physically。 He really does calm your system down； or excite it。 It’s not an illusion。 And I see visions of
outes； not the reasons and thoughts behind the decisions that create them。 It’s outside the mind； not an
illusion； either； reality； or at least one version of it。 But Jane and Edward and Aro and Demetri — they work
inside the mind。 Jane only creates an illusion of pain。 She doesn’t really hurt your body； you only think you feel
it。 You see； Bella？ You are safe inside your mind。 No one can reach you there。 It’s no wonder that Aro was
so curious about your future abilities。”
She watched my face to see if I was following her logic。 In truth； her words had all started to run together；
the syllables and sounds losing their meaning。 I couldn’t concentrate on them。 Still； I nodded。 Trying to look
like I got it。
She wasn’t fooled。 She stroked my cheek and murmured； “He’s going to be okay； Bella。 I don’t need a
vision to know that。 Are you ready to go？”
“One more thing。 Can I ask you another question about the future？ I don’t want specifics； just an
overview。”
“I’ll do my best；” she said； doubtful again。
“Can you still see me being a vampire？”
“Oh； that’s easy。 Sure； I do。”
I nodded slowly。
She examined my face； her eyes unfathomable。 “Don’t you know your own mind； Bella？”
“I do。 I just wanted to be sure。”
“I’m only as sure as you are； Bella。 You know that。 If you were to change your mind； what I see would
change 。 。 。 or disappear； in your case。”
I sighed。 “That isn’t going to happen； though。”
She put her arms around me。 “I’m sorry。 I can’t really empathize。 My first memory is of seeing Jasper’s
face in my future； I always knew that he was where my life was headed。 But I can sympathize。 I’m so sorry
you have to choose between two good things。”
I shook off her arms。 “Don’t feel sorry for me。” There were people who deserved sympathy。 I wasn’t one
of them。 And there wasn’t any choice to make — there was just breaking a good heart to attend to now。 “I’ll
go deal with Charlie。”
I drove my truck home； where Charlie was waiting just as suspiciously as Alice had expected。
“Hey； Bella。 How was your shopping trip？” he greeted me when I walked into the kitchen。 He had his
arms folded over his chest； his eyes on my face。
“Long；” I said dully。 “We just got back。”
Charlie assessed my mood。 “I guess you already heard about Jake； then？”
“Yes。 The rest of the Cullens beat us home。 Esme told us where Carlisle and Edward were。”
“Are you okay？”
“Worried about Jake。 As soon as I make dinner； I’m going down to La Push。”
“I told you those motorcycles were dangerous。 I hope this makes you realize that I wasn’t kidding
around。”
I nodded as I started pulling things out of the fridge。 Charlie settled himself in at the table。 He seemed to
be in a more talkative mood than usual。
“I don’t think you need to worry about Jake too much。 Anyone who can cuss with that kind of energy is
going to recover。”
“Jake was awake when you saw him？” I asked； spinning to look at him。
“Oh； yeah； he was awake。 You should have heard him — actually； it’s better you didn’t。 I don’t think
there was anyone in La Push who couldn’t hear him。 I don’t know where he picked up that vocabulary； but I
hope he hasn’t been using that kind of language around you。”
“He had a pretty good excuse today。 How did he look？”
“Messed up。 His friends carried him in。 Good thing they’re big boys； ’cause that kid’s an armful。 Carlisle
said his right leg is broken； and his right arm。 Pretty much the whole right side of his body got crushed when he
wrecked that damn bike。” Charlie shook his head。 “If I ever hear of you riding again； Bella —”
“No problem there； Dad。 You won’t。 Do you really think Jake’s okay？”
“Sure； Bella； don’t worry。 He was himself enough to tease me。”
“Tease you？” I echoed in shock。
“Yeah — in between insulting somebody’s mother and taking the Lord’s name in vain； he said； ‘Bet
you’re glad she loves Cullen instead of me today； huh； Charlie？’”
I turned back to the fridge so that he couldn’t see my face。
“And I couldn’t argue。 Edward’s more mature than Jacob when it es to your safety； I’ll give him that
much。”
“Jacob’s plenty mature；” I muttered defensively。 “I’m sure this wasn’t his fault。”
“Weird day today；” Charlie mused after a minute。 “You know； I don’t put much stock in that superstitious
crap； but it was odd。 。 。 。 It was like Billy knew something bad was going to happen to Jake。 He was nervous
as a turkey on Thanksgiving all morning。 I don’t think he heard anything I said to him。
“And then； weirder than that — remember back in February and March when we had all that trouble with
the wolves？”
I bent down to get a frying pan out of the cupboard； and hid there an extra second or two。
“Yeah；” I mumbled。
“I hope we’re not going to have a problem with that again。 This morning； we were out in the boat； and
Billy wasn’t paying any attention to me or the fish； when all of a sudden； you could hear wolves yowling in the
