Hello! Here I come with another shot at this craziness. I hope to have some inspiration to continue The Locket. I will make sure to place a note in Red Moon when I do so :)

On that note, do you have any Jasper/Bella fics that you have read lately and would like to recommend me?

Stay safe, enjoy and review.

PACK SOULS

Chapter 21: The sweet artist.

It's been four years since the Cullens left. Bella was now 22 and finishing a career in psychology at Seattle University.

After the Cullens left, she was depressed and mostly kept to herself, but after six months passed, Jacob offered his hand in friendship and pulled her back into reality. She was sure she wouldn't have made it without Jacob's constant friendship. His steadfast presence and humor kept her sane through the most difficult moments after they abandoned her. When a year passed, Bella had healed enough to start seeing the Cullens leaving as a good thing.

With Jake's friendship came the friendship of the pack. She had a bit of a rough time adapting to such a large group, but they were nothing but patient with her. Paul, in particular. He confused her, enthralled her, and scared her, all at the same time, and she kept him at arm's length. However, his perseverance was a thing of beauty because he earned her trust, and they quickly developed a friendship that none of the wolves would ever be able to understand. None of them had the patience to wait for the girl they loved the way Paul was waiting for Bella.

It was during one of Bella's visits to her father that everything changed.

Paul offered his assistance as a babysitter so that Sam and Emily could have a night off. He loved his nephew, and it was time his parents got a break. So he thought it would be fun to look after him for a few hours while his parents had a well-deserved date night out.

"Are you sure?" Emily asked for the billionth time while walking to the door, already dressed up.

Paul kissed her cheek. "Go. I got this."

Emily and Sam thanked him again and walked off. Something that Emily and Sam noticed was that Paul was softer since his relationship/friendship with Bella started.

The baby was currently sleeping, but Sam had warned him to have some food ready because he was sure the toddler was close to waking up. He normally napped for three hours top.

So, Paul following his pack brother's advice decided to put together some food. He had cut some fruit, some veggies, and he even put chicken nuggets -Emily's pre-maid ones, not the shitty kind that was basically no chicken at all- in the oven, ready to be turned on when the kid showed his face.

He had everything ready. But after a while, there was too much silence, a suspicious kind of silence. Paul groaned and bolted off the sofa.

He went to the kid's bedroom and watched with horror the mural he had painted on one of his walls. It was, at best, an abstract depiction of his family.

But what horrified him the most was not only the mural but the paint that the toddler himself had in him. How could one little kid do such a thing in so little time? No, he followed the trail of toilet paper leading from the kid's little chubby feet to his parents' room.

He had thrown toilet paper literally fucking everywhere. He had conducted some sort of scientific experiment with the shampoo bottles and the baby powder. He could also smell perfume and see a half-emptied bottle of baby cologne on the floor—the evidence of his nephew's shenanigans.

He cursed under his breath, trying to figure out what to clean first. The kid or the disaster? Better start with the disaster so he could clean the kid later and keep an eye on him for the rest of his stay. Here goes nothing, he thought, hoping the kid didn't get into more trouble while he cleaned after him.

This kid was a menace!

When everything was cleaned up, he got to the kid, who had somehow grabbed a bottle of cream and decided it was fun enough to cover his entire body. Paul sighed; at least he'd managed to restrict the new disaster to himself. It was actually funny and harmless. His own mother had died when he was too young, and his dad was who knows where, so he'd basically raised himself, and he sure as hell had never done anything like this. He hoped to have a house where his children felt safe enough to be this adventurous.

He took the kid from his armpits and couldn't help but smile at the innocent look on his face.

"You're lucky you're cute, buddy."

But while the cream and any other substance were easily removed, the crayon was not. And so, in panic, he called the only person he could think of that would help—the person he was damned in love with but had no clue about it—his torment.

"Bella. I need your help."

While Paul waited for Bella to arrive, he entertained his nephew with stories and games.

"Paul?" Bella called once she arrived.

"That's aunty Bella." He informed the baby, who got up and made his way to the entrance.

"Well, hello there, little guy." She picked him up and settled his weight on her hips. "You sure have the soul of an artist, don't you?" The baby chortled and laughed and settled against her shoulder. "Where's your uncle Paul?" She asked needlessly, walking further inside the house, meeting Paul at Sam and Emily's bathroom.

Paul greeted her like she was a God-sent gift. Bella liked how he smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I'm sorry if I took you from anything important."

"No, nothing that couldn't be postponed." Bella would drop anything for Paul. He was that important to her. Her feelings for him had blossomed from friendship to love, but she didn't know how to bring up the subject, and he hadn't brought it up in a few months.

Together, they braved the bath and the experiments but decided to leave the mural to his parents. Paul was relieved to see that with a bit of scrubbing with soap and warm water, any proof of his shenanigans with paint and color went away.

