I'M BACK BABY! LOL. I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY THIS NEW STORY AS MUCH AS THE BARTENDER. I WARN YOU, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THAN THE BARTENDER. MORE REALISTIC THEMES AND DEEPER EXPERICANCES! MAYBE EVEN SOME HEATED KISSES WINK, WINK AND IF YOU READ THE ENTIRE SUMMARY, YOU WILL KNOW THIS IS ABOUT EMBRY AND BELLA! AND IT BEGINS…

Preface…

It's amazing how much someone can change... with someone there. The way they can make your fears vanish and never come back, or make you feel perfect and extraordinary with just one touch or look, or see the better in you, when you thought you became something no one could care about. It's shocking to know they are there for you no matter what…it's amazing, what happens when you fall in love.

Chapter one; memories are hard

Embry Call lay on his junky old black sofa, watching the seven o' clock news, with a bowl of leftover Chinese take-out on his stomach. He sighs; nothing good is on the news, it's all about the ice skating tournament, that's being held right there in Estes park Colorado.

Millions of fans are holding theirs breaths, waiting who makes it to the top. I myself will be attending to catch it all on film live! Remember, the tournament is February 25, starting at 7:00 pm, so get your tickets before they're gone!

He mutes the TV, not wanting to hear about anything that has to do with ice. He shivers, remembering the tragedy that destroyed his career…

Flashback

It was the world finals. They were being held in Denver and embry was with his team in a bar, they were all excited about the tournament. Paul, his most trusted member starts talking about the team. "Quil, you are ladies man, you know that? I mean seriously, a new girl every night, you lucky bastard!" everybody laughed, except embry.

He just smiled and took a swig of his bud light. "Eric, you are soo aggressive, now I understand why when you race, the guy always has a bruise at the end!" again, everyone laughs except embry, he feels strangely uncomfortable. The feeling had been there ever since all those girls from Denver had mobbed them with pictures and auto graphs.

"Sam…I really can't think of anything but, that you are our leader and you is hell are good at your job!" Sam rolled his eyes, knowing his, truly, dumbest team member was probably more than buzzed. "Embry," he froze. He wasn't looking forward to this. "You are a fast sucker! I mean, really you're always halfway through the course when the whistle blows! I guess being as thin as a twig is handy!" embry rolled his eyes, knowing Paul was exaggerating. He would admit he was skinny; but it wasn't unhealthy. He was still muscular and fit. Hell, he had a six pack!

"But, you aren't like the rest of us. You're shy, quiet, err…book smart, not street smart, AND you're a fucking virgin!" embry choked on his beer and sent his friend a glare. Paul grinned, and chuckled, knowing the most modest member would freak out at the mention of anything that had to do with sex. "That's none of your business Paul." He sent one more glare before he finished of his beer and said he's going to head out early.

Of course all the guys groaned, knowing that was coming. They wouldn't say, but they really only kept embry around because of his speed and able to easily read other languages…

Embry reached his hotel room in record time. He fell asleep quickly, but he felt uneasy.

The next day embry was in the locker room, sitting on the bench trying to get the uneasy feeling under control. He felt like something was going to happen…but he just didn't know what. It was driving him crazy, the way his stomach was fluttering and how sweaty his hands were. He usually kept his cool easily; this was out of the ordinary. Soon his coach was calling him, so he buried the uneasy feeling and went out to the frozen Sloans Lake, Where the competition was being held.

Two hours in and the bulldogs were one point ahead. (I forgot to mention, that's the name of embry's team…oopsies…) the last category was the obstacle course, where they test your speed and judgment. Embry slipped on his skates and headed to the starting line, his team members cheering him on. He got into position and…*bang* the blank gun went off. Embry raced around the lake, easily slipping side-to-side to avoid the cones, he turned, avoiding the large wall in a breeze.

His team was whooping as he zipped through his first lap into his second…but things turned to the worst. Embry heard a crack. He kept going, not sure what the sound was, but his heart picked up pace out of fear. The crowd was in silence, fearing the worst…and they were correct. All of a sudden the thin sheet of ice collapsed underneath the skater taking him under the icy water. He felt a huge amount of pain on his leg, a sharp end of ice sliced across his face and chest, making the water red with his blood. He screamed at the pain, but that wasn't the end. Soon sharp edges started scraping his back, ripping easily through his uniform. He struggled to find the surface.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain on his head…and everything went black. He was sure he was going to die.

Everyone was screaming, panicking when the security guards managed to embry out of the water, unconscious. His team was screaming at each other for one of them to call an ambulance. They put him on a cot lift and drove off, while also trying to control his bleeding. The team was following, shouting directions at each other. They threw the doors opened, shouting for a doctor. When they got one the told them what happened and an assess on his injuries. "He has a mild concussion, a broken leg, and huge gashes on his face, chest and back. He may also have hypo thermia." They rushed to an operating room, to see if they could stitch his gashes, and reset his leg.

