A/N: I know. It's been forever. In my defense my old computer decided it wanted to be bitchy, so I got a new one when it was taking too long to fix. But I had Jasper and Bella's story written on paper for a long time, not that it makes up for the 3-4 month disappearance...
Therefor I would like to apologize in advance if there are grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctation mistakes (at least... more than normal...). I'm not familiar with the MacBook's word processing yet... and of course I'm still Beta-less.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, setting(s), or even the general idea (I'm not the first one to write a "Jasper's off to war story"). They all belong to their respective owners.
Recap (since it's been a while)
(BPOV)
"ISABELLA!" I was pulled out of my thoughts by a worried looking Ryan, and an amused Cullen Family.
"What? Don't call me that. Oh sorry, stuck in my thoughts again. You know the whole James thing." I told him with a shrug.
"What? Why were you thinking about that? I was calling you for over a half hour. You're really deep in there aren't you?" he asked tapping on the side of my head. I just shrugged again.
(BPOV)
I realized just how much I was stuck in my thoughts, when Emmett's booming laughter filled my ears.
"You're the second vampire who's been stuck in their thoughts like that today!" Second? Who else was stuck in their thoughts?
I smiled at Emmett, and took a good look at the rest of the family. It seems like I finally get to meet the infamous Edward; but when my eyes landed on him, I froze. It's him. My once friendly smile turned into a murderous glare faster than anyone could comprehend.
"It's you." I stated in a voice that was the complete opposite of my emotions at the moment. While on the outside I had my, perfected, calm, collected and perfectly indifferent mask on, on the inside I was seething with anger that could knock a man on his knees.
It seems that's exactly what it did. At that moment the blonde man that looked strikingly similar to my husband arrived at the clearing and promptly fell to his knees clutching at his hair, as if ripping it out would cause it to stop. So he's an empath. I automatically reeled in my anger, the simple thought of anything or anyone hurting this man, mentally, physically, or emotionally, had me cringing.
As he got to his feet, and I saw his face up close for the first time, I promptly collapsed to the ground clutching at the necklace that has hung from my neck for almost 150 years. It's him, there's no way it's not him. No one looks that similar. If you replaced the pale granite vampire skin with the dark gold tan of a cowboy's, and the gold eyes with the gray ones I glazed into and memorized so long ago, it is a splitting image. There is no mistake.
I vaguely saw Ryan kneeling down by me, and asking what was wrong, but I couldn't reply, my husband's alive, all my dreams came true. How is this possible? God doesn't give you your wildest dreams just because you asked.
I was staring at him, and was shaken out of my thoughts when he spoke, did people really think his voice is alluring? It sounded candy coated, and much too sweet, very similar to his scent. However that wonderful musky scent of new leather, rain, and just a trace of tobacco drifted over me, smelled heavenly, it calmed me, it smelt like home.
Everyone is looking at me. Oh he must have said something, what was again? Oh right! What's wrong with me. I tried my best not to scoff, I really did, but I don't think it worked...
"There's lots of things wrong with me, or rather this picture. Not necessarily wrong, just... different. For example, you're here, I just found out my husband, who I thought was dead for about 150 years is still very much alive, I don't get to visit my best friend because some idiot newbie werewolf wants to kill me on sight, it's sunny but still fucking raining, oh and did I mention your here?" I knew I sounded like a little bitch, but he doesn't deserve anything more.
"What do you have against me?" I have to give him credit, he's holding his composure surprisingly well.
"Let's see Edward Mason or whatever the fuck you are now, I hope this will jog your fucking memory. I also hope for your sake your not still playing that little prude charade." I cleared my throat loudly. "Think back to 149 years ago, when you met a Rebel girl who was traveling with her mama and daddy to the Yankee States for something or another. She met a Yankee boy that went by the name Edward Mason. She knew better than to talk to a Yankee, but when he came over and introduced himself, she had no choice. As days turned into months, and the war was looming over the country, the boy went a little crazy. He didn't want the girl to go home with her mama and daddy, because he had developed a sick obsession for this girl. When she left anyways, he followed into the Rebel States. When he noticed the girl already had a sweetheart and was gonna get married, he wanted to get rid of the competition. He tried to shoot him. Thankfully, unlike the farm boy this girl fell in love with, this city boy had no experience with a gun, and missed point blank. Two days later, while her daddy was out in the fields and her mama was milkin' the cows, he broke into this girl's home, and tried to violate her in anyway possible. He would have succeeded if he daddy hadn't came back to saddle his horse." I looked around, Edward's jaw was on the ground, it was obvious he now remembered. "That girl was me if you didn't figure it out already. It ruined my image, and image was very important back then, my fiancee's parents almost wouldn't let me marry him because of that little stunt."
