Always and Forever-Part 1-The Meeting
Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight characters. They belong to Stepheine Meyer.
Summary: I wanted to reveal some of Emmett's back story as his character means to me. This is about his past and the things he remembers and learns about the people he left behind. Emmett's POV for Part 1.
Alice is freakin' loud. She is yelling at us to all come downstairs. I was just settling in to watch the Stanford game, too. Darn it. It sounds important, and Rosalie looks annoyed, so I'd better get a move on. I hurry down the stairs behind my wife, expecting some major drama to be unfolding. But no, this is unreal. Alice is sitting, fairly calmly, in a chair in the living room. Apparently, she has just had a vision, because Jasper is standing next to her, looking concerned. Edward is ambling in, pulling Nessie along with him. I feel Rosalie shifting her weight next to me; this usually means she is highly irritated. She is telling Alice to be quiet, that we can all hear her, and we are all here. I didn't see Esme and Carlisle come downstairs-they must've been behind us, and Bella, it looks like, has come in from outside. Must've been out there with Edward and the kid. I look at Alice, fighting back the urge to announce that I am going to miss kick-off, because the last time I did that, Rose wouldn't even look at me for about 16 hours straight. I shrug, frustrated, because everyone is taking forever to settle down. Finally, Jasper asks Alice what is going on.
"I just saw a new coven that moved into town, and I just wanted to let everyone know so we could be alert." Carlisle is nodding. He speaks.
"I was just going to call a meeting, actually. One of their members just started at the hospital; in Pediatrics. He's on my team; I just met him this morning before rounds. They're Stregoni; moved here from Indianapolis. It should be fine; they seem nice enough, and it's a small coven, just 3." Fantastic. Another coven. This should be fun. Last time that happened, Jasper freaked out for days. And Edward tried to meet them and almost got himself killed. I should tell that story to Bella. Oh, man, he just caught me. Look innocent. Wait, I just missed what Esme said, and I tell her this. She looks at me, annoyed, but repeats what she says. She just wanted everyone to be on their best behavior, on the off-chance we run into these vampires. No problem; I promise I won't eat them for breakfast, I say. Wrong thing to say; no one thought that was funny. Oh, well. I am SO missing the game; can we hurry this along? Stanford is playing USC and last week, it tied and I missed the winning touchdown because Rosalie decided to change her shirt right at that moment, and I was distracted. I WILL not miss it again. Oh, goody. We're done; Carlisle is shooing us out. I missed what he said, but who cares? I rush back upstairs and turn on the TV. Damn, it's already tied, 6-6. Stupid Alice and her visions. I sit, entranced, for the next hour and 45 minutes. It's a great game, and Stanford wins. I really need to get Alice involved in sports; we could make a killing if she was a bookie. Ok, I'm half-kidding, but in all seriousness, I need someone to watch ball with me. I sigh in satisfaction and flip off the TV in my bedroom as Rose comes in.
"How was the game?"
"Stanford won." She looks bored. I cross over and hug her. I really do love her, but I know sometimes I forget to show it well. She asks me to come with her to Target so she buy some sunglasses and maybe some flip-flops . I agree, reluctantly. We go downstairs, passing Esme on the way. I let her know we are leaving, but shouldn't be gone too long. I hurry down after Rosalie, who, for some reason is in a hurry. Must be Alice's influence, that girl can shop. Finally, I am in Rose's car (she won't ride in mine because she says it smells like gym socks) and we are flying down the road. I suggest she slow down, but she grimaces at me. When we arrive at the store, she parks expertly. I have to hand it to her; she IS a good driver. I tell her this. It makes her smile. I push the cart, trying to appear gentlemanly and as normal as possible, which is hard, because, after all, I am Emmett James Cullen, and I am a good-looking male specimen. Rosalie tosses some things in the cart; it appears to be laundry detergent. She catches my expression, and laughs. We chatter about Alice's vision, and she tells me about some silly thing Esme did that morning while I was watching the ball game. Rosalie tosses more crap in the cart. I learned a long time ago not to protest unless it is something I truly feel strongly about. Because I will lose. She finds the accessories department, and locates the kiosk with the sunglasses. She tries on a pair of white, Jackie-O style ones. She asks me how she looks. White is hard with her because she is pale and blonde. I tell her I prefer her in darker frames. She shrugs but selects a squarish black-rimmed pair with purple earpieces. They're cute, and she's cute in them. I tell her this, eliciting another smile. I love it when she smiles; she looks like a bunny rabbit and I just want to pick her up and cuddle her. We move on to the shoes. This is the worse part, even worse than the purses and tampon area, because I don't get shoes. I once made the mistake of informing her that she only needed three pairs-one casual, one pair of heels, and some boots for hunting. I thought she was going to kill me on the spot. So now I keep my mouth shut even though I really, really want to protest. Mercifully, she and Alice had just done a big shop, so she swears she is just here for a pair of flip-flops, and she knows which ones she wants. She showed them to me in a magazine last week, and I did my best to care. A little boy runs past us, then a woman, chasing him. I catch the familiar scent of vampire, as does Rose, because I sense her tensing. I put a hand on her back and whisper in her ear about the other coven. She relaxes, and we move on after she grabs the shoes she wanted. After a trip by the movies, for me-I want to get Full Metal Jacket because Bella hasn't seen it, and I can't find my copy and Jasper doesn't have it, we check out. As we are loading the bags into the back of the Jeep, the same little boy from earlier latches himself to Rosalie's leg. She looks at me, the question in her eyes-what do I do? I shrug; I don't know much about little kids. I love Nessie, but that's really the extent of it. A tall-ish brunette woman is running after him; I recognize her as the same woman from the shoes, but I can't see her face because she is fiddling with a cell phone. These are clearly the other vampires Carlisle and Alice mentioned, because I can smell them and Rosalie is about to go insane. She is calling the little boy "Hecky" and is bending down, prying his hands loose from Rose. Her voice is familiar, but I can't place it. She ties the boy's shoes, places him firmly on her hip, and stands up to face Rosalie. The familiar angles of her face and the color of her hair and the small scar above her left eyebrow cause me to gasp. Rosalie stops speaking and looks at me. The girl looks at me, then her mouth drops open. I am sure we look like idiots, and Rose is looking confused. I shake my head and speak. It is more of a question, and although I am fairly certain of the answer, I am unsure if I want to ask it.
