Rosalie and Josie sped right into the clearing, Josie obviously beating Rosalie as her hybrid speed was superior to that of Rosalie's vampire speed.
She could have gotten there much faster, but she liked the feeling of running alongside her mate.
There was just something about it that made her giddy and her heart skip a beat.
As soon as they slid to a stop, the rest of the Cullen's who were either talking to each other, riling the other up, or doing tricks with their bat.
"Hey girls." Esme said with a smile on her face, happy to see the two together and happy.
Plus, she hadn't seen Josie since Bella found out about vampires.
The twins spent the weekend catching up on life, talking about the supernatural, or in their rooms with their respective vampire.
Josie and Rosalie have finally been able to stay away from each other for up to three hours before Josie desiccated into a husk.
It had been hard on them, they were like two magnets who couldn't be away from each other for too long.
The two get to stretching each other out for the baseball game whilst joking with the rest of the family.
...
Edward and Bella climb into a massive jeep parked in the drive.
Edward looked amused as he said his next words to Bella.
"Your father thinks you should go to an all-girl's school." Edward said with laughter in his voice.
"What about Josie?" Bella asked very curious about what their father thought of Rosalie and her relationship with her twin.
"He actually likes Rosalie, he thinks that it's the most that he's seen Josie happy since she was a teenager. He said that Rosalie seemed to bring Josie to life and he is forever grateful to her for it." Edward said.
Bella looked thoughtful. She remembered that Josie always seemed to keep to herself, I mean she'd seem outgoing, but she has never really had a best friend or a lot of friends that she trusted explicitly.
So seeing her with the other Cullen and Hale children, seeing her with Rosalie, it was the happiest and most excited that Bella had ever seen her twin.
Outside of doing things she loved like soccer, horseback riding, ice skating, or snowboarding.
"It's true. This is the happiest I've ever seen Josie. Like genuinely happy and not fake happy." Bella said.
Edward hummed.
He's only seen Josie as Josie Dupont from Rosalie's memories.
He's seen how she was always happy and passionate whenever speaking about something she enjoyed doing, comparing that to Rosalie's thoughts and memories of Josie Swan, he'd seen her and Rosalie's love for each other and he's never seen a love story that strong, then again, he's never seen one mate die and then come back to life seventy years later just to return that love tenfold to the one still alive.
That would be an amazing story to have.
"No fair reading Charlie's mind." Bella halfheartedly complained.
As they climb in the Jeep, Bella notices a baseball bat
"And since when do vampires like baseball?" Bella asked in confusion. Not expecting super strong creatures to play a human game during their free time.
"It's the American pastime. Plus, there's a thunderstorm coming. It's the only time we can play. You'll see why." Edward said with a small smile on his face, remembering all the times he and his coven had played baseball.
It made them feel more alive in a way.
They reached the clearing of the woods a bit later.
Storm clouds gather in the sky as Bella and Edward pull up in the Jeep. She takes in a rough baseball diamond, set into an enormous field in the lap of the Olympic peaks.
Esme and Emmett come to greet Bella.
"Good thing you're here. We need an umpire." Esme said with a smile on her face.
"She thinks we cheat." Emmett said with a big crooked grin on his face, obviously thinking it was hilarious. Caroline shook her head from her spot beside Rosalie and Josie at her mate's sense of humor.
"I know you cheat. Call ‘em as you see ‘em, Bella." Esme said to the human girl.
We turn around to Alice on the Pitcher's Mound.
"It's time." Alice called out to her family. Everyone got into place.
-- Just as a deep rumble of thunder shakes the forest.
THE GAME: IN MONTAGE FORM
And it's extraordinary. Bella stays by Esme who plays catcher. Alice pitches with lightning-fast speed. Edward and Emmett took positions in the outfield.
Josie followed Edward and Emmett out into the makeshift outfield, playing on the brunette side of the family.
Rosalie pouted at her mate as she walked away from her, but grabbed her bat and got ready to hit the baseball as she was up first for the blond team.
-- ROSALIE SMASHES the ball with the aluminum bat. It CRACKS like thunder -- and is followed directly by real THUNDER.
"Now I get why you need the thunder." Bella said to Esme. Surprised by how alike the two sounds were.
The ball SHOOTS like a meteor deep into the forest, rocketing through the trees. Edward disappears after it.
"That has to be a home run." Bella said.
"Edward's very fast." Esme said, believing that her son would reach the ball before Rosalie made a home run.
Rosalie darts around the bases, almost a blur -- Edward races out of the forest with the ball and WHIPS it to the home plate. WHAP!
