I don't own it, I just play with it. Thanks Steph…

I wasn't sure now that I wanted to live. It didn't seem like I had much left to live for. I was going to be a vampire. I had a family. I had true love. I had friends and best friends. I had a future that I could look forward to with absolute joy. Now what did I have? It was gone. All gone. I had school, but had given up any idea of what to do with my education, knowing I wouldn't need it. I had Charlie, but I hardly knew him, and had long since let him go, knowing I wouldn't see him again once I was changed.

I don't know how long I stayed there sobbing amongst the trees. The sky had darkened, the ground I lay upon was sopping wet as the rain poured over me. I wished desperately that it would wash away this agony, but it did nothing except soak itself clear through my skin all the way to my core, making me shiver uncontrollably. I had sobbed my last tear; I had not a drop left to shed within me. Edward had kept his word, not coming after me. He no longer had that right or that responsibility.

It was nearly morning when I felt a cold hard hand on my shoulder. I started at the suddenness of it. I hadn't sensed anyone coming. Immediately I knew it was a vampire, but I didn't care who it belonged to. If it was a friend, I had nothing to fear, and nothing to say. If it was an enemy, I no longer had it in me to care. Let them kill me; I had nothing left to lose and maybe some good could come of my despair.

"Bella?" came a deep, low voice "Are you alright?" I forced a weak nod. I didn't want to scare Emmett by turning into the comatose shell of a human being I had become the time Edward left me. I could tell by his gentle voice and light touch that he was really worried and trying not to startle me.

"Come on…" he urged, lifting me effortlessly against his chest and holding me like a small child. "Let's get you back to the house." I laid my head against his shoulder weakly as he started moving, never rising above a slow human pace.

"You" I began, and was surprised at the rough hoarseness of my tiny voice. I cleared my throat in a half-hearted attempt to gain some semblance of clarity and volume. "You can't… You can't take me there. You'll have to take me home."

"Why Bells? What's wrong?" he asked, concern thick in his voice, as well as confusion. "What happened to you?"

"Edward…"

"I'll kill him." He interrupted, his voice seething with menace, danger, and the threat of violence.

"No!" I squeaked "No. Edward and I… I mean… I… I broke up with Edward."

"What?!" His movements faltered as he stood frozen in shock before noticing my concern and resuming his slow trek. "How did… When… What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now. I just want to be alone. Okay?" He looked reluctant, but nodded. "Can you just take me home?" I pleaded, weakly "Please?"

"Sure, sis." He said, cradling my head against his shoulder like a little baby "I gotcha. No worries. Just rest now…" He never moved above a human pace, and as I relaxed against him I let the rocking motion of his movements take over, lulling me into a deep and much needed sleep.

I awoke the following morning in my room. I hadn't even stirred when Emmett climbed into my window and placed me onto my bed. I cast a quick glance around to find myself alone. Whether I was thankful or disappointed, I wasn't sure. The window was closed, but not locked, and I couldn't smell the sweet, heavenly scent of vampire, so I didn't think anyone had stayed with me while I slept – the first time in a very long time. Dragging myself out of bed with a huge sigh, I grabbed my bag of toiletries and headed to the bathroom.

As the relaxing beads of water pounded and flowed their way down my body, I tried very hard not to think. Not knowing where your life is heading is a daunting thing, especially when a moment ago you thought you had it all figured out. I wished I could call someone; just call one of my friends and pour my heart out to them so they could tell me it would all be okay and help me figure out a plan. I had no one to call.

Tears began to stream down my face with the water and I sunk to the shower floor unable to breathe, the water pounding my face as a searing pain ripped its way through my chest. Tears turned to anger and I found myself thankful that Charlie was away for the weekend as I shouted at the top of my lungs "WHY, Edward?! Why did you have to do this?! Was I not ENOUGH for you?! HUH?! I HATE YOU!!!" He had taken away my friends, my family, my vampire family, my love, my future; had taken it all from me. It was irrational, I knew. He had only ever tried to love and protect me, but at that moment I hated him.

When the water had turned cold and my teeth had begun to chatter, I stepped out of the shower. I toweled off quickly, wrapping the towel around me and returning to my room. Not bothering to get dressed, I sunk down onto my bed, pulling the covers tightly around me. I thought about calling Angela, but couldn't bring myself to attempt the explanation that would be necessary. Glancing toward the end table by my bed, my eyes fell upon Wuthering Heights. I picked up the worn volume, losing myself in the familiar and comforting lines.

Hours passed like they were minutes, and it was nearly dark outside when I started at the noise of my window being thrown open. I had never bothered to get dressed, and the blankets had eventually been kicked to the floor at some point. The towel was tossed aside as soon as I had realized its dampness was the reason I wasn't able to warm up. Panicking by my nudity, I lunged for the covers on the floor.

