Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

A Fresh Start

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 03:

BPOV

“Take your cheek off the stock. You don’t want your cheek on it. It’s going to kick a might bit.”

“Okay.” I said, concentrating on keeping my eye in the scope on the little X positioned over the paper man 50 yards away.

“Now it’s going to kick a little so you need to get it pressed against
your shoulder real snug. You don’t want it coming back and slapping your shoulder.”

“Okay.” I wasn’t sure about this. I had ear plugs in but I had a feeling this was going to be loud. Bo says it is a .270 rifle and not very high caliber, whatever the hell that means. All I knew was it was a very big gun.

“Now when you are ready, take a deep breath and hold it. Then
gently squeeze the trigger.”

“Okay.” Bo was right behind me but I could feel him backing up.
Don’t be scared. Do this. You have the cross of the scope on the little paper guy. Take a deep breath, keep your eyes open and gently pull the trigger.

I took a deep breath. So far so good.

I gently squeezed the trigger. It didn’t move as easily as I thought it would. I squeezed a little harder. It must have thrown off my aim.

Why wouldn’t this damn thing squeeze? The trigger must be broke. I gave it a little more pressure when it fired and kicked me back like a hammer blow.

I screamed when it went off. I was knocked back a couple steps and nearly fell down. Bo caught me from behind.

I spun around forgetting to point the big rifle at the ground and he hit the ground. I remembered and pointed the gun at the ground and he jumped up and grabbed my hand.

“Hey,hey, hey. Let’s just calm down.” He was smiling. I wasn’t.

“Son of a fucking bitch, that hurt! Kick a little? Kick a little, Bo?
Motherfucker! It feels like my whole damn shoulder is dislocated!
Your fucking gun wrecked my shoulder. Squeeze gently? I did
squeeze gently! It wouldn’t move. Then it moved and kicked the crap out of my shoulder, Bo!” I was a little angry. My shoulder really hurt.

Bo was still laughing.

“Shut up! It’s not funny, you asshole! That hurt. I damn near peed all over myself when it went off.” I was… yep full on pouting.

“Mary, your think cursing when you are angry is something that
carried over from your old life or something you picked up from my sister?”

It was a valid question. I had been around Steph for a few weeks
now. I had spent most of my time hanging out with Bo, learning to do the books, working out with him, hanging out and watching TV. He let me work with him on some of his furniture and was showing me the basics. Now he decided hunting was next on the agenda. I tried a compound bow but wasn’t strong enough to pull it back. Now this. He could take this fucking gun and shove it up his cute ass.

Still I did spend time with Steph cooking and hanging out. She
decided I needed to start working on a tan so she gave me one of
her bikinis and we laid out while Bo was in town picking up supplies. Of course I fell asleep and he showed up. I noticed him looking from the shed and immediately got embarrassed. He tried to play it cool like he wasn’t looking. I guess he may have liked what he saw. I laid there acting like I didn’t know he was looking, afraid any movement I made, may jiggle something I didn’t know could jiggle. He finally stopped pretending to work on whatever he was working on and walked in. I stayed out for a few more minutes before I planned to make my escape and run for clothes. Before I could though another fold back lawn chair was by my side and he lay down next to me. Shirtless of course, wearing a swimsuit. Now I had to not stare.

It was incredibly tension filled. At least I was full of tension. Not the kind that makes you nervous either. I was so damn turned on I couldn’t stand it. I have no idea how much sex I had before. But judging by my reaction to him, I must have had some experience. I mean I was 18 right? I had to have had sex before. Plus he lifted weights without a shirt on too. I lifted now with him. That meant I had to see all that… flexing.

He mentioned that I was getting red. I rolled over slowly, tightening all the muscles I did have. He put lotion on my back. And neck. And the back of my legs, down to my feet. So slowly. I kept my head buried in my arms stifling a moan by biting my forearm. He was doing this on purpose and I didn’t mind a bit.

