Loved To Death Chapter 10, a twilight fanfic

Chapter 10

Three days passed in a blur. Seth called but I didn't answer. He came to my house, but I didn't open the door to him. It was surreal to not let him in. Out of it, one thing was constant. Emmett. He was with me when Josh wasn't around. He made me laugh and smile as I made myself breakfast then would leave when Josh came, at the end of the day, he would appear by my side again as I reached my house and Josh had left. He was like a secret angel, a secret savior hidden from Josh. And God, that taped up my broken world. Though Josh had apologized for the first time, it also at the same time hadn't changed anything. He lost a game of soccer against another school the next day and when he visited me he was mad. I got a black eye and , according to Emmett, a bruised rib.

"I should cover you in bubble wrap," he had muttered to himself as he helped me hold the ice to it. I'd snorted a laugh.

Some things we don't talk about

Rather do without

And just hold the smile

Falling in and out of love

Ashamed and proud of

Together all the while

Having Emmett around to pick up the pieces Josh had left of me made it almost bearable. Almost though. I had thawed halfway from the ice girl I'd been before he'd moved here, but not even Emmett could take it all away. The aching body, constant worry and harsh words slowly ate at me and I was becoming intolerant. His threats to hurt the Cullens and promises I was his forever nicked me in just the right spots to set me off. I found I was getting mad myself at them.

You can never say never

While we don't know when

But time and time again

Younger now than we were before

Which led to this moment, gazing at Josh as blood ran down my forehead, following the curves of my face, slowly spilling down the inner corner of my right eye and following the line of my nose down to my lip where it dripped into my open mouth as I breathed raggedly.

"Never again. Stay away from him." Josh ordered his eyes hard as he glared furiously at me on the pavement. When I said nothing, he moved foreword quickly, slapping me across the cheek, sending my head turning.

"Stay the hell away from them. Promise."

I licked the blood off my upper lip but didn't say anything again. I was begging for it practically. Josh kicked me just under where my ribcage ended sending me onto my back.

"Bitch." he spat, turning and walking away.

Don't let me go

I hadn't obeyed Josh for the first time and I didn't feel guilt racking me from it. Slowly, I struggled to sit up right on the pavement of my driveway, just as Emmett's jeep pulled onto the curb out in front of the house, since I was in the middle of the driveway. He got out quickly and in a blur that sent the pulsing pain in my forehead into a headache he ran over to my side, wrapping his arm gently around my waist and holding my hand with his free hand then helping me up to stand.

"He told me to stay away from you," I winced as he gingerly touched the bleeding cut above my eyebrow. "But I didn't promise. Why didn't I promise?" I wondered aloud as he kept me upright, walking me to my house. Emmett didn't answer my question, instead concentrating on getting me to the long sage green couch that sat in the middle of the living room. Once I was sitting on the seat, he left, disappearing from the room and then appearing again with a familiar ice pack and first aid kit from the bathroom upstairs. Silently, he tended to the long gash on my face, washing it, drying, then covering it with a butterfly band aid as I held the ice to my stomach, letting it freeze me though my shirt.

Picture, you're the queen of everything

As far as the eye can see

Under your command

I will be your guardian

When all is crumbling

To steady your hand

"I don't like when he talks about you." I admitted quietly, playing with the thawed edge of the pack, squishing the water between my fingers. Emmett paused, his thumb rubbing the skin next to the band aid. His hand was cold as the ice pack. I looked at him, at his bruised looking gold eyes, his dark lips and pale skin. His eyes were watching me too and just his thumb touching my skin turned into his hand caressing the side of my face.

"I don't like when he touches you." he countered softly. He leaned his face closer to mine, still holding my face. The closer he got though, he just kept watching my eyes. He nodded a slight yes to nothing I could see. I leaned closer as well and kissed his cold cheek softly then pulled back.

"You're my angel and my devil." I quietly told him then stood up with the icepack still pressed to my stomach and walked away to the kitchen. As silently as a human could, I one handedly pulled out a black pan and turned on the stove, moving around the kitchen at a slow pace. Emmett walked over and stopped at the doorway, just watching me as I robotically did the task.

You can never say never

While we don't know when

Time, time, time again

Younger now than we were before

"I didn't need anyone except myself and him." I said and my voice sounded loud to my ears in the quiet house. "Then you came along and flipped the universe upside down." I stopped, setting the frozen pack of hamburgers on the counter in front of me.

