This chapter has some similarities to the chapter of Twilight that Edward and Bella went to the meadow. I also do a twist of the lion and the lamb part too. I give credit to Ms. Meyer for the creation of the Twilight story as a whole, the characters, and especially to the portion about the lion and the lamb. (I personally like the comparison.)

Chapter 24: Our True Beginning

When I awoke in the morning, I felt as if the sunshine was shining from me, not the sun itself. Though the sun wasn't shining at the moment, I felt as if it would come out on my command. I rolled over and stared at my ceiling for a while. Wondering what place Edward would take me, but mostly what about him would I learn.

I climbed from my bed and stretched. I felt wonderful, better than I had in a long time. As I pulled the covers back up and finished making my bed I began to think about things that I would want to know about him besides what he would show me himself. I walked from my room toward the bathroom and I heard Charlie leaving to go fishing with one of his friends from La Push. I didn't tell him anything different, he still thought I was going shopping. I wondered if I should have told him that I was going with Edward. Maybe I should actually mention that he is my boyfriend as well. It became really clear that I had more questions than answers anymore. I hoped that today would change that.

As I looked in the mirror, I stared long at my reflection, examining my eyes, my nose, my mouth… looking again for what Edward saw in me. I wondered if it was beyond my exterior. As soon as I finished I was back in my room pulling clothes from my closet. I finally found something that wasn't too warm because I knew that the day would get somewhat warmer. I picked up my light jacket from the back of my desk chair and I was out of the room and headed down the stairs.

I pulled the cereal box from the cabinet and a bowl from the drainer. As I ate my cereal, I thought about how Edward hunted. He never really said too much about it to me. It made me think that maybe he was worried that it would scare me if I knew the truth. Maybe it would, I wasn't sure of anything at the moment, just that I would be with Edward within the next few minutes. I stared at the kitchen clock for what felt like forever. I then heard a soft tap on the front door.

I jumped and was at the door in minutes. When I pulled the door open, he was there in all his usual Edward glory. He looked as beautiful as normal, but something was different. I couldn't place it either. He reached for my hands as soon as they came within his reach. When his hands made contact with mine I felt shockwaves throughout my body. He looked into my eyes and spoke.

"That was interesting, don't you think?"

"You could say that."

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah, just a second."

I ran back to the kitchen and grabbed my jacket and was back at the door where I left him waiting. With my keys and jacket in hand, I locked the door and we were off toward my truck. As I began walking toward the driver's side, he stopped and spun me around.

"I think I should drive on this trip."

"You might break my truck though, it's not your truck you know."

"I won't do anything to your truck, and if I did, I will have Rosalie fix it."

"Rosalie?"

"Its one of her hobbies."

I smiled as he pulled me toward the passenger side. He opened the door for me and before I could get settled into the seat the door was shut and he was already inside the truck. He started the truck with ease and had it out of the driveway and out onto the main road in only a few minutes. I stared out the window of the truck with my mind constantly wandering back to what was going to happen today. I felt Edward slip his hand over mine and then grip it firmly within his. In these simple moments, I felt as if I was in the safest place possible.

As we left town, things became somewhat unfamiliar. I had been down these roads, but it had been a very long time since I had traveled them. The roads had few houses along them, so the wildlife was rampant there. I wouldn't have noticed that much of it if I wasn't with Edward though, for when I saw the world with him… it was like nothing I could ever dream of.

We drove for a little over an hour, not speaking, but our hands never separated. I noticed finally that he was slowing down the truck and he was pulling into a parking spot that was normally used for hikers. Hiking?! I was doomed. How was I going to make it anywhere with him if he is constantly helping up from my clumsiness? He turned off the truck and let go of my hand to open his door. I knew I had to calm myself down or I wasn't going to make it today. I had one too many things playing on my mind and the addition of hiking to it, was about all I could handle. Edward pulled my door open and extended his hand to me. I am guessing that he felt my heart rate because I felt it more than I normally did.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…"

"Bella, your heart rate is higher than what I am used to… you know we don't have to do this, I could just take you home."

