A/N: Hey! Look who decided to show her face again! Ms. I-Never-Update is going to speed things along. After all, Ms. Swan is a very forgiving soul.

Chapter is unbetaed so all mistakes are on me.

Disclaimer: Still own nothing, though now I have a tuxedo kitty named Cookie to own nothing with me.

(Recap) (I decided it was completely useless to do the recap in another persons POV)

As I drifted off to sleep once again, I don't think either of us realized at the time how easy it was to just talk, joke, and have a conversation. If only he could be this Paul all the time.

(BPOV)

The next morning I woke up in a considerably less confused state. It was impossibly bright in my room considering the ominous rainclouds covered the entire sky; maybe it was just me, as hanging out and talking with Paul yesterday made me entirely too relaxed.

Getting up, I decided today is as good as any day to visit Jacob. Knowing the guys are probably with him, one can assume it would be a good idea to make some sort of food item as well. Still in my pajamas, I started on a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. So what if it was nine in the morning? Cookies can be enjoyed anytime of the day. It's a law, says me.

Twenty minutes later I was popping the pans into the oven to bake and heading upstairs to get ready for the day. It was supposed to rain, so I skipped out on the makeup as well as fancy clothes and just threw on a pair of comfy jeans with a hoodie and made my way downstairs just in time to take the cookies out of the oven. Setting the cookies on a cooling rack I settled down on the couch to think about the dream from last night that was still clear as day in my mind.

"Dad, I'm going over to Paul's!" I shouted up the stairs.

"OK, be safe!" He shouted back. I barley saw my dad these days. He's been avoiding my mother… if you can call her that. She's just so flighty and she acts as if she's still twenty years old and in college. I barely knew her anyways, she was always out partying with the 'girls', I knew differently. She had sex with a different guy every time, dad pretended not to know but it's obvious he does, after all, he isn't the chief of police in this small town of Forks for being oblivious.

I honestly missed my father, I've always been a daddy's girl, and because of my so-called mother I never saw him these days; I hated her for that. It wasn't fair. It doesn't matter though, because I know there are other kids out there who have it a lot worse than me. I knew for a fact Paul did. We never talked about it, I doubt he'd want to, but I saw the bruises on his wrists, and the scars on his arms. I'll be willing to bet there's more on his back by the way he winces when I hug him. He tries to hide it, but I've known him since Pre-K, I can see through it by now. Sometimes it would be better, so I assume it's one of those nights his father didn't bother going home.

Walking across the reservation to Paul's house was an everyday thing by now. All his neighbors knew me, and expected to see me everyday. Some of them would even call my house to see if I was all right if I didn't show up one day.

As I made my way up his drive way and knocked on his door, his mother answered with a tight smile. I could see the bruises forming on her wrists again, and knew she was in a lot of pain.

"Bella dear, come in, come in. would you like a cookie?" She asked as she ushered me in a fussed around me like my own mother never did.

"No thank you Mrs. Maraz. Is Paul around?" I smiled, looking up at her.

"Of course he is! Where else would he be?" She asked. "Paul! Bella's here." And soon I heard the heavy footsteps of my best friend running down the stairs. Giving him a grin and my usual bear hug, I felt him tense up a little and made a little note to stay clear of his back.

"Paul, what's wrong? Are you OK?" I asked hoping he would just tell me, but , like always, he just nodded and gave me his signature grin.

He led us both outside to his front porch and sat down on the steps, patting the space next to him. As soon as I sat down he pulled out a raggedy blue and white teddy bear from behind his back and held it out for me. I was seriously confused.

"Paul, that's your bear." I stated, wondering is he would give me a little bit more information. He just nodded and pushed it a little closer to me.

"I want you to have it." He stated mater-of-factly. I knew my eyes grew wide as I shook my head as fast as I can.

"No, no, no. Paul, it's your bear. I know how much he means to you." That bear was everything to him. His mom caught it for him in one of those claw machines when he was a toddler and before his father gambled all their money away. He just grinned bigger.

"Yeah, well I want you to have it. I think you need him more than me." How he could think that is beyond me, but none-the-less I smiled at him wide and happy, and hugged him again, being careful of his back. I felt Paul looking at something or someone behind my back and turned to look as well to see his father stumbling up the driveway. He was looking at Paul with fury in his eyes before he turned his gaze to me. Paul looked at me as well, begging with his eyes for me to run. I couldn't, how could I? Paul's my best friend, my silver lining, and I was just going to leave him here to be a punching bag for his father? But if I stayed his dad would think he told me, and that would just mean he'd get hurt more. So I ran, and prayed for Paul that he wouldn't get hurt to bad or hate me for leaving him.

