Chapter 1: Summer in forks, or something like it.

I took a deep breath, Edwards scent filled my lungs, my head, my every thought and I was happy, blissfully happy. It was one of the brightest days I remember since I'd moved to Forks, in fact since I used to visit Charlie here, all those summers ago. It wasn't Arizona hot, or anything similar to it but it was Forks hot. Edward's skin shimmered in the sunlight, so pale, shooting fragments of sunlight from his bare chest. His pearly skin, the bed of his tiny gold crystals that glittered with the light, was one of the most phenomenal sights I had ever seen. I sighed, content and turned to face him. My heart rate soared enough to send any doctor into panic and I reminded myself to breathe again. He led still with his eyes closed in the sunlight, and my favourite crooked smile spread across his face, at the sound of my accelerated heart beat which probably thudded in his sensitive ears like a thousand drums.

"I love you," was all I could pant out. He always dazzled me but it was so much more intense today.

He opened one eye, the darkened gold colour of his iris further sending my heart into overdrive. He looked, with his one eye, into my eyes, and down to my lips and then he crushed against them like the softest ice sculpture. His touch sent shivers through me, not just because of the temperature of his lips, but because he made me feel so alive. When he pulled away, all too soon of course, both of his eyes were shut. He opened them slowly and gracefully repositioned himself closer to me on the grass.

It was bliss. Every moment I had with Edward was memorable, unique and completely unforgettable. My heart was yet to return to its normal rhythm and the electricity that flowed between our bodies, so close but not actually touching, sent my heart scattering frantically.

"Your heart gives so much away about you Bella. I can't hear your thoughts but it's like I can hear your feelings. It's better in a lot of ways, it's special…" he trailed off, obviously in a deep train of thought. He picked up his thoughts seemingly slightly further down the line, "when you sleep, I listen to them, in and out of time".

"You can even dazzle me in my sleep I guess," I blushed crimson, knowing full well he did dazzle me in my sleep, in my dreams. I wish my embarrassing habit to redden didn't cause him pain. He sucked in a huge breath, probably knowing I'd feel guilty, trying to show me he was in control of his thirst whilst 'enjoying the bouquet' as he had once put it.

"I should hunt soon-," he broke off, immediately aware of my panic, I hated it went he went away, I was lonely, missing my better half. "-just for one night, you can go back to your life and I'll go back to mine,"

"I don't have a life without you Edward," it was honest, truer than he could possibly know.

"I just meant you can be human for just one night, and I'll be… well, I'll be what I am," I knew he hated saying the word aloud, and I'd never press him to say it but when he described his perfect self as 'what' it made me cringe, he was not a monster, he was more like a Greek god. "I will be back before you wake up in the morning, I can't stay away from you, even to make staying with you more comfortable."

I loved it when he spoke, almost in riddles, his words so meaningful, often deep and poignant. I could never speak with such poetic ease so I just spluttered "I'll miss you more than you'll ever know".

"Bella, remember when a person becomes… like me, their senses become enhanced, I believe feelings and emotions become enhanced too, especially love. I doubt any human is capable of feeling love like I feel for you, no offence of course."

I stumbled on my words, "uuh- none taken. I guess we'll have to just… agree to disagree then." I closed the gap in-between us on the warm ground and kissed his cheek, lightly for me, before burying my face into his chest. His glorious smell sent my head whirling and lulled me into the most pleasant of sleeps and of course my dream was full of Edward.

I was on his back, he was running, in the smooth rhythmic way he always did. But we weren't in the forest running like we were in so many of my dreams; we were running through a bloomed vineyard, his smell was so vivid even in my sleep that it overwhelmed the smell of the nature. We weaved between the neatly trimmed rows of the vineyard, my hair blowing behind me like the cape of a superhero. Except I was certainly not the superhero in this scenario, I was mediocre compared with Edward, sturdy and fast carrying me through the never ending vines, laughing musically in time with his stride.

When I woke it was twilight, a perfectly clear evening, still warm and very picturesque. Stars were beginning to emerge, dotting across the sky and the trees fully in blossom, reflected the silvery light that danced towards us. But all the stars and twilights in the world could not compare with Edwards alluring smile and his tender eyes, now staring adoringly down into mine.

"You look exhausted Bella, come on I'll carry you home", he beamed. I knew Edward liked taking care of me, and if I was honest I liked it too. I used to be fiercely independent in Arizona, I'd always be the one to look after the house, to keep my mother on track, tell her where to go, what to do and when, but since I met Edward, as long as it was him looking after me, most of the time I couldn't be happier.

"Already? It's been such a beautiful day, can't we stay just a bit longer?" He pulled me to my feet and cradled me into his chest, he wrapped his arms delicately around my waist and kissed my head lightly.

"Charlie will be wondering where you are, plus you have the Black's coming for dinner, remember?" I could feel him stiffen fractionally when he said their name and I knew he'd prefer it if I didn't see Jacob or Billy any more.

"Shoot, I forgot. I need to put the dinner on, I can't remember what time they're meant to be here and I- ,"he cut me off midsentence and placed his icy finger on my lips.

"They're not coming until 8.30, you have plenty of time if we leave now."

I mumbled slightly under his finger before he removed it and planted his arm back around my waist, pulling me even tighter to his chest this time, "you know I'd stay if I could" I whispered into his chest.

******

I turned on the oven and quickly stirred the sauce I had going on the hob, completely filled with thoughts of today. I wondered if Edward would hunt tonight while I was occupied with the Black's or whether he'd hang around to listen by the house. The thought would've made me angry if I didn't wish that he was close the whole time so maybe I could sneak off to see him pretending to need the toilet or something. I snapped out of my fantasies when I heard Charlie's boots clumping down the stairs.

