I woke up feeling confused at first. I had been having the strangest dream, but as I rose to consciousness it managed to dissolve into an unsettling and unsatisfying mess of colours. I lay perfectly still, with my eyes still closed, thinking about everything that had transpired yesterday. Edward and I had shared stories. The story that I hated to tell, that I hated to recall, that not even Charlie knew in its entirety. Edward now had it, locked away in his infallible memory. And I had some of his. His early life, what little he had obtained or remembered of his human life, and his early years as a vampire. We had a lot more to cover, most of which would be occurring today, throughout the school day, and Saturday. But I would focus on today for now. Edward was here, in my room. At least he said he would be. I focused hard on not letting my eyes open, and trying to detect him another way. I felt no breath on my face, as I had last night while he was speaking to me. I obviously heard little of the world around me, although I thought that by the static crackling in my ears that it was probably raining outside. So I couldn't hear him, or feel him anywhere, but could I smell him? I inhaled slowly and gently through my nose. He was definitely here, and definitely close. His smell was one I could easily identify. It was sweet, and unnameable in fragrance, but definitively Edward.

I squeezed one eye open, and jumped with surprise. He was only a few feet from me, sitting exactly as he had been last night.

"Sorry." He said, and signed. I felt the wash of breath and and his scent gently hit my face.

"Were you not breathing?" I asked, wondering aloud. He smiled.

"We don't need to breathe, biologically I mean. It's more of a habit. Some times it's easier to be around you if I hold my breath."

I blinked while I thought about that. Was that an apology-worthy statement? I made him thirsty. "Sorry?" I questioningly apologized. He scowled at me.

"You shouldn't be apologizing because I have difficulty controlling my appetite around you."

I sat up, smoothing my hair, and stretching a little. "I keep offering you the local wildlife, but you seem to dislike snacking."

I ignored his slightly irritated look, and stood up properly, realising I was still dressed from yesterday. I also realised that I had woken up before my alarm, despite going to bed later than I usually would. I'd probably be extra tired tonight. I wasn't worried about it though, as it mean that I had more time with Edward. I half stumbled around my room as I got out a fresh set of clothing, while studying what was different about Edward. He'd changed clothing again.

"How many sets of clothes did you bring exactly?"

"I went home for a short time last night, and it rained on the way back. Alice had prepared me."

"So you did get bored?" I laughed. I had figured he couldn't stay all night. He frowned.

"I would have rather not been away from you. I never get bored around you. I actually had to go home to ask my family about something." He stared at me imploringly.

"Oh?"

"I asked if I could bring you home to meet them, if you are willing - of course."

I stopped in my tracks. I had been halfway to the door, to go to the bathroom to shower and change. Meet Edward's family? I'd never been introduced to someone's family before. What was I supposed to do with that? Did that make us an official item? That was bizarre to consider. It filled me with joy, but then that was quickly replaced with trepidation. What if they were disappointed, or didn't approve of me? Edward saw my hesitation, and quickly appeared in front of me signing and speaking quickly.

"I completely understand if you aren't comfortable being surrounded by vampires."

"What? No - that's not the issue." I scoffed at him, as if he should have guessed. This took him by surprise and he faltered.

"You aren't scared of my family?" he asked.

"Not of what they are, but of who they are." I clarified, with a condescending head motion. "I'll explain more after I've showered, and dressed for the day." I rested my hand on my doorknob. "Is Charlie here?"

He shook his head, the confused expression still plastered to his face.

"Good. Then you can explore the house while I'm busy. I was going to suggest you make yourself breakfast, but I keep forgetting." I shook my head of the dust inside my brain and headed to the bathroom. I took my time this morning, making sure I was as thoroughly cleaned as I could manage, even brushing my teeth before I headed back out. Edward was not in my room. I left my sweater in my room, and comfortable just wearing a tank-top, as I headed downstairs. When I reached the kitchen I discovered him, browsing through the cabinets. He looked over quickly to greet me, and froze mid-smile. For a half second I worried about whether I'd forgotten something critical, like pants, but I looked good and fully dressed. Suddenly Edward was in front of me, and his fingers lightly brushed my collarbone. Oh. Of course. I watched his facial expression as he traced one of my normally concealed scars. This one had been a deep gouge I received as I had been pulled out of a shattered glass and metal wreckage. I did have plenty of scars that had nothing to do with the crash, but this one was one of them.

"Yes, it's from the crash. I have a bunch. Maybe one day I'll show you all of them." I winked, trying to make this sound alluring and teasing, but now it was Edward's turn to scoff.

"You are so unaffected by your circumstances." His voice was loud and clear, but he continued to sign at me anyway. I set about making breakfast and tried to explain.

"What would be the point in being morose about something I can't change? You'd just make yourself, and others unhappy. I may not spread my disability around as common knowledge, but I try not to let it get to me and I certainly try not to let others see how hard it can be. Why would I want to make others miserable or concerned about my well-being? There's no gain in that. I would say life's too short, but I'm speaking to the wrong person about that aren't I?."

He sat down at the table, looking like he was taking what I had said extremely seriously.

"Anyway... I believe we were talking about you last night." I prompted him. He folded his hands together and began, again, his story.

As I ate breakfast, and as we drove to school together, he talked. He talked of his rebellious years, of the people he'd murdered, and by preventative action, saved. He talked about his return to his parents, and how accepting and welcoming, and non-judgmental they had been. How it made him feel worse that they still saw no evil in him, despite his deeds. His in-depth description of his parent's thoughts and the reverence which he held for them made me love them before I'd even gotten to know them. He discussed, not in great detail, the acquisition of Rosalie, and Emmett, while we walked from the parking lot to my first class, and then we had to pause again. I saw him again at lunch time, when he began telling about their first move to Forks, the treaty with Jacob's grandfather about staying off of their land, Esme's first large rebuild of the house. I barely talked all lunch hour, and if I did, it was to interrupt with a word clarification, rather than a concept clarification. I was utterly engrossed. At the end of our lunch period, we were approaching the present, and I mentally felt like I had run a marathon. I hardly noticed I had not eaten much, too busy watching, learning, everything I could.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw students rise at the end of the lunch hour, and I began to stand. In an odd repetition of a previous lunchtime, Edward didn't move.

"I won't be joining you for the afternoon, I'm afraid."

I raised an eyebrow back in question. Since we were done bloodtyping, I was at a loss as to his reasoning.

"My family and I are going out on a hunt today. If I'm to be bringing you home, I want them to be as comfortable as possible."

"Will I make them uncomfortable?" I asked.

"Human scent makes us generally thirsty, even when full. So we'll be courteous hosts, and be as full as possible before you show up." His eyes were watchful.

"I'll try not to scent too much." I sarcastically retorted. I couldn't exactly help the way I smelled.

"It isn't their comfort I'm worried about. It's yours."

"I'll be fine." I assured him, then reconsidered. "Well, as fine as someone meeting their SO's parents could be."

He smiled, as I tried to take the lunch tray.

"I've got this. Haven't eaten my lunch after all." He gestured mockingly to the unfinished food.

"Suuuuure." I drew out, as I backed away from him, towards classes. "Will you be by tonight?"

He looked over to the table where his siblings sat. Alice held up a finger, while she thought. It was bizarre to watch her casually peruse the future, as if Edward had done no more than asked her to check her phone for messages. She cocked her head at him, then smiled at me. I blushed, and looked back to Edward.

"Not until the early hours of the morning. So I'll be there when you wake, Miss Swan."

My blush stuck to my face as I left the class. This Saturday would be a hard day to forget.