Jasper's face contorted into a painfully pinched expression. He was furiously stuffing Edward's clothes into the large a-frame backpack. His mind wasn't all there as he hurried around, reflecting on the events of the past weeks.
~ Jasper was going at least 20 miles over the suggested speed limit as he leaned forward on his silver Ducati, dodging through traffic. He seemed very concentrated on the road as he moved his hands a little bit, giving him more gas. He had just gotten a call at work, a quivering voice on the other end explaining what Edward had done to himself. Explaining that his best friend, almost brother, Emmett had found Edward in his bath tub. Sleeping pills gone and wrists slashed. Jasper had to keep himself from crying to risk not being able to see where he was going. He would never be able to get Emmett's voice out of his head. The male's usual boisterous self was reduced to a quivering choked sob as he spoke to Jasper. Jasper, despite being the youngest of the group, was the rock. He was emotionally stable and always knew what to say. He had told Emmett to stay put and hopped on his motorcycle and sped off. He came to an abrupt halt as he stopped behind an ambulance parked in the way of the emergency room. He didn't have time for this. He slid off his bike and tossed down his helmet and ran as fast as his legs could take him, inside and past the staff yelling at him for a hospital pass. Up the stairs and to the room he knew to be where Edward and Emmett resided.
He froze in his tracks when he saw Emmett hunched over in a small floral hospital chair and Edward pale, laying in the hospital bed next to him. If it had been another circumstance Jasper might have found it funny, seeing the hulking man Emmett, trying to fit in the petite pastel hospital chair. It truthfully looked more fit for an elder woman knitting than a 6'5" 200 and something pound football star. Jasper's eyes drifted down to the almost destroyed piece of paper in Emmett's hands. He gingerly took it from his rough fingers and peered down at it. He easily made out Edward's beautiful cursive and read each word slowly, not wanting to mistake anything in the note. Jasper took a shaky breath as he read how Edward didn't want to stay alive anymore and how sorry he was to his two best friends, Emmett and Jasper.
Jasper wasn't an idiot. He knew there was more than just surrender in this letter. He had known for a while Edward was starting to fall into depression but he had been so caught up with school and work, he assumed he would be fine till summer. After the crash in senior year of high school Edward had been crippled in both legs and deemed to never walk or leave his wheelchair. Every dream and ambition went out the window for Edward and the only thing holding him up was his two best friends. It had been over a year and both Jasper and Emmett thought Edward could start to hold himself up some but they had been gravely wrong and their friend had almost lost his life for their assumption.~
Jasper finished packing and closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They were actually going to do this, going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Oregon and up through Washington. It had been Edward's goal before the crash and afterwards he deemed it never possible. But after trying to kill himself Jasper knew a huge change was needed and Emmett agreed. They would make all his dreams and goals happen. Now that Jasper had packed the a-frame backpack full he double checked it for things they were missing. Once satisfied with his work he strapped a foldable wheelchair to the pack, making sure it was secure. Emmett who was only a couple inches larger than Jasper but much more strong, decided he would carry Edward. It was the only way for them to actually be able to go through with this. Through out the past week of getting everything ready Edward had been compliant and silent. His eyes silently glazed over and a look on his face that made Emmett's chest clench anytime they were together.
Jasper gave a firm grunt as he hoisted the large backpack onto his back and wobbled some. It was heavy even for him and he wasn't a small man. He made sure everything was secure then walked outside and tossed it into the back of Emmett's wrangler styled jeep. He looked back at the small house that Edward's parents had left him when they died and then he looked up, watching as the clouds move around. It was over cast but not going to rain, not too hot to walk 30 miles a day on terrain none of them had trained for. He looked at the door as Emmett came out, cradling the bronze haired male in his arms like a precious gift. "Everything packed?" Emmett inquired and Jasper gave a curt nod. "Even brought some money just incase." Jasper said with a wave of his hand as he helped Emmett get Edward in the car.
Edward watched both of them fumble with the seatbelt before pushing their hands away. "I'm not a complete involit." He stated, his voice soft and eyes down cast as he buckled himself up. Emmett gave a nod and hopped in the front seat and turned the key in the ignition. The car roared to life and Jasper slid in the back with Edward, looking at his friend. Edward watched as they drove away from his house, his terrible life and his best friends lives. Guilt was very present in his gut as he watched the passing landscape. Emmett had taken a temporary leave from school as well as Jasper. But Jasper had completely quite his job, knowing he couldn't leave for a few months and come back expecting it to be waiting for him. Edward loved his two best friends but what they were attempting was too much. How was some grueling hike going to give back the happiness that was taken from him when his ability to walk was? Edward's eyelids sagged and the world went dark as he fell asleep to the soft hum of rubber on pavement.
