AN: thanks to all of you who reviewed. As usual I want to remind you that I don't know how often I'll be able to update but I'll complete it.


Chapter 2.

The next day Paul was working his shift at the Auto Repair Billinger as usual. He had taken the job as a mechanic and at night he attended a business school. His life was shaping out well, he was out of patrolling and of dreary La Push; he didn't miss anything or anyone. His pack brothers had become his friends during the rough years hunting vampires, but his only real bond had been with his father, and he had died two years ago.

Paul was alone and he didn't mind it at all, after sharing his innermost thoughts with a pack of teenagers, it was refreshing to be able to think or behave how he well damn pleased.

While working on a car he recalled the previous evening, he had knocked at her door and she had opened it. It irked him how she didn't look surprised to see him coming back. The fucking girl was a danger and supernatural magnet, he cursed again for getting involved in her life once more. He should have left before she opened her damn mouth, now he was curious to know what had happened even more.

They had sat on the sofa and she had asked about his life and the reason of his being there. Paul had indulged her partly because he was still too upset and partly because he had been quite lonely though it was for choice.

She then had proceeded to tell him that she was studying at the nearby university, that her name was now Ally Black and that nobody but Rosalie Hale-Cullen knew that she was alive.

Paul had mulled the information she had provided, then when he looked at the watch he realized that it was really late. So they had agreed to meet again in two days' time, Paul was doing an evening school and he was free only three days a week. It hadn't escaped his notice that she had given herself Jacob's surname, but he hadn't commented because he was still too shaken by the whole thing. And did Edward think that she was dead too?

By the end of the day, Paul had more questions than before, he hated that he had to wait to know more. That night sitting at school was a nightmare, he felt restless and he was cursing again his curiosity and his bad luck. Of all the fucking places in this planet he had to fucking live in the same area where she was hiding.

When he finished school he hesitated because he wanted to head towards his flat, but after a moment he grimaced and headed to Bella's house. When he parked he noticed that she had opened the door and he got into her house. There was a nice smell, she had cooked something mouthwatering.

Bella has smiled. "Do you want some food? I made more than I could eat."

He nodded not returning the smile. "Let's set something straight. I'm not your friend and I don't want to be. I'm here for answers and after I get them you'll never see me again."

Bella put a plate on the table and motioned for him to seat. "I know Paul. You never liked me, and I'm sure you aren't going to start now. What I did to… Jacob is unforgivable. I just want you to know that there isn't a day in which I don't hurt for him."

Paul grunted and then started eating. "You haven't asked me about him."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I figured that you would have told me eventually. I'm not sure I want to know, because if it was hard to leave the Cullens…" She cleared her throat then. "Well, it was even more difficult to give Jacob up. And I'll leave with the guilt and the weight of my choice until the day I die."

Paul could see that she was hurting, but he didn't find in his heart any compassion for her. She had chosen her fate and now she had to fucking live with her choices. "If you are expecting for me to feel sorry for you then you'll be waiting for a long time." He spat.

She smiled, but as usual her smile didn't reach her eyes. "I expect nothing from you Paul. You want to know what happened to me and I'm going to tell you. What you'll do with that knowledge it isn't my problem."

"He is fucking any woman that wants him." Paul said, knowing how hurt she would be by his words.

Bella stood up abruptly and gave him her back. She walked to the window and looked out. "What he does with his life is his own business."

Paul could detect all the pain and the misery in her voice, but he let her blatant lie slide. He had wanted to hurt her and he had succeeded. "Why Rosalie knows about you being alive? Isn't the blonde leech the one that loathes you?"

Belle turned to look at him and she seemed surprised by the abrupt change in topics. "I think I should start from the beginning... I left after the wedding, and the last memory I have of Jacob is his betrayed and destroyed expression. Edward took me for our honeymoon to an isle near Brazil. It was a gift from Carlisle to Esme... we had it all to ourselves."

It was evident that she didn't like to remember what had happened; he could hear her heart beating wildly. Paul was surprised because Bella Swan was many things, but not a coward and right now she looked frightened. Why was it so painful to remember?

A suspect arose in his mind. Paul stood up and started shaking. "Did he fucking hurt you?"

Bella looked shocked. "No… No." She stuttered. "Please calm down."

Paul sat abruptly. He was shocked too for reacting that way, he took a deep breath and sighed. Still shaking he motioned for her to keep talking.

"The honeymoon was amazing." She finally whispered, but the tears in her eyes told him a different story. "Edward… how much Jacob shared with the pack?"

He wondered what to tell her and if he could lie. "His mind told us that you planned to fuck with him while you were still human… but it was involuntary, it happened after the wedding's reception. Jacob tried his best to shield his mind from revealing what you talked about, he loved… you too much to share you with us."

Bella braced herself, her arms around her waist struck Paul, because it was the way she behaved after being left in the forest by the leech. Paul was starting to feel uneasy. Standing up abruptly he walked towards the door. "It's getting late, we'll talk tomorrow. Wear something nice, we're going out. I can't stand another night in this room." He snarled, knowing that he was angry with himself for starting to feel sorry for her. Without waiting for a reply he left.

While racing on the dark road he wondered why he really was going back to her. It was strange, she was a link to the past he wanted to forget and at the same time he couldn't. The newborn war had shaken him deeper than anything else in his life, and he had put his life on the line for her. So he thought he owed to himself to find out if it had been worth it… if she had been worth it.