Sorry, this has taken a bit, readers. The inspiration only comes when it comes - I owe a nod to Anger Management by MrsTrentReznor as inspiration for this chapter. I really hope you guys leave more feedback in the review section below. Remember, you don't have to have an account to leave a guest review. All questions and critiques are welcome.
Everything twilight-related belongs to SM. I'm just a poor Ratsie killing time with her characters. No copyright infringement is intended. Shout out to my fellow Ratters. #BWTHHYBL


Paul had seen Bella hand their waitress a twenty and shook his head as he turned back to Billy and Sam. "She's a sneaky little shit," he grumbled.

Billy laughed outright, nodding. "Understatement, son," he said.

Paul hopped up from his seat and darted out the side door to catch her around front. The squealing of tires and the gunning of an engine caught her attention as Bella looked up from retrieving her jacket. Everything seemed to freeze for Paul as he saw the faded Camaro jump the curb. Without a second thought, Paul rushed to her side. She shrieked as he threw her over his shoulder and ran out of the way. He hoped Sam and Billy were paying attention inside as the Camaro slammed into the main entrance of the diner. It clipped the rear tire of her motorcycle, sending it spinning before sliding into another vehicle. The sound of the Camaro impacting the building had been deafening. Several shrill screams erupted inside the building as shattered glass and chunks of car parts littered the ground.

It took a moment for Paul to realize that one of the people still yelling was Bella - but not in fear. No. His Bella was pissed, screaming obscenities at the driver. The last thing Bella said before he clapped his hand over her mouth was, "You stupid, crazy son of a bitch!"

Paul snorted as he tried not to laugh, overwhelmed with relief that he had reached her in time. He hugged her to his chest and kissed her cheek affectionately. She immediately stopped yelling and seemed to deflate as she released a long, hot breath against his fingers. He groaned as she licked his palm and moved his hand away from her mouth. Super mature, Bella. "You can lick me all you want, Babydoll. You're still grounded from my sandbox." A giggle escaped her then, immediately triggering an onslaught of emotion. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned to bury her face into his neck, and he hugged her close.

Running footsteps pounded toward them as Paul carefully put Bella back on her feet. Paul was relieved to see Sam and Billy beside him, coming out the side door first as patrons were ushered outside. Paul almost growled as someone swept Bella out from under his arms and spun to face them. He sighed and immediately calmed as he realized it was Charlie. Bella's face was buried in her father's chest, her trembling barely visible as she clutched onto him.

Charlie practically yelled, "I heard the impact from six blocks away. Were you guys inside?"

"No," Paul said. Bella was next to her bike when I realized the car was coming toward us." He turned to glare at the Camaro, wondering why no one was stirring inside.

"God damn it. Only Bells," Charlie grumbled, putting one steady hand upon Paul's shoulder. "You got my girl out of the way?"

Paul merely nodded once, unable to form any words at the moment. His anger was finally taking hold as Bella wiped her tears. Billy remained pale and trembling at their side. A wave of fury washed over Paul as he jerked from Charlie's grasp and stomped toward the vehicle. The Camaro was utterly totaled, the front pushed into the building, and simultaneously squished like an accordion. Tinted windows obscured anyone inside as Paul fought to force open the doors.

Charlie relinquished his daughter into Sam's arms and rushed to Paul's side. Charlie warned, "Paul, don't lose your head."

"Don't worry, Chief. We gotta get him out of there first," Paul huffed angrily. The door would not budge, and after multiple tries with the passenger door, Charlie yanked his flashlight from his belt. Using the butt end, he struck the window once, hard. The glass immediately shattered, creating a hole to view inside.

"What the fuck?" Charlie scowled and used the flashlight to knock the remaining pieces from the frame. He and Paul both looked into the car and back at each other in confusion. The vehicle was empty save the overwhelming scent of a singular human and the tiniest hint of bleach.

Fuck. Paul motioned for Sam to come toward them, and the Alpha's eyes widened as he inhaled deeply nearly the trunk. Charlie leaned into the car to retrieve the keys from the useless ignition and walked over to pop open the trunk lid. There was nothing inside it either, leaving them all feeling frustrated.

"Shit," Sam grumbled as Paul smelled the smoke Sam was already looking for. Paul yelled into the restaurant through one of the shattered windows that they needed a fire extinguisher outside. One was passed carefully over a booth covered in busted glass and half-eaten meals through the window to Paul. By the time he pulled the pin, the front of the car was in flames.

