Carlisle's POV:
By now they've caught James. He was in Singapore but Nicola was not with him. Nicola is fine and safe she's staying with her grandmother in Russia until the trial. Esme and I plan to visit with the kids soon before the trial.
Nicola has been interviewed and today Esme and I are going to watch the video at court. The court stuff has been so crazy Esme and I can't keep our promise to each other to stick with work and the boys. The press has been crazy and we don't want the boys around that so in order for Edward to continue going to school he's been staying at Kate and Garret's for the past two days. Esme and I visit every night. To make it easier for Kate and Garrett, Jasper is staying at Elezear and Aro's. I haven't been back to the hospital in a week and the last thing on Esme's mind right now is Fly.
"I'm so nervous" Esme said as she squeezed my hand when they rolled a television into the small room we're sitting in
"It'll be okay. She's not going to lie" I said
"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen though we know you're eager to see your daughter's face we encourage you to pay close attention to the captions on the screen because they are not speaking in English" our lawyer Charlotte said
We nodded before the video was played. On the screen appeared Nicola sitting at a red table in a navy blue casual dress, her hair up in a tight bun with a blue ribbon and surrounding her are a whole bunch of toys. She's holding a stuffed elephant in her hands one I recognize from Victoria's pictures on instagram.
"Do you like dolls Nicola?" A woman with a kind voice asked her in Russian. I can't see the woman only Nicola and the toys
"Yes" Nicola said
"Do Mommy and Daddy buy you a lot of dolls?" she asked
"Yes" Nicola said
"Can you help me dress this one?" she asked as she handed Nicola a doll and a dress
"Do you know where Mommy is?" she asked
"She's alone somewhere like Daddy. They did something wrong" Nicola said as she finished dressing the doll
"Do you know what they did?" she asked
"Not Mommy. But Daddy he hit" Nicola said
"Daddy hit you?" she asked
Nicola nodded " And Mommy. He hit when I was naughty. I was crying and I wouldn't give him my paci"
"What would he hit you with?" she asked "His hand?"
"And the belt" Nicola said
I put my hand on Esme's knee when I noticed her wiping tears from her eyes
"How would he do it? Can you show me with the doll?"
Nicola lifted the dolls dress and took of its underwear before banging on its rear and back with her hands very hard. "Bad!" Nicola yelled before pushing the doll away
"I want Babushka" Nicola said before she started to cry
"Oh honey its alright come on lets go see her you're finished. You're such a brave girl" the lady said. I heard a chair being pull back and I saw the back of the lady walking to Nicola as she lifted Nicola onto her hip and took her out the room
"So where do we go from here?" I asked "We really want to see her"
"I actually think its best if you wait the next two weeks out for Nicola to return to the states and see her before the trial. In the case of James he'll be in jail for a long time with no parole. Victoria will get parole. Nicola might not be moved to your house so quickly. We think it would be best if we move the grandmother Alina here and let her look after Nicola for a little while" Charlotte said
"Before she comes back to her family?" Esme asked
"To Nicola Victoria and James are her family. The decision is yours though. If you want her to go straight home to you she may but I don't recommend it"
"The grandmother can always visit" I said
Alina's POV:
"Are you finished?" I asked my grand daughter in Russian as I lifted her into my arms and grabbed her pacifier and elephant from the counter as she sniffed into my shoulder. She just finished her tantrum over Victoria not being here to take care of her. Its really hard on her.
"Shhhh now can grandma change your pull-up?" I asked as I brought her to the couch and laid her down. "Its bedtime now my darling" I said as I pulled her pink leggings down and white shirt off before untapping her pull-up and wiping her down before slipping a new pull-up onto her. She's been wetting herself more often lately. I slipped a white night gown over her head before placing her pacifier in her mouth and handing her the elephant.
I carried Nicola to my room and laid her down in my bed after I quickly brushed her teeth. "Sweet dreams my darling" I said before kissing her cheek
"Grandma?" Nicola asked me before I left
"Yes darling?" I said
"Will I ever go back to Mama?" she asked
"I'm not sure dear but you have a long way to go" I said
Esme's POV:
Carlisle and I are taking the boys back home today and we're celebrating by ordering some pizza and ice cream at the house.
