A Different Reunion

Imagine Bella's surprise when she saw him. Was this the way it should have been from the beginning?

One Shot; NonCanon Emmet/Bella; 2925 Words

By jansails

I spotted Bella across Fordham's campus, walking in my direction. She had her face tilted up to the sun, taking in the late afternoon rays on what was a pleasant fall day. She hugged a book to her chest, and a small backpack dangled off the crook of one elbow.

My lungs inflated with air, my chest lifted, and I yelled with joy, "Bella!", running towards her.

Bella's big brown eyes popped open, and her lips were shaped in a big O of surprise when she saw me coming towards her. She dropped the book and her backpack, immediately in a full sprint to me, her cheeks flushed red, giggles erupting from her when we crashed together, arms tangling around one another. I couldn't resist lifting her, spinning us in a circle, until Bella managed to huff out loud, "Stop, Emmett! You're making me dizzy."

Laughing, I carried Bella over to a nearby bench, sat her on my lap, and spontaneously started directing quick kisses to her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, while whispering, "I'm never letting you go again."

Before I realized what I was doing, I kissed her reddened lips softly, my own tingling with electricity that charged through my body like a bolt of lightning. I was sizzling with desire, and an overwhelming feeling of rightness.

Of love...

One of my hands gently cradled the back of Bella's head, my fingers slipping through her thick, long chestnut hair, while the other hand splayed against her lower back, holding her delicately in place.

When our lips separated, reluctantly on my part, but knowing Bella needed to breathe, she placed her palms on either side of my face, stared deeply into my eyes, and said, "Emmett."

She began placing kisses, much as I had done to her, but slowly, reverently, looking into my eyes after each kiss, as if to determine if this is what I wanted from her, or not.

I covered her hands with mine, and with a shaking voice said, "I love you, Bella, I always have, but it took being separated from you to make me realize what you meant to me."

Bella smiled sadly at me, but rose from my lap to sit beside me on the bench.

I was relieved when she took my hands in hers, our connection remaining, her hands so warm, so small within my cold, larger ones, wrapped around hers.

"Emmett, I don't understand; I thought you and Rosalie were mated for life?" Bella questioned me, searching for understanding.

I sighed resignedly, knowing I must tell Bella about Rosalie and me; how we came to be, how things were between us- while at the same time, wishing I didn't have to explain it, or face it, either.

"When Rosalie rescued me from the bear attack, I was dying. I was bleeding too quickly to survive, even if the bear had tired of savaging me. Suddenly, I saw this glorious blonde angel drive her fist into the bear's skull, right between the eyes. I heard a loud cracking sound, and the bear slumped over, dead from the impact. This angel, the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, picked me up in her arms, and that's everything I remember until I woke up with Rosalie, Carlisle, Edward, and Esme all around me.

Rosalie held my hand and said, "You're safe now, and you belong to me."

I was completely overwhelmed and infatuated with my savior; this blonde goddess of a woman. She was far above my experience, out of my league, and unlike any woman I had known. You have to remember, I was raised in the mountains of Tennessee, in the twenties and thirties, and someone like Rosalie was unheard of, except as a film star or a model in New York.

After being told how I had been transformed into a vampire and what I had become, Carlisle educated me on this lifestyle. I was beholden to Rosalie for choosing me. Carlisle, Esme, and Edward for helping me to adapt, for welcoming me into their family. At that point, I would have done anything, been anything Rosalie asked of me, in gratitude for the fact she wanted me, a backwoods 'mountaineer, used to shooting his dinner to feed his little brother and sister.

It wasn't until much later, when the cracks in our relationship began to appear. When I was finally able to attend school with Rosalie and Edward, her jealousy and feelings of ownership over me came into play whenever human girls tried to flirt with me. It was much worse when the Denali sisters actively sought me out during our visits with them.

I think everyone in the family accepted us as being mated because I worked so hard to keep her happy- let her control our relationship. I agreed to wedding ceremonies every five years or so, because she felt cheated out of a big church wedding, of wearing a fancy bridal gown and being given away by her father.

But, the truth is, I was afraid of ending things between us, afraid I would lose everyone. Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and then Alice and Jasper joined us, expanding our family, adding joy and friendships to the mix.

Foolishly, I ignored or downplayed what was wrong between Rosalie and me; the arguments where it was her way or the highway attitude, the cold shoulders and shunning me, which could last days or weeks depending on her mood or level of anger.

