Chapter 44—Baseball Field

EPOV

As soon as I walked through the door, I was in the music room. I knew I wouldn't be able to sit still waiting for Alice to let us know Bella returned, so I sat at the piano and began playing. It worked for a while as it distracted me from thoughts of where Bella was and what the outcome would be. I wished I could have gone, but I knew that it would be a violation of the current treaty, and she was right to stop me.

My fingers moved of their own accord across the ivories, playing a tune that had been running through my mind for the last few days. It was everything I was feeling for Bella since she came back into my life—my love and my hope for the future.

"New?" Alice asked me through her thoughts.

"Yes," I answered, still playing.

"Beautiful," Esme thought.

"For Bella, I imagine," Jasper thought with a bit of humor.

"It is good to hear you play again and with such zeal," Carlisle thought, and I could envision the smile gracing his face.

"Thanks, Esme. Yes and no, Jasper. It is not only for Bella but for all of us. It definitely feels good, Carlisle. I don't know why I ever stopped. What, no comments from you, Rosalie?"

"Nope," her response came. I shook my head. It was unlike her not to have some snarky comment about something.

I played the piece through twice before jotting down the notes on blank sheets of music. I wouldn't require the pages, but I planned on giving the song to Bella. Later tonight I would record the piece.

"Ten minutes. Bella just got back," Alice announced.

"Ten minutes?" Rosalie questioned.

"Yes," Alice replied before going on. "I'm giving her and Malcolm a little time to discuss and decipher how things went."

I didn't want to wait and was quickly making my way towards my car when Alice appeared in front of me. "Edward, where do you think you are going?"

"You already know, Alice, which is why you stopped me." I tried to step around her but she was too quick and stopped me again. I growled at her.

"No use growling and you know it. I won't let you by."

I knew it was of no use. Alice would be able to stop me no matter what I tried. I headed up to my bedroom and pulled out my birth mother's jewelry box. Recently, I had all the jewelry cleaned—soon it would all belong to Bella. I got out my mother's engagement ring, a one carat diamond and white gold ring. The band was engraved with "Past, Present, & Future."

"Alice," I called out, having made the decision to give the ring to Bella tonight.

"She'll love it," she called back.

I smiled but knew it would take some work on my part to get her to accept it. We were engaged as of last night, though it seemed a whole lot longer with everything that had happened since Bella asked me. This was to be a token of the undying love I had for her. I placed it in my pocket and, opening the door to the outside, jumped. It was the only way I could think of to outsmart Alice. I was in my car in a flash and headed towards Bella's.

I arrived at the house in two minutes flat and I didn't care that I was breaking the law. I just needed to see Bella and find out what was said. Emmett met me at the door. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I need to see Bella," I responded with a growl.

"But Alice told you to wait," he growled back.

"Emmett, stand down," Bella said from behind him. "Edward, if Alice told you to wait you should have waited, though it is really good that you are already here." She smiled at me and I couldn't help but go straight to her.

Immediately I was around Emmett and drawing Bella into my arms. "I'm so glad you are back and not injured."

"I wasn't in harm's way." She put a little distance between us before cupping my face with her hand. "I know you want to protect me, and I love that, but there will be times that you just will not be able to protect me without exposing yourself to danger. You need to know that I can and will protect myself."

I couldn't help but think about when she had been kidnapped. She hadn't been able to protect herself then.

"I know what you are thinking. That was different. I was frozen in fear. I had let my guard down and wasn't prepared for what happened. I blame myself." She raised a hand when I was about to protest, making me believe she could read my mind. "I put a spell on that day to prevent Alice from seeing what was being planned. I hadn't anticipated the fact she wouldn't be able to see other events concerning me. Though, I have to admit, I did, in a way, protect myself. The spell I cast did bring you to my rescue."

"You can't read minds, can you?"

"No, but I do know you. Plus, I can still read you like a book."

Emmett let out a boisterous laugh while thinking, "Oh boy, bro, you got another Alice and Jasper on your hands. I can't wait to see how you handle things now."

All I could do was shake my head as the rest of the family walked into the house.

"Do I even want to know what is so funny, Emmett?" Rosalie asked, giving him a glaring look.

"Yep, I think you do," he replied before telling everyone, much to my embarrassment, what Bella had just said.

Believe me, if I could blush, I would be doing so right now.

"I'm in no way like Alice and Jasper," Bella chided, looking straight at Emmett. "I bet I can still read you."

The challenge had been thrown, and now the question was whether Emmett was smart enough to stay away from it? A wicked sneer crossed Emmett's face, and he made to dart towards where Bella stood in front of me.

