Hi,

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Things haven't been going well on my end, but I hope everyone else is doing good. Thank you so much for all of the love you give this story, I get super excited anytime I see an email come through! Thank you for favoriting, reviewing, and following! I hope you like the new chapter. Let me know what you think!

Always and Forever,

Ari.

Warnings: Mentions of anxiety, silent treatment, bullying, emotional abuse, implied sexual relationships, manipulation, panic attack, abandonment, stress, abandonment.

Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and parts of the plot you do not recognize from the Twilight Saga.

Chapter 23: Dear One

"We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it."

― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

4:22 a.m. Lahote House, La Push, Washington

I cracked open my eyes, slightly confused since I didn't see the old glow and the dark stickers. I winced when I heard Paul's loud snores in my right ear. His arm and leg tightened against me, and he buried his face further into my neck. I turned my head the other way, peeking at the clock. I scrunched my nose at the time, turning in Paul's arms to face him. He grunted, adjusting, still keeping his limbs tight around me. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust my eyes to the pitch-black room. I wanted to go back to sleep, but I felt more awake. Warm hands drifted under my shirt, placing their hands on my lower back.

"Go back to sleep," He murmured, lightly stroking my skin. I pressed my cold nose against his skin, "cold?"

"No," I hummed, closing my eyes and bringing my hands to lay underneath my chin. I opened my eyes after a while, focusing on Paul's breathing and the soft trickles of rain.

"Sleep..." Paul tried to coax me by lightly scratching my back like how he knew I liked it. It always helped when I wanted to sleep. I closed my eyes again, focusing solely on his sleepy caresses. I felt myself drifting and my body relaxing into his embrace. A loud howl tore me from the sleepy haze trying to entrap me. "Damn it," Paul growled, pushing his face into my hair. "I'll be back," He pressed his lips to my head before hauling himself up. "Stay here... please." He reached for something on the floor before tossing the blanket back on the bed, hastily trying to cover me while searching for his shorts.

I sat up, bringing the blanket to my chest as I pulled my knees up, watching him. Paul yanked his shorts on, rubbing his hands over his face quickly. He bumped into his dresser, cursing underneath his breath. Paul moved like a blur around his room and cursed again when another howl sounded. He tossed a long sleeve and a sweater on the bed. "Baby, what are you looking for?"

"I found em... Put these on... they will keep you warm," He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. "Laryssa, stay here and don't leave, okay?" I nodded, crossing an X over my heart. "I'll be back soon. Try and get some sleep." Paul brushed his nose against mine quickly. I watched him turn swiftly and disappear into the dark house. I listened to the front door slam shut. I rubbed my face, shivering at the cold air. I yanked his long sleeve over my shirt, then the sweater. I pulled the blanket up to my chin, laid back in his bed, hugging his pillow to my chest, breathing in his scent.

7:53 a.m. Lahote House, La Push, Washington

He rubbed his shoulder, feeling the weight of his troubles lessen as he got closer to home. The home he built for his family still brought sadness and happiness. The sadness was starting to build resentment in his heart, and he knew he had to stop it before it got out of hand. His home came into view; he could point out the few things that needed to be fixed. He didn't think he would be able to get to them all before taking off again. He was going to rope in Paul to help him fix it. His attention was pulled to the unfamiliar car by Paul's truck. He pulled in next to it, shutting off the engine. Excitement bubbled in his gut, he hated rescheduling to meet with his son's girlfriend last time, but he didn't have a choice. He got out of the truck, quickly making his way to the house. He tossed the door open, wincing only slightly when it banged against the wall, signaling to his sensitive ears son he was home.

The house was quiet, and nothing was out of place, and thankfully no clothes were thrown around the living room. Everything was clean; the CDs and DVDs Paul always watched and listened to were placed back where they belonged. There were no piles of laundry to fold, no dishes to clean, it was spotless, and he didn't know what to do. Usually, he needed to clean up when he came home, but he didn't have to. He glanced at Paul's door, waiting for them to come out, but it was silent, and he didn't hear any whispering.

He walked over to the door, knocking, waiting a moment before pressing his ear against the not hearing any kind of noise. He opened the door slightly, peering in, seeing a clean room and hearing soft snoring. He knew it wasn't his son, and he could see long black hair peeking from underneath the blanket. His son was nowhere to be found. He tried to see if he could see her face, but she was burrowed tightly under the blankets. He frowned, feeling the chill in the air. He shook his head, closing the door with a silent click, and he made his way over to the thermostat, grimacing at the low number. He turned the heat on, silently cursing his son for being so careless. He rubbed his hands together, walking to the kitchen to prepare something for them to eat.

Unknown Lahote House, La Push, Washington

I jerked awake, hearing something clash. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, slowly reaching my hand out to feel if the bed was warm or not. I frowned when I was met with cold sheets. I slowly got up from Paul's bed, stretching towards the ceiling. I could faintly hear Paul moving around in the kitchen.

I opened the door, shuffling into the kitchen, freezing, when I noticed a skinny figure humming in front of the stove. The figure was too small and thin to be Paul, his clothes hung off his frame, but I could still see the similarities. Paul definitely inherited his shoulders. His long dark hair was braided, and his braids reached midway down his back, "Mornin Sunshine..." He turned, wiping his hands on a cloth, his lips curled into a warm smile. "You must be Laryssa."

