surrounded。　We　were　going　to　die。
  And　then；　like　a　burst　of　light　from　a　flash；　the　whole　scene　was　different。　Yet　nothing　changed—the
  Volturi　still　stalked　toward　us；　poised　to　kill。　All　that　really　changed　was　how　the　picture　looked　to　me。
  Suddenly；　I　was　hungry　for　it。　I　tvanfec/them　to　charge。　The　panic　changed　to　bloodlust　as　I　crouched
  forward；　a　smile　on　my　face；　and　a　growl　ripped　through　my　bared　teeth。
  I　jolted　upright；　shocked　out　of　the　dream。
  The　room　was　black。　It　was　also　steamy　hot。　Sweat　matted　my　hair　at　the　temples　and　rolled　down　my
  throat。
  I　groped　the　warm　sheets　and　found　them　empty。
  〃Edward？〃
  Just　then；　my　fingers　encountered　something　smooth　and　flat　and　stiff。　One　sheet　of　paper；　folded　in　half。
  I　took　the　note　with　me　and　felt　my　way　across　the　room　to　the　light　switch。
  The　outside　of　the　note　was　addressed　to　Mrs。　Cullen。
  I'm　hoping　you　won't　wake　and　notice　my　absence；　but；　if　you　should；　I'll　be　back　very　soon。　I've　just
  gone　to　the　mainland　to　hunt　Go　back　to　sleep　and　I'll　be　here　when　you　wake　again。　I　love　you。
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  I　sighed。　We'd　been　here　about　two　weeks　now；　so　I　should　have　been　expecting　that　he　would　have　to
  leave；　but　I　hadn't　been　thinking　about　time。　We　seemed　to　exist　outside　of　time　here；　just　drifting　along　in
  a　perfect　state。
  I　wiped　the　sweat　off　my　forehead。　I　felt　absolutely　wide　awake；　though　the　clock　on　the　dresser　said　it
  was　after　one。　I　knew　i　would　never　be　able　to　sleep　as　hot　and　sticky　as　I　felt。　Not　to　mention　the　fact
  that　if　I　shut　off　the　light　and　closed　my　eyes；　I　was　sure　to　see　those　prowling　black　figures　in　my　head。
  I　got　up　and　wandered　aimlessly　through　the　dark　house；　flipping　on　lights。　It　felt　so　big　and　empty
  without　Edward　there。　Different。
  I　ended　up　in　the　kitchen　and　decided　that　maybe　comfort　food　was　what　I　needed。
  I　poked　around　in　the　fridge　until　I　found　all　the　ingredients　for　fried　chicken。　The　popping　and　sizzling　of
  the　chicken　in　the　pan　was　a　nice；　homey　sound；　I　felt　less　nervous　while　it　filled　the　silence。
  It　smelled　so　good　that　I　started　eating　it　right　out　of　the　pan；　burning　my　tongue　in　the　process。　By　the
  fifth　or　sixth　bite；　though；　it　had　cooled　enough　for　me　to　taste　it。　My　chewing　slowed。　Was　there
  something　off　about　the　flavor？　I　checked　the　meat；　and　it　was　white　all　the　way　through；　but　I　wondered
  if　it　was　completely　done。　I　took　another　experimental　bite；　I　chewed　twice。　Ugh—definitely　bad。　I
  jumped　up　to　spit　it　into　the　sink。　Suddenly；　the　chicken…and…oil　smell　was　revolting。　I　took　the　whole
  plate　and　shook　it　into　the　garbage；　then　opened　the　windows　to　chase　away　the　scent。　A　coolish　breeze
  had　picked　up　outside。　It　felt　good　on　my　skin。
  I　was　abruptly　exhausted；　but　i　didn't　want　to　go　back　to　the　hot　room。　So　I　opened　more　windows　in
  the　TV　room　and　lay　on　the　couch　right　beneath　them。　I　turned　on　the　same　movie　we'd　watched　the
  other　day　and　quickly　fell　asleep　to　the　bright　opening　song。
  When　I　opened　my　eyes　again；　the　sun　was　halfway　up　the　sky；　but　it　was　not　the　light　that　woke　me。
  Cool　arms　were　around　me；　pulling　me　against　him。　At　the　same　time；　a　sudden　pain　twisted　in　my
  stomach；　almost　like　the　aftershock　of　catching　a　punch　in　the　gut。
  Tm　sorry；〃　Edward　was　murmuring　as　he　wiped　a　wintry　hand　across　my　clammy　forehead。　〃So　much
  for　thoroughness。　I　didn't　think　about　how　hot　you　would　be　with　me　gone。　I'll　have　an　air　conditioner
  installed　before　I　leave　again。〃
  I　couldn't　concentrate　on　what　he　was　saying。　〃Excuse　me！〃　I　gasped；　struggling　to　get　free　of　his　arms。
  He　dropped　his　hold　automatically。　〃Bella？〃
  I　streaked　for　the　bathroom　with　my　hand　clamped　over　my　mouth。　I　felt　so　horrible　that　I　didn't　even
  care—at　first—that　he　was　with　me　while　I　crouched　over　the　toilet　and　was　violently　sick。
  〃Bella？　What's　wrong？〃
  I　couldn't　answer　yet。　He　held　me　anxiously；　keeping　my　hair　out　of　my　face；　waiting　till　I　could　breathe
  again。
  〃Damn　rancid　chicken；〃　I　moaned。
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  〃Are　you　all　right？〃　His　voice　was　strained。
  〃Fine；〃　I　panted。　〃It's　just　food　poisoning。　You　don't　need　to　see　this。　Go　away。〃
  〃Not　likely；Bella。〃
