Chapter 6: Defense

Rosalie sighed as she pulled up to Emmett's house, coming over to help him fix his truck that had once again broken down. Climbing out of the car, she took Maggie out of her baby carrier and walked up to the door. Knocking she was surprised when another guy answered the door instead of Emmett.

He stood about six foot one with bronze colored hair, green eyes, wearing black boots, blue jeans, a gray t-shirt with a light blue button down shirt with the buttons undone. "Can I help you?" he asked curiously.

"Um…is this Emmett Cullen's place?" she asked.

"Yeah, and you are?" he asked slowly.

"Rosalie Swan, he had asked me to come over today," she replied.

"Ah right you're Rosalie. I'm Edward his brother," he informed.

"I had no idea Emmett had a brother," she commented walking inside.

Edward laughed a little as he closed the door behind her. "Well, two brothers Jasper and me," he replied. She placed Maggie into the playpen that was set up in the living room.

"Is he here?" she asked looking around.

"Yeah outback probably still sparring with Jasper," he replied leading her into the backyard.

Rosalie followed Edward out to the backyard to find Emmett sparring with his other brother. "Come on little brother is that all you've got?" Emmett asked as he ducked another swing to his head. Jasper rolled his head as he ended up kicking Emmett in the stomach, making him stumble back. "Cheap shot," he claimed. Jasper laughed as he punched at Emmett's face again, this time the larger man grabbed a hold of his arm, throwing him on his back. Jasper kicked Emmett's leg, knocking his brother on the ground.

"Do they always do this?" she asked.

"Most of the time," Edward replied laughing.

"Who usually wins?" she asked.

"Mm tied," he replied.

Emmett rolled out of the way when Jasper tried to do an axe kick to his head, jumping back up. Getting back up, he grabbed a hold of Jasper's arm, elbowing him in the side before Jasper hooked his leg around Emmett's, knocking them both to the ground. Pinning Jasper to the ground on his front, Emmett grabbed Jasper's wrist pulling his arm backwards. "Alright, alright I give this time! I give, I give," Jasper called out. Emmett laughed, getting up from the ground, helping his brother up.

"Hey Emmett, you have company," Edward called.

Emmett wiped the sweat from his face when he saw Rosalie there. "Oh hey Rose," he greeted smiling.

"Hey…did I come at a bad time?" she asked.

"Nah it's cool," he answered smiling.

He grabbed the bottled water off the table. "I guess you met my brother, Eddie, but the brother I just once again defeated is my other brother Jazz," he informed.

"Nice to meet you Rosalie," Jasper answered smiling.

Rosalie nodded smiling a little. "You told me you needed help working on the truck so…" she started.

"Ah right, well the truck is out in the driveway like you can miss the hunk of junk. I'm just going to change real quick and then I'll meet you out there," he informed.

She nodded her head slowly watching him head inside. "So you're the Rosalie girl Emmett wouldn't shut up about," Jasper quipped. She cleared her throat, rubbing her hands together.

"Didn't realize Emmett talks about me," she commented.

"Yep you're all he's talked about since we got here," Edward answered.

"Don't worry it's a lot of bragging about how beautiful you are and we can see how he would continue bragging about it," Jasper chuckled.

Rosalie cleared her throat again nervously. "I should go out by the truck," she commented walking away.

Outside, Rosalie was standing by the truck when Emmett walked out. "You talk about me to your brothers huh?" she asked.

"Its just talking, nothing for you to worry about," he assured her with a smile.

Opening the top of the truck, they looked inside. "Why don't you just get a new truck?" she asked.

"I like this truck," he replied.

She laughed a little as they searched for the problem in the truck. "How long have you been fighting like that?" she asked.

"Since I was eight. My parents put me into the classes to spar with other kids than beating up defenseless ones at school," he replied chuckling.

"You a bully?" she asked.

"Mmm not really a bully, just an angry kid," he replied.

She stared at him quizzically. "Why?" she asked.

"I'm protective of my family. Especially my two younger brothers in there. I pick on them but when I was younger, when they were too young to defend themselves, I was the defender. The 'big protector' as I was nicknamed in school," he explained.

"So…your parents put you into the defense classes so you wouldn't beat up kids that would beat up on Edward and Jasper?" she asked.

"Yep, only used it when I was in trouble too, which was rare because even when I was a kid I was the tallest and the biggest kid than most of the kids in my class. So just walking down a hall with either Jasper or Edward would keep kids at bay," he explained.

Rosalie laughed a little as she tried one of the spark plugs. "What about you Rosie? Have any siblings?" he asked.

