WAIT. READ.

TEAM EDWARD: There is a chance Bella will end up with Emmett.

TEAM EMMETT: There is a chance Bella will end up with Edward.

Read at your own risk! I know how the story ends and who Bella ends up with, and I'm not telling anyone.

I purposely listed Bella as the only character because I did not want to ruin the ending.

I wish I could promise a HEA for all, but obviously some readers will be upset...because Bella will have to make a choice eventually.

Carry on! LOVE YOUUUU

Bella knocked on Emmett's door and resisted the urge to smooth down her hair. It was fine; she just checked it a moment ago. Instead, she adjusted the hem of her t-shirt. Alice had wanted her to wear a skirt but Bella staunchly refused. This was just Emmett, after all.

When the door opened, Bella's heart stuttered and died. Just Emmett was wearing a black t-shirt and dark jeans. His feet were bare. His hair was still wet and glistening from the shower, and he had never looked more tempting.

She probably should have listened to Alice.

"Hey," Emmett said warmly. He leaned into her for a hug, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth as he pulled away. "You're just in time. I'm taking the chicken out of the oven now."

"It smells really good," Bella smiled shyly.

She had worried all day over this exact moment. Would it be awkward and terrible? She followed him into his apartment, marveling at how clean it was. It was decorated pretty nicely, too. Not stark, but very utilitarian. The furniture was strong, sturdy and good-looking; just like Emmett.

Bella gasped at the sight of the dining room table. It was a large, rectangular table. Two spots were set, the one at the head of the table and the seat closest to it. Candles were lit and a bouquet of lilies, her favorite flower, adorned the surface.

That wasn't what made her gasp.

It was the food. The absolutely enormous amount of food on the table.

Emmett followed her eyes and laughed sheepishly, shrugging. "Coach worked me hard today. I'm hungry."

"You can't possibly eat all of that," Bella protested.

"Of course not," he winked. "You're going to help me."

"Sit down," he said, gesturing to the table. "Do you want a glass of wine?"

Bella was too surprised to hide it. Emmett, pouring her wine? She realized that when she thought of Emmett, she pictured him as he was back in high school. The star quarterback who flirted with anything in heels and could crush beer cans on his forehead.

The man before her was unmistakably grown up.

"Umm," she hesitated, feeling her cheeks warm. She didn't really want to get trashed in front of him, especially after St. Patrick's Day. She was actually kind of nervous to be intimate with him again, and liquid courage was the last thing she needed.

"I have flavored seltzer, too," he offered. "I just didn't know what you liked."

"The seltzer is good," Bella replied, relieved. The glass of wine would have gone straight to her head. "Do you need help with anything?"

The buzzer sounded shrilly and Emmett shook his head. He disappeared into the kitchen and when he returned, it was with a perfectly roasted chicken. He set the platter down carefully, amidst the green beans, mashed potatoes, salad, bread, and antipasto.

"Wow, Emmett…I'm…"

"Again, you offend me with your lack of expectations," he teased.

Bella sat down, her hair falling forward to hide her rosy cheeks. Emmett laughed again and took his seat, wielding a large knife to carve the bird. He filled her plate, putting way too much on it, but then tripled the portion for his own meal.

Emmett's cooking was delicious, and their conversation flowed easily. They talked about how her student teaching was going, and her part time job at a store in the mall. After dinner, they retired to the living room and Emmett told her about his escapades with his teammates. He admitted that he had a pretty hardcore workout earlier in the day, and that it was "killing him."

"Maybe you need a massage," Bella suggested. She bit her lip, almost immediately regretting the offer. She did want to get her hands on him again, but it sounded tawdry.

"Are you offering?" he asked, his voice suddenly husky.

Her heart began thudding, slow and steady, against her ribcage. Time seemed to slow. Her mouth was suddenly dry, so Bella swallowed hard and nodded.

Emmett pulled his shirt off and stared at her, smiling broadly at the way her eyes immediately dropped to his bare chest. "You're too far away."

Bella slid over a bit so their legs were touching. Before she could make another move, she found on his lap, encircled by his arms. His skin was so hot and the muscles underneath were rock solid.

