Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga; no copyright infringement intended. I'm just playing with the characters. No money is being made from this work.

No, this isn't a Cauchemar Vivant update, but we're getting closer, don't worry!
Don't ask me where this one came from. It was supposed to be another light-hearted one-shot,
and then suddenly Jasper got Emmett thinking. Then this happened.
Either way, I hope you enjoy it! (:

"You guys really didn't have to do this," the little brunette said gently, climbing out of the Mercedes and into Seattle's light mist.

Emmett glanced at Bella out of the corner of his eye. She pulled her hood up, protecting her hair. He didn't even fidget with his coat. "We didn't have to, but we wanted to. It's not every day I get to play with my little sister, particularly in public."

"Edward put you up to this, didn't he?" she deadpanned.

"Of course not," Jasper answered quickly. Liar, liar, Emmett chided mentally. But Jasper wasn't Edward, so he couldn't hear it.

The truth was, going to the library had been Jasper's idea. Edward just agreed with it. Jasper wanted to be among a sea of people to continue pushing his limits—even if it drove Alice mad with worry—while Edward and Bella's class had recently been assigned a book report. Bella wanted to write it on Romeo and Juliet but Edward insisted she broaden her horizons. She thought they would spend the day together, alone in the library, but really, Edward was arranging for Bella's new vehicle and needed her away from the house for a while. Her truck died recently and she was without independent transportation, but not for long.

Edward went on a "hunting trip" and had been missing for two days.

Emmett and Jasper had to cover for him while Bella's car was shipped into town. Edward wanted it to be a surprise, and Emmett was all for surprises so he was happy to play along. Jasper wasn't as interested, but enjoyed spending time with Bella. She was very calm, and he thrived off her energy. It kept him in a good headspace.

Emmett held the door for Bella as they entered the massive building. He was excited to be out and about in the public. Since he "graduated," he had traveled a bit with Rosalie, but nothing beat Seattle. And he got to play with Bella! Jackpot.

"You know, I could have done this from home on the computer," Bella said, moving toward the elevator.

Emmett scoffed. "That old thing? Really? Your computer couldn't load a fifteen second clip on Youtube. How could you possibly do a book report on that dinosaur?"

"Because I don't need some video website to write it."

"Leave her be, Emmett," Jasper sighed. "Besides, the internet is full of misleading information. Nothing beats the library."

"Nerd," Emmett stage-whispered to Bella in the confines of the elevator car. She giggled, and Emmett grinned. That's right. Today wasn't just about distracting Bella; it was his chance to show off his big brother skills. Oh, and also keeping Jasper under control. He couldn't forget that part no matter how much fun he was having. Alice was keeping a close watch at home, clutching her cell phone to call or text at a moment's notice. Jasper wasn't as bad as he used to be, and being around Bella had really helped his control, but he hadn't been to hunt for a month. Still, he must have felt pretty good about himself. He wasn't acting like his usual self; like a nervous lion in a cage of poisoned meat.

As they stepped onto the eighth floor, Bella suggested they split up, but Jasper vehemently refused. Not only was he clinging to Bella's emotions, focusing solely on her familiar scent, but Edward ordered them to keep a close eye on her. After Victoria's attack, the Cullens were still cautious. It was possible there were more threats out there to Bella, especially the Volturi. They could show up at any time.

Bring it on, Emmett thought, following Bella towards the literature section. I'll destroy every one of them with my bare hands.

As the trio got further into the many bookcases, Bella tried to lose the boys. Emmett thought it was cute, the way she would duck around a corner when she thought they weren't looking. She had to realize it was pointless, that she couldn't run away from vampires—especially vampires that were so tuned in to her scent. Each time it happened, Emmett turned it into a game. He would give her a ten second head start, quietly stalk her through the aisles, and then unexpectedly pop out and try to scare her. The first few times he actually got surprised screams from her. He would follow behind her again, laughing all the way while humans tried to shush him. Eventually she gave up on his game. When Emmett and Jasper showed they weren't paying attention to her choices, they fell into a comfortable silence.

But of course Emmett was still watching. Just as she pulled a familiar book from the shelf, he leaned over her shoulder. "Bad Bella, no cookie," he said playfully, pushing the book back into its place.

"What now?" Bella demanded.

Emmett stood straight and tried to muster up his best Edward imitation, complete with grimace and brooding eyes. "Anything except Jane Austen or Emily Bronte," Emmett said, repeating Edward's earlier instruction.

Bella pouted. "Who does he think he is?" she grumbled, stomping along the row.

"I think he has a point," Emmett replied, still tailing her. "How many times have you written about those boring things? Your teacher should give you a big fat F if you turn in another one. Do something different, something unexpected."

She stopped and blinked her large brown eyes at him. He almost understood his brother's fascination with her quiet mind. Emmett had never been able to read minds, but he used to be able to read Bella's face; she had been an open book when they first met. Now that she spent time around his family, she had perfected a blank face. It was void of any emotion, not giving away a single thought. What was she thinking? Was she upset?

