No Beta this time around. Don't hate me and please ignore the errors!

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Chapter 19: What a tangled web we weave...
Read to find out how tangled it gets as the search for Edward, as well as Carlisle and Esme continues.
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Officially rated M. ... And again PLEASE REVIEW!

Disclaimer: Twilight/Characters not mine. I just like to dabble.

For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.

Mark 8:36

Chapter 19: Spider Web

Everything was distorted.

Nothing was real.

We were not having this conversation.

And I was not in panic mode.

This is a dream.

Of course, it can't be a dream for me, since I am unable to sleep.

Maybe it's Edward's dream?

Maybe somehow, he pulled me along with him, and now we're both trapped, yet lost from one another?

Oh Lord.

My brain was racing ninety miles a minute.

Charlie and I had Edward's brothers and sisters lined up in their living room, and we refused to let them out of our sight.

We were all confused.

Charlie called in a few friends to try and trace Edward's last call.

All I could do was pace around the living room in a line, over and over as I tried to figure out what else I could do...

I've tried to search the woods countless times these past few hours. I've tried calling all his friends, his teammates, the hospitals... no Edward.

And the mere thought of No Edward was pretty much unacceptable for me.

After forty minutes of torturous silence, brainstorming, and few clues, I had about all I can take.

I flew down the hallway, into Carlisle's study, where Charlie searched for clues of the three's whereabouts.

"Charlie Swan," I stammered through my anger, my hands glued to my hips as I stood in the doorway. "I think you're not telling me everything."

He sighed, plopping down in the brown leather chair. "Bella, not now, okay?"

"No, now!"

He glared at me, swaying the chair back and forth. "We don't know anything yet."

"No, no, no," I hissed as I stormed to the front of the desk. "I don't know anything. But I think you do. What is it that you're not telling me?"

"Bella, it's n-"

"DAD! NOW!"

Charlie glowered at me for a few minutes, before sitting up and leaning over the desk. "Alright. Sit."

I walked around to the nearest chair and flopped in it, staring intently at my father.

"I think Edward is missing."

"You think?"

"Well... I don't believe he was stolen, or forced out without his will... We would have heard some sort of scream.. or you may have possibly sensed something off, if ... let's say, Victor, for instance, decided to take him out of that back yard."

"Dad, Edward would have not just left. He wouldn't do that to me, and he wouldn't have done that to his siblings."

"I'm not saying that either, Bella..." he sighed. "I think he was bribed, or black mailed in some way."

My mouth dropped as I tried to form words that I couldn't understand.

Charlie nodded, waiting for me to say something.

"What would anyone have on Edward?" I gasped after a few staggering minutes.

"Tell me about Edward's biological parents."

I furrowed my brows, my hands on my heart as he changed the subject. "Um... his father died when he was five, a gunshot at a store I think... and his mother died a year ago, with some sort of fever."

"And his parents were close with the Cullen's, yes? And Edward, too?"

I nodded, trying to figure out where Dad was going with this.

"...I think he wants revenge, Bella."

I fell back in the chair, trying to understand this concept. "What?"

Charlie mimicked my actions, leaning back in Carlisle's seat. "I never told you the truth about... Victor and Jamee."

"What are you talking about?"

Charlie rubbed his face a few times. "You know what happened with Renee..."

"Yes."

"And Victor."

"Yes."

Charlie sighed. "I saved Jamee that night, do you remember?"

I nodded.

"And a few years ago, I told you that I found Jamee and turned her in to the Volturi..."

"Yes, I remember."

He took a deep breath. "I lied to you, Bella."

I shook my head, sitting up again. "W-What?"

"Yes. I lied... I never turned her in. I..." his voice trailed off as he met my eyes. "I took care of it."

I stood up, moving the chair back with my foot. "What? What are you talking about? What do you mean 'I took care of it'?"

He buried his face in his hands, leaning over on the desk. "I'm so sorry, Bella, I shouldn't have lied to you. I-"

"Dad you better tell me what the hell happened before I lose my last nerve!"

