40. Never Again

EPOV

"Bella!"


Bella and I were in the kitchen, putting the groceries away when Alice started calling for her to come into the living room.


"Yeah?" Bella mumbled from her spot beside me while blindly reaching into a shopping bag.


"Come in here with me," Alice requested in a persuading tone.


I took the frozen Stouffers dinner out of Bella's hand and kissed her sweet mouth, then murmured an, "I love you," against those warm lips, before nudging her in that direction.


I had realized how much of a dick I was being to Alice earlier, but I just couldn't seem to help myself at the time.


I mean…she was actually trying to interrupt my mate's peaceful state while she slept in the bed that I had provided for her.


And then, she wanted to engage in gossipy girly crap immediately after my sleeping beauty awoke, regardless of her still groggy state.


Then, she had the preposterous idea of trying to persuade my little girl to become separated from me…to actually stay here, while I went to the grocery store here in town. Without her. Right, like that would ever happen. Especially since the things that I had planned on getting were items specifically for her, and no one else.


But I didn't want to hinder Alice's 'girl-time' with her best friend any longer, so I encouraged Bella to leave the rest of the groceries for me to put away, and to go on into the living room. I knew that Alice already had the manicure stuff out and ready on the coffee table, waiting for my Bella's return.


While my Bella was in the living room, getting her nails buffed and polished, I stuck to the mundane, human task of putting groceries away. I noticed that Jasper was away at the moment, and could hear from Alice's thoughts that she missed him. He was away hunting again, because he wanted to be extra careful around my mate's menstruating body. I was thankful for his caution on the matter.


I was keeping busy in the kitchen, working at a deliberate slow pace when Carlisle walked in. He grabbed the box of cinnamon teddy grahams and put them in the cabinet while I stuck my little girl's juice boxes in the fridge. When I reached for the various fruits, to stick them in the fridge as well, I decided that there was no time like the present and that I needed to have this conversation with him…since he is my Bella's doctor, after all.


So, I told him…about my epic fuck-up. With the damn pacifiers.


I saw how he quirked a small smile and I heard the amusement in his mind before he tried to hide it from me, while simultaneously trying to straighten his expression into one of nonchalance.


I rolled my eyes. "Laugh it up, old man…"


He chuckled. "Edward, you know that you have no one to blame but yourself. You cannot give into the child just because she has a tantrum. Ask any parent around. That's like…the golden rule, or something," he told me while a small smile played on his lips.


"Whatever," I muttered.


"So what do you plan to do?" he asked, putting the new loaf of bread into the bread box that Esme had recently purchased.


I took the small package of pacifiers out of my pants pocket then, and showed it to him. He raised his eyebrows slightly as he appraised them, before looking back to me inquisitively.


I sighed, suddenly unsure of myself and not liking the current predicament that I had seemed to put myself in. "Well, Bella said to go ahead and give them to her. To act as if nothing is out of the norm. Then, after a few days, I just have to take one of them and poke little holes into the rubber material, causing it to loose what she called, the 'suck appeal'. Then, maybe the next day…oh, I don't know, I might slightly snip the rubber tip of another one with a pair of scissors…" I trailed off suggestively.


He nodded. "So, you're going to sabotage the binkies," he stated simply.


I nodded and folded my arms across my chest. "Basically."


He slightly chuckled and shook his head, then clapped me on the shoulder. "Good luck, son."


"Yeah, thanks…" I mumbled, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my Bella was going to have a pacifier in her mouth for the next day, or so.


Weird.


I shoved the pacifiers back into my pocket then, and grabbed the small package of Marie's precious Charmin toilet paper off the counter. All of the groceries were put away now, but I still had to put this last item in our bathroom, and then I'd be finished. I begun to carefully poke small holes into the plastic packaging while I stood and listened to Carlisle tell me about how he and Esme were basically ready to leave on their hunting trip, and that she was just putting a few changes of clothes for the two of them in a small backpack at the moment.


"Are you sure you don't want to come along?" he asked.


I immediately nodded. "Positive," I stated firmly.


I. Am. Not. Leaving.


"Alright, well if you or Bella need anything, just call my cell. I won't hesitate to come back if either of you need me," he assured me before turning on his heel and heading for the front door to wait on Esme.


I followed after him, toilet paper in hand, and walked into the living room, where I saw my beautiful Bella sitting on the floor at the coffee table across from Alice's small form. She had her hands on full display on the table top, her finger's spread wide and ready for Alice's ministrations. Bella looked up and saw me standing there, staring. She blushed and smiled at me. I smiled back. She pursed her pink lips and blew me a little kiss. I mouthed the words 'I love you'. She was just so fucking perfect and beautiful and selfless, sitting there in that pretty red dress, and letting my little sister polish her nails a pastel pink. Even though we all knew that she hated nail polish, not to mention the color pink.


Bella's eyes averted from mine then, and focused on Esme as my mother passed by me to get to the door. She was intent on starting their trip as soon as possible. She was looking forward to some alone time with Carlisle. I smiled, happy with my decision not to tag along, and that they could have their romantic time together for a few days.


Bella's sharp intake of breath drew my attention back to her. In fact, it drew everyone's attention to her. Carlisle paused his exit at the front door to turn around and look at my mate with deep concern. Bella started blinking and I saw her grit her teeth, before she told a concerned Alice that she was alright in a soft voice. Alice looked at her skeptically.


"Really…" Bella breathed out, then nodded to her spread out pale pink fingernails.


"I'm done, sweetie. They just need to dry now," Alice assured her while keeping a concerned, yet critical eye on my girl.


"Bella?" I called out softly.


She slowly breathed threw her nose and out of her mouth three times before she turned to look at me with dazed, blinking eyes. I heard a muttered, "Damn it," fall from her perfect lips before she responded. She was displaying signs of going out of awareness, but was clearly trying to fight it.


"Yeah?" she asked weakly.


"You okay, baby?" I asked, stepping towards her seated form.


She bit her lip and nodded, "Mm-hmm…" she hummed, before sighing.


A second later, the blinking stopped and I saw the pupils in her chocolate eyes shrink a bit, quickly bringing them back into focus. She wasted no time in whipping her head around in the direction of the front door, where Carlisle and Esme stood. She put her hands by her sides and pushed herself up from the ground into a standing position then, while keeping her intent eyes on my parents. She started walking over to them with a determined stride.


As she started walking over towards them, Alice suddenly called out, "Wet nails!" to remind my girl not to touch anything until they were dry.


She just remotely nodded her head in response as she approached the front door. Within a few seconds, she was standing next to Carlisle and Esme, but instead of stopping, she lithely stepped around their still figures, effectively putting herself in between them and the front door.


She looked down at her side and gripped the silver door knob so tightly that her small knuckles began to turn white. She tore her gaze away from her hand then, and looked back towards us as she abruptly closed the slightly ajar door with a resounding slam.