I couldn't let that happen. I had too much riding on this day. I wanted to learn about Edward and I was hoping that maybe I would have enough courage to finally tell him what had been playing on my mind since I laid eyes on him.

"No. Let's get going though… especially since I don't know what we are up to and we might have a trip to take for all I know."

He smiled and took my hand. We walked toward the woods, but not toward the usual path that was taken by the normal hiker, but one that appeared to be made by an animal. I was surprised by how beautiful it was while we walked too. I only stumbled a few times, and Edward was there to catch me before I even hit the ground. I noticed then that the sun had come out, though we were sheltered under the trees… the weather was getting cooler and it would soon mean the leaves would fall and the cold snowy weather would be upon us. I noticed Edward was becoming tense though.

"Edward… what's wrong?"

"The sun."

"What about it?"

"You'll see in a few moments."

We continued to walk and then I seen a clearing up ahead. I turned to him and watched him give me a small smile. He released my hand I went forward a few steps without him. I turned to him wanting him to be with me when I entered the clearing, but he waved me on. I slowly stepped into the clearing and saw the most beautiful meadow I had ever seen in my entire existence. The trees still had enough leaves to make it look somewhat spring looking, with a touch of autumn. I then saw all the fall wildflowers about the field and then heard the brook that was bubbling not far into the distance. The sun was the most wonderful feeling that I could imagine too, but I was lonely without Edward there with me.

When I turned back, I saw him standing at the edge of the woods. I couldn't see his eyes, but how he stood there told me that he was contemplating stepping out into the sun where I would see him. I looked at him with as much compassion as I held in my being and extended my hand, hoping to encourage him forward into the meadow.

When he stepped into the meadow, I felt my mouth drop, but out of pure amazement. Edward in the sun was like nothing I would have ever imagined in my life. The sunshine made him sparkle like a diamond. When he reached me, his eyes told me wonders about him. He was examining me in the sunlight, trying to take in everything that I was in the light that he had never seen me in.

He took my hand and he walked me to a spot that had a very soft patch of grass and pulled me down next to him. He watched me for a time, but then pulled off his sweater that he had on to reveal a tightly fitting t-shirt. I didn't want to stare, but seeing him like that was like seeing a photo of statues of ancient Greece. He looked so much like the gods and heroes of ancient myth. I turned my head before he could see me flush scarlet. He would then question the thoughts I was having of him at that moment. I looked off into the distance for a while to keep him from seeing me like that. The wind picked up into a gentle breeze so I watched the limbs of the trees sway. I then turned back to Edward to find him lying on the ground, hands behind his head, eyes closed, though I knew he wasn't asleep.

I would have loved to do the same thing, but just watching him, was more than enough. Even know I knew it wouldn't happen I feared that if I were to close my eyes, he would be gone. I looked away for only a second, but when I looked back I seen him staring at me.

"What, Edward?"

Edward sat up and looked deeply into my eyes. I felt like I might faint from the intensity of them. The next thing I knew was he placed his hands on the side of my face, and began to trace his fingers over my facial features. I sat as still as possible. The feeling that this gave me was beyond electric, but more sensual. I watched his eyes travel around my face as he followed his fingers, but suddenly his eyes snapped back to mine. They were full of something that I had never seen in his eyes before. He suddenly dropped his hands from my face and took one of my hands in his. He finally spoke to me again.

"What do you think?"

"I see why you can't be out in the sun now."

"We would stand out a little don't you think."

"Just a little."

He was making circles with his fingers against the skin of my hands. I felt as if I was putty in his hands, and that he could mold me into anything he wanted in that moment too.

"Edward, you told me that you will tell me more about you."

"I did."

"You seem like you are scared to do so though."

"I am, Bella. For more reasons than you can imagine.

"Please, tell me about yourself."

He released my hand and sat them in his lap. He seemed to fidget with his fingers for a moment. I wondered what he was afraid of too.

"What do you want to know about?"

