AN: Hi peeps! I'm sorry I've been gone a while. I'd give you this long author's note about where I've been and what's going on in my life, but honestly, my life is busy but boring and you're here to read the story so let's get to it! Enjoy xoxo

– Africa –

Emmett looked down at the ticket in his hand. He was sitting on the edge of a King-size bed, in the most luxurious hotel in Tanzania. He loved Africa. The energy. The culture. The nightlife. The people. The hunting. Especially the hunting. But this time, no amount of chasing lions and wrestling wildebeests brought him the same joy it once had. Despite her acceptance of the animal blood diet, he knew his baby sister would hate the idea of him sinking his teeth into the jugular of a lioness, chasing cheetahs, or fighting hippos.

During one of their Sunday afternoon strolls through the forest in Forks, she'd admitted her dislike of the animal blood diet. It wasn't the blood that bothered her or that she thought it made him weaker. No. Isabella Swan worried for the animals.

He explained to her that they don't hunt endangered animals. They only hunt big game in overpopulated areas. Humans do far more damage than seven vampires feeding every few weeks.

She didn't seem bothered by their hunting habits. She figured it was all part of the balance of nature. What bothered her more was the idea of mothers being ripped from their young. She saw animals as being innocent and just living their best life, at least until a vampire came along and killed them for their blood.

He argued that it was the circle of life. There's always going to be a predator higher up on the food chain. She countered his argument by asking how natural it is for vampires to drink animal blood.

Surprising him, she'd wondered if it wouldn't be better to hunt humans. Not innocent humans. No. She questioned if vampires could do the world a service by hunting criminals. Those bastards who murdered innocent people, raped, and did God only knows what other evil deeds that went unpunished for whatever reason. She'd told him of the cold cases Charlie often investigated where there wasn't enough evidence to convict a criminal, the criminal had evaded capture, or simply couldn't be found. She wondered if a vampire's far greater resources—and magical powers—could locate the criminal and eat them.

They'd discussed the issue endlessly. He even suggested she talk to Carlisle. He was far more persuasive and informative than Emmett believed he could be on the subject.

Truthfully, he couldn't help but consider her point. There is a great deal of evil in the world. Most of that came from the human population. He might be a vampire, but he'd only taken a handful of innocent lives in the last seventy-four years. And all of that had been when he was a newborn and struggled with his control. He'd only slipped twice after his newborn year and that was when he crossed paths with his Blood Singers. There'd been no choice then. He needed their blood and anyone who got in his way would have been seen as a threat to his meal and dealt with swiftly.

Though impressive, his stellar record had more to do with Carlisle and Rosalie than his desire to save human lives. Carlisle believed every human life mattered. Every. Human. Life. Therefore, it was Cullen rule number 2: If you wish to remain with the Cullen coven, you must abide by the Cullen vegetarian diet. Slipups are expected, accidents happen, but they shouldn't happen too often.

The vegetarian diet hadn't been a choice Emmett was offered. Carlisle made the choice to drink animal blood when he first became a vampire and discovered an alternative to human blood. Emmett didn't get that choice. He was expected to live off animal blood because he was Rosalie's mate.

He was never asked if it was what he wanted. He woke up. Rosalie took him hunting for the first time. He fed. And that was that.

It wasn't until he was learning about his new life— months later—that he discovered human blood was a vampire's natural food source. As soon as he realized the truth, he wanted to try it, but he was told if he wanted to remain with the coven and Rosalie, he would need to adhere to the Cullen lifestyle. And, of course, he wasn't going to leave Rosalie. She was his Angel. His mate. He couldn't bear the thought.

Emmett closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. That was a lifetime ago.

The thoughts of his mate sent his mind whirling in another direction. To the night that changed their lives forever. Bella's eighteenth birthday party.

He'd gone over that night countless times in the past three weeks and he was sure beneath the happy smiles something was going on.

For the most part, the Cullens saw him as the family idiot. The clown. There were times when they'd depended on his strength to get them out of a sticky situation but not one of them—except Jasper—had any idea of the strength he truly possessed. They hadn't bothered to ask.

