oken　by

absence；　distance；　or　time。　And　no　matter　how　much　more　special　or　beautiful

or　brilliant　or　perfect　than

me　he　might　be；　he　was　as　irreversibly　altered　as　I　was。　As　I　would　always

belong　to　him；　so　would　he

always　be　mine。

Was　that　what　I'd　been　trying　to　tell　myself？

〃Oh！〃

〃Bella？〃

〃Oh。　Okay。　I　see。〃

〃Your　epiphany？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　uneven　and　strained。

〃You　love　me；〃　I　marveled。　The　sense　of　conviction　and　Tightness　washed

through　me　again。

Though　his　eyes　were　still　anxious；　the　crooked　smile　I　loved　best　flashed

across　his　face。　〃Truly；　I　do。〃

My　heart　inflated　like　it　was　going　to　crack　right　through　my　ribs。　It　filled

my　chest　and　blocked　my　throat

so　that　I　could　not　speak。

He　really　did　want　me　the　way　I　wanted　him—forever。　It　was　only　fear　for　my

soul；　for　the　human　things

he　didn't　want　to　take　from　me；　that　made　him　so　desperate　to　leave　me　mortal。

pared　to　the　fear

that　he　didn't　want　me；　this　hurdle—my　soul—seemed　almost　insignificant。

He　took　my　face　tightly　between　his　cool　hands　and　kissed　me　until　I　was　so

dizzy　the　forest　was

spinning。　Then　he　leaned　his　forehead　against　mine；　and　I　was　not　the　only　one

breathing　harder　than

usual。

〃You　were　better　at　it　than　I　was；　you　know；〃　he　told　me。

〃Better　at　what？〃

〃Surviving。　You；　at　least；　made　an　effort。　You　got　up　in　the　morning；　tried　to

be　normal　for　Charlie；

followed　the　pattern　of　your　life。　When　I　wasn't　actively　tracking；　I　was

totally　useless。　I　couldn't　be

around　my　family—I　couldn't　be　ar