AN: Hello peoples! I just want you all to know, that yes, I am alive, and this story is now a pain in the ass! It used to be so easy but now its getting harder! Its not helping that I have so many other Twilight fanfic idea's. Oh, and I need to pimp out my new story, The Family Legacy, go check it out and review it if you like it! Speaking of reviews, I cracked 700! THAT'S CRAZY! You guys are so good to me. This is Quil's POV like I promised and the next chapter will go back to Claire. I won't be updating Boys Are Frustrating until I catch up to the timeline in this story, so stick with me!

Chapter Thirty-Two

Not Funny

Nothing scares a guy more than when he shows his vulnerable side to a girl. We're scared they'll use it against us, or think we're weak. Or worse. They'll laugh. That's exactly what Claire did when I asked her if she wanted to be with me.

It felt like my ribs started choking my heart.

Her beautiful laugh was mocking me. It was sick how I was so in love with the laugh even though it hurt me so much.

I could barely stay in the seat as I watched her catch her breath and wipe the tears from her eyes. All I wanted to do was run into the woods.

"You're joking right?" She asked breathlessly with a smile still stuck to her face.

"No," I answered sternly.

"How could you ask that after what I did last night?" She asked amused, trying to reach out to touch my face.

I jerked away from her. "There's a difference between sleeping with someone and being with them." I snapped harshly.

That sent her reeling. Her eyes were wide with pain and she looked down to her lap. I felt a jolt of pain drive through my gut and I shuddered. I had been attacked by all kinds of things and felt the pain of their anger, but what it felt like to hurt my imprint was more than million times worse. It was like having my body ripped in pieces by a vacuum.

"I'm sorry," I murmured breathlessly.

She bit her lip and looked up at me, her eyes still pained. She opened her mouth to say something, but didn't and stood and stepped for the stairs, her head bowed. She was ashamed. Great, my hissy fit just made my heart outside my chest ashamed. Another wave of grief and I reached out to grab her arm.

I couldn't lose her again over something so stupid as my pride getting hurt, not after thirteen years without her…

"Claire," I whispered with a tight throat. She looked at me with tears glistening in her beautiful green eyes. "I'm an idiot, don't listen to me." I pled.

"I don't want you to think I want to be with you because you look good." She muttered sadly, barely looking at me.

"I don't, I just lost my temper." I said shaking my head, trying to get her to understand how much of an idiot I knew I was.

The pain in her eyes didn't go away as she sat in my lap and rested her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her quickly and tightly.

"Did you really think I wouldn't want to be with you?" She asked confused.

"I don't know what you want." I countered truthfully.

"I want to stay here with you and Willa and my dad." She said looking up at me.

"No college, dream career, house in the Bahamas?" I asked trying not to sound as afraid as I was. I couldn't lose her again, but I didn't want her staying here if she wasn't happy.

She let out a little giggle that let my heart unclench. A little. "No, I always wanted to be a housewife, be lazy and take care of the home." She snuggled closer to me as she said it and couldn't be happier.

"You sure?" I asked quietly being careful not to sound too excited.

"I'm positive. If I have to take another course on American Government I will shoot myself." She grumbled.

I chuckled at that. "I wouldn't want that." I mumbled as I kissed the top of her head.

She stayed cuddled in my arms as I continued to curse myself for being so stupid and prayed that she wouldn't think less of me for this. I honestly felt like throwing myself down a mountain, but something told me that wouldn't help and that something was currently tracing my jaw lazily.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked curiously, not looking up.

I held her closer out of fear she might want to leave my arms. "Anything," I murmured rather pathetically.

She took in a deep breath and looked up at me. "After I've spent a year or so with my dad, could I move in with you?" She asked cautiously as she chewed on her lip.

I almost laughed, but I had just come to the wrong conclusion not thirty minutes ago after a laugh and I wasn't going to make that mistake twice. "I'd move you in right now if you wanted it." I said earnestly.

Another fit of giggles bubbled out of her and I felt more of my fears being lifted off me. "Well, I kind of do want to now, but I think I should spend a year or so with my dad." She said knowingly.

