Emmett made sure Bella was still asleep before he slipped downstairs to catch Charlie.

Once Rosalie managed to get Bella in the house, his sister spent the rest of her night reciting Latin poetry. Charlie made sure they got her in safely before he disappeared into his room. Emmett took off Bella's shoes before Rosalie tucked her under the covers. She was asleep in seconds. Rosalie hovered by the bed for a moment, and Emmett could sense something was wrong. Rosalie sighed and told him she needed to hunt and left for Port Angeles. Rosalie rarely hunted by herself, but when she did, it was her way of telling him that she needed time alone. Emmett understood it went beyond Bella, and he sat down in the rocking chair near the window. She hadn't returned so far, but Emmett would trust that she would.

Emmett also knew he would have to apologize to Esme for his behavior. Not necessarily Carlisle, but the others didn't deserve his reaction. Emmett had always been slow to reveal anything about his personal life. Even when Emmett was at the castle, he avoided mentioning the fire or being an orphan before his fifth birthday. But Carlisle's comments held some truth. Emmett learned a lot being with the Cullens, and those types of experiences were invaluable. Emmett hadn't realized he'd stopped at the bottom of the stairs until Charlie cleared his throat from the kitchen table.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Do you have time to talk?"

"I'm the Chief. I can be as late as I want to," Charlie joked. "Come and sit."

Emmett gave him a genuine smile before he sat down.

"I just wanted-

"Hold on," Charlie interrupted. "Let me say something?"

Emmett nodded, and Charlie wrapped his hands around his coffee mug.

"You should know that I didn't take Bella in for any ulterior motive. When she landed in my backyard, she was in this weird dress and staring at the sky with tears in her eyes. There was smoke coming off her skin, and I admit I pulled my gun on her. Why wouldn't I? But then Bella looked at me, and I saw it. I saw the fear, the pain, and the grief written on her face. She was so lost, and I knew that if I ever had a daughter in a situation like that, I would hope someone would show her kindness and hospitality. But that's not my point. My point is I've always known that one day, Bella would leave. I accepted that she would inevitably find her family and go back to where she came from. But I just want you to know that Bella means the world to me. So. I'll help in any way that I can to get you guys back to your family. I just wanted you to know that I've grown to love your sister as if she were my family. I'll miss her, but her happiness comes first."

Charlie refused to look at Emmett afterward and sipped at his coffee. Emmett took a second to gather his response. He eventually settled on telling the truth.

"I was angry when I saw you at the party," Emmett said.

"Because I look like your father?"

"Charles was the only father figure that I had. There were others, but he was the one that made me feel safe. When he died, a part of me died with him, and I had to get used to a life where he wasn't in it." Emmett traced one of the scratch marks on the table. "So, when I saw you last night at the party acting as Bella's father, I got angry. Not necessarily at you, but at life in general. It wasn't fair. But then I saw you two interacting with one another. I saw how you knew what to say, what to do, and how to do it. Bella has always been an enigma and a challenge. She's hard to navigate at times, but you did it as if you'd been doing it your whole life. My anger turned to regret because how could I ever be mad at the man who saved my sister from being in this world alone? You might not see it that way, but you did. So, I guess I came down here to thank you for stepping in and keeping her safe. Bella is my heart, and to know that she is alive because of you means more to me than you think."

Emmett stood and held out his hand.

"So, if you ever need me, regardless of where I am, I will be there. I am forever in your debt," Emmett said.

Charlie rose from his chair and stepped around the table. He wrapped his arms around Emmett and patted him on the back.

"He'd be damn proud of you," Charlie whispered. "I know I would if I were him."

Emmett's vision blurred from tears that would never fall, and he hugged Charlie back. They stood there for a moment until Charlie moved away.

"I should be here by seven," Charlie said. "Just tell Bella if things change or something happens to call."

"Yes, sir."

Charlie gave him a salute before he walked out of the door. Emmett remained in the kitchen for a second, listening to the cruiser until he couldn't anymore, and he looked over his shoulder when the back door opened. Rosalie poked her head into the house. Emmett noticed that she was wearing a completely different outfit, and he frowned.

"Hey, can you come outside for a second?" she asked.

Emmett frowned and went outside to find Jasper waiting by the trees. Rosalie hovered behind Emmett, half her body turned toward the upstairs window. Emmett stopped a few feet away from Jasper.

"You here to yell at me?" Emmett asked.

"No," Jasper said. "Alice took me for a hunt before the sun rose this morning. She told me I needed to be in Port Angeles by a certain time in the alleyway between the coffee shop and the records store. Alice then handed me one of Rosalie's old dresses and sent me on my way. I went to where she told me to go and realized why she'd been so secretive and silent." Jasper shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Rosalie. Alice and I have always known that you two feed off humans. Alice saw it long before you decided to do it. We've been keeping your feeding habits a secret as long as I've been keeping the truth about you two's relationship. After last night, certain members of the coven felt like last night went wrong in so many ways, and we came here to apologize."

