her　up　from　the　floor　in　the　same　second。　We　smiled　widely　at　each　other。
  She　was　different；　but　not　so　much。　A　little　longer　again；　her　proportions　drifting　from　babyish　to
  childlike。　Her　hair　was　longer　by　a　quarter　inch；　the　curls　bouncing　like　springs　with　every　movement。　I'd
  let　my　imagination　run　wild
  on　the　trip　back；　and　I'd　imagined　worse　than　this。　Thanks　to　my　overdone　fears；　these　little　changes
  were　almost　a　relief。　Even　without　Carlisle's　measurements；　I　was　sure　the　changes　were　slower　than
  yesterday。
  Renesmee　patted　my　cheek。　I　winced。　She　was　hungry　again。
  〃How　long　has　she　been　up？〃　I　asked　as　Edward　disappeared　through　the　kitchen　doorway。　I　was　sure
  he　was　on　his　way　to　get　her　breakfast；　having　seen　what　she'd　just　thought　as　clearly　as　I　had。　I
  wondered　if　he　would　ever　have　noticed　her　little　quirk；　if　he'd　been　the　only　one　to　know　her。　To　him；　it
  probably　would　have　seemed　like　hearing　anyone。
  〃Just　a　few　minutes；〃　Rose　said。　〃We　would　have　called　you　soon。　She's　been　asking　for　you—
  demandingmight　be　a　better　description。　Esme　sacrificed　her　second…best　silver　service　to　keep　the　little
  monster　entertained。〃　Rose　smiled　at　Renesmee　with　so　much　gloating　affection　that　the　criticism　was
  entirely　weightless。　〃We　didn't　want　to。。。　er；　bother　you。〃
  Rosalie　bit　her　lip　and　looked　away；　trying　not　to　laugh。　I　could　feel　Emmett's　silent　laughter　behind　me；
  sending　vibrations　through　the　foundations　of　the　house。
  I　kept　my　chin　high。　〃We'll　get　your　room　set　up　right　away；〃　I　said　to　Renesmee。　〃You'll　like　the
  cottage。　It's　magic。〃　I　look　up　at　Esme。　〃Thank　you；　Esme。　So　much。　It's　absolutely　perfect。〃
  Before　Esme　could　respond；　Emmett　was　laughing　again—it　wasn't　silent　this　time。
  〃So　it's　still　standing？〃　he　managed　to　get　out　between　his　snickers。　〃I　would've　thought　you　two　had
  knocked　it　to　rubble　by　now。　What　were　you　doing　last　night？　Discussing　the　national　debt？〃　He　howled
  with　laughter。
  I　gritted　my　teeth　and　reminded　myself　of　the　negative　consequences　when　I'd　let　my　temper　get　away
  from　me　yesterday。　Of　course；　Emmett　wasn't　as　breakable　as　Seth___
  Thinking　of　Seth　made　me　wonder。　〃Where're　the　wolves　today？〃　I　glanced　out　the　window　wall；　but
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  there　had　been　no　sign　of　Leah　on　the　way　in。
  〃Jacob　took　off　this　morning　pretty　early；〃　Rosalie　told　me；　a　little　frown　creasing　her　forehead。　〃Seth
  followed　him　out。〃
  〃What　was　he　so　upset　about？〃　Edward　asked　as　he　came　back　into　the　room　with　Renesmee's　cup。
  There　must　have　been　more　in　Rosalie's　memory　than　I'd　seen　in　her　expression。
  Without　breathing；　I　handed　Renesmee　off　to　Rosalie。　Super…self…control；　maybe；　but　there　was　no　way
  I　was　going　to　be　able　to　feed　her。　Not　yet。
  〃I　don't　know—or　care；〃　Rosalie　grumbled；　but　she　answered　Edward's　question　more　fully。　〃He　was
  watching　Nessie　sleep；　his　mouth　hanging　open　like　the　moron　he　is；　and　then　he　just　jumped　to　his　feet
  without　any　kind　of　trigger—that　I　noticed；　anyway—and　stormed　out。　/　was　glad　to　be　rid　of　him。　The
  more　time　he　spends　here；　the　less　chance　there　is　that　we'll　ever　get　the　smell　out。〃
  〃Rose；〃　Esme　chided　gently。
  Rosalie　flipped　her　hair。　〃I　suppose　it　doesn't　matter。　We　won't　be　here　that　much　longer。〃
  〃I　still　say　we　should　go　straight　to　New　Hampshire　and　get　things　set　up；〃　Emmett　said；　obviously
  continuing　an
  earlier　conversation。　〃Bella's　already　registered　at　Dartmouth。　Doesn't　look　like　it　will　take　her　all　that
  long　to　be　able　to　handle　school。〃　He　turned　to　look　at　me　with　a　teasing　grin。　Tm　sure　you'll　ace　your
  classes。。。　apparently　there's　nothing　interesting　for　you　to　do　at　night　besides　study。〃
  Rosalie　giggled。
  Do　not　lose　your　temper；　do　not　lose　your　temper；I　chanted　to　myself。　And　then　I　was　proud　of　myself
  for　keeping　my　head。
  So　I　was　pretty　surprised　that　Edward　didn't。
  He　growled—an　abrupt；　shocking　rasp　of　sound—and　the　blackest　fury　rolled　across　his　expression　like
  storm　clouds。
  Before　any　of　us　could　respond；　Alice　was　on　her　feet。
  〃What　is　he　doing？　What　is　that　dog　doing　that　has　erased　my　schedule　for　the　entire　day？　I　can't　see
  anything＇　No！〃　She　shot　me　a　tortured　glance。　〃Look　at　you！　You　neec/meto　show　you　how　to　use　your
  closet。〃
