Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Twilight
Authors note: I tried to get this chapter out as quickly as possible so I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed…
The game
It had been three days since Charlie ran off on his own, three days since the incident with the wolves in the clearing, three days since Charlie discovered his power. Right now, I'm not sure which was worse.
Charlie has been causing complete havoc around the house in those short three days. He had managed to convince Emmett to wrestle with him which didn't end well. Mostly because Charlie got a bit too carried away, acting on his instincts and ended up throwing Emmett out the living room window before turning his attention to me. Obviously, him acting on instinct included his blood-lust and me being a human, well; let's just say it's not exactly the best combination. Edward and Jasper managed to calm him down enough for him to realise what he had almost done and he had promised not to abuse his power.
The day after, he was using his power again and using anyone who came near him as a slave to get whatever he wanted. I realised that he obviously didn't comprehend what the phrase 'not to abuse his power' meant.
On a lighter note; we discovered that Charlie's power doesn't work quite as well on Beth as the rest of the family, excluding me. He has to concentrate extremely hard to get her to respond fully to his power and even harder if she fights against it with her mind. The more resistant someone is the harder it is to 'persuade' them. Carlisle's theory is that Beth and Charlie are so extremely similar, both being half-human and half-vampire as well as being twins, that there powers wont work as well on each other. That is, if Beth has a power but we were yet to find out.
I sat in the sitting room of the Cullen's mansion on one of the couches beside Edward with my legs tucked up underneath me and leaning against his chest as he draped his arm across my shoulders, holding me close to him. I held a book in my hands, glancing occasionally at Edward, who was also reading, or around the room. Charlie and Beth were sitting side by side on the other couch, watching a children's cartoon on T.V. It was the only way to keep them both occupied and sitting still for any length of time.
I looked towards our children as they sat silently and saw a smile spread slowly across Charlie's face as he glanced at Edward out of the corner of his eye.
"Don't even think about it, Charlie. After what happened last time you are not allowed to challenge anyone to a wrestling match unless we're sure you won't get carried away." Edward said calmly from beside me without even looking up from his book.
Charlie's face quickly turned into a scowl and he returned his eyes to the television. I dropped my gaze to my book and began reading it again but a few minutes later a movement caught my eye and I raised my head, watching Charlie and Beth. A second later I saw Charlie nudge Beth with his elbow as Beth turned to him expectantly and slightly annoyed from being interrupted from the programme they were watching. Charlie continued to stare at the television screen, pretending he hadn't noticed Beth staring at him. As soon as she turned her head back towards the screen he elbowed her in her side again.
"What is it, Charlie?" She asked exasperatedly and turned towards him again.
"What?" He asked her innocently and smiled at her, not fooling anyone of his innocence. I realised that he was annoying her deliberately. Boys.
"You know what; you keep hitting me." She frowned at him, clearly annoyed.
"I'm not."
"You are so."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"No, I'm not hitting you, I'm nudging you. There's a difference." Charlie protested, a smile spreading across his face at her clearly annoyed expression.
"Fine." She glared at him and looked back to the T.V. only to be 'nudged' by Charlie as soon as her head was turned.
"Stop it, Charlie." She whined and turned so she was facing him with a glare on her face.
"Stop what?" He asked, trying to repress a smirk from his face.
She put her hand on his upper arm and shoved him so he had to brace his arm on the couch beside him to stop him from falling onto his side. He turned to me with a small frown on his face. "Mommy, Beth hit me." He pointed an accusing finger at Beth and narrowed his eyes at her.
She sat with her hands on her lap, swinging her legs back and forth with an innocent smile on her face which looked much more convincing than Charlie's did. "No, Charlie, I didn't hit you; I pushed you." She said with the same tone he had used earlier.
I held back my smile that she had outwitted him and the shocked look on his face at her statement. Apparently, his plan hadn't gone accordingly. "Stop fighting, both of you." I said and looked between them.
Charlie completely ignored what I said and pushed Beth so she fell on her side on the couch. Beth pushed him back, then he pushed her, she pushed him back, then he pushed her again. It went on for a few moments before Beth shoved Charlie harder than she had previously and he fell right off the end of the couch, flying a few feet in the air before landing with a thud on the floor.
