Sunday was a chilly day, and Bella was grateful for the hoodie she snagged before dashing out of her apartment. Edward was waiting for her in his idling car, which was double parked on the street.

He rolled the window down and called out, "Hurry up, there's a cop staring at me."

Bella looked up and sure enough, a cop was eyeing the car from his spot across the street. She gave the officer a nervous smile and hurried into the passenger side. Edward pulled out into traffic and the Volvo purred, making him grin.

"If you weren't so cute we definitely would have gotten a ticket," he remarked, glancing over at her.

Bella felt her cheeks heat up and was struck by how much she hated that particular trait. Even more, she hated how easily it happened around Edward.

"You okay?' he asked, his voice concerned.

Bella forced a smile onto her face. Honestly, she hadn't been sleeping well and it put her on edge. She missed Emmett, and Alice and Jasper, too. But mostly Emmett. It had been almost five weeks since she saw him, and the agonizing pain was beginning to dull into a never-ending ache in her heart.

"I'm fine," she managed. "Just tired."

"We don't have to go today," Edward offered. "Want to just grab a pizza and watch a movie?"

"No," she sighed. Bella felt a twinge of guilt and knew she was acting less than pleasant. She took a deep breath and put more of an effort into appearing excited for their trip to the Seattle Art Museum. She had been there before, of course, but agreed to visit again when Edward suggested it.

"So I talked to my dad about med school," Edward announced, smiling over at her.

"Wow, that's great," she replied, genuinely happy for him. He had been stressing out over that talk big time. He felt guilty for dropping out of school, especially when it had been so important to his parents. When he made the decision to go back, he dreaded telling them for fear of their judgment. "How did it go?"

"My dad was actually really excited about it," he admitted, unable to shake the smile from his face. "I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. He even wants to help out with my tuition, which is a lot more than I expected."

"Well, he's proud of you, I'm sure," Bella smiled. "Following in the family footsteps and all."

Edward nodded. He stopped smiling, his green eyes so serious and warm. "Thanks for all the pep talks. I don't know that I could have enrolled and, you know, done all of this without you. Oh, look, there's that blush I love."

"Oh, stop," Bella mumbled, laughing.

"Look in the glove compartment. I brought you something."

"Edward, you shouldn't have," Bella protested.

"You don't even know what it is yet!" he laughed. "Just open it. Be the gracious girl that I know is hidden deep inside there."

She let out a loud, drawn-out sigh, giggling when Edward poked her side. She opened the glove compartment and pulled out the cream colored envelope marked "Isabella".

The envelope was thick and obviously expensive. Despite her dislike for gifts in general, she felt a thrill of excitement. Edward was constantly slipping her small gifts, like a card or a candy bar, anything to make her smile. She glanced over at him and was surprised by the air of anxiety surrounding him.

Bella carefully opened the envelope and pulled out a gift certificate. It was for a series of ten cooking classes at the local, rather elite, culinary school.

"Edward – this is too much!" she said, shocked. "This must have cost you…I can't accept this."

"Yes, you can," he assured her. Edward reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze, then brought it to his lips for a kiss. "It cost me hardly anything. My mom has a connection."

"I don't believe you." Bella shook her head ruefully, tingles radiating from where their hands were joined. "This is seriously way too generous."

Edward pulled into the parking lot and waited until he cut the engine to speak. "Bella, I don't know how many times I can tell you how important you are to me. I want you to be happy. I like to see you smile. And lately, you've been smiling a lot more…but I just wanted to give you something that makes you happy when I'm not around."

"And cooking makes me happy," she said softly.

"Yeah," he smiled crookedly. "It does. I won't be with you, but it'll probably be a good way to make some friends."

The words that Edward didn't speak were louder than the ones he verbalized. She needed to get out and talk to people, to widen her circle of friends. Losing Emmett, Jasper and especially Alice had really hurt her. Besides Edward, and the girls from work, she didn't really socialize much.

A warm feeling encompassed her broken heart, making her feel more like herself than she had in weeks. Edward was so sweet. He was too sweet, considering how she treated him half the time. But he was right – she was getting better. Each day was less harsh and painful than the previous, and she knew that had a lot to do with his friendship.

As the weeks passed and they spent more time together, Bella realized she had misjudged Edward. Or maybe she never knew him at all. Regardless, Edward wasn't the man she thought he was.

