Disclaimer: I own nothing..

AN: I lied. There's an epilogue added at the end of this chapter. : )

Chapter 26

"Hello! It's working! This is strange. I've never done this before…" Rosalie smiled through my computer screen.

"Hi! You get used to it," I shrugged.

"So what have you been up to lately? Where's the old wolf?" she asked with a grin.

"Fixing something at his dad's… He's been acting weird."

"It's from the lack of phasing – though he should be fine now that he's getting it every day…"

"I shouldn't have told you," I laughed, hiding my face in my hands.

"I would have found out anyways."

"Did you get the thing yet?"

"Yeah I got it – don't worry he's not in the house. Where'd you end up hiding the grill?"

"At Emily's niece's house – I patched up a fight between her and Quil, she owed me a favor."

"Gross, you shouldn't have bothered," she grimaced. "A lover's quarrel between a wolf and his imprint? They would have made up in ten seconds."

"Hey remember I'm an imprint too plus I've been trying to get in her good graces. Everyone in that family hates me," I pouted.

"Yeah, but you're like me – fighting is a turn on."

"Is there anything special you're doing this weekend – besides Emmett?"

"Always changing the subject when I bring up sex. I'll get to you one day, Rachel."

"I'm sure you will…"

"But yes, we're playing baseball today – that's what Emmett's doing now. He's getting some more balls."

"I can't believe you said that with a straight face," I scoffed as she laughed.

"That one gets old really fast – oh he's here," she grinned. "I thought he'd be gone longer. I gotta go, sorry."

"Alright have fun."

"I will and I'll see you later," she pointed a finger at me.

I closed my laptop and placed it on the night stand too lazy to get out of bed. It was just one of those days, and the rain wasn't helping. I don't think I would get out of bed if it even started to snow. No that was a lie – I loved snow.

"Rachel, get dressed! We're going to Billy's!" Paul called from downstairs. I didn't even hear him come home.

"Why are you yelling?" I shouted back.

"Because I know when I see you still in bed, we won't be going anywhere for three days! So come on – hurry up! I told him we were on our way!"

"If we were on our way, we'd already be there," I grumbled pulling on clean clothes.

"I heard that!"

"I don't care – why am I getting dressed again?"

"We're putting up your dad's tree!"

"Noooo…"

"Come on, you love Christmas…"

"Why are you being so… yuck?" I sat on the stairs, pulling on my shoes.

"Because I'm in love – it makes me all gooey inside," he grinned at the bottom.

"Sure sure," I rolled my eyes. "Are we walking?"

"In the cold?" he snorted. "You wouldn't last a minute."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he smirked as I brushed passed him.

I didn't complain. But I wanted to. Even Paul's warm hands couldn't keep from shivering, and I walked faster than normal.

"I totally win," he said as we got to Dad's.

"What! I didn't say one word!"

"Yeah, but you were practically shouting it in your head."

"You – you can't read my mind! Right?" I gave him a sharp look.

"No, but I can read your body – very well I might add…"

"How can he read her body?" a young and very familiar voice surprised me.

"Joe?" I turned and found my sister and her family in the living room. "Rebecca?"

"Solomon!" Rebecca's giant husband laughed as we stared silently at him. "What? No one's ever excited to see me…"

"Oh my – what are you doing here?" I squealed picking up my nephew and squeezing him as I hugged Rebecca and Solomon.

"It's Christmas – Paul picked us up from the airport. It's been a long time since we visited – next time we need to bring Dad out. He'd love it."

"Paul did what?" I turned back to look at him grinning at me. This must have been way he was being so strange.

"So how does he read your body? Can I do it too?" Joe's question went unanswered as Dad came through the front door with Seth following closely behind.

"God why are you being such a pain in the – Rebecca? Solomon?"

"Merry Christmas," Solomon grinned, satisfied with the attention.

…

After dinner Rebecca and I retreated to our old room, lying on her bed huddled underneath the sheets. It was something we used to do as little girls and felt very nostalgic as we whispered to each other.

"God, Paul is in such great shape!"

"Well so he Sol – he still has his surfer body."

"Yeah, but Paul looks more... young I guess. I mean he's only three years younger than us. But he's got the body of a twenty year old."

