Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the universe S Meyer created. There may (or may not) be strong language or subjects in this chapter...

Surprise
Chapter 11

For once I woke up before Rosalie. I didn't know if it was a Southern thing of getting up early to work on a farm or something but the entire Hale family were morning people. Though I did know in Rose's case it was because of her nightmares. We didn't talk about it much, but she still had them once and a while. And it was usually the same one of her running and getting lost in the woods. It had nothing to do with the guy even… just the feeling of being panicked and scared. Whenever it was really bad she would sneak into my room and curl up with me. But last night had nothing to do with her nightmares, it was about Emmett's.

How she found out about them, I don't know, but I hated when Rose cried. It was why I was making pancakes for breakfast. Food had always been my safety. Didn't know what to get someone for their birthday? Cookies. Didn't know if Dad was going to be angry with me for something I did? Steak and potatoes. Someone needed a pick me up? Ice cream. But this case called for pancakes. Unfortunately I didn't have anything to make them so I had to run to the store where I ran into Edward. Literally. I ran into him crushing his carton of eggs and bathing him in egg yolk.

I didn't think he was too mad about it, but he seemed really out of it. I tried asking him about Emmett, but he didn't know anything. He must not have been a morning person either. Also I had to admit… Morning Edward was beautiful too. There wasn't a time when he wasn't. I really wish there was… it'd make him seem more human. I didn't care what he told me; I bet he was always beautiful. Those people in Chicago were just stupid or blind or both.

"Hi…" Rose mumbled stumbling into the kitchen.

"Hey," I smiled setting the stack of pancakes on the table with the bottle of maple syrup.

"How was work?" she asked pulling two onto her plate.

"Good, I got a lot of tips. Jasper and Alice stopped by. And Edward… and Emmett."

"Oh?" she took a large bite and chewed thoroughly. I stayed quiet until she finally looked up at me and sighed. "I hung out with him last night."

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I did… sort of. I told you I was still doing movie night... Just at his house."

"What movie did you watch?" I asked thinking starting out with smaller questions would be better than the big one.

"Julie and Julia… the one with Meryl Streep," she chewed.

"I don't…" I shook my head.

"The one about Julia Child."

"Ohh! Was it good?!" Julia Child was a god.

"Yeah, you'll like it. Esme did," she nodded.

"What?"

"Esme watched it with us."

"So you went on a date with Emmett and his mom?" I smiled biting my lip to keep myself from laughing.

"It wasn't a date," she huffed. I stayed silent until she smiled and started to giggle. "It kind of was… I finally go on a date and he brings his mom."

"What happened?" I asked after we both quieted from our giggles. I knew she understood what I meant by the way she set down her fork.

"After the movie we were playing Scrabble and Esme made us some hot chocolate. I tried to steal a marshmallow from his mug and he pulled away and spilled it all over the front of his nice shirt. Esme heard us and told him to take it off so she could throw it in the wash… I saw his…"

"Scars."

"You know?"

"Yeah, he um showed me when he figured out my curse. He said that we would be even."

"He told me everything about his parents and the adoption. He said he'd never be like his father and that he'd never hurt me. He knew something happened to me, and then I told him about my stuff too."

"Wow, I'm really proud of you Rosalie," I told her as she looked away. "… kind of intense for a first date," I laughed trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah we both got a lot of baggage, but it's worth it… He's sooo hot," she giggled as the front door shut.

"Mmmmm pancakes," Jasper groaned walking into the kitchen.

Jasper was very eager to share every detail about his night. He and Alice went to a nice restaurant in Port Angeles and to the school dance for a bit where Alice was the most beautiful girl ever. Then they parked in front of her house and just talked listening to music until her curfew with maximum kissing. It was funny to compare Jasper and Rose to each other. Jasper was so open and candid while Rose was reserved and quiet.

"We hung out with Edward too until Jessica and her friends wanted to go to a party at Newton's," he added at then of his story. "They didn't dance much."

"That's strange," I said taking another filling bite. "He danced with me."

"What?!" Rose snapped her up at me.

"What?" I looked at them nervously.

"And I'm the one holding back?"

"He came by right before closing, and he was looking at the jukebox. Then he..."

"He… what?" Jasper asked leaning over his plate.

"He... Ugh. I'm not talking about this," I shook my head at them.

