Summary: Rosalie and Emmett are the worst couple, they fight and break up only to get back together and start the whole thing again. Married twice, they never seem to make it work, so after separating they don't see each other again.

Until two years later when Emmett bumps into Rosalie in Seattle, after getting a job there. The spark they once had is soon ignited, and they soon end up in bed together, but what Rosalie doesn't know is there is a reason he came to meet her.

Chapter I – I'm Not Okay (I Promise)

Rosalie POV

Half asleep as I walked into the kitchen, I poured myself a large cup of black coffee, from the pot that had been brewed by Alice my best friend and flatmate. Taking a small sip of the wonderfully caffeinated drink, I heard a knock on the door. With another gulp of hot coffee I went to the door, thinking it was Alice who had forgotten her keys or something on her way to work.

Throwing the door open, I was stunned as it was not Alice standing there in the hall. Instead of see my tiny, pixie like flat mate I saw her tall, muscular older brother, who also happened to be my ex.

For some reason, I shut the door in his face just as he was about to say something. Staring at the door for what felt like ages but could have only been barely a minute, I looked down at my fluffy slippers and polka dot pyjama's. Then I ran a hand through my mess of hair, almost groaning at what he must have thought. Opening the door again, I poked my head round.

"Hello Rose, can I come in?" he made that face, where he pressed his lips together and raised his eyebrows; he was trying not to laugh at me.

"Just a minute" and before he could respond I shut the door, all but running back to my room. He was here, here after all of these years like nothing had happened between us. Damn it, I had no idea what to do now, the last time I saw him I was screaming at him and telling him to 'get screwed', it was unlikely that he would have forgotten that.

Forcing myself to breath slowly, I went to the mirror by my wardrobe, breathing in sharply when I saw the birds nest that was my hair, and the smudges under my eyes from the eye makeup I forgot to remove before I went to sleep.

Trading my pyjamas for dark blue skinny jeans and a white ribbed tank top, I reapplied my makeup expertly and quickly brushed my hair, looking much more presentable five minutes later. Going back to the front door, I took a deep breath before, opening the door yet again, more apprehensively this time.

"Hello Emmett, come in" he looked well, dressed in loose black jeans, red chucks and my favourite Rolling Stones tee. He looked at me without that look as if he were going to laugh, but rather he wore an expression reaffirming my feeling that I looked much better out of the pyjamas. He walked in and sat himself down at the kitchen table, leaning back in the chair casually. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Coffee sounds good"

"Milk, two sugars?"

"You remember?" he sounded surprised, good. He had surprised me with his unannounced little visit, knowing that I hated surprises or being caught off-guard. Not replying I simply poured the coffee and we stayed silent as I did so, placing the cup in front of him and choosing to keep some distance between us, by leaning against the counter top near the window.

"So why are you here Emmett? The last time we saw each other, we didn't exactly end on...amiable terms" I kept my tone neutral, not letting him any insight into what I was thinking.

"That's a little conceited isn't it Rosalie? What make you think I didn't come here to see Alice?"

"First of all, Alice has been living here for six years and to my knowledge, you have never once come here to see her. And secondly, you know as well as I do, that she works Saturdays as she has for the past five years. So why are you here Emmett?" he smiled at me, actually smiled at me like we had just shared a private joke. And damn him, that was my favourite smile and it had always made melt, especially when we fought.

"I did come here to see you"

"Why, did I not make myself clear the last time we saw each other?" I had asked him to stop calling me, to leave me alone. He should remember that, seeing as I had yelled them at him after hurling a mug at him, unfortunately he ducked and it missed his head.

"You made yourself, crystal clear. But that was two years ago, I am in town for a few nights...for business and I thought we could meet up for dinner or drinks. Surely we can put the past behind us?" I raised an eyebrow, eyeing him suspiciously as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Why now?"

"Do I really need a reason?" he raised his eyebrows, sitting up his gaze unwavering. "After all you may not remember this, seeing as you screened all my calls and ignored my emails, but we are still married" he said all this with a casual manner which made his revelation all the more distressing, we were still married.

"How?...we're...what?" he had stunned me, and I didn't really know what to do or say to him.

"When you left, we technically separated but we never legally got a divorce...ergo, legally you are still my wife" he spoke very deliberately as if speaking to someone simple minded, knowing fully well how clever I was. I did not like the way he said 'my', like he took particular joy in thinking of me as some sort of possession of his to do what he pleased with, but that could just be the feminist in me crying out, as earlier I had rushed to make myself pretty for this man.

