AN: Sorry it took so long. Not much fluff. But this isn't a filler chapter either. Um, Read and REVIEW!!!! I'm not asking I'm telling/encouraging. I personally think this a cute chapter, but that's just me. again review, and happy reading. BTW, if you don't understand something make sure you REREAD! as much as you have to. I tried to make this concise and short but,to-the-point, but it's so very hard when you guys are asking me to hurry with the chapters. Sorry. 3 :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, New Moon, the books mentioned in this fic, and the places mentioned. The characters at these locations are also based upon fiction. :) BTW, read ending Disclaimer, that way I don't give away any spoilers before the story begins.

Chapter 2: Whirlpools, and Gummy Bears

My eyelids were closed and heavy from the night. I opened them unwillingly to be floating above the sea, but the scared feeling that was supposed to heat in my gut didn't come. My feet were firmly on the ground that ended, just above the drop to breaking waves at merciless rocks. I was on a cliff, but again, the twinge of fear, at this realization, that would normally have yanked my body, and gathered in my throat was absent. My hair whipped in the wind, and made it difficult to see across. The shore of the beach that this cliff overlooked was very familiar and was littered with tide pools at the ocean's edge. I'd been here before, but part of the vision was fuzzy, and distorted.

I felt arms wrap around my waist and pull me close to a cool body. I closed my eyes again, breathing in the fresh air, waiting for his scent to reach my nostrils. I felt his chin lower to rest against my head above my ear. I smiled, opening my eyes, even though the scent was absent, much like the feeling of strangeness in being here. I'd never been here at sunset, before, so I focused away from the cliff and shore. I felt relaxed, and at ease, his arms protecting me, my eyes settling with the warm sunset colors dancing on the wind. Pinks, yellows, and oranges, presented a pleasurable phenomena that made me sigh with release.

"Bella..." the voice was rougher, not the velvet voice I had recognized. It was not the voice that tickled my ears and sent my heart into rapid unsteady rhythms. No, this voice was deeper, and it sounded pleading. It scared me; I nearly froze in place. I turned to face he who voiced my name.

"Ed--mmett? What? What happened?" I tried to pull his arms from around my waist frantically; the fear that hadn't kicked in earlier crashed through my insides. I glanced back, lip quivering, at the edge of the cliff. It was so close. He let go of me, but stayed close. For once in my life, I saw a scared expression on his face, and it was no longer painted with humor as I was accustomed to. "What? What's wrong?" My throat started to close in on me, and it became hard to breathe. I tried to cough, but no sound came out, and Emmett looked down at me placing his right hand on my shoulder.

"Edward's...gone..." his voice quiet, and his words faint and broken.

I deliberately stepped back from him. "What? What do you mean? Emmett! Emmett!" I took another large step back to look at his face and felt myself falling from the cliff.

"Edward! Emmett! Alice! Help!" I could hear myself scream in my head. My hands clasped around my neck trying desperately to unravel the invisible cords that grasped at my throat preventing me from making a sound. I seemed to fall endlessly into nothing, and everything in the world. I didn't understand what Emmett had said about Edward, but the look on his face didn't convince me too much. I felt like I was being sucked into a whirlpool, constructed of my own feelings, and the environment around me that felt too surreal to be reality. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see how or where I would end up, or what would take me in this world of another plane and dimension.

Two strong hands clamped around my shoulders, shaking me. I let my eyelids whip open to see a very disoriented-looking Emmett kneeling above me with a bewildered expression on his face. I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

"Bella! Bella...Bella, are you okay?"

"Ye-yes! Yeah! I'm okay! I'm fine," I managed to stutter and the forceful shaking ceased. I sat up, hacked a couple of times, the burning on my throat slowly, but surely, dissipating, and ran my hands over my face and through my hair. The windows were illuminated, and Emmett looked deeply puzzled next to me. "Oh, God," I muttered quietly, as I rubbed my temples, looking away from him, imagining what he had seen or heard. It was only a dream, I sighed, it was only a dream.

"What happened?" Emmett questioned, with a hint of fear in his voice. Caught up in my own thoughts, playing the dream of me falling in my head, my hearing was muggy.

"What? What did you say?" my speech a bit slurred. I looked up to him with eyes glazed from sleep.

