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Judge Dwyer called for a twenty minute recess, and as soon as he banged his gavel, she was on her feet, past everyone, and outside of the courtroom, needing to catch her breath. Tears burned her eyes and her fingers curled into tight fists as she nearly sprinted down the hallway and into the restroom marked for women. She stumbled against the wall, sliding down to the floor with her knees pulled against her, biting back the urge to scream. Her heart was racing, beating against her chest, and she was struggling to breathe.
The door to the restroom opened and she looked over, finding Marcus standing there. His eyes softened and he knelt down, looking under the stalls.
"Anyone in here, honey?"
She shook her head.
He stepped into the room, letting the door close behind him. He walked over, slowly and leaned against the wall, sliding down with a groan and settling next to her. His knees were bent in front of him, his arms resting on top.
"Tell me what you're feeling," he said.
She shook her head.
"Don't shake your head," he urged. "Tell me what you're feeling."
"I . . . I . . ." She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm mad. I'm so mad."
"Why are you mad?"
Her lips trembled. "Because I didn't deserve to be taken away from my family, to have my parents killed, to be raped and told I was a nothing, a nobody every day. He told me I deserved it. He said I was a bad girl, who deserved everything he did to me, but I didn't. I didn't deserve anything he did to me."
Marcus smiled. "No, you didn't."
"He stole everything from me, everything. My dreams, my family, my Hope. How could he do that to me? Why would he do that to me?"
Marcus inhaled a sharp breath as he reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. "I don't know, Bella. We probably won't ever know why Sam Uley did the things he did. Something is wrong inside him. Maybe psychological, maybe something deeper, but we won't know, and if I am honest, I don't want to know."
"Why not?"
He frowned. "Because I will never understand how anyone could hurt you, honey."
She smiled.
"I'm very proud of you, Bella. On the stand, you took your identity back from him. You stood up and declared to the entire court that your name is Bella Swan and you are someone."
"I just don't want to be a nobody anymore, Marcus," she whimpered, shifting her eyes to him. "I want my life back. I want . . . I want to be someone Hope would be proud to call her mother."
"You already are, honey." Marcus gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Are you ready to go back out there? You know, I had to stop each of them from coming in here."
She took a deep breath before she nodded. Marcus stood up, groaning under his breath about being an old man, and offered her his hand, which she took. He pulled her to her feet, released her hand, and the two of them walked out of the restroom. She bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing, but the sight in front of her was funny. There were a line of angry looking woman glaring at Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, Garrett, Ben, and Edward, all of whom had created a circle around the entrance to the restroom, giving her a moment to gather herself. Her wall of protectors, each making sure she was okay. Her family, her amazing family.
She cleared her throat, causing all six of them to look back at her. "You can let them in now. I'm okay."
"You're better than okay," Edward said, smiling as they moved. He placed his hands on either side of her face, pressing his forehead against hers and whispered, "I love you, Bella Swan."
Tears once again filled her eyes as she replied, "I love you, too, Edward Cullen. So much."
"Um, it's time to go back inside," Kate said, drawing everyone's attention to her. "You don't have to stay, Bella. You've done your part, so if you want to leave, nobody would think less of you."
She shifted her eyes to Marcus before saying, "I have to see this through to the end. He doesn't get to control me anymore."
Kate smiled. "Then let's go."
—SfH—
Carlisle walked behind his little brother and Bella as they walked into the courtroom, hand in hand. Her strength, her courage was inspiring. When he had almost hit her with his car just a few months ago, she had been almost feral, mute, damaged, and he often wondered what their lives would have been like if he hadn't asked Jasper to find her. Quiet, maybe peaceful, or probably not, but more stagnant than it was now. He's still be working for the hospital, never seeing Esme or Beth. He probably would have only seen Emmett and Jasper three, maybe four times. Texts and phones calls, but no real deep interactions. Edward would be miserable and moody, and Bella? Well, Bella would still be living in Hell with Sam Uley.
Carlisle didn't regret a single decision he made that night. His relationship with his brothers was stronger than ever. They'd come together to save that sweet little girl, to save Edward, to give them the future they both deserved. He wasn't working eighty hour weeks, missing Beth growing into the happy baby she was. He and Esme would have made it work, would have been okay, he knew, but she had become a single mother because Carlisle felt obligated to work his life away, and now . . . now, he got to love on Beth all the time. Well, when Bella let him of course, he thought with a laugh.
In that moment, he could almost feel his mother wrapping her tiny little arm around him and telling him that he had done good. That she had needed him to be in that place at that time. It was fate that led him to being the one who found the long, lost Bella Swan.
"Do you think she's really okay?" Esme whispered, slipping her hand in with his.
Carlisle smiled. "No, but she's trying really hard. We're all trying really hard, though, aren't we?"
Esme laughed softly. "We are."
Carlisle brought her hand up to his lips as they followed Kate, Marcus, Jasper, Edward, and Bella into the courtroom. Sam Uley turned in his seat, his eyes landing on her. Unlike the day before, where she would have coward away, would have tried to hide, she stood tall, and refused to look at him. Bella found herself today, and now, she refused let a piece of shit like Sam Uley to take it away from her.
