The Little Mermaid

by HeartsXshadow

"That was why I always loved The Little Mermaid. Her story was so much more relatable-She didn't get the prince or have the conventional "happily ever after". Edward/Jacob, Two-shot AU

1. PART I

The Little Mermaid

Author: HeartsXShadow

Rating: T
Genre: Romance/Angst

Summary: "That was why I always loved The Little Mermaid. Her story was so much more relatable-She didn't get the prince or have the conventional "happily ever after"-instead, she gave up her voice and forsaken her kindred, and suffered unimaginable pain daily…and even that didn't get her Prince Charming. TWO-SHOT, AU.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hans Christian Andersons "The Little Mermaid", Nor do I own Twilight. I'm not making money off of this either, people. Calm down.

Pairings: Edward/Jacob, Jacob/Bella

Warnings: Slash, obviously. Don't like it? The back button is located at the top left side of the screen. Everyone else: Thank you for choosing HeartsXShadow, I hope you have a pleasant trip.

Written in Edward's POV

PART I

"Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above."

No line in any novel could compare to the opening sentence of The Little Mermaid. It drew me in from the very moment that I could understand words, and since then has been my favorite story of all time. I suppose it would seem strange that a seventeen year old guy would be interested in such a story-but I was(am). It stemmed from my intense passion from the sea; no other fairy tale included the descriptions that The Little Mermaid did. What else could I do but fall in love with it? As a child, though, I couldn't process the great tragedy of the story, and if I did it probably wouldn't have been an all-time-favorite.

But now I do…and I must admit that her tragic love only intensifies my deep interest in the story. And that was why I always loved The Little Mermaid: Her story was so much more relatable-She didn't get the prince or have the conventional "happily ever after"-instead, she gave up her voice and forsaken her kindred, and suffered unimaginable pain daily…and even that didn't get her Prince Charming.

"The little mermaid swam close to the cabin windows; and now and then, as the waves lifted her up, she could look in through clear glass window-panes, and see a number of well-dressed people within. Among them was a young prince, the most beautiful of all, with large black eyes; he was sixteen years of age, and his birthday was being kept with much rejoicing...The ship itself was so brightly illuminated that all the people, and even the smallest rope, could be distinctly and plainly seen. And how handsome the young prince looked, as he pressed the hands of all present and smiled at them, while the music resounded through the clear night air."

His perfectly tanned skin and flawless smile certainly attributed to my initial attraction for him. I was hopelessly in love with him from the moment I met him. I could never forget the day that I first met him, nor would I ever hope to. I suppose that makes me something of a masochist, but I can live with that; I've been called worse. Fate had been so cruel to guide me to someone I could never dream to have.

/Flashback/

The Sun was a rare phenomenon in Forks. In fact, if it hadn't decided show it's rays, I was sure it was a myth. But here it was, blinding and yellow, warming the tiny town on a Saturday. And of course, the Fates would have me sick on such a beautiful day. I glared out my window as two birds flew by, twirling around one another. What gave them the right to enjoy such a day? I rolled my eyes at my own pettiness. Was I really going to let a few birds stir jealousy within me?

Yes. Yes I was. So I continued to stare at the two birds as they flew off into a tree, nestling themselves into a cozy bed of twigs and dry leaves. Together. A pair. An item. Another sad reason to be jealous of the birds. A coughing fit overwhelmed me and I miserably resumed my laying position on my bed. Isn't this lovely? I thought dryly, staring at the ceiling. A nice- no, perfect - day, and of course I just had to be sick. Alice and Emmett must be enjoying the sun…maybe they're at the beach? Of course, they had made plans with their significant others-Jasper and Rosalie respectively-and were out of the house. I was sure that even Carlisle and Esme had gone out to do something. Leaving me alone. Always alone.

I frowned at the thought. I hated being so petty; but then again, one couldn't help what they felt. I shut my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Being cooped up in the house, all alone and sick, on a sunny day was doing nothing to improve my mood. So, despite my better judgment, I put on a pair of jeans and a V-neck shirt, took a few Tylenol and journeyed out of my house and through the woods, a bottle of Orange Juice in hand. I squinted against the rays of light that penetrated the protective barrier the trees had formed. I hadn't anticipated that it would be so…bright. Or that it would've have been so hot. And I definitely didn't anticipate there being a steep hill for me to slide down. With a sickening crunch, my ankle gave out and I tumbled down the mountain of dead leaves and dirt until I came to a crumpling stop.

"Ouch…" I moaned, lying face down in the mud. I slowly pushed myself to an upright position and gently examined my (what I had believed to be) broken ankle and grimaced. It wasn't too badly mangled, but it wasn't something I could walk on, especially considering my weakened state. I reached into my pocket and was surprised to find that my cell phone wasn't there.

"I must've left it at the house…" I mumbled to myself, sighing in defeat. "Meaning that I have to wait for them to realize that I'm not home…and that I need help." I pursed my lips. "Fantastic." I dragged myself to the nearest tree and leaned against it, my breaths coming out in heavy pants. I wonder if a wolf will come by and eat me? I thought sarcastically. I could feel my fever coming back and groaned. The day would only get worse, I just knew it.

