some dry clothes。〃
I let my eyes adjust to the dark room while Jacob banged around in his bedroom。 The cramped front
room seemed so empty without Billy； almost desolate。 It was strangely ominous—probably just because
I knew where he was。
Jacob was back in seconds。 He threw a pile of gray cotton at me。 〃These will be huge on you； but it's the
best I've got。 I'll； er； step outside so you can change。〃
〃Don't go anywhere。 I'm too tired to move yet。 Just stay with me。〃
Jacob sat on the floor next to me； his back against the couch。 I wondered when he'd slept last。 He
looked as exhausted as I felt。
He leaned his head on the cushion next to mine and yawned。 〃Guess I could rest for a minute…〃
His eyes closed。 I let mine slide shut； too。
Poor Harry。 Poor Sue。 I knew Charlie was going to be beside himself。 Harry was one of his best friends。
Despite Jake's negative take on things； I hoped fervently that Harry would pull through。 For Charlie's
sake。 For Sue's and Leah's and Seth's…
Billy's sofa was right next to the radiator； and I was warm now； despite my soaked clothes。 My lungs
ached in a way that pushed me toward unconsciousness rather than keeping me awake。 I wondered
vaguely if it was wrong to sleep… or was I getting drowning mixed up with concussions… ？ Jacob
began softly snoring； and the sound of it soothed like a lullaby。 I fell asleep quickly。
For the first time in a very long time； my dream was just a normal dream。 Just a blurred wandering
through old memories—blinding bright visions of the Phoenix sun； my mother's face； a ramshackle tree
house； a faded quilt； a wall of mirrors； a flame on the black water… I forgot each of them as soon as the
picture changed。
The last picture was the only one that stuck in my head。 It was meaningless—just a set on a stage。 A
balcony at night； a painted moon hanging in the sky。 I watched the girl in her nightdress lean on the railing
and talk to herself。
Meaningless… but when I slowly struggled back to consciousness； Juliet was on my mind。
Jacob was still asleep； he'd slumped down to the floor and his breathing was deep and even。 The house
was darker now than before； it was black outside the window。 I was stiff； but warm and almost dry。 The
inside of my throat burned with every breath I took。
I was going to have to get up—at least to get a drink。 But my body just wanted tc he here limp； to never
move again。
Instead of moving； I thought about Juliet some more。
I wondered what she would have done if Romeo had left her； not because he was banished； but because
he lost interests What if Rosalind had given him the time of day； and he'd changed his mind？ What if；
instead of marrying Juliet； he'd just disappeared？
I thought I knew how Juliet would feel。
She wouldn't go back to her old life； not really。 She wouldn't ever have moved on； I was sure of that。
Even if she'd lived until she was old and gray； every time she closed her eyes； it would have been
Romeo's face she saw behind her lids。 She would have accepted that； eventually。
I wondered if she would have married Paris in the end； just to please her parents； to keep the peace。 No；
probably not； I decided。 But then； the story didn't say much about Paris。 He was just a stick figure—a
placeholder； a threat； a deadline to force her hand。
What if there were more to Paris？
What if Paris had been Juliet's friend？ Her very best friend？ What if he was the only one she could
confide in about the whole devastating thing with Romeo？ The one person who really understood her and
made her feel halfway human again？ What if he was patient and kind？ What if he took care of her？ What
if Juliet knew she couldn't survive without him？ What if he really loved her； and wanted her to be happy？
And… what if she loved Paris？ Not like Romeo。 Nothing like that； of course。 But enough that she
wanted him to be happy； too？
Jacob's slow； deep breathing was the only sound in the room—like a lullaby hummed to a child； like the
whisper of a rocking chair； like the ticking of an old clock when you had nowhere you needed to go…It
was the sound of fort。
If Romeo was really gone； never ing back； would it have mattered whether or not Juliet had taken
Paris up on his offer？ Maybe she should have tried to settle into the leftover scraps of life that were left
behind。 Maybe that would have been as close to happiness as she could get。
I sighed； and then groaned when the sigh scraped my throat。 I was reading too much into the story。
Romeo wouldn't change his mind。 That's why people still remembered his name； always twined with hers：
Romeo and Juliet。 That's why it was a good story。 〃Juliet gets dumped and ends up with Paris〃 would
have never been a hit。
I closed my eyes and drifted again； letting my mind wander away from the stupid play I didn't want to
think about anymore。 I thought about reality instead—about jumping off the cliff and what a brainless
mistake that had been。 And not just the cliff； but the motorcycles and the whole irresponsible Evel
