Hey Jake, thought you said you wanted me at dusk. How come you didn't have Leah wake me upbefore she crashed?

　　'Cause I didn't need you. I'm still good.

　　He was already picking up the north half of the circle. Anything?

　　Nope. Nothing but nothing.

　　You did some scouting?

　　He'dcaught the edge of one of my side trips. He headed up the new trail.

　　Yeah—/ ran a few spokes. You know, just checking. If the Cullens are going to make a huntingtrip...

　　Good call.

　　Seth looped back toward the main perimeter.

　　It was easier to run with him than it was to do the same with Leah. Though she was trying—tryinghard—there was always an edge to her thoughts. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to feel thesoftening toward the vampires that was going on in my head. She didn't want to deal with Seth's cozyfriendship with them, a friendship that was only getting stronger.

　　Funny, though, I'd've thought her biggest issue would just be me. We'd always gotten on each other'snerves when we were in Sam's pack. But there was no antagonism toward me now at all, just the CullensandBella. I wondered why. Maybe it was simply gratitude that I wasn't forcing her to leave. Maybe itwas because I understood her hostility better now. Whichever, running with Leah wasn't nearly as bad asI'd expected.

　　Of course, she hadn't eased up that much. The food and clothes Esme had sent for her were all taking atrip downriver right now. Even after I'd eaten my share—not because it smelled nearly irresistible awayfrom the vampire burn, but to set a good example of self-sacrificing tolerance for Leah—she'd refused.

　　The small elk she'd taken down around noon had not totally satisfied her appetite. Did make her moodworse, though. Leah hated eating raw.

　　Maybe we should runa sweep east? Seth suggested. Go deep, see if they're out there waiting.

　　I was thinking about that,I agreed. But let's do it when we're all awake. I don't want to let down ourguard. We should do it before the Cullens give it a try, though. Soon.

　　Right.

　　That got me thinking.

　　If the Cullens were able to get out of the immediate area safely, they really ought to keep on going. Theyprobably should have taken off the second we'd come to warn them. They had to be able to afford otherdigs. And they had friends up north, right? Take Bella and run. It seemed like an obvious answer to theirproblems.

　　I probably ought to suggest that, but I was afraid they would listen to me. And I didn't wantto haveBelladisappear—to never know whether she'd made it or not.

　　No, that was stupid. I wouldtell them togo. It made no sense for them to stay, and it would be better—not less painful, but healthier—for me if Bella left.

　　Easyto say now, when Bella wasn't right there, looking all thrilled to see me and also clinging to life byher fingernails at the same time...

　　Oh, I already asked Edward about that,Seth thought.

　　What?

　　I asked him why they hadn't taken off yet. Gone up to Tanya's place or something. Somewhere too farfor Sam to come after them.

　　I had to remind myself that I'd just decided to give the Cullens that exact advice. That it was best. So Ishouldn't be mad at Seth for taking the chore out of my hands. Not mad at all.

　　So what did he say? Are they waiting for a window?

　　No. They're not leaving.

　　And that shouldn't sound like good news.

　　Why not? That's just stupid.

　　Not really,Seth said, defensive now. It takes some time to build up the kind of medical access thatCarlisle has here. He's got all the stuff he needs to take care of Bella, and the credentials to getmore. That's one of the reasons they want to make a hunting run. Carlisle thinks they're going toneed more blood for Bella soon. She's using up all the O negative they stored for her. He doesn'tlike depleting the stockpile. He's going to buy some more. Did you know you can buy blood? Ifyou're a doctor.

　　I wasn't ready to be logical yet. Still seems stupid. They could bring most of it with them, right?

　　And steal what they need wherever they go. Who cares about legal crap when you're the undead?

　　Edward doesn't want to take any risks moving her.

　　She's better than she was.

　　Seriously,Seth agreed. In his head, he was comparing my memories of Bella hooked up to the tubes withthelast time he'd seen her as he'd left the house. She'd smiled at him and waved. But she can't movearound much, you know. That thing is kicking the hell out of her.

　　I swallowed back the stomach acid in my throat. Yeah, I know.

　　Broke another of her ribs,he told me somberly.

　　My stride faltered, and I staggered a step before I regained my rhythm.

　　Carlisle taped her up again. Just another crack, he said. Then Rosalie said something about how evennormal human babies have been known to crack ribs. Edward looked like he was gonna rip her head off.

　　Too bad he didn'tSeth was in full report mode now—knowing it was all vitally interesting to me, though I'd never've askedto hear it. Bella's been running a fever off and on today. Just low grade — sweats and then chills.

