This one-shot story was written for Twilighted's Friday Free-For-All series; it was the second entry, posted on April 17/09. Thanks to my girls mozzer0906 and Tallulah Remiter for encouraging me to stick to my instincts on this one.

I don't own Twilight.

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When did we become we?

It started the evening I gathered Edward Masen into my arms in the morgue of a hospital in 1918. He was a few hours away from death, and I could not let nature take its course. I couldn't let the only person I'd ever loved be taken from me, after two and a half centuries of near-solitude.

Telling myself I was allowed this – rationalizing that an eternity of service to the human race gave me license to be a bit selfish – I took him. The morgue was in the basement. It was dark outside. No one there saw me take him; no one saw me escape with him clutched against my still heart. In fact, no one there ever saw me again.

I fled with him, running as fast as I could with him in my arms; not stopping till we were well-concealed in the back woods of Wisconsin. I lay him on the damp, mossy ground in the still, cool September evening, and I kissed him. First, a righteous kiss on his beautiful ruby lips; then the kiss of a vampire, the one that would suffuse in him my venom, and begin the transformation process. Over the next several days, I wept with tearless sobs as my beautiful one burned. I held him, apologizing again and again for the fire that consumed his veins, replacing his blood with venom, and eventually stilling his heart entirely.

When his heart finally shuddered to a halt, I knew he was mine, forever. And though it took many months before he was able to focus on me as anything more than a teacher, a mentor – even a father figure for him, in this terrifying new life of his – he grew to love me as I did him. Together we learned what it was to express our love in its physical aspect. His body – smooth, pale and perfect – was my delight, and mine was the same for him. Hours, days, we spent intoxicated with the euphoria we found together. I thought we lacked for nothing.

For many years we moved from one state to another, leaving before it became obvious that neither of us were aging. We told people we were brothers. Maybe they believed us; perhaps they didn't. It was very difficult in those decades to be in a same-sex relationship, and as we chose to live among humans, we decided we must follow the norms set by society. We sought out areas where we could work among humans, but have a great deal of privacy around our home.

After nearly four decades together, we moved to the Pacific Northwest for the second time. It held the dual advantages of many days of rain and cloud; and thick, dense forests wherein we could build our home. I worked as a country doctor in a tiny town. Edward worked on his music, telling those who asked that he had just graduated from Juilliard. We hunted in the deep woods that surrounded the base of the Olympic Mountains.

One October night, after we'd taken down a couple of deer who had lingered past dusk on the edge of a clearing, we lay in the cool, damp moss, staring up into the sky, for once filled with stars instead of clouds. We were talking quietly when Edward suddenly sat bolt upright. In an instant I was on my feet, crouched in a defensive posture, waiting for him to tell me who or what was near. He was silent for a moment, his eyes wide as he stared into the black woods.

Finally he spoke, in the lowest possible voice. "Carlisle...what did you say a moment ago?"

Confused, I answered in a voice that matched his, "I said that it doesn't look as though Harry Truman will win re-election next month, and you said not to write him off yet. Why?"

"I could swear I heard--" he halted abruptly as he tensed even more. "There's someone here. I can hear his thoughts."

"I don't smell anyone," I whispered furiously. "Which direction?"

He shifted slightly, nodding his head wordlessly in the direction of the thoughts he heard. He was silent for another moment, listening, seeing the stranger's thoughts in his head.

"I don't believe it..." he whispered.

"What?" I urged, frustrated that I could neither hear nor smell the intruder.

"He's one of us, Carlisle."

"Who? Do we know him?"

"I don't think so – I don't recognize his mind. His thoughts are horribly sad; he's recalling some of his human memories." Then he winced – if blood could have drained from his face, I'm sure it would have – and he looked as though he had been hit by a wave of pain and sadness. As he told me later, that was, in fact, exactly what had happened.

"Carlisle, he's completely alone – depressed, lonely and desperate. He's as close to suicidal as a vampire can get."

Finally Edward spoke aloud, loudly enough that the vampire could hear him clearly from a mile or so away – which was still nearly imperceptible to human ears. "I know you can hear us. We won't hurt you – please, come to us and let us help you. Please don't be afraid. We're peaceful."

He was silent for a moment, his head to one side as he listened, and then spoke aloud again. "Yes, I can hear your thoughts. I know you're alone. I know you've been one of us for a long time, and that you're looking for something different. We are different. At least let us tell you about our life. Maybe the way we live, is what you're looking for. No more violence. You've seen enough violence in your long life."

At that moment, I could hear a gentle sob several hundred feet away. He was silently making his way to us, the only sound the gentle swaying of leaves as he brushed past them – a sound only a vampire could hear. Edward reached up to where I stood beside him, and took my hand. "Sit down, Carlisle – let him be in control of this."

