Seasons in the Sun

Roisin was distracted. That was clear. Paul sat on the floor leaning against her bed, watching as she went through her massive DVD collection, choosing and then dismissing several options in a manner of seconds.

Ever since he walked through the door actually, she was constantly moving. Indecisive. It took about 20 minutes for her to settle on an array of snacks in the kitchen before they went to her room. He looked over, noticing the pile of books on her desk that looked untouched, papers that he assumed was homework scattered all across it. He knew that she hadn't been in school since Monday and it appeared that she hadn't been able to work on it, which seemed really unlike her.

Every night when he watched the house from the nearby forest, he saw her light on for nearly the whole night. At times, she left her curtains open and he could see her pacing around, her brow furrowed. He saw that she, Sean and Mae often met up with the woman with the purple hair - Cara. The four of them seemingly deep in discussion.

It was strange, but he wasn't sure how to ask her about it. If he did it directly, she would know he had been watching her. And he was still trying to figure out how to tell her that he was a wolf and about the imprint. Granted it wasn't like he had a lot of opportunities. This was the first time they met up since he stayed over on the weekend.

"Okay, this one," Roisin said, finally sliding a DVD into the player and then walking over to sit next to him.

He slung his arm around her as she settled in, leaning her head on his shoulder. He looked down, studying her. While she was seemingly calm right now, he could tell she was upset. Worried. He just wasn't sure if it was because her friend was missing or if it was something more.

"What?" she asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly, his brow furrowed. Roisin frowned and looked back at the TV.

"I'm hanging in there. Talked to Tara's parents again today. They said the police still haven't found anything," she replied. "They're wondering when to hold the memorial service."

She blinked rapidly as though she was trying not to cry. Paul turned slightly and pulled her into his arms.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay," he said softly.

"I just… I can't believe that she's gone…" she whispered. "Holding a memorial service… I don't want it to be real."

"I'm sorry," he said, his heart breaking for her. Of course this was all about Tara. Paul couldn't imagine losing any of his friends. Jared. Sam. Hell, he'd feel horrible if anything happened to anyone in the packs.

Maybe even Jacob.

"I just feel so useless," Roisin murmured.

"Hey," Paul said, pulling back from her. Her cheeks were now splotchy as tears poured down. "There's nothing you could do. It was a freak accident."

Roisin nodded and looked away, but not before he saw something in her eyes. Something that told him she didn't believe it was an accident. Along with a hint of guilt. He got a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Are you going back to school tomorrow?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Sean said we could take the rest of the week off," she replied, wiping her cheeks. "Probably for the best. I can't really focus on anything right now anyway."

Paul nodded, his thoughts going to the latest pack meeting. He had tried to sit through it, but ended up leaving early when he heard that Chief Swan had been trying to talk to Mae and Roisin, going as far as to go to the school. They had then somehow disappeared.

Thankfully, everyone agreed that Charlie shouldn't get anymore involved with questioning people and Jacob had him back off. But he was even more suspicious of the two after they had thwarted Charlie. And more convinced they were hiding something. Jacob had literally become a dog with a bone. Paul had even found him lurking around the house, though he ran off before he could confront him.

"It's going to be okay, Ro," he said again, feeling a bit helpless himself. He was doing everything he could to keep her safe, but he felt like it wasn't enough.

He needed to know what she did.

"Ro…" he started. She looked up at him. "Who are you running from?"

She frowned and looked away, her body stiffening.

"I don't see why you need to know that," she said.

"I know it's not related or anything, but… I know that you're upset and stressed out. I just… I want to help," he pleaded.

"I… shouldn't tell you," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"You can tell me," he pushed.

"There's nothing you can do," she then replied. "I told you - Sean and I have it covered."

"Still… I'm sure there's something I can-"

"Drop it, Paul. Please," she said, looking at him, begging him with her eyes. "I… if there comes a time when you need to know, I'll tell you. But for now, I don't want to talk about it."

Paul swallowed and nodded, the sinking feeling in his stomach again.

"Okay," he said. Roisin sighed and turned back to the TV. He glanced at her a few times and then took a deep breath.

Looked like he needed to finally come clean on his secret. He couldn't ask her to trust him if he wasn't going to fully trust her.

"Ro, there's something I need to tell you," he said, closing his eyes for a moment. He then opened them and looked over at her.

"What is it?" she asked, frowning slightly. Worry filled her eyes.

"I…"

"RO!" Mae's voice sounded through the door.

Paul sighed in frustration as Roisin all but bolted up and over to the door, opening it. Mae bounced in, a grin on her face.

