Disclaimer: I do not own any characters for Twilight. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer. I do own the original characters created for this storyline. Please support the official release.
Writer's Notes: Welcome to Dear Soulmate chapter five! Fragile:::
~~Do I Wanna Know by the Artic Monkeys~~
Three weeks passed. Colin came over almost everyday helping Bella with something. Fall was on the brink and Bella's birthday had come and passed. She didn't make a big deal out of it and neither did her dad. He was afraid to stir up bad memories.
Bella slept with Paul's hoodie every night. She was embarrassed to even admit it. She needed his warmth and scent to keep the nightmares away. But his scent was fading and she had another nightmare. It was of Edward again. She had gotten these memory fragments while awake too. She was starting to believe that they were memories. They bled into her nightmares and she felt terrified all the time. She hasn't sensed a vampire since that time 3 weeks ago. Perhaps it was a nomadic vampire that moved through the area.
She shrugged it off, trying not to think about it.
The Quileute boys were by a lot over the last few weeks. Cleaning up around the house where the storms created debris. Jake even got on the roof and cleaned gutters. Sam said it was good character building for them and refused for Charlie to pay them. The boys agreed. They were there to help.
Paul was bearable to be around. Oddly he was calmer and Bella appreciated that. Jake and her were on better terms. She was thankful to have her friend back. She got close to Colin. Their talks were always about his mom. Except the talk last night.
"Sometimes I wish I had a big brother." Bella mentioned.
Colin nodded. "Paul is great. Really cares about me. His dad… not so much."
Bella didn't know much about Terrance Lahote. She never really bothered to ask. So, she ventured to ask now. "He's not a great dad?"
Colin shook his head. "It gets pretty bad when Paul isn't home. I…" he trailed off.
"Colin… is he hurting you?" she stopped peeling the potatoes and looked at Colin straight on now.
Colin sighed. "Sometimes. He's usually drunk and he thinks I'm Paul."
"What is he doing to you?"
"Not great things." Colin said and teared
up.
Bella set the potato and knife down and brought Colin into her arms like a mother or older sister would. "You can tell me…"
Colin sniffed and pulled back and then pulled his shirt over his head. There were scars. Burns.
Bella gasped and her good hand went to her mouth. She was shocked. Her eyes watered, tears wanting to pour out but she pushed it back. There were at least a dozen burns on his back. There were other scars too. "Oh Colin…"
Colin pulled his shirt back on. "Um. I don't know what to do."
"Do you trust me?"
Colin nodded. He did trust her. He was scared at home. Coming to the Swan house was an escape.
"Bella, earth to Bella." Jake waved a hand in front of her face making her blink a few times and look at him.
"Hmmm?"
"Cast is off. Doc said we can go." Jake said but he was worried about her. She disappeared on him just now. He wondered where her mind went.
"Right, let's go. We have to pick up Colin and the ribs for the BBQ. It's the last warmish day before Forks weather takes a nosedive." She said flexing her hand a few times. It felt good. She has the cast on for 6 weeks. And she had healed. Her scar from James was on that wrist. She pulled her jacket on and they walked out, going to her truck.
They pulled up at Colin's house and he was outside immediately but he was dodging a beer bottle. Or something being flung at him. Bella was out of the truck immediately and so was Jake.
Bella went towards the door and she saw Terrance Lahote yelling and cursing. Drunk. He threw another bottle and Bella ducked.
"Who the fuck are you." Terrance slurred.
"Bella Swan. Chief Swan's daughter. I need to get a bag of Colin's things. If you don't move out of the way I will be forced to call my dad."
Terrance spit at Bella and it hit her in the face. "Fuck you." He said and then turned his back and stormed back into the house.
Jake was stunned. He didn't know that Paul's dad was like this. "Bella maybe we should call your dad."
"No. You get Colin in the truck. I'm grabbing clothes for him." She said and went into the house. The living room was a mess. Smelled of booze and like a drink man that hadn't bathed in weeks. Bella moved towards the back. She saw two rooms. One was closed and the other opened. There was a backpack on the back of the closet and she took it and threw clothes in there. She was sure this was Colin's room because Paul was much larger than Colin clothing wise. She left, going through the living room. Terrance was passed out now on the couch. She shook her head in disgust and she went back out to the truck. Jake was standing outside and Colin was inside.
"Get in the truck." Bella said curtly and Jake listened without a word. She tossed the backpack in the back and she climbed into the driver's seat.
