Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Venom

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 40:

Narrator POV

The skies of La Push were no strangers to storms. Rainfall was a fact of life. Still the residents of La Push, those brave souls who had returned to their sacred land despite the nightmares of the recent past, felt something was different about this storm.

The night had been calm, only a slight drizzle. Within seconds thunder roared in the sky and lightning danced across the horizon.

The younger generation felt expectant. Not knowing what was going on, but knowing something of importance was happening instinctively.

The older generation knew though. This storm was a harbinger.

The Angel of La Push was giving birth. The Alpha’s children were entering the world.

In Old Quil’s living room, a storm was not needed. The witch’s screaming was all the notice the occupants needed to let them know these children were coming and coming fast.

Present were three frightened men. The Medicine Man, the Alpha, and the President of the United States.

“Anya is on her way Bella. She will be here in thirty minutes.” Jake told his wife. “She is staying on the phone.”

“Hear that little Swan? Just don’t push until she gets here and everything will be fine.” Old Quil told her, relief flooding his voice.

“I don’t have thirty minutes! Get my pants off now!” Bella screamed and then shut her mouth, holding in a moan.

Jacob removed her jeans gently.

“Oh Spirits. That time Chris and I thought you were having a nightmare and it turned out not to be a nightmare… I thought that would be the most awkward thing I ever saw. How wrong I was.” Old Quil observed quietly.

“Man up Quil. I need you. Dave take the phone and talk to Anya. How the hell did you get here anyway?” Jake asked.

“I followed her.” Dave said, taking the phone.

“Anya? Yes this is Dave. Yes that Dave. Don’t ask. What do we do? Towels? Yes. Hold on.”

Dave ran down the hall searching for a bathroom.

“Not the white ones with my initials monogrammed!” Old Quil yelled after him. Jake and Bella glared.

“What? They were a gift.”

Dave rushed back in with his arms full of white towels.

“What now?”

“Put a couple under her Dave.” Anya told him over the phone.

Dave moved towards Bella when a growl ripped out of Jacob’s chest and filled the room. Dave jumped back.

“I… here you go Jake. You do it. Trust me I don’t mind.”

“Sorry Dave. It just sorta came out.” Jacob said sheepishly, realizing what he had done.

Bella screamed when Jake gently lifted her up.

“I want to push.” Bella whimpered.

“She wants to push.” Dave relayed to Anya.

“Tell her to push gently. Not hard.” Anya responded.

“She said to push gently.”

“How the fuck am I supposed to do that?!” Bella asked loudly.

“See how far she is dilated.” Anya instructed.

“Uh… Quil she needs you to look and see how far she is dilated.”

“Really?!” Old Quil responded.

“You’re a Medicine Man! How do you not know anything about this?!” Jake asked.

“This wasn’t in the job description!”

Old Quil leaned down.

“Oh damn. Tell her about this much.” Quil responded spreading his fingers.

“She can’t see that!”

“Put me on speakerphone!” Anya ordered.

Dave laid the phone on the coffee table.

“Bella can you hear me?”

“Yes.”

“Stay calm sweetie. We talked about what was going to happen. We got this.”

“We talked about being together in a clinic!” Bella practically screamed.

“Oh shit. That’s a head! That’s a freaking head!” Old Quil said.

“Have you never seen a birth Quil?” Jake asked.

“No, have you? I know a head though. That’s a fucking head!”

“Jake?” Bella asked quietly.

“Calm down Bella. It will be okay. I got you. You trust me right?”

“Always.” Bella responded.

“Bella the baby is crowning.” Anya told her.

“Okay. I got that.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m being ripped apart quickly.” Bella told her honestly.

“Okay. Continue to gently push. Jake place your hand under the baby’s head. Do not pull. Bella continue to gently push…”

“Arghhh!” Bella screamed. Her glove suddenly covered her hand.

“Bella put that thing away. Now!” Old Quil shouted.

The bracelet receded back to her wrist.

“Sorry.” She whispered. Bella’s face as contorted in pain. She was covered in sweat.

“The head is out!” Jacob shouted.

