I hope you guys aren't too disappointed at my choice of Cullens. I know...everyone was expecting Alice. But wouldn't Emmett be much more fun?

I mention the band JET in here. I love them! Just in case you've never heard "Are you Gonna be my Girl," stop reading my story and go and listen to it. :)

(Bella POV)

The bell from the lobby rang at exactly 9:00. I pushed the button and said, "Be right down, Emmett." This was one vampire I didn't need to worry about, but he was still part of the Cullen clan, therefore, I wasn't taking chances on letting him up to my apartment. I grabbed my bag and as I looked in the mirror one last time, I bit my lip doubtfully. I wasn't so sure about the outfit I was wearing.

I'd left work early and stopped at one of those shops. You know, the fun girl stores. I'd never actually shopped there before, and didn't plan on ever going back. I was in the store a scarce two minutes before I had a headache. Was it really necessary to play the rock music so stinking loud? I had to yell in order to explain to the salesgirl what I wanted.

I couldn't believe what I ended up buying. When I got home and pulled it out of the bag, I wondered if I would even have the courage to wear the thing out in public. I'd never shown so much skin. It was a blood red mini dress that hugged my thighs so tightly that I was afraid the dress might actually burst off of me when I tried to sit down. It tied behind my neck, and was so short that I kept self-consciously shimmying it down lower on my legs. I was definitely going to have to get over that before I went out with Emmett. I wore my hair down in loose curls mainly because I felt like it covered up more of me. I knew I would never be able to dance in pumps, so I chose black, high-heeled boots that went clear to my knees. The salesgirl told me it was the perfect outfit for a New York nightclub. I decided I would have to take her word on that, because when I looked in the dressing room mirror, I felt like I was dressed up for a really trampy Halloween party.

I went to the elevator, cautiously in my fun-girl boots, and when I walked into the lobby, I heard a whistle. Emmett was leaning against one of the pillars smiling as he looked me up and down. "Damn, Bella. We are going to have so much fun tonight," he whispered enthusiastically.

He was wearing a pair of black slacks that were obviously tailored exclusively for him. How else could they have fit him so perfectly? His thin, black, v-neck sweater lay tightly across his chest, showing his pale, smooth skin and I wondered, was it possible to look terrifying and sexy at the same time? The answer was yes. Definitely, yes.

"You don't look too bad yourself there, Mister," I said, elbowing him in the side. He grabbed me and started gracefully dancing me through the lobby. "We're going to Northsix," he announced, raising his eyebrows playfully.

Northsix was a very exclusive club for only the very elite social scene of New York society. It was usually where the paparazzi got all their pictures of celebrities. The only reason I'd heard of it was because that was where Simmons took all of his supermodels. I wasn't surprised that a Cullen could figure out how to get into such a place.

"You're going to love it!" He went on enthusiastically. "Jet is playing there tonight. You don't even want to know how I got tickets."

I was sure I didn't. And anyway, I had no idea who Jet was. Other than the inane rap music I played on my i-pod during my runs, I never allowed myself to listen to anything else.

We pulled up to Northsix in Emmett's rented black Ferrari. He took my arm as we entered a very dark and loud nightclub and as soon as I walked in, I instantly began scanning the room for a breathtakingly beautiful, bronze-haired god of a vampire. I knew it was futile. If anyone could hide silently and undetected, it was Edward, but I still couldn't stop myself from looking for him.

Emmett left my coat and purse at the coat check and then took my hand as he led me out on the dance floor. It was a fast song, but we still had to stand quite close to each other because of the crowds of people.

I tried hard not pay attention to the voice screaming in my head that I didn't dance, and that the last time I tried, I was in a heavy cast at the prom with a very different vampire.

Emmett was a very good dancer. (Of course) It was easy for me to forget my awkwardness when he was so playful. He took me through a series of turns and dips and had every girl in the place watching me enviously. I was beginning to feel the close, sticky heat of the club when a slow song began and Emmett moved his icy body close against me. A very mischievous smile played on his face as his hands went around my back.

