Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Protecting Maddie

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 27:

I was enjoying a comedy when I heard it.

“ARRRGGGHHHHHH!”

Shit. Maddie. Upset. Bella swimming with Alice.

I ran into her room to check on her.

I found her with a ripped up pair of jeans in her hands and nothing else on. We locked eyes.

Someone was screaming. Shit it was me.

Now she was screaming. I was still screaming.

“Turn around already!” I yelled.

“You turn around!” she yelled back. Oh yeah. I forgot. I turned and ran outside. Holy shit that did not just happen.

“Uh Maddie? Why… why were you yelling?”

“I… I ripped another pair of jeans I was trying to put on and got frustrated.”

“Oh… okay.”

“Where is Mom?”

“Swimming.”

“Oh… okay.”

“You want me to get her?”

“No… uh no… I just need to uh… yeah, I need to…”

Bella ran into the house.

“Shit I’m too late…” She said looking at my face.

“Too late?”

“Yes. I saw that she was going to… and then you would run in… and yeah. I guess it was a pretty split second decision huh?”

“Yeah.” That pretty much described it.

“Mom?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Uh… Peter didn’t knock.”

“I’m sorry baby. He thought you were in trouble.”

Bella looked at me.

“Are you okay?”

“Is he okay? What the hell Mom? I’m the one who was bare ass naked!” Maddie said from inside her room.

“Baby when you live long enough with someone something like this is bound to happen. He was just worried…”

“Yeah, I know Mom. I won’t yell anymore. I swear I won’t yell anymore. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, uh I’m sorry too Maddie. I should have knocked.”

“Mom?”

“Yeah baby?”

“Could you help me get dressed please?”

“On my way baby.”

Bella kissed me on the cheek and gave me a little smile. I walked out of the house towards the beach, wondering what kind of brain bleach could take care of this.

I shuddered. I thought when she turned and I wouldn’t have to see… feminine products lying around the house that the awkward moments would be gone. Oh how I was wrong. I suppose it could have been worse but right now I couldn’t think of how it could be worse at the moment but I am sure it would come to me.

“Walked in on the daughter, huh?” he asked.

“Not funny Jasper.”

“Yeah it kind of is, Peter.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“She has seen worse than you have.”

“How do you figure?”

“What about the time when she was ten and walked in on you and Bella under the sheets?”

“Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out how she snuck out of her room and made it to ours.”

“Mom why are you sleeping with Peter? You can’t sleep Mom. You are supposed to be in bed with me. Where are your clothes? Why is Peter hiding under the covers?” Jasper said doing a poor imitation of her voice.

“Not funny Jasper.”

“See, from my point of view it’s hilarious.”

I took a deep breath and threw off my shirt, jumping in the water. I needed a shark to tangle with. There had to be one out there to have some fun with.

BPOV

“Mom. Uh I’m going to be staying in my room for the rest of eternity.”

“No you aren’t. It was an accident. These things happen. I bet it never happens again judging by the look on you and Peter’s faces.”

It’s a miracle it hadn’t happened before. Thank God she didn’t see me fucking Peter that time she snuck in our room. Course we just happened to hear her in time and throw the covers over us. Awkward.

“Mom, why can’t I still dress myself? It has been two weeks.” She asked stepping gently into the blue jeans I had spread in front of her.

“It took me a while too, baby.”

“I guess. But it seemed to come naturally to you.”

“Really? Have you forgotten how scared I was to even hold your hand when I turned?”

“Everything is so breakable.”

“Yes it is. You will get it baby. I promise.”

I walked out onto the beach after putting a bra and t shirt on Maddie. Poor kid. Poor Peter.

I had to laugh a little. I mean, the look on their faces when I saw that vision. That was funny. Turn around. No you turn around. Oh yeah.

I saw Jasper standing on the beach with a big grin on his face. I guess he had seen Peter.

“Where is he?”

“Swimming. Looking for sharks.”

“He okay?”

“Besides the shell shocked look on his face, yeah, he is great.” Jasper laughed.

“Bella we need to talk. Maddie has pretty much gone through most of the deer we put on this island over the past 6 months in 2 weeks.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “She is a growing girl. What do you want to do? Tell a newborn she can’t eat? Good luck with that.”

