A/N:

So many of you hoped to hear what happened to Emmett's family after he left the money on the porch, and well, you'll get to know a little bit here :)

Title: Origins: Destiny in the Mountains

Author: MarieCarro

Beta: Alice's White Rabbit

Pre-reader: BitterHarpy

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 9

FRIDAY, MAY 17th 1935 – THURSDAY, AUGUST 15th 1935

I was pacing the length of Rosalie's room in agitation, yet again, as my mind assaulted me with thoughts of our journey to Gatlinburg and back. It had been the first time after my change that I'd traveled farther away from the house than the forest that surrounded it, and it was a given something would occur. In fact, we'd anticipated it. That was why Edward accompanied us, after all. However, his and Rosalie's strength combined did nothing to stop me. It was doomed from the beginning.

Closing my eyes, I was sucked into the memory of the warm and delicious blood as it soothed my burning throat. The elderly man who was the first human I smelled didn't stand a chance.

I lost control. Although, I wasn't certain you could lose something you never had. I thought I was strong, and that I'd be able to hold myself back if it came to it, but I had seriously underestimated the pull of the hunt once your true instincts kicked in.

Rosalie entered the room and sighed when she saw what I was doing. "You're not still agonizing over killing that man, are you?" she asked and got me to at least stand still.

"Of course, I am. How could I not?"

She placed her hands on my cheeks and gave me a quick kiss. "Because there's nothing you can do about it now. There's no need for you to feel all this guilt."

I let out an incredulous laugh. "Babe, I'm not agonizin' out of guilt. In reality, it's the other way around."

"What do you mean?" A confused frown marred her face, and I smoothed out the wrinkles with my fingers.

"I'm agonizin' 'cause I ain't feelin' any guilt." I turned my back on her to face the window. "You know I don't like huntin' animals. I've only done it for you 'cause a part of me recognizes I won't be allowed to stay with this family if I did what I want to do. What my body wants me to do."

"I know." I looked at her over my shoulder, and it was clear in her eyes that she understood what I meant. "You know I feel the same way."

"And you've yet to explain to me why you haven't broken away from this," I said and gestured toward the abundance of stuff and wealth around her. "If you feel as I do, why do you want to stay? Carlisle told me my first day I could leave whenever I wanted, and I'm certain he did the same to you."

"Of course, he did," she said exasperatedly and crossed her arms as she always did when she was uncomfortable. "It's not that easy."

I went up to her and placed my hands on her upper arms. "On the contrary, nothin's easier."

She shrugged away from me. "No, you don't understand."

"Then help me to."

"I'm scared, Emmett," she admitted in a whisper as if she were ashamed. "I've had wealth my entire life. I don't know how to live a life without a permanent home. I'm not a nature lover like you are. The mere thought of wearing the same clothes for months and only washing myself in rivers terrifies me."

She looked down at her hands, which looked as delicate as a society lady's but were more lethal than a wild animal's claws. "I don't belong out there, or to live any sort of nomadic life. I'm fine with this restricted lifestyle if it means I get to keep some of what I'm used to." Without looking back up at me, she then continued in a thick voice. "I won't force you to stay here for my sake though. If you want to leave, I won't stop you."

Before she had the chance to flee from me, I placed myself in her path. "You must be outside your mind if you believe I'd ever leave you for somethin' I can live without. Contrary to human blood, I can't live without you."

Without a pause, she threw her arms around my neck, and I lifted her up until she had to wind her legs around my waist. She crashed her mouth against mine, and I happily reciprocated her aggressive passion. In less than a second, I wanted her more than I wanted anything else, but before I could take one step toward her bed, she stopped me.

"I actually came up here because there's something downstairs I want to show you," she said. "I was hoping it would distract you from your agitation."

Her legs were still wrapped around me, and my mind was mostly focused on what I would have preferred to be doing with her now. "I'd say my agitation's the furthest thing from my mind right now."

