Being human brings with it many privileges, but it also has its disadvantages. Seras now has one less mask with which she can hide behind. Exposed, she finds herself cornered, faced with a question that the family has been dying to ask. What is she?

Ascension

Chapter Ten: Part Two

Into the Family, Questions

Sunday, November 25th, 2012

It had taken the wolf more time than he liked getting to the coastline. Two days was far too long for a journey that should have taken less than a few hours, but he had taken his time. Meticulously, he had searched the surrounding areas, of the worn path he'd run, smelling the earth, listening for a sign, some hint of the girl. Yet nothing was forthcoming, not a whiff apart from the letter she had sent him two weeks prior saying where she was headed and to whom. He huffed, then stepped out of a row of scratchy evergreen bushes.

He'd journeyed as far as he could without actually entering the territory he was skirting. He didn't want to notify the residents of his presence too soon. Pack was pack, but it had been too long. Many years had passed, nearly two centuries. He was unsure of how welcome his reception would be in spite his relation to them. He didn't want to go in alone.

He inhaled, then sneezed. His tail puffed, jerking straight with the action. The wolf glared out into the woods scrunching his head into his shoulders. This weather sucked. Rainy and muddy one day, cold and snowy the next, it was neither winter, nor spring. He wished the earth would make up its mind, if only just so he could get over his cold. He sneezed again and cursed; cursed the girl and the dumb mutt that gave her the seal in the first place. In spite of how important the item was to her safety, the wolf couldn't help, but mourn over how inconvenient the little bugger made things. She's getting an ear full when I find her, he thought miserably to himself. And a frog in her bed. The wolf stopped at the thought before a large tooth filled grin spread viciously across his face. Yeah, that and a…

"Do you see that?"

The wolf paused. He was mid-thought when a sudden growl broke through his reverie. He froze. His shoulders scrunched more. His tail stuck out, and he gritted his teeth before he turned his head towards the unfamiliar presence. Then, his eyes widened. Takashi lowered his tail, and flattened his ears. Above him, standing three times his size was a chocolate brown wolf that was roughly the size of a large van. He swallowed and sniffed.

"Do I see what?" Another voice broke through the foliage followed by the even larger body of a grey wolf with black spots on his back. The two were speaking, growling and howling, unaware that their audience could understand every word.

"Oh!" The grey wolf stalked over to stand next to his follow pack member. "Look at that, he's just staring at us. Normally, they just run away. He probably thinks you're his big brother or something." The grey wolf laughed while the brown one growled. He snapped his fangs at his packmate.

Takashi eyed the creatures and sniffed again. They smelled human. No, he thought. That wasn't quite right. He sniffed again before lifting a lip, showing one slender, well pointed fang. He crinkled his muzzle. They smelled worse than human. He took a step forward, his head and tail still lowered. He raised his nose high.

"Yeah, whatever, at least this is better than the bloodsucker you sent me over here for. 'Quil, I think I hear something in the bushes. It must be a fanger. I think I can smell it. Can you go see,'" the brown wolf mimicked.

The grey wolf flattened his ears while his tail swayed slowly to the side. "Hey, I didn't say I could smell it. I just heard something. I thought it was worth checking out."

"Dude, look." The brown wolf ignored his friend and turned back to the youkai who was now close enough to bite. "I think he wants a sniff. I bet, he doesn't know what I am. Maybe, he's trying to figure me out."

"Yeah, he's figuring out why you smell so bad."

"Embry!"

The grey one smirked. "What! It's true!" He gave his tail a quick, happy wag until Quil tackled him to the ground trying to nip his ears.

Takashi flattened his own and sneezed. Cubs, he huffed. His breath made puffy clouds in the air. It made him frown. Impressively, he scrunched his head even further into his shoulders. It was way too cold for this. Takashi gritted his teeth and turned away flicking his tail. His mind focused on something else. So, there were vampires in the was going to kill narrowed his eyes and gazed off at a nearby tree, but when he felt a thud shake the ground underneath him, he paused and watched the other two with a raised eyebrow.

