"It's only meant for one!"

Emmett stretched his fingers toward Kieran, but the portal exploded in light. He was blown one way, and Kieran was blown another.

April 11th, 1935 - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Emmett crash-landed in the woods, and he had no time to catch his breath before a bear lunged at him. He screamed as the bear tore into his body, and the last conscious thought he had was of Kieran.

Four Days Later

Emmett opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling in confusion. His body felt different. He tested his limbs and sat up on the bed, looking around. It was a plain room with gray walls and bookshelves, and Emmett shot across the room when he heard the door open. He blinked and glanced down, realizing that he'd moved several feet in less than a second.

"Hey, you're okay."

Emmett's head snapped up, and he narrowed his eyes on the blonde standing by the door. She held up her hands and smiled.

"I'm sorry that I scared you. I thought you heard me come into the room," she said.

Her voice touched something inside of him, and Emmett relaxed. The woman reminded him of someone, and he touched his chest out of reflex. But there was nothing there. Emmett panicked. It didn't even feel like he needed to breathe, but he struggled to pull air into his lungs.

"Is this what you need?"

Emmett looked up, and the blonde kneeled in front of him with a ring resting in the blonde's palm. He moved to grab it, but the blonde pulled her hand back. Emmett growled, and the blonde shook her head with a sad smile.

"You might break it," she explained. "And I can see that it means a lot to you."

Emmett scowled but accepted her judgment. He touched his throat when it began to burn, and the blonde placed the ring inside a drawer.

"You need to feed. I know a place nearby where you can hunt," she said.

Emmett tapped his fingers against his thigh in a rhythm, trying to wonder what the blonde meant by 'hunt,' and the blonde gestured to the window.

"Would you like to come with me?"

Emmett nodded, if only because he needed answers and the room was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

"Okay. Before we go, can you tell me your name?"

His lips felt stiff, but he managed to get out his name.

"Emmett," she repeated. "It's nice to officially meet you. My name is Rosalie."

"Rosalie," he repeated.

"Good." Rosalie made her way slowly to the window and paused before she opened the door. "Stay with me, okay? No matter what you smell, stay with me," she said.

Emmett nodded, and Rosalie smiled at him before opening the door. Smells hit him straight out, and he stumbled back, blinking as they overwhelmed him. A wrist appeared under his nose, and Emmett breathed in Rosalie's perfume.

"Focus," she said softly.

Emmett blocked out the rest of the scents, and Rosalie jumped out of the window. He jumped after her, the burst of speed catching him off guard. Once he found his stride, he easily kept up. Emmett followed Rosalie's perfume the entire way, but he couldn't help but feel as if he were forgetting something. Bright lights, screaming, and panicked blue-green eyes played in his mind on repeat, but it was all swept away when he smelled something stronger than Rosalie's perfume. Emmett skidded to a stop and locked on the campers drunkenly stumbling through a campsite just beyond the trees. They wore purple, white, and gold jackets with strange symbols down the arms, and they were shirtless, showing off markings inked into their skin.

"Phi Beta Beta," Rosalie whispered. "Fraternity boys with a hazing ritual that leaves them in the woods for three days straight. This group, however, went against fraternity rules."

Emmett had no idea what a fraternity was, but his attention was diverted when the boys dragged four women out of a tent. He frowned, and Rosalie gently touched his shoulder.

"Your instincts will guide you," she instructed. Emmett dropped down, and Rosalie took a step back. "Just the men," she added. "No one else."

Emmett had already crossed the tree line by the time she finished, and a new set of screams filled his ears.

1937 – Two Years Later

"Hello, Emmett. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Carlisle."

