Seventeen

I spend the night pacing. I spend the next morning pacing.

I practically burn a hole in the floor. I consider going home to New York anyway and just waiting at his apartment for him. I consider calling the station and asking to chat to him. I consider asking Esme to play the 'worried mother' card, calling his boss.

Bella braids my hair, Alice keeps offering me more wine. Both of them try and keep me distracted.

Both of them fail.

I bite my fingernails, I check my phone insistently.

It's almost midnight when Esme bursts into the room, Carlisle behind her on the phone, nodding with concern.

Esme's face tells me everything.

It didn't go to plan.

"Where is he?" I stand, covering my mouth.

"He's in surgery," she pulls me in tight, "We have to go right now. Carlisle's organising a car to take us back."

"What happened?" I'm completely shellshocked.

"There was an ambush," Esme says, "he was shot twice. We don't know much more."

He promised me.

He promised me he wouldn't die.

Esme and Carlisle help me gather my things, and then they help me into the car. Carlisle drives, his hard grip on the steering wheel evidence of his quiet stress. Esme fiddles with her hands in the front passenger seat. I try to hold back tears as I watch the night surrounding us pass us by in a blur.

None of us knew enough of anything. We didn't know how badly he was hurt and how wrong things had gone. We didn't know if they'd attempted to swoop and make an arrest, we didn't know if that attempt had been successful.

Emmett's chief had been brief on the phone, telling his parents to get to the hospital. Things had taken a turn at the height of the investigation.

How could I convince him to quit his dangerous job? Could I do that? It seems controlling, but I don't care if it means he's safe.

Thoughts surround my head that make me more and more upset as we travel.

Esme reaches back, to take my hand. I didn't even realise that I had been crying.

"He'll be okay," she insists, "he's strong."

"I proposed to him," I watch her thumb trace a pattern on my hand, "now I'm worried I did it too late. I'm worried I wasted time because we were childish."

"Don't think like that, Rose," Carlisle glances back at me through his rear view mirror, "don't let your mind sift through what-ifs. You need to get to that hospital and not give up hope for a second."

I attempt it for a solid hour. Sitting in an empty waiting room on a hard chair, a coffee cup that's turned cold in my hand.

Esme and Carlisle had been pulled off by a doctor, insisting they'll be back with an update. That was an hour or so ago.

One of Emmett's colleagues who'd been hanging around brought me a coffee. He'd sat with me in silence for a bit too. But he got called away. I wasn't listening as to why.

I stand the second I notice Esme at the end of the hallway, walking toward me, tugging her cardigan around her closer.

"He's out of surgery," she says, "but he's going to take some time to recover."

"He's okay?" a wave of emotion overtakes me.

"He will be," she nods.

"What happened?" I ask.

"He went in with a bunch of back-ups, but they were ready for them. No one knows how," Esme explains, "all three of them have been detained though. Emmett made a grab for Jane, but Cassie shot him."

"I'm going to kill her," I growl out.

"Get in line," she wraps her arms around me, "I was so scared Rose. He's my baby boy."

"Me too," I choke back tears, "can I please see him? Is he awake?"

"He's not. But you can sit with him. Carlisle and I can go get us all a change of clothes," she explains, "I need to call the other kids too. Alice and Edward will be beside themselves."

She leads me, an arm wrapped around my back, to his room. A choked cry leaves me as I catch sight of him with tubes and a drip in his arm. It's confronting.

"It's okay," Esme whispers, "he's safe now."

Carlisle stands from the chair beside his son, offering it to me.

"I'll try see if a nurse can bring you something comfortable to sleep on," Carlisle says, "do you want anything? Food, tea?"

"No," I shake my head, eyes fixed on my man.

"We'll come back soon," Esme says, "we'll bring you back clothes."

"My keys are in my handbag in the car to my apartment. I'll text you the address," I explain, "my room is by the kitchen. The other one is Bella's."

"Okay," Esme nods, "love you, sweetie."

For a minute I think she's talking to Emmett. But she's talking to me.

"Love you," I smile sadly, moving closer to Emmett.

