A/N: This is very AU and Bella does not exist in this one. I am a Bella fan but somehow she doesn't fit in here. Let's imagine she fell in love with Jacob. We all like Jacob, yes? But this is a Rogue/Edward and is based on the song 'Let me go' by 3 doors down. Go listen to that song now! ONESHOT, don't even ask for more.
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
Memories
Edward sighed and looked at the cabin. It was where he and his family were staying for the winter holidays. They'd grown tired of Forks and the sudden appearance of werewolves in La Push. Carlisle had taken them to this cabin deep in the woods of Alberta, Canada. There they'd be able to hunt and enjoy the snow. And of course the couples could be happy while he spent the days brooding.
Sighing he grabbed his bag and went to pick a room inside from one of many. Jasper, who had also packed light, walked in behind him. They both stopped as they entered. A scent of sickness and vanilla wafted in the air. A human had been here. No, was still here.
'I'll get Carlisle.'
Edward nodded absently, while walking in following the scent. It was coming from a room upstairs. He reached one of the smaller rooms and pushed open the door. What was behind the door shocked him. Curled on the bed was a figure so small and frail, it looked like a child. Stepping closer he realised it was a young girl. Her body was wrapped up profusely but not enough for the cold Canadian weather. Gloves, a scarf and long clothing. On the floor beside her was a green travelling cloak. As Edward stepped forward, Carlisle brushed passed him and was by the girl in a second. Edward waited patiently as Carlisle checked every inch of the girl. A few minutes later Esme and Alice entered the room.
"Your phone is off. I tried to call and warn you." muttered Alice.
"What did you see?" asked Edward.
"Not much. For some reason she's just a distant blur. I actually get a headache trying to see her future."
"Carlisle?" whispered Esme.
"She has a fever. It appears she hasn't eaten in days. We'll let her stay in here, until we know more. Alice-"
"I know. Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett and I will take the rooms downstairs. Don't worry."
With that said Alice went back downstairs, leaving Edward, Esme, Carlisle and the girl. Edward finally moved from the door and crouched by her side. He reached out and touched her cheek. It was lukewarm, the exact temperature he felt when touching another vampire. He frowned at the bluish tinge of her lips.
"Will she survive the night?" he asked.
"Hopefully. The medical supplies we keep here should be sufficient."
"I'll go continue unpacking." said Esme quietly.
Edward nodded vaguely, still stroking the girl's cheek. Her skin was pale, her eye lashes long making him wonder about the colour of her eyes and silky brown hair. He moved his hand as Carlisle positioned her on her back.
'She needs to get warm.'
Edward was downstairs in a flash. He gathered covers from the beds, put there for decoration, and the coats they brought to where around over people. He rushed back upstairs to the room. He then began carefully piling layer by layer onto her. Carlisle nodded to show he'd done a good job.
'Stay with her.'
Edward nodded, not wanting to admit out loud that he couldn't leave even if he wanted to.
When she started waking up, he knew because of her dream. It showed that her mind was re-adjusting before she woke. The dream itself scared him.
A tall man stood towering over her. In the background was a woman, shoving things into a old worn duffel bag.
"Get out freak!" screamed the man.
"Daddy please." Said a small, innocent voice.
"Get out and never come back, ya hear?"
The dream stopped and her eyes snapped open. He leaned towards her, moving a strand of hair from her eyes. He tried to shake the anger he held felt from her dream. Strangely her mind was blank now as she stared up at him. He noted how her eyes were a beautiful green.
"Hi." he whispered.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know there were people living here."
She tried to get up but he put a hand on her shoulder. The way she flinched made him wonder if she could feel his cold hand.
"It's okay. We're here to help."
"I don't think anyone can help me." she whispered.
He frowned and reached for her gloved hand. She pulled back from him and he held his hands up.
"Sorry." He muttered.
He stood up and opened the door to the room.
"I'll get you something to eat."
He closed the door behind him and sped downstairs. Esme was in the kitchen cooking.
'Soup would be easier for her to digest now.'
Edward nodded and sat down at the counter. He sighed looking at his hands. Why did she flinch? Could she sense what he was? Esme was soon done and went upstairs to take the girl some food. Edward followed. Alice and Emmett were outside the door and he could hear the voice of Carlisle from inside. Edward opened the door for Esme and let her in first. Then he and the rest followed. The girl was sitting up by now, leaning against the headboard of the bed. Carlisle was standing up reading a thermometer.
'She's fine son. Just a little shaken up.'
Edward gave a brief nod towards Carlisle and stepped closer. Esme handed the girl the soup.
"Eat this. It'll help you get some strength back."
The girl nodded and set the tray on her lap. She started eating steadily, keeping her eyes forward. Edward looked at Carlisle who frowned at him.
