A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long guys but we are coming closer to the end now and I am starting to change more things from the original novel! In fact, I have changed the ending quite a bit from Twilight which is why this took so long. Thank you so much for your patience and support! It really means the world to me to know that you guys are reading this and have been patiently awaiting my updates since this story began over a year ago now! Special thanks to Rose and KC for their awesome super encouragement and motivation.

Chapter Seventeen – The Game

After convincing Blaine that there was no way I was going to the game without getting changed first, he dropped me home. I was in the middle of deciding between my Armani vest and the Gucci one when my cell rang.

"If you're calling to ask me if I've made up my mind on the outfit yet, the answer is still no."

"Kurt? It's me," Rachel said. "And don't even think of wearing designer. We're going to be outside!"

"Oh, hey, Rach!" It took me a moment to catch on to what she was saying. "Did I miss something – did you justsay we were going to be hanging together outside?"

"I did! Since Blaine invited me to the baseball game! He said you weren't one for sports and you could probably do with the company."

So that explained it. I was definitely going to have to have a word with him. "Okay. Well I'm going to be a while sorting through my clothes so spill – how was the dance?"

"It was so much fun!" Rachel gushed. Needing no more invitation than that, she launched into a minute-by-minute account of the previous night.

"You did WHAT?"

Rachel giggled. "I said we went second base!"

"Oh I heard you! But have you not heard of too much information?" I let that sink in for a bit. "Seriously though - what are you wearing to the game? Wait – don't answer that. Ugh! Why is this so difficult?"

"Why don't you just borrow some of Finn's old clothes? I don't think you own anything that's worth getting dirty in a baseball field and I'm sure he wouldn't mind or even notice if you didn't tell him."

"True," I admitted, "But you're forgetting one thing - I wouldn't be caught dead in Finn's clothes. Are you coming over or what?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way over now. And be ready to tell me when I arrive exactly what you got up to yesterday, Kurt. I want DETAILS."

She hung up just as I heard Burt's car in the garage. In the end I settled for some loose fitting jeans and a plain white tee and spiked my hair with just a little gel. It was nowhere near as much as Blaine used but it was in there all the same. I sprinted downstairs to meet with Burt.

"Hi there, kiddo!" Burt called as he walked into the kitchen. I waved at him.

"Hey, Dad," I said. He was scrubbing his hands in the sink. "Where's the fish?"

"I put it out in the freezer."

"I'll go grab a few pieces before they freeze or we still have some that Artie dropped over of Harry Clearwater's." I worked to sound enthusiastic but even though there was a million ways I could cook it, I was getting sick of fish.

"Harry's mix?" Burt's eyes lit up. "That's my favorite. Nothing like a good fish fry and a son who knows how to cook it."

Burt cleaned up while I got dinner ready. I really hoped Rachel would show up soon. Maybe I could convince her to take some of the fish home.

"So what did you get up to today?" Burt asked.

"I was at Blaine's," I said casually, "Didn't I tell you?"

"Maybe," Burt said, "I can't really remember. How was Dr. Cullen's house?"

"It was amazing, Dad. It was so timeless. Blaine wanted to introduce me to his parents so he took me. They were really nice… Dad?" It appeared that Burt was having an aneurysm.

"Dad, are you all right?"

"How old is Blaine again?"

"We're both juniors," I said, though I was getting a little curious. "Hang on - I thought you said you liked the Cullens. I thought you didn't mind me dating Blaine?"

"I know what I said Kurt but it's just… Wait…" He paused. "Doesn't one of his brother's have a Mohawk?"

"That would be Puck."

"Hmm… and Blaine's not into that, is he?"

"Where are you going with this?!"

"I'm sorry… I just don't want you to be around the wrong influence, y'know? You'll understand when you have kids."

"We're talking about Blaine, Dad. You've met him? Several times… Don't embarrass me with all the boyfriend talk, okay?"

"Is he coming over?"

"He and Rachel will be here in a few minutes, yes."

"Where is he taking you?"

I groaned loudly. "We're going to play baseball with his family."

His face puckered, and then he finally chuckled. "You're playing baseball?"

"That's why Rachel's joining us. Blaine'll be playing. I'll be watching and she'll be keeping me company."

