[BamaFan121s]

We didn't have to wait for Jacob and his pack brothers long. By the time they'd arrived, Carlisle had paced off the bases and set them up, and we'd gotten all of the equipment from the Jeep. Thunder rolled in the background, just as Alice had predicted and in the distance orange lightning snaked its way though high, purple walls of clouds.

I began to hear a distant stirring in the leaves. "Well, their stench certainly travels before them." Rosalie sulked.

A minute later, Jacob emerged from the trees on the other side of the clearing. A step behind him was Seth, grinning widely, closely followed by Quil and Embry, and Claire, who ran forward to greet Renesmee. Then, my jaw dropped-emerging from the trees behind them were Sam, Paul, Jared, and Leah. Jacob hadn't brought a few of his pack members, he'd brought the half of the La Push werewolf population. Carlisle stepped forward to greet Sam, extending his hand in greeting. I took note that Sam reached forward, taking Carlisle's hand, showing no aversion.

Everyone seemed completely at ease...except for Leah, and Rosalie. Leah stood angled herself so that Sam and Set were between she and the vampires in the field, her face in a scowl and her fists clenched tightly. Rosalie, stood behind Emmett, her arms folded across her chest. She was adamantly explaining her disapproval over our rivals to Emmett, who seemed to be only agitating her further by ignoring her concerns.

Jacob, grinned widely at the expression on my face. His white teeth gleaming against his russet colored skin. "What? You didn't think we were going to let you guys outnumber us, did you?"

"Hey, if you want your whole pack to witness your annihilation, that's your call," Emmett said jokingly.

After a few minutes of light hearted ribbing, Carlisle explained the modified set of rules the Cullens had adapted to everyone. After everyone had been briefed, we broke apart, the electricity of the upcoming game radiating from all sides, matching that in the air from the nearby storm.

Jacob clapped his hands together in front of him and facing off against a gloating Emmett. Renesmee sat perched upon his broad shoulders, her face eager with excitement. "You leeches ready to get beat, Quiluete style?"

Rosalie looked seethingly at Jacob and taunted him. "Wouldn't your kind be more equipped for a game of Go Fetch?"

Suddenly, I had reached my limit. The insulting comments, the constant bickering...I snapped. "That's enough!" My bell-like voice rang out through the clearing, silencing all of those around us. I felt my muscles tensing and my shield blurred my vision red around the sides. I didn't know who to direct my anger towards. I slowly backed away from them so that I could face them both. "I have had it with your constant arguing with one another!" I saw the shock on Rosalie's face as she froze in place. Jacob slowly returned Renesmee to the ground, all traces of humor gone from his face. She heeded his instruction and ran off to peer back at me with wide, tear filled eyes from behind Esme. "This...ends...NOW!" My voice ripped through an entire octave and echoed back from the canvas of trees surrounding the clearing.

Unsure if they truly grasped the extent of my frustration, I felt fury building up within my body. I backed up a few more paces and felt my body reflexively curling into a crouching position. I felt a growl building in my chest threatening to burst free at the moment I lost my composure. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leah take a step forward clearly intent on defending Jacob, her face twisted in outrage. Before she could take a second step, Sam slung his massive arm forward to stop her. He shook his head silently when she looked to him confused, clearly having been forbidden from intervening.

I sensed Edward cautiously moving closer to me from behind and waited to feel his hands find my shoulders to restrain me, but they did not come. Instead, with a slight edge of concern, he merely uttered one single word, a directive. "Jasper."

I felt Jasper taste the mood around me and sensed it as he tried to calm me and resisted, even though I knew my shield was immune to his gift. I didn't want to be calmed. I wanted to put an end to this situation and I was willing to do so by whatever means necessary. "Stay OUT of this, Jasper!" I threatened through clenched teeth. I felt the vibration of my shield as it stretch crept forward, no longer only in my peripheral. I deliberately stalked forward a pace, looking first to Jacob and then to Rosalie, daring one of them to make the first move. They both still wore a mask of shock on their faces and had not yet reacted to defend themselves. Jacob began slowly backing up, his hands extended forward, palms upturned, indicating that he had no intent on fighting me.

Several feet behind them, I saw Esme's panicked expression as she shielded Renesmee's eyes and turned with her, putting some distance in between them and the fight that was brewing before them. I felt the tension in the air and sensed the other pack members shifting nervously. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leah and Jared fighting to control the tremors that were rippling down their bodies.

"Jasper..." Edward trailed off, urging his brother to help control the situation.

"I'm trying, Edward," Japser responded. I could hear the strain in his voice as he tried again to wash over me with a wave of calmness.

I was on the brink of losing it. "Jasper, I said stay OUT!" I ordered. My demand was interrupted as my ears were met with another feral snarl. To the left of me, I turned to see Jasper now in full hunting crouch. He stalked towards me, his eyes murderous and his gaze intent.

Ignoring reason, my defensive instincts took over and I turned to face my brother. I looked into his eyes and saw a familiar spark that I had only seen once in my life. His fierce golden eyes indicated that his intentions were clear - the same intention that had been there on the night of my eighteenth birthday washed over his face once more. The same desire for one thing and one thing only - to kill me.