"Emmett, you are very naughty," I teased, shaking my head. "What would Rosalie say if she saw you dancing with me this way?"

"Your skin is very warm, did you know that?" He bent down and muttered into my ear.

"I think I recall hearing that before," I replied dryly.

He sang along as we danced, and I was impressed. I'd never known he had such a nice voice. I wondered if velvet singing voices were just another vampire trait that they all used to lure in their prey. When the song ended, I confessed that I needed a break and a drink. He picked out a very private booth, sat me down and came back with a sparkling water and a Coke.

"Two drinks?" I questioned.

He shrugged sheepishly. "Well, I don't know how much humans drink and I thought maybe it should look like I needed one too."

I smiled and slid over and when he sat down, there wasn't one inch of space between us. It made me wonder…was this part of Edward's plan, for Emmett to be me this close to me all night long?

For a few minutes I made small talk, but then slowly moved in for the interrogation. "So," I said lightly. "What has the Cullen family been doing for the last seven years?"

"Well," he began, "We all moved to New Jersey and attended Princeton. Carlisle works at Johns Hopkins and recently began teaching there. He's doing lectures in Europe at the moment."

"Did you all go to school?" I was trying to show my interest in all the family and not just a particular member.

He nodded his head. "We all received new degrees, Rosalie in Microbiology, Alice and Jasper in Economics, and I got my Masters in International Law."

I asked as nonchalantly as possible. "So, what was Edward's major?"

His eyes shifted nervously. "Um, he didn't really attend school with us." A fast song started to play and he smiled brightly. "This is "Are You Gonna Be My Girl!" It's my favorite Jet song!" He slid out of the booth and held his hand out to me. "We have to dance," he begged.

I took a big drink and smiled as he grabbed my hand and yanked me out on the floor.

"1,2,3, take your hand and come with me,

Because you look so fine,

That I really wanna make you mine."

The music was pounding through my head as Emmett pulled me to him and rested his large hands on my hips. I rested my hands on his shoulders and we moved to the heavy beat.

Big black boots,

Long brown hair,

She's so sweet with her, get back stare!

I had to admit, the song was a little fun. Emmett held one arm behind my back and led me through his dance steps until the music stopped and the lead singer screamed out, "Are you Gonna Be My Girl?"

Then the band started another song. It was a slow one and Emmett took my arms and placed them around his neck. I wanted to whisper, Hey, Edward….you getting all this? But even with all my strategizing, I couldn't stop myself from remembering what it felt like to put my arms around the neck of a different vampire.

I tried distracting myself by listening to the lyrics…

Oh, look what you've done, you've made a fool of everyone.

Oh well, it seems like such fun until you lose what you had won.

Okay, another bad idea.

Emmett felt me tense up and pulled back to look at me. "You okay, Bella?"

"I'm fine." But I knew that even a dumb human wouldn't have believed me. I didn't stand a chance against a smart vampire.

He ran his hand over my cheek. "He was an idiot to leave you," he said softly.

I swallowed hard. "Actually, it was probably the smartest thing he ever did."

He held my cheek in his hand and then a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Was this Edwards's plan? To make me look weak and vulnerable? I narrowed my eyes and my head got quickly back in the game.

I pulled myself closer to him and began playing with the curls at the base of his neck. "You know," I whispered into his ear, "There's one part of my fairy tale that can still come true."

"Oh yeah? What part is that?" He seemed genuinely interested.

"I can still become a vampire," I purred.

He stopped dancing and pulled back slowly to look at me. He seemed to be trying to read if I was serious or not. Finally, the corner of his mouth turned up and there was a smile in his eye.

"You're still diabolical, Bella. You had me going for a minute there."

I melted against him. "I am being completely serious," I whispered fiercely.

His eyes widened and for once, Emmett was speechless. I put my mouth to his neck and blew out warm air. "Please, Emmett," I panted.

