A/N:
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Title: Origins: Destiny in the Mountains
Author: MarieCarro
Beta: Alice's White Rabbit
Pre-reader: OnlyInValhalla
Genre: Family/Supernatural
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Emmett Brian McCarty never had much in life, but growing up poor didn't stop him from enjoying life and all its pleasures.
However, always seeking thrills most often means it will end badly, and one day, while hunting for game in the mountains, Emmett meets his destiny. Canon. ExR
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER 8
SATURDAY, MAY 11th 1935
"I'm sorry," Rosalie said once again. "I don't know what that was. Are you sure it doesn't hurt?"
"Rosie," I said and softly kissed her lips. "It's fine. I promise. Besides, the sting's totally worth it," I continued and had to give her a smirk.
What she and I had just shared had been fantastic, and quite emotional, but I couldn't ever completely remove the humor in me. It was part of who I was, and I also knew my angel mostly appreciated me taking the seriousness off certain situations.
"At least, let me look at it," she insisted, not fully reassured that I wasn't lying to her, and tried to pull the collar of my shirt to the side.
I stopped her by placing a hand on top of hers on my shoulder. "Only if you promise me you won't overreact." Her mark on my neck would most likely remain a while because her teeth had caused the flesh around the bite to swell, and it certainly looked worse than it felt.
She tilted her head to the side and gave me a defiant look. "We'll see. Just let me take a look at the damage I caused."
"Your mark on me ain't somethin' I'll ever regret," I told her but removed my hand from hers to allow her to take a look.
A second passed, and then I felt her lips press gently against the sting that was still present. She didn't say anything about it, and I decided against asking because I had a feeling she liked seeing me with her mark more than she let on.
It surprised me a bit when a sigh escaped her though. "I guess we should get back to the house."
I knew we were still testing boundaries, and that was why I slowly put my arm around her to make sure she was still okay with our prolonged, physical contact. "I don't think you ever told me why you feel so uncomfortable around the others," I said as we walked at a slow pace.
"It's hard to explain and justify it at the same time," she said and determinedly put her own arm around my waist. "Especially to you."
"How so?"
"Because just your presence in my life has changed my perspective enough that even I think it sounds strange."
"If you want to try, I'm more than willin' to listen."
She gave me a beautiful smile in return. "I know. I've just had it bottled up for so long it's scary to let it go."
"You don't have to let it go," I reassured her. "Just release some of the pressure."
She pulled in a large breath, but neither of us stopped walking when she spoke. "I know Carlisle's intention was good. He wanted to save me, and a part of me wants to be grateful that he gave me a second chance at life. Especially now that I know it led me to you. But as I lay dying on the street, I made my peace with death. I wanted to die because I couldn't bear being alive and knowing what Royce and his men did to me. A part of me had already died as it was; the part of me that believed in fairy tales and happily ever afters; the part that wasn't really in love with Royce but in the idea of having a husband like him."
She met my eyes, and hers were filled with a haunted emptiness. "The veil of innocence I had in front of my eyes wasn't gently removed. It was ripped down in the most painful way when I wasn't ready for it. At that point in my life, it was such a huge part of me, and so I was more than half-dead on the inside before Carlisle even bit me."
When she shrugged out from underneath my arm, I thought she was pulling away from me again, as she had the habit of doing when she was uncomfortable, but I was pleased when she entwined our fingers instead. She then studied our hands clasped in each other as she continued.
"The venom healed my body, but that was it. I remained dead inside, and not even revenge made me feel better. I couldn't, and still can't, get over the feeling that I was cheated of my ending. If I weren't going to die of old age in my sleep next to my husband then I would have preferred dying after the attack."
Unexpectedly, Rosalie pulled us off track from the house and led me to a small brook, which was moving wildly over the rocky bed.
"I've already confessed to you that I didn't want any of this, but I don't think you understand how much. From the second I opened my eyes, I hated what I'd become, and I hated it even more that Carlisle had made the decision to save me without knowing what I wanted. He thought his good intentions meant he did the right thing. I hated that they pretended to be a family, and I hated that they wanted to include me in it."
