Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for things you do not recognize. Song credit to All Time Low; check out the video for this song…it's great.

Thanks again for reviews! Sorry it took me so long, but I am tired from my birthday weekend.

"Oh, oh, oh, how was I supposed to know

that you were oh oh over me?

I think that I should go, go!

Something's telling me to leave but I won't,

'cause I'm damned if I do ya, damned if I don't."

Damned if I Do Ya, Damned if I Don't


Today was the thirty-first of October or more commonly known as Halloween. As soon as I woke up I could smell the lingering aroma of the cupcakes we had baked last night as well as the caramel corn we had made for my class.

I was excited and not just because my upcoming party was the most bragged about in La Push elementary school history, but because I had a pretty awesome costume. Not everyone would get the humor behind it, but the ones that would were the ones who mattered. As for Paul's costume; that still remained a mystery to me. My Mom's was an easy answer: a witch, because that's what she was every year without fail.

"I know what you are Ms. Hanner!" Hannah giggled excitedly from behind me.

I turned around and looked down at the little puppy before me. Hannah looked absolutely adorable in her spotted puppy costume, complete with floppy ears and a little tail.

"What am I?" I asked her with a smile.

"Little Red Riding Hood!"

And wouldn't you know that just at that moment Paul walked in dressed as a dinosaur. One look at him and I started to laugh uncontrollably. It was by far the most adorable thing I had ever seen on a grown man. It was a full body costume complete with a long spiky tail and a goofy head that sat on top of his head so his face could peek out.

"It's a Paulosaurus!" I cried…literally; I had tears in my eyes from laughing at him. He was green with purple spots for goodness sakes!

Hannah turned and looked at him with an angry look on her face, "Mr. Mire, you were supposed to be the big bad wolf that gets Ms. Hanner."

His gaze met mine over Hannah's head and we shared smirks.

"You look like Barney." I laughed as Mom whipped out her camera like a pro. She should be good at it; both Matt and I had photo albums full of embarrassing pictures at home to prove it.

"Barney was purple with green spots." Paul stated very seriously. "Plus his tail was not spiky."

"You thought that one through."

"What about you?" He quirked a brow. "In a get up like that you're practically inviting the attention of the Big Bad Wolf."

"Yup." I grinned. "Not a purple spotted dinosaur."

With that I turned towards my class that overnight had transformed into skeletons, mummies, witches and Disney Princesses. It did not escape my notice that none of them were dressed as vampires. This made perfect sense because it was usually around this time that their parents re-told them the legends which automatically made vampires un-cool. Yet even though the kids loved wolves, none of them were dressed as such.

"You mean I don't have a big bad wolf?" I asked the class.

"We thought Mr. Mire would." Hannah pouted.

I smiled, "I think the dinosaur suits him today. It'll make mummifying him more exciting."

"Let's mummy him!" The little pirate, otherwise known as Jimmy, yelled.

There was no stopping them after that, especially when my Mom pulled out the toilet paper and handed me the camera. The next ten minutes were priceless. All thirty of my students wrapped his giant Paulosaurus body up in toilet paper, only leaving his eyes visible.

"Wait till the guys see this!" I laughed as I snapped pictures.

Paul just sighed as he tried to get the toilet paper off of himself. The little boogers had trapped his arms down by his side and had left him there to fend for himself as they went to make apple snacks with my Mom. I wanted to join them too, as the delicious aroma of caramel graced my nose, but I settled for sticking with Paul.

"You owe me for this you know." He grumbled as I started to unwrap him.

"No, I don't. You volunteered for this, Paul. You knew what you were getting into with a bunch of eight year olds."

"At least go with me tonight." He pleaded.

"Where are you going?"

"With Quil, Claire, and Claire's little friend trick or treating. Her friend is a little boy and he doesn't like Quil too much and since I lost a bet the other day I have to go with them."

"I'll go, but only for the sake of the children." I replied. "With you there that poor boy won't get any candy and we both know Quil will be too preoccupied with Claire to notice."

It wasn't until he was completely unwrapped that I thought of something, "Are you going in your costume?"

"Hell no!"

"Paul, the kids!"

He cleared his throat, "Sorry…no I'm not."

"Well I'm gonna stay dressed up." I pouted.

"Then I'll go as your big bad wolf." Paul grinned.

I just rolled my eyes and went to make myself a caramel apple along with my students.

***

They were so cute they had me longing for the days when my Mom dressed Matt and I up and took us all around the neighborhood for bags full of candy. The best year had been the year Matt was an elf and I had been an enchantress, complete with a cool sparkly robe.

