A/N: Almost at 100 reviews! So excited! I'm loving being able to update regularly. We're at chapter 14, which makes me excited. So, please continue reviewing and letting me know what you think. This is also the longest chapter so far! I had planned on putting all of the baseball/Arizona event in this chapter but it got REALLY long, so I split in up between a few chapters.
Question: How do YOU think Sam is gonna react once he sees Katie again?
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it belongs to Stephenie Meyer or (by a rare chance) re-reading the story. She does a better job with descriptions than I could ever hope to do, so I have used it in this story.
Oh, and if you're looking for a good Jacob/OC story, go check out Ignited Inflamed at Naivette. She is in my favorite stories and author. Please go check the author out!
Waking up the next day was hard. I felt like there was a huge gap in my heart. There was nothing I could do to fix it. I knew exactly what it was. I missed Sam. Thankfully, the pain killers had knocked me out for most of the day. Bella was already gone when I got downstairs so I assumed she was with Edward.
After I got out of the shower and taking the bag off my splint, I looked in the mirror and realized that I wanted to change something about myself. After a few minutes of debating, I decided to dye my hair. Thankfully, dad hadn't taken my keys away. Dad had decided that he didn't want me driving anywhere. I don't know if he was more worried about my hand or my "anger management issues". I didn't want to tell him that I broke it on Sam's face so I told him that we got in a huge fight and I ended up punching a wall out of anger.
But, I carefully drove in town and to the nearest hair salon, where I proceeded to get my hair dyed. I didn't want to go too drastic measures, so I settled on a dark brown, much like Bella's hair. Once she had dyed and dried my hair, she proceeded to straighten in. I loved the end result.
After I got home, was in the kitchen, trying to send emails on my laptop to my professors about my broken hand. Hopefully, they would allow me to do the classes online for a few weeks. Since my right hand was my dominant hand, I used it for the punch, meaning it was my right hand that was broken.
"Here, let me take that." I heard Bella's voice enter the house. I knew that from the creaking on the floor that it wasn't Edward with her. So, I slowly shut my laptop and set on the couch. Once it was safely set down, I walked to the doorway and saw Billy and Jacob Black.
"You'll want to put it in the fridge," Billy noted as he handed Bella a package. "It's some of Harry Clearwater's homemade fish fry - Charlie's favorite. The fridge keeps it drier." He shrugged.
"Thanks," Bella said. "Me and Katie were running out of new ways to fix fish, and he's bound to bring home more tonight."
"Fishing again?" Billy asked with a subtle gleam in his eye. "Down at the usual spot? Maybe I'll run by and see him."
"No," I lied, interrupting the conversation, "He was headed someplace new... but I have no idea where." Billy had no business going to dad about Edward. I knew that he was dangerous for Bella, but it only took one look at the two of them together to see how much they cared for each other.
"Jake," Billy said. "Why don't you go get that new picture of Rebecca out of the car? I'll leave that for Charlie, too."
"Where is it?" Jacob asked; staring at the floor, his eyebrows pulling together.
"I think I saw it in the trunk," Billy said. "You may have to dig for it." As soon as he had spoken, Jacob slouched back out into the rain.
I followed Bella into the kitchen as she went to put Harry's fish fry in the fridge. Behind us, I heard Billy's wheelchair wheels.
"Charlie won't be back for a long time." Bella rudely said, staring at Billy. He only nodded in response. "Thanks again for the fish fry."
Bella," he said, and then he hesitated. "Bella," he said again, "Charlie is one of my best friends." Suddenly, I felt like I was in the middle of an ultra private conversation. So, I quietly tried to sneak out of the kitchen. As soon as I made it to the hallway, I stood beside the door frame, eavesdropping.
"Yes."
He spoke each word carefully in his rumbling voice. "I noticed you've been spending time with one of the Cullens."
"Yes," Bella repeated curtly.
"Maybe it's none of my business, but I don't think that is such a good idea."
"You're right," She agreed. "It is none of your business."
"You probably don't know this, but the Cullen family has an unpleasant reputation on the reservation."
