.::Eight Months Later::.

"Jasmine, it's Christmas Eve. Come downstairs."

I turned my face reluctantly from the window I'd been standing at for the past few hours. Snow covered the forest outside the Cullen house and the morning sun glowed bright orange behind the clouds.

"I'll be right down, Alice," I said when I caught sight of her. She was wearing a bright green elf costume that consisted of only a short mini dress and thigh-high stockings. Rosalie, Bella, Nessie, and Leah were wearing the same thing. My very own elf outfit was in the closet, which I should've changed into hours ago. Instead, I'd been staring out the window, hoping to see a sandy colored wolf appear.

"Jazzy, please," she pleaded. "Try to enjoy yourself today. It's Nayeli's first Christmas."

"I know," I said. "I'm happy, really. It's just—I can't help but hope, you know?"

Alice smiled sadly and nodded. "I know."

"I promise I'll be right down."

She puckered her lips, but nodded and went downstairs anyway. I sighed and went into my closet to change into the unnecessary outfit. I was relieved to see that Alice had left me a pair of shorts to wear underneath the short garment. I slipped on a pair of six-inch heels that I'd actually learned to walk well in and made my way downstairs.

I was surprised when I felt something grab my leg when I reached the first floor. I looked down and saw Nayeli, hugging my calf in an attempt to balance herself. Her head rested on my knee.

"She's been trying to walk all morning," Emmett chuckled. "She sort of has the hang of it."

I laughed and pulled Nayeli into my arms.

"She's getting bigger by the day," Leah commented. "She got that from me, you know."

I smiled. "Yeah, Leah, sure."

Of course, Nayeli was getting a lot bigger. She didn't look like she was eight months old. Her hair—already down to her small waist—had been brushed thoroughly and someone, more than likely Alice, put her in a metallic gold dress.

"You look lovely, Nana," I said, rubbing my nose against hers.

She giggled.

"I love that outfit on you, by the way," Alice said. "Seth would've loved it."

Jasper elbowed her.

"What?" Alice asked, offended. "All I said was that Seth… oh. Right. Sorry."

I forced a smile for her. "No, Alice, it's fine."

The room was quiet for a moment. Even Nayeli seemed to sense that something was wrong. She tugged on my hair and looked up at me with her eyes full of worry.

"Present time!" Alice announced after the silence was starting to get too heavy. "Bella, you go first."

"Alright," Bella said, crossing her legs on the floor next to Edward. I was wedged between Leah and Jasper.

"Here you go." Alice handed Bella a small rectangular box wrapped in blue paper.

"Thanks." Bella shook the box lightly before tearing the paper off in one swift movement. The white box read Swarovski. She pulled up the lid and gasped in amazement at its contents.

"Oh, Edward, they're beautiful!" she gasped, pulling out a necklace with blue gems embedded in it. After some closer inspection of the insides of the box, she took out a matching bracelet and pair of earrings, which Edward helped her put on.

"Glad you like them, love," Edward chuckled.

"Jasmine, why don't you go next?" Esme suggested kindly. She had a video camera in her hand. I smiled at her.

"Actually, I'd rather Nayeli open her present next," I said, taking a look down at the bouncing child in my arms.

"Glad to see you finally decided," Jasper laughed. "Did you tell Seth?"

"He came up with the idea," I whispered in his ear. "Alice, can you get it?"

"This one?" she asked, holding up a small gold box.

"That's the one." I took it from her hands and put it in front of Nayeli. She looked up at me questioningly. I guided her small hands to the box and put one of her fingers under a fold. She seemed to know what to do and pulled the paper off the box, laughing as she did so. I opened the box for her once she was done.

Her mouth formed an 'o' as she held the cold silver pendant that dangled from a black chain in her small warm hands. Her eyes were glued to it—she looked hypnotized. Eventually, she looked up at me, smiling.

"W—w—w—" She was trying to force a word out—that much was obvious. I stared at her in wonder as she continued to try and say it.

"Woo—wol—wo—wol—wolf. Wolf. Wolf!" She clapped her hands as she continued to say her new word.

"Wolf, wolf, wolf, wolf, wolf!" she giggled.

"Precious," Esme commented.

"Completely adorable," Leah added. She held up her hand in front of Nayeli. "Give me five." Nayeli slapped Leah's hand and went back to her clapping and her chorus of "wolf." I fastened the necklace around her neck and she was finally silent, staring in wonder at the small charm.

"Her first word," I whispered. "And it couldn't have been more accurate."

"Jasmine, how bout making it your turn now," Bella said. "I think you'll like your first present."

Esme handed me an envelope that was more than familiar. It was the same kind of envelope that all of Seth's letters came to me in. Tears welled up in my eyes as I opened it.

Dear Jasmine,

Happy holidays. I hope you're all doing alright. How's Nayeli; is she enjoying herself? When I think I can't keep pulling through here, I close my eyes and see your pretty smile. I can't wait to actually see it in front of me. This is the first time I have been able to return to my bed for a good night's rest in three days, but don't worry about me. I'm too fast for those guys out on the battle field. A bullet just missed me today, but, sadly, it killed the only friend I had here. Poor Ben didn't even see it coming. He has a wife, too, you know. Bella might want to know; Ben and his wife, Angela, were good friends of hers back in high school. It's only made me realize hour precious life is, though. That's why I'm doing all I can to not get even a single scratch on me, so I can return to you and Nayeli and we can be a family again.

