A/N: Hello everyone! I am sorry I have been away for so long. Life in general has been hectic and the muses haven't been cooperating with me lately when it comes to writing. I do intend to finish both Broken and Plummet, though I do plan on pulling Broken to rewrite it before I do. Plummet will continue as it is and should be done in another 4 more chapters.
I wanted to share this O/S I made last year for the fandoms against domestic violence fundraiser. As always it could not be legible without the invaluable help of Belynda Smith and her Beta skills. The banner was made by the incredibly talented Mina Rivera and can be seen at my Facebook group Amoxcalli's fanfic corner.
If you like it, please review and share. I love to hear your thoughts!
The constant sound of raindrops on her windshield were lulling. Bella had been driving for two days and although there had been overnight stops, she was feeling exhausted. Traveling with a three-year-old was not an easy feat, but she couldn't regret her decision to leave Texas. She had grown tired of the rumors about her pregnancy, the disgusted looks she received at the market whenever she was out and about. She was the pariah of the town. For the most part, she didn't care. She worked her ass off to sustain her kid and did her best to shield her from the shit storm that surrounded her existence. Bella regretted many things, but the most important one was being stupid enough for the lies of a man who swore he loved her only to marry someone else and having that man be the father of the reason for her existence.
She glanced at the rearview mirror to see the face of her little angel, sleeping peacefully in her car seat while cradling her teddy bear, Mr. Tots, and her favorite blanket in the other. Bella couldn't help but smile at the sight. Addie had been such a chatter box all day, excited to see their new home and talking her ears off about all the things she was going to put in her new room. She wanted a gigantic giraffe and lots of stuffed animals but most importantly, she wanted a puppy.
Bella sighed in contentment. She was glad she had finally been able to publish her work and that it was providing her with enough steady income to afford the move and to rent a house for them. She'd dreamed of this since the day she found out she was pregnant. She wanted to be away from him, to erase him from their existence.
The day she found out Addie was coming was both her happiest day and her worst. She went into Jacob's office to give him the news, nervous about his reaction, only to find a woman there with him. He introduced her as Leah Clearwater, daughter and sole heir of Harry Clearwater, owner of the multimillion dollar chain of hotels and resorts Clear Water Inc., and his fiancée.
Bella threw up right there on the dark cedar floors of his pristine law office.
Leah was gracious about the incident and asked her to sit down until she felt better while she called the janitor to clean up the mess and ordered her a glass of water. Jacob had stood there, looking pale and sweating bullets, thinking that Bella was going to rat him out and willing her with his dark cold stare to shut up, and he didn't even know about the baby yet. Bella felt like her world was falling apart.
Leah noticed.
"Are you pregnant? She asked, realizing her boyfriend's stare was less than friendly and getting a bad feeling about it.
"Yes," Bella responded looking straight at him.
He dropped his head and his hands became tight fists.
Leah didn't need more confirmation.
"Congratulations! A baby is such a blessing, isn't it?" Leah said trying her best to sound enthusiastic.
Bella nodded. Shame filled every cell of her body. This woman, who was so nice to her, had no idea that she had fucked her husband to be and even though she had not known about their relationship Bella felt dirty and unworthy. Her tears began to fall without her permission.
"Miss Swan, I think we both know you aren't here looking for legal advice. I can see it on your face and I can see by Jacob's reaction that the baby is his. Also, I can see by your reaction that you had no idea I existed. Am I correct?" Leah asked calmly, as if she was talking about the weather.
Bella felt her shame swallow her whole as she nodded.
"Baby, she is fucking lying. I never touched her! Yes, I won't deny that we had dinner a couple of times but that was as friends. She is trying to trap me with a kid that isn't even mine!" He fumed.
Bella couldn't take it anymore.
She slapped him hard enough to leave a mark.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he bellowed.
"My problem? My problem is that you can stand here spewing all these lies about me when you know good and well that I had no idea you were about to get married. My problem is that I met you and I fucking trusted you with my life and now my life is over. Yet my biggest problem is that I have no idea how am I going to explain to my child that his father is a rotten pig and a two-timing bastard!"
