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glared　at　me；　never　looking　away。　
Emmett　sat　beside　her；　his　face　and　thoughts　both　wry。　
Jasper　hesitated；　and　then　went　to　stand　against　the　wall　behind　Rosalie。　　He　was　
decided；　regardless　of　the　outcome　of　this　discussion。　　My　teeth　locked　together。　
Alice　was　the　last　to　come　in；　and　her　eyes　were　focused　on　something　far　away—　
the　future；　still　too　indistinct　for　her　to　make　use　of　it。　　Without　seeming　to　think　about　it；　
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she　sat　next　to　Esme。　　She　rubbed　her　forehead　as　if　she　had　a　headache。　　Jasper　twitched　
uneasily　and　considered　joining　her；　but　he　kept　his　place。　
I　took　a　deep　breath。　　I　had　started　this—I　should　speak　first。　
〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　said；　looking　first　at　Rose；　then　Jasper　and　then　Emmett。　　〃I　didn't　
mean　to　put　any　of　you　at　risk。　　It　was　thoughtless；　and　I　take　full　responsibility　for　my　
hasty　action。〃　
Rosalie　glared　at　me　balefully。　　〃What　do　you　mean；　'take　full　responsibility'？　
Are　you　going　to　fix　it？〃　
〃Not　the　way　you　mean；〃　I　said；　working　to　keep　my　voice　even　and　quiet。　　〃I'm　
willing　to　leave　now；　if　that　makes　things　better。〃　　If　I　believe　that　the　girl　will　be　safe；　if　I　
believe　that　none　of　you　will　touch　her；　I　amended　in　my　head。　
〃No；〃　Esme　murmured。　　〃No；　Edward。〃　
I　patted　her　hand。　　〃It's　just　a　few　years。〃　
〃Esme's　right；　though；〃　Emmett　said。　　〃You　can't　go　anywhere　now。　　That　would　
be　the　opposite　of　helpful。　　We　have　to　know　what　people　are　thinking；　now　more　than　
ever。〃　
〃Alice　will　catch　anything　major；〃　I　disagreed。　
Carlisle　shook　his　head。　　〃I　think　Emmett　is　right；　Edward。　　The　girl　will　be　more　
likely　to　talk　if　you　disappear。　　It's　all　of　us　leave；　or　none　of　us。〃　
〃She　won't　say　anything；〃　I　insisted　quickly。　　Rose　was　building　up　to　the　
explosion；　and　I　wanted　this　fact　out　there　first。　
〃You　don't　know　her　mind；〃　Carlisle　reminded　me。　
〃I　know　this　much。　　Alice；　back　me　up。〃　
Alice　stared　up　at　me　wearily。　　〃I　can't　see　what　will　happen　if　we　just　ignore　
this。〃　　She　glanced　at　Rose　and　Jasper。　
No；　she　couldn't　see　that　future—not　when　Rosalie　and　Jasper　were　so　decided　
against　ignoring　the　incident。　
Rosalie's　palm　smacked　down　on　the　table　with　a　loud　bang。　　〃We　can't　allow　the　
human　a　chance　to　say　anything。　　Carlisle；　you　must　see　that。　　Even　if　we　decided　to　all　
disappear；　it's　not　safe　to　leave　stories　behind　us。　　We　live　so　differently　from　the　rest　of　
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our　kind—you　know　there　are　those　who　would　love　an　excuse　to　point　fingers。　　We　have　
to　be　more　careful　than　anyone　else！〃　
〃We've　left　rumors　behind　us　before；〃　I　reminded　her。　
〃Just　rumors　and　suspicions；　Edward。　　Not　eyewitnesses　and　evidence！〃　
〃Evidence！〃　I　scoffed。　
But　Jasper　was　nodding；　his　eyes　hard。　
〃Rose—〃　Carlisle　began。　
〃Let　me　finish；　Carlisle。　　It　doesn't　have　to　be　any　big　production。　　The　girl　hit　her　
head　today。　　So　maybe　that　injury　turns　out　to　be　more　serious　that　it　looked。〃　　Rosalie　
shrugged。　　〃Every　mortal　goes　to　sleep　with　the　chance　of　never　waking　up。　The　others　
would　expect　us　to　clean　up　after　ourselves。　　Technically；　that　would　make　it　Edward's　
job；　but　this　is　obviously　beyond　him。　　You　know　I'm　capable　of　control。　　I　would　leave　
no　evidence　behind　me。〃　
〃Yes；　Rosalie；　we　all　know　how　proficient　an　assassin　you　are；〃　I　snarled。　
