Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

The house was dark as she slid the window open. She climbed in as quietly as she could but caught her foot on the window sill. She was able to save herself from falling but couldn't hold back the gasp that made her throat clench shut. Embry turned over in bed, propping his head up with his hand. She sighed as she closed the window before making her way over to him.

He held up the covers and scooted over at the same time to make room for her. She toed off her shoes before crawling into bed with him. He rolled over onto his back and her head was on his shoulder before the blanket fell over them. His fingers brushed her arm as he let out a sleepy sigh.

"Sorry for waking you," she mumbled.

"'S okay," he said, his voice thick with sleep.

She rolled over on her side, a hand resting on his chest before closing her eyes.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked.

"No. I just couldn't sleep. I'm getting too used to sleeping you."

"That's not a bad thing," he said kissing her temple.

She smiled, knowing that he was right. Most nights she usually made her way over to his house because she couldn't sleep. There had been a few nights when he would be the one to wake her up and they would sleep in the hammock like their first night together but usually she was the one climbing through his window. She knew that it was because she was stressed and she had taken on too much. He had a calming, soothing effect on her that she hadn't expected.

His deep even breathing lulled her to sleep a few minutes later. They were going to take their alone time while they could. Pretty soon things would change and they wouldn't know what to do with all the time they had together.

XXXX

Bella's phone rang while she was helping Seth with his homework. She reached across the sea of books and papers to retrieve it before it went to voice mail.

"Hey Mom," she said answering it.

"Hey honey."

"I haven't heard from you in a while."

"It's close to the end of the year and I'm trying to get things wrapped up for the school year."

"How does it feel to be a full time teacher again?"

"This year has been wonderful. I'm gonna miss the kids when they move up to the third grade."

"But you'll have a new class full of eight year olds to grow attached to."

"You're absolutely right. You always are."

"Not always," Bella said with a laugh.

Seth asked her a question and she answered him before putting the phone back to her ear.

"Was that Embry?" Renee asked.

"No, it was Seth."

"You're still at Sue's?"

"We'll be here for the next few weeks."

"How are you and Embry doing?"

"We're doing okay. He's getting ready for graduation and I've been working double shifts most days so we don't see each other that much."

"Why have you been working double shifts?"

"I didn't tell you that the other girl who works there quit?"

"No."

"Since Embry has so much going on and Mike isn't home from college yet a lot of the work load has fallen on me."

"When will Mike be home?"

"This weekend, Mr. Newton was nice enough to give me the weekend off, but Embry is spending the weekend at the University of Washington so that he can get an idea of what life will be like when we start college so I think I'll just hang out here."

"How do you manage to keep him around if you never see him?"

"We make time. There just isn't a lot of it," she said with a shy laugh.

"The reason I was calling was because I was wondering if you wanted to come to see me before you leave for college."

"Embry and I have plans this summer. I would need to talk to him."

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're going on a summer long road trip."

"That sounds fun."

"I can't wait. The past few months have been so crazy. I can't keep up with all of the changes sometimes."

"I blame my mom," Seth said not looking up from his English textbook.

"That's not nice," Bella said wadding up a piece of paper and throwing it at him.

"It's the truth," he said cracking a smile.

"How old is he?"

"He'll sixteen in December."

"God, he was just a baby when we came up for your granddad's funeral. Do you remember that?"

"No," she said with a laugh.

"You were only four, of course you don't remember. Why did I even ask?"

"Because it's the only memory you have of him."

"Have you finished filling up that album that I sent you?"

Renee had given her a new photo album for Christmas last year. It was harder to fill up than the last one because Jacob, Leah, and her dad hated having their pictures taken. There were a lot of Embry and Seth because her mom didn't know them. She had taken more shots of the beach than she could count but she knew that they wouldn't compare to the beaches in Florida.

"Almost, some people have been less than willing to have their picture taken than others."

"Charlie never has liked having his picture taken."

"It's not just Dad, its Jake and Leah too."

"Speaking of Jake, how are the two of you doing?"

"Jake and I are good. Things are finally back the way they used to be. He's spending a lot of his time in Tacoma because that's where his girlfriend goes to school."