"You...you were yelling. You were calling for me...and Edward, and you sounded like you were in pain," he stated, his eyes staring into a place far from here; he was recounting what he had seen. At this point, his voice took a frantic edge to it. "You were squirming, moving, and kept grabbing your throat. I tried to wake you up, but you...just couldn't hear me or something...and...and only until I shook you did you stop," his rant ended, leaving a silence stirring.

Wow, I thought, I didn't think I'd become that active in my sleep. My eyes squinted at the brightness of the new day, and the light that poured in from the windows lit the entire house, the source just behind him. His hand inched onto mine, and I let it stay there. His gesture was meant to be full of comfort, but I hadn't absorbed one ounce of it.

"Just a...bad dream, I guess," I lied, trying to sound convincing; it was a horrible dream. "What time is it?" I asked trying to throw the subject to the winds; I didn't want to discuss it out loud, more or less with Emmett, who acted as the "villain" in said dream.

He blinked at me, looking for more reason. "It's, uhh..." he glanced at his expensive watch. "...10:32. Why?"

"Oh, my gosh! I have to get ready!!" I said, as I pulled my hand out from under Emmett's chilling one, and stood up quickly. I smoothed the wrinkles from my pajama bottoms, and grabbed the blanket from the ground. "Emmett, could you do me a favor?" I asked, which was kind of rude, considering I had been leaving him out of the blue since I woke up to his frightened expressions. "Could you fix the couch cushions, please? I have to get ready." He sighed deeply and grabbed the cushions from the carpet as I ran upstairs to brush my teeth.

I brushed quickly, grabbing the hand towel and wiping the wet away from my mouth on the way out of the bathroom, my eyes registering to the light of the new day. I snatched the brush from the counter and pulled out the tangles while walking back to my room. I pulled on comfortable clothes, stuffed my phone, wallet, iPod, and keys into a purse that I had rarely used and looked back at the clock. The minute hand indicated it was 10:56.

I pulled a loose jacket over my clothes and slung my purse over my shoulder; it didn't surprise me that yesterday was a beautiful, rainless day in Forks, and the very next day, it was cold and misty. I tied my hair at the nape of my neck to get it out of the way, and ran back downstairs to find Emmett lounging on the couch. As soon as my foot hit the ground beneath the last stair, he shot up and appeared in front of my face. He had a worried expression painted over his eyes and I tried not to look at him. For some reason, his concern irritated me, and I focused on the front door, more eager to see Jacob by the minute.

"What is it?"

"I was just...Bella, I'm sorry, but I'm concerned about you. You looked so...in pain earlier. I just need to know that you're okay." He finished with a hopeful stare, that same stare that scared me in the nightmare, and it pierced my eyes as I looked back at him regretfully. I heard Jacob's car pull up in the driveway. I'm sure he heard it, but he didn't dare look away. I took a step back.

"I'm fine, Emmett. Like I said, it was only a bad dream. Don't worry about it. I have to go, Jacob's here. Bye."

I left Emmett standing at the foot of the stairs watching me close the front door on him. I turned back around to find Jake in an older car; it looked like it was from the 1950's or 60's. He was a sophomore-to-be, and probably much too young to drive, but you couldn't tell by looking at him; he was huge. His faded white shirt pulled against his muscles, in contrast to his russet skin tone, but it had a natural look to it. His hair was ruffled slightly and he was wearing a pair of washed-out jeans. I walked up to the passenger seat door where the window was rolled down, and his eyes met mine when a smile played on his lips.

"Hey, Bella. You ready to go?" he asked politely, his voice husky.

"Mm-hmm. Let's go," I replied, as I slid into the seat and closed the door next to me.

We backed out of the driveway, and I glanced back at the window. In a flourish of curtains, I could swear I saw Emmett disappear behind them. I turned back to face Jacob who looked relaxed at the wheel, trying to forget about the man in the window and decided a conversation would be much more interesting than beating myself up internally about yesterday.

"Uhh, so where are we going exactly?"

"Seattle." He stated vaguely.

"Seattle?" I repeated, wanting to know more, and wanting him to talk.

"Yup, Seattle. There's a really nice theatre out there at a mall called Pacific Place, and there're restaurants, so we can have dinner. Are you hungry?"

