I smiled. "Didn't you find any mountain lions?"

"Yes, I did, actually. Still not worth the anxiety. I'm sorry I had Alice hold you hostage, though. That was a bad idea."

"Yes," I agreed.

"I won't do it again."

"Okay," I said easily. He was already forgiven. "But slumber parties do have their advantages..." I curled myself closer to him, pressing my lips into the indentation over his collarbone. "You can hold me hostage any time you want."

"Don't you sleep in her bed everyday?" Emmett asked, only snickering a little.

"Yeah, just about." Edward smiled at that thought.

"Then why is it so different here?" Emmett said.

"I guess it's because she doesn't think anyone would come up and bother us," Edward shrugged.

"Mmm," he sighed. "I may take you up on that."

"So is it my turn now?"

"Your turn?" his voice was confused.

"To apologize."

"What do you have to apologize for?"

"I think that would be running away again," Alice said. "Edward, why are you acting so strangely?"

"Don't ask me," Edward said. "I'm still rather upset about that, even without what..." at this point he paused and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I would think that my book self would be too."

"Aren't you mad at me?" I asked blankly.

"No."

It sounded like he really meant it.

I felt my eyebrows pull together. "Didn't you see Alice when you got home?"

"Yes - why?"

"Are you going to take her Porsche back?"

"Of course not. It was a gift."

Alice let out a breath of relief and Edward glared at her.

I wished I could see his expression. His voice sounded as if I'd insulted him.

"Don't you want to know what I did?" I asked, starting to be puzzled by his apparent lack of concern.

I felt him shrug. "I'm always interested in everything you do - but you don't have to tell me unless you want to."

"Are you using reverse physiology on her?" Emmett chuckled.

"Maybe," Edward said, his mouth going thin.

"But I went to La Push."

"I know."

"And I ditched school."

"I don't care about that," Edward rolled his eyes. "I'm not your dad."

"You act like it sometimes," Rosalie muttered.

"So did I."

I stared toward the sound of his voice, tracing his features with my fingers, trying to understand his mood. "Where did all this tolerance come from?" I demanded.

He sighed.

"I decided that you were right. My problem before was more about my . . . prejudice against werewolves than anything else. I'm going to try to be more reasonable and trust your judgment. If you say it's safe, then I'll believe you."

"Wow," almost everyone said.

"Did I really have to pick this time to be reasonable?" Edward groaned. "When I really should be mad at that mutt."

"Too bad Eddy," Emmett laughed. "But I wonder what made you change your mind."

"I think I have a good idea," Edward glanced at both of his parents.

"Yes, I was thinking that I would likely have had a word with you about this," Carlisle smiled.

"But why did it have to be now?" Edward groaned again, this time in a different tone than last time.

"What's wrong with now?" Jasper asked, raising his eyebrow at his bother.

"If I'm going to be more accepting, then she's going to make up with the wolf," Edward huffed. "And she was so close... with the way things are now, she might not want to go back to him," he sighed and once again grumbled, "the world is conspiring against me."

"Wow."

"And . . . most importantly . . . I'm not willing to let this drive a wedge between us."

I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes, totally content.

"So," he murmured in a casual tone. "Did you make plans to go back to La Push again soon?"

I didn't answer. His question brought back the memory of Jacob's words, and my throat was suddenly tight.

He misread my silence and the tension in my body.

"Just so that I can make my own plans," he explained quickly. "I don't want you to feel like you have to hurry back because I'm sitting around waiting for you."

Emmett snorted at that. "But that's what you would be doing, Eddy."

"No," I said in a voice that sounded strange to me. "I don't have plans go back."

"Oh. You don't have to do that for me."

"I don't think I'm welcome anymore," I whispered.

"Did you run over someone's cat?" he asked lightly. I knew he didn't want to force the story out of me, but I could hear the curiosity burning behind his words.

"No." I took a deep breath, and then mumbled quickly through the explanation. "I thought Jacob would have realized . . . I didn't think it would surprise him."

Edward waited while I hesitated.

"He wasn't expecting . . . that it was so soon."

"Ah," Edward said quietly.

"Ah," Edward glared at his own reaction to this.

