It's just beginning to drizzle when the front door opens. There's a surprise visitor, in an old black Ford. Julie and Billy come inside with water on their coats, Julie taking her hair down and shaking it free. Billy waves at me, going toward Carlisle, who is waiting by the stairs.

"I have an elevator set up over here, Mr. Black. Come on, we'll talk in my office. Everyone," he snaps his fingers, eyeballing the three of us, "no listening in. That goes double for Edward, and doesn't count at all for Esme." As he says that, she praces up behind him, kissing his cheek and vanishing into a cleverly hidden elevator in the wall.

Julie rushes up to Edward and I with a smile, her eyes flicking over to Edward anxiously. "Hey, tall, pale, and creepy."

"Wonderful to see you again, Ms. Black." He says formally, stiffly, his shaking hands set at my hip. I shake my head, heart skipping a beat when Julie jumps forward and hugs us both. Edward swallows hard, pressing his chest to my back.

"I thought Charlie was joshing when he said you'd be here. What's going on?" I rub the back of my neck and hold up my broken hand. "Holy shit, Bella!"

"There are rogue vampires, and one might have set its sights on me. So we're going to …"

"Kill him," Edward finishes, "before he can hurt anyone in town. Or on the reservation."

"Are these the same bloodsuckers that have been headed toward us for a while?" She looks at him with wide doe eyes, hands reaching out for his arm. Breaking away from me, he takes Julie's hand and squeezes it. "Are you sure you can get them?"

"After they ran into Bella, their entire path changed. They aren't going to La Push, and we'll make sure they don't turn back. I assume that's what Billy and Carlisle are talking about."

"I think so. My dad doesn't really want to involve me in vampire drama. Says it's why my sisters left us. I don't really believe that, but it's not like I can leave anyway. Hard to find a good nurse willing to drive to far out of town."

"I'll have Carlisle ask around. Billy deserves some good homecare, and you deserve a break." Edward's body completely relaxes, and he looks over her shoulder. "Why on earth do I smell fish?" Julie turns and gestures outside, toward her truck.

"My dad got some fried fish from Harry Clearwater. We're running it by Charlie's little hiding place on our way home. It's not his normal place, otherwise I coulda taken it myself. He texted Dad with the directions, we'll be there and back before midnight." She pauses and leans in. "His contact is saved as HoneyBun." She glances at me, a brow raised.

"Hey," I raise my hands, "what they do on their own time is not my business." Edward chuckles, hiding a grin behind his hand. "I'll keep you updated on what happens, I promise."

"Thank you, Bella." Julie hugs me again, squeezing this time. "I'd hate to lose you before summer. I'm gonna get my motorcycle license and terrorize your old man."

"Give me a call before you do that." Edward doesn't hide his wicked, horrific smile this time. "I want to get his reaction on camera. With multiple angles. As blackmail material."

"You got it, old man. Speaking of," she looks over her shoulder, to the approaching pair of Carlisle and Billy, "the oldest men in the room are arriving."

"Billy is a baby compared to me," Edward jokes much to Carlisle's chagrin.

"Let's not talk about age, right now. I felt old the other day when Esme had to stop me from snapping my smartphone shut." Carlisle shakes his head and gestures to Billy. "I've just been informed that the rogues have been spotted closer to the Quileute reservation, so plans have been changed. We were going to wait until the storm front had settled in, but with them threatening to breach territories, we can't take the risk."

Julie tenses, her eyes going wide. "Wait, are they going to attack us?"

"According to Alice, not if we act before midnight tomorrow. That gives us just over a day to prepare the plan that Miss Swan here accidentally gave the boys. The others are setting up now that way there will be no delays." He pauses and looks at Billy, eyes heavy with concern, "If you two want, you can stay here until this mess is cleared up."

"Personally, I'd rather go home," Billy says with a shrug. "I'm old, I'm in a wheelchair, and my give a damn about vampires is busted." Carlisle offers Billy a nod of respect, and in return he gets a dismissive hand wave. "But all things considered, I do want Julie to stay here."

"I'll deliver the food to Charlie, if you like," Carlisle offers, looking more at Julie than Billy. She nods, pointing to the truck. "Alright, where am I headed?"

