Slow Drowning - Edward Cullen - (9)So Close

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An angry fire roared though the pitch black of a starless night. It's smoke lingered in the summer breeze and drifted away into the endless sky. The smoke was not angry like its creator, but seemed to be dreary and took the place as the memory of the strong fight the fire had.

The flames scorched the minds of Alice and also Edward, who was subjected to it for his unusual talent. They stayed in silence until the vision had stopped. He became still like a statue of a Greek God, his face resembling marble. His smooth forehead then wrinkled as his eyebrows drew nearer and his eyes shut tightly.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. His face became hidden by his long fingers in attempt to shut out the world. Then, he gasped for air. "We're too late," Edward whispered.

A hand gently patted his comfortingly. Ripping his away, Edward heard a sigh and Alice say, "I don't know what's happening. None of it makes any sense."

Edward's face crumpled in rage and he whipped his head around to meet his sister's eyes. "They're going to kill her," he hissed.

Alice blinked and looked at the back of the headrest that belonged to the seat in front of her. Her eyes traced the pattern of the fabric. "I'm sorry."

The vampire averted his gaze and blocked out any other thought but his own. All of the muscles in his body became rigid as they tightened. "All of this time," he began in nothing higher than the sound of a sigh. "She's been out there. She's loved me. And now, when I finally realize - remember everything we had, she's - she's going to die. For me."

Edward breathed in sharply and felt a pressure on his chest. He flashed Alice a fleeting look and whispered, "I loved her. I still love her."

"I know." Alice's face crumpled in sadness before she pressed her lips together in a thin, determined line. "We just have to change our plans. That's all, Edward." She threw a glance at Carlisle who was listening intently, still unaware of the vision but not of his son's feelings. "There's about one hour left of the flight. It will be sunset by the time we land." Her voice came out in a slur for it was only meant for the ears of her family. "By the looks of the vision it was late in the night. Meaning we still have time."

"Time," Edward repeated despondently. His amber eyes averted themselves to the window and watched orange clouds and darkening blue skies. "Time is all we have, if nothing else."

"The first time ever I saw your face." Suddenly, a beautiful, but bizarre voice sounded. It was softer than a whisper of the summer's wind. "I thought the sun rose in your eyes."

Edward furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. His eyes showed life as he looked around wondering where the devil it came from. As he pressed the palms of his hands to the armrests surrounding him, he lifted himself a little and looked behind him. Then, the sound grew.

"And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love,
To the dark and the empty skies."

When he fell back into the poor excuse of a chair, Edward learned that the voice came from no one in the plane, but inside of his head. It was Guinevere and she was singing.

"The first time ever I kissed your mouth
And felt your heart beat close to mine
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird."

It seemed entirely impossible, even for Edward, that he could hear her. She was plenty of miles away. Impossible.

"That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command."

But for that moment. It didn't matter. Edward squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on her voice, urging it to go on.

"And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine," Guinevere's voice washed over him and fell into the depths of his heart.

"Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We'll be landing shortly," an airy voice of a flight attendant rang through the separated classes.

"We made faster time than expected," Alice mused, her voice slightly happier.

"Yes," agreed Carlisle.

"And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last till the end of time my love," the song continued.

"I can hear her."

Alice and Carlisle shot their gaze to him. Confusion crossed their glorious, pale faces. "Edward? What do you mean?" asked Alice, while she clasped her belt together for show.

"It would last till the end of time my love," Edward quietly sang along with the song, ignoring their inquiries. A smile twitched on his lips and eagerly he glanced out the window to see the concrete of the landing strip. "Come on, Gwen," he breathed. "Keep singing."

The velvet voice complied. "The first time ever I saw your face…"

"You can hear her?" Carlisle asked, his voice clouded in surprise.

Edward made a short nod, unwilling to lose Guinevere's voice. "Your face," Guinevere continued her sweet melody.

"But how is that even possible?" Alice asked, gracefully standing to her feet.

Carlisle motioned forward with his hand. "Let's go."

There were noises coming from every direction, but she could hear nothing. Nothing but the sound of her heels clicking on the hard floor. The sound of her heavy heart pounding in her head. The sound of her breathing as she franticly made her way through the bands of hysterical people.

"Edward!" her hoarse voice called.

It felt like she was drowning. No one could hear her while their sounds were muffled. Guinevere couldn't breath and her eyes began to worry.

