Stolen

By: Skyela Rickman-Walters

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own any of the Twilight Saga. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer. They only thing I own is the story plot and a few original characters I have created.

A/n: This story takes place during New Moon, after Bella had her motorcycle accident and had to get seven stitches. She is on her way to hang out with Jacob.

A/n: This chapter and a few to follow will completely revolve around Bella and what is happening to her. There may be little glimpses of some other characters, but for the most part this IS Bella's story. Thank you.

Chapter 7: Born to Us

Some old hotel room,

Seattle, Washington

The sky was dark. A storm was building in the distance-I could feel the change in the air, by the intensity of the wind…

I wondered for a moment how my family was doing. How Tilly was holding up as she took care of the surrogate who carried inside her our child. Lydia was a vessel of love. That was clear from the moment she was brought to me. But she was not the one I was intent of receiving. She was not the one I had seen in Paulo's pictures. She was not the ivory skinned girl that had smiled so beautifully, who's chocolate brown eyes had shown me real warmth…I had relished over the thought of us living together for years…

I frowned in deep thought, wondering how I could please her, how I could help ease my pretty girl's pain. She missed her family-but how could I tell her that they didn't want her? How could I explain to her that I was her family now? I wanted to build a life together, with her and only her. I had given Tilly what she wanted-now I could finally get what I desired. But how on earth would I get rid of that slut?

Well, you could smother her-serve her right for smothering you for all these years. The voice-my oldest friend-was right. Matilda was a smothering, over doting, sensitive wench. I smiled as a drop of rain hit the window, imagining Tilly as she squirmed around underneath me, screaming through the cotton as her lungs failed to give her good air…watched the blood begin to ooze from the orifices of her face…I shivered with glee. What a rush. If imagining it felt wondrous, then how would it feel when she was gone from my life for good?

A knock at the door shifted my imagination to reality. I smoothed back my hair and breathed a little bit into my hand to check my breath. I stepped quickly to the door and pulled it open.

"You're late," I accused in a light voice, wary as this dangerous girl looked me up and down like I was incredulous. I moved aside, allowing her entry, but she stood underneath the small canopy as the rain came pelting down, cold and wet.

"I have my reasons," she said, her high voice ringing like poisonous honey. I stood back and marveled at her beautiful, icy complexion. High cheekbones, full purposeful lips, pointed chin…. Her lithe limbs hung daintily from her body, reminding me faintly of a lazy willow. She was unearthly and otherworldly beautiful-maybe a bit more charming than my pretty Isabelle. A mischievous smile graced her pale face as she shook the rain out from her wild, red curls.

I glanced down at the floor, avoiding her cat-like eyes. There was something about those eyes that frightened me; maybe it was because sometimes they were as black as night, the color of my favorite coffee and their fierceness sent tremors down my spine. Other times they were tinted with the color of blood. That was when they were most eerie-when I felt as if it wasn't right to look, as if I was looking death in the face.

I shut the door behind her and straightened out my sleeves nervously. Despite her charming aura, I always felt nervous around her. I couldn't help but fidget in her presence. She looked around the hotel room, as if looking for something she couldn't touch. Her eyes darted back to me and I looked down at the floorboards.

"I smell her, but where is she?"

She can smell her? How…?

"She's-she's at my house," I answered quickly, careful not to stray on my confused thoughts. If I had learned anything at all about this woman, it was to never go off topic and always answer the questions she asked. Otherwise, there would be trouble.

Her nostrils flared with agitation. I winced inwardly. She didn't tell you to bring the girl, my old friend whispered encouragingly. You did exactly what she asked you to do!

"I-I did exactly what you told me to do!" I repeated him quickly. I could tell her red hot temper was rising fast; all the muscles in her body had gone rigid. Her crazy eyes had turned into snakelike slits, flashing with some unseen fury deep within her. Maybe she was a serial killer? I took in the sight of her once more and subtly shook my head. No, she was something more than me or any human. But what?