"I never say no to him, Emmett. Can't you see? Don't you know? I'm giving up the life I knew, the life I could live , just to have a little peace, just to sleep easy at night. Just so I can talk to you." I looked over at him as he stood in the door frame, motionless and gold eyes gazing at me.

Don't let me go

"You could have more peace." he said and the offer sat between the space in the middle of us. Leave Josh. Go to Emmett. Instead of quickly saying no , I slowly chose my words.

"Not now…Time…"

Emmett walked into the kitchen and took the spot beside me.

"I have all the time in the world." he said. For a second, I didn't move, then continued unwrapping the meat and methodically cooking it on the pan that sizzled with heat. All of the words that had ever passed between us ran through my head fast and scenes of past interactions played on a movie screen behind my eyes.

We're pulling apart and coming together again and again

We're growing apart but we pull it together, pull it together, together again

I couldn't deny what I felt towards Emmett anymore, it was killing me each day physically and emotionally. I couldn't keep pushing it away like it was some lost child that didn't belong to me.

Don't let me go

"Nichole!" Seth shouted as I kept walking right by him, head down. I was grateful Josh was sick today, but, unfortunately it was also a rare sunny day, which meant the Cullens also weren't at school, basically wasting my free day away from Josh's eyes. I walked up the pavement of my driveway and he caught up to me. "Let me explain," he begged, grabbing at my hand. I jerked it away from him and held it close to my body as I replied,

"There's nothing to explain. I trusted an almost complete stranger and he let me down." I opened the door and went in. Seth followed before I could shut it behind me.

"I'm not a stranger, Nichole. You know me." he followed me as I dropped my folders on the couch then moved to go up the stairs.

"I thought I knew you. But I didn't." I glanced at him then looked away and jogged up the steps to the hall. He followed once again. I entered my dark room, not bothering to turn on the light, and grabbed my sweatshirt off the hook on my wall next to my window that faced the woods. Pulling it on, I could hear him saying,

"You do know me, Nichole. I swear. I never , ever meant for them to know."

Once the fabric was over my head and resting on my body, I met his eyes.

"Then why do they know?" I demanded.

"I should of told you earlier but it never came up. Werewolves do this thing where… we can hear each others thoughts." I stared at him before saying,

"Like Edward?"

"Who's Edward?" Seth asked, now equally confused as I was.

"He's one of the Cullens, a mind reader." I explained, shaking my head as if I could shake the confusion away before walking back out into the hall.

"They really have those super powers?' Seth asked from next to me.

"Yeah," I murmured, grabbing the hand rail as I walked back down the steep stairs.

"Oh." was all he answered with then fell silent.

"So. They heard you thinking about Josh?" I asked, mashing it out from my mouth as I walked through the living room and past the kitchen.

"Yes. Everything." he quietly said. I opened the door and he followed me out, shutting it behind himself. "I'm sorry, Nichole. I really am." I could see regret and guilt mixed in his brown eyes.

"Sorry isn't going to change it. But I cant not forgive you." I admitted, glancing down the road. Seth smiled a little and pulled me into a sudden embrace, his arms squeezing me tightly to the point I couldn't breathe easily.

"You're too nice to people." he whispered in my hair then let go, still smiling down at me.

"Lets go do something." he urged, running his hand over his shaggy brown hair.

"I cant actually," I said, just as a red jeep pulled into the driveway.

"Why not?" he asked as the jeep rumbled motionless in the drive way. As I started walking backwards toward it, I said,

"I'm going to Emmett's house." The pain passed his eyes but he nodded in acceptance.

"I'll see you later then, Nichole." He turned as I did and walked away. I walked around the jeep and lifted myself up into the dark interior of the vehicle, looking over at Emmett.

"Did you know I'm too nice to people?" I asked as he pulled out of the driveway. He laughed once in his booming, playful voice.

"Yes , yes I did, silly girl." I half heartedly smacked his arm before settling down into the seat, resting my head against the chair, watching the dry road.

Seth's Point Of View-

Dude, that guy is messed up in the head. Who hits girls? Paul wondered and the other's thoughts shot back to Josh. I growled low under my breath as I ran, trying not to think of him.

Especially her. I mean, look at the chick, she's defenseless. Quil added in as a image of Nichole flashed by, shivering and so small.

Shut up, guys. I warned, digging my paws deeper into the moist earth, going faster.

