Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Protecting Maddie

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 16:

BPOV

It has been two weeks in this hotel room. We have been in upstate New York just outside of Buffalo this whole time. We have swum and sat in the hotel hot tub quite a bit. We have watched a lot of TV. I have held Maddie all night. Her nightmares have finally gotten back to twice a week. She has slept well the rest of the time. My cool body doesn’t seem to bother her at all. I have gotten very good at touching things without breaking them. Maddie has helped tremendously. I have learned to turn off Alice’s power and turn it on when I want to.

I have also had to hunt nearly every other day. The temptation of humans was around me constantly but it was bothering me less and less every day. Hunting has been… awkward. Maddie refused to stay behind and it’s not like I had a babysitter to stay with her. So I took her with me. She stayed in a tree while I hunted. It didn’t seem to bother her. She asked me questions. Too many questions. I noticed my eyes were becoming lighter. They weren’t as bright red.

And true to my word I called Peter every night at 6 PM. We were doing well on money. The hotel was only a hundred a night and since I only had to feed Maddie our costs were minimal. But we needed to leave soon. We needed to plan the rest of our lives. Maddie’s birthday was coming up in a week and I didn’t want to be in a damn hotel. And then school started. I had to find her a school.

And I missed Peter. I really, really missed Peter.

We talked for at least an hour every night. It was nice to talk to him without wanting to jump his bones. We were really getting to know each other. He asked a few questions about how I was adjusting but kept the conversation mostly on me and him. And Maddie. He seemed really interested in how Maddie was doing.

He told me he missed her last night. If I could have cried I would have. I was getting ready to call him now. I needed to hear his voice. But first I had to make sure Maddie got fed. I made her toast and eggs for dinner on the little kitchenette the suite had. Nothing fancy but pretty neat for us.

“Maddie, what do you want for your birthday?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it Mom. I mean I guess I’m just grateful we are together and… I don’t know. Actually I kind of forgot my birthday was coming up.”

Yes it was definitely time to get her into a normal routine. No kid under any circumstances should ever forget their birthday.

“I would like…”

“What baby?”

“I would like it if we could spend it with Aunt Alice and Peter. I kind of miss them. I mean Peter hasn’t gotten to stare at your butt in a while or tried to suck your face off. I bet he is missing you.”

Wow.

“Do you miss him?”

“Yeah a little. You haven’t been smiling the way I like to see you smile since you haven’t’ seen him. We should probably go back. I don’t think anyone will want to separate us again, do you?”

“No baby, I don’t think anyone will make that mistake again.” I laughed.

“Then that’s what I want for my birthday. I want us to go back to Aunt Alice and Peter.”

I felt relief. I was ready to see him but I wasn’t going back until it was okay with Maddie. I had planned to bring this up with her. Her bringing it up made it a lot easier. I missed both of them too. Maybe even Jasper a little.

“So go ahead and call Peter and tell him Mom. I know you are dying to.”

I hugged her and kissed her cheek. I had mastered just the right amount of pressure to hold my daughter without bruising her.

Picking up the pre-paid cell phone I dialed the familiar number. I called Peter directly instead of using Alice’s phone.

He answered like always on the first ring.

“Hey darlin. I was wondering if you were going to call.”

“Don’t I call every night?”

“Yeah and I get worried every night that you won’t, right up until the second you call.”

“You’re a dork.”

“You’re a dork too. How is little Satan doing?”

“Don’t call her that.” I laughed.

“You know I’m playin darlin. Sort of.”

“She is actually why I am calling. She has a birthday coming up soon.”

“Oh yeah? That’s great.”

“And guess what she wants?”

“A horse?”

“No, she wants to see you and Alice.”

He said nothing for ten minutes. If I didn’t know better I would think he wasn’t there.

“Are you serious Bella? Don’t mess with me if you aren’t serious.”

“I’m serious baby. She wants to see you and so do I. We are coming home. Wherever the hell home is.”

“I’ll make home wherever you want it darlin.” He sounded a little choked up, he was whispering so low.

“Where are you now?”

“House in Canada with the rest of your things you didn’t steal.” He laughed.

“We are outside Buffalo. We will leave tonight and see you tomorrow afternoon.”

“I can’t wait Bella. I promise you won’t regret this darlin. I am going to make you happy and do my best to make your daughter happy for the rest of time.”

I laughed at his enthusiasm. “Let’s just start with tomorrow. And we need to start thinking about finding a place where we can move. I want Maddie to go to school in the US. I mean if you don’t mind getting us a place and maybe living there with us. See how it goes?”

“Darlin I think that can be arranged.”

I was about to talk to him about possible locations until I felt a jolt in my body. I heard the murmurings start immediately. From all directions. But one was clear.

“Oh shit.”

“What’s wrong Bella?” Peter knew I never swore in front of Maddie unless something was very wrong.

“Peter… I can read minds.”

“But how… Bella get out of there. It is no coincidence. Come towards me and run. Don’t worry about a car. I will start running towards you. Give me the address.”