"Julie?" The woman shakes herself into the present. She closes her mouth, then opens it again. Rosalie cuts her off.
"Emmett, what is going on?" I look at my wife, then back at Julie. I gesture.
"Rose, this is Julie. My sister." Rosalie looks like I just hit her. And like she might hit me.
"Are you kidding me? What do you mean, your sister?" She is talking fast; she is flustered. I haven't seen her like this in eons. I hate it. I shrug, my brain is like jell-o. I can't think clearly. A man has joined Julie, putting an arm around her waist, and smiling at us. Julie hasn't looked away from my face for a full two minutes. I speak, urgently.
"My sister. As in, my baby sister from my human family. From before. But, Jules, why are you here? And why do you smell funny?" Julie is looking like she saw a ghost, and also like she is about to vomit. The smile drops from the man's face, and his grip becomes less possessive and more protective. She breathes visibly, her shoulders shaking.
"I am here because Lyle just started at New Haven Memorial. I smell funny for the same reason you do; I'm a vampire. Why are YOU here? And who is she?' Julie gestures with her chin to Rose, who is gripping my hand really tightly, and still looks like she wants to deck me.
"I live here with my coven. Our father works at New Haven Memorial, too. He's a cardiologist. And, this is Rosalie. My wife." Rosalie, somehow, regains her composure, and smiles, but it's a tight smile, like she'd used with Bella before Bella was changed. A smile to indicate that she wasn't pleased, but merely tolerating something because it was important to someone else. She extended her right hand. The man pokes Julie in the ribs, who seems to be on autopilot. She grins at Rose and shakes her hand. Then, she speaks.
"I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you, Rosalie. Um, this is Lyle, my husband," she gestures to the man, then to the boy on her hip, "and this is Heck. Hector. My son." Her voice is the same as I remember; soft but high. I am able to function now, a tiny bit more. I look at her eyes; they used to be blue like mine, but now they are a dull brown. Her long hair is still light brown, with streaks of blonde in it. Her face is our mothers; it always was, but suddenly, I am aware of her beauty. She was always pretty, anyway, and being a Vampire has only helped. I glance at her outfit; she is dressed well, as far as I know of fashion from 50 odd years of Rosalie harassing me. She is wearing a soft pink sweater, blue jeans, and pink sneakers. On her left hand, a small diamond catches the sun. I realize we are still standing in the parking lot, at the back of the Jeep, and, even though it felt like we'd been standing there for a whole year, it had been just a few minutes. Something clicks in Julies mind, and her expression becomes stormy. Lyle notices, and he steps forward.