She sighed and crossed her arms across her chest, thinking about what I had told her. The anger slowly melted away from her crimson eyes. I breathed a low sigh of relief, careful not to stare.

"Vincent, you are so…" she trailed off thoughtfully, gazing into my face. I concentrated on her forehead, not looking into those eyes…My stomach was on fire. "Naïve."

I was still as stone. Afraid to move, I bowed my head and stared at the bedpost. She was standing right in front of me now, her sweet, forest scent empowering my lungs, willing me to take deep breaths. How could anyone be like this? How could any human charm people the way she held me captive like a firefly in a jar? An ice cold hand ran down my cheek and I shivered, but did not pull away from its frostiness.

"You answer was correct, Vince," she purred, nuzzling my face. I shut my eyes briefly before looking back into the crimson red. Her pink lips kissed my ear; I groaned. "You will only bring her when I say so." Something ripped loudly and I was amazed to see my white button up shirt lying on the ground, torn in half…How could anyone be that strong?

"Victoria…?" I found myself unable to think. My brain was swimming in a sea of cold and the waves were pulling me further and further away from the surface. In my mind's eye, I could see Isabelle through my memories…My hands were at her waist, pulling down her clothing while she just stood there, motionless, face void of any emotion. At least she had gotten over the screaming and the crying…the struggling…I hated her when she struggled. Is it possible to hate the one you love so much?

"Shhh…" Victoria whispered as she lowered my body to the bed, her cold skin like soft snow against my chest. "Don't be frightened Vincent. You'll understand why I am the way I am…one day. But not tonight." Her smile became frightening, her eyes dancing with glee. "Tonight, I want you-mortal and weak…"

I sighed as she began to kiss me. I knew she wasn't normal…Victoria was something out of this world…but why was she concerned with my Isabelle? Why was it so important that she have her when she told me to bring her?

Victoria's hands gently gripped the sides my head with such poise and carefulness that I had to admire her soft side. Was she afraid that she might be able to snap my head off like a bottle cap? I chuckled inwardly at the thought. Victoria couldn't do that-no one could do that.

***

Bella's POV

?

We were happy. La Push beach had never looked so beautiful. Especially with both Edward and Jacob there with me. The gulls flew high above us and the waves crashed with brilliant force against the sandy shore. The sky had completely opened up above me and the sun was shining down on us. Edward's sparkle reflected off Jacob's skin, but no one really seemed to take notice that Edward was any different than the rest of us.

Somewhere behind the three of us were my mother and my father and of course Phil. It felt good to be somewhere familiar-somewhere I belonged. I found myself rambling at some points, but I didn't care; my voice was important. I was important. I was laughing but I don't know what about or even why...

My dream changed-I was flying, held protectively on Edward's back as we ran to our meadow. My wind was blowing wildly through my hair as my arms wrapped tighter around his neck instinctively. To my right, a large dog-a wolf possibly- ran beside us. I remembered this creature from a dream from long ago, decade's maybe. But it didn't matter. What mattered was I was safe and where I belonged.

My dream changed again-this time I was with Charlie and Renée and Phil were visiting from Jacksonville. We were sitting around the table for dinner, laughing, sharing jokes and old stories. I don't think that I had ever felt so happy when I was surrounded by both my mother and father, and even Phil. Usually the tension between Charlie and Renée was so thick you could cut it with a knife and I couldn't help but feel strange around Charlie as well. That tension didn't exist right now-the only thing that seemed real was their love for me. Phil patted me on the shoulder and Renée touched my hair like she used to when I was young. Charlie took my hand in his and held it tightly, the way he used to when I was little…

And then I was five years old again and I was learning how to ride a bike. I clutched the handle bars tightly and looked up my father anxiously as my helmet slipped in front of my eyes.

