Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

-ooo0ooo-

Despite it only being late afternoon, the room was slowly darkening thanks to the weather. Edward reached out for the lamp on the end table and switched it on, creating a soft pool of light. I waited for him to speak, but the silence stretched and he stared down at our hands, clasped on his leg.

"I'm just thinking," he finally murmured. "That I don't know where to start."

"How about the beginning?"

He raised his eyes, the corner of his mouth lifting in a wry smile.

"Which one?" he asked, and then groaned as he dropped his head back on his shoulders. "Alright, I'm just going to start with the short story. Basically, Alice has struggled with us becoming human. She feels abandoned and rejected, and she's also terrified of something happening to us, and it's affected her relationships with us all. Especially with me."

He turned to look at me. "That's it in a nutshell. Would you like the long story, too?"

"Um, I think so, yeah." I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "Because right now I don't really understand. You were all so close."

"We still are, I think," Edward said. "But it's different." He looked down at our hands again, rubbing his thumb gently back and forth over mine. "For Alice, our change has been like losing half of her family. More than half. And because she doesn't remember anything about her human life, we are the only family she's ever known. So everyone she loves and cares about, is immortal, and practically indestructible. She's never had to consider a time when one of us wouldn't be there anymore. Or at least, that used to be the case." He gave a dark chuckle. "To quote Emmett, she can't handle us having an expiry date. And she hates it when he puts it like that." Despite the laugh, there was sadness in his eyes. The faint smile faded from his lips. "The rest of us, we've all experienced loss in our human pasts. We have an inbuilt understanding, if you like, of the inevitable, that everything comes to an end, whether we want it to or not. But Alice has no frame of reference for that. Intellectually, she understands it, but emotionally…it's been difficult for her."

My heart tightened in my chest as I tried to imagine how that would feel. "Poor Alice," I whispered. "I can understand her being worried for you all, but why does she feel abandoned? I know Rosalie and Emmett chose to be human, but it wasn't your choice."

"I know," Edward nodded. "But Alice can't understand why we won't change back. Why I won't change back."

"Oh." Now I thought I was starting to get it. "So, for Alice, it's like you've chosen human frailty, and certain death, over your family of immortals. Over her."

"Exactly"

"Wow." I blinked at him. "Can you change back?"

"We believe so."

Edward kicked off his shoes and stretched out a long leg, nudging the footstool closer so he could rest his legs on it. I joined him, and he gently rubbed his foot against mine. I snuggled deeper into the sofa, and rested my head on his shoulder.
"There's no reason why we couldn't change back," Edward went on as I rested my head on his shoulder. "The venom would just do its thing, but we couldn't become human again after that. It's not like a revolving door."

I noted the faint throb of pulse at his neck, the healthy flush of his skin.

"Why not?" I asked.
"Well, we barely made it back to human the first time." Edward's hand squeezed mine softly. "Carlisle believes our hearts wouldn't handle it a second time. And having been through it once, I agree with him. There's no way it could happen a second time."

My head spun with more questions. I remembered him saying it took eight days to change and now I wanted to ask him what it had been like, but I also wanted to know about Alice and the Cullens. It was like being pulled in a dozen different directions all at once. I took a slow deep breath, closed my eyes, and listened for a moment to the rain dancing on the roof.

One thing at a time, I reminded myself.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked.

"Fine." I opened my eyes. "Just trying to get my head around everything. What about Carlisle and Esme? And Jasper? Are they handling the, um, expiry date?" I hesitated over the words, not caring much for Emmett's phraseology, either.

"They are," Edward answered. "Although when we're together it's not something we focus on. But they all know that we're happier this way, that it's what we want. There's an acceptance from the others that Alice hasn't found yet."

"So, that's why things aren't good with Alice?"

"It's part of it," Edward said, carefully disentangling himself and standing up. "Can I get you something to eat?"

The sudden shift in conversation threw me for a second. "Huh? Er, no. I'm good."

"Do you mind if I…?"
"No, of course not."

He switched on the kitchen light and went to the fridge where he gathered an armful of condiments and deli meats and set about making a sandwich with great care and precision as he kept talking.