"Everything is set for this- oh, hi, Paul," Mae said, her eyes widening as the smile faded slightly. "Sorry. Didn't know you were here." She turned to Roisin. "We'll talk later."

She then spun around and walked off as Roisin shut the door.

"What's going on?" Paul asked, getting the feeling that he wasn't supposed to hear that much. Roisin grimaced.

"Mae is throwing a party this weekend," she said with a groan as she walked over and sat next to him. "I think it's a horrible idea, but she won't take no for an answer."

Paul frowned as well, agreeing with Roisin's assessment. At least it looked like she didn't want to have it.

"And people are coming?" he asked, surprised. With Forks still reeling about the accident, it seemed extremely in bad taste.

"Apparently a lot of kids at school want to let off steam," she said, frowning. "And well… Mae is good at talking people into things. Especially stupid things." She sighed and shook her head. "It's a bad idea. But it's happening."

"Hey, you want me there?" he asked. Roisin looked over at him, her eyes wide. "I can come if you want me to."

Roisin nodded, smiling.

"Yea, I'd like that," she said softly.

"I can stay tonight if you want me to as well," he then said. He really didn't want to leave. Outside of looking out for her, he thought he might have a better chance at telling her the truth if he stayed.

She thought about it for a few moments and then nodded, her eyes meeting his.

"Yea, okay," she said softly. She then leaned her head on his shoulder, turning her eyes back to the TV. "Honestly, I just don't want to think about any of this anymore…"

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

"We don't have to talk about it anymore right now," he said softly.

"Thanks."

OOOO

Roisin crept out of the bedroom later that night after Paul had fallen asleep and went to the kitchen. She jumped slightly when she saw Sean sitting there, a glass of scotch in front of him. She then sighed and walked over, sitting next to him. She reached out and grabbed his glass, taking a sip.

"Paul asleep?" he asked. She nodded.

"Find anything new?" she asked. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Not about the fae, no. But something's been creeping around in the woods," he said. "Something not fae."

Roisin's eyes widened as she looked towards the windows, searching through the dark trying to see anything. Something not fae?

"How do you know?" she asked, looking back at him.

"Saw some prints. It's an animal, but… it's bigger than a normal animal should be," he said. "Maybe a wolf…"

"Giant wolves? In the woods here?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Why?"

He shrugged and took a drink of his scotch.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe they just have big wolves here."

"You don't think that it's something else, do you?" she asked. "I mean… I've heard about werewolves… You think there are werewolves here?" Again, Sean shrugged.

"Could be. But I doubt it. We'd have more reports about people going missing on full moons. They're brutal and have zero humanity when they shift," he said, staring at the glass.

"Have you… have you seen one?" she asked. Sean glanced at her and then back at the glass.

"Cathal was obsessed with them. Before I left, he liked to put together spectacles, as he called them. Wait until they shifted and then put them in a cage with a human. Then let the bloodbath go on," he said. "It didn't last all that long. Sometimes he'd pit them against each other."

"Oh my goddess," Roisin uttered, her eyes wide in shock. Sean took another drink.

"He would leave them in there. And when they shifted back and saw what they did… some of them couldn't handle it," he said, his expression hardening. "Granted that was the least of what he did…"

Roisin reached over and took his hand, squeezing it. Sean looked over at her, smiling slightly.

"Good news - you never have to go back," she replied. He nodded, squeezing her hand in return. "So you don't think it's a werewolf?"

"No. But definitely think there are large wolves running around," he replied. "Be careful if you go out there. They're likely powerful. Might not kill you, but could get in a good bite. Definitely maim you a bit."

"I'll be careful," she said with a sigh. She reached for his glass, taking another drink. Sean stared at her a few moments and then shook his head.

"Look, I like Paul, but… Ro… you really need to think about this," he said. Roisin frowned.

"He asked again tonight. I didn't tell him," she replied.

And while she didn't want to cut him out of her life, she knew he wasn't going to give up. Sure he stopped tonight, but he wasn't going to in the future. He would ask again and she couldn't let him know. They never let mortals know the truth about them.

"He's going to ask again," Sean said.

"I know," Roisin replied.

"You need to cut him loose, Ro," Sean said with a sigh. "Regardless, you know we're going to have to leave when this is all over with. As much as you want to, we can't stay here."

Roisin frowned as she looked over at him, her heart clenching. She didn't want to leave Paul. And had decided she wanted to stay with him as long as she could even though she didn't completely understand why she was so attached so fast. Well, no, she supposed part of it was just fae nature - jumping headfirst into something. But then she would move on to something else just as quickly. However, this was still different. She didn't want to move on to someone else. And she didn't understand why that was or how she knew it.

