Like a Skyscraper

The next morning Kaelyn woke up alone in her hospital bed. Her heart ached as she convinced herself that it was all just a dream and Emmett was never really there. Kaelyn closed her eyes, fighting back the tears, and turned onto her other side to force herself back to sleep.

The door opened, but Kaelyn chose to ignore whoever came in. The bed dipped as someone sat down on the side of it. Kaelyn assumed it was her mother.

“Why are you crying?” Emmett’s soft voice floated through the air. Kaelyn’s eyes popped open and she sat up quickly, groaning when it strained her body.

“You’re really here. I thought I dreamt all that up last night,” Kaelyn said and threw her arms around Emmett’s neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his chilly body.

“I’m here. And you’re coming with me soon, if that’s still what you want,” Emmett said as they parted. Kaelyn nodded her head and smiled softly. Emmett was really here with her. She looked into his golden eyes and saw love looking back at her. It was all she needed to reaffirm her decision.

“Carlisle called your mom and told her to meet us at the cabin Carlisle has. He was vague but told her there was another way to help you. She’s headed there now. Carlisle is on his way here to do the paperwork to move you,” Emmett told her and stood back up.

“Do you want me to bring you anything?” Kaelyn shook her head and patted the spot next to her in the hospital bed.

“Please just stay with me until your father gets here.” Emmett wedged in next to her and they lay that way for an hour before Carlisle arrived at the hospital. Emmett stood up to greet his father.

“Carlisle, is everything ready?” Emmett asked quickly. Carlisle smiled gently at the two in the room and nodded.

“Yes, I’ve just filled out all the required forms. We can leave as soon as you are ready, Kaelyn,” Carlisle said. Kaelyn nodded and pushed the covers off of her. She was in her regular pajamas and didn’t feel the need to change.

“Emmett, I don’t think I can walk on my own…” Kaelyn trailed off a little embarrassed. Taylor, Kaelyn’s regular nurse was standing in the doorway.

“Honey, let me go get a wheelchair for you—“

“There’s no need for a wheelchair,” Emmett stopped the nurse before she went to get one. Emmett walked back over to Kaelyn and gently picked her up in his arms, one arm under her knees and the other wrapped around her torso. Kaelyn wrapped her arms around Emmett’s neck and rested her face in the crook of his neck.

“Carlisle, Kaelyn’s bag is in the chair. Can you grab it?” Emmett asked. Carlisle nodded and grabbed the small tote from the chair. The two vampires walked out of the room with Kaelyn.

“Bye, Sweetie.” Taylor waved goodbye to the group as they left. She turned to the other nurses at the nurses’ station and sighed, “It’s a pity the poor girl doesn’t have much longer. That boy seems head over heels for her.”

~*~

Rosalie paced back and forth in the backyard. Emmett had been so short with her, and she wanted to know where he was really going. The nagging voice in the back of her mind was telling her it had to do with the girl Emmett slept with.

“Let’s go see,” Rosalie mumbled to herself and turned to leave only to find two obstacles in her way. Esme and Jasper were blocking the way she planned on leaving.

“Move,” was all Rosalie said. She felt Jasper trying to calm her down with his powers and growled at him in response. He immediately stopped trying to meddle with her feelings. Esme tried to smile at her adoptive daughter.

“Rosalie, not is not the best time to go see Emmett.”

“Why because he’s with his whore?” She snapped back. Esme sighed and turned to Jasper for help.

“If you confront Emmett now, it will only make things worse. He will come back when he’s ready, and you guys can talk then.”

“Jasper’s right. Wait until Emmett is back and then talk things over. If you go barging in now, it may ruin whatever you guys still have between you,” Esme added. Rosalie felt like ignoring them and going anyway, but she knew they were right. She would bide her time at home and wait until Emmett came back. And he better come back.

~*~

Emmett carried Kaelyn all the way outside past the parking lot. Carlisle stood next to him just inside the tree line and away from prying eyes.

“Kaelyn, close your eyes and hold on. We’re going to run to the cabin. It’s faster than driving there,” Emmett explained. Kaelyn nodded and closed her eyes. In the next few seconds, she felt the wind rushing through her hair and felt Emmett’s body moving quickly. It only felt like they were running for a few minutes before Emmett stopped.

Kaelyn slowly opened her eyes and looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere, and the only thing nearby was rather large cabin. Trees surrounded the cabin on all sides, and a small gravel road led away to what Kaelyn assumed was the main road that led out here.

