Author's Note: Well, hello there. I see you've clicked on this story, either as a returning reader or a first time one. Whichever you are, I would like to thank you for giving me a chance. It's awesome to have your support and I hope you continue to like this fic that I've wrote. Sorry for the delay in updates. I started college classes, got a new job, and also it was the holidays!

Additionally, I did do some writing. Just not this fic. It's a story called Birthdays, and it's found in the Samurai Champloo section, so if that's your cup of tea then please go and read it!

Please, read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I only have ownership over my own thoughts, plots, and OC's.

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Chapter Seven

It'd been a couple days and Leah hadn't bothered to seek Paul out. They probably needed to talk, clear the air between them. But he hadn't tried to contact her so far either, so maybe it was best to let sleeping dogs lie and try to forget the whole incident on the cliff ever occurred.

She groaned. That never worked. Problems didn't get solved simply because you locked them in a closet and pretended they weren't pounding on the door and screaming to get out. The next time Leah saw him, she didn't want it to be stiff and awkward, with unresolved tension between them. As tempting as it may be to hole up in her house forever, she also didn't want to avoid him either. She genuinely enjoyed spending time with Paul and for some reason she was sad at the prospect of never seeing him again.

Leah would have to go to him first. She knew that. Paul wasn't going to show up on her doorstep with an apology or an explanation after having his pride wounded. She didn't blame him for that. She'd led him on. She had given him all green lights, and when he'd tried to go, she'd suddenly flashed him a red. If Leah just got a chance to explain herself, to tell him everything she'd been thinking on that cliffside: how going down that road wasn't a good idea, how she couldn't risk getting involved with another wolf, how they simply weren't meant to be. Maybe he would understand? Maybe Paul would put it behind them?

Then again, it was Paul. He hadn't really ever been a 'forgive and forget' type of person. Still, he had changed in her time away from La Push. He was no longer a simple hothead with whom no one could reason with, so Leah had to try. She owed him that. And she owed herself that. She needed some sort of resolution that wouldn't leaving her feeling like they'd never had closure.

Leah sighed, her head falling back. She slumped back into the couch, not even bothering to look at what was playing on the television. She'd chosen to coop herself up in her family home ever since the humiliating event two days ago. The only people she'd seen were Seth, her mother, and Jacob when he'd stopped by for a brief visit.

Leah hadn't really been up to having a lengthy conversation with her previous alpha, which ended up working out perfectly. Apparently, his father wanted to take him on a four day long fishing trip as a celebration for his return. Jake acted nonchalant about the whole ordeal, but she knew he cherished the time shared with Billy after so much of it spent away.

Jacob promised to be back in four days to find out what she'd been up to for two years. They'd shared some casual conversation for a few minutes before he got down to business. He'd had a purpose, beyond chit chat, for knocking on her door. He requested that she check on Nessie for him. Leah wasn't all too keen to step onto Cullen land again and have her thoughts at Edward's fingertips. She also didn't particularly want to make nice with Bella either. Still, she'd agreed. Jacob was her friend and she'd seen the distress on his face at having to leave his imprint for so long, especially with hostile wolves only a border away.

After she'd promised to check up on his soulmate, he'd gave her a thank you and a hug, and then left her to her thoughts.

Leah decided that today was the day to do something out in the world rather than lock herself away from it. She had to admit she was going a little stir crazy in her self imposed prison. It wasn't going to be a relaxing day out, but at least checking on Renesmee would give her something to do. It was a welcome distraction from her endless turmoil filled thoughts.

Leah walked upstairs, stopping in her room to grab some fresh clothes before heading to the shower.

She wondered what effects it would have on her body being so close a vampire again. Leah hoped it wouldn't trigger any animal like tendencies she had worked so hard to repress for two years. She'd been fine breathing in the remnants of their scent on Jake's body though, so maybe she just needed to stay calm. Get in, get out, and hold her breath for as long as possible during all of that.

At least today promised to be interesting.

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Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

What had Paul been thinking?

He hadn't really been thinking, to be honest. He had acted on instinct trying to kiss Leah like that. She'd refused his advances, running away like it was fourth grade and he had cooties. It didn't make any sense, really, but Leah had never made much sense to anybody.

Still, he'd wanted her, in that moment, and he'd known she wanted him too. Paul could smell her, for fuck's sake. Her scent of arousal was pungent in the air and if that wasn't a dead giveaway, he didn't know what was. It didn't matter what either of them wanted though, because it wasn't meant to be. She'd made her decision then and there by running from him.

And when Leah ran, it took her a long time to come back.

The two years she had been gone, without a phone call or letter or email to anyone except Sue and Seth, was proof of that. At least, she hadn't contacted anyone that he knew of, beyond her immediate family.

