𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍;
THREE WEEKS LEFT

(recommended to listen to broken by isak danielson while reading,,it will put you in your feels)

— THE DELICIOUS AROMA OF handmade made pasta and sweet bread fresh out of the oven wafted over Reese and Emmett as they stepped into Luigi's Restaurant. Most of the tables were occupied, Reese spotted one of the couples that had been in the pottery place munching on a basket of bread. The hostess directed Reese and Emmett to a booth by the window, lighting the candle resting in the middle of the table and sent them a welcoming smile. Reese knew that she was blushing and ducked her head so that no one could see. She couldn't think about how everyone kept thinking that she and Emmett were together, not when she was planning on dropping the bomb of her impending doom.

Reese flicked through the menu, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she debated on whether she should get the chicken parmigiana or penne alla vodka. Emmett turned the pages of his menu too and Reese wondered if he would get anything, it would probably look a little bizarre if he just sat there and watched her eat. One of the waitresses, a pretty, dark haired girl with warm brown skin, handed them glasses of iced water and smiled brightly.

"Hey guys, I'm Katie and I'll be your server for today," her chestnut eyes flickered to Emmett and her cheeks reddened when he nodded at her politely. "Can I start you guys off with something to drink?"

"I'll have some coffee," Reese told her, rubbing her hands together to generate some heat. "Decaf, please."

Katie wrote it down and then glanced at Emmett. "And for you?"

Emmett held his water up. "I'm all set with this."

"I'll be right back with your coffee," Katie told Reese and then walked back towards the kitchen, grabbing a couple of empty plates on her way.

Reese twiddled her thumbs distractedly; how on Earth was she going to do this? Emmett had been nothing but honest with her, telling her everything about himself (granted, only after Reese had confronted him about it) and here she was holding back a monster of a secret. She must have turned green because Emmett gripped her clenched fist.

"You alright, Reese?" He asked, worry swimming in his golden eyes.

Reese swallowed thickly. "Yeah," she choked out. "Yeah, fine."

Emmett didn't look convinced but he let it go, his eyes dropped back down to his menu and Reese retreated into her head — a dangerous place for her to be, really — her loud thoughts making it hard to concentrate on reality. The ticking clock that was background noise to every thought she had had been getting louder the closer her birthday got, a deadly reminder of what turning eighteen would mean for her. January third was less than three weeks away, and while part of Reese longed for the time to pass by faster the other part — the rational, life loving, part — dreaded it; her bravado was thinning by the day, but Reese refused to go along with the loophole Elizabeth had discovered. A life for a life was not something Reese Logan was interested in, especially with the life they were planning on using. It made her queasy to even think about.

Luckily, Katie returned with the coffee and took their dinner orders before Reese could tumble into the churning black pit; she ended up going with the pasta while Emmett got steak (rare, naturally). They talked while their meal was being prepared, but Reese couldn't even remember what came out of her mouth. The ticking was getting louder, voices whispering into her ear three weeks left, three weeks left, three weeks left, three weeks—

A surge of calmness flowed through her, starting at her toes and slowly rising upwards. It battled through the darkness that was starting to make the window beside her rattle, forcing it back into the abyss it climbed out of. The voices were locked back behind their wall, the cracks that were appearing from the force of their cries were repaired leaving her brain surprisingly quiet. Without the noise, Reese could actually hear what Emmett was saying (something about how he had always love the snow); her heart rate steadied and the breath of air she hadn't known she was holding found an escape. The calmness was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, and Reese felt tears prick her eyes as she thought of the black lines that were undoubtedly covering Flynn's arms now — the price she paid for taking care of Reese.

"Here's your pasta."

Reese lurched as a hot dish was placed in front of her, Katie winced apologetically and then handed the steak to Emmett who thanked her. Once she'd walked over to a table of people that hadn't been there before Reese slipped into her mind, Emmett turned onto Reese with a concerned expression. It wasn't like the pity Elizabeth sometimes wore when she thought Reese wasn't paying attention, but more along the lines of wanting to make sure she was okay. That whatever was bothering her was gone now.

Emmett held his glass of water to Reese's coffee, offering her a smile that eased the remaining darkness back where it belonged. "A toast to our vases."

Reese let out an amused chuckle. "A toast to your vase and my hollow block of clay," she corrected.

They clinked their glasses and set into their meals; the pasta was delicious, just the right amount of spicy and the penne was cooked perfectly. Paul used to make his own vodka sauce, Mallory would make the pasta by hand and the kids would bounce back and forth between their parents helping with everything. Once they were all finished they would eat their labor; Reese hadn't realized how much she missed the familiar taste until it hit her mouth and flashes of the happy family flashed behind her eyes.