"I found her, snooping around here in Forks one night. It was a few years back. I could easily recognize her scent from a mile away... It was a scent that was burned in my memory ever since I tasted her blood on my lips. I became furiated, raging with fumes. I left work, I charged for her, I had no thoughts in my head in the process... I knew she was up to something bad, possibly looking for us... and I found her instantly."

I eyed him down as he contininued.

"I remember being so angry, so disturbed with the fact that she was alive... and your mother wasn't. She looked just as she did that same night so many years back... It took me back to that dark cave, to your mother's screams..."

He gasped, shaking his head. "I charged for her. I threw her into some trees, and we fell deep into a pretty extensive battle. Victor wasn't with her... She told me that he sent her here, on a mission, but I never got to ask her what it was."

"Why not?" I sneered.

He met my eyes again, his face tortured. "...Because I ripped her into shreds."

The room fell silent.

I became dizzy.

I reached behind me, my hand tapping the air in search of the arm rests. Once I found it, I pulled it to me, unsteadily falling into the seat.

I couldn't speak.

All I could do is stare at my father in disbelief, unable to close my mouth.

"I should have told you," he whispered to me.

"I..." I shook my head, trying to make way for my thoughts, to comprehend through the sudden emptiness I felt in my chest. "Victor..."

He nodded.

"Victor wants revenge on you... so he came after me, or the one thing that was important to me... because..."

He finished for me. "Because he knew I'd do whatever it took to protect you, and whatever mattered to you."

I moaned, burying my face in my hands.

"No, no, no, no, no," I whispered on repeat. "This can't be happening, this isn't happening, this can't be happening."

"...I'm so sorry, Bella."

I shook my head back in forth. "This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real..."

"I'm afraid it is... Bella."

I slammed my hands on the desk, kicking the chair back behind me and standing to my feet.

I was shaking, glaring at him through hatred. "Then you better fucking fix this. NOW!"

He nodded, slowly standing with me. "I'm going to fix this, Bella... but you need to calm down."

"Calm down?" I shouted, my anger rising. "Don't you tell me to calm down! Because of your... your actions... you just ripped away the one thing, the only thing, that means anything to me!"

He nodded, his hands in the air. "I know, Bella... I'm going to fix it."

"Do it now!"

"I will."

"No," I slammed my hand on the desk, hearing it crack beneath my force. "I don't want to hear I will, Dad. I want to hear I am."

"I am."

My hands were trembling as I took a few steps back.

All I could think about was lunging over this table and taking my aggression out on my father.

How could he hurt me like this?

"Bella!" Alice gasped, running into the study.

Charlie and I snapped our heads to the pixie in the doorway, both angered for different reasons: Me at him, he at himself.

"I-I had.." she gasped, her hand on her thudding heart. "I-I don't know what happened... But I .. um, I was sitting there on the couch, staring at a picture of Edward and I on the fireplace, and.. I had a vision of some sort."

"What do you mean, a vision?" Charlie stepped around the desk.

"I don't know, this doesn't happen that often! Only, usually, a few times in my life... Like with tests for school, or with Jasper on occassion... but... I've never been wrong before when it happens... and this one was too real for it not to be happening!"

"Alice," I ran over to her, shaking her gently. "What did you see?"

"I saw Edward!" she cried, her hands on my forearms.

"What do you mean, you saw Edward? Here? Is he here, Alice? Did he come back?"

She shook her head, the tears streaming down her face. "No. I saw him on a floor... on this wooden floor in a darkened room... in..."

I nodded for her to continue, desperate for anything that could happen.

"In... " she shook her head, looking down. "He was laying in blood, Bella. A lot of it!"

I stumbled back, cracking my head toward Charlie, who came to sit beside us.

"Bella," he said as he stared at Alice. "Go grab a note-pad from Carlisle's top drawer. Now."

I ran around to the desk, while he grabbed the chair I kicked backward, sitting it upright and motioning for Alice to sit.

She did, crying harder.

I handed it to him, and he passed it along to her lap, holding out a pen. "Alice, I need for you to draw for me what you saw. Can you do that?"

She nodded, gasping for air.

"Bella, go get the kids. Bring them all in here. Pull up the internet on Carlisle's computer. We may have to book a flight."

