A/N: Holy hell Batman, it's a new chapter. What. A. Miracle.

Big thanks to our BFFFer's for all their support.

Disclaimer: We don't own, never have, and never will. End of story.

Chapter 23 – About Time

Emmett POV

That was it. That was the key right there. James was getting his information from Alice unknowingly. Mother fucker. I excused myself quietly from the girls to go make a phone call. Bella and Alice were near tears talking about how this could have all been prevented. Yeah, it could have been prevented if Edward hadn't had a moment of douchebageryness. I stepped into our bedroom and pulled out my phone pressing the speed dial button.

"Emmett, did you find out anything?" Edward didn't even bother with a hello this time. I knew he felt bad for the position he put us in. I figured that was why he was putting so much into this search to bring James down.

"Yeah. We believe James is getting his info from Alice. Listening in to her calls, ease dropping and such. Plus, from the security tapes we got from the hotel, there is a clear shot of the guy we suspect to be the hit man…"

"Is he African American, about 5'10" looking. Long hair?"

"Yeah, that's him." I was a little stunned at Edward's description.

"I met him briefly the first time I met with James. I think that he's definitely the guy."

"Yeah, well there is also footage of him using several different hotel rooms with some highly questionable looking women. A shot of him looking in the safe, but not actually taking anything. Alice also got some good pictures of his office."

"Good. Thanks Emmett. I can take it from here. You make sure to get me those tapes and pictures and I'll make sure to catch him in the act and get him arrested. I'll need Alice to continue working like nothing changed. She will be feeding him fake places this time as he listens in. Also, she will have to text me or something when anything suspicious happens, like seeing a hooker come into the hotel."

"Why do you get to be the one that brings him down? I want to kick his ass too for what he put us through."

"That's my point Emmett. You are a highly publicized celebrity. I'll take care of this because I don't want anything more to happen with you guys. Just go on with life like everything is just effin peachy. Open the gym; continue planning the wedding and so on."

"Fine. But I don't want this douche bag ruining my grand opening or wedding, so can we get it done fast?"

"I'm already on it. But I need to make some phone calls so I'll let you go." I hung up with Edward and went back to see the girls. I quickly explained to Alice what Edward needed from her to be able to take James down. I gave her his cell number and she left shortly after. I took a seat next to Bella on the couch and gently pulled her into a hug. I knew this was wearing on her nerves.

"Bells, it'll be okay. Everything will work out. But we need to just push on like this is nothing. We are scheduled to open the gym next week and I was thinking…" I broke. Why was I feeling nervous all of a sudden?

"What Em?" Bella looked up at me. She had tears brimming her eyes and had a sparkle of hope dancing in them.

"I was thinking that we need to move."

"What, why? I love this place." She looked around the apartment in reverie.

"That guy knows where we live and I hate that. Plus, this place is a bit tiny don't you think? I would like to buy a house with a yard and spare bedrooms."

Bella let out a little laugh. "Should I make sure it has a white picket fence too?" I just chuckled along with her.

"If that's what you want, I don't care. I want you to pick out the house and stuff. I'll be really busy over the next few weeks with the grand opening so I thought maybe you could look into it, are you okay with that?"

"Well yeah, but how am I suppose to pick out a house for both of us? What is it exactly you want in the house?"

I thought for a moment of what I would want my dream house to be. The house I owned in Chicago wasn't necessarily my "dream home". It was really just a place I could store my shit since Edward was there more often than I was. "Um….at least four bedrooms and three baths. A front and back yard. A garage and in a decent neighborhood. That's all I really care about as absolutes."

Bella sat back for a second and thought about what I said. She finally smiled after moment and answered me. "Okay, I think I can work with that. I'll find us a realtor and start looking tomorrow. Are you sure you don't need my help with the gym this next week? I mean, it is a big week, you're opening!"

"I'm fine baby. Jazz will be there to help me plus all our new employees. I think we will be fine. You just worry about finding us a home and I will worry about opening the gym."

"What about James?"

"Edwards taking care of it and I am fine with that. If I was to confront him I would probably kill him and that would not be good for us. Edward is the third party that could do this for us." I wasn't about to tell her that it was because of Edward that we were in this mess in the first place. She didn't need to know that he wanted us apart because he was jealous on two accounts. He wanted his brother back and girl for himself much like Bella. I can't say I blame him but he could have expressed his concern instead of trying to ruin our lives. That is why I am fine with him taking care of everything. He needs to make up for his mistakes and this was a good way to do it.

