I AM SO SORRY! I swear I wrote this chapter about 8 times. Between reformatting my laptop, losing my hard-drive and just plain forgetting to save it, I just couldn't post it! Anyways, nearly a year later here is the next chapter! (I think my New Year's resolution this year will be to update more! Who agrees?)

I am a fighter, it's in my DNA

Step by step, and break by break, nobody stopping me

Quit try to shoot me down, 'cause I'm invincible

I think you made a mistake, I am warrior

Warrior – Havana Brown

Chapter 11

PREVIOUSLY

"Why do you need our help now?"

"Because I've been told that she's bringing an army, an army bigger than the last time."

"Well then," Jasper smirked; "I guess we better start training."

Carlisle led his 'family' and I through the house to what I presume is the back door, the house was so big I didn't know where I was anymore.

Alice and Rosalie took off running to the trees into the forest straight away. I didn't think they liked me much. But who could blame them? I didn't exactly behave very nicely when I first arrived.

Esme and Edward waited a moment before turning and running. My sense told me that Edward was very fast…the fastest in their family at least. But I knew if it came down to it I would beat him. That made me smile.

"Why do you look so pleased with yourself?" Jasper (still weird calling him that) walked from behind me closer to the tree line, not taking his eyes off me.

"Nothing, just thinking," I smile again, mischievously.

"Thinking? Sounds dangerous," he teased.

"Whatever," I tactfully throw my hair over my shoulder and walk over to Carlisle who was standing a few metres observing me. I should feel uncomfortable but I knew I wasn't in any danger.

"So where exactly are we going?" I asked him.

"There's a large clearing a few miles from here where we play baseball, it should be useful for training as well, and hopefully large enough to host this invasion we are having," he explains.

"Baseball? You play baseball?"

"There a problem with that?" Jasper says defensively, crossing his arms.

"No, not at all…it's just so…normal," and I have been on the run for over a hundred years so normal is unheard of in my life.

"I take it you don't do normal much," he presumed…correctly unfortunately.

"You think?! How do you even play? Wouldn't you break the bats and baseballs or make too much noise?" I asked genuinely curious, looking between them both.

"Well, we had the bats made specially, so they are strong enough to bare the force we use on them. Same with the baseballs. And with the noise, well, we only play during a thunder storm to disguise the sounds," Carlisle explained whilst starting to walk towards the trees. He stopped and said, "We should probably go, they are most likely waiting for us." And with that he ran off into the trees.

I sighed, not really ready to face reality yet. I turned to Whitlock, I mean, Jasper, who was studying me again. Unlike Carlisle, Jasper was starting to make me uncomfortable.

"So, ready to go Major?" I teased elbowing him in the side with a smile.

He looked down, smiling and shaking his head, "Major, so long…" he muttered, "I am always ready."

We held gazes for a moment, my eyes flickered to the trees for a second but I knew he was having the same thought as me.

"Race?" I asked, grinning again.

"Always."

We both turned and faced the trees. "Sure you won't get lost?" He taunted playfully.

"Ha, you wish," my eyes narrowed at him before looking back at the trees. I inhaled, smelling the scent left by the other vampire's only minutes ago. That would be my path.

"Ready?" He crouched.

"Set," I leaned slightly forward, preparing myself for a race I had wanted since he bested me the last time.

"GO!" he yelled and sped off quickly.

I laughed at his antics. Men. Seriously.

I sped off after him, my speed already fast enough that I caught up to him within milliseconds. The trees disappeared into smudges of brown and green, my vampire sight was the only thing keeping me from running into one. I turned to Jasper and noticed a crease between his brows. He was seriously annoyed I caught up with him.

"I don't know what you find so amusing, but whatever it is, you won't be laughing at it for long," he sped up again, jumping over a log and dodging between some closely spaced trees. I followed still amused that he thinks he can win. He has been cooped up for too long inside his mansion, whereas I have been running free and away from other vampires for a hundred years. He really is delusional.

"I don't think so Whitlock," I muttered and boosted my speed yet again.

