Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Destiny, Whether You Like It Or Not

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 11:

Chapter 11

Charlie POV

The nice thing about not having taken vacation in 4 years is I have a lot of vacation to take. My first stop was Arlington Texas. I met with the head of security for the Ball Park in Arlington.

“So what are you looking for Chief?”

“I have a missing person’s case I am working on. I was watching the Mariners game the other night and a young lady caught a home run in the stands and gave the ball to a kid behind her. She was a ringer for my missing girl. I was wondering if I could check the video from that night. See if I can get some different angles.”

“You’re in luck Chief. Normally I would tell you good luck. We have 30,000 fans in here each night. But the boys at Fox television have this place covered with cameras. The cameraman covering that section seemed to have taken quite a liking to her and damn near kept the camera on her all night. Fox gives us the unused footage on DVD to store for security purposes. Our security boys keep it in the hot fans section. They tend to keep video of lovely ladies caught by the cameras. I have it right over here.”

“Thanks Frank. This will help out a lot. Let me know if I am on the right track or not.”

“You came a long ways based on a ten second shot of her in the stands. You must be pretty sure.” he remarked casually.

“Yes, I have a good feeling about this.”

I watched the video. I saw her come in and sit next to a man with a goatee and dark auburn hair. He wore a Rangers shirt and she wore a very tight Mariners shirt. I was about ten minutes into the game when the cameraman panned back to her and she looked directly at the camera. I didn’t breathe. “Stop the tape! Can you zoom in on her?”

“We can enlarge and enhance the clarity.”

The camera shot closed in on her beautiful face. Her eyes were wrong. Frank noticed too.

“Does she have red eyes?”

“No, must be contacts.” I remarked quietly.

“The guy next to her with his arm around her also looks like he has red eyes. Weird things these kids do now days.”

I had what I was looking for. I didn’t care about the hair and the bust she never had before. I didn’t care about the red eyes. That was my girl. I was staring at her face. There was no doubting it. She was alive!

“Can I get a print out of this shot Frank?”

“Of course Chief. You think this is your girl?”

“It is Frank. It is my girl. I would know her anywhere.”

I hopped on a plane that afternoon and headed to Miami. I pulled up to the Miami Herald and went to the third floor. At the reception desk I waited for my second daughter to arrive.

“Charlie!”

“Katlyn! You look great!” She gave me a hug. I hadn’t seen her since Bella’s memorial service.

“What are you doing here? Are you on vacation? I didn’t picture you as a Miami tourist kind of guy. But it is so good to see you. How have you been? Is it getting better?”

“I’m doing much better lately. How is your job here? Is the world of investigative reporting all you hoped it would be?”

“Not so much. I mostly write wedding announcements and obituaries. Occasionally I get a human interest story. But you have to start somewhere right?”

“Katlyn, is there some place we can talk. In private?”

She looked at me and knew this was important. She stayed summers with Bella and I in Forks twice and I had talked to her on the phone enough about Bella, (unknown to Bella) that she knew me pretty well. She knew I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.

“Yes, let me get my bag and clock out and I can give you a ride to my apartment.”

We arrived at her small apartment. It was nice. On her bookshelves were several pictures of her and Bella. Bella and Kat in Cancun on Spring Break. Bella and Kat camping. Bella and Kat at a football game. So many others. Snapshots of their life together.

“I still miss her everyday. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her.” She told me, looking like she was about to cry. “I miss her so much.”

“Kat you need to sit down. I have something to tell you.”

“Okay.” she said with a worried expression on her face.

“Kat, I think Bella is alive.”

She stared at me for a minute. “Charlie I realize her body was never found but there is no way she could have survived that crash. You know what the Coast Guard told us.”

“Kat why do you think Bella changed her plans and flew out early? That wasn’t Bella. Bella wasn’t the type to change plans at the last minute.”

“I guess with the apartment empty she just didn’t want to be here. I wish everyday I would have stayed with her until her flight. Maybe if I had…”

“Kat stop. You aren’t going to blame yourself for that.” She was tearing up. This was going to be difficult. I didn’t know what her reaction might be.

