Telling the Truth

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. It means a lot that you are enjoying this little story about Paul and Bella. Thanks again! Nikki :)

Part Three

Paul sat at the table and watched Bella as she prepared him something to eat. He noticed that she seemed to be in her element in the kitchen. She tried to make polite small talk with him but Paul refused to engage in it and just either stared at his hands or observed her when her back was turned. After twenty minutes of torturous silence Bella slammed a plate of food down in front of Paul.

"There you go." She said coldly and walked over to the sink to start washing the dishes.

Paul stared at the plate, piled high with food. He tried to say thank you but the words stuck in his throat. He started to shovel the food into his mouth. It tasted excellent. Bella continued to wash up the dirty dishes in silence. She was getting fed up with his presence and wanted him to leave. He clearly hated her, why he followed her into the house she didn't know. When she had made the offer of food it had been as a gesture of thanks for saving her life and listening to her while she broke down over what had occurred in Italy. She gave a heavy sigh and started to rinse the plates.

A warm hand took one of the plates from her hand and it made her jump. She had forgotten that the pack could move silently. She had not heard him approach. She stared at him as he took each plate from her and dried it carefully.

"Where do they go?" Paul asked abruptly.

"In the cupboard over there." Bella pointed to where she wanted them placed.

Paul swiftly put the plates away and then stood facing Bella, leaning against the kitchen cabinets. He crossed his arms and gazed at her nochantly. Bella's face reddened under his intense stare, he was obviously trying to make her feel uncomfortable. She cleared her throat nervously.

"Well now you have had something to eat I expect you need to get going..." Bella said hesitantly.

"Not really..."

The silence grew really uncomfortable as Bella tried to think of something to say. Why wasn't he leaving? She didn't understand him or his intentions at all. She sighed heavily and decided to just ask him what he was after.

"What do you want Paul?" She stated baldly.

Paul pushed himself away from the cabinet and strode toward Bella purposefully. He stared down at her, put a finger under her chin and raised her head so that she was forced to look him in the eyes. "I want to know why you are still with that disgusting leech Bella. I want you to tell me why you turned your back on not just Jake, but all the wolf pack. We have risked our lives to defend yours and you repay us by totally ignoring us and surrounding yourself with the very same family of leeches that abandoned you to death by vampire..."

"I already told you...Edward he needs me. I have to stay with him. What if he goes off and tries to do something stupid again? "

"So you're saying that you are only staying with the leech out of guilt?"

"No...I...love him..."

"Really?"

"Yes, really...look can you go now. I need to call Edward back, he is probably really worried and if he finds you here..."

"What? That leech wouldn't stand a chance against me. I would rip his head off before he had a chance to try any tricks on me..."

Bella pushed against Paul's bare chest with her hands as he leaned in closer. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body and it was making her feel uncomfortable. Paul laughed at her irritated expression and caught her hands in his own, stopping her from pushing him away.

"I make you feel uncomfortable don't I?"

"No..." Bella lied, she tried to yank her hands out of his grasp but he did not let go.

They stared each other down for a tense few seconds before Paul finally released her hands and stepped aside. Bella brushed past him and she felt him tremble slightly. She glanced up at him curiously. She saw a fleeting glimpse of some sort of emotion in his eyes and she frowned. It looked for one brief moment like he was...hurt? Hurt by the fact that she had pushed him away. Paul Lahote was a paradox, but Bella felt too tired and emotional to even try to understand him. She knew that she was going to have to face Edward and his probing questions later and she needed all her wits about her to deflect his interrogation.

"Please leave now Paul...I really just need you to go. Edward will be here soon, checking up on me and if he sees you still here. I'm so tired and I just can't face any more drama..." Bella's voice tailed off as she saw Paul hold out his hand toward her.

"Come with me..." He suddenly blurted out. He watched her chocolate brown eyes widen in shock at his proposal.

"Why?" Bella asked, completely flummoxed by his offer.

"To show the son of a bitch that he can't control your every action and because you owe me..."

"I made you a meal...we're even. I don't owe you a thing..."

"Come with me...or are you scared?" Paul taunted her.

Bella's eyes narrowed at his words and she slowly placed her hand in his...

