Chapter 9: Goodnight, My Angel

TW: discussion of abuse, alluding to sexual assault (non-explicit)

"So I'm going to tell you everything. I…I need you to listen, okay? I just…don't try to coddle me or say anything when I speak, I don't know if I'll be able to do this again," Violet said quietly.

Leah and Violet were in her bedroom, the moon high in the sky as they sat on the sofa under a white throw blanket as they sat in the dark. The house was surprisingly quiet, the vampires probably sensed there was high emotions running through both women as they went inside. Violet was shaken in a way Leah hadn't seen before; vulnerable and fearful. Leah never wanted to see her like this again, but she could tolerate it if it meant that Violet was going to divulge the part of her she had locked away. She could keep herself together, she had to. She promised her imprint she would.

Violet fussed under the blankets, her knees coming under her chin as she hugged herself close. Leah couldn't help but look at how small Violet had become, the way her usually bright gold eyes dimmed.

"My birth name was Violet Elizabeth Durst, and I was born in Brooklyn in 1907. My parents…it's hard to remember so long ago, but they were just regular, middle class people. My father was a clerk. They desperately wanted a son, and my mother was pregnant several times before me, but she miscarried over and over. When I was born, I was somewhat of a miracle, I suppose, since I was the only child to have survived. But when my mother saw me, something about me made her sick inside. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with me, she refused to hold me or touch me at all. Father said she had hysterical neurosis. He wanted to put her into a sanitorium, but he was afraid of what it would do to our reputation if Mother was put away," Violet explained. "Her… perception of me carried on into my childhood. She hated my very presence, and she would tell me all the time that I was her biggest disappointment. She would lay in bed all day, and if I even made a sound, she would scream at me from the top of her lungs. Over time, I hoped to stay just out of sight enough that she would ignore me. I preferred the ignoring over the screaming, but they hurt just the same. I thought something was desperately wrong with me, that my own mother couldn't love me."

Leah's heart clenched at her words, feeling an irrational thrum of anger make its way inside of her. It wasn't sensical, since Violet's mother had obviously been dead for decades, but she couldn't help but feel hurt for the little girl she imagined Violet to be all those years ago. Hiding from her own mother, starved for maternal love and affection. Leah's own parents were the best, she never felt herself wanting for anything even though families on the reservation weren't living "the Cullen lifestyle" by any means. Another part of her thought about the illness her own mother had talked about when she worked in the maternity ward at Forks General, "Postpartum Depression." Obviously back then, terms like that didn't exist, but Leah wondered if that's what the root of all of Violet's childhood issues were.

"As I got older, I caught a lot of attention. I was a very pretty girl, and I didn't have parents like Esme or Carlisle. No one told me the types of people I should stay away from. No one was protecting me. I had felt like a ghost for so long, and I just wanted to find a place where people would see me. So one day me and a girlfriend went down to a club, even though it was certainly not a place girls our age should have gone. I was young and naïve, and I got the validation I had been looking for. Men, women, anyone with eyes… they would hang off of every word I said, they would watch me as I danced. I felt powerful and in control for the very first time in my life, and I became addicted to the feeling of being seen; being heard. I felt valuable and wanted. But because I loved feeling this way so much, the fact that I didn't feel like I was worth anything if people weren't looking at me…I caught the wrong sort of attention, and I paid the price."

"What…what do you mean?" Leah asked hesitantly, her fingers fidgeting as she fought the urge to hold Violet's hand. She knew she didn't want to be coddled, but seeing the pain pass over her imprint's face was grating on her instincts. She wanted to hold her, to tell her she didn't have to keep talking if she didn't want to. But she made a promise to Violet, and she wouldn't go back on it.

"In my day, the places I would frequent to have fun weren't exactly…legal. So a lot of shady characters would come around, and I figured as long as I never got involved with them, I was safe. But one day, a large, handsome man came into the club I was dancing at. He was wearing tinted glasses in a dark room, that was the first thing I noticed about him. And he kept staring at me, and I took great pleasure in the fact that he ignored all the other girls and just looked at me."