He froze, and I felt his massive muscles tighten. His arms were like vices around my waist. My hands traveled up his shoulders and to the sides of his face.

"Just one little bite," I begged.

I brought his face down to my neck and turned my head away.

And then the club was filled with the sound of two boulders slamming into one another.

I opened my eyes. Emmett was gone.

"Geez bro. Took you long enough."

I found Emmett. He was ten feet away, picking himself up off the floor as the crowd cleared away from him.

His bronze-haired brother was crouched down in front of me with his lip curled up and his razor sharp teeth clacking. It was exactly how he'd stood when he protected me at the baseball game, when James saw me for the first time.

"Don't you touch her!" Edward hissed. That velvet voice was beautiful even when it was enraged and snarling. Terrifyingly beautiful.

The music continued to blare as Jasper calmly joined us, but no one was dancing. The crowd of people had formed a circle around us. The three beautiful vampires. And me.

Emmett stood up and Edward hissed again. Every time Emmett made the smallest move Edward answered it by adjusting his position in front of me. I knew I needed to do something before the Cullen boys tore apart a New York night club.

"Sorry Emmett," I shrugged. "I was just trying to get our chaperone out of the shadows."

Edward straightened as shocked recognition spread across his face.

"Nice one, Bella," Emmett chuckled admiringly.

Once the crowd realized there wasn't going to be a fight, they began moving away. Most of them seemed disappointed that it had ended so quickly. Suddenly Emmett was standing next to me and put up his hand for a high five. "I knew we'd have fun tonight, Bella!" He exclaimed.

Edward got right in his face. "You're having a little too much fun."

Emmett waved him off. "You've been around her for a month and you haven't tried anything, why can't I play around with her a little bit?"

I heard that snarl in Edward's chest again and then he looked down at me. His eyes were dark and enraged. "Excuse us Bella," he said flatly. "I need to speak to Emmett alone."

Before I could answer, he had pushed Emmett off the dance floor. They were moving into the shadows, when I heard Edward hiss, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

I suddenly felt extreme calm coursing through my body. I smiled and turned to Jasper. "It isn't me you should be worried about. Maybe you should go work your magic on your brothers."

Jasper chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere near them right now."

I suddenly realized that everyone was looking at me. And I knew why. They were trying to figure out why two breathtakingly beautiful men were fighting over me, and another was still here standing next to me. I began walking swiftly off the dance floor and Jasper followed. I didn't speak again until I'd found a dark and private table.

Just like several years ago, there was an awkward silence between us.

"We haven't had much chance to talk, have we?" I offered.

Jasper grinned. "Well, I don't think Edward or I wanted to spend the night in jail."

I looked back unapologetically. "Well, I'll let it slide this once. As long as the two of you don't follow me and Emmett anymore. You can stay here. I'm going to tell Emmett that I'm ready to leave this place."

Jasper's mouth twitched. "Well, I'll pass the message on, but I can assure you we won't be staying here. Edward hates these kind of places. The girls in New York are extremely aggressive."

"Would Alice be mad if she knew you were here?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I'm not the one they're foaming at the mouth for."

My throat tightened painfully. I could hardly blame the New York girls for taking a chance. I certainly would never have the guts to try. I found Edward and Emmett across the room and let my eyes rest on Edward for a moment. After all, I could never look at him while we were in the conference room.

It was easy to see that Edward was angry. He was gesturing wildly and sticking his finger in Emmett's face. He had to know that Emmett wouldn't have really changed me on the dance floor. And besides, why would he even care? He was dead set against it before, but that was well, before. Edward was getting farther and farther in Emmett's face and even though I tried to squelch it, my anger got the best of me. I got up and began stomping over to the two Greek gods and ignored the one behind me trying to get me to come back and sit down.

When I was close, I heard Edward snarl, "You were just supposed to cheer her up, not seduce her!"

Emmett smiled mischievously. "She seemed pretty cheered up to me, bro."

