"Favorite decade?" Paul asked as he poured Elena another cup of coffee. They were outside at a cafe in San Francisco enjoying a beautiful sunny day. Elena wore a emerald green jumpsuit with a black moto jacket, her black boots were shiny despite the scuffs on the sides. Her hair was pulled up into a high messy ponytail with a strand or two in her face, her face clean of makeup and bags finally gone from her eyes. Paul had on a black T-shirt and a pair of dark wash jeans. He wore new work boots from Alice as a apology for putting Elena in danger with the Volturi. All injuries healed fully with next to no complications. They were finally getting their vacation, finally getting the time they needed to get to know each other outside of tense situations.
"Definitely the 70s. The fashion, the hair, the music, the drugs," Elena whispered the last part laughing. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so free and happy.
"Did you ever see Fleetwood Mac? Paul asked excited to learn about his imprint finally. He took a giant big out of the blueberry scone in front of him. All the food here had been so good and they only had arrived a few hours ago.
"I did! Three times, Stevie is a witch you know," Elena laid on the fun fact as she herself took a bit out of her avocado bacon toast. Her stomach was finally feeling full again after not eating for two weeks while tending to Paul.
"Shut up! She's literally my moms icon!" Paul knew his mom would love Elena. Even though she could never know the truth, she would know how special she is.
"She is indeed one of the supernatural world," Elena waved her fingers in the air before laughing. She paused to take in the scene around them. The busy people walking by, not caring about all the craziness that was out in the world. Enjoy their lives as they lived it day by day. Elena loved people watching, watching how each person was different. Some carefree and outgoing. Others closed off and nervous.
"Favorite member of the pack?" Elena asked with a smirk on her face as she saw a young child who looked like Seth running behind his mother. That boy drove her crazy but his heart was pure. He deserved all the good things in life.
"By far, Leah. She minds her business and just does what needs to be done. All the other guys are just idiots who whine all the time about something," Paul was quick to answer with a smile. Leah was hard to deal with at first due to her heartbroken mind but things eventually got better as time went on for them.
"Her and I didn't have much time to spend together. I really had no time with any of them other the you, Seth and Jacob," Elena made a note to herself about making sure she'd spend more time with the pack. Get to know them. Heal them. Protect them. Love them.
"Favorite place you've traveled?" Paul pulled Elena back in from her thoughts. Paul has never been out of La Push until today when he was woken up at six in the morning to his imprint telling him to get dressed. They waited another week in the house, making sure all injuries were completely healed before finally traveling.
"I've been everywhere I think but Japan is my favorite. The entirety of it. The people, the food, the culture. It's beautiful and looks like it can go forever when you're standing in a tall building," Elena hadn't been in years but desperately wanted to go back. But she knew things would be different now. No more traveling. No more moving everywhere. No more living out of a bag. She was bound to La Push forever, at least forever minus the vacations Paul could get without the pack knowing. Like today when Elena transported them to San Francisco for the day without telling the pack Paul was completely healed. This was more important to the both of them.
"We'll visit one day," Paul reassured her before taking some sips from his water. Magic had made his mouth dry still but he was happy for what Elena did, for saving him. He owed his life to her along with some vampires. If she could trust them then he could at least not be completely weary of the golden eyed ones.
"Were you excited when you became a wolf?" Elena was curious. All she had ever known was being a witch. Paul had a normal life at one point though. A life with other friends, no secrets and fun. She could picture him as a little boy playing on the beach carefree and happy with his parents. She could see him in high school at parties living it up, being the hit with all the females. She could see him laughing and cheering on the high school football games on Friday nights.
"I hated it at first. I was so angry. I tried to fight it. I didn't want to listen to Sam, I didn't want any responsibilities on my hands. But, after Sam convinced me to stop fighting it and realize that it was too late I had no choice. I was second in command and I knew my duties. I still hate it from time to time but now, if it wasn't for me phasing I would never have met you," Paul looked sincere as he gazed into Elenas eyes. He knew that if fate hadn't made his life hell for years then he would have never met the love of his life. She would have just came into town then left quietly. He probably would have trashed her house at some point for a joke with some of his dumbass high school buddies.
"What about you? Do you ever wish you weren't apart of this world?" Paul knew being a witch had perks but what were the cons to her.
"I think if I could just be human I would. I wanted the normal human life. The girlfriends, the boyfriends, the heartbreak, the school, the childhood. I don't want to live forever but I will. Unless someone does me in," she chuckled when she heard a growl from Paul's mouth. "I never wanted to travel everywhere alone and live from a bag. I'm not even sure if my mother is still alive. I never wanted to be a witch. But I am, I can't change that. I'm coming to terms with that finally," Elena finishes her coffee before checking her watch. It was nine in the morning and she knew they both needed to get back to La Push before someone realizes they aren't in the house or even in the area for that matter. Paul laid money on the table for the waitress before standing, holding a hand out for Elena to take.
"Come on, I want to show you one more thing before we go," she took his hand and hailed a cab from the street. She gave an address to which the driver asked if she was sure, she couldn't have been more sure. Paul didn't question, he was getting use to his imprints weird and cryptic side. They drove for only 20 minutes before pulling up to an old broken down house, the windows boarded up and the roof falling off. They both stepped out the cab and stood staring at the hazard.
"What is this?" Paul asked looking at a stray cat crawl underneath the house to its own home. Elena held out her hand for him to take and in a flash Paul was hit with memories. Elenas memories.
Her opening her eyes for the first time to see a bright light above her. Her crawling on the hardwood floors. Her running around the kitchen table from an old woman. Her eating an apple while studying a book, like the woman did next to her. Her reading romance novels under her covers with a blue light next to her. Her watching a boy out the window deliver mail day after day, wondering if he would ever look up into the window and notice her. Her watching two woman fight while she tried to block out the screams. Her watching an old woman die. Her writing spell after spell in her books. Her learning how to transport. Her learning how to conjure. Her learning how to protect. Her learning how to fight. Her learning how to not trust. Her packing a bag to leave. Her fighting with Paul's ancestors. Her traveling the world. Her looking into Paul's eyes for the first time.
"Now, you know a little bit more about me. This was once home," Elena stared at the falling building, wishing she could just snap her fingers and fix it. But the damage was done to it long before it started crumbling.
"You were born here," Paul was amazed by the memories this girl had in her head.
"I was. So was my mother and my grandmother. But once she died and we left that was it, it was no more," Elena held her voice as steady as possible. Trying to ignore the lump in her throat. Before Paul could talk anymore Elena grabbed his hand and transported them back to La Push, back to what was now home.