Twenty Seven

ROSALIE

I stand on the street front trying to call Alice again.

"Hey I'm on the street corner outside the door," I say, "where do I go again?"

"Around the side there's an alleyway. Come up the stairs and that's the front door. You can come through the pub but Jasper is redoing the floor," she explains, "Come up. Help me sort through all of the baby clothes Mum ordered."

I hang up and turn in pursuit of the alleyway.

"Oh it's you," his voice makes me jump.

I turn back around to see Emmett standing there, arms crossed.

"Oh wow. It's so nice to see you too," I say sarcastically.

"What are you even doing here?" He glares at me.

"My best friend asked me to stop by," I say, "I didn't realise I needed your permission first."

He scoffs moving to push past me, his shoulder nudging mine.

"Well I'm going to go be reliable… I'm going to reliably place down floorboards with my friend," he says.

"Emmett," I sigh, "what I said at Alice's was out of line. But I was hurt. You… you cheated on me. You told me you loved me."

In the kitchen of Alice's I'd refused to listen to his apologies. Seeing him had surfaced so many feelings. He'd kissed me, pushing me up against a counter. But the second he pulled away I pictured that girl on top of him, I remembered how hurt her left me on the front lawn. I'd told him I needed reliable. And I shoved him away, I left and I'd dodged him ever since.

"You won't let me make it right. You won't let me apologise," he says.

"You're not entitled to that," I sneer, "you expect without respect. I don't owe you. I tried to be there for you, but you gave up on me."

"You tried to turn my grief…"

I shove him hard into the door. It jolts slightly but it's locked, so it doesn't open.

"No! I didn't do fuck to your grief!" I shout.

"Rose," he tries to shove me off but I hold my hands on his chest.

"I tried to show you that there was life beyond grief. That I could be your life beyond grief," I say, "you told me you loved me. You didn't even give me a chance to say it back. Because I do love you. I'm in love with you. But you took my fight for a future as negative, you ran away, got some other woman naked and made your friends suffer."

"You refused to take my calls," he shakes his head, "I showed up to your house. You wouldn't let me say sorry. Nothing happened with that girl. I went to lie down because I was high, she walked into the room, saw me and climbed onto me. I didn't even realise she was there. Seeing you with that guy… the thought of you with someone else kills me. You wouldn't let me…"

"I didn't want to listen to you spin more crap. You proved my doubts correct even though I fought so hard for you to not to," I pull away from him, "just stay away from me. Let me get over you. I fell so incredibly in… and now I'm trying all I can to fall out."

"Rose just stop," he grabs me around the waist as I begin to flee from him.

"Just let me go," I shove him off, "I'm serious."

"I'm sorry," he says, "for everything. For all of it. For every second of pain I caused. You're right. I can be unreliable and I want to work on that."

"It's too late," I shake my head.

"Don't say that," he takes my hand and I let him, "I love you. These weeks without you has been torture and I've been racking my brain how to just get you to look at me."

"I don't think we're meant to be," I shrug sadly, "if we were we would have figured this out after two tries."

"Maybe you're right," he nods, "but what if you're wrong? My father would have my neck if I let myself throw this away."

"I need time," I shake my head, "please give me time."

"All that you need," he nods.

I let his hand go and turn toward the direction Alice gave me. Before I turn down the side of the building I look back at him.

"Please. Just please hold on," he says, "because I'm fighting for my future and I'm not going to stop till you are part of it."

"Oh Rose. How can you not see he is crazy about you," Alice sighs folding a pink onesie, "you can't throw this aside."

She had a cute little waddle now. Her short stature mixed with the bump made for an odd combination. It was adorable.I'd missed her since she moved out last week. Bella was always at Edward's. I was lonely. I missed Emmett more than I thought I could.

"I'm crazy about him. But how can a relationship withstand this?" I sigh.

"It can't. So you need to work through it," Alice shrugs.

"Can't I just get back the sex?" I sigh, picking up a pair of baby shoes, smiling at them.

"Sure. I mean maybe sex could bring back your connection? Not that I think it ever went away. Maybe you need killer make up sex," she gasps, "like slam you against a wall sex."

"That baby is making you a horny beast," I laugh.

"Jasper doesn't seem to mind," she shrugs smirking at me, "in fact last night we went several times."

"Rub it in," I mutter.

"Just… why don't you take it day by day. Give him a chance," she suggests, "fuck him in between the rebuilding. Solidify your connection through intimacy."

"What if he hurts me again?" I ask.

"Then three strikes you're out. I'll personally escort his ass off the field," she says, "he's been through a lot. So have you. You have more in common then you think. You need to remember what makes your connection so unique. Have the late night chats and the cuddles that you built everything on before. Become stronger so when things shake you, you can stick together."