"The nature of our relationship has changed." He licked some mustard off his thumb. "I guess you could say Alice and I were like a team before, an alliance of sorts, our gifts created a bond between us. We could practically communicate without words. But that's changed now."

"Because you can't read minds?"

He nodded. "That, and my life has taken a very different direction. Our interests and goals don't match up as much as they used to." He frowned as he opened a tin of beetroot, and I got up from the sofa and took a stool opposite him.

"I guess that's to be expected," I said.

His stilled, frown still in place, beetroot tin in one hand, knife in the other, as though lost in deep thought.

"It is," he said slowly. "Although now, her insights into my future feel invasive in a way they didn't before." He shifted his gaze to me. "That's hypocritical of me, I know, considering I used to see her every thought, but if I'm honest, I resent the intrusion."

"I think anyone would. I know it used to bug me sometimes."

He offered me a fleeting smile. "I'm sure there was a lot we did that bugged you."

Then he got back to work on his sandwich, layering on the beetroot slices on top of the roast beef and mustard.

"For a while after I changed, I felt like she was constantly watching over my shoulder. All the phone calls offering advice, telling me what she'd seen, felt like interfering, even though I knew it was because she cared. But it felt as though she couldn't trust me to manage life as a human without her help." A dark chuckle fell from his lips and I wondered what had prompted it.

"Do you still feel like that now? That she's watching?"

He shrugged, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck. "Sometimes. When it's a big decision. Or a personal one. I wonder if she's seen."

I chewed on my lip, taking this all in. I could see exactly why Edward and Alice would clash now.

"You still seem pretty intuitive, though," I said. "Sometimes it feels like you know what I'm thinking, more than when we were back in Forks."

He grabbed the block of cheese and started cutting into it.

"Carlisle thinks that's just me, and probably why I could read minds as a vampire – it was an enhancement of something I already had. And back in Forks…" He paused, staring down at his half-made sandwich. "I had a lot to learn." He shook himself a little then added the cheese. "Which brings me to something else."

"About Alice?"
"Yes. This is the other part of the story. The other beginning. Are you sure I can't get you something?"

"Er, no. All good. Thanks."

He switched off the kitchen light, leaving us with the distant glow of the living room lamp. Then he closed the sandwich with a slice of bread on top, pulled up a seat at the counter, and started to eat. It occurred to me that, right now, the food might be something of a distraction for him. Over the sound of the rain, I could hear a faint tapping, almost urgent in its rhythm, which was almost certainly his foot against the wrung of the stool.

"Something happened, back in Forks, not long after I left." It seemed that his face had paled slightly now, though in the dim light of a rainy afternoon, I couldn't be sure.

"What was it?" I asked. "What happened?"

"Alice saw a vision of you, diving from a cliff."

My eyes widened as the memory came rushing back. "She saw that?"
Edward nodded. The tapping sound grew faster, and louder, and I don't think he was even noticing it.

"She saw you jump, but she didn't see what came after. She assumed…" He swallowed and looked away.

"What? She thought…no! No, I wasn't trying to kill myself, no way!" I nearly fell off the stool with the shock of it. "That never even occurred to me! I mean, those months after you left were hard, I'm not going to lie. I used to wonder how I was ever going to get through the next minute without you, but my thoughts were always about how was I going to get through it, never about not getting through."

"You always were stronger than me." Edward smiled sadly. "Thank God."

There was something in his tone, and a barely-there shiver snaked its way along my spine.

"What do you mean?"
He put his sandwich down and rubbed his hands over his face.

"Alice was worried by the vision, of course. So after telling Rosalie what she'd seen, she drove to Forks to find out for herself what had happened."

"Alice came back?"
"Briefly. And she realised she'd been mistaken when she saw you outside your father's house, sitting in your truck with Jacob Black. You were clearly very much alive and well."

I remembered that afternoon so clearly, though I hadn't thought of it in years, and I wondered how much Alice had seen, and heard.

"Where was she?"

"In Carlisle's car, parked across the street from you."

