Disclaimer- Hah! I wish. The ever brilliant Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all of it's characters, I am merely a rabid fan, who will feed you to man eating lizards if you don't do my bidding! Yeah, pretty sure I said PECAN SANDIES! I'm alright..really I'm fine!
Edward PoV
As soon as I saw Bella and Cecile make a safe exit, I turned my attention back to the fight at hand.
Both Jasper and I were giving all our strength trying to restrain Emmett. Allie and Alice were both trying to get Erik to walk away, but he wouldn't budge. As for Rosalie; she hadn't moved from her stance at the other side of the dance floor. He expression was unreadable, her mind blank. I couldn't even imagine what she was feeling right now.
"Let. Me. Go." Emmett said through gritted teeth, his anger showing no sign of dwindling.
I craned my neck over Emmett's massive shoulder and nodded at Jasper. Emmett wasn't going to like this, but it needed to be done. Jasper closed his eyes and focused on Emmett.
His struggling became less and less forceful, and his resistance began to weaken greatly.
"Where's Cecile" he asked, his eyes rapidly darting around the room.
"Don't worry Bella took her upstairs. If I were you though, I'd focus my attention somewhere else" I warned him, turning him around and pointedly staring at his very displeased wife.
Emmett's shoulders sagged, he looked at Jasper and I for help.
Jasper shrugged and walked over to Alice. I gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm before following Jasper.
Jasper and Alice were gathered in a corner with Esme and Carlisle.
"I don't think that some stolen clothes, and an unblessed marriage would be reason enough to get into a fistfight" Jasper said, untrustingly.
"Well that's what they all told us happened," Esme answered. "We should just believe them, and let them work it out for themselves. There's no reason we have to be involved in this mess."
Carlisle raised his eyebrows at her. "Well dear, I think we already are. And if you're forgetting, Emmett and Rosalie are in some, how shall I say it? Marital distress, thanks to Cecile. I think we should look around and ask some people, and try to figure it all out. Everyone in this ballroom almost, has crossed paths with each other, and they all love to gossip, so ask around, alright?"
We all nodded.
Cecile PoV
"Invisible," I echoed, staring at her in disbelief.
She nodded. "So," she said. "How do you think that's so?" she asked, point blank.
It's strange, the one feeling that I could always identify correctly turned out to be her reality. "I guess, I've experienced that feeling once or twice" I allowed, not meeting her eyes.
She smiled, "I thought so."
Edward PoV
I weaved my way through the now dancing couples, ignoring the curious and gossipy thoughts drifting through their minds, all I wanted was to get to Bella.
I truly sympathized with Emmett and his situation, but to me the solution was clear; Emmett's married. As in he promised to love one person forever, and never leave no matter what. That's what marriage means. At least to me that is.
"Edward!" I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sight of a very bewildered looking Audrey coming towards me.
I forced my lips into a polite smile and approached her. "Hello Audrey."
"Could you please take me to Cecile?" She asked, her voice resembling a frantic mother's.
"Of course," I gestured for her to follow me, and continued on my way to mine and Bella's suite.
I could hear the unnerving sounds of Audrey's heels clacking against the hard floor behind me, and her erratic breathing. I could tell she was quite worked up.
We passed the short walk in a complete awkward silence. Neither of us, really knowing what would be appropriate to say in this particular situation.
Finally we reached the large oak doors that led to mine and Bella's suite. Just like a gentleman should, I opened the door for Audrey and gestured for her to enter first.
I filed closely in behind, and shut the door. Cecile was perched on the bed, and Bella was curled up on one of the antique armchairs, in mid conversation. She looked up at me, with her startling crimson eyes and smiled.
I returned her smile happily. Cecile was glaring balefully up at Audrey, as if daring her to say something.
Audrey looked quite taken back, but opened her mouth to speak anyway "Cecile let's get you back to your room, you've had a bad night an-"
"And what?" Cecile challenged. "Of course I've had a bad night! What the hell were you expecting in the first place?" She fired off. "Did you honestly think, she'd be happy to see us Audrey? That she'd be happy to see me? After all we put her through, because you thought it was best? Huh?" She was now standing and leaning venomously towards Audrey, sneering in distaste.