Carlisle and Esme settled into the row of seats behind Edward and Bella. Rosalie sat on one side of Edward while Marcus took the chair next to her. They had all wanted to follow Bella into the restroom, to make sure she was okay, but Marcus insisted he would take care of her. He cared about her, just like the rest of them did. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, causing her to smile and nod. It hadn't been but a few weeks ago that him even sitting next to her would have her panicking. Bella was proving to be the strongest woman he'd ever known.
Judge Dwyer walked back into the courtroom, taking his seat behind his bench, and called the court to order. "Ms. Denali, call your next witness."
Kate stood up, cleared her throat, and said, "The State calls James Swan to the stand."
Everyone turned and looked at James as he stood from his seat on the other side of Emmett, pausing in front of Bella and placing his hand on the side of her face, before he walked to the middle, through the swinging gates, and to the witness stand, where he took a seat.
The bailiff walked over to him. "Raise your right hand."
James raised his hand.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and only the truth?"
James looked right at Bella and said, "I do."
The bailiff walked back over to his place in the courtroom, and Kate stood up. "State your name for the record, please."
"James Nathaniel Swan."
"Mr. Swan, what is your relationship with Bella Swan?"
James smiled, shifting his eyes to her with nothing but love and adoration. "She's my niece. Her father Charlie is . . . was my brother."
"Did you spend a lot of time with your brother, his wife, and their daughters?"
"I was at their house two, three times a week."
Kate nodded. "Did you have any interaction with the defendant while at your brother's house?"
"I did."
"Tell us about your experiences."
James inhaled a deep breath. "The first time that comes to mind was the Easter before Bella went missing," he said, frowning. "The girls had just hunted their eggs and Charlie and I were setting up some Cornhole boards when we saw Sam walking toward the house. Charlie greeted him and asked about his family, his uncle and cousin. After Sam reassure him that everyone was okay, he went over to where the girls were and started talking with them. I didn't think much of it. Charlie had told me about Sam's Uncle Billy, how they were friends. We were in the middle of our first match when the sound of Bella squealing caught my attention. I looked behind me to find Sam chasing her around the trees that lined the side of the house. He . . . he swooped her up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder, and his hand came very close to landing on her bottom. He saw me watching and immediately put her down, and I didn't think more of it until Charlie sent him home just before dinner. He said we were having a family meal. It didn't seem like Sam wanted to leave, but he did."
"Did you tell Charlie about what you saw?"
James shook his head and said, "No, not at that time. It was odd, but it didn't seem inappropriate at the time."
"When did you share your concerns with Charlie?"
James frowned. "It was just before the fourth of July. Charlie, Renee, and I had taken the girls down to Ruby Beach for a few days. We came back on the third, and I was going to spend the night at their house, attend the local craft fair at the courthouse on the forth, and then come back to Seattle the next day. When we got back to the house, though, we found Sam Uley sitting on the porch. He hurried to the car and was getting Bella out before Charlie had even shifted into park. Charlie nearly jumped out of the car and hurried around, putting himself between Sam and Bella. He told Sam that he needed to go home, that he'd told him not to come around anymore. Sam kept asking why, and Charlie refused to give him a reason, just said he wasn't welcome there anymore. After a few minutes, Sam left and we got the girls into the house. It was late, so they went straight to bed, and that's when I asked Charlie why he didn't want Sam around anymore."
"What reasons did he give you?"
"Objection, your honor," Eleazar said, standing up. "Hearsay."
"You're honor these were conversations made directly to Mr. Swan by his brother."
"It's a fine line, Ms. Denali, but I will allow it," Judge Dwyer said. "Objection is overruled."
Kate shifted her attention back to James. "What reasons did Charlie give you on why he wasn't allowing Sam Uley at his house anymore, Mr. Swan?"
"Charlie told me that he had noticed that Sam Uley was paying the girls, especially Bella, a little too much attention. He'd started coming to the house on a daily basis, first thing in the morning. Charlie told me he had found Sam sitting really close to Bella on the porch, or trying to lead her into the woods. Bella didn't like the woods. They scared her, and she was crying. Charlie told me Sam told her to stop acting like a baby, that nobody liked crybabies. He sent Sam home and told him not to come back. I was shocked, of course. Sam was a lot older than the girls, but then I thought back to Easter, the way he'd thrown her over his shoulder. I told Charlie about what I had seen, about how it seemed weird. He told me he had had a conversation with Sam's uncle about the behavior, but Billy brushed him off, said Sam was just misunderstood. A month later, Charlie and Renee were dead and Bella was kidnapped."
"Mr. Swan, after Charlie and Renee were murdered, and your niece went missing, did you tell anyone about your concerns about Sam Uley?" Kate asked.
"Yes, ma'am, I told Eric Yorke, Mike Newton, and Tyler Crowley, all three were police officers with the Forks Police Department."
"Can you tell us about the night your niece was found?"
