Fifteen Years Later:
"Hale," Dr. Brown shouted, placing his hands over his patient's stab wound, "We need an OR immediately. What's open?"
In her scrubs, the 26 year old nurse rushed up to the doctor, "OR two is available."
Dr. Brown and two other nurses raced past the blonde and pushed the gurney through the swinging ER doors. She glanced at the empty receptionist desk, and could only wish that Alice worked today. Rose sat the clip board down, closed her eyes, and sighed. Once she opened them, she spotted her father, Detective Samuel Hale, running into the hospital.
"Dad, what is it," she ran up to his sweaty form, 'Is it Jasper? Emmett?" He said nothing, which grew her more concerned, "Uncle Elijah? Aunt Felicity? Damon?" Her father rested his hand against her shoulder, "Is everyone okay?" She smacked his hand away, and gripped his shoulders, "Answer me!"
Samuel nodded, "They're all fine. One of my officers was just brought in." He watched his daughter glance down at the specks of blood leading to the ER doors. She pulled her hands off of her father's shoulders, "Dad?"
"He was checking out a lead…on Carson."
That name haunted her for years. He has plagued her family with sadness and nightmares for generations. Carson is a ruthless serial killer preying through the streets of Forks since before she was born. Her grandfather, Joshua Hale, started the investigation into the brutal killer, but he remained unsuccessful. The case was passed down to her father, Samuel, and since he took over he hasn't been able to stop obsessing over the mysterious murderer.
Rosalie brought her attention back to the present situation. Her dad said one of his officers was hurt by Carson. She knew all of the officers under him. Ever since her mother died, they all became like family to her and her brother.
"Who?" Rosalie stood mere inches from her father, "Dad, who was that?" She pointed towards the ER doors.
His head lowered sadly, "It's Mike."
"Dad, no." Her hand fearfully covered her mouth, "You promised Jessica you would keep him safe."
"He isn't dead!" Sam shouted, watching his daughter run up to the receptionist desk, "He's still alive!"
Rose tapped her hand against the counter, "Ivy, inform Dr. Brown that I'm scrubbing in."
Samuel watched his daughter disappear behind the emergency room doors. To clear his mind of the present, he allowed his thoughts to drift to his Rosalie. Her mother would have been so proud. They raised a strong and confident young woman. She is a woman who isn't afraid of speaking her mind. She's a lady who demands answers and expects them in return. She was just like Emily, and every day that's spent with Rosalie just reminds Samuel of his beautiful late wife.
"How is he?"
Samuel turned around to notice Jessica, Emmett, and Jasper rushing inside with Brian, Elijah, Felicity and Damon following closely behind.
Sam takes a seat, "He's in surgery."
Brian held tightly onto his mother's hand as he looked up to catch her eyes. She tried her best to smile at her and Mike's five year old son, but the fact that her husband was a few feet away fighting for his life prevented her from doing so.
"Where's Rose?" Emmett, Rosalie's husband of two years questioned.
"She's with Mike."
Jessica flopped into the seat next to Sam. Her hands quickly covered her face as she released a loud sob, "I don't understand! What happened? Why was he alone?" The 30 year old housewife dropped her hands, and glanced desolately at her son. Brian didn't understand what was going on. He looked between his mother, Sam and Felicity.
Felicity became eye-level with the five year old, "How about we go look at the gift shop?"
"My mom-"
Jessica forced a smile, "You can go with her baby."
Felicity took a hold of the young child's hand, and walked towards the gift shop. She didn't want him seeing his mother breaking down. It would do more harm than good.
"He went in before back up arrived. He didn't want Carson to get away." Jasper answered, slouching low before the hysterical woman.
"Did Carson get away?"
Damon nodded, "Yes."
Jessica pushed Jasper to the side, "So it was useless" She rose to her feet, "My husband is in the hospital and the man who put him there is still free?"
"Not for long Jess," Samuel assured, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.
"How many times have you said that?" Jessica waits for an answer, but drops the subject all together as Rosalie exits the OR, "How is he Rose?"
Rosalie refuses to meet the woman's eyes. It wasn't her job to break bad news, yet she's standing here today preparing to utter the words nobody wants to hear.
"He was stabbed four times," she whispered, slowly approaching Jessica, "He lost too much blood."
Jessica shook her head, "No!"
Samuel knew how she felt. He had two kids with the love of his life, and she was murdered at the time when they needed her the most. "He can't be! No," Jessica clenched her tummy, "I think I'm going to be sick," She felt Rosalie take her hand and lead her towards a trashcan; "I can't believe he's gone."