“Okay. Childbirth is natural Jacob. Gently guide the baby out but do not pull.”

“Bella do you want a stick?”

“No I do not want a fucking stick, Quil! Why do you always want me to bite a damn stick!?”

“What the hell is going on with this weather?” Paul asked walking in. “And the screaming? I swear it sounds like somebody is being murder…”

Paul saw Bella on the couch.

Paul hit the floor.

“Should we help him?” Dave asked.

“Leave him. He’s used to being on the ground.” Quil told him.

“I see the mouth Anya!” Jacob shouted.

“Gently stroke downward on the baby’s nose Jacob. We need to get amniotic fluid and mucus out.”

“I’ll break his nose! Bella you do it!”

“Kinda busy here Jake. Just be gentle.” Bella gasped.

Jake cradled the baby’s head while gently stroking the nose. Mucus and fluid cleared. Bella pushed and the baby slid out.

“Oh my God.” Jake whispered.

“What? What’s wrong?” Bella practically cried. Then she heard another cry. A cry that brought silence to the house.

“Chris is born Bella. Chris is born.” Jake said breathlessly.

Bella smiled, took a deep breath and then screamed again bringing Jake out of the haze he had been in.

“What the hell is that?” Quil practically cried.

“Jake you need to clamp the umbilical cord but do not cut it. The placenta may be right behind it.” Anya’s voice instructed from the phone.

“What do you mean may?”

“Twin’s births are different. Wrap the baby in a clean towel and hold him. Bella won’t be able to yet. Too much of a chance that wicked right hand of hers will appear while she delivers the second baby.”

“Clamp with what?” Dave asked.

“I have a clothespin in the laundry room.” Quil told him.

“A laundry pin?” Jake asked incredulously.

“I also have those clips I use to keep my potato chips rolled up and fresh.” Quil offered.

“Clothes pin will work.” Anya replied. “Quil what do you see?”

Old Quil bent down and…

“Ahh shit that’s not another baby. What the hell is that?”

“It is the placenta judging by your voice. Bella keep pushing. There may be one or two. The Umbilical cord for Serena could be on the other side or there could be another.”

Bella continued to push. The placenta slid out quickly.

“What do I do with this?” Old Quil shouted.

“Place it between her legs. Do not stretch the umbilical cord. Is another one attached?” Anya asked.

“There is still something going back inside… there.” Old Quil nearly whimpered.

“Okay. Either the placentas are fused or they shared one. Either way keep it between her legs.”

“On my couch?”

“Yes on your fucking couch Quil! I’ll buy you a new one!” Bella told him impatiently.

“You’re buying me a new house.” Quil mumbled.

Bella let loose a scream that topped all others. Paul sat up from the floor, looked at the placenta in Old Quil’s hands and passed out again.

“Is he okay?” Dave asked.

“He has a condition. Don’t worry about him. Get me a towel Mr. President.” Old Quil ordered.

“God Anya this hurts worse. What is going on?” Bella asked.

The windows in Quil’s living room shattered.

“Great job witch. Now it’s raining on my carpet.”

“Shut it Quil. Jake how is my baby doing?”

“He’s beautiful Bella.” Jake whispered.

“Anya I don’t see a head.”

“It could take a while, Quil. Bella just keep pushing when you feel the need.”

“No I see a baby. I think. But it’s just skin…”

“Let me see.” Jake gently moved from Bella’s side where he had been cradling his son next to her. Chris was crying again.

“Jake we are twenty minutes away.” Anya told him. “Charlie is driving very fast.”

“I think it’s the… I think she is bent over.” Jake whispered.

“Yep. Definitely an ass.” Old Quil added on.

“She in a breech position. When the body is free the head must be delivered quickly or she may not be able to breathe. Quil you are going to have to do this.”

“Do what?!”

Bella pushed again.

“The body is free!” Jake shouted.

“Jake get her out. Give Chris to Quil.” Anya instructed.

“No! I got this.” Old Quil told her calmly.

“Owww shit! What the hell are you doing?!” Bella shouted.

“I’m glad I’m high.” Quil whispered.

Quil reached into the opening and gently guided the baby’s head.