"You need to help me out here, Bella," Emmett said, his voice a little desperate. Bella ran her hands over his chest and he shuddered. She finally tore her eyes away from all of that skin and looked up at him, and then he turned those big, brown, vulnerable eyes on her. "I want – I want to do this right. But I don't know how. Don't let me mess this up."

Bella felt slightly unnerved at the intensity of his emotion. She didn't know what to say, and it seemed like the moment passed because Emmett suddenly began to pull away.

"Wait," Bella said quickly. "Wait." And she pressed her lips to his. There was a moment of hesitation, where Bella was kissing him but he didn't react. In that brief time span, her heart sank and Bella once again felt how deeply vested she was in him.

His hands slid over her body, stoking the fire that his skilled mouth had ignited. Emmett didn't hold back now, and soon Bella was practically writhing on top of him. There was no way she could hold back or try to be coy – being with Emmett was liberating. He consumed her and somehow expected the same in return. There was no halfway.

Emmett scooted forward so he could lay her down on the couch. Their lips never broke contact, and his hands moved feverishly over her skin. Bella pulled him down closer, wanting his weight on top of her. He felt so good; so big and secure. It made her feel tiny, but the power she wielded over him made her feel powerful.

She slid her hand between them, slipping it under the waistband of his jeans. Emmett pushed his hips forward and loudly groaned his appreciation. Bella gripped him tightly and closed her eyes, his harsh breathing in her ear.

"Bella," he bit back another moan. "You make me feel like I'm fifteen again. I can't stand this."

"Do you want me to stop?" she asked, suddenly unsure, letting go.

"God, no," he said fiercely. He unzipped his jeans and Bella continued.

Emmett only let her play for a few more moments before knocking her hand away. He leaned back on his knees and unbuttoned her jeans. She felt a flutter of panic in her chest. The room was too bright and she suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious.

He tugged her jeans down and cupped her mound. The heat from his hand burned through her panties and Bella gasped. Emmett watched her avidly, half smiling as her knees came together to shut him out. "You got shy again?"

She nodded. Emmett slipped off the couch and kneeled on the floor. He swung her legs to the side, so they dangled off the couch, and situated himself between them.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly now, her breathing shallow, and her eyes were wide and full of anxiety. It was so cute he almost wanted to laugh, but knew that would hurt her feelings. Bella was sensitive like that.

Instead, he dropped his head and kissed her bared stomach. Bella shivered at the touch, so he did it again. Then he began working his way, ever so slowly, down to the top of her panties. Her skin felt like velvet, and he gently traced one finger along the silken flesh.

"Emmett," she whispered.

He ignored her, because he was pretty sure she was going to protest. He didn't care, though, because he wanted to taste her. He needed to taste her, see if she was as good in real life as she was in his dreams…and she would love it.

"Emmett," she said again, her voice slightly more frantic when he began to pull down her boyshorts.

"It's okay," he said softly. Her panties were shoved down to her ankles, where her jeans still hung off one leg.

He touched her gently, carefully, watching her expression with rapture. Bella closed her eyes and threw her head back, her fingers digging into the couch cushions. While her eyes were still closed, and before she could object, he dropped his head and licked the length of her sex.

Bella's entire body jumped and her eyes flew open. She stared at him, breathing hard, as he did it again. And again. To his relief, she didn't protest.

Emmett's hand skimmed down her body and joined his mouth at the juncture between her legs. He wanted to devour her, to make her cry with pleasure, but he went slow. Emmett built her up and brought her to the brink of orgasm, then brought her back from the edge. He did it again and again, until Bella was delirious with pleasure, whispering nonsensical ramblings.

"Please," she whimpered. "I'm so close."

He nodded, groaning against her slick flesh. Bella reached down and tangled one hand into his short curls, tugging hard. She began rocking against him and Emmett's tongue flicked harder, searching out her sweet spot and focusing on it. Bella's muscles clenched hard and she came apart, moaning and jerking against him.

When she finally went limp, Bella opened her eyes and let out a sigh of contentment.

"Emmett," she said weakly. "You're…that was…"

"I know," he agreed. He stood up and shoved down his pants.

"Your phone," Bella said in a distracted voice, staring at the huge bulge straining against his boxers. "It's ringing again."

"Again?"

"It was ringing for a while when you were…" she blushed. "I tried to tell you but um, I was kind of overwhelmed."

