Disclaimer:

Emmett: Donna does not own Twilight. I am a figment of Stephenie Meyer's imagination. Donna just wishes that she had been smart enough to create me.

Everything changed after Bella went to Emmett's. Things started happening that wouldn't have normally happened to her. Good things, exciting things. When she came home from Emmett's on Saturday night she found a letter from her mom on the kitchen table. Inside was a money order for two hundred dollars. She knew that her mom didn't have that kind of money, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She would use the money to buy the things she would need to make Emmett dinner.

She was cleaning out her truck on Sunday afternoon when she found a twenty dollar bill jammed underneath the passenger seat. She knew that it wasn't hers so she called Billy to tell him what had happened. He had told her that she could keep it as long as she used it to put gas in it and she promised to make him strawberry rhubarb pie.

She woke up on Monday morning with a bounce in her step, something else that wasn't normal. Normally she trudged through the beginning of the week. She was up before her alarm clock went off and was downstairs making pancakes when Charlie came down at seven thirty.

"What's with you?" he asked groggily.

"Why are you up? I was going to put this stuff in the stove and leave a note for you," she asked with her hands on her hips.

"I smelt coffee and couldn't go back to sleep, since I'm up it wouldn't hurt to eat," he said shuffling into the kitchen.

Bella set a plate of pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausage in front of him a few minutes later. He dove in like he hadn't eaten in days.

"You never answered my question," he said in between chewing.

"I wanted to say thank you for letting Emmett come over for dinner."

"Any word about if the boys can come over? I remember you saying that you were going to ask them."

"Embry is still grounded, Billy says that he needs Jake at home tonight and Quil has to work."

"Make sure to make extra so that we can take them some," he suggested.

"I planned on it," she said with a nod.

"Do you need money for all the stuff that you need to buy?"

"Nope, the money that mom sent me should cover it."

Emmett pulled into the drive way a little before eight as Bella was washing the dishes. Charlie headed back upstairs as she gathered her things.

"Sleep good," she said before kissing his cheek quickly.

"Have a good day," he murmured from the top of the stairs.

She took the stairs two at a time then locked the door after her before turning to walk down the walkway. Edward's car sat in the driveway. Emmett was standing by the back passenger door and he opened it for her once she had made it to him. She gave him a confused look and he gave her one that said that he would explain later in return. Bella slid into the car silently and Edward turned in his seat to greet her. He gave her a tense smile and she smiled warmly back. She was going to be nice; she would not let him get under her skin.

Emmett slid across the seat to drape an arm over the back of the seat. She turned her head to smile at him and he captured her lips in a light kiss.

"Morning, Beautiful," he greeted.

"Morning," she said, still smiling.

She leaned against him and he rested his chin on her chin for the ride to school. Once at school Edward and Rosalie quickly got out of the car while Emmett kept a grip on Bella's shoulders.

"That kiss was pathetic, I demand a redo," he said before leaning once more.

He cupped her neck and one of hands rested on his chest. The kiss was gentle but urgent. He pulled away after a few seconds with a sigh.

"We have an audience."

"Since when has that ever stopped you from doing anything?"

"I was thinking of you, I know that you don't like people prying into your business."

"You're right, I don't. That doesn't mean that you can't kiss me in public," she said before brushing her lips to his quickly.

She opened her door and she stepped out and he slid out behind her. He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. They walked past crowds of people staring at them, but she didn't notice. They could say whatever they wanted, she didn't care. At her locker he leaned against the locker next to hers watching her.

"Okay, it's time to explain why we rode to school with Edward and Rosalie," she said as she her locker.

"It was a test to see if they could be nice to you, he passed…sort of and she didn't even try."

"She was nice, she didn't even say anything. You don't have to put them through the ringer just so that they'll like me. Their opinion doesn't bother me," she said sincerely.

"Well it bothers me," he said outside her first class.

"We'll talk more about this later," she said giving him a stern look.

"Joy," he said with mock enthusiasm.

The rest of the day past with more stares and whispers hidden behind hands. Bella was not to let anyone bring her down from euphoria. At the end of the day she was making her way down the hall with Angela when someone she caught someone she didn't know staring at her.

