Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Venom

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 39:

The slim girl covered in silver metal stood twenty feet away from the slim blonde man grinning at her.

They circled each other in the desert wasteland, neither breaking eye contact.

Bella stepped forward.

“Stop.”

Bella stopped.

“What now Jasper? I made a step. How can a step be wrong?”

“You always make the first move. Why? Why close in on her? She is stronger than you. She proved that point last time. You can do a million things to attack her that she can’t and you want to trade body blows. It doesn’t make sense.”

Bella let out an unneeded breath and stepped back.

“She will be expecting me to send an energy blast at her. She won’t expect me to attack her physically off the bat.”

“Because she figures you would be stupid to do so. She would be right. Besides you don’t have to hit her with one of your energy blasts.” Jasper told her.

“Throw a knife?”

“Use your imagination. She knows how dangerous you are. You blew her to pieces. You get close she isn’t going to play with you. She will go for your neck.”

“How can you be sure?” Bella asked.

“It’s what I would do if I had a rematch. Still human Bella. I made the mistake of going for your ribs. I should have gone for your neck. Doesn’t matter if it’s covered in armor. Still twistable.”

“You spend a lot of time thinking about how you should have killed me Jasper?” Bella smiled slightly.

“You were my last fight and the only one I ever lost. It’s crossed my mind.” He answered back honestly.

“So what do you suggest?”

“What about that rope you used to pull me back when I tried to get the hell away from you?”

“What about it? You said I shouldn’t bring her close.” Bella asked confused.

“Can you turn the end of it to a blade?”

That stopped her cold.

“I never tried.” She admitted after a few seconds.

“Try. Line some watermelons up on a fence and try to slice them in half. Send that thing at her throat and see what you can cut off. She will think you want to blow her up again. Go for pieces. An arm here, a foot there. Then go for the energy blast. For right now, see if you can imagine it.”

Bella nodded. The two resumed circling each other.

A silver rope shot from Bella’s glove, before Jasper could react it was wrapped around his neck.

Bella focused on turning the end of the rope to a blade. She focused a bit too long.

Jasper pulled the rope, bringing the witch to him. A clothesline from his right arm and she was on the desert ground.

“I’m glad I don’t feel pain in the spirit world.” Bella murmured as Jasper politely helped her up.

“Where the hell are we Jasper?”

“This is a spot outside of Mexico City. I like to visit it on the physical plane. Haunt it, I guess you could say. It’s the spot where Peter saved Charlotte and I let him. It will always be special to me. The first step that led to a sort of redemption for me.”

Bella nodded, taking in the desert scene reflected in the Spirit World from the physical.

“Any word on where you might be going Jasper?” Bella asked, without meeting his eyes.

“Yeah. Actually, I lied to you. I always had a choice to go to the third plane. I know where the door is. Alice is on the other side. She is beautiful Bella. Sane too. It’s amazing. I miss her pretty bad. Soon I will be with her I think.”

“Wait a minute. If you always had… why did you stay back? Why haven’t you moved on?”

Jasper took a breath and stared at the unmoving sun in the sky.

“At first I felt bad about scaring you. I mean thinking I was going to scare you. I was confused. I didn’t know what the hell happened. I just wanted to protect Alice and then I was fighting… you. A super powered version of you. I wanted to find out more. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to watch Alice. I knew without me she would go off the deep end.

But later on… Bella you got guts. You got heart, power, and strength. But you aren’t very strategic. Your only 19. You’re not supposed to be strategic. You would need help. I knew it. No one knows more about fighting vampires than I do. So I stayed. When the bitch is dead, I will be with Alice. Not until then. She understands I think.”

“Thanks Jasper.” Bella whispered. Jasper ruffled her hair causing Bella to glare and pull back.

“Don’t mention it. Now let’s talk about this portal spell. How is that working?”

“Yesterday I opened one from our room to the kitchen and it worked. I stepped into the light and I was in the kitchen.”

“No problems with the babies?”

“No. Didn’t feel anything. I’m not physically doing anything to my body.”

“No. Just bending the laws of physics.” Jasper smirked.

“True but I was covered in armor.”

“Good Lord I bet you looked like a wrecking ball at your size.”

Bella gasped and slapped Jasper’s shoulder. “Asshole!” Still she was unable to hold in a smile.

“You think this is something you can use in a fight? Open one to disappear and then emerge behind your opponent?”

