Disclaimer: S. Myer owns all, but what I wouldn't give for a Jasper of my very own-sigh.

A/N- Please forgive any creative licenses taken with the actual road trip part of the story, my apologies in advance to those living anywhere near where J/B visit, and the pretend river I have in or around Abilene!

My poor beta has been working her fingers to the bone, so this chapter is once again unbeta'd, so all mistakes, grammatical and otherwise are my own.

Huge hugs and thanks to Dannie for the read through on this chapter, even if she did take innocent j/p scenes and make them all slashy-

More author's notes at the end.

To those that have read, thank you! I appreciate it very much.

"**~~**"

Country Boy

Location: Abilene, TX (Reconciliation)

"**~~**"

It's the only place that i call home
No matter where in this country I might roam
It's where the corn grows tall and the moonshine still flows
It's the only place that i call home

Your word is good on a handshake
Preacher still talks about a judgment day
People gonna stop when a funeral passes by
We say "yes sir" and say "yes ma'am"~Justin Moore

"**~~**"

"Nice to finally meet you, Peter," Bella said, extending her hand. Being the mother fucking charmer he was, he took her hand, brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head as he released Bella's hand and her sun-kissed cheeks turned an even deeper shade at his attentions.

"Always had a way with the ladies, didn't you?" I chuckled.

Ignoring me, he kept his eyes trained on Bella. "He's just jealous, darlin'. I got all the pretty girls on the base while Jasper was stuck with his hand."

"We were fourteen," I defended myself.

"Exactly!" Peter exclaimed, grinning, his white teeth even brighter against his dark skin. Leaning in toward Bella, he looked at me while he whispered loudly to her. "He always was a late bloomer."

Bella giggled, her eyes flickering back and forth between us. The front door shot open and Peter immediately stood up straight, like a little boy that had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar by his mama.

"Baby, you ever goin' to invite your guests inside? Y'all are crazy, it's hotter than a stolen tamale out there."

I couldn't stop the grin even though it hurt like hell. "Sounds like the boss is calling…baby, " I mocked at Peter.

"Fuck you," he mumbled to me before turning to Bella. "Why don't you come inside, darlin', let me get you something cool to drink."

Before she could accept his offer, Charlotte's eyes skimmed over Bella before moving to me. It took no more than a few seconds before her eyes widened in recognition and she was running down the steps and across the small yard.

"JASPER!" she yelled, it had been a long time since I had heard my name with such twang.

Leaping in my arms, I grunted in pain when her body pressed against my many bruises, but my arms wrapped around her regardless. Holding her tight, I buried my face in her thick hair and inhaled a deep breath of honey shampoo.

"Hey, Charlotte, how are you?" I released her and she looked up at me. She was still the Texas beauty queen she had always been with dark blue eyes, long blond hair, and sculptured cheekbones. Admiring her shapely figure in jean shorts and a tee shirt, I wiggled my eyebrows at her. "You sure filled out nicely," I flirted, recalling a bit of that charm myself.

"Don't you know it, doll," she flirted right back. Suddenly, she noticed my post-parking lot smackdown condition. "What the hell happened to you?"

Looking over her head to Peter, I explained with a smirk. "I was just telling Peter here that I ran into some of his buddies at a truck stop."

"Well, since you left, Peter's taste in friends has gone to shit," she laughed as I held out my arm and Charlotte wrapped her tiny hands around it. "Talk about friends in low places."

"Aw, darlin' stop telling them all my business," he chided her with a loving tone. "And get your hands off my wife," Peter demanded with a smile, grabbing Charlotte's hand and taking it in his own. Hand in hand they headed for the front door. "Y'all comin'?" he called to us over his shoulder.

Peter and Charlotte had started dating about a year after I had moved to Forks. Charlotte hadn't lived on the base, but we had seen her often around town, Peter's eyes always adopting a glint whenever we ran into her. After they had begun dating, his calls to me were to brag about what base he was currently rounding and how perfect she was…how he had found the one.

As soon as they had graduated high school, they were married in a simple service with just family and a few friends. Both sets of parents were not pleased that college wasn't happening for either of their children. Peter had been able to get a job at the local court house as a bailiff while Charlotte had taken some night classes in early childhood education and was a teacher's aide at an elementary school. They weren't rich or high class, but they were in love and lived their lives for each other, living the American dream as it should be lived, for the one you love.

I held my arm out for Bella. Taking it she looked up at me as we followed Peter and Charlotte.

"They sure are friendly," Bella observed.

