Authors Note:
Thank you for supporting this story. And thank you for the alerts, additions to different peoples lists of favorite stories and the reviews. You are all wonderful. :)
Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the characters from the book.
I apologize in advance for any mistakes and/or errors.
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*All thoughts are in Italics
One Month Later
Bella's POV
"Thank you for taking me so early Doctor Young. I really appreciate it .I hope I am not causing you any inconvenience." I say politely as I sit on the edge of the examination chair. I told Doctor Young at my last appointment that I would have to schedule my appointment for about eight in the morning, so that would require me to see another doctor. I really didn't want to miss any time at the bakery. She said that she would mind coming in early for the appointment, so she put me on her schedule.
"You are very welcome Mrs. Cullen. It is no trouble at all. I am happy to be here." she says as she gives me a warm smile. She sits on the chair with wheels that is placed in front of the machinery and looks at my file.
"Will Mr. Cullen be joining us this morning?" she asks as she studies my file.
"No. He won't be able to." I say, trying to make my voice sound somewhat sad. He had the early shift at the hospital this morning. He was especially pissed because I would be having my first ultrasound today. Honestly, I don't think I am as upset as I should be about Edward's absence. When it came to my pregnancy, he is so overbearing and worrisome. Without him here, I feel like I can breathe because I do not have to worry about him nagging me about what I eat or him telling me to take my vitamins or him doing everything for me because I should not be physically strained. I also do not have to worry about feeling guilty because of my constant thoughts of his sister. The usual flurry of emotions that I get when I think of Rosalie washes over me in a powerful wave. I take a deep breath to try to calm myself down, but it doesn't help me much.
I miss her so much. I wish she was here with me, holding my hand.
"Okay. Well it looks like your file is all in order." Doctor Young's voice brings me out of my thoughts.
"How is your nausea?" she asks me.
"It is alright I guess. I still vomit about once every day." I answer casually.
"Alright. And are you taking your vitamins?" she asks another question.
"Yes." I answer.
"Good. Are you stressed at all? From work or anything else?" she asks. My thoughts come to a halt as I contemplate lying.
I really don't want to tell her about all of this. How would she look at me? She would probably think I am a major slut. But I should tell her that I am stressed. All this unnecessary anxiety could negatively affect the baby. My little one needs to be my first priority no matter what shit I am going through. I am going to tell her. Just not everything.
"Well…I am a bit stressed." I say reluctantly. She looks at me concerned.
"Are you stressed about the baby?" she asks me, concerned.
"Not really. I am kinda stressed out about work. I am also having some family issues." I tell her, somewhat bending the truth. She hums and nods her head in understanding.
"It's not good for you to be stressed. As your pregnancy goes on you are definitely going to have to work less and do less strenuous activities. And family can be tough, but try not to worry about it. I bet whatever issues there is it will be resolved. Just try to keep you self relaxed and take some time for yourself. Do something that you enjoy doing and that is a low stress activity for you." she says kindly to me.
I am not sure if this issue will ever be resolved.
"Okay, I will try." I say back and give a small smile.
"Alright. Well let's see the baby, shall we?" she says smiling at me. I can't help but smile widely back at her.
"Could you lie back on the table for me please?" Doctor Young asks me politely as she moves to grab a tube of some kind of oil or cream. As I follow her orders I feel excitement well up inside of me as I will get to see my child for the first time. When she sees that I am finally comfortable, she lifts my shirt and squirts a gooey looking substance on my stomach. She then takes part of the machinery that looks somewhat like a thick wand, and rubs the substance in as she moves it back and forth across my stomach. I look at my stomach in fascination and smile to myself as I get used to the new sensation.
"Alright. There's the baby." she says to me and this causes me too look up at the screen. When I see it, my heart stops. In that moment, the fact that I am carrying a life inside of me finally hits home. It is just an amazing, frightening, joyous and overwhelming feeling. It feels as though I finally have purpose. My intense emotions overrun my body, and my first response to seeing the screen is to cry. I let out a happy sob as the tears start to flow freely from my face. Doctor Young smiles at me knowingly, and gently places her free hand on one of mine. I experience a deep sense of happiness that I have not felt in a long time.
