I WOULDN'T MIND

seventeen. christmas

▬▬ CORI'S WIDE GREW WIDE as she watched Benjamin simply swirl his hand around above his opened palm, the dirt in his hand lifting in a small tornado. He chuckled at the look on her face, letting the dirt fall back into his hand.

"You're more excited than your niece." He mused.

"I watched Avatar growing up and you're the freaking Avatar." She explained, running her hand through her hair. "I wanted to be Aang when I was little, controlling the elements. It's possibly the coolest power you can have."

"Aren't you a mirror?" He raised his eyebrow and she nodded. "That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged. "It'd be a lot cooler if I could control it better. I've definitely gotten better, but the amount of focus that I have to use just to not get bombarded with everyone's thoughts when I bump into Edward is... it's hard. I try to keep my distance."

He chuckled. "I've noticed. I just assumed he didn't like him."

"Oh, I don't."

Again he laughed. "I'm rather intrigued by the nickname you have for him."

She giggled. "Yeah, before I knew about vampires, I thought he was weird and creepy, hence the Psycho."

"There you are." Emmett mumbled, making his way towards the two – they both sat on the ground, their legs crossed under them.

"Just getting to know Benji." She gave him a smile. "Did you know that he's the freaking Avatar?"

Emmett laughed, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "Yeah, I did."

"You could always try it out for yourself." Benjamin suggested, holding his hand out towards the girl and her eyes went wide as she looked at his hand. "It is a bit complicated, but with some practice, I think you'll be just fine."

"I don't- I wouldn'-"

"I'll help you." He nodded his head, giving her a reassuring smile. She swallowed a little before reaching out and placing her hand in his, with a breath she met his eyes and he raised an eyebrow. "Did it work?"

She moved her other hand over the ground, like he had done with the dirt in his hand and the wind picked up around them. Her hair whipped in the wind, the trees shook, the dirt lifted off the ground, covering the three vampires and she dropped her hand. Everything went still and she squeezed her eyes closed. "Sorry."

"Let's try something smaller." Benjamin suggested, flipping her hand over and she opened her eyes as she looked up at Emmett, who was smiling at her, before she looked over at the vampire that sat before her. "A lot smaller." He sprinkled some dirt into her open palm, keeping his hand under hers. "Together." She nodded and copied him as he raised his hand, his finger moving in a slow circle over her palm and the dirt shifted against her skin.

"Oh, I'll get some water. You can be Katara." Emmett hummed.

"One thing at a time." Benjamin mumbled, though he was very amused by the two. "Okay, Cori, it's all you." He met her eyes and she nodded. He slowly pulled his hand back, but she kept moving her finger above her palm, keeping the small tornado spinning in her palm. "There you go."

She let out a delighted giggle, her eyes moving to Emmett to make sure he was watching, but the second she looked away the small tornado lifted from her hand and the dirt hit Benjamin in the face. "I'm so sorry." She pulled her hands back, tucking them under her thighs. "I didn't mean to."

He shook his head, whipping his face with his hands as Emmett bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "That's alright." He told the young vampire. "Good start though."

"We can try again later." She mumbled, keeping her hands under her legs.

"Good idea." He nodded as Bella, Kate, Garrett and Edward neared them.

"What are you guys doing?" Bella asked, her eyebrow raised as she looked from Cori to Benjamin.

"I am not a good air bender."

"I'm gonna go clean up." Benjamin pushed himself to his feet.

"Sorry." Cori called after him.

"It's fine." He gave her a smile then he was gone and Cori huffed a little as her shoulders slumped.

"It's okay, baby." Emmett patted the top of her head and she leaned back against his legs before looking up at the other four.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Um, Tanya thinks I can project my shield, shield you guys and not just myself."

"I'm helping." Kate added, giving the young girl a small smile. "I could actually use you."

"Okay." She gave her a smile before pushing herself up, reaching back to dust the dirt off of her jeans, but Emmett beat her to it.

