Author's Note: Okay, here comes chapter 2. Hope everyone enjoys. I know there isn't much to learn yet of my OC but it's because I'm pacing this, so we'll get to learn more of her soon enough. Also, I'm doing my best to keep everyone in character. For Emmett I'm trying to bring out his character a bit more, the goofy with the serious. So, let me know how I'm doing. Feedback is always appreciated. And this story will pick up.

Bear Hugs

By: Babyhilts

Chapter 2: Trapped

Nowhere to run to, baby
Nowhere to hide
Got nowhere to run to, baby
Nowhere to hide

Nowhere to Run/Martha and the Vandellas

Consciousness trickled in. It took a few minutes for my head to clear. Eyes shut; I lay still on the soft mattress. I wasn't sure where I was or how I'd ended up there. In fact, most everything I could remember seemed muddled together.

"I know you're awake" a light, feminine voice called.

The sound cut my intake of breath short. My mind struggled to understand what was going on. I came up short and after hesitating for just a second the woman huffed a sigh of impatience.

With all the courage of the Cowardly Lion, I opened my eyes. I eased myself into a sitting position and swallowed the knot of fear stuck in my throat.

I was in someone's bedroom. Sitting on their rose colored bedspread, wedged between many soft throw pillows of matching color. The blanket was mussed, wrinkled from my recent use. I was sure that at all other times it was pulled straight and smooth, without a crease to be found.

The soft, off white walls made the room feel more welcoming. Two nightstands sat on either side of the bed. Antique mahogany it seemed, with matching lamps sitting atop either one. The room felt like it belonged to a well to-do married couple. It was too spotless, too untouched. It felt like no one -let alone myself-should ever step foot beyond the threshold. Though welcoming, it made me hesitate to touch anything. It didn't seem right.

"So, you are awake."

A blonde woman, far surpassing beautiful sat with her hands crossed in her lap. She was seated in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. Her brilliant blonde tresses fell past her shoulders, framing her opal face. It was flawless and appeared delicate but I was not fooled into thinking that she was equally as delicate. A fire roared behind her narrowed eyes. Topaz orbs watched me with nothing but disdain from that window seat. I felt inadequate under the harsh gaze.

"Who-who are you?"

I wished my voice to steady. The slight cracking of it brought a smile to the blonde's face. It made me feel weak.

"Emmett hasn't told you?"

Emmett?

"My husband" as if that made it clearer.

It did, sort of.

I got images of a burly man with dark curly hair and pale skin. His thick, marble hands tearing through a bears hide. Blood smeared across his jaw, glistening off his pearly whites.

"You're…"

"Rosalie."

She gave me the once over with her eyes.

"And you would be who exactly?"

"Laura," I stammered. "Laura Phillips."

"Well, Laura I hope you don't think me rude for saying this, but my husband doesn't always think things through. It would be best if you were to leave now."

"Excuse me?"

Rosalie got to her feet. It was the first time I'd been allowed to see the blonde woman at her full height. I swore she must have stood at nearly 5'9. It dwarfed me by almost a full foot. Sitting on the bed I felt that much smaller compared to her.

It wasn't bad enough that she had the gorgeous looks but the height as well? She was a giant; a beautiful, blonde giant with never ending legs.

Her movements were graceful. She crossed the room towards the bed without a sound. It was as though a current carried her from one end of the bedroom to the next.

"I'm telling you, Laura, that your welcome has been overstayed. I'm trying to be polite about this, but you understand you should go. Perhaps first to a hospital for that wrist of yours?"

My eyes shot to the swollen, purpling around my left wrist. It was about twice its normal size and for the first time I realized the painful throb that moved up the length of my arm and into my fingers.

"You're not being polite at all."

"If that's how you see it, then. But you really should be going" she gestured to the door before reaching towards my arm as if to lift me off in that direction.

"There shouldn't be any need for you to mention your little incident today, either. Not about my husband or your little visit here, hmm?"

I jerked my arm out of her reach.

"Are you threatening me?"