A few beats of silence passed between them, until Violet's gaze shifted to her lap. "Are you sure you want to hear the rest?" she asked uncomfortably. Leah nodded half-heartedly, only encouraging her to go on because this wasn't about her own feelings. This was about Violet, and she wouldn't let a few moments of her own anxiety disturb something as monumental as this.

"This man…this man came up to me one night, and he asked me if I ever thought about being an actress. Truthfully, I hadn't ever thought about it. I think one day I was hoping to become a teacher, maybe even a nurse. But this man…he told me I had "star potential." Even though everything about him put me on edge, I couldn't help but feel excited about the fact that someone thought I was beautiful enough to be on the big screen, like Lillian Gish or Bebe Daniels. I didn't...I didn't even second guess it, because I didn't think…I never thought there were people like him in the world, people who would want to…who would want to hurt me."

Leah's eyes widened unconsciously, and she tried to suppress her reaction by quickly shaking her head of her thoughts. It was honestly the last thing she expected to hear, and she knew the story was going to get worse. Thinking of the old Violet her imprint was describing just seemed so unlike the person who was sitting next to her. Her Violet was prim and proper and delicate; she was quiet and bookish. It felt like a glaring mistruth, somehow.

"The man… Santiago… he was a vampire, though I didn't know it at the time. But even more than that, he was a true predator. He was taken with me, he desired some sort of… collection, if you will. He wanted a harem, a system of beautiful women so he could impress the Volturi, which act as the government of the immortal world. He needed to something grandiose so he would be accepted onto the guard, something he could offer them. So he would lure women in with the promise that he'd help you make it big, that you would be a worldwide name. One night, he told me to come by his apartment to speak to a casting agent. I was so…I was so excited, and I made sure I looked extra nice. It was all a ruse, of course."

Violet's knees came closer to her, her arms pulling herself into a ball as she looked away from Leah. She stayed silent for a moment, and Leah placed a reassuring hand on her elbow. "You don't have to keep…you don't need to push yourself if you don't want to," Leah told her softly. Violet smiled bitterly, her jaw clenched. "I know. But I need to…I need you to understand."

"I went to his apartment, thinking…thinking this was my moment, that this was my chance to be famous. Maybe I'd even be in a talkie, since films with sound were just getting popular. But instead, the apartment was dark, and I could…I could feel that something was wrong. I felt sick, even though I didn't know what was going on. Santiago was sitting in a chair, waiting for me, and he told me to take a seat. He told me that he loved me and that he thought I was special, and he asked…he asked if I'd do him the honor of being with him for the rest of our lives," Violet said angrily. "I was so…I was so embarrassed. I felt stupid and like a dumb little girl for believing him, and I turned him down. I told him…that I wasn't attracted to any man. It wasn't what I wanted, and I told him that. No other girl had ever refused Santiago before. But I didn't like him, and he had never experienced…he had never been rejected, before." She took a deep breath before continuing, her eyes closed.

"He told me I would be… his no matter what. He…he assaulted me. My body…I remember just wanting to die, and I…I tried to pretend it wasn't happening. My human body was too frail, and I knew he was killing me. He turned me that night, after he was done and I was practically dead," Violet swallowed and looked at her hands. "My life was a prison for the next few years. I didn't…I didn't know there was another way, I knew nothing about our kind. So I lived as his slave, since I didn't think I could live on my own," Violet rushed out.

Leah's entire body was still with horror, hearing the terrifying details of her imprint's life as she sat there, watching her. Rage and pain filled every thought, and she wasn't sure how much more she would be able to hear without running away to destroy something. She couldn't believe someone would hurt Violet at all, never mind in the way she was describing. It felt like someone was stabbing her in the stomach as her eyes watered, and she watched the blonde woman next to her shrink in shame.

