A/N: Hey everyone! Long time no see! I thought i would try a new format. I'm not sure if I like it or not--what do you think--? This is a new pairing for me; after reading the books I had to give Jake someone I thought he deserved. Needless to say I think the idea of him and the person he does end up with kind of grosses me out! Anyway, for those of you who actually read the rantings of the crazy author: thank you! Please enjoy and critique!

Disclaimer: Other than Allie the rest belongs to the lovelty and brilliant Stephanie Meyer!

ENJOY!!

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It was cold.

Even with her blankets pulled up around her

And her heater running full blast,

Allie still couldn't get warm.

There was a simple solution…

She glared at her cell phone lying innocently

On the nightstand next to her bed.

'Damn you.'

She mumbled into the mountain of blankets surrounding her.

She was stubborn

And

Independent.

That's why he loved her.

That's why she refused to call him.

She wanted…

Him…

No!

Warmth…

Yes, that's what she wanted,

More than anything.

But it came at a price.

Warmth was…

Stubborn also.

Pick up the phone…

NO

Call him…

NO

Do you want to freeze…

….

I didn't think so…

'Damn it…'

Allie hefted herself up out of the confines of her blanket shelter

Only to find it FREEZING-er outside of her refuge.

'This cannot be happening'

She burrowed even deeper into her bed

So that even her hair was obscured from view.

'This is crazy…

I should just call'

She peeked her head out just enough

So that her eyes could discern the blurry numbers of the alarm clock

3:09A.M.

Considering that she had gone to bed at

10:45P.M.

It had been a long night

'And it's not even over yet'

She groaned into the pillows.

You're just being stubborn

Like a little girl

Or better yet

A puppy…

Ironic isn't it?

'Oh, go away!'

Allie hurled her pillow into the wall opposite her bed

And then cursed the gush of bitter air it left in its wake.

'Urgh! This is so dumb!'

Then call…

'He probably won't answer.'

He will…

'It's too late.'

He's up…

'…I know…'

Then call…

……

'Ok.'

She nudged over to the edge of the bed

Close enough that she would barely have to unearth herself

To grab for the phone.

It was a good plan

In theory.

But in reality?

Nothing was ever easy for Allie.

Especially not calling her

…boyfriend…

That word really didn't do him justice

Which is why she never called him that.

He just was…

Words weren't needed to describe their relationship;

Words complicated things.

And things were already complicated enough.

Allie took a deep breath and lunged toward the phone

Pressed his speed dial

Gasped as his husky 'hello' filled the other end

And fell off her bed.

"Allie! Are you alright! Damn it, Allie, say something!"

Allie was thoroughly twisted in her blankets now

And wiggling wasn't helping.

'Where the hell did the phone go!?'

Her hands traveled the carpeted floor quickly and numbly

The cold sinking into her bones.

His voice kept rising on the other end.

If she wasn't so cold

She would have laughed,

But now was not a good time.

'Aha! Found it!'

Allie pressed the phone to her ear

Only to hear him cursing profusely into the other end.

"Jeez! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

He chuckled

"I only kiss you."

'Oh, my…'

"Allie? What's wrong?"

"…Nothing."

"Sure, sure. I definitely believe you just called me at…4A.M. to tell me that absolutely nothing is going on. I'll buy that."

….

'Hmpf!'

Allie shuffled around on the floor

Trying to regain her footing

And finally crawled her way up the side of her bed,

Still fully cloaked in afghans and comforters,

And plopped herself down on her back in the center of her bed.

"Umm…what's going on over there, Allie?"

"…Why?"

"'Cause it sounded like you just lifted something way too heavy for you, and what that could possibly be at four in the morning is beyond me…"

"Are you calling me fat?"

"WHAT?!?"

"I knew I shouldn't have called you…"

'Ha! That's what you get for being

Quipped with me, mister!'

"No! Allie, I was just…um...it's not like that…you're beautiful…and….Allie…I'm sorry...please…um...I just…"

And on and on…

Allie had to cover her mouth to stifle

The giggles that were ensuing

From her oh-so-very-clever remark.

