Yourpalmoony: Thank you so much for your continued support, It means the world to me! And who knows, maybe I WILL let Kiera be happy...or not hehe

Chellekathrynnn: I'm glad! Thank you for the comment!

These violent delights have violent ends,

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder

Which, as they kiss, consume

Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene VI

The moment the car had pulled up to the Villanueva's small home, Kiera had sprung from the car on shaking legs. She stumbled through the front door without another word and straight into Ramona's arms. Any ounce of anger drained from Ramona's face, her hickory eyes glinting with concern.

Ramona had helped Kiera straight into her bed, and for two days, Kiera slept without dreaming. Her cousin stayed by her side and silenced any incoming calls, the two of them staying away from the rest of the world. When Kiera didn't wake the next day, Ramona had finally had enough.

She pushed the mattress off the bed, Kiera tumbling to the floor in a heap. Before Kiera could protest, she was lifted once more by her cousin and walked out the front door, the destination only becoming clear when they breached the first few trees. With all of her might, Kiera thrashed against Ramona's hold, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

"We can't, Mona, not here." She croaked.

"You've avoided the forest long enough. You've been only a few times since we moved, no wonder you're so weak and tired all the time."

"I thought it was cause I'm dying." Kiera mumbled, still struggling.

"That too. But the forest can help you if you let it. We're Diwata, Kiera. The forest is the safest place for us." Ramona sighed, shifting Kiera's weight.

"For you, maybe." Kiera's words were barely above a whisper. "I hate it out here, you know that. And you know why."

"It wasn't the forest's fault." Ramona pointed out. "He could have attacked you anywhere."

"That really doesn't make me feel any better." Kiera said.

Ramona must have heard the fear in Kiera's voice because she stopped just inside the forest. Carefully, as if Kiera were more precious than the very earth they loved, Ramona set Kiera down. The soil beneath Kiera's hands and feet clung to her skin, coating her in a familiar blanket of earth. Immediately, Kiera could feel herself soaking up all the energy it offered.

It didn't ease the strain of her lungs or the ache in her cold fingers, but Kiera could feel herself breathe in time with the trees around them. Every breath opened her eyes a little more, brought her a little more comfort. Despite the calm settling over her, the woods loomed overhead. The trees stretched into the sky, the thick green foliage casting her in dim shadows.

Kiera craves the peace she knows the woods can give her. She misses the simple act of loving the forest, of trusting it to shelter her. But every inch of it only brings her dread. Memories of falling to the forest floor, the sound her own blood roaring in her ears as it sprayed the area crimson-

Kiera gasped, shuddering.

Beads of sweat dripped down her skin, the feeling of being watched trickling over her flesh. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. When she was sure she'd taken enough energy, Kiera rushed to her feet and sped back to the safety of their backyard. Ramona was hot on her trail, her hand clasping around Kiera's wrist.

"Kiera, Kiera stop! What's going on with you?! You've been acting odd ever since you met that Swan girl. What the hell is going on?" Ramona didn't yell, never being one to raise her voice to get her point across. But she might as well have, for the flinch Kiera gave her.

"I don't know!" Kiera shouted. "I don't know what the hell is happening to me, don't you get that yet? I told you, something's wrong with me. Even the damn Volturi knew that!"

The name drop was like a bucket of cold water. It washed over Ramona, causing her to shiver.

"That's where you were?" She asked. "In Italy with vampire royalty? What did they do, what did they say?"

Everything that happened in Volterra, every moment Kiera spent in fear or anxiety, slipped from her mouth. From the fiery torture to the cryptic words of Aro, Kiera held none of it back. With every word, Ramona went deeper and deeper into her silence. The earth was soon worn beneath her pacing feet, her frazzled energy infectious and bleeding into Kiera.

"What do you know, Ramona?" Kiera demanded, stepping in front of her cousin, trying to maintain eye contact.

Ramona could barely look at her. "I don't know for sure. Frankly, I can't even wrap my head around you surviving an encounter with a Volturi member, let alone the leaders. The earth may need us, but vampires can't even drink from us."

