Like I said this is an important chapter in Edward and Bella's relationship, and its long one...plus I couldn't resist...

After that night I began the hunt, I would wait for Bella to fall asleep, I would watch her, I tried not to but she was too enticing, the way her hair fanned out across the pillow, the way her lips would tremble, the way she would sigh heavily. It was the only time her thoughts were ever exposed to me and I craved it, like a drug.

After midnight would settle, I would search. I picked up his trail easily after the first few nights of wandering through the trees with nothing but hope that he wouldn't find Bella. The scent that was disappearing at the lodge. He never returned to it.

His scent sometimes led me into town, around the streets. It sometimes led me to the clearing I had desperately avoided for five years. When I realised where he was leading me the first time I had stopped completely, I just stood there staring at the direction of his scent, before I plucked up enough courage to walk out into it.

I had missed him by less than an hour tonight, but he was far enough away that I couldn't read his thoughts. I was getting better, shortening the time that he had passed slowly, bit by bit.

When the sun threatened to peak out from behind the white clouds I returned to Bella, like had done for the past week and a half.

Bella never suspected anything; well at least I didn't think she suspected anything. She was happy, smiling and laughing with me, she had told me that I shouldn't shun away from my families memories, but embrace them. I was in awe of her, and I told her about them, about how annoying Alice was when I ripped a shirt she had bought, or how Emmett would get the whole family with one of his pranks. I was surprised to find myself falling a little more in love with Bella every day.

I thought that Bella would dissipate my hatred for what James had done, but one night before I was leaving she awoke screaming. My anger seethed again just below the surface, and only made my lust for his death, for mine and Bella revenge all the more necessary.

As I walked through the doors, I saw her dreaming peacefully and my whole body relaxed, as if I hadn't been hunting all night, as if I had stayed with her all that time.

I waited until she had woken herself; I had made her breakfast before I told her of the days plan.

"Bella would you like to come somewhere with me today?" I smiled at her; she looked across the table and swallowed the bite that she had been chewing on,

"Where?"

"Just a little place I know," just the perfect place, a small meadow I used to go to every time the sky had a lapse in control to keep Forks gloomy, it was well out of range from James' scent, so I knew she would be safe, or I would have never entertained the idea of exposing her.

"Is it nice?" her face lit up,

"Yes, it's a small place in the forest," her body tensed up and her head bowed again, I was at her side in an instant, lifting her chin with my fingertips.

"I will keep you safe, I promise, but I really want you to see it," I smiled at her again, she relaxed her face but she was still tense,

"When do you want to leave?"

"In a little while, you can finish your breakfast first, while I pack you a picnic."

I ran with her perched on my back, it was strange, I was certain she would be afraid, even refuse, but I had the strangest feeling that she had ran with James before, because she flinched a little when I went to pick her up.

I raced her through the forest, it taking a little more time than usual not only because I was carrying her but because I took a different route, a longer one, just to be sure her scent was well out of reach.

When we got to the meadow I set her down a few meters from the edge of the pool of light. She automatically went to walk forward I didn't stop her, nor did I follow.

She stepped out into the sun and her skin reflected it beautifully, her ivory skin seemed more vibrant yet I could still see the faint marks and scars running up her arms.

"It's amazing." She murmured, breaking me out of my staring. She closed her eyes and the slight breeze blew her hair, the strands catching the sunlight and emphasising the mahogany. "Edward?"

I stood in the shadow of a large tree; suddenly my plan didn't seem such a good idea. I didn't know if she would see how similar me and James were is if I exposed myself to her like this, I didn't even know if she had seen a vampire skin in the sunlight, would it frighten her? Would she run?

I don't think I would have the strength to let her leave.

She picked up on my hesitation, she stepped forward,

"Edward, I want to see you in the sun..." she whispered so softly, so tenderly, as if she was comforting me.

After hearing those words, my feet stepped into the blinding, warm light. I heard a gasp and I looked at her, expecting to see her fear, but her face was in awe,

"Beautiful,"

Beautiful? I was beautiful? Did she not know the extent of her beauty? My skin was visually pleasing but that was part of the camouflage, hers wasn't, and she outshone mine is so many ways.

She sank to the ground, crossing her legs, her eyes never leaving mine. She patted the ground next to herself indicating that I should sit with her. I walked over and lowered myself to the ground, sitting inches from her. The warmth from her body combined with the sun's rays overhead was overwhelming.

"It's been a long time since I've seen the sun like this," she tilted her head up again, closing her eyes, her lips curved into a delightful smile.

We sat in companionable silence for a while, just relaxing in the bright light. I leant back on my arms, it was then that I became aware that Bella was watching me, less subtly than I was watching her, she was staring at me. When I returned her gaze she dropped her head and blushed, I couldn't help but chuckle at her, I let my head fall back and I lay on the grass, closing my eyes but still smiling at her. I folded my arms behind my head and listened to her breathing, her heart beat creating a wonderful background noise to the babbling of the little stream to the west and the sound of the breeze moving through the grass.

I jumped a little when her warm hand touched my chest, my eyes snapped open in time to see her lay her head on my arm. She curled her body into mine and sighed, her warmth and her breath fanning across me.

