And so I took Edward out hunting.

He caught three deer, and complained about how boring the taste was.

We argued about it the whole way home.

Once we entered the house, I noticed Alice give me an odd grin.

I smiled back in appreciation.

"She's protecting her thoughts," Edward grumbled. "What was that?"

I just shrugged and led him down the stairs, ignoring Emmett's kissing noises.

"Now what was that about?"

"Emmett just being childish?" I shrugged.

He stared at me for a moment then let out a surprisingly loud laugh.

"Well, that does sound like Emmett."

I found myself smiling at the sound of his laughter.

It's been too long.

"So, what would you like to do now?" He asked casually, leaning against the wall.

"Hmmm... Well, what would you like to do?"

His eyes tightened.

"Probably nothing you'd like."

"Oh..."

That was odd.

"Do you... want me to leave?"

"No," he said quickly, pushing away from the wall to walk over to me. "Not in the least. I enjoy spending time with you."

"Then what would you like to do?" I asked, holding his gaze intently, unable to ignore the weird feeling in the air around us.

"As I said," he started, leaning in slightly, his voice turning to a whisper, "it's probably nothing you'd like."

"You won't know unless you tell me," I stuttered, still refusing to break eye contact.

He just continued to lean in, almost like he was testing my reaction.

I had no idea what in the hell was going on, but there was no way I was going to question it.

Is he about to do what I think he's about to do?

Do I want him to?

How would that affect our friendship?

My breath hitched as I took note of how close he now was to my face.

I could feel his warm breaths, smell his scent all around me.

And I... like it?

I began to instinctively inch myself closer to him, while tilting my head slightly to the side.

"Show me," I whispered, enjoying the way he shivered afterward.

"Are you sure? It may not be want you want."

"You don't know what I want."

"Exactly."

"Then let me show you."

With that I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips gently against his.

And it felt nice.

Really nice.

It was almost as if I had started levitating, it was such a high.

How had I not noticed this before?

This incredible energy that is always to be found in the room when we were together...

I hadn't experienced anything like this in either of my lives.

It's like I had just... come home.

All of this from one simple little kiss?

I didn't think it was possible.

I quickly reached my hands up and shoved them into his hair, letting out a little mewl of satisfaction at finally getting those copper locks between my fingers.

His eyes widened in surprise.

He must not have been expecting such an accepting reaction.

I just smiled against his lips and began to apply more pressure to them.

He let out an odd little growl and did the same, following it by taking my bottom lip into his mouth and gently sucking on it.

By body thrummed with an exciting tingle, and I let out an odd little noise that can only be described as part moan, part purr.

I never wanted it to end.

But it did.

He, all too soon, pulled away and gave me an adorable crooked grin.

"I've wanted to do that for so long."

"You have?" I panted, only then realizing how embarrassingly erratic my breathing had become.

He just chuckled and placed a soft kiss on my nose.

"Yes, I most certainly have."

"Incredible," I smiled, in awe at the still swirling electricity around us.

"It really was."

He got this faraway look in his eyes then.

After a couple of seconds he let out a very loud laugh and began to shake his head.

"I don't believe it."

"What? What happened?"

"Alice, she saw. She knew it was going to happen, and now she's being very smug about the whole thing."

I froze then, remembering what she had told me earlier.

Love.

Edward and I... Love...

Could that actually be true?

I'd never thought of such a thing happening, we were only friends after all, but now...

I guess it could be a possibility.

I'd never felt this way towards somebody before.

Ever.

This tingle, this static, this charge...

It was all so new and exciting.

Is this what Alice had seen?

"Bella? Are you alright?" Edward asked, bringing a hand up and placing it on my cheek.

I automatically leaned into his palm, and gave him a huge, dopey grin.

"Definitely."

He frowned then, and his eye started to twitch.

Huh?

"What is it?"

He didn't say a thing.

Instead, he just walked over to the door and flung it open.

"Emmett!! Could you please stop thinking so loud?!"

All I heard before the door was slammed shut was Emmett making kissing noises.

Edward snarled and picked up the piano with one hand, setting it carefully down in front of the door.

"You are aware that wouldn't keep them out, right?"

"Of course," he laughed. "It's only for show, so Alice knows to tell everyone to let us be."

"Ahhh. Nice."

His eyes narrowed again.

"You aren't uncomfortable with this... right? Just say the word, and i'll move it so you can get upstairs - "

"I'm perfectly happy where I am."

He just nodded and crossed his arms.

"So... I suppose we should discuss what has just happened?"

I froze up.

"Why?"

"Well..." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

He seems to do that a lot around me.

I love it.

"I don't want it to harm things between us. If it's something you wish to... forget."

My eyes widened.

He flinched.

"Why? Is it something you didn't want to happen?" I stuttered, afraid of how fast things had gone from great to weird.

"Not in the least. I've never felt anything so incredible in all of my existence."

"Neither have I."

"So there's no regrets?"

"Not for me."

"You're certain?"

"Positive."

He let out a huge breath I hadn't even realized he'd been holding in.

"Good, that's good."

"Good," I smiled, thankful that at least he seemed more relieved now, and so there was a good chance that brooding Edward would not resurface.

"So... Hm."

