Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. You all know who does.

Edward's Point of View

Well, Alice wasn't one to dawdle – not with shopping to look forward to. In fact, she wasn't even willing to wait until the next day. About thirty minutes after Bella admitted that she only had two pairs of clothes, we were all getting into my Volvo and Carlisle's Mercedes, and heading to Seattle. And the only reason we didn't leave immediately was because Bella argued – fiercely. She said she didn't have much money, and then flat-out refused when Alice offered to lend her some. She was already indebted to us, she said – she would not take our money. But Alice would not be deterred. She argued Bella down, until Bella's last excuse was that her clothes – a black tank-top and shorts – weren't suitable for shopping in Seattle. She would be too conspicuous.

Of course, that didn't bother Alice either, because if there was one thing that Alice had in abundance, it was clothes. She pulled Bella into her gigantic closet, and when Bella emerged a few minutes later, she was wearing a deep blue satin shirt that flowed perfectly over her slender frame, designer jeans, black ballet flats – and a frown. Alice practically shoved her out of the house, her mind filled with chagrin – she'd been unable to put Bella in something with a lower back, because that would have shown Bella's scars.

My eyes lingered on Bella. She looked lovely – that color of blue brought the creamy color of her fair skin. But why was I thinking that? It was just an observation, surely. Maybe. The way my stomach turned over whenever she glanced at me certainly wasn't objective. Stop it, Edward, I scolded myself. You don't even know her. But that didn't keep me from telling her how lovely she looked, and it didn't stop me from feeling happy when she smiled back at me, her smile a mixture of surprise, pleasure, uncertainty, and shyness.

Bella, Alice, Jasper, Esme, and I rode in the Volvo, with Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett following behind us in the Mercedes. Alice was her usual perky, talkative self, so she kept up an almost constant stream of small talk from where she sat between Bella and Jasper in the back seat. She tried to ask Bella about where she came from, but most of the time Bella just shook her head instead of answering. I did learn a few things about her, though, from the few times she did respond. She had traveled a lot her whole life. She didn't have much family – or friends, I thought. And she was very self-reliant.

Bella kept her face and voice smooth and controlled for much of the drive, but from little slips in her control, I discerned a few things on my own. From a flicker of wistfulness and sadness in her eyes as she said that she didn't have many relatives, I inferred that maybe she had lost some of her family, or that she wanted one. When I saw a flash of weariness in her eyes as she spoke of traveling her whole life, I guessed that maybe she wished that she'd been able to stay in one place and rest.

And then we reached the mall in Seattle, and it was time to shop. Alice led the way inside the mall, dragging a resisting Bella along with her, and the rest of us trailed behind her, watching Alice tow Bella from store to store with amused eyes. We did a little shopping here and there – Rosalie picked out a top she liked, and Esme found an anniversary present for Carlisle – but we didn't really need anything.

Bella was actually very good at fending off Alice's suggestions about what she should buy. She was unmovable – she only bought a few pairs of reasonably priced jeans and shirts. Nothing more. Not the Gucci purse Alice thought she would like, or the blue dress that Alice insisted would look perfect on her. She was adamant. It was a little impressive – most of our family just gave in and bought whatever Alice wanted us to buy so she would stop annoying us. But not Bella.

Alice wasn't going to let Bella rain on her shopping parade, however, and bought several things that caught her eye, including a shirt that she insisted would be the new "in" fashion in three weeks. I didn't argue with her on that point – I learned not to bet against Alice a long time ago. Within two hours, Alice had Jasper loaded down with shopping bags. Not all of it was for her, though. From looking at the sizes of a few of the things she bought, I thought that some things might be for Bella.

Jasper was running out of ways to balance the mountain of bags he carried without looking too conspicuous, so Bella offered to take the bags out to the car. Jasper unloaded most of the bags into Bella's arms, then she left, looking relieved to be getting away from the noisy crowds of people. I pressed the keys to my Volvo into her hand as she passed, and was rewarded again with one of her quick, slightly uncertain smiles. Jasper glanced at me strangely when he processed the leap in my emotions, but I just shook my head.

Emmett watched Bella go with a smirk on his face. Better watch her and make sure she doesn't steal the car and make a run for it, he thought humorously. He wasn't really worried about it – he was just being sarcastic. But that got me thinking – Bella had been quick to offer to take the bags out. So, feeling incredibly guilty, I followed Bella's movements through the eyes of the people she walked past in the mall and then the parking lot. But we had parked far out in the lot, and soon I ran out of people to see through.

But then she appeared in a new mind. I could see that she had opened the trunk of my car and was in the process of stuffing the bags into it, trying to be careful of our purchases. And then I actually heard what the person I was seeing through was thinking.

I stopped dead in the middle of the mall, momentarily frozen in horror, then spun toward the nearest exit and started walking fast, hating that the humans around me forced me to move so slowly. My family caught up to me quickly, silently asking concerned questions.

Quietly, so I the humans around me wouldn't hear, I growled out my answer. "There's a man in the parking lot. He's going to kidnap Bella and steal the car."

Everyone relaxed slightly. Edward, Alice reminded me, Bella's not human – I'm sure she'll be all right.