You need to deal with the bastard, Seth. I don't know about you, but if my girl was being beat he'd be dead in two seconds flat. Embry helpfully added in.

SHUT UP. I howled, the hairs on my back bristling with agitation.

The others winced their muzzles back, feeling the sting of my thoughts and fell relatively silent as they continued around the border of our reservation.

Seth, Sam began hesitantly a few minutes later.

What? I grumbled, dodging a tall tree.

Why hasn't she left him? Sam asked the question everyone had been wondering, what the vampire had been wondering, what I had been wondering. It was a simple question but Nichole twisted it into something difficult.

She loves him. I answered flatly. Sam fell quiet and everyone, even my sister, digested this twist of thought process. Leah had found Nichole to be weak at first when she found out what Josh did to Nichole and a moron to be tolerant of getting beat. This information changed things. She knew what it was like to love someone no matter what they ever did to you.

The rest of the patrol was in silence, no one daring to say a thing or even think in general. I was fine with that, it gave me peace to think about how my world was crumbling before my eyes.

Nichole's Point Of View-

"Oh my god," I laughed from my spot on the living room couch as Alice sang screamo that Emmett had chosen for her. She was great at it, if you liked that kind of music. I, on the other hand, found this to be way too amusing. Emmett sat close next to me on the long, soft couch. Our knees touching each other's, my arm leaning on his. I covered my mouth with my hand to stop the giggles from coming out as she sang karaoke to the song. Emmett grinned next to me, occasionally looking down at me and smiling even more. As the song finished, she turned and bowed gracefully and grandly to us.

"Thank you, thank you!" she trilled, skipping forward to hand the microphone to me. I shook my head no, slowly standing up.

"I've got to get home," I explained, the smile still on my face from the happiness I'd felt during the evening. Emmett was next to me, appearing out of nowhere, causing me to jump a little as usual. He softly laughed and Alice sang a,

"Goodbye Nichole!" from back by the TV. Emmett pulled opened the door to the garage and I went in, clicking the familiar button for the lights as I walked to his jeep. When I'd reached the jeep, I turned to look a Emmett who'd just stayed in the doorway. He was smiling a little, his dimples showing on his strong cheek bones, his liquid gold eyes sparkling with happiness.

"What?" I asked, smiling too, high on joy and absurdity.

"Just a dream." he murmured to himself, not meant for me to hear. I did though. He started toward his jeep and got in the driver's side, turning it on as I got in too.

"What about a dream?" I asked as we pulled out of the large garage and out onto the long driveway. It was drizzling now, the sun gone.

"Nothing. I was talking to myself." he glanced over at me.

"Fine. Don't tell me…" I sighed, but it wasn't sad. "Thank you, by the way." I randomly added.

"For what?"

"For making me smile and forget."

He didn't reply, instead, getting a small ,gentle smile on his face.

Emmett's Point Of View-

"Is she worth it?" was all my adopted father asked from behind his desk, hands folded. He loved Nichole, but she put him in an awkward position. He was risking his family's safety, from the Volturi, by allowing us all to interact and freely be who we were around her, but at the same time, he hated constricting my choices and decisions and her's as well.

"Do you think she is?" I dodged the question to which answer's would really let him know how deep in I was.

"You cant escape the truth, son. But, if you must know, I am unsure." he sighed, his eyes traveling around the large office in our home.

"Unsure how?" I questioned.

"It is clear we've all grown attached to her and do care of her health. The question to be asked is that if our safety is worth her. Would you risk one of your brother's or sister's health in exchange for her's?" his gold eyes gazed at me calmly. I didn't need to think over my response.

"Yes."

There was no disappointment in Carlisle's eyes, he accepted my choice.

"Is she worth us all, yourself included?" I loved my adopted family and always would, even though Rosalie could be a bitch sometimes, Edward and Jasper always moped around and Alice could be insanely a pain in the ass, I still loved them. When it came to Nichole though… If I had to choose between saving Edward's life or Nichole's, I would always undoubtedly pick Nichole.

"In my eyes, yes." I answered solemnly. He nodded.

"If so, Emmett, I ask that you think wisely of your actions from now on. You are responsible for more than yourself and your decisions could decide a human girl's fate." he warned.

"I know, father." I turned and left the office, going back downstairs where Nichole was with Alice

Nichole's Point Of View-

A few days passed but nothing happened. Josh did what he always did, Emmett appeared after to help as he always did, Seth gave me the pitiful, pained look he always did later.

