Chapter 11 - Need You Now

Paul woke up with a jerk to his body. It was a great dream while it lasted. The truth was Melinda hadn't woke up yet. Rachel was rotting in jail in Forks and Paul hadn't left Melinda's side for the last two weeks. Dr. Leech had said it was because her body was trying to get rid of all the poison in her blood stream. Dr. Leech had said it would probably be a faster process if Sue Clearwater would allow them to 'suck' the poison out. Sue had been of sound mind and body when she looked at Dr. Leech and declined to have her daughter sucked.

Everyone knew Dr. Leech could do it without putting venom in her but no one wanted to chance it. Sam had even said he would stand by Sue's decision if she had said yes. Paul was only too overjoyed to hear Sue say no. It wasn't a matter of Dr. Leech not being able to stop himself because they all knew he had exceptional control. It was a matter of if he slipped and accidentally put venom in her.

Paul wished with everything in him he could make his dream from last night come true. But he knew it wasn't going to be that easy. He'd hurt Melinda…badly; he knew it was going to take an act of God to get her to agree to anything with him. But he started it, by being next to her. Her hand felt cold in his, she looked pale, but at least she didn't look leech pale, that would be more disturbing to him.

For the most part he was surprised at how welcome the leeches had made him feel. They were generally nice about the whole thing; not that Paul wasn't grateful for Dr. Leeches help; he just wasn't used to having him be so nice about helping the pack. Paul guessed Dr. Cullen never had a problem helping the pack, he was always there to help the pack, and it was the pack that had issues with him being so close to other pack members and even imprints.

Especially imprints. No one wanted to see their imprint parish at the hands of a vampire. Paul and the rest of the pack had been working with the Cullen's since the pack started phasing; the pack should've learned already none of the Cullen's was harmful. But such wasn't the case. The pack constantly wanted to believe the leeches would hurt them, when they wouldn't. Everyone in the pack was biased…Even Paul. And now he felt ashamed. Ashamed every time he'd growled at them in wolf form for getting too close to him or grumbling, smarting off or just generally being rude.

Carlisle was probably the most selfless person in the world. Here he was helping his imprint and keeping her from dying when he knew exactly how all the wolves felt about him and his family of leeches. And yet here was Paul still calling them leeches in his mind. The truth was they were still vampires anyway you looked at it; even if they didn't want to be vampires. The pack knew they didn't have choices in the matter but they also could choose to kill humans and didn't. Their golden eyes were proof of that.

"We could call you stinky mutts, but we've learned that some of you have quite bad tempers." Said a familiar voice.

Paul was pulled from his personal thoughts as he looked over and saw Edward standing in the doorway. Paul stood up and looked at Edward as he grunted, "I know I was the biggest judgmental dog in the pack, but I can't really pass judgment right now as long as you're keeping Melinda alive."

Edward smirked, "We're not keeping her alive. That's Carlisle's job. He's saved thousands and thousands of people. Melinda is just one of the lucky many. As he's gotten older he's learned more about diseases, cancers and even poisons. Maybe that's why he was made into a vampire to take in all the knowledge to be the best and save everyone possible. Maybe he was destined to save Melinda for you."

Paul nodded, "Yea. It could be a possibility."

Edward couldn't stop the smirk, "Do I want to know why you feel ashamed?" Paul shook his head no, "Dude get out of my head. Please. I can only imagine what my pack would say if they heard my thoughts right now."

A look of seer surprise crossed Edward's face when he dug deeper into Paul's thoughts and saw exactly why Paul was feeling ashamed. Paul chuckled, "Shut up man. Just don't even say it." Edward stifled a chuckle, "You're right the rest of the wolves would kill you." Paul shook his head as he watched Edward leave. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all. Though he'd never let the rest of the pack know that.

"I heard that." Edward's voice came from the hallway.

Paul chuckled as he went back to staring at Melinda. How he wanted her to wake up and argue with him the only way she knew how. Paul walked over and lowered himself to his knees beside her bed as he brushed his nose across her cheek and hair, even neck taking in her scent. How he'd missed her scent. She smelled like gardenias since he could remember. Paul brushed his lips against her ear, "Wake up Mel, please. I need you. I miss you."

Paul continued to look at her from head to toe; he went back to holding her hand in his. He moved the chair closer to the bed as he sat down in it, never letting go of her hand. Holding her hand between both of his he placed soft butterfly kisses on her knuckles, all over the back of her hand and all along the palm of her hand. "I miss everything about you Mel. Your laughter, your smile, your great sense of humor, the way you love everyone you know unconditionally…Even me, when I was the biggest asshole in your life. How you was so accepting of the pack and the imprint and everything I managed to fuck up with you. I miss the sound of your voice when you first wake up and the way you chew your bottom lip when you're thinking or nervous. Most of all I miss us. I missed not being your best friend for the last seven years. I barely survived the first seven years without you. I don't think I could possibly handle another seven. I love you so much Melinda and I just want you to wake up so I can say all of this to you and not to four walls. Because you deserve to hear all of it and realize it's the complete truth. I have to grovel. I have to make it all up to you. It was my mistake, my fuck up. I won't make the same mistake twice. I swear on my life. I swear on the imprint."

Cold brown eyes watched from the door way, she couldn't believe Paul had actually stayed by Melinda's bed side since she'd been at the Cullen's house for the last two weeks. Leah sighed as she walked away from the bedroom door leaving Paul alone for now. She and Seth knew better than anyone just how tough it was for Melinda to leave La Push. And just how tough it was for Paul when he found out Melinda was getting married to someone who wasn't him. Paul had vowed if he ever got the chance even for a second he was going to make it up to Melinda. He wasn't sure how to do it but knew some type of groveling, begging and promise making would definitely be involved.

Leah folded her arms over her chest as she walked out of the Cullen house. Seth watched as Leah jogged into the trees and followed her as he phased, 'Leah where are you going?'

Leah growled, 'Stop following me Seth. I just want to be alone right now.'

Seth grumbled, 'I know you hate Paul and you've spent the better part of the last seven years trying to hate him for everything he's done to drive away Melinda. But she left, he never made her leave. She did it on her own. When she wakes up chances are she's going to want to spend the rest of her life with him. She is his imprint. He loves her. And you know she loves him. And it's never going to be anything different between them. That's why they are soul mates.'

Leah snarled and snapped her teeth at Seth, 'I know! God damn it Seth! I KNOW! I just don't want him to hurt her. Paul hurting her is what made her leave. I know she didn't have to leave. Hell how the fuck could I EVER be mad at her leaving? She had the balls to do something I wanted to do when I found out Sam imprinted on Emily. I hated Sam with a strong passion and when I found out Paul was rejecting Melinda as his imprint because he was confused I thought he was stupid. Because here he was with an imprint of his own and he fuckin' blew it. And here I am stuck in a pack of all males…the only female standing around watching as my pack brother's imprint with their soul mates and the ex-love of my life moves on with my cousin. How pathetic am I?'

Seth couldn't even think of anything to say to Leah as he watched her turn and jog off into the trees.