And it did. I suppose the sun had been out to get revenge on my doubt for its existence, for just a few minutes later it retreated behind the safety of the Forks clouds. And the clouds must have found it funny too, as they began to laugh so hard that thunder boomed off in the distance and lightening flashed: and, of course, the rain poured steadily down. In a matter of seconds I was soaking wet. This is what I get for being petty. I wrapped my arms around myself in a futile attempt to keep myself warm as another cough escaped my lips. It's okay, I had a good life. I reasoned. Can't really complain…

And just as I was about to give up hope, he came. He was tanned- obviously a Quileute boy- and had short black hair. He had his hands in the pockets of his black hoodie, a white tank top underneath it. Clad in faded blue jeans…well, he was something out of a fairy tale. His eyes widened and he came to a stop when he realized I was there, and I briefly wondered if he had noticed that I had been…well, checking him out. I looked up at him and met his beautiful brown eyes, and my heart stopped. I had never been one to believe in love at first sight…but this was something I couldn't deny. He shifted his gaze around before he finally broke the silence.

"Um…hey. Are you alright?" He asked awkwardly.

"N-no." I coughed out. "I'm sick, and I…decided to go for a walk in the woods. I slipped down that hill-" I gestured to the one behind him. "- and broke my ankle." I finished quietly.

He relaxed and smiled. "Ah, okay. Sorry, I kinda thought you were a…hobo." He grinned sheepishly. Only then did I realize that I must've looked God-awful. How good could you look if you slipped down a muddy hill sick? "I mean, that wouldn't have been funny, and your situation isn't funny either-but-" He ran his hand through his wet hair. "Never mind, I'll shut up now. I'm guessing you need help?"

I nodded meekly. "Y-yeah. That would be nice." He smiled at me, and I hesitantly smiled back as he approached me. He put my arm around his shoulder and helped me up.

"Can you walk on it?" He asked. I put a little weight on it and immediately regret it. I let out a cry of pain almost fell forward, but he caught me. "I guess not." He mumbled. He let me down on the ground as he shrugged off his jacket and gave it to me. "The rain won't make you any better." He teased. I rolled my eyes but put the jacket on anyway. "Do you think you can climb on my back?" I nodded and waited for him to turn around and carefully placed myself on him. Once on, he shifted my weight until he was comfortable and began to trudge on the muddy trail.

"I didn't catch your name." I whispered.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm Jacob. And you would be…?" He replied.

"Edward. My name is Edward."

"So, Edward, what were you doing wandering the woods while sick? Don't you know that werewolves and vampires roam Forks?" He asked sarcastically.

I laughed. "Those silly legends? You believe them?"

"Nah, I just thought it would be an interesting ice breaker. Still, you should answer my question."

"To think and to enjoy the sun while it was out. Which was a bad idea, I guess. What were you doing?" I asked in return..

"Me? I was walking around, looking for my next victim. After all, I'm a serial rapist." He answered sarcastically. "Everyone knows only retarded babes walk in the woods alone."

"Are you calling me retarded?"

"So, you're a babe?"

I laughed again. Something I hadn't done in a while. "No, sorry to disappoint you. And if you are a rapist, then you're the kindest I know, to take me to safety."

"Maybe I'm Bi. Everyone knows that only retarded babes and sick boys wander around the woods alone." He laughed, unaware of how dangerous jokes like that could be around me.

"I see."

"Aw, come on Eddie. You know that I'm joking."

"A nickname already?" I asked incredulously. "Am I that important to you?"

"Maybe." He shifted my weight once again and a silence blanketed us.

"You're not cold?" I ventured softly. "Even with all the rain and my being wet-ness?"

"Edward, you naughty boy." He teased, and I blushed. "But to answer your question, no, I'm not. I've always had a warmer temperature than everyone else. I guess you could say I was born hot."

"Aren't we clever? Well, I suppose we're opposites: I'm always cold." I said quietly. "I don't mean to be rude-I really don't. But…I don't think I can stay awake any longer. You wouldn't mind if I took a little nap, would you?" I asked, resting my head against his back.

"…Nah. Get rest, you need it." He turned his head and smiled at me. "Sleep nice, Eddie."

**/\\**

I had awoken in a hospital bed with my mother, Esme beside me. She let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, Edward! Don't give us such a scare!" She rushed to embrace me. "If it hadn't been for that nice young man…" She smiled.

"Where is he?" I asked quickly, pushing myself up.

"Hmm? He left, dear. Almost an hour ago…you've been out for a while. And he couldn't just wait around for you to regain consciousness." She laughed.

"Right…" I trailed off and leaned back in the bed. He must've been happy to get rid of me…

"Oh, that reminds me." She reached onto the table and picked up a note. "He told me to give this to you." I greedily snatched it from her grasp and read it:

'Haha. Looks like you're not gonna get up for me, huh "Sleeping Beauty"? Well, I'll be seeing you at your school, I'm transferring there in a few days, so you can praise me for your rescue then! Nah, but get better so we can hang out!

-Jacob

P.S You can keep the jacket if you'd like.

