Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I am not making a profit by writing this story.
A/N: This takes place after Twilight, but before New Moon. This is in Bella's POV.
Team Edward versus Team Emmett
There I was again in the clearing—the expansive field where I first witnessed how the Cullens play baseball; the same field where I first came face to face with James, Laurent, and Victoria months ago, though it only seemed like just yesterday. James. My finger unconsciously traced the scar on my wrist from when he bit me.
"Are you okay?" Edward asked, as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and squeezed me—enough to comfort me without physically hurting me. Edward would never do that to me.
"Yeah, it's just the last time I was here…" I said as my thoughts trailed off.
"I know."
"Wait. How do you know? I thought you couldn't read my mind?"
"I can't. I just understand how this might be difficult for you—coming here again. If it's too much for you, just give the word, and we can call this whole thing off and go home."
"No, no. It's quite alright. Besides, I don't think Emmett will be very happy with me if we do that. I know he's been itching to finish the game that never got finished. He hasn't shut up about it for weeks."
"He'll get over it."
"Edward really, I'm fine."
He bent down and kissed my forehead. His soft, cold lips on my skin sent shivers up and down my spine. I think my heart even skipped a beat. I could already feel my cheeks start to pool with blood, and I looked down bashfully. Edward tussled my hair before running onto the field.
Once I mustered the courage to look back up, which admittedly, was much later than it probably should have been, I saw Esme hold a baseball bat up and drop it. Edward caught it before Emmett. They both alternated grips. Just when it looked like Emmett was going to lose, he kicked the bottom of the bat with his foot causing the bat to rise, and there to be more space to grip.
"Quit cheating, Emmett!" Edward exclaimed.
"This coming from the guy who reads people's minds while playing," Emmett retorted.
"Boys, enough! Emmett, your team's batting first," Esme said.
In no time at all, Esme was standing behind home plate with me. She would be the catcher for the duration of this game. I was the umpire. It was my responsibility to make sure neither team cheated. From the looks of things already, I had my work cut out for me.
Alice was at the pitcher's mound. Carlisle was playing shortstop. Edward was out in the outfield. The state of Washington was supposed to get a thunderstorm tonight. The sound of thunder rumbling could be heard in the distance. It wasn't raining though; thank goodness for that.
Emmett was up to bat first for his team. I was amazed by the fact that none of them wore gloves. Then again, when your skin is as hard as granite, I suppose you don't need to wear gloves.
Alice raised one leg up in the air while balancing on her other foot, and hurled the ball straight into Esme's hands.
"Strike," I said. At least I think it was a strike. It happened much too fast for me to see much of anything. Besides, I don't really follow baseball, so I don't know a strike from a…field goal? Wait is that a baseball term?
Esme threw the ball back to Alice, and she, quicker than a hiccup, immediately threw the ball back towards Esme. I don't know how he did it, but Emmett somehow managed to get his bat up in time and sent the ball flying high in the air towards the outfield.
The ball sailed over the tops of trees, and Edward was in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, Emmett ghosted around the bases with Carlisle shadowing him. I couldn't tell what was happening out there. He was too far out there for me to see him. All I saw was when he emerged from the trees, casually tossing the ball up and down in his hand.
"That's an out," Esme whispered to me.
"Out," I called out.
Emmett stamped his foot on the ground, and threw his bat on the ground out of frustration. Now there was a decent sized pothole where the bat had collided with the Earth.
"What? How is that an out?" Emmett's voice boomed.
"What are you going on about now?" Edward replied.
"For all we know, you could have just as easily picked the ball off the ground, and put it in your hands just before you emerged from the trees!"
"Are you accusing me of cheating?"
"It wouldn't be the first time!"
"Yeah, and you're one to talk!"
Esme turned to face me, obviously asking for my final verdict. After all, I was the umpire. Without thinking twice, my mind was made up.
"Out," I called out for a second time.
"What? Oh, and we're just supposed to believe that you're an impartial umpire, aren't we, Bells?" Emmett asked me.
I chose not to answer Emmett. It was a lot more fun this way. He wanted me to answer. Well, I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. I couldn't help but grin as he stormed his way off the field in a huff.
Two outs and zero runs later, and it was Team Edward's turn to bat. Rosalie was pitcher. Jasper was playing shortstop. Emmett was in the outfield. Edward was the first one up to bat.
Rosalie wound her arms in circles before pitching the ball to Esme. However, Edward's bat made contact with the ball before it even reached the catcher. The ball went flying into the outfield.
Emmett quickly scaled up a nearby tree like a cat, leapt off a branch and caught the ball in midair before landing on his feet. I was stunned at how agile he was for such a big guy.
"That's my monkey man," Rosalie remarked.
"You know it, babe!" Emmett replied as he tossed the ball to his wife.
Apparently, both teams had the same thing in mind—the best offense is a good defense. When the first inning came to an end, the score was still tied at zero.
As the innings which I found out that's what they're called—I was thinking it was periods or quarters or something—progressed, both teams started to score, and both teams traded the lead back and forth between each other.
It was currently the top of the sixth inning. Emmett was on third base. Rosalie was on first base. Jasper was up to bat. There had already been two outs. Much to my dismay, Team Emmett was beating Team Edward five to four.