“Kat look at this photo. It was taken at a baseball stadium in Texas last week.”

She stared at it for a few seconds before she whispered, “Oh my God.”

“So you see it too? You see that girl is Bella?”

“Yes,”she whispered.

“I realize she looks different…”

“Yes, but that is Bella. And I know the man next to her as well.”

Holy shit. I wasn’t expecting this.

“Who is it Kat?”

“All I know is his name is Garrett. Bella met him three days before graduation They met briefly at a club and he said he knew her but she denied it. The next morning I woke up and found them in kissing in the living room like they had known each other forever. Bella left with him after I found them. She was gone all day. I texted her and finally got a reply. She said they were…”

“What Kat? I need to know.”

“She said they were having sex in his hotel room.”

Not what a dad wants to hear but I knew Bella wasn’t a virgin. I wasn’t naive. But a guy she had just met? That wasn’t Bella. Something was wrong. Obviously this whole situation was wrong.

“When did you next see her?”

“She came back later that afternoon. She was limping. I saw bruises on her. Not on her face but on her… on her thighs. Inside and out. She told me that she left him at the hotel and wouldn’t be seeing him again. I asked her to go to dinner with my parents but Bella wanted to be alone. I left and when I came back she was gone again. I didn’t see her till the next morning. She changed clothes and left again. She was gone all that day as well. I didn’t see her again until just before you arrived.”

“Did she ever tell you where she was or who she was with?”

“No, she was very vague. She said she was taking care of last minute things before she had to go to Colombia. I was so busy with my parents I didn’t think anything about it. I should have pressed her. I should have…”

“Kat stop. You did nothing wrong. Did you notice him at graduation? Or ever see him again?”

“Not until you showed me that picture. You know Bella had some brief, uh, relationships with some guys in college. But this guy was weird. I had never seen a guy get under her skin like he did. There was something weird about him. The first night I met him he had brown eyes. The next morning he never really looked straight at me but I could swear his eyes were red. Like they are in this picture. Like her’s are in this picture. What the hell is going on Charlie? Why would Bella be alive and not tell us?”

“I don’t know Kat. But I plan to find out. It has to have something to do with this guy. If Bella is pretending to be dead, it has to be because she thinks it is better if we think she is dead. You aren’t the only one who missed signs. I should have noticed how strange she was acting at graduation. She was constantly telling Renee and I that she loved us. She was hugging us all the time. Bella was never one for expressing feelings out loud. I figured she was just emotional about graduating. But at times when she didn’t know I was looking I caught the saddest expression on her face.”

“I know what you mean. She told me she loved me before she left and hugged me like she would never would see me again now that I think about it. Charlie she knew. She had to have known. She was planning on never seeing us again. But why? Bella wouldn’t do that unless…”

“Unless she thought we would be in danger by knowing.” I finished for her.

“And why change her hair color? It’s like a dark reddish brown. And I’m sorry for saying this but it looks like she has had breast enhancement.”

“Breast enhancement?” I asked.

“A boob job Charlie.”

“Oh of course.” That made me a little uncomfortable.

“And what the hell is she doing in Arlington, Texas of all places?”

“I don’t know Kat. But I am going to find out. Did you see what the Garrett guy was driving?”

“No I didn’t. I’m sorry. It doesn’t give you much to go on.”

“You have given me more than I had. I have to go to the airport. I need to find out more about this plane she supposedly was on. When she booked it, who the pilot was. What actually happened to the plane? They never told us. I so tore up with grief I never stopped to investigate. The FAA was never able to determine what happened to the plane. They told me it looked like it just fell out of the sky for no reason. And the pilot should have been buckled into the plane. It never made sense that he wasn’t found with the plane at least.”

“I’ll take you to the airport Charlie. I am going to help you find her.”

“Kat you have a job here and a life to lead. I will keep you updated.” I told her. She didn’t need to get involved in this if it was dangerous. And whatever secret Bella was keeping those last few days was obviously dangerous.

