Thank you to everyone reading this! This was written on Christmas day. I was hoping for Jake's long awaited return to be written already, but life has interfered. Anyway, Merry Christmas to all, and happy holidays! All credit goes to Stephanie Meyer. Next chapter will go more in depth on Jacob, and the mysterious phone call.

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The snow was finally sticking to the ground, it was almost cold enough for it to feel like Christmas. Although it was only the first week of November, the spirit was alive in the Swan household. Lights were hung high and bright, a fully decorated tree, with stockings nestled atop the roaring fireplace. A small stocking hung for Jacob, alongside Bella and Charlie's. Although he hadn't been around, it felt like he was always there. The letters he'd write contained small pieces of him, as Bella learned about his life through each word on the page. His life prior to the Army, living on the reservation. He'd talk about the good friends he had, Quil and Embry. They were almost as close as brothers, and just before Jake left for basic training, they disappeared on him. He assumed that out of their own resentment for him leaving the reservation they had vanished, but he had no idea that they wouldn't even say goodbye. His letters depicted the awful feeling of loneliness, going through training without a single letter from a friend. The entire time he had spent in North Carolina, not a single phone call, or returned call. To then be shipped off overseas, without a single friend coming to visit when he was in town. It was almost as if no one had cared that he could have been leaving for good, never coming back to U.S soil alive. Bella read these letters over and over, his anguish over the loss of his lifetime friends hung heavy in his words.

A thought quickly came to Bella's mind, Maybe this was the reason he left abruptly when he had come to visit the year prior? Possibly something to do with Quil, and Embry? In her head, she wanted to go to La Push, confront them and see what had happened. She also knew it wasn't wise to intrude on every part of Jacob's life before even seeing him in person. Instead, she kept mental notes of everything he had said, as well as what Billy had said. Planning to use this in the future, she logged it all into the back of her brain.

It was monday again, and normally, she hated mondays. It had all turned around once multiple letters started arriving. Since there were no deliveries on sundays, it gave her reason to be excited over the dreaded first day of the week. She hopped out of bed, and quickly got ready for the day. It would be an easy morning, make breakfast, run to the store for more stationary supplies, mail off a few letters, and come home to relax. She started to enjoy days like these, especially when her schedule allowed her to have off from work for three days in a row. Angela had given her a call saturday evening, asking if she had any plans. When Bella told her she didn't, Angela suggested making cookies for Jacob and his fellow soldiers that shared mutual space. To her delight, Bella agreed. It would be a nice gesture, especially since they would be there in time for Thanksgiving. It also gave her something to do on her off day, instead of turning in early to dream of Jake, she could do something that was army-girlfriend like. Bake her beloved some cookies, to make him feel loved, cared about and missed.

Bella was clearing off the counters in the kitchen, when Angela knocked on the door. Smiling, Bella raced to the front of the house, opening the door for her friend. In Angela's arms were two shopping bags full of pantry item staples for baking, as well as tupperware containers.

"I read online that we can ship the cookies in parchment paper, inside tupperware containers to keep them fresh!" Angela was so excited as she pulled everything out of the bags, handing the flour and chocolate chips to Bella.

"This was a great idea, Angela. Thank you for coming to help me." Bella was sorting through everything her friend had brought by, reading a small printed recipe that was all inside the bag.

"Sooo…" Angela smiled as she began sifting flour in a large bowl. "Tell me about Jacob."

Bella blushed slightly, biting her lip. She hadn't really spoken about Jacob much with anyone except Charlie, and even then it was awkward and they didn't speak much.

"Do you have a picture?" She smiled, nudging Bella.

"Upstairs on my dresser, I do. I'll grab it after we're done and the cookies are in the oven."

Once the cookies were placed on a sheet and in the oven, Bella strolled upstairs. Grabbing the picture off her desk, she smiled. Tracing the curve of his lips in the picture, she brought it downstairs with her. As she began to show Angela, the picture slid out, revealing the other picture hidden behind it.

"Who's that, Bella?" Angela asked, looking at the bronze haired man in the photo standing beside a highschool version of herself.

Bella's smile quickly faded into a frown as she picked the picture of Jacob off the floor.

"He was...my boyfriend in High School...Well, before I came to Forks. We dated in Jacksonville. We were together for about a year, and he died in a car accident a month after this was taken."