“Probably not. It takes to much concentration.” Bella admitted. The thought had occurred to her as well.

“Then we work with what we got. Start working on your cable turning into a version of a flying guillotine. We will see where that goes. If not I got a few more opening moves… what’s wrong?”

Bella stood still gazing at the horizon.

“Someone is calling out to me. Searching for me. Here. They are here but are searching for me on Earth.” She whispered. “I have to go.”

“I’ll go with you.”

The two closed their eyes and Bella reached out with her soul. She felt the pain and despair. The longing.

When she opened her eyes, she saw him standing in front of her. They were in a gym. Bella recognized it. Forks High School Gym.

“Mike?”

Bella POV

I couldn’t believe it was him. Mike Newton was here. In the Spirit World. He was dead.

“Bella? Oh my God it is you. He got you didn’t he? What did he do to you?”

Mike was very agitated.

“Mike, I’m not dead.” Bella told him calmly.

“What are you wearing? Jasper? Jasper Hale? You’re a vampire!”

“Yes Mike, I was. I am dead. Bella is just… visiting.”

“You’re a witch Bella? He wasn’t lying? I can’t believe it.” He whispered.

“Who Mike?” I asked calmly.

“The vampire that killed me. He kept asking questions about you. Telling me things, he planned to do to you. Showing me…”

Oh God.

“What happened Mike?”

“I don’t know. I mean I do… I was working at the store, thinking about Jessica…”

“What about Jessica, Mike?”

“She was murdered. Bella, she had been cut to pieces. We were all in shock. This guy comes in and I recognized him as a vampire. At least I thought I did from what I saw on TV. He had red eyes and this mustache that looked like it belonged in another time period you know? Anyway, before I can say a word he tells me to close the store or he will kill everyone who comes in. It was late. I closed the doors and turned the sign to closed. I didn’t know what else to do. He took me to the back and… Bella, he cut me. A lot. He… it was like surgery or something. While he was doing it, he asked questions about you. Who your friends were, what you liked to do. What you were like. Personal things. It was weird. When I wouldn’t answer he cut something else out of me.”

Oh, God I had never wanted to puke in the Spirit World but I did now.

“I didn’t tell him a thing Bella. Nothing. I told him to go fuck himself. I… I guess at some point I died. I was looking down over what was left of my body and he was writing a note. Then he left. I’ve been wandering since, looking for you. To warn you. I can tell when I am on… Earth I guess and when I am here. I’m not really in Forks right now. Or am I? It’s so confusing…”

“Mike listen to me. You told me. Thank you so much for being brave. I’m so sorry…” My eyes were filled with tears even in this form.

“No. He said you were a witch and had to die. You… you can stop him can’t you?”

“Yes.” I whispered.

“I knew it. I always knew you were special from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

“Mike…”

“I don’t want to stay here Bella. Is there a better place? This can’t be Heaven. I’m alone. I don’t want to be alone.”

I nodded my head and pulled Mike into a hug.

“I’m so sorry Mike.”

“It wasn’t your fault. He is evil. You aren’t. You are everything he isn’t.”

“Behind you Mike.” I said quietly. Mike turned and saw the door. A beautiful glowing door.

“Is that…”

“The door to Heaven. Go Mike. Thank you.”

Mike nodded and turned the doorknob. He opened it up to a great light. Before walking through, he stopped.

“Bella… be careful.”

“I will.” I lied. Mike walked through the light and was gone, the door shutting and vanishing.

“I need to get back.” I told Jasper.

“Bella, he was sent by her.”

“No shit.”

“No Bella… this means she knows who you are. If she knows your classmates then she…”

“Knows everything.” I finished, waking up in my oversized body where I had left it lumbering in bed. Jake was on patrol. We had been here a month and a half and he had the Pack patrolling constantly. One shift around the old border of La Push and another two going out in fifty mile circles. We were down three wolves with Seth Leah and Embry staying in Washington. Seth was the President’s new intern. He wasn’t happy about it but he also didn’t want his daughter going nuts from not being near her imprint. This meant the Pack was constantly rotating and on the move. Jake spent half of every 24-hour period patrolling. I wanted to see him more but the other imprints wanted to see their men as well.

I slowly rolled over and grabbed my phone from my nightstand.

“Bella?”

“Dad have you been in Forks since we returned?” We had been here for a month and a half but wanted to keep a low profile.

