lark　started　to　sing　somewhere　very　close　by—maybe　she　had　a　nest　in　the　roses。
  〃Do　you　miss　it？〃　I　asked　him　when　her　song　was　done。
  It　wasn't　the　first　time　we'd　spoken；　but　we　weren't　exactly　keeping　up　a　conversation；　either。
  〃Miss　what？〃　he　murmured。
  〃All　of　it—the　warmth；　the　soft　skin；　the　tasty　smell。。。　I'm　not　losing　anything　at　all；　and　I　just　wondered　if
  it　was　a　little　bit　sad　for　you　that　you　were。〃
  He　laughed；　low　and　gentle。　〃It　would　be　hard　to　find　someone　less　sad　than　I　am　now。　Impossible；　I'd
  venture。　Not　many　people　get　every　single　thing　they　want；　plus　all　the　things　they　didn't　think　to　ask　for；
  in　the　same　day。〃
  〃Are　you　avoiding　the　question？〃
  He　pressed　his　hand　against　my　face。　〃You　are　warm；〃　he　told　me。
  It　was　true；　in　a　sense。　To　me；　his　hand　was　warm。　It　wasn't　the　same　as　touching　Jacob's　flame…hot
  skin；　but　it　was　more　comfortable。　More　natural。
  Then　he　pulled　his　fingers　very　slowly　down　my　face；　lightly　tracing　from　my　jaw　to　my　throat　and　then　all
  the　way　down　to　my　waist。　My　eyes　rolled　back　into　my　head　a　little。
  〃You　are　soft。〃
  His　fingers　were　like　satin　against　my　skin；　so　I　could　see　what　he　meant。
  〃And　as　for　the　scent；　well；　I　couldn't　say　I　missed　that。　Do　you　remember　the　scent　of　those　hikers　on
  our　hunt？〃
  〃I've　been　trying　very　hard　not　to。〃
  〃Imagine　kissing　that。〃
  My　throat　ripped　into　flames　like　pulling　the　cord　on　a　hot…air　balloon。
  〃0/7。〃
  〃Precisely。　So　the　answer　is　no。　I　am　purely　full　of　joy；　because　I　am　missing　nothing。　No　one　has　more
  than　I　do　now。〃
  I　was　about　to　inform　him　of　the　one　exception　to　his　statement；　but　my　lips　were　suddenly　very　busy。
  When　the　little　pool　turned　pearl…colored　with　the　sunrise；　I　thought　of　another　question　for　him。
  〃How　long　does　this　go　on？　I　mean；　Carlisle　and　Esme；　Em　and　Rose；　Alice　and　Jasper—they　don't
  spend　all　day　locked　in　their　rooms。　They're　out　in　public；　fully　clothed；　all　the　time。　Does　this。。。　craving
  Page　285
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  ever　let　up？〃　I　twisted　myself　closer　into　him—quite　an　accomplishment；　actually—to　make　it　clear　what　I
  was　talking　about。
  〃That's　difficult　to　say。　Everyone　is　different　and；　well；　so　far　you're　the　very　most　different　of　all。　The
  average　young　vampire　is　too　obsessed　with　thirst　to　notice　much　else　for　a　while。　That　doesn't　seem　to
  apply　to　you。　With　the　average　vampire；　though；　after　that　first　year；　other　needs　make　themselves
  known。　Neither　thirst　nor　any　other　desire　really　ever　fades。　It's　simply　a　matter　of　learning　to　balance
  them；　learning　to　prioritize　and　manage___〃
  〃How　long？〃
  He　smiled；　wrinkling　his　nose　a　little。　〃Rosalie　and　Emmett　were　the　worst。　It　took　a　solid　decade　before
  I　could　stand　to　be　within　a　five…mile　radius　of　them。　Even　Carlisle　and　Esme　had　a　difficult　time
  stomaching　it。　They　kicked　the　happy　couple　out　eventually。　Esme　built　them　a　house；　too。　It　was　grander
  than　this　one；　but　then；　Esme　knows　what　Rose　likes；　and　she　knows　what　you　like。〃
  〃So；　after　ten　years；　then？〃　I　was　pretty　sure　that　Rosalie　and　Emmett　had　nothing　on　us；　but　it　might
  sound　cocky　if　I　went　higher　than　a　decade。　〃Everybody　is　normal　again？　Like　they　are　now？〃
  Edward　smiled　again。　〃Well；　I'm　not　sure　what　you　mean　by　normal。　You've　seen　my　family　going　about
  life　in　a　fairly　human　way；　but　you've　been　sleeping　nights。〃　He　winked　at　me。　〃There's　a　tremendous
  amount　of　time　left　over　when　you　don't　have　to　sleep。　It　makes　balancing　your。。。　interests　quite　easy。
  There's　a　reason　why　I'm　the　best　musician　in　the　family；　why—besides　Carlisle—I've　read　the　most
  books；　studied　the　most　sciences；　become　fluent
  in　the　most　languages。。。。　Emmett　would　have　you　believe　that　I'm　such　a　know…it…all　because　of　the　mind
  reading；　but　the　truth　is　that　I've　just　had　a　lot　of　free　time。〃
  We　laughed　together；　and　the　motion　of　our　laughter　did　interesting　things　to　the　way　our　bodies　were
  connected；　effectively　ending　that　conversation。
  25。　FAVOR
  It　was　only　a　little　while　later　that　Edward　reminded　me　of　my　priorities。
  It　took　him　just　one　word。
  〃Renesmee。。。〃
  I　sighed。　She　would　be　awake　soon。　It　must　be　nearly　seven　in　the　morning。　Would　she　be　looking　for
  me？　Abruptly；　something　close　to　panic　had　my　body　freezing　up。　What　would　she　look　like　today？