Finally she met her destination. Her gaze caught on Elizabeth. Her red hair was plastered to her face from sweat the fever produced. Her warm emerald eyes were shut and her breathing was strangely calm. "Oh no," Guinevere breathed.

Her knees fell weak and she complied to them. While she grasped his hot hand and tore her gaze away from his dying mother, she sucked in her breath shakily, taking him in. "Edward."

This time she was heard.

He opened his lovely eyes slowly and tilted his face to her. "Gwen?" he asked quietly. His normally flushed cheeks were pale and sallow, glistening in the florescent light of the hospital. She moved a hand to his feverish cheek.

"Yes." She held onto him tightly. "I'm here," she replied. Her fingers trembled and he noticed this.

"You shouldn’t be here," his voice was raspy and low. Edward tried to swallow the pain forming in his throat down. His green eyes eagerly followed the lines of her tired face and swam in the pools of her troubled eyes.

Guinevere, with effort, pulled the corners of her mouth into a smile. "And why is that? Edward -"

His eyes lost their softness and became fierce. "You'll get sick," Edward interrupted her sternly.

"I don't care." Her chin quivered while she added, "I need to be here. I need to be with you." She took his hand in both of hers and held them to her pounding heart. She swore he could hear it. Her brown orbs searched Edward's with desperation. "None of it matters without you."

Edward felt the pain in his chest greaten. It wasn't just because he was dying, but because it broke his heart to leave her. After all of the time and pain they went through, he would have to leave her alone. His fingers gripped her hand as tightly as they could. It was as if she were the only thing keeping him on earth, a place he didn't want to leave without her.

Suddenly, an itch formed in this throat. His muscles tightened as he choked and gasped for air. Edward turned his back to her as his hand flew up to his mouth. When the coughing had subsided he brought his frigid hand down. Blood was found on his fingertips.

Edward was still for a moment. Then, he used the back of his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth where more of the red liquid was found. Edward swallowed harshly and attempted to clean his hand off. He didn't want her to see.

Across the room, standing amongst the hectic nurses and ill patients, Doctor Carlisle Cullen stood. His honey eyes watched with wretchedness at the two. The smell of the boy's blood drifted past him in the shrill breeze of an opened window. He grimaced as Mrs. Masen's words swam around his head. Edward didn't have long.

Soon would he have a companion.

The Doctor walked with an air that no human could ever have. Guinevere's always watchful eyes set on him as he made his way to them. She tightened her grip on Edward's hand and nodded. "Carlisle."

The beautiful man bowed his head in greeting and said, "Miss Kent. Your shift isn't until the morning."

"I know." She stood to her feet, unwilling to let go of Edward's hand. Her chocolate orbs became pleading. "You have to do something. There has to be a way you can help him."

Carlisle's marble face remained still and he shook his head, his orbs sorry. "There's nothing. He will die," he replied softly.

"No." Shaking her head rapidly, she stole a glance at the patient, who closed his eyes as his tire consumed him. "No. He going to be fine." Guinevere gently sat beside Edward and watched his face intently. "He has to be," she mumbled, hastily grabbing a wet cloth from the basin.

When she pressed it to his forehead, Edward shivered. "I'm cold," he complained quietly, moving his face away from her and the offending compress.

"I know," she whispered. " but we have to bring the fever down."

"Gwen," Carlisle started, taking a step closer. He watched her fingers graze Edward's face and guilt boiled in the bottom of his stomach. "You should leave. It's not healthy for you to be here."

Guinevere shook her head slowly, her eyes never leaving Edward's frame. "It's not healthy for anyone to be here, including you, Doctor Cullen."

Carlisle grimaced and said, "You need rest." When he placed a snowy hand on her shoulder, she trembled and turned her head to the side, watching him from the corner of her eye. "You shouldn't see this."

Her gaze held grief. She was losing him. "I can't leave him," she hissed, her chestnut colored orbs back on Edward. "Not like this."

"I'll be sure he isn't in pain, Gwen. That's all I can promise." Carlisle needed her out of here. His time was dwindling.

"You don't understand." She shot him a fleeting look, her pretty face crumpled in misery. "He's all I have left." Guinevere's tone was full of anguish. She shook her head.

Carlisle removed his hand from her shoulder and looked to his left. There, Elizabeth Masen lay on her death bed. Her strong words flooded his mind. He needed to act quickly.

"I'll never see him again."

"Please," he started. "You must leave."

