when things were still 。 。 。 normal； I mean。”
I laughed。 “Of course I remember。 I traded a lifetime of servitude for a box of conversation hearts。 That’s
not something I’m likely to forget。”
He laughed with me。 “That’s right。 Hmm； servitude。 I’ll have to think of something good。” Then he sighed。
“It feels like it was years ago。 Another era。 A happier one。”
I couldn’t agree with him。 This was my happy era now。 But I was surprised to realize how many things I
missed from my own personal dark ages。 I stared through the opening at the murky forest。 The rain had
picked up again； but it was warm in the little garage； sitting next to Jacob。 He was as good as a furnace。
His fingers brushed my hand。 “Things have really changed。”
“Yeah；” I said； and then I reached out and patted the back tire of my bike。 “Charlie used to like me。 I
hope Billy doesn’t say anything about today。 。 。 。” I bit my lip。
“He won’t。 He doesn’t get worked up about things the way Charlie does。 Hey； I never did apologize
officially for that stupid move with the bike。 I’m real sorry about ratting you out to Charlie。 I wish I hadn’t。”
I rolled my eyes。 “Me； too。”
“I’m really； really sorry。”
He looked at me hopefully； his wet； tangled black hair sticking up in every direction around his pleading
face。
“Oh； fine！ You’re forgiven。”
“Thanks； Bells！”
We grinned at each other for a second； and then his face clouded over。
“You know that day； when I brought the bike over 。 。 。 I’ve been wanting to ask you something；” he said
slowly。 “But also 。 。 。 not wanting to。”
I held very still — a reaction to stress。 It was a habit I’d picked up from Edward。
“Were you just being stubborn because you were mad at me； or were you really serious？” he whispered。
“About what？” I whispered back； though I was sure I knew what he meant。
He glared at me。 “You know。 When you said it was none of my business 。 。 。 if — if he bit you。” He
cringed visibly at the end。
“Jake 。 。 。” My throat felt swollen。 I couldn’t finish。
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath。 “Were you serious？”
He was trembling just slightly。 His eyes stayed closed。
“Yes；” I whispered。
Jacob inhaled； slow and deep。 “I guess I knew that。”
I stared at his face； waiting for his eyes to open。
“You know what this will mean？” He demanded suddenly。 “You do understand that； don’t you？ What will
happen if they break the treaty？”
“We’ll leave first；” I said in a small voice。
His eyes flashed open； their black depths full of anger and pain。 “There wasn’t a geographic limit to the
treaty； Bella。 Our greatgrandfathers only agreed to keep the peace because the Cullens swore that they were
different； that humans weren’t in danger from them。 They promised they would never kill or change anyone
ever again。 If they go back on their word； the treaty is meaningless； and they are no different than any other
vampires。 Once that’s established； when we find them again —”
“But； Jake； didn’t you break the treaty already？” I asked； grasping at straws。 “Wasn’t part of it that you
not tell people about the vampires？ And you told me。 So isn’t the treaty sort of moot； anyhow？”
Jacob didn’t like the reminder； the pain in his eyes hardened into animosity。 “Yeah； I broke the treaty —
back before I believed any of it。 And I’m sure they were informed of that。” He glared sourly at my forehead；
not meeting my shamed gaze。 “But it’s not like that gives them a freebie or anything。 There’s no fault for a
fault。 They have only one option if they object to what I did。 The same option we’ll have when they break the
treaty： to attack。 To start the war。”
He made it sound so inevitable。 I shuddered。
“Jake； it doesn’t have to be that way。”
His teeth ground together。 “It is that way。”
The silence after his declaration felt very loud。
“Will you never forgive me； Jacob？” I whispered。 As soon as I said the words； I wished I hadn’t。 I didn’t
want to hear his answer。
“You won’t be Bella anymore；” he told me。 “My friend won’t exist。 There’ll be no one to forgive。”
“That sounds like a no；” I whispered。
We faced each other for an endless moment。
“Is this goodbye then； Jake？”
He blinked rapidly； his fierce expression melting in surprise。 “Why？ We still have a few years。 Can’t we be
friends until we’re out of time？”
“Years？ No； Jake； not years。” I shook my head； and laughed once without humor。 “Weeks is more
accurate。”
I was not expecting his reaction。
He was suddenly on his feet； and there was a loud pop as the soda can exploded in his hand。 Soda flew
everywhere； soaking me； like it was spraying from a hose。
“Jake！” I started to plain； but I fell silent when I realized that his whole body was quivering with anger。
He glared at me wildly； a growling sound building in his chest。
I froze in place； too shocked to remember how to move。
The shaking rolled through him； getting faster； until it looked like he was vibrating。 His shape blurred。 。 。 。
