*Paul POV *

Haley had kept her dark brown eyes locked on the table in front of her for what had felt like hours, her...I swallowed the thought of the word...Father, sitting next to her with his hands folded in his lap as he waited for her to say something.

"Haley, it was the only thing we could think of." Her Aunt Yasmine murmured softly.

"You should of thought harder." Haley snapped, her eyes flickering up for a moment. Yaya looked down as if she were ashamed. What the Hell had happened to all of us? I let my eyes roam over everyone in the room, my Pack, my friends, watching them and wondering where'd they'd all gone. We were all different. Years of experience and violence had changed us, that was for sure, but I'd never thought it would've come to this. There was Leah and Seth, sitting farther apart than I'd ever seen them, constantly arguing over the health of their sick Mom, Sue.

There was Sam, standing tall in the corner, his broad shoulders taking up half the wall as he stared at the girl in front of us, dark circles under his eyes as if he'd gone weeks without sleep. I already knew what was wrong with him. Between looking for a house in Forks and leading the Pack, life was taking it's toll on him. Even as he stood still I could see the distant flicker of fear in his eyes as Arbor rustled sleeplessly in her crib upstairs. He hadn't wanted any of us to go near her since the day she was born. A life like Emily's is the last thing I want for my daughter, he'd said. And now, according to him, hauling his family three towns over was the best way to keep her safe from Imprinting.

"This isn't their fault." Mr. Purser defended, scratching the stubble across his chin.

"Whose fault is it then?" Haley asked, still refusing to look up at him. "Whose fault is it that I was dragged out to the middle of God-Knows-Where and ended up in a house full of God-Knows-What?"

I winced at her words. I never thought it'd be possible for her to hate me more until I'd seen her react to Jackson being a vampire.

"It's mine," Mr. Purser murmured. Haley's eyes finally flickered to him as she crossed her arms. I tried to hide a snicker. She was always crossing her arms. Brat. But she's your brat. My heart thudded for a moment. Was she? "When you were younger, your Mom and I traveled a lot," her father started, leaning back into his chair. He had this far off, dreamy look in his eyes, as if he were seeing the past instead of telling it. "God, Haley. We took you everywhere, your Mom and I did. I loved her. I loved the both of you like crazy."

"Get to the point." Haley shot rudely. I eyed her for a moment. The Haley I'd known never would have said those words, at least before she'd fallen off a cliff.

"I was stationed in France, back when you were young, only slightly older than Aldin," he continued, nodding to his son, who slept soundlessly in Adam's arms. "One night I'd left your Mom at home alone, God I knew I should've stayed with her, but the store was only down the street and you were bawling your eyes out- I mean you could really scream-and we were out of formula."

"So?"

"So I left," Mr. Purser said simply. Leah rolled her eyes and shifted uncomfortably. "I went to the store."

"Yeah no shit Mr," Leah grumbled. "Get to the point."

Haley raised her eyebrows at him in silent agreement. Mr. Purser sighed and leaned forward.

"Hales, you have to understand...we didn't..." he sighed again, rubbing his face before gaining his composure. "When I came home, your Mom was out on the couch. You know how she's been," I wondered what he meant by that, but I had enough sense not to ask right at that moment. "I came home and she was out like a light, snoring even, and it was dead silent. I went to your room just to check on you to make sure that there was nothing wrong and then..."

"Then what?" Haley pressed, sitting up straighter now, her eyes locked on his face. She was so...intense. For a moment, I couldn't believe who I was staring at. This wasn't Haley. This wasn't the Haley who'd strolled out in her Superman pajamas, barefaced and frizzy-haired the first day I'd met her. This wasn't the girl who had been tangled up in my sheets, back at my parents' cabin. And the thing was, no matter who it was sitting in front of m, Haley or not, I was hopelessly, and completely in love with her. What a dumbass, I thought to myself.

"He was standing over your crib. Not hurting you, just murmuring. He was...singing," Mr. Purser's face was a twist of disgust and confusion. "Just barely stroking your hair, he was singing. He'd gotten you to calm down."

"Who did?" Adam piped, his voice ringing off of the walls. Mr. Purser snapped out of his trance, glancing at Adam before looking back to his daughter.

"The boy. The pale one. The one with the dark brown hair."

"Dad," Haley breathed, the air in her lungs fleeing. "I'm gonna need you to be more a lot more specific."

"Give it up Haley," Kim cried, looking at her desperately. "It was him, it will always be him until he's stopped."