"They can't?" Kiera asked incredulously. "But we have blood."

"As long as you're mortal they can drink from you. But usually, when you reach maturity, you undergo Metamorphosis." Ramona ran a hand through her hair, wincing as a few thick black strands came out.

"Usually, meaning I'm doing something wrong. Again." Kiera whined. "I've been alive since eighteen-forty-three. I should be immortal by now, shouldn't I?"

Ramona's hand fell at her side, her gaze solemn. "You should be. You shouldn't have fallen under that sleeping spell, or whatever it was, either. With what Aro said, it's almost like-."

"Please, Mona. Don't." Kiera said.

"Like-" Ramona started, voice hesitant.

"Don't say it," Kiera whispered. "Whatever it is, don't say it-"

"Like you aren't even a Diwata." Ramona's finished, dark eyes terribly sad.

Kiera didn't bother to turn around to look at her. Kiera couldn't summon up any rage, not as tears slip freely down her cheeks. Ramona called out, begging Kiera to turn around. But Kiera continued walking until she got to her door, slamming it shut behind her with such a force it rattled the wood.

Kiera desperately hoped Ramona wasn't right.


It'd taken the better part of the day for Kiera and Ramona to speak again. The hurt of Ramona's words, the mere impossibility of the entire situation- it sunk it's way past Kiera's skin and settled into her heart like a thorn. It didn't make sense, they both knew that. Ramona had been there for Kiera's birth, there was no denying the bond their bloodline gave them.

But something was flawed in Kiera's design. There was no denying that any longer.

Diwata had plant-based powers, not the lightning-like energy Kiera could produce. Diwata had no fangs, no drive to rip things apart. Kiera smiled grimly to herself. It was just her luck to be the first broken Diwata.

Pretending the conversation had never happened was easier than confronting her insecurities. It made it easier for Kiera to throw herself into her studies, to finish what little chores that needed to be done. She'd taken to ignoring Bella's calls, desperately needing the time to get things back to normal. Back to where things made sense again.

On the fourth day of her radio silence, Kiera finally gave in.

"Hello?" Kiera answered, sighing for what seemed the fifth time that day.

Bella's voice was quiet, unsure. "Kiera? Are you doing alright? Why haven't you picked up the phone?"

"Not to alarm you, but I was asleep for the first two days," Kiera admitted. "I couldn't wake from my sleep, not until the third day. I got some sun in, I should be as alright as one can be when dying."

"It's hard to wrap my mind around that. I can't believe you are really dying." Bella said.

An awkward silence fell upon them both, leaving Kiera to listen to Bella's nervous breathing.

"Yeah. What did you need?" Kiera closed her eyes, resting her forehead against the cool wood of her desk.

Part of her wanted Bella to spit out whatever she was thinking, or that they could just jump back to the way things were before. But Kiera admitted there was a part to her- a bigger part- that wanted Bella to hang up the phone and never call back. Her life had been so much easier just ghosting through, Kiera didn't know if she had the strength to carry on like this. Ramona hasn't brought up relocating, but Kiera knew her cousin well enough to know that she was thinking about it.

Wouldn't it be easier on everyone, if Ramona and Kiera just moved away? Went back to a life of solitude, away from dramatic vampires and foolish human girls?

Stupidly, the part of her that would mourn for Bella's loss in her life plagued her at night. Bella was foolish, Bella was stubborn, and Bella came with a lot of danger. Kiera could see all of that as clear as a sunny day. And she knew without a shadow of a doubt that Bella's danger prone tendencies were only going to get them all into trouble again.

But Bella was also kind. Funny. And fiercely loyal, if her dedication to the Cullens was any indication. She was also Kiera's first friend...her only friend. To part with her now would be like swallowing poison, one that would slowly eat Kiera from the inside out.

"Bella?" Kiera prodded.

"...I was thinking you and your cousin could meet with the Cullens. They are rather, uh, anxious to meet you both. Especially for looking after me these past few months." Bella was fast to add on, her words tangling in her mouth.

