Bella is starting her sophomore year in college. Giving up getting his life together, she becomes another one of Edward's distractions when the two meet in a coffee shop. The holes in his carefully constructed mask allow Bella to discover what has Edward so afraid to live. Being around her makes him question everything as the aftermath of tragedy brings them together.

Bella is a witness in peril. Emmett Cullen is the deputy assigned to protect her. When the witness protection program isn't safe, Emmett asks Bella to pose as his brother Edward's fiancée until the trial. AU, AH, ExB.

"What if your actions end up ruining someone's life? How do you pay for what you've done?" Events in the past have caused Edward to be broken. Bringing Bella into his dark life wasn't something he wanted to do, and yet, somehow was unavoidable. A/H