A/N: Don't own Twilight OR Kellan Lutz's dimples. Makes me sad when I think about that.

Stumble

"I had a wonderful night, Em. It's been an amazing night," she said, looking way, way up into familiar blue eyes. Honestly, she wasn't surprised at all that the evening had been good. They knew each other well.

"I'm so glad, Bells. I was really kind of nervous about tonight," he admitted, scrubbing his hand up and down the back of his head through his short hair. A classic Emmett nervous habit lending proof to his words.

Taking her hand, he led them from the restaurant toward his car. As she listened to the crunch of the gravel, she realized they had never really touched like this. Bear hugs, piggy back rides, drunken Twister, an annoyed smack to the back of his head when she could reach; they had experienced all the contact typical of close friends. But this intertwining of fingers, rhythmic swaying of hands in time with their steps? This was new, more personal, intimate.

"The great Emmett McCarty, nervous about little ole me?"

"The intimidated Emmett McCarty nervous about fucking up the date he's spent years thinking about."

"Have you really, Em?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I have. You have no idea."

"Me, too."

It just didn't make sense, Bella thought, to stay away from him anymore. After her talk with Rose, she realized that if he felt the same about her that she felt about him, well, they owed it to themselves to give it a try. She didn't want to live with what if. She also didn't want to live with Rose and her admonishments about being a chicken and her nagging about climbing Mount Emmett while the opportunity was being offered. Rose had a habit of being very vocal when she thought she was right.

"I am so relieved to hear that. I wasn't sure if I'd maybe waited too long, and I don't feel like this is a first date. I feel like we've been working toward this, you know? It's like, I don't know, finally. Like it's never been the right time, but now it is. Does that make sense?"

Bella could only smile as she moved closer to the rapidly talking man in front of her. He really was nervous, and it was utterly adorable.

"Makes perfect sense, Em." The grin that broke across his face was breathtaking, full of happiness and dimples.

It's almost comical, the distance they had to travel to reach each other. She stood on tiptoe, he bent low. Their lips touched after too many years of anticipation, and Emmett just couldn't control himself. He wrapped his arms around her and straightened, pulling her feet right off the ground, her legs dangling. They must have looked hysterical, but neither of them minded; he could kiss her much more deeply now. When they broke apart, breathless and dazed, they looked at each other with wide eyes.

"That was…" he said.

"Yes, it was," she agreed.

Lowering her to the ground after one more quick kiss, he took a moment to enjoy the moment. "I've wanted to do that since I stumbled over your tiny ass. What took us so long?"

"Idiocy?" she giggled. It's easy to see how right this was when she could still taste him.

"Bad decisions," he stated ruefully.

"Timing."

"Dumbasses who were never right for you," he declared. Bella could only nod her head at that one. He's right.

"Cheerleaders," she smirked.

"Again, bad decisions," he chuckled as he shook his head.

"Fear of losing a great friend," she said quietly, a question hidden in the statement.

"Won't happen, Bells. It won't. I won't let it. You're already too important to me, even if this doesn't end up going anywhere." He was so earnest in his assurance that she had to believe him.

"Do you think it will? Go anywhere, I mean."

"I want it to, Bella. I've had enough of waiting for someone else to come along to give a shit about. I compare them all to you." Bella gasped a little at this, and Emmett pulled her tight into his arms, as tight as he could and still see her face. "I don't want to freak you out, but it's true."

"I'm not freaked, Em. I just didn't know."

"I don't think I realized it either until I talked with Jasper." At this, Bella broke out into honest laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Rose is all over this, Em. She gave me a very stern talking to after I turned you down."

"Explains Jasper's sudden need to discuss our situation with me. Rose made him do it."

Bella looked up again into his smiling face, into his sparkling eyes, and decided to give it a chance. All of it. "Let's get out of here."

"Wanna go see a movie? The fair downtown, maybe?"

"No, Em, "she purred. Having decided to play the sex kitten, she went all out. "Somewhere much more private."

"Oh, hell yes," he growled as he took her mouth again.

"Let's go," she whispered after tearing herself away from him before they embarrassed themselves.

"Uh, the house is full of dudes-" He started the sentence hoping they were on the same page and is interrupted by her confirmation.

"My place, Emmett." He opened the passenger door for her and rushed to climb into the car himself.

They held hands on the way to the house Bella shared with Rose and Jasper, the brother/sister tag team of nosiness. The ride was excruciatingly long for them both. At last they pulled up in front of Bella's apartment where they could not get out of the car fast enough. Kissing their way into the small vestibule, touching and coaxing their way up the two flights of steps, crushing and grabbing each other against the walls in the hall outside her place, neither was prepared to stumble over an inconveniently placed pair of sneakers when they finally got the door open and hurried inside. Separating as they straightened back up, they both looked right into the laughing faces of their friends.

"About fucking time!" Jasper yelled. Rose was, of course, in complete agreement.

A/N: Reviews are nice.