Sirens

A/N: This isn't exactly the same story as the previous drabble fic. I have expanded it. It's not edited, though I will probably get to it eventually.

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Edward Cullen sat on the bench of the pier taking in deep breaths of the salted sea air while he was hunched over, fumbling through his ruck sack. He smiled, hearing his mother's chastisements that he was way too close at the edge for her comfort. She was always a cautious mother, having only him as a young single mother didn't help, either.

The oily ocean waves licked at the steel of the Destroyer which they would use for a few missions before going meeting with the Carrier already out to sea.

He couldn't help the nervous excitement coursing through him as this was his second leave and the last one he would have before trading in his dog tags.

Elizabeth, his mother, sat nearby on the wooden bench with her lips tucked into a scowl as she tried to hold back her tears.

"Stop it," he chuckled, looking at her from the corner of his eye and seeing the slight twitch of her lip.

With a long exhale he righted himself and held something out to her.

"I want you to take this for me," He said in a whisper. He was trying to keep his voice light, but it failed when he saw how pale his mother got.

"It's nothing bad," he laughed, pushing the item forward until she finally looked down and took it. "I want you to return it and use the money for yourself. Go somewhere nice and pretty, perhaps Alaska." Edward grinned. He was constantly trying to get his mother to go to Alaska to find a life partner. It has always been just him and his mom in every warm place imaginable until he enlisted and was sent to Alaska. She had come from New Mexico for a visit and loved the vastly different climate.

When he was stationed in Florida and she moved from New Mexico to be close by but she was lonely away from her friends and wanted to start dating. The men in Miami were very different than her conventional ways. That was his clue that she was interested in dating.

Finally.

Edward's father was a very closed off topic and Elizabeth's eyes darkened whenever anyone asked about him. Even Edward didn't know all the details, but understood his father was no longer living.

It was actually Edward's friend and fellow soldier, Emmett, who teased Elizabeth about going to back to Alaska. He and Edward had been stationed in Kodiak for 4 horrid years. Feeling the misery of being in desolate place was not fun for the boisterous guy, especially since the male to female ratio was about four men to every one woman.

"It's your engagement ring, Edward." She looked like she was about to cry and he had to turn his head to stave off the reaction to cry himself.

"It's just a pretty ring for a girl who didn't want it, mom." He finally huffed.

Edward bent forward and started to push the clothes and other items back into his rucksack, uncaring if they wrinkled.

"It's an engagement ring for a girl who's stupid and will regret her choice, Edward! Believe me when I say that she will want it back."

"Then she'll have to buy it for herself after you sell it," he bit out, feeling the heat in his face and the anger prick at his skin. "She made it perfectly clear that waiting for me was something she wasn't willing to do."

"But-"

"But- nothing Mom, she made it completely clear with photographic proof that was accidentally," he sneered sarcastically, "sent in a text message, so please just leave it at that and drop it."

Elizabeth gasped, cupping her mouth as his words lingered in the tepid air and he instantly regretting the outburst, but it was about time she knew the truth.

Edward and Ashley were never getting back together.

People started to walk up the pier. Some already crying and others laughing at some old or new joke, but Edward just stood there with his mom as seagulls scuttled around their feet.

"I'll just say I am sorry it didn't work out. Being out to sea for so long without something to come home to, someone to come home for- is so lonely. I don't want you to have such a fate."

Edward sighed, "Which is why I think you need to go to Alaska or back to New Mexico... somewhere where you will find a sense of home while I'm gone. I did tell you that my old first sergeant was asking about you, didn't I?"

Elizabeth blushed, turning her head. "Stop it. No you didn't say any such thing!"

Edward gave his mother a serious look as he stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. "Call him. His address is on my desk, as is his phone number. I wouldn't just set my mom up with anyone -"

"Yeah, that's pretty weird thing to do-"

"I want you to be happy and you haven't been happy here for a long time. Hell, I'm not even happy here." He scoffed, shaking his head. "When I come back, I'll be moving anyway, so you'll just have a head start."

This time Elizabeth didn't argue. She just gave a tight lipped smile and grabbed her son by his tall shoulders and pulled him into a hug. She laid her head over his heart as she's done so many times before and listened to the steady beat. "I am going to miss this sound."

Edward tried hard not to roll his eyes as he smiled. "I am going to miss you, too. But I am just an email away."

He felt her nod and the slight wetness of her tears absorbing into his shirt.

The call went out and people started to scurry everywhere.

"I have to go." Edward's voice was like ice water on Elizabeth's soul. She was having such anxiety about him leaving that she could barely breathe. She had such a horrible feeling about this trip and she couldn't find the words to make him stay. She knew he wouldn't.

"I'll be fine." He chuckled. "It's not that long of a trip and I'll be on the carrier soon enough."

Elizabeth nodded, her long blonde hair falling into her face after it escaped her clip."I just worry."

"Worrying will give you wrinkles," he teased. Edward pulled her tighter into a hug and pulled back, "You only live once and you can't follow me, forever. You have to go make a life for yourself."

He waited until she finally nodded, tears falling from her eyes.

"I love you, Mom."

~O~

The breeze drifted passed the creamy, gauzy skirt, twisting her necklaces together before a pale hand grabbed the beads and held them to her chest. Her flowing red and grey hair fanned down her back, almost covering her purple shirt as she carefully threw bits of her bread onto the floor to the birds.

Jasper looked at his mother for a moment, trying to memorize the way her she seemed so peaceful. Her eyes held a calm understanding that he always tried to understand, but couldn't. His father moved forward over the pier holding several cans of soda and some sandwiches.

"What's all that?" Jasper laughed, his deep blue eyes twinkling.

Jeremiah looked up at his son, taking in his broad shoulders build from many years of physical training through the military. He tried to think back to when the boy was nothing but a scrawny, messy boy, but all he could see was the man he grew to be.

"Lyrica thought you both should eat before you leave," Jeremiah gave a playful smirk at his wife and then winked.

"Where is that brother of yours?" Lyrica asked as she tried to see around her son. There were people all over the concrete pier, all who were trying to be brave with their sendoffs.

"Somethin' caught his eye," Jasper grinned devilishly as his mother cackled lightly. His twin brother was very much a player and interested in anything wearing a skirt.

"Someday, some woman is going to put that boy in his place." She grinned as his father huffed, putting the sandwiches down as Jasper helped with the cans of soda. He opened one, taking a large swig before sitting down and setting the can next to him on the bench. He grabbed one of the sandwiches and was un-wrapping it when his brother appeared.

Jacob grabbed the sandwich and took a bite, laughing as he chewed messily. "Got the digits."

Jasper looked behind him at the leggy blonde walking off. She waved to a few other soldiers before sauntering off.

"And probably a STD," Jasper scoffed. Jacob gave a small punch before taking another bite.

"When does the troop transport leave?" Jeremiah asked before delving into his own sandwich.

"About twenty minutes," Jasper supplied. They sat and chatted about everything and nothing before the troop transport ship let out a warning horn and made hasty goodbyes.

Jasper's mother quickly took off her necklace and handed it to Jasper, warning him to keep it safe, and that it would do the same for him.