~~Chapter Eight~~

The moment Emmett left the room Garrett and Kate turned to Bella and waited, neither of the two had to say a word. Bella sighed and placed the now empty bowl and plate to the side before fiddling with the edge of the blanket.

"After what happened with Edward I went back to Forks," She started.

"We know that, but how does that equate to what happened today?" Garrett interrupted, snapping his mouth shut when Kate shot him a glare over Bella's head.

Sighing deeply Bella looked up. "What I didn't tell you was that I was depressed and quite manic, Jake had upset me and cancelled on our plans to cliff dive, but I still found myself up on the cliffs anyway."

"Oh god," Garrett felt the bile rise in his throat as he realised what she was hinting at. Kate grasped Bella's hand tightly as she looked up at her love who was paling by the second.

"No, no… I wasn't suicidal or anything like that but… I'm not sure, I jumped because I was angry at Jake at everything and I wanted to prove I could do it and well, I couldn't. I got dragged under in a rip and couldn't fight the waves. Sam saved me, and we never spoke of it again." She rushed out to explain. "When I fell into the river I was shoved back into that memory and for a moment I thought I was going to drown."

Both Garrett and Kate pulled Bella into a tight hug, both thankful that Sam had saved her and that Emmett was quick in diving into the river after her as well but Garrett felt a stem of guilt and he knew that Rose did too, they were the ones who basically pushed her into doing some of these activities knowing full well she wasn't really one to do them. But Garrett just wanted her to break out of her shell a bit more, to smile again like she used to and she had been but as his eyes Capture Emmett who was hidden just in the door frame, he thought that maybe it wasn't the trip at all but a certain person who ran the place.

"We love you, you know, that right?" Garrett stated after a moment.

Bella nodded and pushed them both away laughing. "Alright, I'm sorry I ruined your day. I know you two had a romantic picnic this afternoon. I'll be okay, I'll head back to my cabin and draw."

"Bella, you can't be alone right now." Garrett started before was thankfully interrupted.

"Well, if you want Bella, you can come with me while I go speak with Alistair about the animals," Emmett explained ad he stepped back in the room as if he hadn't heard most of the conversation and let them talk it out, though his heart hurt for the pain this fiery woman went through.

"I'd love to," she replied hastily before Garrett could say a word and grinned at him. "See Gare, I won't be alone, now go. I'll see you all tonight for dinner okay?"

Kate nodded and quickly pushed her beloved in the chest to get him moving, she had managed to catch the attraction between the two and she didn't miss the way the other woman had purposely set Bella and Emmett up together on the raft. "Sounds like a plan, bonfires and smores, have fun and pat some chickens for me."

Laughing Bella bid the two goodbye as Emmett showed them the way out, giving them a reminder on how to reach the Glamping Tents from his place. Her head tilted as she let her eyes roam up over Emmett's strong physique and admiring what she saw before blushing brightly and averting her eyes.

What on earth was she doing, why was she feeling this way? Not long ago she found out her high school sweetheart was a cheating bastard who was sleeping with his stepsister and god knows how many other people since they were together. He dumped her and made her feel like shit about herself because of it because she wasn't good enough for him. That son-of-a-fuck.

"Oh my god," Bella gasped as she realised that for the first time, she didn't feel that familiar ache. In fact, she was angry, but she finally realised that she didn't fucking deserve the asshole, the very same asshole who dictated since they were in high school who she could see and what she should wear, who she could eat… fuck he even said when they could even have sex and for how long. "That fucking fucker."

"Whoa, I hope that's not me you're talking about?" Emmett asked with raised hands as he slowly stepped back into the room.

"No!" Bella stated with a laugh and pulled the man into a cheerful hug, kissing him deeply as she did so in a spur of a moment over the fact that she was over fuckward, then realised what the hell she just did. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Uh…" it was a slow confused drawn-out word as Emmett blinked back into awareness, instantly thinking of every cold winter, grandmother naked with the mailman thought as he felt Bella's firm body slide down the front of his, his hands resting on her hips. "What… just happened? Not, not that I am complaining but uhm?"

"I am so sorry… I just… I'm not sure beyond the fact that I realised something, and I just couldn't contain my joy." Bella blurted with a heavy blush, unrealizing that she was still standing within Emmett's arms.

Swallowing Emmett nodded and took a step back as he began to realise that what just happened was indeed a spur of the moment and something she had never done before.

Bella sighed and ran her hand through her hair and looked up at him, a blush still burning bright on her cheeks. "I found out a few months ago that my high school sweetheart had cheated on me and was doing so throughout our entire relationship, it kind of broke me. I just, I don't know, I just realised all the bullshit he put me through and realised all the abuse and the fact I didn't deserve that… I was happy."

"How could anyone do that to you? You're amazing." Emmett blurted out in sheer shock and surprise, though he felt the beginnings of rage simmering under it and he swore that if he, by some chance, met this asshole then he would punch him.

Bella laughed bitterly and shrugged. "Who knows… can we, can we maybe just pretend that didn't happen for now? Can we just continue how things were going… Oddly enough, I feel something is between us and I'd like to see where that goes?"

"That… That I can do, and I agree." He replied without hesitation, though he did stammer. "Do you want to come with me? You don't have to, you can stay here and read or watch TV."

Humming Bella stood and shook her head. "No, I'll come with you… as long as I can pat things."

Laughing Emmett nodded. "Of course, you can meet Bear, she's a sweet pony but can have a temperament of a bear."

"Sounds hilarious, there has to be a story behind that," Bella replied with a laugh as she slipped on her shoes and followed Emmett out the door with a lightness in her heart and a joy she hadn't felt in a very long time.

Author Note: Okay… okay… *laughs*