Charlie was waiting up for me. All the house lights were on. My mind wasblank as I tried to think of a way to make him let me go. This wasn'tgoing to be pleasant.

　　Edward pulled up slowly, staying well back from my truck. All three ofthem were acutely alert, ramrod straight in their seats, listening toevery sound of the wood, looking through every shadow, catching everyscent, searching for something out of place. The engine cut off, and Isat, motionless, as they continued to listen.

　　"He's not here," Edward said tensely. "Let's go." Emmett reached over tohelp me get out of the harness.

　　"Don't worry, Bella," he said in a low but cheerful voice, "we'll takecare of things here quickly."I felt moisture filling up my eyes as I looked at Emmett. I barely knewhim, and yet, somehow, not knowing when I would see him again aftertonight was anguishing. I knew this was just a faint taste of thegoodbyes I would have to survive in the next hour, and the thought madethe tears begin to spill.

　　"Alice, Emmett." Edward's voice was a command. They slithered soundlesslyinto the darkness, instantly disappearing. Edward opened my door and tookmy hand, then drew me into the protecting enclosure of his arm. He walkedme swiftly toward the house, eyes always roving through the night.

　　"Fifteen minutes," he warned under his breath.

　　"I can do this." I sniffled. My tears had given me an inspiration.

　　I stopped on the porch and took hold of his face in my hands. I lookedfiercely into his eyes.

　　"I love you," I said in a low, intense voice. "I will always love you, nomatter what happens now.""Nothing is going to happen to you, Bella," he said just as fiercely.

　　"Just follow the plan, okay? Keep Charlie safe for me. He's not going tolike me very much after this, and I want to have the chance to apologizelater.""Get inside, Bella. We have to hurry." His voice was urgent.

　　"One more thing," I whispered passionately. "Don't listen to another wordI say tonight!" He was leaning in, and so all I had to do was stretch upon my toes to kiss his surprised, frozen lips with as much force as I wascapable of. Then I turned and kicked the door open.

　　"Go away, Edward!" I yelled at him, running inside and slamming the doorshut in his still-shocked face.

　　"Bella?" Charlie had been hovering in the living room, and he was alreadyon his feet.

　　"Leave me alone!" I screamed at him through my tears, which were flowingrelentlessly now. I ran up the stairs to my room, throwing the door shutand locking it. I ran to my bed, flinging myself on the floor to retrievemy duffel bag. I reached swiftly between the mattress and box spring tograb the knotted old sock that contained my secret cash hoard.

　　Charlie was pounding on my door.

　　"Bella, are you okay? What's going on?" His voice was frightened.

　　"I'm going borne," I shouted, my voice breaking in the perfect spot.

　　"Did he hurt you?" His tone edged toward anger.

　　"No!" I shrieked a few octaves higher. I turned to my dresser, and Edwardwas already there, silently yanking out armfuls of random clothes, whichhe proceeded to throw to me.

　　"Did he break up with you?" Charlie was perplexed.

　　"No!" I yelled, slightly more breathless as I shoved everything into thebag. Edward threw another drawer's contents at me. The bag was prettymuch full now.

　　"What happened, Bella?" Charlie shouted through the door, pounding again.

　　"I broke up with him!" I shouted back, jerking on the zipper of my bag.

　　Edward's capable hands pushed mine away and zipped it smoothly. He putthe strap carefully over my arm.

　　"I'll be in the truck — go!" he whispered, and pushed me toward the door.

　　He vanished out the window.

　　I unlocked the door and pushed past Charlie roughly, struggling with myheavy bag as I ran down the stairs.

　　"What happened?" he yelled. He was right behind me. "I thought you likedhim."He caught my elbow in the kitchen. Though he was still bewildered, hisgrip was firm.

　　He spun me around to look at him, and I could see in his face that he hadno intention of letting me leave. I could think of only one way toescape, and it involved hurting him so much that I hated myself for evenconsidering it. But I had no time, and I had to keep him safe.

　　I glared up at my father, fresh tears in my eyes for what I was about todo.

　　"I do like him — that's the problem. I can't do this anymore! I can't putdown any more roots here! I don't want to end up trapped in this stupid,boring town like Mom! I'm not going to make the same dumb mistake shedid. I hate it — I can't stay here another minute!"His hand dropped from my arm like I'd electrocuted him. I turned awayfrom his shocked, wounded face and headed for the door.

