Edward was given an ultimatum earlier that night, one that could have changed his whole life. Did he make the right choice?
"She's safe. I've put a bucket near the bed, just in case." Emmett announced on his return, to his brothers living room. "Alice will be grateful, that you've let her crash at your place."
"Can't say Jasper will be too thrilled when he wakes up in the morning." Edward stated, folding his arms across his chest.
"And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you pleased with your decision that you made earlier tonight?"
"She's my sister…" Edward groaned, placing his head into his hands.
"All it's worth, I think you made the right choice…"
"I'm not too sure, I feel like what's just happened isn't real. I finally have the answers! The answers that I've waited for an exceptionally long time… I don't know if I'm going to be able to forgive her anytime soon."
"You don't have to forgive her right now or anytime soon, but you need to remember Alice is family and that blood is thicker than water…"
"I'll think on it, but I'm making no promises… I need to put all my focus in, on getting Bella back!"
"RING, RING!" Edward stares down at his phone, "It's an unknown number."
"I'll give you a moment." Emmett heads to the kitchen.
"Hello?" Edward answers his phone.
"Hi, I'm I speaking to an Edward Cullen?" The unknown voice asks.
…
"Hey Jas."
"Emmett." He gave a curt nod.
"I really appreciate you letting Alice stay..."
"It's whatever… How's Edward?"
"I'm not too sure, he's on the phone at the moment."
"At this time at night? Must be important."
"It was." Edward said, walking into the kitchen. "It was a scout from Chicago."
"Holy crap!" Emmet exclaimed.
"I know, I feel like I'm going to pass out!"
"What did they say?" Jasper wondered.
"They would like me to go out there and meet the owner."
"When do you leave?" Emmett asked.
"Tomorrow morning, I'm going to ask Ben if he will go with me. I'll have to let Coach know I'll be missing a few of the away games."
"I'm sure Coach will be fine with that. This is something to do with your future, he'll be ecstatic to know!" Jasper mentioned, "They'll probably just get Newton to take your place in the meantime."
"Yeah, I know…. It's just…"
"What is it?" Emmett wondered.
"I feel like I shouldn't go…"
"What the hell is wrong with you, man?!" Jasper exclaimed, "Why wouldn't you?"
"Because there's something here that's incredibly important to me… Bella." He sighed.
"You've waited three years, what a few more days to add. She'll understand." Emmett explained.
"I guess so…"
"There's no guessing anything, you will go to Chicago and sort out your potential future. And then you can come home, and deal with everything else." Emmett told his younger brother.
"I will, I just need one favour… Don't tell anyone about what happened between Alice and I, I need to tell Bella everything, when I return home…"
…
The same night, back at Bella's and Rose's apartment.
"Well tonight, was awfully dramatic." Rose said, as she poured her and Bella a glass of wine.
"It always is when it comes to that family… I mean it was awkward hearing Edward yelling like that. But it's no longer my concern, that's why I wanted to leave."
"I'm going to call Emmett and see if everything's okay."
…
A short time later, Bella has just changed into her pyjamas. When Rose comes rushing into her bedroom.
"Are you sitting down?!" Rose rushes out, struggling to catch her breath.
"Does it look it?" Bella hitched her brow at her friend, "You can clearly see me standing here."
"Oh, hush you and just listen! Emmett has just told me what's happened."
"And?"
"Edward's going to Chicago in the morning to talk to a coach out there, about being drafted!"
"Oh wow, that's… Uh… How am I supposed to react?" Bella stuttered.
"It's okay to still support him Bella…"
"I'm pleased for him, that someone has recognised his talent for baseball. This will be great for his future; I think he will fit in very well in Chicago."
"Well, that's nice and all, but c'mon Bella. Stop putting up a front!"
"I'm not!" Bella shot in defence.
"I'm going to let it go, for now. But I know you're lying." Rose stated.
"How do you do that?"
"I'm your best friend, I always know, you're an open book, well your facial expressions are."
Bella scowled, "We can talk about things later, alright? I just want to cuddle up in my bed with a good tv show and ice cream."
