The Mermaids' Pearl: Semi-Sequel to Emmett's Jeanie

Chapter 18

Maddy's POV: 

I had woken up this morning just as the sunlight had started to light the room that I was in. My eyes were dry and achy, and I knew it meant I has cried most of the night away in my sleep. My body seemed to ache still, as if I had done a long and tiring swim when in reality it was just recovering from my pearl's displays of affection for another.

I forced myself up from the bed to change clothes that Jeanie had laid out for me before I walked out of the room into the kitchen. I was met by a gentle hug from Gemma as soon as I crossed the threshold into the kitchen. I forced a smile on my face as I returned the hug, looking down at the little genie.

"Aunt Jeanie won't tell me everything that's wrong, she says I'm not old enough to understand yet. But I hope you feel better soon." (Gem)

I felt a few tears form in my eyes as I blinked them away and nodded to her. I watched as Rosalie offered me a gentle smile as she walked by, gently pulling Gemma from the room along with her with a talk about going to see a movie with Claire and Quil. I turned to see Jeanie sitting at the island, a plate of seaweed and sea cucumber in front of the seat across from her.

She snapped her fingers as I sat down in front of the food and a glass of what I knew was salt water appeared in front of me. I nodded in thanks to her as I started eating, both of us silent though for myself it wasn't much of a choice really. I ate what I could stomach before I finished my salt water, finally looking up from the plate to meet Jeanie's gentle stare. I felt a soundless sigh leave my mouth as one of her own left hers.

"Maddy, hope isn't lost yet. Do you believe that?" (J)

I felt myself shrug despite my notebook being right next to me, but she didn't say anything in protest against it. It seemed as if she understood to some extent what I was feeling. I wasn't feeling hopeless yet, but I wasn't confident that my pearl would ever choose me while he cared for another either. Family history hadn't proven that he would.

"If you would like to, Emily and Sam have invited you over to dinner tonight with the pack and some of their imprints." (J)

I looked at her in slight confusion for a moment, wondering why I would be welcome there even if I was his supposed imprint. It wasn't as if he was single and rejecting me in that way. In a way it was worse, because he loved another that would surely be there with him and the others tonight. I shook my head no before looking away from Jeanie and outside to the lingering snow on the ground.

"Bella will be there, along with Quil and Claire. Seth will be there too, without his girlfriend as non-imprints aren't allowed. Though Seth doesn't know that you know, the rest of the pack does. That is the only secret they know other than Sam and Emily. Should I tell Emily to expect you around 6?" (J)

I sat in silence for a few moments as I thought about it. The idea of being so near and close to my imprint was tempting. I wanted nothing but to be as close to him as possible, even as I knew it would only lead to my heart hurting more with each act of affection he bestowed upon another. Though the chance to see his smile, hear his voice, and just be near him again was far greater a temptation than anything else as I grabbed my notebook off the counter and wrote in it.

"Yes, please tell Emily I would love to have dinner with them. Could you ask her though to fix me salt water to drink if she can? I fear I will need it if my nights are to continue as such as they were last night." (M)

"Of course I will Maddy." (J)

"Thank you, I think I'll go on a walk for a bit if it's that's alright." (M)

I watched as she read before looking back up at me and nodding with a gentle smile on her face again. I knew she would come find me if I wasn't back in a few hours, so I wasn't worried about much. She snapped her fingers as I stood and walked towards the door, a soft looking teal colored coat appearing by the door. I looked back at Jeanie to see her offer me another gentle smile as I nodded in thanks for the coat. I slid it on before walking outside, feeling the cold wind prick at my skin for a moment before I became used to it.

It wasn't nearly as cold as the Artic Sea was and I had spent many months there over the years as I grew up visiting some of my mother's relatives. I walked through the snow covered woods, watching as a bird flew overhead every once and while, but otherwise I was alone. I heard the sound of running water and soon came across a small river that I knew led out into the ocean.

I walked as close as I dared before I took a seat on a boulder that was free of snow. The water seemed to burble with happiness as it flowed past me, and I wished to feel the same amount of happiness. I pulled my knees up closer to my chest as a few tears started to fall from my eyes, my only thoughts about how I was too late to claim my pearl as my own, as his heart was already owned by another.


Jeanie's POV:

I watched Maddy disappear from my view into the trees, a sigh leaving my mouth as she did. I felt the familiar arms that always made me feel safe wrap around me as I continued to stare out the window in the direction she had gone. Not yet looking away from the woods, even as I leaned closer into Emmett's chest.

"You ok babe?" (Em)

"I don't know Emmett. Physically I am fine, but mentally........it has been many years since I've felt this much fear and worry flooding my thoughts about something other than imprisonment in a bottle." (J)

"I figured, Jasper mentioned it to me last night when Madeline started.....screaming I guess is the right word though it sounds weird to say when none of us hear a thing." (Em)

"I know. I just don't want her to end up like her Aunt, I can't lose another friend that way. It's horrible to feel your friend turn into sea foam in your own arms, it's.......oh it's horrible. And Gemma suspects something is wrong even though I've told her it's nothing. I'm unsure how much longer we can or even should keep the truth from her. I wanted her to have a normal childhood, we all did. But she isn't normal, none of us are. Hell her best friend though human she may be is the imprint of a shapeshifter." (J)

"Shhhh babe, it's ok, everything will be ok. Just breathe." (Em)

He turned me around in his arms until I was facing him, and gently started wiping away the tears that I had barely noticed were falling down my face. I leaned into his hands on my face as he calmed the beginning of what would have surely been a panic attack of sorts. I hadn't had one since Emmett had first summoned my bottle from me that fateful night, but it warmed my heart in ways knowing he could help stop them as easily as he once did.

"I'm scared for her Emmett, and for Gemma. Both of them are so innocent to how cruel life can be. I fear that Gemma will learn of it by seeing Madeline go through it first hand." (J)

"I know babe, but you just have to believe that everything will work out the way it is meant to for Maddy. And that no matter what may happen, everyone will try their hardest to protect Gemma. She may be an Egyptian Genie, but she's also a Cullen babe, just like you." (Em)

I looked up and met his golden eyes with my own blue ones, smiling as my hands gently traced the dimple on his face as he smiled, before he pulled me up into his arms and closer to his lips. I smiled as his lips met my own, feeling his icy stone tongue trace along my own as my arms wrapped around his neck. I knew that Maddy could be back any minute, but I also knew that Gemma was out of the house for the afternoon thanks to Rose.

I smirked a bit as I pulled away from Emmett for a moment before snapping my fingers. He let out a light laugh as we landed on our bed, both of our clothes already folded in a chair in the corner of the room. He hovered above me as he stared at me, his eyes darkening for a moment but not in hunger, in lust, as I knew mine did the same as I looked at him.

"I do believe I said we'd continue what we started the other day. Perhaps now is as good as time as any." (J)

"Are you sure babe? I don't want to stress you out by taking away any of your time like this." (Em)

"You not making love to me right now will stress me out more than I can take right now Emmett. Please." (J)

"Your wish will always be my command babe." (Em)

I smiled as he started to attack my neck with kisses as he worked his way down my body, his fingers just starting to flick and pinch my nipples as he got to work. I felt a moan leave my mouth, and I snapped my fingers just to make sure our room was safe from any unexpected visits from Gemma or anyone else for that matter before I lost myself to Emmett's attentions to my body entirely.