A few minutes later, the lot was overrun with EMTs, Firefighters, and police cars. Nearly an hour later, statements were taken, and they were finally free to leave. Paul hunted down the waitress to pay his forgotten tab while Sam loaded Bella's bike into the back of Paul's truck. When he returned, Bella was still staring over her motorcycle.

"My baby," she groaned out, pouting.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure Jake can get her looking as good as new," Billy comforted. The bike had not been totaled but would not be driveable for a while.

"It could have been worse," Sam teased her. "That car coulda squished you, little B."

"That's the second damn time you have almost been flattened by a vehicle, Bells," Charlie grumbled. "I think Billy and Jake might have to start wrapping you in bubble wrap before going places."

"Ha. Ha. Super funny," Bella muttered and climbed into Paul's truck. She slid to the center so Billy could take the passenger seat. After putting the wheelchair in the bed, Sam hopped into the back and sat down on a wheel hub.

Paul could have sworn he felt Bella watching them through the rearview mirror as Charlie gave Paul a quick hug, patting him on the back roughly.

"I appreciate your help today," Paul said, grinning. Paul had spilled his guts to Charlie that morning, following his gut instinct to trust her father and possibly protect her from some random creep if necessary. Charlie had been more than willing to crash her lunch date, admitting his affinity for teasing his beloved daughter whenever possible. Charlie need not mention his worry about Bella possibly being romantically involved with Paul. He had come to know the younger man well and knew that Paul had a good heart. Charlie worried about his fragile and frequently mean-mouthed child being involved with another supernatural being with a volatile temper. Even Jacob, who loved Bella more than life itself, tended to leave the occasional bruise on her body and heart. He wasn't sure how they would handle another mental break if her heart was broken again.

Charlie scoffed, unable to hide his amusement as a tired grin crept across his face. He said, "Well, it turned out to be a good idea. I'm glad you were here to get her out of the way in time."

"Me too, Charlie," Paul said sincerely.

Charlie said, "I saw the look on your face today when I came running up. You really do care about her."

"I told you I did," Paul said, smirking. "I know coming to you today was kind of nuts, but,"

"It took balls," Charlie said and laughed as he patted Paul on the back again. "I admire that. Just … don't pressure her, or she'll run."

"Oh, I've already learned that," Paul said and scowled. "Right now, she wants a friend, and that's what I'll be." He looked up at the back window of his truck, making direct eye contact with Bella through the mirror this time. He snickered as she quickly looked away. "I better get Billy and Sam home."

"Be safe," Charlie called out as he walked away. "Call me if you kids need anything."

"Will do," Paul hollered back as he climbed behind the wheel.

Paul went to Billy's first, and Sam immediately got out to help him into his wheelchair before pushing him into the house. Still sitting next to Paul, Bella watched Sam wheel Billy away as she asked, "Can I ride with you to take Sam home? I'm sure Billy will go straight to bed after all that drama, and I don't want to be alone yet."

"Sure," Paul said softly. "When I bring you home, I'll back the truck in so we can get your bike into the garage, okay?"

Bella nodded, lowering her head to his shoulder. "Thank you for earlier," she said.

Paul said, "For what? Saving your ass? You don't have to thank me for that, sweetheart."

"Kinda seems like a time when you should definitely thank someone," Bella said.

Paul chuckled and nodded. "Well, you're welcome. I'll always help save your ass when I can." He smirked to himself as she blushed, looking everywhere but his face as she bit back her grin.

Sam came running to the truck and yanked the passenger door open. "B, you staying, or ..?"

Paul said, "She's riding along. Hop in, Sammy boy." Sam smirked at Bella and climbed in beside her.

Bella nudged Sam with her elbow and asked, "How was the ride back there, anyway?"

"Cold as fuck," Sam said and laughed.

Within a few minutes, they headed down the gravel drive to Sam's cabin. "How does it look, B?"

"Oh, wow," Bella cooed as she leaned forward to get a better view of his property as they turned around his circular drive. "You've done so much!"

Sam grinned proudly at his home and admitted, "Emily has done a great deal of the work in those flowerbeds. She has a friend that gives her starter plants from her garden. It's saved us a ton of money. I've found and transplanted some from other places, too."

