A/N: Okay, we've done much better with the reviews, but they are exactly my brand of heroin and I need them! So give them to me! Let's see if we can get into the triple digits!

This chapter is not my favorite. Again, it's kind of a transition thing.

Chapter Six: Family

BPOV

I tried really hard to ignore the twinge of disappointment as I watched Edward Cullen climb into the passenger side of Jessica Stanley's beat up old Toyota. I tried not to stare too hard as she drove past my truck and I tried to ignore the triumphant smile she gave me. I swear to God, I tried. It just didn't work out too well.

"I cannot believe he's letting Jessica Stanley drive him around. Jessica Stanley, of all people!"

At least Alice was just as incredulous about the whole thing as I was. It made me feel slightly less pathetic.

"I personally wouldn't be caught in such a piece of crap," Rosalie said with a shrug as she picked at her nails. "I mean, no offense to the piece of crap owners of the world, Bella included, but ew. At least Bella's truck is a classic."

"I mean, I don't really care that he's letting Jessica Stanley drive him anywhere or anything, but it's just that I find it to be really rude, especially after I offered him a ride. What if I had been coming out of school at the exact moment that she drove off in her ugly car and I had not seen that he was with her? I would have never known he didn't need a ride and then I would have been stuck here waiting forever for him!"

With an exasperated sigh, I pulled the door of my truck open and threw my backpack in. "I need to get home to The Chief," I said as I brushed my hair out of my face. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"

I climbed into the cab of my truck, pulling the heavy door closed behind me as I watched Rosalie and Alice glide gracefully across the parking lot. I never knew how I managed to fit in with the two of them. They were so different from me.

I shoved the key into the ignition, but before I could put truck in first gear, a loud thump sounded from my left. Startled, I turned my head and was met with a goofy Emmett grin. "What do you want, Em?" I asked as I rolled the window down. "I need to get home to Charlie."

"I just wanted to talk to you for a minute."

"So then talk."

"The thing is, Bells… I know I'm probably coming off like a caveman when it comes to you and Cullen, but I just… You're a good girl. I think of you as my sister and of course, I'm going to do anything to protect you."

"Maybe you should be having this talk with Jessica Stanley," I mumbled bitterly.

"I don't care about Jessica Stanley. Listen, I've heard some stories about him and I know it's not like me at all to judge someone based purely on stories, but I don't want to take a chance. It's bad enough that Grandma taking everything so lightly… I don't want you to do the same."

"Look Emmett, I really appreciate your concern, but there's really nothing to worry about, okay? Even if I was interested, which I'm not, it's not like that. He obviously prefers the Jessica Stanleys of the world. I'm just trying to be nice. And it might not hurt you to do the same. It's okay to be cautious of him, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be friendly. You're the only family he has in this school."

"I know," he said with a sigh as he ran his fingers through his curly hair. "I'll try to tone down the jerkiness if you'll promise me that you won't… fall for any of his lines or something, okay? It'll be easier to be nice to him if I don't have to worry about him taking advantage of you."

"I promise," I said with a nod. "But you really don't have to worry about me, Em. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, yeah," he grinned with a dismissive wave of his hand. "But seriously Bells. You know that I love you and I just want what's best for you."

"I know, Emmett. Really. But I promise, you don't have to worry about that, okay?"

"Good."

"Now do me a favor, huh? Why don't you go over there tonight and make peace with him? You'd really be making Miss Ruby happy if she thought you were trying to get along with him."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I figured I was going to have to do that sooner or later anyway. I guess I should probably just do it and get it over with."

"That's the spirit," I grinned. "And Em?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for looking out for me."

EPOV

Oh yeah, she's definitely going to be easy, I decided as I climbed from Jessica Stanley's Toyota, giving her a smile. She practically melted whenever I even looked at her. "Thanks for the ride Jess."

"You're welcome," she responded, batting her eyelashes at me flirtatiously. "I'll see you tomorrow, Edward."

Easy doesn't even begin to cover it. I stood at the curb, watching until she had turned the corner before I headed into the house. Forks isn't so bad after all, I thought with a smirk as kicked the front door closed behind me.

"Edward? Is that you?" Ruby called from somewhere in the house. I rolled my eyes; who else would it be?

"Yeah," I responded, dropping my bag behind the door. I glanced up when she came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"How was school?"

"It was okay."

"You didn't have any trouble?"

"No."

"Good. Did you get Emmett to give you a ride home?"

"No. I caught a ride with a girl in a couple of my classes."

"What girl?"

"Jessica Stanley." I didn't miss the look of distaste on Ruby's face, but I ignored it. All the more reason to keep her around, I thought bitterly as I started up the stairs.

"Edward?"

"What?" I asked, rolling my eyes. I didn't bother to turn around.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

With a groan, I turned and stomped back down the stairs, snatching my bag off the floor. Okay, I amended, Forks isn't so bad as long as I'm not here.

"Happy?" I asked angrily.

"Almost," she responded, sounding almost amused. "Your cousin is coming over for dinner. So get your homework done and then get down here."

