do it all the time。 Like I said；
nothing。〃
Charlie's face heated up—from frozen to hot with fury。 〃What's it to Edward
Cullen anyway？〃 he barked。
〃All this time； he's just left you dangling without a word—〃
I interrupted him。 〃Another misunderstanding。〃
His face flushed again。 〃So is he back then？〃
〃I'm not sure what the exact plan is。 I think they all are。〃
He shook his head； the vein in his forehead pulsing。 〃I want you to stay away
from him； Bella。 I don't trust
him。 He's rotten for you。 I won't let him mess you up like that again。〃
〃Fine；〃 I said curtly。
Charlie rocked back onto his heels。 〃Oh。〃 He scrambled for a second； exhaling
loudly in surprise。 〃I
thought you were going to be difficult。〃
〃I am。〃 I stared straight into his eyes。 〃I meant； 'Fine； I'll move out。'〃
His eyes bulged； his face turned puce。 My resolve wavered as I started to
worry about his health。 He
was no younger than Harry
〃Dad； I don't want to move out；〃 I said in a softer tone。 〃I love you。 I know
you're worried； but you need
to trust me on this。 And you're going to have to ease up on Edward if you want
me to stay。 Do you want
me to live here or not？〃
〃That's not fair； Bella。 You know I want you to stay。〃
〃Then be nice to Edward； because he's going to be where I am。〃 I said it with
confidence。 The conviction
of my epiphany was still strong。
〃Not under my roof；〃 Charlie stormed。
I sighed a heavy sigh。 〃Look； I'm not going to give you any more ultimatums
tonight—or I guess it's this
morning。 Just think about it for a few days； okay？ But keep in mind that
Edward and I are sort of a
package deal。〃
〃Bella—〃
〃Think it over；〃 I insisted。 〃And while you're doing that； could you give me
some privacy？ I really need a
shower。〃
Charlie's face was a strange shade of purple； but he left； slamming the door
behind him。 I heard him
stomp furiously down the stairs。
I threw off my quilt； and Edward was already there； sitting in the rocking
chair as if he d been present
through the whole conversation。
〃Sorry about that；〃 I whispered。
〃It's not as if I don't deserve far worse；〃 he murmured。 〃Don't start anything
with Charlie over me； please。
〃
〃Don't worry about it；〃 I breathed as I gathered up my bathroom things and a
set of clean clothes。 〃I will
start exactly as much as is necessary； and no more than that。 Or are you
trying to tell me I have nowhere
to go？〃 I widened my eyes with false alarm。
〃You'd move in with a house full of vampires？〃
〃That's probably the safest place for someone like me。 Besides〃 I grinned。
〃If Charlie kicks me out；
then there's no need for a graduation deadline； is there？〃
His jaw tightened。 〃So eager for eternal damnation；〃 he muttered。
〃You know you don't really believe that。〃
〃Oh； don't I？〃 he fumed。
〃No。 You don't。〃
He glowered at me and started to speak； but I cut him off。
〃If you really believed that you'd lost your soul； then when I found you in
Volterra； you would have
realized immediately what was happening； instead of thinking we were both dead
together。 But you
didn't—you said 'Amazing。 Carlisle was right；'〃 I reminded him； triumphant。
〃There's hope in you； after
all。〃
For once； Edward was speechless。
〃So let's both just be hopeful； all right？〃 I suggested。 〃Not that it matters。
If you stay； I don't need
heaven。〃
He got up slowly； and came to put his hands on either side of my face as he
stared into my eyes。
〃Forever；〃 he vowed； still a little staggered。
〃That's all I'm asking for；〃 I said； and stretched up on my toes so that I
could press my lips to his。
EPILOGUE TREATY
ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL—THE GOOD； pre…zombie normal—in less
time than I would have believed possible。 The hospital weled Carlisle back
with eager arms； not even
bothering to conceal their delight that Esme had found life in L。A。 so little
to her liking。 Thanks to the
Calculus test I'd missed while abroad； Alice and Edward were in better to
shape to graduate than I was
at the moment。 Suddenly； college was a priority （college was still plan B； on
the off chance that Edward's
offer swayed me from the post…graduation Carlisle option）。 Many deadlines had
passed me by； but
Edward had a new stack of applications for me to fill out every day。 He'd
already done the Harvard
route； so it didn't bother him that； thanks to my procrastination； we might
both end up at Peninsula
munity College next year。
Charlie was not happy with me； or speaking to Edward。 But at least Edward was
allowed—during my
designated visiting hours—inside the house again。 I just wasn't allowed out
of it。
School and work were the only exceptions； and the dreary； dull yellow walls of
my classrooms had
bee oddly inviting to me of late。 That had a lot to do with the person who
sat in the desk beside me。
Edward had resumed his schedule from the beginning of the year； which put him
in most of my classes
again。 My behavior had been such last fall； after the Cullens' supposed move
to L。A。； that the seat beside
me had never been filled。 Even Mike； always eager to take any advantage； had
kept a safe distance。
With Edward back in place； it was almost as if the last eight months were just
a disturbing nightmare。
Almost； but not quite。 There was the house arrest situation； for one thing。
And for another； before the fall；
I hadn't been best friends with Jacob Black。 So； of course； I hadn't missed
him then。
I wasn't at liberty to go to La Push； and Jacob wasn't ing to see me。 He
wouldn't even answer my
phone calls。
