AN: thanks for the reviews. It's amazing reading them all, I hope you will forgive me if I don't reply because I'm just writing some more of the story :)

And when I see you then I know you will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you. Just need to get closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Travis (Closer)

Chapter 4

At the end of the shift, she waited for Mike to lock the shop and then she followed him to his car. They had agreed that they would go together to the restaurant and then he would take her back to the shop's parking lot to get her truck.

While on the car Mike tried to engage her in a conversation, but Bella's mind was focused on the kiss she had exchanged with Sam. Paul had been clear with her, she had to stay away from the Alpha wolf, but how was that possible if he was the one to look for her? She was angry with herself for responding to the kiss, for having these feelings for him and for not being able to forget what had happened. And then she was angry with him because it wasn't right what he was doing, he had Emily back at home and although she believed that imprinting wasn't really right she still tried to respect it.

Besides shouldn't Sam pursue Leah? He had been in love with her before Emily walked into his life, why was he now turning his attention to her?

"Bella?" Mike's voice brought her back, and she realized they were parked in front of the restaurant. "Are you well?" He asked concerned.

"Yes, sorry Mike I was just resting a bit. It was a long week." She replied blushing and forcing herself to at least try to be on a date with him.

"It's okay, let's go." He said and then started talking about anything that passed through his mind.

Bella was trying to follow his conversation, while they were sitting at the table he remained silent because he was reading the menu and she sighed enjoying the silence. Never before she had hoped someone would shut up so that her ears would rest. He wasn't a bad guy, but they were just too different and she decided to tell him as much at the end of that much suffered date.

She had in mind to keep trying dating, but definitely Mike was a big fat NO.

They ordered and when the food come they started eating, during their dinner she heard a commotion in the room and she turned just in time to see Paul walking purposely towards her. She hoped that the ground would swallow her, but she didn't have such luck and Paul stopped at their table.

"We need to talk Swan." He snarled, Bella noticed Mike getting pale and looking scared. She turned her attention back to Paul and she had to agree that he looked scary.

"Okay." She looked at Mike and smiled at him trying to be reassuring. "Give me just five minutes and I'll be back." Mike nodded and she stood up and followed Paul outside.

Her anger was mounting every step she was taking, when they were out of the restaurant and of earshot she turned to him and shouted. "What is wrong with you?" She put up a finger and pushed it on his chest. "I'm trying to steer clear from him, but I can't do anything if he is the one coming to see me!"

Paul looked down at her with a half amused and a half angry expression, he took her finger in his hand. "You're cute when you get angry, but honestly Swan I can't keep this shit out of my mind much longer. I came here because Sam arrived for patrol with your scent all over him and his mind was a fucking jumbled mess. What the hell is going on?"

Bella took a deep breath, so he didn't know about their kiss. She wasn't going to be the one to tell him then. "Nothing, we just talked. Sam is just a guy like any other, why can't he be friend with me?" She whispered.

"Because he doesn't need a female friend." Paul said still clutching her finger in his too big and warm hand. He moved closer to her. "Somehow everyone who gets involved with you ends falling in love. He's got Emily and Leah to take care of; you're just a pale-face leech-lover bitch." He spat.

She almost recoiled at his words, but she knew they weren't true. "Well Paul then talk to him and tell him to leave me alone. If you hadn't noticed I'm out on a date, d-a-t-e, so it seems I'm not the one who should get this bloody talk. And now get lost, I'm going back inside and I hope not to see you for a long while."

Bella took her finger from his hand and stomped away, she heard him chuckling and she fumed even more. When she was sitting again with Mike she noticed that he was being really quiet. "I'm sorry Mike… I guess we aren't really… compatible." She whispered feeling very embarrassed.

He looked sad. "I actually realized that as well, you've got weird friends… I'm too different from them."

She almost burst out laughing; he didn't even have a slight idea of how true were his words. "Are we going to still be friends?"

He smiled at her and nodded.

The rest of the meal was spent in a more relaxed way, because now that the 'romantic' part was taken away Bella was free to enjoy his company.

A part of her mind was still fuming about Paul and Sam's behavior, but she decided that she really had enough of the pack. She would steer clear from them, she just needed Jacob.

...

Bella had wished Mike a good night and then she had driven home. She was now reading a few pages of a book before turning off the light and going to bed. She heard a weird sound outside her window, and she noticed that someone was throwing little stones on the glass. She stood up, went to look down and she saw Sam.

He stopped throwing the stones and she opened the window. "What do you want Sam?"

"Can I come up?" He asked looking quite vulnerable.

Bella was fighting with herself, she wanted to say no, but her heart whispered. "Yes." She moved away and waited for him to come up.

When he was inside he looked around for a moment and then met her eyes. "I came here to... apologize. My behavior today was really out of line."

She pressed her lips closed because she didn't know what to say to him.

"Bella... I don't know what's happening between us but I can't... I can't... I don't..." Sam seemed frustrated and he passed a hand through his hair. "I feel like... my life is not my own anymore." He sighed and then sat on the rocking chair.

Bella's heat missed a beat, that was Edward's place, nobody had ever sat there after him and now that little reminder of him was taunted by memories of Sam. At the same time she felt uneasy to watch the big bad Alpha looking so upset. "What is really wrong Sam?" She asked him slowly walking towards his prone form.

When she was closer he put his hands on her waist and pulled closer. He then placed his head on her stomach. "I don't know Bella, but everything is so complicated and I'm so tired to be... to be the one who has to be strong, and responsible and honorable. Since... since that moment in the hall with you I keep thinking..." He stopped talking then.

She understood that it was hard for him to speak, without her consent her hands moved and she started passing them through his hair. She wanted to know what he was thinking and feeling. He sighed and hugged her even more. "I keep thinking that I want to be the one to choose who I want to be with. I don't want to be forced, not anymore."

There was so much that she wanted to talk with him about, but she knew that imprinting was a forever kind of bond. "Sam, you've imprinted on Emily. I'm sure she can understand you better than I ever could."

"I don't think so. When I found you in the woods, I thought that you knew what heartbreak meant. I saw you dying a little bit every day, giving up any chance at happiness but then you survived. You're strong and now I need that strength too, I need... you. Being with you gives me..." He swallowed then; it must have been difficult for him to admit so much to her. "I can't... the imprint... it stops me from..."

She was horrified then; he was struggling so much because the magical bond was clawing at him. "Sam stop, don't speak anymore. I don't want you to get hurt. It's... it's okay... I'll be there... for you... if you need me." She whispered, knowing that she had signed herself for a rough time.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" He asked her.

She hesitated, could she allow him to steal a bigger chunk of her heart than he had already done? Hadn't she just promised him to be there when he needed it?

"Come." She whispered taking his hand and pulling him up. Slowly she walked to the bed and she lay on one side, Sam looked at her a moment and then went to lie on the other side.

Bella turned off the light and she heard him sigh. Before she lost her courage she moved and placed her head on his chest. "Good night." She whispered and then exhausted by the long day and warm for the first time in forever she fell asleep barely hearing him saying. "Thank you."