"She hasn't told you the bad part yet," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

"I should have tensed at least," Edward grumbled.

"You don't know the pup very well yet," Alice shrugged her shoulders. "You might not know how bad he would react to this."

"He said he'd rather see me dead." My voice broke on the last word.

Edward was too still for a moment, controlling whatever reaction he didn't want me to see.

"Fury, wanting the kill the stupid mutt," Edward hissed.

Then he crushed me gently to his chest. "I'm so sorry."

"Good," Esme said. "Make her feel better."

"Yeah," Edward said. "That's more important than my fury."

"I thought you'd be glad," I whispered.

"Glad over something that's hurt you?" he murmured into my hair. "I don't think so, Bella."

I sighed and relaxed, fitting myself to the stone shape of him. But he was motionless again, tense.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's nothing."

"You can tell me."

He paused for a minute. "It might make you angry."

"I still want to know."

He sighed. "I could quite literally kill him for saying that to you. I want to."

Edward was smiling at this.

"Edward!" Esme reprimanded.

"Sorry," Edward said. "But I glad to hear that... I was beginning to have a hard time recognizing myself."

I laughed halfheartedly. "I guess it's a good thing you've got so much self-control."

"I could slip." His tone was thoughtful.

"If you're going to have a lapse in control, I can think of a better place for it." I reached for his face, trying to pull myself up to kiss him.

Emmett laughed at that.

His arms held me tighter, restraining.

He sighed. "Must I always be the responsible one?"

I grinned in the darkness. "No. Let me be in charge of responsibility for a few minutes . . . or hours."

Emmett laughed even harder.

"Goodnight, Bella."

"Wait - there was something else I wanted to ask you about."

"What's that?"

"I was talking to Rosalie last night. . . ."

His body tensed again. "Yes. She was thinking about that when I got in. She gave you quite a lot to consider, didn't she?"

His voice was anxious, and I realized that he thought I wanted to talk about the reasons Rosalie'd given me for staying human. But I was interested in something much more pressing.

Edward rolled his eyes and shook his head smiling as he read the next line.

"She told me a little bit . . . about the time your family lived in Denali."

"Yes, that is the thing to think about," Emmett laughed.

"So she didn't take anything from the conversation we had," Rosalie said, frowning.

"I don't thing she's going to follow your advice," Edward said, "but I think she can understand you better now."

There was a short pause; this beginning took him by surprise. "Yes?"

"She mentioned something about a bunch of female vampires . . . and you."

He didn't answer, though I waited for a long moment.

"Don't worry," I said, after the silence had grown uncomfortable. "She told me you didn't . . . show any preference. But I was just wondering, you know, if any ofthem had. Shown a preference for you, I mean."

"Yeah, all of them," Emmett laughed.

"Only at first," Edward rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, now it's only Tanya, she'll be so disappointed when she finds out about Bella," Emmett chuckled.

Again he said nothing.

"Which one?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual, and not quite managing. "Or was there more than one?"

No answer. I wished I could see his face, so I could try to guess what this silence meant.

"Just talk to her already Edward," Alice groaned. "You're silence is only making it worse."

"Alice will tell me," I said. "I'll go ask her right now."

"I'm surprised that the little elf didn't just shout out who it was there," Emmett chuckled.

His arms tightened; I was unable to squirm even an inch away.

"It's late," he said. His voice had a little edge to it that was something new. Sort of nervous, maybe a little embarrassed.

"What are you embarrassed about?" Emmett said. "Was it the time that..."

"Shut up!" Edward growled.

"Besides, I think Alice stepped out. . . ."

"It's bad," I guessed. "It's really bad, isn't it?" I started to panic, my heart accelerating as I imagined the gorgeous immortal rival I'd never realized I had.

"Calm down, Bella," he said, kissing the tip of my nose. "You're being absurd."

"Am I? Then why won't you tell me?"

"Because there's nothing to tell. You're blowing this wildly out of proportion."

"No you are by not answering her," Alice rolled her eyes.

"Which one?" I insisted.

He sighed. "Tanya expressed a little interest. I let her know, in a very courteous, gentlemanly fashion, that I did not return that interest. End of story."

"Wow, you call that a little interest," Emmett smirked.

