To my sister of DPS, I love you hard, I mean so hard!! I could not have pulled any of this off without you. I humbly thank you.~C

Disclaimer: S Meyer's owns the characters, I on the other hand own all 4 Twilight Books and the first movie.

We spent the rest of the day getting to know one another, enjoying each others bodies and languishing in something that seemed lost for so long, that now found, had to be cherished. I couldn't get enough of Edward, his hands roaming, finding all the secret places that made me writhe and melt before him. His mouth was so soft, yet firm and he knew exactly what to do with it. The feelings he invoked inside me when he used it were akin to a frenzied lightning storm full of electricity and current. His body fit me like a glove. And when Edward hovered over me, or beside me, it was as though we were designed for one another. When our bodies were interlocked, entwined, we were in tune with each other.

The next few days were filled with nothing but pure bliss. The thing I loved most about Edward was that it wasn't just about the sex. I mean, sure the sex was amazing, obviously, we couldn't keep our hands off each other, and it was great, but he also wanted to know about the person I was. He was genuine, showed interest and hung onto my words intently. It was a far cry from the other men I had dated in the past. The only thing those men were ultimately worried about, was themselves. They were mostly concerned about getting me into bed and how much they'd have to put up with before 'it' happened. It was refreshing to finally meet someone who was intrigued by me as a person, and not just my body.

"I want to know more about you, tell me about your family, where you grew up, " Edward asked. We were lying on the floor in front of the fire as my head laid atop Edwards bare chest. I was idly running my fingers through his chest hair, enjoying the closeness we had developed over the last few days. I knew eventually it would come to an end but I refused to think about it, wanting to believe that all of this would last forever.

I smiled, thinking of my father. For so long the mention of him made me so sad, but ever since Jake snapped me out of my funk, I only had good thoughts. I made a pact to celebrate his life instead of mourning his death. "Well, my father died almost three years ago," I let out a small sigh, missing him and wishing he could have been around to meet Edward.

"Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." He sounded so sincere and it made me want to share my memories with him even more. It solidified what I had already deduced about Edward. He was a stand up guy, that thought of others before himself. It showed so much character. It caused me to wonder why some other woman hadn't scooped him up yet.

"No, Edward, it's okay. I rather enjoy talking about him; I love remembering. I wish you could have met him. My father was the Chief of Police in a small town called Forks, in Washington. He was shot in the line of duty. For several days after he was shot the Dr's had hope, and we actually thought he was going to make it, but infection set in and they just couldn't get it under control. I was there when he died. As sad as it was, it makes me happy that he wasn't alone." I raised my head from Edward's chest and looked up at him, giving him a small smile. Edward remained quiet, letting me say what I needed to. The only other person I had ever talked about this with was Jake. It was so nice to be able to share something as intimate as this, with Edward, "I was able to tell him everything I never got to, no regrets and nothing left unsaid. He passed away knowing he was loved and cherished." A small pool of tears started forming in my eyes at the memory of it, and a single lone tear slid down my cheek. Edward reached up with his free hand and wiped it from my face. Taking a deep breath I continued.

"My father was my inspiration to me for so many reasons. I am who I am because of him. See, my mother left when I was very young so it was just him and I for most of my life. He did his best and I think I turned out the better for it. He was so wonderful. I mean he was the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back, but not a pushover in any way. He was kind and understanding. He knew that not everyone got dealt the same hand in life, so he did what he could to do his part, to make the world a better place, you know?" Edward just looked at me and smiled. I laid my head back on his chest, feeling the comfort of his heartbeat.

"My father loved to fish. He had friends on the reservation that he went out with most times, but he always asked me to go first. I know he was only doing it out of politeness; I hated fishing. Once, when I was about 8 he took me out. There was a Quileute river system near Forks that he always went to and would always invite Billy and Jake to go with us. I remember it was October or November, it was so cold out on the water, but dad always said it was the best season for salmon fishing. Dad was so excited that I was going and I wanted to make him so proud, but when we got out there and my father baited his hook, I vomited right over the side of the boat." I laughed, remembering. "I never did tell him the real reason I got sick. I let him think that I just wasn't feeling well. From then on out I let him bait all my hooks and I never watched when he did it. Personally I think he was on to me but just never said so."

