A/n: Hello everyone! This is the start of a intense story :) Warning Bella is going to seem very... Apathetic for lack of a better word, but she'll evolve as the story goes on *o* Soooo yes review and tell me what you think.

-DF

Disclaimer- Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyer's but this plot is all mine :D

I put a few of the newest books I had out on display. I placed them quickly not wanting my hands to be full for too long. Quickly but carefully. I could not have the items even slightly out of place. They all had to line up perfectly.

I have been accused of being anal retentive. I have never bothered with a response, but if I did it would probably be one of agreement. There was nothing wrong with doing every task at its highest efficiency, but it always felt like they were attempting to insult me. I had heard worse as insults went.

The entire time I put out the books I kept my eyes trained on the figure to the left of me. He had made no move and appeared to just be staring at the books. I was not one to read surface appearances. Something about his over all demeanor told me he wanted something.

I was tempted to sigh, but resisted the urge. No need to make any sound. I walked away from him. Mentally cringing at having my back to him. It was not out of fear rather than caution and experience.

Maybe… Maybe I was paranoid…

Doubtful.

It was the third time this week that he had been here. He was doing nothing. Absolutely nothing except staring at my books. If he had bought something in this past week perhaps I would not be this suspicious. I made my way around the counter at the front of the store.

Now I could relax.

I eyed him with a little curiosity. Perhaps he really was here for books. He was in a book store after all. He did not appear to have a weapon on him. At least the way his clothes clung to his muscled body seemed to indicate that. Muscled body? I shook my head. Just merely an observation.

I wondered once again if he was really here for books. Perhaps he could not find the book that he was looking for. I was the owner of the store I should probably be offering some assistance. Ask him if he needs help. I had never done it before. I would not start now.

I logged onto my computer trying to make it seem like I was doing something while I was really looking at him… In a completely strategical way of course. If he did become violent I would have to respond immediately. He was what most women would think of as attractive. At least I could say that from an observers perspective. Seven girls had come in here just because they had seen him through the window.

He stood at 6"2' which made him a good deal taller then me. Cue frown. I did not like the disadvantages that came with height in fighting. Maybe Rosalie was correct I needed to relax. Sometimes people were just people and this particular person was very indecisive about books.

Right.

His hair was a very unusual shade. Rather a mix of several different shades together. Different reds and browns mixed together to create a unique bronze color. It could always be dyed. His eyes were also unique, dark and light greens combined to make one very bright green. Long lashes, straight nose, ninety degree angle jaw.

I could not completely understand the idea of attraction, but he seemed to attract a lot of attention in more ways than one. He stood out too much. That was never good for my line of work. Perhaps I really was as paranoid as everyone thought I might be.

I decided to stop watching him as closely, he probably thought I thought he was trying to steal something. I frown and decide to instead look over the rest of the store. There were four other people in the store, not surprising since it was four o'clock on a wednesday. A mother reading to her son and two girls giggling at the magazine rack. Every two minutes they would glance at Mr. Bronze Gair and then look away, laughing anew.

The store was a pretty big space and had a very open layout that is easy to survey. The color theme of the walls and the furniture that graced the middle of the floor was creme, accented with green. Dark hard would floors disturbed only by the green rug that covered the area where people could sit and read. There were windows all along the east and south walls ahead of and to the right of me. They sometimes made me nervous, but being able to see outside had its perks. The store had an overall warm feel to it.

Needless to say I had not been in charge of the decorating.

A ring through out the store indicated a new customer. Big heavily muscled frame. At least two weapons on him. Dark almost black hair. Dark eyes and teasing smile. I looked down not at all alarmed. He was a day later then he should have been.

Another time I was tempted to sigh. This time in pure exasperation. Emmett loved to get me annoyed. A task that should be more difficult then it was. It gave me a chance to exercise the control on my temper. An exercise that I did not relish in.

He walked immediately to the romance section and selected a book at random before heading over to the counter. He found it amusing to pick books that he would never read. Yes, picking out a book was just a cover, but he should at least put some effort into it. Plus the idea that he would throw the book out later irked me to no end.

He grinned as he placed the book down on the counter. I looked at the book with an unoriginal name and half naked bodies on the cover completely unimpressed. "What's up Swan?" he says grinning, his voice too loud.

I don't bother looking up at him as I grab the book off the counter. "You are a day late Mr. McCarty."

"Come on Bella you've known me since we were ten," he says. He is referring to me calling him by his last name yet again.

I scan the book. "And yet you have a penchant for calling me Swan."

"That's a nickname," I can tell he's grinning. He finds himself hilarious. I do not find the same things as him obviously.

"Of course," I respond. "You were still a day late."

"Oh don't get me started on what me and Rose were doing yesterday! It started out-"

"You are right, I will not get you started," I say quickly and coldly interrupting him. Both him and Rosalie seemed to have no problem telling me about their sex life. With Rosalie I did not mind as much. Emmett however figured that since we knew each other for so long could tell me anything. It was a habit I wished to put an end to immediately.

He laughs. "A prude as always Swan," he says.

I glance up at him just barely veiling my glare. "Would you like to use your membership sir?" Now his frown almost makes me smile. A very rare event indeed.

"Yeah," he says. He now leans over the counter, something that I am not comfortable with and takes one of the pens I have lined up, knocking the others askew. I pause in my typing and look at the pens. He did that on purpose. I grit my teeth, very irritated as I push away the mess to my left out of my mind. I would fix it once he left. I resumed typing.

