Bella. Was she alive or dead? He could not tell as he stood watching over her. She was as still as death. No breath moved her frail body, no pulse beat in her throat. Edward told him that she was alive. But this was not life.

For a whole day she had screamed and thrashed, fighting against the poison that spread through her veins, to ever cell of her body. Jacob couldn't stand it. He knew he couldn't. But somehow he did. He would not leave her. He was not like him. On the second day she seemed better. She was silent, her body only occasionally twitching. And now this. Now nothing. He wasn't sure what was worse. It seemed that she must be better; Edward assured him that she was alive, and she no longer seemed to be in pain. But he sat in the corner as still as a sculpture, his eyes fixed on her. His face was etched in torment. And somehow Jacob knew. He knew that it was worse. Like all the poison, all the pain, was only locked inside her now, all built up against her dying heart.

Suddenly Edward moved. He looked up at Jacob, his eyes urgent. "Jacob, go. She's almost finished. Leave the house. Go – somewhere – I don't know. Don't come back unless – until – I call you."

Jacob did not move, confusion spreading over his features. "But why? She's almost finished. She'll be better."

Edward sighed wearily. "She's a vampire now, Jacob. As a newborn she'll be – uncontrollably strong. And she'll have no control over her instincts. She'll kill you Jacob."

Jacob stared at him, searching for the truth. But Edward's eyes held only sorrow, regret. Jacob glanced at Bella's still form, then nodded and rose to his feet.

"Will she – " But his voice faltered and, without a backward glance, he left the room. A moment later Edward heard the front door slam. He looked back at Bella. He could hear her heart straining, beating faster and faster. Any moment. Suddenly it stopped. He leapt to his feet and watched. Her eyes opened. For a long moment she just lay there. And then, faster than even he could watch, she sprang to lithely her feet.

He marveled at her. How beautiful she was. Of course he had always thought she was beautiful, even for a human. But now he truly saw what a goddess she was. Her skin the color of cream, perfect and unmarred by any line or mark. Her eyes blood red above the dark blue circles. They flickered around the room, an infinitesimal movement, then settled on him. He tensed, ready for anything. But she only took one, sinuous step toward him.

"Where is he?" Her lips moved too swiftly for his old eyes to follow. But the words were clear, sharp. Her voice was different. Like soft bells, or a thin, rushing stream of water, or a note played perfectly on a violin. She glanced at the door then sprang forward, but he caught her. Her arm pulled easily from his grasp.

"Wait! Bella! Don't – you can't find him. Not yet. I sent him away."

She turned on him, her eyes fierce. "You sent him away? Why?"

"Are you not hungry?"

Confusion flickered across her face, then alarm. Her eyes burned. "Yes!" she gasped. "Where do I go?"

"You have to get away from people. Newborns can't control themselves at the smell of human blood. Come with me. I'll show you a good hunting ground."

She nodded and he ran out ahead of her. She raced after him, across the road and into the forest. Every detail was perfectly clear, despite their supernatural speed. Every vein of every leaf stood out as though beneath a microscope. And she could hear everything. The distant buzz of a chain saw, the rustling of a bird's feathers high in the trees above, the purring of car engines, Edward's breath rushing through his lungs. The smells were incredible. She could smell the trail of a mouse that had passed two weeks ago. She could smell the antiseptics from the Forks Community Hospital, born on the wisp of a breeze that brushed above the trees. She could smell blood, warm and sweet. It made her mouth water. The venom was sharp and cold, like metal. But the human blood was far away, miles and miles. It was so thin she could ignore it. Closer by there was a stronger trail. She could hear the heart pounding in some creature's chest. It was strong and loud, surely another predator's.

The smell pulled at her, irresistible. She sprang up a tree trunk, not slowing her pace. Branches shattered as she crashed through them. The cougar leapt from its perch, a startled hiss bursting from its throat. She soared after it, grabbed it in midair. Its body twisted and she sank her teeth into its neck. It gave a little grunt and was still. The blood ceased to flow in its veins but she sucked at it, forcing it out. It was hot and a little bitter. But the feel of it flowing down her throat was like pouring cold milk over a burnt tongue. A branched snapped behind her. She whirled, her teeth bared, a growl ripping from her throat. But it was only Edward. He stopped, his eyes wide with fear, his hands held out in reassurance. Slowly she settled back, her hunger-crazed mind slowing from its hunter instinct.

