his perfect face； staring at me； twisted into a mask of indecision and pain。 〃Alice； get me something to brace her leg！〃 Carlisle was bent over me； working on my head。 〃Edward； you must do it now； or it will be too late。〃 Edward"s face was drawn。 I watched his eyes as the doubt was suddenly replaced with a blazing determination。 His jaw tightened。 I felt his cool； strong fingers on my burning hand； locking it in place。 Then his head bent over it； and his cold lips pressed against my skin。 At first the pain was worse。 I screamed and thrashed against the cool hands that held me back。 I heard Alice"s voice； trying to calm me。 Something heavy held my leg to the floor； and Carlisle had my head locked in the vise of his stone arms。 Then； slowly； my writhing calmed as my hand grew more and more numb。 The fire was dulling； focusing into an eversmaller point。 I felt my consciousness slipping as the pain subsided。 I was afraid to fall into the black waters again； afraid I would lose him in the darkness。 〃Edward；〃 I tried to say； but I couldn"t hear my voice。 They could hear me。 〃He"s right here； Bella。〃 〃Stay； Edward； stay with me…〃 〃I will。〃 His voice was strained； but somehow triumphant。 I sighed contentedly。 The fire was gone； the other pains dulled by a sleepiness seeping through my body。 〃Is it all out？〃 Carlisle asked from somewhere far away。 〃Her blood tastes clean；〃 Edward said quietly。 〃I can taste the morphine。〃 〃Bella？〃 Carlisle called to me。 I tried to answer。 〃Mmmmm？〃 〃Is the fire gone？〃 〃Yes；〃 I sighed。 〃Thank you； Edward。〃 〃I love you；〃 he answered。 〃I know；〃 I breathed； so tired。 I heard my favorite sound in the world： Edward"s quiet laugh； weak with relief。 〃Bella？〃 Carlisle asked again。 I frowned； I wanted to sleep。 〃What？〃 〃Where is your mother？〃 〃In Florida；〃 I sighed。 〃He tricked me； Edward。 He watched our videos。〃 The outrage in my voice was pitifully frail。 But that reminded me。 〃Alice。〃 I tried to open my eyes。 〃Alice； the video — he knew you； Alice； he knew where you came from。〃 I meant to speak urgently； but my voice was feeble。 〃I smell gasoline；〃 I added； surprised through the haze in my brain。 〃It"s time to move her；〃 Carlisle said。 〃No； I want to sleep；〃 I plained。 〃You can sleep； sweetheart； I"ll carry you；〃 Edward soothed me。 And I was in his arms； cradled against his chest — floating； all the pain gone。 〃Sleep now； Bella〃 were the last words I heard。 =========================================================================== 24。 AN IMPASSE My eyes opened to a bright； white light。 I was in an unfamiliar room； a white room。 The wall beside me was covered in long vertical blinds； over my head； the glaring lights blinded me。 I was propped up on a hard； uneven bed — a bed with rails。 The pillows were flat and lumpy。 There was an annoying beeping sound somewhere close by。 I hoped that meant I was still alive。 Death shouldn"t be this unfortable。 My hands were all twisted up with clear tubes； and something was taped across my face； under my nose。 I lifted my hand to rip it off。 〃No； you don"t。〃 And cool fingers caught my hand。 〃Edward？〃 I turned my head slightly； and his exquisite face was just inches from mine； his chin resting on the edge of my pillow。 I realized again that I was alive； this time with gratitude and elation。 〃Oh； Edward； I"m so sorry！〃 〃Shhhh；〃 he shushed me。 〃Everything"s all right now。〃 〃What happened？〃 I couldn"t remember clearly； and my mind rebelled against me as I tried to recall。 〃I was almost too late。 I could have been too late；〃 he whispered； his voice tormented。 〃I was so stupid； Edward。 I thought he had my mom。〃 〃He tricked us all。〃 〃I need to call Charlie and my mom；〃 I realized through the haze。 〃Alice called them。 Renée is here — well； here in the hospital。 She"s getting something to eat right now。〃 〃She"s here？〃 I tried to sit up； but the spinning in my head accelerated； and his hand pushed me gently down onto the pillows。 〃She"ll be back soon；〃 he promised。 〃And you need to stay still。〃 〃But what did you tell her？〃 I panicked。 I had no interest in being soothed。 My mom was here and I was recovering from a vampire attack。 〃Why did you tell her I"m here？〃 〃You fell down two flights of stairs and through a window。〃 He paused。 〃You have to admit； it could happen。〃 I sighed； and it hurt。 I stared down at my body under the sheet； the huge lump that was my leg。 〃How bad am I？〃 I asked。 〃You have a broken leg； four broken ribs； some cracks in your skull； bruises covering every inch of your skin； and you"ve lost a lot of blood。 They gave you a few transfusions。 I didn"t like it — it made you smell all wrong for a while。〃 〃That must have been a nice change for you。〃 〃No； I like how you smell。〃 〃How did you do it？〃 I asked quietly。 He knew what I meant at once。 〃I"m not sure。〃 He looked away from my wondering eyes； lifting my gauzewrapped hand from the bed and holding it gently in his； careful not to disrupt the wire connecting me to one of the monitors。 I waited patiently for the rest。 He sighed without returning my gaze。 〃It was impossible… to stop；〃 he whispered。 〃Impossible。 But I did。〃 He looked up finally； with half a smile。 〃I must love you。〃 〃Don"t I taste as good as I smell？〃 I smiled in response。 That hurt my face。 〃Even better — better than I"d imagined。〃 〃I"m sorry；〃 I apologized。 He raised his eyes to the ceiling。 〃Of all the things to apologize for。〃 〃What should I apologize for？〃 〃For very nearly taking yourself away from me forever。〃 〃I"m sorry；〃 I apologized again。 〃I know why you did it。〃 His voice was forting。 〃It was still irrational； of course。 You should have waited for me； you should have told me。〃 〃You wouldn"t have let me go。〃 〃No；〃 he agreed in a grim tone； 〃I wouldn"t。〃 Some very unpleasant memories were beginning to e back to me。 I shuddered； and then winced。 He was instantly anxiou