"Dad, what's going o-"

"Bella! Don't ask questions! Do it now!"

I did as Charlie instructed while Alice's hands began to move at a rapidly in-human rate on the paper.

When everyone was gathered back in the study, and I had the internet pulled up, I watched as Charlie leaned over her shoulder, studying her sketch.

After a few lingering moments, Charlie threw his hand in his hair, tugging on it nervously. "Bella, go get your sketchbook. I know you have it."

I nodded, running up to Edward's bedroom and yanking my portfolio off of his desk. I tried to avoid all the smells of him surrounding this room, because I knew it'd bring me down. So I held my breath, running back into the office. "Dad, what is it?"

He ripped the sketchbook from my hands, studying my art.

He flipped and flipped and flipped pages, shaking his head until he stopped to one I did a few weeks ago.

Charlie slammed his index finger onto the drawing, looking at Emmett. "Is this Carlise and Esme?"

He nodded, swallowing hard as his eyes widened.

"This isn't their house, though?"

He shook his head and pointed to the couple behind them. "That's Edward's parents... that's their house, in Jacksonville. Edward took that picture of the four of them, the day that my mom and dad visited them, and dad helped with the final arrangements of the sale."

"Does Edward knew you drew this Bella?" Charlie asked, bringing his attention to me.

I shook my head. "No, I didn't think anything of it..."

Charlie studied my art for a few moments, then gathered up Alice's finished drawing, which I refused to look at.

I couldn't handle him thinking in silence, so I pressed it. "Dad? What is it?"

He held up the drawings, covering up the part where Edward was so I only saw his shoes. The window from the inside of the room he was in matched the outside of the window in my drawing."

"He took Edward back to his old house... where his mother was before she got sick."

"Flight 418 leaving Seattle to Jacksonville, Florida will be departing in fifteen minutes, at Gate 11. Repeating, flight 418 leaving Seattle to Jacksonville will be departing in fifteen minutes, at Gate 11. Please grab all your belongings, and listen in until your section is called."

I reached around the seats, gathering up mine and Alice's carry on bags.

The past few hours had been a big haze.

Within seconds, we were booking flights, making phone calls, leaving messages for the school and the hospitals, trying to come into contact with Carlisle and Esme... Googling Edward's old address.

Charlie couldn't figure out the missing link with Edward's adopted parents... unless that was what he used to bribe Edward to come to him... knowing it was his weak spot.

I got chills every time I thought about how long Victor could have been watching us.. watching Edward, and his family.

We didn't feel it was safe to leave Alice, Rose, Jasper, and Emmett out of our sights, not even for a second. So we were forced to bring them along.

They were all ansy and confused, heartbroken but numb... They weren't giving us a hassle, all remaining calm while they put their unrelenting trust into us.

We waited in line while the lady scanned our tickets, and Emmett reached down and grabbed my right hand. "It's gonna be okay, Bella."

I looked up at him and smiled the best I could. "I should be the one reassuring you that, Em."

He shook his head as we walked to the lady, handing her our tickets. "No, we're family. We remain strong for everyone... together."

I pulled my lips in, my heart aching. "Thank you, Emmett."

He nodded, wrapping his arm around Rosalie's shoulder and walking ahead of us down the ramp.

Alice was sobbing as she held Jasper's hand behind us. She said she couldn't shut her visions off now, that all she could hear was Edward screaming... She couldn't handle it.

I reached out and patted her on the arm, before taking my dad's hand in mine. Charlie glanced down at me, not expecting that because we don't have that type of contact. Not to mention, he thought I was angry at him... But I wasn't the only one losing something here, and I know he was thinking about my mom every second now.

I gave him a firm squeeze and a slight smile, which he returned before we boarded the plane.

Once we stored away and took our seats, I could hear all four of their heartbeats rising heavily. They were nervous, and scared, and worried for their brother.

And so was I.

In fact, if my heart would move right now, it would probably explode between the heartache and anticipation I had.

All I kept repeating in my head was please let him be alive, please let him be alive, please don't take him away from me, I'll give you whatever you want...