Paul teased, "You sneaking some of that flora and fauna out of the park, Sammy?" Sam snickered and motioned for Paul to be quiet. Bella giggled, leaning further against Paul, and Sam reached to ruffle her curls. He laughed as he climbed out, shut the door, and tapped the roof before turning toward the house.

Paul chuckled as Bella remained in the center as he drove away. "You cold, Bella?"

She shook her head no but remained where she was in silence with her head on his shoulder. Too quickly, Paul was backing the truck up to the garage. Bella slid the garage door open for him as he hauled the wrecked motorcycle inside.

"Thanks again," Bella said as she slid the door shut.

"I can probably help Jake find some parts for it if you like," Paul offered. Hell, he had nothing else to do.

"Huh?" Bella looked up at him, distracted by her thoughts. Paul chuckled at the blank expression on her face, and she blushed, the corners of her mouth pointing downward in a pout. She looked at the house apprehensively and said, "I guess I'll go find something to do."

On impulse, Paul offered, "You wanna hang out with me for a while?"

Bella turned back to him in surprise and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Paul glanced down at his arms and clothing covered in residue from the fire extinguisher and dirt from her bike as he laughed. "Uh, well, I need to go home and shower. I was planning to read or watch a movie, but we can find something to do."

"That actually sounds good," Bella said. "I just … I don't want to be a pain in your ass or anything."

Paul reached up and brushed a stray curl out of her face as he said, "But you don't want to be by yourself. I get it." She gave him a small, grateful smile. Paul slid his arm around her waist and walked her back to the passenger side of his truck. "Hop in," he said and jogged to the other side. Within seconds, the pickup was roaring to life, and he was pulling out of the drive.


Paul looked at his own house self-consciously as they pulled into his driveway. It wasn't much, but it had been his home for years. The inside was better than the outer portion, meticulously organized, and every surface clean. His hardwood floors were painstakingly redone by himself two years before and spanned the entirety of the house. He hoped to put on a new roof before winter came. Bella looked impressed as she glanced around, and Paul relaxed somewhat.

She gave him a mischievous grin as she asked, "How many women have you brought here, Paul?"

Paul cackled, shaking his head. "Fewer than you think," he said. "Most of the women I dated don't even know where I live."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Bella teased. She hung her leather jacket on a hook by the door and followed him through the living room to the kitchen.

Paul said, "Help yourself to whatever. I need to shower before anything else."

"Okay," Bella said and sat down at his table, intending to wait for him. Paul hesitated as he glanced between his girl and the bathroom door. The pout she unconsciously wore decided it for him.

Bella wants a friend and someone to trust, Paul reminded himself for the millionth time. He couldn't stand the thought of her waiting for him while he showered, lost in her thoughts over what had happened that day. She had nearly died - again. That alone would weigh heavily on a person's mind.

Paul snatched her hand in his and said, "Come on."

She gaped up at him in surprise as he tugged, pulling her to her feet. "W-what are you doing?"

"What we're doing," Paul said and pulled her behind him toward his bathroom. Still holding her hand, he turned on his shower to adjust the temperature.

"Paul, I'm not sure what you think is happening here…" Bella's cheeks were bright red as she stood beside him, though she did not attempt to let go of him or flee.

"Hey." Paul turned toward her and slid his hands up to cup her face before pushing his right hand into her long curls. "Nothing is happening, okay? We are friends. I need a shower, and I know they always help me relax. Especially after a day like today."

Still clueless, Bella said, "Okay?"

Paul said, "You need to relax, too, especially after this afternoon."

"I'm not having sex with you, Paul," Bella stammered, staring up at him wide-eyed.

Paul chuckled as he peeled off his shirt. He asked, "Did I say anything about sex?"

"Well, no, but …" Bella began.

Paul interrupted her and said, "This isn't about sex, babe. It's about washing off that shit that happened today. Someone or something put you in danger today. You cried a little bit earlier, but I can only imagine how you feel. You're tense as hell, though. The heat will help."

Bella practically squeaked as his jeans pooled at his feet, and he stepped out of them. "Look," he said and chuckled. "You don't even have to get naked." Paul stepped backward into the shower with his boxers still on, instantly soaked by the steaming dual-heads. He leaned back into the water and sighed. "Feels really good, Bells."

She could only grin and shake her head at him. The boxers weren't much cover as they clung to him. Bella blushed as she chewed her bottom lip for a few seconds and stared at Paul like he was a snack.

