e； Carlisle said。 Then he turned to Rosalie。 Rosalie； I looked the other way in Rochester because I felt that you were owed your justice。 The men you killed had wronged you monstrously。 This is not the same situation。 The Swan girl is an innocent。 It s not personal； Carlisle； Rosalie said through her teeth。 us all。 It s to protect There was a brief moment of silence while Carlisle thought through his answer。 When he nodded； Rosalie s eyes lit up。 She should have known better。 Even if I hadn t been able to read his thoughts； I could have anticipated his next words。 Carlisle never promised。 I know you mean well； Rosalie； but I d like very much for our family to be worth protecting。 The occasional accident or lapse in control is a regrettable part of who we are。 It was very like him to include himself in the plural； though he had never had such a lapse himself。 To murder a blameless child in cold blood is another thing entirely。 I believe the risk she presents； whether she speaks her suspicions or not； is nothing to the greater risk。 If we make exceptions to protect ourselves； we risk something much more important。 We risk losing the essence of who we are。 I controlled my expression very carefully。 applaud； as I wished I could。 Rosalie scowled。 It wouldn t do at all to grin。 Or to It s just being responsible。 Every life is precious。 Emmett patted her shoulder。 It s being callous； Carlisle corrected gently。 Rosalie sighed heavily and her lower lip pouted out。 It ll be fine； Rose； he encouraged in a low voice。 The question； Carlisle continued； is whether we should move on？ No； Rosalie moaned。 We just got settled。 sophomore year in high school again！ I don t want to start on my You could keep your present age； of course； Carlisle said。 And have to move again that much sooner？ she countered。
Carlisle shrugged。 I like it here！ There s so little sun； we get to be almost normal。 Well； we certainly don t have to decide now。 We can wait and see if it bees necessary。 Edward seems certain of the Swan girl s silence。 Rosalie snorted。 But I was no longer worried about Rose。 I could see that she would go along with Carlisle s decision； not matter how infuriated she was with me。 Their conversation had moved on to unimportant details。 Jasper remained unmoved。 I understood why。 Before he and Alice had met； he d lived in a bat zone； a relentless theater of war。 He knew the consequences of flouting the rules he d seen the grisly aftermath with his own eyes。 It said much that he had not tried to calm Rosalie down with his extra faculties； nor did he now try to rile her up。 He was holding himself aloof from this discussion above it。 Jasper； I said。 He met my gaze； his face expressionless。 She won t pay for my mistake。 She benefits from it； then？ set that right。 I won t allow that。 I would only She should have died today； Edward。 I will not allow it。 I repeated myself； emphasizing each word。 His eyebrows shot up。 He wasn t expecting this he hadn t imagined that I would act to stop him。 He shook his head once。 I won t let Alice live in danger； even a slight danger。 You don t feel about anyone the way I feel about her； Edward； and you haven t lived through what I ve lived through； whether you ve seen my memories or not。 You don t understand。 I m not disputing that； Jasper。 hurt Isabella Swan。 But I m telling you now； I won t allow you to I felt him We stared at each other not glaring； but measuring the opposition。 sample the mood around me； testing my determination。 Jazz； Alice said； interrupting us。 He held my gaze for a moment more； and then looked at her。 Don t bother telling me you can protect yourself； Alice。 I already know that。 I ve still got to That s not what I m going say； Alice interrupted。 favor。 I was going to ask you for a I saw what was on her mind； and my mouth fell open with an audible gasp。 I stared at her； shocked； only vaguely aware that everyone besides Alice and Jasper was now
eyeing me warily。 I know you love me。 Thanks。 But I would really appreciate it if you didn t try to kill Bella。 First of all； Edward s serious and I don t want you two fighting。 Secondly； she s my friend。 At least； she s going to be。 It was clear as glass in her head： Alice； smiling； with her icy white arm around the girl s warm； fragile shoulders。 And Bella was smiling； too； her arm around Alice s waist。 The vision was rock solid； only the timing of it was unsure。 But Alice Jasper gasped。 I couldn t manage to turn my head to see his expression。 I couldn t tear myself away from the image in Alice s head in order to hear his。 I m going to love her someday； Jazz。 let her be。 