“No… why?”

“Get to Forks Dad. Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley have been murdered recently. By a vampire. A very sick vampire. This vampire was asking questions about me. See if there have been any other murders. And Dad? Get a hold of Mom. Hurry and call me back with what you find out.”

“Bella… how have we not heard about this? Graham…”

“I don’t know Dad. But believe me I intend to find out. Get a hold of Mom.”

I ended the call with a feeling of dread. I had a strong suspicion I would not like what I learned.

Jacob POV

I was tired and wired. Bella… I couldn’t get my mind off her. The closer we got to her due date I was torn. A part of me wanted to be with her 24 hours a day and another part wanted to patrol 24 hours a day to make sure she was safe. We had been back in La Push for a month and a half. She was so close. With twins, Anya said there was a likelihood they would come early. Bella and I had decorated the nursery. She had our home exactly as she wanted. I lifted the heavy things.

I felt at peace in our home, with her. Everywhere else, I felt uneasy.

Running between the far patrol and the La Push patrol, I couldn’t shake a bad feeling in my gut. Everything had been calm. We hadn’t seen a vampire in months. But she was out there and she had been entirely too quiet. I wasn’t an expert on how long it took vampires to regenerate but…

Most likely I was more nervous because Bella was getting closer. Our children would soon be in this world. Soon I would be changing diapers, and feeding them from a bottle.

I had better start putting my clothes up. Bella nearly fell bending over to pick my socks off the floor. I was planning on going back to pick them up but… honestly I needed to do better. I didn’t want to be another child she needed to take care of. I wanted to take care of her.

So I left my clothes on the floor at times. And I may not wash dishes, ever. That had to change. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t complain. Bella never really complained. But still, she cooked for me every night and day. She made sure I ate. She made sure I had clean clothes and changed clothes every day. She took care of me. I needed to make a better effort…

“ Jake! We got leeches!” Paul’s thoughts intruded in my head. He was patrolling with Jared around La Push. Looked like he was near Forks.

Eric and Sam were farther out by twenty miles. I was ten miles away. It was nighttime so traffic was light. It should be easy enough for me to move around Forks without being seen.

“ Four Jake. They are running.” Sam reported.

I entered the outskirts of Forks when I caught it. The four scents of dead vampires and a scent I had been hoping to smell again for some time. A fifth leech.

That caused me to stop. I would never forget the scent of the vampire that tried to turn twenty children.

“ Jake? It must be Irkalla. He is working for her.” Bella’s voice intruded in my head.

“ I know. Missouri.”

“ Jake I found out some things today. A vampire has been murdering my old classmates, trying to get a message to me. If he is here, he must be after another one. She could be near.”

“ I don’t smell her Bella. Just him.”

What the hell was going on? His scent split off from the others.

“ Sam where are you?”

“ Fifteen miles and closing on Paul and Jared’s position.”

“ Back off. Jared, Paul fall back to La Push. Sam meet them there and keep the Pack there.”

“ Uh Jake, not to question you but what the fuck?” Paul asked.

“ If he knows about Bella’s classmates then Irkalla surely knows about us. The fifth leech is still here in Forks. He’s distracting us. I don’t know if it is a simple cut and run or they are leading you into a trap. We won’t go into this blind. Protect La Push.”

“ Jake don’t even think about it.” Bella’s thoughts were full of fear. I understood. I had felt the same way watching her fight.

“ I have to Bella.”

“ Paul, Sam, go to him!”

“ Stay back. I’m the damn alpha. He may be trying to draw us out. I got this Bella.”

Now I felt anger in her thoughts.

“ Jake you don’t know the whole story. Charlie is still finding things out and Graham won’t answer his damn phone. This has been going on for months. We think… we think Mom is missing. We need more information.”

“ The leech is in Forks Bella. Stay inside and protect our children, please? I trusted you when you fought Jasper on your own. Trust me now.”

I phased human before she could think another word. Throwing on the shorts strapped to my leg, I caught the scent and began running. He wasn’t far. In less than a minute, the scent became very strong but I realized almost immediately, where I was running.

Bella and Charlie’s home. Their old home. No one had been there for a while. Since we left for the Ranch. I think Charlie stopped by once but other than that it has been empty.

He was in there.

With a human.

It didn’t take a genius to know what room he was in either. Her whimpers came from Bella’s room.

