"Look, Dad, I accept complete responsibility for my actions, and you have the right to ground me for as
long as you want. I will also do all the chores and laundry and dishes until you think I've learned my
lesson. And I guess you're within your rights if you want to kick me out, too—but that won't make me to
go to Florida."
His face turned bright red. He took a few deep breaths before he answered.
"Would you like to explain where you've been?"
Oh, crap. "There was… an emergency."
He raised his eyebrows in expectation of my brilliant explanation.
I filled my cheeks with air and then blew it out noisily. "I don't know what to tell you, Dad. It was mostly
a misunderstanding. He said, she said. It got out of hand."
He waited with a distrustful expression.
"See, Alice told Rosalie about me jumping off the cliff…" I was scrambling frantically to make this work,
to keep it as close to the truth as possible so that my inability to lie convincingly would not undermine the
excuse, but before I could go on, Charlie's expression reminded me that he didn't know arything about
thecliff.
Major oops. As if I wasn't already toast.
"I guess I didn't tell you about that," I choked out. "It was nothing. Just messing around, swimming with
Jake. Anyway, Rosalie told Edward, and he was upset. She sort of accidentally made it sound like I wa?
trying to kill myself or something. He wouldn't answer his phone, so Alice dragged me to… L.A., to
explain in person." I shrugged, desperately hoping that he would not be so distracted by my slip that he'd
miss the brilliant explanation I'd provided.
Charlie's face was frozen. "Were you trying to kill yourself, Bella?"
"No, of course not. Just having fun with Jake. Cliff diving. The La Push kids do it all the time. Like I said,
nothing."
Charlie's face heated up—from frozen to hot with fury. "What's it to Edward Cullen anyway?" he barked.
"All this time, he's just left you dangling without a word—"
I interrupted him. "Another misunderstanding."
His face flushed again. "So is he back then?"
"I'm not sure what the exact plan is. I think they all are."
He shook his head, the vein in his forehead pulsing. "I want you to stay away from him, Bella. I don't trust
him. He's rotten for you. I won't let him mess you up like that again."
"Fine," I said curtly.
Charlie rocked back onto his heels. "Oh." He scrambled for a second, exhaling loudly in surprise. "I
thought you were going to be difficult."
"I am." I stared straight into his eyes. "I meant, 'Fine, I'll move out.'"
His eyes bulged; his face turned puce. My resolve wavered as I started to worry about his health. He
was no younger than Harry…
"Dad, I don't want to move out," I said in a softer tone. "I love you. I know you're worried, but you need
to trust me on this. And you're going to have to ease up on Edward if you want me to stay. Do you want
me to live here or not?"
"That's not fair, Bella. You know I want you to stay."
"Then be nice to Edward, because he's going to be where I am." I said it with confidence. The conviction
of my epiphany was still strong.
"Not under my roof," Charlie stormed.
I sighed a heavy sigh. "Look, I'm not going to give you any more ultimatums tonight—or I guess it's this
morning. Just think about it for a few days, okay? But keep in mind that Edward and I are sort of a
package deal."
"Bella—"
"Think it over," I insisted. "And while you're doing that, could you give me some privacy? I really need a
shower."
Charlie's face was a strange shade of purple, but he left, slamming the door behind him. I heard him
stomp furiously down the stairs.
I threw off my quilt, and Edward was already there, sitting in the rocking chair as if he d been present
through the whole conversation.
"Sorry about that," I whispered.
"It's not as if I don't deserve far worse," he murmured. "Don't start anything with Charlie over me, please.
"
"Don't worry about it," I breathed as I gathered up my bathroom things and a set of clean clothes. "I will
start exactly as much as is necessary, and no more than that. Or are you trying to tell me I have nowhere
to go?" I widened my eyes with false alarm.
"You'd move in with a house full of vampires?"
"That's probably the safest place for someone like me. Besides…" I grinned. "If Charlie kicks me out,
then there's no need for a graduation deadline, is there?"
His jaw tightened. "So eager for eternal damnation," he muttered.
"You know you don't really believe that."
"Oh, don't I?" he fumed.
"No. You don't."
He glowered at me and started to speak, but I cut him off.
