r a pack of mutant canines from extinction? If we could bottle your luck, wed have a weapon of mass destruction on our hands.

I ignored the ribbing, my attention caught by his assumption  was he serious? ButI didnt bring them back. Dont you know?

Know what?

My bad luck had nothing to do with it. The werewolves came back because the vampires did.

Edward stared at me, his body motionless with surprise.

Jacob told me that your family being here set things in motion. I thought you would already know. . . .

His eyes narrowed. Is that what they think?

Edward, look at the facts. Seventy years ago, you came here, and the werewolves showed up. You come back now, and the werewolves show up again. Do you think thats a coincidence?

He blinked and his glare relaxed. Carlisle will be interested in that theory.

Theory, I scoffed.

He was silent for a moment, staring out the window into the rain; I imagined he was contemplating the fact that his familys presence was turning the locals into giant dogs.

Interesting, but not exactly relevant, he murmured after a moment. The situation remains the same.

I could translate that easily enough: no werewolf friends.

I knew I must be patient with Edward. It wasnt that he was unreasonable, it was just that he didntunderstand. He had no idea how very much I owed Jacob Black  my life many times over, and possibly my sanity, too.

I didnt like to talk about that barren time with anyone, and especially not Edward. He had only been trying to save me when hed left, trying to save my soul. I didnt hold him responsible for all the stupid things Id done in his absence, or the pain I had suffered.

He did.

So I would have to word my explanation very carefully.

I got up and walked around the table. He opened his arms for me and I sat on his lap, nestling into his cool stone embrace. I looked at his hands while I spoke.

Please just listen for a minute. This is so much more important than some whim to drop in on an old friend. Jacob is inpain . My voice distorted around the word. I cantnot try to help him  I cant give up on him now, when he needs me. Just because hes not human all the time. . . . Well, he was there for me when I was . . . not so human myself. You dont know what it was like. . . . I hesitated. Edwards arms were rigid around me; his hands were in fists now, the tendons standing out. If Jacob hadnt helped me . . . Im not sure what you would have come home to. I owe him better than this, Edward.

I looked up at his face warily. His eyes were closed, and his jaw was strained.

Ill never forgive myself for leaving you, he whispered. Not if I live a hundred thousand years.

I put my hand against his cold face and waited until he sighed and opened his eyes.

You were just trying to do the right thing. And Im sure it would have worked with anyone less mental than me. Besides, youre here now. Thats the part that matters.

If Id never left, you wouldnt feel the need to go risk your life to comfort adog .

I flinched. I was used to Jacob and all his derogatory slurs bloodsucker, leech, parasite . . . . Somehow it sounded harsher in Edwards velvet voice.

I dont know how to phrase this properly, Edward said, and his tone was bleak. Its going to sound cruel, I suppose. But Ive come too close to losing you in the past. I know what it feels like to think I have. I amnot going to tolerate anything dangerous.

You have to trust me on this. Ill be fine.

His face was pained again. Please, Bella, he whispered.

I stared into his suddenly burning golden eyes. Please what?

Please, for me. Please make a conscious effort to keep yourself safe. Ill do everything I can, but I would appreciate a little help.

Ill work on it, I murmured.

Do you really have any idea how important you are to me? Any concept at all of how much I love you? He pulled me tighter against his hard chest, tucking my head under his chin.

I pressed my lips against his snow-cold neck. I know how muchI loveyou , I answered.

You compare one small tree to the entire forest.

I rolled my eyes, but he couldnt see. Impossible.

He kissed the top of my head and sighed.

No werewolves.

Im not going along with that. I have to see Jacob.

Then Ill have to stop you.

He sounded utterly confident that this wouldnt be a problem.

I was sure he was right.

Well see about that, I bluffed anyway. Hes still my friend.

I could feel Jacobs note in my pocket, like it suddenly weighed ten pounds. I could hear the words in his voice, and he seemed to be agreeing with Edward  something that would never happen in reality.

Doesnt change anything. Sorry.



2. EVASION

IFELT ODDLY BUOYANT AS I WALKED FROM SPANISHtoward the cafeteria, and it wasnt just because I was holding hands with the most perfect person on the planet, though that was certainly part of it.

Maybe it was the knowledge that my sentence was served and I was a free woman again.

Or maybe it wasnt anything to do with me specifically. Maybe it was the atmosphere of freedom that hung over the entire campus. School was winding down, and, for the senior class especially, there was a perceptible thrill in the air.

Freedom was so close it was touchable, taste-able. Signs of it were everywhere. Posters crowded together on the cafeteria walls, and the trashcans wore a colorful skirt of spilled-over fliers: reminders to buy yearbooks, class rings, and announcements; deadlines to order graduation gowns, hats, and tassels; neon-bright sales pitches  the juniors campaigning for class office; ominous, rose-wreathed advertisements for this years prom. The big dance was this coming weekend, but I had an ironclad promise from Edward that I would not be subjected to that again. After all, Id already hadthat human experience.

No, it must be my personal freedom that lightened me today. The ending of the school year did not give me the pleasure it seemed to give the other students. Actually, I felt nervous to the point of nausea whenever I thought of it. I tried tonot think of it.

But it was hard to escape such an omnipresent topic as graduation.

Have you sent your announcements, yet? Angela asked when Edward and I sat down at our table. She had her light brown hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail instead of her usual smooth hairdo, and there was a slightly frantic look about her eyes.

Alice and Ben were already there, too, on either side of Angela. Ben was intent over a comic book, his glasses sliding down his narrow nose. Alice was scrutinizing my boring jeans-and-a-t-shirt outfit in a way that made me self-conscious. Probably plotting another makeover. I sighed. My indifferent attitude to fashion was a constant thorn in her side. If Id allow it, shed love to dress me every day  perhaps several times a day  like some oversized three-dimensional paper doll.

No, I answered Angela. Theres no point, really. Rene knows when Im graduating. Who else is there?

How about you, Alice?

Alice smiled. All done.

Lucky you. Angela sighed. My mother has a thousand cousins and she expects me to hand-address one to everybody. Im going to get carpal tunnel. I cant put it off any longer and Im just dreading it.

Ill help you, I volunteered. If you dont mind my awful handwriting.

Charlie would like that. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward smile. He must like that, too  me fulfilling Charlies conditions without involving werewolves.

Angela looked relieved. Thats so nice of you. Ill come over any time you want.

Actually, Id rather go to your house if thats okay  Im sick of mine. Charlie un-grounded me last night. I grinned as I announced my good news.

Really? Angela asked, mild excitement lighting her always-gentle brown eyes. I thought you said you were in for life.

Im more surprised than you are. I was sure I would at least have finished high school before he set me free.

Well, this is great, Bella! Well have to go out to celebrate