Ok I know you guys were shocked by Esme's announcement, but have faith that everything will work out.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters belong to SM. No copyright infringement intended.

(Rpov)

I woke up with Emmett's arm around my waist holding me close to him. I took a deep breath, as I ran over the events of yesterday. The whole ride home from the Cullens, I tried to get Emmett to talk to me about how he feels and what he was going through, but he was silent. It was obvious that this was hurting him, and I felt powerless to help. I had learned throughout our years together, if Emmett can't solve the problem, he sweeps it under the rug. He doesn't like feeling useless. He thrives on the fact that everyone can count on him.

Moving his arm from around my waist, I sat up and ran my hand through my knotted hair. For the first time in months, I didn't wake up naked in bed with Emmett. It just didn't feel right last night. I looked down at his hulking form, even in his sleep he looked worried. Stepping quietly out of bed, I went to shower. As the hot water cascaded over my body, I felt two arms wrap around me.

"I love you." Emmett said into my ear.

"I love you too." I replied. The last twenty-four hours had reminded us how precious life could be. As I turned to face him, his lips met mine, and not in a sexual way. This kiss was loving, and sweet. It carried all of our feelings in one touch. The rest of the shower followed along those same line. We took turns washing each other, whispering words of our affection.

Once we were clean, Emmett stepped out, wrapped a towel around his waist, and wrapped me in another. He made sure I was completely dry before he started to dry himself. Grabbing his face, I lightly kissed his mouth, before I turned to go get dressed. Words didn't need to be expressed to know what each of us were feeling in that moment. I knew he was hurting. I knew he felt vulnerable. And I knew he felt guilt.

I dress quickly. I didn't feel the need nor the want to try to be cute. It just seemed stupid. I walked into our kitchen and put on some coffee. We were both going to need it. As I pulled out mugs the house phone rang. Taking a deep breath, I reached for the receiver.

"Hello." I said hesitantly not know what to expect.

"Rose."

"Hey, Alice. How are you holding up?" I asked. She kinda shut down yesterday not saying a word since her public fight with Jasper.

"As to be expected." She sighed. "Listen I was going to go to my parents house today. I need more answers. I need to know what going on, and I was wondering if you wanted to go?" She wasn't questioning if I wanted to join her. I knew her well enough to know that she needed support, and I guess Jasper was still in the dog house.

"Of course. I will go with you." I replied as I poured my coffee in a mug. I heard footsteps coming up behind me, and turned to see Emmett pulling a shirt over his head.

"Thanks, Rose. It really means a lot me."

"You don't have to thank me Alice." I said handing Emmett a mug with coffee. "I will be at your house to pick you up in an hour. Is that enough time?"

"Yea, that's perfect. I will see you then." She said before she hung up. I took a big gulp of the burning liquid before I looked up at Emmett.

"Who was that?" He asked.

"Alice. She wants to go talk to her parents." I looked at his face to gage his reaction. It was blank.

"You going with her?" I nodded my head, and stepped up close to him. Looking into his eyes I place my hand on jaw and ran my thumb over his cheek.

"You know you can talk to me right? You can talk to me about anything. Please don't shut me out." I said as I watched his eyes close, and he leaned into my touch. He opened them quickly and looked down at me.

"I'm going to go to the gym." Emmett walked passed me and into our bedroom. I told myself not to take it personally. I told myself he was hurting. But it didn't stop the rejection from seeping in.

"Ahh. Mrs. McCarty, to what do we owe this surprise?" Aro asked as I stepped out of my car. I decided to stop by the construction site to talk to Aro about security. I know it was something that was bothering Emmett, and I was going to try to do my part to take that burden off of him.

"Can I have a quick word with you?" I asked. The house was coming along quickly. The exterior was completely finished, and now the interior was being fine tuned.

"Of course. What can I help you with?" He walked over, giving me a once over. Maybe shorts where a bad idea.

"I wanted to talk to you about security. I know that the entrance is going to be gated, and I think it is a waste of money to have it manned, but I want the security system in the house to be the best. What do you recommend?"

"I don't know Mrs. McCarty. You live in the middle of no where in a small town, how much crime is there?" He said looking into my eyes and shrugging.

"I don't disagree with you, but for my sanity, I need you to do this."

"Alright, I think it is a waste of money."

"I am not paying you to give me your opinion, I am paying you to do what I ask." I interrupted. I was running on a short fuse today. After Emmett left to go to the gym without even saying bye to me this morning, I had no patience.