"If you really believed that you'd lost your soul, then when I found you in Volterra, you would have
realized immediately what was happening, instead of thinking we were both dead together. But you
didn't—you said 'Amazing. Carlisle was right,'" I reminded him, triumphant. "There's hope in you, after
all."
For once, Edward was speechless.
"So let's both just be hopeful, all right?" I suggested. "Not that it matters. If you stay, I don't need
heaven."
He got up slowly, and came to put his hands on either side of my face as he stared into my eyes.
"Forever," he vowed, still a little staggered.
"That's all I'm asking for," I said, and stretched up on my toes so that I could press my lips to his.
EPILOGUE TREATY
ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL—THE GOOD, pre-zombie normal—in less
time than I would have believed possible. The hospital welcomed Carlisle back with eager arms, not even
bothering to conceal their delight that Esme had found life in L.A. so little to her liking. Thanks to the
Calculus test I'd missed while abroad, Alice and Edward were in better to shape to graduate than I was
at the moment. Suddenly, college was a priority （college was still plan B, on the off chance that Edward's
offer swayed me from the post-graduation Carlisle option）。 Many deadlines had passed me by, but
Edward had a new stack of applications for me to fill out every day. He'd already done the Harvard
route, so it didn't bother him that, thanks to my procrastination, we might both end up at Peninsula
Community College next year.
Charlie was not happy with me, or speaking to Edward. But at least Edward was allowed—during my
designated visiting hours—inside the house again. I just wasn't allowed out of it.
School and work were the only exceptions, and the dreary, dull yellow walls of my classrooms had
become oddly inviting to me of late. That had a lot to do with the person who sat in the desk beside me.
Edward had resumed his schedule from the beginning of the year, which put him in most of my classes
again. My behavior had been such last fall, after the Cullens' supposed move to L.A., that the seat beside
me had never been filled. Even Mike, always eager to take any advantage, had kept a safe distance.
With Edward back in place, it was almost as if the last eight months were just a disturbing nightmare.
Almost, but not quite. There was the house arrest situation, for one thing. And for another, before the fall,
I hadn't been best friends with Jacob Black. So, of course, I hadn't missed him then.
I wasn't at liberty to go to La Push, and Jacob wasn't coming to see me. He wouldn't even answer my
phone calls.
I made these calls mostly at night, after Edward had been kicked out—promptly at nine by a grimly
gleeful Charlie—and before Edward snuck back through my window when Charlie was asleep. I chose
that time to make my fruitless calls because I'd noticed that Edward made a certain face every time I
mentioned Jacob's name. Sort of disapproving and wary… maybe even angry. I guessed that he had
some reciprocal prejudice against the werewolves, though he wasn't as vocal as Jacob had been about
the "bloodsuckers."
So, I didn't mention Jacob much.
With Edward near me, it was hard to think about unhappy things—even my former besi fnend, who was
probably very unhappy right now, due to me. When I did think of Jake, I always felt guilty for not
thinking of him more.
The fairy tale was back on. Prince returned, bad spell broken. I wasn't sure exactly what to do about the
leftover, unresolved character. Where was his happily ever after?
Weeks passed, and Jacob still wouldn't answer my calls. It started to become a constant worry. Like a
dripping faucet in the back of my head that I couldn't shut off or ignore. Drip, drip, drip. Jacob, Jacob,
Jacob.
So, though I didn't mention Jacob much, sometimes my frustration and anxiety boiled over.
"It's just plain rude!" I vented one Saturday afternoon when Edward picked me up from work. Being
angry about things was easier than feeling guilty. "Downright insulting!"
I'd varied my pattern, in hopes of a different response. I'd called Jake from work this time, only to get an
unhelpfulBilly.Again.
"Billy said he didn't want to talk to me," I fumed, glaring at the rain oozing down the passenger window.
"That he was there, and wouldn't walk three steps to get to the phone! Usually Billy just says he's out or
busy or sleeping or something. I mean, it's not like I didn't know he was lying to me, but at least it was a
polite way to handle it. I guess Billy hates me now, too. It's not fair!"
"It's not you, Bella," Edward said quietly. "Nobody hates you."
