Usual disclaimer: If you recognize anything from the Twilight world then it is not mine. All things belong to Ms. Meyer.
I was sitting with Edward and Jasper in the living room when all hell broke loose. And the timing sucked. We were watching the boxing match of the century. Well, time would tell on this one but it was pretty damn good. Carlisle had talked about trying to go in person but in the end here I was, in Forks, watching it on television.
Rosalie had arrived home a few hours earlier and was showering off her journey and the dirt from our hunt that was needed afterwords. I had used the hose outside to clean up and had been called an animal.
The next round was just about to start when I heard a shriek. The next thing I knew Rose was in front of me looking furious. Not many women can pull off anger that heated in a silver frilly robe but my Rosalie sure could.
"Something wrong babe?" When she didn't answer me I knew I was in for it. Jasper and Edward were looking on with interest. I had a feeling they were about to see a fight better than the one on the television. "Whatever it is that I did, I just want to say that-" My attempt at a preemptive strike was cut short. Proving Alice right that she should pitch in the next game, she had wound up and hit me square in the gut with something.
"Did she just throw a book at him?" Jasper said softly to Edward.
"A journal to be exact." Edward informed him. "Just wait. This is going to be good."
In a flash I knew what was going on. In my rush to get to the post office the other day I hadn't bothered to try and put her memoirs back in an orderly fashion. In fact, I couldn't remember if I had even shut the desk drawer.
I started to stand up and crawl over the back of the couch slowly. "Look, I can explain. It's actually a funny story. I swear, you're going to laugh when I tell you." Before I even had one leg over the back Rosalie was on me. With one leap we both went flying over the couch and crashed into the table behind it with family portraits.
"Well, I don't know about Rosalie but agree with Emmett. This is hilarious." Jasper commented with a chuckle as he watched.
"Think we should intervene?" Edward asked him.
"Give 'em a minute."
Thanks guys.
Rose had stood up and was holding a vase in her hand, gearing up for the next strike. And in a move that would forever bring my manliness into question I curled up in a little ball, threw my hands over my head and yelled "I did it for you!"
"What?" Rosalie roared, "Explain to me how that makes any sense!"
I peaked out from under my arm and saw that the vase was still raised. With as much grace as I could muster under the circumstances I untangled my self and stood up slowly. "Ok, explanations." I tried to think fast and come up with something that wouldn't result in the vase smashing me in the face. "Now when I say "I did it for you" what I really mean is that while trying to do something you asked me to weeks ago I accidentally did something completely stupid and inconsiderate and have since then been trying to make up for it and be the man you deserve. Did you get the shoes by the way?"
I jumped out of the way just in time to avoid getting blasted with the vase. "The ends justify the means? Is that truly what you just said to me?" Rosalie demanded.
I thought for a moment. "Yeah, that does sounds a lot better than what I said."
Rosalie was about to say something but glanced over her shoulder and remembered that we were alone. "Emmett, come take a walk with me." It wasn't a request and yet her voice had lost some of the harshness it had before. "Just give me a moment to change' she added while gesturing to her robe. She disappeared but in no time at all she was back in front of me wearing jeans and a dark velvety top. She held out her hand to me and I instinctively took it.
Jasper called after us as we headed out the door. "Ah, come on Rose! Whatever you have to say you can say in front of us. Edwards going to know soon enough anyways!"
Neither of us took the time to shoot a retort at him, but I did give him the finger behind my back.
We walked all the way to the end of our property before either of us knew what to say. And of course, my Rosalie knew the perfect words. "I love you, you idiot. And you know that. If you ever doubt that again even for a moment, so help me God, I'll turn to Jane faster that you can think and you'll spend the rest of your existence in as much pain as you'll cause me by questioning how I feel about you."
Sure, she could have stopped after the "I love you" bit and I would have known but that's not her style. She had to drive her point home.
"I love you too, Rose. I just worry that you don't know how much."
She put her hand gently on my cheek and smiled. "I do know."
We sat down on the rocks that marked the end of our "safety zone". We could hunt pretty much anywhere was wanted as long as the treaty with the stupid mutts wasn't broken, but Carlisle liked us to stay on the property unless we were in a group. People respected Carlisle but he creeped them out too, in fact we all did gave them the creeps. That's how we've been about to walk amongst humans for so long. And no one, except a few high school punks every now and then, dared to explore our property. So we never had to worry about being ourselves here.
