Sometimes a plot bunny will not go away. Sadly, it bit yesterday (ie., 2/13) so this was written last night & today. It's not perfect but I needed to exorcise it so I could get back to Beyond Evermore.

Enjoy!

It was February 13th. Deadlines were approaching. The tension in the office was at its highest level. People buzzed around with tasks in hand with little time for idle chatter or gossip. That would come February 15th after V-Day.

An attractive young woman compared entries in a spreadsheet on her desktop computer with a printout she held in one hand. Her eyes flitted back and forth stopping only to occasionally make a modification on the screen. She flipped to the next page of printouts and looked expectantly onto the monitor only to find a blank cell.

"What in the world?" she muttered to herself, circling a square on her paper with a well-chewed pencil.

She shuffled through the loose papers on her desk, not finding the information she wanted so she called up the internal communications program and sent a quick message.

Em, when you have a moment, give me a call. B.

With a huff of frustration, she fell to her knees under her desk and started scrounging through the balled up papers to see if she had somehow discarded the wrong thing.

Just as she reached for the furthest piece of debris, her phone rang, startling her. Her head banged against the underside of her desk. The oof! followed by a choice profanity could be heard several cubicles away, earning a few glaring looks from her co-workers but she really did not care. This was temp work and only as a favor to her big brother.

The phone continued to ring and while she rubbed the knot forming on the back of her head, she answered it.

"Bella Bee!" came Emmett's jovial voice. "What can I do you for?"

"One, stop with the Bella Bee," she grumbled, attempting to climb back into her chair. "And two, I have a name with no match."

"That's impossible."

"I'm looking at it right now. Male, Edward Anthony Ma Cullen." She snorted at the name. Poor guy. "Meets his match February 14th but there's no name given."

"Did you check the reference checklist?"

"Yes. He's on it but no match name is given."

"Did you check…"

"Emmett, I know how to do this. It's not rocket science."

Bella heard her big brother heave a sigh and for a moment felt a little sorry for him. He certainly didn't ask to be matchmaker to the world and it had to gall him that every year his perpetually single sister helped with the big Valentine's Day push. And then the moment passed.

"Well, you'll just have to go on site and handle the problem."

Bella pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it like it had just turned into a snake.

"You still there, Bella?"

She put the phone back up to her ear.

"I'm here. I would have sworn you said I needed to go to …" she looked at the computer screen to read Mr. Cullen's location. "Forks, Washington, and find his match for him."

"I did."

Bella gawped like a codfish for a few seconds before slamming her phone down and stormed off to her brother's office.

The other employees bustling around the hallways from Bella's cubicle to Emmett's office wisely moved to the side when they saw the petite young woman just a few degrees away from breathing fire barrel down the wide carpeted paths. Well, most of the employees. Just before making the final turn, Mike Newton popped out of his office and blocked Bella's way.

"Not. Now. Mike," Bella gritted through clenched teeth.

"Where you going in such a hurry, Bella, my Bella?" he asked, raking a hand through his well-styled blonde hair.

She rolled her eyes before attempting to push him out of her way. Mike captured her hand against his chest, earning a glare that would have put a lesser man in the grave.

"Let. Go."

"Now, Bella, we all know you've just been waiting for me to ask you out." He grinned broadly down at her, earning a shiver of revulsion.

"So, I'm not going to make your wait any more painful," Mike continued, ignoring the fact Bella used his being distracted to pull her hand away.

She quickly wiped it on her jeans as if to wipe away any cooties. Mike was handsome enough but his overconfidence was a huge turn off to Bella. That and the fact she'd heard about him and Jessica in accounting.

"Will you have dinner with me?"

"Mike," Bella said after taking a cleansing breath.

"Yes, Bella?"

"I'm only going to say this once."

"Yes?"

"I will go out with you only. And I do mean only. After hell freezes over."

Using all of her strength, Bella shoved Mike with both hands in the center of his chest, knocking him into his office as she stomped down the hall.

"That's not a no!" came Mike's hopeful voice, earning an eye-roll from Bella as she rounded the corner.

Rose looked up from her desk, appearing not at all surprised to see her sister-in-law breathing fire as she headed for Emmett's office.