"Feels that way," I muttered, folding my arms across my chest. It was no more than a stubborn gesture.
There was no hole there now—I could barely remember the empty feeling anymore.
"Jacob knows we're back, and I'm sure that he's ascertained that I'm with you," Edward said. "He won't
come anywhere near me. The enmity is rooted too deeply."
"That's stupid. He knows you're not… like other vampires."
"There's still good reason to keep a safe distance."
I glared blindly out the windshield, seeing only Jacob's face, set in the bitter mask I hated.
"Bella, we are what we are," Edward said quietly. "I can control myself, but I doubt he can. He's very
young. It would most likely turn into a fight, and I don't know if I could stop it before I k—" he broke off,
and then quickly continued. "Before I hurt him. You would be unhappy. I don't want that to happen."
I remembered what Jacob had said in the kitchen, hearing the words with perfect recall in his husky
voice. I'm not sure that I'm even-tempered enough to handle that… You probably wouldn't like it
so much if I killed your friend. But he'd been able to handle it, that time…
"Edward Cullen," I whispered. "Were you about to say 'killed him? Were you?"
He looked away from me, staring into the rain. In front of us, the red light I hadn't noticed turned green
and he started forward again, driving very slowly. Not his usual way of driving.
"I would try… very hard… not to do that," Edward finally said.
I stared at him with my mouth hanging open, but he continued to look straight ahead. We were paused at
the corner stop sign.
Abruptly, I remembered what had happened to Paris when Romeo came back. The stage directions
were simple: They fight. Paris falls.
But that was ridiculous. Impossible.
"Well," I said, and took a deep breath, shaking my head to dispel the words in my head. "Nothing like
that is ever going to happen, so there's no reason to worry about it. And you know Charlie's staring at
the clock right now. You'd better get me home before I get in more trouble for being late."
I turned my face up toward him, to smile halfheartedly.
Every time I looked at his face, that impossibly perfect face, my heart pounded strong and healthy and
very there in my chest. This time, the pounding raced ahead of its usual besotted pace. I recognized the
expression on his statue-still face.
"You're already in more trouble, Bella," he whispered through unmoving lips.
I slid closer, clutching his arm as I followed his gaze to see what he was seeing. I don't know what I
expected—maybe Victoria standing in the middle of the street, her flaming red hair blowing in the wind,
or a line of tall black cloaks… or a pack of angry werewolves. But I didn't see anything at all.
"What? What is it?"
He took a deep breath. "Charlie…"
"My dad?" I screeched.
He looked down at me then, and his expression was calm enough to ease some of my panic.
"Charlie… is probably not going to kill you, but he's thinking about it," he told me. He started to drive
forward again, down my street, but he passed the house and parked by the edge of the trees.
"What did I do?" I gasped.
Edward glanced back at Charlie's house. I followed his gaze, and noticed for the first time what was
parked in the driveway next to the cruiser. Shiny, bright red, impossible to miss. My motorcycle, flaunting
itself in the driveway.
Edward had said that Charlie was ready to kill me, so he must know that—that it was mine. There was
only one person who could be behind this treachery.
"No!" I gasped. "Why? Why would Jacob do this to me?" The sting of betrayal washed through me. I
had trusted Jacob implicitly—trusted him with every single secret I had. He was supposed to be my safe
harbor—the person I could always rely on. Of course things were strained right now, but I didn't think
any of the underlying foundation had changed. I didn't think that was changeable!
What had I done to deserve this? Charlie was going to be so mad—and worse than that, he was going to
be hurt and worried. Didn't he have enough to deal with already? I would have never imagined that Jake
could be so petty and just plain mean. Tears sprang, smarting, into my eyes, but they were not tears of
sadness. I had been betrayed. I was suddenly so angry that my head throbbed like it was going to
explode.
"Is he still here?" I hissed.
"Yes. He's waiting for us there." Edward told me, nodding toward the slender path that divided the dark
fringe of the forest in two.
I jumped out of the car, launching myself toward the trees with my hands already balled into fists for the
first punch.
Why did Edward have to be so much faster than me?
He caught me around the waist before I made the path.