“Push Bella!” Anya ordered over the phone.

With the sound of thunder mixing with Bella’s screams Quil pulled and Serena Black entered the world. Her eyes were wide open. Quil stared into them and saw. A witch had been born. A bracelet was not attached to her wrist but whatever the bracelet was made of ran through her veins as surely as it ran through Bella’s veins. He said nothing. Nothing needed to be said.

Serena began to cry.

“Your daughter has arrived little Swan.” Old Quil said quietly. Dave wrapped the baby in Quil’s arms and handed the tiny person to Jake who still held Chris.

“Clamp the umbilical cord. We will be there in ten minutes. Bella breast feed them if you can. I am on my way.”

The only sound in the room was the soft crying of the two Black children. Jake placed the two children in Bella’s arms and wiped the tears from her eyes.

The storm had stopped as suddenly as it appeared.

Bella held both her babies to her breasts while Jake stroked her hair with the arm that wasn’t around her.

“They are okay. They look okay right Jake?”

“Yeah Bella. They are perfect.” He whispered. “You did so good. I love you so much.”

“I love you Jake. I would be lost without you.”

“You won’t have to find out Bells. Ever.”

Old Quil and Dave looked at each other and nodded. It was a moment to be shared by parents. Old Quil patted Paul on the cheek and he came around. Without looking at Bella or Jacob, he followed Quil and Dave outside.

“I’m going to go home and tell Rachel… I guess that was…”

“Yes Paul. She gave birth. You did very well. Thank you for your help. Let your imprint know she is an aunt.”

Paul walked off in a daze while Quil pulled a smaller box out of a firewood box on the porch. Rolling a joint, he did not bother looking at Dave.

“I couldn’t love that girl more if she was my biological daughter. I just had my hand in her vagina. If you have a problem with this you can have the Secret Service arrest me later.”

“Actually after tonight I’m thinking of legalizing marijuana. Roll me one.”

“You smoke?’ Quil asked, surprised.

“Not since 1982. Fuck it. I think the voters would understand.”

Ten minutes later Theresa’s car, driven by Charlie Swan, swerved into the drive. Anya was out the backseat, running inside with her medical bag, not sparing a glance at the two gentleman on the porch. She was followed by Theresa and Sue. Charlie and Billy ran to the porch and stopped.

“Uh… you really are here.” Charlie observed, looking at Dave.

“Yep.” Dave answered and then giggled.

“Congratulations you old bastards. You are officially grandparents.” Quil smiled widely.

Billy and Charlie smiled.

“She is okay?” Charlie asked.

“Yep.” Old Quil answered.

“They… are okay?” Billy asked.

“They are perfect. Those children will be very hard to harm. No worries on that front.” Old Quil laughed.

“What do you mean?” Billy asked worriedly.

“I hate to interrupt but could I borrow a phone? I probably need to call the White House and let them know where I’m at.” Dave mentioned.

“They don’t know? How the hell did you even get here?” Charlie asked.

“Oh you know how it is. You’re sitting in the oval office one moment in deep thought, then you are getting yelled at by a witch who appears out of nowhere, then she goes into labor and you help her through a door of light and wind up in a stoned Indian’s living room. Normal shit.” Dave told him with a straight face. He then began laughing.

“Uh yeah. You can use my phone.” Billy handed his phone and prepared to go inside.

“You two may want to wait.” Old Quil said raising a hand. “It’s a mess in there. Placentas and mucus and blood and… stuff. Just wait till Anya says it is okay. By the way Chief Swan, in case your daughter forgets in the bliss of motherhood, you owe me new windows, definitely a new couch, new carpet and new picture frames. I haven’t even assessed the damage yet but that’s just from what I saw.”

“Do either of you know the number to the Whitehouse?” Dave asked.

“How do you not know the number to your own house?”

“Well Charlie I have never actually had to call it. Or anybody for that matter. I usually have someone connect me.”

“Oh.”

“I’m hungry.” Dave mentioned.

“After what you just saw?” Quil asked surprised.

“Got any Hostess cakes?”

“Mr. Preside… Dave maybe you should put the joint away.” Charlie suggested.