I tried to focus on the stewardess checking the cabinets, the pilots boarding the plane with their suitcases and black suits, the music from Emmett's headphones, blaring from his Ipod... Nothing helped. Nothing soothed me.

All I could think about was Edward.. all alone... Scared and confused...

I was angry at first, trying to figure out how he could do this to me, why he would take off like that, and why he didn't tell me. I could have done something!

But then I realized that this was his last family, Carlisle and Esme... and it was a vulnerability.

He wouldn't lose his second set of parents.

Victor must have organized his bargaining chip well.

And if that was indeed the case, then Carlisle and Esme were in danger as well.

As the plane lined up on the runway, getting ready for takeoff, I glanced over at Alice and Jasper, who were sitting behind us.

"Alice," I whispered, motioning my finger for her to lean up toward my seat.

Her swollen red eyes leaned forward with her body as she swallowed hard.

"Did you see Carlisle and Esme? In your vision?"

She shook her head, swallowing gulps of air. "I can't. I've tried... but I can't see them. I don't know what's wrong with me," she cried.

I patted her hand as Charlie reached and wiped her tears away... he had a soft spot for her, I could tell.

"It's okay Alice," I whispered as the plane burrowed down the runway.

She sat back quickly, burying her face into Jasper's shoulder. He gave me a side smile, comforting but not reaching his eyes, as he caressed her shoulder and hummed in her ear.

I turned around in my seat, stealing a peek at my father on my right as he stared out the window.

"I love you Dad," I whispered to him.

He turned slowly, his eyes rising to meet mine. "I love you too, Bella."

I nodded, holding my breath as the front end of the plane lifted up, the back end following shortly after... and then we were up in the air, swaying from side to side a bit as we climbed the altitude, through the foggy haze.

We sliced through the clouds like butter... and memories of my time spent with Edward flashed in my head within seconds...

His crooked smile, our first meeting... Him kissing my forehead in my car after dinner at his parent's house... His cocky grin as he walked all four bases in practice, staring at Quil... His kisses, his touch, the way he made love to me... The way he shouted at me when we were both being stubborn... The way he smiled as he shook my father's hand... The tears he shed in front of me... The way he smiled a different kind of smile, that crooked, gleaming one, which was made only for me...

This won't be the last time you see that smile, I said to myself as we finally settled to a comfort altitude. It won't, Bella.

I had the group following me to a police car Charlie arranged for us. He knew it'd be the quickest way for us to get transported, since we could pass through the stoplights. I'm not certain how Charlie arranged this, or what he lied to them about to get them to cooperate so easily without questions... but was very happy when it worked.

He may have told them we were securing the kids, and they were in witness protection. I never asked.

We climbed into two cruisers, Charlie with Emmett and Rosalie, while I stayed with Alice and Jasper. The sirens from the police cars wailed as we left the airport in Jacksonville, trying to push through the crowds.

Charlie wore his big police hat, the old style, long sleeves and his collar flipped up, trying to keep his identity hidden. I went for a large hat Alice brought, wide sunglasses, and as much clothing as possible... We looked like freaks, out in winter clothing on a warm and sunny day like this... but it was imperable for us to keep ourselves out of the radar.

The last thing we needed was to create a frenzy, drawing attention to ourselves.

The kids remained silent, cooperating with us in any way they could.

We knew it was because they were just as desperate to have their families back as I was. They too had lost so much before they gained the love of Carlisle and Esme. I knew it was just as heartbreaking for them.

I didn't really know what the game plan was. I knew we weren't going to take them with us to Elizabeth and Ed's old house, because they could get hurt too.

I know Charlie booked a hotel room somewhere, with police and security guarding their floor... I just didn't know where. Charlie refused to tell me, afraid to speak loud enough to say anything... because we didn't know where Victor was, or if he could hear us.

In fact, we had no idea if Victor knew we had arrived yet.

I prayed he didn't. That could buy us some time... if we weren't too late all ready.

The ride took about thirty minutes, until we arrived on Water Street, at the Omni Hotel, in Jacksonville.