I nodded, trusting Edward's assessment of his thoughts, that he would not attack. Soon, we both saw him in the woods, watching us. Edward gently nodded his head at him, beckoning him. Cautiously, gingerly, he took one step and then another, maintaining a defensive posture as he drew closer. Finally, he emerged into the clearing, his wide eyes darting around, looking for signs that others were around.

He was tall and blond. His eyes were blood red, though the deep violet circles under his eyes showed that he was terribly thirsty. He was barefoot, his clothing grimy; his curly, chin-length hair tangled and filled with bits of foliage. He looked to have been around twenty when he was changed. I wondered how long he had been running alone.

For long moments, he regarded us with wary eyes; and still we sat, returning his gaze. Finally, Edward held out one hand, palm up, in a show of trust and openness, and spoke.

"Your name is Jasper?" The blond nodded. "Jasper, I can see that you're weak. I know you haven't satisfied your thirst in months, and that you've been staying away from humans so you don't have to kill anyone else. Carlisle and I – " here he gestured toward me, "we don't hunt humans. We drink the blood of animals. I know you can smell the herd of deer just over that rise. It isn't the same, friend; I won't tell you that it is. But it will give you strength, both for your body and for your resolve."

The young man's delicate lip curled up slightly in disgust for a moment, but I could see that he was considering Edward's suggestion. His eyes darted back and forth between us several times, as if trying to ascertain whether we were trying to entrap him. Abruptly, his face seemed to crumple, and he dropped to his knees, his face falling into his hands; and at last I heard him speak.

"No more violence," his voice rasped softly. My ancient heart panged for him, and after a quick look at each other, Edward and I both flashed to his side, wrapping our arms around him, trying to soothe him as he wept tearlessly.

Jasper hunted that night, and once he had gorged himself on the blood of three deer, returned with us to our home in the woods. He showered, spending so long under the hot spray that he finally drained the hot water from the tank. When he emerged from the bathroom wearing one of my clean shirts and a pair of Edward's pants, the pale violet circles under his eyes had already begun to lighten, and he looked more like a supreme being, rather than a road-weary traveller.

Over the next several days, he told us of his life. Born in Texas, joined the Confederate army at age 16; at age 19, conscripted into a different type of war – the southern vampire wars. He spared no detail as he described his life during those times. Over the decades, he had helped create and then destroy thousands of newborn vampires. His vampiric talent as an empath had eventually caused him to flee, as he sensed the fear and heartbreak from the victims of those terrible times. By the time we found him, he had been roving North America alone for nine years. Remorseful for the years of bloodshed, and unable to block the fear from the humans he hunted, he had been abstaining from blood for over a year, with only a few lapses.

Months passed, and Jasper remained with us. As the human blood left his system and his eyes changed from red to golden, so too did his personality. He still carried some guilt from his past – Edward told me he thought about it often – but eventually a new man emerged from the broken shell we had found in the woods that night. He was intelligent and thoughtful, scholarly even; and the three of us had many epic discussions on politics, philosophy and world events. It was the one period of my life when I honestly regretted that I must leave to go to work.

Of course, it did not escape his notice that Edward and I had a bedroom. A bedroom that contained a bed, for vampires who don't sleep. A bedroom into which we would eventually want to disappear, for some uninterrupted time. Edward and I decided from the first that we must be open with Jasper if he was to live with us; and so once he mentioned the bed, we told him, simply, that we were together. His age and his southern sensibilities meant he was properly scandalized at first. Soon, though, Edward told me that Jasper was becoming affected by the lust we generated when we were together. We were as discreet as possible; but an empath with a vampire's sense of hearing defeats all attempts at discretion.

I felt badly for him, as he must crave companionship of his own, especially now that he had come to some peace about his feeding habits. I considered mentioning to Edward that perhaps he should take a trip to Denali with Jasper. Carmen was mated with Eleazar; but Kate, Tanya and Irina were all beauties, and Jasper might find companionship with one of them. Before I had an opportunity to speak to him about it, though, everything changed.

Early one morning, I came home from an overnight birth to find Edward home by himself. Jasper had gone for an early morning hunt, he said. It was the first time we'd been alone in the house in months, and immediately I grabbed his hand and we dashed to our bedroom, stripping our shirts as we went.

As soon as the door to our bedroom closed, Edward whirled on me, catching me around the waist and pulling me close. The evidence of our mutual arousal was already apparent as his hips ground against mine. "Mmmm," he moaned softly. "I hoped you'd get home before Jasper, my love. It's been so long since we could be free to enjoy each other, without restraint."