"I heard you are going out soon."

I resented him talking about work right now. Well talking about it at all actually. Ignoring him would only garner a more whinny and annoying response. "Yes," I say.

"Prepared?"

I can not control the glare this time. "I am always prepared Emmett." The words are cold and angry.

He rolls his eyes, but smiles at my use of his first name. It is a victorious smile. I am tempted to hit him. I hate losing to anyone. "Need any back up?" he asks.

I have put the book in the bag. Now I opened one of the drawers under the counter and removed an envelop that says Emmet McCarthy across the front. I snuck it into the bag seeing that was the real reason he was here.

"I never need any," is my response. He was protective of me as someone would be a little sister. Apparently at one point he had siblings. I never went very far in my inquiries. They were dead and that was the only information that pertained to me.

"Of course not," he says smiling. The way he says the words makes me think he doubts me. I was much better than him and if he needed to be taught that I would do so without any hesitation.

I took a deep breathe and relaxed. I would get nothing out of hurting him. Also Rosalie's anger was enough to get me away from the idea. I did not have friends, but if I were to have no choice and absolutely had to pick someone it would be her…

I hand him the bag and expect him to leave. Read. Plan. Destroy it contents. Then…. Do what he had to.

He doesn't he is still staring at me. He wants something else as well.

"Yes?" I ask.

"I need something else," he says to which I had gathered.

"What McCarty?" He hands me a slip of paper. I am briefly surprised he actually listened to my rules for once. I look at it and read his order. I am not pleased. "I gave you this exact item a month ago? What happened?" The words are not as angry as they sound in my mind.

"Oh just a few complications," he grinned once again. He was actually enjoying destroying expensive items.

"Complications," I echo. "That item was… It was next to perfection and you just destroy it," I say officially incensed. My voice had risen ever so slightly an indication that I was not very happy with him.

He now looks a little nervous. "What time do you think you can get the order?"

I sigh. "I will have Angela go out for it immediately. Two days. If you are late I will keep it for myself. You are not deserving anyways."

He laughs. "Okay Swan," he says in a joking manner. I was completely serious. I did not like wasting precious objects. It was annoying and cost money. Not that he didn't have more than enough to pay for it, that was a perk of our job. It was however very annoying.

He walks away and the door rings as he leaves. I place the slip of paper in one of my drawers. I now take the time to realign the pens. I hear footsteps approaching the desk, but do not look up until I am done with my task.

The bronze haired guy is there. I am briefly surprised, but then again the sound of his footsteps was too heavy to match anyone else's weight in the store. I reprimand myself for being caught off guard.

I do not say anything. I wait for him. "I'd like to purchase these books," he finally says after a few moments of awkward silence. His voice reminds me of velvet because of its smooth undertones. It matched its owner very well.

Three books. One for every day he had been here I decided. See, no reason to be anxious.

I took the books and wordlessly began scanning them. "Did you find everything you needed?" I asked, my voice sounding mechanic and emotionless as it usually did.

"Uh yeah." He was staring at me in a way that said he wanted to say something else.

And now I was doubting his words. What did it matter? If he couldn't find what he wanted and did not bother to ask me that was his own problem. I run the second book over the scanner.

"So are you Bella?"

I stop and stare at him. "My name card would indicate that."

He glanced at my name card smiling a little to himself. Apparently he was pleased about something. My mind ran with ideas. Paranoia leaked into an overactive imagination apparently. "Bella of Bella's Books," he muses. I resume scanning. The need to sigh was reaching high heights. Apparently he wanted to start a conversation. "I'm Edward."

I suppose this is where I should say something cordial in return. I don't say anything at all.

"So you own the shop."

"The sign outside would indicate that," I say followed by the amount of money that is due. I glance down at the books, all mystery suspenseful types I note.

He laughs as if I said something funny. Okay then. "Is it fun running-"

"Would you like these in a bag sir?" I ask interrupting him. This garners chuckles which in turn annoys me.

"Yes Bella."

I scowl internally. He used it with familiarly which I did not like at all.

"Was that your boyfriend earlier?" he asks now.

I freeze in putting the books into my bag. I cock my head to the side as I stare at him. I did not understand the question. "I do not understand," I repeat my internal thoughts. More than that the tone in his voice was strange.

"I was asking if the guy that came in earlier was your boyfriend," he says again, sort of smiling.

Oh he was talking about Emmett. I do not believe any of our behavior would indicate that. "We are not very familiar to each other," I respond.

He scrunches up his eyebrows in a…. Intriguing facial expression. It seems as if he does not understand my response either. "Oh," he says.

I suppose I had no need to respond to the stranger. I believed that his questions were not normal, but I could not be certain. I did not interact with many people outside of the organization. People within the organization often gave me the emotional and social distance I required of them. Except Emmet. One day he'd learn as well.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he says with more strange tones in his voice.

I stare at him as I extend the bag. I do not know what to say to the question. What ulterior motives did he have? To hurt some significant other to get to me. Luckily I did not form those kinds of bonds. I doubt I would be able to even if I wanted. My mood was worsening quickly. "No, I have no need for one."

He laughs again.

I do not understand.

He takes the books smiling to himself. "I'll see you soon Bella," he says appearing content.

I watch after him. The bell rings. The store is now full of people that don't need to be closely surveyed. It did not help me completely relax. I always had to be alert, but my paranoia went down.

What a strange man