Guys always got flustered

When you made them think they had

Hurt their girlfriend's feelings.

"…Are you…laughing..?"

Apparently she wasn't being discreet about it.

"Of course not."

"Allie."

"Yes?"

"As fun as tormenting me has been, you can't change topics that easily."

"Oh, darn."

Sarcastic.

As per her usual.

"What's wrong?"

His voiced changed: it was softer, soothing.

It was the voice that was only ever heard

When he was talking to

Her.

His Allie.

Allie buried her head into a pillow

And mumbled,

"I'm cold."

He chuckled.

"Sorry, I didn't quiet catch that."

She gritted her teeth.

He tsk-tsked.

"That's not good for you, dear."

"Don't 'dear' me, mister."

He chuckled

And there was something about his laugh

That made her smile.

"I'm kind of…."

"In love with me?"

"Hey! Don't put words in my mouth!"

"I'd rather put my mouth on yours but…"

"Urgh! This is so dumb!"

"I'll be the judge of that. So… tell me."

"I'm cold, damn you!"

"Oh, Allie!"

He laughed:

Not cruelly but with

Love.

"I'm sorry."

She sniffled.

"Don't cry. I told you to call me if you ever needed me; no matter what, ok. I'll be right over."

The phone clicked off.

He was coming.

One call

And he was there.

One call

And he dropped everything

For her.

One call.

She hoped that her dad had forgotten

To close a window.

He usually did.

But when you're counting on someone

To forget,

They usually

Remember.

Of course, Allie had no idea if, once inside,

He would even be able to find

Her room.

But nothing stopped him from coming

When she needed him.

Ever.

Even if they had only been together for

1 month, 3 days and ¼.

(Not that she was counting).

Besides, it felt like

Forever;

Like it was meant for forever.

But she still felt awkward

Like she was going to blink and he would disappear.

Even though she knew he was coming

It still startled her when her door creaked open.

Afraid that, for some weird reason,

Her parents may be checking up on her,

Allie kept her eyes shut and breathing steady

As she lay on her back in the cold darkness of her room.

Nevertheless, her breath quickened rapidly

When she felt footsteps crossing the room toward her bed.

Sneakers thumped to the floor;

Blankets were lifted;

Another body on the mattress

-under the blankets-

A warm tender hand slid across

The smooth silken camisole on her stomach.

Allie moaned:

He was so damn warm

'Oh, god! I...moaned..!'

And of course…

He heard.

"Did you just moan?"

She really couldn't form a coherent thought

When his lips were against her ear;

His warm breath tickling her hair.

All she could do was blush and keep pretending to be asleep.

"I know you're awake, Allie."

She rolled over

-away from his distracting presence-

"Well, if that's how you're comfortable, it'll work for me."

She heard the sheets rustle and next thing she knew

Her back was pressed against his chest

Her head resting on his right bicep

And…

Her bottom tucked into his hips.

'Oh, shit.'

She turned the color of one of her many covers:

Bright scarlet.

Well, you asked to be warmed up

You're just getting the full body treatment!

"Warmer?"

He whispered into her hair.

Her nod was barely decipherable,

But it was a nod

And he would take any affirmation he could get.

He was truly glad she called him;

She never had before;

Even though he knew she didn't sleep well in the icy winters.

After all, it was the first winter she had spent in

Forks, Washington.

A huge change from sunny, humid

Ocala, Florida.

Her shaking subsided after a few minutes.

She slowly gained the courage to say,

"You really are ridiculously hot, you know that?"

Not even thinking of the implications.

He was.

"Sure, sure. A few girls have told me that, but, don't worry,"

He brought his lips down toward her neck,

"I'm taken."

He whispered breathily;

Sealing it with a

Kiss behind her ear.

If she wasn't blushing before

She was now:

Terribly so.

"Oh."

She couldn't think straight.

Sure he had held her before,

Plenty of times;

But she had always had more

Clothes on.