He picked himself up and lunged at Beth, a small growl echoing around the room. I just had time to gasp before Edward was standing in front of me protectively; obviously remembering the last time Charlie was involved in a fight.
I stood up on the couch and looked over Edward's shoulder anxiously. Edward hadn't moved from where he was standing in front of me so I knew I was in most danger at the moment. Although I knew Beth and Charlie wouldn't hurt each other, I was still worried.
Charlie had his arms around Beth's middle, pinning her arms to her sides and lifting her a few inches off the ground. She struggled in his grip and in a few moments she broke free, running behind him in a blur of movement. A look of surprise flashed across Charlie's face before he was pinned on the ground, face down with his arms bent awkwardly up his back. Beth sat on his back with a triumphant grin on her face as she held him down. The way she held his arms prevented him from being able to fight back properly.
We had recently discovered that Charlie and Beth were both only slightly faster than Edward. Beth was slightly faster than Charlie whereas he was slightly stronger than her.
When Charlie finally relaxed in defeat Beth released him. "I win." She sang and giggled at him as she stood up. Edward stepped back and wrapped an arm around my waist. He looked like he was about to tell Beth and Charlie off but his head snapped towards the door to the sitting room and a moment later Alice was standing in the door way.
"There's going to be a storm later. Does anybody want to have a game?" She asked with a grin on her face and I could hear murmurs of agreement throughout the house from the other family members but Emmett's cheer was by far the loudest.
Beth and Charlie looked at each other in confusion then gazed at Edward expectantly as a smile spread across his face. They're first vampire baseball game. What could possibly go wrong?
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Apparently a lot could go wrong. We were standing in the middle of the large clearing where the game would be taking place. The rain was pouring down and lightening flashed across the sky as thunder echoed in the distance. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and continued to watch the game. I had insisted on coming with them. I wouldn't miss this for the world. I was unbelievably grateful for Alice's foresight to have me dressed warmly with waterproof clothing over the top. That way I wouldn't get ill because of the cold.
Esme was on the opposite side of the clearing from me so she could referee better. Edward, Charlie, Jasper and Rosalie were currently fielding while Beth, Alice, Carlisle and Emmett were batting. I still marvelled as I watched them with their blurred movements while they played. Edward's team were only just winning even though Charlie had been trying to cheat but was soon warned that if he did it again he would be out of the game.
Edward's POV
I was in the outfield, as always, while I watched Beth step up to bat. I smiled at how sweet she looked, so much like Bella. The bat was almost as tall as her but she seemed unfazed by that and stared at Carlisle with a look of fierce determination on her face.
I glanced across the clearing to Bella where she stood near the edge of the trees and frowned slightly. I wasn't happy that she was out in this kind of weather but she was so stubborn and absolutely refused to stay at home. My gaze snapped back to Beth as Carlisle threw the ball and Beth hit it, making it soar through the air. I turned on my heel and sprinted through the woods, watching it as it as it began its decent.
Beth could certainly hit hard, not quite as hard as Charlie or Emmett but enough to make me run farther than I normally would. I stopped and turned to catch the ball just as my mind was filled with images, a vision that was currently running through Alice's mind.
Vision
It was back in the clearing, where I had been just moments before. The rain poured, lightening flashed. Bella stood at the edge, just beside the trees like before as she watched the game.
I watched as she took a small step backwards just as a bolt of lightening flashed through the sky dangerously closely, striking the tree she had just stepped under. A loud crack echoed through the clearing as a high branch from the tree Bella was standing under fell through the air towards her.
The vision ended just before the branch hit her and a loud crack echoed around the forest so I knew it was happening right now. Alice had only just gotten the vision a split second before it happened. I ran in the direction of the clearing, pushing myself faster and faster. I had to get there in time. I just had to. The trees flew past me as I ran and I could see clearing rapidly approaching but not quickly enough.
Fear coursed through me as I saw the branch hurtling towards the ground, identical to what I just saw in the vision. My breathing increased rapidly, not from the excursion of my running but from the panic I felt at seeing Bella in danger but not being able to help her. I pushed myself to my limits but it wasn't fast enough.
One thought ran through my mind; I wasn't going to get there in time.
A/N: Sorry, but once again I couldn't resist having a cliff hanger. I'll probably post tomorrow though so you won't be waiting long. Review, please.