A/N: Well, folks. This is it. The last chapter before the epilogue. A huge thank you to all of you for reading my story.
*Warning*: There is a lot of violence and swearing in this chapter. If that's not your thing, feel free to skip to the end.
....
Ouch, my head hurt. I felt as if someone had hit me with a two-by-four, and there was a throbbing pain behind my eye. What the hell had happened? I'd been running in the woods to get away from The Creeper. I remembered turning around to see if he was nearby, and then, Bam! Darkness. I reached up to touch my head, only to realize that my hands were bound. I felt the sharp edge of panic begin to set in. I tugged at the rope that was binding my wrists, but they were bound tightly. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. Panicking would do no good. Carefully, I opened my eyes, but couldn't see anything. It was pitch black. Then I realized that there was fabric over my eyes. Blindfolded and bound. That wasn't good. I knew I had to stay calm, but honestly, I was freaking out on the inside.
I knew that by now, Edward would know I was missing, and would have alerted Charlie. Charlie would be looking for me, and I wished like hell that I'd left some sort of clues behind. I'd been in such a panic to get away from James that I hadn't thought about it at the time. What was it they said? Hindsight was twenty-twenty. Yeah, it was. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on the what-ifs. It was time to try to find a way out of this situation that I found myself in. I tried to think of things that Charlie had told me, and I knew that he'd want me to pay attention to my surroundings. Hard to do when you couldn't see what was around you.
Despite the fact that my hands were bound, I could still feel around, so that's what I did. I quickly realized that I was laying on something hard. A floor perhaps? Running my bound hands on the surface beneath me, I felt wood. Yes, definitely a floor. I then focused on my senses of smell and hearing. I smelt pine and must, along with the lingering odor of fast food. Straining my ears, I could hear rain falling on what could be a tin roof. A cabin! I must be in a cabin. I didn't hear anyone moving around, and decided to try to remove my blindfold.
After several attempts, I finally got it up enough for me to see. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, allowing me to get a better look around. It looked to be a one-roomed cabin, small and sparse. I was sitting on the floor, in a corner. The door was across the room and to the right. There was an old card table, a wooden chair, and a cot. The cot was placed between the door and the small fireplace, which was smoldering with the remains of a fire. That would explain why I was so cold.
Looking around again, I could make out what looked like crumpled food wrappers on the floor as well as empty beer cans. This was where James had been hiding out. It seemed he wasn't around, and I realized this was my chance to escape. I quickly discovered, as I tried to stand up, that my feet were bound as well. Shit! That complicated things greatly. I was busy trying to formulate a plan, when I heard a vehicle pulling up to the cabin. Crap! He was back. I nudged the blindfold back down. I heard the door slam and footsteps coming my way.
A rough hand grabbed my shoulder, shaking me. "Rise and shine, sweetheart," he said in a slimy voice. I kept still, hoping that he'd leave me alone if I didn't respond. I should have known better. A sharp sting landed on my face from the blow that he dealt me.
"Don't mess with me, Isabella. I know you're awake," he snarled, ripping the blindfold off me.
I squinted at the bright light shining in my face. He lowered the flashlight and gave me a creepy smile. He dragged the wooden chair from the table over to me and sat down. Reaching over, he stroked the side of my face, causing me to shudder in revulsion.
"Oh, my sweet Isabella. We're going to have so much fun together."
"Let me go, James!" I hissed at him.
He let out a harsh laugh. "Oh no, Isabella. I'm not letting you go. I've wanted you for too long. Watching you throw yourself at that pathetic loser, Cullen. I couldn't believe my luck when Victoria's parents brought her to me."
I sat there stunned but knew that the longer I kept him talking, the longer I stayed alive.
"She couldn't stand you. Hated you for taking Cullen away from her. I saw that as my chance. She was so easy to play. Jumped at the chance to date me and show up all her little friends. In doing so, she got me closer to you. You see, Isabella, I've been watching you for a while now, biding my time, trying to come up with a way to approach you. You were always with your friends or your father. I couldn't risk doing anything with the Chief of Police around. But your daddy's not here now. You're all mine."