'Can you read her thoughts?'
Edward shook his head quickly. The girl seemed to notice their silence and the fact that they were all standing around her.
"My name is Rogue."
'Weird.' thought Emmett.
"Hello Rogue. I'm Carlisle; this is my wife Esme and my children Edward, Alice and Emmett."
The girl nodded and took another spoonful of soup. He could already see the colour coming back in her cheeks. It made him happy for some reason.
"What brings you here?" asked Carlisle.
"I... I ran away from home. And I'm not going back"
"You don't have to."
Edward didn't mean to say it but it had slipped out. Everyone turned to him, their thoughts of confusion bombarding him, but he had eyes for the girl in front of him. He walked closer and knelt by her side.
"You don't have to go back there. Stay as long as you like."
"I couldn't-"
"Rogue, it's too dangerous out there. At least stay until you're back on your feet and strong enough."
She bit her lip but slowly nodded. He smiled and was happy to see a hint of a smile appear on her face. He was planning to make her smile no matter what.
One month later...
'Edward, you need to tell her.'
Edward sighed and looked at Esme. It had been a month since Rogue was found here. School had started again in Forks and Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie had gone back. Esme and Alice were going back today, meaning it would finally just been him and Rogue. Or Marie. He thought he was the only one that felt the connection but after a week she changed. She confided to him her real name and let him touch her. For some reason he was not allowed to touch her bare skin. But he didn't mind. She let him kiss her quickly sometimes. She always mentioned a skin condition but never went into much detail. She seemed really happy when nothing happened during their brief kisses. He never asked about the dream she had. Though he now knew that the two people in her dream were her parent's.
"Esme, I can't. We have rules."
"I know Edward. But sooner or later she's going to notice something. We're vampires Edward. We can't escape that."
"I know what we are." he hissed.
Esme sighed and walked over to him. She squeezed his shoulder lightly.
"I know this is hard. But you need to come home now. And she needs to move on. It's what's best for her."
Edward nodded sadly. Esme kissed his cheek and left. He walked to the front door as she and Alice climbed in the car. Rogue was standing on the porch waving. He smiled at how cute she looked. She wore black jeans, a thick red coat and pink boots. Her cheeks were tinted pink from the cold and her hair blew around her face. As the car pulled away he waved and waited as the black Mercedes disappeared. He then walked over to Rogue and wrapped his arms around her waist. She giggled and put her arms around his neck. She lay her head on his shoulder, carefully avoiding skin contact.
"Just me and you, Edward."
"Let's get you inside."
She smiled and allowed herself to be lead by him. He closed the door and together they settled on the couch. There were things she noticed about him, but like the things he noticed about her, they never spoke about it. She knew he didn't eat, and that sometimes he needed to go back. She also didn't spend much time with his family. She never questioned why she couldn't see Jasper, or why no-one stayed near her except Edward and Carlisle. That's was why he was happy to just be alone with her. But as Esme's words ran through his head he realised he needed to make a decision. He was packed and ready to go. He could tell her everything, risk her life and have the possibility of her rejecting him or he could take her to Laughlin City, where she was meant to reach before she came here, and then go on without her. The latter leading to heartbreak but also saving her.
He looked at her, eyes focused on the TV, lips in a little pout. He could kiss her and from there they would reveal all to each other. Or he could lie and break her heart. Neither sounded good for him. Internally he made a decision; he was leaving tonight, no matter what happened. He suppressed a groan inside, knowing that he should have never gotten involved. But something about her seemed to suck him in. He was stuck from the moment she opened her deep green eyes. He smiled as she cuddled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his torso. He stroked her hair, enjoying the scent of vanilla that radiated from her. It was intoxicating. Suddenly his thoughts were filled with her. She had become everything to him in one short month. He loved everything about her, from the cute gap between her two front teeth to her fiery temper which came out more than once. After a day in recovery, she was already throwing back retorts to every insult Rosalie said and put Emmett in his place more than once.
"Edward?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you too Marie."
He looked down at her. She smiled at him and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Somehow he knew she could sense that he was leaving soon. He felt guilty that she should love him even though she had no idea who he was. He was a vampire who could kill her at any second. And yet she loved and trusted him. It had to stop now before he hurt her more.
"Marie?"
"Yeah?"
"I need to go."
"Oh."
"I can give you a ride to Laughlin City. You still want to go there right?"
She nodded vaguely while pulling away from him. He watched her eyes drift towards their bags in the corner. Her duffel stuffed with new clothes from Alice and his sleek black bag.
"We should go before it's dark." She whispered.
