Emmett was sitting in the middle of a natural clearing. An absolute look of dejection was set in stone on his face. He had ruined everything. He would salvage what he could though. He would make Bella understand that only he was to blame. Then he would offer to leave the family until Bella could face having him near.

He fully expected she would take him up on that offer. He would go alone, for even though Rosie was his mate, he knew she wouldn't forgive him easily. Hell, Rosie had yet to fully forgive Carlisle, and all the poor vamp had done was save her life.

He figured he'd face at least several years completely on his own, until Rosie missed him enough to at least visit if not stay. When Bella finally did give him leave to return to the family, he would do his best to stay out of her way. Perhaps living near them rather than with them. He knew his offer to leave should be a final one but he couldn't do that to Rosie.

He flinched when two pairs of feet came to a stop in front of him. He didn't have to look up to know it was Edward and Bella. He dropped his gaze to the forest floor in front of him. Vampires never forgot and he didn't want to ever remember the look he was certain Bella now wore.

Edward squeezed Bella's hand and let her go. She took a good long look at the miserable Emmett before she stepped forward.

Quietly she requested, "Emmett, look at me please?" He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

"Say what you need to Bella, I'll listen."

Pursing her lips, Bella thought for a moment. Then she decided to just go for it. She stepped right up to Emmett and plopped herself in his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his chest.

Emmett froze.

"I have a pretty good idea what you're thinking right now Emmett, but you are wrong. How could I blame you when you believed you were saving my life?"

Emmett still didn't move. He didn't believe what he was hearing. Bella wasn't naturally cruel, but had he hurt her so badly that she was resorting to such tactics?

"Emmy-bear, please look at me?"

Emmett again shook his head in denial.

"Emmett, do you remember those nightmares I would have the nights Edward had to go hunting?" She asked.

He nodded his head, not quite ready to speak.

She softly continued, "I let you all believe they were about the Volturi or Edward leaving, but that wasn't always true."

"You see sometimes I would have this one other nightmare. I was injured and dying. Edward was always there. He would try to stop the bleeding but it wouldn't work. He would have Carlisle on the phone with him. I could hear him tell Edward that there wasn't anything else he could do, he needed to change me. In my dream, Edward would always refuse and hold me as I died. You see Emmett, although I knew it wasn't true, a small part of me feared Edward was so set against my change that he would let me die to prevent it."

She gave him a minute for her story to sink in. Then she asked, "Emmett, you loved me enough to save me. How could I ever hate you for that?"

Emmett finally opened his eyes and looked at Bella. His eyes began to glisten when he saw her expression was one of love, not hatred.

"You really mean it Bella? If…if you don't want me around I'm prepared to leave the family until you can stand my presence."

Bella squeezed him harder. "I really mean it Emmett. I'm not mad at all. Does it hurt to know I'll never see Charlie again? Yes. But it's a price I knew I was going to pay soon anyways. And if you dare leave the family, I'll follow you."

Emmett finally brought his arms up and hugged her as he sobbed with relief. Edward came over and sat next to Emmett, putting his hand on Emmett's shoulder in a show of support. Then he said, "Bella's absolutely correct Emmett. I want to thank you for finding the discipline to change her. If there is ever anything you need from me brother, it's yours. No questions asked. Despite the reality of the situation, you believed her dying and made sure she survived. I'm forever in your debt."

The three sat there comforting each other until Bella began to squirm.

Finally, she asked, "So Sire, think you can show me what to do about this burn in my throat?"

Emmett grinned at her and said, "Hell yes Baby Vamp!"