/End Flashback/

I don't know how many times I read the letter that night, and I never wanted to stop. I kept it tucked in a drawer next to my bed when I got home, and when I was better enough to crutch my way to school, he and I did become better acquainted with each other. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. A year later and I was completely healed and we were the closest of friends. How could something so beautiful be so…wrong?

At one moment it was so pitch dark that she could not see a single object, but a flash of lightning revealed the whole scene; she could see every one who had been on board excepting the prince; when the ship parted, she had seen him sink into the deep waves, and she was glad, for she thought he would now be with her; and then she remembered that human beings could not live in the water, so that when he got down to her father's palace he would be quite dead. But he must not die. So she swam about among the beams and planks which strewed the surface of the sea, forgetting that they could crush her to pieces. Then she dived deeply under the dark waters, rising and falling with the waves, till at length she managed to reach the young prince, who was fast losing the power of swimming in that stormy sea. His limbs were failing him, his beautiful eyes were closed, and he would have died had not the little mermaid come to his assistance. She held his head above the water, and let the waves drift them where they would.

I'll get him hot, show him what I got

I'll get him hot, show him what I got

Can't read my, can't read my,

No he can't read my poker face

I groggily reached for my phone, glancing at the time. 2:20...My eye twitched. I didn't care if it was Jacob who was calling, two was such an ungodly hour. Knowing that I would regret it if I didn't answer the call now, I hastily pressed the accept button.

"Hello?" I croaked. "Jacob…do you know what time it is?"

"Eeedwwwaaarrd!" He moaned into the phone, laughing hysterically immediately after. "Eddie, I'm drunk…"

I bit my lip. Drinking was so gross, especially when it was underage binge drinking. But this was Edward…there were always exceptions for him. "Yes…I can tell."

"Aw, you're mad at me now, aren't ya?" He asked guiltily. "I'm sorry Eddie…I couldn't help it!"

"Yeah…" I mumbled awkwardly. "So, any particular reason you called? Or was this a random drunk one?"

"Well…you might be able to help me. Y'see…I'm kinda stranded. I'm off on the cliffs, drunk and alone…can't go home like this, too dangerous to drive or walk to a friends…" He trailed off, and I briefly wondered if he had passed out.

"Jacob?" I asked softly.

"Why don't you come down and spend the night with him here by the sea? It's so nice out tonight…"

His question startled me. His tone and implications…well, I knew that I was getting my hopes up. It always was too good to be true. But…it wouldn't hurt to give it a try, right? "The cliffs…where you usually go?" I asked hesitantly.

"Mmmm."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, Jacob." I promised.

"Thanks, Ed. You're fucking awesome." He slurred into the phone, and I knew he had his trademark grin plastered on his face. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

"I know I am." I replied, quietly removing the covers off of me and ending the call. My parents wouldn't allow me to leave at such an hour; there was no point in waking them and asking them. I had to be stealthy and sneak out of the house (something I never had done before), so I was thankful that my parents were both heavy sleepers, and that my silver Volvo made no sounds when it started. The adrenaline pumped through my veins as I quickly backed out of my driveway and sped off towards the cliffs.

**/\\**

Thirty minutes later I found myself walking the familiar dirt path that lead to the sea. I could hear the waves crashing, and I was thankful that I remembered to grab a jacket-his jacket. I clutched it closer over my body as a cold wind blew past. It's so cold out…why would he be out drinking alone? I shook my head and continued down the long path until I could feel the salty spray glide past my body. I shivered and came to a stop as I looked down at his sleeping form. The pale moonlight illuminated every inch of him so perfectly, from that sexy jaw line to the curve of his shoe. His breaths were soft and even; I didn't want to disturb him. Suddenly, his bloodshot eyes opened, and a lopsided grin graced his features.

"Eddie! H-how are ya'?" He slurred. "Get over here!" He clumsily got to his feet, swaying and almost falling multiple times. I quickly ran over to him and held him steady. "Thanks, buddy."

"Mm." I nodded and lead him to my car. "Come on, Jacob. Let's get you home."

He shook his head violently. "N-no! My dad can't see me like this! Please, please…let me stay at your house?" He nuzzled his nose into my neck, and I tensed. "Come on, Edward…"

"Jacob…I can't take you to my house drunk, either. My parents wouldn't be okay with that…" I trailed off as he continued to nuzzle me.

"But Edward…you can't leave me alone li-like this!" He hiccupped. "C'm on…I need ya." I bit my lip. It would be so wrong to do this. And yet, I knew I wouldn't be able to tell him no. Finally, I gave into temptation. "Alright. I'll stay with you…we can camp out in my Volvo tonight." He grinned and pulled me close. I hadn't noticed the alcohol before…but the stench was disgusting. "What were you doing drinking alone, Jacob?"

"I wasn't alone. Quil and Embry were here, too…" He pouted. "But they left a few hours ago…"

"You still didn't answer my question." I chided, panting. He was much bigger than me, and his weight was starting to have its toll on me, even if we had only taken a few feet's worth of steps. I'm outta shape…"Why were you drinking?"

" 'Cause, I was thinking." He began. "Thinking about…you an' me."