"Whatever you want." I said with a smile.

"You are such a push-over." She laughed, snuggling deeper into my arms, if possible.

"I know," I whispered so quietly I don't even think she heard me.

I don't know how long we sat there but I was finally starting to relax. She wasn't upset, I could feel her whole body radiate contentment. There was a faint smile on her features as she continued to gently run her finger along the line of my jaw, my stubble scrapping her finger harshly.

"Do you have to do anything?' She asked curiously with a little bit of hope in her voice.

"Nope," I answered with a grin. It was true and even if it wasn't I wouldn't leave, not after being such a jackass.

"So, we're going to sit here all day?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"If you want." I said chuckling a little.

"Could we move to the couch?" She asked nodding to the living room.

"As you wish," I said with a smirk as I stood and carried her easily to the couch.

I stretched across the couch and Claire lay between me and the back of the couch, tucked under my arm. She looked so small compared to me it looked like she would disappear in the crook of the couch if I wasn't holding her so close to me.

"I like this, not having to worry about anything and just be lazy." She mumbled lazily against my shirt.

"Don't get too used to it." I sighed, letting my eyes close peacefully.

"I won't," She murmured.

I haven't had a good night sleep in a long while and laying on the comfortable couch with my imprint so firmly pressed against me quickly lulled me into a sleep like trance. I was totally obliviously to everything except Claire's steady breathing and tightly wound fingers on my shirt. I think I actually fell asleep because one moment Claire is laying peacefully at my side and the next she is tugging on my shirt.

"Quil," She whispered entirely awake.

I cracked one eye open and looked down at Claire. She looked anxious. I opened both my eyes and sat up a little. "Yeah?" I asked concerned.

"Willa and Seth are going to be okay, right?" She asked worryingly.

I sighed and hugged her tightly. "You know, you can stop worrying about them for a second." I said teasingly.

"I can't help it. Willa should be happy after everything she's been through." She said with a frown, so deeply worried about her angry little sister.

"She's always happy when she's angry." I said knowingly. That smirk she always has after she has an argument is a pretty good sign she is actually enjoying herself.

Her brows met and her lips pursed. She looked so adorable with that look. "That makes no sense." She said confused.

"It will when she comes back." I assured her, pressing a kiss to her eyebrows. They relaxed and she let out a quiet sigh.

"If you say so." She mumbled.

She didn't seem to entirely believe me because I could still tell she was worried. "How about I phase and run passed the house?" I offered, pushing myself up a little.

"No, I'm sure she's okay." She said with a sneaky grin as she wrapped her ankles around my calf.

"You're just lazy." I said sinking deeper into the couch.

"Yup, and I'm okay with that." She said gripping my shirt and burying her face deeper into my side.

I laughed as I felt her laugh against my side. We laid together in silence for a while. I wasn't going to try and keep track of time I just wanted to enjoy the time alone I had with her because I knew this would be one of the rare time's that I would be with her without anything else to worry about or think about. Of course someone had to interrupt my time with her and knocked on the door.

I took a defensive position immediately, turning on the couch so I could see the door and keeping Claire hidden. It was human, but someone I didn't know. "You expecting anyone?" I asked slowly sitting up but still staying between her in the door.

"No," She said shaking her head as she stood and walked up to the door. I followed her and stayed directly behind her a she opened the door to show a bored looking UPS man.

"Claire Asher?" He asked looking at the device in his hand instead of my Claire.

"Yes?" She asked politely, eyeing the five boxes at the door step, stacked so high they were as tall as she was.

"Sign for these." He asked holding out whatever he had in his hand and pointed to the bottom. She signed her name quickly and he ripped it away from her when she was finished. "Thank you," He said over his shoulder as he walked back to his van.

I scowled at the man's back and stopped myself from following him to have a few words with. "What are they?" I asked looking at the boxes.

Claire didn't answer me as she looked at the label on the boxes that only had her name and address on them. She took the top box off the top and set on the ground and tried to open it. "I need a knife," She mumbled with a huff. I pulled my pocket knife from my back pocket and held it out for her just as she turned back to me. "What are you MacGyver?" She asked snickering.

