A/N: This tiny fic is the result of a picture that came into my head while recently sat in a pub in London. The niggling image just wouldn't go away.
The story itself could probably be rated T - however given my author note at the bottom will direct readers to my author website where some of the content will be M rated, I chose to err on the side of caution.
Huge thanks to Harrytwifan for her amazing beta skills.
The moment he saw Alice gasp and look at him, he fled at top speed to shouts of, "Edward! Edward!"
He wanted what he couldn't have, and she knew. He couldn't hide any more, and it scared him.
They were happy. It was a happiness she'd waited for and grasped with both hands. Their story was well known. Alice was the free spirit to Jasper's guarded countenance. No one but Alice truly knew him.
Edward had kept his feelings buried so deep for so long, they were almost second nature. He'd only slipped once before, and that was when the couple originally joined their coven. During their brief, whirlwind introduction, Edward had immediately fallen hard for the blond major. To his relief, his slip was lost in the mêlée of other emotions running through the family that day.
But, out training in the forest, when Alice was running through scenarios of a battle, in a future whose path was not yet determined, what Edward saw made his knees buckle. If he hadn't held onto a close tree, he'd have fallen to his knees on the forest floor.
She saw Jasper literally lose his head, with the Volturi guard looking on - laughing. How he wished the ground would open up beneath Aro and his minions, swallowing them into the realm of Hades.
Now that Alice knew, Edward couldn't stay. It would break the family apart. He believed it was better for him to remove himself from the scenario, rather than have people take sides. It was an event sure to happen once others, especially Rosalie, gained knowledge of his feelings. She was not one to let her opinion go unknown.
Even if he stayed, and it was only Alice and himself that kept the secret, it would cause a rift.
No. Edward thought. It was best for them to believe he was off on one of his occasional, spur of the moment time-outs, than for them to know the truth.
Only this time, he had no intention of returning.
Edward took off toward the quickest, least human populated means of escape – the sea.
Not stopping to pause, and with no regard for tribal boundaries, he took a swan dive off the cliff top. He headed out into the pacific, with no direction in mind, except into the deep.
For days, he swam.
He wanted to disappear. However, he knew if he had a destination in mind, Alice would know where he was. That was not an option. It was best for them to forget him.
Edward closed his eyes and let the oceanic currents take him where they would.
Every once in a while, when he saw coast approaching, he kicked and swam away until another current took him. He cleared his mind and slipped into oblivion, enjoying the solitude.
During his journey, Edward got tossed and tumbled when a school of dolphins passed by on a mission to catch up with the herring.
A pod of Orca examined him, then let him be.
A brave shark was curious enough to wrap its teeth around his leg, only to release it when several teeth shattered, instead of sinking into skin.
Days turned into weeks, and Edward became frail. The only knowledge he had of his location was the heat of the sun and length it stayed in the sky. With the currents, it was difficult to determine his whereabouts from the temperature of the water. Though at times, coupled with the clouds, he believed he was no longer near the equator or anywhere close to the Americas.
Soon, he was unable to do anything but drift, losing his consciousness to the timeless realm of space. It was no longer people and places whose pictures passed by his eyes, but the darkness of solar systems. Bright lights and swirling masses occupied his mind. He imagined himself as a satellite passing by each planet and moving out of the Milky Way into great beyond.
One day, while his mind teetered around the mass of a black hole, something hard hit him.
Opening his eyes, his arm was caught between bars in a wall. Freeing himself, he vaguely comprehended that he was under a bridge. He heard a bell toll in the background. The sound was big and deep and echoed all around him. At the same time, a much closer, seemingly smaller bell also sounded.
Edward grasped the bars which turned to dust under his frightened, agonized grip. He scrambled inside the tunnel, which the bars guarded, and held his hands to his ears trying to keep out the banging inside his skull.
Other, sounds and smells invaded his unwilling consciousness.
The stench of polluted mud, petrol, rats and other vermin, crept up his nose. Worse, were the increasing, unstoppable noises that assaulted his brain. It was if he was in a full to the brim bar where everyone was talking, yet no one was able to hear the response. Voices merged. Even by focusing on the faceless image of one person, their words could not be distinguished.
A hive of bees would have been a welcome distraction.
He tried, but Edward couldn't make them stop. Instead, they grew louder.
Edward screamed. He could not hear himself, as other screams joined his, followed by laughter.
As time wore on, the rumble of traffic vibrated through the walls, accompanied by the frustrated screech of horns.
In the distance, the boom of one cannon after another resonated through his ears, and the cheers and thoughts of millions of people stung at him.
Edward lost his fight for control and consciousness. Blessedly, the world around him went black.
