Okay so I suck. But here's a fun fact you didn't know about this story: I know what happens in every single chapter (or what's supposed to anyway) and I am so excited for upcoming chapters but I wasn't actually sure if this one would be happier or more melancholy. But stick with me, folks, because things are coming that you will NOT want to miss.

The song for this chapter is Falling in Love by Cody Fry. I might be mildly in love with his music.

HEY READERS! Want to be able to play all the songs from this story in order while you read? Well now you can! Just visit: https colon slash slash .com slash user-playlists slash 83eaf70f5fd2488da12e8f0787411603sune?ref=dm_sh_670a-24ac-70cc-3d48-5036e (Remember to replace the words with the punctuation and no spaces!)

Twitter: teamdemonmonkey

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Disclaimer: I'm only doing this for a friend. I don't get anything from it but her undying appreciation. I certainly don't get to have fun with Emmett and the boys in my head.

Chapter Thirty: Falling in Love
BPOV

"I thought you were just staying for a while, not moving in," Emmett groused dramatically as he carried another box in from my truck. I watched him pretend to buckle under the weight with exaggerated struggle and snorted.

"Take it up with Alice. She's the one who told me to box up my stuff since this is an indefinite visit."

And she would know.

Still getting used to the whole my-best-friend-sees-the-future thing.

"How much stuff do you really have though? Really, how much stuff can you have accumulated if you've only been on the planet for less than two decades."

"Ew, Emmett, don't say it like that," Jasper complained as he carried another box in the door. Now that I knew that they could have each carried at least three times that without breaking a sweat, I wondered if this frustration with having to act human wore on them after so long trying to integrate into society. I could only imagine how boring it must be to make so many unnecessary trips just because we had decided not to let Carlisle in on the fact that I knew they were members of the undead.

We wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to prank him after all.

Especially when I seemed to refrain from doing that to him, according to Edward.

"Like what, honestly? Bella's not twenty yet so she's under two decades," Emmett argued.

"So are you," I said with a saccharine smile. He grinned and winked at me.

Carlisle was upstairs in his room, which he had generously offered to me since the guest bedroom didn't have an attached bath and he worried I needed more privacy than that.

At least that's what he had claimed.

Edward had kindly informed me that Carlisle couldn't stand the idea of me being anywhere but in his bed, stinking the place up.

It seemed more romantic if you were a vampire.

But Edward had also reminded me on the drive over that vampires had superhuman hearing that even if I was downstairs or outside and Carlisle was upstairs, he'd be able to hear me. We'd plotted a bit about what I could to trick Carlisle and take advantage of my recently acquired knowledge of their kind. I hesitated against anything that could lead to actual physical harm. And I refused to do anything that would be blatantly dishonest or affect the integrity of our relationship. But Edward pointed out that word play was probably the cleverest way to drive my boyfriend nuts while feigning innocence.

I always was a sucker for a good pun.

"Bella, why don't you head upstairs and start unpacking," Esme suggested as she carried a tote of dirty clothes towards the laundry room.

"Esme, really, you don't have to do my laundry. I'll take care of it as soon as everything is out of the rain," I insisted but she just smiled serenely.

"I don't mind. There's so much to do and this was all so sudden for you. Besides, I like laundry. There's something freeing for the mind in the monotony of clothes." I stared at her before smirking.

"I don't know about that. It's an eternal chore. You shouldn't have to spend an eternity washing clothes. That just seems cruel." She bit back a laugh and headed into the laundry room.

"What else is one supposed to fill an eternity with," she called after herself and I laughed. My phone vibrated and I pulled it out of my hoodie pocket.

Edward: That one was perfect. He got a chuckle out of the joke but is also now worrying that laundry is enough to deter you from even thinking positively about the prospect of an eternal life.

Me: If I have to do laundry for eternity, then he's not wrong.

Edward: It's not even that bad.

Me: That's because Esme does your laundry for you! When was the last time you washed a sock, Edward Cullen?

Edward: It seems silly to waste all that water and electricity on a single sock. Are you sure you know how laundry works?

Me: I'll run you through the wash. Maybe it's a lesser known way to kill vampires. At the very least, you would hate it. Win-win for me.

I heard him laugh from outside where he was in the bed of my truck, handing things off to his siblings. I rolled my eyes and headed upstairs, to Carlisle's room. The room was so large that even with Emmett's complaints about all my stuff, it barely seemed crowded. I looked around for Carlisle but didn't see him anywhere. I walked further in, peering into the closet where I found him making space for my clothes.