He was freaking delusional. I struggled against the bonds holding me captive, but it was no use. He'd tied them too tightly. He seemed amused at my struggle. He got up and went over to some bags that were lying on the floor. Digging around, he pulled out a bottle of water and brought it over to me. He uncapped it and allowed me a little bit. He set the bottle down next to me, and then went back to the bags. He scrounged around and brought out some fast food. He sat down in the chair next to me, holding out a burger for me to take a bite from. As much as I didn't want to, I knew that I would need my strength.
After we ate, he stretched out on the cot, listening to an old police scanner. The cabin was getting colder, and I could see my breath puffing out in front of me. A while later, James went outside and brought back in some wood. He started a small fire in the fireplace, allowing the cabin to quickly warm up, and I watched as James began to fall asleep.
If I could get close enough to the fire, perhaps I could burn off the rope that was binding my arms. I risked burning myself, but at that point I didn't care. Keeping a close eye on James, I waited until I heard him snoring. For a kidnapper, he wasn't very smart. As quietly as possible, I scooted over to the fire. Holy shit, that was hot! I flinched as the flames licked at my skin as well as the rope. I kept my hands over the fire for as long as possible, before pulling them away. I tugged at the rope and noticed that it seemed a bit looser. Maybe this would work after all. Taking a deep breath, I put my hands over the open flames once again.
"What the fuck are you doing, you stupid bitch?" James roared at me, jumping up from the cot.
He came over and shoved me away from the fire, causing me to tumble over. I hit my head on the wall as I fell to the floor. Pain radiated through my head, along with the pain in my wrists from the fire and the rope.
"Jesus! Are you fucking stupid or what? What was your plan? To burn the rope off? God, you are a fucking idiot!" he yelled at me, causing me to cower on the floor. He was thoroughly pissed off, giving his eyes a wild, manic look.
"Sit in the fucking corner and don't fucking move! I mean it, Isabella. If you so much as sneeze, I won't hesitate to hurt you. Is that understood?"
I nodded. Obviously, I needed a new plan. I tugged gently on the rope on my wrist again, and found it to be a bit looser than before. I bid my time, working my wrist against the rope, breathing through the pain. I kept a careful eye on James, afraid of angering him further. I remembered what Charlie had told me about the girl who James had put in the hospital.
My arms were sore from being tied behind my back and my wrist and hands hurt something horribly. My eyes started to droop, and I was hit with sudden exhaustion. I briefly wondered if he had drugged me before my eyes slid shut.
....
Someone was tapping me on the side of the face, annoying the hell out of me. I tried to reach up and swat the annoyance away, but couldn't move my hands. My eyes flew open as I remembered that James had me. I found myself staring at James, who looked filthy. His clothes were dirty and he smelled rather unpleasant, like he hadn't showered in days.
"Get up, Isabella!" he shouted at me, grabbing me and shaking my shoulders.
Groggily, I tried to do as he said. I slowly struggled to my feet as he held me by the elbow. I realized that he must have untied my feet as some point, because he shoved me toward the door of the cabin. My legs were asleep, causing me to stumble and crash into the small table.
"Stop fucking around! Move!" he ordered me.
He opened the door to the cabin, and dragged me down the steps and into an old jeep. He took a dirty bandanna out of his pocket, and shoved it into my mouth, tying it behind my head. My nose wrinkled at the smell, and I tried not to gag. A moment later, a blindfold was put around my eyes. He put my seat belt on around me and started the engine.
We drove for what felt like hours. I couldn't be sure, but I noticed the road changed. It had started as gravel when we were at the cabin, then turned to asphalt, and then it had become dirt. I could hear wind whipping through the trees and the sound of tires running over sticks. I felt the jeep slowing to a stop, and James grabbed me and pulled me out of the vehicle. I stumbled along the rough terrain, tripped up some steps, and heard him open a slightly creaky door. I was assaulted with the stench of decay and mold upon entering the threshold.
He shoved me forward, causing me to stumble into the wall. He made a sound of disgust before shoving me into a chair. I heard him moving around, muttering under his breath, and jumped when something crashed against the floor. James let out a litany of profanities, and then stomped over to me. He whipped the blindfold off, but left the filthy gag in my mouth. He looked furious. I cowered as he stood over me, glaring at me like everything was my fault. He yanked me out of the chair and untied my hands.