"How'd Bella get this all so easy," I sigh, "the guy we thought would bring her trouble literally worships at her feet."

"What my brother does with her feet is none of my business," Alice scrunches her nose.

"You think he's the fetish type?" I gasp.

"Stop it," she laughs, "can you go to my car? There's a whole other box of baby things. Bottles, bibs oh and I need you to help build me this stupid cradle thing. Jasper is busy in the bar. Use the bar door because it's raining outside and you'll get wet."

Sure enough she's right. It's raining. I grab her keys and follow the instructions jogging downstairs into the main section of the bar. The door is behind the bar space.

"Wow," I mutter looking around the room.

Booths lined the back and opposite walls, half the floor was ripped up, the rest of it covered in a dark wood. Pots of paint lay open on the bar bench, with tools.

"It looks incredible, Jazzy," I call out to him.

"He's at the store picking up more nails and wood glue," Emmett answers, walking toward me twirling a hammer.

I hadn't noticed him.

"Oh," I nod, "okay well, I'll be out of your hair."

His eyes follow me as I walk toward another door at the opposite end of the bar.

"You need help?" He asks.

"Alice needs me to get some baby stuff from the car. I've got it," I shake my head.

"Let me help," he puts down the hammer and begins to follow me.

"Oh I have it," I shake him off.

"Let me help," he insists walking behind the bar to where I'm standing and pushes on the door from beside me.

He's soaking into me again. He's pulling down my defences without lifting a finger.

The door leads into a kitchen, a cool room, but I follow him to an exit door. We step out into a small courtyard. A wooden table and chairs and bbq are out there. We're only just undercover from the rain. The car is parked just on the other side of the gate.

"He's really turning this place into a work and family heaven," I smile suddenly, "god she's a lucky girl."

"They both are," he nods, "to have each other."

I turn to study his face. He's looking me up and down with longing eyes.

"I… you wouldn't know yet. I changed my major," he says, "teaching. I'm also pulling together a minor league hockey team. Boys whose parents are serving. So they have an outlet. So they don't make the mistake I did. I thought on what you said in the driveway that night and while I was angry, I think it's because it was exactly what my dad would have said. That's why it hurt. That the right advice came from a different voice."

"You didn't make a mistake," I shake my head, "your father loved you."

"Not that mistake," he steps closer to me, "the one where I let this turn so sour. That I let your help turn into war. Imagine what my father would say if I let my grief for him destroy my future."

"You haven't destroyed your future," I say.

"Any future without you isn't one worth it," he shrugs, "I'm watching Jasper pull together his life with Alice, I'm watching Bella and Edward race off into the hockey sunset. I look at us and want it too. I want our love to grow. I want to travel, have kids, to fuck in illegal places."

I can't help but giggle.

"Tell me, is there a glimmer of hope?" He asks.

"I'd say there's a chance," I nod, "but it will take time."

He breathes out and turns toward the car.

"I can't say I don't miss the sex," I say.

He stops dead in his tracks turning to look back at me.

"What did you say?" He asks seriously.

Taking a step closer to him I snake my hand up his body, around his neck.

"I miss the sex," I smile.

"Why would you say that?" He groans, eyes clenched shut.

"Because if this is going to work you owe me incredible, numerous rounds of make up sex," I tease.

"Oh," a smile grows across his face.

I step back and grin at him, turning to step out into the rain. He watches me confused. I look up to check the situation with Alice's windows and am content to find there's none of concern. With no surrounding neighbouring windows I do it.

I pull off my shirt and grin at him as the water soaks me.

"Starting right now," I smile, "You better work quick because Jasper will be home soon."

He is hesitant, unsure if he should let his instinct take over. So for further persuasion I unfasten my bra, tugging it off.

"Shit," he growls.

My nipples pucker in the cool air.

"Come make it up to me in the rain," I smile wickedly, "I've heard from my horny beast of a pregnant friend sex could help us find the reason we're unique. Plus you said you would fight before. So let's do it."

He races at me grabbing me forcefully in his arms. Rain drenched his shirt, the material clinging to his tight chest as he kisses me passionately.

It's as if we can finally both breathe again.

I'd make him grovel, sure. I'm in no rush to call him 'boyfriend'. I just want to reach for him and have him reach back. To rebuild trust and love.

But I already knew what made us unique. It was our love for each other no matter how much we didn't like each other at times. No matter what we said or did we loved each other.

So why not make him grovel and have us remind ourselves each time why we are fighting for it.

Thanks for reading!