Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and all recognizable characters and situations contained therein. All original content contained in this story is property of the author. Story is rated M and chapters may contain graphic language, violent content, mild to moderate drug use, descriptions of domestic violence, and sexual situations.

A/N: I just want to add a note here to remind everyone that this is a Paul story, even though there will be a Bella POV in this chapter her POV's are going to be few and far between because this is a Paul centric fic.

**Time skip Thursday June 28th, Night before the Fight**

The last 24 hours before a fight are rough, by that point you've trained pretty much all you can train, you've made whatever weight you're going to make, and you're just in that place between dread and longing, dreading the thought that you may lose, longing for the spoils that come with winning. Overall though, those 24 hours before a fight are like the calm before the storm, the lazy haze of summer before fireworks rend the night sky.

I don't like doing the pre-fight interviews, trading barbs with the opposition isn't really my style. Don't get me wrong, I can trade fighting words with the best of them, it's just that, if I'm gonna hit a man, I'd rather hit him with my fists in the ring, than with my words in an interview.

Unfortunately for me though Boxing is a sport with a following like every other sport, and young heavyweights going for their first belt was a big story. Which is how I find myself in the offices of the ShoWare Center in Seattle sitting at a table with my Dad to my left, Sam to my right, a mic in my face and a small crowd of sports reporters seated in chairs in front of me. Cullen is at another table a few feet to my left, his trainer, and his father(who's also chief of his medical staff) on either side of him.

The moderator starts everything off, "Good evening everyone! My name is Dan Haden, I represent the North Western Regional Boxing Association. The two gentleman on either side of me are the top two contenders in the North Western region, and in just 24 hours they are going to be going toe to toe for the North Western Heavyweight Championship belt. I'll open the floor now to the news media for questions."

He points to a reporter, "yes, you go ahead"

The reporter identifies himself, "Jack Grady, Port Angeles Daily News. This question is for both men. This fight is sort of the 'subway series' of the boxing world right now, Mr. Dixon was born and raised in La Push, Mr. Cullen in Forks. Do the two of you feel that you are fighting for hometown glory?"

Jumping on the glaring error, I reply, "See, you're wrong about that. Mr. Cullen was not born and raised in Forks. His parents have a summer estate in the town, and from what I hear, his fiancé is a hometown girl, but Mr. Cullen himself was born and raised down in Los Angeles. However as to your actual question, yes, I do feel that I'm fighting for hometown glory. I was raised in La Push, I still live in LaPush, I'm involved in my community, I give back to my community, and I am proud of my roots and where I come from. I want to help my community to prosper, and flourish. So yes Mr. Grady, I am fighting for hometown glory."

Mr. Haden remarks, "Mr. Cullen? Anything to add?"

Cullen smiles, but it's more of a smirk, "I may not have been born and raised in Forks, but it is my home, and yes, I am fighting for hometown glory, but I'm also fighting because I deserve this title shot. I'm the one who worked my ass off day in and day out, and I'm the one who made the sacrifices. So am I fighting for hometown glory? Yeah, a little, but for the most part I'm fighting for me, and my family, and also to pay off the wedding of my girls' dreams."

There's the usual laughter, and another reporter asks, "Mr. Cullen, ESPN2 picked up an article in the Forks' Chronicle. Do you have any comment to the people who are saying that it's little more than a smear piece that your camp paid for?"

Cullen's father jumps on this, "My son doesn't have to pay for Mr. Dixon to get bad press. From what I've heard that one girl is only one of hundreds."

Emmett smirks, before giving me a challenging look, and asking, "What does Mr. Dixon have to say to that?"

I let the glint into my eye, and the predatory smile onto my face as I lean down to the mic, "I say that your camp can go ahead and dig up whatever you want to dig up. You can pay however many girls to do interviews as you want. At the end of the day though, in 24 hours you're getting in the ring with Paul 'Dire' Dixon, and at the end of those 12 rounds I'm the one who's gunna have that gold around my waist."

The moderator picks another reporter, "Paul, do you feel that with your father in your corner that you have an advantage?"

