〃Yes。　Her　name　was　Elizabeth。　Elizabeth　Masen。　His　father；　Edward　Senior；　never　regained
  consciousness　in　the　hospital。　He　died　in　the　first　wave　of　the　influenza。　But　Elizabeth　was　alert　until
  almost　the　very　end。　Edward　looks　a　great　deal　like　her—she　had　that　same　strange　bronze　shade　to　her
  hair；　and　her　eyes　were　exactly　the　same　color　green。〃
  〃His　eyes　were　green？〃　I　murmured；　trying　to　picture　it。
  〃Yes…〃　Carlisle's　ocher　eyes　were　a　hundred　years　away　now。　〃Elizabeth　worried　obsessively　over　her
  son。　She　hurt　her　own　chances　of　survival　trying　to　nurse　him　from　her　sickbed。　I　expected　that　he　would
  go　first；　he　was　so　much　worse　off　than　she　was。　When　the　end　came　for　her；　it　was　very　quick。　It　was
  just　after　sunset；　and　I'd　arrived　to　relieve　the　doctors　who'd　been　working　all　day。　That　was　a　hard　time
  to　pretend—there　was　so　much　work　to　be　done；　and　I　had　no　need　of　rest。　How　I　hated　to　go　back　to
  my　house；　to　hide　in　the　dark　and　pretend　to　sleep　while　so　many　were　dying。
  〃I　went　to　check　Elizabeth　and　her　son　first。　I'd　grown　attached—always　a　dangerous　thing　to　do
  considering　the　fragile　nature　of　humans。　I　could　see　at　once　that　she'd　taken　a　bad　turn。　The　fever　was
  raging　out　of　control；　and　her　body　was　too　weak　to　fight　anymore。
  〃She　didn't　look　weak；　though；　when　she　glared　up　at　me　from　her　cot。
  〃Save　him！'　she　commanded　me　in　the　hoarse　voice　that　was　all　her　throat　could　manage。
  〃I'll　do　everything　in　my　power；'　I　promised　her；　taking　her　hand。　The　fever　was　so　high；　she　probably
  couldn't　even　tell　how　unnaturally　cold　mine　felt。　Everything　felt　cold　to　her　skin。
  〃You　must；〃　she　insisted；　clutching　at　my　hand　with　enough　strength　that　I　wondered　if　she　wouldn't　pull
  through　the　crisis　after　all。　Her　eyes　were　hard；　like　stones；　like　emeralds。　'You　must　do　everything　in
  your　power。　What　others　cannot　do；　that　is　what　you　must　do　for　my　Edward。〃
  〃It　frightened　me。　She　looked　it　me　with　those　piercing　eyes；　and；　for　one　instant；　I　felt　certain　that　she
  knew　my　secret。　Then　the　fever　overwhelmed　her；　and　she　never　regained　consciousness。　She　died
  within　an　hour　of　making　her　demand。
  〃I'd　spent　decades　considering　the　idea　of　creating　a　companion　for　myself。　Just　one　other　creature　who
  could　really　know　me；　rather　than　what　I　pretended　to　be。　But　I　could　never　justify　it　to　myself—doing
  what　had　been　done　to　me。
  〃There　Edward　lay；　dying。　It　was　clear　that　he　had　only　hours　left。　Beside　him；　his　mother；　her　face
  somehow　not　yet　peaceful；　not　even　in　death。〃
  Carlisle　saw　it　all　again；　his　memory　unblurred　by　the　intervening　century。　I　could　see　it　clearly；　too；　as　he
  spoke—the　despair　of　the　hospital；　the　overwhelming　atmosphere　of　death。　Edward　burning　with　fever；
  his　life　slipping　away　with　each　tick　of　the　clock…　I　shuddered　again；　and　forced　the　picture　from　my
  mind。
  〃Elizabeth's　words　echoed　in　my　head。　How　could　she　guess　what　I　could　do？　Could　anyone　really　want
  that　for　her　son？