She stood in front of the door and leaned her petite form against it while cocking her head to the side a bit, and letting her eyes slowly trail up and down, critically eyeing the two vampires in front of her.


"Where you goin?" Marie asked casually.


"We're going out," Carlisle responded as Marie's inquisitive eyes quickly flicked over to him.


She nodded at Carlisle and turned her gaze to Esme then. "Mom?"


Esme smiled gently at her. "Yes, dear?"


Marie furrowed her brow and eyed the shoulder straps of the backpack that Esme was wearing, before pointing a thin index finger at it. "Why are you wearing that fuckin thing, if you're only going out?" she asked curiously.


"We're going out for a few days," Esme responded.


Marie brought her hand back to her side and was quiet for a minute, seeming to think about something. Soon, her eyes became guarded and she straightened her back, then asked in a curt tone, "Are you coming back?"


Carlisle and Esme nodded immediately.


"Yes. Yes, of course, we're coming back," Carlisle assured her.


Marie's eyes flashed away from Esme then, and focused back on Carlisle.


She stared into his gold eyes for sixteen seconds before she asked through gritted teeth, "Are you bein a goddamn liar?"


"No," was his quick response.


Marie glared at him then, seeming to search for the truth in his eyes. I was grateful that despite Marie's cold glare, Carlisle's reassuring gaze never faltered. Not once.


He knew from this slight interrogation that Marie was feeling insecure. Very insecure. She didn't trust any of us yet, and her display right now was strongly reaffirming that fact in everyone's minds. It was only serving to remind us all that she is the alternate with abandonment issues…not Isabella, or even my Bella. Carlisle and Esme have abandoned her before…we all have. Her concerns that my parents 'won't come back' and that my father is being 'a goddamn liar' are very justified and relevant at the moment. Marie's instincts are clearly telling her to not let them leave.


The sight of Esme wearing a backpack, indicating that they had packed something before heading out, must have set her off, causing my Bella to go out of awareness so that Marie could find out, first hand, exactly what was going on.


Two minutes later, her gaze softened and she sighed as she looked back at Esme. "When you comin back, Ma?" she mumbled in a small voice.


Aw.


Esme stepped forward and enveloped my small girl in her maternal arms then. Marie's eyes widened at the foreign contact from her, and I internally cringed.


My Bella may have been affectionate with Esme on occasion, but Marie certainly hasn't. Yes, Marie seems to have accepted Esme as a maternal figure, but she is not, by any means, an openly affectionate girl. Even with me, she needs to be the one to initiate any physical contact.


I tensed and looked on with a concerned gaze.


I didn't want Marie to recoil from the hug and hurt Esme's feelings. But, at the same time…I didn't want Marie to feel pressured into being affectionate with anyone.


There was also a part of me that didn't want anyone but me touching her. Even my mother. Even if it's just for a hug. I felt my jealous, possessive side start to rear it's ugly head.


Hands off! She is mine.


I exhaled a sharp breath and tried my best to push those ridiculous feelings aside. It's just a hug from Esme. No harm is intended.


Esme won't hurt her. Esme won't try to take her from me. Esme won't hurt her…


It took four seconds, but Marie eventually, half-heartedly, patted Esme's back in return, and I sighed in relief. When Esme broke their embrace, I smiled, glad that it was over. My mate didn't need to be in anyone's arms but my own.


Esme stepped back and leaned into Carlisle's side while smiling warmly at Marie. "Tuesday evening, darling," she answered.


Marie looked down and furrowed her brow in concentration. "Today is Sunday…" she muttered quietly to herself.


"Yes," Carlisle agreed.


Marie subtly nodded at him and looked back into his eyes with a smirk. She rocked back on her heels and bit her bottom lip, then gave them a short wave. "Okay, see ya Doctor Dad," she said, before turning and heading up the stairs.


I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, sighing in relief.


"Goodbye, dear," he told her retreating form.


He was glad that the situation had easily been diffused and that Marie no longer seemed to be upset by their impending departure for a two day hunting trip.


I gave my parents a parting nod before following after Marie. I heard the front door close, signaling that they had left, just as I made it to the second story landing.


"Hey, babe," I said as I fell into step by her side.


"Hey, sexy," she responded with a wink.


She reached out for my free hand and I didn't hesitate to link our fingers together now that her nails were dry.


After a few seconds of silence, I spoke. "It's just two days, sweetheart," I assured her in a soft voice.


She nodded and turned her head to smile at me. "I know."


"Will you miss them?" I asked curiously.


"Ya, Mom is nice," she responded casually with a shrug.


"Mm-hmm…" I hummed in agreement.


We were in the bedroom now, so I told Marie to wait for me by the dresser while I went into the bathroom to put these four rolls of toilet paper away in the cabinet. When I came back out, Marie had a curious look on her face, as if to say 'why the fuck am I waiting for you by the dresser', but I just smiled at her and casually strolled up to her side, then proceeded to pull open Bella's panty drawer.


It was that magical time again. Time for a fresh pair of padded panties. I could tell by the way Marie had immediately scrunched up her little button nose, that she was not happy about that. She watched with a look of slight disgust as I tore the plastic wrapping away from a new StayFree pad, and began removing the small adhesive strips from it.


She took a small step back.


I tore my gaze away from my task at hand and subtly shook my head at her. "No…" I trailed off in a firm tone.


She stopped the beginnings of her retreat then, so I muttered a quiet, "Good girl," as I began sticking the small pad to a clean pair of purple cotton panties. When I was done, I held the panties out to her and after a few short seconds, she reluctantly took them from my grasp, using only her fingertips to grip them.


"Marie?"


"Hmm…" she hummed in a subdued tone, eyeing the pad with disdain.


"Is Isabella listening right now?" I asked.


Her eyes flashed over to mine then, and she furrowed her brow at me before she slowly nodded her head in response.


I nodded. "Good," I said softly.


"Why?"


"Because you girls seem to be a bit confused when it comes to changing out of the panties that I prepare for you…" I trialed off.


She just stared, so I continued on, hoping that Isabella was paying close attention, as well.


"When you take your panties off, angel, I want you to take off the pad that is already on there, too…take the used pad off, and put it in the trash can. Then, you take the old panties to the hamper that's in the closet and put them in there. Do you understand?" I asked, hoping that I explained the whole 'pad-changing process' thoroughly enough so that a five year old would understand it.


"Sure," she replied nonchalantly.


"Okay, so that means that I don't want to see anymore balled up panties, with the used pad still attached to them, by the trashcan in the bathroom," I reaffirmed.


She nodded.


"Okay, go on," I instructed her with a pointed look towards the bathroom.


As she turned and began walking in that direction, I went to the closet to retrieve the hamper that had a week's worth of dirty clothes in it. Alice told me that she would handle the laundry for me tonight, and for that, I was thankful. I didn't want to mess anything up. I heard that if a red sock gets mixed in with a load of white clothes, then the results can be disastrous. I didn't even know if we had any red socks in the hamper, but I knew there were a few pairs of my Bella's red panties. I'm sure that those would cause the same amount of damage that a sock would.