Neither Carlisle, Edward, nor Rosalie saw his strength as a gift. But Emmett did. To him, it was the best thing in the world. To him, it meant he could always protect the ones he loved. It was his way of contributing to the family. But because it wasn't telepathy or visions it was overlooked and forgotten.

On many occasions, Edward has said how simple Emmett's mind was. He was easy to read, like a crystal-clear lake. Nothing was lurking beneath the surface. His thoughts were mundane and almost always something he'd say out loud.

To a point, this was true. Emmett is a simple man with simple tastes. He enjoys video games, wrestling with Jasper, computers, technology, construction, pranking people, and making his mate happy.

But despite what Edward may believe, his mind was anything but simple. A long time ago, he'd learned how to keep the surface of his mind exactly like that crystal-clear lake. That was the place he kept his most mundane thoughts. Beneath the lake was an entirely different story. In the deepest darkest depths of the lake was a place Edward would never, could never reach. That is where Emmett kept his most private and cherished thoughts. A place where he could think clearly without worrying about a mind reader exposing him to a family who shoved him into a box and labeled it ' Prankster, Jokester, Fun Guy'.

The night of Bella's eighteenth birthday everyone had been so happy to celebrate their newest member.

It was all going so well.

Alice was almost vibrating with excitement.

Jasper was projecting all those good feels into the room.

Emmett was sure Jasper couldn't see what was right in front of him. But Emmett had seen it. It was subtle. Nothing anyone else would notice. But it was there. Jasper was always so much happier when Bella was in the house. There'd been a constant weight on Jasper's shoulders for as long as Emmett had known him. But the moment Bella appeared, Jasper became a different man.

Alice was always so much happier, too. There was no weight on Alice's tiny shoulders, not like what he saw with Jasper. But the moment Bella entered their life, Alice lit up like a Christmas tree. She was overjoyed and excited in a way he'd never seen. Alice was always bubbly and energetic, but this was different. He couldn't explain it and he didn't really understand it.

Bella was opening presents when it all went to shit.

One little paper cut.

A single drop of blood.

For a moment, everyone in the room froze.

All eyes turned to the lone human in the room as she stared down at the drop of blood pooling on her finger.

And then . . . chaos ensued.

In the moment, Emmett had reacted as he believed necessary. To stop the main threat in the room from reaching his little sister. But he'd been wrong. So very, very wrong.

Jasper was never a threat to Bella.

Now that Emmett had the time to replay that night in his mind, he saw everything he'd missed.

Rosalie was being her usual bitchy self to Bella. No change there.

Esme was smiling happily.

Carlisle made a good show of being in the moment and playing the part of an excited father celebrating his daughter's eighteenth birthday. But Emmett saw the look in his eyes. That wasn't happiness. He was fearful. But of what?

Edward had asked Jasper to keep his distance from Bella while she was in the house. From Edward's perspective, it was a reasonable request. He believed Jasper had no control of his bloodlust and worried for his human mate. But Emmett—who knew Jasper would be just fine—had a hard time not punching the little mind-reading bastard for his asinine suggestion.

Despite Edward's request, Jasper was slowly edging toward Bella. It was subtle. Nothing anyone would notice unless they were paying attention. Which, at the time, Emmett wasn't.

The birthday girl was on edge. She hadn't wanted the birthday party and only gave in because Edward insisted.

After learning of Bella's displeasure, Alice had been reluctant to throw the party. She'd suggested a sleepover instead, or a movie night with the whole family, or whatever would make Bella the happiest. Alice only ever wanted to make Bella happy. But, after speaking with Edward, Alice's opinion suddenly changed.

What was that about?

Blood pooled on Bella's finger. The thin wrapping paper had sliced through her delicate flesh.

Everyone stopped breathing.

Nobody moved.

A soft gasp came from Alice. Her head swung toward Bella as she took a breath.

Jasper softly growled—more like a warning than a threat—as he stepped closer to Alice, who was suddenly swaying on her feet. A small growl came from her as she took a step toward Bella. It was almost like she was answering Jasper's growl with one of her own. Hers was much more defiant. Jasper growled again—this one much more than a warning—and Alice's small frame shook.

