Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight related.
But I do own Amy and Raven...
AN: Just Me. No Beta.
I hope you enjoy...
Sam Uley
I quickly ran through the forest towards the diner as fast as I could, knowing that Jacob was about to take over patrolling and he did not need to see in my mind right now. In all honestly, I was having just as hard a time of keeping myself in human form when he was around as Paul and Leah were.
I knew imprinting was uncontrollable.
I knew this, he knew this.
I warned him but the kid never actually listens. You'd think you would see the train wreck that is, that was, my relationship with Leah and learn by example.
But nope, Jacob Black doesn't listen.
I came with the friendly approach, Emily with a motherly approach, and Leah did her best with the bitchy approach; all of us warned him not to get involved with Bella like that.
I had to admit I was a little angry with Bella also; she knew what she was getting into. Of course I couldn't ever stay mad at the woman, she turns her doe eyes at me and I'm like putty in her hands. Only Emily has that same power over me. It's just plain ridiculous when they tag team me.
I hadn't seen Bella, Paul, or Leah all weekend. But from what I heard from Seth's thoughts last night, things were getting better. She has left her room, and starting eating and talking. She also promised she'll back to work and school today.
It was Monday and she should just be arriving from Port Angeles in a few minutes. I stopped behind the diner and phased. Throwing on my shorts, I made my way to the back of the building where Bella and Emily installed lockers that faced the woods. The pack had their own lockers back here and we kept our extra shorts, along with shoes and shirts in them. I made it to my designated locker and scrolled my combination onto the lock. I opened it and grabbed the flip flops and slipped them on, and a white wife beater. I walked around the building, putting on the shirt and made my way inside.
Instantly my face broke out in a huge smile upon seeing my Emily. She had Claire propped up on her hip and was talking to Paul's mom, Amy. Upon hearing the bell ring, she looked up and smiled. I went over and kissed her cheek, ruffled Claire's hair, and gave Amy a one armed hug before sitting down on the stool beside hers.
"Ladies." I smiled at the trio.
"How's patrol?" Amy asked flipping through her magazine.
Amy was a young mother and worked at the middle school here at the Rez. She had Paul at sixteen, making her 34 now. His dad wasn't around, and from what I heard from Paul and Amy that it was a good thing, the only good he ever did was pass down the wolf gene. Amy had Paul's sense of humor and can be just as bitchy as Leah, but most of the time she was just as kind hearted as Bella and wild as Kim.
"Quiet." I answered lamely as Emily handed me a piece of cake.
"Aw, is the big bad wolf lookin' to fight a scary vampire?" Amy cooed without looking up from her magazine.
"Vampires are not scary." I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"Maybe we should stick Bella out there for a couple of hours." Old Quil spoke from his booth that he sat in everyday, without looking up from his news paper.
Everyone's eyes snapped to him, including Amy's, jaw slacked staring at the old man like he'd finally lost his marbles. Everyone seemed to come alive at the same time.
"Quil!" Emily, Amy, and I yelled, making Claire giggle.
The old man proceeded to throw his head back and laugh heartily.
"What? That girls a danger magnet! You want some fun? Well, dangle 'er out there!" He chuckled.
"Bella is not bait." I growled.
I felt a warm hand touch my forearm, which I now noticed was shaking. I looked up to Emily apologetic eyes, and instantly calmed down. Quil Sr. looked up at us and his eyes widened.
"I was just kidding. Calm your horses. You know I like that girl, it was just a joke. I'm sorry." He muttered.
We all took calming breaths and after a few seconds my shaking stopped. Amy was still glaring daggers at Quil Sr. and Emily was shaking her head sadly. With all the stress of the pregnancy, Bella, and Jacob; I swear I think I am going to go prematurely grey– wolf gene be damned.
"So have you seen Paul this weekend?" Amy startled me by her question, though she didn't look up from her magazine since going back to it after Quil Sr.'s outburst.
"Uh, no. You haven't?" I asked, confused.
"Eh, He's come home to get clothes and do his chores. That's about it. He's been at the Swan-Water house all weekend." She shrugged noncommittally.
"Swan-Water?" I smirked as she nodded, "and you're okay with that?" I asked.
"Honestly, the boy practically already lives there. I told him not to piss Bells off but… maybe he needs to." She murmured more to herself.
"Why do you say that?" I shoved the crumbles of my cake around with my fork.
"A pissed off Bella is an Alive Bella, not a zombie Bella. And I like Alive Bella. So I would willingly throw my son to the wolves, no pun intended, to get back my Alive Bella." She deadpanned looking straight into my eyes, before she smirked.
I chuckled, along with Emily, who was feeding Claire.