Rosalie didn't get the chance to answer. A large man I recognized as Emmett came hurling into the room. Smile spread wide across his face, he stood just past the doorway, staring eagerly in our direction. His eyes were lit with excitement. He reminded me of a child who'd had too much sugar. Bouncing on the balls of his feet ready to burst and climb the walls.

"You're awake."

He sounded much friendlier than he had earlier in the woods.

"I am."

Rosalie looked from me to Emmett and huffed loud enough so that all subtlety was lost. Eyes raging, she stomped across the room. She brushed by Emmett but it ended up as a shove. The tall man stumbled backward as his wife continued her march out the door and to some other part of the house.

When Emmett was standing in his rightful spot and the sounds of Rosalie's heavy footfalls had ended, he turned to me once more. Face struggling to uphold the same smile as before.

"She gets like that sometimes."

I didn't know what to say, so I kept quiet. The silence that filled the room became uncomfortable. I shifted on the bed, cringing at the noise the bedsprings made.

Emmett scratched the back of his head. He looked thoughtful for a minute there and then it vanished. That stupid grin was back in place and he was moving, much too fast towards me. I pulled back only a bit, still very unsure of the whole situation. He must have noticed because he paused a foot or so from the mattress.

"So…I'm sorry about brining you here. I know I said the first road we hit but you kind of past out. Then with your wrist being hurt, I didn't know what else to do."

"It's fine."

"Well, when Carlisle gets back we can get him to take a look at your wrist. He works at the hospital, you know."

"Uh, huh."

I really didn't know. I was new to Forks by four months. I'd met maybe a handful people and had yet to injure myself bad enough that would warrant a hospital visit. Emmett could have said he was a doctor and except for his general appearance, I had nothing to go by that would make me think otherwise.

How was I to know if this Carlisle even had a license? Maybe he was one of those underground types. You know the ones who stole your kidneys and sold them off in little freezers of ice for big bucks. I could just imagine them putting me under and waking up hours later outside Forks hospital minus a couple of my organs. The thought made me sick to my stomach.

"Do you have a bathroom I could use?"

Emmett nodded and said something about the second door to the right. I was up and out of the room before he could say anything more. Or in case he decided that he could take out some of my parts without this Carlisle person around.

I found the bathroom and turned the lock. Back pressed against the cool wooden door, I finally let out a deep breath. My heart was racing something fierce. I didn't realize how tense I'd been until I'd left that awful pink room.

The bathroom mirror reflected a disheveled version of my usual self. Thin branches protruded from the depths of my hair. Unkempt black frizz had pasted itself across my face and stuck up at the back. Dirt smudges marred my cheeks. Moss and other unidentified leafy items covered the rest of me. My jeans were torn and muddy and my jacket reeked.

With my good hand I turned the tap for the cold water and washed off as much dirt and grime from my skin as was possible. Using just one hand to do so was a bit difficult but I managed. I was able to get the majority of the forestry out of my hair. I took the frizzy mess and put it up into a ponytail with my spare elastic.

The end result wasn't as good as I'd have hoped. What I needed was a hot bath and a weeks worth of sleep. Not to mention some pain medication to get rid of the incessant pounding in my wrist.

I went to exit the bathroom when I heard the start of raised voices coming from down the hall. I pressed my ear to the door, afraid that the sound of the door opening may give me away. I stood there, eavesdropping on the conversation and found I couldn't hear a single word of it. They were either talking way too fast or the door was blocking it out.

Hand braced against the door, I turned the knob and eased it open. I thought that I'd managed to be quiet but the moment I stepped beyond the threshold Emmett came rushing to greet me.

The conversation I realized had ended.

"How was the bathroom?"

There was definitely something wrong with this boy.

"Fine…"

"Good. That's good."

He was hyper again.

Couldn't he hold still for just a minute?

"Look, I was thinking…"

"You ever play Guitar Hero?" he interrupted me.

I faltered.

"Sorry, what?"

"Guitar Hero. I have it set up downstairs. We could play until Carlisle gets in, if you wanted?"

