There　was　a　very　deep　silence　for　a　moment。　〃Voices？〃　he　asked　flatly。
  〃Well；　just　one　voice。　Yours。　It's　a　long　story。〃　The　wary　look　on　his　face　made　me　wish　that　I　hadn't
  brought　that　up。　Would　he　think　I　was　crazy；　like　everyone　else？　Was　everyone　else　right　about　that？　But
  at　least　that　expression—the　one　that　made　him　look　like　something　was　burning　him—faded。
  〃I've　got　time。〃　His　voice　was　unnaturally　even。
  〃It's　pretty　pathetic。〃
  He　waited。
  I　wasn't　sure　how　to　explain。　〃Do　you　remember　what　Alice　said　about　extreme　sports？〃
  He　spoke　the　words　without　inflection　or　emphasis。　〃You　jumped　off　a　cliff　for　fun。〃
  〃Er；　right。　And　before　that；　with　the　motorcycle—〃
  〃Motorcycle？〃　he　asked。　I　knew　his　voice　well　enough　to　hear　something　brewing　behind　the　calm。
  〃I　guess　I　didn't　tell　Alice　about　that　part。〃
  〃No。〃
  〃Well；　about　that…　See；　I　found　that…　when　I　was　doing　something　dangerous　or　stupid…　I　could
  remember　you　more　clearly；〃　I　confessed；　feeling　completely　mental。　〃I　could　remember　how　your　voice
  sounded　when　you　were　angry。　I　could　hear　it；　like　you　were　standing　right　there　next　to　me。　Mostly　I
  tried　not　to　think　about　you；　but　this　didn't　hurt　so　much—it　was　like　you　were　protecting　me　again。　Like
  you　didn't　want　me　to　be　hurt。
  〃And；　well；　I　wonder　if　the　reason　I　could　hear　you　so　clearly　was　because；　underneath　it　all。　I　always
  knew　that　you　hadn't　stopped　loving　me。〃
  Again；　as　I　spoke；　the　words　brought　with　them　a　sense　of　conviction。　Of　rightness。　Some　deep　place
  inside　me　recognized　truth。
  His　words　came　out　half…strangled。　〃You…　were…　risking　your　life…　to　hear—〃
  〃Shh；〃　I　interrupted　him。　〃Hold　on　a　second。　I　think　I'm　having　an　epiphany　here。〃
  I　thought　of　that　night　in　Port　Angeles　when　I'd　had　my　first　delusion。　I'd　come　up　with　two　options。
  Insanity　or　wish　fulfillment。　I'd　seen　no　third　option。
  But　what　if…
  What　if　you　sincerely　believed　something　was　true；　but　you　were　dead　wrong？　What　if　you　were　so
  stubbornly　sure　that　you　were　right；　that　you　wouldn't　even　consider　the　truth？　Would　the　truth　be
  silenced；　or　would　it　try　to　break　through？
  Option　three：　Edward　loved　me。　The　bond　forged　between　us　was　not　one　that　could　be　broken　by
  absence；　distance；　or　time。　And　no　matter　how　much　more　special　or　beautiful　or　brilliant　or　perfect　than
  me　he　might　be；　he　was　as　irreversibly　altered　as　I　was。　As　I　would　always　belong　to　him；　so　would　he
  always　be　mine。
  Was　that　what　I'd　been　trying　to　tell　myself？
  〃Oh！〃
  〃Bella？〃
  〃Oh。　Okay。　I　see。〃
  〃Your　epiphany？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　uneven　and　strained。
  〃You　love　me；〃　I　marveled。　The　sense　of　conviction　and　Tightness　washed　through　me　again。
  Though　his　eyes　were　still　anxious；　the　crooked　smile　I　loved　best　flashed　across　his　face。　〃Truly；　I　do。〃
  My　heart　inflated　like　it　was　going　to　crack　right　through　my　ribs。　It　filled　my　chest　and　blocked　my　throat
  so　that　I　could　not　speak。
  He　really　did　want　me　the　way　I　wanted　him—forever。　It　was　only　fear　for　my　soul；　for　the　human　things