"Just a little, I woke up late and forgot to eat breakfast." I smiled weakly, a trifle embarrassed.

"Alright, then we can eat first and catch a movie after."

"Okay." I started to drum my fingers, excited about the day ahead, agitated by the silence that had fallen, and anxious, yet happy that Edward should be back tomorrow, all emotions taking their toll at the same time. I joined my hands together to stop the drumming; Jacob hadn't seen my fingers and I was glad that he wasn't a vampire; he would have been able to see it, and I would have been interrogated with endless questions.

"So," I pulled my hand through my hair. "How are things in La Push?"

"Uh," he said, his eyes focused on the road. "Well, my dad doesn't work, and neither do I, yet, so things are moving pretty slow at home. Nothing new has happened. That's why I needed to get out, and that's also part of the reason why I agreed to come back with my dad to Forks." He took the silence that followed. "But I also wanted to see you, too. So it worked out okay, I guess," he added politely. I blushed slightly; he was sweet.

He reached across, with one hand on the wheel, to the radio and turned up the volume, letting an alternative song fill the car and silence the light drizzle outside; he stretched his right arm across the back of the seat next to my shoulder. I set my purse and jacket down on the small seat between us. It was different riding in the car with Jacob; usually during the day, I would be driven or taken around by the one of the Cullens - they pretty much refused to let me drive - and I liked the speed that Jake drove at. It was relaxing.

"So how'd you find...Pacific Place, was it?"

"Pacific Place," he nodded as he confirmed. "Um, my friends from school drove us out there on one of our...long weekends from school."

"You're friend?" I raised my eyebrows. "What friend would this be?"

He seemed to notice the suspicion in my voice, that I figured he was too young to be driven in a car by other freshmen.

"My friend," he laid the word heavily, jokingly, and in the same tone as mine. "...goes to my school. He's a junior, don't worry."

He smiled at me, and I smiled back; the suspicious tone seemed quite silly; it sounded like I wanted to protect Jake, and, in reality, I'd be better off protecting a sky scraper.

It took about fours until we entered Seattle's limits. It was about 3:15, according to Jacob's wristwatch. We pulled into a large parking lot of a huge building; the stores must've run about three or four floors high. It was still light out, summer, but businesses were bright with attracting lights. We parked and I pulled my jacket across my back as Jake exited the car. He pulled open the door and helped me out of the car, as he put his arm around my shoulder protectively and we walked to the entrance of the mall.

Inside, the rooms were buzzing with everyone's overlapping conversations. I could spot about two bookstores, four designer outlets, and one Italian restaurant/café, before Jake spoke and we stopped next to a lounge area.

"So what do you want to eat?"

"Um..." I used the pause between us to look around again. "There." I pointed to the Italian restaurant. "Il...For-nai-o," I sounded it out. "Il Fornaio. Would you want to eat an early dinner?" I looked back up at Jacob.

"Sure," he gestured towards the hostess, sitting on a chair behind a podium. She was a brunette, with a brown apron on, and she was tall, shorter than Jacob, of course, but taller than me, anyway.

"Welcome to Il Fornaio Risotteria. Walk-in for two?" she asked politely, with a tired expression, yet warming smile on her face.

"Yes, please," Jacob answered in the same manner, and she led us to a small table next to a short shelf of flower arrangements. The room was dimly lit, but it had a warm essence to the furnishings. It felt like I had been immersed in an Italian country mirage. I'd never been in a place like this; the pink, purple, and white flowers actually looked real. I inhaled the scents: fresh French bread, tomato sauce, garlic, and freesia. I looked closely at the flowers; they were real.

Jake pulled out my seat and my jacket, to set it on the back of my chair, and strode over to his own seat. I set my folded hands on the table and smiled back at Jacob who looked endearingly over at me.

"Thanks, Jake. This place is beautiful." I inhaled the room's aroma much more openly in front of Jacob and he smiled at me and nodded.

The woman returned with a basket of cheese-covered breadsticks, two menus, and two glasses of ice. She set the menus in front of us as she placed the glasses down and poured water from the pitcher.

"Hello, my name is Jenny, and I will be your server for this afternoon. Would you two like anything to drink?" She looked at the both of us, I shook my head, "No thank you," and Jake sipped his water.

