Broken Hearted on the Mend

Emmett's Point of View

I sat by Rhiannon's side the entire night. When the morning light started to peak through the blinds in her hospital room one of the worst things happened. I smelt it before I saw it. The rusty, but sweet smell of blood started permeating through the room. I looked around and saw blood forming under her sheets and under the hospital gown that she wore. Panic surged through my dead bones and I immediately called a nurse in by hitting the button above her head.

Immediately the nurses filed into the room. I was told to stand back by the wall and I watched on in concern. I don't know how I would muster staying alive if Rhiannon died now. I was hoping that Carlisle would make it here soon because only he could be sure to keep her alive. He had the most self-control out of all of us when it came to dealing with blood as well. The burn started to build higher in the back of my throat and I had to leave. Just as I was about to leave the actual hospital though the nurses followed by a doctor wheeled Rhiannon's bed out of the room.

"Where are you taking her," I asked a nearby nurse.

"She's bleeding out in the lower regions, the doctor just wants to know why," she explained.

"Her doctor is on his way though," I argued.

"If we don't stop the bleeding she could die. There's no time to wait for her doctor," the nurse answered.

I closed my eyes and walked towards the lobby. Just as I was walking out though, I saw Carlisle hurrying towards the entrance of the hospital and I felt hope rising inside my dead body at his approach.

"Carlisle, they just took her into the ER for bleeding in the lower regions. You have to save her," I told him.

"I'll do the best I can, but if it comes to it, would you like me to change her," he asked.

"Only if that's the only way to keep her alive," I consented.

"Alright, but keep your cell phone on because I will call you when she's out of the ER. Go home and hunt so that you can come back and see her," he said solemnly.

I nodded and headed towards the trees to run. I couldn't think about what would happen to Rhiannon because I was afraid that this time it might have killed her. I wish that she had trusted me enough to tell me her secrets. If she died in the ER I wasn't going to hold it against her for not explaining herself to me because that was just wrong. Esme had explained to all of us that sometimes it takes awhile for a person to trust someone else with something as dark as secrets. I ran towards the Canadian mountains again because that was where I could think well because there wasn't anything but nature surrounding me. I had been there for at least a few hours when my cell phone rang.

"Hello," I answered.

"She's stable Emmett. If you would like to come and sit with her again you may. The room has been cleaned and she's in fresh sheets and a fresh hospital gown," Carlisle replied.

"I'm on my way," I said and then hung up.

I stayed on the mountain top for another hour before I ran all the way back to the hospital. When I got there Rhiannon was sleeping peacefully in the bed. I sat down in the corner and watched her silently. She was hooked up to machines and had an IV in her arm. If I could cry I would be right now because she looked so fragile and weak. My head snapped towards the door as Carlisle walked in.

"How long is she going to have to stay in here," I asked in a whisper.

"I'd say about four weeks or so, unless she's improved before that time period has ended," he whispered back.

"So what was caused her to bleed like that," I asked.

"I'm not completely sure, but it could be that she was raped or sexually abused and it was a delayed reaction," he replied.

"Rape," I asked incredulously my eyes going wide.

"Yes, but I could be wrong. It could be a reaction to being punched and kicked in the stomach multiple times. I taped up her broken rib and she has a cast on her right ankle because while in surgery I noticed that they were broken. Her bruises that were peppered over her body have gone down considerably though," he replied.

"I wish I could tell you who did this to her, but she won't even tell me or anyone else," I said.

"I understand. Esme filled me in about her parents. She's had a rough life these past few months by keeping in her pain about her parents. When she wakes up please call me and let me know so I can talk to her then," he said and then left after I nodded my head in response.

Hours past and Saturday turned into Sunday real quick. Rhiannon continued to sleep peacefully. Bell, Edward, Leah, and Esme came and went with the same request to be called if she woke up. I told them that I would because they deserved to know the truth as well. At about six in the evening I noticed that Rhiannon began to wake up. I wanted to be sure that she was actually waking and not having a nightmare before I called anyone so I waited patiently.

Rhiannon's Point of View

My head hurt so much it felt like someone had taken a hammer to it a few times. I groaned in pain. I felt my right ankle encased in some sort of cast and tape wrapped around my side. Apparently when my uncle was beating me this time he did more damage than before. I hated him more now than I ever had. He led me to believe that he could be nice, but then he turns around and beats the crap out of me and he didn't even stop there either. He had to go and steal my virginity as well. That's what really pissed me off. If he hadn't beaten me to a pulp and almost unconscious I would have been able to at least try to fight him off, but that wasn't the case. I owed Leah a huge thank you for taking me to Emmett right away.