My mouth fell open. How could I not have seen her? I wondered what I would have done if I'd known she was there.

"Where were you?" I asked, almost scared of the answer.

"Brazil."

That definitely wasn't what I'd been expecting.

"Brazil?" For a moment I was swept back again, to those dark, painful, days when I'd imagined Edward having fun somewhere, free of the uninteresting little human who had become a bore and a nuisance. But the expression on his face told me that was far from the truth. "You weren't exactly dancing in a conga line, were you?"

"No," he said. "Far from it."

"So, what were you doing?"

"Tracking Victoria."

Oh my God, I was going to need a Valium after all these trips down memory lane. My hands gripped the edge of the stool. My foot joined Edward's in tapping out a symphony of nervous tension.

He took another bite of sandwich, his jaw working as he chewed hard. I vaguely wondered if he might grind his teeth away at the rate he was going.

"Why?" I asked, but I thought I already knew the answer.

"I wasn't going to leave you unprotected."

"But, what were you planning to do, exactly?"

He blinked at me.

"End her."

He said it so simply, so casually, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, and to hear the words come like that from a human being as he wiped mustard from his chin, was chilling. Goosebumps rose on my skin.

"Did you?"

"Eventually."

"Um, how?"

He arched an eyebrow. "You want the details?"

"I…I think so." I hugged myself now, barely breathing as Edward considered a moment.

"I jumped from a tree, trapped her against a boulder, and separated her head from her body."

He kept his eyes on me, gauging my reaction. My stomach rolled. My gaze fell to his long-fingered hands that had so carefully made the sandwich he now ate. The goosebumps made a return.

"In Brazil?"

"No. Canada. Tracking isn't my forte, I'm afraid. She led me on a false trail south while she double-backed to Forks."

"Wow, this is all just…so this was all happening while I was just going to school and hanging out with…oh! That's how you knew about the werewolves, isn't it?"

Edward nodded.

"So, did Jake know about this and not tell me?" The note of indignation was clear in my voice.

"No. Jacob suspected, they all did, I could see that when I caught their thoughts, but they didn't know for sure," Edward said. "We kept our distance, letting the wolves focus on the Park and the newborns Victoria had brought with her, while we corralled her further north. But yes, that's how I know about the wolves."

"So the hiker you saved, the newborn that attacked her was one of Victoria's?"

"Yes."

I was having trouble keeping track of what I was learning and how everything fitted together – my mind was all chaos and memories and I wondered how we'd got onto this subject, anyway.

"What does this have to do with your relationship with Alice?"

Edward took the final mouthful of sandwich, chewed carefully, and leant towards me. He folded his arms on the counter in front of him, just like that night in Port Angeles, so long ago, when he'd revealed his secrets to me. I leant in, too.

"Alice saw you were alive, but in the meantime, Rose had called to tell me about the vision of you cliff diving."

The picture was becoming very clear now. "And you thought…oh, Edward. Why did Rose do that?"

"She wanted me to come home. She was worried about me, in her own way, and she thought if there was no more reason to track Victoria…" He shrugged the rest of his sentence, his tone was cold. "So I got the call from Rose and…" He paused, the past showing painfully in his eyes, and that shiver snaked along my spine again. This time, it brought with it a memory.

An English assignment. Romeo and Juliet. A whispered conversation.

"You were going to provoke the Volturi, weren't you?"

Surprise flickered across Edward's face. "You remember that?"

"Of course I do." But now I was hit by the full reality of what we were discussing. "Oh my God, Edward, tell me you weren't going to do it!"

But I could see in his eyes that ending his existence had been exactly what he'd planned.

"I called your house but there was no answer. I called the station and asked for your father but the officer I spoke to said he was at the funeral home."

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. "It was Harry Clearwater," I said. "Harry's funeral. Charlie was helping Sue with the arrangements."

"I learned that later," Edward said. "But before I knew…" His voice trailed off. "Alice saw a vision of me in Italy."

I lifted my head, my voice flat. "What were you going to do?"

"Step out into the sun in a busy square."