"Okay Bells," he said, shifting my helmet upwards and coming around behind me, tucking his hand underneath the seat of the bike. "Just keep pedaling and tell me when to let go-but only if you feel comfortable. Got it?"

"Okay Daddy," I replied, my voice wavering a little in uncertainty. I lifted my feet off the ground and placed them on their respected pedals. The bike didn't quake; Daddy wouldn't let it.

"Alright, pumpkin, start pedaling!"

My legs began to move, up and down, up and down as I moved the pedals slowly. The handle bars shook a little but I steadied them and kept going straight. The wind breezed through my hair like a gentle caress. I smiled.

"Pedal! Keep pedaling Bella!"

My little legs pedaled harder and harder. But Daddy never took his hands away from me-not even for a minute. We went like this down the street a little bit and the people that rode by only watched curiously. When we got to the end of Daddy's road, I cried, "Daddy, let go!"

"You sure, Bells? Are you ready?"

"Daddy." I said a little impatiently, however I could hear his firm chuckle under his breath. "I said let go!"

And I was free. Free like a bird, flying away into the sky. How I wished I could be a bird so I too, could fly away to some place safe…

But my dreams could only last for so long. Once morning came, I was up with the sun and my dreaming was put on hold for a little while. Its funny how before I used to dread going to sleep and now it was the only time I was truly ever happy.

It was April now-Olivia was nearly ready to pop. Vince had disappeared for the last couple of days, so I was calm during the days, but when Tilly the Grouch came home, I wanted to just shrivel up in a tight ball and call it quits. It made me angry, watching Tilly treat Olivia the way she did. It wasn't Olivia's fault that she couldn't have children. It wasn't Tilly's fault either. The only one they could blame was their creator. He seemed to be at fault for everything these days…

On the ninth of April, Olivia's contractions became much more potent and strong. I watched as Tilly practically came skipping out of the room, clapping her hands together like a schoolgirl while Olivia lay, hunched over and screaming at the top of her lungs. Wasn't Nicky enough? I wondered, as I opened the door to Olivia's room. Wasn't Nicky perfect?

Bren covered Olivia's forehead with a wet cloth and whispered words of encouragement to her while she moaned and attempted to sit up.

"It wasn't this bad before!" Olivia grunted, clenching her eyes tightly, reminding me mentally of someone shitting razor blades.

"It'll be all right," Bren soothed again, this time rubbing Olivia's back in slow comforting circles.

I shook my head. Thank God that Tilly was a labor and birthing nurse...although sometimes I truly to wonder otherwise...

At some point the next morning, Olivia stopped dilating at six and a half centimeters. With her water already broken, there was nothing more Tilly could do except give Olivia some Pitocin to help speed up the labor a bit. As she left the room to get the IV bag, I heard her mutter something about calling work to let them know the baby was coming…I rolled my eyes as the door snapped shut.

"I can't believe she gets away with everything that she does," I said in a loud whisper to the girls. "I mean, they actually bought Tilly being pregnant in the first place with that…baby bump pillow thing that she wears under her smocks and stuff. What I would really like to know is how in the hell does she get all of the drugs and stuff…"

"I bet she steals them," Bren piped in, pressing the cold cloth to Olivia's face again. Olivia shuddered and reached for my hand, which I gave without question. I almost regretted it though, since I was quite sure she had broken something in my hand after the contraction passed, but I knew that Olivia would have done it willingly for me.

"Well she obviously…ouch…steals them," I said, biting my lip to hide the sharp pain that was spreading through my hand. "I want to know how she doesn't get caught."

"I don't know about you two," Olivia grunted, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she tried to take calming breaths, "but I'm…super happy that she steals the drugs. This hurts already as it is!"

I opened my mouth to say something else, but Tilly swung open the door, IV drip in one hand and a syringe in the other. With a swift shove, I nearly toppled over as Tilly barreled through like a cow in a cattle charge.

