Title: Coming Home - An entry for the Deep South Contest

Pairing: Bella/Jasper

Rating: M

Genre: Romance

Word Count: 5,795

Location: Texas

Summary: The last thing Bella wanted was to be nominated for the Homecoming court. But her father, the sheriff, made sure that she was, and worse, that she would win. The last person she expected to see was Jasper... He came home.

Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Coming Home

The tiny town of Forks, Texas was deserted on this warm Friday night. Blue and gold festooned every street sign and every storefront, leading the way to the town's center of worship- the football stadium. Tonight was Homecoming.

Cars and trucks overflowed the small parking lot and lined the highway in both directions. Two rookie officers from the sheriff's department were the only ones on duty for the next three hours, and they were not the least bit concerned about directing traffic. It wasn't every day that the Sheriff's only daughter was nominated for homecoming queen, after all.

"Mom, leave it. You're just gonna rip my dress if you keep messin' with the damn pins." Bella knew as soon as the words left her mouth that she was in for it, and Renee certainly didn't disappoint.

"Isabella Marie, you watch your mouth. You're not too big to take out behind these bleachers, girl." Her tiny mother had a voice that could carry even over the noise of a football crowd, and no one around could keep their amused snickers quiet.

Of course, her brother Emmett couldn't keep his mouth shut at all. Bella was sure the doctors must have dropped him on his head when he was born. "Don't worry, Momma. Bellsy knows all about what happens behind the bleachers."

Rosalie promptly smacked his oversized head, earning herself a grateful look from a blushing Bella. Some days she couldn't see how on earth those two could possibly be twins, but the baby pictures and 18 years of torment don't lie. "Be nice to your sister, and don't you need to be on the field with the rest of the team anyway?"

Emmett dutifully leaned over to kiss his longtime girlfriend, then his momma, before shooting his sister a wink and running for the field as fast as his feet could carry him. Bella just stood there with her hands on her hips, shaking her head in frustration. Emmett got away with everything.

Sheriff Swan finally made his way over just as Renee again reached for her daughter's massive homecoming mum, attempting to arrange the ribbons just so. Bella quickly pulled her dad between them as a buffer and smoothed out his shirt, making sure his badge was perfectly straight. He wasn't on duty tonight, but the whole town would be disappointed if their beloved Sheriff turned up in plain clothes for the presentation.

His moustache twitching was the only indication that he was feeling any emotions; Charlie was constantly serious. Something he saw must have set him off though, as even his eyes were shining a bit more than normal. "Oh, Bells. You just look so pretty. Just like your momma."

There it was the perfect opening for Renee to launch into their story of love and homecoming success. She still had her crown from the night 20 years ago when she and Charlie were named king and queen. The quarterback and the head cheerleader, as clichéd as they could be.

Bella sighed as Renee droned on; it wasn't that she had anything against her parents, or Rose and Emmett for that matter. No, Bella's problem was her own missing soul mate. Nights like this made it hard to be surrounded by happy couples. Nights like this she would give anything to have Jasper in her arms again.

"Bella! Psst! Bellllllaaa!" The insistent stage whisper came from the gate behind her. Turning around, she was amused to find her best friend Alice hanging halfway over the fence that separated the stands from the field. Edward was right behind her, poised to catch her if she started to fall, with an indulgent smile on his handsome face as always. Edward Cullen was a cousin of Jasper and Rose, and Bella swore that inhuman beauty just ran in that family.

Shaking off the reminder of her missing boyfriend- ex-boyfriend-, she turned her attention to her hyper best friend. Alice was adorable as usual, wearing a tiny Forks High football jersey and a homecoming mum that was nearly as large as she was. Alice was a free spirit, an artist and a dancer, but her quirky personality made her a bit of a social pariah. Snagging Edward Cullen for a boyfriend had only served to further alienate her from pretty much every girl in school, apart from their small, close-knit group.

Alice wasn't the least bit bothered that she wasn't nominated for the Homecoming court; she was happy to cheer for her friends, and Edward just tagged along in her wake, probably composing a new song in his head. Edward was another strange one- he had absolutely no interest in football.

"Hey Alice, Edward. What's up?" Bella's voice lacked her usual friendly warmth, and her friends exchanged a knowing look as they each reached to hug her across the chain link fence.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I know tonight's harder than most for you. Just remember, we're all here for you," Edward whispered softly in his soothing, musical voice. Bella swore that most of the time he sounded like he was on the verge of singing instead of speaking. She squeezed his arm and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. Edward was one of her oldest friends, sticking up for each other since preschool when she was Smelly Bella and he was Edweird. They just never really stopped watching each other's back.

