Chapter Twenty Five

Bella

I don't think I have ever had such a wonderful time as I did that evening with Megan and Jasper. I certainly hadn't done any coloring for many years and I don't remember it being as much fun as I found it on this occasion. When Megan got bored with coloring we played snap and watched cartoons before she began to yawn.

"Time for bed young lady."

"Oh, poppa. Do I have to? I'm not tired."

"You will be in the morning and then you won't be able to go skating."

Megan jumped up at that,

"OK. Can I have a bath first?"

"Not tonight, it's very late. Just a wash and brush your teeth."

She moaned a little but disappeared into the bathroom and both Jasper and I got up to follow her.

"Sorry, Bella. You go."

I shook my head, "I think it's my turn to tell Megan a bedtime story so you help her get ready for bed. After all, she's your little one too."

He smiled and nodded his agreement and as he disappeared too I had to smile to myself. I still found looking after a child something of a novelty and I wasn't used to her routine or anything while to Jasper it was all second nature. I hoped it would come as easy to me in time.

While alone I couldn't help thinking about Edward and I wondered what he would do next. All I wanted was to be left alone with my daughter to begin anew but I knew enough about Edward to be sure that he wouldn't give up without making trouble if he could.

When Jasper came back out I went to read my daughter a bedtime story but she had other ideas.

"Mommy."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Did you meet daddy today? Does he want to meet me?"

I wasn't sure how to answer but I remembered Jasper telling me that she could sense when she was being lied to so I nodded.

"Yes, we met your daddy today."

She stared at me for a moment worrying her lip, a mannerism she had inherited from me.

"Does he want to meet me?"

"Do you want to meet him? That's the most important thing."

She shook her head looking anxious.

"No. He didn't want me and I have poppa. Do I have to see him?"

"No, not right now, not if you don't want to. I know poppa told you a little about him. He was worried about you not being normal that's one reason why he didn't want you."

"But I'm not, I'm special, poppa told me so. He told me that daddy thought I might kill you but I would ever do that. I love, you, mommy."

She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"I love you too sweetheart and I will never let anyone hurt or frighten you."

"Tell me about daddy. What's he like? How did you meet him?"

I gave her a very abridged version of the story trying not to be too biased against Edward and she listened attentively.

"You should have married poppa. He's kind and he likes you."

I tried to hide my discomfort wondering if he was listening in.

"Well, poppa had a wife already."

"I know, he told me but he doesn't have one now. Why don't you marry poppa? Then we can all stay together for always."

I couldn't help smiling at her words even as I tried to answer her.

"It's not as easy as that sweetheart. I'm still married to your daddy and there's a lot to sort out before we can think about the future. Now, madam, you get some sleep so you can show me how to skate."

I kissed her and she snuggled down with Celeste the bear.

"Will you ask poppa to come and kiss me goodnight please mommy?"

"Of course. Goodnight sweetheart."

Once Megan was asleep Jasper and I sat together on the couch.

"I suppose you heard what Megan said?"

He nodded smiling, "Yes. She's quite forthright and outspoken at times."

"And I wonder where she gets that from Mr Innocence?"

"I've no idea. What are you going to do about Edward if he tries to force the issue about seeing her?"

I shrugged, "Kill him if I have to. I'll do whatever is necessary to protect my daughter."

He nodded his agreement and was about to continue the conversation when his phone rang. It was Darius and I listened in to their conversation.

"Hi there Major. I have an update. We have movement from Eddie boy. He's contacted daddy dear and got nowhere fast."

"You mean Carlisle wouldn't help him?"

"Well, he gave him the name of the lawyer I told you about but that's as far as he was willing to go. He's not getting involved any further. It sounds like Edward is prepared to fight Bella. He said something about going for an out of court settlement. I think he reckoned on claiming the little one as his."

"Over our dead bodies."

"Yeah, I guessed as much. I did have an idea though. You know Peter's going to be turning up soon?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, I think I might have a solution to that. Eddie boy is running scared of your involvement and he's looking for some help. Someone who's good with his fists and I was thinking we might give him someone. Maybe Peter under another name. I take it the two have never met?"

"No, but do you think Peter could pull it off? He's not the most reliable of people once he gets riled."

"If he's doing it for you he'll control himself. Just let me know whether to go ahead. I guess you'll want to talk it over with Bella first."

I shook my head, "Tell him to go ahead if you think it's right. I trust your instincts."

Jasper took my hand and squeezed it, "Thank you, Bella."

"Go ahead Darius but tell him to stay away for now. I don't want any chance of Edward discovering we are connected."

"I'm way ahead of you Major. How's the munchkin doing?"

"She's fine and thanks for Mary. She's been a real asset"

"No sweat, she owes me and she's more than happy to help out. She likes Megan too. Well, goodnight. I'll be in touch."

We discussed Edward and what he might try to do and then Jasper told me a little about his friend Peter. He sounded like a real character and a bit of a loose cannon as Darius had said, but if Jasper trusted him then that was good enough for me.

When we got fed up with discussing the situation Jasper turned the TV on and we sat together watching 'It's a wonderful life', a film I hadn't seen before but one that Jasper liked. It was such a nice normal thing to do but something I could never imagine doing with Edward, Emmett maybe, but not my husband.

Megan was up early the next morning itching to get going but slowed long enough to wash, dress, and eat breakfast. This was interrupted by a knock on the door. I found myself face to face with a porter bearing a package addressed to Megan when I opened it.

I stiffened worried that it had been sent by Edward but the card attached was signed, D and Jasper smiled reassuringly after seeing it.

"It's OK. This is from Darius."

I was so relieved as I handed the package to Megan who ripped the paper off so quickly it was like a whirlwind and then shrieked with delight.

