Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you?
And I wouldn't dream of goin' nowhere
Silly woman, come here, let me hold you
Have I told you lately?
I love you like crazy, girl

-Crazy Girl.. Eli Young Band

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul sighed as he sat astride his bike in the parking lot. He had two options at the moment. He could either go and talk to Bella and try to make her see reason… or he could go and see his best friend and brother in every way but blood. Jared seemed like the logical choice at the moment. His sunglasses went over his eyes and his engine was turned on and revved before he was off towards the garage.

Sam was a little surprised to see Paul's bike pulling into the garage's parking lot. As far as he knew, Paul had gone to see Izzy and was still there. He nudged Jared and nodded his head to their friend when he caught the look on his face. Jared frowned. Something was definitely wrong with him. The pair watched him saunter over to Sam's punching bag in the corner and strip his shirt. They winced at the resounding smack of his bare fists hitting. His knuckles were sure to be bloody soon.

"I'll handle it." Jared said with a sigh.

Sam nodded. "Let me know if you need me. I'm closing for the night."

Jared eyed him. "You're closing early?"

"Half an hour." He shrugged.

Jared snorted and threw a grease rag towards his friend and boss. He made his way over to Paul who was busy laying into the punching bag kept in the back. He winced when Paul's bare knuckles split open.

"Paul… what's up bro?" He asked holding the bag still.

Paul continued to beat on the now steady bag, his eyes laced with built up frustration and anger. He ignored Jared in favor of hitting said bag. He barely acknowledged the pain in his hands.

"Paul… come on… talk to me." Jared tried again.

He sighed. "I went to see Izzy. I didn't ask her about the cop car… I pretty much figured it was her dad… dude… she met me at the door!"

"And? Sam said you were going to talk… what happened?"

Paul sighed and rested his head against the bag. "I went shopping with her.."

Jared blinked. "I'm sorry… it sounded like you said you went shopping with her! The hell?"

"Yeah." He smiled wryly. "Five hours."

Jared shook his head. "This girl is changing you. You sure you want that?"

"And if I do?" Paul challenged. His fist came a little too close to where Jared's face was.

Jared pulled his face back quickly and eyed his friend. "I'm not saying anything. You obviously like her. I've just not seen anyone hold your focus like this since Ra-"

"Don't say her name!" Paul growled.

Sam eyed the two, having heard what was said only shook his head. Rachel had done a number on him before she skipped town to be with her hokwat of a boyfriend she'd been living with for the past 4 years or so.

"Ok… so… you went shopping with her… you talked to her, made up… made out… what's so bad about that? Why are you so pissy now?"

"I'm not done yet…"

"How bad?"

"I met Bella tonight."

Jared winced. "That bad, huh?"

"She was livid and indignant all at once. You'd think I would have skipped out when I found out from Embry's girl what was going on… but there's just… something about her…"

"You're not going pussy whipped are you?" He teased.

Paul snorted. "That won't happen for a while."

"Oh?" Jared raised an eyebrow.

"Bella made sure to point out to me that she's got a v-card still intact."

Jared's eyes bulged. "Holy shit! What the hell, Paul?"

He nodded. "Yeah… Bella's under the impression all I wanna do is hit it and quit it."

"Even I know better than that. This girl is clearly a little too touched in the head if she thinks that's all you want from her."

Paul glared at him. "Back off Jared."

Jared shook his head slowly and held his hands up in submission. "Easy bro. Look. The way I see it, you need to prove to her that you're in it for the long haul. Clearly you like her… lord knows why… but if she's who you want, then prove it to her."

"And how the hell and I supposed to do that?" Paul huffed. "You didn't hear her.. I mean.. she thinks she's Laurens sloppy seconds."

Even Sam had to snort at that. He abandoned cleaning after he'd locked up in favor of sitting in the lounge chair close to them. "Did you set her straight?"

Paul smirked. "With a kiss on the lips that almost stole her breath."

Jared laughed and slipped on a pair of padded boxing mitts. "Good to see she's not totally changed you." He said holding them out for Paul to hit at.

"Doubt it. I'm just tired of playing the field. Izzy's… she's different- crazy yes… but different. She doesn't take my shit. Apparently neither does her alter ego." Paul mused.

Jared rolled his eyes. "Her alter ego was being pawned off to the scum of the earth. Remember?" He teased.

Sam laughed. "Paul can take that pansy ass."

He rolled his eyes at both of them. "Shut it Uley."

"And if I don't?" He teased, echoing Paul's earlier words.

Paul grinned. "Put your money where your mouth is bro." He teased.

Sam snorted. "I'm not that stupid. You fight dirty."

"Yeah, well… according to Izzy, she likes him dirty." Jared snickered. "HEY!" He ducked the glove aiming towards the back of his head. "I'm teasing."

"Yeah, well… I've come to the conclusion one way or another that I'm fucked. She's had it rough… it's caused her to go a little crazy… but damn man…I don't think I'm willing to give her up."

Jared chuckled. "So don't. give her up, I mean."

