When Dawn Breaks Chapter 16

"Why is everyone all dressed up?" Emmett asked as he entered Bella's house finding the two wolves in their designer suits wearing matching sunglasses and military boots. "And how come they got cool sunglasses and better shoes. I look like an amateur next to these guys."

"Everyone is dressed up because we are representing Bella tonight." Rosalie told him as she and Bella walked into the living room. Rosalie was in a black woman's pants suit that she dressed up by adding a dark purple dress shirt that she left the top buttons open to make the suit less professional and more elegant and playful. The four inch black heels gave her a bit more height, but Bella still towered over Rosalie in her black slacks, a white button up shirt and tailored black blazer. Her purple heels matched Rosalie's shirt giving her outfit some color.

"Well you aren't representing me, you are representing yourselves." Bella said as she fussed with her cuff links.

"Babe, I got it." Rosalie told her as she reached out and secured Bella's cufflinks. Both of them were wearing one with a blue sapphire that matched both their eyes and one with a purple garnet that matched Bella's other eye.

Bella gave her a kiss."Thank you sweetheart. Where is Charlie?"

"Right here." Charlie said as he entered the living room dressed in his police dress uniform.

"You look great dad." Bella told him enthusiastically.

Charlie blushed. "Well I couldn't be looking like a bum at my daughter's event now could I?"

Rosalie softly clapped her hands getting everyone's attention. "Aright, let's get going so we aren't late. Jared, Sam you ride with us and Emmett you can ride with Charlie."

"Sweet." Emmett said."I'm so sitting in the back. It will make me more of an intimating body guard if people think I've just been released from prison."

Before Rosalie could make it to Bella's side of the car to open her door Sam was already doing it. Looking over she saw Jared doing the same for her. "Thank you."

"Of course, Rosalie." Jared said as he closed the door and got into the back seat with Sam.

"Is there any threat in particular we need to be aware of White Tiger?" Sam asked.

Bella turned in her seat to look at him. "We aren't quite sure what to expect."

"The press will be there though." Rosalie told them. "The idiot principle promised Bella would answer some of their question in a small press conference. Although he assured us that a he would talk to them about not doing it, we don't know how they'll take it."

"We will intervene if necessary." Sam promised.

"You can trust us White Tiger." Jared said. "No harm will come to you or yours while we're there."

Bella smiled as they pulled into a packed school parking lot. "I believe you."

Rosalie parked the car and met Bella at her door holding her arm out to escort her. Sam and Jared flanked their sides as they walked to the front door. "I'm surprised this many people will fit in the gym. Do you think they are going be in the limits of the fire code?"

"I don't think that's going to be a problem. Isn't that the fire chief right there." Bella said pointing to a man dressed in uniform that was talking to Charlie.

"Hey, guys wait up." Emmett called as he jogged up to them at a human pace. "I can't be your body guard if I'm not near your body."

Rosalie rolled her eyes when she saw Mr. Regen rushing to them almost knocking over a small child. "That man is a hazard to the entire human population."

"Ms. Shurlong, you're here, that's great. If you would just follow me, we will get ready to introduce you." Mr. Regen said, when the group began to follow him he stopped. "Sorry, but your friends will have to wait in the gym like everyone else."

"These." Bella motioned to Sam and Jared. "Are my security. They go were I go."

"I can assure you that you will be perfectly safe here. Nobody is going to harm you." Mr. Regen promised her.

"That's all fine and good." Bella said. "But I would rather be safe then sorry."

Whatever argument the man would of made died on his lips when Sam took a step forward. "Of course, if you would just follow me then."

Bella turned to Rosalie. "I'll see you out there."

"Good luck." Rosalie told her.

Bella kissed Rosalie softly. "I don't need luck, I have you."

"Do you think I will ever find a mate like that one day?" Emmett asked as they watched Bella and her group walked away.

Rosalie turned to Emmett shocked at the question. "Of course Emmett. I guarantee there is someone out there just for you."

"Yeah but when will I finally meet them?" Emmett asked sadly.

Rosalie pulled him into a hug. "Maybe it's like Bella and me. Your mate might not be ready to meet you yet but I promise you Emmett you will find your mate. You are to good of a person to live eternity alone."

"Thanks, Rosalie." Emmett straightened his shoulders and his expression turned cold. "Enough of that sappy stuff. I have a job to do and I'm not going to let Bella down. So Ms. Hale, please allow me to escort you to your seat."

