I sighed. "I know."

"That doesn't mean anything, though." He was suddenly backtracking. "That doesn't mean that he loves you more than I do."

"Perhaps that doesn't, but I do love her more," Edward stated heatedly.

"But you wouldn't stay with me, even if I begged."

He pursed his lips for a moment, and I wondered if he would try to deny it. We both knew the truth. "That's only because I know you better," he said at last. "Everything's going to go without a hitch. Even if you'd asked and I'd said no, you wouldn't be mad at me afterwards."

"And you don't think that I don't know that," Edward hissed. "It's not about forgiveness... it's about what it would put her through... I can't leave her like that again."

"If everything does go without a hitch, you're probably right. I wouldn't be mad. But the whole time you're gone, I'll be sick with worry, Jake. Crazy with it."

"Why?" he asked gruffly. "Why does it matter to you if something happens to me?"

"Don't say that. You know how much you mean to me. I'm sorry it's not in the way you want, but that's just how it is. You're my best friend. At least, you used to be. And still sometimes are . . . when you let your guard down."

He smiled the old smile that I loved. "I'm always that," he promised. "Even when I don't . . . behave as well as I should. Underneath, I'm always in here."

"I know. Why else would I put up with all of your crap?"

Edward shut his eyes at that.

He laughed with me, and then his eyes were sad. "When are you finally going to figure out that you're in love with me, too?"

"Leave it to you to ruin the moment."

"I'm not saying you don't love him. I'm not stupid. But it's possible to love more than one person at a time, Bella. I've seen it in action."

"I'm not some freaky werewolf, Jacob."

He wrinkled his nose, and I was about to apologize for that last jab, but he changed the subject.

"We're not far now, I can smell him."

I sighed in relief.

He misinterpreted my meaning. "I'd happily slow down, Bella, but you're going to want to be under shelter before that hits."

We both looked up at the sky.

A solid wall of purple-black cloud was racing in from the west, blackening the forest beneath it as it came.

"Why did it have to be today?" Edward asked, again looking really angry.

"What's gotten into you, Eddy?" Emmett asked. "Why would you be so upset about the weather?" Edward didn't answer.

"Wow," I muttered. "You'd better hurry, Jake. You'll want to get home before it gets here."

"I'm not going home."

I glared at him, exasperated. "You're not camping with us."

"Not technically - as in, sharing your tent or anything. I prefer the storm to the smell. But I'm sure your bloodsucker will want to keep in touch with the pack for coordination purposes, and so I will graciously provide that service."

"I thought that was Seth's job."

"He'll take over tomorrow, during the fight."

"I think I would prefer it if Seth were with us," Edward hissed, his look growing darker.

The reminder silenced me for a second. I stared at him, worry springing up again with sudden fierceness.

"I don't suppose there's any way you'd just stay since you're already here?" I suggested. "If I did beg? Or trade back the lifetime of servitude or something?"

"Don't worry about the stupid mutt," Rosalie hissed.

"Tempting, but no. Then again, the begging might be interesting to see. You can give it a go if you like."

"There's really nothing, nothing at all I can say?"

"Nope. Not unless you can promise me a better fight.

Edward shivered uncontrollably at that.

Anyway, Sam's calling the shots, not me."

That reminded me.

"Edward told me something the other day . . . about you."

He bristled. "It's probably a lie."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Why would I lie?"

"To make him look bad," Emmett answered, chuckling, and Edward just rolled his eyes again.

"Oh, really? You aren't second in command of the pack, then?"

He blinked, his face going blank with surprise. "Oh. That."

"How come you never told me that?"

"Why would I? It's no big thing."

"I don't know. Why not? It's interesting. So, how does that work? How did Sam end up as the Alpha, and you as the . . . the Beta?"

"Beta? That's an interesting way of putting it," Carlisle smiled, looking interested again.

Jacob chuckled at my invented term. "Sam was the first, the oldest. It made sense for him to take charge."