"When is Nicola coming?" Jasper asked
"In a few weeks buddy" Carlisle said as he opened the pizza box "She'll be home during our spring break"
"So we aren't going to the beach house?" Jasper asked
"Not for the whole three weeks but for two weeks yes, we will go to the beach house. All of us" I said
"I want to get her a present" Edward said "To put in her new room"
"Me too" Jasper said
"You don't have any money" Edward said
"Mommy and Daddy do" Jasper said
Carlisle chuckled "Well that's such a good idea. We'll do that sometime after school"
THE TRIAL
Victoria's POV:
James has already been sentenced fifteen years in prison with parole after five.
I couldn't look at Esme and Carlisle as I sat with my lawyer at a table next to theirs. I pleaded not guilty and now the jury is making a decision
"Mommy!" Nicola said as she ran to me crying. My mother is following closely behind her
"Nicola I said be still" my mother scolded her in Russian as I put her on my lap and held her close. "Its okay. Don't cry. Even when Mama isn't around I need you to be a good girl" I said
"Excuse me is that allowed?" I heard Esme ask a security guard
"Miss Hunter please give the child back" the security guard said
I pried Nicola's little hands from my blouse before giving her to my mom. Nicola cried harder for me and my mom held her close and put her pacifier in her mouth.
Everyone stood when the judge entered again to deliver my fate.
"In the case of Victoria Lake for the abduction of Nicola Hunter the jury finds you guilty. You will face ten years in prison and you'll be granted parole two years after your sentence" the judge said before banging his mallet. I began to cry. I really thought I had a chance.
"Mommy!" Nicola cried "Mommy!"
"Nicola!" I cried after her as the police men took me away. I never took my eyes off her as I was dragged out the court.
Esme's POV:
We get to take Nicola home today but we know that's going to very hard after she just watched James and Victoria go to jail. Carlisle and I saw Nicola sitting on a bench in the courtroom next to her grandmother with her little backpack. Her clothes and everything are coming to the house soon.
"Nicola" I said as I crouched down in front of her with Carlisle "Are you ready to come with Mommy and Daddy?"
"You're not Mommy" Nicola sniffed "And you're not Daddy"
"Yes we are. Your Mama took us away from you when you were a little baby that's why she had to go away. We're going to take you home to your brothers now" I said as I picked her up. Nicola struggled against my hold on her.
"Nooooo! Babushka no!" Nicola cried as her grandmother spoke to her in Russian
I held Nicola tightly as I took her to the car, ignoring her hitting me and nipping me on my shoulder. Carlisle held Nicola's chest down as I strapped her into her carseat. I tried to give her the pacifier but she spit it out and continued to cry.
When we got home she still hadn't calmed down. My mother Carol is inside with the boys. I carried Nicola into the house and put her down on the floor where she continued to scream and cry. She wouldn't let me take her coat off but I took it off her anyway and let her stay in her little light silk blue dress.
"Why is she crying?" Jasper asked as he came downstairs with my mother
"She's confused" I said "Make her feel better"
"Can she come to the lounge?" Edward asked
"She doesn't like it when I hold her-" I'm cut off when Nicola started talking as Carlisle lifts her up into his arms and rocks her. "You're n-not D-daddy! You're not D-daddy!" she sniffed
"Shhh. You're okay honey" he said as he rubbed her back.
We all went upstairs "Here say hi to your brothers. Edward and you've met Jasper" Carlisle said as he put her on the couch
"M-mommy" Nicola sniffed
"Mommy's right here" I said as I ran my fingers through her hair
"No! You're not Mommy and Daddy!" she screamed before crying again and smacking my hand away
I went to the kitchen and heated up some milk on the stove. "She'll love Carlisle more" I told my mother "Because James wasn't a good father but Victoria was a good mother. And Nicola feels that I replaced her when really she replaced me" I said
"She'll love you. You're an amazing mother and she has two loving brothers to make her comfortable when she doesn't want to be around you and Carlisle" Mom said "When will you guys start calling her Rosalie?"
"I don't know I think we'll make that her decision. If she doesn't want me to call her Rosalie I won't but we already changed her name to Rosalie Lillian Nicola Cullen. I might ease her it into her though" I said as I poured the warm milk into two sippy cups and one cup with a straw
"I'm going to give these to the kids" I said as I went back to the lounge where Carlisle was attempting to read the kids a story but Nicola is still upset
"Jasper give this to your sister" I said as I handed him his and Nicola's cup before handing Edward his.
"Here Rosalie" he said as he handed her a cup
Nicola stopped crying and took it before slowly drinking and curling into a ball on the couch.