…

…

Two hours later, they were sitting in the living room. The kid had fallen asleep on top of Paul's chest, and he looked hot and adorable at the same time. The toddler hadn't wanted to sleep in his crib, deciding that his uncle's arms were the best place to sleep. Probably, because they were as warm as his own daddy's arms, and the warmth reminded him of Sam.

Bella kept reminding herself that she still had a year of college to go through and couldn't apply to a practice internship while pregnant. It was hard, but she managed not to jump his bones.

However, she did decide that night that there was no denying it anymore. She was utterly and completely in love with Paul, and it was time she said something about it.

Later that night, when Sam and Emily arrived back and saw Bella, they immediately approached, worried that something had happened. Paul was a very responsible person, and he wouldn't neglect his promises to either his friend or his imprint. Sam knew how conflicting those emotions could be.

Sam's urgency was placated by Paul's easy stance. He wouldn't be at ease if his imprint were troubled.

"Bella? What are you doing here?" Emily greeted her with a smile.

"Long story." Bella greeted back.

"Are you ok?" Sam asked protectively.

Bella kissed his cheek. "I am. Don't worry."

This is why Bella was eternally grateful for the pack. They were a bunch of overprotective big and little brothers. They would tease her mercilessly, but at the slightest sign, they would show their claws and beat the crap of whoever hurt her. Kim and Emily had to rein in the guys from time to time when they were dating the wolves. Marrying them hadn't tamed them, though it had calmed them some. That was until Emily got pregnant. That was another level of overprotection, even if it had been sweet.

She had decided to stay relatively local for college. She wasn't feeling like traveling halfway across the country for college when she had a good university and a good program that she liked. Plus, and this is something only Emily knew; she wanted to stay close to Paul. For two years, she's been hopelessly melting for the guy, but she had never found the moment where she could simply kiss him silly and confess. She had never been truly ready until that night.

Paul had told her on her nineteenth birthday that he had imprinted on her. He was the sweetest ever. He'd said he had no expectations because he knew she probably wasn't ready for something more serious. But he was there for whatever she needed, and he would be content even if he only had her friendship.

And so, the most beautiful friendship blossomed. Paul was something Bella was never expecting. He was hot-headed and impulsive; he acted first and often got in trouble. But it was that that completed the deal for her. All of the wolves were unapologetically themselves, but Paul was something extra.

He was her best friend, even if she had kept him at arm's length. He didn't break her walls but seemingly walked through them as if there hadn't been a wall in the first place. He knew every embarrassing detail about her and vice versa. She could tell him everything. She'd face his teasing, anger, and disappointment in stride because she knew that at the end of the day, he'd be there for her.

If there was anyone who knew Bella inside out was Paul. But that meant she knew him inside out as well. His dreams, his fears, his goals. What made him sad, and what made him happy.

So, when he called asking for help, she didn't hesitate to go to the rescue. She had fun making fun of him; that was a given.

She saw Emily pick up her son from Paul's arms and gently walk him to his crib.

"You got yourself an artist." Bella whispered and walked the baby's parents to their son's masterpiece. Sam laughed, and Emily sighed. Bella then explained about the marker, the toilet paper, and the baby's many other experiments.

…

…

…

"You got overpowered by a two-year-old." She teased with a smile when they got inside her car to leave.

Paul smiled. "That kid is not a normal two-year-old. I swear he planned this as soon as his parents mentioned date night out."

"Oh yeah, because he was just out to get you in particular." She teased again.

"Don't dismiss it, baby. That kid is a terror. Cute, but a terror."

Bella simply laughed at him and shook her head. Her stomach did somersaults at the endearment that had rolled out of his tongue. It wasn't unusual for him to have pet names for her, but it had been a while since he called her anything but her name.

"Do you have to go back home, or can you spare a few more hours?"

Bella looked at her watch, and it was nearly midnight. She frowned; she had to get up early to head back to Seattle for College.

"I leave tomorrow for Seattle. I should go home."

Paul nodded and turned around to head towards Forks.

"What time do you have to leave?"

"Around seven am."

Paul nodded once more. "I'll drive you."

It wasn't unusual for him to offer to drive her to Seattle. It was a way to spend more time together. Bella secretly enjoyed the rides.

However, she had made a decision that night. And she would not wait to tell him. It was now or never.

"I want that."

"Want what?" He asked, looking at her and quickly looking back at the road.

"The house, the kids, the family. I want that."

It was good that Pail was a wolf and hence had quick reflexes. He parked not far away from Sam's and turned on his seat.

"What are you saying?"

"I want all that with you."

They both felt silent for a while, processing her words.

"Marry me."

Bella's eyes widened in surprise. She watched him in silence while he stared back, equally mute. He didn't mean to propose right away, but alas, that's how things were, and he wasn't going to back down.

"Yes."

And like that, they got engaged before sharing their first kiss or date.