"Sorry," she muttered. She glanced up penitently at him. "Share?"

He gave a little, nervous laugh. "No, you need it all."

She felt a twinge of guilt, but not enough to protest. She turned back to her meal. When she had finished she left the dried body where it lay. She stepped close to him, almost touching.

"It's amazing. I never could have imagined." Then, for a moment her perfect brow furrowed. "How long will my eyes be – like this?"

"About a year, unless you drink – human blood."

She shook her head. "No. Never."

"You know you won't have the strength to be near them and resist. It's hard even for a mature vampire, much less a newborn. You'll have to stay away. The old house is a good place. No one ever comes that far out. And if someone does I can keep them away."

"What about Jacob?"

Something flickered across his face. "You'll have to wait. Until you have control."

She stared at him for a long moment, her face inscrutable. Finally she nodded and stepped away from him. "Let's go to the house then. Do the others know you've come back?"

"No. I didn't know what would happen, so – no."

She smiled wryly, stunningly. "And you still don't know what's going to happen."

Sam could sense it: a vampire. The feeling had been growing for a few days, but never had it been so strong. It must be on the res, he could practically smell it. But the Cullens had left years ago, and the two rogues – the redhead and her friend – had long been dead. He had heard no news of unexplained deaths, not even in Port Angeles where murder was more common. Perhaps it was one of the Cullens returned for some business.

He had immediately thought of Bella. But the bloodsucker had left her years ago. She was with Jacob now. And even if Bella still had some proclivity toward the vampires, Sam knew Jacob would never harbor one in his home, would let him know if one of them had returned.

But at last, after searching the entire res with Jared, Sam was forced to believe that perhaps Jacob had been harboring vampires;perhaps he had betrayed his pack and his tribe by refusing to alert them of the intruder's presence. When he made it to Jacob's house it was empty, but signs of struggle were obvious. The ground in front of the little house had been torn and trampled, and Sam's sharp eyes caught sight of a claw mark in the dirt. His heart quickened. So Jacob had put up a fight. Had he been overcome? Where were they? Perhaps the monster had killed them both.

But no. The smells here told a different story. Somehow one vampire had entered but two had emerged. Yes, Edward – Sam now recognized his scent; he must have returned for Bella – and Jacob had fought. But somehow Bella had become involved. He followed the trail into the house. They had carried her inside and laid her on the bed. Edward and Jacob had sat for some time, the scent was so strong. Then Jacob had left. Sam's eyes widened in horror. Of course, Jacob had put up a fight, but Bella must have been fatally wounded. The bloodsucker had bitten her in an attempt to save her life. He had sent Jacob away – to protect him perhaps, that was at least one redeeming action. When she had transformed they had left, back out the front door and –

Already Jared was shuddering with instinctual rage. Sam flew back out of the house, Jared close behind. "Go gather the pack!" he ordered. "And find Jacob. He must be reckoned with. Even if she is his wife, her existence now is a threat to us all. They have broken the treaty and they must pay. Go! I'll bring Quil and Paul."

Jared raced away down the road, faster than any natural human. Sam took the road north along the sea cliffs. Time was of essence. Edward and the girl must not be allowed to escape. She was especially dangerous now. He felt a pang of regret for Jacob, but he had known what was coming when he had brought Edward into his house.

The house was just as they had left it, besides the drapes that hung over the furniture and the cobwebs that drifted from the corners. It was cavernous. It felt empty, lonely. Edward led her up to his bedroom. She slowly lowered herself to his bed, staring out the window to a sweeping view of the forest below. For a long time she was silent. At last she spoke, her voice almost inaudible.

"Do you think he'll wait for me? Do you think he'll still love me?"

Something twisted in Edward's chest. "Of course," he whispered. "You still love him. Our kind are supposed to be arch enemies, but you defy that now." He smiled humorlessly. "Like Romeo and Juliet. He might have to load on the cologne now though."

Bella laughed lightly, relieved by his reassurances. "You'll have to talk to him for me. Tell him how I still feel about him."