"He's moved on?"

"He had a girlfriend before Embry and I got together."

"So this is the same girl that you told me about at Christmas?"

"Yes ma'am."

"I should let you go. I wish that you would reconsider coming to see me. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"You'll send me postcards from all the places that you visit, won't you?"

"That's what you used to do."

"And you promised me that if you ever traveled that you would do the same thing," she said endearingly.

"I'll send you a post card from every place I go."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Talk to you soon."

"Okay."

Bella hung up the phone to see Seth staring at her. She gave him a curious look as he continued to stare at her.

"What?"

"If I hadn't known I would have thought that you were talking to my mom."

"My mom and I have a very close relationship."

"Like the one you have with my mom," he observed.

"Pretty much, I guess I'm close to your mom because I miss mine."

"I can understand that."

"She'll never replace my mom though, like my dad will never replace yours."

"I know," he said quietly before looking back down at his textbook.

Visiting her mom was a part of her summer plans, but she wasn't going to tell her mom that. Embry had mentioned that he wanted to meet her not long after the decision to tour the east coast had been made. Jacksonville was only an hour and a half drive from where Joshua lived in Sarasota. She could see the look of surprise on Renee's face when they showed up without notice. Bella had already talked to Phil and he had promised to keep it a secret. She planned to tell her mom the truth about Embry while she was there and she was praying that her mom would be as understanding as her dad was about the situation.

XXXX

Bella was sorting through the mail when the bell above the door rang on Thursday afternoon. She looked up to see Angela and Jessica waving excitedly at her. They walked down the stairs quickly as Bella came from behind the counter.

"It is so good to see you," Jessica gushed as she hugged her.

"You too," Bella said patting her back lightly.

Angela's eyes met Bella's over Jessica's shoulders and she shrugged her shoulders before giving her a helpless look.

"How have you been?" Bella asked when Jessica finally let go of her.

"Not as good as you. Angela said that you're going to University of Washington with her in the fall."

"Yep," Bella said with a nod.

"I wish that I had taken a year off. I was starting to feel like I was floundering in New York."

"You don't like it?"

"I like it, don't get me wrong. I just don't like being so far from home."

"So change schools and come some place closer."

"Giving up is not in my nature. You know that," Jessica said stubbornly.

"What was I thinking?" Bella asked rolling her eyes with a smile.

"I heard you have a boyfriend," Jessica said changing the subject.

"I do."

"What's he like?"

"He's wonderful. We have so much in common. I thought after everything that had happened with Edward that I would have trouble letting someone in, but that hasn't been the case."

"What's his name? And does he have a friend?"

"His name is Embry, and the only single friend I can think of that we have is fifteen."

"Is he cute?"

"Which one do you mean, Embry or our friend?" Bella asked with a laugh.

"Both, of course," Jessica said with a scoff.

"Embry is hot," Angela answered.

"I would have to agree with her. I don't see Seth in that way because he's so young, plus he's going to be my step brother in less than a month."

"Do you have any pictures of him on your phone?"

The bell above the door jingled again and Bella looked towards the door. Embry was shaking rain from off his umbrella before putting it in the umbrella stand.

"Hey Embry," Angela said with a smile.

"Hey Angela," he said with a smile and a wave.

He gave Bella a look that let him know that he had heard what they were talking about as she came to stand behind the counter again. She sifted through the mail until she found his check. He signed a piece of paper saying that he had picked it up while Angela pulled Jessica to the back of the store.

"But I want to meet him," Jessica complained.

"In a minute, I saw something that I want to show you in the back," Angela said pulling Jessica along.

Embry laughed lightly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, you heard us talking."

"I did."

Bella nodded before leaning in to press her lips to his lightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they came to rest at the small of her back.

"You two can come back up here now," he said loud enough for Angela and Jessica to hear.

Bella rested her head on his shoulder watching the girls walk from the back of the store. Jessica came to stand next to them and Embry turned to look at her.

"Sorry. This is the longest we've seen each other in days."

"I thought so," Angela said with a nod.

"You already know my name, what's yours?" he asked.

"I'm Jessica."