My heart stopped, but I continued to my car. "Oh? And what were you thinking…?" I tried not to get my hopes up. I really did. But then again, what straight guy began a conversation with another guy like that?A drunk one…My mind hissed, but I pushed that thought away.

" 'Bout those fucking rumors…the ones about me and you being gay." His eyes narrowed; my heart broke. "Fucking idiots…I mean, you're not that way, and I'm not that way…where the fuck did they get that idea?"

"I don't know." I replied quietly. "Maybe it's because we spend a lot of time together."

"Pssh. I mean, I love you, Edward, I really do." I could feel my heart beating erratically against my chest, but I tried not to let it go to my head. "I fucking love the time we spend together, you're fucking awesome. But…not that way. Ya know?" He laughed.

"Yeah, I know. But, if you don't want people spreading rumors about us being gay together, maybe you should be shouting that you love me."

"…Maybe. But…I'm drunk. I don't give a damn!" He shouted. "So…do you love me?"

The question kept me grounded. I stopped in my tracks, genuine fear taking over my body. "W-what?" I stammered.

"Do you love me?" He paused in between each word.

"Yeah. As much as another guy can love another guy." I replied quietly.

"That would make you gay." He pointed out, laughing.

"That's why you were the one rubbing your face against my neck a few minutes ago, right?" I mumbled, blinking back the tears.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing." I unlocked my car and walked him over to the passenger's seat. "Quil or Embry can't take you in for the night? Sam can't? Leah?" I asked irritably.

"What's up your ass?"

"I can't be irritated that my friend called me here in the dead of the night to take care of his drunk ass?" I spat.

"That's not it. C'm on, Edward. I may be fucking drunk as hell, but I know you better than that."

"Never mind. It's nothing."

"…Seriously, Ed. What's wrong?" He asked. "Did you not know about the rumors? Sorry, I thought you did…"

I rolled my eyes. Who didn't know about the rumor? "I'm not upset about that, okay? Just drop it already." An uncomfortable silence spread between the pair of us.

"Mm…you can drop me off at Sam's house if you're mad at me, he won't mind." He replied. "Fuck, I'm sorry."

I sighed. "…No, it's fine. It's not your fault…" I opened the door and deposited him in the seat. Don't overreact, Edward. You knew that he wasn't interested in you. I sighed and walked to the drivers seat. "I mean, we both know that the rumor isn't true. Come on, we both know that you could do better than me."

"Nah…you're fucking awesome, remember? If I was gay, I'd go for you." He grinned. "Was that what you were mad about? You were offended 'cause you thought that I thought I could do better than you if I was that way? You're conceited!" He laughed.

I rolled my eyes. "You're drunk. And I'm gonna hold what you just said over you for the rest of your life."

"Then tell me…why were you so mad?"

"Well…I don't know. Why were you so upset about the rumor that you had to drink?" I asked quietly.

"…I don't want people making fun of you, or making your life hard 'cause they think you're gay. Nothing's wrong with being that way…I know, but you get beat up for it. And I don't want you getting hurt because of me. I mean…people won't say shit to my face, or even try to fight with me. They know I'll fucking kill them. But you…"

"I'm weak, and need a big, strong man to protect me?" I asked dryly.

"I just don't want you hurt." He leaned over and stared into my eyes.

"People wouldn't make fun of me…I mean, if they thought that I was with you, anyway. They're afraid of you, remember?" I asked coyly.

He let out a laugh. "I guess you're right…but I was really worried. I hear them talking about all the shit they wanna do to you in the halls." Now that caught my attention. "For the past few weeks, anyway. So, that's why I needed a drink…to calm down. I wasn't even supposed to tell you…I promised myself I wouldn't make you worry."

"Jacob…please don't worry about me. As long as I have you as a friend…I'll be fine. Besides, I can take care of myself. You don't need to protect me."

"…Yeah, I do." He looked at me seriously. "They…what they wanna do to you…makes me fucking sick."

"And you won't tell me, because you're protecting me. Right?"

"Mmhmm." He replied stubbornly. "I'm always gonna protect you, because you're always gonna take care of me." The last part caught me off guard. I didn't know how to reply to that.

"Of course, Jacob." I mumbled. In a few seconds, I could hear his snores. He was out cold. "I'll always be by your side…because I love you." I sighed and rolled over, pulling his jacket closer to my body. It was weird. He acknowledged that our relationship wasn't a normal friendship…not a relationship- just a little short of being that-but something. It was confusing. Then again, I could just be getting my hopes up again.

Sure, I couldn't have him…but I would never stop loving him.

She did not wait long before she saw a young girl approach the spot where he lay. She seemed frightened at first, but only for a moment; then she fetched a number of people, and the mermaid saw that the prince came to life again, and smiled upon those who stood round him. But to her he sent no smile; he knew not that she had saved him. This made her very unhappy, and when he was led away into the great building, she dived down sorrowfully into the water, and returned to her father's castle. She had always been silent and thoughtful, and now she was more so than ever.

In the weeks that followed, Jacob…ignored me. Maybe he was uncomfortable with the things said. Maybe I wasn't supposed to hear it…All I could do was speculate. I was too afraid to text him, or message him. If he needed space, that was exactly what I would give him. No matter how much I worried, no matter how much I yearned to hear his voice, I avoided him like the plague. What was even stranger was that everyone seemed to be avoiding me, too.

