Not Without a Fight
Annaleise Marie

Round Twenty

AN: Oh gosh, guys, it's been so long! I bet you thought I was never coming back, eh? Well, thanks to Hans153, who asked me any time I reappeared on Twitter over the last two years, and ReneeFF, who immediately offered her assistance as soon as I announced my intent to return to writing, I've been jogged back into the flow of this story! You may want to go back and reread. I had to, and I'm the author. But it reminded me how much I loved writing this, so it's all good.

Let me recap for those of you who are understandably like, "Reread 80,000 words? FUCK NO BRING ON THE NEW CHAPTER!": When last we left our enigmatic cast of players, they were in the middle of something of a roller coaster of emotions and mind-fuckery. Esme's flight reaction has kicked in to the max and she's like, "Yeah, no, sorry, we're peacing out in six months," BASICALLY JUST RUINING EVERYONE'S LIFE FOREVER, but she's like, "Sorry, I'm the mom." Emmett goes to Carlisle for help in preventing the move and Carlisle politely declines but Edward's like, "No, bro, I got this. But you've gotta get me laid first," and Emmett's just like, "Okay but don't make it weird." Emmett and Rosalie find themselves with another fight brewing as Rosalie finds out about the move – but not from Emmett – and Esme accuses her of being "part of the problem" with Emmett's behavior, which was kind of a bitch move but really, you know, maybe she has a point. Whatever, I'll always side with Rose.

How did I leave this story at such a pivitol point? I'm pretty much ashamed of myself. Well, I'm back now, so onward!

I own a new PS3 which lends to me watching WAY MORE NETFLIX THAN HAS EVER BEEN NECESSARY FOR ANYTHING, but I do not own Twilight. I know, two years, you would think I had made some progress on that front. Sadly, no. Stephanie Meyer's holding on tight you guys.

x

EPOV

My first meeting with the guidance counselor was to take place immediately after classes the day after Alice and I had gone to see Dr. Cullen. Immediately had been underlined three times on the note from the office, so I figured they were probably pretty serious about that. I also thought that I would have rather drank a full cup of warm camel spit than go. Not that I had any sort of problem with counseling, I just couldn't fathom what it could possibly achieve in this situation. The incident with Royce had been completely singular and reliant on circumstance – I wasn't generally a violent, or even angry person. I was Emmett Fucking McCarty, the human fucking teddy bear.

But I would have to somehow convince the counselor of that. Without exposing Rosalie's secret. That was the catch.

I hadn't seen Rosalie yesterday. When I had finally arrived back from Edward's, her car was gone, and it didn't return all night. I know because I was watching from my window. Because as we've already established, I'm fucking nosey like that. She was in school today, but with this appointment I wouldn't get to see her until this evening. If she would even talk to me, that is.

I should have told her about the move. But I didn't want that hanging over us just yet. Not when we still had six months to be together.

Where was Alice? Usually she appeared out of nowhere when I needed advice, like she had some sort of sixth sense about it. But she didn't appear, and before I knew it, the counselor was opening her door and gesturing for me to come in.

X

RPOV

Ms. McCarty's words had hit me like a swift kick to the gut the night before, and my first reaction had been to be angry and defensive about her accusations. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if she didn't have a point. When he had first moved here, Emmett had been so carefree, always joking, laughing. What was it he had said that first night?

"I've come to realize that there are very few things in life that are serious, or in any way permanent. All the rest, if you stress out about them, you're just making yourself miserable."

"Don't you feel better when you laugh instead of getting angry or upset?"

But now… He was losing sleep, fighting, getting suspended, and there I was at the very core of each and every issue.

It was never my intention to be a part of the problem. I thought that we were happy, despite everything, but how could he be happy like this? It went against his nature, his very philosophy on life. I had never wanted to hurt him. Now, it looked like hurting him may be the only chance at making this right.

I thought about this all the way to Insight. My phone kept ringing, the display telling me Alice had called me thirty times in as many minutes. I ignored the call again. I couldn't talk to her now. Not her, not anyone, or I would lose my resolve.