When Edward awoke he realized they were parked on what looked like a gravel logging road. He glanced up and saw a large wooden sign marking the PCT. Emmett was already out of the car and strapping the a-frame to Jaspers back. Edward heard the deep concern in Emmett's voice as he spoke to Jasper. "This seems way to heavy, man…Are you sure you can do it? With minimal damage I mean." Emmett said with a skeptical eyebrow raise, not wanting the honey blonde male to be a martyr and trek into the woods only to be injured by the heavy pack.
Jasper's lips curled into a sly smirk as he shifted under the new found weight. "I'll be fine Emmett. Just because I'm one third your body weight doesn't mean I can't hold my own. And your own and Edward's own." Jasper stated and Emmett crinkled up his nose at the soft teasing tone in Jasper's voice. "You calling me fat?" He asked with a grunt that showed he cared more than he wanted to let on. "Just a little over weight." Jasper stated flippantly as he walked passed him and to Edward's door. Emmett looked down at his Adonis like body and pinched the skin around his stomach area. "Liar. I'm hot as fuck." He stated and nodded to himself, deciding it was true. The only response Jasper gave was a light snort.
Emmett walked over to Edward's door and smiled lightly at Edward as he turned around and Jasper tugged the other male so it seemed like Emmett was giving him a piggy back ride. Edward wrapped his arms around Emmett's massive shoulders and watched Jasper as he fashioned a sort of suspension system of straps to Edward and Emmett to make it easier on the both of them. Jasper looked at the two. "Comfy?" He asked Emmett and the man nodded. "Snug at two bugs in a rug." Emmett said and gave his infamous grin, the one that got the crown cheering and the girls wet. Jasper gave a nod and jerked his hand towards the trail. "Let's go." He said and both him and Emmett started up the trail without a single glance back.
Edward just uttered a silent prayer that nobody died on this trip and they would get back safe. He looked at his two friends as they chattered lightly, then he looked at their surroundings. There had been a reason he had wanted to hike this trail after high school. The beauty was over whelming, it made him feel like he was in a fantasy story, like he should see fairies and werewolves bounding around him. Like he was free. Like he could walk. But alas he could not and this whole trip was futile to Edward. At the end he would still end up at home, alone and depending on his best friends, seeping their energy and happiness away. To Edward, everyone would be better off if he was dead.
After a day of walking the trio stopped in a small clearing a couple yards off the main trail. Jasper calculated they had walked about thirty miles today which was a good start. Jasper dumped the over sized a-frame off his back and rolled his shoulders, hearing light popping from his stiff muscles but nothing too serious. Emmett grabbed Edward's wheelchair off the back of the pack and flipped it open easily. He crouched down some and loosened the straps around his body. Edward fell back into his chair with a grunt. Emmett stood to his full height of 6'5" and reached towards the sky in a stretch then leaned over and dangled his arms. "You good?" He asked Jasper who had a displeasant look on his face. Jasper gave a light nod as he used one of his hands to press into a bundle of nerves knotted up in his back.
The honey blonde male grunted softly and glanced up as Emmett padded over and turned Jasper around and pressed him against the nearest tree. He pressed two fingers into the knot in his back and messaged him, softly at first then rougher. Jasper grumbled at first then groaned in relief as Emmett worked the twisted nerves and muscles out. "So lucky…you're a masseur." Jasper hissed in pain as he felt his muscles slowly relaxing into Emmett's firm touches. Edward watched his two friends in silence then something bubble up in his stomach, something he hadn't felt in a long time, laughter. He let out a testing snort first then started to full on chuckle, covering his mouth with a hand.
Emmett and Jasper both glanced back with surprised eyes. "What's wrong?" Emmett asked, thinking maybe it was a reaction from his depression or pain. Jasper was silent then gave a light smile. "He's happy, Em." He murmured to the large man who still had his hands on Jasper's back.
Edward shook his head as he erupted into a fit of giggles.
"At what?" Emmett asked, still looking rather confused. Jasper looked at Edward expectantly who shook his head as he laughed. "You two…look…real close." He laughed and wiped a few stray tears from his cheeks. Emmett glanced in the position he was in, Jasper was bent over bracing the tree as Emmett was pressed into his backside , rubbing his back and making Jasper groan happily. Jaspers eyes widened and he pulled back from the tree and out of Emmett's reach. "Oh." Was all he managed to murmur as Emmett started to laugh as well. Jasper rolled his eyes at the two and set up their sleeping bags a tarp stretched in between three trees like a roof of sorts. "Time to sleep, we have a long hike in front of us." He stated in a firm tone and looked at Emmett and Edward. "Okay mom." Emmett said and helped Edward change and settle down into his sleeping bag. Emmett snuggled up in his own but he was too tall for it, the top half of his body wasn't covered. Jasper slid into his own, wearing a large hoodie and a couple of layers since he got cold easily. The three males settled into their sleeping bags ad drifted off to sleep, unknowing of what this hike would bring them.