"He encouraged me to move to Chicago and go to college, saying that he wanted me to expand my horizons, see something new and gain new experiences. He always taught me to strive for the best and never settle for less than I was worth. When I decided to come to Alaska I was looking for something, and for some reason I just knew it was here, and this was where I needed to be. All my friends, especially Jake gave me such a hard time, telling me not to. Jake actually went as far as to tell me to go to Colorado if I wanted snow, but it wasn't that, you know? I needed solitude, a place to think. My father would have encouraged me, told me to go for it and do what I needed to do." I paused, listening to Edward's beating heart for a moment.

Edward stroked my hair away from my face, outlining my features with feather soft touches. I leaned into his caress and smiled again. Speaking in a voice a little louder then a whisper Edward said in an innocent but sarcastic tone. "So, I suppose your slightly stubborn nature came from your father?" I could hear the laughter in his voice and couldn't help but giggle.

"Slightly stubborn? Who said anything about slightly? Slightly is mild compared to what Jake thinks. According to him, I'm a glutton for punishment and my stubborn nature is going to hamper me more then help. He constantly tells me that if I would just open myself up to suggestion and stop being so hard headed that I would be happier. I keep trying to tell him that I'm content with my life and I don't regret any of the decisions I've made. Besides," I said, tracing my finger over his chest, "it got me here, didn't it?"

"Indeed it did. Come up here Bella." Edward placed his hand on my face, beckoning me forward. Hovering over him I leaned down and placed my mouth on his in a searing kiss. His hands wrapped around my body, flat against my back, holding me tight. Between kisses Edward pieced together the next sentence. "And it almost .." Pulling my face back, his gaze met mine, "Luckily, I was here to find you." My heart turned over in response at the tenderness I saw reflected back in his eyes.

I leaned back down, touching his lips, like nothing more then a whisper before scooting back down to lay my head back on his chest. As much as I wanted to continue down that path, I wanted to share more. There was so much I wanted to know about him. If this was to end when the weather let up then I wanted, no, I needed to leave with a full arsenal of memories.

"Bella," Edward said, whispering into my hair, I moved up, my head fitting perfectly in the hollow between his shoulder and neck.

"Mmmmm?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but what exactly is Jake to you?" Mixed feelings surged through me. On one hand I was expecting this question but on the other I wondered why he would ask this if I were eventually leaving. Of course we hadn't really spoken of what were to happen afterwards so I was completely clueless about the future. I just assumed that when the weather cleared I would leave and Edward would go back to his normal life. This didn't sit well with me, as I had searched for so long for Mr. Right and didn't want to give up what I had found. As a matter a fact, I vaguely recalled a conversation we had three days prior about this not being a fling, but people made promises all the time in the throes of passion that could easily be discounted later.

"I suppose you could call Jake my best friend. I won't lie and tell you that he feels the same way. As a matter a fact it's quite the opposite for him. I have tried for years to convince him that he and I just wouldn't work, but in a strange sense he can be just as stubborn as I can. Well, at least when it comes to me. To be honest though, as much as I love Jake, it's a very brotherly love and could never be anything more. Jake has always been there for me. He helped me through the toughest time in my life and if it weren't for him I don't think I would have made it. He reminded me of who I was, my purpose and of everything my father taught me to stand for. I honestly don't know what I would do without him." I clenched my jaw to kill the sob threatening in the back of my throat. At times I had a hard time controlling my emotions when I thought about Jake, what he meant to me, how he felt and everything he had done to help me in the roughest of times.

"So, enough about me," I said sitting up and leaning back against the couch. I grabbed a grape from the bowl Edward had brought out earlier and popped it into my mouth. "Tell me about you." I took another grape, reached out and held it to Edward's lips. They parted and he accepted the grape into his mouth, kissing the tip of my finger in the process. Even the feel of his lips on my fingertip had my inner voice screaming for more. A shiver shot through me and the goose bumps on my arms stood out prominently. Grinning, Edward rolled and shifted position so his head was in my lap. As if by instinct I placed my fingers in his hair and started running them through it, loving the texture and smell with every touch.

I held another grape to his mouth watching as he took it in, the way his tongue wrapped around it. I drew in a sharp breath and closed my eyes for a moment trying to get control of myself. Sweet Jesus Bella, you have turned into a nymphomaniac. When I opened up my eyes again Edward's mouth was turned in a smile. His green eyes were humorous, seductive even. He lowered his voice, "See something you like Bella?" Ungh, that mouth, that tongue. He was going to be my undoing, but by God we were going to finish this conversation.

"I do, and I have grand plans for you later, but right now? Right now I want to know about you." I bent over and gave him a chaste kiss on the mouth before sitting up again.

