Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Bella had been looking forward to seeing Paul all day. She hadn't seen him in almost a week. Most of her nights were spent with Leah and Sue while the guys worked on the house. The house needed more work than they had originally thought. Once they started working they had found out that there was termite damage from where termites had infested the house last summer. She planned on meeting him at her house so that she could see him for a little while before she had to head to the Clearwater's.

Their driveway was empty and the house was silent when she walked in. He had promised that he would be there when she got home from school. She tossed her bag on the table before turning to grab a drink from the refrigerator. She saw the note stuck to it when she shut the door.

Can't make it today, something came up. Come and see me tomorrow? Paul's quick handwriting spread across the entire torn piece of paper. She sighed as she threw it away. She pulled out her phone and dialed Jacob's phone number. It went straight to voicemail making her wonder what was going on. It wasn't like Jacob to not answer his phone. She tried Leah next and got the same response.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she waited for the beep so that she could leave a message.

"Hey, it's me. I was just wondering what you wanted to do tonight. You're probably tired of me always being around but just remember, it's only for a little while longer. Let me know," she said before hanging up.

Her cell phone rang while she was eating an apple at the table a few minutes later. She quickly swallowed before sliding her phone open.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Leah said.

"What's up?"

"Not much. I was just calling to tell you that you shouldn't come over tonight."

"I understand."

"Someone joined the pack in the middle of the night last night."

"Who was it?" Bella asked in a small voice.

"Quil Atearra, have you met him?"

"A couple times," Bella said with a sigh.

"He's taking it really hard. He's scared out of his mind. He won't let anyone except Jake and

Embry come near him."

"I guess that's why Jake didn't answer his phone."

"Sam wanted me to tell you that the guys are coming over tomorrow and they'll work the whole day to make up for today."

"There goes my plan to spend the day with Paul. I haven't seen him all week."

"He has the day off tomorrow," Leah explained.

"Aren't you glad that they were nice enough to not make you help with the house?"

"Oh trust me, I am. I am so glad to be the only girl in a pack full of very polite boys," Leah said with a laugh.

They talked for a few more minutes before Leah said that she had to go. Bella went up to her room and flopped onto her bed with a grunt. Why had Quil phased? Victoria was gone and the Cullen's weren't a threat. She didn't understand why more people were joining the pack when the threat was over.

She heard her dad come home as light was fading from her room. He made his way upstairs quietly before standing at her door. He watched her with worried eyes.

"I brought dinner home," he said getting her attention.

"I'll be down later. I'm not hungry right now."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking," she said with a listless sigh

"It must have been about something pretty bad. I haven't seen a look like that on someone since

your mom left," he said quietly.

"A friend got some bad news. I'm just worried about them."

"I'm sure everything will be fine. Which friend was it?"

"I don't think you know him. His name is Quil."

"He's friends with Jake isn't he?"

"Yes sir."

"I've met him a couple times. Good kid, really polite," Charlie said with a nod.

"He's sweet," Bella said with a sad smile.

"I'm gonna go lay down before I have to go to work," Charlie said pushing away from the door.

"Is it alright if I stay at the Clearwater's tonight? Sam said that they were going to be here early in the morning and were going to work through the day to make up for not coming today."

"Sure. I had planned on crashing at Billy's tomorrow anyway," he said with a nod.

She waited until his door shut before grabbing her phone. She sent a text to Paul and he answered her within seconds. He was still with Sam and wouldn't be home until late. That gave her time to do what she had planned on.

XXXX

Leah climbed through Jacob's open window just after midnight. He stirred as she slipped into bed beside him.

"Hey," he said sleepily.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"You okay?"

"Not really. I don't understand why Quil phased. He isn't cut out for this."

"He can be taught," Jacob said as he propped his head on his arm.

"Can you hold me?" she asked turning to face him.

His arms slid around her waist and she buried her face in his neck. Their heartbeats thudded against one another in the silence. He had all the same fears for Quil that she did. It was a rule that a descendant of the current chief joined the pack which Jacob thought was a stupid rule. Quil was the only grandchild in his family so he got the short end of the stick.

