I Face My Monsters

Chapter 28: The Bravest Thing

Baseball had never been Vale's forte. She didn't know how the game worked but knew that she would enjoy watching everyone's faces light up with pleasure as they played. She knew that it was something that they didn't get to do unless there was a thunderstorm, and was delighted to tell Carlisle that the weather forecast showed favorable conditions for a game the next day. She had never gotten to see them play yet, and Carlisle was secretly eager to show off.

Edward wanted to invite Bella, so they decided to make a day of it. Carlisle and Vale wore matching uniforms (which made Alice squeal, "You guys look soooo cute ohmygowshEEEEEE!). She eventually calmed down enough, thanks to Jasper. Vale had to admit, as much as the liked a sharp-dressed man, the baseball uniform was defiantly working on her. Remembering that she was in the presence of a mind-reader and an empath, she deliberately turned her thoughts elsewhere. 

Jasper made his way by her side. "It's alright, you know..." She tilted her head, unsure of what he meant. The head tilt was the way she really listened, the way you knew you had her full attention. "I can't always feel your emotions. It's like an ocean tide that has gone out. I have to gage your emotional state by the fierceness of it, not the specific emotion itself." "Have you ever felt a storm?" She asked curiously. "Only once. You were pretty shaken up when we brought you back. You weren't completely conscious, but I could still feel it. It's actually a comforting feeling," he continued. "It's like a beach getaway, dangerous in bad weather, but a haven in good weather. When you were on security duty at the school, I would often try to hone in on your emotional state, so that I wouldn't have to feel all the hormonal teenagers around me." He smiled at her. "Edward can't always read your thoughts either. He mentioned how he could hear you loud and clear when you were deliberately directing your thoughts to him, but not as well if you are absent-minded or thinking of something else. Your thoughts about Carlisle are completely hidden." 

"Any and all private thoughts are completely private." Edward confirmed, approaching the two with Bella at his side. "Ready to play some ball?"

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Since Bella was more familiar with baseball, the was the umpire and Vale kept score. Well, she marked down a score for whatever Carlisle said counted as a score. "I get a kiss every time I score a point." He told her smugly. "Yeah, right. You can barely keep your hands off me as it is. And besides..." She lowered her voice, "I'm pretty sure the kids don't wanna see that." White fangs glimmered just slightly when he smiled at this. 

The other team went up by three points. "They have GOT to be cheating." Vale growled. She was starting to get a hang of how the game was played. "Nope. Nuh-uh. That doesn't count as a point!" "I'm afraid it does Mom!" Emmett laughed. Vale growled again, muttering to herself. Carlisle came up behind her. "Nice kitty..." he purred in her ear. 

"Oh god, this man is going to make a mess of me... right here in front of the kids too." 

Vale just closed her eyes and shook her head at him. 

The ball went sailing off into the woods. Alice froze. "Stop!" Everyone gathered together at the base. "They were leaving, then they heard us." Edward started whispering hurriedly to Bella. Vale's faced furrowed with confusion for a moment, not knowing who the heck Alice was talking about. Then she felt Carlisle suddenly grip her waist tighten, and felt him pull her possessively toward himself. She could feel a deep growl from his chest vibrate through her body. She suddenly became aware that she really did feel like a kitten, small, and near-helpless in his arms. 

It struck her how much her trust in Carlisle had been built up over the past few weeks. She had sworn to herself  that she would never again be helpless... never again be taken advantage of. Yet here was this man who had the total ability to do far worse things to her if he wanted to. But he didn't. He didn't because he loved her. Truly loved her. She had given him the power to break her heart - to do with it what he pleased. The thought was frightening. And yet he cared for it, nourished it, and wanted it to love him back. She felt a great love for him spread over her body like a warm blanket. 

Loving Carlisle was truly the bravest thing she had ever done.

Bella was letting her hair down. "Like that's gonna help. I can smell her from across the field." Rosalie was saying. "And Mom is too tanned to be a vampire." "Stay behind me." Carlisle says, gripping Vale's wrist tightly and dragging her behind him like a child. "Don't let them see your face." As three vampires appeared across the field out of the fog, he turned to her. "I love you." he whispered, resting his forehead on hers. "I love you more." She whispered back. He kissed her hand feverishly, then turned to face the newcomers.

(Recommended song: Super Massive Black Hole by Muse) Duh!