11.0

A thunderstorm had rolled into town the next weekend and the Cullens invited Bella and Kate to come play baseball with them. Why vampires would want to play baseball, Kate would never know but she accepted the invitation nonetheless. On Sunday afternoon she was dressed in tennis shoes and a hoodie waiting for Edward to pick her and her sister up.

Kate sat with Charlie reading a book while he was leaning his shotgun. Bella came over with another beer and handed it to Charlie. She took this opportunity to tell them where they were going.

"I have a date with Edward Cullen. Well sort of...they asked Kate to come too," Bella said nodding her head at her sister.

Charlie looked at Kate who didn't look up to meet her father's gaze.

"Isn't he a little old for you?" he asked Bella.

Bella shook her head, "Dad, he's a junior. I'm a junior. I thought you liked the Cullens."

"I thought you didn't like any boys in town," he countered.

"Edward doesn't live in town, technically," Bella explained.

Kate snorted and Bella gave her a pleading look to shut the hell up.

"He's right outside."

"He is?"

"Yea he wanted to meet you officially."

Charlie looked at Bella then at Kate who finally looked up at him.

"And what do you think about him," Charlie asked her.

Kate shrugged not really wanting to give anything away that might incriminate her.

Apparently this isn't the answer that he was looking for. No doubt he wanted her to say that he was a horrible boy and that Bella shouldn't be dating him. But in the end he just let his face drop and he sighed.

"Alright, bring him in," he said with a snap of the shotgun.

Bella grimaced, "Could you be nice? Please? He's important."

Bella went to get Edward while Charlie and Kate exchanged glances. When Edward rounded the corner they both looked a little nervous.

"Chief Swan, I want to formally introduce myself. I'm Edward Cullen," he said shaking Charlie's hand, "The girls won't be out too late tonight. They're just going to be playing baseball with me and my family."

Charlie raised his eyebrows, "Baseball?"

"Yes sir, that's the plan."

"Bella is going to play baseball...well good luck with that."

"I'll take good care of her, I promise," Edward promised, "Both of them."

Bella signaled Kate as she followed her and Edward out of the door. Outside was what Kate recognized as Emmett's Jeep. Edward and Bella were already in the car so she jumped in the back seat.

"So Edward, baseball? Really?" Kate asked as they were rumbling down the road.

"Well, it's the American pastime and there's a thunderstorm rolling in. It's the only time we can play. You'll see why," he replied ominously.

When they reached the field there were supposed to be playing on, Kate saw all of the Cullens messing around on the field. As soon as they got there, Esme dragged the two girls to the side.

"We need umpires," Esme said.

Emmett slung his arms around Kate, "She thinks we cheat," he told her.

Kate blasted him off of her and sent him back a few feet, "I don't doubt it."

"I know you cheat," Esme smiled at her son. She then turned to the girls, "Call them as you see them."

It was the most interesting game of baseball that Kate had ever seen. Emmett was being dramatic in the outfield and Rosalie was up first to bat.

"Don't embarrass me, Rose," Kate told her.

Rosalie didn't respond but gave her a dirty glare that made Kate smile. Alice announced that it was time and she threw the ball to Rosalie who hit it far into the woods with a loud "crack" that made Kate's ears hurt. Rosalie flew across the field from base-to-base. When Kate thought that she was going to make it, the baseball flew out of nowhere and Esme caught it. Rosalie was coming in for a homerun but was out.

"You're out," Bella called it.

Rosalie glared at her and then her husband who was hooting and hollering in the outfield.

"Come on, I thought I said don't embarrass me," Kate laughed at her.

Rosalie hit her hard in the arm as she went to stand by Carlisle. If Kate had been human she had no doubt that the bones in her left arm would've been broken. But since she was stronger than a human, she only laughed and winced at the contact.

Edward's team was winning and they were just about to change sides when Alice paused the game.

"Stop!" she cried out.

All of the vampires suddenly ran toward Bell and Kate. Emmett and Rosalie grabbed tightly to either one of her arms and held her back behind Jasper.

"They were leaving then they heard us," Alice explained to the group.

Edward grabbed Bella and started to drag her toward Emmett's Jeep.

"It's too late," Carlisle told him.

"Get your hair down," Edward ordered Bella who immediately took it down.

Rosalie sniffed, "Like that'll help. I'd smell her from across the field."

"What about me," Kate asked her.

Emmett somewhat chucked, "Your dog smell is still on you. Not much but still there. We should be able to hide you. Just stay behind me."

Kate nodded and moved behind him and Jasper. Rosalie still had a vice grip on her arm. She was sure there were going to be bruises there tomorrow. The whole group slowly began to make their way across the field to meet the intruders.

There were three of them. One, a very tall dark skinned man with long dreaded hair. The other two were very pale: a man and a woman. The man had long blonde hair and the eyes of a hunter. The woman's hair was her outstanding feature as it looked like her head was alight with flame.

The two groups grew closer and closer before they were mere feet from each other.

"I believe this belongs to you," the one in the middle said holding up the baseball.

He threw it at Carlisle who caught it with ease, "Thank you."

The man continued, "I'm Laurent, and this is Victoria and James."

Kate felt a chill come into her bones as she stared at the three of them. She knew that she couldn't actually fight a vampire yet let alone three of them. She was scared out of her mind.

"I'm Carlisle and this is my family."

"Hello," Laurent greeted.

"I'm afraid your hunting activities have cause something of a mess for us."

A look of concern crossed Laurent's face, "Our apologies. We didn't realize the territory had been claimed."

"Yes, well. We maintain a permanent residence nearby," Carlisle explained.

"Really? Well we won't be a problem anymore. We were just passing through."

Victoria interrupted, "The humans were tracking us but we lead them east. You should be safe."

The way that Victoria had said this made Kate's blood run cold. Victoria scared Kate most of all. In a fight, Kate felt that she would be the most vicious and ruthless.

"Excellent," Carlisle said tersely.

"So," Laurent began, "Can you use three more players? Oh come on, just one game."

Carlisle was stuck, "A few of us were leaving; you could take their place."

He threw the ball back to Laurent but it was Victoria who caught it, "I'm the one with the wicked curveball."

"Oh well I think we can handle that," Jasper challenged.

There was a round of tense laughter before Victoria whispered, "We shall see."

Rosalie's grip on Kate's arm steered the girl back toward the Jeep to get her out of here. They didn't make it two steps when, from behind them, James growled, "You brought a snack."

All of the Cullens lunged to Bella and Kate's defense. Rosalie picked Kate up and flipped her backwards over her shoulder so Kate was dazed and confused but hidden behind her, Emmett, and Jasper as her guards.

"Humans?" Laurent asked them.

"The girls are with us," Carlisle responded, "I think it best if you leave."

"I can see the game is over. We'll go now. James."

Laurent pulled James back from facing the Cullens but he still stared Edward down. The three nomadic vampires slowly left the field.

"Get Bella and Kate out of here, go," Carlisle told Edward.

Edward grabbed Bella with one hand and Kate with the other and practically carried them toward the Jeep. He flung Kate in the backseat of the car and once Bella was in, he sped away back to Forks.