"He didn't t give a name," Her father hurried, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "I would've remembered it, Love he...he followed us..."

"Dad?!" Haley breathed again, shooting up from her seat and staring at him in fear. "This isn't real! None of this, none of you...it's not real!" She needed answers. He needed to give them to her. A growl rumbled in the back of my throat, and Haley's eyes flickered to mine for a moment, the fear in them making my blood boil. She didn't deserve this. And you don't deserve her, I reminded myself.

"He wouldn't leave us alone. He followed us everywhere. No matter where we went, no matter what we did, he would follow us. I went to the police, I went to the Government, I did everything I could before your Mom had finally had enough. That was the fighting, Haley, that was the arguing, it wasn't us, it was for you, it was us trying to protect you." There were tears welling up in the grown man's eyes, and for a moment, I felt disgusted. My entire life I'd been taught not to cry. In fact, Haley had been the only person I'd ever cried in front of since I was twelve, and she couldn't even remember it."

"It's all my fault," Haley whispered, shaking her head lightly. "The divorce, the moving, everything is my fault isn't it? And this wasn't...Oh God," she looked up at all of us, waving her hand as if to push us all out of her mind. "None of this was a coincidence, none of this had anything to do with Mom's new job or boyfriend, this was all..."

"Sweetheart, there was no job," Yaya said softly, tears welling up in her eyes. "There is no boyfriend."

"I need to talk to Mom."

"That isn't an option, Love."

"What the Hell do you mean that isn't an option? She's my Mom for God's sa-"

"She won't pick up, Haley," Her father interrupted as Haley fished for her iPhone. "She won't."

"Yes she will! Why wouldn't she?!"

"She's gone into hiding."

"What are you talking about?" Haley asked, pausing, her eyes wet with unfallen tears.

"It was the safest thing to do." Was all her father could whisper.

Haley made a slight whimpering noise as the color drained from her face, and instinctively I was up in seconds, my arms around her. For the first time in almost two months, she didn't protest against my touching her. Don't let it get to your head, Lahote. She despises you. Haley put a hand against her chest.

"Breathe," I murmured to her softly, trying not to overstep my boundaries. "Breathe, Princess."

Haley's face was blank as she stared down at the floor, her chest heaving.

"I hate it when you call me that." she lied.

"I never thought it could've gotten this serious." Mr. Purser said softly, watching us.

"Jackson is a hunter," Jasper stated loudly, drawing everyone's attention. I kept my arms around my Princess, even though she'd never hear the my part. "They're the newborns that spend their first months feeding on nothing but human blood, and the fact that Haley's his Singer only makes it worse."

"He won't stop until he turns her." Edward murmured.

"Or kills her." Leah shot. A growl ripped itself from my throat before I could stop it, and Haley went rigid in my arms, her wide eyes slowly finding mine. There was a softness to her face that made her look like the girl I'd once known months ago, her rounded cheeks flushed with emotion. She looked up at me with big, brown, wide eyes. For a moment, everyone just stared at us while I studied her face. The slow, natural arch of her eyebrows, the small rounded tip of her nose, the way one side of her upper lip curved in more than the other. We'd been so close for so long that I hadn't even noticed she was clinging to the bottom of my shirt until Emily spoke and she shifted.

"...We all...just need to breathe..." Emily cooed, raising to her feet. "I'm going to make dinner, all of you are staying here. Mr. Purser, you're more than welcome to-"

"No he's not," Haley fired quickly, shaking her head. "He isn't welcome to anything here." Everyone shuffled awkwardly as Mr. Purser rose to his feet and nodded once at Haley.

"Mrs. Uley, I'm afraid I must decline," he murmured, a hint of sadness in his tone. Haley softened momentarily before stiffening again at the sound of his footsteps. He paused in the doorway, looking over at his daughter one more time. "Haley, I..." he bit his lip. "I never, in my life, should haveleft you and your brother," I couldn't help but notice he hadn't added Haley's mother. "But you have to know that you are here for a reason...there's a reason we brought you to La Push, Honey. And the sooner these people start being honest with you, the better...and you...God, you have grown up so much. You are so beautiful." And with that, Mr. Purser had gone.

"That wasn't exactly what I thought meeting your Dad would be like." I slipped, my cheeks glowing red as soon as I'd set it. Haley ignored my comment, wriggling free from my arms.

