F.T.A. Failure to Appear

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight
Escape
Grace Cullen-Swan

Demetri guided us to the eerily cheerful reception area, where the Volturi's newest human receptionist was at her desk. Tinkling music played from somewhere in the room, and I knew it was going to drive me crazy by the time we were free to leave.

"Do not leave until dark." Demetri warned us, pointing in the direction of the small sitting area across the room.

I nodded stiffly, wanting to really give him a piece of my mind for decapitating me without orders, but I bit my tongue and Demetri hurried away.

"Are you alright?" I overheard Edward ask Bella quietly, too low for any prying human ears. She was shaking uncontrollably as we walked over to the couches. He spoke roughly to her, I knew it was just from lack of using his voice for months combined with stress, but I still didn't like it.

"You'd better make her sit before she falls," Alice said. "She's going to pieces." She worried over her.

She really was shaking hard, similar to how she used to wake up from nightmares in the beginning, teeth chattering, frame vibrating, eyes unable to focus on anything from the blur the shaking caused.

Edward tensed as he read my mind, I knew he had caught a glimpse of Bella in her depression, and a sick twisted part of me was happy he was forced to see what he had done to her.

Sobs suddenly erupted from Bella's chest, deep ripping sobs that only shook her harder.

"Shh, Bella, shh," Edward said as he pulled her over to the sofa farthest away from the main area where the receptionist sat.

"I think she's having hysterics. Maybe you should slap her?" Alice suggested and I shot her a dirty look.

"No one is slapping anyone." I spoke firmly, crouching on the floor in front of where Bella sat so I could run my hands over her to calm her down.

"Bella, everything is fine." I cooed. She glanced at my neck, reaching out as if to touch something, when she lost control crying again. "My neck." I touched the cracks, realizing I must look terrifying to her. "Alice, give me your scarf." I ordered. I took the scarf and wound it around my neck before going back to soothing Bella. "I'm fine, Edward is fine, Alice is fine, and most importantly, you are fine. Please, calm down sweet girl." I spoke calmly, rubbing circles over her arms and hands.

She seemed to settle down some then, and I allowed Edward to pull her into his lap and tuck the thick cloak around her as he worried over her.

"It's all right, you're safe, it's all right," Edward chanted again and again in his effort to fully stop her crying.

"All those people." She sobbed into his neck, clutching him closer to her.

"I know." he whispered to her, meeting my eye contact.

He looked absolutely torn apart inside, and my heart suddenly hurt too badly for my son to sit so far away from him. So, I quickly rushed over and sat next to him, putting one arm around him tightly and the other reaching out to rub circles on Bella's back.

"It's so horrible." She cried.

"Yes, it is. I wish you hadn't had to see that." He murmured to her, looking slightly better knowing he had my support.

I rested my head against his shoulder as I sat there holding the both of them together as if they would shatter and break apart again at any moment. Bella was taking therapy breaths, and so I joined her breathing pattern as I tried to reassure myself that all of my kids were safe.

"Is there anything I can get you?" a voice asked politely. It was the receptionist, leaning over my shoulder with a look that was just as politely detached as her voice. I couldn't tell if she was entirely oblivious or downright stupid for her involvement with the Volturi.