Renesmee　over　to　see　you？〃
  Charlie　was　quiet　for　so　long　that　I　wondered　if　he　heard　the　strain　beneath　my　fagade。
  But　then　he　muttered；　〃Need　to　know；　ugh〃　and　I　realized　it　was　just　his　wariness　of　the　supernatural
  that　made　him　slow　to　respond。
  〃Okay；　kid；〃　Charlie　said。　〃Can　you　bring　her　over　this　morning？　Sue's　bringing　me　lunch。　She's　just　as
  horrified　by　my　cooking　as　you　were　when　you　first　showed　up。〃
  Charlie　laughed　and　then　sighed　for　the　old　days。
  〃This　morning　will　be　perfect。〃　The　sooner　the　better。　I'd　already　put　this　off　too　long。
  〃Is　Jake　coming　with　you　guys？〃
  Though　Charlie　didn't　know　anything　about　werewolf　imprinting；　no　one　could　be　oblivious　to　the
  attachment　between　Jacob　and　Renesmee。
  〃Probably。〃　There　was　no　way　Jacob　would　voluntarily　miss　an　afternoon　with　Renesmee　sans
  bloodsuckers。
  〃Maybe　I　should　invite　Billy；　too；〃　Charlie　mused。　〃But。。。　hmm。　Maybe　another　time。〃
  I　was　only　half　paying　attention　to　Charlie—enough　to　notice　the　strange　reluctance　in　his　voice　when　he
  spoke　of　Billy；　but　not　enough　to　worry　what　that　was　about。　Charlie　and　Billy　were　grown…ups；　if　there
  was　something　going　on　between　them；　they　could　figure　it　out　for　themselves。　I　had　too　many　more
  important　things　to　obsess　over。
  〃See　you　in　a　few；〃　I　told　him；　and　hung　up。
  This　trip　was　about　more　than　protecting　my　father　from　the　twenty…seven　oddly　matched　vampires
  —who　all　had　sworn　not　to　kill　anyone　in　a　three…hundred…mile　radius；　but　still。。。　Obviously；　no　human
  being　should　get　anywhere　near　this　group。　This　was　the　excuse　I'd　given　Edward：　I　was　taking
  Renesmee　to　Charlie　so　that　he　wouldn't　decide
  to　come　here。　It　was　a　good　reason　for　leaving　the　house；　but　not　my　real　reason　at　all。
  〃Why　can't　we　take　your　Ferrari？〃　Jacob　complained　when　he　met　me　in　the　garage。　I　was　already　in
  Edward's　Volvo　with　Renesmee。
  Edward　had　gotten　around　to　revealing　my　after　car；　as　he'd　suspected；　I　had　not　been　capable　of
  showing　the　appropriate　enthusiasm。　Sure；　it　was　pretty　and　fast；　but　I　liked　to　run。
  〃Too　conspicuous；〃　I　answered。　〃We　could　go　on　foot；　but　that　would　freak　Charlie　out。〃
  Jacob　grumbled　but　got　into　the　front　seat。　Renesmee　climbed　from　my　lap　to　his。
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  〃How　are　you？〃　I　asked　him　as　I　pulled　out　of　the　garage。
  〃How　do　you　think？〃　Jacob　asked　bitingly。　〃I'm　sick　of　all　these　reeking　bloodsuckers。〃　He　saw　my
  expression　and　spoke　before　I　could　answer。　〃Yeah；　I　know；　I　know。　They're　the　good　guys；　they're
  here　to　help；　they're　going　to　save　us　all。　Etcetera；　etcetera。　Say　what　you　want；　I　still　think　Dracula　One
  and　Dracula　Two　are　creep…tacular。〃
  I　had　to　smile。　The　Romanians　weren't　my　favorite　guests；　either。　〃I　don't　disagree　with　you　there。〃
  Renesmee　shook　her　head　but　said　nothing；　unlike　the　rest　of　us；　she　found　the　Romanians　strangely
  fascinating。　She'd　made　the　effort　to　speak　to　them　aloud　since　they　would　not　let　her　touch　them。　Her
  question　was　about　their　unusual　skin　and；　though　I　was　afraid　they　might　be　offended；　I　was　kind　of　glad
  she'd　asked。　I　was　curious；　too。
  They　hadn't　seemed　upset　by　her　interest。　Maybe　a　little　rueful。
  〃We　sat　still　for　a　very　long　time；　child；〃　Vladimir　had　answered；　with　Stefan　nodding　along　but　not
  continuing　Vladimir's　sentences　as　he　often　did。　〃Contemplating　our　own　divinity。　It　was　a　sign　of　our
  power　that　everything　came　to　us。　Prey；　diplomats；　those　seeking　our　favor。　We　sat　on　our　thrones　and
  thought　ourselves　gods。　We　didn't　notice　for　a　long　time　that　we　were　changing—almost　petrifying。　I
  suppose　the　Volturi　did　us　one　favor　when　they　burned　our　castles。　Stefan　and　I；　at　least；　did　not
  continue　to　petrify。　Now　the　Volturi's　eyes　are　filmed　with　dusty　scum；　but　ours　are　bright。　I　imagine　that
  will　give　us　an　advantage　when　we　gouge　theirs　from　their　sockets。〃
  I　tried　to　keep　Renesmee　away　from　them　after　that。
  〃How　long　do　we　get　to　hang　out　with　Charlie？〃　Jacob　asked；　interrupting　my　thoughts。　He　was　visibly
  relaxing　as　we　pulled　away　from　the　house　and　all　its　new　inmates。　It　made　me　happy　that　I　didn't　really
  count　as　a　vampire　to　him。　I　was　still　just　Bella。
  〃For　quite　a　while；　actually。〃
  The　tone　of　my　voice　caught　his　attention。
  〃Is　something　going　on　here　besides　visiting　your　dad？〃