Edward pushed him hard in the chest. The blow would have knocked a hole in a brick wall, but Emmett didn't even flinch.

"I'm taking her home," Edward said through clenched teeth.

"The hell you are!" Emmett retorted.

Edward's arms were flexing with fury. "Keep your hands off Bella!"

Emmett raised his eyebrows and said, "Hey, I will try but, what am I supposed to do about her hands being all over me."

Edward's eyes grew murderous and he opened his mouth to tell Emmett off once more, when I stepped in.

"First of all," I began, "Emmett and I are big kids and we don't need you watching over us, and secondly, as much as I love seeing Emmett, I don't need you to send any more of your family members to try and cheer me up. I'm just fine, thank you very much."

Emmett looked around Edward's shoulder and said, "It's cool, Bella. My brother here is still a little high strung. Seven years of solitude haven't seemed to relax him in the slightest. He's just a little freaked out because he thought I was about to make you a vampire."

I shot a look at Edward. Seven years of solitude? Why had Edward been alone ever since he left me? Did it mess him up that badly to be with a human? Was he tired of his family? Was he mad because Alice and possibly Emmett were mad at him for the way he left me? Hot tears were finding their way to the surface. They were full of embarrassment and frustration as I looked at Edward and whispered, "Of course Edward . . . I haven't forgotten how the idea of me becoming a vampire always repulsed you."

Edward froze. He took his hands off Emmett and turned fully towards me. His eyes were rich and golden and they held a look of complete sincerity. He grabbed me firmly by the shoulders and pulled me closer to him so that I could hear him over the blaring music.

"Bella, you have to know that I was never repulsed by anything where you were concerned. It was me Bella. I was the one that . . ."

Suddenly, behind me, a high pitched nasal voice cut through the music.

"Eddie, I've been looking all over for you."

Edward looked over my head and winced. I turned to look behind me and saw a beautiful tall blond in a shorter dress than mine and a hot pink sequin tube top twirling a piece of hair and gesturing with her finger for Edward to come over to her.

I slowly turned away as a pang of jealousy cut through me. She was definitely closer to his sphere than I was. My eyes lingered on Edward's face and he looked away from the blond and back down at me. His face was so close that if I stood on my tiptoes our lips would have been touching. I realized that he was still holding on to my shoulders. I pulled out of his grasp and stepped back slightly.

Emmett came and took my hand and looking back at Edward said, "Have fun, Eddie. Don't wait up for me." He pulled me towards the entrance then, and when I looked back, the crowds were too thick to see anything.

Emmett helped me on with my jacket as we waited on the sidewalk for valet to bring up the car. "Don't worry about the blond," he said assuredly.

I blinked in surprise and looked up at him.

"What?" I asked.

"Edward has already told her to get lost and he and Jasper will be back at the hotel in about ten minutes."

I felt a thrill of relief run through me. I did my best to squelch it.

"Edward can do whatever he wants," I managed, shrugging down further into my coat.

The car came around the corner and Emmett helped me in. When he got around to his side he accelerated out into traffic and said, "Now, what do you want to do?"

I smiled. "You're not mad at me for tricking you and getting you in trouble with Edward?"

He snorted in derision. "First of all, you didn't trick me. And second of all, Edward is not the boss of me. Besides, I could take him."

I twisted in my seat so that I was facing him square on. "I didn't trick you?" I asked with surprise.

He looked at me and grinned. When his dimples showed like that, he looked just like a little boy. A mischievous little boy. "I was on to you, Bella. I knew you were aware that Edward would follow us, and I knew you would have a plan." He chuckled. "Besides, I was implementing a little plan of my own."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Your own plan, what was your plan?"

Emmett watched the road thoughtfully. "Let's just say, that I was trying to force his hand."

"Force his hand? Why?" I was completely confused.

Emmett ran his hand through his hair. "It didn't work as well as I'd hoped." He looked at me and grinned. "New topic of conversation, please."

