A/N: I don't own Twilight, that belongs to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made from this story.

New characters and places introduced in this story belong to me.

*First, I want to apologize profusely for my extended absence. Life just came at me all at once. But I'm back now and so are Emmett and Emaline.*

*Second, this chapter is all Emmett's POV and it's their first date. Collective sigh. I do promise more drama later on.*

*Again thank you all who continue to read, review, favorite and alert this story and for sticking with me. I hope you're enjoying it.*

***Chapter 10: The Date***

Emmett POV

I will live for eternity so to me the days and nights pass by quickly, and time becomes of little importance. With Sunday lurking so close the time in my world seemed to slow down; the hands on the clock barely moving as if they were made of lead. I was anxious for there to be one more sunrise signaling the day my 80 years of loneliness would come to an end. At least I hoped.

Friday night consisted of the planning committee convening to finalize the date and deciding how often I should hunt leading up to the moment I would be alone with Emaline. The darkening of the sky on Saturday signaled another hunting trip for me with Jasper in tow. We left home and bounded through the woods following the river and scent of deer, after each devouring our prey and ridding the area of evidence we both sat down in silence.

I tried to quell my emotions that began to run rampant each time I was still long enough to dwell on the event that was about to take place in a few hours. Fear of being alone with her passed as quickly as it would come; I knew I loved her more than I wanted her blood yet I knew that I was a predator. Anxiousness dominated the majority of my feelings. Anxious to find out what makes her so guarded, anxious to know if she will let me in and anxious as to what all this may mean to my future existence. When the thought of her never letting me in and letting me love her enters my mind, panic sets in of how I would be able to exist for eternity without her.

"Em," Jasper says interrupting my downward spiraling though process. "Relax and trust that Alice still has seen good things happening, even if she can't see the end result right now."

I began to feel calmer and my thoughts not as macabre. "I know, man, I know. I just wish I did know because without her I'm not sure what I would be like. I know it sounds crazy, but I've waited my entire existence to feel this and even though my heart beats no more, it knows it has found it's other half."

"It's not crazy. It's love. But love is also patient and takes time. In the end love will endure."

We sat there in silence a while longer as I mulled over his words and the feelings that ran through me. As the sky began to lighten I knew I had to let things run their course and hope that in the end it would be in my favor. I also knew that beyond all reasoning and comprehension that I was in love with her for eternity.

As Sunday drug on it was filled with one more hunting trip and packing the car and basket with all the necessary things essential to a human picnic. I personally preferred taking down a grizzly and calling it a day but Alice insisted I must "woo" Emaline as dictated by "Southern Gentleman Code" or something to that effect. Alice had been an ever- present incessantly helpful pixie the past couple of days. Buying food, reading on the most romantic places in Washington, and ensuring flowers, champagne, and blankets made it safely into the car. I truly would have been lost without her help and Esme's cooking, but I also probably would have been a tad bit saner too.

As the clock began to inch it's way towards 10:45 I was being shooed to the car by the women in the family and the men following behind smirking.

"Now, you do have the flowers in the front seat. Remember to take them to her when you go to the door," Esme said.

"Don't forget to offer her your jacket, if she gets cold," Bella piped in.

"Remember to keep your hands to yourself until you're sure your advances are warranted. Placing your hand on the small of her back is ok, but keep it there!" Alice warned as if reading from a handbook.

"All the food is in the basket, and the chicken and cobbler should remain nice and hot for her. The champagne glasses are wrapped up in a towel so they won't break, and the fruit is in a plastic container with an ice pack around it," Esme added.

"Or you could just hold it the whole way there and it'd have the same effect," Edward interjected with a smirk.

Alice pressed on ignoring Edward's snide remark and I shot venomous thoughts his way. "Oh yes and she does like sweet champagne but be a gentleman and see to it she doesn't have too much. She'll regret it later and it'll look bad on your part for not looking out for her," Alice insisted hand on her hips.

