might　as　well　get　as　much　in　trade　as　possible。
  So　I　kissed　him　back；　my　heart　pounding　out　a　jagged；　disjointed　rhythm　while　my　breathing　turned　to
  panting　and　my　fingers　moved　greedily　to　his　face。　I　could　feel　his　marble　body　against　every　line　of　mine；
  and　I　was　so　glad　he　hadn't　listened　to　me—there　was　no　pain　in　the　world　that　would　have　justified
  missing　this。　His　hands　memorized　my　face；　the　same　way　mine　were　tracing　his；　and；　in　the　brief　seconds
  when　his　lips　were　free；　he　whispered　my　name。
  When　I　was　starting　to　get　dizzy；　he　pulled　away；　only　to　lay　his　ear　against　my　heart。
  I　lay　there；　dazed；　waiting　for　my　gasping　to　slow　and　quiet。
  〃By　the　way；〃　he　said　in　a　casual　tone。　〃I'm　not　leaving　you。〃
  I　didn't　say　anything；　and　he　seemed　to　hear　skepticism　in　my　silence。
  He　lifted　his　face　to　lock　my　gaze　in　his。　〃I'm　not　going　anywhere。　Not　without　you；〃　he　added　more
  seriously。
  〃I　only　left　you　in　the　first　place　because　I　wanted　you　to　have　a　chance　at　a　normal；　happy；　human　life。　I
  could　see　what　I　was　doing　to　you—keeping　you　constantly　on　the　edge　of　danger；　taking　you　away
  from　the　world　you　belonged　in；　risking　your　life　every　moment　I　was　with　you。　So　I　had　to　try。　I　had　to
  do　something；　and　it　seemed　like　leaving　was　the　only　way。　If　I　hadn't　thought　you　would　be　better　off；　I
  could　have　never　made　myself　leave。　I'm　much　too　selfish。　Only　you　could　be　more　important　than　what　I
  wanted…　what　I　needed。　What　I　want　and　need　is　to　be　with　you；　and　I　know　I'll　never　be　strong
  enough　to　leave　again。　I　have　too　many　excuses　to　stay—thank　heaven　for　that！　It　seems　you　can't　be
  safe；　no　matter　how　many　miles　I　put　between　us。〃
  〃Don't　promise　me　anything；〃　I　whispered。　If　I　let　myself　hope；　and　it　came　to　nothing…　that　would　kill
  me。　Where　all　those　merciless　vampires　had　not　been　able　to　finish　me　off；　hope　would　do　the　job。
  Anger　glinted　metallic　in　his　black　eyes。　〃You　think　I'm　lying　to　you　now？〃
  〃No—not　lying。〃　I　shook　my　head；　trying　to　think　it　through　coherently。　To　examine　the　hypothesis　that
  he　did　love　me；　while　staying　objective；　clinical；　so　I　wouldn't　fall　into　the　trap　of　hoping。　〃You　could
  mean　it…　now。　But　what　about　tomorrow；　when　you　think　about　all　the　reasons　you　left　in　the　first
  place？　Or　next　month；　when　Jasper　takes　a　snap　at　me？〃
  He　flinched。
  I　thought　back　over　those　last　days　of　my　life　before　he　left　me；　tried　to　see　them　through　the　filter　of
  what　he　was　telling　me　now。　From　that　perspective；　imagining　that　he'd　left　me　while　loving　me；　left　me
  for　me；　his　brooding　and　cold　silences　took　on　a　different　meaning。　〃It　isn't　as　if　you　hadn't　thought　the
  first　decision　through；　is　it？〃　I　guessed。　〃You'll　end　up　doing　what　you　think　is　right。〃
  〃I'm　not　as　strong　as　you　give　me　credit　for；〃　he　said。　〃Right　and　wrong　have　ceased　to　mean　much　to
  me；　I　was　coming　back　anyway。　Before　Rosalie　told　me　the　news；　I　was　already　past　trying　to　live
  through　one　week　at　a　time；　or　even　one　day。　I　was　fighting　to　make　it　through　a　single　hour。　It　was　only
