You Need To Trust Me

Chapter 14 "Honesty"

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my made up characters!

A/N: There is a mature scene, potential trigger scene in this chapter. Warning will be given before it so readers may choose to skip over it.

Friday, October 4th

Delilah POV

"Delilah…..Delilah…." I heard someone saying my name but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes.

"Wha…" I mumbled sleepily. A beautiful chuckle answered me.

"Are we still going to the movies with Jake and Nessie?" Emmett asked and I felt his lips on my cheek, then on my nose, my forehead and finally my lips. I managed to open my eyes partially and saw him laying beside me on my bed. "We can cancel, you know, if you're too tired."

Groaning, I made myself get up. "No, no, I'm good." I said, stifling a yawn. I looked down at my clothes. I was still in my scrubs. "I kinda just crashed, so I have to grab a shower real quick."

"Okay, I'll text them to let them know we'll be a bit late." Emmett smiled and kissed me again.

After talking with Emmett and Kathryn—and finally Kyle, a few months ago, I had decided to take Dr. Ritter's offer and shadow her. I would work with her after school and on the weekends, depending on her schedule. Between that, school, and keeping up with things on the ranch, I was exhausted. It had been a full week at the practice and here on the ranch.

Cattle were being shipped or bought and needing to be checked out, so I was back and forth between school, vet calls, and the ranches. The best thing about all of this—even though it was exhausting—was that I got paid to work with Dr. Ritter at her practice. Almost all of my paychecks went into my savings.

I stretched as I stood up and I felt Emmett come up behind me. "I was thinking that maybe…we could get some alone time soon." He kissed my neck and I let out a breathless chuckle.

"I would love that." I whispered to him as he continued to kiss down my neck and slide his hands over my hips. Because of my exhaustion, our intimacy had taken a backseat for the past few weeks. "If Kyle and Kathryn weren't right downstairs, I'd say you could join me in the shower, but that's probably not the best idea."

He chuckled and groaned. "I would love to but you're right. I'll head downstairs to hang with them while you shower."

I showered quickly and dried my curly hair. Looking at the bags under my eyes, I applied a bit of makeup, trying to not make it look like I wasn't getting enough sleep.

After getting dressed, I went downstairs. "Let's go, Em." I said, yawning as I walked into the living room. Kathryn and Kyle were sitting in the living room, talking to Emmett.

"You gonna be able to stay awake, Delilah?" Kyle asked with a grin and I laughed.

"I think I will, but definitely no promises." I told him, leaning against the chair Emmett was sitting in. I noticed that Kathryn looked tired and frowned. She had been fighting off a bug here lately and I noticed she had lost weight as well. I was worried about her.

Kathryn noticed me staring and smiled at me. "Stop worrying about me, Delilah, and go have fun, sweetheart. Enjoy your movie."

We said goodbye and Emmett led me out to his Jeep. "Have you noticed that Kathryn has lost weight?" I asked him as we drove away from the ranch. He glanced over at me.

"A little. She's still fighting that bug?"

I nodded. "She says her and her doctor are dealing with it, but it just concerns me."

Emmett reached over to grab my hand. "If it was anything big, you know they'd tell you, Del."

I sighed. "I know…I know, I just worry."

Emmett squeezed my hand. "Yes, too much sometimes."

"Well there's one thing I don't have to worry about." I smiled in the dark and Emmett half-smiled, looking at me.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Us." I pulled his hand up to my cheek and leaned into it. "I never have to worry about us."

Emmett gave me another squeeze. "Never."

…..

Gabe POV

"Holy shit. You found her?" I asked the private investigator sitting in front of me at the diner we had met at. I had recently hired him since Delilah hadn't gotten in touch with me and I wasn't sure if my information had been passed on.

He chuckled and nodded. "Pretty easy, actually." He tossed a large brown envelope down on the diner table.

I opened it up and my heart squeezed as I saw Delilah's face. It hadn't changed much, just became more like a young woman's instead of a young girl's face. There was her beautiful curly, blonde hair. She was walking across a school campus with another young girl with bronze-colored hair. They were talking and laughing together.

Next, she was getting into an old truck. Then she was taking a road towards a ranch, surprising me.

"She lives on a ranch not too far from Helena, Montana. Kyle and Kathryn Russell are her adoptive parents, finalized this past January. She's a senior this year. Hangs out with this crowd a lot." He pointed out a picture of Delilah with a tall, broad guy—who looked like should be in college—the same girl who had the bronze hair, another tall guy, this one had long black hair and tan skin. I could see a blonde boy and a small pixie like girl with dark hair beside them, another girl with dark brown hair and a boy that had hair that matched the bronze haired girl.

Delilah and the tall, broad guy were touching in almost all the photos. Just from the photos, I could see that they were together. That was hard to swallow. I had figured Delilah was by herself all this time.

The investigator slid me a business card. It was for a ranch called D. K & K Ranch in Midnight Creek Montana. They sold cattle and paint horses. "This is the card for where she lives. I got it from a local store while I was in town."

I thanked the investigator and paid him the last bit of money I owed him. I had done it, I had found Delilah. But what would I do now? Did I show up at her door, begging her to take me back? Did I send her a letter? Did I try calling? Or did I just let her live, let her be happy?

