I'm not even going to apologize for the obscene amount of time this has taken me to post. I've almost finished Chapter 22 and know that I WILL NOT walk away from this story.

Chapter 21

Time was going way to damn fast, Paul thought as a warm breeze blew through his fur. In the two weeks since Angela's prom she'd been down to the rez nearly every day her brothers in tow. The boys were a riot and looked up to Seth just as much as Seth looked up to Jake. As for Angela, she'd finally gotten comfortable with the girls and surprisingly enough she and Leah were pretty close. Paul worried sometimes about Leah telling Angela about the imprint especially since she didn't go a damn day without being on his ass about it. After the whole incident in the woods with Embry and Sam things were slowly getting back to normal with the pack too. They'd had a meeting not long after he dropped Angela at her house. That night the elders told them they believed that Emily not fully sealing the bond was the reason Sam's wolf was able to hurt her. Paul wasn't sure if he bought it fully, Jake was one hundred percent against the idea given that Bella wasn't his imprint and everyone else seemed to just nod and move on. The only thing that wasn't business as usual was the red headed bitch. The pack hadn't seen that flame red hair in far too long, something that had them all keyed up.

~U~

Hey lover boy wanna get your head out of your ass and actually run the South border like you're supposed to be doing?

Aww what's wrong Quil trouble in paradise with the imprint?

Paul smiled to himself when he heard Quil snarl through the mind link. Now that Embry and Leah were getting along so well Quil and Seth were the only two wolves without girls taking up most of their free time. Seth of course didn't mind although Paul would catch him looking at a pretty girl every now and then with hope in his eyes. The kid was too damn young to imprint and have to deal with all the drama it tended to create. Claire was in that overly emotional preteen girl phase where one minute she was overly needy of Quil and his time and the next she didn't want anything to do with him. The last two weeks she had been more interested in hanging out with her girlfriends at slumber parties and sleepovers.

Nah she's been busy, besides she's not into me like that so yeah no trouble in paradise.

You ever wanna just make a move on it Quil?

Quil snapped out of the mind link taking Paul by surprise. Just as he was about to change direction and head north Quil snapped back in.

She's not even fifteen yet.. Quil whispered through the mind link and then a picture of Claire swinging on the tire swing in Sam and Emily's yard filtered through.

Yeah and you're only seventeen, that's just a few years Quil.

She's not ready for it; I don't really think I'm ready for it either. She's happy with us the way we are and so am I.

You think you two will ever get together?

Quil growled as he picked up the pace around the Northern border. Is this really about me and Claire or are you getting nervous because it's barely a month until Angela leaves?

Listen, its something I've been wondering about. You know what I wanted from the beginning when it came to Angela, but that's obviously changed, and I'm wondering why it did.

Angela's pretty awesome.

She is, but Claire isn't too bad either.

Claire is a handful.

Paul snorted, you got that right but she's a good girl Quil.

I know she is but Paul, honestly I've never seen her like that at all. She's just my friend. I don't see her like a sister because she's not like that, she's beautiful don't get me wrong but my feelings haven't changed for her like yours have for Angela.

You ever wonder why?

No, I'm just going with it.

Why do you think things changed for me?

Paul could hear Quil sigh and saw some thoughts flip through his mind before he came to a stop looking into a small waterfall. You want my honesty; want to know what grandpa thinks without getting all pissed off about it?

Paul hesitated for a moment wondering just how bad it was going to be but then came to a halt himself. Yeah man.

You're a good guy Paul, before you became a wolf you had a temper, after well it only got worse but deep down you're as loyal as they come, and believe it or not you're a lot softer than you'd like to admit. You have this hard exterior but you're still hurting from that shit hand your mom dealt you by leaving you like she did.

Paul growled low in his throat at the mention of his mother.

Don't, you said you wouldn't Quil said.

Paul shut up and huffed.

Grandpa thinks you deserve more than you think you do, we all do Paul. You don't think anyone can love you because your mom didn't, well you're wrong. When Angela started to open up to you that's when things changed for the two of you. She put herself out there even though she knew about your past and even if you don't see it your heart, wolf or whatever did. She's good, she's forgiving and she's what's good for you.

She left me once already.

