Note: Thanks to all the people who have added this story to their follows and favourites. Sorry am unable to name you individually as there are quite a few of you. But am really grateful. So thanks!

Thanks to the reviewers-

Twin68- Hey! I'm glad to be back as well..It's been a little busy hence the late updates. Hope you guys will forgive me for that. Am trying my level best to update and continue writing. Yes, Darcy will definitely give him a chance now. And I miss talking to you as well! It's really nice to interact with you and I hope to continue doing so. :)

KkNL20- Thanks for that! And ya I have trouble writing long chapters. Somehow short ones work for me. But I'm working on it. I'll heed the lil advice there..Cliff hangers can definitely go both ways.. Hopefully mine keep you interested. :)

Polly2010- Hey! Am glad to be back! :D

Shika93- thanks!

Serene Defiance- Thanks!

Enjoy!

Chapter 10

Laughter and chatter filled the evening air and Darcy looked on in awe as people crowded around a bonfire. The guys were huge but she was used to seeing them after meeting Paul and Em. They were all almost the same size with very little difference. Of course she could find Paul in a crowd of the same group of people.

"Darcy! There you are!" Lexi said as she grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her to the group of girls.

Darcy glanced at Paul to see him smiling encouragingly at her. She smiled back a little awkwardly before being dragged by Lexi to meet all the girls. Darcy was introduced to quite a few of them but she could only remember two, Emily and Kim. Emily had a kind face and seemed to be a very sorted kind of person. Kim was easy to get along with. They shared similar taste in music, movies and books. Darcy didn't feel awkward or like an outsider as soon as they started chatting.

As the evening wore on, Darcy found herself relaxing. Everyone was pretty cool. Most of them were chilled out and were enjoying themselves, teasing each other and playing around. But she couldn't see any elders. She was pretty sure they were supposed to be there.

Darcy took a soda and sat down. Paul saw Darcy sitting by herself and didn't waste a minute in seizing the opportunity to get some alone time with her. She seemed to be having a good time with the girls so he had left her alone. She was getting along with Emily and Kim and he was glad. Those two were his favourite girls in the group so it was good to see her befriend them. But now he was ready to speed things up between them.

"Hey.." He said as he sat down beside her.

Darcy sat up straighter as Paul sat down beside her.

Paul was amused to see her straightening up when he sat.

Her heart beat was faster than normal and he was pleased. She was affected by his presence. Nobody else had elicited the same response from her.

Darcy was nervous all of a sudden. What was she supposed to do? Suddenly all thoughts left her. He was so close...it was tempting. It would be so easy to just close her eyes and lean onto him, his warmth, his broad shoulders calling out to her. Her heart raced faster than her thoughts. She was sure he could see her heart thudding in her chest.

She looked up her lashes to see him smiling softly at her and she found herself getting lost in him.

"Will you go out with me?"

"Yes"

Paul grinned as soon as the answer was given to him but Darcy seemed a little flustered. She hadn't meant to say yes! It just came out. She blamed him and his hold on her for it. It wasn't fair.

"What's wrong?" Paul asked furrowing his brow when he noticed her frowning.

Darcy shook her head but it was obvious she was thinking hard.

"What is it, tell me?" Paul asked softly.

Darcy looked up to see him looking concerned and she couldn't bring herself to truly reveal what she was thinking.

"Where are the elders? I thought they are present at these gatherings?"

Paul knew she wasn't speaking her mind but let it go.

"Yeah, they are but Old Quil hasn't been feeling well and it was decided that the elders would not be coming. There wasn't a tribal matter to be discussed. It was just for fun and meeting people that this bonfire was organized anyways." Paul shrugged.

"Hmm.." Darcy murmured as she nodded.

A light wind made Darcy shiver and Paul was quick to wrap his arm around her and pull her to his side. Darcy blushed but made no attempt to actually get out of his arms. It felt too good and he had offered or whatever. She sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth and the feeling of utter contentment as he rested his chin on her head.

The two were in a world of their own and totally oblivious to their friends who were grinning happily at the sight of them curled into each other. They made a good pair. It was nice to see them relaxed and comfortable around one another. In spite of all the jokes, it was not good to see Paul worried and unhappy all the time. He was a loud and fun loving person and to see him down and out was not something his pack brothers liked. But it seemed things were beginning to get better. Hopefully they'd get back to being the way they were all these years ago.

There was a flash and Darcy could feel it in spite of her closed eyes. She opened her eyes to see Lexi standing close with a camera in hand grinning wildly with Em standing close to her. He raised his beer in a toast to Paul who was looking at them with mild amusement.

"Lexi.." Darcy said in a warning tone but she just grinned and walked off, Embry following her.

Darcy sighed it was no use, Lexi would do whatever she wanted.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Paul asked and Darcy agreed. Her legs felt a little stiff.

They walked along the beach, Paul keeping close to her to keep her warm. It was nice just walking together. There were only a couple of more people around. A small bonfire could be seen a little further down the beach. People usually kept away from the spot that the pack occupied. It was marked as their spot even though the guys had never really done anything to make that point.

Darcy and Paul glanced at each other occasionally and smiled. Both lost in their thoughts but Paul wanted to talk to her and so he stopped.

"Darcy, I think you may have answered impulsively before so I just want to make sure that you meant it when you said yes to going out with me. I mean, there's no pressure. Of course I want you to go on a date with me but you don't have to if you don't want to and it's not like its.." Paul stopped mid sentence when Darcy let out a laugh.

"I do want to go out with you. It's just that...the past gets in the way sometimes but like Lexi has said repeatedly, it's time to move on." She said looking Paul straight in the eye.

Paul nodded mutely. She wanted to move on, he was not going to argue.

"Darcy! Darcy is that you?!"

Paul and Darcy turned to look at the new voice. Paul looked confused but Darcy froze when she saw the person calling out to her.

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AN: Hey guys! Extremely sorry for such a late update. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter. Let me know your thoughts please. :)

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