"Vampires play baseball?" Frankie asked, raising her eyebrows.
"It's America's pastime." Edward said, grabbing a baseball cap and placing it on Frankie's head. All of the Cullen's where wearing baseball uniforms.
"It might rain." Frankie said, looking up at the sky.
"It won't." Alice said, dancing past them.
"How do you know?" Frankie asked.
"Alice can see the future."
"Really?" Frankie asked, surprised. "That's cool, tell me my future."
"I can't see you."
"What?"
"I don't see you, I see things around you but I don't see you." Alice said in her musical voice. "It's like you don't exist."
"It might be because I'm a witch." Frankie suggested.
"You're a witch?" Emmett asked, joining the conversation.
"I guess so."
"That might be it." Alice said happily.
"Are you sure it won't rain?" Frankie asked, skeptically.
"Don't worry." Edward said, and he led Frankie over to a white jeep and opened the door for her.
"What are all of these buckles for?" Frankie asked, trying to put them on.
"Let me do it." Edward said a crooked smile on his perfect face.
Frankie felt like a child as Edward put the seatbelt on and even blushed a little.
"Don't worry; I don't think you're a child." Edward said with a chuckle.
Edward drove quickly through a few back roads, smiling at Frankie as she giggled when there was a bump or Edward weaved around something.
"That was fun." Frankie said, once they stopped, they where in a large opening about the size of two or three football fields.
"I'm glad you liked it." Edward said, opening Frankie's door, Frankie climbed out and right into a large mud puddle, which made Edward laugh and Frankie angry.
"It's not funny." Frankie said, but Edward didn't stop laughing which made Frankie all the angrier.
"I'm sorry." Edward said, regaining composer.
"No your not."
"I'm sorry you're upset." Edward said.
"Let's go, it's a long walk over there." Frankie said, pointing toward the rest of Edward's family.
"I can speed it up." Edward said.
"How?"
"Climb on my back."
"I don't see how this is going to speed anything up." Frankie said, but she climbed onto his back none-the-less and then everything was rushing past her before she understood what was happening and then it stopped and they where beside the rest of his family.
"Frankie, I would like you to meet my mother Esme and you already met my father and siblings, all except for Rosalie.
"Hi." Frankie said, waving at Rosalie who did nothing but scowl and turn away.
"Don't worry, Rosalie doesn't like anyone but herself." Edward said.
"I can hear you!" Rosalie snapped. "It's rude to talk about someone when they're right there."
"It's also rude to ignore people who are standing right in front of you." Frankie said, crossing her arms.
"If I where you I would watch your mouth, I could break you in half before you could even blink." Rosalie sneered, and Frankie kept eye contact with Rosalie and then Rosalie doubled over clutching at her forehead in pain.
"Ah, it hurts." Rosalie said. "Make it stop, make her stop!"
Frankie stepped back confused, she wasn't doing it t least she didn't think she'd done it. Edward hurried next to Frankie as Rosalie glared over at them a low growl erupting from her.
"I didn't do anything." Frankie said. "I didn't mean to if I did, I'm sorry, Rosalie."
"Don't be sorry, she deserved whatever happened to her." Edward hissed.
"Now, now children." Esme said, her voice was soft and loving. Frankie looked over toward Esme, it surprised her how warm and friendly she looked. Her light brown hair, golden eyes, and heart shaped face reminded Frankie of a TV mom, Carlisle on the other hand looked nothing like what she thought a TV dad would look like. His pale skin and pale blonde hair and golden eyes, he was very handsome.
"Let's start playing." Carlisle said. "Jasper, Emmett and Edward against, Rosalie, Alice and myself."
"What are you going to do?" Frankie asked, Esme.
"I'm going to referee."
"She thinks we cheat." Emmett said, with a big grin.
"Oh, I know you cheat." Esme said, laughing back and then she turned to Frankie. "You can help me."
Alice stood at the pitchers pound, which seemed to far away to actually work, she lifted her leg in the air in a very typical pitcher stance and said in a loud clear voice.
