Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer still owns Twilight, the Quileute are still their own people, and I am still writing Equinox.

Tiffany Call had worked the graveyard shift. She was an emergency dispatcher at the Forks Police Station and last night had been especially busy. It had started with a man calling to report a loud party at the house next door. Deputy Mark had gone over and gotten the kids to turn their music down. An hour later, neighbors began calling again and the deputy broke up the party, sending kids home and then administering breathalyzers and calling parents when alcohol was discovered on the premises.

Not ten minutes after Deputy Mark returned the second time, there was another call. Some kids who'd gotten drunk at the party had driven into a house. The results had been devastating. Two people — the passenger, a cheerleader at Forks High, and a thirty-two-year-old man who'd been sleeping in bed — were killed in the accident; the driver and the man's wife were in critical condition.

Shortly thereafter, another call came in. The dead cheerleader was supposed to have been babysitting her little brother, but no one knew where the boy was. The officers had spent the night trying to chase down a lead to no avail.

It had been a long night.

Tiffany was glad to be home. She was looking forward to taking a nice long soak in the tub and curling up in bed for a few hours until her shift began at the Quileute Oceanside Resort Souvenir Shop. Maybe she'd have some cake after her bath… if there was any left.

Her 1986 Volkswagen Polo shook in protest as Tiffany turned it off. She climbed out and headed up the drive towards her front door, absentmindedly searching through her large black purse. Twinkie wrappers, half-empty Pepsi max, make-up bag, phone, lotion, mints, Betty Boop lanyard. Keys!

Just as she went to stick the key into the lock, the door opened.

A giant man filled the doorway. His shoulders were nearly as broad as the door was wide and his head was just inches away from the top of the door frame.

"Morning, Ma," he moved to give her space.

"For crying out loud, Embry, put some clothes on," her tone was chock-full of disapproval. "I don't work two jobs to have you running around naked, creeping God-knows-where every night like some sort of wild animal."

"Yes, ma'am," Embry closed the front door and headed down the hall toward his room where he put on a shirt and a pair of sandals.

By the time he reemerged, Tiffany was in the bathroom. He knocked on the door.

"Hey, Ma, I'm going to Sam's now, but I'll take a look at the car when I get back. Okay? "

Embry didn't wait around for the response he was sure wouldn't come. Tiffany sighed as the front door slammed shut. The door was constantly slamming shut, and each time it did, she always seemed to be on the wrong side.

Tiffany couldn't figure out how things had gotten so wrong. Embry had always been a sweet, happy kid. When he reached high school, he'd started to get moody. At first, Tiffany took it in stride, her sweet boy was growing up- she expected the slamming doors, mood swings, and the occasional sneaking out. She planned to give him space to cool down and have rational conversations over breakfast. They'd talk it out, hug it out, and peace would be restored. She hadn't been prepared for the disappearances that lasted for days and the constant anger- doors torn off their hinges, holes punched in the wall, the rage that seemed to possess him like a living thing.

She was afraid of her son and, when she was afraid, she lashed out. "You don't get to be mean just because you're scared," Tiffany remembered her mother's chiding words. Of course, this was years before she was kicked out of the house for getting knocked up by a man with no honor. When she had Embry, she swore that she'd give him all the love she wished she'd had growing up.

Her own mother had considered affectionate and gentle parenting spoiling.

Perhaps she'd been right. Tiffany had loved Embry too much, held him too close, been too soft on him. He'd been her whole world and she'd poured all her love into him. This was her fault. It was her punishment.

Oh, God, if she'd only known the extent to which she'd be punished, she never would have… she never would have done anything differently. She would do it all over again just to see that beautiful baby, swaddled in blue staring up at her again. To see him toddle towards her with open arms, to see him giggle madly when she'd tickled him, to see him smile that carefree smile.

She missed her baby Embry.

-EQUINOX-

As Embry walked into the Uley house, he was met with a sight that was disturbing but, unfortunately, not as surprising as it should've been. The kitchen table was full of Barbies in various states of dress; Quil was seated at the table meticulously combing a blonde doll's hair with a sparkly pink, two-inch-long brush.

"Hey, Quil," Embry approached cautiously, "Is Claire forcing you to do this?"

