Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters.

Chapter XII – The Show Must Go On

Rosalie POV

"I don't think this is working" no point in beating around the bush, but I surprised myself when I blurted out the words at the end of dinner. He barely blinked as he took in my words, picking up our plates as he contemplated them, turning away to go to the kitchen and putting the plates in the sink before coming back and remaining on his feet.

He can't have been surprised, for the past ten months we had hardly talked to each other throwing ourselves into work. We barely spent any time alone together, between work and everything else.

"Okay"

"What now then?" he thought about it for a few moments, sitting back down and glazing at the table and then back to me.

"We could always go and see someone...a professional"

"A shrink?"

"Yeah" we fell silent again, I stood up and went to the kitchen door stopping there and turning round to face the back of his head.

"And what if that doesn't work?" he continued looking ahead, talking to the wall opposite him.

"Then we could separate...or...get a divorce"

In the days that followed I made sure I was extra busy, leaving earlier in the mornings for work and later in the evenings as well. A barely had a second to think and that was good, I could do my job with my eyes closed but it did keep my mind from wandering and it tired my out enough that I feel asleep right away.

After my admission to Alice, she asked me a few more questions about the affair I had but she didn't push even though I knew she wanted to know who the guy was. I wouldn't tell her, it would only cement the fact that I had been an utter fool and fallen for Emmett yet again, even though it never worked for us. Two failed marriages and flings in between only proved that fact, we were doomed from the start.

"Rose?" called out Alice as I walked through the door, hanging up my jacket and putting my keys in the bowl by the door.

"Hey Alice" I replied as she walked down the hall way towards me, in leggings and a loose plain black tee, barefoot with a smile on her face.

"Home late aren't you? Planning to spend any time not working, hun?" I shrugged and kicked off my shoes, putting down my handbag after taking out my phone.

"There's a lot to do, especially with the new expansion. We've been looking at staff and possible venues"

"Any luck?"

"None so far" shaking my head, I stuck my phone on charge and we went to the kitchen. "So what's for dinner?"

"Pizza"

"Again?" I said, in the past week and a half, we had eaten take-out food pretty much every day, it was getting dull really quickly. As my response, my flat mate put her hands on her hips and grunted at me.

"Yes, maybe if someone was home before nine we could eat some decent food"

"Not my fault you can't cook" I responded a little cattier than I needed to be.

"I have a chef for a flatmate, why do I need to know how to cook?" she smirked and I rolled my eyes, whilst she opened the pizza box and put a few slices on two plates sitting on the counter top next to her.

"Brat" I smiled.

"Bitch" she grinned.

"Spoiled rich kid"

"Hot head"

"Dependent child" after that she quirked an eyebrow and we burst into laughter, our cheeks hurting as we eventually stopped laughing, the food now almost cold at this point, because we would nearly stop laughing only to look at each other and laugh just as hard if not more.

"It really isn't my fault, I really can't cook"

"I know. How about tomorrow I cook, properly and we can have a girlie night. Chick flicks and all the other shit"

"Sure" she smiled again and handed me a plate, before taking her own and going back to the living room, following her we sat on the couch and channel hopped whilst eating. When there was an ad break, Alice put her plate on the coffee table and looked at me, her expression was thoughtful and I gave her a sideways glance, raising one eyebrow.

"What's on your mind Al?"

"Are you okay?"

"No" I replied truthfully. "But I will be"

"Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head and thankfully she dropped the subject, dropping her eyes and falling quiet.

"Sign here...initial here" I signed where the solicitor said to, he flipped over the page and did the same again, signing my name next to Emmett's "Thank you. I will get these notarized and in a few days your divorce will be official"

"Thanks Jackson" said Emmett, all three of us standing and walking to the door of the office. When we were outside, we turned to face each other.

"Is that it?" I asked and he nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"On our part it is...so this is it, I guess" there was an awkward silence.

"Well I have to go"

"Really?" he raised his eyebrows.