"Clean this fucking place up," he spat. "And don't even think about trying to leave."
Nodding, I turned my gaze to the room that we were in. Like the last cabin, this one was just as small. There were a couple of small windows letting in what was left of the daylight. The cabin was filled with cobwebs, filth, and animal carcasses. It looked to be an old trapper's cabin. There was a small fireplace, a table and chair, various animal skins, and a variety of tools hanging on the wall. Sharp tools. Tools that I could use as a weapon. James must have noticed my gaze, because he walked over to the wall and took a hunting knife off the wall.
Giving me a feral smile he said, "Looking at this, my pet. Don't try to lie. I could see you eying it." He traced a finger over the blade. "Were you thinking of ways to use this against me?"
I shook my head, eyes growing wide as he held the knife up, drawing closer to me. He grabbed me around the neck, running the edge of the blade against my throat. A sharp pain replaced the fear I was feeling, as the blade pierced my skin. Small rivulets of blood trickled from the open wound, and he leaned down to lick up the blood. I let out a shudder. He really was sick and twisted.
"If you so much as think of leaving me, I will kill you," he hissed in my ear. "If you want to live, you'll behave. Understood?"
I let out a whimper. His hand closed tighter around my neck, squeezing it, cutting off my air supply. After a few seconds, he let me go, and put the knife down on the table. Handing me a filthy rag and an empty bin, he told me to get cleaning. Figuring it would keep me busy and alive for a while still, I did what I was told. The floor was littered with animal furs and bones.
Slowly, I started picking them up and putting them in the bin. It was taking everything in me not to gag, but I knew if I did, I would probably choke to death on my own vomit. I wasn't about to go down dying like that. I had just picked up a rotting rabbit carcass, when I saw it. Casting a glance at James, I saw him sitting at the table, looking at a map, so I quickly picked up a skinning knife and tucked it into my pocket.
The sun was starting to go down and the light in the cabin was fading. I had just thrown yet another carcass into the bin, when James grabbed me.
"Enough!" he barked at me. "Sit down in the chair."
Doing as I was told, I sat there as he tied my wrists with rope behind the chair. I wiggled a bit to get more comfortable, causing the chair to tip. James reached out and grabbed the chair, then grabbed me by the hair. Yanking my head back, so I was peering up at him, he glowered at me.
"Sit still!"
Giving my hair another rough yank, he let go, then stalked out the door. I let out a sigh once he was out of my sight. There was no way I could reach the knife since I'd put it in my front pocket, but that wasn't about to deter me from trying to loosen the rope. Twisting and turning, rope cutting into my tender skin, I kept at it until I heard James coming back. By then, my wrists were raw and bleeding. I hoped to hell he wouldn't notice. Coming back into the cabin, James threw some kindling into the fireplace and started a small fire. Turning back to me, he threw a granola bar on the table.
"Eat."
How the fuck was I supposed to do that with my hands tied behind my back? He must have seen my thoughts, because he walked behind me to untie the rope. I knew the minute he saw my wrists. He let out an angry growl.
"You fucking bitch!" He yelled, before slapping me across the face. I felt my lip split open from the blow, blood trailing down my chin. James wasn't done.
"I warned you to behave, but no. You had to go and try to get loose. Let me explain this once again. You. Are. Mine. Get that? Nobody is allowed to have you, but me. If you refuse to cooperate with me, I'll be forced to hurt you. Now be a good girl, and behave," he said, trailing a finger along my cheek.
I flinched from his touch. He was fucking insane, and I didn't want him touching me. After tightening the ropes, he sat down across from me and proceeded to eat a couple of granola bars. He tilted his chair back so that it rested against the wall, all the while keeping his eyes on me. It creeped me out. He started talking about how pretty I was and how we were meant to be together. The whole time, I was carefully pulling at the rope. I was getting the fuck out of there if it killed me, and it very well could. I wanted my dad. I wanted Edward. I wanted to be away from this crazy man and his delusions.
Soon, the cabin began to grow dark with only the fire providing light. Stretching, James got up and made his way toward the fireplace. He pulled out an old cot that had been hidden against the wall and lay down.
