Edward　started　laughing。　He　helped　me　out　of　the　car；　pulled　me　up　the　stairs；　and　was　still　laughing　as　he
  opened　the　door　for　me。
  They　were　all　waiting　in　the　huge　white　living　room；　when　I　walked　through　the　door；　they　greeted　me
  with　a　loud　chorus　of　〃Happy　birthday；　Bella！〃　while　I　blushed　and　looked　down。　Alice；　I　assumed；　had
  covered　every　flat　surface　with　pink　candles　and　dozens　of　crystal　bowls　filled　with　hundreds　of　roses。
  There　was　a　table　with　a　white　cloth　draped　over　it　next　to　Edward's　grand　piano；　holding　a　pink　birthday
  cake；　more　roses；　a　stack　of　glass　plates；　and　a　small　pile　of　silver…wrapped　presents。
  It　was　a　hundred　times　worse　than　I'd　imagined。
  Edward；　sensing　my　distress；　wrapped　an　encouraging　arm　around　my　waist　and　kissed　the　top　of　my
  head。
  Edward's　parents；　Carlisle　and　Esme—impossibly　youthful　and　lovely　as　ever—were　the　closest　to　the
  door。　Esme　hugged　me　carefully；　her　soft；　caramel…colored　hair　brushing　against　my　cheek　as　she　kissed
  my　forehead；　and　then　Carlisle　put　his　arm　around　my　shoulders。
  〃Sorry　about　this；　Bella；〃　he　stage…whispered。　〃We　couldn't　rein　Alice　in。〃
  Rosalie　and　Emmett　stood　behind　them。　Rosalie　didn't　smile；　but　at　least　she　didn't　glare。　Emmett's　face
  was　stretched　into　a　huge　grin。　It　had　been　months　since　I'd　seen　them；　I'd　forgotten　how　gloriously
  beautiful　Rosalie　was—it　almost　hurt　to　look　at　her。　And　had　Emmett　always　been　so…　big？
  〃You　haven't　changed　at　all；〃　Emmett　said　with　mock　disappointment。　〃I　expected　a　perceptible
  difference；　but　here　you　are；　red…faced　just　like　always。〃
  〃Thanks　a　lot；　Emmett；〃　I　said；　blushing　deeper。
  He　laughed；　〃I　have　to　step　out　for　a　second〃—he　paused　to　wink　conspicuously　at　Alice—〃Don't　do
  anything　funny　while　I'm　gone。〃
  〃I'lltry。〃
  Alice　let　go　of　Jasper's　hand　and　skipped　forward；　all　her　teeth　sparkling　in　the　bright　light。　Jasper　smiled；
  too；　but　kept　his　distance。　He　leaned；　long　and　blond；　against　the　post　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。　During　the
  days　we'd　had　to　spend　cooped　up　together　in　Phoenix；　I'd　thought　he'd　gotten　over　his　aversion　to　me。
  But　he'd　gone　back　to　exactly　how　he'd　acted　before—avoiding　me　as　much　as　possible—the　moment
  he　was　free　from　that　temporary　obligation　to　protect　me。　I　knew　it　wasn't　personal；　just　a　precaution；
  and　I　tried　not　to　be　overly　sensitive　about　it。　Jasper　had　more　trouble　sticking　to　the　Cullens'　diet　than
  the　rest　of　them；　the　scent　of　human　blood　was　much　harder　for　him　to　resist　than　the　others—he　hadn't
  been　trying　as　long。
  〃Time　to　open　presents；〃　Alice　declared。　She　put　her　cool　hand　under　my　elbow　and　towed　me　to　the
  table　with　the　cake　and　the　shiny　packages。
  I　put　on　my　best　martyr　face。　〃Alice；　I　know　I　told　you　I　didn't　want　anything—〃
  〃But　I　didn't　listen；〃　she　interrupted；　smug。　〃Open　it。〃　She　took　the　camera　from　my　hands　and　replaced　it
  with　a　big；　square　silver　box。
  The　box　was　so　light　that　it　felt　empty。　The　tag　on　top　said　that　it　was　from　Emmett；　Rosalie；　and　Jasper。
