*Disclaimer I own nothing recognizable, all those rights go to Stephenie Meyer. As all Song Rights go to the listed artist. I only own any original characters.

A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed, followed, and added this story to their favorites list. I cannot say enough of how much all of your support means to me. This chapter takes us back to L.A. There are multiple things happening at the same time so each scene is separated by a line.

Mordred's Lullaby

Hush, child, darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry it out into sleep, child.

Darkness will rise from the deep,

And carry it out into sleep.

Song-

Mordred's Lullaby

By: Heather Dale

Bella's eyes snapped open quickly and she felt it again, cool soft hands stroking her fevered skin and sweaty blood caked hair. Angelic words seemed to be cooed in her ear over and over, 'You're not alone; I'm here; I'm here. Stay strong, sweet girl, it's not your time.' But each time she managed to open her eyes, she found herself alone and only the sensation remaining. As good as those words and the cool hands felt, Bella preferred waking up to this, the darkness.

Most would feel as if the walls were closing in on them and the darkness would seem to be smothering them, but the opposite was happening for Bella. It was becoming her friend, her place where finally nothing reached out and hurt her. Slowly she turned her head, only to be filled with a sharp pain that flowed through her body. Her eyes landed on the water and food only a short distance away. Her mouth was completely dry; the wetness of the blood flow had ceased and left a dry, ashy, copper taste to lie dormant in her mouth. Concentrating hard on her good arm, it flopped to the floor with a thud. She curled her fingers into the small wooden grooves and tugged, attempting to pull herself forward but her body jerked only about an inch before her grip was lost, leaving her limp and her body screaming in protest. There was no way to reach what she so desperately needed. She couldn't move again if she tried. As she laid there focusing on the bucket, she couldn't help but wonder how long she had been lying here. It was not like she'd be able to know even with a watch; the numbers were meaningless to those who were unable to make sense of it. No, the only way she would have known was by the rise and fall of the sun. But here in the darkest part of a closet falling in and out of consciousness, that was impossible; but it was to her the safest place to be. She didn't know why it felt safe; it's not like it kept her father away. Maybe in some sick way she picked it as her final resting place. Her tomb, perhaps.

Her breathing was becoming shallower and more forced as she panted for air through her opened mouth, as she stared at the bucket. A new tiredness was filling her body, everything hurt so much and the pain was just more overwhelming by the minute. Her heart beats were becoming few and far between. She was so tired; her eyes felt like lead weights and she could hear the voice again begging her to stay awake. Bella had no interest to listen anymore, she wanted to let go to the darkness that was calling to her.

"What a shit hole," the officer muttered as his eyes raked over the building.

"Do you expect anything less from a crack addict, Murphy."

"Richards, I expect nothing from anyone in this part of town," he grumbled.

With a sigh Richards opened her car door. "You know not everyone that lives in these parts is like the scum that owns this house," she paused giving her gruff older looking partner a harsh stare. "Besides, your opinions of this area mean jack right now; the only thing that matters is getting into that house and finding the missing girl," she hissed as she removed herself from the car slamming the door in her wake.

Murphy was a good guy, one of the few men on the force that wasn't a sexist ass but he had tunnel vision when it came to places like this. This being the part of town where trouble was an hourly occurrence; here he was unable to see that there was some good. How was he to know that she lived in this exact same neighborhood growing up. Not due to a drug addicted mother or father, it was due to the lack of money when her father up and left, leaving a woman struggling with three kids and barely any money to support them. Of course that meant taking refuge here in the outskirts, the so called underbelly of the bright city, where rent was cheap which took a bit of a burden off a struggling mother.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she raised her hand and knocked on the door over and over until pain started to fill her knuckles.

"There isn't anyone here. We should-".

"NO!" she seethed. "Most likely she was told not to answer the door; we can't leave without checking the house," she hissed as she grabbed the knob and began to twist.

"Are you fucking nuts?" he growled as his hand clamped down onto her shoulder. "We cannot go in there without a warrant."

Richards turned and sneered before she pushed opened the unlocked door. "Like I give a shit," she barked back. "Stay here if you're so worried about protocol. Me, I'm more worried about a little seven year old girl," with that she shook his hand from her and let herself into the putrid smelling home.

"Damn it, Richards!" he groaned as he stepped in after her. He was unable to argue as the greater part of him called to him over protocol when it came in the innocence of a little girl. He charged through the door and was stopped dead in his tracks as he rammed into the back of his partner. This caused him to curse and for the first time take in a breath of the stale air, which caused his stomach to tighten and lurch at the smell of decay that mixed with alcohol and God knows what else. "This place is-," was all he got out as he finally took in what his partner already had. A house torn in shambles, holes busted in walls, broken glass lining the floor from broken liquor bottles, but what caused him to feel completely uneasy was the blood streaks lining the hallway. Slowly, like his partner, he walked forward gasping as they turned into a kitchen that was littered with pools of blood. None more disgusting then the pool that laid at the base of a chair where teeth rested amongst the dried, caked, rusty mess. "Holy fuck," he choked out feeling the nausea rising.

Richards felt her stomach churning as she took it all in. The teeth that laid among the blood were so small she knew they belonged to a child, which caused her heart to start to race. Her eyes darted to the pile of black strands that lay next to it; from there her eyes darted around the kitchen as if she was putting a puzzle together. Next to them in the wall was an indent and at the base was another dried pool of blood and hair was caked into the broken plaster shards. The bile was constantly rising in her stomach as she eyed the blood streaks that laid under their feet. Turning slightly she followed the stains into the living room and the sight made her have to brace herself on her partner as she dry heaved. At the sight of the broken bloody remnants of the coffee table, she didn't need to be there to know what happened, to know that someone was thrown through it.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see her partner was struggling as well. Pulling at all her strength, she eyed the drag marks of blood that led to the steps. Standing tall, she pulled away from Murphy but not before pulling on his arm and gesturing with her head to follow.