"You know I really don't mind taking the guest room," I said, leaning against the doorframe. He smiled to himself as he rearranged hangers.

"I know that. But I'd also like you to have more privacy than the guest room affords."

"Honestly, the guest room alone seems luxurious. I thought I would be fully embracing that vagabond lifestyle of crashing on the couch and living out of boxes. This almost feels like you're expecting me to stay permanently." He chuckled at me.

"Maybe I'm hoping that if you see how nicely your things look next to mine, you'll be tempted by that someday," he teased with a wink.

"I don't know, Carlisle. I'm not sure your bookshelves have enough room for your books and mine. Besides, what would the neighbors think," I asked in horror, clutching imaginary pearls.

"Considering that the nearest neighbors are five miles away, I can only imagine they'd be appalled at my forwardness. And if my bookshelves aren't good enough, I will happily get you your own. We wouldn't want your books to feel uncomfortable with mine." I grinned and walked behind him, pressing my chest to his hard, sculpted back and wrapping my arms around his middle, holding tightly.

He was cold under the henley he was wearing but I didn't mind. I never minded. I closed my eyes, cheek pressed to his back while I took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow gust. His hands moved to encase mine on his chest. He smelled like books and leather and something just innately Carlisle that made me want to simultaneously cuddle up against him and nap like a cat and climb him like a tree. It calmed my racing mind.

"Is my dad going to be okay," I whispered. His hands tightened on mine.

While Charlie had tried to spin some tale about needing to fumigate or some such nonsense, Edward and Alice had already informed me that Charlie was concerned about one of his cases and wanted me safely tucked away somewhere safe.

It was hard, hearing my dad lie to my face but I also knew that he felt like it was the safest option. He would say that he didn't want me to worry about him but that was ridiculous since I always worried about him. Ever since the accident with the logging equipment, I knew things weren't business as usual in sleepy little Forks. I'd always sort of worried about my dad being a cop, having seen far too much television where bad things happen to the boys in blue -a phrase I'd never understood considering all the different colors they wore. But this was the first time I was actually concerned that my father's job was going to lead to something more sinister.

"Your father is an excellent police chief. He has several agencies helping him with this. I have absolute faith he will take care of this and life will go back to normal for you. Even if that also makes me sad because I'm not too selfless to admit that I will enjoy having you here immensely." He turned, keeping my arms around him until he could wrap his around me, pressing my head into his chest.

"I'm so worried about him but I'm also so happy because this means I get to see you more. Am I the worst daughter ever," I asked with a groan and he laughed.

"Never. You can feel both things at once. I'm concerned your father had to resort to this but I am also ecstatic that I'll come home to you every night for the foreseeable future." I smiled into his chest, my cheeks heating at the thought.

"Hells Bells, I didn't think anyone could have as many books as Carlisle. Have you even read all of these, Bella?" Emmett's loud voice interrupted our moment and I reluctantly pulled away from Carlisle to walk out of the closet and start unpacking.

"As a matter of fact, Emmett, I have read all of them. I know that's hard for you to understand because you can't read but not all of us are cursed with such ignorance." He scowled at me and set the box down before pulling a utility knife from his pocket.

"I can read just fine, thanks. What do you even read that you need this many books?" I heard Carlisle walk out behind me and go to open some of the clothes boxes to start putting them away. I followed him, starting to sort things based on where they belonged.

"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN," Emmett shouted and I jumped, whirling around.

"What, you asshat?" He was reaching into the box with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Please explain to me why you have so many books about vampire romance? Is this some weird kink for you?"

"What-" I stopped, watching as he lifted stack after stack of, yep, those were all vampire romances. Steamy ones too based on the lack of clothing on some of the covers. I stared at him in confusion, my face turning red.

Those weren't my books. I didn't own more than one vampire romance novel and that was the one my mom had bought for me when I turned fourteen amongst a plethora of other romance novels, intended to introduce me to romance and the things I was 'old enough to care about now'. I stared hard at the box.

Wait, that wasn't one of the boxes I'd used.

"The Vampire Prince? Dark Obsession? Vampires Like It Hot? Love Bites? What's your obsession, Bella? Should we be worried you're going to go down a dark alley one night in search of a stranger?" I narrowed my gaze at him as I heard what could only be a low growl coming from Carlisle's general vicinity. It sent shivers racing up my spine.