The cover of darkness gave me more of an advantage to get the rope loose. I worked my hardest. Focusing on my goal and not on the rope burn, I twisted and turned until finally, it was loose enough for me to slip a hand out. Yes! I did a mental fist pump. My wrists were sore, blistered, and bleeding from the fire as well as the rope, but that was a small price to pay for freedom. Patiently, I sat and waited until I heard James begin to snore.
I had no idea where I was, but couldn't risk staying in the cabin with James. I pulled the small knife out of my pocket, and held it in my right hand, just in case. I didn't have a coat and it was cold out, so I scanned the room for something to wear. I saw a flannel jacket on the floor near the cot, next to James.
Cautiously, I made my way toward James and the cot. Terrified that he would hear me, I held my breath while reaching for the jacket on the floor. I picked it up, threw it on, and made my way to the door. Remembering that the door creaked when he opened it earlier, I prayed it would be quiet. Slowly, and with trembling hands, I reached out and grabbed the doorknob, giving it a pull. It wouldn't budge. What the fuck? Then, I noticed the bolt on the door. I slid it open, reached down, and turned the knob. The door squeaked slightly as I tugged it open, and I froze. I heard a stirring from the cot. My mind panicked while my body stood frozen. I wasn't sure how long I stood there, frozen, before I kicked myself into gear. The longer I stood there, the more chance I had of being caught.
Stepping onto the sagging porch, I quietly closed the door behind me. My ankles were sore, and my wrists were throbbing in pain, but I tried not to focus on that. I took a moment to look at the cabin and its surroundings. I spotted the old jeep parked off to the side of the cabin. It would be so much easier to drive out of here than run. Quietly, I made my way over to the jeep and opened the door. I was hoping beyond all hope that the keys would be in the ignition. No such luck. I searched the jeep for the keys. I looked under the floor mat, the glove compartment, even the wheel well, but nothing. James must have kept them on him.
Frustrated, I sat back in the seat with a huff. I didn't know how to hot-wire a car and I really didn't want to go back inside. My hands were cold, so I shoved my left hand inside the jacket pocket, and that's when I felt them. Could I be so lucky? Grasping them in my hand, I pulled them out. There, in my hand, was a set of keys. With shaking hands, I separated them out, looking for the one that looked most like a car key.
I put the key into the ignition. It fit. It was now or never. I turned the key and the engine roared to life. I put the knife in my pocket, locked the doors, and threw the jeep into reverse. The tires screamed as I peeled down the dirt driveway in reverse. The door to the cabin flew open, and I saw James running toward me, screaming. Turning my focus to the barely visible dirt driveway behind me, I drove the car as fast as I dared. Eventually, I hit a dirt road and turned the car around, throwing it into drive. I had no idea which direction I was going, or even where I was, but that didn't stop me.
The sky was getting darker, the road harder to see. The beams bounced along the road, lighting up the trees and debris lining the road. The clock on the dash informed me that I'd been driving for about twenty minutes. I noticed that the road was starting to slope down, and I could only hope that that meant I was heading toward civilization.
Another forty minutes passed by and I noticed the gas was starting to get low, but I kept driving. Finally, the dirt road turned onto a paved one. I'd never been so happy in my life. The gas gage was nearing empty, and the old jeep was starting to sputter, but I was determined to get to civilization. About ten miles down the road, I spotted a small gas station with a light on. I pulled the jeep up to the pump and climbed out. Rushing inside, I found an elderly man sitting on a stool behind the counter.
"Can I help you miss?"
"Do you have a phone I could borrow?" I asked, desperation tinting my voice.
"Are you in trouble?"
"Yes! I need to call my dad! Please! I was taken against my will, and I know that my dad is worried sick about me."
"Of course miss," he said, handing me a cordless phone.
I quickly dialed Charlie's cell, and waited impatiently for him to answer.
"Chief Swan," he barked out, upon answering.
"Dad! It's me," I sobbed into the phone.
"Bella! Oh, Bells! Oh, thank God! Where are you?" he asked me, with a trembling voice.
"I . . . I don't know," I told him.
The old man behind the counter, must have heard Charlie's question because he informed me that we were in Mossyrock.
"Dad, I'm in Mossyrock."