"Bella I-" Colin started.
"You're staying with me. Don't say you're sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about. He's a piece of garbage. Do you hear me Colin?"
Colin nodded and he took her free hand in his and she squeezed his hand. Keeping their fingers laced.
Bella got Colin settled in the extra bedroom. She was waiting for her dad to come home. And for the others to make it over for the BBQ. Jake walked into the kitchen and stood there a moment.
"I called Paul."
"What did you tell him?"
"Just Colin was already here and that he really needed to talk to you." Jake said and sighed. "Bella. We have to do something about that guy. Colin… he won't talk to me."
Bella sighed. "I'm working on it okay. Can you let me figure it out?"
Jake just nodded. "Here, I'll get these on the grill you to talk to Colin." He said and took the ribs from her.
Bella watched Jake leave and she took a breath before she went to check on Colin in the living room. She sat next to him and reached over and took his hand. "Hey."
"He spit on you. I never felt so angry… Bella... you didn't deserve that."
Bella nodded. "Well I'm okay. Spit is spit. Terrance Lahote can kiss my ass." She said and Colin cracked a smile. "There he is." She said her voice gentle. She reached her hand up and brushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes. "You can stay here. As long as you need to. I will figure it out."
Paul stopped on the porch, hearing Colin and Bella's voices. Colin had said their dad spit on Bella. Anger filled Paul. She had been to his house and had to endure the disaster that was Terrance Lahote. He growled to himself. He felt himself trembling and he had to take a few moments to get himself under control. He didn't need to wolf out right now.
He heard Colin speak now.
"I wish we both could stay here. Paul… and me."
Bella was quiet a moment. "He can stay too. If that's what you both need. Colin, I want to protect you. I want to talk to my dad about the burns."
Paul frowned. What burns? He walked inside now, Colin and Bella glanced up at him.
Bella squeezed Colin's hand in hers. "Where are the others?
Paul swallowed trying to bring himself back to the moment. "They'll be here soon. Sam is picking up Billy. Quil and Embry are riding over with Jared." He explained.
Bella nodded and stood but Colin didn't let go of her hand. She turned and smiled at him. "I promise. It's okay." She said and she leaned down and kissed his forehead and he relaxed and released her hand. She looked at Paul. "Kitchen." She said with a nod and Paul looked at his brother and saw him avoid his gaze. He didn't say anything but followed Bella into the kitchen.
"What's wrong?"
"Colin is staying here tonight. I thought it would be best."
"What the fuck happened?" Paul asked in a harsh whisper.
Bella sighed. "I went to pick Colin up. He asked me to pick him up after I got my cast off. When Jake and I got there, your dad was throwing stuff at Colin and screaming at him. I made Jake take Colin to the car. Your dad spit on me. Cursed at me but let me enter the house to get Colin's things. He was passed out on the couch when I left."
Paul wanted to hit something and he trembled. His wolf wanted out and he was struggling to keep it at bay. Bella reached out then, her hand on his arm and he calmed instantly under her touch. The imprint bond made him calm down.
"There's so much more Paul. I really think it's not safe for either of you to stay in that house." Bella said gently.
"I… I never left because of him. I didn't want to leave him alone with him. But… I…"
"Paul. For now. Let's just enjoy the barbecue. We'll have some fun. And then why don't you talk to my dad with me. This is for Colin. Okay?" Bella saw how much Paul loved his brother. How angry he was to hear Bella talk about what Terrance Lahote did. She saw him shaking with anger. Paul was an angry person and she didn't want him to do anything stupid either.
Paul closed his eyes and then he just hugged her. Her arms came up and she hugged him back. He didn't realize how much he needed this contact. Since he imprinted, he hadn't even fucked around once. He had offers for hookups but he couldn't bring himself to do it. His wolf and imprint wouldn't let it happen. He needed to touch her. The pain he had been feeling disappeared. He has been fighting the imprint because he didn't want it be imprinted to someone like Bella Swan. But she was different from the girl months ago in the forest. She was different than the sad pathetic leech lover that shut everyone out when the Cullen's left. She was just different.
"Uh. This is new." Charlie's voice broke the silence between Paul and Bella.
Bella pulled back. "You're home earlier than normal." She said with a smile.
Charlie held up the beer. "Billy said everyone was coming over and for me to pick up the beer. I decided paperwork could wait until the morning when it's rainy and cold." He said with a smile but set the beer on the counter. "Paul." He said with a nod.