When my girl came out of the bathroom two minutes later, I held out my hand to her expectantly. I wanted to add the panties that she had been wearing to the hamper so that those could be washed this evening, as well. She didn't hesitate to skip her way over to me with an adorable smile on her face.


"Edward, I'm a big girl, huh? I did it all by myself," Isabella stated proudly, as she handed over the small pair of panties that she had balled up in her tiny fist.


I smiled gently at her and placed a cool kiss to her forehead. "Yes, angel," I murmured against her warm flesh.


She gave a small giggle as I tossed the balled up panties into the hamper at my side.


"Edward, hold me," she requested and rocked onto her tippy toes in front of me.


I turned back to my little girl and chuckled as I hooked my hands under her shoulders, lifting her to my chest. I seated her on my left forearm as she wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed, giving me one of my favorite hugs. I tightened my hold on her thin frame, and caressed her back between her small shoulder blades.


"Love you," she mumbled next to my ear.


"I love you too," I told her.


She kissed my cheek, then loosened her grip on my neck and pulled back a little to look at my face. "Edward?"


"Hmm?"


"My binky?" she asked sweetly.


Okay, show time Cullen. It's just for a few days…


Right.


I gave her a small smile, then used my free hand to reach into my pocket and pull out the small package. As soon as Isabella caught sight of it, she grinned at me, then started bouncing in place on my arm a bit, clearly getting excited.


It's ridiculous how adorable she can be.


I kissed her button nose and murmured a soft, "Hold on, angel."


I loved seeing her happy and excited. I just wished that she was becoming excited over something else. Something other than a package of pacifiers.


I walked us over to the bed then, and sat down on it, keeping Isabella straddled in my lap. I let go of my hold around her back and brought the offending package in between us. She sucked on her bottom lip and reached out to gently run her fingertip along the plastic barrier around the pacifiers. I watched as her intent gaze turned from excited to one of longing.


I sighed then, resigned to my fate. I had gotten us into this mess, so I had to deal with it. I, once again, resolved to follow my Bella's advice and asked, "Which one do you want, baby girl?"


"Pink with pretty hearts, Edward," she responded immediately, focusing back on my face again.


"Okay," I whispered.


"B'cuz it's pink like my pretty twinkle toes," she added as an afterthought.


My eyes flashed over to her nails then, and sure enough…she was right. The pastel pink pacifier with the 'pretty hearts', was the exact same shade of pink as her fingernail polish. I briefly wondered if Alice had planned it like that.


"Pretty please?" she said in an almost desperate tone when I hadn't immediately started opening the package for her.


I looked away from ten pink fingernails and gazed back into a pair of chocolate eyes. "Patience, baby," I admonished her, then began to carefully tear open the small package.


I didn't want to just rip it open and risk the pacifiers being flung out of the package accidentally, then landing on the floor. I had a feeling that that wouldn't stop her from just grabbing one of them off the floor and slipping it in between her lips, and that was just completely unacceptable. Isabella would not be putting anything that had been on the floor, in her mouth. I could clearly see me snatching a dirty pacifier out of her mouth, and I was almost positive that it would result in Isabella throwing a fit over the matter. So, yes…I wanted to avoid that little scenario as much as possible.


Once I had the plastic torn away from the cardboard material, I retrieved the pink pacifier and held it up to Isabella. She reached out an eager hand, but I immediately pulled mine back.


"Uh-uh…" I muttered.


She furrowed her brow at me and began to whine. I could smell the salt of tears a split second later, and gritted my teeth against the scent before I cut her off and got her attention.


"Isabella, stop it and listen to me," I said in a firm tone.


She tore her eyes away from the pink pacifier in my hand and looked back at me, then began sucking on her pouty lips to calm herself. When I was sure that I had her complete attention, I started to explain.


"Sweetness, when you want your binky, you come to me and ask for it," I instructed. "I'm not going to leave these laying around the house, where you can have access to them all the time. They can accidentally fall down on the floor, and get dirty, or collect dust if they are left sitting out somewhere for too long. I'm going to keep them in their original package, and in a spot that only I can get to. Do you understand?"


She nodded quickly. I wasn't sure whether what I had said had actually registered, or if she was just giving me the response that she thought I wanted so that she could get to the pacifier in my hand faster.


I furrowed my brow. "What are you supposed to do when you want your binky, angel?" I checked.


"Ask for it," she confirmed in a rushed voice, then turned her gaze back the pacifier in my hand.


I nodded. "Good girl," I said softly, then slowly, almost reluctantly, brought the pacifier to her lips.


It was like…I don't know, once her perfect lips actually made contact with the rubber nipple of the pacifier, then there would be no turning back. I would have to deal with the daunting task of weaning her, as well as my Bella, off of them.


This was just another reason why I hated Renee right now. She was a shit excuse for a mother.


My Bella should not be addicted to these things.


Her five year old alternate should not be addicted to these things.


If she had done her fucking job, then I wouldn't have this problem right now. Hell, my Bella wouldn't be broken into three different pieces right now.


Renee. Will. Pay was my thought as I let the pacifier slip into my little girl's softly puckered lips.


Isabella immediately smiled around the pink pacifier and closed her eyes as a look of serenity took over her beautiful features.


"Hmmm…" she breathed out in what I noticed as a sigh of relief.


The pink plastic of the pacifier against her lips began to subtly move then, signaling the sucking motion that Isabella's mouth had automatically begun, as if on instinct.


Her chocolate eyes slowly slid back open and she peered at me with a soft, relaxed gaze. I gave her a small smile and brought my hand up to her rosy cheek, cupping the soft, warm flesh in my cool palm. I skimmed my thumb lightly below her right eye and kissed her button nose, just before bringing her head down to it's spot on my shoulder. She lazily wrapped her left arm around my shoulder and began fingering the fine hair at the nape of my neck. I wrapped my arms around her small frame again, then subtly rocked her in place for three minutes while her warm fingers continued their decent into my hair.


I wanted to enjoy her relaxed demeanor as much as possible for now, because I knew that it wouldn't last. I had every intention to poke a hole in that pink pacifier tonight while she slept. I was not looking forward to the day when all three of them would turn up 'broken', and she would come to me, asking for a new binky. I would have to tell her no…deny her something that she wanted. I recoiled away from the concept that that would mean that I'd be refusing to provide something for her. That's not what this was. I had to say 'no' for her own good on this matter.


I sighed and pushed those thoughts away. I wouldn't have to deal with it for a few more days. For now, I could just enjoy having a happy baby. My little girl was happy.


Isabella's stomach growled then, and I felt the rush of warmth against my neck as her face lit up in a delicious blush.