They gave him an anesthetic to keep him unconscious and started working.

Two hours later…

Embry woke up to bright white lights. He groaned and squinted, adjusting to the light. He heard beeping to his left and felt something cold in his arm. He tried to get up, but gasped as tremors of pain surged through is body. He dropped back onto the bed. Feeling more awake he took in his surroundings. He noticed his right leg was in a cast, his entire torso was covered in bandages and his left eye also had cloth on it. "Where am I?" he whispered. "You're in the hospital son." A rough voice said beside him, making him jump and the monitor to speed up for just a moment.

"Jesus, don't do that Harry!" Harry Clearwater was the coach of the team. He had two kids that were rebellious and didn't want to do had met Seth; He had spunk and was good with the guitar. He could play anything if you gave him five minutes to think. Leah was a different story; she was tough as nails, yet gentle and loving towards her brother. If you messed with anyone she loved, you would end up missing a finger…or arm. She worked at a diner where she met Jacob black, her fiancée. Embry was good friends with Jacob. He was the same as Leah; he preferred to work in garage than prance around in skates. (His words)

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked with concern. He always treated embry like a son; his mother had broken down when his dad left and she did the same, handing him to Harry. Embry swallowed. "Physically like shit, emotionally, conflicted, and mentally, fine." Harry chuckled at his bluntness. "I'd say that's good. But I'm not sure." Embry chuckled, but winced when the feeling led to his chest.

"Ouch, damn…" Harry sighed. He felt so bad for embry. He had had some much spirit, and yet here he was, looking like a zombie with all the bandages. "What's the damage?" he looked up into the young mans' eyes. "You have a mild concussion, a broken leg, and gashes all over your back, face and chest...they also think you damaged the iris of your left eye." The skaters' undamaged eye widened "All of that from ice?" the older man nodded solemnly.

Embry felt so much shock; he used to love the ice…but that moment he felt a large amount of fear creep into him. It made him shake at the thought of being near ice ever again. "I'm going to let the guys in; I promise they'll behave." The young man nodded, ready to see his teammates.

Two weeks later…

Things were NOT better for embry. Last week when he had gotten out of the hospital, the bandages came off and he had rushed to the bathroom to get rid of the itchy feeling on his skin. But what he saw in the mirror made him freeze; there, on his face had been one long, dark scar going down from the side of his head, to the very end of his neck. His chest had two scars that looked the same and went down to his stomach. He turned around to see five or six scars that were all in different directions on his back.

But what caught his eyes the most was that his left eye was now a very pale brown, instead of the dark-almost black he was used to. He choked on a scream; he knew no one would look at him the same now. He was a scarred freak… He shuddered at his own reflection and decided he could get cleaned up later. He grabbed his favorite hoodie and made sure it shadowed all of his face. He walked into the lobby to see Harry, Leah and Seth. They all smiled but it disappeared when they say his dressed attire.

"Embry call, take that hoodie off so we can see your smiling face!" Leah scolded. The two of them had a strong brother-sister like bond. He had gone to her for comfort about his mother leaving and many other situations; she was a very loving person if you took time to know her. Even though it was dangerous to refuse Leah, embry shook his head no. the 21 year old huffed and stomped over to embry.

"N-no. No, L-Leah don't!" he begged, while backing away, but bumped in to the front desk. Leah ripped the hood back-wards, revealing his face. The girl gasped, seeing the scars and pale eye. Seth eyes widened and Harry looked like he was going to faint. "Oh my god…I'm so sorry embry." Leah whispered, feeling guilty for forcing him to show his face.

He felt the sting of tears and swallowed back a sob. He didn't want pity, but it seemed like that's what he would get for a while. "Its fine Leah, you didn't know." He rasped, not sure what else to say. She hugged him tightly; both of them letting the silent tears fall.

Things were okay for a while, Leah and Jake would come by a lot, trying hard not to stare at the scars and give him the support he needed, to let him know people still loved him. But the sad part was; no one could get him to smile anymore. They had even shown a video of Leah from Halloween; nothing… he had just nodded and said that that was cool. When Tuesday came around, practice, embry seemed enthusiastic, until he got there. His team was already on the ice practicing turns and dips. Embry started breathing heavily as he walked towards the ice rink.

Embry's' heart was racing as he looked down at the ice. He took another step, and he saw a huge crack form, splitting the ice. He screamed bloody murder and rushed back to the bleachers. Part of him knew it wasn't real, but he wasn't taking chances, Paul was trying to get him to calm down, saying there wasn't crack, but it didn't help. Embry started hyperventilating, his vision came in and out and he would scream every time he saw the ice.

