Jenny's Log - OOM: Edward needs to learn how to have fun.

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22 August 2008 @ 02:44 pm

OOM: Edward needs to learn how to have fun.

"I think we'll start with Dagobah," Jenny told him as she walked towards the cockpit of her small shuttle. "According to my computer, it's a small swamp planet discovered a thousand years ago by a sect of Jedi who had broken away from the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire after a deceleration decreeing all religions founded upon fictional works were null and void. There's not much there now. It's been abandoned... um, well, for a while."

She stopped by her chair, turning around to make sure that Edward had indeed followed her from Milliways.

Her shuttle wasn't much, Jenny knew, but she considered it her life. It was the only home she had (unless you counted the room in Milliways) and her only means of actually doing anything. Well, anything remotely interesting. Random knickknacks from various planets were scattered about the room, mostly concentrated away from the cockpit and in the back of the shuttle. A couple of photographs of herself and Bart were taped on to various walls. Her prized piece of psychic paper was lying underneath a stack of books.

It felt more like a home now than when she commandeered it from Messaline.

"Well?" Jenny slid into the pilot's seat and looked at him. "Whatcha think, Edward?"

Tags: edward cullen, milliways, oom

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 01:02 am (UTC)

Jenny winced as her weight settled on to her legs and feet. They ached slightly from her fall, but nothing she could not live with. Still, Jenny kept a hand firmly on his arm.

It helped with the balance. Really. That was what it was.

"It was worth a try," she protested. "And Jay can't support my weight as well as you do and does this mean we're friends now? If you get this worried over me?"

Edited 2008-08-24 01:06 am (UTC)

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 01:07 am (UTC)

"It means I don't want to be the impetus of your demise." Beat. "Even if it is only for a few hours." He sound annoyed, horrified, and envious.

Edward sighed and looked down at her hold on his arm, catching the way she stood and how she favored which foot. "If I carry you back to the shuttle, will you try not to jump out of my arms?"

Edited 2008-08-24 01:10 am (UTC)

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 01:11 am (UTC)

"It's not a big deal," she answered softly, looking away towards the horizon. "Death, that is. It's kind of like going to sleep. Until you wake up and then..."

Then it was just strange because you discovered you've been abandoned by your father. He said you would be amazing, he promised to take you traveling with him. But he didn't even wait around for your funeral.

Jenny didn't know where these thoughts came from. They were always there, of course. But they weren't ones she liked to think of much. Because maybe in the end, her dad couldn't stand having a soldier for a daughter. Even if her Not-Dad seemed to act otherwise, she knew it was easy enough to lie.

"I promise," she answered, meaning it. "But we're still going to Astroland. I'm going to make sure you have fun on this trip, Edward."

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 01:15 am (UTC)

He had been, Edward thought ruefully as he swept her up into his arms. He had let himself have fun and then she had to go and be...well, herself, and remind him how dangerous it was to let himself go.

Pick her up was an act of nothing to him. She was a light and breakable as everything else he could touch in a day. Her thoughts didn't help him. He remembered death differently and he would never sleep again.

He sighed again, above her blonde head, circling his arms around Jenny like hard stone so she couldn't move from them if she tried, and took off through the forest at the fastest he could retracing his steps without thinking about it.

Edited 2008-08-24 01:19 am (UTC)

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 01:22 am (UTC)

It felt comfortable in his arms. Maybe he was a bit too cold to the touch, but in some ways, Jenny did prefer it over warm human bodies. She felt safe and didn't even protest at the fact she couldn't move, even in using the best of her strength (which was above average on most days).

She had heard about siblings, the fond note Medusa tended to use when talking about her sisters. If she had any of her own, they were long dead. Dad was the last of their kind until she came along.

Maybe Edward could be the brother she never had if he didn't want to be her friend. That could be nice. She wouldn't mind having a sibling.

Jenny didn't even pay attention to the passing scenery. Unless her jump simply ruined everything between them. She hoped not. For whatever the reason, she was growing rather fond of him.

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 01:28 am (UTC)

Her thoughts were the filter his recrimination and guilt ran through, which led into processes of brown eyes and other moments of sharp anger, and dark shame, he'd given into recently. They were both fragile and unpredictable, even being able to hear Jenny, she was unpredictable.

It seemed to be shorter that way, both them stuck in their thoughts, hardly watching their surroundings. He didn't need to. Even running this fast he could see everything forever before it approached, adjusting nuances so he never had the mark to even chance a collision.

