"Kiara," Carlisle's calm voice broke through the tension. "I'm here to help you. You'll be alright."

The shifter didn't even recognise the words as she thrashed on the ground, her entire body feeling like it was being set alight from the inside. Had she even been able to think, she'd made have wondered if this was what the rest of the Cullen's had suffered before becoming what they were - but she was in too much pain to think of anything else except that.

"Carlisle!" Sam warned, his voice gruff with concern and authority as the three stared in disbelief at the scene before them while Leah tried to cradle Kiara towards her. Carlisle instantly fell to his knees on the mudded forest floor, Sam ordering Leah to step back and move out of the way of the man as Sam fell down on Kiara's other side. He was very aware that there was a significant risk of Kiara phasing at any moment, and Carlisle had already informed him that if that happened, there was no way they'd save her.

Sam held Kiara down as Carlisle grabbed at his belt, wrapping it tightly around the untouched skin that lay around the wound. He grimaced a little as he looked at the teeth marks, his mind going back to less than a year prior when it had been Bella Swan in the same position.

"Please just kill me," Kiara cried out, the pain rushing through her body like nothing else she had ever felt before. Leah turned her head at this, trying to hold back the sob that had been resting on her lips from the moment that Paul, Sam and Carlisle had rushed into the clearing. Paul noticed this, moving closer to her and allowing the girl to rest her head against his shoulder to avoid having to look at their friend.

There had never been much love between Paul and Leah. They were two hotheads with little care for others, two sides of the exact same coin. Paul had always said that Leah had never realised how good she had life before she shifted, whereas his life had always been less than desirable in his eyes. Leah had always said that she'd rather have had a dead-beat dad than have a dad ripped away from her with no warning like she had.

In another world, Kiara had once told Sam, she was sure they'd have been joined at the hip. If circumstances had been different and their lives had all been intertwined without all of the pain and trauma that they had all gone through, Kiara would only hope that her two friends would be friends with each other on their own accord.

Carlisle carefully yet quickly examined Kiara's wound, assessing the venom's spread. He knew that time was of the essence, and without hesitation, he leaned in and pressed his cold lips against the infected bite mark. Paul flinched, his agitation growing with each passing moment. His eyes fixed on Carlisle and clenched his fists, his anger mingling with his concern for Kiara.

Sam rushed to his feet as he pushed against Paul as the boy went to instinctively lunge to rip the vampire off the girl. He resisted against his alpha for a moment, before his eyes adjusted to the scene in front of him and he realised that Carlisle wasn't biting her, but rather sucking at the wound on her arm.

"PAUL, BACK DOWN!" Sam roared in his face, the boy instantly stepping back without thought. There hadn't been many times that Sam used his alpha capabilities to command them to do something, but Paul wasn't angry at him for doing so. They just needed Kiara to be alive.

"Paul," Leah whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustle of leaves. "We have to trust him. Kiara's life depends on it."

Paul glanced at Leah, his eyes flickering with indecision and a hint of surprise. Leah was the last person he ever expected to say that they needed to trust a vampire. His protective instincts were at odds with his aversion to vampires, but he couldn't bear the thought of losing Kiara. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly nodded in agreement, conceding to the dire circumstances as they watched as Kiara's body began to react to Carlisle.

Kiara had screamed out louder at the start as she felt another set of teeth pierce into the already venomous wound, but soon she felt a soothing sensation as the venom was purged from her body. The relief was palpable, and she could feel her strength slowly returning. Leah watched the process with a mixture of awe and trepidation, unsure of how to reconcile her fear of vampires with the sight before her.

As Carlisle continued to work, Leah's nervousness heightened. She felt a strange internal conflict – part of her wanted to curse the world at the vampire's presence, but another part of her acknowledged the life-saving act he was performing. She couldn't deny the evidence before her; Carlisle was saving Kiara's life. Her mind flickered back to that conversation she had with Kiara moments before they had been attacked, and it was like a lightbulb had almost flickered in her head at that exact moment. 

She didn't have to like what the Cullens were - but that didn't mean she had to treat the group of vampires as if they were her mortal enemies. Vampires as a whole might be, but she could make an exception for the Cullens - or at least Carlisle, anyway.

As Carlisle completed the process, drawing out the last traces of venom from Kiara's arm, a sense of relief washed over the clearing. The tension began to ebb, and Kiara's yells died down into smaller whimpers as they all watched the colour slowly begin to return to her skin. Sam's look of respect and his curt nod towards Carlisle spoke volumes about the debt they owed him.