"Aw, baby, you ain't seen nothin' yet," I warned her.

Their house was a small one level ranch with two bedrooms and a bath. The kitchen was modest, but updated with new appliances. The furniture was far from the best or most expensive, but it was clean and comfortable. The most important feature in their house wasn't the furniture but the feeling of love that engulfed you when you walked inside. Everything from the pictures on the mantel, to the fresh flowers on the table, to the loving note stuck to the refrigerator, was evidence of their love for one another, a devotion I longed to experience.

An hour and two glasses of lemonade later, it had been decided that we would stay with them for a few days while I showed Bella around town. They had a small spare bedroom, and would hear nothing about us finding a hotel. Peter argued how wrong it would be in my hometown and not stay with them.

When the phone rang, Charlotte answered and returned with an invitation to have dinner the next night at her parents' ranch. Thinking Bella might already be overwhelmed by the two of them, much less Charlotte's huge family, I politely declined but Bella spoke up.

"It sounds like fun, I want to go." I glanced at her, silently asking if she was sure and she nodded.

"Yeah, come on, Jasper, let's show Bella how everythin's bigger in Texas," Charlotte said.

"Everything except Jasper's dick," Peter mumbled and Bella turned a deep scarlet, but she spoke up.

"I have to disagree with you on that Peter. I have first hand knowledge that Jasper's dick is anything but small."

Shocked, we all looked over at Bella, our chins collectively hitting the floor.

"Oh really?" Peter laughed, recovering first. "Well it's nice to know that it hasn't shriveled up and fallen off from lack of use."

Bella stuck her chin out defiantly. "Oh, it has most certainly not shriveled up or fallen off."

My woman was defending me.

Looking over at her, I smiled my appreciation and she winked in return.

The rest of the evening was spent sitting on their deck in wicker chairs around a plastic table eating the burgers Peter had grilled for us. The moon hung low in the ink black sky, and a slight chill had replaced the dry heat of the late afternoon sun. The change in temperature was always welcome relief to those that had survived another scorching day, but for Bella it was enough to have to put on my sweatshirt. With her legs curled up under her, messy hair and baggy sweatshirt, she sat next to me looking beautiful.

Peter had insisted in telling horror tales of our youth. "So then, this girl passes the note to the Jasper, only the teacher sees her hand it to him."

"Oh no," Bella inserted with the proper amount of interest.

"Yes, ma'am, he did. He stands up and asks Jasper to read the note out loud," Peter confirmed, shaking his head as he remembered Mr. Ford and his bad toupee before continuing with his story. "With the entire class watching, scrawny Jasper stands up, trying to act cool even though he was sweatin' bullets."

Peter stands, imitating me from that day so many years ago. Holding out a napkin in front of him, he shakes his head to brush his non-existent curls off his face as I had done that day before I had begun to read the note. "Dear Jasper, you have the most beautiful eyes I've had the pleasure of seein'. I watched you and Peter at the game the other day, you were so funny. The Sadie Hawkins dance is comin' up and I was wonderin' if you would go with me? Check yes or no below. P.S I promise you can kiss me when we dance. Love, Emma."

At my expense, a round of laughter exploded from everyone, Bella even had tears running down her face. Loving the attention, Peter continued. "So the classroom got all quiet, and Mr. Ford looks from Emma to Jasper and then says, 'Well, son, that sounds like a good time to me, I suggest you take Miss Lane up on her offer.' I swear, I had never seen anyone turn redder than Jasper did at that moment. He looked liked a lobster bein' freshly plucked from the boiling water."

More howls of laughter from everyone. Sighing, I shook my head, desperately trying to think of an equally embarrassing story about Peter to tell them. When she had calmed a bit,
Bella asked me, "So did you go, or did you break poor Emma's heart."

"Aw, darlin'," Peter answered before I could speak up, "Jasper didn't have the balls to go. He told her yes and then came down with a mysterious illness the day of the dance."

"I really was sick," I argued as Bella placed her hand on my knee, patting it.

"Sure you were," she smiled brightly before turning back to Peter. "Tell me another."

Groaning, I lulled my head back. "No, please...."

Eager to please, Peter quickly recalled another chapter from his Jasper's most embarrassing moments file. "There was this one time that Jasper had to answer question in health class on reproductive organs and had a hard on when he did it." Peter began before pausing for the appropriate laughs from the girls.

"Oh my God," Bella gasped, and the tears began to fall again.

Night had settled heavily around us, each of us had shared laughter and stories from our childhood, entertaining Bella before we finally decided it was time for bed. Peter and I had made plans to take Bella on a little tour of Abilene the following day.

