in　sports　cars。
  〃Mine　first；〃　Alice　said；　and　then　stuck　her　tongue　out；　foreseeing　his　answer。
  〃Mine　is　closer。〃
  〃But　look　at　how　she's　dressed〃　Alice's　words　were　almost　a　moan。　〃It's　been　killing　me　all　day。　That　is
  clearly　the　priority。〃
  My　eyebrows　pulled　together　as　I　wondered　how　a　key　could　get　me　into　new　clothes。　Had　she　gotten
  me　a　whole　trunkful？
  〃I　know—I'll　play　you　for　it；〃　Alice　suggested。　〃Rock；　paper；　scissors。〃
  Jasper　chuckled　and　Edward　sighed。
  〃Why　you　don't　you　just　tell　me　who　wins？〃　Edward　said　wryly。
  Alice　beamed。　〃I　do。　Excellent。〃
  〃It's　probably　better　that　I　wait　for　morning；　anyway。〃　Edward　smiled　crookedly　at　me　and　then　nodded
  toward
  Jacob　and　Seth；　who　looked　like　they　were　crashed　for　the　night；　I　wonder　how　long　they'd　stayed　up
  this　time。　〃I　think　it　might　be　more　fun　if　Jacob　was　awake　for　the　big　reveal；　don't　you　agree？　So　that
  someone　there　is　able　to　express　the　right　level　of　enthusiasm？〃
  I　grinned　back。　He　knew　me　well。
  〃Yay；〃　Alice　sang。　〃Bella；　give　Ness—Renesmee　to　Rosalie。〃
  〃Where　does　she　usually　sleep？〃
  Alice　shrugged。　〃In　Rose's　arms。　Or　Jacob's。　Or　Esme's。　You　get　the　picture。　She　has　never　been　set
  down　in　her　entire　life。　She's　going　to　be　the　most　spoiled　half…vampire　in　existence。〃
  Edward　laughed　while　Rosalie　took　Renesmee　expertly　in　her　arms。　〃She　is　also　the　most　unspoiled
  half…vampire　in　existence；〃　Rosalie　said。　〃The　beauty　of　being　one　of　a　kind。〃
  Rosalie　grinned　at　me；　and　I　was　glad　to　see　that　the　new　comradeship　between　us　was　still　there　in　her
  smile。　I　hadn't　been　entirely　sure　it　would　last　after　Renesmee's　life　was　no　longer　tied　to　mine。　But　maybe
  we　had　fought　together　on　the　same　side　long　enough　that　we　would　always　be　friends　now。　I'd　finally
  made　the　same　choice　she　would　have　if　she'd　been　in　my　shoes。　That　seemed　to　have　washed　away　her
  resentment　for　all　my　other　choices。
  Alice　shoved　the　beribboned　key　in　my　hand；　then　grabbed　my　elbow　and　steered　me　toward　the　back
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  door。　〃Let's　go；　let's　go；〃　she　trilled。
  〃Is　it　outside？〃
  〃Sort　of；〃　Alice　said；　pushing　me　forward。
  〃Enjoy　your　gift；〃　Rosalie　said。　〃It's　from　all　of　us。　Esme　especially。〃
  〃Aren't　you　coming；　too？〃　I　realized　that　no　one　had　moved。
  〃We'll　give　you　a　chance　to　appreciate　it　alone；〃　Rosalie　said。　〃You　can　tell　us　about　it。。。　later。〃
  Emmett　guffawed。　Something　about　his　laugh　made　me　feel　like　blushing；　though　I　wasn't　sure　why。
  I　realized　that　lots　of　things　about　me—like　truly　hating　surprises；　and　not　liking　gifts　in　general　much
  more—had　not　changed　one　bit。　It　was　a　relief　and　revelation　to　discover　how　much　of　my　essential　core
  traits　had　come　with　me　into　this　new　body。
  I　hadn't　expected　to　be　myself。　I　smiled　widely。
  Alice　tugged　my　elbow；　and　I　couldn't　stop　smiling　as　I　followed　her　into　the　purple　night。　Only　Edward
  came　with　us。
  〃There's　the　enthusiasm　I'm　looking　for；〃　Alice　murmured　approvingly。　Then　she　dropped　my　arm；　made
  two　lithe　bounds；　and　leaped　over　the　river。
  〃C'mon；　Bella；〃　she　called　from　the　other　side。
  Edward　jumped　at　the　same　time　I　did；　it　was　every　bit　as　fun　as　it　had　been　this　afternoon。　Maybe　a
  little　bit　more　fun　because　the　night　changed　everything　into　new；　rich　colors。
  Alice　took　off　with　us　on　her　heels；　heading　due　north。　It　was　easier　to　follow　the　sound　of　her　feet
  whispering　against　the　ground　and　the　fresh　path　of　her　scent　than　it　was　to　keep　my　eyes　on　her　through
  the　thick　vegetation。
  At　no　sign　I　could　see；　she　whirled　and　dashed　back　to　where　I　paused。
  〃Don't　attack　me；〃　she　warned；　and　sprang　at　me。
  〃What　are　you　doing？〃　I　demanded；　squirming　as　she　scrambled　onto　my　back　and　wrapped　her　hands
  around　my　face。　I　felt　the　urge　to　throw　her　off；　but　I　controlled　it。
  〃Making　sure　you　can't　see。〃
  〃I　could　take　care　of　that　without　the　theatrics；〃　Edward　offered。
  〃You　might　let　her　cheat。　Take　her　hand　and　lead　her　forward。〃
  〃Alice；　I—〃
  〃Don't　bother；　Bella。　We're　doing　this　my　way。〃
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  I　felt　Edward's　fingers　weave　through　mine。　〃Just　a　few　seconds　more；　Bella。　Then　she'll　go　annoy