“Charlie you can’t bring me a picture of Bella nearly two years after she was supposed to have died and expect me to sit on the sidelines. She is obviously in trouble and this guy had something to do with it. I may be an entry level reporter but I have skills. Skills you are going to need. I can take a leave of absence. Say I have a family emergency. I have two weeks vacation at the very least. I am going to help you track her down or I am going to do it on my own.”

She was so much like Bella in that way. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop her. I may as well keep her with me so I know she is safe.

“Okay Kat. Lets get to the airport. It’s our best lead right now.”

Jacob POV

The pack meeting was chaos. Everyone was upset but we really had no enemy to go after. Sam had Carlisle’s number to keep in contact in the event the Cullens decided to come back to visit or live. But nobody expected them to tell us the truth. And we weren’t sure if we wanted them to know that we knew. Plus there was the Charlie problem.

“So Jacob, Charlie is off on an extended vacation for the first time since he started at the police department 20 years ago.” Sam said rehashing information we already knew.

“And you said you had talked him out of believing the vampire was Bella?”

“Yes Sam, but he obviously didn’t believe me. He told my dad he was going on a vacation but didn’t say where. He is most likely trying to track down Bella.”

“We need to call Cullen. It’s our only lead.” Embry spoke up. He was angry. None of us knew Bella well but we knew she was involved with the leeches and we knew she was a sweet girl from all accounts. But the Cullens left and she seemed to be doing well. At least that’s what Charlie said.

“I agree Embry. I just don’t know how to play this. If we come right out and accuse them, then they may take her and run and we will never find her or find out what happened.”

“Why do we even fucking care?” Leah asked, showcasing her sunny disposition. “Charlie thinks she is dead. And from what you tell us Jake she is dead. She’s a leech! He is better not knowing. How would we tell him anyway? And what would be the purpose of finding her? To kill her? To kill the Cullens? They are gone. Why ask for trouble? We have enough trouble as is with this blonde leech killing people in Forks and La Push! She has gotten to three of our tribe members! Three people we knew. One of them was a 15 year old girl! We have our own problems to worry about!”

“Leah’s right.” Seth put in.”What would be the purpose? So she is a vampire. Not a lot we can do about it.”

I sighed. It was a good point but I hated Charlie not knowing. That would be worse than him thinking she was dead. He is convinced she is alive. But still…

“A Forks resident and the daughter of a good friend of this tribe has been turned into a vampire. I think we should at least know what happened.” I pointed out, hoping I could get Sam to agree with me. I looked at Sam.

“Leah is right. In a way. First we take care of this leech attacking us. Then we find out what happened to Bella Swan. If we can. But for right now we will double patrols so we can hopefully end the blonde and keep an eye out for Bella or the Cullens if they decide to come back.”

I guess we had better take care of this leech quickly. But damn if she wasn’t vicious and sneaky. This was no leech killing randomly because she is hungry. She has a purpose. The problem is we have no idea what her purpose is.

Alice POV

Life is hell. Hannah keeps getting bigger. Her pregnancy is moving too fast. Edward is convinced he can change her in time to save her life after she gives birth, to whatever is in there. Probably a brooding, depressed little baby boy with great hair. At this point though it is unlikely she will survive the pregnancy. It appears the baby is draining her from the inside. Carlisle has a theory that having her drink blood might give the baby the nutrients it needs and keep Hannah going. I’m not so sure. I’ll give the girl credit. She is holding on and fighting for that baby. Edward has stopped trying to talk her into an abortion. It is too late for that anyway. This is going to play out regardless. Hannah and Rose have become extremely close. I doubt Rose cares anymore about Hannah than she ever did before. She is just interested in the baby.

Jasper can hardly handle the emotional climate and spends most of the time outside. I was on the roof with him now. He was in deep thought.

“Try not to think about it too much Jazz. What’s going to happen is going to happen. We can’t do anything about it. All we can do is be here to help and then leave when this is all over.”

“It’s not just the pregnant little lady that is bothering me darlin. Peter is hiding something from me.”

That was a surprise. If there was anyone in this world outside of me who Jazz shared everything with it was Peter. And he was the same with Jazz. He shared everything. A lot of things. Things I didn’t need to know about. Things I didn’t think were possible.