I stepped next to the tree that rose to the height of Bella’s room.

One jump and a swing of my arms and I crashed into her room.

The leech seemed surprised.

“What… who are you?”

“I’ll give you a hint. You are trespassing in my father in laws home.”

A quick glance showed a young girl tied to the bed, still clothed. A selection of very sharp knives was laid on the mattress next to her.

“You are a wolf. Aren’t you supposed to be chasing my other friends? I told Irkalla that you were werewolves. She believed you to be demons the witch called up from another dimension. Her imagination gets away sometimes I’m afraid.”

“Why don’t we leave the girl alone and step outside to settle this.” I took slow steps towards him. He could easily kill her from this distance.

“Where is the witch? I have been leaving her messages for months on the pieces of her dead friends. Does she not care? I thought I would leave this one in her childhood home.”

“She’s been busy. Besides, we haven’t gotten any messages. Where is Irkalla?”

“Safe. Waiting. You will see her soon. Unless you decide to stay. In that case you won’t be seeing anything any longer.”

Confident. Of course, he had an innocent in between us. A closer look and I recognized her from Bella’s junior yearbook. Angela Weber.

“Really? You are that much of a bad ass huh?”

“Why aren’t you a dog?” he asked, looking at me like I was a science experiment.

“Not in the mood I guess.” I told him shrugging my shoulders.

“Do you require a full moon? But Irkalla said she saw your kind during the day. What are you?”

“I am a Quileute warrior. I’m not going to lie to you. I’m bad news. You really don’t want to fuck with me. Best thing you could do right now is step outside and try to escape. You hurt that girl and I guarantee your undead existence is over tonight.”

“I plan to hurt the girl very much actually. So here is what you are going to do. You are going to take one of these fine blades and slice your own throat or I kill her before you can take a breath.”

Huh.

Okay then.

“I guess I’ll make a counter offer. I’m not going to cut my own throat. If I did that, you would kill her anyway, escape and keep killing. Can’t have that. So again, I’ll back away from this window, you run. That way you have a head start. You may actually make it.”

“And get caught by your friends? I’m sure the witch is out there somewhere.”

“Make your move. We don’t have all night.” I told him.

He opened his mouth to respond with another witty retort when I jumped and phased in the air. The surprise of my phasing was all I needed. He hesitated. Instead of diving for Angela, he backed up a bit and I collided with him sending both of us through the wall, across the hall and crashing into the bottom floor. He tried to kick me and his foot landed in my mouth. Biting down I dragged him through the front window. He screamed when he hit the ground. I felt my teeth go through his foot. No matter what, he would not get away now.

The leech hit my jaw but I didn’t feel it. My mind was on Missouri and Bella’s face when she emerged from that basement.

He tried to scramble away on all fours. I landed on his back and pressed him down with my weight.

“Please stop! I was only doing what I was told!”

This man may murder humans but he was no fighter. He was frightened.

He rolled and his arm shot up. I batted it away with a paw and gave myself over to the wolf.

“ Jake? Jake?!”

Bella’s voice brought me out of the haze I was in. I looked around the yard and saw him scattered in pieces. He was everywhere. I saw a crystal rib flashing in the moonlight and the decaying taste of leech flooded my mouth.

“ It’s over Bella. I need your Dad. Angela Weber is tied to your bed upstairs. She is alive. Get a hold of Tesler if Graham won’t answer. We need to get her free and this situation cleaned up. Lights are flipping on up the street and I won’t have any pants.”

“ Bringing mine Jake. Almost there.” Sam popped in.

“ Told you to stay back Sam.” I laughed not really feeling humor.

“ Yeah and when you phased out I made a judgment call as beta. Sorry.”

I could tell he wasn’t sorry.

“ I’m on my way Jake.”

“ No Bella. Stay home. I will be there as soon as possible.”

“ Sorry Jake. I need answers.”

“ What do you mean?”

“ I need to talk to the one man who knows exactly what has been going on. I will be back tonight. This won’t take long.”

“ Bella?”

I felt the connection snap though. She was gone. The one man she can get answers from? In La Push?

BPOV

“Nire bihotza bere nahia irekitzeko.” I whispered. Open to my heart’s desire. Normally this portal would take me to Jacob. But right now my heart desired to be elsewhere. To a place where I could find answers. My big metal glove would get me there. The light radiated from the gem on top of my hand and spread out. A simple light shot forward from my fingertip and spilt the air in the living room. The light spread. I took a step through and I was there.

