procession。
And then the child in Rosalie's arms； struggling and reaching all this time while her expression got more
and more irritated； let out a high； ringing wail。 Everyone reacted as if—like me—they'd never heard her
voice before。
They swarmed around her in a second； leaving me standing alone； frozen in place。 The sound of
Renesmee's cry pierced right through me； spearing me to the floor。 My eyes pricked in the strangest way；
like they wanted to tear。
It seemed like everyone had a hand on her； patting and soothing。 Everyone but me。
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〃What's the matter？ Is she hurt？ What happened？〃
It was Jacob's voice that was loudest； that raised anxiously above the others。 I watched in shock as he
reached for Renesmee； and then in utter horror as Rosalie surrendered her to him without a fight。
〃No； she's fine；〃 Rosalie reassured him。
Rosalie was reassuring Jacob？
Renesmee went to Jacob willingly enough； pushing her tiny hand against his cheek and then squirming
around to stretch toward me again。
〃See？〃 Rosalie told him。 〃She just wants Bella。〃
〃She wants me？〃 I whispered。
Renesmee's eyes—my eyes—stared impatiently at me。
Edward darted back to my side。 He put his hands lightly on my arms and urged me forward。
〃She's been waiting for you for almost three days；〃 he told me。
We were only a few feet away from her now。 Bursts of heat seemed to tremble out from her to touch
me。
Or maybe it was Jacob who was trembling。 I saw his hands shaking as I got closer。 And yet； despite his
obvious anxiety； his face was more serene than I had seen it in a long time。
〃Jake—I'm fine；〃 I told him。 It made me panicky to see Renesmee in his shaking hands； but I worked to
keep myself in control。
He frowned at me； eyes tight； like he was just as panicky at the thought of Renesmee in my arms。
Renesmee whimpered eagerly and stretched； her little hands grasping into fists again and again。
Something in me clicked into place at that moment。 The sound of her cry； the familiarity of her eyes； the
way she seemed even more impatient than I did for this reunion—all of it wove together into the most
natural of patterns as she clutched the air between us。 Suddenly； she was absolutely real； and of course I
knew her。 It was perfectly ordinary that I should take that last easy step and reach for her； putting my
hands exactly where they would fit best
as I pulled her gently toward me。
Jacob let his long arms stretch so that I could cradle her； but he didn't let go。 He shuddered a little when
our skin touched。 His skin； always so warm to me before； felt like an open flame to me now。 It was
almost the same temperature as Renesmee's。 Perhaps one or two degrees difference。
Renesmee seemed oblivious to the coolness of my skin； or at least very used to it。
She looked up and smiled at me again； showing her square little teeth and two dimples。 Then； very
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deliberately； she reached for my face。
The moment she did this； all the hands on me tightened； anticipating my reaction。 I barely noticed。
I was gasping； stunned and frightened by the strange； alarming image that filled my mind。 It felt like a
very strong memory—I could still see through my eyes while I watched it in my head—but it was
completely unfamiliar。 I stared through it to Renesmee's expectant expression； trying to understand what
was happening； struggling desperately to hold on to my calm。
Besides being shocking and unfamiliar； the image was also wrong somehow—I almost recognized my
own face in it； my old face； but it was off； backward。 I grasped quickly that I was seeing my face as
others saw it； rather than flipped in a reflection。
My memory face was twisted； ravaged； covered in sweat and blood。 Despite this； my expression in the
vision became an adoring smile； my brown eyes glowed over their deep circles。 The image enlarged； my
face came closer to the unseen vantage point； and then abruptly vanished。
Renesmee's hand dropped from my cheek。 She smiled wider； dimpling again。
It was totally silent in the room but for the heartbeats。 No one but Jacob and Renesmee was so much as
breathing。 The silence stretched on； it seemed like they were waiting for me to say something。
〃What。。。 was。。。 that？〃 I managed to choke out。
〃What did you see？〃 Rosalie asked curiously； leaning around Jacob； who seemed very much in the way
and out of place at the moment。 〃What did she show you？〃
〃Srte showed me that？〃 I whispered。
〃I told you it was hard to explain；〃 Edward murmured in my ear。 〃But effective as means of
communications go。〃
〃What was it？〃 Jacob asked。
I blinked quickly several times。 〃Um。 Me。 I think。 But I looked terrible。〃
〃It was the only memory she had of you；〃 Edward explained。 It was obvious he'd seen what she was
showing me as she thought of it。 He was still cringing； his voice rough from reliving the memory。 〃She's
letting you know that she's made the connection； that she knows who you are。〃
〃Butrtowdidshedothat？〃
Renesmee seemed unconcerned with my boggling eyes。 She was smiling slightly and pulling on a lock of
my hair。
〃How do I hear thoughts？ How does Alice see the future？〃 Edward asked rhetorically； and then
shrugged。
〃She's gifted。〃
〃It's an interesting twist；〃 Carlisle said to Edward。 〃Like she's doing the exact opposite of what you can。〃
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〃Interesting；〃 Edward agreed。 〃I wonder___〃
I knew they were speculating away； but I didn't care。 I was staring at the most beautiful face in the
world。 She was hot in my arms； reminding me of the moment when the blackness had almost won； when
there was nothing in the world left to hold on to。 Nothing strong enough to pull me through the crushing
darkness。 The moment when I'd thought of Renesmee and found something I would never let go of。
〃I remember you； too；〃 I told her quietly。
It seemed very natural to lean in and press my lips to her forehead。 She smelled wonderful。 The scent of
her skin set my throat burning； but it was easy to ignore。 It didn't strip the joy from the moment。
Renesmee was real and I knew her。 She was the same one I'd fought for from the beginning。 My little
nudger； the one who loved me from the inside； too。 Half Edward； perfect and lovely。 And half me
—which； surprisingly； made her better rather than detracting。
I'd been right all along。 She was worth the fight。
〃She's fine；〃 Alice murmured； probably to Jasper。 I could feel them hovering； not trusting me。
〃Haven't we experimented enough for one day？〃 Jacob asked； his voice a slightly higher pitch with
stress。 〃Okay； Bella's doing great； but let's not push it。〃
I glared at him with real irritation。 Jasper shuffled uneasily next to me。 We were all crowded so close that
every tiny movement seemed very big。
〃What is your problem； Jacob？〃 I demanded。 I tugged lightly against his hold on Renesmee； and he just
stepped closer to me。 He was pressed right up to me； Renesmee touching both of our chests。
Edward hissed at him。 〃Just because I understand； it doesn't mean I won't throw you out； Jacob。 Bella's
doing extraordinarily well。 Don't ruin the moment for her。〃
〃I'll help him toss you； dog；〃 Rosalie promised； her voice seething。 〃I owe you a good kick in the gut。〃
Obviously； there was no change in that relationship； unless it had gotten worse。
I glared at Jacob's anxious half…angry expression。 His eyes were locked on Renesmee's face。 With
everyone pressed together； he had to be touching at least six different vampires at the moment； and it
didn't even seem to bug him。
Would he really go through all this just to protect me from myself？ What could have happened during my
transformation—my alteration into something he hated—that would soften him so much toward the
reason for its necessity？
I puzzled over it； watching him stare at my daughter。 Staring at her like。。。 like he was a blind man seeing
the sun for the very first time。
〃No！〃I gasped。
Jasper's teeth came together and Edward's arms wrapped around my chest like constricting boas。 Jacob
had Renesmee out of my arms in the same second； and I did not try to hold on to her。 Because I felt it
coming—the snap
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that they'd all been waiting for。
〃Rose；〃 I said through my teeth； very slowly and precisely。 〃Take Renesmee。〃
Rosal