"Let me go! I'm going to murder him! Traitor!" I shouted the epithet toward the trees.
"Charlie will hear you," Edward warned me. "And once he gets you inside, he may brick over the
doorway."
I glanced back at the house instinctively, and it seemed like the glossy red bike was all I could see. I was
seeing red. My head throbbed again.
"Just give me one round with Jacob, and then I'll deal with Charlie." I struggled futilely to break free.
"Jacob Black wants to see me. That's why he's still here."
That stopped me cold—took the fight right out of me. My hands went limp. They fight; Paris falls.
I was furious, but not that furious.
"Talk?" I asked.
"More or less."
"How much more?" My voice shook.
Edward smoothed my hair back from my face. "Don't worry, he's not here to fight me. He's acting as…
spokesperson for the pack."
"Oh."
Edward looked at the house again, then tightened his arm around my waist and pulled me toward the
woods. "We should hurry. Charlie's getting impatient."
We didn't have to go far; Jacob waited just a short ways up the path. He lounged against a mossy tree
trunk as he waited, his face hard and bitter, exactly the way I knew it would be. He looked at me, and
then at Edward. Jacob's mouth stretched into a humorless sneer, and he shrugged away from the tree. He
stood on the balls of his bare feet, leaning slightly forward, with his trembling hands clenched into fists. He
looked bigger than the last time I'd seen him. Somehow, impossibly, he was still growing. He would
tower over Edward, if they stood next to each other.
But Edward stopped as soon as we saw him, leaving a wide space between us and Jacob. Edward
turned his body, shifting me so that I was behind him. I leaned around him to stare at Jacob—to accuse
him with my eyes.
I would have thought that seeing his resentful, cynical expression would only make me angrier. Instead, it
reminded me of the last time I'd seen him, with tears in his eyes. My fury weakened, faltered, as I stared
at Jacob. It had been so long since I'd seen him—I hated that our reunion had to be like this.
"Bella," Jacob said as a greeting, nodding once toward me without looking away from Edward.
"Why?" I whispered, trying to hide the sound of the lump in my throat. "How could you do this to me,
Jacob?"
The sneer vanished, but his face stayed hard and rigid. "It's for the best."
"What is that supposed to mean? Do you want Charlie to strangle me? Or did you want him to have a
heart attack, like Harry? No matter how mad you are at me, how could you do this to him?"
Jacob winced, and his eyebrows pulled together, but he didn't answer.
"He didn't want to hurt anyone—he just wanted to get you grounded, so that you wouldn't be allowed to
spend time with me," Edward murmured, explaining the thoughts Jacob wouldn't say.
Jacob's eyes sparked with hate as he glowered at Edward again.
"Aw, Jake!" I groaned. "I'm already grounded! Why do you think I haven't been down to La Push to
kick your butt for avoiding my phone calls?"
Jacob's eyes flashed back to me, confused for the first time. "That's why?" he asked, and then locked his
jaw, like he was sorry he'd said anything.
"He thought I wouldn't let you, not Charlie," Edward explained again.
"Stop that," Jacob snapped.
Edward didn't answer.
Jacob shuddered once, and then gritted his teeth as hard as his fists. "Bella wasn't exaggerating about
your… abilities," he said through his teeth. "So you must already know why I'm here."
"Yes," Edward agreed in a soft voice. "But, before you begin, I need to say something."
Jacob waited, clenching and unclenching his hands as he tried to control the shivers rolling down his arms.
"Thank you," Edward said, and his voice throbbed with the depth of his sincerity. "I will never be able to
tell you how grateful I am. I will owe you for the rest of my… existence."
Jacob stared at him blankly, his shudders stilled by surprise. He exchanged a quick glance with me, but
my face was just as mystified.
"For keeping Bella alive," Edward clarified, his voice rough and fervent. "When I… didn't."
"Edward—，" I started to say, but he held one hand up, his eyes on Jacob.
Understanding washed over Jacob's face before the hard mask returned. "I didn't do it for your benefit."
"I know. But that doesn't erase the gratitude I feel. I thought you should know. If there's ever anything in
my power to do for you…"
Jacob raised one black brow.
Edward shook his head. "That's not in my power."
