TEAM FOREVER

Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

My stories are being beta'd by dowlingnana and she is doing an awesome job. Thanks so much.

"From this point each team will be led to a containment center where they will be confined in a manner that they would have to work together to break free. In each team's containment area you will find the tools that will be needed for the next challenge and a map which will be needed to guide you to the area where the next challenge is.

"Guards will be patrolling in regular rotation and you will need to be able to get pass them to reach the next stage to solve the next challenge. If you are caught, you must drop everything you have obtained except for your map, and then, the guard will take you back to the starting point where you will be confined once more and forced to escape to once again progress to your last point to retrieve all that you had to leave behind before moving on to the next stage.

"At each of the four stages you will find a key section that after all four pieces have been gathered and properly put together will tell you where to locate me.

"Your last stage will be the transport area where you will find the appropriate vehicle that will need to be used to get to my location. The first team to arrive with the key assembled correctly will win TEAM CHALLENGE.

"Guards put their blindfolds back on and lead them to the containment area. TEAM CHALLENGE has now begun."

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Jacob and Irina look at each other just before their blindfold is reapplied with a secret, knowing look and a small, slight smile.

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An unobserved crew member was busily looking over and rearranging some of the equipment that one team would be using once they reached that point.

CHAPTER 4: OVERCOMING A ROUGH START

As each team were led to separate containment cells and restrained with handcuffs and ankle cuffs. The object was that each couple needed to find the means to free themselves, find the map that would lead them to each of the next challenge locations and the necessary tools that would aid them to get through the next stage so they could head on to the next challenge.

While waiting for the signal to begin the challenges, Edward was lost in his thoughts remembering the last three days spent getting to know Isabella. True she had said to call her Bella, but, as beautiful as that name sounded and described her to completion, her full name was elegant; it was regal and spoke of the beauty that she embodied. No, he would continue to call her by her proper name; it suited her.

The night they all met at Rozzelli's was perfect. Everyone had a great time and the three women seemed to have bonded during their time at the spa. Alice who was a shopping nut tried to claim both Isabella and Rosalie for an all day shopping spree which would cut into the time that he wanted to spend with her.

After a late night they all went back to their separate places to rest with Alice trying to claim the next day as well until Edward had interfered by telling Alice to give someone else a chance to get to know Isabella. They all laughed and it was then that Edward was able to ask her to join him for breakfast and they all got together for a day at the beach. The more he got to know her the more he wanted to know.

He had learned a lot about her like her aversion to marriage, but, not the reason, how dedicated she was about giving a helping hand to the next new artist, the reason why she preferred to keep a low profile and many of her likes and dislikes of things in general. Everything he learnt made him want to learn more. She was a unique person with very definite ideas and thoughts about things she felt strongly about.

At this point in his thoughts he was shockingly jerked back to the present as the siren sounded to signal the beginning of the challenge. The couples started looking for the keys to unlock their bindings so they can move around more freely to search for the items they needed.

The other two couples were able to locate their keys, but, not Edward and Bella. They looked everywhere that would be possible to hide something that small and in some places that seemed to be too obvious. However, nothing was there. All of the other items were found during their search, but, not the keys needed to free themselves. So, to Edward's surprise, she used something else after hearing the announcement that the other two teams had escaped and was on the move; she reached up to remove a hair pin from her hair and went to work on the locks. Within minutes they were free and able to finally leave the containment cell. A lot of lost ground needed to be made up, so, they moved as of one accord to work as the team they were.

"Isabella, we need to stop for a moment to check the map and see where we need to be going." Edward remarked. The fact that they were behind was weighing heavy on the both of them, but, there was no way they would stand a chance of getting anything accomplished if they went running head long into things without taking the time to see where and what needed to be done.

"Okay, so where do we need to go?" They both looked at the map and began to trace the path they would need to follow for the next stage. As they had paused to look at the map an announcement was heard that the green and red teams had been captured by the guards and were being returned to their containment cells. Bella and Edward looked at each other with large, wide grins on their faces and excitement reflected in their eyes as the realization of what that announcement meant.

"We're first now!" they said together at the same time. It was also at that moment that if Edward hadn't suggested the stop to check the map they could have very well been caught and returned. That presented the problem they faced the first time; no keys were found to free them then, so, that would have been the same fate facing them on a return if caught.

"Okay, it seems that we have a chance at the moment to move forwards with a fifty fifty chance of winning this thing. But, I think we need to move with caution at all times. Let's do everything to keep from getting caught and set back from the position we now have." Edward discusses with Bella.

