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— EMMETT DIDN'T LET HER go for hours. They stayed on Rose's couch, pressed against each other long after the sun had past the center of the sky. Reese knew that eventually she would need to release her iron grip and go back to pretending that things were normal, that her freak incident with the snow and mental break down had all been a little hiccup from coming back from the dead. But for now, Reese didn't have the strength. Emmett hadn't shifted once since she'd wrapped her arms around him, probably fearing that if he did she would somehow remember that she was angry with him. That she wouldn't let him comfort her anymore. Under all of her fear and pain, Reese was still angry — no long hug would let her forget what had happened to her — but it was easier to forget with his bulky arms wrapped around her; keeping her safe from the nightmarish reality that endangered her constantly.
Only when the sun threatened to sink below the mountains did Reese begin to move. Her aching throat the only reason she broke herself from Emmett's grasp. She'd been trying to fight it, not ready to face the rest of the Cullens — to deal with their worried and pity filled expressions — but the hunger that ravaged her body wouldn't let her ignore the outside world for very much longer. Emmett, very reluctantly, released her and his golden eyes watched her expectantly. Almost like he was waiting for Reese to crumble again. Reese couldn't blame him for that look, he had every right to stare at her like that. Even now, with all of her emotions locked away where she couldn't touch them, Reese teetered on the edge of insanity.
Despite the steel like feel of her skin, Reese felt as fragile as egg shells. If too much pressure was put on the wrong place, she would shatter. Her body, despite it's strength, would crumble to dust. Reese stared out at the setting sun, the golden rays painting the sky a magnificent hue of pink. Emmett rose from the couch and stood beside her, letting his hand wrap about her much smaller one. The gesture was meant to be comforting, but it only made Reese want to cry some more. Emmett was already too attached to her; too tightly entwined with the girl who was destined to die — the girl who should have died. She couldn't help but wonder how much happier he would have been if he had never sat beside Reese on her first day of school. Reese would have died, but Morgana would have been gone forever, and she would remain happily with her mom and dad until the rest of her family joined them. Emmett would have continued his eternity, probably found another girl — a girl who didn't have tragedy written in the universe — and he would be happy. Emmett deserved to be happy.
