So now, dear readers, we have... THE INFAMOUS BASEBALL SCENE! While my Bella isn't as human and has more of an attitude as the real Bella, she is still going to have some level of confusion and stupidity. So... shall we go on?

The ride was quiet and we stopped at what I figured would turn into a lot of forest. Edward let me race him for a while, but then I gave in. Believe it or not, I know my own strengths and weaknesses. I knew there was no way I could keep up with a vampire, especially not one as fast as Edward. Besides, I loved getting piggy-back rides when I was younger and that wouldn't change just because Jason was taking the world's longest nap.

"It's time," Alice announced a few minutes after we reached the field. As soon as she spoke, a deep rumble of thunder shook the forest beyond us, and then crashed westward toward town.

"Eerie isn't it?" Emmett said with easy familiarity, winking at me.

"Let's go." Alice reached for Emmett's hand and they darted toward the oversized field; she ran like a gazelle. He was nearly as graceful and just as fast — yet Emmett could never be compared to a gazelle.

"Are you ready for some ball?" Edward asked, his eyes eager, bright.

I tried to sound appropriately enthusiastic. "Go team!"

He snickered and, after mussing my hair, bounded off after the other two. His run was more aggressive, a cheetah rather than a gazelle, and he quickly overtook them. The grace and power took my breath away.

"Shall we go down?" Esme asked in her soft, melodic voice, and I realized I was gaping after them. I quickly reassembled my expression and nodded. Esme kept a few feet between us, and I wondered if she was still being careful not to frighten me. Jason did that when I was younger, and I still have no idea how fast Leah really is. They were all about my safety, even when I learned about vampires. Definitely then. She matched her stride to mine without seeming impatient at the pace.

"You don't play with them?" I wondered why. I was sure just watching got a bit boring after awhile.

"No, I prefer to referee — I like keeping them honest," she explained.

"Do they like to cheat, then?"

"Oh yes — you should hear the arguments they get into! Actually, I hope you don't, you would think they were raised by hyenas."

Esme stopped then; apparently, we'd reached the edge of the field. It looked as if they had formed teams. Edward was far out in left field, Carlisle stood between the first and second bases, and Alice held the ball, positioned on the spot that must be the pitcher's mound.

Emmett was swinging an aluminum bat; it whistled almost untraceably through the air.

I waited for him to approach home plate, but then I realized, as he took his stance, that he was already there — farther from the pitcher's mound than I would have thought possible. Then I remembered. They're vampires.

Jasper stood several feet behind him, catching for the other team. Of course, none of them had gloves.

"All right," Esme called in a clear voice, which I knew even Edward would hear, as far out as he was. "Batter up."

Alice stood straight, deceptively motionless. Her style seemed to be stealth rather than an intimidating windup. She held the ball in both hands at her waist, and then, like the strike of a cobra, her right hand flicked out and the ball smacked into Jasper's hand.

Jasper hurled the ball back to Alice's waiting hand. She permitted herself a brief grin.

And then her hand spun out again.

This time the bat somehow made it around in time to smash into the invisible ball. The crack of impact was shattering, thunderous; it echoed off the mountains — I immediately understood the necessity of the thunderstorm.

The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the surrounding forest.

"Home run," I murmured. I wanted Emmett to win, if only to beat Edward.

"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I realized Edward was missing.

"Out!"

Esme cried in a clear voice. I stared in disbelief as Edward sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide grin visible even to me.

"Emmett hits the hardest," Esme explained, "but Edward runs the fastest." I'd forgotten that… it was the reason our game started in the first place. Edward was too fast.

The inning continued before my incredulous eyes. It was almost impossible to keep up with the speed at which the ball flew; the rate at which their bodies raced around the field.

I recalled the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when Jasper, trying to avoid Edward's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball toward Carlisle. Carlisle ran into the ball, and then raced Jasper to first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two massive falling boulders. I jumped up in concern, but then remembered. They were vampires. They would come out unscathed.

