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moment； and then pulled the bottle cap from my pocket and set it on the empty music
stand。 That helped a bit—my little memento of her yes。
I nodded to myself； and started playing。
Esme and Alice exchanged a glance； but neither one asked。
〃Hasn't anyone ever told you not to play with your food？〃 I called to Emmett。
〃Oh； hey Edward！〃 he shouted back； grinning and waving at me。 The bear took
advantage of his distraction to rake its heavy paw across Emmett's chest。 The sharp
claws shredded through his shirt； and squealed across his skin。
The bear bellowed at the high…pitched noise。
Aw hell； Rose gave me this shirt！
Emmett roared back at the enraged animal。
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I sighed and sat down on a convenient boulder。 This might take awhile。
But Emmett was almost done。 He let the bear try to take his head off with another
swipe of the paw； laughing as the blow bounced off and sent the bear staggering back。
The bear roared and Emmett roared again through his laughter。 Then he launched
himself at the animal； who stood a head taller than him on its hind legs； and their bodies
fell to the ground tangled up together； taking a mature spruce tree down with them。 The
bear's growls cut off with a gurgle。
A few minutes later； Emmett jogged over to where I was waiting for him。 His
shirt was destroyed； torn and bloodied； sticky with sap and covered in fur。 His dark curly
hair wasn't in much better shape。 He had a huge grin on his face。
〃That was a strong one。 I could almost feel it when he clawed me。〃
〃You're such a child； Emmett。〃
He eyed my smooth； clean white button…down。 〃Weren't you able to track down
that mountain lion； then？〃
〃Of course I was。 I just don't eat like a savage。〃
Emmett laughed his booming laugh。 〃I wish they were stronger。 It would be
more fun。〃
〃No one said you had to fight your food。〃
〃Yeah； but who else am I going to fight with？ You and Alice cheat； Rose never
wants to get her hair messed up； and Esme gets mad if Jasper and I really go at it。〃
〃Life is hard all around； isn't it？〃
Emmett grinned at me； shifting his weight a bit so that he was suddenly poised to
take a charge。
〃C'mon Edward。 Just turn it off for one minute and fight fair。〃
〃It doesn't turn off；〃 I reminded him。
〃Wonder what that human girl does to keep you out？〃 Emmett mused。 〃Maybe
she could give me some pointers。〃
My good humor vanished。 〃Stay away from her；〃 I growled through my teeth。
〃Touchy； touchy。〃
I sighed。 Emmett came to sit beside me on the rock。
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〃Sorry。 I know you're going through a tough spot。 I really am trying to not be
too much of an insensitive jerk； but； since that's sort of my natural state？〃
He waited for me to laugh at his joke； and then made a face。
So serious all the time。 What's bugging you now？
〃Thinking about her。 Well； worrying； really。〃
〃What's there to worry about？ You are here。〃 He laughed loudly。
I ignored his joke again； but answered his question。 〃Have you ever thought
about how fragile they all are？ How many bad things there are that can happen to a
mortal？〃
〃Not really。 I guess I see what you mean； though。 I wasn't much match for a
bear that first time around； was I？〃
〃Bears；〃 I muttered； adding a new fear to the pile。 〃That would be just her luck；
wouldn't it？ Stray bear in town。 Of course it would head straight for Bella。〃
Emmett chuckled。 〃You sound like a crazy person； do you know that？〃
〃Just imagine for one minute that Rosalie was human； Emmett。 And she could
run into a bear？or get hit by a car？or lightening？or fall down stairs？or get sick—get
a disease！〃 The words burst from me stormily。 It was a relief to let them out—they'd
been festering inside me all weekend。 〃Fires and earthquakes and tornados！ Ugh！
When's the last time you watched the news？ Have you seen the kinds of things that
happen to them？ Burglaries and homicides？〃 My teeth clenched together； and I was
abruptly so infuriated by the idea of another human hurting her that I couldn't breathe。
〃Whoa； whoa！ Hold up； there； kid。 She lives in Forks； remember？ So she gets
rained on。〃 He shrugged。
〃I think she has some serious bad luck； Emmett； I really do。 Look at the evidence。
Of all the places in the world she could go； she ends up in a town where vampires make
up a significant portion of the population。〃
〃Yeah； but we're vegetarians。 So isn't that good luck； not bad？〃
〃With the way she smells？ Definitely bad。 And then； more bad luck； the way she
smells to me。〃 I glowered at my hands； hating them again。
〃Except that you have more self…control than just about anyone but Carlisle。
Good luck again。〃
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〃The van？〃
〃That was just an accident。〃
〃You should have seen it coming for her； Em； again and again。 I swear； it was
like she had some kind of magnetic pull。〃
〃But you were there。 That was good luck。〃
〃Was it？ Isn't this the worst luck any human could ever possibly have—to have a
vampire fall in love with them？〃
Emmett considered that quietly for a moment。 He pictured the girl in his head；
and found the image uninteresting。 Honestly； I can't really see the draw。
〃Well； I can't really see Rosalie's allure； either；〃 I said rudely。 〃Honestly； she
seems like more work than any pretty face is worth。〃
Emmett chuckled。 〃I don't suppose you'd tell me？〃
〃I don't know what her problem is； Emmett；〃 I lied with a sudden； wide grin。
I saw his intent in time to brace myself。 He tried to shove me off the rock； and
there was a loud cracking sound as a fissure opened in the stone between us。
〃Cheater；〃 he muttered。
I waited for him to try another time； but his thoughts took a different direction。
He was picturing Bella's face again； but imagining it whiter； imagining her eyes bright
red？
〃No；〃 I said； my voice strangled。
〃It solves your worries about mortality； doesn't it？ And then you wouldn't want
to kill her； either。 Isn't that the best way？〃
〃For me？ Or for her？〃
〃For you；〃 he answered easily。 His tone added the of course。
I laughed humorlessly。 〃Wrong answer。〃
〃I didn't mind so much；〃 he reminded me。
〃Rosalie did。〃
He sighed。 We both knew that Rosalie would do anything； give up anything； if it
meant she could be human again。 Even Emmett。
〃Yeah； Rose did；〃 he acquiesced quietly。
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〃I can't？ I shouldn't？ I'm not going to ruin Bella's life。 Wouldn't you feel the
same； if it were Rosalie？〃
Emmett thought about that for a moment。 You really？love her？
〃I can't even describe it； Emmett。 All of a sudden； this girl's the whole world to
me。 I don't see the point of the rest of the world without her anymore。〃
But you won't change her？ She won't last forever； Edward。
〃I know that；〃 I groaned。
And； as you've pointed out； she's sort of breakable。
〃Trust me—that I know； too。〃
Emmett was not a tactful person； and delicate discussions were not his forte。 He
struggled now； wanting very much not to be offensive。
Can you even touch her？ I mean； if you love her？wouldn't you wan