AN: I gotten lots of reviews and lots of great questions all will be answered soon enough! I love hearing from you! Keep them coming and I'll do my best to please.

A New Addition

I woke late in the night. I don't know what woke me up. I got up and went to the full length mirror. I lifted my night gown and looked at the bruises in the moonlight. They were dark and ugly. I traced the one that dominated my left side.

"Who did this to you?"

I jumped and threw down my gown.

"James you scared me." I said, putting a hand over my heart, attempting to slow its rapid pace.

"Isabella, tell me who hurt you." James said. Victoria stepped forward from behind James, her hand covering her mouth in silent horror.

"I was protecting Elizabeth. I was protecting my family." I gently wrapped my arms around my middle.

"What happened?" Victoria whispered. James was getting visibly angry.

"Gideon kidnapped me." I paused. "He and his two idiots, Butch and Shorty, beat me a bit. They were going to rape and kill me in front of Jasper. He pushed me over a cliff with my hands tied instead. Jasper saved my life." I said, looking away.

"I knew we should have killed him. Dammit James, why wouldn't you let me kill him?" Victoria said, pacing back and forth in a blur.

Victoria stopped abruptly in front of me.

"I will find him. His miserable existence is over as soon as I find him." she gently hugged me. I went rigid, I wasn't sure if she was safe to be so close to. She let go and disappeared.

"He won't be a problem anymore. We'll see you at the wedding." James headed toward the window.

"James, I don't know for sure that he's still alive. Don't expose yourselves. I'm not worth it." I told him. He sat with one leg in and one outside of the window.

"Isabella, in the short time I've known you, I've grown to care for you. You are worth it." he swung his other leg out and looked back just before jumping down, "Besides we won't be exposing anyone but Gideon McCaven."

He disappeared, I went to the window and closed it.

I went back to the mirror and sat in front of it. I touched the newly shortened hair. It was uneven. By the time Mary Elizabeth evened it out for me it would hang just below my chin. I pushed it out of my face and examined all the bruises and marks I had acquired in the last twenty four hours. My wrists were bruised and my cheeks were darkened slightly from being bound. Those bruises would be gone by the wedding, the bruises on my side and legs would take longer to heal.

I was rubbing the bruises on my wrists and looking at my swollen face when my door opened. I looked up to find Jasper standing in the doorway. His reflection stared at mine.

"Jasper." I whispered. I turned to look at him.

"I didn't think you'd be awake." He said. I lightly patted a place on the floor in response. He sat quietly next to me. He wore a long, off white night shirt and brown pants that went just past his knees. The shirt was unlaced and loose at the collar giving me a peek at his toned chest. The sleeves were long and loose and well, He looked like someone right out of Pride and Prejudice. His feet were bare and his hair has tied back.

"I've only been up a few minutes. Why are you awake?" I hugged my knees to my chest and looked in the mirror again.

"I've only been able to doze. I'm on edge." He said. I looked over at him and laid my head on my knees.

"Why are you on edge?" I asked.

"McCaven got away. Papa killed Butch and Jesse hit Shorty in the leg. He died. But Gideon jumped over the cliff after I did. We don't know where he is." he said quietly. There was no hiding his anger. I scooted a bit closer.

"I'm alright. It's all in the past." He put an arm around me and kissed my head.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

"Just sore."

"Are you very badly bruised?" he asked. I stayed silent and looked away.

"Bella, please, are they bad?" he asked.

"Yes." I whispered. He said nothing. I turned my head to look at him. He was looking at the window.

"You should get some rest. Can I get you anything?" he asked, standing and offering me his hand.

"No." I said. "I'm okay." I took his hand and stood wincing just a bit at the stretch of my sides. He pulled me into a hug and I settled into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his middle. I let myself cry a little bit.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"You have no reason to be sorry, love." He said. He rubbed what little hair I had left. "I'll miss your beautiful long hair, but it will grow back. You are still the most wonderful thing of beauty I have ever had the pleasure of beholding." I hugged him tighter. "I want nothing more than to be able to call you my wife. Saturday is the day you become Mrs. Jasper Lee Whitlock."

I looked up at him. "I can hardly wait. I'll be able to tell everyone I meet that my husband is the youngest Major in all of Texas. No matter how much I worry about you while you're gone, I'll never stop being proud of you."

He kissed my forehead and picked me up bridal style. He carried me to bed and laid me down on it.

"Goodnight my dear Isabella. Soon enough, we'll be together for all eternity." He kissed me sweetly on the lips and left the room.

