WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO A VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT! BUT I CAN'T SAY WHAT! WHY? CUZ I'M EVIL! I DON'T OWN ANYTHING, IT'S ALL STEPHANIE MEYERS!
Embry's eyes fly open as his phone goes off. That damn thing was going to meet the wall one day. He sighs and turns around off his back to deactivate his alarm clock, the warm sheets being too relaxing to leave. He drops it back onto the nightstand before he shoves his head deep into his pillow with a groan. He had been up late talking to Leah and Jake, them wanting to catch after not seeing him in person for so long.
They were up until one o'clock, when Jake turned into future father mode and insisted that it was time for bed. Leah huffed and puffed, but obeyed and they went into the very small spare room, that used to be a walk in closet, but Embry had changed that when he moved in. he feels his stomach do a flip when he remembers his epiphany of having feelings for Bella.
He hears someone start moving around, clanging of dishes. It was obvious the person was trying to be quiet, but Embry's apartment was small, he could hear every fucking sound that went through the place. He huffs and forces himself out of the warm bed to use the bathroom. He padded into the kitchen to see Leah humming as she fired eggs. He crossed his arms with a grin, he really had missed her. She was so quirky, yet full of fire when it came to family. She turned around to get the bacon and shrieked when she saw Embry standing there. He chuckles as she puts a hand on her chest.
"Jesus! Don't scare the pregnant lady Em!" he shakes his head before heaving himself off the frame of the door back to his room to change. He looks on his phone to see the forecast. 'Heavy snowing, cloudy.' He puts on a thick black long sleeve over a wife beater, and dark washed jeans. He does his usual routine before he walks back into the kitchen, where Jacob is drinking coffee looking tired. Embry smacks his head before taking a plate of food from Leah with a thanks.
"What's up with him?" Leah smiles.
"He couldn't sleep; apparently he was more comfortable in New York than he thought." He rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his own coffee.
"Well I think you need the quiet life for a while." Jacob grunts.
"I don't know about that, I was never the quiet type." Embry scoffs.
"Don't I know it. I remember when we were in middle school and you wouldn't stop asking the teacher questions, so she almost literally kicked out into the hall." Jacob chuckles as the memory rises. Embry eats his food in slight silence after that. Leah insists on doing the dishes, Embry arguing with her. It was strange to her, he was so lazy a long time ago, but after the accident and healing he's so different. He's still sarcastic, his smirk that she was so used to finally showing up on his face again, but he was more responsible. That Bella girl has turned him around in so many ways. He finally gives up, sighing and going to the living room with Jacob. She lets out a quiet giggle, she was sure Embry was a complete sucker for Bella, he had admitted liking her last night, but it was deeper than that, she knew it.
Xx
Bella sits in her tub, letting the warm water soothe her. She blushes slightly as she remembers her conversation with Emmett.
Flashback
Bella shivers as she runs through her front yard to the entrance of her home, where her beloved big brother s sitting, nestling a cup of hot chocolate. He smiles, his eyes in big brother mode.
"Hey, Emmett. What's so important?" he puts his mug down and pats the couch motioning her to sit next to him. When she's seated he clears his throat.
"Bells, you've been spending a lot of time with Embry, and I just want to know something." She nods.
"Do you like him?" she blushes to the point she thinks it's permanent. It's her big brother, so she's honest.
"yes." She looks down. She hears him sigh.
"How long?" she bites her lip, somehow blushing deeper.
"A few weeks." He sighs again and warps an arm around his little sister shoulders.
"That's what I was afraid of. But Bella I want you to know that I love you, and if you're ready for a relationship, I can't really do anything to stop you." She smiles at her brother, but HE turns red and she sighs.
"There's more." He nods before pulling a bag off the ground.
"Before you kill me, this was dad's idea…he, umm, wants you to be safe." She rolls his eyes.
"I doubt Embry's dan…" she trails off as she pulls a box of condoms out of the bag. She feels heat rush through her and she rockets off the couch, letting out a squeal.
"EMMETT!" he stands up in defense.
"What? I told you THIS part was dad's idea." She covers her mouth, trying desperately not to scream with annoyance.
"God, I'm 24, I'm SO too old for this speech!"
"Don't you think I know that? This is just as embarrassing for me! Coming to my little sister with condoms! God dad what were you thinking!"
"Just put them away! I'm not planning on doing that anytime soon!" she flits her hands around feeling completely freaked out.
She refuses to get back on the couch until Emmett has put away the condoms. He sighs and hugs his little sister, resting his head on top of hers. She so short, sometimes he forgets she's in her twenties. She gives him one weak punch, still feeling slightly annoyed.
"Relax bells. I'm not assuming anything, dad just insisted on getting those…" she squeaks and hides her face in his big chest.
"Is it over?" he chuckles. He should have figured she would react like that, she's too damn innocent.