Looking at the photos of her and the mystery guy, I had no clue what to do.

…

Emmett POV

I walked hand in hand with Delilah through the barn after our double date with Jake and Nessie, our ritual after all our dates. We would check the horses before I took Delilah up to the house.

She would touch every one of them as she passed and smile as she did. The horses made her so happy. She truly loved them. After we finished up checking on the horses, I walked her up to the house. She kissed me passionately, clinging to me and all I could think about was how long it had been since we had been together. God, I wanted to touch her, love her, lose myself with her. I watched longingly as she went inside after breaking away from my kiss.

I drove home quickly, just thinking. When I shut off the Jeep, I just sat there.

I thought about her question when she had told me she wanted to go to school to be a Veterinarian. Whether I would be attending college somewhere as well. As much as she had tried to play it off as no big deal, I knew it was a big deal.

I had told her the truth too. I would follow her anywhere, just to be with her. So I'd follow her off to whatever college she picked—somewhere most likely nearby as she was attached to this place, though Kyle, Kathryn and I had ganged up on her to make her to apply to schools all over the U.S.

She hadn't been happy about it, but she had done it. All the time I was bringing more applications for her to fill out and work on. I knew she found it annoying because she wanted to attend somewhere nearby.

I had really been thinking lately, about where this all was going. I guess I couldn't help it whenever I thought about her—and whenever I thought about Bella and Edward. Bella had been vocal from the beginning about what she wanted—she wanted to be like Edward. Like us.

Delilah hadn't said much about anything. She asked occasional questions like what was the changing process like, questions about hunting, and questions about our lives over the years. It was almost as if she avoided anything that would bring up the subject of her changing into a vampire like us.

I noticed movement to my right and saw Edward open the door. "Heavy thoughts tonight." He said, getting in. I sighed and nodded.

"I just keep thinking about the future. I think this is the most thinking about the future I've done in quite some time." I ran my hands through my hair roughly. "I mean, how did you do this with Bella?"

Edward chuckled. "If you recall, I was very stuck in my ways with Bella but she was also very set in her ways. She had been consistent with what she wanted all along, I had just been fighting it." Edward tilted his head. "That's what bothers you, isn't it? Not knowing what Delilah wants?"

I nodded. "She doesn't like to talk about the future—and that's her choice. I mean she's still opening up to me about things and I know there's something that keeps her from planning, from thinking about the future but…I mean doesn't it run through her mind? I mean maybe it doesn't…but I wish she had some thought on it."

I glanced over at Edward and he shook his head. "I haven't heard anything in her head that gives me any idea how she feels about it or what she wants. I mean anytime she's been over lately, she's talking with Esme or Carlisle or Jasper or Alice and then if she's not thinking about their conversation, she's thinking about the ranch or work. Or you. In ways I'd rather not imagine." Edward shuddered and I had to laugh.

"I mean, with Bella, you were prepared to live out her life along side her, with her being human, right? If that's what she wanted." I said and Edward nodded. "But you were also willing to change her, to keep her forever."

Edward nodded and sighed. "But Emmett, while it's about what she wants, it's also about you. What do you want? Do you want to let Delilah live a human life and just be her companion along the way as she ages? Or do you want her to be changed—if she wants to, of course—and be like us?" Edward paused. "Or do you want to go a whole different route and let her go, let her be a normal human and live a normal life?"

"Little late for that, isn't it?" I asked, my voice sounding rough as I thought about life without Delilah. I sighed and ran my hands over my face. "I just…I wish I knew what she wanted. I mean she hasn't expressed anything specific about her future besides a career choice. She hasn't ever said she wants kids or wants marriage or anything else. It's just so hard not to ask, to just ask her what she wants. I don't want to pressure her, either way. I want whatever she wants to be her choice, and her choice alone."

Edward nodded. "Emmett, I understand what you're saying but maybe you should ask her this. It's obviously weighing heavy on your mind and…it could start to affect your relationship with her."

I swallowed hard. "What if she says she doesn't want to change? What if she wants to be a normal human?"

Edward sighed. "Then you'll have to respect her wishes, Em. But I mean since we've known Delilah, she hasn't been one for normalcy." Edward chuckled then sobered up. "I think you should just take the plunge."

I knew he was right and I had to do it—or our relationship could suffer.

…..

Delilah POV

I watched as Emmett focused a bit too much on his textbook. Ever since our date last week, Emmett had been slightly off. It's like he was preoccupied with something.

Like right now, where he was so focused on his textbook, as if we weren't home alone for the first time in a while.

I bumped him with my shoulder. "Earth to Emmett, anyone home?" I murmured to him.

Emmett looked up from his textbook with half a smile. "Sorry, just a bit focused."

"Yeah, I noticed." I teased him and planted a kiss on his shoulder. "Not on the right things either…" I pushed him over and straddled him. "We are home…alone…for the first time in forever and you have not made one move towards me. Guess I'll have to make a move."

I kissed his lips, then moved along his jaw, then his neck, down to his collarbone. I let my hand explore down his body, smiling victoriously when it found its mark and a groan escaped from Emmett's lips.

The next thing I knew, I found myself on my back under Emmett. His eyes were dark, the desire I felt reflected in his eyes. I crushed my lips to his and it was as if I set off a frenzy between us.

