Title: Natural

Summary: An unknown batter named Edward Masen takes a losing baseball team to the top of the league. Edward lives out his fame but can't seem to shake the idea of the mysterious woman he meets on the train.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

A/N: Thank you to my amazing mind soulmate and awbffe, LoveBadBoyVamps, for beta reading this chapter. *muah*


I was so elated to have Bella in my arms. We twirled around the dance floor and I held her body as tight to mine as I could. We hadn't talked much because I was enjoying the moment and I knew talking would ruin it. Eventually the music would stop and I'd have to face reality. Bella's head was on my chest right over my heart. She could probably hear it hammering out of my chest and I was shocked she stayed there. Having her here only confirmed what Esme and Carlisle talked about. You had to go for what felt right. And this, this felt more right than anything I'd ever felt. More right than baseball.

When the songs ended, we didn't stop moving. Eventually, we had too. I took her hand and led her to the nearest cab.

"We have to talk." I breathed.

She nodded in agreement. "I know."

"You're place or mine?" I almost wanted to laugh at the irony of the line.

"My place is fine. I'm sure you're sick of staying at a hotel."

"Wait, how did you-"

Just then the cab pulled up and we got in. Bella gave them the address and we sat in silence. My hand still held hers and I was grateful she didn't begrudge me this. I needed her touch. Her comfort was what had got me through these years without her.

We arrived at a two story house in the suburbs. It was a white house with a red door and black shutters. There was a wrap-around porch that had two rocking chairs. I ignored Bella's plea to pay the cab driver and slipped him the bills. We walked to her front door and she opened it to a massive living room. Her house was gorgeous. Using warm colors and comfortable furniture to make the room. I wondered to myself if Esme designed it.

"Are you thirsty?" she asked.

I realized how dry my throat was from the alcohol. "Actually, yes. Do you have water?"

"Of course, Edward. Have a seat."

I didn't release her hand. "Actually if it's okay, can I come with you?"

My voice was borderline desperate but I didn't care. I needed to touch her as long as possible before I wasn't allowed to again. She just smiled and led me to the kitchen where she poured us both a glass of water. I gulped it down and she poured another.

"Do you want to talk in the living room or my bedroom?"

I chuckled nervously. "I'm afraid if we're in the bedroom I won't handle myself the way I should."

She smiled and blushed. "Okay, living room it is."

We made our way to living room and sat on the white couch. She pulled her legs beneath much like she had the last time I was with her. Her body was turned towards me and I had my arm over the sofa. My thumb was rubbing against her shoulder.

Bella drew in a breath. "How much have you figured out?"

"Not much actually. I think you're related to Carlisle but that's just a guess."

"I am. He's my uncle." She wrung her hands. "I guess I should just get this out…. Charlie Swan is my father."

The picture in Carlisle study popped into my head. Charlie and Renee were holding a tiny baby in their arms. Why hadn't the picture made sense before? It only made sense if Carlisle and Renee were sisters and Bella was his niece that she would be Charlie's daughter.

"Why isn't your last name Swan then?"

She chewed on her lip. "It was. I had to change it. After my father was murdered, we—my family and I—suspected I'd be the next target. Not many people knew Charlie had a daughter with Renee. They kept me a secret. My last name being Swan would be a dead giveaway so I changed it to Cullen knowing Carlisle and Esme could look after me."

"But, why not Dwyer? Your mother married Phil."

"I don't talk to my mother much. Do you understand what's been going on, Edward?"

I shook my head. "No. Bella, are you in trouble? Why are people trying to kill you?"

The thought that anyone would try to harm the beautiful girl in front of me was incomprehensible. She was smart and strong and it all didn't make sense. What trouble had she gotten into? Was Mike involved with this?

"Edward, it's all right in front of you. Aro Volturi is only co-owner of the Knights."

My brow furrowed. "Phil had it. But he said he went into debt and lost it."

"Edward." She took my hand in hers. "I bought it from him. I was originally the co-owner but I was only a baby when my father died. My mother married Phil, giving him co-ownership until I could rightfully take hold of the account. Edward, I'm the only person stopping Aro Volturi from having full ownership of the Knights. A thing he has wanted since before my father was alive."

Could it be possible that Aro killed Bella's father? Did he want the Knights that badly? I felt a protective instinct kick in. Whatever it took, I had to protect Bella. Now, more than ever the Knights needed to win the pennant.

"What does all this have to do with you leaving me on the train, Bella?"

I had to ask it. As much as I worried for her safety it was the question I needed answered since that day. Why couldn't we be together?

"My father loved Renee. I mean completely and totally loved her. But, she refused to marry him. Even after giving birth to me. A union between Charlie, the owner of the Knights, and the Cullen's, one of the wealthiest families in New York, would've stopped Aro in his quest for blood.

"But, my mother couldn't do it. She said she didn't believe in marriage. Yet, a couple months after my father dies she marries Phil? Love isn't real, Edward. It's a fantasy. It makes you weak and a pawn in someone else's game. I'm not going to be a pawn."

Bella was scared to be in love but she didn't know how strong I could be for her. She didn't know how strong this felt for me. Was I in love with Bella? I didn't have time to ask myself that I had to prove her this was worth a chance.

"I thought I saw you in a train station here."

