and
healing worked just the same。 No way to win。
Blondie carried Bella swiftly up the big staircase with Carlisle and Edward right on her heels； none of
them taking any notice of me standing dumbstruck in the doorway。
So they had a blood bank and an Xray machine？ Guess the doc brought his work home with him。
I was too tired to follow them； too tired to move。 I leaned back against the wall and then slid to the
ground。 The door was still open； and I pointed my nose toward it； grateful for the clean breeze blowing
in。 I leaned my head against the jamb and listened。
I could hear the sound of the Xray machinery upstairs。 Or maybe I just assumed that's what it was。 And
then the lightest of footsteps ing down the stairs。 I didn't look to see which vampire it was。
〃Do you want a pillow？〃 Alice asked me。
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〃No；〃 I mumbled。 What was with the pushy hospitality？ It was creeping me out。
〃That doesn't look fortable；〃 she observed。
〃S'not。〃
〃Why don't you move； then？〃
〃Tired。 Why aren't you upstairs with the rest of them？〃 I shot back。
〃Headache；〃 she answered。
I rolled my head around to look at her。
Alice was a tiny little thing。 'Bout the size of one of my arms。 She looked even smaller now； sort of
hunched in on herself。 Her small face was pinched。
〃Vampires get headaches？〃
〃Not the normal ones。〃
I snorted。 Normal vampires。
〃So how e you're never with Bella anymore？〃 I asked； making the question an accusation。 It hadn't
occurred to me before； because my head had been full of other crap； but it was weird that Alice was
never around Bella； not since I'd been here。 Maybe if Alice were by her side； Rosalie wouldn't be。
〃Thought you two were like this。〃 I twisted two of my fingers together。
〃Like I said〃—she curled up on the tile a few feet from me； wrapping her skinny arms around her skinny
knees—〃headache。〃
〃Bella's giving you a headache？〃
〃Yes。〃
I frowned。 Pretty sure I was too tired for riddles。 I let my head roll back around toward the fresh air and
closed my eyes。
〃Not Bella； really；〃 she amended。 〃The。。。 fetus。〃
Ah； someone else who felt like I did。 It was pretty easy to recognize。 She said the word grudgingly； the
way Edward did。
〃I can't see it；〃 she told me； though she might have been talking to herself。 For all she knew； I was
already gone。 〃I can't see anything about it。 Just like you。〃
I flinched； and then my teeth ground together。 I didn't like being pared to the creature。
〃Bella gets in the way。 She's all wrapped around it； so she's。。。 blurry。 Like bad reception on a TV—like
trying to focus your eyes on those fuzzy people jerking around on the screen。 It's killing my head to watch
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her。 And I can't see more than a few minutes ahead； anyway。 The。。。 fetus is too much a part of her future。
When she first decided。。。 when she knew she wanted it； she blurred right out of my sight。 Scared me to
death。〃
She was quiet for a second； and then she added； 〃I have to admit； it's a relief having you close by—in
spite of the wetdog smell。 Everything goes away。 Like having my eyes closed。 It numbs the headache。〃
〃Happy to be of service； ma'am；〃 I mumbled。
〃I wonder what it has in mon with you。。。 why you're the same that way。〃
Sudden heat flashed in the center of my bones。 I clenched my fists to hold off the tremors。
〃I have nothing in mon with that lifesucker；〃 I said through my teeth。
〃Well； there's something there。〃
I didn't answer。 The heat was already burning away。 I was too dead tired to stay furious。
〃You don't mind if I sit here by you； do you？〃 she asked。
〃Guess not。 Stinks anyway。〃
〃Thanks；〃 she said。 〃This is the best thing for it； I guess； since I can't take aspirin。〃
〃Could you keep it down？ Sleeping； here。〃
She didn't respond； immediately lapsing into silence。 I was out in seconds。
I was dreaming that I was really thirsty。 And there was a big glass of water in front of me—all cold； you
could see the condensation running down the sides。 I grabbed the cup and took a huge gulp； only to find
out pretty quick that it wasn't water—it was straight bleach。 I choked it back out； spewing it everywhere；
and a bunch of it blew out of my nose。 It burned。 My nose was on fire。。。。
The pain in my nose woke me up enough to remember where I'd fallen asleep。 The smell was pretty
fierce； considering that my nose wasn't actually inside the house。 Ugh。 And it was noisy。 Someone was
laughing too loud。 A familiar laugh； but one that didn't go with the smell。 Didn't belong。
I groaned and opened my eyes。 The skies were dull gray—it was daytime； but no clue as to when。
Maybe close to sunset—it was pretty dark。
〃About time；〃 Blondie mumbled from not too far away。 〃The chainsaw impersonation was getting a little
tired。〃
I rolled over and wrenched myself into a sitting position。 In the process； I figured out where the smell
