Chapter Ten
Baseball
Alice

"I'm going to take a shower and change, are you going to be okay for a little bit on your own?" Edward asked me as I settled onto his black leather sofa

"Of course." I nodded, offering him a smile, and he headed into his attached bathroom.

As I waited, I watched the trees from his floor to ceiling window, thinking about everything that has happened over the last month.

In the month following my surgery, I quite frankly was a mess. Edward would pick Cynthia and I up for school every morning, he would walk her to class for me then walk me to my first period, and usher me to and from classes throughout the day. After school, Rosalie would happily pick up Cynthia and take her home and watch her while Edward took me to physical therapy for two hours every weekday. On the weekends, since Cynthia was always going to friends houses for slumber parties, Edward would kidnap me for the day while Mark and Jessica were gone. We spent the weekends doing whatever we wanted, which mainly consisted of listening to him play the piano, kissing, and spending time with his family. On an odd day here or there, Tom would swing by my house and kidnap me for the day before Edward could.

We would hang out in his garage, he would work on his cars while I would blabber on about various topics, he adding in his input wherever he saw fit, and that was how our strange little friendship worked. Don't get me wrong, he still professed his love for me occasionally, whenever the topic of the Cullen's came up, but I always managed to smooth things back down.

I loved how close we were all becoming, trust me I did, but I felt so useless. My neck was in a small brace to keep it from further injury, not really noticeable, but it was all anyone would see when they looked at me. Edward and Rosalie were doing everything for Cynthia that I used to. Tom was slowly becoming more and more attached to me no mater what I did. And, worse of all, the Cullen's now knew about my mother's death, although I had yet to go into any real detail about it.

I had also had several more 'episodes' as Carlisle called them. Each time seemed worse and worse, I went a full Saturday not knowing who I was or where I was, panicking whenever someone would address me as Alice.

I wanted my normal life back. The life were I would constantly be focused on Cynthia and the Cullen's. The life where I didn't have to worry about forgetting my own name.

After a month, I was finally deemed fit by my physical therapist yesterday. Which means that I am free to go back to driving and back to my normal life. Three months before graduation.

A beautifully colored bird fluttered and settled into a nearby tree, catching my attention, and caused a small smile.

Suddenly, I found myself slipping into a vision. And I took a deep breath as my sight changed altogether.

I was standing in a large meadow, surrounded by Carlisle, Edward, and Jasper, and I couldn't tell what we were saying but the conversation seemed very grim.

A group of people emerged from the trees in front of us, and though there were only three of them, they seemed like an army.

There was a woman with fire red hair and a look of pure evil in her eyes. Next was a dark male, with long black hair and a sad expression on his face. Finally there was a tall, buff man that could almost rival Emmett.

"Well well, this is going to be easier then I thought." The muscled vampire laughed darkly.

"You won't hurt her, not on our land, not while we are prepared to fight." Carlisle spoke soundly.

"But you see, this appears to be an even fight." The red head laughed. "It's just too easy." She smiled, right before she raced towards me.

Edward intercepted her however and flung her through the air back towards her two friends.

"This is going to be fun." The muscled vampire laughed loudly as he and the red head charged towards the Cullens.

As if on autopilot, I took off running into the woods. I ran as fast as I possibly could, remembering to breathe properly as I flung myself over fallen trees and overgrown plants.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I knew he was following me, the blond haired vampire from my earlier vision.

My heart was beginning to pound so much I could hear it in my ears, and my breathing was becoming so labored that I wondered if I was breathing in any air at all.

"Alice!" Edward yelled worriedly from distant place off through the woods, realizing I was gone from the field.

I kept running, knowing I would never outrun the monster chasing me, but I refused to give up.

"Alice!" He called again as I tumbled to the ground, a crimson eyed blond haired vampire looming over me.

"I guess this means that I won our game doesn't it, little Alice?" He smirked victoriously.

"I wouldn't be so sure James." I smirked up at him as my vision dimmed and faded away.

When my sight returned to me I was face to face with Edward, who was just staring at me thoughtfully.

"What is it?" I asked meekly.

"I was just thinking about how I can't read your mind, I've just now realized that it may be because my mind just isn't compatible with being able to see your visions." He smiled at me.

"That sounds about right." I giggled. "My head just works differently I guess." I sighed.

"Why don't you want to talk about your mother with me Alice?" Edward asked me softly after a moment.

"It's pretty complicated, I just don't want to talk about it." I sighed.

"Okay, you don't have too. I'm here for you whenever you are ready to." He smiled at me and took his opportunity to kiss me again.

We only broke apart when there was a short, sharp knock at the door.

"Yes?" Edward responded sounding very annoyed, breaking our kiss regretfully.

"Your brothers have decided that they want to play a game of baseball, I was just coming to invite you and Alice to join the family." Carlisle stuck his head in, smiling at us.

"Baseball! Yes, I'm definitely in!" Edward jumped up in his excitement, sending me crashing to the floor. "Alice! Oh love, I'm so sorry!" Edward cried, picking me up off the floor.

"I'm okay, just surprised." I giggled.

"Good, so...do you want to come play baseball?" Edward asked excitedly.

"Oh of course I do." I giggled enthusiastically. "I've seen you guys play so many times in my visions, I can't wait to see a game for real!"

"I'm glad you're joining, Edward why don't you run Alice out to the field? Emmett and Jasper are almost done loading everything up I think." Carlisle smiled again and left us.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked, suddenly wearing a baseball jersey as he slipped his baseball hat onto my head.