"Emmett, there's also a couple of condoms in your wallet, should that be warranted," Jasper yelled with a smile on his face.

"JASPER!!!" Alice screeched.

I had to laugh and sent him a silent thank you for getting the girls off my back. I knew they meant well but the pressure was already immense without their added help.

I finally made it into the solace of my jeep and started down the road letting it lead me to my awaiting destiny.

Pulling into her apartment complex at exactly 12:25 gave me little time to sit in the car and worry about today's events. 'Me worried?' I thought. 'Vampire Emmett Cullen is never worried. Perhaps freaked out a tiny human has the power to crush my hopes and dreams. But not worried.' I rationalized as I gathered the flowers and made my way to the door.

I knocked a couple of times and waited. 'Wow, how do humans do this? If I had a beating heart I'd be laying on the floor with a heart attack from the stress,' I thought. The door opened, revealing Emaline and stunning my thought process momentarily.

"Hi, you look gorgeous," I said barely above a whisper. She stood before me in form fitting three quarter length white tee, and dark jeans that I was sure hugged every curve and sent my mind reeling. It was subtly sexy, but with her that's all it took to awaken my innermost desires.

"Thank you. You look very handsome," she said and smiled, drawing me from my reverie, then a look of confusion came over her momentarily. "Do your eyes change color?"

I was stunned into silence trying to figure out what color she was seeing. I knew I was attracted to her, but I thought my lust was well reigned in that it shouldn't have turned my eyes black and bled through the blue contacts. Looking at her she didn't seem frightened so black was definitely out of the question. Then it hit me she was seeing the golden brown. I had taken the contacts out on Friday with the amount of hunting I had to do and forgot to put them back in. 'Shit, hiding the vampire secret is a bit easier when you don't worry about your eyes changing color suddenly.' Realizing she was waiting for an answer I pulled myself out of my thoughts. "Um…yeah..they change sometimes." I didn't want to lie but figured "Hey I'm a vampire so they might also change to red or black. It's all good though. I like animals. Hey let's go eat, shall we?" wasn't the best answer.

"I like them, it's a very pretty yet mysterious brown," she replied.

I smiled and nodded, "Here are some flowers for you," I said and handed her the flowers Alice and I had picked out.

"Oh my gosh, Emmett, they're beautiful! How did you know calla lilies were my favorite?" she asked beaming ear to ear.

"Lucky guess."

"Very lucky indeed. Let me put these in a vase so they don't dry out, please come in," she said and led me inside.

As she found a vase I stood and surveyed her apartment for little hints of conversation starters. The apartment still had a few boxes but for the most part it looked homey. My attention was drawn to several pictures placed throughout the living room. There seemed to be several of her and an older couple, much too old to be her parents, so I guessed grandparents. Pictures of her riding a tractor with her grandfather at about age 4, cooking in the kitchen with her grandma perhaps just a few years older, then the pictures throughout her life leading up to college graduation. Other pictures were of her and friends on vacations and college. One picture though, stood out from them all; it was a 3x5 of a young woman and small girl next to a river. The young woman looked like Emaline made over with blonde hair, and the young girl's happy brown eyes radiated with innocence. From my memory of the past it was definitely late 80s style dress and coloring of the photograph. I looked around there were no other pictures of this woman.

"Ok, all ready to go," Emaline said drawing my attention back to her.

"Let's go then, I'm sure you're starving."

"Absolutely famished. Where are we going? I'm completely lost when it comes to scenic attractions around here" she quipped as I led her to the car with my hand firmly on her lower back as dictated by Alice.

"Well, I know of this beautiful place near Savant Falls."

"It sounds amazing," she said as her stomach growled, "And as long as food gets factored into this equation it should be a good day."

The drive was peaceful and the conversation was easy and light and led us all the way to our destination, a secluded grassy area about a ½ mile off the Savant Falls trail. There was a small waterfall falling into a cerulean blue pond as medium size boulders lined the edges with flowers beginning to bloom in and around them.

