Note: This story is posted elsewhere, so it may be familiar to some readers. It's the first Twilight tale I wrote, and I suppose to some extent it set the stage for several others. It takes place between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe is the property of Stephenie Meyer. No infringement is intended.

The thought came to him early one morning as soft, rose-colored light gradually suffused my room. I was barely awake, still bleary-eyed; Edward, of course, was fully alert. As the gray haze dissipated, I could see that his gaze was fixed upon my face. He was smiling gently, almost reverently, as he traced a cool fingertip over the curve of my cheek.

"So beautiful," he whispered. "I love watching you as the sun comes up."

I couldn't help but smile in return. "I'd say the same about you, but I always seem to sleep through it." A rather substantial yawn escaped me. "Mmm," I mused, lifting my hand to his flawless cheek, "you'd look amazing in the meadow."

"At sunrise?" he questioned, then he bent to kiss my forehead lightly. "Given your penchant for sleep, I'm not sure I could get you there early enough to witness that."

I sat up, determined to show him that, even human as I was, I could be perfectly cognizant at 5:30 in the morning. Unfortunately, another yawn chose that precise moment to force its way from my unwilling mouth.

Edward chuckled softly and touched my shoulder. "Go back to sleep, Bella. You don't need to be up for another hour."

"But—" I began to protest ineffectually.

He shook his head in fond exasperation. "Sleep. And when you wake again, I think I may have a little surprise for you."

"A surprise?" I asked, momentarily alarmed as I recalled the unexpected events Alice was so fond of planning. Those rarely turned out well…

"Yes. And a very nice one—one that I think you'll actually enjoy." Despite his inability to read my thoughts, he knew exactly what I was contemplating. He pressed his cold lips against my cheeks, then peppered my eyelids with tiny kisses. "But it can wait until you're rested. Sweet dreams, Bella."

Curious as I was, my body was unaccountably lethargic, and within moments I drifted back into heavy slumber, all thoughts of surprises wiped from my sleeping mind.

It was Charlie who woke me. I had been deeply asleep, dreaming of Edward shimmering in the sunlight. My father's voice finally roused me, and I blinked up at him.

"Charlie?" I croaked.

"You overslept," he informed me. "You have to be at work in half an hour."

My eyes darted to the clock. Crap. It was 8:25; my shift at Newton's began at 9:00. I sat up quickly, rubbing at my face in an attempt to chase away some of the lingering drowsiness.

"You all right?" he asked, watching me closely for a few moments.

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for getting me up."

"I'll see you tonight," he said, leaving me with a quick nod.

Still feeling sluggish, I got out of bed and shuffled off to the bathroom. A speedy shower was definitely in order to wake me up fully. It didn't quite do the trick, but I did feel slightly more alert after I'd combed out my hair and thrown on a pair of jeans and a light sweater. I hurried downstairs to grab a bowl of cereal, but once I'd poured it, it tasted dry and bland. I dumped the contents into the garbage and gulped a small glass of orange juice instead.

I arrived at the store five minutes late, but Mike, manning the shop today, didn't say anything. I knew he wouldn't. He was well aware that Edward and I were inseparable, but he still harbored a little crush on me. I had no idea why, but today it was to my advantage, because I found him picking up the slack for me. For some reason, I just couldn't find any energy, and stocking the shelves seemed an insurmountable task.

Mike saw my listlessness and quickly offered to take over the job. I thanked him and moved to the register. Fortunately it seemed like a slow day; we'd only had a handful of customers since we'd opened three hours ago. Maybe the weather was keeping them away.

Clouds had begun gathering shortly after nine, and now a light drizzle was falling. The sight of it left me slightly chilled, and I wished I'd brought a sweatshirt or heavier sweater because I couldn't seem to get warm. I was rubbing my hands over my arms when the bell above the door tinkled. Idly I glanced up, hoping this customer wouldn't require much assistance.

My face broke into a grin. Edward sauntered in, looking all around with interest. He paused to examine a display of sleeping bags, then he lingered for a few moments near the tents. Finally he made his way toward me and offered me a polite nod.

"Good afternoon," he said with mock formality. "I wonder if you could help me?"

"Sure," I chirped, immediately enamored with his little game. "What are you looking for, sir?"

He smiled. "Well, I'm planning a camping trip."

"Camping? Not hunting?"

He shook his head. "No, just camping, and just for one night. But I'm going to be taking someone with me—someone rather special—and I think I'll need your help in finding everything she'll want to be comfortable."

"She?" I repeated, arching an eyebrow at him in mock surprise.

His lips twitched, and he leaned in a bit to say, "Yes. My fiancée. But she's not really the outdoorsy type—"

"I'm sure she'll make an exception, just this once," I interjected.

"I hope so. I believe I can entice her by offering her a very pleasant experience. But I'll need your assistance to do that. So let's begin with a sleeping bag. What would you recommend?"

"Hmm," I replied in as professional a tone as I could muster, "that depends on where you're planning to take her."

We began walking back toward the sleeping bags. He glanced down at me, clearly resisting the urge to rest his hand against the small of my back. "I know of a very special place…a secluded, beautiful spot where the sunrise is spectacular."

"I see. Would this spot happen to be in a meadow?" I was grinning despite myself.

"Yes, it would."

"Well then, I think I have just the thing."