It had been a week since they set out, having already hiked over one of the larger mountains they were now down and in Washington and from what Jasper calculated a couple hundred miles outside Port Angeles. This part of the valley was just forest and no towns any where near. Emmett yawned as he stumbled some on the terrain and Edward grunted. "Watch out." He stated and Emmett just rolled his eyes. Over the past week the man had become more vocal and even smiled frequently, this only gave Jasper and Emmett the positive reassurance to blaze on. Jasper looked pale as he held out his hand and a small snowflake landed on it. "We got trouble. I didn't notice the storm coming." Jasper said, knowing he missed it because of his exhaustion from hiking with the huge pack. The man was not built for carrying 80+ pounds on his back while hiking traitorous terrain. Emmett looked worried at Jasper then glanced up. "So do we just hunker down till it passes?" He asked as he took a moment to set Edward down and stretch. Jasper shook his head, looking to be in deep thought. "We'll get snow in, it's very dangerous. I would say try to make it to town but Port Angeles is around 200 miles north, we wouldn't make it." Jasper murmured and his eyebrows knitted together as he thought about what they could do. Emmett stretched some more and frowned. "Well if we get close maybe we can find someone? I have to piss real quick." Emmett said brightly as he stomped off behind some bigger trees. Jasper continued looking at the map then back up at the sky.
Emmett's voice hollered in pain and the sound of his falling echoed through the trees. "Fuck FUCK FUCK!" Emmett yelled and Jasper dropped his map and ran. He rounded the two large trees and saw Emmett holding his leg. Jaspers eyes traveled don the leg and saw Emmett's ankle encircled by a large rusty piece of metal. A bear trap. "Shit Emmett." Jasper murmured, his eyes wide as he crouched down besides his friend. "Is he okay?" Edward shouted from where they had set down their packs. "He stepped in a bear trap." Jasper shouted back and looked over the bear trap carefully. Emmett's jaw was taut in pain and he looked up at the trees above him, trying to focus on anything but the pain. "It's definitely broken." Jasper said in a calm but serious tone. "No shit." Emmett hissed and snapped his eyes closed. "We need help." Jasper said and stood up, not wanting to damage his ankle further.
He jogged back to Edward and dug his cell phone out of his pack and almost threw it when he had no cell service. "Why are there bear traps all the way out here?" Edward asked with a deep frown. Jasper ran his hands threw his honey colored hair and shrugged. "Some asshole trying to kill hikers most likely." he hissed and walked back to Emmett and kneeled by him once again. Edward could hear the muffle of his friends talking and he laid his head back against the tree. They were royally fucked. He heard a branch break to his right and he looked up, hoping it wasn't the bear that trap was supposed to catch. He grabbed Jasper's pack and yanked out Emmett's large hunting knife from it. He held it in front of him, his hand shaking, betraying his fear. He would have called for Jasper but he didn't want him to leave Emmett who seemed more in need of him. "Hello?" He asked in a quivering voice and jumped as a small chipmunk scurried out of the brush. "Holy hell." Edward breathed in relief and dropped his arm.
Just as Edward let go of the knife a large 6'7" man stepped out off the brush. His long raven hair was tied back, revealing his strong features and chiseled jaw, all wrapped up in a little hottie bow by his russet skin. His brown eyes looked down and landed on Edward who looked completely shocked and frozen in his place. "Heard a scream. You need some help?" He asked and Edward nodded dumbly, his eyes trailing down his muscular chest to his well endowed area below the belt. His eyes snapped back up as Jasper jogged over. The brown skinned man looked up at Jasper and offered a friendly smile. "Was hunting right outside town and heard the scream, need some help?" He asked and Jasper looked confused but nodded. "Yeah, our friend stepped in a bear trap and isn't town 200 miles away?" Jasper murmured as he gestured for the man to follow him. "PT is but Forks is about a mile south, it isn't on any maps since we're pretty small. I'll help you over there. Doc Rose is always on call if Carlisle isn't in." He murmured and Jasper just nodded as he and the man crouched down by Emmett. Edward strained to hear what they were saying. "I'm Jasper and this is Emmett and our friend Edward." Jasper said and looked at the huge man who looked at Emmett's ankle in concern. "I'm Jacob, Jacob Black." He stated.
{{I don't have a beta-reader T.T So sorry for the terrible-ness x_x Thank you guys for reading! 3 3 3}}
