Disclaimer: I own neither Edward nor Jacob nor anything else from Twilight, New Moon,or Eclipse. It's all Stephenie Meyer. "Your Guardian Angel" belongs to Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
A/N: Okay I just finished Eclipse. I know I'm late, but hear me out. While I was reading I would get feelings that certain songs should be played because they fit the mood. Once, after finishing a passage with Jacob, I realized my favorite song in the whole world, Your Guardian Angel, worked so well for Jacob. Then I got to thinking as I played it, what if Edward and Jacob sang a duet on this? Provided Jacob could sing of course. It struck me as a very good idea, you'll have to see. The song in question is on youtube, I can't give you a link so go search 'Your Guardian Angel' by 'Red Jumpsuit Apparatus'. I recommend listening to it both before and after you read this if you haven't heard it already. The artist is Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, please don't be discouraged if you're prejudiced against them, seriously, give this song a try. If you want to hear an acoustic version, like the one I'm about to write about, I strongly recommend Dan Carillo (type 'TheUnbornBand + Your Guardian Angel' under search at youtube).
IMPORTANT MESSAGE¡READ THIS! Okay, this is a songfic, and so there is a song. This where it gets complicated because it's a duet between Jacob and Edward so I need to tell you who's singing what because it would be extremely tedious and ruin the over all effect if I went through and marked every line. Edward's are normal and he starts singing, so his should be easy. Jacob's lines are underlined, just remember that. They do sing together and when that happens, the words are italicized. Later on I bold some of the text, but that's just for emphasis. Okay, ENJOY!
Bella's POV:
I let out a long breath. Today had been a long day. Alice had flurried around me all day, asking my opinion on this or that, I couldn't remember half of it so for all I knew my wedding would feature six multi-colored fountains and pony-rides. I snorted at the image. Alice would never allow pony rides. They lacked so much class.
I flopped on my bed and waited for Edward to show up. He'd been a little strange today, frowning when there was nothing to frown at or smiling for no particular reason. He'd also been really allusive when I questioned him about it. He just muttered nothing and continued being as unhelpful as possible. Though he had promised to let me do things my way, he was secretly as ecstatic about all of this as Alice was. I secretly wanted to hurl.
"Ah, speak of the devil…"I grinned up at him as he stepped in through my window, "I was just thinking about you."
"Really?" Edward mused cheerfully. He sat beside me and I leaned against his literally rock-hard abs. "I have a surprise for you." He flashed me a huge smile and pulled me up.
"A surprise? Edward, what kind of surprise?" I was immediately wary that he had gotten me some kind of early wedding gift, or engagement gift, or something.
"A nice surprise," he smiled again. "Come over here and look down."
I knew it was useless to resist, but I did anyway. He dragged me to my window. I sighed and looked down.
"Jacob!" I brightened instantly. Despite everything that had passed, I couldn't help being happy to see him. Jacob Black looked up at me from the young sapling he was leaning against.
"Hey Bells," he was slightly less cheerful than I was, but still grinned at me nonetheless. His dark black hair was now long enough to tie back in a ponytail again. "Did he tell you that we have a surprise for you?"
"We?" I whipped back to Edward, my eyes accusing him. "You didn't tell me you both were up to something."
Edward shrugged, still smiling. I looked back down at Jacob, who was smiling the same irritating smile. He winked at Edward, who I noticed winked back. My eyes darted from one to the other for a few seconds more when I gave up.
"All right, what is it you two are up to? Come one, tell me!" I couldn't stand being out of the loop on this.
"It's a surprise Bella," Jacob rolled his eyes; his old teasing was back, and with it the sparkle in his eyes, "You're not supposed to know."
I groaned. "You guys are maddeningly unhelpful! Fine, give it to me, whatever it is!" I held my hand out.
Edward laughed as I held my hand out and I could hear Jacob's snickering from the ground. "What?" Now they were really bugging me. "What's so funny?" I demanded.
Edward's smile softened with his eyes as he saw how distraught I was getting. "Hush, you'll worry Charlie. Now come on."