"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." I whisper more to myself than Doctor Young, my voice drenched in emotion. My eyes never leave the screen. I am entranced by it. I then make a promise to myself and to my unborn baby.
I will never abandon you. I will always protect you. I will try to do what is best for you at all times. I love you so much.
Alice's POV
I spare another glance at Stella as I rotate my pen between my fingers. She looks back at me with a glare then quickly looks down and returns her work. I let out a small huff and roll my eyes.
Why is she acting this way? Is she still mad about what I said? If she is, she is being very childish and unreasonable. She should just accept the fact that I am right and she is wrong. I was hoping she would be over this by now. Jasper is going to be gone for the evening and I wanted to have a girl's night out. I guess I will just have to ask someone else. Who could I ask?
I continue to spin the pen around as I try to force myself not to think of the person I really wanted to spend time with.
All this time and I can't get her out of my head. What is so great about her anyway? She can be rude, obnoxious, overly sarcastic and just plain mean. But she is so free-spirited and speaks her mind. It seems like she is afraid of nothing.
I sigh and shake my head slightly.
Alice, what's wrong with you? You should be focusing on your work, and your plan and Jasper. You think about this woman in a more endearing way than you do your own husband. She also insulted you. You had a fight remember? Get your head together.
I squirm in my seat as my conscience berates me.
I love Jasper. I do. I am married to him. I belong to him. So if I spend some time with someone else, it wouldn't be a very big deal. Plus, I don't have to tell him that I am even going out tonight. I have been so stressed lately. Maybe smoking a few with her would ease my mind. She might even apologize to me.
Knowing my last statement would probably never happen; I push against my conscience and walk to the bathroom to give her a call. My heart beats nervously as I wait for her to answer.
"Hello?" she says in her usual, unwelcoming tone.
"Leah." I say, somewhat surprised. I thought she would avoid picking up her phone if I called.
"Alice?" she asks in response.
"Yeah. It's me." I say back quietly.
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed that." she says, sarcasm dripping from her voice. I roll my eyes at her response, but choose to ignore it to avoid starting any conflict.
"Are you busy tonight?" I ask as I cut to the chase.
"You actually want to hang out after our little spat?" she asks.
"Yes." I answer shyly. There is a silent pause for a couple of moments.
"Sure." she says.
"What? Did you just say yes?" I say, baffled and confused.
"No pixe, I didn't." she says sarcastically.
"Sorry sorry. I am just surprised is all. I didn't think you would answer my phone call." I tell her honestly.
"Well when it comes to people I like, which is not a lot of people, I don't think it is worth it to hold grudges. For some weird, odd, miraculous reason, despite your annoying-ness and overly positive attidude, I kinda like you, a little bit." she reluctantly confesses. I am not sure if I should feel flattered, or offended. Leave it to Leah to give someone a compliment and insult them in one sentence. I roll my eyes and shake my head.
"Well thanks." I say, a bit of sarcasm in my own voice. She gives a slight chuckle.
"Meet me at the warehouse around eight. AJ and the boys are doing an out-of- state delivery, so we should have the warehouse all to ourselves."
"Okay. That sounds good. Well, I will see you later then?" I ask tentatively, feeling as though she might change her mind.
"Yeah, later." she says a goodbye.
"Bye."I respond and then hang up. I can't help but smile and I feel giddiness bubbling up inside of me.
Why am I feeling this way. It is just Leah. But that's just it. It's Leah. I feel differently about her for some reason. But why? It's so strange. But it feels good. This is the first time I have felt this way about a friend, of a female for that matter. Does this mean I have feelings her her?
I freeze for a second and then shake my head furiously to rid my mind of the thought
Alice, don't be ridiculous! That's impossible! You are married and in love with Jasper. There is no way that could happen.
I nod my head in agreement with myself as I straighten up my attire. I glance back at my phone, and realize it is time for my lunch break. I head out the bathroom door, reprimanding myself in my mind, but still smiling.