I smiled and lifted her head from my shoulder, then kissed her rosy cheek. "Baby girl, what do you want for dinner?"


She shrugged, then hooked her index finger around the small handle on the pacifier and pulled it out from in between her puckered lips. "Happy meal," she answered.


"Hmm…" I sighed.


"Icecream," she suddenly changed her mind.


I shook my head.


She squinted her eyes in thought then, and ran the wet rubber nipple of the pacifier along her lips. Side to side, back and forth.


"Umm…macaronies," she decided after a few seconds.


I nodded, glad that I had grabbed two macaroni dinners from the store today. "Okay," I agreed, then gripped my hands around her thin waist and lifted her off of my lap, sitting her on the bed beside me.


I stood from the bed then, and kissed her forehead while she slipped the pacifier back into her mouth. "I'll put a movie on for you, angel…your dinner won't be ready for about thirty minutes, or so," I informed her.


She nodded and kicked her legs out a bit, letting them thump softly back onto the bed frame.


I walked over to our ever-growing dvd collection and started scanning the titles. "Which one?" I asked.


"Toy Story," she mumbled around the pacifier.


I scanned the T titles, and soon came across the Toy Story movie that my baby girl had chosen. I reached my hand out to grab it, but paused when I noticed that there were two.


Uhmm…


"One or two?" I asked, my hand paused mid-air.


"One," came her soft reply from behind me.


I immediately grabbed the first Toy Story movie, then powered on the dvd player and the flat screen tv on the wall. After I the movie loaded up, I pressed the PLAY button on the remote, then strolled over to the desk and retrieved Isabella's MagnaDoodle for her, knowing that she liked to draw on it while she watched her movies.


She reached for the pink toy in my hand, and placed it in her lap, then hooked her thin finger around the pacifier's handle and pulled it out of her mouth to say, "Thank you, Edward."


"You're welcome, angel."


She smiled at me and blushed as her stomach gave another subtle growl.


"I'll be downstairs, baby," I assured her.


She nodded and slipped the pink pacifier back in between her lips, then turned her gaze over to the screen. Her hand blindly reached out for the drawing utensil attached to her toy and she started to glide it across the white surface of it, distractedly drawing circular little doodles.


I turned and made my way downstairs, heading for the kitchen. I opened the freezer and grabbed the small red box that read 'Stouffers Macaroni and Cheese'. I closed the freezer door and read the back of the box, wondering what I was supposed to do, exactly. I followed the directions and set our oven to 350 degrees, then I opened the box and took out the tiny tray of frozen pasta. I removed the plastic cover, as instructed, and placed it on a cooking sheet pan. I smiled at how easy that was, and slipped the pan into the preheated oven. Just as I was finishing up setting the timer for forty-five minutes, I heard my girl's frustrated scream sounding out from up above me.


My head shot up and I looked towards the ceiling for a second, before Alice suddenly appeared in front of me. She was shaking her head at me and even rolled her eyes a bit. I tried to concentrate on what she was telling me, but at the sounds of my mate's distress, my instincts caused my senses to immediately zero in on the sounds of her heartbeat. Once I was absolutely positive that there was no cause for concern when it came to her health, I heard my sister's high-pitched voice come back into focus.


Her words were being rushed out at our frequency. She was telling me to stay calm. I pushed her aside with a growl, and started in the direction of the steps that would lead me back to my bedroom. Alice hadn't told me what was going on, she had just instructed me to remain calm. I wanted to know what the fuck was going on.


Just as I approached the slightly ajar bedroom door, I heard the familiar angry stomp of a foot, and a harshly muttered, "You fuckin brat!" before I entered the room and took in the scene before me.


Isabella's pink pacifier lay upturned on the desk, completely forgotten. The desk chair was out of place. Instead of it being tucked into the computer desk, like it should have been, it was rolled over by the closet, allowing my petite mate to stand on it and reach for things that were up on the shelf. I trailed my eyes from the out of place chair, down to the floor, and rested my gaze on the open, upturned tin box laying on the floor, confirming my suspicions. There were beads scattered all along the hardwood floor, and Marie's leather bracelet, that I had bought for her, lay haphazardly off to the side of her cupcake decorated tin box.


My sharp vision caught slight movement then, out of the corner of my eyes, and I watched as Marie quickly stomped over to the bed and grabbed Isabella's MagnaDoodle that lay on the mattress.


I remembered my promise to Isabella then. I had promised to keep Marie away from her toys. I said that if Marie touched her toys, then she would 'suffer the consequences'. I didn't want there to be any consequences, though, so I spoke out in a rush before Marie could seal her fate.


"Marie, no," I said firmly, but she didn't seem to hear me. Or, she chose to ignore me.


Her face was fixed into an angry scowl and tears were streaming down her flushed cheeks. She roughly gripped the handle of the pink toy and gritted her teeth as she screamed in the back of her throat. She quickly twisted her body around and forcefully threw the MagnaDoodle, sending it crashing into the wall with a loud bang. We both watched as it fell to the floor, landing by the computer desk.


"Stop it!" I yelled at her.


Damn it.


I walked over to her then, trying my best to avoid stepping on the tiny beads that now littered the floor. I wrapped my arm around her tiny waist and picked her up.


As soon as she felt my strong embrace around her midsection, she let out a sob. "Edwaaaaard, my b-box," she told me.


I sighed.


Fucking hell.


I sat her down on the bed and bent forward a little, putting my hands on my knees so that I could look directly into her angry, defensive eyes.


"I know."


She clenched her eyes shut and balled up her fists, then screamed, kicking her feet out hard, and at a fast pace, against the bed frame below her. I recognized the tantrum for what it was, and reached out to place a firm hand on top of her knee.


"Stop it," I said in a stern voice, then gave her knee a slight squeeze.


She opened her eyes to look at me then, and yelled out, "Sh-sheee, she got up on the fuckin chair and she threw my b-box!" she cried.


"Who did?! Isabella?" I asked over her cries, dreading her response, because I already knew the answer.


"Yes! That little fuckin brat -" she paused to take a deep, shaky breath, "She b-broke iiiiit…" she sobbed out.


I nodded.


Marie let out a high-pitched wail then.


"Edwaaaard," Isabella's voice cried out, tears continually streaming down her cheeks.


I squinted my eyes at my little girl, marveling at the quick change during a temper tantrum. "What?" I asked with raised eyebrows.


"Sh-sheee throwed my doo-ooodle," she hiccupped as she continued to sob.


"I know. I saw," I told her.


"She broke it!" Isabella screamed out and started to clench her fists.


Oh my God!


I wanted nothing more right now, then for them to be two separate people, just so that I could smack the crap out of them at the same time.


"And what did you do to her box? Huh?" I interrogated.


When she only continued to cry, I answered my own question for her. "You threw her box, so she threw your MagnaDoodle!"


She shook her head, as another sob tore through her throat, shaking her small frame as it did. "Sheee throwed m-my baby dolllllly…" she pointed out and started to wiped at her eyes with tiny fists.