I started gaining on him, slower than before but I still made decent ground. I inhaled again and knew we were getting closer. I pumped my legs and arms until even I couldn't see them as nothing other than a blur.

I flew past Jasper, and he could not hide the shock on his face, which made me laugh even more. I dodged more trees before I saw a light up ahead. Seconds later I burst from the trees into the clearing. The sun was just rising now, coming over the treetops. The first time I had seen the sun since moving to Forks.

I let it hit my face. I spread my arms out as if to absorb the sunlight and feel the heat. I closed my eyes and breathed in. I relaxed quickly letting these few moments of freedom I had fill me up with pleasure. I exhaled and opened my eyes, showing the 'sparkles' my diamond skin let off.

Jasper was at the tree line, leaning against one of the trees after having arrived just after I did. I could feel his eyes on me but I didn't want to take mine off the sun yet. This was too rare a moment.

I could hear impatient sighs from somewhere on my left. It sounded like it came from Rosalie or Alice. Of course, they would me impatient with me.

I turned to Jasper in the woods. He was looking at me (again, but I wasn't surprised by now) but it was different, fond almost. He stood up straight and walked out of the shade of the trees. The sun hit him on a perfect angle, his diamond skin let off the most beautiful sight. Wait, did I just say beautiful? Get it together Izzy, now is not the time. But I couldn't help but stare. His wavy hair hung perfectly around his face, even his battle scars, and the ones put their by Maria, looked like they belonged. Oh who am I kidding, you still feel the same as when he kissed you for the first time. Dammit now I'm all embarrassed and he'll know. I hate empaths.

He raised his brow at me, questioning my sudden change of emotions but I let it go with a shrug. I turned towards the others who stood off roughly in the middle of the clearing. Edward and Emmett looked like they were play fighting, pushing each other back and forth. Rosalie and Alice were taking it in turns to glare at me. Esme and Carlisle were quietly talking to each other, hands locked together as well as their gazes. Jasper walked over to them, reaching them just before me.

"I win!" I announced to him playfully, elbowing him again.

"This time," he said mysteriously. I gave him a questioning but shook away the weird feeling I got.

"So let's get this training started!" Emmett looked way too excited for preparation for a battle.

Jasper seemed to have the same idea. "Why are you so excited here? Newborns are not something to take lightly. Yeah sure, they don't have much education on the skilful fighting part, but they will best you in strength and even sometimes speed. Don't ever let down your guard or you will die. That is a fact. Izzy?" He turns to me, expecting me to take over.

I just stand there with my arms crossed and my eyebrow raised. "Nah, you've got this. It's nice to see the old Major back in action." If vampires could blush I swear he would be right now. "It's kinda hot actually," I added, regretting it immediately.

Shit, Iz, when did you turn into such a girl? You are better than this cheesy flirting.

Thanks to whatever gods there are, Jasper just shrugged and accepted the compliment. He turned to me again and said, "Seriously, you can take it from here, it has been a while…" he trailed off.

I just nodded and launched right into action. "Okay, so we all know that newborns have a few advantages, their strength being the main one. But they have weaknesses as well. They are easily distracted, can't focus on more than one thing at once, especially when in attack mode, as I call it. They know they are strong so they will heavily rely on that. And we will also rely on them relying on them using their strength…on using their strength the most…whatever you know what I mean." I stopped for a moment to gather my wits and my proper use grammar.

"So think for now, we'll pair up and see if we can practise overcoming the other without the use of brutal strength." Emmett looked slightly disappointed. "Just for now so I can see how you guys fight, then we'll branch off from there."

They all seemed okay with this, no surprise Alice and Rosalie seemed reluctant to follow my instructions but they walked off and started sparing together. Carlisle and Edward walked off together as well, and Esme with Emmett. This worried me for a bit, Esme vs. Emmett and his strength. That is until I watched her fight. She was good. Like really good. Surprisingly so. She was a very logical fighter, never letting Emmett make contact and only going for her own blows when she knew they would land. Alice and Rosalie were interesting to watch as they both relied on flexibility to avoid the other, but it was clear that Alice had the upper hand with her psychic abilities. Rosalie's attitude wasn't letting it make a whole lot of difference which pleased me. Similarly, Edward and Carlisle were well matched. Carlisle had had a lifetime of observing others and the anatomy of a human being a doctor, so knew when and where to strike. Edward, of course, had his speed and mind reading, with made him ruthless. I was going to enjoy having him on my side.