"And I worry about you. You're far more into him than you've ever been into… anyone," he continued. "We need to stay focused."

"Yea," she said, reaching for his glass again, finishing it off. Sean didn't say anything as he refilled it. "I just… I can't. And I don't understand why." She looked up at him, his dark blue eyes full of sympathy. "I can't… I don't want to leave him. It makes no sense, but I… I feel this connection with him. And… I want to tell him everything."

"You can't do that, Ro," Sean said softly. "It's too dangerous - for both of you. And like I said we can't stay here. We're already drawing too much attention. Are you ready to drag him around the world with you? Away from everything he's known? What's more, what happens when enough time passes?"

Roisin didn't respond, just took another drink. It was true. Paul didn't deserve that kind of life. And that was if he accepted that she was fae. Not to mention, he would continue to age and get older while she would never change. A sudden heavy blanket of melancholy fell over her. How would she live without him?

"And he's a distraction. We need to be focusing on what's going on," he said. "And figuring out the prophecy."

"I know," she said harshly. She tightly gripped the glass. "I'll… I'll take care of it. After the party."

"Okay," he said, standing. "Don't stay up all night worrying."

"I won't," she replied.

She sat there, slowly working her way through another glass, thinking everything over. She knew that she needed to let Paul go. But she didn't want to. Never had she thought that she could feel this way about anyone. Not after what had happened. Not after she lost her trust for just about everyone, save Mae. Sean had helped her to rebuild the ability to trust again. And then she had met Paul.

A mortal that she had a near instantaneous connection to. That she wanted to be around all the time. She didn't understand any of it. Why this would happen now. And why it would be with a mortal.

She then allowed her thoughts to wander and they once again came to the damn prophecy that ruined everything. The goddesses didn't like to mess around with shit most of the time. They were content to just let the fae be and do their own thing. But every once in a while they would pop up just to screw with things. And one of them decided to pop down a thousand years ago to deliver a prophecy that everyone would forget about until the day she was born.

"A child of summer shall be born on the most sacred of days and through her power, shall there be peace. Worlds once broken, shall be reunited and under her reign shall they prosper," Roisin murmured, long ago committing it to memory. "Thanks a lot."

She then downed the rest of her drink and stood, making her way across the living room and slipping back into her room. She stopped for a moment, watching Paul as he slept. He was on his back, the comforter pushed down to his waist and his chest bare. His head was turned towards her side of the bed as one arm was tossed back over his head.

She then quietly walked over and crawled back into bed. She settled her head on his shoulder and immediately he pulled her closer in his sleep. Roisin kissed his cheek before closing her eyes.

She knew that she needed to break things off, but she seriously didn't want to. She prayed that something would allow her to stay.

OOOO

Paul listened as Roisin's breathing evened out, signaling that she had fallen asleep. Only then did he open his eyes and looked down at her. He reached out and smoothed her hair away from her face. In sleep, she looked peaceful. As though she didn't have a care in the world.

He wished she could always be like this.

When he woke up and found the bed empty, he looked towards the bathroom, but found the door open and the inside dark. He then got up and opened the door, hearing voices from the kitchen.

He struggled with himself, not wanting to betray her trust, but he needed to know what secrets Roisin was keeping from him. It was the only way he could help her.

"Look, I like Paul, but… Ro… you really need to think about this," he heard Sean say. Paul stopped, his eyes widening.

"He asked again tonight. I didn't tell him," she replied.

"He's going to ask again," Sean said.

"I know," Roisin replied.

"You need to cut him loose, Ro," Sean said with a sigh. "Regardless, you know we're going to have to leave when this is all over with. We can't stay here... And I worry about you. You're far more into him than you've ever been into… anyone… We need to stay focused."

Paul felt his heart clench. They were planning to leave again. And Sean didn't want him to come with them. Paul knew that he couldn't live like that. He couldn't be away from her.

"Yea," she said. "I just… I can't. And I don't understand why. I can't… I don't want to leave him. It makes no sense, but I… I feel this connection with him. And… I want to tell him everything."

"You can't do that, Ro," Sean said softly. "It's too dangerous - for both of you. And we can't stay here. Are you ready to drag him around the world with you? What's more, what happens when enough time passes?"

Fear coursed through Paul for Roisin. He finally had confirmation that whatever she was running from, it was dangerous. She needed his protection more than he thought. And they were hiding far more from him than he had thought. What did Sean mean by time passing?

"And he's a distraction. We need to be focusing on what's going on," Sean continued. "And figuring out the prophecy."