The mental image of Bella's skin flushing brighter than cherry syrup brought a grin to Kiera's face. A feeling lighter than cotton bloomed in Kiera's chest and she let out a sigh, knowing Bella had one this time.

"Do we meet up at their home then?" Kiera asked lightly.

Bella's smile was evident even through the phone. "If you would, that'd be great. Oh, they say don't eat dinner, Esme wants to cook for us."

"Ah, you got me there. Now I'll definitely have to go and meet you're Cullens. Tonight then?" Kiera shifted in her seat, turning her face to look at the clock. The wood beneath her head was slick with perspiration, much to Kiera's chagrin.

'Gross.' She thought. 'So so gross.'

Bella was momentarily pulled away from the phone, her voice sounding low and far away as she talked quietly with someone on the other side.

"Would seven be alright?" Bella asked. She hushed whoever she was speaking to, causing Kiera to snicker.

"Seven it is then. Also, don't be too alarmed if Ramona tries to set one of the Cullens on fire with her mind or something. She's pretty upset with your boyfriend."

"She won't really try to fight him, will she?" Bella sounded alarmed and Kiera couldn't help but laugh.

"Honestly, who knows? Ramona is being unpredictable lately. She just might try to fight them all." Kiera teased.

"See you for the throwdown at seven then, I guess," Bella said dryly, before letting out a giggle of her own.

"See you." Kiera echoed. She rested the phone beside her face, leaving her to stare at it.

If it were anyone else, anyone else at all, Kiera would have held fast to her thoughts of distancing herself. But something about Bella unarmed her. The memory of Bella's haggard face from when they first met flashed through Kiera's mind. Her soon-to-be friend had looked so injured back then. So alone.

Kiera knew it'd be unfair to leave her behind just as the Cullens had. A person could only take so much rejection before breaking completely, and Kiera wouldn't be the one that broke Bella again. The dark pit deep inside her, the one that housed whatever lay sleeping in her veins, was terribly irritated at the mere idea of being forced out.

Forks is her home, now. Bella is her friend. Kiera could admit she was too selfish to leave it all behind now, even if she thought it'd be easier for her and Ramona. After all these years, Kiera finally had something that was hers.

Her smile vanished. But was this life in Forks worth the trouble?


Just on the outskirts and on the opposite of town laid the Cullen's home. Protected by the prying eyes of the town and resting amongst the shade of the trees, the house seemed ominous. If it weren't for its beautiful structure, Kiera would have asked Ramona to drive past it.

Architectural Digest would have begged for this house to be on its front cover if it ever laid eyes on it. Made of beautiful cherry woods and floor to ceiling windows, the house was flooded with light, making it stand out against the gloomy forest. Something about it was warm and inviting, begging Kiera to step inside and trail a finger against the wood, to bask in the light let in by the windows.

"Just how rich are they?" Ramona hissed as they pulled into the Cullen's driveway. "This is just ridiculous, they don't even sleep, why is the house so big?"

"I'd want my own space if I lived here too." Kiera winced, wondering if the Cullen's had heard her cousin.

"Still, can't they get their own homes? They clearly have the money for it." Ramona grumbled, putting the car in park.

Kiera didn't dignify that with an answer. What could she say, she didn't know the Cullens or why they thought the way they did. She could only shrug at her cousin, slowly climbing out of the car to make sure she couldn't be hit with dizziness. Before they could even make it to the front door, it opened before them.

"You're here!" Alice exclaimed, a wide smile on her pixie face.

Ramona turned to look at Kiera, a frown already on her face. Kiera could only pretend she didn't see it and walked into the house, smiling at Alice as she stepped aside for them. A low whistle left her as she surveyed the inside of the house. If Kiera thought the outside was wonderful, the inside was every house decorator's wet dream.

"Come on, everyone is in the living room." Alice said, bouncing on the tips of her toes. Her face was one of anticipation, and Kiera didn't trust it for a second.

As Alice lead them through the house, Kiera couldn't help but look around. Expensive decorations costing more than her house was carefully and thoughtfully placed throughout the home. She'd been right about the light, it streamed through the windows and bathed the home in its warmth, keeping it from seeming too cold.