"What did my bone-headed husband do this time?" she asked, reaching into her desk and pulling out a dark chocolate square.

Bella took the candy and quickly unwrapped it before shoving it in her mouth.

"He wants me to go to Forks, Washington."

"Where?"

"Exactly. I was filling out the matches and found one with no mate."

"That's impossible," Rose interrupted.

"I know, right? Anyhow, there's a name, a date he meets his forever and no name. So now my lug of a brother wants me to go fix it."

"More chocolate?" Rose held open her stash drawer and smiled as Bella hunted around for another treat.

"Thank you."

"Go on in. But Bella?"

"Hmmm?"

"Take it easy on him. It's been a stressful week." Rose smoothed the blood red jersey top over her rounded belly.

"Rose," she sighed, the wind taken out of her sails. She knew how long her brother and sister-in-law had tried to have a child and it had not been an easy pregnancy.

"I'm not asking to you forgive the nut, but I am asking you to give him a little grace."

"Fine." Bella lowered her head and waved her hands. "Fine. I'll listen to what he has to say but I'm not going to like it."

"That's a given," Rose said with a smile, absentmindedly rubbing her belly. "She's a bit active today."

"Tell my niece to stick around just a few more days. I want to be here when she makes her grand entrance."

"I'll do my best!"

With a genuine smile, Bella turned toward her brother's office door, heaving a sigh as she saw the cupid carved into the door. Steeling herself for the inevitable wave of charm he was about to throw at her, she opened the door, stepped inside, and closed the door behind her.

Emmett sat facing a wall of computer screens, his back to her. On the screens were thousands of couples from all over the world. In his hands was an electronic crossbow that he used to point and shoot at different screens in a seemingly random fashion.

"So much easier with modern technology," Emmett finally said, turning around to face his still fuming sister. "And I don't have to leave Rosie when she's close to popping."

"I'm not going down there," Bella said adamantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Bella," he said soothingly, putting the crossbow down on his desk. "I can't go. In just a few hours my biggest day of the year begins, and I have to coordinate everything here."

"It's not in my job description."

"You don't have a job description."

"Emmett."

"Ok. How about this. I send you down there with someone."

"Who? Because if it's Mike Newton, I'll string you up by your …"

"Masen."

"Masen?"

Oh. Masen. Techy computer guy. The extremely handsome techy computer guy. He was the one that had created the wall of computer screens and the electronic crossbow so Emmett didn't have to change into his mythological self and flit around the world shooting arrows into people's hearts.

That was so sixth century BCE. And the white cloth wrapped around his nethers gave him a constant wedgie.

Masen was more than ok. At least in the few interactions she had had with him. He was soft-spoken, rather handsome, and had the most amazing green eyes.

"I'll call him and ask him to go with you. Shouldn't be a problem because this sweet setup he's given me has made things so much more efficient. You two go down to this Forks, Washington, and try and find this …"

"Edward Anthony Ma Cullen."

"Cullen dude and see if you can find any sort of forever for him."

"And how are we supposed to do that, oh great and wise Cupid?"

"Improvise! It runs in the family."

Emmett smiled broadly at his little sister before turning back to the computer screens and began shooting his crossbow over and over, making appropriate inappropriate remarks as he did so.

Bella rolled her eyes at her big oaf of a brother before turning and heading toward the IT department and Masen's office. She found him hunched over his laptop, totally oblivious to her standing in his doorway. She rapped on the jamb and smiled as he jumped at the intrusion.

"Oh, hey there, Bella!" Masen grinned, slightly embarrassed at being startled.

"Hey. Did my brother call you?" Bella flopped down in the beanbag chair Masen kept instead of a regular chair.

"Sure did. Quite a puzzle. A person without a match who shows up in the database. I mean, some people don't have matches but they never show up in the Q-base."

Masen gathered up a few things and shoved them into a canvas messenger bag and tossed it over his head and shoulder as he stood.

Bella noticed Masen's shirt pull up as he stretched, revealing a rather nice set of toned abs and a sprinkling of dark hair that trailed down to a brown leather belt.

"So, shall we go?"

Masen extended a hand to help Bella up which she took. Both jumped a little when what could only be explained as an electric shock shot up both of their arms.