I kept my voice as even as possible. "Tell me something - what does Tanya look like?"

"Just like the rest of us - white skin, gold eyes," he answered too quickly.

"And, of course, extraordinarily beautiful."

I felt him shrug.

"I suppose, to human eyes," he said, indifferent. "You know what, though?"

"What?" My voice was petulant.

He put his lips right to my ear; his cold breath tickled. "I prefer brunettes."

"That's not true... I've seen you turn down just as many brunettes as blondes," Emmett said.

"He was saying that he preferred Bella, you idiot," Alice said rolling her eyes.

"She's a blonde. That figures."

"Strawberry blonde - not at all my type."

I thought about that for a while, trying to concentrate as his lips moved slowly along my cheek, down my throat, and back up again. He made the circuit three times before I spoke.

"I guess that's okay, then," I decided.

"Hmm," he whispered against my skin. "You're quite adorable when you're jealous. It's surprisingly enjoyable."

"You better not have been doing that just to see her like that," Esme reprimanded.

I scowled into the darkness.

"It's late," he said again, murmuring, almost crooning now, his voice smoother than silk.

"Sleep, my Bella. Dream happy dreams. You are the only one who has ever touched my heart. It will always be yours. Sleep, my only love."

Esme couldn't help but beam at that.

He started to hum my lullaby, and I knew it was only a matter of time till I succumbed, so I closed my eyes and snuggled closer into his chest.

"That's the end of the chapter," Edward said, giving the book to Emmett.

Chapter Nine

Target

"Target," Emmett read.

"Target," Edward repeated, looking panicked and everyone else looked almost as worried.

Alice dropped me off in the morning, in keeping with the slumber party charade. It wouldn't be long until Edward showed up, officially returning from his "hiking" trip. All of the pretenses were starting to wear on me. I wouldn't miss this part of being human.

Charlie peeked through the front window when he heard me slam the car door. He waved to Alice, and then went to get the door for me.

"Did you have fun?" Charlie asked.

"Sure, it was great. Very . . . girlie."

"Not as much as I wanted it to be, I'm sure," Alice pouted.

I carried my stuff in, dumped it all at the foot of the stairs, and wandered into the kitchen to look for a snack.

"You've got a message," Charlie called after me.

On the kitchen counter, the phone message pad was propped up conspicuously against a saucepan.

Jacob called, Charlie had written.

"Don't bother," Edward said.

"You know she's going to," Emmett smirked.

He said he didn't mean it, and that he's sorry. He wants you to call him. Be nice and give him a break. He sounded upset.

I grimaced. Charlie didn't usually editorialize on my messages.

"You know, I think that's the most annoying part of Charlie," Edward grumbled. "Always pushing the mutt on her."

Jacob could just go ahead and be upset. I didn't want to talk to him. Last I'd heard, they weren't big on allowing phone calls from the other side. If Jacob preferred me dead, then maybe he should get used to the silence.

Edward nodded his head in agreement.

My appetite evaporated. I turned an about face and went to put my things away.

"Aren't you going to call Jacob?" Charlie asked. He was leaning around the living room wall, watching me pick up.

"No."

I started up the stairs.

"That's not very attractive behavior, Bella," he said. "Forgiveness is divine."

"Leave her alone," Edward said.

"Mind your own business," I muttered under my breath, much too low for him to hear.

I knew the laundry was building up, so after I put my toothpaste away and threw my dirty clothes in the hamper, I went to strip Charlie's bed. I left his sheets in a pile at the top of the stairs and went to get mine.

I paused beside the bed, cocking my head to the side.

Where was my pillow?

Everyone stiffened. That, combined with the title of the chapter, put everyone on edge.

I turned in a circle, scanning the room. No pillow. I noticed that my room looked oddly tidy. Hadn't my gray sweatshirt been draped over the low bedpost on the footboard? And I would swear there had been a pair of dirty socks behind the rocking chair, along with the red blouse I'd tried on two mornings ago, but decided was too dressy for school, hanging over the arm. . . . I spun around again. My hamper wasn't empty, but it wasn't overflowing, the way I thought it had been.

"This isn't good at all," Jasper said.