I did know for a fact though, that I wasn't going to be going to school for awhile and I was hoping that Emmett or Esme for that matter wouldn't make me go. I had feelings for Emmett and I was hoping that he had maybe a smidgen of those same feelings for me. I wasn't sure how I would tell him about my feelings, but I wasn't going to deny him or his family an explanation about what happened to me. It was time to shake the fear I held about keeping this secret from them all. Bella was right about holding things in and so was Leah.

When Leah had first started actually talking to me civilly she made a point in telling me that the more you keep in the more it's going to hurt in the end. I've also read something in a book called Change of Heart by one of my favorite author's and in one of the point of views it said: If you bring forth what is within you, what is within you will save you. If you don't bring forth what is within you, what is within you will destroy you. When I had read that line I realized that I was almost destroyed by my uncle because I hadn't brought forth my dark secret from within to the surface.

My eyes snapped open when I felt an ice cold hand on my right and a flaming hot hand on my left. The two sensations were alarming and a little uncomfortable.

"Rhiannon are you alright now," a male voice asked from the right.

"Rhiannon you scared the crap out of me don't do that again," a female said on my left.

The bright white of the room I was in was blinding so I shut my eyes again because it made my headache a little worse than before. This time I gently eased my eyes open and focused on a female's head on my left. She had black hair and really dark skin. Her eyes were black as night, but they held a past of pain and I thought I could detect a small or big secret within their depths as well, but I was a little delusional so I wasn't too sure.

"Leah," my scratchy throat spit out.

I swallowed down the large lump in the back of my throat before I could speak again. It was hard as if my throat hadn't been in use for hours on end. I cleared my throat a little too loudly until I felt a cup at my lips. Water was tipped into my mouth and it went down smoothly and felt good against the dryness.

"Leah where am I," I asked her.

"You're in the hospital sweetie," she answered sadly.

"Where's Emmett," I asked.

"I'm right here," the male voice from before said again.

My head moved towards the right and I found Emmett staring back me concern filling every part of his perfectly shaped face. I smiled at him and he grinned at me. My eyes swept the room and I saw Bella, Edward, and Esme standing back in the corner.

"Bella how are you," I asked her weakly.

"That question should be directed at you," she smiled, "but I'm fine," she said.

"Edward what about you," I smiled at him.

"I'm fine thank you," he said.

"Esme are you okay," I asked.

"Of course dear," she smiled warmly at me.

My swept the room again and I noticed a tall, slightly muscular blonde male standing by the door. He was just as perfectly made as Emmett, Edward, Bella, and Esme. He had the same golden eyes too. I loved those golden eyes. They were always beautiful and shimmering as if light was always shining behind them and throughout their entire bodies. It gave off an interesting glow that made my entire being warm at just seeing them.

"Who are you," I asked the blonde man.

"I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen and I flew in from Forks, Washington to personally care for you. You may call me Carlisle though," he smiled at me.

"What's wrong with me," I asked.

"Rhiannon, Leah brought you to the house all beaten up. When you were having a nightmare you started having a seizure so we brought you here," Edward answered my question.

"Oh," I said.

I brought my hand up, the one that Leah had let go, and coughed. I looked at it and winced a little. My wrist had bruises in the shape of my uncle's hand around them and it disgusted me. I tried to sit up in the bed that I was in, but it was a little difficult. Emmett, being the gentleman that he was, helped me and I smiled at him again.

"Thank you," I said.

"Anytime," he whispered.

"I believe I owe you all an explanation about the extent of my injuries and where I get them from," I said.

"Rhiannon, if you don't want to talk about it you don't have to," Emmett said.

"I read in a book once that the longer I keep this in than in the end it will destroy me, but if I speak out then it just might save me," I said.

"Which book was that," Carlisle asked.

"A book called Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. She's a rather interesting novelist and I love her work," I replied.

"Would you mind letting me read it," he asked.

"Of course not, but for now let me tell you the other half of my story," I said.

"Alright, but if you feel that you can't finish it all today, we will wait for the rest of it," Emmett said.

"I'm going to finish the story today, but I'm going to need a drink of water before I begin," I said stubbornly.

Emmett gave me another drink and I cleared my throat before I began. Although just as I was about to start my story though a man came into the room. His eyes were bloodshot as if he was drunk. Actually he was drunk because the man was my uncle. He had on a face that looked concern, but I knew better. It was all a show for the people that were surrounding me. I latched my hand onto Emmett's and shrank into the bed.