"Smells good, Bells" for a deluded second I thought maybe Charlie could smell Edward on my clothes but then I remembered about the lamb shanks I had roasting in the oven.

I smiled timidly and sniffed a bit to clear my nose. "You and Billy watching the game tonight then?"

"Yeah hopefully, it's the Mariner's so hopefully dinner won't clash..?" he said it as more of a request than a passing thought but I looked at the clock pretending to calculate timings to humour him.

"I guess I could fit it in before" I smiled, and then put down the wooden spoon in my hand. "I'm just going to go get changed out of these clothes dad, call me if the sauce starts to boil over."

I turned on my heels and took the stairs two at a time to get to my room. I began to pull my t-shirt over my head when mid-way Edwards lingering scent filled my nostrils and I found myself sat on my bed with my shirt over my head. I must have sat there like that for 10 minutes, just taking in his smell when I heard nervous grunts from the kitchen. Charlie must be deciphering whether the food needed my assistance.

I reluctantly pulled my t-shirt off of my head and buttoned up a clean blue shirt and slipped on a denim skirt. I put the t-shirt under my pillow in preparation in case I had to have a night without Edward and rushed on back down to the kitchen where I could hear Charlie stirring the sauce. I quickly relieved him from kitchen duty and he went to the fridge to grab a beer before scuffling into the living room and flicking the television on. My sauce was in a bad state so I added some more red wine and turned the heat down.

Half an hour later there was a confident, rapping on the door and I opened it to see a beaming Jacob laden with beers and Billy in his chair, hidden behind a mountain of cans. I smiled back and helped Jacob with his load, whilst he wheeled Billy inside. Charlie appeared from the living room and strode enthusiastically over to Billy where they reunited with a manly firm pat on the shoulder. Jacob's hair had grown a bit since I'd last seen him but it was still the same distinctive, jet black, long and glossy hair I remembered. His skin was the exact opposite of Edwards, dark and grubby looking, and a lot more childish.

"It smells delicious Bella," Billy grinned and Jacob peered around to assess what was cooking. I meandered over to the fridge to put as many beers as I could fit in on chill but I sighed in defeat after the 12th and piled the rest on the kitchen unit.

"Hey Jacob, come and sit down, I can't really leave the food, I tried that earlier and Charlie nearly cremated it". Charlie and Billy were just heading out to the yard where Charlie wanted to show Billy his new cruiser.

He snorted and pulled out a chair before slumping boyishly into it. It was another contrast to Edward's gentlemanly composure. "It's been a while Bells, you haven't come to the rez in so long!"

A slight pang of guilt came over me when I remembered promising him a visit a few weeks back. I thought of a little white lie to alleviate my guilt and so he knew I hadn't forgot about him, "yeah sorry I've just had so much school work at the moment so I haven't really been out much and I had the flu last week so I got behind." The flu part wasn't completely untrue but it was more the sniffles than flu.

"Sure sure no worries, but you should come up while the weather is still nice, we could go on the beach again like that time you were down with those kids from your school."

I smiled to myself at how he called my friends from school 'kids' when he was younger than them. I loved Jacob's relaxed approach to things and when I was with him I began to feel young, well began to feel my age. I turned the lamb shanks round quickly, and then pulled out a chair opposite Jake.

"Yeah definitely. The weather was really good today wasn't it? Did you do anything nice," I tried to blow the conversation of me going to La Push away a bit, I didn't want to make more commitments when I didn't know if I would stick by them. I'd try and make a trip over next time Edward had to go hunting further away and he couldn't make a one-night trip.

Jacob pulled off his jumper as if my question reminded him that he didn't need one, "yeah it was good, some friends came over and we worked on an old quad bike I've been fixing up."

Conversation carried on about his projects, his friends and a bit about school all through dinner and the game, much to Charlie and Billy's annoyance. Jacob seemed less interested in the game than his father but he did smile when the Mariners won the game.

"Well it's getting late Jacob we best be off" Billy said a couple more beers after the game had ended.

"It was good to see you Billy, and you Jacob, those fishing plans should materialize soon while the weather is this good." Charlie said, getting up.

"God knows it won't last long" I added, yawning slightly. It was past midnight and I hadn't had much sleep with Edward with me for most of last night.

"Yeah, well see you soon Bells, Charlie" Jacob nodded once to us in turn, "thanks for dinner, it was good Bella, who knew you could cook." Charlie hesitated as if he should defend the comment but then he joined in the chuckles whilst I gave Jacob a teasing scowl.

Everyone said goodnight and Charlie saw Jacob and Billy back out to their truck whilst I began to wash the dishes and clear away the countless cans. My mind wandered back to my day with Edward as it often had whilst the Black's were here. I wondered if he was hunting or whether he would be waiting near the house to come into my bedroom. The thought made me race through the washing up, and I finished a few minutes after Charlie came back in.

"Well I'm going to bed now Dad, I'm exhausted, must've been all the food" I bluffed. As far as Charlie knew I had gone to bed at 9 the previous evening. He wished me a good night's sleep and I dissolved up the stairs. I flung my bedroom door open to find no Edward. Perhaps he was hunting. I'd leave my window open whilst I had a quick shower but if he wasn't there when I got back, I'd spend the night alone, missing him.

When I came back in, clean teeth, fresh face, in my scruffy old t-shirt from summer camp in Arizona and some old sweats, not my favourite ones though, he wasn't in my room. I felt my heart sink to the floor as I shut the window and miserably clambered into bed pulling the t-shirt I was wearing earlier today out from under the pillow. It did not do his scent justice anymore as it had begun to fade and I eventually fell asleep, brooding.