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Chapter 17

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Charlie sighed as he sat behind his desk in the station filling out police reports. So far, the day had been a quiet one, for which he was thankful. Bella and Paul had been on his mind a lot lately, and the quiet and monotonous tasks like filling out paperwork gave him a chance to think about it. She spent so much time at the reservation with him and her other friends that she was hardly home anymore- not that he could complain, but a part of him still waited- anxiously- for her to come home crying about something Paul had done to break her heart.

He could still remember Paul's dad- Isaac Lahote- from his days of childhood. For a long time, Charlie feared Paul would be just like his old man. Bella surprised him though, and tamed Paul in little under a year. She'd proven the age old saying that behind every great man is an even better woman.

"Chief, there's someone here to see you." A voice sounded over his intercom.

Charlie sighed. "I'm on my break, Carrie. Who is it?"

"It's Harry Clearwater, sir. He said he needs to talk to you." She said.

"Alright, send him on in, thanks Carrie."

The grin fell from his face when Harry stepped through the door and closed it behind him; his friend was more upset than Charlie had seen him in a long time. Not since Joshua hit on Sue while they'd been dating in high school. Not since Sarah was killed and Rebecca and Rachel fled, leaving Jacob to take care of a wheel chair bound Billy.

"Harry… what's wrong?!"

Harry sighed. "My sister is coming home. She and the girls are gonna stay with me for a while."

Charlie paled some. "Everything alright?"

"She's divorcing Tommy. He got pissed last night and slapped her around in front of the girls." Harry swallowed hard. "They tried to step in and got slapped too."

"Damn…"

Harry nodded. "She's sending the paperwork up there while she stays here with the girls. Christ, Charlie they're no older than Seth. Tommy put their mom- my baby sister- in the hospital! Their neighbors called the reservation police when they heard the screams from the girls and Lizzy."

"How bad?" Charlie asked. He remembered Elizabeth's husband on their wedding day. Once a violent drunk, always a violent drunk.

"Broken arm, two broken ribs, broken nose, minor concussion and a bruised cheek." Harry said with a sad sigh. "The girls just have a few bruises from being flung into various walls."

Charlie whistled.

"This is the first time they've seen the violence firsthand. I know they've seen the bruises because they've called me a few times crying. Both Michael and I tried to get her to leave him… She always told everyone she could handle it. She kept saying he'd change..."

Harry… don't take this the wrong way… but… do you have the room to bring them down here?" Charlie hedged.

"We've got the air mattresses for the girls and Lizzy can have the pull-out couch. It's about all I can do until Leah comes home for Christmas." He sighed.

"She moving to the East coast permanently? I heard she's liking school out that way…" He asked.

"Not yet… but she's putting the rest of her things in storage to make room for the girls. By then, Lizzy will have found a place of her own. She was born on the reservation so there shouldn't be too many problems." Harry sighed.

"So, what if Elizabeth were to stay with me? The girls could share Leah's bed..." Charlie offered.

Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "What about Bella?"

"Bella's talking about finding her own place to stay. She's been looking for the last couple weeks. I told her I'd help her move in if she could find a place cheap enough." He shrugged.

"And if not, there's always Paul, right Charlie." Harry teased.

"Not even funny." Charlie huffed.

Harry grinned. "You know he loves her. I'm surprised he hasn't asked her to marry him yet."

"I'm ignoring that comment. Bella is still my baby girl for a little while. Between you and me though, I wouldn't say no to Paul asking Bella to marry him. He's a good kid."

"That he is… I'll talk to Elizabeth and see what she says. She'll want Bella's approval to take over her room beforehand otherwise she'd feel bad." Harry paused and eyed his friend. "You know… you should have made a move a long time ago my friend."

Charlie snorted and coughed to try and hide his blush. "I have no idea what you're talking about Harry. The only move I'm making is to help a friend in need." He grizzled.

Harry's lips twitched in amusement. "So, where's Bella?" He asked changing the subject.

"Out getting a new car with Paul and Jake."

Harry let out a bark of laughter. He cleared his throat after a minute and allowed a comfortable silence to pass between them while he gathered his thoughts. "Thank you, Charlie... for listening. For the offer to help." He finally said, his voice cracking.

"Harry, you're one of my best friends! You should know by now, if I can, I'll help whenever you need something."

Harry only grinned. He knew it; Charlie was a good man. He cleared his throat and stood. "I better go. I promised Billy I'd watch the game with him and I'm keeping you from work I'm sure."

Charlie nodded and watched Harry leave. He'd always done anything in his power to help both Billy and Harry, and they had likewise always looked out for him. Even if said friend was the older brother of the first real crush he'd ever had- even before Renee. He shook his head and closed the door, leaving him in the now still and altogether too quiet room. He made his way to the desk, pulling his cell phone from the top drawer.

