A/N: Just to clarify, this is a bit of fluff about the first time Edward went to Bella's house at night while she was asleep.

First Visit

Edward silently ran through the night. He flitted through open areas and danced agilely around the trunks of trees. The details of the night were sharp and vivid through his eyes.

Then he came to an abrupt stop and looked up at the house he came too. In a town as small as Forks, he'd had no trouble finding Bella's house. He could catch her scent floating on the wind from an open window. There was no mistake; Bella was up there.

Every light in the house was off and the building was quiet. He'd never been to Bella's house before and he hesitated on the ground debating his next action while gazing up at the house. It didn't take him long to make a decision. He might as well have been riding on the wind as quick as his movement was. He landed deftly on a tree branch that was on the same height as Bella's window. His eyes scanned Bella's dark room before landing on her sleeping figure underneath a faded quilt.

Edward couldn't help not to smile. He made one last leap from the tree branch and landed perfectly in the open window. He hung his legs over the side - ready to jump out at the last possible second - and leaned his back against the inside of the window.

Edward gazed at Bella's sleeping figure. Her quilt was pulled clear up to her nose. He watched her side rise and fall to the rhythm of her breathing. He let out a deep sigh. He took his eyes off Bella's ivory face, her brown hair, and turned his gaze toward the sky. It was much easier being near Bella with the night air and the escape of the night so near. He suddenly felt very relaxed and he began to hum a lullaby silently to himself. He wasn't afraid of waking Bella. He sung it too low for even an awake human to hear. The tune had been in his head for several days and he meant to transpose it to piano sometime soon.

"Edward," Bella suddenly whispered.

Edward froze immediately. He stopped singing. He didn't move - even to look over at Bella. His whole body went rigid and he was sure that if his heart hadn't stopped over eighty years ago it surely would have stopped now. His mind ran through what she must be seeing and thinking. A million excuses for his appearance on her windowsill ran through his mind.

Then Edward brought his eyes away from the moon and looked at Bella. A thousand explanations and excuses froze on his tongue when he realized she was still asleep.

Bella was facing him. Her white eyelids were closed over her eyes and her brown eyelashes were still.

The edges of Edward's mouth twitched into a smile with relief. She's talking in her sleep, Edward mused laughingly. He gazed at her pale skin in the dark and wondered not for the first time - or even the hundredth time - what she was thinking, or in this case, dreaming.

"Edward," Bella whispered again and then turned over.

Edward watched her for a minute and then very slowly, very lightly pulled his legs into the room. He stood up and slowly made his way over to her bed. Standing over her, Edward gazed down at her with his gold eyes. It was the closest he'd ever been to her. He could reach out and stroke her hair, kiss her cheek, touch her ivory skin. His heart seemed to ache to be close to her. He leaned over closer to her. He longed to touch her face, to kiss her cheek. He imagined what her warm skin would feel like and wondered what her reaction would be to his lifeless touch.

He froze. His face was only a foot away from hers. He hadn't meant to come so near, but he didn't want to back away either. His sad eyes gazed down at her.

"I love you," he finally blurted out to her. Then he stared. The words had come out of his mouth without him even thinking them. He'd said them aloud, too, not thought them. He'd said them to her.

Edward pulled away silently as he realized his words were true. He loved Bella Swan.

Edward backed away to the window, his eyes were wide in astonishment, and he rested his hand on the open window. He hesitated a moment and then looked back at Bella. "I love you, Bella Swan," he said again as if to assure her and confirm his own words. He realized now that he couldn't stay away from Bella Swan not even if it meant risking the lives he and his family had built here. It would be difficult and he would have to be strong, but he couldn't leave Bella now. He felt like he couldn't ever leave Bella now. He would watch from her window forever.

Edward moved back to the window and sat on the edge. He stayed there a long time listening to Bella breathe. Then early in the morning, he jumped down and disappeared like a shadow into what was left of the night.