Bella stood her ground, and with a slight flick of her wrist she vanished. I stifled a laugh as a confused Emmett stopped before he took one step. "Where'd she go?"

Alice and Rosalie couldn't hold in their laughs, nor could Carlisle and Esme. Jasper just stood there looking as dumbfounded as Emmett.

BPOV

"If Emmett is done being a total idiot," I said from above them, "perhaps I can tell you what was decided."

They all turned to find me standing on the upstairs landing leaning against the railing. I had known the second I threw out the challenge that Emmett would take it, as I had known he was going to dart towards me and gather me up into a breathtaking hug.

Emmett had a look of pure shock gracing his face as I descended the stairs. "Grandfather is waiting in my office for us," I said once I was on the ground floor. I continued toward my office with a humorous smile on my face. I had duped Emmett, and years ago he stated that nothing could get by him, and he didn't have Alice's abilities. I settled in the chair by the fireplace only to be scooped up by Edward.

"So, what did they say?" Esme asked.

"First, I think a little history lesson about the clan's relationship with the Quileute tribe is in order," Grandfather said. "Foremost, they were not thrilled when Isabella told them that she and Edward are engaged."

"Which was really no surprise," I said. "When they first learned that it was prophesied, they tried to go against what was written and not align themselves with the clan. It was Billy Black who told them it would be foolish and possibly detrimental for the tribe. He could not elaborate on why, though."

Dad chose that moment to walk in my office and must have overheard what I saying as he jumped right in where I left off. "And Billy had been right. The tribe voted not to align with the clan. A few nights later a message was delivered—to this day, Billy is not sure who sent it. The message stated that the tribe would meet its end and the protectors would be of no use."

"The lack of when scared the tribe so much that they sent a representative, Billy, to meet with Annabella and me. A quick alliance was made, but we were warned that if ever a vampire-human marriage was agreed upon then he wasn't sure what the tribe would do," Grandfather continued.

"I take it they're not willing to discuss a new treaty?" Jasper asked.

"Let me ask you this, Jasper," I replied, not ready to reveal what was decided. "With the knowledge you gained last night and this evening, would it be beneficial for the tribe to ignore what I have seen?"

Everyone but Edward looked between me and Jasper as he thought about that a moment. "It depends on how close the danger is to them."

I shook my head—leave it to Jasper to not answer the question. "Say that it hits close to home for them."

"My knowledge of the tribe is limited, but they should be able to handle any threat on their own."

"Jasper," an exasperated Edward said, "just answer the question."

"I am answering the question. There are many factors to consider," Jasper said with a wave of his hand. "Where the confrontation will take place. Who—besides you, Bella, and the Volturi—will be involved?"

I felt myself being pulled into another vision but was able to fight it off. "I need to lie down and now."

"Is something the matter?" Carlisle asked, concerned.

"I'll fall off Edward's lap soon if I don't lie down," I said, grabbing my head as the effort I was using to keep the vision at bay made my head spin.

"A vision," Alice said knowingly as she quickly pushing everyone off the sofa.

In a flash, I was lying there and succumbed to a disconcerting and altogether different sort of vision then I have had in the past—I was watching and participating at the same time.

"Grandmother, Mother, we have got to stop meeting this way. Could you give me a little more warning?"

There is silence, and I'm in an open field—alone. Lightening followed closely by a clap of thunder fills the sky and silence with a charged energy. In front of me, my family is playing baseball.

"Edward," I call out, but he doesn't even turn to look at me as the ball sails off Alice's fingertips. I follow its path and see a much younger version of myself standing behind Esme and Carlisle. Carlisle swings, sending the ball coursing high into the air before taking off at a fast run.

Another bolt of lightning plummets through the sky followed by another clap of thunder. I feel the same charge of energy as the scene shifts and I'm standing in the same field facing the man that haunts my nightmares—Aro. I look to his left and Edward is on his knees with two vampires pulling his arms behind his back as another holds his head, ready to snap his neck.

"It is your choice, Isabella. Either join with us or watch as your love dies a very permanent death," Aro yells.

"No!" I shout, throwing a fireball at the ones holding Edward.

The pack comes charging seeing the fiery light. A black wolf jumps over Edward, taking out the one holding his head.

The air is charged once again. and though I'm still standing in the same open field, I'm not alone. Grandmother and Mother are now with me.

"Isabella, I know you don't like these visions, and I don't think there is any way to warn you any sooner," Grandmother says before falling deep in thought.