The only sounds were quick breaths and fabric sliding off bodies as we went crazy with each other. I was always surprised on how fast we could get each other naked.

I slid my hands over his shoulders and thought again, how…built he was. How hot he was.

"Emmett." I pulled him towards me and kissed him, but pulled back a moment later, when he seemed to not be into it. I frowned up at him. "What's wrong? Are you worried about protection? Because I have a drawer full of condoms." I went to grab one when he flopped down on his back beside me and his hands covered his face.

"I can't do this." Emmett said, muffled by his hands.

Cold ran through my body as rejection flowed through me. He didn't want…this? Me?

I grabbed my throw off the bed and covered myself, embarrassed. "I'm—I'm sorry Emmett, I just thought…" I trailed off, feeling unusually emotional at his rejection.

Emmett must have picked up on something in my tone as he dropped his hands and looked at me. "Del, no, Del, no it's not you, Baby." He pulled me to his chest. "Trust me, I want you. I want you so bad it hurts."

Not entirely believing him, I kept a bit of distance between us. "Then why are we still talking?"

Emmett smiled up at me. "Sometimes your teenage hormones are so funny."

My frown changed to a glare. I tried to pull back but he wouldn't let me. "Don't get all mad. I enjoy your hormones…you match pace with me really well. It's just…"

"It's what, Emmett?" Embarrassment sharpened my tone more than I wanted it to. Emmett sighed.

"What do you want out of your life?" He blurted out and I sat back in shock. What did I want out of life? He wanted to discuss this instead of having sex?

"What do you mean?"

Emmett ran a hand through his hand, frustrated. "I mean, what do you see for yourself in the future? Kids? Marriage? A three bedroom house on a small farm? Your own Veterinary practice?"

I was silent for a moment, thinking about his words—and where they came from. "I don't know, Emmett, I'm eighteen! I have no clue what I want. Kids? Marriage? It's a little far into the future for me to think about. I mean, I literally just decided on a career path. It's going to take me seven to eight years to just finish schooling, not to mention to establish my career. And even that seems…so hard to think about."

I could see that wasn't the answer he wanted. I threw up my hands in irritation. "Emmett, why are you worried about what I want in my future all of a sudden?!"

"Because I want to know what you want! Where you see yourself in ten years! If you see this as a teenage fling or something that can last, if you want to be like me!" He shouted at me and I was taken back by his intensity.

"You mean if I want to be a vampire?" I whispered as I watched his eyes darken, his nostrils flare.

His face was hardened, his demeanor stiff. "Yes, I want to know if you've thought about it. Or what you want. I want to know where we stand."

I swallowed, feeling lost for words. What could I tell Emmett? That I barely thought past Veterinary school? That I wasn't sure if I wanted kids, ever, or marriage or anything "normal"?

Emmett stared at me, waiting for an answer. "Emmett, the truth is…I don't know."

He looked away from me and I felt the distance between us, even though he was not even a foot away from me. "Emmett, I can't see past college, much less ten years down the road. I…I've always had a life where I haven't…I didn't even think I could get to a place where I felt normal and now I am…well as normal as I could be, dating a vampire and all, but I just got normal into my life."

Emmett slowly nodded. "…and you still haven't opened up to me as to why you don't want to think about your future, what happened in your life before. I know none of it, Delilah. I don't know anything about your past. But Nessie does."

My heart ached as I heard the pain in his voice. He was hurt because I didn't open up to him, that I couldn't tell him that I saw a future with him. That I wanted a future with him. "Emmett, it's just so hard for me to talk about. When I had that conversation with Nessie…it drained me. Going back there, going through it all again, mentally, emotionally, it hurt."

"Why can't you tell me that you want me in your future? That you see a future for us?" Emmett asked. I felt the tears burn my eyes as I held them back.

"I do, Emmett. I don't know what the future holds, but I know I see you in it, there with me. I mean, yeah, I don't know all the rest and what else I want, but I know that I want you. Isn't that enough?" I asked, hating the way I sounded.

Emmett's jaw tightened. "Most of the time. Years ago, it would have been."

Panic shot through me as Emmett got up and started putting his clothes on. "Em, what are you doing?"

I reached out for him but he pulled away from me and it stung. "I just need some air, some space, okay?"

"Em…"I trailed off as I watched him leave—at vampire speed. I sat there in my bed, heart aching, wondering how we had went from almost making love to him leaving. I sat there frozen, wanting to go after him, but not having the willpower to do so. Tears streaked down my face and I felt cold, so cold.

I wanted to call Nessie, to tell her I needed her, but I couldn't even move towards the phone. Pulling the throw tighter around me, I curled into a ball and laid down on my bed, letting the tears come.

…

Emmett POV

I ran, fast as I could through the trees. Pain pushed me harder, faster. I stopped in a clearing and put my fist through a tree.

What the fuck had I done? Why had I pushed Delilah like that? Why had I yelled at her?

The conversation that Edward and I had the other day had been stewing in my mind. I knew that. I had been thinking about how to bring it up to her, how to talk to her about it.

When she invited me over tonight, saying that her and I would have the house to ourselves, I thought it was the perfect opportunity. We had started studying—well she studied, I was stuck in my head—and then she had initiated the sex.