  〃I　looked　at　Edward。　Sick　as　he　was；　he　was　still　beautiful。　There　was　something　pure　and　good　about
  his　face。　The　kind　of　face　I　would　have　wanted　my　son　to　have。
  〃After　all　those　years　of　indecision；　I　simply　acted　on　a　whim。　I　wheeled　his　mother　to　the　morgue　first；
  and　then　I　came　back　for　him。　No　one　noticed　that　he　was　still　breathing。　There　weren't　enough　hands；
  enough　eyes；　to　keep　track　of　half　of　what　the　patients　needed。　The　morgue　was　empty—of　the　living；　at
  least。　I　stole　him　out　the　back　door；　and　carried　him　across　the　rooftops　back　to　my　home。
  〃I　wasn't　sure　what　had　to　be　done。　I　settled　for　recreating　the　wounds　I'd　received　myself；　so　many
  centuries　earlier　in　London。　I　felt　bad　about　that　later。　It　was　more　painful　and　lingering　than　necessary。
  〃I　wasn't　sorry；　though。　I've　never　been　sorry　that　I　saved　Edward。〃　He　shook　his　head；　coming　back　to
  the　present。　He　smiled　at　me。　〃I　suppose　I　should　take　you　home　now。〃
  〃I'll　do　that；〃　Edward　said。　He　came　through　the　shadowy　dining　room；　walking　slowly　for　him。　His　face
  was　smooth；　unreadable；　but　there　was　something　wrong　with　his　eyes—something　he　was　trying　very
  hard　to　hide。　I　felt　a　spasm　of　unease　in　my　stomach。
  〃Carlisle　can　take　me；〃　I　said。　I　looked　down　at　my　shirt；　the　light　blue　cotton　was　soaked　and　spotted
  with　my　blood。　My　right　shoulder　was　covered　in　thick　pink　frosting。
  〃I'm　fine。〃　Edward's　voice　was　unemotional。　〃You'll　need　to　change　anyway。　You'd　give　Charlie　a　heart
  attack　the　way　you　look。　I'll　have　Alice　get　you　something。〃　He　strode　out　the　kitchen　door　again。
  I　looked　at　Carlisle　anxiously。　〃He's　very　upset。〃
  〃Yes；〃　Carlisle　agreed。　〃Tonight　is　exactly　the　kind　of　thing　that　he　fears　the　most。　You　being　put　in
  danger；　because　of　what　we　are。〃
  〃It's　not　his　fault。〃
  〃It's　not　yours；　either。〃
  I　looked　away　from　his　wise；　beautiful　eyes。　I　couldn't　agree　with　that。
  Carlisle　offered　me　his　hand　and　helped　me　up　from　the　table。　I　followed　him　out　into　the　main　room。
  Esme　had　come　back；　she　was　mopping　the　floor　where　I'd　fallen—with　straight　bleach　from　the　smell　of
  it。
  〃Esme；　let　me　do　that。〃　I　could　feel　that　my　face　was　bright　red　again。
  〃I'm　already　done。〃　She　smiled　up　at　me。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
  〃I'm　fine；〃　I　assured　her。　〃Carlisle　sews　faster　than　any　other　doctor　I've　had。〃
  They　both　chuckled。
  Alice　and　Edward　came　in　the　back　doors。　Alice　hurried　to　my　side；　but　Edward　hung　back；　his　face
  indecipherable。
  〃C'mon；〃　Alice　said。　〃I'll　get　you　something　less　macabre　to　wear。〃
  She　found　me　a　shirt　of　Esme's　that　was　close　to　the　same　color　mine　had　been。　Charlie　wouldn't　notice；
  I　was　sure。　The　long　white　bandage　on　my　arm　didn't　look　nearly　as　serious　when　I　was　no　longer
  spattered　in　gore。　Charlie　was　never　surprised　to　see　me　bandaged。
  〃Alice；〃　I　whispered　as　she　headed　back　to　the　door。
  〃Yes？〃　She　kept　her　voice　low；　too；　and　looked　at　me　curiously；　her　head　cocked　to　the　side。
  〃How　bad　is　it？〃　I　couldn't　be　sure　if　my　whispering　was　a　wasted　effort。　Even　though　we　were　upstairs；
