Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, Stephanie Meyers does. I do own this plot and storyline. I own my own original characters and a sweet little Chromebook I just love.

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, products, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: All music lyrics used in the story belong to their perspective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

Artist credits:

Jailhouse Rock - Elvis

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

Chapter 25: Squared Away

EPOV

"Um, what just happened?" Angela asks with a dazed look on her face. I'm about to offer her an explanation, but leave it to Emmett to lighten the mood.

"Well, Ma'am, it seems my brother here, called his li'l cowgirl sweetheart down in Texas. And got y'all some jobs. Now, that means you're comin' with us," he states in the poorest southern accent. If it wasn't so funny I'd have punched him.

"Mrs. Cheney, Bella is a friend of our family, and we're moving to live and work on her ranch in Texas. She just offered you both jobs and a place to stay so you can move out of Seattle. Bella is asking that you relocate with us," I explain to her gently.

"Why? Why would you do something like that?" she questions bewildered, looking around the room. "You barely know us."

"Because, it felt right," I answer her with a shrug of my shoulders. "Simple as that. It just felt right."

"So, what do we do now?" Ben requests, looking toward my father.

"Well, I would begin by resigning from your jobs and getting all your personal affairs in order. From there, we'll handle the rest," my father states matter-of-factly. "I have your phone number and address, just let me know when your last day of work is and we'll help pack you up and so we can get on the road."

"Um, we live in a furnished apartment, and don't have much," Ben replies, seeming a little embarrassed. "We only have one vehicle, a truck, and it's fairly old. We can just pack everything in it. We'll both turn in our notices first thing tomorrow morning, and let you know once everything else is squared away and we're ready to leave."

"Good. We will see you soon, then. If you need anything, please let us know," my dad informs him as we all readied to leave.

Pulling up to our rental house, we have to maneuver through the horde of reporters that are camping out in front. All of the shouting and bright flashes make it difficult to get inside. Emmett simply eggs them on by smiling and waving his hand like he is riding a float in a parade.

We're sitting in the living room discussing the events of the day, when Emmett jumps up like his butt is on fire, and runs to the room he shares with Rose. We all just stare at his quickly retreating figure, as my father mumbles, "I'm not sure I want to know what he's up to."

Twenty minutes later, he comes running back into the living room and hooks his iPod up to the stereo system. He then proceeds to open the front window, moving the speaker so that it's facing outside. We just sit there, staring at him in disbelief. He turns on the stereo, blasting Jailhouse Rock into the front yard, almost at full volume. All of us bust out laughing, even my parents can't control themselves. He just turns to us with pride across his face.

"Emmett, you jackass. The neighbors are going to call the cops and I have seen enough of them to last me a lifetime," Rose yells over the music.

"Babe, maybe they'll get the point and leave," he whines to her.

"Or, they'll start dancing in the street and stay longer," Jasper adds, still laughing.

As that song ends, "Folsom Prison Blues" starts playing. I guess he downloaded all the prison songs that he could find. He even has a rap one on there. After five songs, he turns it off and shuts the window, moving the speaker back. Right as he goes to sit down there is a knock at the door. We all shoot him looks of annoyance before my father gets up to see who it is.

"May I help you?" we hear him ask over the sounds of a screaming baby.

"See, ya big oaf. You woke up that poor baby!" Rose smacks Emmett in the arm.

Just as Emmett tries to retort, we hear the sound of a young lady's voice, "Yeah, sorry to bother you, and this may sound crazy, but would you mind turning the music back on?" Emmett simply offers his wife an I-told-you-so look, as the lady continues. "My son here has colic, and hasn't quit screaming for hours, that is, until he heard the music. I don't have a stereo at my house, so I don't have anything that he could listen to."

"Come in, Sweetheart. I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family. Let me see your son, maybe I can help," he says, leading her into the living room. Emmett jumps up and turns the music back on, just not as loud. The baby's cries soften almost immediately.

