Prologue

Bella sat there, underground, huddled in a corner. Just waiting for him to come back. She had lost track of time, and even lost herself. He was the only one she could rely on, he was the only constant in her life. Without him there, she would just fade away into the darkness. Time ticked by. He always came back, they spent hours together. Bella didn't know how long had passed, but she knew that it was too long. She sat, she waited. He brought her food, water, he kept her alive. Without him she couldn't survive, she was nothing. A creak, he was back. She rejoiced and strained her ears. Nothing, silence. She pulled her knees tighter into her chest. She sat there for ages, not moving, straining to hear his return. He always returned, he would return. Soon it became too much. Bella was beyond starving and her throat was dry. He told her to stay put, to never leave. She always listened, but she was so hungry. She sat some more, waiting for him to return, but soon she could take it no more.

Bella stood up. Her legs were stiff and sore. She didn't know how long she sat there and waited, waited for him to return. She stretched herself out and then slowly made her way up the stairs. She wasn't supposed to go up the stairs, she wasn't supposed to leave, but she had no choice. She reached the top and opened the door slowly. She prayed that he would be on the other side of the door, that he would be waiting for her. Without him she had nothing. She looked around the door, nothing, no one. She shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight as she made her way through the house and outside. She looked around, she didn't know where she was. She picked the direction facing away from the sun and walked. She didn't know how far she walked. People were staring, but she didn't care. She wanted food and water, and she would get it.

A police car pulled up and the officer got out. "Isabella Swan?" The officer questioned, completely unsure.

"Bella," Bella answered automatically. She didn't stop though, she needed food.

She heard the man mutter something into his radio, but she didn't care. She just kept on walking. He approached her again.

"Bella, would you like to come with me?" The officer asked trying not to startle her.

Bella stopped and looked at him for a second. He wasn't him, no, he was nothing like him. She began walking again.

"Come on kid, I'll get you some food at the station," the officer all but pleaded.

Bella stopped at the mention of food, she really was hungry. She turned around and followed the officer to his car. She didn't take note of her surroundings, she just wanted food. She hoped it was her favorite, coyote meat, but she didn't think it would be. She got out of the car when they pulled up to the station and followed the officer into the building. She was taken to an interrogation room and just dropped off. She sat there alone, not for long though. A woman entered. She wrapped a blanket around Bella. Bella took the warmth from the blanket, but the comfort was completely ignored. The female never left. Not long later the same officer from before placed a hamburger with the works in front of her. As of late she wouldn't have eaten it, but she was too hungry, so she dug right in.

She heard them talking again, but didn't bother to listen in. She was vaguely aware when they tried to engage her in conversation, but she never responded. She thought she heard a familiar voice in the distance a while later though, and she focused on that.

"How can you be sure it's Bella? - She responded to being called Isabella Swan? - Where did you find her? Is she alright? Where is she?"

"Charlie?" Bella questioned softly, her voice rough and weak from lack of use. She got up from her chair and looked out the window. There was a man, short black hair, mustache. She recognized him immediately. "Charlie," she repeated, but this time she was sure. Charlie was looking around frantically, but when his eyes met Bella's his whole demeanor relaxed. Bella looked into his eyes and everything came back to her suddenly.

Living with Renee and Phil in Phoenix. Walking home late from the library to find the front door wide open. Calling out to her mother. Finding her tied to a chair, being tortured by a man. She had tried to get away, but he stopped her. He threatened her with her mother's life, so she went with him. He blindfolded her and took her to, what she guessed, was a basement of sorts. She stayed strong, she defied him, but he was patient. He wore her down eventually. She knew the only way she would be able to survive would be to do as he said. He was stronger than her, smarter. She managed to escape twice, but he always found her. She gave up after a while. She put Bella safely away in the back of her mind and became Isabella. That's what he called her. She did what he said, she was the perfect... she didn't even know what she was to him.

Now that she was free, Bella was coming back and Isabella was being pushed to the back of her mind. She sunk to her knees and cried. Cried for what she had lost, cried for what she had become.

"Oh, it's okay Bella," Charlie said as he kneeled down and held her close. "I'm here baby girl. I'm right here."

"Renee?" Bella sobbed, she needed to know that her mother was safe, that all of the hell she went through was for something, it just had to be.

"She... she didn't make it," Charlie said his voice breaking, holding onto his daughter tighter.

"How long?" Bella pulled away from Charlie and asked him firmly. "How long has it been?"

Charlie didn't want to answer, but he knew that he had to. "Two years," he watched in horror as his daughter heard his answer and understood what that meant. He saw her shut down again and there was nothing he could do.

Two years. Bella couldn't believe it. Two years of her life she would never get back. She all but shut down. Thoughts running rampant in her head. Too fast for her to process anything. She tried to focus on Charlie. He was the only one there for her now. He picked her up and placed her in a chair out of the interrogation room.

"Do we know who did this to her?" Charlie asked the officer.

"We're thinking that it's, umm, James Hunter."

Bella flinched at his name. It was bringing back even more bad memories.