The brown one, Quil, jumped off of his pack mate tail wagging. As he stretched and shook his fur, Embry rolled over and got up.

"Quil?' Embry asked quietly.

Quil turned his head, his ears perking. He could hear his friend's heart pick up speed. He lowered quickly lowered them knowing the question before the words were ever spoken.

Still, Embry continued. "When do you think we will attack the group?"

Quil sighed and sat down. "Why do you keep asking that? You heard Jacob's Father at the meeting. Bella and her vamp husband came back from the honey moon and hasn't been seen since. It's almost a surety that he's changed her. Why else would they hide her like that? We attack when we get a confirmation, not before. We won't act unless they give us a reason. We're not monsters like they are."

"I see. You're right." Embry replied swaying his tail gently, the cub began walking away following along the reservation's border.

Quil watched his friend before he too rose to his feet. "What's the matter, Embry, disappointed that you can't kill them yet? Can't storm through Forks fangs bared and eyes blazing like the wolf you are?"

Embry looked back and smirked. "No, it's just the waiting that's killing me. I wish this was over and done with so things can go back to normal."

"I know what you mean." Quil looked at the wolf watching it take off into the distance. "They get it so easy," he said nodding after it. He turned to look at his friend whose gaze was also staring at the horizon.

Then, Embry turned. He looked down at the path. "We will have it easy soon. Once the bloodsuckers are dead and this war is over. Our peace has to come eventually."

"I guess you're right, man. Hopefully, it's soon." As they walked away, the encounter with the black wolf quickly faded from their minds, Embry's first, and Quil's second. Still, hours later one lonely thought still lingered tickling the empty recesses of Quil's mind. Why did it smell of gun powder and Jacob Black?

Seras fidgeted. Her fingers played with the edges of her shirt. Her toes wiggled in the white tube socks she was sporting. She bit her lip and her eyebrows twisted, tying and untying knots over her eyes like an undecided spider constantly fixing his web. The skin along her brow crinkled and unwrinkled, rumpled and sweated while her eyes darted from person to person then to the door behind them. She swallowed before mentally kicking herself. Why had she stayed? Why did she choose to sit in the corner? She'd blocked her exits. Could she go up the chimney? Could they catch her?

She looked over at Carlisle and gauged his level of calmness. She didn't understand how the guy could always stay so emotionally controlled like that. Even when he was riled and upset, even then he never raised his voice, never acted out beyond a stern look and a sigh. She admired the ability. She tried to mimic him. Taking deep breaths, she counted to ten, one, two. She sighed. It didn't work.

Carlisle, from his place behind his wife, caught Seras's eye and smiled encouragingly. The girl was utterly terrified. He sighed and reached over to hold the hand of his mate which rested peacefully on her shoulder while she sat calmly on the couch. Esme squeezed his fingers and briefly looked up at him before looking back at the girl. Understanding and a loving patience shone deep through her golden brown gaze. Her smile softened and Carlisle looked up once more. The girl had nothing to be afraid of. He smiled and then spoke softly. "My dear, why don't you start from the beginning."

Blinking up at him like a startled deer, the girl opened her mouth and stuttered. "What do you mean by the beginning?" She asked. "How far back do you want me to go?" Her eyebrows shot into the air, even as her eyes shifted, their golden gleam moving from person to person.

Emmett sat in the arm chair across from her while his wife sat calmly on its arm. Her body was perched gracefully, condescendingly like a swan. He, though, was slouched and relaxed, his attention weaving between her and the game on the TV beside her. On the couch to the right of Esme sat Alice and her husband. Though his face was lined with an open hospitable express, his wife looked back at her with a settled uneasiness. It seemed to perfectly compliment the eternal scowl of the young man who stood behind her.