Emmett watched his wife comfort their close friend. Her loose blonde hair tied into a tight bun atop of her head. Her hand rested against Jessica's lower back, as the older brunette leaned over a trashcan and discarded her recently eaten dinner.
"Babe," Emmett whispered, slowly approaching his wife.
"Not now!"
Rosalie's main focus was Jessica. Although she always saw Michael as a brother, Jessica was his true family. And now she was a widow, and the single-mother of their five year old son. Rose couldn't even begin to imagine the thoughts racing through her good friend's mind. Six years ago, when Jessica and Michael swapped vows, no one would have thought that something like this could happen…would happen to such a kind-hearted goofball.
"I want to see him." Jessica uses her jacket sleeve to wipe the corner of her mouth.
Elijah stepped towards the grieving widow, "Are you sure?"
"He's my husband!" she shouted, spotting Felicity and Brian walking back over, "I need to see him," she looks at Rose, "Now!"
Rosalie nodded, and once again tapped the bell on the receptionist desk, "Ivy, can you take Jessica here to Dr. Brown? She wants to see her husband."
Ivy rose from her seat, "You can follow me." She led the woman down the long corridor.
Rosalie turned around to meet the eyes of her distraught family. Damon, her older cousin, leaned against the wall, covering his reddened face with his large hands. Elijah, her father's brother, pulled his wife to the side and filled her in on the little that she has missed. Jasper took Brian to the vending machine to retrieve a snack. Sam disappeared to the men's restroom in order to handle his frustration and grievances. And, Emmett, he stood facing her, waiting for some word or indication that she was going to be alright.
"I thought you got off of the case," She whispered, slowly dragging her feet towards him.
He shook his head, "I didn't. I…I lied. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"You're not sorry because you hurt me," she shoved him in the chest, indignantly, "you're sorry because I found out!"
She wiped her eyes before storming off into the direction Ivy took Jessica. Emmett promised her that he would withdraw from the case. He and Jasper both looked her in the eyes and guaranteed her that they would no longer be working the Carson case. They both lied to her.
"We're heading home," Felicity announced, taking a hold of her husband's hand, "Damon, do you need a ride?" Her son nodded his head while rising from his seat, "Tell the others we'll talk to them tomorrow." Emmett nodded.
Emmett sat down and stared off in the direction where his wife disappeared. He sat patiently, waiting for his wife to exit the emergency corridors. His eyes closed, as he thought about his good friend. Mike was too nice, and compassionate to be robbed of his life so soon. He deserved much better than this.
A throat clearing tore him from his reverie, "Let's go."
"Where's Jessica?" He stood up, and looked over his wife's shoulder.
"She's staying a little longer. My dad's with her, and Jasper took Brian back to her." Rosalie pulled her arm through the sleeves of her jacket, "I just clocked out. I'm ready."
Emmett reached for her hand, but she managed to move it before he could grab it. He knew she was upset, but he didn't realize how hurt she really was. Rosalie led the way out of the hospital, and towards the parking garage. She didn't bother to look back at him once during their trek to his marked police cruiser.
"Babe,"
Rosalie quickly turned to face him, "I'm not talking to you Emmett."
He stopped in his place and sighed. At least she said something to him. At least she made him aware of what she isn't going to do. Emmett bowed his head, and continued his walk to the car, "I'm sorry Rose. I…I'm sorry."
"Tell that to Jessica!"
Her voice quivered at the mention of one of her good friend's. She couldn't see herself getting over the guilt she felt. Even though she didn't drive the knife through Mike, she couldn't help but feel guilty about it. She could have done something to avoid this. Rose couldn't save her mom, but she figured she could at least try to save the next person Carson hurt. The young nurse was wrong though. This was Carson's world, and they were all merely pawns in it.
"Are you hungry?"
Rosalie shook her head, "I lost my appetite."
"The only reason I want to continue working on this case is to protect you," He began, sliding into the driver's seat, "I'm sorry I lied, that was wrong of me, but there is no way I can pull away from this case, not when your family is involved, because that means you're involved!"
Her eyes closed, as she sighed, "Baby, I really appreciate that. I admire that, but I'm safe. I feel safe, especially when I'm with you. I'm not in danger."
"You don't know that!" He argued, shoving the key into the ignition, "He has it out for your family! He's killed many people. And personally sent notes to your father to brag about it!"
"I don't want the case dropped; I just want it transferred to unattached detectives."
Emmett's fingers silently tapped along the stirring wheel as he headed home. His wife didn't understand the gravity of the situation. A killer has plagued the streets of Forks for over twenty years. Their first lead was fifteen years ago when Rosalie was able to work with her father to draft the sociopath's face. Since then, they've been getting one step closer to finding this predator.
