AN: thank you so much for your reviews and PMs, as usual you're all very nice. On with the story!


Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy
Can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there.
Cindy Lauper (True colors)

Chapter 7

Bella woke up early, excited like never before. She couldn't remember a day in which she had been so happy. Sam was going to pick her up soon, so she shot out of bed and went for a shower.

Her father had already left for his fishing week-end with Billy, so she prepared a nice breakfast for her and Sam, though Emily might have already thought of it.

At nine the bell rang and with butterflies in her stomach she went to open the door. Sam was standing there, wearing a dark t-shirt and fitting jeans evidencing his perfect body. He cleared his throat and when she met his eyes he had a knowing look in them. She had been totally ogling him; a blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Hi, I'm having breakfast do you want to join me?" She whispered.

He took a step into the house, closed the door behind him and took her in his arms.

Bella stood still for a moment and then relaxed into his embrace, she felt safe and happy there in his arms, like nothing could hurt her until she stayed there. She felt a kiss on the crown of her hair and then he stood back. "Breakfast would be good."

Sam followed her and sat at her kitchen's table, she gave him a plate full of food and she sat next to him watching him eating the first mouthful of food.

When he swallowed it he looked up at her. "It's good, really good." He went on eating, and she did too with a big smile of satisfaction in knowing that he liked the way she cooked.

At the end of their quiet breakfast he stood up and helped her wash the dishes, it was a simple gesture but she recalled that she had never seen him doing it with Emily. Was this the real Sam coming out away from a forced love? Emily was a good woman but that didn't mean she was right for him or he for her.

"Are we ready? I want to take you to a place where I go when I need to be alone and think." Sam said smiling at her.

She nodded and followed him to his truck, he started driving and as soon as they left Forks he took her arm and pulled her closer. Bella's heart missed a beat and then she placed her head on his shoulder, enjoying the closeness to Sam. She like how physical he was, she had missed that in her relationship with Edward. Sam wasn't afraid to touch her, and although they were going to wait until Emily and he broke up, she knew deep down that there was between them a brewing passion that one day was going to catch fire and burn them.

He drove for one hour and she saw that they passed a sign for the Bogachiel State Park. He glanced at her then and said, "I always come here and walk around this place, it's not so close to Forks but at the same time it is. There's a trail that leads into the depth of the park and at the end there's a little cabin. Etty, the owner is an old woman that makes amazing food for the tourists. You'll love her."

Bella was taken aback by this Sam, without the responsibilities of the pack, the imprint and Leah; he looked very calm and relaxed. She wondered if he was going to share with her more information about his life before phasing, she wanted to know him better and at the same time she wanted him to know her too.

Sam parked the car and then helped her getting out. He took her hand and started walking, while they were enjoying the scenery they talked about their lives before the Cullens coming to Forks, after all they had both been hurt by that family.

"You and Leah then?" She asked curious to know the story.

Sam shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't like she's now. I know I hurt her a lot, but she failed to understand that I was hurt too. Leah has never been the classic feminine woman, she was aggressive and strong but when we were alone she could be romantic as well. I indeed thought about spending the rest of my life with her, but right now looking back I know why the Spirits didn't choose her as my mate. It was like putting fire with gasoline; probably Emily's calmer character and her sweet side drew my wolf to her." Or the fact that she would give you the strongest puppies, Bella thought but didn't say it. "What about you? Why did you fall in love with Cullen?"

Bella pondered his question. "I guess like you I was young when I met him, he was mysterious and he saved me a few times from really bad situations. It didn't help that he was drawn to me because my blood sang to him especially... and maybe my mute mind appealed to him too. He's a mind-reader and not knowing my thoughts had him fascinated from the beginning. I might have loved him for my whole life if he didn't think that he was bad for me. I reached the conclusion that he still loves me and he left because he wanted me to have a happy and long human life."

Sam seemed pensive for a while. "Did you really want to die when he left you?"

Bella blushed. "I guess unconsciously I did, you helped me through the worst moment of my life Sam and I want you to know that I'll be there for you too."

His hand tightened its hold on hers. "She'll leave me and I don't know how the imprint will act. When she found out about it she tried to push me away, she went back to her Res and I basically sat in front of her door for a week. I guess she resigned herself to our fate, but as of now probably she noticed that I'm struggling to break free too. Our bond is unnatural and now that I have a hold on my control I'll do what I can to get out."

"Sam… Paul has been quite persistent in telling me to steer clear from you. Has he told you anything?" She asked.

Sam's eyes hardened. He looked ready to kill, and she could feel the air around her charged with the power that only an Alpha possessed. "What exactly did he do?"

She told him about both his speeches when he took her home and when he had ruined her date with Mike.

At the end of her tale he looked amused. "You stood up to him then. No wonder that he's so much into you."

"Sam he was just toying with us when he asked me out." Bella said exasperatedly.

"You don't know Paul the way I do, I'm sure he'll sniff around you again. Even Jacob's anger won't stop him from bothering you. He doesn't like to know that we're close because he wants you for himself." Sam said with certainty. "I'll talk to him and order him to steer clear; you aren't his imprint so he won't be able to overcome my order… unless you do want him to… 'court' you."

"Sam!" She shouted feeling outraged and then she saw that he was smiling. "Please don't joke about it, Paul is… quite intense and… sexy in his own bad boy way… but I guess his temper is too much volatile for my liking. Besides, there's someone else I would rather consider when I'll be ready to date again which won't be for a while."