I shuddered, unsure if I wanted to hear any more, but I didn't stop Edward when he continued.

"Alice called to tell me the truth, but I didn't believe her. I thought she was just trying to stop me."

"But you eventually believed her."

"Not until I called your house again."

My breath stopped, my mouth open in a silent gasp and I realised I was hugging myself.

"Alice was speeding back to Forks, she had some plan to prove that you were alive, but she ran out of gas just outside of town. When she got out to run the rest of the way, she caught Victoria's scent on the wind and knew you were in danger." He exhaled sharply. "Her next phone call to me changed everything. I thought at first maybe it was just another ruse to stop me, but I couldn't risk your safety, just in case."

"So you tried again."

"Charlie answered this time, but I could hear your heartbeat in the background, and then your voice when you asked your father who it was. I told him I'd dialled the wrong number." There was warm relief in his eyes now. But I wasn't sure how I felt and took a couple of deep breaths as Edward continued.

"This is why I'm not sure where the beginning of the story is," he said, puzzled now, it seemed. "Did the issue with Alice start when I became human, or was it rooted in my decision to go to the Volturi? Either way, it doesn't change the fact that, because of what I attempted in the past, Alice is, amongst all the other things I mentioned, worried about what I'll do now if something happens to you. That's why she doesn't want me to be in contact with you. For both our sakes, yours and mine."

"What about Rosalie? What about the part she played?" He could have died because of her interfering.

"I made my peace with Rose," he said, and left it at that. I got the feeling it might be a story for another time and I was happy not to pursue it right now – my head and heart were already on overload. But that seemed to be a regular occurrence, lately.

Edward sat back and spread his hands. "I think that's it," he said, then his eyebrows pulled together in a soft frown. "Actually, I probably could have condensed that whole explanation into a couple of sentences."

"No," I whispered, trying to take it all in. "No, you couldn't. I can see why it's messy and complicated, but, geez, Edward," I blinked back some tears. "I don't know whether to be angry at you for even thinking about going to the Volturi, or grateful that you saved me from Victoria, or sad about you and Alice, or, I don't know. I mean, when you left me it was bad enough, but do you have any idea what it would have done to me if…if…" It seemed like anger was the way to go and it burned through me suddenly, taking the place of those missing words, but I found some others. "You idiot! You…stupid fucking selfish idiot! How could you even think about…"

"I'm sorry!" His voice surprised me. The depth of emotion in just two words, like he'd pulled his heart from his chest and laid it before me. "I am so very sorry."

My own heart stuttered, my anger fading as Edward got off his stool and came round to me. Gently, he took my hands in his and I wondered exactly what it was he was sorry for.

"For so many things. For leaving you. For hurting you. For the lies and arrogance. You told me that first day here it was too late for apologies, and maybe it is, but that doesn't stop me being more sorry than you will ever know."

There was such simple sincerity in his words, such heartfelt truth reflected in his eyes and in his touch. I had honestly believed an apology would make no difference to me. I'd said it was too late. But I realised now that I had needed to hear it, after all.

A new tear spilled onto my cheek. Standing before me, Edward looked down at our hands, biting hard into his bottom lip.

"I can't change anything," he said, and the faint tremor in his voice went straight to my heart. His hands tightened round mine. "But if you give me the chance, I'll spend the rest of my human life trying to make up for what I've done."

This wasn't where I had expected the conversation to go. But sometimes things happen this way, I knew that. Conversations take twists and turns, like life, and hopefully bring you where you want to be. Or need to be. Like now.

"No," I whispered and Edward's panicked eyes flashed to mine. "I don't want you like that." I tugged one hand from his so I could touch his cheek and he leant into my touch, his eyes closing as he did so. "We can't have a future if you're always trying to make up for the past. It won't work that way."

He opened his eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes. Just tell me..."

"No," I said again. "Look, I don't like what you did back in Forks, but I understand why you did it, and that's what helped me deal with it. It's why I went to the winery with you. It's the reason I'm here now, in your house. Because I understand the why, even if I didn't like the how."

I reached round him, hugging him to me, needing to feel the warmth and life of him in my arms. He gathered me close.