He didn't respond to that.
Leah who had been quietly watching the scene finally broke the silence.
"I'm really sorry, Ms. Swan. It looks like we have both been victims of an unscrupulous man. The difference is that I can't do anything about it. Cancelling my wedding would mean social suicide and would affect my family's reputation and business. I cannot let that happen. This is my fault, I chose a man and obviously chose wrong. You on the other hand, are able to walk away. I can make sure your child is taken care of if you promise not to say a word about this to anyone. You seem like a nice woman, a stupid one like me, but nice nonetheless. I don't want to be forced to destroy your reputation. I have a lot of resources that I won't hesitate to employ in order to defend my family's good standing. It's not personal, like I said, I like you, but I won't let you ruin me or my family."
Bella couldn't believe what she was hearing. She felt like she had fallen into a rabbit hole and entered a different reality. She fully expected to wake up and find out all of this had been a nightmare.
"That's not my kid! Jesus! Leah, how can you trust the word of a tramp over mine?" Jacob screamed.
"Fuck off, Jacob. You think I'm an idiot? It's written all over your face, and hers. I have no intention to wait for the results of a DNA test to deal with this. You and I will talk but for now, we need to make sure this is taken care of," Leah spat.
"I won't say anything." Bella finally found her voice. "I don't want anything except him signing his paternal rights away. I don't want my child anywhere near you people."
"That's fair. Yet, don't forget that if you ever break your silence I'll go after you and after your child. I hope you don't ever put me in that situation. If you don't wish to get money now, I understand, but if you ever change your mind, please know my door will be open. This isn't the baby's fault and I don't wish him to suffer."
"I'll provide him with everything he needs. He isn't your problem to deal with. Forget about us, because I swear to you that if either one of you even dares to breathe in the same zip code as us, I'll go to every fucking media outlet there is. I'll tell them about how you just threatened me. They may or may not believe me, but you and I know that a DNA test will be more than enough to plant the seed of doubt." Bella replied in a calm but deadly voice. Looking back, she thinks that was the very first time her maternal instinct kicked in.
Unfortunately for everyone, Addie was the spitting image of her father, a fact that pretty much everyone around them noticed. Bella knew it was a matter of time before their secret came to light so she decided to move. True to her word, Bella had never taken a cent from the Clearwaters so she had had to work double shifts at the diner while also writing her first book in order to afford the move.
A sludge of water and mud hitting her windshield snapped her out of her thoughts and caused her to swerve a little on the road. A huge truck had fallen into one of the many potholes caused by the rain and since she was currently traveling near the forest, there was mud everywhere. She used her wipers but all that achieved was smearing the mud all over the windshield so she decided to stop by in the next gas station and get it cleaned. She thought it would be a good time to stretch her legs a little and get some much-needed coffee.
The sky was turning a beautiful shade of orange and blue by the time she arrived to a decent looking gas station. Addie was still sleeping which made Bella feel like shit. Her baby was tired and she couldn't afford to waste another night in a hotel when they were so close to their destination. She figured she could drive through the night and make it to Port Angeles by four in the morning but still felt bad about not being able to provide her baby with a good night's rest. Without her job in the diner she would have to be very careful with money, at least until she found something else to do.
Getting Addie to wake up was a challenge. Bella tried everything she could but Addie refused to cooperate. The kid slept like the dead. Bella decided to just carry her while she got some coffee and a few snacks, as well as use the facilities.
Once she made it inside Bella made a beeline towards the coffee area. Of course, the coffee was all gone so she had to ask the attendant to brew a fresh pot, which meant carrying her toddler longer. Being 5'4 and 120lbs made it a bit hard to sustain the dead weight for a long time, but she couldn't leave her baby in the car. Deciding that moving would be best she started to roam the aisles and pick up their snacks.
"God, Alice how many times do you have to pee? We've stopped five times already, what the hell is wrong with you? At this rate, we'll get home next week!"