　　Carlisle's not sure what to make of it— shemightjust be sick. Her immune system can't be in peakform right now.

　　Yeah, I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

　　She's in a good mood, though. She was chatting with Charlie, laughing and all—Charlie!What?! What do you mean, she was talking to Charlie?!

　　Now Seth's pace stuttered; my fury surprised him. Guess he calls every day to talk to her. Sometimesher mom calls, too. Bella sounds so much better now, so she was reassuring him that she was onthe mend-On the mend? What the hell are they thinking?! Get Charlie's hopes up just so that hecan be destroyed even worse when she dies? I thought they were getting him ready for that!

　　Trying to prepare him! Why would she set him up like this?

　　She might not die,Seth thought quietly.

　　I took deep breath, trying to calm myself. Seth. Even if she pulls through this, she's not doing ithuman. She knows that, and so do the rest of them. If she doesn't die, she's going to have to do apretty convincing impersonation of a corpse, kid. Either that, or disappear. I thought they weretrying to make this easier on Charlie. Why... ?

　　Think it's Bella's idea. No one said anything, but Edward's face kinda went right along with what you'rethinking now.

　　On the same wavelength with the bloodsucker yet again.

　　We ran in silence for a few minutes. I started off along a new line, probing south.

　　Don't get too far.

　　Why?

　　Bella asked me to ask you to stop by.

　　My teeth locked together.

　　Alice wants you, too. She says she's tired of hanging out in the attic like the vampire bat in the belfry.

　　Seth snorted a laugh. / was switching off with Edward before. Trying to keep Bella's temperaturestable. Cold to hot, as needed. I guess, if you don't want to do it, I could go back—No. I got it,I snapped.

　　Okay.Seth didn't make any more comments. He concentrated very hard on the empty forest.

　　I kept my southern course, searching for anything new. I turned around when I got close to the first signsof habitation. Not near the town yet, but I didn't want to get any wolf rumors going again. We'd beennice and invisible for a long while now.

　　I passed right through the perimeter on my way back, heading for the house. As much as I knew it was astupid thing to do, I couldn't stop myself. I must be some kind of masochist.

　　There's nothing wrong with you, Jake. This isn't the most normal situation.

　　Shut up, please, Seth.

　　Shutting.

　　I didn't hesitate at the door this time; I just walked through like I owned the place. I figured that wouldpiss Rosalie off, but it was a wasted effort. Neither Rosalie or Bella were anywhere in sight. I lookedaround wildly, hoping I'd missed them somewhere, my heart squeezing against my ribs in a weird,uncomfortable way.

　　"She's all right," Edward whispered. "Or, the same, I should say."Edward was on the couch with his face in his hands; he hadn't looked up to speak. Esme was next tohim, her arm wrapped tight around his shoulders.

　　"Hello, Jacob," she said. "I'm so glad you came back.""Me, too," Alice said with a deep sigh. She came prancing down the stairs, making a face. Like 1 waslate for an appointment.

　　"Uh, hey," I said. It felt weird to try to be polite.

　　"Where's Bella?""Bathroom," Alice told me. "Mostly fluid diet, you know. Plus, the whole pregnancy thing does that toyou, I hear.""Ah."I stood there awkwardly, rocking back and forth on my heels.

　　"Oh, wonderful," Rosalie grumbled. I whipped my head around and saw her coming from a hallhalf-hidden behind the stairway. She had Bella cradled gently in her arms, a harsh sneer on her face forme. "I knew I smelled something nasty."And, just like before, Bella's face lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning. Like I'd brought her thegreatest gift ever.

　　It was so unfair.

　　"Jacob," she breathed. "You came.""Hi, Bells."Esme and Edward both got up. I watched how carefully Rosalie laid Bella out on the couch. I watchedhow, despite that, Bella turned white and held her breath—like she was set on not making any noise nomatter how much it hurt.

　　Edward brushed his hand across her forehead and then along her neck. He tried to make it look as if hewasjust sweeping her hair back, but it looked like a doctor's examination to me.

　　"Are you cold?" he murmured.

