Chapter 4 One, Two, Three, Four, Five

A/N: I do not own Twilight or it's characters, but I sure am having fun writing them. This chapter may require a little recap - So, let's start there, shall we?

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Previous Chapter: The Queen of Hearts

RPOV

"Sorry Alice, my brother has difficulty with normal social interaction. Unless he's with Bella. You know Jasper, you two really are like an old married couple. Here are the keys." I threw my set hard toward his chest which he easily swiped midair. "Don't mind us stranded girls. Go run along and tend to your lover."

Looking pissed and torn, Jasper turned to depart. With one fleeting look he disappeared around the corner.

"Lover?" Alice asked, eyes wide and fiery.

"Sorry about shopping. Blame Jasper." Alice's blazing intensity only heightened with each passing second. Always the gossip whore, Jessica chose that moment to pass by, down the same hallway Jasper just used as an exit. Friend Rule Number One: Share.

"My incestuous cousin is coming to Fremont."

One protected heart for the price of three.

APOV

Lover. Lover. LOVER - Wait, did she just say incestuous cousin? A small amount of bile made its way up the back of my throat. There is just no way.

Before I could stop myself I was speaking, "Don't worry about our shopping plans. I can see Jasper scammed his way into getting car privileges this weekend. We'll reschedule."

I felt like I was teetering precariously in my Prada pumps and knew I needed to escape before tears began to fall or worse, I fell.

I couldn't tell up from down. Spinning, walls shifting, hands shaking. Maybe someone drugged my non-fat hazelnut latte at the coffee cart, because this certainly can't be from … isn't about hearing … has nothing to do with Jasper Hale. Jasper and his cousin.

Did she really mean incestuous? Like sex. Like Jasper-and-his-cousin sex?

But what about my drawing? - No, not here. I needed to pull myself together to be objective.

Only a couple of seconds had passed since my system over loaded and I could tell from Rosalie's far off look that she was somewhere else mentally, emotionally – just entirely distracted. I used that for my benefit.

"Thanks again for the invite, Rose. We'll talk soon." I hugged her again, quickly, and scurried away towards the elevator.

The heavy doors were open wide, waiting and as I followed Jessica and Lauren in I hit the circular "L" button. I am not myself ... I need to be saved. But he's gone, probably traveling as we speak. I just need to sit down. Sitting down at that precise moment, however, wasn't an option. Lauren and Jessica were also heading to the lobby, I assumed since they didn't select any other floor button.

"So, no shopping today after all, Alice?" Lauren nearly spewed my name from where she stood behind me.

I turned ever so slightly, "Oh no, not today, perhaps another time. Rosalie's brother needed the car."

Attempting to remain still - while holding back my relentless fidgets from the snails pace at which we were descending - I just smiled as brightly as was available from within my dilapidated arsenal of cheer before facing front again.

"I told you." Jessica whispered.

"OH. MY. GOD." Lauren did not whisper. In fact, she nearly shouted in astonishment. "I am shocked! And that my friend doesn't happen often."

"I just knew there was something off about him."

I didn't like the direction this conversation was headed. Did they somehow hear Rosalie's and my conversation? But they were all the way down the hall. And why the hell did you think something was off about him Jessica "assface" Stanley?

And then it hit me. It didn't matter how they found out, all that mattered was if they did. Because if these two did happen to overhear this titillating Jasper-centered gossip - please God let this be gossip or just a misunderstanding, a gossipy-misunderstanding - everyone would hear about it in ten minutes flat.

Oh no – Jasper!

Throughout this realization I was trying to remind myself that I had no ties to this boy, except the friendship I was beginning with his twin. His activities didn't concern me. His social demise shouldn't elicit such angst from me, and in all honesty public appearances didn't seem to worry him much either. So why care?

I just can't help it.

Ding. Thank goodness. Just don't look back. I was beleaguered by their continued whispers, occasional shouting and biting laughter as I escaped the lobby.

My body left Queen Ann Tower but my mind was stuck at Rosalie's door, replaying her words in an attempt to find my moment of misunderstanding, desperate to recall the second I missed when she laughed her comment off as the joke it needed to be. But there had been no joking moment, no matter the ways I rewound or pressed my metal refresh button.

