The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all Twilight and the characters

Chapter 34: Emmett Comes Clean

EMPOV:

I couldn't sleep again tonight just like the many nights before hand. It all started the day was Bella was taken by Tanya. I couldn't help but blame myself for what happened to Bella. If only I hadn't been so stupid and gotten drunk that night all those years ago. Then maybe she and Edward would be happy like my Rose and I are.

"Emmett," I heard Rose say walking into the room. "What's wrong?"

"Just thinking," I answered her as she sat across my lap. "You know about Bella and everything that she and Edward have been through lately."

"You're not beating yourself up still," she asked concerned.

"No," I answered her as she snuggled herself closer to me. "Bella said she would kick my ass if I did."

"She did," she said laughing. I couldn't help but laugh along with her. "I would love to see that."

"Yep," I said as the laughter died down a little. "That would be a sight that a lot of people would love to see."

"Then what is it," she said looking straight at me. "Something's eating at you and I know it."

"Do you remember when we first got together," I said trying to put the right words together.

"Of course," she said before I could finish what I was saying. "Everyone was getting over the planning and spectacle of Edward's wedding to that bitch. You know I'll never fully understand what he saw in her."

"Nothing," I answered her honesty. "He never saw anything in her at all. In fact he only had eyes for Bella."

"Emmett McCarty Cullen," she said sitting straight up. "What did you do?"

This is what I loved most about Rose. She could always tell if I was involved in something, and I never had to tell her. I knew in my heart that I needed to do this. I had to start with someone and it had better be my Rosie.

"It was the night before Christmas break," I started telling her from the start. I needed to tell her and was afraid that I couldn't get it out fast enough. At the present time the only people who knew were our family lawyer Jenks, mom, dad, Alice, Edward, and Jasper. Hell I didn't even know if Edward had told Bella yet. "Edward and I went to a party to celebrate the end of finals. I ended up drinking too much and slept with Tanya."

"Okay," she said standing up calmly. To me that was a very bad sign, because that usually meant that she was beyond pissed. She took a deep breath and paced back and forth in front of me. "So where do Bella and Edward fit into all of this?"

"Her cousin Katie told me," I said studying Rose's body language. "Tanya and Edward had a couple of classes together. He never paid her any attention and that made her upset. She wasn't used to being rejected by guys. She couldn't get over the fact that he was always talking about Bella. She would follow him around campus. Show up at his study groups, outside his dorm room, and he just ignored her."

"Okay," she said stopping in front of me. "So how did this wedding occur?"

"She claimed that I raped her," I said hanging my head down low. "She came over here on New Year's Eve. That was the New Year's that we lost Bella the first time. When she stated that I had raped her that's when dad called Jenks in."

"You didn't," she said interrupting me.

"Of course not," I said quickly. "Never in my wildest dreams would I ever do that. I mean I was drunk, but she was drunk as well."

"Why didn't you take it to court," she questioned me.

"I didn't want to bring shame on my family," I answered her. "I'm sure that we would have won, but that's not what Tanya wanted."

"Edward," she spoke up.

"Yep," I answered her. "It was agreed upon that they would marry. There was an escape clause of one year. It broke his heart when the papers were signed. No one was to know the real reason why they were marrying. People were to think that they met and fell madly in love with one another. My family knew the truth. It wasn't until after the wedding that Kate told me what Tanya told her. I mean I feed my own brother to wolves to not shame my family. What kind of a brother does that?"

"The same kind," she said before kneeling down in front of me. She took her hands and framed my face with them so that I could look her in the eye. "The same kind of brother that marries someone he doesn't love to save his older brother. Did her parents know?"

"No," I answered her. What did I ever do to deserve to marry this beautiful woman in front of me? "They never knew the truth."

Before I could say anything else there were loud screams coming from the floor above us. I knew it was Bella right away. Edward was gone and she was the only person staying on that floor. He said that he was giving her some space. In my opinion he was just being a little chicken shit and didn't want to face her. I have no room to speak because of what I've done. I got up and went towards the door to see if I needed to go upstairs. Opening the door I saw a bronze streak run past me and up the stairs. Something told me that he made the right choice and came home. I got confirmation when mom walked by and mouthed that he was home.

"It everything okay," Rose asked as I closed the door.

"Yeah," I answered her. "Edward's up there with her now."

"He's here," she said shocked. I guess that she was as shocked as I was. "How did Bella find out? I've heard bites and pieces from everyone, but not the whole truth."

