Here is another chapter, please enjoy.

I looked into the mirror, today was the day Edward and I would be doing something together and not even I knew what he was planning. Bella just walked out with Theo since they have their own plans to uphold, my hair was down waving down my back. Dark wash jeans and a dark brown fitted lace-up bell sleeve sweater with its slight asymmetrical line elongates my torso and flatters my every curve.

I was ready but feeling like my appearance was never going to measure up with his own. Chopin's nocturnes still played in the background helping to relax me, but it was nearly time for his arrival and he was punctual if anything. The house was warm as I made a hasty exit from my room needing to eat before, not like this was going to be a five-star meal as I dropped two blueberry pop tarts into the toaster. Either my father was gone or sleeping, and right now his whereabouts are not that important.

I ate breakfast without tasting the food, hurrying to clean up when I was done. I peeked out the window again, but nothing had changed. I had just finished brushing my teeth and was heading back downstairs when a quiet knock sent my heart thudding against my rib cage but within a second it was controlled now it looked as if the knock startled me and nothing more.

I flew to the door; it took a good few seconds for me to unlock the series of security measures my father placed. Edward, his expression lightened as he looked me over. His word like a small lullaby "You look beautiful,"

I realized he had a long, light tan sweater on, with a white-collar showing underneath, and blue jeans. I laughed with him, hiding a secret twinge of regret - why did he have to look like a runway model when I couldn't?

I locked the door behind me while he walked to my Mustang. He waited by the passenger door with a martyred expression that was easy to understand.

"We made a deal, plus my car is awesome," I reminded him smugly, climbing into the driver's seat, and reaching over to unlock his door.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Put your seat belt on - I'm nervous already."

I gave him a dirty look as I complied.

"Where to? And my driving is impeccable," I repeated with a sigh.

"Take the one-oh-one north," he ordered.

It was surprisingly easy to concentrate on the road even while feeling his gaze on my face. I compensated by driving more carefully than usual through the still-sleeping town but still doing well over the speed limit.

We were soon out of the town limits, despite his negativity. Thick underbrush and green-swathed trunks replaced the lawns and houses.

"Turn right on the one-ten," he instructed just as I was about to ask. I obeyed silently since in the end, only he knew where we are headed.

"Now we drive until the pavement ends."

I could hear a smile in his voice, "And what's there, at the pavement's end?" I wondered out loud giving him a side-eye.

"A trail."

"We're hiking?" Thank goodness I'd worn boots with a good grip.

"Is that a problem?" He sounded as if he'd expected as much.

"No. Just glad I didn't wear heels or something, can you imagine trying to hike in heels?"

"Don't worry, it's only five miles or so, and we're in no hurry."

I sighed, "We have all the time in the world,"

We drove in silence for a while as I contemplated the coming day and what it entailed, thought of ways to get Theo to take Bella and hide. "What are you thinking?" he asked impatiently after a few moments.

I knew to lie, but instead, I told the truth. "Just random thoughts, either about what today will hold. Bella as normal, I want her safe and I agree with her being turned after High school," he looked frustrated but could tell I was not lying.

It's a place I like to go when the weather is nice." We both glanced out the windows at the thinning clouds after he spoke.

And then the road ended, constricting to a thin foot trail with a small wooden marker. I parked on the narrow shoulder and stepped out, afraid in the end some random nomad would see me and maybe place me with the Volturi. It was warm now, warmer than it had been in Forks since the day I'd arrived, almost muggy under the clouds. I pulled off my sweater and held it, only in the black tank top I had hidden underneath in case this happened.

I heard his door slam and looked over to see that he'd removed his sweater, too. He was facing away from me, into the unbroken forest beside my truck.

"This way," he said, glancing over his shoulder at me, eyes still annoyed. He started into the dark forest.

"The trail?"

"I said there was a trail at the end of the road, not that we were taking it."

"No trail?" I asked desperately adding. "Guess you might know the way,"

"I won't let you get lost." He turned then, with a mocking smile, and like a pro, I stifled a gasp. His white shirt was sleeveless, and he wore it unbuttoned so that the smooth white skin of his throat flowed uninterrupted over the marble contours of his chest, his perfect musculature no longer merely hinted at behind concealing clothes. He was too perfect, I realized with a piercing stab of despair. There was no way this godlike creature could be meant for me.