She bent down and scooped up a handful of water, and an incredulous little laugh escaped her as she looked at her vague reflection. "I have to admit, though, that I couldn't stop myself from admiring my enhanced beauty. It was the only thing I enjoyed of my curse." She turned her hand over and shook the remaining drops off. "I didn't want to play their games, but if I was going to retain some of my humanity, then I wanted it to be from the human I used to be. That's why I insist on keeping my own last name."
I could understand her position at some level. But I also knew from the pain in her voice that I would never truly understand her resentment of being forced to live forever in a body she hadn't wanted. I wanted to comfort her to the best of my abilities, though, so I reached out for her, and she willingly stepped into my arms.
"Ain't there anythin' I can do to make it better?" I asked, and she buried her nose into my shirt.
"Just having you in my life now has improved a lot," she mumbled. "So just continue being you, and hopefully, everything will be fine, eventually."
"Whatever you say, babe," I said, and the tightening of her arms around me told me she liked my new term of endearment. "I'll always be here for you."
Once we reached the house, I gave her a light kiss before we parted as she wanted to wash up. I planned to take a shower as well because my angel's scent was very potent all over me, and only an imbecile wouldn't see what that meant. However, before I did that, I wanted to speak with Edward about something I'd thought of while we were out.
I found him in the parlor where he had just finished repairing the two dining room chairs I'd accidentally broken earlier in the week.
"Edward?"
He turned around to me, and when I saw him noticeably relax, I understood he was relieved that I was alone. His and Rosalie's relationship was strained before I entered their life, and it hadn't exactly improved in the last month either.
"Yes?"
"I was hopin' to ask you for a favor," I said, and he immediately nodded.
"Certainly. What do you want?"
I suddenly felt stupid and quite presumptuous for asking what I was about to ask. The Cullens had already given me so much, and here I was asking for more. "Well, you know what I told you about my family, right?"
Of course, he knew. Vampires never forgot anything except their human memories. I wanted to choke myself.
Edward chuckled lightly. "Yes, I remember. Is there something you're concerned about?"
A long time had passed since I felt as uncomfortable as I did in that moment. My family's poverty hadn't bothered me before, but these people I now found myself living with were wealthy in a way I couldn't even imagine. "My family's life in Gatlinburg has most likely become rather difficult since I disappeared. They didn't just lose a son but a vital source of income and food."
"True," Edward agreed. "I can imagine they're struggling."
"I want to help them, and while I ain't assumin' anythin', you folks have money. I was hopin' that maybe I could borrow some from you so I can give it to them."
In a friendly manner, Edward placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Emmett, don't worry about it. You're Rosalie's mate, and Carlisle's your sire as much as he is mine. Therefore, you're part of this family. The family's money is yours as well, so if you want to help your human family then you are free to take as much as you want to do that. You don't have to ask for a loan. We have more than enough."
It felt very nice to hear him say that, and I gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you," I said and turned to make my way to Carlisle's study where I knew the safe was. But I stopped my movement and addressed Edward again. "Could you help me? I don't really know how much would be too much or not enough."
"Of course. I'll help you put together a bag," he said, and we both went to the study. "If you don't mind me asking, though, why me? Why not Carlisle? Or even Rosalie?"
I usually didn't converse with Edward through my thoughts unless I wanted to tease him. Mostly because I didn't like to be excluded myself, and it wouldn't be fair of me to do the same toward someone else. However, the subject was rather sensitive, and I knew Rosalie could hear us despite being in the shower.
"Carlisle has my utmost respect. He's welcomed me into this family without question, and I didn't want to beg him for more. It somehow felt easier to come to you," I said out loud at the same time as I continued in my thoughts. "As much as I adore Rosie, she doesn't understand. I tried to explain my family's situation to her, but the only thing she could focus on was that my birthday practically went by without bein' celebrated."
"I understand," Edward said, and I knew he referred to both explanations.
In the office, Edward showed me everything they had in folders about their finances. It was somewhat overwhelming to see the numbers, but since I hadn't noticed any conceited behavior from the Cullens just because they had money, I had an easier time processing the thought of never having to worry about having enough again.
"When you feel more in control of your blood lust, either Carlisle or myself will accompany you to the bank to open your own account, as well as add your signature to the important documents, which will give you complete access," Edward explained before turning to the safe where more money was kept than I had ever laid my eyes on at one time before in my life. "Does your family own their house?"