XXXXXX

"Where are you taking me?" Bella asked finally as Paul drove her truck toward La Push.

He glanced at her briefly. "You'll soon see."

Bella rolled her eyes and again wondered why she had given in to his pathetic challenge. He always managed to rile her during their encounters and she cursed the fact that when Edward found out the fall out would be epic. She closed her eyes in frustration and ignored Paul for the rest of the drive.

"We're here..." Paul's voice penetrated Bella's brain. Had she actually dozed off? She sat up straight in her seat and looked out of the windscreen. What she saw made her cry out in fear.

"Why have you brought me here? I can't believe this, you're sick, do you know that." Bella raged at him.

Paul just smirked at her. "Get out of the truck and stop being such a coward, for once in your life, face your fears."

Bella looked out toward the cliff top. Paul had brought her to the exact spot where she had jumped off the cliff in her despair over Edward's leaving her. She sat shivering in her seat when she felt Paul's warm hand touch her arm.

"You won't be alone when you jump Bella, I will be with you this time. Believe me, once you have conquered this fear it will make you a stronger person. Please...come with me?" Paul again held out his hand to her.

Even though she was angry and frightened Bella could not fail to see the logic behind his offer. She again placed her had in his and allowed him to assist her out of the truck and over toward the edge of the cliff. Looking down she saw the grey sea hitting the rocks below. It was not as violent as the day she had jumped, but she still shivered from the memory of that fateful day.

Paul saw her indecision, so once again he forced the issue, and tugging her behind him he leapt over the edge and Bella had no choice but to follow him as they both tumbled down and down before hitting the sea with brutal force. The air was pushed from Bella's lungs as the sea closed over her head. She fought for breath as she started to panic, images of the last time she was trapped in the water surging through her. Paul could feel her panic as it communicated itself straight to him. He gripped her tightly on her upper arms and pushed with his strong legs until they both reached the surface. Bella clung to his wide shoulders and she gasped as she took in great heaving breaths. She had never felt so glad to be alive...

XXXXXX

Paul swept Bella up in his strong arms and he carried her bridal style out of the water. Her long hair was plastered to her head and she looked so pale in the dim light cast by the sun. However it was the light in her eyes that riveted his eyes to her. Despite all her protests Paul knew that she had needed this, to relive the darkest moment of her life and realise there was a lot to live for. He carried her over to some nearby rocks and then sat down, placing her carefully on his lap.

Bella shivered uncontrollably as she took in what she had just done. She clutched onto Paul tightly, her arms wound securely round his neck. Had she really just done that? Manic laughter bubbled up within her as she pictured Edward's face in her head, he would be livid with her once he knew, but the thought passed through her mind that she just did not care. She laid her head on Paul's warm chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart, drinking the sound in and counting the beats as they passed.

Paul just held onto her, enjoying the feel of her body pressed close to his. He could sense that Bella had passed some kind of milestone and was glad that he had confronted her at school today. The cliff dive had been cathartic for both of them.

"Bella...are you okay?" Paul ventured to ask.

Bella smiled against his chest at his tone. For the first time since they had met his voice was soft and laced with concern. She raised her head and looked him over carefully, assessing how she should respond to him, in the end she decided to just tell him the truth.

"I am tired but okay...and thank you..."

Paul laughed at her words. "Finally she says thanks... I should record this for prosperity."

Bella shifted around in his embrace so she could look at him closely. "I have said thank you before..."

"Yeah... but this is the first time that you have actually meant it." Paul stated bluntly.

"Maybe..." Bella finally agreed.

The wind picked up and Paul decided hat Bella really needed to change into something dry. He hoisted her up into his arms and jogged toward her truck. Bella did not protest as she snuggled closer to his heated torso, trying to absorb the warmth from his body, she gasped as Paul suddenly jerked to a halt. She stared up at him, confusion clear in her eyes. Paul glanced down at her and tightened his hold. Bella finally turned her head and glanced toward her truck and her eyes opened wide.

Standing next to it, his eyes showing anger and a degree of hurt was her best friend in all the world, Jacob Black...

A/N-I know, another rubbish chapter. I am not sure whether it's worth continuing this. What do you all think?

Nikki :(