Emmett glanced at the hand stretched toward him, and he concentrated as he shook Carlisle's hand. Controlling his strength was something that Emmett understood intimately. It took little time for his memories to return, and they came in waves. But his journey as a newborn mimicked his time in the barracks with the older soldiers. Emmett knew the pressure points on a man's neck that would be the difference between being paralyzed or a slow and painful death. He knew how hard to press, how long to press, and when to let go. Emmett released Carlisle's hand after a few seconds. It was odd in the new world to shake a man's hand longer than that. Emmett didn't understand. Back at the castle, men would clasp arms and hold hands for as long as they wanted. It was a sign of brotherhood and respect, and sometimes loyalty.

"He's a quiet one," Carlisle said.

"Yes, he can be," Rosalie responded, pushing her index finger into the center of his back.

Emmett shifted out of his thoughts to focus on the present. They had non-verbal signals with one another when Rosalie discovered Emmett struggled with not breathing and moving, and he flexed his fingers. He was trained to be a killer, and then he was reborn into a predator.

Liana, Regina, and Charles taught Emmett everything he needed to survive in any situation. While Rosalie spoke with Carlisle, Emmett surveyed his surroundings, taking in the massive glass windows, the somewhat plain furniture, and the silence of the trees. There was something serene about Forks, Washington, and it vexed him. He missed the constant sounds of the city from their brief time in Nashville. He still didn't understand why they had to come to Washington, but Rosalie had been away for too long. Rosalie pushed her finger in harder, and Emmett shifted to the side. Meeting Rosalie's family wasn't in his plans, but Rosalie was committed. Still, he was grateful that she kept him hidden for the first two years because she wasn't ready for everyone to know she'd changed someone.

"I can't read his mind."

Emmett glanced to the side at Edward. It was Carlisle, Esme, and Edward, and they were an acquired taste, to say the least. Regardless, Emmett knew Edward was a telepath from Rosalie's warning. She told him Edward would try to read his mind, and he reassured her that his mind was protected from intruders a long time ago. Liana gave them teas to drink when they were younger made of special herbs that were supposed to keep their thoughts and desires safe from those who wished to harm them. He never had a chance to see if it worked, but he was glad to see that it did.

"Are you sure he is all right?"

Rosalie traced the name of the person who spoke on his back, knowing that he wasn't paying attention, and Emmett smiled politely at Esme.

"Yes, I'm well. I think I'm still adjusting to the silence here."

"Oh, I see."

"Where were you all again?" Edward asked.

Emmett didn't answer, and Rosalie clicked her teeth.

"If I haven't told you before, I'm not going to tell you at all," she said.

"You can't blame him for being curious," Carlisle said. "You've told us very little about him."

"It was almost like you were keeping Emmett a secret."

Emmett turned to Edward and said, "She was concerned about your reaction to her saving my life. Though, I cannot imagine why."

"It depends on if it was your time to leave this Earth or not."

"Rosalie saved me, and I will not allow you to poison her decision with your rhetoric."

"You-

"Edward," Carlisle intervened. "That's enough."

Rosalie slipped her hand into Emmett's and said, "I think we need to go upstairs and get settled."

"Of course," Esme said. "You can have whatever room you want."

"I chose the last room on the right," Edward grumbled. "The rest are free."

Emmett gave him a blank stare in response and followed Rosalie up the stairs. Rosalie squeezed his hand before letting go, and Emmett knew then and there that he would never be a fan of Edward. The boy reminded him too much of Snow White. Rosalie counted to three as they walked down the hallway and opened the door on the left side. It was the exact middle of the house, and Emmett appreciated she remembered that small detail. She stepped to the side to let Emmett examine the space, and he cocked his head at the space.

"Rosalie, I had no idea you were such a fan of pink."

Emmett cracked a smile at the disgruntled look on her face, and he walked in a straight line from the threshold to the window. She followed him inside and shut the door.

"Every room is soundproofed," she said. "Esme says it's an agreement the coven has to protect each other's privacy."

"How fortunate. I would hate for them to hear your awful taste in music."

"There is nothing wrong with what I listen to," she argued.

Emmett chuckled and asked, "Are we keeping the pink?"