"Honey? I really don't think this is the place to discuss this right now. Let's go home, and you and I will talk. Perhaps Emmett and Rosalie would like to come over later?" I nod. He holds up a finger and says to hold on a minute. He literally pulls Julie to a car two spaces down from ours and sits her in it, taking Hector from her. He puts the boy, who has fallen asleep, on his hip, and comes back over. Rosalie closes the back of the Jeep and finds her keys in her purse. I am still standing like a ninny next to her. He hands me a piece of paper, where he has scribbled an address and phone number, along with a business card with a phone number. It is Julie's card, and I notice that her name is now Julie Worthington. Lyle Worthington. How cutesy. I thank him, and Rosalie ushers me into the car. Lyle apologizes for the "weirdness and Heck's behavior," and runs back to their car. A few moments later, he has Julie and Hector strapped in, and they are pulling out. No one waves. I sit in the Jeep, letting the experience wash over me. Rosalie's eyes are flashing; she is really upset. She hands me her cell phone and tells me to call Carlisle and ask him what to do. I say that we should wait until we get home. She yells at me to call. So I dial, with shaky hands. Esme answers on the first ring. I think she can tell something is up, because I am talking in low tones and her voice becomes instantly soothing. She tells me that Carlisle is home, but we should speak to him here, and that she could sit with me if I wanted. I relay this to Rosalie, who nods. I thank her, and hang up, but we pull into the driveway then anyway. Rosalie says to leave the bags in the car; this is odd, she hates clutter, especially in her car. She takes my hand, which indicates that while she is still upset, she is not necessarily angry. I kiss her hand, and she smiles faintly. We enter the house and I notice it is quiet. Esme calls to us from the study. I let Rosalie lead me to the study. Esme and Carlisle are seated in there; Esme looks concerned and Carlisle is sitting ramrod straight in his chair. I had told Esme the gist of what happened on the phone, but I didn't go into much detail. We sit in the chairs across from Carlisle's desk. I tell them the story, only leaving out my thoughts that the Lyle guy was a dweeb, but only because I am afraid of Rosalie when she is mad. Carlisle leans back in his chair, he seems to be thinking. Esme stands and hugs me. I am thankful, once again, for her motherly presence. Then she hugs Rose, who whispers something to her that I can't quite make out. Carlisle speaks.
"I'm sorry, Emmett. I have never heard of something like this happening before, although it is not outside the realm of possibility. What, um,-do you think you might pursue it further?" Rosalie takes my hand again and smiles at me. She has calmed down. I look at her, searching her face for her opinion. We should talk, too. I look back at Carlisle and nod. I speak out loud.
"I want to talk to her, at least once more. Just to see if she's OK, you know? I have a nephew. It's so weird. She's older; I don't know when she was changed, but she's not a teenager now. I'd like to hear about her life up to now." He nods.
"I think that's healthy. Would you like to have her and her family here?" I shake my head.
"No, her husband-what was his name?" I turn to Rose again. She answers- "Lyle"-and I continue. "Lyle invited us over there. He wrote their address. Do you think it'd be OK if we went this evening? I have her number, we can call ahead." Esme murmurs that that would be fine, and that we can call now, here, if I'd like, with everyone around. I nod, and fish the paper and business card out of my pocket, where I'd stuffed it. I took the phone that Carlisle pushed towards me and dialed a number. Lyle's voice answered.
'Hello, Lyle? This is Emmett Cullen. Yes. I'm doing better, thank you. Yeah, you mentioned talking this out? Oh, great. Tonight? Yes, that'd be fine. What time? No, no, 7:30 is great. See you then. Thank you. Bye." I sit back in my chair and look around.
"Um, we're going over at 7:30. He thought it might be a good idea if we chat all together, so Rose and I will be heading over." Rosalie nods at me. Carlisle shrugs, as if to say, OK, great, you're on the right track. Esme asks if I am OK, really. I assure her that I am. I excuse myself and Rosalie and we go upstairs. She closes the bedroom door quietly behind us. I sit down on the bed, but do not pull her down with me like I usually would. I let her sit down or do whatever. She sits down in the large armchair in the corner and looks out the window. She speaks to me.
"Emmett, I need to know that you never knew that your sister had been changed. And that she was coming here." I inhale. I get her gist.
"I swear to you, Rosalie. I had no idea." She nods, almost imperceptibly, and stands in front of me. I reach for her; I can't help it. I need her, and in this moment, it is all consuming. Not need in a sexual way, although that would be nice, but I need her to hug me and smile in her cute way and tell me that it'll be OK, and we'll work it all out. I also need her assurances that she still loves me and that I haven't messed up too badly. She senses this. She kisses my forehead and murmurs "I love you," and sinks into my arms. I kiss her cheek, and she wraps her arms around me, and finally whispers the words I need to hear- "Em, it'll be OK. We'll work this out. Esme and Carlisle will help us; you'll see, in the end, it'll all iron out." I exhale. I kiss her, full on this time, and she pulls away and laughs. She squeezes me, and I know I'm forgiven. We sit, facing each other a moment. She speaks again.
"Ok. That nephew of yours is so cute. Tell me we can take him on the weekends." I laugh.
"Whatever you want." I don't care; I'll let Rose baby-sit every day if she just doesn't kill me. "This is just the strangest thing ever." She nods, but takes my face in her hands and smiles at me.
"It is, but right now, we need to discuss what you're going to say tonight." I answer her.
"I just want to know two things-why and when she was changed, and what she's doing with her life. I noticed on her card it said she worked at a music school; she was always a good singer and could play piano well." Rose nods; I am still a tiny bit skeptical that she recovered so fast. I tell her this, and she smacks me with a pillow. She stands up and says she going to find Nessie, and leaves me alone. I flop backwards onto the bed, and begin to think.
End of Part 1.