Emmett ignored the phone and it after a few seconds it stopped ringing. He had just shucked his boxers, when it began again. He frowned and looked in the direction of the kitchen, where he had left it.

Bella licked her lips. "Maybe you should check it before we…continue."

His frown deepened but he nodded and pulled his shorts back up. He nearly tripped over his own pants on the way to the kitchen, and Bella giggled. He couldn't help but smile at the sound of her laughter. He liked having her in his home, laughing and kissing him.

Emmett did a double take at the name on the caller ID. He glanced quickly at the clock, noting the late hour, and his happy feeling changed into one of dread. "Hello?"

Bella watched Emmett lovingly. It was like she was in a big, warm bubble of love. She felt so good; she swung her legs back up onto the couch and tugged her shirt down as long as it could go. It would do until Emmett came back to her.

"Why did he leave?" Emmett demanded. "Why didn't he wait for me?"

The warm bubble of love popped. His voice was no longer sleepy and seductive; it was tense and full of trepidation. Emmett cradled his cell phone between his jaw and shoulder, his brow furrowed as he listened. He raked a hand through his hair and looked at her with a resigned expression.

"Okay. I'm on my way. Stay there and I'll pick you up."

Bella leaned forward and snatched her panties off the floor. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"No," Emmett replied grimly. He tossed his cell phone onto the counter and picked up his jeans. "My little brother is in trouble. He's trying to help someone but…"

"I didn't know you had a brother," Bella frowned, kind of shocked. She didn't remember ever hearing about a brother.

"Not a real brother. My Little Brother. I'm a Big Brother. It's like a mentoring program for at risk kids," Emmett explained. He ducked his head, but not before Bella saw a hint of color on his cheeks.

"Emmett…that's really sweet," she whispered.

He just shrugged and zipped his jeans. "I'm sorry the night is messed up. I mean, you can crash here if you want but I don't know how long it'll take to find him."

"I can go with you and help you look," Bella offered. "Unless, you know, you want to do it by yourself."

Emmett paused and looked at her curiously. "You would do that? You'd come with me?"

"Of course," she said simply. She stood up and pulled on her jeans, then began looking for her sneakers.

"It could take a while," he said, clearing his throat. Emmett didn't know anyone else who would give up their night to go look for some punk they didn't even know. The fact that Bella would further cemented what he had known forever – that Bella was different than anyone he'd ever met.

"That's okay," Bella shrugged, another shy smile on her face.

"All right," Emmett agreed. Despite his anxiety over the Seth situation, Bella was still able to put a smile on his face. It felt good. "I'll grab you a sweatshirt."

After he handed her the hoodie, Bella yanked it over her head. It was huge – she was literally swimming in it. Best of all, it smelled like Emmett. She didn't want to tell him and freak him out, but Emmett was never getting the sweatshirt back. The hoodie was hijacked forever.

"Seth is a good kid," Emmett said in the car. He braked for a red light and drummed his fingers nervously on the steering wheel. "He's had a hard life. He's got a good chance at making it, though. I just…"

"You just," Bella prompted him. "What?"

"I don't want to see him screw it all up," he mumbled. "He lives in a home with some other kids. A few of them are already involved in this gang and the leader has been after Seth for a while."

"A gang?" she repeated, her eyes wide. "Like a real gang?"

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Not like the kind that carries around bazookas and has the Feds after them. But it's bad enough. They're into drugs and a couple of them have records. None of them have graduated, either, which is reason enough for him to stay away from them."

"How old is Seth?"

"Sixteen," Emmett said tersely, his eyes on a nondescript white house. The jeep slowed and he parked in front of it, honking twice. The door immediately opened and a tall, lanky boy came stumbling out of it. "That's Quil. He's Seth's best friend."

Quil jogged down the uneven pathway, pausing when Emmett made a gesture to the back seat. His eyes widened with appreciation when they landed on Bella. He climbed in and sprawled across the seat.

"Buckle up," Emmett growled. "Where is he?"

"He went to talk to Sam," Quil sighed. "I didn't know, Emmett, I swear."

Bella looked at him in the rear view mirror. Quil was a skinny kid with tanned skin, maybe from some kind of Indian heritage. He winced when he said the name Sam, and Emmett let his breath out in a noisy hiss. Obviously this Sam character wasn't a winner. The car lurched forward, moving much more quickly now.