I told him the address of where I was at and what direction I would run.

“Peter, you won’t make it in time and I don’t know if I am fast enough to get away from him. I’m going to have to fight him.”

“Bella don’t, he is way more…”

“I don’t give a damn Peter. I will try to use Alice’s power to get away. But if it comes down to it, I am going to have to kill him.”

“I’m leaving now. Call me every five minutes.”

I heard him tracking our scent to our room. He was nearly on our floor, moving slowly to pick up the scent. He wasn’t tracking my scent. He didn’t know it. He was tracking my old scent. He was tracking Maddie.

I ended the call and told Maddie to get mine and her Dad’s rings and place the necklace around her neck. That would be all we were taking.

To her credit she did as I told her without question. She knew when I was serious. Almost like she could read my mind, sometimes.

I turned on Alice’s gift. He would be at our door soon. He would be knocking. If I went out the window now he would catch me in five minutes in a wooded area ten miles away. I couldn’t run as fast with Maddie on my back. The wind shear would hurt her.

What to do? Think Bella. You can read his mind. You are stronger than him. Probably faster when running all out.

/She is near. I smell a vampire with her. Carlisle is right. It must be Bella and her daughter. Four states and I finally found her. I have to get Bella to trust me and bring her back to Carlisle so we can figure out what she can do. I just need to appeal to Bella’s love for her daughter. It’s a miracle the little one is still alive. She smells so much like Bella it is amazing. Intoxicating./

I heard his footsteps. I turned off Alice’s power but didn’t try to shut his off. I would need it.

“Baby.” I whispered in Maddie’s ear. “You stay by the window. Mommy is going to have to do this fast and then we are going out the window and running okay?”

Maddie nodded her head and backed up to the window.

He knocked on the door.

/She must smell me by now. If she doesn’t open the door in five seconds I will go in./

I launched myself from the window through the closed door. I was able to knock him into the hallway wall with the door between us.

/What the hell?/

“Bella, it’s Edward. Stop!”

I didn’t waste time with catching up and reminiscing about the good old days in the meadow. I threw the door between us away and I was on top of him. I hit him in the face and saw him crack. Then I turned around and bit him.

Right through his fucking leg. I pulled and it popped free at his hip. Gotta love newborn strength. That was kind of gross. Grabbing his leg I ran back into the hotel room and picking up Maddie, swung his leg to break the glass. She wrapped herself around my neck and her legs around my waist and we jumped out of the fourth floor window. I made the landing as softly as I could and kept one hand on Maddie’s legs around my waist. We hit the ground and I didn’t stop. A mile into the woods behind us and I threw Edward’s leg into a pond and kept running. Turning on Alice’s power I saw that I should meet Peter in two hours if I kept heading Northwest. I didn’t hear Edward trying to hop after me. But if he was here you could bet the other bastards were looking for me. They must have split the States up figuring I wouldn’t go far and ran around trying to find my scent. Hotels next to woods out of the way. It would have taken Peter a couple hours to find me if I hadn’t asked him not too.

My phone rang.

“Alice, kinda busy right now.”

“Peter is on his way and so are Jasper and I, Bella. Is he behind you?”

“No, I got away. I am betting he is probably in the woods right now hopping around trying to find his leg. Carlisle wants to know what my powers are, Alice. He thinks he can help me if you can believe that shit. Edward tracked me using Maddie’s scent. He thought she smelled intoxicating. I should have killed him but I had to get Maddie away.”

“You did good Bella. Just keep running to us.”

“I am. I should meet you three in two hours. Just keep running in my direction.”

I hung up the phone.

Peter called three more times and Alice called twice before we finally met in a clearing in the woods surrounding Toronto. We made the run in an hour. Guess I was moving faster than I thought. I set Maddie on her feet and she wobbled a little before steadying herself. There he was. I felt safe now. Nothing could harm us.

Peter POV

There she was. I felt alive now. I checked her six to see if anyone was behind her. Maddie looked a little unsteady on her feet but she seemed unharmed and smiling.

“Oh my God! That was awesome! Mom was like BOOM, straight through the door then she hit him in the face so fast I barely saw it, it was like a blur and then she bit him and ripped his leg off and used it to break the window and then we were flying to the ground and kept running and Mom threw his leg in some water and we kept running and the trees were going by so fast and it was AWESOME!”

I guess Maddie was okay. Bella’s eyes locked onto mine. God I loved her. She ran to me and I closed the distance. I felt her lips on mine and my world felt right again. I was never letting her go. She opened her mouth and I felt her tongue in mine. Her leg was rubbing against mine. God I had…

“Uh HELLO! So not the time. Could you two cut that out so we can get to, I don’t know, like a real house so you two can do that in a room where I don’t have to watch you suck faces. I mean it’s gross!”

Bella backed away and smiled at me.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you darlin. We have a lot of time to make up for.”

“Believe me I know. But she is right. We need to get home.”

Home sounded pretty damn good to me.