It was Quil's turn to snarl. She's a virgin Paul, she walked in on you fucking Mindy hardcore at a party and within the hour you were acting like she was the next of many in line. Of course she was going to be a little gun shy. Shit look at you and then look at the dude she was with before you. He's a fucking twig of course she'd be intimidated when you walk around half dressed with MINE eyes and a scowl on your face. You're lucky she didn't keep running. But that's not her, she's pretty awesome and everyone gets scared once in while. You know that first hand right?

Paul had never flat out admitted to anyone that he was scared of anything but it didn't really shock him that they'd know the reason for his hesitation when it came to Angela. Still he was a man who didn't want to fess up to pussy feelings like that so he grumbled under his breath, I'm not scared.

Whatever you say man. Angela's a good one, she might be going away soon but I'm sure she will find a way to keep in touch with you. She's been a pretty constant fixture around Sam's place lately, she and Leah are becoming friends but she watches you like a hawk when you're around. Asks about or talks about you when you're not and sticks up for you when Leah goes on her rants. She's got a lot of faith in you and Grandpa and Billy aren't the only ones that can see the love she's got for you already.

The thought of Angela loving him warmed his insides for a quick second before a flash of him crying in his room as his dad begged his mom not to go made his way to the forefront.

You didn't listen to a thing I just said did you.

Snapping out of it Paul huffed before phasing. He didn't need Quil putting shit in his head.

~U~

"So less than a month huh?" Leah asked as the two watched Seth and the boys play in Leah's front yard.

Looking at Leah, Angela rolled her eyes and scrunched up her face, "yeah I guess so."

"You guess so?" Leah asked an edge to her voice.

"No- I mean yes. Yes less than a month."

"Don't tell me you are going to reconsider because of him."

"Leah." Angela groaned.

"What, he'll be here when you get back it's not like he's going anywhere."

"What do you have against Paul anyway?"

It was Leah's turn for an eye roll, "its not that I have anything against him. This place is kind of a black hole though. It's my home but look at me, I'm 19 years old no job, no prospect of a job and why? Because I let Sam walk all over my ass and I thought I couldn't live with out him. You know I had a scholarship to SPU."

"Really? What for?"

"My mom is a nurse at the hospital in Forks, but she volunteers at the clinic here in La Push. I was going to go to school for Office Management and we were going to try to turn the clinic into something more. It didn't work out though because all that shit with Sam. I let myself get so wrapped up in him that I forgot about myself, and I lost a lot because of it. Go to school Angela, this has nothing to do with how I feel or don't feel about Paul."

"It's not that I don't want to go, it's just that I've been thinking a lot about how different everything is going to be. There's never really been a time where I haven't been with my parents. I've never been on my own."

Scrunching her eyes Leah turned toward Angela on the swing, "and what kid has been on their own at your age?"

"You know what I mean. All of my friends have been left at home by themselves over the weekend or longer if their parent's go on vacation. I love my mom and dad but they've sheltered me from a lot and it makes me wonder if I will be able to do it with out them there, you know holding my hand."

"Look the way I see it is this, you have a lot more responsibility than your friends. You watch your brothers every night after school; you make dinner most nights because your parents are busy with the Church." When Angela opened her mouth to protest Leah held up her hand to stop her, "this isn't an attack on your parent's this works for you guys because they know how responsible you are and even though you do this it's not like they wouldn't give you a break if you asked. It's what works for your family. My point is maybe when you get to Chicago you'll be able to use the experience you have with all this and build off of it. It's probably going to be easier than you think and it's probably also going to be nice to get a real break from being so responsible all the time. I mean as long as you aren't one of those that turns into a partying all night every night slore."

Chuckling Angela scrunched her nose, "slore?"

"Slut whore." Leah clarified with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"Yeah I don't think that is going to happen."

"Then you'll be fine."

"Do you think anyone is going to come visit me?"

Cocking her eyebrow Leah gave Angela a knowing look, "you mean Paul?"

Fidgeting with the hem of her long sweater Angela nodded, "yeah Paul."

This is the moment when Leah could lay it all out there, tell Angela that there was no way in hell Paul would ever go to Chicago to visit because he was tied to La Push, that he turned into an oversized dog to protect the rez from Vamps, but looking at Angela she just couldn't do it. Aside from the fact that she looked like someone was about to wind back and kick her puppy Leah knew that she was in love with Paul. Knew that the ass hadn't told her about the imprint much less him turning into a damn dog. It wasn't her place to freak the girl out, wasn't her place to out him and the pack. With a resigned sigh Leah locked eyes with Angela, "that's something that you're going to have to talk to him about. Me on the other hand I would fucking LOVE to go to Chicago to visit you, the farthest East I've been is Wyoming and that was when I was ten."