Later on I found out that I really couldn’t tan. I could however burn.The burn was almost worth it. Feeling Bo rubbing Aloe Vera on my back and shoulders felt so good.

We decided we would invest in stronger sun block when we swam.

He was planning on taking me camping at Tyler State Park this
weekend. He and Stephanie and Hunter. He liked to take Hunter
camping at least once a month in the spring and summer.
Bo was going to teach me how to fish. And how to mountain bike a
technical trail at the park.

I was a little worried about this.

I still hadn’t found many skills that came naturally but I seemed to be a natural klutz. Riding a bike through woods on a very narrow,
unpaved trail did not seem like a good idea.

Bo called me a wimp. I’ll be damned. Guess I was going mountain
biking.

“Steph, what is mountain biking like?”

“Hell, it is horrible.”

“What do you mean? Bo said it was fun.” Shit. This wouldn’t be
good.

“Bo’s and mine ideas of fun aren’t always the same. He took me
once. A branch slapped my face. I fell off the damn bike twice hitting roots. One came up and caught the back wheel, stopping the bike. Unfortunately I kept going over the handle bars. My ass was rubbed raw. My legs cramped. When we stopped for a drink my beer was all shook up in the can and mostly foam. Nope. First and only time I ever went on that trail. So good luck with that. Take some bandages. I will throw a few ice packs in the cooler. For God sakes wear a helmet. We don’t need you conkin your head and losing the new memories you have been making.”

I chuckled a little at the thought of Stephanie taking a beer break
while mountain biking.

“Maybe it would be like in a cartoon. I will get my old memories
back.” I said more to myself.

“First of all I have been reading up on amnesia on the internet. That only works in cartoons. You will most likely cause more problems. Second of all, do you really want them back?”

“Of course I do.” I answered, sort of surprised she would ask.

“Really? You know something bad happened. No one has been
looking for you. My brother is crazy about you and you are crazy
about him. Maybe sometimes it’s best that some things kind of stay where they are supposed to be. In the past.”

She had a point.

“Just because I got my memories back doesn’t mean I would leave
the life I have now.” I responded.

“You should probably tell Bo that. He lives in fear since he found you that you are going to wake up one morning and remember you have some great love of your life and run back to him.”

“He does not.”

“Yeah Mary. He does. He is fallin for you like I ain’t ever seen him fall for a girl. I’m bettin you feel the same way. Would you leave him, us, if your memories came back?”

“No. No, I wouldn’t.” I wasn’t sure until I said it. But she was right. It probably didn’t matter. I wouldn’t want to leave him. I didn’t know what was happening between us for sure. But I think it was
something great. I wouldn’t give that up.

“You should probably tell him that then. It sure would take a load off his mind.”

I laughed a little. “Bo doesn’t seem like anything bothers him.”

“Don’t let him fool you. It may not seem like it but that boy has a lot of thoughts going through his head constantly. Since he found you, the majority of those thoughts have been about you.”

I nodded my head. She was right. I knew he was interested. This
was more than feeling sorry for the girl with no memory. I saw the
hunger in his eyes when he looked at me. I assumed he knew that I
wanted him, but maybe he didn’t. Maybe he was scared of me
leaving and blocking him out of my life if my memory returned. It was time to set him straight. He needed to know that I wasn’t going to give up on this anymore than he was.

Bo POV

“Hey Fred. Any word on my mystery lady?” I called Fred every other day half hoping for a lead on Mary’s past and half hoping there wasn’t one. More hoping there wasn’t one. I felt kind of bad about that but I couldn’t help myself.

“Sorry Bo. All I can do is check for flash notices every day. Nothing
so far. If it hasn’t happened by now, it probably won’t. I don’t have a clue where she came from but nobody is looking for her. Her
fingerprints weren’t in any database I have checked. At least we
know she isn’t a criminal.”

“Nah, this girl doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She does
curse a lot when she gets angry but I think that’s more from hanging out with Steph.”

“Well, I will let you know if I find anything. Don’t get your hopes up.”