“No. But it may be time soon to take her to the mainland.”

“We can’t do that, Jasper.”

“Goddammit Bella, why do you have to be so fucking over protective all the time?”

“Fuck you Jasper. I’m being careful. You should appreciate that. She can’t dress herself without tearing up her jeans. Her bras are a little too small now since her “enhancements” and she snaps them in half 90% of the time. You want to put her where she could potentially be around humans?”

“She has too at some time.”

“Some time later, when her blood lust has gotten under control.”

“You didn’t seem to have problems. You swam the fucking Great Lakes, ran across two states and took your daughter from the Cullens by this point. Then you stole a car from people you could have easily killed and stayed in a hotel room surrounded by humans for weeks.”

“I had too. I had to get to my Baby. Why are you bringing that up?”

“Exactly. You had too. Maddie isn’t learning because she doesn’t have too. If she rips a pair of jeans you are there to put another one on her. She doesn’t have to deal with the slightest bit of human scent because you refuse to let us take her anywhere humans might be. You know we can control her. You make life too easy on her.”

“I do not!”

“Yes, you do.”

“We can’t use our powers to keep her calm Jasper. If she gets a hold of powers before she is ready then she could go crazy trying to control them.”

“And if one day we get attacked by the Volturi and all those powers hit her at once and she doesn’t know how to turn them on and off like you do? What then? She could kill us all. Family and enemies.”

“I will teach her. It has been two weeks.”

“Look, there are two things newborns do when they first awaken Bella. Feed and fuck. I seem to remember you doing plenty of both. She has been over feeding because she sure as hell isn’t fucking. She needs something to replace that urge. She needs some sort of discipline. She needs to know how to fight like a vampire. She needs to work on one power at a time. You can feed her powers. Start small and work your way up. She should be working constantly on her dexterity. You can’t be doing everything for her.”

“I don’t do everything for her.”

“Mom? Could you light this fire for me? I want to watch it and can’t handle the lighter.” Maddie asked. My baby liked to see the campfire in the night. The bright lights fascinated her.

I twisted around and threw a small fireball at the kindling without thinking about it. When I turned back Jasper had an eyebrow raised.

“Shut up.”

“Discipline Bella.”

“Like the discipline you and Peter have used on newborns in the past?”

I saw his face and immediately regretted what I said.

“I’m so sorry Jasper. I didn’t mean…”

“I know, Bella. But no. I would never do that. But that doesn’t mean a newborn doesn’t need discipline. Maddie was a hard working kid. She needs to be a hard working vampire now. She can do it. You had reason to do it. You had to get to her. She has no motivation. You have to give her motivation. She won’t do it for anyone else. But she would do anything you ask. The problem is, you haven’t asked anything of her yet.”

“I will talk to her in the morning. Let her enjoy her fire right now.”

Jasper nodded, hugged me tightly and walked off, I guess to find Alice. I walked over and sat next to Maddie.

“Isn’t it beautiful Mom? I’ve never noticed how beautiful a simple campfire can be.”

‘Yeah it is. You doing okay?”

“Yes, but I’m getting a little hungry. I was thinking about…”

“You fed this morning Maddie. You need to start holding off as long as you can. Start small and then work your way up.”

She looked surprised but nodded her head.

“Okay Mom. Whatever you say.”

Now I felt bad. When she was growing up if she was hungry I would feed her. As simple as that. She was like me in that she never ate much. Of course now that she is slaughtering whole herds of animals, I should probably watch her eating habits.

Peter walked up to us, soaking wet after rising from the surf. Damn. He was only wearing a pair of cut offs and the water dripping slowly down his legs was glistening in the moonlight. I was going to fuck the hell out of him tonight. I could feel myself getting wet already. Oh shit, Maddie can smell that now…

“Hey darlin. Maddie.”

“Peter.”

Neither one would look at each other.

“Oh get over it, you two. It’s a miracle it hasn’t happened before.”

Maddie started grinning and so did Peter.

“I can’t believe you told me to turn around.”

“I was kinda surprised. I hadn’t been in that situation before.”

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have screamed.”

“I’m used to running when you scream. It is going to take me a while to realize you aren’t as… fragile as you used to be.”

