I　read　the　emotions　as　they　scrolled　across　his　face。
  Shock。　Disbelief。　Pain。　Loss。　Fear。　Anger。　Suspicion。　More　pain。
  I　bit　my　lip。　It　felt　funny。　My　new　teeth　were　sharper　against　my　granite　skin　than　my　human　teeth　had
  been　against　my　soft　human　lips。
  〃Is　that　you；　Bella？〃　he　whispered。
  〃Yep。〃　I　winced　at　my　wind…chime　voice。　〃Hi；　Dad。〃
  He　took　a　deep　breath　to　steady　himself。
  〃Hey；　Charlie；〃　Jacob　greeted　him　from　the　corner。　〃How're　things？〃
  Charlie　glowered　at　Jacob　once；　shuddered　at　a　memory；　and　then　stared　at　me　again。
  Slowly；　Charlie　walked　across　the　room　until　he　was　a　few　feet　away　from　me。　He　darted　an　accusing
  glare　at　Edward；　and　then　his　eyes　flickered　back　to　me。　The　warmth　of　his　body　heat　beat　against　me
  with　each　pulse　of　his　heart。
  〃Bella？〃　heasked　again。
  I　spoke　in　a　lower　voice；　trying　to　keep　the　ring　out　of　it。〃It's　really　me。〃
  His　jaw　locked。
  〃I'm　sorry；　Dad；〃　I　said。
  〃Are　you　okay？〃　he　demanded。
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  〃Really　and　truly　great；〃　I　promised。　〃Healthy　as　a　horse。〃
  That　was　it　for　my　oxygen。
  〃Jake　told　me　this　was。。。　necessary。　That　you　were　dying。〃　He　said　the　words　like　he　didn't　believe　them
  one　bit。
  I　steeled　myself；　focused　on　Renesmee's　warm　weight；　leaned　into　Edward　for　support；　and　took　a　deep
  breath。
  Charlie's　scent　was　a　fistful　of　flames；　punching　straight　down　my　throat。　But　it　was　so　much　more　than
  pain。　It　was　a　hot　stabbing　of　desire；　too。　Charlie　smelled　more　delicious　than　anything　I'd　ever　imagined。
  As　appealing　as　the　anonymous　hikers　had　been　on　the　hunt；　Charlie　was　doubly　tempting。　And　he　was
  just　a　few　feet　away；　leaking　mouthwatering　heat　and　moisture　into　the　dry　air。
  But　I　wasn't　hunting　now。　And　this　was　my　father。
  Edward　squeezed　my　shoulders　sympathetically；　and　Jacob　shot　an　apologetic　glance　at　me　across　the
  room。
  I　tried　to　collect　myself　and　ignore　the　pain　and　longing　of　the　thirst。　Charlie　was　waiting　for　my　answer。
  〃Jacob　was　telling　you　the　truth。〃
  〃That　makes　one　of　you；〃　Charlie　growled。
  I　hoped　Charlie　could　see　past　the　changes　in　my　new　face　to　read　the　remorse　there。
  Under　my　hair；　Renesmee　sniffed　as　Charlie's　scent　registered　with　her；　too。　I　tightened　my　grip　on　her。
  Charlie　saw　my　anxious　glance　down　and　followed　it。　〃Oh；〃　he　said；　and　all　the　anger　fell　off　his　face；
  leaving　only　shock　behind。　〃This　is　her。　The　orphan　Jacob　said　you're　adopting。〃
  〃My　niece；〃　Edward　lied　smoothly。　He　must　have　decided　that　the　resemblance　between　Renesmee　and
  him　was　too　pronounced　to　be　ignored。　Best　to　claim　they　were　related　from　the　beginning。
  〃I　thought　you'd　lost　your　family；〃　Charlie　said；　accusation　returning　to　his　voice。
  〃I　lost　my　parents。　My　older　brother　was　adopted；　like　me。　I　never　saw　him　after　that。　But　the　courts
  located　me　when　he　and　his　wife　died　in　a　car　accident；　leaving　their　only　child　without　any　other　family。〃
  Edward　was　so　good　at　this。　His　voice　was　even；　with　just　the　right　amount　of　innocence。　I　needed
  practice　so　that　I　could　do　that。
  Renesmee　peeked　out　from　under　my　hair；　sniffing　again。　She　glanced　shyly　at　Charlie　from　under　her
  long　lashes；　then　hid　again。
  〃She's。。。　she's；well；　she's　a　beauty。〃
  〃Yes；〃　Edward　agreed。
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  〃Kind　of　a　big　responsibility；　though。　You　two　are　just　getting　started。〃
  〃What　else　could　we　do？〃　Edward　brushed　his　fingers　lightly　over　her　cheek。　I　saw　him　touch　her　lips　for
  just　a　moment—a　reminder。　〃Would　you　have　refused　her？〃
  〃Hmph。　Well。〃　Heshook　his　head　absently。　〃Jake　says　you　call　her　Nessie？〃
  〃No；　we　don't；〃　I　said；　my　voice　too　sharp　and　piercing。　〃Her　name　is　Renesmee。〃
  Charlie　refocused　on　me。　〃How　do　you　feel　about　this？　Maybe　Carlisle　and　Esme　could—〃
  〃She's　mine；〃　I　interrupted。　〃I　want　her。〃
  Charlie　frowned。　〃You　gonna　make　me　a　grandpa　so　young？〃
  Edward　smiled。　〃Carlisle　is　a　grandfather；　too。〃
  Charlie　shot　an　incredulous　glance　at　Carlisle；　still　standing　by　the　front　door；　he　looked　like　Zeus's
  younger；　better…looking　brother。
  Charlie　snorted　and　then　laughed。　〃I　guess　that　does　sort　of　make　me　feel　better。〃His　eyes　strayed　back
  to　Renesmee。　〃She　sure　is　something　to　look　at。〃　His　warm　breath　blew　lightly　across　the　space　between
  us。
  Renesmee　leaned　toward　the　smell；　shaking　off　my　hair　and　looking　him　full　in　the　face　for　the　first　time。
  Charlie　gasped。
  I　knew　what　he　was　seeing。　My　eyes—his　eyes—copied　exactly　into　her　perfect　face。
  Charlie　started　hyperventilating。　His　lips　trembled；　and　I　could　read　the　numbers　he　mouthed。　He　was
  counting　backward；　trying　to　fit　nine　months　into　one。　Trying　to　put　it　together　but　not　able　to　force　the
  evidence　right　in　front　of　him　to　make　any　sense。
  Jacob　got　up　and　came　over　to　pat　Charlie　on　the　back。　He　leaned　in　to　whisper　something　in　Charlie's
  ear；　only　Charlie　didn't　know　we　could　all　hear。
  〃Need　to　know；　Charlie。　It's　okay。　I　promise。〃
  Charlie　swallowed　and　nodded。　And　then　his　eyes　blazed　as　he　took　a　step　closer　to　Edward　with　his
  fists　tightly　clenched。
  〃I　don't　want　to　know　everything；　but　I'm　done　with　the　lies！〃
  〃I'm　sorry；〃　Edward　said　calmly；　〃but　you　need　to　know　the　public　story　more　than　you　need　to　know
  the　truth。　If　you're　going　to　be　part　of　this　secret；　the　public　story　is　the　one　that　counts。　It's　to　protect
  Bella　and　Renesmee　as　well　as　the　rest　of　us。　Can　you　go　along　with　the　lies　for　them？〃
  The　room　wasfull　of　statues。　I　crossed　my　ankles。
  Charlie　huffed　once　and　then　turned　his　glare　on　me。　〃You　might've　given　me　some　warning；　kid。〃
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  〃Would　it　really　have　made　this　any　easier？〃
  He　frowned；　and　then　he　knelt　on　the　floor　in　front　of　me。　I　could　see　the　movement　of　the　blood　in　his
  neck　under　his　skin。　I　could　feel　the　warm　vibration　of　it。
  So　could　Renesmee。　She　smiled　and　reached　one　pink　palm　out　to　him。　I　held　her　back。　She　pushed　her
  other
  hand　against　my　neck；　thirst；　curiosity；　and　Charlie's　face　in　her　thoughts。　There　was　a　subtle　edge　to　the
  message　that　made　me　think　that　she'd　understood　Edward's　words　perfectly；　she　acknowledged　thirst；
  but　overrode　it　in　the　same　thought。
  〃Whoa；〃　Charlie　gasped；　his　eyes　on　her　perfect　teeth。　〃How　old　is　she？〃
  〃Urn。。。〃
  〃Three　months；〃　Edward　said；　and　then　added　slowly；　〃rather；　she's　the　size　of　a　three…month…old；　more
  or　less。　She's　younger　in　some　ways；　more　mature　in　others。〃
  Very　deliberately；　Renesmee　waved　at　him。
  Charlie　blinked　spastically。
  Jacob　elbowed　him。　〃Told　you　she　was　special；　didn't　I？〃
  Charlie　cringed　away　from　the　contact。
  〃Oh；　c'mon；　Charlie；〃　Jacob　groaned。　〃I'm　the　same　person　I've　always　been。　Just　pretend　this　afternoon
  didn't　happen。〃
  The　reminder　made　Charlie's　lips　go　white；　but　he　nodded　once。　〃Just　what　is　your　part　in　all　this；　Jake？〃
  he　asked。　〃How　much　does　Billy　know？　Why　are　you　here？〃　He　looked　at　Jacob's　face；　which　was
  glowing　as　he　stared　at　Renesmee。
  〃Well；　I　could　tell　you　all　about　it—Billy　knows　absolutely　everything—but　it　involves　a　lot　of　stuff　about
  werewo—〃
  〃Ungh！〃　Charlie　protested；　covering　his　ears。　〃Never　mind。〃
  Jacob　grinned。　〃Everything's　going　to　be　great；　Charlie。　Just　try　to　not　believe　anything　you　see。〃
  My　dad　mumbled　something　unintelligible。
  〃Woo！〃　Emmett　suddenly　boomed　in　his　deep　bass。　〃Go　Gators！〃
  Jacob　and　Charlie　jumped。　The　rest　of　us　froze。
  Charlie　recovered；　then　looked　at　Emmett　over　his　shoulder。　〃Florida　winning？〃
  〃Just　scored　the　first　touchdown；〃　Emmett　confirmed。　He　shot　a　look　in　my　direction；　wagging　his
  eyebrows　like　a　villain　in　vaudeville。　〃'Bout　time　somebody　scored　around　here。〃
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  I　fought　back　a　hiss。　In　front　of　Charlie？　That　was　over　the　line。
  But　Charlie　was　beyond　noticing　innuendos。　He　took　yet　another　deep　breath；　sucking　the　air　in　like　he
  was　trying　to　pull　it　down　to　his　toes。　I　envied　him。　He　lurched　to　his　feet；　stepped　around　Jacob；　and
  half…fell　into　an　open　chair。　〃Well；〃　he　sighed；　〃I　guess　we　should　see　if　they　can　hold　on　to　the　lead。〃
  26。　SHINY
  〃I　don't　know　how　much　we　should　tell　Renee　about　this；〃　Charlie　said；　hesitating　with　one　foot　out　the
  door。　He　stretched；　and　then　his　stomach　growled。
  I　nodded。　〃I　know；　i　don't　want　to　freak　her　out。　Better　to　protect　her。　This　stuff　isn't