Chapter 10

Being a passenger in car when Jasper is driving and it's just us two is tranquil. Peaceful. My emotions are always positive when around him, years of experience had trained my body to subconsciously react to him so he did not have to unnecessarily suffer with an abundance of emotion. Because he has become attuned to my emotions over time, he is sometimes not aware that he attaches himself emotionally to the stability I provide since after a few decades of existing, I have very little to react negatively about. And so, if he is in a calm environment, if he isn't careful, he could put a whole room to sleep due to the serenity he feels from being in my proximity. I feel like a house cat, one that has just found that perfect spot with their owner to start purring. I am absolutely confident that if I had the ability to sleep, I wouldn't wake up for anything.

Which is also why I nearly jumped out of my skin when my phone began chiming to let me know I had an incoming call. A chuckle left my lips as I reached for the device and as I accepted the call, I looked at my husband who did not try to hide his amusement at all. "Hello Alice. How's it going?"

"We've gotten Bella administered to hospital," our littlest sister began, Jasper having no problem hearing Alice from the tiny speakers in my phone. "She's being treated right now actually. I called because you are close to Forks now aren't you?"

"Yes, the sign for Seattle is up ahead. You want me to drop in on Charlie?"

"I was going to give him a call once I had spoken to Renée but since you're already so close. Yes, please." A rustle burst from the phone as Alice did something, but before I could question her, she continued, "I'm putting evidence together at the moment. Bella fell through a window after falling down two flights of stairs."

I snorted in disbelief, "you do realise that I am a police officer, I could have come up with a better fabrication than that! I do see crime scenes and have experience with victims, you know!"

Alice laughed, "don't sound so offended! We needed something to tell the medics and that's what they were told."

"Hello! Why didn't you call me on the way over? Unbelievable. And now you are trashing a perfectly decent hotel just to cover this story. The dance studio was already trashed, could have fabricated a story on that but no, you, you little minx, just wanted to destroy something else." Both Jasper and Alice laughed at that and Jasper tapped my thigh to point to my attention that we were now in Forks. "Sweetie, we're in Forks now. I'll call you back once I've seen Charlie, okay?"

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye."

Jasper reached his arm over to my side of the car and wrapped his hand around mine in comfort. I didn't get the sensation that he was handling my emotions for me and I thanked him for being patient with me and allowing me the time to process my own emotions. Especially since they were warring. Frustration is the main emotion I am feeling because no matter how long I've been on the force for, contacting a victim's loved one never gets easier and as this was not only my boss but my Dad for all intents and purposes, I could cry.

The love of my life turned the car off, a little ways up the street from Charlie's house. His cruiser sitting out front. He was home. "If this were ever a time for me to believe in a religious being - I would be praying to them all."

My hand was lifted to Jasper's lips where he placed a kiss to the back of my hand and squeezed the appendage in reassurance. "I will stay here with the car, my darling, offering my support as always."

"Thank you, Jasper. I will see you soon." With one final glance back at him, I got out of the car. Gathering my nerves of steel, I walked the few yards to Charlie's front door at a human pace. Not because I was out in the open but more because I needed the time to put myself together to speak with Charlie as the victim's family and not as my Dad. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to look after Charlie properly as he panicked.

I must have been walking faster than intended because I was quickly walking up the steps on his front porch before I knew it; quickly reminding myself that this was not a time to just waltz on in as he had given me the permission to do. This was not the time. Hearing the television, I knocked loudly on the door.

I heard him turn off the television, lift himself onto his feet, and make his way to the door. A quick jiggle of the door handle as it opened the door and there stood Charlie out of uniform. "Sera? What are you doing standing out there? Why didn't you just come in?" He queried before taking in my downtrodden face. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

Tightening the iron grip on my emotions, with a steady, clear voice, I answered, "Mr Swan, your daughter Isabella has been in an accident."

His jaw had dropped and it took him a few minutes to come out of the shock and let me into the house. He lead me into the kitchen where he sat down heavily into the wooden chair and asked me to explain what happened.