"Whose, then?" Jacob growled.
Edward looked down at me. "Hers. I'm a quick learner, Jacob Black, and I don't make the same mistake
twice. I'm here until she orders me away."
I was immersed momentarily in his golden gaze. It wasn't hard to understand what I'd missed in the
conversation. The only thing that Jacob would want from Edward would be his absence.
"Never," I whispered, still locked in Edward's eyes.
Jacob made a gagging sound.
I unwillingly broke free from Edward's gaze to frown at Jacob. "Was there something else you needed,
Jacob? You wanted me in trouble—mission Accomplished. Charlie might just send me to military school.
But that won't keep me away from Edward. There's nothing that can do that. What more do you want?"
Jacob kept his eyes on Edward "I just needed to remind your bloodsucking friends of a few key points in
the treaty they agreed to. The treaty chat is the only thing stopping me from ripping his throat out right this
minute."
"We haven't forgotten," Edward said at the same time that I demanded, "What key points?"
Jacob still glowered at Edward, but he answered me. "The treaty is quite specific. If any of them bite a
human, the truce is over. Bite, not kill," he emphasized. Finally, he looked at me. His eyes were cold.
It only took me a second to grasp the distinction, and then my face was as cold as his.
"That's none of your business."
"The hell it—" was all he managed to choke out.
I didn't expect my hasty words to bring on such a strong response. Despite the warning he'd come to
give, he must not have known. He must have thought the warning was just a precaution. He hadn't
realized—or didn't want to believe—that I had already made my choice. That I was really intending to
become a member of the Cullen family.
My answer sent Jacob into near convulsions. He pressed his fists hard against his temples, closing his
eyes tight and curling in on himself as he tried to control the spasms. His face turned sallow green under
the russet skin.
"Jake? You okay?" I asked anxiously.
I took a half-step toward him, then Edward caught me and yanked me back behind his own body.
"Careful! He's not under control," he warned me.
But Jacob was already somewhat himself again; only his arms were shaking now. He scowled at Edward
with pure hate. "Ugh. I would never hurt her."
Neither Edward or I missed the inflection, or the accusation it contained. A low hiss escaped Edward's
lips. Jacob clenched his fists reflexively.
"BELLA!" Charlie's roar echoed from the direction of the house. "YOU GET IN THIS HOUSE THIS
INSTANT!"
All of us froze, listening to the silence that followed.
I was the first to speak; my voice trembled. "Crap."
Jacob's furious expression faltered. "I am sorry about that," he muttered. "I had to do what I could—I
had to try…"
"Thanks." The tremor in my voice ruined the sarcasm. I stared up the path, half-expecting Charlie to
come barreling through the wet ferns like an enraged bull. I would be the red flag in that scenario.
"Just one more thing," Edward said to me, and then he looked at Jacob. "We've found no trace of
Victoria on our side of the line—have you?"
He knew the answer as soon as Jacob thought it, but Jacob spoke the answer anyway. "Trie last time
was while Bella was… away. We let her think she was slipping through—we were tightening the circle,
getting ready to ambush her—"
Ice shot down my spine.
"But then she took off like a bat out of hell. Near as we can tell, she caught your little female's scent and
bailed. She hasn't come near our lands since."
Edward nodded. "When she comes back, she's not your problem anymore. We'll—"
"She killed on our turf," Jacob hissed. "She's ours!"
"No—，" I began to protest both declarations.
"BELLA! I SEE HIS CAR AND I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE! IF YOU AREN'T INSIDE THIS
HOUSE IN ONE MINUTE… !" Charlie didn't bother to finish his threat.
"Let's go," Edward said.
I looked back at Jacob, torn. Would I see him again?
"Sorry," he whispered so low that I had to read his lips to understand. '"Bye, Bells."
"You promised," I reminded him desperately. "Still friends, right?"
Jacob shook his head slowly, and the lump in my throat nearly strangled me.
"You know how hard I've tried to keep that promise, but… I can't see how to keep trying. Not now…"
He struggled to keep his hard mask in place, but it wavered, and then disappeared. "Miss you," he
mouthed. One of his hands reached toward me, his fingers outstretched, like he wished they were long
enough to cross the distance between us.