My dad grins at me, as I reply, "Hell yeah I feel that I have an advantage. My dad was a professionally trained fighter cut down in the prime of his career! I have the benefit of all of his experience, and lets not forget that my dad left the game undefeated."

Mr. Haden follows it up, "Paul Dixon Sr. was a legend in his own time, that fact at least is indisputable."

Dad gives him an appreciative nod, while another reporter says, "I think most people would say that you guys are pretty evenly matched, still, Vegas has Dire listed as the 5 to 1 favorite. How do you feel about those odds, Mr. Cullen?"

Cullen's face goes from smiling to intense and angry, and the sneer in his voice comes out loud and clear, "Personally, I think Vegas is full of shit! They're putting Dixon on at 5 to 1 solely because of who his daddy is. Well tomorrow night, when the ref is raising my hand in victory, everyone's gunna see that dynasties are dead, and bloodlines don't mean shit!"

Laughing, I shake my head, my dad claps his hand on my shoulder as Mr. Haden brings the interview to a close, "Thank you gentleman, may the best man win tomorrow night."

The room clears out and pretty soon it's just me, Sam, my Dad, and the guys from the sponsors office and Cullen's camp left in the room. Dad squeezes my shoulder, "Let's get a move on, Son."

As we get to the door I open it and go to step through and just miss knocking over a woman on her way into the room. I sidestep quickly, "Sorry, excuse me."

The woman, more of a girl really, smiles at me, her warm brown eyes are friendly and open, and they captivate me as she says, "My fault. Sorry."

I'm about to reply, when Cullen appears in the doorway, "Babe!"

She turns and runs into his arms, Cullen kisses her deeply, running his hands over her body, before pulling back, and telling her, "Come on honey, Dad's inside still."

She smiles at me again, before turning and following Cullen through the door.

I'm snapped out of my daze by Sam's hand in my face, and his voice yelling in my ear, "Paul! Let's go man!"

Shaking my head a little I turn and follow Sam out of the building where my Dad is waiting, "Well, let's get out of here."

**Time skip the next evening, 20 minutes before fight**

I can hear the crowd in the stadium, feet pounding as they make their way to their seats, voices raised in excitement, waiting for the bout. Sam looks scared as he sits on the bench across from me, wrapping my hands with sweat on his forehead.

He messes up the wrap and my dad pushes him, "Go on! Sammy you need to sack up, get your head in the damn game! Let me finish this. You go get everything we need to take to ringside ready."

Sam looks at me apologetically and goes to do what Dad told him to. Dad sits down on the bench across from me, a fine sheen of sweat coating his forehead, he grabs a fresh wrap and starts wrapping my hands from scratch "How you feelin Pauly?"

Smiling at him, I reply, "I'm okay Pop, you know as soon as we get the wrap done and I can get moving I'll be fine."

He smiles back, "I know. You're a good boy Pauly, I want you to know, no matter how this goes tonight. I'm proud of you."

He wraps the fabric around my knuckles, I clench my fists even though I know that my dad has done this for me hundreds of times, he knows the tension I need better than I do myself.

Bringing the tape down and back up between my fingers he brings it down to my wrist again wrapping it around securely and fastening the Velcro strap. Grabbing my other hand he repeats the process quickly and efficiently before smacking my hands lightly, "Alright, you're all set."

Getting up I let the adrenaline flow through me, working off of the nerves until all I feel is ready.

There's a knock on the door, Dad gives me one last long look, and nods, "You're ready."

I put my robe on, I had chosen my ring gear to represent the flag of my people, blue trunks representing the ocean that gave life to my people, gold accents for the predominant color of the flag, a light gold robe for the same reason, with my name on it in dark green almost black script representing the trees from which my forefathers made the canoes that they used for whaling.

Sam grabs my corner bag, and we head into the hall where the rest of my guys are waiting. Being the favored fighter means I walk out to the ring after Cullen does, meaning he's already out there. Waiting.