I didn't really know how Amy saw Bella. I knew she loved her, but not in what capacity. Maybe a best friend, a daughter, or a sister kind of love? Maybe it was all of the above. She's the only one that can make Paul and Bella stop arguing without an Alpha command or physically removing them away from each other, instead by just a glare. Also, Bella and she spent a lot of time together. Sometimes Amy would come into the diner and let Bella help her grade papers for her 7th grade classes, or they'd go shopping together. You should see them tag team Paul for the stupid shit he gets into at school.
It's great.
The bell dinged and the mouthwatering scent of strawberry's wafted in the room making me smile and turn in my stool. And there she was. Bella was wearing dark tight fitted jeans, a white long sleeve t-shirt, with a black vest over it, and her black and white converses. Her hair was pulled up, and she had light make up on. I was glad to see, with my wolf scenes, that there were no purple bags under eyes from lack of sleep. I was not glad about the amount of weight she had lost this past two weeks, but from what Seth said she was getting back in the habit of eating, so that was good. She was wearing Leah's wolf ring on her right ring finger and Paul's necklace around her neck. The ring was gold and had a wolf's head on top with embedded gold diamonds all over it; the necklace was just miniature silver brass knuckles with a leather string holding it around her neck.
"Bella!" Amy cheerfully welcomed the girl standing timidly at the door.
Upon hearing Amy's voice, Bella turned to us and smiled, before walking over to us. I watched as Amy and Bella hugged tightly, and Amy kiss her cheek. I opened up my arms just as Bella turned to me. I wrapped her in my arms and gave her a bear hug.
"Sam... Sammy... I can't breathe!" She wheezed, and I let go laughing boisterously.
"How was school, honey?" Amy reached over and smoothed down Bella's pony tail, twirling it around her finger at the end.
"Boring. I have a lot to catch up on; luckily Jared and Kim are in most of mine and Leah's classes so we could barrow their notes." She said walking around the counter and then disappearing in the back where I can hear Emily and Claire greet her.
I finished up my second slice of cake, as Bella came back out while tying a black apron around her waist so it covered the front of the top of her jeans. She picked up Claire and propped her on her hip, and then quickly started her routine; all the while juggling Claire. She took my plate and handed it to Emily through the kitchen window, and gave me another slice, before walking over to Quil Sr. with coffee and bouncing Claire.
"Beautiful Bella" Quil Sr. greeted her with a smirk, as she refilled his coffee.
"Old Man Quil" She narrowed her eyes at him, before she smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek, making him grin a goofy grin, and skipping off to refill Amy's coffee.
"So, how are you, sugar?" Amy put down her magazine and gave Bella her undivided attention.
"Well" she put down the coffee pot and grabbed a rag "I've been better" she shrugged and started wiping down the counter "but I've been worse too." She grimaced before continuing down the counter.
"Paul pissed you off this weekend?" Amy smirked.
"No more than usual." She rolled her eyes but I could see a ghost of a smile on her lips.
"Jesus, Em, you did everything today." She turned an incredulous eye at Emily, who shrugged innocently.
"You know me…" She trailed off counting down her drawer.
"Well, when you're done you can sit that gorgeous butt of yours down beside Sam and I'll get you some pie. You've done enough today hun." She shook her head before turning to look at Claire who was drooling all over a stuffed wolf.
"Aunty Emmy is crazy, ain't she? Yeah?" She cooed rubbing her nose against Claire's, making her squeal in delight and Emily snort and roll her eyes, before they wondered back into the kitchen.
I turned to Amy, who was, unsurprisingly, back to her magazine.
"Did you hear what Paul did Friday afternoon?" I asked quietly, she turned to look at me and shook her head no.
"He came into her" I nodded my head towards the kitchen "house and pulled her out of the bed and shoved her into a cold shower." Her eyebrows shot up and she set down her magazine.
"He did not" She murmured and I nodded "And he's alive?" She smirked; making me roll my eyes by now Emily had joined us.
"He yelled at her. Told her how everyone was stressed and freaking out about her. I guess it got through to her though." I shrugged.
"That's not all he did" Emily chimed "from what Seth said and heard, she started crying on the shower floor and Paul got in the shower with her." At this Amy's eyes widened.
"Naked?!" She whispered yelled.
"No, no, no." I shook my head frantically "he kept his pants on, and took off his shirt and shoes. Bella was fully clothed. He got out before she started taking clothes off." I clarified.
"Wow. Looks like it worked though." Amy murmured staring off towards the kitchen.
"I don't know." Emily sang before bouncing off into the kitchen, to put her money away.