"He likes to run," I looked away knowing my lies would have to be convincing.

"So it's good right?" she grinned.

"A thousand times better than ever before..."

"Thank god – you know you're different now. You're brighter – not just happier but it's like you're glowing. Does that sound weird?"

"Yeah since you're the one who's glowing. Have you told him?"

"Yeah, we're announcing it on Christmas."

"Do you feel it?" I whispered, resting a hand on her lower stomach.

"I think I do, but I know it's all in my mind. It's too tiny now, but I have that I'm-so-ecstatic-my-gut-hurts feeling."

"Hmmm," I nodded.

"It's less strange now – you being here. It was always depressing when we visited before. I could barely stand it – it's bearable now. How do you deal with it?"

"I was in such a bad place before that now I feel closer to Mom here. Then Paul happened, and it's been total bliss. I'm never really sad anymore."

"That's great. I'm so-"

"Ahhh!" I screamed when a hand grabbed my foot.

"Come on wife!"

"Wrong one!" I shouted pulling my foot under the covers as we giggled like little girls.

"What's going on?" Paul appeared in the doorway.

"How the hell am I suppose to tell the difference when you're under the covers – how is it possible that you're both wearing red nail polish?"

"Ah, I can help," Paul stepped close to the bed. "This one's mine."

My side of the blanket was ripped off of me and I was being lifted into the air.

"Paul!" I wrapped my arms around his neck. I hoped that I wasn't hurting him – I didn't know how fast his shape-shifter skills would deteriorate.

"Time to go home..." he set me down in the living room.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Just because I'm not phasing anymore doesn't mean I'll lose my connection with you," he lowered his voice.

"Oh… I didn't even think about that," I frowned as he helped me into my jacket.

"Don't start now. But you know what you can think about?"

"About how you can read-"

"Don't say it out loud," he sshhed me as I laughed. "Joe kept asking me about that all night."

…

"I told you that she would hate it!"

"I'm sorry. You were right – next time we'll give her a gift together," Paul tried to console me.

We just got back from the Christmas party at JK's and Jo did everything in her power to hate me. Even my nephew Joe couldn't change her ways – I think she was getting to him.

"She'll like you eventually…"

"Is it okay if I give you your present now?" I changed the subject.

"Sure," he gave me a sad smile as I stumbled to the back door.

"Well…" I stared at him. "Come on."

"I don't think I want my present now if you're going to be all – oh my god! This is for me?" he squealed at the sight of the large grill. "Do you know what I could cook on here?"

"So you like it?" I grinned.

"Yes, Rachel this is too expensive. I didn't spend much on yours," he stopped to look at me.

"Do you want me to take it back?"

"I didn't say that!" he stood in a protective stance in front of the grill.

"Alright… I'm sorry it's early, but it was the only time I could get Embry and Quil to bring it over."

"No don't be sorry. It's great," he shook his head, still looking at the grill.

"It looks like I should let you two be alone. I'll be in the shower if you need me," I tried to be nonchalant, going back inside. I even made it all the way to the bathroom and turned on the water before he followed me.

"She'll be alright until morning," he grinned taking off his shirt. "You think I can grill a frozen waffle?"

…

"Just so you know, I completely regret this," I huffed from the doorway.

"You're stomach won't," Paul called from the grill, where he was cooking our breakfast.

"No, I think it does… hear that noise?" I rubbed my stomach.

"It's cheering for my food."

"It's cheering for any food," I corrected him, turning back to the living room. I sat down at the table watching Harry as he chewed on a new bone.

"Can I have some?" I asked as he gave me a sharp look still chewing.

"Quit yapping, here it is," Paul finally came inside with a large iron pan full of food.

"You could've fixed all of this inside…"

"But I wanted to use my present that someone gave me."

"Well then-"

"If you don't start eating, that someone's not getting their gift. I'll have to give it back."

"Back? What do you mean give it back?"

"Eat," he waved at my plate, sitting down. I stuffed two large bites into my mouth before speaking again.

"Did you borrow something?"

"No, but I did make a deal for it."

"With who?"

"Jake."

"Jacob?" I pulled more food onto my plate.

"Basically we couldn't have sex until after I stopped phasing," he shrugged.

"Ew! Why would you be talking to my little brother about our sex life?" I was appalled.