  Selfconsciously；　I　tore　the　paper　off　and　then　stared　at　the　box　it　concealed。
  It　was　something　electrical；　with　lots　of　numbers　in　the　name。　I　opened　the　box；　hoping　for　further
  illumination。　But　the　box　was　empty。
  〃Um…　thanks。〃
  Rosalie　actually　cracked　a　smile。　Jasper　laughed。　〃It's　a　stereo　for　your　truck；〃　he　explained。　〃Emmett's
  installing　it　right　now　so　that　you　can't　return　it。〃
  Alice　was　always　one　step　ahead　of　me。　〃Thanks；　Jasper；　Rosalie；〃　I　told　them；　grinning　as　I　remembered
  Edward's　complaints　about　my　radio　this　afternoon—all　a　setup；　apparently。　〃Thanks；　Emmett！〃　I　called
  more　loudly。
  I　heard　his　booming　laugh　from　my　truck；　and　I　couldn't　help　laughing；　too。
  〃Open　mine　and　Edward's　next；〃　Alice　said；　so　excited　her　voice　was　a　high…pitched　trill。　She　held　a
  small；　flat　square　in　her　hand。
  I　turned　to　give　Edward　a　basilisk　glare。　〃You　promised。〃
  Before　he　could　answer；　Emmett　bounded　through　the　door。　〃Just　in　time！〃　he　crowed。　He　pushed　in
  behind　Jasper；　who　had　also　drifted　closer　than　usual　to　get　a　good　look。
  〃I　didn't　spend　a　dime；〃　Edward　assured　me。　He　brushed　a　strand　of　hair　from　my　face；　leaving　my　skin
  tingling　from　his　touch。
  I　inhaled　deeply　and　turned　to　Alice。　〃Give　it　to　me；〃　I　sighed。
  Emmett　chuckled　with　delight。
  I　took　the　little　package；　rolling　my　eyes　at　Edward　while　I　stuck　my　finger　under　the　edge　of　the　paper
  and　jerked　it　under　the　tape。
  〃Shoot；〃　I　muttered　when　the　paper　sliced　my　finger；　I　pulled　it　out　to　examine　the　damage。　A　single　drop
  of　blood　oozed　from　the　tiny　cut。
  It　all　happened　very　quickly　then。
  〃No！〃　Edward　roared。
  He　threw　himself　at　me；　flinging　me　back　across　the　table。　It　fell；　as　I　did；　scattering　the　cake　and　the
  presents；　the　flowers　and　the　plates。　I　landed　in　the　mess　of　shattered　crystal。
  Jasper　slammed　into　Edward；　and　the　sound　was　like　the　crash　of　boulders　in　a　rock　slide。
  There　was　another　noise；　a　grisly　snarling　that　seemed　to　be　coming　from　deep　in　Jasper's　chest。　Jasper
  tried　to　shove　past　Edward；　snapping　his　teeth　just　inches　from　Edward's　face。
  Emmett　grabbed　Jasper　from　behind　in　the　next　second；　locking　him　into　his　massive　steel　grip；　but
  Jasper　struggled　on；　his　wild；　empty　eyes　focused　only　on　me。
  Beyond　the　shock；　there　was　also　pain。　I'd　tumbled　down　to　the　floor　by　the　piano；　with　my　arms　thrown
  out　instinctively　to　catch　my　fall；　into　the　jagged　shards　of　glass。　Only　now　did　I　feel　the　searing；　stinging
  pain　that　ran　from　my　wrist　to　the　crease　inside　my　elbow。
  Dazed　and　disoriented；　I　looked　up　from　the　bright　red　blood　pulsing　out　of　my　arm—into　the　fevered
  eyes　of　the　six　suddenly　ravenous　vampires。
  2　STITCHES
  CARLISLE　WAS　NOT　THE　ONLY　ONE　WHO　STAYED　calm。　Centuries　of　experience　in　the
  emergency　room　were　evident　in　his　quiet；　authoritative　voice。
  〃Emmett；　Rose；　get　Jasper　outside。〃
  Unsmiling　for　once；　Emmett　nodded。　〃Come　on；　Jasper。〃
  Jasper　struggled　against　Emmett's　unbreakable　grasp；　twisting　around；　reaching　toward　his　brother　with
