Let the Rain Come Down

Disclaimer: All characters owned and created by Stephenie Meyer.

This chapter is unbeta'ed – any errors are mine and I apologise in advance.

~o.O.o~

Chapter 17

Jasper's POV

My dreams were dark, filthy, clawed hands that snatched at the air above my face, jagged-nailed and menacing.

I fought my way to the surface, towards the light and safety that consciousness offered, my mind twisting and contorting in an effort to break free.

With a hard gasp, my eyes snapped open, trying to make sense of where I was and why. Feeling Edward mumble in protest, I relaxed back onto the mattress, recognising the room around me in the early morning light. Squinting at my watch, I saw I'd been asleep barely two hours. I focused on the feel of Edward's arm across my body and the sound of his breathing, the warmth and comfort they afforded me, and my eyes drifted closed with neither force nor intention.

~o.O.o~

I could smell coffee.

I stretched, the muscles in my legs tight from the curled position I'd adopted in sleep. Gazing down at Edward, I looked him over as only a lover could, examining every inch I could see for bruising or injury. It wasn't that I doubted the doctors' work, I just needed to feel sure that nothing had been missed. To my untrained eye he looked just as he had when we got home from the hospital – pale but with no obvious bumps or swelling. There was a small amount of dried blood on the pillow, but nothing fresh. I relaxed then. He was still deeply asleep which was probably for the best after his trauma.

Sliding my legs out from under the duvet, I fished out my sweatpants from one of our bags along with the blue sweater, dressing in haste to get to the bathroom.

I did the necessary, deciding to shower once Edward was awake in case he needed help. Padding in socked feet to the kitchen, I squinted in the bright morning light, seeing Esme perched on the sofa sipping her coffee, Rosie by her feet. She smiled when she saw me, setting down her mug.

"Morning, sweetheart. Coffee's on. Come and grab some and we'll talk breakfast."

I followed her, obedient as Rosie, still somewhat shell-shocked by our abrupt change in circumstances. This wasn't like Christmas; we wouldn't be going home today. Standing in Esme's cosy kitchen I felt helpless, wondering what came next in the ever decreasing circle of our simple lives. She handed me a mug of fragrant coffee and I took a sip.

"Now, I don't have a great deal in until I go shopping today, but I could run to some eggs and bacon with toast? How does that sound? Or maybe pancakes?"

I took a mouthful of hot coffee. She waited while I struggled to answer.

"I uhh… I don't know if I should. At least not until Edward is awake. I mean, it doesn't feel right…"

She put her hands on my shoulders in a reassuring squeeze.

"I think you should eat, sweetheart. Shock does nasty things to a body. Let's get some fuel into you. Edward will have his when he wakes if he feels up to it. He may well sleep for a while yet. Carlisle said to say he will be round later to check him over to put your mind at rest. He's got you all figured out, I'd say."

I felt the blood heat my cheeks. At that moment I really needed a mom to tell me everything would be okay. Little wonder that Edward adored Esme, she had supported him when he needed someone to lean on. I swallowed, willing my voice not to wobble and give me away.

"Bacon sounds really good, thank you."

She sent me off to sit and drink my coffee while she cooked, humming to herself. I reached down and scratched Rosie's ears, watching her eyes close, tail thumping on the carpet. Setting my empty mug down on the small table, I slipped through to the bedroom to check on Edward. Seeing him sleeping peacefully, I leaned against the doorpost for a moment to just take stock.

We were alive.

We were warm.

We were with friends.

We were safe.

~o.O.o~

I savoured every bite of bacon, chasing the last tiny spot of grease around my lips with my tongue. Esme had also made pancakes, 'on the off chance I might fancy them', she said. I discovered the delights of maple syrup melting in warm rivulets onto the plate beneath to be mopped up with a fresh forkful of succulent, fluffy goodness.

I couldn't wait for Edward to try them too.

Esme looked pleased to see my empty plate, allowing me to wash my own dishes as the smallest of thank yous for the wonderful meal. I headed back to the bedroom, intending to lie down with Edward, but when I crept back into the room my eyes met his and I felt relief flood my body.

"Hey." His sleep-roughened voice warmed my heart. I crossed the room and knelt on the bed.

"How's your head this morning?"

"It hurts." His eyes were dull above dark shadows. He didn't lift his head - the simple action of turning it a fraction caused a grimace of pain to tighten his eyes. I lay down next to him and cupped his chin, leaning in to brush a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Esme said that Dr Cullen is coming over soon to have a look at you. We'll get you some more painkillers then. Can I get you some water? It might help a bit with the headache."

