inescapable　part　of　this　life。
  And　worth　it。
  I　felt　in　control。　Perhaps　my　sense　of　security　was　false；　but　I　did　feel　pretty　good　about　not　killing
  anyone　today。　If　I　could　resist　totally　human　strangers；　wouldn't　I　be　able　to　handle　the　werewolf　and　a
  half…vampire　child　that　I　loved？
  〃I　want　to　see　Renesmee；〃　I　said。　Now　that　my　thirst　was　tamed　（if　nothing　close　to　erased）；　my　earlier
  worries　were　hard　to　forget。　I　wanted　to　reconcile　the　stranger　who　was　my　daughter　with　the　creature
  I'd　loved　three　days　ago。　It　was　so　odd；　so　wrong　not　to　have　her　inside　me　still。　Abruptly；　I　felt　empty
  and　uneasy。
  He　held　out　his　hand　to　me。　I　took　it；　and　his　skin　felt　warmer　than　before。　His　cheek　was　faintly　flushed；
  the　shadows　under　his　eyes　all　but　vanished。
  I　was　unable　to　resist　stroking　his　face　again。　And　again。
  I　sort　of　forgot　that　I　was　waiting　for　a　response　to　my　request　as　I　stared　into　his　shimmering　gold　eyes。
  It　was　almost　as　hard　as　it　had　been　to　turn　away　from　the　scent　of　human　blood；　but　I　somehow　kept
  the　need　to　be　careful　firmly　in　my　head　as　I　stretched　up　on　my　toes　and　wrapped　my　arms　around　him。
  Gently。
  He　was　not　so　hesitant　in　his　movements；　his　arms　locked　around　my　waist　and　pulled　me　tight　against
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  his　body。　His　lips　crushed　down　on　mine；　but　they　felt　soft。　My　lips　no　longer　shaped　themselves　around
  his；　they　held　their　own。
  Like　before；　it　was　as　if　the　touch　of　his　skin；　his　lips；　his　hands；　was　sinking　right　through　my　smooth；
  hard　skin　and　into　my　new　bones。　To　the　very　core　of　my　body。　I　hadn't　imagined　that　I　could　love　him
  more　than　I　had。
  My　old　mind　hadn't　been　capable　of　holding　this　much　love。　My　old　heart　had　not　been　strong　enough　to
  bear　it。
  Maybe　this　was　the　part　of　me　that　I'd　brought　forward　to　be　intensified　in　my　new　life。　Like　Carlisle's
  compassion　and　Esme's　devotion。　I　would　probably　never　be　able　to　do　anything　interesting　or　special
  like　Edward；　Alice；　and　Jasper　could　do。　Maybe　I　would　just　love　Edward　more　than　anyone　in　the
  history　of　the　world　had　ever　loved　anyone　else。
  I　could　live　with　that。
  I　remembered　parts　of　this—twisting　my　fingers　in　his　hair；　tracing　the　planes　of　his　chest—but　other
  parts　were　so　new。　He　was　new。　It　was　an　entirely　different　experience　with　Edward　kissing　me　so
  fearlessly；　so　forcefully。　I　responded　to　his　intensity；　and　then　suddenly　we　were　falling。
  〃Oops；〃　I　said；　and　he　laughed　underneath　me。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　tackle　you　like　that。　Are　you　okay？〃
  He　stroked　my　face。　〃Slightly　better　than　okay〃　And　then　a　perplexed　expression　crossed　his　face。
  〃Renesmee？〃　he　asked　uncertainly；　trying　to　ascertain　what　I　wanted　most　in　this　moment。　A　very　difficult
  question　to　answer；　because　I　wanted　so　many　things　at　the　same　time。
  I　could　tell　that　he　wasn't　exactly　averse　to　procrastinating　our　return　trip；　and　it　was　hard　to　think　about
  much　besides　his　skin　on　mine—there　really　wasn't　that　much　left　of　the　dress。　But　my　memory　of
  Renesmee；　before　and　after　her　birth；　was　becoming　more　and　more　dreamlike　to　me。　More　unlikely。　All
  my　memories　of　her　were　human　memories；　an　aura　of　artificiality　clung　to　them。　Nothing　seemed　real
  that　I　hadn't　seen　with　these　eyes；　touched　with　these　hands。
  Every　minute；　the　reality　of　that　little　stranger　slipped　further　away。
  〃Renesmee；〃　I　agreed；　rueful；　and　I　whipped　back　up　onto　my　feet；　pulling　him　with　me。
  22。　PROMISED
  Thinking　of　Renesmee　brought　her　to　that　center…stage　place　in　my　strange；　new；　and　roomy　but
  distractible　mind。　So　many　questions。
  〃Tell　me　about　her；〃　i　insisted　as　he　took　my　hand。　Being　linked　barely　slowed　us。
  〃She's　like　nothing　else　in　the　world；〃　he　told　me；　and　the　sound　of　an　almost　religious　devotion　was　there
  again　in　his　voice。
  I　felt　a　sharp　pang　of　jealousy　over　this　stranger。　He　knew　her　and　I　did　not。　It　wasn't　fair。
  〃How　much　is　she　like　you？　How　much　like　me？　Or　like　I　was；　anyway。〃
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  〃It　seems　a　fairly　even　divide。〃
  〃She　was　warm…blooded；〃　I　remembered。
  〃Yes。　She　has　a　heartbeat；　though　it　runs　a　little　bit　faster　than　a　human's。　Her　temperature　is　a　little　bit