“What makes you say that? Peter has never held back anything from you before.”

“When we stayed with him he was acting weird. And his whole place had been cleaned. It was like there had been a scent he didn’t want to us know was there. And I felt deception from him. I kept asking him questions about everything I could think of but it never got stronger. Just a general feeling of deception. He was hiding something. I just didn’t ask the right questions.”

“You think it has something to do with this pregnancy?”

“No he would have told me about that if he thought he could stop it. No, it’s something else. And I have a feeling it’s big. Nothing concrete to go on. Just a feeling.”

I kissed his cheek. “Maybe you should just call him and ask him what he is hiding from you?”

“If he is hiding something from me he has a good reason. If there was something he couldn’t tell me I don’t know if I want to put him in that position. How are you doing baby? How are you handling all this?”

“I can’t see Hannah’s future. I think it has to do with the baby. I guess I just keep thinking this could have been Bella. And I feel bad that I am glad she didn’t have to go through this. It’s like, should I be glad that Edward left Bella so she was saved from this? Or sad that because we left her and she died.”

“She didn’t die because we left her Alice. She died in a plane crash.”

“If we hadn’t left her she wouldn’t have died.”

I probably shouldn’t have said that. Jasper had a look of regret on his face.

“Jazz she never blamed you. You know she told that to Carlisle.”

“Yes but if I hadn’t attacked her, Edward would have never left her.”

“Yes he would have Jazz. She was too good for him. It was a matter of time before he screwed it all up. I should have turned her myself like she wanted.”

“She was his mate Alice. It wasn’t our place.”

“She was not his mate! If she was he never would have been able to leave her! I doubt Hannah is his mate either. He just got selfish and wanted something for himself and knew Bella would not take him back after the things he said to her. I feel sorry for Hannah. And it pisses me off to be honest. I can barely stand to look at him and I don’t bother to hide my thoughts. I know he doesn’t like it but there is nothing he can do about it. I just want out Jazz. I want to be away from this family.”

“I know darlin. It will happen. We just need to ride this out. They have done a lot for us. We can’t leave them now.”

I sighed accepting the inevitable. “I know Jazz. Let’s go hunt and make love. I need you.” I grabbed his hand and without another word we were off.

BPOV

“Hello Jasper.” Peter spoke into his phone.

I listened intently as did Char and Garrett. We all had a bad feeling about this pregnancy.

“Things are getting worse Peter. This isn’t a regular pregnancy. Hannah is having to drink blood to survive. The baby is growing at an increased rate. She is already the equivalent of 7 months pregnant and she has only been pregnant for a month and a half. And we still have the birth to go through which Carlisle really doesn’t expect her to survive. He thinks the baby is going to chew out of her if you can beleive that shit. Edward thinks he is going to be able to change her after that. I have my doubts.”

“Damn, that sounds like hell, brother. Anything I can do?”

“Yeah there is Peter. You can tell me what the hell it is you are hiding from me.”

The whole room froze. I looked at Peter with pleading eyes. He sighed.

“Jasper I have never lied to you before. I don’t want to now. I can’t answer your question.”

“Peter does it have anything to with Hannah or the Cullens?”

Peter hesistated for a second.

“Jasper it has nothing to do with the girl.”

“And the Cullens?”

Peter looked at me. Garrett grabbed my hand. I shook my head at Peter. Please don’t Peter.

“Yes, indirectly but it has nothing to do with anything harming you, your mate or the Cullens. It’s just something I made a promise that I wouldn’t speak about. I don’t break promises, Jasper.”

Jasper was quiet for a few seconds. “Okay brother. I’m sorry I put you in this position. And I appreciate you not lying to me. Am I ever going to find out what it is you are keeping from me?”

Peter looked me in the eyes.

“I hope so, Jasper. I really hope so.”

Three sets of eyes were looking at me. I owed the Cullens nothing. They left me and I am not a part of their family. I owe them nothing. So why do I feel like shit? Char grabbed the hand that Garrett wasn’t holding. I looked at her and tried to smile but couldn’t. Peter hung up the phone.