"Okay, we can do this your way, but later," he raised his eyebrows and grinned at me. "Later I have plans for you too." His tone of voice suggested promises of delicious things to come. When we got up this morning Edward went into the bathroom to shower and shave. I very subtly suggested skipping the shaving part, wanting to feel the ruggedness of his face on my skin. He happily complied by backing me up against the bathroom counter and nuzzling into my face and neck, letting his lips ghost over the tender flesh. Needless to say we didn't leave the bathroom for over an hour and that didn't include the proceeding shower. That was an entirely different story though; I could feel my body flush at the memory of it.

Trying to get back into the mode of talking, I looked down at Edward and blurted the first question that came to my head. "So, why in the world, of all places you could come to live, did you choose Alaska? I mean, it's beautiful, don't get me wrong, but the cold, at times it's almost painful."

"To be honest, I came here for much the same reason you did. I never intended to stay, I was just looking for solitude as well, a place to be alone and to unwind so to speak. I'd gotten to a point in my life where things became so overwhelming for me and as much as I was enjoying my successes, as much as they could be a blessing, they were also a hindrance. I felt like I was losing sight of things, my perspective and what I set out for to begin with. I needed to find it again, and I did, here. I'm just fortunate that I have the means to work from my home, freelancing so to speak." What Edward was saying was so completely intriguing, I wanted to ask questions, but I didn't want to intrude or seem like I was trying to be pushy. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask when Edward spoke up.

"Bella, you can ask me anything you want, I'm an open book for you." My GOD could this man read my mind?

"I don't want to seem like I'm prying, but I'm curious, what exactly is it that you do?"

"You're not prying Bella, I want you to know what ever you want. I have nothing to hide. As a matter a fact, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings. I want you to know everything; I want you to know me. I have never felt this sort of comfort with another woman before."

I was completely taken aback. This man never ceased to amaze me. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to tell me he was married, engaged or something. But it never came.

"I'm actually an architect, I have a room in the back of the house that serves as an office, slash work space. I would love to show you some of my drawings if you're interested." He spoke so casually and it surprised me at the comfort level we already had with one another.

"I'd love to- Wait. Edward Cullen, architect..." I began to put two and two together and my heart skipped a beat. I was having a love affair with Edward Cullen, famous architect who had gone recluse about five years ago, only popping up every so often for specific charity functions. My head began to spin, of all the people to run into in the Alaskan Tundra, this was not what I expected . I blinked once, letting the room and Edward come back into focus. He had a panicked look on his face.

Rushing his words, Edward sat up, reaching for me "I should have told you from the beginning, I'm sorry. I never meant to mislead you or pretend to be someone I'm not, it's just that the reaction I get sometimes, well, it can be a little overwhelming and I just wanted to be a normal everyday guy. You have no idea how hard it's been for me. Please don't think I'm grouping you in with anyone else, because I'm not. After five minutes with you, I knew you were nothing like the women I've had to deal with in the past. It was the most amazing feeling to just be able to be me. I really hope this doesn't change anything."

I was still staring at him, stunned. Of course it didn't change anything. His money or fame meant nothing to me; I knew he was the one before he was Edward Cullen, famous architect. His profession couldn't change that. It just amazed me that that I, Bella Swan had finally met a man who, in his own right could hold his own, had a good head on his shoulders and was fantastically hot and a God in bed.

"Of course it doesn't change anything, but you're going to have to give me a moment, it's quite a bit to take in all at once." I paused, just staring him intently for a moment. "I've read articles about you, admired your work for as long as I can remember. What amazes me, is that out of all the places I could have met someone and all the people I could have met, it was here and It was you. And now look at me, sitting here, wrapped in your arms." I sat in silence again for a couple minutes before continuing. "When you found me, I had no idea who you were, I just had a feeling that you were special, that what happened to me was meant to be, that this," I pointed to him and myself, " was not a mistake. Do you really think finding out about your profession, who you are, is going to change all of that?" I brushed my hand down his cheek, rubbing the scruff he had refrained from shaving, just for me.

"Bella, I-"

"Look," I said interrupting, "I understand more than most, what it feels like to lose yourself, to need the solitude and seek what you're looking for. I have been searching years for the missing piece, the part of me that I felt wasn't right, or incomplete. Do you understand?" With all the tenderness I could convey, I looked at Edward, willing him to understand what I was saying.

