The gentle rays of morning light filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow into the room. The melody of birdsong filled the air, coaxing me slowly awake. Blinking away sleep, the world gradually sharpened into focus, revealing the familiar ceiling above me.

As I shifted, my hand brushed against a hard smooth surface, prompting me to turn my head towards it. There, beside me on the bed, lay Emmett. He still wore his white shirt, his tux jacket and tie absent, the top buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of his chest.

"Morning," he greeted with a sweet smile, his eyes warm with affection as he looked at me. We had danced and enjoyed ourselves, but exhaustion must have caught up with me—I couldn't recall coming up to the room. Perhaps it was the bubbly after all.

"Morning," I replied, smiling up at him. "Have you been here all night?" I gestured to the bed, acknowledging that he had stayed with me while I slept.

"I have," he responded softly, his words warming my heart. "I also carried you to bed," he added with a chuckle, reminding me of how I ended up here.

"God, I don't want to know what I did," I laughed nervously, imagining the potential embarrassment if I had done something memorable in my state.

Emmett chuckled softly. "You didn't do anything," he reassured me, easing my embarrassment. "I just brought you to bed, and you slept peacefully while I kept an eye on you." If I hadn't known what he was, those last four words might have concerned me.

I chuckled softly and shifted myself upright. As soon as I did, a pounding echoed through my skull, causing my face to contort momentarily.

"I don't miss that," Emmett remarked, laughing at my evident hangover. "You even sang a little bit, and you weren't half-bad," he confessed, making me shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. I didn't want to believe him, but I do recall some half-drunk songs being sung.

"At least someone's enjoying my current state," I laughed, though I quickly stifled it as the pounding in my skull intensified. "Did my Grams get home safe?" I asked, turning my attention to Emmett.

"Yeah, Rosalie took her," he replied, allowing me to exhale with relief. My priority was my Grams, and last night, I had let loose and gone wild, not caring about anything because, at that moment, my life felt perfect.

"I should get home and change," I announced, my eyes drifting to my outfit. The dress still clung to me, and my heels lay on the floor beside the bed. Surprisingly, my necklace and earrings were still on.

"Your Grams was already on it," Emmett said, his gaze shifting to the foot of the bed. There, neatly placed, was a change of clothes. I chuckled, grateful that my Grams knew me so well. "Shower and change, and I'll make you some breakfast," he instructed with a gentle smile. I nodded in agreement. Emmett leaned forward and kissed my cheek softly, before rising from the bed, and strode out of the room.

A smile lingered on my face, the icy chill of his lips still tingling on my cheek, though the cold no longer bothered me. Every time we touched and kissed, it was the warmth that I felt. The sensation of his lips stayed with me, a gentle reminder of his love, and it made my heart swell with happiness.

I stepped into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over me, washing away the remnants of the previous night. The steam enveloped me as I lathered my skin with a fragrant body wash. After thoroughly rinsing, I shampooed and conditioned my hair, feeling the strands soften under my fingers.

Once I felt completely refreshed, I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel. I brushed my teeth, the minty taste invigorating me further. I returned to Edward's room and turned my attention to the folded clothes on the end of the bed. My Grams had likely given them to Rosalie to bring back here. The outfit consisted of grey sweatpants and a matching grey spaghetti-strap top.

I descended the stairs, drawn by the mouthwatering aroma of sizzling bacon. Walking through the living room, I entered the kitchen and found Emmett still in the remnants of his tuxedo.

"Never take that off," I playfully remarked, biting my bottom lip as he turned his attention to me, releasing a deep chuckle. "Do love a man in a tux," I concluded, stepping closer to him as he turned away from the pan, and stalked towards me.

"And I love seeing you in sweats," Emmett said, his eyes wandering over my outfit before meeting mine again. We stopped in front of each other, and without hesitation, we leaned in and our lips connected, moving together in perfect harmony.

There was fire, electricity, passion—everything I had ever dreamed of when we kissed. As our lips parted, I realised my arms had instinctively wrapped around his neck, while his were firmly around my waist.

"I love you," he murmured softly, his words filling me with pure joy and happiness.

"I love you too," I responded softly, my eyes locked fiercely onto his as our love continued to blossom and grow. His lips curled into a boyish grin, revealing those irresistible dimples.
He pecked my lips before we unwrapped from each other, and he moved back over to the frying pan, stirring the bacon around with the spatula. But as I watched him, my smile faded, my mind wandering to the future where I would be old and wrinkled, while he stayed eternally unchanged. Perfect, ageless, my big softie.

Fear, uncertainty, and a whirlwind of mixed emotions churned inside me, threatening to overwhelm me. I fought to suppress them, pushing down thoughts of the inevitable future. With a forced smile, I approached him, meeting his gaze filled with a bright, genuine smile of his own.