And the the shuttle appeared and he stopped running about ten feet from it, letting his feet rock forward so the momentum would slam her into his arms. Very gently, thinking about silk over glass for her entire body, he lowered her feet to the ground.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 01:40 am (UTC)

The run back went far too quickly for Jenny's tastes. When he let her down, she still didn't move far away. It would be an easy walk back to the shuttle and as long as she didn't think of it, hopefully the hatch wouldn't send them back to Milliways.

She didn't feel ready to go back yet.

Instead, Jenny stood there (still holding on to his wrist) and stared up at him. There was a look of vulnerability in her blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "For ruining everything like that."

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Edward Cullen: Claire de Lune lover and piano player

themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 01:45 am (UTC)

Edward looked down at her grasp of his wrist and then to her face, expression turned quietly rueful. It wasn't as though she forced him, either into her shuttle or to run. He slipped his wrist from her grasp, but slid the arm awkwardly (to him; even as he knew it would look smooth and graceful from the outside) around her and helped her toward to the shuttle doors.

"I am unaccustomed to people," he sighed, tired of it being the constant noise he made. "To people who are not my family members in close quarters. This is very different. You see things differently."

She was very different, yet still breakable.

Edited 2008-08-24 01:47 am (UTC)

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 01:51 am (UTC)

Jenny nodded, watching her step as she listened to him just as carefully. If she was surprised at the way he was actually opening up to her, she didn't show it. She smiled a little and glanced up at him as they walked slowly (even by her standards).

"Your family members are like you, aren't they? Strong, fast, practically invincible?"

The perfect soldiers, she couldn't help but think with a touch of jealousy.

"I can... I think I can understand how you'd be unaccustomed to being around people who aren't. But what do you mean by that?" And now the insecurity returned. "That I see things differently? What does that have to do with any of it?"

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 01:57 am (UTC)

"They are."

Close quarters was touching, was sharing that part of him that didn't spend half a day pretending to be human and weak and fallible as every Tyler or Mike or Eric. Not that they didn't shine above all of them already.

He'd given more of that in the last few hours than the last decades.

"The way you act, as though you should throw yourself at everything, justifying it on having so many more chances," Edward said, once he settled her into a seat inside.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 02:07 am (UTC)

When the door didn't lead back to Milliways, Jenny let herself breathe a small sigh of relief. She was finally learning something more about him. Selfishly, she didn't want to give that up.

As promised, Jenny took a seat in the chair Edward was sitting on earlier, letting him take the pilot's seat.

"I'm going to live forever, Edward."

Or close to forever. She had already traveled enough these past two months to hear rumours of the Lonely God and the Oncoming Storm, the last of the Time Lords. And somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that could be her someday.

It was daunting.

"How else ought I act? Especially when my lifespan really was only supposed to be those few hours I originally had. Does it bother you?"

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 02:13 am (UTC)

Edward settled into the pilot seat, not yet touching the controls. His face turned, cocking, as he glanced out the window before her listening to her child-like anger and naivety.

"People in their daily lives do." Edward said, knowing those weren't the right word, even as they spilled out. "Y--They are like tissue wrapped around thin china already to us."

He raised his hands, calling back the memory of what she did, following her gaze and thoughts of making sure he was doing it right. It was cheating, but he'd gotten over that almost a century ago.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 02:25 am (UTC)

Jenny shrugged. She'd show him the controls in a moment. Right now, this conversation wasn't over. Not until he understood how pointless an existence he'd have if he only lived it with his family.

Dad had gotten one thing right in travelling with companions rather than alone.

"I think... I think if you keep thinking like that, you'd be missing a lot, Edward. It would be like me not making friends with people just cause... cause they won't live as long as I will. It's stupid. Especially if these people know the risks. Like I do."

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 02:30 am (UTC)

Edward started the shuttle in a series of quick movements of his hands, while the main part of his body hadn't seemed to move. There was irony in continually being the lectured focus of a two month old who might happen to live long enough to understand half of what he never said.

He tried not to smile, but it might have failed. The craft hover upward, as he did the reverse of her last bit of flying.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 02:51 am (UTC)

"I wouldn't ever blame you if you hurt me," she continued softly. "Not ever, Edward. Since it's my choice to be around you. And that's cause I like you and I like being around you. You kind of like that older brother I'll never have. I think. Are all older brothers as annoying as you?"

Jenny watched his hands cautiously as she spoke, bursting with pride as he followed her steps correctly and without reminder. He was good, really good. Again she felt that twinge of jealousy over his skills. Her inheritance was one thing. What Edward could do was something else entirely.

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 02:58 am (UTC)

He almost laughed, closing his eyes for a moment. In the space of hours, without agreeing he was even her friend, she had shifted to brother. In the center of a discussion on why he felt her mortality and immortality different.