He had…

Well ne never really wore more than a pair of shorts,

But somehow this half-naked embrace

Felt way more intimate than it usually would have.

He was in her bed, for goodness sake!

His thumb started to rub circles on her middle:

Just over her belly button.

Slowly, it caught the lace fringe and

Slipped under:

Skin on skin.

Warmth on tingling cold.

No,

Not cold anymore;

Warmer…much warmer.

Allie sighed.

It was as if his hand was smoothing away

All the tension in her body.

She brought her pale white hand up to

His tan one

Clasping her shoulder;

Forearm resting across her chest;

Rising and falling with each breathe.

White and tan

Perfectly entwined together.

Both smiling

Happy

Loving.

"Thank you…"

She sighed softly.

"Sure, sure."

Allie started to drift to sleep;

His hand continuing to trace patterns on her stomach;

Letting her know he was there

With her.

Wake up, silly…

Remember…

Thank him…

'I did…'

Her eyes sprung open.

'Oh, yeah. Oops.'

Tentatively, she rolled over

So that she was

Facing him…

Well his chest anyways.

"What's wrong, pretty girl?"

Blush.

Don't lose your nerve…

"Nothing."

Sigh.

"We're not back to that, are we?"

Downward gazing eyes.

"No…"

Chuckle.

"Still monosyllabic, I see."

Chin tilting up.

Brown eyes and blue.

Inquisitive and shy.

Have courage…

Allie's gaze shifted to his lips,

Wondering if she could do it.

Faith…

Hesitantly, she brought her hand up,

Touched his cheek,

Wrapped around his neck,

Fingers entwined in his thick black hair.

Hope…

She brought his head down to hers

And tilted her chin up slightly;

Their lips mere centimeters apart…

"Allie…"

Love…

As their lips met everything fell into place.

I could say that the world stopped spinning.

There were fireworks.

A symphony reached a crescendo.

The planets aligned.

But the truth is…

Everything just clicked.

This was what they had been waiting for.

That one person who understood everything;

Who would always be there.

A shoulder to cry on,

To hold,

To kiss,

To dream,

To love.

It was the softest of kisses;

Like a butterfly

Brushing past a petal.

The only thing that halted it was

Allie's yawn.

He chuckled.

"Very romantic…was I really that terrible a kisser. Damn, I can see it now: 'So hot he puts all the women to sleep!'"

Allie nuzzled into his neck.

"Shut up, you…I just haven't slept very well."

More nuzzling

And a kiss on his collarbone.

"Well, if you had called me earlier I would have been here in a heartbeat. Now, don't change the subject for the second time tonight."

He brought his one hand down

To the small of her back;

The other wrapped around her shoulders and

Raised her chin so that

Her eyes met his.

Passion…

"It was…wonderful…amazing…breathtaking…perfect."

Each pause she received a small kiss

Starting at her ear,

Cheekbone,

Jaw,

Corner of her mouth.

"You're…everything to me, Allie. You know that right?"

Now it was her turn to kiss him:

Tenderly on the nose.

"Yeah…I think I might have figured that out."

Smiles.

Who knew he would fall for someone as sarcastic

And shy and

Beautiful as her?

"Hold me?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

He pulled her body against his.

Chest to chest;

Hips pressed together;

Legs entwined;

Arms wrapped tenderly and strong:

Protecting and sheltering,

Calming and cradling.

"I love you, Allie."

Was it worth it?

"I love you, Jake."

Sometimes giving in

Is more Exhilarating than

Holding out.

**************

A/N: Well?? What do you think?? Good? Bad? Needs more work? Remember: I can't improve if you don't review! Thanks so much for taking the time to read my little story! I may or may not write a follow-up, and, unlike some really mean authors (jk!), I won't base the number of reviews on whether or not I update! Now the moment you've all been waiting for: tha author shuts up and lets you continue on your merry little way! Have a beautiful day and make the most of each moment!

XoxoxO:

Cour8ge