"Oh come on! Did he kiss you?" Jasper whispered loudly.

"No!" I choked out.

"Well I have to go get dressed. Emmett's coming over... I'm gonna him show how to change his oil," Rose mumbled putting her plate in the sink. "Thanks for breakfast Bella."

As soon as the front door closed, Jasper started, "When did that happen?!"

After relaying most of Rose's story, Jasper left to change out of his pajamas and I was left with a sink full of dirty dishes. Jaz and Rose didn't have too many chores or responsibilities at their house, but they did help out sometimes around here. I didn't mind doing them alone. Dad actually did them when he was home for dinner and usually shooed me away since I made dinner...

When I heard the front door close again, my whole body stiffened. I didn't know if it was the combination of silence and heavy footsteps or his smell or something, but Edward was in my kitchen.

"Uh hi, sorry I didn't knock. Rosalie said to just come right in," he said.

"No it's okay," I studied him as he shifted his weight. He'd changed his clothes from when I saw him at the store, and his hair was still damp. He'd probably taken a shower to rinse off the egg goo.

"Do you want some help?" he asked coming toward me and picking up a towel.

"Sure," I nodded dumbly. I washed and he dried in silence for a few minutes before he crouched down looking out the small window above the sink.

"So… did you know about Rose and Emmett?"

I retold another revised version of the story and Edward started a game of Twenty Questions by the time we finished the dishes. The game had been fun at first because I'd never seen Edward so playful. But now it was driving me crazy because Edward was the answerer and I had to ask all the questions.

"You cheated. I win."

"I did not. It was question twenty, and you couldn't figure it out so I win," he grinned at me.

"You said it was a person. Bugs Bunny is not a person. He's not human; he's a rabbit," I argued.

"Bugs Bunny is a person. He's one of the most famous cartoon characters ever."

"The pleural form of person is people. When you see a herd of bunnies, you don't say look at those people hopping around. He's an animal – not a person."

"Herd of bunnies?" he quirked his head scratching his chin. "That's not right."

"What?"

"I think it's a nest or a colony of rabbits. Not a herd," he scoffed.

"You are so…" I growled at him.

"Right… Intelligent… Charming…" he grinned.

"Infuriating," I told him getting up from the kitchen table and headed for the door. I heard his footsteps behind me and I left the front door open for him to follow me to the Hale house.

Jasper and a very tired looking Alice sat on the front porch with a deck of cards. Emmett and Rose's were underneath his Jeep - a pair of legs hanging out from each side.

"Hey guys," she smiled sipping a coffee cup.

"Alice, is Bugs Bunny a person?"

"Huh?"

"He's not human," Jasper shook his head reshuffling the deck.

"That wasn't the question. Is he a person?" Edward pointed out standing beside me and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Hmmm, well…" Alice was doing something on her magic phone. "There are a lot of definitions for person, but there is… a character or role of a story… or an individual of distinction."

"Ha!" Edward sounded in my ear.

"But there's about ten more about being human," Jasper said reading over Alice's shoulder.

"Ha!" I mocked him as he smirked at me. "I win."

After a long debate over what card game to play, Edward won with his pick, and we settled into a game of Go Fish. I had stopped asking Edward for kings and fours and kept looking to Jaz and Alice. I felt really agitated when I looked at him, and Edward didn't deserve my attitude for something he couldn't control.

"Got any twos Alice?" I waited for her response. "Alice?" I looked up at her and my eyes darted to Jasper. His eyes were focused and his body was hunched as if were a crouching lion about to attack a zebra.

"Jasper?" Alice squeaked as he jumped up hopping over the railing and ran to the jeep where Emmett's legs stuck out. He yanked on one of his ankles and his fist met Emmett's face before I could even process what was happening.

"What the hell Jasper?!" Rose yelled as Edward pulled him off. She hurried from the other side of the jeep, her face deeply red with odd smears of oil.

Alice and I sat still as they started screaming at each other and Emmett sat up with a hand to his mouth, his face covered with similar black smears. She finally skipped off the porch and followed Jasper as he stomped away down the street, and Rose took Emmett inside for some ice. Edward trailed back toward me with a blank face.