"Mommy, poppa, look. Mary's friend sent me a karaoke machine. I told Mary that I had asked Santa for one but poppa said I was too little. It's beautiful."

I sat with her examining the bright pink machine complete with two microphones and a heap of discs of all types.

"Oh, mommy look, Disney songs."

She brandished a disc with a picture of Disney characters on its cover.

"Can I try it? Please mommy, poppa, please."

We caved in to her pleas and while I plugged it in she chose her disc and spent an hour regaling us with tune after tune from Disney movies.

Only when she began to lose her voice did we finally persuade her to give it a rest and go out for lunch and then on to the skating rink.

She was a natural on the ice and other folk stopped to watch as she skated gracefully around the rink with Jasper. They did look cute together and I took a few photographs without them seeing me. When they came back I had my turn with Megan and I hate to admit she was better than I was. Sure I had vampire balance but she could pirouette like a professional.

Afterwards, we retired to the movies to see a rerun of Mama Mia which suited me, I liked Abba's music and found myself humming along while Megan ended up in the aisle dancing to her favourite tunes. It encouraged other youngsters to join her and by the end of the movie, I guess half the moms were up dancing with them, including me, much to Jasper's amusement.

We stopped for Megan to have a pizza for dinner then went back to the hotel. It had been a wonderful family day and I would always treasure the memories.

Back in our suite Megan made a beeline for her karaoke machine and this time we were not going to get away as mere spectators. She started with a solo of Dancing Queen which she sang beautifully along with all the actions.

"Your turn mommy."

I saw Jasper reach for the camera and threw him a warning look which he pretended not to notice.

"OK. You choose the song but I warn you. I have a terrible voice."

"That's OK mommy, poppa and I won't mind will we, poppa?"

Jasper grinned.

"No. I can't wait."

I stuck out my tongue and Megan giggled, "Oh, that's naughty mommy. Come on."

She let me choose and I saw the song 'In my daughter's eyes'. It appealed to me and I didn't make a bad job of it if I say so myself. Megan thought it was wonderful and ran to hug me when I finished.

Deciding it was time to get my own back I turned to Jasper.

"Right Mister, your turn."

Jasper handed me the camera and took my place singing Mama Mia flawlessly including the actions and I hated him for all of two seconds. Why was he so good at everything?

After that, Megan and I sang a duet to 'I will always love you' and I found my eyes drawn to Jasper just as Megan's were. I was never more glad that I couldn't give myself away by blushing.

"You and poppa now mommy."

I tried to demur but it was impossible to refuse Megan when she was being her most endearing.

"I'll choose."

She picked through the discs and pulled one out grinning.

"You have to do all the actions and I'm going to film you."

Jasper and I exchanged puzzled looks but took the microphones she held out so eagerly to us.

The little imp hadn't chosen an Abba song which we had expected but Hungry Eyes from the film Dirty Dancing.

I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life but Jasper took it in his stride and of course, he'd seen the movie several times and danced perfectly, another of his many talents. The crazy thing was that by the middle of the number I found myself enjoying the sensation of dancing so closely with Jasper.

After that, we all sang together. Jasper and I sharing a microphone and he put an arm around my shoulders so we were close enough.

Deciding it was getting towards bedtime for a certain little girl I ran Megan a bath while Jasper sent down for room service for a light supper for her and then the three of us sat together and Jasper retold the story of the little boy beside the canal. Megan knew it by heart but I found it entrancing.

By the time she went to bed my face was aching from smiling and laughing. This was exactly the kind of family life I had dreamed of when I first discovered I was pregnant but thought I would never have when I discovered I had lost my baby. It was a miracle and it was all down to one man, Jasper Whitlock.

When she finally fell asleep Jasper hooked up the camera to the TV and we sat to watch our karaoke efforts.

"You lied, you said you had a terrible voice."

"I have, it's just the music was loud enough to drown it out most of the tune. You, on the other hand, sing like a professional. Tell me, is there anything you aren't an expert at? I'm beginning to feel totally inadequate."

He put the remote down and turned to me with a ghost of a smile on his face,

"You dance pretty well too."

"I do not. That was all down to you making me look good. I would never have dared try a dance like that before."

"Maybe you never had the right partner before, Bella."

I remembered him dancing with Alice at my wedding and feeling envious that they did it so effortlessly. Maybe he was right, Edward had always led and I had tried not to stumble too noticeably.

"Maybe. I enjoyed today but I wonder how many more wonderful days we'll have before Edward steps in to ruin everything."

He leaned in and put a hand against my cheek,

"I won't let him ruin anything Bella. This is too precious to be marred by the likes of Edward Cullen. You deserve all this and far more. I just wish I could make every day magical for you."

"You made all my days magical by saving my daughter and I will never be able to thank you enough for that."

"It was my pleasure, Bella."

"I'm just sorry you had to get disfigured doing it."

I ran a hand across the ridges that marred his left cheek. They were very pronounced and I could only imagine how painful it had been at the time. And how disabling. He always avoided the subject when I mentioned his fight with Jake but this time he just closed his eyes and smiled a little dreamily.

"Now that would have been nice at the time. You have a very soothing touch, Bella."

"I wish I'd been there for you and for Megan. By the way, I never asked, how did you come to call her Megan?"

"Easy, I had a sister, much younger than the rest of us, and she was so tiny and fragile when she was born. Meg reminded me of her, she was called Megan. Of course, if you decide to change her name that's your prerogative as her mother."

"No. I love it and the story behind it. I would never take away anything you have given her Jasper. That would make me no better than Edward. She adores you."

Somehow we ended up sitting together, his arm around my shoulders, for the night and somehow it felt so right.