The day had been going too perfectly- so naturally something had to interfere.

It was just beginning to drizzle when Edward turned onto my street. Up until that moment, I'd had no doubt that he'd be staying with me while I spent a few interim hours in the real world.

And then I saw the black car, a weathered Ford, parked in our driveway — and heard Edward mutter something unintelligible in a low, harsh voice.

Wolves, I thought despairingly as I spotted Jacob and Billy leaning away from the rain under the shallow front porch. Billy's face was impassive as stone as Edward parked my truck against the curb but I knew better. It was a look I was often on the receiving end of when I had to go visit the four top wolves. Mike-I had finally bothered on learning the fourth wolf's name-often gave me the look that Billy was giving Edward.

Edward's low voice was furious. "This is crossing the line."

"He came to warn my dad?" I guessed, trying to inject the right amount of horror and anger into my voice. It didn't work very well.

Edward just nodded, answering Billy's gaze through the rain with narrowed eyes.

I felt weak with relief that dad wasn't home yet. That would have opened another can of worms that I so wasn't ready to deal with yet.

"Let me deal with this," I suggested. Edward's black glare made me anxious.

To my surprise, he agreed. "That's probably best. Be careful, though. The child has no idea."

I bridled a little at the word child. "Jacob is not that much younger than I am," I reminded him.

He looked at me then, his anger abruptly fading. "Oh, I know," he assured me with a grin.

I sighed and put my hand on the door handle.

"Get them inside," he instructed, "so I can leave. I'll be back around dusk."

"Do you want my truck?" I asked, hiding my giggle despite the tense situation. It was what a normal human might offer, after all.

He rolled his eyes. "I could walk home faster than this truck moves."

"You don't have to leave," I said wistfully.

He smiled at my glum expression. "Actually, I do. After you get rid of them" — he threw a dark glance in the Blacks' direction — "you still have to prepare Charlie to meet your new boyfriend." He grinned widely, showing all of his teeth.

I groaned. "Thanks a lot."

He smiled the crooked smile that I loved. "I'll be back soon," he promised. His eyes flickered back to the porch, and then he leaned in to swiftly kiss me just under the edge of my jaw.

My heart lurched frantically, and I, too, glanced toward the porch. Billy's face was no longer impassive, and his hands clutched at the armrests of his chair. Edward just had to make it worse, didn't he?

"Soon," I stressed as I opened the door and stepped out into the rain.

I could feel his eyes on my back as I half-ran through the light sprinkle toward the porch.

"Hey, Billy. Hi, Jacob." I greeted them cheerfully- my acting came easily now. They were- after all- only human. It was easier. "Charlie's gone for the day — I hope you haven't been waiting long."

"Not long," Billy said in a subdued tone. His black eyes were piercing. "I just wanted to bring this up." He indicated a brown paper sack resting in his lap.

"Thanks," I said, though I had no idea what it could be. "Why don't you come in for a minute and dry off?"

I pretended to be oblivious to his intense scrutiny as I unlocked the door, and waved them in ahead of me.

"Here, let me take that," I offered, turning to shut the door. I allowed myself one last glance at Edward. He was waiting, perfectly still, his eyes solemn.

"You'll want to put it in the fridge," Billy noted as he handed me the package. "It's some of Harry Clearwater's homemade fish fry — Charlie's favorite. The fridge keeps it drier."

He shrugged.

"Thanks," I repeated, but with feeling this time. "I was running out of new ways to fix fish, and he's bound to bring home more tonight."

"Fishing again?" Billy asked with a subtle gleam in his eye. "Down at the usual spot? Maybe I'll run by and see him."

"No," I quickly lied, my face going hard. I was purposely being obvious about my lying; Billy had to know that he couldn't interfere with my life. I wasn't a normal child anymore; I was a very powerful adult.

"He was headed someplace new… but I have no idea where."

He took in my changed expression, and it made him thoughtful.

"Jake," he said, still appraising me. "Why don't you go get that new picture of Rebecca out of the car? I'll leave that for Charlie, too."

"Where is it?" Jacob asked, his voice morose. I glanced at him, but he was staring at the floor, his eyebrows pulling together.

"I think I saw it in the trunk," Billy said. "You may have to dig for it."

Jacob slouched back out into the rain. I hesitantly stretched out my senses and was satisfied that Edward was gone.