"Life with Santiago was hell…he would keep me starving for long periods of time until…until I would sleep with him, and then he would let me feed. I didn't think my life would ever get better, I wished for death every single day. But one day, I told him to let me leave. I didn't know about talents back then, so I didn't realize I had him under some sort of spell. I left, and I was completely lost. I was still…on a human diet, but I hadn't ever hunted on my own. I was out of control, and my life was miserable. But then…then I met Carlisle. I was fearful of him at first…men terrified me after my time with Santiago. But there was something different about him, his eyes weren't like my creators at all. And he gave me an option. As you can see, you know what I chose," Violet finished, her explanation trailing off with a heartbreaking grin as she thought back to how her adoptive father had saved her life. "Twenty years ago, I…I had a slip-up. I'm not even exactly sure why, but for some reason, I couldn't control myself. I was with Rosalie, and she desperately tried to get me to leave, to walk away. But I used my talent to get her to go home without me, and I'm sure you understand what happened. That's why I had to go to Denali. To get better, to relearn how to control myself."

Violet let out a long exhale, a wistful smile crossing her face as she looked over at Leah. "So…that's everything. That's everything you needed to know. This is…this is who I am."

Leah let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her eyes wide as she tried to absorb all the overwhelming information she just learned. In a strange way, everything made a glaring sort of sense as she thought about Edward's words from before. She had been subjected to the most horrendous things this world could ever do to a person, and she hadn't had a single person she could depend on until she met her current family. It made something dark twist inside of her, the nasty little part of her soul that sought vengeance telling her to find everyone who had ever hurt little Violet Cullen and tear them to shreds.

But another part of her was just so sad. Leah's brain simply couldn't compute how someone as sweet as her imprint, as kind and generous and thoughtful, had been abused and neglected for such a large part of her life. How someone could manipulate and take advantage of her when she was her most vulnerable. Violet was a victim, not a perpetrator. She wasn't some sort of evil being who harmed people out of maliciousness. No, she was a person whose heart had been wrenched from her body more times than she could count, and she was being forced to pick up the pieces. How could Violet think she could ever hate her, want to run away? She wasn't broken beyond repair; she was still the same woman she had imprinted on. All Leah wanted to do was love her, wanted to show her what it was like to care for someone in the way they deserved. If anything, all of this information solidified her commitment to Violet. She would spend every day for the rest of her life proving to this woman that she was valuable. That she was worthy of affection, of tenderness and warmth.

A few tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at her imprint, her heart twisted and mangled into something ugly. The love she had for Violet was the most intense emotion, the most all-consuming feeling she had ever known. She wasn't going anywhere.

In a move that surprised them both, Leah put a hand on the woman's knees and pushed them down, forcing her out of the fetal position she had been in only moments before. "Come here," Leah whispered, her arms open as she beckoned her forward. Violet looked at her, her eyes bewildered as Leah pushed herself closer, and suddenly she was wrapped in two, long tan arms like a vice. "I'm sorry," Violet blurted out, unsure of what to make of the tight embrace Leah was giving her. Was this a goodbye? A good riddance?

"You have…you have absolutely nothing to apologize for, okay? Just…just let me hold you for a sec," Leah told her tearfully, overwhelmed with all the love and pain she was feeling at the same time. Her arms squeezed tighter, and her hand came up to rest in white blonde waves soothingly as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Now…now I know everything. And I'm not leaving you, I'm here to stay, okay? I've heard all the things you needed to tell me, I listened. And it didn't change a thing. I knew it wouldn't."

Violet let out a dry sob, her body shaking as she trembled in Leah's arms. "I'm…I'm so scared this isn't real," she whimpered. Leah shushed her quietly and kissed her hairline as tears leaked out of her closed eyes. White, pale hands clung to her shoulders desperately, as if trying to keep Leah from floating away. "That I'm asleep, and when I wake up, you'll be gone."

Leah shook her head vehemently, pushing a snow-white strand away from Violet's ashen face. "Never," she promised. "I'm never going to leave you, okay? I…I love you, and I don't know if that's too soon to say, but I can promise you I always will. Nothing you said today changed a single feeling I have about you, the tie we have. I'm here forever."

