I Do Not Own Twilight

The Cullens could not believe what they just heard. They stood frozen in place. No one moved. Not one blink. Not one twitch of the lips. Complete stillness for well over a full minute.

Bella looked around to shocked to speak. She just tried to process everything he just said. Edward not only believed she wanted to marry him rather than date him but had been actively avoiding him because of menstruation. She shook her head, shrugged her shoulders, and just started muttering to herself, pacing. "He is insane. A complete whack job. He actually believes I want to marry him when I said we shouldn't date anymore." She continued her rambling until there was a loud roar followed by an explosive metallic tearing sound!

Bella turned quickly and saw Garrett standing over Edward's armless body. "She is not going to marry you! In fact, I don't think any woman should marry you! You are a child to think you can speak to people the way you do. You don't deserve a mate."

"And you do!" Edward sneered.

Garrett shook his head, his eyes filled with sadness, "I know I don't deserve a mate," he looked to Bella, "but if I had one, I would never embarrass her in front of her friends and family the way you have done to Bella today. I have never seen a person embarrass someone they care about so harshly."

Jasper coughed unnecessarily and all eyes turned to him, "This is the mortification she felt Edward." Edward curled up in shame and humiliation, unable to even try to run away.

Bella stepped forward and took a deep breath, "Edward I'm not going to date you, I'm not going to marry you. I will ask that Garrett will return your arms because I know how important you are to Esme and the rest of your family." Bella looked at the ground instead of the people around her.

Alice put her arms around Bella's shoulders and pushed her in the house. Rosalie and Esme followed after. Garrett threw Edward's arms as far as he could in the forest and he stomped back into the house to check on his mate.

Emmett hesitated a moment, "I'll go get Edward's arms," and he took off in the direction Garrett threw them.

Jasper looked to Carlisle and Edward, "Found out you two were not plannin' on changin' Bella. Ya planned to run away from 'em with Alice's help."

"Who told you?" Carlisle looked stunned.

"Don't matter." Jasper shrugged, "I'm gonna tell ya right now I will make sure she is changed. I'm not lettin' Alice or Bella get caught by the Volturi." Jasper's tone was so firm neither of the men were willing to argue with him. "By the way Carlisle, Bella don't know it yet but Garrett's her mate. You best keep Edward outta his way or else he'll end up in more trouble than missin' arms."

Jasper stuck his hands in his jeans pockets and strode in the house.

Edward laid his head back on the ground and closed his eyes in defeat. "Maybe I should go to Alaska for a few weeks. Until things calm down."

Carlisle nodded, "I'll make the call but don't say anything to the family. If Rosalie finds out before she has a chance to cool down, she might call the Denali's and tell them what happened. I don't think any of them will appreciate your thoughts on the reason Bella was avoiding you."

Edward huffed and rolled his eyes, "Women, they always stick together."

Carlisle raised his eyebrows at his oldest son and shook his head as he made his way to his study wondering when Edward had become a manipulative con-artist. He also began to rethink everything Edward had told him about delaying Bella's change. Edward told him Bella wanted to delay her transformation until she had finished college, he told Carlisle he had gotten Aro's permission for the delay, and he asked him to keep it quiet as a surprise for after their wedding. It was apparent Edward had lied about wanting to delay the change and Carlisle was willing to bet his fortune Edward had never discussed anything with Aro. He frowned wondering how he was going to solve this problem. Obviously, Edward was going to continue to be an issue. He just wondered if sending Edward away would be enough to solve this problem until Bella was changed.

Inside the house the women along with Garrett were surrounding Bella. Alice had gotten out a spoon and a pint of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked. "I had vision of buying this for you for tonight. I thought it was for movie night but I guess it was for this."

Bella chuckled, "I just have no words. I am completely stunned at his attitude and behavior."

"Well, I'm surprised he isn't a pile of ash." Rosalie looked pointedly at Garrett, "Why didn't you burn the moron?"

Garrett smirked, "Believe me I wanted to." He looked tenderly at Bella who was digging into the ice cream, "However, I know he is a part of this family and it would upset some of you." Rosalie scoffed. "Plus," Garrett continued to low for Bella to hear, "I won't do anything to him until Bella tell me to. He is her first love. While she doesn't want to be with him anymore, she still loves him. Hence, the need for ice cream," he cocked his eyebrow at his mate. "I can be a little patient."

"Will you change her then?" Esme asked again too low for Bella to hear.

A wide smile formed on Garrett's lips, "I will change her and I will do it before the Volturi's deadline."

Clapping her hands together, "Okay let's move on to more fun topics it is movie night and we voted to let Garrett pick."

Bella looked at Garrett who was rubbing his hands together, "Wonderful! I think the three Iron Man movies is what we will be watching. I love the MCU don't you?" He winked at Bella who nodded her head excitedly while the other vampires groaned.

They started the movies as soon as Emmett was back from gathering Edward's arms. Bella was sandwiched between Alice and Rosalie both of them taking turns rubbing circles on her back. Bella was emotionally exhausted but she couldn't help watch Garrett from across the room. She had decided she really wanted to be his mate.

Bella knew mating was instinctual for vampires. She had also been told she wouldn't feel as strongly to her mate as a vampire would. She looked at Garrett and sighed surely if he thought they were mates he would have said something by now. He glanced in her direction and she tried to flick her eyes to the movie but when she glanced back, he was grinning her. She straightened herself and tried to focus.

Garrett was pleased to see Bella couldn't keep her eyes off of him. He knew she was starting to show interest but he didn't want to rush her. She had just broken up with someone she was once willing to die for. He knew she needed time to come to terms with it all so he would just wait for her to let him know when she was ready.

Halfway through the second film Bella didn't watch she grabbed a pillow and laid down on the floor near the chair Garrett was sitting in. This was a common occurrence at movie night. She would watch until she fell asleep on the floor and Edward would take her home or she would spend the night in Edward's room. She wondered what would happen tonight but she was sleepy and figured she could just stay on the floor. She let her mind drift back to Garrett. She wasn't his mate because if she was, he would have made it known so she determined she would back off. She wouldn't flirt with him, stare at him, or in anyway show him how she was feeling. She might not get to have him as a mate but she needed to at least be his friend. She wouldn't jeopardize her relationship with him by making him uncomfortable. Plus, when he met his mate, she figured she wouldn't hate her. She knew she needed him for this new life and she couldn't risk his rejection.

As soon as Bella had laid her head on a pillow on the floor Garrett couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He ached to slide out of his chair and sit beside her so he could run his hands through her luscious hair. He wondered if it felt as silky as it looked.

He could hear her heartbeat slow down and her breathing evened out. Once she was asleep, he gently lowered himself next to her and very gently so as not to disturb her he began stroking her hair. He felt her warmth next to him and a feeling of happiness and contentment settled into his bones. The only thing that could make him happier is if she felt the same way but until she said otherwise, he was content.

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