I ll be very put out with you if you don t I was still locked into Alice s thoughts。 I saw the future shimmer as Jasper s resolve floundered in the face of her unexpected request。 Ah； she sighed his indecision had cleared a new future。 going to say anything。 There s nothing to worry about。 See？ Bella s not The way she said the girl s name like they were already close confidants Alice； I choked。 What does this ？ I told you there was a change ing。 I don t know； Edward。 But she locked her jaw； and I could see that there was more。 She was trying not to think about it； she was focusing very hard on Jasper suddenly； though he was too stunned to have progressed much in his decision making。 She did this sometimes when she was trying to keep something from me。 What； Alice？ What are you hiding？ He always got frustrated when Alice and I had these kinds I heard Emmett grumble。 of conversations。 She shook her head； trying to not let me in。 Is it about the girl？ I demanded。 Is it about Bella？ She had her teeth gritted in concentration； but when I spoke Bella s name； she slipped。 Her slip only lasted the tiniest portion of a second； but that was long enough。 NO！ I shouted。 my feet。 I heard my chair hit the floor； and only then realized I was on I was barely There re Edward！ Carlisle was on his feet； too； his arm on my shoulder。 aware of him。 It s solidifying； Alice whispered。 Every minute you re more decided。 really only two ways left for her。 It s one or the other； Edward。
I could see what she saw but I could not accept it。 No； I said again； there was no volume to my denial。 had to brace myself against the table。 My legs felt hollow； and I Will somebody please let the rest of us in on the mystery？ Emmett plained。 I have to leave； I whispered to Alice； ignoring him。 Edward； we ve already been over that； Emmett said loudly。 That s the best way to start the girl talking。 Besides； if you take off； we won t know for sure if she s talking or not。 You have to stay and deal with this。 I don t see you going anywhere； Edward； Alice told me。 I don t know if you can leave anymore。 Think about it； she added silently。 Think about leaving。 I saw what she meant。 Yes； the idea of never seeing the girl again was painful。 But it was also necessary。 I couldn t sanction either future I d apparently condemned her to。 I m not entirely sure of Jasper； Edward； Alice went on。 thinks she s a danger to us If you leave； if he I don t hear that； I contradicted her； still only halfway aware of our audience。 Jasper was wavering。 He would not do something that would hurt Alice。 Not right this moment。 Will you risk her life； leave her undefended？ My head fell into my hands。 Wasn t Alice s divided future Why are you doing this to me？ I groaned。 I was not Bella s protector。 enough proof of that？ I could not be that。 I love her； too。 Or I will。 It s not the same； but I want her around for that。 Love her； too？ I whispered； incredulous。 She sighed。 You are so blind； Edward。 Can t you see where you re headed？ an t you see where you already are？ the east。 See what I see It s more inevitable than the sun rising in I shook my head； horrified。 No。 I tried to shut out the visions she revealed to me。 I don t have to follow that course。 I ll leave。 I will change the future。 You can try； she said； her voice skeptical。 Oh； e on！ Emmett bellowed。 How Pay attention； Rose hissed at him。 Alice sees him falling for a human！ classically Edward！ She made a gagging sound。 I scarcely heard her。 What？ Emmett said； startled。 Then his booming laugh echoed through the room。 Is that what s been going on？ He laughed again。 Tough break； Edward。
I felt his hand on my shoulder； and I shook it off absently。 attention to him。 Fall for a human？ Esme repeated in a stunned voice。 today？ Fall in love with her？ What do you see； Alice？ Exactly； Jasper demanded。 I couldn t pay For the girl he saved She turned toward him； I continued to stare numbly at the side of her face。 It all depends on whether he is strong enough or not。 Either he ll kill her himself she turned to meet my gaze again； glaring which would really irritate me； Edward； not to mention what it would do to you she faced Jasper again； or she ll be one of us someday。 Someone gasped； I didn t look to see who。 That s not going to happen！ I was shouting again。 Either one！ Alice didn t seem to hear me。 It all depends； she repeated。 He may be just strong enough not to kill her but it will be close。 It will take an amazing amount of control； she mused。 More even than Carlisle has。 He may be just strong enough The only thing he s not strong enough to do is stay away from her。 That s a lost cause。 I couldn t find my voic