LEGO HOUSE

seventeen.           let's fight a bear

▬▬ "I DON'T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN." Cori shook her head, looking up at Emmett as they stood in the clearing that would be the battlefield, the rest of Cullens standing close by, all waiting for the impending battle.

"I know, baby." Emmett gave her a sympathetic look, pulling her closer to him and rubbing her back. "And you don't have to."

"It could help us." Carlisle stated, offering a kind smile.

"She said no." Emmett moved a little, putting himself between the girl and the older vampire, acting as a sort of wall.

"I can't control it." She argued, merely peeking around Emmett as her hands fisted around the back of his jacket. "What if I turn back in the middle of the fight? Then I'm naked and exhausted and you can't keep an eye on me and not die."

"She has a point." Jasper spoke up, hating the panic that radiated off of her.

"Thank you." She huffed, running a hand over her braids as she stepped out from behind her boyfriend. "Look, she's my sister, of course I want to make sure she doesn't get dead but doing that is too much of a risk. And I'm a little disappointed that you would ask that of me." She narrowed her eyes at Carlisle. "I get that I'm not one of your kids, but I'm not just a weapon."

"She's right." Esme spoke up, putting a hand on her husband's shoulder, pulling him back a step. "It's too much. We're sorry. But you are wrong about one thing, you are a part of this family. I promise you that."

"I apologize." Carlisle spoke up, his head down, ashamed he had asked such a thing.

"I get that you're worried, I'm worried. I could lose my sister. I could lose Emmett, or any one of you." She told him, placing her hand on his arm. "So, yeah, I get it. But I know my limits and until I can better control it, I'm not doing it."

He nodded, sending her an apologetic smile and she simply nodded in return.

"They're coming." Alice stated and they all braced themself, Emmett sliding his hand into Cori's and squeezing.

"Ready to fight a bear?" She quirked an eyebrow at him and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Yeah." He brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to her knuckles before he let it fall from his grip. "Let's fight a bear."

"You guys are weird." Travis mumbled, shaking his head at the two, and the only response he got was two raised middle fingers.

Cori shook her arms, shaking her nerves off and just as the army of newborns broke through the treeline she pushed off the ground, the others close behind her. Jasper punched one, knocking his head clean off as Emmett threw another one to the ground before getting his arms around one's shoulder and snapping her neck. Cori slid across the ground, right through one's feet, like she has done to Emmett in training. And as she hoped, it left him completely confused, she jumped to her feet, her hands on either side of his head. She kicked his knees, making him kneel then she yanked backwards, shoving her knee into his back. His body fell to the ground and she tossed his head to the side before turning and kicking another newborn in the face, the sound of glass shattering filled the air and just as its head hit the ground, the wolves joined the fight.

They came over a large rock, jumping right over Cori and easily taking out several newborns. Cori groaned a little when a newborn wrapped his arms around her shoulders, throwing her back into the side of the boulder. He charged, but she was on her feet faster than he expected. She threw her fist out, hitting his nose and sending a crack down both his cheeks. The hit stunned him and she jumped, kicking him to the side and right into Paul's awaiting jaws. She simply nodded at the wolf and turned, ready to take on another newborn.

She hit one, sending her to the ground, then she kicked her leg out, knocking another one off balance, and as she turned, ready to rip him limb from limb another vampire had her by the neck, her head twisted and she felt the small crack forming in her neck.

"Cori!" Emmett's voice boomed as he slammed one vampire's head into another but he couldn't get to her, panic filled him and he turned, sending his elbow right into another newborn's face, shattering it on impact, just as the brown wolf pried the vampire off Cori and tossed him to the side.

"Thanks, Jared." She mumbled and he nodded his head towards her neck, the small crack fading. "I'm alright." She smirked a little, but it faded as she jumped, stopping the approaching vampire from getting his arms around Jared. "Get'cha head in the game." She told him, ripping the vampire's arms from his body. And he did, he jumped right back into action and Cori smirked, adjusting her grip on the disembodied arm as a vampire charged towards her. "Let's play ball." She mumbled, raising the arm over her shoulder and when she was close enough she swung it like a bat. The vampire's head flew off and the arm shattered on impact, but she was satisfied, tossing what was left to the ground.

But her smile faded when she looked up, Paul had three newborns on his back and one in his teeth. "Paul!" She started towards him, knocking each vampire in her way to the ground, but Emmett beat her to the wolf, yanking each newborn off of him until he could tear into the last one. Then they shared a look and Cori let out a relieved breath, but it didn't last long. She was shoved to the ground, a snarling vampire above her, her hands on his shoulders as she tried to get a hold on him. Then he was suddenly gone and all she could see was the belly of one of the wolves. She let out a breath and rolled when he picked his paws up, but before either had a chance to do anything he was shoved right into her. "No, no-" Suddenly she was a wolf, her clothes laying by her paws in shreds. "Damn it!"

"Sorry!" Embry told her before jumping at another vampire, then he was by her side again.

"This is not good. So not good."

"Breath, Cori." Paul's voice filled her head. "Panicking will only make it worse."

"You can do this." Sam's voice joined the others, even as he was across the field, taking out two vampires. "Just move your legs."

