Penname: Rochelle Allison
Derivative Fiction
Rating/Warning(s): T

Notes: Part of the "Alabaster" series (or, as one reader so sweetly put it, "Cheatward". ha!)

Disclaimer: All copyrighted, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

"He's doing what?"

Emmett sighed in exasperation. "He's building a house."

"Building?" Rose echoed dumbly, blowing a wisp of hair out of her face. "A house?"

"Baby, I love you, but I've said it about three times."

She sat on the couch, shaking her head. "It's just -I don't… he really thinks that's going to get her back?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but he has to try."

"You guys specialize in architecture, not construction," Rose pointed out, frowning at the slowly melting snow outside.

"Yeah, but we have contacts and connections. I didn't say he was gonna be out there doing it by himself, just that he had the blueprints and planned to start on the first of February," Emmett said.

He had, to admit; the day his little brother had called, his voice carrying something other than sadness or sarcasm, Em had been excited, too. He wasn't sure if Edward's idea was really that… practical – after all, what would he do if Bella didn't want him or the house? What would he do then? Sell it? Emmett imagined it would be a little too painful to live alone in something built for the purpose of starting over with someone.

Rose sighed, breaking Em out of his reverie. "I… I think it's kind of romantic."

He stared at her, an eyebrow arched.

"Ok, it's really romantic. Especially since it's so personal. He's not just dictating from his desk or the phone… he's going to be in there with the builders, dropping stuff on his feet and getting splinters in his fingers…" she smiled wryly, shaking her head. "…and nothing says "I love you" like accidental electrocution."

"Yeah, really," Emmett muttered, sitting beside his wife. "I'm gonna help him out when I can, me and Jasper both."

"It'll be like the Amish communities, raising barns," she teased.

"Right," he rolled his eyes. "Except it won't be the entire town in on the effort."

Rose grew quiet, her gaze back on the scene outside. Their backyard was huge, a border of pine trees at the border, separating their property from the woods beyond. Like both Jasper and Carlisle, Emmett had bought a home with no neighbors behind, nothing but trees to look at. It was especially gorgeous on days like today, when the branches were weighted with fallen snow, the needles and leaves dripping with white and wet.

"I think Bella will like it," she whispered eventually, tucking herself into Emmett's side. "I think maybe his stupid idea will work."

She truly hoped so. They had all missed Bella when she'd decided to leave Forks, even though she promised it wasn't for good. Rose had even been irritated with Alice, who she felt had no right to encourage Bella to go somewhere else when her home was here, with friends and family.

As time went on though, she understood Alice's thought process, and admittedly, Bella did sound better. Rose would never tell Edward this, because she still harbored some resentment toward the bastard…but Bella couldn't date. And it wasn't for a lack of trying…

Bella had called more than once, trying not to cry because none of the idiots who asked her out were Edward.

Needless to say, Bella Swan would be coming home eventually, and when she did, maybe Edward's grand gesture, along with lots of groveling and further discussion, would enable them a new beginning.

Rose certainly hoped so. She was tired of feeding Edward three days a week.