"No," she replied simply, her voice taking a hoarse direction.

Carlisle lifted her gently up by her arms and positioned her in front of him. He watched her carefully, his golden gaze almost threatening. Guinevere stared back, her breath taken by surprise. "I said to leave." His voice was demanding, unlike anything she had ever heard from him. "Please." Now he begged, his ocher eyes poring hers.

She could hardly speak. "Carlisle, I -"

"Now," he interrupted.

Guinevere felt the wind knock out of her. She struggled to breath. Suddenly the entire room seemed to spin and the noise became unbearably loud. "Let me say goodbye." Pushing away from Carlisle, she fell back onto the bed beside Edward, who had woken from his light rest.

Carlisle nodded. After a moment in which he watched Guinevere lovingly sweep Edward's cheek with her warm fingertips, he left. Remorse filled his still heart.

"Gwen," Edward mumbled, reaching out to her.

"I'm right here." Her chin quivered beneath her sure words. Guinevere's brown orbs watched him intently as they watered. Their vision became blurred. She swept the tears away, frightened she would lose a second of his sweet face. "Oh, Edward." Taking his lifted hand and pressing it to her cheek, she enjoyed the feeling she would miss for years to come.

"Please," Edward begged. His own green eyes became filled with pain. "Gwen, don't cry." He felt her tears fall over his fingertips.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. The heat from his body persuaded her to ensue closer still. Her breath shortened and her sobs were less hysteric, though salty drops continued to fall down her rosy cheeks freely.

Edward felt his chest tighten. "I love you, Gwen." He searched her gaze for understanding. "I've loved you since the first time I saw you. Remember? You were wearing that blue dress." She nodded in reply, leaning down to him. "You were so beautiful, just as you are now. I never thought I could love anyone as much as I do you. Never forget that, alright? Promise me." Although he was weak, his voice came out strong, just like it used to be.

"I promise." Guinevere's hands trembled as they made their way to his bronze hair. "I could never forget. I love you too much."

"I wish - I wish we had more time," Edward said, his voice beginning to weaken once again. His emerald eyes began to slowly shut.

"Edward," she voiced sternly. "Don't you dare leave me."

At the feeling of her cooler hands on his burning face, his eyes flew open. His forehead wrinkled in apology. "I'm dying."

"No." She shook her head in denial and blinked harshly, ridding herself of all her tears. "Everything will be fine."

Edward wanted to believe it, but he could feel his life slipping between his fingers. He needed her to know. "We'll see each other again." His lips turned upward into a faint smile. "I know it."

"Of course we will." She could feel his life fading away. There wasn't much time. Her hands let go of him for just a moment. The reached to the back of her head until they found a pair of cloth strings. She pulled at them, letting the protective mask fall from her face and onto the floor.

Guinevere pushed herself closer, his face becoming just inches away from his. She looked into his eyes with strange determination. He started to resist, his eyes widening, saying, "No, Gwen. You'll get sick." But it didn't matter. She had no intention of living without him.

She crashed her cooler mouth against his burning one. Her fingers found their way towards his neck moving up behind his ears and then to his brilliant, bronze hair. Edward struggled to push her away. When he didn't succeed, he let himself be taken away. He weakly rested his hands on her neck and knotted his fingers into her locks steadily.

Their lips moved in a harmonious rhythm. It wasn't urgent or fast, but slow and careful. Guinevere pressed her body against his, completely unaware of the people around them. She needed to feel him one last time.

Edward began to be less responsive, which lead to Guinevere pulling away. She searched her face to see a faint smile gracing his lips. "You really shouldn't have done that," he mused darkly.

Guinevere's body cringed with agony and then she carefully kissed his jaw line. "No matter what happens, Edward, I will love you far after my heart stops beating." Her intentions were to describe some sort of afterlife. Heaven.

Eyes becoming softer, he blinked slowly as his eyelids turned heavier. She laid beside him in a graceful movement, her eyes never leaving his. Then, she buried her head in the nape of his neck, breathing in his scent. "Don't ever leave me," she whispered.

Edward tried to swallow the lump in this throat. It was becoming much harder. "I never will." His eyes started to water. He didn't want to leave her, but he knew not even death could separate them.

"No matter," he paused for a moment and breathed slowly. "what happens." A faint feeling washed over his person and he moved his head. He eagerly took in the lines of her face. The way the florescent light still made her look beautiful. The way she looked at him, her eyes full of love.

