That night I slept with Carlisle and Alice stayed with Alyssa and Samantha. The next day we packed up camp and headed out for the checkpoint. Late in the evening I was circling around the group of civilians when my eye caught on Alice, Rosalie, and the girls.

"Hey." Alice called me over.

I dismounted and guided Ross by the reins, leading him over towards Alice and the girls. Samantha looked like she was sleep walking, so I grabbed her under her arms and swung her up onto Ross. She leaned forwards into his neck and dozed off quickly. I notice Rosalie carrying Anna.

"Let me put her up on Ross." I offer.

"No, I've got her." She says.

"Rosalie. Give her here." I sigh, taking her from her arms and laying her on Ross, leaning her against Samantha.

"Hey Rosie." Emmett mummers in her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Em." She whispers back.

He slides over around to her side, letting his hand slip dangerously low. She turns her head to meet his and they kiss, slowly falling back in the pack until I lose sight of them in the crowd.

When we pulled into the checkpoint the tents were set up, Emmett showed up to take Anna to Rosalie's tent, and I took Samantha and Alyssa inside another tent. Alice layed down ext tot he on the ground and they were all sound asleep in a matter of minutes.

-0-

The next morning I woke to a start until I realized where I was. I felt my cheeks redden when I realized where I had fallen asleep. The girls were still sleeping silently, so I went outside to supervise as the camp was packed up.

"Major Jasper." Carlisle's voice calls to me from the tent next to ours.

"Yes sir?"

"Come look at this."

I walk into his tent and look over the papers sitting on the floor.

"This came in last night after everyone else was asleep."

I read through the papers.

"So.. we are staying here?"

"For a while at least. The original evacuation plans have been changed due to the fact that the base where the evacuees were going to be staying is overfilled and they are low on supplies."

"Aren't we all?"

"Well, yes, but we aren't in charge. They are. And we're to stay at our current camp until further notice."

I run a hand through my hair and nod.

"Okay. We can make this work. How are the rations?"

"They would last long enough with just our men, but with all these people? Not much."

"And the tents?"

"Still don't have any more."

"We'll give the tents to the evacuees, and the soldiers can rotate out who gets to sleep in the extras."

"I have my name on you Jasper, don't screw this up for yourself."

"I won't."

I run a hand through my hair again and put my cap on.

"Hey Jasper." Alice's voice chirps as I walk out of the tent.

"Hey." I grumble.

"What are you doing?"

"As of now? Finding some people to help unload the cots."

"I thought we weren't unpacking yet? Not until we made it to the base, right?"

"We aren't going to the base anymore. We have to stay here." I sigh.

"What? Are there enough supplies?"

"No. Not even close."

She purses her lips and places a hand on her hip.

"How about money? If we pool everyone's money, could we buy enough food?"

"Maybe, but you've seen some of these men, no way they would put up their own money for a bunch of strangers."

"Wouldn't the Army pay them back?"

"The Army? They would say they would, but no way would it ever get done."

She smirks, a devlish sort of grin.

"Do you play cards?"

"No, certainly not." I respond, a bit offended.

"Come on, you've never played Poker? Or Black Jack? I'm not saying you have to gamble, but, do you know how to play?"

"No, but... well... Emmett does." I sigh.

"And Rosalie?"

"I don't know."

"How willing do you think they would be to help out a bit?"

"Depends what you have in mind."

"Well, it depends upon how good they are."

I furrow my brow and swing the first of the cots out of the truck as she prances off to the tent Rosalie, her daughter, and presumably Emmett were staying. I shook it off and tried to continue on my work, but the thought kept nagging me all morning, what could Alice have wanted with them.

I recruited a few of the men under my command to help me give out the cots while I assigned civilians to tents. There were only a few families in this group- most of them had left in one of the earlier groups- so we had groups of four men or women in each tent. Rosalie, Alice, Alyssa, Samantha, and Anna had to share a tent with two other women since Alyssa, Samantha and Anna weren't on the official army roster. Thankfully the women were very understanding, however the sleeping arrangements were less than satisfactory.

-0-

Late the next day, Emmett invited me over to his tent. He wouldn't say why, just that Alice and Rosalie and Mason and Matt and a few old friends would be there.

"Come on, it'll be fun. You can come see Alice." He taunts.

"I'm not seeing Alice. You know that." I reply, trying to keep a patient tone.

"Please, you aren't fooling anyone, besides, even Maria's brother agrees that she's a bi-"

"Don't you dare finish that with what I think you were going to say."

"What? Bitch? Well, she is."

"You haven't even met her, and you will not speak of a woman like that."

"God Jasper, do you have to be such a goodie two-shoes!" He groans.

I shut my eyes and rub a hand down my face. Some times I wonder if I really am the youngest.

"Come on, we're just getting together for some fun. We figured we'll be here for a while, why not set up a gambling ring. And Matt wanted to invite you, but I was like 'nu-uh, Jasper 'll never go for that!' but he was like 'come on, just give the boy a chance' so here I am, inviting you to our illegal gambling club and you're turning it down. Probably going to go rat us out to Daddy too." He teases, making exaggerated faces and raising his voice into that of a five year olds when recall the fake conversation.

I roll my eyes and groan at his terrible acting, but start off towards the tent he and Mason were sharing.

"Wait, you're coming?" He asks excitedly.

"Yes." I mumble.

"Yes!" He cheers, taking my by the hand and squealing, running and skipping off to his tent like the overgrow child that he is.