"Small cabin not far from here, if you head north you'll meet his scent in about ten miles, give or take." Carlisle nods, reaching and shaking Billy's hand, both men lingering enough for the fear between them to become thick in the room. And with that, Carlisle vanishes from sight, the only evidence of his moving being the air around us shifting, and the sound of the front door shutting. Billy goes over to the fireplace and sighs.

"D-don't mind him," Julie says quietly, "he's just … he's tired. He's scared."

"We'll make sure nothing happens to the reservation, Julie." Edward lays a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, I'll take you to one of our spare rooms. We should be hitting the hay soon."

"I'll be up in a second," I back away, pulling out my phone. "I'm gonna call Charlie. I want to make sure he's safe." They nod and start off without me, my shaking hands hitting his quick dial picture. "Pick up, Dad...pick up…"

"Hello?" He answers, breathless.

"Dad! Has Carlisle been by yet?"

"Been and gone, said there was a change of plans before taking off like a bat outta Hell. What's the problem?"

"The nomads are sticking too close to La Push, if we don't act now, there's a chance they'll attack the Quileutes. The plan is happening tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow? No, hell no, this is too soon! I'm coming over."

"Dad, no. If he smells you nearby, he'll run. I'm sure even you teasing the notion is messing with Alice's visions. Just hang tight, I promise things will be okay. I promise." I hear his hesitation, his gun shifting on whatever table is in front of him, and a curse under his breath.

"You better text me before you go. Promise?"

"I promise, Dad." I make a soft kissing sound on the microphone. "I love you."

"I love you too, Bells. Try and get some rest." The call ends, and I stuff the phone in my pocket.

A soft sigh catches my attention. "He isn't going to come." I turn, spotting Alice a few feet away. She's shuffling in her shoes, smile wide and eyes almost sparkling. I can't even imagine how her innocence must shatter when she's in full sunlight … "He trusts you."

"I-I'm glad to hear that." I say, rubbing the back of my neck. "You didn't go with the others?"

"No...Emmett said I should stay here and focus on watching the Nomad's movements, but as of right now, they're sleeping in the forest canopy." She shrugs, bouncing on her toes. "I wanted to ask if you were feeling alright. I can't see your future, probably for the same reason Edward can't read your mind, but Jasper was able to keep you calm during the practice session a bit, so I just …"

"Want to be sure my emotions are in check?" With a grin, I watch as Alice hesitates, and nods again. "To be honest, I just want to lock myself in the closet and scream, but I can't. There's no time for that."

"Seems like a normal thing to want in this situation. I suppose." Her eyes flick to the side, red irises seeming to fade. "It makes the most sense when I think about it." She starts to rub her wrists, movements almost mechanical, like it's a compulsion and she isn't at all aware of it.

The closer I look at her wrists...the more it looks like there are faint scars on them. Like friction burns….I wonder what…

"Bella!" Julie's voice makes me jump, Alice's body language changing when she faces the stairs. Her shoulders rise, her eyes brighten, and her smile returns. "C'mon, it's almost midnight."

"You should get some sleep." Alice hugs me lightly, letting me return the gesture with a squeeze. "Sweet dreams, Bella."

"See you tomorrow, Alice." I climb up the stairs, with stars dancing sleepily in my eyes

Ice water races through my veins, rooting me in the corner where I find myself curled up in, back against the uncomfortable V the damp brick makes. Someone's crying in the dark, the only light coming from a buzzing lamp that won't stop swinging above my head. The sobs are soft, are echoing, are from just a few feet away. A door creaks open, and I see her.

"Alice…?" She doesn't hear me, she stays curled on herself, her plain dress muddy and tattered, her feet are bleeding, and her long, dark hair in a tangled knot on her head. There's a bed beside her, the frame made of metal, and a sink at the end of it. She protects her head with her arms, much fuller than they look in the real world, and a man in a long, white coat approaches her.

"Mary Alice Brandon, do you know why you're here?" He says in a monotone, flat voice.

"He tried to kill me...like he killed my Mama…" Her voice is different, more childish and with a strong Southern drawl. "I tried to warn her…"

"Mary, these delusions of yours are why you're here. Your father wants you to be safe."