Bella's POV
I smile to myself again as I work dough in-between my hands. It is evening now, so the bakery is a little less full. Some of the staff has gone home for the night, but me, Tia and a few others have stayed back until closing.
"You are just Mrs. Smiley today aren't you?" Tia asks me teasingly as she walks into the room that I am currently in. I laugh and shake my head at her remark.
"I know! I know! I just can't stop smiling." I say, while letting out a small giggle. She laughs with me and grabs some dough to help me knead.
"I got to see the baby today. I had my first ultrasound. It was amazing. I totally cried like a wuss." I confide in her as I laugh at my emotional outburst.
"I don't think that wussy, I think that's adorable!" Tia says smiling while nudging me with her elbow. I laugh and continue to knead.
"I don't know what it is, but whenever I think about the baby, I just feel so happy. It is like all my troubles and problems go away for a little while." I say quietly.
"Well I am glad that the baby makes you happy. I am also glad that you are smiling again. You were looking really gloomy lately and I was really starting to worry. Is everything else alright?" Tia asks me concerned. I sigh and my kneading slows down.
"Yeah, there is stuff going on." I say, not enclosing any information. The room is silent for a few moments.
"Well, what is it?" Tia pushes as she looks at me. I sigh again as I contemplate telling her.
I don't know if I should tell her. What's would she think of me after I tell her all that? But she has given me no reason not to trust her. I have confided in her before, and I have not heard any of my business being repeated around the bakery. It probably would help me to talk to someone outside of the situation. Just to get it off of my chest.
"After you hear this you are probably going to think I am a horrible person." I mutter to her. She snorts and laughs.
"Oh please! Bella, you are not horrible and you could never be. Sure you may have done something fucked up. But people do fucked up things all the time. Hell, I have probably done things more fucked up than what you are about to tell me." she says to me in an amusing tone. I smile slightly at her words.
"You promise not to tell anyone?"I ask her
"Yes yes Bella. I promise. Now spill." she tells me, smiling reassuringly. I tentatively tell her the story, leaving out some of the unimportant details.
"Well she must be really hot if she got you to cheat on your husband. What does she look like?" Tia asks, intrigued. I am a little shocked that she is so accepting, but decide not to comment on it. The guilt of her comment also tries to attack me, but I try my hardest to push it away.
"Well…she is tall, blonde. She has blue eyes and a small waist, but curvy figure. She has a striking face and she is very beautiful." I say smiling like a fool, unable to help the passion that I feel when I talk about her.
"Hmmm. She sounds a lot like a girl I met at the club a few weeks ago." she comments quietly. "What her name?" she asks.
"Rosalie." I tell her as knead the dough with a small smile on my face.
"Rosalie?" I hear Tia say, her voice sounds somewhat nervous. I look up at her, puzzled at her nervousness.
"Yeah." I say, still confused.
"Uhhh Bella, does she have any beauty marks?" Tia asks in that same nervous tone. My face scrunches up slightly at her strange question.
"Ummm yeah. She has a mole on the side of her neck." I say, still perplexed by her strange behavior.
"Oh god." she mutters go herself as she looks down. I look at her again, utterly confused.
"Tia, is everything alright?" I ask her concerned. She quickly puts down the dough and starts to take off her apron.
"Ummmm yeah! Everything is fine. I just… I remembered I have this thing…yeah! I have this thing and I can't stay. Can you cover for me? Thanks. Uhhh…I will make it up to you or something. Bye!" she says rapidly as she rushes out of the room before I get to form a response. I look at the door, shocked at her exit.
What was that all about?
Rosalie's POV
"Yeah okay. Thanks Ron." I say as I hang up the phone. My expression turns into a grimace.
This is starting to get on my nerves now. No one knows anything about an Eve?
I let out a growl of frustration as I get up from the living room couch and start to pace. I am feeling like I am on the edge of smashing someone's face in.
Why is my life so fucked up right now? Emmett is still acting like a little bitch and refuses to have sex with me until I admit to him that I am hurting. I am horny as fuck because I can't go out and have sex with anyone else any more. I feel to fucking guilty because I keep remembering what Emmett said and I feel like I am betraying Bel-
I shake my head to stop myself from going down that path of thought.