It was then that most of the pack came into the diner. Leah came in and sat one seat over from me, letting Emily take that seat, while Seth, Collin, and Brady sat at a booth behind Quil Sr., and Quil and Embry sat down in another booth in front of Quil Sr.'s; all carrying in their book bags from school. They quickly took out their homework and got started on it, while making small talk with Amy and Quil Sr.. I looked over at Leah who looked to be also doing her homework on her laptop.
"Where's Jared and Kim today?" I asked, she scratched her head before answering me.
"Uhhh, Jared's at the station today." Her eyes flicked to the clock, 2:40pm. "And Kim is spending the day with her mother." She started typing as she talked.
"And Paul?" Amy asked, peering around me.
"He should be here in a few." Leah answered without taking her concentration off what she was doing.
Bella walked out from the kitchen, Claire-less, her steps faltering as she saw everyone look up at her with wide grins. She smiled shyly.
"Hello boys. And Leah."
"Hey Bella." They sang in unison making her giggle and look at Amy.
"Is that how it feels when you address a class?" She asked.
"Absolutely." Amy answered with a chuckle.
A few minutes later, we found Bella hurrying around taking our orders and bickering with Emily. Emily wanted to help and Bella wasn't allowing it, saying that Quil was already working and Paul will start when he arrives, and they already had another waitress working. I was agreeing with her of course, much to Emily's dismay.
We were all laughing and not even worrying about the drama we knew we'd have to deal with later. Bella was going between booths and helping the boys with their homework when needed, while still refilling everyone's drinks and plates. She was smiling and laughing but it wasn't reaching her eyes. Everyone noticed, of course, but we were just glad she trying to get on with it. We were still worried, we haven't even begun really dealing with the fact that one of our pack brothers and sister were strained; and that's just putting it mildly.
The bell chimed and Paul's sandalwood and rain scent wafted into the diner. He was wearing his regular jeans, worn out converses, and short sleeve white t-shirt with a long sleeve red and white plaid shirt that was unbuttoned. My eyes zeroed in on the familiar pearl ring on his pinky finger on the hand that was holding his book bag over his shoulder; Bella's ring.
What the fuck happened this weekend?
He came in nodding at everyone, ruffled Leah's hair - earning him a growl, slapped my shoulder before his eyes rested on Bella and his mother chatting quietly about some kids in her class, where he smiled and approached them.
"Well, look who decides to show his face?" Amy exclaimed, making Bella blushed and Paul roll his eyes.
"Well, hello to you too, woman." He grunted and kissed her cheek.
Than he did something that shocked everyone, but Bella, Leah, and Seth. He leaned over the counter and kissed Bella's cheek before sitting beside Amy, like it was no big deal.
Now, I know a kiss on the cheek is no big deal, but with Paul it is; the only person he ever kisses on the cheek is his momma.
I had to roll my eyes at the expression on Amy's face; wistful. I knew what she was thinking, it was a constant question in some of the wolves' minds - one that we tried to keep hidden from Jacob and Paul, and so far have succeeded.
Why couldn't Paul imprint on Bella?
They were, accentually, perfect for each other. Bella didn't let Paul get away with shit and Paul didn't let Bella mope around. They are constantly pushing each other to be better. Paul hasn't gotten a bad grade in a year because of Bella's tutoring. Bella isn't as serious as she used to be because of Paul always making sure she was having fun. Sure, their relationship was a rocky one in the beginning, where Bella was still shy and timid and still getting over the Cullen's, and Paul still had a short fuse. Now Paul has the same control over his phasing as me and Jacob. And, on better days, Bella is always smiling a genuine smile.
"Paul, today's your turn back here." Bella flicked her thumb behind her, making Paul groan but nod anyways.
I had just noticed Embry was in the back also, along with another employee; a girl from the high school. Paul came back out from the kitchen a few minutes later tying on a black apron around his waist. I watched as Paul and Bella moving around behind the counter; all the while holding conversation with Amy and Emily and themselves. In my peripheral, I saw Leah looking at me, her brows furrowed, before following my line of sight.
Did she see what I was seeing?
Did she see the way they moved around each other? Like satellites orbiting around each other. Or a continuation of each other's bodies. How when Bella reached for the coffee mug, while she was still talking to Amy, how Paul handed it to her without looking at her and still continued his conversation with Embry through the kitchen window without pause? Or how when Paul was looking for straws to hand to a customer Bella handed him some while walking by him without looking or talking to each other?
And the biggest one, did she notice how they kept touching each other? How when Paul was standing at the register counting money and Bella came up and laid her head on his arm while she waited for him to finish. How when Paul walked by her, he let his hand drag from her shoulder down her back before continuing walking? Or how when Paul was talking to Emily, Bella came up and rested her hand on the small of his back and he leaned into it?
It was like they couldn't stop touching each other. Like I am with Emily. Like… Paul had imprinted on Bella.