"You'll forgive me?" he asked. "I didn't think I could ever ask for it, but…"

I realised then, as his eyes searched mine, that as much as I had needed his apology, he needed my forgiveness just as much.

"You're forgiven," I said, and his shoulders seemed to sag, as if relieved of some great weight, and I thought I felt something ease inside me, too.

"We've really gone off track, haven't we?" I sniffed, wiping at my eyes.

"We seemed to, yes." Edward reached for a napkin holder tucked next to the microwave, grabbed one and handed it to me. "Blow," he said softly, so I did.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because I know how good it feels to do that."

"Blow your nose?"
He nodded and I smiled too, surprised.

"Really?" I said. "You like blowing your nose?"

Edward shrugged. "Sure, when I need to. It's the little things, you know."

"That's true. You've gone off track again."

"Just taking a break from all the heavy."

We just stayed like that for a while, arms wrapped around each other while the rain pounded against the windows.

"I'm sorry about Alice," I whispered.

"Me too. I think we need to build a new relationship, based on who I am now. I've been trying but for her that will take time. We'll get there, though."

"Do you miss her?"

"I do."

I nodded against him, and squeezed him tighter. He rested his cheek on top of my head.

It had been quite a conversation, so much emotion, so much to process. Now, as Edward held me, it was like the calm after the storm, which was ironic given the weather.

Outside, the waves roared and crashed wildly onto the sand and the trees bent with the force of the wind. It was dark now, early evening, and the clouds made sure of a moonless night. In the distance, lightning flashed and crackled over the sea. Idly, I thought how it seemed the perfect setting for a gothic horror story, but here with Edward I felt warm and safe. His hand moved gently over my back, a slow massage that made me sigh and press closer to him.

"That's nice," I murmured.

I felt his lips in my hair. I pressed a kiss to his chest, letting the warmth of my breath travel through the linen of his shirt to the skin beneath, and I smiled at the little shiver of pleasure that ran through him.

"Edward?"

"Mm?"

"Do you think Jasper and Alice…"

"Bella," he interrupted.

"Yes?"
He looked down at me, green eyes blazing. "I don't want to talk about my family anymore."

"Oh?" My heart picked up, and I smiled slowly, my body tingling with sudden anticipation. "Then let's not."

In a surprising, vampire-smooth, move he swept me into his arms and carried me to the sofa. Settling me in his lap, he kissed me sweetly, gently.

"Is this okay?" he asked, before beginning a slow, tender, exploration of my neck with his mouth.

"Mm…"

My eyes fluttered closed as I became lost in the feel of him, the heat of him. His arms curled round me, holding me close as I arched my neck, offering him more of me. He worked his way over my throat, taking his time as we gradually slid down the leather until we were lying side-by-side.

While Edward's lips made their way to my collarbone, his fingers traced my ribs; a light, almost teasing touch that made me shiver and sigh. I felt him smile, and he moved on from my ribs to my waist, gliding over my hip until his hand rested on my thigh. All the while his lips never left me.

The heat from his touch burned through my jeans and when I rubbed my leg against his, his grip on my thigh tightened. Then he slowly moved his hand lower, inch by torturous inch, down to my knee, and smoothly hitched my leg up and around his hip.

I gasped, and pushed my leg between his. He moaned softly, and it was clear just how much he wanted me.

Driven by instinct and my own desire, I pressed myself against him. Hard.

Edward's rough groan sent my heart soaring. His hand moved up from my leg, over my stomach, and grazed the side of my breast. My skin burned and my blood pounded. I slid my hand beneath his shirt, clutching at his back, feeling the roll and flex of solid muscle. My body ached for him in a way that was new to me, and almost frightening.

He rolled to the side, bringing me with him, but the sofa wasn't wide enough, and we landed on the floor with a thud, me on top.

"Oh!" I pushed up on my hands, breathless and panting, holding myself above him as I stared down into his concerned eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked quickly, lifting his head.

"Um, uh huh."

I blinked down at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his chest heaving as his hands gripped my arms.