I guess he's protecting me…I thought to myself as I walked down the hall alone. And yet, I feel their eyes trained on me. I wonder why that could be? I shrugged my bag to a more comfortable position on my back. I really don't like it. I could hear the students whisper as I walked by. And as hard as I tried to hear their words, all I got were "Poor Edward…", "I wonder if he knows?", and "I didn't know Jacob could be so mean!". None of it made any sense. Why was everyone making a big deal? I mean, sure, we were usually always together…and for the past two weeks we weren't. But did that mean that everyone needed to make a big deal over it? Maybe they think we've broken up. I thought half amused. And with the way he's been acting, I would think the same way. I shook my head and pushed those thoughts aside. Once again, I was overreacting. He just needs space.

I smiled when I saw Rosalie approach me, but it quickly faded. With the way she was striding towards me, scowl firmly in place, I knew something was wrong. Did Emmett do something stupid again? I rushed to meet her half way. Maybe she isn't even trying to meet me, though. It could be that she's in a bad mood, and—

"Edward. We need to talk. Now." She growled, pulling me across a few hall ways into an empty classroom. She crossed her delicate arms over her chest and sighed. "You must be wondering why Jacob has been avoiding you."

I paled slightly, and an overwhelming feeling of dread overtook me. "Yeah…" I could feel sweat bead down my neck, and gather in my palms. I don't recall ever being so afraid. "I mean…" I stopped mid sentence. What do I mean?

She sighed and looked at me sympathetically. "Well, Edward…the main rumor is that Jacob dumped you for a girl." She began. "Of course, I knew better than that…I know that you guys were never together. But I have noticed that he's nowhere near you. So I did a little digging around" She paused. "And the reason is Bella Swan."

I felt a sharp pang pierce my heart. Bella Swan…the new girl from Arizona? "I see…" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "He has a girlfriend…and that's why he's been avoiding me?" I laughed, but it sounded so foreign, so fake. "And here I thought he was mad at me."

"I know how you feel about him, Edward." Rosalie said quietly, and that effectively cut off my rambling. "The others may be oblivious, but I'm not."

"…That doesn't change anything." I replied, just as quiet. "He's still with her."

"Well, I could change that."

"Don't, Rose."

"You know I wouldn't…unless you wanted me to." She flipped a lock of golden hair off of her shoulder. "I don't think it's going to last long. I mean…she isn't that attractive, and she lacks personality. I think he's only dating her to kill the rumors. Why he'd settle for her is beyond me."

"You don't need to make fun of her to make me feel better." I laughed sadly. "If he really wants to be with her…if he's genuinely interested, then I'm happy for him."

"And what if he's doing it just because he wants the rumors to stop?"

"I can't make him not date her." I replied.

"Edward, you need to tell him how this makes you feel. You can't pretend that everything's okay. Look at you! You've been alone in school for the past two weeks because of him! What kind of man doesn't even have the decency to tell his friend that he's seeing someone?"

"Stop it."

"No." She growled. "You're going to let him walk all over you…to salvage a friendship that-"

"Shut up!" I shouted. "Just shut up Rosalie. You don't know what he's like. You don't know his true motives. You're buying into rumors that don't have much fact behind it. And you expect me to do the same."

"Edward-"

"You question his friendship-what he feels towards me. Well, what kind of friend would I be if I left him now?" I whispered. "Even if it's true…all of it, I don't care. He's too important to me. I can't leave him."

She sighed in defeat. "Edward…" She bit her lip, and seemed to think better of what she was going to say next. "You're going to have to tell him how you feel sooner or later…about everything."

"I don't need to do anything I don't want to." I shot back.

"I'm just trying to help, Ed. And who knows, maybe he does like you. Maybe he's just waiting for you to tell him first." She said evenly. "But, you'll never know unless you ask." With that said she turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the cold classroom.

I'll talk to him. Today…maybe I won't tell him how I feel, but I will get to the bottom of this. I need to know the truth…is he dating her?

**/\\**

I waited outside on a bench. There was a light drizzle, and it didn't help that the winds were swirling all around me. But the coldness outside was nothing compared to the ice that seemed to be building up inside of me. I was upset with Jacob. Why wouldn't he just tell me that he was seeing Bella? Why had he been avoiding me? Questions swirled around in my brain, but I couldn't draw any conclusions. So, I did all I could do: wait. He replied to my text rather quickly with an "alright." Like he couldn't be troubled to come and see me after school. You're being petty again, quit it. I scolded myself. There could be a perfectly valid reason for his actions. I really did hate that I loved Jacob so much that he could get away with anything. Five minutes late already.

I looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. There he was, just as handsome as ever. My breath was caught in my throat when he stopped in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest. He kept a blank face; I couldn't know what he was thinking. We stayed like that for a few minutes in that dreadfully uncomfortable silence until I finally gathered the courage to speak to him.

"H-hey, Jacob." I stammered, keeping my gaze focused at the ground. Oh God, what am I doing?

"Edward." He nodded in response. His voice was so cold, so distant. "What did you want?"