Edward's stance was nothing, but stubborn aggression. He was easy to read and she was well aware that he knew of her desire to run. He looked like he was ready to pounce at the smallest movement. She narrowed her eyes before lowering them. She didn't understand the guy. If he didn't like her so much, why keep her around? Why steal her things forcing her to stay put? Seras longed to slouch back and rub her forehead, but she didn't. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Seras's eyes hardened as she stared over the group. "Just because you ask questions, it doesn't mean I will answer them."

You have not earned my trust, She thought. You are still nothing, but strangers. Again she eyed Edward. And possible enemies.

"Of course, we understand," a soft voice replied. Seras slanted her eyes towards the girl beside her. Bella had willingly sat with her on the love-seat, like she had nearly everyday the week prior.

Beyond Esme, the pup was the first to see her in her human form. She had just descended the stairs led by the girl's father-in-law, when Bella walked through the front door carrying a box that should have been far too heavy for her. Seeing her, the girl just stopped. Slowly, she'd put the box down, before walking towards her.

Uncertain under the girl's weighted stare, Seras had looked up at Carlisle. He only smiled and stepped away, calmly removing Seras's hiding spot behind his shoulder before moving to greet his wife. Seras swallowed and waited patiently as the girl stepped closer.

Bella's eyes roved steadily over her face and markings. Then the girl's face scrunched, her slight curiosity wrinkling her nose the exact way her father's had earlier that night. The realization almost made her smile, but then the girl spoke. "You're her, aren't you," Bella asked softly. Her curiosity and certainty made the question a statement, nothing more. "Dragon?"

"My name," Seras began just as carefully. "Is Seras." She licked her lips and the girl smiled. The movement reached her eyes, making them crinkle.

"I guess this means I can't pet you anymore, huh?" Bella said, happily put her hands on her hips.

The simple observation quickly broke the ice and Seras laughed, her English accent painting the sound gold and bright like her eyes. Slightly taken back, Bella blinked before she too felt a small smile spread slowly across her lips. The girl had a beautiful laugh, she thought, like chimes on the wind.

Unfortunately, the hilarity, the soft beauty found in such simple moments, quickly faded with a jerk and a slam, the closing of the front door. Caught, Seras stopped laughing as she raised her gaze towards the young man who'd entered. His eyes, like his wife's, were round and open, his mouth limp like a fish. However, whatever air, whatever spell that was over him quickly shattered as the boy Edward snapped back to himself and walked in allowing his other siblings file in behind him.

Like they were ten minutes later, each member had entered with various looks of surprise and shock filtering through each face, some more than others. As such, it had taken nothing for them to unpack the car and then situate themselves around her. Sitting curious and stern, they were like judges on a panel, all of them ready for her to spill her guts and perish. She wiped her hands on her pants and eyed the door. Of course, Edward moved to block it. Seras scowled and his eyes gleamed. Then Bella spoke.

"We understand, we have our own rules." She said leaning forward.

Seras tilted her head, her eyes reluctantly pulling away from the boy's. "Rules?"

Bella nodded, her eyebrows folding, "guidelines that our species is allowed to do and not do to preserve our secret and safety. Are you… human?"

"You are a shape-shifter, are you not?" When the deeper voice interrupted, everyone turned to look at the ex- soldier with raised eyebrows. Jasper never spoke, not like this. It seemed too out of character. Alice looked up at him, her face a mixture between worry and fascination, but Jasper ignored the stares opting instead to just look at Seras. His eyes were steady, their irises sure like the steal of a blade glinting in the setting sun. They reminded her of someone else's and she, for the slightest second, had to turn away, her heart aching. She sighed and then looked to the pup beside her.

"No, I am not human," she said. Her accent was thick, but soft. "And I am no shape-shifter."

"I didn't think so," Emmett cut in, his eyes never leaving the game. Syracuse was playing Michigan. His heart was torn. He didn't know who to root for. "You don't smell like them."

Them? Seras tilted her head. But before she could speak someone else spoke up.

Edward's cold suspicious voice crackled subtly like the flame in the fireplace. "If you are not a shape-shifter, or human, then what the hell are you?"