"Mine is." It was sharply said, but with a smile. He loved and was loyal to Emmett. He'd been the one to understand so completely why he had to run from Bella.

He didn't mind the appraise for showing off, but it always hardly skimmed the surface. He spent too much time everyday knowing everything he was asked. But it was nice to be learning something new.

Something fast and shiny and new.

There was a look that said where to mixed in it all.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 03:08 am (UTC)

Coming from a world where you died only hours after you were born, you learned to move fast. Every moment was precious. Every relationship important. She couldn't help it.

Like Teja and like Medusa and like Eirene, she had fallen in love with Edward in a matter of meetings. It wasn't the same sort of love she felt towards Bart Allen; no, that was something unique and precious and still only considered possible due to a deep fear of what it might mean. But it was there. That comfortableness and happiness and kinship and desire to adopt Edward into a makeshift family.

Grinning at him happily for a second more, Jenny quickly dialed in coordinates on the computer. "She'll do most of the navigational work, but you have to guide her. First step is getting away from Dagobah. Think you can do that, Edward?"

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 03:12 am (UTC)

"Easily."

He eased it up continually, watching everything around them become below them and smaller, longing for the break of space he'd only seen in coming here.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 03:15 am (UTC)

The grin was almost permanent on her face and she looked at him, a challenge in her eyes.

"This the best you can do? Don't tell me you're afraid of going faster."

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 03:19 am (UTC)

Edward wasn't sure when he was allowed since she'd come down slow, which earned her an ironic snap look not lacking in amusement. Then his hands moved across the controls as the ship suddenly spun upward, while he leaned forward in his seat, watching the rate of departure, the controls and the space coming.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 03:24 am (UTC)

Much better.

Jenny stretched out in her chair, feeling the momentum press her back and the sharp ache in her shin bone from the fall. Both were ignored as she glanced out the window, eager to see the blackness of space again.

It was beautiful. Every leave taking from a planet was.

"What's it like?" Jenny asked a few moments later after Edward broke orbit. "Having a proper family? Do you have a dad and a mum? And siblings? Are they just annoying or is there something brilliant about having them around, as well?"

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themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 03:30 am (UTC)

He watched her peripherally but let her be, as she didn't wince or moan loudly. He didn't expect her not to be in pain. Nor did he expect the way her face lit up so brightly with awe at something that could hardly be new to her.

But her questions came with a colder reality. One he'd been thinking about since their last talk, here and there, with the stand in definition of here being the bar they definitely were not at.

"People know all of us where we live. They know how we live; our names; ages; grades; relations. What you know, it's supposed to be a secret. What we are." His words were calm, as the ship continued to race, but there was a question in them that he hoped she didn't miss.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 03:42 am (UTC)

Humans had a tendency to fear what they didn't understand and what they didn't like. Jenny absolutely despised that fact but she knew from the moment of her birth just how true it was.

"It doesn't bother matter to me what you and your family are, but that's not such a popular opinion, is it?"

No, of course not. Hence the secret. A secret she would never, ever share. Edward didn't need to be a mind reader to know that. It was written all over her face.

"It still doesn't tell me what they're like. Are they your biological family or did you make them your family? Are they a good one? You love them all, that much is obvious. But that doesn't tell me what they're like. Could I meet them some day?"

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Edward Cullen: [Person] Cullens - Not A Coven

themidnightson on August 24th, 2008 03:49 am (UTC)

She had so many questions and even asking for a promise, which her thoughts and her face contained, but she hadn't said aloud, did not promise him that he could believe it wholly. They were unashamedly his everything.

He didn't like being part of a chink in the fence around them.
He wanted them to be safe and happy and together forever.

"Carlisle was first." He said it before he ever realized he was going to say it. "He's our father. A doctor. He-" Edward rubbed his forehead. How did one explain him? He was the brightest light in his darkness. Even in the past week when his monster fought for all of him.

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bitunlikely.livejournal.com on August 24th, 2008 03:54 am (UTC)

Jenny couldn't help but smile when he stopped talking. He clearly loved his father in a way she wondered if she could ever lover her own.

"My dad's a Doctor," she answered, staring at him. "The Doctor, actually. It's all anyone ever calls him, I think. Except for other things. Titles. The Lonely God and the Oncoming Storm. He does a lot, all over the universe. I can't ever be like him. I don't...

"I don't think I could ever be like him, either," she finished with a shrug. She wished she could. Jenny wished that so much. "You're lucky. Carlisle sounds wonderful already."