She heard a deep melodic voice yell from the area.
"I don't want to pee, Edward, I'm thirsty. I am craving a Big Gulp and some chocolate. If you are gonna bitch about it then go back to the car!" an annoyed female voice replied.
Curiosity got the best of her and she peeked from the end of the aisle.
She saw a tiny woman sticking her tongue out at the best-looking man Bella had ever laid eyes on. He was tall and lean with penny-colored hair and deep green eyes that looked right through her soul.
It was at that moment Bella realized the man had caught her checking him out but instead of being upset or cocky about it, he was looking at her like she was a mystery he couldn't wait to solve and for the love of God she couldn't turn away.
"Coffee is ready, ma'am" the attendant said, making them both snap out of the strange staring contest.
Bella hurried to get her coffee and paid for their snacks, wanting to get out of there quickly. The man's stare had made her nervous, not because his stare was so intense, but because she felt it in places she hadn't thought about in years.
She reached her vehicle and proceeded to buckle Addie in her seat, making sure Mr. Tots was back in his place of honor and covering her with the blankie. The temperature outside had dropped considerably, making Bella shiver a little. She turned the heat on hoping that the engine was still warm enough to blow hot air while she pumped gas.
While the nozzle was pumping, she decided to clean the windshield but noticed that the little squeegee that gas stations offer at the pumps was missing from hers. She saw that the pump across from her had one but there was bright yellow Porsche parked in there and she felt it would be rude to steal it. After filling her tank and cleaning out the trash from inside the car, the owner of the Porsche had not return so she decided to borrow the squeegee for a few minutes, hoping to be done before he or she returned.
She crossed the lot towards the other pump station and had just grabbed the squeegee when she heard a door close and an engine turn over. She turned around only to realize in horror that someone was backing out of the parking lot with her car.
With her baby.
Bella yelled at the man to stop as her feet carried her forward. Her vision zeroed on the back of her van, she couldn't see or hear anything beyond that. She would throw herself in front of that van if it meant her baby would be saved, but unfortunately, she was running behind it.
The pavement felt like sticky glue under her feet, every step she took wasn't fast enough, even though she felt like she was pushing her body with inhuman strength. She felt the air whiz by, yet she couldn't reach the van. The van that was swerving its way out of the gas station less than ten feet away from her. She knew that once that happened Addie would be gone. The fear resulting from that thought gave her the strength to catapult herself forward towards the back of the van. She used all her strength to hold on to the rack that held her luggage on top while trying to keep her feet from being dragged.
The van kept swerving which made it difficult for her to keep her balance and the sweat that was pouring out of her made her hands slippery. She was trying to find purchase, something better to hold on to so she could climb towards the side door and get to her daughter when the van swerved harshly and she flew out onto the pavement rolling several times as she hit the road.
As she lay there bleeding, sounds began to creep back into her consciousness. Now that her focus on the van had been severed, she felt the pain, both physical and emotional, while she let the world that surrounded her back into her consciousness. However, she didn't have time to pay attention, she had to chase the van, she had to get to Addie.
Immediately after getting up she felt the excruciating pain of a broken arm but she didn't care. She could still see the van ahead, still swerving all over the road and thankfully not speeding off. As she began to run she thought she saw something hanging out of the driver's window but she was too far away to tell.
The bright yellow Porsche from the gas station pulled over and the woman from the gas station, the one with the weak bladder, pulled the window down.
"Get in! Get in!" she yelled frantically.
Bella didn't even think about it, she ran to the passenger side and they sped off.
Edward and Alice were just leaving the gas station when a shrill scream stop them short.
"Stop! My baby is in there! Stop!" The woman he had seen inside, the beauty with the bottomless brown eyes screamed as she chased after a van.
"Stop! Give me my baby! ADDIE! ADDIE!" The woman yelled, terrified.