"And I intend to take full advantage of it," I growled, my desire for him almost uncontrollable. I dropped to my knees, ripping his pants from his body as I did. When his beautiful body was bare before me, I immediately opened my mouth to accept his hard cock. He was longer than me, though not as thick; and I took his entire length down my throat. He groaned, his long fingers burying themselves in my thick blond hair. My tongue swept the underside of his shaft with each pass as I throated his smooth marble cock, again and again. He tensed as his orgasm neared; and then roared his release, thrusting his hips forcefully with every spurt of his elixir that hit my throat. It had been so long since I'd heard his velvet voice frantic with ecstasy, and it was so sexy that I nearly came just from hearing him. At that moment, it felt as though only he and I existed in the world, let alone in our home.

Abruptly, though, I realized that we were very wrong. Edward, who should have been basking in the afterglow of his release, suddenly pulled me up to stand in front of him, and whispered into my ear, in a voice only we could hear, "He's here."

Without speaking, I asked Edward, He's in the house?

Edward shook his head, his jaw tight, and pointed at the door.

How did you not hear him? I thought frantically.

"I was a little distracted!" he whispered furiously.

At that moment, a soft knock sounded on the door. I exhaled deeply, and motioned for Edward to put on his robe before I opened the door. On the other side of the door was a Jasper I hadn't seen before. His eyes were black, though he had just hunted; and he eyed me hungrily. I was taken aback at his demeanor. He spoke before I could.

"I'm sorry - I know you're...I know I'm interrupting. I just wondered...please be honest if I'm overstepping...but please...may I join you?" His black eyes were pleading, and the waves of desire emanating from him, more than made up for my own drive that had slackened with his interruption.

I turned to meet Edward's gaze, seeking his opinion on the addition. We had become fairly open-minded about our sexual relationship after the first decade or so had passed, and had brought a third lover to our bed a few times before. Not one who lived with us, though. This felt like a much bigger decision, something that could change the course of our lives.

Edward held my gaze for a long moment, and raised one eyebrow quizzically at me. It was clear to me he welcomed the addition, but as always, we must be in agreement. I answered his unspoken question silently. Yes.

I turned back to Jasper, whose lust still flooded the atmosphere as he awaited our decision. In reply, I simply held out my hand to take his, and led him into our bedroom. He gazed at Edward, whose robe did little to conceal his excitement at this development. Jasper hesitated, unsure. Still holding his hand, I led him to where Edward stood beside our bed. They eyed each other for a moment. Taking control, I placed one hand on each of them, grasping the backs of their necks. I pulled Edward to me for a deep kiss, then turned to Jasper and did the same. Then I guided them together, and they kissed passionately.

Kisses flowed between the three of us...hands travelled over bodies...eyes watched hungrily...clothes were torn off and tossed to the floor. I climbed onto the bed and drew both naked men to me. I told Jasper to lie on his back, and indicated that Edward should straddle him facing the opposite direction, so each could take the other's cock into his mouth. Realizing Jasper might want only the physical contact, and not penetration, I moved behind Edward and used my tongue to prepare him for my cock; dipping in to his opening, swirling around the delicately puckered tissues. He moaned around Jasper's cock, eliciting a similar response from Jasper. I positioned the head of my thick cock at his opening and held firmly to his hips, and pressed slowly, steadily, further and further into the tight depth that welcomed me; until he held my full length deep inside.

Edward groaned, begging for me to give him what he needed, and I began to plunge into him. Again and again I pushed deep inside, marvelling as I always did, at how well-suited our bodies were for each other. From my vantage point, I saw Edward's hand snake around Jasper's hip. He started to gently massage Jasper's opening with the pad of his index finger. I couldn't see Jasper's face, but the thrust of his hips toward Edward's finger told me that, not only was he not shying away from this contact - he desired it. Edward slid one finger into Jasper, then two, and began to gently thrust his fingers in and out.

Our bodies and voices began to blur, each one overlapping the others until we were virtually indistinguishable, even to a vampire's senses; a symphony of spirits moving in one accord, inspired by some unearthly conductor, pushed higher and higher until at last we shattered in our ultimate crescendo.

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As the individual stems of a climbing vine twine together, diverge and coalesce, yet always flow with the same vitality, joined at a common root; so too are Edward, Jasper and I. Our individual paths have taken us around the world in the ensuing decades; sometimes we are separated, but only by geography. Our physical hearts do not beat; but we share a common heart, one that knows neither time nor distance. It is an ancient understanding, a love that triumphs over the restrictions of humanity; and in a thousand years, when this world's civilizations have crumbled to dust, there will still be Jasper, Edward, and Carlisle - we three.

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Hope you enjoyed the sweetness and the spice. Please review if you did, bbs. I've been asked to expand upon it; and it's entirely possible that once Over The Top is complete, I may do so; so place it on your alerts (or subscribe to me as an author). For now it's a one-shot.