last time he'd seen her as he'd left the house。 She'd smiled at him and waved。 But she can't move
around much； you know。 That thing is kicking the hell out of her。
I swallowed back the stomach acid in my throat。 Yeah； I know。
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Broke another of her ribs；he told me somberly。
My stride faltered； and I staggered a step before I regained my rhythm。
Carlisle taped her up again。 Just another crack； he said。 Then Rosalie said something about how even
normal human babies have been known to crack ribs。 Edward looked like he was gonna rip her head off。
Too bad he didn't
Seth was in full report mode now—knowing it was all vitally interesting to me； though I'd never've asked
to hear it。 Bella's been running a fever off and on today。 Just low grade — sweats and then chills。
Carlisle's not sure what to make of it— shemightjust be sick。 Her immune system can't be in peak
form right now。
Yeah； I'm sure it's just a coincidence。
She's in a good mood； though。 She was chatting with Charlie； laughing and all—
Charlie！What？！ What do you mean； she was talking to Charlie？！
Now Seth's pace stuttered； my fury surprised him。 Guess he calls every day to talk to her。 Sometimes
her mom calls； too。 Bella sounds so much better now； so she was reassuring him that she was on
the mendOn the mend？ What the hell are they thinking？！ Get Charlie's hopes up just so that he
can be destroyed even worse when she dies？ I thought they were getting him ready for that！
Trying to prepare him！ Why would she set him up like this？
She might not die；Seth thought quietly。
I took deep breath； trying to calm myself。 Seth。 Even if she pulls through this； she's not doing it
human。 She knows that； and so do the rest of them。 If she doesn't die； she's going to have to do a
pretty convincing impersonation of a corpse； kid。 Either that； or disappear。 I thought they were
trying to make this easier on Charlie。 Why。。。 ？
Think it's Bella's idea。 No one said anything； but Edward's face kinda went right along with what you're
thinking now。
On the same wavelength with the bloodsucker yet again。
We ran in silence for a few minutes。 I started off along a new line； probing south。
Don't get too far。
Why？
Bella asked me to ask you to stop by。
My teeth locked together。
Alice wants you； too。 She says she's tired of hanging out in the attic like the vampire bat in the belfry。
Seth snorted a laugh。 was switching off with Edward before。 Trying to keep Bella's temperature
stable。 Cold to hot； as needed。 I guess； if you don't want to do it； I could go back—
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No。 I got it；I snapped。
Okay。Seth didn't make any more ments。 He concentrated very hard on the empty forest。
I kept my southern course； searching for anything new。 I turned around when I got close to the first signs
of habitation。 Not near the town yet； but I didn't want to get any wolf rumors going again。 We'd been
nice and invisible for a long while now。
I passed right through the perimeter on my way back； heading for the house。 As much as I knew it was a
stupid thing to do； I couldn't stop myself。 I must be some kind of masochist。
There's nothing wrong with you； Jake。 This isn't the most normal situation。
Shut up； please； Seth。
Shutting。
I didn't hesitate at the door this time； I just walked through like I owned the place。 I figured that would
piss Rosalie off； but it was a wasted effort。 Neither Rosalie or Bella were anywhere in sight。 I looked
around wildly； hoping I'd missed them somewhere； my heart squeezing against my ribs in a weird；
unfortable way。
〃She's all right；〃 Edward whispered。 〃Or； the same； I should say。〃
Edward was on the couch with his face in his hands； he hadn't looked up to speak。 Esme was next to
him； her arm wrapped tight around his shoulders。
〃Hello； Jacob；〃 she said。 〃I'm so glad you came back。〃
〃Me； too；〃 Alice said with a deep sigh。 She came prancing down the stairs； making a face。 Like 1 was
late for an appointment。
〃Uh； hey；〃 I said。 It felt weird to try to be polite。
〃Where's Bella？〃
〃Bathroom；〃 Alice told me。 〃Mostly fluid diet； you know。 Plus； the whole pregnancy thing does that to
you； I hear。〃
〃Ah。〃
I stood there awkwardly； rocking back and forth on my heels。
〃Oh； wonderful；〃 Rosalie grumbled。 I whipped my head around and saw her ing from a hall
halfhidden behind the stairway。 She had Bella cradled gently in her arms； a harsh sneer on her face for
me。 〃I knew I smelled something nasty。〃
And； just like before； Bella's face lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning。 Like I'd brought her the
greatest gift ever。
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It was so unfair。
〃Jacob；〃 she breathed。 〃You came。〃
〃Hi； Bells。〃
Esme and Edward both got up。 I watched how carefully Rosalie laid Bella out on the couch。 I watched
