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struggled now； wanting very much not to be offensive。
Can you even touch her？ I mean； if you love her？wouldn't you want to； well
touch her？？
Emmett and Rosalie shared an intensely physical love。 He had a hard time
understanding how one could love； without that aspect。
I sighed。 〃I can't even think of that； Emmett。〃
Wow。 So what are your options； then？
〃I don't know；〃 I whispered。 〃I'm trying to figure out a way to？to leave her。 I
just can't fathom how to make myself stay away？〃
With a deep sense of gratification； I suddenly realized that it was right for me to
stay—at least for now； with Peter and Charlotte on their way。 She was safer with me
here； temporarily； than she would be if I were gone。 For the moment； I could be her
unlikely protector。
The thought made me anxious； I itched to be back so that I could fill that role for
as long as possible。
Emmett noticed the change in my expression。 What are you thinking about？
〃Right now；〃 I admitted a bit sheepishly； 〃I'm dying to run back to Forks and
check on her。 I don't know if I'll make it till Sunday night。〃
〃Uh…uh！ You are not going home early。 Let Rosalie cool down a little bit。
Please！ For my sake。〃
〃I'll try to stay；〃 I said doubtfully。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
153
Emmett tapped the phone in my pocket。 〃Alice would call if there were any basis
for your panic attack。 She's as weird about this girl as you are。〃
I grimaced at that。 〃Fine。 But I'm not staying past Sunday。〃
〃There's no point in hurrying back—it's going to be sunny； anyway。 Alice said
we were free from school until Wednesday。〃
I shook my head rigidly。
〃Peter and Charlotte know how to behave themselves。〃
〃I really don't care； Emmett。 With Bella's luck； she'll go wandering off into the
woods at exactly the wrong moment and—〃 I flinched。 〃Peter isn't known for his self…
control。 I'm going back Sunday。〃
Emmett sighed。 Exactly like a crazy person。
Bella was sleeping peacefully when I climbed up to her bedroom window early Monday
morning。 I'd remembered oil this time； and the window now moved silently out of my
way。
I could tell by the way her hair lay smooth across the pillow that she'd had a less
restless night than the last time I was here。 She had her hands folded under her cheek like
a small child； and her mouth was slightly open。 I could hear her breath moving slowly in
and out between her lips。
It was an amazing relief to be here； to be able to see her again。 I realized that I
wasn't truly at ease unless that was the case。 Nothing was right when I was away from
her。
Not that all was right when I was with her； either； though。 I sighed； letting the
thirst fire rake through my throat。 I'd been away from it too long。 The time spent
without pain and temptation made it all the more forceful now。 It was bad enough that I
was afraid to go kneel beside her bed so that I could read the titles of her books。 I wanted
to know the stories in her head； but I was afraid of more than my thirst； afraid that if I let
myself get that close to her； I would want to be closer still？
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
154
Her lips looked very soft and warm。 I could imagine touching them with the tip
of my finger。 Just lightly？
That was exactly the kind of mistake that I had to avoid。
My eyes ran over her face again and again； examining it for changes。 Mortals
changed all the time—I was sad at the thought of missing anything？
I thought she looked？tired。 Like she hadn't gotten enough sleep this weekend。
Had she gone out？
I laughed silently and wryly at how much that upset me。 So what if she had？ I
didn't own her。 She wasn't mine。
No； she wasn't mine—and I was sad again。
One of her hands twitched； and I noticed that there were shallow； barely healed
scrapes across the heel of her palm。 She'd been hurt？ Even though it was obviously not
a serious injury； it still disturbed me。 I considered the location； and decided she must
have tripped。 That seemed a reasonable explanation； all things considered。
It was comforting to think that I wouldn't have to puzzle over either of these
small mysteries forever。 We were friends now—or； at least； trying to be friends。 I could
ask her about her weekend—about the beach； and whatever late night activity had made
her look so weary。 I could ask what had happened to her hands。 And I could laugh a
little when she confirmed my theory about them。
I smiled gently as I wondered whether or not she had fallen in the ocean。 I
wondered if she'd had a pleasant time on the outing。 I wondered if she'd thought about
me at all。 If she'd missed me even the tiniest portion of the amount that I'd missed her。
I tried to picture her in the sun on the beach。 The picture was incomplete； though；
because I'd never been to First Beach myself。 I only knew how it looked in pictures？
I felt a tiny qualm of unease as I thought about the reason why I'd never once
been to the pretty beach located just a few minutes run from my home。 Bella had spent
the day at La Push—a place where I was forbidden； by treaty； to go。 A place where a few
old men still remembered the stories about the Cullens； remembered and believed them。
A place where our secret was known？
I shook my head。 I had nothing to worry about there。 The Quileutes were bound
by treaty； too。 Even had Bella run into one of those aging sages； they could reveal
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
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nothing。 And why would the subject ever be broached？ Why would Bella think to voice
her curiosity there？ No—the Quileutes were perhaps the one thing I did not have to
worry about。
I was angry with the sun when it began to rise。 It reminded me that I could not
satisfy my curiosity for days to come。 Why did it choose to shine now？
With a sigh； I ducked out her window before it was light enough for anyone to see
me here。 I meant to stay in the thick forest by her house and see her off to school； but
when I got into the trees； I was surprised to find the trace of her scent lingering on the
trail there。
I followed it quickly； curiously； becoming more and more worried as it led deeper
into the darkness。 What had Bella been doing out here？
The trail stopped abruptly； in the middle of nowhere in particular。 She'd gone just
a few steps off the trail； into the ferns； where she'd touched the trunk of a fallen tree。
Perhaps sat there？
I sat where she had； and looked around。 All she would have been able to see was
ferns and forest。 It had probably been raining—the scent was washed out； having never
set deeply into the tree。
Why would Bella have come to sit here alone—and she had been alone； no doubt
about that—in the middle of the wet； murky forest？
It made no sense； and； unlike those other points of curiosity； I could hardly bring
this up in casual conversation。
So； Bella； I was following your scent through the woods after I left your room
where I'd been watching you sleep？ Yes； that would be quite the ice breaker。
I would never know what she'd been thinking and doing here； and that had my
teeth grinding together in frustration