Was she going to attack Bella? That can't be right. Can it? Alice has impeccable control. She exceeds Carlisle in that area! I don't think I've ever seen her struggle with her bloodlust… Come to think of it, have I ever heard her say anything about being hungry or needing to hunt? Alice must hunt… right?

Alice shook her head. At the same time, Jasper growled again.

All eyes turned to him.

The family didn't see Alice's reaction to Bella's blood…

Emmett's eyes never left Bella. She was still staring down at the blood oozing from her finger. Beside her, he saw Edward. At the time, he hadn't caught it. But now, he saw.

There was a smile on Edward's face that Emmett had never seen before. It was malicious. The look of hunger on his face was terrifying.

"Daddy!" Alice let out a low whimper, her eyes shifting toward Jasper as her body moved toward Bella.

She called him Daddy. What the hell was that about? Some kind of kinky roleplay? I've never heard anything like that from them before . . . although, Alice and Jasper are extremely private. I've never heard anything remotely sexual from them . . . hmm . . . Why did I never notice that before? They're mated. They must have sex…

Putting that thought aside for now, Emmett remembered the absolute feral roar that came from Jasper as he turned his eyes on Edward. He'd never heard a sound like it. The windows rattled and the fear in the room went from controlled to DEFCON 1 in a nanosecond.

Alice dropped to the floor, unconscious. And Jasper shot forward. As he moved, Edward threw Bella across the room and into a table full of presents and her birthday cake.

Remembering the events as they took place, it was easy for everyone to believe Jasper had been the threat in the room. The others weren't paying attention to Edward or Alice. They hadn't seen what Emmett had. Though, admittedly, he didn't realize he'd seen anything until it was too late.

Emmett and Rosalie tackled Jasper and tried to restrain him, though that was no easy feat. The man was stronger than Emmett realized. It took all of Emmett's strength just to hold onto the struggling vampire. Even then, Emmett was no match for Jasper's gift. The calm billowed out into the room and Edward began to waver on his feet, just like Alice had. It was enough to partially subdue the jackass so that Carlisle could get to Bella.

What had been a simple paper cut was now a large cut down her forearm that needed stitches.

"Get him out of here!" Edward snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Jasper.

Of course, Jasper was blamed.

The shame Emmett felt for thinking so little of his brother would eat at him for years to come.

Edward blamed Jasper for everything. James. The baseball game. The ballet studio. Every time Bella tripped over her own feet, it was now suddenly Jasper's fault. He demanded Jasper be kicked out of the coven.

And, shocking the hell out of Emmett, Carlisle refused.

That was a first!

Even Esme looked shocked by that one.

Rosalie looked smug. He'd spent weeks listening to her harp on about how this was a mistake and that the human didn't belong with them. Now she was proven right and she wasn't going to be happy until everyone knew what she'd known all along.

Sometimes—and he hated to admit it—it was hard to love Rosalie.

He's never hated her.

When she asked Carlisle to turn him, he hadn't hated her for it. She always harps on about not having a choice and how much she hates being a vampire, yet she is just as guilty as Carlisle. They'd both found a human dying after a vicious, brutal attack and they'd done what they believed was best, turning them to save them.

The difference was Emmett loved his life as a vampire. And Rosalie hated it with a fiery passion and she never let Carlisle forget her displeasure.

Emmett figured he was going to die that day anyway, so living a vampire life was better than living no life at all.

Hell, he didn't even hate the new life he'd been given. He accepted it. He embraced it. And he loved his mate with everything he had in him. He protected her. He cherished her. He gave her space when she needed it. He helped her heal. When they were struggling, he accepted Jasper's offer to help. He drove her to therapy and held her when she cried afterward. He was there when she lashed out. He was there when she needed his comfort. He gave her every part of him and he never, not once, asked for anything in return. Nor did he expect anything.

He couldn't bring himself to hate his Angel because he truly didn't hate her. But sometimes—recently, a lot of the time—he found it hard to like her. And even worse, he was starting to question if he even loved her…

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He could clearly remember the look in Rosalie's eyes when Bella was hurt. It was cold. Malicious. Vindictive. Arrogant. And smug. And it broke something between them that Emmett wasn't sure could be fixed this time.