Esme and Alice exited the trees and hesitated near the shed. Emmett glanced at Rosalie, whose expression told him she would follow his decision. Emmett jerked his head toward the house.

Bella groaned when Emmett gently woke her. She didn't have a hangover, but she definitely regretted all the wine she had drunk. Emmett tucked hair behind her ear and left his hand on her cheek long enough for her to know he was feeling uncertain.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked, her voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

"The Cullens are downstairs. Well, most of them at least."

"What? Why?"

"They want to talk about what happened last night, and I said I needed to come and talk to you first."

Bella looked him in the eyes, searching, and she said, "You want to tell them."

"I do."

"Why?" she asked curiously.

Emmett thought about the people downstairs, about what Charlie said earlier, and he said, "Bella, I've been here since 1935, and I have been with the Cullens since 1938. Since then, they have let me exist with them, and they've treated me like I was a part of the family. Carlisle and Esme, while they haven't been perfect, have done more for me than I appreciated in the past. The truth is, I was afraid to let them in more than I already had. I had no chance to make peace with what happened before I was thrust into another life. I was suddenly an immortal creature who was so far away from home with no knowledge of what happened after I was gone. I was angry, scared, and I was lost. But I have been keeping this secret for a little over seventy years, and it isn't fair of me to keep it any longer. Especially now that you're here."

Bella sat up against her headboard and patted the space next to her. Emmett shifted and sat beside her, and Bella laid her head on his shoulder.

"I owe you a huge apology."

"You didn't do anything."

"That's my point. Seeing you last night opened old wounds that I never handled on my own, and I know it's no excuse, but there was so much happening last night. I- it felt like I'd been backed into a corner, and I reacted poorly. I shut down on you, and that wasn't fair. I was literally and figuratively drowning out my thoughts until there was nothing left to hear. And while I admit I'm curious about how you became a vampire, it never occurred to me that you could've been here far longer than I have. It wasn't fair of me to make things difficult for you just because I'm… scared. I'm so scared, Em. I've done a great job of pretending like I'm alright the last five years, but it has been hell. And now that I know you've been here for nearly seventy years? Fuck. I'm so sorry, Em. I'm sorry."

Emmett wrapped an arm around Bella and kissed the top of her head.

"We'll find them. We'll make things right," Emmett said.

"But what if they're gone? What if we're the only two left?"

"Then we're the only two left, and we'll adjust," he sighed. "But we owe it to them to try."

Bella sniffed, and she reached over to her nightstand. She removed her ring from a small box and sat back, slipping it on her finger. Emmett reached under his shirt to reveal his ring. He took it off the chain and placed it on his thumb. He held out his hand, and Bella held out hers.

"In faith and loyalty, our blood runs true," Bella said.

"And in honor and love, our bond will never falter," Emmett finished.

"You should know that you being a part of the Cullen family does not change anything. If you trust them, I trust you, and I am behind you. Always. But I do need to shower and change clothes. I feel icky."

"You smell too."

"Hey!"

"Vampire senses, remember?" he teased.

"Get out!"

Emmett went downstairs and paused when Esme got off the couch. She had his bracelet in her hand, and she seemed to take a deep breath before she walked up to him.

"You have always been an enigma," she said. "I knew from the moment we met that there was something different about you. I assumed it was because you were quiet, but that wasn't always the case, was it?"

Emmett shook his head no, and Esme nodded to herself. She held out the bracelet to him.

"This is not me asking you to come back to the coven," she said. "This is me saying that no matter what you tell us, I will always care about you. Carlisle can be stubborn. A man from his time is made up of more pride than understanding, but I have grown to love you over the years. Emmet, you've made me laugh more than most of my children, and that's a heavy feat. I've been proud of you every time you've come home with a new degree or a new hobby. Yes, I admit I want you to have the bracelet because I'm selfish and never want you to stop being my son. But whatever happens in the future, you and Rosalie will always have a place to return to. Always. I just-

Emmett hugged Esme, cutting off her rambling, and she hugged him back just as fiercely. He released her and took the bracelet, slipping it back on his wrist. Esme let out a sigh of relief, and Emmett laughed.

"Were you afraid I would turn you down?" he asked.

"I asked Alice not to tell me the response," Esme admitted. "So I was walking in blind."

Emmett grinned and threw his arm over her shoulder. He directed her back to the living room, where Rosalie flipped through an online catalog with Alice on Rosalie's phone. Jasper had one of Charlie's sports magazines in hand, and Emmett released Esme. She squeezed his arm before going over to Rosalie. Emmett noticed the necklace hidden under Rosalie's dress, and he smiled when she caught him staring. The door opened upstairs, and everyone went still. They didn't stop what they were doing, but they heard Bella coming down the stairs. Emmett snuck over to the side and crouched low. When Bella hit the last step, he jumped out and screamed at her. Bella yelped and fell forward. Her hands shot out, and she stopped centimeters before hitting the floor. Orange wisps of magic floated around her to keep her upright, and she glared at Emmett.

