TIME: 12:21AM (PST)

Sorry for such the long wait. I just have been REALLY busy. Sorry again.

Enjoy.

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I made my way towards Emmett and Esme who sat on a bare outcropping of a rock.

"Emmett," Esme said, "empty your pockets."

"What?! Why?!" Emmett seemed shocked Esme would ask such a thing, but I wasn't.

"Because you're a cheater," I said with a smile.

I took a seat next to Esme as we both watched Emmett empty all his pockets.

He emptied each one, only to reveal nothing.

"See, nothing."

"Mmhmm," Esme said as she narrowed her eyes, "Rose, check him."

Without any hesitation I rose to my feet.

"Where's the trust?!" Emmett groaned.

"Spread em'" I said.

"That's funny. That's exactly what you said last night," Emmett grinned.

My jaw dropped slightly as I punched his chest as hard as I could.

"OW!" Emmett cried, "Rose, you hit hard!"

I turned around, smiled and giggled nervously at Esme, "he's joking."

Esme's eyes were shut tight, her lips a slight disgusted frown. I was assuming she was chasing away any images that Emmett had just given her.

"I don't want to hear anymore. Just check him," Esme said still not opening her eyes.

I was just about to begin searching Emmett.

"Be gentle," Emmett said still grinning a huge grin that caused his eyes to close shut.

I rolled my eyes and began to frisk him. I found nothing.

"See! I'm no cheater."

As he said this I noticed his baseball cap shift oddly.

"Take off your hat," I told him.

His smile was immediately gone, "…..no."

I glared and snatched it quickly off his head.

I looked inside the cap, only to find a baseball.

"Found something," I said turning to Esme.

"Traitor," Emmett mumbled.

"A second baseball Emmett? I expected something more creative," she told him.

"Hey Alice!" I called.

She stopped playing catch with Jasper for a moment and looked in my direction.

"Catch," I threw the ball and it shot across the field as fast as a bullet.

I was just about to return to my seat when we all heard a car door slam.

"Edward must be here," I heard Alice say from across the field.

I sighed, my once good mood all of a sudden gone.

Suddenly we all heard a roar of laughter. Simultaneously all of us turned in the direction of the noise.

"What the hell is that?" I wondered out loud.

"Sounds like a bear choking," Emmett joked.

"I've never heard Edward laugh so hard before," Esme said with a smile.

I sighed one last time and finally took my seat.

Minutes later Edward was finally in view. Walking at human pace next to Bella.

He smiled widely as he looked down at her as they got closer and closer to us.

"We should say 'hello,'" Esme said rising to her feet.

Emmett followed soon after.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

I shook my head as I rose to my feet, I began to make my way in the opposite direction.

* * *

Bella was umpiring with Esme. Carlisle and Jasper were on my team. Emmett, Edward, and Alice on the other.

I was up to bat first.

"It's time," Alice announced, "Ready?"

I smirked and nodded.

She pitched the ball straight down the middle. I swung the bat as hard as I could. It made a deafening cracking noise as it made contact with the ball.

I continued to smirk as I saw from the corner of my eye Bella cover her ears, cringing away in discomfort.

I ran around the bases taking long strides, determined to beat Edward's remarkable speed.

I was just rounding third as I slid into home. I heard the whistling of the ball as it was thrown in Esme's direction.

As I touched the base Esme had the ball in hand as she tagged me.

We both looked at Bella waiting for her to call it.

"You're out," she said.

I began to glower.

"Woo!" I heard Emmett cheer.

I glared in his directed.

"Babe, it's just a game," he told me.

I picked myself up off the ground and immaturely bumped into Bella's shoulder.

* * *

The score constantly changed as the game continued. We each continued to taunt each other shamelessly taking this game a little bit too seriously. Occasionally Esme would call us to order.

It was Carlisle's turn up to bat.

Alice suddenly gasped. We all stopped to see what was wrong.

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

"What is it?" Carlisle asked.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," she continued to whisper, she was extremely pale.

"What?!" Jasper exclaimed as he began to frantically look at every corner of the field as he situated himself in front of Alice protectively.

I didn't notice it till now but Edward was just as pale as Alice. He also situated himself in front of Bella protectively.

"How many?" Emmett asked almost eagerly.

Leave it Emmett to welcome danger.

"Three," Alice told him.

"Three!" he scoffed. "Let them come."

His large muscles began to flex.

I grabbed his arm and squeezed it tightly. He looked down at me.

I shook my head vigorously, "we don't want trouble."

