l the day that I finally found someone whose beauty touched me the way hers had not。 Rosalie had relied on the belief that if I did not find her beauty worth worshiping； then certainly there was no beauty on earth that would reach me。 She d been furious since the moment I d saved Bella s life； guessing； with her shrewd female intuition； the interest that I was all but unconscious of myself。 Rosalie was mortally offended that I found some insignificant human girl more appealing than her。 I suppressed the urge to laugh again。 It bothered me some； though； the way she saw Bella。 Rosalie actually thought the girl was plain。 How could she believe that？ It seemed inprehensible to me。 A product of the jealousy； no doubt。 Oh！ Alice said abruptly。 Jasper； guess what？ I saw what she d just seen； and my hands froze on the keys。 What； Alice？ Jasper asked。 Peter and Charlotte are ing to visit next week！ neighborhood； isn t that nice？ They re going to be in the What s wrong； Edward？ Esme asked； feeling the tension in my shoulders。 Peter and Charlotte are ing to Forks？ I hissed at Alice She rolled her eyes at me。 Calm down； Edward。 It s not their first visit。 My teeth clenched together。 It was their first visit since Bella had arrived； and her sweet blood didn t appeal just to me。 Alice frowned at my expression。 They never hunt here。 You know that。 But Jasper s brother of sorts and the little vampire he loved were not like us； they hunted the usual way。 They could not be trusted around Bella。 When？ I demanded。
She pursed her lips unhappily； but told me what I needed to know。 No one is going to hurt Bella。 No； I agreed； and then turned away from her。 I thought we were leaving in the morning？ We re ing back by midnight Sunday。 leave。 Okay； fine。 Sure。 Monday morning。 You ready； Emmett？ I guess it s up to you when you want to Let me say goodbye to Rose first。 With the mood Rosalie was in； it would be a short goodbye。 You really have lost it； Edward； he thought as he headed toward the back door。 I suppose I have。 Play the new song for me； one more time； Esme asked。 If you d like that； I agreed； though I was a little hesitant to follow the tune to its unavoidable end the end that had set me aching in unfamiliar ways。 I thought for a 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 Oh； hey Edward！ he shouted advantage of his distraction sharp claws shredded through bellowed at the highpitched not to play with your food？ I called to Emmett。 back； grinning and waving at me。 The bear took to rake its heavy paw across Emmett s chest。 The his shirt； and squealed across his skin。 The bear noise。 Aw hell； Rose gave me this shirt！ Emmett roared back at the enraged animal。 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 buttondown。 mountain lion； then？ Weren t you able to track down that
Of course I was。 I just don t eat like a savage。 I wish they were stronger。 It would be more Emmett laughed his booming laugh。 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？ could give me some pointers。 My good humor vanished。 Touchy； touchy。 I sighed。 Emmett came to sit beside me on the rock。 Emmett mused。 Maybe she Stay away from her； I growled through my teeth。 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。 Thinking about her。 What s bugging you now？ Well； worrying； really。 You are here。 He laughed loudly。 What s there to worry about？ 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。 that first time around； was I？ I wasn t much match for a bear 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。 rained on。 He shrugged。 She lives in Forks； remember？ So she gets 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 selfcontrol than just about anyone but Carlisle。 luck again。 The van？ That was just an accident。 You should have seen it ing for her； Em； again and again。 like she had some kind of magic pull。 But you were there。 That was good luck。 I swear； it was Good 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。 she seems like mor