What do you get when you put a mid-20's Twilight enthusiast and Fanfiction together?

A lot of late-night reading, questionable plot twists, and a very vivid imagination that may or may not involve a love obsessed vampire who gets friendzoned... (I don't own Twilight)

The morning after Mike's party, I found myself stuck in her bedroom, unable to leave. I spent the night watching her sleep, brushing the hair from her face, and adjusting the blankets when she shivered. I had to make sure she was okay. I knew it was a breach of privacy; friends don't typically watch each other sleep, but I wasn't content with being just her friend anymore.

I knew she'd be suffering from a hangover, so I slipped out quietly to gather some essentials from Carlisle's home office. Aspirin, water, and a few other things I hoped would help. It took longer than I expected to get back to her house, though, because my family had a million questions about where I'd been all night. I couldn't exactly tell them everything, especially the part where I almost killed another student... Alice, thankfully, kept her mouth shut about my little outing, and for that, I was grateful.

When I finally returned home, I told them I'd been with Bella, which made Esme and Carlisle light up. Esme's eyes softened, and she smiled warmly, her voice full of excitement. "It's wonderful to hear you've found someone you care about," she said, her happiness genuine.

Carlisle, always the one to hide his emotions behind a calm smile, gave me a knowing look, one that said more than words ever could. "It's nice to see you so happy, Edward. Bella's a special girl."

I could hear the unspoken message in his tone, and it sent a cold shiver through me. They both knew my feelings about changing Bella. They knew how deep my love for her ran and how terrified I was of dragging her into the darkness that was my world. But still, I couldn't help the way my heart ached every time I thought about it. The idea of keeping her human, of letting her live a full life, free from the curse I carried…felt like the only right choice. But how long could I hold onto that, when everything inside me screamed that she was the only one for me?

I'd finally slipped away from my family, moving with speed and silence through the woods, using my abilities to get to her house without being seen by others. Luckily, Charlie wasn't home yet.

Her window was slightly cracked, just as I had left it, and stepped inside without a sound. I didn't expect to find her already awake, sitting up in bed, looking half-dazed and confused, her hair messy from sleep.

"Edward?" she asked, her voice hoarse with exhaustion, though there was no trace of fear from my sudden appearance. Bella had always been able to sense my presence, but there was no terror in her eyes. Just surprise.

I held up the bag of things I'd brought for her; I had a feeling she'd need them. "I figured you might need these," I said quietly, watching her as I spoke.

She blinked at me, her confusion deepening, but she took the things I offered without hesitation, even if she didn't fully understand why I was here. "Thanks," she murmured, slowly leaning back into her pillows, the weight of her hangover already settled in.

I sat on the edge of her bed, still watching her, careful not to invade her space too much. "Do you remember anything from last night?"

She shook her head, her eyes squinting as she tried to piece together the foggy fragments of the evening. "I don't... remember much. Just the party, I guess."

I felt a flash of annoyance, though I kept it from my expression. She didn't remember Mike handing her drink after drink. She didn't remember him practically pushing her into a paralysis. She didn't remember me slamming him into the wall in front of everyone. She didn't remember how I dragged her out of the party, how I almost kissed her in the woods. The thought of it made my stomach twist. The image of Mike's hands on her, pushing her further into intoxication, made my body boil all over again.

I had to bite my tongue. She didn't remember any of it. She didn't remember how close we came. How I wanted her so badly that I could hardly keep control of myself. I forced myself to breathe evenly, to let the moment pass. She gave me a questioning look.

"Probably for the best," I said, my voice softer now. "You're safe, that's all that matters."

She looked at me for a long moment, her eyes a little cloudy from the alcohol still lingering in her system. She must have noticed the tension in my face, because she asked, "What's wrong, Edward? You've been acting weird these past few days..."

I swallowed, not wanting to admit the truth, but knowing that I had to. The truth was, I couldn't stand seeing other guys around her, talking to her. I couldn't stand the idea of someone else getting close to her, touching her. Not when all I wanted to do was be the one who could hold her, kiss her, love her.

"I'm sorry," I began. "I've been acting overprotective… Jealous."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Jealous?"

"Yes," I said, my voice low. "When other guys talk to you, when they get too close, it… bothers me. More than it should." I leaned in to touch her hand.

She laughed softly, and I had to fight the urge to flinch. "Why would you be jealous? We're just friends, right?"

I hated when she said that. I hated it more than anything, because it diminished everything I felt for her. It made it feel like nothing. But I couldn't say that, not out loud. Not yet.

"I don't really like that word," I admitted quietly. "It makes everything feel smaller than it really is."

She didn't understand, but I could see the way her eyes softened, the way she searched my face, trying to make sense of my words.

"I don't know how to explain it," I went on, my voice thick. "But I don't want to be your friend, Bella. Not anymore..."

Her eyes widened, and I saw a flicker of something I didn't expect, fear. It was a small, fleeting thing at first, but it grew as she stared at me, her expression shifting from confusion to something more desperate.

She pulled back from me, her body tense, and her hands gripped the edge of the blanket. "No, Edward. No," she whispered, her voice cracking with panic. "Please… don't go. Don't leave me."

The words hit me like a jolt of electricity, and I froze. My heart stuttered in my chest, and I could feel the air leave my lungs. Bella's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear, and it was as though the very thought of me leaving her had shattered something inside of her. She wasn't scared of the idea of more between us. She was scared of losing me. Of me disappearing from her life altogether.

I had never seen her like this. Her vulnerability, this raw, desperate emotion, it was like a punch to the gut. She wasn't worried about what I was saying, but about what I wasn't saying. That I was going to disappear from her world.