I think that's the other reason my family thought we were mated; I always let her win, have her way in order to keep the peace. I'd knuckle down, ask forgiveness until Rosalie eventually accepted me again. And Rosalie's favorite way to forgive the error of my ways was epic sex. I won't lie; it made all the ugliness fade.

.

When Edward insisted we leave Forks, I resisted; argued with him- I didn't want to leave you. I thought how I would never see your face light up when you saw us at school, how I would miss teasing you about your clumsiness, how your heart-shaped face, big brown eyes, blushing cheeks, and rosy lips would never again be part of my life.

As we now know, Edward lied to us all; he said after the disastrous birthday party, you two were over- that after Jasper's failed attack, you would never feel safe with us again; how you could easily see the rest of us were tempted by the sight and smell of your blood, too."

Emmett's thumbs caressed the palms of Bella's hands as the low timbre of his voice captured her attention, his amber eyes focusing on her brown ones, flecked with tiny specks of green and gold, encouraging him to speak. His eyes would travel to their joined hands during the hurtful or hard parts of his dialogue.

"So, we left. Rosalie was crowing with triumph when Edward told his tale about you dumping him, rejecting us, and his decision we should leave Forks and let you get on with your life.

I was crushed, depressed. I did what was expected of me, but no more, and Rosalie became enraged by my sadness, my unwillingness to let your memory go. We fought more than at any other time in our marriage.

Rosalie insisted we leave the family behind instead of going with them to Carlisle's next job at Rutgers University. We began traveling, crossed the Canadian border, and started touring the national parks for hunting grounds, making stops in the big cities of Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, whenever the mood to shop struck Rosalie.

It allowed me time to call the family privately, without Rosalie becoming infuriated with me for wanting to know how everyone was doing. She knew I disagreed with her and believed our family wasn't doing well since we left Forks, left you.

When I knew Rosalie would be gone for hours shopping, I would call Alice and ask her if she had any news or visions of you. Alice reluctantly admitted she had promised Edward she wouldn't look because you didn't us any longer. I begged her to check, to make sure you were safe. Alice tried, said she caught a few glimpses of you at school, looking tired, pale, and sad, but that was all she could see.

Rosalie and I had been up at the family compound in Denali for a couple of weeks when Carlisle called to tell me about Garrett meeting you in a pub in New York. He mentioned how shocked he was by your immediate recognition of him being a vampire and explaining how you came to know. Garrett stated you were enrolled at Fordham, getting on with your life. He was appalled at what had happened, angry with Edward and our family for leaving you susceptible to threats, and what Edward had told you in saying goodbye.

Carlisle and Esme were devastated Edward had so skillfully lied to them about you and were ashamed and humiliated to understand what our abandonment had cost you. When Carlisle called me, he wouldn't tell me the details on the phone; if I wanted to know everything, I needed to hear the whole story in person.

Rosalie erupted, shouting at me to give her the phone, lunging at me, trying to rip it from my hands. I had to take off, running like a mad man, scaling rocks and trees to get away from her. She quit chasing me after about ten miles, and Carlisle was still in the background on the phone, listening when I stopped, breathing hard from the exertion.

Carlisle asked me if I was all right. I said I would be and was catching the next flight out to join them."

"Emmett, I am so sorry; I feel like this is all my fault. I don't want to be the cause of arguments between you and Rosalie. I'm so sorry," tears welled up in her eyes and dripped softly down her face.

I gently wiped away her tears, "No, Bella, you aren't the cause of my marriage dissolving- I am. When I returned to the house, Rosalie had already gathered my clothes and started a bonfire with them. Bella, that's not love. No matter how angry I get with someone I love, I would never destroy everything out of malice, spite, or vindictiveness- that isn't love, Bella. It's control and manipulation, not love."

Bella reached up, her face coming closer to mine, and she placed such a sweet kiss upon my lips It was a benediction of grace, of love, When she broke the kiss, her delicate smile warmed me through and through.

I related to Bella about my arrival in New Jersey, about being on tenterhooks; nervous, restless; wanting to be with Carlisle and Esme, my parents, and finding out what had actually happened between Bella and Edward.

Carlisle and Esme met me at the airport, they wrapped their arms around me, and we stood hugging each other tightly. Each murmuring comforting words to me, "it's going to be all right, Emmett, Bella's okay, don't worry, she's safe, Emmett."