**Bella POV**

My future father in law, Carlisle Cullen, leads my father and I up a stair case, he nods at the ticket taker at the door of the skybox and opens the door, gesturing for Dad and I to go ahead of him.

We go into the room, a huge black leather couch is in front of the glass window, dominating the space above the window is a large flat screen TV, there are smaller televisions all over the room, as well as small groups of black leather chairs.

In the area when we first walk in there are tables set with all kinds of Hors d'oeuvres, and another filled with bottles of Champagne and assorted beers on ice. Carlisle pops the cork on a bottle of Champagne, and pours a glass. He hands it to me, and Dad intercepts it, "I would prefer it if you didn't give my underage child alcohol right in front of me."

Carlisle's eyes go dark, but his smile stays in place, "Come now Charlie! The girl is going to be 19 years old in a matter of months! She's an engaged woman for goodness sake!"

Dad's smile does not stay in place and I wish that I could disappear as he replies, "Be that as it may Carlisle, I'm a Police Chief, Bella is my daughter, and I do not condone letting her drink alcohol underage. She is my child and maybe you need to remember that I make the rules regarding her."

Carlisle's face goes carefully blank, "Very well then, there are soda's in the cooler by the table Bella."

Nodding, I go over to the cooler and grab a can of cola before going to sit on the couch. Looking through the glass I watch people filing into the arena, the ring in the center is stark white, the ropes around it are red and blue, the corners empty of their competitors, waiting.

My dad comes and sits down next to me, "How you doin Kiddo?"

I take a sip of my soda, "I'm okay, worried I guess. They put the other guy in as a 5 to 1 favorite Dad. What if Em gets hurt?"

Dad shrugs his shoulder a little, he puts an arm around my shoulders and talks to me in a soothing tone, "He's trained for this Bells, but chances are even if he wins he's gunna be hurting. This is the path he's chosen though honey. All you can do is support him win or lose."

Carlisle cuts in, the edge clear in his voice, "Win or lose? Sorry to contradict you Chief, but my boy doesn't lose. Now, I have to get down there. Esme and the children will be joining you sometime before the fight."

I wave to him, "See you afterwards Carlisle."

He nods and heads out the door, thankfully leaving Dad and I alone for the moment. Dad looks at me, shaking his head slightly, "Bella you know I like Emmett. He's a decent guy who makes you happy. It's so hard to see how he came from that man though."

I shrug, "You know he's adopted Dad, and Carlisle isn't so bad if you give him a chance."

Dad shrugs back, "Bells you know I've tried. The man is a smug, arrogant, self important jackass!"

Dad stares out the glass, brooding as he drinks his beer. He sees something and perks up, "Oh! Look Bells, Billy and Jake are here!"

I follow his gaze and see that he's indeed correct, my Uncle Billy, and his son who used to be a good friend of mine, Jake Black are here. Looking around I realize that it looks like the whole Quileute nation is in attendance, "Dad, what did the whole town of La Push come out?"

Dad shrugs, "That's what it looks like, Honey. You have to remember, Paul Dixon is one of their own. From what Billy tells me he's done a lot for the Reservation with his winnings. He's a good man, never forgot where he came from, still lives down in La Push even though he could afford to move to the city and leave it behind."

Nodding I reply half thinking, "Em is from Los Angeles…"

Dad snorts a bit, but any comment he would have made is cut off by the door opening. Emmett's mother Esme Cullen and his younger twin siblings Alice and Edward come through the door. I sigh internally, as much as I love Emmett, his family and I have always been on opposite sides of the spectrum.

Carlisle is Carlisle, and honestly my dad had the accurate measure of the man. Esme was a loving mother from what Emmett told me, but she could be very cold and she had decided from the outset that she didn't approve of her eldest marrying what she termed a hick from Forks. The twins were much the same as their parents, I was just happy it didn't seem that Edward had brought his girlfriend Rosalie who was a nasty bitch all on her own.

Alice's boyfriend Jasper was Rosalie's brother but the two could not be more different. They were from LA by way of Texas, though it seemed to me that Jasper got all the Southern Charm, either way neither of them were here and that was fine by me.

