AN: Thank you to everyone who added this story to their alerts and favs! It makes my day! I will try to update every week on Sundays and Wednesdays. And now on ward to Bella pov. Oh yeah! Smeyer owns everything. I only own this plot.
BPOV
I leaned back in my seat and pulled out my journal along with my IPod. I could not believe that I had to sit with Emmett on this flight. It was just my luck. I had finally decided a little over a month ago to let the crazy crush I had on him go.
Flashback
Ali, rose and I had been up having our girls' night in. We were drinking and watching our favorite movies when we got on the discussion of romances.
"Bella, you know I love you like my own sister but it is time you put yourself out there. Your brother and the Cullens aren't here anymore, so there is no one to chase away the guys who might take an interest. "Rose said.
"I know guys. Believe me I do. And I was trying." I replied.
"Bella, I have known you for the last 4 ½ years and I haven't seen you even take the slightest interest in anyone. So explain to me how you have been trying."
My cheeks flamed bright red as I thought of the letters that I had been sending to Emmett.
"Oh my Gawd! Miss Thing you had better spill what is making you turn into a tomato." Alice screeched as she started bouncing.
"Ok. Here's the thing. You guys know that I have always been sort of invisible to the opposite sex right. Part of that was Jazz and the guys fault but part of it was I already had my eye on someone and they never noticed me."
I paused and took a deep breath. "I have always sort of had my eye on ………Emmett."
"Holy……shit." Rose breathed. "Wow" Alice echoed.
"I figured that because we had all grown up together, that maybe when I grew into my skin he would notice me. Well, Em, Jazz and Edward all joined the army and were shipped off before that happened. Then we all lost touch, I met y'all, and wrote a book. The thing is while I was writing the book I started writing letters to Emmett. They were everything that I never had the courage to say."
"Wow. Did you actually send these letters?" Rose asked.
"Um. I didn't intend to. They were just a part of the creative process. When I finally realized that I would probably never see him again and that he hadn't contacted me since he left, I decided to send him a couple. I didn't intend to keep doing it but I got in the habit. So whenever I sat down to write my book, I would write a letter to Emmett. He doesn't know they are from me though. I signed them all Hometown Admirer." I looked up to my girls with unshed tears in my eyes.
"The thing is I always knew that I was plain and uninteresting. Then I met y'all and you helped me see that I could be a confident and beautiful woman. With the courage you gave me I was able to write my book but I was never able to sign my letters for fear of losing everything in my life that I was comfortable with."
"Awww…Bells; I never knew you were crushing on a Cullen. Personally, if I had to pick one I would have picked Edward. He's got the sex hair a swimmer's body. Mmmmmm…….. I could trace my tongue across his abs" Rose was getting lost in her daydream.
"Rose focus. Bells, I think that it is time to stop the letters. Emmett obviously doesn't know that the letters are from you or he would have tried to contact you. You are 24 years old, go out, dance, flirt, have fun. If Emmett is who you were meant for it will all work out. Look and Jazz and me, I would have never met him had you not spilt coffee on me freshman year and became one of my best friends. When it is time you will find your one." Ali said.
"I agree. We need to have some serious fun. Aside from Bella's crush on the elder Cullen. What do you say to a trip to Vegas! To celebrate the ending of the writing era! And move on to the here and now!"
"Hell yeah! That is a great idea Rose! What do you say Bells?" Alice looked at me.
"I say what are we waiting for? It's time to start to living for me! I will write one last letter tonight!"
End flashback
Now, I was sitting next to him in the flesh. And hot damn did he look even better after all these years in the army. He had more defined muscles, tanned skin, and his dark hair cut in to a crew cut. Everything that the girls and I had worked on over the last month had suddenly disappeared and I was the shy 18 year old with a crush on the most popular guy in school. I would not let him get to me anymore. He even told me to go ahead and date Jake in the restaurant. He will never see me as anything other than a sister.
I opened my journal and began to write down my insecurities. This was one technique that helped me get to where I am today. He kept quiet looking around the plane and watching Jazz and Edward talking. He finally laid his head back and closed his eyes.
After takeoff I pulled out my laptop and glasses out of my bag. I needed to reschedule my tour and appointments to help Daddy C in his recovery. When I received the call from Ali, I immediately called Esme and asked what I could do to help. She was more of a mother than my own mother that I can't even remember and I was not going to let her go through this alone. She asked if I minded staying at the Cullen house and helping her look after Carlisle. There is no way I would have ever said no. We obviously had no idea the boys would be coming home too.
"Hey Bells?" I looked up to see Jasper turned in his seat. "Is Ali picking us up or do we need to rent a car when we get to Seattle? "
I pulled my glasses down so that I could look at him. "Actually, my car is in the VIP parking lot so we don't have to do either. Y'all can ride with me. Do you want me to drop you off at the apartment with Ali or take you straight to Casa de Cullen?"