"Oh, right...so do you want a divorce?" my voice was uncertain as well as slightly high pitched towards the end and he picked that up instantly, which made me curse myself for being such a pansy when it came to him.

"Yes" was his blunt answer. For some reason his bluntness, made me angry, I wanted to slap him or punch him, but I couldn't pinpoint why exactly.

"Okay" that was all I could think of to say, which made me want to slap myself. Ten years ago I would have come up with a witty/bitchy comment that would leave him gobsmacked, allowing me to flounce off with the upper hand. But now I just sat there and agreed with him.

"That was relatively easy"

"Did you think I was going to refuse you a divorce?" it was my turn to look amused as his omission.

"You're Rosalie Hale, no one ever knows what you're going to do" yes, the eighteen year old Rosalie, who was the bitchy girl who inexplicably fell in love with her best friends boyfriend, she was unpredictable.

"People change"

"Not you, Rose. You are still as stubborn as ever, but that's part of the allure isn't it? A girl who knows what she wants and exactly how to get it" I didn't know what to say, yet again. I was caught off guard, out of my element and he had caught the chink in my armour, like he did ten years ago. Like he always did.

"Right, well get the divorce papers ready and I'll sign them"

"They are currently in my hotel room, would you like to meet later tonight and go through them?" it couldn't be straight forward could it? I couldn't sign them now and get this over with, no it had to be dragged out painfully, typical Emmett.

"That is fine with me, the sooner we can get this over with, the better" he put a hand over his hear, mock hurt over his face.

"That's pretty harsh, Rosalie. After all we had our good moments, didn't we?" I rolled my eyes at the theatrics and he broke into a smile.

"Sometimes...when we weren't busting each other's balls"

"We were good together" he said matter of factly, I glanced at him sceptically he couldn't be serious.

"We were terrible together, throughout high school and when we got married...we split up more times then I can remember, Emmett"

"I was being sarcastic Rosalie"

"Oh" pushing away his now empty cup away, he stood up and took a few steps towards me, a smile playing on his lips as he got very close to me.

"So what time shall I pick you up?"

"What?" I said dumbly.

"For dinner, we can look over the papers then. There's this place I've heard about, rave reviews Eleven Madison Park?"

"Really?"

"Have you heard of it?" he didn't sound surprised, just intrigued. He was still standing much too close for my comfort, so taking a step away, I went to the table picking up his mug and putting it in the dishwasher, to put more distance between us.

"Yes I have, it's very posh though. Five stars...is that not a little too refined for your taste buds?" arching an eyebrow, in a way that was bitchy and teasing, he smiled again as he turned to face me.

"You forget who my family is"

"No, but I do remember you preferring hamburgers to caviar, beer to prosecco" a hand on my hip, I saw how his gaze lowered, than snapped back to my face barely a second later. I secretly revelled in the fact that I still had it, I bet if I wanted I could have him, exactly where I wanted given a chance.

"People change"

"Not you, Emmett. I know how you hated those stuffy charity events your family hosted, in fact I bet you still detest them" he said nothing, but his stoic expression gave away, how much he disliked the gatherings forced upon him by his mother and the charity she had chosen that month. "You can pick me up at 6:30pm, tonight" I made my tone curt and final, ending the conversation. If he was in any doubt I walked to the door, opening it and waiting for him to leave.

"See you tonight Rosalie" he walked to the door, talking his time pausing just at the door to turn his head to look at me, over his shoulder "...by the way you're looking good, but you were always the most beautiful girl in the room" then he promptly left, leaving me wanting to slap him.

At five Alice found me chucking clothes onto my bed, as I decided on what to wear tonight. She stood by the door, looking from me to the bed and the pile of clothes along with stray shoes chucked on the floor by my bed.

"Um...have you got a date, tonight?"

"No" was my answer as I held up a light grey dress up to myself and looked in the mirror, then shaking my head before adding it to the rejects pile.

"I am I missing something here?"

"No, Emmett came round" after seeing the deeply confused look on her face, I assumed she did not know her brother had business in New York. Turning round and motioning for her to come in, I filled her in on Emmett's impromptu drop in and his invitation to dinner. Her response was to walk round the bed, where she picked up a simple nude coloured body con dress.

"This dress, simple yet you'll look gorgeous, have your hair wavy a little messy like you're not bothered by what he thinks. Makeup as you would do for work, with a little extra mascara and..." walking to the closet and dropping the dress in my hands she picked up a pair of a black pumps, with a scalloped edge, placing them in front on me and straightening up.