Her head shoots up, pie eyes wet with tears. "He sent that man to kill me because I knew. I saw it coming. I'm not a liar, I'm not insane." With a sigh, the doctor leans out the door.

"Bring restraints, we need to transport her to treatment." Alice looks up at him, and her eyes widen, her face paling close to her vampiric state. "Now Mary, we're going to go down the hall and…"

"No! I won't let you do it! You won't shock me!" She stands, taking the bed and flipping it on its side, hiding behind the metal frame. It's useless. It's pointless. It's something that a kid would do...and that's when it hits me. I approach where Alice is hiding, everything slowing to a stop.

I crouch to see her face-to-face, taking in her soft, round face and dark brown eyes. The peach fuzz on her cheeks, the flat and straight shape of her body. I fall to my knees, and the scene plays out with my eyes locked with hers. Alice is pixie-like because she's still a kid. Eternally a kid. Carlisle didn't do this to her, right? He wouldn't turn a child into a vampire. That would be cruel.

As she's pulled away from me, the room shifts. The bed is on the other side, the walls are decorated in charcoal sketches of rooms and people and places. And Alice is sitting on her bed, with a smile not quite reaching her eyes, sketching absently on a notepad. Her thick hair is gone, with small knicks along her scalp. Her bones are protruding slightly, and while I don't know quite how much time has passed, there is a knock at the door, and someone unknown to me walks in, lowering the temperature greatly.

"Mary Alice Brandon?"

"Alice. Please, just Alice." She sets the notepad on her lap and smiles up at the vampire, his wrinkled face and silver hair doing nothing to mask the unnatural beauty that is present in these predators. "Is it time for my treatment?"

"I'm afraid so, Alice. Doctor Brown assures me it won't be like last time. No more electroshock, just some tablets and an injection. But I do have some questions for you, if that's alright."

"Alright, I'm ready," she beams up at him, and he returns her happiness.

"When is your birthday?"

"April 7th, 1901. I'll be 12 this year!"

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'll be sure the nurses bring you your favorite treat. What is your mother's name?"

Her smile falters. "Ah … Anna. Anna-Marie Brandon." He nods, writing on his clipboard. I stand and look over his shoulder. She was wrong, kinda. Anna-Marie is listed as her step-mother on the sheet. He writes a note by the name Lillian.

"She's forgotten her birth mother...what is going on here?"

"Siblings?"

"Cindy! She's my baby sister. She has pretty blue eyes, and yellow hair like a princess." This time it's the doctor's turn to frown. We both look at the small photograph of Cindy - Cynthia - on his board. The photograph is black-and-white, but her hair is clearly dark, same with her eyes. He whispers to himself, and Alice gasps. "Oh no…"

"What is it, Alice?"

"Doctor Brown's still going to shock me. Because of what you wrote down. He...he likes that I'm forgetting Cindy. He wants me to forget Mama. He and Papa do."

"Why would you say that, sweetling?" She curls up and sets her chin on her knees.

"You know why I'm here, I don't know why you're asking. But even if I do forget them, I'll still be crazy to Doctor Brown. Because I'll still see things. Like him." She looks at the drawings on the wall and points to one. "He's still choosing, but I see him almost every night. He's slowly getting closer, and soon his path will be set."

"His path toward what, Alice?" At that moment, another doctor appears - the same from before - and the vampire jumps. "Doctor Brown, I'm not quite finished with Patient Brandon here…"

"The patient is late for her sessions, Move along, Doctor Vance."

"Just give me one more moment with her, please." He approaches Doctor Brown, keeping their eyes locked. Brown sneers and nods, closing the door. Instantly, Vance is kneeling in front of Alice and grabbing her shoulders. "Where does his path lead, Alice? Please, tell me."

"To my death. If he chooses so, he'll kill me."

Everything crumbles. Alice. Vance. The room. Until the walls are covered in nothing but drawings of the same man. There is a desk now, and a longer bed. And there's Alice once again, looking nearly identical to the one I know. Her shaved hair is slightly grown, but maintained, and her clothing shows autonomy has been granted to her. She's in a pleated skirt and a button up, swinging her legs as she fills yet another page with a charcoal sketch of whomever is stalking her visions and dreams.