I hadn't realized how hard it was pouring outside but even the downpour couldn't hide the noise of the engine we both heard pull up. I distracted myself with the dishes as Burt answered it. Soon enough, Blaine stood there, the surrounding porch light giving the impression that a halo hung over his angelic head. He looked like a male model in an advertisement for raincoats.

"Come on in, Blaine." Burt welcomed.

"Thanks, Mr. Hummel," Blaine said in a respectful voice.

"Didn't I tell you to start calling me Burt? Here, I'll take your jacket."

Blaine sat down fluidly in the only single chair, forcing me to sit next to Burt on the sofa as I joined them. I quickly shot him a dirty look. He winked behind Burt's back.

"So I hear you're getting my boy to watch baseball." Only in Washington would the fact that it was raining buckets have no bearing at all on the playing of outdoor sports.

"Yes, sir, that's the plan." He didn't look surprised that I'd told my father the truth. He might have been listening, though.

"Well, more power to you, I guess." Burt laughed, and Blaine joined in.

"Okay." I stood up. "Enough humor at my expense. When is Rachel getting here?" I walked back to the hall and pulled on my jacket. They followed.

"She should be here soon," Blaine told me. Behind him, Burt nodded.

"Not too late, kiddo."

"Don't worry, Burt, I'll have Kurt home early," Blaine promised.

"You take care of my boy, all right?"

"He'll be safe with me, I promise, sir." Burt couldn't doubt Blaine's sincerity, it rang in every word.

"It's Burt. And thank you."

I stalked out. I hated the way they were talking about me as if I were a kid. They both laughed, and Blaine followed me.

I had seen a lot of cars in my time, especially having a father who was a mechanic. But I had never before seen such a monster Jeep. I stood dead on the front porch.

Its tires were higher than my waist. There were metal guards over the headlights and tail-lights, and four large spotlights attached to the crash bar. The hardtop was shiny red.

Burt let out a low whistle. "Now that's a sweet ride!" he exclaimed. "Oh look, here's Rachel."

Rachel parked her car near the front of our house and then ran over trying to avoid the rain. I needed to remind myself to give her wardrobe a makeover. She looked like she was getting ready for an annual knitting competition.

"Hello, Mr. Hummel," she said sweetly. "Blaine, Kurt. Let's play ball!"

"Wear your seat belts, all of you!" Burt choked out.

Blaine opened the door for both of us. There was a quite a distance to the seat so Rachel had to be lifted in. I jumped and almost missed it, but Blaine had caught me with one hand. I hope Burt hadn't noticed. He was still standing by our door.

Blaine turned the key and the engine roared to life. We pulled away from the house.

"This is a… um… big Jeep you have." Rachel said admiringly.

"Thank you. It belongs to my brother, Puck."

I don't know how Blaine found his way in the rain, but we came across what seemed to be a mountain path. For a long while conversation with either him or Rachel was impossible, because Rachel and I were bouncing up and down on the seat like jackhammers and I could tell Rachel was enjoying it as much as I was - which meant we both hated it. Blaine seemed to enjoy the ride, though, smiling hugely the whole way.

And then we came to the end of the road; the trees formed green walls on three sides of the Jeep. The rain had become a mere drizzle, slowing every second, the sky becoming brighter through the clouds.

When we stopped, Rachel was the first out of the car. She looked at me with a too cheeky smile on her face. "I'm going to go find Mercedes. Give you two a little time to say hello to each other before the game starts…"

She winked at me and I had to remember to thank her later. I turned to Blaine. I still couldn't believe he had got her to tag along.

"Hi," I said, trying to sound confident but staggering slightly as I walked over to him.

"Hi," he said back, closing the space between us and placing his hands on my waist. "My name's Blaine."

"Kurt."

He gestured for my hand and then kissed the back of my palm slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. He paused for a second and then began a small trail of kisses past my hand and up my arm until he reached my shoulder, and then just past my ear, his cool breath inviting. He kissed me again just below my earlobe and then slowly down towards and across my cheek, stopping just at the corner of my mouth.

He then took my face in his hands almost roughly, and kissed me in earnest, his unyielding lips moving against mine. I kissed him back passionately throwing my arms over his neck and sucking his bottom lip. He moaned.

"Damn it, Kurt!" he broke off, gasping. "You'll be the death of me, I swear you will."