"Hey, Bells! I ju-" came the booming voice as Emmett threw himself into my room. "Whoa! Jeez! I… uh, sorry Bells, I didn't… uh… I'll just…"

"It's okay, Emmett." I told him, thankful when I glanced up to see that he had immediately turned away. "You can turn around." I assured him. "I'm covered." My face was flushed so red it burned, but I knew he was even more embarrassed than I was. He turned around cautiously, as if something might explode at any sudden movement on his part. I blushed even further when I realized that the glimpse he had gotten would be forever burned into his memory in perfect detail. Trying to distract myself, I began to speak quickly.

"What are you doing here, Emmett?" I realized only after I had said it that it came out sounding as if he were intruding and I was irritated about it.

"Oh, sorry… I just, uh… I wanted to see if you were okay, but I'll just go. Sorry." He headed toward the window, his expression pained.

"No!" I squealed, nearly jumping from the bed in my haste to stop him before remembering that I wasn't dressed. "No." I said, taking a breath to calm myself. "You don't have to go. I was just surprised, that's all."

"Oh. Are you sure? Cause I could just…"

"No, Emmett. It's fine." I assured him, and I had finally calmed myself enough that he believed me. "Although… hmmm… would you mind stepping out for a minute?" I asked, nervously gesturing to my unclad body with a nod of my head.

"Sure, Bells." He grinned. He stepped over to the window, but turned back toward me before jumping. "By the way… nice!" he teased, waggling his eyebrows and gesturing up and down the length of my body.

"Emmett!" I squealed at him, but he was already gone. I heard his booming laughter below and I couldn't help but smile. I was embarrassed, but Emmett didn't hold onto things; that was one of the reasons I loved him so much, and I was glad that he was past the awkwardness of our encounter, even if it was at my expense.

Grabbing some jeans and a T-shirt along with socks, underwear, and a bra, I headed to the bathroom to change. As I had my 'human moment', my stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in over twenty four hours. Returning to my bedroom, I dragged a brush through my now very tangled hair as I called down to Emmett to come in. I hadn't brushed it after showering and it had dried in every tangle. Seeing my struggle, he came up behind me and took the brush, somehow managing to unravel every tangle without ever hurting me once. I looked at him with surprise at how gentle he could be and how skilled he was at this.

"What?" he asked defensively as he put the brush on my dresser "Rosalie likes me to brush her hair." I turned to face him, wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my face in his chest. He smelled like home and his cold hard body made me feel loved and whole.

"So do I." I murmured against him. "Thank you, Emmett." He wrapped his big arms around me, but didn't suffocate me in his usual bear hug. Instead, be rubbed soft circles on my back and kissed my head.

"You're welcome, Bells." He answered, sweetly "I love you, you know."

"I love you, too." I told him, lifting up on my toes and pulling him down toward me so I could kiss his cheek. He smiled brightly at the gesture before sweeping me up in his arms and carrying me to the rocking chair in the corner. Sitting down, he tucked me against his chest so that I was draped across his lap.

"Are you okay?" he asked me sweetly. I thought my heart would melt at the love and concern in his voice.

"No." I answered honestly "But I will be. At least… I think I will be."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head. "I could get Alice... or Esme…"

"Thanks, Em… but there's really nothing to say. You know how he was. I just couldn't take it anymore, so I broke up with him. It sucks and it hurts, but… I don't know, Em. It just had to be done and I did it and now I just have to figure out what's next for me and try to move on."

"You're really strong, Bella. Do you know that?"

"Thanks, Emmett. You know…." I said, suddenly smiling as I squeezed his bicep "you're pretty strong, yourself." His booming laugh filled the room and eased the pain in my heart.

"Come on." He told me, standing up from the rocker and heading toward the window. "Let's go." He jumped out the window effortlessly, cradling me against him.

"Where are we going?" I asked in confusion.

"Home." He answered quickly as he took off into the trees, running at a fast human pace, but not much more.

"What?!" I asked, shocked and panicked at his words. "I was home, Emmett… I can't go there!" my pitch and volume were increasing more and more with each word.

"Sure you can, Bella. It's your home, too." He said, coolly, not slowing his pace.

"Emmett, stop!" I ordered, surprised when he actually listened. "I broke up with Edward. You're not going to get us back together."

"I know." He replied with a shrug.

"That's his house, Emmett. It's not mine. I can't go there."

"It's his house and it's yours." He stated simply, resuming his former pace "And you are going there."

"No. I'm not." I argued.

"Yes, you are. I'm kidnapping you. You don't have a choice." He paused to smile down at me "We're having a family meeting."

PLEASE review. It keeps me going. Even if you just say LOVE IT or HATE IT. If you have time, I would like to know:

I like it because…

I don't like that…

I think it would help your writing if you…

I think it would help this story if…