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〃Oh。〃 It bugged me a little； but for no good reason； so I shrugged it off。 〃Good。 I hate repeating myself。〃
〃I'd tell you to go get some sleep；〃 Bella said； 〃but my guess is that you're going to pass out on the floor
in about six seconds； so there's probably no point。〃
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It was amazing how much better she sounded； how much stronger she looked。 I smelled fresh blood and
saw that the cup was in her hands again。 How much blood would it take to keep her going？ At some
point； would they start trotting in the neighbors？
I headed for the door； counting off the seconds for her as I walked。 〃One Mississippi。。。 two
Mississippi。。。〃
〃Where's the flood； mutt？〃 Rosalie muttered。
〃You know how you drown a blonde； Rosalie？〃 I asked without stopping or turning to look at her。 〃Glue
a mirror to the bottom of a pool。〃
I heard Edward chuckle as I pulled the door shut。 His mood seemed to improve in exact correlation to
Bella's
health。
〃I've already heard that one；'7Rosalie called after me。
I trudged down the steps； my only goal to drag myself far enough into the trees that the air would be
pure again。 I planned to ditch the clothes a convenient distance from the house for future use rather than
tying them to my leg； so I wouldn't be smelling them； either。 As I fumbled with the buttons on the new
shirt； I thought randomly about how buttons would never be in style for werewolves。
I heard the voices while I slogged across the lawn。
〃Where are you going？〃 Bella asked。
〃There was something I forgot to say to him。〃
〃Let Jacob sleep—it can wait。〃
Yes； please； let Jacob sleep。
〃It will only take a moment。〃
I turned slowly。 Edward was already out the door。 He had an apology in his expression as he
approached me。
〃Jeez； what now？〃
Tm sorry；〃 he said； and then he hesitated； like he didn't know how to phrase what he was thinking。
What's on your mind； mind reader？
〃When you were speaking to Sam's delegates earlier；〃 he murmured； 〃I was giving a playbyplay for
Carlisle and Esme and the rest。 They were concerned—〃
〃Look； we're not dropping our guard。 You don't have to believe Sam like we do。 We're keeping our
eyes open regardless。〃
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〃No； no； Jacob。 Not about that。 We trust your judgment。 Rather； Esme was troubled by the hardships
this is putting your pack through。 She asked me to speak to you privately about it。〃
That took me off guard。 〃Hardships？〃
〃The homeless part； particularly。 She's very upset that you are all so。。。 bereft。〃
I snorted。 Vampire mother hen—bizarre。 〃We're tough。 Tell her not to worry。〃
〃She'd still like to do what she can。 I got the impression that Leah prefers not to eat in her wolf form？〃
〃And？〃 I demanded。
〃Well； we do have normal human food here； Jacob。 Keeping up appearances； and； of course； for Bella。
Leah is wele to anything she'd like。 All of you are。〃
〃I'll pass that along。〃
〃Leah hates us。〃
〃So？〃
〃So try to pass it along in such a way as to make her consider it； if you don't mind。〃
〃I'll do what I can。〃
〃And then there's the matter of clothes。〃
I glanced down at the ones I was wearing。 〃Oh yeah。 Thanks。〃 It probably wouldn't be good manners to
mention how bad they reeked。
He smiled； just a little。 〃Well； we're easily able to help out with any needs there。 Alice rarely allows us to
wear the same thing twice。 We've got piles of brandnew clothes that are destined for Goodwill； and I'd
imagine that Leah is fairly close to Esme's size___〃
〃Not sure how she'll feel about bloodsucker castoffs。 She's not as practical as I am。〃
〃I trust that you can present the offer in the best possible light。 As well as the offer for any other physical
object you might need； or transportation； or anything else at all。 And showers； too； since you prefer to
sleep outdoors。 Please。。。 don't consider yourselves without the benefits of a home。〃
He said the last line softly—not trying to keep quiet this time； but with some kind of real emotion。
I stared at him for a second； blinking sleepily。 〃That's； er； nice of you。 Tell Esme we appreciate the； uh；
thought。 But the perimeter cuts through the river in a few places； so we stay pretty clean； thanks。〃
〃If you would pass the offer on； regardless。〃
〃Sure； sure。〃
〃Thank you。〃
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I turned away from him； only to stop cold when I heard the low； pained cry from inside the house。 By
the time I looked back； he was already gone。
What now？
I followed after him； shuffling like a zombie。 Using about the same number of brain cells； too。 It didn't
feel like I had a choice。 Something was wrong。 I would go see what it was。 There would be nothing I
could do。 And I would feel worse。
It seemed inevitable。
I let myself in again。 Bella was panting； curled over the bulge in the center of her body。 Rosalie held her
while Edward； Carlisle； and Esme all hovered。 A flicker of motion caught my eye； Alice was at the top of
the stairs； staring down into the room with her hands pressed to her temples。 It was weird—like she was
barred from entering somehow。
〃Give me a second； Carlisle；〃 Bella panted。
〃Bella；〃 the doctor said anxiously； 〃I heard something crack。 I need to take a look。〃
〃Pretty sure〃—pant—〃it was a rib。 Ow。 Yep。 Right here。〃 She pointed to her left side； careful not to
touch。
It was breaking her bones now。
〃I need to take an Xray。 There might be splinters。 We don't want it to puncture anything。〃
Bella took a deep breath。 〃Okay。〃
Rosalie lifted Bella carefully。 Edward seemed like he was going to argue； but Rosalie bared her teeth at
him and growled； 〃I've already got her。〃
So Bella was stronger now； but the thing was； too。 You couldn't starve one without starving the other；
and
healing worked just the same。 No way to win。
Blondie carried Bella swiftly up the big staircase with Carlisle and Edward right on her heels； none of
them taking any notice of me standing dumbstruck in the doorway。
So they had a blood bank and an Xray machine？ Guess the doc brought his work home with him。
I was too tired to follow them； too tired to move。 I leaned back against the wall and then slid to the
ground。 The door was still open； and I pointed my nose toward it； grateful for the clean breeze blowing
in。 I leaned my head against the jamb and listened。
I could hear the sound of the Xray machinery upstairs。 Or maybe I just assumed that's what it was。 And
then the lightest of footsteps ing down the stairs。 I didn't look to see which vampire it was。
〃Do you want a pillow？〃 Alice asked me。
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〃No；〃 I mumbled。 What was with the pushy hospitality？ It was creeping me out。
〃That doesn't look fortable；〃 she observed。
〃S'not。〃
〃Why don't you move； then？〃
〃Tired。 Why aren't you upstairs with the rest of them？〃 I shot back。
〃Headache；〃 she answered。
I rolled my head around to look at her。
Alice was a tiny little thing。 'Bout the size of one of my arms。 She looked even smaller now； sort of
hunched in on herself。 Her small face was pinched。
〃Vampires get headaches？〃
〃Not the normal ones。〃
I snorted。 Normal vampires。
〃So how e you're never with Bella anymore？〃 I asked； making the question an accusation。 It hadn't
occurred to me before； because my head had been full of other crap； but it was weird that Alice was
never around Bella； not since I'd been here。 Maybe if Alice were by her side； Rosalie wouldn't be。
〃Thought you two were like this。〃 I twisted two of my fingers together。
〃Like I said〃—she curled up on the tile a few feet from me； wrapping her skinny arms around her skinny
knees—〃headache。〃
〃Bella's giving you a headache？〃
〃Yes。〃
I frowned。 Pretty sure I was too tired for riddles。 I let my head roll back around