His eyes took on a pleading quality. I felt bad to have to say no. Well, not entirely bad, considering I wasn't so sure he was stable. I mean, the inhuman strength and speed? Then there was that whole blood drinking. I wondered if he thought I'd just forgotten about that.

"I'm no Superman like you."

"Huh?"

I lifted my arm to show him.

"My wrist is twisted up pretty bad."

"Oh, well we could…"

"Emmett!"

I jumped back at the sound of this new voice. I barely had the chance to process it when something white streaked towards me.

Thin arms enveloped me in a tight hug. They were strong for being so small. This new stranger nearly lifted me off my feet in the embrace.

"Oh, Emmett, I knew you would bring her home."

The musical tone quieted in time to release me. I stumbled away. A small, dark haired girl was staring at me. She smiled almost the same way Emmett had been doing.

"What's your name?"

"Laura…"

Oh, Laura."

The new girl was much different than Rosalie. Instead of threatening me with dirty looks she took into her arms like a friend. She acted as though she'd known me before and we'd just run into each other for the first time in years.

"I saw you coming. I thought Emmett was being irresponsible at first but now, I see it. And besides, we can never have too many girls in this house."

She winked at me.

Her words, although kind, were frightening to me. What was she talking about seeing me? Had they planned this? No, that was impossible. They couldn't have set me up with that bear. What did she mean about never having too many girls? Was this some kind of cult? I couldn't stay here, I had family. I had a cat.

"I'm Alice, Emmett's sister" she took my limp hand in hers. "And this is Jasper, my husband."

I noticed for the first time, the handsome blonde that stood just out of reach. Back erect, he stared directly at me. It was unnerving to say the least.

What was with these people?

"Um, Alice? Look, it was nice meeting you all."

Yeah, right.

"But I should really be going. I hurt my wrist and it really needs to be taken care of. So if you don't mind."

"Nonsense" she chirped. "Carlisle will look after it. He's only five minutes away."

Alice went on talking but I wasn't listening. This Carlisle person would be home any minute. Emmett and Alice both talked about him as though he were some sort of leader. Perhaps this was a cult?

My palms were getting clammy at my sides. I rubbed them against the legs of my jeans. Emmett was rolling his eyes at Alice's story. Alice was too busy talking to notice me and Jasper. Jasper continued to watch me with weary eyes. Were it not for him standing in front of my only escape route, then I'd have left already.

Although Emmett had already demonstrated his blurring abilities, I was certain that if I stayed in the house much longer than I'd really be in trouble. I'd take the chance with getting caught trying to escape. I had to at least try.

How in the hell did I ever get mixed up with these people?

"Oh, wont Bella be happy to have a new friend" Alice continued.

Bella?

A thought occurred to me just then. What if Emmett wasn't the only one who could do the things he did? What if the rest of them were just the same? Alice was strong for a small girl and fast too. Maybe they could all blur and shred animals the way Emmett had done in the woods. If they were all like Emmett than how was I ever supposed to escape? If they were like Emmett then did that mean…

"Do you two drink blood as well/"

Alice quieted much the same as Emmett had when I'd mentioned it to him.

What if they all drank blood? What then? I couldn't come up with a reasonable answer to that one. Yeah, sure, maybe one guy drinking blood. I could chalk that up to insanity and call it a day but a whole house of blood drinkers?

"Didn't Emmett tell you?"

Alice paused.

Voice raised she answered her own question with "of course he didn't!"

The fear took its hold on me. I shot a panicked look towards my escape route. Towards Jasper who kept his eyes pinned on me.

Oh, God, they're going to kill me.

"Emmett, why didn't you tell her?"

"Because she didn't need to know. Look what's happened to Bella."

Alice threw her hands into the air.

""Emmett, you brought her home! She must think we're a bunch of raving lunatics."

Jasper shook his head. Stepping up to his wife, he took her by the shoulders and pulled her against his chest. He whispered something in her ear, something that I couldn't hear but Emmett must have because his head perked a bit and he turned to me.

