A/N: Again, feel free to hate me later. You all have no idea how many stories I have piled up that I just chose never to release. Remember, reviews feed my soul, and I appreciate every single one I get :D.

Chapter 2

1935 Gatlinburg, Tennessee

"Emmett, would you be a dear and go hunting for us? We are running out of meat," Emmett's mother said in a way that made it clear he didn't have a choice. It was that time of day again where their mother would find a reason for everyone to leave the house so she could cry in private.

Emmett almost said no. He wanted to confront his mother and father about all that had happened, about how he knew why they all had to leave the house and that she wasn't hiding anything.

A cool brush against his arm stopped him, "Come on, Emmett. Let's go." Isabelle murmured from his side.

"Yes, Mother." Emmett got up, grabbed the gun, and walked out the door without even a second glance at his mother. Sixteen year old Isabelle trailed behind him, not that anyone else could see her.

After all, ever since the day Isabelle died, she had been haunting Emmett as a ghost. Despite how scary some might find it, Emmett was happy every day he woke up to her hanging out nearby. Even now, his sister brought him comfort. She even appeared happier than when she had been alive.

"Come on Emmett, hurry! If you are quick, we might be able to get a game of tag in," Isabelle said as she danced between the nearby trees with a laugh.

"No way am I playing tag again when you always win, Bells!" Emmett complained as he jogged after his sister. "How about we play a game where you can't cheat?"

"Emmett McCarthy!" Isabelle gasped as she put a hand to her chest. "Are you accusing your own sister of cheating at tag?"

"You bet I am," Emmet confirmed with a grin. "Your entire existence is a cheat." Long ago, he would have cringed at the slip up of mentioning Isabelle's new ghostly status, but it had long become a joke between them. That was something Isabelle had taught him now that she was no longer under Father's watchful eye; regardless of what people thought, he should enjoy every minute of life. Who cared if he was viewed as wild or childish as long as he was having fun?

"Come, Emmett, this way!" Isabelle said in a hushed whisper, as if the animals would be able to hear. "I see deer up ahead! Once you get one and drag it back to Mother and Father, we can finally have some fun!" She started to run forward in the direction of the deer without another look back at her brother.

Emmett wanted nothing more than to laugh and chase after her, but obviously he knew, as a hunter, that doing so would only scare the prey away. Knowing Isabelle would come back when she noticed he wasn't following, Emmett focused on loading his gun. After all, even the smallest of sounds could alert the deer and send them running. Despite the fact that he was now technically older than his sister, he had the urge to be able to relax and play with his sister as much as Isabelle wanted to play with him.

It was only seconds later that Isabelle noticed her brother wasn't chasing after her. Letting out a grumpy huff, she turned and started floating back towards where she had left him. As her eyes landed on her brother, focused on his task at hand, she felt even happier that she managed to save him that day. He had grown up to be a fine young man, and between the two of them, he had more to give and take from life than she ever did. She didn't know if God was okay with her staying by his side as a ghost, but she was so incredibly thankful that she was able to. This was the one person, family or otherwise, that she loved with all of her heart.

Isabelle almost teased him, but instead, horror overtook her as she realized what had started lumbering up from behind him. "EMMETT!"


Rosalie's head snapped up from the deer's neck as she heard someone scream. What was that? She glanced around in confusion, licking her lips, trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. As a vampire, she should have no trouble finding the location, but the screams almost seemed to echo inside her head.

Another wordless scream, and confusion turned to a strange panic. She wasn't one to care about humans, not anymore, but something about hearing the voice's wordless screams of agony and horror set something off deep inside of Rosalie. For whatever reason, her instincts were screaming at her to find the source, protect, soothe.

The screams were constant now, broken only by sobs. It sounded so close yet so far away, but this time, instinctively Rosalie knew where to go.

She broke off at a dead sprint, pouring all of her speed into running, letting her instincts guide her. She still didn't know why, she just knew she had to get to the source. Had to protect the girl who sounded so broken and desperate.

It took only seconds for her to arrive on the scene, but those were the longest seconds of Rosalie's life. She immediately focused on the grizzly mauling a human body, and didn't even pause, didn't think about the potential broken laws, didn't have a single worry about the consequences of her actions as she launched herself through the air. She needed to protect the girl!

She landed on the bear's back, wrapping her arms around the grizzly's neck and squeezing. The bear was dead in less than a second, collapsing on the ground in a boneless heap, but Rosalie made sure it didn't fall on the human. She didn't spare the once powerful creature a second glance, rushing to the side of the barely beating heart, aware the human was dying.

However, one thing gave her pause. Even her instincts appeared confused. Rosalie had heard the screams, and known them to be female. Yet the hulking, muscled man couldn't be mistaken for a girl for a second. Strangely enough, the boy's blood didn't affect her bloodlust at all as Rosalie scented the clearing, searching for the scent of the girl whose screams Rosalie knew she had heard. But there was nothing, not even an old scent. It was as if the screams that had drawn Rosalie to this spot had simply existed in her head.

However, the owner of those screams was still there. Phantom tears streaming down her face, she stared at the red eyed blonde hovering over Emmett's body. She couldn't protect him this time, but something told her this girl, this beautiful, avenging angel could.

