Chapter Forty Nine

Bella

I'd lost count of the days and it wasn't until Carmen came over when I appeared downstairs with a hug and a "Merry Christmas" I realized it was Christmas day. Emmett sat beside a huge pile of presents grinning hugely under a false white beard and wearing a bright red jacket that was almost painful to look at.

"Hey Bella, like my Santa suit?"

"I'm not sure Santa wears furry slippers with bunny ears Em"

"Like them? The girls bought them for me. I think they're great."

"You already started opening your presents? Shame on you."

"Bella we gave up trying to control a festive Emmett years ago. He's beyond redemption."

I smiled at Esme's long-suffering look and joined the others, Charlie looked better this morning and with Tanya leaning against his legs he looked quite content too.

"Charlie before you and Bella say anything let me explain, we don't expect presents from you. We have everything we want or need and its hard to buy for people you don't know. We on the other hand found out enough about you to come up with a few small gifts so please accept them, it will make us all feel very happy. OK Emmett you can play Santa now."

He whooped in delight and spent the next few minutes throwing gifts at everybody except us. Ours were handed over a little less enthusiastically which was just as well, with the kind of power Em had in his arms anything less would probably have led to serious injury or death! The Denali clan had bought a joint present, a years fishing licence for Charlie and a new reel which he seemed to be really excited about while I got a first edition Wuthering Heights which I hardly dare open, knowing it must have cost a fortune! From the Cullens he got a hunting trip in the Denali National park in season for a party of four and for me there was a pair of jeans and a thick padded jacket which was gratefully received.

As the group broke up I pulled Jasper into a quiet corner and handed over the small present I had bought him.

"You shouldn't have got me anything Bella. Being with you is more than enough of a present."

"Thank you but I wanted to get you something and Alice helped me."

He raised an eyebrow before tearing the wrapping paper to reveal a thin book.

"It's not much but she said you didn't have it."

He opened it and smiled,

"She was right. I've been looking for a copy of this to finish my collection of Confederate Army books."

"We went into an antique shop and it was tucked in the corner of a bookcase."

He kissed me wrapping his arms tightly around me to whisper in my ear,

"I thought last night was my Christmas present."

"No, that's an ongoing present, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and every day in between."

"Then its a good job I bought you something too."

He put a hand in his pocket and took out a small box,

"You didn't spend a lot of money did you?"

"No, I promise. It's just a little token of my love for you."

I opened the box and smiled, nestled in the tissue paper was the bear tooth but it was now suspended from a silver chain.

"Thank you, its beautiful."

He smiled and put it around my neck fixing the clasp then kissed me again,

"It will remind you of the protection I will always give you."

"I don't need anything to remind me of that, you show me all the time, but thank you, its been my lucky talisman for a long time and its nice to be able to wear it. I used to carry it around in my pocket until I nearly lost it, since then I kept it safe in the box under my pillow but now I have my angels head on my pillow instead, right next to mine."

"How sweet, a tooth! I don't think I've ever heard of a fang for Christmas but I suppose it fits with your reputation Bella."

"Sorry?"

I turned confused to look at Josie who had come over to see what was going on,

"Well you soothed the savage beast much as I did. Have you noticed how sweet Edward's been to you since you've been here? I told him that it wasn't worth the hassle to try to drain you. You should be thanking me for taking his mind off killing you although I didn't believe him at first when he talked about you. I thought he was really interested in you as a woman, sorry girl, but once I saw you I realized how absurd that thought was. Humans never cease to amaze me, flirting with death the way they do, let's hope your faith in Jasper isn't misplaced."

Jasper seemed to be ignoring her but I couldn't, I didn't like Josie although she did seem to keep Edward from becoming interested in me while I was here. When she'd told Edward to wrap up when he was bitching about the Christmas tree everyone thought it was a good thing, he was under the thumb at last, but I don't think she did it for any noble reason, she just liked to be in charge. She looked into my face gauging my reaction to her words and I tried very hard not to let her see she had struck home at all.

"I'm glad Edward has finally met his match, I think you two are well suited,"

She thought about this and decided to take it as a compliment.

"Did you see what he bought me?"

She wriggled her hand under my nose showing off a huge diamond ring on her engagement finger.

"Isn't it pretty? Not as pretty as me he says but I think he's just flattering me, still it shows his commitment to us. Maybe one day you'll get one Bella, perhaps not as large, after all diamonds are so expensive but then I guess the price isn't the important thing now is it?"

She smiled showing gleaming teeth and walked back to Edward who stood the other side of the room and looked decidedly unhappy at her words which everyone, of course, had heard. Jasper pushed himself from the wall but I took his arm,

"She's not worth it Jasper and whatever he buys her he couldn't possibly love her any more than we love each other. Come on, let's go for a walk. I want to try out my new jacket."

Edward

I was furious with Josie even though I knew jealousy was responsible for her words. I'd bought her the engagement ring to show how much I loved her but I knew if Jasper had bought the same ring for Bella she'd have looked at it with horror, ostentation really wasn't her. I may not have got too close to her since she arrived but I had studied her enough to know that.

"Why did you do that Josie? There's no need to antagonise my brother and his mate."

"I wasn't antagonizing them, just showing off my present, why? Are you ashamed of it, or me?"

"Of course not, it's just that I don't want trouble with Jasper."

"He didn't say a word Edward. You should stop seeing him as the bogey man, you're twice the man he'll ever be."

She was wrong and I knew it although she seemed to be able to blinker herself to things she didn't like except for Bella and she really didn't like Bella. I saw Esme and Carmen glance over and knew they weren't impressed with her behaviour either. I needed to find a way to rein her in but it wouldn't be easy, if I didn't then life would be very uncomfortable if not impossible here and in Forks.