Title: Scars and Stories
Genre: Fluff
Rating: T?
Pairing: Bella/Paul
Words: 2,000
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

AN: This is a little different. Paul is inspired by Jason Momoa in The Red Road. Sexy beast, really. Anyway, the first time I saw him I thought he looked like a wolf- an older wolf to be more specific. And with his general sexiness and bad boy look, he of course became Paul. So this story has present day Paul (Jason) and his teenage son, Colby (that would be a young Alex Meraz). Pic is linked on my bio.

In researching this story, I went back and re-read part of New Moon. I was surprised to learn that fanfiction has messed with my head more than I thought. Bella never actually slapped Paul in the book, only the movie. So for the flashback section I'm going with canon here and picking up where Jacob finished telling her about the wolves and he is taking her to meet them on the side of the road somewhere. That part is in the middle though.

~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~

Scars and Stories

I tucked my face closer to his neck and tried to slow my sobbing. We knew this day was coming, but nothing made it easy when your baby boy—the one you held in your arms and nursed at your breast—was suddenly a wolf like his father.

Paul tried to nudge my face up to look at him. "Babe? C'mon, babe. You knew this was gonna happen. He'll be just fine once he calms down."

His words did not reassure me, considering how well I knew where Colby inherited his hot temper. Paul was anything but calm, and history gave me little hope of seeing our boy back on two legs anytime soon.

"Baby…" I finally looked up at his wheedling, and he cocked his eyebrow with that sexy scar he knew I loved so much. He liked to tell the kids that he got his scars from wrestling with a vampire, but I knew the truth. I didn't know how it was possible, but my man only got more attractive with each passing year.

He was forty now, and even more heavily muscled than he was as a teenage werewolf. He and Jared still hit the gym each morning, determined not to lose face in front of our boys. I teased them that it would have been easier had they just kept phasing the way Jake and Leah did.

Before I could answer him, our tiny tornado came running into the room. Charlotte, or Charlie, was our only little girl, and she had her daddy wrapped tightly around those chubby little fingers.

Her little hands fisted my hair as she climbed on my lap, even as I was sitting on his lap. "Momma! Where's Bubbie? Where'd Bubbie go?"

His large hand closed over the back of her neck and she instantly stopped her fidgeting and looked up with wide brown eyes. Paul couldn't hold his stern expression another second as he bent to rub his nose against hers. "I told you baby girl, Colby is part of the Pack now. He had to go away for a few days."

Charlie's nose scrunched up in confusion before her expression cleared. "'Cause new wolves is dang'rous, right, Daddy?"

He chuckled and tucked her more comfortably under his arm, keeping his other arm tight around me. "That's right, baby girl. New wolves are real dangerous. Your momma learned that the hard way."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at the memory of that fateful day all those years ago. Dangerous, my ass. I almost lost my stubborn wolf because he was too moonstruck by me to fight back when Jake attacked him. I would never forget that day.

~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~

I was nervous, standing there tucked close to Jacob's side. He'd assured me that Sam would appreciate the insider knowledge I held, as it would be helpful to the pack. I still wasn't sure they would happy to see me there with him, though.

Jacob tensed beside me, and I suddenly saw four boys step through the trees across the deserted highway. They all looked so similar it was hard to tell one from the other, but when Sam spoke I recognized his angry voice.

"What have you done, Jacob?"

Jake held out one hand entreatingly and started to speak. "It's not like that, guys. She can help! She–"

From the line of really big half-naked boys, another wolf stepped out, furious. His teeth were clenched and his nostrils flared in anger as he spat out, "Oh that's likely! I'm sure the leech lover is just dying to help…"

His words trailed off as I met his dark gaze, locked in place as his expression immediately transformed. The rage that filled his face just seconds earlier seemed to melt away to a shocked wonder that warmed me deep inside and somehow made me feel safe.

I took one step forward just as the boy did, but Jacob threw a large arm out, knocking me backwards to the ground. My angry wolf was abruptly furious once more as he took two running steps toward me, all the while looking me over as if to see if I was hurt.

"No!" Jacob roared, charging the other boy and landing a solid punch to his jaw. I jerked back in response, terrified that Jake would hurt his friend.

My mind froze in shock as Jacob leapt into the air, his body twisting as his scream gave over to a very animalistic howl. Instead of the boy I'd known all his life, there was a giant wolf instead.

"Paul, man, you better phase!" One of the other boys looked worried as he glanced between the Jake-wolf and my boy, Paul.

Paul barely spared him a glance as he tried to run around the angry wolf, clearly intent on reaching my side. I couldn't hold back a scream when the huge wolf knocked him back with one massive paw.

My chest felt tight with apprehension—I just knew this wasn't going to end well. Sam barked out an order that Jake shook off like water. "Jacob, stop! Phase back! You can't interfere with this!"

One of the other boys took advantage of the distraction to run to my side. "Bells? You okay?" he asked, and I focused my eyes on his face long enough to realize this was Embry.

