Footsteps in the hall startled Bella awake, and she sat up quickly, eyes searching for Sam. Her panicked whisper, "Sam?" had him poking his head back in the window. Her sigh of relief was short-lived when her door squeaked open.

"Bells?" Charlie's brow furrowed in concern as he looked at her. "You okay in here?"

"Yeah, Dad. Just had a weird dream." She pushed her hair away from her face and smiled wryly at him. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"No worries, kiddo. Just wanted to make sure you're alright." His hand jiggled the knob a bit, and he gave her one last look before he shut the door behind him, and his steps sounded on the stairs.

Releasing a breath of relief, Bella moved from the bed to the window and motioned Sam back inside. It wouldn't take long before Charlie had poured his coffee and left. Sam would be very conspicuous on the rooftop by her window.

For being as large as he was, Sam moved with complete silence. Bella couldn't help but marvel at his grace.

She moved her hands, reaching for his, stepping into his body, and cuddling close to him. His warmth saturated her body. Her cheek rested on his chest, and he bent down to rest his head against hers.

"Thanks for staying," she whispered against his chest. She watched as goosebumps appeared on his skin, where her breath caressed him.

"Anytime," he whispered into her ear in reply. "Anytime at all." His hands stroked her arms, and she could feel herself getting hotter. He was stirring things inside her she had never felt before.

She raised her face, eyes meeting his. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and then his lips were on hers. She pushed her body closer to his and struggled to hold back the moan trying to escape.

Pulling back, she was glad to hear the cruiser start. Her dad was on his way to work.

Letting go of Sam, she walked into her closet and pulled clothes out. After dressing in the bathroom and completing her morning ablutions, she led Sam downstairs to make a large breakfast of eggs, bacon, and blueberry pancakes. Sam ate like he was ravenous again.

Bella couldn't help but wonder if that was a part of being a wolf. Did the higher temperature–she'd noticed he was much warmer than other humans, but Sam was definitely not sick–make his metabolism burn calories faster? She had so many questions.

I wonder if Billy will let me read the journals? It was a valid question; he'd already tried to exclude her from hearing more even though she had already witnessed the transformation of a wolf to a man. She had already heard the stories but figured most people probably thought they were just Quileute legends and lore.

There was so much that Sam needed to find out, she knew. As many questions as she had, he had to have a thousand more. She just wanted to be there for him. It hadn't been twenty-four hours since they'd met, but there was such a connection. Seventeen years of life isn't a lot of experience, but even Bella knew it wasn't normal to feel so deeply for someone so fast.

Sighing, she pushed the last few bites around her plate until she finally offered it to Sam. He swallowed the last bites without chewing and stood to take the dishes to the sink.

He insisted on washing them for her since she had cooked everything but the bacon. She wouldn't have minded, but Sam was concerned the grease would pop her.

Once done with clean-up, she went to slip her shoes on. As Bella sat on the couch tying the laces of a beat-up pair of Converse, she noticed Sam freeze in place. Bella looked at him in question, tilting her head to the side. He put his finger to his lips, warning her to be quiet. With a nod, she watched, her breath caught in her chest as he quickly and silently climbed the stairs.

She counted her heartbeats as she waited for him to return. Her anxiety level had ratcheted up so many notches she saw spots as she tried to hold her breath and stay silent.

Startled by the sounds of footsteps on the stairs descending, knowing it had to be Sam, Bella still couldn't help the shrill scream of terror that escaped her when he turned the corner at the base of the steps. He rushed to her side and gathered her in his arms. Once he settled her in his lap, he stroked her back while she took great gulps of air, trying to quell her panic.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." His words replayed on a loop as he talked her down. When she was calm, Sam whispered, "I'm so sorry. I seem to keep making a mess of things. I keep scaring you. I'm sor-"

"No, Sam," she said, cutting him off. "I'm sorry. I am not scared of you." Grabbing his face in her hands, she stared into his eyes, repeating, "I. Am. Not. Scared. Of. You."

Bella took a deep breath and waited to see if he would believe her. When he only cast his eyes down, refusing to meet her gaze, she ducked her head, forcing him to look at her. "I promise. I'm not scared of you, but I got scared for you. There is a tremendous difference."

Putting her hands back in her lap, she picked at the cuticle of her thumbnail. "With everything I have learned in the last fifteen hours or less, I am not afraid of you, Sam. But there is so much unknown. What do we know about cold ones? Pretty much nothing other than traditional lore–garlic, stakes, and such. Should we get you a pouch to carry holy water in?"

At his slight chuckle, she smiled and looked back at him. "I'm sorry I screamed. But after your reaction to whatever that smell was last night, and then just now… You don't know how to fight them yet. I guess your instincts would kick in, but they're immortal, and you're only nineteen. They still have an unfair advantage."

Pausing for a breath, she decided not to say anymore. Rather, she reached to cup his cheek again and placed two quick kisses on his lips.

