The First
Rosalie was brooding again. She stood at the window of their room and looked out at the early dawn with what would have been tears in her eyes if she was human. Her arms were folded across her chest as though to comfort or protect herself.
Emmett watched her with concern. Normally he would attempt to pull her back to him either through joking or sex, but he sensed that this time was more serious. The vote on Bella's mortality a few hours previously was taking quite a toll on her. He pursed his lips thoughtfully before going over to her and putting his arms around her, crossing his over hers, cradling her gently.
They stood that way for a while before Rosalie stirred in his arms and turned around to face him. Her voice was earnest. "I need to ask you to forgive me, Em."
His eyes searched her face and saw how uncharacteristically drawn it was. "For what, Rose?"
She shook her head. "I had no problem voting 'no' for Bella to be changed. But, Em, it's my fault you were transformed. Not only didn't I fight it, I brought you to Carlisle to be changed. I didn't try to stop it for you." She looked into his eyes. "I'm so sorry…"
Emmett grasped her arms firmly and looked into her eyes. "Rose, you have nothing you need to apologize for… not to me. If you had told me that I would go to hell for three days and come back with a better, stronger body that would be immortal, I would have said, 'Hell, yeah!' for myself. If you had added that I would get to spend that eternity with you I would have known that three days in hell was nothing compared to the heaven I've been living since. Even though you look like one, I know you're no angel, Rosie, but you are so much more fun than an angel would have been. Don't you worry your beautiful head about not leaving me to die."
"But, Emmett…" her thoughts ranged on to point out his error. "We could have had so much more if things had been different and we had stayed human…"
Emmett put his hands on her upper arms and shook her slightly as he shook his head at her. "I know where this is going, Rose, and we've been there. We would not have had anything with each other, honey… Not that I wouldn't have noticed you; you would always have been a looker anywhere. But that would have been the end of it and you know it. You would have married early if that creep and his friends hadn't murdered you and you would not have been married to me. We wouldn't even have met. I got the better part of this whole deal, Rose, and I will never regret it."
He saw that her chain of personal blame hadn't run out yet and a small smile played at the edge of his lips as, indeed, Rosalie went on to her next issue.
She played with the collar of his shirt, not meeting his eyes as she said, "Emmett… sweetheart… you can't even say you were the first man to have sex with me." She raised her eyes to his, looking agonized and adding softly, "I'm so sorry about that, Em…."
Emmett brushed his lips against hers. "Rose, I know who I am." Again he looked into her tormented gold eyes. "I am the first man who made love to you… the only man who will ever make love to you. That makes me the luckiest man in the world… and I get to be that man for all time." He held her tightly and kissed her with all the love in his soul.
Rosalie opened her eyes and regarded her husband with wonder. "Oh, Emmett! You mean that, don't you? No regrets?"
He shook his head and smiled at her. "None… and, for the record, I don't think Bella will have any regrets either."
Rosalie snuggled contentedly against him. "I guess we'll see." She raised her face for another kiss. "I'm so glad I have you…."
"It was Fate, honey." He took her hand and led her toward their bed.