"I'm not dropping it," He shook his head desperately; "I love you too much to take that chance."
She picked his unoccupied hand up, "What chance? I am perfectly fine. It's been fifteen years, and I haven't seen him since." Rosalie gave him her brightest smile.
Emmett gripped the wheel sternly, and pulled the car over to the side of the road. The cars around him simultaneously honked as he cut many of them off, but he didn't care. He had far more important things to tend to at the moment.
"You're the only person who's seen and met Carson and got to live to tell the tale. You're the only living witness to Carson," Emmett placed the car in park, "Babe, I," he sighed in frustration as he turned to face her, "You were close enough to look into his eyes. You were close enough to leave a scar on his face. You saw him smile. You've heard his voice." He gently picked up her left hand, and smiled down at the wedding band wrapped around her ring finger, "I've been a cop long enough to know that people like Carson don't leave witnesses like you unharmed and alive no matter how long it takes." His eyes fell towards the dark scar implanted in the center of her hand. Every time he looked at the healed wound his mind automatically drifted to Carson. Carson had hurt his wife when she was a mere child. He would use his dying breath to assure that Carson never lay another finger on her.
The pitter pattering of the late night rain fell heavily upon Emmett's car, as he placed his car in drive. He merged into the current traffic, as his wife enjoyed the soothing feeling of the silence within the vehicle. Occasionally her eyes would fall onto her hand, and her free hand would rub aimlessly along the welt entrenched into her palm.
"Babe," Rosalie looked up, "we're here."
She waited for the car to be placed in park, before hopping out. Emmett and his wife jogged through the rain and up the porch stairs of their condo. "Stay out here while I check around the house," Emmett fumbled through the many keys on his keychain.
"I am not standing out here in this weather! I'm going inside, this is getting ridiculous." She took the keys from her husband's hands and inserted the house key into its lock.
He quickly set his hand against the door knob, "Can you at least stay behind me?" Rosalie smirked, as she pushed his hand out of the way, and walked herself into the house. For years, Carson has had the power over Rosalie's every living thought and every sleeping dream. She didn't want to live in fear of this monster anymore.
Emmett followed her into the house, "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"Who do you have to be so protective?"
"Because I love you," His hands firmly wrap around her upper arms, as he pulls her close, "I love you desperately Rose and it drives me crazy! I just want you to allow me to protect you!"
The young wife's eyes begin to tear up, "I love you just as much as you love me. Who's going to protect you Emmett?"
"Carson isn't after me. He doesn't have a grudge against my family!"
"Em-"
Whatever statement she planned on making was cut off by her husband's persistence in proving his point. Emmett wanted to be her knight in shining armor, but Rose won't have it. She refuses to be anyone's damsel in distress.
"Babe, it's my job as your husband to love and protect you. Let me do that," he dropped his hands, "Please. It would absolutely kill me if something were to happen to you." Emmett brings his hand up to caress her cold cheek, "I'm not saying you cannot protect yourself, I'm just saying let me reassure myself by protecting you."
Her blonde bun was loose from the events of this stressful day. She lost Mike, who was like an older brother to her. Her father is falling deeper into his obsession over Carson. Jessica has to break the sad news to her son, and now Emmett is taking all of the worries and the fears out on her. He knew all about her past with Carson. Everyone one in this small town did, but he knew that she could take care of herself. Mike's death must have hit close to home for him.
A loud sigh was released, "Alright," she stepped back in order to allow him to take the lead, "You want me to stay behind you, I'll stay behind you."
The bright and loving smile on her husband's face assured her that she was doing the right thing. He pulled his licensed gun out, and took the lead. His wife closed and locked the door behind him, before following him through the two-leveled house.
Emmett and Rosalie floated throughout the downstairs, checking under everything and behind anything that could hide someone. He took a hold of his wife's hand as they headed up the stairs. Emmett walked through the halls and opened each closed door. He lowered his weapon as the young married couple approached their bedroom.
"I told you there was nothing to worry about," she leaned forward and pecked his cheek.
His head nodded surely, "Better safe than sorry," He turned the knob of their bedroom door and pushed it open.
Out of the blue, their German shepherd, Ares, jumped out of his doggy bed and raced to his owners. A loud yelp came from Rosalie as she threw her arms around Emmett's strong form.
"It's just Ares!" Emmett laughed, watching as his wife calmed herself, "I thought you weren't scared."
She kicked off her shoes, and crossed her arms, "I'm not. I just…I wanted to give you a hug."
"Yeah, right," he rolled his eyes and gently pecked her lips.
-Tiffany.