"Watch it!" she snapped dangerously as I pulled myself back to my feet. Running a disgruntled hand through her hair, Tilly reached down, grabbed Olivia's arm and jabbed the IV into place. Olivia hissed a little, but it seemed like the pain the needle caused was nothing compared to the contractions.

"We'll see how that goes," Tilly told her sharply as she adjusted the drip bag. "Hopefully it'll speed up the process." She looked over to where I stood and then her eyes swiveled back to Bren. "You two best go on with your chores. Everything will be fine now. Get!"

But everything wasn't fine. Yes, the medicine sped up the labor. Yes, Olivia's contractions got closer together. But somewhere in midday, Bren and I were summoned to Olivia's room once again.

Bren swung open the door to find Tilly hooking up her monitor to her ultrasound machine. Olivia didn't look well-her pale skin was plastered with sweaty hair and tears. Her eyelids were an eerie purple color and her lips were almost white. She looked at Bren and I as we entered the room and gave us both a very tired smile.

"What's wrong?" I demanded. The way Olivia looked scared me. I had seen birthing tapes at school. None of the pregnant woman looked the way she did. Olivia looked as if she was on death's doorstep. I could tell by her belly that the baby had dropped, so maybe she was just tired from staying up all night before. But something in my gut told me it wasn't so.

"She's ready to push," Tilly announced as she squeezed some of the gel on Olivia's stomach.

"But-but I can't." Olivia's voice sounded hoarse from screaming. I couldn't help but frown at her. Something was wrong-and Olivia knew it. I could tell.

"Liv, what is it?" Bren asked, sounding worried. A scream broke the silence.

Tilly tutted and shot out of the room again. Nicky was crying. We both stared at Olivia in shock, waiting for her to continue.

"It-it doesn't feel right when I push," she murmured softly. I placed the cold cloth on her forehead, wiping away the moisture from her face. Olivia groaned softly and placed her hands on her belly gently. "Everything about this pregnancy is different. With Nicky, it was like I wasn't even pregnant. Except for the belly. Even the labor was easy-only ten hours."

I wondered vaguely how ten hours of constant pain could be easy. But then, this hadn't been two hours. It had been nearly twenty-six hours now since the contractions had started. I heard a soft sigh and turned to face Olivia again.

"This pregnancy," she continued, giving her belly a strangely funny look, "was just horrible. Horrible. The morning sickness was awful-it lasted well into my second trimester. My feet are swollen beyond belief and…" she trailed off and shut her eyes. Bren patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"Every pregnancy is different," Bren replied, rubbing Olivia's back again. "It'll be okay. Have some faith."

Olivia reopened her eyes and rolled them deliberately. "It feels like I'm carrying a completely different creature inside me. It wants me dead…"

I shot Bren a look of fear which Bren returned with a look of understanding. She mouthed, "She's tired…she doesn't know what she is saying." I clutched Olivia's hand tightly in mine once more.

Tilly was back within minutes, holding a piece of balled up cloth and another syringe. She went to the monitor and squirted more gel onto Olivia's belly. After a minute or so, I got to see the baby for the first time-except something wasn't right. The baby was-

"Its breech," Tilly said, shutting the monitor off with a flick. She went to the front of Olivia and touched her bulging belly. "I'm going to have to manipulate the baby-get it to turn itself around-or-"

"But isn't that dangerous for both the mother and child?" Bren whispered softly, staring at Tilly with unimaginable horror as realization dawned on her face. "A-a doctor should really be doing this-something could go wrong!"

"I'm the mother," Tilly snarled softly, giving Bren a swift look. "Nothing dangerous will happen to me, girl." She tossed me the balled up piece of cloth. "If she gets too loud, muffle her. We don't need to draw any more attention than what we've drawn already."

I looked at the cloth and then at Olivia. She looked ill, lying there, almost as still as death. Bren's face looked mortified as Tilly grabbed Olivia's belly with tender hands and began to push a bit. Olivia was up and off the pillows in seconds, screaming in pain. I trembled, staring at my friend with wild eyes. I had never seen Olivia look that crazed before-she reminded me of a wounded animal, eyes wide, mouth slack as she howled.