He was silent. She glanced back at him and her face fell. "Ah, Edward. I'm so sorry. I just – I really don't know what to do. I do love you, Edward, I really do. But I love Jacob too, and I've committed to him. I couldn't leave him now, just because you've returned. It would ruin him, it wouldn't be fair. There's no way anyone is going to get out of this without a broken heart. I don't want to punish you or anything." She was silent for a moment. "Maybe it would be better if you both just left me. I couldn't bear to hurt either of you any more than I have. If – if neither of you had me, maybe it wouldn't be so bad."

"No! No, I couldn't let you do that to yourself. You're right. You were both right. I gave up on you, no matter what the reason was, I still left you. I don't deserve you anymore. He – he's always been there for you. And he loves you. Just as much as I do."

"Oh," she moaned softly, moving in one fluid motion to him. She wrapped her arms around him, her head bowed against his chest. "I'm so sorry."

"No, I am," he whispered, and slowly stepped away. "Bella, I can only be happy if you are, even if that means you being with him."

She nodded, speechless. At last she sighed. "Well, I think it's gonna be a long year. We'll have to say something to Charlie. And my employee. I guess I'll have to quite my job, at least for a while. It's amazing how big this house is when no one's in it."

"Well I could maybe change that," Edward said, grinning.

"Really? Would they come? Just to visit?"

"I think it would be the best thing for you. Moral support while you learn and grow control. Alice is probably calling them already. I wouldn't be surprised if they're already on their way."

"Great. Maybe this waiting around won't be so bad after all." She paused for a moment, pensive. "I remember back when we were – dating – and I wanted to be a vampire so badly. I never thought it would happen like this."

"I'm so sorry, Bella."

"No, it's not bad. Not as bad as you always made it out to be." She grinned teasingly. "It's so – amazing. Except for the thirst. And that I'm stuck here," she grinned again, reassuringly. "Besides, you saved my life."

"But I'm the one who made that necessary. If I had never come back – "

She was silent. He turned away. "I'm going to see if that piano still works," he murmured, and disappeared from the room. She sat alone on his bed, her eyes scanning listlessly over his stacks of CDs. For a moment she let her mind go numb. There was just too much to comprehend too quickly. It was impossible what had happened. Unpredictable. She couldn't even imagine what would happen next, where her life – if you could call it that – would go.

Something tickled her brain – a scent, she suddenly realized. She drew out of her musings and breathed deep. It was a sort of – wet dog smell. Disgusting. She wrinkled her nose and stood up. It didn't feel right. Her whole body was tingling like an alarm was buzzing beneath her skin.

"Edward!" she called, her voice rising with apprehension. But even as she spoke he was standing before her, his face rigid.

"It's the shape shifters," he growled. "They've figured it out. They're coming for us."

"But, it's not like that. You weren't hunting, you were saving my life!"

"It doesn't matter. I still broke the treaty. I bit a human."

"But that's not fair!"

"It doesn't matter! He snapped. "They'll be here any minute." He was silent for a moment. "There are too many; we can't fight them. But you could outrun them; you're as fast as you'll ever be. I'll hold them off, you go, run."

"What! No! I'm not leaving you to them. We could both outrun them. We could leave, not come back."

"What about Jacob?"

"I can't be with him anyways, not for a long time."

"No, Bella. I couldn't outrun them. They killed Laurent and Victoria, they'll have no trouble catching me."

"I'm not leaving you."

He glared at her. "I didn't save your life just so you could throw it away for me."

"I don't care. I couldn't leave you."

"It would only be just," he said bitterly.

"Look at me!" she cried. "I'm not leaving, so you might as well just tell me what I have to do to fight."

He glanced out the window, his brow furrowing anxiously. The smell was much stronger now, suffocatingly so, and she could hear their huge paws pounding on the forest floor.

"Alright. We stay in this room. It's small, so they can't all fit in here, just one at time. We'll get them as they come in. Our venom will kill them, but it may take a few minutes to take effect. Just follow your instincts. Don't look like that. You chose to stay here, you know the consequences. You can still leave if you want." She shook her head. "They'll probably end up circling the house, just waiting until our thirst drives us out. That's ok. We can last longer than they can."

"Of course they might just order pizza," she said, grinning weakly.