"Mossyrock! Hang on, Bells. We're on our way. Are you safe?"
"I think so. I'm at a gas station using the phone."
The old man tapped me on the shoulder. I told Charlie to hang on a sec and turned to face the man. He informed me that he and his wife had a house down the road, and he would take me there to keep me safe. He asked if he could speak with Charlie, so I handed over the phone. The old man introduced himself as Cecil Fredericks and explained to Charlie that he and his wife, Margaret, would take care of me until he arrived. I could hear Charlie warning Mr. Fredericks about James and to be careful. Mr. Fredericks hung up the phone and led me out to his car. I asked him what to do about James' jeep and he told me he'd take care of it. I watched as he drove it into an old shed near the gas station, then we got into his car. We drove a few miles down the road and pulled up to a nice brick house. Upon entering, I was swept up in a huge hug by an elderly woman. She set me down, offered me some tea and a sandwich, and then gave me a phone so I could call Charlie again.
Settled on her couch, I gave Charlie a call. He told me that Edward called him when I didn't show up at his house, and that I'd been missing for thirty-six hours. I hadn't realized that I'd been gone that long. He told me that he had the local police as well as the state police looking for me.
"Bells? Can you tell me what happened?"
"Chuck died on me while I was on my way to Edward's, and James showed up. So, I took to the woods and ran. I don't know what happened after that, but I woke up in this cabin. He'd blindfolded me and tied my hands with rope. I think he might have drugged me, because when I woke up again, it was morning. He gagged me and put me in his jeep and we drove for a long time before arriving at another cabin. Eventually, he fell asleep and I managed to get the rope off. I grabbed his jacket and snuck out. Luckily, the jacket had keys to this old jeep in it, so I drove away. James saw me, though," I explained.
I stayed on the phone with Charlie until he was about thirty minutes out. Mrs. Frederick let me use their shower, and she gave me some clothes that her granddaughter had left behind. Dressed in clean clothes, I bundled up my old ones and put them in a plastic bag. I didn't know if the police would want them, but figured it couldn't hurt. After my shower, she bandaged up my cuts and burns and told me to get comfortable. I was sitting on the couch in their living room, when a knock on the door startled me. Mrs. Frederick went to see who it was, then quickly came back in the room.
"Go upstairs," she quietly told me, and I saw her grab a shotgun from the hall closet.
I knew then that it wasn't Charlie. Grabbing the bag of clothes, I ran up the stairs as quickly and as quietly as I could. I hid in a closet in one of the bedrooms.
"May I help you?" I heard her politely ask.
"Yes, Ma'am. I'm looking for my girlfriend. She's around five foot two, long brown hair, and brown eyes. She went missing a few days ago. Have you seen her?"
Good God, he was really playing the part of the worried boyfriend.
"Oh, you poor boy. I'm sorry to tell you that I haven't seen her. I haven't been out of the house much lately," she explained.
"I'm going to give you my number. If you see her, will you give me a call, please? She's mentally unstable, and I'm very worried about her."
"Of course, dear. I hope you find her."
I heard the door close, but was reluctant to come out from my hiding spot. What if he was still out there, lurking, just waiting to catch Mrs. Fredericks in a lie? After a few minutes, Mrs. Fredericks told me it was safe to come out, but I wasn't risking it. He could come back. Huddled in the closet, I sat there, terrified. Then I heard another knock on the door.
"May I help you?" I heard her ask.
"Mrs. Fredericks? My name is Charlie Swan. I talked to your husband a while ago. He said my daughter, Bella, was here."
Hearing Charlie's voice was all I needed to come out of hiding. Still holding on to the bag with my dirty clothes, I raced down the stairs and threw myself into Charlie's arms.
"Dad!" I cried out, as his arms wrapped around me.
"Bells!"
He wrapped me up in a huge hug, holding onto me tightly. In that moment, I knew I was safe, so I let it all out. Sobs wracked my body, and I felt Charlie pressing kisses to my head, his body shaking with his own tears. After we parted, I wiped the tears from my eyes using my shirtsleeve and took a good look at Charlie. He looked tired and haggard. Like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. His eyes were tired and worried, lined with dark bruises underneath, as if he hadn't slept in a long time. I hated that I'd made him look like that. Or more accurately, that James had made him look like that.