Billy and I faced each other in silence. After a few seconds, the quiet started to feel awkward, so I turned and headed to the living room.

I shoved the bag onto the crowded top shelf of the fridge, and spun around to confront him. His deeply lined face was unreadable.

"Charlie won't be back for a long time." My voice was almost rude.

He nodded in agreement, but said nothing.

"Thanks again for the fish fry," I hinted.

He continued nodding. I sighed and folded my arms across my chest.

He seemed to sense that I had given up on small talk. "Bella," he said, and then he hesitated.

I waited.

"Bella," he said again, "Charlie is one of my best friends."

"Yes."

He spoke each word carefully in his rumbling voice. "I noticed you've been spending time with one of the Cullens."

"Yes," I repeated.

His eyes narrowed. "Maybe it's none of my business, but I don't think that is such a good idea."

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out as a need came on so suddenly it nearly knocked me to my feet.

He raised his graying eyebrows at my tortured expression. "You probably didn't know this, but the Cullens have an unpleasant reputation down at the reservation."

"Actually, I did know that," I whispered. "But that reputation couldn't be deserved, could it? Because the Cullens never set foot on the reservation, do they?" I could see that my less than subtle reminder of the agreement that both bound and protected his tribe pulled him up short.

But I was still trying to catch my breath. The need to tell him, my uncle in everyway but blood, what I was and what I knew was nearly overpowering. I could go somewhere where I could be mostly safe; where I could be myself. But how would he keep the information for Edward?

"That's true," he acceded, his eyes guarded. "You seem… well informed about the Cullens. More informed than I expected."

I stared him down. "Maybe even better informed than you are."

"Maybe. Is Charlie as well informed?" he asked shrewdly.

I stared at him; tortured and torn. "No." I said simply and walked into the kitchen.

I heard his wheelchair follow after me. "Bella?"

I heard the worry in his voice but I didn't respond. I concentrated on putting away the clean dishes and storing the fish fry. As I squatted down to get a towel, Billy's hand reached out and stopped me. "Bella?" he asked again.

I sighed but didn't look up. "I'm fine."

"Are they threatening you?" he asked worried and angry.

This time, I did look up into his eyes-if only to convey the truthfulness of my statement. "No."

His eyes became gentle again. "Then what's wrong, Bella?"

I struggle with my conflicting desires. Could I trust the wolves when I couldn't trust the vampires? But the wolves already suspected more than the Cullens did. So, would it be easier just to come right out so the Cullens wouldn't get suspicious?

"Bella?" Billy asked again when my hesitation took too long.

I hesitated again. "I'm not…normal, Billy."

He shook his head, not understanding. "Bella, the Cullens won't make you feel anymore 'normal' than you think you aren't."

I stood up and met his gaze. "And the wolves will?"

I saw astonishment cross his face as he tried to come to terms with what he had just heard come out of my mouth.

"The Cullens told you," he concluded logically but incorrectly.

"No. If someone were to have told me it would have been your son. Speaking of which, you really shouldn't tell all the legends to your kids. That's how the secret was spilled. It was cause he thought-thinks-that you are crazy and superstitious. If he becomes a wolf obviously he has a right to the legends but not before. Anyways, even if Jacob hadn't told me, I would have known anyways."

His eyes bulged. "How?"

I shut the cupboard and turned around to face him. "I told you-I'm not normal. It's why I'm here. I love my dad, Billy but I didn't come to Forks to spend time with him."

His eyes told me he understood. "You're running."

I nodded and fought the tears back. "Yes. I've been running-" my voice cracked and I worked to clear my throat again, "-all of my life. I'm not normal. Not in the slightest way."

"Bella…" Billy trailed off, not quite knowing what to say.

"I meant to hide here. I never imagined that I would have vampires living in my backyard and wolves as my neighbors. That I would fall in love with the same species I was trying to avoid. I couldn't have picked a worse place to come to hide but I can't leave now. It's too late. If this screws up, I'll be running for the rest of my life. Forks is my last hope at hiding within the humans without hopping cities every two months. What Sam, Jared, and Paul are going through…Billy, it's nothing. They have no idea…" I trailed off as sobs wracked my body-the pent up stress and sadness breaking free easily now.

The front door banged open but I didn't hear what was said. I just felt myself being lifted up into a car and soon we were moving. In some part of my mind, I was aware that I was going to be late for the game but my stress and grief was too great.

