1234
Ron's breath came out ragged, his breath coming out in foggy puffs in the cool night. His blue eyes were wide with pain, shock, and mostly fear. "You won't let me go Will You Fred?" He asked his voice cracking. He made a strange sound, which was followed by a cough as he choked on his blood. He had bitten the inside of his cheek hard when his head collided with the ground. Fred who was gripping Ron's wrists as tightly as he could, shook his head, " 'O course not Ron…I'm here. And I'm not letting go." Ron smiled taking comfort in that, resting his head on the grass letting out a rushed breath.
Currently the two brothers were clinging for dear life, one more so then the other. Ron was hanging off a cliff, while Fred clutched at him, his nails digging into his little brother's skin. Ron had been hexed by some damXed Death Eater, and could not move the lower part of his body. He had no strength at all, and had cried out in terror as he was shoved from a cliff. Fred who had been with his brother dove after him catching him by his arms. Fred had a bloody injury in the middle of his back, and to Fred's horror, it bled steadily. He didn't dare alert Ron to this fact, but his younger brother did know that Fred was hurt and in no condition to pull him up. But as long as Ron didn't know about the serious injury to Fred's back, Fred wasn't going to alert him.
Ron sighed, "Fred…Do you think they'll get here before you drop me?"
"I am NOT going to drop you Ron!" Fred hissed fiercely glaring at Ron. But Ron was not looking at Fred, he still had his cheek pressed to the grass, so Fred only got to glare at his youngest brother's scalp. Ron sighed again, "Fred….?" Fred rolled his eyes in annoyance gripping his brother harder afraid he might drop him. "Yes Ronnie-darling?" Fred Spat a little harsher then he meant.
"Never mind…"
Fred sighed.
"No Ron…sorry…I'm just…a little stressed out…I mean you're a heavy arse, holding you up isn't easy."
"Yeah…I should lay off food for awhile shouldn't I?"
"Tell me about it!"
The two brothers began to giggle at their conversation, but it stopped when Ron slipped just the slightest bit…just the slightest bit further down the cliff. But it was enough to startle wits out of the two brothers. Fred cried out grabbing his brother firmer, and let out a painful startled grasp. "Gave myself a nice little heart attack there Ron," Fred Whispered in the dark. Ron turned his blue eyes to his brother, and Fred could see his face was scarlet. Fred knew that either meant Ron was embarrassed by something, or he would cry. Fred prayed it was the first, because if Ron started crying he didn't think he would be able to remain calm. "Fred…in case…in case something happens-" Fred's heart began to race, "No, Ron! No nothing is going to happen!" Ron glared at his brother, "IN CASE IT DOES…" Ron let his voice drop down to a normal pitch, "I want you to know I love you…You are my brother, and I would go to hell and back for you. I know we're had or roes but I…You…George, Ginny, Bill, Charlie….Percy," he stumbled his last brother's name, "Are the most important things to me and I just wanted you to know…just in case."
Fred felt his throat close, the tables were turned. He wasn't holding Ron from falling, Ron was holding him up. Fred felt dizzy, from blood loss, or from the sick fear settling in his heart he wasn't sure, "Ron…I'm not letting you go unless I die! And even if you fall I won't let go…You're my brother…and I'm older!" Fred cursed as he felt tears race down his cheeks, "And…and because I'm older I'm supposed to die first you know?! The older one has to die first!" Fred was full out sobbing now, "It's…it's a rule!"
Ron had never seen his brother cry before, not since they were kids. To see his older brother, who was always laughing, always teasing, always up to no good with his twin, was just terrible. "Fred…" Ron croaked tears blurring his vision. The two let out a sharp gasps as they heard a muffled crack. The edge of the cliff where Ron's chest was laying was beginning to crack. The two brothers began to sob, fearing that soon they would be separated harshly.
But Fred was even more scared, he was beginning to grow cold, and holding on to Ron was becoming desperately hard. If Only he wasn't hurt then he could…he could help Ron. Fred painfully pulled himself up and pulled himself over to Ron. He pressed his head against his brother's tears smeared all over his face. "Ron…Ron…forgive me…I'm sorry," Fred sobbed, his hands releasing Ron's wrists to cling about the younger one's shoulders. Ron's arms wrapped around his brother's back, "Fred…Blimey…what are you going on about?"
Fred kissed his younger brother's brow, "I'm sorry about your bear…I didn't mean to scare you so badly when you were a child." Ron laughed his tears slowing for a moment. "Fred you weren't the only guilty one…Your copy had something to do with it to," Ron said referring to George. "But you wouldn't be so scared of spiders if it wasn't for me…" Fred whispered meekly. Ron's fist weakly collided with his brother's head, "Oh don't be a sod George! I've always been afraid of Spiders and you know it…now you better just stick with holdin' my wrists or…if I fall-"
"I'll fall with you I know," Fred said calmly gaining his composure, "I'm not letting you go Ron." Ron buried his head in his brother's shoulder and whispered, "Were you ever…I don't know…Did you ever hate me Fred?" Fred blinked bewildered at his youngest brother's question, "Hate you Ron? Hate my little Ronnie?" Fred began to laugh and hugged his brother tighter ignoring the second muffled crack from the ground.
"Well sometimes…you…I wasn't-" Ron began to sputter but Fred shushed him.
