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shore； though I was kind of out for that part。 It couldn't have been more than a minute that I was under
before he grabbed me。 How come you didn't see that？〃
She frowned in perplexity。 〃Someone pulled you out？〃
〃Yes。 Jacob saved me。〃
I watched curiously as an enigmatic range of emotions flitted across her face。 Something was bothering
her—her imperfect vision？ But I wasn't sure。 Then she deliberately leaned in and sniffed my shoulder。
I froze。
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 she muttered； sniffing at me some more。
〃What are you doing？〃
She ignored my question。 〃Who was with you out there just now？ It sounded like you were arguing。〃
〃Jacob Black。 He's… sort of my best friend； I guess。 At least； he was…〃 I thought of Jacob's angry；
betrayed face； and wondered what he was to me now。
Alice nodded； seeming preoccupied。
〃What？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃I'm not sure what it means。〃
〃Well； I'm not dead； at least。〃
She rolled her eyes。 〃He was a fool to think you could survive alone。 I've never seen anyone so prone to
life…threatening idiocy。〃
〃I survived；〃 I pointed out。
She was thinking of something else。 〃So； if the currents were too much for you； how did this Jacob
manage？〃
〃Jacob is… strong。〃
She heard the reluctance in my voice； and her eyebrows rose。
I gnawed on my lip for a second。 Was this a secret； or not？ And if it was； then who was my greatest
allegiance to？ Jacob； or Alice？
It was too hard to keep secrets； I decided。 Jacob knew everything； why not Alice； too？
〃See； well； he's… sort of a werewolf；〃 I admitted in a rush。 〃The Quileutes turn into wolves when there
are vampires around。 They know Carlisle from a long time ago。 Were you with Carlisle back then？〃
Alice gawked at me for a moment； and then recovered herself； blinking rapidly。 〃Well； I guess that
explains the smell；〃 she muttered。 〃But does it explain what I didn't see？〃 She frowned； her porcelain
forehead creasing。
〃The smell？〃 I repeated。
〃You smell awful；〃 she said absently； still frowning。 〃A werewolf？ Are you sure about that？〃
〃Very sure；〃 I promised； wincing as I remembered Paul and Jacob fighting in the road。 〃I guess you
weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves here in Forks？〃
〃No。 I hadn't found him yet。〃 Alice was still lost in thought。 Suddenly； her eyes widened； and she turned
to stare at me with a shocked expression。 〃Your best friend is a werewolf？〃
I nodded sheepishly。
〃How long has this been going on？〃
〃Not long；〃 I said； my voice sounding defensive。 〃He's only been a werewolf for just a few weeks。〃
She glowered at me。 〃A young werewolf？ Even worse！ Edward was right—you're a magnet for danger。
Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble？〃
〃There's nothing wrong with werewolves；〃 I grumbled； stung by her critical tone。
〃Until they lose their tempers。〃 She shook her head sharply from side to side。 〃Leave it to you； Bella。
Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town。 But you have to start hanging out with the
first monsters you can find。〃
I didn't want to argue with Alice—I was still trembling with joy that she was really； truly here； that I could
touch her marble skin and hear her wind…chime voice—but she had it all wrong。
〃No； Alice； the vampires didn't really leave—not all of them； anyway。 That's the whole trouble。 If it
weren't for the werewolves； Victoria would have gotten me by now。 Well； if it weren't for Jake and his
friends； Laurent would have gotten me before she could； I guess； so—〃
〃Victoria？〃 she hissed。 〃Laurent？〃
I nodded； a teensy bit alarmed by the expression in her black eyes。 I pointed at my chest。 〃Danger
magnet； remember？〃
She shook her head again。 〃Tell me everything—start at the beginning。〃
I glossed over the beginning； skipping the motorcycles and the voices； but telling her everything else right
up to today's misadventure。 Alice didn't like my thin explanation about boredom and the cliffs； so I
hurried on to the strange flame I'd seen on the water and what I thought it meant。 Her eyes narrowed
almost to slits at that part。 It was strange to see her look so… so dangerous—like a vampire。 I
swallowed hard and went on with the rest about Harry。
She listened to my story without interrupting。 Occasionally； she would shake her head； and the crease in
her forehead deepened until it looked like it was carved permanently into the marble of her skin。 She