The only difference from the past years, was my response to what Josh did. The last time, I'd cried, "Stop!" after he kicked me so many times, I felt like I was going to throw up all the organs in my body.

Before that, I didn't apologize for making him mad, I didn't promise to not talk with Emmett. The tension between me and Josh escalated until I was facing it head on just outside the school parking lot, after all the other students had left, my angel included.

"STAY AWAY FROM THEM!" he shouted in my face and I winced but then opened my eyes and said ,

"They're my friends." in a wavering voice that told him I was breaking.

"If I say they're not your fucking friends, they aren't your friends." he growled, grabbing the neck of my hoodie and pushing me back. I stumbled, but kept my balance.

"They're my friends, Josh." I repeated, gaze locked on his, waiting to see how he'd take my sudden disloyalty.

He took it the way I'd known he would; fist coming forward and punching me in the face. The familiar ached filled my cheek and I couldn't open my eyes for a few seconds.

"Don't touch me," I breathed, my words catching on thin air as my eyes opened, warm tears leaking down my cheeks silently. Josh gaped at me and I turned, starting to run down the sidewalk, letting the world pass in slow motion as he shouted curses after me, shouted threats.

I did not react.

I did not think.

I did not feel.

I just ran and ran and ran until my legs ached and I stumbled to my door and went inside and cried and cried and carried myself up the stairs to my room only to cry more and curse under my breath.

And when I did stop myself and press pause on the world and myself, I could think.

I could think about what I'd done. I could think about how it changed everything. I could think about how I was happy with what I'd done. I could think about how I was ready to end it all. To end this vicious cycle I'd been caught in for three years.

I missed who I'd been before the whirlwind, I missed my skin being peach and untainted by bruises and scars, I missed laughing without a care. I missed being an innocent.

I wanted it all back.

Downstairs, the door slammed open and I hear Josh shout my name, enraged like a feral wolf. I turned, my hair whipping against my back, just as my door slammed open itself and Josh lunged forward, grabbing me in such a familiar rough way.

"Let go!" I yelled, struggling in his concrete grip to get back, to get away. I'd never gotten away before, I'd never wanted to.

"You bitch!" he shouted, his nails clawing at my shoulders through the thin dark hoodie as he tried to pull me closer to him and I tried to get away. Josh was stronger though and quickly, I was being pulled from my room and out into the hall. I kicked at him in vain and screamed so loud my throat began to go hoarse. My foot connected hard with his shin and for a moment, his grip loosened and I fell back, crawling on my back to get away. He jumped down on me and I screamed again, pushing back at his hands and tossing my head side to side to keep my face away from his thick hands that could give me bruises so easily.

"STOP IT!" he yelled, his hands catching on some loose cloth of the coat and jerking me to him as he stood up and started dragging me across the floor on my knees and I screamed and he held my wrist in a vice lock. I squirmed, wrestling side to side to try and get out of his hold.

"LET GO!" I cried, in constant motion, in constant movement as we neared the stairs. I was able to get to my feet despite the wrestling of our bodies and my heels skidded and squealed against the floor.

"NO!" I screamed in an ear piercing pitch, my hair in my eyes and sticking to my lips. He dragged my body down the stairs as I tossed myself and fought against his hold, my knees catching stairs and bruising myself, the edge of my jeans ripping.

He tugged me out the door, cursing and yelling as I screamed for help. My feet slid against the pavement as he drug me to the passenger seat door of his car and opened it, allowing me to throw punches at him.

"Bitch." he spat, turning me and shoving me back first into the seat. I kicked out with both feet at him, still screaming and yelling for help. My feet connected with the door and shot pain up my legs. I jerked forward, my hands reaching for the handle. A hand grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me back, choking me momentarily as he turned on the car and locked the doors. The car squealed in protest as he drove it fiercely out of the driveway. I tugged, crying hopelessly , on the handle then turned in the seat and started hitting at him.

"Stop! Let me out, please let me out!" I begged in a screech. He looked over at me with his stone hard green eyes and slapping me with his right hand then pushed me in the chest back against the door on my side.

"LET ME OUT!" I screamed, trembling, as I began to claw at him again as he drove sixty miles per hour down the empty Forks Road.