With the immediate threat averted, Carlisle stepped back, allowing Kiara to regain her strength. Sam pulled the girl's head into his lap as he held on to her, allowing Kiara to cough and regain her breath. He looked up, noticing how Carlisle had turned to the side and spat out the blood that had gathered in his mouth. He quickly took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping it off his lips and taking a breath to clear his head.

The vampire's eyes met Paul's, and for a moment, their gazes locked in silent understanding. There was a newfound respect in Paul's eyes, acknowledging the sacrifice Carlisle had made to save Kiara. Paul hadn't even considered the amount of self-restraint Carlisle had just displayed until witnessing that. 

"I never thought I'd say this to a bloods... a vampire," Paul said, his voice slightly trembling as he corrected himself, "but thank you."

"You have my gratitude, Carlisle," Sam continued with a nod, looking down for a second as Kiara stilled a little. "Between this and Jacob, we will remember this night."

Carlisle inclined his head in acknowledgment, his heart warmed by the alpha's words. He had hoped that his actions would bridge the divide between their species, even if only by a small measure. He was reminded of his conversation with Kiara a few weeks prior, how the girl had cried to him about the divide between their species being something that was killing her from the inside. Now, here they were - and it had just saved her life.

"It's my duty," Carlisle replied, his words reminding them all of the day job that the vampire carried out in Forks. "Besides, Rosalie wouldn't have let me see another day if I hadn't stepped in."

They all flickered their eyes to Kiara as she groaned, her eyes flickering open slowly. Paul and Leah both rushed to her and Sam's side, one on either side of her as she weakly gasped as her energy slowly started to return. The throbbing in her body was still there, and she was sure that she was definitely still going to feel like shit for the next few days.

"Kie?"

"My dad is going to be so pissed."

__________

"Kiara," Carlisle said gently, "I'm going to attach you to a medical drip to keep you hydrated. Your body might expel any remaining traces of venom through sweat, so we need to ensure you stay well-hydrated to support your recovery."

Kiara managed a weak smile, grateful for Carlisle's expertise. She extended her arm, and he carefully inserted the IV, attaching the drip bag to the stand beside her bed that Beverly and Sam had managed to drag into Jacob's room. There wasn't much space in the room anyway, but when the twins had demanded to be together, no one had the heart to tell them no after everything they'd been through in the space of a few short hours.

"Thank you, Carlisle," Sam murmured as he watched Kiara and Jake inspect the IV drip that was now in her arm. "I really appreciate everything you're doing for them."

Carlisle nodded reassuringly. "It's my duty as a doctor to help those in need, Sam. They're strong, and with your enhanced healing abilites and proper care, I believe they'll make a full recovery in no time."

Meanwhile, Jacob was already sitting up in his bed next to Kiara's, his bones having been successfully reset by Carlisle and Beverly. He tried to shuffle a little closer to Kiara but winced in pain, the bandages across his torso flexing a little as her eyes dropped to look at the extreme bruising that was adorning his ribcage.

"You okay, Jake?" Kiara asked, her concern evident in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jacob grumbled playfully. "Just a little sore, that's all."

"I'd compare what he went through to getting hit by a twenty-ton truck," Beverly quipped back, a soft smirk on her face as she entered the room. She passed Kiara a can of soda with a smile, ignoring Carlisle's disapproving look at the beverage, before turning and offering one to Jacob too.

The vampire and shifter hadn't really ever spent much time together, but there was a mutual understanding that had been formed between them. Rosalie and Kiara were fated together, so the duo were going to have to spend a lot more time together whether they liked it or not - so being civil was a good start.

"Thanks," Jacob replied, his genuine tone almost causing Kiara to glow with delight. They were finally achieving the bare minimum. His eyes flickered back to the bandage that was now resting around Kiara's vampire bite. "Is that gonna scar?"

"Yeah," Kiara replied, the enthusiasm not as evident in her voice now. "Just like the one on my neck."

Jacob chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Well, you know what they say, sis. Battle scars make us look tough."

"I guess we'll have a story to tell the pack now," Kiara said with a hint of amusement, relief flooding through her as Jacob tried to make the situation a bit more cheerful and less depressing. "Being attacked by vampires, not once but twice, that's gotta be a first."

Sam, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. The twins were joking, but he wanted to make it deadly serious that this wasn't something that was funny. He knew they knew the severity of the situation, but he sometimes wondered if they didn't truly understand the trauma that this night would hold on them for a long time.

"It's not every day that the pack takes part in a vampire battle, that's for sure," he joked back, before his tone turned a bit more serious. "You both were lucky to have Carlisle's timely intervention."

"For which, I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

Everyone's heads turned to look at where Billy Black was positioned in the doorway. Kiara and Jacob had been too busy comparing their battle wounds to even notice that their father had entered into their room, let alone realise that he was even in the house. 