I felt a sliver of hope that just maybe, she feels the same way I do… But the idea that she thought I might leave her made my chest tighten with a fierce protectiveness that I couldn't quite control. I reached out instinctively, placing a hand on her arm, my voice softening.

"Bella," I said gently, my words calm, trying to ease the panic in her eyes. "That's not what I meant. I'm not going anywhere. I don't want to leave."

Her eyes searched mine desperately, the fear still evident on her face. "Then… then what do you mean? You… don't want to be friends anymore?"

I shook my head quickly, my own confusion mingling with the urgency to make her understand. "No, no, Bella, It's not that I don't want to be your friend. I'm just…I don't want to hide my feelings anymore. But I'm not leaving you. I never will."

I could see the tension in her shoulders start to ease, though the fear still lingered in her eyes. She searched my face for some kind of answer, something I was struggling to put into words. I decided words would never be enough.

"Can I try something?" I asked, my voice nervous. She nodded.

I leaned forward slowly, watching her, waiting for any sign that she might pull away, but she didn't. She was still, her gaze steady, her heart beating faster, I could hear it in the quiet of the room. I reached up with trembling hands, my fingers brushing against her cheek gently, and the touch almost made me lose control. She was so close. So perfect.

"Stay still," I whispered, my voice barely audible, and then I closed the distance between us.

The moment our lips met, it was as if the entire world faded away. There was no Bella Swan, no Edward Cullen, no time or place. Just the overwhelming sensation of her warmth, the softness of her lips, and the slow, trembling inhale of her breath as it mingled with mine.

I couldn't believe how easy it was, how natural. It felt like everything I had ever wanted, everything I had longed for, was suddenly there in that kiss. My mind swirled with it, and yet, for once, there was something else, something I hadn't anticipated. I wasn't fighting my instincts. I wasn't struggling with my bloodlust. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel the unbearable temptation to sink my teeth into her, to taste her blood.

It was everything I'd imagined. Her taste was intoxicating, and her lips moved against mine in a way that made the whole world disappear. I could feel her breath, shallow and soft, mixing with mine, and something in me, something I had kept locked away, finally let go. I was no longer thinking about consequences or control. I was thinking only of her.

The warmth I felt in her kiss was enough to calm the storm inside of me. It was enough to remind me of who I was, of why I was here. With her.

I wanted more... I deepened the kiss, letting my hands slide to the back of her neck, pulling her closer. Her warmth surrounded me, and I felt a desperate ache in my chest. The sensation of her against me, her heartbeat thudding in my ear, it was almost too much.

But then, just as quickly as it began, she pulled back.

My breath caught in my chest, her lips leaving mine, her eyes wide with something I couldn't place. The room felt suddenly too quiet, too still. Had I done something wrong? Did she not want this? Did I misread the entire moment?

"Did I—" I started, but she was already looking down, her breath shallow, her cheeks flushed. A mix of embarrassment and confusion flooded me.

I could feel the anxiety clawing at me. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if this was something I wanted, but not something she did? The uncertainty twisted in my stomach like a knot.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly, my voice almost too quiet. "I just—I didn't mean to—"

She wasn't listening, her eyes flickering with something else. And then, before I could finish my sentence, I saw the tears in her eyes.

Bella sniffed and wiped at her cheek. The sight of her tears made my chest ache with a pain I couldn't bear. I hadn't meant to make her cry. I hadn't meant to make her feel this way.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time, Edward," she said softly. "But I couldn't—I can't let myself hope for anything more if there's no chance of us having a future together. You said..." her voice was weak and trembling. "What you said in the meadow... I can't— I can't let myself feel this way if—if it's just a dream."

Her words hit me like a tidal wave. I couldn't believe it. She wanted more, she wanted a future with me. But not if it didn't mean forever... She thought that because of my lie, because of the things I'd said to her in the meadow, it was pointless.

I remembered that conversation, the one where I told her she couldn't be changed unless she was dying. It was a lie. A selfish lie I had told to keep her from wanting something so terrible. But now, hearing her speak of it so openly, it felt like a weight pressing down on my chest.

I wanted to tell her the truth…

I clenched my jaw, the guilt slicing through me. The truth? The truth was a dangerous thing. If I told her the truth now, I was risking everything. Her life. Her safety. Her future. A flash of Alice's vision flickered in my head. I couldn't…no, I wouldn't, do that to her. I wouldn't drag her into this dark, endless world of shadows and blood, a world she could never escape from. All for the sake of not losing her.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words stuck in my throat.

Her face softened, the tears still glistening in her eyes. But then, just as quickly, she looked down, a faint smile pulling at her lips as she tried to hide the sadness beneath.

"You were right, Edward. A vampire and a human could never work." She said.

But she had no idea how desperately I wished they could.

The words stung more than I could've imagined. I wanted to scream, to beg her to understand that I was right there, on the edge of a decision that would change everything, that would cost me everything. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Instead, I just nodded, swallowing hard.

The silence stretched out, heavy and thick, and we both sat there, lost in our own thoughts, in our own regrets. The tension was palpable, but so was the understanding, unspoken yet clear.

Finally, Bella sighed softly, looking at me with a wry smile. "Why do vampires have to be so complicated?" She said, trying to lighten the mood.

I chuckled, though it didn't reach my eyes. I could feel the sadness creeping in, even behind my smile. "Yeah," I agreed quietly. "Nothing like the stories you read as a kid huh?"

Bella's lips twitched upward, her eyes still a little red from the tears. "Why couldn't you be some other supernatural being? Like a Werewolf or something…"

I swallowed hard at her statement. "Haha… yeah…" I decided I could at least tell her one truth today. "About that..."

Werewolfs are real?! Damn... thats crazy. To bad they are not apart of this story. Hope you enjoyed!