"Jasper, knock it off!" Alice whined.
"What? I'm not doing anything!" Jasper responded, holding his hands up innocently.
"Quit toying with my emotions!"
Jasper held a hand to his chest in mock pain. "I'm hurt that you would accuse me of such a thing."
"You're trying to make me feel tired so that I won't pitch as well."
"Someone is getting a bit paranoid. Maybe you should just choose another pitcher then."
"Or maybe you should just quit messing with my emotions!"
"I told you I'm not doing anything!"
Esme lowered her head before shaking it in disapproval. I wasn't sure what to make of all this to be honest. A part of me found this all very amusing. The rest of me wondered what kind of family I got myself into.
Alice raised one leg up in the air while balancing on her other foot, and threw the ball in Esme's direction, only even I could see the ball as it drew ever closer to home plate. Jasper had no problem smacking that ball in the air with his bat.
The ball wasn't hit too high, so it was up to Carlisle to catch it, or at the very least to tag someone out. He dove through the air, caught the ball, and did a diving somersault. When he got up, he brushed the dirt off his shoulder, and said, "Yep. I still got it."
"No one ever doubted you, honey!" Esme called out in response.
As both teams took turns batting, the lead constantly changed. At one point, Emmett's team would be leading. Then, the next thing you knew, Edward's team would be in the lead. It went back and forth like that until we were finally in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Team Emmett was leading Team Edward by a score of twelve to ten. Emmett was already at second base after he had hit a ground ball. Everyone had learned their lesson and no one hit the ball very high anymore—those balls only ended up getting caught.
Carlisle was waiting at third base, just in case Emmett tried to steal a base. As it turned out, he did try to steal a base. As soon as he started running, Alice pitched the ball to Carlisle. Emmett skidded to a halt, and started heading back to second base, where Alice was now at.
The three of them played a game of cat and mouse until Alice finally managed to tag Emmett while she had the ball in hand. Of course, Emmett immediately cried foul play.
"No fair! You had a vision of me stealing a base! That's the only way you could have known! You cheated!" Emmett griped.
"Whatever, you big baby. You just don't want to accept the fact that I tagged you out," Alice replied.
"Oh please, Alice. Are you honestly going to tell me that you didn't use your powers? Unbelievable, and you gave Jasper a hard time for using his!"
"Hey, that was supposed to stay between us, Emmett!" Jasper exclaimed.
"Oops. My bad," Emmett responded.
"Yeah, I'll say." Jasper commented.
Soon, it was Emmett's turn to bat again. Rosalie was at third base. Jasper was at first base. There were already two outs. The score was still twelve to ten with Team Emmett leading.
Alice pitching was very similar to how a cobra strikes its prey. Both are very quick. Both are very sudden. There is no wasted motion. Emmett opted to bunt the ball this time. Without hesitation, Alice immediately ran forward and was able to tag Rosalie before she could get to home plate.
It wasn't long before the bases were loaded again, well as loaded as they could get with three people playing on each team, that is. Edward was on third base. Alice was on first base. Carlisle was up to bat. There had already been two outs.
Over the course of the game, Team Emmett started to notice a pattern with how Carlisle bats. They adjusted their positions on the field accordingly. Both Emmett and Jasper were in the outfield. Rosalie was still the pitcher.
Rosalie pitched the ball to Esme. Carlisle somehow managed to get his bat up just in time, and the ball sailed towards outfield. Edward had already made it home while the ball was still in the air.
Jasper and Emmett both had their eyes on the ball, following its trajectory. However, their eyes weren't on each other, and they soon collided into each other—the sound was not unlike that of two massive boulders smashing into one another. Both brothers were knocked off their feet, and I was worried that one or both of them might have been hurt.
As Alice and Carlisle made their way around the bases, I noticed Emmett and Jasper start a little shoving match. Both of them were blaming the other for the loss.
"Nice going Emmett! Why don't you watch where you're going next time?" Jasper remarked before playfully shoving Emmett.
"Me? That ball was totally mine until you got in the way!" Emmett replied before shoving Jasper, although I noticed not as playfully.
"What's your problem? It's just a game!"
"No, it's not! You don't get it! Alice and I had a little bet going. Now that our team lost, you have no idea what Alice is going to make me do!"
Edward scooped me up in his arms. I kissed him on the cheek, which was the only place I could kiss him from the angle I was positioned, but I wasn't complaining.
"I knew you would win. I never doubted it for a second," I said.
"That's my girl," Edward replied in his velvety soft voice. He then swiftly kissed me on my cheek. Good thing he was holding me. The sensation of his lips on my skin again would've probably caused me to faint had I been standing. I don't think he realizes quite yet the effect he has on me.
Edward chuckled.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"I just read Alice's thoughts, and she told me what Emmett had to do if he lost the bet, which he did," Edward answered.
"What does he have to do?"
"Dress in drag and do the hula."
"This I have to see!"
The End
A/N: Woohoo! I finally wrote another Twilight story! This is dedicated to Rachel, who has a birthday today. I hope you all liked this. I always wanted to write about how I think the baseball game the Cullens started in Twilight would have turned out, had the Cullens actually finished. Anyhow, please read and review. Thanks for reading!