"I think I know that," I reply. "It is just painful, and I don't want to hurt myself by falling."

"Understandable," Mother concedes, "but what you just saw is something you need to know. I wish I could tell you where the location—"

"I know the location and have been there," I say, interrupting her.

She smiles at me. "Good. There is more you need to know, but there is not time now. Know this though—you must not be left alone at any time."

"There may be a way to give you a little more warning of their coming. Speak with Nickodemus," Grandmother tells me, stepping closer and brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "Be vigilant and share what you learn after each vision. Don't wait until you know what the vision is trying to tell you, and write down the visions for future generations."

"I promise," I say as the vision starts to fade.

Blinking a few times, I opened my eyes and found Carlisle leaning over me and not Edward. I was confused and started to sit up only to be pushed back down by Carlisle.

"Not a good idea, love," Edward said, coming into my line of sight. His voice was laced with not only concern but worry. "You cried out and then your heart rated dropped."

Well, that certainly explained why I felt so drained and exhausted. A vision had never done that to me before, so I sided with Edward's assessment of me sitting up not being a good idea, but I had to share what I learned.

"Baseball field," I whispered, finding that was as loud as I could speak. "Very close to the danger." I hoped Jasper caught on to what I was talking about.

"Then the tribe not making an alliance with us would be a dangerous risk for them to take," Jasper said somewhere to my right.

"It's a good thing they agreed without knowing this latest detail," Grandfather said. "They want to meet with you, Carlisle, tomorrow. But what does she mean by a baseball field?"

"There is a clearing at the base of the mountains not far from here," Emmett explained. "We go there and play baseball when there's a thunderstorm."

"Get Nickodemus … more visions to come … can't be left alone," I said in broke sentences. "Need warning." I wasn't feeling well. "J, you teach—" I couldn't finish and closed my eyes again.

"Carlisle," Edward said, and I could imagine the look he was giving his adoptive father, "do we need to get her to the hospital?"

"I don't think that's necessary. I'll stay in case she gets worse."

"Charlie, do you have any idea where her lesson plans are?" Jasper asked as he clicked away on my computer.

"You're asking me? Her filing system is beyond me."

I heard a file draw open and a rustling of papers. "Here," Alice said. I knew she had found the printout of tomorrow's lessons.

I'm not sure what happened or what was said after that as deep sleep quickly claimed me. I wanted to blame Jasper, but I didn't think it was all him.

ChPOV

"No!" Bella shouted. Her hand came up and a puff of smoke appeared.

I wasn't too concerned—I'd witnessed something similar happen when she was in grade school—but when the fast talking started and Edward switched places with Carlisle, I grew worried and looked at Malcolm.

"Will someone tell us what's going on?" Malcolm asked.

Esme pulled Malcolm and me away as we made to move closer. "Her heart rate has dropped to a point where even we can barely hear it. Has this ever—no, you wouldn't know."

"Are you asking if this has happened before?" Malcolm asked.

"Well, yes."

"Not to my knowledge," I said. "Malcolm?"

"I did find her passed out in the library before she and I left for Greece. She said she was just 'overpowered by a wave of emotional magic.' She was out for at least an hour, possibly longer."

"A drop in heart rate could account for her fainting," Carlisle said, not moving from his position next to Bella.

"Trust me when I say this but magic can be funny, and at times, cause other things to happen, like a low heart rate," Malcolm said firmly. "I believe it would be best if I explain where I found her. She was in one of the Keep's libraries. This particular library not everyone can get into, and it is well-hidden. Only those Isabella explicitly trusts can enter. If anyone else tries to enter, they can't. The one defense the room offers."

"The room has a defense?" Emmett said, not understanding.

"Yes. It's protected by magic—old magic. She locked herself in that room for days after graduating high school. No one, not even me, was allowed in there. I would take meals to her and leave them outside the barrier, and when I returned hours later, the tray would be empty."

"Why did she lock herself in?" Edward asked, taking hold of Bella's hand.

"She won't speak of the reason, but I would wager a guess that it had something to do with you, Edward," Malcolm replied with a sad smile. "Each visit she made afterwards, she never entered the library until her last trip. I can't answer why she wouldn't enter the room or why then."

Everyone fell silent and our gazes drifted over to where Bella lay asleep.

"She will be coming around in the next forty-five minutes," Alice announced in a whisper, breaking the silence. "And I think it would be wise for us to send for Nickodemus like she asked."

I stood from where I had sat and moved to the desk, picking up a pen, and began writing.

A/N: Thanks to kitchmill and jennej for their assistance in editing this chapter.