Esme catches it a millisecond before Rosalie slides in.
"Yer out?" Bella said hesitantly. Already knowing that Rosalie didn't like her and to be honest, Bella was a bit intimidated by her sister's girlfriend.
Esme nods... Amazed, Bella watches as DR. CULLEN hits a line drive. Edward and Emmett race for the catch, DIVING 15 feet and COLLIDING with such might that it sounds like enormous boulders falling. They miss the ball -- Dr. Cullen is safe
JASPER WHACKS the next pitch -- deep into the forest. Josie runs to catch the ball, running off in a blur that Bella is surprised to find is faster than even Edward. But before Edward can chase it with Josie, Alice suddenly GASPS.
"Stop! I didn't see them..." Alice says.
They all stop. Edward is immediately at Bella's side. The family instantly gathers at home plate.
"They're traveling so quickly" Alice said. Now worried for Josie who is deep into the forest by now.
"You said they left the county -" Rosalie snapped worried for her mate.
"They did, but then they heard us playing..." Alice said looking at Edward.
"And changed their minds." Alice finished.
"Put your hair down" Edward demanded softly.
"Like that'll help. I could smell her from across the field." Rosalie snapped again. Worry coursing through her, wondering what was taking Josie so long to come back.
Edward ignores Rosalie as he arranges Bella's hair.
"I shouldn't have brought you here. I'm so sorry." Edward said with pain in his voice and eyes.
She'd ask why, but suddenly, they all turn as one toward -
THE EDGE OF THE FOREST.
A blur comes speeding towards them, faster than even the Cullen's could see, suddenly Josie is beside Rosalie standing ramrod straight in front of her protectively. Rosalie sighs in relief, so do the other Cullen's beside Edward who is still worried for Bella.
"I saw the nomads, three of them. They have the ball. One man with dreads, he would seem like the leader but the blond man calls the shots, there was also a girl, redhead. She seems dangerous." Josie reported. Carlisle nodded in thanks.
Bella couldn't hear what he sister said as she spoke fast and too low for her to hear.
There's a faint rustle... then James, Victoria and Laurent emerge. As they near, Bella SEES their bare feet, then the deep BURGUNDY of their eyes. Laurent holds up the baseball.
"I believe this belongs to you." Laurent said.
He tosses the ball (his casual toss is still blindingly fast) to Dr. Cullen who easily catches it and smiles politely.
"Thank you." Carlisle said, he seemed to still be polite even though these vampires were on their territory.
"Could you use three more players?" Laurent asked kindly. Obviously wanting to play a game.
Carlisle seemed hesitant to accept knowing that they could smell Bella if they stayed any longer.
"Of course." Carlisle said.
"I'm Laurent. This is Victoria. And James." The man said.
"Would you like to bat first?" Carlisle asked.
Laurent picks up a bat. The Cullens take the field. Dr. Cullen is catcher, Edward is on first, with Bella behind him, near the Jeep.
Josie is again in the outfield.
Bella sees that Edward's eyes are locked onto James. Laurent is at bat first.
"I'm afraid your hunting activities have caused something of a mess for us." Carlisle said politely.
"Our apologies. We didn't realize the territory had been claimed." Laurent said.
"Yes, we maintain a permanent residence nearby." Carlisle said.
The three newcomers exchange a look of surprise.
"Really? Well, we won't be a problem any more." Laurent said in a bit of disbelief.
"The humans were tracking us, but we led them East-" Victoria said
Jasper pitches the ball -- Laurent SLAMS it -- but Alice is up a tree in a flash and the ball slams into Alice's hand with a THWAP. Laurent is pissed, but James smiles ever so slightly, delighted at the discovery of worthy opponents.
James is up next and he POWER-SLAMS IT with AMAZING FORCE...
Josie is off in the forest with a flash.
The three hesitated a bit, surprised by how fast the girl was.
He runs past first, past Edward, past Bella..
CLOSE ON BELLA -- IN SLOW MOTION as the wind from the ball ruffles her hair, carrying her scent, which floats to JAMES -- who suddenly SCREECHES to a halt. His head WHIPS around at her and he lurches into a crouch, his nostrils flaring, excitedly, eyes locked on Bella.
"You brought a snack." James said in a hungry voice.
Edward springs in front of Bella, baring his teeth. A truly menacing, feral SNARL rips from his throat. James GROWLS back.
In a flash, the Cullens rush into position behind Edward -- Laurent and Victoria line up behind James.
