Emmett darted to the piano and slid across the seat, nearly falling to the floor in the process. He caught himself in time and threw me a melting grin, patting the seat next to him. I ignored the gesture, continuing to glare at him.
"Come on, Babe. I don't bite…much," he chuckled.
I snorted delicately, but slowly walked over to the seat. He wasn't going to let up until I found out what he was planning. I cautiously slid next to him, careful not to touch any part of him. After the energy from before, I didn't want to risk breaking Edward's piano. Not that I would care if it broke, I just didn't want an audience. Emmett didn't seem to mind, only turned to face the piano with a chuckle.
"Emmett, did Edward say you could touch his piano?" I demanded, my eyes darting between the keys and his eyes.
He paused and gave me a sideways grin. "You gonna tattle on me, Rose?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. To hear him say it, I was nothing more than a child to him. I growled through my teeth.
He threw back his head and laughed. I felt my frown and bad mood begin to ease from my frame a little. His laugh was always good at spoiling my moods. Sometimes it was a welcome respite and, other times, it was annoying.
"Edward and I have an arrangement. He would teach me to play this one song and I would never touch his piano again," Emmett explained, pulling several pages from his pant's pocket and carefully arranged them on the top of the piano.
"A song?" I repeated, incredulous. "You've never struck me as a musician."
"Oh, I'm not. He just couldn't take my singing anymore. He really started to regret the deal after I broke several keys," He snickered, pressing several keys down carefully to demonstrate. I snickered as well. The image of an angry Edward snapping at Emmett for destroying his piano… I slowly shook my head as I fought a grin. Edward tended to get a little pissy about his music. A hint of suspicion crept into my core as I considered this.
"So, why learn to play at all," I asked slowly, trying to catch his eye.
He quickly turned his face down toward the keys, the grin replaced with a thoughtful expression. This startled me, letting the suspicion grow inside me. He was an easy-going man, never without a smile or a gleam of mischief in his eyes. For him to not have either on his face was strange.
"I've…never been good with saying what I feel," Emmett said quietly. "I've just never had the right words. And, I wanted to do something special, but I didn't know how to go about it."
I stared at him, trying to turn the words over in my mind for a hidden meaning. He wasn't an eloquent or romantic man, true, but he never had trouble speaking before. At least, I never thought so. He always said what he thought and felt. What could he possibly mean?
"I don't understand," I quietly stated, the confusion pinching my face.
Emmett finally looked over at me, his golden eyes considering. The intensity of his gaze caused my breath to stop and my body to freeze. The entire room seemed to hold its breath in a painful stillness. If I had a heart, it would have been beating into my ribs. He kept staring into my eyes for several moments, not moving or breathing. Then, with deliberate slowness, he turned gaze to the piano and began to play.
The music was slow and quiet, like fluttering of wings. Then, very quietly, he started to sing.
You've been livin' way too long in broken promise land.
Dreams crushed and shattered, like a million grains of sands.
I'd love to be your redemption, but I am just a man.
And I may never be a hero,
But I'm a rock you can lean on.
If I don't love you like you deserve,
If I don't stop every tear you're crying.
If I don't make your life heaven on this earth,
I'll die trying. I'll die trying.
I closed my eyes against the flood inside me. Every part of me was drawn taunt, filling with heat and pressure. I couldn't breath, I couldn't speak. Not one thought was moving in my head. I just listened to the sweetest voice I had ever heard. He continued to play, his voice and the music growing in strength.
I'll listen to your secret prayer and share your deepest wish.
Search for a hundred years just to find the perfect kiss.
Of everything within my power there's nothin' I won't give.
To be the man in your life,
That takes what's wrong and makes it right.
If I don't love you like you deserve,
If I don't stop every tear you're crying.
If I don't make your life heaven on this earth,
I'll die trying. I'll die trying.
I may never be a hero,
But I'm a rock you can lean on.
If I don't love you like you deserve,
If I don't stop every tear you're crying.
If I don't make your life heaven on this earth,
I'll die trying. I'll die trying.(1)
The song ending note echoed through the room, but neither one of spoke after it. I kept my eyes closed, my body still locked tight. I felt like I was a dam, holding back an obscene amount of water. But, I still held on, pushing against the storm.
There was a soft clink as Emmett placed something on the piano in front of me. He kept very still on the bench beside me, not breathing as well. For several moments, we both were frozen. Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked at the piano. There, in front of me, was a ring in a smooth, satin box. The silver band had one large, round diamond in the center, about the size of a pea. On each side, there were two other diamonds of decreasing size, but still quite large. It was beautiful.
"Rose…Will you marry me?"
I didn't speak. I shot both of my hands out and pulled his face to mine. Our lips crashed together and the dam inside me broke. Electricity and heat slammed into me from the flood and the kiss. His arms snaked around me, pulling me tight against him, leaving my body humming in response.
If it was a sound, I would have heard it. If it was a thought, I would have thought it. All I know was that in that one moment, I was changed. I was still broken, but I was some how fixed. I was whole. For the first time in my existence, there was nothing else that mattered in the world.
(1) "I'll Die Trying" by Emerson Drive
Author's note:
I originally wanted to include this into my other story, Fixing, but it doesn't seem to fit anymore. So, I thought I would post it as a short story instead. I love Emerson Drive, and when I heard this song by them, it seemed to fit Emmett and Rose's love. But, I must say, Emmett still doesn't strike me as a musical type. So, instead of saying "Hey, this is how he could have proposed to her", I saying with this story "If he wanted to propose to her with a song, this is how he might have done it". Not sure if that makes sense to other people beside me, but I though I'd try. ^_^ Enjoy!
(P.S. Yes, this song is also sung by Lonestar. I like Lonestar version as well, but I might be more partial to Emerson Drive)