"Ow, static," she muttered, shaking her hand.

"Happens a lot down here."

"Thanks for the lift."

"No prob," he grinned. "That chair is comfy but a bitch to get out of."

Masen motioned toward the door and the two walked side by side on their way to the transportation level.

"So, what's the name of our loveless Lothario?" he asked.

"Edward Anthony Ma Cullen."

Masen stumbled but quickly recovered. He looked at the carpeting as if to try and find a reason for his misstep. Bella did not notice the problem and kept going.

"Two for Forks, Washington, Jasper," Bella said in a no nonsense voice as she headed for the transportation module.

"Forks?" Jasper said, punching in the proper codes. "Isn't that…"

He stopped when he saw Masen furiously shaking his head. Jasper's eyes lit up in recognition. He knew Masen had had a crush on Bella for a long, long time and apparently something was going on. He smiled at his friend and nodded when the computer was set.

"Enjoy your stay!" Jasper smiled as he hit a few more keys and the low hum that signaled the beginning of their voyage filled the room. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

A loud snap and crack filled their ears and the next thing they knew, Bella and Masen were standing under a canopy of evergreen trees.

Bella took a minute to observe her surroundings.

"Well, this looks … damp."

Masen laughed at the assessment.

"Well, Forks does have the most rain per diem of anywhere in the continental US."

"And how do you know that little bit of trivia?"

"I live here when I'm not working for Emmett."

Masen began to head down a pine straw covered path, leaving Bella to follow him.

"You do? Do you know Mr. Cullen and where he might be and how we can find his forever?" Bella grabbed Masen by the arm and stopped him in his tracks.

Masen sighed.

"Yeah, I know him."

"So where might he be?"

"I know some of his favorite places."

"Oh, Masen! That's wonderful! Can you take me to them?"

Bella looked up at him, full of hope and Masen found he could not say no to her.

"Alright. First place is down this path. We can go around town and make a loop so we can come back here when we're done." He looked at her sweater and jeans and sneakers. "At least you're dressed right."

"What's wrong with being comfortable?" she demanded, following him.

"Nothing. You look great! You always look great."

Bella felt her cheeks redden at the assessment.

"Anyhow," Masen continued, looking at his watch. "I know he takes a jog almost every morning so let's go to his house first."

"Good place to start."

Bella and Masen trudged down the path and ended up in the back yard of a cute two story clapboard house.

"He lives here?" she asked, assessing the fenced in yard. In her imagination, she could see a barbecue going on the deck, kids running around the yard, maybe a dog. "Wow. Nice digs."

Bella found herself a little more than jealous of the home. She had lived in a tiny, cramped apartment or dormitory once she had moved out of her parents' home. She could almost picture herself tending to a garden in this corner of the yard and imagined herself peering out the kitchen window that overlooked the backyard.

"Doesn't look like anyone's home, though," Masen observed, looking into the window of the garage. "Car's gone."

"Darn. Ok, Mr. Tour Guide. Where next?"

"There's a café slash bookstore he sometimes goes to."

"Bookstore?" Bella's eyes lighted up. She loved to lose herself in a good book and found a little bit of a connection with this Mr. Cullen.

Masen laughed at how eager she appeared and took Bella's hand and guided her down the street. It was only a few blocks away and the two found it a rather pleasant walk. They spent their time chatting about their favorite books. Bella found that Masen was quite the reader and they even shared a few favorite Science Fiction titles, though they disagreed on who made a better Doctor when they branched into television. Bella had a fondness for David Tenant that Masen could not understand, earning him a punch in the arm when he called him a mop-headed Brit.

Bella's jaw dropped when she found herself standing at the door of Maggie's Café. It was a renovated old home with the kitchen and dining room and living rooms dedicated toward comfy places to sit and eat and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. The remainder of the house was jam packed with bookcase after bookcase of new and used books.

"I could live here," Bella murmured as she stepped inside the door Masen held open for her.

"You look around, and I'll see if I see our target," Masen said quietly, giving her shoulder a quick squeeze before disappearing down the hall.

Before she knew it, Bella had spent over an hour browsing the shelves before she found Masen standing off to the side, watching her. She smiled shyly as she put a book back where it belonged.