"No," I replied with a hint of annoyance. The fact that the house was rented had been a constant thorn in my parents' sides. "The bank owns it, as well as the land around it on which we have a small farm. We nearly lost everythin' after that stock market crash that happened a few years ago, but Mama was able to convince them that we didn't have any other place to go. We were allowed to live there as long as we paid them every six months. Dad always said he wished he could buy us out, but it was just a distant dream for him."
Edward nodded and filled the bag with bills, and then handed it to me. "Here you go. That should be enough for them to last for quite a while. Maybe even invest it if they choose to do so."
I gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Edward. You're a great guy."
"No problem at all, Emmett. I feel honored that you came to me for help," he said earnestly and moved to close the safe once more.
I couldn't leave just yet, though, and I was aware that he probably could hear every word of my thought process, but I said it out loud anyway. "How much do you remember from your human life?" I asked, and he stopped what he was doing.
"Close to nothing," he admitted. "Everything I have now is what Carlisle has told me. I know my birth parents names, but I have no recollection of what they looked like. I know my family was wealthy, but that's because I own everything they left behind. I know I had a friend named Evelyn because I remember that Carlisle and I had a conversation about her after my transformation, but that's it."
He sounded strangely detached when he told me this, and I wondered why he hadn't even made an attempt to keep some of his memories. I know I said straight out of my transformation that I didn't see any worth in keeping my own memories, but I disagreed with that now. "Do you ever feel sad that you don't remember?" I tried again.
Not to my surprise, he shook his head. "No. I have no emotional attachment to the memories I have, and I can't really feel depressed over what I don't remember."
It terrified me that I might feel that way toward my memories of my family one day. Especially my memories of Bea.
"I do believe Rosalie told you that if you think enough about something, it will stay with you," Edward continued, obviously having read my thoughts about my sweet little sister.
While the money in the bag was intended for the entire family, I truly hoped Bea would be allowed to continue her education. "I just don't want her to end up a *split like those women I associated with. She's far too intelligent for that, and she deserves so much more," I told him, and I was certain my worry was evident in my eyes.
"When was she pulled out of school?"
"Six years ago. Right after the crash. Neither of us could continue school."
Edward appeared to be thinking hard about something for a moment before he addressed me again. "How would your family react if I paid for your sister's school tuition until she can graduate? Would they accept it?"
I was close to being shocked into silence at hearing his suggestion. It was more than I ever would have asked for from him. "They would believe it to be a fraud and probably prevent her from going," I told him honestly since I knew my dad was too proud to take money from a stranger, especially if he couldn't be certain it was for real.
"Even if your name is on the documents?"
It was difficult for me to follow him and understand what he was saying. Mostly because I was still reeling from shock. "What do you mean?"
"I'll take care of the payments from the joint family account, but I'll tell the bankers that the money is from Emmett McCarty. If your family's presented with the proof that all of this—the money in the bag, your sister's tuition—is from you, would they still believe it to be a fraud?"
"I don't think so," I said, but I wasn't all-too certain about that. "They'd still wonder how I'd come into such a large sum of money in less than a month though."
Edward shrugged. "Does that matter though? Would they be reluctant to take the money if they thought you were up to no good?"
I immediately shook my head. "No, they need it too much. And it wouldn't be the first time I acquired money from less honest sources."
"That settles it then," Edward said. "I'll just make a few phone calls and set it all up."
We parted outside the office so I could wash up and change my clothes, as well as tell Rosalie what I wanted to do. I knew she'd be somewhat against it, but I hoped I could get her to see it my way.
She was in the middle of drying her golden locks with a strange contraption she claimed was called an electric hair dryer. Whatever it was called, I'd never seen one before, and it made an awful lot of noise. She was also only wearing a long silk robe, and her bare leg was visible as she had it crossed over the other.
My desire for her ignited, and I wished she would have allowed me to carry her over to her bed, but I was certain it would take months, or perhaps even years, before she felt comfortable to be with me while there were others in the house.
"What's with the bag?" she asked as she had seen me in the mirror when I entered.
I placed the bag on the floor and went up behind her. She smiled at me through the mirror and reached up to squeeze my hand, which I'd placed on her shoulders.
"How would you feel about takin' a little trip to Tennessee?"
She killed the hair dryer and turned to look at me. "What are you talking about?"