"Is he in custody?" Charlie asked as he put one arm around his daughter to comfort her.

"No," the officer answered, but before Charlie could demand why, he continued. "We identified him by his dental records. About three days ago he was involved in that smash up on the interstate. It seems the tanker rolled right onto his vehicle and burst into flames, it happened so fast he wouldn't have had time to react. He was burnt alive, we only found his teeth."

"Good, well in that case are we free to go?" Charlie asked the officer. "There's nothing left here for Bella and I'd like to take her back to Forks with me."

"Sure, Chief. If James was the only one involved with Bella's abduction then there's nothing we can do anyway, but if you find out anything of importance please let us know."

"Of course," Charlie answered as he stood up and pulled Bella with him. "Come on kid, it's time to go home."

Jasper's POV

I watched only half interested as my 'girlfriend' Alice's eyes closed. She got glimpses of the future often and I knew to never bet against her.

"Oh, this is good news," Alice said bouncing up and down on my lap.

"What is it?" I asked her, glad no one could read my emotions. I didn't love Alice, well that's not true, I did, but only as a friend, and she knows this.

"Chief Swan is returning," Alice answered me, she seemed overly excited.

"Oh, this is good news," Carlisle, Alice's father, said as he came into the room.

"Why is that exciting Alice?" Edward asked as he followed Carlisle into the room.

Edward secretly loved Alice, and she him, but they were too self-centered to figure it out. Plus Alice swore me to secrecy. I don't know why though, surely she can see their future and knows that they will be together. So I was to be tortured in the meantime. Alice was too peppy for my tastes, sure her emotions were refreshing from my own at times, but not all the time, and don't get me started on the shopping trips. I cannot wait for the day when I can pull out my old faded jeans and cowboy boots from the back of the closet again.

"Sooner than you think," Alice whispered to me and that made me smile, maybe I wouldn't be in hell much longer. "Because he is bringing his daughter to live with him," Alice answered Edward's question.

"And I repeat, why is that exciting?" Edward asked. I'm sure he wouldn't even be concerned except that Alice seemed overly excited by her vision.

"One of three reasons," Alice answered.

"They found her then?" Esme asked concerned. "That poor girl. How is she Alice?"

This got me interested. What happened? Esme was genuinely concerned for some girl she didn't even know.

"Yes, Chief Swan found her two weeks ago. She's healthy, physically at least," Alice answered.

"Did they catch the perpetrator?" Carlisle asked equally concerned.

Strange. They were both emitting a paternal love for this girl, Chief Swan's daughter, it was strange.

"Kind of," Alice answered. "He was killed in a car accident, burnt to a crisp."

It always amazed me that Alice knew everything, even if it didn't concern her yet.

"So, why are you so excited?" I asked the question no one else seemed to.

"Because she's going to be my best friend," Alice said wistfully.

Oh I couldn't wait to see this. A vampire with a human friend, that's Alice for you. It should keep me entertained for a bit. Truthfully though I was just waiting for Alice to make her move so that I could split, find Peter and Charlotte, maybe just go out on my own. Maybe this is why Alice hasn't made her move, I know she's fond of me, she knows I plan to leave the family. I heard Edward had stopped playing, so he was probably in someone's head. Get out of my head Edward, my thoughts don't concern you. Less than a second later he began playing again. Damn mind reader, it's so annoying.

"Interesting, so is your new friend going to be at school tomorrow?" I asked Alice, she was still bouncing up and down.

"Yep, Jazz. Tomorrow's going to be a good day. Oh, speaking of tomorrow Edward needs to go hunting, I mean we should go hunting."

"Have fun love, I'll sit this one out."

"Okay, come on Edward," I could hear him groan from upstairs, but he could never deny the little pixie anything.

I listened to them run into the woods. This would be good, time alone, with my own thoughts. It didn't last long though I could hear Esme asking Carlisle about Chief Swan's daughter.

"What's the deal with her anyway?" I asked them. I really wanted to know more about this girl, her story intrigued me, and with her being Alice's best friend and Carlisle and Esme already liking her, well why not find out more.

"She was kidnapped two years ago, from her home in Phoenix," Carlisle explained. "As soon as Chief Swan found out he went down there to look for her. Her mother Renee was tortured and killed, but Isabella was missing. He never stopped looking for her, he would come back here every now and then, but he spent most of his time in Phoenix. I guess they got a break in the case and he got Isabella back."

"Hmm, not your everyday home-sweet-home story," I mused out loud. I wondered how Bella would be at school tomorrow, surely someone couldn't bounce back from something like that.

Carlisle and Esme left the room and I was left with my thoughts. I thought of everything and I thought of nothing. All whilst doing my favorite thing, sleeping, well the closest a vampire can get. I shut off my thoughts, send myself a shitload of calm and tiredness, and then I just relax, or sleep as I call it. Then I dream, of anything and everything. It's my favorite thing in the world to do and they all know not to disturb me. Everyone except Alice that is.

"Come on Jazz," Alice said effectively 'waking' me up. "Get ready, it's time for school."