HE LEFT ME!!

captive

Edward

I cradled Bella in my arms, my hand tracing soothingly along her back. Even in sleep, her face was lined with worry and fear of what was about to come.

After she had dropped the phone, her knees gave out and she fell into my waiting arms. She whispered incoherent words as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and I could say nothing to stop it. I gathered her in my arms and carried her into the house, whispering any soothing word I could think of. Eventually, her tears brought her rest. It wouldn't be long until she had to meet with the social worker, but who was I to break her moment of release from the hell she lived in?

I had caused it, after all. I had left her to be broken into more pieces by Jake. Mike was the crap that held her together, piling her into a mess of what she once was. I should have stayed. I should have kept her in my arms where she would always be safe. Of course, if I had stayed...

My eyes drifted over to Allie, who slept peacefully in Rosalie's arms. She had been upset for her mother, as was expected, but Esme and Rosalie calmed her fears. Rosalie seemed incapable of letting her go, her hands still brushing strands of silk brown hair from her face. I had never seen such happiness on her face, in all the years that I had known her.

"Oh, Emmett," her voice was soft even to our ears. She leaned against him, her eyes never leaving Allie, "I love her."

"Rose, come on," Emmett laughed. "You're going to make me jealous of a three-year-old girl."

I smirked. Emmett's voice was joking, but he was unable to keep the affection from his eyes as he watched his wife and Allie. Rosalie ignored his comment and continued to brush Allie's hair, a saddened expression twisting her features, "I hate him."

"Who, me?" Emmett's brow furrowed and his gaze drifted to me, "Is she talking to you like I'm not here? Rose, I was joking!"

"No, I'm not talking about you!" Rosalie scoffed, her voice annoyed. She threw him a glare that quickly dissolved into the same motherly affection.

"She's talking about Mike," I muttered into Bella's hair, having lowered my lips to kiss her.

"Can we please just go and kill him and have this over with?" Emmett grumbled, cracking his knuckles, "I could take care of it right now. I'd make it look like an accident, too."

"Tempting..." Rosalie mused.

"First, if anyone gets to kill him, it's going to be me," I spoke, lifting my head from Bella's. She stretched in her sleep, nestling closer to my form, "Second, it would just cause more problems. Accident or not... Alice has already been through every scenario in her mind. It doesn't end well."

"Why doesn't she go to Charlie?" Carlisle asked, his eyes on the fireplace. He was holding Esme close to him, nestling together in a chair.

"I don't know why she hasn't gone to him yet," I mumbled, my gaze following his. My brow furrowed, "Of course, she hasn't exactly had much time since we arrived here."

"You should take her to him," Esme offered. Her eyes were on Rosalie and Allie.

"Later today, if she's up to it," I glanced down to my sleeping angel, "She already has so much to go through today."

"I can't believe that swine told the social workers that Bella was abusive towards Allie," Rosalie snapped, anger twisting her features. "As if he hasn't caused enough trouble in their lives."

"Perhaps Bella will be able to convince them otherwise," Jasper muttered from the stairs, where he was sitting beside Alice.

"No," Alice frowned, "The social worker wants to speak to Allie alone. Bella won't be able to convince her of anything. The woman's solely interested in what Allie has to say. She's going to barely speak to Bella."