-Edward-

We placed Bella on a table in Carlisle's office, turning up the heat and Alice actually changed her so she wouldn't be in such wet clothes. Esme had gone to get some of Bella's things, and we were all here, in the office, watching Bella while she was unconscious. Bella was still unconscious when Esme arrived home, holding two small bags of clothing.

She gave a sad smile as she held out a small bag of M&M's, untouched, and unopened. "I found this in the very back of her closet… I wonder how long it's been since she even had a treat" Esme said sadly. Jasper came into the room, Carlisle right behind him. The office was warm by now, Bella no longer shivering…I don't even think she knew she was shivering when we found her.

Carlisle gave her a quick examination. Two minutes later he was addressing us.
"Both her ankles are broken, she won't be walking anytime soon. Her broken ribs have healed, faster than I hoped…but considering what she is I don't find it surprising. Two other ribs are fractured, but they should heal up soon. Blood circulation is poor, she's extremely dehydrated and undernourished…but I suppose she's been undernourished for a while now." Carlisle shook his head.

"Physically, she will heal …mentally, only time will tell" We all looked at the unconscious girl. Esme disappeared to the unused kitchen, Alice had gone shopping to buy some groceries, she was back within 18 minutes and 32 seconds. All the while, I stood here with my girl…. Hundreds different sadistic thoughts, all involving Charlie, passed through my mind.

I wondered, not for the first time, how long it had been since she had a proper meal…I would get answers to all these questions. Carlisle had set the bones in her feet, carefully appling a numbing cream, wrapped it in gauze, and then in a tight (but not too tight) bandage followed by a cast. I smiled at the delicate care he treated her with. All this time, despite the obvious clues, nobody knew.

She had said she didn't need to protect them anymore. Did she mean the others around her or a select few? How long had she suffered through this. I was pulled out of my brooding by a small whimper. Bella woke slowly, her eyes fluttering closed for the briefest of seconds, then opening again. She gave me a small, shy smile.

"They can't hurt me anymore…" she whispered, I wasn't sure if she knew she said it.
She feels a little trust, Edward. She isn't scared anymore, but she also has another emotion. I can't name it Came Jasper's metal voice. I'll help her a bit. She tried to sit up, but I placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't get up, you will hurt yourself more" I said, she nodded. Almost automatically.

How much damage has he done to my Bella.

-Bella-

I woke to warmth, damp coldness no longer surrounded me, I was dry and warm. I was sore. Where was I? It took a moment before I remembered I was rescued from my dark prison. I whimpered as I tried to move to sit. No, I thought bitterly, I wasn't going to be immobilized by pain…

I looked over and saw Edward, I don't know my, but I couldn't stop the small smile that broke out on my face. I was here, I was safe, did I really just think the word safe?
"They can't hurt me anymore..." I didn't realize until seconds later I had said it out loud. I put the pain at the back of my mind as I tried to sit, but Edward put his cold, hard hand on my shoulder.
"Don't get up, you will hurt yourself more" Edward told me. I nodded absently.

I was concentrating on a plan. I couldn't stay here, Charlie would send a search party, then he would beat me worse than before. Edward stared at me, eyes black.
"You should go hunt" I whispered.
"I can't. I'm staying here" Was his reply. That wouldn't do. I can't have him here with his thirst not fully controlled.
"Please? Edward…for me?" I whispered.

"Esme" The blond vampire I now knew as Esme was at the door in a second.
"Yes?" Esme addressed Edward.
"Look after Bella please, for ten minutes. I need to go hunt" Esme nodded her head. They both walked out for a second, and in that second I sat, swinging my legs over the side of the bench. Esme came back in seconds later, I assume her and Edward were talking about something.

"Oh sweetie! No, you can't sit up!" Esme said franticly, god you'd think they think that I'm that fragile I'll break at the slightest thing. Emse tried to move me to lie down, but I would have none of it, Esme was gentle, and when she realised I wasn't laying back down she looked at me.
"Why won't you lay down?" She asked me.

"I've been forced to lie down for the past two days, it makes me feel too vulnerable" I answered honestly, I bit my lip then yelled as loud as I could,
"Jasper, stop manipulating my emotions-I know you are, even if it's only the slightest bit" I smiled as I felt more myself, more cautious. That sly vampire, controlling my emotions the moment I woke so I wouldn't notice.

Esme smiled sweetly. "I'll be right back" She said and was gone in a flash, mere seconds later she was back with a bottle of water and a hand hidden behind her back. I eyed the unseen hand suspiciously, she smiled sadly and pulled a bag of M&M's from behind her back.
"I found them in your closet….how long has it been since you've had any treat, Bella?"

I smiled sadly as I took the bag and the bottle of water.
"I don't know why, I must be the most idiotic person alive to trust vampires. But it's a sad story Esme…The last time I've had even the smallest treat was when I was about five. I can't even remember what it was."

No, when Charlie and Renee were together I wouldn't get treats very often, and then when Renee moved in with Phil and took me with her, I would never get treats. Charlie thought of me as nothing, a useless tool. Phil…. I shivered. He thought of me as something completely different. I pulled myself out of my memories and looked at Esme.

Her golden orbs glistened with unshed tears. Jasper wasn't even controlling my emotions now and I felt trust. I really am stupid. A true danger to myself.

-Charlie-

I growled as I gazed into Isabella's room. She was gone. How did she even manage to escape? That bitch must have told someone…. The window was unlocked so she was taken, somebody came and got her. I cleaned up her room, making it look like she had been kidnapped, leaving no trace of what I did to her. I pulled out my mobile, dialled the police station.
"Forks police station, how can I help you?" John's voice answered.

"John, Isabella's missing" I said, adding worry into my frantic voice. Now wasn't the time to feel rage, now was the time to play the worried sick father. It made me sick… who would be worried about that bitch, she was nothing.
"Don't worry Charlie, we will find her. You need to come back down to the station and we will file a report, bring a picture of her so I can fax it out to the other stations." I put a sob in my voice.
"I'm so worried"

When I get a hold of her, I will put her in her place. She is going to be taught a very valuable lesson.

Please review I like hearing my audiences voices. Just push that little button and leave a comment