Thanks to everyone who is reading. It helps keep the old creative juices flowing to know at least someone is taking the time to read my ramblings. Hope you are enjoying. Here is the next chapter. As always, I don't own Twilight...etc.

Kira POV

"Well, that was interesting." I stated, stifling a yawn as we prepared to return to the house. Edward had already left with Bella, making sure she got home and in bed before her dad was any the wiser. I liked Bella. She seemed a perfect fit to our family and Edward adored her. I was glad to see my uncle not alone anymore. He seemed happier, even with all the stress of the coming battle and the efforts he was putting in to keep Bella safe. I could feel his uplifted mood and I was sure Jasper was happier because of it as well. It was hard to be a empath around the lonely or mopey. I didn't feel emotions as deeply as my father, so I was able to ignore Edward's moods while I lived with them, but poor dad had to suffer through it. Of course, he could make anyone feel whatever he wanted, but he very rarely forced emotions on people, unless it was to calm a volatile situation or to comfort and reassure. I staggered a bit while I walked. I was quickly turning from the ultra hyper to the walking dead.

"I see the caffeine has worn off." Emmett joked, throwing an arm around my shoulders playfully. "You want a ride back to the house?"

I rolled myself towards him, wrapping my arms around his chest. He gave me one of his famous bear hugs in return. "You are my favorite uncle."

"You'd better believe it!" Before I knew it, Emmett had tossed me onto his back and the whole family began the short trip back to the house. As I hide my face in the crock of Emmett's neck, protecting it from the cool wind wiping past me, I had a chance to think about the evening.

The last thing I had expected was to get an invite to visit the reservation, the very place the rest of my family was forbidden to even step foot. I had to admit, I was curious about them too, but to actually get an invitation to come down for a chat, that was surprising. I had met other wereanimals before them. Not many, granted, but still more than the young wolves had seen. I was betting I was the first outside of the pack itself and the stories of past packs. Certainly the only tiger. I sincerely hoped I could make this into a learning experience for both the pack and myself. To give the alpha of this pack a chance to hear about the Cullen's as people, not just vampires. Honestly, in my over 100 years of life, I had met very few people who worked as hard at being good, decent, beings as my adoptive family. If I could plant even a small seed of doubt about the pack's attitude towards my family, then the meeting would be worth it.

It only took a few minutes to arrive at the house. I slide off Emmett's back and walked in behind Esme. Of all of my extended family, I missed Esme the most. She was just so motherly and sweet that I feel in love with her immediately. She reminded me of the few memories I had of my real mother. She took me in when I was still a frustrated, 'I hate the world and everyone in it' teen and treated me like her own. She was the best grandmother a girl could ever ask for.

"Are you hungry?" She asked me, opening the refrigerator. "I can fix something for you in no time."

"That's OK, Esme." I yawned. "For once in my life, I think I'm too tired to eat. I just want to go to where ever you're putting me up and pass out."

"We made your room up." Esme said.

"I have a room here?" I asked, a bit surprised. I hadn't expected them to give me a room.

"Of course you do, dear. You're a part of this family, even when you're not living with us. We designate a room for you in every home we have, just in case." Esme hugged me. "Rose decorated it and everything."

"I'll take you up." Rosalie said, grabbing the bags I had brought in when I first arrived. "I hope you like the decor."

"If you designed it, I'm sure it's beautiful." I reassured her. I loved the way she decorated. I was never much of a girlie girl, but she always had a way of making me feel more feminine than I usually did.

I walked over to my Dad and Alice giving each of them a hug, then followed Rose up the stairs. I stopped in front of Carlisle's office. He had disappeared upstairs as soon as we had arrived home and I could sense him inside the large room.

"I'll be right in, Rose. I just want to say goodnight to Carlisle.

Rose nodded and continued on to my room.

I knocked lightly on the office door. "Come on in, Kira" I heard Carlisle say softly. I walked in to find Carlisle sitting behind his desk with a large book open on it, but it didn't look like he was reading it. His feelings were conflicted and the jumble was hard to read.

"Are you OK?" I asked, taking a seat across the desk. Carlisle's eyes were darker than usual. They weren't black yet, but they were getting close. He hadn't fed recently. It wasn't like Carlisle to not keep his hunger in check, being a doctor and all.

"I'm fine. It's just been a frustrating few days." He looked up at me and I looked right back at him. I was exhausted, but I was going to help sort out my grandfather's emotions before I called it a night...or I'd fall asleep at his desk...either way.

Carlisle sighed, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. "I hate being forced into this." He reopened his eyes and looked at me. "I hate being forced to bring not only our family, but the wolves into this battle. If only there had been a better way."

Carlisle sounded defeated. He hated violence above all else. Not to say he couldn't fight. He had fought in the past and would continue to fight when all else failed, but in this situation, there was no other option to try. Violence was the only way, and we all knew it. Then it occurred to me...Carlisle blamed himself for all this coming to a fight!

"There is no other option. There never was and everyone knows that. Stop blaming yourself." I sighed.

"It's not just the vampires in our family anymore, it's you and it's the pack in La Push...11 more families whose loved ones are now in danger." He continued.

Now I was starting to get upset. I stood up, placing my hands on his desk.

"You are not forcing anyone into this fight. The others fight because they choose to. I fight because I choose to. The pack will fight because they choose to. Hell, they're practically bouncing with excitement! It's not your fault, it's not Bella's fault, it's not Edward's fault, it's no one's fault but that Victoria chick." I started pacing around the office. I had been getting all kinds of guilty feelings from way too many people in the last few hours. I was surprised that my father was able to concentrate on the training at all with all the guilt being tossed around. "I swear, if all you people don't stop blaming yourselves soon I'm gonna go mad!" I paused and looked at Carlisle. "Well, more mad than I already am, but you know what I mean." I joked.

Carlisle chuckled, getting up from his desk. He wrapped me into a hug, his emotional baggage lifted some. I sighed and relaxed into the embrace. Carlisle always gave the best hugs.

"I'm so sorry sweetie. I'll try and relax for you and Jasper's sake. He puts up with so much without a fuss, it's sometime easy to forget how our emotions can hurt those of you sensitive to them."

"Much appreciated. I don't need anything else whittling away at my already questionable sanity."

Carlisle laughed full out this time, squeezing me one more time, before releasing the hug. He looked down at me and kissed me on the forehead. "Enough fixing my problems. Off to bed with you before you fall over." He shooed me towards the door. "Besides, you have to be awake in time for your meeting with Sam. If you don't go to bed soon, you'll be out for days."

"No arguments from me." I walked towards the door and Carlisle made his way back to his chair. I turned back to him one more time. "I'm pretty good at this psycho-babble shit. Maybe I should look into studying it when I go back to college again."

"I think that's a good idea." Carlisle responded. "Goodnight, Kira."

"Night." I yawned, finally making it to my bedroom. I thanked Rosalie, gave her a hug goodnight, then finally fell onto my bed...I was out before Rose could hit the lights.

To be continued... The next chapter will start with Seth's POV...woo hoo! Please review. I'd love to hear what people think so far.