A/N: Sorry about the wait! Big ole M rating here. Enjoy!

Paul.

"Malcolm has no idea the whereabouts of the girls. All he has is Paul's living room, which isn't a lot to go off of."

I sit further back in my chair and fold my arms across my chest, glancing back and forth between the vampires sitting across the table.

We finally have a plan, and it's a solid one, but the one thing we couldn't come to an agreement on was when. If it were up to me, we would've done it yesterday. I want the fucker dead and I don't want to wait another day to do it, but Sam is apprehensive. Calculated. He thinks things through better than I do. It makes him a good alpha.

"I'll be watching his decisions," the little one says, her hands folded together primly on the table. "That'll buy us some time when they're finally made."

"But how much time is too much time?" Sam asks. "At what point are we jeopardizing the safety of the reservation and Forks?"

I keep quiet about how that was Jared's original concern back when the girls first got to La Push. No point in antagonizing the alpha.

"He has nothing to go off of," Doc says. "And I'm a little concerned that if we act too soon, he may get suspicious. He just recently contacted Indiana and she showed no interest in going to him. If she reaches out now, he may realize it's a trap."

I glance at Sam out of the corner of my eye. That hadn't occurred to me, and by the look on his face it hadn't occurred to him either.

"There will be plenty of time, and we'll step in as a distraction if needed," Bella cuts in, all tangled up in Edward's arms. Funny that a few years ago she slapped me across the face and all it did was piss me off. Now she could hit me and probably do some damage.

Edward smirks and I roll my eyes. Fucking nosey asshole.

Sam is quiet for a minute. I can tell he's doubting himself. Our approach to killing vampires has never needed planning before – just skilled hunting coordination. This is an entirely different game. This is a trap. It requires preparation and timing, and none of us really know just how much time to allow.

"Maybe we should all just enjoy the holidays with our families," Edward suggests as Bella rests her head in the crook of his neck.

Sam clears his throat. "That's two months," he voices, concerned.

"We don't necessarily view time the same way," Edward replies. "Two months feels like two days when you have forever to live."

I guess he makes a valid point.

"And like I said, I'll be watching his decisions the entire time. If anything changes, I'll let you know immediately," Alice adds.

I'll admit, even though I hate her, that she's pretty badass. Seeing the future is some next-level shit.

Sam sits on it for another minute, tongue pushing at the inside of his lip. "Okay," he says eventually, nodding. "With the new year, we move forward."

Embry and I stand up with Sam and watch as he and Carlisle exchange another handshake. I'll never admit it out loud, but every time we leave after meeting with the Cullen's I start to tolerate them a little more. They still reek, and I still think it's annoying as hell the way Edward talks, but most of the time they're not so bad.

I make sure to wait until we've left the house to think it.

I can't afford letting them know I tolerate them.

I'm eager to get back to Indie. My car can't drive fast enough. I hate letting her out of my sight for even an hour these days, even though things seem to be better. Once Carlisle suggested that Malcolm either can't get into their dreams while we're around, or that they sleep so deeply with us that they don't dream at all, I officially got pulled off night patrols for the first time in years.

It's made a huge difference in Indie's wellbeing now that she actually gets a full night of sleep. She's eating, she's sleeping normally, and she's smiling more. And even though I know she's nervous about having to lure the leech here – and I am, too – she hasn't been letting it consume her. She went right back to helping out with my old man and working at the coffee shop just a few days after being released from the hospital. It still makes me nervous as hell, and I'm terrified for her heart, but Carlisle said as long as she takes it easy physically she should be fine.

Pulling into the driveway, I throw the car in park and cut the engine.

I can hear the music echoing through the house as I walk up to the front door, gently pushing it open. I'm always afraid I'll see her passed out on the floor again, but she's right there in the living room, all smiles and hair pulled up in a messy bun. Her eyes light up when she sees me and it makes my chest tight.

"I hope this is okay," she mumbles, looking around the room with a sheepish smile.

I was too busy staring at her to even notice the living room was different.

The furniture is rearranged and there's a new carpet – grey this time. She bought a potted plant, too.

I smile a little and walk over to her, brushing a strand of hair away from her forehead. "Of course. Whatever you want," I murmur, pressing a kiss to her skin. "Whatever you need."

Her arms curl around my waist and I wrap mine around her shoulders. She rests her head against my chest and we stay like that for a few minutes.

"You moved everything around by yourself?" I keep my voice soft and try to weed out the fact that moving heavy furniture around is definitely not considered taking it easy.

She laughs quietly. "I made Jesse do the hard part," she explains.

"I could've moved stuff for you, babe," I kiss the top of her head and hold her a little tighter.

"I know. But now you don't have to." Her face tilts up and her eyelashes flutter, her pretty green eyes peering up at me and a smile on her face. "Can we go to the beach?"