"I have an job interview"

"Good luck"

"Thanks" I hailed a cab, and hopped in watching in the driver side mirror as Emmett stood there, watching me drive away, getting smaller and smaller.

The next morning there was a letter addressed to me by the front door, it was a brown manila envelope with a stamp on the front. Curious, I opened the letter to find very official letter inside, reading through it quickly it dawned on me that I was now n0o longer legally married to Emmett Cullen. At least that's what the letter stated.

Emmett POV

"Yes Mike, I have the paperwork in front of me now" I was lying, I was at that moment sitting on my couch back home, watching a fight and drinking a beer whilst Tanya was out running some errands.

"You'll get it to me tomorrow?"

"Of course, when have I ever disappointed you? Actually don't answer that" I took another gulp of beer, repressing a groan as my guy took a hit to jaw and fell, shaking my head instead.

"Just have it done, Em"

"Chill, Mikey you'll get it" hanging up before he could chew my ass some more, I let out a sigh turning my attention away from the fight as I put the home phone back and checked my cell.

Nothing. The messages were from Mike and Tanya about either work or further wedding preparations, nothing else. With another sigh, I dropped the cell letting fall onto the sofa cushion, as I stood and went to the kitchen when I saw the letter by the door.

It was a brown A4 envelope that looked serious, with my name printed on the front so going over and picking it up, I ripped it open and pulled out official looking papers. Scanning the letter, I slumped my shoulders and pressed my lips together then dropping the letter onto the kitchen counter top as I went to get another beer.

After reading the letter, I wasn't in the mood for the fight so switching off my television I got out the paper work and spent the rest of my afternoon off finishing off my work for the next day.

When Tanya came back, with a large file tucked under one, I fully immersed in my work. As she walked in, I did look up and smiled as she did the same going to the kitchen counter top and putting down her handbag and file, when she saw the letter.

"Emmett, what's this?" looking up, I saw the direction her eyes were looking in as she picked up the letter, scrambling to her feet I walked over to her.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it!" but she had already read the first few lines and a frown tugged down the corners of her lips, scrunching her brow at the centre.

"Divorce papers?" she asked, even though she knew that what they were. "You...you never told me you were married...to...to" she looked back at me, dropping the paper and putting a hand to her mouth as she saw the other name and gasped. "Rosalie Hale?...Rosalie"

"Tanya, it was years ago and it was over before I even met you" she looked down at the papers and then turned around to go to the fridge and get out a bottle of water, her shoulders tense as she kept her back to me.

"But this is dated recently, you only just got a divorce when we've been engaged for what six months?" her voice rose and she, dropped her hand from her mouth and shook her head. "You were married to Rosalie, the Rosalie who catered my party, who is going into business with my mom and who had been your sister's best friend since school"

"Yes"

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Of course, I was!" she shook her head, slamming her hand down on the counter top angrily.

"You're so full of shit!"

"Tanya" I pleaded but she refused to look at me.

"When were you going to tell me? Before we got married, on our honeymoon? When?" her voice rose almost hysterically, spinning round her eyes glaring at me. I took a step towards her, but she took a step back so she the backs of her legs touched the side of the counter top. "Don't come any closer!"

"Tanya, it's all over. I promise you that, the divorce is proof of that please don't be upset with me"

"I am so beyond that, even though you got the divorce, for some reason you were still married when we got together and...oh fuck, even when you asked me to marry you" she put her hands to her temples, rubbing at them as she shook her head her voice rising. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know!" we both paused for a second, I ran both of my hands through my hair as she started to pace, biting the pad of her thumb as she did so. "I don't know, what was going through your mind!"

I didn't have anything to say, because it wasn't right. I just kept fucking up.

"I'm sorry" how many times had I said that recently? Taking a few deep breaths, she took a step forwards and with some effort I stayed where I was standing. She gave me a curt nod, walking past me grabbing her bag and wordlessly leaving.