James smiled, his eyes shifting to Bella. "I got the call from Rosalie, my oldest niece. She had come to live with me after her parents were murdered, and we've always close. It wasn't unusual for us to talk or text each other several times a day. But this time when I answered her call, she was crying and said she'd found Bella. I'll be the first to admit to being skeptical."
"Why?"
"Eight years is a long time," he whimpered, bringing his hand up to his mouth. "I didn't think I'd ever see her again, but Rosalie was sure, so I headed to the hospital. While everyone waited in the hallway, Jasper and I went into the examination room together, and there she was. I knew the minute I saw her."
"How did you know?"
James smiled. "She looks just like her mother."
Kate paused. "Mr. Swan, can please tell the court your impression of Bella's behavior when you saw her in the hospital for the first time in eight years?"
James sighed. "She was scared, frightened. Tense. She kept her arms wrapped around her knees, like she was protecting herself. She didn't know who I was. She didn't know who Rosalie was. She didn't even know who she was. She kept saying that she was a nobody, a nothing. Physically, she was pale, very thin. There was bruising on her neck, her cheek," he whimpered, gesturing to his face. "I'd never seen her so broken and scared as she was that night."
"In the eight years that your niece was missing, did you see Sam Uley again?"
James frowned again. "No, ma'am, not until the night he came to my home."
"Please tell the court what happened the evening the defendant came to your house."
James closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke. "I'd just arrived home from work when I felt someone come up behind me, pushing me against the door. I managed to look back long enough to see the defendant, Sam Uley, behind me. He forced me into my house, and pressed me against the wall behind the door, putting a knife up against my throat. He asked me where Bella was."
"What exactly did he say?" Kate asked.
"He said, 'Tell me where that my little bitch is. Tell me where Bella's at.' I refused, I wasn't going to let him anywhere near her again. Sam punched me in the stomach and threw me onto the floor. He kicked me in the face before he grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me upward, and again, he said, 'tell me where my little bitch is.' Again, I refused and he punched me in the face before throwing me back against the floor. I managed to get my feet between us and I kicked him off me. I scrambled toward my bedroom, but he was on me before I could get too far, and . . ." James blew out a heavy breath. "And I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. When I looked down, I saw a knife sticking out of me. He pulled it out and I managed to get away from him and into my bedroom. I grabbed the gun I kept in my nightstand and when I turned, I saw him advancing toward me again, and I shot him in the thigh."
"What happened after you shot the defendant?" Kate asked.
"He turned to leave, but I wasn't letting him get away. So I tackled him and forced him into my hall closet, where I locked him inside and I called Jasper Cullen, told him I had Sam Uley locked away. Police and paramedics showed up a few minutes later. Jasper arrived not long after, and I was taken to the hospital."
"You testified that the defendant stabbed you," Kate said. "Can you tell the court the extent of your injuries?"
"My eyes were blackened and swollen to the point that I could barely see. My lips were busted, my nose broken. I had deep bruising around my neck." James paused exhaling a sharp breath. "I had two cracked ribs and a stab wound to my abdomen that I've been told I'm lucky I survived. I spent almost two weeks in the hospital and needed several blood transfusions."
"Your honor, I would like to present these photographs of Mr. Swan's injuries as States evidence F though M." Kate handed the bailiff the photos, who in turn walked them over to Judge Dwyer. He flipped through them before nodding, and handing them back to the Bailiff, who then gave them to the jury. "Mr. Swan, are you absolutely sure Sam Uley is the man who forcibly assaulted you?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And are you absolutely sure that Sam Uley tried to get you to tell him where Bella Swan was after she was found and taken to the hospital?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Kate turned back to Judge Dwyer. "The State has no more questions for this witness, your honor."
"Seeing as it's getting late in the day, let's adjourn until tomorrow morning at nine a.m."
Judge Dwyer picked up the gavel and banged it before striding out of the room. James stayed in the witness box until the guards had Sam Uley back in handcuffs, but not before the son-of-a-bitch turned and looked back at Bella. Carlisle wanted to beat the life out of him, but like she had done before, Bella refused to look at him as the guards dragged him out of the courtroom. James immediately left the stand, and as he approached them, Bella surprised all of them and threw herself in James' arms.
"Thank you, Uncle James," she cried, leaning her head against his chest.
"For what, honey?"
"For fighting him again," she whimpered, leaning backward. "For fighting for me. I . . . I love you."
The smile that spread on James' face could only be described as enormous. "I love you, too, Bella, and I will fight for you every day. I promise."
"I just hope you don't have to," she murmured, stepping backward and wrapping her arms around herself.
"Us too," Carlisle said, reaching over and placing his hand on the side of her face. "Are you ready to go home?"
Bella nodded.
As they followed her out of the courtroom, down the hallway, and outside, ignoring the press that was barricaded by the police. Today they had had a good day in court, but Carlisle couldn't help but worry what tricks Sam Uley and Eleazar had up their sleeves. After all, today they had accused an eight year girl of two vicious murders. Who knew what those two were capable of if it meant keeping Sam Uley out of jail? And would the jury be dumb enough to buy any of it?
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