Noah strapped the contents of Rosalie's pack onto his red and black checkered flannel and grungy jeans. Noah stared at Rosalie, "Em, you really can pick 'em. She's a beauty."

"Thanks, bro. She's not as docile as you think she is."

"Wouldn't doubt it whatsoever. You're going to walk in those heels all the way to your parents' house."

Rosalie gave an odd look. "Why shouldn't I?"

"It'll take some time, and I don't want you to get hurt." Hidden in the bundle, Noah grabbed two soft shoes. "They're Ma's, but I think you can fit in them." Rosalie pulled her heels off and stepped into the borrowed shoes. Rosalie's reaction was priceless. At first, she seemed grossed-out—like wearing rental bowling shoes, and then, she eased into them as if she was walking on clouds. "See? Let's go before everyone worries."

Starting our journey was like any hunting trip I'd been with Noah; we caught up with what was going on and scouted for any good game. Neither of us had our gear, but this was home. "When did our family meet the Hales?"

"A couple years after all of them passed. Both were confused how their daughter and son were not here to meet them. Then, at each house, there was a wedding picture of you and Rosalie. They felt confused and a little betrayed that you ran off to get married, and for the Hales, it was unthinkable. They thought for sure Emmett had forced her into this marriage. John didn't believe that, so he went to find some answers."

Rosalie perked up. "John? My brother, John?"

"He knew that something happened to his sister, and he needed to know what. After hiking a little bit, he ran into me. We got to talkin' and realized we were related by marriage. I welcomed John into our home, and he saw the same wedding picture that he had seen at his own house. We spent hours talking about you and Rosalie, and we realized that it was not a runaway marriage, but it was love.

"John spent the night, and when we woke up, we realized we had the same dream, but it wasn't a dream, it was the reality of what happened to the two of you: Rosalie's attack, Carlisle's rescue, and your rescue. John was relieved his sister was living a good life and was adapting to vampire life with her new husband. We both knew we had to explain this to not only my folks, but his as well. Ma and Pa were actually thrilled to know their son was alive and wanted to meet John's kin to thank them for their wonderful daughter, but John was very apprehensive."

Rosalie didn't say much. She and I both knew her choice in a husband would not have made the society pages, and if living, it would have ostracized herself from that world. "How long did it take?"

"Time doesn't really resonate here. It took probably twenty Earth years for them to meet and tolerate each other; however, when they heard you were coming, the two families banded together to welcome you home. Ma and Pa left so quickly that they forgot all these items. They wanted to make this special."

The forest seemed to get thicker, which was odd, because in this part, the forest runs for hundreds of miles. It was more jungle-like than what I was used to. Noah pushed away some brush and pulled an opening for Rosalie, myself, or him to go through. In that moment, we had transported from Tennessee to New York, and we had just exited out of a hedge.

Except for her shoes, Rosalie's clothes had changed to more New York casual than mountain gear. Noah and I had changed also. We were in linen or silk shirts and pants. "I know," Noah shrugged his shoulders, "this isn't what I wanted to wear either."

Rosalie was stunned. She touched everything. "I didn't think…I didn't know…how real…it …was…going to be…We're really in Rochester, aren't we?" Noah nodded. "That's my house. It hasn't changed."

In her tone, I knew she was worried but amazed. I held her hand as we walked to the mansion-like house. Three large white columns held the luxurious top level. It made our house in Maine look, well, like a shack.

"You'd think you're in Heaven, but for me, it's Hell," Noah sighed.

"Why? Has my family been harassing you?"

"No, this is my own undoing. I'm stuck here."

"What do you mean you're stuck here?" I asked. He was able to go from our house to the Hales in a matter of minutes. What was he stuck in?

"The bar fight that got me killed accidentally killed someone else."

I was confused. "The guy you hit only fell down. He walked away from it."

"He died three days later of a concussion. I'm responsible for it."

"And?" Rosalie and I responded.

"I won't be able to go back to Earth."

"You mean to be born again?" I shook my head. This is impossible.

"Everyone in the McCarthys and the Hales will have the ability to return to Earth, but me. Soon, I'll be alone up here waiting for them to return."

"Isn't there redemption?" Rosalie grabbed Noah's hand. She was concerned. Noah was family to her, and she wanted to help in any way she could.

"There is redemption, but it's a long process. I've been working on mine for fifty years or so." We reached the front door. "Emmett, Rosalie, don't let Ma and Pa know. This is supposed to be a happy event."

We nodded, but as Noah rung the doorbell, both Rosalie and I were in a daze. What kind of place were we in? Where an accident is weighed so greatly that a man has to show himself worthy to come back to Earth? Rosalie and I knew if we had any power in this world or in ours, it would become a priority, but I knew he was right. Ma and Pa didn't have to know—today.