It had 354 large guest rooms, and we knew we could squeeze in a lot of security, if need be. It would have to take awhile for any vampire to take all of them out... and although I hated to think about all those human's that could be sacrificed because of us... it soothed me to know that atleast four humans could remain safe.

We gathered up our belonging quickly, entering the windowed doorframe, into the large golden lobby. We followed the four police officer's and Charlie's lead, up the staircase until it wound around. We didn't have to check in, as someone all ready did that for us.

We entered the elevator together, silent as a button.

There were two Deluxe King guest rooms waiting for us on the seventh floor. Charlie ran inside first, closing all the curtains and inspecting the rooms for any scent of ... any un-welcomed visitors.

Once the coast was cleared, we all piled up into one room, opening the joining door.

Charlie took charge, quickly explaining them the rules: No leaving the room without a buddy, for any reason, and only leave if we call them and tell them. No swimming in the pool, no phone calls with the hotel phone. Keep the television down so they could listen for any awkward noises in the hall that may cause suspicion. No ordering room service, if they were hungry, instruct ONE police officer to get their food for them. Sleep in routines, that way someone is always up and standing by.

If they were scared for any reason, Charlie gave them both our cell phone numbers.

"Don't hesitate to call us," he said, focusing mainly on Alice. "for any reason. If you're scared, you call. If you think you know something, you call. If Carlisle or Esme contacts you, you call. Understand?"

They nodded in agreement.

Charlie arranged for a flight back to Forks for all of us, but left the tickets with Emmett, just in case we didn't return.

...For whatever unthinkable reason I didn't dare to consult with him about.

I sat on the bed with Alice while the boys flipped through channels, waiting as Charlie made more arrangements for their protection.

We were both fidgeting, bouncing our feet on the floor in matching rhythms.

Rosalie decided to take her nap first, and I understood why, being that none of them had gotten a whole hell of a lot of sleep these past few days.

After an hour, once all the necessary adjustments had been made, we said our goodbye's. I hugged them all as tight as I could without breaking them, but couldn't speak. I didn't want to tell them goodbye, refusing to allow myself or them to think we wouldn't be coming back.

"This will all be over really soon," Charlie said to them as we opened the door. "No one panic, and use the phone if you need us."

They all looked so heartbroken, and lonely. I winked at Emmett and he gave me a slight smile as we closed the door behind us.

We entered the elevator in silence, Charlie staring at his watch while I fidgeted in a dance.

"This is going to work right?" I asked him, unable to stop myself. "We are going to save him?"

Charlie nodded, glancing over at me through his wide eyes. "We're going to do whatever it takes, Bella. Do you trust me?"

I nodded, listening to the elevator ding.

"Good. Then trust when I say you'll get your Edward back."

"Okay," I whispered, tucking my arm in his.

The elevator swung open, and we galloped down the stairs in the lobby, toward the SWAT police car, a 2008 black charger.

Surprisingly, the driver climbed out and handed Charlie the keys, leaving us with the car alone. Once we climbed in the black machine, I couldn't help but show my shock.

"How do you do all of this?" I asked, dumbfounded.

Charlie revved up the car with a smile, pulling down his shades. "Don't ever underestimate your father, Bella."

And with that, he took off, going from 0 to 70 in two seconds flat. I just held onto the door, praying for him to drive as fast as possible.

The quicker we could get there, the quicker we could find Edward.

And the sooner I could save him.

It took us forty-five minutes, and twenty-three seconds to arrive there.

Traffic was maxed out, and if I became any more frustrated and nervous, I think I would have taken out all those people, just for pissing me off.

We pulled onto the winding drive way in silence, and I think my heart all but fumbled out of my throat. It may have not been beating, but it was certainly leaping with all this anxiety.

The house appeared not as shiny and new from my drawing... It had dirt on it, and you can tell no one had occupied it since Edward moved out.

There was no obsolete damage to it, however, being that it had been empty for only a year.

But as we opened the door and stepped out, all I could smell in the slight breeze was Edward... He was everywhere.

This is where he spent most of his life...

I glanced over at Charlie from across the car, and he nodded once. We left the car up the top of the drive, out of the view from the windows, so no one could see us. We ran along side the woods by the lake, hiding as best as we could, until we reached the wide deck.

