Bella sat in her room, looking out the window. She and Paul weren't speaking to each other, they were both too scared. Bella was scared that she wouldn't be strong enough to manage with her feelings. Her heart was telling her to forgive him and have the life she had always dreamed of, but at the same time, it won't be easy to just pretend that nothing has happened.

She glanced at the man sitting on her bed. If there ever was a time where she wanted so desperately to read someone's mind, it would be right now. She just wanted to know what he was thinking about.

She let her mind wander, and soon realized she was smiling.

Her mind went back to one of the best days of her entire life.

Bella was leaning against a rusty metal table in Jacob's garage. She loved days like this, where she can just chill out and listen to music while talking to Jacob.

"Hey Bella, could you pass me the wrench? It's right behind you." Jacob pointed out the tool.

Bella groaned. "Why can't you get it, wolf boy? I'm comfortable where I'm at." Bella grinned lazily as she walked over towards the car and laid down on the hood.

Jacob shook his head and chuckled. "Oh, so you have the energy to move to the hood of the car but you can't hand be a wrench? If you're not going to help, then what are you even here for?" He teased.

"Yeah, I was asking myself the same question." Bella sat up and noticed Paul standing near the opening of the garage. They were supposed to meet up later that night. At the time, no one knew that they were already seeing each other.

Jacob noticeable clenched his jaw. "What do you want, Paul?" He asked coldly.

"Sam wants to talk to you. Go." He ordered. "I'll stay with the girl."

Jacob looked from Bella to Paul. Bella seemed completely fine with the idea, but Jacob didn't like that. He sighed lightly, he still has to obey the Alpha's orders.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Bells." Jacob reassured me. I nodded. "And Paul, don't be an ass to her or I'll kill you." Paul nodded and then Jacob left.

Bella stood up and started walking towards Paul but Paul held up his hand and she stopped. With a serious face on, Bella didn't know what was going on. But then, he broke out into a huge smile, pulled her into his arms and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

He pulled away and stared into her beautiful eyes. "I thought he would never leave. Come on, we don't have much time before he finds out that I'm lying." Paul led Bella out of the garage and took her into the woods, where his bike was. Paul hopped on it and patted on the spot where Bella was supposed to sit. Bella frowned.

"What's going on?" She inquired.

"Well, last night I kind of slipped up with my thoughts and he saw what I was thinking about." Paul smirked, but Bella's heart dropped.

"What were you thinking about?" She whispered, her heart racing.

"About that night we spent on the beach." He said, and Bella felt like she was going to choke. "Yeah, so I had to tell him the truth before Jacob found out. I just want to spend one more day with you before the truth comes out."

Bella wanted to scream and yell at him for being so careless, but she couldn't decline his effort to show his love to her. SO she rolled her eyes and hopped on the bike.

Bella found herself at the cliff. The one that she jumped off and nearly drowned to her death.

She and Paul climbed off the bike. Paul took her by the hand and they walked to the edge of the cliff. Bella was shaking.

"Why the hell are we here?" She hissed. "The last time I was here, I nearly died!"

Paul didn't look the least bit concerned. In fact, he was smiling, as if he didn't even know she nearly died right where they were at.

"Because," He began. "I've always wanted to go cliff diving with a girl. So, why not with you?" Paul questioned, and Bella began to worry. "Come on, babe, I'll hold you the entire time."

After several refusals, Bella found herself in Paul's arms, looking down at the water.

"Ready?" He smiled, and Bella just nodded into his chest.

They jumped. All Bella could feel was the surge of cold air passing her by and then they broke the surface of the freezing water. As their heads came back up for air, Paul was laughing happily and Bella was smiling.

"See," He laughed. "I told you it wasn't that bad!"

At that moment, both of them knew what was going to be said next. It was the perfect moment, a moment where both of them were truly happy and enjoying themselves. Even concurring old fears and reliving them.

Bella looked into Paul's eyes.

"Paul..." She whispered, trying her hardest to stay above the water. "I love you."

Paul smiled widely.

