I present to you...The Meadow Chapter!

All Reviewers get a hug from me and a request: Please give a detailed review as to what you think of the route I'm taking...

Don't worry Inuyashademons14 - the rest of the story is long and I have yet to plan it all out. ;)

The meadow was completely circular, a perfect symmetry, fringed with wild multicoloured flowers.

I could see the split between the farther trees which bubbled with a small passing stream. I gasped, my hands flying to cover my mouth. The movies hadn't shown the meadow to be this beautiful. "It's amazing," I whispered, aware he could hear me.

I turned on a heel, whirling like a dramatic heroine to find him leaning against the far away trees, watching me with amusement.

I paused, wondering if he was afraid of coming out of the sun because it would hurt him or just that he was lying when he said he didn't sparkle.

"I hope you don't turn into a sparkle fest!" I called, trying to mock him into coming out.

It worked. He had an affronted expression on his face as he strode forward. The sunlight hit his skin and bounced off but there was no shining, no glinting and certainly no bursting into flame.

"There, no fire and no sparkling," he said.

I stared at him. He was looking at me with a cool expression but there was no denying. He was really gorgeous. Why was this happening? He was supposed to fall head over heels with Bella. He wasn't supposed to share this with me.

I looked away quickly, feeling a sudden stab of an emotion I never thought I'd feel for any character in this world.

"What's wrong?" I turned to find him right behind me. "Nothing, this is just…overwhelming." I backed away from him, thinking about potato chips and milkshakes.

He frowned at me but gave up.

Sitting down, he leant back on his elbows while I rocked back on my knees. I reached out, poking his arm with my index finger, making him chuckle. "You can poke all you want; I'm not going to sparkle or burn." He said.

"I still don't understand." I sighed.

He propped himself up. "Most vampire lore wants you to believe that there is an easy way out to get rid of us. What they don't understand is that we are just a higher evolved breed of predators. We were evolved from human blood, you don't see humans burn in the sun, do you?" he smiled.

I shook my head, looking down.

"You're worried. I'm sorry, am I scaring you?" he asked. "No, it's not you. It's me," I sighed. "Ah, the world's best excuse…should I perhaps be worried?" he teased.

"Don't worry, I'd probably run first." I teased back but his expression turned bitter. "As if you could outrun me," he said before bounding away with a speed that was impossible. Yet, there he was, standing right at the edge of the meadow.

"Would you be able to fight me off?" he asked, barely loud enough for me to hear as he ripped off a large branch and threw it against a tree, shattering the branch.

I flinched, pulling back away at the loud noise before he was in front of me again. "I don't want you to be scared." He whispered.

I didn't answer as he sank down to my level. "Forgive me; I don't know what came over me. It's just so easy to be myself with you, I lost control." He said. I shrugged.

He was still a vampire, I reminded myself, sternly, under cover of a replay of what just happened.

"So, you were telling me what worries you?" he prompted. "I wasn't; I just said it was me, not you," I said quickly making him smile dazzlingly.

"It's going to be hell getting through with you." He sighed.

"I worry because you're right. I don't know how I feel. I sincerely have no clue what I feel for you, for this situation…I don't even know where to begin. All this is very new to me, you see." I looked up quickly at him timidly. "If it is any consolation; I didn't know what to feel for you either." He admitted.

I frowned at that. He spoke of it in past tense, as if it didn't bother him anymore…as if he'd already made up his mind.

"I still don't understand about the sun. Are you completely invulnerable?" I asked.

"No, there are ways to harm us. But think of it like a sort of barrier, because we're not invincible, the sun can't touch us." He shrugged. "That doesn't mean it doesn't weaken us. Humans have a pathogen in their blood which makes it easy for them to work in the sun but too much of it gives them skin cancer. We don't have it, so our powers are dimmed." He explained.

I nodded.

He reached for my hand and I gave it to him, raising his hand for closer inspection. The sunlight made his pale skin radiant, but there was no glowing diamond thing happening in his molecules. There was only…

"You're warm," I said, surprised. He grinned, sheepish. "I ate and had some coffee before I came to get you. You can tell by the eyes, see," he leaned in and I had to stop myself from moving away as I looked into his eyes.

The gold of his eyes had dimmed slightly, was that a hint of green? "You had green eyes as a human?" I asked. He nodded and I smiled. "Human food makes our human characteristics show, we don't really like to depend on it but say we hunt on a day, we can last a week with human food." He said.

I knew I had to ask about Bella. I couldn't just let him shift territory.

"The first day, you seemed so furious with Bella…" I started making him sigh.

"Her blood…there's something about it that makes me crave it," He said. "Like the human equivalent of drug addiction," I murmured. He nodded. "I must ask where you get your information from," he said.

I looked up quickly at that.

"Edward…there are a few things that I cannot tell you. It's something I need to figure out myself. When I do, I will tell you." I said.

He sat immovable for a minute then looked down, before looking back at me. "Won't you tell me," he breathed and for a split second my mind went blank.