  〃Jake；　you　know　how　you're　pretty　good　at　controlling　your　thoughts　around　Edward？〃
  He　raised　one　thick　black　brow。　〃Yeah？〃
  I　just　nodded；　cutting　my　eyes　to　Renesmee。　She　was　looking　out　the　window；　and　I　couldn't　tell　how
  interested　she　was　in　our　conversation；　but　I　decided　not　to　risk　going　any　further。
  Jacob　waited　for　me　to　add　something　else；　and　then　his　lower　lip　pushed　out　while　he　thought　about
  what　little
  I'd　said。
  As　we　drove　in　silence；　I　squinted　through　the　annoying　contacts　into　the　cold　rain；　it　wasn't　quite　cold
  enough　for　snow。　My　eyes　were　not　as　ghoulish　as　they　had　been　in　the　beginning—definitely　closer　to　a
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  dull　reddish　orange　than　to　bright　crimson。　Soon　they'd　be　amber　enough　for　me　to　quit　the　contacts；　i
  hoped　the　change　wouldn't　upset　Charlie　too　much。
  Jacob　was　still　chewing　over　our　truncated　conversation　when　we　got　to　Charlie's。　We　didn't　talk　as　we
  walked　at　a　quick　human　pace　through　the　falling　rain。　My　dad　was　waiting　for　us；　he　had　the　door　open
  before　I　could　knock。
  〃Hey；　guys！　It　seems　like　it's　been　years！　Look　at　you；　Nessie！　Come　to　Grampa！　I　swear　you've　grown
  half　a　foot。　And　you　look　skinny；　Ness。〃　He　glared　at　me。　〃Aren't　they　feeding　you　up　there？〃
  〃It's　just　the　growth　spurt；〃　I　muttered。　〃Hey；　Sue；〃　I　called　over　his　shoulder。　The　smell　of　chicken；
  tomato；　garlic；　and　cheese　issued　from　the　kitchen；　it　probably　smelled　good　to　everyone　else。　I　could
  also　smell　fresh　pine　and　packing　dust。
  Renesmee　flashed　her　dimples。　She　never　spoke　in　front　of　Charlie。
  〃Well；　come　on　in　out　of　the　cold；　kids。　Where's　my　son…in…law？〃
  〃Entertaining　friends；〃　Jacob　said；　and　then　snorted。　〃You're　so　lucky　you're　out　of　the　loop；　Charlie。
  That's　all　I'm　going　to　say。〃
  I　punched　Jacob　lightly　in　the　kidney　while　Charlie　cringed。
  〃Ow；〃　Jacob　complained　under　his　breath；　well；　I'd　thought　I'd　punched　lightly。
  〃Actually；　Charlie；　I　have　some　errands　to　run。〃
  Jacob　shot　a　glance　at　me　but　said　nothing。
  〃Behind　on　your　Christmas　shopping；　Bells？　You　only　have　a　few　days；　you　know。〃
  〃Yeah；　Christmas　shopping；〃　I　said　lamely。　That　explained　the　packing　dust。　Charlie　must　have　put　the
  old　decorations　up。
  〃Don't　worry；　Nessie；〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。　〃I　got　you　covered　if　your　mom　drops　the　ball。〃
  I　rolled　my　eyes　at　him；　but　in　truth；　I　hadn't　thought　about　the　holidays　at　all。
  〃Lunch's　on　the　table；〃　Sue　called　from　the　kitchen。　〃C'mon；　guys。〃
  〃See　you　later；　Dad；〃　I　said；　and　exchanged　a　quick　look　with　Jacob。　Even　if　he　couldn't　help　but　think
  about　this　near　Edward；　at　least　there　wasn't　much　for　him　to　share。　He　had　no　idea　what　I　was　up　to。
  Of　course；　I　thought　to　myself　as　I　got　into　the　car；　it　wasn't　like　I　had　much　idea；　either。
  The　roads　were　slick　and　dark；　but　driving　didn't　intimidate　me　anymore。　My　reflexes　were　well　up　to
  the　job；　and　I　barely　paid　attention　to　the　road。　The　problem　was　keeping　my　speed　from　attracting
  attention　when　I　had　company。　I　wanted　to　be　done　with　today's　mission；　to　have　the　mystery　sorted　out
  so　that　I　could　get　back　to　the　vital　task　of　learning。　Learning　to　protect　some；　learning　to　kill　others。
  I　was　getting　better　and　better　with　my　shield。　Kate　didn't　feel　the　need　to　motivate　me　anymore—it
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  wasn't　hard　to　find　reasons　to　feel　angry；　now　that　I　knew　that　was　the　key—and　so　I　mostly　worked
  with　Zafrina。　She　was
  pleased　with　my　extension；　I　was　able　to　cover　almost　a　ten…foot　area　for　more　than　a　minute；　though　it
  exhausted　me。　This　morning　she'd　been　trying　to　find　out　if　I　could　push　the　shield　away　from　my　mind
  altogether。　I　didn't　see　what　the　use　of　that　would　be；　but　Zafrina　thought　it　would　help　strengthen　me；
  like　exercising　muscles　in　the　stomach　and　back　rather　than　just　the　arms。　Eventually；　you　could　lift　more
  weight　when　all　the　muscles　were　stronger。
  I　wasn't　very　good　at　it。　I　had　only　gotten　one　glimpse　of　the　jungle　river　she　was　trying　to　show　me。
  But　there　were　different　ways　to　prepare　for　what　was　coming；　and　with　only　two　weeks　left；　I　worried
  that　I　might　be　neglecting　the　most　important。　Today　I　would　rectify　that　oversight。
  I'd　memorized　the　appropri