CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
PITCHING RESENTMENT

THEA wished she could sleep.

Now would be the perfect time to do so. Here she lay, in a freshly hot bath with bubbles rising to her chest, and in her arms lay Alice.

Thea traced her fingers across Alice's back, "have you been thinking of a place for our honeymoon?"

Alice leaned her head back, "We can go anywhere we want," She spoke reassuringly.

Thea hums, "I was thinking Italy. Maybe Rome...or Florence." She wraps her arms around Alice, securing her hold.

Alice expressed a soft smile, "I like the sound of that."

"Yeah?" Thea gazed at Alice, her voice soft. The only thing that interrupted the silence was the small droplets of water coming from the faucet, it was more peaceful if anything.

Alice smiles harder, "stop it."

Thea wore an innocent expression, "Stop what?"

"Stop looking at me like that." Alice chuckles.

"Oh, sorry for having eyes," Thea responds sarcastically. Alice rolled her eyes playfully. Alice's chuckles quickly faded when Thea began leaving soft kisses on her jaw.

Alice nearly melted, "everyone is going to be suspicious if we're in here for too long."

Their eyes finally connected and Thea was grinning, "I guess we should make this quick then." She connects their lips.

✸

Thea sat in the living room, her eyes locked in on a T.V. screen. It was a Saturday and she was wearing her baseball attire. Today there is going to be a thunderstorm, meaning it was the only time the heavy-hitting vampires could play.

Thea loved playing baseball, she was very competitive and it was the only time Emmett seemed to get very jealous of her. Claiming that any time Alice and Thea were on the same team, they'd somehow cheat.

Emmett and Alice both walked into the living room with their eyes laid on Thea. "Guys, I found this hospital show on television, I think this Cristina Yang may be my favorite," Thea claims, pointing at the screen.

Emmett and Alice shared a look, one Thea did not fail to miss. "Everything okay?"

Alice nods rather quickly. Thea squints at this. "Emmett, is this about baseball, afraid of losing again?"

Emmett's mouth drops, "I did not lose, you cheated—" Alice elbows his arm, causing him to stop.

"Okay, seriously, what's going on?" Thea sighs.

Alice sits down next to her mate, holding her hand. "Bella is coming with us to play baseball."

Thea was silent. Her body is still. "...how is that possible? All you have to do is throw the ball a little too hard and the humans dead."

"Well, she's more so—watching. But she'll be there." Alice fixes her statement.

Thea rolls her eyes. She couldn't escape this human girl.

Emmett crosses his arms, "Edward just left to go get her, he's worried you'll give her a hard time."

Thea immediately scoffs, "Me, give her a hard time?!" She exclaims, "She's been giving me a hard time before she even came to Forks! I am going to strangle that boy." She stands up angrily.

Alice nods, caressing her mate's back. "I'm sure you won't even notice she's there."

Thea rolls her eyes.

Rosalie speeds into the home. "Cars ready." She sees the look on Thea's face, already knowing what was bothering her. "You're not alone."

✸

They got to the open field surrounded by trees and Thea immediately felt better. Maybe if she simply turned all her frustrations over to a baseball, she would be able to withstand the presence of Bella Swan.

Emmett was quick to grab the bag of baseball bats and walk over to Thea, "Ready to lose, little sis?"

Thea held up her middle finger, grinning, "as if." If takes the hat off of his head and puts it on her own.

They walked over the field, placing down the bases and getting the rest of the game set up.

Rosalie was quick to wrap her arm around Thea, "Thea's on my team."

"Not happening," Alice frowns, "we're always on the same team."

Emmett rolls his eyes, "Yeah, because it's the only way you cheat and win."

"No, we don't!" Alice exclaims.

Jasper appears beside Alice, "They do, in fact, cheat."

"We do not!" Thea and Alice say in unison.

"Whatever, you're all just mad because you suck." Thea crosses her arms.

Esme walks over, laughing at all of her children, "How about for this one time, you two play on different teams."

"Yeah," Emmett says with a sly grin on his lips.

Thea groans, "this is ridiculous."