"**~~**"

"Jasper, just sleep in the bed," she sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed in her tank top and cotton boxer shorts. We had both gotten ready for bed, but when I grabbed a pillow to go to the couch, Bella had stopped me.

"After this morning you want me to sleep in the same bed? I don't think that's such a good idea," I reasoned and opened the door.

She didn't argue as I quietly walked to the leather couch and made up a make shift bed. A bit too tall to fit on it completely, my feet hung over the edge as I propped myself up on one end and closed my eyes, hoping sleep would find me soon.

At some point it must have because I woke up when the couch dipped under someone's weight and then there was a hand on my arm.

"Jasper?" she whispered in a sleepy voice.

"Bella?" I asked opening my eyes slowly before pushing myself upright making room for her. "What's wrong?"

Looking down at her hands in her lap, she spoke in a hushed tone. "I can't sleep."

"How come?" I yawned.

Shrugging her shoulders, she swallowed before looking over at me. "Will you come into bed with me?" she requested weakly.

I wouldn't deny her anything.

"Sure," I answered. She stood and held out her hand for me. Taking it, I got off the couch and followed her into the bedroom. After climbing under the blanket first, she held it open for me and I joined her. Facing me, she snuggled up to me much as she had the night before in the hotel, her head right under my chin, her lips almost touching my bruised naked chest. With one arm around her waist, and the other under my head, I kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Bella," I murmured.

"Night, Jasper."

Of course, sleep claimed me quicker once she was in my arms. Because even though I was home in Texas, it was in her arms that I discovered the true meaning of home.

Gray skies greeted us the next morning as we jumped to the banging on our door.

"Rise and shine, lovers, time for some grub," Peter yelled through the door.

"Be out in a few minutes," Bella replied for us, finding her voice before I had.

"We don't have time for you to be taking care of Jasper's morning wood, darlin'," he warned with a chuckle before walking off.

I wanted to apologize for Peter's comment, certain he had embarrassed Bella, but she beat me to it. "Don't worry about him, he's harmless. It doesn't bother me," she assured me. We had woken up the same way we had fallen asleep, only one of Bella's legs was hitched up over mine and once again, my hands had found their way to her hair, fisting the ends of it tightly, and hers were curled under her chin.

It was then that I noticed a finger tracing the charm that hung around my neck.

"I've noticed you've been playing with this a lot. What is it?" she asked softly.

"It's the Chinese symbol for courage."

"Where did you get it? I don't remember seeing you wear it before we left."

"Edward gave it to me our last night home."

She leaned back and looked up at me with curious eyes, but I gave her no further explanation. Nodding, she accepted it and slid out of bed. Relieved she hadn't said anything about my erection that had been pressing up against her the entire time, I rolled onto my back and stretched.

With a hand on the door knob, she turned back to me with a smile. "I'll shower first while you deal with that," she motioned toward my crotch and left the room before I could reply.

For a moment I actually considered taking her advice, what harm could it do, might even relieve some of the tension my body had felt since the fight. My body still burned with a dull ache and the occasional sharp bolt of pain, having even a small amount of pleasure to sooth the burn was a welcomed idea. I knew an orgasm would only briefly blanket the ache but it was tempting none the less. Just as my hand had wandered down toward my pajama bottoms, sliding under the elastic band, I heard Peter knock on the door again.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, git your ass out of bed."

With a regretful sigh, I removed my hand and flung the blanket off me. My date with my hand would have to wait until later.

After a quick breakfast of eggs, bacon and grits, Peter and I took Bella around Abilene. Peter's father was still in the Air Force so Peter was able to get us onto Dyess. Driving through the streets was like driving through moments in my own personal history, snapshots in time that had made up the collage of my childhood.

The street where I skinned both knees when I wiped out on my bike trying to go over a jump Peter had set up.

The movie theatre where Peter and I had been caught trying to sneak into a rated "R" movie when we were twelve.

The bowling alley where my father bowled every Tuesday night.

And finally, we pulled up in front of my childhood home. Without a word, I got out and stood next to the truck, staring at the small brick house.

Wolfe had once said you can never go home again, and while a part of me agreed with him, I was living proof that you could go home again. You can go home after you've moved on, although sometimes your home has changed, or you have changed, or both.

For me it was more about being so quickly ripped from my secure childhood, from having my friends and the only home I had known snatched from my young grasp. It was these things I needed to revisit, even if only briefly, to say a proper goodbye.

