I awoke a mess and in no state of mind to greet anyone, but there he was, just as naked as I had seen him last.

Paul was sitting on his couch with me on his lap, a pillow perfectly placed under my head. I groaned, hoping this wasn't another try to get me to kiss him and make Quil disappear.

"Good morning, sweet pea," he said jokingly and helped me sit up straight. I grabbed the pillow and hit Paul with it. After that energizing workout I could think a few percent more clearly, and I smiled a little at Paul's shocked face.

"Hey! I just gave you a more comfortable pillow than your gear shift!" He was joking again, but I knew there was truth in his words. Where was Quil? I looked at Paul with a lost, quizzical look and he understood. He nodded slowly and looked at me with a slightly depressed expression.

"He didn't come back," Paul whispered, his face carefully positioned towards the door. "I'm so sorry for doing all this, Bella." His face was disturbingly empathic, and it was obvious he was really scarred by all this. I put the pillow on his shoulder and laid my head down again.

"It's all Edward's fault, you don't need to apologize," I said with a deep sigh, and heard him mumble something incomprehensible. "What?"

"Not entirely his fault," he said with just a slightly louder voice this time.
"What did you do, Paul?" I was sceptic as to if he'd actually forgotten to mention something in that hour long story with sobbing and pouring his heart out.
"I did kiss you... but not only because of what I told you before. I really like you, Bells, and this is so weird for me." Speak of the Devil...

I felt flattered, fuming, glad and unendingly miserable as I realized what Paul had just said. I felt like everyone around me was getting feelings for me, and undoubtedly because of my awesome truck, right? I smiled at my joke, but realized reality was waiting for me to respond. Why did all this happen so quickly?

"Paul... I..." was all I could say before I headed to the door and Paul could barely whisper "sorry" before I disappeared and he could clearly hear the truck's engine roar fill the area with smoke and intense noise.
"If you love her let her go, huh?" I said to myself as I drove away, annoyed at how many men would just not let me get to know them better before they started confessing their true feelings for me.

As I was driving away I couldn't help but notice the biggest wolf I'd ever seen running around in the forest.
"Quil!? Quil is that you?" I screamed as I abruptly stopped my truck and ran into the woods. Suddenly, he had my face in his hands, grinning like a child grins at candy.
Our lips met in an overheated moment and all joys I had ever felt were washed away and replaced with this one, fantastic embrace.

"Has Paul apologized to you?" Quil asked nonchalantly as we got into my truck and headed to his place. I clenched my fists around the wheel and gritted my teeth. I took a deep breath before I spoke.
"Not exactly." I could barely speak without feeling the urge to blurt everything out. How scared I'd been when Quil was gone, how Edward was responsible for it all, how Paul wanted... me. But I sucked it in and smiled at the fact that things were going to get better now. No more drama – I was absolutely sure.

We just stood there on Quil's porch, staring at each other, hands entwined. It had only been two days, but this moment was so perfect.
"I love you, Bella," Quil said softly, untwining our hands, and embracing me instead. He was so warm, and it was so comfortable. As butterflies flew away and I realized how magical it all was, I could do nothing but shed a happy tear.
"I love you, too," I whispered.
"You're not even giving me a chance?" a sarcastic, slightly hurt voice said from behind, and I hugged Quil tighter, and with brute strength he unhooked me and stared into my eyes.
"Get behind me," he whispered gently and kissed my forehead.

Paul was beat. Quil had let Paul chase him for an hour, never stopped running, growling odd Quileute words at him.
As it all ended and Paul gave up, more tired than ever, he took one last glance at me and turned his back. I could swear I heard a sob...
"Kwop kilawtley," Quil said with a grin as he returned to me on the porch. I gave him a curious look and his grin enlarged. "Stay with me forever."