Leah and Jacob seemed rather close. He couldn't help but wonder if they'd been communicating all this time. He had no right to feel the way he did about that, if it was true. And how did he feel about it? Jealous, he guessed, is what someone might call this emotion. Paul wanted to deny it, but there was no other name for this feeling prickling at his skin and causing him so much irritation.

He'd grown up a lot in two years. He tried not to pick a fight with every person that crossed his path. Paul realized how self-destructive his anger had been - his annoyance with the world and everyone in it. Still, he struggled with his rage on a daily basis. Anger was the way he had always dealt with any situation or problem ever since he was young. Growing up, his home environment had been filled with easily ignited tempers and harsh words. Breaking years of learned behavior was difficult, damn near impossible.

But he was better than he had been, even if Paul hadn't made as drastic of a change as Leah had. She was like a whole new person. The girl whose light had all but been extinguished was now burning brightly again.

He remembered his time with Leah in the pack. It had been agony having to listen to her heartbreaking thoughts about Sam and bitter bitching about everything else. Still, probably the reason that it was most unbearable was because most of them how the old Leah used to be. This new Leah, full of hate and grief, was someone they didn't know and didn't want to know. The high, spirited, passionate person they'd grown up with was no longer there. In her place, she'd left a broken girl that nobody knew how to fix.

The old Leah, the one before Sam's imprinting on Emily, was closer to how she was now. A happy, friendly, annoyingly sarcastic girl that could capture the eyes and the heart of just about anyone in a room. Ready to hold her ground if she needed to, but not raging for a fight at any second. And passionate. Leah had always been so full of passion. She displayed it in not only her love for Sam, but for her family and for life.

The only time anyone had got a glimpse of that passion was when she was angry. Not depressed and bitterly snapping at someone, but really and truly angry. Leah came alive in her fury, eyes blazing and heart fully in her fight. Sometimes, Paul had gotten on her nerves solely for that reason - to catch a glimpse of the girl they all used to know and love. When she was battling him, the spirit of who she was at heart - a warrior - came out. That was who they all knew, someone who was strong and resilient, not the shell of a person who had allowed misery to overtake every aspect of their life.

Paul was at work, doing a routine oil change that really only preoccupied his hands, not his thoughts. It was old Mrs. Fox's Toyota Corolla. She dutifully came in about every three or four months. And every single time, without fail, she requested that Paul do the work. He didn't really know why but the old lady had always held a soft spot for him since he was a kid. Most people didn't like nor trust him because of his, and his father's, reputation around the Rez. Mrs. Fox didn't seem to care about the town gossip though. So they'd stuck up an unlikely friendship.

She was maybe part of the reason why he'd started to work on his anger issues. Paul came over to her home every once and awhile to do repairs on her home. Each time, she tried to persuade him to take her money, and each time, he refused. Instead, he took a glass of tea and a talk on the porch as his payment for the labor. It was damn near impossible to get angry conversing with such a sweet, old lady. Paul found that after only a few of their talks, he felt significantly calmer and more settled.

That's what he needed to do then. He'd ask her if that faucet in the bathroom was still leaking, which it probably was. Mrs. Fox had one of the most worn down and ancient houses on the reservation. She needed help around the house after her husband's passing, whether she admitted it or not. Paul was more than happy to offer that help, because he needed her wisdom and company, whether he admitted it or not.

He wasn't sure where to go from here with Leah. He didn't have a lot of people he called friends, outside of the other wolves. And Paul sure as hell wasn't going to ask any of those idiots for advice about Leah, their previous packmate. He felt like he'd made a fool out of himself trying to kiss her up on the clifftop. Hell, he definitely had. Leah had booked it out of there so fast she'd practically left a trail of fire in her wake.

Paul was so confused, because she'd wanted it, but at the same time she hadn't. He'd felt the attraction between them almost as soon as she returned. Their brief time spent together had only solidified his assumption. Plus, he was sure he'd caught her checking him out a couple times.

He didn't know what it was she really wanted from him. And that bothered him.

Paul finished up his work, wiping his hands on the rag from his back pocket.

He exhaled slowly. He wasn't too fond of all these thoughts and questions rattling around in his head.

As soon as Paul got it all out and in the open, with Mrs. Fox's opinion helping him figure things out, he'd feel a lot better.

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Leah tried to decide if it would be rude to keep her hand over her nose through this whole ordeal. Well, of course it would be. Really, she was trying to decide whether or not she cared that it was rude.

She'd faltered once stepping into their territory. Though she was still quite a distance from the actual house, the telltale, excruciating vampire stench had already begun to creep its way into her nostrils. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and her heart started pumping erratically. Rationally, she knew she there was no real threat imminent, but her genetically encoded DNA told her otherwise.