"Please?" she pleaded. "I really want you to see it."

I held in my disappointed groan and let her down again so she could lead me downstairs.

Whatever I could have imagined she wanted to show me, the last thing I expected was the entire downstairs decorated for a birthday celebration, as well as a pile of gifts on the dining room table.

"What's all this?" I asked the others as they were also present.

Esme smiled at me. "Rosalie told us your birthday was just a few days before your change and that you never really celebrated it. We wanted to make up for it."

I was speechless as I tried to take it all in. Never had there been such a big affair made of my birthday since my former family couldn't afford it. I had never minded though. "I don't know what to say," I said honestly.

"You don't have to say anything," Rosalie insisted and pulled me toward the pile of gifts. "It's not much, but it was what we were able to pull together in this short amount of time. We're also going to go away for a few days so you get to see a bit more than just the inside of this house. All of us are going."

"It's a hell of a lot more than I'm used to gettin'."

Esme cleared her throat, and when I looked over at her, she gave me a look that made me realize what word I'd used. I felt reprimanded in the same way Mama used to make me feel when I behaved badly.

The thought made me smile. Esme had already decided to take me on as another son, and I had nothing against it at all. "Sorry," I said now, and she nodded appreciatively.

The family gathered around to watch as I opened the gifts, and while I appreciated everything I got, in truth, I felt somewhat uncomfortable with it all. I refused to show it though, and I smiled with each gift I opened.

It was clear all of them had put thought into their gifts, but if I were to be honest, I wasn't quite sure what I'd use the leather-bound journal I got from Edward for, and the storybook I got from Carlisle was obviously supposed to be a more amusing gift, but I was rather reluctant to tell him I wasn't very good at reading.

Still, I opened it to the first page, and under the title, Fairy tales, Fables & Mythology, it said it was one of the earliest editions from 1883.

"I got myself some good laughs from books like these when I studied in Europe," Carlisle explained. "It's always amusing to read what the human imagination pictures us to be."

The two gifts I appreciated the most were from Esme and Rosalie.

Esme gave me a small album with photos and news-clippings about Gatlinburg, as well as a framed article with a photo of my family. The headline read Local family's prayers were answered by God.

I looked at her in confusion and awe.

"They interviewed your family about the money you left them," she explained. "They don't say directly that it was from you, but there are clues in there for those of us who are in the know." She smiled at me. "Memories are precious, and now you will forever know that you truly helped your family and saved their lives."

It was a very touching gesture, and I simply had to give her a hug for it, although I was extra careful since I was still a lot stronger than she was. Esme hugged me back, and when we parted, her eyes were blank.

The last gift I opened was from Rosalie, and at first, I didn't know what it was as I only saw engraved silver. However, when I took it out of the box, I saw that it was an impressive black bear claw.

"It's not from the bear that attacked you," she explained as I continued to look at the claw in awe. "But it's something that will remind you of how we met."

"It's perfect," I said and walked up to her to give her a kiss. "I'll always have it with me." I faced the others. "Thank you for all of your gifts. Really. It's more than I ever would have asked for."

"It was our pleasure," Esme said sweetly.

"I guess we can head out then," Carlisle said. "If all of us are ready, that is?"

"Where are we going anyway?" I asked.

"There are a lot of mountains here in West Virginia," Edward said. "We can go wherever you want."

"And there are also a lot of black bears," Rosalie continued and gave me a suggestive look that caused me to smile. My angel already knew me better than anyone and how much I'd been itching to test my new vampire strength against a beast similar to the one that would have taken my life had she not saved me.

Hours later, Rosalie and I were alone, both of us sated from our kills, and our kisses were growing bolder by the second. The wall that had been so thick between us before was nonexistent now, and I could do nothing but look forward to our future together.

{=DITM=}

"Do you think this is too much?" I asked Esme and Edward as they helped me with the finishing touches on the decorations in Rosalie's room.