"SHUT UP!" he ordered roughly , pressing harder on the pedal. I screamed and yelled at him, throwing punches but he continued driving. His brown hair was messy from our wrestling on the stairs and he was breathing hard.

He pulled to a sudden stop at a stop sign as a car slowly began to pass and I lurched to the window of the car, not prepared for the stop. I froze for a millisecond, my eyes wide and stuck on the lock system on the handle of his door. I lunged forward over his arms before he could react and blindly pressed at the buttons until I heard it unlock. Josh cursed, his hands grabbing at my arms but I slid out of his weak grip and turned, opening the door with a jerk of my hand and scrambling out of the running car, falling on my chest onto the damp pavement of the side of the road. The door left open, I pushed myself up and began to run into the forest. My shoes were soaked quickly in the untrimmed wet grass that laid between the road and the forest but I didn't notice as I ran as fast as my body allowed. Behind me, I could hear Josh, shouting and yelling at me, the quick thud of his feet as he chased.

Emmett's Point Of View-

"She's finally running from him."

My sister gazed with large, blank eyes at the wall as she spoke into the silent room. All heads snapped up to gaze at her.

She had become silent though, her eyes growing larger and larger, her mouth in a tiny 'o'.

"Where is she Alice?" I demanded, standing up.

Her lips trembled but she threw out,

"Valley Road. He pushed her in the car, took her, took her. She screamed and cried. She cried…" Alice couldn't make sense of her words, blurting them out in short burst as the vision came and went.

"She didn't want to but he did. She ran and ran. She ran from the car. She ran. From him. He's chasing her."

I was already out the door and running myself.

Nichole's Point Of View-

Dodging trees and never looking back, I run blindly through the thick green forest. I trip suddenly on a branch, sprawling to the damp moss of the ground. Pushing myself up, I feel his hand lock like a cuff around my ankle. He pulls and I kick back at him. Josh lets go as my foot connects with his knee and I get up all the way, beginning to run again, with him following closely. Damp leaves and strands of moss are stuck to my jeans and hands, but I don't stop. I never stop, even as he screams and tells me things I would never forget.

I am worthless.

I do not deserve to live.

I do not deserve life.

I do not deserve him.

Tears roll down my cheeks, my lips are pursed in pain, but I keep going, keeping pushing my burning legs to take another step. I was not immortal though and soon, I was slowing down. Josh does not. He grabs at my back, catching the hoodie and jerking it back so fast my air is cut off for a moment as I fall backwards. Josh is on top of me now, punching me in the face, punching me in the stomach, slapping me. I am screaming and begging for him to stop, to go away. He is not listening.

"STOP!" I scream bloody murder and he slaps me again to silence. Black spots are dotting my vision and the leaves and green up in the tree tops are melting into each other as I sob and yell.

I am still worthless.

I still do not deserve him.

He was so good to me, he says, he was everything I needed. He loved me, he says.

I finally speak again, shaking my head no just barely.

"No you didn't."

My words are wrong and he starts punching harder and faster.

Seth's Point Of View-

What the hell is that? all the Pack simultaneously wondered as screams and cries came to our keen ears. They skidded to a stop, I didn't. I knew what it was as soon as I heard her scream.

He can't be…. Jacob swore and the others gazed wide eyed after me as I ran frantically.

He IS, damn it! behind me, Paul kicked it into gear and dug up the soft ground as he fought to catch up to me. The rest followed quickly and soon as Pack of horse sized werewolves were running to save a teenage girl from her abusive boyfriend. Concentrating through the haze of anger and hate towards Josh, I phased out of my wolf body while running.

My bare human feet padded thickly across the ground and I grabbed the clothes off my ankle, tugging them on quickly as I continued running towards her screams for help. The others waited until they were closer to phase out, but my mind was barely on them. Catching glimpses of the scene through the trees, I fought off the urge to growl like the wolf in me wanted to . Pushing past a low tree, I came onto Josh straddling Nichole, punching her viciously as she cried and screamed, tossing side to side as much as she could to avoid the blows. Without stopping, I ran forward and jumped at Josh, tackling him off of her and onto the pine needles of the ground. He blindly hit back, but with one, single aimed punch, I momentarily disoriented him. My hand in a fist tingled as I pulled it back for another , satisfying punch to his gut. The air in his lungs whooshed out and he was left gasping. Behind me, the Pack arrived and Paul was by Nichole's side on his knees, frantically searching for something he could do to help her. Her breathing was ragged and in short gasp, but she had stopped screaming in pain. Now, she moaned and whimpered.