He'd always known she didn't like Bella. And that was fine. He could live with his mate not liking his baby sister. It would be hard at times, but he could deal with it.

He never realized how deep that dislike went until Bella's birthday party. Rosalie was self-righteous and smug. What had happened to Bella, and the fallout afterward was no more than what Rosalie had expected. She said it enough times. Bella was not meant to be in their family. She was human and of no importance to Rosalie, nor should she be to anyone else in the family, especially not Emmett.

He'd spent a lot of time thinking about this and, honestly, he couldn't fathom why Rosalie hated Bella so much. And it was hate. Not just mere dislike. She seemed too loath the human girl and, for the life of him, Emmett couldn't understand it.

Shaking those thoughts from his mind, Emmett stood and grabbed the suitcase from the walk-in closet. There was no point trying to figure out what Rosalie's issue was this time.

The facts remained the same. Emmett saw Bella as his little sister. He loved her. Cherished her. And Rosalie hated her, which put one hell of a strain on their relationship.

Had she simply not liked Bella, or the two didn't get along, Emmett could have dealt with that. He'd figure out a way to make his mate happy and still have his little sister in his life.

But the hate his mate had for this innocent young girl…

He couldn't understand that.

Bella had done nothing to Rosalie. And Rosalie treated her like she was worse than the dirt beneath her designer shoes.

It was disgusting.

But sadly, this wasn't the first time he was disappointed in his mate.

By the time he was finished packing, the bathroom door opened and Rosalie stepped out wrapped in a fluffy bath towel and nothing else. Her long, golden blonde hair trailed down her back. Her big, golden eyes were bright. She was, as always, exquisite.

"Where are you going?" She asked, eying the suitcase. "I thought we agreed to stay a few more weeks. Have a little time to ourselves…"

"That's what you decided for us, not what I want. I'm going back to Forks."

Rosalie tensed. "We promised Edward we wouldn't interfere in her life."

"You promised. I didn't," he stated. "I never would've agreed to something so ridiculous. He had no right to impose his will on all of us. Bella is a member of our family. Not just his plaything!"

"She's human, Emmett!"

"Yes!" He snarled, rounding on his wife. "She is human! A vulnerable, innocent human girl who knows far too much about our world and who attracts danger like it's going out of style! What the hell Carlisle was thinking when he agreed to abandon a member of our family, the most vulnerable member of our family, is beyond me. But I will not risk my life, your life, the life of my sister, or anyone else I love because Carlisle is too far up Eddie's ass to think about the consequences!"

"What consequences? Who's she going to tell?" She sneered. "Nobody would believe her even if she did open her mouth!"

Emmett shook his head. "I'm not worried about Bella telling anyone. I know she won't. She'll take our secrets to her grave. My concern lies with Laurent, who knows we befriended a human and told her our secret. Or how about the Denali coven? They know all about Bella. Or how about the biggest threat to my little sister's safety, Victoria?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Edward said—"

"I don't give a damn what that boy said," Emmett growled. "We left her to roam the world. Maybe Edward was right and she didn't care about James. But what happens if he's wrong?"

"He wasn't. Alice said—"

"Alice said she can't see Victoria! She doesn't know where she is or what she's doing."

Rosalie crossed her arms over her chest. "So, you're just going to go to Forks and what? Turn Bella against Edward's wishes? Go against Carlisle? Risk draining her?"

"Well, that depends on what Bella wants, doesn't it? After all, unlike the rest of us, she has a choice. Not that her so-called mate, you, or Carlisle asked what she wanted. And even when she voiced that opinion, nobody ever listened to her. Least of all the boy who was claiming to be her soulmate."

"He is her soulmate!"

"Is he?" Emmett questioned.

Rosalie's eyes widened a fraction.

"Think about it, Rosalie. If Bella was Edward's mate he would've turned her already. He wouldn't keep her human and vulnerable. No vampire in their right mind would allow their mate to be so vulnerable in our world."

Rosalie shook her head and darted forward. She placed her hands on Emmett's chest and looked into his dark eyes. "This is wrong, you know that. Edward asked us to stay away. She deserves a normal, human life. To go to college. Have a career. To fall in love. Get married. Have children. To grow old and then die a normal, natural death. She does not belong in our world, Emmett. I know you don't want to damn her soul like the rest of us. You need to forget about her."

