Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the plot-line. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: This is the scene from Twilight again when Edward hears Bella says "I love you" for the first time. It was also the first night he had stayed with her, after their day at the meadow. Hope you would like it.

Dream

She yawned. "I've answered your questions," I told her, "now you should sleep."

"I'm not sure if I can."

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked her, half-fearing that this was the case. But her reflex answer no came even louder and quicker than I expected. I couldn't help but laugh, utterly pleased by her reaction.

I started to hum that melody again - her melody - so softly and watched her eyelids drooping as she drifted to sleep. I stopped as her eyes closed and her breath became even. I couldn't seem to take my eyes off her though, as she lay there sleeping with the most peaceful expression on her face. It wasn't the first night I had watched her sleeping, but definitely it wasn't like any other night either. That night she slept in my arms. That night she knew I was with her. And I didn't have to take my usual seat in the corner of the room. I tried to force back a chuckle as I glanced at my now empty rocking chair, feeling a strange surge of intimacy! Did Bella know that I sort of have my own chair in her bedroom?

I turned back to stare at her too beautiful angel face. She slept like a child. Looking so innocent and beautiful, with her dark brown hair tangled around her gleaming smooth face. I wiped away a strand of hair from her forehead careful not to touch her lest she would wake up. And wondered if she was dreaming now. I half-smiled mockingly at myself. Never before this moment had I felt this urgent need to sleep. To dream. To have her in my dreams too. I wondered what a dream could feel like. I couldn't recall dreaming at all. My frail human memory just couldn't recall any.

But if I wasn't mistaken, a dream is something that might exactly feel like today. Yes, today felt like a dream to me. All the walls were down. And despite all the dark truths Bella knew about me, here she was, sleeping tranquilly in my arms and seeming perfectly happy. By some miracle I couldn't even understand, my love was requited. Bella truly cared for me. Of course I knew the way she felt about me would never match the love I felt for her. But it didn't really matter. I just wanted her to let me love her forever. It's all I could ask for. I remembered the first night I came here and the promise I made to myself. I would love her for the rest of my limitless existence and I would leave her human. If she became dissatisfied with our relationship of course I would understand. Of course I would let her go. But I would never stop loving her. And I would always be there when she needed me.

I was lost in my thoughts when she became restless and started mumbling. I turned back to her, smiling in anticipation. She kept mumbling some unintelligible words. I could only distinguish "Charlie" and "hiking". Hiking! She must be dreaming about our day together. My smile even widened. Still, I couldn't understand half the words she was saying. I was frustrated as she became silent for a long moment. I thought her dream had ended and was about to drown in my own thoughts again. But as if to answer my earlier musings, I heard her mumbling in a barely audible, yet clearer tone, "I love you". I turned abruptly toward her deeply sleeping figure.

"Edward I love you. Please don't go. I love you, Edward." she murmured again and again, her voice fading out on my name. A shiver passed through my body shaking my entire being. And reflexively, I found my arms tighten protectively around her. Of course I knew she loved me. We've already declared ourselves. I didn't matter to say the words out loud. Or that I thought. Because hearing the words was utterly a different experience. I never imagined that they would have such an impact on me.

Stunned, I sat there frozen until she became so still again and then I leaned forward pressing my lips gently to her forehead. Bella loved me. She really did.

I tore my face unwillingly from her and stared to the ceiling as new thoughts flooded my mind. Bella did love me as much as I loved her. I was too selfish before…too self centered maybe to assume otherwise. My mind still believed it though. It wasn't that I was underestimating her feelings, but I just couldn't imagine any human love that would equal the passion I felt for her. She did alter me completely. The danger of exposure seemed nothing compared to the fear of her resentment. And I was ready to risk everything for her. My whole existence seemed pointless without her. I would willingly put it in her power.

But isn't this what precisely Bella was doing too? She was putting her frail existence in my power. She was sacrificing humanity and willingly risking her life to be with me. She was willing to lose everything and go over the borders of sanity for what? For me? I looked at her questioningly, almost shocked and dazzled by such revelation.

And as much as Bella wanted to take me into her life and disrupt the order of the universe for such a love, as much as I was willing to take her into my life too. In the beginning, I feared she would loathe me if she knew the truth and feared she would get hurt if she became involved in my world. But this fear won't stop me now. I don't want to scare her away anymore. I want her to know me, know my family, my life, no matter how much that would cost me. Even if she decided it was too much and ran away from me. I still want her to know me. Yes. That is precisely what I am going to do in the morning. I'm going to take her to see my family. I want her to know everything.

I turned toward her again and stared at her for a long moment. Then carefully I removed my arm from around her and got out of the bed. Time to let them know too.