"MUTE THE BITCH, GIRL!" Tilly hollered, causing me to jump out of my refined trance. I quickly reached out and pressed the cloth to Olivia's mouth, holding in her scream, but not well.

Manipulation did not work as Tilly intended. For the first time, I saw fear spark through her eyes as she feared for the life of the unborn child. She pulled her hands back, staring down at Olivia's belly while Olivia panted and grunted.

"For the love of God, please!" Olivia moaned, sounding delirious as tears leaked down her porcelain cheeks. "Get it out! Get it out now!"

Tilly moved then; she grabbed the syringe and pushed out all the air bubbles. "We'll have to do a cesarean," she told Bren and I under her breath as Olivia sobbed. "I'm going to give her this, to help the blood clot better…"

"She's not getting an epidural?" Bren asked.

Though the word sounded familiar to my ears, I had no idea what was going on. Bren seemed to have more of a handle of the birthing process than I did, which was fine. My stomach churned at the thought of blood, I rooted myself to the floor, watching Bren and Tilly with wild, worried eyes.

"There is no time for an epidural," Tilly said, glancing quickly at the charts. "The-the baby's heart rate is dropping. We have to work fast-"

"What-what about Olivia?" Bren stammered, staring at Tilly in shock. "Olivia's in just as much of a predicament as the baby!"

"Lydia is not a concern to me," Tilly snapped, causing my eyes to narrow angrily. "Only the baby matters…" Tilly jabbed the needle into Olivia's arm and grabbed the scalpel.

As Olivia screamed, I pushed the balled up piece of cloth into her mouth, while trying to comfort her with my eyes. Bren had to hold Olivia down by the shoulders to keep Olivia from jerking around. The irony smell wafted towards me like a treacherous omen luring me away from this horrible place but as my knees buckled and as my stomach churned violently, I watched nauseously as Tilly reached her hands inside Olivia's belly.

The cry-well, it was probably the most honest and beautiful thing that I had heard in a while. As the baby screeched loudly, Olivia's panting and screaming ceased. Although I could tell she was still in a lot of pain, a smile crossed her face as she stared at the small bundle. I wondered if she was only happy that the pain was over or if she was just happy to look at her child for the first time. Tilly shushed the new born and cleaned out the nostrils. She then handed the naked baby to me as if I'd know what to do with a new born baby. Blood smeared my clothes, but it didn't matter.

"Clean her up, I'll get Lydia stitched up," Tilly ordered, turning her back to me and facing Olivia. I watched Olivia smile tiredly at the infant for a moment before looking down upon her myself.

She was perfect-ten fingers and toes, decent sized and I could make out blonde little curls on her head. Bren handed me a towel and helped me clean her off as best we could.

"My dad's a doctor," Bren explained, taking the baby into her arms so that she could check for a strong pulse and make sure the baby was breathing normally. "I-I helped deliver my baby brother while on holiday in Greece." Scarlet touched her cheeks momentarily as she remembered. Her eyes became tight and I see the tears she was holding back. I smiled softly at her. I knew how it felt to remember something you were told to forget. I knew about it all.

***

"Liv, she is beautiful," Bren said for the umpteenth time that evening.

We both were sitting up on the bed with Olivia as she held her child in her arms. At least Tilly was respectful enough to give Olivia some time with the baby before turning her over. Even Nicky got to peek at his new sister, in which he clapped his hands and whined to be in Olivia's arms. I sometimes wondered if the precarious three year old suspected that Olivia was his true mother, but the idea of him knowing seemed a little irrational.

"Thank you," Olivia said quietly, staring down at the little one in awe. She looked up at us and smiled a little. "Thank you as well-I know it must have been horrible and I'm sorry-"

"Livi, you would have done the same for us," Bren interjected quickly, holding up a hand as if to mentally stop Olivia from speaking.