"It's time." Alice said and just when she finished lightening strike and then she threw the ball or she must have, Frankie didn't see the ball at all. She heard the crack and then Emmett disappeared, and so did Edward.
"See why we need the lightening?" Esme asked.
"I can see where it would be important." Frankie said. "It's a homerun, right?"
"Edward's very fast." Esme said, and then out of nowhere a ball came and smacked against Emmett's head.
"Out." Esme said, and the game continued for a while longer.
Then everything changed, it only took a second, Alice's face became very blank and she dropped the ball and then Edward was beside Frankie.
"What's going on?" Frankie asked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see sooner." Alice said, and everyone besides Rosalie was surrounding Frankie. "They where planning on leaving but they heard us playing, they want to join."
"What?" Esme asked.
"The nomads heard us." Edward snapped. "They're on there way."
"Is there time?" Carlisle asked.
"No, not with her on my back."
"What do we do?" Esme asked.
"We play." Carlisle said, and he must have thought something because Edward shook his head briefly.
"Esme, you can take my place." Edward said. "I think I'll take a break."
"Okay." Esme said, and Edward sat on the ground beside Frankie.
"What did Carlisle asked you?" Frankie asked, and Edward seemed to debate weather or not to tell her the truth.
"He asked if they where thirsty."
"Are they?" Frankie asked, nervously.
"No." Edward said. "Don't be afraid, Frankie, I will protect you."
"I'm not scared." Frankie lied.
"Take your hair down." Edward said, pulling the hair tie out of her hair.
"It won't help, I can smell her across the field." Rosalie hissed.
"I know." Edward growled.
Everyone continued to play but the fun was gone, everyone stood ready and no one dared to hit anything harder then a bunt. Then they came, out of the woods, three very beautiful very scary vampires.
Two guys and a girl, one with a dark undercoat to his pale skin and long dreadlocks which suggested that he had been black in his human life, the other had medium blonde hair tied back into a pony and the last was the girl who had shockingly red hair against her skin. As they got closer Frankie saw there eyes, they where bright crimson red.
"Hello." The dreadlocked guy said. "I'm Laurent and this is James and Victoria, we thought we heard you playing. Could you use a few more players?"
"Yes, two of ours where just leaving." Carlisle said. "You can replace them."
"Have you been in the area long?" Laurent asked.
"We keep a permanite residence close by."
"Really?" Laurent asked.
"Yes, so I ask you be careful with your hunting, we wouldn't to arouse any suspicion."
"Of course, we've just ate anyway. How does it work, living here permanently?" Laurent asked.
"We travel to hunt, going as far north as Canada or Alaska at times and as far south as Oregon if needed." Carlisle said. "Why don't we go back to my place and speak more comfortably about it. We have plenty of space if you would like to wash up."
"It would be nice, it's been so long sense we've showered." Laurent said.
"I'll lead the way." Carlisle said, but at the moment when they seemed to be in the clear, the wind shifted, causing the hair around Frankie's neck to flutter forward.
Then all of the Cullen's stiffened into a fighting crouch as did the nomads.
"You brought a snack." James said, his eyes glinting.
"She is family." Carlisle said.
"But she's a human." James said the word 'human' as if it was something horrible.
"I said she's family." Carlisle repeated. "You will not harm her."
"Of course." Laurent said. "We will just be going then, we do not want to bother any."
The nomads carefully walked away, backwards never taking there eyes off of the Cullen family.
"I should have never let this happen, I'm so sorry, Frankie." Edward said, grabbing Frankie's arm and leading her quickly across the meadow, he was going to fast and Frankie had to jog to keep up.
"Slow down, Edward, I don't understand." Frankie said, jerking her arm back. Edward stopped and looked at Frankie, a wild glint in his eyes. "They said they where leaving, what's the big deal?"
"Because they where lying!" Edward hissed.
"Calm down, son." Carlisle said.
"How can I calm down? He's a tracker; he won't stop until he kills her. You didn't see it inside his head, this is his obsession. I have to get Frankie out of here, as far away as possible."
"I'm not leaving, I can't leave."
"You have to leave, he will kill you Frankie."
"What about Bella and Uncle Charlie? They let me into there house I can't leave them unprotected."
