I　froze　with　surprise。　Renesmee　felt　the　change；　and　touched　me。　She　remembered　the　last　second　of
  time　and　wondered　why。
  〃That's　an　interesting　theory；　and　quite　plausible；〃　Edward　said。
  For　a　tiny　space；　I　was　disappointed。　What？　No　magic　visions；　no　formidable　offensive　abilities　like；　oh；
  shooting　lightning　bolts　from　my　eyes　or　something？　Nothing　helpful　or　cool　at　all？
  And　then　I　realized　what　that　might　mean；　if　my　〃superpower〃　was　no　more　than　exceptional　self…control。
  For　one　thing；　at　least　I　had　a　gift。　It　could　have　been　nothing。
  But；　much　more　than　that；　if　Edward　was　right；　then　I　could　skip　right　over　the　part　I'd　feared　the　very
  most。
  What　if　I　didn't　have　to　be　a　newborn？　Not　in　the　crazed　killing…machine　sense；　anyway。　What　if　I　could
  fit　right　in　with　the　Cullens　from　my　first　day？　What　if　we　didn't　have　to　hide　out　somewhere　remote　for　a
  year　while　I　〃grew　up〃？　What　if；　like　Carlisle；　I　never　killed　a　single　person？　What　if　I　could　be　a　good
  vampire　right　away？
  I　could　see　Charlie。
  I　sighed　as　soon　as　reality　filtered　through　hope。　I　couldn't　see　Charlie　right　away。　The　eyes；　the　voice；
  the　perfected　face。　What　could　I　possibly　say　to　him；　how　could　I　even　begin？　I　was　furtively　glad　that　I
  had　some　excuses　for　putting　things　off　for　a　while；　as　much　as　I　wanted　to　find　some　way　to　keep
  Charlie　in　my　life；　I　was　terrified　of　that　first　meeting。　Seeing　his　eyes　pop　as　he　took　in　my　new　face；　my
  new　skin。　Knowing　that　he　was　frightened。　Wondering　what　dark　explanation　would　form　in　his　head。
  I　was　chicken　enough　to　wait　for　a　year　while　my　eyes　cooled。　And　here　I'd　thought　I　would　be　so
  fearless　when　I　was　indestructible。
  〃Have　you　ever　seen　an　equivalent　to　self…control　as　a　talent？〃　Edward　asked　Carlisle。　〃Do　you　really
  think　that's　a　gift；　or　just　a　product　of　all　her　preparation？〃
  Carlisle　shrugged；　'it's　slightly　similar　to　what　Siobhan　has　always　been　able　to　do；　though　she　wouldn't
  call　it　a
  gift。〃
  〃Siobhan；　your　friend　in　that　Irish　coven？〃　Rosalie　asked。　1　wasn't　aware　that　she　did　anything　special。　I
  thought
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  it　was　Maggie　who　was　talented　in　that　bunch。〃
  〃Yes；　Siobhan　thinks　the　same。　But　she　has　this　way　of　deciding　her　goals　and　then　almost。。。　willing
  them　into　reality。　She　considers　it　good　planning；　but　I've　always　wondered　if　it　was　something　more。
  When　she　included　Maggie；　for　instance。　Liam　was　very　territorial；　but　Siobhan　wanted　it　to　work　out；
  and　so　it　did。〃
  Edward；　Carlisle；　and　Rosalie　settled　into　chairs　as　they　continued　with　the　discussion。　Jacob　sat　next　to
  Seth　protectively；　looking　bored。　From　the　way　his　eyelids　drooped；　I　was　sure　he'd　be　unconscious
  momentarily。
  I　listened；　but　my　attention　was　divided。　Renesmee　was　still　telling　me　about　her　day。　I　held　her　by　the
  window　wall；　my　arms　rocking　her　automatically　as　we　stared　into　each　other's　eyes。
  I　realized　that　the　others　had　no　reason　for　sitting　down。　I　was　perfectly　comfortable　standing。　It　was　just
  as　restful　as　stretching　out　on　a　bed　would　be。　I　knew　I　would　be　able　to　stand　like　this　for　a　week
  without　moving　and　I　would　feel　just　as　relaxed　at　the　end　of　the　seven　days　as　I　did　at　the　beginning。
  They　must　sit　out　of　habit。　Humans　would　notice　someone　standing　for　hours　without　ever　shifting　her
  weight　to　a　different　foot。　Even　now；　I　saw　Rosalie　brush　her　fingers　against　her　hair　and　Carlisle　cross
  his　legs。　Little　motions　to　keep　from　being　too　still；　too　much　a　vampire。　I　would　have　to　pay　attention　to
  what　they　did　and　start　practicing。
  I　rolled　my　weight　back　to　my　left　leg。　It　felt　kind　of　silly。
  Maybe　they　were　just　trying　to　give　me　a　little　alone　time　with　my　baby—as　alone　as　was　safe。
  Renesmee　told　me　about　every　minute　happening　of　the　day；　and　I　got　the　feeling　from　the　tenor　of　her
  little　stories　that　she　wanted　me　to　know　her　every　bit　as　much　I　wanted　the　same　thing。　It　worried　her
  that　I　had　missed　things—like　the　sparrows　that　had　hopped　closer　and　closer　when　Jacob　had　held　her；
  both　of　them　very　still　beside　one　of　the　big　hemlocks；　the　birds　wouldn't　come　close　to　Rosalie。　Or　the
  outrageously　icky　white　stuff—baby　formula—that　Carlisle　had　put　in　her　cup；　it　smelled　like　sour　dirt。