Let them rest in peace in the recesses of my mind.

Standing in front of my old home, I felt Bella come up beside me, her hand slipping into mine before she looked up at me.

"Tell me about it?" she requested. I looked down at her and smiled. Peter stood behind us leaning against his truck, his hands in his pockets. Glancing back at him, I saw him nod at me.

I pointed to the garage. "My dad had a little workshop in there where he built model airplanes. He had dozens of them on shelves, always buying one for my birthday and helping me build them. Mostly military planes. He also had a table where he rebuilt Civil War battles in great detail. He would spend hours out there. Over there," I motioned to the small deck off the side of the house. "That was where our grill was, and back there," I pointed to the small grassy plot in the back, "was where my tree house was."

I heard Peter chuckle behind us.

"Peter and I had a lot of good times in there, didn't we?" I called to him over my shoulder.

"Damn right," he answered from behind us. "Showed Jasper his first girly magazine in that tree house."

I turned to Peter. "Do you know if anyone lives here?"

"Actually," he began walking up to us as he dug deep into his pocket. "I talked to my dad, and not only does no one live here, but he got me a key to the place."

Biting my lip, I took the key from his outstretched hand. "Go show her around," he encouraged. With her hand in mine, Bella and I walked up the steps and to the door. After I unlocked, it, she squeezed my hand.

"You can do it."

Yes, with you her,e I can.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open and we were hit with the musky scent of a place that had been closed up too long. While the layout hadn't changed, the color on the empty walls was now a light yellow instead of the light brown I had known. The floors were now hardwood instead of carpet, and the mantel had been replaced at some point.

"This way," I said leading Bella toward the back of the house toward the kitchen. The appliances were newer, but the countertop and cupboards hadn't changed at all. Light filtered in through the sliding glass door that led into the back yard and Bella glanced around.

"So this is where it started."

I looked at her confused. "Where what started?"

"You're complete inability to cook," she smiled. Laughing, I told her a story of my mother trying to teach me how to bake cookies with her. "I just couldn't figure out why anyone would bother to bake the cookies when they tasted so much better uncooked."

Taking her hand again, I led her through a small doorway and into the living room. "We had our couch in front of the window and our television over there. My mom would sit in a chair in that corner all the time to work on knitting. We used to put our Christmas tree over there by the fireplace. We were only supposed to have artificial trees on base, but my dad hated them, so he snuck a real tree in every year. One year it was so big, we had to rig it up with wires to keep it from falling over." I remembered my dad on the ladder screwing hooks into the wall to attach the wires to while my mother and I watched."

"Did Santa bring you everything you wished for?" she asked with an innocent giggle.

"Not yet," I sighed, looking down at her. "I'm still waiting."

Avoiding my eyes, she looked around the empty space. "Show me more."

Leaving the living room, I brought her down a small hallway to the two bedrooms. The first one on our left had been my parent's room. We stopped in the doorway. "I remember the first time I walked in on them having sex," I shuddered at the memory. " I was nine or ten, and I had been worried when I had heard odd noises when I had gotten up for a drink in the middle of the night, I knocked but they didn't hear me so I pushed the door open and found my dad on his back with my mom straddling him…naked."

"Ouch," Bella sympathized.

"Ouch was right. I was scarred for life, ran back to bed. The next day, my dad had the birds and the bees talk with me in his workshop using nuts and bolts as examples."

Turning, I led her to my old room. Painted green instead of blue, it was smaller than I had remembered. I stood in the middle of the floor and looked around, each corner holding something special between its sturdy walls. "My bed was over there, my dresser there and my desk over there," I showed Bella, pointing at each spot. It was blue then, my curtains had airplanes on them, so did my sheets and blanket. Hell, everything in the house had to do with airplanes. God, I spent so many hours in here."

"Were you happy?"

"Yes. I mean, I had my fair share of shitty days, my dad definitely didn't believe in sparing the rod, and with Peter as a friend, I was in trouble more often than not. But yes, I was happy…safe." I walked over to one of the windows and looked out at the backyard.

The tree house was still there.

"Is that the one your dad built?" Bella asked, standing next to me resting her head on my arm.

"Yeah."

I wanted to tell her more, tell her how many weekends I had helped him, handing him tools as he put it together piece by piece. I wanted to tell her about the pride I felt when Peter and I climbed into it for the first time, how impressed Peter had been. I wanted to tell her how we shared secrets up there, it was our safe haven.

Until I had left.