Taking my hand he held it in his, cupping it to his face and then moving it down, to place a kiss on my palm. "I understand more than you know. I'm so grateful for you, for finding you, meeting you, sharing something so special with you. I don't know how we're going to work this all out, but come hell or high water, we will. I'm not about to give up the most precious person I have ever found." The tenderness in his voice and the look in his eyes was completely overwhelming. A tear trickled down my cheek and landed on the hand Edward had resting on my leg.

"Dry your eyes, love. This is good, as a matter a fact this is great." Smiling he pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"You wanted to know more about me?" I nodded, sniffing, reining in the last bit of tears. "My father, Carlisle Cullen, actually inspired me to become an architect. He's retired now, but when I was growing up he owned his own firm. I was an intern there every summer through college and when I graduated it was my first real job." He backed up out of my arms and turned to lean back against the couch, settling me into his body. "He taught me everything he knows. Pushed me to be the best; better then the best. I remember getting so much shit from him and he never held back. I think it made me work harder, and want to do better."

"I drew up my first set of plans when I was 19 years old. I was just playing around, experimenting I guess you could say. I wanted to create something grand. It took me months to get it just right. When I showed my father he barley gave it a glance, rolled them up and put them away. At the time I was devastated, but a few years ago, after my 27th birthday he pulled them back out and told me he had bought some land just north of Chicago in Highland Park, and was building a house there. The house I drew. He told me the reason he never acknowledged what I had done before is because although he thought I had potential, he wanted me to work harder, to do better. If he had told me what he really thought, he feared it would have gone to my head. He said I needed to go through the paces, just like everyone else. That was the single best thing he had ever done for me."

I lifted my head off of the shoulder I had it resting on and leaned back, looking at Edward, smiling warmly. "It sounds like you and your father are very close."

"We are." With his long beautiful fingers; he swept away the hair that was stuck to my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. "The distance hasn't been very easy on him, but he's accepted that I need my space."

Cocking my head to the side, I peered at him, wondering. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave? I mean besides you needing space and solitude." If I still had my father I would be as close to him as I could be. I realized that Edward had a different relationship with his family and circumstances were different, but he was successful and could do anything he wanted, so why leave, why here?

"The first couple years after I graduated I worked for my father's firm. It was fast paced and challenging. I loved it, but I wanted more. I wanted to do more than just create what others wanted. I wanted to do something of my own, to make a mark so to speak. Not just houses or the like, but sky scrapers, music halls, anything thing that would allow me to be as imaginative and creative as I wanted to be. So I saved everything I could, I invested in some high risk short term funds that fortunately paid off and it allowed me to have a nice cushion to start my own freelance firm. It wasn't easy finding clients with minds as open and willing as mine, but eventually they came. One person told another who told another and before I knew it I had quite a client base and a tremendous waiting list. Personally, I think my father called in a few favors, not that he'd ever admit it. Regardless, I was living the dream, doing what I wanted. I became recognized in the community, then the state and then, well everywhere. Suddenly everyone wanted something, a cookie cutter look alike of what I had already done. They wanted me to mass-produce. It's not, and will certainly never be, who I am. By then, it simply got to a point that it all overwhelmed me. So, here I am. I do freelance from here; if anyone needs to meet with me I fly out and meet them. The rest I do by computer or phone. Technology is amazing, well, it is when you don't have snow storms that knock everything out for 50 miles."

Understanding, maybe not quite in his way, but understanding nonetheless his need to have space and keep his talent his own, I began to lose hope. There was no way this man was going to make a move for me, Bella Swan, the woman in the snow that he'd known for all of what? Three days? Taking a leap of faith I asked the one question that would tell me if this was the start of a relationship that was meant to move on before it even started. "Do you think you'll ever go back? I mean, like, to Chicago or somewhere and start things back up?" Unintentionally I was gripping my hands together, waiting for the answer I knew would ultimately break my heart.

"Actually, the last couple months I have been thinking about it, and I've spoken to my father about checking into some things for me. I've really been up in the air about it lately, needing a deciding factor, another reason." Edward paused, "Bella, stop wringing your hands together and look at me." He placed his fingers under my chin, lifting my face to look directly at him. "I needed another reason, and unless I'm completely misunderstanding things right now, I believe I've found it." The emotion playing on his face took my breath away. He was serious.

My heart started racing and I was flooded with so many emotions all at once, relief, excitement, joy and hope. I let go of my hands and gripped them around him with all my might. "Ohmigod, I thought, I was so sure, I-I just knew I was going to lose you."