Alice was still perched on the fence, leaning over to fiddle with Bella's mum, moving the ribbons Renee had just rearranged, and pulling a delighted giggle from her mopey friend. The pixie-like girl smoothed Bella's hair and gently wiped a tear from under her eye before it could smear her mascara.

"Ok, beautiful Bella, you officially pass the Alice Brandon inspection. Now go get your crown!" Alice jumped gracefully to the ground, ribbon and bells fluttering around her as Edward reached out to steady her fall. Bella gave them another wave and turned to walk back to Charlie where he was waiting patiently and chatting with everyone who passed by.

A flash of blonde hair caught her attention and she shielded her eyes from the bright lights to glance up into the stands. Her eyes searched for what she thought she had seen, but the stadium was filled to capacity and all the faces started to blur together after a while.

Rose caught her for a hug as she passed by, and even the stoic Mr. Hale offered her a smile and a light shoulder squeeze. Bella glanced around, but Jasper's momma wasn't anywhere around. It was probably for the best, there was no way she could keep from crying if she saw the woman she always thought would be her mother-in-law.

Bella waited impatiently for the festivities to begin, not because she was excited, but because she wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Charlie kept her grounded, anchored in place so she didn't take off running for the hills. Finally, the announcer came over the loudspeakers and led the prayer and pledge of allegiance.

"And now, let's introduce the nominees for Homecoming Queen!" Mr. Banner's normally solemn voice held a hint of excitement that really should have tipped her off that there was something going on here, but Bella was oblivious as usual.

She waited in line as Lauren, Angela, Jessica, Rose, and Tanya were all introduced along with their fathers. Bella came out last, and she wasn't sure if the cheers were actually for her, or for her father. Charlie was a very popular sheriff, after all.

"First, we will announce that the football team has chosen their sweetheart. Please step forward, Miss Rosalie Hale!" Bella's smile was genuine as her brother ran up and gave Rose the small tiara and large bundle of roses. They really were kind of adorable together. Kind of like her and Jasper. Damn it, don't cry now. Don't cry now. Ugh.

"Our next honoree is our Homecoming King. The student body has voted and your 2013 Homecoming King is... Emmett Swan!" This time the cheers were deafening. If there was one person more popular than her father, it was her brother. He had broken every defensive record in the past four years, and was being scouted by every major school in the Big XII conference.

Emmett accepted his gaudy crown with his usual goofy antics, bowing regally to the crowd, and curtseying to the football team. Rose shot more than a few glares at the overenthusiastic cheerleaders who kissed his cheek as they crowned him. There would be hell to pay once she got her uniform on.

"Ok, ok, quiet down folks. We still have one more crown to hand out. Let's find out who our Queen is, alright?" The cheers gradually died down and the stadium was as quiet as a stadium could be.

"And the moment we've all been waiting for, your 2013 Homecoming Queen is... Drumroll please..." Bella rolled her eyes when Eric Yorkie led the drumline in a very enthusiastic drumroll. "Isabella Swan!"

Well, that was just wonderful. Now she had to go out there, get a crown from some stupid football player, and stand next to her brother of all people. Who does that? A brother/sister King and Queen. How inbred do they think this town is?

She almost missed the announcement when her eyes were drawn to movement near the gate where she just spoke to Alice and Edward. There was a crowd of students gathered around talking excitedly, but Bella couldn't see who else was there. Her stomach knotted up nervously and Mr. Banner came over the speaker again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a very special treat for y'all tonight. Presenting the crown for Homecoming Queen is our very own local star, the starting quarterback for Texas Tech," Say what? No, it's not possible. She had to be dreaming. Bella stared in shock as the crowd parted and he walked toward her with his dimpled smile and bright blue eyes, golden hair shining under the lights like it always had...

"Jasper Whitlock!"

Emmett grabbed her when she swayed on her feet, and Jasper broke into a run to pull her out of his arms. "Bella? Darlin? You ok?" His mouth kept moving, but she was locked in his eyes, trying to make sense of everything. She finally reached one hand up to touch his hair, her security blanket, to make sure she wasn't dreaming. He smiled in relief and looked like he wanted to kiss her but he gently placed the crown on her head instead.

"Jas?" Her voice sounded weak, even to her, and he just took her hands in his and kissed her cheek softly.