"Just move my legs." She repeated and took a step but she stumbled. Embry stayed close as Paul came up on her other side, both keeping the newborns away from her. She took a shaky step, her breathing rapid but everything stopped when she saw that four vampires had Emmett pinned to the ground and he was struggling against them. Her eyes narrowed, losing all human thought, as she took off, faster than any of the other wolves could register. She pushed off the ground with her hind legs and took two of them out with just one snap of her large jaws. Then she turned, catching the one Emmett had tossed her way. Her fangs easily tore her apart and tossed the remains to the side, a low growl leaving her curled lips. Her eyes a bright blue as she looked for her next target, no actual thought to her movements, just sheer animal instinct.

And once they were sure the fight was over, the Cullens started collecting body parts and throwing them onto the fire – the only real way to kill a vampire – and Sam made his way over to Cori, who had the leg of a vampire hanging from her jaws as she shook her head, like a dog tearing at its favorite toy. "Cori." She dropped the leg, or what was left of it, and looked up at him, a snarl leaving her lips. She was ready to attack. "Stop. Breath. Focus."

She merely growled and jumped towards him. He knocked her back and she hit the ground with a slight whine. But before she could push herself up, he pressed his paw into her side, holding her down.

Emmett stepped forward as the alpha snarled at the smaller wolf, but Paul stepped in front of him, shaking his head.

"Take a breath." This time she did as told, she stopped and took a steadying breath. "Phase back." He took a step back, letting her push herself to her paws.

"How?"

"Find one thing, one thing that calms you and focus on it. Only on that one thing." Emmett watched the two, pulling his jacket off his arms – they were nearly identical, though Cori was smaller and had blue eyes. "Got it?"

"Yes." She nodded, her thoughts drifting to Emmett and, inevitably, that night in her room – which made all the other guys and Leah groan as the images filled their heads. But slowly, their complaining faded out and she was her again, her arms wrapped around her body as her legs gave out and Emmett was quick to wrap his jacket around her. "Thanks, Sam." She gave him a weak smile and he nodded his head. Emmett pulled her up, helping her slide her arms into the sleeves, then he zipped it up.

She smiled up at him, a small hum leaving her lips. He lightly kissed her forehead, unable to stop a small smile from spreading across his lips. She looked absolutely adorable in his clothes, especially since his jacket swallowed her whole. It hung loosely off her frame and dropped down almost to he knees.

"How long?" Edward asked, him and Bella joining the others as Emmett wrapped his arm around Cori, leading her towards them.

"A few minutes. Maybe 10?" Alice answered, looking over at the couple.

"Until what?" Cori asked, completely confused, her head tilted back and her golden eyes on Emmett.

"The pack needs to leave." Carlisle stated, looking over at the wolves, who still stood on guard. "The Volturi won't honor a truce with the werewolves."

"They're shapeshifters." Cori corrected. "And what the hell do you mean the Volturi? They're coming here?"

"Yep." Travis nodded but before he could elaborate, a stray newborn made his way out of the trees and Leah jumped towards him.

"Leah, don't!" Edward shouted and Cori turned, moving as fast as she could to help the wolf but Jacob was faster, he jumped, ripping the vampire off of her before rolling on the ground. The vampire got his arms around the russet wolf and squeezed. Jacob whimpered and hit the ground, rolling to his side in human form as Cori jumped over him, her feet on the vampire's shoulders and her hands on either side of his head and she twisted, then Embry jumped in, yanking the vampire's arm and by the sheer force of it Cori managed to rip it's head off and land gracefully on her bare feet, tossing the decapitated head to the side.

"Jacob!" Bella shouted and that seemed to snap Cori out of it before she lost herself completely to the urge to rip anything in her path apart.

"Damn." She muttered as Edward and Carlisle kneeled next to the boy.

"Jacob. Hold on. Carlisle's gonna take care of you." Edward told him, rolling him onto his back.

"The bones on the right side of his body are shattered." Carlisle stated, moving his hand over the boy's ribs then Bella dropped to her knees beside him.

"Bella."

"Jake, I'm right here." She told him and Cori made her way towards them as the rest of the pack emerged from the woods in human form.

"Jacob, you idiot, I had it!"

"Leah!" Sam gave her a look and she closed her mouth.

"I need to set the bones before his accelerated healing kicks in. It's already starting." Carlisle explained and Cori watched with wide eyes, hating herself for not getting there faster. Paul reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing a little but she barely reacted at all as she watched the boy she had known since she was little groan in pain.

"We need to get him out of here." Edward rushed out, glancing back at Cori and the other wolves. "We're not gonna wanna fight with the Volturi."

"We'll take him back to Billy's." Sam nodded.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Carlisle told him, before looking at the boy once again.

"Hang in there, Jake." Bella mumbled as Carlisle and Edward moved and the rest of the pack started towards him, each one patting Cori's shoulder as they passed her. They lifted the groaning boy up and started towards the woods and Cori just watched them go.

"They're coming!" Alice called out and Emmett gently put his hand on Cori's shoulder, she turned to look up at him and he hated that look in her eyes. She looked exhausted, but beyond that there was sadness, pain and worry. He jerked his head towards the others a little and she nodded, slipping her hand into his as they made their way towards them. And just as they reached them, the Volturi broke through the trees and crossed the clearing.