AN: Well, here it is; Bella spends time with Emmett and her motorcycle. As always, all characters are the creative genius of Stephenie Meyer, I only added the plot. Have fun and let me know what you think. There is only one more chapter to go.

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A Lesson with Emmett

Saturday dawned bright and sunny. Charlie had finally agreed, after many promises from me and some coaxing from Alice, to allow me to go over to the Cullen's house. The one promise I had to make was that if Edward came home early, I would promptly return home.

Alice also relayed a message from Emmett that Jasper, Rosalie, and Edward would leave to go hunting early Saturday morning and wouldn't return until sometime Sunday afternoon. She also said she foresaw no major accidents, but she omitted anything about minor ones. That didn't bother me though because I figured there were always bound to be minor injuries were I was concerned; it was just a part of my human life, which I hoped would change soon.

Charlie left Saturday morning around five, and I was up by seven and on my way to the Cullen house around eight. I was more exuberant than I thought possible and couldn't help but smile as I drove to meet Emmett.

As I drove up, I noticed Emmett waiting on the porch and his truck parked in the drive. I was so excited to get started that I tripped getting out of my truck and fell catching myself with my hand and scrapping them on the gravel.

Emmett hadn't seen me fall until it was too late, so he wasn't able to catch me. When he saw my hands, he just shook his head and laughed as he said, "We haven't even started with the motorcycle and you've already injured yourself. I'm beginning to wonder if maybe this wasn't a good idea." I new he was joking otherwise he wouldn't have had a huge grin on his face.

"Emmett, it's nothing. This is just an everyday event for me. Nothing out of the ordinary." I smiled to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about, but I hoped this little incident wasn't a foreshadowing of something worse to come.

"Well, please try to be more careful. Come on, let's go. I found a deserted unpaved road that will work perfectly. If you fall, I don't want you sliding across pavement. Dirt is bad enough, but at least it's a little softer." Emmett walked me to his truck and helped me in when we reached it. I had forgotten how high up the cab was.

"I promise to be careful." I said just before he lifted me up so I could get in.

Emmett drove like Edward, so it didn't take long to get to our destination. I had never seen this road before, and if I had to find it again, I don't think I could. There had been too many turns and I had tried to focus on something other than the passing scenery. Even though I had discovered I liked speeding, sometimes I still found it a bit nauseating to watch the scenery zip by in a blur.

Because of Emmett's driving, we arrived at our destination quickly. Emmett hopped out of the truck and appeared at my door before I could finish unbuckling my seat belt. He helped me out of the cab and then handed me a sack. "Here, put it all on. I'm not willing to risk my life for yours," he said.

I found the elbow pads, the kneepads, and a pair of soft leather gloves inside the bag. Too bad I didn't have the gloves earlier so when I fell I wouldn't have scraped my hands. While I donned my equipment, Emmett removed my motorcycle from the back of his truck, and then handed me my new helmet. I felt a little encumbered by the elbow and kneepads and the helmet limited my vision slightly. It wasn't going to be as easy to ride the cycle, as it was when I was with Jake. Jake was concerned about my safety but not as paranoid about me being hurt. It was as if he accepted the fact that I was destined to hurt myself no matter what I did, but I understood why Emmett wanted precautions. He would have to face Edward's wrath if Edward returned home and found I had a gash in my head due to a motorcycle accident.

"So, are you ready?" He asked as he placed the bike on the road before examining me. "At least it looks like I covered all the major areas that might get scraped or cut, but I can't do anything about bruises. I almost bought some shoulder pads like football players wear, but Rose argued that would be too much. Just promise me you'll be careful." I frowned at his comment; he only looked me up and down one more time before he nodded, as if to say everything looked protected. "Now, what do you know about riding this motorcycle?"

I carefully explained everything that Jake taught me: how to start, how to change gears, how to turn, how to speed up and slow down, and how to brake – the last being the most important.

"So what you need is just some practical riding experience. Has wolf boy ever ridden with you?"

I frowned at his term for Jake, it was just a bad as when Jake referred to the Cullen's as 'bloodsuckers' or 'leeches.' Why can't they all accept the fact that whether or not they believed it they were all people? They may not be humans exactly, but they were still people with feelings and emotions.

Emmett saw my frown. "What?" He asked.

"Wolf boy?" I sneered. "Why can't you call him by his name?"

"They're our enemies. It's as simple as that." He replied objectively.

"I guess I don't understand any of you. I can be friends with you and them and yet neither of you can be friends with each other. It just makes no sense to me at all."

"Since when did life ever make sense," he smirked as we walked over to my bike.

"You're right. I have discovered that myths are based on reality, and I live in the one place were two groups from the horror movies live together, not peacefully of course, and I'm friends with both of them, and not only am I friends with them, but I'm more comfortable in their world then I am in the human world." I turned and peered into his eyes. "What does that say about me?" I asked him.

He returned my look, tilted his head, and said, "That you are a truly unique person, and maybe one who is only drawn to danger. Maybe the unexciting human world is to boring for you." A broad smile crossed his face as he finished, and then he added as he pointed to the cycle, "Case in point, one motorcycle that could, if not handle properly, endanger your life. So, you never did answer my question. Did wolf . . . sorry, Jacob ever ride with you?"