“Bella I swear I will never try to separate you two again. Just swear to me that you won’t leave me again.”

“I swear baby.” She laid her head on my shoulders. I felt a small hand pulling at my jeans. Maddie.

“Yeah little darlin?”

“I missed my unemployed bodyguard. Give me a hug.”

How can I resist that? I picked her up and she squeezed me around the neck. I guess maybe she did miss me. And I missed her more than I realized. The little devil child.

“Want to ride with me squirt or are you driving?” Alice asked Maddie.

“I think I will catch a ride with you Aunt Alice. I am going to lay off driving until I get a little taller.”

We ran back listening to the sounds of the forest and Maddie screaming for joy. That girl really likes to run with vamps. I wonder what kind of newborn she will be. Probably the most knowledgeable new born ever. Even more knowledgeable than Bella. Bella told me what Maddie said she was going to be when she grew up. I guess Alice was right again. She usually gets one out of three right.

We arrived back at the house. As much as I wanted to throw Bella onto the bed and rip the clothes off her slender pale body, we had to figure out what Edward Cullen was doing looking for her. Alice was going to call the Cullens. I was going to ask Bella what she picked up from his mind. Speaking of…

“Hey Bella can you still read our minds?”

“No, I turned it off when we were clear of Edward.”

“You turned it off?” Jasper asked surprised. I don’t know why he keeps getting surprised by Bella. She is amazing.

“Yeah I figured out how to do it in my mind.”

“Wow. So you can control when you want to use which power? Can you control more than one at the same time?”

“I don’t know Jasper. I haven’t tried it yet.”

“Okay, then. Give it a try later. Right now, Alice could you call Carlisle and ask him what the fuck is going on. I’m going to call Garrett and Charlotte. Let them know to stay around the area. They told me if the Cullens wouldn’t leave us alone to let them know. And I know Char wants to see Maddie.”

“Yeah Alice, I think I will be calling Carlisle. Dial the number for me and give me the phone.” Time to make this motherfucking squirre… okay I guess I was a squirrel sucker now too but I was still way more of a bad ass than he ever dreamed of being.

I heard the phone ring and the good doctor answered. Alice handed me the phone.

“Alice?”

“Guess again fucker.”

“Peter?”

“Yep.”

“Have you found Bella?”

“None of your business.”

“Peter she has attacked Rose without reason and she tore off Edward’s legs not a few hours ago. She is obviously unstable and in no condition to take care of a child.”

“Funny cause I have talked to her every day and she seems to be doing a helluva job taking care of her child. She didn’t attack Rose without reason. Rose was about to call her daughter a bitch and Bella doesn’t like that. She doesn’t like your family either. Now I want to know why Edward Cullen was tracking my Mate?”

“We are trying to find her and help her. If you are talking to her why haven’t you convinced her to come back to you? Are you sure she is your Mate?”

Okay, that shit was uncalled for.

“Carlisle I would ask that you take a moment and remember who the fuck it is you are talking to. I could wipe out your whole family in the time it takes Maddie to steal one of your cars. If I hear about any of them contacting Bella or Maddie or trying to find them again, I will wipe out your whole family, even your mate Carlisle. I don’t take kindly to anyone fucking with my woman or her kid.”

“Peter, I… I understand. But I can’t speak for Edward.”

“Yeah well you better speak to him. Because I mean it Carlisle. He is part of your family. If he has contact with Bella or her daughter I not only kill him, I kill all of you. Assuming I can get to you before Bella does.”

“Peter all Edward wanted to do was talk to Bella. To make sure she was doing okay and the child was doing well.”

“Yeah, how did that conversation work out for him? He find his leg or we gonna add hop along to the number of nicknames he has? Didn’t Jasper tear his arm off some years ago? Boy sure seems fragile. Hell I don’t know that you have one decent fighter among the five of you. Meanwhile we got nuthin but fighters. So you make your decision. You wanna stick your nose where it doesn’t belong and get turned to ashes or you wanna go back to living the lifestyles of the rich and famous in peace?”

“If Bella is as powerful as Alice says and her daughter will be as well, you won’t be able to keep the Volturi away for long. They know she was supposed to be auctioned off. They know Maddie was in Texas. I wouldn’t be surprised if Demetri hasn’t already been in Texas and started tracking them both.”

“Yeah well, we will deal with that euro trash if the need arises. And if I find out you tipped them off, and trust me, I will know, your immortality is gonna start looking real mortal. I gotta go. My Mate is going to be calling me back soon. Say hi to Esme for me, Carlisle.”

“I don’t appreciate threats to my Mate, Peter.”

” I don’t give a damn what you don’t appreciate you fucking pansy. Stop fucking with mine and I won’t have to visit with you or yours.”

I ended the call and looked at Bella who was giving me the sweetest smile.

“So I think that went well. What about you darlin?”

“You are such an articulate communicator baby. Alice is catching up with Maddie. Take me to our room. Now.”

What the woman wants the woman gets.