The door opens, and Vance walks in, watching as she moves almost mechanically over her sketch.

"...they did it again." He says under his breath. "What else can they take from her? Her personality? Her will? They already forced amnesia onto her. Poor child…" He slowly approaches her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Alice? Alice, do you recognize me?"

No reply, just absent, happy drawing. He looks at her drawings, his body starting to tense.

"Another one...getting closer. I can't let him kill her. I can't." He sits on her bed, his unnatural face creased by wrinkles of age and exhaustion. He has darkness around his eyes, and the red of his irises are muddy, like spilled blood. He rakes his hair from his face and plays piano on his leg.

"Doctor?" Alice turns and tilts her head, taking in his uniform with slight recognition. "It's not time for my treatment, is it?"

"No, Alice. You're done with treatments. You're being released soon." Vance straightens his back, patting the bed. "Sit here, I have something for you." She complies, looking up at him with a soft smile all the way up to her eyes. "Do you know what today is, Alice?"

"I-I don't know…" she rubs her arms and looks away, not wanting to meet his gaze. He reaches into his coat and pulls out a file, about an inch thick. The rustling makes Alice turn back, her eyes lighting up. "What is that?"

"It's your birthday present, Alice. You're 14 today. That means you have been here for three years. And this," he taps the file, "is everything you've forgotten. And I want you to promise me that you'll read it only when you're somewhere safe." He sets it on her lap, her little hands caressing the worn material.

"I thought people were let out when they turned 18, Doctor."

"Ah...usually, yes. But you have a special circumstance." He chews his lip and looks out the window, nostrils flaring. In his first outward sign of vampirism, he growls, eyes narrowing. Alice isn't frightened by the unnatural outburst. She takes his hand and pulls on it.

"You made a bad choice, Doctor. I can't see you anymore. Why would you choose something that would kill you?"

"Because some things are more important. Close your eyes and try not to scream." Nodding, Alice closes her eyes, Vance taking in a deep breath before lunging at her throat. A roar rips through the air, but it isn't the small shriek from Alice - it's from the widow, and the shadow that is violently trying to break the bars off.

"You bastard!" Oh god, that voice… "She's mine! Mine!" The blonde nomad breaks into the room, snarling and pushing Vance onto the wall over the bed, letting Alice fall to the ground. Vance licks his lip and spits Alice's blood on the nomad's face, a shiteating grin on his lips.

"She's already changing, she's strong enough to survive. You lost, James. You can't kill her now." His eyes trail over in my direction, and his face falls. "The game is at hand…" His eyes flutter closed right as the Nomad - James - tears his head off his shoulders.

I spend the entire day thinking about what I saw. I spend the entire day making small glances at Alice, noticing youth that I was blind to before. Her fae-like appearance is all because she was changed in the throes of puberty, and will never finish it. She's frozen as a child.

Forever. God, what level of Hell would that be for a woman her age?

"Bella, are you feeling alright?" My head pops up, and I realize I'm sitting alone in the library, my homework spread out before me. Has the school day already ended? What did I even do all day? Angela sits beside me, Jessica behind her. "Jess told me you're staying with the Cullens for a while. How're you holding up? Is your dad safe?"

"Yeah, Dad's fine. He's been sending me random emojis and gifs all day. I'm waiting for Emmett and Jasper to get done with assisting the middle school coaches." I roll my eyes, remembering how Edward and the girls just vanished on me after a quick whisper of needing to get supplies.

You're vampires. You can get them at the last damn second. Literally.

"Sounds like what my dads do." Angela says with a small giggle. "But um … well, we've noticed you acting quieter than normal. Which is pretty bad considering you're almost as quiet as Edward half the time."

"And you kept looking at Alice like she could break at any second. Which, I mean," Jessica raises her hands, "I do it sometimes too, because she looks like a literal baby in some lights, but you looked like you were about to cry. We're … we're starting to worry about you. You don't pay attention to shit anymore."

"You're always zoned out or picking at your arm brace." Angela gestures to my broken wrist, her eyes narrowing. "Meanwhile, you never even told us what happened to it."