"Actually, what fountain drinks do you have available?" Jacob asked.

"We have cola, lemon-lime, and we also have iced tea."

"Coca-cola would be fine, thank you," Jacob answered the woman. She nodded her head politely and left the table.

I moved my water and pulled a cheesy breadstick from the basket between us. I nibbled on the breadstick as I perused the menu, which was full of Italian words I didn't know the meaning of. I read the description of a dish called "Tagliolini con Pollo", which had ribbon pasta, chicken, and mushrooms, with a white cream sauce. The woman returned to our table with Jacob's coke, a set of sewn napkins, utensils, and a plate for the both of us. Why did they sew the napkins if they were just going to get dirty and thrown away?

She looked at me patiently and I handed her the menu.

"May I have the...Tagliolini con Pollo, please?" I sounded the word out as best I could.

"Anything else to drink with that, madam?"

"The iced tea, please. Thank you." She jotted down my order on her small black notebook in hand. She turned to face Jacob.

"You, sir?"

"I'll have the same, thank you. I'll just drink this," he gestured toward his glass full of ice and soda.

"Alright," she chuckled warmly, as she scribbled down the second order. "Your dinner will be ready soon. Have a good afternoon." And she left the table once again.

"So," Jacob started. "What did you want to watch?"

"How about...a scary movie?"

"A scary movie," he repeated after me; it wasn't a question, he just wanted to hear how it sounded when he said it himself.

"Yes. Something that'll get me to jump in my seat." I joked.

"Well, a scary movie it is then."

I smiled and blushed back at him.

"I also wanted to stop at a bookstore before we leave. My good books are falling apart." And I kind of didn't want to return to Emmett, either, although I didn't think that Emmett would still be hanging around the house after all this time.

"Sure," he shrugged. "It's not everyday you get to go to Seattle."

I smiled and finished the breadstick. After about 10 minutes of waiting and conversation, the waitress brought back two white plates with pasta that looked more delicious than the description on the menu. She also brought a jar with parmesan cheese and my iced tea in a glass.

"Thank you," Jake and I said at the same time.

"You're very welcome. Anything else for the couple?" She joked.

"Oh, no, we're not--"

"We're not a--"

Jake and I started at the same time, and I stared at each other in silence. Jacob spoke up first to answer her question.

"No, thank you."

"Alright, then." She obviously hadn't seen or recognized the awkwardness that just took place over our dinner table, and left us together again.

"Um, thanks Jake, for everything. For tonight. This looks great." I fished for ribbon pasta with my fork, after setting a napkin on my lap.

We both ate in silence, and she brought the check back after we finished our meals.

"Will you be paying with cash or credit?"

"Credit." I answered, before Jacob could.

He looked at me, questioningly and a smile pulled up the corners of my mouth. I unzipped my purse, pulled out my light green wallet, and took out the thin, plastic credit card.

She took it from my hand, nodded slightly, and had an expression like this was "normal business", even though I knew both she and Jake were surprised that I had a credit card in the first place. She returned to our table with the receipt, my card, and a "Good evening to you both", before Jacob and I got up to leave.

He put his arm back around me, and we left the restaurant to find that the mall was even more populated than it was before. I looked at Jacob's watch, on the wrist that rested just below my shoulder. It was 4:15 pm, and the light from outside illuminated the mall from the transparent windows in the ceiling. The theatre was on the top floor, and the sign donned "Pacific Place Cinema".

We entered the clear elevator, and before the doors closed, a mother and a little girl, maybe at the age of 5 or 6, with a balloon and string tied to her right wrist. Jacob's arm left my shoulder and I straightened the purse on my shoulder. The doors opened to a black carpet with a small wall of tellers waiting to give out tickets for the advertised movies.

Jacob left my side to go to the teller on the far right. He probably didn't want me to pay again. At this point, I didn't care; I was too fixed on seeing everything in the mall and remembering it. The happy faces of children eating popcorn and cotton candy sticky on their hands, married couples holding each other as they left the theatre, and middle school girlfriends walking together away from the concession stand.

"Bella..." Jacob waved the tickets in front of my face, and I left my trance.