Before he could try to make things right, she stood up and grabbed her bag. He sighed and grabbed his own bag. She walked out and he followed, locking the door behind him. He opened the Volvo and they put their bags in the back. He climbed into the driver's seat and waited for her to climb into the passenger seat. Once she was in and buckled up, he sped off.
The whole drive was quiet, filled with the sounds of Adagio for Strings which played from the CD in his stereo. The drive was too quick for his liking. The silence too heavy and the sadness suffocating. He stopped outside Laughlin and instantly wanted to turn around. It was a dingy bar, filled with truckers and drunks. He could smell the alcohol from inside the car, even though the windows were up. She had a look of determination on her face.
"Marie-"
"Edward, I'm not who you think I am. I need you to let me go. And you need the same from me."
He sighed and nodded. She sniffed and kissed his cheek, quickly, before opening her door and leaving. He watched as she waved and disappeared into the bar.
The drive home took him a few days. But it was good enough for him. He didn't need to eat or sleep, just stop for gas. The quiet gave him time to think which was a blessing and a curse. Deep inside he knew being immortal would mean he'd have time to get over her. But the problem was what if he didn't want to get over her. She wasn't just someone he'd forget. But he had to get on with his life. He had to finish school in Forks and then go through university again. He was hoping to join an orchestra in London once he'd finished. Just for a few years until his lack of growth became noticeable amongst his peers. Somehow he felt he was turning his back on the love he felt for her.
It was good to leave, he reminded himself. Nothing good would come of their being together. She could get hurt or worse. Their worlds didn't fit. She was human and he was... a soulless monster. She was too innocent to have her life put in danger every second of everyday. He could lose control if she bled, he might touch her using too much strength or even worse, the Volturi could find out about her. Nothing would work. He had to let her go.
Seeing the house coming into view, he pulled into the drive and cut of the engine. Grabbing his bag he climbed out and went upstairs. He slammed the door to his room and sat on his sofa.
'Oh great. Now he's going to sulk and be miserable.' (Rosalie)
'So you finally got rid of her.' (Emmett)
'No use blaming yourself.' (Jasper)
'Edward, talk to us.' (Esme)
Edward growled as the thoughts bombarded him. He rushed out his room and downstairs to his piano. He began playing, fingers flying across the keyboard in an effort to drown out the sounds. But that didn't stop his own thoughts.
Edward found her downstairs sitting by the piano. Her fingers ghosted over the keys, a small smile on her face. She'd been here for ten days. She was allowed to wonder around today as everyone else had gone hunting. He approached her carefully and sat on the bench. She shifted a little away from him but not too much.
"Do you play?" he asked.
She nodded and played a few chords. He smiled and played the first notes of one his own compositions. She smiled and looked at him curiously. Her fingers positioned themselves and she began to play. He recognised Moonlight Sonata instantly and played along. He didn't have to look at the keys. Instead he watched the way her eyes shone and her hair swayed. She laughed as she played and he found himself laughing along. As the song ended she finished with flourish before turning towards him.
"My name is Marie. Don't tell."
His fingers slammed down on the keyboard in frustration. He needed to stop. Just stop existing. He needed her back but that was selfish of him. He snarled and headed to the door.
"I'm going out." He announced before disappearing into the night.
Two weeks later
Edward stiffened as the familiar scent wafted by. Vanilla. He ignored Emmett's curious glance and the smile on Alice's face. He was more concerned by the way the vanilla had a sudden hint of forest. Also copper and fur. He turned around and scanned the assortment of students. A visiting school had come to study the nature in the forest. Edward, Emmett and Alice served as 'escorts' since the rumours of bears were still circulating. The town was still oblivious to the existence of the wolves. Strangely the rumour had scared many schools away but this school came anyway.
He looked over the crowds of students. Many kept their heads down and/or were covered up to hide something. He sniffed again and found her. She was standing next to man with brown hair and red tinted glasses. Her gaze was focused entirely on the ground before her as she mumbled things to the man. Edward also noticed two white streaks in her hair. He ran towards her avoiding other children. Once in front of her, he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.
'What is he doing?'
'Oh god she's going to kill him.'
'Who is he?'
'Doesn't he know?'
'Oh no.'
The thoughts flew at him, many so similar. He pulled back to look at her. She had a frown on her face, her eyes seeming to be calculating something. He lifted a hand and tugged playfully on a streak.
"New look?"
His heart tightened as a flash of pain went through her eyes. Something had happened. He turned to the man next to her. The thoughts running through his head indicated he was her teacher.
"May I speak to Rogue alone? We're old friends."
The man nodded slowly and Edward grabbed her gloved hand and lead her towards a more deserted place between the trees. Once they were far enough from the voices of others he faced her, arms crossed.
"What happened?"