Edward pulled me to him gently and leapt down from the window, landing as silently as a cat.
I brushed myself off and stood up straight, "Okay, what's this all about?"
"We really can't tell you Bella," said Jacob seriously, "Just come on."
Edward and Jacob took my hand on either side of me and we started walking into the forest. "Where are we going?" I asked aloud.
"Oh, it's not far, don't worry," Edward answered.
I sighed and resigned myself to the rest of the walk in peace. It was really odd having one hand ensconced in flame and the other encased in ice. A very strange sensation. We reached the other side and walked along the edge of the forest. Again, I wondered where we were headed but the other two seemed content with the silence. As we began to turn I saw a huge pit that was in fact an outdoor auditorium.
It was a concrete circle with many steps for rows of seats and intermittent stairs. The end we were walking towards had a huge raised stage shaped in a semi-circle that stretched to the edges of the pit. Starting behind and coming up to cover it, was a concrete dome, ending where the stage did. I took this to be used for amplification as well as a shield against the weather.
We walked straight towards it though it was empty. I really began to wonder what this was about. As if he could really read my thoughts, Edward my unasked query. "Bella, we were both wondering what to get you for the wedding."
I groaned, I knew this was a present. "I told the both of you, no gifts."
"Well, this isn't really a gift Bella. We just wanted to tell you something," explained Jacob.
This sounded really odd that they were working together, but I put that mystery aside for another time. "So tell me already!" I cried, exasperated with this charade.
"Actually, we'd rather sing it."
I would have tripped and rolled down the stairs we had started on if they hadn't been holding on to me. I was absolutely dumbstruck. "You're performing something for me?" I was positively incredulous.
"Yeah."
"Yep."
"What do you play Jake?" I had never known that Jacob was musically talented.
Jake's mouth dropped. "Uh! I'm offended Bella. You don't think I can sing too?" He sniffed for extra drama.
I would have laughed but I almost tripped again. "No… why didn't you tell me!"
Jacob shrugged, "I didn't know it was important. I guess I should've bragged huh?" He grinned down at me.
I rolled my eyes. We were at the stage now and they had to let go of my hands as they leapt onto it. They both trotted backstage and then shortly reappeared, Jacob carrying two mike stands and Edward carrying a stool and an acoustic guitar. I gaped. "You play guitar, piano and can sing?"
"Well, I didn't play guitar, but apparently I have an aptitude for musical instruments." Edward smiled his crooked smile at me.
Jacob reappeared with two mikes with very long cords. He handed one to Edward and took the other for himself. I watched curiously as they set up. Edward checked the tuning and Jacob tested the mikes, "One two three, apples and bananas!"
His voice rang out clear from all around me. I jumped startled. Jacob grinned, then turned to Edward. "Ready?" Edward nodded and began a quiet intro on the guitar.
"When I see your smile," Edward's voice was soft and full of emotion. He closed his eyes and leaned in close to the mike.
"The tears run down my face," Jacob leapt in suddenly. I jumped I was shocked at how beautiful his voice sounded. Deep, mellow, and throbbing, so unlike Edward's crystal tenor, but so moving and gorgeous. How did I not notice the melody in his voice when he spoke? Then I remembered this was Jacob.
"I can't replace…" Edward looked up at me and smiled as he continued.
And now that I'm strong,
I have figured out,
How this world turns cold and it,
Breaks through my soul,
And I know I'll find,
Deep inside me,
I can be the one.
The harmony was so striking, around the edges my vision began to blur. I kept shifting my focus from one to the other. They were so intent on their singing, so passionate were their voices I could barely remember that I actually knew them. Jacob kept his eyes closed most of the time, griping the mike as tight as he dared without shattering it. Suddenly he looked up at me and smiled slightly.
I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up with you forever…
I'll be there for you through it all…
Even if saving you sends me to heaven.
My mouth had fallen open, I was sure, but I didn't care. These were my boys, my two loves, and they were singing for me. I couldn't believe that they loved me enough to join forces and do this for me. As if they knew I was overwhelmed by this, they continued, softer than when they had started.