"Huh? Oh." I took my ticket, and Jacob proceeded to put his arm on my shoulders again as he led me to the darkened theater.

The theatre wasn't packed full as I thought it would be; actually the room was half empty. Jacob and I took a seat towards the back in a section that was almost deserted. There was an elderly couple at the end of our row, and most of the people around my age were seated at the front of the theatre. While the previews were showing, Jake stood up.

"Did you want anything?"

"Gummy bears?" I asked a note of embarrassment in my tone.

He chuckled slightly. "Sure. Be right back."

The movie started out sappy, and Jacob was climbing the stairs back up. The opening credits shone as he took his seat and handed me the gummy bear package.

The story was the same - a small family bought a "dream house" in a small town that was haunted, and no one told them beforehand. Their daughter was disturbed by the spirits in her room, and their only escape was to talk to the spirits, make peace, and escape to live somewhere else. Jacob's arm was protectively on the back of my seat, at the ready for any sudden outburst of fear from me. None came, and the movie was over before I was even interested.

"So, Bella, did you like the movie?" Jacob asked as we left the cinema, and entered the elevator.

"Um, it was okay," I tried to convince him with a lie. My fib was too obvious, he laughed at me. "What?" I asked getting unreasonably self-conscious, starting to dryly laugh myself.

"The movie was boring, I'm sorry," he said, his quiet laughter starting to subside.

"No, that's alright. Let's just go to the bookstore. Is it on the first floor?"

"I think that there is one down there."

He pushed the metal button that shown a bright gold "1" and the doors closed, leaving us alone in the elevator. We exited the elevators as it came to a stop, and walked towards the bright bookstore. The shelves were stuffed full of books; children's books, novels, series, magazines, and there was a café inside. The whole store was quite large, and it looked comfortable.

I walked straight towards the heavy-looking novels, and came across a smaller one entitled, The Glass Lake by Maeve Benchy. I was taken by the description on the back, and continued to look at the descriptions of the novels on the back covers of the books. I narrowed my query down to two books: the first I grabbed, The Glass Lake, and A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson. I paid for my books and Jacob followed me out, not buying anything.

We reached the car at about 6:45 pm, and Jake led me into the car.

"Um, Jake?"

"Hmm?"

"I have to call Charlie and tell him that we're on our way home. He must be on his way home from the fishing trip."

"Okay," he said and closed the door softly.

I punched in Charlie's cell phone number, and Charlie's voice came from the other end.

"Bells?"

"Hi, Dad."

"Um, hi. Is something wrong?"

"No, I just needed to tell you that we were coming home now."

"We?"

"Yeah, Dad. I caught a movie with Jacob. But we're on our way home." At this point, Jacob had started the car up, and we were exiting the parking lot.

"A movie? Where?"

"Somewhere in Seattle. Pacific Place Mall." I tried for calm, but I was afraid he would blow up at me, and it showed in my voice.

"Oh. Seattle." He was trying to find a gentle way to say it, I could tell. "Okay. I'm, uh, glad you called me. Are you safe?"

"Yes, dad. I'm fine." Jacob mouthed it to me. "And Jacob said hello."

"Oh, tell him I said hi. Okay then, I'll see you at home."

"Bye," I said not sure if he heard me. I ended the call and sighed with release before facing Jacob. "He said hi back. By the way, when do you think we'll be home by?"

"Um," he looked at the radio's time. "I'd say about 9:30, maybe 10. Is that too late?"

"No, that's fine." I was tired; from the day, from the "mini road trip", and of being with Jake. He didn't talk much, but that wasn't a problem. I lay my head on the back of the seat and my eyelids slowly lowered. I didn't get into a deep sleep, thank God, but I was still tired. I felt a hand grasp my shoulder, and I had a sore memory of this morning, of last night's dream, and, of course, Emmett.

"Bella..." a gentle, slightly husky voice sounded. "Bella, we're here. Wake up..."

I opened my eyes to see that night had fallen, and we were in his car, in my neighborhood. His kind face shone in front of my own, and he was sure that I was awake as I stretched in the car. He left his seat, slammed his door shut, and opened my door behind me. He grasped my right arm and I responded by sitting up, following his lead. I stood up on the sidewalk, and, behind me, Jake closed my door, and wrapped my jacket around me. I turned back to face him.