"Fine, embrace your loneliness. I'll see you in the morning to take you to the airport…" With that Rose left Bella to the comforts of her own room.
…
The Cullen's household, the following morning.
"I don't want him to, Carlisle!" Esme argued, with her distant husband.
"Well luckily for him it's not up to you."
"I'm still his Mother, I have a say in what he does." She said stomping her feet, like a spoilt brat.
"He's nearly twenty-two years of age, he can make his own decisions!" Carlisle argued back, "The team he wants to play for isn't up to you, Esme! I beg you to stop manipulating our kids' lives."
"It's not manipulating, Carlisle! I just know what's best for them, and I want them to take advantage of that!"
"Do you hear the words that are coming out of your mouth!" Carlisle shouted in frustration, "You're the literal definition of a manipulative person."
"Carlisle, you really are starting to bore me with this crap of yours, and I really just don't have the time. Our son is about to throw his whole career down the toilet, and I need to act dramatically fast!"
"No, you don't!"
"Too late!" Esme picked up her phone and started scrolling through her contacts.
"What are you doing?" Carlisle cried.
"Getting in touch with the Coach from California."
"No, you don't! Edward is one of the most skilled players that I've ever seen. He will make whatever team is best for him, no matter what you do, Esme."
"The logical thing for him to do, is play for a team that we know."
"I see your point, and I would love for him to play for the team in California. But it's our sons decision, he should at least go check out the other teams and see what they have to offer him." Carlisle explained.
"But it's my decision when it affects any of my children's future's!" Esme shot back.
"Why can't you just be happy that one of the top teams in the league wants him? Why do you always have to medal with every single thing that makes our kids happy?"
"No, Carlisle! Answer me this why are you making me out to be the bad one in all of this!" She yelled, prodding her index finger into her husband's chest.
Carlisle removed her finger and took a step back from the crazy woman. "Because you are! You're a psychotic woman!"
"Psychotic?" Esme was taken a bit back by this statement, "You need to watch how you speak to the mother of your children."
"Do you treat him like this as well? Besides your other children." Carlisle questioned.
"I don't know what you are talking about?" Esme lied, with a tight-lipped scowl.
"Mark my words Esme. You're a disgrace, what kind of a mother are you?"
The front door slams shut, alerting the two parents that they aren't alone anymore. Suddenly their conversation comes to an end, like it never happened.
"Mom, Dad?!" Edward called out.
"In here, son." Carlisle responds.
Edward enters the kitchen, joining his parents. "Hey guys…" Edward says unsurely, as he can feel the tension in the air between his parents. "I really appreciate you taking me and Ben to the airport, Dad. On such short notice."
"It's the least I could do, since you looked after your sister last night."
"Yeah…" Edward sighed, he looked around as a sign of he doesn't want to talk about it. Edward's eye locks on to his mother, "Are you okay, Mom?"
"Peachy." Esme spat, "Let's get lunch, when you return home." And with that she leaves the two Cullen men, without saying a term of goodbye.
"Is she alright?" Edward says glancing over at his Dad.
"She Psychotic!" Carlisle repeats.
"DAD!" Edward is left totally gobsmacked, "You can't be saying that…"
"I'm in two minds of dropping her off at a hospital, and never going back for her." Carlisle admitted, "Now lets get you to the airport." He says grabbing his car keys on the way out.
…
At the airport, with the baseball team.
"Hey, are you ready for a long week?" Tyler asks Bella, "I promise it's not as exhausting as everyone seems to be making it. Especially since we'll be in sunny warm Arizona!"
"I definitely want to get away from Forks for a little while, it's just too cold at the moment!"
"I agree, I think the sun will do us a bit good, especially for you!"
"What do you mean?"
"Apparently the sun can help get you all out of your head, meaning it's time to destress and let the sun take away all your worries!"
Bella hitched a brow at Tyler, "Did Ang tell you that?"
"Yeah… She read it in one of those girly magazines."
Bella giggled, "I never believe their crap. So, how's you and Angela?"
"I would say we're pretty solid, stronger than steel." Tyler stated, flexing his guns.