I felt the car stop and felt a different set of arms carry me to another car and start driving. It was a wolf-I could tell because of the heat. At some point, I gained control of my emotions again.

They stopped the car at the same house I had gone to, to spy on the three wolves several weeks ago.

I got out and started walking to the door. "Bella." Billy called.

I turned and looked at him. "Don't look at Sam's fiancée. She's…." he trailed off.

"Scarred. I know."

The boy who had driven us looked at me oddly. "How do you know?"

"I spied on you guys the night of the bonfire."

"And how did you manage that? We have extra senses, we would have heard you."

I smiled disarmingly at him and told him-as if it was completely normal, "I turned into wind."

They stood gaping at me and eventually I simply turned and walked into Emily's place.

All attention shifted to me as I walked in. "Bella!" Emily greeted, coming over to hug me as if we had known each other all our life. "I'm Emily. It's good to finally meet you."

I smiled.

"Do you want a cookie? They're in the oven now. They'll be done in a few minutes."

I tuned into my senses and prodded the cookies. I had to find a way to prove to them-without it being enormously huge as to draw outside attention-that I was not normal. "They're done now, actually."

She looked at me funny and opened her mouth to protest when Billy and the other one finally came in.

"Take the cookies out, Emily." Billy said. Emily shrugged but did as was asked.

"Billy. Jared. What took you guys so long?" Sam asked.

Jared gave me a look, which I returned with a soft smile. "Bella through us for a loop outside."

Sam opened his mouth to speak but Emily beat him to it. "Bella, how did you know they were done?" she asked as she scooped the cookies off the pan and onto the plate. "Cookie?" she asked, offering me the plate.

"no, thanks. And I know, cause I'm not normal."

"You mentioned that at your house," Billy said. "Explain, please."

I seemingly changed the subject suddenly as Emily sat the plate down on the table the boys sat at.

"You know, I will have a cookie." They all looked at me despairingly-until I floated a cookie over to me.

They all gaped in shock.

"I'm not normal." I repeated folding my legs up under me and sitting on air.

"What...?" Paul asked.

I sighed. "My name is Isabella Marie Swan but I am known to the supernatural world as Isabella McCarthy. As you should know, there are leaders of both the werewolf and the vampire world. Four leaders, two females and two males, that rule over their own species but it is not wise to attack the leaders of your enemy species either. These four leaders make the rules, laws, and exceptions to every action that is made. The four wolf leaders aren't too different from normal wolves besides the fact that their clothes can pop in and out of their body instead of just shredding, they can't stop phasing and thus cannot grow old, and it takes a whole lot more to kill them. The four wolf leaders are Jay, Julia, Marissa, and Mike. The four vampire leaders on the other hand are a whole lot different."

"Aren't they the ones in Italy?" Billy asked.

I snorted. "They wish they were the leaders-though it's really not a good idea to pick a fight with an Italian vampire. They will kill you quite easily-but they are not the leaders. Not really. The four just let them think they are while they deal with the war that is going on."

"War?" Billy asked.

I nodded. "There has been a war going on for who knows how long but its gotten especially bad in the past ten years. See, with the vampire four, each vampire can control all four elements but each specializes in one. Some vampires have power over a couple of the elements but only the true leaders have the power over all four. Well, there is a prophecy that there will be a wind element who will come into her powers when she is young and she will be the key to uniting wolves, vampires, and human. The trick is, though, that this girl, this fourth member of the vampires' four will be completely and totally human. She can never change into a vampire but somehow will be able to live forever. That powerful human girl is the reason behind the war. There are two women named Tasha and Maria and they have joined forces to destroy this girl before she can fulfill her prophecy. At first, they wanted her for themselves but once they found out they she would not join her, they resolved to kill her. And that girl…. that girl is me."

They all stared at me in shock. "I am the most powerful thing to ever walk this earth but I have not come into full power yet. And Tasha is around three million years old and Maria while only being around five hundred years old has been the commander of vampire wars so she's no empty threat. To add to that, I managed to have twin half vampire, half human children with their father being a vampire. Before you freak, it wasn't rape and I'm actually best friends with said vampire. He's the one who helped me understand and learn to control my powers when I was only eight."

"Eight?" Emily choked out.

I nodded. "I had been captured and tortured by vampires five times by the time I was fourteen."

It was quiet while they all absorbed this. Sam gave a shaky laugh. "You weren't kidding when you said you were different."