With that, before he could speak, she stepped back and dropped the towel to reveal her beautiful naked body.

"Let me take your mind off that stupid human girl…"

She went to touch him again but Emmett stepped back.

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

How did I not see this before? It's so obvious.

"I love you with everything I have in me, Rosalie. You are my soul. My heart. The love of my life. My angel. But the fact that you're willing to let an innocent girl suffer and possibly die because of some petty jealousy is beyond fucked up. I'm going to say this one more time and I pray you hear me; Isabella Swan is my baby sister. And leaving her, not only hurts my soul, but it's beyond wrong and goes against our number one law."

"What happens if one of the seven vampires who know about Bella is caught by the Volturi and read by Aro?" He asked. "What will happen—not only to Bella—but to our coven if the Volturi find out we left a human with knowledge of our world? I will not allow you or Bella to be hurt or killed because Edward is a jackass and Carlisle has his head in the sand."

Rosalie shook her head. "You can't turn her—"

"That is not your decision to make. Nor is it mine. The choice belongs to Bella. And I for one believe she deserves to have that choice and not be told what to do with her life based on other people's beliefs." He shook his head. "Then again, what would you know about what Bella wants? You never took the time to know her. You were too busy being jealous and spiteful."

"I'm going to Forks," he continued, putting on his jacket and grabbing his suitcase. "I think we need to have a little time apart to figure out what we want as individuals and as a couple."

He looked over at her, hating to see the devastation and pain on her beautiful face. But this needed to happen. He couldn't take her attitude anymore.

"Emmett—" She whispered, staring back at him with wide, glassy eyes.

"We need some time apart," he repeated. "When you get your head out of your ass, you'll know where to find me. But I won't see you before then, Rosalie. Things between us need to change because if they don't…"

"If they don't, what?" She demanded.

"If they don't," he whispered, "I'm not sure how much longer I can do this with you. I love you, Rosalie. With all my heart. But I don't like you…"

Without another word, Emmett darted out of the room and quickly left the hotel. They had his credit card number, so Rosalie could stay as long as she wanted. And he'd call Esme on the way to the airport to let her know what happened. She'd call to make sure Rosalie was okay. Maybe she'd even join her in Africa or the two would meet somewhere. Esme was the best and she'd make sure Rosalie was taken care of when he couldn't be with her.

He hated doing it. He hated leaving her. He hated the words he'd said to her. But there was only so much a man could take and Emmett found himself at his wits end. Seventy-four years he'd been dealing with Rosalie and her attitude. He needed a break. He hoped that this was for the best. He hoped he hadn't just made a monumental mistake. He hoped that, in the end, maybe, maybe this would make them stronger. But he still worried that this wouldn't change anything. He worried it would just make things worse. Maybe their relationship had been headed in this direction for far too long and now it was impossible to fix. He worried that maybe this was the end for them…

･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ.

– Mystic Falls –

Sheriff Liz Forbes stared at the sausages sizzling in the pan on her stovetop as she tried to wrap her mind around the last two days.

The car accident with Logan Fell and Vicki Donovan seemed straightforward, if not a little perverted. She certainly hadn't been expecting to find Logan with his jeans down and his manhood on display. She'd seen worse things, though. She could deal with it.

The situation became something entirely different when she found Brian Walters dead in the morgue later that day. His body was drained of blood and there were fresh bite marks on his neck. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened, especially when she discovered Vicki's body was missing.

She would need to tell the Council about Brian's death. He was the town coroner, the one who signed off on all those ' animal attacks'. They'd need to find someone else to do the job now.

But did she have to tell them about Vicki Donovan?

She couldn't believe she was even questioning telling the Council. She'd always been taught that vampires are monsters. They needed to be killed swiftly and efficiently. But, how could she kill a young girl who she watched grow up? Vicki had her flaws, but there was no doubt in Liz's mind that she loved her brother. She practically raised him. She worked to ensure he didn't have to. She took care of the house, and the bills, and put food on the table. Yes, it was true, she spent her free time getting high or drinking, but Liz couldn't exactly fault her for that either. She was an eighteen-year-old girl with far too many responsibilities.