Groaning and covering my face with my hands and feeling like an utter dickhead, I went back to the couch and plopped myself back down, still covering my face with my hands desolately.

Half an hour later and I didn't think that she was coming back home anytime soon, so going back to the kitchen I rummaged around for some dinner. Settling on a ready meal lasagne, I popped the top and shoved it in the microwave turning round and seeing the file Tanya had left on the kitchen top. Whilst my food was cooking, I picked up the file and walked to the study that was her area, as I picked up the file something slid out. I didn't notice the magazine slip out and fall onto the tiled floor until I came back.

Seeing the magazine, it surprised me how much celebrity gossip Tanya caught up on, especially for such a smart woman. She worked in the lab at the company I worked for that was how we initially met each other, about a year and a half ago when I first got the job. She spewed out loads big words that I hardly understood when she was working but give her one of those gossip rags or get her in front of E! News and her IQ dropped almost instantaneously.

I avoided looking inside, not because I cared much for the gossip but because I didn't want to see another photo of Rosalie and Robert. It just reminded me of how much of a screw up I was. However, it seemed like someone really hated me because their picture was on the front cover.

It was outside of her restaurant and they were hugging, both of them holding each other tightly as he kissed her cheek. The caption read 'Robert Walsh and mystery blonde on date' a page number underneath, promising to spill the beans on their relationship. Sighing and putting the magazine down, so the cover was facing down and the picture was out of my sight though I had seen enough. I had no right to, but I felt jealousy coursing through my veins as I thought of them two together.

It was ridiculous, since leaving New York and coming back home there was this feeling I had that something was...off. I was perfectly happy over a month ago, before I went to New York and saw Rosalie for the first time in two years.

Maybe that wasn't right, maybe I was just perfectly in denial until I saw her again and all of those old feeling resurfaced. Fuck, I sounded like such a girl.

Either way I couldn't deny it, not that helped my situation. Rosalie wanted nothing to do with me, I had tried multiple times to call, text and email her yet as I expected I got absolutely no response whatsoever.

So here I was, two and a half months away from getting married to a woman I knew I cared about but was still confused about. Then there was my ex-wife, who I had broken up and made up with countless times, whom I would always care about as she had been my first love, my high school sweetheart.

God, I sounded mushy.

Another couple of hours later and Tanya still hadn't come home, so whipping out my phone I called her but it went straight to voicemail, leaving a brief message in the vain attempt that she would listen to it. Then I rang up Bree, luckily she answered after only a couple of rings.

"Hello Emmett!" she answered enthusiastically, there was a low buzz of activity in the back ground, like that of a restaurant.

"Hi Bree, can I ask you something?"

"Sure darling, go ahead" someone was trying to talk to her, but she ignored whoever it was listening to me.

"Have you heard from Tanya today? Only it's late and her phone is off"

"No I haven't, but I'll let you know if I hear from her"

"Thanks Bree"

"You're welcome dear, bye"

"Bye" hanging up, I tried calling Tanya again but it went right to her voicemail. This time I just hung up instead of leaving a message, what was the point?

~X~X~X~X~X~

Hearing the front door slam shut, I jolted away having fallen asleep on the couch. Sitting up and looking to the door I saw Tanya, with her hand dropping form the handle and a tight lipped expression.

"Hey I thought you'd never come back"

"I thought about it" she responded frankly, walking past me and into the bedroom. Jumping to my feet I followed her and then she went to the wardrobe and pulled out her suitcase putting it on the bed and opening it.

"What are you doing?"

"I need some time, to think about...about us"

"Just stay, talk to me. We can figure this out" she shook her head and went back to the wardrobe starting to pack her clothes.

"No, I can't. I need to be away from...all of this" she waved her hands around the room, I of course knew that she meant that she really needed to get away from me.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I'm going to stay with Kate for a while"

"Okay" stupidly that was all I think of to say to her. It took her less than half an hour to pack her things in the small suitcase and then she was gone again, barely looking at me as she left.