"Rhiannon, when the hospital called and said you were here, I was worried. Are you okay," his false concerned tone said.

"Get away from me," I whispered menacingly.

"Rhiannon, what's wrong," Emmett asked.

"Get the hell away from my niece," my uncle growled at Emmett.

"No, stay," I said.

"I said get away from her," my uncle said again.

"No, he stays and you leave," I forced out.

"Sir, the patient has spoken her feelings, I think you should leave," Carlisle interjected before my uncle could retaliate.

"I'm not leaving because I'm her legal guardian," he countered.

"You're dead to me. I want nothing to do with you, don't contact me, don't call me, don't even bother finding me when I get out of this hospital," I all but yelled at him.

"Are you sure you want to talk to me like that," he asked me giving me that hungry gleam he always had when he beat the shit out of me.

"BASTARD," I screamed at him.

If I had been alone he probably would have slapped me across my face. I could see his fists clench and unclench repeatedly. I moved my body a little closer to Emmett's because I my confidence just seemed to have vanished after I screamed at my uncle. I looked at Bella and Esme and their facial expressions were completely shocked. I was stunned into shock at what my uncle did next. He walked up to me, shoved Leah out of the way, which made her growl in fury and leaned in towards me. He whispered silently in my ear.

"You're life is over Miss Hart, do you understand. The minute you get checked out of this hospital you're dead," he hissed.

I was stunned into silence. My uncle then brought his hand up and actually slapped me in front of my friends. I looked at them and I could tell that their brains finally put the pieces together. Emmett stood up and almost lunged at my uncle, but Edward had his arms locked tightly behind his back. Bella strolled forward and grabbed my uncle by the neck and lifted him off the floor as if she was going to throw him. I hoped she would. It's what he deserved.

"Bella, be nice to the gentleman. He's fragile," Carlisle said.

I was shocked. Carlisle was standing up for my uncle who just hit me. Bella though, just nodded. She brought him back to the floor but kept a firm grip on him. Bella left with him and was back in the room within two minutes. My uncle was nowhere in sight.
I slumped against the pillows and let out a breath of relief to see him gone. Esme came towards me and put her cool hand to my cheek. It felt nice against the sting from the recent slap. I welcomed it.

"Are you ready to hear the full story," I asked everyone.

They all nodded. Leah had picked herself up off the floor, but didn't look the least bit phased or injured by the shove; however, she did look pissed off as if she wanted to devour my uncle. I gave her a weak smile and she composed herself.

"Okay, well you all know about my parents' dying, which is why I'm here in the first place.
Well, when my Aunt Maria first married my Uncle Kyle he seemed genuine and nice. I respected him. As the family functions and get-togethers happened though, I saw less and less of my aunt, so naturally when I heard that she would be taking me in to live with her I was ecstatic because I hadn't seen her for half my life. It turned out that Kyle had started abusing her after their fifth anniversary. She didn't say anything to the family because she was afraid.

As you all saw he put that same fear in me, which was the main reason I took so long to tell you the truth. Anyway, Maria was my father's sister and even though she got married she kept her last name Hart. I'm no longer afraid of Kyle hurting me because I believe that I've finally found my place in this world. People like Kyle live all over the states and all over the world; I feel that it is my job after I graduate high school to get rid of that scum.

"The first day I arrived here in Salem my uncle had followed me to my room. He told me the rules of his house and that if I didn't follow them I would be punished severely. I didn't mind being punished because I figured it would just be a carefree punishment, such as no phone for a week, no computer for a week, and stuff like that. Three days after I arrived though Kyle had set up a curfew of ten p.m. sharp and I had gone out to the mall to pick up some school supplies for when I started school. It was 9:45 when I left the mall. When I pulled into the driveway of the house it was 10:03. I walked in hoping that Kyle had forgotten about my curfew.

After I'd put my things in my new room though Kyle walked in and started yelling at me. I ended up yelling at him because I was trying to explain myself, but he wouldn't listen to me. He heard the yelling and he hit me for being three minutes late after curfew. I woke up the next morning to find bruises on my skin at where he hit me. They were horrible. The day before the real school year was to start he beat me again. I begged my aunt, who wasn't normally allowed to talk to me at all, to let me stay home for three weeks. At first she was afraid that Kyle would find out and punish her for letting me be. He almost found out, but I claimed to be seriously ill and when the bruises were gone I said I was alright and that I could go to school.

The night before I was supposed to start school though he kicked me first and then started hitting me and I knew I was going to have bruises again. I also knew that he wouldn't let me stay home anymore so I opted for covering up my injuries.