Esme looks at my dad and I and even I can see the disdain in her eyes, the sugar in her voice faker than aspartame as she exclaims, "Bella! Darling how nice to see you! Chief Swan you look well."

Dad half smiles, "Thank you Esme, you look great, I'm glad to see you aren't worrying yourself about Emmett in the fight tonight."

She smiles but her eyes are like ice, hard and cold as she laughingly replies, "Boys will be boys Chief Swan. He's trained very hard for this, I'm sure he's going to make us all proud."

The background on the TV's goes blank and Esme takes a seat on one of the chairs as she says, "Oh good! It looks like we're starting."

The crowd below is strangely silent as I hear Emmett's entrance theme come on the speakers, tuning out the music I watch the entrance way waiting for my man to appear.

Finally there's a small amount of fireworks and there he is, wearing a black robe over bright gold trunks, the hood is up, covering his face, he looks intense as he walks to the ring. Hardly anyone cheers, there are boos, and I hear Esme in the background becoming angry with the crowd.

Dad holds my hand as tears sting my eyes, I whisper to him, "Why do they hate him?"

He squeezes my hand, "they don't hate him honey, but this is a hometown crowd for Dixon, I remember Billy telling me he had paid for busses to bring people out, he paid for tickets for the majority of the Res. It's not that they hate Emmett honey, it's just that this is Dixon's home crowd."

Sighing, I slump against my dad, worried again. Em had told me not to worry, not to believe the other fighters' hype, he was in fantastic shape, he had muscles on muscles for cryin out loud. It seemed to me that there was no way he could lose. Then I had gone to meet him at the press conference, the other guy coming out of the room had almost knocked me over, his height and his build were somehow more intimidating than Emmett had ever seemed to me, but he had seemed very nice when he apologized, I had smiled and said it was my fault.

Emmett had called me then so I had gone over to him. He had hugged me so tight, and kissed me so deeply it felt like he was claiming me. I had felt his hands over my hips, going down to my butt. He knew that I didn't particularly like public displays of affection so I wasn't totally sure why he was doing this in front of this other man, but I didn't want to embarrass him so I just kissed him back and did my best to pretend like we were alone.

Later, when we got back to his house he had told me that the other man was his opponent and that he was a notorious womanizer and that he hadn't wanted him to get any ideas about me. He apologized for making me uncomfortable, but thanked me for going along.

I'm dragged out of my thoughts by the roar of the crowd, cheering for their hometown hero. For the second time I'm in awe of the size of the man, it's not that he's even that much bigger than Emmett, but his presence seems darker somehow to me. Maybe it's just the things that Em had told me about him. Even standing at the top of the ramp as far away from the skybox as he could possibly get he seems larger than life.

The song goes from traditional sounding drums to a rock song that I recognize from the band Nonpoint called Miracle, and Dixon and his entourage finally start to make their way down the ramp to the ring.

The TV on top of the glass is now following him as he climbs into the ring, the camera pans to Em's corner where Jasper's Uncle Peter who is also Em's trainer is in his face giving him a harsh pep talk.

The crowd is still cheering full tilt as the announcer steps into the ring. Finally the cheering goes down to a dull roar as the announcer starts talking, "Tonight we have a great fight for you! This bout is for the vacated North Western Heavyweight Championship! These men have worked long and hard so lets give them the introductions they deserve! Fighting out of the Red corner at a weight of 270 lbs, standing at 6'3, hailing from Los Angeles, California: Emmett 'The Crusher' Cullen!"

A chorus of boos sounds with only a small section of cheers, I can hear Esme in the background letting out a litany of curses in Spanish. I don't speak the language but I know that she's cursing because it's the only time that she speaks her native tongue. I guess in her mind as long as no one around her understands what she's saying she is still a well bred lady.

My heart sinks as the announcer continues, "And fighting out of the Blue corner, at a weight of 285 lbs, standing at 6'5, and hailing from just down the road in La Push, Washington…"

As he says La Push the majority of the crowd screams it with him drowning him out for a moment before he continues, "A proud member of the Quileute nation, Paul 'DIIIIIIIIIRE' Dixon!"