I felt my heart breaking. What did I do to you? What had I done wrong? If my memory recalled correctly, he was the one who came onto me when he was drunk. But of course, I didn't dare to say this to him. I could never find it in me to be so cruel to him, to speak my mind. SO instead, I opted for my former question. "I just-Jacob, what did I do to…make you hate me?"

His stare was just as blank as ever. I could tell that he was formulating an excuse-a lie, most likely. Whatever was the cause behind his actions, he definitely wasn't going to tell me. "I don't hate you, Edward. I'm just spending time with my girlfriend."

"…You didn't even tell me that you were dating." I replied softly.

"I don't have any commitment to you. You're not my keeper; you don't need to know what's going every fucking minute of my life." He growled. His tone caught me off guard and I was rendered speechless. "Maybe I was tired of the rumors, so I decided to do something about it. Why don't you?"

I felt the tears building up in my eyes. Of course…the rumors. That's why he hates me. I took a deep breath, contemplating whether I should reply or not. What can I even say to that? "Oh." Escaped my lips. "I see. Then I'm sorry to have bothered you."

His eyes narrowed at me. "Whatever." He turned on heel and walked off towards Bella who had been standing at the school entrance. How didn't I notice her? Come to think of it, there was a small crowd surrounding us. Maybe that's what he was worried about? I couldn't bear to meet any of their gazes; instead I opted to keep my stare at the ground. And it was there that I noticed a small, folded piece of paper on the ground with my name on it. I bent over to pick it up. After all, it had Jacob's handwriting. Do I even want to read it? I thought miserably, opening the paper anyway.

Edward.

Trust me; there is a reason for the way I'm acting. Can't tell you here, please understand…I'll pick you up at 8. Again, I'm so sorry.

-Jake

I eyed the paper skeptically. And, being the desperate fool I am, I'm going to agree to this. I sighed heavily. While it did make me feel better that he wasn't truly mad and disgusted with me, it hurt me so much that he was going to abandon me because of a few rumors. I swear, if I wasn't so in love with him…I wouldn't tolerate this. I laughed quietly at the thought. But I do…another thought crossed my mind, a thought that I truly didn't want to acknowledge.

Was Rosalie right about Jacob?

**/\\**

Just as he promised, he arrived at my door at exactly 8:00. It was a little surprising that he was on time: Jacob had a habit of running late by at least half an hour. He had parked his worn out Rabbit in my garage and I stared at him incredulously.

"We're going to ride that?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

He shook his head. "If you don't mind, I thought we could take a walk…you know, with gas prices being what they are these days." He trailed off.

"Alright. Let me get a jacket." I replied, closing the door behind me. I jogged up the stairs to my room and searched my closet for a suitable jacket. I was tempted to use the black hoodie he had given me, but restrained myself. I had to be strong, so instead I used my new Fox jacket. I ran back down the stairs and out the door, half hoping that he thought I had ditched him and left. Unfortunately (Or, rather, fortunately) he was still there, sitting on my doorstep.

"…You're not using the one I gave you?"

"No." I replied coldly, closing the door behind me. I walked ahead of him and kept my pace brisk as we entered the looming darkness.

"Edward, can you please slow down? You of all people should know that walking in the woods can be dangerous." He jogged ahead of me and stood in my way. "Please, I don't want you to get hurt."

"A little late for that." I growled. "Why couldn't you reply to my texts? Or messages, or talk to me in person? Do I really disgust you that much?"

"Edward, it's not you—"

"Then what is it? What was I supposed to think? You couldn't even tell me that you were dating Bella…" I turned away from him. "What was I supposed to think?" I repeated.

I heard him sigh behind me. "Edward, you have no idea how sorry I am. Really, I am. I mean, I thought I was helping you by avoiding you—I really don't want you bullied over this."

"I was never 'bullied' about it, Jacob. Hell, you still refuse to tell me what everyone wants to do me because they think I'm gay! Tell me, how am I supposed to defend myself if I don't know what to expect?" I yelled.

"…You can't know." He said quietly. "Trust me. I'm taking care of it."

"Trust you." I laughed. "Jacob-" He pushed me against the nearest tree, pinning my arms over my head. "A few of the guys wanna do this to you. They want to show you just how "wrong" gay is…by being hypocrites and fucking the shit out of you." He leaned close to me; I could feel his hot breath on my neck.

I turned my head to the side. "How does your lack of presence make me "straight"? I mean, I am…" I quickly added. "But I fail to see the logic of you leaving me alone and getting yourself a girlfriend when I myself lack one. It makes you the straight one, and me the broken hearted gay."

"Edward, we both know you can get a girl easily." He was still keeping me pinned against the tree. It was so hard not to be aroused. "Even if it's a lie…just do it."

"Is that what Bella is? A lie?" I struggled against him.

He didn't answer right away, and in the silence I allowed to enjoy being so close to him. I could feel ever muscle pressed against my body, feel the blood pumping through his veins, and his heart beating. His scent was so intoxicating-musky and slightly earthly, mixed with his signature body spray. It was overwhelming to be so close to him; my reasons for being mad at him were quickly evaporating. He sighed against my ear, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"No, she's not." He finally replied. "She's…it's complicated. But please…know that she could never mean more to me than you."

