It was Paul's turn to take the patrol down around Forks and the Swans' house. He didn't mind it too much because Bella always left a plastic bag of treats and some clothes in bin next tucked into a hollow tree just inside the woods for whoever was on patrol. She was thoughtful like that.

When he got just outside the Swans' yard his ears pricked up at the sounds of laughter pealing from inside. He listened more carefully. It sounded like she was watching TV, which was something she didn't do very often that he'd noticed. She tended to be more of a reader. She also wasn't one for loud laughter, but it sounded like she was having trouble breathing, she was laughing so much.

Intrigued, Paul phased back to human, pulled on some clothes from the bin and headed through the yard to knock on the back door. Bella answered it with a big smile on her face. "Hey, Paul!"

Bella and Paul weren't friends. Him trying to attack her at their first meeting hadn't really gotten them off to a good start together. Adding to that was the fact that she usually hung out with Dumb and Dumber and Dumbest (otherwise known as Jacob, Embry, and Quil) who were adamantly NOT Team Paul. Still, she was always polite to him and while she didn't go out of her way to talk to him, she was kind when they did happen to speak. She had even taken to leaving food on his doorstep occasionally. Never when he was home, though. She seemed to know him well enough to know he wouldn't accept it graciously.

Paul wasn't sure just when it had happened, but sometime after they'd realized the crazy red-headed vamp was after Bella, he found himself paying attention to her a little more. Just her mannerisms and questions she asked. He just noticed things about her more. Like how she would lean into Jacob when he hugged her, but as soon as he tried to do anything else she would stiffen up and move away. Or how she genuinely liked both Emily and Sam (now that she didn't hate Sam for corrupting Jacob), but how when the two of them kissed, she would look away and hold her arms around her middle.

He noticed that she looked healthier and smiled more than she had a year ago when she and Jacob had first started hanging out, but every now and then she would still get a haunted sort of look. He knew that look. It's the look of someone who has seen too much. It seemed worse after she went to Italy with the little leech to rescue the other one. She told the wolves later that what she'd seen there made her so sick that as soon as she'd reached home, she told the vamps to move on. That she wanted no part of that life and she'd take her chances with the Italian Coven.

Paul knew that Jacob and Sam assumed she planned on being protected by the wolves, but Paul knew better. Paul recognized her as someone who had seen death and horror and felt simultaneously that while she still wanted to live, she didn't mind dying, either.

It's a tricky sort of limbo to navigate, Paul knew all too well. He used girls and drink until phasing made one of those no good and the other one even easier. He wasn't sure if Bella knew that he could see all this in her, but again, she was always kind to him despite the spiteful things he'd initially hurled at her.

"Can I get you anything?" Bella asked, interrupting his thoughts.

He was quiet for a moment while looking around the room wondering what he should say. "Sorry, Bella, you were laughing and that was so weird I had to come check it out." No. That wouldn't work. That would make her feel bad. And she had such a nice laugh. He didn't want to jeopardize hearing it again.

"Uh, could I get some milk? Please? The cookies you left outside look great, but I'd really like some milk to go with them."

Bella smiled at him with a knowing twinkle in her eye and though he suspected she knew something was up, she didn't call him on it. See? She was kind.

"Of course, Paul! In fact, here, I have some brownies I made earlier today. Why don't you eat these instead? Can you stay in here for a minute to eat or do you head back out right away?" She poured the milk in a tall glass, and placed 3 large brownies on a small plate.

"I can stay for a minute," he answered as she handed him the dishes. "What were you doing before I got here?"

"Oh, I was watching 'Veronica Mars'. My Mom and I used to watch the show, and the movie came out a couple of years ago. I just got in the mood to rewatch them all," she said, sitting with him.

"Huh," he said stuffing a brownie in his mouth and taking a drink.

"Let me guess," she smiled slyly, "you've never heard of it."

"Nope," he said.

"That is tragic!" Bella said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Yeah. And yet somehow I've managed to survive all these years."

"You are missing out on some seriously good entertainment," Bella continued.

He shrugged. "What's it about?"

"The daughter of a Sheriff," she winked.

Paul rolled his eyes. "I get to watch one of those first hand. Why would I want to watch a show about it?"

She blushed. "Well, her Dad isn't actually Sheriff anymore. Now he's a Private Investigator and she helps him."

"Is it funny?" Paul asked, finally getting around to the real reason he was there.

"Very. I mean there are some really sad parts to it, too, but the dialogue is so witty that I just can't help laughing out loud in every single episode." Her eyes were bright as she talked about the show and it's the most emotion he'd ever gotten from her on his own. He found himself feeling very pleased by that.

"I have all the seasons on DVD. I'd be happy to lend them to you if you want," Bella offered shyly.

Paul felt an unfamiliar tugging around his heart when she offered to share something of hers with him. She wasn't looking at him anymore, but had her eyes cast down while she played with a loose string on the tablecloth. Paul realized she was nervous while waiting for his answer. It was just a TV show, there was nothing to be nervous about. Except she'd admitted how much she liked it and now was offering to share with him. This was unfamiliar territory for Paul. In his experience, people didn't share. Not willingly. Not without expecting something in return.

"I thought you were re-watching them," he said, not committing.

She glanced up at him, "I am, but I'll be done with the first season by the end of the week. I can drop it off to you this weekend. If you want, that is."

He looked at her again and couldn't sense any angle from her. She was for real just sharing something she liked with him. "Sure, that would be okay, I guess. I don't have anything better to do this weekend," he shrugged. "Or anyone," he leered and smiled as he watched her blush.

But then she surprised him, "Oh, please. All you have to do is go into town, flex your biceps, and look at a girl to have that problem taken care of. Although, Veronica Mars will stick with you longer than those girls, and even longer than the diseases they share with you."

It was Paul's turn to blush now. Well, almost. He didn't actually blush. "Is Quil corrupting you? Because that does not sound like the frightened little Swan Jake's been keeping tucked under his arm for the last year."

"I'm shy, Paul. Just because I don't say things, doesn't mean I don't think them," she said meeting his eyes. She looked away after a moment. "Anyway, draw me a map to your house and I'll drop the discs and necessary food off this weekend."

So, he did just that.