"I'm sure."

He sighed, and let his head drop back onto the floor. "Well, that wasn't too smooth of me, was it?"

"Oh, I don't know," I tried to smile as I caught my breath. "You rolled very gracefully and cushioned my fall. I'd say that's pretty smooth. Everyone's dignity is still intact." Edward huffed a laugh, but now, with the mood a little cracked rather than broken, I realised how quickly things had been moving, and it pulled me up short.

Edward seemed to realise, too.

There was a moment of awkward silence. Then, we shared a look, and something passed between us.

A silent understanding that tonight might be too soon. And that anticipation was sweet.

"We have plenty of time," Edward said, smiling.

Then he let go of my arm to push back the hair that hung round my face. The smile faded softly from his eyes and the look of tenderness and love that took its place was almost heartbreaking.

"You are more beautiful than I remember," he whispered.

I grazed my fingertips over his stubble, smiling at the fine lines that graced the corners of his eyes.

"Thank you."

Surprise flickered across his face. "And you've learned to take a compliment."

"I have."

He smiled, a slow wistful smile, tinged with sadness.

"I never forgot," he said.

"I know," I smiled. "But you tried not to remember?"

He nodded slowly.

"Yeah, me too," I said. "I tried not to remember you."

I lowered myself down beside him, and nuzzled into his side, hooking my leg loosely over his. His arm curled round me. His fingers played in my hair.

"The photo of you on Facebook…"

His voice was soft, tentative, almost as if he was giving voice to some vague, wandering thought. I waited, wondering if there would be more, and curious that he would mention it.

A moment later, Edward let out a long, slow, breath, as if he'd been holding it in a long time. Very gently, he touched my face.

"I would have expected to be jealous when I saw it, and the jealousy did come, believe me, but my first reaction, the very first thing I felt, was joy."

"Because you'd found me?"

"Because you were happy." He smiled, eyes shining. "The look on your face. The happiness I saw there, the…joy, for a moment it didn't matter that the look was for someone else, it just mattered that it was there, so plain on your face. You were so happy."

"Edward…"

He lifted my hand, and gently kissed my fingers.

"I would have done anything for you to always look that way."

He closed his eyes, and mine filled with tears as understanding bloomed in my heart. Sometimes it takes way more love, and courage, to walk away.

It wasn't just Alice's vision that had kept him from me.

"I'm here now," I whispered, curling into him.

"I know." He sighed. "And that's the miracle of it."

A miracle? Good timing? Coincidence? I didn't know. But whatever it was, I was planning to grab it with both hands.

The room suddenly lit up with lightning, and there was a boom of thunder. Both the lamp and kitchen light flickered, and went off.

"Blackout," Edward murmured, tracing my ear with the tip of his nose, making me smile.

"See? I told you the other night you need candles."

"Mm. I have camping lamps in the garage, will that do?"

"Not quite the same, but I guess so."

"I'll go get one."

"Okay."

But nobody moved. We stayed there, lying in each other's arms on the thick rug, listening to the rain. After a while, I began to giggle. Edward joined in.

"I think the sun's going to arrive before you get that lamp."

"I know," Edward went to get up, then stopped. "I just don't want to move," he chuckled, squeezing his arms around me. "I like it here."

"We can stay. Although, I will need to get up and go at some point."

His eyes flashed open. "Go?"

"Back to Rachel's. We agreed, I'd stay until you got back."

He blinked. "You're not serious? Bella, there's no way I'm letting you drive in this weather."

And the mood had whiplashed again.

"I'll be fine, Edward, and it's not up to you."

He sat up and gestured to the glass doors, disbelief in his voice. "Have you noticed what's going on out there?"

"I'll wait until it eases up," I said, sitting up too, but Edward was shaking his head.

"Look, if you're worried about sleeping under the same roof as me, it's okay, I'll leave and stay somewhere else."

"Oh? So it's alright for you to drive in the storm but not me?"

"Yes."

"And why's that?"

"Because I have a lot more experience behind the wheel than you. About seventy years more." In the shadows, I could just make out his 'beat that' expression, and I narrowed my eyes.

