Gifted

Chapter 14: Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Please read and review, if you've gotta moment. Enjoy!

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Emmett was supposed to be working on the sheet of problems in front of him, but at the moment he had other things on his mind...most of them having to do with the strange human he and his family had fallen for.

He had been worried about her, and he could see now that he was right to. Bella didn't seem to know how to deal with people. Oh, she was fine when it was just one person. But put her in a group...it was like she was another girl. Shy, withdrawn, even fearful. He couldn't understand it. How could this girl, who was completely comfortable in a house full of vampires, change so drastically in a room full of humans? It made no sense.

It was Emmett who insisted they keep Bella company as much as they could between her classes. After one glance at her, Jasper readily supported him. Jasper later told him of the anxiety he could feel rolling off of Bella whenever any of them weren't with her.

He truly wished they could find a way for her to sit with them at lunch but it was just impossible. There was no way she wouldn't notice that none of them ate. They were able to get away with it at home because they could always say they'd grabbed a bite while she was in another room. He knew she wished she could sit with them too-it was so obvious from the longing looks he saw when he caught her eye in the cafeteria, but it really was for her own good. He couldn't imagine what would happen if she found out the truth. Still, Bella was his best human friend and he didn't like seeing her obvious distress.

He smiled in wonder as he thought back to last period in the cafeteria. Bella was amazing! She had stood up to that cretin of a girl and defended his family like she was one of them. She didn't have to do that. She couldn't know that they were all listening. He was sure they all would've understood if she had chosen not to comment on Lauren's remarks. But Bella Bear wouldn't take the insults and she shoved them right back in that bitch's mouth. She spoke up for all of them, but he didn't miss that it was the mention of Rosalie that triggered Bella's anger. He saw it, they all did. Angry Bella was...a little scary truth be told. His perfect vision saw her eyes get brighter, her fists tremble, and he could've sworn he heard a faint snarl. He definitely heard her heart, already louder than everyone else's because he was so well attuned to her, triple in speed and intensity. If he ever doubted that Bella Bear cared deeply for his Rosalie...well he didn't doubt it anymore.

He looked over at his wife and he could see that she too was studying the girl, though she was doing a better job of moving down the pointless calculus problems than he was. This was the second time in as many weeks that Bella Bear had come to Rosalie's defense. And it was clear that she gave no thought to the implications either. If Rosalie hadn't gotten between her and those bastards last week...And today, while nowhere near the danger of that distasteful encounter, Bella probably ruined her chances of friendship with those kids. Bella couldn't possibly know the ramifications of her actions as far as Rosalie went, but Emmett knew his wife very well. Without knowing it, Bella was doing an outstanding job of getting his wife to fall for her.

He sighed as his gaze went back to his wife of 70 years. Rosalie could deny it all she wanted, and she probably would till it hit her over the head, but Emmett knew better. She was falling for the girl, hard. It would take a while for the two of them to realize it, but they would eventually...he was sure of it. Emmett knew the conventional thing to do was demand fidelity from his wife. He knew he was supposed to be angry and resentful of both Rosalie and Bella. But he honestly wasn't, and to demand anything from Rosalie...well, you just don't do that with Rosalie. Emmett loved his wife. More than that, he understood her better than anyone else...and she loved and understood him...they were mates after all. He couldn't imagine a situation that could ever change that. He believed with all his frozen heart that the marriage he and Rosalie built could withstand anything, even a third person. The thought of sharing his wife was, he admitted, a little scary. But if it was Bella...well then he was ok with it. Bella was worth it, and if things actually progressed in that direction, he had no doubt that Bella would care for and treasure his Rosalie as much as he did and as much as Rosalie deserved.