"Don't worry babe," he said pulling me into him, "there's seven of us and three of them."

That didn't make me feel any better.

"You have to get Bella out of here," Esme told Edward.

"There's no time," Alice told her, "They'll be here any minute."

Just as if waiting for that exact moment of panic we heard three sets of footsteps coming from the southeast.

"Hurry put your hair down," Edward told Bella, "and stay very quiet."

Bella obediently remove the rubber band from her hair.

"Like that will help," I scoffed, "I can smell her from across the field."

"Are they thirsty?" Esme whispered quickly making sure Bella could not hear.

Edward shook his head.

"Thank god," Esme sighed in relief.

Everyone seemed to orient themselves around Bella, practically shielding her.

I stood as far away as I could.

My arms were folded, my face was expressionless. My eyes involuntarily rested on Bella's worried face.

I held my tongue as best I could, but I'm pretty sure from someone else's prospective I looked like I was going to explode.

I made sure my eyes gave nothing away, but I kept my mouth tightly shut.

Bella looked at me for a brief moment, and I felt the corner of my lips twitch.

"This is all your fault!" I wanted to scream, but I knew I wouldn't.

I turned away before my lips betrayed me.

As I turned to face the forest, they emerged one by one from the forest edge. Two men and a woman.

The man in the middle had long dreadlocks and was a little taller than the man who flanked his right side. The other man had dirty blonde hair which was tied back. The woman, who flanked the left, had startling red hair which was covered with numerous leaves and twigs.

It didn't take them long to reach our little group.

I didn't feel safe being as far away from my family as I was. Slowly and carefully I made my way to Emmett's side. His once beaming face, hard and fierce. Without looking at me he gently pushed me behind him.

"Stay close," he whispered.

"We thought we heard a game," the man with the dreadlocks said completely relaxed, "I am Laurent, these two are Victoria and James."

James' expression seemed distant but the way he stared passed Edward told me other wise, he was looking at Bella. Victoria smiled in a way I assumed she found pleasant.

"I am Carlisle. This is my family, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie, Edward and Bella, Jasper and Alice."

As Carlisle introduced each of us in pairs, I couldn't help but noticed James' eyes quickly flash to Alice.

He eyed her from head to toe.

This made me anxious, I didn't like the way he looked at my sister. Almost like he knew her. I tried moving towards Alice, to at least try to shield her from his probing eyes. But, Emmett quickly grabbed hold of me before I could go anywhere. Making sure I wasn't away from his side.

Laurent asked if they could join in our game. Carlisle politely agreed.

As the three were just about to take their positions on the field and gust of wind blew through out the field.

'Oh shit,' I thought as I took in Bella's scent.

"You brought a snack," James said his ruby eyes suddenly turning black with thirst.

James went into a crouch clearly ready to take the offensive.

Edward just as quickly as James took the defensive in front of Bella. He bared his teeth, a feral snarl ripping from his throat.

Laurent and Victoria flanked James as they too got into their crouches.

Alice was the first at Edward's side, determined to protect Bella.

Just like before James' eyes flashed on Alice's face before returning to Edward.

All five of them had vicious growls escaping their lips.

I quickly rushed to Alice's side, crouching slightly in front of her (trying to protect Alice more than Bella). Joining in on the ferocious growls.

As soon as I took my stance the rest of my family joined in.

I glared at James' even though he was no longer looking at Alice. I heard a even louder growl rip in front of me. Victoria growled at me, clearly not appreciating the look I gave him.

'She must be his mate.'

"You brought a human?" Laurent exclaimed in surprise.

"She's with us," Carlisle told him coolly.

"But she's human," Laurent protested.

"We said 'she's with us,'" Emmett said coldly.

"I see."

Laurent put his hand on James' shoulder, "let's go. This is a fight that cannot be won."

Slowly each of us straightened out of our crouches. Except for Edward who refused to remove himself from his crouch. This action reminded me of how Edward acted the first day Emmett was turned. This only made me understand his feelings more clearly.

James' eyed Bella as well as Alice one last time before turning to leave.

We all remained unmoved until they were out of site.

"Bella let's go," Edward told her.

She nodded and headed towards the jeep.

"Alice, Emmett go with them," Carlisle told them.

They each nodded and turned to leave.

Before he was out of reach I quickly grabbed Emmett's hand.

He stopped to look at me.

"Protect Alice," I told him.

His head tilted to the side in confusion.

"I don't know what it is," I continued, "just watch out for her."

He nodded and quickly kissed me on the forehead.

"Be safe," he whispered.