"Congrats, darlin'. You've always been my princess," his low voice broke her defenses and she launched herself into his arms, not caring how he was here, or why, just that he was. It had been more than two months since she last saw him, two months since they agreed to end things between them, but it still felt right holding him tightly as she sobbed against his neck.

It took a few minutes, but she finally remembered where she was- standing on the fifty-yard-line in front of their entire home town. Her blush appeared on cue, and both Emmett and Jasper laughed at her typical Bella reaction.

Rose's hand on her arm got her attention, and she realized everyone else had filed off and they were getting ready to do the coin toss. Rose and Bella needed to change into their cheerleading uniforms and get ready for the game to start. "Come on, sweetie. He'll be here the whole time. You can talk later, ok?"

Glaring at his step-sister, Jasper pulled her to the gate while Emmett handed his crown to Rose and ran off to take his place as team captain for the coin toss. Bella took a deep breath and looked up into his achingly familiar face, wanting nothing more than to melt into his arms. But the girls needed her for the stunts, and she needed to get changed and back out on the track.

As if he read her mind, Jasper sighed and nodded, "Go on, darlin'. I'll be right up there in the stands. We can talk after the game."

He walked her to the field house where her uniform was waiting, and she turned reluctantly to go inside. Just before the door shut, she stuck her head back out, "Wait! Jasper! What are you doin' here? Don't you have a game tomorrow?"

That smile she loved so much was bright and happy for the first time since he left home back in August. "I do. We're playin' A&M tomorrow afternoon, but I rode up here with a scout to see the game tonight. I've gotta go talk up your brother and try to get him on my team next year." With a cocky little wink and the barest brush of his lips against hers, he turned and jogged off toward the stands, leaving Bella even more confused than before.

She walked into the locker room in a complete daze, not even noticing the glares and sneers from the other girls as Rose grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a row of lockers to change. "Bella? Are you ok? I thought you'd be happy to see him...?" Rose whispered quietly as she turned Bella around and unzipped her dress, leaving her mum pinned to the straps as she slid the entire thing down.

Bella raised her arms obediently when Rose slipped her uniform top on, and lifted each leg when she was nudged for her bloomers and cheer skirt. Her mind was racing; had Jasper come home for her? Or was it just convenient with the game close by and the scout needing to see Emmett? The real question was, how high was she on his list of priorities?

"Bella!" Rose startled her from her thoughts, and she blinked at her friend in the mirror where Rose was hastily taming Bella's curls into a tight ponytail. "Talk to me! Please!"

Bella glanced down, slightly surprised to see herself fully dressed, including her socks and shoes. Her makeup needed some adjusting after her tears, but Alice had thankfully put her in waterproof mascara so the damage wasn't as severe as it could have been. She quickly adjusted her eyeliner, and removed her diamond earrings- she never wore jewelry when she was doing stunts.

"Um, honestly, I have no idea what to think. I never expected to see him here tonight; a heads-up would have been nice," she added with a glare at Rose, letting her friend know she didn't appreciate being left in the dark.

"Are you two ready yet?" Lauren's nasally voice cut through the room, grating on Bella's already raw nerves. "We've already missed kick-off, we need to get out there!"

Rose wrapped her arm around the girl who would one day be her sister-in-law, one way or the other, hopefully both, and led her out to the track to cheer on their team. The Forks High Falcons were playing their biggest rivals, the La Push Lions, and the stadium was beyond packed. That was the other reason Charlie's deptuties were in attendance- a fight after the game was only to be expected.

As soon as she stepped out under the lights, Bella's eyes were drawn to Jasper. He was sitting about 6 rows up, right in front of her. His eyes never left hers, even as he spoke animatedly to the older man to his left, the scout, Bella assumed. With a jolt, his earlier words sunk in. He wanted her brother to move to Lubbock; did he want her there as well?

As she moved mechanically through the familiar cheers, she thought about the night Jasper told her he had been offered a starting position with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. She had railed and cried, begging him to choose a school closer to home. They had been together officially since her freshman year, though she had loved him for her entire life. She couldn't imagine her life without her boyfriend.

He patiently explained that he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps- his birth father, Nathan Whitlock, not Rosalie's father, Mr. Hale. Jasper's dad died in a car accident when he was just a few months old, and his mother moved home to Forks to live with his paternal grandparents.

Rosalie's mom left when she was only a week old, determined to pursue a career in Hollywood, leaving Mr. Hale to raise his daughter alone. Within a year, Rose had a new mommy and Jasper had a new dad. When their little sister Jane was born, their perfect little family was complete.

