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*
Carlisle walked into the room still staring at me. "Edward? What are you doing here? How do you know my niece?"
He seemed to go into full protective mode. This was understood. If everything Bella said last night was true she was in deep trouble if anyone knew about her. I saw how it looked to Carlisle- Me, a nobody, opening the door of his niece's house wearing nothing but a pair of slacks. It looked like I was after something. In reality, the very thing I was after was Bella's heart.
"It's not what it looks like, Carlisle."
"Oh really?" He snorted and crossed his arms. "It looks exactly what it looks like."
Just then I heard light footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned around to a smiling Bella dressed in a pale blue robe. Her hair looked like a haystack but she was as beautiful as ever.
"Uncle Carlisle!" she yelled and ran into his open arms.
He hugged her back never letting his eye off me. "Hiya, honey."
She pulled back and held him at arm's length then looked up at me. "You know Edward."
"Yes, of course, I know Edward. Honey, what have you gotten yourself into?"
She giggled. "Oh, don't be silly, Uncle Carlisle. Edward isn't going to hurt me. Edward and I go way back."
He eyed me. "Exactly how far back?"
"We met on a train, sir." I answered.
By admitting this I knew Carlisle would know I said she was a mistake. But, could he honestly look between us and see the happiness on her face and mine and think I really believed that?
"You worry too much!" Bella threw her hands in the air. "Come inside I'll make you some coffee."
I touched her arm. "I actually made some breakfast."
"You did?" she said softly.
I nodded.
"Well, look at that, Uncle Carlisle. I've found me a man who can cook!"
Carlisle face still hadn't changed even as we made our way into Bella's vast kitchen. I told her to sit while I set the table and gave a plate to everyone and a coffee. Bella moaned as she took a bite and I'd be lying if I said it didn't go straight to my cock. I quickly recited the national anthem because having a hard on in front of her uncle is entirely inappropriate.
"Bella, you're not usually this foolish."
She touched his hand. "Edward's different. Aren't you glad I sent him to you?"
"Wait a minute." He paused looking between us. "You sent him to us?"
"Of course." She took another bite of her food.
I was as confused as Carlisle. "Do you care to elaborate?"
"Oh!" she gasped. "I didn't tell you this part last night, did I? I was the reason you were headed to the Knights sixteen years ago and the reason you're a Knight now. Didn't you wonder why you didn't have a try-out this time around?"
"But, Jazz said he talked to Aro."
She laughed and pointed to herself. "Aro's secretary. It wasn't my best impression his real secretary is a real bitch. He didn't recognize me because I had a veil over my face. Both our signatures are on your contract so it didn't make a difference who found you."
"But," I ran my hand through my hair, "what do you mean you sent me sixteen years ago? You were lying that whole time we talked on the train?"
"Sorry 'bout that. It was kind of your first interview." She slapped my arm. "If you didn't bomb your try-out you were a shoe-in!"
I exhaled. "You played a role in that, Bella. Is that what you meant in your letter about why we couldn't be together?"
She chewed on her lip and Carlisle spoke up. "Yes, that's what she meant! She's a manager she can't be fooling around with a player!"
"Carlisle, this isn't just fooling around for me."
He stared at me and I saw a mixture of sadness and hope there. The sadness I didn't understand maybe it was because of what Bella was in for and he didn't want me to have that same fate. He had to know I'd protect her. I would let nothing harm Bella.
"Well, that's enough heavy stuff." She stood up and grabbed our plates. "I'm going to shower and get dressed. Thank you for visiting, Uncle Carlisle."
He smiled a little. "If you don't mind I'd like to have a word with Edward before I leave."
"Of course not." She kissed his cheek. "I love you. Edward, I'll see you upstairs."
She blushed when she said this and I almost did too because we were in front of her uncle. She just giggled and made her way upstairs. I watched after he in awe because she was finally in my life and she was giving us a real chance. Never again would I let her leave.
"Son," Carlisle began, "you need to get away from her before you get hurt."
I turned quickly back at him. "I'm not worried about Aro. He's not getting anywhere near Bella."
"It's not Aro I'm worried about."
"Who else is after her?"
My hands balled into fists. Why were so many people after hurting this harmless girl? She was only strong because she had to be. I was so proud of that quality in her and I was just getting to see it. Bella protected those she loved and I wanted her to trust me enough to protect her.
He sighed. "You're about picturing Bella in a wedding dress, her carrying your child, the white picket fence, and all right about know. Aren't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's never gonna happen, Edward. She runs from love. She's done it every chance she had. We had her set up with a nice young man named Riley Biers awhile back. Kid showed good promise and Bella was crazy about him. But, he loved her and Bella ran. Heartbreak like that has a way of working into the mind of a ball player. It begins to effect his game."
I shook my head. "Bella and I are different."
He stood and made his way to the door and I followed him. "You're a grown man. What you do in your personal life is your own business. But, I'm warning you she'll leave."
"You're a swell uncle."
Carlisle opened the door and sighed again. "Got nothing to do with it. I love her. But, I have it on good authority it'll happen and that kind of heartbreak will send you into a slump. You're in too deep already and slumps have a way of rubbing off on people."
"Well, don't worry about me."
"I am."