"Something like that," I said grinning as she took the knife from me and flicked it open.

She sliced the tape on the box carefully and handed me back my knife then ripped the rest of the tape off and opened the box. It was full of comic books. "It's my comic books!" She cried happily, shuffling through the comics. Her smile fell quickly. "They're from my mom." She murmured sadly.

I hugged her from behind and leaned down to her ear. "Looks like she did send your stuff after all." I whispered and kissed the shell of her ear.

She sighed and gripped my arms for a moment before turning to look up at me. "Help me get them upstairs?" She asked with a bright smile.

"But of course, my lady." I said with a mock bow and walked around her to the boxes.

I took the three heaviest boxes and carried them easily up to her room. She followed with the two lighter boxes without much difficulty. We set them all on her bed and she eagerly started going through her comics.

"Is that whole box full of comics?" I asked amazed. I knew she liked comics, but the box is huge. I could fold Willa up and stick her in it no problem.

"Yup," She said happily, taking armfuls of comics out and setting them on top of her bare dresser. "This isn't all of them either." She said grinning as she pried open another box.

"You have a problem." I noted seriously.

She looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before she nodded. "Yeah," She agreed casually and went back to digging through her box.

I opened the box closest to me which was filled with books and albums. Once I had everything out of the box I started looking through the albums when I saw a picture of a younger Claire, probably fifteen or sixteen, with her arms wrapped around a stoic looking Italian boy who wore sleek sunglasses and ridiculously spiked hair. Neither one of them had much of a smile so I wasn't entirely jealous.

"Who is this?" I asked, trying to be calm. I turned the picture so Claire could see and held it close to my chest.

She looked up curiously then saw the picture and her eyes went wide. She tried to launch over the bed and take the picture out of my hands but I already had it over my head. "Give that back." She grunted frustrated as she tried to jump to reach the picture.

I looked up at the back of the picture and read the swirly purple message on the back. "'Claire and Johnny forever'," I said with my best girly voice. I was starting to find this all hilarious. "Hm, that didn't last very long." I said with a disapproving noise.

She jumped a little higher and grabbed at the air under the picture. "Quil! I'm serious!" She yelled frustrated.

She is too adorable when she is flustered with me. "He looks like a mobster in training with the sunglasses, I hope-" I was swiftly cut off by Claire's lips staking their claim on my own.

One second she was trying to get the picture and the next she is grabbing my face and pulling me into a deep kiss. I forgot about my original mission and wrapped both arms around her, lifting her off her feet just slightly. I didn't feel her hands move from my face to her waist where my hands were and steal the picture from me. Her lips kept me preoccupied for a few more seconds then she pulled away with a victorious grin on her face.

She slipped out of my arms quickly and clutched the picture tightly. "Thank you," She said cheerily, walking around her bed to the other side of the room.

"You are evil." I said shaking my head. Turns out Claire-Bear is still in there and just as cunning as ever.

"I know," She said smirking still.

She started ripping the picture into tiny pieces, so small that no one would be able to piece them together again. I liked it better that way. "Aw, what did Johnny do to deserve that?" I asked mockingly.

"Nothing, I just would rather have it destroyed than in anyone else's hands." She said happily as she dropped the pieces into her trash can.

A devilish idea of my own crossed my mind and I strode up to Claire quickly. She didn't have more than a second to react before I was taking her back into my arms and kissing her just as fiercely as she had kissed me seconds earlier. She moaned against my lips and reached up to hold my face gently.

She wavered slightly on her toes and I turned and sat on the edge of the bed so the height difference wasn't so dramatic but she just slid smoothly onto my lap. I grunted as my jeans suddenly became too tight for me and she grinned. I tightened my arms around her and nipped at her bottom lip. She giggled and wrapped her arms around me as her tongue glided over my lips. She was teasing me and I honestly didn't care. I didn't even notice one of the boxes as it fell off her bed and instead kissed her harder, making sure she knew how much I cared for her. How much I needed her. She matched my kiss and I felt a surge of pride overwhelm me.

AN: Review!