"Actually, I did know that, but that reputation couldn't be deserved, could it? Because the Cullens never set foot on the reservation, do they?"
"That's true," he acceded, his eyes guarded. "You seem... well informed about the Cullens. More informed than I expected."
"Maybe even better informed than you are."
"Maybe. Is Charlie as well informed?"
"Charlie likes the Cullens a lot,"
"It's not my business," he said. "But it may be Charlie's."
"Though it would be my business, again, whether or not I think that it's Charlie's business, right?"
"Yes," he finally surrendered. "I guess that's your business, too." I heard Bella sigh with relief. "Thanks, Billy."
"Just think about what you're doing, Bella," he urged.
"Okay," She agreed quickly.
"What I meant to say was, don't do what you're doing."
"I think it's time for you to go." I walked back into the kitchen, staring hard at Billy.
"Kathr-" Just then the front door banged loudly, and I jumped at the sound.
"There's no picture anywhere in that car." Jacob's complaining voice reached us before he did. The shoulders of his shirt were stained with the rain, his hair dripping, when he rounded the corner.
"Hmm," Billy grunted, suddenly detached, spinning his chair around to face his son. "I guess I left it at home."
Jacob rolled his eyes dramatically. "Great."
"Well, Bella, tell Charlie" - Billy paused before continuing - "that we stopped by, I mean."
"I will," I muttered.
Jacob was surprised. "Are we leaving already?"
"Charlie's gonna be out late," Billy explained as he rolled himself past Jacob.
"Oh." Jacob looked disappointed. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, then, Bella."
"Sure," I agreed.
"Take care," Billy warned me. I didn't answer. "And, Katherine," I turned and looked him in the face. "You need to call Sam, he's all torn up." Then, they left the house. I watched out the window as Jacob helped Billy into the truck and as they drove away.
"Thanks for saving me." Bella said after they drove out of sight.
"You're my little sister. I'll always have your back." Then, I walked over to her and did something we have never done – hugged.
"Wait, you dyed your hair." Bella stated.
"Do you like it?"
"It looks nice on you." She was silent for a moment. "Do you want to come watch baseball? The Cullens are playing." She offered after we pulled away from the hug.
"In this weather?" I asked, gesturing to the window, where it was slightly drizzling outside. "Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude…" That and I didn't feel comfortable around vampires.
"Alice already saw you coming." Wait, what? When I raised my eyebrow, she blushed. "Oh, she can see the future."
"Vampires can see the future?" I kept my eyebrow raised.
"No, just Alice."
"They play baseball?"
"It's America's favorite pastime." She chuckled, as if there was an inside joke. I'm sure there was. "You like baseball."
"Well, then I guess I better get ready." I spoke sarcastically, but when I saw the look in Bella's eyes and realized that I had no plans tonight, I nodded and walked upstairs to grab a jacket. It took a few minutes of searching, but I finally found it. I walked downstairs and hung it on the hook, ready for later.
Dad came home and Bella fixed some of the fish fry that Billy had brought over earlier. Dad was clearly excited and enjoying the meal when the subject of Edward Cullen came up.
"What did you two do today?" Dad asked.
"I dyed my hair." I chose to dismiss the fact that I left the house to do it.
"Well, this afternoon I just hung out around the house... And this morning I was over at the Cullens."
Dad dropped his fork, which almost made me laugh.
"Dr. Cullen's place?" he asked in astonishment.
"Yeah."
"What were you doing there?" He hadn't picked his fork back up.
"Well, I sort of have a date with Edward Cullen tonight, and he wanted to introduce me to his parents...Dad?"
"Dad, are you all right?"
"You are going out with Edward Cullen?" he thundered.
"I thought you liked the Cullens. Besides, Katie is going with me." He eased up a bit, though he still had the look of having an aneurysm.
"He's too old for you," he ranted.
"We're both juniors," Bella corrected, though I'm sure that he was more right than he dreamed.
"Wait..." He paused. "Which one is Edwin?"
"Edward is the youngest, the one with the reddish brown hair."