X

EPOV

Mrs. Robert's office was small and cramped, squeezed into the back corner of B hall. The inner wall didn't quite match the others, suggesting that her office had been shaved off of the science lab next door as an afterthought. Two ancient-looking leather chairs faced her desk, their arm rests peeling pitifully.

It did not look like the sort of place that catered to emotional or mental health to me, but what did I know? I hadn't been to any sort of therapy since Dad died, and then I had seen an overly-cheerful woman in her late twenties in Nashville. That office had bright-colored furniture and an always-stocked candy jar. She wanted me to draw pictures to express my feelings. I thought I was a little too old for that, but she was nice, and she smelled like flowers.

Mrs. Roberts' office smelled faintly of dust and mildew.

"So, Emmett," she began after we had sat in silence for a few minutes. I guess she had been waiting for me to bare my soul on my own, because her lips had pressed together in a tight line the longer I remained silent. "Why are we here?"

"The wrestling match last week got a little out of hand," I said, shrugging.

"Tell me about that," she said, nodding as she made a note in the file open on her desk.

"I'm sure you have all of the details already," I said, nodding at the file. She gave me a tight-lipped smile and shut it, dropping her pen and leaning back in her chair and studying me over her glasses.

"Then maybe you'd like to talk about what caused it?" she asked calmly. I rolled my eyes. I had expected more mental gymnastics. Well, at least she wasn't going all Freud on me. I'd hate to think I had beaten the shit out of Royce because I was secretly attracted to my mother or something.

"Look, Mrs. Roberts, I'm not a violent person by nature, if that's what you're trying to decide. I couldn't typically give any fucks at all – pardon my language – about petty feuds or stupidity like that. But suffice it to say that Royce King hurt someone very close to me. He deserved to feel some of it himself," I said, shrugging.

"What could Royce King have done to someone else to make you resort to such extreme actions if you, as you say, are not a violent person?" she asked.

"That's not my story to tell," I said, borrowing Alice's words.

"But it was yours to act upon?"

"No," I admitted, shrugging. "I shouldn't have done it. It solved nothing and caused a whole new slew of problems, believe me. But you asked what caused it."

"What sort of problems?" she prompted. I glanced at the clock by the door. I had been there for fifteen minutes. That seemed like more than enough.

"With all due respect, Mrs. Roberts, I agreed to meet with you to satisfy Ms. Greene and the disciplinary board. But given that I don't make a habit of violence or anything like that, I think I have satisfied the requirement. You have a good evening."

I stood up, ignoring her protests, and left the office. That had been relatively painless. It probably wasn't what the disciplinary board had meant when they said I had to meet with her, but short of telling her about Royce and Rosalie, I had done all that I could.

I pulled out my phone as I walked to the Jeep. I had ten missed calls from Alice. I almost laughed. I guess her sixth sense had worked, just not quite in time.

I hit the button to call her back, and it barely rang once before she answered.

"Emmett! Oh my god, finally! Have you heard from her?" she asked, her voice shrill.

"Calm down, Alice. Who?" I asked.

"Rosalie! Didn't you listen to my messages?"

"Given that there are ten of them I figured it would be quicker to just call you back," I said, taking out my cigarettes and lighting one as Alice launched into explanation.

"Jasper and I were going to see an early movie after school, but he was late so I checked Latitude to see if he was on his way—"

"Latitude?" I interrupted her, confused.

"This app that shows your friend's locations. Or, the location of their phone, at least. Don't interrupt, though!" she chastised. "Anyway, I was trying to find Jasper, but instead I saw Rosalie headed toward La Push."

"So?" I asked. I mean, I hadn't known that she was going to La Push, and this wasn't exactly ideal beach weather, but I didn't see what the huge emergency was.

"Well, we're not really welcome in La Push. There was this whole big thing with Bella and a few of the Quileutes and… It's a long story. But the point is, Rose wouldn't go to La Push. At least not alone. And the only thing between us and La Push is—"

"Insight," I finished for her, everything clicking into place.

"She stopped there a half hour ago and her icon hasn't moved. She won't answer her phone," Alice finished. My stomach clenched.

"I'll pick you up in five minutes," I said.

"I'm ready," she answered, sounding tense.

