"What's with Bella?" Marie whispered to me as we headed to lunch. I wasn't entirely sure how to answer Marie's question, Bella had been pretty quiet the past week, since Jacob's surprise visit to our school and the events of our weekend tracking turned standoff with the wolves came to light.

Bella was not happy, mainly with Edward. She was determined to be changed sooner then expected and she was not happy that it hadn't happened yet, even after what I had told her.

The positive point was my story made her think, I had hit a nerve and we both knew it, it was the main reason Bella had spent the entire week avoiding me, heck there were times when she couldn't look at me.

Every time I caught her, she looked away quickly, but I saw the tears in her eyes, I'm not an idiot, I know what I had told her was still lingering in her mind. Every time she saw me she thought of what I told her and mainly she thought of her father and how he was going to feel if she up and vanished.

I looked over at Bella, then at Marie and shrugged, as I grabbed a tray for my "lunch", Marie looked at me expectantly

"I don't know," I replied as honest as I could "I think she's finally realizing that graduation is around the corner, I'm surprised it hasn't hit the entire senior class yet."

Marie nodded, accepting my answer even though she wasn't really convinced. As we moved through the line, Marie added things to my limited lunch, such as milk, an apple, and a bowl of vegetables, it was all I could do to prevent her from adding the special of the day, meatloaf, at which I made a face. Marie has a habit of trying to make sure I eat, in that sense she is a lot like her mum.

Once we paid for our lunches we headed towards our table. If Bella wanted to avoid me a little longer that was fine, I would give her that, Marie and I would just sit at our usual freshman table.

The guys were deep in discussion planning their trip into Seattle the following day. Apparently Paul's dad won a number of tickets through his work, ten tickets to the Seattle Mariners game versus the Baltimore Orioles. He told Paul to invite four of his friends and their dads to the game and make it a guys' night out, of course I was included in that, but I'd been hesitant to go.

It had been easy to play on the idea that my oldest brothers were home for the summer and therefore we had planned a camping trip for just the Cullen boys, which translated into, we were going hunting.

My main issue was everything that was happening in Seattle. I was really concerned about the guys going into the city with some psychotic killer running loose, hence my hesitation in flat out saying no to going. Carlisle was of course leaving it up to me and was willing to go if I decided we should go.

"Hey, earth to Chris, come in Chris," I heard Steve calling my name, I shook my head and looked over at him, apparently I had been spacing out and I wondered for how long he actually had been calling my name

"Sorry…what?"

"Busy night?" Nick asked grinning "or a late one?"

"Heh," I replied shrugging "not really, just thinking."

"Man I had a heck of a night, I was up to three this morning playing Call of Duty with my cousin, my uncle is stationed in Tokyo right now so they're living over there, it's so cool. I get to go visit them for a week this summer, but we were playing online for hours, I think he even might have missed a class or two." Patrick spoke up and we all rolled our eyes at him, grinning.

"Anyways, Chris are you sure you don't want to go, it's going be awesome, the tickets are right behind the Mariners dugouts, my dad knows this great restaurant that we're going to hit right before the game." Great, a restaurant I thought just wonderful "come on it'll be fun!" Paul prodded,

"Yeah seriously its going to be a blast come on!" Nick added, "please, how many times do you get to behind the home team dugout? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that you will regret if you miss."

I glanced over at Edward who was only half listening to the conversation. He obviously knew my confliction and gave me a reassuring grin, shrugging. Of course I knew his answer, Edward may not admit out loud, but he is a true blue American teenage boy in a lot of ways, one big way is that he loves baseball as much as he loves music, so his decision is based solely on his desire to go to a baseball game and his belief that everyone should go.

My mind flashed to all the news reports about the murders and kidnappings in Seattle, I needed to hunt, that was clear, but I wouldn't be able to enjoy the weekend hunting with my brothers and father if I was thinking about my pals safety.

If Carlisle and I went to the game, we could easily meet Edward, Emmett, and Jasper in Northern California for the Mountain Lion feast later on.

Going to Seattle for this game would serve two purposes, I could keep Steve, Paul, Patrick, and Nick, as well as their dads in my line of sight and therefore safe, and I could get an early scope on what was going on in Seattle, see if I could profile things a bit, enjoying the baseball game was obviously the last thing on my mind, my profile was going to be in mega overdrive.

I took a deep breath, sighed and rolled my eyes,

"Fine, fine, you guys win, let me go call my dad and ask him if he still wants to go, I got to make sure he's not on call tomorrow, I don't think he is, but I have to be sure."

I pushed my chair back and carried my tray to the trash taking care of that before grabbing my backpack and heading out of the cafeteria to the office to make my phone call.

Inside the office, Mrs. Cope looked as soon as I walked in. She amuses Edward, but she kind of freaks me out, I don't like the way she looks at us Cullen boys, it's creepy.

Today was no exception as she got this look in her eyes when I walked over to her desk. I've never really been able to tell exactly what the look is, some reason it remains hidden from my profile, I do know for a fact that I don't like it and that's enough reason for me.

"Yes what do you need?"