Sam was the opposite of every other kid on the bus; their faces were long at the reality of having to go home while his face was bright at the fact of finally returning home. Sam surprised himself a bit by enjoying camp more then he thought; yet at the same time no matter how good the freedom felt, he couldn't wait for the trip to be over. No matter how good it felt at the lack of responsibility, he worried about Bella. He worried if she was eating and doing everything he instructed and if there was any rule she broke, he was sure it was about changing her clothes. Trying to get her out of that jersey was like pulling teeth, Sam chuckled to himself at how ever since Christmas that jersey had become like a second skin and was almost impossible to get her out of it even to wash it. 'Well if you can call taking clothes and hand soap to the city fountain in the middle of night washing clothes,' he mused. Right now he could care less if she changed or not, he couldn't wait to see her and wrap his arms around her again.

No amount of freedom was worth the loss of his little sister. Pulling his bag up to his lap, he unzipped it and checked on the precious cargo within. He smiled as he took in the beautiful Forget-Me-Knots. Knowing how much Bella would love them as she had never seen a flower like this, he could picture her happy dance when he told her their name and that they were for her, proving he could never forgot her. He could feel the bus coming to a stop and quickly zipped his bag, and threw the strap over his shoulder. As he darted to his feet, his path was blocked by Mr. Cale; Sam raised his brow in question as he looked up to see the grave expression on his teacher's face.

"Hold on a minute, Son" his voice was stoic while his eyes showed a whole different story, which caused Sam to wonder what he had done to be in trouble.

As the last student exited the bus, Mr. Cale stood back allowing Sam to exit his seating area. Sam felt tension rise in his body as he could feel his teacher right on his heels as he made his way to the front of the bus and down the steps. As Sam's feet hit the pavement, his stomach dropped as he saw a police car parked next to the bus with a woman dressed neatly and standing next to the policeman. Sam felt his heart rate increase. 'NO!' kept swirling through his mind as he met the lady's sad stare. He could feel the weight of Mr. Cale's hand on his shoulder, causing his gaze to turn and look at the man behind him.

"They're here to help, Son" he said with a forced smile.

Sam turned back to see the lady standing in front of him; it felt like his heart was about to burst from his chest as he looked at this woman. One of the people he fought so hard to keep away from.

"Samuel? I'm Ms. Heath," she said softly.

Sam didn't care who the hell she was; he cared what she was about to do; take away the only thing that mattered, Bella. It felt like a punch in the gut when his mind finally allowed him to think once again. "Bella. Where is Bella?" he choked out in his shock. Sam didn't fail to notice that nobody answered and how the woman's eyes darted away from him for a moment.

It pained her not to be able to answer such a simple question, but at this time she knew nothing, only that the police were dispatched to the home. Yet her instinct from years on the job, told her the answer to his question wouldn't be something he would want to hear, and till she knew the only thing to do was to follow protocol "Sam, you need to come with me now," she said as she reached for his hand.

Sam quickly yanked his hand away. "Where is my sister?" he gritted out through clenched teeth. Again nobody said anything. "Answer me! Because I'm not going anywhere until I know where my sister is."

Ms. Heath sighed, still unable to meet his gaze, he needed to be taken to the office and processed into the system, checked over by a state doctor, and then taken to his caregivers. With a sad sigh she looked up at the man who stood behind the young boy and nodded. Sam could feel Mr. Cale clamp down on his shoulders as the policeman picked him up causing Sam to fight his hold as he was forced into the back of the squad car with only unanswered questions.

For a brief moment Bella's heart rate spiked bringing it back to a normal rhythm. Her eyes flew wide open at hearing the knocks at the front door and her mind swirled with who it could be? They never had visitors; it was either her father or Sammy, they always knocked when they forgot their key. Was her father here to finally finish what he started. The majority of her hoped that was the case as the pain and suffering was just too much to ask of her anymore.

For a brief moment in her drifting thoughts, the thought that Sammy was home to help her made her feel some hope. But all too soon the words of her father bounced through her mind, 'Well, he's in luck because I'm going teach you respect and how to show some graciousness in your attitude. Maybe at feeling the pain we feel, you'll learn just how to do that."

Finally it all clicked. Sammy knew their father was going to do this, that's why he left; he wanted her to be taught a lesson, but he couldn't watch it. Hurt and betrayal filled her weakening heart at the realization; she knew now even if it was Sammy, he wouldn't be helping her. This proved to her how much her father's words rang true, and caused her to let go just that much more. With her heart barely pumping, the voice cooed louder, "Stay strong, sweet girl, it's not your time yet."

Bella ignored the soft voice as she had no desire to listen. She started to relax into the darkness that started to infuse itself with her. She no longer focused on the sound of footsteps only the darkness, the one thing that never hurt her. As she relaxed into it, a brightness filled the closet. She would have jumped if she had the strength or ability to move. Her eyes slowly rose but she could make nothing out in the bright light around her as her eyes were use to the darkness. As her eyes focused, she saw a blonde woman with bright blue eyes staring down at her. "OH, GOD!" the woman shrieked just as Bella's heart sputtered to a stop and her eyes closed forever, allowing her into the safety of the darkness.

Yeah, I know we all hate cliffhangers... but it just felt like the best place to end this chapter.

As always reviews are appreciated, flames though are not.