  he　didn't　want　to　take　from　me；　that　made　him　so　desperate　to　leave　me　mortal。　Compared　to　the　fear
  that　he　didn't　want　me；　this　hurdle—my　soul—seemed　almost　insignificant。
  He　took　my　face　tightly　between　his　cool　hands　and　kissed　me　until　I　was　so　dizzy　the　forest　was
  spinning。　Then　he　leaned　his　forehead　against　mine；　and　I　was　not　the　only　one　breathing　harder　than
  usual。
  〃You　were　better　at　it　than　I　was；　you　know；〃　he　told　me。
  〃Better　at　what？〃
  〃Surviving。　You；　at　least；　made　an　effort。　You　got　up　in　the　morning；　tried　to　be　normal　for　Charlie；
  followed　the　pattern　of　your　life。　When　I　wasn't　actively　tracking；　I　was…　totally　useless。　I　couldn't　be
  around　my　family—I　couldn't　be　around　anyone。　I'm　embarrassed　to　admit　that　I　more　or　less　curled　up
  into　a　ball　and　let　the　misery　have　me。〃　He　grinned；　sheepish。　〃It　was　much　more　pathetic　than　hearing
  voices。　And；　of　course；　you　know　I　do　that；　too。〃
  I　was　deeply　relieved　that　he　really　seemed　to　understand—comforted　that　this　all　made　sense　to　him。　At
  any　rate；　he　wasn't　looking　at　me　like　I　was　crazy。　He　was　looking　at　me　like…　he　loved　me。
  〃I　only　heard　one　voice；〃　I　corrected　him。
  He　laughed　and　then　pulled　me　tight　against　his　right　side　and　started　to　lead　me　forward。
  〃I'm　just　humoring　you　with　this。〃　He　motioned　broadly　with　his　hand　toward　the　darkness　in　front　of　us
  as　we　walked。　There　was　something　pale　and　immense　there—the　house；　I　realized。　〃It　doesn't　matter　in
  the　slightest　what　they　say。〃
  〃This　affects　them　now；　too。〃
  He　shrugged　indifferently。
  He　led　me　through　the　open　front　door　into　the　dark　house　and　flipped　the　lights　on。　The　room　was　just
  as　I'd　remembered　it—the　piano　and　the　white　couches　and　the　pale；　massive　staircase。　No　dust；　no
  white　sheets。
  Edward　called　out　the　names　with　no　more　volume　than　I'd　use　in　regular　conversation。　〃Carlisle？　Esme？
  Rosalie？　Emmett？　Jasper？　Alice？〃　They　would　hear。
  Carlisle　was　suddenly　standing　beside　me；　as　if　he'd　been　there　all　along。　〃Welcome　back；　Bella。〃　He
  smiled。　〃What　can　we　do　for　you　this　morning？　I　imagine；　due　to　the　hour；　that　this　is　not　a　purely　social
  visit？〃
  I　nodded。　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　everyone　at　once；　if　that's　okay。　About　something　important。〃
  I　couldn't　help　glancing　up　at　Edward's　face　as　I　spoke。　His　expression　was　critical；　but　resigned。　When　I
  looked　back　to　Carlisle；　he　was　looking　at　Edward；　too。
  〃Of　course；〃　Carlisle　said。　〃Why　don't　we　talk　in　the　other　room？〃
  Carlisle　led　the　way　through　the　bright　living　room；　around　the　corner　to　the　dining　room；　turning　on　lights
  as　he　went。　The　walls　were　white；　the　ceilings　high；　like　the　living　room。　In　the　center　of　the　room；　under
  the　low…hanging　chandelier；　was　a　large；　polished　oval　table　surrounded　by　eight　chairs。　Carlisle　held　out
  a　chair　for　me　at　the　head。
  I'd　never　seen　the　Cullens　use　the　dining　room　table　before—it　was　just　a　prop。　They　didn't　eat　in　the
  house。