“I wasn’t fragile.”

“You always will be too me.”

They were finally looking at each other and smiling.

Crisis averted I guess.

Maddie POV

“Owww! Motherfucker!”

I had hit the ground again. Hard. This was ridiculous. Jasper was throwing my ass around like I was a damn ragdoll.

“Again!” He laughed.

“Again, again, again.” I mumbled under my breath. Throw me onto the ground, again, again, again. Asshole.

I was getting frustrated. I had a black belt and it did me absolutely no good. He was too fast. He was too good. I couldn’t land a shot. I know Mom told me I had to work harder but this was ridiculous.

“I don’t want to practice anymore. I’m dirty. I have dirt in places no one should have dirt in. My clothes are torn. I’m going to take a shower.” I turned around and began walking to the house.

“That’s too bad. I was looking forward to this. I thought you had the blood of warriors running through your veins. I guess it stopped with your parents.”

That froze me in my tracks.

“What did you say?” I turned to see him grinning at me.

“Your father was an Army Ranger. Special Forces. The best the Army had to offer. He gave his life for the men he served with by jumping on a grenade. Your mother escaped Alice and I once to give herself willingly to a psychotic vampire in hopes he would spare her own mother knowing she would be likely tortured and killed. She stood in front of a vampire while she was human and nearly got herself killed trying protecting you. Warriors, both of them. Never back down, never give up, no matter the odds, even in the face of certain death. Magnificent warriors. Fought with their whole hearts and souls for those they loved. Your mother still does. You on the other hand. You seem to be nothing but a fucking pussy, no matter how many Army Ranger t shirts you wear.”

“I don’t like that word.” I whispered. I was going to fucking kill him.

“Stop acting like one then.”

I charged him. All I could think about was ripping him to pieces. He threw me to the ground but I was on my feet in a split second. No way. His scrawny redneck ass was mine. I swung and he dodged but I kept swinging. Left right left, uppercut, hook, finally. Finally I hit him. He flew back into a tree and I went after him. I planted my fist into the bark of the tree as he moved his head out of the way at the last second. I struck him in the groin with my knee and heard him let out a breath. I shot out a straight palm strike to his jaw and he grabbed my wrist. The next thing I knew I was twisting in the air and my face was planted on the ground with his hand on my neck.

“Excellent! That was very, very good. Now if you can do that while you are calm we will get somewhere. Now do you want to keep practicing or do you want to go take a shower and have your Mommy dress you? Maybe stare at the pretty fire? I bet you could get her to wash your hair, if you called her Mommy and said pretty please.”

Dammit. This motherfucker. At this moment he was not quiet Uncle Jasper. I had to kill him.

His hand came off my neck and I stood up. Backing up twenty yards, never taking my eyes off of him.

I spit dirt out of my mouth and looked into his cold yellow eyes anting to wipe the smirk off his stupid face.

“Hooah, motherfucker. Let’s do this.”

He smiled.

“There’s my Goddaughter.” He charged and I braced.

I knew one thing for certain. Before my newborn year was over, I was going to hate Uncle Jasper.

BPOV

“Try to read Peter’s mind. Open the box in your mind. The one you put that gift in. Open it up.”

“I can’t. I can’t visualize it.”

“You have to. Relax. It’s not that hard. Don’t try hard. Let it come. Open the box Maddie. It’s there. I gave it to you.”

I opened my mind but I couldn’t see in her head. Nothing worked on her. Nothing worked on me either. After taking Mike Newton’s shield I planned to make sure nothing would ever work on my family again.

“Oh my God Mom. I can hear his thoughts.” She had a look of wonder on her face.

“What is he thinking of?”

Silence. Her face was frozen in place. I had been reminding her to work on unconscious blinking to look more human.

“He’s thinking about… Oh my God. He does that to you, Mom? You let him? You like it? Are you for real? Mom… Oh my god. Not there. Mom!”

“Close the box Maddie. Close the box now!”

“I… I’m trying. It won’t close.”

“Close the box baby.” I placed my hands on her to help her relax.

“Mom? Have you washed your hands today?”

“What…” Oh yeah. Oh shit.

“Yes baby.”

“Oh my God. Mom not on your, oh no, oh no… please make it go away.”