"Now?"

She nods and rests her chin against my chest. My hands smooth over the sides of her head and I nod back. "Whatever you want."

I grab a hoodie because I know she'll be cold and we climb into the 4Runner. We'd normally walk, but it's getting dark and it's already cold enough. At least this way we'll have the heater.

The beach is deserted when we pull up, which isn't surprising. Indie pulls the hoodie on and I tuck her against my side as we walk to the sand and down towards the water.

"It's so quiet," Indie says. "It's kind of nice."

I forget sometimes that she doesn't hear things the way I do. She probably only hears the swooshing of the water, but I hear so much more. I hear her soft footsteps in the sand. I hear the way her heart is pattering in her chest, skipping every few beats and throwing off the rhythm. I can hear a deer and her baby walking nearby in the trees – baby's footsteps lighter and less graceful than mom's. Still quiet, but a different kind of quiet for me.

We slow down when we reach the wet sand. Indie steps away from me and rolls her jeans up to her shins, then walks out and dips her feet into the ocean. I can hear the way her breath changes with the shock of the cold water.

The first time I ever really talked to her was at this spot on the beach. It's such a different vision, now. Back then it was hot and summery and the sun was bright. She was in a little bikini with all that exposed skin and we were total strangers. Now it's dark and chilly and she's fully clothed dragging her feet through the water, but she's my entire world. No longer strangers, but lovers. Partners.

Her head turns and she glances at me over her shoulder, smiling that smile I fell in love with so quickly. "What?" she asks.

I shake my head. She knows what.

Turning back out to the water, I hear her take a deep breath. "You know, I don't know how to swim," she confesses, swirling a foot around in the water. "Isn't that stupid?"

"No," I reply, walking out next to her. To me, the water's not bad.

"Can we go?" she asks.

I lean into her shoulder and shove my hands in my pockets. "Yeah, there's a pool in Forks open year-round."

"No, I mean right now."

I glance down at her, cocking an eyebrow. "It's freezing, babe."

"Not for you," she argues. "Not if you're next to me."

When she looks up at me again, I already know I won't be able to tell her no. I can't look into her eyes and disappoint her. "You really wanna go in the water right now?" I ask.

She nods eagerly and her eyes light up again. I think she's crazy, but we're doing it. I take her hand and lead her back up to the dry sand. If we're going in, she at least needs to have dry clothes to put on after. I drop my sweats and pull off my t-shirt, thankful I at least wore boxers today.

Following my lead, she starts peeling her clothes off until she's left in nothing but a little pair of boy-short underwear and a strappy sports bra. I thought she'd come to me for warmth, but instead she takes off to the water again without another glance in my direction.

I've always found her determination cute, but it's way too cold for her to be practically naked without me next to her. I chase after her and manage to scoop her up into my arms just as her feet dip back into the water.

She laughs and wraps her arms around my neck. "How am I supposed to learn to swim if you're holding me the whole time?"

"Well I can't let you freeze to death," I counter, wading slowly into the water.

A little hum rumbles in her throat as the water reaches my stomach and finally touches her. "It feels like a lukewarm bath next to you," she sighs.

Better than ice.

The water is fairly calm tonight, the waves gently moving around us as I walk just a little further until it reaches my chest. Indie lets out another soft sigh and her fingers start to stroke the back of my neck.

"Let's just stay like this," her voice comes out barely above a whisper.

I lean my forehead against hers. "Whatever you want," I match her tone.

She moves slowly and wraps her legs around my waist, arms still locked around my neck. My hands slide up the bottom of her thighs, over her ass, and up her back, then back down again. I can feel the goosebumps prickling at her skin, but I'm not sure if it's the cold or my touch.

The way the moon casts a soft white glow over her skin is stunning. It catches the stray drops of water beaded along her shoulders and arms, a few rolling down her chest between us and becoming one with the ocean again. It catches the necklace I bought her, making the tiny diamonds glitter every time she moves. I swallow and my chest tightens. I'm completely hypnotized by her. There's not a spot of makeup on her face, her hair is messy from rearranging our living room, and she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Her lips spread into a small smile and her hands cup the back of my neck. "Stop," she giggles. "You're making me self-conscious."

"I'll never be able to stop," I whisper, leaning in to catch her lips.

Her whimper makes me weak. The softness of her plush lips against mine makes the world around us disappear. I slide my tongue between her lips and brush against hers, drawing it into my mouth as my hands grip her waist.

"I love you," she breathes into my mouth, moving further up my hips so she can drive her tongue deeper. She knows I would tell her I love her more, so she doesn't give me the opportunity.