"You're our friend, Olivia," I said softly, pushing my hair behind my ear. "We're in this together-whether we like it or not."

"Right," Olivia agreed absentmindedly, staring down at the baby again. Bren and I followed Olivia's gentle gaze.

The baby weighed in at a whopping eight pounds, three ounces. She was twenty-two inches long and had some of the most delicate facial features I had ever seen. Wrapped in pink, soft and warm, I briefly thought back to a time when I could not remember, a time when my parents were together for all the wrong reasons. I blinked rapidly and put a hand through my hair.

"What are you naming her?" Bren asked out of the blue.

Olivia bit her lip and shrugged. "I-I don't know," she admitted gently. "We don't get liberty at naming our kids here. So I usually don't like to think about it."

"Well, what would you name her?" I pressed a bit, watching Nicky out of the corner of my eye. He seemed intent on watching his sister rather than be up on his mother's lap. His chin was cupped in his hands like a dreaming little boy. "What did you want to name Nicholas?"

Olivia blushed a little bit, but looked over at Nicky affectionately. "I wanted to name him Alexander after my dad but-well, Vince insisted on naming his son after his father." She shrugged again, stroking the baby's face. "But I guess he sort of did get named after my father-his middle name was Nicholas…"

"But what would you name her?" Bren repeated, sounding a little excited. "You've had to have thought about it!"

"Fine!" Olivia rolled her eyes. "I'd probably name her…Elspeth-after my grandmother." She looked a little bit lost as she stared at the baby. "Elspeth Louise. But-but it doesn't matter what I decide to name her. They'll just name her something else."

"But say we get out of here," Bren said expectantly. "You could name them whatever you wanted!"

"No, I wouldn't. Not after everything they've been through. I wouldn't change their names."

Good choice, I thought, reaching out to touch the baby's face. We've all been through enough already. But at least one good thing has come out of it. At any rate, no matter how horrible, life was always good.

***

"No! No please! I only had her today!"

My eyes snapped open like a switch being flicked into the on position. Bren was fully awake too. We stared at each other for a moment before pulling ourselves off our mats and running towards the stairs. The moon was shining ominously through the small window, lighting up the stairwell so that we didn't trip over each other.

"Please! I'm not-oh my- I'm not allowed to move around…Please don't do this!"

"What's happening?" Bren whispered frantically as I peered through the keyhole. I couldn't really see that well-I could just make out Vince's back in the dim light.

"Vince is back," I muttered, shutting one of my eyes in hopes that I would be able to see better.

"Why is Olivia crying like that?" she whispered to me, looking completely torn. I bit my lip, and stared harder, straining to see what was happening in the real world.

"We don't need you anymore, Lydia," Vince was saying, his voice soft and low like a timid timpani. "You are of no use to me anymore."

"But-but please! My babies! I can't-I can't leave them!" Her voice was breaking-I couldn't tell if it was from her new stitches or from the horror at having to leave her children. Probably a little bit of both.

"They are not yours Lydia. Your only purpose to me was to give me a child and you've done just that. The children don't need you."

There was the sound of something scrambling, some whimpering and some horrible choking sound. I wanted to pound on the door, demand that we be let up from our dark dungeon.

"Lydia…Lydia."

Bang. Something pounded against the wall closest to us. And then there was a horrible hissing sound.

"My name is Olivia!"

There was the sound of a hard slap against skin and a startled cry. I winced while Bren shut her eyes, praying silently.

"Get her out of here Roland."

OOO, what's going to happen next?! This chapter was a little hard to write, so please bear with me. It's been a rough week, we had to put our dog to sleep, it's been hot and muggy and bleh. I also have to say thank you for all of your kind reviews and tell you all how much they mean to me. So please read and as always review! It'll get the next chapter out faster!

Love,

Skye