I smiled weakly. "Even since I gave birth to my twins, Tasha and Maria have been looking for them knowing that if my kids are threatened I will succumb. It's why I'm running and hiding as I have been since I've been thirteen. They are tracking me, thinking that I'll never leave my kids. I never let them get close enough to let them know that they're wrong. It's safer for my kids if I leave them with their father. Especially my daughter."

Emily spoke up. "Why? I mean besides that she's your daughter and half vampire."

I pulled out one of my daughter's healing viles and handed it to Billy. "Drink this. It tastes nasty but it will show you why in a few minutes." He did making a face at the taste. "I'll answer that question in a minute, but that is why I'm running."

"Why did you tell us?"

"Well, to be honest, you already suspected more than the Cullens and it would be nice to have somewhere I don't have to pretend to be shocked at everything. The trick, though, is to keep it from Edward."

They frowned. "What's up with Edward?"

I smiled slightly, realizing they wouldn't like this. "He's a mind reader."

A collective groan sounded and I laughed. "Anyways, I have these little devices that make you forget about me whenever he's around-my dad has one on actually cause he knows some about the supernatural not the specifics though-and it'll keep you and me safe."

I picked up the little devices and flicked it onto each of them.

"They're so tiny!" Emily said as she touched hers.

"That's the beauty of it. I'll have to get you more if any others ever join the pack."

I saw Billy's foot twitching out of the corner of my eye though I doubted he felt it. I walked over next to him. "So, that vile I had Billy drink, my daughter made. And sorry about the Cullens and all, by the way."

"Stupid leeches," Billy muttered as I hoped he would.

Reaching out, I hit his leg.

"Ow!" he cried, reaching down automatically to cover the pain. Shock crossed his face as he realized just what exactly he was holding.

"My leg..." he said in wonderment. "I felt my leg!"

I held my hand out to him. "Try to walk."

He grabbed my hand and I quickly hoisted him to his feet and let go. He staggered but stayed upright. "Bella.." he said as they all stared in wonderment.

"She's a healer." I told them. "My daughter is a healer and no one has ever had a gift like it. She's saved me more than once and her untapped gift is what allowed her and her brother to be born without killing me."

I looked at the time. "I have to go. I'm supposed to be going to a baseball game with the Cullens. Don't worry, because of the powers I have, they can't hurt me. Only if I allow them too. So if anything happens tonight, it's not because of them, okay? So don't start a war."

They all nodded and I quickly made my way back home.

Dad was waiting, eating dinner. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, dad. I was at the Black's just recently. He dropped off some of Harry Clearwater's fish fry earlier. He'll have a surprise for you at some point, as well, by the way."

"He did?" Dad's eyes lit up. "That's my favorite."

"And this morning I was over at the Cullens '."

Dad dropped his fork.

"Dr. Cullen's place?" he asked in astonishment.

I pretended not to notice his reaction. "Yeah."

"What were you doing there?" He hadn't picked his fork back up.

"Well, I sort of have a date with Edward Cullen tonight, and he wanted to introduce me to his parents…Dad?"

It appeared that my father was having an aneurysm.

"Dad, are you all right?"

"You are going out with Edward Cullen?" he thundered.

Uh-oh. "I thought you liked the Cullens."

"He's too old for you," he ranted.

"We're both juniors," I corrected, though he was more right than he dreamed.

"Wait…" He paused. "Which one is Edwin?"

"Edward is the youngest, the one with the reddish brown hair." The beautiful one, the godlike one…

"Oh, well, that's" — he struggled — "better, I guess. I don't like the look of that big one. I'm sure he's a nice boy and all, but he looks too… mature for you. Is this Edwin your boyfriend?"

"It's Edward, Dad."

"Is he?"

"Sort of, I guess."

"You said last night that you weren't interested in any of the boys in town." But he picked up his fork again, so I could see the worst was over.

"Well, Edward doesn't live in town, Dad."

He gave me a disparaging look as he chewed.

"And, anyways," I continued, "it's kind of at an early stage, you know. Don't embarrass me with all the boyfriend talk, okay?"

"When is he coming over?"

"He'll be here in a few minutes."

"Where is he taking you?"

I groaned loudly. "I hope you're getting the Spanish Inquisition out of your system now. We're going to play baseball with his family."

His face puckered, and then he finally chuckled. "You're playing baseball?"

"Well, I'll probably watch most of the time."