When one of the boys squealed Angela turned to see Paul walking across the yard holding Josh upside down by his ankle, Seth and Isaac following behind involved in pushing match.

"Speak of the Devil," Leah whispered before swatting Angela on the leg. "Why don't you two go have a chat and I'll whip up something for the boys to eat."

Sucking in a nervous breath Angela nodded her head and went to meet Paul in the yard. When she got over to him he slowly lowered Josh to the ground ruffled his hair and then enveloped her in one of his warm hugs.

"Can I talk to you," she whispered as she pulled back a bit.

A worried look flashed over Paul's face before he forced a small smile, "sure."

"Hey boys why don't you head up to the house, Leah's going to make you something to eat while Paul and I talk."

When the boys and Seth hooted their excitement over the food Angela threaded her fingers through Paul's and plastered her body to his bare side, "take me somewhere."

~U~

Paul's heart was thundering a mile a minute and his hands felt cold and clammy. Looking at her out of the corner of his eye as he walked them down the gravel road he took in her face. She didn't look mad so he didn't think that he'd done something wrong. Listening to her heart he took note that it was beating slightly faster than normal but no where near as fast as his was going. What the hell did she want to talk to him about? Was she getting ready to dump his ass? When he tugged her into the woods Angela's pulse kicked up and her cheeks flushed before she shot him a smile. Ok maybe she wasn't going to dump his ass if she was getting excited about dipping into the privacy of the woods. Feeling the need he couldn't help his next move.

~U~

Angela gasped in surprise as Paul whipped her around and then pulled her body into his own roughly. Before she could talk his fingers were slipping under her hair to grip the back of her neck and then his mouth was on hers. The kiss was heated as all of Paul's kisses were, but this one wasn't rough and demanding or overly sweet like he tended to do when they were making out. No this kiss was something different but something equally as good. A sigh escaped Angela's mouth as his lips slowly traveled down her jaw and then her neck.

"I've missed you today," he growled while nipping at the oh so special spot on her neck. "You miss me?"

Angela's hands made their way up the side of Paul's body slowly working over each of his ribs as they went, she could feel the goosebumps break out on his skin and she loved it. Loved that her touch was able to do this to him of all people. When her hands stopped just under his armpits she stilled them but flexed her fingers enough to drag her nails along his skin. When Paul growled and stepped into her further she knew this wasn't what she was supposed to be doing, but it was so hard when he laid a hand on her let alone when he added those lips into the mix. His nipping at her jaw made her want to bypass the conversation she knew she needed to have with him, but she couldn't it was getting to close. Running her nails across his skin he sucked in a deep breath a let out a curse when her nails grazed over both of his nipples. Smiling at his reaction it took everything Angela had to wiggle out of his grasp. As she took two more steps back the drunken look on Paul's face made it hard to retreat to a nearby tree.

"I've missed you too, and as much as I loved that greeting I really do need to talk to you about something."

As Paul scrubbed his hands down his face in attempt to get it together Angela let her eyes skim down his body. His powerful arms flexed as he continued to scrub his face. Both of his nipples were still hard thanks to her nails on his skin. There was something about this man in his constant lack of shirt that got to her. It wasn't that he was shirtless but that he owned his body. Tonight he was wearing a pair of tighter than normal cut off jean shorts and those too were damn sexy on him. Even his bare but muddy feet were sexy.

"If you keep looking me over like that I'm going to continue my greeting."

Jerking where she stood Angela smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt and leaned against the tree. "I'm going to be leaving in a month."

Paul groaned gaining her attention. When her eyes locked with his a pained look was on his face, before she knew it she was holding his face in her hands. "I have to go."

"Fuck" Paul muttered as he dragged her against his body. "I'm not going to tell you to stay. I'm not that fucking selfish. I know you have to go."

"We need to figure something out Paul because I can't stop thinking about it."

"We'll figure something out," he whispered into her hair.

"That's what I'm trying to do now Paul. I graduate on a Friday and I'll be leaving that next Wednesday. I won't be home until Thanksgiving."