“No. Not tonight. So? No one knows the number?”

“Call Leah. She is in my contacts.” Billy suggested.

“Good idea. Damn that girl is hot. If I was twenty years younger…”

“Dave, seriously lay off the joint.”

“Leave him alone Chief hardass. You’re not a cop anymore.” Quil said sternly. “Besides if you don’t think she is hot you lost your dick somewhere on the road to old age.”

Then he and Dave burst into a fit of laughter.

Theresa and Sue walked out onto the porch. Sue walked up and took Charlie’s hand.

“You two want to see your grandchildren? Time you two met Christopher and Serena Black.”

In Washington DC the White House was on full lock down. Secret Service were running around trying to secure a President who was not there. Dani had been taken to the bunker while Seth was kept in his room. The shift director did not know who to trust at this point. Armed agents had entered the apartment of Leah Clearwater and found both Embry and her present.

Embry nearly phased however, Leah was able to keep a cool head.

Agent Henry Bellafor was afraid. Afraid he may have let the President of the United States be abducted under his watch, an act that would definitely not look good on a resume.

“Bella didn’t take the President.” Leah argued.

“She was with him, then they were both gone. Tell me what I am supposed to believe Miss Clearwater. Were you here all night? You and Mr. Call.”

“Yes.”

“Why wasn’t Mr. Call at his own apartment?”

“None of your damn business. You’re lucky he didn’t rip your agents to shreds when you came in.” Leah argued, glaring at the agent.

“You two have spent quite a lot of time in the White House lately.”

“My brother lives there. What the hell is your problem? If he is with Bella he is safe.”

“Have you ever seen her appear and disappear in a beam of light Ms. Clearwater?”

“No…”

“That is exactly what happened.”

“She grabbed the president and threw him into a beam of light?”

“Well not exactly…” Bellafor admitted.

“So what happened? Exactly?”

“She went into labor ma’am. She opened up some light thing and the President followed her into it.” Another agent helpfully responded.

“Teague shut the hell up and do your job. Question Call.”

“Sir he is growling a lot.”

“I don’t give a damn if he grows three giant snake heads with fangs. Question him.”

Leah’s phone rang.

“I should probably take this.” Leah told the agent answering her phone.

“Yeah Billy?”

“Who? Oh yes sir. Yes, Agent dickhead is standing next to me now. We are apparently enemy combatants now.”

Leah looked at Agent Bellafor.

“The President needs to speak to you.” She told him with a smirk.

Agent Bellafor took the phone quickly.

“Sir?”

“Agent I need a ride back to Washington. I’m in La Push. La Push Washington. You know where that is right?”

“Yes sir. Could you give your security code sir?”

“Oh yeah… uh… hold on… it’s… damn it. I left it in my wallet in my desk. Wait. I got this… shut up Quil. Its 15… uh… 643… DXZ.”

Bellafor let out a sigh of relief. La Push Washington? Fucking witch. Fucking wolves and vampires for that matter.

“Sir are you being held hostage?”

‘No you fucking idiot. I had to come deliver a baby. Now get me a ride… hey stop on the way and bring some cigars. The good ones I like.”

“Yes sir. I’ll have a security team at your location enroute immediately. Anything else sir?”

“Yeah, you know those Hostess cupcakes we keep in the Whitehouse kitchen? The ones Dani likes? Bring a case of those. Yeah. I think we are good. Can you think of anything Quil?”

“No, the Secret Service is not going to bring you a new couch.”

“Okay Agent. That will be it. See you soon.”

The call ended.

Agent Bellafor turned to Leah Clearwater.

“I apologize for any confusion ma’am. We will be leaving you alone now. Have a nice rest of the night.”

“Get the fuck out.” Leah responded.

“Yes ma’am. Again have a nice night.”

Theresa POV

“It’s good to see you out Bella. You have had quite a week. I wanted to visit more but your home seemed to be overran. I didn’t want to add to the number of people. I’m sure you are tired.”

“It’s fine Theresa. Thank you for the blanket. It’s beautiful.”