I stared at him thoughtfully. "Emmett . . . I . . ." I bit my lip as I decided whether or not it was wise to ask him a certain question.

"Spit it out, Bella." His eyes were an open book, and that encouraged me.

I took a deep breath and plunged in. "Why hasn't Edward been with all of you for the last seven years?"

I watched him cringe slightly. "I guess you can talk to me about almost anything," he said apologetically.

My heart fell. My mind hit on a hundred things Edward could have been doing the last seven years, all of them causing pain through my middle.

I turned forward, staring at the road, and said softly, "He fell in love with another vampire, didn't he." It was a statement not a question. I felt my middle splitting open. It was better that I finally knew the truth so that I could salvage some sort of life for myself.

Emmett started laughing. The sound was musical, and all silver. "Hell no!" He bellowed. But then he saw something in my eyes that forced him to be serious. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Bella, I can't get into all of this with you. It's Edward's place to talk to you about it." Then turning his head, he muttered, "If he ever gets up the courage."

We drove for a minute or two in silence. I was so bewildered by Emmett's words that I couldn't think of anything to say. The light in front of us turned red and when we came to a stop, he looked at me again. "He should definitely be talking to you instead of spending all his days on that stupid piano writing that song."

"What song?" I used to love to watch Edward play the piano. It was one of the few times his face seemed free and at peace.

He just blew out a disgusted blast of air and rolled his eyes. "Never mind," he groaned.

Just as the light turned green, he looked at me and said, "I will say this, Bella. Things are not as they seem. Don't be too hard on the guy."

I stared at him, completely confused and nowhere nearer to an answer than before we'd spoken.

"You're not going to tell me anything else?" I tried to make my voice sound small and vulnerable, hoping to play on his sympathies, but he just glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.

"You forget," he sneered, "I'm married to Rosalie. There's not one female trick you can try that she has not perfected over the last 70 years."

I sighed, realizing he was right. I looked at the clock on the dashboard. It was only 10:30 on a Friday night in Manhattan.

"Emmett," I announced, raising my voice, "We are in the city that never sleeps! This is the perfect city for you! What do you want to do?"

His face looked like a child trying to choose candy at the candy store. He pursed his lips, deep in thought, and then his eyes suddenly brightened.

"Hey! I know, let's go check out the Empire State Building!"

I laughed. That was a total Emmett thing. I nodded my head and at the next intersection, he turned right and headed East.

When we got there, we saw a big line that formed half way down the block and my shoulders fell. "We may not get in Emmett. They close the line at 11:00 and we'll be too far back to get in the doors."

He rolled his eyes and said quietly, "Clearly, you haven't spent much time around vampires lately." He looked around and then whispered, "Climb on my back."

I climbed on, chuckling to myself that this was not something I ever imagined doing on the streets of New York. He casually backed up against the building, and then suddenly, he was running. Everything was a massive blur and when we stopped, I could see that we were in the stairwell. I looked up and as far as I could see, there were just more and more flights of stairs.

"We're going to climb the stairs of the Empire State Building," I stated, my voice full of wonder.

He laughed heartily making the dimples deepen in his face. "What's this 'we' stuff? Ya gonna walk up by yourself?"

I looked up through the staircase again. "No way!"

"Hold on," he breathed. And then we were off. As I laid my head on his back, I thought of all the times I'd done this with Edward. From the first time in the meadow, to that perfect rainy summer when he would take me deep into the woods with him. Back then, it seemed that we were the only two people in the world. Thankfully, I didn't have long to reminisce. In less than a minute, we were at the top.

The crowds were tight as we made our way to the edge. Emmett and I were looking out over the view when he leaned in close and murmured, "This looks a lot different than when I was here 60 years ago." I just took his arm, laid my head on his shoulder, and laughed.

Whatever Edward's ulterior motives actually were, I had to admit that I was very happy I got to spend the evening with this particular vampire.