A/N: Hello! Here's an outtake from the summer after Bella's graduation, so chronologically it falls between Chapters 21 and 22. Many thanks to AlltheOtherNamesAreUsed, who dropped everything to look this over last night.

JULY 2006

Bella was looking out her bedroom window, phone to her ear. She used her thumb to disconnect the call, and dropped her hand down to her side. Against the sunrise, dark gray clouds were rolling in over Forks.

Moving quickly, Bella got dressed. It was 5:30am. Alice had given her just enough time.

Charlie was out of the shower by the time she emerged from her room. Bella found him downstairs drinking coffee, already in uniform. "G'morning, Dad."

"Bella! What are you doing up so-"

She cut him off. "Dad, do you think if you called Deputy Snow he'd be able to come in for you today?"

"Why, what's wrong?" Charlie frowned at his daughter.

"Nothing. But, if you look at the weather forecast…" Bella gestured toward the window, and Charlie turned to look. "Thunderstorm, with light showers."

Charlie's expression remained confused, but only for a few seconds. A slow grin spreading across his face, he turned back to Bella.

"Call in today, Dad," Bella ordered and gave him a cheeky grin. She laughed when he stood up from the table, knocking his chair down in his haste to get to the phone. For the first time she'd ever seen, her father looked like an eager little boy.

Alice and Jasper arrived a short time later in their Lexus. Bella was used to the vehicle, since they'd driven her to school both when she'd hurt her wrist and later when her truck made the final trip to the big scrap heap in the sky. Bella didn't know why she didn't realize before now that it was a capable off-roading vehicle.

Alice got out of the passenger seat and respectfully gave it to Charlie. A raise of the eyebrows showed that Charlie noticed Alice and Jasper's corresponding outfits. He himself had changed into his usual off-duty duds: jeans, t-shirt, flannel with the sleeves rolled up. Bella had shaken her head at him when he'd come out of the bedroom. Only her father would wear flannel in the summer, though today he had reason.

Bella and Alice climbed into the backseat. With a nod of acknowledgement to both Charlie and Bella, Jasper drove. They were on their way. It wasn't long before Charlie's palpable excitement –despite his now stoic face- had Jasper grinning.

"You're gonna love it, Charlie," Alice said.

Charlie gave a grunt. "We'll see." But he turned and gave her the slightest wink.

When he turned around again, Bella smiled widely. She couldn't wait to see his face once the thunderous cracks filled the air. Soon Jasper turned onto a road that always looked more like a mountain path to Bella.

"Huh," Charlie said, taking in their location. The ride got bumpy, but as Bella watched her father, she could tell that he was enjoying it. This was one area where the two of them were clearly different. Bella still didn't enjoy the sensation of being jostled, bouncing up and down on the seat, but after a handful of trips like this, she had gotten used to it.

The road ended gradually, and they got out once the car could go no further. Thick and green, trees surrounded them like walls. Bella noticed that Charlie had lost his smile. He'd obviously realized that this was the point of their journey when the two of them would have to travel via vampire. To protect his male ego, Alice and Bella had already decided that they'd pair together, and take off first. Easily – so easily that Bella noticed Charlie's startled look – Alice lifted Bella onto her back. Then they were running. Bella kept her eyes shut tight, and prayed that Jasper would do his best to make this as easy for Charlie as possible.

Riding Alice's back was a lot different from the trip she had made in Edward's arms back in November. The sensation of things flying past wasn't nearly as tangible. Of course, Alice's slight body didn't block the air stream as well, but her innate grace made Bella feel as though she wasn't running at all. When they stopped and walked through the tall wet ferns and draping moss, Bella thought that the journey had been relatively easy.

Bella wanted to turn and look for Charlie, but she knew she had to wait. Circling around the large hemlock tree that marked the exit from the woods, Bella strode into the open field. The overcast weather had made the woods seem especially dark, and stepping out of them was like moving from night into day. Esme, Maggie and Carlisle were all already there. A hundred yards away, they waved at her. They were wearing the same matching white jerseys that Alice and Jasper were, complete with ball caps – all of which bore a varsity letter C. Strolling toward them, Bella heard the scuffle of footsteps behind her and turned.

Charlie was pale, and blinking almost unseeingly at the field. His first step listed him to the side a bit, but he easily recovered. His face brightened, once he got a good look at Maggie laying out the bases.

"They really space them that far apart?" he asked Bella.

"Uh-huh," Bella answered, working out a crick in her jaw. Together they walked toward the outcropping of rock where the Cullens were currently gathered. Charlie was looking all around.

"Chief, glad you could make it." Carlisle clasped hands with Charlie once they reached the rest of the family.

"How do you make this work with only five of you?"

"One outfielder, and the pitcher doubles for infield. Esme catches and remains neutral."

"Don't you need more than two batters?"

Carlisle smiled. "Very rarely."

Charlie raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, scratching his temple. "Well, alright then."

Carlisle clapped him on the back. "Just watch. After you get the hang of things you can coach third base." He walked away to select his bat.

"It's girls against guys today," Esme explained as Maggie stayed in the outfield and Alice was ready to pitch.

