A/N: Sorry it's taken me forever to get this chapter out. RL kicking my rear and all. Those who know, thanks for ur support and understanding. Those who do not, I'm sure u know how hard life can get at times.

I will try to get more out soon.

Beta work by the wonderful MIST.

CH5: ONE HOUR

(Bella)

The long hallway expanded a ways down. The smell of bacon, pancakes and eggs made hmy stomach grumble in protest to my slow pace.

The passage opened to what looked to be a dream, state of the art kitchen and lavish living room a huge open floor plan. The grandeur of this place was downplayed by using rustic styled furnishings mixed in rather well with modern day essentials and...not so essentials.

The breakfast nook was to the right.

The table was set for two.

An assortment of breads, fruits and spreads, as well as two covered dishes per seat covered the table.

In addition, different drinks were bottled - in glass corked containers - sitting in ice contained by an antique roll away sink.

I had told him of similar visions of romantic getaways, and thought that my words had been ignored. Pushing thoughts aside that this could all be still a dream - or worse, an appologyapology - from my mind, I smiled at his thoughtfulness. The juices seemed fresh - the way I like them - remembering that he usually forgot that I liked fresher drinks and ordered me fancy alcoholic drink mixes or carbonated water with flavored syrups.

I smiled wider.

Not today, though.

A light thump called my attention to the suddenly familiar russet mass of sweltering sinew swinging an axe in plain view.

What-the...?

My heart picked up pace and my breathing faltered making me gasp for air at the sight. My hand blindly found the counter to help stabilize my unsteady legs as he reached for the shirt hanging

behind him on the water spigot and used it to dry the sweat dripping on his eyes.

He let go of the axe and quickly picked up the logs of wood sprawled on either side of the stump.

Then I watched as he lifted and lowered the water spigot handle releasing water into a bucket in which he dipped his cupped hands. I watched, enthralled. He drank some and the rest trickled down his chest.

I gasped again, jealous of the water drops that refreshed his overworked and heated skin.

He dried the drops from his cheeks and chin with his forearm and shirt, when suddenly his eyes found mine.

My mouth went dry.

Crap!

I diverted my eyes at getting caught from his blinding smile, like I had done many times.

I turned away once he made his way inside - holding the robe tighter around me as I thought quickly if it would really be considered rude if I were to run and hide in the room, realizing the precarious situation I was in.

I was confused. This is supposed to be a romantic getaway, right?

So, what is Mr. Black doing here? And what even more important...

Where in the world is my husband?!

"Good morning, Bella," his raspy voice said from behind me before the sink opened and I listened as he washed his hands vigorously.

"Yes it it, Mr. Black," I responded politely, once I regained my speech.

For the first time, I noticed he had forgone calling me by my married name, after countless times of me correcting him, telling him to just call me by my nickname.

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked walking into view, dipping a little as to look for my eyes.

I was blushing further, now that I noticed he had yet to cover up the expanse of his chest.

"Ahh...no! Not yet!" I said politely, smiling softly while pushing away from the counter, "but I will, as soon as I put on something de-"

I was cut short when he gripped my elbow securely and guiding me to a seat, "nonsense!" He said,

exuberantly waving his free hand, before pulling a chair and practically pushing me onto it, "You must be starving!"

I smiled awkwardly and stayed sitting.

It was a usual for me, when around others, I complied with what was asked of me. It was just easier.

Caused less disagreements.

"Should still be warm too," he said taking a seat across from me, "enjoy!"

I watched stunned as he ate the food I had assumed was for my husband.

Without looking up he swallowed his bite and said, light tone gone, "He's not here. Eat." His

authoritarian tone jolted me and his sharp words left no room for discussion.

Even though I wanted to ask questions, I complied.

He got up and approached my side swiftly, making me flinch away, but he just reached for my glass.

"Orange, apple, pineapple, cranberry or mandarin?" he asked politely, though with an angry bite to his voice, while turning to the 'cooler'.