"Please."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

I padded back to the kitchen to half fill a glass of water. Esme saw me.

"Edward's awake?"

I nodded and she brightened.

"Yeah, but his head's hurting. Do you know when Dr Cullen's coming over?"

She stiffened, already reaching for her phone.

"I'll call him now. Don't worry."

I took the water through to the bedroom, walking round to sit by Edward. Sliding my arm around and under him, I supported his head and shoulders while he sipped a little water.

"Thank you." His raspy voice betrayed his need for more fluids and I encouraged him to take a little more until he had almost emptied the glass. I lowered him back to the pillow, nudging his nose with mine before brushing a kiss to his dry lips.

"You taste sweet." A small smile broke through the clouds of pain. I grinned.

"Esme made pancakes with syrup. Can't lie, they were amazing. I can't wait for you to try some too. Maybe after the doctor has given you some more pain meds, if you're hungry?"

"Maybe. I think I want to stay here for a bit though." Exhaustion veiled his beautiful face, his eyes dulled by pain. I kissed him again, staying by his side until he drifted into sleep once more.

I carried the glass out to the kitchen and rinsed it, not knowing what else to do. I had no work today – Esme had called Emmett for me this morning while we slept, also calling Tanya on Edward's behalf, explaining about the accident. Walking over to the phone, I called Emmett at the store, wanting to speak to him myself and let him know that we were okay. He was relieved and more than a little shocked at what had happened when I filled him in on our domestic emergency. I thanked the fates that I had such a good man for a boss. We agreed that I take a couple of personal days to be with Edward, and I thanked him before hanging up.

Looking around the comfortable room, devoid of life, I was at a loss. At home, I would lay down, read, drink coffee and nap until Edward came home. Here I had a television and a radio at my disposal but I couldn't bring myself to relax and enjoy them. It simply didn't feel right.

The answer was simple. With Esme out walking Rosie, I headed to the bedroom to lie down with my boy where I belonged.

I didn't sleep. Instead, I just lay there with Edward's warm body against mine, thinking. I needed to speak to the landlord as a matter of urgency. It had to be face to face and it had to be today before our room was rendered completely uninhabitable. I had no idea if the tarp had held during the storm and the idea of our few possessions wrecked by the rain filled me with fear for our future. It would be a massive step backwards to have to start over, scratching together what money we could to replace the few decent items we had. I was just glad I had packed all of our clothes, boots and bottles – our essentials were safe at least.

My mind whirred with questions, but few answers were forthcoming. I knew Esme would not see us out on the street, but in truth, we weren't her responsibility. Her kind heart meant she wanted to help and we were forever indebted to her for so much already. I had to do something, anything, but in that moment I felt ineffectual and helpless. I hated it. There had been a time when my pride was all I had and, despite everything, it was still a driving force in my life. I wanted to provide for us. I knew we were equals in every way, we had proved that to each other, but the urge to preserve Edward's precious innocence, the way he looked at the world, hell, the way he looked at me, was overwhelming. I never wanted him to become jaded, to watch his inner light dim when it should always shine bright as a star. In that respect, I wanted to remain his protector for the rest of our days.

He made me a better man.

Part of me knew the feeling was mutual.

I heard the front door open and close, the clatter of Rosie's claws loud on the kitchen floor when she made her way to her water bowl. Two voices were in quiet conversation and there was a gentle tapping on the bedroom door.

"Jasper? Can I come in?"

I lifted my head, calling out in a low voice.

"Come in, Esme. I'm just watching him sleep."

The door opened and Esme and Dr Cullen stepped into the room. I pushed myself upright, running my hands through my hair, thankful I had stayed fully clothed.

"Hello, Doctor." I nodded.

He smiled. "How's the patient? Esme mentioned he still has a rather nasty headache?"

"Yeah. He's in pain still. He's had some water but that's all."

Dr Cullen walked around the bed.

"I'm going to need him awake, Jasper. I don't want to startle him so could you...?"

I nodded again in understanding. I leaned over Edward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, feeling him shift.

"Wake up, love." I stroked his cheek with the back of my hand. He mumbled, beginning to stir. "Wake up. The doctor's here."

Dr Cullen spoke then.

"Hello, Edward. Can you open your eyes for me?"

Edward groaned, his face crumpling when his eyes peeled open.

"Hello, Doctor." The words were tinder-dry in the quiet room.

"I'm going to check you over and then we'll see to that headache, okay? Jasper will get you some more water when we're done. You need to keep hydrated. Once the painkillers start to work I want you to eat some breakfast. It's important for your recovery."