"Listen Ron…in case you don't know, sometimes I can be a complete and utter arse. But my teasing…and all the things, all the cruel things I've ever said I've never meant it. Ever," Fred whispered his arms trembling, Ron slipping from his grip. Ron relaxed and whispered, "I just wanted to make sure…Fred…tell Hermione I love her…and Harry. Oh Harry…he was the best friend I could have ever asked for and that I would face a million spiders to help him…" Fred felt his eyes burn as Ron continued to slip, "Shut up Ron! Hold on to me!"
Ron's arms had gone lax, "No…I'm not taking you with me Fred…Mum couldn't stand to lose the both of us…and I'd become some sort of ghost Like nearly Headless Nick, if I knew you died trying to save me…" Ron slipped further, Fred grasping to his elbows, Fred began to feel desperate. "For the love of God Ron grip me! Hold on to me! HOLD THE BLOODY HELL ON TO ME!" Fred's voice echoed in the night, and he stared down at his calm brother's face. He watched as his little brother's face shook his head in a silent no, "I won't be the reason you die."
"I'M ALREADY DYING RON!"
Fred's sudden scream made Ron grip onto him, and Fred groaned at the energy it took to shout that loud. He looked into his little brother's blue eyes, "Ron…I'm already dying…Remember when my back got slashed? It's still bleeding…It has been for some time…Ron if you let go of me You'll just leave me here to die alone." Fred knew his words were harsh, but they were true, and right now he was desperate to keep Ron here with him. Ron was crying again, and finally his arms came back around Fred's shoulders in a hug. Fred held his brother, the strength in his arms renewed.
"Ron…you hold on to me as long as you can…I'm not going to sugar coat anything now…We both might be in the middle of our last moments, and I want to die with my brother…I would want to die with no one else, just my brother…just YOU Ron."
Fred's passionate words were spoken sharply in Ron's ear, warming the small appendage up. Ron nodded choking on emotion, "Okay Fred," he whispered meekly, "I won't let go. I won't…even if I begin to fall." Fred squeezed his brother's shoulder, "Good boy Ron…good boy."
A silence passed between them a long silence. They were quiet for a near hour when Fred finally sighed and looked at his hands. They were horribly pale and he wondered if that was how the rest of his body looked. He was sorry to have scared Ron so badly a moment ago, but Ron really was going to let go….let go and leave him. He heard a soft sound, a sound Ron made in his sleep. He glanced down, seeing his brother had drifted off. Ron looked so small, so young. He kissed his younger brother's head, knowing that this was in fact their final moments. He sighed softly, warm tears burning his numbly cold face. His arms shook again, and Ron began to slip further from his grasp.
He sobbed softly Ron beginning to escape his grasp. How Ron still slept amazed Fred. Ron soon was completely off the cliff, Fred only grasping his hand. Fred wheezed, "Ron Wake up," He gasped his voice so soft he couldn't even hear it. But Ron must have entered a deep slumber, for Ron didn't wake, and Fred let go. Everything in his body grew cold and painful. He screamed and the cliff he was resting on dropped away and he began to fall. As he fell he saw his brother's body below him.
'At least we're going to the same place…' Fred thought before giving way to darkness.
1234
"Oi…c'mon…wake up Fred. Come on Fred…wake up," a soft familiar voice pleaded. The voice continued and finally Fred opened his eyes. He was greeted with his own image, and he smiled, " 'Lo George…" His twin hugged him fiercely holding tight on to him. Fred looked around able to judge he was in a hospital. "How did I get here…?" He finally asked. George got up smoothing back Fred's ruffled hair in a rare affectionate manner, "You were spotted falling from a cliff and with a quick spell we had you." Fred nodded easily, and suddenly a jolt of terror flooded him. He sat up crying out in pain, George grabbing him, "Easy! Calm-"
"No! What about Ron? Ron was falling too! He was falling too!"
"Fred c-"
"Where is he George?!"
"Ron…Fred He's-"
"So help me if you don't tell me…I'll throttle you George!"
"What the hell did you do to Him George?"
Fred froze and turned seeing Ron. He was standing there, looking like he hadn't gotten very much sleep, and was staring at Fred with a worried expression. Fred looked angrily at George who held up his hands defensively, "You wouldn't let me explain, it's your fault for working yourself up." Fred glared at him again and then looked back over at Ron, and held out his hand. Ron approached him nervously, and when he was in reach, Fred had grasped him tightly pulling him in a firm hug. "Ron…you're okay?"
Ron shifted uncomfortably in his brother's arms, "Yeah Fred…I'm fine…they got me too…you were the one real hurt! You've been asleep for days." Fred listened as his brother began to tell him what had been going on while he was asleep, but he didn't pay attention to the words. He was just so relieved to have his brother in his arms, and that he could hold him, that he had held on long enough. He smiled wider, when he felt Ron shyly put an arm around his shoulders and mutter, "Come on Fred…this embarrassing! Nurses are in the room you know…and here I am getting hugged by my brother like I'm a favorite toy…Fred! Come on…le'go!"
"What was that my lil' Ronnie, you want to cuddle?"
"You're a dead man if you start that!"
"What was that my lil' Ronnie Poo?"
"DamXit Fred, bugger off!!"
END OF CHAP. ONE.