"Bella… she uh. Really helped Colin today… I'm just thankful."
Charlie looked at his daughter. He loved how she was back to normal. A lot of thanks should be made to Colin and the tribe. "Well, that's my girl. Always helping someone. What's going on? Paul hugging you must mean it was something big."
Bella nodded. "Uh. Colin is staying in the extra bedroom. At least for the night."
Charlie frowned. "Okay. Is he okay?" he had answered a couple calls out there for domestic violence back when Terrance was married.
"He's not dad." Bella said and teared up.
Paul wanted to pull her in his arms again to comfort her but Charlie was here now.
"Its bad… isn't it." Charlie asked softly.
Bella nodded and then Charlie hugged her. He kissed the top of her head.
Paul ran a hand over his head. He felt her sorrow now. The imprint making him feel what she felt and it was overwhelming sometimes.
"He can stay. We'll talk about this later." Charlie said as he heard a truck pull up. The others were arriving now.
Bella pulled away from her dad and wiped her face. "Um. The game will start in like an hour. I'll have the mashed potatoes done soon. Go change dad. I'll put these in the fridge." She said talking about the beer. Charlie kissed her temple before disappearing to his room to change out of his uniform.
Jake came in with the ribs and set them on the counter. "These smell and look good."
"Oh Jake, can you go and get those extra blankets out of my closet in my room." Bella said and before Jake could Paul left going upstairs.
He didn't want Jake in his imprints room. He found her room easily. He followed her scent. Her room wasn't really decorated. Just a pale blue on the walls and the curtains matched. He went to the closet finding the extra blankets. He glanced around her room again. Her bed was a full sized bed though he wouldn't fit well on it. He noticed his hoodie under her pillow and that made him smile a little. He walked over and sat on her bed. He inhaled her scent and realized that his hoodie didn't smell like him anymore but more like her. During patrol at night around her house. He noticed her nightmares were coming back. His scent must have calmed her and helped keep the nightmares away. Just like her touch through the imprint, calms him. He stood and walked back downstairs with the blankets. He wanted to fight the imprint so bad but he was losing slowly.
After the game and activities. Everyone started going home. Paul hadn't left yet and Charlie was on the porch talking to Billy.
Bella was cleaning up in the kitchen when Paul walked in. He stood behind Bella and she could feel him without even touching him. "Colin okay?"
"Yeah. He's always passed out early. I put him on the bed in the room." Paul said. He wanted to touch her. See how she would react to his touch when he wasn't having to protect her from leeches or thanking her for helping his brother. But he refrained.
"We don't have a bed in the other guest room. But the couch is comfortable." Bella suggested.
Paul inhaled again, her sweet scent. His imprint. He reached out his hand on her arm. He ran it down towards her wrist and into the sink water. He grabbed the sponge from her and she let him. His other hand moved down her other arm into the sink. His chest brushed against her now and he took the plate from her. He dropped them both in the water and he took her hands again. His heart sped up from touching her. He wasn't sure he liked how this felt. It scares him undoubtedly.
He closed his eyes just letting himself feel the closeness. There was desire stirring and he knew it was because of the imprint. He felt her shiver and he opened his eyes. He stepped away from her. "I have to take care of things at home. Do you have that hoodie I lent you?" he picked up a towel and dried his hands.
Bella swallowed. She didn't know why he touched her like that but it had shot excitement through her and left her confused when he pulled away. She nodded. "Yeah. I'll get it." She said and walked away going upstairs to her room. She grabbed the hoodie from under her pillow and paused. It didn't smell like him anymore and a part of her wanted him to just let her have it even if it offered no more comfort now. She brought it back downstairs and handed it to Paul.
Paul pulled the hoodie he was wearing off. He handed it to her and took the other hoodie and pulled it on. "Um. When you want to swap again. Let me know."
Bella felt the heat rise to her face. He knew she slept with his hoodie. But he didn't tease her about it. He wasn't an asshole about it. "Thanks." She said sheepishly.
Paul studied her a moment. "You have made a difference in my brother's life. I'm grateful for that. I know I'm an asshole 90% of the time, but I wanted you to know it's nothing against you. It's just who I am." He said his voice a little abrasive but he was irritated with himself for embarrassing her like that. He then walked away before he could do something really stupid like hug her again.