"Absolutely not."

"What color did you have in mind?"

"Orange."

Emmett paused and glanced over his shoulder, saying, "Orange was my sister's favorite color."

"We can do blue instead."

"Orange is fine. I was making a comparison," he said. "But I want to decorate the room."

"Depends on what style."

"Rustic."

"You want it to look like a barn?"

"It reminds me of home," he joked.

"As long as I can be comfortable, then have at it. And do you want to build the bed frame?"

"Yes, please. I would like to build something we plan to use."

"We plan to use a bed?"

Emmett scrunched his face and asked, "How else would we sleep, Rosalie?"

"I feel like you're being intentionally obtuse."

"Me? Never."

1970 – Portland, Maine

Alice and Jasper.

Emmett liked Jasper but was on the fence with Alice. They were a peculiar group. Rosalie rubbed his arm as they stood in the living room. But he would wait to tell her that his mood had more to do with their location than the two newest members of their family. Maine made him anxious. When they were living near the coast, Emmett stayed in the house more often than not. He felt off that close to the water like there was an energy out there that left him unsettled. When they moved further inland, he relaxed. But meeting Alice and Jasper was another uncomfortable moment for him. Their relationship was the center of the conversation, and it was weird. They were so in love, and they wanted to go on double dates with Emmett and Rosalie.

"I think it might be fun," Rosalie placated.

Emmett refrained from rolling his eyes as Rosalie turned and looked up at him. To the family, it was an intimate position. But to Emmett, it was a sign Rosalie was about to be a brat. He arched an eyebrow at her, and her smile promised a headache if he could get one. To stop it before it began, Emmett pinched her side. She pouted, and he shook his head, returning his attention to the windows. He reached up and played with the ring hidden under his shirt. It felt warmer than normal, and Emmett sighed under his breath.

One day.

For seven decades, Emmett and Rosalie played their roles so well that they almost believed it themselves. Until they got behind closed doors and behind the safety of their soundproofed walls, and the masks slipped away. Emmett bought a 'my best friend is a lesbian' shirt when Rosalie came out and wore it whenever they were away from the house. He told her stories about his childhood and his family. Rosalie told Emmett stories about growing up in Rochester as a Hale and all of the expectations that she had from her family. But they truly reached the peak of their friendship when they moved on from the coven. They'd graduated from high school for the fifteenth time (Emmett counted) and went to college in Vancouver. But they were mid-hunt in Canada when Rosalie threw up animal blood. It was the fourth time in a matter of weeks, and Emmett knew it was time for them to officially give up the "vegetarian" lifestyle.

Rosalie had never been able to fully ingest animal blood, having to feed from humans once a month to sustain her thirst, and that was partly why she introduced human blood to him first. She wanted him to understand the difference, and Emmett appreciated the thin line she made him walk those first two years. But Alice's visions and Edward's telepathy made it hard for them to balance, so they started spending more and more time away from the coven so she could feed. Still, Rosalie was fading, and Emmett caught her before she fell.

"Stay here. I will take care of you."

Rosalie nodded and slid down to the ground, and Emmett ran off toward the nearest town. He knew how to get around Alice's visions. Based on Rosalie's explanation of how they worked, he needed to make a subconscious decision to hunt a human but make a conscious choice to buy a gift for Rosalie. Emmett went to the store and bought Rosalie a necklace while he stalked a random man. He bided his time until he snatched the guy off the sidewalk. Emmett ran back to Rosalie, dropped the man in front of her, and turned around while she fed.

Their time in Vancouver became an experiment. They knew they would have to return to the coven at some point, so Rosalie tested by mixing animal blood and human blood so their eyes wouldn't give them away. Emmett followed Alice's advice on investments, the one thing he trusted her with, and whatever money he saved went to a private account. The money he didn't put away went to old cars, car parts, microscopes, and discarded computers for Rosalie to work with. Rosalie, already an expert with Alice's visions, used her money to purchase swords, blades, specialty weapons, and boxing equipment for Emmett. They were a match made in hell, an inside joke because Rosalie refused to believe God had anything to do with their vampirism.