"And you look like you haven't slept in a month!" Jessica punctuates her frustration with a point in my direction, accusing me of something unstated, but obvious. "We aren't going to make you talk, but we will stare at you until you're uncomfortable." I blink for a couple seconds and slowly take my glasses off. "Hey, no! Put those back on. I refuse to be fuzzy."

"Says the girl with curly hair." I sigh, putting my glasses back on. I pyramid my fingers and consider my options. None are good. I can't tell them the truth; not only will they not believe me, but it would put the coven at risk. And I don't want to lie to them. I'm a shitty enough person for simply keeping it from them. It's a long shot, but I think I know what to do. I close my text books and look at them both. "I … I can't tell you."

"What do you mean you can't?" Angela's hand covers her mouth. "Bella, is someone hurting you?"

"It isn't like that," - kinda - "but I literally can't tell you what is going on. It's … it's bigger than I am, and I don't want to make the situation any worse than it already is." They look at each other, completely confused, a little angry. And judging from Jessica's glance at my necklace … a touch of suspicion. A little too aware, that one is. "I will tell you one thing. Would you be content with one thing?"

"One thing is better than absolutely nothing, Bella." Jessica snaps, crossing her arms.

"That's true...there's a chance that...I could be gone for a while. I don't know how long, but I'm going to get hurt. Bad. But it's all for a good cause. I promise. Will you accept that?"

"I … I don't like this," Angela says softly, growing smaller in her chair. Jessica, on the other hand, loses tension in her shoulders and nods. "Jess, you're taking this a little too well."

"What else can I do? If it's this big of a thing, then I don't know if I even want the details." She starts rubbing her temples and looks at her watch when it vibrates. "My mom's here. I have to get going. You just be safe, Bella. Okay? Okay. See you." They both stand, waving their awkward farewells before vanishing behind the door, leaving me with a brick of ice in my stomach.

That's when Jasper appears at my side and pats my shoulder.

"Don't worry about them, chica. They're better off not knowing the truth. C'mon, Em's got the jeep ready. We're getting you some dinner before heading out." Though still robotic around me, Jasper's tone almost soothes me. I gather my belongings and we slowly walk to the parking lot. "You know, I can still tell what you're feeling."

"What?" I glance around, double checking the completely empty hallway just to be safe.

"Edward can't read your mind. Alice can't see your choices. But I can experience your emotions. Because they aren't just in your head, they're in your body. In how you hold yourself, in how you emote. In your eyes." He puts his hands in his pockets, slouching slightly. "You aren't scared, not that I can tell. You lack the jitteriness of one in mortal danger. Instead you're worried for everyone else. The father who is far away, the friends who feel shut off from you. And Edward." He looks down at me. "Am I right so far?"

"...p-painfully so." I look at my shoes, watching the raggedy Chucks walk in time with his boots. "If I wasn't here, none of this would be happening…"

"Oh, the nomads would have come anyway. We probably would have just ignored them or sent Charlie and Carlisle to run them off. But now, it's more serious. And who knows if the one would have gone after another young woman."

"That's true…"

"Now then, let's just keep our chins up." With his shoulders squared, Jasper opens the door to the parking lot. "It's three against eight, there's no possible way of any of them doing any lasting damage to you or anyone else. Not unless something freakish happens."

"Who are you calling a freak, Jay?" Emmett whaps Jasper on the back, his bright smile making the world seem a bit lighter. "Hey Bella, you ready to kick some vampire ass tonight?"

"I guess so, yeah. I wish it could have been tomorrow, so we'd have the weekend. But hey, maybe I'll get to miss my Trig exam."

"Always look for the positives. Let's get in before it starts to drizzle." The guys go to the front seats of Emmett's silver jeep, and I climb in the back, ready to strap in. Only … there are way too many buckles back here.

"Hey, uh...what's all this?"

"It's an off-road harness. Just use the waist belt for now, we won't be headed into the woods for a few more hours, and Ed can strap you in then." He winks and starts to snicker. "The guy acts like you're made of glass sometimes, it's so weird."

"Oh, come off him, Emmett. You know perfectly well how awkward you were when you first met Rosalie."