"Edward," Carlisle eyed his eldest son, carefully shooting him a glance that Seras was well familiar with. While he remained silent, the boy glared and shifted his weight. His eyes never left her.

"Seras, will you please continue," Esme pressed gently. Her smile never wilted.

Seras looked down at her hands. "I am not human. I am not dragon either. I am youkai."

"Youkai. What is that, exactly?" Jasper asked. His voice was steady. He tried to say the word, slowly rolling the syllables on his tongue. They didn't quite come out correctly.

Meeting his gaze, Seras plowed forward. "Humans in the past referred to my kind as a variety of things, but the most common term used was demon. It is well earned, but the term is inaccurate." Though many eyes lit, some in surprise, others in alarm, Seras continued to speak. Her words jumbling together as she rushed to finish the thought before she was interrupted. "We are spirits, ghosts of the earth birthed in various ways, some from strong emotion, others from misdeeds, others out of good. The stories vary as we vary, as the creatures of the earth vary. I am a dragon demon. This human form is nothing, but an illusion."

Bella's nose crinkled. "Can all demons," she spoke the word carefully unsure if it was correct. "Can you all change into humans? Are there many of you?"

Seras let her eyes graze across the group before she turned to the girl beside her. She inhaled. "No, not all can turn. There are levels of power and most youkai do not possess enough to perform such an action. It is also not something that can be built up either. Youkai with the power to turn human are born human. If not, they will never change. And no, there are not many of us left, even amongst the lower levels. Of those of us that are, we sleep, or are in hiding beyond the reach of..." She eyed the girl. "Human discoveries, in spite of the advancing technologies. Some do, however, remain active in the human world. They are quite powerful and act solely for our protection."

"Protection," Carlisle stated. "The governments know of you?"

Seras looked up at him. Her eyes were serious, her mouth straight and still though she shrugged a shoulder lazily. "As I said, our existence is tied to the earth. The earth gives birth to us and in turn we serve it. If we die, the earth could suffer both from the violence of war and from neglect. Some of us perform roles that keep this world in balance. It behooves both of our species to keep the peace. Thus, we are protected."

"Some protection," Emmett snorted. "You get to live carefree endless lives, but in secret. You all live less then what you are." Briefly, his eyes slanted towards her.

"Like that is any different from how we live," Jasper argued watching the dragon look away.

"Yeah, but you saw her in her true size. She's a 30 foot dragon, yet she is forced to live in this puny little form because of the sensitive insecurities of some old geezer in Congress."

Jasper narrowed his eyes, but he didn't look towards his brother. "Some sacrifices need to be made to keep a people alive." He looked away. "Sometimes, you have to make those hard decisions."

As he spoke, Alice reached over and grasped his hand, knowing he was thinking of the war. He silently squeezed it letting his memories blur with the action, turning them into something else.

There was a beat of silence before someone else spoke.

"So I'm assuming," Carlisle said removing his hand from Esme's. He crossed his arms. "That the reason you were out there in the first place was because you were stretching your wings, am I correct?"

Seras looked at him and nodded. "Well, yes and no. I was hunting and I was in dragon form because I was antsy, yes. It had been a while, but I travel a lot and I'm used to being outside constantly. When I'm in my human form, I have the tools I need to stay warm, but on that night, between getting the pup to you, the sudden storm, and falling into the river, I was too weak to change and my fire went out."

Esme laughed hearing the girl ramble non-stop without breathing. "You can relax. He wasn't scolding you."

Of course he isn't, Seras mumbled. He's saving that for later. She wondered what he was thinking. She looked at him and sighed. Carlisle's eyes were unreadable. She was tempted to ask mentally, but with the jerk around, she eyed Edward. She didn't dare. Why add fuel to that bond fire? She didn't want him over hearing. The resulting explosion wasn't worth it.

"Pup?"

"You can breathe fire?"