I leaned over, bracing my hands against my knees for support. "I thought you said you were indestructible?" I mumbled, trying to catch my breath.

"That seems to now only apply to the time before I met you. C'mon, let's get out of here. I know a shortcut."

We hadn't been walking very long but the ground was so muddy that I had only walked three or four steps before I slid embarrassingly and fell to the ground. Huffed, I picked myself up, as I brushed the mud and bracken off the back of my jacket. He was laughing at me.

"Your reflexes take a vacation did they?" I asked. "And you wondered why this wardrobe choice was so difficult for me to make… You would have totally had to compensate me if I had damaged anything more expensive!"

That only made him laugh harder. Annoyed, I began to stride off into the forest but it wasn't long before I felt his arm around my waist.

"Do you even know where you're going, Kurt?"

"Yes, I do thank you! To watch a baseball game! I won't even be bothered if you don't come. I'm sure the others will have fun without you."

"Well at least I'll make it there. You're going the wrong way." I turned around without looking at him, and stalked off in the opposite direction. He caught up to me quickly and caught my waist again.

"Don't be mad, I couldn't help myself. You should have seen your face." He chuckled before he could stop himself.

"Oh trust me, I'm not mad… Hey! Did I tell you the time I used to make mud pies as a kid?"

Blaine looked at me curiously as I crouched down playing with the dirt I had just detested not even moments ago.

"No… I don't think you mentioned that particular story."

"No? Well, in that case I think you should try one!"

This time Blaine's reflexes were in full swing. I threw the mud at him and he held his arms up to catch the wet ball of dirt but as mud wasn't something that could simply be caught, it exploded when it landed on him, bursting into a dirty mess all over his checkered sweater.

He looked down at the spoiled sweater and then up at me; his mouth was aghast. "This was Ralph Polo."

I shrugged, "Yeah but the design you're wearing is so last year. Actually, I think I like it better now."

His mouth was a flat line stretched across his perfect face as he stared at me. As the corners of his mouth began to twitch, he broke out into a goofy smile.

A goofy, adorable, silly, mischievous smile.

"Blaine? Blaine, what are you-?"

He pounced.

I fell backwards landing on my back into the mud. I could feel the exact moment it completely nestled in and ruined my hair. Blaine was on top of me, laughing harder than I had ever seen him before. To my benefit he was distracted enough that when I pushed him off me, he wasn't resisting me like he did with his usual strength, which meant that I was able to get him on his back in the mud.

He laughed even more.

I joined him.

I'd been straddling his hips to secure him into place but my ribs were hurting from laughing so much so that I had to lie on his chest while the laughter subsided.

"I love you," he said. "And not because we just had such a sexy mud fight. I just… do."

It was the first time he'd said he loved me — or at least using those three precise words. He might not realize it, but I certainly did.

"I love you, too."

"Now, please try to behave yourself," he continued, and he bent to softly brush his lips against mine. "My whole family will be there. And Rachel."

"Ugh. Blaine, the romantic moment is gone. Thank God I brought spare clothes in your Jeep."

"Yes, that was a good thing. I will never question your ability to predict when a change of clothes is needed ever again."

After I'd changed, (Blaine too had changed his sweater and fixed his hair), he led me a few feet through the tall, wet ferns and draping moss, around a massive hemlock tree, and we were there, on the edge of an enormous open field in the lap of the Olympic peaks. It was twice the size of any baseball stadium.

I could see the others all there; Emma, Puck, Quinn and Sam, sitting on a bare outcropping of rock, were the closest to us, maybe a hundred yards away. Much farther out I could see Rachel and Mercedes, talking and laughing. It looked like Will was marking bases, but they were a lot further apart than they usually were in baseball. Even I knew that. I wondered how they were going to explain this to Rachel without ruining their secret.

Emma started toward us. Puck followed after a long look at Quinn's back; Quinn had risen gracefully and strode off toward the field without a glance in our direction. My stomach quivered uneasily in response.

"Was that you we heard, Blaine?" Emma asked as she approached.

"It sounded like a bear choking," Puck clarified.

I smiled hesitantly at Emma. "That was him."

"Kurt was being unintentionally funny," Blaine explained, quickly settling the score.

Mercedes had left Rachel and was running, or dancing, toward us. She hurtled to a fluid stop at our feet. "It's time," she announced.