"I was a newborn vampire who was saved from a bear by what I thought was a forest nymph. Excuse me for not being Cassonova. Edward's over a hundred, he should be able to talk to girls by now." We head into town, Emmett and Jasper bickering over who had the weirdest pre-Cullen period. Jasper takes the lead while discussing running naked across a body of water to scare a bunch of campers in the 1930s. Though Emmett pretending to be his own twin brother in the seventies is funny as hell.

We run through the local Burger King, Jasper and Emmett laughing over my choice of sandwich, but getting the Red Velvet Oreo shakes just because they agree it looks pretty disgusting. While I eat, I watch the two vampires enjoy their shakes with the occasional wisecrack or direction correction. I'm still not entirely sure what happens to food when a vampire eats it. Edward went to the bathroom once, but that doesn't necessarily mean he was being honest. Maybe they throw it up, or maybe it digests without any nutritional value to it.

Do they even understand what happens inside their body?

We pull into the Cullen driveway and Emmett turns around, "Edward will help you get buckled in, we're going a partial way to our destination in the jeep. The rest of the way is running." I perk up at that, feeling Edward's body temperature before I see him.

"How'd the hunt go, nerd?" Edward rolls his eyes, muttering too low for me to hear as he straps me to the seat. Feeling like a child on a rollercoaster, I lurch back when Emmett hits the gas, Jasper whooping at the top of his lungs.

"The hunt went well, by the way," Edward says, taking off his jacket and tossing it at me. "Here, you can wear this when the rain starts. Just remember, that's my last hoodie." He points to me, eyes narrow. "I expect to have it back."

I pull the red hoodie over my shoulders, grinning like a maniac and burrowing into it, hiding my entire body in Edward's surprisingly warm jacket.

"...should I just give her all my hoodies from now on?" He asks the air, and Emmett nods.

"Dude, she's a girl. What's yours is hers, and what's hers is hers. I learned that lesson long ago with Rosalie."

"Aren't you two, like, married though?" I pipe in, and Edward immediately shrinks into his seat. Jasper chokes on his shake, coughing violently until the sound is a deep, somewhat cruel laugh. "...am I wrong?"

"No, you aren't. Rosalie and I have a wedding every decade or so, I think it makes her feel like a queen. I know it makes me feel like a king, seeing her in a golden gown walking toward me with that gorgeous smile of hers..."

"Oh my god, please don't start gushing, I've had enough of it." Jasper flicks Emmett's temple. "You two and your fairytale romance is so cheesy."

"If you want cheese, look into Carlisle and Esme's love-life. It took me a decade just to get Rosalie to go on a date with me." From his eyes in the mirror, Emmett has quite the evil grin on his face, his red eyes shining with mischief. "At least I have better luck than some guys around here." Edward kicks the back of Emmett's seat right as we come to a somewhat sharp stop.

"Fuck! Ah, man, I got milkshake on my shirt." Jasper hops out and strips from the waist up, exposing a collection of scratch and bite marks on his back. I scoot toward Edward, my hand grabbing and squeezing his tight. Jasper hides himself in his checkered overshirt, throwing rocks towards Emmett and shouting at him in Spanish.

"Edward…"

"I didn't know him then. Jasper the second oldest of us, and his past hasn't really been a discussion point beyond Alice bringing him to us a few decades ago. I can only assume," Edward helps me get detached from the seat and opens my door, "that it wasn't a pretty sight."

I hop out onto Edward's back, my legs and arms tightening until I would end up breaking the bones of a normal man. I feel rain hit the hood of the jacket and toss my head back, letting the hood fall so I can feel the cool droplets on my cheek. Edward snorts under me.

"I thought you didn't like cold, wet things?"

"Well, cold is starting to grow on me. I might as well try to adapt to wetness. Let's get going, before we get left behind." I press my face to Edward's shoulder and take in a deep breath. We're off in a snap, and the air whips around me with a soft, cutting sting from the rain on my cheeks and neck.

I dare to open my eyes, taking in the green blur of the world through the curls of Edward's hair. Panic fills me every time we approach a tree or large stone, but it's like he can predict were everything is and will be, almost dancing over every obstacle, landing with more grace than a trained danseur. I close my eyes again, his hair sticking to my cheek, knowing that he won't let anything hurt me. Especially not something as stupid as a tree.