Many times, he thought he felt water lap around him and disappear again. Every occurrence was accompanied by the drone of unstoppable tones. He gladly sank back into his space of endless peace.
"Edward! Edward, son. Can you hear me?"
Edward thought he was dreaming. He tried again to block out the sounds of revelers. He groaned.
"Jasper. "
At the sound of Jasper's name, Edward began to squirm.
He felt several soft fingers wrap around his. A strong wave of calm hit him, and Edward succumbed.
He felt Carlisle's gentle, careful hands check him over. They ended up clasped at the back of Edward's neck.
He could feel Carlisle leaning close to him.
"Come on, son. I'm not losing you now."
Edward could hear the clenched teeth of determination in his father's voice. He wanted to say he was sorry. He hadn't intended to be stuck in a tunnel, unable to control his abilities, too weak to cope. The amazon would have been a good place to be washed up. No regular land marks to give away his position, with plenty to eat and few humans.
"How is he? He looks so thin and gaunt. I can't feel anything from him except pain."
Jasper's concerned tone confused Edward. He came to the conclusion, Alice had said nothing, and his wavering voice was one of brotherly love.
Carlisle's presence shifted to his other hand, while another carded through his dirty, messy, hair. "He's in one piece. Thank God. But he's in bad shape."
"Will he be okay?"
"I won't know until I can examine him better. And I can't do that here."
Without asking, Jasper slipped his arms under Edward, who gave a weak protest. "Shhh, shhh, I've got ya." Jasper soothed. "Carlisle, do you remember the way?"
"It's been a while since I've seen this side of the city. But yes. The catacombs are extensive. Couple them with the sewage system, and we'll have cover to the outskirts of London. It won't be pretty, but needs must."
With his head lolled on Jasper's shoulder, Edward succumbed to strong arms holding him and the feeling of floating as the three fled through the underground tunnels.
Jasper's gifts protected Edward from the assault of the outside world. Before long, the urine stench of London's underbelly was replaced by the fresh air of trees and grass.
The next thing Edward was vaguely aware of was being lowered naked into a warm soapy bath and a sponge tickling his toes. Then being wrapped in large fluffy towels, and eventually tucked into a soft bed.
It had been years since he'd sunk into mattress for no other reason than for its comfort. The sensation took Edward back to when he was a child; back to the days when he'd snuggle under the covers rather than rise to his mother's call.
He smelled Carlisle's scent in the room. The dip of the bed and the closeness of his father gave further comfort to Edward. Yet, still he didn't have the energy to move. Part of him, too, was disturbed that he'd been found by his family.
Soon, he smelled the odor of blood under his nose. He didn't turn his head away, nor did he open his mouth to accept the offering. He lay, eyes closed, unmoving. It had been so long since he'd eaten - he had neither the strength nor stomach for it.
"He must be exhausted," Carlisle offered. "Can you sense anything, Jasper?"
"More than in the tunnels." Jasper sat on the other side of Edward and took his hand again. "Mostly confusion. He isn't as blank as he was when we found him. Whatever he's thinking about is producing a range of emotions."
"That's good, but we need to get him to eat or he won't recover."
"We can't sit here and watch him fade, Carlisle." There was a pause. "I won't sit here and watch him fade."
"I know. Venom is the only option now. It'll be like giving him a kick start, but…."
Before Carlisle finished his sentence, Jasper leaned in.
Edward felt his breath on his neck.
Jasper's lips parted and caressed Edwards's neck before he felt a sharp sting and the flow of Jasper's venom course through his body.
A tear Edward never knew he could shed escaped his eye. He was sad these were the circumstances in which he felt Jasper's lips upon him.
Carlisle noticed the solitary drop. "Jasper, Edward!"
Jasper detached himself and licked the wound to healing.
Suddenly, Edward's chest rose off the bed and he took a gulping breath. His eyes opened, and for the first time, he focused properly on Carlisle and Jasper.
Carlisle jumped straight in. "Before you say anything, get this down you." Edward was helped up and the beaker of blood put to his mouth, with a further instruction to drink as much as he could.
Eventually, divested of his mostly empty cup, with a "Welcome back son," Carlisle moved it to the dresser.
Edward was immediately enveloped in a hug from Jasper.
"You needn't have run, Edward. You needn't have run."Jasper placed a soft kiss on Edward's neck, then looked into his eyes. "Don't ever run from me again, ya hear."
Edward circled his arms around the major. "Yes, Jasper."
Jasper nodded once, then leaned in to take what was now his. He began with Edwards lips.
The end.
I am absolutely over the moon to announce that I am being published. If you are interested please visit my website for more details.
You know the drill with these - replace the dot for actuals. www dot taylinclavelli dot com