Keep watch" Before they even nodded I scaled the wall. The curtains were closed, the window locked. I tapped the window. I needed to see her, I needed to make sure she's alright. The breathing increased as Jasper fell to his knees.
"Go, Jasper" I said, realising Bella was feeling too strongly. I tapped the window again.
"Who is it? Oh god please tell me its Alice…Or Edward, or Jasper or someone" She said in a frantic whisper.
"It's everyone. I'm here, the others on the floor. Bella are you ok?" Instead of answering she said
"Do you know how to pick a lock?"
"Yes, why?" I asked, confused.
"Edward…I need your help. I….I can't live like this anymore…I don't need to protect them anymore" She whispered, her voice sounding rough.
"Pick the lock, please, get in here" She whispered…she sounded so weak. "Alice" I said quickly, she threw me a hair pin.
The lock was picked within seconds and I opened the window. I moved the curtains to the side and just like that I felt like my whole world had exploded. Bella was tied to the bed, bruises everywhere.
"Bella" I held back my rage, barely. Everyone was in her room within seconds, I jumped in too, closing the window, unwilling to let others see us in Bella's room. I turned on the light…her eyes immediately closed and she hissed in pain.
How long has she not seen light? More than 12 hours to get this reaction. I almost growled, Rosalie and Alice were removing the duct tape carefully and she bit her lip to hold back a building scream when they undid her ankles.
"Bella…" I whispered as Emmitt held me, he was afraid I would lose it at the sight of my girl beaten and abused, taped to a bed. I wanted Charlies head on a platter.
"Both her ankles are broken," Alice stated.
"I feel so weak" Bella whispered, she was so pale. Alice picked her up, carrying her bridal style and opened the window after a thorough scan of the area. We jumped from the window and ran into the woods, I closed the window carefully before I left with them. Tears ran down Bella's cheeks when I said stop. She was in too much pain.
"We need to walk slowly, the wind is moving her ankles too much." I said and we all agreed.
"I…can't even…protect myself…why am I…so weak" Bella said when we were three quarters of the way home, then she fainted. She was that weak and in that much pain that she fainted. Rage built up.
"I'll be back" I said quickly and ran off to the biggest, thickest tree I could find.
-Bella-
I had thought it was a dream, but no, I woke to the very real sound of tapping on the window.
"Who is it? Oh god please tell me its Alice…Or Edward, or Jasper or someone" I pleaded franticly.
"It's everyone. I'm here, the others on the floor. Bella are you ok?" Edwards voice reached me, I ignored the question, that could wait.
"Do you know how to pick a lock?"
"Yes, why?" He asked
"Edward…I need your help. I….I can't live like this anymore…I don't need to protect them anymore" I whispered, unshed tears blurring my vision.
"Pick the lock, please, get in here" I whispered…I sounded so weak, even to my own ears. The rest was a blur, my mind seeing but not processing anything besides the pain. I finally realised we were out of the house, I was untied and in strong, cold arms, I was free from the nightmare. I cried, out of pain, relief or both, I didn't know.
Edward whispered stop to everyone, telling them to walk slowly, and they did. They started walking at a humans pace, me in Alice's arms. I still felt so weak, not eating or drinking and being injured did that too you. Tears fell harder as I realised I couldn't even protect myself from danger. I couldn't walk for a while now. I was useless again.
"I…can't even…protect myself…why am I…so weak" I whispered to no one in particular, and I let darkness take me once again. I really was worthless, to let myself surrender to unconsciousness so much recently.
Nothing but darkness engulfed me…and I almost welcomed it. Almost.
Once again I will remind you to review. In order to post a new chapter I need at least 5, that's five, new reviews. If not… I will send werewolves to abduct you when you sleep so then you may review… really this is the least painful way.