Then, I noticed that Charlie wasn't alone. Standing behind him, was Edward. My Edward. Like Charlie, he had bags under his eyes and he looked worse for wear. I threw myself at him, and held on for dear life. He grabbed me in a bruising hug, pressing kisses all over my cheeks and lips, whispering how sorry he was and how much he loved me. The tears started to fall again, and I didn't try to stop them. There had been a few moments when I thought I'd never see him again.
Charlie wrapped his arms around both of us, while pressing another kiss to my head. Reluctantly, we parted, and Mrs. Fredericks ushered us over to the couch. Sitting down, she told Charlie that James had been there moments before. Upon hearing that news, Charlie called Mark, as well as the state police, and had them start a search. I told Charlie what I could about the cabin and which direction I'd come from. Charlie excused himself to talk to Mark. When he returned, he informed me that he would be staying here to wait for Mark, as well as the local and state police.
"No, Dad! You have to leave with me! What if he comes after you! You could get hurt!" I cried to him.
Wrapping his arms around me, he rocked us back and forth. "Bells, I have to stay behind. I need to catch James. Edward is going to drive you home, and I want you to call me every half-hour, okay?"
I nodded. After giving Charlie a huge hug and making him promise to be careful, I thanked Mrs. Fredericks, and headed outside with Edward. I was terrified that James was outside lurking around, waiting to grab me the minute he got the opportunity. Charlie had borrowed Sue's car, and once safely inside, I locked the doors and begged Edward to get us home as quickly as possible. Waving goodbye to Charlie, Edward threw the car into gear and we headed out. He pulled out his phone and called his family, letting them know that I'd been found and that we were on our way home.
The drive back to Forks was the longest three and a half hours of my life. I kept looking behind us, afraid that we were being followed, despite Edward's reassurances. I kept my word and called Charlie every half hour. He let me know that he was with the state and local police, and that the manhunt for James was in effect. He'd let me know if anything happened. Once again, I begged him to be careful and safe. He assured me he would be.
Finally, we arrived at the Cullen's house. Alice came running out of the house, throwing the car door open, and pulling me into a huge hug. I hugged her back, before she was pulled off me, and Emmett wrapped me up in a crushing hug. After many more hugs and kisses, I was led inside and gently pushed down on the couch. Carlisle sat down next to me and began examining my various injuries, as well as taking pictures of them.
Gently, he ran a finger along the bandaged cut on my neck. He pulled off the dressing that Mrs. Fredericks had applied.
"Deep breaths, Bella. This is going to sting," he told me, before applying a disinfectant to the cut.
Thankfully, it was shallow enough that it wouldn't need stitches. As he examined my wrists, he let out a low whistle. My skin was raw, bloodied, and slightly burned. When he asked me what happened, I explained that I'd tried to burn off the rope. Not my brightest idea. The family, along with my friends, as well as Sue and Seth were all very sympathetic; talking to me and telling me things were going to be okay. Edward, on the other hand, hadn't said a word. He'd just held my hand while his dad fixed me up. I looked over at him and wasn't surprised to see tears in his beautiful eyes. He blinked them back and gave me a small, watery smile. It hurt me to see him so upset.
Once Carlisle was done, the others excused themselves from the room, leaving us alone. Edward pulled me into his lap, holding me close, burying his face into my hair.
"God, Bella! I was so worried. Terrified that I'd lost you to that monster forever," he said, his voice breaking.
Turning in his lap, I cupped his face and brought his lips to mine. The kiss was sweet, gentle. He rested his head on my shoulder, and I held him tighter.
"I can't imagine my life without you, Bella. You're it for me. When I thought I'd lost you, well...I lost it. My room is a bit of a wreck. When you didn't arrive, I went looking for you and saw Chuck abandoned on the road. I called Charlie immediately, and he came over. It was determined that you'd been taken. Longest thirty-six hours of my life. Charlie called me to let me know that you were safe and that he was going to get you. I begged him to let me go with. I couldn't stand not seeing you, being there for you. I should never have let you drive over here. I should have picked you up," he stated, sounding angry with himself.
