that　it　was　Alice。
  I　recovered　myself　and　held　out　my　hand　for　the　phone。　Jacob　ignored　me。
  〃He's　not　here；〃　Jacob　said；　and　the　words　were　menacing。
  There　was　some　very　short　reply；　a　request　for　more　information　it　seemed；　because　he　added
  unwillingly；　〃He's　at　the　funeral。〃
  Then　Jacob　hung　up　the　phone。　〃Filthy　bloodsucker；〃　he　muttered　under　his　breath。　The　face　he　turned
  back　to　me　was　the　bitter　mask　again。
  〃Who　did　you　just　hang　up　on？〃　I　gasped；　infuriated。　〃In　my　house；　and　on　my　phone？〃
  〃Easy！　He　hung　up　on　me！〃
  〃He？　Who　was　it？！〃
  He　sneered　the　title。　〃Dr。　Carlisle　Cullen。〃
  〃Why　didn't　you　let　me　talk　to　him？！〃
  〃He　didn't　ask　for　you；〃　Jacob　said　coldly。　His　face　was　smooth；　expressionless；　but　his　hands　shook。
  〃He　asked　where　Charlie　was　and　I　told　him。　I　don't　think　I　broke　any　rules　of　etiquette。〃
  〃You　listen　to　me；　Jacob　Black—〃
  But　he　obviously　wasn't　listening。　He　looked　quickly　over　his　shoulder；　as　if　someone　had　called　his　name
  from　the　other　room。　His　eyes　went　wide　and　his　body　stiff；　then　he　started　trembling。　I　listened　too；
  automatically；　but　heard　nothing。
  〃Bye；　Bells；〃　he　spit　out；　and　wheeled　toward　the　front　door。
  I　ran　after　him。　〃What　is　it？〃
  And　then　I　ran　into　him；　as　he　rocked　back　on　his　heels；　cussing　under　his　breath。　He　spun　around　again；
  knocking　me　sideways。　I　bobbled　and　fell　to　the　floor；　my　legs　tangled　with　his。
  〃Shoot；　ow！〃　I　protested　as　he　hurriedly　jerked　his　legs　free　one　at　a　time。
  I　struggled　to　pull　myself　up　as　he　darted　for　the　back　door；　he　suddenly　froze　again。
  Alice　stood　motionless　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。
  〃Bella；〃　she　choked。
  I　scrambled　to　my　feet　and　lurched　to　her　side。　Her　eyes　were　dazed　and　far　away；　her　face　drawn　and
  whiter　than　bone。　Her　slim　body　trembled　to　an　inner　turmoil。
  〃Alice；　what's　wrong？〃　I　cried。　I　put　my　hands　on　her　face；　trying　to　calm　her。
  Her　eyes　focused　on　mine　abruptly；　wide　with　pain。
  〃Edward；〃　was　all　she　whispered。
  My　body　reacted　faster　than　my　mind　was　able　to　catch　up　with　the　implications　of　her　reply。　I　didn't　at
  first　understand　why　the　room　was　spinning　or　where　the　hollow　roar　in　my　ears　was　coming　from。　My
  mind　labored；　unable　to　make　sense　of　Alice's　bleak　face　and　how　it　could　possibly　relate　to　Edward；
  while　my　body　was　already　swaying；　seeking　the　relief　of　unconsciousness　before　the　reality　could　hit　me。
  The　stairway　tilted　at　the　oddest　angle。
  Jacob's　furious　voice　was　suddenly　in　my　ear；　hissing　out　a　stream　of　profanities。　I　felt　a　vague
  disapproval。　His　new　friends　were　clearly　a　bad　influence。
  I　was　on　the　couch　without　understanding　how　I　got　there；　and　Jacob　was　still　swearing。　It　felt　like　there
  was　an　earthquake—the　couch　was　shaking　under　me。
  〃What　did　you　do　to　her？〃　he　demanded。
  Alice　ignored　him。　〃Bella？　Bella；　snap　out　of　it。　We　have　to　hurry。〃
  〃Stay　back；〃　Jacob　warned。
  〃Calm　down；　Jacob　Black；〃　Alice　ordered。　〃You　don't　want　to　do　that　so　close　to　her。〃