I made these calls mostly at night； after Edward had been kicked out—promptly
at nine by a grimly
gleeful Charlie—and before Edward snuck back through my window when Charlie
was asleep。 I chose
that time to make my fruitless calls because I'd noticed that Edward made a
certain face every time I
mentioned Jacob's name。 Sort of disapproving and wary maybe even angry。 I
guessed that he had
some reciprocal prejudice against the werewolves； though he wasn't as vocal as
Jacob had been about
the 〃bloodsuckers。〃
So； I didn't mention Jacob much。
With Edward near me； it was hard to think about unhappy things—even my former
besi fnend； who was
probably very unhappy right now； due to me。 When I did think of Jake； I always
felt guilty for not
thinking of him more。
The fairy tale was back on。 Prince returned； bad spell broken。 I wasn't sure
exactly what to do about the
leftover； unresolved character。 Where was his happily ever after？
Weeks passed； and Jacob still wouldn't answer my calls。 It started to bee a
constant worry。 Like a
dripping faucet in the back of my head that I couldn't shut off or ignore。
Drip； drip； drip。 Jacob； Jacob；
Jacob。
So； though I didn't mention Jacob much； sometimes my frustration and anxiety
boiled over。
〃It's just plain rude！〃 I vented one Saturday afternoon when Edward picked me
up from work。 Being
angry about things was easier than feeling guilty。 〃Downright insulting！〃
I'd varied my pattern； in hopes of a different response。 I'd called Jake from
work this time； only to get an
unhelpfulBilly。Again。
〃Billy said he didn't want to talk to me；〃 I fumed； glaring at the rain oozing
down the passenger window。
〃That he was there； and wouldn't walk three steps to get to the phone！ Usually
Billy just says he's out or
busy or sleeping or something。 I mean； it's not like I didn't know he was
lying to me； but at least it was a
polite way to handle it。 I guess Billy hates me now； too。 It's not fair！〃
〃It's not you； Bella；〃 Edward said quietly。 〃Nobody hates you。〃
〃Feels that way；〃 I muttered； folding my arms across my chest。 It was no more
than a stubborn gesture。
There was no hole there now—I could barely remember the empty feeling
anymore。
〃Jacob knows we're back； and I'm sure that he's ascertained that I'm with
you；〃 Edward said。 〃He won't
e anywhere near me。 The enmity is rooted too deeply。〃
〃That's stupid。 He knows you're not like other vampires。〃
〃There's still good reason to keep a safe distance。〃
I glared blindly out the windshield； seeing only Jacob's face； set in the
bitter mask I hated。
〃Bella； we are what we are；〃 Edward said quietly。 〃I can control myself； but I
doubt he can。 He's very
young。 It would most likely turn into a fight； and I don't know if I could
stop it before I k—〃 he broke off；
and then quickly continued。 〃Before I hurt him。 You would be unhappy。 I don't
want that to happen。〃
I remembered what Jacob had said in the kitchen； hearing the words with
perfect recall in his husky
voice。 I'm not sure that I'm even…tempered enough to handle that You
probably wouldn't like it
so much if I killed your friend。 But he'd been able to handle it； that time
〃Edward Cullen；〃 I whispered。 〃Were you about to say 'killed him？ Were you？〃
He looked away from me； staring into the rain。 In front of us； the red light I
hadn't noticed turned green
and he started forward again； driving very slowly。 Not his usual way of
driving。
〃I would try very hard not to do that；〃 Edward finally said。
I stared at him with my mouth hanging open； but he continued to look straight
ahead。 We were paused at
the corner stop sign。
Abruptly； I remembered what had happened to Paris when Romeo came back。 The
stage directions
were simple： They fight。 Paris falls。
But that was ridiculous。 Impossible。
〃Well；〃 I said； and took a deep breath； shaking my head to dispel the words in
my head。 〃Nothing like
that is ever going to happen； so there's no reason to worry about it。 And you
know Charlie's staring at
the clock right now。 You'd better get me home before I get in more trouble for
being late。〃
I turned my face up toward him； to smile halfheartedly。
Every time I looked at his face； that impossibly perfect face； my heart
pounded strong and healthy and
very there in my chest。 This time； the pounding raced ahead of its usual
besotted pace。 I recognized the
expression on his statue…still face。
〃You're already in more trouble； Bella；〃 he whispered through unmoving lips。
I slid closer； clutching his arm as I followed his gaze to see what he was
seeing。 I don't know what I
expected—maybe Victoria standing in the middle of the street； her flaming red
hair blowing in the wind；
or a line of tall black cloaks or a pack of angry werewolves。 But I didn't
see anything at all。
〃What？ What is it？〃
He took a deep breath。 〃Charlie〃
〃My dad？〃 I screeched。
He looked down at me then； and his expression was calm enough to ease some of
my panic。
〃Charlie is probably not going to kill you； but he's thinking about it；〃 he
told me。 He started to drive
forward again； down my street； but he passed the house and parked by the edge
of the trees。
〃What did I do？〃 I gasped。
Edward glanced back at Charlie's house。 I followed his gaze； and noticed for
the first time what was
parked in the driveway next to the cruiser。 Shiny； bright red； impossible to
miss。 My motorcycle； flaunting
itself in the driveway。
Edward had said that Charlie was ready to kill me； so he must know that—that
it was mine。 There was
only one