"I was wondering if I could call my dad."

Mrs. Cope pressed a button on the phone and put it up on the counter for me to dial. I dialed Carlisle's office at the hospital and waited patiently for him to pick up, it took two rings before Carlisle answered. He probably got a little nervous seeing Forks High School on the caller ID, after all the school doesn't typically call, the last time Carlisle received a phone call from a school, it was to let him know I had gotten detention last year.

"Er, hello?" he said, I could hear his hesitation over the phone and I tried not to laugh, I really didn't blame him. I turned my back to Mrs. Cope and leaned against the desk.

"Hi dad,"

"Chris? Hello, is everything okay son?"

"Everything's fine dad, I just had a question."

"Yes?"

"Well, Paul spent a good portion of lunch pestering me, they really want us to go to the game tomorrow and if you're still up for it I was wondering could we go? I mean I'm thinking those guys in the city, who knows what kind of trouble they can get into, I should be there to be a voice of reason."

I laughed it off of course, but I knew Carlisle would get my meaning. I couldn't come out and say I wanted to go to Seattle with my friends so I can make sure they don't get themselves kidnapped or killed, not with Mrs. Cope's eyes boring into my back, but of course my father understood.

"I'm glad you changed your mind Chris, I know its not a Cricket match, but you do enjoy baseball thanks to your brothers and from what I've heard, Mr. Cooper has some decent seats."

"So you're okay with going?"

"Of course Chris, it will be fun, we'll talk about it when we get home, how about I pick you up and we can discuss our plans, my shift is over at 2, I'll give Mr. Cooper a call right now and make sure everything is arranged."

I grinned

"Cool, I'll let Edward know." I paused "thanks dad,"

"Anytime son,"

I hung up the phone and handed it back to Mrs. Cope,

"Thanks for letting me use the phone," I said as I headed out of the office and into the hall.

The lunch bell rang and the hordes swarmed the hall, I tried to avoid getting swept up in the mob as I moved down the hall towards my next class. I was about five doors from it when I felt a hand grab my shoulder and pull me off to the side. It was Edward; Bella gave me a quick smile before darting into her own class. I rolled my eyes, she really was avoiding me, quite effectively too.

"So going to the game tomorrow?" Edward asked grinning, he of course knew my real reason for going to the game so I rolled my eyes at him.

"As a matter of fact yeah, good seats, good friends."

"The chance to profile?"

"That's beside the point, you're just jealous that you're not going to the Mariners game."

"Yeah the way they play I think I'd rather deal with the mountain lions." Edward paused "is dad picking you up?"

I nodded

"Yeah, figured I'd give you and Bella a chance to talk," Edward gave me a gently shove which I expected and I easily returned. "so dad and I will go to the game and then we'll just catch up with you guys for the camp out."

Edward nodded,

"Sounds like a plan Chris," he paused and lowered his voice, in the hum of the crowd, only someone with vampire hearing could hear. "I didn't get a chance to thank you,"

For what? I thought

"For what you said to Bella, I know it couldn't have been easy for you to open up to her on something like that Chris and I am very glad you talked to her."

Didn't do much, she's still pretty adamant about it happening as soon as possible. If you haven't noticed that is.

"I did notice, but regardless you obviously impacted her, you gave her something to think about. And I owe you Chris."

I grinned

"And I'll figure out a way for you to pay me back."

Edward shoved me and followed Bella into their class. I rolled my eyes again and started to head towards my own, just across the hall from theirs when I heard my name being called, followed by quick moving footsteps, the huffing sounded familiar. I turned and grinned as Paul came running down the hall,

"Chris wait up!" he called skidding to a stop in front of me he took a deep breath obviously trying to catch his breath from the short run that had tired him out "tha…nks, so did you talk to your dad?"

My grin widened as I chuckled at my friend

"Yes I did, he's game, he's actually looking forward the game, he's going to call your dad right now and figure everything out."

Paul grinned

"excellent!" he exclaimed "a completely guys only night."

"The calm before the storm of the dance?" I asked grinning

"Dude, that whole thing is going to be its own kind of special hell. It's going to suck so bad."

I shrugged

"Might not be so bad, I mean seriously how bad could it be?"

"Chris, I have a little sister who is obsessed with High School Musical and an older sister who has seen Footloose more times than I can count, trust me I know what we're in for and might not be so bad is the understatement of the century. It's going to be pure hell."

We walked into the health class, the girls were in their usual spot up front, Steve, Patrick, and Nick were in our spot in the back of the room. Mrs. Cochran doesn't have assigned seats in the class; she lets us sit wherever we want as long as we don't make her regret it.

The bell hadn't rung yet and Nick, Patrick, and Steve were chuckling in the back, no one else in the room could've heard the conversation that was occurring back there.

"That has got to be the grossest thing in the world." Patrick whispered to Steve and Nick "I mean, why the heck would she show us that right after lunch, it's nasty."

"how the heck are girls not green? I mean look at them, have they even noticed it?" Steve asked, Patrick and Nick shrugged their answer.