Emmett couldn't see Rosalie as anything other than his best friend, his partner, and his soulmate. But she would never be his mate, and he would never be Rosalie's. They were meant to be in each other's lives as equals, but not lovers, and that was okay with them.

Present Day

Emmett slinked through the shadows behind the two men. He grabbed them before they stepped under the streetlight and knocked them out. Emmett hefted them over his shoulders and sped through the woods toward the cabin. It was built into the side of the mountains, Rosalie's greatest accomplishment (with Emmett's help), and it was their favorite place to escape to. Emmett felt as if Rosalie deserved as many places as possible on this planet where she could escape, and he would gladly make that happen however he could.

Emmett jumped onto the balcony and pushed open the door with his boot. He made a mental note to clean the glass and shut the door with his hip. In the bedroom, Emmett toed off his shoes and shuffled to the machine hanging in their spare closet. It was something Rosalie built for faster exsanguination, and Emmett connected the men to the hooks. After turning it on, Emmett went back into the room and undressed, folding his jeans to put back in the drawer and placing his shirt in the hamper. He opened his drawer, each shirt organized by color and type. Emmett chose a white shirt and kneeled to pick out a pair of black sweatpants. As he got dressed, Rosalie came out of the bathroom in her pajamas and crawled onto the bed. Emmett noticed she wore cut-up basketball shorts and suspected they were the same pair that went missing from his drawer the night before.

"Nice night?" she asked.

"Decent enough. Are those my shorts?"

"They are. Do you want them back?"

"You cut them shorter," he said.

"Is that a no?"

Emmett tapped his fingers against his thigh and said, "I want another pair. Same color."

"I already bought them," she said, pointing to the shopping bags in the corner.

"Oh. You went out?"

"You were too busy with David to notice," she teased. "You know if you keep beating on him like that, you will have to buy another dummy."

"Worth the money."

Rosalie shrugged and stretched out, propping her head. "Carlisle called while I was out. He wants us in Forks for some kind of dinner the Saturday after next."

"Why?"

"Celebrating the mayor's re-election. Carlisle wants to be more involved with the community."

"Sounds like it will be a long night. You want to ride or fly?"

"Ride. One, my jet is under repair, and two, I need an entire week to prepare for that chaos."

"Did he give you a time?"

"Seven p.m."

"We can leave next Thursday. If we time it right, we can get there when the dinner starts."

"This is why I love you."

Emmett waved off the comment. He double-checked the locks even though he knew, realistically, that no one could get in from that height. He was pleasantly surprised to note that his shoes didn't leave a mark behind on the glass.

"By the way, Alice wants to know why we haven't had an official wedding yet. And I have to agree."

"You're gay, Rosalie. Why would we get married?"

"The odds of me finding my mate have lessened over the years. I'm anticipating living alone for the rest of my life, so why not get married to my best friend?"

"No, the odds are your mate probably hasn't been born yet."

"Okay, no. I do not want to think about possibly being mated to a fetus."

Emmett snorted and went to the closet, turning off the machine. He unhooked the men but left them hanging. The blood had been separated into two containers, one for him and one for Rosalie, and Emmett sniffed each one. He poked his head out of the closet.

"Sorry to say, these are AB positive and A positive."

"Gross, I hate them both," Rosalie groaned. "But if I have to choose, I'll take the A positive."

"Okay. Yours is the one on the right."

Rosalie slid off the bed and hip-checked him as she walked into the closet and picked up her container. She put the lid on it and carried it out of the room. Emmett did the same with his and followed her downstairs.

"We should sell that invention to other vampires. It's so much more efficient," she said.

"And who did you have in mind to sell it to?" Emmett asked.

