Edward　was　back　at　my　side；　stroking　my　face。　〃You　can　do　this。　I　know　you　can。　Ill　help　you；　we　all
  will。〃
  I　met　Edward's　eyes　with　panic　screaming　from　my　face。　Was　he　strong　enough　to　stop　me　if　I　made　a
  wrong　move？
  〃If　I　didn't　believe　you　could　handle　it；　we'd　disappear　today。　This　very　minute。　But　you　can。　And　you'll
  be　happier　if　you　can　have　Charlie　in　your　life。〃
  I　tried　to　slow　my　breathing。
  Alice　held　out　her　hand。　There　was　a　small　white　box　on　her　palm。　〃These　will　irritate　your　eyes—they
  won't　hurt；　but　they'll　cloud　your　vision。　It's　annoying。　They　also　won't　match　your　old　color；　but　it's　still
  better　than　bright　red；　right？〃
  She　flipped　the　contact　box　into　the　air　and　I　caught　it。
  〃When　did　you—〃
  〃Before　you　left　on　the　honeymoon。　I　was　prepared　for　several　possible　futures。〃
  I　nodded　and　opened　the　container。　I'd　never　worn　contacts　before；　but　it　couldn't　be　that　hard。　I　took
  the　little　brown　quarter…sphere　and　pressed　it；　concave　side　in；　to　my　eye。
  I　blinked；　and　a　film　interrupted　my　sight。　I　could　see　through　it；　of　course；　but　I　could　also　see　the
  texture　of　the
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  thin　screen。　My　eye　kept　focusing　on　the　microscopic　scratches　and　warped　sections。
  〃I　see　what　you　mean；〃　I　murmured　as　I　stuck　the　other　one　in。　I　tried　to　not　blink　this　time。　My　eye
  automatically　wanted　to　dislodge　the　obstruction。
  〃How　do　I　look？〃
  Edward　smiled。　〃Gorgeous。　Of　course—〃
  〃Yes；　yes；　she　always　looks　gorgeous；〃　Alice　finished　his　thought　impatiently。　〃It's　better　than　red；　but
  that's　the　highest　commendation　I　can　give。　Muddy　brown。　Your　brown　was　much　prettier。　Keep　in　mind
  that　those　won't　last　forever—the　venom　in　your　eyes　will　dissolve　them　in　a　few　hours。　So　if　Charlie
  stays　longer　than　that；　you'll　have　to　excuse　yourself　to　replace　them。　Which　is　a　good　idea　anyway；
  because　humans　need　bathroom　breaks。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Esme；　give　her　a　few　pointers　on　acting
  human　while　I　stock　the　powder　room　with　contacts。〃
  〃How　long　do　I　have？〃
  〃Charlie　will　be　here　in　five　minutes。　Keep　it　simple。〃
  Esme　nodded　once　and　came　to　take　my　hand。　〃The　main　thing　is　not　to　sit　too　still　or　move　too　fast；〃
  she　told　me。
  〃Sit　down　if　he　does；〃　Emmett　interjected。　〃Humans　don't　like　to　just　stand　there。〃
  〃Let　your　eyes　wander　every　thirty　seconds　or　so；〃　Jasper　added。　〃Humans　don't　stare　at　one　thing　for
  too　long。〃
  〃Cross　your　legs　for　about　five　minutes；　then　switch　to　crossing　your　ankles　for　the　next　five；〃　Rosalie
  said。
  I　nodded　once　at　each　suggestion。　I'd　noticed　them　doing　some　of　these　things　yesterday。　I　thought　I
  could　mimic　their　actions。
  〃And　blink　at　least　three　times　a　minute；〃　Emmett　said。　He　frowned；　then　darted　to　where　the　television
  remote　sat　on　the　end　table。　He　flipped　the　TV　on　to　a　college　football　game　and　nodded　to　himself。
  〃Move　your　hands；　too。　Brush　your　hair　back　or　pretend　to　scratch　something；〃　Jasper　said。
  〃I　said　Esme〃　Alice　complained　as　she　returned。　〃You'll　overwhelm　her。〃
  〃No；　I　think　I　got　it　all；〃　I　said。　〃Sit；　look　around；　blink；　fidget。〃
  〃Right；〃　Esme　approved。　She　hugged　my　shoulders。
  Jasper　frowned。　〃You'll　be　holding　your　breath　as　much　as　possible；　but　you　need　to　move　your
  shoulders　a　little　to　make　it　/oo/clike　you're　breathing。〃
  I　inhaled　once　and　then　nodded　again。
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  Edward　hugged　me　on　my　free　side。　〃You　can　do　this；〃　he　repeated；　murmuring　the　encouragement　in
  my　ear。
  〃Two　minutes；〃　Alice　said。　〃Maybe　you　should　start　out　already　on　the　couch。　You've　been　sick；　after
  all。　That　way　he　won't　have　to　see　you　move　right　at　first。〃
  Alice　pulled　me　to　the　sofa。　I　tried　to　move　slowly；　to　make　my　limbs　more　clumsy。　She　rolled　her　eyes；
  so　I　must　not　have　been　doing　a　good　job。
  〃Jacob；　I　need　Renesmee；〃　I　said。
  Jacob　frowned；　unmoving。
  Alice　shook　her　head。　〃Bella；　that　doesn't　help　me　see。〃
  〃But　I　need　her。　She　keeps　me　calm。'7The　edge　of　panic　in　my　voice　was　unmistakable。
  〃Fine；〃　Alice　groaned。　〃Hold　her　as　still　as　you　can　and　I'll　try　to　see　around　her。〃　She　sighed　wearily；