"That wasn't funny when we were younger, and it isn't funny now!"

"No, it's absolutely hilarious."

Bella moved her hands, and she floated back into an upright position. She turned to the Cullens, and they were each staring at her in shock. Bella scratched the back of her neck and shrugged.

"I have magic," she said. "Well, abilities. There's still a gray area on whether it's magic or not."

"She's also my sister," Emmett said.

Alice gasped and practically vibrated off of the couch.

"How is this possible?" Esme asked.

"Right, well, I guess that's the best segue into everything," Emmett sighed.

Emmett tugged Bella over to the couch and put her next to Rosalie. He sat on the opposite side and leaned forward onto his knees. Bella put her hand on his shoulder, and Emmett rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well. My birth name is Emmett McCarty, but my story is a little different. When I was four, my home caught fire. All I know is one moment I'm in the front yard playing with sticks, and the next, my Dad is running past me into the house. The fire just burned and burned and burned until there was nothing left. I was still on the ground, crying, and that's when the Queen found me. I-

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but did you say the Queen?" Alice asked. "Like of England?"

"Oh, no. No, uh, Bella and I aren't from here."

"And by here, my brother means we aren't from this realm," Bella added.

Rosalie was the only one who didn't look confused.

"I think we might need a bit more information," Alice said.

"The short of the story is I jumped into a portal to save my baby sister. Something went wrong, and I got blown away from her. I landed in Tennessee. Got attacked by a bear-

"Oh, that's how it happened," Bella muttered.

"-Rosalie saved me, and the rest, you know," Emmett said.

Not even Alice had a response to that, and Bella snorted.

"I think you broke them," she said.

"No, Rosalie had this exact reaction," Emmett sighed. "And then she disappeared for three days."

"I came back, though."

"Yes, but you didn't believe me until five years later!"

"The important thing is I believe you now," Rosalie said.

"Can we start over, please?" Esme asked.

"Yeah, like who is this Queen you're referring to?" Alice asked.

"Uh," Emmett glanced at Rosalie, who had a wicked smile on her face. "Well, that's- um-

"You should pull up the story of Snow White," Rosalie interrupted.

"I was wondering why you would say that to me," Alice sighed. "I already have it up."

Bella and Emmett both wore matching scowls as Alice pulled up the story.

"The Evil Queen, formerly known as Regina Mills, was a lowly peasant girl before she found herself married to King Leopold of the White Kingdom. King Leopold had a daughter, Snow White, known for her beauty and innocence. Something that Regina envied. When Snow turned eighteen, Regina hired the huntsman to kill Snow White and cut out Snow White's heart. The huntsman was captivated by Snow White's beauty and let her escape. He brought a pig's heart to the Queen instead. Snow White-

"Nope, no." Bella folded her arms and huffed. "First of all, our mother was not jealous of Snow White. That spoiled brat was a nuisance and a manipulative piece of shit who wore pastel dresses everywhere and spoke with this high-pitched, nasally voice."

"Sounds like you had a high opinion of her," Rosalie said.

"I know we had a moment last night, but your sarcasm is not appreciated."

"We did not have a moment," Rosalie argued.

"You almost kissed me!"

"Hold on, what?" Emmett said. "When was this?"

"When they were alone in the kitchen," Alice said. "I saw it happen, but Edward moved before I could stop him. I'm sorry."

"Wait, we were actually going to kiss?" Rosalie asked.

"And what do you mean you saw it happen?" Bella added.

Esme cleared her throat and got everyone's attention.

"Can we table that conversation until we get a handle on the one we started? For example, I would like to know how Emmett and Bella are saying they grew up with a Disney Princess and a popular Disney villain."

"That's the thing," Emmett said. "In our world, they weren't Disney characters. Disney doesn't even exist where we're from. Neither does indoor plumbing, cars, guns, and other things that you guys are used to. We were basically stuck in what you called the Middle Ages. There were kings, queens, pirates, and magic. Everything that you all see as a fairytale was the reality for us, and coming here was more than an adjustment. It was like taking a lion to the top of a mountain and pushing it from the cliff, telling it that it needed to fly if it wanted to survive."

"Vampires don't exist where we're from, but our cousin Red is a werewolf. So the idea of it isn't too far off, but they weren't a thing."

"Red? As in Red Riding Hood?" Alice asked.

"Yep. Fun fact, Red is not her real name. Her name is Ruby, and she comes from a long line of werewolves. So, technically, she is the wolf in that story."

"Uh, Jazz?" Alice asked.