The place almost literally erupts, the crowd is screaming, stomping their feet, and clapping all at once for this man and he throws his arms up soaking it in. I turn my face into my dad's chest, as he strokes my hair, "It's okay Bells."

I look up at his face, tears in my eyes, "How does he even stand a chance Daddy? Listen to that crowd!"

Dad soothes me, "Bella the crowd doesn't decide the fight, Emmett knows what he's fighting for, he knows who he's fighting for! He's not going to let this crowd intimidate him. He'll do the best he can baby girl."

Doing my best to concentrate on Em's form and tune out the commentary I watch as they go to the middle of the ring, the ref comes out and goes through the rules, I can't pay attention to what they're saying, all I can do is watch him.

The fighters go to their corners, I watch as Peter puts a mouth guard in Em's mouth, he grips his head and talks to him close, telling him God only knows what. Finally he slips out of the ring, Emmett scans the boxes, and I stand up without thinking. He spots me, and points to me before punching his chest lightly over his heart and pointing back at me again. His smile with the guard in isn't the same but it reassures me some, and I do my best to smile back at him as I blow him a kiss and sit back down.

The bell rings and he goes into the ring his fists up meeting the other man in the middle. They circle each other, bobbing, and weaving, dancing around each other it seems until finally his opponent, Dixon, has had enough. He comes in with a sharp punch to Em's side and I see Em flinch as he absorbs the blow.

Dixon follows it up with a flurry of body shots and I can't help the little shriek that escapes my mouth as I watch my fiancé taking hit after hit. He looks surprised, like he didn't know what was coming, but then the mad takes over.

Em comes back with a punch to Dixon's head, a sharp blow that connects, it barely phases Dixon, he shakes it off like it was nothing. Em continues to throw his punches, head, body, body, head, head. With every punch his opponent takes the crowd boos, with every punch Dixon evades they cheer.

I hold my hands over my eyes, peeking through the barest crack between my fingers. Esme is yelling curses in English now, her ladylike behavior a thing of the past, the twins look bored, Edward has headphones in his ears, Alice has her cell phone in her hands and is texting.

Emmett has started evading Dixon, circling him, I think that he's gaining the upper hand until Dixon lets loose a torrent of blows to his midsection, just when I think that I can't stand it anymore the bell rings signaling the end of the round.

**Paul POV**

The bell rings and I immediately stop my blows and retreat to my corner, Sam squirts water into my mouth, I swallow the barest amount of it, swishing the rest around and spitting it in the bucket that he holds in front of me.

Dad grabs my face, looking in my eyes as he points to the other corner, "This guy is not a JOKE Pauly! Stop takin it easy on him! I want to see you hitting, use your fists! You got that round easily but it's still early! Stay on the attack!"

Nodding I feel the adrenaline building as the bell rings and I leap off the stool. Crossing to the middle of the ring I meet Cullen and the dance begins again, he wants to circle, but I'm not playing his game anymore.

He's protecting his face, dumb ass pretty boy leaving his body wide open, I jab him with a left, right, right, right, left. He comes in and goes for a right hook to the face which I dodge and he turns into a hold. Holding, in the second freaking round, did this guy train for this fight at all?

Shoving him off me I break the hold, taking the opportunity to punch him in the face, a quick jab to the face that knocks him back, and again opens him up for the body shots that are quickly taking a toll on his stamina.

Maneuvering him I work him back towards the ropes, alternating now between body and head shots. I get him to the ropes and I'm almost relieved when he comes back, throwing a good solid punch to my gut, backing me up a little. He throws a loping right at my head and it hits me to the side of my eyebrow.

I feel the skin split, blood trickles down my face. The idiot has the nerve to give me a big cheesy grin, it incenses me, he has the nerve to fucking gloat about landing one hit? I manhandled him for almost an entire round!

Gritting my teeth, I come back with a hard right and connect solidly with his left eye, dazing him. The bell rings and I immediately go back to my corner. My Uncle Josh, Sam's father, is my cut man.

