Short chapter, but I have a feeling you won't mind. Just like to give some shoutouts: Thank you to cbmorefie, squirtlepokemon215, , Dixie.f.9, FelicityA, JFVW, Faith Bow, jamieannaelisabeth, and some guest reviewers for staying with me! Oh and thanks to that guest reviewer who has a new name every time they review, lex, because you're hilarious ;) My most recent injury was when I jammed my thumb yesterday when I went off a jump with my snowboard at the wrong angle, and my thumb bent farther back than thumbs are supposed to bend.

Sorry that I changed the meadow scene a little bit, maybe it's better than it was in the books? I sure hope so.

No hate for this chapter, just love!

Disclaimer: I finally got Edward in the basement. The TV is still down there, but I took the futon out of the basement. In your face, Edward Cullen! It's my futon now! *Insert evil laugh here*

I woke up the next day more awake than ever. Maybe it was because of the events planned for the day, or perhaps because Alice was yelling in my ear.

"Come on, you aren't leaving the house until-" she yelled, although I could hear her just fine.

"I know, I know!" I interjected, wincing as I put my hands over my ears. "Until I get a makeover!"

She huffed, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for me to climb out of bed. I did so carefully, and right away she pulled me by the arm to the closet, where she proceeded to grab things the way she did every day. Once I was dressed, she pulled me to the bathroom and did my makeup faster than she normally did.

"In a hurry?" I asked, confused at her unusual eagerness to be done.

"Yes, Edward is waiting downstairs."

The reminder that I would be with Edward all day put butterflies in my stomach. My senses were nagging me. I had the oddest feeling that something would happen today, but I didn't have a clue what.

I ran downstairs, only to trip on the last step, falling straight into Emmett's arms.

"Woah, little sister! Trying to make a move on me?" he teased, setting me on my feet. I scowled at him, and an inhuman growl coming from behind Emmett alerted me to Edward's presence. I peeked around Emmett, and when I locked eyes with Edward, his stony features melted into that heart-stopping grin.

I walked to him, and he took my hand, sending an electric pulse up my arm. "Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

"You'll see," he said, leading me out to his Volvo.

We drove past two-story colonials and some houses with colors that either looked ugly as hell or didn't stand out at all. One house we drove by was two stories, white, and looked like it hadn't been lived in for a while. Shortly after passing that house, Edward pulled over to the side of the road.

We got out, and I realized that this was actually where the road ended, and the only way to go was either back the way we had come, or into the woods. Edward picked the woods.

I followed him, almost falling on my face a few times, and each time I would blush in embarrassment when he caught me. My whole life, no one had ever helped me. I had mostly adjusted, but this new life was still taking some getting used to.

After a while, I could see a dim light filtering through the trees. "What's that?" I asked Edward.

"That would be our destination." he replied, smiling at me as he helped me over a fallen log. I walked a little farther, barely trying to hide my anticipation. I could feel Edward smiling at my back, and I entered the clearing almost at a run, but stopped short when I saw my surroundings. There was a waterfall on the far side, water cascading down in small streams, weaving between the rocks. I was standing in a field full to the brim with flowers. Violets, buttercups, every flower I knew and then some. The sun shone into the clearing, reflecting flashes of light off the water and feeding the flowers.

I turned to tell Edward it was amazing, but he wasn't there. I turned farther to see him just inside the ring of light, and he was sparkling. Sparkling like he had diamonds sewn onto his skin. Like he had been cut from diamond itself, and the million tiny facets on his hands were shining in the sunlight.

His shirt, now unbuttoned, revealed even more gems. He was dazzling, even when not in the sunlight, but sparkling, he was amazing, just as the meadow was. He took a tentative step forward, and I took two. "That's why you can't go out in the sun. You sparkle," I said, grinning. He relaxed, and stepped forward to stand in front of me. He was tall enough that I had to tilt my head up to look at him.

"This is my meadow," he said, grinning again. "And now it's our meadow."

I smiled even wider, unable to stop myself. So now we shared something. If not love, this was something I would definitely settle for. But I was beginning to think there could be a mutual attraction between Edward and I. I had never seen him act around anybody else the way he did around me, and I was sure it wasn't just brotherly love now, but it could have been almost anything.

Then he leaned down, and I, caught up in the moment, closed my eyes. His lips touched mine, and he smelled like sunshine. It was intoxicating. I broke away before I could jump on him, smiling at the thought.

He looked confused, but when he saw my smile he smiled, too.

I could never be what he wanted me to be. I could never live up to his standards. I didn't even live up to my own.

I looked down, only to have him pull my chin back up.

"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked.

"Nothing." I tried unsuccessfully to squirm out of his grasp, which only further convinced him that there was something I wasn't telling him. We stared at each other for a few moments, before I spoke.

"I'm damaged goods, Edward." I said regretfully, finally breaking free from his hand and turning away.

"No," he said, appearing in front of me. "You're better than most people. You've seen many things I wish you hadn't had to see, and you're more brave than anybody I know. You're beautiful, and you have a beautiful personality. I love you, Bella."

My heart soared, knowing what he said was true, and that I could finally admit how I had felt about him. "I love you, Edward. I always have." I said quietly.

He bent down for another kiss.