Hello, so this skips to just a few days before Emmett becomes a vampire. Not to worry though, this isn't the end of the story. There's plenty more to come, particularly involving the rest of the story Edward told Emmett, what's true and what got twisted over time.

So, lemme know whatcha think. Thanks to those of you who reviewed, favorite, and followed.


*Late June 1935; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; outside Emmett's home *

"With everything else you need in there for supplies I could only fit three shirts and three pairs of pants." Ella called as she came out of Emmett's bedroom lugging a very heavy looking backpack.

She wasn't all right with Emmett's leaving on a long hunting trip, but she knew that she could not talk him out of his plans, so she'd instead on, at the bare minimum, helping him pack.

Emmett looked up from where he had been cleaning his gun on the table. Standing up, he took the pack off Ella's hands and set it in the chair next to him. "Thank you." Emmett set the gun aside and turned to Ella, "It'll be plenty."

"Are you sure you have to do this?" Ella asked as she watched him sling the bag up on his back and take the gun on his shoulder.

"Ella, you know I do." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face in some kind of frustration. "I'm doing this to help you, to help my mom, my sister." He took hold of her shoulders and gently shook her as a way of getting her attention. "Don't you dare worry about me ok? I'll be perfectly fine. I know what I'm doing. You know that."

"Of course I do." Ella rolled her eyes and shrugged off his hands. "I have complete faith in you, Emmett. I always have you know that. It's just..." She hesitated to think of the words, "Accidents happen. You can never be certain of anything anymore."

Emmett sighed and hugged her to his chest. He understood her worries, but he didn't want her to have them. She was his best friend, at times she was his only friend. She always had been she always would be. His only concern was helping her; he just wished he could help her without her having to worry.

Normally, Emmett never bothered thinking like that. On most of his trips out he'd just insist he'd be back and prove himself right. But her worries seemed to be getting greater with every trip. Emmett hated the thought of her being here alone worrying while he was away.

"Remember," He pulled out of the hug to look her in the eye, "You'll be seeing my mom in two days for a lunch in town. Then, you'll be helping at the orphanage for a few days... Now, the day I get back John will be coming by in the morning. He won't be showing up that much sooner than me, so no need to worry. He says he has some news to share though, so try not to throw him out."

Emmett led the towards the hall as he read off reminders to Ella, hoping she would not forget anything.

"Don't worry about me," Ella repeated the words he had said to her many times. She was showing him a sad, but reassuring smile, trying to say she could take care of herself, when they both knew she'd probably forget it all.

"I'll be back soon. I promise. Don't worry." Emmett rounded on her and hugged Ella to his chest one final time before he back away towards the door.

Things had become extremely difficult over the last year, not just for Emmett, but for the rest of the McCarty family. Emmett's job at the railroad had come into question and it would be a miracle if he was able to keep it till the end of the month. Both of his elder brothers that worked on the railroad had already lost their jobs, and Emmett's little sister had come down ill.

In response to the difficulties, Emmett had begun taking hunting trips further into the woods, shooting larger animals that he would bring back for Ella to sell in town. Ella had tried desperately many times to keep Emmett from taking these extended, dangerous trips; but there was no use.

Ella reached out and stopped Emmett's leaving for a minute. "Be careful," her tone was verging on begging.

Turning back to her, Emmett smiled sadly and hugged her again, "Aren't I always?"

This trip was to be farther than any of the others, he planned to make it all the way to the Tennessee border, which was Ella's cause for alarm. He'd never been more than a few hours journey from the house, and he'd only had one or two trips where he did not return home for the night. While this trip, he was expecting to be gone a week at the most.

For the most part, Ella didn't over react to these trips. She didn't even over react when he didn't come home a few times. But something had changed over the last year or so. She knew she had no reason to feel protective over Emmett or even worried for him. He was strong; he could take care of himself. Yet still, Ella wanted nothing more than for him to stay.

For the last several trips Ella had written off her concerns as friendship and a brotherly love for Emmett, but it had become apparent the last few weeks that she felt nothing brotherly for him, that this was much more.

"Ella," Emmett put a finger under her chin and made her look at him, not letting go of her waist with his other hand. "Everything will be fine. I'll see you soon." He pressed a kiss to her cheek that lingered several seconds before he let her go.

"Goodbye," Ella whispered as he exited through the open door.

Emmett smiled back at her over his shoulder, "I'll see you soon."

"I'll miss you." Ella mumbled, not expecting him to hear her as she closed the door.

Ella sat down on the couch immediately and began to cry. She didn't sob or make any sort of whimpering noise, nothing like that. She just cried. She'd never really done it before. She could only ever remember crying once, and those were tears of joy the day Emmett took her in.


Aw, :( bye-bye Emmett, see you never. lol, just kidding... or am I? ... *dramatic pause* . Sorry. I'm hyper... ANYWAY, MOVING ON.

So, whatcha think? Please lemme know, I don't care if you review just to tell me its bloody horrible, so long as you type in a way that you sound British. Or at least insult me by quoting a song.

Well, bye. Please keep reviewing, favoriteing, and following. It means so much... In fact, I'm so hyper I think I'll stare at my email till I get notification that someone's followed, favorited and reviewed all at once.