What was I doing? I could trust him, couldn't I? Hang on a sec…

"Are you trying to dazzle me again?" I asked severely. He made a face. "It's not 'dazzling'. It's called Persuasion." He said. "The sun made it weaker. Besides, you have a very strong mind. One of many things that make you so extraordinary," He smiled at me.

"You helped, with the acetone and also in the office…in that small place, her odour was overpowering. I would've killed her…and Cope but you just…you gave me this look. I felt ashamed of that look. I took off as fast as I could." He smiled ruefully.

"You went to Alaska," I said.

"I stayed with a few vampire friends, but then I decided that was cowardice. When I came back, I took precautions. It helped that I didn't actually have to be anywhere around her unless absolutely necessary." He said.

"When my family found out, they thought it was time to leave but I wouldn't let Bella do that to my family. I was also…curious about you. Alice supported me to get to know you, her and Emmett and Carlisle. Esme just wanted to stay here." He said.

"The more I got to know about you, the more frustrated I got. You see, I was getting information about you but I still had to know you. Even now, sitting here…so close to you, I have no idea what is going on inside you." He whispered. "It didn't help that you were always with Bella, of course, excluding the times I managed to pry you away from her. At first, I thought you were just overly protective of her and I understood that. She attracts trouble like a magnet but when I saw how it was affecting you…" he shook his head.

"The time you found Tyler's body, Port Angeles, the cart, I doubted they would've happened if Bella wasn't in any way tied up with you. It made my blood boil how you always thought I could want her." He said her in a weird way, I noticed.

"I'm just surprised that you'd pick me," I mumbled.

"Don't be; it's agonising to watch you belittle yourself compared to other people. It's gotten a lot worse the past couple days. Your mind is flecked with insecurities that try as I may, I have not been able to budge. Don't you see, Tulika?" he shifted closer, looking into my eyes.

I sighed. "We're both idiots," I said, making him laugh. "That would be obvious, would it not?"

"So," he began when I cut him off. "If you call me a sheep, I will find a way to hit you without hurting myself." I growled immediately.

This time he laughed so hard it felt like it was reverberating in the entire meadow.

"What shall we call you then?" he asked gently.

I drew my name across his arm, making him smile. "Let's not do that," I suggested before looking up at him closely. "Isn't it going to be difficult for you? Being around us like that," I said.

He gazed at me for a minute before slowly reaching out, placing his palm flat against my neck, his long fingers brushing against my throat. "Perfectly fine," he breathed.

I gulped down. Oh god oh god, this was so wrong…what the hell was I supposed to do?

He seemed to make the decision for me. Pulling at my hair, he brushed it against my face, "I want to show you something." He said.

I leaned back, wary. "That amazing speed of yours…?" I asked. He nodded eyes bright with excitement. "Ok…um, what do I need to do?" I asked, waving my hands slightly. He smiled and got to his feet before swinging me up and on his back as easily as if I was his school backpack.

Taking a deep breath, he began running.

Edward running was not nearly as terrifying as it had been described. For one, he kept a tight hold on me and concentration dripped off of him. We brushed past trees and I placed my chin on his shoulder, trying to keep my eyes open until they started watering from the wind.

I felt him slow before he stopped near the Volvo, completely still. "It's exhilarating, isn't it?" he asked, his voice high. I hummed and slowly undid my arms and legs from his torso, sliding off with a huff, stumbling a couple steps.

He turned to look at me. "You ok?" he asked. "Yeah, just let me try to get steady." I held out my hands in front of me to wave him off but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards him.

"I should've gone a little slow, I suppose." He said quietly. "Don't worry about it," I said trying to disengage from him but he held on. "I was thinking, while I was running…" he began and I raised my eyebrows.

Oh dear god no…

I backed away hurriedly from him and he looked confused. "Something wrong?" he asked. "What are you…I mean, are you…?" I couldn't quite bring myself to complete the question but Edward seemed to drop it.

Letting go of my hands, he opened the passenger door for me. Without protest, I slid in feeling somehow guilty and small before shaking it off.

Get a grip girl, I told myself furiously as he started the car, throwing me an impish grin.

I raised my eyebrows at him but he just shook his head, still wearing the smile. "Ok, what…?" I asked finally, irked slightly.

"Nothing, nothing, it's just…if it's any consolation, I do not kiss girls right after the first date." He said, sounding as if he was going to burst out laughing.

I flushed from the tip of my toe to the tip of my hairline. Oh, goddamn his mind reading…

Embarrassed though I maybe, I refused to let my dignity fall further. "Well, that's good to know, neither do I," I turned my head to look out the window as he drove off trying hard to ignore the fact that he was clearly chortling next to me.

Well...? Was it good? Did I break some hearts? Are there people out there screaming: FINALLY!...?

What do you think will come of this relationship?

Do tell Do tell Do tell!

REVIEW PLEASE!