"I didn't know!" Quil protested, before Emmett even said anything. "Sam was bothering Leah again. Seth said you told him we gotta be respectful of the girls and take care of them. So he told Leah he was gonna go talk to Sam about how he was acting to her."

"I didn't mean to go after Sam at night by himself!" Emmett exploded. He gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his face red and his spine rigid. "I swear to God, sometimes you guys are so dumb! You know Sam isn't going to be alone. Sam is never alone. All this will lead to is – "

Bella reached over and put her hand on Emmett's forearm. The effect was instantaneous. Emmett inhaled deeply and when he exhaled, his body relaxed. He looked over at her, obviously still upset, but a flicker of gratitude shone in his eyes.

"I would have gone with him if he told me what he was doing," Quil said sullenly. "The two of us could kick Sam's ass. Make him wish he was never born."

Emmett cleared his throat and rolled his head, the cracking in his neck audible. "It's good that you guys are taking what I say seriously, but you can't go around saving the world. You need to take care of you, too. Going after Sam isn't going to get you anywhere but in the hospital."

"There!" Quil yelled, leaning forward and hitting Emmett's arm.

"Oh, my God," Bella gasped. Someone, presumably Seth, was curled up on the sidewalk. Three bigger guys were standing around him – two laughing and one kicking him.

Emmett slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a stop. "Call 911, Bella."

He was halfway out of the car when Bella realized that he was going after them. "Emmett, no – wait for the – "

She heard the back door open and looked back just in time to see Quil shoot out, quick as an arrow.

"Quil, get back in here!" Bella yelled, dialing 911 at the same time.

She looked up just in time to see Emmett landed a right hook square on one guy's jaw, sending him sprawling backwards against a storefront and to the ground. Quil skidded to a stop by Seth and knelt down, talking to him.

The remaining two gang members turned on Emmett, and Bella's heart leapt into her throat. She needed to help him.

By the time Bella was out of the car and across the street, the second guy had taken off and was running down the street. She tried to commit his description to memory. Emmett was engaged with the third, and biggest, man.

Her pounding heart was pumping adrenaline through her body. There was a small crowd of people a couple blocks down, but they didn't seem to be too interested in helping.

She murmured answers to the operator's frenzied questions, and dropped down next to Quil. Seth was awake and stared up at her. He looked like a baby.

Emmett groaned and Bella looked up in time to see his head snap back as he took a blow to the face. Bella stood, half ready to charge into battle, but Emmett straightened and lunged after the man with a growl.

Emmett was a warrior, through and through. His body, honed by hours in the gym and on the field, was obviously no stranger to self-defense. He moved quicker than a man his size should physically be able to, and soon he had the tattooed man pinned to the brick wall.

"If you ever touch him again, I will find you and I will kill you," Emmett spat. "Do you understand?"

The guys laughed. "You think you're so big and strong? You shouldn't have let my boy get away, because now he's coming with back ups."

Emmett loosened his grip just enough to pull back and then slam the man's head back into the wall. He groaned a little.

"I don't give a shit," Emmett replied. "I'm not fucking around, Sam. Stay away from them."

A dark SUV came around the corner on two wheels. The window rolled down and the second guy, who had gotten away, yelled for Sam. Emmett didn't let go of Sam's throat but turned his head to assess the situation.

Sirens wailed in the distance. Emmett stared impassively at the SUV full of guys, and the only time his face betrayed him was when he glanced at Bella. He couldn't allow her to be in this type of danger. He reluctantly released Sam, who smiled cockily and jogged over to the SUV.

"See you later pale face," Sam sneered. "And don't worry – so will Seth."

They took off, burning rubber, just as two squad cars appeared down the street. An ambulance was right behind them.

Bella flipped her phone shut, watching Emmett anxiously as he kneeled down across from her.

"Hey Seth, you okay?" he asked, his eyes skimming over Seth's body.

"I'm fine," Seth grunted. "Quil won't let me get up. Getthefuckoff, Quil."

"No, just stay like that," Emmett commanded. "The ambulance is here. We'll take you to the hospital and get some x-rays."

"Naw, come on man," Seth wailed. "That'll take all night."

"Yeah, well, your head isn't as hard as mine yet," Emmett joked. He looked at Bella and their eyes locked. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she nodded, her eyes lingering on his bloodied lip and bruising eye. "You better get looked at, too."