"We can go straight the Cullen's. I need to shower and check on Esme. I will call Ali and tell her to meet me over there. Edward, you going to go check on Daddy C right?
"Yeah. I am going to throw down my bags and head straight over."
"Em what about you?" Edward asked.
Emmett open his eyes and told Edward he wanted to get cleaned up then he would join Edward at the hospital. He then closed his eyes again.
"Hey Edward. I'll drive you over when we get home. I want to find out what kind of physical therapy they are going to put your dad on after surgery so I can put together a fitness plan. When Em gets there he can drive you back to the house while I run by the gym and talk to Rose. I promised your mom that I would stay at the house to help her out. Speaking of that I need to call and find out if she still needs me now that y'all are here."
"I am sure she still will want you there. Between the four of us we can take shifts helping out so that we at least have some downtime while we are here."
"Ok. That will work. I am going to set up shop in the pool house so that y'all can have some family time without me interfering."
"Bells, you are family." Edward said giving me a sincere smile.
"ATTENTION, THIS IS YOUR CAPITAN SPEAKING. WE WILL BE BEGINNING OUR DECENT IN TO SEATTLE WASHINGTON. THE TEMPERATURE IS A WARM 76 DEGREES AND PARTLY SUNNY. THANK YOU FOR FLYING WITH US."
We all began packing up our stuff when I noticed Emmett was still asleep. I nudged him with my elbow and he didn't move. Great! Now I am going to have to touch him! He is too fucking sexy for his own good! I leaned over and breathed in his scent. Mmmmmm…..sandalwood. Fuck! I think I just came!
"Em…..hey wake up we are here."
He opened his gorgeous eyes and look up at me confused. "Huh?"
"We are about to land. I thought you would want to know."
"Okay. Thanks Bells."
After we landed and grabbed my checked bags we made our way out to the parking lot were my baby sat.
Emmett looked up and said "Hey Bells? What kind of car are we looking for?"
"I have a 2010 Cherry Red mustang GT." I said batting my eye lashes. I knew that a mustang was Emmett's dream car. It was one of the reasons I bought it. That and it was a fuckhot car.
Emmett's eyes got huge and get broke out into a hug dimpled smile. Damn, that man is so fucking hot!
"Are you serious Bells?!?!"
"Yes. Matilda is sitting right there." I pointed to my baby across the parking lot. She was sitting there gleaming has I hit the key to pop the trunk Emmett took off over to the car.
"Shit Bells. No fair. You bought my dream car!"
I smiled. "Well, it took me about a week to decide what I wanted but when I saw Matilda sitting there; I knew she was supposed to mine." I ran my hand over the sleek lines of my car. "Maybe if you are a good boy, I will let you drive her sometime."
"Alright. Enough car porn. "Jasper said chuckling. "Let hit the road. I want to get home and see my Ali-Cat!"
"Alright boys let's lock and load!" I climbed in and started the engine as she purred Edward and Jasper slid into the back and Emmett took shot gun.
I slid the car out of its parking spot and hit the road. I plugged in my IPod and put on my driving playlist. As Foghat's Slowride came on I hit the highway.
We spent the entire ride home joking around and having fun. It was nice to have everyone in one town at one time! I pulled into the Cullen's driveway and parked behind Ali's porche. I opened my door and stepped out just in time to see Ali launch herself into Jazz's arms.
"JAZZY! Fuck I have missed you!" She said while placing kisses all over his face and neck.
"Ali. I missed you too honey." Jasper said.
I turned not wanting to interrupt their moment. I walked to the trunk I started pulling out my bags. Emmett and Edward came around to help even though I protested.
"So, these are the famous Cullen twins. You boys have quite a reputation around here." Ali said shaking her finger at them.
"Be easy Ali. They don't know you well enough to know how hyper you are sprout. They only know what Jazz may have said, seeing how they never contacted me" I playfully glared at them.
"Sorry Bells. If it makes you feel any better, I didn't keep in touch with anyone other than my parents outside the army. There was way too much going on." Edward said.
"I am sorry too" Emmett said.
"No worries. It's all good. I lost y'all but I gained my chicas so I say that I did alright. Hey E, are you ready to leave? I just have to throw my stuff in the pool house and we can head over to Forks General."
"Sure. I just want to throw my duffle in my room and change clothes. I'll be right back."