I selected an appropriate sleeping bag, and Edward insisted that I pick an air mattress, too. I suggested a tent, but he shook his head, saying that the night would be even lovelier with the stars overhead.

"And when are you planning to take this trip?" I inquired, glancing out at the dreary weather.

"I've checked the forecast, and tomorrow evening will be clear—the only clear night for the next week-and-a-half." There was a twinkle in his eye that told me his prognostication came from Alice, not a meteorologist. "I've also checked my fiancée's schedule, and she seems to be free."

"Hmm. You've thought of everything, haven't you?"

"I believe so. Her best friend—my sister—has informed her father that she'll be accompanying her and my mother on an overnight shopping trip to Seattle."

I couldn't resist asking, "Oh, is her father strict about these things?"

"Well, I wouldn't want him to suspect any impropriety," Edward replied.

I lowered my voice and glanced back to be sure Mike wasn't in earshot. "Sir… Are you planning any impropriety?"

I'm sure Edward would have blushed if he were able. "No," he answered quickly, "of course not. I just want to give her a night of absolute beauty."

I couldn't resist wrapping my arms around him for a quick hug. "I'm sure she'll love it."

He kissed my hair. "She deserves it… a thousand times over."

I knew he was remembering our last experience in the woods together. We'd faced the vicious, blood-thirsty newborns and Victoria. It had been a horrifying experience, truthfully, and I don't think that any of us walked away completely unscathed. We all carried the gruesome images of the dismembered vampires who'd come for us, as well as the knowledge that Jacob had sustained significant injuries in his efforts to assist us. I understood then that Edward wanted to give me another memory, one to soothe my soul and begin to erase the horrors I'd witnessed.

"Thank you," I said, meeting his gaze. His expression made my eyes prickle with poignant tears. A chill ran down my spine. "So," I said with forced briskness, "what else will you be needing for this camping trip?"

Mike had wandered to the adjacent aisle. Edward glanced at him then replied, "I'm not entirely sure. Show me what you've got."

Despite his dislike for my fiancé, Mike was clearly excited at the prospect of a large sale. Business had slumped lately, and I was sure his college fund was suffering. He watched us eagerly as I escorted Edward through the store, and his arms grew full with every imaginable accoutrement that would make a night in the woods more comfortable.

Edward departed with what seemed like half the store. Without batting an eye, he'd spent about ten times what I had in my bank account. He was obviously pleased with his purchases and the prospect of implementing them. I waved as he stepped out into the rain.

Cold air swept inside, and I shivered. I really was cold, again wishing I'd thought to bring a heavier sweater. I tugged my vest closed tightly, but it didn't help.

I spent my lunch break in the back room, sipping a mug of tea and trying to warm up. The hot liquid helped a little, but it left a strange feeling in my throat, and I wondered if tea could go bad. I coughed and filled the mug with water.

By the end of my shift, the chill had returned, and little coughs kept spluttering from my throat. My legs were tired, too, despite my position on the stool behind the register for most of the day. I hated to admit it, but it seemed I was coming down with something—probably a cold. I knew there'd been some bug or other going around; Mike's mother was out sick with it.

Maybe I could ward it off with a big dose of vitamin C and a good night's sleep. I was tempted to call Edward and ask if we could postpone the camping trip, but he'd said tomorrow night would provide the only cloudless dawn for over a week. If we waited, we would be too close to the wedding date. The thought of my impending nuptials sent another shiver through me. It seemed there was so much to do: fittings, tastings, time with Renee once she arrived…

I stopped at the drug store on the way home, and then, armed with a large bottle of vitamin C, I went home and collapsed on my bed. I thought sleep would come immediately, but I was restless, tossing and turning, coughing and achy, and finally I got up.

It was time to begin Charlie's dinner, so I took another vitamin tablet then rummaged through the freezer. I wasn't in the mood to do anything more than heat some leftovers for him; I had little appetite. I found a container of chili and tossed it in the microwave.

Edward phoned me after dinner. I could hear the excitement and delight in his voice as he told me that we'd leave just before noon tomorrow. His tone shifted slightly, though, when he asked if I would mind terribly if he didn't come over tonight.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No, love, everything's fine. But I want to have everything set up for you, and that's going to take some time."

"Set up?" I repeated. "But we're camping. Aren't we going to backpack in?"

He chuckled. "Bella, Bella, Bella—of course not. You won't need to carry anything except any personal items you'll want. Everything will be ready when we arrive."

Well, that was relief, really. I was exhausted and sore, and the thought of hiking several miles with a heavy backpack did not appeal to me. Granted, I'd probably be fine in the morning, but still, backpacks tended to alter one's center of gravity, and I had enough trouble remaining on my feet even when only carrying my own weight.

"All right. Thank you."

"Oh, it's truly my pleasure."

A cough had been gnawing at my throat, and I couldn't stifle it any longer. I pressed my hand over the receiver and coughed dryly. "Excuse me," I croaked.

"Are you all right?" Of course his extremely acute ears heard me.

"Yep. Just swallowed my glass of water wrong."

"So, be ready to go by noon, all right?"

"I will be. Good night, Edward."

"Good night. Sleep well."

I wish I could have heeded his advice, but again sleep refused to come. I was hot and cold by turns, and my head ached fiercely. The coughing was growing worse, too, becoming deeper and less dry. At least Edward wasn't here to witness my pathetic human body's failings.

To be continued...