A knock on the door interrupted them from their sparring match. Even Sam poked his head out of the back to see who was stupid enough to not read a sigh that clearly read 'closed.'

"I know that silhouette." Paul groaned.

Sam shuddered. "Yeah.. She's got my girl pissed as hell because she's been hanging around here looking for you for the past two hours."

Jared rolled his eyes. "I'll handle it. Again."

"You seem to be doing a lot of that lately." Sam teased.

"Fuck you, Uley." Jared quipped.

"You first Cameron." He smirked.

Paul only shook his head. These were his friends.

"Tell me why his bike is still here then?! He never leaves without it!"

Paul rolled his eyes.

"He took my car." Came Jared's easy reply.

Thankfully he'd parked inside the shop today. Paul eyed the compact tin can that Jared called a car and shook his head. The man was 6'5, built just as well as himself and Sam and it amazed him still that his friend could drive it.

"One way or another Jared, you'll regret keeping me from him. His little bitch may be good as a distraction, but Paul is MINE."

Sam shook his head at Paul in sympathy. "What the hell is it with you and the crazy ass chicks?"

Paul shrugged. "Lauren was a fun lay… for a month or two. Then she got damn clingy. Izzy… she's it."

Sam smirked. "She finally tame the untamable?"

"Nah… just caught his attention." Paul grinned.

Jared huffed. "And she's gonna catch Izzy's attention if the look of jealousy was anything to go by. I just got done telling her you were still at her apartment."

Paul groaned. "Wonderful. Look, I'm goin' to get a shower. I need time to think."

Sam and Jared only watched him walk up the stairs with amused grins on their faces. Things were going to get interesting of that, they were certain.

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Bella sighed. She'd retreated inside her head and allowed Izzy to do with the apartment what she wanted. If she weren't so sullen at the moment, she'd admit that it wasn't half bad. Instead, she was thinking of none other than the resident bad boy in her life, Paul. She was woman enough to admit that maybe, just maybe she was wrong. But he'd given her NOTHING to prove that he could be trusted for anything more than a one night stand. That was NOT what she was looking for. At all.

'You should have just listened.' Izzy chimed in.

Bella rolled her eyes. 'So you did.'

'I TOLD you he wasn't like that. I TOLD you he wasn't out for that… but did you listen… nooo of course not! The one time you get to meet him, you go and ruin it by suddenly coming down with foot to mouth syndrome!' Izzy scolded.

'Maybe I was a little over dramatic.' Bella agreed.

'You should apologize for it too.' She added firmly.

'What I said was valid.' Bella argued.

'But no less hurtful for it's falsehood.' Izzy huffed. 'You don't even KNOW him. For all your self righteous fury directed towards him and what you THINK, you've never taken the time to try and know him before hand.'

Therein was the key reason Bella was so upset with herself. 'What if I invited him over. Started again?'

'IF he even wants to! Honestly woman… bringing Lauren into it?! You should have just compared him to Edward. That would have been a little better!' Izzy griped.

'Yes! Yes! I know I did something wrong! Stop yelling at me! I'm trying to NOT be so crazy! As if talking to myself isn't bad enough! And my mother expects me to become a therapist… I NEED a therapist!' Bella growled.

'I won't argue with that… are you going to try this time?'

'I owe it to the both of us, now don't I?'

'Just let me talk to him!' Izzy warned.

Bella finally conceded. She'd give him a try. 'Behave yourself!' She warned.

'Yes mother.'

Izzy dialed his number and waited for the phone to pick up. She smiled when she heard his voice.

"Hello?"

"Paul? Hi… it's uh… it's Izzy."

He frowned when he heard the uncertainty in her voice. "Hey gorgeous. You ok?"

She smiled. "Maybe. You mad at my other half still?"

Several minutes passed by. Izzy bit her bottom lip praying Bella hadn't royally screwed things up for them.

"No. I'm really not."

She could have leapt for joy. Bella merely rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry about that… I hope you know." She said.

"You don't have to be. Bella is kind of right in some ways. I guess I've been nothing but a potential one night stand, huh." He teased.

"But what if I like you like that?" She purred.

'THAT'S behaving?!' Bella hissed.

Paul smirked. "You sayin that's all you want from me?" He asked. He held his breath and waited for the answer.

"No, Paul. That's not all I want." She admitted.

Paul sighed. "Me either." He admitted quietly.

"But… can we take it slow?" Bella insisted she asked. "Bella wanted a chance to try to know you…

Paul grinned. "Sure thing baby girl. Whatever you say."

Izzy sighed. "You do know I'm a little crazy right?" She teased.

"Who's not?" He quipped.

'Huh… maybe I was wrong after all.' Bella mused.

Izzy only sighed. 'I told you..'

They spent the next twenty minutes talking before Izzy told him she had to go. She had time off after being in the hospital and planned to use it to her advantage to figure out what she was going to do with her mother and Edward. She had a feeling things were starting to come together for her- not quite fitting just right yet, but soon.