The boy I met in Jake's garage had grown almost as much as my best friend, and his hair was short and spiky like the rest of the pack. "Embry? What happened? Why is Jake so–"

My words cut off as my breath left me in a rush. I started to collapse, but Embry's quick reflexes had him catching me before I could hit the ground. As hard as I tried I couldn't pull air into my lungs, and instinctively I knew it had to do with Paul.

On the road in front of us, the huge wolf was cowering, looking down at his fallen brother. Paul was laying on the ground, motionless, with blood covering him from head to toe. His beautiful skin was ripped open across his chest and another cut above his eye was pouring blood down over his face.

Those deep brown eyes were frantic, searching, and when I finally caught his gaze we both inhaled and let out a sigh of relief. I couldn't hold back an encouraging smile even as my world began to go grey around the edges. I saw Paul's lips form my name just before I surrendered to the darkness.

~ooo~ooo~ooo~ooo~

I came back to consciousness slowly, first aware of the heat that surrounded me. The fresh scent of cedar and a lighter hint of something richer washed over me, and I burrowed deeper into my warm cocoon.

A deep chuckle brought me abruptly awake, and I realized I was nuzzling my face against someone's warm, bare skin. I lifted my head and realized I was cradled against the side of someone I had never met. Someone I had last seen laying on the roadway practically torn to shreds.

My hand came up to cover my mouth as I traced his well-muscled body with my eyes. The white sheet was low on his hips, leaving little to the imagination and making it quite clear he was wearing absolutely nothing underneath it.

His chest was clean with a light sheen of sweat, and the deep gashes that the wolf's claws had made were healed to a deep red scar. How long had I been asleep? I glanced up to his eyes, momentarily distracted by the lighter pink scar that crossed his left eyebrow—it was obviously a fresh wound too, but all I could think was how sexy he looked.

I blushed when he arched that eyebrow and slowly reached his hand toward me as his arm tightened around me. "Don't freak out, please. I know there's a lot of shit to tell you, but I like having you here right now. It makes me feel better."

There was just enough light in his eyes that I could tell he was playing this up a bit, but at the same time I felt like there was no way I could deny this man anything. His full lips were pouting boyishly and before I could think I reached up to brush a strand of hair away from his forehead.

He caught my hand when I went to pull it back, and then I was trapped his in hungry gaze. His face tilted toward mine just enough that our noses brushed, and I caught my breath at the innocently intimate gesture. "Hey there," he whispered, his voice deep and husky.

"Hi," I managed to squeak out, gasping again when the movement of my lips caused our noses to touch once more. I couldn't stop staring at that cut on his eyebrow—it gave him such a dangerous, sexy look. I was caught off guard by how much I wanted him.

"Bella." His voice was deeper, commanding almost, and I couldn't look away from his eyes. "I really want to kiss you now…"

I felt myself nod at his words and then his lips were on mine. He was so hot—feverishly warm—but his lips were incredibly soft and gentle. He started with the barest of touches, his skin gently caressing mine, and then the pressure of his lips gradually increased.

His hand drifted up my side from hip, grazing the side of my breast on the way to my shoulder. When I gasped at the contact, his tongue peeked out to test my willingness. I was all too willing.

I pressed myself against him without thinking, jerking back in horror when he hissed in pain. His eyes were tense as he glanced at painful wounds on his chest. "I'm so sorry!" I babbled as I flapped my hands helplessly. How could I hurt him like that?

His long fingers pressed lightly against my lips, then moved over to cup my cheek. "It's alright. I'll live. Now get back over here," he said with a decidedly wolfish grin. What on earth was I getting into?

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I felt my face heat with a blush as I looked back at Paul. His eyes were softer as I leaned up to kiss away his smirk, squeezing Charlie between us. She giggled and begged her daddy for her own kiss and I watched them together until an achingly familiar voice brought my head around.

"Momma?"

I would have fallen off Paul's lap if he didn't still have slightly faster-than-human reflexes. As it was he barely caught me, and Colby darted over to help hold me steady.

He was taller—I could see that easily—but the more subtle changes were there as well. His head was held high, back straight, as he stood there with his hands fisted loosely at his sides. His sleek black hair was a hopeless mess, and I couldn't hold back a tear at the thought of having to cut it.

He looked so much like his father.

"Momma?" The hurt in his voice propelled me into action and I threw myself into his arms.

"Oh, baby boy. I'm so happy to see you!" My tears fell freely as I stood there in his familiar warm embrace. With my eyes closed I would swear this was Paul. Colby was just fifteen—the same age Paul was when he first phased. So much responsibility for my boy.

Paul's large, cooler hands fell on our shoulders as we hugged, and I didn't have to look up to know the look of pride my husband was giving to our son. "So how did it go?" It was a question from one wolf to another.

I pulled back enough to see my son's face morph into an exact replica of Paul's cocky youthful smirk. He glanced down at me and grinned, then punched his dad on the shoulder.

"I saw how you got the scars."