"Hey… Bella... How close have you gotten to finding an apartment?"

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Bella stared at the phone in confusion after hanging up with her dad. She, Jacob and Paul had just sat down to eat lunch when her phone sounded. Her dad had then asked how close she'd been to finding an apartment of her own. Truth be told, she'd found the perfect place that stood closer to La Push but she had yet to tell him. She wanted to see the inside of it first, but she had a feeling she'd love it.

When she made her way back inside and sat down, both the wolves at her table eyed her with curiosity. "Dad wanted to know if I'd found my own place yet... It sounded like he's trying to kick me out in a way."

"Come on, Bells. Charlie wouldn't do that." Jacob scoffed.

Bella shrugged. "Just the way it sounded. I'll have to tell him that I did find a place, I just wanna see it yet."

"How close is it to where we are?" Paul wondered.

"Not that far. I was gonna wait to get my new car first though. One thing at a time." She said with a sigh.

Jacob shrugged. "We'll find you one. This next place is on the next block. Their selection is decent and the prices are usually fair. Besides, you won't get ripped off with Paul and me there. All Paul needs to do is glare… I can flirt with the women."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Like you have any game." She teased.

"I'm shocked you have so little faith in me! I have to share head space with the likes of Jared, Quil and Paul… remember?" He sighed. "It's horrid!" They all laughed and ate their food.

Bella stopped cold in the next lot with a stupid grin on her face when she saw it sitting in front of her. Paul and Jacob eyed her with arched eyebrows. Jacob even went so far as to joke, saying she'd imprinted on her next car. Paul punched his arm but grinned none the less. Bella stared at the front end of an emerald green, 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8, complete with white racing stripes.

"Hello… how can I help you today?" A deep voice purred from her left.

Jacob grinned. "Time to be the possessive boyfriend while I claim she's my step sister?"

Paul smirked. "Oh yeah." He nodded while cracking his knuckles.

An hour later, Bella took the keys from the hand of the sales associate- David- and slid behind the steering wheel of her new car. She'd baffled him when she offered to buy the car then and there, handing him a bank card. To his surprise, it cleared.

Glancing at her, he called the manager in, who ran her credit (another surprise from the Cullen's for each of the wolves and Bella), talked to the bank manager even, and then checked her name against that of her driver's license all over again. Everything cleared. Twenty thousand dollars later, she had a car.

Paul shook his head and handed Jacob the keys to his car. "You mess my baby up, I kill you. Just remember that." He teased.

"Like I'd touch a classic like her." He scoffed.

Paul nodded. He loved his car. His Chevelle was his first rebuild- with the help of Jake, Quil and Embry. Paul had slaved to find the parts for the car- a 1968 Chevelle SS 396. Once he found them, the boys worked to piece her back together. Now she purred just as she had the day she'd come off the line. It was one of Paul's first real loves. Now he could add Bella to the list, though he wasn't sure which one came first anymore.

Wasn't a guy supposed to love his car above all others?

Try telling a wolf that.

With cajoling, Bella steered them towards the apartment. Another hour later she called her dad to tell him she'd found her place and filled the application out already. He told her he'd give her the money for a deposit and then told her the real reason behind him wanting to know if she'd found a place.

When Bella heard about Harry's sister, she fought to not cry. No woman deserved that. No kid deserved to see that. She said she'd be moved in by the weekend, granted her application went through processing. She'd then have to come back for the security deposit and then wait for the apartment to be cleaned.

She hung up with Charlie and turned to face Jacob and Paul. "Do you think Seth knows?"

"I haven't heard any howls." Jacob said with a sad smile.

Paul shook his head. "Someone would have called by now. I would think."

"Do you think Harry would mind if I stopped by to see him? I want to let him know his sister can stay even if I don't move out of the house."

Jacob grinned. "Of course, Bells. I think he'd like to know that."

Paul kissed her temple. "You're too good baby girl."

"He's a friend of the family. I always help friends in need if I can." She grinned. "Even if I do get revenge on them too." She hedged.

"Hey, I tried to save the beast! I made up for it by finding… um… what're you gonna call this one?" Jacob asked.

Bella shrugged. "Still haven't thought of one. It'll come though."

"Come on. Let's go see Harry, then you and I have a date with your new car." Paul growled.

Bella swallowed hard while Jacob scoffed. "At least wait until I'm out of hearing range?"

Paul smirked, his eyes not leaving Bella's. "No promises."