Emmett was used to Rosalie. She wore her thoughts right on her face, or she vocalized them immediately. Rose acted like a real woman, not a nutcase like Bella. She was the strangest woman he'd ever met.

Finally, Bella shrugged. "Fine. You're right. There are plenty of good books out there."

Emmett waited until she turned her back to do a quick first pump. Yes! I am totally big brother material! He glanced at Jasper, being quiet as always, but was surprised to find he was rolling his eyes. Emmett forgot to keep an eye on him and thought he wandered off after a tasty snack. With the look he was given, Jasper could almost hear the thoughts in Emmett's thick skull. He shoved Emmett playfully, passing the bigger man to stay close to Bella.

They walked around the section as Bella "hmm"ed over books and pulled several from different shelves until her arms were full. Emmett offered to carry a few, but she declined, stubborn as always. She made her way towards the sitting area where she picked an empty table. The books clattered to the floor as she set them down.

Emmett would have caught them, but he was too far away. It'd look weird to other library-goers if he just appeared at Bella's side. What would Edward have done? Oh, right. He'd either charm the books right from her hands or guilt them away from her. No—even better! He would just carry her and the books. Edward had always been a gentleman, but Emmett saw Edward's actions as babying and overbearing. Bella was tough; she could look after herself. Even if she was a little clumsy.

Bella tidied up the area around her seat as the men joined her at the table; she took one side of the table while they took the other. She pulled the first book from the stack, read a page, and quickly set it aside. She continued down the pile, most of the books joining the cast off pile.

Jasper produced a book of his own from under the table. Emmett gawked as if his brother was a magician, and then Jasper handed off a book. Lord of the Flies? Touché, brother.

"Shouldn't you be reading this?" Emmett asked with a grin. "You know, since it's all about hunting and stuff."

"No thanks," Jasper replied stiffly, trying to ignore Emmett's jive. "I've already got a good book right here."

Emmett leaned until he could see the title then rolled his eyes. The Red Badge of Courage? And I thought Bella was predictable.

Speaking of Bella, Emmett watched her over the top of his book. She finally found one that could hold her attention. Note for Edward: Next time, just ban classics altogether. Anna Karenina? Enough with the love stories, Bella. He snorted at his book.

"Problem?" Bella chirped, not even taking her eyes off her book.

"Nope," he replied innocently. "How's your research coming along?"

"I think I've found the one. And Edward will be happy to know it's not the usual love story."

Oh yes, because love triangles and suicide is so unusual in a love story. Just look at yours. But Emmett didn't say anything. Those kinds of thoughts didn't make good brother material. They just sounded mean. Mentally, he apologized to Bella and then took her out for ice cream. She liked ice cream, didn't she?

"I'm going to put these back," Bella said, startling Emmett from his list of ice cream flavors. She fixed them both with a glare. "Stay here and don't bother anyone. I'll be back in a few seconds."

"You can just take them to the desk—the employees get paid to put books where they belong," Emmett said, starting to stand. Edward will kill me if I let her out of my sight.

Bella rolled her eyes. "That's the lazy man's way of doing things."

Jasper touched Emmett's arm, keeping him seated. "We'll be here," he said pleasantly, still reading.

Bella walked off with a smile.

"Are you crazy?" Emmett hissed. "Do you know what Edward will do to us if we let her go by herself?"

"If I recall, you let her out of your sight for exactly a minute," Jasper replied calmly. "She disappeared six times and you let her get away for ten seconds. It's no big deal. She can take care of herself. She's a big girl, Emmett."

"But Edward doesn't know that. He'd rather she be locked in a cushioned room forever, or live in a bubble or something. I swear, I don't know what that guy is thinking."

"So prove to Edward that she can walk through a library by herself. I'm hardwired to her emotions right now, but I can still feel if anyone might have a murderous urge . . . although I highly doubt it. Eventually Edward will realize that she's not as breakable as he thinks. He's only seen her in bad positions so he thinks he has to be on guard at all times. They're rarely doing something normal like this together."

Emmett growled quietly. "If you're trying to steal my big brother thunder, I don't like it. There can only be one, ya hear? And if not, I can do it louder, and in a Scottish accent."

Jasper chuckled and turned a page. "Keep the theatrics to a minimum, big guy. But no, I'm not trying to steal anything, just pointing out basic common sense. Bella's been through a lot; she's tough. Look at what she's survived—a vampire bite, the disappearance of her soul mate, a pack of werewolves, throwing herself off a cliff, and an attack from a vengeful vampire." He paused to turn another page. "I'm pretty sure nothing can faze her now."

"Except marrying a vampire," Emmett snickered. "I'm not sure if anyone is strong enough to do that."

"Well, if anyone is, it's Bella. Maybe once she's turned, he'll realize she's had strength all along."