“Close the box sweetie. Just shut that box tightly.”

Please shut the fucking box.

“Okay.”

Her face relaxed.

“Okay.” She repeated.

“You okay baby?”

“Yeah Mom… I just… I can’t believe you were embarrassed to go in that store in Port Angeles. The things you two do Mom…”

“Baby, just because Peter was thinking about it doesn’t mean we do it.”

She shivered. I did too because Peter never thought about anything he hadn’t done, or planned to do to me soon.

“Okay Mom.”

“Look sweetie. You really shouldn’t use that gift unless you have too. We will practice on Aunt Alice next time.”

“Okay. What do you want to do now Mom?”

“I don’t care.”

“Let’s go swimming. I suddenly feel the need to be clean.”

“Okay. But at nightfall we are swimming to the mainland to hunt.”

“The mainland?”

“Yes. It’s time you smelled humans.”

“But Mom…”

“Maddie. Don’t you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“End of story.”

“Yes ma’am.”

---

“I’m concerned Jasper. We have never been out of touch with them this long. They always answer or call back quickly. This isn’t right.”

It has been 6 weeks since Maddie turned. Garrett and Charlotte arrived 4 weeks ago. They stayed for a few days and then got a call. Garrett wouldn’t say much except a friend needed them and they had to go. We have not been able to contact them since.

“Alice can’t see them.”

“Neither can Bella. They aren’t dead though. Garrett and Charlotte wouldn’t go down that easy.”

“It could be they aren’t in a position to make any decisions about their future.”

“We have to go look for them.”

“We can’t leave the girls here. Can you imagine the havoc Maddie would wreak if she were left alone with Alice and Bella?”

“She has been doing well Jasper.”

“I know. That is why it is important that we stay. Things need to keep going well.”

“We all go.” Bella said walking up.

“No. They were last in Louisiana. Too many humans for Maddie. We also don’t know what’s going on.”

“She can handle it. I will protect her. She is getting good at controlling her powers. She is controlling her thirst. She went around humans four days ago.”

“One human.”

“She is getting better at fighting. Better at control. She nearly has all my powers now. She can use them and lose them as she needs. She can handle this. She needs to get off this island anyway. She is going to go stir crazy.”

“No Bella.” Jasper responded.

“Have a little faith in her Jasper. Char and Garrett have been there for us countless times in the past. If they are in trouble we need to find them.”

“Still no vision?” I asked Bella, knowing if she had one she would tell me.

“No but I know that they are alive. I can feel them out there. Right now all I know is they are in the southern US. The closer I get the better able I will be able to track them. If you don’t want Maddie to go, I will go alone.”

“The hell you will.” I responded.

“You aren’t going anywhere without me, Mom. Peter. I swear I won’t eat anybody. I can handle this. I need to learn to track anyway.”

“Bella, I can’t see what will happen if we go after them. Too many variables.” Alice joined in.

“So? Most people don’t know what the future holds. Our visions change all the time anyway.”

“Where are the Volturi, Alice?”

“Italy. Most of them. The kings are. I don’t know about the others.”

“Romanians?”

“I can’t see their future. I have never met them personally. I only see them in response to others I do know.”

“I know the majority of them are in Europe.” Bella responded.

“Peter, they are family. We have to go.”

I looked at Maddie. The kid had the same look of determination her mother did. If we didn’t all go they would probably paralyze us and go off themselves. Stubborn ass women.

“Fine. We go. Jasper?”

“Whatever you want brother. I’m with you.”

“So am I Peter.” Alice said wrapping an arm around Bella’s waist while Maddie did the same to Bella’s other side.”

I nodded.

“I will swim to the mainland and get a boat. We will need our ID’s and clothes. Pack light. We can’t use planes. Maddie couldn’t take that. We will have to sail to the US coast and drive from there. We can sail into New Orleans. It won’t be far from there.”

Everyone walked away to begin packing. Maddie stayed.

“You ready for this kid? I really hadn’t planned on you leaving this Island for a couple more months.”

“I’m ready Peter. Rangers lead the way right?”

I had to smile. Kid has always had more balls than sense. Just like me.

“Damn right they do kid. Let’s go find our cousins.”