"He has a gun, Alice," I snapped. "Do you know for sure that she's bulletproof?" There were no more questions after that.

I continued to monitor the man's thoughts as we went. He scanned the area for witnesses, then ran forward and pressed the barrel of his revolver to Bella's ribcage. "Get in the car," he growled.

Bella, ignoring both the gun and the man's order, and pivoted to face her assailant. Her expression threw him off guard for a moment – her brown eyes were blazing hot with fury, and there was no trace of fear in her face. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice dangerously low and absolutely livid. The man's heartbeat accelerated in fear. My family and I had reached the parking lot by then, but there were still too many people around for us to run at full speed.

Bella's attacker was starting to panic – he was afraid that someone would see him soon. So he raised his gun and pointed the barrel right between Bella's eyes. "Get in the car!" he hissed again.

We had passed all the people. We started to run, but just as Bella and her attacker came into our view, Bella took the situation into her own hands. Faster than her human assailant's eyes could see, she cocked her arm back and punched him in the throat.

The man dropped his gun in favor of grabbing his throat with both hands. His trachea severely bruised, the man's knees buckled and he started to fall. But the choking man didn't reach the ground – Bella took at step back and executed a perfect kick to under the man's chin, hard enough to knock him backwards. His jaws slammed together, and he blacked out as he started to fall again. This time, Bella let him, and he landed spread-eagled on his back on the pavement.

Coolly, not seeming bothered in the least, Bella picked up his gun and swiftly and expertly unloaded it with smooth, practiced movements, like she did it all the time. Then she pocketed the bullets and tossed the revolver to me. I caught it automatically, but didn't speak. No one spoke – we were all staring at Bella, who, without saying a word, returned to the trunk of the Volvo and continued to place bags in it as if nothing had happened. When she'd finished, she finally looked at us, her eyebrows raised in a silent inquiry, asking us what we were staring at.

Emmett was the first to respond. "So," he began, very impressed, "what are you, an assassin?"

And, for the first time, I heard Bella laugh. She tilted her head back and laughed freely, the sound shimmering bells in the air. When she stopped laughing, she replied with a smile, "Hardly." She gestured to the unconscious man on the pavement. "He's still alive, isn't he?" she pointed out. "What kind of assassin leaves an attacker alive?"

That broke the tension slightly. Emmett and Jasper chuckled. Alice, Esme, and Carlisle were still too relieved that Bella was alive to find anything funny, but they were no longer stunned. Rosalie was trying very hard not to remember her own human life, which had ended in a situation much like this one. And Emmett wasn't about to let the topic go. "So what are you?" he demanded.

Bella's face tightened a little. She moved past us without answering and knelt by the man she'd knocked out. Briskly, she started to check him over, looking for any serious injuries. Carlisle, his doctor tendencies springing to life, joined her. After a quick examination, they both got up. "Nothing life threatening," Carlisle reported. Bella nodded in agreement.

Emmett was still looking at Bella, still waiting for her answer. She sighed, and looked away. Her eyes distant, she answered quietly. "I was a soldier." There was a slight emphasis on the past tense. Bella said nothing else after that, just unlocked the car and got in. We all did the same – it was obvious that our shopping trip had come to a close.

The drive back home was quiet. Jasper was mulling over some possible backgrounds for Bella – none that he could think of quite fit. Alice was worrying about why she hadn't seen Bella being attacked. Esme, afraid that Bella was more shaken up that she appeared, was so filled with horror and sympathy for Bella that as soon as we pulled into our driveway and got out of the car, she pulled Bella into a tight hug. Apparently, Bella was not used to hugs. Her eyes widened, and she stood rigidly and awkwardly while Esme threw her arms around her. After a second of shock, she raised her hands as though she was going to either hug Esme back or push her away, but her hands fluttered hesitantly, uncertainly, at her sides, and she ended up not doing anything at all.

Esme pulled back but kept her hands on Bella's shoulders. "I'm so sorry that happened to you," she said fervently.

Bella was definitely out of her comfort zone now. "Don't be," she muttered, "I can take care of myself."

"But he had a gun!" Esme protested.

"Yes," Bella responded slowly, looking at Esme strangely, "I know he had a gun – which wouldn't have hurt me, even he'd had a chance to pull the trigger."

Esme blinked. So that's why she seems so calm, she thought to herself. She was never in any danger. "Well," she said, letting go of Bella, "I'm still sorry it happened. Now why don't we go inside?"

Bella, though she was still obviously..... well, weirded out by Esme's concern, nodded and started up the steps, but paused when Emmett spoke. "You all go ahead – Jasper and I never finished the match we started before Bella here showed up," he said, beckoning Jasper out to the middle of the front yard.

Jasper sighed and ran a hand through his blond hair in frustration. "I don't suppose there's any use in trying to get you to let it go – even though we all know I'm going to win, just like I do every time."

Emmett scowled as he and Jasper faced off. "Don't be so cocky," he warned. Then, without taking his eyes off Jasper, asked, "Bella? You going to stay and watch the show?"

Bella laughed once and sat down on the front steps, resting her chin on her hand. "Sure," she responded. "But I already know how it'll turn out – Jasper's going to win."