"What's got you thinking so hard, honey?" I felt a hand run through my hair, and I sighed.
"I just feel like I'm missing something." Something big.
Emily frowned and Leah leaned in, a frown on her face also. Even through the imprinting I still loved Leah and like she still loves me. I just loved Emily more. But it didn't stop us from worrying over each other. I still found myself trying to take away her worries even though she wasn't mine to do so; just like she did for me. Complicated; but much better than what it used to be - thanks to Bella, of course.
"Yeah? What do you think it is? Because… I kinda feel the same." Leah ran a hand through her short hair.
"What are you guys talking about?" Emily frowned at us.
"It's hard to kind of notice. You have to pay attention to it; like really pay attention." Leah murmured.
"Pay attention to what?" Emily's eyes flittered around the room, as I leaned in.
"Paul and Bella" I said it low enough that only Emily could hear but with Leah being this close she could hear it also.
We watched as Emily turn her attention to Paul and Bella, who were now arguing about how Paul wants his own tips instead of the tip jar and how Bella wants the tip jar because three quarters of it gets donated to the youth center here at the rez and the other goes to us wolves for clothes and such, while Amy watched with an incredulous and exasperated facial expression and an amused smile on her lips. Even though they were arguing, they were standing close to each other, more so than they ever had, and were smiling at each other. Bella threw her head back and laughed heartily and Paul's expression turned pleased and amused before he started laughing with her.
"Okay. I think I see. But what do you guys think it is? Do you feel like… it's was something that happened over the weekend and we don't know? Or a feeling… like you are forgetting a legend that you can't remember or something? Like something big?" Emily's question made me pause.
I could feel my brows furrow and grimaced. I did not like this topic of conversation. Ever since Bella's blabbing of our legends in the Cullen mansion, I have been the butt of every joke to anything pertaining to our legends. It didn't matter that I already knew the shit she was spewing, it was the fact that I hadn't mentioned it before and that she beat me to it that made me a laughing stock.
I looked back over at Leah and saw the answer in her eyes. It was the same as mine.
"Something big." We answered at the same time, nodding.
"Oh, and you guys are sure about this?" Her eyes flickered between mine and Leah's face before we nodded.
"Well Quil," She pointed to Quil Sr.'s booth, and paused before she started glancing around frantically, "He was just sitting there."
"There he is," Leah pointed outside and started gathering her laptop and bag "come on, if we hurry we can catch up and ask him."
Leah and I threw money down on the counter to cover our meals and shouted a bye over our shoulders, getting a chorus of 'goodbyes', as Leah ran ahead of me while I hastily ushered Emily outside. Quil Sr. was already getting into his truck when we got outside in the parking lot.
"Quil!" Emily, Leah, and I yelled, making him jump and turn around to us, eyebrow raised.
As we walked over to him, I couldn't help but think about the three emotions that were dominant in our pack as of late. Guilt, Worry, and Love.
I felt guilty because I allowed Jacob to get into a relationship with Bella, meaning I inadvertently allowed her to get hurt. Embry felt ridiculous amounts of guilt; it could almost rival my own guilt, about introducing Jacob and Raven to each other. The others just felt guilty because they just couldn't stop it, stop Bella from being hurt.
I felt worry because this whole dilemma was causing a major strife in the pack. We hadn't felt this much anger since when Victoria was still running around hunting Bella.
Bella.
Everyone was worried about her. We knew she was just putting up a mask for us. She knew we were worried and didn't want us to be. But we still were. When we finally deal with this, instead of pretending it didn't happen, I'll calm down. Now this whole Paul and Bella thing, I know I'm going to be super worried.
I felt love because it didn't matter that Bella wasn't with Jacob anymore, she was still a part of the pack. I was happy in my own life on top of that, with the baby coming; life couldn't get any better than that. It didn't matter that we were all pissed off at Jacob, we still loved him.
All of this was just getting out of hand and we needed to stop dismissing it and just deal with it.
"Quil, we need your help." Leah demanded, making Quil Sr. quirk an eyebrow at her, incredulously.
Yep, I was going to go prematurely grey.A/N: Their relationship is changing.... interesting... I wonder what Sam and Leah will find out...
AN: There relationship is changing.... interesting... I wonder what Sam and Leah will find...
I guess I should give a heads up that I will most likely jump between characters point of views alot, sorry... It'll most likely be between Leah, Sam, Paul, and Bella... and I'm gonna throw in a Jacob chapter later on... But it'll always be centered in some way around Paul and Bella.
I have reasons for that, so dont worry.
ohhh, tell me, do you guys like Amy? I have a feeling she'll be important, I just haven't figured out how yet...
Review, please.