"Someone was there," Edward said tensing, but looking relieved that Bella hadn't been there at the time.

"I would say so...there are way too many things missing for it just to be a coincidence," Jasper said.

Was Charlie doing laundry? That was out of character.

"Dad, did you start the wash?" I shouted out my door.

"Um, no," he shouted back, sounding guilty. "Did you want me to?"

"Yeah...you should do some work around the house," Emmett chuckled, looking like he was trying to break the tension, but to no effect.

"No, I got it. Were you looking for something in my room?"

"No. Why?"

"I can't find . . . a shirt. . . ."

"I haven't been in there."

And then I remembered that Alice had been here to get my pajamas. I hadn't noticed that she'd borrowed my pillow, too -

"Do you think that could possibly be it?" Esme asked, hopeful.

"No," Alice said, shaking her head. "There is way too much missing."

probably since I'd avoided the bed. It looked like she had cleaned while she was passing through.

"Well, Shorty, you might want to clean up after her...you know how you get about messes," Emmett laughed.

"I still don't think I would do that," Alice said, frowning. "It just doesn't feel right."

I blushed for my slovenly ways.

But that red shirt really wasn't dirty, so I went to save it from the hamper.

I expected to find it near the top, but it wasn't there. I dug through the whole pile and still couldn't find it. I knew I was probably getting paranoid,

"No, you're not," Edward said, narrowing his eyes. "And you better tell me this when I get there."

"Even if she didn't...you would probably know," Jasper said. "Someone would have had to have been there to take the things in the first place."

Edward didn't say anything; he was stiff and his eyes were looking at the book tensely.

but it seemed like something else was missing, or maybe more than one something. I didn't even have half a load here.

I ripped my sheets off and headed for the laundry closet, grabbing Charlie's on the way. The washing machine was empty. I checked the dryer, too, half-expecting to find a washed load waiting for me, courtesy of Alice. Nothing. I frowned, mystified.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Charlie yelled.

"Not yet."

I went back upstairs to search under my bed. Nothing but dust bunnies. I started to dig through my dresser. Maybe I'd put the red shirt away and forgotten.

I gave up when the doorbell rang. That would be Edward.

"Door," Charlie informed me from the couch as I skipped past him.

"So useful," Emmett laughed; this time not bothering to cheer anyone up but himself.

"Don't strain yourself, Dad."

I pulled the door open with a big smile on my face.

Edward's golden eyes were wide, his nostrils flared, his lips pulled back over his teeth.

"Damn," Edward hissed.

"There really was someone there," Esme sighed, looking very worried.

"Edward?" My voice was sharp with shock as I read his expression. "What -?"

He put his finger to my lips. "Give me two seconds," he whispered. "Don't move."

I stood frozen on the doorstep and he . . . disappeared. He moved so quickly that Charlie wouldn't even have seen him pass.

Before I could compose myself enough to count to two, he was back. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me swiftly toward the kitchen.

"Which means that whoever it was wasn't there anymore," Jasper said, knowing that Edward wouldn't have brought her inside if someone was still in the house.

"You thought that was a possibility?" Edward snapped his head toward his brother.

"Not a very likely one," Jasper said. "But we really weren't given many details about this except that things are missing. There was a slim chance that whoever it was didn't get out before Bella got there or..."

"What do you think it was?" Edward said.

"I'm not sure," Jasper explained, "but it was something that got you pretty worked up... I would think that it would be one of us. I think we should read... I need more information."

His eyes darted around the room, and he held me against his body as if he were shielding me from something. I threw a glance toward Charlie on the couch, but he was studiously ignoring us.

"Someone's been here," he murmured in my ear after he pulled me to the back of the kitchen.

His voice was strained; it was difficult to hear him over the thumping of the washing machine.

"I swear that no werewolves -" I started to say.

"It's not a wolf," Edward shook his head. "I wouldn't react like this to their scent."

"Yeah, he would just be mad... not scared and defensive," Emmett said, sounding like he was trying to tease, but his voice was too tense.

"Not one of them," he interrupted me quickly, shaking his head. "One of us."

His tone made it clear that he didn't mean a member of his family.

"I thought his actions did that nicely too," Emmett chuckled.