"Did you catch any of that?" he asked sitting down next to me as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um I think Emmett and Rose were kissing. Jasper thought he was protecting her by punching Emmett. Rose said she's a big girl and Jasper's sorry," I told him what I got from the all the screaming and confusion.

"Oh right," he nodded smiling weakly before picking up his cards. "Got any twos?"

Everyone was back to normal by Monday. It was like the fight had never happened, and Emmett and Jasper continued telling each other jokes and old stories. Even Rosalie and Emmett's seemed to be the same. Quiet and distant. But some things were different. Alice and I had to sit in the in the lunchroom this week, and Emmett had taken my seat so he could sit silently next to Rose. I had to sit next to Edward and listen to Jessica talk his ear off. Sometimes I found Edward staring at me like he was waiting for something to happen.

Emmett wasn't at school on Tuesday like he said he wouldn't be. It was his birthday, and I had made him some special cookies. In gym Edward sat with me on the bleachers as I tried to do my trig homework. It actually wasn't that complicated; it was just that Edward was so distracting.

"So what does Rosalie have planned?" he asked flipping through his own text book. He was referring to Rose's birthday surprise for Emmett.

"I don't know. She won't tell me," I shook my head erasing my answer.

"Okay but you must have some idea…"

"I have no clue."

Birthdays were usually spent at home with take out and a movie. Sometimes there was bowling, but Tuesdays were league tournament nights. So I really had no idea what Rose was planning, and there hadn't been too many surprises in my life. For once, I was excited, and it was because it wasn't about me.

"Really?" The tone of his voice made me look up at him. He sounded more confused than skeptical.

"What?"

"What?" he looked at me like he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.

"Really?" I mocked him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I just thought that she would have told you since you're best friends and all…" he dropped his gaze to the book in my lap. "You did this wrong," he pointed to my paper.

"You're a terrible liar," I shooed his hand away and started erasing.

"You want to play twenty questions," he asked smirking at my growl.

After school, we took two cars to wherever the surprise was. Rose drove us in her car as Alice and Jasper followed in her yellow bug. From what I could tell we were heading to Port Angles and my mind went into overdrive trying to figure out where we were going. There could have been a new restaurant or maybe we were going to another movie. But Jaz, Alice, and I were banned from the theater, though I doubt that anyone would still remember us. Well maybe not me anyway…

It wasn't until I saw the park when I had a good idea to where we were going. We passed by baseball fields, basketball courts, and swing sets before we turned down a small alley. Most people drive by not noticing that it's there partly because everyone goes to the new fun center on the north side of town. It was deserted except for the familiar police cruiser in the small parking lot.

"Where are we? Why is Bella's dad here?" Emmett sat up straighter in his seat looking around. "Oh my – Is that…"

Both Edward and Emmett flew out of the car as soon as Rose parked the car. They danced giddily as Dad unlocked the gate and Rose popped the trunk. Alice appeared next to my door as Jasper slammed the trunk closed holding some baseball bats.

"This is such a good idea," Alice smiled brightly. "They love baseball."

"Where did you get these?" Jasper asked Rose as we made our way toward the batting cages.

"The two older ones are Charlie's and the other two are theirs," she nodded to Edward and Emmett who were crammed into the little control booth with my dad.

"Thanks for inviting Dad," I told her as the boys scrammed into different cages.

"Yeah I thought he would like it, plus he has the keys," she nodded.

"And because you apparently need parental supervision on dates," I laughed as she nudged me.

After slipping in a quarter into the machine, Dad smiled taking his place by the plate. He'd played in high school and was even scouted by a few colleges, but he quit halfway through his last season when I happened, to get a second job. He's never let on about being disappointed about missing his chance, but I can't help but wonder… When I was younger, he used to bring me here with Jacob and we'd stay for hours. We even came here after it closed down with Jasper and Rose, and Dad still had his key from when he worked here in high school.

"This is perfect," Emmett smiled hugging her from behind and nuzzling into her hair. "Thank you." I walked away not wanting to intrude on their private moment. It was also strange to see Rose be so affectionate. I walked up to the chain-linked fence to watch Edward and the others.

Jasper tried showing Alice the proper technique of the perfect swing, but it looked like he was cuddling more than teaching. On the first pitch, Alice swung and made contact with the ball but she squealed dropping the bat and shaking her hands.

"Bella your dad is a switch hitter?" Edward gaped staring at my dad as he moved over to the left side of the plate.