She can pretend she doesn't want me all she wants, Paul thought cockily. He opened his shampoo bottle and closed his eyes as he washed his hair. It didn't matter if she climbed in or not now. He wasn't going to force her to join him.

Rinsing the suds from his hair, Paul felt a shift in the space around him and opened his eyes in surprise as Bella stepped into the shower. Pushing the hair and water away from his face, he grinned at her. Bella piled her hair high up on her head and stood in front of him in a matching bra and panty set. The navy blue emphasized the paleness of her skin, and the bra was entirely pointless as her hard pink buds were perfectly displayed through the sheer material.

His cock twitched against his soaked boxers as he fought to ignore the lust that slammed him. "Come here," he said, holding his arms open. Bella stepped into them hesitantly, wrapping her arms around his waist. Paul squeezed her tighter to him and turned to place them both under the water. He languidly stroked his hands down her back as she eventually relaxed against him. He closed his eyes and buried his nose into her hair, letting the memory burn itself into his mind.

His eyes opened with a start as the familiar pop of his body wash lid sounded. Paul had been content just holding her and had not noticed Bella reaching around him to grab it and his loofa. She hummed at the scent and began washing his left arm. Bella was careful to only look where she rubbed. Paul suspected it was largely (no pun intended) due to the massive erection pressed against her abdomen. His eyes never left her, tracing the shape of her lips, her eyelashes, and probably the sexiest ears he had ever seen.

What the hell is wrong with you, mother fucker? First her ankles and now her ears? Paul had to admit to himself that he adored everything about the woman in his arms. Jacob is an idiot. Edward fucking Cullen was too. How could anyone not want this beautiful, sad, little firecracker of a woman who does not recognize her own beauty? Bella reminded Paul of a kitten who believed it was a battle-scarred mountain lion. It was quite possibly his favorite thing about her thus far.

Bella worked her way up one arm, around his neck, and down his right arm, sliding around to stand behind him as she did so. She began washing down his back with the loofa in one hand, massaging his muscles with the other hand. Paul could only assume she was used to doing these things for Jacob as she expertly worked into his muscles. Paul braced himself against the shower wall and tilted his head back, moaning.

"Damn, sweetheart," he moaned out. "I was supposed to be making you feel better here."

"I think maybe you deserve this more than I do today," she said and continued her task, now working the muscles in his lower back with both of her hands.

He grunted as she dug her fingers into the flesh of his hips. His dick ached for some kind of friction. It took all of his concentration to keep from turning around and kissing her stupid. He looked over his shoulder to glance at her face and chuckled at the smirk she wore.

This little minx knows what she is doing, damn it.

Bella washed his legs and stood to move back in front of him. She added more soap to his loofa before focusing on his chest. The smile never left his face as we observed her. Once he was soap-covered to her satisfaction, she dropped the loofa to the shower floor and ran her hands over his chest. Paul caught her wrists, stilling her hands.

"Bella," he said, sounding far less strained than he felt. "If you keep this up, I'm not gonna be able to walk later. He gave her a wicked grin as her face flushed and playfully yanked her against him. Bella squealed, laughing as he rubbed against her, covering her in his soap. The shower floor grew slicker as the soap was rinsed from them under the spray. His foot slid as he struggled to hold onto the woman attempting to wiggle out of his arms. He fell onto his backside, cackling as she came down also, sprawling on top of him.

Paul was grateful that Bella avoided landing directly on his dick, still half-mast and pressed securely against her lower belly. Bella moved to sit up, accidentally dragging her slick, lace-covered sex over his crotch. She was immediately aroused as hell, and the change in her scent made him salivate. Again, Paul grabbed her to halt her movement as a quiet growl purred out of him.

"You're killing me, beautiful," Paul groaned as blood rushed back to his cock, and he instinctively raised his hips against her heat. Bella stared down at him, doe-eyed, bright red, panting, and suddenly very unsure of herself. Paul squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. Then, he carefully stood them up and stepped back into the rapidly cooling water. Bella shrieked and giggled again as the cool spray hit them. She grinned up at him as Paul let out a hearty laugh.

The cold and laughter did the trick, and he finally relaxed. He turned off the water and released Bella to step out of the shower. Paul handed Bella a towel before grabbing another and drying himself off. He tied his towel around his waist before kicking off the wet boxers. He wrung them out in the sink and tossed them directly into his hamper. Bella followed his lead and tucked the towel around her body before reaching behind her to unclasp her bra. She hung it carefully over his shower curtain rod, followed by her panties.