"Hey Bells. Do you remember a Peter Charlotte from school? He said he was a few years ahead of you so you may not remember him. Anyway, Esme said that he wants to talk to you he is Carlisle doctor and he wants to go over his fitness plan to make sure you don't push him too far." Alice was rambling
Did I remember Peter? Of course I did. He was absolutely gorgeous and probably would have been my huge crush had I not already had one on Emmett. Peter had blond curly hair and hazel eyes. He ran track and played baseball. He was the big man on campus, a senior when I was a freshman. There is no way he would remember me from school.
"I vaguely remember a Peter, he was like 4 years ahead though so it might not be the same one but I will find him when E and I get there. I just want to check on Daddy C first. Emmett? Are you still coming by later? I need to know if Edward needs a ride back to the house or if I can leave and head of to the gym."
"Um. Why don't I just ride over with y'all now? I want to see pop and I kind of want to see the gym. Maybe even squeeze in a workout if that's ok with you."
"Sure. Ok see you two tomorrow. Don't break anything in the apartment Jazz. I mean it! Oh and if you insist on fucking each other's brains out to the point of screaming please remember to turn on some music. We don't want dad called for disturbing the peace, like last time!"
"Shit Sissy that was supposed to go to the grave!" Jasper turned bright red. Edward came bouncing back down the steps. "Are we ready? What's so funny?"
"Nothing!" Jazz and Alice screamed. I giggled and hopped into my car. Edward and Emmett followed.
"What was that all about?" Edward asked.
"When Jasper came home on his leave last year. I introduced him to Ali and Rose. Well, apparently Ali is his ONE and they hit it off. They spent the whole leave glued to each other. One night Rose and I had to go in to the gym so Ali and Jazz stayed behind at the apartment. When we returned the squad car was out front. Rose and I thought something bad had happened only to run into Dad leaving. His face was bright red. When I asked what was wrong he said that he got a call about loud noises coming from our apartment. He went to check it out and heard Ali screaming so he busted the door down only to find Ali and Jazz on the kitchen table fucking each other silly. He was so embarrassed he just turned and ran. I was supposed to have kept that a secret. Oh well!"
Edward and Emmett were laughing to the point of tears coming down their faces when we pulled into Forks General Hospital. As we made our way inside you could see the nurses take notice of Emmett and Edward. We were almost to Daddy C's room when I heard the clackers. Ugh!
"Don't look now guys your fan club has arrived" I whispered to them.
Emmett turned his head and saw Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley. His eyes widened and he turned to look at me with a fearful expression. "Bells, you have got to help me. Please! They won't leave me alone if they get their claws in me. I thought I would never shake them off after I hooked up with them in high school."
Now that was a blow straight to stomach and he didn't even mean to. Shit. I have got to come up with something and quick!
"Emmett and Edward Cullen. Wow! I have to say the army certainly has done y'all some good." Lauren said as she approached. She began running her fingers down Emmett's chest. "We should definitely hook up while you are in town."
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jessica starting to approach Edward. I knew what I had to do. I stepped around Emmett and placed my hands on his broad shoulders. "Baby we are going to be late to see Carlisle if we don't hurry. Oh, Hello Lauren….. Jessica."
"Well, well, well…. Bella Swan. Still chasing the Cullen boys I see." Lauren sneered at me.
"Actually hon, I have never had to chase the Cullen boys. You see, I was always part of that family without trying. But more so now that I have my Emmy." I pulled her hand off Emmett's chest and turned to look at him. I pleaded with my eyes for him to go along with what I was doing. He seemed to understand and was even seemed a little amused so I relaxed. "Sorry I was late baby. Rose said she would meet us here then we could grab your mama for dinner. Speaking of, Jessica I suggest you step away from Rose's man before she permanently removes you from the earth." I said to Jessica. She hopped away so fast it was all I could do to hold the laugh in.
"You expect me to believe that plain Bella Swan is dating Emmett Cullen? Yeah right!" Lauren started laughing.
"Actually Lauren, Bella is one of the most beautiful women in the world and I would pick her over you any day of the week." Emmett said. Say what?!? You think I am beautiful? Is there a small glimmer of hope?
"I still don't believe y'all are together" she huffed.
Emmett turned me around and lifted me off of the ground. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he whispered "Just go with it". He slammed me against the wall and pressed his lips to mine. I quickly opened my mouth and let explore it with his tongue. We were quickly getting lost in our kiss when Edward started laughing and said "Ok guys. She stomped off. Damn that shit was hot Hells Bells. Can I try too?" He puckered his lips at me.
And that is when I realized it wasn't real. I unwrapped my arms and legs and slid back to the floor. Trying to mask my real feelings I smiled as bright as I could. I punched Edward in the arm and said "You wish! Let's go check on Daddy C!"
As soon I said that I turned so they couldn't see the pain in my eyes and walked down the hall to Carlisle's room. I guess Emmett didn't feel the same thing I did. We just weren't meant to be. Time to move on and find someone who will love me for me.