  Edward　felt　the　total　distraction　of　my　stress。　〃It's　all　right；　love。　Get　dressed；　and　we'll　be　back　to　the
  house　in　two　seconds。〃
  I　probably　looked　like　a　cartoon；　the　way　I　sprung　up；　then　looked　back　at　him—his　diamond　body
  faintly　glinting　in　the　diffuse　light—then　away　to　the　west；　where　Renesmee　waited；　then　back　at　him
  again；　then　back　toward　her；　my　head　whipping　from　side　to　side　a　half　dozen　times　in　a　second。　Edward
  smiled；　but　didn't　laugh；　he　was　a　strong　man。
  〃It's　all　about　balance；　love。　You're　so　good　at　all　of　this；　I　don't　imagine　it　will　take　too　long　to　put
  Page　286
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  everything　in　perspective。〃
  〃And　we　have　all　night；　right？〃
  He　smiled　wider。　〃Do　you　think　I　could　bear　to　let　you　get　dressed　now　if　that　weren't　the　case？〃
  That　would　have　to　be　enough　to　get　me　through　the　daylight　hours。　I　would　balance　this　overwhelming；
  devastating　desire　so　that　I　could　be　a　good—　It　was　hard　to　think　the　word。　Though　Renesmee　was
  very　real　and　vital　in　my　life；　it　was　still　difficult　to　think　of　myself　as　a　mother。　I　supposed　anyone　would
  feel　the　same；　though；　without　nine　months　to　get　used　to　the　idea。　And　with　a　child　that　changed　by　the
  hour。
  The　thought　of　Renesmee's　speeding　life　had　me　stressed…out　again　in　an　instant。　I　didn't　even　pause　at
  the　ornately　carved　double　doors　to　catch　my　breath　before　finding　out　what　Alice　had　done。　I　just　burst
  through；　intent
  on　wearing　the　first　things　I　touched。　I　should　have　known　it　wouldn't　be　that　easy。
  〃Which　ones　are　mine？〃　I　hissed。　As　promised；　the　room　was　bigger　than　our　bedroom。　It　might　have
  been　bigger　than　the　rest　of　the　house　put　together；　but　I'd　have　to　pace　it　off　to　be　positive。　I　had　a　brief
  mental　flash　of　Alice　trying　to　persuade　Esme　to　ignore　classic　proportions　and　allow　this　monstrosity。　I
  wondered　how　Alice　had　won　that　one。
  Everything　was　wrapped　in　garment　bags；　pristine　and　white；　row　after　row　after　row。
  〃To　the　best　of　my　knowledge；　everything　but　this　rack　here〃—he　touched　a　bar　that　stretched　along　the
  half…wall　to　the　left　of　the　door—〃is　yours。〃
  〃All　of　this？〃
  He　shrugged。
  〃Alice；〃　we　said　together。　He　said　her　name　like　an　explanation；　I　said　it　like　an　expletive。
  〃Fine；〃　I　muttered；　and　I　pulled　down　the　zipper　on　the　closest　bag。　I　growled　under　my　breath　when　I
  saw　the　floorlength　silk　gown　inside—baby　pink。
  Finding　something　normal　to　wear　could　take　all　day！
  〃Let　me　help；〃　Edward　offered。　He　sniffed　carefully　at　the　air　and　then　followed　some　scent　to　the　back
  of　the　long　room。　There　was　a　built…in　dresser　there。　He　sniffed　again；　then　opened　a　drawer。　With　a
  triumphant　grin；　he　held　out　a　pair　of　artfully　faded　blue　jeans。
  I　flitted　to　his　side。　〃How　did　you　do　that？〃
  〃Denim　has　its　own　scent　just　like　anything　else。　Now。。。　stretch　cotton？〃
  He　followed　his　nose　to　a　half…rack；　unearthing　a　long…sleeved　white　t…shirt。　He　tossed　it　to　me。
  〃Thanks；〃　I　said　fervently。　I　inhaled　each　fabric；　memorizing　the　scent　for　future　searches　through　this
  madhouse。　I　remembered　silk　and　satin；　I　would　avoid　those。
  Page　287
  Generatedby　ABC　Amber　LIT　Converter；　www。processtext。com/abclit。html
  It　only　took　him　seconds　to　find　his　own　clothes—if　I　hadn't　seen　him　undressed；　I　would　have　sworn
  there　was　nothing　more　beautiful　than　Edward　in　his　khakis　and　pale　beige　pullover—and　then　he　took
  my　hand。　We　darted　through　the　hidden　garden；　leaped　lightly　over　the　stone　wall；　and　hit　the　forest　at　a
  dead　sprint。　I　pulled　my　hand　free　so　that　we　could　race　back。　He　beat　me　this　time。
  Renesmee　was　awake；　she　was　sitting　up　on　the　floor　with　Rose　and　Emmett　hovering　over　her；　playing
  with　a　little　pile　of　twisted　silverware。　She　had　a　mangled　spoon　in　her　right　hand。　As　soon　as　she　spied
  me　through　the　glass；　she　chucked　the　spoon　on　the　floor—where　it　left　a　divot　in　the　wood—and
  pointed　in　my　direction　imperiously。　Her　audience　laughed；　Alice；　Jasper；　Esme；　and　Carlisle　were　sitting
  on　the　couch；　watching　her　as　if　she　were　the　most　engrossing　film。
  I　was　through　the　door　before　their　laughter　had　barely　begun；　bounding　across　the　room　and　scooping
  her　up　from　the　floor　in　the　same　second。　We　smiled　widely　at　each　other。
  She　was　different；　but