How It All Goes Down
Defection
- When Alice and Jasper don't return, the family starts to worry. Searching for her trail in the woods, they come upon Sam's pack. He confirms that Alice passed by them, and that she gave him a note for the family.
- The note is ripped out of a page from one of Bella's books, The Merchant of Venice. In it, Alice explains that she and Jasper will send any friends they can find, but that they won't return and that the Cullens should not look for them. "It's the only way for us. We love you" (29.35).
- Edward refuses to believe that Alice deserted them. He believes she just knows more than they do. Bella has trouble processing the events emotionally in her new body:
I didn't know how to cry in this body; I couldn't do anything but stare. There was no feeling yet. Everything seemed unreal. (29.52) - She believes that Alice's departure means that there's no hope at all.
- Yet, Bella wonders why Alice ripped the note from a page of her book. Maybe Alice tried to send her a message? She picks up another trail of Alice, which sends her straight to the cottage. Sure enough, under the torn page in The Merchant of Venice, Bella finds a name and address in Seattle, followed by Alice's order to destroy the note. Bella keeps her discovery secret from Edward.
- Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett leave to mobilize family friends. Bella waits for a chance to be alone to check the address that Alice gave her.
- Jacob decides to be honest with Renesmee and tells her about their situation. Bella criticizes his approach. She believes that shielding her daughter is more important than answering her questions. But Renesmee doesn't look frightened.
- Edward advises Jacob to stay away from the house once their family friends arrive, because he believes that his presence will make it harder for their friends to accept Renesmee. Jacob agrees to stay away from the main house, but to keep in close reach.
- Bella finds a lawyer with the name (Jason Jenks) that Alice gave her in Seattle, but the address doesn't seem to fit.
- Renesmee interrupts Bella by reaching for her. Holding Renesmee, Bella realizes that her daughter is the only thing she simply must save. Renesmee feels Bella's pain and tries to comfort her:
I'd never thought to see the mother-daughter bond reversed between us, the way it had always been for Renée and me. But I hadn't had a very clear view of the future. (29.171)