“Look even if we told them, you think they need that kind of drama right now? Really? It sounds like they have enough going on.” I reasoned.

Nobody said a word. Garrett kissed me on my forehead.

“Bella why don’t we go to your house. We can soak in the hot tub and watch that new Channing Tatum movie.”

“The one where he plays a stripper?” I asked. Char always knows how to make me feel better.

“Yes baby doll.” I looked at Garrett who nodded.

“Don’t be here all day Garrett playing with Peter. I need you.” I told him knowing he understood what I meant.

Char and I rushed to my home. Char put the movie in and we undressed and got into the hot tub. Peter rigged our tub to get hotter than a human could handle. I loved the feel of warmth on my body. I thought when I was human that vampires must feel cold all the time. I was wrong. I felt normal. My skin didn’t feel hard to me. Neither did the skin of other vampires. Humans however felt like they could be crushed in a second. Like paper airplanes or puffy sea shells. I have no idea how Garrett fucked me when I was human without killing me. I have no idea how Edward fucked Hannah. Temperatures were a different story. I could feel temperatures. It just didn’t bother me. But the feel of hot water over my body never failed to relax me. Charlotte laid her head on my shoulder and we cuddled in the water feeling the bubbles give our bodies a feeling of weightleness.

“Bella, if you do run into Alice ever again, I will still be your best friend right?”

“Of course Char. What other girl would I cuddle naked in a hot tub with? I doubt Alice would approve.” I laughed.

“I’m serious Bella.”

“I am too. Me and you, Char. We stick together no matter what.”

“Thank you. I needed to hear that. Since Jasper turned me, I have pretty much stuck to Peter. I never had any close friends until I met you. What was your friend Kat like? If you don’t mind me asking? I don’t want to make you sad.”

I smiled at the memory. I was beginning to feel joy over my human memories instead of regret and longing. I guess I was beginning to come to acceptance.

“It’s okay Char. She is a lot like you. Fun, sarcastic, ready to try anything. She was my partner in crime. She wouldn’t let me have sex with her though. Unlike you, she could resist my charms.” I smiled at her and tickled her ribs. She laughed and grabbed my hand.

“What do you think will happen when you meet the Cullens again?”

I noticed she didn’t say if I met the Cullens again. I guess we were all coming to realize it was an inevitability.

“I don’t know. I guess I will say hi? I know they will throw a fit that they didn’t know. But they left me. I have no affiliation with them so to speak. It wasn’t their right to know. They lost that right when they left me. I’m sure they may be angry at Garrett for changing me. And if they make a move towards him I well tear them up.”

“I’ll be right by your side Bella.”

I smiled at her. “Of course you would, my blonde hell cat. I never thought otherwise.”

“What do you think this baby will be Bella?”

“I don’t know Char. I would guess the baby will have a great head of hair though.” She laughed at me and splashed water in my face. I looked at her seriously. “If I could do something to help that poor girl I would. I just don’t know what I could do to help. I think my presence would cause her more stress than she needs right now.”

“Peter is convinced we will become involved in this somehow.”

“I know but what can we do but wait and see? We may as well live our lives and take what comes. Good or bad we can handle it.”

“We can?”

“Of course we can. We’re bad ass bitches. And our husbands aren’t half bad fighters either. What can be out there that we can’t handle?”

She smiled at me but didn’t comment, putting her head back on my shoulder.

“Channing Tatum has a nice ass doesn’t he?”

l leaned my head against hers. “Yes he does Charlotte. I bet you could bounce quarters off of it.”

“Bella, you want to really drive the boys crazy?”

“Always.” I told her and noticed a look of trouble on her face.

“What do you say tonight we head to the Pound? It’s open until 7.”

“I never had a pet growing up. That could be fun. And you’re right. It would drive Peter and Garrett crazy.”