"You must really like this guy," he observed suspiciously.

I sighed and rolled my eyes for his benefit.

I heard the roar of an engine pull up in front of the house. I jumped up and started cleaning my dishes.

"Leave the dishes, I can do them tonight. You baby me too much."

The doorbell rang, and dad stalked off to answer it. I was half a step behind him.

I hadn't realized how hard it was pouring outside. Edward stood in the halo of the porch light, looking like a male model in an advertisement for raincoats.

"Come on in, Edward."

I breathed a sigh of relief when dad got his name right.

"Thanks, Chief Swan," Edward said in a respectful voice.

"Go ahead and call me Charlie. Here, I'll take your jacket."

"Thanks, sir."

"Have a seat there, Edward."

I grimaced.

Edward sat down fluidly in the only chair, forcing me to sit next to dad on the sofa. I quickly shot him a dirty look. He winked behind my dad's back.

"So I hear you're getting my girl to watch baseball." Only in Washington would the fact that it was raining buckets have no bearing at all on the playing of outdoor sports.

"Yes, sir, that's the plan." He didn't look surprised that I'd told my father the truth. He might have been listening, though.

"Well, more power to you, I guess."

Dad laughed, and Edward joined in.

"Okay." I stood up. "Enough humor at my expense. Let's go." I walked back to the hall and pulled on my jacket. They followed.

"Not too late, Bell."

"Don't worry, Charlie, I'll have her home early," Edward promised.

"You take care of my girl, all right?"

I groaned, but they ignored me.

"She'll be safe with me, I promise, sir."

Dad couldn't doubt Edward's sincerity, it rang in every word.

I stalked out. They both laughed, and Edward followed me.

I stopped dead on the porch. There, behind my truck, was a monster Jeep. Its tires were higher than my waist. There were metal guards over the headlights and tail-lights, and four large spotlights attached to the crash bar. The hardtop was shiny red.

We quickly made our way out to the jeep.

"This is a… um…big Jeep you have."

"It's Emmett's. I didn't think you'd want to run the whole way."

"Where do you keep this thing?"

"We remodeled one of the outbuildings into a garage."

"Aren't you going to put on your seat belt?"

He threw me a disbelieving look.

Then something sunk in.

"Run the whole way? As in, we're still going to run part of the way?" My voice edged up a few octaves.

He grinned tightly. "You're not going to run."

"I'm going to be sick."

"Keep your eyes closed, you'll be fine."

I bit my lip, trying to mask my excitement as panic.

"Sorry, Bella, we have to go on foot from here." He said as we reached the forest beginning.

"You know what? I'll just wait here."

"What happened to all your courage? You were extraordinary this morning."

"I haven't forgotten the last time yet." Could it have been only yesterday?

He was around to my side of the car in a blur. He started unbuckling me.

"I'll get those, you go on ahead," I protested.

"Hmmm…" he mused as he quickly finished. "It seems I'm going to have to tamper with your memory."

Before I could react, he pulled me from the Jeep and set my feet on the ground. It was barely misting now; Alice was going to be right.

"Tamper with my memory?" I asked nervously.

"Something like that." He was watching me intently, carefully, but there was humor deep in his eyes. He placed his hands against the Jeep on either side of my head and leaned forward, forcing me to press back against the door. He leaned in even closer, his face inches from mine. I had no room to escape. Well, as long as I was acting normal anyways.

"Now," he breathed, and just his smell disturbed my thought processes, "what exactly are you worrying about?"

"Well, um, hitting a tree —" I gulped "— and dying. And then getting sick."

He fought back a smile. Then he bent his head down and touched his cold lips softly to the hollow at the base of my throat.

"Are you still worried now?" he murmured against my skin.

"Yes." I struggled to concentrate. "About hitting trees and getting sick."

His nose drew a line up the skin of my throat to the point of my chin. His cold breath tickled my skin.

"And now?" His lips whispered against my jaw.

"Trees," I gasped. "Motion sickness."

He lifted his face to kiss my eyelids. "Bella, you don't really think I would hit a tree, do you?"

"No, but I might." There was no confidence in my voice. He smelled an easy victory.

He kissed slowly down my cheek, stopping just at the corner of my mouth.

"Would I let a tree hurt you?" His lips barely brushed against my trembling lower lip.

"No," I breathed. I knew there was a second part to my brilliant defense, but I couldn't quite call it back.