"Thanks"

"Sure, just be careful. The last time you saw him you two ended up eloping, let's not have repeat of that, shall we?" was her casual response as she walked out of my room. Glancing at the clock I headed for the bathroom, for a shower hopefully the hot water would soothe me and calm the nerves I was feeling.

We arrived at the restaurant at 7:00pm, the conversation in the cab uneasy, we had resorted to small talk; the weather, New York traffic, baseball etc. I swear I was going to slap myself if we brought up another meaningless topic of which neither of us cared for. I kept my coat on, as we entered Eleven Madison Park, I looked round as Emmett made his way to the maître de for a table.

"Table for two, please"

"I am sorry sir but it is an hour wait, if you would take a seat by the bar I will tell you when a table is ready" I took a perverse pleasure at seeing rich kid Cullen being denied something, he handed him a few notes. However he was having none of it, as Emmett grew red and was about to say something else I took a few steps forward.

"Hello Jason"

"Ms Hale, I didn't know that you would be in today, how can I help you?" he almost tripped over himself to help me out, I took pleasure in seeing the looked of surprise evident on Emmett's face.

"How about a table for me and my companion, along with a bottle of white wine"

"Sure" he led us to nice booth, allowing for relative privacy. "May I take your coat Ms Hale?" nodding I shrugged it off and handed it to Jason, loving how Emmett stared as I sat down, crossing my legs and smiling at him. It wasn't until the wine had been poured that his curiosity got the better of him, as it always did.

"Are you a regular here?"

"No"

"A food critic?"

"No"

"A secret millionaire?" raising an eyebrow sceptically at him, I slowly sipped my wine, taking my sweet time before answering him.

"No"

"Then what else?" smiling this frustration, I put down my glass and leaned forward slightly.

"I am the manager" he rolled his eyes and took a big gulp of wine, I could tell how out of his element he was. His mouth kept twitching and he drank his wine as if it were beer, causing him to make odd faces as he did not like the wine at all. He also kept looking round, the place too quiet compared to a sports bar or any kind of bar.

"Well then why did you let me make a fool of myself there?"

"It was somewhat...amusing to watch, it was you who assumed you could walk in without a reservation, this is a five star restaurant Emmett, not a café or sandwich shop" he smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Do I amuse you?"

"That didn't take long did it? A few minutes in and you are already insulting me"

"Well, it is one of my favourite past times"

"What about the sex?"

"What about it?" at that moment the waiter came over, he smiled as he faced me, putting his back to Emmett, which I could tell he disliked.

"Hello Ms Hale I shall be your server today are you ready to order or do you need a few minutes?"

"For starters we will have the Caesar salad" I did not really need to refer to the menu but I did so anyway, quickly scanning the list of fancy dishes. "I will have the Seafood risotto and I think my companion here will have the steak, medium rare" Emmett raised an eyebrow, as I shut the menu and handed to the waiter who scribbled down the order rapidly, before nodding and scurrying off the kitchen.

"Am I not capable of ordering for myself?"

"Sure you are, I just know this place a lot better than you, so I assumed that you would have no issue with the steak"

"Not at all, I just would have liked the choice" in answer I raised my glass to my lips, savouring the well-chosen wine. This encounter was odd, we were both being very stiff and formal, apart from his earlier comment, and yet the half smiles he gave me were flirty and downright sexy.

He had turned up out of the blue for a divorce, after all these years he couldn't have a lawyer do the dirty work for him, it wasn't as if he was strapped for cash. My distrust of him, reminded me that there is no such thing as 'out of the blue', there was always a reason and the fact that he just happened to be on a business trip when he decided he wanted a divorce? Why here? Why now?

"What's on your mind Rosalie?"

"It's odd this impromptu meeting, after two years of no communication you just show up deciding you want to finalise our separation?"

"Do you have a point?"

"Why now? Why not a year ago, why not right after I walked out of the door?" he took a swig of his own drink, his movements relaxed as if he had all of the time in the world.

"I could ask you the same thing, you left so why not ask for a divorce?"

"I don't know" looking down, I was not particularly enjoying this dinner. We left on such bitter terms and we had been so close, but now we were like strangers meeting for the first time. In a way we were, we were not the same teens who fell in love and got married young.

"Did you ever miss me?" yet again he surprised me, looking up his face was calm, a mask, it gave nothing away, which I hated. I hated not understanding what he wanted, I hated that there was a part of me that noticed how good he looked.