  with　the　door　closed；　perhaps　he　could　hear　me。
  Her　face　tensed。　〃I'm　not　sure　yet。〃
  〃How's　Jasper？〃
  She　sighed。　〃He's　very　unhappy　with　himself。　It's　all　so　much　more　of　challenge　for　him；　and　he　hates
  feeling　weak。〃
  〃It's　not　his　fault。　You'll　tell　him　that　I'm　not　mad　at　him；　not　at　all；　won't　you？〃
  〃Of　course。〃
  Edward　was　waiting　for　me　by　the　front　door。　As　I　got　to　the　bottom　of　the　staircase；　he　held　it　open
  without　a　word。
  〃Take　your　things！〃　Alice　cried　as　I　walked　warily　toward　Edward。　She　scooped　up　the　two　packages；
  one　half…opened；　and　my　camera　from　under　the　piano；　and　pressed　them　into　my　good　arm。　〃You　can
  thank　me　later；　when　you've　opened　them。〃
  Esme　and　Carlisle　both　said　a　quiet　goodnight。　I　could　see　them　stealing　quick　glances　at　their　impassive
  son；　much　like　I　was。
  It　was　a　relief　to　be　outside；　I　hurried　past　the　lanterns　and　the　roses；　now　unwelcome　reminders。
  Edward　kept　pace　with　me　silently。　He　opened　the　passenget　side　for　me；　and　I　climbed　in　without
  complaint。
  On　the　dashboard　was　a　big　red　ribbon；　stuck　to　the　new　stereo。　I　pulled　it　off；　throwing　it　to　the　floor。
  As　Edward　slid　into　the　other　side；　I　kicked　the　ribbon　under　my　seat。
  He　didn't　look　at　me　or　the　stereo。　Neither　of　us　switched　it　on；　and　the　silence　was　somehow　intensified
  by　the　sudden　thunder　of　the　engine。　He　drove　too　fast　down　the　dark；　serpentine　lane。
  The　silence　was　making　me　insane。
  〃Say　something；〃　I　finally　begged　as　he　turned　onto　the　freeway。
  〃What　do　you　want　me　to　say？〃　he　asked　in　a　detached　voice。
  I　cringed　at　his　remoteness。　'Tell　me　you　forgive　me。〃
  That　brought　a　flicker　of　life　to　his　face—a　flicker　of　anger。　〃Forgive　you？　For　what？〃
  〃If　I'd　been　more　careful；　nothing　would　have　happened。〃
  〃Bella；　you　gave　yourself　a　paper　cut—that　hardly　deserves　the　death　penalty。〃
  〃It's　still　my　fault。〃
  My　words　opened　up　the　floodgate。
  〃Your　fault？　If　you'd　cut　yourself　at　Mike　Newton's　house；　with　Jessica　there　and　Angela　and　your　other
  normal　friends；　the　worst　that　could　possibly　have　happened　would　be　what？　Maybe　they　couldn't　find
  you　a　bandage？　If　you'd　tripped　and　knocked　over　a　pile　of　glass　plates　on　your　own—without　someone
  throwing　you　into　them—even　then；　what's　the　worst？　You'd　get　blood　on　the　seats　when　they　drove
  you　to　the　emergency　room？　Mike　Newton　could　have　held　your　hand　while　they　stitched　you　up—and
  he　wouldn't　be　righting　the　urge　to　kill　you　the　whole　time　he　was　there。　Don't　try　to　take　any　of　this　on
  yourself；　Bella。　It　will　only　make　me　more　disgusted　with　myself。〃
  〃How　the　hell　did　Mike　Newton　end　up　in　this　conversation？〃　I　demanded。
  〃Mike　Newton　ended　up　in　this　conversation　because　Mike　Newton　would　be　a　hell　of　a　lot　healthier　for
  you　to　be　with；〃　he　growled。
  〃I'd　rather　die　than　be　with　Mike　Newton；〃　I　protested。　〃I'd　rather　die　than　be　with　anyone　but　you。〃
  〃Don't　be　melodramatic；　please。〃
  〃Well　then；　don't　you　be　ridiculous。〃
  He　didn't　answer。　He　glared　through　t