A/N:

This is supposed to be my mother's Christmas gift, but since I am infamous for my lack of inspiration and utter procrastination, I've decided to put this on Fanfiction for some… encouragement and support. If you've not read Stephenie's unfinished draft of Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward's point of view) then you will not understand this. You can easily read the first twelve chapters she has written on her website where she has it posted. So, without further ado…

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Introduction

My fingers clutched the wheel as tightly as it could bear without breaking while the tires beneath me flew over the blacktop at a speed that could easily put any human into shock. Still, I drove a bit slower than I normally would have. Was I trying to use as much time as I could before I saw Bella again?

Most assuredly.

For us, time was at a standstill physically, yet we could watch it pass us faster than we could fathom.

But not for me.

Every minute spent away from her was agony. Each second would crawl by slowly, only to prolong my suffering. Nevertheless, each moment spent with her slipped by me before I could take it in properly. I knew I would never forgive myself were I to forget even the smallest of details-

Her chocolate brown eyes when she smiled; her laugh when she didn't hold back; the way she said my name; all things that I would keep with me for eternity.

But could I keep her for just as long?

I shook my head as I tore down the road. That question was not debatable — it was not for me to decide.

I was resilient against my other half. The monster inside of me still longed for her blood, but its desires were quieted — though not silenced when I was at my strongest.

I still needed to find a way to stop running from her, but any attempt at contemplating a solution was hampered by the fact my thoughts would stray to her home. My mind could easily picture her every feature, though they were not often peaceful as she slept. Within a few minutes, I had reached her house, perched on the tree outside of her bedroom window. In the fading light, the shadows would play games with any straying human's eye, not that a soul was on the street to look in the first place. I was safe where I was, listening to small sounds coming from inside the house. The sound of plates and silverware clattering in the kitchen reached my ears in a moment, and I knew she would be coming up to her bedroom soon.

My yearning to see her face made me eager for her to fall asleep, when I could look at her longer than I would have normally felt appropriate. I was confused at the thought for a moment. It had seemed that my actions of the past few days were not entirely proper in my sense of the word, as exhibited by my habit of watching a young, unsuspecting girl while she slept.

Before long, I could hear her flipping the pages of a book, most likely doing some school work. I quickly grew impatient — something I was not entirely used to.

My mind wandered to the thought of interrogating her the next day. I could finally find the answers to every question I wanted to ask about her. Every detail of her life was something I wanted to etch into my mind. More importantly, I wanted to focus on the day with her and not become distracted by my thirst. I was no where near close to being hungry, but I could not take chances. I could not make mistakes. I had to protect her at all costs.

Even against myself.

I promised her silently that I would come back as I tore through the forest, paying little mind to the trees that passed by at a dangerous speed. I did not want to hear Rosalie's thoughts tonight, since their bitterness would just awaken the awful temper I had grown specifically against her. Any of her thoughts straying towards Bella sent me into an uproar that I had to suppress. Despite her overly pompous mindset, I could not understand how she could misprize Bella in the way she did. How could anyone not see that she was different? That she was so beautifully designed with a curiosity that made my life heaven and hell in one?

Keeping a safe distance from our home, I delved deep into the misty woods. My path crossed that of a small group of deer, but, once again, in comparison to her scent they were unappetizing.

I slowed after a few minutes and stood immobile in a cluster of trees. For the time being, I tried to listen to every sound in the wood, detecting minute but common sounds that were not even similar to human thoughts. The solitude of the forest was comforting, but I did not stray farther for larger prey. With my speed, I knew I could easily return to the Swan residence faster than any other, but the sheer thought of the distance between us made my heart ache.

The next few hours were spent hunting, fruitlessly attempting to quench a thirst that could not be slaked by an animal's blood. Still, it quieted my inner demon just slightly, and I knew it would be enough for me to center my thoughts on Bella tomorrow as company, not food.

The fog in the air had dampened my shirt, but I felt more or less presentable, not a drop of blood on my person. I did not expect to see anyone, but in the off chance she somehow woke while I was in her presence… I could always disappear as she blinked, and she would think it no more than a dream. Nevertheless, I did not want that dream to be one of myself watching while she slumbered, blood-stained and still as stone.

As I returned, the light in her bedroom cast a light over the lawn, but I was confident she would not be able to see my form on the branch outside of her window. Momentarily, the light switched off. I listened to the sounds of her breathing through the wall, paying attention to the rhythm and noting when it slowed to a comfortable pace. My hand touched the windowsill the moment her bed creaked as she turned over. She mumbled a few things that ran together, incomprehensible.

It went on like this for the next few hours. She turned often and woke with small gasps. She said my name several times, pleading me to stay with her, and it sent electric chills down my spine. As the morning approached, I could hear her movement cease. She had finally settled into a deep sleep, only for her to be woken in a few hours when she would have to get up and finally answer my burning questions.

Reluctantly, I forced myself to leave her window. I needed a change of clothes and to drive the car back out here to pick her up. My patience was not strong enough to allow me to wait until she came to school. I knew I would have more than enough time with the rate at which she moved, but I could not stop myself from hurrying.

My memories of my own heartbeat were unclear and faded. However, I knew that if my heart could have, I would have been able to feel it in my chest at that moment.