"Anything?" she asked.

Masen shook his head.

"Didn't see him. He may have gone to work today."

"And where is that?"

"Either at the clinic or the hospital or his office."

Masen headed toward the door, waving at a pretty redhead in the café on their way out. Bella felt a strange twinge in her gut at the interaction.

"She's cute," Bella muttered, following him outside. "Girlfriend? Former or current?"

Masen laughed.

"She's taken. Very."

Bella had to the good graces to look abashed at her comment.

"Come on. The clinic is closest." Masen once again took Bella's hand and lead her down a few blocks.

Above a newly renovated former car dealership, Bella saw the sign, 'Hopeful Hearts.'

"It's a free clinic for anyone who can't afford to see a regular doctor," Masen explained. "The Cullen family started it when the local mill temporarily closed. It's reopened and some of the jobs are returning but they decided to keep it up."

"That's great," Bella murmured, staring at the dark windows. "Looks closed, though."

"It's mainly opened nights and weekends so working families can come without missing work."

"Wow. Is this Cullen guy a saint or what?"

Masen barked a laugh. Bella found she kind of liked the sound and especially liked the little wrinkles that formed around his eyes when he smiled.

"He just does what he sees needs to be done."

The two headed toward the hospital.

"His office is in that office park," Masen said, pointing to a small set of doctor's offices.

Bella could read 'Dr. E.A.M. Cullen, Pediatrics' on a sign and nodded.

"He may be there or working his shift at the hospital," he continued. "Why don't you check the hospital and I'll check his office. It's getting late, and we'll cover more space that way."

Bella nodded and headed into the hospital. She quickly found a welcome desk and inquired if Dr. Cullen was available.

"Which one, dearie?" the efficient looking older woman asked. "We have two. Though more than likely, you're looking for the younger. He's the single one."

"Oh, I'm not… I don't…" Bella stumbled over what to say.

"It's alright, hon. We all get tongue-tied around either one." The woman, whose nametag read 'Shelly Cope,' nodded toward a rather handsome man in his 50s with white-blond hair that came around the corner. "That's dad."

"Wow," Bella murmured.

Shelly waved over Dr. Cullen, Sr., and after a quick introduction, explained that the young woman was looking for his son.

"He usually eats dinner at the diner on Fridays," came the answer after insisting Bella call him Carlisle.

"Oh, I don't want to interrupt him if he has a date," Bella said, waving her hands in front of herself.

"I doubt he'd mind an interruption from such a lovely friend." Carlisle smiled warmly and Bella felt instantly at ease.

"Then I'll just head over there," she replied before making her farewells and heading out the door.

Bella found Masen standing across the parking lot, reading something on his phone that made him smile.

"Text from my dad. Find him?" he asked when she got closer, earning a shake of the head in response.

"His dad said he might be at the diner."

Bella's stomach rumbled loudly at the mention of food. She realized she had forgotten to eat lunch and it was now approaching supper time.

"Sounds like we all might be needing a little something," Masen said with a smile, offering his arm.

Bella gladly took it and the two headed toward a tiny diner.

"I really like your town," Bella said after the two had gotten seated and placed their orders.

"I'm glad to have shared it with you," Masen said with a smile. "I've loved growing up here."

"I don't know why you'd ever want to leave."

"Oh, I only leave for short times."

"You don't work for Emmett full time?"

Masen shook his head 'no' and took a sip of his Coke.

"I just help with the holiday rush. Have for several years now."

"I just always see you there."

"I always come back. You see…"

Masen was interrupted by their food arriving. The two turned their meals and ate in enjoyable peace, chatting about inconsequential things but learning a little more about each other. It was possibly the best non-date date Bella had ever had.

Soon their meal was over and after a brief argument over who should pay, which Bella won, the two headed out into the growing darkness.

"I guess we should head back to the transport spot," Bella said with a sigh. She didn't want to think of how Emmett would react that they couldn't even find Mr. Cullen much less find his forever.

"I've enjoyed today, Bella," Masen said gently, taking her hand as they headed back toward the meadow.

"I have, too. You've really made today a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be."

Bella smiled up at him and gently swung their hands as they walked down the quiet street. It felt so comfortable holding hands with Masen that she did not even realize she had done it all day.