"Nope," Quil popped the 'p,'Quil said as though it was the most normal thing in the world for a nineteen-year-old werewolf to be doing his imprint's Barbies' hair without said imprint being present.

"So, why're you playing with Barbies?"

"I'm not playing with them, I'm fixing their hair. Claire was upset yesterday because it was all tangled… So I'm fixing it."

"Wow," Embry shook his head with an incredulous sort of pity.

"Don't look at me like that, Em. You'll understand when you imprint — you'll do anything just to see her smile," Quil pulled the brush through the doll's hair again and her head popped off. Quil looked to Embry in horror. "I — Holy Q'wati! — What do I do?"

Small footsteps sounded in the hall and Quil's eyes grew wide with panic.

"Embry, you have to help me!"

"Quil, calm down —"

"You don't understand, if Claire finds out, she's going to hate me forever and I—"

"Quil?" Claire called sleepily as she rounded the corner.

"Hey Claire Bear," his voice was strained.

"G'morning," she yawned in his face and looked around sleepily. Her eyes fell on the decapitated doll and she turned an accusing pout towards Quil, "You broke her head off!"

"I'm so sorry, Claire Bear," he hung his head in shame, "I'll get you a new one. Please don't hate me."

"It's okay, Silly Quilly. It goes back on, see?" Claire grabbed the Barbie's head and body, jamming them back together. She smiled as she ran her hands through the doll's hair. "You fixed it!"

Some may have called their display sweet, but Embry was sickened by it. He definitely didn't want to imprint and if, by some cruel twist of fate, he did, Embry could only pray that he wouldn't imprint on a child. He shook his head and ventured into the kitchen.

"Hi, Embry," Emily smiled warmly over her shoulder as she turned off her blinking kitchen timer. "How are you this morning?"

"Eh, I'm good," he shrugged noncommittally. "How're you?"

"I'm fine, I am a little worried that I didn't make enough food, though" she pulled a pair of mint green oven mitts out of a drawer and headed for the oven. "It's been a while since we've all gotten together for breakfast… I guess we'll see how things go."

"Let me get that for you, Em," he rushed to get between Emily and the oven and stole the mittens from her. He pulled out the muffin tins, taking a breath of the mouthwatering aroma that wafted out with the steam rolling off of the blueberry muffins. His eyes darted over the muffins, greedily seeking the largest one.

Feeling Emily's eyes boring a hole into his back, Embry turned around.

"Waff?" he asked around a mouthful of muffin.

"Did Sam spill the beans?"

"Spill what beans?"

"About," Emily gestured vaguely at her midsection, wondering if he'd been clueless and she was giving herself away.

"No, I had a dream, so I've kinda known for a while," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Alrighty then," Emily handed him a cookie sheet full of hash browns. "You wanna put these in for me?"

A sudden howl rang out. It was a very specific howl. Vampire.

Everyone froze for a second before jumping into action. The wolves ran out of the house and into the forest and Emily ran out of the kitchen, catching a glimpse of Sam's back as he headed out of the sliding glass door.

"Come back!" she demanded.

"Always," Sam called back just before he exploded into a large black wolf. Emily sighed, she knew his promise didn't come with a guarantee, but it did give her some hope to cling to.

"Auntie Em?!" Emily looked down to see that panic was written all over Claire's face, "Me and Quil was playin'."

"I know, honey," Emily ran a hand through Claire's hair sympathetically, "Let's go check on Kade."

The toddler had been putting up a good-natured fuss, running around and giggling madly as Sam chased him with a pair of pants. Then, all of the sudden, Sam was gone. Kade fell on his diapered tush in shock. He sat, dumbfounded for a moment, and then threw back his head, wailing.

Emily soothed and dressed Kade with Claire glued to her side. Neither was surprised to see Kim and Rachel sitting on the couch when they reentered the living room. The wolf-girls shared a look- they'd been imprints long enough to know the difference between a meeting howl and a hunting howl. They were terrified, but they refused to let it show. They were masters of bravado.

"Hey, Em," Rachel greeted, a smile of false security plastered on her face. "We brought food, but we kinda left it in the car when…" her smile nearly faltered but she clung to it valiantly.

"It's fine, we'll just heat it up when the boys get here," Emily gave her an encouraging squeeze.