  a　matter　of　time—and　not　much　of　it—before　I　showed　up　at　your　window　and　begged　you　to　take　me
  back。　I'd　be　happy　to　beg　now；　if　you'd　like　that。〃
  I　grimaced。　〃Be　serious；　please。〃
  〃Oh；　I　am；〃　he　insisted；　glaring　now。　〃Will　you　please　try　to　hear　what　I'm　telling　you？　Will　you　let　me
  attempt　to　explain　what　you　mean　to　me？〃
  He　waited；　studying　my　face　as　he　spoke　to　make　sure　I　was　really　listening。
  〃Before　you；　Bella；　my　life　was　like　a　moonless　night。　Very　dark；　but　there　were　stars—points　of　light
  and　reason…　And　then　you　shot　across　my　sky　like　a　meteor。　Suddenly　everything　was　on　fire；　there
  was　brilliancy；　there　was　beauty。　When　you　were　gone；　when　the　meteor　had　fallen　over　the　horizon；
  everything　went　black。　Nothing　had　changed；　but　my　eyes　were　blinded　by　the　light。　I　couldn't　see　the
  stars　anymore。　And　there　was　no　more　reason　for　anything。〃
  I　wanted　to　believe　him。　But　this　was　my　life　without　him　that　he　was　describing；　not　the　other　way
  around。
  〃Your　eyes　will　adjust；〃　I　mumbled。
  〃That's　just　the　problem—they　can't。〃
  〃What　about　your　distractions？〃
  He　laughed　without　a　trace　of　humor。　〃Just　part　of　the　lie；　love。　There　was　no　distraction　from　the…　the
  agony。　My　heart　hasn't　beat　in　almost　ninety　years；　but　this　was　different。　It　was　like　my　heart　was
  gone—like　I　was　hollow。　Like　I'd　left　everything　that　was　inside　me　here　with　you。〃
  〃That's　funny；〃　I　muttered。
  He　arched　one　perfect　eyebrow。　〃Funny？　〃
  〃I　meant　strange—I　thought　it　was　just　me。　Lots　of　pieces　of　me　went　missing；　too。　I　haven't　been　able　to
  really　breathe　in　so　long。〃　I　filled　my　lungs；　luxuriating　in　the　sensation。　〃And　my　heart。　That　was　definitely
  lost。〃
  He　closed　his　eyes　and　laid　his　ear　over　my　heart　again。　I　let　my　cheek　press　against　his　hair；　felt　the
  texture　of　it　on　my　skin；　smelled　the　delicious　scent　of　him。
  〃Tracking　wasn't　a　distraction　then？〃　I　asked；　curious；　and　also　needing　to　distract　myself。　I　was　very
  much　in　danger　of　hoping。　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　stop　myself　for　long。　My　heart　throbbed；　singing　in　my
  chest。
  〃No。〃　He　sighed。　〃That　was　never　a　distraction。　It　was　an　obligation。〃
  〃What　does　that　mean？〃
  〃It　means　that；　even　though　I　never　expected　any　danger　from　Victoria；　I　wasn't　going　to　let　her　get　away
  with…　Well；　like　I　said；　I　was　horrible　at　it。　I　traced　her　as　far　as　Texas；　but　then　I　followed　a　false　lead
  down　to　Brazil—and　really　she　came　here。〃　He　groaned。　〃I　wasn't　even　on　the　right　continent！　And　all　the
  while；　worse　than　my　worst　fears—〃
  〃You　were　hunting　Victoria？〃　I　half…shrieked　as　soon　as　I　could　find　my　voice；　shooting　through　two
  octaves。
  Charlie's　distant　snores　stuttered；　and　then　picked　up　a　regular　rhythm　again。
  〃Not　well；〃　Edward　answered；　studying　my　outraged　expression　with　a　confused　look。　〃But　I'll　do　better
  this　time。　She　won't　be　tainting　perfectly　good　air　by　breathing　in　and　out　for　much　longer。〃
  〃That　is…　out　of　the　question；〃　I　managed　to　choke　out。　Insanity。　Even　if　he　had　Emmett　or　Jasper　help