As Leah grew closer, almost forcing herself to make the steps necessary for her arrival, she did her best to remain calm. The smell didn't automatically make her want to shred her skin for another form, even if her wolf was disgusted by that fact. So she figured that she would be okay as long as she kept her temper and emotions in check.

"Edward do you hear me! I'm here and don't fucking piss me off! I'm not backtracking years of therapy for your annoying ass!"

The tall white and glass walls of the Cullen mansion came into her view and she knew if Edward was in there, he definitely heard her.

Leah grit her teeth as waves of their fresh sweetly-sick odor washed over her. It wasn't as strong as it would have been had the house been full of their whole clan, but there were definitely vampires in there. She wondered how Jacob stomached being with the group of them for so long. The imprint sure did magical, somewhat terrible, things. Jake's nose probably didn't even work anymore.

She was barely up the steps before the door opened.

"I assure you, I will be on my best behavior as always."

The smooth, melodic voice met her ears. On any other girl, it might make them swoon, but instead of sounding like an angel's chorus, it grated against her eardrums like nails on a chalkboard. No part of a werewolf could tolerate a vampire charms, not even their voice. Edward greeted her with a polite nod as she made her way through the doorway.

"Where's Ness?"

"I wouldn't call her Ness, Bella's still not quite-"

"You mean Renesmee?" a femine voice interrupted, slight annoyance in the tone. Bella walked around the corner, stopping once she'd reached her husband's side. "Sorry, I just can't quite call my daughter the same nickname as the Loch Ness Monster," she apologized with a small smile, sounding sincere.

Leah rolled her eyes.

"Okay, well, where is Renesmee?" she asked again, eager to check on the welfare of Jacob's imprint and then promptly leave.

Everything in the house was just as the Cullen's had left it. Apparently, burglary wasn't high in the Forks crime list otherwise this place would have been looted by now. Still, being back here brought on memories from a past life - one that had been a lot more tense than this current conversation was.

"She's safe," Edward answered simply.

"Well can I see her?" Leah asked, raising her eyebrows. It wasn't like she would do anything to harm the girl, Ness was Jacob's imprint. Not to mention, Leah had practically been protecting the halfbreed since before she was born.

"She's… out," Bella answered uncertainly. Even after becoming an immortal, with all of their finesse and charm, the girl couldn't lie worth a damn.

"Uh huh…" Leah responded, waiting for some clarity. Bella moved to touch Edward's arm, some sort of silent communication happening between the two. Though Bella had always been immune to Edward's power, Leah knew that the girl had one of her own. She wasn't so naive to believe that they both wouldn't find a way around the mind block.

"Don't think I can't see that she's telling you something." Leah thought loudly at Edward. He flinched at her, her message apparently coming in loud and clear.

"Rest assured, she's safe and we'll be sure to tell Jacob that you stopped by."

Leah narrowed her eyes. "I promised him I would check on her. In person. And I don't break my promises."

The corner of Edward's mouth pulled downwards, the only indication of his displeasure. Other than that, he remained composed even under Leah's scrutiny.

"So she's safe? And you know where she is?"

"Yes!" Bella answered quickly.

"So she'll be coming back soon I'm guessing?"

Edward went to answer, perhaps sensing Leah's thoughts, but his wife beat him to it.

"Of course!"

If Edward weren't so dead set on keeping his perfect mask of composure, she was sure he would have groaned.

Leah's face lit up in a smug grin. She went over to the pristine, white couch. Plopping down, she picked up the remote. She didn't know how long she'd be here, but it might be a while, she might as well get comfortable. She flicked on the tv.

If there was one thing a Clearwater was, it was stubborn.

"Then I'll wait."

Bella's mouth popped open in surprise before quickly snapping shut.

"That's fine, you're always welcome here," she said politely. While her words said one thing? Her body language and facial expression said another. She was tense and clearly frustrated by Leah's declaration. They didn't want her here. But why?

Something was off. A person didn't need to have supernatural powers to spot when Bella was trying to hide something. Even if Renesmee was indeed fine, which she sure she was, Jacob wouldn't be satisfied unless she got a good look at his imprint. Besides, messing with Edward would be fun, even though she held no real grudge against the man, he still rubbed her the wrong way.

Leah looked straight at the vampire mindreader, cocking an eyebrow.

"We'll just see what you're hiding."

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And there we have it! Another chapter has made its way to your viewing eyeballs. I hope it was a decent one. We will get some more of Paul in the future. And Leah and Paul will have to confront each other eventually, but for now, we need to see what the Cullen's are trying keep behind closed doors.

Until next time! Please follow/favorite/review! I would love to hear from you! XOXO