"Oh, well, that's" - he struggled with his words - "better, I guess. I don't like the look of that big one. I'm sure he's a nice boy and all, but he looks too... mature for you. Is this Edwin your boyfriend?" Emmett was actually pretty nice. During my senior year, we were both in Advanced Calculus and our desks were right beside each other. We weren't best friends but we made small talk throughout the year.
"It's Edward, Dad."
"Is he?"
"Sort of, I guess."
"You said last night that you weren't interested in any of the boys in town." But he picked up his fork again, so I could see the worst was over.
"Well, Edward doesn't live in town, Dad."
He gave Bella a disparaging look as he chewed.
"And, anyways," She continued, "it's kind of at an early stage, you know. Don't embarrass me with all the boyfriend talk, okay?"
"When is he coming over?"
"He'll be here in a few minutes."
"Where is he taking you?"
Bella groaned loudly. "I hope you're getting the Spanish Inquisition out of your system now. We're going to play baseball with his family."
His face puckered, and then he finally chuckled. "You're playing baseball?"
"Well, I'll probably watch most of the time." Dad looked at me, then at my hand.
"I'll be watching." I held my arm up, as if he needed proof that I wasn't playing baseball tonight.
"You must really like this guy," he observed suspiciously.
I heard the roar of an engine pull up in front of the house. Bella jumped up and started cleaning the dishes.
"Leave the dishes, I can do them tonight. You baby me too much."
The doorbell rang, and Dad stalked off to answer it. Bella was half a step behind him. I, on the other hand, was preparing myself for a show.
"Come on in, Edward."
I heard Bella breathe a sigh of relief when dad got his name right.
"Thanks, Chief Swan," Edward said in a respectful voice.
"Go ahead and call me Charlie. Here, I'll take your jacket." Really? He wasn't this nice when Sam came over that first time... Then again, Edward hadn't dated somebody close to Bella before.
"Thanks, sir."
"Have a seat there, Edward." Edward sat down fluidly in the only chair, forcing Bella to sit next to Chief Swan on the
sofa. I leaned against the doorway, with a slight smirk on his face.
"So I hear you're getting my girls 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."
"Well, more power to you, I guess."
Charlie laughed, and Edward joined in.
"Okay." I announced. "Enough humor at Bella's expense. Let's go." I walked back to the hall and pulled on my jacket. They followed.
"Not too late."
"Don't worry, Charlie, I'll have her home early," Edward promised.
"You take care of my girls, all right?"
"They'll be safe with me, I promise, sir." Dad couldn't doubt Edward's sincerity, it rang in every word.
Me and Bella both stopped dead on the porch. There, behind her truck, was a monster Jeep. 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.
Charlie let out a low whistle.
"Wear your seat belts," he choked out.
Edward followed us and opened the back door before opening Bella's door and helping her into the truck. I jumped into the back seat and frowned when I saw the seat belt. I about had a heart attack, but I managed to get them all buckled, with one hand too. I deserve an award.
"What's all this?" I heard Bella ask.
"It's an off-roading harness."
"Uh-oh." Edward sighed and reached over to help her. I noticed that he took his own sweet time to buckle her up, but eventually, Bella was in the seat.
Edward turned the key and the engine roared to life. We pulled away from the house. I felt kind of awkward, sitting here in the backseat, very much like a third wheel.
"This is a... um...big Jeep you have."
"It's Emmett's. I didn't think you'd want to run the whole way."
"Where do you keep this thing?"
"We remodeled one of the outbuildings into a garage."
"Aren't you going to put on your seat belt?"
He threw Bella a disbelieving look.
"Run the whole way? As in, we're still going to run part of the way?" Her voice edged up a few octaves.
He grinned tightly. "You're not going to run."
"I'm going to be sick." Bella groaned. After that, I started zoning out, watching the rain hit the window repeatedly.
And then we came to the end of the road; the trees formed green walls on three sides of the Jeep. The rain was a mere drizzle, slowing every second, the sky brighter through the clouds.
"Sorry, Bella, we have to go on foot from here."
"You know what? I'll just wait here."
"What happened to all your courage? You were extraordinary this morning."
"I haven't forgotten the last time yet." Has she done this running thing before?