And now this? Whoever this is needs to stop playing games with me if they know what's good for them.
I start to pace a little bit faster as I push my brain to think.
Think Rosalie. You are smarter than this.
I nod in agreement and keep wracking my brain.
Maybe this is not a real person, but an alter ego or an alias.
My expression turns from pissed to determined as my brain starts to churn.
Think about this past month. Did you get any clues?
I keep pacing.
Clues? Did I get any clues? Nobody has been acting really weird or anything. Except Alice. I know that she is pissed at me right now, but I thought she would be over it. But lately she has been looking at me like I am some venereal disease. I tried to talk to her about it, but she was acting all bitchy saying she didn't have the time. Maybe I should try and talk to her again.
I grab my phone and quickly dial her number. I wait for her to pick up and no one answers. I get slightly annoyed and give her the benefit of the doubt. I conclude that maybe she did not hear her phone ring and dial again. When she does not answer this time, I roll my eyes.
Alice almost always answers her phone. Yeah she is fucking pissed at me, but I don't think Alice's anger can overrun her curiosity. If I call twice, she must know that something is up. She will probably think I have some juicy gossip to share with her, so she will answer. Maybe I should try calling from another number or something. I guess I can use my business phone. I don't think she knows that number.
I grab my purse and rummage through it for the cell phone that I use for my clients. I dial her number using that phone. All I hear is the ringing and then her voice mail. I can't help but get a little concerned.
No answer.
"What the fuck Alice." I mutter.
Alice's POV
Where is she?
I have sitting in the car outside of the warehouse for about fifteen minutes past the time the both of us were supposed to meet. Leah still isn't here and it is making me slightly apprehensive. Out of all the times we have spent time together, Leah has never been late. I dial her number for the third time and there is still no answer.
Maybe I should just go home.
I tap my fingers against the steering wheel.
I really don't want to. I said I was going to have some fun tonight. And I really do want to see her.
I look around for any car headlights but I still fail to find any.
Maybe I will wait for just a few more minutes.
I lean back against my seat and sigh as a start to wait.
I wonder what Rosalie wanted earlier. She called twice. It must have been something good. But I can't just keep answering her phone calls. Rose can be so manipulative. She has a way of hypnotizing people into doing what she wants. She will probably work her voodoo magic on me and get me to tell her what is going on. I just can't afford for that to happen. It will absolutely spoil everything. Plus, I didn't want to answer the phone anyways. I am not in the mood to really talk, which is rare for me. I think it is because I am too focused on Leah, but I can't help it.
I lie back against the car seat in silence and look around for any light or movement. I still don't see anything. After about ten more minutes of waiting, I decide to go home.
I really thought she was coming. I didn't think she would stand me up.
I put the key in the ignition and something catches my eye. I see a light turn on in the warehouse.
Hmmmm that's odd. I didn't see her car pull up. Maybe she parked down the street or something.
I take the keys out and slide them into my pocket. I get out of the car and walk to the door of the warehouse. I pull on the door and expect it to be locked, but to my surprise, it is wide open. I walk slowly into the warehouse.
"Leah?" I call out
"Who's there?" I hear a gruff male voice slur out. I turn to my left and see the source of the voice. I see James sitting on a crate, with a bottle of some kind of alcohol in one hand and a joint in the other. His appearance looks disheveled, his clothes hanging loosely off him. His long blonde hair is made up into a messy ponytail and his eyes are tainted a dull red. When he sees me, his eyes become filled with wanton and hunger. He smiles and licks his lips.
"Pixe. It's so nice to see ya again." he breathes out while his eyes shift over my frame. That was the same look he gave me the night we first met. But this time, AJ is not here to say and ensure that he is harmless. My stomach churns and my heart beat rapidly in fear.
"What are you doing here? Where's Leah?" I blurt out.
Leah said that some of the guys went on an out-of-state delivery. I was sure James would be with them.