"Trust me, I didn't want to wait because of him – I did however want to wait for the same reason. I wanted to keep all of you to myself – no one else gets to see… what we do in the bedroom."

"Then you could've just not thought about it – they can't see what's in your mind unless you thought about it, right?"

"Um… I think about it all the time – all the time – I'm a guy."

"Oh… it's still creepy to know that you talked to him about it."

"Oh and it's not creepy knowing that all the Cullens probably know way too much and it's definitely not creepy when your sister gives me those looks," he chewed.

"Hmm I see," I looked down, knowing I'd lost.

"But what we do is totally worth it," he grinned, causing me to blush.

"Does that mean I get my present today?"

"Maybe… if you help me do the dishes?"

"Mmmm, no thanks," I jumped up from my seat and plopped down on the couch.

I watched out the corner of my eye as he watched me with a confused frown. He dropped leftover pieces of bacon on the floor for Harry and got up gathering plates. I finally moved from my spot when he started the water, but he wasn't in the kitchen.

"Paul?" I looked around, placing the drain plug in the sink.

"Boo…"

"Paul!" I gasped, flinching away from him. "What the hell?"

"Tsk tsk," he laughed wrapping an arm around me. "What kind of language is that?"

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes, turning around. "I'll get you back one day."

"We'll see…" he stood next to me at the sink.

There wasn't much to clean, and by the time we were done we were humming a catchy song.

"Not a trace…"

"Of doubt in mind…"

"I'm in lovvvve…"

"What is this?" I stopped, picking up a small cardboard box on the window sill.

"Open it."

"It's a sock," I frowned, setting the lid on the counter.

"Look in the sock," he murmured. I was nervous or anxious – should I have been feeling this way when they guy I loved was proposing?

My stomach dropped when I shoved my hand in –I was also disappointed. This was definitely how I should've felt when the guy I loved wasn't proposing. There was nothing in the sock.

"Um… there's nothing," I shook my head.

"Oh ssshhh," Paul cursed, patting his pockets. "Now I know we've only been dating a couple of months so this is just-"

"Yes," I nodded.

"It's just a promise for the future. I figured I should give it to you now-"

"Yes."

"Before I actually lose it. Again."

"Yes – yes. I'm saying yes now!" I nearly stomped my foot.

"You want to be engaged now?" he grinned, holding out a ring.

"Yes!" I bounced, giving him a kiss as he slipped it on my finger. "Oh how'd you…?" I stared at my mother's ring.

"I convinced Jake that you'd appreciate it more – plus Nessie can't wear something like this if they have to pretend to be in high school in the future. He picked out a necklace from your mother's jewelry box though," he smiled.

"Wait," I stepped back. "Which necklace?"

"It had a blue gem in the middle and-"

"And smaller green ones on the side? You let him have the sapphire necklace?" I hissed.

"What? But I thought," he stammered. "I thought you wanted the ring – you never said anything about a necklace!"

I couldn't keep a straight face for very long. I was too happy to pretend to be mad. A year ago - even four months ago - I would never have thought that I could be this happy again. My old self wouldn't even recognize me now.

"Why – why are you… you little shit," he sighed.

"I got you," I giggled as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Yeah, and I got you…"

Epilogue

"Frick on a stick," Paul cursed, kicking another toy out of the way. He tip-toed the rest of the way down the hall to the master bedroom.

"Are they in bed?" his wife whispered as he slipped under the sheets.

"Probably not in them anymore..."

"Well I hope they sleep in then."

"Yeah me too," he grinned, rubbing a hand on her hip.

"Don't get me started," she laughed shoving a pillow in his face.

"Hey why's your pillow all squishy?"

"It's a feather pillow."

"Oh fancy, where's mine?" he looked around the bed. "You didn't get me one, did you?"

"I didn't know if you'd like it," she admitted.

"Guess I'll just have to try it," Paul pushed the pillow under his head, tossing his at her.

"Hey now…"

"Ah feathers," he cooed. "This is the life…"

AN: That's it folks. This will probably be my last chaptered-story - I'll probably focus more on one shots with school coming up... I say that now, but we'll see. : )

The song that's mentioned is "I'm a Believer"

Thanks for Reading!