  〃Go　away；〃　I　moaned　again；　struggling　to　get　up　so　I　could　rinse　my　mouth　out。　He　helped　me　gently；
  ignoring　the　weak　shoves　I　aimed　at　him。
  After　my　mouth　was　clean；　he　carried　me　to　the　bed　and　sat　me　down　carefully；　supporting　me　with　his
  arms。
  〃Food　poisoning？〃
  〃Yeah；〃　I　croaked。　〃I　made　some　chicken　last　night。　It　tasted　off；　so　I　threw　it　out。　But　I　ate　a　few　bites
  first。〃
  He　put　a　cold　hand　on　my　forehead。　It　felt　nice。　〃How　do　you　feel　now？〃
  I　thought　about　that　for　a　moment。　The　nausea　had　passed　as　suddenly　as　it　had　come；　and　I　felt　like　I
  did　any　other　morning。　〃Pretty　normal。　A　little　hungry；　actually。〃
  He　made　me　wait　an　hour　and　keep　down　a　big　glass　of　water　before　he　fried　me　some　eggs。　I　felt
  perfectly　normal；　just　a　little　tired　from　being　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　He　put　onCNN—we'd　been
  so　out　of　touch；　world　war　three　could　have　broken　out　and　we　wouldn't　have　known—and　I　lounged
  drowsily　across　his　lap。
  I　got　bored　with　the　news　and　twisted　around　to　kiss　him。　Just　like　this　morning；　a　sharp　pain　hit　my
  stomach　when　I　moved。　I　lurched　away　from　him；　my　hand　tight　over　my　mouth。　I　knew　I'd　never　make　it
  to　the　bathroom　this　time；　so　I　ran　to　the　kitchen　sink。
  He　held　my　hair　again。
  〃Maybe　we　should　go　back　to　Rio；　see　a　doctor；〃　he　suggested　anxiously　when　I　was　rinsing　my　mouth
  afterward。
  I　shook　my　head　and　edged　toward　the　hallway。　Doctors　meant　needles。　〃I'll　be　fine　right　after　I　brush
  my　teeth。〃
  When　my　mouth　tasted　better；　I　searched　through　my　suitcase　for　the　little　first…aid　kit　Alice　had　packed
  for　me；　full　of　human　things　like　bandages　and　painkillers　and—my　object　now—Pepto…Bismol。　Maybe　I
  could　settle　my　stomach　and　calm　Edward　down。
  But　before　I　found　the　Pepto；　I　happened　across　something　else　that　Alice　had　packed　for　me。　I　picked
  up　the　small　blue　box　and　stared　at　it　in　my　hand　for　a　long　moment；　forgetting　everything　else。
  Then　I　started　counting　in　my　head。　Once。　Twice。　Again。
  Theknock　startled　me；　the　little　box　fell　back　into　the　suitcase。
  〃Are　you　well？〃　Edward　asked　through　the　door。　〃Did　you　get　sick　again？〃
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  〃Yes　and　no；〃　I　said；　but　my　voice　sounded　strangled。
  〃Bella？　Can　I　please　come　in？〃　Worriedly　now。
  〃O。。。　kay？〃
  He　came　in　and　appraised　my　position；　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　floor　by　the　suitcase；　and　my
  expression；　blank　and　staring。　He　sat　next　to　me；　his　hand　going　to　my　forehead　at　once。
  〃What's　wrong？〃
  〃How　many　days　has　it　been　since　the　wedding？〃　I　whispered。
  〃Seventeen；〃　he　answered　automatically。　〃Bella；　what　is　it？〃
  I　was　counting　again。　I　held　up　a　finger；　cautioning　him　to　wait；　and　mouthed　the　numbers　to　myself。　I'd
  been　wrong　about　the　days　before。　We'd　been　here　longer　than　I'd　thought。　I　started　over　again。
  〃Bella！〃　he　whispered　urgently。　〃I'm　losing　my　mind　over　here。〃
  I　tried　to　swallow。　It　didn't　work。　So　I　reached　into　the　suitcase　and　fumbled　around　until　I　found　the
  little　blue　box　of　tampons　again。　I　held　them　up　silently。
  He　stared　at　me　in　confusion。　〃What？　Are　you　trying　to　pass　this　illness　off　as　PMS？〃
  〃No；〃　I　managed　to　choke　out。　〃No；　Edward。　I'm　trying　to　tell　you　that　my　period　is　five　days　late。〃
  His　facial　expression　didn't　change。　It　was　like　I　hadn't　spoken。
  〃I　don't　think　I　have　food　poisoning；〃　I　added。
  He　didn't　respond。　He　had　turned　into　a　sculpture。
  〃The　dreams；〃　I　mumbled　to　myself　in　a　flat　voice。　〃Sleeping　so　much。　The　crying。　All　that　food。　Oh。
  Oh。　Oh〃
  Edward's　stare　seemed　glassy；　as　if　he　couldn't　see　me　anymore。
  Reflexively；　almost　involuntarily；　my　hand　dropped　to　my　stomach。
  〃Oh！〃　I　squeaked　again。
  I　lurched　to　my　feet；　slipping　out　of　Edward's　unmoving　hands。　I'd　never　changed　out　of　the　little　silk
  shorts　and　camisole　I'd　worn　to　bed。　I　yanked　the　blue　fabric　out　of　the　way　and　stared　at　my　stomach。
  〃Impossible；〃　I　whispered。
  I　had　absolutely　no　experience　with　pregnancy　or　babies　or　any　part　of　that　world；　but　I　wasn't　an　idiot。
  I'd　seen　enough　movies　and　TV　shows　to　know　that　this　wasn't　how　it　worked。　I　was　only　five　days　late。
  If　I　was　pregnant；　my　body　wouldn't　even　have　registered　that　fact。　I　would　not　have　morning　sickness。　I