All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Emmett POV

I leaned casually against the driver’s side door waiting for everyone to exit the airport. Rosalie was a bundle of nerves as she stood beside me, and I put my arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

I could not condone what she had done.  I was not a fool.  I knew my Rose was vain and could be very selfish at times, but it never bothered me.  I loved her despite all that; she was my angel.  But what she did to Edward… when I think of what could have happened…  I cringed inwardly.  Her intentions were good though misguided.  She just wanted to see her family happy again.   

I was partially to blame after all.  Life was not the same without Edward around.  I found myself growing lonelier everyday.  Of course Rose had noticed.  I know it bothered her knowing there was nothing she could do to help me.  I missed my brother.  He was my partner in crime in so many ways.  I should have tried harder to be normal for her; maybe then this could all have been avoided.

I couldn’t believe that she had honestly believed he never loved Bella and that it was some stupid infatuation that he would recover from once she was gone.  I chuckled to myself.  I guess she learned the hard way how strong his feelings were for the human girl, I thought. It still baffled me that she had not seen it before. 

I had forgiven her for what she had done.  How could I not?  I loved her and knew she was repentant.  She loved Edward in her own way, no matter what she had done.  She thought it was for the best.  She had missed him, and she thought she was helping.

I was pulled from my thoughts as I felt Rose stiffen beside me.  I looked to my right and saw my family emerging from the exit doors of the airport.  I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face upon seeing Edward again.  He froze once his eyes fell upon Rose.

“Don’t,” I heard Esme whisper to him.  “She feels awful.”

“She should,” Edward responded instantly, clearly annoyed.

“It’s not her fault,” I heard a small voice mumble, and for the first time my eyes fell upon the small, frail looking human at Edward’s side.  I almost didn’t recognize her, she looked so different, but there stood Bella clinging precariously to Edward’s waist.  If I couldn’t hear her heart beating I might have mistaken her for one of us.  She was unnaturally pale with deep dark circles under her eyes, and thin to the extreme.  She was but a shadow of the girl I once knew.

 I couldn’t help my next thoughts from entering my mind.  What happened to Bella? She looks like one of us.  Did you finally decide to change her? I teased, not surprised when Edward turned to glare at me. 

I chuckled to myself; it felt so good to have my brother back.

“Let her make amends,” Esme suggested.  “We’ll ride with Alice and Jasper.”

My grip tightened on my wife as he stared murderously at her.

“Please, Edward,”  I heard Bella plead.  I grinned as I heard him sigh in defeat.  He could deny her nothing.

I said nothing as I got in the car waiting for Edward and Bella to climb into the back seat. 

I was not surprised with the way Edward shot Rose down when she tried to apologize.  I had expected nothing less.  It would take time before things would get back to normal.  I couldn’t help chuckling as Bella garbled her forgiveness to Rose.  She was asleep within seconds and the car fell silent. 

My curiosity got the best of me after a few minutes and I could stay silent no longer.  “She looks like Hell,” I said, gesturing to Bella curled up in his arms, “and you don’t look much better.  What the hell happened?  When was the last time you hunted?”  I asked quietly.

“We all knew she wouldn’t forget.  You were the only one who couldn’t see how attached she was to you, how much she loved you,” I chided then grinned.  “Bella can’t walk across a level surface without finding something to trip on.  There was no way she was going to stay safe and out of trouble.”

He clenched his jaw but did not respond.

“She looks-” I began but he cut me off.

“I know,” he replied curtly.

 I didn’t even recognize her when I first saw her, I thought. He sighed.  

“She promised,” he answered softly then shook his head.  “Cliff diving, and werewolves!  What was she thinking?”

I arched an eyebrow at him.  Werewolves?  Are you sure? I thought.  Maybe life in Forks would be much more interesting than I originally thought.

He frowned then nodded.  “Apparently she is quite close to one of them.” 

“Close as in…?” 

He leaned down placing a soft kiss to the top of her head as his arms tightened around her.  “I don’t know yet,” he whispered in a sad voice.

Damn, there goes my fun, I thought glumly, earning a soft growl from Edward.

Bella stirred briefly in his arms but never woke.

“Sorry,” I whispered.  I know this must be hard for you not knowing where you stand.  I don’t know what I would do if I thought Rose cared for someone else.

The rest of the trip remained silent.  As we pulled up to Bella’s house I heard Edward take a deep breath.  He gingerly lifted her into his arms and carried her up the driveway.  Before he could get to the front door Bella’s father came out to meet them. 

“I can’t believe you have the nerve to show your face here,” Charlie yelled as he met them in the driveway. 

I chuckled as I heard Edward trying to calm him down.  It was not a smart move.  Somehow Edward convinced him to allow him to carry Bella to her room.  Charlie was waiting red faced at the door when he returned.

“You are no longer welcome here.  Is that clear?  You are never to walk through my door again!”  He yelled nostrils flaring.  “I’ll get a restraining order if I have to.”  I chuckled.  As if a restraining order could keep Edward away.

“You will stay away from my daughter.  I won’t have you messing her up again.  Leave now and never come back.”  With that he slammed the door in my brother’s face.

Edward’s face was carefully blank as he returned to the car.  As soon as I pulled onto the road Edward leaned forward placing his head in his hands.

I grinned, knowing my brother all too well.  “So when do you plan to go back?”

He sighed looking up with a small grin.  “Pull over.”

I chuckled as I pulled the car to the side of the road.  Good luck.  She still loves you Edward, no matter what.  Remember that.  You don’t risk your life for someone if you don’t care about them.

“Maybe,” I heard him whisper as he disappeared into the woods.

I reached over and grabbed my wife’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.  She turned to look at me and I smiled.  “Come on, let’s go home.  Our family is waiting.”

She smiled in return as I pulled back out onto the all too familiar water soaked street.