"Yeah," I shrugged my shoulders. "I can do it too."

"No way." His face fell slack. "I don't believe you."

"I can prove it." I opened the gate quickly and clung to the side of his cage careful of the machine still pitching. He backed out of the cage as I took my place on the right side of the plate. I took a couple of practice swings feeling the weight of the bat before hitting the next one. After I was satisfied with my swing, I moved to the other side of the plate and swung the bat a few times. It felt a little awkward at first until I swung at the next pitch. I stayed until the machine cut off, needing another quarter.

"I am so jealous," Edward balked at me.

"It just takes practice," I smiled at him hoping that this would annoy the hell out of him. I handed him the bat and watched as he placed another quarter into the machine and stood on the left side. I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing as he swung horribly at the first pitch and sent a small glare my way. It was nice to see him suffer a little bit…

We stayed at the batting cages for nearly two hours until Charlie decided it was time to go. Alice and Jasper had already left and when I turned to Rose's car, she and Emmett were driving away leaving me and Edward to ride in the cruiser…

Dad and I were invited to stay for dinner. We hadn't been able to get together before because Dad and Carlisle's schedules always clashed, and Esme and Emmett both insisted that we stayed for his birthday dinner. But Dad had to go into work; and Rose was there too…but as Rosalie, Emmett's girlfriend.

"These are really good, Bella. Mom's never made these before," Emmett chewed as we sat around the kitchen table.

"That's because I'm allergic to mayonnaise," Esme told him as she grabbed more dirty plates.

"Mayonnaise?" he slurred, slowing his chewing. "There's mayonnaise in these?" he looked at the cookie in his hand breaking off a piece to examine it.

"Yep," Rose smiled at his reaction.

"Hmm…" he continued eating.

"I'll be right back," Edward excused himself from the table, and I couldn't help but watch him leave the room. I never understood how a butt could be cute before now…

"No stop," Rose giggled as Emmett whispered something to her as she played with the new watch on his wrist. I grabbed the rest of the dirty dishes from the table and set them on the counter by Esme.

"Do you need any help?"

"Not tonight," she smiled waving me off. "With this many, I'll just use the dishwasher. But you could go take a look around if you want, and maybe go see what Edward's doing…"

"Um, okay," I nodded. I hadn't had the chance to see the upstairs since the Cullens moved it. But it was just like the rest of the house. Some new things were mixed in with the old ones, and there was a fresh coat of paint on the walls. Peeking into the old guest room that Tilde had deemed mine, I discovered it was now Emmett's. When I got to the library, I could hear Edward talking to someone.

"No Jess, I believe you.... Yeah," he laughed. He was sitting on the old leather couch, leaning back with his forearm over his eyes. I knocked softly on his door standing nervously in the doorway as he looked up at me. "Okay, hey I gotta go. Okay. Okay. Okay... See you tomorrow. Okay. Bye."

"Sorry, Esme told me to come up here," I winced.

"No it's okay. It was nothing important; Jessica can talk to me tomorrow. It's fine," he said putting on his glasses and patting the spot next to him. "Please, sit."

"Today was fun," I mumbled closing my eyes and leaning back into the cushion. I didn't know if it was the familiarity of the room or maybe it was because I was tired, but I felt really comfortable. The black leather was old but still nice and soft, and it still had that same strange cigar smell.

"Yeah, do you know how Emmett and I met?"

I shook my head no, not knowing if he would understand my silence or not. I'd never thought about it. I would have just assumed they met through their parents.

"We used to play on the same little league team when we were nine. I didn't know anyone and I asked him to be my throwing partner and we've been stuck together ever since. That's actually how my dad and Esme met…"

"Wow that's amazing."

"Knock knock," Carlisle's voice startled me. I sat up jolting forward as I felt Edward scooting over away from me. I didn't realize how close we were sitting.

Thank Goodness… they were just talking – and sitting – on the couch. We should get rid of the couch – But then there's the bed… We need to get rid of the bed too. Carlisle's thoughts were chaotic and confusing and hard to understand.

"Edward do you still have my lucky tie? The one you wore to the dance?" he asked walking in and browsing around the room.

"You didn't wear a tie," I puzzled looking back at Edward.

"Yeah Dad, I didn't even borrow one from you…" Edward narrowed his eyes at him.