  his　bared　teeth；　his　eyes　still　past　reason。
  Edward's　face　was　whiter　than　bone　as　he　wheeled　to　crouch　over　me；　taking　a　clearly　defensive
  position。　A　low　warning　growl　slid　from　between　his　clenched　teeth。　I　could　tell　that　he　wasn't　breathing。
  Rosalie；　her　divine　face　strangely　smug；　stepped　in　front　of　Jasper—keeping　a　careful　distance　from　his
  teeth—and　helped　Emmett　wrestle　him　through　the　glass　door　that　Esme　held　open；　one　hand　pressed
  over　her　mouth　and　nose。
  Esme's　heart…shaped　face　was　ashamed。　〃I'm　so　sorry；　Bella；〃　she　cried　as　she　followed　the　others　into
  the　yard。
  〃Let　me　by；　Edward；〃　Carlisle　murmured。
  A　second　passed；　and　then　Edward　nodded　slowly　and　relaxed　his　stance。
  Carlisle　knelt　beside　me；　leaning　close　to　examine　my　arm。　I　could　feel　the　shock　frozen　on　my　face；　and
  I　tried　to　compose　it。
  〃Here；　Carlisle；〃　Alice　said；　handing　him　a　towel。
  He　shook　his　head。　〃Too　much　glass　in　the　wound。〃　He　reached　over　and　ripped　a　long；　thin　scrap　from
  the　bottom　of　the　white　tablecloth。　He　twisted　it　around　my　arm　above　the　elbow　to　form　a　tourniquet。
  The　smell　of　the　blood　was　making　me　dizzy。　My　ears　rang。
  〃Bella；〃　Carlisle　said　softly。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　drive　you　to　the　hospital；　or　would　you　like　me　to　take
  care　of　it　here？〃
  〃Here；　please；〃　I　whispered。　If　he　took　me　to　the　hospital；　there　would　be　no　way　to　keep　this　from
  Charlie。
  〃I'll　get　your　bag；〃　Alice　said。
  〃Let's　take　her　to　the　kitchen　table；〃　Carlisle　said　to　Edward。
  Edward　lifted　me　effortlessly；　while　Carlisle　kept　the　pressure　steady　on　my　arm。
  〃How　are　you　doing；　Bella？〃　Carlisle　asked。
  〃I'm　fine。〃　My　voice　was　reasonably　steady；　which　pleased　me。
  Edward's　face　was　like　stone。
  Alice　was　there。　Carlisle's　black　bag　was　already　on　the　table；　a　small　but　brilliant　desk　light　plugged　into
  the　wall。　Edward　sat　me　gently　into　a　chair；　and　Carlisle　pulled　up　another。　He　went　to　work　at　once。
  Edward　stood　over　me；　still　protective；　still　not　breathing。
  〃Just　go；　Edward；〃　I　sighed。
  〃I　can　handle　it；〃　he　insisted。　But　his　jaw　was　rigid；　his　eyes　burned　with　the　intensity　of　the　thirst　he
  fought；　so　much　worse　for　him　than　it　was　for　the　others。
  〃You　don't　need　to　be　a　hero；〃　I　said。　〃Carlisle　can　fix　me　up　without　your　help。　Get　some　fresh　air。〃
  I　winced　as　Carlisle　did　something　to　my　arm　that　stung。
  〃I'll　stay；〃　he　said。
  〃Why　are　you　so　masochistic？〃　I　mumbled。
  Carlisle　decided　to　intercede。　〃Edward；　you　may　as　well　go　find　Jasper　before　he　gets　too　far。　I'm　sure
  he's　upset　with　himself；　and　I　doubt　he'll　listen　to　anyone　but　you　right　now。〃
  〃Yes；〃　I　eagerly　agreed。　〃Go　find　Jasper。〃
  〃You　might　as　well　do　something　useful；〃　Alice　added。
  Edward's　eyes　narrowed　as　we　ganged　up　on　him；　but；　finally；　he　nodded　once　and　sprinted　smoothly
  through　the　kitchen's　back　door。　I　was　sure　he　hadn't　taken　a　breath　since　I'd　sliced　my　finger。
  A　numb；　dead　feeling　was　spreading　through　my　arm。
  Though　it　erased　the　sting；