God, I wanted her. Still did. So fiercely. But all I could think about was what did she want with her life? Her future?

I don't think I had ever been turned off to sex like that before because of my thinking.

I sighed and leaned against a tree, thinking how awful the conversation had went. I had lost it on her. I told myself that I'd be calm when we talked about it, emotionless. I didn't want to influence her decision or make her feel pressured or make her feel like she had to pick.

I just wanted to know.

And look how royally I had fucked that up.

You'd think after nearly eighty years of being around women, I'd know a little better, right?

…..

Nessie POV

Taking Alice's suggestion, I made my way over to Delilah's. All I knew was that Alice had saw them fighting—and Delilah's desire to want me to come. "She's too sad to even call, Nessie. She needs her best friend."

I didn't bother knocking, letting myself in with the key Delilah had given me a while ago. "Delilah?" I called out to her as I made my way to the stairs. I found her in her room, curled up on the bed, crying. "Oh Delilah."

I went to her, laying down next to her as she made room on the bed for me. In the corner of my eyes, I saw her clothes. Not caring that she was most likely naked under her blanket, I hugged her.

"What happened?" I asked and in a blubbering voice, she told me everything. I felt her pain as if it was mine as she described the conversation, how Emmett had yelled at her. I felt pain for Emmett too. I knew he was hurting as well. "You still haven't told him about…you know, Texas? Gabe?"

She shook her head, wiping at her nose. "No, and I know I need to Ness, but…it was so hard with you… and this is Emmett. What if he thinks differently of me? I mean with the line I walked—just barely not becoming a freakin' prostitute—falling in love with a guy who delivered drugs, I'm a mess."

I sighed. "Delilah, he loves you. You know that, I know you do. Why would any of that make him think differently of you? All of that made you who you are right now. Who he loves. You were young. You still are young. We all make questionable decisions sometimes. It's…it's really not as bad as you think."

Delilah looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. "I was going to sleep with a guy for a meal, Ness. A freaking fast food meal."

I pushed her hair back out of her face. "Delilah, even if you had, Emmett wouldn't judge me and neither would I. We weren't in your shoes. We weren't there when you were living on the street. We can't say what choice we would have made, had we been in your shoes."

I rubbed her back soothingly. "You need to tell Em. Tell him all of it, let him in. Fully in, Del. I know all the other stuff is just too much to think about…but at least let him in on that. And be honest with him about…well all of the other stuff."

I sighed. "I know it's a weird and hard topic, I mean, I'm a freaking half-vampire and sometimes it's all crazy to me. Be honest with him…I mean Delilah, do you ever think about it, becoming one of us?"

I could hear Delilah take a deep breath before she looked up at me.. "I don't know, Ness. I mean, I've talked about the change with him, what your lifestyle is like…I see how you guys are…but there are a lot of sacrifices that come along with it. Ones I don't know that I'm willing to make."

"I can't help you there. I was born into this—I haven't had to sacrifice anything. Jacob is, well, my soulmate and he's a—" I laughed for a moment at what I was about to say. "—a mythical creature as well. He's in the know. I'll never have to change to be with him."

"I hate you." She said wryly with a mock glare and I half-smiled back at her.

"I know it's a lot. But just tell Emmett that. Tell him you need time. That you can't handle thinking about that right now between everything else—like college and work and everything else going on. He'll understand. Just promise him that you'll take the time to think about it—when things settle down. When you get past graduation. I mean—say you make the decision you want to change into one of us, you obviously would want to wait until after you're through college and all right?"

She nodded slowly. "I want Kathryn and Kyle to see me get through college, through Vet school. I want them to know I made it because of them. I don't want to take that away from them."

"I understand that completely. And I know Emmett will too. For Emmett, just knowing that you'll give it all some thought—and have an answer eventually—will be enough. I know you told him that you see him in your life and want him to be in your life, just reinforce that. Emmett make act big and strong and such, but he really loves you and I don't think he can see life without you."

Delilah squeezed my hand. "Thank you for coming, Ness. And tell Alice thanks for sending you."

We both looked up as we heard someone clear their throat. Emmett stood there, looking like he wanted nothing but to talk to Delilah. "I will let you two talk." I gave her hand a squeeze and then got up. I kissed Emmett on the cheek as I left and whispered in his ear. "Cut her some slack. She loves you."

"Thanks, Ness." He whispered back.

Looking back over my shoulder, I watched as he walked towards the bed. I really hoped they worked it out.

…..

Delilah POV

Emmett sat down on the bed beside me and laid his hand, palm up, on the bed. Seeing it for the truce offering it was, I put my hand in his.

"I'm sorry Del. I shouldn't have lost my cool like that on you." He said softly, kissing my hand.

I shook my head. "It's okay. You're right, I need to be open with you. I have an aversion to thinking about the future and I need to start facing that head-on." I took a deep breath. "Can I tell you about my past?"

Emmett squeezed my hand. "Can I lay down and hold you while you do?"

I smiled and opened the blanket to invite him to hold me. "Please do."

Emmett cleared his throat and a grin that resembled his normal one appeared. "You should maybe put some clothes on or I'm not going to be able to let you talk."

I blushed and grabbed my shirt. "Right. I should definitely do that."

I threw my shirt on over my head and grabbed my panties, putting those on as well. "Better?"