"Wait!" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me, "How have you explained this to Rachel?"

"You'll see…" Mercedes winked. 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?" Puck said with easy familiarity, winking at me.

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

"Are you ready for some ball?" Blaine 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. Rachel soon caught up to me.

"Jesus, Kurt! What happened to your hair? And did you change your clothes?"

I nodded cheekily, "I sort of slipped into the mud and long story short – Blaine told me he loved me!"

She squealed and then clasping her hands with mine, we jumped up and down on the spot like two freshman girls gushing over One Direction.

"Shall we go down?" Emma asked her voice quiet and I forgot she had been standing so close. I quickly reassembled and nodded. Emma kept a few feet between us, and I wondered if she was just being careful given that Rachel and I were two too many humans. She matched her stride to mine without seeming impatient at the pace.

"Don't you play, Mrs. Cullen?" Rachel asked.

"No, I prefer to referee — I like keeping them honest," she explained. "Psychology's what I'm best at."

"Do they like to cheat, then?" I should have guessed.

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

"You sound like my mom," I laughed, surprised. "I still remember everything about her. I can't believe she's gone." Rachel gave me a sincere look as if to ask me what was wrong.

"Well, this is nice and all," I answered her silent question, "but it hurts at the same time – wait, does that make sense?"

"It does," Rachel said gripping my hand, "It only just happened before you moved here -we can both understand why that still hurts. But you can talk about it you know."

I gently squeezed Rachel's hand back.

Emma looked over at the gesture. "I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, Kurt. I know our situations aren't the same but I guess my pain is in reverse… did Blaine tell you I had lost a child?"

"No," I murmured, stunned, scrambling to understand what lifetime she was remembering. Rachel looked over to me and clearly she was remembering the story she had told me of Emma when I had first met her. She looked sorry for it now. Emma didn't seem to notice her guilt. She stopped then; apparently, we'd reached the edge of the field. It looked as if they had formed teams. Blaine was far out in left field, Will stood between the first and second bases, and Mercedes held the ball, positioned on the spot that must be the pitcher's mound.

Puck 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.

I was more worried about Rachel's reaction to this more so than anything else, but she leaned over to me and in my ear whispered, "It's a super advanced form of baseball. Very exclusive. Only the elite play it per these rules. Naturally, that's why the Cullens adopted it."

I nodded; Mercedes obviously had a way of words if Rachel had gone so far to believe her.

Sam stood several feet behind Puck, catching for the other team. Of course, none of them needed gloves but were wearing them for Rachel's sake.

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

Mercedes was the first to pitch. She held the ball in both hands at her waist, and then, like the players I briefly saw Burt watch on TV, her right hand flicked out and the ball smacked straight into Sam's hand.

"Was that a strike?" I whispered to Rachel.

She paused, "I guess so… Mrs. Cullen?"

"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," she explained.

Sam hurled the ball back to Mercedes' 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.

"Wait," Emma cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Puck was a blur around the bases, even if he wasn't running as fast as I knew he would be capable of without Rachel here. Will was shadowing Puck intently. I realized Blaine was missing.

"Out!" Emma cried in a clear voice. Rachel and I stared in disbelief as Blaine sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide grin visible even to me.

"Puck hits the hardest," Emma explained, "but Blaine runs the fastest." The inning continued before our incredulous eyes. It was barely possible to keep up with the speed of the ball and the players. Rachel didn't watch too much baseball of her own on TV so she naturally assumed the Cullens were just mightily talented. We were enjoying ourselves but our conversation was also rather riveting and I was glad she was there to share this with.

I learned the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when Sam, trying to avoid Blaine's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball toward Will. Will ran into the ball, and then raced Sam to first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two massive falling boulders. I jumped up in concern, but they were somehow unscathed. Rachel had her hand over her mouth but then she was clapping.

"Safe!" Emma called in a calm voice.

Puck's team was up by one — Quinn managed to flit around the bases after tagging up on one of Puck's long flies — when Blaine caught the third out. He jogged over to see Rachel and me.

"What do you think guys?" he asked.

"One thing's for sure," I started, "I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again."

"And it sounds like you did so much of that before," he laughed.

"I agree!" Rachel said, and I hit her shoulder playfully.