I quickly looked over to the small plastic basinet that usually held Isabella's doll. The doll was laying there, unharmed, so I turned my gaze back to my little girl and gave her a glare.


"Your dolly is just fine, Isabella-" I started in a firm voice before she cut me off with a squeaked out cry.


"Sh-sheee was m-mean and throwed her on the f-floor…" she sobbed out.


I gritted my teeth and exhaled a long breath before speaking again. "I told you that I had handled that, young lady. Marie cleaned up your toys and put them away," I reminded her.


Another scream ripped out of her as she exclaimed, "She started it!" her face becoming red with her anger.


I gripped her arm then, and pulled her off the bed. After I landed a firm swat to her bottom, I told her through gritted teeth, "Get. In. The. Corner."


She knew better than to scream in my face like that.


She continued to cry as she indignantly stomped her way over to her usual time out corner by the computer desk, purposefully stepping on random beads along the way.


I shook my head at her retreating form.


Naughty girl.


I quickly walked over to the corner and bent down to grab Isabella's pink MagnaDoodle toy off of the floor, where it lay by her feet.


"Not fair!" she stated in a shaky voice when she saw me, then continued to cry.


"Quiet!" I demanded in a curt tone as I walked away from her, back towards the bed.


She only cried louder, but I ignored her as I lay the toy down on the mattress. I inspected the white surface and quickly ran the drawing utensil across it, pleasantly surprised that it was, in fact, not broken. I really thought that it would have been damaged beyond repair with the amount of force that Marie used to send the damn thing flying across the room into the wall.


I turned my attention to the open tin box on the floor then. I walked over to it and picked it up, testing out the latches that opened and closed the special lid. I was relieved when it opened and closed with ease. I grabbed the small leather bracelet and placed it back in the box, then allowed my eyes to scan the floor for the hundreds of little beads that were now scattered across the hardwood floor.


"My box…she fuckin b-broooke it," Marie hiccupped a sob.


I placed the tin box on the bed and went to Marie's side to land another firm swat on her ass. "You threw Isabella's toy up against the wall after I told you not to. You can stand in this corner and have a time out, as well, since you insist on acting like a child," I told her firmly.


She balled up her fists and screamed at the caddy-cornered wall in front of her face. She let out a sobbed, "Nooo…" as she began to stomp her feet repeatedly, so it sort of looked like she was running in place.


I roughly grabbed her arm and spanked her ass again, then leaned in close to her ear and demanded through gritted teeth, "Stop. It," referring to her developing temper tantrum.


She stopped her feet's movement then, but kept up her loud hiccupping sobs and angry screams.


I tried my best to block it out and relax the anxiety that was growing in my chest at the horrible sounds of my mate's distress. I focused on the task of cleaning up the bead mess to calm my nerves while Marie/Isabella served their time out in that corner by the desk.


Four minutes later, all the beads were collected from the floor and placed back inside the cupcake decorated box. I grabbed a few tissues from the bathroom, then sat down on the bed and placed each item on either side of me. Pink MagnaDoodle on my right side, black tin box on my left. I let my gaze drift back over to the corner by the desk, where my girl still stood, bawling her fucking eyes out.


It was clear that both Marie and Isabella were very angry at each other right now and they were both devastated at the idea that one of their possessions had been destroyed.


I wasn't really sure who was actively aware right now, so instead of saying their name, I just called out a simple, "Come here."


She turned around and stomped her way over to me, only coming to a stop when she stood in between my legs and we were face to face. I eyed her flushed, tear stained face critically, before picking up the tissue from my lap and cleaning up all the wet mess for her. She was busying herself by trying to quiet her cries and swallow back sobs. She seemed to be calming down at the sight of either an unbroken MagnaDoodle, or an unbroken tin box, I wasn't sure which.


I decided that I needed to do something so that I could decipher who I was dealing with at the moment, so I balled up the moist tissue, soaked with her salty tears, and grabbed the other one off of my lap and held it up to my girl's runny nose, then instructed gently, "Blow."


She gasped in a breath through her mouth and breathed out through her nose, trying to blow into the tissue as best she could.


Yep, it's Isabella. Marie would have rolled her eyes and taken the tissue from me, insisting that she could blow her nose all by herself.


I balled up the soiled tissue and leveled my gaze with her puffy, chocolate one. "What happened, baby girl?" I asked in a calm voice, wanting to set and keep a calm atmosphere at the moment.


In the past ten minutes, I had heard enough screams and sobs to last me a lifetime. My hyper-sensitive ears needed a break.


Isabella nodded and rubbed her right eye with a small fist before answering me. She gasped in a breath, "I was bein a good girl and watchin my Toy Stories and she was botherin me, and she said that I was a big baby b'cuz of my pink binky with my pretty hearts, but I'm not, I'm a big girl, and then she said that Mom left but that she would come back in two days," she told me, holding up two small fingers for emphasis, "but she's lyin, bein a liar liar pants on fire, b'cuz you said that Mommy was gone away on vacation, and I told her so, but she got mad and said that I'm bein a goddamn liar and I told her nuh-uh b'cuz you said so," she pointed to me, "you said that Mommy was on a vacation and won't come back f'long tiiiime," she said with a shake of her head, "and she yelled at me, and so I yelled back," she said while pointing to herself, "and she said that if I didn't stop bein' a big lyin baby, that she was gonna throw my dolly again, and I said 'you better not' and she said 'ya-huh, I will' and I said 'I hate you' and she said 'I hate you more' and so then I got up on the big chair and it made me really tall, Edward, so that I could reach the high stuff," she said while going up on her tippy toes, "and I got her cuppycake box and throwed it b'cuz she told me that she was gonna throw my baby dolly Haley again, and I showed her by throwin her stuff first," she told me with an adorable nod of finality.


I just slowly nodded at the long…explanation. I hadn't realized that Marie and Isabella talked that much. And it sounded like all of this started because of a misunderstanding on the subject of 'Mom'. Marie views Esme as 'Mom'. Isabella views Renee as 'Mommy'. Yeah…they are confused, to say the least.


I sighed and reached out a hand to squeeze her palm reassuringly. "Sweetheart, you need to realize something very important. When Marie says, 'mom did this', or 'mom did that', she isn't talking about Mommy. Okay?"


Isabella furrowed her brow at me in extreme confusion, and I realized then, that what I had just said didn't make any damn sense.


I chuckled softly. "Okay…"I trailed off and ran a hand through my hair, trying to figure out how to explain this in a simple manner.


"Marie was talking about my mommy, Isabella," I told her, pointing to my chest for emphasis. "My mommy…"


"Huh?" she muttered softly.


I nodded. "She was talking about Esme, baby. Esme went on a trip and she will be back in two days," I informed her, holding up two fingers.


"But that's your Mommy, not mine," Isabella insisted in an uncertain, small voice.