Rosalie pulled their tickets out of her pocket and handed them to a teenage boy dressed in a suit that was way to big for him. She put a hand on Emmett's arm to hold him back as the boy made no disguise of checking her out. Low enough for only Emmett to hear she reminded him. "He's a human teenage boy Emmett, even the word boobs gets their hormones going. Faced with them and their minds go to mush."

"The fact that he is human will just make him easier to break." Emmett said. "I promised Bella I would protect you. Even if that is just from human's ogling you, I'm going to do it."

"Hey guy's over here." Alice called from the front row where the rest of the Cullens and Peter and Charlotte were sitting.

As Rosalie tried to sit in the inner aisle seat, Emmett pushed her to out of the way so he could sit there instead. "That isn't necessary Emmett. I can sit on the aisle."

Emmett shook his head. "Not only is it leaving you open to attacks, but if I don't sit in the aisle I won't be able to move freely is something goes down."

"He's really taking this body guard thing seriously isn't he." Alice said from her seat next to Rosalie.

Jasper chuckled. "I've never seen him so serious about something that isn't video games."

"He doesn't want to let Bella down." Rosalie told them.

"This looks like the social event of the century."Alice said. "Everyone is dressed to the nines."

Rosalie looked around and smiled when she saw a little girl dressed in a pink dress with bows in her hair. "They don't get many famous people around here."

"I'm surprised no one figured out who she was before." Jasper said shifting in his seat leaning as far as he could away from the humans taking seats behind him.

"Are you ok Jazz?" Alice asked him.

"My control is being tested but I'm just not going to breath." At Alice's nervous look he assured her. "I'll be fine. If it gets to bad I'll leave."

Before Alice could reply Mr. Regen's voice came over the speakers. The man was wearing a suit that was obviously new as you could still see some of the tailor pins in his pant legs making a make shift seam. "Hello everyone and thank you for coming tonight. It's an honor to not only have our mayor Mr. Dickson with us tonight but Ms. Bella Shurlong. As you all know Ms. Shurlong comes from a family with deep ties to America going all the way back to the making of this country. How things will work is the mayor will ask Ms. Shurlong questions that you submitted on the pieces of paper you were given on your way through the door. We won't know how many questions we will be getting through so I'm sorry if your question doesn't get asked. Now will you please help me in welcoming our mayor Mr. Dickson."

A short plump man with a bad comb over stepped on stage and shook the principles hand as he stepped up to the microphone to the sound of a polite applause. "Thank you Mr. Regen and thank you all for coming out here tonight. I"ll keep this short so that we can get to the guest honor. As this is an election year I would like to remind everyone to get out there and vote. I have been mayor of this great town for the past 8 yrs and promise that I will continue to serve with honor, much like Ms. Shurlong's ancestors have. If you look closely you will see many similarities in my views and the Shurlong family's views. We both have strived to make America a better place for all our citizens."

"This guy's got the right last name." Emmett said nudging Rosalie in the side. "He definitely is a dick. Do you want me to go up there and shut him up?"

Rosalie shook her head. This is what she was afraid of when Bella agreed to do this talk. Bella was just starting to understand how the world worked and that not everyone was sincere and good like she was. For how strong and confident Bella was in the supernatural world, her mate was naive when it came to the world of humans and a selfish part of Rosalie wanted to take Bella and go live on the estate and forget about the world so that Bella could keep that innocence forever, but the world didn't work like that. It needed Bella, now more than ever.

"….. My pleasure to introduced Ms. Bella Shurlong." Bella walked on the stage to much louder applause than the mayor, with Sam and Jared a few steps behind her. After making sure Bella was seated the two wolves walked to different sides of the stage and stood scanning the crowd.

"I am so getting Bella body guard duty next time." Emmett said quietly, seeing Rosalie's raised eyebrow he added quickly. "No offense Rosalie but those two look bad ass up there."

Rosalie just shook her head as she listened to the mayor and Bella make small talk before he asked his first question. "You come from a long line of Shurlong trail blazers and public servants. How has that shaped your life?"

"I would like to add that not only the Shurlong side of my family has answered the call to serve their country but my father Charlie Swan is the Chief of Police here in Forks and has served this community proudly for many years." Bella said calling out a blushing Chief Swan sitting in the front row. "Addressing your question, I would have to say that my whole life I have been blessed with an incredible upbringing, but the entire time I have also been reminded that with having that upbringing there are responsibilities I have to the Shurlongs that have come before me and to the American people as a whole."

"Does this mean you are going to be throwing your hat into the political arena soon?" The mayor asked.