He was around to Bella's side of the car in a blur. He started unbuckling her. Not waiting on him to get her out, I quickly unbuckle as fast as I could and jumped out of the jeep.
"I'll get those, you go on ahead," I heard Bella protest.
"Hmmm..." he mused as he quickly finished.
"It seems I'm going to have to tamper with your memory."
Before I could react, he had pulled Bella from the Jeep and set her feet on the ground. Alice Cullen, Edward's sister was waiting for us a few feet ahead. She waved excitedly as we caught sight of her.
"Tamper with her memory?" I asked nervously.
"Something like that." He was watching her intently. He placed his hands against the Jeep on either side of her head and leaned forward, forcing her to press back against the door.
Just then, the ache in my heart grew. What this how Paul and Jared felt watching me and Sam? Shaking my head, I walked over to Alice, wanting to get away from the romance.
"I'm so glad you came." Alice looked like she had been drinking energy drinks all day long. "That color hair looks amazing on you."
"Thanks?" I lamely offered. She only laughed, which sounded like tinkling bells almost.
"They'll catch up. Now hop on." I looked strangely at her. "Trust me." Alice expected me to get on her back when I was four feet taller than her. "Trust me."
Sighing and realized I wasn't gonna to win this argument, I did as the pixie said. I locked my legs around her waist and I was sure that we looked amusing. I closed my eyes tightly as she took off through the forest. If I didn't realize what was going on, I couldn't have told that we were running through the forest. I didn't open my eyes until I felt Alice stop.
"You did much better than I thought you would." She smiled at me.
The area where the baseball was to be played was twice the size of any regular baseball stadium. I could see the others all there; to us, maybe a hundred yards away. Much farther out I could see Jasper and Alice, who had now joined him, at least a quarter of a mile apart, appearing to throwsomething back and forth, but I never saw any ball. It looked like Carlisle was marking bases, but could they really be that far apart?
"You must be Katherine." A vampire popped up in front of me. I was assuming that she was Esme Cullen since she was the only one I hadn't seen yet.
"You can call me Katie." Something about her put me at ease, even with knowing what she was. She had such a motherly feel about her.
"You doing alright Swan?" Emmett came into view, throwing a cold arm around my shoulders. I jumped in shock at the temperature, then listened as he laughed his ass off. I then heard Rosalie growl, which prompted me to move out from under Emmett's arm.
Then, Edward and Bella came into view. Esme and I started toward them and Emmett followed after a long look at Rosalie's back; Rosalie had risen gracefully and strode off toward the field without a glance in their direction.
"Was that you we heard, Edward?" Esme asked as we approached.
"It sounded like a bear choking," Emmett clarified.
Bella smiled hesitantly at Esme. "That was him."
"Bella was being unintentionally funny," Edward explained, quickly settling the score.
Alice had left her position and was running, or dancing, toward us. She hurtled to a fluid stop at our feet. "It's time," she announced. 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.
"Are you ready for some ball?" Edward asked, his eyes eager, bright.
Bella tried to sound appropriately enthusiastic. "Go team!" He snickered and, after mussing her hair, bounded off after the other two.
"Shall we go down?" Esme asked in her soft, melodic voice. Esme kept a few feet between us, and she matched her stride to ours without seeming impatient at the pace.
"You don't play with them?" I asked shyly, still not sure what to think about all of this yet.
"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 a pack of wolves."
"You sound like my mom," I laughed, surprised.
She laughed, too. "Well, I do think of them as my children in most ways. I never could get over my mothering instincts - did Edward tell you I had lost a child?"
"No," Bella murmured.
"Yes, my first and only baby. He died just a few days after he was born, the poor tiny thing," she sighed. "It broke my heart - that's why I jumped off the cliff, you know," she added matter-of-factly.
"Edward just said you f-fell," Bella stammered.
"Always the gentleman." She smiled. "Edward was the first of my new sons. I've always thought of him that way, even though he's older than I, in one way at least." She smiled at me and Bella warmly. "That's why I'm so happy that he's found you, dear." The endearment sounded very natural on her lips. "He's been the odd man out for far too long; it's hurt me to see him alone."