"Whatever," I said, stomping back up the stairs. Once I was in the safety of my bedroom, I threw my bag into the corner and closed the door, resisting the urge to slam it. I stalked over to the bed and sank down on the comfortable mattress. I wasn't concerned with homework; I would just catch up to Jessica in the morning and copy hers.

Laying back on the bed, I closed my eyes, rubbing a hand over my face. I wasn't looking forward to sitting through dinner with King Kong and that crazy old wench. There were a million and three things I'd rather do than sit down there with the two of them.

With a loud groan, I rolled over onto my stomach, pulling the pillow over my head.

----

I thought about feigning exhaustion just to get out of sitting through dinner with my cousin and grandmother, but I knew Ruby would never buy it. So I sucked it up and trudged downstairs with a promise to myself that as soon as my plate was empty, I was gone, whether she liked it or not.

"All done with your homework, sweetheart?" Ruby asked without turning.

"Yeah," I responded with a sigh. "What do you want me to do?"

"Go ahead and mash those potatoes. Emmett should be here soon."

"Wonderful," I grumbled as I made my way over to the stove. If she caught my sarcasm, she certainly didn't say anything.

After the potatoes were mashed, I carried the bowl to the table before making my way back into the kitchen. "Do I have to do anything else?"

"No, I think I'm just about done. Why don't you go wash up?"

Not needing to be told twice, I hurried out of the kitchen and back upstairs. I wasn't looking forward to dinner. While, granted, I had caught a glimpse of Emmett at lunch, I hadn't seen or talked to him in ten years, but from what I could remember, we were polar opposites.

He was always a huge fucker, even when we were kids and from what I could tell, not much had changed in that department. We'd actually gotten along fairly well, from what I could recall, but that didn't matter. Things were too different now.

After washing up, I headed back downstairs, inwardly cringing when I heard Emmett's booming voice from the kitchen. Guess some things never change, I thought. He was still loud as hell. This was going to be a nightmare.

----

"So what do you think of Forks High so far?"

Fucking small talk. He must have picked that up from Ruby. "It's not so bad, I guess."

The plan had been to eat as quickly as possible and then to make my escape. But Jesus Christ, he talked more than our grandmother did. I'd tried three times to get up and leave and every time I came close, he'd start talking again.

"Yeah, when my girlfriend first moved here, she hated it. She's not a fan of small towns anyway, but you kind of get used to it after awhile."

"Yeah, that's what Bella said this morning." I didn't miss the look on his face at the mention of Bella. "But like I told her, I hope I'm not here long enough to 'get used to it'," I said with a shrug.

"Uh… right," he said with a nod. "Well, I should probably get out of here. I promised Rose I'd stop by for a few minutes before I headed home."

Finally, I thought, but I nodded and stood, rubbing my hands on my pants.

"Listen, if you have any questions or anything about school… well, I saw you were sitting with Jessica Stanley today, but if you wanted to sit with us… that'd be cool with me."

"Yeah, thanks."

"It was good talking to ya, cuz."

"Yeah, you too Emmett," I said, though I didn't really mean it. There were other things I could have been doing, like Jessica for instance, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Sure, he talked entirely too much, but it wasn't too painful I guess.

"Grandma!" Emmett called. Ruby had disappeared awhile ago to give us an opportunity to "talk" or whatever and had yet to reappear. However, at the booming sound of Emmett's voice, she poked her head into the dining room. "Hey," he greeted with a smile.

"You boys doing okay?" She asked.

"Just fine," he responded. "I just wanted to let you know that I needed to get out of here. I've got some homework left to catch up on."

"Oh, alright sweetheart," she responded, stepping into the room. She wrapped her arms around his broad frame in a hug before she pulled away. "I'm glad you came by tonight, sweetheart."

"Yeah, I am too," he said, his smile widening before he turned to me. "Uh, if you want a ride in the morning, I could swing by and pick you up on my way to school."

"Yeah, that would be cool. Thanks," I said with a nod. I wasn't really looking forward to spending the ride to school with him, but I hadn't asked Jessica to pick me up or anything, and there was no way I could be sure that Bella would be there to me up if it was raining.

While he and Ruby said their goodbyes, I started carrying the dirty dishes into the kitchen to be washed. I just wanted to get this shit over with so I could get upstairs. I'd had enough company for one night, and wanted nothing more than to be alone.

I didn't even hear Ruby when she came in behind me. "You look tired."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"Why don't you go on upstairs then? I can finish up in here."

With a shrug, I dropped the plate into the sink before I headed out of the kitchen. I didn't get very far when I was stopped by her voice. "Your father called for you this afternoon. Before you got home from school. Maybe you should give him a call."

"Yeah," I snorted. "I'll get right on that."

I made it upstairs and into the room before I closed the door. I sank down onto my bed and closed my eyes as I flopped back against the pillows, the phone call that was never going to happen forgotten.

A/N: As much as I love Emmett/Edward, I love reviews more. So dazzle me.