And with that he was out the door and making his way to the waiting cab. I took in what Carlisle had said and decided I would do whatever it took to make Bella believe in true love. She had to let me in.
I pushed all bad thought of Bella and me out and made my way up the stairs. When I made it to her bedroom I could hear the shower running. She was waiting for me. I knocked lightly on the door.
"Come in." she called out.
I opened the door and she peeked behind the curtain with a huge smile on her face. More cat ate the canary than an everyday smile. I arched my eyebrow at her and just stood in awe of her. Her hair had darkened by the water and droplets cascaded down her face. She was beautiful.
"Want to join me, Mr. Masen?"
I stalked towards her pulling on my slacks and kicking them off my body. She giggled when I hopped in the shower and pulled her body close to mine. The heat of the water seemed to heighten ever sense and my arousal grew against her thigh.
"Why, aren't you excited to see me?"
She laughed and I pushed her against the tile wall. Slipping my hand between her legs I found she was just as excited to see me. I lifted her up and place her legs around me pushing into her with one deep thrust.
The shower made every sound echo and it was as if I was completely consumed by this women. She took up every place inside of me and if I truly looked inside myself I was in love with her. I recognized it first on the train. Bella was everything I would ever want. I just had to make her realize I was everything she wanted.
We released together and I held her until she regained her footing. I washed her and she reciprocated and I didn't remember ever being this happy.
It seemed like everything was finally going right in my life. The Knights were on a winning streak and I had Bella in my life. She was integrated into every part of my life and although we couldn't get out much since she was still very much my manager our nights in were perfect.
Emmett, Rose, Alice and Jasper came over to her house often and I loved that she was able to get along so well with my friends. It seemed she belonged there all along. It was, as if, she was meant to be there all along.
Carlisle and Esme joined in on the fun also. We would have constant dinner parties with just the eight of us. While Carlisle was still wary of my relationship with Bella, Esme just brightened up. She boasted about how she had told me many nights ago I'd find someone to settle down with in the city. Esme couldn't have been more right.
She was at every game and knowing she was there made me play better. At night, we would go to her house where we'd take turns making dinner and retire upstairs to make love. Bella told me everything about her life and I told her everything about mine. I felt we truly had a chance.
One night after seeing Mike Newton at a game I was reminded of the night of the party. What exactly was Bella doing in the arms of that sleaze ball?
"Bella, what were you doing with that bookie the night at the club?"
She stilled in her movements. "What made you think of that?"
"He was at the game today." I watched her carefully as she continued to wash the dishes and hand them to me to dry. "It just reminded me that I never asked you about that night."
"I was using him to see how Aro is feeling about your playing and the teams. Volturi is a gambling man and being Mike's 'arm candy,' as he likes to call them, gives you an in."
My mind didn't entirely buy her story but I let it drop for the moment. When we were in the clear of this whole Aro Volturi situation I'd ask her. She had too much at stake right now for me to be worrying about Mike Newton and his magic eye.
"He didn't approach you, did he?" she asked.
I shook my head. "No… should he have?"
Bella turned off the water and dried her hands on her apron. "No. Edward, just promise me something. Stay away from Mike Newton and his cronies. They're bad people."
"Then you stay away from them as well."
"What I do doesn't effect you, Edward. If I'm with them it's because I have to be to protect myself and my family." She waved her hand in dismissal. "But I haven't been in a long time so we don't need to worry about that."
Bella still wasn't letting me all the way in. All the talking and proving in the world wasn't going to do it. She had a wall that she had built protecting herself from getting hurt and I still wasn't on the in. It bothered me to no end. If my actions couldn't prove I loved her words would have to do.
I finished drying the last dish as she went to sit on a stool in the kitchen. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant bun but strand of hair were falling from it. She wore a floral dress that fanned out at her waist and she sat there with her legs crossed, chewing her lip, and wringing her hands.
I walked over to her and took her hands in mine. "Is everything alright?"
"Nothing you need to worry about."
"I didn't ask that." I lifted her chin so I could see her eyes. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes pleaded with me to stop but I couldn't. "Nothing."
"Why can't you let me in?" I dropped my hand from her face. "I've been here. I haven't left." My hands went through my hair again and I knew it. I had to tell her. I couldn't waste another moment of her not knowing how I felt about her. "Bella, I'm in love with you."
When I turned to look at her, Bella's eyes were wide as saucers and on the verge of tears. She said nothing for the longest time she just stared at me. Eventually she stood and kissed me and without words brought me upstairs where we made love. We fell asleep soon after and she repeated my name in her sleep. I took that as a good sign.
The next morning, I went to get dressed for the game. Bella came out of the shower and quickly got dressed as well. I noticed something off about her though. Where she was normally loving and smiling she refused to look at me and had a strange look on her face.
"What is it?" I asked.
Her head snapped up and I could see her glistening eyes. "I've got to go."
"How come?" I knew better than to ask where. She wouldn't tell me.
"I've just got to go." She threw on her jacket and slipped on her heels. "You won't be able to stay here anymore. I've arranged a hotel room."
"Are you coming to the game today?"
Though I knew the answer was coming I still didn't expect it. She'd been distant all morning and I had a nagging feeling she was running from me this time.
With two words shattered the dream I held for us.
"I can't."
