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