"Sure, he also has a motorcycle and a couple of time he followed me."

"No, I mean did he ever ride behind you on your motorcycle?"

"As in sit behind me and hold on as I drove?" I wanted clarification on his meaning.

"Yes."

"No. Never."

"What, was he afraid of being on the motorcycle with you? It's not like you could have hurt him much, no more than you could hurt me."

"What do you mean?"

"Bella, werewolves are almost as hard to kill as we are. Didn't he tell you that?"

"No . . . well, maybe not in so many words, but I think he tried to show me that once. I guess I just wasn't listening." I suddenly realize what Jake meant when he said not to worry about his safety, or the thing about how fast they heal if they are hurt. I guess that was what Jake wanted to prove when we were sitting in his garage. It hadn't occurred to me before that they might be almost as indestructible as vampire. Hadn't Jake said that was what they were made for, to fight immortal, hard as granite vampires, so of course they would have to be just as strong and durable as a the ones they . . . I didn't even want to think the word, especially if it were connected to the Cullen family in any way.

"Well, I think I'll start by watching you, but later, if you're not opposed, I'll ride behind you."

"Do you think that's safe?" I asked skeptically.

"I won't be in any danger." He smirked.

"Not for you, for me; will it be safe for me with you behind me?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't be safe. If I'm behind you and you skidded or tipped the cycle over, I could wrapped my arms around you as a protective barrier."

"Okay, but don't hold too tightly if that happens. I don't want to be crushed in a protective embrace."

"Oh come on Bella, I'm not that dumb. I remember how fragile you are, so I'll be doubly careful. So, are you ready?"

I took a deep breath before replying. "Yes."

"Okay, show me what you can do."

So I did. I didn't have any problems starting the bike; I had remembered everything Jacob had taught me. I didn't have any problems letting out the clutch and moving forward. I found it enjoyable flying down the road, but I missed my hair flying behind me and the wind on my face, since the visor on the helmet blocked most of the wind. It was as I was stopping that I hit a problem. All the time Jake had been instructing me, he kept tell me not to use the back break, and after the first time I did use it, he had disconnected it. That didn't stop me, however, from using it. What I hadn't realized was that someone had reconnected the brake, so when I started braking I used both and ended up on the ground like the first time I had ridden the bike. Unlike last time, I didn't slid into a rock. Instead, Emmett was beside me instantly, and even though I ended up on the ground, the motorcycle didn't because Emmett caught it before it fell on me.

"Bella," he scolded. "What did you do?"

"I hit the brake, but someone connected the back brake. I've never learned how to use it properly."

"Okay, that's my fault. I had Rosalie look it over. She said it was in great shape except for the disconnected brake, so I asked her to connect it. I didn't realize someone disconnected it for your safety. Nothing I can do about it now, so maybe it's time you learn how to use it properly."

Emmett spent all morning teaching me the proper way to use the back brake without injuring myself; oh, I had a number of spills, but he was always right there to permanent any serious injuries that might have occurred and the helmet, pads, and gloves prevented me from going home with massive scrapes and scratches. The bruises on the other hand I would have to keep concealed.

By mid afternoon, Emmett decided it would be safe for me to go a longer distance, so he got on the back of the motorcycle and told me not to think about him because he would help balance his own weight. I was unsure if I was ready for a passenger, but he kept assuring me everything would be okay, so we started down the road. I was surprised at how easy it was becoming and how much I enjoyed speeding down the dirt road. Emmett was right; I never even noticed he was behind me. He didn't even wrap his arms around me as I thought all passengers did.

I had a glorious afternoon. In fact, I had as much fun with Emmett as I did with Jake, which just proved to me my life was never meant to be spent in a normal human world, otherwise I would have felt uncomfortable and even fearful. Instead, I enjoyed every minute, and I actually stopped having accidents with the motorcycle. I felt like I was ready to prove even to Charlie that I was not a hazard on a motorcycle, but I knew I would never do that to him. It was just safer if he believed I had gotten rid of the 'death trap' – as he called it – and never allowed him to see me riding it.

As Emmett was driving home, I asked, "Do you think Edward will ride with me?"

"Well, we might have to prove to him that you're not going to kill yourself first, but once that is achieved, he might agree to ride with you."

I could just imagine flying down the road with Edward behind me with his strong arms lovingly wrapped around my waist. I would have to be careful not to allow his touch to distract me though because then I could have an accident.

"Maybe you should let him drive it first. Then broach the subject of your driving."

"That might be a good idea, but only after I am able to come over again. Maybe you could be with me when I tell him I've been riding it so you can assure him that I can ride without injuring myself." I laughed slightly thinking about the fact that I could do just that. Finally, something I could do without killing myself, but then I reminded myself not to become overconfident or it would lead to disaster.

"You are extremely happy. It's like there are waves of happiness rolling off you. I take it that you enjoyed yourself today, even without Edward being around." Emmett smiled over at me.

"Yes, it's been a great day. I didn't do major bodily harm to myself, I spent the day with my big brother, and I got to ride my motorcycle," I replied with a huge grin on my face. Then I became a little more serious. "Don't get me wrong, I still missed being with Edward, but despite that, it was a glorious day."

I couldn't have wanted more from the day, but, unbeknownst to me, a dark cloud was forming as we neared the house.