"I-I don't know how to answer that"

"It's a fairly straight forward question, either you did or you didn't...I missed you. I did for a while"

"What changed?"

"Nothing" his gaze was unwavering, nodding absently I focused on my now empty glass of wine, feeling as if I would need some more alcohol to get through this evening.

"Right, so when can I sign these papers?" yet again he took his own sweet time.

"I can drop them off tomorrow or you could come back to the hotel later for a nightcap?" raising an eyebrow, I shook my head, a hotel room with a bed and a mini bar would not be good, I know myself well enough that with enough alcohol I would do something I would regret. I learnt that lesson years ago, watching my father destroy himself by any and all means.

"I will say no to the generous offer of a nightcap, I can't do tomorrow either"

"Why not?"

"I have something I need to do" he looked sceptical, fuck why did he have to know me so well? "So I will have to be Monday, I have a free hour in the afternoon"

"Sounds fine to me"

"Good" then our food came, and for a while we had nothing to say as we ate.

"R-Rosie? Is that you s-sweetheart?" slurred my father, walking into the living room I saw him there sprawled out on the sofa, a can of cheap beer in his hand the floor round him littered with empties. "Rosie" he sighed in relief, my shoulders dropped at the sight of him, my father who was already drunk at 4 in the afternoon. He must have gotten in while I was at school, cause he had been there when I left, the last time I saw him was two days ago, he had been close to sober then but this was now.

Not saying anything I went to him and knelt by his head, taking the half-drunk can of beer from him and helped him to sit upright. He slurred some more, but he could barely do anything but babble, somehow I got him to his bed room where he collapsed onto the old, springy bed with a groan.

Grabbing a couple of aspirin from the bathroom and a glass of water, he was out again when I came back. The heavy drill like snores of an alcoholic and a smoker emanated from his chest, as he lay on his front, dead to the world. Leaving the pills and water on a sparse chair by the bed, I removed his shoes and threw a blanket over him.

Going back into the front room I went round picking up the empty cans, whist clearing up I noticed some white powdery substance, on the battered second hand coffee table. Shaking my head angrily I threw the can I was holding into the bin, before going to his jacket slung over the arm of the sofa and digging round in the pockets, until I found what I was looking for.

A small packet of white power, no doubts about what it was for I was incensed, he was gone for days without a single call or explanation, when he came home he has no money and yet he always manages to scrape enough together for booze, cigarettes and this.

Out of spite I went into the bathroom and dropped it down the toilet, I was just about to flush it when I heard my name being called from behind me.

"Rosie what are you doing?" he walked, no he stumbled towards me and looked down. "What the fuck?" he roared making me flinch, when he looked back up at me I took the chance and flushed the toilet. He roared my name angrily, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me, his hand holding my arm tight enough to leave a mark.

"You have plenty of money to spend on drink and fags, you go out on benders for days and come back off your head, and now this!"

"That's not your fucking call to make"

"It is when we barely have any money to pay the rent, did you know that creep James came while you were out?" he looked infuriated, I had pushed him too far. James was the landlord and he had a bit of a superiority complex, made it sound like our place was a damn palace compared to some other places, but there was always something broken and because we were so behind on the rent there wasn't a lot we could do about it.

"Why I should..."

"What? Hit me like you did with mom? Send me to my room? What!" his hand shot out, hitting me right in the gut, I was effectively winded and I doubled over gasping for a breath.

"You little bitch, how dare you try and tell me what to do!" still gasping for breath I was shoved against the wall, crying out at the force of which my arm hit the wall, he let me go and I slumped to the floor. I had provoked him, but I couldn't help but hate him even more, I hated that now mom was gone all I had was this pathetic man. "You have no right, you can pay me back for that shit and you are not fucking going on that trip to New York"

"But I've saving for weeks!" using the wall to support myself, I slowly stood up, looking at him in disbelief.

"Should have thought about that before Rosie, go to your fucking room. I don't want to even look at you right now!" as his raised again, I flinched and slid past him making sure to slam my door very loudly as a final act of rebellion. Pacing angrily I did not want to be cooped up in the flat with him, so opening the window I climbed out, grateful that we were on the ground floor. Dropping to the grass with a low thud, I walked round to the front and got on my bicycle pedalling towards Alice's house.

Pedalling as fast as I could, in an effort to get away as fast as possible, I was really out of breath by the time I got to the Cullen's. Hopping off my bike, I made myself breathe deeply, Alice had no idea how much worse Henry had gotten since my mother...passed away. However, my right arm and my side was feeling very sore and I didn't feel like pretending again that everything was alright, but if I said something there would be that look of pity.

