Disclaimer: I own nothing but the original plot points and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

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A/N: Well, Serendipity gained and surpassed the 1k review milestone! I have you all to thank for that, so from the bottom of my blackened soul and shriveled heart, thank you! Regarding this chapter: it's short, I know, but the next chapter is much longer and already well underway. Best of all, Bella and Whit will be back together (my favorite parts).

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Chapter 19

Charlotte's POV

It was late, about two in the mornin' and I'd been on my way home from grabbin' a bite ta eat, when I decided ta try lookin' in on our boy before headin' home.

I say try because it all depended on whether he'd left that damn dog with his auntie and uncle for the night as he sometimes did, usually when he rode that motorcycle a' his.

I had reason to be cautious too. That blasted mutt was johnny-on-the-spot as a guard dog. Took that shit seriously. And nah, the hairy menace hadn't hurt me; he really couldn't with me bein' a vampire and all. But he was a loud pain in the ass, which inevitably woke our boy up…

I nearly growled jus' thinkin' back on it…

Then ta add insult ta injury, I'll be damned if my gallant mate didn't laugh himself stupid when I came home with the entire ass-end a' my jeans shredded from our boy's well aimed blast a' buckshot.

I would'a got away clean if the dog hadn't a' locked his gator-like jaws on my pant leg. If only I hadn't a' been so concerned about hurtin' the mangy beast, but I was. So I couldn't just kick or shake 'im off like I wanted to, 'cause I knew our boy and Bella loved the mutt. So stupid me wound up takin' a load a' buckshot to the ass before I could get away.

The real low point came when I had ta blackmail Peter with never gettin' laid again if he told Bella about it, or ever brought it up again.

Not my finest moment, I freely admit. But it was necessary for my sanity.

So yeah, gettin' back to the point… Here I was again, sneakin' up on the back of our boy's house while prayin' the dog wasn't here, and so far, so good. I still kept a keen ear open though, 'cause there was a dog door in the back patio door, which meant the beast had free run a' the place.

When I made it to his bedroom window with no sign a' the dog, I breathed a sigh a' relief and leaned my back against the wall to give a listen before peekin' in. Lord knows, as much as I love and miss Jasper, I just didn't have a desire ta see more'n strictly necessary. Just hearin' certain things would'a been bad enough, but it seemed I was in luck. All I could hear was his heart beatin' and his deep, even breaths.

Our boy was sound asleep.

With a wistful smile, I listened for a bit and was just fixin' ta leave when I heard the rustle a' sheets, like he was restless and tossin' and turnin'. Then I heard 'im mutter Bella's name and damn, wasn't that just the sweetest thing?

I'd just started ta grin at that when a wave of anguish that wasn't mine nearly took me clean off my feet.

I gritted my teeth and bent at the waist with my hands on my knees as I struggled against it. This here… Lord, how it reminded me of my days with the Major and how he could knock a body straight on their ass with that gift a' his… It wasn't quite as strong now, but damn… It was close.

What the hell was goin' on?

I heard him groan then, and looked through the window in time to see him thrash and mutter somethin' about how he was sorry, so sorry…

Just what the hell was he dreamin' about? It didn't seem like anything good.

Then he thrashed and cried out while mumbling a name that chilled me right down to the very marrow of my immortal bones: Maria.

Oh hell and damnation…

This was trouble because it could only mean one thing… Our boy, Jason was—on some level—startin' to remember his life as Jasper and the Major.

Question now was, would he remember any a' this when he woke up?

I hadn't the foggiest idea.

It'd been a long time since I was human and truth ta tell, I didn't remember shit about it. What little I did know about 'em—outside a' how ta hunt 'em—I knew from livin' with Bella while nursin' her back ta health after that crazy red-head attacked her. And let's just say, thank the good Lord for the internet and food channel, otherwise the poor girl probably wouldn't a' made it.

But this? Whatever was goin' on with our boy now? I didn't have the first clue what ta do. Was this the first night he'd had such dreams? Or had he been havin' 'em this whole time? It was possible, right? I know Bella'd had dreams that she said she couldn't remember after wakin' up. Bad ones too, where she thrashed and cried out just like our boy was doin' at the moment. So, maybe? If so, maybe that meant he'd go on with his current life as Jason without ever consciously rememberin'. Maybe he'd get over this, and the dreams would stop just like Bella's eventually had?

For his and Bella's sake, I sure as hell hoped so.

Because for him to fully remember his life as the Major while possessin' the relatively fragile psyche of a human? I worried such a thing'd be more than our boy could handle.

Just thinkin' about the prospect made my dead heart ache. Because I knew if somethin' happened to our boy, it would probably kill Bella. There wasn't a question in my mind: she loved him, and if there was one thing I knew about our sweet girl, it was that once she loved someone, she loved them with everything she had.

As I continued to watch, he shouted "No!" then shot up, his chest and shoulders heaving as he covered his face with both hands.

My heart went out ta him and I laid my hand on the glass while whispering, "Peace, Jasper…"

As much as I cared for him, the harsh reality was, to him, I was a stranger and that was somethin' that couldn't change. So as sad as it made me, a quiet whisper and the good wishes of my heart were all I could give him.

Just then, he turned his head and seemed to look straight at me, so I ducked outta view and took off as quick as I could. He'd already peppered my ass with buckshot once, and I didn't want him thinkin' he had a stalker. Bella'd have my ass if that happened, and with her new talents that had surfaced here lately, she could probably do some damage.

As I ran home, I couldn't help but be damn glad Pete and Bella would be home in just a matter of hours. I knew if anybody could soothe the demons that were hauntin' our boy, it was Bella.

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A/N: Reviews, as always, are appreciated! Wishing you all a healthy and happy holiday season!

~Spudz