"I got it, Shortcake." He grinned and she rolled her eyes a little, but a smile played on her lips and it only grew when he kissed her shoulder. Kate glanced over at the two, her eyebrows slightly pinched.

"Ignore them." Edward told her. "We do."

The blonde shrugged a little, looking at the older Swan once again. "You need to visualize it." She told her. "See how it moves. What color it is. Now picture it expanding. Will it to go beyond you."

Bella's eyebrows pinched in determination, her features hard as she focused, but no one could see anything and she let out a defeated breath before taking a small step backwards.

Kate glanced over at Edward, a playful smirk on her lips. "I think she needs something to motivate her." Edward sighed, rudding his hands together as he stepped forward, turning to face Kate.

"No." Bella rushed out.

"It's him or the little one." Kate's eyes moved towards Cori, who looked ever so small standing between Emmett and Garrett.

"I'm not that short." She shifted on her feet.

"Not short at all." Garett hummed sarcastically as he raised his hand and let it rest on the top of her head. "Totally super tall."

"Dick." She muttered, shoving him with more force then he was prepared for and he laughed as he stumbled to the side. "But, yeah, I'll-" She took a step forward, only to have Emmett grab her hips and pull her back before placing his hand over her mouth.

"Nope." He shook his head, letting his hand fall to his girlfriend's waist once again. "This is all Eddie."

"Don't call me that." The mind reader mumbled, taking another step forward. "It's all right. I can take it."

"He says that now." Garrett mused, glancing down at the couple on his right.

"Focus, Bella, or he's gonna be hurting." Emmett told her.

"I, for one, am very excited about this." Cori mumbled.

"We know." Edward gave her an unamused look before looking at Kate once again, his hand raised.

"Edward, I'm not ready to do this yet–" Kate touched Edward's hand and he groaned as he fell forward, landing on his hands and knees at Kate's side. "I'm sorry. I said that I wasn't ready." Cori giggled, moving her hand up to cover her mouth when Bella shot her a glare.

Emmett sent his brother a playful glare. "Dude, you're not motivating her."

"You wanna try?" Edward shot back as she stood up and Emmett quickly raised his hands in surrender before wrapping his arms around his girlfriend again.

Bella's eyebrows pinched in concentration but the second Kate touched Edward's neck, he was groaning and screaming in pain, falling to his knees once again.

"Kate!"

"You seem to lack incentive." Kate pulled her hand back and Edward let out a relieved breath. "Shall I go see if Renemee's awake?"

"Are you crazy?"

"You touch my little Ratatouille and I'm gonna have to kill you." Cori told her, her voice calm, getting a rather amused look from the blonde.

"All right." She raised her hand. "This one's on full power."

Edward gave Bella a wide eyed look, a look that seemed more like he was trying to remind himself that he loved her more than anything. A look of pleading. A look of fear. He squeezed his eyes closed, ready for the shock, but when Kate touched his wrist he simply winched.

It worked.

Edward let out a small sigh when the blonde pulled her hand back, looking over at his wife. "It's painful but it's bearable."

Bella smiled, pride filling her chest. "Okay, we should go again."

"Emmett?" Edward stepped back looking over at his brother.

"I'm good." He shook his hand, shuffling backwards.

"I'll do it." Cori shrugged, stepping forward. "Just remember, Bella. I'm your sister. You love me. You do not want to see me in pain. Also, if this hurts, I'll rip your arm off."

"You frighten me." Garrett mumbled and the small vampire grinned as she looked over at him.

"Good." She hummed before looking up at Kate. "Let's do this."

>>>>> • <<<<<

▬▬ "GO! GO! GO! GO!" Cori cheered as Seth shoved forkful after forkful of food into his mouth. She sat sideways on the couch, her back to Leah, who laughed as she glanced over at her younger brother. Emmett sat on the arm of the couch next to the young wolf, laughing as the boy put his fork down, his plate empty and his cheeks full. "Yes!" Cori threw her arms into the air with a loud cheer. "Told you he could do it." Cori turned a little, glaring at the boy that sat on the floor, his back against the wall.

