Chapter Thirty Eight.

Jasper

I was surprised to see Bella's window open so far, especially as I was supposed to be away all night. Was she expecting another visitor? Then I saw her sitting by the window with her head resting against the glass and her eyes heavy with sleep so I jumped up to join her.

"What are you doing Bella? You'll catch a cold."

She smiled at me and wound her arms around my neck,

"Alice e-mailed me, told me you'd be back so I waited up. I missed you."

I picked her up and carried her to bed wrapping her in blankets so she would warm up more quickly,

"Bella, if you catch pneumonia you wont be coming to Denali with us so I don't want to find you waiting like that again. I promise if I go hunting I will come to you if it's not too close to dawn but you must promise me in return that you wont wait up. OK?"

She looked doubtful but seeing the look on my face nodded,

"OK, Tell me some more about your family though while I fall asleep."

I settled down beside her pulling her close and started to speak,

"As soon as the war started I wanted to join up but I was too young and my father needed me to help on the farm so I tried very hard to forget my dreams but in the end the urge was too great especially when my sister died so when the recruiting officer came to our town I sneaked away and signed up, lying about my age. When I told my father he got very angry with me, accusing me of being heartless, leaving him with my two younger brothers, Samuel and Jessie, to look after. I took a beating for my decision but I went anyway. My brothers were envious but they promised my father they would stay to help him, besides they were just too young to lie about their ages and none were as keen as me to fight. The day I left I tried to speak to my father, I was going to send half my pay home to help him out but he simply looked through me and walked away as if I no longer existed. Samuel promised to write to me and tell me if my money got there and how our father was coping. As I was leaving Jessie ran up to me, he said he had a bad feeling that he would never see me again and he hugged me tight then I walked away and he was right, I never saw any of them again.

I stopped here because Bella had fallen asleep and thought back over the years trying to conjure up the faces of my family but the only ones who were really clear were my mother and Daisy Mae, the others had become lost in the mists of time.

Bella

When I woke up Jasper was gone but by my bed was a single red rose and under it a sheet of notepaper,

"Remember your promise. I'll pick you up soon. Jazz x"

I struggled to remember what happened last night I was so tired by the time he got back but I did remember him telling me about leaving to join the army and how his father had turned his back and refused to speak. That must have hurt him deeply, especially when he felt he was doing the right thing, fighting for what he believed in. He never saw any of them again and I wondered if his father had ever felt a pang of regret at not saying goodbye to his eldest son? Had he thought Jasper killed in action, taken prisoner or just gone to find a new life after the war was over? Had Jasper ever been back to try to trace his brothers or find out what happened to his father? Perhaps one day I would ask him but for now I needed to get ready for the last day of school. We had a test in history which I wasn't looking forward to. I thought our teacher sadistic for even considering it but there was no point in complaining so I went through my notes again as I ate my breakfast then Charlie came in dressed in his uniform for the first time since his attack

"You working today dad?"

"Not really, I'm just doing a quick inspection so they know I'll be back in the new year ready to pick them up on anything they've let slip."

"Making your presence felt so to speak."

"It's good to feel I can get back to work and not have to worry about passing a medical. Carlisle has a great way of healing, it's just a pity he can't use it for everyone. Still there we go. Do you know when we're leaving yet?"

"No. I'll ask Jasper today but I think I heard Alice say something about the 22nd. Do you have any idea what to do about presents?"

He looked at me in panic,

"Hell I hadn't thought about presents, I don't even know the people we're staying with so how do you buy for them?"

I laughed at his expression,

"I'll have a word with Esme about that after school. Don't forget we're invited to dinner tonight."

"I just hope we aren't on the menu."

He laughed at his own joke as I went to join Jasper who had just pulled up outside.

My nerves about the test were beginning to grow as we drove to school and Jasper helped me to calm down before leaving me at the classroom door with a kiss for good luck.

"I'll meet you after the test and you can tell me how well you did."

"Yeah sure. Bye"

I followed Angela in only to find Lauren waiting to pounce,

"So you still the novelty then Bella? I wonder if he'll still be interested in you next year, maybe he'll find himself a better option over Christmas."

"Somehow I doubt that Lauren, you see I'm spending Christmas with him. So think about that as you choke on your dinner."

Angela giggled and even Jessica had to smile. She and Mike were a couple and had been for a couple of months but I still got scowled at if he came to talk to me. I had thought once Jasper and I became a couple that she would ease up but apparently not. There wasn't time for much chat as our teacher came in with an evil grin carrying a stack of test papers. The room fell silent as he handed therm out face down then went to stand at the front.

"As soon as you've finished you can leave. Merry Christmas everyone. Your time starts now"

There was a collective groan from the class as we turned the papers over and started to read the first question.

Charlie

The panic on their faces when I sauntered into the station was hilarious and I struggled to keep a straight face myself. I knew everything would be fine but I had to find something to bitch about.

"Good to see you back and fighting fit Chief, you had us all worried for a while."

"Thanks Di, I hope you've been keeping on top of the guys."

"As always. They've kept everything up to date but there's a bit of a flap on at the moment, a guy from the Res came to report seeing a bear in the woods close to town so Eddy and a couple of the other guys have gone out to see if they can find it with one of the rangers."

"I hope they've got rifles Di, we know just how dangerous the wildlife can be around here."

She nodded and I went into my office closing the door and sitting behind my desk with a sigh of contentment. At one time I had worried I might never get back to work. So the Quileutes were still trying to palm the attacks off as bear. They never gave up did they? It would be good to get away from here for a few days but when I got back we'd have a good look at the animal tracks and any large wolf ones would be followed up. I'd had enough of all this messing around. If the Quileutes couldn't keep their wolf boys under control then I would.