"Yes," Edward immediately said, but Esme just hit him warningly on the arm with the back of her hand.

"It's beautiful, Emmett," she reassured me. "And exactly what Rosalie likes. Your brother will understand when it's his turn," she finished with a glare in Edward's direction.

"Good," I said and tried to calm my nerves. It was the first time I had ever attempted anything of this sort with a woman, and I was terrified.

Esme waved Edward out of the room and then went up to me. "What are you worried about? You and Rosalie are meant to be together."

I twirled the small box in my hand. "That's what it feels like. Everythin' is just right when I'm with her, but is it too soon? It's only four months since we first met."

She smiled before she took the box out of my hand, popped the lid, and held it out in front of me. "What made you choose this one?"

I looked at the ring I'd picked out: silver and platinum, intricate design in the metal, and several small stones surrounding the large, round diamond in the middle.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "It just felt right."

"And it's perfect for her." She closed the lid again and handed the box back to me. "I can say that with certainty because I've lived with her for two and half years, yet you know her better than I ever could." She stroked my cheek in a motherly fashion. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you, Esme."

She turned to leave but changed her mind. "And also, vampire relationships progress quite differently. When we know someone is right for us, that doesn't change. We don't need time to get to know our partners in the same way humans do." She placed a hand over her heart. "Believe me, I know. I was ready to say 'I do' before a month had passed, but Carlisle and I had obstacles which you and Rosalie don't."

I smiled at her, grateful for her words and reassurance, but then I heard the front door open, and the familiar sound of my angel breathing reached my ears. Esme left me alone in the room, and I waited.

It took only seconds before the absolute vision that was my girl enter my sight. Her usually closed-off expression softened the instant she took in the thousands of white roses I'd filled the room with, and when her golden eyes met mine, I knew she knew what I was about to do.

And she didn't run away, so that was a good sign.

"Rosie?"

"Oh my," she breathed out and placed a hand over her silent heart almost as if she could feel it beat again.

"Rosie," I said again and approached her. "You are my savior, my angel, and the woman who turned my entire world upside down. Before I met you, I was certain I would never take this step, but you have convinced me nothin' would make me happier." I took her hands in my own and went down on one knee in a movement as controlled as I could muster. However, my body was impatient, and my nerves threatened to make a fool of me by spewing out something inappropriate. "I know you said you want to keep your family name in order to hold on to just one part of your humanity." I held up the box and opened the lid. "But would you consider becomin' Mrs. McCarty?"

I had never seen the look she gave me before. It was filled with unadulterated emotion, and I instinctively knew she would have cried had she been able to. But she hadn't answered the question, and so I wasn't sure if it was happy tears or the opposite.

"Emmett, I ..." She trailed off, and I thought I was going to turn to ash at any second. "I wasn't expecting this from you, but yes!"

It took a short moment for me to take in what she said until she repeated it.

"Yes, I'd love to marry you!"

A grin broke out on my face, and I placed the ring on her finger before standing up to kiss her until she was as breathless as I felt. Her arms were wound tightly around my neck, and I never wanted to let her go.

She was mine, and now we would make it official. Of course, the entire thing was more for her than it was for me. I was a simple man. I didn't need extravagance or even a proper ceremony, but I knew my angel did. Unlike me, she enjoyed the fancy stuff, and I would be damned if I didn't give it to her.

"I want you to have what you were cheated of," I said against her lips when we parted, our foreheads still touching. "I want you to have the wedding of your dreams."

She laughed softly in elated happiness. "Just having you stand in the front as the groom has made my dream better than I could have imagined."

A/N:

How sweet! Do you think it was sweet? I tried to make the proposal as Emmett-like as possible and not use any of the things Edward said when he proposes to Bella in Eclipse. I know a lot of fanfiction writers like to use his words, so I stayed clear of them as this is Emmett's story ;-)

Let me know what you thought!

As Always,

Stay Awesome!