"You see," he said, his lips moving against mine. "There's nothing to be afraid of, is there?"

"No," I sighed, giving up.

Then he took my face in his hands almost roughly, and kissed me in earnest, his unyielding lips moving against mine.

There really was no excuse for my behavior. Obviously I knew better by now. And yet I couldn't seem to stop from reacting exactly as I had the first time.

Instead of keeping safely motionless, my arms reached up to twine tightly around his neck, and I was suddenly welded to his stone figure. I sighed, and my lips parted.

He staggered back, breaking my grip effortlessly.

"Damn it, Bella!" he broke off, gasping. "You'll be the death of me, I swear you will."

I leaned over, bracing my hands against my knees for support.

"You're indestructible," I mumbled, trying to catch my breath.

"I might have believed that before I met you. Now let's get out of here before I do something really stupid," he growled.

I didn't know why I acted like I did. Maybe it was because this was the first time I had acknowledged I'd been in love or maybe because I knew he would never be able to physically hurt me.

He threw me across his back as he had before, and I could see the extra effort it took for him to be as gentle as he was. I locked my legs around his waist and secured my arms in a choke hold around his neck.

"Don't forget to close your eyes," he warned severely.

I quickly tucked my face into his shoulder blade, under my own arm, and scrunched my face like I was closing my eyes but I kept them wide open.

"It's over, Bella."

I knew of course, but it still had been to quick. I stiffly unlocked my stranglehold on his body and slipped to the ground, landing on my backside.

"Oh!" I huffed as I hit the wet ground.

He stared at me incredulously, evidently not sure whether he was still too mad to find me funny. But my bewildered expression pushed him over the edge, and he broke into a roar of laughter.

I picked myself up, ignoring him as I brushed the mud and bracken off the back of my jacket. That only made him laugh harder. Annoyed, I began to stride off into the forest.

I felt his arm around my waist.

"Where are you going, Bella?"

"To watch a baseball game. You don't seem to be interested in playing anymore, but I'm sure the others will have fun without you."

"You're going the wrong way."

I turned around without looking at him, and stalked off in the opposite direction. He caught me again.

"Don't be mad, I couldn't help myself. You should have seen your face." He chuckled before he could stop himself.

"Oh, you're the only one who's allowed to get mad?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"I wasn't mad at you."

"'Bella, you'll be the death of me'?" I quoted sourly.

"That was simply a statement of fact."

I tried to turn away from him again, but he held me fast.

"You were mad," I insisted.

"Yes."

"But you just said —"

"That I wasn't mad at you. Can't you see that, Bella?" He was suddenly intense, all trace of teasing gone. "Don't you understand?"

"See what?" I demanded, confused by his sudden mood swing as much as his words.

"I'm never angry with you — how could I be? Brave, trusting… warm as you are."

"Then why?" I whispered, remembering the black moods that pulled him away from me, that I'd always interpreted as well-justified frustration — frustration at my fake weakness, my purposeful slowness, my unruly human reactions…

He put his hands carefully on both sides of my face. "I infuriate myself," he said gently.

"The way I can't seem to keep from putting you in danger. My very existence puts you at risk. Sometimes I truly hate myself. I should be stronger, I should be able to —"

I placed my hand over his mouth. "Don't."

He took my hand, moving it from his lips, but holding it to his face.

"I love you," he said. "It's a poor excuse for what I'm doing, but it's still true."

It was the first time he'd said he loved me — in so many words. He might not realize it, but I certainly did.

"Now, please try to behave yourself," he continued, and he bent to softly brush his lips against mine.

I held properly still. Then I sighed.

"You promised Chief Swan that you would have me home early, remember? We'd better get going."

"Yes, ma'am."

He smiled wistfully and released all of me but one hand. He led me a few feet through the tall, wet ferns and draping moss, around a massive hemlock tree, and we were there, on the edge of an enormous open field in the lap of the Olympic peaks. It was twice the size of any baseball stadium.

I could see the others all there; Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie, sitting on a bare outcropping of rock, were the closest to us, maybe a hundred yards away. Much farther out I could see Jasper and Alice, at least a quarter of a mile apart, appearing to throw the ball back and forth. It looked like Carlisle was marking bases.

When we came into view, the three on the rocks rose.

Esme started toward us. Emmett followed after a long look at Rosalie's back;

Rosalie had risen gracefully and strode off toward the field without a glance in our direction.