"I like you better naked, but I can focus more this way." Emmett said teasingly before pulling me into his arms.

"I need you to promise me something." I said into his chest, inhaling his wonderful scent.

"Anything."

"That you'll listen to me, fully, and that…that you won't think of me differently when I tell you all of this."

Emmett leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Nothing you tell me could change my mind about you, Del."

Taking a shaky breath, I told him everything. My life with my parents, living on the street, meeting Gabe, us falling in love, and the end, where Gabe had—most likely—died, then I was sent here.

"There was something I didn't tell Nessie though." I said, feeling uneasy as he stared so intently at me. I put some distance between us on the bed. "While what happened to me, wasn't anywhere near as bad as it could have been, it happened and it…was awful."

"My mom, as I told you, she was into everything bad for a while. Loser men, included as I said. There was this guy. God, he was so creepy. He just would make these uncomfortable jokes to me when my mom wasn't paying attention, he'd compliment me on the way I looked, he'd comment on my growing body." I could sense a change in the air as Emmett tensed up. "One night, my mom went to the store, leaving me and him alone."

Cold ran through me as I thought about it—let myself remember as much as I didn't want to. "I was in my room listening to music when he came in. He sat on the bed and while I thought it was weird, I just pretended to ignore him. He told me how beautiful I was, how he…how he loved my small breasts, how he imagined all the time how tight I would be." I didn't realize as I talked that I was shaking. "I was so uncomfortable. I started to call out for my mom but he laughed and said she was at the store."

"I realized then what was happening, what he wanted to happen. I tried to get off the bed, get away from him, but he pushed me down on the bed, held me down. I remember him saying that he wanted to enjoy something a little younger." I stared at the wall ahead of me, trying not to break down, not knowing I already had. Tears were streaming down my face. "He grabbed my breast, hard, and then he stuck his hand down my shorts. I fought him but it didn't matter. He was stronger. I was only fourteen."

**Abuse/Assault scene**

In my mind, all I could see was it happening. Flashing through my mind. I could remember the smell of him. The stale beer on his breath, the odor of sweat covering him. "He used his fingers. It hurt the way he shoved them inside me so hard. I didn't even use tampons at the time, so it was so painful. All I could hear was the sounds he made as he continued to thrust them inside me. I cried. I couldn't stop crying, begging him to stop. He told me that I'd like it more if I relaxed, if I could just let it happen."

My voice trembled. "Then I heard his zipper go down. I knew what was coming next. He was going to rape me. Fully."

Emmett reached towards me and I flinched. Wincing, he started to pull his hand back. I grabbed him, holding onto him to keep me here in the room. Tears blurred my vision. "I had given up at that point. Why try to resist anymore? I felt so numb, so hopeless. I figured if I just gave in, let him have his way, he'd do it and be done. No one was going to save me, I couldn't fight him off, so I just had to let it happen. He pulled my shorts down and got on top of me. I could literally feel him against me, touching me there right before my door burst open."

**Abuse/Assault Scene Ended**

"It was my mother, back from the store. She had been looking for him, for me, and so she checked my room. She saw him on top of me and screamed at him, grabbed him off of me. She was screaming at him and I was too frozen to move."

"Del…" Emmett whispered.

"She got him out of the room and I thought she would make him leave. She didn't. She came back in my room later to tell me it was my fault. That if I hadn't been such a little slut, hadn't shown off my body, it wouldn't have happened. That if I hadn't made an advance towards him, it wouldn't have happened. That he had told her that I had lured him into my room, told him I needed help with something…that I had shoved his hand down my pants. I had begged him to touch me, to let me feel how it felt to become a real woman. I had begged him to 'fuck me anyway he desired'." I was too into my thoughts that I didn't hear something snapping, Emmett breaking something in my room. "I was a little whore and if I kept it up, I would be out of the house. If I told anyone, I'd regret it."

"From then on, I just locked my door all the time. I stayed up until I was sure they were in bed." Anger rose in me as I thought about it all again. "I used to be able to hear them having sex. She still had sex with him after that, still stayed with him for a while after that. He tried to come into my room twice after that, but he couldn't because it was locked. I never told anyone. Shortly after, they broke up and then not too long after that was when she abandoned me."

I felt Emmett's hand squeeze my shoulders and I looked up to meet his dark eyes. They were full of anger, but there was also sorrow in them, sadness. "Delilah…I had no idea. Of any of this. My god."

I took a shaky breath. "I…I had mostly let it go, I had moved past it until everything with El—Elliot. It brought it all back, made it worse." I wiped at my face, surprised at the wetness. "I went to therapy when I came here. For all the things I went through. In therapy, I talked about it. My therapist helped me through it. I know that none of it was my fault, that my mother should have protected me, like a real mother would. Even though I know that, I still feel shame, just telling you."

Emmett pulled me close to him. "Don't you dare feel any shame over this. Jesus, Del. It wasn't your fault."

I sniffled and clung to him. "Sometimes, I feel ashamed because I stopped fighting. I feel ashamed that I didn't fight more."

"Don't be. You were fourteen. You were a child. Sometimes, in these situations, the body shuts down, goes into survival mode. Victims feel ashamed they didn't fight it more but just because you don't fight it, doesn't mean that it was your fault, that you deserved it, that you're any less of a victim in the situation."