  him。　Even　if　he　had　Emmett　and　Jasper　help。　It　was　worse　than　my　other　imaginings：　Jacob　Black
  standing　across　a　small　space　from　Victoria's　vicious　and　feline　figure。　I　couldn't　bear　to　picture　Edward
  there；　even　though　he　was　so　much　more　durable　than　my　half…human　best　friend。
  〃It's　too　late　for　her。　I　might　have　let　the　other　time　slide；　but　not　now；　not　after—〃
  I　interrupted　him　again；　trying　to　sound　calm。　〃Didn't　you　just　promise　that　you　weren't　going　to　leave？〃　I
  asked；　fighting　the　words　as　I　said　them；　nor　letting　them　plant　themselves　in　my　heart。　〃That　isn't　exactly
  compatible　with　an　extended　tracking　expedition；　is　it？〃
  He　frowned。　A　snarl　began　to　build　low　in　his　chest。　〃I　will　keep　my　promise；　Bella。　But　Victoria〃—the
  snarl　became　more　pronounced—〃is　going　to　die。　Soon。〃
  〃Let's　not　be　hasty；〃　I　said；　trying　to　hide　my　panic。　〃Maybe　she's　not　coming　back。　Jake's　pack　probably
  scared　her　off。　There's　really　no　reason　to　go　looking　for　her。　Besides；　I've　got　bigger　problems　than
  Victoria。〃
  Edward's　eyes　narrowed；　but　he　nodded。　〃It's　true。　The　werewolves　are　a　problem。〃
  I　snorted。　〃I　wasn't　talking　about　Jacob。　My　problems　are　a　lot　worse　that　a　handful　of　adolescent
  wolves　getting　themselves　into　trouble。〃
  Edward　looked　as　if　he　were　about　to　say　something；　and　then　thought　better　of　it。　His　teeth　clicked
  together；　and　he　spoke　through　them。　〃Really？〃　he　asked。　〃Then　what　would　be　your　greatest　problem？
  That　would　make　Victoria's　returning　for　you　seem　like　such　an　inconsequential　matter　in　comparison？〃
  〃How　about　the　second　greatest？〃　I　hedged。
  〃All　right；〃　he　agreed；　suspicious。
  I　paused。　I　wasn't　sure　I　could　say　the　name。　〃There　are　others　who　are　coming　to　look　for　me；〃　I
  reminded　him　in　a　subdued　whisper。
  He　sighed；　but　the　reaction　was　not　as　strong　as　I　would　have　imagined　after　his　response　to　Victoria。
  〃The　Volturi　are　only　the　second　greatest？〃
  〃You　don't　seem　that　upset　about　it；〃　I　noted。
  〃Well；　we　have　plenty　of　time　to　think　it　through。　Time　means　something　very　different　to　them　than　it
  does　to　you；　or　even　me。　They　count　years　the　way　you　count　days。　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　you　were
  thirty　before　you　crossed　their　minds　again；〃　he　added　lightly。
  Horror　washed　through　me。
  Thirty。
  So　his　promises　meant　nothing；　in　the　end。　If　I　were　going　to　turn　thirty　someday；　then　he　couldn't　be
  planning　on　staying　long。　The　harsh　pain　of　this　knowledge　made　me　realize　that　I'd　already　begun　to
  hope；　without　giving　myself　permission　to　do　5。0。
  〃You　don't　have　to　be　afraid；〃　he　said；　anxious　as　he　watched　the　tears　dew　up　again　on　the　rims　of　my
  eyes。　〃I　won't　let　them　hurt　you。〃
  〃While　you're　here。〃　Not　that　I　cared　what　happened　to　me　when　he　left。
  He　took　my　face　between　his　two　stone　hands；　holding　it　tightly　while　his　midnight　eyes　glared　into　mine
  with　the　gravitational　force　of　a　black　hole。　〃I　will　never　leave　you　again。〃
  〃But　you　said　thirty；〃　I　whispered。