If you've been watching the news, then you must have heard that the war might actually be coming to a close. I promise I'll be home soon. Tell Nayeli I love her. Send my love and greetings to everyone. I love you, Jasmine. See you soon.

Yours forever and always,

Seth.

I was crying fulltime by then, and Nayeli was staring up at me in confusion.

"M—mo—mom—momma," Nayeli stuttered and pointed to the letter, evident confusion in her eyes.

I wiped my tears. "It's fine, honey, it's okay."

One of Seth's friends had died because of a bullet that had been meant for my husband. The thought sent shivers up and down my spine and made a new round of tears attack me.

"Bella," I whispered. "Bella; Seth said to tell you about someone named Ben. He said you knew him. He—he got shot the other day and died."

Bella covered her mouth and sobbed dryly.

"Ben Cheney," she sobbed. "Oh, poor Angela. She must be devastated."

"Poor Ben," Alice said, shaking her head and holding on to Jasper.

"Alice, please. Can you please check Seth's future? Please," I pleaded.

"All right," she said. She closed her eyes and stayed like that for a while. When she finally opened her eyes, she looked frustrated and angry.

"I can't see," she said, stomping her foot on the ground. "Nothing. I can't see Leah, either, or Nessie. Nayeli I can see, but she's so blurry, it might not even be her."

"You're kidding me," I muttered. "You have got to be kidding me."

"There's one thing I can see, though," she gasped. She turned to Jasper and started talking to fast for my ears to understand.

"No way," he said, surprised by whatever Alice had told him. "Why? How?"

Alice shook her head. "I don't know. I just see that it will happen sometime in the future."

"So that means that…"

"Yeah. That's what that means."

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," Alice snapped. "Nothing important, or clear, anyway. Let's continue with the presents, shall we?"

With all the presents under the tree, it took hours for us to open them all. I ended up receiving dozens of clothes from Alice and Jasper, assorted jewelry from Renesmee and Jacob, several pairs of shoes from Rosalie and Emmett, two handbags from Esme, three shirts from Sue and Leah, and the entire Vampire Chronicles series from Carlisle.

"Leah can you turn on the news?" I asked when we were cleaning up. I'd already put Nayeli back in her crib. The boys were out hunting which left us girls to do all the cleaning.

"No problem," Leah said, grabbing the remote and changing the channel. "I thought you had an aversion to the news nowadays, though."

I shrugged but didn't say a word. Since Seth had gone off to war, I had been unable to watch the news, fearing I'd see footage from Switzerland much too gruesome and I'd lose it.

"After over a year of war, things might actually be starting to clear up and a truce is rumored to be not to far off. If the war ends any time next year, it will have been one of the shortest fights in the history of America."

Those were the first words we heard when the television was turned on. I collapsed onto the sofa in relief.

"So it's true," I whispered. "This might actually be ending."

"Thank the heavens for that," Sue said, putting her broom aside and coming to sit by me. She put one arm around my shoulder and gave me a tight squeeze.

"What's this I hear about the war ending?" We all turned around and saw Edward making his way into the living room with the rest of the boys behind him.

"Back so soon?" Bella asked, giving him a light kiss. "How was the hunt?"

"It went well," he said. "We caught a few hibernating bears. Not too much fun."

"Hey, Jasmine, we got three tickets to go see a baseball game in January," Emmett said, plopping down on the couch next to me. "You game?"

"Sure," I said. "Who's not going?"

"Jasper," Edward answered with a chuckle. I turned to face Jazz with a questioning look on my face. He'd never miss a baseball game.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he's whipped," Emmett laughed.

"Laugh all you want," Jasper said, pulling Alice closer to him. "But our anniversary is very important to me." He turned his head and gave Alice a peck on the lips.

"Aw, Jazz, I think that's sweet," I said sincerely, recovering from my laughing fit.

Emmett, however, wasn't so polite and just continued to laugh. Rosalie smacked him on the arm.

"Shut up," she said teasingly. "You should follow Jazz's example. You haven't remembered our anniversary in sixty-two years."

"Yes I have!" he exclaimed, stomping his foot. "It's on March twenty-sixth."

"Wrong," Rosalie said, hiding her amused smile. "June eleventh."

"Right," he said, nodding his head. "I knew that."

There was a loud cry from upstairs. My head snapped to the direction it was coming from so quickly, I heard my neck snap.

"Oh, no," I muttered. "Can you finish the cleaning without me?"

"Don't worry, Jasmine," Esme assured me. "Just go."

I nodded at her with a smile before scurrying upstairs and into Nayeli's room. She was in her crib, resting against the end of it meekly for support. Tears ran down her face.

"There, there, Nana," I said, absentmindedly using an expression I hated. I mean, seriously, 'there, there.' What the hell was that supposed to mean?

"M—mo—momma," Nayeli said softly through her tears. "W—whe—where da—daddy?"

I sighed and stepped over to the window, stroking my daughter's hair softly. She rested her head on my shoulder and her tears soaked my skin.

"I don't know, Nana," I said truthfully. "He's coming back. Daddy always comes back."

Lighting and thunder put on a show outside, and I stepped away from the window, silently praying that my words were true.

A/N: Hope you guys liked the chapter ^^ Just wanted to let you guys know that I added more pictures to my website for you guys to see ;D Tell me whatcha think.

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