Violet trembled again, her face contorted with a mixture of pain and relief as she stared back into Leah's dark eyes. For the first time in a long time, maybe ever, she felt free. A weight she didn't know she was carrying was lifted from her shoulders as she distributed the heaviness of her burden, and as she searched Leah's face, she knew nothing the other woman said was a lie. She really was here to stay, and all of the preparation Violet had put into getting ready to say goodbye to the first person she ever felt a truly inexplicable bond with had been for nothing. Leah wasn't going anywhere, and she felt her cold, undead heart warm at the prospect that maybe, perhaps, she wasn't damned to live a lonely existence.

"Hi."

Alice stared at Rosalie uncomfortably, shifting the weight in her feet as she rocked back and forth in nervousness. It was probably long overdue, this…apology, of sorts. This acknowledgement that her sister was soulmates with a dog. But Violet meant a lot more to her than her stupid biases, and she wouldn't stand in the way of true love.

Even if said true love smelled like a wet golden retriever.

"Um, hi?" Leah answered questioningly, her dark eyes filled with confusion as she looked at the tiny girl standing across from her in the kitchen. Esme had made breakfast burritos, and after the emotional tidal wave that had crashed over her last night as Violet confessed every single secret she had, she felt like eating her feelings a little bit. Violet and Emmett had run out on an "errand," and Leah wasn't exactly sure what it was, but Violet bit her lip shyly when she'd asked.

In all honesty, Leah really didn't want to deal with the woman Jacob had so lovingly coined, "Sleepless Beauty." She was worn out, mentally and physically, and didn't feel like putting up with the antics of the stone-cold barbie. Rosalie's general rudeness was a testament to Violet's amazing patience, since Leah felt her spine straighten when she saw the blonde.

"So…Leah," Rosalie blurted out, flinching at the sound of her own voice. "I…I owe you an apology, I guess."

Leah looked at her with a mouth full of cheesy eggs, her eyebrows raised in slight amusement. "An apology?"

"Yes."

"Uh…okay. You're forgiven, I guess," Leah replied funnily, taking another large bite of the burrito that was currently falling apart in her hands. Rosalie gave her a slightly disgusted look, and Leah narrowed her eyes, daring her to say something.

"But you didn't…you didn't even hear my apology, though."

"Yeah but, I mean, I don't really… it's fine. Everything's gravy, we're…we're cool."

Rosalie stomped her foot in irritation, unable to hold back her frustration. She had spent the greater part of an hour planning this grand apology, and this woman wasn't even going to let her! Leah looked at her with wide eyes, blinking at the other woman's childish action. "Can I just say I'm sorry?! I…I had a whole plan!"

Leah held back a mean laugh and wiped at her hands with a napkin as she looked at the pixie-haired girl fuming in front of her. "If it means a lot to you, then…uh, sure. Go ahead."

"Okay. Well first of all, I'd like to apologize…I'd like to apologize for being generally rude to you and your pack around the house. Even though your odor is terrible, and I fear that I will never breathe clean air again," Rosalie choked out, her back stiff in discomfort. Leah looked at her with an expression of entertained disbelief, and she leaned back in her chair as she crossed her arms. "That…that's your apology?"

"I'm not done."

"Well, don't let me keep you."

"Secondly," Rosalie said with a sigh. "I'm sorry if I haven't…if I haven't been the warmest to you. Edward and Jasper, they told me your…feelings…for Violet were real, but I wasn't very happy about the situation and I didn't want to believe them. But…I know you mean a lot to her, and I am willing…to tolerate you, if you bring her so much happiness."

Leah wiped her mouth, her eyes blinking in shock. "Well…thanks, I guess. Uh, you're forgiven. Water under the bridge," she said slowly, not sure what to say to the unexpected sign of forced politeness from Violet's sister. Rosalie gave her something that should have been a smile, but looked more like a grimace.