I fumed, "You trying to dazzle me, so I don't notice you getting us lost?" joking to hide the pang of longing that I was feeling.

He smiled, holding my glance, trying to lift me out of my sudden, unexplained dejection. "So, I do dazzle you?"

I smiled, "If you want me to track five miles through this jungle before sundown, you'd better start leading the way," I said with humor. He frowned at me, struggling to understand my tone and expression.

He gave up after a moment and led the way into the forest.

It wasn't as hard as I had feared. The way was mostly flat, and he held the damp ferns and webs of moss aside for me. When his straight path took us over fallen trees or boulders, he would help me, lifting me by the elbow, and then releasing me instantly when I was clear. His cold touch on my skin never failed to make my heart want to thud erratically but I knew to control it. Twice, when that happened, I caught a look on his face that made me sure he could somehow hear it.

For the most part, we walked in silence. Occasionally he would ask a random question that he hadn't gotten to in the past two days of interrogation. He asked about my birthdays, my goals, my childhood pets - and I had to admit that after killing three hamsters in a row, I'd given up on the whole institution. He laughed at that, louder than I was used to - bell-like echoes bouncing back to us from the empty woods.

"Oh yes very funny," I muttered at him.

Now the forest spread out around us in a boundless labyrinth of ancient trees, and I began to be nervous that we would never find our way out again. He was perfectly at ease, comfortable in the green maze, never seeming to feel any doubt about our direction. After several hours, the light that filtered through the canopy transformed, the murky olive tone shifting to a brighter jade. The day had turned sunny, just as he'd foretold. For the first time since we'd entered the woods, I felt a thrill of excitement - which quickly turned to impatience.

"Are we there yet?" I teased, pretending to scowl.

"Nearly." He smiled at the change in my mood. "Do you see the brightness ahead?"

I could but in the end, a normal human wouldn't be able to, so with a pang of regret for lying I spoke. "Well no,"

He smirked. "Maybe it's a bit soon for your eyes."

"Time to visit the optometrist," I muttered. His smirk grew more pronounced.

I picked up the pace, my eagerness growing with every step. He let me lead now, following noiselessly.

I reached the edge of the pool of light and stepped through the last fringe of ferns into the loveliest place I had ever seen. The meadow was small, perfectly round, and filled with wildflowers - violet, yellow, and soft white. Somewhere nearby, I could hear the bubbling music of a stream. The sun was directly overhead, filling the circle with a haze of buttery sunshine. I walked slowly, awestruck, through the soft grass, swaying flowers, and warm, gilded air. I halfway turned, wanting to share this with him, but he wasn't behind me where I thought he'd be. I spun around, searching for him with sudden alarm. Finally, I spotted him, still under the dense shade of the canopy at the edge of the hollow, watching me with cautious eyes. Only then did I remember what the beauty of the meadow had driven from my mind - the enigma of Edward and the sun, which he'd promised to illustrate for me today. "It is like a fairy tail meadow, you planning on joining me,"

I took a step back toward him, my eyes alight with curiosity. His eyes were wary, reluctant. I smiled encouragingly and beckoned to him with my hand, taking another step back to him. He held up a hand in warning, and I hesitated, rocking back onto my heels.

Edward seemed to take a deep breath, and then he stepped out into the bright glow of the midday sun.

I smiled, "If you didn't dazzle me before you certainly do now," letting a blush color my cheeks. His skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday's hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. He lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. His glistening, pale lavender lids were shut, though of course, he didn't sleep. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal.

I have seen these many times over the years but never before has it awed me more than right now. When I looked up again, his eyes were open, watching me. Butterscotch today, lighter, warmer after hunting. His quick smile turned up the corners of his flawless lips.

"I don't scare you?" he asked playfully, but I could hear the real curiosity in his soft voice.

"No more than usual."

He smiled wider; his teeth flashed in the sun but nothing scary.

I inched closer, stretched out my whole hand now to trace the contours of his forearm with my fingertips. Keeping my emotions in check and my fingers steady.

"Do you mind?" I asked for he had closed his eyes again.

"No," he said without opening his eyes. "You can't imagine how that feels." He sighed.