~ 10 ~

As expected he had taken the news hard. From there everything had calmed down considerably. Bella had come home and settled back in at home, everyone in my family had gone hunting and in no time, Prom rolled around.

Alice had gotten a little too excited to be dressing Bella up for their Prom and had accidently smashed two of Esme's flower vases as she ran past them trying to drag Bella unwilling upstairs. I had heard them smashing from where I was in Alice's bathroom laying out the last couple of pieces of makeup on the counter. Since I hadn't smelt blood, I was in no rush to investigate what had happened. Until, of course, I heard Esme call for me.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs where the scene happened, Bella was held protectively in Edward's arms away from the shattered ceramic. Alice madly trying to pick every little piece up off the floor. Esme stood beside Alice picking up the flowers to try and save them. I instructed Edward to lead Bella upstairs as the situation was now under control.

Realising what Esme had called me for, I walked up to Alice, calmed her down and had her help me. With my ability and Alice's guidance to which colour scheme went to which vase, I had both vases back in one piece for Esme to use once more and then she and I headed back upstairs for Bella's make over.

I left Alice to it because she knows a lot more about that stuff than I do. I wouldn't have done as good of a job. Makeup has never been something I had worn simply because I have gone for so long without wearing it that it is incredibly uncomfortable for me to wear it at all now. I never even wore any on my wedding day. Clothes, I am a little better at but I have never really tried to be fashionable with what I wore. As long as it suited me, it would do. Jasper was much the same, but Alice had us both wrapped around her little finger and although she respected my space about makeup, she had free reign on what we wore. Jasper never complained because he looks fantastic in everything - and nothing - and Alice took into consideration my need for practicality and so in my collection I had very few dresses that she never forced me to wear unless for a special occasion.

When Alice insisted on regular girl's nights, a pattern had formed. Alice would spend the time doing Esme's hair and makeup and Esme Alice's whilst Rosalie insists that she wants to work with my hair. She had once disclosed to me in the quiet one night when she was idly brushing my hair, that the length of mine is what she would have loved on her daughter's if she had one. After awhile, Rosalie worked up the courage to ask me if it would be okay for her to brush my hair when she wanted. The deal I had made was for me to do hers in return when I wanted and so that was really how we bonded.

Esme loves painting our fingernails. The artistry she puts into the designs is always splendid. Something new every time. We each bond in our own ways with one another but because Bella is human, Alice feels more of an attachment to her because Alice never knew her human life. Alice can work with Bella the way she wishes she could have been dolled up. Or so is her excuse when Bella is trying to pull out.

"Are you not going to prom, Sera?" Esme asked as I passed her on my way into the garage to see Rose.

"No, I'm on duty tonight. Alice already asked me to have a suit ready for Jasper that matched her dress because I'm not able to attend. Jasper, smartly, didn't argue with her."

Esme giggled. "Alice really does look after him doesn't she?" She looked up at me before smiling, "when you can't, of course."

A smile tugged at my lips because no matter what any tried to say, I would never fault Alice for being close with Jasper. "She does. She had provided for him before I entered his life anyway, why would I break that bond between them just because I married him? I might be possessive but I'm not petty." I leant against the door frame of the kitchen watching her sketch something. "Plus, why should he have to stay home because he didn't have any one to take because his usual dancing partner is unavailable? He loves dancing with Alice just as much as he loves dancing with me."

Esme looked up at me once more with a mischievous glint in her eye, "maybe he might skip out of the prom early to take you for a date. You never know."

I laughed, "as long as he doesn't just leave Alice on the dance floor mid song, I'll have him back in one piece."

"You're very devoted to one another."

"That we are."

~ End ~

And that is that. The final chapter to Devotion.

I hope you have enjoyed it?

I have had a lot of fun writing this story and I have every intention to continue Jasper and Serafina's story in a sequel. Keep an eye out for that!

I want to thank everybody who has followed this story, listed it as a favourite and left a review. It means a lot to me. Thank you!

Goofball.

Agatha Christie - "The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes."