stared　at　each　other　across　the　table；　desperation　on　our　faces。
  The　car　moved　quickly　through　the　woods；　faster　than　Charlie　or　Sue　drove。　We　heard　it　pull　into　the
  meadow　and　stop　by　the　front　porch。　Four　doors　opened　and　closed。　They　didn't　speak　as　they
  approached　the　door。　Edward　opened　it　before　they　could　knock。
  〃Edward！〃　a　female　voice　enthused。
  〃Hello；　Tanya。　Kate；　Eleazar；　Carmen。〃
  Three　murmured　hellos。
  〃Carlisle　said　he　needed　to　talk　to　us　right　away；〃　the　first　voice　said；　Tanya。　I　could　hear　that　they　all
  were　still　outside。　I　imagined　Edward　in　the　doorway；　blocking　their　entrance。　〃What's　the　problem？
  Trouble　with　the　werewolves？〃
  Jacob　rolled　his　eyes。
  〃No；〃　Edward　said。　〃Our　truce　with　the　werewolves　is　stronger　than　ever。〃
  A　woman　chuckled。
  〃Aren't　you　going　to　invite　us　in？〃　Tanya　asked。　And　then　she　continued　without　waiting　for　an　answer。
  〃Where's　Carlisle？〃
  〃Carlisle　had　to　leave。〃
  There　was　a　short　silence。
  〃What's　going　on；　Edward？〃　Tanya　demanded。
  〃If　you　could　give　me　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　for　just　a　few　minutes；〃　he　answered。　〃I　have　something
  difficult　to　explain；　and　I'll　need　you　to　be　open…minded　until　you　understand。〃
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  〃Is　Carlisle　all　right？〃　a　male　voice　asked　anxiously。　Eleazar。
  〃None　of　us　is　all　right；　Eleazar；〃　Edward　said；　and　then　he　patted　something；　maybe　Eleazar's　shoulder。
  〃But　physically；　Carlisle　is　fine。〃
  〃Physically？〃　Tanya　asked　sharply。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
  〃I　mean　that　my　entire　family　is　in　very　grave　danger。　But　before　I　explain；　I　ask　for　your　promise。　Listen
  to　everything　I　say　before　you　react。　I　am　begging　you　to　hear　me　out。〃
  A　longer　silence　greeted　his　request。　Through　the　strained　hush；　Jacob　and　I　stared　wordlessly　at　each
  other。　His　russet　lips　paled。
  〃We're　listening；〃　Tanya　finally　said。　〃We　will　hear　it　all　before　we　judge。〃
  〃Thank　you；　Tanya；〃　Edward　said　fervently。　〃We　wouldn't　involve　you　in　this　if　we　had　any　other
  choice。〃
  Edward　moved。　We　heard　four　sets　of　footsteps　walk　through　the　doorway。
  Someone　sniffed。　〃I　knew　those　werewolves　were　involved；〃　Tanya　muttered。
  〃Yes；　and　they're　on　our　side。　Again。〃
  The　reminder　silenced　Tanya。
  〃Where's　your　Bella？〃　one　of　the　other　female　voices　asked。　〃How　is　she？〃
  〃She'll　join　us　shortly。　She's　well；　thank　you。　She's　taken　to　immortality　with　amazing　finesse。〃
  〃Tell　us　about　the　danger；　Edward；〃　Tanya　said　quietly。　〃We'll　listen；　and　we'll　be　on　your　side；　where
  we　belong。〃
  Edward　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I'd　like　you　to　witness　for　yourselves　first。　Listen—in　the　other　room。
  What　do　you　hear？〃
  It　was　quiet；　and　then　there　was　movement。
  〃Just　listen　first；　please；〃　Edward　said。
  〃A　werewolf；　I　assume。　I　can　hear　his　heart；〃　Tanya　said。
  〃What　else？〃　Edward　asked。
  There　was　a　pause。
  〃What　is　that　thrumming？〃　Kate　or　Carmen　asked。　〃Is　that。。。　some　kind　of　a　bird？〃
  〃No；　but　remember　what　you're　hearing。　Now；　what　do　you　smell？　Besides　the　werewolf。〃
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  〃Is　there　a　human　here？〃　Eleazar　whispered。
  〃No；〃　Tanya　disagreed。　〃It's　not　human。。。　but。。。　closer　to　human　than　the　rest　of　the　scents　here。　What　is
  that；　Edward？　I　don't　think　I've　ever　smelled　that　fragrance　before。〃
  〃You　most　certainly　have　not；　Tanya。　Please；　please　remember　that　this　is　something　entirely　new　to　you。
  Throw　away　your　preconceived　notions。〃
  〃I　promised　you　I　would　listen；　Edward。〃
  〃All　right；　then。　Bella？　Bring　out　Renesmee；　please。〃
  My　legs　felt　strangely　numb；　but　I　knew　that　feeling　was　all　in　my　head。　I　forced　myself　not　to　hold　back；
  not　to　move　sluggishly；　as　I　got　to　my　feet　and　walked　the　few　short　feet　to　the　corner。　The　heat　from
  Jacob's　body　flamed　close　behind　me　as　he　shadowed　my　steps。
  I　took　one　step　into　the　bigger　room　and　then　froze；　unable　to　force　myself　farther　forward。　Renesmee
  took　a　deep　breath　and　then　peeped　out　from　under　my　hair；　her　little　shoulders　tight；　expecting　a　rebuff。
  I　thought　I'd　prepared　myself　for　their　reaction。　For　accusations；　for　shouting；　for　the　motionlessness　of
  deep　stress。
  Tanya　skittered　back　four　steps；　her　strawberry　curls　quivering；　like　a　human　confronted　by　a　venomous
  snake。　Kate　jumped　back　all　the　way　to　the　front　door　and　braced　herself　against　the　wall　there。　A
  shocked　hiss　came　from　between　her　clenched　teeth。　Eleazar　threw　himself　in　front　of　Carmen　in　a
  protective　crouch。
  〃Oh　please〃　I　heard　Jacob　complain　under　his　breath。
  Edward　put　his　arm　around　Renesmee　and　me。　〃You　promised　to　listen；〃　he　reminded　them。
  〃Some　things　cannot　be　heard！〃　Tanya　exclaimed。　〃How　could　you；　Edward？　Do　you　not　know　what
  this　means？〃
  〃We　have　to　get　out　of　here；〃　Kate　said　anxiously；　her　hand　on　the　doorknob。
  〃Edward　。。。〃　Eleazar　seemed　beyond　words。
  〃Wait；〃　Edward　said；　his　voice　harder　now。　〃Remember　what　you　hear；　what　you　smell。　Renesmee　is　not
  what　you　think　she　is。〃
  〃There　are　no　exceptions　to　this　rule；　Edward；〃　Tanya　snapped　back。
  〃Tanya；〃　Edward　said　sharply；　〃you　can　hear　her　heartbeat！　Stop　and　think　about　what　that　means。〃
  〃Her　heartbeat？〃　Carmen　whispered；　peering　around　Eleazar's　shoulder。
  〃She's　not　a　full　vampire　child；〃　Edward　answered；　directing　his　attention　toward　Carmen's　less　hostile
  expression。　〃She　is　half…human。〃
  The　four　vampires　stared　at　him　like　he　was　speaking　a　language　none　of　them　knew。
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  〃Hear　me。〃　Edward's　voice　shifted　into　a　smooth　velvet　tone　of　persuasion。　〃Renesmee　is　one　of　a　kind。
  I　am　her　father。　Not　her　creator—her　biological　father。〃
  Tanya's　head　was　shaking；　just　a　tiny　movement。　She　didn't　seem　aware　of　it。
  〃Edward；　you　can't　expect　us　to—；〃　Eleazar　started　to　say。
  〃Tell　me　another　explanation　that　fits；　Eleazar。　You　can　feel　the　warmth　of　her　body　in　the　air。　Blood　runs
  in　her　veins；　Eleazar。　You　can　smell　it。〃
  〃How？〃　Kate　breathed。
  〃Bella　is　her　biological　mother；〃　Edward　told　her。　〃She　conceived；　carried；　and　gave　birth　to　Renesmee
  while　she　was　still　human。　It　nearly　killed　her。　I　was　hard…pressed　to　get　enough　venom　into　her　heart　to
  save　her。〃
  Tve　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；〃　Eleazar　said。　His　shoulders　were　still　stiff；　his　expression　cold。
  〃Physical　relationships　between　vampires　and　humans　are　not　common；〃　Edward　answered；　a　bit　of　dark
  humor　in　his　tone　now。　〃Human　survivors　of　such　trysts　are　even　less　common。　Wouldn't　you　agree；
  cousins？〃
  Both　Kate　and　Tanya　scowled　at　him。
  〃Come　now；　Eleazar。　Surely　you　can　see　the　resemblance。〃
  It　was　Carmen　who　responded　to　Edward's　words。　She　stepped　around　Eleazar；　ignoring　his
  half…articulated　warning；　and　walked　carefully　to　stand　right　in　front　of　me。　She　leaned　down　slightly；
  looking　carefully　into　Renesmee's　face。
  〃You　seem　to　have　your　mother's　eyes；〃　she　said　in　a　low；　calm　voice；　〃but　your　father's　face。〃　And　then；
  as　if　she　could　not　help　herself；　she　smiled　at　Renesmee。
  Renesmee's　answering　smile　was　dazzling。　She　touched　my　face　without　looking　away　from　Carmen。
  She　imagined　touching　Carmen's　face；　wondering　if　that　was　okay。
  〃Do　you　mind　if　Renesmee　tells　you　about　it　herself？〃　I　asked　Carmen。　I　was　still　too　stressed　to　speak
  above　a　whisper。　〃She　has　a　gift　for　explaining　things。〃
  Carmen　was　still　smiling　at　Renesmee。　〃Do　you　speak；　little　one？〃
  〃Yes；〃　Renesmee　answered　in　her　trilling　high　soprano。　All　of　Tanya's　family　flinched　at　the　sound　of　her
  voice　except　for　Carmen。　〃But　I　can　show　you　more　than　I　can　tell　you。〃
  She　placed　her　little　dimpled　hand　on　Carmen's　cheek。
  Carmen　stiffened　like　an　electric　shock　had　run　through　her。　Eleazar　was　at　her　side　in　an　instant；　his
  hands　on　her　shoulders　as　if　to　yank　her　away。
  〃Wait；〃　Carmen　said　breathlessly；　her　unblinking　eyes　locked　on　Renesmee's。
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  Renesmee　〃showed〃　Carmen　her　explanation　for　a　long　time。　Edward's　face　was　intent　as　he　watched
  with　Carmen；　and　I　wished　so　much　that　I　could　hear　what　he　heard；　too。　Jacob　shifted　his　weight
  impatiently　behind　me；　and　I　knew　he　was　wishing　the　same。
  〃What's　Nessie　showing　her？〃　he　grumbled　under　his　breath。
  〃Everything；〃　Edward　murmured。
  Another　minute　passed；　and　Renesmee　dropped　her　hand　from　Carmen's　face。　She　smiled　winningly　at
  the　stunned　vampire。
  〃She　really　is　your　daughter；　isn't　she？〃　Carmen　breathe