Without warning, his hands curled around hers, afraid to let go. He knew the end was near.

Another wave plummeted down on him. Edward's eyes closed.

"No," Guinevere whispered, her hand pressing against his cheek. Her eyes examined his face. "Edward?" she asked, her voice taking on a hysterical edge.

There was no answer.

"Edward?" Her hands fussed over his body and shook his chest. Then, she looked to his closed eyes and pressed her cheek against his. Her breathing was broken with a sob. "Please?"

"Miss Kent," came a velvet voice.

Guinevere ignored it and pressed herself closer against Edward. Her hands held his shoulders while she placed her head in the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes, letting the tears soak his shirt.

"Guinevere," Carlisle ripped her from Edward. His intentions now for her greater good. "you'll get sick."

She looked into his golden eyes and found apologies. "It doesn't matter." Her body racked with sobs and Carlisle found nothing else to do but hold her together with his paternal arms. "I can't," she whimpered, her eyes trained on the foot of Edward's bed. "I can't."

The immortal looked over her head at Edward's unconscious person. His sweet face was shining in sweat against the light of the hospital. His breathing was quiet, a sign there wasn't much time. Carlisle held Guinevere while he felt sick with remorse. He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly and whispered, "He's not coming back, Gwen."

"Your face," Guinevere let her voice bounce off of the stone walls and linger in the air. The last few words of the favored song came out in a whisper. "Your face ..." The corners of her perfect mouth curled upward, but at a peculiar sound the ghost of a smile disappeared.

Her head shot up causing her dark curls to fall away from her face, letting the grey light of the day filter through the window that resided above her, rest on the curves of her face. Guinevere's eyes narrowed, followed by the unsightly expression of anger overcoming her face. She quickly stood to her feet as her darkening eyes switched from one Volturi face to another.

Up until she had taken in each of the five vampires, she hadn't realized what exactly was happening. "What do you want?" Guinevere spat.

The door behind them shut with a loud, echoing slam. She let her eyes flicker in the direction for a second.

Jane smiled with her full, girlish lips and took a step forward. "We wanted to explain something to you."

Guinevere rose an eyebrow and pulled her fingers into fists at her sides. She felt her nails dig themselves into her hard skin. "Then why are the others here?" she asked, her voice obscure as she eyed the group suddenly surrounding her in the closed room. "Are you that threatened?"

Felix laughed darkly in response and looked over his shoulder, not because he was paranoid but rather self-assured with his company. Jane ignored the question blatantly and said, "It would have been in your best interest -"

"To have let the human girl die," Alec, who was beside his counterpart, interjected. His mien was sinister against the sweet lines of angelic face. He smiled.

As her perfect, white teeth glistened menacingly in the light of the cloudy day, she snarled. The space surrounding Guinevere began to decrease. The coven advanced. Crouching, her were eyes sharp while she waited for their strike.

No one did strike physically, like she had expected. Jane, who had moved nearer in the confrontation, narrowed her maroon eyes, their focus on Guinevere. Unexpectedly, their prey crumpled to the floor while pain shot up her limbs. Her jaw clenched tightly.

Laughter filled the small room as the she wreathed in agony.

"You foolish girl." Felix shook his head with strange disapproval. His eyes danced upon her trembling body and then he jerked his pale lips upward into a fiendish grin.

Guinevere pressed her cheek to the bitter surface beneath her. Clamping her eyes shut, she tried to concentrate on Edward's face, but for the time being she couldn't. Jane's voice rang through her ears piercingly. She looked up at her through narrowed eyelids.

"You thought you could take my place," she hissed. Then, the childlike vampire moved closer and reached down to her enemy. In a sweet, quiet voice Jane ended, "but you can't." Her small fingers brushed the hair away from Guinevere's face in a way that might have looked affectionate, but was entirely the opposite. It was demeaning.

Guinevere bared her teeth and took a snap. Jane laughed a twinkling bell of a laugh and straightened. "The family may favor you now, but soon they'll realize their mistake."

Rapidly, the pain intensified and Guinevere watched their entertained faces. "Edward," she whispered. Her line of vision abruptly went black as though someone cut it. She took a sharp intake of breath, but did not fear. For when the outside world finally drifted away, she saw him.

His beautiful face haunted her. She felt a warm sensation wash over her quivering body. The pain subsided. "Edward," she whispered again. Hysterics laced in and out of a comfortable, utter silence. She tried to drown it out completely. She needed the silence, but it would not come.