Wow. It worked. I honestly figured I would wind up in the forest.

And there he was. Sitting behind his desk. It was late. He didn’t look like he had been sleeping much. His eyes had bags under them. The lights were off but enough light came through the window from security lights outside that I could see everything fairly well.

So this was the Oval Office.

“Bella?”

“Hello Dave. I think you have some explaining to do.” I waddled over as smoothly as possible

“How… you know it doens’t even matter. I don’t know why anything surprises me anymore.”

“My mother. My old classmates. Notes on mutilated bodies. Any of this seem like something I should have known about Mr. President?”

“Bella… Graham tell you?” he asked, sighing.

“No. My father stopped by Forks PD today. Caught up with old friends. They had been looking for me. Worried I might be the next target. Apparently the FBI is handling all these baffling murders.”

“Yep.”

“How’ s the search going Dave?”

“We haven’t caught the vampire in question.” He admitted, turning his chair and staring out the window behind him.

“Jake killed him tonight. He was about to kill another classmate. In my old house Dave!”

My voice must have risen a bit more than I intended. I wanted to be calm. A Secret Service Agent ran in followed quickly by five more, guns drawn. Dave stood up.

“Under control gentleman. Step outside please.”

“Sir how did she get in here?!”

“Outside now!” Dave practically yelled. The agents holstered their guns and walked slowly outside. I heard one mumble fucking witch.

“So Holmes is dead.” Dave mumbled, sitting back down.

“You knew his fucking name?!”

“Yes. Apparently this vampire was a celebrity. H.H. Holmes. The first American Serial Killer. Also most likely the man behind the Jack the Ripper.”

Wow.I would ponder that later. I asked the question foremost in my mind.

“Is my Mother dead Dave?”

“I don’t know.” He admitted.

“How could you keep this from me?” I asked quietly, surprisingly feeling very hurt. Betrayed.

“You couldn’t have found him. Demetri couldn’t.”

“You trusted a damn vampire to look for my mother and not me?”

Now I was pissed.

“You needed to focus on you and those babies. You’ve been happy. If I knew where Irkalla was or thought you could save anyone I would have told you. But you couldn’t. We tracked down all of your class. He still got them.”

“I could have helped. You had no right!”

“No I didn’t but I did it anyway!” he yelled.

“Why? I trusted you!” I countered.

“I promised to help you and protect you and I am doing the best I can. I never expected all this!”

I prepared to argue more until his words sunk in.

“What do you mean you promised?” I asked quietly.

Dave turned back to the large window behind him. He took a deep breath and his shoulders slumped. He leaned down in his chair.

“Look at me Dave. What do you mean you promised? Who did you promise?”

He turned back slowly and met my eyes.

“Do you have any idea how much money it takes to run for President, much less win?”

“A lot I would imagine.”

“Bella I was a little known Congressman from Texas in only my second term. To young, to inexperienced to really have a shot. But my wife and I had a dream. I thought I could be the President who didn’t play to private interests. The renegade, the dark horse. She inspired me. I announced my candidacy and was immediately behind in the polls. I was behind a guy who had died three months earlier in my own party. The chances of me getting a nomination were zero.

I had a few supporters, old friends I made mostly through my military connections. But the money… I ran out of cash fast. I had been making headway moving up in the polls and I hit empty. I never wanted to approach special interest groups for money. You do that and you owe them. Big time. The right people can get you in the White House but you will be working for them. So I decide to start accepting meetings with these guys. Big money. Oil, energy, guns, hell even tobacco wanted to meet me.

I was driving to a fund raiser with my wife. Dani stayed behind with a friend. It was raining and a car driving the opposite direction lost control and crossed over into our lane. I swerved to avoid but he clipped me, spinning the car. I couldn’t recover and we tumbled off the road rolling three times before we hit a tree. I never lost consciousness. We came to a stop wrapped around a tree upside down. I thought I was dead until I felt my heart nearly beating out of my chest.

I immediately reached across to check on my wife. Her eyes were open so I was relieved until I realized she wasn’t blinking.”

Tears were already flowing. I knew this must be difficult to talk about. But it didn’t…

“I was ready to quit. Dani was destroyed. I was destroyed. I didn’t want to go on. No money, low probability of getting a nomination. And now the love of my life was taken from me. The only woman I ever loved. Being President was as much her dream as it was mine. Without her… I didn’t see a point in going on.