I didn't even notice that my mother had left the room until she appears at my father's side with a light blanket, which he takes to swaddle the infant. Once the lady turns around, I recognize her instantly, "Bree?"

"Mr. Cullen? I didn't know that you live here. How are you?" she asks me with a tired, yet surprise filled eyes.

"It's Edward, Dear. You don't work for me anymore," I laugh out. "How are you doing? Is this your son?" I ask, gesturing to the now swaddled infant that my dad is holding. "Goodness, he has grown. What is he now? Eight? Nine months old?"

"Nine months next week," she answers, smiling softly. "I quit the restaurant and stay home full time with him now. My husband received a promotion, so we're doing better."

"That is great to hear. Would you like to sit down and have something to drink while my parents work their baby magic?" Bree quickly glances over to where my mom and dad are leaning over the baby. "Don't worry, they raised three boys," I tell her, as Rose gets up to get her something.

"Thanks, he just started this a few days ago. Doug is out of town at a meeting right now and I haven't been able to set him down. I feel like he's a newborn all over again," she laughs tiredly.

"Hey, Emmett! Where is your home dock for your iPod?" Rose asks of her husband. "I think that I might have an idea that will get you back on your feet, Bree." Bree looks a little taken back at Rosalie's comment. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Rose, Edward's sister in-law."

"What's your idea, Sweetheart?" my father asks her, as my mother rocks Bree's now whimpering son.

"Well, we are going to start by moving this party next door. We can take care of this little angel while Mrs. Bree here, gets herself a shower and nap. While she's doing that, Edward is going to cook us some dinner after the guys go buy some groceries. I, for one, am tired of eating takeout. Besides, we're going to be eating out the whole way to Texas. So, I want a home cooked meal," she explains with a little command in her voice.

"Yes, Ma'am. I think we can handle that," Jasper answers with a salute.

"Sorry guys," Rose apologizes. "I'm just really hungry," she laughs at us, as Emmett walks back into the room, handing her his iHome.

My mother and father head next door with Bree and her son, while we go to the nearest grocery store.

"Really? The grocery store?" Emmett asks incredulously. "Are you going to report that we eat red meat with our veggies?" Emmett yells at the reporters who are following us. "If you don't back off, I'm going to file harassment charges against you. Now, get the hell out of our way!"

We finally make it into the store as the manager asks the reporters to leave. "Sorry gentlemen, go do your shopping and I will help you out when you are ready," he tells us as we thank him.

An hour and a few hundred dollars later, we are heading back to the house when my phone rings, and Bella's name pops up on the caller id.

I'm sure my brothers will give me hell later for the smile that grows across my face.

"Hello?" I answer, trying to hide the excitement I feel at the fact that she is calling me.

"Hey, Edward. How ya doin'?" she asks, still sounding concerned.

"I'm good. I can't wait to get to Texas though," I reply honestly. "The reporters are still relentless here. So, what can I do for you?"

"You have a favor to return," she answers, giggling.

"Ah, so what kind of favor is this? Are we keeping score, now?" I ask, flirting a little. This girl makes me feel all kinds of crazy things. Then it hits me, I'm falling for Bella Swan. My breath rushes out and my heart starts beating like crazy. I finally know what that uneasy feeling is. I need to be close to Bella.

"Edward? Are you there?" I hear her voice call.

"Um, yeah, I'm here," I answer looking up. Both of my brothers are staring at me with concern. I didn't even realize we were already home.

"I asked if any of you know how to pull a trailer?" she inquires.

"Jasper does. He even has a commercial drivers' license. He had to have it in order to drive his company's trucks," I answer, as Jasper is nodding his head in agreement.

"Ok, good. Ask your dad to call me tomorrow after he gets my package, and can you make sure that Jasper and Alice are there too?" she requests.

"Yeah, we'll all be there," I tell her, still a little shaken from my realization.