She didn't care what she had to do, she didn't care that the girl might not be able to hear her. All she cared about was that her brother was dying once again and she couldn't let that happen. "Save him. Please," Isabelle begged as she put her ghostly hands on her brother's chest. She wasn't sure how she was doing it, but she knew that somehow, Isabelle was keeping Emmett from dying. Whether it was her touch or the ties she had to her brother, she was putting all of her ghostly strength into keeping him alive by a hairbreadth. Yet her strength was failing, Emmett was losing too much blood, and Isabelle couldn't hold on forever.

The blonde looked down at Emmett, right through Isabelle. Yet somehow, it was clear that the angel had heard Isabelle's words...or perhaps heard the emotion behind it?

Rosalie might not have been too affected by the hulking man's blood, but she wasn't about to tempt fate and try to change him herself. Scooping him up in her arms, Rosalie started to run again. Something was telling her she had to save this man, no matter the cost. Perhaps because he reminded her of her human friend's little boy? Regardless, was prepared to get on her knees and beg Carlisle if she had to.

Somehow, Isabelle had managed to hang on, almost physically, as the blonde angel ran through the woods at an inhuman speed. Despite her fear and desperation in regards to her brother's potential demise, every time she looked at the blonde, she felt a strange sense of peace. As if, with this blonde by Isabelle's side, everything would be alright. The pull to be near her was just as strong as the need to be with her brother. She knew without a doubt in her mind that she trusted the blonde more than she trusted herself.

Isabelle didn't question how the blonde would save her brother. Didn't question why the blonde broke open the door of a large house to beg for some blond man to "turn" Emmett. She already knew, despite how injured Emmett was, despite the fact that he barely clung to life, that the moment the man bit Emmett, all would be well. Emmett was safe.

"Rosalie." Isabelle murmured the name she had learned of from the blond man, testing the name of her brother's savior on her tongue.

Despite the intense situation, despite the man laying on a bed, about to experience the worst pain in his life, Rosalie felt herself shiver. Not from the cold, but from a strange sense of arousal. What was wrong with her? The blonde glanced around, ready to glare at anyone who noticed. Thankfully, Edward and Esme were still far away, having left the second Rosalie had burst in with the heavily bleeding man. The only one around was Carlisle, and he was busy keeping an eye on the turning human.

Isabelle, unable to help herself, brushed her hand against Rosalie's cheek, reveling in the beauty of her savior. Amazingly enough, Rosalie appeared to lean into the girl's touch, only to suddenly jerk her head away and look around with clear confusion. It was as if the blonde angel really could feel Isabelle's touch, something Emmett hadn't been able to do.

Guiltily, Isabelle looked over at Emmett, unconscious on the bed. Even with the knowledge that he would survive, for her to focus so much on a stranger, savior or no, was wrong of her. Not to mention completely unlike her.

She forced herself to pull away from Rosalie, floating to Emmett's side. Strangely enough, Rosalie followed, seeming to hover right behind Isabelle's shoulder. Rosalie didn't know why she had moved, just that she had to. There was a strange anxiety growing in her chest as every second went by, and she had no idea what to do about it. All she could do was follow her equally confused instincts and hope something worked out.

Trying not to be too aware of the blonde, Isabelle reached out to brush Emmett's hair, clumped with sweat and dried blood, out of his eyes. Of course, her hand passed right through him, and she felt a pang of regret. This was all her fault; if she had stayed with him, if she had been more watchful, she would have noticed the bear sooner. She would have been able to lead Emmett away. Now, she couldn't even comfort her brother as he suffered.

More tears flooded her eyes and dripped down her cheeks, her heart aching with all that her brother had gone through. How her brother was certainly still suffering as he grimaced in unconsciousness.

Rosalie stiffened, panic setting in as she felt a strange, heartbreaking sadness, a hollow hopelessness. It wasn't her own emotions, she knew that, yet she felt them anyway. She didn't know where they were coming from, only that she needed to soothe the owner of those emotions. Yet she didn't even know where those emotions originated!

For two days, Rosalie's frustration and worry increased as she stayed by the changing man's side. For two days, she became more and more irritable, more and more protective, and more and more confused as she didn't even know what she was supposed to protect. She also became incredibly fearful, as for reasons she couldn't understand, the emotions were growing weaker. As if the owner of them was going farther away.

Eventually, it was time. The change had almost ended.

As the pain finally seemed to flicker out, Emmett McCarthy opened his eyes, locking on his sister. The strange burn in his throat seemed to fade as he realized something was happening to Isabelle. To his sister, who was fading right in front of him.

"I'm so sorry this happened, Emmett," Isabelle told her brother as she felt the last of her strength fade away. She couldn't stay here anymore, not with her brother no longer truly alive. "I love you, little brother. Be happy with your new life."

"NO!" Emmett roared, jumping up to chase his sister. Determined, no matter where he would end up, to follow his sister and keep her by his side.

Despite his determination, Isabelle faded. Emmett could feel it in his very bones, knowing the truth that his sister was gone. Forever.

Unable to handle Isabelle's sudden disappearance, two agonized screams filled the air as Rosalie and Emmett collapsed to their knees. That day, with one departure, two vampires had their hearts ripped right out of their chests.

That day, two vampires lost their whole world.