For right now, there's nothing to be afraid of. It will change soon, so I grip his shirt and enjoy the small piece of peace in the cool wind. And then we stop, and I swallow, knowing that in just a few minutes there's a chance that my life could very well end. Edward crouches, and my feet hit the ground, permitting me to slide off him and not fall on my ass.

A cold hand fluffs my hair, and my eyes finally open. "You doing alright, Bella?"

"Yeah," I reach up and clean my glasses off, "yeah, I'm fine. So, what's the plan?"

"The plan is yours." He purses his lips, eyes rolling into the back of his head. "And of course, Emmett decided to take it a little too far."

"I did not!" Edward stands tall and turns, exposing a freshly constructed baseball diamond in the middle of nowhere.

As if reading my mind, Edward gestures to the structure around us, twice the size of any baseball stadium without the massive seating that touches the clouds. From fences to a small section of bench seating and even a dugout, he silently calls out Emmett's bullshit.

"Okay, maybe I did…" Emmett pulls his dreads back into a tall bun, fixing his tank top so that it isn't caught in his jeans. "Live a little, old man."

"Now boys, please try to behave yourselves," Carlisle emerges from the dugout, tucking his braid into a baseball cap. He turns to the mountains around us, the Olympic peaks, and takes in a deep breath. "Esme, you couldn't have picked a better place to play." She drapes herself over his shoulder and kisses his cheek.

"You and Jasper agreed that we should be somewhere were humans wouldn't. And the view is just heavenly."

"Only an angel could have found this, my love. Alright, gloaming is at hand," he raises his hand toward the setting sun and turns on his heels. "It's time to get this show on stage. Alice, you're the pitcher. We got in reverse age order. Edward is up first with me batting last. Any questions?"

"What does Bella do?" Rosalie asks, plopping a cap on my head.

"She can be umpire with Esme. Call them as you see them." Edward appears with a bat beside us, hitting his heels with the metal toy.

"They think we cheat." He sticks his tongue out at Esme, who crosses her arms.

"We know you cheat. I'll stand in front of you, sweetie, in case the kids miss the ball." I nod, crouching with her just to be safe. Alice dances to the mound and looks to the sky, her shriek of delight coming just seconds before a lightning bolt crashes through the sky.

"It's time!" The thunder rolls deeply, causing me to shiver.

"Eerie, isn't it?" Emmett says with easy familiarity, smiling at me.

"Are you ready for some ball?" Edward asks with bright eyes.

"Go Bats!" I cheer, causing Carlisle to cackle from second base. Esme looks at me from over her shoulder and mouths something that makes Edward turn back to the game and race to his place. Esme takes my hand to walk with me to first base.

"You don't like to play?"

"No, I prefer to referee. Keep these kids honest and make sure they don't hurt themselves. Honestly, we used to play all the time. Not baseball specifically, but just sports. You should have heard the arguments they would have." She snickers, shaking her head. "You'd think the boys were raised by wolves."

"You sound like my mother," I say with a laugh. Her face falls a bit, and she worries her lip between her teeth.

"Unlike Carlisle, I was able to develop parental instincts before my change. Did Edward ever tell you about my son, Gray?"

"He didn't no," I say, looking over and Edward and Jasper tossing a ball back and forth faster than light.

"He was my first baby, and my only one. We lost him a few days after, and my husband never really forgave me for it." She sighs, laying her hand over her chest. "It broke my heart - so I took my own life." She says it like it's nothing, like it's just matter-of-fact. I choke on my breath.

"Edward just said you were hurt...Esme, I-I'm so sorry…"

"He doesn't like telling about our pasts unless we let him. He's always been a gentleman about mine. For a while, Carlisle and I masqueraded as his parents." Esme smiles, pulling her curls up on top of her head. "I know he's older than I am, just like Alice is, but I think of them all as my kids. After all, I'm the only one of us to get past thirty." She faces me and cups my cheeks. "That's why I'm glad he found you. You brought my son back."

"And you don't mind that he's friends with a human?"