"I understand." Taking a breath, Sam explained his actions when he went upstairs. "I heard a slight creak of your rocking chair. I wanted to investigate just in case. Bella, we need to get you a new lock for your window. I'm ninety percent sure that smell was a vampire. I don't know why I would react to anything else like that. I have to fight to keep from phasing."

Her body trembled in his embrace at his words. "S-s-so a v-vampire.." A sob choked her, and she couldn't continue speaking.

"Yes, I think a vampire has been coming into your room. I don't know why, but I will find out." Sam sighed as he gathered her hands, rubbed his thumb along the backs, and continued, "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm guessing it smelled me coming up the steps and left. By the time I got to the window, it was gone."

Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek and said, "Are you ready to go to La Push? I have so many questions. And I want to talk to them about my suspicions this morning." Standing with her still in his arms, he walked toward the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm better. I won't lie and say I'm not scared. I mean, vampires, they suck blood and kill people, right? So, why the heck is there one in my room? Is that why I keep waking at night feeling like someone is watching me?" Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down again. "Let's go get some answers?"

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

Dropping her legs down slowly, he ran his hand up her thigh to her back and held her close as he lowered her to the floor. He kissed her forehead and led her out the door and into the truck. She handed him her keys and scooted into the middle seat, needing to feel him near her, to revel in his heat, even though it was an overly warm day for Forks in August.

They stopped by Sam's so he could change his clothes and put a pair of shoes on. Distracted by everything else, Bella hadn't realized he was barefoot.

When he emerged in clean cutoff shorts with a skintight tee, it was all Bella could do not to drool. She reached for him, stepped into his ready embrace, and tipped her face to welcome his kiss. He dipped his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her once, then twice, before pulling back.

"As much as I don't want to stop kissing you... If we don't go now, we'll be late." Sam rested his forehead on her shoulder, stooping to do so, and she could feel him inhaling deeply.

Knowing he was right, she pulled back and grabbed his hand, following him down the road. She cocked her brow when he turned back toward her, smirking. "It isn't too far, really. We'd get there about as fast as your truck by walking."

"Hey!" She protested indignantly, "Don't be hatin' the truck! It's good ole reliable… most of the time." She couldn't hold her laugh back.

"Bella, that truck belonged to Billy Black before Charlie bought it for you at the beginning of the summer. I know how often Jake still works on it. It has a distinct clank to the engine."

"Yeah, yeah. I do know Henry is an old beast. I've had to bring it to Jake a few times this summer."

She observed Sam while she walked instead of watching where she was going and stepped into a pothole. Her ankle twisted, shooting a sharp stab of pain through her. She cried out just a little at the shock of it.

She took Sam's proffered hand and let him help her stand upright again. As she tried walking again, she limped noticeably. Before she could try a third step, Sam had scooped her up into his arms. He jogged to the Chief's house, saying, "The quicker we get there, the quicker we can get ice on it."

She looped her arms around his shoulders and rested her cheek on his arm. "I'll be okay, Sam. I'm a super klutzy person. I injure myself frequently. I know better than to try walking and talking simultaneously." She laughed, trying to lighten things up.

"Don't do that," he said as he slowed his pace.

"Don't do what?"

Stopping and looking into her eyes, he spoke, "Don't talk about yourself like you're an inconvenience. Trying to make light of situations where you are hurt. I get it, I grew up in a single-parent household, and it was easier to pretend everything was fine when it wasn't. But Bella, a little clumsiness now and then doesn't make you a super klutzy person. I've watched you move gracefully and dance around two different kitchens without a bump or scratch." He winked at her and placed a gentle kiss on top of her head.

Not knowing how to reply, Bella stayed silent.

Finally arriving at the Blacks' house, Sam headed to the backyard, knowing there would be too many people to meet inside. Ignoring the stunned looks of the elders, Sam sat Bella in an empty chair and turned another around in front of her to rest her foot on. She watched him go inside and tried to ignore the stares of everyone else.

Picking at her fingernail for a minute or two, she got startled when Sam laid the cold bag of ice on her ankle. She smiled her thanks up at him.

He pulled a chair beside her and crossed his arms over his chest. Bella's hands itched to reach for his. Instead, she twisted her fingers in the hem of her tee-shirt nervously.

When Billy cleared his throat, all conversations stopped, and every eye turned to him. "Sam, before we start, please enlighten us. Why would you bring Bella despite the request to come alone?"

Bella could see the shivers running up and down his skin and worried Sam was letting his anger get the best of him. She knew from hearing his story of transformation the night before that anger could trigger a phase into his wolf. Her breath hitched in her chest, and she reached over to him slowly, hoping she could help calm him again.

Don't forget to Review! It's what keeps most of us motivated to keep writing! Also, you should check out the new writing challenge, The Swap Meet, that Twilight Pack Fanatfics is hosting on AO3! The challenge is live and posting instructions are there. :)