The sheer terror in her voice made Edward spring into action. He ran across the lot and intercepted the van as it was finding its way out of the gas station. Without hesitation Edward jumped and caught the rail on top of it with one hand as he opened the driver door with his other hand. Surprised by the attack, the thief swerved and made Edward lose his balance causing his feet to be dragged on the pavement and almost losing his grip, but the many hours of working out with his brother Emmett paid off and he pulled his weight back onto the van as the thief kept swerving hoping to make him fall. Edward held strong with one arm and used his other one to punch the driver wherever he could.
"Pull the fuck over!" he yelled.
"Fuck you!" the thief replied as he swerved again.
This time Edward was prepared and he held the rail with both hands. Unfortunately, that allowed the thief to hit him in the stomach, causing all the air to leave his body.
"Let go, son of a bitch or we are all gonna die!" The thief yelled.
Thankfully, the rural road was pretty empty, but that also meant that the man could lose control in the muddy road and crash, but Edward didn't care. The little girl inside screaming for her momma gave him the strength to keep up.
He punched the man again and attempted to grab the steering wheel. The van swerved harshly once again and he felt rather than saw something falling from the back of the van but he didn't have time to dwell on it. He had to get the van to stop.
Suddenly Alice's Porsche passed them and Edward knew she would do whatever was necessary to stop the van, so he held on with all his strength, anticipating the collision.
Unfortunately, the thief also anticipated it and brusquely turned the wheel hoping to avoid the Porsche but he lost control of the vehicle and crashed against a tree, causing Edward to fly off the van and onto the pavement where everything went black.
Bella was out of the car before it had even stopped completely. She ran towards the wreckage as fast as she could, praying with every fiber in her being that Addie was unharmed. She had to jump through several boxes and luggage that laid around the vehicle, but soon she was at the van pulling at the back door with all her might, but the door didn't budge. The smell of smoke, gasoline and burned plastic permeated the air and made it hard to breathe but she was determined to get her daughter out of there.
After a few pulls with her good arm and a strong kick to the frame of the door it finally budged and Bella was able to reach her terrified daughter.
"Mommy!" Addie screamed with all her might.
"Shh, baby, Mommy is here. I got you! I got you Addie! Mommy is here," Bella soothed as she tried to undo the car seat's belts.
She knew she shouldn't move her baby until the paramedics arrived so she tried her best to soothe her.
"Bella look out! She heard the woman from the Porsche yell.
In her frantic search to reach her daughter she hadn't even thought about the thief, who was now pointing a gun at them.
"I ain't going back to jail, bitch so grab the fucking kid and get in the car!" he ordered as he pointed toward the Porsche.
"Please, just leave. I won't stop you." She begged as she pulled herself in front of her daughter.
"You think I'm stupid, cunt? The cops are gonna follow me. If I have good collateral, I may be able to walk, so get in the fucking the car!" he ordered as he fired a warning shot.
Bella quickly grabbed her daughter and began to hobble towards the Porsche. She saw Alice holding the phone so she knew the cops knew what was going on.
The man saw it too.
"Fuck you bitch!" he screamed at Alice as he hit her on the side of the head with the gun, causing her to fall to the ground unconscious.
"Looks like you and your rugrat are out of helpers now," he mocked.
All of the sudden a bloodied figure jumped the man from the back causing them both to tumble down on the floor. It was the man from the store.
"Run! He told Bella as he fought the man for the gun.
Bella ran back to the van, hoping to find something to help the man with.
"Addie, stay here sweetie, okay. Don't move until the cops come, okay, honey. Promise Mommy," she begged her toddler, who by this time was pale as ghost and very quiet.
"Promise, Addie!" she asked again as she rummaged in the console for her Taser. It had been a gift from one of her loyal customers, Mr. Smith, who worried about her leaving the diner so late at night.
Addie nodded quietly.
A gunshot made her jump out of her skin with fright but when she turned around she realized the gun had gone off during the struggle.
"Stay down here, sweetie, don't look out the window, okay? Mommy will be back real soon," Bella instructed as she began to walk back towards the scuffle.