Bella had given birth a week ago. Since that time her house has become a shrine of sorts, older ladies from La Push, entering uninvited and cooking for her, cleaning her house, cooing over the babies, bringing hand woven gifts. Theresa wondered when Bella would resume therapy. She expected to see her in a couple weeks. Instead Bella knocked on her door gently with her foot at 8 this morning, twins in both her arms.

“I’m so glad you brought the children. I haven’t really gotten close enough to see them in any detail since the night you delivered.”

“Yeah, I’m kind of attached to them.” She laughed lightly.

“Why doesn’t Jake have them at home Bella?” I asked. May as well get this out there.

“If… if it’s a problem…”

“I didn’t say it was a problem. I am glad to have them here. I asked you why you brought them. Surely someone could have watched them. There is no shortage of volunteers. The tribe treats them like Brits treat William and Kate’s kid. But tell me. I want to know.”

“Why do you think?” she asked with a grin.

“Because you are scared to leave them alone. You have probably been having nightmares, I would bet about Irkalla harming them. They have been in your presence the entire time since they came into this world. You and Jake sleep in shifts and the babies are in your room at all times. Neither of you can stand to be away. Natural for new parents but for you… you are scared again. Tell me why.”

The grin left her face. I had been working with Bella for months now, multiple days a week. I had a feeling I knew her. Her emotions anyway. Her fears. Bella was driven by a fear of abandonment. Not just people leaving her but people being taken away from her.

“Yes. That’s part of it.” She admitted, clutching her children a bit tighter. She looked tired. All new parents did. She had not healed herself since the birth. She wanted to breast feed as long as possible, according to Sue.

“What is the other part?” I asked.

“I… I want to spend as much time with them as possible because I don’t know how much time I have left.”

Okay.

“Why do you feel this?”

“The sky is getting darker in the Spirit World. Darker souls are staying near the Earth instead of descending. The imbalance between light and dark is greater. I think Irkalla will make a move soon. I’m not ready.”

“You are afraid of dying? You never were before. You were afraid of those around you dying but now you are afraid of dying. You think this makes you weak?”

“No… no I think it makes me dangerous.” She admitted.

“Your urges to… have they came back?”

“No! No that’s not it. I’m not going to lose myself. But I don’t want to leave my babies. I’m scared. Before it was Jake and I. We knew what we were getting into. But now…”

“You don’t want to leave your children the way your mother left you?”

She flinched. I learned early on that pulling punches does not work with Bella. She prefers direct observations, no matter how much they sting.

“Yeah… I don’t have a will. Charlie handles the money. If something happens to him it’s Billy and then Old Quil and then Sue and so on. We have a list. Last night Jake and I made a list of who… who gets my children if I die.”

---

“Not a common concern for parents of less than a week.”

“Yeah. I know. It scared the hell out of me. But it was my idea. It needed to be done.”

Bella was a practical person with an unforgiving sense of reality, despite the surrealism of the world we lived in.

“Who did you and Jake decide on?”

“Well we have a list since so many of us could die together. But we chose Rachel and Paul as the primary guardians. It wouldn’t be fair to put this on Charlie or Billy. They deserve to be grandparents. They are second. But if something happens to both Jake and I, Rachel and Paul agreed…”

“Why do you do this? Why not just enjoy your children, know you are a super powered badass chick and that when that bitch shows her head you are going to cut it off?”

“I don’t know. You think I’m overreacting?”

“You are being practical. But Bella you have to control this fear. Any new parent could die, that’s what being human is.”

Bella nodded her head. That was a sign I wouldn’t get anything else out of her today on that subject.

It was time to move on to the next subject.

“I understand there have been developments with your mother. She is missing?”

“Irkalla has her. Or killed her.”

“Which do you prefer Bella?”

I admit I flinched a bit at that question, hoping no windows would break. Perhaps I was a bit to direct.

Instead she laughed with no real joy behind it.

“Wow, Theresa, get to the point. Stop being subtle.”

“Sorry.” I admitted.

“No. I like that about you. You never bullshit me. Chris never did either. To answer your question I hope she is dead.”

That was a surprise.

“Why?” I asked in my best non-judgmental tone.