"So you wanted to tell me something," Emmett reminded her, chewing a piece of steak slowly.

Reese tensed: now or never, she told herself. "Yeah, I, um, I haven't been completely honest with you."

"What do you mean?"

Reese took a deep breath. "Remember when I told you about how I'm the Chosen One and I'm going to save my family?"

"Yeah," pride glowed in Emmett's eyes. "Like a real Wonder Woman or something, saving people I mean."

Tears burned her eyes. "Well, I left something out."

"Okay?"

Reese sniffled. "In order to save my family, I need to fight the witch who cast the spell. My ancestor, Morgana Piedmont."

"But she should be dead by now," Emmett frowned. "She cast it during the witch trials, didn't she?"

"Yes," Reese whispered. "So in order to defeat her, I need to go to the other side—"

"What like die!"

She nodded. "Yes. On my eighteenth birthday, I'm going to pass over to the other side where I'll destroy Morgana's soul to break the curse. I have to die to get there though."

"You're going to die?" Emmett repeated, shocked. "But you're a witch! Isn't there some way that you could, I don't know, come back!"

Reese shook her head, letting out a small gasp as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Elizabeth and Flynn tried and they did find something, but I won't do it. The spell calls for a life for a life, someone will have to take my place. I can't ask anyone to die for me."

"Christ, Reese, I'll do it," Emmett's eyes were wide with fear now. "I'm already technically dead, it can't do anything more to me—"

"No," Reese's words were strong even through her hiccups. "You can't. A life for a life means someone living."

"You can't just die!" Emmett argued, holding his fork so tightly it looked close to snapping. "Not now!"

"I'm so sorry," Reese sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "I didn't want to tell you, but I couldn't just disappear after . . ." she trailed off. After I've grown to like you she was going to say. "I didn't want you to not know after you've been so honest with me."

One of her hands was pried away from her face and Emmett entwined his fingers with hers, squeezing tightly. "When's your birthday?"

"January third," Reese answered meekly. "I have a little over three weeks left."

Emmett looked like he'd just gotten kicked in the gut by a bull. "Isn't there something else you can do?"

"No," Reese whispered. "Believe me, Elizabeth and Flynn looked but," she sighed. "But I'm tired, Em. I'm tired of this darkness that constantly tries to swallow me. I'm tired of the voices the scream at me to help them. I'm tired of looking at my siblings and seeing them losing someone they love. I'm tired of seeing Elizabeth's wedding album and knowing that the love of her life is gone because of some stupid curse. And, well, I miss my mom and dad. I miss them so much it feels like I'm getting ripped apart!"

"Okay, Reese," Emmett spoke softly, soothing her tears. "I understand."

Reese wanted to say that it didn't look like he understood; his golden eyes were swirling with pain and his jaw was clenched so tight she thought his teeth might crack. He looked like if (when) she died he was going to follow shortly after, like his life was connected to her. She didn't say any of that though; she didn't tell him how much it meant to her that he didn't shout at her for longing for death, that he didn't suggest they abandon their dinner and head to the library to find some way around this. He didn't call her selfish for wanting death.

They finished their dinners in silence, hands still clasped together for comfort. Katie brought them the check, frowning when she saw Reese's tear streaked cheeks and red rimmed eyes and the anguish on Emmett's face. Emmett paid in cash, leaving a generous tip, and they released their hands to sling their coats on to head back to the pottery place to pick up their vases. Like magnets, their hands found each other again as soon as they were standing side by side.

The snow had stopped, and the bitter air had warmed a bit without the falling flurries but Emmett and Reese didn't break apart. They entered Port Angeles Pottery and Laura greeted them pleasantly, she too noticed the pain in their eyes and let them retrieve their clay work without intervention. Reese clung to her vase, the warmth that remained from it's time in the kiln soothed the cold that seemed to spread across her body — part of her wondered if that's what dying felt like, but she chose not to dwell on it.

The ride back into Forks was quiet, the two of them both lost in their thoughts. The sun has sunk below the mountains by the time Emmett pulled into Elizabeth's driveway. Neither of them moved, the Jeep running idly as they sat still as stone. Reese tore her eyes away from the window (not liking that she could see her reflection now that it was dark) and turned to Emmett. His jaw hadn't relaxed in the hour drive from the pottery place to Mormont Lane.

"I'm sorry, Emmett," Reese told him. "We shouldn't have gone on a date, I was being stupid."

"No," Emmett said firmly. "No, don't be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry this is happening to you. You deserve all the happiness in the world Reese Logan. Were you happy today?"