On the wall near the stairway was a massive collection of graduation caps. Ranging from light to dark, each cap was one clearly earned by one of the Cullen's themselves. Ramona's frown only deepened at the sight of it, and Kiera knew her cousin's thoughts were on finances. It was a privilege to attend college, and it was evident that the Cullens had enough money to do it ten times over.

Their casual opulence was going to get on Ramona's nerves. Before Ramona had put herself through school and became a private lawyer, she'd been dirt poor. Even now, she used her career as a way to give back and do most cases pro bono. Kiera reached out her hand to grip her cousins, giving it a small squeeze.

Ramona's expression twisted even more as they got to the living room, and Kiera was overwhelmed by the sweet scent coming from the vampires around the room. It was cloying, sticking to the roof of her mouth and the inside of her nose. Stumbling back, Kiera hid behind her cousin to take in a deep shuddering breath.

"Is she alright?" Asked a gentle voice, one full of worry.

Kiera peeked over Ramona's shoulder, looking at the sea of beautiful concerned faces. She could barely take a glance at the Cullens, her eyes searching for one face in particular. Bella's dark doe eyes caught hers and the tension bled from Kiera. The two met each other halfway for a long hug, Kiera not so secretly using Bella's softer floral scent to cover up the smell of the Cullens.

"She's fine, she just smelt you guys." Ramona said, waving it off.

"It's the first time I've smelt so many vampires in one room," Kiera rushed to explain, her face warm. "It was like walking into the perfume store."

"We do have a unique scent." The gentle voice from before spoke again, and Kiera finally put a face to the sound.

A small and soft-looking woman with long caramel tresses reminiscent of old Hollywood starlets stood there smiling. With her round face and gracious curves, she radiated the image of a mother. Her kind eyes were a piercing gold, and just like her children, she was incredibly beautiful.

"I'm Esme. Welcome to our home, we are just delighted to have you." Esme said with warmth in her eyes.

Kiera sent a glance to Ramona, noticing her cousin hasn't moved an inch. Ramona's gaze was steady, carefully sweeping over each vampire, looking for some fault she could exploit if things turned sour. Seems the task of making friends with the Cullens was placed solely on Kiera's shoulders. She tried her best to breathe shallowly as she approached Esme, reaching out her hand for Esme to take.

Esme's returning smile was brighter than the flash of a camera, momentarily stunning Kiera with its perfection. It held a soft radiance that teeth whitening commercials always tried for but never succeeded. But despite being perfect, it was also one of the most welcoming looks Kiera's received.

"I'm Kiera Villanueva. This is my cousin Ramona. It's nice to meet you, ." Kiera said, giving a smile of her own.

"Oh, Esme is fine dear!" Esme beamed.

A man with slicked-back pale locks and an air of formality stepped forward, his arm slipping around Esme's waist as if it had always been there. Dressed in smart business casual clothing, Kiera placed him as Carlisle, the infamous heartthrob doctor. Immediately, his age eluded Kiera. His physical appearance would place him a few years younger than his wife, but the look in his eyes was one of infinite wisdom and compassion, making him seem terribly old.

The Cullen's timeless good looks just barely escaped uncanny valley territory, if Kiera were being honest. But something about the ones she's met so far was endearing enough to minimize any discomfort she would feel. It stumped her, the very idea that anyone could believe the Cullens to be human.

"I'm Carlisle. We really are happy to finally meet you both." Carlisle said.

Kiera gave his hand a weak shake, her smile becoming feeble. The Cullen's hands were just as cold as Ramonas, but with Kiera's failing health, they seemed colder than ice. Dr. Cullen's look was understanding when she pulled back just a little too fast.

"Quit hogging her and let us meet her already!" Boomed a loud voice, shaking Kiera from her thoughts.

Another couple stepped forward hand in hand, just as beautiful as Dr. Cullen and his wife but obviously much younger. Kiera gulped. They both towered over Kiera, forcing her to crane her head to look at their faces. Aphrodite incarnate stood before her with long tumbling golden curls, framing a face of an angel. She was easily the most beautiful creature Kiera had ever laid eyes on, and she felt her face flush while looking into honey eyes.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Rosalie." Rosalie said with an unsure smile.