"You don't have a choice." Edward said, picking Frankie up and in a half a second they where at the jeep.
"Alice and Emmett you go with Edward, we'll go on foot." Carlisle said, and Frankie looked around surprised to see all of the Cullen's at the jeep. Edward set Frankie in the backseat and Emmett climbed in beside her.
"Buckle her in." Edward ordered, Emmett who did as he was told his usual smile was not on his face.
"Edward, I can't just leave Bella and Uncle Charlie! They've done so much for me!" Frankie said, as they drove as quickly as they could down the dirt road and then to the paved road.
"I won't forgive myself if something happens to you, Frankie."
"Well I won't forgive myself if something happens to them." Frankie said, clawing at the straps that held her in, Edward gave a swift glance to Emmett who grabbed Frankie's wrists making iron shackles.
"Edward, just listen – d."
"You're not safe there!" Edward yelled. "He will find you; he will smell your scent and he will kill you."
"He's not following us."
"No but it will only be a matter of time before he traces your scent around town."
"What if we go home and – we – we can just make him hear that we're leaving. So he won't kill Bella or Charlie, he'll be there and – he'll listen to me saying I have to leave. Please Edward, please."
"We'll go there, weather he's there or not, you say you're leaving and then you leave. If he isn't there then you're leaving regardless."
"He'll be there." Alice said after a minute.
"You have exactly five minutes from the moment you walk through the door." Edward said.
"Follow my lead." Frankie whispered. "Go away Edward! Just go away!"
Edward looked confused for a second but then Frankie closed the door.
"What's wrong, Frankie?" Charlie said, heaving himself out of the chair.
"I have to go, I can't stay here anymore."
"What did Edward do?" Bella asked.
"He didn't do anything." Frankie said. "I can't get close to him or anyone, I have to leave, and if I start to love people then they just die."
Frankie ran up the stairs. "Just leave me alone! You can't stop me."
Bella followed Frankie upstairs, which she was glad she did.
"What's wrong?" Bella asked, shocked when she saw Edward in the bedroom shoving a draw of clothes into a bag.
"Fifteen words or less." Frankie said. "Crazy tracker vampire is after me, Edward wants to take me away, please tell Quil."
"What vampire?"
"More then fifteen words, Bells." Frankie said, leaning over and kissing Bella's cheek.
"Hurry." Edward said, handing the small suitcase back and hurrying out the window.
"I'll call you when I can." Frankie said, hurrying out of the room and down the stairs.
"I'm leaving, Alice is taking me to the airport. I can't stay here anymore." Frankie said. "I'm sorry, Uncle Charlie, I love you I really do." Frankie said and hurried out of the house. Alice stood beside an all black Porche with tinted windows so dark you couldn't see in at all.
"How did you know?" Frankie whispered.
"It's getting easier to see you." Alice said, she climbed into the backseat and Frankie climbed into the passenger seat, Edward was in the driver seat he quickly pulled out and onto the road.
"Where are we going now?" Frankie asked.
"My house, put your seat belt on."
"Did he hear?" Frankie asked, ignoring.
"He got there halfway, he's following us now."
Frankie peered into the darkness but didn't see anything not that she'd thought she really would.
"Where's Emmett?"
"He headed back to the house, we're almost there." Edward said. "Please, put on your seat belt."
"Oh okay." Frankie said and buckled he self up, then Edward turned into a hidden driveway. Frankie had no idea how he even saw it, his headlights where off and it was over grown with trees.
"This is your house?" Frankie asked, when she saw the large beautiful house with a large front and back yard.
"What did you expect?" Edward asked, tensely. "Dungeons and moats."
"Not moats, but something different." Frankie said and Edward laughed a little and then he was out of the car and on the other side before Frankie could blink and in another swift motion he lifted her up and was inside the house. A large white room, with a large white couch and many other white objects was semi-crowded with the Cullen's and Laurent.
"I mean no harm, I came to warn you. James is an excellent tracker; I don't see you standing a chance against him." Laurent said. "I do wish you the best; I will do as you suggested Carlisle and visit the other vampires in Alaska."