The questions came at once from both sides jerking Seras back to the conversation. She looked between Bella and Emmett. Bella's nose was still crinkled. It gave Seras a strong desire to say something to smooth it out, but then again the boyish glint in the jock's eyes pulled at her too. She swallowed and looked down at the girl. "I have spent a great deal of time with dog youkai. My Lord is a white dog. He is the one who gave me my seals and his father my markings. It's natural, therefore, to use such terminology. You are very young."

Seals, markings. Edward sneered. "You seem very forthcoming with all this information."

Though he had seen her answering glare, Carlisle couldn't help but speak up with his son. "Edward's point is valid. You share much."

Seras lifted her chin at the challenge, an action that Carlisle was well use to, even though the others weren't. "Being what you are, I assumed you would be neighborly, that what little confidences I did give you, you would hold responsibly as I would yours. Was I mistaken?" She tilted her head.

When her immediate answer was silence, she lowered it and continued, "Even so, even if you did betray my trust, I'm not so weak that I wouldn't seek out my vengeance against you. I've killed your kind before."

When even that brought forth nothing, Seras rose to her feet, her eyes hard. She looked briefly at Carlisle, before looking down at the pup. She sighed. "Perhaps, I have overstayed my welcome." As she began to move to leave, Carlisle blinked. He quickly tried to stop her, but Jasper beat him to it.

Silently, the man rose and walked to her. Then, with gentle hands, he grasped Seras's elbow while he softly apologized and ushered her back to her seat. Everybody watched, none quite knowing how to take the action. Seras also watched him, even as she did as he asked.

"You would have to forgive us," Jasper said returning to his seat. "Such a comment is not easy to move pass, even though it should have been expected. Forgive our sentiments, but they have sound reason and should also have been expected. "

Seras looked away knowing that he was correct. Though she didn't say it, the action was enough to convey her apology.

"So, you said you travelled?" Esme asked. She wished to fill the silence and expel the awkwardness that threatened to invade it. Little did she know that the question would make it worse.

Here, Seras turned to her. Esme gauged the look in her eye. She could see the girl form a question then judge its weight before she leaned forward to ask it.

"When you rescued me, before you entered the cave, I remember someone mentioning something about wolves. What were you talking about?"

Edward narrowed his eyes, but then Alice jumped the gun, immediately asking his question. "Why are you interested?" Her face was soft, filled with a certain unsure curiosity. Everyone looked at her. She too had been uncommonly quiet, uncharacteristic.

Seras took a breath and looked squarely at her. "I'm a scientist of sorts," she said plainly. "I'm an anthropologist of any and all mythical creatures born of both eastern and western descent. I study them and write about them. That's the bulk of how I make my living. In addition to that, I am also a source of information to the authorities when such beings turn rogue and start terrorizing humans. They don't always have an answer and most times I'm able help them fill in the gaps."

"So, you're a cop then," Bella asked slightly excited

Seras shrugged, "not officially, though at times I help. "

"Is that why you were so interested in the serial case?"

Seras looked at Carlisle, her eyes thoughtful. "Honestly, I have been following it for some time, but I have yet to be called in. I am expecting it, though. The killer isn't human and she's targeting youkai. The fact that there had been so many and that the authorities had to come out and warned the youkai community speaks volumes. I'm actually surprised they haven't called for me yet."

"Then why haven't you gone to them? Why search the wolves out instead?" Edward's words were low and soft, but there was an edge to them.

It was Seras's turn to scrunch her nose. Because the fox is a bitch and won't listen to a word I say regardless. That was what she was thinking, but she wouldn't say it out loud. Instead, she crossed her arms and gave them the answer she got every time she tried. "Because I am not an official agent, and thus don't work for the FBI, my help cannot be accepted until they come to me first and not before."

The look on her face was miserable, Esme thought. She laughed. "And so, you search out wolves to keep yourself preoccupied and conveniently in the area until they do call for you. You are stubborn."

Seras blinked at her and blushed. She uncrossed her arms and started to play with the ends of her hoodie. "Well, my search is legit, regardless. There have been rumors of wolf activity here as of late. I was eager to see who they are and see if I could stick around long enough to see them run and study them. We haven't seen them in years, if it's who I think it is."