Bella couldn't understand Jasper's stubbornness on the matter, and she fought him every step of the way, trying to guilt him into staying closer to her. In the end, he still left, moving 8 hours away. He said he didn't want to hold her back her senior year, and they decided to break up.

"Come on, Bells. It's almost halftime. We need to give them a stunt before the buzzer," Rose's best friend Heidi called out to their flyer, trying to get her head back in the game. Maybe if Bella had been more in tune with her squad, she would have seen the look that Lauren and Jessica exchanged as they stepped up to get in position.

The squad began their cheer, jumping and yelling and riling up the crowd. Bella soon found herself high in the air, her feet perched on the other girls' hands. With a final 'Let's go!', she stretched to the victory pose and smiled at Jasper who was much closer to her eye level now. He grinned back and waved, leaning over closer to the scout and pointing to her. The older man nodded appreciatively as Bella prepared to dismount.

Rose's startled yell was the only warning she had when she realized her spotters were no longer beneath her. Rose and Heidi lunged forward, grabbing the smaller girl's legs and torso to try and ease her fall. They fell in a heap on the track and Bella finally saw the smug look on the bitch twins' faces. Lauren and Jessica deliberately let her fall.

Bella didn't move for a few seconds, trying to assess the damage, and she was relieved to find she was relatively unscathed. It wasn't until two large bodies ran up that she realized Rosalie was not. Emmett charged in from the field just as Jasper leapt the fence to the track, meeting the girls in the middle.

"Rosie? Baby? Are you ok?" Emmett's voice was frantic as he got as close to his girl as he could get. Bella rolled slightly to find her friend directly beneath her, not moving at all.

"Rose? Oh my god, Rose? Rose!" Bella was frantic, trying to wake her friend, but worried about touching her, not knowing what her injuries were. She flinched when Jasper pressed closer to her and put his arm around her shoulder. Pulling back, he looked down to see a large scrape on Bella's right thigh and hip.

"Bella? You're hurt, baby." Jasper's hand pressed carefully over her leg that was already swelling and would probably leave an angry bruise. He was trying to distract himself from the fact that his strong, feisty sister was laying unconscious just inches away.

Knowing Jasper better than he knew himself, Bella simply batted his hand away and leaned into his touch, reaching up to thread her fingers through his to ground them both. She glanced up to meet Emmett's teary eyes just as a perfectly manicured hand lifted into their line of vision.

"Rosie?" "Rose?" "Rose!" They all cried together, looking down to see her ice-blue eyes blinking slowly. Emmett helped her sit up, and she immediately pressed her hand gingerly to the back of her head.

"I'm ok, but some bitches won't be for long," she said, shifting her glare to Lauren and Jessica. Heidi was standing with her arms crossed, nodding in agreement.

The coach came over to pull Emmett away for halftime, and Rosalie waved him off, insisting that he leave her and get his head back in the game. She told him if he lost she would personally kick his ass.

Charlie and two of his deputies were on the track glaring at the girls who dropped his daughter, and they began to worry that their little prank may not have been the best idea.

The team's trainer was examining a very uncooperative Rosalie, and Dr. Cullen finally made his way over to give his opinion on her condition. With Rose's parents looking on, he declared that she had a mild concussion and it would be best if she went home.

Bella glared at Jasper when he told Carlisle about her scraped leg, and she endured the irritation of his careful examination, flinching subtly when he probed gently at her tender flesh. "Get some ice on this, Bella, and you'll need to sit out the rest of the night," Carlisle's kind smile was familiar after 18 years of bandaging her bumps and bruises.

The Hales took Rosalie home, waving fondly at Jasper and Bella as they followed their friends back into the stands, now armed with an ice pack and towel for Bella's leg. Jasper apologized to the scout, introducing him to Bella, Edward, and Alice.

"That was quite impressive, Miss Swan. The cheer squad at Tech holds tryouts in May, and I'm sure they would love to have someone of your talent. Miss Hale as well," he said, knowing both girls would be key to keeping his football players happy, provided he could get Emmett Swan to sign.

Bella blushed at his compliments, but her mind was spinning at his words. Rosalie planned to follow Emmett wherever he went to school, but Bella always thought she would have to choose between her brother and her boyfriend. Now she had hope that they could all be together next fall. If Jasper still wanted her...

Jasper kept his arm around her waist through the second half of the game, his hand gently pressing the ice to her injured leg. He didn't even seem to be aware that he was pressing kisses to the top of her head, and she leaned into his side without a second thought.