"I need some air." she hissed, crossing the room in the opposite direction. She flung the door open, and just like her Father, Haley Purser was gone. The hole in my heart that had been growing since she'd forgotten me had grown a little bigger in those few seconds of her disappearance.

"God that was awkward." Seth grumbled, rubbing his face and sliding down the wall.

"What are we gonna do, Sam?" I whispered, my eyes on the floor. "God, what are we going to do?"

"It's gonna be alright, Paul." Edward murmured, patting my shoulder awkwardly.

"No it won't," I scoffed. "How did you feel...when that thing was going after Bella?"

Edward had no response.

Because I didn't need an answer. I knew exactly how he'd felt.

"We'll protect her with everything we have, Man. I can promise you that." Jared affirmed, his arms crossed against his broad chest. I looked at him, wondering if it'd be the same were it Kim. I looked at Sam, wondering about Emily. At Brady, wondering about Kim's high school friend Katie. I even had the nerve to look to Quil, who'd been struggling with Claire and her new-found adventurous spirit since the day she'd turned 13. I wondered, about all of them, about how'd they be reacting were it the loves of their lives in danger, even though Quil and Claire weren't even romantically involved yet.

"You've got the best chance out of all of us at protecting her," Sam started. "You're the only one she'll listen to."

"She hates me."

"She cares about you."

"She won't even let me touch her."

"She did five minutes ago," Collin smirked. "And believe me, that racing heartbeat wasn't just from story time."

I ran my hands through my hair and bit my thumbnail for a few seconds before standing to my feet.

"I have to get her to trust me."

"She loved you before," Yaya shrugged. "How hard could it be to get her to love you a second time?!"

*Haley POV *

I was a good mile from the garage when Paul's big, black GMC pulled in front of the sidewalk, running through the grass.

"Are you out of your mind?" I asked, crossing my arms. Paul rolled his eyes at me.

"It's about to rain."

"I'm fine," I grumbled, walking around the front of the truck. "Just go." Paul shoved the door open, hopping out and grabbing my arm before I could make it very far.

"You're going to the garage, right?" he asked. I nodded.

"So what if I am?"

"Good," he smiled. "Cause I have something to show you. Just get in the car."

"Why?"

"If you don't, you'll never get to find out what I did for you."

"It doesn't involve a cliff does it?" I smirked. Paul's face dropped, and I knew I'd hit a nerve.

"Sorry..." I murmured, allowing him to steer me towards the passenger seat.

"I have a proposition." Paul stated, backing out onto the road. I raised my eyebrows at him as I buckled my seat belt.

"And what would that be?"

"You want me to stay as far away from you as possible, right?" he asked, not looking at me. No.

"Yes." I lied. Paul's jaw clenched slightly, and I had to turn towards the window to keep myself from marveling at how perfectly sculpted his face was.

"Fine," he said icily. "I, Paul Lahote, swear to stay away from you as long as you wish, no touching, no speaking, on one condition."

"Name it."

"I get to ask you five questions." he looked at me steadily. "And you have to be completely honest."

"Fine," I said after a long moment of thinking. How bad could five questions be? "Shoot."

"What was your Mother like when you were younger?" Oh. They could be that bad. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my cheeks blazing. If I was going to have a full-on therapy session in the truck, I couldn't do it looking him in the eye. I took a deep breath before holding my own hand subtly in my lap.

"She was a drinker," I said honestly."A heavy, heavy drinker. By the time I was nine she'd be passed out every day by noon." Paul's jaw clenched again as we rounded a corner.

"Why do you hate your Father?"

"Why do you care?"

"We had a deal, remember?" he reminded me harshly. I hated him. I hated him so much.

"Because he left us," I blurted out angrily, turning back to the trees. "I hate him. He left us with her, he wouldn't call, he wouldn't visit, nothing. Not even on holiday's," I paused, biting my lip. "When I was twelve, I decided that I couldn't live with her anymore." I swallowed the lump in my throat, taking deep breaths until the tears in my eyes dissolved. "I went looking for him. He was in Saint Louis, small town in Missouri. So I saved up all of my summer money, got on a plane, and showed up at his doorstep."

"And?"

"And a girl answered," I said softly. "Twelve years old, just like me. She said her name was Justine, and that her Dad was taking a nap. So I peeked in, and sure enough. There he was, passed out like the loser he was." I leaned all the way against my seat, staring blankly at the road in front of us. In my peripherals I could see Paul glance at me worriedly, but I didn't look back. "He had a whole new family."

"I'm sorry."

"Was it your fault?"