“Because if she isn’t Irkalla has or will turn her and send her to fight me.” Bella answered calmly.

“Will you be able to do that? Fight your mother?”

“To get back to my children alive, yes I will. I won’t like it. A part of me may hate myself forever. But yes. I told her not to leave.”

“That’s good…”

“And then I scared her to death and kicked her out.” Bella finished quietly.

“Bella we have gone over this…”

“I know Theresa. I know. Another reason I hope she is dead is because… being in her hands for this long. If she is alive…”

“She may well be broken beyond repair Bella.” I finished her thought. She nodded.

Okay. Time to get to work.

“Bella I want you to do something for me right now.”

“Alright.”

“Stand up and the two of us are going to take your children to Jake or even better, Charlie, or Sue or Billy. Then the two of us are going to come back here alone and begin to work through these issues.”

“No.” she said stubbornly.

“Yes.” I said back.

We stared at each other for a few minutes silently.

She took a breath and tears formed in her eyes.

“Let’s go. I think Sue is at Charlie’s and so is Billy.”

She stood up and I opened the door for her. A small step but it was a start.

Narrator POV Southern Iraq

“Sergeant? What is the situation? I heard you had a possible delicate situation. Out here in the middle of fucking nowhere? This better be good.” Major William Whitlock commented. It had been a long day. His family had a long military history dating back to the American Revolution carrying over into the Civil War, both World Wars, Vietnam, Korea and Desert Storm. He was not a man to be trifled with over petty things. His men knew this.

The Sergeant normally would have been intimidated. Not today. He had just survived a brutal firefight with insurgents and had not lost a man. He was calm and in control, until he entered the cave.

“Sir the insurgents retreated to this cave. We pursued and fired an RPG into the cave opening. We entered and found them all dead. The cave apparently did not go back very far. At least until our RPG hit it.”

“Your point man?”

“You need to see for yourself sir.”

The Major followed the Sergeant inside. He noticed that a hole had been blown into the stone at the back of the small cave. Crawling in, Whitlock noticed lights had already been set up in the room. After emerging from the newly formed hole in the wall he walked thirty yards when his breath caught in his chest and a chill ran down his spine.

The walls were engraved with scenes straight from Hell. Swords and clubs of all sizes littered the floor. He wasn’t sure of the age but this room was very, very old. Skeletons were also laid on the floor petrified from age.

In the middle of the circular chamber was a rock slab. On the slab was what appeared to be a square box. Approximately two foot long on all four sides and a foot high. The box was made of stone but solid black. The top was slightly open. Major Whitlock peered into the box with a flashlight and swore he could not see the bottom as the inside was as black as the outside.

“Check out the engraving above it sir.” The Sergeant whispered.

Whitlock looked up and stepped back. A beast from the artist’s nightmare, the face at least two meters wide, fangs sticking out from the bottom of the mouth. The mouth that had legs dangling from them. The artwork was amazing.

Staring at it, Whitlock swore he was staring at the Devil himself.

“See what I mean sir? I don’t know if we should call that lady from antiquities or blow it up.”

Whitlock leaned toward blowing it up. This was not artwork. The other engravings showed women being torn to shreds by… vampires.

Vampires.

A note, an order, months ago. All but forgotten in the chaos of this place. The President wanted a box found. He didn’t know what it looked like. He didn’t know exactly where it was, but the Military was to keep an eye out and search all caves ran across.

The order was mainly laughed at by the enlisted men. Officers of course could not laugh but secretly agreed. The vaguest of missions.

“You found it nephew.”

A voice whispered in his ear. Whitlock jumped back.

“Did you say something Sergeant?”

The Sergeant shook his head in the negative. He was four feet away and would not have whispered. The voice must have been his imagination. He needed sleep.

He desperately wanted to get away from this cave.

But first he had a duty to perform.

“I need to talk to the General. Secure this cave and do not enter it. I’m calling Delta Force for back up. Stay here, outside. Keep your eyes open and stay out of here. I will have further instructions when I get back.”

“The General?”

“Yes Sergeant. I have a feeling you have found something very important. Now let’s get the fuck out of here.”