"You don't mind, then?" she asked, hesitant again. "That I'm... all wrong for him?"
"No." She was thoughtful. "You're what he wants. It will work out, somehow," she said, though her forehead creased with worry. It made me realize that Esme was really like a mother to them. Maybe, they weren't such the soulless, ruthless creatures that Sam and the legends had depicted.
Esme stopped as we'd reached the edge of the field. It looked as if they had formed teams. Edward was far out in left field, Dr. Cullen (it looked very weird to see him in another than a doctor's attire) 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. Jasper stood several feet behind him, catching for the other team.
"All right," Esme called in a clear voice, though I wonder how they'd all hear, especially those further out. "Batter up."
It seemed that they had heard her, or at least Alice did because she stood straight, deceptively motionless. She held the ball in both hands at her waist, and then, her right hand flicked out and the ball smacked into Jasper's hand.
"Was that a strike?" I heard Bella whisper to Esme.
"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," she told her.
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 saw the necessity of doing this during a thunderstorm.
The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the surrounding forest.
"Home run," I murmured.
"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a blur around the bases, Dr. Cullen 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 and Bella.
"Emmett hits the hardest," Esme explained, "but Edward runs the fastest."
The inning continued before both mine and Bella's incredulous eyes. It was impossible to keep up with the speed at which the ball flew, the rate at which their bodies raced around the field.
Jasper, trying to avoid Edward's fielding, hit a ground ball toward Dr. Cullen, who 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 they were somehow 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 Bella's side, sparkling with excitement.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again." I admitted, loving the advanced game that had happened before my eyes.
"And it sounds like you did so much of that before," he laughed, before turning his attention to Bella.
"I am a little disappointed," She teased.
"Why?" he asked, puzzled.
"Well, it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do better than everyone else on the planet."
"I'm up," he said after flashing Bella a dazzling smile, heading for the plate.
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. Dr. Cullen 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.
Dr. Culen was up to bat, Edward catching, when Alice suddenly gasped.
"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?" Dr. Cullen 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. They? Who were they?
Jasper leaned over her, 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 me and Bella away.
"How soon?" Dr. Cullen 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?" Dr. Cullen asked him, his eyes flicking toward us again.
"No, not carrying -" He cut short. "Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting." I froze. That's when I realized that the 'they' they were talking about were vampires… but not the good thing.
"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, Dr. Cullen deliberated. "Let's just continue the game," he finally decided.
"Alice said they were simply curious."
"You catch, Esme," Edward decided. "I'll call it now." And he planted himself in front of me and Bella. The others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes. Alice and Esme seemed to orient themselves around where we stood.
"Take your hair down," Edward said in a low, even voice. He grabbed the cap off of Emmett's head and silently handed it to me. Without saying a word, I slipped in on, making sure it was snug. Bella obediently slid the rubber band out of her hair and shook it out around her.
I stated the obvious. "The others are coming now."
"Yes, stay very still, keep quiet, and don't move from my side, please." He hid the stress in his voice well, but I could hear it. He pulled Bella's hair forward, around her face.
"That won't help," Alice said softly. "I could smell her across the field. Both of them."
"I know." A hint of frustration colored his tone. This night had just went to hell possibly. And all I could think about was how pissed Sam was going to be if I made it out alive.
"You'll make it." Edward confirmed. I didn't realize I said that out loud. "You didn't. I read thoughts." Oh shit. I thought. A slight smirk came across his face before it disappeared.
Dr. Cullen stood at the plate, and the others joined the game halfheartedly.
"What did Esme ask you?" I heard Bella ask.
He hesitated for a second before he answered. "Whether they were thirsty," he muttered unwillingly. The seconds ticked by; the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared to hit harder than a bunt, and Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper hovered in the infield.
Edward paid no attention to the game at all, eyes and mind ranging the forest.
"I'm sorry, Bella and Katherine," he muttered fiercely. "It was stupid, irresponsible, to expose you 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 us and what was coming. Carlisle, Emmett, and the others turned in the same direction, hearing sounds of passage much too faint for our ears. I drew in a deep breath and froze.
Can anybody say cliffhanger?