her with
this。。。She paused； considering。 Even though I don't think too much of her； I'd probably do the same
as the bloodsucker。
A loud snarl ripped through my teeth。
Because； if it was turned around； I'd want Bella to do that for me。 And so would Rosalie。 We'd both do
it her way。
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Ugh！ You're as bad as they are！
That's the funny thing about knowing you can't have something。 It makes you desperate。
And。。 。 that's my limit Right there。 This conversation is over。
Fine。
It wasn't enough that she'd agreed to stop。 I wanted a stronger termination than that。
I was only about a mile from where I'd left my clothes； so I phased back to human and walked。 I didn't
think about our conversation。 Not because there wasn't anything to think about； but because I couldn't
stand it。 I would not see it that way—but it was harder to keep from doing that when Leah had put the
thoughts and emotions straight into my head。
Yeah； I wasn't running with her when this was finished。 She could go be miserable in La Push。 One little
Alpha mand before I left for good wasn't going to kill anybody。
It was real early when I got to the house。 Bella was probably still asleep。 I figured I'd poke my head in；
see what was going on； give 'em the green light to go hunting； and then find a patch of grass soft enough
to sleep on while human。 I wasn't phasing back until Leah was asleep。
But there was a lot of low mumbling going on inside the house； so maybe Bella wasn't sleeping。 And then
I heard the machinery sound from upstairs again—the Xray？ Great。 It looked like day four on the
countdown was starting off with a bang。
Alice opened the door for me before I could walk in。
She nodded。 〃Hey； wolf。〃
〃Hey； shortie。 What's going on upstairs？〃 The big room was empty—all the murmurs were on the
second floor。
She shrugged her pointy little shoulders。 〃Maybe another break。〃 She tried to say the words casually； but
I could see the flames in the very back of her eyes。 Edward and I weren't the only ones who were
burning over this。 Alice loved Bella； too。
〃Another rib？〃 I asked hoarsely。
〃No。 Pelvis this time。〃
Funny how it kept hitting me； like each new thing was a surprise。 When was I going to stop being
surprised？ Each new disaster seemed kinda obvious in hindsight。
Alice was staring at my hands； watching them tremble。
Then we were listening to Rosalie's voice upstairs。
〃See； I told you I didn't hear a crack。 You need your ears checked； Edward。〃
There was no answer。
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Alice made a face。 〃Edward's going to end up ripping Rose into small pieces； I think。 I'm surprised she
doesn't see that。 Or maybe she thinks Emmett will be able to stop him。〃
〃I'll take Emmett；〃 I offered。 〃You can help Edward with the ripping part。〃
Alice halfsmiled。
The procession came down the stairs then—Edward had Bella this time。 She was gripping her cup of
blood in both hands； and her face was white。 I could see that； though he pensated for every tiny
movement of his body to keep from jostling her； she was hurting。
〃Jake；〃 she whispered； and she smiled through the pain。
I stared at her； saying nothing。
Edward placed Bella carefully on her couch and sat on the floor by her head。 I wondered briefly why
they didn't leave her upstairs； and then decided at once that it must be Bella's idea。 She'd want to act like
things were normal； avoid the hospital setup。 And he was humoring her。 Naturally。
Carlisle came down slowly； the last one； his face creased with worry。 It made him look old enough to be
a doctor for once。
〃Carlisle；〃 I said。 〃We went halfway to Seattle。 There's no sign of the pack。 You're good to go。〃
〃Thank you； Jacob。 This is good timing。 There's much that we need。〃 His black eyes flickered to the cup
that Bella was holding so tight。
〃Honestly； I think you're safe to take more than three。 I'm pretty positive that Sam is concentrating on La
Push。〃
Carlisle nodded in agreement。 It surprised me how willingly he took my advice。 〃If you think so。 Alice；
Esme； Jasper； and I will go。 Then Alice can take Emmett and Rosa—〃
〃Not a chance；〃 Rosalie hissed。 〃Emmett can go with you now。〃
〃You should hunt；〃 Carlisle said in a gentle voice。
His tone didn't soften hers。 〃I'll hunt when he does；〃 she growled； jerking her head toward Edward and
then flipping her hair back。
Carlisle sighed。
Jasper and Emmett were down the stairs in a flash； and Alice joined them by the glass back door in the
same second。 Esme flitted to Alice's side。
Carlisle put his hand on my arm。 The icy touch did not feel good； but I didn't jerk away。 I held still； half
in surprise； and half because I didn't want to hurt his feelings。
〃Thank you；〃 he said again； and then he darted out the door with the other four。 My eyes followed them
as they flew across the lawn and then disappeared before I took another breath。 Their needs must have
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been more urgent than I'd imagined。
There was no sound for a minute。 I could feel someone glaring at me； and I knew who it would be。 I'd
been planning to take off and get some Z's； but the chance to ruin Rosalie's morning seemed too good to
pass up。
So I sauntered over to the armchair next to the one Rosalie had and settled in； sprawling out so that my
head
was tilted toward Bella and my left foot was near Rosalie's face。
〃Ew。 Someone put the dog out；〃 she murmured； wrinkling her nose。
〃Have you heard this one； Psycho？ How do a blonde's brain cells die？〃
She didn't say anything。
〃Well？〃 I asked。 〃Do you know the punch line or not？〃
She looked pointedly at the TV and ignored me。
〃Has she heard it？〃 I asked Edward。
There was no humor on his tense face—he didn't move his eyes from Bella。 But he said； 〃No。〃
〃Awesome。 So you'll enjoy this； bloodsucker—a blonde's brain cells die alone。〃
Rosalie still didn't look at me。 〃I have killed a hundred times more often than you have； you disgusting
beast。 Don't forget that。〃
〃Someday； Beauty Queen； you're going to get tired of just threatening me。 I'm really looking forward to
that。〃
〃Enough； Jacob；〃 Bella said。
I looked down； and she was scowling at me。 It looked like yesterday's good mood was long gone。
Well； I didn't want to bug her。 〃You want me to take off？〃 I offered。
Before I could hope—or fear—that she'd finally gotten tired of me； she blinked； and her frown
disappeared。 She seemed totally shocked that I would e to that conclusion。 〃No！ Of course not。〃
I sighed； and I heard Edward sigh very quietly； too。 I knew he wished she'd get over me； too。 Too bad
he'd never ask her to do anything that might make her unhappy。
〃You look tired；〃 Bella mented。
〃Dead beat；〃 I admitted。
I'dlike to beat you dead；〃 Rosalie muttered； too low for Bella to hear。
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