　　"Bells, you can't leave now. It's nighttime," he whispered behind me.

　　I didn't turn around. "I'll sleep in the truck if I get tired.""Just wait another week," he pled, still shell-shocked. "Renée will beback by then."This completely derailed me. "What?"Charlie continued eagerly, almost babbling with relief as I hesitated.

　　"She called while you were out. Things aren't going so well in Florida,and if Phil doesn't get signed by the end of the week, they're going backto Arizona. The assistant coach of the Sidewinders said they might have aspot for another shortstop."I shook my head, trying to reassemble my now-confused thoughts. Everypassing second put Charlie in more danger.

　　"I have a key," I muttered, turning the knob. He was too close, one handextended toward me, his face dazed. I couldn't lose any more time arguingwith him. I was going to have to hurt him further.

　　"Just let me go, Charlie." I repeated my mother's last words as she'dwalked out this same door so many years ago. I said them as angrily as Icould manage, and I threw the door open. "It didn't work out, okay? Ireally, really hate Forks!"My cruel words did their job — Charlie stayed frozen on the doorstep,stunned, while I ran into the night. I was hideously frightened of theempty yard. I ran wildly for the truck, visualizing a dark shadow behindme. I threw my bag in the bed and wrenched the door open. The key waswaiting in the ignition.

　　"I'll call you tomorrow!" I yelled, wishing more than anything that Icould explain everything to him right then, knowing I would never be ableto. I gunned the engine and peeled out.

　　Edward reached for my hand.

　　"Pull over," he said as the house, and Charlie, disappeared behind us.

　　"I can drive," I said through the tears pouring down my cheeks.

　　His long hands unexpectedly gripped my waist, and his foot pushed mineoff the gas pedal. He pulled me across his lap, wrenching my hands freeof the wheel, and suddenly he was in the driver's seat. The truck didn'tswerve an inch.

　　"You wouldn't be able to find the house," he explained.

　　Lights flared suddenly behind us. I stared out the back window, eyes widewith horror.

　　"It's just Alice," he reassured me. He took my hand again.

　　My mind was filled with the image of Charlie in the doorway. "Thetracker?""He heard the end of your performance," Edward said grimly.

　　"Charlie?" I asked in dread.

　　"The tracker followed us. He's running behind us now."My body went cold.

　　"Can we outrun him?""No." But he sped up as he spoke. The truck's engine whined in protest.

　　My plan suddenly didn't feel so brilliant anymore.

　　I was staring back at Alice's headlights when the truck shuddered and adark shadow sprung up outside the window.

　　My bloodcurdling scream lasted a fraction of a second before Edward'shand clamped down on my mouth.

　　"It's Emmett!"He released my mouth, and wound his arm around my waist.

　　"It's okay, Bella," he promised. "You're going to be safe."We raced through the quiet town toward the north highway.

　　"I didn't realize you were still so bored with small-town life," he saidconversationally, and I knew he was trying to distract me. "It seemedlike you were adjusting fairly well — especially recently. Maybe I wasjust flattering myself that I was making life more interesting for you.""I wasn't being nice," I confessed, ignoring his attempt at diversion,looking down at my knees. "That was the same thing my mom said when sheleft him. You could say I was hitting below the belt.""Don't worry. He'll forgive you." He smiled a little, though it didn'ttouch his eyes.

　　I stared at him desperately, and he saw the naked panic in my eyes.

　　"Bella, it's going to be all right.""But it won't be all right when I'm not with you," I whispered.

　　"We'll be together again in a few days," he said, tightening his armaround me. "Don't forget that this was your idea.""It was the best idea — of course it was mine."His answering smile was bleak and disappeared immediately.

　　"Why did this happen?" I asked, my voice catching. "Why me?"He stared blackly at the road ahead. "It's my fault — I was a fool toexpose you like that." The rage in his voice was directed internally.

　　"That's not what I meant," I insisted. "I was there, big deal. It didn'tbother the other two. Why did this James decide to kill met There'repeople all over the place, why me?"He hesitated, thinking before he answered.

　　"I got a good look at his mind tonight," he began in a low voice. "I'mnot sure if there's anything I could have done to avoid this, once he sawyou. It is partially your fault." His voice was wry. "If you didn't smellso appallingly luscious, he might not have bothered. But when I defendedyou… well, that made it a lot worse. He's not used to being thwarted, nomatter how insignificant the object. He thinks of himself as a hunter andnothing el............