Of course I did. Of course.
The trees were slowing around us as we came to our destination.
It took him a long moment to answer me.
"Jacob," he said.
I was able to nod once.
"Of course," I whispered.
And then I slipped off the edge I was clinging to inside my head.
Everything went black.
I was first aware of the cool hands touching me. More than one pair of hands. Arms holding me, a palm curved to fit my cheek, fingers stroking my forehead, and more fingers pressed lightly into my wrist.
Then I was aware of the voices. They were just ahumming at first, and then they grew in volume and clarity like someone was turning up a radio.
"Carlisle - it's been five minutes." Edward's voice, anxious.
"She'll come around when she's ready, Edward." Carlisle's voice, always calm and sure. "She's had too much to deal with today. Let her mind protect itself."
But my mind was not protected. It was trapped in the knowledge that had not left me, even in unconsciousness - the pain that was part of the blackness.
I felt totally disconnected from my body. Like I was caged in some small corner of my head, no longer at the controls. But I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't think. The agony was too strong for that. There was no escape from it.
Jacob.
Jacob.
No, no, no, no, no . . .
"Alice, how long do we have?" Edward demanded, his voice still tense; Carlisle's soothing words had not helped.
From farther away, Alice's voice. It was brightly chipper. "Another five minutes. And Bella will open her eyes in thirty-seven seconds. I wouldn't doubt that she can hear us now."
"Bella, honey?" This was Esme's soft, comforting voice. "Can you hear me? You're safe now, dear."
Yes, I was safe. Did that really matter?
Then cool lips were at my ear, and Edward was speaking the words that allowed me to escape from the torture that had me caged inside my own head.
"He's going to live, Bella. Jacob Black is healing as I speak. He'll be fine."
As the pain and dread eased, I found my way back to my body. My eyelids fluttered.
"Oh, Bella," Edward sighed in relief, and his lips touched mine.
"Edward," I whispered.
"Yes, I'm here."
I got my lids to open, and I stared into warm gold.
"Jacob is okay?" I asked.
"Yes," he promised.
I watched his eyes carefully for some sign that he was placating me, but they were perfectly clear.
"I examined him myself," Carlisle said then; I turned my head to find his face, only a few feet away. Carlisle's expression was serious and reassuring at the same time. It was impossible to doubt him. "His life is not in any danger. He was healing at an incredible rate, though his injuries were extensive enough that it will still be a few days before he is back to normal, even if the rate of repair holds steady. As soon as we're done here, I will do what I can to help him. Sam is trying to get him to phase back to his human form. That will make treating him easier." Carlisle smiled slightly. "I've never been to veterinarian school."
"What happened to him?" I whispered. "How bad are his injuries?"
Carlisle's face was serious again. "Another wolf was in trouble -"
"Leah," I breathed.
"Yes. He knocked her out of the way, but he didn't have time to defend himself. The newborn got his arms around him. Most of the bones on the right half of his body were shattered."
I flinched.
"Sam and Paul got there in time. He was already improving when they took him back to La Push."
"He'll be back to normal?" I asked.
"Yes, Bella. He won't have any permanent damage."
I took a deep breath.
"Three minutes," Alice said quietly.
I struggled, trying to get vertical. Edward realized what I was doing and helped me to my feet.
I stared at the scene in front of me.
The Cullens stood in a loose semicircle around the bonfire. There were hardly any flames visible, just the thick, purple-black smoke, hovering like a disease against the bright grass. Jasper stood closest to the solid- seeming haze, in its shadow so that his skin did not glitter brilliantly in the sun the way the others did. He had his back to me, his shoulders tense, his arms slightly extended. There was something there, in his shadow. Something he crouched over with wary intensity. . . .
I was too numb to feel more than a mild shock when I realized what it was.
There were eight vampires in the clearing.
The girl was curled into a small ball beside the flames, her arms wrapped around her legs. She was very young. Younger than me - she looked maybe fifteen, dark-haired and slight. Her eyes were focused on me, and the irises were a shocking, brilliant red. Much brighter than Riley's, almost glowing. They wheeled wildly, out of control.
Edward saw my bewildered expression.
"She surrendered," he told me quietly. "That's one I've never seen before. Only Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesn't approve."
I couldn't tear my gaze away from the scene beside the fire. Jasper was rubbing absently at his left forearm.
"Is Jasper all right?" I whispered.
"He's fine. The venom stings."
"He was bitten?" I asked, horrified.
"He was trying to be everywhere at once. Trying to make sure Alice had nothing to do, actually." Edward shook his head. "Alice doesn't need anyone's help."
Alice grimaced toward her true love. "Overprotective fool."
The young female suddenly threw her head back like an animal and wailed shrilly.
Jasper growled at her and she cringed back, but her fingers dug into the ground like claws and her head whipped back and forth in anguish. Jasper took a step toward her, slipping deeper into his crouch. Edward moved with overdone casualness, turning our bodies so that he was between the girl and me. I peeked around his arm to watch the thrashing girl and Jasper.