"Just hangin' out. And I didn't know Lee-Lee was supposed to be here." he replies as he stands up and puts his intoxicants down.
"I am glad ya came. I was startin to feel kinda lonely." he grunts out while his eyes trail over my frame. Instinctively, I take a step back and look around the room for the nearest exit.
"I should be going." I say in high, nervous voice as I start to walk backwards slowly.
"Leaving so soon? But you just got here." he says teasingly and he starts to walk towards me at a faster pace. My fear overtakes me and I start to run towards the exit.
"Oh no ya don't." I hear him mutter as he runs after me. My three inch heels slow down my usually speedy pace but I run as fast as I can. It feels like everything is going in slow motion. This is all too familiar to me. The same feeling of chilling fear comes over me.
Keep running Alice.
My chest is heaving as I gasp for breath.
Keep running Alice.
I am sobbing uncontrollably, desperately trying to escape my victimizer.
Keep running Alice.
I am almost there. The car handle is just with my reach.
Keep going. You are almost there.
The tip of my fingers brushes the very top of it.
Almost. Grab it!
Then suddenly, a large arm grabs my waist and yanks me away from the car.
"NO! LET ME GO!" I scream out. His grip is firm and physically powerful as he snatches me closer to his body.
"PLEASE! SOMEONE! SOMEONE HELP ME!" I scream at the top of my lungs as he drags me back to the warehouse. I struggle with all my might against his vice grip, but he is stronger. Once he has me in the warehouse, he pushes me against the wall. I scream as my head bangs against it with force. He then puts both of his hands on my arms, effectively trapping me.
"Why don't ya want ta keep me company pixe? Don't ya like me?" he mocks me with intent and his stale breath hits my face. I look at him with hatred and keep struggling.
"I would stop doing that if I were you." he warns me, his voice low. I don't listen and I keep fighting his hold. He moves his arms so that one of his arms his holding my whole waist to the wall and the other arm is reaching in his back pocket for something. I see him draw out a black hand gun and point it towards me. I freeze. My eyes fill with terror and my breathing becomes frantic.
"If ya wanna live, ya gotta do what I tell ya. Got it pixe?" he tells me, a sinister smirk covers his face. I close my eyes, hot tears run down my face, and I nod in surrender and compliance.
I have to get out of here alive. Even if I have to beg, I have to get out alive.
"Turn around. Let me see that sweet ass of yours." he commands me while looking at me like I am something delicious to devour. I follow the order and turn around so that the front of my body is pressed against the wall.
"Take off ya shirt and ya jacket." he gives me another order. I shake my head, refusing, not wanting another man to see or violate my body.
"I said take it off." he voice becomes low and dangerous. He pushes the gun against the back of my head. I let out a sob and shrug off my jacket. I let it fall to the ground. I continue to weep as I slowly take off my shirt. My crying never ceases. I look at the wall, praying that he will just look and not touch. But I have a feeling that he won't. I gasp as my phone starts to ring and vibrate in the front pocket of my jeans. In my fear, I reach for it quickly, but the gun pressed against my head stops my movement.
"Don't even think about fucking answering it. Give it ta me!" he instructs me harshly. I obey his order and slowly hold out my hand with the phone in it. He snatches it away from me. The phone begins to ring again and I hear something crash. I jump, frightened. In anger, James must have thrown my phone against the wall. My usual social life line was no concern to me now, as my own life was in danger.
"Damn phone." he mutters. I hear his heavy footsteps start to fall and I feel his presence behind me. He presses his self against me and rubs his growing erection against my bottom. He places the gun against his stomach and onto my back. I hang my head down in disgust and try to fight the urge to vomit.
"Man, whoever gets to fuck you every night is one lucky dude. I bet you are one good lay." he whispers gruffly into my left ear. I turn my face away from him and try to hold in the broken sobs that are threatening to come out.
"Do you know what I am gonna do to you?" he asks me rhetorically. I try to will myself into not listening, but I can't help but hear his sick words.
"I am gonna make ya feel so good. I am gonna fu-"
His words are cut short by the busting down of the door. All the motion and sound in the room comes to a hault. I hold my breath.