AN: the words in Quileute that Paul and Bella use are a rough translation from the Quileute language. I don't mean to offend anyone, I looked on a translating website for them. On another note, obviously Paul and Bella won't become something more for a while, for me it's about credibility and time.

Reply to guest review: thanks for your opinion, I actually understand what you're saying and I hope this chapter will show that I actually agree with you regarding Paul. As for Jacob, obviously here he's just a friend for her, and if it were about me Twilight would have ended with them together.

4.

Bella felt lost, she was there alone with women who didn't understand her language. She bit her lip, and watched the women starting organising the work for the day.

Finally Bella's eyes met the eyes of the woman that the day before had brought them food and clothes, and smiled. The woman smiled back, and motioned for her to approach her. Bella arrived at her side, and the woman sat and patted the place next to her.

Bella sat and eyed the dead rabbits in front of them. She wasn't by a long shot a vegetarian, but to see the dead animals still with fur and everything was quite an horrific site. The woman took one rabbit and passed it to her, then she took one as well.

Bella was trying her best not to throw up and not to cry, the other woman passed her a knife and then took one herself. Very slowly showed her how to remove the skin and how to divide the meat for preservation from the one that would be cooked and eaten.

The woman finished the first rabbit and went onto the next, Bella sighed and because she didn't want to cause problems she just started skinning her first rabbit. After a while she realised that it wasn't that difficult, and she met the smiling face of the other woman.

Bella pointed at herself. "My name is Bella. B-E-L-L-A."

The other woman cocked her head on one side. Then she pointed at herself and said. "Utla."

"Utla." Bella repeated and the other woman said. "Bella."

They worked in companionable silence, once in a while Bella would point at something and said the English name and Utla would tell her the Quileute corresponding one. The afternoon approached and Bella had managed to skin three rabbits and was now helping Utla drying the meat to be preserved.

A commotion made her look up, and she noticed that the hunters were coming back. Her eyes were riveted to the tall man that Bella recognised as Paul. He was smiling and chatting with Taha Aki. On his shoulder he was carrying some rabbits and on his hand he was holding a few birds.

Bella had never seen him so relaxed and carefree and she realised that today she had smiled a lot as well. This simple life without school, technology and the stress to deal with the day to day problems were benefitting her. Overall she hadn't thought about Edward once, and the sadness that usually assaulted her when she thought of him had lessened.

Paul arrived in front of Bella, and showed her his kills. "So, Mrs Lahote, am I not the best?"

Bella laughed and nodded. "Yeah, you're pretty good at hunting. Give me everything, me and Utla tomorrow will work on them."

Paul's eyes widened, and then turned speculative. He handed her his kills, and she knew he was watching her attentively when Bella went to Utla, and exchanged with her some words.

Bella gave Utla everything, and she communicated with her that they would work on them tomorrow. Utla smiled, and then introduced her to Taha Aki. Utla said a Quileute word and Bella guessed what it meant. She went back to retrieve Paul and she pointed at him and said. "Husband."

Utla nodded, and they smiled at each other. Then she turned to look at Paul, and she noticed that he was smirking. She huffed. "What is that face? Aren't you my supposed kadìdo?"

Paul smiled. "You're good with our language. You're my temporary shìpa."

She smiled back, and in that moment she forgot that they hated each other. She forgot that they were lost in time and that they weren't really together. In this place and time she was simply happy.

Bella now knew that she had taken happiness for granted, and was starting to realise that she hadn't been happy far longer than since Edward had left. She was shaken out of her reveries by Utla. She was speaking with Paul.

Paul translated for her. "Utla said that you worked well and without complaining. She is inviting us for dinner at their place. It's a great honour, usually meals are shared together but to be invited in the Chief's tent is a big thing."

She nodded at Utla to accept the invitation. Then Paul took her hand, and they started walking toward their tepee. "Dinner is in an hour, we will take this time to rest."

Bella followed him quietly, she was deep in thought. This place didn't offer much as distractions and she had been thinking seriously for the whole day.

When they entered she sat next to the fire, and he went to lie on the furs. He turned to look at her. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking that I'm happy, and that I didn't remember when was the last time that I smiled. You were right yesterday, I've been very selfish, and I gave a lot of things for granted." She told him honestly. Paul had been rude, but honest and she kind of understood his anger towards her, she had dated his mortal enemy.

Paul looked surprised, he sighed and then lied on his back and placed his arm on his eyes. "I know I was right, but… I should apologise for how I said those words. You're different than what I expected, and I had made up my mind about you without giving you a fair chance. We don't know each other and we actually don't know what was our life before we met, I shouldn't have assumed things about you."

Bella took a deep breath and smiled, with this Paul she could actually talk. She liked this side of him, she hoped that he wouldn't revert to the other rude self at the first problem. "Apology accepted, only if you forgive me for hitting you. I'm sorry too, I'm usually not aggressive and I've never hit anyone before you."

"Don't worry, I'm used to being hit. I grew up with a father who didn't like speaking but he knew how to use his fists." He replied.

Bella felt sorry for him. "Well, I'm sorry and I don't think it's right to hit people." Then she stood up and went to lie next to him. "You're right about us not knowing each other, here we've got time and I would really love to gain a friend."

Paul turned his head to look at her, his eyes were dark and intense. "I guess we can try. Now rest a bit." He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Bella shook her head, Paul was really something else. But she liked the man that had apologised tonight, and she would really try to be his friend.