Okay, sweeties, so we did good, and, as promised, I'm giving you another chapter. But I know we could have done better. Come on, guys, please review. I can't make this story better if you guys don't tell me what's working and what's not. So please, please, please review. For me?

Disclaimer: yeah, yeah, yeah - I know - it's not mine.

Chapter 20 – Would You Forgive Me Love? (Rosalie's POV)

The bright light of another day broke through my curtains and slowly brought me back to life. At first, I groaned, rolling over and trying to go back to sleep. Then I remembered what I had promised myself I would do. I knew this was not going to be easy, but I knew I had to try.

Two hours later, I found myself in a simple black dress, standing outside of Emmett's house, my carriage long gone, trying to work up enough confidence to knock on the door. I couldn't help it; I was scared, scared that Emmett wouldn't want to hear my apologies or that I was too late and Royce had harmed him somehow.

You know, you could be worrying for nothing, my conscience told me.

Or my fears could be completely justified. You never know, I replied.

You're right. And you will never know unless you chalk up enough courage to knock on that door and talk to Emmett. I sighed reluctantly, but lifted my fist to the door anyway, and knocked. The butler answered the door.

"Good morning, Miss Hale," he said. I smiled, surprised he had remembered me from my last visit. "Are you here to see Mr. McCarty?"

"Yes, I am," I replied. "Is he available?"

"I will go check right away. Please come in," he said, pulling the door open wider. I stepped inside the entrance hall with a smile. He closed the door behind me and disappeared upstairs to get Emmett. I stood patiently, waiting. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering and I found myself marveling in just how beautiful Emmett's home was. I hadn't noticed it the first time I had come here, but there was just something about the whole place that made it seem so elegant, so regal, yet so comforting. It was simply perfect.

"What are you doing here, Rosalie?" The voice was harsh, and not at all what I had imagined. I spun around and found Emmett at the top of the stairs, glaring at me. I blanched at the pure hatred in his eyes, but I knew I had to do this. I took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I came to apologize to you, Emmett," I said.

"What if I don't accept?" he questioned me.

I sighed. "I suppose I would deserve that, after what I've done," I said. "I've become a monster. I'm everything you accused me of being and worse. I'm vain, I'm spoiled, I'm pompous, I'm arrogant, I'm a hypocrite, I'm… I'm just ….. I'm just a horrid person."

"True," Emmett said.

"I've done so many horrible things to you, Emmett, and you didn't deserve any of it. You've always been so selfless, so caring, and I didn't care, I was too wrapped up in me, me, me to think about anyone else," I said. "I've hurt you so badly, Emmett. You don't deserve someone like me. You deserve somebody who will love you like you should be loved, not a monster who only wants you to make her happy."

"You're right," Emmett said. "I don't deserve someone like you." As he spoke, something changed in his voice.

"Is there any way you could forgive me, Emmett?" I asked him, softly. "Even after everything that I've done?" He continued to watch me without a word, his face unreadable. "I guess I have my answer," I said softly still. I turned away, bowing my head, tears falling uncontrollably. Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrapping around me, turning me, and pulling me closer to someone.

"Of course there's a way that I could forgive you, Rosalie," Emmett whispered to me. "How could I not? Don't you realize how much you mean to me?"

"But you said you don't deserve someone like me," I mumbled.

"I don't deserve someone like you, Rose, because I don't deserve someone so perfect."

"I thought you said I was a monster and a horrid person."

"No one could ever think of you that way. I realize now that it was just part of your nature, part of who you are. When you think you care for someone, you would do anything for them. Royce just used that to his advantage."

The reality of Emmett's words settled in me as he spoke. "I guess you're right," I mumbled. "I guess I really do try hard to make the people I care for happy."

"See, Rosalie, you are perfect. I don't deserve somebody who would do anything to make me happy."

I looked up at him. "Don't say that, Emmett. You do deserve someone who would make you happy. Someone who would love you and care for you, someone who would be there when you need them and someone who wants you. Someone who…"

"Someone like you, you mean?" he interrupted me.

I hesitated. "Yes," I said finally. "Someone exactly like me."

He smiled a goofy smile. "Good," he said. "I'm glad we can agree on that much." He let go of me and reached down to take my hand. He led me into the sitting room and over to the loveseat. He waited until I was sitting comfortably before sitting down himself, angling his body so he faced me. I turned myself to face him. He reached out across the space between us and took my hands in his. Suddenly, he let go of one of my hands and reached towards my throat. His fingers gently lifted a small, glass-spun rose away from my collar bone. "Is this…?"

"Yes, it's the necklace you gave me," I answered.

"Royce didn't make you get rid of it?"

"Royce never realized what it really was. He never asked, so I never told him."

"You still wore it, even when you were engaged to him?" I nodded. "Why?"

"As much as I knew I shouldn't, I think some deeper part of my mind that I hadn't really accepted yet wanted me to hold on to whatever parts of our relationship I could under the circumstances."

"So where does the necklace fit in to this?"

"I figured that since the chain was long enough to hide the rose under my dress, I could wear it without Royce noticing. It kept you close to me and made me feel better." Emmett laughed. "What's so funny?" I demanded.

"You," Emmett said through laughter. "You went through all these motions to try and keep me close, even when fate was pulling you away, and yet you never realized why you were doing this?"

"No," I said. "Enlighten me."

Emmett's face fell. "What does it matter?" he murmured to himself. "We're still being kept apart. Nothing's changed. Why bother causing unnecessary pain?"

"What are you talking about, Emmett?"

Emmett stood up and started pacing back and forth in front of where I sat. "You're still marrying Royce. It doesn't matter whether you realize why you acted the way you did. It won't change anything and it will just hurt both of us even more."

"I have no idea what you are talking about except for one little thing, and I also know that when it comes to that one thing, you're wrong."

"What are you trying to say, Rosalie?"

"The only part of that I understood was the part about me marrying Royce," I said. "But you're wrong. I'm not marrying Royce."

Emmett stopped short and stared at me. "I thought that marrying Royce was what you wanted. I thought you were happy that you were going to become a King. I thought you loved him."

"Once upon a time, it was. But things have changed. Royce isn't what I want anymore."

"So what do you want?"

I stood up slowly and looked Emmett in the eyes. "You," I said without breaking eye contact. "Emmett, I… I love you. I've loved you since we met at the Cullens' party and I will always love you."

For what felt like an eternity, Emmett and I just stood there, staring into each others' eyes. Finally, Emmett closed the space between us, wrapping me in his arms once more. "I love you too, Rosalie," he whispered. "I've loved you ever since that night. I've met countless girls in that ballroom, but none of them have ever had this kind of affect on me."

"It's the same thing for me," I whispered back. "I've met so, so many gentlemen through Carlisle and Esme, but none of them have ever mattered to me, except for you."

"I'm glad," Emmett said, pulling me closer. I leaned my head against his chest and sighed, feeling lighter and happier than I had in weeks. I felt Emmett lean down and felt his lips on the top of my head. I sighed again. A small part of my brain told me I should go home, before my parents started to worry. A larger part of my brain told me to stay, stay and enjoy being with Emmett, to enjoy what it felt like to love and to be loved in return.

So I did.

Ah. Love is so sweet. Aren't you happy that things are finally working out between Rosalie and Emmett? I am. But the trials aren't over yet. These two lovers still need to overcome one more challenge. For that, my dears, you need to keep reading. Until then.

xoxoxoxoxo, TwilightTeen212