My hopes were fine. They weren’t based on anything to do with
finding out about her past though. Mary hadn’t brought up anything.

She didn’t check daily to see if any leads had come up. Honestly, I
think I was making her happy here. I don’t think she really cared.
She was freaked out of course. Having your life erased would make
anyone do that. But she wasn’t nervous. She didn’t seem to be. I
was getting my hopes up that she was… happy? Maybe?

All I knew for sure was I was falling completely in love with her. And I was worried every day that I would wake up and she would be leaving.

“Hey there. What’s got you thinking so hard?” Mary asked surprising the hell out of me. I never heard her walk up.

“I, uh, just got off the phone with Bronkowski. Still no word.” I told her smiling.

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop calling him all the time. Let it go. He will let us know if anything comes up. Leave it alone.” She was looking at me strangely. I had never seen that look on her face.

“But Mary…”

“I don’t care that much, Bo. I mean I would like to know if I have
family, friends. It would be nice. But I want to be here with you. It
doesn’t matter what happens, or what I may or may not find out one day. I don’t want to leave you. Whatever this is that we have, I want to keep it. No matter what. If you will have me.”

“Mary, you don’t know if you can mean that. Hell, you could have had a serious boyfriend. You could have been completely in love with someone.” May as well lay my fears out on the table.

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t spend my life wondering about what was. That life is over. It was over the moment I saw you kneeling over me. I’m not going to miss what is right in front of me. I’m hanging around you as long as you let me, Bo. I’m not going anywhere.” She was so close I could smell the body wash she uses in the shower.

“You mean it?”

She leaned in and closed her eyes. I wasn’t missing this. I leaned
down and finally felt her lips. They were as warm and soft as I
thought they would be. I felt her lips part slightly and felt her tongue in my mouth. I returned the favor. We stood there kissing until our mouths ran dry. I had my arms wrapped around her. She had hers around my waist. She let me take the lead but she was kissing me with the same urgency I was feeling. Like if we stopped she would disappear.

I had kissed a lot of girls but never had a kiss like this. I knew. I knew it when I saw her and I knew it even more strongly now. She was the one. She was the adventure I was waiting for. I finally pulled back but I wouldn’t let her out of my arms.

“Yeah. I mean it.”

All I could do was smile. Wasn’t much else to say that wouldn’t fuck up the moment.

“Hey, that smaller gun you have? The one that goes in your hands?
Why don’t you show me how to shoot it?”

“I think I can do that. Better grab your ear plugs.”

“Better catch me when I get knocked back on my ass. Don’t forget to duck when I turn around.” She winked.

This would be good. For the first time since I met her I wasn’t afraid she would be taken away from me. I wouldn’t let it happen. I had her and I was going to fight to keep her. Finally I had some one worth it.

Jake POV

“We should tell him Sam. Dad you know we should tell him.”

“We can’t Jake.” Sam replied. Dad was quiet.

“When that damn red head busts into his house looking for Bella he is going to figure it out. Besides he is drinking. He is drinking a lot, Dad. You know he blames himself. Even more than the damn
Cullens. He deserves to know that Bella left to protect him, not
because of something he did.”

Both Sam and Dad were quiet. I know Dad had been thinking about this. Charlie was drinking. When he wasn’t at work trying to figure out where he could get a lead on Bella he was at home drinking. He thought he was a horrible father. Renee was yelling that to him on the phone every chance she got. She screamed at him on the phone last night. Asked him when he was going to plan the memorial service since he lost their daughter and she would never be found.

Renee wasn’t doing well either from what Charlie told Dad. No one was doing well.

It wasn’t hard to be pissed at Cullen. He didn’t want her turned and left to protect her. I could respect that. But the way he did it was horrible. Then putting himself in a position where Bella had to go into a coven of vampires who would threaten her life if she didn’t turn. Then telling her he wouldn’t do it, despite what she went through for him. Add Victoria to the mix and Bella felt the only option was to run. The red headed leech didn’t even know she had left. She thought we were hiding her. I really wish that were the case.