Paul snickered as he looked over the lingerie set, recalling a point in his life where that would have been a scene right out of a horror film for him. It was the first time that any female clothing had been hung anywhere in this house. Paul had lived alone since he was sixteen, and his grandmother passed away. The council did its best to provide for him, but his life had been difficult in its entirety. Hunting (poaching) and food stamps had kept him alive for years before Emily began regularly feeding the pack. Odd jobs and traded favors supplied the rest of what he needed. At one point in time, Paul would turn off breakers to rooms he wasn't using to keep his electricity bill as low as possible. He chopped wood for his fireplace, which had been necessary for three seasons of the year before phasing. Since phasing, he generally only kept the house warm enough that the pipes didn't freeze.

Bella was shivering and attempting to turn her shirt right-side out. Paul darted for his bedroom and yanked on some loose sweatpants. He grabbed another pair and a hoodie for Bella. She was about to step into her jeans as Paul held the clothing out to her. She blushed and thanked him before folding her jeans and laying them on the counter. Paul walked back to his room for a t-shirt and let her get dressed.

A small fire was quickly going, and Paul was heating water in the kettle on his stove. His couch had belonged to his grandmother, and the collapsible bed inside of it was still like new. He pulled it out quickly and tossed a few blankets across it for comfort. Paul snagged the pillows off his bed and placed them and the couch cushions at the head, creating a comfortable little nest. The kettle began whistling as Bella finally emerged from the bathroom, and Paul rushed to turn off the stove.

He asked her, "Would you like hot tea, coffee, or cocoa?"

Bella grinned as she looked around and asked, "What is all of this?"

"We're going to relax and watch a movie," Paul said. "What do you want to drink? There is soda and bottled water in the fridge, but I am making some hot cocoa."

Bella said, "That sounds great. I'm kind of freezing."

"I kind of figured," he said, laughing. "Get comfy. I'll be over there in a second."

Bella crawled up into the little nest he had created and sat with her legs folded under her. Paul carried their steaming mugs of cocoa over and placed hers on the wooden armrest at her side. She waited for him to get comfortable before carefully lifting her mug. She asked, "What are we watching?"

"What are you in the mood for?" Paul took a sip of his cocoa and moaned happily. He had one hell of a sweet tooth, and cocoa was a quick solution always enjoyed alone. It felt good to share it with someone for a change.

"No chick flicks," Bella grumbled, making him laugh.

"Suspense or Horror, then?"

"Anything except vampires," Bella said, and Paul turned to grin at her. "Or zombies. Yuck."

"Ghosts?"

"Fine."

Paul asked, "Slasher movies?"

"Better," Bella said and took another drink.

"Cheesy slasher?"

"Oh," Bella moaned dramatically. "You're tugging my heartstrings now." A giggle escaped her and brought a smile to his face that could rival one of Jacob's sunshine smiles.

Paul scrolled to the cult horror section and stopped as Bella grinned at a particular selection. He quickly hit play on The Frighteners and chuckled as she tried to reign in her excitement. Paul held his arm up as the movie began, and she carefully moved to snuggle into his side.

Paul frequently glanced down at the woman beside him that night, content to have her precisely where she was. Swaddled in his scent and tucked under his arm, Paul could not help but feel, yet again, that she belonged there. Eventually, he set their empty mugs aside and moved to lay down. Bella lay with him and pulled a blanket over herself as she snuggled back against his side.

She fell asleep nearly ten minutes before the movie credits rolled. Content and peaceful, Paul was unwilling to wake or move her. It was already close to midnight, and he had patrol at six am. Deciding he would take her home before patrol, Paul set the alarm on his phone and wrapped his free arm over her. Bella sighed contentedly, burying her face against his warm chest.

Paul knew at that moment that he would prioritize her peace and comfort above his own for the rest of his life. It didn't matter that she didn't know it yet. It didn't matter that she was Jacob's imprint or that they probably still banged like bunnies when they were alone. Paul didn't give a damn about any of it. He didn't know how to define what he felt for her, but she had changed him somehow. He was never more terrified in his life.

It took a while for him to fall asleep as he lay lost in his thoughts, listening to her heartbeat and shallow, peaceful breaths.