Emmett was quiet to consider it. For Edward to actually believe Bella was strong? That was just ridiculous. Emmett knew it, as did the rest of the family, but Edward was in his own strange world of denial. Maybe it was centuries-old breeding at work. To Edward, maybe Bella was a weak and defenseless woman that needed a man to provide and protect her. Yeah, that was possible. If that was the case, Edward really needed a wakeup call.

Emmett set down his book and grabbed Bella's that was still lying on the table. He opened it and flipped towards the last few pages. "Do you really think he'll go through with it?" he asked.

"I don't know for sure," Jasper answered. "He's conflicted. He wants it to happen, but he doesn't want to be the one that takes Bella's mortality. It's not a matter of her losing her scent and blush—he's afraid that she'll become like the newborns I knew. Mindless, driven by instinct to kill. He doesn't want to see that happen. But if he doesn't turn her, he realizes that he can still lose her in a number of ways. Illness, an accident, and even old age."

"Say he doesn't do it. What if Bella turned to one of us? She already tried asking Alice, even Carlisle."

"Carlisle said he would do it if he had to. Rosalie thinks the same way. It's a waste."

"What if they chicken out?"

Jasper turned his attention to his brother. "Are you wondering what would happen if the decision came down to you?"

Emmett thought about it, then shrugged. "Maybe."

"Well think about it. Would you rather see her become one of us—fully part of the family—or let her waste away?"

Bella sure is taking her good ol' time, Emmett thought irritably. "I don't know," he mumbled. "I'd love for her to become one of us for real, but thinking about what Edward faces—possibly killing his true mate, the odds that she does become one of those crazy newborns—is terrifying. I couldn't do it for Rose."

"But she did it for you."

"That's because my woman has guts," he said proudly. "But Bella is different. What if no one will do it for her and she finally gives up? What if . . . she turns out like Anna and throws herself in front of a train just to end it?"

"What?"

Emmett waved the book in his hands. "Anna. She committed suicide by jumping in front of a speeding train."

"Oh. Well, if you want to go by the situation in the book, I think it would be Edward jumping in front of a train. Anna thought Vronsky was cheating on her or maybe gave in to his mother's wishes to get married to someone much more suited for him. Edward could easily assume the same of Bella and Jacob—whom Charlie thinks is better for his daughter."

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Not literally. I was using it as an example. I mean, this girl has read so many romantic tragedies. She has a lot of choices in ways to off herself if something goes wrong. It's no wonder she threw herself off a cliff."

Jasper shook his head. "She already explained that—it was to indulge her fantasies, not kill herself. I don't believe Bella would ever willingly turn to suicide. Edward, however, well, we already know his impulses."

"Yeah, secretly being on suicide watch for the duration of Bella's grounding," Emmett snorted. "Not a fun time for any of us."

"But the point is, Emmett, their story won't turn out like all the romantic tragedies they read. I know it won't. They share something that's special in the way you and Rosalie have a bond, or even Alice and I. It's different from the rest of us. We can't even begin to guess how strong or how deep it goes. I think when the time comes, Edward will finally give in. And he'll do it happily."

"You really think that's how it will happen?"

"Yes, I really think so," Jasper answered firmly.

Emmett laughed as Bella finally approached the table. "You are way too optimistic to be so moody half the time. And just so you know, I'm going to hold you to that. If something happens to Vronsky and Anna kills himself in the end, you owe me big time."

Jasper held out his hand. "Deal. But you already know I'm right."

"We'll see," Emmett replied, clasping hands.

"What did I miss?" Bella asked, staring worriedly at their shake. "You didn't make a bet about me again, did you? I hate it when you do that."

"No way!" Emmett said, still chuckling. "What kind of big brother would I be, making bets on my poor, little sister? That's just mean. We were actually betting on the outcome of your book."

"Oh. In that case, you better not have cheated and read the ending," Bella said, snatching the book from Emmett's hands. "Let me know who wins, okay?"

"I'm sure you'll know before we do," Jasper answered cryptically.

Just in time, Emmett's phone vibrated. He pulled it out of his pocket to see a new text message waiting for his attention. He glanced at Jasper, just in case he disappeared in a burst of speed, but he was still calmly seated beside Emmett. Emmett brought the text up on screen to see good news from Edward. The car was waiting in the driveway and he was antsy to see his future bride.

"Well, well, well," Emmett chuckled, "seems like we have a fiancé to deliver."

"Edward's home?" Bella asked hopefully, a smile immediately breaking across her face.

"Sure is, and he's dying to see you. He says there's even a surprise involved."

Now Bella looked cautious. "A surprise?"

"It's good, I promise. You trust your big bro, right?"

With a sigh, Bella nodded. "Sure, sure. Let's just get out of here, okay? I have a lot of reading to do."

"Not to mention a vampire to slobber on."

"Emmett!" Bella and Jasper whined together.

He laughed, leading the way to the front desk. Oh yeah, I am totally the best brother in the world.