I was frozen, I didn't move a muscle, I didn't know how to move, my whole being held in place by this angel leaning into me.

I listened to my instincts and moved my arm that she was resting against from under my head to wrap it around her back, she twitched a little when I moved but when I placed my hand on her back she snuggled closer to me.

It was intoxicating, we just lay there, her soft body pressed into mine. Her warmth saturating me, her scent washing over me, I couldn't say how long we lay there but she was the first to break the silence.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" I looked down at her and she tilted her head up,

"I think... I don't what it is but..."

"What?" it was frustrating to hear her scramble for words, to see here struggle to convey what her mind wanted to say, but I kept my voice intrigued,

"It feels like I can't breathe," She took in my alarmed expression, "no, in a good way," in a good way? "And my heart beats faster and my stomach feel like its fluttering," she dropped her head and held her hand to her chest, I was so confused, what on earth was she trying to tell me? "it only happens when I'm with you... and it feel like it would hurt me to be away from you, I've never felt like this before Edward..." her voice got quieter before she trailed off.

I understood what she felt, but I hated it.

"I think...I think I love you," she murmured, I felt my body tense up, I had longed to hear those words and yet rebelled against my fantasies, she could not love me, I wasn't capable of being loved, she deserved so much better than me, and yet I couldn't imagine her with anyone else, it hurt me to think of her leaving me. there were so many things she didn't know, so many terrifying things, but she loved me, wouldn't that take away the fear?

I lay there having an internal struggle with myself, when I realised I had not answered her,

"I think I love you too Bella,"

Why did I say that? My mind had clearly formed the words before I had the conscious decision to do so, but as I said the words and her eyes met mine again I knew it was right, it felt right. She smiled at me and the air hummed, electricity flowing through our wordless communication.

Stupidly my body reacted, my head bent down, my lips searched for hers, I could taste her breath on my lips. I was millimetres away when I heard her sharp intake of breath, followed by her whole body tensing up; I opened my eyes and moved back, understanding flitting across my brain as I took in her wide eyes.

What had James done to her? Although I could guess, it was all I could do to stop myself from hurtling from this meadow to continue the hunt. I couldn't bring myself to imagine the horrible things he had made my Bella do, and she was mine now, as much as I was hers. Then something occurred to me,

"Breathe Bella," she had not taken a breath since I moved away, she let it out an sucked in another one, I smiled at her and she ducked her head by my shoulder,

"I'm sorry, it's just...I cant...not yet..." she sounded as if she had tears in her eyes, I couldn't help myself, I had to comfort her, I brought my other hand up from behind my head and caressed her arm soothingly,

"It's okay, I should be sorry..." I chuckled, trying to do anything to make her not be unhappy, it worked, and she lifted her head and smiled at me, blinking back her tears.

Once the shadows had touched us and it got cold, I decided it would be best to leave. I took the same route as I had bringing her here, my overly cautious mind not willing to take any risks with her.

Once we were safely back inside I went to make her up the bed on the sofa, as I did every night. I had placed the pillows out and threw the blanket over when her hand curled around mine,

"Edward," she sounded scared, I quickly turned around to see what the matter was and she had her arms wrapped around her torso, her eyes were slightly wider than usual and she was looking at my chest. "Edward, I'm scared..."

"what, what is it?" I asked frantically trying in vain to lift the reason behind her frightened expression, for a split second I thought she was scared of me,

"I can feel him..." she said quietly, if I were human I would have missed it, I still didn't understand, "it feels like he is close," she paused and I straightened up, "when you were running , it felt like he was watching me, like he was near me,"

She knew, she knew he was back in Forks, I contemplated telling her about my nightly hunts about finding his scent in the lodge but I didn't, making her feel safe was my number one priority. I took her face in my hands,

"He will never even so much as touch you again, Bella I swear, he will never hurt you again,"

She looked into my eyes and a tear slid down her cheek, my thumb brushed the offending liquid away, it hurt me so deeply to see her cry, I couldn't bear it.

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"I stay with you every night Bella," I reminded her,

"Sometimes I feel like you're not there," she was observant, even in unconsciousness,

"I won't leave you," I promised, not knowing at that moment whether I would keep to it for that night or leave just like I had every night before this,

"Will you hold me?"

Her voice was lower than before, her cheeks filled with her blush, I couldn't tell her no.

I pulled her gently to the sofa, thank god its big enough, I thought to myself. I didn't think I could go into another room upstairs; she climbed under the sheets next me and curled up on her side. she clutched my shirt with her fingertips and let out a sigh. I pulled the blanket over her and tucked it in at the sides before pressing my lips softly into her hair. She nuzzled my neck with her nose and I felt her lips kiss the skin; they were so soft and warm.

I didn't leave, I kept my promise, I just lay there next to my Bella listening to her breathe and her hearts steady rhythm.

Ok, I just couldn't help myself, the whole meadow thing...it's just too awesome...I'm going to start kicking into the climax in the next chapter, whooooo
I've finished the whole thing now so I can say that.... :)

...remember reviews tell me if I'm making sense, plus I get a buzz when I see them in my inbox...