"I wasn't expecting to meet such a nice person as Emmett my first day, but I did. Our friendship grew with each passing day, but Kyle kept hitting me and I kept covering them up. I do remember Emmett asking me why I wore the clothes I wore. My answer had been a lie that felt meaningless to me at the time. The days wore into weeks. Emmett and I were still friends, which amazed me every time, especially when I hadn't been talking to him as much as before.

Kyle's beatings started getting worse each time. I had asked my aunt to wake me up for school and when she forgot my uncle did and he always woke me up with a kick to the side or punch, so I would start out with bruises and sores all over my body. The days that I wouldn't go to school were because I was too sore to even move from the injuries that Kyle gave me. It was hard to hide the fact that I didn't go because Kyle was always at home when I came home from school. Most of the time though, I fought the pain and went to school, but I would always cover any bruises that I acquired from my uncle.

"The night that Emmett came and picked me up from the woods my uncle had beaten me. I thought he would kill me when he squeezed my throat tightly. Unfortunately though, my aunt walked in while he had me above the floor. She started screaming at him and he threw me across the room. I had scrambled up to me room when he threw me a glare. I had bought a video camera with the money that my uncle had given me for lunch. I loaded the camera after examining my damage and taking pictures of them. I had gone back downstairs because I wanted to catch him in the act of physically hurting my aunt.

I was going to hide it in the living room, which was his favorite place to hurt me. I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by to catch him so I could hopefully turn him in and free the fear that both my aunt and I had of him. It didn't go as planned though. I had hidden in the kitchen, watched my uncle grab a butcher knife. When Emmett asked me the next morning who stabbed my aunt and I lied saying I didn't know, it was because I was still in shock and still coming to terms that my uncle had attempted to kill me aunt.

"That attempt though, had succeeded. Emmett had taken me to the hospital to see my aunt. I had asked to go in alone because I didn't want anyone to see the pain that I was in. The doctor had taken me down to the morgue that day because she had died the night before. I had videotaped her being stabbed and I couldn't take it anymore. I had grabbed a rolling pin and hit my uncle upside the head with as much strength as I could muster. It had knocked him out. I had grabbed the knife after putting on a glove. I stashed the knife into my bag along with the camera and then ran for the woods after my aunt had been taken to the hospital. I had gotten lost and called Emmett who had picked me up. I had gone into post-trauma shock and started crying in the woods. I hadn't stopped until I fell asleep that night.

After I had seen my dead aunt in the morgue the doctor who had led me to see her had taken me to a small exam room to get me an Ace bandage for my ankle because I thought that I had twisted it. As I finished putting my shoe back on when I was done wrapping my ankle my uncle had attacked me. He had been released from prison after the police couldn't find any evidence against him, since I had taken it with me out of fear and shock, not out of sympathy or to try and protect him. I wanted him locked for good, but it couldn't last. I'm guessing that Edward had found me and led me out of the hospital and we had gone back to Emmett's house. I had explained to you about my parents' deaths, but before I did I had been fighting with myself about telling you the entire truth. Yesterday was the worse. It started out just fine.

I hadn't had any bruises for the entire week and when my uncle had woken me up, but he didn't kick or punch me in order to wake me. I found it seriously odd because he was never so nice to me before since he was an alcoholic and every time that he had beaten me he was always drunk. Yesterday though, he seemed perfectly normal and nice. He cooked me breakfast and then he actually had seen me off to school. He was being generous towards me and I was actually, to be truthful, seriously scared of him for it. The day had gone just fine. I was happy and joyful. Emmett had invited me over for a small slumber party. I had gone home to gather my things and when I was about to go sit on the front porch to wait for Leah that's when my uncle had snapped.

"He beat me, he choked me. In the past he never had touched my face, but last night he had in three places; my mouth, my head, and my eye. I was in so much pain. He had gripped my wrists so hard that I could feel the blood being cut off and when he let go they stung from the sudden blood flow to them and I knew I would have bruises to hide. He stopped beating me and I thought he was done, but I was wrong. He shoved my skirt up above my waist and then raped me. I wasn't strong enough to fight him off because he had beaten me a few minutes before. By then I was crying and couldn't stop.

After he finished raping me he went upstairs. I took that chance to escape. I tried standing, but he had stepped on my ankle and broken it, which made me collapse to the ground. I opted to crawl and I made it outside. I dragged myself and my bag towards the woods because I felt safe there. I heard cars passing by, but because I wasn't standing they couldn't see me so they didn't stop. One car did, and it turned out to be Leah's. I don't remember what happened after that, but I do remember being lay down on a couch," I finished the entire true story.