"Bella?" Masen said as they got closer to where they had started. He took both of her hands in his and faced her.

"Yes?"

"I haven't been totally honest with you today."

"Oh?"

"I started to tell you before our dinner arrived. The reason I go back to work for Emmett every year is that there's someone I've kind of fallen for."

Her heart fell. Of course there was someone. Throughout the day, Bella had seen how kind and considerate Masen was. Anyone that would spend the day showing someone else around his hometown in the misty rain so that someone else could find their happily ever after had a kind heart and Bella could see falling in …

Now her heart was in her throat. Had she fallen in love with Masen just as he was telling her that he had a crush on someone else? Life was particularly unfair right now.

"Bella?" Masen gripped her by the arms, holding her as if he were afraid she was going to pass out and it was a very real concern as her face had turned an ashen white.

"I … I hope you and your forever find each other soon," she muttered.

Bella decided she couldn't help Emmett any more. There was no way she was going to be able to face seeing Masen's name on the database next to someone elses' name.

"But I think I have."

"You think you have what?" Bella asked after a few minutes to let his statement sink in.

"Found you."

"Me?"

Bella's phone buzzed but she ignored it.

"I wrote a routine into the matching program to leave your name out. It would show as a blank entry. I would get a notification when your match was made. I just wasn't expecting…"

"Expecting what?"

"My full name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."

Bella shook her head in disbelief, silencing her phone yet again.

"But we've already met. The date in the database says tomorrow."

"Is there a year?"

Bella thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"I met you two years ago on Valentine's Day."

Bella's phone buzzed again. With a grumbled curse, she pulled it out and read the quick message.

"Rosalie's in labor," she gasped.

"I'm telling Jasper we're ready to come back," Masen said without a moment's hesitation.

Moments later, the two found themselves back in the transportation center. Bella grabbed his hand and dragged Masen to her car.

"I need you with me," was the only explanation she could give as she rushed toward the hospital.

An hour later the two silently sat side by side in a waiting area. Bella, full of nervous energy tapped her fingers on her bouncing knee. Masen finally grabbed one hand and held it tightly, earning a smile of gratitude.

"I get bouncy when I get nervous," she explained.

"I know. I get quiet."

"I know."

Another hour passed. Bella stifled a yawn.

"Come here," Masen murmured, putting one arm around her and letting her rest her head on his chest.

Bella sighed happily as she snuggled in. She drew a few symbols on his jeans covered leg before making a check mark several times.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"I always told Emmett he wasn't allowed to match me up. I wanted someone to care for me for me. Not because he thought the person would be best for me."

"And?"

"I think I've found him."

Six hours later when a worn out Emmett appeared at the waiting room door, he found his sister and Masen asleep, her perched in his lap, him with his arms wrapped around her waist. Emmett quietly approached and gently shook Masen by the shoulder. Masen opened his eyes slowly, blinked a few times and saw his friend smiling down at him.

"'Bout damn time," Emmett whispered.

"Could say the same for you and Rose."

"I have a …"

Masen held up his hand to stop Emmett. He gently shook Bella, rousing her.

"Wha?" she murmured, blinking her eyes. When Emmett came in to focus, she woke up instantly. "Baby?"

"Beautiful. Just like her mama," Emmett said proudly.

"A girl?" Bella grinned.

"They're cleaning her up. Y'all can come see her in about half an hour. Just wanted to tell you."

"Congratulations, big brother."

Bella jumped up and gave him a huge hug.

"And congratulations to you, Bella B."

She punched him in the arm before smiling sheepishly and taking her position back in Masen's lap.

"Hurt her and I will end you," Emmett said, shaking Masen's hand as he congratulated the new father.

"Understood," Masen replied.

After Emmett left to rejoin his wife and newborn daughter, Bella looked over at the clock.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Masen," she murmured, leaning down to place a soft kiss on his lips.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Bella."

And of course, they lived happily ever after.

In case you're wondering, Edward's name was Edward Anthony Ma Cullen because the middle name field was truncated. There was no good way to work it into the story, but there you go.

Hope you enjoyed my little holiday story…I'd love to hear what you think!

DeJean