"Seth! Stop!" Quil shouted, coming up behind me with Embry and Jacob as I punched Josh in the eye, and then in his nose, successfully breaking it with a crunching sound.

I didn't stop, punching him again and again in a buzz of anger and hate. This bastard had hurt my Nichole countless times, I wanted revenge. I wanted him to suffer for all of what he'd done.

"STOP." Sam order loudly . My fist pulled back for another hit froze. I shoved myself back and stood up, breathing deeply through my nose as I gazed down at Josh who was bloody and even more disoriented.

I turned sharply and went to Nichole immediately. Paul had a hand on her back as he helped her keep her body in a sitting position. Her lip was cracked and bleeding and purple bruises were blooming all over her face and probably under her shirt too.

"Nichole." I breathed, pained to see her like this. I took her cold, shaking hand between mine and held it tight. Her eyes were closed and her chest barely rose and fell.

"God." another smooth voice suddenly said and when we all looked over, Emmett Cullen stood there, his hair blown every which direction from running.

"When did you find her?" he asked me, moving forward with a speed I was barely able to catch, even with my senses.

"A few seconds ago. I was busy beating the shit out of Josh." I growled under my breath, not even daring a glance back at the moaning boy. He nodded, kneeling next to her and looking into her face. His fingers trailed along her jaw line and he whispered,

"Nichole….Come on, open your eyes." in a soft urge. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately, they found his face. I bit back the pain weighing down my heart.

"Emmett…. I ran this time." she breathed, a faint smile tugging at her lips. The vampire laughed in a strained way, his golden eyes full of the pain I was feeling for the human girl.

"Wasn't your smartest move to not tell me." he quietly said and almost silently, she laughed.

"Mmm sorry." he words slurred and her eyelids fell close again.

"Nichole, we're going to call the police, okay honey?" he softly asked and I cringed inside at the "honey".

"Yes." she breathed, nodding slightly. I smiled to myself abruptly. Josh would be paying even more for what he did.

The bastard deserved to be in jail, he deserved to rot in a cell.

Emmett pulled out a sleek silver phone and with one hand dialed three numbers then started talking to the person that answered. Off to the side, Josh was struggling to get up as he swore, "Get the hell away from her, you fuckers." Blood was dripping down his chin and for a brief second, I wondered if Emmett was about turn around and attack Josh. He didn't, although he did turn slightly on his feet and glare with fierce burning eyes at him as he spoke, telling the woman, I heard her now, what had happened and where we were.

"His name is Josh Smith… Yes, he's done this before…. She has a bruised rib, I'm pretty sure," Emmett probably knew she did, but he was playing innocent human, he had to act like a moron. He was doing a damn good job of it too.

"No, my friends and I were hiking when we heard her scream- we're on the side of Valley Road in Forks. Yes, she is bleeding but she's stable. Of course. Thank you." he hung up and slid the phone into his back pocket, his gaze going immediately to Nichole who's deep, electrified blue eyes were half closed as they watched him.

"Get away from her-" Josh started again and by now he had staggered to a standing position. My brothers moved to go at him, but Emmett was already standing up and gracefully stalking toward the boy.

"You are the most indecent son of a bitch I've ever had the horror of meeting." Emmett growled, his voice low. "You're nothing but an asshole that beats up girls and in my book, you don't deserve to live for that." Emmett towered over the human and the guys around me and Nichole tense, ready to jump forward and stop the vampire from attacking him. I stood there, arms crossed and watching with cool eyes though. If he did kill him, I'd only be mad because I didn't get the pleasure of killing him myself.

"I warned you that the day she would stop taking your shit, I'd be there. And I am, Josh. You will pay for the harm and hate and pain in her life you brought." he threatened in a whisper that Nichole, who was barely conscious wouldn't hear. Emmett shoved Josh in the middle of the chest roughly with one hand and Josh flew back to the ground, groaning. Without another word, the vampire turned and walked back to Nichole, dropping to his knees beside her and offering her his hand. Slowly, she sucked air in and out through her lips, her eyes on him. Her pale hand that showed her veins in the thin skin on the wrist set itself in his open palm. He helped her slowly and quietly to a stand but still, he kept her hand in his. I could feel the ghostly echo of her ice skin in my hand and for a second. I grimaced, my eyes squeezed shut in pain. When my eyes flashed open, he had his bare arm around her waist and patiently, he was helping her start to walk back toward the direction of the road. She wouldn't be able to walk that far, I knew deep down but stayed silent.