"Your right Mrs. McCarty. I'm sorry. Do you want surveillance cameras?" I didn't know the answer this. This is normally what Emmett does. I'm just there to make sure it looks pretty. But I wanted to do this for him. He was already to stressed out, and I wasn't going to add to that.

"How about you do some research and come back to me with a list of options?" I answered.

"We can do that." He said smiling at me. I tried to hide the grimace that was threatening to come across my face.

"Alright well I have to get going, give me a call when you have that information." I said walking back to my car. I didn't even wait for him to say goodbye, I was fed up.

When I pulled up the Alice's house, she was out the door and running to my car with Amelia and a car seat in hand. As I helped her fasten the car seat in the back, I took a good look at her. She looked tried and worn out as if she didn't sleep a wink. She probably didn't.

"You ready?" I said as we got in the car and Amelia cooed in the back.

"Yea." She breathed as I drove towards her old house.

"Alice," I said after a few minutes. "everything is going to be okay."

"I'm glad you think so." She responded looking out the window. My shoulders slumped as I realized that would be the end of that conversation.

"We'll if it isn't by beautiful daughter, daughter-in-law, and my littlest grandchild. Come here baby." Esme said reaching out for Amelia. Alice gladly handed her over to her mother, and stepped inside. We followed her into the living room as she sat on the couch.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up." She said to Alice. "Even as a child, you wanted to know everything, and I am not surprised that you brought your partner in crime. I'm glad you two have each." She added motion to me. "So what do you want to know?"

We sat down on the couches across from her, allowing ourselves to get comfortable. This wasn't going to be a short conversation.

"When did you find out?" Alice asked placing her hands in her lap.

"A week ago." Alice opened her mouth to continue but Esme cut her off. "I know you are going to ask why didn't I tell you sooner." She said shifting Amelia in her lap. "I had to come to terms with my own diagnosis before I could share it with you. And I didn't tell you that we were running tests because I didn't want you to worry if it came out negative." Alice nodded knowing that she would have to accept the answer.

"So your in stage I?" Esme nodded.

"It's is a good thing that they caught it this soon. The tumor is small. There is a good chance that I may not even need chemotherapy."

I saw Alice eyes begin to tear. She was losing it. The reality of the situation was hitting home. It was obvious to any outsider that she was stressed. Between Jasper and this, she was hanging on the end of her rope. But she needed these answers. She opened her mouth to try and form words but nothing came out. Her emotions were getting the best of her.

"So what treatment are you going to get?" I asked stepping in. Alice looked over and gave me a small smile of thanks. I knew she was struggling.

"Well as I said yesterday, I am going to have surgery. It is called a lumpectomy." Before I even had the chance to ask what it was, Esme went on the explain. "They are going to remove the tumor from my breast. This is one of the reason we are lucky it is small. They can remove immediately. I don't even have to undergo a mastectomy where they have to remove the entire breast, and the procedure is relatively small. I will be recovered in no time."

"So they are just going to take the tumor out?" I asked trying to clarify. She nodded her head.

"Yep, the tumor and some of it's surrounding cells just in case."

"What next?" Alice asked finding her voice. "What happens after the surgery?"

"Well after talking with your father last night, I have decided to undergo radiation therapy. It is not necessary for someone who is in stage one like me, but we want take every precaution to make sure it doesn't come back."

"So what does that entail?"

"They will use a beam of radiation to kill cancer cells." I nodded my head in understanding.

"But I thought the cells would already be gone because of the surgery?" Alice pressed on.

"They will. This is just to prevent it from happening again."

"Is it safe?" I asked. I know it was a dumb question, but I had to know was the radiation safe.

"We have on of the best radiation oncologist in that state working with me. Carlisle wouldn't have it any other way." That wasn't a yes or a no, but I knew I had to accept it. If it was going to make Esme better, I would take it.

"How long will you have the therapy?" Alice continued.

"Daily for a couple of weeks. The doctor will monitor the cells daily as well."

"When does it start?"

"The day of the surgery. The doctor will start it in surgery."

"When is the surgery?" I asked knowing that was probably already scheduled.

"Next Wednesday." Less than a week.

"Do you mind if we are there?" I asked.

"I'd love for you to be there, Rose." Esme said smiling. "Now, my granddaughter here seems to hungry, and I have to start dinner. Would you like to join me?"

