They　were　well　hidden　in　the　thick　branches；　but　I　was　expecting　them；　and　I　knew　what　to　look　for。　I
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  nodded　as　I　blew　past　them；　not　bothering　to　wonder　what　they　made　of　my　day　trip。
  I　nodded　to　Leah　and　Seth；　too；　as　I　cruised　up　the　Cullens'　driveway。　It　was　starting　to　get　dark；　and
  the　clouds　were　thick　on　this　side　of　the　sound；　but　I　saw　their　eyes　glitter　in　the　glow　of　the　headlights。　I
  would　explain　to　them　later。　There'd　be　plenty　of　time　for　that。
  It　was　a　surprise　to　find　Edward　waiting　for　me　in　the　garage。　I　hadn't　seen　him　away　from　Bella　in　days。
  I　could　tell　from　his　face　that　nothing　bad　had　happened　to　her。　In　fact；　he　looked　more　peaceful　than
  before。　My　stomach　tightened　as　I　remembered　where　that　peace　came　from。
  It　was　too　bad　that—with　all　my　brooding—I'd　forgotten　to　wreck　the　car。　Oh　well。　I　probably　wouldn't
  have　been　able　to　stand　hurting　this　car；　anyway。　Maybe　he'd　guessed　as　much；　and　that's　why　he'd　lent
  it　to　me　in　the　first　place。
  〃A　few　things；　Jacob；〃　he　said　as　soon　as　I　cut　the　engine。
  I　took　a　deep　breath　and　held　it　for　a　minute。　Then；　slowly；　I　got　out　of　the　car　and　threw　the　keys　to
  him。
  〃Thanks　for　the　loan；〃　I　said　sourly。　Apparently；　it　would　have　to　be　repaid。　〃What　do　you　want　now？〃
  〃Firstly。。。　I　know　how　averse　you　are　to　using　your　authority　with　your　pack；　but。。。〃
  I　blinked；　astonished　that　he　would　even　dream　of　starting　in　on　this　one。　〃What？〃
  〃If　you　can't　or　won't　control　Leah；　then　I—〃
  〃Leah？〃　I　interrupted；　speaking　through　my　teeth。　〃What　happened？〃
  Edward's　face　was　hard。　〃She　came　up　to　see　why　you'd　left　so　abruptly。　I　tried　to　explain。　I　suppose　it
  might　not　have　come　out　right。〃
  〃What　did　she　do？〃
  〃She　phased　to　her　human　form　and—〃
  〃Really？〃　I　interrupted　again；　shocked　this　time。　I　couldn't　process　that。　Leah　letting　her　guard　down　right
  in　the　mouth　of　the　enemy's　lair？
  〃She　wanted　to。。。　speak　to　Bella。〃
  〃To　Bella？〃
  Edward　got　all　hissy　then。　〃I　won't　let　Bella　be　upset　like　that　again。　I　don't　care　how　justified　Leah
  thinks　she　is！　I　didn't　hurt　her—of　course　I　wouldn't—but　I'll　throw　her　out　of　the　house　if　it　happens
  again。　I'll　launch　her　right　across　the　river—〃
  〃Hold　on。　What　did　she　say？〃　None　of　this　was　making　any　sense。
  Edward　took　a　deep　breath；　composing　himself。　〃Leah　was　unnecessarily　harsh。　I'm　not　going　to　pretend
  that　I　understand　why　Bella　is　unable　to　let　go　of　you；　but　I　do　know　that　she　does　not　behave　this　way　to
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  hurt　you。　She　suffers　a　great　deal　over　the　pain　she's　inflicting　on　you；　and　on　me；　by　asking　you　to　stay。
  What　Leah　said　was　uncalled　for。　Bella's　been　crying—〃
  〃Wait—Leah　was　yelling　at　Bella　about　me？〃
  He　nodded　one　sharp　nod。　〃You　were　quite　vehemently　championed。〃
  Whoa。　〃I　didn't　ask　her　to　do　that。〃
  〃I　know。〃
  I　rolled　my　eyes。　Of　course　he　knew。　He　knew　everything。
  But　that　was　really　something　about　Leah。　Who　would　have　believed　it？　Leah　walking　into　the
  bloodsuckers'　place　human　to　complain　about　how　/was　being　treated。
  〃I　can't　promise　to　control　Leah；〃　I　told　him。　〃I　won't　do　that。　But　I'll　talk　to　her；　okay？　And　I　don't　think
  there'll　be　a　repeat。　Leah's　not　one　to　hold　back；　so　she　probably　got　it　all　off　her　chest　today。〃
  〃I　would　say　so。〃
  〃Anyway；　I'll　talk　to　Bella　about　it；　too。　She　doesn't　need　to　feel　bad。　This　one's　on　me。〃
  〃I　already　told　her　that。〃
  〃Of　course　you　did。　Is　she　okay？〃
  〃She's　sleeping　now。　Rose　is　with　her。〃
  So　the　psycho　was　〃Rose〃　now。　He'd　completely　crossed　over　to　the　dark　side。
  He　ignored　that　thought；　continuing　with　a　more　complete　answer　to　my　question。　〃She's。。。　better　in
  some　ways。　Aside　from　Leah's　tirade　and　the　resulting　guilt。〃
  Better。　Because　Edward　was　hearing　the　monster　and　everything　was　all　lovey…dovey　now。　Fantastic。
  〃It's　a　bit　more　than　that；〃　he　murmured。　〃Now　that　I　can　make　out　the　child's　thoughts；　it's　apparent　that
  he　or　she　has　remarkably　developed　mental　facilities。　He　can　understand　us；　to　an　extent。〃
  My　mouth　fell　open。　〃Are　you　serious？〃
  〃Yes。　He　seems　to　have　a　vague　sense　of　what　hurts　her　now。　He's　trying　to　avoid　that；　as　much　as