It's okay…
It's okay…
It's okay-ay-ay-ay…
Seasons are changing and,
Waves are crashing and,
Stars are falling,
All for us.
Days grow longer and,
Nights grow shorter.
I can show you
I'll be the one.
It as was heartbreaking to watch as it was to listen. On the one hand, Edward was singing from his heart, straight to me, telling me all the things I already knew and returned with equal exuberance, my heart swelled to the point of aching hearing the beauty of it all escape from his lips. But that part of me that belonged to Jacob was weeping desperately, hearing him belt out the notes with as much love as Edward and knowing, with endless pain and agony, that it would, could, never be returned. In some ways this was torture, but it was sweet, sweet torture.
I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up with you forever…
I'll be there for you through it all…
Even if saving you sends me to heaven.
'Cause you're my…
You're my…
My-y-y-y…
My true love,
My whole heart,
Please don't throw that away!
'Cause I'm here-e-re!
For you-ou-ou…
Please don't walk away and,
Please tell me you'll stay-ay-ay…!
Whoa-oa-oa-oa…
Stay-ay-ay-ay…!
Whoa-oa-oa-oa…!
Use me as you will!
Pull my strings just for a thrill!
And I know I'll be okay!
Though my skies are turning grey!
I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up with you forever…
I'll be there for you through it all…
Even if saving you sends me to heaven.
I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up with you forever…
I'll be there for you through it all…
Even if,
Saving you,
Sends me…
To…
Hea-ven….
I was absolutely speechless for one second and then tears, endless, hot, overjoyed and misery-filled tears spilled onto my cheeks in a furious torrent as soon as the final chord faded. I collapsed to my knees with the weight of the emotions I felt. Instantly I felt Edward's cold strength lifting me up and setting me on the colder, hard stone behind me.
"Sh, Bella, sh…" he cradled me close as the tears began to ebb away. "We didn't mean to make you cry."
"No, no… I'm not crying because it hurt, I'm crying because it was so beautiful," I pulled back to look at Edward. "Thank you so much. That's way more than I deserve." And I meant it; no human being alive deserved what I had just experienced.
Edward chuckled, "Funny… we were worried it wouldn't be enough."
We… that reminded me. "Jacob!" I yelled, jumping up. Jacob appeared slowly from back stage where he'd been putting the mikes away. He raised an eyebrow as I scrambled awkwardly onto the raised platform. "Yes?" he asked.
"Jacob…" I looked at him helplessly, infuriated with that damn mask he'd already put in place. "Jacob…" I tried again, walking towards him. When I got close I slapped his arm, "Why the hell didn't you tell me you could sing?"
Jacob laughed, a warm, uplifting sound. "Well I'll remember to sing more often now." He smiled down at me softly for a moment, then quickly covered it up as he turned to finish packing up.
"No," I grabbed his arm and hugged him fiercely around the waist. He clasped me against him, tight enough that I couldn't breathe, but I didn't care. "Thank you," I wheezed, "now could you please let go?"
He obeyed. I gasped loudly, "Air!" He gave me a sour look, but I smiled back. He smiled too. "See ya' later Bella."
"Yeah, see ya' Jake." I looked back at him once before jumping into Edward's arms. As soon as we were out of earshot, which was almost all the way out of the pit, Edward muttered, "I'm glad you liked it." I sensed there was something more, but I didn't press him if he didn't want to talk about it. We walked back in peaceful silence. As we neared the house, Edward turned to me, "So after hearing that, do you still like my lullaby better?"
I smiled, "Of course I do."
"Ah, but you liked Jacob's singing better than mine."
"What? No, I don't."
"Yeah, sure…" Edward grinned my favorite crooked smile. "You're an odd one, Edward." I giggled at him a little.
"But would you still love me if I wasn't?"
I snickered again and reached up to kiss his cheek, "Maybe…" I winked at him and we bounced into my bedroom. I sighed. Sometimes it was good to be Mrs. Edward Cullen.