"Violet…her and I have had a very…difficult relationship, these last twenty years. But we've always been best friends, from the beginning. When I…when I came into this family, I hated my entire existence. I had to give up my entire life, and I was angry at everyone and everything. But she was patient with me, she helped me find my footing. She even…she welcomed Emmett in with open arms, even though I could tell she was…apprehensive about him. We've…both of us have been through similar things, and I'm not sure how much she's told you…"

"She's told me everything. Like, everything everything."

"Okay, so you obviously…have some idea of what I'm talking about. Well, anyway, Vi's always had a much bigger heart than I ever did. I know…I know if she sees something in you, then you can't possibly be as bad as I thought," Rosalie said quietly.

Leah's face softened, and she set down the rest of the burrito on her plate as she looked at the blonde woman in front of her. "I…I'm glad," she replied. "She…You mean a lot to her, all of you do."

"I've…held a lot of anger towards her, since our falling out. When I look back, I know why I was angry…but now, it just feels like a waste. It feels stupid to continue to give her the cold shoulder when she's done nothing but repent for what she did."

"Maybe…maybe you should tell her that," Leah offered. "She has…a lot of guilt, about a lot of things. It might make her feel a little better if you tell her this yourself."

Rosalie searched her face skeptically, unsure of whether or not Leah was trying to set her up to embarrass herself or was trying to be an asshole. But all she saw was a slightly hesitant woman sitting at the kitchen island, not knowing if she was stepping over some invisible line. "When I saw you…when I saw you attack that…mongrel from the other pack, the way you leaped to our defense against people you probably at least cared about a little bit at some point, that's when I knew. If you were willing to kill someone for her, then you clearly had some kind of bond I didn't understand. That I don't understand."

"Imprinting… we don't get to choose who it happens to. You'd be willing to step in front of a moving train if it meant protecting them. My ex-fiancé, Sam, before we officially broke up…he imprinted on my cousin."

"Ouch."

"Tell me about it. And at the time, I was…I didn't understand how he could do that to me, how he could leave me behind for someone who used to be my best friend. But now I get it. If Violet asked me to give up everything, I would do it and I wouldn't even think about it. I didn't choose her, that's true. But I'm so happy that fate or magic or whatever it is, brought me to her."

Rosalie looked at her with narrowed eyes, but any malice on her face was replaced with curiosity. "But don't you…Don't you wish you had a choice? That you had a different life than the one you have now? That you could have found someone on your own, like…like a normal human?" she asked quietly.

Leah's mouth quirked, and she thought about the blonde's words. Even when her hatred for Sam was at its peak, when her will to live was practically nonexistent and she hated the imprint for taking him away, the wish to find true love…the desire to be someone's soulmate, it had never gone away.

"When I met Violet…in a few seconds, all my pain, all the rage I had in me…it slipped away. The resentment, the feelings of worthlessness, all of it became completely unimportant. Because… because she existed. Even before I imprinted, I would have given up everything just to feel this. And now, I do. So no, I don't wish I found someone on my own, because it would have never been this," Leah explained, a small smile on her face as she thought about Violet and all of the amazing things she loved about her.

Rosalie leaned against the island, her bright red fingernails clicking against the marble surface. "Well…who am I to argue with that?" she said sardonically, a more natural smile appearing on her face. But just as quickly as it had come, a scowl phased over her features.

"But I do want to let you know, if you hurt her. And I mean, you do or say anything that upsets her in any way, you abuse her trust or you take advantage of her, I will fucking slaughter you. I will rip you apart faster than you can turn into a wolf, do you understand? And I will take great joy in doing it. I've killed before, and I'll do it again."

"I'd expect nothing less."

Rosalie grinned at her, a little more meaningfully this time, and spun on her heel as she walked away.

"I don't know if I'm happy for you, or seriously disturbed," Emmett said dramatically, looking over the furniture around the store skeptically. "I feel like a million other people should be here with you right now, and none of those people are me."