The following week was opening week at the gym. And honestly, I was scared shitless. I was so nervous of the attention this gym would be getting here. Almost everyone knew I was opening my own gym in Seattle and I didn't want people to come here just so they could meet me. I didn't want the gym to do great for the first few months with all the sports fanatics coming in trying to 'work out with Emmett Cullen' and then the gym lose its lack luster appeal. I wanted this place to succeed. I needed this place to succeed so I could prove that sports were not the only thing I was good at. I could run my own business and have it be a successful business.

That was probably why I was so grateful I met Jasper and became friends with him. He really is a brilliant man if not on the quiet side. He came up with all sorts of ways to advertise and put ourselves out there as more than 'Emmett Cullen's gym'. He was like the front man of the gym and I was the behind the scenes quiet business associate. I was thinking that if all went according to plan – one day I would probably make Jasper a real business partner, not just the face of it. Everything fifty-fifty. He could share in the profit of a well established business and I could have time off to enjoy with my wife, err well, future wife.

The first day was absolutely nerve racking and could have gone way better. I tried to walk around the gym and meet the new members. I was actually ambushed. We had offered a three day free trial period and if you like the gym then you sign up for a year membership. That might have been the best or worst idea we had ever had. Easily, over the first three days, 600 people came through those doors looking to work out. And just like I assumed, they all wanted to meet me. I think I signed more autographs the first week of the gym opening than my entire football career.

Out of those 600 three day for free passes used, 200 people signed up for yearlong memberships. That was far more than I was expecting. But I have to agree with Jasper; probably half of those people will end up paying the dues and never using the gym. Which means we will still be making money but this place, my dream, won't be getting used in the way I thought it would.

After the first disastrous week, Jasper kindly asked me to hide away while I was at work. I now spend all my time in my office upstairs filling out paperwork, signing membership applications, and basic office duties so that I am not constantly the center of attention. I sometimes even leave the blinds open so the people working out downstairs and can see me sitting there. Jasper said that it "would give them the notion that it is actually my gym and I work there. Not just the allusion that I own the gym with no part in it." If I haven't said it before, I'll say it again – Jasper is a smart business man.

Over the course of the first month of the gym being open, we had nine different news stations stop by, ten different newspaper reporters, seven sports magazines and even my parents. That was an interesting day. I showed my parents around the gym, during operating hours, and explained to my dad all the different ideas and thoughts Jasper and I had come up with together. Bella had stopped by the gym that day and walked around with my mom showing her the different things her and Alice did to the gym. It was nice being able to show my parents my dream actually happening, most of which was only possible because of Bella.

During the opening month of the gym, Bella came by everyday with lunch. My mom was right – the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. She brought me some of the best deli sandwiches I had ever had. During lunch though we discussed the wedding, which was rapidly approaching, and the houses she had been looking at. She brought me pictures and notes and her ideas about each place she looked at. We narrowed it down to five different choices of houses we both liked. I told her she could pick whatever one made her happy.

The next month continued to happen in much the same fashion. We constantly had a different newspaper, TV station or reporter coming by to keep tabs on the gyms progress. The initial people that sign up for yearlong memberships was slowly slipping off and I started seeing regular people coming in daily or every other day. I met a few of them and had conversations with them. They all seemed like decent enough people. We even had some female applicants that came in and were regulars. I had never seen woman wear such skimpy outfits to work out in before. I was sure they were trying to get my attention, Jasper even agreed. And I tried my damnedest to pay them no mind. We now only have about fifteen regular women that come in. Ten of which only attend our yoga class.

Bella still comes by daily with lunch and to talk with me about wedding ideas or houses she has been looking at. The wedding was coming up soon, another month to be exact, and I was starting to get antsy about it. Alice had resumed her post as the wedding planner and was constantly asking Bella and me questions and organizing things. I honestly don't know how Jasper puts up with her busy body-ness. But I guess they balance each other out – him quiet and her loud. It works.

That evening I came home to find Bella standing the kitchen making chicken parmesan. It smelled utterly fantastic and I was starving. The day at the gym had been a little difficult. Two of our regulars got into a fight over who would use the machine next. I had never seen some one fight over gym equipment. It blew my mind. But Jasper handled it extraordinarily well. He was able to defuse the fight with no issues. That's when I decided I was making him partner now instead of later.