Charlie yanked me back, refusing to expose me so suddenly to the large windows.

"Bella! You can't go that way. He'd see you!"

"I want him to see me, Dad! The sooner we get him, the sooner we can leave!"

"I'm talking about Victor, Bella. Not Edward."

I closed my mouth, shaking my head.

My thought had been zoned in on Edward, Edward, Edward... I didn't even think about the large, inhuman, evil vampire that could be guarding him.

I followed Charlie through the brush, around the back side of the house.

He peered into the windows slowly and slightly, careful not to reveal us.

I stayed behind him, holding his hand, glancing around the trees for any signs of movement.

It was calm.

Too calm.

It unhinged me.

"Dad," I whispered as we walked to the next window.

"Yes Bella?"

"...I-It's too quiet. Something is wrong, I can feel it."

"We don't know that, Bella."

"No, something is wrong!" I hissed, my stomach flipping in knots.

He turned and faced me as we lowered to the sand and grassy yard mixture.

"Bella," he whispered, reaching out and touching my arm. "You need to stay calm, all right? I can't have you falling a part on me now."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. Then I regretted it, because I smelt Edward, and it made me break apart.

"Please let him be okay, please let him be okay, please let him be okay," I started chanting softly.

Dad gripped my fingers, pulling them out from the soil of which I was grasping. "Bella?"

I looked up at him, my expression a mixture of anger and heartache.

"Are you going to be able to handle whatever is in this house?"

I nodded.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded, inhaling again. "I want to kill him, Dad."

"I know you do... but our first priority is Edward's saftey, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"All right," he said, pulling me and himself to our feet. "Take a deep breath."

I did as instructed.

"Now let's go," he said, motioning for me to follow him.

We wound around the walls, up the large wooden deck. It creaked only once, and I lightened my step immediately, matching mine with Charlie's.

We stayed close to the wall, hugging it, trying to avoid the sun at all costs, so we wouldn't cast a shadow on the deck that Victor could see.

Charlie reached out and jiggled the handle slightly, before turning and nodding to me.

It was unlocked.

I held my breath as he slowly opened the door, pushing it with one finger.

We stayed along the outside wall of the house, with my dad peaking his head around to see if there was anyone there.

There wasn't.

And no sounds from Edward.

Charlie bounced into the room gently, on his toes, gathering the smell of the room.

After a few seconds, he motioned for me to enter. The house was dark and empty.

Hardwood floor covered it, and only the sunlight peaking in through certain windows guided us along the room.

We entered the kitchen first, Charlie inspecting every corner.

We tiptoed into the formal dining room, which was also unoccupied of furniture or people... and that floor creaked louder.

I listened for breathing, or a heartbeat I'd recognize in an instant... praying for it to come thudding into my ears so I could know he was alive.

Please be here, please be here, please be here, I whispered to myself as I followed Charlie down the hallway, keeping an eye on our backs as we moved.

Please be here, please be here, come on Edward...

Once we inspected the bottom story, to find it empty and motionless, we began to climb the steps.

We kept our footing as light as possible, but some creaks were inevitable.

I trembled as I gathered the rail beside me, holding my breath as we entered the second story.

"Shh," Charlie whispered as we turned the corner into the hall. "Do you hear that?"

I froze, holding my breath and focusing on the sounds around me.

I shook my head, my eyes wide.

"Listen, Bella... Focus!" Charlie hissed at me, in a slight whisper.

I leaned my head forward, my mouth parted, my eyes widened.

I strained my neck as we walked, praying for only one sound that could make me feel okay.

I wanted to hear him.

Charlie creaked the bedroom door open, and we entered to find Edward's old bedroom.

The smell of it, of him enveloped me hard.

It had a lot of baseball trophies still lining the wall, and an old bed frame, with springs but no mattress.

A photo of Edward and his parents rested inside a broken frame on top of the metal springs, and it sent cold chills down my spine... two out of the three people in that picture were dead.

I gasped, closing my eyes at that disgusting thought.

He's not dead, he's not dead, he's not dead.

Charlie inspected the bathroom as I watched the door, praying to hear Edward screaming or just anything.