"Was that you we heard, Edward?" Esme asked as she approached.

"It sounded like a bear choking," Emmett clarified.

I smiled hesitantly at Esme. "That was him."

"Bella was being unintentionally funny," Edward explained, quickly settling the score.

Alice had left her position and was running, or dancing, toward us. She hurtled to a fluid stop at our feet. "It's time," she announced.

As soon as she spoke, a deep rumble of thunder shook the forest beyond us, and then crashed westward toward town.

"Eerie, isn't it?" Emmett said with easy familiarity, winking at me.

"Let's go." Alice reached for Emmett's hand and they darted toward the oversized field; she ran like a gazelle. He was nearly as graceful and just as fast — yet Emmett could never be compared to a gazelle no more than Aaron could.

"Are you ready for some ball?" Edward asked, his eyes eager, bright.

I tried to sound appropriately enthusiastic. "Go team!"

He snickered and, after mussing my hair, bounded off after the other two. His run was more aggressive, a cheetah rather than a gazelle, and he quickly overtook them. The grace and power took my breath away.

"Shall we go down?" Esme asked in her soft, melodic voice, and I realized I was staring openmouthed after him. I quickly reassembled my expression and nodded. Esme kept a few feet between us, and I wondered if she was still being careful not to frighten me. She matched her stride to mine without seeming impatient at the pace.

"You don't play with them?" I asked shyly.

"No, I prefer to referee — I like keeping them honest," she explained.

"Do they like to cheat, then?"

"Oh yes — you should hear the arguments they get into! Actually, I hope you don't, you would think they were raised by a pack of wolves."

"You sound like my mom," I laughed, surprised.

She laughed, too. "Well, I do think of them as my children in most ways. I never could get over my mothering instincts — did Edward tell you I had lost a child?"

"No," I murmured, stunned.

"Yes, my first and only baby. He died just a few days after he was born, the poor tiny thing," she sighed. "It broke my heart — that's why I jumped off the cliff, you know," she added matter-of-factly.

"Edward just said you f-fell," I stammered. But I could understand. If my Emmett and Rosalie were killed, I would be finding the first ticket out of this horrible world that destroyed my kids but let me live forever.

"Always the gentleman." She smiled. "Edward was the first of my new sons. I've always thought of him that way, even though he's older than I, in one way at least." She smiled at me warmly. "That's why I'm so happy that he's found you, dear." The endearment sounded very natural on her lips. "He's been the odd man out for far too long; it's hurt me to see him alone."

"You don't mind, then?" I asked, hesitant again. "That I'm… all wrong for him?"

"No." She was thoughtful. "You're what he wants. It will work out, somehow," she said, though her forehead creased with worry. Another peal of thunder began.

Esme stopped then; apparently, we'd reached the edge of the field. It looked as if they had formed teams. Edward was far out in left field, Carlisle stood between the first and second bases, and Alice held the ball, positioned on the spot that must be the pitcher's mound.

Emmett was swinging an aluminum bat; it whistled almost untraceably through the air.

Jasper stood several feet behind him, catching for the other team. Of course, none of them had gloves.

"All right," Esme called in a clear voice, which I knew even Edward would hear, as far out as he was. "Batter up."

Alice stood straight, deceptively motionless. Her style seemed to be stealth rather than an intimidating windup. She held the ball in both hands at her waist, and then, like the strike of a cobra, her right hand flicked out and the ball smacked into Jasper's hand.

"Was that a strike?" I whispered to Esme.

"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," she told me.

Jasper hurled the ball back to Alice 's waiting hand. She permitted herself a brief grin.

And then her hand spun out again.

This time the bat somehow made it around in time to smash into the invisible ball. The crack of impact was shattering, thunderous; it echoed off the mountains — I immediately understood the necessity of the thunderstorm.

The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the surrounding forest.

"Home run," I murmured.

"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I realized Edward was missing.

"Out!"

Esme cried in a clear voice. I stared in disbelief as Edward sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide grin visible even to me.

"Emmett hits the hardest," Esme explained, "but Edward runs the fastest."

The inning continued before my eyes as I tried to keep my longing out of jasper's sense, but dang it! I wanted to play!

I learned the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when Jasper, trying to avoid Edward's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball toward Carlisle. Carlisle ran into the ball, and then raced Jasper to first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two massive falling boulders.