"I love you too, Bella."

He pulled her into a hug and they kissed.

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"What are you thinking of?" Paul wondered. He stood up and made his way towards her. "Your heart rate is all messed."

Damn wolf hearing, Bella thought to herself.

She shrugged. "The first time we confessed that we loved each other." Bella laid her head on her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Yeah, I was thinking about that day, too. It was one of my most favorite days. It was the day that I realized that I could actually love someone." He admitted.

Bella's small smile widened drastically.

"Plus," He added. "it didn't hurt seeing Black all pissed off when he found us making out on the beach."

Both of them laughed at that memory.

"Paul?" Bella murmured, and Paul waited for her to speak again. "Why?"

Paul ran his fingers through his short, black hair. He stared at Bella and sighed.

"Look, Bella," He lost himself in her eyes. He had no idea what to say, let alone how to say it. He knew sorry wouldn't do shit for neither of them. No words could express how sorry he really was. "I had no idea why I did what I did. I just got scared, I mean, everything was going so well with us...then fucked up." He stared at the scar he bit on her wrist. "Nothing was ever the same."

"You fucked up because you were scared?" Bella harshly questioned, her critical eyes burning.

Paul, knowing that Bella was becoming infuriated, didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry. I never had this happen before. It scared me when I imprinted on you because all my feelings rose up to the surface at one. I liked it when everything happened slowly, I could take it all in better." He admitted.

"So let me get this straight." Bella paused. "You left me because everything happened too fast?" Bella stood up, her fists curling and uncurling.

Paul put his hands up in front of her, as she nearly charged right into him.

"No! No, I loved it better when I was slowly falling for you. I hate this imprinting shit. Without imprinting, we could have our feelings happen at a calmer pace, but with imprinting? It's a whole different thing! I knew if I told you about the imprint, you would freak out and leave me." Paul confessed, his lower lip quivering.

"You don't know that, Paul!" Bella shouted, folding her arms.

Paul laughed sarcastically. "Oh really? Remember the day when Embry imprinted? You said and I quote, 'I'm happy that none of you had imprinted on me. That would be taking my freedom away from me.'" Paul's eyes were so lost and hurt.

Bella remembered saying that to him, but she didn't mean it the way he thought.

"Paul," She started, her voice softer. "I didn't mean it the way it came out. I meant it would take away your freedom." She looked at Paul again, and for the first time in a long time, he looked genuinely surprised.

"I knew how you felt about it too, remember? I had always wished that you would imprint on me. That way I'd know that I was yours, and you were mine." She confessed, looking away.

Paul moved closer to her, pulling her closer to him.

"I guess we said stuff that we didn't really mean." He figured. Paul noticed her heartbeat skip and he held up a hand to his face. "Bella, I still love you. I always had."

He pulled her even closer, and pressed his lips to hers. In the heat of the moment, Bella forgot everything. Her lips moved against his, and then it hit her.

Her eyes shot open and stepped away from him, lightly pushing him away from her.

"Do you really think you're going to be forgiven that quickly?" She asked, an incredulous look on her face.

Paul stared at her, a little bit taken aback. He was hoping it would be that easy, but with Bella? It never was.

"Paul, there are still a ton of stuff we need to talk about." Bella sat in a chair, crossing her arms.

"Fine then, talk!" Paul snapped.

"You don't have the right to yell at me!" Bella hissed, her eyes widening.

"You're the one who hit me!

"Because you kissed me and it's your fault that we're in this predicament!"

Paul started to growl, but sensed that someone else was near. The doorbell rang, and he immediately knew who it was.

"Who the hell is it now?" Bella exasperates, standing up.

"It's the asshole...I mean Matt." Paul muttered.

Bella stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"How do you know about him?" She inquired, her mouth gaping in wonder.

"Well, I...kind of...go up to where you live every month..." Paul rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a sheepish smile.

Bella blinked as she stared at Paul. She knew this wasn't going to be easy, especially with Matt around, but god, did he ever make it harder.

Beta'd By: Team Moriarty