"Yeah, my two twin sisters, Bella and Alice," she replied.
"Twin sisters huh?" he asked.

"Oh trust me, nowhere near identical. They are the total opposite of each other it is kind of funny actually. Alice is the typical loves to shop loves to plan parties kind of girl. Bella, more introverted, she just likes to stay up in her room and read a good book," she explained.
"Well Bella sounds like Edward in there. He plays piano all day or read. Jasper he's more of a history buff, loves history but then he spars with me just for the fun of it. He isn't much of a fighter," he answered.

Rosalie smiled as they continued working on the truck together. "Emmett…could you teach me?" she asked.

"Teach you?" he asked slowly.

"Those moves you were doing. I want to be able to defend myself," she answered.

Emmett glanced at her. "If you're sure," he commented.

"I am," she answered almost immediately.

Chuckling lightly, he nodded his head slowly. "Alright I'll teach you. Come back here tomorrow and we can start," he told her. Rosalie nodded her head slowly before the started working on the truck again.

The next day, Rosalie showed up wearing sneakers, bicycle shorts, and a pale purple tank top. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail. Placing Maggie into her playpen, Rosalie went out back to stretch. "Ready?" Emmett asked walking out. Rosalie stopped and felt her heart speed up and her cheeks flushed.

He was wearing sneakers, a pair of black workout shorts, and a white wife beater. He was more built that she had expected, seeing that yesterday he was wearing a t-shirt sparring with Jasper she only saw his muscular arms. Seeing him in the wife beater made her heart skip several beats. Emmett put the cooler on the table behind him before looking at her. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah," she replied snapping out of her reverie.

Emmett smiled. "Alright," he murmured. He got her into the fight stance. "Make sure your thumbs are on the outside not the inside or you'll break them," he commented.

"I know that part," she answered.

He chuckled lightly. "The first move, throw a punch at me," he told her. She did so and he grabbed a hold of her wrist. "You grab the wrist like this and then you take your elbow, slide in and get them right in the side," he explained. He moved his hand over her side. "Aiming here it should knock the air right out of your attacker," he added. Rosalie nodded. "Then when you get a hold of their arm if you don't have enough time to do the elbowing…" he started.

He grabbed a hold of her arm and threw her onto her back. "You maneuver your weight so you can easily throw your attacker onto their back," he added.

"Alright," she answered.

Emmett helped her up from the ground with a smile.

A few routines later, the two of them ended up in a small sparring match. The sweat was starting to make Emmett's shirt stick to him so he stopped the middle of their match and took the shirt off. Rosalie's eyes widened a little more to see his muscular torso. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

Emmett grinned as he threw the first punch, she deflected his attack and tried to kick him in the side when he grabbed her leg, throwing her into her back. She tried to kick her foot out at him when he grabbed the other leg, keeping her pinned there. "Now what Rose?" he asked her, quizzing her. She took her fist and aimed at his jaw which he easily dodged without letting her legs. She struggled against his tight hold as he kept her pinned to the ground. "I taught you how, what do you do?" he asked. Rosalie felt her breathing pick up.

"Emmett get off," she told him.

She pushed against his chest. "Please get off," she insisted. Emmett let her go, getting up off the ground. She stood up immediately wrapping her arms around herself.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah…just…yeah flashbacks…scared me," she replied staring at the ground.

Emmett walked over to her, hugging her gently. "I'm sorry," he whispered. She wrapped her arms around his back, sniffling. "I'll show you again," he told her. He pulled back staring at her. "Rosie, just because your legs no longer can defend you…" he started. He reached down, holding onto her hands. "These can still protect you too," he added. He held onto her hand. "When you can't move your legs, you take the heel of your palm and thrust it upward. Even though busting the nose isn't as painful as getting in the groin, but busting their nose distracts them long enough for you to get away," he explained. She sniffled nodding her head slowly. "Come here," he whispered hugging her gently. He stroked her hair. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you," he whispered.

"I don't want to be afraid of him anymore," she answered.

"I know, I'll help you," he told her.

She rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes. She felt so safe with him. She had never felt so safe with a man like this before. "I'm here ok? I'm here, he's not here to hurt you anymore remember that," he reminded her.

"I know," she answered.

She let out a sigh. "I'm usually stronger than this," she commented. Emmett pulled back.

"Rosalie just because there is a guy standing right here, helping you, it doesn't make you a weak woman," he answered.

She pushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "You are probably the strongest woman I have ever met in my life. Hell you can probably scare the hell out of me if you wanted to," he quipped. She laughed shaking her head slowly before hugging him again.

"Thank you," she answered.

Emmett kissed the side of her head with a smile. "You are very welcome," he murmured.