I looked at him, surprised at his analysis. He sighed. "I've been to quite a few lectures on rape and rape victims. I had to pull Rose out of her dark place quite a few times when she was drowning in it."

Right. My aunt, Rosalie, had been raped by multiple men in her prior life. I winced. "I thank the powers that are every time I think about it that it didn't get that far."

"I'm doing the same right now." Emmett squeezed me. "God, Del, no wonder you've struggled so much. You've been through more than any person should have to at a very young age."

I laid my head on his shoulder and took a deep breath. "It's been hard. But I'm here is what I keep telling myself." I pulled back and his eyes carefully watched my face. "Em, Kathryn and Kyle don't know about that, about what happened. Please don't say anything to them about it. I don't want them to know."

Emmett frowned but nodded. "Of course. I won't say anything."

I nodded in relief. "Thanks." Then I asked what I didn't want to ask. "Does any of this make you think any differently of me?"

Emmett put his hands on my face, cradling it between his strong hands. "Del, the only difference in my thinking is thinking how even more strong you are. You made it out of that awful situation and you're thriving—with help afterwards, I know." Emmett added when he saw me about to protest. "But you made it on the streets by yourself. Before that, you kept yourself going though your mother abandoned you."

I hunched my shoulders uncomfortably. "Even though I was going to sleep with a complete stranger to eat?"

Emmett sighed. "I don't care, Delilah. You didn't do it, but even if you did, I don't care. I love you. No matter what is in your past—or your future. I love you. That's not conditional—it won't go away because of something you did or you do."

Feeling brave at his words, I knew I had to tell him about the whole future thing—my unsurety of it all. "Emmett, I know you want to know what I want out of my future, if I ever want to be changed…and I know you don't want to hear I don't know, but it's the truth. My life is insane right now and it's only going to get more hectic for the next few months." I held up a hand to stop him from talking. "But I will promise you this, that I'll think about it. After graduation, once the summer comes, I will think about it. I will really think about what I want in life and face the things I need to, to get you an answer. But I can't answer you right now."

Emmett kissed me. "That's enough for me. Thank you Del."

We both looked at my bedroom door as we heard voices downstairs. "They're home." I said to him, talking about Kathryn and Kyle. Emmett nodded with a small smile.

"End of our discussions." He kissed my hand and together we went downstairs to meet them.

…..

Kathryn POV, October 18th (Friday)

The truck was filled with silence and not the good kind. I glanced over at my husband Kyle. His knuckles were pale white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. His shoulders were tense and his eyes were still red-rimmed.

I reached over to touch his leg and I could see him swallow hard. "Kyle, we need to tell Delilah now."

He shook his head firmly. "No, no we can't." He stopped at the light, his leg bouncing. "She's just getting her life in order. We cannot tell her."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Kyle, we can't keep her in the dark. She knows I'm sick with something more than a bug—she's noticed everything going on. Now that it's confirmed, we should tell her."

As the light turned green and he started driving again, his shoulders sagged in defeat. "You're right. We need to, especially with you about to get surgery and then treatment. God, I hate this."

I squeezed his leg. "Me too."

"Should we tell her alone—or do you think we should have her friends there with her—or Emmett at least—to support her?" Kyle asked and I thought about how wonderful it was that we had come to love Emmett as much as Delilah did that we knew he could support our girl.

"It might be too much for all of them to be there. Maybe it should just be the three of us. Or four, because Cody should be there. A lot is going to change for him and his role around the ranch too.

Kyle nodded. "Whatever you want babe." He picked up my hand and brought it to his lips. "Whatever you want."

I smiled sadly at my loving husband, thinking the only thing I wanted was most likely the last thing I'd get.

….

Delilah POV, October 19th

"So any idea as to why we're having a sudden get together?" I leaned over to ask Cody as we set the table. The cowboy shrugged and we both glanced towards the kitchen where Kathryn and Kyle were.

"Don't know. All I know is they asked me to be here." Cody said, then he grinned at me. "Hey, maybe you're about to become a big sister!"

Excitement ran through me. "Oh my gosh. That would be so cool! But wait, why would Kathryn lose weight if she's pregnant? I thought you got bigger."

Cody chuckled then shook his head. "When my sister was pregnant with her first, she had such bad morning sickness that she had to be hospitalized twice and couldn't keep food down a lot. There's an actual word for the thing but I can't remember. Man, Maureen said she'd never get pregnant again after that and she's had four more kids since then."

Our conversation made me not so nervous for our meeting. Obviously it had to be something like this, right? Surely if it was bad news, they wouldn't have invited Cody. They would tell me by myself if it was bad news.

Convinced that it was good news, I went back to setting the table with Cody not knowing how wrong we both were.

When dinner was ready, we all sat down, all of us helping Kyle move things to the table to eat. As Kathryn and Kyle joined hands and looked at each other, Cody and I looked at each other with knowing smiles.

I looked back at Kathryn and Kyle and noticed that Kyle's face looked as if he was being ripped apart. I felt my smile drain from my face and the worry settle in.

Kathryn caressed Kyle's face gently before turning to face us. "You all know that I have been fighting a sickness these last few weeks. It's been a rough few weeks. My doctor and I were very baffled at what was going on but at my last appointment, we finally got something confirmed."