He examined Edward's head, checked his eyes and took his temperature. Satisfied that Edward hadn't been sick and was able to answer his questions, he wrote out a prescription for painkillers and handed it to Esme along with a box of pills.

"Generic is fine. The prescription shows how many and how often to take them."

I clambered off the bed and went to the kitchen to refill a glass of water. When I returned I helped him lean forward and encouraged him to drink while Esme popped two of the pills from the blister pack and handed them to Edward. He swallowed them with a gulp of water, wincing at the pain in his head. I lowered him back down to the bed.

"You'll feel more comfortable soon, Edward. You're in good hands with Jasper and Esme." Dr Cullen turned to Esme, his voice low. "You'll call me if he isn't feeling any better in a few hours?"

She nodded, looking over at Edward with a fond smile. Dr Cullen clicked his bag closed.

"You're going to be just fine, Edward. Lots of rest, fluids and good food, understand?"

Edward gave him a small, grateful smile. I stood.

"I'll walk out with you. Back in a moment, my love."

I followed Esme and Dr Cullen out to the lounge room.

"I need to talk to our landlord today. I hate to ask, but could either of you drive me back home? I want to make sure our things are okay too." I looked from one to the other and felt Esme's hand rest on my back.

"No need to worry, Jasper. I'll take you this morning and we'll bring back anything that's undamaged for safekeeping at the same time." She turned to Dr Cullen. "Thank you, Carlisle. I'll see you soon." Her hand rested on his wrist and I felt like I was intruding on a private moment. I saw Dr Cullen return her smile and I ducked my face, answering his farewell with a nod.

Hurrying back to Edward, I found him trying to sit up.

"Careful, careful. Bathroom?" He nodded and I supported him while he stood, swaying a little until he found his balance. Once he had taken care of the urgent issue I asked him if he wanted to take a shower. He looked unbearably vulnerable, his eyes full of pain. I sat him down on the toilet lid while I switched on the water, shucking my clothes before helping him up into the warm spray. He leaned against the tile, his head away from the water while I bathed him, squeezing soapy water across his neck and shoulders, letting it run down his body. I did my best to wash away the fear and the memory of the night before, finally cradling him to me whilst I cleansed and soothed him, body and soul, under the hot water. His trust in me was absolute; true intimacy had developed between us back when I was sick. In the simple, selfless act of caring for one another, an unshakable trust had been forged.

I needed to kiss him and he knew it, lifting his head to meet my lips. For a moment, standing under the water in Edward's arms, I felt nothing but peace.

~o.O.o~

Despite not wanting to leave him, I got dressed and met Esme at the door, leaving Edward in bed with Rosie sitting by his side, eager to be close to her friend. If she jumped onto the bed after we left and slept alongside him to provide warmth and security, we certainly wouldn't scold her for it.

The short drive back home was tense. I didn't know what to expect when we arrived. I couldn't have brought Edward even if he was fit and well; I was supposedly living there alone and so it had to be me that did this. When the car pulled up at the kerb I looked up at our window and saw the blue of the tarpaulin. Nothing had been done so far.

The first thing we did was go upstairs to face the landlord. Either he didn't know about the window or he was ignoring it until someone else paid for it. I'd lived there long enough to know how he operated. I was wary of having Esme with me; she was elegant and refined – everything he wasn't. I felt bad for tarnishing her in such a way.

I pointed to his door and stepped forward to knock twice. It was rare I had to face him – our usual interaction involved money under the door in an envelope marked with our room number. My heart was thumping, painful and heavy in my chest. Our future depended on the outcome of this meeting and I didn't want to fuck it up. I heard a noise behind the door and saw movement behind the peephole. Keys rattled in the lock and a bolt was pulled back. The door scraped open to reveal him, dressed in a too-tight brown suit, an inch of frayed collar poking out under his thin hair. His glasses had lenses cloudy with finger marks.

He noticed Esme and his eyes slid all over her. I half expected to see his tongue flicker like a lascivious lizard. He made my skin crawl.

"What do you want?"

"It's about the storm last night. A tree came through my window. The place is a mess. My friend here took me in for the night, but I wanted to ask when it will be fixed so I can come back?" Being polite almost choked me but I was determined to remain civil.

"Broken? I didn't hear anything. I'm a light sleeper and I heard no noise that sounded like breaking glass."

Can you come and check it out, please? I nailed a tarp over it last night but there was heavy rain and everything is wet."

And it sure as hell isn't going to dry out anytime soon without heating.

He looked put out, like we had spoiled an otherwise lovely day, but waved his hand towards the staircase and we headed back down. I unlocked the door, unsure of what we would find.