~U~

Paul could hear the tremble in her voice as she talked about graduating and leaving, the tightness in his throat was making it pretty damn hard for him to talk about this shit.

"We'll keep in touch." As soon as he said it her brows scrunched and she tried to push back from him, her heart taking off in a sprint.

"Fuck, that didn't come out how I meant for it to come out."

"Then how was it supposed to come out," Angela's voice held an edge that he'd never heard before, apparently she was getting pissed.

Bending down Paul took her face in his hands. "I'm going to annoy the fuck out of you as much as possible so you won't forget about me."

"How?" Angela whispered her eyes starting to glisten.

"How what?"

"How are you going to annoy me if I don't even have your number? Paul we've been doing this for almost two months and I don't even have your number, I don't know where you live, I've never met your family. Why?"

Paul closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath trying to think of a way to avoid this conversation with her. It was bad enough that he had to tell her that his broke ass couldn't afford a damn phone, but then to get into all the other shit. His shitty house, his dad that was only around a couple of months a year and then the mother that left him when he was eight, yeah what a great fucking talk.

"Give me your number," Angela demanded as the silence continued to stretch around them.

Paul's hands dropped from her face to her shoulders "look at me," he whispered into her hair before pulling back. He had to see her face when he told her that he was too broke ass to have a phone, needed to see the real reaction because then he'd know the truth. Know if she was going to give up on him too.

Angela pulled back and locked eyes with him, eagerly waiting.

"I don't have one." The words were like coughing up sandpaper, scraping against his vocal chords and then turning sour as they spilled out of his mouth.

Her brows pinched together before realization dawned. "Oh well, I know a lot of people that don't have cell phones, Bella didn't have one until all that stuff with Edward happened, what's your home number?"

Paul clenched his teeth and sucked in a deep breath, "I mean I don't have a number at all, no cell phone, no house phone, no number at all."

"You don't have a phone?" Angela asked a confused edge in her voice.

"No," Paul snarled at her while taking a step back, "I don't have a damn phone alright. I'm too broke to have a phone."

"But-"

"Angela, I don't have a fucking phone, not because I don't want one but because I can't fucking afford one."

When Angela took a step back hurt marring her face Paul wanted to go to her, wrap her up in his arms and hold her but he was too disgusted with himself to even bother.

"Why are you yelling at me?"

"Because you don't get it,"

"I don't get what."

"You think a guy wants to admit to his girl that he's too damn poor to keep his phone turned on?"

"You know I don't care about that kind of stuff Paul."

"Are you kidding me?! You live in one of the biggest houses in Forks Angela, your house is almost the size of the Clearwater's and Jared's put together and you're telling me that you don't care about that kind of shit."

Angela hung her head and whispered, "You know I don't."

"I think this conversation is over."

"I don't want it to be over."

"Listen to me Ang; I don't see getting the phone hooked up at my house anytime soon so there really isn't that much to talk about."

"So I'm just going to leave and never hear from you again is that what you're telling me then Paul?"

At her words his heart kicked up and he took a step forward, never again. Had she really said those words?

"So you're going to leave me too then, my broke ass can't afford a fucking phone and you're just going to up and leave."

"What are you talking about, I'm the one that is trying to find a solution so we can keep in touch while I'm away, you're the one that has spent this whole time yelling and cussing at me."

"Because you don't understand, I can't just ask my daddy and mommy for money princess, that's not how it works down here."

Angela sucked in a gasp and took a step back, "I think you need to take me back."

.Fuck. How in the hell did this conversation end up here. Looking at his girl standing as far as she could get from him Paul felt an ache in his chest. Her body was shaking slightly, her fists clenched so tight that her small knuckles were turning white and the moment his eyes locked with hers a tear rolled over one of her lashes and splashed on her cheek. With that one tear he felt like he was fucking drowning. Every ounce of air was ripped from his legs and his legs shook with the weight of it. He'd made her fucking cry, he'd said shitty things to her, untrue fucking things to her and made his fucking imprint cry.

"Ang," he spoke while reaching out to her.

"Just take me back; we're too far into the woods for me to find the way by myself."

"Fuck you know I didn't mean, you know I'm-"

"Paul just stop."