"Likewise." Kiera gave a smile back, one that felt a little too big for her face.

The owner of the loud booming voice spoke again, a wide lopsided grin on his handsome face. "Rosie, it looks like she likes you." He teased, dimples showing in his handsome face.

Rosalie had looked almost nervous when first coming forward, but her face eased of any tension when Kiera shared a shy smile. With a fond roll of her eyes, Rosalie elbowed her partner's side.

"Excuse Emmett, he isn't always so annoying." Rosalie said.

"Aw, Rosie, that's not nice! We all know I'm always this annoying." Emmett chuckled.

Emmett had the body of a linebacker, and his shoulders stood way above Kiera's head. She couldn't help the awkward bark of laughter that flew from her lips, frankly intimidated by how big he is. He'd mostly fit in with the shapeshifters of La Push with a stature like that- if he weren't the exact kind of monster they loathed. His curly brown hair and dimpled cheeks were the only things to break up the overall air of terrifying, giving him a childlike air.

"I'm Emmett, the lucky bastard who is married to this beauty." Emmett said proudly.

"I think I'm the lucky one." Rosalie gave Emmett a soft squeeze, placing a chaste kiss on his shoulder.

"He's not as mean as he looks." Bella whispered, giving Kiera a wry smile.

Kiera found it hard to believe to place this Rosalie with the frigid blonde from Bella's stories after speaking with her, but she must have spoken too soon. Rosalie's withering look towards Bella shut her up, and Bella looked away, bottom lip caught between her teeth.

"Yeah, I'm just a big ol teddy bear." Emmett roared with laughter, bringing out a few chuckles from his family.

"You already know Alice and Edward." Carlisle spoke, smiling at his children. The two gave Kiera their own smiles, Alice's full of excitement and Edwards unsure but there. "Jasper went out hunting-"

"He's due back any moment now!" Alice interrupted with a giggle.

The air changed before she saw him. Kiera could feel eyes on her back and turned in place, frowning at the fact that she hadn't even heard him enter. It was his butterscotch eyes that she saw first, his gaze stunned. Kiera's weak heart fluttered frantically in her chest, breath catching as she noticed the scars that covered him from head to toe. Every inch of skin visible sang with battles hard-fought and won, each silver crescent revealing Jasper as a proficient killer.

Because there were no survivors in a fight against a vampire. Vampires don't use their teeth if the goal isn't to rend their enemy to pieces and then start a pyre with their torn flesh. The revelation didn't scare Kiera.

Butterscotch bled into inky black and Jasper took a step closer.

"Jasper." Edward warned with a grimace. "You'll scare her."

"He better not," Ramona spoke, coming to stand next to Kiera with a scowl. "Do not make us regret this."

Jasper should have been terrifying. Should have made Kiera and Ramona run for the hills, his black eyes and scarred skin a warning to everyone in the area that a predator was here, and he was made for brutality. But despite being broader and more muscular than Edward, it was Emmett that scared Kiera. Fear was a funny thing, Kiera thought. It was clear Jasper was a skilled warrior, but Kiera feared Emmett's mere size more. How easily the brain is lulled into submission when faced with multiple threats, taking the one casting the biggest shadow as the one to watch out for.

"Hello." Kiera said hesitantly.

"Hello." Jasper's voice was hoarse, and it cracked around the word like a waterless desert. He was a man parched, and Kiera instinctively lowered her shin to cover more of her throat.

Jasper tracked the movement, his eyes two voids threatening to pull Kiera in. The heat behind them heightened, threatening to burn Kiera's skin where he looked. Kiera had faced very few people who had wished to do her harm, but known of them had looked at Kiera with such raw intensity, such hunger. And here she had thought Diwata had no appeal to a vampire.

"Get your dog, he's salivating all over my cousin." Ramona snapped, moving forward with her firsts clenched. "She's not a meal for him to eat."

