Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

AN: I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who are reading this story. You cannot know how critical I am of this story and the fact that you all like it is amazing. It makes me wish that I could hug each and every one of you!

Paul had obeyed Sam's orders for three weeks before Sam told him that he could see Bella again. He could tell her if he chose to, but he wasn't ready for that yet. He wanted to fill the pack in before he told her. He knew that Jacob would blow a gasket, but she was worth it.

He planned on telling them at the next pack meeting. He walked to Sam's with Jared. Jared had recently imprinted on a girl that he went to school with. Things were still new, and he was worried about telling her the whole truth. As of right now, Jared hadn't told her anything. Kim was quiet and shy and Jared was scared that she would get scared and never speak to him again.

All five of them gathered around Sam's kitchen table while Sam went over what he had found out about Victoria from Bella. He looked at Paul before putting his hands on the table.

"Before we draw this meeting to a close Jared and Paul have something that they want to say."

"You can go first," Paul said.

"I imprinted a few days ago," Jared said with a wide smile.

"Who's the girl?" Embry asked.

"Kim Raven."

"Isn't she the girl who writes for the school paper?" Embry asked.

"That's her."

"Congratulations Jared. Paul?"

"I've imprinted too."

""Who's the unlucky girl?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob," Sam warned.

"Who is it man?" Jared asked.

"Bella Swan."

"What?" Jacob yelled.

"Jake, calm down," Embry said.

"No fucking way. You aren't going near her ever again," Jacob seethed.

"Jacob, that isn't up to you to decide. That is up to Bella," Sam said calmly.

"What's your problem?" Paul asked.

"You're my problem! Did you imprint on her before or after you tried to attack her?"

"That doesn't matter Jacob," Sam answered peacefully

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Paul said remorsefully.

"Jacob, it could have been a lot worse. Thankfully you came when you did and Embry was able to save her," Sam said.

"He can't be trusted!" Jacob countered.

"He has paid his penance for what he did. I do not want you holding it over his head."

"I am going to hold it against him until the day that I die. You will never see her again. Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Jacob, do not interfere in this," Sam warned.

"Is that an order?" Jacob asked in a pained voice.

"Yes, it is."

Jacob rose from his chair and stalked towards the door. He was out the door before anyone could blink. Embry stood and quickly went after him. He didn't see him, but his clothes lay in a pile with his shoes on top along the tree line. He quickly phased and called for Jacob.

Get out of my head. Jacob thought.

You cannot be alone right now.

Actually I can.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to talk to Charlie in the morning.

Sam told you not to interfere.

Don't you dare tell him!

I have to.

Some friend you are.

Paul stood on the porch as Embry came out of the woods.

"Treat her right; because if you don't, you won't just have him after you, you'll have me after you too. Did anybody tell you that her dad is the Chief of Police?"

"No," Paul said in concern.

"Now you know. Don't screw it up," Embry countered.

"I'll try not to."

Embry nodded before walking through the yard. Paul knew that he had to prove himself not only to Bella but to everyone else. So much was riding on the outcome of his talking to her. If she turned him down he didn't know what he would do. No one had ever turned him down before.

XXXX

Bella was washing the outside windows of the store when she felt someone watching her. She turned to her right and saw no one there. She looked to her left and saw Paul a few feet away leaning against the building next door.

"Why do you like watching me so much?"

"Does it bother you?" he challenged.

"No. It just makes me think of someone else," she said sadly.

"His name was Edward, right?"

"What you know about him?" she asked, turning to face him.

"More than you think," he admitted.

"Did Jacob tell you?"

"Hell no, I can't even look at him without wanting to hit him," he said in disdain.

"He's not a bad guy. You should give him a chance."

"You should tell him that," he muttered.

"Is something going on between you two?"

"He thinks that he can throw his weight around. He doesn't like it when people don't fall in line."

"I already know that. Who told you about Edward?"

"Sam."

Bella nodded as she gathered the cleaning supplies. She looked over at him once more through squinted eyes.

"You can come inside. I'm the only person here," she said before opening the door.

He sat on the stairs leaning against the railing as she scrubbed the windows.

"Why did you come here?" she asked.

"I wanted to ask you something; before I do I want you to know that whatever Jacob has told you is not true."

"It isn't?"

"If you want to know anything about me all you have to do is say so."

"So what you're saying is that Jacob knows nothing about you?"

"He doesn't know a damn thing about me. Talk to Sam and Emily if you're too scared to ask

me."

"I don't scare easily. Are you going to ask me your question or not?"

"Will you go out on a date with me?"

She set the bottle of window cleaner and the paper towels on the window sill before coming to sit next to him.

"I made the mistake of jumping into a relationship with my last boyfriend without knowing anything about him. I knew that I loved him before we went out on our first date. When he left I told myself that I wouldn't let that happen again, that I would think things through and get to know everything about the person before I went out on a date with them," she explained.

"I can understand that," he said with a nod.

"I'm not saying no. I'm saying that you have to prove yourself to me."

"I can do that. What do you want to know first?"