　　I'm fine.""Bella, you know what Carlisle told you," Rosalie said. "Don't downplay anything. It doesn't help ustake care of either of you.""Okay, I'm a little cold. Edward, can you hand me that blanket?"I rolled my eyes. "Isn't that sort of the point of me being here?""You just walked in," Bella said. "After running all day, I'd bet. Put your feet up for a minute. I'llprobably warm up again in no time."I ignored her, going to sit on the floor next the sofa while she was still telling me what to do. At thatpoint, though, I wasn't sure how.... She looked pretty brittle, and I was afraid to move her, even to putmy arms around her. So I just leaned carefully against her side, letting my arm rest along the length ofhers, and held her hand. Then I put my other hand against her face. It was hard to tell if she felt colderthan usual.

　　"Thanks, Jake," she said, and I felt her shiver once.

　　"Yeah," I said.

　　Edward sat on the arm of the sofa by Bella's feet, his eyes always on her face.

　　It was too much to hope, with all the super-hearing in the room, that no one would notice my stomachrumbling.

　　"Rosalie, why don't you get Jacob something from the kitchen?" Alice said. She was invisible now, sittingquietly behind the back of the sofa.

　　Rosalie stared at the place Alice's voice had come from in disbelief.

　　"Thanks, anyway, Alice, but I don't think I'd want to eat something Blondie's spit in. I'd bet my systemwouldn't take too kindly to venom.""Rosalie would never embarrass Esme by displaying such a lack of hospitality.""Of course not," Blondie said in a sugar-sweet voice that I immediately distrusted. She got up andbreezed out of the room.

　　Edward sighed.

　　"You'd tell me if she poisoned it, right?" I asked.

　　"Yes," Edward promised.

　　And for some reason I believed him.

　　There was a lot of banging in the kitchen, and—weirdly—the sound of metal protesting as it wasabused. Edward sighed again, but smiled just a little, too. Then Rosalie was back before I could thinkmuch more about it. With a pleased smirk, she set a silver bowl on the floor next to me.

　　"Enjoy, mongrel."It had once probably been a big mixing bowl, but she'd bent the bowl back in on itself until it wasshaped almost exactly like a dog dish. I had to be impressed with her quick craftsmanship. And herattention to detail. She'dscratched the word Fido into the side. Excellent handwriting.

　　Because the food looked pretty good—steak, no less, and a big baked potato with all the fixings—I toldher, "Thanks, Blondie."She snorted.

　　"Hey, do you know what you call a blonde with a brain?" I asked, and then continued on the samebreath, "a golden retriever.""I've heard that one, too," she said, no longer smiling.

　　"I'll keep trying," I promised, and then I dug in.

　　She made a disgusted face and rolled her eyes. Then she sat in one of the armchairs and started flickingthrough channels on the big TV so fast that there was no way she could really be surfing for something towatch.

　　The food was good, even with the vampire stink in the air. I was getting really used to that. Huh. Notsomething I'd been wanting to do, exactly...

　　When I was finished—though I was considering licking the bowl, just to give Rosalie something tocomplain about—I felt Bella's cold fingers pulling softly through my hair. She patted it down against theback of my neck.

　　"Time for a haircut, huh?""You're getting a little shaggy," she said. "Maybe—""Let me guess, someone around here used to cut hair in a salon in Paris?"She chuckled. "Probably.""No thanks," I said before she could really offer. "I'm good for a few more weeks."Which made me wonder how long she was good for. I tried to think of a polite way to ask.

　　"So... urn... what's the, er, date? You know, the due date for the little monster."She smacked the back of my head with about as much force as a drifting feather, but didn't answer.

　　"I'm serious," I told her. "I want to know how long I'm gonna have to be here." How long you're gonnabe here, I added in my head. I turned to look at her then. Her eyes were thoughtful; the stress line wasthere between her brows again.

　　"I don't know," she murmured. "Not exactly. Obviously, we're not going with the nine-month modelhere, and we can't get an ultrasound, so Carlisle is guesstimating from how big I am. Normal people aresupposed to be about forty centimeters here"—she ran her finger right down the middle of her bulgingstomach—"when the baby is fully grown. One centimeter for every week. I was thirty this morning, andI've been gaining about two centimeters a day, sometimes more___"Two weeks to a day, the days flying by. Her life speeding by in fast-forward. How many days did thatgive her, if she was counting to forty? Four? It took me a minute to figure out how to swallow.

　　"You okay?" she asked.

　　I nodded, not really sure how my voice would come out.

　　Edward's face was turned away from us as he listened to my thoughts, but I could see his reflection inthe glasswall. He was the burning man again.

　　Funny how having a deadline made it harder to think about leaving, or having her leave. I was gladSeth'd brought that up, so I knew they were staying here. It would be intolerable, wondering if they wereabout to go, to take away one or two or three of those four days. My four days.

　　Also funny how............