Alice and I both nodded and followed Esme into the kitchen. The rest of the afternoon, was spent laughing and playing with Amelia as we made chocolate chip cookies. Not exactly dinner, but it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Once the cookies were cool, Esme sent us on our way with goodie bags for our husbands.

"Do you want to postpone LA?" I asked Alice as we drove down the long driveway back to her house.

"No. Mom would be pissed if she found out we changed our plans for her, but I do want to be here for the surgery and the treatment though."

"Alright, so we are going to LA this week." I said. "I will call Kate and have her set everything up. I will make sure this trip is short." We drove in silence for a couple of miles, before it got to me. This wasn't my best friend. She would normally be talking my ear off this entire ride.

"So are you going to talk to me?" I asked killing the quiet.

"What is there to talk about Rose? Jasper and I are having our biggest fight ever and my mom just got diagnosed with breast cancer." Alice replied sarcastically. Knowing there was nothing we could do about Esme, I focused on her marriage.

"What's gong on with Jasper?" She huffed before she answered.

"He doesn't get it. He thinks he can just do whatever he wants and I will be here to take care of Amelia. He planned another weekend field trip without talking to me about it. And he uses the school board as an excuse, but that only last for so long." I nodded my head listening. She needed to get this off of her chest.

"He just doesn't understand how much work I do everyday taking care of Amelia, while he has beers with his boys. No offense to Emmett." She added for my benefit.

"Don't worry about it." I said trying to urge her to continue.

"But we have a child now. And I let it slide in the beginning because I didn't want him to think I am trying to ruin his fun. But when do I get to have fun. The one time he watched Amelia alone was when we where in New York. And I didn't tell you this, but the whole time we were shopping he was texting me asking when we would be back and saying that Amelia misses me. And I didn't really notice how much this was pissing me off until we went out a couple of nights ago, and I realized he has been doing this for months, while I am at home.

"I think he thinks that I am just living the life waking up when I want. Doing what I want. But it's not like that at all. I know he loves me and I know he loves Amelia, but he just doesn't get it." She finished as we pulled up to her house.

"So make him." I said parking the car and turning towards her.

"What?"

"Make him get. Make him do your job. When we go to LA, make him watch Amelia. Give him a dose of what you go through everyday."

"I don't think I can leave her."

"What other solution is there? Sometime people need tough love, and it will only be for a two days at the most. This is going to be a fast trip."

"What do I say?"

"Tell him we are going to be busy. Tell him anything. Make him do this. He needs to understand. To be honest, I don't think you are asking for much. Just for him to watch his daughter for two days."

"You know what your right." She said getting determination in her eye. "He can watch her for two days, and we are going to be busy." I nodded my head agreeing with her. Before I had a chance to notice, she leaned over and embraced me in a hug.

"Thanks Rose."

"What are friends for." I said before she got out the car, and grabbed Amelia and her car seat.

"I will call you with the details." I yelled as she walked towards her house before pulling out the driveway. When I got home, Emmett's Jeep was gone. I guess he is still at the gym, I thought. Walking in, I was met by Molly. After I had walked her, I place Esme's cookies on the kitchen counter and went to making dinner. As I was pulling the chicken breast out of the oven, Emmett walked in.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Hey."

"How was the gym?" I asked.

"Fine." His response was short and he barely looked at me.

"Esme made you cookies." I said pointing to the bag on the counter. He looked down at the bag, and shook his head.

"Well dinner will be ready in five minutes. I made chicken." I said trying to get him to say more than one word to me.

"I'm not hungry." I got more than one word, but it wasn't what I wanted. He left the kitchen and turning on the shower. I blinked several times trying to figure out what exactly just happened.

"Well it's in the kitchen if want some." I yelled as I heard the curtain pull on shower rod. He wasn't even pretending to listen. That night I ate alone at our kitchen table with Molly at my feet. I tried to tell myself he was hurting. I tried to tell myself he didn't mean it. I tried to tell myself he needed time. I really tried.

So to be honest this is one of my favorite chapters. As I said before, I didn't plan on Esme getting cancer so I had to decide how to fit it in, and how to handle it. I came to the decision to show you less of Esme's treatment, and more of how it effects the family. This is a Em/Rose story after all. I did a lot of research recently about different treatments for breast cancer, and the one Esme described seemed to be the most logical, but I don't have a doctorate, so I apologize if it is inaccurate. Let me know what you think, and I will give you a sneak peak of the next chapter which is LA!