"I don't know your last name or how old you are."

"My last name is Miller, and I'm twenty one. How old are you?"

"Eighteen. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope," he answered, his lips popping loudly.

"Me neither. Are your parents married or divorced?"

"They were married the last time that I talked to them," he said in a stressed tone.

"Mine are divorced. We'll steer clear of our families for right now since it's difficult for you."

"Thank you. Is the vampire your only ex-boyfriend?"

"His name is Edward, and yes he's my only ex-boyfriend."

"Are you a virgin? You don't have to answer that if it's too personal."

"I am a virgin. I have a feeling that your aren't, but that doesn't bother me."

"I haven't been a virgin since I was thirteen," he answered honestly.

"Okay, I didn't need to know that," she said with a nervous laugh.

"I make you nervous, don't I?"

"It's because I don't know you that well."

"Do you know me well enough to hug me?"

"You're leaving?" she asked, crest fallen.

"I have to run patrol with Embry."

She stood at the same time he did. He was at least a head and a half taller than her. He was taller, but not as filled out as Jacob. He looked down at her with curious eyes. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he pulled her to him. He draped his arms over her shoulders as she rested her head against his chest. Electricity coursed through them both. The bell above the door jingling followed by an angry growl then the door slamming shut again made her look up at him.

"That was Jacob, wasn't it?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah," he confirmed with a nod.

"How mad did he look?"

"Mad enough to kill anyone who gets in his way."

"Then I suggest you stay out of his way," she said pulling away from him.

"You don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

He walked up the stairs and down the street. He turned just before rounding a corner. Bella was watching him from the window. She waved and he smiled in return. She may not have said yes, but she hadn't turned him down. He could live with that.

XXXX

The curtains beside Bella's desk billowed in the wind. She heard movement in the yard and Jacob came through her window a few seconds later.

"Hey," she said not looking up from her computer.

"Are you busy?"

"Just a second," she said as she closed her internet down.

She turned to face him, taking in his concerned, tense look.

"I am going to forget what I saw this afternoon if you promise me that you will not talk to him again."

"Jake, you're not my dad. You can't tell me what to do," she said with a laugh.

"Then I'll just have to stay here until he comes home. I'm sure he'll see my side of things once I tell him what kind of person Paul is."

"Please don't. I trust him, you should too."

"He tried to kill you Bella!" he said.

"But he didn't. He's apologized and I have forgiven him for it."

"Why can't you just listen to reason?"

"Because he isn't the person that you think he is."

"What has he told you?"

"Nothing, but he obviously has issues with his family."

"I don't trust him. I'm talking to your dad whether you want me to or not."

"Why are you acting like this? You're acting like I'm dating him," she said as she folded her arms over her chest.

"You're not?" he asked giving her a confused look.

"I just started acting normal again a few months ago. I'm not ready for a boyfriend."

"But you're his imprint," he said with a sigh.

"I'm his what?" she asked as her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Pretend that I didn't just say that," he said with another sigh.

"What is an imprint Jake?"

"He should be telling you this."

"I'm confused. You tell me one second that I shouldn't have anything to do with him and the next you tell me that I need to talk to him."

"You're going to do whatever you want anyway. Your dad is pulling up. I'm going downstairs to talk to him. Stay up here," he ordered before turning on his heel.

"There you go again tell me what to do," she said throwing her arms up in aggravation.

"Let me talk to him. Please?"

"I swear if you tell my dad that Paul tried to attack me I will never talk to you again," she threatened.

"I'll take my chances," he said before going downstairs.

Bella changed into her pajamas while Jacob talked to Charlie. She was reading in bed when Charlie came up. He stood at her door with a worried look.

"Are you dating someone?"

"No," she answered slowly.

"Are you thinking of dating someone?"

"No Dad, I'm not," she said with a scoff.

"This isn't a laughing matter Bells. Jake is really concerned."

"There's a friend of his that he doesn't want me hanging out with."

"From what he said this guy is no friend of his."

"Paul is not a bad person Dad. I wouldn't go anywhere near him if he was," she reasoned.

"Did you get into a fight with him?"

"He's apologized. I started it."

"You started it?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes."

"If this guy wants to come here I need to meet him."

"You have. He came here with Sam to check the house," she pointed out.

"Which one was he?"

"The one I talked to on the porch."

"'Yes Sir' guy?" he asked skeptically.

"That's him," she confirmed.

"Does he have a last name?"

"It's Miller, and before you ask he's twenty one."

"Jeeze, he's three years older than you Bells," he said in exasperation.

"I know," she said quietly.

"Don't do anything reckless," he warned.

"I won't."

"Then I guess this conversation is over," he said before pushing away from the door.

"Goodnight." she called.

"'Night," he called before he shut his door.

She turned out her light with a sigh. So Jacob had told her dad about the fight she had gotten into with Paul. She would keep her distance from him until she could stand to see him without wanting to shake some sense into him. While she waited for that to happen she needed to see Paul. She would find out where he lived from Embry and go and see him tomorrow. He had some explaining to do.