Disclaimer: No matter how badly I would love to, I don't own Twilight or the Characters.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and/or alerted my story!!!

(GETTING TO KNOW YOU)

I was up half an hour earlier than normal this morning, I could only figure it was because I was excited at the idea of seeing them again. I wasn't sure why exactly, I took extra time picking out my clothes for today. Nothing fancy or dressy. I finally settled on an outfit Jacob helped me pick out. It was a thin long sleeve red v-neck sweater, and a long blue jean skirt. I pulled my bangs back in a half pony tail. I was heading down stairs to get some breakfast when I heard a knock on the door. "Just a minute." I called. I hurried down the stairs, Charlie was at work, I couldn't figure who'd be here this early. I peeked through the window before I opened the door, I didn't want another kidnapping surprise. It was Emmett.

"Hey." I said, opening the door. "Um, what are you doing here?" I asked, looking for his siblings.

"I came alone."

"OK Sorry, forgot my manners. You want to come in?"

"Sure." I moved away from the door so he could come in the house and closed it behind him. He stood in the kitchen taking it all in. "Ahem," I cleared my throat.

"Sorry. Lost in thought, I guess. Anyway, I came by to see if you wanted a ride to school."

"What about the everyone else? Didn't you ride together yesterday?"

"Yeah, but we all have our own cars, they just took Edwards."

"Oh, OK, sure, just let me grab my books." I headed for the stairs.

"Take your time, we don't need to leave for another 20 minutes," he said, wandering around the living room. I took my time gathering my school books, but even still it only took me about 5 minutes to get back downstairs to him.

He was sitting on the couch going through an old photo album. I could already feel my cheeks warming up, oh dear.

"Something wrong?" He asked, without looking up.

"No, why do you say that?"

"I could hear your heart beat speed up."

"You can hear it? Really?" I was intrigued.

He laughed, "Yeah. Super vampire senses They are like 1000 times better than yours."

"Oh." That was the best I could come up with? Oh?

"So, come tell me about these pictures." I went and sat next to him on the couch. He had the photo album that covered ages 8 and 9. Flipping back to the beginning, he pointed to the first picture.

"Well, I was 8, and it was my birthday. In Florida, with my mom and Phil." He pointed to the next picture. "Are you going to do that with every picture?" I asked, "because if so, we're gonna be late for school."

"Nope, got another 10 minutes before we have to leave, but that's OK, we can skip some." He studied each photo carefully before moving on to the next. They went from age 8 and living in sunny Florida with my mom, to age 9 and living in gloomy Forks with my dad. One time he pointed to a picture of me and Emma, asking who she was. I explained that she was my sister, and that even though I loved her dearly, she was part of the reason I came back to Forks. He said that he would have to thank her someday for that, he could never live in Florida. "You're happier here."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at your face. See, you smile more here."

Hmm, I'd never noticed that, but he was right. I didn't particularly want to think about that. "Come on big guy," I said taking the putting the album back on the table and taking his hand. "Those 10 minutes are up, and some of us haven't taken these classes before."

He laughed, "I really like you Bella."

I blushed. We walked out to his Hummer and he opened the door for me and helped me up into the seat. "You look really nice, by the way." He said, before he closed the door and immediately opened his own. I don't know if I'd get used to this or not. "You need heat on or something?"

"No, I'm fine."

"OK"

"Emmett, do you remember being human?"

"Some. I remember that my dad died not long before I 'disappeared.' I had my own apartment, but I moved back in with my mom for a while. My sister still lived at home, but she was only 16, they needed a man in the house. She was a sweet girl, and my mom, she was the nicest woman anyone could ever meet. She didn't deserve to lose us both in such a short time. About a month after I moved back in, these men came to the house, said my dad owed them money. I very politely told them that my dad was dead, they wouldn't be getting any money from me, we needed every little bit we had to keep our home, and all. I got a phone call one night, some guy saying he had my sister, and if I didn't come and pay the money dad owed, he'd put her out to make money for him til the debt was paid in full, with interest.

Well, you can guess this didn't sit well with me at all. I went to the house, got all the money I could find and my dads old pistol. If they had hurt her, in any way, they were dead."

I could see that it bothered him to talk about it. "Emmett, it's OK, if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."

"No, it's OK Anyway, I get there and see my baby sister, sitting in a chair with her head slumped over, a gag in her mouth, hands tied behind the back of the chair. I didn't think. I was a bit of a hot-head anyway. I just went in there with my gun drawn. There were 3 men. I surprised them enough that I was able to shoot one. I don't know if I killed him or not, and I don't care, it was no less than what he deserved." He took another breath. "Before I had a chance to fire on the second one, someone shot me, in the chest, Caroline was unconscious, thankfully, that wasn't something she needed to see. So there I was, laying there bleeding to death. I heard a loud noise, but couldn't find the source of it. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in a house with people claiming to be vampires. Edward and Rose had been to see a show that night and came up on my 'confrontation.' Rose was better around blood than Edward so she carried me back to Carlise, while Edward took my unharmed sister home. I couldn't go see them after that. No one ever found my body so they think I ran away. I did read that Caroline married a few years later, he was well off, so he took good care of them both."

"I'm sorry Emmett."

"For what? Bella you didn't do anything." By this time we were at the school, Emmett walked around and opened my door to let me out. I leaned over and hugged him, he seemed startled but returned the hug, a little too tight.

"Emm...ett, c..can't b..b...breathe." He released his hold on me, put his arm around my shoulder and walked me to homeroom. People stared, but I didn't care, they were gonna find something to talk about anyway. When we got to my door, he pushed me in the room, told me he'd see me at lunch and walked away. I really had no idea what I was going to do about Emmett.

"Hey Bella," Jessica came over to me, You two seem pretty chummy, anything going on?"

"No, Jess, we're just friends."

"Sure, Bella, whatever you say, so seen the new kid?"

"Yeah, I've met all 5 of them, yesterday, that was one of them, Emmett."

"No, not them. There's a new guy today, names Mac."