"Hey Bells?" I reached into the fridge and grabbed a beer.

"Yeah?" She turned from the stove to the sink to rinse off some vegetables.

"I was thinking…..what do you think about making Jasper a partner for the gym?"

She spun around wide eyed and stared at me. "Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, he's been great for these first two months of the gym being open. Not to mention he was a hell of a big help while trying to get ready to open. He's business smart and he treats the place like it was his own too. I thought, why not? He deserves it after all the hard work he's put in."

"That would be amazing! I know that would really help him and Alice out. Then maybe she could quit the hotel and go back to school. I know she wants to be a wedding planner now after helping with ours."

I laughed as I walked back to the living room flipping on the news. "God help the people who use her as a wedding planner" I mumbled to myself.

"Hey! I heard that!" Bella shouted from the kitchen. I chuckled and turned my attention back to the TV.

"In other news…." A picture of Bella and I came up on the screen and I about spit my beer out. This is why I never turn the TV on. "…An arrest was made today in Seattle of one James Winston who is wanted on embezzlement, theft, soliciting and stalking of Seattle's newest celebrity couple Emmett Cullen and his new fiancé Bella Swan. Our own Tina Stevens is live on scene – Tina?"

"Bella, come quick!" Bella came running in time to see the screen cut to a shot of James being taken out of the hotel in handcuffs struggling to get free. Behind him was also a woman who was definitely a hooker in various stages of undress being taken away in handcuffs. I heard Bella gasp as the lady on screen started talking.

"Yes, I am here with Captain Stewart of the Seattle City Police. Captain Stewart, what can you tell us?"

"We got an anonymous tip about two months ago on this young man and the potential crimes he could be involved in. We got together with an employee here, who shall remain nameless, who has been a big help in bringing together information on him to bring him down. We discovered in his office and residence private photos of Emmett Cullen and his fiancé which, best to my knowledge, were taken without their consent…"

Bella's cell phone started ringing on the coffee and she quickly snatched it up. "Yeah Alice, we're watching it now…" I heard her say as I continued to listen to the cop on TV.

"…We also found ledgers of embezzled money he has been taking from this hotel plus our informant here has provided us with security camera footage of Mr. Winston using the hotel rooms for personal matters on company time and money, soliciting woman for private and professional use. We were able to catch him in the act tonight here at the hotel. Mr. Winston has a long list of crimes he is being arrested for today…"

"You heard it here first on KTVC Channel 5 news. Laura, back to you."

"Thank you Tina. As you can imagine folks this is an unfortunate situation for Emmett Cullen, former Bears quarterback, who relocated to Seattle recently to open his new gym located on…" I clicked the TV off. Great, just fucking great. At least James is caught but now I am in a PR nightmare and have to deal with more people coming into the gym for this rather than to actually work out.

I sighed in frustration and looked over at Bella who was adamantly talking to Alice. I let my head fall back against the couch. Private photos of us? What did he mean by that? And as if on cue my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Emmett Cullen?"

"Yes?"

"This is Captain Stewart from Seattle City Police."

"Yes, I just saw you on TV."

"Well good, that'll make this an easier conversation to explain. As you know we raided Mr. Winston's home and office recently on an anonymous tip that we found very beneficial and found some photos and stuff regarding your fiancé and you. I am pretty positive that these are pictures taken without your consent."

"Who has seen these pictures? As you can imagine, I don't know what's in them and with the way you are talking about them, I'm positive I don't want anyone to see them."

"No Mr. Cullen, I understand. They are under lock and key in my office and will be signed over to you or Ms. Swan as soon as the trial is over. You will probably be summoned by the city prosecutor's office for his trial. I have a feeling he will be going away for a long time."

"Will those pictures be shown in a courtroom?"

"No, no, absolutely not. The judge will be the only one allowed to view them other than me and the city lawyer. You can be present if you chose. I am sure this trial will be done with fast. We have actually been looking for him for a while. He has several other aliases."

"Yes, thank you. Is there anything else I can do?"

"No, I believe that is it for now. I'll be in touch though."

