I pushed open the solid oak door and couldn't help but let out a gasp, the large open room was filled with what I could only guess was over a hundred candles that filled the open room with a gorgeous glow paired with the setting sun the streamed through the full length glass window at the other side of the room, the candles that covered what seemed like every surface was so captivating, I took a small step forward and felt someone under my feet, I glanced down to see between the candles was a path of light pink and white rose petals that were like my own yellow brick road leading to the centre of the room, I slowly walked forward still glancing at the beauty of the room, I reached the middle of the room which was a circle of petals lined with candles, I turned back and saw Emmett just stood still by the door staring at me, the moment felt like straight out of a romance novel, was this a dream?

"Em. . . it's beautiful" I whispered, scared that if I spoke any higher than a whisper, I would wake myself up and prove to myself this was all an elaborate dream I had made up in my own mind, Emmett gave me a small smile and walked towards me, I couldn't take my eyes off him, he was the definition of perfection,

"you like it?" Emmett asked as he reached me and took my hands in his, the cold shiver ran up my arm but I couldn't focus on anything expect his stunning golden eyes,

"I love it. . . what's it for?" I asked, Emmett gave a small chuckle,

"you, everything is for you Liliana Elizabeth Swan" Emmett said as he gave my hands a slight squeeze, I tore my eyes from Emmett's and glanced around once more marvelling in the beauty,

"what for?" I asked quietly as I looked back at his perfectly sculpted face,

"well Miss Liliana Elizabeth Swan, I was wondering if you would do me the greatest honour of letting me Emmett McCarty Cullen ask for your hand in courtship?" Emmett asked all serious, he let go of one of my hands and reached be hide him and pulled out a bouquet of stunning red roses, now I must be dreaming, I gasped and took the roses and lifted them to my face to let the beautiful bunch of flowers invade my senses and also hide the blush that was now most likely covering my full face, I let go off Emmett's other hand and placed them just to the side of us, I glanced back up and saw Emmett looking at me very nervously, all earlier doubts I had expressed to Bella now a distant memory,

"Emmett… yes a thousand times yes" I said grinning at me, as soon as the words left my mouth Emmett had picked me up and spun me round, I giggled as he placed me back on the floor,

"you will never regret this, I swear" Emmett whispered placing his forehead on mine,

"I better not" I whispered jokily and stood on my tip-toes to connect our lips, our lips moved in sync with each other, like out of everyone in the entire world we were made for each other, Emmett pulled away first, I pouted a little,

"you still need to breathe Lil" he chuckled at me when he saw my reaction, I smiled,

"you really went all out Em" I said as a glanced at all the candles, he placed his arms around my waist,

"well I thought the occasion required some grand gesture, god know what I would do to propose" Emmett joked, I blushed once again,

"slow down Romeo, my dad has only just met you, let's not give him a heart attack just yet" I joked back, but I had to be honest the thought had crossed my mind, if this is what lengths Emmett had gone to ask me to be his girlfriend, how would he ever top this.

"as much as I don't to leave this moment, we had a baseball game to get to" Emmett grumbled almost, I nodded, I had almost forgot all about the game,

"where do you play?" I enquired, wishing as he said we could just stay in this little bubble of happiness forever,

"you will see, are you ready?" Emmett said smiling and placing a chase kiss on my forehead, I nodded but wishing I had a photo of this moment, suddenly I was on Emmett's back, I squealed in surprise,

"Em! Warning!" I said quickly trying to dispel the dizziness from the sudden movement, Emmett laughed which made all my body vibrate,

"sorry princess" he said, I knew full well he didn't mean it,

"you ready?" he asked me, I nodded before realising he couldn't see me,

"I'm ready monkey-man" I joked, he let out a deep chuckle, before suddenly it felt like I was flying, the trees were suddenly zooming past me at an incredible rate, I held on my dear life and hid my face in his shoulder, even though I knew how fast we were going it felt as if we were both gliding through the air, it was exhilarating, and suddenly as soon as it began we were stationary,

"you can look again Lil" he said softly, I slowly lifted my head from his shoulder to see we were stood in the middle of the forest, I jumped down,

"Em, that was…thrilling!" I said in sheer excitement, he grinned me,

"why do you ever drive if you can do…that!" I said almost bouncing in excitement, he smiled at me,

"your one of a kind Liliana" Emmett said softly and placed a soft kiss on my lips, I smiled as I entwined our fingers together,

"led the way monkey-man" I grinned, he shook his head but led me towards a clearing just up ahead.

Emmett led me through the last few feet towards the clearing through the tall, wet ferns and draping moss, around a massive hemlock tree, and then we were there, stood on the edge of an enormous open field in the lap of the Olympic peaks. It was twice the size of any baseball stadium, as I stood marvelling at the size of the field,
I could see the others stood half way across the field, Esme and Rosalie, sitting on a bare outcropping of rock, were the closest to us, maybe a hundred yards away, with Lucas stood to the side. Much farther out I could see Jasper and Alice, at least a quarter of a mile apart, appearing to throw something back and forth, but I never saw any ball. It looked like Carlisle was marking bases, but could they really be that far apart? I saw Edward stood with Bella just off to the side, when we came into view, Esme and Rosalie, that were on the rocks rose.
Esme started toward us, Rosalie had risen gracefully and strode off toward the field without a glance in our direction. My stomach quivered uneasily in her response to me, I watched as Lucas walked after her saying something I couldn't hear.