They stood and cheered with their friends when Emmett snagged an interception that he ran sixty yards back for a touchdown with only seconds left in the game. It was a big win for him, and the Falcons as a whole.

When the game let out, Bella followed Jasper to his truck without saying a word. He looked worried as he handed her up, but just leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, hoping the rest of the night would go the way he planned. He finally had his girl alone.

Bella stared blankly out the window, assuming they were following the crowd to the street dance, but Jasper pulled off the highway and stopped to type in the code on a set of familiar metal gates. "Papaw Whitlock's?" she asked in wonder, gazing up at the Flying W opening in front of the truck.

He smiled fondly at her. "Yeah, I wanted my girl alone for a while, is that ok? And Nana made me promise to bring you by since you haven't been to see her lately," he said, pretending to frown at her as he chastised her lack of attention to his favorite grandmother.

Nana Whitlock had adopted Bella as her own when the girl was just an infant, since Charlie and Nathan were best friends growing up. She already had Jasper and Bella's wedding planned before he left town, and she never wavered in her faith when he told her they had agreed to split up.

Bella blushed at the idea of facing Jasper's grandparents over the breakfast table as she had so many times before. He had a room at their house, but they had spent many warm summer nights in the barn or out in the pasture in the back of Jasper's truck. Glancing behind her, she saw the pile of old quilts in the backseat and knew that was his plan for tonight.

"What are we doing, Jas?" she finally asked softly, needing to know what he wanted from her. She didn't think her heart could handle a simple hook-up when she still loved him as much as she did.

Jasper kept driving past the house and veered off toward the pond, where he parked under the large oak tree. He spread the quilts in the back and lifted Bella easily into the bed of the truck.

"Bella, I have loved you as long as I have known what love is. You're the only girl I've ever wanted, and these past few months have been the hardest of my life. I know I said I didn't want to hold you back, but baby, I've changed my mind," he stared into her eyes as he stood between her legs that were dangling off the edge of the open tailgate.

Her breath caught as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring she instantly recognized. Jasper had shown it to her when they first started dating- it was the ring his father gave his mother when he asked her to marry him. It wasn't as flashy as the ring Mrs. Hale now wore, but Jasper was more down-to-earth than his step-father, and that was what made him perfect for Bella.

"Isabella Marie Swan, I will love you every single day of forever. I know we're young, but I know what I want. Will you wear this ring as a promise of my love, and agree that someday you'll become Bella Whitlock?"

They both had tears in their eyes and her mouth was hanging open in shock. She didn't know what college would hold for her, but she knew she wanted to experience it with Jasper by her side. She leaned over and pressed her lips against his, nodding furiously and whispering a fervent, "Yes!"

His smile was blinding as he slipped the ring on her finger, pleased to find it was a perfect fit. Their next kiss was demanding, and he groaned into her mouth as she wrapped her legs around his hips and drew him closer to her.

The bulge in his jeans rubbed deliciously against her warm center, covered only by her thin panties and cheerleading bloomers. Their bodies moved together in a familiar dance, one they had both missed in the months Jasper spent in Lubbock.

"Jas, need you, now!" Bella's desire was soaring, riding the high of his proposal, along with simply his presence after so long. She had one hand tangled in his hair and the other moved down to unbutton his jeans and slip inside to find what she'd been missing.

He shuddered when her hand closed around his growing erection, and he pushed her back enough that he could climb into the truck bed along with her. She put her hands down to scoot back on the quilts, and couldn't hold back a small cry when her injured hip brushed against the slightly rough material.

Jasper's concern had him scooping her up to lay her gently in the middle of largest quilt, where he began to help her out of her uniform, laying it on the tailgate so it wouldn't get lost. He grinned in pleasure when she was laid out before him in only her bra and panties, but he frowned when his eyes found the angry red and blue skin of her injured leg.

Carefully easing her panties down, he covered the exposed skin with gentle kisses, trying to ease her pain with his touch alone. Once every scrape and rising bruise had been attended to, he turned his attention where she wanted him the most.

She leaned up to take her bra off, winking at him as he suddenly looked torn, not sure where his hands wanted to go the most. He stripped his own shirt off and crawled over her, dipping down to capture her sweet lips in a demanding kiss.

Her hands pressed his jeans down his narrow hips, and he moved his legs enough to kick them off carelessly so he could cover her body with his once more. His lips blazed a warm trail from her mouth, down her neck, to explore her small, perky breasts.

"Oh, Jasper," she moaned. "I missed you so much!"