A new pain ripped throughout her body.

Guinevere was being attacked.

This time, she couldn't hold in her screams. She let them echo off the walls and mingle with the group's cruel hilarities.

Guinevere gripped the edges of the stones with her long fingers. She tried to find something to hold onto, something to keep her there. Her fingertips struggled. There was nothing. She was in too much pain. Too much pain to hope. Her body racked with broken tearless sobs.

She couldn't wait for him anymore.

Death would be coming for her swiftly now.

Exhaust that she had never felt before draped over her features like a blanket. Her body began to completely give up. She couldn't fight back. There was no reason to. There was no use. Guinevere lied there on the floor, agony surging through her veins, and waited for the end.

It came sooner than she thought.

There was a commotion. Voices were coming from all directions outside of her closed eyelids. They were angry against the silence. Striking.

A scream of frustration resonated in the air before it mixed with a crashing thunderbolt of a sound. "Gwen," came the single most beautiful sound she had heard, through the eruption of growls and hisses.

Guinevere pulled herself out of the dark when the heaviness of Jane's talent was ripped off. Her hands balled into fists and her nails once again dug into her marble skin. She needed to feel something. "Edward?" she whispered, unbelieving.

The intruder pushed toward the vampire, who's pain was slowly deteriorating. He positioned himself into a defensive crouch over Guinevere's crumpled body. He glared at the five vampires that were advancing carefully. As he lowered himself closer to her, he bared his venom coated teeth and a feral growl ripped from his throat.

When Guinevere tore her eyes open, anxiety rushed up her throat. He shouldn't be here. "Edward," Her voice continued to be as smooth as velvet, even as it intertwined with horror. "No."

His dark eyes swung themselves in her direction for a split second. They melted for a moment, but then returned to their stone like hardness. Edward stared back up at the others, his throat still vibrating from his low growl.

Felix held his hand out to the side, stopping one of the guards from getting any closer to the hopeless causes. "You should've listen to her," he said venomously, his voice gruffer than any other immortals'. "Now, both of you will have to die." He let go of the Volturi he had been holding back slowly, and smile forming the thin line of his lips.

Guinevere pressed her hands to the stone ground and pulled herself upward in a steady motion. If not for herself, she would fight for Edward, who widened his eyes a little and stood straighter. He pressed the palm of his hand to her waist, holding her closer to his body. Then, the vampire breathed her in quickly, as if he was making a memory, his eyes never leaving the guards.

"Stop this now!" a velvet voice growled angrily from the doorway. There, Marcus, a Volturi leader, stood. His pale skin glimmered strangely in the gray glow of the day. His dark orbs stared with rage at the small group of guards. He turned to his side, his black hair moving furiously. "What's been going on since I was away, Aro?"

Aro looked stunned and shook his head. Wrinkling his forehead in confusion and utter bewilderment, he replied, "I have no idea." He let his gaze wonder over guards. "Jane?"

The two leaders were pushed through by Carlisle and Alice, who had summoned them. Carlisle, followed by his daughter, sighed in relief and rushed toward the coupled outsiders.

From the left of them, Felix bared his teeth. He started to advance when Carlisle pulled his lip back and made a threatening growl, his shoulders rounding defensively. He kept his movement and was soon at his son's side.

"Are you okay?" he asked Edward.

Edward nodded quickly, his stance never loosening. His eyes followed Alice as she stood on the other side of Guinevere, a small trace of a smile on her lips as they caught gazes.

Jane clenched her teeth and smiled cunningly. She trained her red eyes on her elder. "Aro, we were just..."

"Don't," Marcus interjected. "Nothing but lies." He took a few long strides toward the immortal girl and scolded, "You by no means can ever take the laws and punishments into your own hands unless you have been told to do so by the Volturi family." Jane cringed back and looked to Aro for his protection.

Aro did not make any move to defend her or the others, but stood still, his translucent skin crumpled in his expression.

"This will never happen again," Marcus continued, his gaze boiling with fury. He turned around in a swift, gracefully movement, concentrating his gaze onto the Cullens and Guinevere. His eyes sparked for a moment, when he caught the eye of the intended. "Aro and Caius will inform me on the matter and we'll decide what to do with you."

Alec's face twisted into a smile, but was soon diminished when Marcus corrected himself. "All of you."