"We're proud you'll be our daughter," Carlisle wraps an arm around his wife, "you make him happy. It's all we could ever want."

I glance up at them and smile through teary eyes.

Once they've ducked out of the room, I take a seat beside him, pulling the chair closer to the bed. I take his hand with both of mine and rest my head against his arm, letting sobs wreck me.

I cry long and I cry hard.

Both terrified that he's in this situation, but thankful it's not worse.

I want to know what happened so I can kill those responsible. Those who tried to remove him from this earth before I was given a proper chance with him.

I'm unsure how long I stay that way, but eventually, I sit up and watch his restful face. There are bruises and stitches on his forehead.

"I'm so sorry baby," I whisper, leaning forward to brush my hand over his face, "please be okay. I'm not done with you. I only just got to say I love you. I did the whole time I was just stubborn and stupid. If you wake up I won't waste another second, I promise."

I watch

him but he doesn't move. He remains still and sleeping.

"I googled weddings in vegas," I whisper, "I found a place and it's beautiful. It's on the strip but it's not trashy. There's a glass ceiling. We could get married, then go and gamble in our wedding clothes."

There's comfort in speaking to him this way.

"We could honeymoon somewhere tropical," I rest my head on his shoulder, looking up at him as I speak, "somewhere private so we can be naked the whole time. You know we'd make beautiful babies."

For a moment I believe my eyes trick me. His eyelashes move. Blink and you'd miss it.

Sitting up I look at him carefully.

"Emmett?" I ask.

I contemplate calling a nurse. But I worry my mind might be playing tricks on me. I'm exhausted and emotional.

But then his hand twitches in mine harder.

"Fuck," I stand quickly and press the nurse button.

When I look back at him his eyes are flickering open. Leaning down, I take his hand, place my hand on his face.

"Don't speak. Rest baby," I hush him, "you're okay. I'm here."

He groans, gripping my hand tighter.

He's trying to say something. As a nurse rushes in, he tries to communicate with me.

I barely make it out.

"Naked," he coughs out.

"Yes," I laugh through relieved tears, "who would have thought that would have woken you up."

"He's a man," the nurse smiles at me.

"I'm so glad you're okay. Never ever scare me like that again," I move closer, brushing my fingers across his forehead, "I need you here with me, baby."

He squeezed his hand in mine, silently apologising for causing fear, but also telling me he loves me.

"I promised," he croaks out.

"I know," I nod, "you kept it. You didn't leave me."

"He's looking fine. I'll get the doctor to come by," the nurse interrupts, "buzz if you need anything."

"Thank you," I nod at her.

When she's out of the room I stand up to lean over the bed to kiss him. It's soft, sweet and packed with emotion.

"Do you remember what happened?" I whisper.

"They knew we were coming," he shakes his head, "I think after they left to come back here early… Alec must have figured out what I was doing."

"So they were ready," I say, "they shot at you?"

"Got me good too," he motions to his stomach, "I went in with backup but they hit us hard. We managed to gain control back and I even got Jane into cuffs, Alec was down too, but Cassie broke from another officer's hold and grabbed his gun. Took me out. All their guys that jumped us are in custody too."

"Can I pay Cassie a visit?" I growl out.

"We can send her pictures of the wedding," he teases, taking my hand to his mouth for a kiss, "but detective Rosalie can hang up her badge now. I'd prefer you keep away from all this."

"But you get to keep running into danger?" I challenge.

"It's my job baby," he shrugs slightly.

"I don't want to ever do this again. I thought you were gone," I motion to the hospital around us.

"I can't quit baby," he sighs, "I just have to promise I'll be cautious."

"That's not enough for me," I shake my head, "I can't panic every time my phone rings. I can't marry you and be widowed so young."

"Let's circle back to this," he reaches up to cup my cheek, "we'll figure this out. I can't lose you again. If my job has to go then I'll need to do that. You're it."

I bite back reply. Now isn't the time.

He motions for me to cuddle up beside him, and carefully I do. Basking the feeling of being in his arms, glad they weren't taken from me for good.

thanks for reading x