We quickly said our goodbyes and hung up. I looked at Bella who was watching me with a curious face. She only caught half of that conversation. I filled her in best I could and she told me everything about Alice's part in the take down. Alice and Edward had apparently decided it was best if they involved the police in getting rid of James. They helped them out as best they could with what they suspected and knew plus what evidence they had. It took two months but finally James was gone from our lives. No more worrying.

I spoke too soon. Because of the whole media buzz with the arrest of James, reporters and paparazzi were up to following us again. We couldn't leave the apartment building without being ambushed and the gym was swarming with them. I ended up having to call in a favor to a friend in order to get a bodyguard to help Bella in and out of the house. I couldn't be with her all the time due to the gym, but I had no problem facing the media on my own. Been doing that now for years. But Bella – she didn't need to face that on her own.

The media buzz started to die down about a week later, but Bella was still off. There was something different about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on. She had been quiet and withdrawn some moments and next she'd be smiling widely for no reason. When I asked her about it she said she was just happy that things were back on track. I just figured she was telling the truth. Things were starting to get back to normal and I could understand how that would make her happy.

"Em…?" I was broken out of my contemplation by Bella's voice. I looked over at the clock and could see it was well past six in the evening. I had been at the gym all day tying up loose ends with my lawyers to get Jasper added to the gym as a business partner and not just an employee.

"Yeah Babe?"

"Come on. You said you'd be done by 5:30. I told you we had to go do our final walk through on that house tonight. I gave you an extra half hour, now let's go!" I could see the excitement written all over her face. We had finally settled on this one house that was stunning. I don't know where or how Bella found it. I have yet to see it in person but Bella had been there several times and took a lot of pictures. Tonight we were going to walk through the house a final time before we entered into escrow and decided that this was it. I was excited to see it. If it had Bella this riled up then it had to be a damn good house.

We pulled up to the curb of the house that would hopefully be our future home. It was huge. It was an older Victorian looking house, white with conventional blue shutters. It had a huge fenced in yard, white fence though not a picket fence. It had a large lawn in the front and back with the garage and driveway flanking to the right on a half of an acre property. The house was two stories, five bedrooms and three bathrooms apparently. A huge kitchen, dining room, living room, office and a finished basement, which I would of course use as a game room.

Bella and I quietly made it to the front door where our real estate agent was waiting for us. "Bella, so glad you could make it." The lady was older, probably around her 50's.

"Hi Nancy, how are you?"

"Good, good, and this must be Emmett?" She stuck out her hand and I shook it politely. "Well come on in and have a look around. I'll be in the kitchen just figuring out a few final things on your contract."

I followed Bella into the foyer and let her take the lead. She wasn't kidding when she told me about this place. I already felt like I was home. The interior was sparsely decorated to give it that lived in feel. The walls were painted in neutral color tones and the floor was a mixture of carpet in the living room, to hardwood in the foyer and office, with a slate tile in the kitchen. It was all very modern and clean looking. I was impressed already and we hadn't even made it to the second floor yet. Bella grabbed my hand and started dragging me up the stairs. The first room she pulled me into was the grand master suite.

"This would be our room. I mean, look at the size of the bathroom…" She pulled me through a door and flipped on a light. The bath tub was huge and I couldn't help but think about all the fun we could have in it, together. She pulled back out into the hall. "That could be one of the guest rooms. I'd like to do it in mild blues and whites. Alice could help me of course." She pulled me to the door of the room she was talking about. I couldn't help but smile at Bella's enthusiasm about decorating our soon to be future home. I loved seeing her like this.

"And this…" She grabbed my hand and led me to another room. I glanced around and notice the walls were painted a very light yellow color. "This could be the nursery…" My head snapped back at her face. She was biting her lip and had her hands clasped in front of her. She had that nervous look about her. And then it clicked. Now I knew why she had seemed so off lately.

"W-what?" I stammered out. She let her lip fall out of between her teeth and blew out a long sigh. I smiled. "Are you saying…..please tell me before my mind implodes with the possibilities." I was trying to hide my eagerness, but if she was…I was going to be one happy mother fucker.

Bella glanced up at me with shy eyes and nodded. "Yeah Emmett, I am."

A/N: Cliffy, sorry. But I bet you didn't see that one coming, huh? Yeah, no, Ok….hope you enjoyed it anyway.

Thanks,

EmmaleeWrites 05 and LittleLea05