somewhere 。 。 。 warmer。”
I laughed a little； still staring at the envelope。 “Yeah。 Forks has really changed my perspective on life。”
“And Edward？”
Though his name set butterflies fluttering in my stomach； I looked up and grinned at her。 “Alaska’s not too
cold for Edward； either。”
She grinned back。 “Of course not。” And then she sighed。 “It’s so far。 You won’t be able to come home
very often。 I’ll miss you。 Will you e…mail me？”
A swell of quiet sadness crashed over me； maybe it was a mistake to get closer to Angela now。 But
wouldn’t it be sadder still to miss out on these last chances？ I shook off the unhappy thoughts； so that I could
answer her teasingly。
“If I can type again after this。” I nodded toward the stack of envelopes I’d done。
We laughed； and it was easy then to chat cheerfully about classes and majors while we finished the rest —
all I had to do was not think about it。 Anyway； there were more urgent things to worry about today。
I helped her put the stamps on； too。 I was afraid to leave。
“How’s your hand？” she asked。
I flexed my fingers。 “I think I’ll recover the full use of it 。 。 。 someday。”
The door banged downstairs； and we both looked up。
“Ang？” Ben called。
I tried to smile； but my lips trembled。 “I guess that’s my cue to leave。”
“You don’t have to go。 Though he’s probably going to describe the movie for me 。 。 。 in detail。”
“Charlie will be wondering where I am anyway。”
“Thanks for helping me。”
“I had a good time； actually。 We should do something like this again。 It was nice to have some girl time。”
“Definitely。”
There was a light knock on the bedroom door。
“Come in； Ben；” Angela said。
I got up and stretched。
“Hey； Bella！ You survived；” Ben greeted me quickly before going to take my place by Angela。 He eyed
our work。 “Nice job。 Too bad there’s nothing left to do； I would have 。 。 。” He let the thought trail off； and
then restarted excitedly。 “Ang； I can’t believe you missed this one！ It was awesome。 There was this final fight
sequence — the choreography was unbelievable！ This one guy — well； you’re going to have to see it to know
what I’m talking about —”
Angela rolled her eyes at me。
“See you at school；” I said with a nervous laugh。
She sighed。 “See you。”
I was jumpy on the way out to my truck； but the street was empty。 I spent the whole drive glancing
anxiously in all my mirrors； but there was never any sign of the silver car。
His car was not in front of the house； either； though that meant little。
“Bella？” Charlie called when I opened the front door。
“Hey； Dad。”
I found him in the living room； in front of the TV。
“So； how was your day？”
“Good；” I said。 Might as well tell him everything — he’d hear it from Billy soon enough。 Besides； it would
make him happy。 “They didn’t need me at work； so I went down to La Push。”
There wasn’t enough surprise in his face。 Billy had already talked to him。
“How’s Jacob？” Charlie asked； attempting to sound indifferent。
“Good；” I said； just as casual。
“You get over to the Webers’？”
“Yep。 We got all her announcements addressed。”
“That’s nice。” Charlie smiled a wide smile。 He was strangely focused； considering that there was a game
on。 “I’m glad you spent some time with your friends today。”
“Me； too。”
I ambled toward the kitchen； looking for busy work。 Unfortunately； Charlie had already cleaned up his
lunch。 I stood there for a few minutes； staring at the bright patch of light the sun made on the floor。 But I knew
I couldn’t delay this forever。
“I’m going to go study；” I announced glumly as I headed up the stairs。
“See you later；” Charlie called after me。
If I survive； I thought to myself。
I shut my bedroom door carefully before I turned to face my room。
Of course he was there。 He stood against the wall across from me； in the shadow beside the open
window。 His face was hard and his posture tense。 He glared at me wordlessly。
I cringed； waiting for the torrent； but it didn’t come。 He just continued to glare； possibly too angry to
speak。
“Hi；” I finally said。
His face could have been carved from stone。 I counted to a hundred in my head； but there was no change。
“Er 。 。 。 so； I’m still alive；” I began。
A growl rumbled low in his chest； but his expression didn’t change。
“No harm done；” I insisted with a shrug。
He moved。 His eyes closed； and he pinched the bridge of his nose between the fingers of his right hand。
“Bella；” he whispered。 “Do you have any idea how close I came to crossing the line today？ To breaking
the treaty and coming after you？ Do you know what that would have meant？”
I gasped and his eyes opened。 They were as cold and hard as night。
“You can’t！” I said too loudly。 I worked to modulate the volume of my voice so Charlie wouldn’t hear；