"I think the Volturi would appreciate it."

Emmett stopped and put his free hand to his ear. "Hi, Aro, this is Rosalie Hale. I built a machine that acts as a more efficient blood collection from humans and was wondering if you wanted to invest in it. Yes, I'm still a part of the Olympic Coven. Yes, they are still vegetarian. Yes, I'll hold."

"Okay, when you put it like that…"

"No, no. Go for it. Let me know when to pour the champagne."

Rosalie flipped him off and dumped her container into her cooler in their kitchen. Emmett copied her actions, and once the containers were empty, he took Rosalie's and his down to the basement. Emmett sprayed them with water until they were moderately clean and left them to dry. He would clean them properly after he put something on his stomach. Once he got back upstairs, Rosalie had already taken out a bottle for him. She was midway through her first, scrolling on her phone, and Emmett hopped on the counter. He stared at the bottle and again wondered when he found his siblings if they would understand. Would they still love him? Would his Mom still want to be around him? Would he be able to live with them knowing that one day they would die before him?

"I'm sorry."

"You saved me."

"But you didn't want this life."

"Neither did you," he said pointedly. "I would have hated dying that day. I have told you before that if I could go back in time and keep my family together, I would. But this is where I am now. I just hope that when I find my family, they will love this version of me."

"Of course, they will, Em. Aren't you the one who told me that your mother saved you from growing up in an orphanage? What about the men in the barracks, the soldiers who took you under their wing? And Liana, who helped make sure you kept your sense of joy? You were blessed with two mothers and a father. Not to mention your sisters, your cousin, and a grandmother that loved you unconditionally. You always talked about how growing up in the castle meant that there was never a second where you were alone, but you all never got tired of each other. Do you know how special that is? That kind of love doesn't fade. I'm sure it will be an adjustment, but I don't think they will hate you. If anything, they'll be happy you're alive."

"Alive is a relative term."

"Being a depressed vampire is Edward's theme," Rosalie scoffed.

Emmett laughed and drained his drink.

"Oh, I found a paper early this morning that I think you might be interested in reading," she said.

"Who is it by?"

"Professor H. Wells."

"What was it about?"

"The paper wasn't scientific, more science-fiction than anything, but it has its merits. This Wells guy hypothesized a device that could split the space-time continuum long enough for an individual to travel from one realm to the next. He speculates there are multiple universes connected to ours that run on similar or identical time frames. Basically, if it's October 25th, 2006, in our world, it could be September 23rd, 2016, somewhere else or November 19th, 2011, in another. Wells believes that time is the one non-constant thing in a set of constantly moving variables that operate under an unknown scale of- what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason. Just that if you ever wondered why you're still single, that's why," Emmett joked.

Rosalie huffed and said, "I'm sorry that I find the subject fascinating. Plus, this is a good thing! We can go to London and visit this Professor Wells and talk to him about the device. What if he's already in the process of creating it? We can steal the designs, and I can finish it much faster."

"Wow, you went from inquisitive to illegal in a matter of seconds."

"I want to help you get back to your family."

"Why are you so eager to get me home?"

"Look, Em. I love having you here, but if your family needs you, I'm not going to be selfish."

"You don't have to be. You could come with me."

"What?"

"Come with me and meet my family. Live in a castle. You're already a pillow princess."

"I told you that in confidence," she whined.

"Why tell me if I can't tease you about it?" Emmett jumped down and made his way over to Rosalie. "I'm serious. My family would love you, and I would hate to be without you."

"What if we can't come back?"

"Do you care about that? Truly?"

"No," she admitted. "I could do for a change."

"Then come with me. You're my best friend, and I want to be selfish and take you with me."

"You mean it?"

"When do I say things I do not mean?"

"Touché."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yeah, I'll come with you."

Emmett kissed Rosalie on the cheek and wrapped her in a bear hug.

"Sweet! I love you, bug."

"I love you too, Captain. Always."