"I know," she said harshly. "I'll… I'll take care of it. After the party."

"Okay," Sean said over the sound of a stool scraping across the floor. "Don't stay up all night worrying."

Paul turned and quickly made his back to the room before Sean caught him. He then crawled back into the bed, his mind whirling. There was no way he could go back to sleep now.

Roisin was in danger, that was clear. And Sean thought that Paul and Roisin couldn't be together. And apparently there was some sort of prophecy that involved her. What did all of this mean? Was Roisin even human? What was she running from?

This just got a whole lot stranger.

But one thought broke out over the others. He needed to protect Roisin. And he needed to tell her the truth. He wasn't about to let anything happen to her.

OOOO

The next morning, Roisin woke up to find the bed empty. She looked around and didn't see Paul in the bathroom. She then got up and made her way to the kitchen, finding Paul there in front of the stove. He looked over at her and smiled, dressed in a pair of sweatpants. She wasn't sure where he got them - he hadn't brought a bag that she saw and she knew there was no way he would fit in any of Sean's things. Maybe he had a change of clothes in his truck?

"Morning," he said, turning back to the stove.

"You cook," she said, pleasantly surprised as she sat down and reached for a pitcher of orange juice, pouring it into a waiting glass.

"Yea, I can do stuff," he replied with a chuckle. "Had to learn. Dad and I take turns."

"Right," she said, remembering that his mother had died when he was young. Goddess, he had to grow up really fast. Her heart went out to him.

And then her stomach dropped, thinking how eventually she was going to have to disappear from his life as well.

It'll be fine. Mortals have short memories. He'll find someone else and will be happy, she told herself. After some time, he won't even remember you…

But the thought didn't comfort her at all.

He then turned and walked over to the island, shoveling a bunch of scrambled eggs onto her plate and then some onto one next to it. He turned and put the pan back on the stove as Roisin took in the spread. There was ham and bacon, sliced tomatoes, biscuits, cut fruit, butter, jam. Basically way more food that the two of them could possibly eat - or well, he could put away a lot of food now that she thought about it.

And he must have gotten up really early to make all this.

She picked up a fork and took a bite of eggs, looking over as Paul walked around and sat next to her. He smiled and then dug in.

"You really have this cooking thing down," she commented. Paul shrugged.

"Again, someone had to do it. Dad did eventually get better," he said. Roisin nodded and continued to eat, trying not to think about what she was going to have to do.

She always knew their relationship would have an expiration date, she just didn't think it would be this soon. She had two days. Only two days. Goddess, she didn't even know how she was going to do this. Or how she was supposed to focus on smoking out this fae when she was constantly thinking about Paul. Maybe Sean had a point about being distracted.

"So… I was thinking…"

"Can you stay here the rest of the week?" Roisin asked abruptly, cutting him off.

Paul's eyes widened slightly, as though he wasn't expecting her to ask him that. Honestly, she was surprised herself. But if she only had a few days with this, then she wanted him close all the time.

"Uh… yea. Sure. I mean, I have to go to work and I need to fit in some homework at some time," he said, starting to smile. Roisin returned it and went back to eating.

"Oh, what was it you were thinking?" she asked, looking over at him.

"Nothing. Later," he said. Roisin nodded. "So… what are you planning to do today? I need to get to work in a bit."

"Just catching up on homework, I guess," she replied.

"Okay. I'll stop by and get some things after work and then I'll be back," he said.

"Sounds good…"

They continued on talking about mundane things throughout breakfast and were doing the dishes when Sean and Mae finally appeared. Paul then kissed her on the cheek and went to take a shower.

"He's staying. You sure that's a good idea, Ro?" Sean asked.

"I have a couple days left with him. Let me have that, at least," she said, frowning at him. He studied her a moment and then nodded.

"Okay. We should go out and sniff around while he's at work," he then said, going to grab a plate.

"Okay," she said.

She couldn't even think that this would be okay, because she knew that was a lie. It was going to be anything but.

OOOO

So, yea. Decided since we're pretty much almost there, I would post up to where everyone finds out about everyone. And then I won't post until I get a few more chapters written. Guys, you have no idea how hard it is to write some of the fae dialogue at times… That whole no lying thing is seriously kicking me in the butt hardcore. But at the same time, it's a good challenge as a writer. Coming up with ways to play with the truth and skirt around it. Definitely had some fun with an upcoming chapter where we meet the king of the Shadow Court. I'm seriously happy with what I've done with him…

Anywho, thanks for reading and following! Stay tuned for the next chapter… where everything is going to start kicking off majorly…