He was educated, and knew about things like fine wine and cheese. He appreciated places like the museum, and was even able to hold conversations about the paintings. Edward enjoyed small cafes that featured local artists and acoustic sets. It was a nice, welcome change from Chinese in front of the television.

She had loved those evenings with Emmett, but now her couch was full of memories that were too painful to relive. Sue took pity on her and tossed her a few extra shifts at the store, and she spent what little free time she had with Edward, eager to avoid her empty apartment.

Working at Nature's Harvest was her saving grace. The job had been a shoe-in for her, because of her experience at Newton's Sporting Goods. She was able to lose herself in mindless, tedious work, like stocking the bulk section and filing papers for Sue. The customers were strange enough to distract her and it was nice to be around other people. It kept her thoughts from straying to Emmett.

It took a whole two weeks for Sue to yank her into the office after the breakup.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, gesturing her hand in Bella's general direction.

Bella tugged on her t-shirt, straightening it out. "What do you mean?"

Sue eyed her curiously and reached for a pack of cigarettes. She laughed when Bella's eyes rounded and looked shocked.

"Sue, you can't smoke in here! It's a health store," Bella hissed. She crossed the room and shut the office door, ignoring Sue's cackle.

"You look terrible. Like you haven't slept in a week."

"That's because I haven't," Bella mumbled. Sue's shrewd eyes narrowed and Bella bit her tongue. "I mean, I'm sleeping. I'm fine. Just stressed out. Emmett and I kind of broke up."

"Emmett? That's the big lumberjack one?" Sue clarified. "Or the pretty boy."

Sue was just trying to make her laugh, and it worked. Bella giggled and shook her head. "You're terrible."

Sue took a long drag on her cigarette and smirked. "That boy's just too pretty for his own good."

Bella nodded halfheartedly, because thinking about the big lumberjack made her heart ache. The pretty boy just confused her.

"So here's the deal," Sue said, snubbing out her cigarette. "You come in here looking like shit, you work the bulk section or freezer back stock."

"What?" Bella exclaimed. "Sue, those are the worst jobs here! We take turns doing them!"

"Yeah, but if you come in here looking all depressed and pathetic, I'm putting you right on them," Sue nodded. "Should whip you right back into shape."

It was true that Sue was unique as far as managers went, however her methods tended to be effective. After three shifts working the freezer, Bella made sure she came in with her hair done and her makeup immaculate. Sue looked her over with approval and gave her permission to return to her regular duties.

She got the impression that Sue wanted to talk with her, probably about the break up, so she just worked harder and tried to avoid her. The following Saturday Bella was scheduled for a closing shift and they were busy enough that Sue wasn't able to corner her. It was a long, tiring day. By ten to nine, there were a few customers left in the store, and she made a point of asking them if they needed help while mentioning that they were closing up soon.

"Hey Bella?" Angela called, finding her by the small camping supplies section. "There's a customer in the bulk section. He needs help finding some weird berries….I don't remember what they're called."

Bella suppressed a sigh and nodded, changing direction towards the bulk section. Angela followed her. She still had to do a walk through and close down the last drawer. She was tired; tonight would be an excellent night for a hot bath and a glass of wine.

"Hi, you needed help finding…" the words died in her throat as she recognized the customer.

"Hello, Bella," James said smoothly. He held out his hand and she automatically extended hers, fighting a cringe when he clasped it in both of his.

"Hi James," she replied, injecting some false warmth into her voice. James was every bit as creepy as she remembered, and it really unnerved her to see him again. It had been a slow night and she sent two of the guys home early. That left only Bella, Angela and one other girl, Lauren, closing the store.

"It's wonderful to see you again," he said huskily. His eyes flickered over to Angela, who shifted uncomfortably. "Angela was a great help, but we couldn't find any goji berries. Do you carry them?"

"Yes," Bella nodded. She awkwardly withdrew her hand and led him to the cooler. "They're in here."

"Thanks so much," James grinned, flashing them a smarmy smile. He looked put together and almost normal today, but she couldn't shake the disturbing vibe she got from him. "I won't keep you ladies any longer. I know you're closing soon, and you must have plans for this Saturday night. Perhaps a romantic evening with Emmett, Bella?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Bella saw Angela's body stiffen. She wondered if it was because of how unashamedly inappropriate James's question was, or if she was simply concerned that Bella would fall apart at the mention of Emmett.

"Yes, Emmett should be here soon," Bella lied. She wasn't stupid; Charlie taught her at a young age to be careful about what she said, and to watch who she said it in front of. Letting James know she was single wasn't very smart. "Anything else we can help you find?"