"Safe," Esme called in a calm voice.

Emmett's team was up by one — Rosalie managed to flit around the bases after tagging up on one of Emmett's long flies — when Edward caught the third out. He sprinted to my side, sparkling with excitement.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again."

"And it sounds like you did so much of that before," he laughed.

"I am a little disappointed," I teased.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled.

"Well, it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do better than everyone else on the planet."

He flashed his special crooked smile, leaving me breathless.

"I'm up," he said, heading for the plate.

He played intelligently, keeping the ball low, out of the reach of Rosalie's always-ready hand in the outfield, gaining two bases like lightning before Emmett could get the ball back in play. Carlisle knocked one so far out of the field — with a boom that hurt my ears — that he and Edward both made it in. Alice slapped them dainty high fives.

The score constantly changed as the game continued, and they razzed each other like any street ballplayers as they took turns with the lead. Occasionally Esme would call them to order. The thunder rumbled on, but we stayed dry, as Alice had predicted.

Carlisle was up to bat, Edward catching, when Alice suddenly gasped.

My eyes were on Edward, as usual, and I saw his head snap up to look at her. Their eyes met and something flowed between them in an instant. He was at my side before the others could ask Alice what was wrong.

I knew what was wrong of course. The three vampires I had failed to kill in my flight to save my family had come to join the game. Except, there was a human at the game now. This wouldn't be good. I didn't know what I was going to do. I would have to wait and see what kind of power they had first before I decided to reveal myself or not.

"Alice?" Esme's voice was tense.

"I didn't see — I couldn't tell," she whispered.

All the others were gathered by this time.

"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked with the calm voice of authority.

"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before," she murmured.

Jasper leaned over her, his posture protective. "What changed?" he asked.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she said, contrite, as if she felt responsible for their changed course.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes and say 'of course.' I kept my emotions deceptively blank, too.

Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to my face and away.

"How soon?" Carlisle said, turning toward Edward.

A look of intense concentration crossed his face.

"Less than five minutes. They're running — they want to play." He scowled.

"Can you make it?" Carlisle asked him, his eyes flicking toward me again.

"No, not carrying —" He cut short.

"Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting."

"How many?" Emmett asked Alice.

"Three," she answered tersely.

"Three!" he scoffed. "Let them come." The steel bands of muscle flexed along his massive arms.

For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle deliberated.

Only Emmett seemed unperturbed; the rest stared at Carlisle's face with anxious eyes.

"Let's just continue the game," Carlisle finally decided. His voice was cool and level.

"Alice said they were simply curious."

All this was said in a flurry of words that lasted only a few seconds. I had listened carefully and caught most of it, though I couldn't hear what Esme now asked Edward with a silent vibration of her lips. I only saw the slight shake of his head and the look of relief on her face.

"You catch, Esme," he said. "I'll call it now." And he planted himself in front of me.

The others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes.

Alice and Esme seemed to orient themselves around where I stood.

"Take your hair down," Edward said in a low, even voice.

I obediently slid the rubber band out of my hair and shook it out around me.

I stated the obvious. "The others are coming now."

"Yes, stay very still, keep quiet, and don't move from my side, please." He hid the stress in his voice well, but I could hear it. He pulled my long hair forward, around my face.

"That won't help," Alice said softly. "I could smell her across the field."

"I know." A hint of frustration colored his tone.

Carlisle stood at the plate, and the others joined the game halfheartedly.

"What did Esme ask you?" I whispered.

He hesitated for a second before he answered. "Whether they were thirsty," he muttered unwillingly.

The seconds ticked by; the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared to hit harder than a bunt, and Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper hovered in the infield. Now and again, I was aware of Rosalie's eyes on me. They were expressionless, but something about the way she held her mouth let me know that she was angry.

Edward paid no attention to the game at all, eyes and mind ranging the forest.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he muttered fiercely. "It was stupid, irresponsible, to expose you like this. I'm so sorry."

I heard his breath stop, and his eyes zeroed in on right field. He took a half step, angling himself between me and what was coming.

Carlisle, Emmett, and the others turned in the same direction, hearing sounds of passage much too faint for my ears.

Can you believe there are only a few chapters left until the next installment? Crazy, huh?

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Claire Thomas: Yeah, I wasn't too fond of the movie. I mean, some parts were okay, but it just translate to screen very well. And I'm flattered you think I'm so good. Glad you enjoy!