I glanced over at Cody again, the worry growing worse by the moment.

I looked back at Kathryn and her eyes were on me, her face sad. "I have breast cancer, a fast growing and aggressive form of breast cancer."

Everything went numb. My mind went blank. Cody's face was a mask of shock.

"Cancer?" I managed to choke out. Both Kyle and Kathryn looked at me worriedly.

"Yes, sweetheart. I wanted to tell you now that it's been confirmed and I have surgery set up. My doctor wants to remove the cancerous tissue and start an intense treatment with chemo and radiation." Kathryn said softly. "He says we have to move quickly in my situation as from the first time we scanned to this past scan—in a few weeks' time—it grew quickly."

"Does he think the surgery and chemo will work?" I asked numbly. They both looked at each other before answering and I knew it wasn't good.

"He can't promise me anything, of course, but he says we may have caught it early enough…"

"Delilah!" I heard Kyle's shout as I pushed back from the table, the chair falling to the ground loudly, before I ran for the door.

Before I even realized it myself, I was in the truck and my tires were spitting gravel as I drove off quickly.

Rain started to fall against my windshield but I ignored it. Getting on the two lane highway, I floored the truck. I had to get out.

…

Carlisle POV

I sat in the living room of my home watching some of my family interact with each other. Nessie was pouring over some magazine with Alice, Esme sat knitting a pair of booties for the NICU babies at work and Jasper was flipping through a History book. Emmett, Jake, Bella, and Edward had went out hunting together.

I watched as Jasper's relaxed demeanor changed just as I heard tires screeching outside. I was at my feet at once, worried there was a car accident outside when there was a pounding on the door.

I was thrown back to a familiar scene from months ago—Delilah stood on my porch, drenched from the familiar rain. Her eyes were wild and tears rushed down her face.

"Delilah? What's wrong?" I asked, reaching out for her. She stepped back out of my reach and thrust her hands in her soaking wet hair.

"You have to help her!" She cried out, the pain obvious even to me—and I wasn't an Empath like Jasper. He, who appeared behind me.

"Delilah?" He asked in concern as she let out a heartbreaking sob.

"You have to help her!" She screamed at us as she continued to sob. I glanced quickly around for someone—but saw no one.

"Help who Delilah?" I asked in a calming tone, as if I was dealing with a frightened patient.

"Kathryn!" She shrieked, her sobs wracking her whole body. It hit me. Kathryn and Kyle had told Delilah about the cancer. "She has cancer! You have to help her."

Delilah collapsed into my arms, sobbing and I wrapped my arms around her. "Oh Delilah, I'm so sorry."

"Please, Carlisle, you're a doctor, please save her." She cried into my chest and my dead heart ached. I knew Kathryn had a very aggressive and fast growing cancer. The chances of survival were not reassuring.

"Delilah, I assure you, I made sure Kathryn met with one of the best oncologists here in Montana. He will help her. I'm just a regular doctor."

She looked up at me, her eyes a bit crazed. "No, no you're not a regular doctor, you're a vampire doctor! Save her!"

I was taken aback by her statement and what she meant. "You mean…change her?"

Delilah started crying again and I was able to move her into the house. I felt all the eyes on us and Esme rushed over to me with a blanket. "Delilah, honey, let's get you out of these wet clothes okay? You'll catch a cold."

Delilah gripped onto me tightly. "Please Carlisle, help her!"

I ran my hand over her hair soothingly. "I'll do anything I can to help Kathryn, I promise you that, Delilah."

At that moment I felt calming waves coming over me and met Jasper's eyes. He nodded. Good, it would help her calm down. She cried for awhile longer before they subsided and Esme was able to take her upstairs with the help of Nessie to change clothes, leaving me alone with Jasper and Alice.

"Kathryn has cancer?" Jasper asked, as he glanced at me. I sighed and nodded.

"A form that is fast-growing and aggressive. The…the success rates are not reassuring." I confessed, running my hands over my face. "They told me last week and I pulled some strings to get a great doctor here to meet with them. If anyone can help them, it would be her."

"I don't think I've felt that much sorrow and pain since…well since Rose died." Jasper said and Alice rubbed his shoulder to comfort him.

"We knew Delilah would take it hard." I replied, talking of Kathryn, Kyle, and me.
They wanted to wait to tell her until it was confirmed, when they could have a game plan in place."

I glanced down at the phone as it rang. "That's Kyle. I'll let them know she's here."

Sighing, I picked up the phone. "Kyle? Yes, she's here and…."

….

Emmett POV

I threw down another Elk and groaned. "I'm so tired of elk. Edward, let's take a trip soon to go farther out."

Edward chuckled from nearby. "Are you sure you can stay away from Delilah for us to go on a hunting trip?"

I rolled my eyes. "Me and Delilah can spend time apart, unlike another couple I know…" I raised my eyebrows at Edward and Bella.

"Hey!" Bella huffed and glared at me. "Edward and I have spent time apart."

"Like all of what, ten minutes in the last ten years?" I teased her and heard Jake chuckle throatily from where he stood, in his wolf form.

She was about to answer when my phone buzzed. "Hmm, wonder who that could be? She said sarcastically as I grabbed it out of my pocket.