He rolled his eyes. "They wouldn't dare bring a human so close to you. Unless – no, they wouldn't use bait – " He trailed off.

All was silent except for the thunderous pounding of their paws on the earth, the rushing of air through their nostrils. She could recognize each of their scents now. She hadn't noticed it as a human, but all along they must have been their, subconsciously embedding themselves into her memory. All those times she and Jacob had hung out with the pack. Those had been good times, happy times. They were like brothers to her. If vampires could be nauseas, she supposed that was what the caustic feeling was gnawing in her stomach. Like her own venom was working on her. She couldn't do it, she just couldn't.

Suddenly they stopped. She saw a shadow of gray move beneath the window. That was Quil. "They've surrounded us," whispered Edward, even though we both knew they could hear as well as we. His eyes narrowed. "He's talking to me, the leader is. He's saying, 'I know you can hear me, Cullen. You know why we're here. You broke the treaty. You bit a human. So it is our right, by the pact you made with us, to kill you. I have no regret for this. I only regret that it is the wife of one our brothers you have bitten, you have corrupted. I only regret that she too must die, for both you and I know very well how dangerous a newborn vampire is. But I console myself that she is not the same person she once was. I will not be killing Bella Swan, but a monster that you have created. Still, I wish to show her some mercy, for Jacob's sake, and for what may still remain of her. Come down peacefully. Offer yourselves to us, and we will punish you quickly, as painlessly as we can. I will give you five minutes. Then we shall come for you, and there will be no mercy.'"

Edward paused. "He stopped. Well, do you wish to accept?"

"What?"

"Truthfully, we shall probably not make it out of this, Bella. I trust that he will make it quick. If you wish to go, I shall gladly follow you."

She stared at him, speechless. She had just come from the edge of death, only to return to it. And she found herself afraid. It seemed it would be the best thing to do, the noble thing to do. To lay down her life so violence could be avoided. But she could not condemn Edward to death, and she knew that he would follow her, no matter how hard she begged. Besides, it would all be to no avail. He would die anyway, and so would she. But she had to give him a fighting chance. And for him to have a fighting chance, she had to as well.

"No," she said. "We'll stay here. We'll fight them off."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Well then let's get it over with," he muttered and sprang to the window. "Hey!" he shouted to the wolf posted below. "Tell your leader we're not coming down." Quil snarled and paced beneath the window. A moment later another wolf, Embry, joined him, blocking the only escape besides the door. They stared up at us, their amber eyes glowing fiercely.

A moment later the house shook as Sam Uley broke down the door and pounded up the stairs. He paced outside of Edward's door, growling in frustration at the opening that was far too small for his bulk to fit through. Two more were with him, Paul and Jared.

"You know I can hear all your little planning!" shouted Edward angrily. Sam roared furiously and sprang forward. The door cracked beneath his weight and crashed to the floor. But it was not Sam who came barreling through the door, but Jared. His massive shoulders barely cleared the frame and the little room was suddenly filled with his stench, with his body.

Edward sprang at him, twisting and writhing away from his massive paws and dagger teeth. But despite his bulk and tight quarters, Jared was agile too. He easily deflected Edward's attacks, dashing him away with his paws. Edward slammed into the shelf of CDs and it crashed to the floor, burying him in its contents. In that instant Jared was on Bella, his massive jaws closing around her shoulders. She felt her bones cracking as he bit down. Pain exploded in her chest, driving her insane, releasing her raw instinct to survive. With a shriek she jerked away, her chest tearing open. But there was no blood to spill and in seconds it had closed again, covering her gray, lifeless heart.

For a moment both wolf and newborn vampire froze in shock; then Bella sprang forward, feline in her attack. She was far faster, stronger, than either Edward or the wolves. In an instant she had plunged her teeth into Jared's throat. The blood was burning hot, repulsive to the taste. She pulled away, spitting it from her mouth. Jared reeled back, his eyes wide in shock. The wound in his throat was rapidly closing, but the venom was taking effect. His body shuddered and seemed to shrink, as though all his insides were melting. In less than a minute he was gone; only a dry, shrunken carcass remained.