She turned the taser on and tried her best to aim towards the thief, but they kept moving so much that Bella was afraid she was going to hit the wrong guy.
After a few moments, the thief took hold of the gun and kicked the man in the stomach, gaining the upper hand and lifting himself off the ground. Before he could shoot his weapon, Bella pressed the trigger, unloading 50,000 volts of electricity into him. Within seconds he was flailing on the ground like a dying fish before going unconscious.
Bella knocked on the door softly. She was nervous as hell, but she wanted to take the opportunity to thank the Cullens for all the help they had given her since the day of the carjacking. She particularly wanted to thank Edward, who had so selflessly fought to save her daughter and who had been nothing short of amazing to her, and especially to Addie.
As soon as the thief hit the ground Edward tenderly reached for the Taser in her hand as she tried her best to calm her nerves. Her ears were ringing and she felt like there wasn't enough air in her lungs. Once he removed the weapon from her hands, he pulled her into his arms, where she finally allowed herself to fall apart. She cried and screamed in terror and frustration as sat on the ground and rocked her in his arms.
"Shh, sweetheart, it's over. It's over. You are okay, now. You are safe," he said softly as he caressed her hair.
"He took my baby. Oh my god, my Addie. He took her!" she wailed as the shock began to take a hold of her and her body shuddered violently.
"She's fine, sweetheart. You and your baby are safe," He repeated.
"I have to get Addie," she replied frantically as she tried to extricate herself from the safe cocoon of his arms.
He tightened his hold on her.
"You need to calm down first, baby. You'll only scare her more like this," he explained.
Neither of them paid attention to how normal the term of endearment felt.
When the police arrived a few minutes later, they found Edward holding Bella protectively as she cradled her crying daughter on her lap next to an unconscious Alice.
Bella still remembered the feeling of safety he had provided her during those horrible moments and how good it had felt to be in his arms.
"Come in!" she heard his voice call from behind the door.
The sound of his voice made little goosebumps rise on her skin. She nervously ran her hands over her clothes, hoping to look half decent after spending the last four days in the hospital. Realizing there wasn't much she could do, she entered slowly.
He was sitting up on the bed, his hair sticking out everywhere and covered with bloody bandages on both of his arms, and one of his legs. He somehow managed to look gorgeous, regardless.
"Hi, sweetheart, how are you feeling?" he asked as he patted the bed next to him, inviting her to join him.
"I'm okay, they are finally releasing Addie today so I came to say goodbye"
Bella tried not to look too much into the fact that his face lost all traces of a smile at the news.
"I'm really glad Addie-bug is fine now. I know you are worried about her PTSD, but she is a strong little girl. Soon, she'll be back to her old self, you'll see," he said as he caressed her hand reassuringly.
Bella couldn't keep her tears at bay when she thought about the gut wrenching screams of her baby as the nightmares of the bad man attacked her.
"Thank you, Edward. I have no words that are emphatic enough to show you and your family my gratitude. You and Alice saved Addie and I'll forever be indebted to you for it. Not only that, but your mother and father have taken such great care of us during this difficult time. I'd never thought that such good, kind people still existed, but luckily for us, you do. Thank you, I'll never be able to repay you," she explained as she hugged him tight, being careful not to touch the wounds on his back. Road burn was truly a bitch.
Edward embraced her, careful not to disturb her own wounds. He loved how she felt in his arms. Since the moment she broke down in his arms after the carjacking attempt, he had found it difficult to let go of her. He loved the way she felt in his arms, tiny and fragile even though she was anything but. She was fearless and beautiful. She was perfect.
"You have nothing to thank us for. I would have never in good conscience let a man take a child without doing something to prevent it and the same goes for Alice. Our parents always taught us to do what's right, no matter the consequences. I'm very glad that we could help you and that Addie-bug is safe in your arms again. Seeing you two together makes everything worth it."
Bella saw the sincerity in his eyes. He had never complained about his wounds and neither had Alice. On the contrary, both said they would do it all over again if it meant saving them.