"Jasper won't hurt Kiera, I can promise you." Alice chirps, her brows furrowing. She looked affronted at Ramona's behavior towards her covenmate, her own ire showing in the twist of her lips.

"Trust us, Kiera is in no danger from Jasper." Edward said. His expression was pinched, as if troubled. It didn't help Kiera feel safe in the least.

"I believe in Jasper." Bella said, coming to stand next to Kiera.

It was all that Kiera needed to relax her shoulders. She hadn't noticed how tense she'd become, waiting to see if Jasper was going to attack or not. What surprised Kiera even more was how confident Bella had sounded, how sure of Jasper and his actions she was. She held a faith for him she frankly shouldn't have, not after how hard he had fought to end her life on her twenty-first birthday. She hadn't known which one had attacked Bella, not for sure. Not until Jasper heard Bella spoke.

Hearing Bella speak broke whatever thrall had settled over Jasper. The man who had just been a lion on the prowl a second ago looked away with something akin to shame. An awkward silence flooded the room, and Kiera could only look at her feet. With the mood soured, she wondered if she should just go home.

"Don't go home yet." Edward speaks up, his voice gentle and pleading. "Give my family a chance, Kiera."

Kiera froze, forgetting for a moment that Edward had some access to her thoughts. It was creepy and invasive, and she made sure to let him know that with a look. Edward only lifted both hands up in surrender, a crooked smile on his youthful face.

"Can't help it. It doesn't turn off, you know. I can only hear a few of your thoughts and not all of them, luckily. It's not like I want to be in your head." Edward said.

"I do find it rather odd that neither my son or daughter can get ahold of you, Kiera." Carlisle piped up. "Would you mind letting me run a small test?"

"She's not a lab rat." Ramona grumbled.

Kiera shrugged, already exhausted with the entire situation. "That depends on what kind of test."

Carlisle smiled his Hollywood worthy smile, eyes crinkling at the corners. It gave him an almost human look, casting a fatherly light to him. It made it easier to think of him as a father of a family and not just a leader of a coven. It was nice.

"If their powers don't work that well, then would Jaspers? Is it only a mental block of sorts or is it also physical and emotional?" Carlisle mused. "It's fascinating."

"What kind of emotions are you going to make her feel, huh Jasper?" Emmett waggled his eyebrows, a wide toothy grin on his face.

"Maybe annoyance." Kiera deadpanned before her face broke into a smirk.

"Oo, she bites back! Oh wait, we already know that from Alice's tales of your fangs." Emmett said.

"Maybe we should make sure Kiera is comfortable with me testing my powers out on her first." Jasper spoke, brows furrowed. Kiera hadn't registered it before, but Jasper's voice held the faintest of Southern drawls. His words sounded like they were thick and looping, every word smooth and slow.

Memories of traveling through the South resurfaced for a few moments, filling Kiera with thoughts of a blazing sun and wide open roads ridden on the back of horses. Traveling with her cousin and mother was a highlight of her life, traveling in the south even more so. The burden of carrying a heavy camera set had let her sore and sweating something fierce; but Kiera had loved the way the families they photographed would come together, a single snapshot of their lives taken by complete strangers.

Jasper's voice was soothing, in the oddest of ways. Despite the color of ochre returning to his gaze, Kiera wouldn't forget the dark way he'd looked at her before. But his voice, the memories it conjured- it was enough to put a blam to any burning questions she had for him.

"That's be fine. " Kiera spoke slowly, thinking it over. "Just something light, please. Maybe something happy?"

Jasper's eyes softened and he nodded. "As you wish."

Jasper stared at Kiera. With every moment that passed, his expression grew stranger and stranger. Kiera couldn't fathom what he was searching for, what she was meant to be feeling. Nothing had changed for her, she was still exhausted and mildly curious, still nervous to be in the den of lions. Kiera's brows furrowed.

"I don't feel anything," Kiera admitted, sharing a glance with her cousin. "Nothing new at least."

Ramona bit her lip as she turned to Edward. "Can you read my mind?"