"It was New Year's Eve," I started to say as I was reliving that night.

"Emmie," I heard Bella say as she walked through the front door. She was wearing a knee length dark blue dress with flats, and had her hair in loose curls down her back. Edward would have died when he saw her in that. If only things were going to go differently tonight. She has no clue that her world was about to crumble and her heart be broken. "Happy New Year's Eve to you and you are all dressed up."

"Back at you," I replied. I didn't know how long I could keep from breaking down and telling her the truth.

"Where's Edward," she asked looking around the crowd of people.

"He's in dad's office," I told her and she headed off into that direction. Just as the door closed mom came over and placed her hand on my shoulder. "Mom, I can't do this."

"I know," she said as we watched the bitch make her way down the stairs. "Things are going to be different, and we will make it through as a family."

"Okay," I answered her defeated as Tanya walked into the office. "It's just that Bella has been a member of this family for as long as I can remember. She is the little sister that I have to protect and I not doing that right now. In a few minutes she will be gone for good and I can't help but blame myself."

"I know exactly how you feel," she said taking my hand and squeezing it. "Bella is like a daughter to me and your father and I'm going to miss our time together. This isn't going to be easy on anyone's part."

At that time dad and Alice joined us as we watched the office door. It didn't take long before the office door flung open and Bella ran out crying. She ran right past us and right out the front door. I couldn't help but feel a little piece of me die that night when she left. Just as the front door slammed closed Edward and Tanya walked out of the office. That night I didn't only lose Bella but I also lost my brother as I knew him.

"Shall we go dear," dad said taking mom's hand motioning towards the living room. "I believe that we have an announcement to make."

"Of course love," she replied to him as they walked in front of us.

"That was the last time I saw Bella," I told her as she wiped a tear from her face. "That was until this past Christmas when she brought Carly to see Santa."

"Wow," Rose said when I stopped talking. "After all this time does Bella know the truth?"

"I don't know," I answered her truthfully. "Edward has never said if he told her the truth about that night. All I know is that since she came back into our lives. It's like we have the old Edward again. The house feels like it did before the whole Tanya situation with laughter, and happiness. "

"I've noticed that Edward is different," she said as I pulled her back onto my lap. "He has so much more life in his eyes and easier to be around. Plus he isn't a moody little ass anymore as well. I'll agree with you on the whole house feeling different and in a good way."

"If only I hadn't gotten drunk that night," I said shaking my head.

"Emmett," she said sternly towards me. "You can't change the past. Yes you made a stupid mistake. Yes Edward made a stupid mistake as well. You both need to look at the outcomes that you received."

"Okay," I answered her confused. "What would those outcomes be?"

"Carly first of all," she said proud before placing both our hands on her stomach. "Secondly Bella is home and safe where she belongs. More importantly is that we have this amazing miracle that is growing as we speak."

"You're right," I said looking up at her. "It feels good to be able to tell someone else for once."

"I hope so," she replied. "You should have told me from the start. I wouldn't have been a total bitch towards your brother. It gives me even more reasons to hate Tanya."

"I'm sorry," I said wrapping my arms around her. "I know now that I should have told you from the start. You were still getting over what happened to you, and I didn't want you to relive it."

"I understand that," she told me. "You still should've told me. I'm sure that it still would have been hard, but I would have made it through. I would have done fine because I had you at my side."

"Really," I said somewhat shocked. "What's going to happen next with Bella?"

"It's going to be hard," she answered me. "She'll get through it because she has all of us to be there with her. I'm thinking that I might talk to Carlisle in the morning though."

"What for," I said worried. Was there something wrong with the baby?

"About Bella," she said trying to reassure me. "I think that it would be wise for her to go and talk to someone. I know from a personal experience. It was helpful to talk to someone who didn't know the situation."

"You might be right," I said as she started to yawn. "You my dear wife are tired. I believe that I need to get the two of you into bed."

"Very funny," she said as I stood up carrying her. "Also you might want to talk to Bella about what you told me tonight."

"Okay," I answered her knowing that she was right. "I might go with her if she decides to talk to someone. I think that will be better for the two of us."

"As long as you tell her," she said as I laid her down on the bed. "Thank you for telling me everything. I love you with all heart."

"I love you too," I said covering her up before getting into the bed. I pulled her close to me and closed my eyes. For the first time in I don't know how long my chest felt lighter.