I gave in and relaxed in his grip. "Alright." I breathed out, and he seemed to relax as well. "Okay, I trust you. I'm sorry for-"

"Don't be. I'm the one who should be apologizing. Do you forgive me?" He asked softly.

"…You know that I always will." I replied just as quietly.

"Bear with this for just a little while more, okay? Just until everything has died down." He pulled me into an embrace. "Thank you Edward, for understanding."

I hesitantly hugged him back, nodding in his chest. And as long as I love him…I'm defenseless against his charm. Damn you, for making me love you.

"If human beings are not drowned," asked the little mermaid, "can they live forever? do they never die as we do here in the sea?"

"Yes," replied the old lady, "they must also die, and their term of life is even shorter than ours. We sometimes live to three hundred years, but when we cease to exist here we only become the foam on the surface of the water, and we have not even a grave down here of those we love. We have not immortal souls, we shall never live again; but, like the green sea-weed, when once it has been cut off, we can never flourish more. Human beings, on the contrary, have a soul which lives forever, lives after the body has been turned to dust. It rises up through the clear, pure air beyond the glittering stars. As we rise out of the water, and behold all the land of the earth, so do they rise to unknown and glorious regions which we shall never see."

The next few weeks passed in a blur. I kept on with my life, and so did he. We didn't speak, and for the most part ignored each other's existence. In school, that is. Outside of school we met in private to finish school work or to just hang out. Things were back to normal…somewhat. Yes, it irked me to see Bella cling meekly to his arm, Or to see him whisper in her ear, and hear her irritating giggle in response. But I pretended not to notice. For him I'd do anything, no matter how much it hurt me. There were still the occasional whisper behind my back—I was still the tragic, left behind lover according to many. But I always kept walking; I never turned around to face them. I knew that Jacob and I didn't break up (Well, we weren't in a relationship to begin with…), and I knew that he didn't hate me. And that was enough for me. For Rosalie? Not a chance in hell.

"Edward, you're an idiot." She hissed, pulling me into yet another classroom. Ever since Jacob had begun dating Bella, she had made this into a daily routine. "And don't you dare sigh at me. He's a total tool, he's using you."

"How is he using me?" I asked tiredly. I swear, we've had this conversation at least a million times…

"He's taking advantage of your devotion to him. He doesn't—" She stopped mid sentence and glared, her lips turning down into a ferocious frown. "What do you want?"

I turned around and was surprised to see Bellastanding in the doorway. She bit her lip (A habit she seemed to have when she was nervous), and tugged with one of the curly locks of brown hair that hung past her shoulder. She hesitantly looked up before her eyes darted away. How could something this skittish be Jacob's type? I pushed that thought aside and offered her a smile.

"Oh, hello Bella." I smile warmly, though I know the contempt in my heart for her must be evident in my eyes. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah. Jacob didn't come to school today-" I saw Rosalie roll her eyes at that. "And he isn't answering any of my calls or texts…I know that you're close with him. Do you think you could stop by his house and check up on him for me?" She asked quickly, the fear of being so close to Rosalie must have been getting to her. "I'm just worried…"

"Of course. I'll visit him right after school, alright?" She quickly nodded before darting out of the classroom, similar to a fish shooting through the waves. I really don't see how Jacob is attracted to her. I pursed my lips together.

"Poor thing! Her boyfriend isn't talking to her." Rosalie laughed. "Isn't she clingy?"

"Rosalie, what if it's serious? What if…I don't know, what if something did happen to him?" I turned to her. "Do you think that you could take me to his house now?"

"Now? In the middle of the school day? Is straight laced Edward ditching?" She asked, amused. "For Jacob Black? The guy you don't love?"

I glared at her. "Now's not the time for games, Rose. Please…"

She rolled her eye. "You didn't drive today?"

I shook my head. "No, Alice took me."

"You're not going to take any answer other than a 'yes', right?"

"You know me too well." She rolled her eyes in response and took her keys out of her purse.

"Alright then. What are we waiting for?"

The ride to Jacob's was an awkward one. Rosalie kept her eyes focused on the road, fingers wrapped tightly around the steering wheel. She was obviously angry over my eagerness to see him. Every so often I would hear her mumble under her breath and see her eyes narrow in (what was probably) disgust. I rolled my eyes and stared out of the window. I was grateful that she was taking to see Jacob…but did she really need to be so much of a-

"Edward." My train of thought had been disrupted, and I turned to look at her.

"Yes?"

"…Never mind." She sighed, rubbing her eyes with one hand. She placed her hand back on the steering wheel, scowl still stuck in place. And she still looks beautiful.

"Come on, Rose. What were you going to ask?"

"Really, it's nothing." She replied, eyes glued to the road.

"Alright."

She sighed again and pulled over on the side of the road. For the first time throughout the ride, she turned to look at me. "If you're not going to tell him how you feel today…I will."

"W-what?" I stuttered, completely caught off guard.

"You heard me. This…this ends now. You need to either get with him, or get over him."