I stopped campaigning. In a race that means you are done if you take a day off I quit. I stopped everything. I went back home to Texas and tried to deal with the grief. Tried to deal with Dani’s grief. I could have stayed in that house forever. I thought about using my law degree, getting out of politics.

So four weeks go by and I get a call from my campaign manager. He said I needed to publically withdraw but thought I should take a meeting with a guy. I ask who and he tells me a plane ticket will be waiting at the airport for Wyoming. Some reclusive billionairre wanted to speak with me.

I refused. I had no interest and told him to set up a press conference in a week where I would withdraw my candidacy.”

No. I didn’t want to hear this.

“Three days later I get a knock on my door. A middle age cowboy, not out of place in Texas. Figured he was lost. He told me his name. The same name I saw on Levoi’s report about a funeral he attended after the La Push attack.”

“Chris.” I whispered.

“Yep. He told me since I wouldn’t come to see him he came to see me even though he hated to leave his ranch. I realized who he was, the billionairre recluse, and told him to get out. He told me he couldn’t.

My wife was murdered in a home invasion, he tells me. I don’t have the secret of dealing with the loss of a wife. But I do know we all have our missions and yours hasn’t even started yet.

So I let him in despite myself. We started talking at 5 PM. I talked. I talked for hours. He never said a word. Just sat across the kitchen table from me, listening and refreshing my coffee. I have never been one to open up. But something about him… I cried for hours. I was a damn Navy Seal. We do not cry, but I couldn’t help it. I poured every feeling of despair I had out on that table and he just sat there and let me talk.

When I had cried myself out I looked at the clock and saw it was 6 AM. I hadn’t slept more than three hours a night since my wife died so it didn’t matter.

Finally he speaks. He told me his wife died so he could go on. He had a mission to finish. So did I. My wife dreamed of being in the Whitehouse. Making a real difference. That was my mission. To not follow through would be dishonoring her.

I told him I had no money anyway. I didn’t want to sell my soul. Without her I was afraid I would become a typical politician. A slave to the wealthy who would do anything to stay in office.

He tells me that I will have all the money I need. Political activist groups would fund my campaign. It would all be from him but he would break the payments up to pass scrutiny. He would fund everything. But I had to run.

I should be suspicious but I’ve just spilled my guts out to this guy. I do ask him why. Why is he going to do this? I don’t want to be a slave to anyone. What does he get out of it?

He tells me soon the world is going to change. The human race will come under attack and he needs to know a good man will be in charge of the US. He says a girl will come who will save us. But she will need help. She will probably be young, much to young for what is coming, but he needs someone he can trust in office. I have to promise one thing. I will look after her. I will not treat her like a science experiment. I will do everything in my power to make her safe as possible from outside forces and keep her happy. No government labs, no special research. I cover her and she handles her mission.

Of course I don’t buy this. I want to know more. Who is this girl? What is coming? What will she be doing?

He just shakes his head and says I wouldn’t believe him anyway. He didn’t care about policy or politics. That would be my decision. But I had to protect her. I ask how I will know her. He laughed and said not to worry. She would be noticeable.

I promised and he left. I never saw him again. Never heard from him. Never saw his name until Levoi’s report. But he kept his promise. My campaign received a flood of money. I vowed to carry on. I campaigned with a passion. I had a mission, two actually. To complete the dream my wife and I started and to honor a promise to a man who was there to listen when I needed someone to talk to. I started therapy. I got Dani in therapy. I won. I won in a landslide.

A part of me expected to hear from him at some point. Wanting something. But I never did.

Now you are here. And I am going to do everything I can in my power to keep you happy. Thats why I accepted this so easily, why I have given you everything I could, kept you as secret as possible. I made a promise Bella. I keep my promises.”

I was speechless. I had… nothing.

We sat in silence for a while, me wiping tears and Dave staring at the ceiling.

“How is Seth doing?” I asked to break the silence and get my mind off of Chris.

“He’s a great kid. I honestly figured Secret Service would be fighting to keep him and Dani from… you know…”

He looked at my belly.

“Seth is not like that.” I told him.

“I know. We have dinner every night. He’s a good kid. Dani is calmer around him, depsite everything she has learned. She told me Seth lost his father. They talk about that a lot. The loss of a parent. Leah and Embry on the other hand have apparently broken in the Lincoln Bedroom a few times.” He chuckled.