Emmett gave me another drink of water, but as before everyone was silent. Their expressions were shocked beyond belief. I thought that they would all leave and never return, but I was surprised when Bella and Esme came forward and gave me a hug. I felt tears pricking at the edges of my eyes and I also felt one slip free. Emmett wiped it away with one of his cool fingers.

"Rhiannon, I'm sorry for badgering you into telling us the truth," Bella apologized.

"It's alright," I said.

"Rhiannon if you would like to press charges against your uncle for murder, assault on a minor, and rape I will be happy to become your attorney and win your case," Edward spoke up.

"Are you serious," I asked incredulous of the statement.

"Yes, when I first met you I couldn't help but feel a brotherly love forming towards you. The longer I stayed here and when I helped you out of the hospital four months ago I felt the need to protect you from anymore harm," he replied.

The tears started flowing because this wasn't the response that I was prepared for. They surprised me and I knew that I had found the family that I was supposed to be with for the rest of my life. My main focus now though, was to rest up and get better so that I could begin preparing to go to court.

"Rhiannon I know that we haven't known each other for very long, but I must tell you something," Emmett said.

I looked at him with a questioning look.

"What is it," I asked.

He looked towards Carlisle who nodded his head in consent, which confused me a little.

"I've been keeping two secrets from you as well. The first one, well, I just wanted to let you know that I've also felt the need to protect you, but not like a brother. I've felt the need to protect you like someone who truly loves you for who you are. The second secret is a little different. I hope you don't fear me," he said pausing to take a deep breath.

"Fear you, how could I fear you when you looked like you wanted to kill my uncle a few minutes ago," I asked incredulous.

"Because I did want to kill your uncle and not just to keep you safe, but for other reasons too," he said looking away.

"What do you mean," I asked my confusion building.

"I mean that I'm not human and neither is my family," he replied heavily.

"Not human," I repeated furrowing my brows.

"Exactly, not human," he said.

That's when everything clicked, the ice-cold skin, the yellowish eye color, the hard rock feeling of his hand, the statue like sitting positions, the super strength. My head was trying to piece everything together throughout the months that I had known Bella, Edward, Emmett, Esme, and now Carlisle.

At lunch time at school the pained expressions he wore when he choked down food and the real reason why he left the classroom when I came to sit in the first day I was even at the school. Everything that I had silently observed now finally made complete sense. When Emmett and Bella didn't show up for school those four weeks that it was sunny outside was because they weren't human and they were trying to hide their secret from the entire world.

"If you aren't human then what the hell are you," I asked.

"My family and I are vampires," he said simply.

"Then that would explain the ice-cold skin, the pained expressions you wore when you ate food, the sickness you felt the first day I came walking through the door, the gold eyes, the hardness of your skin, the absences you had when it was sunny, the statue like sitting positions after I told you about my parents, the super strength that you all have; it's because you're all vampires," I said.

"Yes," he answered.

"Okay, then Leah what are you," I asked.

"Excuse me," she asked me.

"Well, you can't be human either," I said simply.

"What makes you say that," she asked.

"The scorching heat of your skin," I answered.

"I can't tell you," she replied.

Before I could protest though, Bella's cell-phone rang.

"Hello," she answered the phone, "I'll be sure to tell her. Alright and be sure to behave around her," she scolded and then hung up.

I was confused by the odd phone call. I wanted answers and I wanted answers now.

"Leah, you're allowed to tell her the secret," Bella directed towards Leah.

"No I'm not," she said.

"He just called me and told me that you are allowed to tell her the secret, especially if you want to remain friends," Bella said.

"Leah please tell me what you are," I asked.

"I am human, but because of my heritage I am able to transform into a wolf," she finally said.

"Really," I asked.

"Yes, but I hate it," she said.

"Why," I asked.

"It's such a long story, but I will tell you after you are discharged from the hospital," she smiled at me.

"Alright," I said.

"Rhiannon needs her rest now, so if everyone will leave her be for the night that will be good," Carlisle said from the corner.

"We'll come back to see you tomorrow," Esme said giving me a light hug.

I smiled and watched as they all filed out. Emmett was the last to stand, but I didn't want him to go.

"Please stay," I asked.

He looked towards his father who nodded his head in agreement. He sat back down and took a hold of my hand. I felt my eyes drift close not realizing how spent I really was. The day was long and I had exerted so much energy to scream at my uncle and tell my story to the people who seemed to really care about me. I let my lips form a small smile as I drifted off to sleep for the night.