"Aren't you the cutest, I'm so happy for you both!" Bella exclaimed in adoration.
"Oh, stop. Before you make me blush."
"Now that's something I need to see!" She giggled, "Have you heard from any scouts?"
"I've talked with a handful, but I'm not sure if anything will materialize from it."
"How so?"
"Well, I would like to play in the majors. That is my dream goal… But what if it's not the best choice in the long run?"
"I think, thinking about it now is a very smart move, because you haven't made a certain decision as of yet. I mean you wouldn't want to make the decision and find out you've took the wrong career path, and then you'll just be unhappy."
"You're absolutely right!"
"Plus, we all want to try and go to the same team if we can." Jasper chimed in.
"Do you guys really think that could be possible?" Bella questioned.
"Anything is possible if you just believe!" Eric exclaimed, trying to keep a positive attitude and mind frame.
"Who are you Peter Pan?" Paul mocked Eric.
"If I'm Peter you're Tinkerbell!" Eric shot back.
Paul growled, stepping forth to the teams pitcher. "Are you comparing me to a fairy?" Paul questioned towering over Eric.
Eric shrunk away, from the tall player. "No… Sir…"
"That's enough you two!" Bella warned, stepping in between the two men.
"I hate all of you." Paul muttered.
"Bella?" Eric said, getting her attention.
"Yeah?"
"Last night we heard that you were thinking of leaving us… Are you still feeling that way?" He asked shyly.
Bella felt a sense of embarrassment come over her, as she was called out. Bella inhaled in and let it all out, "I would like to stay… I'm going to try and make it work."
"Well either way we're here for you okay? And that's including Edward." Jasper mentioned with a timid smile.
"I appreciate that, it means a lot to me."
"We love you, little lamb." Paul says enclosing Bella into a hug.
"Well, you weren't saying that a moment ago."
"Why you got to go and ruin the moment for?!"
Bella laughed, "I'm sorry, I ain't good with all this affectionate stuff."
"Well, you better get used to it, because you've seemed to fit in well with us." Coach Clapp added.
"You have!" Coach Frew agreed.
Announcement:
Flight number 687 to Phoenix, Arizona is ready for boarding.
"Right enough with this soppiness, we have a flight to board!" Bella excitedly said.
"LET'S GO TEAM!" Coach Clapp ordered.
…
In Chicago with Edward and his cousin Ben.
We find the boys waiting in the reception room, waiting to meet the one and only Aro Volturi.
"Hey, it's going to be fine." Benjamin tried to reinsure Edward. "Just breathe."
Edward on the other hand looks like he has just saw the living dead. "I'm trying to."
"If you ask me, you're doing a pretty shit job at it right now."
Edward rolls his eyes, "Shut up! You're making me more nervous. And now you have me over thinking each breath I take."
Ben chuckles at his cousin, "You have to remember they asked to see you, not the other way around. They know you have skills and want you to play for them, you pretty much already have it in the bag."
"What if I blow it, by saying something stupid?!"
"I ain't going to lie, you're a dweeb so it's possible."
"Remind me why I brought you again?" Edward asked rhetorically, folding his arms.
"Because I'm your cousin and you love me, do you need any more reasons?"
"Love you, I think you're sorely mistaken."
A man with slicked black hair enters the room, "Mister Cullen. It's a pleasure to meet you in person. Why don't you and your friend follow me into my office."
"Dude that's the Aro!" Benjamin says in excitement.
"Yes, I am." Aro confirms, with a slight chuckle.
"It's great to be here." Edward says, as he follows Aro into the office.
"And you are?" Aro asked.
"Benjamin sir, Edwards cousin."
"Right now, that we have all the introductions out the way, lets take a seat." Aro gestures to the empty seats. "And talk the real important stuff! What's it going to take for you to join the Thunderbolts?"
…
A/N: And I'm back.
This chapters short and sweet, but I really wanted to get one up for you today.
I've been doing a lot of research and planning, because I'm taking this story in a different direction.
I'm really excited to start working on the next chapter, as it's going to take a whole new turn.
We're getting closer to Esme's secret!
See you all soon!
Becca x