I walked around the clearing, occasionally ducking or sidestepping when various fights got intense. It only took about ten minutes before Jasper plucked up the courage to ask me, "So do you want to fight? You know, show them how it is done?" I turned and smirked at him.

"I thought you would never ask."

And I pounced.

Jasper was ready. As I reached for his throat in mid air, he grabbed my shoulders and threw me over him backwards. I flipped through the air and landed on my feet, cat-like on the ground. He ran forwards and went to kick me backwards but I grabbed his leg in mid air and flipped him backwards as well. Before he landed on the ground, I kicked him in the stomach and watched him stagger back and few feet before going for me again. I parried the punches he threw, blocked them and sent out a few of my own. This continued for a while, adding a few kicks here and there. Neither of us seemed to be gaining any ground so I let one of his punches land and it flew me backwards.

I flung my body backwards with the blow doing a few backflips before landing on my feet again. He didn't let me take a moment, rather charged again, arms out to grab my waist, but I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his neck as he drew closer. He stopped running realising he couldn't see. I swung my body backwards, flipping both of his on the ground, and I released him just as he landed with a thud on the dirt. I quickly flipped him over before he could react and pulled his arms away behind his body, straddling his back.

I leaned forward, fangs sharpening and growing out of my mouth. I pulled his arms backward so I could get a good view of this neck and let my mouth over it, gently dragging my fangs over the skin there. I breathed in and out on this neck, neither of us moved. I closed my mouth and placed a small kiss on his neck. He shivered, not from the cold.

I swung my leg over him and turned him over again. I held my hand out to him. Cautiously he took it and I began to pull him up. Shock went through me as he pulled me back down and rolled us so he was on top of me. He lowered his mouth to my neck also, dragging his fangs along my skin.

"Killed you," he whispered, smiling against my skin.

"I killed you first," I pushed him off me and leaned on my elbows. He just laughed and helped me up (for real this time).

We both turned around to watch the rest of the 'family' fighting but were instead greeted by their awed faces after having watched us fight.

"What?" I was feeling a bit self-conscious now. Never had unexperienced vampires watched me fight so having awestruck faces was a new thing.

"Whoa…" Emmett was the first to speak. "I am now regretting thinking I could beat you in a fight."

I laughed half-heartedly. I'm still not really good at accepting compliments.

I heard a tinkle of laughter from somewhere behind Emmett. He turned around and we saw Alice nearly rolling on the ground from laughing so hard.

"You beat Jasper!" She kept laughing uncontrollably, "Ha, you should have seen his face!" She continued laughing. I looked at Rosalie who was smiling as well but seemed to have too much pride to be laughing.

Everyone else seemed pleased as well, except Edward who looked slightly scared but I suppose that was expected. I did just beat the best fighter in their family.

"Yeah well, I'm sure he's just a little bit out of practise," I glanced at Jasper as he was shaking his head.

"You could always beat me Izzy, you know that." I smiled. It must KILL him to admit that.

"Yeah, well I don't want to hurt your pride."

"Too late," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," he walked over to the rest of the family, dismissing the conversation.

"So how did we do Bella?" Emmett piped up again, looking eager to either keep fighting or hear some praise about his skills.

"I think you did well for now. You all have a pretty basic knowledge of defence and offence and you all do really well one on one, so that is really good. However, we need to keep in mind that there will be fifty newborns coming here. Eight versus fifty. We are very outnumbered. So we need to work on fighting multiple attackers at once." I crossed my arms, thinking training strategies. My thoughts were racing back into battle mode very quickly.

"And we need to make sure that we know the most important rules for fighting against newborns before we begin again." I paused. "Actually, I would rather tell them to you as you fight…its more fun that way." I smirked. Well, more fun for me at least. I cleared my throat trying to get back on track.

"Okay, so this how this is gonna go."