"Group hug!" Claire declared attaching herself to Rachel and Emily's legs, Kim joined in and they stood, four wolf-girls united, transferring strength, with their arms wrapped around each other, supporting one another.

Jared Junior, strapped snugly against Kim's chest in a navy blue baby carrier, squealed his protest at being squished and the four broke apart, laughing.

"I'm sure you aren't finished cooking, Em, put us to work," Kim volunteered.

The women went into the kitchen. They would keep their hands busy with the task of feeding an army of wolves. Idle hands would've left their minds to wander.

-EQUINOX-

Leah didn't bother to take off her yellow sundress before she phased. She quickly assessed the trajectory of the wolves in her head and locked in on the three furthest from the hunt.

Leah: Kyle, Aaron, Daniel- fall back and circle up the imprints.

Ephraim: Two leeches heading northeast, toward Forks.

Sam: Any powers?

Michael: Doesn't look like it.

Timothy: Hey, they're crossing the border. Should we pursue?

Jacob: Yeah, Embry and Quil, let's circle up on the other side; everybody else, fall in and drive them toward us.

The pack went silent, there was no need for conscious thought. They could see through the other wolves' eyes and they moved with one accord, closing in on the vampires. As the fastest, Leah quickly took point. She was so close she could practically taste their scent.

Vampire for breakfast wasn't exactly nutritious, but it was a great way to start the day.

One of the vampires looked back as Leah's hot breath reached its neck.

Huilen.

Jake: Circle up, but don't attack!

Before the pack could question him, Jake had phased out. Leah's empty jaws snapped with a disappointed snarl and she scratched the ground in agitation.

Now that they stood still, the wolves could hear well enough to make out the sound of Nahuel's heart. It was so faint that it'd been easy to miss amidst the chaos, even with their supernatural healing.

"Nahuel, Huilen," Jacob stood before the vampires, naked as the day he was born.

"Hello, Jacob," Huilen sniffed disdainfully.

"Would you mind calling off the wolves?" Nahuel kept his eyes trained on Jacob as he tried to avoid looking around the ring of giant wolves. One alone would've been a menacing threat; the pack of more than a dozen oversized killer wolves was utterly petrifying.

"Blood-drinkers are not welcome on our land," Jake ignored Nahuel's request and crossed his bulky arms over his chest. "Your testimony to the Volturi is the only reason your lives have been spared."

"Thank you for your graciousness. It was never our intention to trespass on your land," Nahuel explained diplomatically while Huilen stood beside him looking disinterested in anything outside of Jake's nude form, "We've come to visit the Cullens."

"We'll escort you," Jake phased back.

Leah: Seriously? They're on our land!

Jake: It was an accident. Anyways, we owed them for saving Nessie.

Zion: We don't owe them jack shit.

Judah: We could've taken off their heads, it's not like they can't put their bodies back together.

Seth: Nahuel couldn't - he's a hybrid like Nessie.

Jake: Leah, Embry, Seth let's run them over to the Cullens. The rest of you head over to Sam's, we can have our meeting a little later.

As the rest of the pack retreated, the selected wolves pressed in closer to Huilen and Nahuel. They positioned themselves in a diamond formation with Jacob at the front point, Leah at his right flank, Embry on the left, and Seth in the back.

Seth: It's really weird how much Nahuel smells like a vampire. Nessie lives with eight and she smells more human.

Jake: He's a lot more vampire than she is.

Leah: (Nessie's bloody smile as a doe's desperate bawling faded into whimpers and then silence)

Jake: At least she doesn't feed on humans.

Embry: (Nessie biting Jake and drinking human blood as an infant)

Jake: Well, he's venomous, okay?

Leah wondered if Nahuel taste like venom or blood. How would killing a hybrid compare to a full vampire? If she bit off his head could he survive without it? Would they have to tear his corpse into pieces and set it on fire to keep him dead?

Embry: Does anyone have a lighter… just in case?

Leah: (to Embry) Stay out of my head.

Embry: (to Leah) My bad.

Jacob: I doubt that they'll try any funny business, but it's best to give a show of force. Keep the formation tight.

Jake ignored Leah's silent half-hope that Nahuel or Huilen would try something.