He was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I wasn't about to let myself ruin it...

.............................

A week passed in a blur as I spent most of my days at Emmett's house. We watched movies, had long talks, and enjoyed various activities together, sometimes with the other Cullens. Bella's silence didn't surprise me; she was likely lost in her honeymoon bliss. I still didn't know where he had taken her. Emmett had asked the others to keep it a secret from me, as he wanted to plan a special trip for us one day.

I stood in the meadow of flowers that had bloomed after the destruction I had caused. Now, it looked as if it had always been adorned with wildflowers. Inhaling deeply, the fresh, fragrant air centred me, the aroma of the flowers calming me. I hate to admit that I had been sneaking here this past week to calm myself. The more I tried to bury thoughts of the future and Emmett's plans for us together, the harder they clawed their way back into my consciousness.

Each time I stood in that meadow, surrounded by the vibrant hues of wildflowers, their delicate petals brushing against my skin in the gentle breeze, I could escape the nagging thoughts that I had buried. The air carried a mix of floral scents, soothing yet subtly. I was escaping to nature so to speak.

I exhaled deeply, feeling the oxygen leave my lungs and my chest fall. I came out here because he had mentioned something trivial for our future as a couple. I know it shouldn't bother me, but it does. I can't talk to him about it, because what if he realises I'm right and leaves me because I can't give him what he wants? The thought of losing him claws at my mind, making my heart race and my breathing erratic. I can't bear the idea of him walking away.

Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet began to darken and decay, just like the petals at the wedding. The flowers wilted and died right in front of me, amplifying my worry. A noticeable tremor shook the earth, rattling the nearby trees and sending birds scattering into the sky. My emotions were slipping out of control, and with them, my magic was spiralling into chaos.

No, not like this... I thought to myself as I snapped my eyes shut, focusing on my breathing, on nature, on anything but my fears. I had to bury them, push them further and further down.

The ground stopped shaking as my breathing became controlled and relaxed. I fluttered my eyes open and looked at the ground, seeing that the decay of the flowers had stopped in its tracks, no longer spreading to infect the others.

I couldn't even talk to my Grams about it. She had dedicated so much time to teaching me control, ensuring I wouldn't lose myself within my magic. I didn't want to disappoint her again. I exhaled deeply once more, then with a flourish of my hand at my side, I watched as the withered and decayed flowers slowly regained their life and vibrant hues. I restored the meadow to its original state, as this place held a special meaning to me.

"I thought I'd find you here," Emmett's voice boomed from behind, making me spin on the spot to face him as he walked towards me. "Are you all right?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow, noticing my brief expression before I forced a smile.

"Just wanted to see how they were doing," I gestured to the flowers around us, as he stopped inches in front of me.

"Well, I have to inform you that Alice would like to go shopping with you and Rose," Emmett announced, stating his reason for seeking me out. "Or," his voice deepened as he continued, giving me a suggestive expression. "You can stay with me and we can cuddle." He added, his arm snaking around me to pull me close.

"It sounds tempting," I began, leaning into his embrace, "but us girls need to shop," I remarked playfully, meeting his gaze as he pouted at me.

"Fine," he drawled, before leaning down and placing his soft, tender lips against mine. I melted into his kiss, savouring every moment of it. He broke the kiss and said, "Hop onto my back," which made me frown and furrow my eyebrows at him. "Trust me?"

"Absolutely," I replied eagerly. He grinned widely at me, then turned around and crouched slightly, signalling for me to hop onto his back. Without hesitation, I jumped onto him, wrapping my arms around his neck, as he effortlessly lifted me, carrying me forward as if I weighed nothing at all.

"Hold on tight," Emmett instructed. Before I could respond, he whisked us away with his vampiric speed, racing through the forest. The squeal that escaped me lingered behind, echoing through the trees.

As we dashed through the forest, I felt the rush of wind against my face, tousling my hair into disarray. The trees blurred into streaks of green and brown around us, the ground beneath us a rapid blur of earth and foliage. My grip tightened around Emmett's neck, feeling the powerful muscles in his back flex with every stride he took. The forest seemed to whiz past in a kaleidoscope of colours and sounds.

My heart pounded with a mix of excitement and exhilaration, the thrill of speed and the closeness to Emmett overwhelming my senses. It was a wild ride, but in Emmett's arms, I felt secure and safe.

I felt him leap off the ground with a swift motion, landing effortlessly on a nearby tree trunk. His hands, strong and sure, gripped the branches as he swiftly ascended, carrying us higher using the natural supports of the tree. Laughter burst from my lips, echoing through the forest as he pushed off from one tree to the next, our journey through the canopy filled with my exhilarating screams of joy.

He was definitely a monkey man...

******************