It was dark and I crossed my fingers and reached for the light switch. No electric shock. That was good. The dim bulb showed the wet wall and floor, the shards of broken glass, and the nailed tarp, rustling in the wind, the edges snapping against the window frame. At least it had held. It was bone-achingly cold.

"Hmmm. Hmmm. Well, I suppose I can call a glazier, although it costs more for an emergency callout. It's all rather inconvenient. I suppose I can get it repaired in the next couple of days and then you can move back."

I gaped at him. "Once the glass is replaced it's going to take time to dry everything out. I can't sleep here – it's not habitable like this. My mattress is soaked. Can you provide heaters to get the place dry?"

"Well, they're very expensive to run as I'm sure you understand, Mr Whitlock."

"Are you expecting me to pay? For a room I can't live in?"

"It seems reasonable to me that the cost is shared between the tenant and the landlord." He ogled Esme, not even trying to hide it, and I fought down my nausea and panic. "Besides, Mr Whitlock, I imagine you would like to be back here as soon as possible. You wouldn't want to lose regular customers by staying away now, would you? It'll be harder to pay the rent if you're not working. Sacrifices must be made on both sides."

I felt the world tilt and take me with it.

He just said that in front of Esme. He just told her that I'm a-was-a prostitute.

I hadn't known he knew about that but, then again, how else would a boy with no skills make rent if not by selling himself?

Humiliated beyond belief, I couldn't look at her, didn't want to see the look in her eyes. I didn't know what she knew, only that Edward and I had been so careful never to say what I did. Not outright, at least. The sleaze was still talking, this time to Esme.

"I'm not concerned with how my tenants make their money you understand, so long as they pay their rent on time and don't bring their work home. I try to keep this place respectable."

His tone oozed fake charm and insincerity. Esme didn't turn a hair.

"How your tenants make their living is none of your business. Jasper pays his rent on time and does his best to keep the room clean and sanitary which is more than I can say for you!"

She pulled herself up to her full height and stared him down. She was just getting started.

"The room has mould on all the walls from the damp. He is breathing in spores which will seriously affect his health. He recently had a life-threatening health issue due to the cold and the damp, but of course you wouldn't know about that, nor care by all accounts. The room is always clammy and cold because he only has that two bar electric fire which doesn't warm the room – it barely heats more than a couple of feet in front of it. It doesn't even begin to negate the damp. It would take industrial heaters in here to dry this place out."

He rubbed his hands together. The sound was dry and repellent. His voice took on a wheedling tone.

"Well, I could make improvements… paint the walls… put in more heaters. It would be reflected in the rent because of the extra electricity of course. I can't be expected to shoulder all the cost."

"Increase the rent? What about insurance? Surely repairs are covered? This place needs treating for damp and mould before he can come back here. To charge rent for a room in this state is an abomination."

He shook his head, pushing up his glasses and puffing out his chest like an affronted pigeon.

"The damage would be classed as an act of God and not covered by the insurance which means I would have to pay. Ergo this is passed on to the tenant. Standard practice."

"It most certainly is not!"

I felt sick. Paying more money for this place was obscene and yet it was our home. It was all we had that was ours.

"I suggest you take some responsibility for the conditions your tenants live in. It can't just be this room that's in this disgusting state. Now, as you brought it up, what about the rent he's already paid you for this week? I'm guessing your tenants pay in advance?"

"Well, I can carry that forward to when he comes back. We can then discuss the increase…"

Esme jumped in before he could lay it on any thicker. Her voice was clipped and brooked no nonsense.

"He gets his money back. Today. He can pay in advance again when he returns, but until then you repay him. This room cannot be rented out in this condition and I will not permit you to make money from another's misfortune. I would appreciate it if you would fetch it, please. We'll wait here and pack up his belongings. He can store them at my house while the repairs are carried out."

The man was slipperier than a greased pig, determined to not part with his money. He tried to argue, resorting to curses and hand-waving for daring to tell him how to run his establishment. My ears burned with anger. How dare he curse at that lovely lady? She had likely heard much worse in her time helping the homeless, some of whom were never grateful, and she did it all without turning a hair. It was evident that this man posed no challenge to her. I was in awe.