Alice agrees, "Ridiculous indeed."

Everyone begins finishing up. Just as they do, Edward and Bella pull up in the jeep.

Thea smells the human scent hit her nose, she cringed while snarling. Alice places her hand on her lower back, "baseball. Only baseball." She whispers in her ear before moving forward in the middle of the field to be the pitcher.

Thea goes to stand behind Rosalie.

Esme wraps her arm around Bella's shoulder, "Glad you're here, we need an empire."

Thea smiles tightly at her mother, "do we?"

Esme sends her a desperate please be nice expression.

"She thinks we cheat." Emmett appears with a wide grin on his face.

"I know you cheat." Esme supports, "maybe even more than those two." She teases Thea and Alice.

"We don't cheat!" Alice yells from the center of the field.

Rosalie chuckles, causing Thea to playfully roll her eyes and poke her arm.

"Call them as you see them, Bella." Esme pats her arm.

Is her vision even fast enough to comprehend what's happening? Thea finds herself thinking.

Thunder strikes through the sky, causing Alice to smile. "It's time."

Thea smiles harder, patting Rosalie's shoulder, "You got this."

Rosalie positions the baseball bat. Nodding to signal to Alice that she was ready. In one swift motion, Alice kicks her leg skyward, boosting the speed of the ball she throws Rosalie's way.

In one fast hit from the baseball making contact with the bat, it strikes loudly in the air, echoing similarly to thunder. Rosalie takes off in a sprint.

Bella gawked, "Okay, now I see why you need the thunder."

Edward catches the ball near the trees just as Rosalie makes it to 2nd base.

"That's gotta be a home run, right?" Bella assumes.

Esme shakes her head, "Edward's very fast."

Rosalie makes it around 3rd base.

"Come on, Rose!" Thea and Carlisle cheer just as the ball is being thrown back.

Esme catches the ball seconds before Rosalie's cleats hit home base.

Bella's expression twisted, "You're out."

"Out! Woo!" Emmett cheers just as Rosalie stands with her eyes burning holes through Bella's. "Babe, come on, it's just a game!"

Thea scoffs at her brother's words. Rosalie slides past Bella, her intimidating eyes and demeanor cause the human to cower, and her vision falls to her shoes. Carlisle leads her back, "nice kitty."

"You got this, Tee." Jasper encourages. Thea sends him a grateful smile.

Thea picks up the bat, position identical to Rosalie's. Alice examines her mate for a little longer than she should've but she soon throws the baseball, a clean loud connection is made and Thea takes off.

Emmett smiles in excitement when he sees the ball heading his way, he takes off after it. "She's got this." Rosalie mumbles, "Come on, Thea!"

The ball is thrown back just as Thea is passing 3rd base. Her foot touches the home base, and Esme brings her to a smooth stop before catching the baseball.

Bella looked impressed, "that's a home run."

"Yes!" Rosalie claps while Thea can't help but laugh.

Thea looks over to her brother, seeing his annoyed expression. "Come on, Em, it's just a game!" Emmett waves her off with a playful middle finger.

The game continued, and Carlisle made another home run due to Edward and Emmett's miscommunication, causing them to collide and not throw the ball back in time.

Jasper flips the bat back and forth with one hand. Thea frowns at the trick, attempting to do it along with Rosalie, "How the hell does he do that?" Rosalie shrugs.

Jasper got stopped at 3rd base by Emmett when he climbed up a tree, landed on his feet, and threw it back before Jasper could team home base. Rosalie gazes at her husband, "My monkey man."

Thea cringes, "Save your nicknames for my brother for in the bedroom."

Thea laughs loudly when Rosalie attempts to put her in a headlock but is stopped when it is her turn to bat.

The game continues. Thea grew more focused when knowing her team was going to win. Alice throws the bat her way and she breaks off into a sprint.

But her competitive behavior is soon diminished by Alice's warning, "Stop!"

Thea comes to a stop at second base. All the Cullens stopped in their tracks. Thea heard it, she felt it. Her golden daggers turn towards the trees, fighting through the fog. Vampires were heading their way.