I looked up at the board where on the projector Mrs. Cochran had a really nasty picture of a set of human lungs that had obviously belonged to a smoker. I made a face, that was nasty all right.

"Speaking of hell," I said to Paul nodding at the image "I'm thinking that person was either a smoker or spent a lot of time playing poker games with the devil in hell."

Paul burst out laughing and Mrs. Cochran looked up at us from her desk, her eyes narrowing, obviously not pleased with what I had just said either that or she just figured Paul was laughing at something I had said and figured it was inappropriate .

"Boys, I do expect a certain level of maturity. You will sophomores next year, I expect you to act like it, lung disease is a very serious issue that I do not find very funny, now take your seats before I arrange for those seats to be closer to the front."

"Sorry Mrs. Cochran," we muttered in unison, exchanging a look as we headed to our seats in the back.

The girls all kind of looked at us and grinned, before giggling to themselves, Mrs. Cochran paid them no mind which in the back of my mind didn't seem all that fair. Mrs. Cochran started writing the notes on the board as I took my seat in between Patrick and Nick, both of them exchanged a look with Steve before all three began grinning ear to ear.

"So, what did you say to get on Cochran's 'don't make me move you to the front of the room' threat?" Patrick asked and I shrugged

"I simply stated a fact, it's not my fault she thinks I'm being facetious." I explained pulling out my notebook. The guys all grinned and began to laugh, just quiet enough that Mrs. Cochran wouldn't hear.

As Mrs. Cochran began her lecture on the damage smoking can cause, the discussion in our area was back on the baseball game.

"So Chris did you call your dad?" Nick asked and I nodded "what he say?"

"He's looking forward to it, so he's glad I changed my mind."

"You know I was thinking," Paul spoke up

"Uh oh," Nick, Steve, Patrick, and I all whispered

"shuddup," Paul shot back before continuing "Chris is your dad going to drive?"

I shrugged

"Dunno maybe, he was calling your dad to I guess arrange everything. Why?"

"Well here's the thing, there's ten of us total going right? Between us and our dads, so logically there's going to have to be at least two cars involved."

"Right, but again what does this have to do with my dad driving?" I asked even though I knew exactly where Paul was going,

"Dude, you're dad drives a Mercedes Benz, an S55 right?" Patrick replied of course I knew what kind of car Carlisle drove, but I had to keep up appearances like I wasn't sure what the style of car my father drove had to do with anything.

"Yeah, why?"

"Come on your dad has to be one of the drivers; his car is so sick man!" Steve exclaimed, probably louder then he meant too, luckily Mrs. Cochran was answering a question from someone up front, even still I gently elbowed him reminding him to keep it down.

I had no desire to be in the front of the room; when your last name starts with a C, being in the front of the room tends to be a going trend and its nice to have a change of pace.

"I think what loud mouth means is, it'll be cool to drive into the city in a Mercedes, rolling into Seattle in style; do you think your dad will be willing to drive?"

"Probably, I'll ask him, but keep in mind he can only fit four people besides himself in the car, it's a car not a minivan." I added, in the back of my mind I wondered what their reaction would be if they saw Edward's other car, the Aston Martin or the Porche that Edward had purchased for Alice and had it safely in storage until the time was right to give it to her.

The reaction that my friends would've given over those two cars would've been hilarious, especially if they thought the Mercedes was the high end of cars in the Cullen household, if only they knew the truth.

Patrick got this look in his eyes, a moment of realization

"You know what we should do? We drive in with Dr. Cullen and our dads go in with Mr. Cooper," Patrick whispered as loud as he dared "Chris, ask your dad please? Please?" he practically begged me and the others were no better, they too looked at me like little puppies waiting for a treat.

"You guys are pathetic you know that?" I replied grinning evilly

"Pathetic with impeccable taste in cars." Nick defended quickly before Mrs. Cochran shot a look towards us.

Instantly we all were writing in our notebooks, but I could see the wheels turning in my friends' heads the prospect of riding in a Mercedes just made the game that much cooler. I chuckled to myself, my friends were insane, certifiable even, but I had to admit, they were certainly some of the best friends I'd had in a long time, in reality the only human friends I've have since 1940.

XXXX

A/N:

Okay so there was a lot of buzz regarding the wolf, some of you guys guessed it was Seth and yes you guys were right, but some of you were wondering why Seth was behaving like that if something was wrong with him. I'm here to address that, nothing is wrong with him, he was a little full of himself and decided to try his own paw so to speak at patrolling, Chris was near enough to the line that Seth decided to freak him out a little to get the "leech" away from the line, he got a little to into the whole thing. And as Nan guessed, Sam called him back before he could do something well, dumb. Believe me, Seth got the lecture from hell by Sam. It was more over the fact that Seth sneaked out and went to the line to begin with then the fact he "attacked" one of the Cullens. Whew, I hope I didnt spoil to much on that, but it was a question that kept coming up and I wasnt sure if I'd be able to really address it in the story itself.

Also, next two chapters should be up this week sometime, both are nearly done, just require some much needed tweaking. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I will never be able to express how much I appreciate all the support from you guys, it means the world to me. Till next time!