"Hey. No. Don't do that. It wasn't your fault!" I stressed. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't mine. The blame solely lies with James. He took me, and once Charlie catches him, he'll pay for it."
We sat there for hours, family, and friends stopping in, making small talk. It had been three hours since we'd arrived back and there'd been no word from Charlie yet. I was getting worried. All I could seem to think was worse case scenarios, with Charlie being hurt or worse, killed. At around ten, Edward's phone rang. He grabbed it and handed it to me.
"Dad?"
"Hey, Bells," he said, sounding weary. "We got him."
"Oh, thank God! Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?" I asked.
"We're all fine. Can't say the same for Trakker. I'll tell you all about it when I get home. Right now, he's in custody. I probably won't be home until tomorrow morning. Have to do all kinds of paperwork on this bastard."
I said goodbye to Charlie and informed the others what he had told me. There was a collective sigh heard in the room upon hearing that James had been caught. Exhaustion was taking its toll on me, and I was having a hard time staying awake. Edward picked me up and carried me upstairs to his room. Setting me down on his bed, he handed me a t-shirt and some boxers to wear, before leaving the room. I barely had the energy to strip out of my clothes and put on the pajamas, but I managed.
Once changed, I climbed up on the bed, pulled down the covers, and climbed in. A few minutes later, the door opened and Edward came in. Stripping down to his boxers, he climbed in beside me. I was too tired to care that we might get in trouble if his parents found us. Spooning me, Edward wrapped his arms tightly around me, holding me close. Feeling safe, I let my eyes drift shut.
A small fire crackled from the fireplace, while James sat at the table, sharpening the hunting knife that he'd gotten earlier. I sat in the chair, arms bound to it, as well as my feet. My face stung from the last blow that he'd dealt me.
"Look at me," he commanded.
Slowly, I raised my eyes to his. His eyes were manic, his smile feral.
"I'm going to enjoy killing you," he told me softly. And I knew he would.
Slowly, he stood up, pushing his chair back. He walked over to me, holding the knife up for me to see. The blade gleamed as the flame from the fire glanced off it. Bringing the tip of the blade closer to me, he skimmed it along my hairline, down my jaw to my throat. Rotating his wrist, the sharp point of the blade now pressed into my skin. Panic reared its ugly head, but it was pointless. There was nothing I could do to save myself. I was at his mercy, and he was going to kill me.
The tip of the knife broke the skin, and I felt the first licks of pain, as he pressed the knife in deeper. Blood began to pour from the wound, but that didn't stop him. He dragged the knife along my throat, slicing as easy as if he was slicing butter. I felt my skin ripping apart, and I couldn't stop the scream that bubbled out of me. My scream caused him to laugh. Reaching up, he took his free hand and squeezed my neck, milking the blood from the wound. He pulled his hand away, showing his blood covered hand. I felt my eyes begin to roll back in my head. I'd never done well with blood, but seeing it staining his hand was almost too much to take. I felt a smack on the side of my face.
"Oh no you don't. I'm not done with you yet," he hissed at me.
Setting down the knife, he grabbed my bound hands and held them out in front of me. Picking up the knife, he brought it down to my wrist and started to make a vertical cut, digging in deep enough for me to bleed. He then proceeded to cut my other wrist. Blood was now pouring from my skin and I felt myself getting fainter and fainter. I was roused from my state of semi-unconsciousness once again. He looked me straight in the eye as he brought the knife down and embedded it in my chest. Cold rushed over my body, and all I could think about was that I would never see Edward again-
"Bella! Wake up! Please, please, wake up!"
I shot up, drenched in sweat, heart pounding, tears pouring down my face. Edward immediately wrapped me in a hug, pressing kisses upon my face. His hands stroked my back, calming me. It had seemed so real. I could still feel the pain the knife had caused on my skin, and my hands flew up to touch the bandage on my neck. It hadn't all been part of a dream; James had cut my throat. Not enough to do any substantial damage, but enough to evoke nightmares.
At around ten the next morning, Charlie arrived at the Cullen house. Even though, I'd seen him not that long ago, I threw myself at him, inspecting him to make sure he wasn't hurt.
"Bells, honey. I'm fine. I promise," he said, returning my hug.
Gathering all of us into the living room, he proceeded to tell us everything that had happened.