how； despite that； Bella turned white and held her breath—like she was set on not making any noise no
matter how much it hurt。
Edward brushed his hand across her forehead and then along her neck。 He tried to make it look as if he
was
just sweeping her hair back； but it looked like a doctor's examination to me。
〃Are you cold？〃 he murmured。
I'm fine。〃
〃Bella； you know what Carlisle told you；〃 Rosalie said。 〃Don't downplay anything。 It doesn't help us
take care of either of you。〃
〃Okay； I'm a little cold。 Edward； can you hand me that blanket？〃
I rolled my eyes。 〃Isn't that sort of the point of me being here？〃
〃You just walked in；〃 Bella said。 〃After running all day； I'd bet。 Put your feet up for a minute。 I'll
probably warm up again in no time。〃
I ignored her； going to sit on the floor next the sofa while she was still telling me what to do。 At that
point； though； I wasn't sure how。。。。 She looked pretty brittle； and I was afraid to move her； even to put
my arms around her。 So I just leaned carefully against her side； letting my arm rest along the length of
hers； and held her hand。 Then I put my other hand against her face。 It was hard to tell if she felt colder
than usual。
〃Thanks； Jake；〃 she said； and I felt her shiver once。
〃Yeah；〃 I said。
Edward sat on the arm of the sofa by Bella's feet； his eyes always on her face。
It was too much to hope； with all the superhearing in the room； that no one would notice my stomach
rumbling。
〃Rosalie； why don't you get Jacob something from the kitchen？〃 Alice said。 She was invisible now； sitting
quietly behind the back of the sofa。
Rosalie stared at the place Alice's voice had e from in disbelief。
〃Thanks； anyway； Alice； but I don't think I'd want to eat something Blondie's spit in。 I'd bet my system
wouldn't take too kindly to venom。〃
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〃Rosalie would never embarrass Esme by displaying such a lack of hospitality。〃
〃Of course not；〃 Blondie said in a sugarsweet voice that I immediately distrusted。 She got up and
breezed out of the room。
Edward sighed。
〃You'd tell me if she poisoned it； right？〃 I asked。
〃Yes；〃 Edward promised。
And for some reason I believed him。
There was a lot of banging in the kitchen； and—weirdly—the sound of metal protesting as it was
abused。 Edward sighed again； but smiled just a little； too。 Then Rosalie was back before I could think
much more about it。 With a pleased smirk； she set a silver bowl on the floor next to me。
〃Enjoy； mongrel。〃
It had once probably been a big mixing bowl； but she'd bent the bowl back in on itself until it was
shaped almost exactly like a dog dish。 I had to be impressed with her quick craftsmanship。 And her
attention to detail。 She'd
scratched the word Fido into the side。 Excellent handwriting。
Because the food looked pretty good—steak； no less； and a big baked potato with all the fixings—I told
her； 〃Thanks； Blondie。〃
She snorted。
〃Hey； do you know what you call a blonde with a brain？〃 I asked； and then continued on the same
breath； 〃a golden retriever。〃
〃I've heard that one； too；〃 she said； no longer smiling。
〃I'll keep trying；〃 I promised； and then I dug in。
She made a disgusted face and rolled her eyes。 Then she sat in one of the armchairs and started flicking
through channels on the big TV so fast that there was no way she could really be surfing for something to
watch。
The food was good； even with the vampire stink in the air。 I was getting really used to that。 Huh。 Not
something I'd been wanting to do； exactly。。。
When I was finished—though I was considering licking the bowl； just to give Rosalie something to
plain about—I felt Bella's cold fingers pulling softly through my hair。 She patted it down against the
back of my neck。
〃Time for a haircut； huh？〃
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〃You're getting a little shaggy；〃 she said。 〃Maybe—〃
〃Let me guess； someone around here used to cut hair in a salon in Paris？〃
She chuckled。 〃Probably。〃
〃No thanks；〃 I said before she could really offer。 〃I'm good for a few more weeks。〃
Which made me wonder how long she was good for。 I tried to think of a polite way to ask。
〃So。。。 urn。。。 what's the； er； date？ You know； the due date for the little monster。〃
She smacked the back of my head with about as much force as a drifting feather； but didn't answer。
〃I'm serious；〃 I told her。 〃I want to know how long I'm gonna have to be here。〃 How long you're gonna
be here； I added in my head。 I turned to look at her then。 Her eyes were thoughtful； the stress line was
there between her brows again。
〃I don't know；〃 she murmured。 〃Not exactly。 Obviously； we're not going with the ninemonth model
here； and we can't get an ultrasound； so Carlisle is guesstimating from how big I am。 Normal people are
supposed to be about forty centimeters here〃—she ran her finger r