When it came to Vicki, Liz had turned a blind eye on more than one occasion. She did what she could to help the Donovan children. She even called CPS but Vicki was eighteen and had been named Matt's legal guardian. She was working and providing for Matt. She was doing well in school, as was Matt. As far as CPS was concerned, the two were doing fine.

Liz wasn't convinced.

When she could, she made sure to help out. She took Caroline to the Grill or ordered dinner from them at least once a week and she always tipped Vicki well. She slipped Vicki money when she wasn't paying attention. She'd leave groceries on their doorstep, or pay Matt to do odd jobs around the house or at the station. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Now, Vicki Donovan is a vampire, and Liz had no idea what to do about that…

"Mom!"

Liz turned to Caroline as she whipped the frying pan off the stove and into the sink.

"Are you okay? I called you like ten times…"

Liz shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was miles away. Do you want me to make you a bagel or oatmeal or something?"

Caroline smiled. "That's okay. I'll grab something while I'm out."

"It's Saturday. Where are you off to so early?"

"I have a committee meeting for the Halloween party at school, cheer practice, and a shift at the soup kitchen this afternoon. Then Bonnie and I have a study date tonight, which could lead to a sleepover if that's okay?"

Liz nodded. "It's fine."

Caroline kissed her mother's cheek and danced out of the house, calling goodbye as she shut the front door behind her.

Liz sighed, her thoughts returning to Vicki Donovan and what she was going to do.

First, she'd need to contact Damon Salvatore to get more vervain. The Council was almost out. Liz didn't have any vervain tea left, either. And she wanted to be sure Caroline started ingesting the herb, just in case. She would not leave her daughter vulnerable if Vicki remained in town.

Then . . . she wasn't sure. The question of what to do about Vicki loomed over her head. Was it right to keep this from the Council? What if Vicki killed someone? What if she killed Matt?

She'd always been taught that vampires have no conscience. They're monsters who feed on blood, kill indiscriminately, and have no humanity. They live only for the kill and the blood.

Is that what Vicki is now? A soulless, evil monster who'll kill anything in her path?

If that were the case then, the answer was simple. Yes. She would need to be killed. Liz would not put Caroline, Matt, or this town in that kind of danger.

But what if it isn't that simple?

It was that nagging thought that gave Sheriff Forbes pause. What if Vicki wasn't a monster?

･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ.

Taking a deep breath, Vicki Donavon walked up the driveway toward her shared home with her brother. She hadn't been gone long but knew it was long enough to make Matty worry.

She stopped at the front door. She could already feel the barrier keeping her out of her own home. She'd been warned she would need an invite into her own home. She just hoped she could get it from Matt without drawing too much attention to herself. Thankfully, nothing about her physical appearance had changed. And as long as she kept up the act of being human, she hoped nobody in town would notice. It was pivotal to her life and to Matty's that she did not draw attention to herself.

Before she could do anything, the door swung open and Matt appeared, a look of worry etched on his face.

"Vick! Where have you been? I've been worried."

She let her shoulders drop. "I'm sorry, Matty. I lost track of time and," she sighed, "I'm sorry…"

"I just . . . I worry about you…"

"I know," she smiled. "But you shouldn't. I'm okay, Matty. I promise."

He shook his head. "What are you doing on the doorstep? Please, come inside," he said, turning his back on her and heading into the house. "I was just making breakfast. Are you hungry?"

Vicky felt her face begin to change and her fangs lengthened as she stepped over the threshold. "Starving."

An: Poor Emmett. I love Emmett. But I'm not the biggest canon Rosalie fan. How do you feel about Rosalie and Emmett? Are they soulmates? Will they make it through this difficult time?

Sheriff Forbes knows Vicki is a vampire. She hasn't turned her in to the Council yet but, who knows, that could change if Vicki becomes a problem in the future.

Vicki is back home with Matty. She was invited into their home. But she was out during the day… I wonder where she's been and what she's up to.

Let me know what you think in the comments and I'll be back soon with another chapter! xoxo