I DREAM OF RAINBOWS

Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.

And, he had to agree that after the way Edward had behaved that Ms. Swan had no reason to be trustful of anyone's word in regard to the truth of the contract. His parents were in agreement that Ms. Swan was within her right to check over the contract and to have her attorney double check it before she signed it. So, with that in mind, he was taking the contract to her since Jasper hadn't had the presence of mind to give it to her before she left.

CHAPTER 28: ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO BACKWARDS

After stopping by his place to pack a small bag and booking his flight to Seattle, Emmett took the time to go by to see Rosalie and Alice. He wanted to explain things more completely to the ladies in person. The news he had broken to Rosalie over the phone was just the bare facts; however, now was the time to explain the complete situation to the two women.

At the same time, they might be able to give him a few pointers on how to approach their cousin that could help to ensure success of his mission. Jasper did have problems in the beginning with some of his approaches and Edward managed to handle the entire situation in a clumsy manner also.

XXXXXX

"Why the hell does Emmett have to demand to do this particular book? Surely he can find something else that will work just as well." Edward was angerly wondering aloud as he paced around his parents' kitchen.

"Edward, sit your ass down, we need to talk." Carlisle told his son in a no-nonsense tone of voice. It was the tone of Carlisle's voice that stopped Edward in mid-step and had Edward's mouth hanging open that his father would speak to him that way. He wasn't a kid anymore; he was a grown man.

All three boys knew their father usually allowed Esme to deal with the day to day situations unless things began much more serious. And, it seemed that things were seriously getting out of control for Carlisle to intervene now. So, Edward did as he had been told, and knew enough to keep his mouth shut for the time being.

"Edward, son, what is it about this particular situation that has you acting so out of control? Normally you deal with business with a level head and only have objections on valid points. However, with this one project we, your mother and I, have seen you do nothing, but create unnecessary situations that ordinarily you handle a whole hell of a lot better. So, talk to us and tell us why this is different! Tell us what we can do to help you get beyond your seemingly destructive point in regards to this project that Emmett has his heart set on doing."

Edward didn't reply right away, but instead took the time to consider how to answer his father. He wasn't sure, even to himself, what it was about this project of Emmett's that had him being cautious; more or less, being hesitant about even doing the project. For the life of him, he wasn't sure what was exciting his brother about the book as he had read it and felt that he couldn't see what all the upheaval was about. It was an idea of what life could be in someone's dreams. At least that was the way it read to him.

And, then the writer, herself, was a totally unexpected surprise and gave Edward a feeling of not being enough or totally lacking for some reason that he couldn't explain to himself let alone to someone else.

Not realizing that he had been lost in his own thoughts for a longer period of time than was acceptable, Edward was jerked back to the present by a throat clearing coming from Carlisle. And, then his father was asking, "Well, son, are we going to get an answer, or, are you going to stay silent once more?"

"Dad, I don't think I can explain this entire situation to you since I can't explain it to myself." He answered the question.

"Then try, Edward." Esme encouraged in her soothing mother voice.

"From the moment that Emmett brought the idea of acquiring this book and making it a project, I've had a feeling that it would be forcing me to make changes that I wasn't ready to face.

"Then when I read the book, I felt more like I was standing on a cliff where you couldn't see the bottom. So, I tried to talk Emmett out of wanting to do this project, but his heart was set on and it made no difference the argument that I put forth; he stood firm, so I agreed.

"But the closer it came to sealing the deal, the more I felt like I was being forced to step forward off of that cliff into a bottomless abyss.

"That's the best way I can explain it. Then the more it became involved, even to the meeting of Ms. Swan, the stronger the feeling became. And, you know me, I don't like not being in control of myself or whatever I might be involved in." Edward finished speaking.

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other before turning back to look at Edward. Esme gave a slight shake of her head and asked, "Son, I don't quite know what to advise you to do. However, your personal feelings can't be allowed to dictate how you handle business and the situation with Ms. Swan is business. You need to remember that and allow nothing else to interfere with it.

"Emmett normally follows along with whatever project you or Jasper hand over to him and he does it well. However, with this being something that he has requested means that we all are going to make sure that it happens. It's rare that he asks for a certain subject to film and this book by Ms. Swan is something that he is set on doing.

"In fact, I've read her book and it's damn good. I can even understand why Emmett is so set on doing it and I have to agree with him when he says it's an Oscar winner.

"So, make sure it happens without any interfering from you." Esme finishes speaking in a tone of voice that has gone from gentleness and understanding to one that was firm and determined.

All Edward does is nod and gives a quiet "Yes ma'am." He knows better than to speak back when his parents have taken the stand that they have and when they use a certain tone of voice.

XXXXXX

"I can't believe all of this nonsense is happening." Rosalie tells Emmett after he had explained all that Jasper had explained to him and Edward.

