Come What May

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Twilight, t is all the property of S.M…lucky girl!

Special thanks goes out to Jennifer V, for editing the original Unexpected awakenings. As this sequel takes off I will be uploading the chapters she has painstakingly repaired of all flaws, she is amazing!

(This chapter has not been beta'd…so don't judge me too harshly.)

Wow…third consistent update in a row….is this a trend?

Chapter 7

Masen's POV

This is fucking awesome!

The day is light but overcast as we pull into the large courtyard. A crowd of people stretch out from both sides of the large wooden doorway that I presume is the main doorway into the place. I can see uncle Marcus front and center, greeting mom and dad as I pull the car up beside the rest of the family's rides and I can feel Matthew practically vibrating in the backseat in his excitement. I tune everything out, slipping from the car to get some fresh air and to take a gander around.

I scan the crowd of greeters. Some faces are familiar from video chats that we have been a part of. Alec is there, he has a calm smile on his face as he listens to Marcus and dad chat. I have to wonder about what kind of guy he is, helping kill his own sister, his twin, just like Emma. I don't think that I would ever have the balls to do something like that if Emma decided to go all bat shit evil on me…not that anything like that would ever happen since she is the one that keeps me on the straight and narrow, but he must have been some sort of stand up guy if he saved my family from his own flesh and blood.

Behind the group of people talking to mom and dad, I spot a slew of new faces that I don't recognize, but I am happy to gaze at some of the beautiful women I see before me. This just keeps getting better and better. I walk away from the car, hearing Matthew greet uncle Marcus from somewhere behind me as I admire the views.

I hear so many small conversations going on behind me that it starts to annoy me. Aunt Alice is talking to some woman about designers and Jasper is talking tactics with some big guy near the castle wall. I can hear nanna Esme telling someone or other how thankful she is for their hospitality.

I am taking in the ambiance, and some of the ladies, when for some reason I notice that the conversations are quieting and soon not a sound is to be heard with the exception of the human sounds outside the walls and the calls of birds as they wheel through the air searching for bugs and whatever other crap birds like.

I glance around, feeling a sudden alarming twinge in my gut. My eyes rove and land on Emma. She's standing there, not moving an inch, with a look of pure alarm on her face. Her whole body is rigid as she stares dead ahead. I turn following her line of sight and have to stop, almost doing a double take, when I notice the set of blood red eyes staring back at her, unwavering.

The two expressions couldn't be more opposing.

Emma's eyes are panicked, terrified, and his are intent and wanting. I know what this is…it's a look I see constantly at home whenever one of the couples in my home see each other after having been apart for an extended length of time. His eyes say it all, but hers say that she is freaking out.

It is as if the whole place has turned into a diorama, all of us posed, yet unmoving. I see Emma's eyes widen and I move myself into action, blurring to her side.

"Em?" I say softly as her body slumps against mine. That small movement from her seems to set everyone else into motion. Mom and dad slipping to our sides while grandpa Carlisle and uncle Marcus begin talking lowly and swiftly with a very forlorn looking Alec.

"No, no, no, no, no…"Emma whispers against my neck as she leans her face into me searching for the comfort we always seem to bring one another. I rub her back gently trying to offer her whatever I can. I know this was not what she was expecting the moment she arrived here.

"Soul meets soul when eyes meet eyes…" I hear someone murmur, though I don't know who said it. I just feel Emma tremble beside me.

"I was finally going to get to be my own person, Mas." She whimpers. "Not to be a part of someone else…I just wanted to be free to find me." She cries softly, and though I know she doesn't mean to be hurtful, I see a moment of hurt flash across my mother's eyes and my dad's jaw tightens almost imperceptibly.

We stand there quietly and I glance across to see the anguish on the face of the vampire who has just instantly bonded with my sister. His face is awash in anguish as he watches her, even while others are trying to speak with him.

I hear bits of what they are trying to say while Emma cries softly in my ear.

"Alec…?"

"Is it true?"

"Hasn't he met her before, why didn't this happen then?"

"Stay calm…"

"Be patient…."

I can also see their words are falling on deaf ears, the only one he is watching is my sister, and for a moment his eyes flash to mine and I feel for him, for them both.

I lean over to whisper in Emma's ear, trying to be quiet enough that the words will be for her ears alone.

"Maybe you are finding yourself, Em…maybe he is meant to set you free?"

Emma's POV

His eyes….his eyes can see right through me. I was chatting with uncle Marcus and my eyes drifted to the young man to his left and then my heart stuttered as his gaze shifted to my direction and suddenly locked on mine, widening. His eyes were a piercing crimson, but as they gazed at me they saw everything, nothing I valued was safe from it.

I felt the world fall away as I realized what was happening. His eyes widened in shock…or was it awe? Either way they held me with such strength that I felt trapped I had to get away. I couldn't let someone see the secret parts of me, the scared girl that I tried to keep pushed below the surface of what I permitted everyone else to see.

I heard myself whimper but aside from suddenly feeling Masen's strength beside me I wasn't aware of anything that was happening. I needed to get away…needed to build a wall around myself before I was revealed for the fraud I was, because I knew I could not keep secrets from those eyes.

I closed my eyes tightly not wanting to see, for even that one small glance had shown me so much about him. I saw sadness as if at some point he had been broken, yet there was strength and wisdom, and even a pulsing of power. I was terrified that if I saw so much I just a second, what would I see if I was actually looking?

I heard Masen's words as I mutter incoherently, trying to explain why I can't let this happen, but I hear soft words whispered in my ear.

"Maybe you are finding yourself, Em…maybe he is meant to set you free?"

Those words that he whispers into my ear as gently as a butterflies wing echo through my head and touch something deep inside my heart. I try to calm my breathing as I digest this. Is it possible? Could this man be something I have been waiting for my entire life…something I never knew I needed?

I struggle to right myself, flailing like a newborn colt who is finding its feet for the first time. My eyes open, and they swim with the vision of my twins honey colored, topaz eyes…and there I find a moment of piece and solitude. He gives me strength, or at least enough courage to glance over at the man who I only just leaned was named Alec from the conversations around us.

His eyes are wide with emotion and gazing at them a second time I feel myself drown, and this time it is not the panicked, out of control feeling, but rather the feeling of warmth surrounding me like when one steps under a sun warmed water fall, it is inviting and refreshing. Seeing me watching him, he seems to try and check his posture, stepping back half a step as if to give me space, but it's as if he is not really able to move away from me and with a flash I realize I don't want him to.

I step forward hesitantly, afraid of how he might react due to my childish display. Does he think that I wouldn't want him? I can feel my heart and soul welling within my being…of course I want him…I just don't want him to see what I think everyone sees when they look at me, a child. I want him to see me for the woman I am.

I inch forward and find him mirroring my actions until we are face to face. He is taller than I am and I like that. He watches me intently, his eyes never leaving my face. I see his arms rise slightly from his sides before they fall back. He looks as if standing still is paining him. I find myself wonder what it would be like to touch his skin, the thought is errant, but it won't leave my mind. I open my mouth to speak, but what comes out is not what I had planned.

"I am not a child." I say in a soft voice, "I won't stand for being treated as one." I add. His pupils dilate somewhat at my words.

"I will never treat you like one." He responds just as softly, his fingers curling momentarily before he snaps into action seizing my face in his hands, pressing his lips fiercely against mine, letting me taste heaven on my tongue. His lips are demanding but pliant, giving and taking and I hear him sigh against my lips.

"You are all woman."

I return his kiss with my passion doubled at his utterance because…well, yes, yes I am, and he will be the first one to know it.