Paul sighed as the pain ripped through his chest. "Ok"

~U~

As Paul thrashed through the woods and then stomped down the road in front of her it took everything Angela had to hold in the pain in her chest. How had such a simple conversation turned out the way that it had? As Angela looked around the rez as they walked back to Leah's she realized that she'd never noticed all the pot holes in the road or the rundown house with yards in much need of clipping. She'd never realized the way even the school's playground looked in much need of upgrading, the thing was even though Paul had opened her eyes to it she didn't care. She didn't care about the way the reservation looked or the fact that he didn't have a phone. She cared that he hadn't told her up until this point and more so she cared that she hadn't even made the effort to really find out. What did that say about her?

"Angela!" Isaac yelled before she'd even stepped foot into the yard, "mom called wanting to know why we were taking so long to get home, it's almost time for dinner."

Angela worked a smile onto her face, "you're really thinking about dinner?"

"Hey, Isaac said while dodging the hand that was trying to ruffle his hair, "Seth says we're growing boys and need lots of food."

"Well if Seth says it then it must be true, where's Josh?"

Isaac scrunched his nose up as he walked beside her, "he's inside helping Leah do dishes."

"Well go get him and we'll get out of here."

As soon as Isaac ran into the house Paul took a step toward her, "listen Angel-"

Angela cut him off with a wave of her hand, "just don't Paul. I need to get the boys home before we miss dinner and like you said before this conversation is over."

Paul opened his mouth to speak again but Isaac shot out of the house bumping his side as he made his way to the car, followed slower by Josh and Leah.

Paul watched as Leah made eye contact with Angela and her eyes narrowed for a beat.

"Thanks for making them a snack Leah."

In an uncharacteristic move for Leah she pulled Angela in and as low as she could to keep Paul from hearing whispered for Angela to call her later. Paul watched as Angela gave her a squeeze in return and then turned and started making her way toward the car.

Paul waited for her to pass him and when she did without making eye contact his heart nearly smashed to his feet, thankfully she let the side of her pinky finger brush against his thigh before she continued on to her car.

Paul was still watching Angela as slowly backed out of the drive the boys wrestling around in the back seat when Leah stood to his right, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Looks like you fucked that up?"

"Leah." Paul growled in warning.

"You know if you just told her the truth about-"

"I think she's had enough of my truths today."

Leah snorted as she turned on her heel to fully face him, arms still crossed over her chest; she leaned in close to his ear. "She hasn't gotten nearly enough truth's out of you Paul and that's the damn problem. I mean haven't you learned anything from Sam, Embry and me?"

"She's nothing like you Leah."

Leah chuckled but Paul could hear the wobble in her voice when she spoke, "she's not like me now, but she's like me before. Before all the shit with Sam, before Sam didn't man up and give me the truth's I deserved." With that Leah spun the rest of the way around and walked back to her house slowly. To Paul's shock she didn't slam the door when she got into the house, but it closed with a soft click and then he could hear as Leah sucked in a deep breath before Avenged Sevenfold blared out of the living room.

~U~

When Angela got home that night she poked her head into the kitchen and told her mother that while she was at Leah's she got a headache from all the commotion the boys caused. With a look of concern her mother asked her if she was sure she was ok, Angela made sure to perk up enough to convince her mom that she was just tired and needed the extra rest. Thankful that her mom didn't push any further Angela made her way upstairs and held her breath as she pushed open her door. When the door swung open and revealed an empty room Angela sighed in relief at the same time her heart clenched. Paul's words may have stung earlier but she regretted that she didn't at least hug him before she left. Her body was alive with the need to be held.

With a sigh Angela slowly made her way into the bathroom and started a bath.

~U~

Paul had been standing outside her house for an hour when Embry sidled up beside him, "Leah told me what happened."

Paul turned and bared his teeth at the younger wolf, "between Leah and Quil I think I've had enough advice for one damn day."

Embry held his hands up and put a little more space between them, "I didn't come here with any intention of giving you advice man, not really my thing."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Just thought I'd take over a couple of hours early incase you know you wanted to-" Embry gestured toward Angela's house.

"Shit," Paul muttered under his breath as he started for the house. "Yeah I guess I will."

~U~

Angela started when the bed dipped behind her and a wall of heat pressed against her back.

"I'm so damn so-"

"Can you just not say that word, and hold me." Angela pleaded as she backed her body into his. "Just hold me for a while and don't talk."

Pressing his lips to the back of her head Paul whispered, "Ok."