"Thanks, Edward. I'll talk to y'all tomorrow," she states before hanging up.

"What the hell was that bro? You looked like you were gonna pass out," Emmett exclaims.

"Yeah, Edward. You were all smiles and then it was like you forgot where you were. We could here Bella yelling your name all the way from over here," Jasper adds with a frown.

"Um, I'll tell you later. I need to think about it some more first," I whisper getting out of my mom's car.

Jasper and I are almost finished cooking when he breaks the silence. "You know we're all here for you, right? Even if you just need to talk through something," he states glancing up from whisking the salad dressing. "Alice is a great listener. Sometimes when I can't wrap my mind around something, I just ramble to her and she helps me put it into perspective."

"Thanks, Man," I answer as we start taking things into the dining room. "I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I'll borrow your wife for her listening qualities," I joke as he punches me in the shoulder.

When the others walk in, they are all laughing and carrying on, even the baby was happy. Bree looks better, too.

"So, Emmett," my mother asks with a smirk on her face as we sit down to eat. "Why did I see my oldest son on the news today?"

"It wasn't me! I have no idea what you're talking about, Mother Dearest. Maybe, you need to get glasses," he replies, winking at her.

"Ok, Honey. I just thought you would want to know that our red meat consumption made the news," she laughs at his shocked face. "And, that they placed the beep in just the right place."

"You'd think they would be done harassing our family since the truth is out now," Rose snarls. "Isn't there some celebrity out there showing her panties or something?"

"I'm so glad that bitch got what was coming to her," Bree snarls. "Sorry, it's just that I can't control what I say when it comes to her."

"Who? Tanya?" Rose clarifies.

Bree nods, "Yeah, she would walk into the restaurant like she owned the place, and that we all worked for her or something. If I didn't need my job at the time, I would have bitch slapped her," Bree says as my sisters nod their agreement. "Sorry," she apologizes to my mother for her language.

"No worries, Dear, I wanted to bitch slap her a few times, myself," my mother agrees, as we all gasp at her language.

"Well on that note," I say with my eyebrows next to my hairline. "Dad, Bella called and said that after you receive her package tomorrow, you are to call her. Jasper and Alice, she also requested that you be here, too. I told her that we would all be here," I say, relaying her message.

"Very well," he states, cleaning up his plate. "Edward your mother is staying with Bree tonight. So, if you would like the bed for a night, I can take the couch."

"Naw, I'm good. Getting use to it," I tell him. There is no way I am going to let my dad sleep on the couch.

As I get up to take my plate to the kitchen, my mother follows me, "So, is my son going to tell me why he is being so quiet tonight? Or, why Jasper has been giving you concerned looks all through dinner?"

There are no secrets in this family, and you can get nothing past my mother. "Um, you know how I've been feeling weird lately?"

"Yeah, do I need to be concerned?" she asks hesitantly.

"No, it's just when Bella called earlier, I felt better. Then it kinda hit me that I think I'm falling for her," I tell her shyly.

"Rose was right," she whispers. I don't think she expected me to hear her.

"Rose was right about what?" I ask startling her.

"Oh, um," she stutters out. "Well, it's just…," my mother sighs. "Oh, Hell. We all saw that you and Bella were attracted to each other. Rose told us to stay out of it and let you two figure it out on your own." She shrugs at her quick explanation, "I guess you figured it out."

"Now I need to figure out what I'm going to do about it," I ramble, knowing that I still need to heal from the Tanya debacle. "I was just burned by the bitch from hell." I shake my head in frustration. Mom puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Honey, don't..."

"I know that Bella is not Tanya, Mom. But, I'm nervous. Right now, I just want to get settled in Texas. I think that if someone says something, it would be...weird, and I don't want to make things weird, you know?"

"Edward, don't stress about it. Just let it evolve. It will all work out, I promise. A mother knows," she giggles, patting my cheek.

"Yeah, I can do that."