"Emmett, please grow up and help me. I haven't bought something like this in…well, forever," Violet replied with exasperation. Emmett's large hand clasped around her tiny shoulder lovingly as they strolled through the furniture store, his boyish grin forcing her to roll her eyes at him fondly. "Hey, you asked me to come with you. What'd you expect? I feel like I have to make, like, ten jokes just to get through this day," he laughed. Violet swatted at him, her nose scrunched up in annoyance. "Emmett!"

"Okay, okay. I promise I won't make a joke about how you brought me to a furniture store to pick out a bed, because you know how often Rose and I go through them. I won't."

"Emmett."

"Alright, one down. Nine jokes to go."

A balding, round man came up to the both of them with a wide smile, a nametag on his checkered shirt as he looked them both up and down. "Welcome to The Warehouse, have you ever been here before?" he welcomed. Violet shook her head, but Emmett nodded eagerly. "We're looking for a bed that won't break," he stated, a wry smirk on his face. Violet elbowed him harshly in the side, her eyes wide as she glared at him. The man's smile fell of his face as his cheeks turned bright red, and he roughly adjusted his tie as he tried to school his features. "I'm so sorry about him, sir. But I am looking for a bed."

"…Of the sturdier variety."

"Emmett!"

"What?! I'm just being honest!"

The man looked between the both of them, a bead of sweat forming at his hairline as he forced a smile. "Well, we do have a wonderful selection of bed frames, and we also offer bedroom sets that include dressers, nightstands, and other fundamentals. Do you have a color in mind, or a style?" he asked.

Violet looked over at Emmett, her eyes wide in distress. She hadn't been in a bed in at least sixty years, and it's been even longer since she slept. She had no idea what to look for, but luckily, Emmett patted her reassuringly. "She's looking for a king with a headboard and a footboard, and something that doesn't squeak a lot that has a durable build. Price and color aren't an issue," he told the salesman confidently.

The salesman turned around as they followed him, his collar damp as he made his way through the store. "We have some amazing options for you, that meet your, uh, specific needs. I want to show you this beautiful metal frame, first. It has really elegant curved crowns around the headboard and footboard, some gorgeous floral motifs that really stand out against some of our other beds. It's a customer favorite," the man explained, pointing at a rose gold bed frame.

Emmett came up to it, and with a hand against the metal, rocked it back and forth. "This won't work," he stated, his voice leaving little room for negotiation. "What else do you have?"

The man's smile tightened slightly, and he brought them to another bed frame a few feet away. This one was grey with a huge headboard, and Violet looked at its impressive size. "It's…really big," she said bluntly. The salesman grinned at her, his eyes narrowing faux-playfully. "It's a really great size for you and your husband, here. This is also a well-loved frame for couples, that have…specific tastes," he said lowly. Violet blanched at him, her eyes wide as she let out a quick laugh.

"Um…I'm so sorry, what?" she asked in bewilderment. "He…This isn't my husband. He's my brother."

The man's eyes blinked nervously, his smile falling completely as he looked between them. "I…I'm so sorry, I just assumed…"

"No," Emmett said with a sarcastic grin. "She just has…a rather large dog, is all. It's mammoth sized, really. She doesn't want it breaking the bed."

Violet bared her teeth at him as the man turned around in embarrassment, beckoning them to follow him once again. Emmett teased her hair much to her irritation, rubbing his colossal hand on the top of it to mess up her wavy bob. She slapped him in the arm, trying to pat down her white blonde curls as she walked in front of him.

"This one might be something worth considering. It's our Gideon King Metal Bed, it's made out of 100% metal and has some nice decorative accents. It has a more antique look, with some clamshell ornaments on the posters that really match any décor in your bedroom. What do we think?"

Violet went up to it, enjoying the style of the frame a lot more than the other two. She put a hand on the footboard and shook it back and forth, but it didn't move or squeak. "I like this one," she replied happily, nodding to the salesman. "I think this is it."