"Never Bella, never." Edward squeezed me tight before pulling back and placing soft kisses across my face, starting at my ear and ending at the corner of my mouth. "I wasn't lying when I told you I've been waiting for you and I'm not about to let you go now." My emotions whirled and skidded as his lips parted into mine in a soul-reaching kiss. Lifting his hands up he cradled my face as his tongue traced the fullness of my bottom lip, sending shivers of desire coursing through me. My lips parted and his tongue thrust in with an urgency that was not present before. His hands began to roam toward the bottom of my shirt setting my nerve endings on fire at the prospect of would surely happen next. I vaguely heard talking in the background, but my desire for him over rode everything, my body began to vibrate with liquid fire and Edward couldn't get the shirt I was wearing off me fast enough. I needed to feel his skin against my own; I needed the electricity, the friction of our bodies.

Faintly I heard more voices in the background, they were full of static, blurred out, to me it was just background noise. That is until I thought I heard my name. The HAM radio! Edward felt me stiffen and pulled back, "Bella? What's wrong? Are you okay?" The concern in his voice was evident.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Bella?"

"My name, I swear I just heard it on the radio. Listen." We both stilled, listening intently for someone to repeat my name through the static.

"Anchorage Base, calling EC1, Anchorage Base, calling EC1. Do you copy?"

"It's the police department," Edward said, sounding a bit disappointed. "I'm EC1. I wonder if someone was finally able to get through with your message."

I picked Edward's shirt up off the floor and put my arms in the sleeves, not bothering to button it back up. We got up and walked over to the desk against the far wall where the radio was housed. Edward pressed down on the microphone button and responded.

"Anchorage Base, this is EC1, I copy."

A friendly voice responded, "Hey Edward, how it going out there?"

Edward looked at me and grinned, I knew exactly what he was thinking, because I was thinking the same thing. "Doing great Peter, just trying to ride out the storm. Last I heard the worst of it will have blown over by tomorrow."

Edward let go of the microphone button and waited for a reply. After about ten seconds we heard Peter respond:

"Yeah, that's the report we are getting too. Say, you know that woman you called in about a few days ago? Well someone called in about her really flipping out. Said they got a call from her cell about three days ago, sounded like she was in trouble."

I looked at Edward, panic in my eyes. What must Jake have been thinking this whole time? That I was dead? Edward sensing my distress grabbed my hand and squeezed.

"Well, she's still here Peter and she's safe and sound. The wind is to high to try to get her back to her cabin just yet so she has been riding out the storm here with me."

"Oh, no I wasn't questioning you Edward, just letting you know what was going on. Anyway, we let him know she was safe and was unable to get through to him because of the storm. He did ask us to relay a message to her though."

Edward motioned for me to take the microphone.

"Peter, I'm going to put Bella on, hang on a second."

I leaned over the microphone, feeling a little unsure what to say. Pressing the button to speak I said the only thing I knew would make sense.

"Hello, this is Bella Swan."

After a brief pause Peter replied, "Hi there Bella, hope all's going well out there and that our Edward is not causing you too much grief."

I breathed a sigh of relief; he wasn't just friendly to the locals. With a grin on my face, I winked at Edward, my nervousness completely dissipated.

"Oh, I suppose you could say he's been a good host. He hasn't threatened to put me back outside yet."

Edward grinned, coming up behind me and wrapping his hands around my waist, kissing the back of my neck. I heard laughter coming from the radio. They had obviously found my statement funny.

"Well that's good to hear Ms. Swan. I do have a message for you. Someone by the name of Jake called in very worried. I relayed to him that you were okay and that the storm would be passing in another day or so and you would be able to call him. He was very insistent though that he see you. He asked me to tell you that he booked a flight out today to Anchorage and should be here in the morning."

I was completely stunned, once Jake found out I was okay he should have waited it out and let me call him. I mean it wasn't like I didn't leave a message for him; he had to know by that that I was okay. Why did he always think I needed rescuing?

On the other hand, this was one way to get the whole Edward, Jake confrontation out of the way. Because if I knew Jake as well as I thought I did, once he found out what was going on here, he was going to blow a rod and things were not going to be pretty. At least with Edward I would have backup, reinforcement so to speak.

"Thanks for the message Peter, and thanks for letting him know I'm alright."

"Any time Bella. Ya'll have a great day and we'll see you when the storm passes."

I turned around to face Edward, wrapping my arms around his neck. "So, are you ready for the storm? It's not going to be pretty." Angry Jake was never pretty.

"Bella love?" Edward smiled, warmly.

"Yes Edward?"

"Bring on the rain."