"Yes!" I bounced on my toes and Edward took the opportunity to kiss me again.

"Good." Edward smirked.

Suddenly, Edward slung me onto his back and jumped out of his large window all at once. He raced through the forest, and if I didn't know any better I would swear that he was flying.

As we made it to the field Edward got dragged away by Jasper to set the bases up. I wanted to talk to Jasper, but I knew it was probably a bad idea, Carlisle surprised me by gently taking my hand in his.

"Why don't you come umpire with me?" Carlisle smiled down at me.

"Okay, I'll try my best, I know how much you like to keep them honest." I giggled and he laughed with me.

We had been at the field for maybe ten minuets before the vision hit me. I had been so absorbed in the game that at first when my sight swirled it caught me completely off guard.

The red headed woman, black haired man, and the man I now knew to be James, all suddenly appeared at the tree line of the forest interrupting our game.

Suddenly, the wind blew strongly, carrying my scent with it across the field to James. He was standing in front of me in a second, grabbed me by my throat, and held me in midair.

"Alice!" Edward yelled in terror right before James sunk his teeth into me and snapped my neck.

"Stop!" I screamed as my vision faded away to me and my sight returned.

The Cullens froze and all looked towards me.

"Alice? Are you alright?" Carlisle asked, noticing my shaking and breathlessness.

"Vampires." I gasped. "Nomadic, three of them, hostile."

Everyone was around me in a second after that.

"How long do we have Alice?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know, it's already changed. We were just playing baseball one minuet, they showed up, and the next thing I knew the wind blew my scent and James snapped my neck." I explained and Edward stiffened beside me.

"I have to get you out of here." Edward spoke immediately, grabbing my hand.

"No you can't!" I pulled my hand away. "If you do, he'll pick up on my scent when we're running and crash into you."

"So?" Edward questioned.

"Then it will send me flying into a nearby tree, effectively breaking my neck." I explained.

"So what do we do?" He asked frantically.

"Well, first and foremost you have to calm down Edward." Carlisle spoke, removing his jacket and handing it to me. "Put this on and put your hair underneath the hood." He instructed patiently.

I did as I was told and he nodded approvingly.

"There, much better, but still noticeable. Alice, don't worry, they won't be able to get to you since we'll be standing in front." Carlisle took my chin in his hand and smiled down at me.

"I know, I trust you." I smiled and grabbed Edwards tense hand. "Everything is going to be okay." I told him reassuringly.

He just nodded and smiled down at me as convincingly as he could.

"Ten seconds." I spoke out loud, receiving a flash of a time frame before the nomads arrived.

Everyone crowded in front of me and Edward kept a strong hold of my side, effectively blocking me out of the nomads sight altogether.

"We were not aware another clan occupied this area." A strangers voice suddenly spoke. "I am Laurent, this is Ryan, James, and his mate Victoria."

"We are the Cullens. I am Carlisle, these are my children Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Edward, and Alice." Carlisle introduced everyone, not pointing out anyone in particular, and I felt my throat tighten up when he included me as his children.

"We ask that you not feed in our territory." Carlisle spoke again after a brief pause. "Wouldn't want anyone to get suspicious."

"Of course, we understand completely." Laurent responded. "We were simply passing through when we heard your game, we thought maybe you could use a few extra players?"

"Sure, a few of us were leaving anyway." Carlisle nodded. "Edward, Jasper, take Alice in the jeep."

Before I could protest, before I could warn them what was going to happen, Edward pulled me along with him. The hood of Carlisle's jacket fell, exposing my hair, and a strong gust of wind sent my scent directly towards the three nomads.

I quickly jumped forward, right between Edward and Jasper, as James went flying past, running right through the spot I was just standing in.

"He's circling around." I spoke more to myself as I hid behind Edward.

Jasper caught James as he raced between him and Edward, appearing in my previously occupied spot again, and Jasper held James up by his neck creating small cracks in James skin.

"Control yourself!" Jasper barked.

"Let him go!" Victoria screeched and ran towards James.

Carlisle suddenly had her in a headlock, not even ten feet from where we stood.

"Edward, get Alice out of here, we will fix this, go!" Carlisle instructed.

In the blink of an eye, Edward threw me into a huge jeep and started fastening me in. He then got in the drivers side and sped as fast as he could through the forest.

"I got a look into his mind, you're his singer and he's a tracker." Edward muttered.

"So he wants my blood more then anyone else's and he's capable of finding me no matter where I go, not a problem." I shrugged.

"Not a problem?!" Edward yelled. "Alice, are you crazy?!"

I froze, and Edward immediately copied me.

"Alice, I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean it like that. I-"

"I know." I cut him off. "I know you didn't mean it, you're frightened, but I'm telling you that we have nothing to worry about." I grumbled.

"How can you be so sure?" He asked.

"Why, love, you're forgetting that I already know how this ends. Trust your physic girlfriend once in a while, jeez." I giggled.

"How does it end?" He asked me quietly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"I'm not quite sure yet, I only know that, in any case, we are all going to be safe." I responded, offering him my best smile.

"So you don't know exactly what will happen?" Edward asked on the verge of freaking out again.

"Not yet, but I'll focus on it, I'll keep everyone updated." I smiled, reaching over to grab his hand in mine tightly.

"Alice, I can't lose you." Edward sighed, kissing my hand sweetly.

"You won't." I responded soundly.

"My little physic girlfriend." Edward chuckled and I giggled in response.