Leah tightened her grip on him before relaxing against him. He sighed wishing that things could be different. They had gotten closer in the past few weeks. It was normal for her to climb through his window on the nights when she didn't run patrol. She let her guard down easier now. She hadn't told him her side of the story between her and Sam but he knew that it would happen soon. Whenever she decided to tell him he would be there for her, because that was what she needed.

XXXX

Bella sat in the chair in the living room with her legs draped over the side and her head resting against the other arm of the chair. She had been there for almost three hours and the house was as silent as a tomb. Bo lay on the floor in front of the chair with his head resting on his paws. He had met her at the truck when she got out with his tail wagging happily.

Dinner was in the oven waiting to be warmed up once Paul got home. The front door opened and Bella and Bo lifted their heads at the same time. Paul gave her an easy smile as he shook his head.

"What?" she asked with a questioning look.

"I was just thinking about how you have my dog wrapped around your finger."

"He's a good dog," Bella said scratching Bo's neck.

The dog yawned loudly as Paul made his way across the room. He stood behind the chair staring down at her with questioning eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked quietly.

"I wanted to see you," she said as she reached up to put a hand on his arm.

"Does your dad know that you're here?"

"He thinks that I'm at Leah's."

"Have you told him that we're together?"

"Not yet. He doesn't think very highly of you as it is because of what happened when we first met."

"I could kill Jake for telling him," he said with a heavy sigh.

"He didn't tell him the truth."

"He still told him that I tried to attack you."

"Things are different now. You two are getting along better."

"It only took us two and half months," he said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"That doesn't matter."

"When do you have to be home?"

"Not until tomorrow."

"You mean I have you for the whole night?" he asked as his eyes lit up.

"That's right," she said with a smile.

He sighed before pulling her hand off of his arm. He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door to look for something.

"I brought dinner," she said as she stood from the chair.

Bo followed her to the oven. She turned it on before leaning against the counter. Paul stood in front of her boxing her in. Her arms slid around his neck as he stepped into the embrace. His stomach rumbled against hers and she gave him a teasing smile.

"I haven't eaten today," he said sheepishly.

"I figured you hadn't."

"Sam and I didn't get back to his house until late and by then Emily was already asleep."

"How is Quil?"

"Who told you?" he asked as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Leah."

"He's doing better. Once his granddad got home from work he was able to calm him down enough that he would come down and talk to me and Sam."

"That's good."

"He asked about you," he said with questioning eyes.

"I figured he would," she said with a short laugh.

"He was pretty upset when I told him that I had imprinted on you," he mentioned.

"He had a crush on me when we first met," she explained.

"That's what he said," he confirmed.

She leaned up to kiss him feeling him lift her off of the ground. He set her on the counter then rested his hands on the counter on either side of her. His teeth pulled at her bottom lip pleading for entrance. She opened her mouth for him before threading her fingers in his hair.

After a few minutes she smelled something burning. She pushed him away quickly before hoping down off the counter. She opened the oven door then grabbed an oven mitt. She pulled the pizza out of the oven to notice that it was nearly burnt.

"It's a good thing I like my pizza crispy," he teased.

"You distracted me," she growled.

"Can I help it if you are easily distracted?" he asked with a laugh.

"Don't act like you didn't have anything to do with it," she glared at him over her shoulder.

He laughed as he shook his head. He grabbed a plate from the cabinet as she cut the pizza. He came to stand behind her and she stepped back into his waiting arms.

"Thank you," he said before kissing behind her ear.

She tilted her head so that she could kiss his cheek before he pulled away. They sat at the island with Bo sitting in between them as he ate silently. Five minutes later he was pulling her to the bedroom. She went to change in the bathroom while he changed in the bedroom. She came out of the bathroom to find him already in bed. She crossed the room silently and slid beneath the blanket.

She moved closer to him as the dog climbed onto the bed. Paul lay on his back while Bella lay on her side. She placed her head on his chest hearing his heartbeat beneath her ear. His warmth enveloped her and she sighed before closing her eyes. She felt safe when she was with him. She knew that he would stop at nothing to protect her. All of the wolves were like that in a way, but Paul went out of his way to make sure that she was cared for. It went beyond being his imprint; she was a piece of him that he hadn't realized that he was missing.