…

I woke again late the next morning. Jasper was already gone working with a vengeance at the house. Our house. I dressed and went down stairs. Mary Elizabeth was in the sun room doing a needle point. Elizabeth was outside with James and Jesse.

"How are you feeling, dear?" Mary Elizabeth asked. She put her needle work down and stood to meet me.

"I'm just really sore. I'll be okay. I promise." I said.

"Are you ready for me to even your hair out?" she asked. I touched my hair again.

"Can you make me pretty again?" I said with a small smile. She chucked.

"Oh Isabella, nothing can break your spirits. You are so strong. I admire that in you." she said. "Come sit down in the kitchen and I'll make quick work of fixing you up."

I followed her and sat with perfect posture the whole time she snipped away at my hair. When she had finished I stood and stretched. She handed me a mirror and I was shocked to see what I looked like now.

My hair was even and beautifully smooth. I never really cared much for short hair but if I were to ever get it again. This would be how I would cut it. I hugged Mary Elizabeth.

"Thank you," I said then added, "for everything."

"Isabella, I should be the one to thank you. Our family was close before we met you and now you seem to have made us closer. I can say with great honor that I don't have to wait to call you my daughter." She said. I smiled. I squeezed her hands.

"Shall we go outside and find everyone? We have much to do before the wedding." I said. Mary Elizabeth looked unsure then she changed.

"You're absolutely right." she said with a smile.

Later in the day, when Jasper came home from working at our new home, we all sat down to supper. The final details for the wedding were all finished up and we'd already sent word to Jaspers aunt and uncle on his father's side and all of his friends in town. In less than a day I would be Isabella Whitlock.

Then I would be sent back. It was scary to think about going back. I wonder what's changed. How will I tell the Cullens I can't marry Edward? How will I tell Edward?

"Bella, isn't it wonderful? You'll really be my sister in two days!" Beth was almost more excited than Jasper and I. I peeked at Jasper over the rim of my cup. He smiled at me and answered his father's question unheard by me.

"I can't wait." I said between bites.

"Jasper, I want you to know what we've got going on in the back ground." His father said. "Ever since you were born your mother and I said we'd have something for you to take away from us when I pass." His father's voice almost commanded the attention of the table.

"It's written in my will that when you marry, Whitlock Tobacco Co. will become Whitlock and Sons Tobacco Co. We hope for it to be passed down through the generations starting Saturday with you."

Jasper was speechless. I was too. We would be set for life the day we got married because of this company. Jasper seemed to finally gain his tongue again.

"That's incredible. Papa this is more than I could ever ask for. But what if I am killed in the line of duty? Its gruesome to think about but it's a large possibility." he said. The whole table remained silent.

Could his be the legacy that Lotte was telling me about?

"That is for you to decide. We all hope and pray that you come home safely. That is something you should think about." James said.

"We just know you'll come back, Jasper." Mary Elizabeth said.

"There is no need to think on it. I have made a decision and I'm sure Bella would agree. Should I not return, I believe that the company should go to Jesse the day he marries. If I do return and Bella and I have no male children, I believe also that it should go to Jesse." Jasper said. So either way it would go to Jesse. By the look on Jesse's face he was okay with that.

"I believe that is a good idea." James said.

I was just about finished with my supper when Jasper spoke again.

"I want to take Bella with me tonight. I don't want her any farther away from me than she is now, with Gideon still being alive." he said quickly. My fork froze in over my plate. This wouldn't end well.

"Jasper-" Mary Elizabeth started.

"I won't argue about it. I want her with me as much as possible until that miserable excuse of a man is detained or dead."

"Jasper, that is out of the question. It's highly inappropriate and it goes against tradition." James said.

"Tradition be damned." Jasper stood, saying this. "I want to insure her safety myself. I trust you all. With my life and with hers. But I have to keep her safe while I can. I won't be here but for a night after the wedding. I'll not disgrace her or this family. I never will. This is something I have to do."

He left the room in a flush of heat. All eyes turned to me, my fork still hovering over my plate.
I hadn't moved anything but my eyes since he said something. I set my fork down and dabbed at my mouth.

"I'll go talk to him." I said getting up and hurrying out after him. The back door slammed and I ran out after him.

"Jasper!" I called. He was storming to the stables. I picked up my skirts and ran after him. I caught up with him as he was opening the stable doors.

"Jasper." Touched his shoulder. I gasped and pain hit. I fell to the ground and clutched at my side trying to make the pain go away. I saw his feet turn to me.