"What about Jacob? His feelings for you are quite strong." Sam asked.

"For as much as I genuinely like Jacob… we're too different to really be compatible. I love his sunny disposition, but I need that in a friend… I'm more attracted to the moody mysterious kind of guy." She replied, it was true that she thought Jake was handsome, but to her he felt like a brother. "I was probably willing to give him a chance when I found out that he didn't want to be my friend anymore, but it was more a reaction to the feeling of being abandoned again."

"He's really sincere in wanting to give you up, but I wonder if he finds out that the imprint might be broken… well, would he really want to let you go?" He said pensively.

"I hope he will, because he's my best friend but nothing more, I love him a lot but I'm not in love with him." She whispered.

He smiled at her and letting her hand go he passed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. Bella was fighting an internal war with herself, she wanted to be with Sam and at the same time she thought that it still was wrong to go behind everyone's back.

"Sam… I… I think we should keep some distance between us until you sort out your relationship with Emily… it isn't like I don't want to but…" She said biting her lip.

"I know what you mean Bella, just let me enjoy this day with you. I promise you that as soon as everything is talked out with Emily I'll inform the pack about us. I've got no intentions to keep you hidden; you aren't my dirty little secret… you mean a lot to me." Sam said and she nodded. They could have this day to be just together without recriminations and glares.

They arrived at Etty's and Sam placed a hand on her back and pushed her gently inside. An old woman with a huge smile welcomed them. "Sam, my boy! You brought your girl with you finally. I was so curious to know who caught this young man's heart." Etty said and hugged Bella.

Bella didn't want to contradict her, so she turned to Sam to see his reaction. He smiled warmly at Etty. "So what do you think of her? Isn't she beautiful?"

Etty studied Bella for a moment and then nodded. "She has been hurt in her life, deeply, but her soul has still an amazing healthy aura."

Bella seemed puzzled by her words. Etty laughed and winked at her. "I'm a witch darling, I can see things others don't. You and Sam do go well together, he's a keeper. Now that the introductions have been made, take a table and I'll bring you the Etty's special."

Sam followed Bella to a table and when they sat she asked him, "Is it true? Is she really a witch?"

He laughed. "Bella, I'm surprised at you. If werewolves and vampires exist, why not witches?"

The lunch was nice, Etty's special meal, included onion rings, tasty sandwiches, chips and fried vegetables. Overall it had been one of the most enjoyable meals that Bella has ever had; she didn't want to admit that the reason was that Sam was with her.

At the end of their lunch he stood up and she saw him pulling out a coin from his pocket, then he walked towards a juke-box and chose a song.

When True colors by Cindy Lauper started to play, he walked back and offered her his hand. "Dance with me Bella."

Bella felt like the previous time, so caught up in his dark eyes and his charisma that she couldn't really deny him. She stood up and took his hand. After a moment she was in his arms swaying slowly with the music.

While the song was playing she kept her eyes on him, and he on hers. Sam took away on of his hands from her waist and slowly caressed her eyebrow, sliding down her cheek and then when he reached her chin he pulled it up a bit more and slowly lowered his head until their lips were millimeters from each other. She wanted to close the distance between them, but at the same time she didn't want to betray all her principles, because it felt too much like cheating even though she knew that Sam and Emily were over.

Sam closed the distance before she could decide and when his lips moved on hers, she forgot why she didn't want it. She placed her hands around his neck and forgot where they were.

She got lost in the feeling of being kissed by him, his intensity and passion were so evident in the way he was holding her closer and it looked like he never wanted to let her go. She lost track of time and she came to her senses only when she heard a chuckle so she moved away.

Etty was smiling fondly at them. "The song was over five minutes ago."

She blushed deeply and buried her face in Sam's chest. He chuckled too. "Sorry Etty I guess we got carried away."

They stayed a little longer chatting with Etty and then they bid goodbye to the old witch.

While walking back Sam was silent, probably starting to get nervous. And Bella was tense too; it felt like the calm before the storm. With a sigh she sat next to him in his truck. When they arrived at her house she turned to look at him.

"Thank you for today… it has been amazing." She whispered.

He took her hand in his. "You make me happy Bella. Hopefully, I'll see you soon."

Bella opened the door of the truck and then she hesitated a moment. She turned to look at him. "Sam… I'll be there for you no matter what."

When she was closing the door she heard him whispered. "I know."

...

The rest of the day Bella spent it doing homework, by eleven she was going upstairs when a knock at the door startled her. She opened and saw Paul there.

"Swan there's no time to talk, Emily left Sam and he's into his house but he gave us an Alpha order to keep out of it. We don't know how he's feeling… you need to get in there and check on him." Paul said and taking her wrist started to pull her towards the door.

"Paul, stop for a moment! Why should I be the one to go in? Didn't you warn me against being involved with him?" She said.

Paul's eyes darkened further. "I warned you but you didn't listen to me. I know he was with you today; you want him then go and get him. But fucking move, I'm worried for him okay? Fuck Swan do you want me to beg?"

She shook her head, Paul must be really desperate to go and get her. She was scared now of what she was going to find but most of all everyone was going to find out. Jacob would feel the betrayal the worst; she took a deep breath knowing very well that her choice now would change a lot of relationships. Was she ready to loose Jacob if he asked her to forget Sam?

Her heart was beating wildly; pain was starting to squeeze it. Her mind was made up though. "Take me to Sam." She whispered and followed Paul to his car.