woods。 More than one； and； boy； was it loud。 Sounded like they were right there in the village。 Weirdest part
was； Billy turned the boat around and headed straight back to the harbor like they were calling to him
personally。 Didn’t even hear me ask what he was doing。
“The noise stopped before we got the boat docked。 But all of a sudden Billy was in the biggest hurry not
to miss the game； though we had hours still。 He was mumbling some nonsense about an earlier showing 。 。 。 of
a live game？ I tell you； Bella； it was odd。
“Well； he found some game he said he wanted to watch； but then he just ignored it。 He was on the phone
the whole time； calling Sue； and Emily； and your friend Quil’s grandpa。 Couldn’t quite make out what he was
looking for — he just chatted real casual with them。
“Then the howling started again right outside the house。 I’ve never heard anything like it — I had goose
bumps on my arms。 I asked Billy — had to shout over the noise — if he’d been setting traps in his yard。 It
sounded like the animal was in serious pain。”
I winced； but Charlie was so caught up in his story that he didn’t notice。
“’Course I forgot all about that till just this minute； ’cause that’s when Jake made it home。 One minute it
was that wolf yowling； and then you couldn’t hear it anymore — Jake’s cussing drowned it right out。 Got a set
of lungs on him； that boy does。”
Charlie paused for a minute； his face thoughtful。 “Funny that some good should e out of this mess。 I
didn’t think they were ever going to get over that fool prejudice they have against the Cullens down there。 But
somebody called Carlisle； and Billy was real grateful when he showed up。 I thought we should get Jake up to
the hospital； but Billy wanted to keep him home； and Carlisle agreed。 I guess Carlisle knows what’s best。
Generous of him to sign up for such a long stretch of house calls。”
“And 。 。 。” he paused； as if unwilling to say something。 He sighed； and then continued。 “And Edward was
really 。 。 。 nice。 He seemed as worried about Jacob as you are — like that was his brother lying there。 The
look in his eyes 。 。 。” Charlie shook his head。 “He’s a decent guy； Bella。 I’ll try to remember that。 No
promises； though。” He grinned at me。
“I won’t hold you to it；” I mumbled。
Charlie stretched his legs and groaned。 “It’s nice to be home。 You wouldn’t believe how crowded Billy’s
little place gets。 Seven of Jake’s friends all squished themselves into that little front room — I could hardly
breathe。 Have you ever noticed how big those Quileute kids all are？”
“Yeah； I have。”
Charlie stared at me； his eyes abruptly more focused。 “Really； Bella； Carlisle said Jake will be up and
around in no time。 Said it looked a lot worse than it was。 He’s going to be fine。”
I just nodded。
Jacob had looked so 。 。 。 strangely fragile when I’d hurried down to see him as soon as Charlie had left。
He’d had braces everywhere — Carlisle said there was no point in plaster； as fast as he was healing。 His face
had been pale and drawn； deeply unconscious though he was at the time。 Breakable。 Huge as he was； he’d
looked very breakable。 Maybe that had just been my imagination； coupled with the knowledge that I was
going to have to break him。
If only I could be struck by lightning and be split in two。 Preferably painfully。 For the first time； giving up
being human felt like a true sacrifice。 Like it might be too much to lose。
I put Charlie’s dinner on the table next to his elbow and headed for the door。
“Er； Bella？ Could you wait just a second？”
“Did I forget something？” I asked； eyeing his plate。
“No； no。 I just 。 。 。 want to ask a favor。” Charlie frowned and looked at the floor。 “Have a seat — this
won’t take long。”
I sat across from him； a little confused。 I tried to focus。 “What do you need； Dad？”
“Here’s the gist of it； Bella。” Charlie flushed。 “Maybe I’m just feeling 。 。 。 superstitious after hanging out
with Billy while he was being so strange all day。 But I have this 。 。 。 hunch。 I feel like 。 。 。 I’m going to lose you
soon。”
“Don’t be silly； Dad；” I mumbled guiltily。 “You want me to go to school； don’t you？”
“Just promise me one thing。”
I was hesitant； ready to rescind。 “Okay 。 。 。”
“Will you tell me before you do anything major？ Before you run off with him or something？”
“Dad 。 。 。 ；” I moaned。
“I’m serious。 I won’t kick up a fuss。 Just give me some advance notice。 Give me a chance to hug you
goodbye。”
Cringing mentally； I held up my hand。 “This is silly。 But； if it makes you happy； 。 。 。 I promise。”
“Thanks； Bella；” he said。 “I love you； kid。”
“I love you； too； Dad。” I touched his shoulder； and then shoved away from the table。 “If you need
anything； I’ll be at Billy’s。”
I didn’t look back as I ran out。 This was just perfect； just what I needed right now。 I grumbled to myself
all the way to La Push。
Carlisle’s black Mercedes was not in front of Billy’s