"Yeah, and trust me, I'm NEVER doing that again." They both have a laugh and Bella makes them some chili dogs, they both go to their rooms. Bella looks at the box one more time, blush rising once again before she tosses it under her bed and tries to pretend it's not there.
End of flashback
Bella shakes her head and gets out of the tub. Emmett is already at work, much to Felix's joy. Felix was worried about his co-worker/ friends' well-being. but He was a fast healer, he wallowed for a week or two, and jumped back on his feet, though part of it was Bella told him Rosalie was bitch and wasn't worth crying about, coaxing her into an hour long rant about her being an ice queen and how she had never liked her, it had required a big spoonful of ice cream to get her to shut up. Even then she tried to start up again.
She dresses into a grey long sleeve shirt and thick jeans, fixing her hair after it dried. She always had it in along waves, it was just a habit. She wasn't going to see Embry until noon, and it was ten, so she decides to type on her laptop. She types a diary; it was something she picked up after Emmett kept finding her diary when he cleaned their rooms. He never read it, but he would hand it to her smirking, saying she sucks at hiding things. She types everything on her mind, mentioning the talk with Emmett and Embry…Embry. She truly does feel more for him. He was broken, but had the will to heal and in the process, he became a good friend to Bella. She jumps when she sees the time. 11:25. she gets up and puts on her winter wear, being sure to have everything before leaving the house, into the cold air.
Embry munches on a sandwich while Jacob and Leah tell him about New York. To him it sounds annoying and too much, but to them it's fantastic. He's planning go stay in Colorado, he knew no where else.
"I can't wait to surprise Seth!" Embry smiles and hears a knock on the door. He answers it and attacks Bella with a he hug, making her giggle. She wraps her arm around his waist, just realizing how seriously tall he was, just an inch shorter than Emmett, so about 6"0. He's also fairly muscular, not enough to see his veins, but enough to show he takes care of himself, his smell suddenly comes to her. He smells like autumn, musky and cool. She blushes at how much she's suddenly noticing him. Leah pulls her off to give her a hug. She had caught the way she held Embry; the girl was just as deep.
"Nice to see you again Bella!" she hugs back Leah warmly.
"Nice to see you too." Leah looks at her innocently.
"I hope you don't mind but could we come along with you guys? I know that a lot to ask but…" she smiles.
"No that's fine." They smile at each other as Leah tries to fit into a pair of jeans. She huffs and gives up with a laugh.
"I guess I'm wearing a pair of jakes with a belt! This baby's getting big fast!" she stroked her stomach lovingly. Bella smiles, not knowing that Embry was sneaking up on her, Jake watching with smirk.
"Watch doin?" he grabs her waist and she lets out a small shriek, but huffs. He laughs as she gently punches his arm. Something was different about him, she didn't know what. When Leah had enough layers to satisfy Jacob they left the house, Jacob telling jokes that made Bella laugh so hard she stumbled and Embry had to wrap an arm around her to keep her from falling.
Bella spots a small trail and grins, having an idea. She takes Embry with her up the snowy trail, knowing her way through the trees and bushes. Soon the four people are standing in a beautiful meadow with evergreens surrounding it, snowflakes falling slowly, there's even a little pond frozen to the bottom. She squeals like a child and jumps into a pile of snow, Embry laughing and going with her. Jacob rolls his eyes, but grins as his beloved fiancée laughs. He feels something cold hit his chest and looks to see Embry smirking, holding another snowball. He charges at his friend, barley giving him time to chuck the other snowball. Familiar grunts and laughs are heard as Embry and Jacob once again start to wrestle, but Bella joins in and jumps on Jacob s back. Leah is laughing so heard her gut hurts, so she whips her phone out and pushes record.
2 hours later
Embry and Bella are snuggled up on his couch with a blanket, Jacob holding Leah in his lap on a lazy chair. They are content and tired from playing in the snow. The environment was so relaxed, all of them feeling like they were teenagers again, being stupid, but having a memory to look back on thanks to it. Leah suddenly realized what time and gets out of Jacob's lap.
"Crap, Jake we're late!" they hurriedly get their stuff and bid Embry a temporary goodbye, promising to see him for Christmas Eve. Embry chuckles and pulls Bella into his lap, making her look in his eyes.
"They're sweet." He smiles at her words, but touches his forehead to hers, taking advantage of the small bit of courage he has.
"I can think of someone sweeter…" he looks right in her eyes when he says this. Bella feels herself blush again and buries her head in his neck, yes, something definitely different about him. Embry feels a smile. It wasn't some cheap line, he was truly saying she was sweet, he held her closer, wishing he had more courage.
Xx
Leah grins as she walks into her childhood home. Her mother come from the kitchen and nearly drops a plate of cookies.