The salesman wrote down the tag number with a smile, and all of them went to the mattress portion of the store where she simply picked out the most expensive option they had. Violet didn't know if Leah had a preference for softness or firmness, but she hoped that the high price meant it was good enough quality for the she-wolf.

They went over to the sales counter to check out, and Violet paid an outlandish amount for expedited shipping. As Emmett ruminated over some living room couches nearby, Violet handed the salesman the black Amex card she rarely ever used that Carlisle had given her years ago. "So," the salesman said, his tie crooked as he let out a nervous laugh. "I'm sure your boyfriend's going to be glad that you made such a great purchase today."

"Oh," Violet replied casually. "I don't have one. This bed is just for me."

"No…no boyfriend? No…are you…"

"She's a lesbian," Emmett said, flying to her side in seconds. The man jumped back in surprise by his very sudden appearance, and Emmett smirked at the anxious man. "Sorry, dude."

Violet's mouth opened in shock, her eyes wide as she looked at her too-smug brother as his smile became a little more vicious. "…Emmett!" she exclaimed loudly. He paid her no mind as the man shakily gave Violet her receipt, bidding them a good day without meeting either of their gazes.

As they walked out of the store, Violet hit Emmett in the back several times in frustration as they walked back to his Jeep. "What are you hitting me for?! I was just telling him the truth!"

"You know what you were doing!"

"Hey, I'm just trying to be a good ally, or whatever! If that means I gotta tell a sweaty little man my sister's got a girlfriend, that's what I gotta do."

"I…Leah is not my…my girlfriend!"

"Oh sorry, she's your soulmate or imprint-thingy or whatever. Don't know how I managed to forget that."

"How does Rosalie not beat you up every single day?"

"Simple, she knows I'd like it too much."

Violet made a sound of indignation as she climbed into the passenger seat, her legs crossed angrily as she stared out the window. Emmett rubbed at her hair playfully again, and she slapped his hands quickly. "This is what you get! You…you bring your brother with you to get a bed for you and your lover. This is my revenge," he said as he chuckled.

"And what a terrible decision it was."

"You think that's terrible? I can't believe he thought you and I…blegh. No offense."

"Oh, don't worry, Emmett. I wholeheartedly agree."

"Imagine you brought Jazz with you. Or Edward. I'm starting to think you were right when you picked me," Emmett said lightly as he stepped on the gas. Violet laughed a little to herself, thinking of how much worse her trip would have been if she picked either of her other brothers.

"Well, Jasper would have terrified the poor man, and Edward would have been too busy brooding in the corner to actually help me, so maybe you're right. You weren't exactly the worst call to make," she sighed with resignation. He poked her playfully in the cheek, forcing a small smile to pass over her face as she swatted at him again. A few beats of comfortable silence settled in, and Violet looked at the trees whizzing by as Emmett fiddled with the radio.

"Y'know, Rose is apologizing to her right now," Emmett said casually, his eyes flickered between hers and the road. Violet's eyebrows drew together in confusion and looked over at him. "At who?"

"Leah, of course. Who else?"

"…Why?"

Emmett sighed, his fingers drumming against the wheel as they pulled up to a red light he was half-tempted to speed through. "You know Rose…she wasn't a big fan of her, at first. But I think she's warming to her, y'know, since its obvious she means a lot to you. So she just wanted to make sure they were on good terms."

Violet scoffed. "I didn't even think her and I were on good terms."

Emmett turned to look at her, his face uncharacteristically serious for once. "Just because shit happened between you two doesn't mean she doesn't care. Do you care any less about her? Love her any less?"

"….No."

"Exactly. These things take time, but she'll come around. She always does," he replied with a grin.

Unable to frown at her brother's contagious smile, a small grin bloomed across her face. She could only hope he was right.

A/N: Hello readers! I'm sorry for leaving this story on hold- I've said this disclaimer on one of my other Twilight stories, but I thought I would put it here, too- I'm having some creative burnout and I've been really busy with school and pre-college stuff, so I deeply apologize for my absence and I hope y'all understand. Love you all!

Love always,

Fairylight2003