She imagined the evil glinting in their eyes- blood red from draining humans. Wait, did Nahuel have red eyes? Nessie's were brown even though she was a hybrid. As quickly as she'd begun to turn her head, Leah snapped it back and faced forward. Seth spotted the odd movement from his vantage in the back of the formation.

Seth: What's the matter, Leah?

Leah: I just realized I don't know what color Nahuel's eyes are.

Embry: (Nahuel's strange, nearly black, purple eyes)

Seth: So?

Leah: I'm the only female wolf and he's the only male hybrid. If I looked into his eyes, the odds aren't exactly in my favor.

Seth: Would it really be that bad to imprint?

Leah: On a venomous murderer? Yeah, I think so.

Seth: I'm sure the Cullens could help him change— they haven't had an accident since like the sixties.

"What a surprise!" Carlisle interrupted their internal conversation. "When Alice shared that you'd be visiting, I didn't realize that it would be so soon."

"I don't know how I didn't see that you were coming today. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you came through La Push," Alice shook off her puzzlement and leaned into Jasper's embrace as he sent her relaxing waves. She projected her gratitude and he planted a kiss on the top of her head.

As the Cullens materialized the driveway, the wolves moved out of the way to give Nahuel and Huilen room to move about freely

"My Jacob!" Nessie escaped her mother's grasp and made a beeline for Jake. She pressed herself against his flank and tangled her fingers in his coat, "I missed you." Jacob made a chuffing noise.

"Welcome back, Huilen and Nahuel," Esme hugged the newcomers warmly.

"It's good to see you again, Esme," Nahuel said. Jasper smiled at the sincerity and enthusiasm behind his words — for all his hundred and fifty years of existence, Nahuel's emotions had the purity of a child's.

"Are you hungry?" Esme asked Nahuel, extending her offer to the wolves when he shook his head no, "I was just about to start on breakfast for Renesmee."

"Emily has breakfast waiting in La Push," Edward explained on behalf of the wolves.

"Oh, well, give her my best," Esme looped her arms with Nahuel and Huilen's, "Let's just get you settled then."

"May I please go to La Push, too?" Nessie asked, looking over to her parents for the first time since her eyes fell on Jake.

"Not today, Renesmee, Grandma Esme is making you something special and we don't want to be rude to our guests," Bella reached out her hand and Nessie pouted, but dutifully took it.

As the vampires began to retreat to the house, Leah called Edward back.

Leah: Hey, Mindrapist, make sure they don't come back on our land. That was the last free pass.

Edward rolled his eyes at Leah's nickname but nodded his understanding.

There was a high-pitched squeal from inside the mansion and all the supernatural beings turned toward the sudden noise. Edward sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his Roman nose. He blinked slowly. The worst part of being telepathic was being used as a telephone by those around him.

"Alice just saw Renesmee having a growth spurt, so that means we'll be having another birthday party any day now. It's to be a theme party, so she'll need to know who is coming and what their measurements are in order to prepare the costumes."

Jake: I'll let everyone know.

Seth: You can count me in. How old is she turning?

"Seven."

Seth: Wow, she's growing up quick. Sorry, Edward.

"No need to apologize for the truth," Edward shrugged.

Embry: We should really be getting back about now.

"Very well, we'll see you later," Edward turned and went inside as the wolves headed back to La Push.

When they arrived back at Emily and Sam's place, Sam and Jared were in human form in the yard and there was a fire blazing high and bright in the fire pit. It wouldn't have been a strange scene to return to if not for the telltale smell of leech emanating from the fire.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Jake phased fast. "Who is that?"

"You tell me," Sam tossed a thin metal chain, a necklace that Jake caught easily by the pendant. A diamond "V" winked back at him mockingly.

"The Volturi… Sam, this means war," Jake looked back up at Sam and found an oddly ponderous look on the older man's face. "What?"

"You can't see," the statement sounded like he wished it was a question. Sam looked into the fire with a sigh as he scratched the side of his head.

"What do you mean I can't see? This is a Volturi necklace, isn't it?"

He can't see what you're thinking, Leah intuited.

Sam's surprised eyes jumped over to Leah's.

So why can I hear you?

"Am I missing something?" Jake demanded.

As always, please leave a review! I'd love to hear from you.

Also, can someone help me name this chapter?