"What is everyone's deal? Why is my having a boyfriend cause for a social media meltdown?"

"They're intrigued by the Cullen's. You broke into their inner circle without even trying. People are going to talk. Do you know that Lauren is telling people that you are pregnant?"

Bella's mouth fell open and air went down her wind pipe causing her to choke, getting the attention of everyone around them. Angela put a hand on her back to keep her from falling over.

"Why would she say something like that?" Bella asked when she had regained her composure.

"That's her theory for why Emmett chose you over the rest of us. He got you pregnant and now he feels obligated to be with you," Angela said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Oh, I'll set her straight," Bella seethed.

"I want you to know that I personally think that it was no one's business but yours and Emmett's. Everyone else can suck it," she said with a firm nod.

"I am so glad that I have you as a friend," Bella said with a breathy laugh.

"I may be the only you have for a while. Mike told Jessica that she shouldn't hang out with you, and she's taking it to heart. She's had a crush on him for three years. He didn't even start paying attention to her until you came to town."

"I don't know what has gotten into everybody. They act like they've never seen two people date before."

"The Cullen's are like celebrities, and you are the commoner who all of the other girls want to be yet they love to trash talk about."

"That explains it so well, thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you realize that we've had a five minute conversation and Emmett has not shown up yet?"

"That is a little strange," Bella agreed with a chuckle.

"I spoke too soon," she said gesturing down the hall.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Bella said over her shoulder.

"Yeah, uh huh, sure. Go see your boyfriend," Angela teased.

Bella grinned from ear to ear, stifling a laugh. Emmett was a few feet away from her when someone bumped into her. She recovered quickly, seeing Lauren a few feet away glaring daggers at her.

"What's with her?" he asked in concern.

"Don't know, don't care," she said loud enough for Lauren to hear.

"Let's go," he said taking her hand.

"Where have you been?"

"I went to get my Jeep. I didn't think that you would want to sit through uncomfortable silence again."

"How many times do I have to tell you that your brother's and sister's opinion of me doesn't matter?" she asked with a sigh.

"It bothers me. The two of them are out of line."

She kept silent, knowing that it was better to leave the subject alone. If he had a problem with his family than they needed to work it out sooner rather than later, because it would just get worse if they let it get out of hand.

XXXX

Emmett sat at the table watching Bella work at the counter. There wasn't a space on the counter that wasn't covered in flour. Bella was covered in flour from her fingertips to her elbows as she kneaded the dough. She had led the way through the specialty store while he pushed the cart. She had needed more than she thought. Her dad's grater was outdated and he didn't have a pizza pan. He didn't even have a mixing bowl. The money from her mom hadn't lasted long.

"I didn't realize that cooking was so messy," he said to get her attention.

She glowered at him over her shoulder before flicking flour at him. He laughed silently as she went back to back to work. He was content to just watch her. She was obviously in her element. Cooking made her happy the way that logging had when he had been alive. He smiled sadly, remembering a simpler time when he didn't have worry about letting a girl get too close to him without hurting her.

He had never resented Carlisle for changing him the way that Rosalie did nor had he rebelled the way that Edward had. Transforming from life to the next had been almost seamless for him. Yes, he did miss his family and his former wife, but he had quickly realized that he hadn't really lost much at all. The Cullen's were his family now.

"You're too quiet," Bella's voice broke through the silence.

"I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about my life. How when one ended, I entered a new life without all of the trouble that most newborns have."

"Can you tell me what it's like to be a newborn vampire?"

"Not tonight. Soon, I promise," he vowed.

"I only asked so that I know what to expect," she said with a shrug.

"What?" he asked quizzically.

"I just figured that it might happen one day. I'm not getting any younger and I don't want to be asked why I am dating someone who is young enough to be my grandson one day," she explained.

"If you were changed it would start a war," he said trying to remain calm.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning to face him.

"We have a treaty with the Quileute's; if it's broken they will attack without thinking twice."

"Then we could leave," she rationalized.

"How can you be so accepting? It's mind boggling," he said in wonder.

"I was raised to be nonjudgmental," she said with a shrug.

