"I told you, I don't need name-brand things Alice." I protested for what seemed like the tenth time since Alice brought me to Port Angeles.
"Oh Anne, you don't know what you're saying, you can't go around wearing stuff from the Salvation Army and Good-Will now can you?"
"Oh yes I can." I retorted.
"You are sounding just like Bella before she was turned." She pouted and her resulting face was adorable.
I could tell that I would not win this argument anytime soon, so I tried an alternative. "Alright Alice, how about a compromise, let's buy from JCPennys. and Kohls. It's good stylish things, what you want, but it's not name brand, which is what I want, deal?" I offered the black haired vampire.
She searched the future, no doubt looking at the outcomes of accepting and rejecting my compromise. It was a fair deal. "Yours wins out this time Anne. If I hadn't accepted we would have been fighting all day and I would have lost an important friend." She chirped.
I smiled at her, and took Embry's hand into Penny's. I was so happy that he came with us today. He kept me from exploding at Alice several times as she picked out fashionable things right off the runway that people would only wear to a ball. That was all well and good, but she was trying to pick these things for my whole wardrobe. I had to stop her at five. Embry helped me pick out a good amount of practical clothes, and once I had enough to fill my dresser drawers neatly with winter clothes I indulged Alice and let her turn me into a Barbie doll for a half hour.
We didn't buy any of the formal dresses because I knew that if I needed one I would use my fashion degree and just design one that no one else on earth would have. Alice would probably protest, but she would have to see my way eventually.
We finally made it out of Penny's and into a Bed-Bath-and-Beyond to pick out linens for my room. After Alice tried to point me towards the royal purple designer sheets with gold swirls that I vetoed, I settled on a set that was white with big ice blue snowflakes.
When we got home, Embry helped me put my new clothes away while Alice critiqued the size of my closet. We finally shooed her away and back home but she promised to come back soon and help me with purchases of make-up.
I sighed and rolled my eyes when she left. As I made my bed with my new flannel sheets, Embry was throwing the new quilt that came with my sheets into the wash like his mother ordered. I collapsed on my bed after dressing in one of the outfits Alice just bought for me. I would give her back the loaners as quickly as possible.
Embry strode into my room as I was laying on my bed thinking of how my life had changed over the past few days. According to Carlisle, the vampire doctor who had tended to me after I was found, I could only have been out for half an hour or so when Embry rescued me since I had no signs of frostbite. Taking into account how fast I healed though, a fact that I had kept secret from Carlisle-I still didn't trust him completely yet-I could have easily been out for much longer.
"If Alice takes me shopping for make-up next, we are probably going to lose the bathroom counter aren't we?" I joked.
"Yep." Embry answered. He sat on the edge of my bed and held my hand.
"Thank you, Embry, for all of this."
"It's my job." He asserted.
"I know it's more than that Embry. You only have to make me comfortable, but you go out of your way to make me happy, because you have the kindest heart I've ever known."
"Thank you Anne."
That night I ate dinner with Embry and his mother, and then we sat on the couch and watched a movie. I dosed off in his arms, and Embry carried me to my bedroom and laid me in my bed. I awoke when I felt him pull the quilt close to my face. "Thank you." I slurred. "Good night Embry." I was asleep again before he turned off the light.
I was in a dark forest, with owls hooting eerily and a cold wind blowing my hair. I walked farther into the forest, looking for a way out. I tripped and fell onto the forest floor. As I was pushing myself back up to my feet, three vampires, the exact same ones who had come after me and killed my family, fell from the trees and landed lightly on their feet. They had a menacing look in each of their eyes.
Instinct taking over, I turned tail and ran back into the deep forest, the vampires at my heels. When they were about to catch me, I fell off of a cliff.
Somewhere in this I heard Embry call my name. "Anastasia!"
"Anastasia!" He shouted, shaking me frantically to try and free me from my nightmare.
My eyes flew open and I stared into his, finding confusion and extreme worry. "What happened, Embry?" I asked him.
"I was to going bed when I heard you screaming. It took me a good five minutes to wake you up. Were you having another nightmare?" I nodded in reply, my eyes brimming with tears. He kissed my forehead and set me gently back down on my pillow. "It's all right Anne. It's over." He assured me and walked to the door to leave me again.
"Embry." I begged quickly.
He turned to me. "Yes Anne?"
"Please stay with me." He smiled and walked back over to me. He lazed on my bed and wrapped his strong arms around me. I soon fell back to sleep listening to his quiet breathing and his heartbeat. I had no more nightmares that night. I felt completely safe with him so near to me, protectively watching over me.
Before I completely fell asleep, I heard my window open and one of Embry's pack members, I wasn't entirely sure who but it might have been Jacob, mutter quietly, "Embry, it's time for patrol."
Embry stroked my hair. "I'm sorry Jacob, I can't tonight. Anne is having nightmares again, and she wants me here." He explained.
Jacob sighed. "We have to figure out what is going on with her, Embry. You are one of our best wolves, and we have had to decrease the perimeter around the Cullen and Forks without you with us."
"I know." Embry's voice sounded pained. "We'll think of something, but she needs me here right now." I hated that Embry was forced to choose me over his pack, but I only felt safe when he was near. However, I don't think that he could bear to be away from me when I was frightened, and my recent nightmares were scaring me to bits.
"Ok Embry. I'll talk to the Cullens and see if they can help." Jacob offered.
"Thank you Jake." I answered before I completely fell asleep.
Embry brushed my hair with his hand again and whispered to me, "Rest now Anne. I won't leave you." I smiled, heard the window softly shut and Jacob leave before completely zonking out.
Jacob ran to the Cullen's house after his patrol was over, and found them all in the great house. "I knew that you would be here tonight." remarked Alice in her high voice. Jacob had a troubled expression on his face. Renesmee ran up to him and held her hand to his face.
"No Nessie. Anne isn't ok." Jake still hugged Renesmee and felt her pull his thoughts and memories from his head as she gave him hers. She had been regularly practicing her gift, and could now read the thoughts of others as easily as her own, but she still had to be touching them.
Jacob put Renesmee down and she sprinted to sit beside her mother, who sat on the white couch reading a book. Jacob addressed the Cullens as a whole. "I came to ask for your help on Embry's behalf. Anne is having nightmares that are driving Embry crazy. He won't leave her and we need him on patrol with the recent threat."
Rosalie looked up from her card game and asked, "Is there anything that we can do to help?" Rosalie really liked Anne, partially because she vowed that she didn't want to be turned into a vampire. Rosalie also liked that Anne loved to make fancy clothes, especially ones inspired by the 1940s, so when Anne would visit she and Rose would spend hours designing. Anne also understood Rosalie more than the others did.
Edward thought for a minute. He turned to Carlisle, who had been unobtrusively listening in on the conversation from a corner while playing the card game with Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett. "Carlisle?"
"We could stay with her for a night or two, and try to figure out what is going on?" He offered sympathetically.
"I'll send that Embry and Anne's way." Jacob answered.