  As　soon　as　I　turned　to　sit　in　the　chair；　I　saw　that　we　were　not　alone。　Esme　had　followed　Edward；　and
  behind　her　the　rest　of　the　family　filed　in。
  Carlisle　sat　down　on　my　right；　and　Edward　on　my　left。　Everyone　else　took　their　seats　in　silence。　Alice
  was　grinning　at　me；　already　in　on　the　plot。　Emmett　and　Jasper　looked　curious；　and　Rosalie　smiled　at　me
  tentatively。　My　answering　smile　was　just　as　timid。　That　was　going　to　take　some　getting　used　to。
  Carlisle　nodded　toward　me。　〃The　floor　is　yours。〃
  I　swallowed。　Their　gazing　eyes　made　me　nervous。　Edward　took　my　hand　under　the　table。　I　peeked　at
  him；　but　he　was　watching　the　others；　his　fate　suddenly　fierce。
  〃Well；〃　I　paused。　〃I'm　hoping　Alice　has　already　told　you　everything　that　happened　in　Volterra？〃
  〃Everything；〃　Alice　assured　me。
  I　threw　her　a　meaningful　look。　〃And　on　the　way？〃
  〃That；　too；〃　she　nodded。
  〃Good；〃　I　sighed　with　relief。　〃Then　we're　all　on　the　same　page。〃
  They　waited　patiently　while　I　tried　to　order　my　thoughts。
  〃So；　I　have　a　problem；〃　I　began。　〃Alice　promised　the　Volturi　that　I　would　become　one　of　you。　They're
  going　to　send　someone　to　check；　and　I'm　sure　that's　a　bad　thing—something　to　avoid。
  〃And　so；　now；　this　involves　you　all。　I'm　sorry　about　that。〃　I　looked　at　each　one　of　their　beautiful　faces；
  saving　the　most　beautiful　for　last。　Edward's　mouth　was　turned　down　into　a　grimace。　〃But；　if　you　don't
  want　me；　then　I'm　not　going　to　force　myself　on　you；　whether　Alice　is　willing　or　not。〃
  Esme　opened　her　mouth　to　speak；　but　I　held　up　one　finger　to　stop　her。
  〃Please；　let　me　finish。　You　all　know　what　I　want。　And　I'm　sure　you　know　what　Edward　thinks；　too。　I
  think　the　only　fair　way　to　decide　is　for　everyone　to　have　a　vote。　If　you　decide　you　don't　want　me；　then…
  I　guess　I'll　go　back　to　Italy　alone。　I　can't　have　them　coming　here。〃　My　forehead　creased　as　I　considered
  that。
  There　was　the　faint　rumble　of　a　growl　in　Edward's　chest。　I　ignored　him。
  〃Taking　into　account；　then；　that　I　won't　put　any　of　you　in　danger　either　way；　I　want　you　to　vote　yes　or　no
  on　the　issue　of　me　becoming　a　vampire。〃
  I　half…smiled　on　the　last　word；　and　gestured　toward　Carlisle　to　begin。
  〃Just　a　minute；〃　Edward　interrupted。
  I　glared　at　him　through　narrowed　eyes。　He　raised　his　eyebrows　at　me；　squeezing　my　hand。
  〃I　have　something　to　add　before　we　vote。〃
  I　sighed。
  〃About　the　danger　Bella's　referring　to；〃　he　continued。　〃I　don't　think　we　need　to　be　overly　anxious。〃
  His　expression　became　more　animated。　He　put　his　free　hand　on　the　shining　table　and　leaned　forward。
  〃You　see；〃　he　explained；　looking　around　the　table　while　he　spoke；　〃there　was　more　than　one　reason　why
  I　didn't　want　to　shake　Aro's　hand　there　at　the　end。　There's　something　they　didn't　think　of；　and　I　didn't
  want　to　cine　them　in。〃　He　grinned。
  〃Which　was？〃　Alice　prodded。　I　was　sure　my　expression　was　just　as　skeptical　as　hers。
  〃The　Volturi　are　overconfident；　and　with　good　reason。　When　they　decide　to　find　someone；　it's　not　really　a
  problem。　Do　you　remember　Demetri？〃　He　glanced　down