Emmett shook his head. "I'm okay."

It wasn't until much, much later that Bella found herself alone with Emmett. He rode to the hospital with Seth, and Bella followed in with jeep with Quil. The police took their statements at the hospital. Sam's friend, the one who had been knocked out cold, was arrested and taken in.

Seth was released with two broken ribs, a black eye and a lot of bruises. Emmett lectured both boys on the way home about safety and self-defense, then they got an earful from their foster mother.

When he climbed back into the jeep, Emmett slumped back in his seat and groaned. "This has got to be the worst date in history. I'm really, really sorry, Bella."

The time on the dashboard read almost three o'clock. Bella looked at it and wondered what time she would even make it home.

"It's okay," she assured him. "It was nice to meet Seth and Quil. They seem like good kids."

Thinking of the boys made her think of the fight. She didn't want to tell him that for a few minutes, she had actually been terrified of him. Emmett was stunning in fighting mode, more violent than she could have imagined.

It was also kind of hot.

The way he completely sacrificed himself, so willing to protect those he cared about – it aroused some primal instinct deep inside of her. That part of her knew how strong Emmett was, and she craved that protection and fierce devotion.

"Do you want me to drive home?" she asked. "You must have a headache or something. Your eye looks terrible."

"I'm all right," he replied quietly. He seemed to deflate right before her eyes, his body crashing after holding strong throughout the course of the night.

"Let me drive," Bella offered again.

He hesitated, but only for another minute. They switched seats and Emmett reclined the passenger seat all the way back. They drove in silence most of the way home, the car dark except for the glow of the dashboard.

"You know, Bella, you're kind of awesome," he breathed.

"Thanks," Bella smiled. She felt oddly warm and fuzzy inside. "Why don't we get you inside?"

She noticed Emmett was moving slower. She purposely walked close to him, ready to support him if he needed it. Emmett noticed, of course, and chuckled. He tossed a heavy arm over her shoulder.

"If I go down, you're going down with me, Sweetpea," he laughed.

"You should have let the doctor take a look at you," Bella grumbled.

"Dr. Cullen taught me the symptoms of a concussion well," Emmett informed her. "I've had seven of them in my life."

"Emmett!" Bella admonished. "You're lucky your brain isn't permanently damaged."

"Edward says it is," he guffawed.

The mention of Edward caused Bella's insides to squirm uncomfortably, and an uneasy silence fell upon them. She got the distinct impression that Emmett was biting his tongue.

"Come on, let's get you in bed," she said gently. Bella unlocked the door and ushered him inside. Emmett yawned and staggered down the hallway to his bedroom.

"You can crash here, if you'd like," he mumbled through another yawn. Emmett tore off his shirt and jeans and collapsed onto his bed.

Bella sat on the edge of his bed, watching in awe as Emmett almost immediately fell asleep. She had to be in class the next morning, student teaching, but she couldn't leave him.

She thought maybe it was the worrier in her – she couldn't leave Emmett alone when he could possibly have a concussion….but in all honesty, it was this other side of Emmett that had her chained to his bed.

Emmett, who made a huge, fancy dinner just to impress her. Emmett, the man who used his fists and muscles to defend the weak. And Emmett, the overgrown boy himself, who fell asleep as easily as a five year old.

She washed her face and changed into a pair of his shorts and a t-shirt. She saw the way Emmett had wrapped himself in the blanket, so she searched his closets until she found a spare. He didn't look like he was about to share.

Bella turned the lights off and snuggled up next to him in his huge bed. It wasn't until she was just comfortable enough to fall asleep that she realized she needed to set an alarm.

Bella leaned over and dug through her bag, looking for her cell phone. She flipped it open to activate the alarm, but realized she had a text message from Alice.

Edward asked Jasper if you and Em are dating…

hi guys! i hope you're enjoying TORN so far. i'm trying to keep up with the reviews, but if i didn't get back to you - just know that i thank you for taking the time to read my lil story, and i LOVE reading your comments! =)

also - i know a lot of you are going out of your comfort zone with this story. i love that you're keeping an open mind, and i hope you stick along for the ride. keep me posted on if you're team emmett or team edward...i'm very eager to see if i can change any minds!

LUNA