Quickly, I turned and left the room, unable to handle the wave of emotions that was cresting inside me, readying to overtake the wall I had set up for protection. With a steady pace, I headed for the front door and out into the fresh air where I took a few deep breaths. She was at my side an instant later, her hand rubbing my back.

"Thank you for showing it to me," she whispered before walking over to Peter. Looking down the street, I clearly remembered pulling away from my home, watching from the backseat of the car as Petey sat on his red bike waving to me as I tried not to cry.

Looking back at the house one more time, I blinked several times to keep the memories at bay.

"Goodbye," I whispered to no one but the ghosts of a childhood well loved and dearly missed. After I gathered myself, I turned and headed toward Peter and Bella, who were both leaning against the truck. Bella engulfed me into a hug when I reached her, her arms wrapping around my neck tightly.

She had suffered the same fate I had; she too had moved from her childhood home to a strange town. Only for her, it had been her choice to leave. Her mother had remarried and Bella had decided to move to Forks to be with her dad and give her mom some space. It was with a familiar understanding that she hugged me, after sharing the same emotions herself.

"Ready to go?" Peter asked as he pushed off the truck. I nodded and released Bella.

"You sure?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good," I assured her before heading to the passenger side of the truck. I glanced around one more time, savoring the feeling so I could remember it at will in the future.

An hour later, we were sitting on the bleachers of Abilene High School overlooking the empty football field. Bella sat to my right, and Peter sat behind us up one level.

"Go Eagles," he cheered with zero enthusiasm to the empty field before us. "God, I hated high school," he sighed and Bella and I laughed.

"Yeah, it sucked," I agreed leaning back on the palms of my hands.

Bella looked at us, squinting at the sun as it began to break through the clouds. "Aw, come on boys, it wasn't that bad."

Both Peter and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"There had to have been good times?" she asked looking back and forth between us. "Jasper, how about when Edward, you and me skipped and went to the lake? Or Prom? Or the day Edward told off Mrs. Hanely when she bitched about his attitude?"

"Or when Newton tried to bully me because of my accent, or when I beat the shit out of him at lunch because he broke up with you, or when Mr. Barnes embarrassed you when you started your period during art class?" I countered.

"Point taken," she finally agreed. "You guys are right, it did suck."

"Although," Peter began, "there was one happy time right here on these bleachers."

"Your first kiss," I chimed in and Peter nodded.

"Yep. Right under these stands."

"With who?" Bella asked, turning to him.

"Sarah Piederman," Peter answered with a satisfied smile. "First girl to give me a hard on too."

Bella laughed and I corrected him. "I seem to recall Charlotte causing you to sport a woody one day when we ran into at the river."

Peter never blushed, he never got embarrassed, he just was who he was and people either accepted him or they didn't. Unless you were a friend, he could have cared less what anyone thought of him. However, as the memory of seeing Charlotte at the river hit him, a faint pink appeared under this tanned skin.

"Aw damn, you're right, she was the first…and will be the last," he admitted.

He had always been loyal, he had been my friend for years, even after moving away, even after Edward had become my best friend, Peter's loyalty to me had never wavered. Our contact had come and gone in bursts, but there had never been any doubt that he would have been there for me in a heartbeat if needed him to be. It was a loyalty he only shared with those he loved, and Charlotte would forever have a devoted husband by her side.

His cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. "Hey, darlin'. Okay, we'll be there in a few minutes." He glanced at me and smiled. "Yeah, we went there, and yeah, he's fine." He listened to her for a minute before saying goodbye. "See you then, love you too." Sliding his phone back into his pocket, he stood up. "Well, this walk down memory lane will have to continue tomorrow, we're supposed to be at the in-laws in an hour and I imagine you probably want to freshen up."

Standing, I held out my hand for Bella. Taking it, she stood and we followed Peter down the steps of the bleachers. At the bottom, Bella hopped on my back and I gave her a piggyback ride back to Peter's truck. Her laugh constantly tickled my ear as she leaned over my shoulder guiding my way, her legs wrapped tightly around my waist, her arms slung around my neck to hold on.

I wasn't sure when I had ever been happier.

Back at the house, Charlotte had all the supplies for the cookout ready to go. Pasta and potato salads sat wrapped on the table while she finished up making the cornbread. Bella went into the bedroom to change while I helped Peter load the coolers and some extra chairs into his truck. Just as Peter and I were having a friendly debate on whether everything would fit, Bella came out to see if she could help.

"Sure ya can, darlin'. Please tell Jasper here that we don't need to put the chairs in first." I had been leaning over the bed of Peter's truck when she had walked up.