"Um...mandarin. Thank you," I replied softly, not wanting to hear that angry tone he used on me

before.

He served me, then himself, and sat back in his place to finish his meal.

We ate in uncomfortable silence. At least for me.

Once I had enough in compliance with my diet, I stopped eating and waited. It took him a few

minutes to notice I was done - story of my life - then he sat back with an angry expression.

A bite of food sitting on his fork.

I was quivering in my seat, waiting for the thundering anger sure to blow off his lips.

Instead, with mercurial pace, he got up, walked around the table, and stood by my side making my

breath shorten in fear.

"Stand up," he commanded.

I did, holding tightly to my robe.

He sat in the chair I occupied before with his legs wide.

He patted his left thigh and commanded softly, "sit."

"Sit?! As in on your lap?!" I asked shocked at his request.

"YES. SIT DOWN, NOW!" He yelled even more angrily than before, making me scramble and react immediately.

Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!

I was trembling. Never before today have I been so scared in my life!

"Good," he praised me as he caressed my back with his hand. I flinched away a bit before I could stop, then became horrified when I realized he might get upset if I reacted negatively. He tapped my butt with the same hand. "DON'T flinch," he corrected me, then continued to caress my back.

With the other hand he gathered more fruit and another pancake which he covered with a little syrup and a scoop of whipped cream, then removed the hand from my back and proceeded to cut it into bite sized pieces.

Once done, the hand returned to caressing my back and the other grabbed the fork. With it he

stabbed a piece of pancake and a slice of strawberry, swirled the stack on the whipped cream and

syrup, then brought it to my lips.

Knowing that resistance was futile, I accepted the bite.

He watched me intently as I chewed and praised me once again, "Good girl."

I relaxed a bit knowing that I pleased him, buying me more time on his good side so I can plan an

escape.

As if he was reading my mind, he began to speak while he kept feeding me bites.

"There is no phone, Internet, or CB radio available outside of my safe. So you can't call anyone.

Everyone back at your place will think you left with me after discovering your husband was having an affair during your birthday and had enough. You left note explaining everything."

I gasped as my heart picked up pace and my breath intake became shaky.

"Your divorce will be completed without your presence, as per your request in your letter."

A whimper escaped me as he spoke, while my hand grip got tighter on the front of the robe. I felt as if the words out of his lips forced my chest to cave in, virtually asphyxiating me. I pulled hard panting breaths, but was unable to do so deeply enough, so my breath was shorteshort and rapid. Mentally, I begged him to stop speaking, but my silent pleas went ignored.

"I took the liberty of grabbing everything that belongs to you and putting it in storage. What I

couldn't was left behind. Don't worry though, I will provide everything and anything you will need or want."

He had paused, both speaking and feeding me, but brought my drink to my lips. I didn't see it, but

Mercifully, he allowed me to sip the cool liquid without speaking, but a few breaths after the cup had been taken away, he resumed, "In this place, the door will stay open and you are free to roam, but I should stress that we are in the center of hundreds of acres of land. It would take you days before you could reach civilization, if you even make it at all."

He fed me another bite, which I chewed without tasting the food. My senses, outside of barely

hearing his words, numbing.

The fork with another bite, on his grip before my mouth, patiently waiting for my lips to part. The

words seem to pour out of his lips without care, "chances are, that if you don't get attacked by a wild animal, you could dehydrate and the disorientation will make you walk in circles...making days turn into weeks."

I followed the bite and automatically and without thought my lips separated, allowing the tasteless

morsel in, "for a person of your size, this effect would begin at about day six."

His words were methological, anddand matter of fact. His explanations and consequences for any future attempts laid out for me to understand the futility of any attempt. All that, only to solidify what I already know with words, "You are better off staying here."

"Do what I ask and I won't harm you. Although, don't take me wrong, I do not tolerate . Punishments will fit the crime." His voice was not sweet, but it wasn't harsh either.