  hotter　than　usual；　too。　She　sleeps。〃
  〃Really？〃
  〃Quite　well　for　a　newborn。　The　only　parents　in　the　world　who　don't　need　sleep；　and　our　child　already
  sleeps　through　the　night。〃　He　chuckled。
  I　liked　the　way　he　said　our　child。　The　words　made　her　more　real。
  〃She　has　exactly　your　color　eyes—so　that　didn't　get　lost；　after　all。〃　He　smiled　at　me。　〃They're　so
  beautiful。〃
  〃And　the　vampire　parts？〃　I　asked。
  〃Her　skin　seems　about　as　impenetrable　as　ours。　Not　that　anyone　would　dream　of　testing　that。〃
  I　blinked　at　him；　a　little　shocked。
  〃Of　course　no　one　would；〃　he　assured　me　again。　〃Her　diet。。。　well；　she　prefers　to　drink　blood。　Carlisle
  continues　to　try　to　persuade　her　to　drink　some　baby　formula；　too；　but　she　doesn't　have　much　patience
  with　it。　Can't　say　that　I
  blame　her—nasty…smelling　stuff；　even　for　human　food。〃
  I　gaped　openly　at　him　now。　He　made　it　sound　like　they　were　having　conversations。　〃Persuade　her？〃
  〃She's　intelligent；　shockingly　so；　and　progressing　at　an　immense　pace。　Though　she　doesn't　speak
  —yet—she　communicates　quite　effectively。〃
  〃Doesn't。　Speak。　Yet〃
  He　slowed　our　pace　further；　letting　me　absorb　this。
  〃What　do　you　mean；　she　communicates　effectively？〃　I　demanded。
  〃I　think　it　will　be　easier　for　you　to。。。　see　for　yourself。　It's　rather　difficult　to　describe。〃
  I　considered　that。　I　knew　there　was　a　lot　that　I　needed　to　see　for　myself　before　it　would　be　real。　I　wasn't
  sure　how　much　more　I　was　ready　for；　so　I　changed　the　subject。
  〃Why　is　Jacob　still　here？〃　I　asked。　〃How　can　he　stand　it？　Why　should　he？〃　My　ringing　voice　trembled　a
  little。　〃Why　should　he　have　to　suffer　more？〃
  〃Jacob　isn't　suffering；〃　he　said　in　a　strange　new　tone。　〃Though　I　might　be　willing　to　change　his　condition；〃
  Edward　added　through　his　teeth。
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  〃Edward！〃　I　hissed；　yanking　him　to　a　stop　（and　feeling　a　little　thrill　of　smugness　that　I　was　able　to　do　it）。
  〃How　can　you　say　that？　Jacob　has　given　up　everything　to　protect　us！　What　I've　put　him　through—！〃　I
  cringed　at　the　dim　memory　of　shame　and　guilt。　It　seemed　odd　now　that　I　had　needed　him　so　much　then。
  That　sense　of　absence　without　him　near　had　vanished；　it　must　have　been　a　human　weakness。
  〃You'll　see　exactly　how　I　can　say　that；〃　Edward　muttered。　〃I　promised　him　that　I　would　let　him　explain；
  but　I　doubt　you'll　see　it　much　differently　than　I　do。　Of　course；　I'm　often　wrong　about　your　thoughts；　aren't
  I？〃　He　pursed　his　lips　and　eyed　me。
  〃Explain　what？〃
  Edward　shook　his　head。　〃I　promised。　Though　I　don't　know　if　I　really　owe　him　anything　at　all　anymore。　。　。
  。〃　His　teeth　ground　together。
  〃Edward；　I　don't　understand。〃　Frustration　and　indignation　took　over　my　head。
  He　stroked　my　cheek　and　then　smiled　gently　when　my　face　smoothed　out　in　response；　desire
  momentarily　overruling　annoyance。　〃It's　harder　than　you　make　it　look；　I　know。　I　remember。〃
  〃I　don't　like　feeling　confused。〃
  〃I　know。　And　so　let's　get　you　home；　so　that　you　can　see　it　all　for　yourself。〃　His　eyes　ran　over　the　remains
  of　my　dress　as　he　spoke　of　going　home；　and　he　frowned。　〃Hmm。〃　After　a　half　second　of　thought；　he
  unbuttoned　his　white　shirt　and　held　it　out　for　me　to　put　my　arms　through。
  〃That　bad？〃
  He　grinned。
  I　slipped　my　arms　into　his　sleeves　and　then　buttoned　it　swiftly　over　my　ragged　bodice。　Of　course；　that
  left　him　without　a　shirt；　and　it　was　impossible　not　to　find　that　distracting。
  'Til　race　you；〃　I　said；　and　then　cautioned；　〃no　throwing　the　game　this　time！〃
  He　dropped　my　hand　and　grinned。　〃On　your　mark　。。。〃
  Finding　my　way　to　my　new　home　was　simpler　than　walking　down　Charlie's　street　to　my　old　one。　Our
  scent　left　a　clear　and　easy　trail　to　follow；　even　running　as　fast　as　I　could。
  Edward　had　me　beat　till　we　hit　the　river。　I　took　a　chance　and　made　my　leap　early；　trying　to　use　my　extra
  strength　to　win。
  〃Ha！〃　I　exulted　when　I　heard　my　feet　touch　the　grass　first。
  Listening　for　his　landing；　I　heard　something　I　did　not　expect。　Something　loud　and　much　too　close。　A
  thudding　heart。
  Edward　was　beside　me　in　the　same　second；　his　hands　clamped　down　hard　on　the　tops　of　my　arms。
  〃Don't　breathe；〃　he　cautioned　me　urgently。
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