"You don't have to go there. We could tell you everything," Edward replied darkly.

Seras blinked, her eyes wide. "You've seen them!"

Her answer was silence. Some in the group looked away, but Emmett didn't. He looked straight her when he spoke. "We are currently at war with them. Or we will be once they realize that lover boy turned his wife, the 'pup' you're so fond of."

Seras caught the little stab to the girl beside her and felt for her. Still, she couldn't help but lean forward locked onto what Emmett had just said. "You are at war with the wolves? Oh my god! What did you do?"

Carlisle watched her, his eyes steadily taking in her open expression not quite understanding why she was so excited. "We had a treaty with them sometime ago saying that they would be civil with us as long as we didn't spill human blood because of our... condition. Bella's turning voids the treaty and gives them leave to attack."

"Well shoot." Seras expounded, her lips quirked in a grin. "Good!"

Edward's eyes were slits. "You approve of this?" Was she one of them? He took a step back moving to subtly block the door once more.

Seeing the move, Seras inhaled. Then, she exhaled, quickly calming down. "Listen," she said. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to make light of your situation, war sucks, but you eight have single handedly done something that no youkai could ever do. Those fleabags have been holed up in their barrier since man decided that powdered wigs were fashionable and the gun was the weapon of choice. And believe me, not even the asshole's brother has been able to make him budge.

They are so incredibly stubborn. I was there when they finally left Japan. Koga was very adamant on the subject. 'There's way too many of these human's,' he said." She lowered her voice and grunted. "They stink and are eating all of our food, then killing us when we try to eat theirs. We leaving, blah, blah" she trailed off when she noticed everyone staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

"Who's Koga?" Esme inquired. She looked up at Carlisle, "Was there a Koga there in the beginning?"

Emmett watched her, his hand wrapped lazily around the hip of his wife. "We haven't heard of a Koga. Maybe he changed his name."

"Or died." Edward offered.

Seras just stared at them. Then she jumped to her feet, her eyes blazing. "Koga's dead?!" She bared a fang. It was thin and long a telling difference from those they were used to seeing."When did he come out of his barrier? Why wasn't anyone notified? Did you kill him?" She breathed. "What about the rest of the pack?"

She was shaking ready to storm out or attack. Jasper couldn't tell which. However, he did understand what she was feeling. He also had an inclining that there was something wrong with the conversation. "I think, we may be talking of two different things," he said softly. The dragon looked down at him, her eyes unreadable still he could read her emotions. She was trembling in grief. He pitied her. "The wolves we fight are not your kind. If they were, your presence wouldn't have been such a shock as it were." He motioned towards the couch. When she didn't budge, he sighed and leaned his head on his fist. "The wolves are humans with the power to change into giant versions of the animal."

Carlisle nodded finding slight relief as he watched the girl slowly calm down. "There is something in their genetics that trigger the change when vampires are in the area. They are a native tribe and their legends say that this ability came down to them from their ancestors."

"So they are free changing werewolves?" When she noticed a couple of heads shake, she corrected herself. "Shape-shifters." Seras relaxed her mind going into many directions all at once. She sat down. "Either way, I'm headed in that direction. The fact that there are humans with such power intrigues me, it might be something passed down from a youkai. Koga and his tribe has got to be hidden somewhere on their reservation. His brother mentioned that they lived around here."

"Is it safe for you to go?" Bella asked. There was a frown on her lips, a product of the disappointment that was quickly filling her heart.

"Youkai can change humans?" Seras had looked down at her when Edward cut in.

Her eyes slanted in his direction. She watched him carefully. "It's nothing so simple as a bite, but it can be done." She said eventually. She looked away. "It's not a recommended choice, though. Such transformations always come with heavy consequences. Humans were not given such power for a reason. Only a select few are worthy, and those already have powers of their own. There are a few cases of people who were changed and the results are always devastating." Briefly an image of long curly black hair, red eyes, and a glowing purple bubble flittered through her mind before she banished it. She'd rather not think of that villain.