Standing before me in a red plaid flannel shirt, jeans and brown cowboy hat with her hair pulled back into a braid, she stole my breath.

"Close your mouth, Jasper," Peter scolded me, "It's not polite to stare at a beautiful woman." He laid the chairs down and went over to Bella, kissing her on her cheek, he whispered something in her ear before heading inside.

"So…." She began looking up at me biting her lip.

"You look great," I finally stammered.

"What do think of these?" She asked pointing to her feet. Looking down, I saw she had on pair of tan cowboy boots. "Charlotte loaned the hat and boots to me, said something about having to be an 'authentic country girl' tonight."

"They're very authentic, totally scream cowgirl."

"Charlotte asked me to tell you to go get ready because we need to leave soon," she said tilting her head up, looking up at me from under the rim of her hat, her eyes already taking on the defiance of a rebellious cowgirl.

"Yes, ma'am," I smiled and headed into the house to change.

Less than an hour later we were pulling into the long driveway of Charlotte's parent's house. A white railed fence lined both sides as a chestnut horse raised his head and watched us pass. There were lush green fields as far as the eye could see with horses in two expansive pastures on both sides of the dirt road. The sun had finally broke through the earlier clouds and now hung low in the sky, getting ready to decorate it with brilliant hues of oranges and pinks as it set on the horizon.

"Wow, it's amazing" Bella exclaimed as she looked out the window and took in the farm before us. Several smaller out buildings surrounded a large three story red barn. To the left of it sat a huge white house with a large porch wrapping around three sides of it. It was your stereotypical Texas ranch, right down the green John Deere tractor sitting next to the barn. Parking near Charlotte and Peter, I turned the truck off and turned to Bella.

"This might get a bit overwhelming. Do you want to use our safe word?" I offered as I opened my door and got out.

"Think we'll need it?" she asked when I met her on the passenger side.

"Better to be prepared," I began. "Just in case one of us needs rescuing. Remember what it is?"

"Guitar," she smiled.

Holding out my hand, she took it and we headed over to Peter to help him unload the truck. We could hear the country music pouring from the open barn doors and the smell of grilling food surrounded us. Peter and I carried the coolers while the girls carried the chairs over to the side of the barn.

As we rounded the corner, I glanced at Bella and saw her eyes grow wide. "Holy shit," she murmured.

Peter looked over at her. "Told ya we did things big in Texas, darlin'."

Before us were at least a dozen long picnic tables covered with cloths and decorated with a floral centerpiece. Three huge grills were fired up, manned by Charlotte's father and uncles, each one constantly flipping, turning and checking the pork, chicken, and steaks they were cooking. A huge buffet table was full of bowls and plates of appetizers and deserts, everything from cheddar corn casserole to peach cobbler. People were everywhere, carrying platters of food, setting up tables, or gossiping as they bounced babies on their laps.

"There's so many of them," Bella observed.

Setting the coolers down next to the others, Peter laughed at Bella's shock. "This is just a weekend get together for close family, sweetheart, you should see the family reunions. They are real barn burners." Bella shook her head and looked at Charlotte.

"How many of you are there?" she asked in awe of the hustle and bustle around her.

Laughing, Charlotte thought for a minute before answering. "Well, I'm the baby of six, each one married and had at least four of their own except for us. My parents both have four siblings, and they are all married, and their children have children. We actually lost track of a number about three years ago after Bobby was born."

"Bobby?"

Charlotte pointed to a toddler as he ran by chasing the family dog.

"Charlotte!" a woman called to her as she walked up wiping her hands on her apron. "Baby, how are you?"

"Howdy, Mama," Charlotte said, taking her mother into her arms. Quickly pulling away, she saw Bella and me.

"Jasper Whitlock? My Lord boy, you sure have grown up to be a tall drink of water." I stepped forward into her embrace.

"It's good to see you again, ma'am," I greeted.

"Darlin', you know better than to call me that. It's Betty to you." She noticed Bella standing next to me. "And you must be Bella?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Pleased to meet you, Bella, welcome to Texas, and call me Betty. Peter, why don't you show our guests around and introduce them to everyone."

Following orders, Peter grabbed Bella's hand and dragged her off to the closest table for the first round of introductions. Charlotte rolled her eyes up at me and then pulled me along behind them.

Finally, we came to Charlotte's papa manning one of the grills. Placing his tongs down, he turned to hug his daughter, picking her up off the ground. "Howdy, baby girl." After releasing her, he extended his hand to me. "Jasper, how you been, son?"