  〃I　don't　think　I'll　have　any　problem　keeping　my　focus；〃　he　retorted；　but　his　voice　sounded　a　little　cooler。
  〃Alice？〃　My　voice　was　weak。　〃What　happened？〃　I　asked；　even　though　I　didn't　want　to　hear。
  〃I　don't　know；〃　she　suddenly　wailed。　〃What　is　he　thinking？！〃
  I　labored　to　pull　myself　up　despite　the　dizziness。　I　realized　it　was　Jacob's　arm　I　was　gripping　for　balance。
  He　was　the　one　shaking；　not　the　couch。
  Alice　was　pulling　a　small　silver　phone　from　her　bag　when　my　eyes　relocated　her。　Her　fingers　dialed　the
  numbers　so　fast　they　were　a　blur。
  〃Rose；　I　need　to　talk　to　Carlisle　now。〃　Her　voice　whipped　through　the　words。　〃Fine；　as　soon　as　he's
  back。　No；　I'll　be　on　a　plane。　Look；　have　you　heard　anything　from　Edward？〃
  Alice　paused　now；　listening　with　an　expression　that　grew　more　appalled　every　second。　Her　mouth
  opened　into　a　little　O　of　horror；　and　the　phone　shook　in　her　hand。
  〃Why？〃　she　gasped。　〃Why　would　you　do　that；　Rosalie？〃
  Whatever　the　answer　was；　it　made　her　jaw　tighten　in　anger。　Her　eyes　flashed　and　narrowed。
  〃Well；　you're　wrong　on　both　counts；　though；　Rosalie；　so　that　would　be　a　problem；　don't　you　think？〃　she
  asked　acidly。　〃Yes；　that's　right。　She's　absolutely　fine—I　was　wrong…　It's　a　long　story…　But　you're
  wrong　about　that　part；　too；　that's　why　I'm　calling…　Yes；　that's　exactly　what　I　saw。〃
  Alice's　voice　was　very　hard　and　her　lips　were　pulled　back　from　her　teeth。　〃It's　a　bit　late　for　that；　Rose。
  Save　your　remorse　for　someone　who　believes　it。〃　Alice　snapped　the　phone　shut　with　a　sharp　twist　of　her
  fingers。
  Her　eyes　were　tortured　as　she　turned　to　face　me。
  〃Alice；〃　I　blurted　out　quickly。　I　couldn't　let　her　speak　yet。　I　needed　a　few　more　seconds　before　she　spoke
  and　her　words　destroyed　what　was　left　of　my　life。　〃Alice；　Carlisle　is　back；　though。　He　called　just
  before…〃
  She　stared　at　me　blankly。　〃How　long　ago？〃　she　asked　in　a　hollow　voice。
  〃Half　a　minute　before　you　showed　up。〃
  〃What　did　he　say？〃　She　really　focused　now；　waiting　for　my　answer。
  〃I　didn't　talk　to　him。〃　My　eyes　flickered　to　Jacob。
  Alice　turned　her　penetrating　gaze　on　him。　He　flinched；　but　held　his　place　next　to　me。　He　sit　awkwardly；
  almost　as　if　he　were　trying　to　shield　me　with　his　body。
  〃He　asked　for　Charlie；　and　I　told　him　Charlie　wasn't　here；〃　Jacob　muttered　resentfully。
  〃Is　that　everything？〃　Alice　demanded；　her　voice　like　ice。
  〃Then　he　hung　up　on　me；〃　Jacob　spit　back。　A　tremor　rolled　down　his　spine；　shaking　me　with　it。
  〃You　told　him　Charlie　was　at　the　funeral；〃　I　reminded　him。
  Alice　jerked　her　head　back　toward　me　〃What　were　his　exact　words？〃
  〃He　said；　'He's　not　here；'　and　when　Carlisle　asked　where　Charlie　was；　Jacob　said；　'At　the　funeral。'〃
  Alice　moaned　and　sank　to　her　knees。
  〃Tell　me　Alice；〃　I　whispered。
  〃That　wasn't　Carlisle　on　the　phone；〃　she　said　hopelessly。
  〃Are　you　calling　me　a　liar？〃　Jacob　snarled　from　beside　me。
  Alice　ignored　him；　focusing　on　my　bewildered　face。
  〃It　was　Edward。〃　The　words　were　just　a　choked　whisper。　〃He　thinks　you're　dead。〃
  My　mind　started　to　work　again。　These　words　weren't　the　ones　I'd　been　afraid　of；　and　the　relief　cleared
  my　head。
  〃Rosalie　told　him　I　killed　myself；　didn't　she？〃　I　said；　sighing　as　I　relaxed。
  〃Yes；〃　Alice　admitted；　her　eyes　flashing　hard　again。
  〃In　her　defense；　she　did　believe　it。　They　rely　on　my　sight　far　too　much　for　something　that　works　so
  imperfectly。　But　for　her　to　track　him　down　to　tell　him　this！　Didn't　she　realize…　or　care…　？〃　Her　voice
  faded　away　in　horror。
  〃And　when　Edward　called　here；　he　thought　Jacob　meant　my　funeral；〃　I　realized。　It　stung　to　know　how
  close　I'd　been；　just　inches　away　from　his　voice。　My　nails　dug　into　Jacob's　arm；　but　he　didn't　flinch。
  Alice　looked　at　me　strangely。　〃You're　not　upset；〃　she　whispered。
  〃Well；　it's　really　rotten　timing；　but　it　will　all　get　straightened　out。　The　next　time　he　calls；　someone　will　tell
  him…　what…　really…〃　I　trailed　off。　Her　gaze　strangled　the　words　in　my　throat。
  Why　was　she　so　panicked？　Why　was　her　face　twisting　now　with　pity　and　horror？　What　was　it　she　had
  said　to　Rosalie　on　the　phone　just　now？　Something　about　what　she'd　seen…　and　Rosalie's　remorse；
  Rosalie　would　never　feel　remorse　for　anything　that　happened　to　me。　But　if　she'd　hurt　her　family；　hurt　her
  brother…
  〃Bella；〃　Alice　whispered。　〃Edward　won't　call　again。　He　believed　her。〃
  〃I。　Don't。　Understand。〃　My　mouth　framed　each　word　in　silence。　I　couldn't　push　the　air　out　to　actually　say
  the　words　that　would　make　her　explain　what　that　meant。
  〃He's　going　to　Italy。〃
  It　took　the　length　of　one　heartbeat　for　me　to　comprehend。
  When　Edward's　voice　came　back　to　me　now；　it　was　not　the　perfect　imitation　of　my　delusions。　It　was　just
  the　weak；　flat　tone　of　my　memories。　But　the　words　alone　were　enough　to　shred　through　my　chest　and
  leave　it　gaping　open。　Words　from　a　time　when　I　would　have　bet　everything　that　I　owned　or　could　borrow
  on　that　fact　that　he　loved　me。
  Well；　I　wasn't　going　to　live　without　you；　he'd　said　as　we　watched　Romeo　and　Juliet　die；　here　in　this
  very　room。　But　I　wasn't　sure　how　to　do　it…　I　knew　Emmett　and　Jasper　would　never　help…　so　I
  was　thinking　maybe　I　would　go　to　Italy　and　do　something　to　provoke　the　Volturi…　You　don't
  irritate　them。　Not　unless　you　want　to　die。
  Not　unless　you　want　to　die。
  〃NO！〃　The　half…shrieked　denial　was　so　loud　after　the　whispered　words；　it　made　us　all　jump。　I　felt　the
  blood　rushing　to　my　face　as　I　realized　what　she'd　seen。　〃No！　No；　no；　no！　He　can't！　He　can't　do　that！〃
  〃He　made　up　his　mind　as　soon　as　your　friend　confirmed　that　it　was　too　late　to　save　you。〃
  〃But　he…　he　left！　He　didn't　want　me　anymore！　What　difference　does　it　make　now？　He　knew　I　would
  die　sometime！〃
  〃I　don't　think　he　ever　planned　to　outlive　you　by　long；〃　Alice　said　quietly。
  〃How　dare　he！〃　I　screamed。　I　was　on　my　feet　now；　and　Jacob　rose　uncertainly　to　put　himself　between
  Alice　and　me　again。
  〃Oh；　get　out　of　the　way；　Jacob！〃　I　elbowed　my　way　around　his　trembling　body　with　desperate
  impatience。　〃What　do　we　do？〃　I　begged　Alice。　There　had　to　be　something。　〃Ca