"Thanks," I blushed. "For everything. I'm glad I got to go out. It was fun," I ended lamely. He smiled anyway.

"No problem. I liked it, too...and I'm glad you had fun."

"Well, bye, Jacob."

"Bye, Bella," he gathered me into a warm hug that lasted a few seconds, and let go.

He left to his door, and waved before he got in and started the car. His car left off slowly, and his headlights left around the corner. I stood there until he was out of sight, and walked back to the front door. The cool night air brushed against my cheeks, and the lampposts were faintly lit. As I walked up to the door, I noticed that the window curtains that held close to the living room was a soft blue light dancing; the T.V. must have been on.

I unlocked the door to find that Charlie had waited up for me, but his sleep took over; he was snoring in his favorite armchair. I turned off the T.V., and pulled off my jacket as I walked into the kitchen. I brought out a glass and filled it with water. The icy liquid filled my cheeks, and trickled down my throat, burning and chilling it at the same time.

I ran up to the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. I left my bags in the bathroom without going to my room first and took a warm shower. I brushed my hair quickly pulling the tangles out, the weariness of sleep urging me to get to my bed. With a robe wrapped around my body, I grabbed my bags into my room and put on a fresh set of pajamas. I didn't bother to flip the light switch on, and I slung my jacket onto the chair at my desk. I put the bags and purse on my desk; I could put it all away in the morning. I turned around to grab my blanket --

"Hi..." A velvet voice brushed my eyelashes so quickly, I tripped on his shoe, and Edward's arms pulled me back up to face him in less than a second; my reflexes were abysmal. He laughed at my effort to regain my composure.

"Hi..." I said weakly, visions of me at the lake and of me hugging Jake clouded my mind. 'Hi' was all I could say at this point. His arms wrapped around my waist and I looked into his eyes helplessly.

"So...how was your day?" He asked with gleaming, warm golden eyes, and a smile that flashed his perfect white teeth.

"Good. I went to a movie," I said, matter-of-factly.

"I heard," he said in the same manner as my own. "How was it?"

"Boring, for the most part. But I bought two books at Barnes and Noble."

"Why didn't you take me?" he asked jokingly.

"Because, you were out, and I was invited. That a crime?" I asked trying to play along.

"When another guy is out with my girl, it becomes one." He stated, the joking tone was still present in his voice.

"Jake's a family friend. You know that." A hint of accusation was in my voice. "Didn't you?"

"Yes, Bella," he started to laugh. "It was only a joke," he lifted me up and carried me to the bed to set me down. "Why are you so tense anyway?" Oh, crap, he sensed it.

"I'm not tense," I breathed in deeply and let it out. "I'm fine, I'm just tired."

He lay me down and pulled a blanket over me. He was on his side, while one hand held him up and the other was playing with my fingers.

"Did you miss me?"

I closed my eyes and breathed in the cool night air. "Yes. A lot."

"Good," his voice coaxed my relaxation and tranquil state.

I felt his stony, cold lips push against my cheekbone below my eye and my eyelids flew open in surprise. He led kisses down my jaw line, kisses that left a burning and ice cold feeling in my throat. His most sensual kiss stopped at the hollow at the bottom of my throat. I felt like my heart was going to rip of out my chest, it was beating at such rhythms. His trail led back up my throat to my mouth and I could feel my eyes close again in pleasure. He pressed around the edges of my mouth and finally his lips joined my own.

My hands explored his back as I pulled him into a warm embrace and kissed him deeply. I broke the kiss, maybe out of exhaustion and maybe out of guilt, but he didn't object to my release. His arms held me close, and once again, I lost consciousness to night in a Cullen's arms, except for this time, he was the one I wanted to be with and the one I needed to be with, forever.

AN: Hope you guys like the way the story is going. There should only be one more chapter left. But thanks for waiting for this one. :)

2nd Disclaimer: I don't own the people mentioned in this fic, such as Jenny, the server, and if there is a server named Jenny who works at Il Fornaio in Seattle, then sorry, I didn't mean you. :) But anyways, this should be the last part of the disclaimer...oh yeah!! I do own the alternate universe where this story takes place...if you could call it an alternate universe. thanks for reading guys!!!

REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!