  For　one　second　I　was　grateful　for　whatever　Jacob　was　up　to。
  And　then　Edward's　hands　balled　up　into　fists　and　he　snarled；　〃He　talked　to　Charlie。　He　thinks　Charlie　is
  following　after　him。　Coming　here。　Today。〃
  Alice　said　a　word　that　sounded　very　odd　in　her　trilling；　ladylike　voice；　and　then　she　blurred　into　motion；
  streaking　out　the　backdoor。
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  〃He　told　Charlie？〃　I　gasped。　〃But—doesn't　he　understand？　How　could　he　do　that？〃　Charlie　couldn't
  know　about　me！　About　vampires！　That　would　put　him　on　a　hit　list　that　even　the　Cullens　couldn't　save　him
  from。　〃No！〃
  Edward　spoke　through　his　teeth。　〃Jacob's　on　his　way　in　now。〃
  It　must　have　started　raining　farther　east。　Jacob　came　through　the　door　shaking　his　wet　hair　like　a　dog；
  flipping　droplets　on　the　carpet　and　the　couch　where　they　made　little　round　gray　spots　on　the　white。　His
  teeth　glinted　against　his　dark　lips；　his　eyes　were　bright　and　excited。　He　walked　with　jerky　movements；
  like　he　was　all　hyped…up　about　destroying　my　father's　life。
  〃Hey；　guys；〃　he　greeted　us；　grinning。
  It　was　perfectly　silent。
  Leah　and　Seth　slipped　in　behind　him；　in　their　human　forms—for　now；　both　of　their　hands　were　trembling
  with　the　tension　in　the　room。
  〃Rose；〃　I　said；　holding　my　arms　out。　Wordlessly；　Rosalie　handed　me　Renesmee。　I　pressed　her　close　to
  my　motionless　heart；　holding　her　like　a　talisman　against　rash　behavior。　I　would　keep　her　in　my　arms　until　I
  was　sure　my　decision　to　kill　Jacob　was　based　entirely　on　rational　judgment　rather　than　fury。
  She　was　very　still；　watching　and　listening。　How　much　did　she　understand？
  〃Charlie'll　be　here　soon；〃　Jacob　said　to　me　casually。　〃Just　a　heads…up。　I　assume　Alice　is　getting　you
  sunglasses　or　something？〃
  〃You　assume　way　too　much；〃　I　spit　through　my　teeth。　〃What。　Have。　You。　Done？〃
  Jacob's　smile　wavered；　but　he　was　still　too　wound　up　to　answer　seriously。　〃Biondie　and　Emmett　woke
  me　up　this　morning　going　on　and　on　about　you　all　moving　cross…country。　Like　I　could　let　you　leave。
  Charlie　was　the　biggest　issue　there；　right？　Well；　problem　solved。'7
  〃Do　you　even　realize　what　you've　done？　The　danger　you've　put　him　in？〃
  He　snorted。　〃I　didn't　put　him　in　danger。　Except　from　you。　But　you've　got　some　kind　of　supernatural
  self…control；　right？　Not　as　good　as　mind　reading；　if　you　ask　me。　Much　less　exciting。〃
  Edward　moved　then；　darting　across　the　room　to　get　in　Jacob's　face。　Though　he　was　half　a　head　shorter
  than　Jacob；　Jacob　leaned　away　from　his　staggering　anger　as　if　Edward　towered　over　him。
  〃That's　just　a　theory；　mongrel；〃　he　snarled。　〃You　think　we　should　test　it　out　on　Charlie？　Did　you
  consider　the　physical　pain　you're　putting　Bella　through；　even　if　she　can　resist？　Or　the　emotional　pain　if　she
  doesn't？　I　suppose　what　happens　to　Bella　no　longer　concerns　you！〃　He　spit　the　last　word。
  Renesmee　pressed　her　fingers　anxiously　to　my　cheek；　anxiety　coloring　the　replay　in　her　head。
  Edward's　words　finally　cut　through　Jacob's　strangely　electric　mood。　His　mouth　dropped　into　a　frown。
  〃Bella　will　be　in　pain？〃
  〃Like　you've　shoved　a　white…hot　branding　iron　down　her　throat！〃
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  I　flinched；　remembering　the　scent　of　pure　human　blood。
  〃I　didn't　know　that；〃　Jacob　whispered。
  〃Then　perhaps　you　should　have　asked　first；〃　Edward　growled　back　through　his　teeth。
  〃You　would　have　stopped　me。〃
  〃You　should　have　been　stopped—〃
  〃This　isn't　about　me；〃　I　interrupted。　I　stood　very　still；　keeping　my　hold　on　Renesmee　and　sanity。　〃This　is
  about　Charlie；　Jacob。　How　could　you　put　him　in　danger　this　way？　Do　you　realize　it's　death　or　vampire　life
  for　him　now；　too？〃　My　voice　trembled　with　the　tears　my　eyes　could　no　longer　shed。
  Jacob　was　still　troubled　by　Edward's　accusations；　but　mine　didn't　seem　to　bother　him。　〃Relax；　Bella。　I
  didn't　tell　him　anything　you　weren't　planning　to　tell　him。〃
  〃But　he's　coming　here！〃
  〃Yeah；　that's　the　idea。　Wasn't　the　whole　let　him　make　the　wrong　assumptions'　thing　your　plan？　I　think　I
  provided　a　very　nice　red　herring；　if　I　do　say　so　myself。〃
  My　fingers　flexed　away　from　Renesmee。　I　curled　them　back　in　securely。　〃Say　it　straight；　Jacob。　I　don't
  have　the　patience　for　this。〃
  〃I　didn't　tell　him　anything　about　you；　Bella。　Not　really。　I　told　him　about　me。　Well；　sho