“Are you serious?” I asked, shocked. I suspected they were in love but wondered if they would ever get over the fear of imprinting.

“Yeah. They are over a lot. Secret Servive is going nuts, but I’ve given them full access to the White House. Seth spends the night here most nights but he stays in his own room. Plus he is surprsingly catching on to his duties as my assistant fairly quickly. He may have a future in politics.”

“He’s too sweet for that.” I told Dave immediately, making him laugh.

“So how do I find my mother Dave? Charlie says Phil was killed by a simple draining. Another vampire took her.”

“You know who took her Bella. If we haven’t found her by now, Irkalla is using her or…”

“Turned her.” I whispered.

“Yep.” Dave admitted.

“I would say I’m sorry Bella, but I would do it again.”

“If you said you were sorry I would forgive you anyway. I understand why you did it Dave. I’m not happy about it but I understand. But no more. From this point on I want to know everything. Swear to me Dave.”

Dave took a moment.

“I swear Bella.”

“Thank you.” I whispered. I beleived him. Chris believed in him so I would as well. He kept his promises.

“I need to get back.” I told him. Jake must be…

“How did you do that anyway?”

“New trick.” I chuckled a bit. I was tired. I wanted to get home. I stood up and it hit me.

Severe pain.

Doubling over I felt my blue jeans become soaked.

Oh no.

“Bella!?”

Dave helped me to the floor.

“What’s going on?”

“My water broke. But I think… Oh damn it hurts. I think I’m in labor. I’m having a contraction!”

“Okay. Don’t panic. We have time. Labor lasts a while. Dani took…”

“Dave I don’t think I have time.” I squealed.

“Okay, okay. We have a full medical facility here. Don’t worry. A doctor is always on call, we have medics…”

“I have to get to La Push! My babies have to be born there!” I screamed.

“Bella you aren’t going anywhere. Calm down.”

“No!” My babies. I had to get home. I reached up from the floor of the Oval office and my bracelt covered my hand.

“Your hand is glowing! Not the time for this Bella! Put it away!” Dave yelled. Secret Service burst in I think. I heard other voices.

“Fuck she’s in labor. Control, This is Stewart. Witch is in labor in the Oval Office. We need medical here now.”

“No.” My babies were Quielute warriors. They would be born on our land. I whispered a chant and focused. Please. Please take me home. A rift opened in the oval office.

“What the fuck is she doing?” I heard somewhere in the back. I struggled to my feet. Dave helped me up.

“Bella.”

“Bye Dave.”

I stepped into the light.

And I was in… what the hell?

“Bella?”

Old Quil was in his recliner smoking a joint. I was in his house.

“What are you… how did you do that? What the fuck is the President doing here?!”

I felt Dave’s hands guiding me to the couch.

“What are you dioing here?!” I asked.

“You think I was going to let you walk into a beam of light in your condition alone? Where the hell is here?”

“You’re in La Push.” Old Quil said in a hushed voice.

“The Secret Service is not going to be happy about this.” Dave said under his breath.

“Quil I think I’m giving birth. It happened so fast. It isn’t supposed to be this fast. Get Anya. Please!”

“She is in Port Angeles with Billy. They went out with Charlie, Sue and Theresa.”

“Where is Jake?”

“Freaking out wondering where the hell you are? You brought the fucking President!?”

“Look you need to call an ambulance. She needs a hospital.” Dave told him calmly. Another contraction hit. The pictures on Quil’s walls shot off, crashing to the floor.

“Yeah, I don’t think a regular hospital is going to accept her.” Quil told him, looking at me with a face that did not express confidence.

“Bella?!” Jake shouted, crashing through the door.

“I’m here baby. I… think they are coming. Damn it hurts.”

“Call an ambulance!” Dave yelled.

“No! My babies have to be born here!”

“On my couch? Really?” Old Quil asked.

“Put the damn joint out Quil.” Jake told him kneeling down beside me.

“It’s going to be okay, Bella.” He told me, calming me down with his touch.

Until another contraction hit.

“So what do we do?” Dave asked no one in particular.

“Take my jeans off Jake. Quil we don’t have time. You are going to have to deliver my babies.”

“Oh fuck.” Quil whispered.

I was thinking the same thing.