was ing from。 Someone had stuffed a wide feather pillow under my face。 Probably trying to be nice；
I'd guess。 Unless it'd been Rosalie。
Once my face was out of the stinking feathers； I caught other scents。 Like bacon and cinnamon； all
mixed up with the vampire smell。
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I blinked； taking in the room。
Things hadn't changed too much； except that now Bella was sitting up in the middle of the sofa； and the
IV was gone。 Blondie sat at her feet； her head resting against Bella's knees。 Still gave me chills to see
how casually they touched her； though I guess that was pretty braindead； all things considered。 Edward
was on one side of her； holding her hand。 Alice was on the floor； too； like Rosalie。 Her face wasn't
pinched up now。 And it was easy to see why—she'd found another painkiller。
〃Hey； Jake's ing around！〃 Seth crowed。
He was sitting on Bella's other side； his arm slung carelessly over her shoulders； an overflowing plate of
food on his lap。
What the hell？
〃He came to find you；〃 Edward said while I got to my feet。 〃And Esme convinced him to stay for
breakfast。〃
Seth took in my expression； and he hurried to explain。 〃Yeah； Jake—I was just checking to see if you
were okay 'cause you didn't ever phase back。 Leah got worried。 I told her you probably just crashed
human； but you know how she is。 Anyway； they had all this food and； dang；〃—he turned to
Edward—〃man； you can cook〃
〃Thank you；〃 Edward murmured。
I inhaled slowly； trying to unclench my teeth。 I couldn't take my eyes off Seth's arm。
〃Bella got cold；〃 Edward said quietly。
Right。 None of my business； anyway。 She didn't belong to me。
Seth heard Edward's ment； looked at my face； and suddenly he needed both hands to eat with。 He
took his arm off Bella and dug in。 i walked over to stand a few feet from the couch； still trying to get my
bearings。
〃Leah running patrol？〃 I asked Seth。 My voice was still thick with sleep。
〃Yeah；〃 he said as he chewed。 Seth had new clothes on； too。 They fit him better than mine fit me。 〃She's
on it。 No worries。 She'll howl if there's anything。 We traded off around midnight。 I ran twelve hours。〃 He
was proud of that； and it showed in his tone。
〃Midnight？ Wait a minute—what time is it now？〃
〃'Bout dawn。〃 He glanced toward the window； checking。
Well； damn。 I'd slept through the rest of the day and the whole night—dropped the ball。 〃Crap。 Sorry
about that； Seth。 Really。 You shoulda kicked me awake。〃
〃Naw； man； you needed some serious sleep。 You haven't taken a break since when？ Night before your
last patrol for Sam？ Like forty hours？ Fifty？ You're not a machine； Jake。 'Sides； you didn't miss anything
at all。〃
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Nothing at all？ I glanced quickly at Bella。 Her color was back to the way I remembered it。 Pale； but with
the rose undertone。 Her lips were pink again。 Even her hair looked better—shinier。 She saw me
appraising and gave me a qrin。
〃How's the rib？〃 I asked。
〃Taped up nice and tight； i don't even feel it。'7
I rolled my eyes。 I heard Edward grind his teeth together； and I figured her blowitoff attitude bugged
him as much at it bugged me。
〃What's for breakfast？〃 I asked； a little sarcastic。 〃O negative or AB positive？〃
She stuck her tongue out at me。 Totally herself again。 〃Omelets；〃 she said； but her eyes darted down；
and I saw that her cup of blood was wedged between her leg and Edward's。
〃Go get some breakfast； Jake；〃 Seth said。 〃There's a bunch in the kitchen。 You've got to be empty。〃
I examined the food in his lap。 Looked like half a cheese omelet and the last fourth of a Frisbeesized
cinnamon roll。 My stomach growled； but I ignored it。
〃What's Leah having for breakfast？〃 I asked Seth critically。
〃Hey； I took food to her before I ate anything〃 he defended himself。 〃She said she'd rather eat roadkill；
but I bet she caves。 These cinnamon rolls。。。 〃 He seemed at a loss for words。
'Til go hunt with her； then。〃
Seth sighed as I turned to leave。
〃A moment； Jacob？〃
It was Carlisle asking； so when I turned around again； my face was probably less disrespectful than it
would have been if anyone else had stopped me。
〃Yeah？〃
Carlisle approached me while Esme drifted off toward the other room。 He stopped a few feet away； just
a little bit farther away than the normal space between two humans having a conversation。 I appreciated
him giving me my space。
〃Speaking of hunting；〃 he began in a somber tone。 〃That's going to be an issue for my family。 I
understand that our previous truce is inoperative at the moment； so I wanted your advice。 Will Sam be
hunting for us outside of the perimeter you've created？ We don't want to take a chance with hurting any
of your family—or losing any of ours。 If you were in our shoes； how would you proceed？〃
I leaned away； a little surprised； when he threw it back