Hey, new update. As you can tell, this is really strong friendship and light romance for now. More romance later, but realistically. I don't own Twilight, and please review!

When Renee dropped me off, Emmett walked me to the door. He waited patiently while I got my key and unlocked the door. He even reached out to shake my hand goodnight. It was totally sweet of him, but not so sweet to my brother...

Peter had fallen asleep waiting up for me, and he woke up when I jumped back into the doorframe, startled by a moth that had flown into my face from the porch light. He got up and walked over, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Emmett, who was about two inches taller than him, looked scared.

"You're Alice's... Dad?" he asked, looking terribly confused.

"Brother. And you are?" Peter asked, giving him the harshest of looks. Dummy...

"I'm Emmett Swan, um..." He struggled to look for the right introduction.

"Oh!" Peter lightened up significantly. "You're Charlie's nephew."

"Yeah," Emmett said sheepishly. "I was just making sure she got in okay..."

"Oh, yeah, that's fine. I was asleep, just got a little spooked," my brother said, laughing. "Nice to meet you."

After Emmett was gone and the door was locked I rounded on Peter.

"Really, Peter, really?" I asked, stalking to him. "You have to pounce at every guy that walks me to the door?"

"Hey, hey, hey," he said, holding his hands up defensively. "I've walked many girls to the door in my day."

"Don't let Charlotte hear you say that," I said, smirking. "It's not to late to call off the wedding you know."

He rolled his eye. "I'm just looking out for my little sister. Was he nice to you?"

I smiled a little and retreated. "He's a total gentleman. He danced with me and opened doors and all that jazz."

Peter looked at me with an unreadable expression, then gave me a hug and kissed my head. "I'm going to bed. Love you, sis."

"Love you," I said, figuring he was closing the subject. I went to the underside of the stairs and opened the basement door, going down into my bedroom for the night.

Ring, ring, ring.

What on God's green earth was so loud?

Ring, ring, ring.

I was trying to sleep!

Ring, ring, ring.

Okay, I had to answer the stupid phone. Why wasn't Peter getting it?

I stumbled out of bed and to my vanity, picking up the old fashioned rotary phone. "Hello?"

"Alice!" Rosalie sang into my ear.

"Rose! I have a cell-phone that isn't obnoxious!" I said testily.

"Yes, but it didn't wake you up. I was calling to tell you that you're coming to Edward's beginning of summer bash."

"I know I am," I said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, but do you know it starts in an hour?"

"What!" I shouted. "What time is it?"

"Noon, honey," she said, and I could practically hear her eye-roll. "You've managed to sleep half the day away. You better have some energy. And wear the green suit."

I was tapping my foot impatiently. Waiting for her to let me go. I had too much to do and no time to do it. "I was planning to, now let me go!"

"Fine, fine, now be ready when we get there!"

I slammed the phone down, then ran to get ready. After a quick shower, I coated myself in SPF 85(yes, really), then carefully put on my simple green bandeau suit. After slipping into a pair of denim shorts and pulling one of Peter's button ups on over my suit I ate a few Nutrigrain bars to get some energy. When Renee's van pulled up, I rushed out the door and straight into Emmett Swan.

"Uh-um- Hey," I said, blushing violently.

"Hey," he said softly, smiling down at me. "Sleep well?"

I laughed and followed him to the open door of the van. "I should have, twelve hours of it."

"So Rosalie's screaching wasn't for nothing? That's new," he said, climbing into the vehicle after I buckled in.

Rosalie shot him a glare from the front seat. "So Jazzy and Eddie were up all morning decorating, so don't criticize their color coordination, Alice."

I rolled my eyes. "Please, Rosie, I'm not heartless, I just tend to point out when things don't work."

"Well don't be mean to the boys, their egos were already bruised last night," Bella said from the very back. Don't ask me why she loves to hide back there...

"How so?" Emmett asked, turning to look at her.

"Because, cuz, you outshined them by dancing on the first date," she said, smirking.

I felt myself glow red again, but Emmett laughed. "Well, they weren't raised by Granny Marie. She'd kill me if she heard I didn't ask the girl to dance."

I smiled. "I won't say anything."

"Good!" Rose said sternly. "Just be a good girl and no one gets hurt."

Wow, Rose...

"Alice, dear," Esme Cullen said, pulling me into a hug. "You haven't been over in so long!"

I grinned. "School, you know."

"Well, you'd better visit more often, we might start forgetting what you look like! You just keep growing!"

I've been the same size since I was eleven. Esme just didn't want to leave me out when she called out the others for acheiving verical extension.

"And you must be Emmett Swan," she said, looking up at Emmett. "You look just like your father."

"You knew my dad?" he said, giving a small smile.

"Charlie is my husband's best friend, and we were friends with Charlie way back in high school, and Carter liked to tag along with us when we went on double dates with your aunt," she said. "Yes, you are exactly like him."

I turned away, walking with Rose and Bella to the back yard, where the enourmous pool was. I hadn't breeched the subject of his parents with him yet, and I wasn't sure how he'd react if I chose to do so eventually. We all began to get rady to swim, removing cover ups and such. I unbuttoned my brothers shirt and stepped out of my shorts, then began to ease into the water by stairs. The icy water raised goosebumps on my skin, but warmed up when I bobbed my whole self under the water. The sudden rush of icy cold turned bearably cool. After I was used to the water, I began swimming under the water, floating on my back and looking at the sunshine through the rippling water.

Suddenly a gargantuan figure swam over me, and I got a little freaked, rushing up for air. Emmett was laughing his head off when I cracked the surface. "Why did that scare you?"

"You were suddenly there and I panicked, didn't anyone ever tell you not to startle people under water?" I said, splashing him.

"I'll make it up to you, what shameful thing do I have to do," he said, bowing his head mock-submissively.

I grinned, then swam to the nearest float, a huge raft. I climbed onto it, then handed him the short rope that hung from it. "Pull me."

He laughed. "Okay then."

He proceeded to lug me around the entire pool several times, I surprising feat. After several more hours of swimming, we were all sitting around the pool, eating hamburgers. I sat with my feet in the water, chatting lightly with Emmett. He turned to me after I took a bite and was silenced for a moment.

"Alice, I don't remember them," he said softly.

I forced myself to swallow, then asked confusedly, "Come again?"

"My parents. I could tell you were uncomfortable earlier, so I wanted to clear it up," he said. "Sure it's sad that they're gone, but I know they're in a better place, and one day I'll get to know them for more than old photographs."

I looked at my lap guiltily. "I just didn't want to bring up a sensitive subject. I wasn't sure how you'd react if I were to ask. I didn't think it was polite. I mean, we just met, we don't know each other very well..."

He laughed and placed his large hand over my small one. "I hope to change that."

I looked up at him and smiled. This was good. This was really good.

A/N: Reviews please! Even if it's just a 'you suck' or 'you rule' lol.

~Sidney