When he scurried out of the room we grabbed the opportunity to recover our electrical goods, mercifully dry thanks to being hidden in the dresser drawers out of sight. I collected our towels, spare sheet, and the few kitchen items we owned, wrapping them up safely. I shook out the bedding to remove any last bits of glass and folded the damp blankets and sheets. I would see if there was a laundromat close to Esme's where we could get them laundered and dried for storing. That was it – everything we owned had been gathered up and the room was bare, save for the furniture. That had come with the room. The tarp was still up at the window and I made a point of saying that it would be returned to Carlisle as soon as I could retrieve it. Esme brushed it off, saying it wasn't important and easily replaced. I still intended to return it though. It was on loan.

Looking around the small, dark room, my eyes lingered on the blood stain on the floor, reliving the horror of seeing Edward lying there. Dragging my eyes away, I quickly scanned every inch of the small space, really seeing it for the first time in a long while, empty with no evidence of us being there. Esme was right – it was squalid. A part of me never wanted to return here in the same way that Edward never wanted to see the alley again. Yet the fact remained that this room afforded us shelter and safety – well, it had up until last night anyway. It was the only real home either of us had known for so long.

This room had seen hardship, fear, sickness, and yet… we had fallen in love in this room, made love together, and promised ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives.

The sound of his angry footsteps approached and I tensed for a confrontation. An envelope was screwed up in his hand and I could see our room number on it. It was torn open, no doubt to check I hadn't swindled him out of his dues. Holding my head high, I held out my hand.

"Thank you, sir. I'll check in with you next week to see when I can come back."

He sneered and in that moment I wondered if someone else would be in our room before the day was out. We had no official paperwork, and with all our belongings gone he could do what he liked. And I knew there was always someone desperate enough.

He'd have to answer to Esme, though.

I had to hope that there was a shred of decency in him somewhere for a trouble-free tenant that had never missed a rent payment. With obvious reluctance, he handed over the envelope and, despite wanting to just leave, I knew I had to check it first.

"I assure you it's all there, Mr Whitlock."

It was. Relief flooded through me. I nodded.

"Thank you, sir."

He huffed and turned, nothing more to add.

Esme had packed all our dried and canned food into the old cardboard box we used as a larder. It was a bit damp, but she carried it with a hand underneath for structural support. I glanced around one last time for any hidden or misplaced items that might have rolled onto the floor and I double checked for any money or loose change under the mattress. There was nothing and, satisfied, I carried our meagre belongings out to Esme's car noticing that they took up very little space in the trunk. I wondered if she thought I was being weird, bringing a couple of plates and mugs, even the chipped cup from the bath, but everything had a purpose for us. Nothing was superfluous. Our sparkly Christmas card was tucked in too because it made Edward happy and that was good enough reason for me.

Everything would be cleaned and stored beneath the bed in our temporary room until we returned.

Whenever that might be.

~.o.O.o~

Back at Esme's warm home, I carried everything into the kitchen to sort and wash. I packed our crockery and cutlery into the box along with the food. Our damp linens I intended to hang up in our room to dry until I could get them laundered properly. I was carrying them through the lounge room when Esme found me.

"What are you doing, Jasper?"

I looked up in surprise.

"It's warm in our room so I thought I could get these dry until I find the nearest laundromat to clean them properly. Is that okay?"

I worried that I had offended her by suggesting hanging blankets in her spare room. She shook her head and smiled, beckoning me to follow her. She led the way to a small room off the kitchen and pointed to a machine.

"Why wait when you can wash them now?"

"I-" I didn't know what to say. She opened the machine door and held out her hands for the damp linen. I watched her set the dial and open a drawer. Then I remembered. I scooted back through to the kitchen and collected our washing liquid and softener from the box, handing them to Esme. With a look of surprise, she took them and showed me where to put each type in the drawer.

The machine didn't start automatically – she pressed a button on the front and the door clicked and locked. Then I heard the water.

"Thank you. That's so kind of you. How do I dry them?"

"Here." A smaller machine sat nearby and she opened the door to show me a miniature version of the laundromat dryers. I was amazed.

"I hand wash our clothes. We use the laundromat for towels and blankets mainly."

She stood up and ushered me back into the kitchen.

"There'll be no need to do any of that while you're staying here. I think you could both use a break before life goes back to normal. A few days' rest will work wonders. Now, I'll show you what setting to use for your clothes, you just tell me when you have washing to do. Okay?"

I nodded, but deep down I fretted. I couldn't allow myself to get used to this, to being cared for, because it would make the inevitable transition back to reality too stark. The differences in lifestyle would forever taunt me and deep down, I wasn't sure how I would cope with that.

~o.O.o~

A/N - to my lovely reviewers: FFn does not allow me to respond to anon or Guest reviews. If you would like to chat to me, please make an account so that you can message me and I can reply. Other than that, thank you for all the love for these boys - it means more than you know. ~KC