And then Jacob gritted his teeth together； and the growling stopped。 He squeezed his eyes tight in
concentration； the quivering slowed until only his hands were shaking。
“Weeks；” Jacob said in a flat monotone。
I couldn’t respond； I was still frozen。
He opened his eyes。 They were beyond fury now。
“He’s going to change you into a filthy bloodsucker in just a few weeks！” Jacob hissed through his teeth。
Too stunned to take offense at his words； I just nodded mutely。
His face turned green under the russet skin。
“Of course； Jake；” I whispered after a long minute of silence。 “He’s seventeen； Jacob。 And I get closer to
nieen every day。 Besides； what’s the point in waiting？ He’s all I want。 What else can I do？”
I’d meant that as a rhetorical question。
His words cracked like snaps of a whip。 “Anything。 Anything else。 You’d be better off dead。 I’d rather
you were。”
I recoiled like he’d slapped me。 It hurt worse than if he had。
And then； as the pain shot through me； my own temper burst into flame。
“Maybe you’ll get lucky；” I said bleakly； lurching to my feet。 “Maybe I’ll get hit by a truck on my way
back。”
I grabbed my motorcycle and pushed it out into the rain。 He didn’t move as I passed him。 As soon as I
was on the small； muddy path； I climbed on and kicked the bike to life。 The rear tire spit a fountain of mud
toward the garage； and I hoped that it hit him。
I got absolutely soaked as I sped across the slick highway toward the Cullens’ house。 The wind felt like it
was freezing the rain against my skin； and my teeth were chattering before I was halfway there。
Motorcycles were too impractical for Washington。 I would sell the stupid thing first chance I got。
I walked the bike into the Cullens’ cavernous garage and was unsurprised to find Alice waiting for me；
perched lightly on the hood of her Porsche。 Alice stroked the glossy yellow paint。
“I haven’t even had a chance to drive it。” She sighed。
“Sorry；” I spit through my rattling teeth。
“You look like you could use a hot shower；” she said； offhand； as she sprang lightly to her feet。
“Yep。”
She pursed her lips； taking in my expression carefully。 “Do you want to talk about it？”
“Nope。”
She nodded in assent； but her eyes were raging with curiosity。
“Do you want to go to Olympia tonight？”
“Not really。 Can’t I go home？”
She grimaced。
“Never mind； Alice；” I said。 “I’ll stay if it makes things easier for you。”
“Thanks；” she sighed in relief。
I went to bed early that night； curling up on his sofa again。
It was still dark when I woke。 I was groggy； but I knew it wasn’t near morning yet。 My eyes closed； and I
stretched； rolling over。 It took me a second before I realized that the movement should have dumped me onto
the floor。 And that I was much too fortable。
I rolled back over； trying to see。 It was darker than last night — the clouds were too thick for the moon to
shine through。
“Sorry；” he murmured so softly that his voice was part of the darkness。 “I didn’t mean to wake you。”
I tensed； waiting for the fury — both his and mine — but it was only quiet and calm in the darkness of his
room。 I could almost taste the sweetness of reunion in the air； a separate fragrance from the perfume of his
breath； the emptiness when we were apart left its own bitter aftertaste； something I didn’t consciously notice
until it was removed。
There was no friction in the space between us。 The stillness was peaceful — not like the calm before the
tempest； but like a clear night untouched by even the dream of a storm。
And I didn’t care that I was supposed to be angry with him。 I didn’t care that I was supposed to be angry
with everyone。 I reached out for him； found his hands in the darkness； and pulled myself closer to him。 His
arms encircled me； cradling me to his chest。 My lips searched； hunting along his throat； to his chin； till I finally
found his lips。
Edward kissed me softly for a moment； and then he chuckled。
“I was all braced for the wrath that was going to put grizzlies to shame； and this is what I get？ I should
infuriate you more often。”
“Give me a minute to work up to it；” I teased； kissing him again。
“I’ll wait as long as you want；” he whispered against my lips。 His fingers knotted in my hair。
My breath was being uneven。 “Maybe in the morning。”
“Whatever you prefer。”
“Wele home；” I said while his cold lips pressed under my jaw。 “I’m glad you came back。”
“That’s a very good thing。”
“Mmm；” I agreed； tightening my arms around his neck。
His hand curved around my elbow； moving slowly down my arm； across my ribs and over my waist；
tracing along my hip and down my leg； around my knee。 He paused there； his hand curling around my calf。 He
pulled my leg up suddenly； hitching it around his hip。
I stopped breathing。 This wasn’t the kind of thing he usually allowed。 Despite his cold hands； I felt
suddenly warm。 His lips moved in the hollow at the base of my throat。
“Not to bring on the ire prematurely；” he whispered； “but do you mind telling me what it is about this b