“Do you really think it would make him feel better Jake? You think it would make a difference?” Dad finally asked.

“Yeah. I do.”

“Bella would be just as gone. Just as de…”

“Don’t you fucking say it, Sam. We don’t know that she is… she is
alive out there. Somewhere she is alive.”

“Jake you need to face facts. I’m sorry. You know how we all feel
about her. But her truck. Her bags. Somebody took her Jake. I would bet it wasn’t a vampire. It was probably a human monster. They are out there. Bella… she was so small…” Sam whispered.

I couldn’t stay mad at him. All the pack had become close to Bella.
Except maybe Leah but I think she would have come around. She
was starting to anyway. But Sam saw her as the Pack’s little sister.
His little sister. It has hit him almost as hard as it has hit me.
All because she left to go save that worthless piece of shit. She
didn’t want anyone dying over her. He was already dead. That’s what she never understood.

“He would know that it wasn’t his fault that she left.” I told Dad.

“No, Jake. It would probably make him drink more knowing that all
this was going on and he didn’t protect her from it. I have thought
about this a lot Jake. He is my best friend. You think I want to see
him hurting?”

“You sure this isn’t about keeping our secrets Dad? Justifying our
lies?”

Dad said nothing. There were tears in his eyes. Maybe I should lay
off. I was just way too emotional right now. I needed to step back.

“I’m going for a run.”

“There is no point Jake.” Sam said without looking at me.

“No point in what Sam? I want to run.”

“So you haven’t been running farther and farther away trying to get a scent of her?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

“What makes you think that Sam? You see that in my thoughts?”

“Did you see it in mine, Jake? Because I have been doing the same
thing. She is gone. She isn’t around this area. She is gone, Jake.”
I ran out without a word. There was no point in discussing this any longer. They may have given up but I hadn’t. Not yet. I would not accept her death as a forgone conclusion.

Bo POV
What a night. I couldn’t hardly sleep. I walked out to the back porch and sat on the wooden bench. I stared at the stars and enjoyed the almost cool night. Soon the high temperatures and humidity would be back.

That was okay.

I planned to take Mary dancing tomorrow night. We would have fun. I would introduce her to my friends. Soon to be her friends.
She must have read my thoughts. The back door opened and I knew it wasn’t Stephanie.

“For someone who gets up before dawn you don’t get to bed very
early.”

She walked around and stood in front of me. She was wearing a long t shirt.

“Nice shirt.” I smirked.

“It belongs to my boyfriend but I don’t think he would mind.”

“No, I definitely don’t. So I’m your boyfriend, am I?”

“I hope so. I suppose I could slip you a note during work asking if
you will be my boyfriend but I think I will go ahead and claim you
now. That alright with you?”

“Your damn right it is. Why don’t you have a seat? I got a lap that
needs warming.”

She sat across my legs and buried her head in my neck. Her hair
smelt so good.

“Bo, I’m kind of concerned about something.”

Shit.

“Okay…”

“Nothing bad. I was just thinking about maybe our future. I’ve seen your books. You have been getting more and more jobs. Soon you are going to have to hire someone to sand while you do the designs or you will never fill your orders.”

“That’s what you are worried about?”

“No. Shut up. I’m getting to that.”

“Yes ma’am.” I chuckled. Mary didn’t hold back her thoughts.

“I figure you are going to need me doing books for a real live
business in a few years, rather than the home business you keep
now. You are going to have employees and stuff.”

“So?”

“So I need to know what I am doing. I need more information. I know that Tyler Junior College has some accounting classes and small business classes I can take. I thought I could get some financial aid and take a few classes.”

“Okay. Seems like a good idea. I mean if you want to.” She was
sticking around. She was planning our future. This was pretty damn great.

“But then I realized I have a problem. I can’t get financial aid. I can’t get a driver’s license. I can’t get anything. I have no ID. I am officially, legally nobody. I don’t even know if I graduated high school.”

Damn. I hadn’t thought of that. “What am I going to do?”