Emmett straightened abruptly from the crouch he'd been in. "What?" he cried. "Come on – somebody give me some credit!"

Bella shrugged. "He's a faster, smarter fighter," she explained.

Emmett crossed his arms over his chest, accenting the strength of his arms. "Jasper is not smarter than me," he argued.

"Did I say that?" Bella inquired. "I said that he's a smart fighter."

"And I'm not?" Emmett challenged, his ego bruised.

Bella met his eyes, unworried. "Frankly, no," she responded calmly.

Jasper was successfully trying not to laugh as Bella continued to stun Emmett with her candid answers, but his eyes were slightly crinkled at the corners, showing his mirth. Carlisle, Esme, and Alice were likewise entertained – even Rosalie, despite herself, was a little amused.

Emmett launched himself at Jasper, determined to prove Bella wrong. His anger, however, made him even less careful about the attack that usual, so it was very easy for Jasper to sidestep him and pounce on his back, placing his teeth at Emmett's neck.

Emmett cursed furiously and stormed into the woods across the river next to our home to fume and sulk. Jasper walked away from him and joined Alice where she stood by the front door, taking her hand before they went inside. Carlisle and Esme followed, Esme wrapping her arm around my father's waist. Rosalie, too, went upstairs to finish the design of a dress she'd been working on, knowing that Emmett would not welcome her presence at the moment. And I decided to play my piano.

I sat down on the bench and ran my fingers across my most treasured possession. It had been too long since I'd played – so long I almost felt ashamed. I played a few scales first, to check the intonation and smiled slightly – it was still perfectly tuned. Then I turned my fingers to the keys and started to play Esme's favorite composition of mine. Her mental tone became appreciative and happier as she listened to me play from upstairs.

Alice and Jasper were talking about old memories – the days just after Alice had found Jasper in Philadelphia. Rosalie was absorbed in her task. The overall tone of my family that evening was very peaceful and happy. I loved it when it was like that – it made me so much more aware of how lucky I was to have a family like I did.

Emmett was the only dark spot in the otherwise bright atmosphere. I could still hear his thoughts from where he sat in a tree about three miles away, going over all the fights he'd ever had with Jasper, trying his hardest to figure out what he could do differently to win. He thought he was alone with his thoughts..... until Bella materialized beside him. "Jeez!" he gasped, jumping about a foot in the air, then glaring at Bella when he sat back down on the tree branch. Where'd she come from?! he thought. "Can't you make some freaking noise whenever you show up? You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Bella smiled faintly at Emmett from where she crouched casually on a branch beside Emmett's. "Sorry – I didn't mean to startle you. In answer to your question, I suppose I could make some noise, but it goes against everything I've been taught since birth, so I probably won't."

Emmett's lips twitched. She's sort of funny – in a weird, unintentional way."That was kind of a rhetorical question, but okay."

Bella frowned slightly. "Oh."

Emmett sighed. Better cut to the chase. "What did you want, anyway? Did you come to tell me how bad I did?"

Bella shook her head, a glint of humor deep in her brown eyes. "No. I think you already know how badly you fought – why else would you be out here?" Emmett scowled – Rub it in, why don't you? he muttered silently – and started to make a scathing reply, but Bella held her up hand palm-forward, gesturing for Emmett to wait before he said anything. "I came," Bella continued, "to offer my assistance."

Emmett guffawed. Yeah, right. "Your assistance? How exactly could you assist me?"

Bella paid no attention to his sarcastic doubt. "I told you that I was a soldier – I was very well trained. If you'd like, I could teach you a few things."

Emmett stared at her incredulously. Good grief! I'm not so bad that I'd let a girl teach me! My lips twitched when I heard that – how Emmett could still be blind to the fact that Bella was not an average girl, I had no idea. "Are you serious?" he demanded. "What could you possibly have to teach me? This is ridiculous." I'm not letting her walk all over me, he thought firmly.

He started to jump from the tree, but Bella's cool, confident voice from behind him made him stop. "Give me three weeks, and you'll be able to beat Jasper."

Emmett turned slowly and looked into Bella's eyes. There was no trace of doubt or joking in them. She was serious. She really thought that she could help him beat Jasper. Hmmm..... Emmett turned it over in his mind. He was still doubtful of Bella's ability, but she looked like she knew what she was talking about. Oh, what the heck? Emmett finally conceded. It's not like she'll make me any worse. "Fine," he said. "Three weeks."

Bella smiled widely. She stood gracefully and leaped from the branch she'd been on, landing silently on the ground. "Don't tell anyone about this – it would be better if we didn't have an audience," she called up to Emmett. "Except – please tell Rosalie. I promised her that I'd leave as soon as she thought I was a threat, and, oddly enough, I like it here. I'd rather not leave right away. I don't want her finding out later and getting angry."

Emmett couldn't help laughing at that. Well, he thought, this should be interesting, if nothing else.

I smiled as I continued to play my piano. Quickly, I scanned the thoughts of the rest of my family – they had heard nothing of Bella and Emmett's conversation. My smile widened – I agreed with my brother. This should be interesting indeed.