"Safe," Esme called in a calm voice.

Emmett's team was up by one — Rosalie managed to flit around the bases after tagging up on one of Emmett's long flies — when Edward caught the third out. He sprinted to my side, sparkling with excitement.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Pretty good. I bet I could do better though. I teased. He snorted.

"I'll take you up on that one day."

He played intelligently, keeping the ball low, out of the reach of Rosalie's always-ready hand in the outfield, gaining two bases like lightning before Emmett could get the ball back in play. Carlisle knocked one so far out of the field — with a boom that hurt my ears — that he and Edward both made it in. Alice slapped them dainty high fives.

The score constantly changed as the game continued, and they razzed each other like any street ballplayers as they took turns with the lead. Occasionally Esme would call them to order. The thunder rumbled on, but we stayed dry, as Alice had predicted.

Carlisle was up to bat, Edward catching, when Alice suddenly gasped.

My eyes were on Edward, as usual, and I saw his head snap up to look at her. Their eyes met and something flowed between them. He was at my side before the others could ask Alice what was wrong.

"Alice?" Esme's voice was tense.

"I didn't see — I couldn't tell," she whispered.

All the others were gathered by this time.

"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked with the calm voice of authority.

"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before," she murmured.

Jasper narrowed his eyes and crouched where he stood. "What changed?" He asked.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she said.

Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to my face and away.

"How soon?" Carlisle said, turning toward Edward.

A look of intense concentration crossed his face.

"Less than five minutes. They're running — they want to play." He scowled.

"Can you make it?" Carlisle asked him, his eyes flicking toward me again.

"No, not carrying —" He cut short.

"Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting."

"How many?" Emmett asked Alice.

"Three," she answered tersely.

"Three!" he scoffed. "Let them come." The steel bands of muscle flexed along his massive arms.

For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle deliberated.

Only Emmett seemed unperturbed; the rest stared at Carlisle's face with anxious eyes.

"Let's just continue the game," Carlisle finally decided. His voice was cool and level.

"Alice said they were simply curious."

I only saw the slight shake of his head and the look of relief on his wife's face.

"You catch, Esme," he said. "I'll call it now." And he planted himself in front of me.

The others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes. Alice and Esme seemed to orient themselves around where I stood.

The forest was silent as we awaited the three vampires.

"I believe this is yours." The darker one spoke in a jaunted French accent.

"Thank you." Carlisle muttered. He spoke clearly, but his voice held a strange tone and his eyes darkened slightly. He never liked being confused.

Carlisle shook me out of my trance.

"Are you alright?" He wondered. I nodded and James let out a growl.

"I'll be fine." I sighed.

"I am Laurent," The olive-skinned man murmured smoothly. "And these are Victoria and James."

Carlisle nodded. He was just as clueless as I was, but he knew where James was involved, there was always a plan. It was how things worked. "I'm Carlisle, and these are my family. Esme, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, Edward, Jasper, and Bella."

"I find it rather odd…" The French vampire mused. "that you can co-exist?" He muttered, allowing his astonishment to show through. "And with such a… mouthwatering human in so close proximity."

Jasper let out a low growl that was echoed by the rest of them.

"She is not food." Emmett hissed tersely.

"I'll have to disagree with you there." James smirked. "You all just made my day…" He purred.

"James…" Laurent muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the turn the game had taken.

"Come on, you two. You're going to help me prepare." He threw me a curious glance and I inclined my head ever so slightly. They were gone in seconds, leaving us to wonder what exactly was going on.

"He's a tracker." Edward growled. "He knows we'll protect her and now he'll do anything to get her. She's no longer safe here." I rolled my eyes. I wasn't completely helpless.

"So now what?" Jasper sneered.

"She has to get as far away from here as possible. That's what!" Edward barked.

I sighed and held out my hand, allowing him to lead me away from the others.

And we were running. Or rather, he was. I sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

Any questions? Comments? REVIEW!