  someone　else。〃　He　pulled　me　forward。　I　kept　up　easily。　I　wasn't　afraid　of　hitting　a　tree；　the　tree　would　be
  the　only　one　getting　hurt　in　that　scenario。
  〃You　might　be　a　little　more　appreciative；〃　Alice　chided　him。　〃This　is　as　much　for　you　as　it　is　for　her。〃
  〃True。　Thank　you　again；　Alice。〃
  〃Yeah；　yeah。　Okay。〃　Alice's　voice　suddenly　shot　up　with　excitement。　〃Stop　there。　Turn　her　just　a　little　to
  the　right。　Yes；　like　that。　Okay。　Are　you　ready？〃　she　squeaked。
  〃I'm　ready。〃　There　were　new　scents　here；　piquing　my　interest；　increasing　my　curiosity。　Scents　that　didn't
  belong　in　the　deep　woods。　Honeysuckle。　Smoke。　Roses。　Sawdust？　Something　metallic；　too。　The　richness
  of　deep　earth；　dug　up　and　exposed。　I　leaned　toward　the　mystery。
  Alice　hopped　down　from　my　back；　releasing　her　grip　on　my　eyes。
  I　stared　into　the　violet　dark。　There；　nestled　into　a　small　clearing　in　the　forest；　was　a　tiny　stone　cottage；
  lavender　gray　in　the　light　of　the　stars。
  It　belonged　here　so　absolutely　that　it　seemed　as　if　it　must　have　grown　from　the　rock；　a　natural　formation。
  Honeysuckle　climbed　up　one　wall　like　a　lattice；　winding　all　the　way　up　and　over　the　thick　wooden
  shingles。　Late　summer　roses　bloomed　in　a　handkerchief…sized　garden　under　the　dark；　deep…set　windows。
  There　was　a　little　path　of　flat　stones；　amethyst　in　the　night；　that　led　up　to　the　quaint　arched　wooden　door。
  I　curled　my　hand　around　the　key　I　held；　shocked。
  〃What　do　you　think？〃　Alice's　voice　was　soft　now；　it　fit　with　the　perfect　quiet　of　the　storybook　scene。
  I　opened　my　mouth　but　said　nothing。
  〃Esme　thought　we　might　like　a　place　of　our　own　for　a　while；　but　she　didn't　want　us　too　far　away；〃
  Edward　murmured。　〃And　she　loves　any　excuse　to　renovate。　This　little　place　has　been　crumbling　away　out
  here　for　at　least　a　hundred　years。〃
  I　continued　staring；　mouth　gaping　like　a　fish。
  〃Don't　you　like　it？〃　Alice's　face　fell。　〃I　mean；　I'm　sure　we　could　fix　it　up　differently；　if　you　want。　Emmett
  was　all　for　adding　a　few　thousand　square　feet；　a　second　story；　columns；　and　a　tower；　but　Esme　thought
  you　would　like　it　best
  the　way　it　was　meant　to　look。〃　Her　voice　started　to　climb；　to　go　faster。　〃If　she　was　wrong；　we　can　get
  back　to　work。　It　won't　take　long　to—〃
  〃Shh！〃　I　managed。
  She　pressed　her　lips　together　and　waited。　It　took　me　a　few　seconds　to　recover。
  〃You're　giving　me　a　house　for　my　birthday？〃　I　whispered。
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  〃Us；〃　Edward　corrected。　〃And　it's　no　more　than　a　cottage。　I　think　the　word　house　implies　more
  legroom。〃
  〃No　knocking　my　house；〃　I　whispered　to　him。
  Alice　beamed。　〃You　like　it。〃
  I　shook　my　head。
  〃Love　it？〃
  I　nodded。
  〃I　can't　wait　totell　Esme！〃
  〃Why　didn't　she　come？〃
  Alice's　smile　faded　a　little；　twisted　just　off　what　it　hadbeen；　like　my　question　was　hard　to　answer。　〃Oh；
  you　know。。。　they　all　remember　how　you　are　about　presents。　They　didn't　want　to　put　you　under　too　much
  pressure　to　like　it。〃
  〃But　of　course　I　love　it。　How　could　I　not？〃
  〃They'll　like　that。〃　She　patted　my　arm。　〃Anyhoo；　your　closet　is　stocked。Use　it　wisely。　And。。。　I　guess
  that's　everything。〃
  〃Aren't　you　going　to　come　inside？〃
  She　strolled　casually　a　few　feet　back。　〃Edward　knows　his　way　around。　I'll　stop　by。。。　later。　Call　me　if　you
  can't　match　your　clothes　right。〃　She　threw　me　a　doubtful　look　and　then　smiled。　〃Jazz　wants　to　hunt。　See
  you。〃
  She　shot　off　into　the　trees　like　the　most　graceful　bullet。
  〃That　was　weird；〃　I　said　when　the　sound　of　her　flight　had　vanished　completely。　〃Am　I　really　that　bad？
  They　didn't　have　to　stay　away。　Now　I　feel　guilty。　I　didn't　even　thank　her　right。　We　should　go　back；tell
  Esme—〃
  〃Bella；don't　besilly。　No　one　thinks　you're　that　unreasonable。〃
  〃Then　what—〃
  〃Alone　time　is　their　other　gift。　Alice　was　trying　to　be　subtle　about　it。〃
  〃Oh。〃
  That　was　all　it　took　to　make　the　house　disappear。　We　could　have　been　anywhere。　I　didn't　see　the　trees
  or　the　stones　or　the　stars。　It　was　just　Edward。
  〃Let　me　show　you　what　they've　done；〃　he　said；　pulling　my　hand。　Was　he　oblivious　to　the　fact　that　an
  electric　current　was　pulsing　through　my　body　like　adrenaline…spiked　blood？
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  Once