"You would give up everything to be with me?" he asked as he stood.

"You can't be the only one who has to make sacrifices," she whispered.

"You are too good to be true," he said with a breathy laugh.

"What if something happened to me? Would you change me then?"

"I would do everything in power to make sure that nothing ever happens to you. So we don't have to worry about that."

"But what if something did?" she prodded.

"Then my family will have to get used to their being one more of us," he promised.

He crossed the short distance to her, enveloping her in his arms before burying his face in her hair. Being close to her like this got easier with every passing day. Her scent was like a drug to him and he never wanted to forget anything about her. He couldn't believe that she would even think of becoming a vampire. Just once, he would like to see inside her head so that he knew what she thought of. Edward was growing more frustrated by the day; she had a wall up that he couldn't break through. It was about time that someone took him down a few notches.

XXXX

Bella sat across from Emmett, watching him devour half of a meat lover's pizza. He hadn't said a single word since she sat in front of him. Her nervousness melted away with every bite that he took. So far he had eaten four slices with no signs of stopping. Luckily she had one pizza cooling and another in the oven and she had extra dough for when she made a pizza for the boys.

Emmett ate four more slices before he finally sighed in relief. He grabbed a napkin from the holder in the center of the table and silently wiped his mouth. Bella watched him expectantly, waiting for his opinion.

"I have never had anything that tasted so good in my life, other than my mother's apple pie."

"I will gladly come in second after your mother," she said with a laugh.

"Is there more?"

"You want more?" she asked with wide eyes.

"To take home," he explained.

"Sure," she said with a nod and a laugh.

"Thank you for making me dinner," he said with an easy smile.

"You're welcome."

"It's almost ten, your dad should be home soon," he said as he looked over her shoulder to the clock.

"Will you come over tonight?"

"I promised Carlisle that I would stay with the girls while he, Edward and Jasper went hunting. They're going to be gone for a few days," he said with a shake of his head.

"Okay," she said with a nod.

They both stood from the table at the same time and Bella walked him to the door. He placed a finger underneath her chin tilting her head towards his. He leaned down to brush his lips to hers. His lips stayed on hers for a few seconds before pulling away. He gave her a crooked smile before opening the door.

Bella stood at the door until he pulled away. She fell against the door once she had shut it with a shaky laugh. She didn't know how she had managed to get his attention on her first day of school, but she was not going to test the fates. She knew not to ruin a good thing when she had it.

XXXX

Charlie was waiting in the living room when Bella came home the next afternoon. He called for her to come and sit with him, making her nervous. Charlie's inability to express his feelings had been passed down to her. She sat on the couch while he sat in the recliner a few feet away.

"Did Emmett decide not to stay today?"

"He has a lot of homework to get done tonight," she said with a shake of her head.

"School is important," Charlie agreed.

"I have a paper to write on Catcher in the Rye and then I have to make dinner, so if that was all you wanted, I'm going to go upstairs and get my homework done."

He put a hand up to stop her as she started to stand from the couch.

"I have a few things that I want to say," he explained.

"Okay."

"I feel that it's time that I set some ground rules for you. Now that you have a boyfriend, things are going to change around here. I don't mind Emmett coming over, but he can't stay past nine. The first time that he interferes with your school work he won't be allowed to come back over and you won't be allowed over to his house."

"I understand," Bella said with a nod.

"Also, I don't mind that he's here on the weekends, but the next time that he is, make sure that he doesn't eat us out of house and home."

"Emmett didn't do that. Jacob and Quil did," she said in defense.

"Do you really expect me to believe that? The two of them are as skinny as bean poles," he said giving her an even look.

"I swear it was. You can call Jake and ask."

"I'll take your word for it. But just make sure that Emmett doesn't ever do that."

"Is there anything else that you want to add?"

"No, that's all. Go start your homework," he said in dismissal.

She made her way upstairs hearing him walking around downstairs. She knew that rules were necessary and that she needed to follow them. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that Billy had been the one to tell Charlie that he needed to set some ground rules. She would do everything that Charlie asked; she would prove to him that she could responsible. Maybe than he would ease up and let Emmett stay later on the weekends.