"Hm," I mimicked, causing him to crack a smile.

"I truly do like you, Bella," he whispered, walking over and taking my hands into his own. "I never thought I could feel this way about a person before."

"Stop being so damn sweet, now everything I have to say will pale in comparison," I pouted.

"I highly doubt that."

"Fine," I huffed, bringing our hands up to my face, enjoying the contact while trying to think of something romantic to say. "I'm glad that...whatever happened to me happened, because it led me to you."

"Don't say that," he growled, his features hardening. "Ever."

"I... I don't get it."

"How could you possibly feel that losing your soul, having your whole life stolen from you for nothing, is a good thing? You don't deserve this, Bella. To know this kind of hell."

I winced and let go of his hands with an annoyed little squeak.

"I'm grateful because it led me to you! Who knows if we ever would have even crossed paths had my change not occured? It was worth it, it will always be worth it, so don't tell me how you think I should be feeling!"

"I'm terribly sorry to feel such remorse for what you've been through," he muttered sarcastically. "Shall I just lie next time, say that I'm glad you've become a monster like me? I'm not that selfish."

"You're not a monster."

"You don't know me."

He leaned in close, staring so hard into my eyes I swear it would leave bruises.

"You have no idea who I am. The things that I've done. You know nothing of my past, Bella. You don't know me."

"I know this you, the real you. I know enough to see how good a person you really are, if only you'd believe it yourself."

"I never asked you to believe in me. As a matter of fact, I really wish you wouldn't."

"Well too bad, because I do."

"Don't."

I pouted.

He rolled his eyes.

"Fine. You know I wish that you wouldn't, and that's good enough I suppose."

"Good."

"Good," he said as a hint of his crooked grin appeared. "Now... Before I do something I regret, I believe I'd better do something to distract myself."

"Huh?"

He walked over and picked up one of the guitars from a row that was leaning against the wall, then coming back to hand it off to me.

"I believe I owe you a few lessons."

I smiled and took the guitar from him, placing the straps around myself the way he'd showed me before.

"Very good," he said proudly. "I see you were paying attention."

"Just a little..."

By the end of the night, I was already sounding like a professional.

I couldn't help but take note of the smug grin on Edward's face as I completed House Of The Rising Sun and set the guitar back on its stand.

"Impressive."

"Well, I had a good teacher."

"A teacher is only as good as his student."

"Well... I... Damn, you're quick with words."

He tossed his head back and let out a loud bark of a laugh.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"I'm sorry, Bella," he grinned, still continuing to let out little chuckles. "You're just so... silly sometimes."

"Is that a nice way of calling me stupid?"

"Now I'm not going to dignify that with a response," he sighed, shaking his head.

"But you just responded right there."

He just rolled his eyes.

"I meant aside from that."

I walked over to the piano then, and sat down at the bench.

He followed, sitting down beside me.

I tried to ignore the tingles as our arms brushed.

"Would like to learn to play?"

"No, no, piano is your thing."

He rolled his eyes again.

"It's not like I invented the piano, Bella."

"But you're so good at it... And nobody else in the family can play. So it's something that's yours."

"You wouldn't want it to be ours?"

"We have the guitar. I want to let you have the piano."

"If you you wish," he shrugged. "But I really wouldn't mind teaching you."

He placed his hands over the keys, pressing down on a few.

I smiled as the notes rang through the air.

"What are you going to play?"

"Just a little something I've been working on."

I watched in silence as his hands glided across the keys, enjoying a beautiful melody that began to fill the room.

It was some a song I wasn't familiar with, really.

It almost sounded like his mystery song, that I'd heard little bits and pieces of before.

I inched closer to him.

His hands faltered momentarily, and he cleared his throat.

"Sorry," I whispered.

The tune began to grow darker and darker, and then picked up considerably.

I knit my brows in confusion as it came to an end, the notes fading away.

He placed his hands on his lap and glanced over at me.

"It isn't quite finished yet..."

"What's it about?"

"You."

"Me??"

He nodded.

"But... It was so beautiful..."

"Exactly," he chuckled. "I've composed it based on how I see you. Our relationship..."

"I'm guessing you put that dark part together during these past few weeks."

"Yeah," he muttered sheepishly. "Though it was mostly my own self-hatred that made it in there. I should probably cut it down a little."

"And what about that last part? It sounded.... Well, quite a bit cheerier."

"I kind of just went with how I'm feeling now. With you."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"That's so.... um, amazing," I stuttererd, wincing at my inability to have a good vocabulary.

"I guess."

"It is. It was really beautiful, Edward. I just can't believe how I could move you to create something like that."

"What can I say? You bring things out in me that I've never felt before."

If I had the ability to cry, my face would be soaked right now...

I just leaned in and pressed my lips up against his, having suddenly felt this intense need to be close to him.

Then I did something that, looking back on it, I really shouldn't have...

"I love you," I whispered.

His eyes grew wide, and he glared down at me.

"No!" He roared, getting up from the chair and flying away from me. "NO!!"

Dun dun dunnn!!!

What is Edward so upset about? You'll find out in the next chapter. :)

Sorry to leave you hangin', but don't worry, I'm already putting together the next chapter. It'll be done soon, probably a few days? Or less.