"Laurent is right, we have to kill him." Edward said, a steel tone to his voice.
"I hate the idea of ending someone's life but he leaves no other choice."
"I'll take Frankie away, as far away as possible and you can take care of him."
"Won't he expect that?" Frankie asked. "He's going to expect you to be with me."
"I can leave you." Edward said.
"She has a point." Emmett said.
"I'm not stupid." Frankie said, slightly insulted.
"I won't."
"Jasper and I will be with her, Edward, I won't let anything happen. I promise."
Edward seemed to be in an internal conflict as he clenched his jaw.
"Fine." He said. "Rosalie you switch clothes with Frankie's to confuse the scent."
"Why should I? What is she to me but a lot of problems." Rosalie said.
"Edward loves her, which means she is family." Carlisle said.
"I'll put them on." Esme said. "May I?"
Esme held her arms out in a request to pick her up.
"Finally someone asks." Frankie said with a laugh and let Esme pick her up and they sped off and before Frankie could adjust she was in a large beautifully decorated bedroom.
"Here you put my clothes on." Esme said and she quickly pulled Frankie's clothes off and put hers on before she could comprehend.
"Do you guys do anything at normal speed?" Frankie said shaking her head.
"This is normal speed for us." Esme said with a little chuckle. "Let's get back downstairs."
This time they didn't stop in the living room but in the garage where Alice and Jasper where staring lovingly into each other's eyes, and Rosalie and Emmett where kissing. There where also several cars lined in a row, the white jeep, the black Porche, a red BMW and the silver Volvo and six quads.
"I want you to know, you're going to be okay." Edward said, holding Frankie's face in his cold hands. "I love you."
Frankie's heart began to flutter as she lost herself in his golden eyes.
"I love you." Frankie whispered before leaning up and kissing his gold lips.
There relationship had gotten to such a high level so quickly that if she hadn't had the feelings herself Frankie would have made fun of herself for falling so quickly for someone.
Then Edward's head snapped up as if he heard something that no one else did.
"What is it son? Is it James?" Carlisle asked.
"No." Edward said. "It's a werewolf, one of the Quileute's."
"It's probably Quil." Frankie said.
"Everything's just gone blank, the future is blank!" Alice said, worriedly.
There was the sound of someone outside of the garage door and then a knock.
"What is a mutt doing here?" Rosalie hissed.
"He's my friend, he's probably worried." Frankie hissed at Rosalie. "Let him in Edward."
"I can't see anything!" Alice repeated.
Edward walked forward and opened the door, Quil walked forward and was about to hug Frankie when Edward put his arm on his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Quil snapped.
"She's wearing Esme's clothes; I don't want you to ruin the scent." Edward said, with a shrug.
"I'm here to help, as are the other wolves." Quil said. "We'll help you defeat this wolf."
"We don't need help from a couple of puppies." Rosalie said.
"We're more powerful then you, we where designed to kill vampires." Quil said.
"Quil I don't want you or anyone else to get hurt." Frankie said.
"Our first priority is you." Quil said.
"You can't come." Edward said.
"Try and stop me." Quil said.
"You can't come because Alice can't see past your or any other wolves; to come would do more harm then good." Edward said.
"I can't just do anything!"
"You can't Bella and Charlie." Frankie said. "That would leave all of the Cullen's available to go after James."
"Is this what you want, Frankie?" Quil asked his dark eyes intense.
"Yes." Frankie said, with a little smile. "Keep them safe for me; the Cullen's will keep me safe."
"I'm putting my trust in you Edward." Quil said.
"I don't take that lightly." Edward said and Quil left giving Frankie one last look.
"I know where I can go." Frankie said.
"Where?" Edward asked.
"My Granny's, they won't be able to find me there and if I asked Granny wouldn't tell anyone I was there."
"Do you think she would be safe there?" Carlisle asked Edward.
"Her Grandmother is a witch, a very powerful witch." Edward said. "I believe she would be safe there."
"Where does you Granny live?" Carlisle asked.
"She lives in New Haven, New York."
"Let's go then." Carlisle said.