Talking with my mother always helps me. I guess she's my sounding board like Alice is Jasper's.

After my mother left with Bree, Alice brings out a deck of cards and we play a few rounds of blackjack. Jasper smokes us all, by winning every hand, before we call it a night and go to bed. Good thing we were only playing with pennies.

The next morning, I'm woken by the smell of bacon and coffee. I walk into the kitchen to see Jasper cooking breakfast for everyone while Rose is setting the table.

"Morning Sunshine," she greets pinching my cheek playfully as I try to swat her hand away.

"Good morning," I answer, reaching for the cup Jasper is handing me. "Why are you so happy this early in the morning?"

"Let's see," Rose starts to list off, ticking each finger as she goes, "my brother cooked breakfast, my husband is still asleep, and there are no reporters outside. What's not to be happy about? We are one day closer to getting out of this crazy place," she chirps out.

"You're right, Rose, so right. What's not to be happy about?" I agree with her.

Soon the kitchen fills with everyone making their plates and heading into the dining room to eat. Just as I'm about to sit down, my mother and Bree walk in. They both look tired as Rose reaches for DJ, Bree's son, so they can make a plate.

"Looks like someone kept mommy and Essy up all night, little man," Rose coos to him.

"Yes, he did. I made an appointment for him with the pediatrician you suggested Dr. Cullen. They will fit him in this afternoon," Bree answers, clearly exhausted.

"It's Carlisle, Sweetheart, and Dr. Simone is wonderful," he tells her gently.

Soon Bree is on her way to take DJ to the doctor, and we are cleaning up and listening to Emmett and Jasper argue over a videogame they are immersed in. I jump when the doorbell rings.

"Damn Edward, you act as if someone is going to get you," Emmett laughs out.

My father answers the door and comes back with a box and a smile. "Bella's package," is all he says, leading us into the dining room.

We sit around the table as he opens the box, pulling out a letter. He reads it to himself while shaking his head and smiling. After sitting the letter aside, he pulls out an envelope and hands it to Rose. She gets a huge smile on her face as she rips it open, looking over the papers inside then throwing her arms in the air with a loud "YES!"

"Want to share with the class, Rosie?" Emmett asks, smiling at his enthusiastic wife.

"I passed my certification exam. I'm now legal to teach in the State of Texas," she exclaims, hugging him.

"Oh, Sweetheart, we are so proud of you," my mother tells her.

"Good job, Babe. Technically speaking, this now means that I'm in a long distance marriage," Emmett blurts out.

"I have an idea. How about if you share the couch with your brother tonight, and you will feel like you're in a long distant marriage," Rose growls out. Leave it to Emmett to ruin her good mood.

"No, thanks. I like the cozy couch all by myself," I tell them, turning to my father. "What else did she send?"

"She said to call her before passing out the rest. So, let's call her," he tells us as he pulls out his phone and puts it on speaker.

"Good afternoon, Carlisle," Bella chirps happily.

"How are you, Sweetheart? We received your package," he tells her.

"It's a good day. I can't complain, Carlisle. Is everyone there?" she asks.

"Yes, Dear. We're all here and waiting for your instructions," he laughs out.

"Very well. First order of business, congratulations, Rose," she tells my sister-in-law, who is still smiling.

"Thanks, Bella! I'm so excited," she answers back.

"Secondly, Jasper? Ya there?" she wonders.

"Yes, Ma'am. What can I do for you?" he implores, smiling at the phone.

"None of that ma'am stuff," she laughs out. "Ok, big, big favor. Edward said you're comfortable pullin' a trailer, correct?" she clarifies.

"Yeah, I have a commercial drivers' license. I use to haul equipment to job sites," he explains.

"That's great, 'cause I just bought a new truck from the Chevrolet dealership in Bellevue. That's not too far from you guys, right?"

"No, it only twenty miles or so, tops." Jasper responds.