Angela's hands quickly covered her mouth, struggling to find the words to respond.

"Bella, I'm so sorry! I never knew-" Angela began, Before Bella cut her off, attempting to reassure her.

"It's okay, Angela. I never really talk about it...or him. The whole thing was...strange. Our relationship wasn't ever...normal...I never met his family until the funeral. Which was weird, too. No one came except for me, his parents and siblings. It didn't feel real…" She sighed, looking at the picture of the two of them together. A small tear escaped her eye, as she quickly tried to wipe it away before her friend would see it. The thoughts of Edward now flashing through her mind. How she never felt like she had closure, how she never truly got to say goodbye. Why she had to leave Jacksonville, she needed to escape the pain.

Angela reached her hand out, comforting Bella with one hand on her shoulder.

"You were in shock." Angela smiled slightly. "We all grieve differently."

Angela gazed into the dark brown eyes of her friend, still unsure of what to say.

"I wouldn't know how to handle it if I were in your shoes, Bella. You're so strong." Taking Bella into her arms, Angela held her tightly. Bella, feeling uncomfortable in all of it, appreciated her friend's warmth and love over her struggle.

"If you ever need to talk about it...or anything else, I'm here." Angela smiled, releasing Bella, and picking the picture of Jacob off the counter.

"Now! Tell me about this stud!" She laughed excitedly. "He's local, right? Think he'd have any friends for me?"

Bella laughed, nodding her head. Maybe...this would be the perfect opportunity to get to Quil, and Embry and see why they just left Jacob the way they had. This could be the perfect excuse to break the ice and get onto the reservation. This could be it.

The oven beeped, disrupting Bella's thoughts. Angela removed the cookies from the hot oven and set them on a wire rack to cool. As Bella reached back into the oven to put another set of cookies in, she noticed the USPS truck stop and unload several letters before driving away. She quickly shut the oven door and dashed out towards the mailbox. Angela chuckled as she set the timer. Admiring how in love Bella was, she smiled, hoping for her own happiness to make its way into her life.

Bella walked back through the door, sifting through the junk mail and bills before settling on two letters from Jacob. She quickly ripped the letter open, the one that had been stamped with an earlier date. Against the counter, she leaned in and began to read.

Her focus completely glued to the text, she smiled softly as her eyes descended the page. He had spoken of a new friend he had made while deployed, how he was counting down the days until he'd be seeing her again, and how he loved that her tree had been up since September. The letters had brought Bella a joy she didn't know existed with anyone, besides Edward. She set the letter aside, and reached for the second one. Opening it as swiftly as the first, she shifted into a more comfortable position against her counter. This note was shorter than most, he said it had been to prepare her for the significantly less letters to come over the next few weeks, as he was set to leave before most of his letters would make it there.

The thought had saddened her, as well as excited her. To know that the letters would be coming to an end, but the joy of knowing he would soon be able to hold her like she had dreamed of.

Her lips pulled to a smile at the corners as she read the last few lines of his letter, words tugging at her heart.

"I'll be home for Christmas, you are the greatest gift Santa has ever given me. I must have been a very good boy this year.

Love,

Jacob."

"So cheesy, Jake." Bella rolled her eyes, the smile not wanting to leave her lips. As lame as it was, she secretly loved it. Edward was romantic, but he was always so serious. Jake was goofy, as well as romantic. She knew they were universes apart, but Bella knew these were some of Jake's best qualities. Being able to make her smile, or laugh, without him even being there.

"We should put these in a scrapbook! So your future kids will be able to read them!" She exclaimed, holding the letters in her arms.

"Angela!" Bella called out, laughing away her embarrassment. "We haven't even gone on a date yet!"

The girls continued to laugh, folding the letters back into their envelopes to keep them from getting dirty. The day felt right to Bella, She no longer had to feel guilt over Edward. She had moved on, just like Charlie and Renee said she would. In her own time, she began to feel like herself again. The grief had stopped, and love was beginning to settle back into her heart. Her love for Jacob Black, making her finally feel whole again.

"Just one more month." Angela smiled softly at Bella, before packing the cooled cookies into a fresh tupperware.

Bella nodded, as she jotted down a quick note to attach to the cookies container.

"Just one more month.

Love,

Bella."