"Well, I know a start," Jacob replied, his voice a little tight as he looked between his father and sister. There was an unspoken tension in the air, and Kiara felt herself get a little uncomfortable by the way Jacob was dragging out whatever he was about to announce. "Can Rosalie come and see Kiara?"

Sam exchanged a glance with Billy, letting the man make the decision himself. Sam was fine with the imprintee crossing the treaty line to see Kiara. He had already made that perfectly clear at his last meeting with the elders, despite their grievances with the statement. Beverly and Carlisle shared a quick look of surprise at Jacob's statement, feeling like they were in the middle of something that they didn't really want to be in.

There was a painfully long pause, then Billy nodded.

"I suppose it should be alright. As long as Rosalie doesn't bring any unwanted guests along, she's welcome to visit."

Jacob grinned, looking at Kiara. "Well, sis, looks like you'll have an admirer paying you a visit."

Kiara swatted Jacob's arm away from her, watching as Carlisle and Beverly exited the room with Sam right beside them. Her dad paused in the doorway for a minute as he went to wheel out behind them, his gaze lingering on the twins with deep regret and sadness.

While a part of her wanted to hold the grudge, to hate him for the way he had acted, she couldn't. Because when Kiara looked at him, all she saw was the man who singlehandedly pitched her a tent in the back garden when she was too sad to sleep in the house where her mom had once slept, the man who had held her as she cried when her first boyfriend dumped her. 

And while it had taken almost losing his children for Billy Black to really understand it, Kiara couldn't help but shoot him a small smile as he glanced at them once more. And for the first time in a long time, her dad smiled right back.

_________

"I have good news," Carlisle began, a hint of pride in his voice. "Bree has shown remarkable self-restraint during her training. She's been resisting the scent of humans exceptionally well, even when Bella was nearby."

Jasper, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That's impressive. Not many newborns can control their thirst so effectively."

"It is indeed unusual," Carlisle agreed. "Her gift seems to be excellent self-restraint, which is quite a remarkable ability for a newborn vampire."

It had been Alice who had told Carlisle that she would be a member of their coven. Esme had been relieved at this news, having made the decision to spare her during the newborn battle after noticing that she was just a scared, young girl and not some vicious killer that the other newborns had been shaped into.

Edward had been the most surprised when Jane had announced that they would spare Bree's life - not having expected the Volturi to have shown such humanity. He supposed it was a warning to them, that they were the ones who got to decide who lived and died.

In a way, Edward was sure that was the Volturi's way of letting them know that Bella would need to be turned soon. He heard Jane's thoughts about how Bree would find it hard to resist ripping Bella limb from limb, and that if they were lucky, she would do it for them. He hadn't taken the bait, knowing that Jane was praying he would react to the graphic images that she was sending his way. Edward took Bella straight back to the Swan residence, letting Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Esme and Emmett take the young vampire back to their house instead.

Besides, in Alice's visions, she had seen Bree and Bella running alongside each other as vampires. This alone was enough evidence for Edward to trust that they were doing the right thing by bringing Bree back with them. He didn't want Bella to ever become a vampire, but it had been agreed now. Alice's visions depicted Bree leading a fulfilling existence, living harmoniously alongside the Cullens, and perhaps even finding companionship of her own - although that part seemed a bit blurrier than the rest. 

The night that she had been brought back, she had barely spoken a word. She flinched at every noise, twitching any time any of them moved at all. Carlisle had given her a bag of deer blood, and they had all been surprised at the speed that she had devoured it. Rosalie felt a pang in her chest as she looked at the girl, very aware that this was not a life she had chosen for herself.

Later in the evening, as the family had gathered around the fireplace, Bree hesitantly opened up about her past. She recounted how she had been an ordinary teenager, unaware of the existence of vampires until she was turned by Victoria herself. Bree's innocence had been snatched away from her, and she was forced into a life of violence and bloodlust within seconds. 

She had recounted to them how Victoria and Riley had starved them of blood, and how the army would have been much bigger had they not all fought each other like savages. Through her story, the Cullens glimpsed the trauma she had endured and the profound impact it had on her. 

It was decided that she was staying, and Carlisle had privately spoken to Sam about the new development after he had set Kiara and Jacob up with their recovery space in Jacob's room. The alpha hadn't been happy about it, but Carlisle had reminded him that Sam had told the vampire that he owed them a great debt. Carlisle had struck the ultimate deal: allow Bree to exist on their side of the treaty line without calling it a treaty break, and they'd be even for him saving the twins.