For that moment the battle seemed to suspend. All were shocked by the almost instant effects of the venom on Jared. Suddenly Sam's roar rent the air, thick with grief and thunderous in its fury. He slammed into the wall, shattering the dry wall and frame. His jaws closed around Edward's neck, dragging him out onto the balcony. With a feral scream Bella leapt at him, but Paul collided with her, plunging her to the floor. They struggled, pitting his pure brute force and weight with her fresh, agile strength. But suddenly there was another, and another. Quil and Embry had come up from the forest floor; the werewolves were putting their all into the fight.

Bella spun and feinted, leapt and twisted away from their slashing claws. But they were always there, Quil on one side, Paul on the other. She was no longer fighting to kill, but to survive. She heard something crash in the room downstairs, but she ignored it. It did not matter. The wolves were closing in. It was over. There were too many of them, they were too fast, too smart, too coordinated, like they could read each other's minds.

Then something happened. She wasn't really sure what. Perhaps she had stepped an inch too far outside of the box they had corralled her into; or maybe it was just their luck. But suddenly she was on her back, Quil's teeth sinking into her legs, Paul plunging down upon her, his mouth black and gaping.

Then he was gone. Bella twisted forward, grabbing Quil by the scruff of his neck and flipping up and over. He smashed into the wall, and lay still. She sprang to her feet, her eyes flashing around the room. Edward was struggling with Embry and Sam, and Jacob was on top of Paul, his teeth closed around his throat. Jacob jerked away and Paul's thrashing body lay still and blood poured over the floor.

Once again the battle ground to a halt. Sam and Embry seemed to shrink, their bodies shuddering with grief and hatred. Edward sprang away, coming to a crouch beside Bella and Jacob.

"You!" Sam's voice thundered in Jacob's head. "You have betrayed us! You have killed your own brother for the Cold Ones!"

"I love Bella, Sam," he whispered. "You know that."

"She is not Bella anymore!"

"I don't believe that! I can't. I killed my brother to save my wife. There was no choice."

Sam bristled. "She is a monster, Jacob. She cannot love you anymore. We are enemies, we can never be anything else."

"I don't care! I can't stop loving her just because she is changed. It is my fault she was bitten. If I hadn't chosen to fight she would still be human, Paul and Jared would still be alive. I cannot punish her, and I cannot let you punish her, for something that was beyond her control."

"She is too dangerous. A newborn."

"Not forever. He will teach her. But it does not matter. You have lost. Let us go. Let us go and we will never come back. You have no chance of fighting us, Sam. Too old wolves against three powerful foes? But we don't want to fight, we don't want to kill. We just want to live. Let us go, Sam."

Sam glanced at the bodies of his fallen comrades and then back at Jacob's quivering figure. "Then go. But don't ever come back. You are no longer one of us. You are too us as a Cold One."

And he turned his back and walked away, back down the shattered staircase and out into the woods, Embry trailing behind him. They were alone. Slowly Jacob shrunk, changed, and stood again as a man. His eyes trailed over the bodies of the fallen wolves. Bella watched the grief, the horror, run over him again and again, each time a shock wave that left him weak, broken. First Jared, barely recognizable as what he had once been. She had done that. She had torn that part away from him. And Paul. She saw himself turning inward, expanding in horror at what he had done. It was too much.

Bella moved to him, moved slowly, as she once had as a human. He trembled at her touch, but turned his face to her, met her eyes. They were red with blood and pain. He looked away. It was enough. She understood; no, she knew, she felt, because these had been her brothers too.

Suddenly Jacob turned, tore away part of himself. The Quiluete part. He was no longer their brother. He was no one except what he chose. He reached out his hand for Bella's. Her skin was cold against his, and hard. But he could feel the life in it. He could feel her, the way she held his hand was the same, like she was trying to become part of him. Bella. Sam was wrong and Jacob's deepest fears were erased. He could be with her forever, and he would not be afraid.

Jacob and Bella left Forks and never returned. They traveled the world together, staying sometimes in places they liked, and moving on when they felt restless. And nothing could ever be erased, fully forgotten, but they could be changed, replaced by a picture less unbearable. Sometimes Edward came to see her. Then her heart would burn and she would touch him, feel a body that was not burning against her skin, but was like her own. It was not perfect. But nothing is ever perfect.