-0-

I walk into the tent to find our friends, minus Carlisle, sitting around something on the floor.

"What are you-"

I'm cut off by the sight of a deck of cards, dealt around to the different people, a pile of money in the middle and a hand of cards in front of every one, the deck in front of Rosalie.

"Emmett!" I hiss, "What is this?"

"What? I told you we were playing cards." He says in a normal voice.

"I thought you were kidding about the gambling ring."

"Well now, you see," He starts in a know-it-all, teasing tone, "It isn't necessarily a ring, it's more of a horse shoe. Rosalie, Mason and I always play, we're about to clean Matt off here."

Matt looks up from the ground and forces a grin, then goes back to worriedly looking at his cards, before dropping them on the ground.

"I fold." He sighs, pushing a wad of money into the middle and walking out of the tent.

"You don't fold in black-jack." Emmett calls after him.

"You got the money already, just be happy." He shouts back.

"How did you-"

"I know a few tricks." Rosalie cuts me off. "Counting cards. Rigging decks. Labeling the backs. These idiots don't know the difference."

She says.

"You've been tricking people into playing you, then cheating and taking all their money?" I ask, purely astonished.

"Pretty much." She confirms, nodding her head and re-positioning herself.

I look to Alice, raising my eyebrows.

"What? You said you needed money and that no one would be willing to give anything to the army."

"Wait a minute, you set this up?"

"Yeah, I figured Emmett probably knew how to count cards, and it turns out Rosalie is a master at this stuff."

I run a hand through my hair and let out a long sigh.

"Man, you're gona' go bald pretty soon if you keep that up." Emmett says, sitting next to Rosalie and taking the deck in his hands, shuffling andre aranging the cards for the next game.

"Then it'll be your fault. Again."

"That wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know you would lay on it without checking."

"You're right Emmett, it's my fault that I didn't check my pillow every night before I went to sleep when I was five. I do now though, so no worries." I shout.

"Woah! You need to chill. We already go you like fifty dollars."

"Give it back." I say simply.

"What?" Rosalie squeaks. "I worked hard for this money and you want me to give it back?"

"Yes. It isn't yours anyway."

"Yes it is, we won it."

"No, you stole it." I mutter, my tone measured as I take the cards from Emmett's hand.

"Hey, you think it's easy to count cards while flirting with these perverts you have in your camp?" She responds, near shouting.

I grit my teeth and sit on the cot.

"Just give him the damn money." Mason mutters.

"Why should we! Why don't we go buy the food ourselves? He want's to let the camp starve? Fine, that's his choice, but this is mine!" She shouts.

"God, cool down!" Mason shouts back, grabbing her wrists.

"Don't you dare tell me to cool down!" she spits.

He glares at her, then drops her wrists.

"It isn't my fault for what you've done with your life." He hisses.

She clenches her jaw.

"No, but it is your fault for what you've done to it." She whispers.

My hand reaches out and snaps onto the back of his collar, swinging him around to face me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask.

"Shit." He whispers under his breath.

Emmett, who is standing next to me, reaches out a hand, shoving his thumb and index finger under his jaw.

"You little..." He trails off, walking towards the tent flap, forcing Mason to stumble along in front of him.

Once they are out of the tent, I turn back to Rosalie who has tears dripping down her face but a set jaw and clenched fists.

"Rosalie... did he really-"

"Yes." She interrupts, he voice perfectly steady despite the tears in her eyes. "He did. But that's not it."

She swallows and collapses against the cot.

"It's what he said, about what I've done with my life. It wasn't my fault. I thought I was doing the right thing. One day I was going outside to meet my fiance and there was a baby on the porch. It had a note that said it was my brother's. My father was furious, he was going to get rid of it and I said I would take care of it but he wouldn't let me because he was afraid my fiance would break the deal. So I took her and ran away. I didn't have a clue how to get by on my own and when someone offered me money, I took it. No matter what they wanted in return. Eventually I decided to tell people she was mine. It was just easier, I mean, no one finds anything weird about a whore having a kid."

"Anna isn't yours?" I ask.

"No, I had small pox when I was little. I barely survived, but I can't have any children. But don't tell her. She thinks I'm her mother, and she will for as long as I'm concerned."

"I won't."

Alice sits next to her on the cot, patting her shoulder.

Emmett comes back in, hands in his pockets.

"What did you do to him?" I ask.

"He'll live. In what condition, I'm not sure."

Alice stands up and he sits down in her place, next to Rosalie, who picks herself up into a sitting position, sodding into his shoulder.

"That outta' give him a run for his money." He mutters, kicking a rock across the ground.

"I didn't hear that. I was never in here." I say, backing out.

Emmett nods in my direction, I take Alice by the hand and walk out of the tent.

"You won't tell Carlisle about the money?" She asks.

"What money? As far as I'm concerned, you were talking to Rosalie and Emmett over lunch while I was taking inventory."

She smiles, giving my hand a squeeze.

"And if the money just so happened to end up as an anonymous donation, I wouldn't have a clue where it came from."

She grins again, looking off into the distance.

-0-

That night, I threw out the note from Maria.


AN: What do you think? I personally didn't like the beginning, but I had to get that information out there for this scene to make sense. I'm on Emmett's side for the fight obviously. I really wanted to get Rosalie's story out there and this seemed like the best way to do that. Thanks for reading, please review! :)