Just not Victor.

Please don't let him find us, please don't let him find us...

Charlie motioned for us to continue, leaving the room after we checked the isolated hall, following the wooden floors down the narrow binding.

I heard some boards creak in front of us, and Charlie did too.

We instantly froze, trying to make out a sound.

I heard breathing, but wasn't for sure what it was.

Then I heard something that made me numb.

A faded heartbeat.

And a gasp.

And then a young voice, in a begging whine.

It was Edward!

He was alive!

"HOW CAN I DECIDE WHAT'S RIGHT, WHEN YOU'RE CLOUDING UP MY MIND? I CAN'T WIN YOUR LOSING FIGHT, ALL THE TIME!"

The cell phone in my dad's pocket, which Alice gave us earlier, began to wail out and we gasped, struggling to get it as we began to freak out.

He reached in and turned it off, as we froze and crouched down in the hallway, listening for sounds of commotion.

I heard Edward's breathing inhale, but no voice.

Dad threw the phone to me, pushing me inside the nearest door and hushing me not to speak, just to listen, as he continued his stare at the door.

He knew Victor heard that phone.

I'm sure the neighbors could hear it. Dammit Alice.

"Bella! Can you hear me!" Emmett shouted, and I sealed the phone to my ear, whispering "mmhmm" to him as quietly as possible.

"Bella! My dad just called me! They're not there!"

"What?" I whispered, my hand covering my mouth.

"Yes! They were at the hospital this whole time! He said his phone broke as they were trying to gather their stuff in his car. He dropped it onto the garage floor! He couldn't get it to turn back on, so he had my mom put it in the office drawer. Mom's phone was turned off this whole time, because she was with the family while dad was in surgery! She said she left us a note on the counter, with all the hospital contact information in Dallas, where they were at."

"But that wasn't your mom's handwriting," I whispered, my body trembling as I gasped for air.

"I know! I think Victor came in when we were at the party, took her note, changed it and wrote it to something that could cause your suspicion, to make us all think that they were kidnapped! They're fine, they're at home right now, in a sheer panic, trying to figure out where we are!"

I closed my eyes, shaking my head in disbelief.

This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening.

Victor screwed us! He forced Edward here, by making him think that Carlisle and Esme were kidnapped, so he'd come!

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

I crouched down to my feet, watching as Charlie inspected the hall, listening for commotion behind the door.

"Tell them the truth," I whispered to Emmett. "Just don't tell them where you are."

"Did you find Ed-"

"I gotta go Emmett," I whispered, cutting him off as I closed the phone and turned it off.

Charlie tiptoed back into the room, looking at me with suspicion.

"Bella? What is it?" he whispered quickly.

I bit my lip, rising unsteadily to my feet.

My body felt like it just got ran over.

And I felt like I could pass out.

"Carlisle and Esme are safe," I whispered to him as we heard the door creak open from behind us, where Edward was.

Footsteps edged closer to us, too light for a human... step, step... step.

Charlie and I glanced at each other, our expressions mirrored.

We were both in shock, terrified and frozen like ice.

"It's a trap, Dad."

So there we go, Chapter 19! Keep the reviews and compliments/suggestions/positive feedback coming in! They are always welcome. Stay tuned!

ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS/RESPONSES:

- Thanks to everyone who's continued to be faithful with their reviews per chapter, their positive feedback, advice, and their constructive criticism, etc. It's been amazing and so enjoyable to come home from a long day's work and see the number rise from people who enjoy the story just as much as I do! I can't say it enough: You're the best!

- GO TO MY PROFILE TO SEE EDWARD AND ELIZABETH'S OLD HOUSE.

- I know some of you may be wondering, if Charlie's power is to see through walls, why can't he see Victor and Edward? ...Well, you don't know what Victor's powers are... but I bet you can figure it out now...

- If you're in the mood for some drama, go check out my latest Edward/Bella fanfic "The Ex Factor", subscribe and review! Rated Mature!

- IF I MISSED SOMEONE'S QUESTION, I TRULY APOLOGIZE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL ANSWER IT ASAP!

Sincerely, Angela.