"I never said he couldn't." Carter argued. "Just that he shouldn't. Don't want the kid to choke and die."

"I'm not gonna- ow." He mumbled, his eyes narrowed slightly at the girl on his left.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." She told him. "I swear, you spend entirely too much time with Paul and Jared."

"I don't-" The door flew open, cutting the boy off. They all turned to see a snow covered blonde rush into the house, and a boy following her with a suitcase.

"We're here!"

"Lola!" Cori jumped up, rushing towards the girl.

"Hey, Cor." She chuckled.

"Let 'em in the house." Charlie huffed. "Lettin' all the heat out." Cori and Lola simply shuffled to the side, their arms wrapped around each other, making the others laugh as Noah pushed the door closed.

"How's Stanford?" Charlie asked, patting Noah on the back as they made their way into the living room.

"Oh, it's good. Um, I'm passing and football's great. We're on a winning streak." He smiled proudly.

"Oh, I know." Charlie nodded. "I watch every game."

"Really?"

"Yes and he sends me texts about how amazing you are." Cori told him as she pulled away from Lola. "I regret teaching him how to text."

"All right." Charlie clapped his hands. "Present time! Seth, Leah stop eating."

"He's still eating?" Carter questioned.

"He's a growin' boy." Cori told him, leaning over the back of the couch to wrap her arms around Seth's shoulders.

"All right, come on." Charlie waved Bella and Edward into the room. "Jake, you start. Get it going." He told him and the shapeshifter handed Renesmee a small wrapped gift as Cori sat on the couch next to Seth, who leaned forward and looked over at his sister.

"What'd you get me?" A wide smile pulled at his lips.

"I'm not giving you anything." Leah smirked as she took a bite of her roll, watching as her brother's smile faded.

"Hey!" He whined. "No, come on, what did you get me?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, making the boy pout.

"It's okay, Seth." Cori patted his shoulder, pulling him into a side hug and he leaned his head against her temple.

"Well, dad, we didn't have time to wrap yours, but here it is." Bella handed him an envelope as Carter pushed himself up and made his way towards Cori, dropping a wrapped box in her lap.

"For me?" She looked up at him as he sat on the coffee table.

He shrugged a little. "Open it." He nudged her leg a little and she smiled as she moved her arm and pulled at the santa wrapping paper.

"Is this not weird for you?" Noah asked, stopping next to Emmett as Lola sat on the floor in front of Seth.

"No." He shook his head, looking over at the human. "I know what Cori and I are."

"Still, you gotta be a little jealous."

"Sounds to me like you're trying to get him to kick Carter's ass." Lola mused as she looked up at her boyfriend.

"Language." Cori scolded, thumping the blonde's ear.

"Sorry." She mumbled, rubbing her ear as she looked over at the kid that sat next to Jacob, but she just smiled in response.

She opened the box, the outside of it giving nothing away as to what it could be. And her eyes went wide when she finally pulled it out. It was a large rectangular book, the front had a sleeve for a photo and when she flipped it open, the pages were blank. Her brows creased as she looked up at him, but he still wore a smile.

"So you can keep all your pictures and little keepsakes together, and you can take it with you when you finally go on this trip you've been talking about forever."

"I-" She was at a loss for words. It was simple but thoughtful. "Thank you." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "It's amazing."

"Still nothing?" Noah asked, looking over at Emmett, who chuckled as he shook his head, lightly shoving the boy to the side.

And it went on like that for a while, everyone passing out the presents they had gotten for each other, lots of hugs and more than a few laughs. Mm

Especially when Charlie unwrapped the present Cori had gotten him. It was a Big Mouth Billy Bass and when he hit the red button Cori and Lola happily sang along.