Claire and her little friend, Peter, were not dressed up as an elf or an enchantress though. Little Claire was a lady bug and Peter was a ninja. I personally loved the ninja costume and was slightly disappointed that I hadn't thought of that for myself this year. Well, there was always next year.

We had been to dozens of places and the kids were loaded with candy, but Claire still wanted more and since Quil was powerless to refuse her we kept on going. Of course Claire wasn't walking like her little friend. He looked worn out; the poor little ninja.

"Paul," I whispered, "you should carry Peter. He looks like he's about to fall asleep standing up."

He just nodded and bent down to grab the little guy. Of course being the big oaf that Paul is, he didn't warn Peter so he let out a little shriek when Paul picked him up and settled him on his hip.

"Smooth move." I chuckled as I unwrapped a bite size Snickers for myself.

Peter didn't seem to care about how he got into his position; instead he snuggled into Paul and rested his head against his shoulder. It was most definitely an 'aww' moment that I whipped out my camera for. Yes, it was true; I was turning into my Mother.

"Alright, this is the last house Claire." Quil stated as we walked up to the small cottage on the outskirts of Forks.

It was kind of a sad looking place; more of an in between home than anything else really. I was sure if the kids had been more alert they would have been freaked out. It was dark, in the woods, and I could see at least three cobwebs in the corner of the porch.

"Trick or Treat." Claire and Peter sang half heartedly from their perches as the door swung open to reveal…Michelle.

Great, just freaking great. I could not escape them!

"Well aren't you two adorable!" She gushed. "I've got just enough candy left for the two of you! OH! Is that you Natalie?"

"Hi."

I watched as her gaze darted to Paul who happened to be standing pretty close to me and then to little Peter in his arms. I could tell what she was thinking; she probably figured that since Peter was tan like the both of us he was ours. Little did the idiot know that Peter was Hispanic and not Native American.

"Is this your little boy?" She asked with a smile.

"No." I replied curtly as she dropped candy into their bags.

"Oh."

It was probably one of the most awkward moments of my life, but once the kids got their candy I practically bolted away from that door. Paul was quick to follow me, Peter asleep now in his arms.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, that was just very awkward and I want to go home." I replied.

"Of course."

***

He insisted on following me upstairs to my room to make sure I really was alright and wasn't lying. Truth be told, I was fine, just a little annoyed. Annoyed that I was ever stupid enough to believe that Tobin was my best friend and annoyed that they had to invade my home.

"Maybe they'll move away soon." Paul stated once I was out of the bathroom in my comfortable pj's.

"They're having a house built; I doubt it." I replied with an eye roll. "I can adjust; but I don't have to like it."

He was perched on the edge of my bed and I joined him there, automatically sinking into his embrace without even realizing it. It felt so natural…just plain right. I knew that I was right; Paul and I could just be friends, but why settle for that when we could successfully have so much more?

"How long do you think you can keep a secret?" I asked suddenly.

"Why?"

"Just answer me."

"Well with the pack mind it might be a little hard. I guess if I really wanted to I could try not to think about it."

"You see…I want to do something, but I don't want people to say to me: 'Ha, we told you!'"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh hell, never mind. You'd probably give it away in five minutes."

"Dammit Natalie! What the hell are you talking about?" Paul growled as I tried to get up from the bed.

The operative word in that case was 'tried' because as soon as my butt was a centimeter above the bed he grabbed my arm and gently threw me back against the bed. Then he was looming over me looking down at me all frustrated. Hell, he was sexy when he was all intense like that.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Apparently he was too preoccupied trying to pry information out of me that he didn't realize what kind of position we were in. Honestly, I didn't know how he could not notice my breasts pressed against his chest, and our legs tangled together.

"Oh hell, Paul." I sighed before I did the unthinkable and wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing his lips down onto mine.

It didn't take him long to respond. In less than a second he had us sitting up with me on his lap so he could hold me even closer. I sighed into his mouth as his large hands cupped my face and neck and pressed myself closer to his warmth. His lips skated down the side of my neck as I slid my fingers into his silky hair.

"Can you keep this a secret?" I whispered huskily.

"How can I?" He countered with a grin before his lips hungrily claimed mine again.

When we finally separated I realized there was no way in hell anyone would believe that nothing had happened between us, even if both of us kept our mouths shut. My parents would just take one look at me and know, and as for Paul…they barely needed a glance because of his blinding grin.

"I still expect you to be my best friend, Paul." I informed him seriously as I ran my hands through his hair.

"Of course I am, only now I can kiss you to get you to shut up."

Stupid wolf.