I sat there for a minute contemplating these questions, because they were going to change my life forever. I worried that if I were to ask the wrong thing, that I might scare him off or hurt him some how. These fears were constant and never ending in my mind, and I wondered if he felt as I did in that moment. I was more terrified that I would hurt the one person that made me feel complete in this lifetime. After a few seconds, I built up enough courage to finally speak to him.

"The first day you met me, the first day that I was at Forks High… what was you thinking about? You looked at me as if I was something so horrible."

"You were, Bella, more than you know."

The answer that he gave me surprised me, but it didn't on other levels. I watched his expression change to an almost sorrowful frown. I hated to see him like that. I wanted to reach out, and comfort him, but I didn't know how I could do that. He then continued to speak to me.

"Bella, you don't know how you effect me. What I think and feel is unlike anything that I have every felt in my lifetime. When I first saw you, I thought you were a mere human, someone that I would have to interact with, but never become close to, but when you came into that classroom that afternoon… I had the urge to drag you from the room and consume you in every way possible. You don't know how appetizing you smell to me. I have to fight my natural urges to take from you the force that keeps you alive."

My expression must have told him of my shock for he reached out and touched my hand gently. I didn't know that was the case, but I wondered since I found out about his secret if he had thought of drinking from me. I guess I now had the answer to that particular question.

"So… I smell?"

"You smell like nothing I have ever come across in my life. The best way I could describe it to you as is that you smell like what I would think heaven would smell like. The fragrance of your skin is similar to that of lavender or fuchsia. I was so worried that I would hurt you that first day that you came to Forks but something told me that I couldn't, that you were more than just a sweet smelling human."

I blushed at that. I should be terrified. I was with a vampire that thought that I smelled so good that he thought I would be tasty! However, I wasn't afraid in the least little bit. I was more relieved to know what he was feeling that day. It made the feelings that I had for him more real, more everything. He continued to talk and I listened as he opened his heart and to all the fears that he had been keeping secret from me.

"I didn't want to hurt you, so I ran away, Bella. When I got there, I couldn't think of nothing but you. The brief memories that I had of you consumed my journey there and when I returned to Forks. I wanted to be near you, not for the reasons of wanting to consume you, but more for the need that I have right at this moment, to just be here with you. To touch your skin… see you flush with bright color… to look into your eyes and see what I see in them."

"What do you see when you look in my eyes, Edward?"

"Forever."

"Edward…"

"Bella… I have been told so many times what this would be like… the joy, the excitement… but this is like nothing I have ever experienced before. I see it in Carlisle's eyes when he looks on Esme… the looks that Rosalie gives Emmett and the calm that exists between Jasper and Alice…"

"What are you saying?"

"Isabella Swan… from the moment that I laid eyes on you, I knew… I knew that even beyond the urge I had to drink your sweetest blood that you were more to me than blood. You were my future, my life… I would lost without you."

I sat in awed silence at that. Then I stared down at my hands not knowing what to do with the information that I had just learnt. I didn't know what to say to him. I wanted to hear that from him, more than he knew. I felt the same way about him, how could someone so beautiful and wonderful feel the same way about me? He reached down and pulled my face back up level with his and he stared deeply into my eyes and spoke again.

"Bella… what are you thinking?"

I wasn't sure what to say. I felt the same as he did, but I knew that I wasn't going to be able to articulate those feelings as well as he did for me. He didn't declare his undying love in so many words, but the feelings were there. I didn't know how to tell the one person that had become my world, that I too felt the same way.

"Edward, I was surprised by how you treated me when we met, and even more surprised when you saved me from that truck. When you were gone… I didn't know what to do with myself. It was like my universe lost its center for a while. Without knowing it you tell me that you want to be friends with me and with that, I get to start to get to know you. I find out that you are just as extraordinary as I thought you were from just watching you…"

His eyes studied mine, and I could tell that he wanted to know everything, and that him not being able to get inside my mind was a frustrating thing all unto itself. He appeared mesmerized by my words for his eyes never left mine… I worried that I would begin to drown in the depths of his. I kept my concentration as best as I could and continued with what I was saying.