Carlisle was first up to bat. Alice remained perfectly still, body straight and hands at her waist, holding the ball. Her wrist moved –

CRACK!

Charlie jumped. "What? Where?"

Maggie was nowhere in sight and Carlisle had rounded second base on his way to third. Alice waited at home plate, her hand up in the air. A beat later, Carlisle was sliding in just as Alice's arm arced downward to tag him, ball in hand.

"Out!" Esme declared.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," Charlie said.

"Alice has a striking cobra style to pitching," Bella said. "She doesn't want to give them any clues."

"I barely saw her move, never even got the chance to look at Dr. Cullen." Charlie's eyes were wide.

"Watch Jasper now." Said vampire had just stepped up to the plate. Unlike Alice, he looked nothing like a statue. He twirled the bat in one hand before getting into his stance.

"Southpaw," Charlie commented.

Bella laughed. "He'll bat on the other side of the plate next time he's up. They're all ambidextrous."

"Must be nice," he responded just as Jasper swung at the ball. He did it with flair, letting go with one hand so that bat went behind his head before he dropped it and ran the bases. Alice waited for Jasper at third, but he shot past her, avoiding the tag and making it home.

The men scored five more runs before it was their turn to take the field. Charlie was in utter bliss, calling out advice and taunting Jasper, whom he'd decided to nickname "Hollywood." He munched on the peanuts Bella had brought, commenting that if it weren't morning he'd want a beer.

"Come now, don't I know how to take care of you?" Bella asked, reaching into her bag and pulling out a brown paper bag. Inside were two cans of Rainier.

"Bella, you did not just ride in a car with beer," Charlie said, taking the bag from her. Though it was close, Charlie couldn't quite manage the frown. He was in too good a mood.

Bella crossed her arms. "It's unopened, the car was definitely driven by someone over twenty-one, and I was accompanied by my father."

"Who didn't know you were hiding alcohol."

"I'm sorry, who's asking for a beer at seven in the morning?"

Charlie looked at his watch. "It's eight, but you have a point. I'll only have one and I'll drink it very slowly."

Bella laughed again. "Maybe you should talk to Carlisle about avoiding the temptations of a dangerous drink."

"This will be my only one today," Charlie promised, cracking it open, the light drizzle making a tiny ping when it the can. "Enabler."

Bella knew he was sincere; Charlie wasn't a heavy drinker by any means, but he liked a Rainer with his sports. Bella munched on a peanut. Alice had just scored a run.

"That's my girl!" Charlie shouted.

"Get the next one, Jasper!" Bella retaliated.

"Don't let Hollywood psych you out, Maggie!"

"Sorry, Charlie, she's going down," Bella said as Jasper's wind up resulted in a strike as the ball smacked into Esme's hand.

"Wait for the good pitches; wait for the good pitches!"

Maggie swung, hitting the ball with the very tip of the bat. It went out and high. Bella was able to follow it as it rose straight up for a second or two before she lost sight of it. Looking down again, it was obvious that Carlisle and Jasper could still see it. They both started running at the same moment, each wanting to catch the pop fly.

"They're going to crash," Charlie said with some concern.

"Uh-huh," Bella agreed, not looking away.

Apropos, thunder crashed right before Jasper and Carlisle collided. The sound was like a much much amplified echo of the thunder. Even expecting it, Bella and Charlie both flinched. When the two male vampires rose, Carlisle held his hand in the air, clutching the baseball.

"Out," Esme called officially.

Charlie took another swig of his beer. "Think we can get them to play the Quileutes?"

Bella shook her head. "You're Switzerland, Dad. You figure it out."

Later, Charlie and Bella returned home damp and elated. He immediately tossed the empty Rainer can into recycling, and put the unopened one in the fridge. (Law-abiding, Charlie had put them in the trunk during the drive back.)

Catching the door as Charlie closed it, Bella pulled it open again. "I'll get lunch started. Sandwiches."

Charlie nodded his assent. He went about the house happily, heading to the bathroom and returning to the kitchen. Bella didn't have to ask whether or not he had a good time. She was just happy to see him in such a good and lasting mood. He didn't say a word until they were munching their tomato sandwiches.

"You know, that was one of the best games I've been to."

"I'm sorry you missed the busier one when Edward and Rosalie came for graduation. Edward can run extremely fast. It's almost impossible to score a run when he's in the outfield."

"Two more players would have been interesting." Charlie wiped his mouth with a napkin. "But, Bella, no matter how fast they can run or how hard they can hit, baseball just isn't the same without all the smells and sounds. I missed the dust rising from the dirt, the sound of cleats on tar, and most importantly the sound of the baseball hitting a leather glove."

Bella tried not to feel offended. She really did. "You had fun. They have fun."

"Of course. But, Bella, the human elements of the game were missing." Charlie got up and put his empty plate in the sink before leaving the kitchen. Bella sat at the table alone, trying to gather her scattered thoughts.

A/N: I'm afraid that Ch. 22 of Moonlit isn't going to post any time too soon. :( It will, however, begin with Bella and Carlisle in her new car and on their way to Vermont, and will recap events from the last chapter on. I just couldn't resist giving you folks a chapter of the two of them alone together for a couple of days. Hopefully, you'll find it worth the extended wait.