I nodded. "That's right, angel, but Marie calls her 'Mom', and that's okay. She can call her that," I assured her.


"But where's Mommy?" she asked, perplexed.


"Mommy is on vacation, just like I told you, sweetie," I reaffirmed.


Isabella nodded after a few seconds, seeming to realize where they had confused each other's misconception of who 'Mom' was.


"Edward?"


"Hmm?"


"But I'ma big girl, huh…" she trailed off softly.


I nodded. "Yes, angel."


"Edward, don't lie to the snot-nosed little brat. You know goddamn well, just like I do, that she is a whiny little baby who wants her binky, and her dolly, and her teddy all the fuckin time," Marie said in a mocking, condescending tone.


I glared at her. "Marie you better leave Isabella alone. She is five years old, she is a little girl. Of course she's going to have toys, like a doll and a stuffed bear."


"I'm fucking sick of it. This is mine and my Bell's body and now we have to share it with a whiny little baby," she complained.


"I don't care if you're sick of it. Deal. With. It," I replied.


She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot.


I reached around her small form and swatted her ass.


"Ow!"


"I've had it with the tantrums, Marie. Chill the fuck out," I demanded.


She huffed and glared at me while I roughly ran my hand through my hair a few times. I clenched my eyes shut and sighed, then groaned in frustration.


"Look…" I started, and opened my eyes to fix my leveled gaze with my indignant mate.


"What?"


"Did you hear my explanation of why you two got confused on who Mom was?"


She nodded.


"Good. Now, I don't want to hear anymore about you two arguing like two rivaled siblings. It is ridiculous. You two are not sisters, you are apart of my Bella," I pointed out.


She nodded.


"Alright, so fucking work together, instead of against each other! Keep your difference of opinions to yourselves and Marie…" I trailed off.


She looked at me questioningly and raised her eyebrows.


I sighed. "Don't bother, or tease her when she wants to play with her toys," I instructed.


"If you can't say anything nice, then don't fucking say anything at all," I demanded, exasperated.


"Not fair…" she trailed off in a whiny tone.


I felt my irritation spike at the sound of it. "What?" I asked in a curt tone. "What's not fair?" I quickly clarified.


She averted her gaze away from me then, and looked down to the floor. "That we have to share you," she told me in a small, soft voice.


I took a deep breath and sighed, feeling like I might get whiplash due to all of the emotions coursing through me at the moment.


Marie was insecure. Marie was acting out against Isabella because she misses me.


I shook my head at our complex situation, and simply hooked my hands under her shoulders, then brought her small form to straddle my legs and lean her chest up against mine so that I could feel her vital heartbeat against my cold skin.


She wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed, holding onto me tightly. I ran my fingers through her long, silky hair and kissed her temple.


"I love you," I assured her.


"Love you too," she mumbled back.


"You can come to see me whenever you want, babe," I pointed out.


She nodded and tightened her grip on me, then sniffled.


I shushed her and started caressing soothing circles on her back in between her small shoulder blades, then began that subtle rocking motion, just trying to comfort my beautiful, insecure girl. She had nothing to worry about. I loved her just as much as much as I did Isabella and my Bella. She was being silly in feeling left out all the time.


After a minute, she reached out an eager hand and started reverently running her little fingertip along the tin box at my side.


I sighed.


Show time.


"No…" I trailed off a bit firmly, before taking that hand in my own and bringing it to my lips to give her knuckles a cool kiss.


"What, why?" she asked quickly with a hint of panic in her voice as she stared at me in confusion.


I gave her a pointed look, before gently scooting her off of my lap and placing her back on her feet, so that she was standing in between my legs again.


"You don't get your box back until tomorrow night," I informed her.


Marie gasped. "What?!" she demanded.


I nodded. "Yep, and Isabella is not allowed to play with her MagnaDoodle again until tomorrow night," I added.


Isabella gasped. "Why?!" she demanded.


Heh…which one is going to stick around for the explanation?


"If you girls can't follow the rules and respect each other's belongings, then those belongings will go away," I stated with finality.


Isabella started to cry again. "My dooooooooodle…" she whimpered pathetically at the beginning of her cries.


"And, if you want to cry about it, then you can march right back over to the corner, baby girl," I told her nonchalantly.


She let out another cry as a response.


"Nobody feels sorry for you. You threw Marie's box, so one of your toys gets taken away. Marie threw your toy, so her box gets taken away," I pointed out.


"B-but my doodle…" she sobbed out, and gazed longingly at the pink toy that lay by my side.


"…will be given back to you tomorrow at bedtime," I assured her.


She stomped her foot. "No, noooow…" she whined.


I nodded towards the time out corner, indicating that she should take up any objections that she may have with the wall. I'm sure that it would lend a sympathetic ear, because I sure as hell wasn't going to.


She quieted down at my nod, clearly not wanting to go for another round at a time out session, then looked up at me with pleading, watery chocolate eyes. I shook my head, silently indicating that I would not be giving in. She hung her head in defeat and pouted while sniffling and gazing down at my lap.


The timer downstairs went off then, letting me know that Isabella's dinner was done. I handed Isabella a tissue, "Blow your nose, angel. It's time for dinner."


She reached out her hand for the tissue and wiped her eyes before quickly blowing her nose. She handed me the soiled tissue, then turned on her heel and walked out of the room, her growling stomach advertising how hungry and eager she was for food.


I noticed that Alice was in the kitchen, turning the timer off and preparing my girl's plate for her, so I took the time to grab the soiled tissues that lay scattered on the bed, and take them into the bathroom to flush down the toilet. When I came back into the bedroom, I grabbed the two confiscated items and walked with them to the closet. After moving a few things around, I placed the tin box and the MagnaDoodle up on the shelf, where they would stay until bedtime tomorrow night.


Rain drops started hitting the glass panes of the windows then, and a loud boom of thunder crashed throughout the otherwise silent atmosphere. I heard my little girl's sharp intake of breath at the unexpected noise, from her spot at the dining room table downstairs.


I left the bedroom then, and made my way downstairs, wanting to be by Isabella's side right now so that I could carefully gauge her reaction to the thunderstorm. I wanted to know if the loud thunder and the flashing lightning were going to scare her at all. As I slipped into my seat beside her at the table, I grabbed her hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was nervously sucking on her bottom lip, but otherwise showed no outward sign of fear. I couldn't smell any adrenaline coming from her heavenly scent, either. I breathed a small sigh of relief and rubbed small, soothing circles into her palm for a minute, before breaking contact so that she could pick up her fork and eat her dinner.


I saw that Alice brought out a plate of macaroni and cheese and a juice box, but…nothing else. I sighed, knowing that this wasn't a complete meal. Alice turned and went back to the laundry room, her mind focusing on wanting to fold the clothes fresh out the dryer.


