my　eyes　followed　his。
  I　saw　her　at　the　same　moment　that　I　caught　her　scent。
  Her　warm；　clean；　human　scent。
  Bella　was　half…hidden　behind　the　arm　of　the　sofa；　curled　up　in　a　loose　fetal　position；　her　arms　wrapped
  around　her　knees。　For　a　long　second　I　could　see　nothing　except　that　she　was　still　the　Bella　that　I　loved；
  her　skin　still　a　soft；　pale　peach；　her　eyes　still　the　same　chocolate　brown。　My　heart　thudded　a　strange；
  broken　meter；　and　I　wondered　if　this　was　just　some　lying　dream　that　I　was　about　to　wake　up　from。
  Then　I　really　saw　her。
  There　were　deep　circles　under　her　eyes；　dark　circles　that　jumped　out　because　her　face　was　all　haggard。
  Was　she　thinner？　Her　skin　seemed　tight—like　her　cheekbones　might　break　right　through　it。　Most　of　her
  dark　hair　was　pulled　away　from　her　face　into　a　messy　knot；　but　a　few　strands　stuck　limply　to　her
  forehead　and　neck；　to　the　sheen　of　sweat　that　covered　her　skin。　There　was　something　about　her　fingers
  and　wrists　that　looked　so　fragile　it　was　scary。
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  She　was　sick。　Very　sick。
  Not　a　lie。　The　story　Charlie'd　told　Billy　was　not　a　story。　While　I　stared；　eyes　bugging；　her　skin　turned
  light　green。
  The　blond　bloodsucker—the　showy　one；　Rosalie—bent　over　her；　cutting　into　my　view；　hovering　in　a
  strange；　protective　way。
  This　was　wrong。　I　knew　how　Bella　felt　about　almost　everything—her　thoughts　were　so　obvious；
  sometimes　it　was　like　they　were　printed　on　her　forehead。　So　she　didn't　have　to　tell　me　every　detail　of　a
  situation　for　me　to　get　it。　I　knew　that　Bella　didn't　like　Rosalie。　I'd　seen　it　in　the　set　of　her　lips　when　she
  talked　about　her。　Not　just　that　she　didn't　like　her。　She　was　afraid　of　Rosalie。　Or　she　had　been。
  There　was　no　fear　as　Bella　glanced　up　at　her　now。　Her　expression　was。。。　apologetic　or　something。　Then
  Rosalie　snatched　a　basin　from　the　floor　and　held　it　under　Bella's　chin　just　in　time　for　Bella　to　throw　up
  noisily　into　it。
  Edward　fell　to　his　knees　by　Bella's　side—his　eyes　all　tortured…looking—and　Rosalie　held　out　her　hand；
  warning　him　to　keep　back。
  None　of　it　made　sense。
  When　she　could　raise　her　head；　Bella　smiled　weakly　at　me；　sort　of　embarrassed。　〃Sorry　about　that；〃　she
  whispered　to　me。
  Edward　moaned　real　quiet。　His　head　slumped　against　Bella's　knees。　She　put　one　of　her　hands　against　his
  cheek。　Like　she　was　comforting　him。
  I　didn't　realize　my　legs　had　carried　me　forward　until　Rosalie　hissed　at　me；　suddenly　appearing　between
  me　and　the　couch。　She　was　like　a　person　on　a　TV　screen。　I　didn't　care　she　was　there。　She　didn't　seem
  real。
  〃Rose；　don't；〃　Bella　whispered。　〃It's　fine。〃
  Blondie　moved　out　of　my　way；　though　I　could　tell　she　hated　to　do　it。　Scowling　at　me；　she　crouched　by
  Bella's　head；　tensed　to　spring。　She　was　easier　to　ignore　than　I　ever　would　have　dreamed。
  〃Bella；　what's　wrong？〃　I　whispered。　Without　thinking　about　it；　I　found　myself　on　my　knees；　too；　leaning
  over　the　back　of　the　couch　across　from　her。。。　husband。　He　didn't　seem　to　notice　me；　and　I　barely　glanced
  at　him。　I　reached　out　for　her　free　hand；　taking　it　in　both　of　mine。　Her　skin　was　icy。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
  It　was　a　stupid　question。　She　didn't　answer　it。
  〃I'm　so　glad　you　came　to　see　me　today；　Jacob；〃　she　said。
  Even　though　I　knew　Edward　couldn't　hear　her　thoughts；　he　seemed　to　hear　some　meaning　I　didn't。　He
  moaned　again；　into　the　blanket　that　covered　her；　and　she　stroked　his　cheek。
  〃What　is　it；　Bella？〃　I　insisted；　wrapping　my　hands　tight　around　her　cold；　fragile　fingers。
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  Instead　of　answering；　she　glanced　around　the　room　like　she　was　searching　for　something；　both　a　plea
  and　a　warning　in　her　look。　Six　pairs　of　anxious　yellow　eyes　stared　back　at　her。　Finally；　she　turned　to
  Rosalie。
  〃Help　me　up；　Rose？〃　she　asked。
  Rosalie's　lips　pulled　back　over　her　teeth；　and　she　glared　up　at　me　like　she　wanted　to　rip　my　throat　out。　I
  was　sure　that　was　exactly　the　case。
  〃Please；　Rose。〃
  The　blonde　made　a　face；　but　leaned　over　her　again；　next　to　Edward；　who　didn't　move　an　inch。　She　put
  her　arm　carefully　behind　Bella's　shoulders。
  〃No；〃　I　whispered。　〃Don't　get　up___〃　She　looked　so　weak。
  〃I'm　answering　your　question；〃　she　snapped；　sounding　a　little　bit　more　like　the　way　she　usually　talked　to