Everyone was looking between me and Edward, waiting for one of us to make a move, any move, but I knew that at this moment, one move is all it would take. All it would take for a fight, maybe a full out war, between vampires and quite possibly werewolves. Then the Volturi would get involved, and there will be no stopping them.
Once again I was thankful I had Ryan around, as he broke the tension.
"I'm gonna go see if that rouge vamp is any threat, I have one of those feelings that I should be the one going... and Edward should come with me. You know to represent the Cullen family or some shit like that. Jess, if you want you can stay and tell them how you got changed." I saw him give Edward a pointed glare, Ryan wanted to get him as far away from me as possible. At least without being rude. I nodded at him both to answer his question and in thanks, I owe him big on this one.
Ryan promptly left, dragging Edward with him. I turned to the rest of his family, and smiled an apology.
"Bella, may you tell us how you were changed? I assume it wasn't because of Edward?" Carlisle, always so formal.
"Of course, and you would be right to assume it wasn't from Edward. I was changed... well... I should start from the beginning. My husband and I got married after the whole Edward thing, but a year later, he enrolled into the Confederate Army. He was only 18 at the time, but he told the officials he was 20, he looked old old enough to pass it off. 2 years later he was declared MIA - missing in action - but presumed dead. Back then they didn't have ways to recognize the body, just the dog-tags, and many of the soldier's dog-tags have been taken by a friend on the battlefield or something. They found his horse with what they thought was his blood on it, and his tags hanging on the saddle. I was devastated, and fell into a depression. One day, 2 years later, I was taking a walk in the woods to calm myself, it was our anniversary. A red eyed man jumped out in front of me, and bit me. I was supposed to be his dinner, but when I didn't scream, he let the change continue. I burned for 7 days, and when I woke up everything was clearer, the sounds, the sights, the smells, everything. The red eyed vampire introduced himself as James, and told me what I have become. When he realized, or more like when he thought, I did not hold any special talents, he tried to kill me. I realized then it was fight or die. James was a tracker, running is not an option. I stood and waited for his impact, I didn't even crouch. We had fought, and I realized his fighting skills were even worse than mine, now that I think back, he fought more like a newborn than I did. I quickly got bored of his tactics, and the more he tried to destroy me, the angrier I got. When he touched me then, he just disintegrated into a pile of ash, at the time I didn't know what had happened, so I ran, I ran as fast as I could and as far as I could. I roamed around the country, as a nomad, until I met Ryan, he was a newborn, I knew then I should have killed him, but he was so disoriented I didn't have the heart to. It was obvious he had escaped from his sire for one reason or another, and it was definitely not his fault he is the way he is. So I explained everything I could to the best of my ability and he just decided to stay, I was lonely so I agreed. We met the wolves a while later, a group of newborns swept through La Push, and there weren't enough wolves to deal with it properly, the two of us helped them, and we were accepted into the pack with little argument, especially when they found out about my gift. Not too much happened between then and now. It's been pretty quiet."
All of the Cullens had their jaws hanging open, either at my story or the blunt way in which I recalled all of it, including the human memories that should have faded, but I was focused on Jasper, I just cared what he thought.
"Are you... Have... How... Isabella?" was all he managed to stutter out. He remembered! All I could do was nod, and before I knew it I was wrapped in the strong arms I have always felt safe in.
A/N: So they're finally together, this was probably the longest chapter I have ever written, so throw me a bone and pretend Edward was changed in the 1860s and not the 1900s ok?
Isn't Edward an asshole? During that time period it was considered a sin to make love before marriage, especially in the Deep South, and Eddie tried to rape her!
If any of the historical stuff is inaccurate please please PLEASE tell me, I didn't really do much research, and was going off of what my 8th grade History teacher taught me, and stuff I randomly read in historical novels.
Please R&R, they make me oh so happy.
Next chapter can hopefully be expected next week, and for people reading Emmett's Bella that will hopefully be updated later this week.