We make out slowly, every move and every touch soft and loving. I don't think she'll ever understand just how much I really love her, but I'm happy to spend the rest of my life showing her.

It's not long before the fall weather suddenly catches up to us in the form of pouring rain. What was a clear night thirty minutes ago is now painted with rain clouds and a downpour so thick the air feels like another ocean.

It's one thing to be in the cold ocean, and another to be in the cold ocean while it's pouring down rain.

I make the executive decision to ditch the beach and run us back to our clothes.

They're completed soaked, so neither of us bother to put them on. We make a run for the car, laughing, and climb in as quickly as possible. My keys are soaked and I drop them two or three times before finally getting them into the ignition and starting the car.

Both Indie and I reach for the heat dial at the same time and I let her crank it up while I flip the car around and head for the road. The wipers can't keep up with the rain and even with my enhanced vision I can barely see through the glass. I end up rolling the window down and sticking my head out to make sure I don't hit a curb or something, and Indie laughs the entire drive home.

We stumble through the front door soaking wet and she nearly slips at the base of the stairs as we rush to the upstairs bathroom.

I turn the shower on and twist the hot water knob as high as I think she'll be able to handle. When I turn around, she's trying to get her sports bra off but it's tight and wet and clinging desperately to her body. I hook my fingers under the sides and carefully pull it over her head, dropping it carelessly on the floor and running my hands up her neck as I kiss her again.

After sliding her panties down and stepping out of my boxers, we move into the shower and under the hot water to warm our chilled bodies. Well, her chilled body. The pinkness rises to her skin immediately and she shivers with another sigh.

I fucking love this girl.

I pull away and rest my forehead against hers, watching the way the rivulets of hot water cascade down her body. Her fingers start kneading my shoulders and the back of my neck and I groan quietly, unable to keep my eyes from slipping shut at her touch. My hands move to her hips and I squeeze them lightly, trailing my fingers up and down the curve of her waist and then back over the swell of her ass.

We haven't touched each other this way in a while. I've been terrified to because of how fragile she is, but I'm also desperate for her. Desperate for that connection, desperate to feel her, desperate for her body. I angle my head and start to kiss along the side of her jaw and down her neck, tasting her skin.

"Make love to me," she suddenly whispers.

My chest rises and falls with a deep breath. "You're supposed to take it easy." It's a weak attempt, and the resolve is already slipping from my voice. She knows I can't say no to her. She knows I won't say no to her. Not about this. Not about anything.

Her head tilts, elongating her neck and exposing more skin. "I'm not glass," she says. "We can go slow. Please, Paul."

"Okay," I reply after a minute, reaching back and turning the water off.

I hoist her up into my arms and make a half-assed attempt to dry us off before carrying her into the bedroom. The rain is pounding against the roof and the balcony door so hard it makes it feel like we're trapped in our own little world. Like there's nothing outside of this room. Like we're the only people on earth.

Peeling back the covers, I lay her down and crawl on top of her before pulling them back over our heads. The rain seems to intensify as our lips meet again, my tongue sliding into her velvety mouth, and our bodies press together like a puzzle. Every crevice, every curve, every part of her body fits against mine perfectly. We mold together like one person. One soul.

My lips move along her jaw and down her neck, kissing her body as I scoot further down the bed until I'm right between her thighs. She smells so good it's intoxicating. I drag my tongue between her silky folds and she whimpers so beautifully I think the sound imprints in my mind forever. My hands move up her stomach as my tongue presses into her, and she lets out another whimper when I cup her breasts, rubbing my thumbs over her nipples.

God she tastes good. She feels good.

Her fingers are twisted so tightly in my hair it should hurt but I don't feel a damn thing because I'm so focused on her body. Her breaths have turned to pants and the air under the blanket is so thick and hot I can barely breathe. She only lasts a few more seconds before she throws the blanket off of us and gasps for air, her hands returning to tangle in my hair again.

I'd smirk if I wasn't preoccupied.

I love doing this. I love the way her hips press up against my mouth. I love the way her back arches off the bed. I love the way she wants to watch me but has to keep fighting her head from falling back. I love her breathy moans and her soft whimpers and the way her eyelashes flutter.

I draw back just slightly and swirl my tongue around her clit in a languid motion that makes her thighs tremble. She moans my name and the sound makes my dick physically ache.

"God, you taste good," I groan, pressing my tongue into her again before pulling back.

Her fingers lock tighter in my hair.

"C'mon, baby," I whisper, untangling them and lacing them with mine as I move my body between her legs again.

Angling my hips, I push the head of my dick between her folds, sliding in smoothly until our bodies are joined tightly. She lets out a gasp and pushes her head into the pillow, neck on full display. I kiss along the center of her throat and under her jaw before gently tilting her chin down for her mouth.