He puts a cold towel on my eyebrow, decreasing the blood flow, and follows it with a cotton ball soaked in epinephrine pushing it hard applying pressure to the wound to staunch the flow of blood.

Sam gives me another squirt of water, as my Dad comes into my face, "Pauly lets get this done, that guy is on the ropes. He's landed one lucky shot in 2 rounds. Don't let him get another one!"

Uncle Josh applies a small stream of a coagulant from a medical syringe without the needle tip into the cut, and finally puts a smear of petroleum jelly to protect the skin.

I've been swishing the water around in my mouth while this has been going on, and finally I spit it into the bucket that Sam has been holding while I nod at my dad. He's right, Cullen is ripe for a third round knockout, and I'm the one who's gunna give it to him.

The cut on my eyebrow stings, but I still feel good, still feel strong. Sneaking a peak over at Cullen's corner I see him huffing and puffing while his trainer yells in his face. His father is pressing an enswell, a flat piece of metal that has been kept on ice, against his swollen and bruising eye, and also yelling in his face.

I almost feel bad for him, his trainer needs to find a real cut man, get his father out of there. The man is undermining the trainers authority, and I can hear him from here giving contradictory instructions.

Sam gives me one more squirt of water, I repeat the swish, and spit just as the bell rings. Cullen comes out swinging this time, unfortunately for him he's swinging like a foot away from me. Moving in I take advantage of his fatigue, and hit him with a square shot full on right to the face.

His head snaps back, blood sprays through the air. I can tell his nose is broken, and when he continues to go back I know that I've won. Cullen drops to the mat with a thud, the ref is counting, "1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10!"

Just like that the fight is over. I raise my arms over my head in victory, the bell rings, the crowd goes insane, Sam, Uncle Josh, and my Dad are in the ring shouting. Dad pulls me into his arms whispering into my ear, "You did it Pauly! You did it!"

I squeeze him, whispering back, "Nah Dad, we did it!"

Dropping the embrace, the crowd is still going nuts, and the ref takes my arm raising it in victory as the official from the North Western Regional Boxing Association brings the belt into the ring.

I can feel the grin on my face, powerful enough to light up a city block, the official hands me the belt. I stare at it, taking it in, it's a wide swath of blue leather with a gold plating on it, the placard for the name is empty, that's something that will get taken care of by the Association tomorrow I would guess.

I raise it above my head, turning as the crowd gets somehow louder, giving everyone the opportunity to see it. A reporter comes up to me, "Dire! Dire how do you feel?"

Laughing I reply, "How do you think I feel man! I feel freaking amazing! I want to thank my Dad, Dad without your guidance I wouldn't be here today! I want to thank everyone who works in my corner, Sam, my best friend, Uncle Josh, my Cut Man, we're a team and I couldn't have done it without them! Most of all I want to thank the entire community of LA PUSH! They all took the time to come out, to cheer for me…"

I'm cut off as the crowd reaches a level that is absolutely deafening, as they alternate chanting my name and La Push. The reporter looks absolutely stunned, and as they calm down slightly he says to me, "Damn this is really your crowd!"

The grin that has not left my face since Cullen hit the mat goes wider if possible, and I reply, "Well I'm their fighter so it works both ways! Thank you, everybody! I love you all! This is for La Push, and all the Quileute!"

The crowd reaches deafening status again and the reporter thanks me for my time before going to check in with Cullen's camp. His trainer has him propped up in the corner, his father is screaming in his face, and I honestly feel bad for the man, everyone deserves a dad who supports them, not tears them down lower at their lowest point.

Sam grabs my arm, "Lets get the fuck out of here and CELEBRATE man!"

That sounds good to me. Lifting the belt over my head in celebration one last time I turn slowly in place letting the cheers wash over me, before going back to the corner, and making my way slowly back up the ramp.

Dad will take care of whatever needs to be taken care of, right now I just want to get a shower, change into some regular clothes, meet up with my boys, and party like it's going out of fucking style!