I broke down and cried the way vampires are able to, with shuddering sobs, hiccupping, and whimpering like a heartbroken little boy. I honestly can't even remember getting out of the airport; Esme sat beside me in the backseat, hugging me and stroking my hair, with my head on her shoulder until suddenly, we were in front of our home.

Carlisle suggested we go hunt to give me time to pull myself together, and Esme stayed behind, waiting our return.

When we made it back to the house, Esme sat beside me on the sofa, holding my hand, as Carlisle was seated opposite, and began to tell me everything: how Edward lied to us, how we left you unprotected against Laurent and Victoria, and how after months of the two Nomads predatorily stalking of you, the Quileute wolves managed to kill both of them.

I wanted to pulverize the coffee table in front of me when Carlisle described what Victoria had done to you. Breaking your arms, purposely perforating both your eardrums to permanently deafen you. Carlisle said you had to wear casts on your arms, and Charlie made sure you received Cochlear Implants to give you back your hearing."

Emmet could not longer look into Bella's eyes, so great was his pain and shame.

Instead, he dropped his forehead into Bella's palms, as if seeking absolution... forgiveness. "I'm so ashamed. We did this to you; we abandoned you, and because we erased you from our lives, we allowed those fucking Nomads to nearly kill you, to disable you."

Bella gasped, and lifted Emmett's face. One hand ran through his dark, brown-black curls, and with her other hand, she traced her fingertips lovingly against his lips, "No, Emmett, it wasn't your fault; I won't have you taking the blame for what happened to me.

We all made choices, uninformed choices, ones we would have made differently if we had known the facts...the circumstances. It's over and done with, and I, for one, do not want to dwell on what was. I want to look forward.

You've made me so happy, Emmett! I never thought I could be this happy again, feel this strongly. I can't begin to tell you how much I have missed you. There have been so many times when I would think to myself, 'Oh, I've got to tell Emmett about this, he would laugh,' and be crushed as it hit me that I would never actually be able talk to you.

It took me months to get over Edward. What helped me kill my feelings for him was finally accepting the cruelty of what he put me through. It was a plan he'd had in the back of his mind from the time we started seeing each other. He never believed in me, I was just a frail human, not his equal partner, and he had an exit plan all along, for when things got messy, or he tired of trying to make things work between us. Once I accepted Edward never truly believed in us as a couple, I started to get better. I resumed my high school life, improved my grades, determined I would go far away to college, and rebuild my life.

Unfortunately, Victoria wanted an eye for an eye, revenge, which meant killing me in retaliation for James' death. I was lucky the Quileute Wolf Pack was generous enough to keep me in their patrol range.

Charlie had always treated Jacob like a favorite nephew. As Jacob was like a cousin to me, he involved the Pack in my safety. If it hadn't been for them, I wouldn't be here with you now; their numbers were what made Victoria's ultimate revenge fail and saved me from death."

"I'm so grateful to them for doing what we did not; protecting you, caring for you. We owe them a huge debt for saving your life.

Carlisle and Esme accept Rosalie and I will end in divorce. They understand her nature, and now comprehend how unequal our relationship has always been. They see it was never a true vampire mating, as compromise, as well as wanting your partner to be happy, were never a part of our marriage.

I told them how I felt about you, and they agreed my feelings are much deeper for you than they ever were for Rosalie.

Esme said my breakdown in the airport spoke volumes, and Carlisle pressed both my hands in his and told me, 'Bring our daughter home.'

Bella, do you think you could love me for who I am, love me enough to give us a chance?" Emmett's voice cracked, earnest, and vulnerable.

"Oh, Emmett, you don't know how easy you are to love! When I saw you in front of me, running towards me, I thought my heart would burst with love and joy. It hit me like a ton of bricks- and I realized I was in love with this man.

You are the biggest hearted man I have ever known. You are generous to a fault, would give the shirt off your back to help someone else. You refuse to look down or speak badly of others'. You look at every day as a positive, bringing new beginnings. You've always been kind and caring. You don't take advantage of your strength to get your way or overcome others. Your laughter and sense of humor brighten the lives of those around you. You're so, so handsome and have always made me feel safe in your presence.

My answer to your question is, yes, a thousand times yes, I very much want to be with you, Emmett," Bella gave into the temptation to kiss Emmett passionately, not caring if there was an audience, or what anyone thought.

And when he responded as wonderfully as he did, she knew she was home.