"Isabella. What is it?" he was on the ground with me almost as soon as the words left his lips.

"I think I might have a couple cracked ribs." I said. I held my sides until I could breathe normally. I looked up at his face, so full of concern and love. "Jasper, I know you want to protect me. I respect that and I want you to protect me."

"I want you safe." He said. He helped me stand.

"Why don't you stay here again tonight? You can still protect me. It wouldn't break tradition. Everything can work out for everyone." I said.

"I need to go home tonight. I wanted you to come with me." he said.

"Why do you have to go home?" I asked.

"I need clothes that fit. I wanted to show you our home. It's finished. I worked with a vengeance today. I got the fence and everything finished." He said.

I smiled a bit.

"How about this. Why don't we leave now, go get some clothes for you, you can show me the house, and we'll come back for the night?" I proposed. Surely this was agreeable.

"I think we can do that." He said and kissed my nose. "I'll go in and apologize and tell them what you suggested." He nodded toward the house. I smiled. He headed off to the house and I went into the stables.

I opened up Pistol's stable and put a lead on him. I tied him out in the middle and went to get October. When I had her out I put blankets on both of them. I attempted to get one saddle on but it hurt and I struggled. Jasper came back and found me struggling.

"Darlin' I'll get that." He rushed over and took the saddle. "I don't want you to hurt yourself anymore." He kissed my forehead. He finished saddling the horses and helped me onto October.

"She's a bit smoother of a ride. She won't hurt as much." He told me.

…

When we got to the house, I saw just how busy Jasper had been. There was a small yard enclosed by a picket fence and farther out was a barbed wire fence. It was the perfect little house. I could see having a family here. But I wouldn't get the chance.

"Jasper." I said. "It's precious! I absolutely love it."

He dismounted and helped me down.

"Wait until you see inside." He said.

"Let's go!" I said and pulled on him a bit.

We got to the door and he stopped.

"Close your eyes." he said. I did. He ushered me inside. "Keep 'em closed. I'll be right back."

I stood for a minute.

"Okay open them!" he called. He had lit a few candles to broaden the light. The house was furnished completely and it was beautiful. I followed the sound of his voice.

"Jasper where are you?" I called.

"In here." He said. That helped. I hear scuffling feet. "No wait come back." I heard him whisper.

"Jazz?" a puppy trotted up to me and sat down at my feet.

"Who might you be?" he cocked his head at me and his tongue lolled out and his ears perked up. Well they tried to. They were still floppy. He was a mutt but he was one of the cutest mutts I'd ever seen. I knelt down to meet him. Jasper appeared shortly after. I scratched his ears and looked up at him. He looked like a German shepherd mixed with a few other big dogs.

"Who's this?" I asked. He huffed and smiled.

"She doesn't have a name yet. Happy Wedding present to us." he said.

"She's wonderful!" I exclaimed and she rolled over wanting a belly rub.

"I wanted you to name her." he said.

I looked up at him. "Anything I want?" I asked. He chuckled.

"Yes. I'm going to go grab her sack and some clothes we need to get back soon. You think on it." he said.

I turned my attention to our newest family member. She was definitely loving and full of energy. She was also very controlled.

"What's your name, pretty girl?" She was mainly black with some tan on her belly and face. She had big clumsy paws and a long tail that never seemed to stop wagging.

"Come on, girl." He said holding an old potato sack open. She flounced over to him and tried to play. He finally got her in it and I looked at him like he was crazy. He held the sack up and turned it around. Her small head was poking out of a hole cut in the sack.

"Let's go back." he said blowing out the last two candles.

He helped me onto October and handed me the puppy. He mounted Pistol and reached for the sack.

"I'll take her in case she gets restless." He said. We began riding again. "So what have you come up with?" he asked.

I smiled and looked from him to the small head sticking out of the sack.

"I like Piper." I said. Her ears perked up.

"Whadaya think little girl? Are you a Piper?" he said looking down at her. She perked up again and tried to lick his nose. "Piper it is."

He smiled at me.

"You, me and Piper. Maybe even a few little ones of our own someday. It's all coming together." He said.

The mention of children made me think about the fact that in a few days Piper would be alone. Would she live with Jaspers family?

"What's wrong, Darlin'?" everything…

"Nothing. Just thinking about how well Beth will handle me moving in with you."

AN: It's short but next is the wedding and back to the future. Oh my, what will you do while waiting?