Audrey's lip quivered, she outstretched her hand to the angry blonde in front of her, but Cecile slapped it away.
"Don't touch me," the look in Cecile's eyes, was astonishingly dark, and her mind was no better. There was so much pain, it made my own body feel hollow just watching it all float aimlessly around her head, as if it were trapped there.
"At least come back to the room Cecile, we can talk, and try to figure ourselves out," she said motherly.
Cecile looked at her in disbelief and let out a snort. She sauntered back over to the bed and plopped down. "There's no way, I'm coming back with you" she said this without looking in Audrey's direction at all, she focused her attention on the size of her cuticles instead.
Audrey turned her head away for a moment, and then gave me a pleading look.
I just shrugged. I didn't want to get caught up in all of the controversy, it seemed a little to stressful for my first 'real' vacation with Bella.
Audrey glanced once more at Cecile, before nodding, and sweeping out of the room.
Now the only question was; what were we going to do with Cecile?
"Can I stay here, guys?" She looked up at us hopefully.
I was just about to say no, when Bella cut in.
"Of course you can Cecile" she said with a comforting smile.
I looked at Bella shocked. My face clearly displaying the horror I felt. "Are you sure darling?" I looked at her deeply, trying to 'dazzle' her.
She didn't blink. "Of course I'm sure Edward, Cecile needs us."
I sighed, and gave her a nod, and loosened my bowtie. If I were human, I would have definitely needed a drink.
"Edward, come sit with us!" Bella encouraged.
I sighed, I would've loved to sit with Bella and hold her, but not with our new roommate around.
She stuck out her lower lip, and blinked her long sooty eyelashes. I am such a goner. The phrase 'if you can't beat 'em join 'em' floated through my mind before there was a knock at the door. Emmett.
'Edward looked alright tonight. Bella looked lovely too. Edward is such a gentlemen, he's really is a stand up kind of guy..'
He must want something. An even longer string of compliments began to flow before I'd even opened up the door.
"Yes Emmett?" I sighed, opening the door. I was shocked with what I found on the other side. Emmett had somehow lost his blazer, and his left sleeve was ripped off, and now hanging pathetically by a single string.
"What happened?" I asked aghast, although I had a pretty good idea.
"Rosalie."
"Ah," was all I said on the subject. It wasn't as though he didn't slightly deserve it. "So what is it that you need?"
"Well you see, Rosalie isn't very pleased with me at the moment" he said nervously, mentally continuing the praise of my shoes.
"I don't imagine she would be."
"And well.. I need a place to crash." He said it in a hurry, still looking at my shoes.
"Crash? Emmett none of need to crash. Haven't you ever noticed, that when it gets dark, you don't sleep?" I said sarcastically.
"Yeah but still, what am I supposed to do for like 10 hours?" he asked.
"Have you tried Carlisle and Esme?" I suggested hopefully, one refugee was more than enough.
"They told me to come to you," I mentally cursed my 'parents'.
"Jasper and Alice?"
"They told me to go to Carlisle and Esme," he said glumly.
I sighed, there was no one left to send him off to. "Come in then," I muttered.
"Well this is great," Emmett said from behind me. "You and Bella have always been my favorite, don't tell Alice or Jasper th-" he stopped when he saw Cecile.
She stopped mid-laugh, and looked up at him bewildered, from her perch on the bed. Bella just gawked, and looked worriedly at his sleeve.
"Emmett needs a place to 'crash'." I said, and went over to where Bella was sitting and scooped her up and sat back down with her in my lap. What the hell? I was beyond the point of caring who saw me make out with my girlfriend.
"Oh okay," Bella said, a tad flustered, at just being picked up and moved.
Emmett just sat awkwardly in the armchair opposite Bella and I. I tried to kiss Bella's neck but she swatted me away, and stared pointedly at Emmett, sitting less than two feet away.
I growled, and looked around irritably. This was going to be a long twelve hours.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Cecile asked trying to make her voice cheerful, to alleviate the massive tension in the room. She was unbearably uncomfortable, for the past five minutes she had been considering hiding under our bed.