"I'm going to carry her, Seth, can you grab the kid?" Emmett suddenly asked, glancing over his shoulder at me. His eyes held some emotion but he turned back to Nichole before I could read it as she whimpered and cringed in on herself suddenly.

"I'm going to carry you, okay, Nichole?" The emotion disappeared and his voice was now full of concern .

I wanted to vomit. Instead, I pushed the urge back down and walked over to Josh, grabbing him by the collar of his gray t-shirt and lifting him up to his feet easily with one hand. Shaking him once, I grinned sadistically to myself as he cried out in pain from the ribs I'd probably broken.

"Come on jack ass, time to face your worst nightmare," I growled as I started to drag him by the collar.

"Seth?" Sam asked and I paused, looking over at my brothers, eyes locking onto Sam's muscled figure.

"Yeah?"

"We all need to talk soon."

I nodded a little, looking down then continued walking, dragging the reluctant abusive boyfriend. Ahead of us by a good hundred yards, Emmett easily carried Nichole's tiny figure in his arms.

That could have been me, I thought distantly as I watched their figures. I could have been the one to carry her to the police, to let her cry on my shoulder as her boyfriend is taken to jail for domestic abuse.

No. I wasn't though, I was behind the hero, dragging the dirt with me.

I wasn't her hero.

I never had been, I realized now. It was some stupid delusion I wanted so badly to be real, it had been for a few moments in my head. I was not the guy that saved Nichole from her abusive boyfriend, Emmett was. I was not the hero, I was the side character. Emmett was the hero, her hero. Not me.

She never wanted me to be her hero, I should of seen that, but I was so dazed with the imprint I'd let myself believe she had. I sighed deeply with decision and realization. She didn't need a hero, she had Emmett; what she needed was a friend, what she needed was the side character that appeared every time the hero was gone.

And I was the side character. I was not the main character and I never had been in her story. That was Emmett; I'd joined in too late. Lost my chance, lost any chance.

And now all that was left was to teach myself to deal with that.

Emmett's Point of View-

"It will be alright, Nichole. He wont hurt you again," I whispered reassurances as I carried her still body in my arms and walked as fast as I dared to the road, where from my position, I could hear police sirens wailing as they drove down the road.

"I ran… I ran… I ran…" she repeated over and over to herself in a mumble.

"Yes. You did." my voice is void of the emotions wreaking havoc in my mind. She finally ran. She was finally free. Breaking out of the forest and coming to the road, the dark blue police car with it's lights and sirens on came rolling towards us, parking to our right. An ambulance followed as the officer, Chief Swan got out and ran toward us.

Breathing deeply, his heart pounding with blood, he asked, "Where's the boy?"

I indicated with a nod back to the forest, as Seth dragged Josh over, Josh stumbling and cursing at the top of his voice the entire time.

"Get the fuck off me! Where's Nichole?"

"Settle down, kid." Charlie Swan barked, moving forward with his silver hand cuffs out.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Josh struggled to get away but the wolf was strong and had a steel grip, his eyes locked on Nichole in my arms, who was moaning softly as the EMT's took her out of my arms and set her on a stretcher. The woman kneeled down and started taking her vitals as the man moved went to Josh who was now locked in cuffs, Charlie holding him.

"He might have broken ribs." Seth grumbled, not meeting the EMT's eyes.

"What happened?"

"He attacked me when we found them, I had to defend myself." Seth lied easily. The EMT nodded and tried to tell Josh to stop moving completely as Charlie held him somewhat still with one hand as he used the other to give directions to another unit on his phone.

The other officer pulled up to the side of the road a few seconds later and got out, immediately moving toward Seth and me.

"What happened here exactly, boys?" she asked, glancing over at Nichole on the stretcher and Charlie holding Josh who continued swearing for Nichole.

"Her boyfriend took her from her home. She ran from the car and he chased her." I said, my eyes shooting to Nichole every few moments.

"Do either of you know why he took her?"

"He's abused her for the past three years. She was finally trying to leave him. He didn't take it too damn well." Seth said, his eyes not even glancing at the officer, completely locked on Nichole.

"The past three years? Have long have you known this?"