Edward wiped her tears with his hand. "Her eyes are cool" he said
"Yeah they're violet" Carlisle said "Come on its time for a late nap" he said as he held his arms out to Nicola
Tears started to fall down Carlisle's cheeks when Nicola leaned into his arms and he lifted her up into his arms and held her close.
"Don't cry Daddy" Jasper said
Carlisle reached down and grabbed Jasper with his free hand before bringing them upstairs.
Carlisle's POV:
I went Nicola's room first to see how she's sleeping. She's wide awake laying in bed. "Hi baby girl. You look like you slept well" I said as I sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her covers off.
"Lets get you in your pajamas" I said before checking to she if she wet her pull-up and I wasn't surprised when I saw that she did.
"Mama" Nicola whined from behind her pacifier as I lifted her legs and pulled her dress up
"Shhhh you're okay honey lets change you" I said as I opened a box of wipes before untapping her pull-up straps.
"Daddy's gonna buy you some movies later who's your favorite princess?" I asked as I wiped Nicola down
"Rapunzel and Anna and Queen Elsa" Nicola said as I tapped on of Jasper's superhero diapers onto her.
"Okay Daddy will buy them for you" I said as I took her dress off before putting Edward's Monsters Inc. pajama shirt on her. She's so short and tiny it comes down below her knees
"Can I have that?" I asked as I pulled at her pacifier. She let me take it.
"Thank you good girl" I said as I picked her up and took her to Edward's room which was empty. We then went to Jasper's room where the boys were playing with their trucks.
"Hey guys can your sister play too?"
"Yeah" Edward said "Come on Nicola you can race too"
I let the kids play before going to the kitchen to see how Esme is doing. "Honey why are you cooking so much?" I said as I looked around our kitchen. She's cooking all her best dishes. "I don't know what Nicola likes and I want her to love me. She should be seeing me as Mama" Esme said
"Hey" I said as I took her face into my hands. "She'll love you. You just have to earn her trust" I said before kissing her lips "She already loves me"
"Oh really?" Esme asked
"Yes" I said as the kids came downstairs. Edward nicely helping Nicola down the steps. As the boys sat in their sits Nicola looked around the kitchen before hugging my leg and looking up at me.
"My Daddy" she said
"Yeah I'm your Daddy " I said as I picked her up and kissed her cheek "Here sit next to your brother" I said as I put her in a booster seat next to Jasper
Esme laid her beef stew with rice, chicken jumbo, margarita pizza, and peach cobbler on the table.
"Eat whatever you want sweetie" Esme said before pouring some juice for everyone
After dinner we all got settled in our bedroom and we watched Toy Story 3. "Rosalie who am I?" Jasper said as he sat in front of Nicola
Nicola ignored that. "She won't talk to you if you call her that" Edward said "See. Nicola who's that?" Edward asked as he pointed to Jasper
"Jasper" she said
"Good and who am I?" Edward asked
"Edward" she said
"Nicola who's this?" I asked as I pointed to Esme
"Esme" she said
"No baby I'm Mommy" Esme said
"No you're not Mommy" Nicola said before turning her attention to her brothers
Esme's POV:
After how stressful yesterday was I decided to wake up at six and take a run. As I got ready in the kitchen I heard someone coming down the steps and saw Nicola.
"Hi sweetie" I said
"Where you going?" she asked
"Mommy's just going on a little run I'll be back" I said "You want to come with me?"
"Yeah" Nicola said
"Really you wanna workout with Mommy?"
I smiled and kissed her cheek when she nodded before bringing her upstairs and into her room. I changed her into black leggings like mine with Jasper's old into roshes and his old adidas jacket.
"Lets get you a snack before we go. You want a banana?" I asked her. Nicola nodded as I took her to the kitchen.
After we ate I put Nicola into a jogging stroller and packed a few snacks for us.
I ran for an hour and then took Nicola home. She fell asleep during the jog back. I carried Nicola upstairs to the kitchen where Carlisle and the boys are having some waffles.
"Hey those are my shoes and my jacket" Jasper whined
"Your sister doesn't have any clothes right now and you can't fit these anymore baby" I said as I rubbed Nicola's back
"Where did you go?" Edward asked
"To run" I said "Mommy will take you tomorrow if you'd like. Nicola just woke up early"
I took Nicola up to her room and laid her down after taking her shoes off. I kissed her hair. "Mommy loves you baby girl. You'll never lose me again"