Emmett and I said nothing, and for awhile it was silence.
"Oh I know!" Bella burst out gleefully making me smile.
"Yes?" I swooped in and kissed her cheek.
"Let's play cards!" Cards? Was she serious?
"Okay." Cecile said, perking up.
"Yeah alright," Emmett agreed pulling the small coffee table between our chairs, in front of the bed so Cecile could reach to play.
"Cecile, there's a complimentary deck in the first drawer of the night table," Bella told her. I shot her a quizzical look.
"I noticed it while getting ready?" She shrugged.
"So what are we going to play?" Cecile asked, shuffling the deck like a pro. "Poker?" Emmett suggested.
"I can't play poker," Bella said sadly, pouting.
"It's okay, be on my team, I always win," I whispered into her ear. Much to my delight, she took a shaky intake of breath.
"Hey this isn't fair!" Cecile exclaimed. "Not only does Edward have the advantage to see into our minds, but now Bella does too!"
"You just have to learn how to block him out," Emmett told her, I scowled. "Here, you can be on my team, that way we might have a better chance" he said, motioning for Cecile to sit on his chair's armrest.
"Okay," she giggled, and plopped herself down.
Bella and I exchanged nervous looks. Even though Bella considered Cecile a friend, we still had similar opinions on Emmett's behaviour, and how Rosalie was suffering.
"So who wants to deal?" Emmett asked, already his fierce competitiveness creeping into his tone.
"Ooh me!" Cecile volunteered, reaching out to grab the deck.
Bella fidgeted nervously on my lap. "Don't worry, just follow me, and keep your poker face on." I told her, nuzzling her neck.
"P-p-poker face?" She asked, stuttering, I loved that I could make her like this.
"You know? Neutral, it's very easy to learn about a person's hand of cards by their facial expression," I told her.
"Oh okay," she said looking more worried by the second.
I glanced over at Emmett and Cecile and frowned. The only word to describe whatb they were doing was, cannoodling. She had her arm on his shoulder and was laughing at something he was saying, and his arm was on behind the chair, resting behind her head. Both of them were positively glowing, I was suddenly a bit peeved with Emmett.
I heard the door open, both Bella and I looked up.
"Emmett? Emmett? We need to talk." Rosalie.
She came out of the hallway and into our room. Cecile was frozen in place, and Emmett was wearing a poker face; completely neutral, showing no emotion.
Rosalie's eyes bulged when she took in the scene. I was a little worried, I might have to hold her back, but even then, I'm not sure I would. Her mind was a mess of rage and well.. Rage.
She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them, clearly trying to gain control of herself. "What the hell?" Was all she said before she stormed out, her heels making angry banging sounds as she retreated down the marble hall.
I looked at Emmett and cocked my head towards the door.
He nodded and got up, and sprinted out the door.
Emmett PoV
My mind was a complete raging war. Each side was snapping at each other like rabid dogs. Both were insatiable. I was being pulled in two completely different directions. And even though that cutting one loose and giving myself to another would solve the trouble, I just couldn't bring myself to.
I flew down the marble stair case and out the heavy front doors, into the pitch blackness of night.
I came within sight of Rosalie quickly; she was only walking at human pace.
"Rose!" I called out, swiftly coming into stride with her.
She didn't answer, but instead chose to speed up and run.
"Come on Rose!" I yelled, chasing after her. "Please, just stop, we need to talk."
Of course Rosalie being Rosalie sped up instead. There was only one way I was going to get her to talk or at least listen to me. I crouched down, and then went off like a bullet. I shot across the front lawn and tackled her to the ground, instinctively wrapping my arms around her so she wouldn't get hurt; however impossible that could be.
Surprisingly she didn't struggle in my grasp. Her face was turned away from mine, but I could see pain on it. Her mouth was sunken and thin and her eyes were half closed. I couldn't believe I had made her feel this way.
"Rose," I whisper, pained.
She turned her face towards, and failed from concealing a strangled silent sob. "Emmett, you need to choose."