"As clear as day." Edward easily answered, frowning.

"What about you?" Ramona turned to Alice. "Can you see my future?"

"Actually, I can't see you at all. So far I can only see humans and vampires, probably because I've been both. It took me years to see even a glimpse of Kiera. Even now, looking for her is like trying to look through thick grey fog, and it's rare to see anything at all." Alice said with frustration. It was clear she hated feeling blind, and with a glance around the room, the rest of the coven didn't enjoy it too much either.

"I wonder if you have some sort of gift." Carlisle pondered, leaning into Esme's hold.

"She does, just not the kind you're thinking." Bella sighed. "Maybe it's species related?"

"What kind of gift?" Emmett asked eagerly. "Can you shoot lasers from your eyes or fly or something?"

"Maybe I'll show you sometime." Kiera suggested, unsure.

It made her uneasy to think they would know any more about her than they already do. She glanced at Alice, wondering if she was the culprit who spilled the beans to her family about what she was. Or maybe it was Edward. Bella wouldn't have shared it, not if she didn't think it'd help Kiera in some way.

"I think that's enough talking about gifts for now." Esme interrupted, beaming. "How about our mortals eat dinner?"

"And go over what you wanted to talk about to begin with." Ramona added, sighing. "If it's about territory, we live just out of yours, and we don't share the same diet so you don't need to worry about sharing hunting grounds."

The family slowly trickled into the dining room, where two plates of the most perfect looking food lay waiting. Bella smiled and mouthed her thanks to Esme, who smiled beautifully in return. It seemed to be some sort of Italian dinner, with thick red sauce and the welcome scent of cooked eggplants.

"It's eggplant parmigiana." Carlise said proudly. "Esme just loves any excuse to cook, so don't be shy about taking seconds if you want it."

"Alright, thank you Esme." Kiera smiled slightly and sat down, taking a moment to breathe in the heavenly scent.

It was a bit awkward being at a table full of people who didn't eat, and for that, Kiera was thankful for Bella's humanity. It gave her a chance to ignore the eyes of the Cullens as she ate. Carlisle began talking about the treaty, one that Kiera had already learned about from the mouth of Jacob himself. It was endearing to know they had lived for so long, in a strange sort of way. Almost a kindred feeling.

Ramona must have felt the same since she'd relaxed upon sitting down. She opened up some of her own experiences with immortality, chuckling at memories of the early eighteen-hundreds and the ridiculous clothing she'd seen go into fashion. Of course, it had to come to an end.

"If you're immortal, then why is it Kiera has a heartbeat?" Rosalie asked, a deep frown on her perfect face.

Kiera froze mid-bite. Carefully, she set down her fork and pushed her food off to the side, appetite gone. She rose from the table, mumbled a quiet thank you to Esme once more and let Ramona explain everything she'd wanted to avoid. Rosalie's expression turned regretful and Kiera had to shake her head as Jasper got to his feet.

"I'll be fine. I just want a breather." Kiera gave the room an absent smile, already making her way towards the front of the house.

The chilly air greeted her and Kiera sucked it in greedily. Outside it was blessedly silent, with only the swaying of the leaves to accompany Kiera. She strained but couldn't hear a single word from inside the house and smiled to herself, thankful for the silence. The door opened and Kiera held back a groan, turning to see Edward's amused face.

"Sorry, sorry. Just wanted a moment to speak with you." He closed the door behind him softly, coming to stand next to her beneath the porch light.

Kiera turned away from him, gazing out into the dark night. The woods around the house seemed more sinister at night, more dangerous. She surpassed a shiver at the thought and saw Edward watching her.

"Are you cold? I can get you a thicker jacket." Edward had already opened the door when a hand shot out, handing him a thick dark jacket. Edward snorted and took it, thanking whoever gave it to him too quietly for her to hear.

Kiera took the jacket from him, giving him her silent thanks. She wasn't any colder than usual, slowly getting acclimated to a lower body temperature, but it felt moot to argue with him. If he was Bella's boyfriend, he must be just as stubborn as she is. Snuggling into it, she breathed in the scent of blackberries and cedar, half-convinced she could taste the underlying hint of rainwater.