"You're Jessica? Bella and Angela have told me a lot about you."

"I haven't heard about you until today."

"Sorry," Bella mumbled.

"Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal. I'm meeting him now, that's what matters."

"I should go. I told Quil that I'd pick him up."

"Your awards banquet is tonight," Bella said as it dawned on her.

"Can you still make it?"

"If I can close the store on time," she promised.

Bella kissed his cheek before letting him go. He smiled down at her before pushing away from the counter. He waved to the girls and they both told him goodbye. Once he was out the door Jessica grabbed hold of Bella's arm giving her an excited look.

"So cute," Jessica said dramatically.

"And nice," Angela said.

"He is both of those things," Bella agreed.

"Do you have any pictures of Seth on your phone?" Jessica asked.

"He's way too young for you," Bella said with a laugh.

"I just want to see," Jessica said rolling her eyes.

Bella pulled her phone out of her pocket and went through it until she found a picture of Seth, Jake and Quil.

"He's the one in the middle."

"Holy cow," Angela said with a light laugh.

"I'm more interested in the guy on the right. Damn!" Jessica said drawing out the last word.

"That's Jake. He comes in here a lot. He's my best guy friend after Embry."

"Seth is such a cutie," Angela said.

"The other one isn't bad looking either."

"That's Quil. Jake has a girlfriend and Quil might as well have one. They aren't together though."

"So, what's Embry like?"

"Angela has already pointed out how nice he is. He's super smart; he got a full scholarship for college. He wants to be a writer. We have so much in common. He keeps me sane. He's the most amazing person that I have ever met."

"You are more open with your emotions with him than you were with Edward," Angela observed.

"Edward did frown upon public displays of affection," Jessica agreed.

"They are two completely different people. Embry is the most nonjudgmental person I have ever met. He gets along with everyone, including Edward."

"He seems perfect. Does he have a brother?" Angela joked.

"Yes, but he's engaged. You've met, Sam."

"How does she know him?" Jessica asked.

"They do go to my church," Angela said with a light laugh.

"Do you have plans this weekend?" Jessica asked.

"Nope, Embry's going to be out of town. He's going to freshman weekend for college this weekend."

"Do you want to do something with us? We were going to go shopping in Port Angeles." Angela asked.

"Sure," Bella said with a nod.

They left a few minutes later and Bella started to close down the store for the night. A day away from everything was what she needed. The day at the beach had been great and now she needed to decompress and deconstruct once more.

XXXX

Someone knocked on the door while Bella was getting ready on Saturday morning. Someone opened the door and a minute later Angela and Jessica were at the bathroom door.

"I'll be done in a minute," she said running her brush through her hair.

"Take your time. We can go and talk to Seth," Angela said pushing away from the door.

"He was nice enough to introduce himself," Jessica said following Angela.

"Have fun," Bella said with a laugh.

A few minutes later Bella was putting her shoes on by the front door when she heard Sue invite Jessica and Angela to have dinner with them. Both friends agreed and thanked her for the invitation. Bella came into the living room to see Seth sprawled out on the floor playing video games while Jessica and Angela sat on the couch with Sue. Bella cleared her throat and Angela looked over her shoulder.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have my phone if you need to get in touch with me," Bella said looking at Sue.

"Have fun Sweetie."

Jessica and Angela followed Bella out the door and the three friends climbed into Jessica's car. Jacob was walking up the street when they turned onto the main road. Bella waved with a smile and he waved back.

"He is even hotter in person," Jessica said in astonishment.

"He's a good guy."

"I heard you dated him," Angela teased.

"Who told you that?"

"Seth."

"You dated Jake? Go Bella!" Jessica said with a laugh.

"We realized we were better off as friends."

She had left out that part of the story when she had gotten them caught up on how she had been. She didn't want people judging her because she had dated him so soon after breaking things off with Edward. She should have known that Angela and Jessica wouldn't care. It wasn't that she was ashamed that she had dated Jacob; it was just a time in her life when she wasn't being honest with herself and she had hurt the person closest to her because of her actions. She was so thankful that Jacob was such a forgiving person and that he had found someone to love.