  me。
  Rosalie　pulled　Bella　off　the　couch。　Edward　stayed　where　he　was；　sagging　forward　till　his　face　was　buried
  in　the　cushions。　The　blanket　fell　to　the　ground　at　Bella's　feet。
  Bella：s　body　was　swollen；　her　torso　ballooning　out　in　a　strange；　sick　way。　It　strained　against　the　faded
  gray　sweatshirt　that　was　way　too　big　for　her　shoulders　and　arms。　The　rest　of　her　seemed　thinner；　like　the
  big　bulge　had　grown　out　of　what　it　had　sucked　from　her。　It　took　me　a　second　to　realize　what　the
  deformed　part　was—I　didn't　understand　until　she　folded　her　hands　tenderly　around　her　bloated　stomach；
  one　above　and　one　below。　Like　she　was　cradling　it。
  I　saw　it　then；　but　I　still　couldn't　believe　it。　I'd　seen　her　just　a　month　ago。　There　was　no　way　she　could　be
  pregnant。　Not　that　pregnant。
  Except　that　she　was。
  I　didn't　want　to　see　this；　didn't　want　to　think　about　this。　I　didn't　want　to　imagine　him　inside　her。　I　didn't
  want　to　know　that　something　I　hated　so　much　had　taken　root　in　the　body　I　loved。　My　stomach　heaved；
  and　I　had　to　swallow　back　vomit。
  But　it　was　worse　than　that；　so　much　worse。　Her　distorted　body；　the　bones　jabbing　against　the　skin　of　her
  face。　I　could　only　guess　that　she　looked　like　this—so　pregnant；　so　sick—because　whatever　was　inside
  her　was　taking　her　life　to　feed　its　own。。。。
  Because　it　was　a　monster。　Just　like　its　father。
  I　always　knew　he　would　kill　her。
  His　head　snapped　up　as　he　heard　the　words　inside　mine。　One　second　we　were　both　on　our　knees；　and
  then　he　was　on　his　feet；　towering　over　me。　His　eyes　were　flat　black；　the　circles　under　them　dark　purple。
  〃Outside；　Jacob；〃　he　snarled。
  I　was　on　my　feet；　too。　Looking　down　on　him　now。　This　was　why　I　was　here。
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  〃Let's　do　this；〃　I　agreed。
  The　big　one；　Emmett；　pushed　forward　on　Edward's　other　side；　with　the　hungry…looking　one；　Jasper；　right
  behind　him。　I　really　didn't　care。　Maybe　my　pack　would　clean　up　the　scraps　when　they　finished　me　off。
  Maybe　not。　It　didn't　matter。
  For　the　tiniest　part　of　a　second　my　eyes　touched　on　the　two　standing　in　the　back。　Esme。　Alice。　Small　and
  distractingly　feminine。　Well；　I　was　sure　the　others　would　kill　me　before　I　had　to　do　anything　about　them。　I
  didn't　want　to　kill　girls。。。　even　vampire　girls。
  Though　I　might　make　an　exception　for　that　blonde。
  〃No；〃　Bella　gasped；　and　she　stumbled　forward；　out　of　balance；　to　clutch　at　Edward's　arm。　Rosalie
  moved　with　her；　like　there　was　a　chain　locking　them　to　each　other。
  〃I　just　need　to　talk　to　him；　Bella；〃　Edward　said　in　a　low　voice；　talking　only　to　her。　He　reached　up　to
  touch　her　face；　to　stroke　it。　This　made　the　room　turn　red；　made　me　see　fire—that；　after　all　he'd　done　to
  her；　he　was　still　allowed　to　touch　her　that　way。　〃Don't　strain　yourself；〃　he　went　on；　pleading。　〃Please　rest。
  We'll　both　be　back　in　just　a　few　minutes。〃
  She　stared　at　his　face；　reading　it　carefully。　Then　she　nodded　and　drooped　toward　the　couch。　Rosalie
  helped　lower　her　back　onto　the　cushions。　Bella　stared　at　me；　trying　to　hold　my　eyes。
  〃Behave；〃　she　insisted。　〃And　then　come　back。〃
  I　didn't　answer。　I　wasn't　making　any　promises　today。　I　looked　away　and　then　followed　Edward　out　the
  front　door。
  A　random；　disjointed　voice　in　my　head　noted　that　separating　him　from　the　coven　hadn't　been　so　difficult；
  had　it？
  He　kept　walking；　never　checking　to　see　if　I　was　about　to　spring　at　his　unprotected　back。　I　supposed　he
  didn't　need　to　check。　He　would　know　when　I　decided　to　attack。　Which　meant　I'd　have　to　make　that
  decision　very　quickly。
  Tm　not　ready　for　you　to　kill　me　yet；　Jacob　Black；〃　he　whispered　as　he　paced　quickly　away　from　the
  house。　〃You'll　have　to　have　a　little　patience。〃
  Like　I　cared　about　his　schedule。　I　growled　under　my　breath。　〃Patience　isn't　my　specialty。〃
  He　kept　walking；　maybe　a　couple　hundred　yards　down　the　drive　away　from　the　house；　with　me　right　on
  his　heels。　I　was　all　hot；　my　fingers　trembling。　On　the　edge；　ready　and　waiting。
  He　stopped　without　warning　and　pivoted　to　face　me。　His　expression　froze　me　again。
  For　a　second　I　was　just　a　kid—a　kid　who　had　lived　all　of　his　life　in　the　same　tiny　town。　Just　a　child。
  Because　I　knew　I　would　have　to　live　a　lot　more；　suffer　a　lot　more；　to　ever　understand　the　searing　agony
  in　Edward's　eyes。
  He　raised　a　hand　as　if　to　w