"Yes," Reese said after a moment, reflecting on how her heart had soared when Emmett held her hands while making her wonky looking vase. "Yes, I was."

"That's all that matters," Emmett risked a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I just want you to be happy."

Before Reese truly knew what was happening, she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Emmett's cheek. She rested there for a moment, hearing him sigh as she pulled back. "I really wish things could have been different."

Emmett pushed a strand of her hair back, his thumb lightly grazing her cheek bone. "Me too."

Reese turned away from him and pushed her door open, letting the winter breeze rush in. She jogged carefully up the pathway to the front door, keeping a firm hold on her vase so that it wouldn't fall due to her shaking fingers. She kicked the snow off her boots and turned back before she walked into the house to see Emmett with his head pressed against his steering wheel. She blinked away the forming tears and stepped into the house.

Hearing her enter, Elizabeth and Flynn rushed from the kitchen to greet her. Elizabeth eyed the ugly vase warily, opening her mouth to comment on it when she heard Reese's tight intake of air and then burst into tears. Reese held the face to her chest tightly, her wails raising in volume as her friend and aunt were quick to embrace her. It had been so long since Reese had been comforted, so long that she forgot how warm a hug could be. Her aunt smelled so much like her mother that it physically hurt Reese, but she refused to move.

"I know, Reesey," Elizabeth cooed. "I know."

"Why me?" She stuttered through her tears. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Nothing," Flynn told her firmly. "You have done nothing to deserve this. I would do anything to make it all better, Reese, I would."

The three of them stayed like that until Reese had cried herself dry, nothing left but deep gasps and an emptiness in her chest. It felt so similar to when she'd buried Paul and Mallory that it shocked her. Reese hadn't realized how much she had actually fallen for Emmett Cullen until it became apparent to her that there was nothing she could do to be with him because she had three weeks left . . . 

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

— ALICE'S ARMS WERE AROUND him the second Emmett stepped into his house; the petite brunette clung to him tightly, her eyes filled with tears as she knowingly looked up at him. The rest of his family stood in the living room, watching him sadly. They knew.

"You saw?" He asked Alice glumly. "Reese, you saw it?"

Alice nodded. "Oh, Emmett, I'm sorry."

"Was she scared," he clenched his jaw, not wanting to let on just how much he was hurting. "Was she in pain?"

"A lot of it Alice wasn't able to see," Edward told him, having seen the vision when his sister had it.

"I saw you," Alice told Emmett. "You were there with her."

That didn't ease his anguish much. "Alice, was she in pain?"

"No," Alice whispered. "She looked at peace. But . . . "

"But what?" Emmett asked a little more fiercely than he should have. "What did you see?"

"I don't really know," Alice admitted. "But her death, it didn't feel final if that makes any sense."

"Not really," Emmett frowned. "Reese told me the prophecy, she said that she has to die and if she doesn't this curse will continue to hurt her family."

Carlisle stepped forward, resting a comforting hand on Emmett's large bicep. "What did the prophecy say?"

Emmett retold them what Reese had said when they were sitting in the diner after she had learned what he was. How the Chosen One would break the curse on her eighteenth birthday (he know knew that she had to die to do that) with the help of a cold one. As he spoke, Carlisle and Alice shared a knowing look that didn't go unnoticed by Emmett.

"What?" He asked, looking at his father for all intents and purposes. "Is it something I said?"

Alice turned to him, a frown etched on her pretty face. "Yes and no, it was something she told you about needed the help of a cold one. That is obviously one of us and considering I saw you there, it's probably about you but it's more of how you help her that's concerning."

Panic flared up within him. "What do you mean? Do you think that I hurt her or something?"

"No!" Carlisle shut that idea down immediately. "No, you don't hurt her."

"Then what is it?"

"I told you," Alice started. "I didn't think her death was final, and if a cold one's help is part of the prophecy, well, maybe you turn her."

If Emmett could've gotten paler, he would have. "You think she becomes a vampire?"

authors note: okay okay okay so this chapter is pretty short for me but i wanted to get something up bc im feeling super inspired for reese rn !!! im super in my feels rn and that showed bc em and reese had a super cute moment (ugh i literally love them sm) and reese deserves all the happiness in the world and it hurts my soul to see her in pain )))': but what do you guys think about alice's vision and carlisle's thoery,,do you think that emmett will turn reese and she'll become a vampire or do you think that something else will happen ??? also what about flynn wanted to trade her life for reese's bc she loves her that much,,let me know what you guys this of this chapter bc your comments make me so so so happy !!! (also side note, pls pls pls listen to broken by isak danielson bc thats what put me in my feels uwu)