  Or　the　song　Edward　had　crooned　to　her　that　was　so　perfect　Renesmee　played　it　for　me　twice；　I　was
  surprised　that　I　was　in　the　background　of　that　memory；　perfectly　motionless　but　looking　fairly　battered
  still。　I　shuddered；　remembering　that　time　from　my　own　perspective。　The　hideous　fire。。。
  After　almost　an　hour—the　others　were　still　deeply　absorbed　in　their　discussion；　Seth　and　Jacob　snoring
  in　harmony　on　the　couch—Renesmee's　memory　stories　began　to　slow。　They　got　slightly　blurry　around　the
  edges　and　drifted　out　of　focus　before　they　came　to　their　conclusions。　I　was　about　to　interrupt　Edward　in
  a　panic—was　there　something　wrong　with　her？—when　her　eyelids　fluttered　and　closed。　She　yawned；　her
  plump　pink　lips　stretching　into　a
  round　O；　and　her　eyes　never　reopened。
  Her　hand　fell　away　from　my　face　as　she　drifted　to　sleep—the　backs　of　her　eyelids　were　the　pale
  lavender　color　of　thin　clouds　before　the　sunrise。　Careful　not　to　disturb　her；　I　lifted　that　hand　back　to　my
  skin　and　held　it　there　curiously。　At　first　there　was　nothing；　and　then；　after　a　few　minutes；　a　flickering　of
  colors　like　a　handful　of　butterflies　were　scattering　from　her　thoughts。
  Mesmerized；　I　watched　her　dreams。　There　was　no　sense　to　it。　Just　colors　and　shapes　and　faces。　I　was
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  pleased　by　how　often　my　face—both　of　my　faces；　hideous　human　and　glorious　immortal—cropped　up　in
  her　unconscious　thoughts。　More　than　Edward　or　Rosalie。　I　was　neck　and　neck　with　Jacob；　I　tried　not　to
  let　that　get　to　me。
  For　the　first　time；　I　understood　how　Edward　had　been　able　to　watch　me　sleep　night　after　boring　night；
  just　to　hear　me　talk　in　my　sleep。　I　could　watch　Renesmee　dream　forever。
  The　change　in　Edward's　tone　caught　my　attention　when　he　said；　〃Finally；〃　and　turned　to　gaze　out　the
  window。　It　was　deep；　purply　night　outside；　but　I　could　see　just　as　far　as　before。　Nothing　was　hidden　in
  the　darkness；　everything　had　just　changed　colors。
  Leah；　still　glowering；　got　up　and　slunk　into　the　brush　just　as　Alice　came　into　view　on　the　other　side　of　the
  river。　Alice　swung　back　and　forth　from　a　branch　like　a　trapeze　artist；　toes　touching　hands；　before
  throwing　her　body　into　a　graceful　flat　spin　over　the　river。　Esme　made　a　more　traditional　leap；　while
  Emmett　charged　right　through　the　water；　splashing　water　so　far　that　splatters　hit　the　back　windows。　To
  my　surprise；　Jasper　followed　after；　his　own　efficient　leap　seeming　understated；　even　subtle；　after　the
  others。　k
  The　huge　grin　stretching　Alice's　face　was　familiar　in　a　dim；　odd　way。　Everyone　was　suddenly　smiting　at
  me—Esme　sweet；　Emmett　excited；　Rosalie　a　little　superior；　Carlisle　indulgent；　and　Edward　expectant。
  Alice　skipped　into　the　room　ahead　of　everyone　else；　her　hand　stretched　out　in　front　of　her　and
  impatience　making　a　nearly　visible　aura　around　her。　In　her　palm　was　an　everyday　brass　key　with　an
  oversized　pink　satin　bow　tied　around　it。
  She　held　the　key　out　for　me；　and　I　automatically　gripped　Renesmee　more　securely　in　my　right　arm　so
  that　I　could　open　my　left。　Alice　dropped　the　key　into　it。
  〃Happy　birthday！〃　she　squealed。
  I　rolled　my　eyes。　〃No　one　starts　counting　on　the　actual　day　of　birth；〃　I　reminded　her。　〃Your　first　birthday
  is　at　the　year　mark；　Alice。〃
  Her　grin　turned　smug。　〃We're　not　celebrating　your　vampire　birthday。　Yet。　It's　September　thirteenth；
  Bella。　Happy　nineteenth　birthday！〃
  24。　SURPRISE
  〃No。　No　way！〃　I　shook　my　head　fiercely　and　then　shot　a　glance　at　the　smug　smile　on　my
  seventeen…year…old　husband's　face。　〃No；　this　doesn't　count。　I　stopped　aging　three　days　ago。　I　am
  eighteen　forever。〃
  〃Whatever；〃　Alice　said；　dismissing　my　protest　with　a　quick　shrug。　〃We're　celebrating　anyway；　so　suck　it
  up。〃
  I　sighed。　There　was　rarely　a　point　to　arguing　with　Alice。
  Her　grin　got　impossibly　wider　as　she　read　the　acquiescence　in　my　eyes。
  〃Are　you　ready　to　open　your　present？〃　Alice　sang。
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  〃Presents；〃　Edward　corrected；　and　he　pulled　another　key—this　one　longer　and　silver　with　a　less　gaudy
  blue　bow—from　his　pocket。
  I　struggled　to　keep　from　rolling　my　eyes。　I　knew　immediately　what　this　key　was　to—the　〃after　car。〃　I
  wondered　if　I　should　feel　excited。　It　seemed　the　vampire　conversion　hadn't　given　me　any　sudden　interest
  in　sports　cars。
  〃Min