"They were leaving then they heard us," Alice explains to her family.

They all run back to home base. "God, I can't stand outsiders." Thea complains, "They ruined our game." She keeps close to Alice.

Edward's eyes were wary, and he pulled on Bella's arm, "Let's go."

"It's too late." Carlisle stops them.

Edward turns to Bella, trying to think of a solution, "Get your hair down."

Rosalie was peeved, "Like that'll help, I can smell her from across the field." She eyes the human up and down.

Carlisle leads the rest of his family, being the first to step forward toward the upcoming vampires as they emerge from the fog.

Edward clenched his teeth, "I shouldn't have brought you here."

"Literally what I've been saying for the past 2 months." Thea retorted, following next to Alice.

Out of the fog came three vampires. The one in the middle wore a burnt orange jacket, his dreadlocks came down a little past his shoulders, and his eyebrows seemed to come close together, making him seem brood.

On the left of him was another man. His lips were in a straight line, his blonde hair was back in a ponytail, and his skin was pale and cold.

And to the right of him was a woman. Her expression seemed soft yet dangerous. Her red curls flowed down her back, along with her white fur coat.

The man in the center holds up the ball, "I believe this belongs to you."

Carlisle catches it, smiling, "thank you."

"I am Laurent." He introduces himself, "and this is Victoria and James."

Thea examines all of them. She hated Laurent's calm tone, it did the opposite and put her on edge. She hated Victoria's faint smirk and most of all, she hated James's eyes. They were cold and black, and they lingered on Alice for way too long.

"I'm Carlisle. This is my family." Carlisle looks to his left and right where they stood.

"Hello," Laurent says.

Thea's teeth were clenched. Her fingers twitched. She didn't trust this at all, something wasn't right. She simply wanted to kill all three of them right now and get them out of her mind.

"I'm afraid your hunting activities have caused something of a mess for us," Carlisle explains.

Laurent lifts his head, "Our apologies. We didn't realize the territory had been claimed."

Carlisle nods in understand, "Yes, well, we maintain a permanent residence nearby."

Laurent looks to James, "Really?"

Thea squints, her eyes turning to James but his eyes were on Edward, who seemed to be panicking on the inside.

"Well, we won't be a problem anymore," Laurent claims. "We were just passing through."

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

"What a savior." Thea's tone was low and clear with sarcasm. Victoria turned her way and Thea only held her eye contact.

"Excellent."

Laurent looks between the family, "So. Could you use three more players?"

No. Thea thought. Carlisle, say No.

There was a pause. Laurent chuckles, "Oh come on. Just one game."

Carlisle sighs, "Sure. Why not? A few of us were leaving. You can take their place. We'll bat first." He throws the ball to Laurent but Victoria catches it.

"I'm the one with the wicked curveball." She teased.

Thea immediately rolls her eyes and Alice takes her hand, knowing she isn't the best around new people.

"Well, I think we can handle that," Jasper replies with his southern tone.

There were light chuckles between the vampires before they moved back. Alice was still holding Thea's hand as they returned to home base.

"Try not to think too much about it," Alice whispers as they continue walking.

Thea smiles tightly, "Easier said than—"

"You brought a snack." She hears James's threatening voice.

There was no time to waste as the family gathered, an instant hiss releasing from their mouths. James, Laurent, and Victoria did the same.

"The girl is with us." Carlisle defends, "I think it's best if you leave."

Thea was standing with her shoes dug into the ground. She was ready to kill all three of them to protect her family.

"I can see the game is over." Laurent nods, taking a step back, "We'll go now."

James lingers, his eyes on Edward and Bella.

"James," Laurent calls before James finally does pull himself back and leaves, wrapping his arm around Victoria as he does.

Carlisle turns to Edward, "Get Bella out of here. Go." His eyes snap back to the three vampires that had just disappeared into the fog.

Thea watches as they walk to the car. She glares at both of them as she retreats the rest of their items.

     ragerwrites,           The baseball scene is literally one of the best scenes in the entire franchise. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Also, Greys Anatomy mentioned?!

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