"No, but-"

"Then don't be sorry."

We sat in silence for a few moments as I twiddled my thumbs back and forth, tapping my foot.

"I don't want you to be sad." Paul said quietly, parking the truck. I took a deep breath before looking at him.

"I'm fine."

"You're lying."

"How would you know?"

"Because whether you remember or not, I know you." he smiled softly, sliding out of his seat and jogging around to open my door for me. I eyed him warily before taking his extended hand.

"Since when are you so helpful?"

"Since I only had two questions left before I have to stop touching you forever."

You could touch me for an eternity. Whoa. No, no, no, since when the Hell was my Little Voice on Paul's side? What was with everyone switching sides at the last second?! I shook my head and rolled my eyes at myself before Paul told me to close them.

"Paul-"

"Can you just trust me already?" he asked exasperatedly, before leaning closer to my ear. "Close your eyes." I did as I was told without another second of hesitation, his voice dripping through my mind like Honey.

"Where are we going?"

"To the place where my fourth question is," he answered simply, dropping my hand. I stood still in my place as a rustle was heard, along with the clattering of some scattered tools. "Damn." he grunted, more clattering following. I giggled at him.

"Okay, okay, sorry." I squealed, laughing as he swatted at me. My eyes were still squeezed shut. I should've opened them by now. I should've been doubting him. But I wasn't. I didn't want to. Suddenly, a warm pair of hands trailed themselves up my arms to my shoulders, leaving goosebumps as they went.

"That's not your heartbeat, is it?" Paul asked, a hint of a smirk in his tone.

"Is that your fourth question?" I retorted. I could practically feel Paul rolling his eyes as he pushed me gently before pulling me back to him, his chest warming up my shoulders blades.

"No," he said in annoyance. "Open your eyes. How well can you drive stick?"

My jaw hit the floor as I did what I was told. It was beautiful. It was more than beautiful, it was perfect. It was so glossy, it was so detailed. It was so put together. I didn't speak for minutes, my mouth wide open as I gaped at the shiny silver Mustang sitting in front of me. Paul pushed me forward gently, and I turned to look at him for a moment before running my fingertips over the hood of the newly refurbished car.

"Did you...?" I breathed, unable to finish my question. Paul nodded silently, his eyes wide as he searched my face for a reaction. He looked like one of those children, afraid of their parents' approval after handing them a poorly-drawn school picture. "Oh my God, Paul..."

"Happy Birthday." he said softly. Birthday? I turned to look at him, confusion on my expression. "Oh, don't tell me you forgot."

"I think...I think I did forget.."I mumbled, disappointed in myself. Who forgets their own birthday?

"It's tomorrow."

"And you remembered?"

"I wasn't lying when I said I knew you."

For a moment, I didn't move. Just watched the man in front of me as he stared at me with dark, deep, mysterious eyes, not once flickering elsewhere about the room, not once faltering in their gaze. Paul was looking right at me, like I was the only thing in the entire room, no, like I was the only thing he was even physically capable of seeing.

"What's your last question?" I whispered, still watching him. Paul looked at me solemnly, no hint of mischief or embarassment on his face as he gazed at me.

"Do I really have to stay away from you from now on?" he asked quietly. He looked like he was barely breathing, and in that moment I was lost. I was lost in his eyes, in his face, in his lips, in his shoulders as they strained underneath his black sweater. I couldn't focus. I needed him. I wanted him. I was so confused I was lightheaded. Everything I'd been telling myself the past few weeks about danger, and not getting close to your murderer, it was all bullshit, it was a all a lie, I didn't care I was suffering from Stockholm syndrome, I loved him. I loved Paul Lahote.

I took a slow step towards him, my voice barely a whisper.

"You didn't try to kill me, did you?"

Paul shook his head.

"What are you?" I breathed, staring up at him. Paul closed the distance between us slowly, biting his lip.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." he whispered. He had a wrench in both of his hands, fiddling with it as if he were nervous.

"I might," I said quietly. "It wouldn't be the craziest thing I've heard today.."

"Then tell me Haley. What am I?" Paul was searching my face, so close to me I could taste vanilla on his breath when he spoke. Every single inch of my soul was begging me to step closer as if it were even possible. I wasn't sure if I wanted to melt into a puddle and cry or punch him and walk away but either way there was one undeniable truth that I could no longer hide from: Whether it was love, or hate, or all of the above, Paul Lahote made me feel something.

"Incredible." I breathed.