James scooped some berries into a small paper bag. "No. I'll be out of your hair in two minutes."

Bella nodded and exchanged a look with Angela behind James's back. They headed up to the front and Angela grabbed her arm, glancing over her shoulder to make sure James wasn't behind them.

"Bella, do you know him?" she frowned. "He seemed kind of weird."

"He is weird," Bella agreed. "Creepy."

"I'm happy you said Emmett was on his way," Angela looked at her quickly. "It was smart. How are you doing, anyway?"

Bella shrugged, not really wanting to get into that conversation. "I'm fine."

Angela touched Bella's shoulder. "Listen, Lauren and I are going to this speed dating thing after work. It sounds cheesy but it's actually a lot of fun. Do you want to come with us?"

"No, no, I'm really tired," Bella begged off. She ducked into the office when James came up to get rung out. As if he knew she was avoiding him, James very loudly called a goodbye to her. She didn't reply.

"Bella, do you think we're going to get out on time?" Lauren asked, standing in the office door. "It's just that me and Angela have this thing to go to…"

"Yeah, the speed dating," Bella finished for her. "I'm just about done. Let me just finish this note to Sue and we can go."

Lauren nodded and went back to the registers. Bella scribbled the rest of the note to Sue, explaining that they didn't finish some of the back stock and it would need to be done in the morning.

She finished counting down the last drawer in record time, and noticed Angela and Lauren were sporting fresh makeup and new outfits. Bella felt a twinge of jealousy at the carefree, easy night ahead of them. Her big plans included heading home to her empty, depressing apartment.

Sure, she could tag along, but her foul mood would just bring everyone down. Besides, any guys that she spoke to surely couldn't live up to Emmett, so what was the point?

"Ready?" Angela asked brightly, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Yup," Bella forced a smile. "Let's get you guys out of here so you can find true love." She hoped that didn't sound too bitter.

Disaster struck when they were locking up the store. The security alarm wouldn't activate.

Lauren sighed impatiently while Bella tried it again. And again.

"Listen, I know you guys have to go," Bella sighed. "Just go ahead. I need to call the company and last time it took a good half hour to reset it."

"We can't leave you," Angela protested.

"If we're not there on time they start without us and I had to pay in advance," Lauren interjected. "Are you uncomfortable being here alone, Bella?"

"No, I'm fine." She pulled out her cell phone and began dialing the customer service line posted next to the alarm console. "Don't be late. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Angela asked, obviously not sold on the idea of leaving Bella alone. "What if –"

"Ang, I'll be fine, I promise," Bella said, turning to face her. "I've been here alone a million times. I've worked overnight here by myself. I want you guys to go and have fun, okay?"

Technically, that wasn't true. Sue had a pretty strict policy when it came to working or being left alone – it just didn't happen, ever. This was different – they'd leave, she'd be done in fifteen minutes and home in thirty.

Eric, the sweet tech guy based in Connecticut, walked her through the resetting process. Before she knew it, their conversation was wrapping up and the activated alarm glowed a happy red. Bella said goodnight and was shoving her cell phone in her pocket when movement in the parking lot caught her eye.

The lights were on an automatic timer. She couldn't see outside very clearly without getting right up to the glass, and that was too conspicuous. Slightly unnerved, Bella decided to manually turn the lights off so she could have a more complete view of her car. She returned to the office, hoping her actions seemed casual in the event anyone was watching, and flipped the switches.

Part of her felt silly for being so overly-cautious, the other part could hear Charlie, in his gruff voice, telling her she was doing the right thing.

When she saw James leaning against his blue convertible, parked directly across from her truck, she knew she had done the right thing.

Her heart pounded with a burst of fear and she ducked back into the office, which hid her from the wide expanse of windows in the front of the store. Now that the lights were off and the rest of the staff gone, James would be expecting her to leave. If she didn't go out, would he try to come in? She knew the front doors were locked for sure.

Bella fumbled through her purse, trying to make out her phone in the dark. She called Edward and waited impatiently while the phone rang and rang.

"Hey, you've reached Edward. Leave me a – "

She hung up on his voicemail and called once more. Her dad would tell her to call the cops; That's what they're there for, Bells. She hated to tie up a police car for something so ridiculous. What if something serious happened and someone got hurt because there was a cop baby-sitting her?

And what would she even say? A customer is sitting in the parking lot and I think he's creepy? Arrest him?