  possible。　He。。。　loves　her。　Already。〃
  I　stared　at　Edward；　feeling　sort　of　like　my　eyes　might　pop　out　of　their　sockets。　Underneath　that　disbelief；
  I　could　see　right　away　that　this　was　the　critical　factor。　This　was　what　had　changed　Edward—that　the
  monster　had　convinced　him　of　this　love。　He　couldn't　hate　what　loved　Bella。　It　was　probably　why　he
  couldn't　hate　me；　either。　There　was　a　big
  difference；　though。　I　wasn't　killing　her。
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  Edward　went　on；　acting　like　he　hadn't　heard　all　that。　〃The　progress；　I　believe；　is　more　than　we'd　judged。
  When　Carlisle　returns—〃
  〃They're　not　back？〃　I　cut　in　sharply。　I　thought　of　Sam　and　Jared；　watching　the　road。　Would　they　get
  curious　as　to　what　was　going　on？
  〃Alice　and　Jasper　are。　Carlisle　sent　all　the　blood　he　was　able　to　acquire；　but　it　wasn't　as　much　as　he　was
  hoping　for—Bella　will　use　up　this　supply　in　another　day　the　way　her　appetite　has　grown。　Carlisle　stayed
  to　try　another　source。　I　don't　think　that's　necessary　now；　but　he　wants　to　be　covered　for　any　eventuality。〃
  〃Why　isn't　it　necessary？　If　she　needs　more？〃
  I　could　tell　he　was　watching　and　listening　to　my　reaction　carefully　as　he　explained。　Tm　trying　to　persuade
  Carlisle　to　deliver　the　baby　as　soon　as　he　is　back。〃
  〃What？〃
  〃The　child　seems　to　be　attempting　to　avoid　rough　movements；　but　it's　difficult。　He's　become　too　big。　It's
  madness　to　wait；　when　he's　clearly　developed　beyond　what　Carlisle　had　guessed。　Bella's　too　fragile　to
  delay。〃
  I　kept　getting　my　legs　knocked　out　from　under　me。　First；　counting　on　Edward's　hatred　of　the　thing　so
  much。　Now；　I'd　realized　that　I　thought　of　those　four　days　as　a　sure　thing。　I'd　banked　on　them。
  The　endless　ocean　of　grief　that　waited　stretched　out　before　me。
  I　tried　to　catch　my　breath。
  Edward　waited。　I　stared　at　his　face　while　I　recovered；　recognizing　another　change　there。
  〃You　think　she's　going　to　make　it；〃　I　whispered。
  〃Yes。　That　was　the　other　thing　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about。〃
  I　couldn't　say　anything。　After　a　minute；　he　went　on。
  〃Yes；〃　he　said　again。　〃Waiting；　as　we　have　been；　for　the　child　to　be　ready；　that　was　insanely　dangerous。
  At　any　moment　it　could　have　been　too　late。　But　if　we're　proactive　about　this；　if　we　act　quickly；　I　see　no
  reason　why　it　should　not　go　well。　Knowing　the　child's　mind　is　unbelievably　helpful。　Thankfully；　Bella　and
  Rose　agree　with　me。　Now　that　I've　convinced　them　it's　safe　for　the　child　if　we　proceed；　there's　nothing　to
  keep　this　from　working。〃
  〃When　will　Carlisle　be　back？〃　I　asked；　still　whispering。　I　hadn't　got　my　breath　back　yet。
  〃By　noon　tomorrow。〃
  My　knees　buckled。　I　had　to　grab　the　car　to　hold　myself　up。　Edward　reached　out　like　he　was　offering
  support；　but　then　he　thought　better　of　it　and　dropped　his　hands。
  〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　am　truly　sorry　for　the　pain　this　causes　you；　Jacob。　Though　you　hate　me；　I
  must　admit　that　I　don't　feel　the　same　about　you。　I　think　of　you　as　a。。。　a　brother　in　many　ways。　A　comrade
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  in　arms；　at　the　very　least。　I　regret　your　suffering　more　than　you　realize。　But　Bella　is　going　to　survive〃
  —when　he　said　that　his　voice　was　fierce；　even　violent—〃and　I　know　that's　what　really　matters　to　you。〃
  He　was　probably　right。　It　was　hard　to　tell。　My　head　was　spinning。
  〃So　I　hate　to　do　this　now；　while　you're　already　dealing　with　too　much；　but；　clearly；　there　is　little　time。　I
  have　to　ask　you　for　something—to　beg；　if　I　must。〃
  〃I　don't　have　anything　left；〃　I　choked　out。
  He　lifted　his　hand　again；　as　if　to　put　it　on　my　shoulder；　but　then　let　it　drop　like　before　and　sighed。
  〃I　know　how　much　you　have　given；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃But　this　is　something　you　do　have；　and　only　you。
  I'm　asking　this　of　the　true　Alpha；　Jacob。　I'm　asking　this　of　Ephraim's　heir。〃
  I　was　way　past　being　able　to　respond。
  〃I　want　your　permission　to　deviate　from　what　we　agreed　to　in　our　treaty　with　Ephraim。　I　want　you　to
  grant　us　an　exception。　I　want　your　permission　to　save　her　life。　You　know　111　do　it　anyway；　but　I　don't
  want　to　break　faith　with　you　if　there　is　any　way　to　avoid　it。　We　never　intended　to　go　back　on　our　word；
  and　we