"It's Jasper." I told her and stuck my tongue out. I felt my body stiffen as I read his text.

"Emmett, what is it?" Bella asked, worried.

I didn't answer her, I just took off running for home. I could hear them trailing behind me but I didn't stop, couldn't stop. I only slowed up when I almost reached the front porch, then I was in the door.

"Where is she?" I spit out and Jasper nodded towards the stairs. I went up the stairs, sniffing out her scent. She was in my bed, asleep. I saw Carlisle sitting on a chair by my bed. He looked up at my entrance.

"I had to give her a small sedative she was so upset. She should come out of it in a bit but she was just so hysterical…" Carlisle sighed. I nodded and sat down beside her on the bed, listening to her breathing. Carlisle quietly stood up. "I don't know what Jasper told you in the text…"

"Just that Delilah was hysterical and was here and that I should come home." I said, looking over at him.

"Kathryn has cancer." Carlisle said then told me everything. I winced, thinking how this was the last thing Delilah could handle right now.

I sat with her until her breathing changed and her eyes fluttered open. Her eyes locked on mine and they filled with tears. "Emmett." My name held so much pain and sorrow in it that I pulled her to me tightly.

"I know, baby, I know." I whispered.

…..

Delilah POV, the next day

I sat on the couch in the living room, holding onto Emmett's hand tightly. Cody sat in the big arm chair, Kathryn and Kyle sitting together on the loveseat. Esme and Carlisle sat in two chairs we had grabbed from the dining room. Now that the news had halfway sunk in and I had calmed down a bit (thanks to Carlisle and his medicine), it was time to talk.

Kyle was the first to speak. "As you all know, things are going to change around here. With Kathryn getting surgery and then chemo, she's not going to be able to pitch in a whole lot like she usually does. That means the rest of us are going to have to pick up the slack."

Cody nodded. "Anything you guys need."

Kathryn smiled over at Cody. "Thank you, Cody. I'd like you to ask you to help out a bit more of the horse side of our operation. Esme has graciously offered to assist with handling the books, the orders, the day-to-day admin stuff, but I need a person who can be hands on with the horses."

"Of course." Cody said, nodding again.

"That means the training, the weaning of the foals, all of it." Kathryn told him, sounding a bit nervous.

Cody just nodded again. "Got it Boss. I can handle it, I've done it before."

"I can help out too." I spoke up and Emmett squeezed my hand. "I'll cut back my time at the practice. Dr. Ritter will understand."

Kathryn looked over at me, her face sad. "Delilah, I don't want you to cut back your time working with Dr. Ritter."

I shrugged. "It's fine. You both need me here more. I've been getting so much time in the past few months, it'll be fine."

Kathryn looked like she wanted to object but Kyle put his hand over hers. "We'd appreciate that, Delilah." Then he looked at Emmett. "Emmett, if you could, I need you to help me more on the cattle side with Cody helping with the horse side of things."

Emmett, the boy I loved so much, only nodded, no hesitation. "I'm here. I get out of school at noon now because it's my senior year so I can put in more time."

Kyle threw him a grateful look. "Thanks Emmett. Glad I have you here."

Carlisle cleared his throat. "While my other children and I don't know much about cows…or horses…we're all here to help in any way we can. I'm also available to help with Kathryn's recovery after surgery and after chemo treatments."

"Thanks Carlisle." Kathryn reached out to rub his arm in thanks and then leaning against Kyle, she sighed. "I'm surrounded by such wonderful people, I am so grateful for all of you, for you beautiful people in my life. With this journey we're about to embark on, I need all the friends and support I can get."

I went over to join Kathryn and Kyle on the loveseat. "We're getting through this, come hell or high water." I told her firmly, taking her hand. Kyle grabbed her other one and she tearfully smiled at both of us.

"Come hell or high water." She repeated, squeezing my hand.

…..

To Jessa76: Thank you for being such a faithful reader and reviewer! I really push myself knowing you're still here reading! Honestly, who knows what Delilah will want. It's all a lot to think about—and well as for the will they screw up and get pregnant anyways thing—anything is possible! Haha. Especially with Rose watching down on them and the way they are with each other. I guess we'll just have to see where the story takes them! I'll try to get you an update very soon!

A/N: Ah! Hello readers! Sorry it's been a little bit. I haven't been able to write for a while—a bit of a writers block. Every time I sat down, I just blanked. Of course when I'm driving…or at work…or in the shower…or somewhere I can't write, I'm full of ideas! But sit me down at a computer and I'm an empty head.

Finally, with a few weeks of little writing sessions, I got this LONG chapter done! I want to get this story moving and keep up with it for my readers!

I just want to THANK ALL OF YOU(!) who are still here reading, the new people who have favorited and/or followed this story or me. You guys are my motivation to keep going, keep writing…after about ten years! You all inspire me to write, to bring all of these stories to life and for that I am so thankful!

I can't promise anything but I may be able to get a chapter up before the end of December. With Christmas coming up and one of my co-workers off work for surgery for three months, things are a little hectic in my life!

But do not fret, I WILL get you your update! Now if only I could get an update for my other stories….

But anywho. I hope you enjoyed this chapter—as much as you can with what's in it—and leave a review to let me know what you think!