"Wow, Emmett, you definitely have taste."

I chuckled, "Well, thank you but I can't take all the credit. My sister Alice helped a little bit." I knew if credit weren't given there'd be hell to pay from the little pixie.

"How old is your sister?"

"She's my age, we're twins." I replied as I laid out the blanket and helped her sit down.

"What about you? Any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope, the one and only," she said as she bit into a strawberry and her lips wrapped sensuously around the fruit. My mind began to race with thoughts of her lips assaulting my body with kisses and ending with her lips wrapped around something a bit bigger than a strawberry.

Shaking my head to clear the lust growing there, I brought myself back to the present, "I bet that was nice growing up, having undivided attention."

"It had its good and bad days as with anything," she replied as she took a sip of champagne.

I noticed she was still very guarded so I decided a soft approach might be the best. "When I was in your apartment I noticed you had a ton of pictures. There was a cute one of you on a tractor," I said earning a huge grin from her. "When was that taken?"

"That's one of my favorite pictures. It was taken when I was about 4 on my papaw's farm. He raised cows and baled hay every year, so inevitably we had to help haul hay in. I was too little to be of actual help, but my sweet papaw decided that I should be a part and pulled me up on the tractor and let me "drive". That's where I first learned to drive, on a farm on a Massey-Ferguson tractor," she finished beaming with pride. Then she continued, "And of course my mamaw always had her camera ready for any moment that would be picture worthy."

"They sound like wonderful people," I said with sincerity. I wanted to meet these two people who had brought this beautiful woman so much joy and happiness. She seemed to be teetering on the edge of crying so as I choked down the "chicken", that really tasted like rubber, as I racked my brain for a different subject.

"So what about you," she started saving my mental block, "do you have any grandparents?"

"Um, no grandparents, but I do have two great parents. Carlisle, my dad, is a doctor and a really patient and compassionate man. Esme, my mother, is an interior designer and very kind hearted." Well they at least sounded non-threatening when you take out the sucking blood and could rip you into thousands of pieces part.

"You're very lucky," her voice was tinged with a sense of longing. Yet she looked up at me and smiled, a smile that caused her dark brown eyes to twinkle.

Everything about this woman intrigued me and pulled me to her, she was almost as alluring as a vampire; she was definitely as seductive. I could only imagine the power she would have if she joined me as a Cullen. She entranced me and I lost my will to stay away and moved closer to her slowly turning my body to face her. My left hand rose to softly caress her cheek, she shuddered slightly under my touch but never jerked away. My hand ran down her jaw line feeling her soft skin as my fingers came to rest underneath her chin. The venom began to pool in my mouth as her heart began speeding up. I paused for a moment to regain control and realized my eye color may have changed, but looking into her eyes I saw nothing but want and anticipation. I slowly choked back the venom and started to lean closer to her, inch by inch, and she didn't move. Her breath was shaky and ragged with anticipation and it made my member pulse with the idea of her lying sweaty and panting in my arms after I had claimed her as mine. I slowly pulled my brain back to focus on the beauty before me and brushed my lips against hers. Her lips were soft and warm and sent a wave of electricity through my body. I steadied my lips and pushed them a little harder against hers and was met with eager kisses as we slowly explored each other, finding our pace. Each kiss was beginning to deepen with need and want and my tongue danced precariously close to slipping past her lips, but I knew I couldn't trust myself just yet. She let out a soft moan as I began to lighten my kisses; I pulled back as her soft black eyelashes grazed her cheeks and softly fluttered open.

She smiled, a smile that reached her eyes, which were tinged with, desire instead of sadness. "Wow," she softly said and then sighed.

"Wow?" I asked putting my forehead to hers. "Is that a good or bad wow?"

"Definitely good, Emmett. It felt rig—it felt wonderful."

