Title: While She Sleeps
Author: Flowerlady
Genre: Romance, Vignette
Timeframe: During Twilight
Characters: Edward/Bella
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer.
Summary: Edward contemplates what Bella means to him while he watches her sleep for the first time.
Author's Note: I'm not new to Fanfiction. I've written over 40 stories in the Star Wars universe, which have included several novel length stories, but this is the first time I've stepped away from the Galaxy Far, Far Away. Please let me know what you think.
While She Sleeps
The moon was full, the gentle glow casting everything with a silvery light, as I stepped out of the woods behind Bella's quaint little two story. I turned my face to meet the light. I belonged in this dark, shadowy world, lit only by the mystery of stars and moon. She wasn't part of my world, she belonged to the world were the sun and light ruled. It was a world that shunned me as much as I had to shun it. But I had never been so attracted to her world as much as I am now; in fact, I've never been so drawn to a human before as I'm to Bella Swan.
My attraction to her blood I could somewhat understand, but it wasn't only her blood that made me want to watch her sleep.
It was her utter beauty, both inner and outer. I know, that may sound corny, but it's true. To me Bella was the most beautiful woman I've met in the hundred plus years of my existence.
I really had no idea what made me to this. I knew it's crazy; I knew it was dangerous, not just to her, but to me and my family. But I had to see her. I couldn't stop thinking about her.
I shook the thought out of my head and ran from the shadows of the edge of the woods and came to her window. I knew it was hers because I could hear her breathing, even through walls and a closed window, and across distance, I could hear her gentle breathing while she slept.
I saved her life yesterday. To my amazement, she kept her end of the bargain and hadn't told anyone about the inconsistencies in the story, or about what she saw or suspects me of doing. I can't help but find her theories humorous, but I wonder what she'd do if she knew the awful truth. I hoped she never found out what I really was. I'd rather have her think I was some sort of superman.
She could be my Lois Lane.
I leapt to the window and opened it in a movement that no human could ever track, even if I wasn't the fastest in my family. I hesitated for only a breadth of a heartbeat, if my heart still beat, to listen to make sure the soft scraping of the sash didn't alert her that I was there, but she hadn't noticed the noise. She still slept like an angel of heaven.
I slipped into the room and closed the window, before the cold air from my world could disturb her. Her world was soft and warm, and even the silver light from the moon through the window didn't seem as cruel, as mysterious.
I dared not move closer to the bed where she slept. I didn't belong here. This wasn't the place for monsters, only an angel.
My angel.
My Bella.
I had no right to think of her like this. She didn't belong to anyone, but she drew me to her like a moth is attracted to a flame. At first, it was her overwhelming scent, the sweet, lusciousness of her blood. I hadn't considered feeding on a human in nearly sixty years, but she had nearly been my undoing. Even now, though I swore that I'd never be able to harm her, I fought the urge to taste her.
No, I could never hurt her. I would destroy myself before I would bring her harm.
I took a deep breath even though I didn't need it. I filled my lungs and my empty soul with her.
The scent of an angel.
She began to speak, causing a thrill to shoot through my dead body. I immediately thought she saw me, or sensed me somehow. Then I heard her murmur, "Mom, I miss you. I wanna come home."
Somehow that made me so sad. I knew from listening to her friends' minds that she was from Phoenix—another painful reminder that she could never be part of my world.
I watched as she turned from lying on her back to her side and the moon light danced over her face. I caught my breath, and if my heart still beat, her beauty would have stilled it.
In that amazing moment I knew.
She was perfect and that I'd do anything within my otherworldly power to protect her from both me and the forces that angels know nothing of.
"Edward…" she sweetly murmured my name in her dreams. I closed my eyes and held perfectly still, letting the echoing sound of her sleepy voice in my ears melt the ice over my long dead heart. I felt a warmth there for the first time in nearly a century.
I fell in love with her at that moment, while she slept.
xxxxx
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