Edward POV

I have never felt so helpless in my life. I loved Hannah. I don’t know if I loved her as much as I loved Bella. I suppose first loves will always be strongest. But I loved her. She was my wife. And my wife was dying. She was smiling at me now. Even with the blood, she still looked so weak. Carlisle expects her to give birth any day now. I remember how understanding she was when I told her about my relationship with Bella. She was upset at first that I hadn’t told her. I could understand that. She thought I was using her to replace Bella, because they looked so similiar. I could understand. A small part of me wondered if I was doing that as well. But she loved me and I loved her and we made it work. I was so happy when we were married. And now this. I am cursed. I am a curse to anyone around me as well. Bella is dead. Hannah is dying. I hope to change her after the baby is born but I don’t know if it well work. Alice hates me. I have always been closest to her but she hates what I did and said to Bella, and then being with Hannah. She doesn’t even try to hide her thoughts. She is leaving with Jasper when the baby is born. Rose just cares about the baby. She is betting Hannah will die and she can raise my child. As if I would let her. She doesn’t hate Hannah but she doesn’t care for her as much as Hannah thinks she does. Hannah of course is being so brave. She is so much like Bella.

“Edward, come hold me.”

“Of course darling.” I sat behind he and placed my arms around her. She leaned back sipping on her blood.

“Edward I’ve been thinking about names. If it’s a boy I want to name him Masen.”

“Okay Hannah. And what if it is a girl?”

She hesitated. I was thinking of naming her Isabella, if it was okay with you.”

My throat nearly closed up.

“Do you think it would make Esme upset? Or Alice? Would it make you upset? Would it bring up too many memories?”

I thought about it for a second. It would definitely anger Alice but she stayed angry anyway lately. Esme would love the child regardless of her name. But how would she feel about calling the child after the only human she ever considered a daughter? What would Bella think? I know what Bella would think.

“Hannah, I don’t know how the others would feel. But I think Bella would have been very happy.”

She smiled at me. “Then it is settled. I need to go to the bathroom. Drinking too much blood I guess.”

I rose and went to carry her but she stopped me. “I can walk Edward. Thank you though.”

She took two steps when I heard a crack. She bent backwards at an awkward angle and screamed. She fell to the ground but I recovered from my daze quickly enough to catch her before she hit the ground.

“Carlisle!”

Hannah was screaming. “Edward the baby! Get the baby out now!” Carlisle came in and grabbed her. We ran upstairs and placed her on the hopsital bed Carlisle had set up. I don’t know what I was saying. I was mumbling comforting words. Carlisle prepared a scalpel.

“Carlisle she hasn’t had morphine!”

“She doesn’t need it Edward. Her spine is snapped. I have to get the baby out so she can be turned. Be ready with the venom.”

Hannah looked at me and smiled. “Edward it will be okay. I trust you. I love you.” I saw blood fly as Carlisle cut her open. I saw the baby. It was a girl. Hannah looked at the baby and smiled.

“Isabella.”

She closed her eyes.

“Edward the venom now!” I injected the venom straight into her heart. Her non beating heart. Carlisle was biting her wrists and ankles. He began closing her up at inhuman speeds.

“CPR Edward. Be gentle.”

I started chest compressions. Her heart was not beating. Rose had the baby wrapped in a blanket. I had to pump her chest enough to circulate the venom. Please don’t let me be too late. Her heart was not starting.

“Please darling. Please Hannah, don’t leave me.”

I felt Carlisle’s hand on my shoulder.

“Stop Edward.”

“NO!” I continued compressions. Please. I continued on.

Hannah sat up and screamed. She grabbed me and then fell back and didn’t say another word. I turned to Carlisle who looked astonished.

“Her heart is strong son. Do you hear the venom working? You did it! Edward you did it. You saved her.”

Carlisle placed his arms around me. “I know I have been upset with you over the last few years. But I want you to know I am proud of what you just did. You could have given up. I would have. You didn’t.”

I didn’t say anything. I stood next to Hannah’s bed and held her hand.

“Why is she so quiet Carlisle? Something is wrong.”

“Edward the morphine must be helping her. Listen to her heart son. She is going to turn. You are going to be parents together. Come see your daughter.”

“No! I won’t leave her. I will never leave her. Not like… Carlisle ask Rose to bring my daughter to me. Her name is Isabella.”