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all just varying degrees of awful anyway。
“Well； even if she does get her way； we can keep it small。 Just us。 Emmett can get a clerical license off the
Internet。”
I giggled。 “That does sound better。” It wouldn’t feel very official if Emmett read the vows； which was a
plus。 But I’d have a hard time keeping a straight face。
“See；” he said with a smile。 “There’s always a compromise。”
It took a while for me to reach the spot where the newborn army would be certain to cross my trail； but
Edward never got impatient with my pace。
He had to lead a bit more on the way back； to keep me on the same path。 It all looked alike to me。
We were almost to the clearing when I fell。 I could see the wide opening ahead； and that’s probably why I
got too eager and forgot to watch my feet。 I caught myself before my head bashed into the nearest tree； but a
small branch snapped off under my left hand and gouged into my palm。
“Ouch！ Oh； fabulous；” I muttered。
“Are you all right？”
“I’m fine。 Stay where you are。 I’m bleeding。 It will stop in a minute。”
He ignored me。 He was right there before I could finish。
“I’ve got a first aid kit；” he said； pulling off the backpack。 “I had a feeling I might need it。”
“It’s not bad。 I can take care of it — you don’t have to make yourself uncomfortable。”
“I’m not uncomfortable；” he said calmly。 “Here — let me clean it。”
“Wait a second； I just got another idea。”
Without looking at the blood and breathing through my mouth； just in case my stomach might react； I
pressed my hand against a rock within my reach。
“What are you doing？”
“Jasper will love this；” I muttered to myself。 I started for the clearing again； pressing my palm against
everything in my path。 “I’ll bet this really gets them going。”
Edward sighed。
“Hold your breath；” I told him。
“I’m fine。 I just think you’re going overboard。”
“This is all I get to do。 I want to do a good job。”
We broke through the last of the trees as I spoke。 I let my injured hand graze across the ferns。
“Well； you have；” Edward assured me。 “The newborns will be frantic； and Jasper will be very impressed
with your dedication。 Now let me treat your hand — you’ve gotten the cut dirty。”
“Let me do it； please。”
He took my hand and smiled as he examined it。 “This doesn’t bother me anymore。”
I watched him carefully as he cleaned the gash； looking for some sign of distress。 He continued to breathe
evenly in and out； the same small smile on his lips。
“Why not？” I finally asked as he smoothed a bandage across my palm。
He shrugged。 “I got over it。”
“You 。 。 。 got over it？ When？ How？” I tried to remember the last time he’d held his breath around me。
All I could think of was my wretched birthday party last September。
Edward pursed his lips； seeming to search for the words。 “I lived through an entire twenty…four hours
thinking that you were dead； Bella。 That changed the way I look at a lot of things。”
“Did it change the way I smell to you？”
“Not at all。 But 。 。 。 having experienced the way it feels to think I’ve lost you 。 。 。 my reactions have
changed。 My entire being shies away from any course that could inspire that kind of pain again。”
I didn’t know what to say to that。
He smiled at my expression。 “I guess that you could call it a very educational experience。”
The wind tore through the clearing then； lashing my hair around my face and making me shiver。
“All right；” he said； reaching into his pack again。 “You’ve done your part。” He pulled out my heavy winter
jacket and held it out for me to slide my arms in。 “Now it’s out of our hands。 Let’s go camping！”
I laughed at the mock enthusiasm in his voice。
He took my bandaged hand — the other was in worse shape； still in the brace — and started toward the
other side of the clearing。
“Where are we meeting Jacob？” I asked。
“Right here。” He gestured to the trees in front of us just as Jacob stepped warily from their shadows。
It shouldn’t have surprised me to see him human。 I wasn’t sure why I’d been looking for the big red…
brown wolf。
Jacob seemed bigger again — no doubt a product of my expectations； I must have unconsciously been
hoping to see the smaller Jacob from my memory； the easygoing friend who hadn’t made everything so
difficult。 He had his arms folded across his bare chest； a jacket clutched in one fist。 His face was
expressionless as he watched us。
Edward’s lips pulled down at the corners。 “There had to have been a better way to do this。”
“Too late now；” I muttered glumly。
He sighed。
“Hey； Jake；” I greeted him when we got closer。
“Hi； Bella。”
“Hello； Jacob；” Edward said。
Jacob ignored the pleasantry； all business。 “Where do I take her？”
Edward pulled a map from a side pocket on the pack and offered it to him。 Jacob unfolded it。
“We’re here now；” Edward said； reaching over to touch the right spot。 Jacob recoiled from his hand
automatically； and then steadied himself。 Edward pretended not to notice。
“And you’re taking her up here；” Edward continued； tracing a serpentine pattern around the elevation lines
on the paper。 “Roughly nine miles。”
Jacob nodded once。
“When you’re about a mile away； you should cross my path。 That will lead you in。 Do you need the map？”
“No； thanks。 I know this area pretty well。 I think I know where I’m going。”
Jacob seemed to have to work harder than Edward to keep the tone polite。
“I’ll take a longer route；” Edward said。 “And I’ll see you in a few hours。”
Edward stared at me unhappily。 He didn’t like this part of the plan。
“See you；” I murmured。
Edward faded into the trees； heading in the opposite direction。
As soon as he was gone； Jacob turned cheerful。
“What’s up； Bella？” he asked with a big grin。
I rolled my eyes。 “Same old； same old。”
“Yeah；” he agreed。 “Bunch of vampires trying to kill you。 The usual。”
“The usual。”
“Well；” he said as he shrugged into his jacket to free his arms。 “Let’s get going。”
Making a face； I took a small step closer to him。
He bent down and swept his arm behind my knees； knocking them out from under me。 His other arm
caught me before my head hit the ground。
“Jerk；” I muttered。
Jacob chuckled； already running through the trees。 He kept a steady pace； a brisk jog that a fit human
could keep up with 。 。 。 across a level plane 。 。 。 if they weren’t burdened with a hundred…plus pounds as he
was。
“You don’t have to run。 You’ll get tired。”
“Running doesn’t make me tired；” he said。 His breathing was even — like the fixed tempo of a
marathoner。 “Besides； it will be colder soon。 I hope he gets the camp set up before we get there。”
I tapped my finger against the thick padding of his parka。 “I thought you didn’t get cold now。”