Pike Tower. Pike Tower. Have to sit down.

Replaying our interaction, it had almost seemed like Rosalie was upset. I had never personally seen Rose upset, but I'd heard about it, even a couple first hand accounts. The stories all seemed to emphasis her merciless accosting and vicious ridicule. The Rosalie from this morning rang as sad-masquerading and subtle seething. I'd be sad too if my brother had sex with relatives.

It seriously isn't true. It isn't.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I had made it to the Penthouse level of Pike Tower. Maybe he'll be back already. Shut it, lady, enough with the fanciful thoughts. You know he would have called.

"Hey Shorty, what's - ……. Why are you so still? You are, like, calm. What's wrong?"

"I need to be saved." My eyes were pleading with the wrong person, but he was all there was.

"Edward won't be back till next weekend, he just texted me." I could hear the confusion in his voice.

"I know." And I did know, I just didn't want to believe it.

"Um … okay … well…"

"Please Emmett. I really need to be saved." He could see I needed this; it just wasn't his area of expertise. In fact, he'd never been saved or saved someone. It was always just between Edward and me.

Still looking bewildered and nervous, Emmett conceited. "Hmm, well, isn't there like a bag or something?" He really does look nervous. Big E afraid of a little intimacy.

"It's under the coats in the closet," I said automatically. "Please, can we hurry?"

Emmett grabbed the familiar Brenthaven Trek and his keys. I hopped up on his back and we were out the door.

He'd been privy to the before and after actions, but never the main event. We didn't answer questions, so at some point he'd stopped asking. I really hoped Edward would understand when he got home. How could he leave me with no one? Maybe he always intended Emmett to be there in his stead.

"He won't be mad. He made me promise to be there for you while he was gone. It just seems you haven't needed me before now." Emmett was such a teddy bear.

I smiled at the sentiment, and his intuition. They really are brothers.

We were now barreling down the parking drive in Emmett's massive Jeep. I was happy to realize I was finally sitting down. "Head towards the Arboretum."

In his uncertainty, Emmett traveled slower than normal, but we still arrived in just about twenty minutes.

"Slow down. Okay, pull over to the left here right next to the rail." Silently we got out, Emmett swung the backpack over his shoulder.

"You can leave that here. Do you have a hid-a-key?" I asked as I set my shoes on my seat.

"Yeah, magnetized under the wheel well."

"'Kay, leave your keys and empty your pockets. Put your shoes on your seat. We're going to lock everything up."

I was really grateful that is was only about 10:30 on a September Saturday morning. Seattle was often wet and cold but that pivotal week that ushers fall with a sudden burst of wind and rain hadn't reared its inevitable head. Today was actually rather warm, maybe low sixties.

I could feel the numb wearing off as I prepared myself for what Emmett and I were going to do. Yes, I'd taken this route to clear my head and ignite my senses many times. This was a jump-start to get myself back. A risk. A rush. But I'd always come here with Edward holding onto me, to awaken whichever of us was lost. There was a developed trust. Can I trust you, Emmett?

"Can I trust you, Emmett?" I was absolutely calm, absolutely not myself.

"Time to save you." My head shot up, eyes lit and mind confused.

"I heard him say it a couple of the times. You two didn't realize I was around." He didn't mean it to be chastising, but he was right in more ways than he meant. Edward and I occupied our own world. If one of us needed to be saved, theoretically no one else was around.

I took his hand and led him away. We walked slowly for a bit; "I'll show you how I need it to be." After a few steps more, I stopped us and turned, pressing myself to his huge frame.

Slow, deep breath.

I released all of Emmett then, except for his hand. "Don't let go." He followed me as I stepped up and got comfortable.

Quick, deep breath. This really never gets any easier. It's like automatic hyper awareness.

"Ready?" My eyes connected with Emmett and he only nodded. "On five."

"One … two … three … four … five!" Deeper breath.

All you could hear next were our screams ringing out across the water.

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A/N: Fun chapter for me to write. I want all the locations to be legitimate, so that sometimes takes a little research, which I really enjoy. Again, thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think.