I Do Not Own Twilight

Pushing the gear shift into park, smashing on the emergency break, and cutting the engine, Bella hopped out of the car in front of her boyfriend's house. She opened the door and slide out of her rusty old truck. She leaned over the seat and grabbed the stack of flyers her father had asked her to pass around town. She glanced at the lettering and took a deep breath. The Fork's Follies was an annual talent show to benefit the police department. It helped to provide new training courses for the officers in order to keep them up to date with new technology and strategies. Her father, Charlie, asked her to hand them out to any friends who had "talent."

The Cullen's were the most talented people she knew and she hoped she could convince some of them to perform. She knew they didn't want to be in the spotlight but since they would be relocating at the end of the summer, she thought maybe they wouldn't mind. She also figured this was the last big thing she could help her dad with before she left permanently. He thought she would be going to college but she was really going to be turned into a vampire in order to be with Edward and his family. She didn't have a choice she knew what they were therefore the leaders, the Volturi, determined her choice was be turned into a vampire or die.

Initially she wanted to be turned right after graduation however Edward refused to be the one to turn her. Carlisle offered but after further discussion it was decided to wait till the end of summer. This way she could fade out of her parent's life naturally by way of "college" instead of a sudden death. Edward had tried to convince her to marry him but she refused to get married with so little life experience. Lack of life experience was a reason he insisted she shouldn't change but unlike Edward Bella believed the Volturi would come for her sooner rather than later. In order to keep them away she wrote a detailed timeline of her plans which Aro accepted. He did relay he would be checking in shortly after to make sure the change did occur.

Between graduation and summer Bella had less then six months until she needed to be turned. She wanted to spend as much time with Charlie as she could. She knew this was important to him and the Forks PD. Taking a deep breath she steeled her nerves and walked up to the house. As soon as, she stepped up to the front door it was pulled open and Edward was wrapping his arms around her.

He pushed her out the front door and tried to close it behind him. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Bella we have an unexpected guest. He is a human drinker you need to go home right now."

Bella's eyes flicked to the door to see if she could catch a glimpse of this mysterious vampire. "Edward, did this vampire tell you I shouldn't be around? When I met the Volturi they all had control. No one tried to eat me there."

Edward grabbed her waist tightly and easily lifted her off of the ground. He began walking her to her truck. "Edward, put me down," she shrieked and kicked her feet.

All at once there was another vampire standing next to Edward cocking his head in amusement at the scene before him. Edward set Bella on her feet quickly and crouched in between her and the vampire. Bella having been set down too quickly stumbled backward and landed with a plop in the driveway.

Looking Edward in the eyes the vampire smirked, "You dropped something," and gestured to Bella.

Edward growled and the vampire threw his head back and laughed. He stepped around the crouched Edward and reached down to assist Bella in standing up.

Once she was standing up, he bent down a started picking up the flyers which had scattered all over the driveway. Bella brushed herself off and also ran to catch a few flyways. Meanwhile, Edward watched the two of the scowling.

When Bella and the mystery vamp had finished collecting the flyers, he took a step toward her in order to hand her the flyers he had gathered. Edward snarled and ripped the flyers out of his hands wrinkling them in his clenched hand. "Don't come any closer to her, you human drinking fiend!" Causing the other vampire to guffaw again.

Bella's mouth fell open. "Edward! Don't be so rude." She crossed her arms in a huff and scowled at her boyfriend. She took the wrinkled flyers and tried to smooth them out. "Look what you did Edward. These were important."

Edward took one from her and looked at it, "The Fork's Follies? Not likely Bella."

"They are important! Charlie and his deputies rely on the money from that benefit for the department!"

Edward rolled his eyes, "Bella…" he started to say but was cut off by the mystery vampire.

"I love a good follies. Is it a talent show, Miss? By the way I'm Garrett," he reached down, took Bella's hand, and placed a gentle kiss on it keeping eye contact with her the whole time.

She blushed at the contact, "I'm Isabella but I prefer Bella. Yes, it is a talent show and my dad asked me to scout out talent."

Pushing Garrett aside Edward scowled at Bella, "While we are the most talented family in Forks, I guarantee no one is interested in performing at your little talent show. Our talents are beyond the simple people of Forks." Bella's shoulders sagged, "Now let's get you home. I don't want you around the wrong sort," he glared at Garrett.

Bella scowled, "No!"

Edward started to push her to her car but she dug her feet in the dirt. "I'm not going home. I want to see the family."

At this decree several members of the Cullen family appeared on the porch. Carlisle stepped forward, "Edward!" he admonished, "Garrett isn't going to harm Bella. Just let her come inside."

"I don't see there being any problems!" Alice chimed in brightly.

"Fine!" Edward quickly stepped away from Bella who had been pushing against him in order to not be moved. This caused her to fall forward and would have face planted on the driveway if Garrett hadn't seen what was going to happen and grabbed her around the waist preventing her fall.

Garrett set her carefully back on her feet and she looked up at him in order to thank him. Once he glanced into her endlessly deep chocolate eyes, he felt his heart constrict and what felt like a thick rope or heavy chain bound his heart to the girl in front of him.

Bella gazed at him and took a shaky breath, "Thank you, Garrett."

Garrett took a step away from her never breaking eye contact. He heard Edward growl. Garrett threw his hands up in the air and back up a few steps, "I just didn't like to see a lady get hurt."

"I heard your thoughts," Edward hissed.

"Well don't read too much into them. That's what I always think about before a meal." Garrett whispered too low for Bella to hear.

Edward led Bella inside the house followed by the other Cullen's with exception of Carlisle who waited for Garrett. Garrett smiled wryly at his old friend, "At least I can liven up the place when I stop by."

Carlisle chuckled and shook his head, "As mature as he can be he really acts like a seventeen-year-old boy around Bella. He is jealous, rude, overprotective," Carlisle shook his head, "I think I changed him too young."

Garrett laughed, "No worries my friend. I'm sure he will mature in his relationship in time."

"He tried to coerce her into getting married by refusing to change her unless she did. With the Volturi knowing about her existence," Carlisle rolled his eyes.

Garrett grimaced, "Maybe you did." He clapped Carlisle on the shoulder and headed into the house.