Rosalie dropped her hand and looked out over the water below the rocks. When she spoke her tone was almost sad. "Emmett, I was a different person before I met you. And I don't mean in my first life, my human life. I killed Royce in my wedding dress, for God's sake!" She smiled to herself at this thought. The smile wasn't on her face for more than a moment but I knew Rosalie well enough to see it. "Ever never enjoyed being what we are as you have. I hated it. I still do. I tried to be the monster from the storybooks. I thought things would be easier if I could exist that way. I knew in my hears that I couldn't no one else saw this inner struggle." Another emotion crossed her face ever so briefly. Pain? Sorrow? I couldn't be sure. "I scared those closest to me. And I've never forgiven myself for that. There was a time, before you, that I was sure Carlisle would ask me to leave. He couldn't stand what I was doing and what my actions were putting Esme through."
I thought on this for a moment. "But, you've never tasted human blood" I'm not sure why I reminded her of this; she knew this better than I.
She stood up and turned to face me. "Taking a human life and causing a human pain and torment are two completely different things my darling. And Jane does this better than most." I opened my mouth to speak but she held up her hand to cut me off. "Oh Jane kills humans, make no mistake about that. But she also enjoys the pain we can cause them without ever putting a finger on their fragile bodies. That's why she wrote me."
Rose walked a ways down the property line a little ways and folded her arms across her body. I followed her, not sure what to say to her. But she wasn't don't with her story and spoke so softly that no one who wasn't one of our kinds would have been able to hear her.
"She saw in me a kindred spirit of sorts, a sister that had suffered as much as she had and who wanted to make others suffer a far worse fate than ours. She dreamt of the team we would make together in Volterra if I ever accepted her offers."
We both stood in silence. It had been quite some time since Rose and I had spoken like this, so openly with one another. We had been playing the role of Carlisle's children so often and so well that I sometimes forgot things I shouldn't. What we were. What we could do. What others of our kind were doing. These are things none of us should ever forget.
I was the one to break the silence "Does she still make them?" I asked her. Rosalie looked at me with confusion. "The offers" I explained. Does Jane still write to you and ask you to join…" I couldn't bring myself to say the word "Volturi" when it would be associated with Rosalie. "Them?" was all I could say to finish my question.
More silence. I thought for a moment that she wasn't going to answer me. But after looking back at out property, at the life we had chosen and made together here with so many she loved, she answered. "I haven't heard from Jane for many years" I felt the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders, Too bad that wasn't the whole answer. "Until three weeks ago. She wrote me and told me that she knew our time here in Washington is coming to an end. We graduate next year. Again." She added the last word with bitterness. "She explained to me that in these…what were her words? "Advanced times" it is getting harder for us to assimilate in one group. And that if I ever felt the need for self preservation to let her know" Rosalie smiled to herself. "Her way of telling me that time of the Cullens is ending but the Volturi are forever."
Rose looked away from me after she said this. She seemed lost for words. I put my hands on her shoulders. "Rose. Rosalie. Look at me." And she did without hesitation. "I love Carlisle and Esme. You know this. And my brothers and Alice. They are my life. But you, you are my world. If self preservation is what you need, then I'm in."
I hadn't thought before I said it but if I had the words would have been the same. I would go to the deepest circles of hell for her to feel safe. And if one of those circles was Volterra, then so be it.
She reached up and rested her hands on mine. "Emmett Cullen, self preservation sounds wonderful. But I have no self without you by my side. And they would destroy that. No. I don't want that. I, Rosalie Hale Cullen, am yours and always will be."
I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. "And I, Emmett Cullen will spend my whole life trying to be worthy of that gift."
And there on those rocks, in the middle of Washington, without any witnesses or fancy gowns, Rosalie and I pledged ourselves to each other in the most beautiful ceremony any one could ever hope for. And I knew what I had to do.
"Well, I give her this. Jane was right about one thing." Rosalie raised an eyebrow in question. I took a step back from her and smiled. "Our time in Washington is coming to an end. So, how about a change of scene, babe?" I asked as I handed her the deed to a new cabin France in our names and two passports. "I have no self without you by my side. And if that takes me back to France then bonjour madame. What do you say?"
Rosalie had the biggest smile I had seen on her face in ages. She jumped up and threw her arms around me. "When does the plane leave?
Ok, again. A long time since I last posted. Many apologies. Hope it was worth it. ~S