He raised up to kiss her again, and whispered against her lips, "You have no idea, darlin'. It's been so hard being away from you."

She giggled at his inuendo, and wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him closer to where she wanted him most. He shook his head at her eagerness, and dropped a kiss on the end of her nose before he worked his way down her body once more.

"It's been too long, sweet girl. I need to make sure you're ready or I'll hurt you," he said, looking at her seriously so she would know this wasn't a compromise. They had learned everything about their sexual relationship by experimenting with each other, and there had been too many times that they learned things the hard way. Preparation was one of those things.

As his tongue began to work through her folds, and he carefully slipped one finger in, she thought back to the Cosmo magazine she borrowed from Rosalie. She never told Jasper where she had gotten it, but they were both blushing as they read through the articles on how to find her g-spot.

Jasper's fingers curling against that spot brought her rushing back to the present with a pleased gasp, and he had his condom rolled on and cock positioned at her entrance before she had completely come down.

He stared into her eyes as he worked his way in, each of them gradually relaxing at the intimate contact. Jasper buried his face in her neck with a groan when he was fully seated, and Bella reached her hand up to comb through his messy curls with a possessive smile. "I love you, Jas."

She felt his smile against her skin as he began to move his hips. She knew this time would probably be quick since it had been so long, but she just wrapped herself around him and reveled in the fact that he was actually here, in her arms.

He was embarrassed at how soon he felt his orgasm approaching, but there was nothing he could do to hold it back- she just felt too good. His fingers traced her body as his thrusts became more frantic, and she smoothed her hands down his back in comfort.

As he moaned her name a flash of light caught her eye, and she looked over his shoulder to see a shooting star. She smiled, knowing she was already holding the one thing she would wish for, and she knew he wouldn't let her go again.

"I'm sorry, Bella. It's just been so long. I-" Jasper wouldn't meet her eyes as he pulled out and disposed of the used condom, so she sat up and pulled him in for a hug.

"I'm not sorry, Jas. I love you, and every second we spend together is perfect. Besides," she said, with a cheeky smile, "you can make it up to me next time."

They spent another hour under the stars, until the pain in Bella's leg could no longer be ignored. She put on her panties and Jasper's shirt, knowing they would have to sneak in the house while his grandparents were asleep.

The familiar routine was comforting to her, and she quickly fell asleep in his arms after swallowing some ibuprofen that Jasper insisted she take.

Jasper pulled out his phone as he watched her sleep, and saw the text from Emmett that Rose was doing fine and they would be ready to travel with them as planned the next day. His temper flared again as he thought of stunt that had put his sister and girlfriend in such danger. Those girls were so spiteful.

Jasper had always worried about Bella when she was being tossed up in the air, but he knew she was well-trained, and Rosalie was always there to catch her. Lauren and Jessica had always hated his favorite girls, because Emmett and Jasper never showed the least bit of interest in them.

He couldn't wait until the rest of his friends graduated, and hopefully all joined him at college. He'd made a few friends on campus, mostly teammates, but it wasn't the same as the people he'd grown up with all his life.

Knowing he needed to be well-rested for his game tomorrow, he settled down in bed, pulling Bella closer to rest her head on his chest. Holding her close, he drifted peacefully into dreams of college, his girl in a red cheer skirt, or maybe just his jersey, and all their friends back together again.

The smell of bacon frying pulled him out of an intense dream that started with Bella walking down the aisle in a white dress, and ended with her writhing beneath him in a luxurious honeymoon suite. He was disappointed to find his bed empty and his morning wood woefully neglected.

After a quick detour by the bathroom in the hallway, Jasper made his way to the kitchen where he stopped in the doorway to enjoy the view. His Nana was bustling around, still as spry as ever, and Bella was working with her seamlessly.

They scrambled eggs, cut out biscuits, and cooked enough bacon and sausage to feed a small army. Emmett must be coming for breakfast. Bella looked up and caught him watching, and waved him over to help her at the stove.

"Mornin', baby. I thought you needed your sleep," she greeted him with a smile and a kiss, warming him deep inside. "Can you stir the gravy for me? I need to get the biscuits out before they burn."

Jasper dutifully accepted the whisk, carefully stirring the white gravy until it was the proper consistency. Nobody made gravy like his Bella, not even Nana, and she was the one who taught her.

Sitting around the table while his Papaw said grace, Jasper thought about how blessed he truly was. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew Bella would be there by his side. He squeezed her hand under the table, so glad that he came home to her.

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