  like　she'd　been　asked　to　work　overtime　on　a　holiday。　Jacob　sighed；　too；　but　brought　Renesmee　to　me；
  and　then　retreated　quickly　from　Alice's　glare。
  Edward　took　a　seat　beside　me　and　put　his　arms　around　Renesmee　and　me。　He　leaned　forward　and
  looked　Renesmee　very　seriously　in　the　eyes。
  〃Renesmee；　someone　special　is　coming　to　see　you　and　your　mother；〃　he　said　in　a　solemn　voice；　as　if　he
  expected　her　to　understand　every　word。　Did　she？　She　looked　back　at　him　with　clear；　grave　eyes。　〃But
  he's　not　like　us；　or　even　like　Jacob。　We　have　to　be　very　careful　with　him。　You　shouldn't　tell　him　things　the
  way　you　tell　us。〃
  Renesmee　touched　his　face。
  〃Exactly；〃　he　said。　〃And　he's　going　to　make　you　thirsty。　But　you　mustn't　bite　him。　He　won't　heal　like
  Jacob。〃
  〃Can　she　understand　you？〃　I　whispered。
  〃She　understands。　You'll　be　careful；　won't　you；　Renesmee？　You'll　help　us？〃
  Renesmee　touched　him　again。
  〃No；　I　don't　care　if　you　bite　Jacob。　That's　fine。〃
  Jacob　chuckled。
  〃Maybe　you　should　leave；　Jacob；〃　Edward　said　coldly；　glaring　in　his　direction。　Edward　hadn't　forgiven
  Jacob；　because　he　knew　that　no　matter　what　happened　now；　I　was　going　to　be　hurting。　But　I'd　take　the
  burn　happily　if　that　were　the　worst　thing　I'd　face　tonight。
  〃I　told　Charlie　I'd　be　here；〃　Jacob　said。　〃He　needs　the　moral　support。〃
  〃Moral　support；〃　Edward　scoffed。　〃As　far　as　Charlie　knows；　you're　the　most　repulsive　monster　of　us　all。〃
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  〃Repulsive？〃　Jake　protested；　and　then　he　laughed　quietly　to　himself。
  I　heard　the　tires　turn　off　the　highway　onto　the　quiet；　damp　earth　of　the　Cullens'　drive；　and　my　breathing
  spiked　again。　My　heart　ought　to　have　been　hammering。　It　made　me　anxious　that　my　body　didn't　have　the
  right　reactions。
  I　concentrated　on　the　steady　thrumming　of　Renesmee's　heart　to　calm　myself。　It　worked　pretty　quickly。
  〃Well　done；　Bella；〃　Jasper　whispered　in　approval。
  Edward　tightened　his　arm　over　my　shoulders。
  〃You're　sure？〃　I　asked　him。
  〃Positive。　You　can　do　anything〃　He　smiled　and　kissed　me。
  It　wasn't　precisely　a　peck　on　the　lips；　and　my　wild　vampiric　reactions　took　me　off　guard　yet　again。
  Edward's　lips　were　like　a　shot　of　some　addictive　chemical　straight　into　my　nervous　system。　I　was　instantly
  craving　more。　It　took　all　my　concentration　to　remember　the　baby　in　my　arms。
  Jasper　felt　my　mood　change。　〃Er；　Edward；　you　might　not　want　to　distract　her　like　that　right　now。　She
  needs　to　be
  able　to　focus。〃
  Edward　pulled　away。　〃Oops；〃　he　said。
  I　laughed。　That　had　been　my　line　from　the　very　beginning；　from　the　very　first　kiss。
  〃Later；〃　I　said；　and　anticipation　curled　my　stomach　into　a　ball。
  〃Focus；　Bella；〃　Jasper　urged。
  〃Right。〃　i　pushed　the　trembly　feelings　away。　Charlie；　that　was　the　main　thing　now。　Keep　Charlie　safe
  today。　We　would　have　all　night___
  〃Bella。〃
  〃Sorry；　Jasper。〃
  Emmett　laughed。
  The　sound　of　Charlie's　cruiser　got　closer　and　closer。　The　second　of　levity　passed；　and　everyone　was　still。
  I　crossed　my　legs　and　practiced　my　blinks。
  The　car　pulled　in　front　of　the　house　and　idled　for　a　few　seconds。　I　wondered　if　Charlie　was　as　nervous
  as　I　was。　Then　the　engine　cut　off；　and　a　door　slammed。　Three　steps　across　the　grass；　and　then　eight
  echoing　thuds　against　the　wooden　stairs。　Four　more　echoing　footsteps　across　the　porch。　Then　silence。
  Charlie　took　two　deep　breaths。
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  Knock；　knock；　knock。
  I　inhaled　for　what　might　be　the　last　time。　Renesmee　nestled　deeper　into　my　arms；　hiding　her　face　in　my
  hair。
  Carlisle　answered　the　door。　His　stressed　expression　changed　to　one　of　welcome；　like　switching　the
  channel　on　the　TV。
  〃Hello；　Charlie；〃　he　said；　looking　appropriately　abashed。　After　all；　we　were　supposed　to　be　in　Atlanta　at
  the　Center　for　Disease　Control。　Charlie　knew　he'd　been　lied　to。
  〃Carlisle；〃　Charlie　greeted　him　stiffly。　〃Where's　Bella？〃
  〃Right　here；　Dad。〃
  Ugh！　My　voice　was　so　wrong。　Plus；　I'd　used　up　some　of　my　air　supply。　I　gulped　in　a　quick　refill；　glad
  that　Charlie's　scent　had　not　saturated　the　room　yet。
  Charlie's　blank　expression　told　me　how　off　my　voice　was。　His　eyes　zeroed　in　on　me　and　widened。
  I　read　the　emotions　as　they　scrolled　across　his　face。
  Shock。　Disbelief。　Pain。