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Paul grinned and killed the car engine. The old fire trails near the back of the reservation were handled smoothly by Bella's new car, even if it wasn't made for them. With the careful way Bella drove, watching for each small pot hole on the dirt roads, and the keen eyesight of his wolf, her car went unscathed.

"I'm kind of shocked still that you chose a car." Paul teased after Bella had laid a blanket out on the grass for them to lie on and watch the stars.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know what it was, but something called to me and I love it."

Paul stared at her with a grin forming on his face. He'd yet to tell her just how much he knew he loved her, but he'd been closing in on that point fast. He wondered how she'd take it. After all they'd been through, he only hoped she'd be happy. He couldn't stand to see her eyes so upset again.

Bella caught him staring and blinked. "What?"

"Nothing." He grinned.

She pouted. "What?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "Nothing, baby girl."

"Paul! Tell me?" She huffed. She fought her grin when he started kissing every inch of her skin he could reach as he tried to pacify her.

Neither of them noticed the storm clouds while they lay in their own world.

He only chuckled at her when he caught her smiling. She didn't know how adorable he thought she was when she got like that with him.

'Whoa… whoa… wait a minute! Adorable? Hell no!' He hissed in his head.

Paul mentally smacked himself. He even pictured himself smacking his wolf. He wasn't pussy whipped! Not by a long shot. He wasn't like Jared and Sam. He then sighed. Yes- yes, he was. And he and his wolf both knew it; they'd do anything for Bella to keep her happy.

The sound of thunder cut off all conversation before the rain started. Bella cursed and both of them ran to the car just as it started to pour.

Bella sighed. "So much for the perfect ending to a long day." She pouted.

"I don't know about that baby girl." He grinned at her.

"What do you mean?" She asked turning herself to look at him.

"Come here." He grinned before pulling her across the console.

Bella moaned when their lips locked in a heated kiss. When their mouths separated due to lack of air, she gasped at the feel of his skilled lips against the column of her neck, dancing over her flesh.

Paul's nostrils flared with the scent of her arousal. "Need you." He whined moving to undo her jeans.

"Lean the seat back." She commanded.

A shiver raced down his spine as she took control; He secretly loved it. She was gorgeous like this. Her hair was wild, her eyes blazed with passion and her skin was flushed. She looked so alive.

Paul moaned when he felt her teeth graze over his nipple after she'd unbuttoned his shirt and let it hang open against his body. His eyes closed when she slid off of his body and tucked herself onto the floor board in between his legs. His hips nearly came off the seat when he felt her release his already straining cock from his jeans, only to engulf him into the heat of her mouth.

He stared down his body at her, hands moving to her hair, as she used her hands and mouth to pleasure him. Just the thought of her on her knees for him was enough to have him near bursting. To see her like this, mouth around his dick as she worked to swallow every inch of his sizable length… he swallowed and started counting backwards from 100 in Quileute.

By the time he'd reached 80, he'd had enough. He pulled her off of him and up his body, his chest heaving for air as he tried to regain his senses. "There will be time for that later. I need you, little mate." He growled.

Bella smirked. She'd done what she set out to accomplish. Paul's wolf was out to play. She shivered when he pulled her jeans from her legs. "Don't be careful with me." She pulled her shirt off leaving her in a black lace bra and thong set.

Paul smirked, moved her thong aside and guided her down onto his cock. "Oh, I don't plan to be." He purred when she was fully seated on him. He adjusted the seat so he was reclined and smirked when their eyes met. "Hold on tight."

Bella mused it'd been a good thing they'd parked on the fire trails and alone. They didn't need someone calling the reservation police on them. She rested her head on Paul's chest and sighed as they basked in the afterglow of sex.

"Bella?"

"Hm?"

Paul's hand caressed the bare skin of her back. "You know we've not had the easiest imprint…"

Bella looked at him when he trailed off, her nails drawing idle patterns over the skin of his arm. "Yeah?"

"IthinkImayloveyou." He said under his breath.

She arched an eyebrow trying to work out what had been said. "One more time?" She asked.

Paul sighed. "My wolf already loved you to start with… but the man in me… he needed the time to know you- for you."

"And?"

"I love you, ok? I jumped off the deep end, handed over my man card and fell in love with you." He sighed.

She grinned while his eyes were closed. "You make is sound like a chore." She said forcing herself to sound upset.

"Bella... Please… I didn't mean it like it sounded I-" He stopped panicking when he saw her shoulders shaking with laugher. "Minx." He quipped.

"Your minx." She mused.

He nodded. "My minx." He echoed when her head rested back on his shoulder. His pride was bent somewhat out of shape when she didn't say anything back to him.

"Paul?"

"Hm?"

"I fell in love with you too, you know." She said after a few minutes.

Paul smirked.

It was good to be a wolf.