"So, now you're getting ready to head to Seattle to see Bella and get things straightened out?" Alice asks before Rosalie could do so.

"Yeah. I really believe that Ms. Swan has the right to look over the contract once more and to give her attorney the same opportunity to set her mind at ease about the contract being the way she wants it. By doing that she's going to be comfortable signing it." He answers as he glances at the time and realizes that he needs to get going to LAX to catch his flight on time. And, telling both women this, he begins moving towards the door

"I'd go with you to help out if it wasn't for the upcoming commercial shoot that I've been scheduled in a couple of days." Rosalie comments.

"Emmett, thanks for stopping by and explaining everything more fully to us. And, I believe that I'm speaking for both of us when I say that I'm glad to see that someone is using a more reasonable approach to handling this business. Just remember the advice I'm about to give you, 'Bella won't bend if she believes she's right about something.'" Alice said before she left the room to give Rosalie and Emmett their privacy for their goodbyes.

And as Emmett catches his flight for Seattle, he is hoping that he's doing the right thing by handling this himself. Surely Ms. Swan won't refuse since everyone is making the effort for the contract to remain as she wants it.

XXXXXX

Jasper had returned to his home after the confrontation in his parents' home with his brothers. Edward acted the way he knew that he would, but Emmett was out of character with his take charge attitude about dealing with something that was so totally outside his realm of expertise by going to Seattle.

Right at the moment, he was feeling like a failure. However, before he could let the thought take a firm hold his phone rang. Looking to see who was calling he smiled a little and answered.

"Hello, darlin'. What can I do for you?"

Alice asked how he was feeling, and that one question was all it took for Jasper to tell her that he was feeling like such a failure at his job. She listened without any interruption, but when he finished, she didn't hold back.

"How can you even consider yourself to be a failure when your brother, Edward, set all of the current circumstances into motion? You did the best you could because of, or, should I say, despite, Edward and his damn nonsense. So, don't let me or anyone else hear you call yourself a failure another moment."

"But,…." Jasper began only to have Alice interrupt him as she was almost yelling at him, "There are no 'but's', from beginning to now, you have conducted yourself as a professional by the rules that both sides had put in place for you."

Rosalie had heard her cousin yelling and had come running to see what was wrong, arriving in time to hear the last portion of what Alice was saying. Asking quickly what was going on and Alice explaining about how Jasper was feeling, Rosalie reached out for the phone from Alice's hand.

"Jasper, Alice has just quickly explained to me what you've said about this whole situation. Don't let any of us hear you say again that you're a failure because that just isn't so. You have done everything you could to accommodate Bella about the terms she wanted in the contract, but your brother is a different matter. From what I've heard, he has tried putting up blocks every step of the way unless he could have things his way with no compromises.

"Bella isn't being unreasonable with the terms she wants, but Edward Cullen has tried attacking her from every which way that he could think of. In fact, although I can't prove it, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn that he was somehow responsible for Bella's accident that put her in the hospital.

"And, believe me, Alice and I have investigated as much as we could into our cousin's accident. However, we just couldn't discover the identity of the person that had anything to do with it."

And, with that said, Rosalie handed the phone back to Alice and left the room so Jasper and Alice could have privacy for further conversation.

XXXXXX

It didn't take long before Emmett had landed in Seattle and was on his way to a hotel. Once he had gotten checked in and was camped in his room, he placed a call to Bella's agent which was listed in the paperwork that accompanied the contract. It seems that he hadn't asked and of course, neither Rosalie nor Alice mentioned that Mark was still in L. A. and hadn't returned to Seattle with Bella.

So, it came as a complete surprise when he found out that Mark Strollman was still in L. A. and that Bella had been the only one to return to Seattle. However, after Emmett explained where he was and the reason behind his trip, Mark said that he would call Bella and try to set up an appointment for the two to meet, then he would get back in touch with Emmett.

It took a while before Mark was able to get a hold of Bella, but she told him that she wasn't in any mood to discuss business of any kind. It was then that she mentioned that she wasn't even in Seattle. Mark asked where she was to which she remarked that it was 'none of his damn business'. And, after telling Mark that she hung up and refused to answer the phone once more.

XXXXXX

Bella had answered her cell phone, curious about why Mark was calling her, but once she heard him mention the Cullen name, she refused to discuss anything else with him. So, she never learned that Emmett was in Seattle with the contract and ready to discuss the situation with her.

A/N: Well, we have poor Jasper feeling like he failed to do his job. He has more or less had his butt handed to him by his parents. Emmett has arrived in Seattle but is unaware of Bella not being in that city. And, Bella is refusing to listen to her agent about anything to do with the contract. What is it going to take to break the dam?

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