"Good. I need ya to go pick it up this week, please. The paperwork is in the envelope I shipped," she tells him, as my dad passed him a large envelope. "Once y'all are ready to leave, I need you to drive to Woodland, Washington. I purchased a new horse trailer. The address and person ya need contact is in the envelope, as well."

"I can do that. It's on our way to Texas," he agrees, looking through the papers he just pulled out of the large envelope.

"Good, now this is goin' to be a little out of the way, but so very important. Alice, ya there?" she inquires.

"I'm here, Bella," Alice answers.

"I acquired a stallion named Smoke, he's in Fallon, Nevada. It's just east of Reno. He's a six time World Champion that has been retired and I want to add him to my breedin' program. Dr. Gerandy sent ya a travel emergency kit. I need ya to purchase all the equipment you'll need to transport him. Are you comfortable securing and travelin' long distance with a horse?" she explains.

"Um, yeah, I'm comfortable shipping a horse. Is the trailer air conditioned?" she inquires.

"Yeah, I figured it'd be easier. In the paperwork I sent Jasper is his information and where to pick'em up. Just contact the ranch manager there. He has your name and is expectin' your call," she responds. "Also, there's a list of horse friendly places to stay. I want y'all to enjoy the trip, too. So, I sent a suggested list. There's no rush to get here, so don't try driving all night. Once you get to Nevada, stay the night in Reno before pickin' him up. Then, you can use the list and build an itinerary around that," she suggests.

"We'll take care of it, Sweetheart," my father remarks. "Now, what is in this last envelope, Dear?"

"Oh, that's your credit card. It's the card you'll use for all the expenses you will have. Use it for everything from Alice purchasing what she needs to transport Smoke safely, to gas and food. Anything your family or the Cheneys' may need. Please do not argue with me. This is a relocation for the ranch. I need all the expenses to be put on that card or my accountant will have a fit," she commands. "Now, is everyone drivin' down? Alice do ya need me to fly someone out to help with the transport?"

"No, I think we'll be ok. I'll just prepare and purchase what is needed and if we run into trouble, I'll let you know," she responds back confidently.

"Just let me know and either Jake or I can fly out and meet up with you. Don't push it. Load him on the driver's side and Jasper shouldn't have any problems," she tells Alice.

"Got it. Thanks for trusting us to do this, now we don't have to stop at the Ranch Museum in Oregon," Alice laughs at Jasper's disgruntled face.

"Well, I'll see y'all soon. Call me if you need anythin'," she tells us before disconnecting the call.

"Well, you wanted an adventure, Jasper. Looks like you got one," I tell him as he pouts.

"Ok everyone, let's plan this trip out. How long can we drive per day Alice?" my father questions.

"No more than six hours a day, preferably four. We will need to stop every couple of hours to water the horse," she responds.

"Ok then, Jasper get your map and list; let's see what we can come up with," he tells my brother. Jasper is great at planning road trips. This is his forte.

About a half an hour into planning, we do hit a roadblock with the accommodations. I'm looking over the site my mother has pulled up on her laptop when Alice bellows, "THEN YOU SHOULDN'T SAY YOU ARE PET FRIENDLY WHEN YOU ARE ONLY DOG FRIENDLY, YOU HYPOCRITE!" Hanging up the phone and tossing it on the table.

"Um, Alice," I hesitate, not wanting to step into the crossfire, "as small as Gracie is, I'm sure that we could sneak her in."

"That's not the point," she growls out and I throw my hands up in surrender. "Sorry, it is just the point of the matter. They shouldn't say they are pet friendly if they only accept dogs," she cries out.

"Sweetheart," my father states softly, "don't let some idiot upset you so much. We will get Gracie to Texas."

This is what we do for the rest of the day, map and plan. Emmett and Rose even come up with a few things that we can do for fun along the way.

By the time the sun sets, we have a preliminary plan in place.

Texas, here we come.

Please come join the FB group Stories by JRFaab for teasers, pics, playlists and SLR discussions.