"there you two are" Esme said with a smile as she reached us, I smiled in response,

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, I glanced towards Emmett,
"Eerie, isn't it?" Emmett said with easy familiarity, winking at me, I smiled watched
"Let's go." Alice reached for Emmett's hand, he bent down and placed a kiss on the top of my head before 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. Edward and Bella had walked and now stood beside me,
"Are you ready for some ball?" Edward asked, his eyes eager, bright.
"Go team!" Bella tried to sound appropriately enthusiastic, I laughed and shook my head, I watched as Edward snickered and, after mussing Bella's hair, bounded off after the other two. His run was more aggressive, a cheetah rather than a gazelle, and he quickly overtook them. Watching their grace and power took my breath away.
"Shall we go down?" Esme asked in her soft, melodic voice, and I realized I was staring open mouthed after them, I quickly reassembled my expression and nodded. Esme kept a few feet between us, and Bella, and I wondered if she was still being careful not to frighten us. She matched her stride to mine without seeming impatient at the pace.
"You don't play with them?" I asked genuinely surprised,
"No, I prefer to referee,I like keeping them honest," she explained smiling, I nodded,
"Do they like to cheat, then?" Bella asked,
"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" Esme joked,
"You sound like my mom," I laughed, surprised at how normal their family dynamic was, 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 or Emmett tell you I had lost a child?" Esme enquired, I tried not to look surprised,
"No," Bella murmured, stunned, I just shook my head in response,
"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, I couldn't imagine the pain that had put on her,
"Edward just said you f-fell," Bella stammered.
"Always the gentleman." She smiled before continuing,

"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 warmly.

"That's why I'm so happy that he's found you, dear." The endearment sounded very natural on her lips.

"He and Emmett have been the odd men out for far too long; it's hurt me to see them both alone" Esme explained,
"You don't mind, then?" Bella asked, hesitant again. "That I'm… all wrong for him?" Esme seemed to give a thoughtful look before continuing,
"No, you're what he wants. It will work out, somehow" Esme said, though her forehead creased with worry. Another peal of thunder began.

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.
I watched as Emmett was swinging an aluminium bat, it whistled almost untraceably through the air, the sight was intoxicating and took all my strength not to let my thoughts wonder in an indecent way.

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 and Lucas stood several feet behind him, catching for the other team. Of course, none of them had gloves.
"All right, batter up" Esme called in a clear voice, which I knew even Edward would hear, as far out as he was.
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.
"Was that a strike?" I whispered to Esme, he smiled lovely at me,
"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," she told me, I nodded and watched as 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, trying not to smirk,
"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. I watched as Emmett was a blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I then 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, but Edward runs the fastest" Esme explained, I nodded
The inning continued before my 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.
I learned 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 watched as Bella jumped up in concern, but they were somehow unscathed, not to my surprise,
"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 Bella,
"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again." Bella said smiling
"And it sounds like you did so much of that before," he laughed joking,
"I am a little disappointed" Bella teased.
"Why?" he asked, puzzled, I also turned to her puzzled,
"Well, it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do better than everyone else on the planet" Bella joked, I laughed out loud, Edward also laughed,
"I'm up," he said, and headed for the plate, I glanced to see Emmett laughing with Rosalie, I saw her turn the look at me and frown before Emmett said something and she shook her head, Emmett looked towards me and gave me an award winning smile, I smiled back at him.
Edward 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 Lucas could get the ball back in play. Carlisle knocked one so far out of the field 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 Emmett, as usual, and I saw his head snap up to look at her, I watched as worry suddenly etched onto his face, suddenly he was at my side before the others could ask Alice what was wrong, Edward now on the other side of Bella,
"Alice?" Esme's voice was tense.
"I didn't see — I couldn't tell," Alice whispered, I glanced around confused and saw 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," Alice murmured.
Jasper leaned over her, his posture protective.

"What changed?" he asked in his Southern accent,
"They heard us playing, and it changed their path," Alice said, contrite, as if she felt responsible for whatever had frightened her.
Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to mine and Bella face and away, Emmett's grip tighten on my arm,
"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 and Bella again.
"No, not carrying," He said shortly,

"Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting." Edward said, hunting? I suddenly realised this was a really bad situation,
"How many?" Emmett asked Alice in a tight voice,
"Three" she answered tersely.
"Three! Let them come." Lucas boasted, which didn't seem to help the mood
For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle deliberated. Only Lucas 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." Carlisle continued,
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 Esme now asked Edward 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, Esme," Edward said,

"I'll call it now." And he planted himself in front of Bella,

"and Lil?" Emmett said tightly, I knew it would look strange if he wasn't there,

"go, you have to play" I whispered, Rosealie gave me a curious glance, I could see Emmett was torn, but suddenly his head snapped towards Edward, after a small unheard conversation I heard a small growl, he kissed the top of my head and followed the others that had returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes. Alice and Esme seemed to orient themselves around where Bella and I stood.
"Take your hair down," Edward said in a low, even voice towards Bella, I watched as she obediently slid the rubber band out of her hair and shook it out around her.
"The others are coming now" I stated the obvious,
"Yes, stay very still, keep quiet, and don't move from my side, either of you please." He hid the stress in his voice well, but I could hear it. He pulled Bella's long hair forward, around her face, I glanced towards Emmett to see he was as rigid as a statue as he kept his gaze on me, I pulled my eyes away to focus on Bella, I knew as well as he did, I would do anything to protect her.