Bella scrolled through her phonebook to Emmett's name, highlighting it and just staring at it. He probably wouldn't pick up. A week after they broke up, he stopped taking her calls. He wouldn't return her messages either, so she stopped calling.

She battled with herself. Either way, there was some sort of fallout. If he didn't answer, she would be crushed and feel terrible for the rest of the night. If he answered and she heard his sweet, familiar voice, it would be even worse.

In a moment of bravery and stupidity, Bella hit the send button. The phone rang seven times before she hung up. He wasn't going to answer, and she didn't want to hear his voicemail.

Jasper, maybe? No…they hadn't spoken since she ignored all of his phone calls. She had been angry at Alice, not Jasper, but she took it out on him, too. He tried for a couple weeks to smooth everything over and repair their friendships, but Bella was too hurt. She needed more time.

Bella crossed the room and stared at the piece of paper that listed important phone numbers. She picked up the store phone and was halfway through dialing the police station when her phone began to vibrate on the desk. The sound was oddly loud and she snatched it up, her heart racing.

It was Emmett.

Bella's fingers fumbled with the phone. She hung up the store line and picked up her own.

"Hello?" she asked, her heart in her throat. "Hello?"

"Bella, it's Emmett. You called me?" His voice was calm and too cool. He sounded like a stranger. Bella felt her heart sink and wondered what she had been hoping for. "Bella?"

"Yeah, hi Emmett. I was just calling… Well, James is here and I didn't want to walk out by myself but I didn't mean to bother you, I was just being stupid - I'll call the police," she said in a tumble of words. Her face felt warm and she wished she had never called him, because this rejection stung horribly.

"James is there?" he asked sharply. "Where are you, at the store?"

"Yeah, and I'm closing alone because Angela and Lauren were doing this speed dating thing and had – "

"I'm on my way. I'll be there in five minutes – do not talk to him or let him in. Do you understand?" he demanded.

"Yes," Bella replied in a tiny voice. He hung up and she sat down, holding her cell tightly in one sweaty hand. She rolled the chair forward a few inches so she was positioned at an angle to see out the front windows.

Shock hit her hard when she saw James peering into the front windows. Despite all of his creepiness, she generally thought he was harmless. This behavior crossed the line into dangerous territory.

Only another minute or two passed until she heard the roar of Emmett's Jeep. The strip mall was quiet and dark; all the stores were closed. It made the sound of his engine that much louder.

He screeched to a stop right in front of the store and Bella tore out of the office. She had only wanted him to get her to her car and maybe follow her home – not approach James. Emmett jumped out of the Jeep, his body language was clearly hostile.

By the time she managed to unlock the front door and get outside, he had James backed against the windows.

"Tell me what you're doing here," Emmett growled, his hands clenched into fists at his side.

James looked over at Bella and smiled. "I told you already. I did some late shopping and just – "

"Don't look at her. Do not look at her," Emmett snapped. "You stay the fuck away from Bella. If you come near her again, you'll regret it."

"I am a loyal customer here," James shrugged. "I'm bound to see her sooner or later. And now that she is single…"

"I'm talking to the owner tomorrow morning and I can fucking guarantee you that you'll be banned from this store forever."

"And what do you think that will accomplish?" James asked silkily, his voice low and smooth and utterly terrifying. "I'll have to find a new way to see Bella. Maybe at her apartment? On that hideous brown couch?"

bELLA literally felt the blood drain from her face. Her couch? How had he seen her couch? And how did he know they had broken up?

"Bella, get in my car," Emmett ordered. The tone of his voice left no room for argument.

His body was vibrating with anger. She knew he wouldn't be able to control himself much longer and again she wished she had just called the cops. Bella made sure the front door of the store was locked and practically dove into the Jeep.

She couldn't hear what they were saying, but after one comment James smirked. Emmett's back went rigid and then he moved so quickly he was practically a blur. Bella watched his fist connect with James's jaw. James sank to the ground, holding his jaw with one hand and spitting blood at Emmett's feet.

Bella's muscles ached from being so tense. Her fingers were poised above the numbers on her cell phone, ready to dial 911 if James so much as touched Emmett. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, fueled by stark terror.

Emmett turned and walked briskly to the Jeep, not bothering to turn around and check on James. Bella couldn't tear her eyes from James, and when he noticed he gave her a bloody smile and a small wave.

"Are you okay?" Emmett asked stiffly.

"Yes," she whispered.