"Very well, thank you, sir."

"A bit formal, don' you think? You're back in Texas, boy, no need for such formalities." He pointed to his grilling colleagues. "Have you met my brothers Dan and Mike?"

"We've howdyed but we ain't shook." I replied, letting the Texan that had been buried in me too long come out to play.

"Much better, son," he laughed.

"Charlotte," her mother called. "Bring them over here to meet Mary and the boys."

For the next few hours, we ate, we talked, and we listened. Everyone took turns telling us a family story, often focusing on Peter and Charlotte. Night had fallen as Bella and I sat next to each other across from Peter and Charlotte while Charlotte's father and uncles worked on getting the bonfire going.

Once the fire was going strong, the flames dancing up toward the sky, everyone gathered around it, chattering in small groups. The older women were offering parenting advice, the men talked about their next hunting trip or how much their crops were going to earn.

I translated for Bella.

"That turd floater last week was somethin' awful."

"It rained a lot."

"Have you seen Sally lately? She's warm in winter, shady in summer."

"Sally's fat."

"He's been working so hard he's got a big hole in his screen door."

"He's going to go crazy."

Shaking her head, she glanced around at everyone. "It's like a different language," she mused.

"It sure as shit is," I agreed.

"I don't remember you saying any of these when we met?"

"Oh, I did when I first moved, but I had been there for a year before we met. After hanging out with Edward so much, it just faded away a bit. 'Course, bein' down here again makes the country boy in me happier than a gopher in soft dirt."

As she laughed, I watched the light from the fire flicker over her face, lighting up her dark brown eyes with a sparkle and giving her an ethereal glow.

If Edward was my savior, she was my angel.

Minus wings and a halo, but complete with a generous soul forgiving of my many faults, my actions which had driven a wedge between us I had once thought non-repairable. Yet, there we were, standing next to each with the heat of a fire caressing us as we laughed and joked along with those around us, Bella's hand often finding its way to mine as she whispered up at me.

Right then, it was just Bella and me.

No Jake. No proposal. No Edward.

Like all precious moments, it was too short, a passionate brief second in time that teases us with a 'what if' before kicking our ass back to reality.

The night grew thick, and all grew tired, voices faded from gossip to goodbyes and we made our way back to our truck with promises to return before we left for Washington. Back at Peter's, we unloaded the truck before heading inside. After saying good night to Peter and Charlotte, I changed in the bedroom while Bella used the bathroom. When she entered, I went to leave for the couch, but her hand on my wrist stopped me at the door.

"Please," was all she said, but it was enough. Looking down at our hands, I nodded and she reached up to push my hair off my face before whispering, "Thank you."

We took what was quickly becoming our familiar positions in the bed, her body fitting against me comfortably, her sweet breath warming my chest as we both closed our eyes and let the darkness envelope us.

The next few days were a blur of showing Bella around, taking her into small towns like Buffalo Gap and Sweetwater, as well as dinner and a few visits with Peter's parents. One afternoon, Charlotte had taken Bella out for some shopping and Peter and I headed around town to visit a few old friends. After popping into the garage where Luke worked, and the furniture store that Mark managed, we headed to the small river we had spent hours at as kids. We sat on the bank of the river, watching the water froth as it bubbled over the rocks.

"It was real nice seeing everyone today," I said as I tossed a rock into the river, skipping it across the top of the water.

"You know this isn't high school, right?" he asked, leaning back on his elbows as he closed his eyes against the bright sun.

"What the fuck does that mean?" I turned my head to him, squinting.

"There's real emotions involved here, Jasper. Adult emotions, not just teenage hormones," he explained.

"Again, what the fuck does that mean?"

"What's going on with you and Bella?" Opening his eyes, he glared at me evenly. I grew uncomfortable under his scrutiny and turned away.

"We're close friends."

He snorted and shook his head. "Close friends that sleep in bed together? That hold hands constantly? Whose eyes light up when the other enters the room? That's a mighty fucking close friendship you got there, Jasper."

Emmett was the only one that knew of my feelings for Bella. I had the urge to spill it all to Peter, but I knew from experience his advice could be honest and possibly hurtful, and I wasn't sure my heart could handle his bluntness.

"She has a boyfriend," I informed him quietly.

"What!? Are you shittin' me?"

"Wish I was. In fact," I paused to take a deep breath, "shortly before we left, he asked her to marry him."

"And yet, she is here with you."

I picked up another rock, throwing it out before me. "She told him she needed some time to think about it."