"Me, too," I choked out. My hand reached toward his across the wide space.
Like we were connected, the echo of his pain twisted inside me. His pain, my pain.
"Jake…" I took a step toward him. I wanted to wrap my arms around his waist and erase the expression
of misery on his face.
Edward pulled me back again, his arms restraining instead of defending.
"It's okay," I promised him, looking up to read his face with trust in my eyes. He would understand.
His eyes were unreadable, his face expressionless. Cold. "No, it's not."
"Let her go," Jacob snarled, furious again. "She wants to!" He took two long strides forward. A glint of
anticipation flashed in his eyes. His chest seemed to swell as it shuddered.
Edward pushed me behind himself, wheeling to face Jacob.
"No! Edward—！"
"ISABELLA SWAN!"
"Come on! Charlie's mad!" My voice was panicked, but not because of Charlie now. "Hurry!"
I tugged on him and he relaxed a little. He pulled me back slowly, always keeping his eyes on Jacob as
we retreated.
Jacob watched us with a dark scowl on his bitter face. The anticipation drained from his eyes, and then,
just before the forest came between us, his face suddenly crumpled in pain.
I knew that last glimpse of his face would haunt me until I saw him smile again.
And right there I vowed that I would see him smile, and soon. I would find a way to keep my friend.
Edward kept his arm tight around my waist, holding me close. That was the only thing that held the tears
inside my eyes.
I had some serious problems.
My best friend counted me with his enemies.
Victoria was still on the loose, putting everyone I loved in danger.
If I didn't become a vampire soon, the Volturi would kill me.
And now it seemed that if I did, the Quileute werewolves would try to do the job themselves—along
with trying to kill my future family. I didn't think they had any chance really, but would my best friend get
himself killed in the attempt?
Very serious problems. So why did they all suddenly seem insignificant when we broke through the last
of the trees and I caught sight of the expression on Charlie's purple face?
Edward squeezed me gently. "I'm here."
I drew in a deep breath.
That was true. Edward was here, with his arms around me.
I could face anything as long as that was true.
I squared my shoulders and walked forward to meet my fate, with my destiny solidly at my side.
Acknowledgments
So much love and thanks to my husband and sons for their continuing understanding and sacrifice in
support of my writing
At least I'm not the only one to benefit—I in sure many local restaurants are grateful that I don't cook
anymore
Thank you, Mom, for being my best friend and letting me talk your ear off through all the rough spots
Thanks, also, for being so insanely creative and intelligent, and bequeathing a small portion of both into
my genetic makeup
Thanks to all my siblings, Emily, Heidi, Paul, Seth, and Jacob, for letting me borrow your names I hope I
didn't do anything with them that makes you wish you hadn't
A special thanks to my brother Paul for the motorcycle riding lesson—you have a true gift for teaching.
I can't thank my brother Seth enough for all the hard work and genius he put into the creation of
m I'm so grateful for the effort he continues to expend as my Webmaster
Check's in the mail, kid
This time, I mean it
Thanks again to my brother Jacob for his ongoing expert advice on all my automotive choices
A big thank you to my agent, Jodi Reamer, for her continued guidance and assistance in my career And
also for enduring my craziness with a smile when I know she d like to use some of her ninja moves on me
instead
Love, kisses, and gratitude to my publicist, the beautiful Elizabeth Eulberg, for making my touring
experience less a chore and more a pajama party, for aiding and abetting my cyber-stalkery, for
convincing those exclusive snobs in the EEC （Elizabeth Eulberg Club） to let me in, and, oh yeah, also for
getting me on the New York Times bestseller's list
A huge vat of thanks to everyone at Little, Brown and Company for their support and their belief in the
potential of my stories
And, finally, thank you to the talented musicians who inspire me, particularly the band Muse—there are
emotions, scenes, and plot threads in this novel that were born from Muse songs and would not exist
without their genius
Also Linkin Park, Travis, Elbow, Coldplay, Marjoric Fair, My Chemical Romance, Brand New, The
Strokes, Armor for Sleep, The Arcade Fire, and The Fray have all been instrumental in staving off the
writer's block
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