That's it. I'm taking my chance.

With Jasper out of the way it would be my only hope.

I took off down the hall. Making a turn and trying hard not to trip over my own feet. I met up with a winding staircase at the end of the hall.

Of course they would have a winding staircase!

One step after another, I made my way down the stairs. It ended up being slower than I would have liked but it was better than going too fast and ending up sprawled, helpless on the ground below.

The downstairs of the house was just a wide open space. I glanced to one side and noticed an entire wall made of glass and on the other side the door. My freedom.

I ran for it. Throwing it open and letting it rattle noisily against the inside of the house. I didn't care though. I would be gone in a second. Free to scream and call for help from the neighbors. They would come to my aid and then call the police on the freakishly pale people next door.

When I hit the driveway I knew none of that was going to happen. They're house had to be located on the outskirts of town. Close to the woods, away from prying eyes. The gravel drive went on for miles, turning into a dirt road somewhere further on. My eyes tried to see past the road, to where neighboring house should be but it just kept on going.

Trees and luscious green grass surrounded me on all sides. I turned back to the house and the open door. No one had come after me yet. That was strange and yet, it gave me more time to keep running.

The woods would prove dangerous. If I took my chances there I would only end up more hurt or possibly confronted with another bear. Then there was that long, stretch of road. So out in the open and miles long, it would take only a minute for one of them to catch me in a car.

Or on foot.

"Laura!"

The voice came, loud like a clap of thunder. It startled me out of my thoughts. Out of my sensibility and despite all that I'd just realized I ran anyway. I couldn't just stand there and wait for them to catch me. I had to take the chance. I'd already shown that I'd bolt on a moments notice. What would they do with me now?

The gravel moved under my sneakers turning my run into more of a slip. I heard the loud panting of my own breath. I sounded close to a heart attack. The sweat slithered down the side of my face.

Something brushed past my shoulder. I screamed at the cold touch.

Emmett stood in a crouch, ready to jump me. He blocked my way and if it were possible seemed to have gotten larger; more intimidating. He had this wild, animalistic appearance in his eyes. They looked almost hungry as they took me in.

I spun around, back towards the house. He blurred much faster than all the other times. When I turned to run again I was just inches from his face.

"Oh, god" I cried.

I drew back from him. Eyes filling with tears despite my need to stay strong. I didn't want to seem weak, not when I was faced with something like this.

"Please…"

Emmett removed himself from the crouch. He stood, arms lowered at his sides. His face softened in front of me. Guilt welled in those strange topaz eyes of his.

"Laura, I'm sorry" the deep voice was almost a whisper. "Please don't leave. We won't hurt you, I promise."

"I want to go home now" I pleaded.

"And you can, but just wait until Carlisle gets in. He'll be here soon to check on your wrist and then I promise to take you home. You won't have to worry about us ever again, okay?"

"I don't understand you people…"

"And you won't have to."

"No," I could feel my confidence coming back. "I want to know what's going on. What happened in the woods? How did you do what you just did? And why does everyone in that house react when I mention blood?"

"You don't need…"

"I do need to know!" I snapped. "If you don't tell me I'll go to the police. I'm sure they'd like to know they have a blood drinking cult just outside of town."

Emmett smirked at that.

"You think we're a cult?"

"I don't know what to think anymore."

The burly man sighed and stared at me with a resigned look in his eyes.

"If you stay long enough for Carlisle to fix your wrist then I'll tell you."

I swallowed nervously. "Umm…okay."

Emmett forced a grin. It didn't take long for it to turn into a genuine smile that broke across his face. He reached for my right wrist and I reluctantly let him lead me back down the drive; back toward the house.

I felt a tug on my hand. Emmett was watching me, the excitement back. He looked less wild than before and more childish. I found I didn't fear him as much when he had that look.

"So you wanna see my Jeep?"

Despite the traces of fear I still felt, I let a smile of my own tug the corners of my lips apart.

"I think I would" I replied.