"LEAH! Oh my baby!" Sue rushed over to her daughter to kiss every inch of her face, then the same thing to Jake. She rushes back into the living room, now you know where Leah got her attitude. She flits around the living room, slapping her son's feet off the coffee table.
"Harry, Seth, Leah and Jacob are here!" the two boys get, Seth being quicker. He grins when he sees his sister.
"Lee!" he calls as he hugs his sister, noticing it's slightly harder. He pulls back and notices her slight bulge. He raises an eyebrow and she shrugs. He rolls his eye before hugging Jake. Figures, can't wait until the honey moon. Harry kisses his daughter and shakes her fiancées hand. Sue flitters around.
"I thought we weren't coming until two days from now!"
"We got an earlier flight." Sue hugs her daughter, also looking at her.
"Oh, you have a little one on the way!" the young couple smile. Sue leads them into the living room, giving them some cookies.
"So did you just get off the plane?" they shake their heads.
"We went to Embry's" Leah sees the sadness in her father's eyes.
"Oh…" jakes smiles and whispers to her.
"I thought you guys would like to see this." She pulls out her phone and connects it to the TV. The screen turns blue before a video is playing that nearly make Harry's heart stop.
Three people are on the screen wrestling, laughing in the background. A pretty woman squeals as Jake gently tosses her into Embry arms. He's laughing and twirling her around, Jacob trying his hardest not to fall from his own laughter.
"Embry, say hi to the camera!" Leah calls. He runs over and pretends to lick it. His hood isn't on at all, his scars on display.
"Eww!" he laughs and slips on a small patch of ice. Leah looks at him and he's still laughing. The pretty woman helps him up, but is thrown over his shoulder and he begins his antics again. Embry and Jacob end up wrestling again, another snowball fight, the girl getting one to the ass by Embry, saying it was revenge, only getting him another one to the ass as well.
Embry decides to get stupid and stomps on the pond, trying to see if it really was frozen, Leah kept screaming at him to stop it, and soon he gave up, pulling the young woman to his side who was laughing breathlessly.
"Your such a dumbass sometimes." He laughs
"That I am!"
Jacob throws one more snowball, hitting Embry right in the back. He yells as the young woman laughs.
He gives the camera the finger, making Leah laugh before she turns it off.
Seth looks gob smacked, Sue has tears in her eyes, and harry is absolutely shocked.
"Holy shit…"
"Seth, language." Harry looks at his daughter who has a smile.
"You…you have to be joking, that can't be Embry!" she smirks.
"Oh, it is." Sue covers her mouth.
"How?" Jake smiles.
"Who's the girl in the video with you guys?" Leah giggles.
"That's Bella, Embry's friend." Seth frowns.
"Why'd you say it like that?" Jacob speaks.
"Embry likes her more than friend." Sue giggles.
"How sweet! He was always the shyest boy when it came to girls." Harry was still wrapping the fact around that THAT was Embry, scarred, frightened Embry, stomping on the very thing he thought he feared, smiling, laughing, a girl around his arm…he shakes his head.
"Can we watch it again?" he mumbles. Leah sees how conflicted he is and agrees. While they're watching it, a voice comes into the living room that makes Leah growl.
"Hey, what are you guys do…" he trails off as he sees a familiar face on the TV. Leah jumps up and marches over to him.
"What do YOU want?"
Xx
"So, I'll see you later." Bella murmurs as Embry walks down the stairs with her. The parking lot abandoned, so his hood was down. He nods.
"Save late Christmas eve for me, will ya?" he wraps his arm around her shoulder. She blushes.
"What time?" he shrugs
"About nine, I thought we'd go see the annual tree lighting." She bites her lip as her stomach does a flip.
"That's sound nice." He grins and watches her leave before he heads back up the stairs and into his apartment. He gets a glass of water and a sandwich, settling onto his couch. Stuffs the last bite of his sandwich while watching some stupid parody of a movie he hadn't even seen. "Shut up you sparkly ass!" he rolls his eyes, the parody sucked; he was tempted to just buy the original to see WHY it encouraged such a bad movie. He hears someone knock at the door, so he heaves himself off the couch and takes a sip of his water as he opens the door. He spits it out in shock as he sees that last person he would ever expect. The person swallows and awkwardly waves.
"Hey…Embry." He blinks a couple times, trying to make sure he wasn't seeing things. This couldn't be real! This…this just couldn't! He felt his jaw slack, the person shuffling awkwardly.
"Paul?"
AW SNAP! DIDN'T EXPECT THAT DID YA? HAHA, I KNOW THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING YOU WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN PAULS THERE! IT'S KILLING YOU! I'M SO EVIL! HAHAHAHAHA! ALRIGHT, ONCE AGIN, GOODBY UNTIL NEXT CHAPTER MY LOYAL READERS! :D