I kissed Isabella's forehead and muttered a quick, "Be right back," then hurried off to the kitchen to toast a slice of bread and grab and assortment of some raw mini vegetables with a small dish of ranch dressing to dip them in.


Isabella smiled at me as I placed the extra items down in front of her.


She swallowed some macaroni, "Edward?"


"Yes baby?"


"Thank you."


"You're welcome, sweetheart."


I waited until Isabella was mostly done with her meal to bring up the subject that I had been dreading since I had put all the groceries away. I had forgotten to pick up some milk. And I knew that she would want milk with her Fruity Pebbles in the morning, so that meant that I had to go back out to the store to get it. The more I thought about it, the more I resolved to just go down to the convenient store here in town, as opposed to the grocery store.


I was actually thinking about leaving her here with Alice, Emmett and Rosalie, so that I could test out my skills of 'leaving my mate behind'.


I had to learn how to fucking grit my teeth and bare it.


I had to learn how to separate myself from her.


I had to learn how to relax, move aside, and let my family help out.


I didn't think that it was going to be this hard, but…it was. It fucking was. And I hated it.


Even now, I loathe the idea of leaving my baby Isabella in my siblings' care for twenty minutes, while I run out to the convenient store for some milk, so that she can have her favorite breakfast cereal in the morning.


But I would do it…I would do it for my Bella. Because that's what she wants. She wants the family to help out more, so that some of the weight will be lifted from my shoulders. But what she doesn't realize, is that whether they help me out or not, the weight will never be lifted.


She is my mate. She is my goddamn responsibility. That's just how it fucking is and she clearly doesn't get that. She doesn't understand vampire nature, and the deeply ingrained bond to one's mate, but as she is not a vampire, I can't exactly hold her ignorance against her.


"Isabella?"


Alice came into the room then, with a big grin on her face. She was happy with my decision to leave Isabella here while I went out to grab the gallon of milk.


"Hmm?" she hummed around a bite of ranch dipped broccoli.


"I have to go to the store, sweetheart. We're all out of milk, and I forgot to get some while we were at the store today," I informed her softly with a shrug.


She swallowed. "We can go when I'm done?" she asked curiously.


I subtly shook my head. "You're going to stay here and play with Alice," I informed her while nodding my head towards my little sister, who was standing off to the side.


Isabella slowly looked in that direction and when she caught sight of the grinning pixie, she gave her a shy smile in return, before abruptly whipping her head back to me, and stating with finality, "Wanna go with you."


I smiled, glad that she wanted to stay with me too. But I realized then, that if she was always acting clingy, then it would only make my task at hand that much harder to achieve. I furrowed my brow at my conflicting emotions.


"Baby girl…" I trailed off softly.


She kept her eyes on me, waiting for me to come up with the words that I was blindly searching for. I sighed after a few seconds and just said, "You're going to stay here."


I immediately smelled salty tears and saw how her bottom lip began to tremble.


I shook my head. "No, angel…no crying. I'll be back in a few minutes, I just don't want to take you out in the storm with me," I reasoned.


"Wanna go with you," she told me, then sniffled.


She had effectively stopped the impending tears though, so I was proud of her for that.


I shook my head. "No, baby…" I told her softly.


She looked away from me and back down towards her plate then, kicking her feet out a bit. Pouting.


I nodded at Alice and got up from the table. It was now or never.


"When you're done with your food, you can play down here, or you can go back up to our bedroom. Your Toy Story movie is still on, on the TV up there, pretty girl."


"Kay…" she mumbled, still staring despondently at the untouched toast on her plate.


I bent down and kissed her temple, fighting the urge to say 'fuck it' and pull her out of the chair to take her with me. "I love you."


"Love you, too," she mumbled.


"I'll be back," I whispered against her warm flesh.


She turned her head to look at me then, and subtly nodded with a sad look on her face. I gritted my teeth at the sight of it, then quickly turned on my heel to exit the room.


The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll be back.


"Take good care of her," I told my siblings at our frequency as I slipped into the driver's seat of my car in the garage.


"She'll be fine," I heard Alice reassure me just as Marie's voice said, "Wanna go play in the rain, Ali?"


I paused with the key in the ignition to make sure my siblings wouldn't let my girl outside to play in the rain after she had just finished getting over a cold.


Alice laughed, "Nope."


"Whatchya wanna do?" Marie asked.


I pulled out of the garage as they continued their conversation on whether to play with my Bella's Nintendo toy, or persuade Emmett into a game of Guitar Hero.


I drove down the wet roads to the convenient store that was ten minutes away. I rushed out of the car and into the store at human pace, keeping up the charade that I wanted to get in out of the rain. I grabbed the first gallon of milk that I saw, double checking the expiration date, and took it up to the checkout counter. After a quick transaction, I was back in the car and speeding down the road, on my way back home to my mate. I felt the anxiety in my chest lessen as I drew closer and closer to the house. I breathed a sigh of relief at this revelation, and pressed down on the gas pedal even more.


A few seconds later, though, all of the anxiety returned at full force, when I began to detect my mate's elevated heart rate from two miles away, and I could start to hear her screams.


What the fuck is going on now?


I floored it and arrived at the front door within thirty-eight seconds. I grabbed the wretched gallon of milk that had caused this whole mess in the first place, out of the passenger seat beside me, then stalked up to the front door.


I opened and closed it with a slam.


"What. The. Fuck." I stated incredulously in a curt tone to the first vampire that I saw, which happened to be Rosalie.


Rosalie took the milk from my hand, and I distractedly handed it over. I could hear Isabella's cries and occasional scream coming from upstairs, but the picture playing out in Rosalie's mind as an explanation made me pause for a second.


"Emmett just sent her to her room…" she started off, then proceeded to tell me in our frequency that soon after I had left, Isabella took over and had decided to be sneaky while I was out. Alice saw her decision to grab the computer desk chair, and take it over to the closet, knowing full well that it would permit her to be able to reach for her pink MagnaDoodle that I had stuck up on the shelf in the closet.


"Alice went up there, and caught her red-handed, so Emmett decided to just send the kid to her room, ya know? But then, why stick her in a room full of her toys?…That's just fucking pointless, if you ask me. Anyway, so we get the idea to put her in the spare room instead…it's empty, it's boring, and it's only for a few minutes until you get back," she shrugged, honestly not seeing the problem with their decision.


And it made sense. Really, it did. And it would have worked…for any child other than Isabella.


Goddamn it.


"Goddamn it!" I roared out, as I hauled ass up the steps at my natural speed.


I breezed past Emmett in my haste to get to my mate, only to turn around and go right back. Emmett was sitting on the floor across the hall from the closed door of the empty spare room, with a perplexed look on his face. His thoughts were confused. He couldn't understand why Isabella was freaking out to the extent that she was. Apparently, she had been slamming her body against the closed door, and pounding her fists on it, crying and pleading for someone to let her out.


For fucks sake.