Rosalie POV

Walking into the living room, I saw Alice on the home phone she looked concerned with a frown on her face and her forehead all scrunched up. Looking up as I walked in she lowered her voice not that she was talking a lot, she mainly made sounds of agreement rather than anything else.

When she put the phone down she looked up at me and smiled, standing up and walking with me to the kitchen.

"Who was that?"

"Just Emmett"

"Oh...is he alright? You didn't look too happy" she frowned for a second before composing her features and shaking her head as I popped the coffee maker on.

"Nah, he and Tanya had a little fight is all. Nothing they can't sort out"

"Oh"

"Anyway what about you?"

"What about me?" I said oblivious to what she was talking about.

"I've seen the pictures of you and Rob, getting kinda close aren't you?" she suggestively waggled her eyebrows, to put emphasis on her point and I shook my head and slapped her shoulder playfully.

"We. Are. Friends"

"The pictures tell a different story, Rose" shaking my head again I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms.

"Well that's the paparazzi for you"

"Oh please, you are great together"

"If you say so Alice" I replied, losing interest and turning around I got out two mugs ang got out the milk and sugar, as the coffee maker finished.

"You'll see that soon"

"Sure Alice. He's a nice guy, but there's nothing else there"

"And how would you know that? You've hardly given him a chance!" I shook my head and poured the coffee, making it how Alice liked and handing her the first mug before doing my own. I tried supressing a smile at that statement but failed, smirking as I lifted my mug to my lips pausing before it touched my lips as Alice scowled at me. "There's something you're not telling me"

I took a sip of my coffee, rearranging my features into a cool and indifferent expression, giving away nothing, in the vain attempt she would leave it alone. She narrowed her eyes at me and put down her mug, leaning back her eyes still on me as I looked at the clock on the oven.

"I should be heading to work"

"You have an hour and a half until you need to be there, it takes you half an hour to get ready and less than half an hour to get there, you have time" damn, she knew me well.

"I...Alice, let's just say I know for a fact Rob and I will not be getting together"

"You know that how?" she arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest with a dramatic huff, that made her look like an angry kitten, I squashed the urge to laugh at her.

"Well..." sighing I shook my head, deciding to tell her. "We almost slept together"

"What?" her jaw dropped, she stared at me stunned before shaking her head and closing her mouth. "When? Where? What happened?"

"A few nights ago, he met me outside Eleven Madison and we went for a drink" she soaking it all up, her eyes wide, smiling at her reaction I continued. "We...we had more than just one drink and we ended up at his apartment, things...progressed but it just didn't work"

"What did you mean?" by no standards was I easily embarrassed, but the situation with Robert was awkward and I felt like I was making fun of him by telling Alice about what almost happened that night.

"It was awkward...you know? It didn't feel right, like I was kissing a brother or family member"

"Oh...right, well that wasn't such a great math on my part, was it?"

"Yeah, but I met him before the launch party" I blurted out forgetting that I hadn't told Alice about the first impression I made on Rob, as I cried my eyes out a park bench in Rochester.

"What?" she said her voice, sharp and loud.

"Ooh, would you look at the time. Now I really do need to be going" putting my half-drunk mug of coffee in the sink, I went to the bathroom, closing the door and cutting off Alice in mid-sentence.

"Rose wh-"

~X~X~X~X~X~

On my free hour, I was in my office going through some paperwork when my phone started to ring, putting my pen down and looking at the screen I didn't recognise the number, but I accepted the call and out the phone to my ear.

"Hello, Rosalie Hale"

"Rosalie?" the voice was familiar.

"Yes, who is this?"

"It's Tanya" the blood left my face and that feeling of guilt I had been repressing came to the forefront of my mind.

"Hi Tanya, how are you?" I tried to keep my voice light.

"I'm fine" her tone was curt, something wasn't right.

"Okay?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you. I know about you and Emmett"

A/N: short chapter I know, but it felt right to end it here.

Thanks for reading, toodles until next time!