He revved the engine and peeled away from the curb, burning rubber as he did so. Bella turned around and watched James sit there, watching them, until Emmett turned. Then she sat back in her seat and exhaled, feeling her hands begin to shake.

"You okay?" Emmett asked again.

She nodded but didn't say anything. Her breath came fast, and she knew the tears were close by. Emmett didn't say anything else, but she quickly noticed that they weren't going to her house.

"You'll stay at my house tonight. There's a guest room…" he trailed off. "Tomorrow we're filing a restraining order against him. And finding you a new apartment."

"A new apartment?" she asked, grateful for the distractions Emmett had just provided her. "I think that's a little excessive."

"He knows where you live. He's seen in the inside of your apartment. It doesn't matter if he was inside or just looking in the windows. If I call your father, I bet he'll agree with me," Emmett said, finally making eye contact with her. "You aren't staying there alone anymore."

She nodded. That made sense…she was just reeling from the events of the last hour. But what did he mean? Did he plan on staying with her? Was she moving into his guest room? Did this change things between them?

"Emmett…" she began, not sure what she wanted to say. He looked at her, she could feel his eyes, and the car suddenly seemed much smaller. It was warm and it smelled like him, and Bella felt safe. "Thank you for coming tonight. I didn't mean to – "

Her phone lit up and Bella cringed, knowing it was Edward. She considered ignoring the call but the guilt was immense. Edward had been a good friend to her over the past few weeks – she couldn't just drop him because suddenly Emmett was talking to her. "Sorry. I need to….Hello?"

Emmett listened to Bella's side of the conversation. He knew before she even picked up that it was Edward. That guilty flinch, the apologetic look she gave him…it was obviously Edward. He took a deep, cleansing breath, and tried to calm his nerves.

He didn't like James. There was something off about him, something that set the hair on the back of his neck up. He instinctually knew that James was some sort of predatory threat, and he refused to let him hurt Bella.

Having Bella back at his house would undoubtedly be a mistake. It would set him back weeks. He wouldn't sleep, he'd think about her constantly, and knowing she was there and he was unable to touch her would slowly kill him.

The other alternative was that she could stay with Edward. He'd sooner cut off his own balls than let that happen. Jasper had been keeping him updated about how their friendship progressed. Bella still wasn't talking to Jasper or Alice, but Edward was.

Emmett was bitter. Edward had everything now; he had Bella and he had his friends.

Emmett took another breath and listened to Bella explain the situation to Edward and emphasize that she was fine. He could do this. He'd take Bella home, get her settled, and they'd deal with this mess in the morning.

That was the plan…and it went to shit about thirty seconds after they arrived at his house. Bella stood in the living room, looking sad and unsure of herself, and he felt his walls begin to crumble.

Emmett showed her the guest bedroom and gave her a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. They were way too big for her, and seeing her in his clothing only worsened the feeling of regret he had been wallowing in. The air between them was heavy and awkward, and he hated it. She barely spoke two words, except to ask for a glass of water, and then he left her alone in the guest room.

He spent a few hours in the living room watching infomercials, just in case Bella needed someone to talk to. The living room was neutral territory and he hoped she'd feel comfortable approaching him there. Bella never came out of her room. Emmett, restless and tired, eventually retired to his bedroom. It never felt lonelier than it did when Bella slept across the hall.

The next morning was bright and unnaturally chilly for the end of May. Emmett had lain awake most of the night and his eyes felt like sandpaper. Bella, on the other hand, slept like the dead. He compulsively checked in the guest room to make sure she was okay, and wished he had an actual bed in there. The futon didn't look that comfortable.

He didn't want to wake her, so while she slept, he called the store and asked to speak with Sue.

"Yeah, this is Sue."

"Hey Sue. My name is Emmett. I'm a friend of Bella's and – " he began.

"Yeah, yeah. I know who you are. Are you calling to tell me why Bella's truck is still in the parking lot, all keyed up with the tires slashed?" she asked, angry and worried. "She could have at least left me a note!"

As her words sank in, Emmett began to wonder exactly what they were dealing with. They needed to know who James was, and why he had fixated on Bella. More importantly, how far would he go?

anyone out there still reading this story? O:-) sorry for the long wait.

i had a lot of help with this chapter - tracie, as always... dinx, thanks a million... also, big thanks to jamie, tracy and mehek... and how could i forget everyone on twitter? thanks for sending me twi porn when i needed inspiration and making me smile when i was sad.

i love our fandom. it's pulled me through many shitty times. xoxo.

LUNA

teams! ;)