"I can't leave today," Emmett says to the family three days later, mainly Edward. "Not today. Tomorrow or the day after, maybe, but..."
"Why not?" Edward asks. "It's safest..."
"Today is Abel's birthday," Alice says.
"I can't leave him on his birthday," Emmett says. "You're already being selfish by making me break his heart because of a mistake, don't make me destroy him. Not after all he's been through."
"Emmett..."
"You can join us in Denali on the eighteenth," Carlisle says, interrupting Edward. "You're right, Emmett. Abel's been through enough. Don't destroy he boy and risk sending him to his mother before God's ready for him."
Edward growls. "Carlisle..."
"You may go ahead and leave, Edward, since you're uprooting all of us, not just you," Carlisle says in a firm fatherly voice that Edward hadn't heard since before his own father, Anthony Masen, got sick and died. "Let Emmett have a proper goodbye with Abel. Abel deserves it. Especially when that slip up triggered a flashback. A bad one, as it appeared. He'll need Emmett until he's calm." He turns to Emmett. "Tell him as much of the truth as you wish to."
Emmett nods.
*****
On the eighteenth, Emmett and Abel decide to stay together, even if they're not staying in contact. That same day, Abel finds out that Lauren knows about vampires and he rants to her about Bella's birthday party and the Cullens leaving Forks.