She　hissed　at　me；　furious。　
〃Edward；　please；〃　Carlisle　said。　　Then　he　turned　to　Rosalie。　　〃Rosalie；　I　looked　
the　other　way　in　Rochester　because　I　felt　that　you　were　owed　your　justice。　　The　men　you　
killed　had　wronged　you　monstrously。　　This　is　not　the　same　situation。　　The　Swan　girl　is　an　
innocent。〃　
〃It's　not　personal；　Carlisle；〃　Rosalie　said　through　her　teeth。　　〃It's　to　protect　us　
all。〃　
There　was　a　brief　moment　of　silence　while　Carlisle　thought　through　his　answer。　
When　he　nodded；　Rosalie's　eyes　lit　up。　　She　should　have　known　better。　　Even　if　I　hadn't　
been　able　to　read　his　thoughts；　I　could　have　anticipated　his　next　words。　　Carlisle　never　
compromised。　
〃I　know　you　mean　well；　Rosalie；　but？I'd　like　very　much　for　our　family　to　be　
worth　protecting。　　The　occasional？accident　or　lapse　in　control　is　a　regrettable　part　of　
who　we　are。〃　　It　was　very　like　him　to　include　himself　in　the　plural；　though　he　had　never　
had　such　a　lapse　himself。　　〃To　murder　a　blameless　child　in　cold　blood　is　another　thing　
entirely。　　I　believe　the　risk　she　presents；　whether　she　speaks　her　suspicions　or　not；　is　
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nothing　to　the　greater　risk。　　If　we　make　exceptions　to　protect　ourselves；　we　risk　
something　much　more　important。　　We　risk　losing　the　essence　of　who　we　are。〃　
I　controlled　my　expression　very　carefully。　　It　wouldn't　do　at　all　to　grin。　　Or　to　
applaud；　as　I　wished　I　could。　
Rosalie　scowled。　　〃It's　just　being　responsible。〃　
〃It's　being　callous；〃　Carlisle　corrected　gently。　　〃Every　life　is　precious。〃　
Rosalie　sighed　heavily　and　her　lower　lip　pouted　out。　　Emmett　patted　her　shoulder。　
〃It'll　be　fine；　Rose；〃　he　encouraged　in　a　low　voice。　
〃The　question；〃　Carlisle　continued；　〃is　whether　we　should　move　on？〃　
〃No；〃　Rosalie　moaned。　　〃We　just　got　settled。　　I　don't　want　to　start　on　my　
sophomore　year　in　high　school　again！〃　
〃You　could　keep　your　present　age；　of　course；〃　Carlisle　said。　
〃And　have　to　move　again　that　much　sooner？〃　she　countered。　
Carlisle　shrugged。　
〃I　like　it　here！　　There's　so　little　sun；　we　get　to　be　almost　normal。〃　
〃Well；　we　certainly　don't　have　to　decide　now。　　We　can　wait　and　see　if　it　becomes　
necessary。　　Edward　seems　certain　of　the　Swan　girl's　silence。〃　
Rosalie　snorted。　
But　I　was　no　longer　worried　about　Rose。　　I　could　see　that　she　would　go　along　with　
Carlisle's　decision；　not　matter　how　infuriated　she　was　with　me。　　Their　conversation　had　
moved　on　to　unimportant　details。　
Jasper　remained　unmoved。　
I　understood　why。　　Before　he　and　Alice　had　met；　he'd　lived　in　a　combat　zone；　a　
relentless　theater　of　war。　　He　knew　the　consequences　of　flouting　the　rules—he'd　seen　the　
grisly　aftermath　with　his　own　eyes。　
It　said　much　that　he　had　not　tried　to　calm　Rosalie　down　with　his　extra　faculties；　
nor　did　he　now　try　to　rile　her　up。　　He　was　holding　himself　aloof　from　this　discussion—　
above　it。　
〃Jasper；〃　I　said。　
He　met　my　gaze；　his　face　expressionless。　
〃She　won't　pay　for　my　mistake。　　I　won't　allow　that。〃　
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〃She　benefits　from　it；　then？　　She　should　have　died　today；　Edward。　　I　would　only　
set　that　right。〃　
I　repeated　myself；　emphasizing　each　word。　　〃I　will　not　allow　it。〃　
His　eyebrows　shot　up。　He　wasn't　expecting　this—he　hadn't　imagined　that　I　would　
act　to　stop　him。　
He　shook　his　head　once。　　〃I　won't　let　Alice　live　in　danger；　even　a　slight　danger。　
You　don't　feel　about　anyone　the　way　I　feel　about　her；　Edward；　and　you　haven't　lived　