"But as a human, with human reflexes, I think I might have more experience. My ten years to your eight?"

Despite the dark, I could see the hardness of his glare. Or maybe I was feeling it.

He shook his head. "I'll go. You stay."

Me Tarzan, you Jane, I thought, rolling my eyes.

He stood up and headed for the kitchen counter, probably to get his car keys, but stumbled over his dumped luggage on the way. He swore under his breath and I tried not to laugh.

"Okay, I'll stay," I said. "If it means keeping you from breaking limbs as you stumble around in the dark."

From the shadows came a growl of a laugh, a deep, dark, chuckle that suddenly sent my blood racing.

"Very funny," he said.

"I thought so." But now there were fresh goosebumps on my skin as his shadow came towards me, and my heart kicked up a notch.

"You'll stay, then?" he asked.

I nodded, not sure if he could see.

The dark is a peculiar thing. People share secrets more easily. Inhibitions are loosened. Suddenly, I was feeling mischievous.

"I'll stay," I said. "If you can catch me."

"Oh? I think I could manage that."

The mood in the room shifted anew, pulsing now with a dark excitement. Outside there was another crack of thunder. I took a step back as Edward's silhouette came forward.

"But is this a good idea?" he asked, his voice a low purr. "In the dark?"

"I think so. It could be fun."

I was rewarded with another throaty chuckle.

"It could be," he said, side-stepping the armchair as I backed further away. "But you know I'll catch you." And like that, he was gone, his shadow simply disappeared and it was as if I was alone in the room.

"Um, do I?" I took a quick step away from the sofa, looking all around me. Where had he gone? My heart hammered as I headed uncertainly towards the hallway. The thrill of the game burned through me.

"You know I will." His voice came from the other side of the room now, near the sofa. I looked back and forth, head swivelling.

"How did you…I didn't see…"

Then I saw him, coming round the sofa. Adrenalin spiked through me, I gave an excited squeak and made a run for the hall, but he sprang suddenly, snaring me around the waist and I squealed as we skidded along the floorboards and almost crashed into the wall.

We crumpled in a heap onto the floor, laughing hard.

"Gotcha!" he grinned and kissed me as I sat panting between his legs.

"How…how did you do that?"

"What?"

"Disappear."

"It's called crouching behind the armchair, Bella. Your imagination did the rest."

"Well," I let out a slow breath. "I have a very good imagination then. That was fun. Scary, but fun."

"Scary?" He threw back his head and laughed.

"What?" I asked, grinning but not sure why, unless it was because I loved seeing him like this. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head, his teeth showing in his shadowed face.

"I'm thinking of all the times you should have been scared of me, and all I needed to do was crouch behind a chair?"

"Yeah," I joined in with his laughter. "Maybe if you'd sprung out from behind a bookshelf and yelled boo! I would have gone running and screaming."

And then we were laughing again, until Edward's stomach grumbled. Loudly.

"Hey!" I said with mock indignation. "That's my line."

"Er, apparently I've stolen it." He looked a little embarrassed. "Dinner time? I think we've covered every human emotion at least twice in the last couple of hours and now I need sustenance."

I had to agree with him there. The afternoon had left me drained, and now that I thought about it, I was starving.

He stood and held out his hand to me. I took hold and he pulled me to my feet.

"We can't cook anything. No power."

"No power, no problem. Tonight I will introduce you to my favourite restaurant." He curled his arm around my waist and gently nuzzled my cheek. "And in the morning, I'll make you breakfast."

I placed my hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat beneath. "I think I could get used to that," I said.

I heard the faint hitch in his breath, then Edward covered my hand with his and surprised me with a kiss; a slow, deep, kiss that went on and on and left me weak-kneed and breathless.

He pulled back, holding me to him, his voice low and rough as he spoke.

"I hope you do."

-ooo0ooo-

A/N: Thank you so much for all your support and kind words. It means a lot to me that so many of you are giving this Edward a chance, thank you xx

This chapter is unbeta'd (feel better soon, Melanie xx) so any mistakes are mine : )