"Emmett," my voice rushed out in our frequency, trying to get his attention.


He tore his gaze away from the white door and looked up at me. He quickly stood then, and we spoke in our natural rushed, hushed tones.


"Dude- I…I, umm. I mean, sending a kid to their room, is fucking normal, right?"


I rolled my eyes and nodded.


"So what the hell?!" he exclaimed, nodding towards the door where my baby's cries never faltered and continued at a steady pace.


"Isabella is to never…never, ever, ever…be confined. Ever!"


He furrowed his brow. "Dude it's just like those time outs that you-"


"No," I stated firmly. "No, it's not just like those. This is in no way like the time-outs that I have given her. I put her in a corner, or I sit her down in a chair, and I make damn sure that the room we are in always has a open fucking door. She should never be confined, Emmett," I repeated, getting pissed off at my brother and his constant misunderstanding with the situation.


Anxiety gripped me painfully. I could smell the fear-induced adrenaline coming off of Isabella in thick waves.


I growled low in my chest.


Understanding seemed to cross Emmett's features then, and he gasped. "Oh shit, I'm sorry…" he said quickly with heavy remorse.


I nodded at his apology just as a dripping wet, freshly fed Jasper appeared at our side.


"What in the hell…?" he asked, confused by everyone's complex emotions.


"Alice called and I was close by," he told us before Emmett cut him off.


Emmett began to quickly explain the situation and their epic fuck up of putting my abused little girl in confinement as sort of an effort to discipline her until I returned. I was just glad that this conversation had taken place, and that this whole thing had only taken nine seconds to clear up.


I was going to relieve Emmett of the worries that had begun to constantly run through his mind, then…yes, it was just a mistake…no, I don't hate him…yes, I would still let him come around my mate; but Isabella's next words cut me off before I could begin.


"Es tut mir Leid, Ich werde eine gute madchen," she stated sadly through her sobs.


"What?" Emmett asked.


"Es tut mir Leid!" she screamed out.


I sighed, recognizing the language and knowing that this was traced back to Jim, as well.


"She's telling you that she is sorry," I told him.


"Where the hell did you get 'I'm sorry' from estute-something," he asked.


"It's German," I snapped.


"A fluent dialect of the language, too…" Jasper added.


Fucking hell.


I wretched the door open then, and immediately enveloped my sobbing little girl in my arms. She buried her face in my neck and clung to me, jumping a little as a crack of thunder boomed throughout the dark room. She lifted her face a little then, and cried loudly in my ear. I shushed her, feeling my anger towards my siblings grow.


Okay, maybe I was a little angry at Emmett, after all. If I had just taken Isabella with me, then none of this would have happened. I gritted my teeth at my own stupidity. I fucking knew the idea of letting them help out was ridiculous.


Never again.


I tightened my hold on my traumatized baby girl as she began speaking to me through her cries. Her language of choice at the moment seemed to be German, so I tried to concentrate on what she was telling me. The only vampires in my family that were fluent in the language were Carlisle, Jasper, and myself.


"Edward, er war ein meanie. Er mich in diesem Raum alle von mir, obwohl ich sagte es tut mir leid. er sie nicht hören! Er mir gerade gesagt, ich habe AUFENTHALT IN hier bis sie Hause kam," she told me through her cries, causing the words to come out with a harsh dialect.


I nodded and shushed her. "Shhh…" I already knew what had happened, and I already knew that she was sorry.


I tightened my grip on her and felt the familiar low rumble in my chest begin, effectively sending out the warning to others of my kind, namely my clueless family, to stay the fuck away. I walked out of the empty room, and passed by my concerned siblings as I made my way down the steps.


My instincts were telling me to get her out. Get her away from the people who had upset her. My protective arms kept her small frame tightly molded against my own as I walked us out the front door. The rain was starting to come down pretty hard now, so I reached into my pocket and grabbed my keys, unlocking my car with the remote. I hurried over to the passenger side and opened the door, then squatted down to gently maneuver my mate out of my arms and into her seat. As soon as I had her safely buckled in, I closed the door, and flashed over to my side of the car, then slid into my seat with eased grace. I started the car and slammed on the gas pedal, backing us out of the driveway.


Isabella reached down into the single pocket in the front of her pretty red dress, only to retrieve that pink pacifier and hold it in a tight grip. She immediately slipped it in between her lips, sniffling and repeatedly mumbling, "Bedeutet mann," around it, as she wiped the hot tears away from her frantic and worried eyes with a small fist.


I reached out a tentative hand, and ran my cool fingers through her hair as I made a sharp left turn into the slow traffic. "Shhh…" I tried shushing her again.


I didn't mind her speaking the German language, but frankly, it was freaking me the fuck out. She had obviously regressed, relating being put into that harmless, empty room, with Jim throwing her down into the black basement. She had apologized to Emmett in German, and I guessed that that was expected from her back then. I needed her to come back to me…come back to the present time.


There was no more Jim. No more abuse. No more fucking racist Nazis.


She was safe. I would keep her that way.


She slowly pulled the pacifier out of her mouth then, but continued to keep her head down, focusing her troubled gaze onto her lap. It didn't escape my notice that she was displaying the common submissive position by keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact with me. This only served to piss me off even more.


"Don Lassen sie mich verletzen," she pleaded to me softly.


"Never again, baby girl. No one is going to hurt you," I promised.


She nodded and sniffled.


Four minutes later, she finally turned her head to look up at me with a hesitant gaze as I sped towards the highway entrance. "Promise?" she asked in a small voice that cracked.


I smiled, glad that she was looking at me without any incentive, and that she was speaking fucking English again. "I swear it, baby girl," I pledged, then sealed my promise with a cool kiss to her warm forehead.


I leaned over her lap and reached into the glove box then. I snatched up some napkins and handed them my little girl. I watched as she dried the tears from her flushed, rosy cheeks and long, wet eyelashes. She blew her little button nose, next. When she was done, she slipped the pacifier back into her mouth and turned her body towards mine, then gripped my hand tightly in her small, delicate one. I dropped a soft kiss to the top of her head, and let my lips slowly skim along the silky locks, while inhaling her heavenly scent, as she snuggled her side into my arm.


No one would ever hurt her again.


Never. Again.

*** TRANSLATIONS ***

"Es tut mir Leid, Ich werde eine gute madchen" = I'm sorry, I'll be a good girl


"Es tut mir Leid!" = I'm sorry!

"Edward, er war ein meanie. Er mich in diesem Raum alle von mir, obwohl ich sagte es tut mir leid. er sie nicht hören! Er mir gerade gesagt, ich habe AUFENTHALT IN hier bis sie Hause kam" = Edward, he was a meanie. He put me in this room all by myself, even though I said I'm sorry. He wouldn't listen! He just told me that I had to stay in here until you got home

"Bedeutet mann" = Mean man

"Don Lassen sie mich verletzen" = Don't let them hurt me