[BamaFan121s]

“ Jazz! No!” I heard Alice’s panicked plea.
I didn’t have time to process these events before I found myself being knocked backwards. As quickly as it’s onset, I was completely roused from my state of rage. I looked up to see Edward crouched protectively in front of me, now facing a still crouched and snarling Japser who stared passed him, his eyes still connecting with mine. I saw Carlisle slowly edging his way towards Jasper.
“Jasper…” Edward stated, in a surprisingly calm manner but keeping his protective stance. Still, there was no change in Jasper’s posture or expression. “Jasper…” he repeated, his tone a bit more demanding. Jasper took his gaze off of me and turned his eyes to meet Edward’s instead, still crouched only feet in front of him. “Jasper…don’t do this. No one is in danger here…please…you can’t really believe that…”
Without taking his eyes off of Jasper or moving so much as an inch from his position in front of me, Edward nodded with one quick jerk of his head, a gesture intended for Carlisle who was now at Jasper’s side.
Carlisle reached out and put his hand on his Jasper’s shoulder. With his contact, Jasper blinked twice and I saw recognition return to his face. He immediately sprang lightly to his feet and shook his head back and forth quickly. Relieved, I exhaled a deep breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding as a reached to take Edward’s outstretched hand, allowing him to pull me back to my feet.
Jasper scanned the faces around him for a fraction of a second before his eyes came to rest on mine again. “Bella!” I recognized the regret that took over his features as Alice stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his forearm. “ I’m so sorry Bella…Edward…” He hung his head in shame.
I was only vaguely aware that the others in the field had forced themselves to return to their previous activities now that the threat had been extinguished, but the tension did not completely fade. I heard the hushed whispers and saw the nervous glances I heard Quil and Embry mocking Jacob and laughing….something about ‘overly emotional bloodsuckers.’ I didn’t care. It wasn’t anything that could hold my attention at this moment.
Edward released my hand and stepped forward looking first to Carlisle’s confused expression and then to Jasper. “Jasper, what was that?”
“I’m not sure, Jasper explained. I could feel her anger. I tried to calm her down, but I couldn’t. The next thing I knew, I was the one who was angry!” Jasper seemed as shocked by his reaction as we had been. “Bella, I am so very sorry. I don’t know what came over me…” His eyes were pleading as he looked into mine, begging for my understanding.
“Pssh, oh please,” Alice chimed in, rolling her eyes dramatically.“Like you’re the first vampire who’s ever tried to rip Bella’s head off.” She waved her hand dismissively.
That broke the tension. Edward reached forward to punch him in the shoulder and turned to Carlisle, holding his gaze for a moment before muttering, “Interesting…” I would have to remember later to ask him to explain their exchange.
I smiled encouragingly to Jasper who relaxed a bit. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, collecting Alice in my embrace. “Don’t worry Jasper, you’re still one of my two favorite brothers.”
The rest of the baseball game passed without any such incidents. Jacob and his brothers were much better at baseball than Emmett had suspected and gave him much more of a challenge than he’d anticipated. I lost track of how many innings we played and lost track of score long before that. We finally decided to call the game a draw when the storm moved on and night began to fall over the clearing. Both Rosalie and Quil had left earlier to return Renesme and Claire to their respective beds.
We said our good-byes to the pack and left for home. Edward and I opted to run home instead of riding back in the Jeep. As we neared the house, I slowed to a walk and Edward matched my pace. I watched the ground as I walked, replaying the events that had transpired earlier, lost deep with my own thoughts.
Edward’s worried voice from behind me prompted me to speak. “I’m just…confused.”
Edward was quiet for a minute before beginning thoughtfully, “Well, on that accord, I think that Japser is just as confused over why he felt the need to act so defensively. He never made a conscious effort to react.”
That brought something else to mind. I bit my lip nervously. “Before…in the clearing. There was an exchange between you can Carlisle.”
“Yes. Carlisle didn’t want to say anything in front of the pack about his…theory.”
“A theory, about me?” I asked the question, already knowing the answer. I swallowed hard. “Is it that bad?”
“No, Bella.” He stopped, turning me to face him and reached out to force my chin up so that I was looking in his eyes. “Carlisle has always had a theory that in time, our talents have a tendency to strengthen themselves. He wonders if maybe yours has strengthened already…that maybe your shield is becoming more powerful and extending to talents of the physical nature, not just those that take place within the mind.”
“Oh,” I muttered, looking down at the ground, not sure how to respond or what to make of that. I kicked at a rock lying on the forest floor—it sailed fifty yards before connecting with a large fir tree and shattering into pieces.
Edward matched my sigh, sensing my discontent at the news of this theory. He reached forward pulling me into a tight embrace and rested his chin on my head as I leaned my forehead to his chest. “Bella, it just takes time to learn how to control what you do and to understand fully how it works. And you have done exceptionally well.” He pulled me back, rubbing my arms briskly. “After all, where would we have been months ago if it weren’t for that mysterious mind of yours.” He smiled my favorite crooked smile as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on mine.
“That’s true.” I had to admit, he had a point.
“Don’t fret over it, Love.” He released me from his grip and reached down to take my hand as we began to walk slowly again. The lights from the house were now visible through the trees. “You have more important things to worry about right now.”
“What’s that?” I asked, as if I needed something else to worry about. Even with all the room in my head, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.