"Don't genre shame me, Emmett Cullen. I'm not always in the mood to read Chaucer, you dick." He laughed heartily. "Whatever, get out of here. I don't want your unnaturally large hands pawing through my things."

"You know what they say about guys with big hands," he offered suggestively.

"That they're overcompensating," I deadpanned, pushing him out of the room. He turned to me as he headed down the hall with a wink and I gave him a thumbs up back. I wiped the smile off my face and walked back in the room, face and ears red. I started to unpack boxes, waiting to see if Carlisle was going to say something about Emmett's planted box.

Obviously, he'd decided on his own pranks for me and Carlisle without any warning.

"So," Carlisle said awkwardly after stewing in silence for several minutes, "what are your books like?"

"I… I get that a lot of people think they're crap but I like them. My mom got me my first one when I was fourteen."

First and only.

"And it's something you… connected with?" I heard the nervousness in his normally impeccably smooth voice and I had to think of sad things to keep a giggle from bursting out.

"I… um… god, this is embarrassing," I muttered. "I really liked the one she got me. It made me realize that I think… well, I think I have… a, um… biting kink," I said so fast I'm not sure he caught it. He went completely still in that unnatural way of his. I watched him from under my lashes as I continued to unpack the box in front of me.

"That's, um… nothing to be… embarrassed about," he finally said, voice rough. My phone buzzed and I leaned over to look at the screen.

Edward: You can't even imagine what his thoughts sound like right now. It's a combination of short circuiting, arousal and guilt. I think you broke him. You didn't even have to get naked to do it. Emmett owes me a grand.

I rolled my eyes at the message and focused back on Carlisle, who was very carefully putting my clothes on hangers and setting them aside.

"Is this… is this weird," I asked uncertainly. "We can just pretend I never said anything. I shouldn't have. That was too much information. Ugh, I'm such a weirdo," I groaned, covering my eyes with my hands and leaning against the end of the bed.

Cold hands gently grasped mine and pulled them away from my face. Carlisle stared down at me, his ochre eyes burning into mine and I watched every emotion that Edward named and more flickering across them like flames.

"You aren't weird," he said, voice husky. "We just haven't talked about… that part of our relationship before. It's perfectly normal for that to feel awkward the first time."

"Is… is that something you want to talk about? We don't have to." He smiled to himself.

"I know that with our age difference, it might seem like I have a lot of… experience with that kind of thing but… well, I don't, Bella. You already know I'm a bit old fashioned and… that… is something I've always considered special, precious. I haven't been interested enough in anyone before to really explore that." He stared down at our joined hands, embarrassment obvious.

"Oh. Oh," I said, as I realized what he was bravely admitting to me, my unexpected prank turning into a serious conversation. Knowing that he was older than the hundred years Esme had on me painted a stark picture of what was adding up to be a very lonely life. Especially surrounded by couples who were definitely not abstaining.

Hell, I was worried that by the end of this, I'd know way more about Emmett than I ever wanted to.

I'd probably need therapy.

"I feel the same way," I admitted and he looked up at me in surprise. "When I was younger, I wasn't really interested in anyone that way. And then when my mom got sick, it was the last thing on my mind, especially after seeing what her ex-husband did to her when he left her. And since then… well, there's only one guy I've been interested in and I haven't felt the need to rush into things with him. See, besides the fact that he's got some mostly decent kids and a really nice sister, he's a gentleman who treats me like I'm precious. And despite the fact that he's a gorgeous, hot-as-sin doctor, it's his heart that's consumed my thoughts." His eyes softened as I spoke until he leaned in and pressed a firm, affectionate kiss to my mouth. I relished in the feeling of his lips moving against mine and sighed.

"I've been pretty consumed by your heart, too," he whispered against my lips.

"I guess we both must have known deep, deep down that the other was out there somewhere, coming for us."

"Maybe. But I don't think anything could have prepared me for you, Bella," he said, rubbing his thumb over my bottom lip. "You are better than anything I ever could have imagined for myself." I flushed.

"You're not so bad yourself, Doctor Cullen." He grinned.

"I believe your exact words were 'gorgeous' and 'hot-as-sin'."

"Yeah, well don't go getting a big head. Then you'd be flawed and god forbid that ever happen."