"She just told us after we stopped him from hurting her more." the lie spilled through my lips without a second thought. I crossed my arms and Seth looked down at his bare feet.

"Do you know her personally?"

"She goes to my high school. We're close friends."

The woman looked to Seth and he said,

"She's my friend too."

I could see Seth was struggling to hold back curses and yells. The poor dog, I absently thought to myself.

"And you couldn't tell something was wrong?"

We shook our heads no like innocent naïve humans. Nichole's stretcher was now being loaded into the back of the ambulance and from the back of the cop car, Josh was struggling to get out with his hands behind his back and was screaming for her.

"I need to be with my friend ma'am." distractedly I told the officer, already moving to go to the ambulance, who's lights were flashing.

Behind me, the officer told Seth,

"I'll need your information and her's too, kid."

"What about him?" Seth asked and I could hear the ache to be with Nichole and anywhere but there with the officer and the jealousy leaking in because I had walked away.

"I'll get his at the hospital. Poor kid looks messed up over this."

Seth muttered , "So am I." under his breath but she didn't catch it.

Continuing in a jog, I came to the back of the ambulance just as the two EMT's were about to shut the doors. I held my hand out, stopping the door from shutting and said,

"Can I ride with you? She's my close friend." as politely as a ninety some year old vampire could.

"Sure, honey." the woman smiled sympathetically and I easily jumped up into the cramped space, using one hand to "support" myself as I did.

I moved toward the front and took Nichole's hand in mine, gazing down at her face. Her hand, as usual, was ice cold like she'd dipped it in artic water.

She stared back up at me with those damn blue eyes that held such intensity, I could never decide between looking away quickly or keep gazing into them and getting lost.

"I'm so proud of you," I murmured into her ear, bending my neck so my lips grazed her ear, touching the nipping cold of her three stud earrings.

"Emmett…" she breathed in response, her wide eyes slowly closing. "We have a problem." she coughed spasmically, her eye lids shut.

"What would that be?" I asked, breathless as I held her hand and gazed down at her, just as the ambulance pulled to the road and started traveling down the road to the closest hospital, which was in Port Angeles.

"I love you." was all she replied with, her bleeding lips closing, her chest rising and falling as she breathed deeply while the medics began to clean up all the open wounds.

I stared down at the eighteen year old girl, who was pale as a corpse and covered in blooming bruises all over her skin that showed.

The human girl loved me, thank God. My lips broke into a grin and I beamed down at her, all the frost in my body melting away and being replaced by a radiating warmth.

I loved her too, more than she'd ever know.

Nichole's Point Of View (Later on)-

I woke up aching all over and wearing only a thin hospital gown. Emmett was watching my face intently from the chair next to my cold hospital bed. When he saw I'd opened my eyes he smiled slowly, taking my hand and intertwining our fingers.

"Hey there." he quietly said.

"Hey," I gave him a small smile and began to sit up. Emmett was standing in a flash, his hand on my back and helping me.

"Where's Seth?" I wondered aloud, my voice quiet as I looked around the room once I was in a sitting position, my aching legs criss crossed underneath the light blue of the gown.

"Getting coffee. He hasn't slept at all." Emmett shrugged his large shoulders, still standing next to the bed.

"Oh."

"The police want you to press charges." he informed me then abruptly, meeting my eyes, switching off the Seth topic.

"I knew they would." I looked away, folding my hands in my lap, looking down at my lap. All that ran through my head were my last words to him before I passed out in the ambulance. I told him I loved him.

What had come over me?

Was it even true? Did I really love the vampire, did I really love my safety?

"Are you going to?" he asked. I didn't know what was running through his head, but I had a feeling it was my last words too.

"…Yes. I… I don't want him to do what he did to me to anyone else." I shook my head, my knotted, messy hair shaking too and falling into my eyes. Emmett gently brushed it away and our eyes locked. The white hospital room around us melted into nothing and it felt as if he was there all there was in the universe. Just him and the images of our past, of him being my safety, my rock.

"Nichole?" he breathed my name into the air between our faces that were so close I could feel his breath.

"Yeah?" my breath was shallow as his voice."

"Did you mean what you said to me in the ambulance?"

I blinked, feeling our bodies unconsciously shift closer so I was leaning forward and he was too.

"Yeah." I shifted my eyes away. Cool, soft lips brushed mine suddenly and I found myself falling into the kiss before I even realized what I was doing.