"I agree and believe me, at this point, I will be slowing down my attempt to push forward. Discretion and proceeding with caution needs to be our motto to get through this. It's time to start looking around the corner instead of ignoring the advice and information given earlier about the guard rotations." She contributed to their planning.

"I absolutely agree." He said with a smile. But, it was said more as just a reflex response since he was more into watching the emotions and the slight blush that was appearing on Bella's face. It enhanced her looks to an even more beautiful height; she was even more desirable to him. "Let's take another look at the map and decide our next move." With that said they continued on to the next stage that was on the Western front.

Meanwhile, the green team had managed to get free once again, but, the red team was having a bit of a problem getting the locks undone with the keys they have. That puts Irina and Jacob still in the containment cell with Alice and Rosalie moving towards the next stage which was being approached by Edward and Bella, the blue team.

Alice and Rosalie had learnt a valuable lesson to slow down and not to be so confident about being able to get around undetected. This was also a bit harder than what they had envisioned it would be. No wonder the prize money was set as high as it was. Every bit of it was going to be earned for their charities. Both women were aware that Edward and Bella were ahead of them while they hadn't seen any sign of the red team, Jacob and Irina.

On the way to the Western front, Edward and Bella had encountered and barely missed being caught by a couple of guards. Once they arrived they had to find the saloon, as it was the next challenge to obtain the necessary tools needed for the next stage, along with the first part of the location key. They were going to have to find all of the ingredients to make a certain drink. From the list of ingredients they were going to have to identify the name of the drink which will give them the information needed to recover all of the items they wanted.

In the meantime, the red team is still working to get loose from the hand and leg cuffs. They have been unable so far to figure out why the keys aren't working. There wasn't this problem the first time around. Of course, no one was aware that they had managed to enter the containment area while everyone else was getting acquainted and stole the keys.

They knew that if for some reason they had ended up being put in the cell from which they had taken the keys, and then a case existed for a restart to the whole procedure. Either way was a win-win in their opinion with no one the wiser, but, this problem with keys that had worked the first time was unexpected. After the filming they would be asking some questions that were for sure.

After a bit longer while the filming was concentrating on blue and green teams, the crew quickly changed the keys for the red team, so, when the cameras switched back to check on the red team's progress it was discovered they had managed to get loose and obtained their freedom to go to the next stage.

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The producer wasn't happy about the bit of difficulty the red team had encountered, but, after checking to make sure no rules would be broken by replacing the keys needed, he Okayed for it to take place. No one was aware that the keys had been replaced by a set that was incorrect after everyone followed them towards the next stage. All of the concentration had been centered on the blue team coping to get free while red and green had moved towards the first stage and then got caught. Although, he was a bit surprised about the trouble blue team was having. He hadn't interfered with that, but, it did make for a good show.

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As Bella and Edward entered the saloon, the cameras swung to capture the approach of Rosalie and Alice and then caught the red team leaving the containment area. It was at that point that the word, "CUT!" was yelled by the director and everyone relaxed. It was time to call it a day until the area was set up for the next segment.

Jacob and Irina were heard complaining about what happened to them, Alice, Rosalie, Edward and Bella all were discussing the different aspects of the game. They each were sharing their impressions and thoughts as to how they felt about the action thus far. They all had a good laugh about what had happened to them all and no one had any idea that things had been tampered with in any manner.

"What are we going to do this evening?" Alice asked.

But, before anyone else had a chance to say anything, Edward spoke up, "Pixie, you are going to allow me time with my team mate. Isabella would you like to join me for a nice relaxing evening at my home for a cookout and then a dip in the pool?"

Looking at her brother, Alice clapped her hands and said, "What a brilliant idea. What time do you want all of us over?"

Edward slapped his hand over his face trying to think of some way to tell her she wasn't wanted without hurting her feelings. He wanted to have the time with Isabella alone.

"Well, brother?"

"Alice,-"he started before Rosalie interrupted him.

"Alice, I think it would be a good idea if you and I got together to work on our strategy for the next stage. If we want to win this thing then we need to work out how to get ahead of the blue team." She said with a smile.

"I guess you could be right." Alice agreed.

A/N: Well, Irina and Jacob got a little down and dirty with taking the keys to unlock the bindings, but, Bella had a way around that situation. But, it seemed to have come back to bite them in the butt after they got caught. What are they going to try next? What is going to happen with any equipment by the crewmember that is trying to sabotage the entire final showing?

Your reviews are always welcomed and I will be updating this story every 7 to 10 days.