"They're telling the truth," Jasper said, a frown on his face. "There is absolutely no deception in them at all."

"You should know that Emmett doesn't lie," Rosalie said dryly. "He may not tell you everything in one go, but he doesn't lie."

"I don't talk enough to lie," Bella added.

"So, you two have another sister?" Alice asked. "Or are you the one Emmett tried to save?"

Bella shifted and folded her arms.

"No, we have a younger sister named Kieran. She was thrown into a separate portal first."

"When did you get here?" Esme asked.

"Five years ago," Bella said. "I landed in Charlie's backyard, he put a gun to my head, and I explained everything. Charlie didn't believe me until I gave him proof. Then he sent me to his friend in London. I ended up spending the last three years over there, and I – well. I lived a life."

"Is that what Charlie meant last night about you and girls who wanted to eat you?" Rosalie asked.

"Okay, no. Yes? In my defense, Andrea Rojas is a-

"Pimp," Alice deadpanned. "She's a pimp."

"Escort Services Expert," Bella corrected. "And how do you even know that?"

"I used to be one of her girls," Alice said, shrugging. "Jasper and I had a thing."

"A thing?"

"A thing."

Esme looked like she wished she was anywhere else, and Rosalie stared at the side of Bella's head with an unreadable expression. Bella pretended not to notice.

"This is a lot to take in," Alice said slowly.

"Yeah, I know. When I created the Multiverse Theory, I had no idea-

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rosalie said. "What do you mean when you created the Multiverse Theory?"

"I mean, I created it? I'm the literal evidence for the existence of multiple universes that operate on a similar or identical time frame, and I theorized it with a tenured physicist and got it copyrighted."

Alice, Esme, and Jasper decided to let the conversation unfold without interrupting. Emmett looked between Rosalie and Bella in amusement.

"You created the Multiverse Theory."

"Multirealm Theory sounded odd," Bella said.

"What the actual fuck!"

"I'm not sure why you're upset with me," Bella said slowly.

"No, you just- I've been researching various theories to try and get Emmett back. I have a degree in physics, astronomy, bioengineering, mechanical engineering, and even chemistry! Yet you show up, walk up to some tenured professor, and copyright a theory I've been working to construct for decades!"

Bella hesitated, and she said, "Would it help if I told you that the professor was a friend of Charlie's? His name's Harrison Wells, and I-

"Oh my god!" Rosalie exclaimed.

"What did I do now?" Bella whined.

Emmett finally caught on, and he snorted.

"Bella, did you write a paper with this Harrison Wells guy?" he asked.

"I wrote a lot of papers with him and with another professor on the sociological expectations that vary across a person's gender and race, but I digress. Why?"

Rosalie sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, and Jasper shook his head.

"What was the most recent paper?" Emmett asked.

"It was about the possibility of an interdimensional transportation device."

"That's why she's upset. She found it a few days ago," Emmett explained.

"Oh, I see. Wait." Bella frowned at Rosalie. "How? It was purposely posted on a website meant for people to speculate on obscure scientific hypotheses and theories. Like nothing was supposed to come from it."

Rosalie shifted and said, "Well. As the site's creator, I must approve all papers and proposals. I know it was written three months ago, but someone obviously found it and sent it to my email."

Bella blinked.

"You created ?" she asked flatly.

"I was bored," Rosalie argued. "And I wanted to help Emmett get home. So, I thought if I started a dialogue and created a place for other like-minded individuals- why are you looking at me like that?"

"How is it possible for you to get even hotter?"

"You might be a little biased."

"Maybe, but that doesn't make it any less true."

"Uh, before you two have another moment, have you figured out how to make the device?" Emmett asked.

"No. Harrison kicked me out of the lab because I freed one of his monkeys, so I haven't been able to get my hands on the technology. I told him the monkey was a mother who wanted to get back to her children."

Emmett turned to Alice before she could ask and said, "Bella can talk to animals."

Alice made an 'oh' face and put her hand down.

"But the device is going to help us find Kieran! It should, at least."

"How?"

"Our powers are connected, remember? Once I build the device, I can track Kieran by her magic and use mine as the power source!"

"You can do that?" he asked warily.

"Not yet, but that's the goal."

Rosalie slipped away from the house while the others got to know Charlie better. Esme left an hour before to meet Carlisle, and Edward was hunting in Alaska. Rosalie ran as fast as she could, pushing herself until she skidded to a stop. Before her, there was nothing but an expanse of trees, and in the distance, the ocean. Rosalie didn't even need oxygen, but she felt like she could breathe.

And then she couldn't anymore.

Rosalie felt someone staring at her, and she turned. Bella materialized from the trees, literally, and stopped a few feet away. She shoved her hands into her hoodie pocket and tilted her head as she stared at Rosalie. Bella then asked the one question Rosalie wasn't sure she was ready to answer.

"What's a mate?"