I lightly trailed my hand over the perfect muscles of his arm, followed the faint pattern of bluish veins inside the crease at his elbow. With my other hand, I reached to turn his hand over. "Sorry," he murmured. I looked up in time to see his golden eyes close again. "It's too easy to be me with you."

I smiled, "That is what I want, you to be you and nothing more," it was the truth, I felt it in the tip of every nerve.

I lifted his hand, turning it this way and that as I watched the sun glitter on his palm. I held it closer to my face, trying to see the hidden facets of his skin.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he whispered. I looked to see his eyes watching me, suddenly intent. "It's still so strange for me, not knowing."

"You know, the rest of us feel that way all the time."

"It's a hard life." Did I imagine the hint of regret in his tone? "But you didn't tell me."

"I was wishing I could know what you were thinking..." I hesitated.

"And?"

"I was wishing that I wasn't afraid."

"I don't want you to be afraid." His voice was just a soft murmur. I heard what he couldn't truthfully say, that I didn't need to be afraid, that there was nothing to fear.

"Well, that's not exactly the fear I meant, though that's certainly something to think about."

After a random act of frustration and anger he was sitting down again, but the entire time I was never afraid or even reacted because I have seen so much worse for years.

I gave him a look taking his hand once again, showing him, I was not afraid. "I was afraid... because, for, well, obvious reasons, I can't stay with you. And I'm afraid that I'd like to stay with you, much more than I should." I looked down at his hands as I spoke. It was difficult for me to say this aloud.

"Yes," he agreed slowly. "That is something to be afraid of, indeed. Wanting to be with me. That's really not in your best interest."

I frowned.

"I should have left long ago," he sighed. "I should leave now. But I don't know if I can."

"I don't want you to leave," I mumbled pathetically, staring down again. This was how I was supposed to act, Bella told me how she acted but in the end, it would be painful for him to leave me now.

"Which is exactly why I should. But don't worry. I'm essentially a selfish creature. I crave your company too much to do what I should."

"I'm glad that being selfish is more pronounced than,"

"Don't be!" he finished, "It's not only your company I crave! Never forget that. Never forget I am more dangerous to you than I am to anyone else." He stopped, and I looked to see him gazing unseeingly into the forest.

I thought for a moment. "I do though, my blood is like a drug to you,"

He looked back at me and smiled, his mood shifting yet again. Without seeming to think about it, he placed his hand back in mine; I held it tightly in both of mine. He looked at our hands.

"That's amazingly pleasant, the warmth." He sighed.

I smiled. He smiled ruefully back.

"You see, every person smells different, has a different essence. If you locked an alcoholic in a room full of stale beer, he'd gladly drink it. But he could resist if he wished to if he were a recovering alcoholic. Now let's say you placed in that room a glass of hundred-year-old brandy, the rarest, finest cognac - and filled the room with its warm aroma - how do you think he would fare then?"

We sat silently, looking into each other's eyes - trying to read each other's thoughts.

He broke the silence first.

"Maybe that's not the right comparison. Maybe it would be too easy to turn down the brandy. Perhaps I should have made our alcoholic a heroin addict instead."

"So what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort. "Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin." At least I was meant to be with him. The conversation went from his leaving my first day to him saying my name.

"Caprice." He pronounced my full name carefully, then playfully ruffled my hair with his free hand. A shock ran through my body at his casual touch. "Caprice, I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you. You don't know how it's tortured me." He looked down, ashamed again. "The thought of you, still, white, cold... to never see you blush scarlet again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you see through my pretenses... it would be unendurable." He lifted his glorious, agonized eyes to mine. "You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever."

My head was spinning at the rapid change in direction our conversation had taken. From the cheerful topic of my impending demise, we were suddenly declaring ourselves. He waited, and even though I looked down to study our hands between us, I knew his golden eyes were on me. "You already know how I feel," I finally said. "I'm here... which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you." I frowned. "I'm an idiot."

"You are an idiot," he agreed with a laugh. Our eyes met, and I laughed, too. We laughed together at the idiocy and sheer impossibility of such a moment.

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..." he murmured. I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word.

"What a stupid lamb," I sighed, stupid for many reasons but this love was never one of them. I was dooming him knowing Aro would be pleased to add him to his collection, and then there was Bella and Jasper, added in Rose and Alice…I was doomed either way.

"What a sick, masochistic lion." He stared into my eyes holding them.