These drabbles were written for SorceressCirce's birthday! I am happy to share them with all of you!

Thanks to naelany for pre-reading, and inviting me to take part.

And, for those of you patiently waiting the next chapter of Til Summer, just know that I am slowly getting my writing mojo back after a very difficult (personally) holiday season. Thanks, as always, for reading, reviewing, faves, alerts, etc. Your continued support means more than you know!

Happy Birthday, SorceressCirce! You know I love your boys, so I thought I'd share mine with you. Hope you have a great birthday!

Love ya,

Erin aka mrsyt31

Just Like Home

Pristine

The scene before me is reminiscent of a dream; the water calm and clear, the landscape untouched. It is as perfectly preserved as it was the first time I saw it, even though that seems like a lifetime ago.

There's something about this place that keeps calling me back. Perhaps there's some magic in the pristine beauty of the lake and mountains that speaks to me across the miles and begs me to return.

Maybe it's because this is where it all began, and the mere thought that he might also return someday keeps me coming back year after year.

Motorcycle

Pulling my helmet over my head, I secure the strap under my chin before climbing back on my bike. There's something about being on the open road, just me and my motorcycle, that will always remind me of that summer so long ago, when youth, lust, and love fueled my actions. If only I had known then what I know now.

And so, as I have every August for the last five years, I steer myself away from the water's edge, down the long and winding road to the cabin that will be my home for the next two weeks.

Reflection

Light dawns on a new day, and I find myself wrapped in an old wool blanket, sitting at the end of the dock watching as the sun reflects off rippling waves. I sip from my coffee cup as I recall the way Jasper's hair caught the sunlight, his golden waves sparkling as he brushed a troublesome lock from his face, and I suddenly feel the familiar ache in my chest. It reminds me of all I have lost and everything I am searching for, keeping alive the hope that maybe somewhere out there, he is thinking of me as well.

Innocence

We were young, just twenty at the time; two best friends spending the summer in a little cabin that belonged to my grandfather. Nobody had used it in ages, so we figured we'd spend some time away from the bustle and noise of the city. I don't think either of us realized at the time how much that one summer would change us, our friendship. It certainly never occurred to me that I would fall in love with my closest friend, especially when the person in question was a man. Had I known, what things would I have done differently?

Vivid

The memories are as clear to me as if it had only just happened; the vivid blue of his eyes calling to me across the years. A shiver runs through my body as I recall just how dark those blues became with his arousal.

I feel the ache all over now, and as I have many times before, I wonder if this trip was a mistake. There is no way of knowing if I will ever see Jasper again. I haven't heard from him in five years, so why should I keep torturing myself? Still, I hope.

And I wait.

Shadow

My time here has nearly reached an end, and it seems another year will pass without the answers I seek.

I stand in the shadows of the late afternoon sun, remembering the feel of another's warm embrace, so lost in the past that I don't hear the rumble of an engine in the drive. I'm still tangled in memories when I vaguely recognize the slamming of a car door.

Slowly, I turn toward the sound, focusing on the movement of tree branches swaying as a dark figure makes its way around the corner and through the small grove of trees.

Raindrop

His face comes in to the light as the first raindrops fall. "Sorry I'm so late," he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion as he takes another step closer.

I swallow hard, fighting back the urge to run to him. "What took you so long?" I ask, barely able to speak.

"I got lost along the way, took a few wrong turns." He takes another step, closing the distance between us. Reaching out, he brushes a stray lock of hair from my face. "But I finally found my way. Can you forgive me?" he asks. "Or am I too late?"

Taste

The world falls away as I crush his lips with mine. Moaning softly, he lets me in, our tongues tangled together in a slow dance of longing and recognition. He tastes of coffee and wintergreen, and I smile softly against his mouth, pulling him tighter against my body as my past collides with my present.

"You still taste exactly the same," I whisper, nibbling along his jaw as my hands find their way into the curls at his nape.

"How's that?" he wonders.

Brushing his lips with mine once more I reply quietly. "Like home. You taste just like home."

Sunset

"I like the sound of that," he whispers, weaving his fingers with mine as his other hand finds its way to my cheek. "You've always been home to me, Edward. It just took me a while to figure it out."

Smiling, I turn and kiss his palm, holding his hand in mine. "You're here to stay?" I ask, sure of his response before he even speaks.

"Forever, if you'll have me," he murmurs, pulling me close once more.

"I swear to you," I whisper softly, kissing him. "For as long as I live, I'll never let you get lost again."