"Rose, you can't-"

"Don't, Edward." She replied icily. "You may not want to see it, but everyone else does. You're too in love with him. You're devotion to him…it's not doing you any good. So, today, when we go to visit him, you're going to tell him exactly what you feel."

"Don't you think that's a complete invasion of my privacy?" I asked incredulously. "I'd rather have him in my life as a friend than not at all!"

"Don't lie. You'll never be satisfied with friendship." She snapped. "You're only hurting yourself! You may delude yourself into thinking friendship is all you need, but we both know that's not true. Today, he is going to find out."

"No, he's not. Rosalie, it's not-"

"Oh, you bet your ass it's my business. He's finding out today, and that's final. Now, it's up to you: Shall you be the one telling him, or do I have to?"

I glared at her, my breaths coming out in short huffs. Never had I felt such contempt for Rosalie. And yet you know she's right. My mind argued back. After a few moments of tense silence, I sighed in defeat.

"Fine. I'll tell him today."

"That's right. And you'll see that I was right all along." She sang in a falsely sweet voice. "Now, where does the mutt live again?"

"Rosalie." I warned quietly.

"Sorry, Edward. Where does Jacob live?" She asked sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, but pointed it out anyway. "There, to your right." Jacob's house was nothing like my own. Many would call my house 'pristine', beautiful, elegant, fancy and expensive. Jacob's house was…well, the exact opposite. It was small, and slightly worn. The rust-red paint was chipping in some places, and the roof needed to be patched in a few areas as well. The inside wasn't much better, and yet it had something that my own house lacked: warmth.

Yes, I had two loving parents and wonderful siblings. But…it wasn't a home. It had a certain coldness that accompanies wealth; it lacked something that I just couldn't place. Maybe it was the fact that Carlisle was never home due to his career as a doctor, or because Esme was always busy engaging herself in community based activities. Maybe it was because they weren't my real parents. Stop it. Not now. Focus on Jacob. I cleared my mind as I stepped out of the car and headed towards the house. I hesitantly raised my fist to knock on the door. Something's wrong. I knocked on the door, but there was no reply.

"Jacob? It's me, Edward." I called out. I tried knocking again, but to no avail. Well, his family did say that I was always welcome in their home. I turned the door knob slowly, surprised that it was unlocked. I quietly walked inside, careful to leave the door open behind me. There was something wrong in the air, some sort of tension. And honestly, if there was any kind of trouble here, then I had to warn Rosalie at the very least. I walked through the small living room towards Jacob's room, and I could hear a soft whimper coming from his room. "Jacob?" I tried again, opening the door. A wave of relief washed over me. He was fine— physically, at least. Soft cries escaped his lips as he slowly turned to face me.

"H-hey, Edward." He said softly, rubbing his swollen red eyes. "I wasn't expecting you-I didn't even hear you coming." His cast his gaze downward.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" I quickly kneeled down beside him, one hand on his shoulder, the other rested on my knee. "What happened?"

"Edward-" His voice cracked and he pulled me into a crushing embrace, his sobs breaking out in uneven gasps. "Mom—she's-Edward, she's dead." He cried into my neck.

I felt my stomach drop, and my own eyes began to water. "Jacob…I-I'm so sorry." I hugged him back, my mind still in shock. Dead? Mrs. Black…? No…I did my best to keep my tears in. I needed to be strong. He needed me. We stayed like that for a while, him curled up in my arms; me sitting there still as a statue. What more could I do? I had never been in a situation like this before. I gently rubbed his back and whispered quietly in his ears. "I'm so sorry." And when I could no longer be strong, I cried with him, forgetting any petty thought of wanting to be with him.

**/\\**

I had texted Rosalie the situation a while back, and asked her to discreetly tell my parents what had happened, and why I wasn't home. The tears had stopped, but we were still latched tightly on together.She's always been so kind to me, always treated me like a son…And if I feel this bad, Jacob must feel…I closed my eyes, stopping the tears from flowing. Be strong.

"A car accident." He said softly. "That's why she's gone. Gone in a moment…" He let out a shaky breath. "Dad was in the car too—he's in the hospital recovering. Mom…well, they said it was pretty instant."

"When did it happen?" I asked just as quietly.

"Last night. They were coming home from a party…a drunk driver was on the road…" He trailed off, taking a deep breath. "One mistake, Edward. That's all it takes to ruin a life permanently."

"I know…I know, Jacob." I replied. "What can I do to help? Anything you need…"

"Come with me to visit dad…please? He…he really needs me now. And I need…you."

"You don't need to ask." I answered, slowly standing up. I extended a hand towards him and helped him up. "You know that I'll always be here for you." I slowly pulled him into an embrace. He hugged me back, his strong arms tightly wrapped around me.

Always…Jacob, I'll always be yours.

Mmkay, there's Part one of my The Little Mermaid retelling (the first half of the story). Part two will be up soon enough. Reviews, constructive criticism, favorites, etc is greatly appreciated (And hell, at least the flames will keep me warm…it's been rather chilly here on Hawaii).

And if you guys are interested, this fic is an adaption of my current situation (I need a creative outlet!)…so, advice (even if you're total strangers!) is greatly appreciated (through the form of a PM). Thank you, I hope you enjoy it!