My stomach sank. He said I was allowed to roam, but with his explanation he chained me to the floor and the more he said the shorter the chain became.

I was kidnapped.

Trapped.

I swallowed the bite I was chewing but turned my head away at the next offered forkful. I tried

holding back the sobs that caused my body to shake but the tears overflowed me and tracked rivers

down from each eye.

He put the fork down as he sighed heavily.

"I will let you mourn your previous life."

He lifted me and sat me on the chair. "I will be back within the hour so we can go over the rules you are to abide by. Okay?" His question was not for approval, it was for understanding.

I nodded my answer, unable to reply.

"Leave the mess for now. It will be taken care of at a later time. Eat, drink. Everything here is for you too. When I return I want you to be waiting for me in the enclosed living room." He bent over and gave me a lingering kiss on the top of my head as he inhaled deeply.

He walked away, his steps eachoedechoed like pounding in my head, but suddenly stopped. If I had been paying attention, I woulswould have caught the way his body was darkly framed by the filtering light,placinglight, placing him in shadow, while I sat unmobilizedimmobilized. He sighed heavily from werewhere he stood, "remember. Don't worry about the dishes. Wait for me in the enclosed living room in one hour. Do not change.

See you soon."

Then he disappeared completely from view as the door opened and slammed shut.

I had nowhere to go to make me feel protected and safe, so I just sat there and let my emotions

wreck my body. Shaking almost violently, I cried.

His words reeled repeatedly inside my head, while I wallowed in my misery.

'...you can't call anyone...'

Who would I call if I could?

Mike had alienated all my friends. My parents died, and no other next of kin alive.

'...Everyone back at your place will think you left with me...'

Would everyone be so easily fooled?

'...your husband was having an affair during your birthday...'

The bastard. I believed him. All the years I gave him.

I wasn't imagining the pity in his eyes.

The knowing smiles of his colleagues. The secretary and her side smirk.

God! They all knew! All his coworkers! Mr. Black knew! Did everyone know but me?!

Damn it! I was so loyal!

'You left a note explaining everything.'

At least he will think I paid him with the same coin...but-

'It would take you days before you could reach civilization, if you even make it at all.'

'...attacked by a wild animal...'

'...you could dehydrate and the disorientation will make you walk in circles –

- making days turn into weeks.'

'You are better off staying here.'

Oh God! I can't leave! I can't leave!

'Do what I ask... I won't harm you.'

'Although, don't take me wrong, I do not tolerate disobedience.'

'Punishments will fit the crime.'

I'm stuck here!

No way out!

God what am I gonna do?!

'Remember. Enclosed living room in one hour. Don't change.'

Oh god! I'm wearing this...this...thing! Oh my God!

I glanced at the clock and saw that I had another fifteen minutes. Then again, I remembered...

'Remember. Enclosed living room in one hour.'

I got up on shaky legs, walked to the sink and grabbed a kitchen towel. I ran the cold water and

moistened a part of it, then pressed it to my face to dry some of the tears but it was hopeless.

There were still more falling.

I went to the bathroom and blew my nose, wet the towel once again under the cool running water

and made my way to the enclosed living room.

As I sat I heard the door open and slam shut, then his heavy steps approaching.

He stopped by the entrance.

I stayed still.

My eyes were lowered to the Persian rug covering the wooden floors, not acknowledging his presence.

"Good. You're here. I was afraid that I would have to punish you before we begun." He seemed

pleased...relieved.

I tensed when his fingers found my chin and he caressed my throat before he pulled my face to him, with little resistance from me, as he lowered himself to a crouch in front of me to look me in the eye.

"Good girl." He praised me again, his eyes staring intensely into mine.

He then released me, stood up, and sat on the couch other side of the room, clicking a lamp on his

way.

He stayed silent observing me a bit, my nerves were so wrecked that I was becoming numb.

Yet my tears still fell.