“Uh, we can just get married and you wouldn’t have to worry about a thing?” I suggested wiggling my eyebrows.
“We just kissed tonight. I don’t think we are quite to marriage, don’t you think?”

“It was only a suggestion.” I smiled.

“But you know even if you wanted to marry me one day you can’t.
What name would you put on the marriage license? I don’t have a
last name. I don’t really have a first name. Just one you and Steph
call me.”

Damn. This was a concern.

“Hey, would you reach into my pocket and grab my phone?”

“Why don’t you?” she smiled.

“I don’t want to let you go.”

“Yeah, I bet that’s the reason you want my hand in your pocket.”
She finally squeezed my phone out and I dialed my friend Teddy.

“What’s up Bro? What’s this I hear about you moving a brunette
hottie in with you? Trying to push Steph out the door? Cause I got
her a place to land if she needs it.”

“You want to deal with her ex, Teddy?”

“Good point. Though I figure you taught him enough manners that he learned to behave.”

“Guys like that never learn to behave. They need their ass beat on a regular basis. Hey you still got the information on that guy, your
cousin’s girl used to get that fake ID?”

“Yeah. The shit was pricey but the guy does primo work man.”

“You think he can do other documents?”

“Word I got is that son of a bitch can make something out of nothing. Supposedly he sells everything. Fake IDs are just the tip of the iceberg.”

“I need to contact him.”

“Whoa there, Bo. You can’t just call this guy up. He doesn’t do
business over the phone. You have to go see him. Avery had to take his girl up to this guy’s shack so he could take her photo and
everything.”

“Okay. Give me his address.”

“Listen Bo. I know you are one of these guys that ain’t scared of shit, so I won’t bother to warn you. But you need to know, this guy is a little freaky.” Teddy said.

“What? Like he has a bunch of tats and piercings or something? He ain’t one of those folks that put a quarter size hole in his earlobe, is he?” That shit freaked me out. Like putting a hole in your nose with a piercing. What the hell do you do when you sneeze? Use one hand for your nose and place a finger of the other hand over the hole in the top of your nose? Blow snot like a whale? I guess I just don’t get it.

“Not that I know of. He is pretty much a cowboy type. Least he
dresses like one. Avery just said he only works at night. He is pretty fucking cold and pale and supposedly wears red contacts all the time. At least he did when Avery was there. His girl was pretty
freaked out by the whole thing. Said a fake ID wasn’t worth it. She
stuck around anyway though. I mean she was already there, ya
know?”

“Look, text me his address. Ask your cousin how much he thinks this guy charges.”

“Take a couple thousand with you Bo. You need to borrow some
money?”

“Nah, I’m good. I think I can handle it.”

“Cool man. Let me know if there is anything I can do. Hey the gang
wants to go dancing tomorrow night. You want to bring your girl and introduce her?”

“Yeah, except we need to get her a fake ID. She is 18. Need to read
21, you know?”

“So what? She can get in at 18. Your 22. Just buy the beer and let
her drink yours.”

“I tell you what. Hold the guys off till Thursday. I can get to this guy tomorrow and we can all party Thursday night. I will bring my
girlfriend to meet you guys.”

“Sounds good. Texting you the address now. It’s just east of
Houston. Have a fun drive.”

“What’s his name?”

“He goes by Peter Whitlock. Good luck figuring out his real name.
Drive careful.”

“Thank bro.”

“Hey Bo? I’m glad, you know? I guess since you got her living with
you that this must be kind of serious. You deserve it. I hope she isn’t a bitch or has any venereal diseases.”

“Thanks Teddy. You fucker.”

I ended the call and looked at Mary. She was smiling.

“What was that all about?”

“We are getting you an identity. Ever been to Hou… nevermind. You wouldn’t remember if you had, would you?”

She hit me in the shoulder and laughed.

“Shut up and kiss me cowboy.”

She straddled my lap and my hands went straight to her ass. She
didn’t stop me. I guess it was all good. Then I felt her lips on mine
and I knew it was all good.