Bella heard the warning, but shook her head. "Is it safe for you to go?" She asked again. "You said your flame went out."

Emmett's eyes jerked from the game. "Can you show us?"

Seras gulped and looked up at Carlisle knowing he disapproved without even guessing. Still, he met her gaze head on, before he nodded. Everyone watched the exchange, but didn't comment.

Seras took a breath and looked towards Emmett. Her eyes hardened and focused, glaring at a point by his ear. He waited, but nothing happened. He was about to crack a joke when he saw something move in the fire beside her. He leaned forward causing his wife to squeak as his hand grasped her in appropriately with the action.

Rosalie glared at him before a flicker of light catch her eye. She too turned towards the fireplace then gasped.

The flame was moving. Bella leaned forward trying to see past her friend as the plasma melded and swayed before a section snapped off, rising gently like a feather on the wind.

Light reflected eerily off of Carlise's eyes, off of the cold steel of Edward's, as the section grew wings and feathers. A tail flattened and shifted as it flew out of the fire flying slowly and delicately around the room before another formed then another. Three phoenixes the size of a sparrow rose out of the flame circling between each person before two landed on the stiff waxy wicks of the unlit candles over the fireplace and the other onto Seras's finger. She watched it as it tweeted and flittered about ignorant that its maker was breathing heavy and sweating. Perhaps, it had been too soon. Her heart was beating too fast.

Slowly, she looked up at Carlisle and he quickly nodded indicating that it was enough. Relieved, Seras let go of her magic and the bird faded turning into nothing but smoke, the others leaving the candles lit.

Bella looked down at the girl's hands where the bird had been resting only moments earlier. "You are still recovering."

"And you smell like us," Alice spoke up. "Even if your wolf youkai exist on the reservation, you have spent too much time with us. The humans will sniff you out and kill you just for the association."

Seras snorted, "As if I was so easy to kill. And I have spent enough time around canines to know how get around their noses. That's a problem, but only a slight one. It's getting into the barrier before getting mauled by your enemies that is the problem. That could be time consuming and risky. The backlash alone would draw unnecessary attention and paperwork." Seras sighed, what was she to do? "Either way, I wish to spend some time researching the tribal legends first. I want to be certain of what I'm headed into before I take such actions."

Bella's eyes lit up. "Forks' Library has plenty of info."

"I also wish to make sure you are fully up to speed," Carlisle muttered.

"You are not leaving."

Seras blinked up at Edward. The statement seemed too out of character. She opened her mouth to argue, but Emmett beat her to it. "Don't even bother," he said nonchalantly. "Those three are known for getting their way."

"Tell me about it," Rosalie muttered crossing her arms.

"It seems like they wish for you to stay a little bit longer," Esme piped up. "I don't mind. I like cooking."

"The pleasure is ours, Miss. Victoria." Jasper nodded.

Seras looked from him to his wife who just looked at her uncertainly. She eyed Seras sweatpants and hoodie. "You need clothes."

"No, she doesn't," Emmett grunted once again staring at the basketball game. Michigan was winning by a point, he didn't know whether to cry or laugh. "She's already dug through my things. And they look good on her, don't they, babe." He lovingly tapped Rosalie's hip.

She glowered, "You only say that just so you can say that a dragon wore your clothes."

"What?!" He exclaimed cockily. "Who else gets to say that?"

As the two began to bicker and the rest began to rise to go about their business, Seras just sat floored in her corner unable to do anything but stare. She opened her mouth ready as if to protest, but Bella beat her to it. "Just take the gift. It will be okay."

Bella smiled softly before moving to go up stairs. Edward followed her silently, while Esme rose from the couch mentioning something about fixing her diner. Seras blushed. Not knowing what else to do, she looked to the one who had put her there.

Carlisle's eyes were soft with fatigue, but they were laughing. He nodded up to his office. Seras knowing an order when she heard it blushed and gingerly rose from the couch. It was time that they talked.