That was a deal that Sam didn't want to refuse. He was grateful that the man had saved the twins, but he didn't want to remain indebted to a vampire. An easy deal, in his eyes, as long as Bree stayed away from human blood. One infraction, and she'd be fair game for the pack.

Emmett, the jovial and physically strong member of the coven, was particularly fond of Bree's presence. He found comfort in her tranquil demeanor, which helped balance his more exuberant nature. This newfound friendship was beneficial for both, as it taught Bree the value of camaraderie and the importance of forming connections with others. Beverly had enjoyed watching her husband bring the younger girl out of her shell in the space of a few days, and it made her happy to see that one of the two people she cared the most about in the world was thriving.

Rosalie... that was a different situation.

Rosalie Hale sat on one of the white plush couches, her golden eyes distant as she absently twirled a lock of her long, wavy hair. Beside her, her adoptive sister, Alice, watched her closely, her dark eyes filled with concern.

"Rose, what's been bothering you?" Alice asked gently, placing a comforting hand on Rosalie's shoulder.

Rosalie hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "It's Kiara. I haven't gone to see her yet."

Alice's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But why not? You've been worried sick about her. You should go and check on her."

"She's worried that Kiara hates her," Beverly interrupted, causing Rosalie to shot her an angry glare as she aired her business in front of the whole family. Emmett and Bree were wrestling outside, but the rest were definitely eavesdropping.

Alice took a deep breath, contemplating her words carefully. 

"Rose, you can't blame yourself for what happened. None of us could have predicted Jacob or Kiara being attacked - not even me. You did everything you could to protect her. Kiara knows that, she always knows."

Rosalie sighed, her fingers absently tracing the pattern on the couch cushion. "I know, but it's hard not to feel guilty. I can't help but think that if I hadn't brought her into our world, she wouldn't have to go through all this pain and danger."

"Sometimes, things happen that are beyond our control," Alice said softly. "Even if Kiara wasn't destined for this life from birth, she'd likely have had her shifter gene triggered with the arrival of the newborn army. But you can't let that fear keep you from being there for her now. She needs you, Rose, more than ever."

Rosalie looked up at Alice, her eyes searching for reassurance. "You really think so?"

Beverly smiled warmly, her hand gently squeezing Rosalie's shoulder as Rosalie looked between her and Alice. "We know so. Just remember, soulmates are bound by something deeper than the events of the past. Kiara's feelings for you as her imprint run far beyond any blame or resentment, you could tell her to stay away forever and she would do it out of love. She loves you, Rose, and you need to be there for her healing."

"Jacob even asked Billy if you could visit, and Billy said yes," Beverly said, causing Rosalie to look up in complete surprise. "Now, go to her. She needs to know you're by her side."

_____

"Kiara, you have a visitor," Billy announced as he opened the front door, a small smile on his lips as he saw the blonde that was standing in the porch. Rosalie nodded back, unable to bring herself to smile at the man yet after everything that had happened in the past month or so. "I'm glad you're here, she was beginning to get worried you hated her."

"I could never hate her," Rosalie replied without hesitation, thanking Billy as he pointed her in the direction of Kiara's room. She looked around at the small house as she passed Jacob's room - faintly aware of Bella's distinctive smell that lingered from within. She knew that the human had been to visit the boy, but she hadn't particularly cared enough to listen in.

Finally, Rosalie reached the last door in the corridor that she knew without question was Kiara's room. The faint hums of music from the other side reminded her of the Summer they had spent together, long before Kiara had been exposed to the horrors of the supernatural world. Her fingers hovered over the door knob, unsure whether to knock first or just go inside.

Without hesitation, Kiara swung the door open just as Rosalie finally reached for the door handle. They stood there, a moment frozen in time, as their eyes reconnected for the first time in what had felt like a lifetime to Kiara. She moved aside so that Rosalie could enter the room, gently shutting the door behind her as the girl glided past her.

"I'm sorry, I should have came-"

Rosalie was cut off as Kiara flung her arms tightly around the girl, burying her head in her shoulder and holding on to her tightly. Rosalie's arms wrapped around Kiara's waist as soon as she felt her touch, her head resting against the side of Kiara's as they rocked in place  a little.

"I don't care, you're here now."

Their embrace lingered, as if neither was willing to let go for fear of losing the precious moment.  In that moment of reuniting, time seemed to stand still as they embraced, their hearts beating in harmony once more, and the world around them blurred into insignificance, leaving only their love, rekindled and stronger than ever before. Rosalie sniffed a little, inhaling the scent that she had gotten used to and scrunched her nose a little as she pulled back, a twinkle present in her eyes.

"Oh my god, you need a shower."