"When I was in Port Angles that night, the night that you saved me… I realized that I felt this pull to you. I felt that you were more than just some boy that I knew at school. I felt as if I was meant to meet you, to know you, be so much more with you. The way I feel when I am with you is like electricity. You complete me."

He gently pulled me into his lap and wrapped his stone-like arms around me. In that moment, I knew that everything had changed. He then whispered in my ear.

"I know that I should stay away from you, and that I am so much of a danger to you, but I can't bear to be away from you."

"I never want you to leave me, Edward."

"You are lucky then, I crave your presence too much to give you up. I will be with you, as long as you want me."

"I'll want you forever then."

I settled my head on his chest. It was very hard and cold, but it was the place that I wanted to be the most. As I set there, I felt his hands examining my skin causing me to have chills. He then settled his head on my shoulder. It was apparent that he was taking all of me in that moment.

"I must smell good."

"You smell sweeter than any rose in this world."

I blushed at that. I looked into his honey-colored eyes and felt at home for the first time in my life. It was like I had been searching for this… this feeling… this moment for my entire life. He then spoke again to me.

"I guess you could say that I am a lion examining his possible prey…"

"What kind of prey would that make me?"

"A lamb."

I snuggled up against his chest and spoke into it.

"So a lion loves a lamb, huh?"

"More than the lamb ever could know or imagine."

We sat there in silence for what felt like hours after that. I felt so safe there in Edward's arms. I never wanted to leave them either. We never noticed that the sun was slowly setting. I felt him move a little when he turned to look at me.

"We need to go. Charlie will be home soon and he will wonder where you are."

He stood and extended his hand to me to pull me from the ground. I began to walk when he reached out to me to stop me.

"Do you want to see how I travel through the woods?"

I nodded to him and he pulled me back toward him.

"Climb on…"

I looked at him with confusion. Was he actually asking me to climb up on his back? He pulled me up and placed me on his back. I locked my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. With that, he began to run… I couldn't hardly keep up with what was going on in front of me, for the world was blurring past faster than I could process what was going on. The next thing I knew we were back at the truck.

"Exciting isn't it?"

I couldn't speak… I thought I was going to die from the feeling that I had inside. I thought I was going to be sick.

"You can get down now, my angel."

"I don't think I can…"

He gently pulled me around to the front and cradled me in his lap for a moment. I settle my head at the base of his neck and I was consumed by the fragrance that his skin gave off. He lifted my head to look into my eyes again.

"Bella…?"

I looked in his eyes and seen something… I didn't know what though. Then without knowing he leaned in toward my face and then pressed his lips gently to mine. They were cold but in that moment I regained control of my body and I quickly was wrapping my arms around him… trying to pull him closer to me. He suddenly pulled himself away from me. I tried to push myself away from him, but he kept me close to him.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay. You are only human, you know. I just didn't expect your enthusiasm."

He traced my face with his finger tips. I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He then swept me into his arms, opened the door to the truck and placed me on the inside, and was in the truck before I could know. The truck rumbled to life and he placed it in gear and began to back it out of the lot. I felt intoxicated by the feelings that I had. He loved me, he truly loved me. This was what I was hoping would happen. I was able to tell him how I feel about him and he felt the same.

He took his hand from the wheel and pulled me over toward him. He wrapped his arms around my shoulder and I settled my head on his shoulder again. I felt myself begin to yawn.

"Sleep my angel. You have had a very long day."

He leaned over and kissed my forehead. I nuzzled my head into him and without knowing it, I was deep in slumber… dreaming about my prince charming, my Edward.

You can not imagine how much I have stressed over this chapter. I have had this feeling of dread that this chapter will either make or break this story. I hope that everyone enjoyed it. I am almost done with the next chapter as well. I am trying to get a little ahead with stuff since I am working on so much school stuff at once. I also want to thank all my reviewers for sending my review count over 200, you rock and if it wasn't for you I would have gave up a long time ago.
I would also like to congradulate one of my faithful reviewers on her happy news that she told me. I told you that I would have a chapter for you. And CARLISLE'SDARKETERNALQUEEN, you know you love the ride... just hang on and enjoy. Remember you are the best!