"When we were five they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, our answers were things like, astronaut, president or in my case a princess."

Jessica, Bella's friend and class valedictorian, had just started giving her graduation speech. Closer to the back row, Emmett and Jackie sat with Esme and Carlisle as they watched the rest of Emmett's family graduate. Sofia was sitting with Carlisle and Maddie with Esme. Both girls looked so peaceful and content. It had been a long time since Jackie had seen them like that.

Beside her, the large restless Emmett squirmed and began to fidget. He bounced his leg up and down out of pure boredom and refused to sit still.

"You're worse than the girls," Jackie hissed as she gave his thigh a small squeeze. "Your making everyone around you bounce with that leg," she scolded.

Emmett just huffed and rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. Both girls looked at him and giggled, but we're quickly hushed by Esme and Jackie.

It was nice to have a family, Jackie thought, but she wondered if they would still be as accepting once they knew all of her secrets.

As the principal finally gave the closing statements, the class cheered as did Emmett who could no longer sit still. Jackie congratulated Alice, Jasper, Bella and Edward before leaving to take the girls to a slumber party with a few of their friends from LaPush.

While Jackie was gone, Emmett decided it might be a good idea to take Jasper on a quick hunt before all those humans would be arriving at their house for Alice's graduation party. Both men caught their food and dragged the dead animals over to a log so they could sit down and talk while they fed. To a human, it probably looked like some sort of demented dinner party.

"So, have you talked to Jackie yet?" Jasper started the conversation.

"No."

Jasper shook his head in disapproval. "Brother, what are you waiting for?"

"Hey, I'm not the only one keeping secrets!" Emmett defensively growled. "Besides, have you ever actually said the whole thing out loud before?" Emmett challenged. "She's gonna think I'm a lunatic!" he yelled.

"She loves you," Jasper calmly answered. "It might be hard for her to grasp at first, but I think she'll come around."

"What if she doesn't?" Emmett questioned.

"Don't think like that," Jasper stated.

Shaking his head, Emmett insisted. "But what if she doesn't?"

"She will."

***
A little later that day, Jackie pulled up to the Cullen's house. She struggled to make her way to the garage as Alice's party was a huge hit and cars were literally parked everywhere. Of course, Emmett had heard her pull up in his jeep and came running down to greet her.

With a huge grin on his face, he opened the door and greeted her with a kiss that left her panting. He loved doing that to her.

"This jeep looks good on you," he teased as he watched her catch her breath.

Jackie rolled her eyes as she stood up and jumped into his arms. Emmett didn't even stumble, catching her in his strong arms with ease. She mumbled against his lips as she kissed him.

"I love you."

Emmett didn't answer, instead crushing his lips to hers again as he held her body tightly to him. He carried her over to the door and set her down in the kitchen.

As Jackie walked around, quite a few students greeted her and she wished them well on their endeavors. Emmett suddenly excused himself, and Mike took notice, quickly coming up to her.

Jackie mentally rolled her eyes as she saw him heading her way. What was it with this kid, she wondered. He seriously needed to get laid. So did Jessica. The two of them should get together, she thought.

"Hey Nurse Lady," Mike greeted with a huge grin. He must have thought he was an amazing comedian or something.

Jackie groaned in response. "It's Jackie," she corrected.

The smile dropped from his face. "Yeah, um, no, I know that," he replied nervously. "I just thought..." he trailed off as this was not going how he planned.

Anxiously Jackie began looking around, scanning the room for Emmett. She really hoped he would come to her rescue soon.

"So are you still with the IncrediHulk Cullen?" Mike asked.

Jackie chuckled. That was actually a really good name for him.

"She laughs!" Mike commented, proud of himself for getting a response out of her.

"Yeah, that's a good name," she admitted. Especially since he's totally going to flip when he gets back, she thought to herself.

"Well, if you ever decide to dump him..."

As an incredibly heavy arm, draped across Jackie's shoulders, Mike trailed off.

"Who's dumping who?" Emmett asked as he flashed a toothy menacing grin.

"N-no one," Mike stuttered before turning around and disappearing into the crowd.

Both Emmett and Jackie burst into laughter but stopped abruptly when Emmett grabbed both of her hands.

