the plastic fangs I'd seen on
the child in the square today seemed to be very popular with the adults。
〃Ridiculous；〃 Edward muttered once。
I didn't notice when Alice disappeared from beside me。 I looked over to ask
her a question； and she was
gone。
〃Where's Alice？〃 I whispered in a panic。
〃She went to retrieve your bags from where she stashed them this morning。〃
I'd forgotten that I had access to a toothbrush。 It brightened my outlook
considerably。
〃She's stealing a car； too； isn't she？〃 I guessed。
He grinned。 〃Not till we're outside。〃
It seemed like a very long way to the entryway。 Edward could see that I was
spent； he wound his arm
around my waist and supported most of my weight as we walked。
I shuddered as he pulled me through the dark stone archway。 The huge； ancient
portcullis above was like
a cage door； threatening to drop on us； to lock us in。
He led me toward a dark car； waiting in a pool of shadow to the right of the
gate with the engine running。
To my surprise； he slid into the backseat with me； instead of insisting on
driving。
Alice was apologetic。 〃I'm sorry。〃 She gestured vaguely toward the dashboard。
〃There wasn't much to
choose from。〃
〃It's fine； Alice。〃 He grinned。 〃They can't all be 911 Turbos。〃
She sighed。 〃I may have to acquire one of those legally。 It was fabulous。〃
〃I'll get you one for Christmas；〃 Edward promised。
Alice turned to beam at him； which worried me； as she was already speeding
down the dark and curvy
hillside at the same time。
〃Yellow；〃 she told him。
Edward kept me tight in his arms。 Inside the gray cloak； I was warm and
fortable。 More than
fortable。
〃You can sleep now； Bella；〃 he murmured。 〃It's over。〃
I knew he meant the danger； the nightmare in the ancient city； but I still had
to swallow hard before I
could answer。
〃I don't want to sleep。 I'm not tired。〃 Just the second part was a lie。 I
wasn't about to close my eyes。 The
car was only dimly lit by the dashboard controls； but it was enough that I
could see his face。
He pressed his lips to the hollow under my ear。 〃Try；〃 he encouraged。
I shook my head。
He sighed。 〃You're still just as stubborn。〃
I was stubborn； I fought with my heavy lids； and I won。
The dark road was the hardest part； the bright lights at the airport in
Florence made it easier； as did the
chance to brush my teeth and change into clean clothes； Alice bought Edward
new clothes； too； and he
left the dark cloak on a pile of trash in an alley。 The plane trip to Rome was
so short that there wasn't
really a chance for the fatigue to drag me under。 I knew the flight from Rome
to Atlanta would be another
matter entirely； so I asked the flight attendant if she could bring me a Coke。
〃Bella；〃 Edward said disapprovingly。 He knew my low tolerance for caffeine。
Alice was behind us。 I could hear her murmuring to Jasper on the phone。
〃I don't want to sleep；〃 I reminded him。 I gave him an excuse that was
believable because it was true。 〃If
I close my eyes now； I'll see things I don't want to see。 I'll have
nightmares。〃
He didn't argue with me after that。
It would have been a very good time to talk； to get the answers I needed—
needed but not really wanted；
I was already despairing at the thought of what I might hear。 We had an
uninterrupted block of tirre
ahead of us； and he couldn't escape me on an airplane—well； not easily； at
least。 No one would hear us
except Alice； it was late； and most of the passengers were turning off lights
and asking for pillows in
muted voices。 Talk would help me fight off the exhaustion。
But； perversely； I bit my tongue against the flood of questions。 My reasoning
was probably flawed by
exhaustion； but I hoped that by postponing the discussion； I could buy a few
more hours with him at
some later time—spin this out for another night； Scheherazade…style。
So I kept drinking soda； and resisting even the urge to blink。 Edward seemed
perfectly content to hold
me in his arms； his fingers tracing my face again and again。 I touched his
face； too。 I couldn't stop myself；
though I was afraid it would hurt me later； when I was alone again。 He
continued to kiss my hair； my
forehead； my wrists but never my lips； and that was good。 After all； how
many ways can one heart be
mangled and still be expected to keep beating？ I'd lived through a lot that
should have finished me in the
last few days； but it didn't make me feel strong。 Instead； I felt horribly
fragile； like one word could shatter
me。
Edward didn't speak。 Maybe he was hoping I would sleep。 Maybe he had nothing
to say。
I won the fight against my heavy lids。 I was awake when we reached the airport
in Atlanta； and I even
watched the sun beginning to rise over Seattle's cloud cover before Edward
slid the window shut。 I was
proud of myself。 I hadn't missed one minute。
Neither Alice nor Edward was surprised by the reception that waited for us at
Sea…Tac airport； but it
caught me off guard。 Jasper was the first one I saw—he didn't seem to see me
at all。 His eyes were only
for Alice。 She went quickly to his side； they didn't embrace like other
couples meeting there。 They only
stared into each other's faces； yet； somehow； the moment was so private that I
still felt the need to look
away。
Carlisle and Esme waited in a quiet corner far from the line for the metal
detectors； in the shadow of a
wide pillar。 Esme reached for me； hugging me fiercely； yet awkwardly； because
Edward kept his arms
around me； too。
〃Thank you so much；〃 she said in my ear。
Then she threw her arms around Edward； and she looked like she would be crying
if that were possible。
〃Youwill never put me through ：hat again；〃 she nearly growled。
Edward grinned； repentant。 〃Sorry； Mom。〃
〃Thank you； Bella；〃 Carlisle said。 〃We owe you。〃
〃Hardly；〃 I mumbled。 The sleepless night was suddenly overpowering。 My head
felt disconnected from
my body。
〃She's dead on her feet；〃 Esme scolded Edward。 〃Let's get her home。〃
Not sure if home was what I wanted at this point； I stumbled； half…blind；
through the airport； Edward
dragging me on one side and Esme on the other。 I didn't know if Alice and
Jasper were behind us or not；
and I was too exhausted to look。
I think I was mostly asleep； though I was still walking； when we reached their
car。 The surprise of seeing
Emmett and Rosalie leaning against the black sedan under the dim lights of the
parking garage revived me
some。 Edward stiffened。
〃Don't；〃 Esme whispered。 〃She feels awful。〃
〃She should；〃 Edward said； making no attempt to keep his voice down。
〃It's not her fault；〃 I said； my words garbled with exhaustion。
〃Let her make amends；〃 Esme pleaded。 〃We'll ride with Alice and Jasper。〃
Edward glowered at the absurdly lovely blond vampire waiting for us。
〃Please； Edward；〃 I said。 I didn't want to ride with Rosalie any more than he
seemed to； but I'd caused
more than enough discord in his family。
He sighed； and towed me toward the car。
Emmett and Rosalie got in the front seat without speaking； while Edward pulled
me in the back again。 I
knew I wasn't going to be