"I hope we can keep in touch" she said sadly, already feeling the pain of not seeing him again.
"Do you honestly believe you will get rid of us so easily? Of course we will be in touch! Port Angeles is only an hour away from Forks!" he chuckled.
Bella didn't smile.
"We're going back to Texas, Edward."
Edward felt like she had punched one of his broken ribs.
"Why? I thought you were going to Port Angeles. You said…"
"I can't afford it, now," she interrupted him. "It was already a tight move for me before all this and now it's gonna be impossible. I was so desperate to leave that I took a gamble and moved without having a job waiting. I figured my savings would carry us through but now I'll have to pay the deductible on the van which is going to be more expensive than it is actually worth. Addie will need therapy and moving to a strange place will be frightening. I called my boss this morning and he offered me my job back and a loan to pay for plane tickets."
"Bella, please don't go," he begged.
"I can't stay, Edward."
"Yes, you can. Stay with me."
Bella almost fell out of the bed as she whirled around to look at him.
"What? Are you crazy? You don't know me! I … have a lot of baggage, Edward. I'm just a single mother with nothing to offer you. My life revolves around my child and what I need to do to keep her fed and reasonably happy. You are young and gorgeous with a bright future. I'm just a waitress with dreams. We would never work" She replied doing her best to act like a reasonable adult rather than the love-struck fool she knew she already was.
"I know this sounds crazy but I know for a fact the best things in life always are. We could start slow. Mom has been looking for a secretary for weeks now. You could take that job. I have a big house where you and Addie can stay until you get on your feet. You'll have your own room and I promise I won't ask for more than you can give me… just, don't leave me."
Bella felt a mixture of giddiness and disappointment at discovering he shared her feelings. She was excited that such a kind, selfless man wanted someone like her but disappointed that she could never accept such an offer. She had Addie to think of. What if things didn't work out?
"I can tell you are worrying about Addie. I know I'm asking a lot of you when I ask you to trust me, since you don't know me, but I promise you, I'll make sure my Addie-bug is happy. She can attend Rosalie's school and mom can treat her PTSD. I'll spend every moment doing my best to make you happy, but if for some reason things don't work out, I'll always make sure you are safe and cared for."
"What if you hate me within a few days of living together? You don't have kids! How do you know Addison isn't going to drive you up the wall? I don't want to be a burden or a charity case." She argued.
In the next second, Edward had her pinned on the bed as he kissed her. His kiss was hungry, desperate and it made her insides explode in a million butterflies. His little moans as he bit her lips made the center of her femininity clench with desire. His hospital gown was very thin and she could feel his very hard and very willing cock through her yoga pants, causing her to whimper with lust.
"Tell me you don't feel this, Bella. If you can look me in the eye and deny our chemistry, I'll let you go. However, I can feel your desire for me, honey. I can taste it on your lips. We are meant to be together. We owe it to ourselves to at least try. What is the difference between getting help from your old boss and letting us help you?" he asked as he peppered little kisses around her face and neck, driving her crazy with lust.
"Addie, I have to think about her," she mumbled as she unconsciously rubbed her crotch against him, her body seeking what her mind was bent on denying.
"I swear to you, on the life of my parents and everyone I love that Addison will be a happy child. She is my little bug already. I can't let go of her any more than I can let go of you. You are meant to be mine," he replied as he looked her straight in the eyes.
She could see he meant his words, despite the fact that they were covered by a haze of lust. She allowed herself to see that future. She could see herself working for Esme and picking up Addie from school. Cooking dinner for her little family and spending holidays with the Cullens. She and Addie would have a family.
She took a breath, closed her eyes and attacked him.
Every kiss was a promise.
Every touch was a thank you.
Every shared breath was a brick in their foundation.
After what felt for hours of just making out, Edward pulled himself away from her.
"Is that a yes, baby? Or am I just imagining things?" he asked, with a cocky grin.
"That's a hell yes, Cullen"
And with that, they went back to losing themselves in each other.
A/N: Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think by clicking the review button *winks*