"Oh… well I guess it's not in here then," he said still looking around the room and I started to blush.

"So what's with the bracelet?" I asked Edward trying to fill the awkward silence and also trying not to stare at his glasses.

"What bracelet?"

"This one," I pulled on his forearm.

"It's not a bracelet. It's a wristband!" he argued pulling his arm from me.

It's to cover up his tattoo, Carlisle thought leaving the room. It took several long seconds for that to sink in.

"You have a tattoo?!" I lunged for his wrist to see it. The air was knocked out of me as my back hit the floor and Edward fell on top of me. I felt his hand on my mouth as he whispered in my ear.

"Ssshh, did Emmett tell you that too?" he asked harshly.

"It wasn't him," I tried mumbling into his hand. Edward was always blaming Emmett. "It was Carlisle."

"He doesn't know about it."

"Yes he does."

"And what? He just told you?"

"Uh..." I didn't answer realizing I had just backed myself into a corner. Carlisle had told me… just not verbally.

"You read his mind," he said holding my gaze. My eyes widened in surprise. He knew?!

"You know?" I squeaked wondering how it was possible. Someone must have told him. "…Emmett!"

"It wasn't him. I figured it out on my own. You can read my mind if you want."

"I… can't…" I stammered.

"Because you can't read my mind," he finished. What the hell?

"How did you-"

"I'm very smart," he said seriously.

"I'm going to kill Emmett," I tried to move.

"I promise, he didn't tell me. Read his mind if you don't believe me."

"I can't…"

"Yes you can. I know you can read-"

"I can't hear anything," I cut him off. "When you're crushing me!"

"Oh sorry." His eyes widened as he took in our position and rolled off of me.

"How long have you known? How did you figure it out? How do you know everything?" I fired at him, sitting up.

"Friday night… I had a dream, and everything just made sense," he breathed. My head started hurting and my chest was pounding. He'd only known since Friday… and he found out in a dream?! It must have been Dream Emmett… I'm sooo gonna kill him. Did Edward even know everything - everything? Wait he knew…?!

"You've known since Friday?" I asked trying to keep my voice even as he nodded silently. "The games – the questions. You've been goading me all this time? To what?! To aggravate the hell out of me? To make fun of me?"

"I didn't-"

"And just so you know, you're not the only person I can't read. In case you're dream didn't tell you, I can't read girls either. That's why I think you're part… girl. So you're not all that special," I huffed.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted you to tell me." His face was soft and his eyes were sad, and I had the urge to hug him. "I'm sorry."

After a few minutes of silence, I sighed, "We're supposed to be friends, and I feel like I'm always yelling at you…"

"We could start over again," he suggested.

"Yeah but we can't just start over ever other week."

"Well maybe now that I know everything, this won't seem so hard."

"But you don't know everything," I told him as my eyes started to prickle. I was going to need a good cry after this.

"Will you tell me?" he asked hopeful. "…Now? Please…"

"Yes," I laughed wiping my eyes. "I don't understand why or how, but I can read guys' minds ever since I was born. I can't read females or you. And for some reason when I touch you, I can't read anyone or hear their thoughts. It's silent…" I watched his face as he took it all in. His glasses made his eyes greener, and his nose twitched when he scratched his chin.

"So… if I do this," he said placing his hand on my wrist. "You can't hear anything?

"Nothing."

"And when I let go, you can hear everything? ...except girls... Oooh, that's why you asked me if I had a vagina," he laughed. "Hey can you see if Carlisle will let me drive his car?"

"That's not how it works," I laughed at his eagerness. "I'm not a psychic."

"So how does it work?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain…"

AN: I have valid excuses for being so late with the update, but I'm tired of real life and I bet you are too – you don't need to hear about mine. But I feel really bad and extremely guilty.

Yeah, I know. THREE weeks and all I had was this thing. I don't like this chapter because there's so much to process or too much or not enough. Something's wrong.

But I AM super happy that you guys like the EPOV. I think I might possibly have another…

*switch hitter- is a baseball term for when a batter has the ability to hit from either side of the plate.

Exciting note: I'm going to Hogwarts! (in Orlando) in 40-ish something days…

Just so you know: updates might be slow like this until early May. School has to come first : (

THANKS FOR READING!!