"After Edward and Bella left, Mark, my deputy, arrived along with the local police. We decided to split into groups. One-half went to find the cabin Bells told us about, and Mark, a few deputies, and myself, canvassed the town. We didn't find him in town, but Jack, one of the other cops, called and let us know that they'd found the cabin and were requesting backup."
Charlie took a moment to take a breath.
"So, we all went to the cabin and found him holed up inside, armed to the teeth. There was a minor firefight. The only hurt one was James, himself," he was quick to reassure us. "He's been arrested and charged with kidnapping, assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a deadly weapon, well . . . you get the idea. The list is long."
"Did you find out his real name?" Carlisle asked.
"We did. His name is Demetri Caius. He's originally from Greece, but moved to New York when he was ten. He was in and out of foster care until he was eighteen. He left New York with a slew of crimes behind him. From what we learned, he's wanted in at least four states, and has at least ten different aliases. He's even wanted on the federal level, so the F.B.I.'s going to get a crack at him first. Bells, I'll need you to come down to the station later so we can file a report."
An hour later, Charlie and I left, heading to the police station. I spent the next two hours recounting my story to police and FBI agents. Pictures were taken, statements given, charges filed. By the time we got home, I was an exhausted mess once again. Entering the house, I escaped to my room. Charlie had gotten my phone back, and I quickly called Edward.
"Hey, love. How are you?"
His velvet voice warmed me immediately. "I'm alright. I'm tired of talking about it though. I just want to forget and put it behind me," I said with a sigh.
"I know, love. But it might help to talk about it. Dad wanted me to let you know that he knows a good therapist, if you need someone to talk to."
"Tell Carlisle that I appreciate it, but I'll be fine. I promise."
....
It was the last day of school, and I was ready for my stress-free summer. The first few weeks after my ordeal, I was a wreck. I wasn't sleeping, wasn't eating, and I had moments where I just holed up in my room, staring out the window. My family, as well as my friends, were worried about me.
Finally, Edward talked me into going to see the therapist that Dr. Hot had recommended. I was resistant at first, but after a few sessions, I felt much better. I still saw her once every two weeks. James had been charged with all kinds of crimes, and if convicted, wouldn't see the light of day for a very long time.
Now, there I was, sitting in my last class of the day, not really paying attention to what was going on around me. I was busy planning my summer. I would be working part-time at Newtons, from eight to noon, which was fine with me. My afternoons were going to be free to spend with my man and my friends. I was so lost in my musings, that I almost missed the ringing of the bell, finalizing the school year. I jumped up, grabbed my bag, and made my way to my locker.
Quickly opening it, I shoved all the crap inside of it to my bag, and headed out toward the mom-mobile. Edward was already there, waiting for me. He'd gotten out an hour earlier than I had, lucky jerk. He was leaning against his car, one ankle crossed over the other. His torn jeans fit him exceptionally well, and his t-shirt showed off his muscular arms. He was talking on the phone, his eyes covered by his sunglasses, and I couldn't help but smile. He was all mine. I could keep him forever, and I planned on it.
His face lit up when he saw me coming his way, and he hung up his phone, sliding his sunglasses onto the top of his head.
"Hey, gorgeous," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my lips.
"Hello, handsome," I replied, before losing myself in his kiss. His tongue pressed against the seam of my lips, and I let him in. My hands grasped his shoulders, holding on tight. Slowly, he pulled his head back, breath rasping from his chest. My own breath was ragged as well, but I couldn't resist pressing one more kiss to his lips.
"Get a room!" a loud voice boomed at us from across the parking lot. We rolled our eyes and ignored Emmett. After one last kiss, I climbed into his car and waited for him to join me. He slid into the driver's seat, put his sunglasses on, and flashed me that panty-dropping grin as he said, "Let's blow this popsicle stand!" Laughter bubbled out of me as we drove off, ready for the best summer ever.
a/n: So ... uh, yeah. Sorry, if I gave anyone a heart attack what with all that violence. I had a devil of a time writing this chapter. Epilogue will be up Fri/Sat. Then I've got a few outtakes in mind before I post my next story.
Of course, I can't post my next story until I find a suitable title for it. I swear, sometimes that's the hardest part.