"I had Edward help me put together a bag of money for my family. I was hopin' you'd come with me to drop it off," I explained and nodded toward said bag.
"Why?" she asked, and I immediately noticed the hint of anger in her voice, as well as the tension in her body.
Luckily, I had become a sort of expert at reading her body language, and I had a fair guess of why she was upset. I leaned down so I was closer to her ear. "Babe, as I've said before, I'll never regret you savin' me. I know this is my new home, and my new family is with you, but I can't move on in life in good conscience, knowin' I could help my family and I didn't."
I tried to get her to meet my eyes in the mirror, but she was stubbornly looking to the side. Too bad for her, I could be equally stubborn. "Rosie, I belong with you and no one else. I will remain yours long after my ashes are spread in the wind."
Finally, she turned to me. "Promise?"
"I vow it," I replied and gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose that made her giggle adorably.
She placed her arms around my neck, and when I stood up straight, she followed along. "I guess we're going back to Tennessee then."
Later in the day, when we were just about to leave, Edward announced that he was coming with us, much to Rosalie's chagrin.
"Why?" she asked angrily with narrowed eyes. "I handled this journey just fine when I was by myself. Why do we suddenly need a babysitter?"
Edward, who was obviously used to my angel's temper, didn't let it get to him and remained calm. He'd clearly learned that from our leader. "Firstly, Carlisle asked me to go with you, and secondly, last time you only had to keep control of yourself. The worst thing that could have happened was if you'd killed Emmett on the way back." He looked at me. "No offense."
I shrugged. "None taken."
He turned back to her. "You might have proven yourself to have extraordinary control over your own blood lust, but the fact is you're only two years into this life, and Emmett hasn't even passed one month yet. If he loses control, there's no way for you to stop him by yourself."
She huffed and crossed her arms, but it was clear she accepted that we needed someone with us. That didn't mean she liked that it was Edward who'd been assigned the mission though.
I didn't exactly mind. I had nothing against Edward, except perhaps that he could stand to loosen up a bit at times. In fact, he sort of reminded me of Sam, or the way I imagined him in a few years.
We didn't speak much as Rosalie took the lead, and while our surroundings in general looked different to me through my new eyes, the feeling of familiarity when we reached the mountains just above Gatlinburg was impossible to shake.
The day of the bear attack was a complete blur in my head, and I knew I would never be able to paint a picture of the clearing where it happened, but despite the night that had fallen around us, I shuddered violently when I thought I saw the place just through the trees.
When we reached the foot of the mountain where I so many times had met up with Sam, we slowed to a walk, and I took it upon myself to guide the other two toward my family's house. I had the bag with the money tightly clutched in my hand.
Just before we reached the edge of the grounds surrounding the house, I had to stop for a moment. I could already hear the heartbeats of my sleeping family, and it tore at me to be so close to them, yet I wouldn't be able to reassure them that I was fine.
I swallowed thickly as Rosalie and Edward patiently waited for us to continue. "You know," I said quietly. "When that bear was about to kill me, I was certain I'd never see this place again."
Rosalie grabbed my free hand and held it tightly in hers. "Can you handle it? Or do you want me to do it?"
Immediately, I shook my head. "No, it should be me. After all, it was my idea."
We sneaked closer, and the small house I'd called home for my entire life became visible. It was a warm summer night so the horses were grazing in the pen, but most of the animals had already gone to sleep.
Before I could get any closer, Rosalie stopped me with a small tug of her hand.
"Edward and I will wait here," she said. "Hold your breath as you go closer. That way you won't smell them, and they'll remain as they were in your memories."
I nodded, grateful for the advice, and did exactly as she told me to do. I didn't take a single breath as I placed the bag on the porch and left a letter with instructions on how they were to get access to the funds that would pay for Bea's education. There was also a personal letter for each member of my family where I apologized for disappearing and also explained I wouldn't come back. I hoped they'd be happy enough to know I'd found my destiny.
I went back to my new family, and Rosalie instantly wrapped a comforting arm around my waist. "I'm ready to go home," I told them both as I bid my human family farewell in my mind.
A/N:
*Split – A 30s slang for a loose woman
Another little part we knew of Emmett's story portrayed here! Did I do it justice? Was there anything you missed or would have wanted?
Love to hear your thought!
As Always,
Stay Awesome