"No," she says thoughtfully. "I know it will all work out in one way or another. Besides, I have a gut feeling that your relationship may change over time." Her brow raises, but before I can ask what she means, thunder roars overhead, and she is done talking. We've reached first base, and Edward is ready to strike whatever Alice throws at him.

"Batter up," Esme calls in a soft, clear voice that reaches the ears of the everyone, even though the ones standing on bases look like blurry sticks to me.

Alice stands straight, holding the ball in both hands at her waist. She stands still for a solid minute and then, without warning, her right hand flicks the ball out and it lands in Esme's hand with a smack.

"Strike one!" I call out, sticking my tongue at Edward.

"Shut it, smallfry." He teases, readying himself as Esme makes the ball sail back to Alice. She grins for a moment and the ball goes soaring once again. Somehow, the bat follows through, smashing into the invisible ball with a shattering, thunderous crack, echoing into the mountains with an unnatural ring.

Well, at least I know that we won't completely melt into the storm. I cover my ears and wince, looking at the unaffected Esme. She takes one look at me and gasps.

"Shit!" She vanishes and returns with a set of earcovers that make her voice muffle slightly. "Sorry about that honey. We came prepared, but my brain still registers you as one of us." I watch the wall shoot like a meteor about the field until it vanishes into the forest. Edward takes off around the massive diamond, the others going after the ball.

"Home run?" I ask Esme, and she shrugs.

"Chances are, yes. They already have the ball, but it hit the ground. And Edward is extremely fast." Dust flies at us and Esme covers my eyes with her hand. Laughter erupts and Esme lets me see Edward, one foot just inches away from the base, with Jasper shoving the ball onto his cheek. "Call it, Bella."

"You're out, pretty boy!" He stands, pushing Jasper away and flicking the bird, a smile on both their faces.

"Aww, she thinks you're pretty. Pronto ella le besará y usted vivirá felizmente alguna vez después."

"Vaya al diablo, Jasper." He trades spots with the teasing blonde, Jasper flipping the bat in the air and readying himself for a left-handed swing. Every strike of the bat, I see Alice peak towards the forest, and Carlisle tense in preparation. And yet, knowing our mission, we all manage to have fun with it. The crashing of the bat and the occasional thunderous strike of body against body, mostly Rosalie or Jasper purposefully running into Edward, I can't help but wonder if there is a bit of a power play at hand. If they can be so forceful with each other, how much damage can they do to an enemy?

"Safe," Esme says to Emmett's face-planted on the now destroyed home plate. I reach down and dust off his shoulders, earning a playful scowl when he stands.

"Hopefully they get here soon, Carlisle keeps cursing at us in Gaelic."

"I'm going ta skelp yer wee behind!" the good doctor cries, throwing the ball back home, Emmett catching it with ease.

"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again," I say, nudging Esme. "I may even get my dad to come out here to gawk. He's a much bigger fan than I am."

"I agree, I'd love to see his face when Carlisle sends the ball three miles out." She shakes her head, watching Edward gain two bases before Emmett can even get the ball back in play. "I've actually got the best arm, but I knocked Jasper's jaw off once and only he ever mentally recovered from it."

"Seriously?" I look Esme over, her stature and demeanor not at all reflecting the strength that would have taken. Then again...hell hath no fury. "That's amazing."

"All in a day's work for Esme Ann Cullen." She wiggles her shoulders and her head snaps toward the forest, eyes wide. "Footsteps."

Instantly, Edward is at my side, pulling at his hoodie. "Take it off. Our sounds got their attention, but we need your scent exposed." He pauses for a second and sighs. "I wish there was a less creepy way to phrase that." He takes the jacket and ties it around his waist, fluffing my hair almost painfully fast. "Alright, once they show, the predatory one should out himself quickly. Just stay back with me, the mixed scents will throw him off for a while."

"Hey," I grab his hands, holding them steady while he breathes and calms his nerves, "we've got this. Far as I know, only one of them will give us trouble. And if the other two do, we'll kick their asses too."

"Esme, switch with Alice," Carlisle says softly, taking the bat. "If anything, you can knock one out with the ball if it comes to a fight. Everyone else, keep playing like normal. If they want to play, then we'll let them. We're only after one."

Edward and I stay off the field, his arm pressing me to his side, right as three shadows emerge from the foliage.