"Does he know she's here…with you?" he asked disbelievingly and I nodded. "He let her travel two thousand miles with another man? He's either brave or sure as shit stupid."

"Neither." I answered, looking down at him. "Bella may seem all quiet and reserved but when she wants to do something, there is no stopping her. If he wanted any chance of her saying yes, he had to let her go."

"What are you goin' to do about it?"

Shaking my head, I sighed heavily. "Just wait for her to decide."

"And where does Edward fit into all this?" he asked thoughtfully.

"That is one very good question." I looked away, avoiding thinking about that answer as much as possible.

"And?"

"Without Edward, there is no us."

Thankfully, he accepted my answer and sensing he had pushed me as far as he could, quickly changed the subject. For the next few hours, we discussed him and Charlotte having children, his work and my classes, safely treading away from Bella and Edward.

"**~~**"

Before we knew it almost a week had passed. Bella and I had planned on making the seven hour drive over to Galveston the next day to check out the east coast of Texas. After getting home from work that night, Peter suggested we hit the local pub that night for a pizza. Bella, having had her fill of Texan food, eagerly agreed. After Peter showered, the four of us climbed into his truck and headed to a local bar.

"Oh, will you look at that," Peter said, pointing to a sign on the door was we walked in.

Thursday night-Karaoke

"How great," Bella said excitedly. Groaning, I held the door open for everyone and gave Peter a dirty look at he passed. Shrugging, he just smiled and walked by.

"What? It'll be fun," he offered with a wink.

"We are not singing," I replied to his back as ignored me, raising a hand and waving without turning around.

The bar was small, tiny square tables scattered across the floor as waitresses weaved in and out carrying trays of food and drinks. Against the far wall was a little stage lit up with one spotlight, the Karaoke equipment set up to the side. As soon as we were done with our pizza, and after a few dares and double dog dares from Peter, Bella had the forms and was filling in her song requests with I pouted next to her.

"This is gonna be fun, stop worrin'," Peter said, hitting my arm.

I shook my head, "You've never heard her sing."

Laughing, he watched his wife walk up the stage with Bella. "Don't get your cows runn'in, she'll do great."

When the first beats of Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" began, I swear I heard Peter groan. He looked over at me. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"Told ya."

Bella and Charlotte sang their hearts out, missing the occasional word, giggling through high notes and 'hell yeahs' and improvising dance steps. Peter and I couldn't help but grin as our women entertained the crowd, earning cheers and claps as they continued.

"HELL YEAH!" Peter cheered, standing when they were done. Charlotte jumped into his arms. "You were great, baby," he murmured, kissing her. Bella sat down next to me wearing a huge grin.

"So, was it that bad?" she asked as she tucked her hair behind her ears, her face flushed with excitement.

My ears bled.

"It was perfect."

Charlotte turned to me. "It's your turn."

"Uh-uh, no way," I replied but Peter was already pushing me toward the stage. Suddenly, I was standing before the small crowd with a mic in my hand and the lyrics to "I Will Survive" scrolling across the monitor. Glaring at Bella's choice of songs for Peter and me, she smiled and gave me the thumbs up. Soon, Peter and I had our arms over each other's shoulders, swaying back and forth, pouring our hearts into the lyrics, ending to a standing ovation.

When I got back to the table, Bella clapped and stomped her feet. "You guys rocked it!"

Peter sat down, patting his lap for Charlotte. She took his invitation before looking at Bella and me. "So what song y'all goin' to do?"

"You'll see," Bella squealed as she jumped up and grabbed my hand, literally dragging me back to the stage. She handed me my mic and grinned, her eyes bright with excitement.

There was no denying her the world much less a song.

"I hopped off the plane at LAX

with a dream and my cardigan

welcome to the land of fame excess,

am I gonna fit in?"

If only it hadn't been Miley Cyrus.

I had to admit, but by the time we hit the chorus and Bella had a hand above her head and her hips were swaying back and forth in a wide side to side motion, I didn't mind the song choice so much. I couldn't help but stand behind her, my free hand on her moving hips, reveling in the friction as she occasionally brushed against me.

"So I put my hands up

They're playing my song,

And the butterfies fly away

Noddin' my head like yeah

Moving my hips like yeah,

And I got my hands up,

They're playin my song

I know I'm gonna be ok"

When we finished to cheers and whistles, and walked back to our table to take our seats when the girls immediately headed for the restroom. After watching Bella's ass walk off in her tight jeans, Peter turned to me, suddenly serious.

"You know that girl's head over heels for you, right?"

"**~~**"

Thank you for reading.

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