I saw now what I didn't really get before. Hell I doubt Paul even saw it that way but maybe because of all the shit his father put him through, he just wanted to feel wanted, feel like he's special to someone. It was obvious Paul never had any self esteem, his father made sure of it, and when a group of older guys let you into their group and takes you places, no doubt you'll feel special among your peers. He did whatever they told him to because he wanted to belong somewhere. At least I had to believe that, I had to dive in with him, because I want him to be my best friend again, I want him in my life; the old him, the one that protected and comforted me. Somewhere deep down I was still in love with him.

Shaking my head to clear it, and feeling quite a bit lighter than I had in a long time now that I got everything worked out in my head. I was ready to forgive Paul, to rebuild or friendship. Running upstairs to my room, I dug the old bear out of my closet and set it on my bed. Then walked downstairs and into the kitchen with a bounce in my step that wasn't quite there before, I put all three-dozen cookies onto paper plates and covered them with plastic wrap.

Making my way to the car through the slight drizzle that seems to always be covering Washington, I noticed a bright spot in the bleak gray that seemed to be constantly present in Forks. A single pink rose stood out against the black of the Mustang. A note was attached, but the rain had washed the ink away. I wish I had come out earlier; maybe then I could have made out what was on the card. I knew enough about roses to know roughly what a pink one would mean, and the only person I could think of that would give me one is Paul.

Plucking the rose off of the hood I put it, along with the cookies, in the passenger seat. Walking over to the driver's side I got in to make the drive to Jacob's house, not even noticing I was going way over the speed limit.

Leaving the rose in the car, I got the cookies and knocked on the door. I heard the squeak of Billy's wheelchair as he opened the door.

"Bella, it's wonderful to see you again." I smiled down at him.

"It's great to see you again too, Billy. I've missed this place." He understood that I was really saying I missed coming to visit like I used to. He gave me a comforting smile.

"Jacob and the guys are in the living room, as always. I don't think any other room in this small house can fit them." He chuckled, letting me in and shutting the door behind him.

"Thanks Uncle Billy." I said simply because I'd been dying to call him that for a while; watching his weary face split into a grin is just an additional perk. He wheeled himself away muttering something about Paul.

Walking into the living room it looked relatively the same as it had when I walked into it a few short days before.

"Are those cookies?" Jacob asked, and automatically every eye in the room turned towards me, or more accurately my cookies.

"Why Jacob, hello to you too. I'm doing fine, and you? Yes these are cookies, of course you may have one." I answered rolling my eyes as all the guys got a sheepish look in their eyes.

"Hi Bella" They all chorused.

"Sorry Bella," Jacob said, "That's Seth and that's Jared by the way." He added for my benefit. I waved towards the new guys and couldn't help but notice Seth is just Jess's type.

"Don't worry 'bout it, come get the cookies!" all the guys jumped out of their seats and leaped over each other to get the chocolaty goodness, I didn't blame them either they looked delicious. After Jared got his cookie he walked up to me and handed me a yellow rose. I looked at him in question.

"Though I am single, and you are very attractive, that's from Paul. He had work to do, so he asked me to give it to you if I saw you." He seems like a nice guy, and right when I was about the thank him the most heart breaking howl broke through the quietness that had developed as the other guys watched Jared give me the flower.

Everyone snapped into action and ran out the door; I just looked on in confusion. Billy came out to try to keep me calm, but didn't suggest in any way that I should go home.

Exactly thirty-five minutes and fifteen seconds later, I knew because I was staring at the clock and counting the seconds, the guys walked in carrying a dark silver wolf. I could feel a pull to the wolf instantly, and I heard the guys whispering to each other that he needs to phase back. So I did the thing my instincts were telling me to, I got up and walked over the wolf that was set down on the ground. As I got closer I could see it was still conscious and whimpering softly though his eyes were closed. Sam looked over at Billy and he must have said something as all of the guys surrounding the wolf moved aside to let me through.

Still following the instincts I've been ignoring a lot lately I knelt down by the wolf and put his head on my lap, petting him. When I looked into the wolf's eyes that are now open, they are piercing gray that I have only ever seen on one other person or animal alike, Paul. They were Paul's eyes. Less than five minutes later a scream rang out into the room and the last thing I saw was a very naked Paul with his head on my lap. Then everything went black.

A/N: Yes, I made Bella pass out, and the secret's out too. Jess is going to be back next chapter to calm down a hyperventilating Bella.

Pay attention to the color and number of roses, they're important (hint hint) if you can guess what they mean you get a shout out. (Yeah go Google it, yup cause it's so worth it ;p)

Please R&R cause reviews make me as happy as a kid in a candy store with no limit on how much they can spend.