"I'm up," Blaine said, heading for the plate.

He played intelligently, keeping the ball low, out of the reach of Quinn's always-ready hand in the outfield, gaining two bases like lightning before Puck could get the ball back in play. Will knocked one so far out of the field that he and Blaine both made it in. Mercedes 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 Emma would call them to order. The thunder rumbled on, but we stayed dry, as Mercedes had predicted despite the small downpour in the car over on the way here.

Rachel and I were in the midst of a heated discussion when Mercedes suddenly gasped. I saw Blaine's eyes immediately magnetize towards her. Rachel and I shared a look and I could tell she was just as worried as I was. I might be in on the secret but how was Blaine going to explain this to Rachel?

Rachel and I had caught up to her but I knew just from looking at her that something was very wrong

"Mercedes?" Rachel's voice was tense.

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

All the others had joined us. I grabbed Rachel's hand and Blaine was already by my side.

"What is it, Mercedes?" Will 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.

I turned to Rachel but she didn't look even the mildest bit surprised. I tried to catch her gaze but she wouldn't look at me.

Sam leaned over Mercedes, his posture protective. "What changed?" he asked.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she said, contrite, as if she felt responsible for whatever had frightened her.

Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to Rachel and me before turning away.

"How soon?" Will said, turning toward Blaine. A look of intense concentration crossed my boyfriend's face as they both turned to Mercedes.

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

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

"No, I —" He cut short. "Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting."

At this, I was definitely sure they couldn't cover anything from Rachel now. I stood right in front of her, forcing her to look at me. But she sighed.

"It's okay, Kurt. I know. Mercedes and I have been friends since freshman year. Having a common interest in amazing singers will cause friendships as close as ours."

"But… how… I…" I spluttered but there was no time for my new found discovery.

"How many?" Puck asked Mercedes.

"Three," she answered tersely.

"Three!" Puff scoffed. "Fine, let them come." The steel bands of muscle flexed along his massive arms. "They don't stand a chance against these guns!" He kissed his biceps quickly. I saw Quinn roll her eyes.

For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Will deliberated. Only Puck seemed unperturbed; the rest stared at Will's face with anxious eyes.

"Let's just continue the game," Will finally decided. His voice was cool and level. "Mercedes said they were simply curious."

All this was said in a flurry of words that lasted only a few seconds. I had listened carefully and caught most of it, though I couldn't hear what Emma now asked Blaine with a silent vibration of her lips. I only saw the slight shake of his head and the look of relief on her face.

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

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

"Take your hair down," Blaine whispered to Rachel in a low, even voice. She obediently slid the rubber band out of her hair and shook it out around me. Blaine started fussing with her hair but Mercedes was doubtful.

"That won't help," she said softly. "I could smell them both from across the field."

Will stood at the plate, and the others joined the game halfheartedly.

"What did Emma ask you?" I whispered to Blaine.

He hesitated for a second before he answered. "Whether they were thirsty," he muttered unwillingly.

The seconds ticked by but the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared to hit too hard, and Puck, Quinn, and Sam hovered in the infield, their heart no longer in the game. I wasn't as scared as I should be, not with Blaine here, not knowing that I wouldn't have to hide anything from Rachel anymore. Sharing my secret with her made me feel stronger and I couldn't be scared for myself because I had to be strong for her. She might have been a pain in the ass but outside of Blaine and his family she and I were pretty close.

Now and again, I was surprisingly aware of Quinn's eyes on Rachel and me. They were expressionless, but something about the way she held her mouth made me think she was angry.

Blaine paid no attention to the game at all, eyes and mind ranging the forest.

"I'm sorry, Kurt," he muttered fiercely. "It was stupid, irresponsible, to expose you and Rachel like this. I'm so sorry." I heard his breath stop, and his eyes zeroed in on right field. He took a half step, angling himself between me and what was coming.

Will, Puck, and the others turned in the same direction, hearing approaching footsteps much too faint for Rachel or I to hear.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please review - I'd love to know what you think of the changes I made! The next chapter's only about three-thousand words so it should be out a lot sooner than you had to wait for this! And we finally meet our nomads! Can anyone guess who they are?

yaoilover: I'm still working on your prompt. It's only going to be a one-shot but I'm still working on it! ;) I haven't forgotten you or your loyalty! :)