Suddenly a blur races around the field and in a snap, everyone is surprised when a deep menacing growl thunders out across the field.
Josie is suddenly in front of Rosalie.
The veins under her eyes are a deep black color and very prominent, her once beautiful forest green eyes are suddenly a startling red, not like the nomads, her eyes are a very bright red.
The nomads step back just a bit, shocked by the transformation of the girl, and surprised that they heard a faint heartbeat from the girl.
But she has the scent of a vampire? Just who was this girl?
And why were their inner beasts afraid of her?
"The girl is with us." Carlisle said calmly, trying to defuse the situation.
"We won't harm her." Laurent said. But he knows that isn't true. James seemed fascinated by her scent. Maybe now he should pull away from the mate pair and go off on his own.
He was sick of their games.
"Just try it." Emmett said, hungry for a battle.
"I think it's best if you leave." Carlisle said.
"Yes, I can see the game is over. We'll go now. James?" Laurent said.
But James' eyes don't leave Edward's. Laurent puts a hand on James' shoulder, and finally, James backs into the woods with his cohorts, disappearing. Once they're gone, Esme immediately gathers up the bats.
"Get Bella out of here. We'll follow them." Carlisle said.
Dr. Cullen, Josie, Jasper and a resentful Rosalie race off after the three vampires. Edward scoops Bella up as we switch to see
Edward whips Bella into the Jeep and straps her in.
Suddenly we switch to see Carlisle, Josie, Jasper, and Rosalie running through the woods after the three other vampires.
They lose sight of them.
"Josie." Carlisle said. His order was silent.
Josie took off in a faster blur than that of her other coven members.
Suddenly her clothes shredded as she took the form of a giant wolf.
She put her nose to the ground and took off in a burst of speed. Seemingly catchinh the scent of the three others.
The other three headed back to their home, trying to come up with a game plan.
Switch back to Edward and Bella.
"James is a tracker. I saw his mind." Edward said.
"The hunt is his obsession, and my reaction set him off." Edward admitted.
-- The tires spin as Edward WHIPS the jeep around--
"We're a large clan of strong fighters all protecting one vulnerable human." Edward said darkly with disgust at James' reasons.
Also remembering the threes reaction when Josie appeared. They were afraid, especially when they didn't know what she was.
"I just made this his most exciting game ever." Edward said painfully.
Bella blanches with the dawning realization of what she has just wrought up on them all as..
THE JEEP CAREENS DOWN THE DIRT MOUNTAIN ROAD
A jolting, death defying ride, SPLASHING through creeks, until they reach the road. The jeep speeds wildly down the road.
"The first place he'll go is your house. He'll track your scent there." Edward said.
"What?!? Charlie's there. He's in danger because of me. Because of us!" Bella said very worried for her father and the potential danger she could have brought him.
"Then we'll lead the tracker away from him. Somehow." Edward said calmly. Knowing that Carlisle would have sent Josie after him.
Josie is their fiercest and most powerful coven member. With her ability to control others minds, planting memories, and having people forget memories or blocking them, Josie's power of compulsion along with her physical strength and speed, plus her hybrid status makes her the strongest amongst the coven, and any other supernatural creature that Edward has met so far.
He angrily WHIPS around a bend, mud flying everywhere.
They arrive at Charlie's, park the car and come up with a plan to let Bella leave.
Bella is a bit jealous that Josie already has an alibi unlike her. So lying it is.
Charlie watches a baseball game on T.V. as the door suddenly BURSTS open to reveal Bella, crying, and Edward, devastated.
"I said, leave me alone!" Bella screams at the boy.
(A/N: Also am I the only one who believes that this is unrealistic? After one date she's completely deciding to leave the city because she got hurt? Also why did Charlie just let her?)
"Bella, don't do this. Just think about it, please." Edward said playing his own part.
"Get out! It's over." Bella said angrily.
She SLAMS the door. Charlie has risen, baffled, concerned.
"Bella? What happened?" Charlie asked in confusion. Why was his eldest upset and angry?
"I have to get out of this place. Out of Forks. I'm leaving. Now." Bella said in a frenzy.
Bella runs upstairs. Charlie hurries after her
BELLA'S BEDROOM
Bella slams the door behind her. To reveal Edward's already there, pulling things from her drawers and shoving them into a duffle
faster than humanly possible. Bella leans against the door.
"I can't hurt him." Bella whispers. The pain in her voice makes Edward turn around to look at her.
Edward gives her a look.
"You have to." Edward whispered. There's a knock.
INTERCUT Charlie on the other side. It's agony for both of them.