Her arms move around my neck and she parts her lips for my tongue as I lean my forearms on either side of her head, drawing my hips back and pushing them in again.

And then I make love to her.

Gentle, soft movements until she's shaking beneath me and I empty myself deep in her silky walls.

And then we do it again. For hours.

By the time we finally leave the bed, she's wobbly legs and flushed skin and both of our stomachs are growling voraciously. She cooks orange chicken for us completely naked and we take turns feeding each other with chopsticks before drowning in each other again once the food is gone.

It's almost four in the morning before we finally call it a night.

We're both spent but still make out for another half-hour before she's droopy-eyed and can barely stay awake. I tuck her head under my chin and lock my arms around her body, holding her tight, keeping her safe.

As my eyes start to shut, my phone vibrates on the nightstand.

Indie's breaths have evened out and deepened – fast asleep wearing nothing but one of my shirts.

I reach over and grab my phone, unlocking it and reading over the text.

/

From: Psychic

Message: No decisions made. He left for Volterra.

/

Sighing, I drop my phone on the mattress and pull Indie a little closer, burying my nose in her hair.

At least she still has a while to heal before she has to hurt again.

The next morning comes slowly.

The rain is still falling when my eyes open, and it's dark and cloudy out. Indie is still breathing softly next to me, fast asleep with her lashes resting on the tops of her cheeks. I kiss between her brows and sink further into our bed, melting into the mattress so I don't ever have to leave it again.

I wish we could stay like this forever.

I wish we never had to do anything but be wrapped up in each other's bodies.

I guess that's the only appealing thing about being like the Cullen's. They just have forever with each other. No mortality. How's that fucking fair? The dead live forever and the living just live to die.

"What are you thinking about?" Indie's soft whisper fills the room.

My tense forehead relaxes and I look down at her. Her eyes are still closed but her breathing has changed. "Nothin'," I whisper back.

The corners of her mouth tug up. "I know better than that, Paul Lahote," she teases.

My name sounds so much better on her lips. "Just how much I love you."

"I love you more."

My turn to smile.

She nuzzles into my chest and my heart damn near explodes. "I'm gonna marry you one day, Indiana Lavelle. I'm gonna make you Indiana Lahote."

Her eyes finally flutter open, the sleepy green orbs gazing back at me, breath hitching. "We can go right now," she whispers, fingers dancing across my stomach, stroking my skin.

I push her hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear, thumb brushing against her cheek. "I have to fulfill a promise, first," I reply quietly. "And after that, I'm going to spend every day of our lives making you happy."

"You already do," she smiles at me softly, reaching up to touch my lips.

I kiss her fingertips, then her palm, then her lips. She quickly breaks the kiss and moves on top of me, sitting on my stomach, and lazily pulls her shirt over her head.

She's perfect.

She's all soft curve and delicate features.

My fingers move along her sides and over her stomach, pulling gently at her belly piercing before dropping to thumb over her clit.

Her lips part with a low breath and even though we spent the entire night making love, I'm ready to go again. I never want to leave this bed. I never want to leave her body. I never want to let her out of my sight.

She rises on her knees and positions my dick before slowly sinking onto it. My hands ghost over her stomach again and rest on her hips, holding onto them gently as her body moves above mine.

She's better at slow rhythms than I am. Watching her body roll and curve is tantalizing. Her hair is spilling over her shoulders and down her back, eyes heavily lidded and lips parted. She radiates softness. Everything about her makes my chest feel so full it could explode.

Her body is extra sensitive this morning. I can feel her tightening around me already.

Her cheeks are dusted with pink as her head falls back in a languid motion. I move my hand to the curve of her lower back and let her do what feels good, watching every inch of her body as she comes and her soft whimper hangs on the air.

I see her throat bob as she swallows and rolls her head back around, hands holding onto my wrists as she keeps moving. "Close your eyes," she whispers, fingers brushing my eyelids down. "Just feel."

I listen and keep my eyes shut, feeling the warmth of her body and the softness of her skin. She leans forward and rests her hands against my chest for leverage, nudging her hips back until I feel the fire pooling in my stomach.

When it hits, my hips lift up into her body and my head pushes into the mattress. She kisses up the side of my neck and grabs my chin, biting my lip ever so softly as I release myself inside her.

I don't know how it's possible to be this physically exhausted but still be ready to fuck her all day long. She lays against my chest, warmth still wrapped around me, and I run my fingers along her spine in a soothing manner.

"I love you, Paul," she says quietly. "We can do this, right? We can come out unharmed?"

I card my fingers through her hair. "We can do this," I reassure her.

We have to do this.

A/N: We are slowly approaching big stuff, which makes me more and more nervous I won't be able to execute it the way I want. Thank you as always for reading! xx leave a note if you have a moment.