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.No one expects you to be omniscient, Alice. Thanks. I almost asked you out to dinner tonight did you catch that before I changedmy mind? She grinned. No, I missed that one, too.Wish I d known.I would have come. What were you concentrating on, that you missed so much? Jasper s thinking about our anniversary.She laughed.He s trying not to make adecision on my gift, but I think I have a pretty good idea& You re shameless. Yep. She pursed her lips, and stared up at me, a hint of accusation in her expression.Ipaid better attention later.Are you going to tell them that she knows?I sighed. Yes.Later. I won t say anything.Do me a favor and tell Rosalie when I m not around, okay?I flinched. Sure. Bella took it pretty well.© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 214 Too well. Alice grinned at me.Don t underestimate Bella.I tried to block the image I didn t want to see Bella and Alice, best of friends.Impatient now, I sighed heavily.I wanted to be through with the next part of theevening; I wanted it over with.But I was a little worried to leave Forks& Alice& I began.She saw what I was planning to ask.She ll be fine tonight.I m keeping a better watch now.She sort of needs twenty-four hour supervision, doesn t she? At least. Anyway, you ll be with her soon enough. I took a deep breath.The words were beautiful to me. Go on get this done so you can be where you want to be, she told me.I nodded, and hurried up to Carlisle s room.He was waiting for me, his eyes on the door rather than the thick book on hisdesk. I heard Alice tell you where to find me, he said, and smiled.It was a relief to be with him, to see the empathy and deep intelligence in his eyes.Carlisle would know what to do. I need help. Anything, Edward, he promised. Did Alice tell you what happened to Bella tonight? Almost happened, he amended. Yes, almost.I ve got a dilemma, Carlisle.You see, I want& very much& to killhim. The words started to flow fast and passionate. So much.But I know that wouldbe wrong, because it would be vengeance, not justice.All anger, no impartiality.Still, itcan t be right to leave a serial rapist and killer wandering Port Angeles! I don t know thehumans there, but I can t let someone else take Bella s place as his victim.Those otherwomen someone might feel about them the way I feel about Bella.Might suffer what Iwould have suffered if she d been harmed.It s not right His wide, unexpected smile stopped the rush of my words cold.© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 215She s very good for you, isn t she? So much compassion, so much control.I mimpressed. I m not looking for compliments, Carlisle. Of course not.But I can t help my thoughts, can I? He smiled again. I ll takecare of it.You can rest easy.No one else will be harmed in Bella s place. I saw the plan in his head.It wasn t exactly what I wanted, it did not satisfy mycraving for brutality, but I could see that it was the right thing. I ll show you where to find him, I said. Let s go. He grabbed his black bag on the way.I would have preferred a more aggressiveform of sedation like a cracked skull but I would let Carlisle do this his way.We took my car.Alice was still on the steps.She grinned and waved as we droveaway.I saw that she had looked ahead for me; we would have no difficulties.The trip was very short on the dark, empty road.I left off my headlights to keepfrom attracting attention.It made me smile to think how Bella would have reacted to thispace.I d already been driving slower than usual to prolong my time with her whenshe d objected.Carlisle was thinking of Bella, too.I didn t foresee that she would be so good for him.That s unexpected.Perhapsthis was somehow meant to be.Perhaps it serves a higher purpose.Only&He pictured Bella with snow cold skin and blood red eyes, and then flinched awayfrom the image.Yes.Only.Indeed.Because how could there be any good in destroyingsomething so pure and lovely?I glowered into the night, all the joy of the evening destroyed by his thoughts.Edward deserves happiness.He s owed it.The fierceness of Carlisle s thoughtssurprised me.There must be a way.I wished I could believe that either one.But there was no higher purpose towhat was happening to Bella.Just a vicious harpy, an ugly, bitter fate who could not bearfor Bella to have the life she deserved.© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 216I did not linger in Port Angeles.I took Carlisle to the dive where the creaturenamed Lonnie was drowning his disappointment with his friends two of whom hadalready passed out.Carlisle could see how hard it was for me to be so close for me tohear the monster s thoughts and see his memories, memories of Bella mixed in with lessfortunate girls who no one could save now.My breathing sped.I clenched the steering wheel.Go, Edward, he told me gently.I ll make the rest of them safe.You go back toBella.It was exactly the right thing to say.Her name was the only distraction that couldmean anything to me now.I left him in the car, and ran back to Forks in a straight line through the sleepingforest.It took less time than the first journey in the speeding car.It was just minuteslater that I scaled the side of her house and slid her window out of my way.I sighed silently with relief.Everything was just as it should be.Bella was safein her bed, dreaming, her wet hair tangled like seaweed across the pillow.But, unlike most nights, she was curled into a small ball with the covers stretchedtaut around her shoulders.Cold, I guessed.Before I could settle into my usual seat, sheshivered in her sleep, and her lips trembled.I thought for a brief moment, and then I eased out into the hallway, exploringanother part of her house for the first time.Charlie s snores were loud and even.I could almost catch the edge of his dream.Something with the rush of water and patient expectation& fishing, maybe?There, at the top of the stairs, was a promising looking cupboard.I opened ithopefully, and found what I was looking for.I selected the thickest blanket from the tinylinen closet, and took it back into her room.I would return it before she woke, and noone would be the wiser.Holding my breath, I cautiously spread the blanket over her; she didn t react tothe added weight.I returned to the rocking chair.While I waited anxiously for her to warm up, I thought of Carlisle, wonderingwhere he was now.I knew his plan would go smoothly Alice had seen that.© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 217Thinking of my father made me sigh Carlisle gave me too much credit.Iwished I was the person he thought me to be.That person, the one who deservedhappiness, might hope to be worthy of this sleeping girl.How different things would beif I could be that Edward.As I pondered this, a strange, uncalled image filled my head.For one moment, the hag-faced fate I d imagined, the one who sought Bella sdestruction, was replaced by the most foolish and reckless of angels.A guardian angelsomething Carlisle s version of me might have had.With a heedless smile on her lips,her sky-colored eyes full of mischief, the angel formed Bella in such a fashion that therewas no way that I could possibly overlook her
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