Everyone knew what happened; he had a phobia of ice now. But that wasn't the end of his bad luck; Harry had reluctantly kicked embry off the team, because of all the complaints from the guys-except Paul; he threw an absolute fit about kicking embry off the team-, and the fact that he couldn't even look at ice without freaking out. He hardly came out of his apartment, and if he did, he wore a hoodie to cover his face. He had been on the news about the accident, and how he seemed to disappear.

The only people allowed to see him were Leah, Jake, Seth and his therapist Leah had hired…though didn't help much. All he figured out was that the cracks he saw were just physiological; something his mind was creating from the fear his body permits at the thought or sight of ice. At some point he quit his sessions, knowing they didn't help and became cold, distant, and depressed. He had gotten rid of all his mirrors, not being able to look at himself without shouting profanities at god, or break down crying. He never bothered to face his fear about ice, so he never went back to the rink again…

*end of flash back*

He shudders, remembering every feeling, every look…every gasp or shed of tears…all of it. Even thought it's been three years, nothing has changed for him. He gets up to clean his bowl. While he's washing the dishes his phone rings.

"Hello." He absently answers, concentrating on the big plate he was rinsing.

"Well hello Mr. grumpy ass, what's up?" Leah teases in the phone. He rolls his eyes. Leah and Jacob currently live in New York, wanting to escape the mountains and wild life…but mostly Leahs' dads' nagging.

"Nothing much, just trying to find a channel where they don't mention the ice skating competition." Leah sighs, knowing embry would avoid anything that had to do with ice.

"Embry…I really wish you would talk to someone. Hell, I would recommend going to Seth! That's how much I want you to get it off your chest." The young man sighs.

"Leah, it's not something to talk about; it's more something to face, and you know I can't do that." Embry finishes the dishes and heads back to the living room.

"Please, just…maybe go to the rink and…I don't know, just walk through the bleachers, and get used to being around it. I mean, you live in COLORADO! You have to be used to ice and snow!" he rolls his eyes.

"Alright, alright, you win. I'll go to the rink…but I'm not going until tomorrow, I have to head to the grocery store today." He gets his favorite thick hoodie, gloves and scarf.

Leah sighed in relief. "Thank you. We love you embry, and we're just worried. You used to love the ice; now, you won't even look at it…"

"I love you guys too. Tell Jake I say hey when he gets home. I'll talk to you later Leah."

"Bye em. Oh! By the way, we might visit for Christmas. Jake misses his sisters and I want to see dad. If we can get a flight early enough, we'll drop by. Just giving you a heads up." Embry nodded. He used to chuckle at her fast track speed, but he doesn't even smile, let alone laugh.

"Alright Leah, I guess I'll see you then, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, bye Em…" he hung up with a sigh and started putting on his winter wear. Even though it was October; it felt like it was the middle of the winter. He walked out of his apartment with the hoodie hiding his face like always.

Leah groaned and plopped down on the couch, she wished that she could help embry, she just doesn't know how. She heard the door slam, signaling Jacobs's home. Jacob works in a popular mechanic shop called 'voltori jobs' with Aro and his daughter Jane; they were good people and paid Jacob well, especially at the fact that his work was the fastest and most accurate.

"Hey babe…why the long face?" her fiancée asked.

"I just talked to embry; I convinced him to go to the rink and just walk around…but I know he's probably freaking out about being near the ice." Jacob sighed and sat next to her. He started stroking her hair, she leaned onto his shoulder.

"You can't blame the guy; he got cut up by the ice, it put him in the hospital AND his team dropped him without trying to help; well, an exception of your dad and Paul… People stare at him so he's always hiding in his apartment or has a hood on…the guy is emotionally and physically scarred. He just needs time alone, to try and accept it all, and the way he's acting is his way of handling it." Leah nodded, feeling pain for her brother-like-friend.

"How was work?" she asked, trying to change the subject. Jacob grinned.

"Let's just say that we're going to Colorado thanks to Aro!" She screamed in happiness.

"OH MY GOD! THAT'S AWESOME! THANK YOU ARO! She screamed at the ceiling, feeling so happy.

Jacob laughed while he watched his beloved lee-lee dance around in glee. She rushed over to him and gives him a chaste kiss.

"Let's see its October, so we have about two months- hey! What if we stayed for thanksgiving and left after new years? Please Jake? Please, please!" Jacob watched in amusement, she was jumping up and down with her hands folded like she was praying, and her eyes closed. He chuckled.

"Alright babe; But we're not leaving until two days before thanksgiving." Hey, Jake had to be stern a little… she screams even more rushing around their apartment, just out of pure happiness. Jake smiled. He knew Leah loved her family, and that this trip would mean a lot to her.

I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. I WANT IT TO BE DEEP AND SLOW, WHERE THE MOMNETS ARE BELOVED AND MY FRIENDS….