"It did," I said noticing she had started running her right thumb along the inside of her right ring finger fidgeting like she was holding something back. I continued, "Just out of curiosity what were you going to say before wonderful?"

"I don't want to scare you off."

"Trust me you won't scare me off," I responded leaning away from her and taking her petite warm hands in mine.

"Um, well I was going to say that it felt right," she whispered and bit her lower lip.

I smiled and, "Yes it felt amazingly right."

She looked back and me and smiled. "Though I do have one observation."

"What's that?" I asked.

"You're the first person I've met whose hands are colder than mine. Let me tell you, that's a feat to accomplish."

I chuckled slightly, "Well, I've always had cold hands. Yours feel very warm to me so perhaps I could hold them occasionally. You know just to warm mine up?"

"Of course. But only for that reason, I wouldn't want you getting ideas." She grinned and winked.

"Oh I have a lot of ideas," I replied with a devilish grin, "but I think I'll share them with you on the ride home since it looks like it might rain."

"Sounds very intriguing."

As I drove back to her apartment, she reached over and took my hand in hers and smiled up at me. The conversation still flowed easily but towards the end of the drive her eyes started getting heavy so I put on "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band.

"Hmm," she sighed her voice heavy with sleep, "I love this song." When I looked over next, she was fast asleep. The remainder of our ride was silent except for the sounds of my iPod and her occasional contented sighs.

I hated waking her up, but I figured Alice would read me the riot act about improper conduct in lifting a sleeping human woman and the ramifications on her psyche, so I leaned over and kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Wake up beautiful," I whispered, "you're home."

Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched, "Oh my goodness. How long was I asleep for?"

"Just about an 15 minutes."

"Emmett, I'm so sorry. I'm such a horrible first date!" She looked completely embarrassed and flustered as she ran her fingers through her short hair.

"You are a wonderful first date, so don't apologize. In fact you're so wonderful I was wondering if I could maybe have a second date?" I asked with hope. It had been an amazing day but I still knew there were no guarantees.

She bit her lip as a slow smile began to form, "I would love to."

I beamed and walked around the car to open her car door and help her out. At her front door, she stopped and turned around. "Thank you again Emmett for such an amazing day."

I smiled and shook my head, "No thank you for allowing me to take you out."

I leaned down to kiss her and as I did she tiptoed up and slowly put arms around my neck and deepened the kiss. I fought the venom pooling in my mouth and quickly held my breath to gain my control, as I slipped my arms around her waist.

My mantra was playing in my head, "She's fragile, be easy, control." As it played in my head I quelled my inner monster and deepen the kiss. My lips press more firmly against hers and our lips work feverishly over each other as I feel her tongue dart across my bottom lip. Unable to contain it any longer I moan in need and slip my tongue past her lips and am met with welcoming warmth. Our tongues battling for dominance in a show of need and passion as my hands began to run up and down her back feeling the taut muscles as her body strains to get closer. Her hands were wound into my curls tugging slightly with need and then massaging them with desire. She let out a moan into my mouth, which resonated throughout my body and sent an overwhelming need to have her here and now, as mine and for forever. As my hands began to descend to the bottom of her shirt and my finger grazes the small of her back, I slowly come out of my lust filled haze, knowing that without the truth there's no way this can continue.

I began to slow our pace as my hands come to rest on her waist and I slowly pull back to sweet kisses. I look down at her and her lips are slightly red from the passionate assault. Momentarily fear gripped me that I had bruised or frightened her, but her eyes said nothing of fear and everything of happiness.

"I'll call you tomorrow," I whispered fighting my desire to stay.

"Sounds good."

"Good night Emaline," I bent down and gave her one more chaste kiss.

"Good night, Emmett."

I waited till I heard the door lock before I made my way to the Jeep in a state of euphoria. She was more than I had imagined and more than I could have dreamed of. 80 years of waiting were worth every lonely passing day and night since it had led me to her.