but I wanted to shout the words。 “Edward； they’d use any excuse for a fight。 They’d love that。 You can’t ever
break the rules！”
“Maybe they aren’t the only ones who would enjoy a fight。”
“Don’t you start；” I snapped。 “You made the treaty — you stick to it。”
“If he’d hurt you —”
“Enough！” I cut him off。 “There’s nothing to worry about。 Jacob isn’t dangerous。”
“Bella。” He rolled his eyes。 “You aren’t exactly the best judge of what is or isn’t dangerous。”
“I know I don’t have to worry about Jake。 And neither do you。”
He ground his teeth together。 His hands were balled up in fists at his sides。 He was still standing against the
wall； and I hated the space between us。
I took a deep breath； and crossed the room。 He didn’t move when I wrapped my arms around him。 Next
to the warmth of the last of the afternoon sun streaming through the window； his skin felt especially icy。 He
seemed like ice； too； frozen the way he was。
“I’m sorry I made you anxious；” I muttered。
He sighed； and relaxed a little。 His arms wound around my waist。
“Anxious is a bit of an understatement；” he murmured。 “It was a very long day。”
“You weren’t supposed to know about it；” I reminded him。 “I thought you’d be hunting longer。”
I looked up at his face； at his defensive eyes； I hadn’t noticed in the stress of the moment； but they were
too dark。 The rings under them were deep purple。 I frowned in disapproval。
“When Alice saw you disappear； I came back；” he explained。
“You shouldn’t have done that。 Now you’ll have to go away again。” My frown intensified。
“I can wait。”
“That’s ridiculous。 I mean； I know she couldn’t see me with Jacob； but you should have known —”
“But I didn’t；” he broke in。 “And you can’t expect me to let you —”
“Oh； yes； I can；” I interrupted him。 “That’s exactly what I expect —”
“This won’t happen again。”
“That’s right！ Because you’re not going to overreact next time。”
“Because there isn’t going to be a next time。”
“I understand when you have to leave； even if I don’t like it —”
“That’s not the same。 I’m not risking my life。”
“Neither am I。”
“Werewolves constitute a risk。”
“I disagree。”
“I’m not negotiating this； Bella。”
“Neither am I。”
His hands were in fists again。 I could feel them against my back。
The words popped out thoughtlessly。 “Is this really just about my safety？”
“What do you mean？” he demanded。
“You aren’t 。 。 。” Angela’s theory seemed sillier now than before。 It was hard to finish the thought。 “I
mean； you know better than to be jealous； right？”
He raised one eyebrow。 “Do I？”
“Be serious。”
“Easily — there’s nothing remotely humorous about this。”
I frowned suspiciously。 “Or 。 。 。 is this something else altogether？ Some vampires…and…werewolves…are…
always…enemies nonsense？ Is this just a testosterone…fueled —”
His eyes blazed。 “This is only about you。 All I care is that you’re safe。”
The black fire in his eyes was impossible to doubt。
“Okay；” I sighed。 “I believe that。 But I want you to know something — when it comes to all this enemies
nonsense； I’m out。 I am a neutral country。 I am Switzerland。 I refuse to be affected by territorial disputes
between mythical creatures。 Jacob is family。 You are 。 。 。 well； not exactly the love of my life； because I expect
to love you for much longer than that。 The love of my existence。 I don’t care who’s a werewolf and who’s a
vampire。 If Angela turns out to be a witch； she can join the party； too。”
He stared at me silently through narrowed eyes。
“Switzerland；” I repeated again for emphasis。
He frowned at me； and then sighed。 “Bella 。 。 。 ；” he began； but he paused； and his nose wrinkled in
disgust。
“What now？”
“Well 。 。 。 don’t be offended； but you smell like a dog；” he told me。
And then he smiled crookedly； so I knew the fight was over。 For now。
Edward had to make up for the missed hunting trip； and so he was leaving Friday night with Jasper； Emmett；
and Carlisle to hit some reserve in Northern California with a mountain lion problem。
We’d come to no agreement on the werewolf issue； but I didn’t feel guilty calling Jake — during my brief
window of opportunity when Edward took the Volvo home before climbing back in through my window — to
let him know I’d be coming over on Saturday again。 It wasn’t sneaking around。 Edward knew how I felt。 And
if he broke my truck again； then I’d have Jacob pick me up。 Forks was neutral； just like Switzerland — just
like me。
So when I got off work Thursday and it was Alice rather than Edward waiting for me in the Volvo； I was
not suspicious at first。 The passenger door was open； and music I didn’t recognize was shaking the frame
when the bass played。
“Hey； Alice；” I shouted over the wailing as I climbed in。 “Wh