didn't speak and； finally； I fell quiet； struck again by the borrowed grief at Harry's passing。 I thought of
Charlie； he would be home soon。 What condition would he be in？
〃Our leaving didn't do you any good at all； did it？〃 Alice murmured。
I laughed once—it was a slightly hysterical sound。 〃That was never the point； though； was it？ It's not like
you left for my benefit。〃
Alice scowled at the floor for a moment。 〃Well… I guess I acted impulsively today。 I probably shouldn't
have intruded。〃
I could feel the blood draining from my face。 My stomach dropped。 〃Don't go； Alice；〃 I whispered。 My
fingers locked around the collar of her white shirt and I began to hyperventilate。 〃Please don't leave me。〃
Her eyes opened wider。 〃All right；〃 she said； enunciating each word with slow precision。 〃I'm not going
anywhere tonight。 Take a deep breath。〃
I tried to obey； though I couldn't quite locate my lungs。
She watched my face while I concentrated on my breathing。 She waited till I was calmer to comment。
〃You look like hell； Bella。〃
〃I drowned today；〃 I reminded her。
〃It goes deeper than that。 You're a mess。〃
I flinched。 〃Look； I'm doing my best。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃It hasn't been easy。 I'm working on it。〃
She frowned。 〃I told him；〃 she said to herself。
〃Alice；〃 I sighed。 〃What did you think you were going to find？ I mean； besides me dead？ Did you expect
to find me skipping around and whistling show tunes？ You know me better than that。〃
〃I do。 But I hoped。〃
〃Then I guess I don't have the corner on the idiocy market。〃
The phone rang。
〃That has to be Charlie；〃 I said； staggering to my feet。 I grabbed Alice's stone hand and dragged her with
me to the kitchen。 I wasn't about to let her out of my sight。
〃Charlie？〃 I answered the phone。
〃No； it's me；〃 Jacob said。
〃Jake！〃
Alice scrutinized my expression。
〃Just making sure you were still alive；〃 Jacob said sourly。
〃I'm fine。 I told you that it wasn't—〃
〃Yeah。 I got it。 'Bye。〃
Jacob hung up on me。
I sighed and let my head hang back； staring at the ceiling。 〃That's going to be a problem。〃
Alice squeezed my hand。 〃They aren't excited I'm here。〃
〃Not especially。 But it's none of their business anyway。〃
Alice put her arm around me。 〃So what do we do now？〃 she mused。 She seemed to talk to herself for a
moment。 〃Things to do。 Loose ends to tie。〃
〃What things to do？〃
Her face was suddenly careful。 〃I don't know for sure… I need to see Carlisle。〃
Would she leave so soon？ My stomach dropped。
〃Could you stay？〃 I begged。 〃Please？ For just a little while。 I've missed you so much。〃 My voice broke。
〃If you think that's a good idea。〃 Her eyes were unhappy。
〃I do。 You can stay here—Charlie would love that。〃
〃I have a house； Bella。〃
I nodded； disappointed but resigned。 She hesitated； studying me。
〃Well； I need to go get a suitcase of clothes； at the very least。〃
I threw my arms around her。 〃Alice； you're the best！〃
〃And I think I'll need to hunt。 Immediately；〃 she added in a strained voice。
〃Oops。〃 I took a step back。
〃Can you stay out of trouble for one hour？〃 she asked skeptically。 Then； before I could answer； she held
up one finger and closed her eyes。 Her face went smooth and blank for a few seconds。
And then her eyes opened and she answered her own question。 〃Yes； you'll be fine。 For tonight；
anyway。〃 She grimaced。 Even making faces； she looked like an angel。
〃You'll come back？〃 I asked in a small voice。
〃I promise—one hour。〃
I glanced at the clock over the kitchen table。 She laughed and leaned in quickly to kiss me on the cheek。
Then she was gone。
I took a deep breath。 Alice would be back。 I suddenly felt so much better。
I had plenty to do to keep myself busy while I waited。 A shower was definitely first on the agenda。 I
sniffed my shoulders as I undressed； but I couldn't smell anything but the brine and seaweed scent of the
ocean。 I wondered what Alice had meant about me smelling bad。
When I was cleaned up； I went back to the kitchen。 I couldn't see any signs that Charlie 'lad eaten
recently； and he would probably be hungry when he got back。 I hummed tunelessly to myself as I moved
around the kitchen。
While Thursday's casserole rotated in the microwave； I made up the couch with sheets and an old pillow。
Alice wouldn't need it； but Charlie would need to see it。 I was careful not to watch the clock。 There was
no reason to start myself panicking； Alice had promised。
I hurried through my dinner； not tasting it—just feeling the ache as it slid down my raw throat。 Mostly I
was thirsty； I mus