Bella shook her head. "I'm to young to even think about being a politician. As of right now I'm just like every other American teenager, worried about graduating high school and getting into college."

Alice snorted and said low enough for humans not to hear. "Oh and don't forget saving all super natural races."

"And being the shifter Jesus." Emmett added.

Rosalie shushed the two of them. "Behave, or you two can leave."

Rosalie watched her mate as she expertly handled the mayor's question. She smiled as Bella politely deflected any question that had to do with her opinion on anything political or to personal. Rosalie could see the mayor's frustration as Bella once again shot down his attempt to get Bella to praise him on his way of handling an issue that his office had to deal with. She just skimmed over his endorsement fishing and turned the topic back to her family and their history. A few times Rosalie caught herself from wanting to rush up there and give the man a piece of her mind, but she held back knowing that this was something Bella had to deal with on her own. If she intervened she would look like a crazy girlfriend and Rosalie didn't want the public to think that.

"I always thought Bella was impressive when dealing with the shifters and vampires." Alice said. "But that's nothing compared to this. Look at how these humans are reacting to her."

Rosalie looked around at the crowd. Alice was right. Bella had the entire gym mesmerized. Not one person didn't have her eyes on Bella. It just reinforced her need to protect Bella from people who would prey on her kindness. Bella may be the White Tiger, but to the humans she was just a 17 yr old girl with lots to take advantage of. She would ask Bella later to let her get in touch with her new personal assistant as Rosalie had a feeling this was just the start of requests for Bella's time. Having Tala's business card to hand out would make saying no for Bella a lot easier, because even though Bella said she would try to be better about agreeing to things, she still had a ways to go and although Rosalie wished it weren't true, she couldn't be there to protect Bella from everything.

"That's about all the time we have left. Thank you all for coming tonight and thank you Ms. Shurlong and Mr. Dickson for giving up your Friday evening to spend with us." Mr. Regen said as Bella and the mayor stood.

After starting to walk off the stage, Bella was stopped by a hand on her arm. Turning she saw the Sam and Jared make their way over to remove the man. Bella held up a hand stopping them. "What can I do for you Mr. Dickson?"

Looking at the boys now flanking Bella the man's eyes went wide and he took a step back. "Um,I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind taking a few pictures and maybe answering a couple questions from the press"

"As I told Mr. Regen I will not be talking to the press." Bella told him. "However if you want to take a few pictures let me get my father so he can join us. He is much more important to the town of Forks than I am. Jared if you would ?"

Jared left her side and brought Charlie back with him. "Hey Bells, that was quite a show."

"Thank you, dad." Bella said. "The mayor wanted to get some pictures with us before we go."

"With me?" Charlie asked.

Before the mayor could decline Bella interjected. "You are the Chief of police, I'm only your daughter so of course he would want a picture with the both of us, right Mr. Dickson?"

Mr. Dickson eyed Sam and Jared looking like he was trying to figure out how far he could push the issue. " Of course, it wouldn't be a picture without you Chief Swan."

Positioning Charlie inbetween herself and the mayor,the three of them stood while a photographer took a few pictures. When the man wanted one of just her and Charlie, Bella happily posed with her father ignoring the scowling mayor. When he was done Bella approached him. "Do you think I could have a copy of the pictures you took of me and my dad?"

"Of course, if you could just give me your number I can set up a time for us to meet up for me to give them to you." The man said pulling out his phone.

Watching Rosalie make a bee line towards them, Bella quickly told him. "You can drop them off with my father. He's easier to pin down."

"Yeah that's cool, but if you still wanted to give me your number we could get together." The man held his phone out for Bella "Maybe I could do a piece for the paper on you?"

Rosalie glared at the man. "Everything ok here?"

"Yes, this nice man just promised to get copies of the pictures of Charlie and me." Bella told her as she slipped her arm around Rosalie's waist.

"Is that all?" Rosalie asked.

The man rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well I was hoping Ms. Shurlong would be willing to let me interview her for the paper."

"And I was just telling him that as I told the mayor and Mr. Regen I won't be answering any questions from the press." Bella said.

Rosalie gave Bella a proud smile. "Good,if you are done here, lets get going. Your father mentioned something about cake back at your house."

"Lead the way." Bella told her already dismissing the reporter from her mind."You know how much I love cake."

Rosalie kissed Bella's cheek as she walked through the crowd with Jared and Sam keeping people away while Emmett followed a few steps behind. "That I do, sweetheart."