through　what　I've　lived　through；　whether　you've　seen　my　memories　or　not。　　You　don't　
understand。〃　
〃I'm　not　disputing　that；　Jasper。　　But　I'm　telling　you　now；　I　won't　allow　you　to　
hurt　Isabella　Swan。〃　
We　stared　at　each　other—not　glaring；　but　measuring　the　opposition。　　I　felt　him　
sample　the　mood　around　me；　testing　my　determination。　
〃Jazz；〃　Alice　said；　interrupting　us。　
He　held　my　gaze　for　a　moment　more；　and　then　looked　at　her。　　〃Don't　bother　
telling　me　you　can　protect　yourself；　Alice。　　I　already　know　that。　　I've　still　got　to—〃　
〃That's　not　what　I'm　going　say；〃　Alice　interrupted。　　〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　for　a　
favor。〃　
I　saw　what　was　on　her　mind；　and　my　mouth　fell　open　with　an　audible　gasp。　　I　
stared　at　her；　shocked；　only　vaguely　aware　that　everyone　besides　Alice　and　Jasper　was　
now　eyeing　me　warily。　
〃I　know　you　love　me。　　Thanks。　　But　I　would　really　appreciate　it　if　you　didn't　try　to　
kill　Bella。　　First　of　all；　Edward's　serious　and　I　don't　want　you　two　fighting。　　Secondly；　
she's　my　friend。　　At　least；　she's　going　to　be。〃　
It　was　clear　as　glass　in　her　head：　Alice；　smiling；　with　her　icy　white　arm　around　the　
girl's　warm；　fragile　shoulders。　　And　Bella　was　smiling；　too；　her　arm　around　Alice's　waist。　
The　vision　was　rock　solid；　only　the　timing　of　it　was　unsure。　
〃But？Alice？〃　　Jasper　gasped。　　I　couldn't　manage　to　turn　my　head　to　see　his　
expression。　　I　couldn't　tear　myself　away　from　the　image　in　Alice's　head　in　order　to　hear　
his。　
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〃I'm　going　to　love　her　someday；　Jazz。　　I'll　be　very　put　out　with　you　if　you　don't　
let　her　be。〃　
I　was　still　locked　into　Alice's　thoughts。　　I　saw　the　future　shimmer　as　Jasper's　
resolve　floundered　in　the　face　of　her　unexpected　request。　
〃Ah；〃　she　sighed—his　indecision　had　cleared　a　new　future。　　〃See？　　Bella's　not　
going　to　say　anything。　　There's　nothing　to　worry　about。〃　
The　way　she　said　the　girl's　name？like　they　were　already　close　confidants？　
〃Alice；〃　I　choked。　　〃What？does　this？？〃　
〃I　told　you　there　was　a　change　coming。　　I　don't　know；　Edward。〃　　But　she　locked　
her　jaw；　and　I　could　see　that　there　was　more。　　She　was　trying　not　to　think　about　it；　she　
was　focusing　very　hard　on　Jasper　suddenly；　though　he　was　too　stunned　to　have　
progressed　much　in　his　decision　making。　
She　did　this　sometimes　when　she　was　trying　to　keep　something　from　me。　
〃What；　Alice？　　What　are　you　hiding？〃　
I　heard　Emmett　grumble。　　He　always　got　frustrated　when　Alice　and　I　had　these　
kinds　of　conversations。　
She　shook　her　head；　trying　to　not　let　me　in。　
〃Is　it　about　the　girl？〃　I　demanded。　　〃Is　it　about　Bella？〃　
She　had　her　teeth　gritted　in　concentration；　but　when　I　spoke　Bella's　name；　she　
slipped。　　Her　slip　only　lasted　the　tiniest　portion　of　a　second；　but　that　was　long　enough。　
〃NO！〃　I　shouted。　　I　heard　my　chair　hit　the　floor；　and　only　then　realized　I　was　on　
my　feet。　
〃Edward！〃　Carlisle　was　on　his　feet；　too；　his　arm　on　my　shoulder。　　I　was　barely　
aware　of　him。　
〃It's　solidifying；〃　Alice　whispered。　　〃Every　minute　you're　more　decided。　
There're　really　only　two　ways　left　for　her。　　It's　one　or　the　other；　Edward。〃　
I　could　see　what　she　saw？but　I　could　not　accept　it。　
〃No；〃　I　said　again；　there　was　no　volume　to　my　denial。　　My　legs　felt　hollow；　and　I　
had　to　brace　myself　against　the　table。　
〃Will　somebody　please　let　the　rest　of　us　in　on　the　mystery？〃　Emmett　complained。　
〃I　have　to　leave；〃　I　whispered　to　Alice；　ignoring　him。