X

RPOV

"Why should I help you?" Royce asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Because if you don't, I'll personally make sure you spend the next five years in jail," I said, my voice sounding braver than I felt.

"Please, Rose," Royce scoffed, smirking at me. I gritted my teeth. "If you had thought to preserve any proof, you would have acted on it long ago."

"Maybe," I conceded. "But are you sure your reputation can stand up to a scandal like that? Even if I don't win, there will be plenty of people who believe me. Is that what you want everyone to think when they look at you? Rapist?"

Royce's eyes flashed and I resisted the urge to step back. I held my ground, my jaw set.

"What do I need to do?" he asked grudgingly.

I looked at my phone. Ten more missed calls from Alice. Two from Emmett. And one text.

"Are you ok? Why r u in Insight? With E. Coming to find u. – A."

I opened Latitude and turned off the GPS.

X

EPOV

A half hour later, Alice and I reached the Insight border. Alice checked her phone again.

"Latitude still puts her at Royce's place," she confirmed, sounding worried.

I felt like I was going to throw up, getting sicker and sicker with every passing minute that she was with him. Each second a new image flitted into my head of what he could be doing to her. Each unanswered call and text turned paranoia into conviction.

I was fucking terrified. I couldn't let anything happen to her. Ever again.

Beside me, Alice was ashen, her eyes watery. She looked every bit as sick and scared as me.

"Maybe you should wait here," I said when we pulled up in front of the house. Rosalie's car wasn't in sight, but I couldn't decide if that was a good sign or not.

Alice shot me a warning look and unbuckled her seatbelt in answer.

We hurried to the door, which opened before we even reached it. Royce stepped out, closing the door behind him and leaning on the facing, smirking at us.

"So now it's not enough to beat me up in public, you've come to harass me at my home?" he asked snidely. My fists clenched at my side.

"Where's Rosalie?" Alice demanded. Royce raised an eyebrow.

"She left about twenty minutes ago," he said, shrugging.

"If you've hurt her—" I started, but Royce held up his hands calmly.

"Hey, man, she came looking for me," he said.

"Bullshit," I said through clenched teeth.

"Maybe you should ask her," Royce said, shrugging. "Regardless, I'm not done with you, and you should leave my property now."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Alice pulled on my shirt sleeve, holding her phone up to me. Rosalie's icon was showing that she was back in Forks.

"I don't know why it froze here," Alice said quietly, her brow furrowed. "But he must be telling the truth. She had to have left awhile ago."

"I don't know what you did to make her come here in the first place, but you never contact her again, you understand?" I hissed, narrowing my eyes at Royce. He just laughed.

"Maybe you should consider what you've done," he said coldly. "Whether I baited her or not – I didn't, for the record, not that you'll believe it – but why didn't she go to you?"

He went back inside the house, leaving me to glare after him.

"Don't listen to him," Alice said quietly. "He's just trying to get to you."

I nodded, but as we walked back to the Jeep, I couldn't help wondering if Royce had a point.

X

RPOV

My phone rang shortly after I got back to Forks, Royce's number lighting up the display.

"Hello?" I answered dully.

"He just left," Royce said. "I don't know what you're hoping to achieve, but even after I implied that you're getting back at him—"

"You what?" I asked, my stomach dropping. "That wasn't part of the plan."

"No? My bad. I guess you shouldn't have tried to use me then," Royce answered smugly. "Good luck, Rose. And hey, if it doesn't work out with gorilla boy, feel free to look me up again."

"When hell freezes over," I answered, but the phone beeped to signal that he had already hung up.

X

AN: Oh boy. What a chapter to come back on, huh? And not at all funny. Maybe I've lost my funny, you guys. Or maybe this chapter just didn't have the potential to be funny? I'm hoping that's it.

But what was Rose trying to do? If what Royce said wasn't part of her plan, then what was? And why involve Royce? I had hoped to resolve some things with this chapter, but I guess I only created more questions. Le sigh.

Anyway, I'd love to hear from you guys! We had such lovely little chats before the hiatus. Let's get back to that! I'll be replying to every review, so please feel free to ask questions, if you have them.

The next chapter is already in the works, so I hope to see you all soon!