*This story is devised as a non-linear narrative from multiple perspectives. The concept is to have the story build through different events throughout the lives of Edward, Bella, etc. Tell me what you think.

BPOV-2008, Age 26

A shiver coursed through my body. I blinked, slowly waking from what felt like a restless sleep. My body immediately protested. I was cold, very cold. My head was pounding and I was having trouble remembering what happened or where I was.

My bed felt wrong, too hard and unwelcoming to be the plush king size mattress we purchased for our new home. My eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness and I took in my surroundings.

The room was dark and smelled musty, like the infrastructure was rotting away. I noticed the wood panels on the wall and frowned. My house didn't have wood paneling, and my bedroom certainly didn't smell like a compost pile. Shifting my weight to the side, I noticed some resistance and immediately panicked. My arms were restrained, tied to the metal bedpost with rope; the same treatment had been shown to my legs. I started to hyperventilate, my breathing coming in short, shallow breathes when I realized I was naked.

"Help!" I screamed, hoping this was just a nightmare. "Please! Anybody!"

When the door creaked open, I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or terrified at the man standing before me. That was until the memories came flooding back to me. Then I knew. I knew to be terrified.

EPOV-1994, Age 12

I walked through the woods, gracefully hopping over gnarled roots and moss-covered branches. I had spent the afternoon in my meadow, tucked deep in the woods behind my house. It was my own private space where I spent hours reading or simply thinking without the constant nag of my twin sister Alice or the boisterous machismo of my older brother Emmett. Nobody knew about the meadow, it was mine and mine alone.

Jake, my best friend, was supposed to come by the house today, cutting short my time in the woods. He'd been going on and on all week about this girl he'd met. She was supposedly a walking incarnation of female perfection, the kind of girl who could bake a mean chocolate chip cookie and appreciate the soulful lyrics of Nirvana. Apparently, she had just moved to Forks, Washington to live with her father.

Emmett, Jake, and I had our fair share of run-ins with Chief Swan. Nothing too serious—getting caught smoking cigarettes that we stole off of Mike Newton, breaking into the abandoned mill on Chester Street, that sort of thing. It always helped that Jake's father was best friends with the Chief; he was never too harsh on us.

Chief Swan's daughter used to visit every few weeks in the summer, but I had never met her. Jake was always sure to spend as much time at the Swan's house during her visit, serving as the girl's self-appointed tour guide, shadowing her around to fishing trips and Sunday Night Football matches.

I didn't know how I felt about the Chief's daughter staying here for the foreseeably future. I doubted that she was as perfect as Jake made her out to be. His tastes weren't exactly discerning.

I wiped my feet on the welcome mat before toe-ing off my sneakers and making my way into the living room. Emmett was watching some silly television program that was two parts violence and one part sheer stupidity. He nodded to me as a plopped down beside him on the couch.

"Hey, man. Where've you been?" Emmett asked, distracted by the TV.

"In the woods," I said. He nodded and didn't press me for further information. "Jake's supposed to stop by soon."

"Cool. I wonder if he was able to get any weed from Sam down at the res."

"I don't know. He's kind of being a little bitch about this new girl. I don't think he's even talked to Sam yet," I answered.

"Ah, right, the Swan girl. She better be hot," Emmett responded crassly.

"We'll find out. She's coming over with Jake."

Just then Alice bounded down the staircase, ruffling my already messy hair as she trotted to the door.

"Alice, what the hell!" I groaned.

"Jake's here! And he has a girl with him! Do you know the last time I hung out with a girl? Yeah…me neither! I'm so excited!" she screeched, not letting either Emmett or me get a word in edgewise. I rolled my eyes as she opened the door and flung her arms around Jake before moving to the Swan girl. I heard the girl's gasp of surprised and chuckled to myself. Leave the awkward moments to Alice.

"Guys come on in! The boys are on the couch," Alice said before moving out of the way to let them enter.

I turned towards the door nodding my head at Jake before doing a double take. Standing behind him was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. She had thick brown hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, escaped tendrils curling around her ears and framing her perfect heart shaped face. Her wide chocolate brown eyes darted nervously around the room and the most endearing blush tinged her otherwise alabaster skin. She was small, but not quite as scrawny as Alice and wasn't wearing a frilly dress like my sister. Instead, she was garbed in jean shorts, converse sneakers, and an Alice in Chains tee-shirt.

I jumped up from the couch and awkwardly slammed my shin into the coffee table. Emmett and Jacob guffawed, while Alice rolled her eyes. But the light, girlish laughter that resonated from the full pink lips of the Swan girl was music to my ears. I chuckled self-consciously and muttered a soft, "Sorry," before turning to the girl.

"Hi, I'm Edward," I waved to her, too afraid to move any closer for fear of making a complete ass of myself.

"Hi, Edward. I'm Bella," she returned my wave with equal awkwardness and a shy smile.

"This is my brother Emmett and I see that you've already met Alice," she chuckled in response, clearly remembering Alice's overly friendly greeting. She muttered a quick "Hello," to Emmett who looked away from the TV when he heard his name.

"Yes, Yes. Now that we've all met, you have to come help me pick out an outfit for the first day of school tomorrow! Come on Bella!" Alice grabbed the girl's wrist and started moving towards the staircase. Bella looked towards me, her beautiful eyes wide with confusion. I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders. Her returning smile melted my heart.

Jake sat down on the other side of the couch, going on about something or another. I vaguely heard Bella's name as I pretended to listen, but I was too preoccupied by the girl herself. I was pretty sure I was in love.

EPOV—2007, age 25

"Baby, you have to move. I can't get up," I chuckled into the soft brown curls that were practically suffocating me.

"Nope, it's too cold out today." Bella's leg wrapped even tighter around my hips and her fingers danced enticingly across my chest before looping around my torso, effectively pinning me to her body. Of course, I didn't struggle too hard.

I kissed the top of her head and let my fingers brush across the length of her body, starting with the curve of her hip and swiping across her naked breast. I felt her smile against my chest.

"I know one way to warm you up," I whispered, my own smile evident on my face as I continued to run my hands across the smooth, creamy expansive of her body.

"I like the way you think, Mr. Cullen," her giggle brought a smile to my face, which she quickly covered with the sweetest kiss.

I rolled her over, so that I was on top of her and gazed into her deep chocolate colored eyes. "I will love you until the day I die, an even then I don't think I could stop."

Her soft lips found the corner of my mouth. "Forever, sweetheart," she whispered before pulling my head towards her and showing me how much she loved me.