“We’re here,” Carlisle announced and opened the front door for Emmett to take Kaelyn inside. Emmett carried Kaelyn into the living room and set her down on the plush sofa.

“Your mom should be getting here within the next hour,” Carlisle said, setting Kaelyn’s bag down next to her.

“Will she be here when it happens?” Kaelyn asked suddenly feeling scared about being changed. Carlisle made eye contact with Emmett before leaving the room to give them some privacy to talk. Emmett sat down next to Kaelyn and wrapped a comforting arm around her.

“She can if you want her to be. Or you don’t have to tell her. It’s whatever you want to do. We can explain everything to her like I did to you or we can come up with an excuse as to how you overcame the cancer. Some miracle treatment or whatnot.” Kaelyn sighed and closed her eyes trying to imagine lying to her mom.

“I want her to know the truth. We’ve always been close and eventually she’ll notice I’m not aging, and I can’t stop seeing her. We can tell her when she gets here and before you change me,” Kaelyn decided. Emmett nodded and kissed her temple.

“I need you to be prepared, Kaelyn. The change will be difficult. I’ll have to bite you, and my venom will burn in your veins. It will feel like you’re on fire. When you wake back up, you’ll have a burning in your throat; I’ll take you out and show you how to hunt.”

“Will I be different? Like will I think differently or act like another person?” She asked worried. Emmett shook his head.

“No, you’ll still be yourself. It will be confusing at first because your senses will be heightened and it will take some adjusting. Your instincts will be stronger to help you hunt, but you’ll still be Kaelyn. There are things you can’t do as a vampire,” Emmett started, but Kaelyn cut him off.

“Like aging and eating regular food. Oh and sleeping, crying and having a heart beat,” Kaelyn finished, remembering what Emmett told her in the hospital.

“Yes, all that. But there are other things too. We will never be able to have children together. Female vampire can’t get pregnant. I want to be with you Kaelyn, and I know you are a family person, but when you change, you won’t be able to do certain things you may have planned on,” Emmett tried to explain feeling uneasy like she might change her mind on becoming like him.

Kaelyn rested her hand on Emmett’s cool cheek and smiled.

“I’m okay with that. I thought I was going to die and leave my loved ones behind. I’m okay with not having kids if it means I get to stay here with you and my mom. I’ll be okay,” Kaelyn told him and kissed his cheek. A few minutes later, Carlisle walked back in with Lila on his heels. When Kaelyn saw her mom, the tears finally came. There’s just something about seeing your mom in difficult times that makes it impossible to keep the tears in check.

Lila rushed over to the couch and threw her arms around Kaelyn. She kissed all over her tear streaked face and pulled away to look at her.

“Why did you want to leave the hospital? Carlisle said over the phone that there’s one more thing we could try, but I thought you didn’t want to do chemo again,” Lila rushed.

“It’s not chemo, Mom. It’s something only Emmett and Carlisle can do for me. Please sit down so we can explain. Try to keep an open mind,” Kaelyn advised. Lila sat down on the other side of Kaelyn, and Carlisle sat in a chair across from them. Carlisle was the one to explain things to Lila. His soothing voice and measured words made it seem like a normal thing to bring up in a conversation; changing into a vampire. Kaelyn watched her mom’s face the whole time for any clues as to how she was taking the news. When Carlisle finished, Lila turned to Kaelyn.

“This isn’t a joke? This could happen to you, and you would be able to live?” There was hope in Lila’s voice.

“I wouldn’t be fully alive, but I wouldn’t be dead in the ground. I’ve decided to let Emmett change me. When he does, I’ll be immortal like him, and you won’t have to worry about me leaving before you,” Kaelyn tried to joke. Lila broke out into a cheek splitting smile and hugged her daughter again.

“You have my full support; I just can’t believe there is a way to keep you here with me. When will the change happen?” Lila asked.

“Preferably, right away. I can smell Kaelyn’s sickness, and it’s rapidly expanding,” Emmett murmured, but they all heard.

“I’ve prepared a bed for you Kaelyn so you can rest during the change,” Carlisle said and led everyone into the bedroom, Emmett carrying Kaelyn again. He laid her down on the bed and sat on the edge. Lila was on the other side, and Carlisle stood at the foot, observing.

“Are you ready?” Emmett whispered. Kaelyn took a shaky breath and nodded. Emmett leaned forward and kissed her gently.

“I love you, and I’ll be right here when you wake up.” A few tears welled up in Kaelyn’s eyes as she nodded.

“I love you too.” Emmett kissed her cheek as he moved his lips to the juncture of her neck. He closed his eyes and bit down, igniting the fire.