"I wish to thank you." Edward started. "Thank you for being here for her when I wasn't."

His guilt was something Kiera saw no use for. It was already dead and done, and the damage would last even without his guilt. She mulled over his words, eyes gazing at the shadowed woods before them.

"I can never repay you for what you've done for me. If something had happened to her, I don't-" Edward stopped, voice rough.

"Something already has happened to her. You happened to her, Edward. She was a zombie when we first met. So empty, so lifeless. When you left, you took Bella with you." Kiera said slowly. "'And in the taste confounds the appetite: Therefore love moderately'."

Edward stilled, face ashen with shame and a backbreaking amount of guilt. "I know. But I'm too selfish to live without her again."

"That's the point. You can't live without her, and she can't live without you. You've both made that abundantly clear. You loved her so much yet you still hurt her. I understand you probably had the best of intentions, but love isn't safe even if one half of the equation is gone. Whoever is left behind is also left with the torment. If you are going to gamble, Edward, don't give up halfway through the game."

Seb's smile, his gentle hand in hers- love had almost been in her grasp and it had almost killed her. Even in his death, she can't escape him. Does love always end in pain, or were she and Edward prime examples of what can go wrong?

"She won't survive it again." Kiera said. "And if it's because of you again, neither will you. I'd make sure of it."

Kiera's promise didn't deter Edward, it seemed. He surprised her by laughing.

"No, don't worry, I'm not laughing at you. I just rather appreciate your love for her. That is something I can understand." He chuckled. "But in all seriousness, I'm forever in your debt."

"Hmm. Don't know if I like that." Kiera muttered.

Emmett's booming laugh from inside the house made her crack, her own light laughter tumbling from her lips. "Do they always eavesdrop?" She teased. "Must make it hard for you to put the moves on Bells."

If Edward could flush, he would probably be as red as his hair by now. "It's alright, she can't hear us."

"But as you just pointed out, my entire family and your cousin can." Edward frowned.

"Ramona couldn't care less about this conversation," Kiera said offhandedly. "It's your family you should be more worried about."

"I'm going back inside." He mumbled, fumbling with the door. Kiera had never seen a supernatural creature fumble with a simple doorknob before. Her full-blown, doubled over laughter followed Edward inside, causing him to lift his shoulders to his ears.

In the minuscule moment the door was open, Kiera could hear her cousin's laughter joining Emmetts. It was the first time in a while she'd heard Ramona laugh that hard, and Kiera couldn't help but soak in it. With the laughter of her cousin and the cool air on her flushed skin, Kiera leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and dared to hope.


Ramona sat in the attic, her dust-covered pants the last thing in her mind as she stared at an old wooden chest.

It was the one and only thing holding any remnants of her aunt. When Marisol had left them both behind, she'd taken everything with her but her wooden chest of secrets. As if it were sentient and would strike out at her at any moment, Ramona was slow to reach out to it, her hand quaking. But it did not stir and it did not bite as she opened it.

Plumes of dust burst into the air, and if her lungs still worked, she would have choked on it. It only served as a mild annoyance as she wiped it out of her eyes and began her search. Old and forgotten camera pieces lay broken in the box, the ripped tarp tugging at Ramona's heart. Kiera had loved this camera, and it lay here broken. She moved it carefully aside.

Stray bits and bobs were strewn about the box, along with a long white dress that made Ramona roll her eyes. It was strangely immaculate and untouched by the hands of time. She didn't bother to look at it further- the sight alone disgusted her. She had almost given up hope when her hand brushed against the dress's delicate beading, revealing a bump.

Beneath the dress was a thick envelope. The paper had gone yellow and the once-proud blue ribbon wrapping around it was now limp and dull. On the cover was the familiar scrawl that Marisol so hated.

'Kiera.'

AN:Hey everybody! I hope everyone is staying safe in these wild times. Be sure to stay inside and keep those hands clean! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's the longest one I've written yet. You're more than welcome to share your thoughts ^_^