"After Laughlin I met someone. A friend. But someone was after me. I ended up in a school in New York. But I was kidnapped eventually again. They put me in this machine and it was meant to take my life. But the people from this school and my friend saved me. Oh god, I almost died and all I could think about how I'd never see you again."
Tears trailed down her face and she leaned towards him. He held her tightly, thinking how stupid he'd been.
"Edward... there is something I have to tell you. I don't care if you hate me and run away, but you have to know who I am."
She stepped back and hugged herself.
"I'm a mutant. My skin sucks out the souls of others. Memories, life-force and with other mutants, their powers."
She sniffled and stepped back again. He sighed and stepped closer. He reached for her and pulled her towards him.
"I could never hate you, love. Besides, there is no soul within me."
He lifted her chin and kissed her gently. He held firm so that she couldn't pull away. After a few minutes, whatever she expected to happen didn't and she gasped and kissed him back. But he couldn't keep it up for long. Her blood was rushing to her soft lips. He pulled away and took a deep breath. But he kept her close.
"You're a vampire." She whispered.
His eyes widened and his gaze snapped back to her. She had a small smile on her face.
"Logan, my friend, he was hunted by vampires once. But they couldn't kill him because he heals. I have his memories."
"Then you understand why we can't be together."
"No, I don't."
"Marie-"
"It was easier to let go when we didn't know each other. But now that we do... I accept you for who you are. I wanted you before I knew I could touch you."
He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers.
"You should be normal." He whispered.
"How normal can an untouchable girl be?"
He smiled stroking her cheek. She was right. Those people back in the forest didn't want her around. He didn't need Jasper to know the hurt she'd practically radiated around the others. She deserved to be happy, even if it meant he had to be selfish and keep her to himself.
"Let's go home." He whispered.
She giggled into his chest, the sound filling him with happiness.
"Edward! I'm on a school trip. I'm not even packed."
"Alice can buy you new clothes. You haven't left anything important, have you?"
She looked up and her hand went to her neck. She clutched there for a moment, the sound of a necklace tinkling, and she shook her head.
"Just let me say goodbye."
He nodded and let her run back. He followed slowly, aware of all the eyes as they both came back. The whispers started and he had to try hard to block out the thoughts of others. Rogue was speaking with a woman with silver hair, putting something silver in her hand. She then smiled and ran back to him. He opened his arms as she ran into his embrace, and placed a careful kiss on her head. Everything was okay again.
One year later
"Mrs Cullen. Open your eyes."
Edward watched a smile creep onto her face, long lashes fluttering open. Topaz eyes stared back at him, filled with love. Then she looked past him and into the room. She gasped.
"It's beautiful."
He chuckled and kissed her neck, right on the crescent shaped bite that loomed there. It had been a tough year. She'd been fine around his family once they learned that her skin did actually work on them. It couldn't draw life-force but instead drew qualities from them. She could copy their abilities, cover her scent and sometimes she had a small thirst for blood. It never lasted but it explained why it was hard for him and Alice to use their abilities on her. The psyches in her head blocked her own mind.
Things went a little bad when she went to La Push. She'd been walking in the woods and walked off Cullen territory and into werewolf land. Frightened by their appearance she had touched one and came in contact with the skin under the fur. Sam Uley, leader of the pack, had brought her to the doorstep. He left after knocking. Edward didn't go after him for an explanation. Seeing Rogue writhing in pain on the floor meant she was his first priority. She was going through the symptoms the wolfs went through before they were wolfs but since she didn't have the gene it turned into a deadly fever. In the end he had to bite her, rather than watch her die.
After that he'd locked himself up for the three days, not wanting to hear her screams as she changed. The werwolves said nothing about the transfomration, knowing that if they hadn't existed, she'd never have contracted the fever. Once her transformation was complete she had broken down his door and clung to him. They spent the day just holding each other. From there he taught her how to be a vampire. Hunt, control and the rules. And then he'd finally asked her to marry him. She accepted reluctantly, saying it wasn't because she didn't love him but because at seventeen she was still a little unsure of life. He gave her five months before the wedding, taking her on dates and courting her properly, so that she would feel some strand of normalcy.
Now here they were a year later, standing in their new cottage just a little further from the house, ready to live their new life. They'd had just come back from a very long honeymoon. He smiled at the memory and nipped at her earlobe. It was easier to touch her now that she was a vampire. Her beauty also excelled Rosalie's, making the blonde angry but everyone else happy.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"I love it."
He smiled and pointed to the end of the room. The new sleek black piano stood there. They spent most of their spare time playing. Her face lit up and she glided towards it. When she turned back to him, a playful smirk crossed her face.
"So sugar, where's the bedroom?"
He chuckled and was in front of her in seconds, arms around her waist.
"We'll get there soon. First, let's christen this room..."