"We need to talk," he looked down at her, his face expressionless but Jackie could tell something was wrong as he was way to serious for Emmett.

"Oh..um-ok," she replied quietly.

Emmett pulled her outside and sat them both down on the porch steps. Taking both of her hands in his again, he looked her in the eyes with a solemness she had never seen before.

"Look, I know you've been keeping some big secrets from me..."

He was going to tell her that he had been keeping one too but Jackie jumped up and started pacing before cutting him off.

"Look, it hasn't exactly been all rainbows and unicorns for me," she stated as she ran her hands through her hair.

Taking a deep breath, she sighed before finally looking at Emmett and continuing.

"My dad died when I was six. Right after that, my mom fell into a deep depression and turned to drugs to help her cope. One day I came home from school and she had overdosed on the couch. Instead of granting my Aunt in Georgia custody, the courts decided to make me a ward of the state hoping I would receive therapy in some group home. Yeah, right," she scoffed before going on.

"I jumped that ship and went to live with some of my mother's old dealers. I was young, pretty and dangerous. I moved up through the ranks quickly, and by the time I was sixteen, I was second in command of a pretty big crime ring in Chicago."

"One day, the naval fleet was in and I was supposed to be checking on a shipment at the docks. I ran into three new recruits, two of them were looking to buy, the other was a Navy SEAL. He was charming and swept me off my feet. He left for his first deployment and when he came back, he and a bunch of his friends tortured Julian, until he agreed to let me out of the gang."

"When I turned 18, we got married and before he shipped out for his third tour, I got pregnant with Sofia. He went away but this time when he came back, something had changed. He drank every night and if I refused him, he'd get very angry. He did two more tours, each time coming back a little more violent. While he was away, I passed my GED and started nursing school. I graduated at 21 and before John left for his sixth tour we got pregnant with Maddie. Before he left, he was drinking all the time, and because of that, he was dishonorably discharged. He blamed me and this time beat me within an inch of my life."

"I left him and went to the only place I could think of, Julian. Six months later, John found us. He killed Julian in front of the girls and made us prisoners in our own home. Sofia didn't sleep and I was barely able to keep Maddie fed. I left as soon as possible and ran away to the only family I had left, my Aunt, but I was so afraid he would find us and kill her that we've been on the run ever since."

"I'm wanted in a lot of states, Emmett," she said as she finally sat back down next to him. "I've stolen cars and food, clothes and diapers, I've falsified so many documents. Winters isn't even our last name, it's Devereux. And worst of all John's still out there. He's never gonna let us be, he's never gonna stop looking for us."

By now, Jackie was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Hey, hey," he said as he tried calming her. Stroking her back he spoke softly to her. "None of that matters. I still love you."

"Emmett, don't you get it?" She looked up at him, fear in her eyes. "If he finds me, he'll kill you."

Emmett laughed. "Let him try."

"You shouldn't be so quick to underestimate him."

Grabbing her face with his large hand, Emmett faced her towards him, his thumb caressed her cheek.

"Your not the only one with a secret," he began. "I thought I had more time, but Alice said the newborns will be here in a few days and if the Volturi come here they might find out about us and they will force me to turn you. And you do not want to piss off the Volturi."

Emmett paused long enough for Jackie to interject. "Volturi?"

"Yeah they're this ancient coven with red beady eyes and long black cloaks. There's this one, named Jane, she's really evil. She's a short, blonde chick that can inflict pain on you just by thinking it."

"Emmett," she interrupted him, "None of this is making any sense. Volturi? Newborns? Turn me? Turn me into what?"

"Ok, so before you freak out, you should know, we only feed on animals, that's why our eyes are amber instead of red like the Volturi..."

Jackie cut him off again, "Em, I love you, but your rambling could seriously drive a nun to kill."

Emmett took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "Bella told me that you already know about Edward and Alice. Jasper can feel and alter your emotions. Everyone has super speed and hearing and strength. I guess you could say my ability is even more strength in addition to the super strength," he grinned as he prided himself on being so powerful.

Jackie furrowed her eyebrows but urged him to go on.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is," he paused. This was it, he was really going to tell her.

"I'm a vampire."