Her eyes teared up. "Really?"

"I use to look for you in crowds thinking someday maybe you'd be out there." I paused knowing this was hard to say. "Somewhere I stopped and realized you weren't coming back."

Bella's hand reached up and rubbed my cheek. "What happened to you, Edward?"

I leaned into her touch. "My life didn't turn out the way I expected."

"I'm not waiting for true love to come along, Edward." Her hand dropped from my face. "I never have. It didn't work out for my father. It's not going to work out for me. I've known a million guys and they were all real swell, but typical." Bella's brown eyes peered up at me and I saw the tears forming. "You're not like them. You're not like anyone else."

My hand lifted to wipe away her tears. "How can you not believe in true love? Look at Esme and Carlisle and Emmett and Rosalie. That's true love, Bella. You and me, we have a shot here."

"Edward…."

I took her face in my hands. "No, don't say you don't feel it too. I know you do, Bella. I can feel it. You felt it when we were dancing. You feel it now."

My mouth crashed to hers without a thought. If my words weren't going to be enough for her then my actions had to be. My hands would worship every part of her. My mouth love every inch of her. Maybe I was in love with Bella. Her sounds and beauty invading my mind since we last spoke should've been reason enough.

Bella's mouth molded to mine and a whimper escaped through her lips. My hands gripped her body as hers yanked on my shirt. Kissing her made it seem like no time had passed. We were back on the train—young and innocent. Her hands lifted my shirt and discarded it onto the floor. I pulled her body on top of mine and lifted us.

"Where's…. your…. bedroom?" I mumbled against her lips.

I released her lips to suck along her neck. "Upstairs second door to the left."

Still holding her close to me, I walked us up the stairs and to her bedroom. The door was open and the bed was straight across from it. I didn't have time to take in the surroundings because all I saw was her. I crashed us onto the bed, pulling down the zipper on the side of her dress. The material fell away beneath my hands. I slid it from her body where she was completely naked.

"Commando, Miss. Cullen? How vulgar."

She gasped as my mouth sucked on her nipple. Her hands pushed my face closer and her back arched allowing more of her to be accessed. My hand grasped the breast I wasn't sucking on and palmed it in my hand. Bella's skin was smooth and firm. When I finished with her breast, my mouth licked and sucked down her body to the apex of her thighs.

I licked between her folds, flicking my tongue against the tiny bundle of nerves at its tip. Bella shook beneath me and I lifted her leg to go over my shoulder. She tasted exquisite down here where it was one hundred percent Bella. No soaps. No perfume. Just Bella.

With my teeth, I lightly nipped at her bundle and Bella gripped my hair. I slipped a finger inside her and the dual stimulation pushed her over the edge as her walls clenched. She rode out her orgasm on my face. When her body relaxed, I climbed up her body and quickly pushed myself inside her.

It was just the same as before. The tightness that surrounded me. Bella gripped my shoulders and pushed. My body rolled over keeping her to me and she now straddled my waist. She bent to kiss my lips as her hips rocked against me.

From this position I pushed deeper within her and with every thrust I was granted a rewarding moan from Bella. Her breast bounced with each movement and my hands cupped them.

The tightening in my abdomen caused me to bring my hand between us to brush against her. She needed to come first or I'd spend all night bringing her to it. Bella's breathing changed and I knew she was close. Her walls tightened and she released with a scream that sent me spiraling after her.

She collapsed on top of me. "That was… amazing."

"You are."

I pulled myself out of her and chuckled at her protest. She was enjoying this as much as I was. My eyes scanned the room and took in the pale blue walls and green comforter we were laying on. She had pictures all over her bedroom of places around the world. Her closet was full of clothing and it reminded me how well she would get along with Alice.

She shivered beside me and I reached down and pulled the blanket over us. Bella nestled into the crook of my neck and laid her hand across my chest. My arm wrapped around her body pulling her closer to me.

"How can you say this doesn't feel right?" I breathed.

She sighed. "It does."

"Then give us a chance, please?"

"Fine." She giggled. "But, only cause you said please."

I tickled her side and she laughed more. We relaxed and she told me stories about growing up in the Cullen household. Emmett, from the first time they met, took over the protective role in her life. He stopped bullies from picking on her and boys from breaking her heart.

She asked me more about growing up in Chicago and about my mother. Even though my mother died when I was young I remembered what she looked like. She had dark brown hair and green eyes that matched my own. My father is where I got my auburn hair and my stubbornness.

We eventually fell into a deep sleep and when I woke up Bella was sleeping beside me. I took a moment to just stare at her as she slept. She looked so peaceful unlike the strong worrisome girl she was when she was awake.

"Edward…" she mumbled.

I stilled thinking she had caught me staring but she repeated my name again. She was dreaming of me. Smiling, I kissed her cheek and she restated my name again. Bella talking in her sleep was definitely a plus in my list.

My lips pressed against her temple and I removed myself from her bed. I threw on my slacks from the night before and quietly walked downstairs. I made my way into her kitchen and cooked her breakfast.

Right as I was about to bring it upstairs the doorbell rang. I knew it was rude to answer her doorbell when it I didn't live here but I felt I had to just in case it was important. Placing the tray of food down, I walked over to the door.

I opened it and was greeted with the sight of a very surprised Carlisle.