Knievel bit。 What if something bad happened to me？ What would that do to Charlie？ Harry's heart
attack had pushed everything suddenly into perspective for me。 Perspective that I didn't want to see；
because—if I admitted to the truth of it—it would mean that I would have to change my ways。 Could I
live like that？
Maybe。 It wouldn't be easy； in fact； it would be downright miserable to give up my hallucinations and try
to be a grownup。 But maybe I should do it。 And maybe I could。 If I had Jacob。
I couldn't make that decision right now。 It hurt too much。 I'd think about something else。
Images from my illconsidered afternoon stunt rolled through my head while I tried to e up with
something pleasant to think about… the feel of the air as I fell； the blackness of the water； the thrashing of
the current… Edward's face… I lingered there for a long time。 Jacob's warm hands； trying to beat life
back into me… the stinging rain flung down by the purple clouds… the strange fire on the waves…
There was something familiar about that flash of color on top of the water。 Of course it couldn't really be
fire—
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car squelching through the mud on the road outside。 I
heard it stop in front of the house； and doors started opening and closing。 I thought about sitting up； and
then decided against that idea。
Billy's voice was easily identifiable； but he kept it uncharacteristically low； so that it was only a gravelly
grumble。
The door opened； and the light flicked on。 I blinked； momentarily blind。 Jake startled awake； gasping and
jumping to his feet。
〃Sorry；〃 Billy grunted。 〃Did we wake you？〃
My eyes slowly focused on his face； and then； as I could read his expression； they filled with tears。
〃Oh； no； Billy！〃 I moaned。
He nodded slowly； his expression hard with grief。 Jake hurried to his father and took one of his hands。
The pain made his face suddenly childlike—it looked odd on top of the man's body。
Sam was right behind Billy； pushing his chair through the door。 His normal posure was absent from
his agonized face。
〃I'm so sorry；〃 I whispered。
Billy nodded。 〃It's gonna be hard all around。〃
〃Where's Charlie？〃
〃Your dad is still at the hospital with Sue。 There are a lot of… arrangements to be made。〃
I swallowed hard。
〃I'd better get back there；〃 Sam mumbled； and he ducked hastily out the door。
Billy pulled his hand away from Jacob； and then he rolled himself through the kitchen toward his room。
Jake stared after him for a minute； then came to sit on the floor beside me again。 He put his face in his
hands。 I rubbed his shoulder； wishing I could think of anything to say。
After a long moment； Jacob caught my hand and held it to his face。
〃How are you feeling？ Are you okay？ I probably should have taken you to a doctor or something。〃 He
sighed。
〃Don't worry about me；〃 I croaked。
He twisted his head to look at me。 His eyes were rimmed in red。 〃You don't look so good。〃
〃I don't feel so good； either； I guess。〃
〃I'll go get your truck and then take you home—you probably ought to be there when Charlie gets back。〃
〃Right。〃
I lay listlessly on the sofa while I waited for him。 Billy was silent in the other room。 I felt like a peeping
torn； peering through the cracks at a private sorrow that wasn't mine。
It didn't take Jake long。 The roar of my truck's engine broke the silence before I expected it。 He helped
me up from the couch without speaking； keeping his arm around my shoulder when the cold air outside
made me shiver。 He took the driver's seat without asking； and then pulled me next to his side to keep his
arm tight around me。 I leaned my head against his chest。
〃How will you get home？〃 I asked。
〃I'm not going home。 We still haven't caught the bloodsucker； remember？〃
My next shudder had nothing to do with cold。
It was a quiet ride after that。 The cold air had woken me up。 My mind was alert； and it was working very
hard and very fast。
What if？ What was the right thing to do？
I couldn't imagine my life without Jacob now—I cringed away from the idea of even trying to imagine
that。 Somehow； he'd bee essential to my survival。 But to leave things the way they were… was that
cruel； as Mike had accused？
I remembered wishing that Jacob were my brother。 I realized now that all I really wanted was a claim on
him。 It didn't feel brotherly when he held me like this。 It just felt nice—warm and forting and familiar。
Safe。 Jacob was a safe harbor。
I could stake a claim。 I had that much within my power。
I'd have to tell him everything； I knew that。 It was the only way to be fair。 I'd have to explain it right； so
that he'd know I wasn't settling； that he was much too good for me。 He already knew I was broken； that
part wouldn't surprise him； but he'd need to know the extent of it。 I'd even have to admit that I was
crazy—explain about the voices I heard。 He'd need to know everything before he made a decision。
But； even as I recognized that necessity； I knew h