Alice was my best friend; in fact she was one of my only friends, how sad was that? I wouldn't be able to take if she started to look at me like that. I got enough of that when the whole damn town heard about my mom, it was horrible, the sideways glances, pats on the backs and the hugs. They expect to be in pieces to fall apart, so they can feel good about themselves and comfort me, with the same lame generic lines.

I was shaking when I knocked on the door, clasping my hands in front of me to try and stop the shaking. The door was answered not by the person I really wanted to see, but her brother Emmett.

"Hi Rosalie"

"Hello Emmett, is Alice in?" he opened the door wider and crossed his arms as he leaned against the door frame.

"She should be home soon, she had her yearbook thingy, a meeting or something equally dull. Why don't you come in?" he stood to the side and I shrugged unclasping my hands.

"Sure, thanks"

"No problem, you want a drink? Mom made some lemonade earlier"

"Sounds good" nodding he led the way to the kitchen, it wasn't as if I didn't know my way round the house, I did spend the majority of my time round here anyway, even more so recently. He poured us drinks and handed one to me, I took a sip and sighed, everything here was so normal. I wanted that. I wanted dull and mundane.

"Are you alright Rosalie?" I had wrapped my arm round my middle as the part where I had been hit near my ribs was feeling very tender, I must have winced for he looked worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine" how many times had I said that word? 'fine' I've said it so many times, it's just meaningless now.

"Why do I not believe that?" he walked round the kitchen so he was standing next to me.

"I don't care if you believe it or not"

"Then why are you lying?" I didn't know what to say to him.

"Rose, I've known you for two years, how could I not tell when you're lying"

"How can you tell?"

"you look down and press your lips together" I looked up at him and his eyes, his eyes that were very blue were looking right at me. This was my best friends' older brother, older in the sense that he could get any girl he wanted.

"How do you know that?"

"You're interesting" he shrugged like it was nothing. "For some reason you don't get a headache from listening to Alice's constant yapping. You always have a group of boys drooling over you, but it's not because you give out or wear short skirts. You're smart and you have the best insults ever, when you in an argument or defending your friends"

"I'm not that interesting really" interesting wasn't the word I'd use, 'in need of therapy' even 'damaged' but he made it sound like I was this amazing girl, who could do no wrong. "I can be bitchy and moody"

"You don't take any crap"

"A loudmouth"

"You say what's on your mind" I narrowed my eyes at him, as he took another step closer.

"Why do keep doing that?"

"What?"

"Defending me" he was silent for a while. "What makes you so sure that I'm not just some head case?"

"You care too much" when I didn't say anything he took that as his cue to continue. "I've seen the way you defend Bella when the girls like Lauren and Jessica, take the mick out of her because she rather read a book than vogue. The way you reel in Alice, when she goes off on a tangent and goes away with the fairies, you care so much...why is that a bad thing?"

"Because people can misuse that, because it makes you weak" I spoke in a low voice and I looked down, not wanting to look into those eyes and see that idealised version of me.

"You are one of the strongest people I know"

"No. No, I'm not" shaking my head he placed his hand under my chin, stopping my head from moving and forcing me to look at him. I didn't like it, it felt like he was trying to control me, that was until his lips were on mine. I don't know who made the first move but there we were, our lips moving against each other's in perfect synchronisation. His hands went to my back, holding me close to his chest in his embrace, my hands went up his arms, round his neck, tangling in his curly brown hair.

"You are also a very good kisser" I felt the smile against my lips and in response I kissed him again, his hands going to the hem of my shirt and slowly inching higher.

My eyes flying open I shot up, my heart beat faster from the memory of my sixteen year old self and Emmett. I could have sworn I could still feel the touch of his lips, the heat of his skin, shaking my head I got out of bed and walked into the kitchen, getting a glass of water to cool me down. Looking at the time I saw that it was time to get up, I remembered the beginning of the memory, my father my hand went to my left shoulder, just on the front barely visible unless you were looking for it was a small circular scar.

The flesh there was paler and smoother, it always reminded me of my father, as he had been the one to put it there. Closing my eyes for a moment and dropping my hand, I took a few deep breaths before getting out of bed and getting ready to go see my father.

A/N: so any thought so far? It's a little all over the place but it will soon come together over the next few chapters. I am a couple of months into my undergraduate course, so I may not be able to post ever week, it will be more like every fortnight.

I would love to hear your negative or positive as long as it is constructive, thank you for reading.