"M..mornin," I whispered, mentally cursing myself for the way that I was meeting Paul's dad.

He moved toward me, holding out his hand. "Bly Lahote." I took his hand, trying not to panic. It was the first time that I was meeting my boyfriend's dad. I wanted the ground to swallow me up when I realized that I was dressed in my legging, his socks, and three shirts. I didn't bother to look at my hair in the mirror before I left the safety of his room. "Don't stress, dear one. Breathe." Bly laughed and squeezed my hand gently, patting the top of my hand with his other one. I took a deep breath, feeling at ease when he spoke our language. "Ever since Paul talked about you, I couldn't wait to meet you. Sorry it took so long."

"Laryssa Chiago..." I cringed when I realized he probably knew my name. "It's okay... It's really nice to meet you too." I grinned at him, still trying not to stutter or freak out.

"Danny's pretty girl, right?" I felt my eyes widen when he said my dad's special nickname for me. Not a lot of people knew he called me that.

I couldn't help the grin on my face, "Yeah, how did you know?" I could feel the excitement coursing through my veins.

"He helped me with my taxes, and in his office, he had you and your brother's pictures on his desk. I honestly didn't know how he could fit so many frames. Bragged nonstop about how his pretty girl would be an amazing artist and his sunny boy was going to be an actor," Bly let go of my hand, placing his hands on my shoulders. "I saw the painting you did for Paul... Danny would be so proud of you, dear one."

I grinned, blinking rapidly, trying to keep the waterworks from starting. I felt my heart clench at the mention of my dad and how he was sending me little reminders that he was with me. "Thank you."

Bly shook his head, worry crossing his face, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," I rushed out. I sniffed, "you are the first to talk about a happy memory, and it was nice. Sorry, I get really emotional sometimes."

Bly chuckled, patting the top of my head. "Me too." He turned back to the stove, beckoning me closer. "Now, I'm not the best cook, but I know how to make the easy stuff, like eggs and some ham. It's almost done."

"Smells good. I should wash up, and I can help," I offered, trying not to think of how I must look.

Bly grinned, "Come back when you're done, and we can eat." He picked up the spatula, flipping the eggs. I tried to calmly walk to Paul's room. I glanced at the mirror, sending a quick thank you to the universe that my hair wasn't a rat's nest. I grabbed my toiletry bag, headed to the bathroom, and freshened up. I rushed through my morning routine, quickly changing into jeans and taking off his sweater. I exited the bathroom, stuffed the clothes in Paul's hamper, moving to fix his bed. I hummed to myself when I realized how happy Paul would be seeing his dad.

I left Paul's room, seeing that I was just in time since Bly was setting the plates down on the table. "Just in time."

I grinned at him, moving to take the mugs he held in his hands. "This looks good, Mr. Lahote," I set the mugs down, taking the opposite seat from him.

"None of that. Bly... please." He laughed, shaking his head, and picking up his fork. "Let's see how it tastes." I picked up my fork, stabbing it into the beautifully scrambled eggs, and I blew on it gently before putting it into my mouth. I chewed slowly, thankful there were no eggshells. I hummed happily, starting to cut into the ham. "How is it?

"Really good." Bly chuckled at the praise, starting to eat his food. "Thank you, Bly. By the way, I am sorry about how we met. It's not what we planned." I could feel the embarrassment burn at the back of my mind.

"Sometimes your plans don't work out because better ones are already in place," Bly smiled, patting my arm. "Where is Paul? I messaged him, but he hasn't responded yet."

"Broke his phone yesterday. Clumsy stepped on it, but he had to go to work this morning. I'm not sure when he will be back," I trailed off, unsure if Bly knew what Paul's job entailed.

"Wait... back up, clumsy? My son," He asked, quirking an eyebrow at me like he didn't believe me.

"Yup, he slipped on the stairs to my house and brought me down with him. So he was graced with the nickname clumsy." I giggled, knowing Paul often 'forgot' to share the story. Bly snickered, wiping his eyes. "Paul mentioned that you travel to Seattle a lot?"

Bly nodded, taking a sip of his coffee, still chuckling. "Yup. Let me show you what I do," He set down his mug and reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He set it on the table, pulled his glasses from his shirt, placed them on his nose, and held his phone father away from his face to unlock his phone. He moved closer to me, showing me a picture of a house with custom wood carvings.

I zoomed in on the photos, "these are beautiful. I love this part," I pointed out the complex swirls. "How long did it take you?"

"Few weeks, but it was worth it," He glanced down at his phone. "Well, almost worth it."

"Definitely worth it. We have to celebrate that! What about a home-cooked dinner," I asked, trying to figure out what he would like to eat.

"You can cook," Bly sounded excited. "I haven't had one in so long. Whatever you wanna make is good." His grin was so wide that I couldn't help but mirror it.

"No allergies, right," I asked, taking a sip of the coffee. Bly shook his head, setting his fork to the side. "I have a recipe that I've wanted to try out."

"Tomorrow night?" I nodded, already planning to make a trip to the grocery store. "Paul has told me a lot about you. But the one thing he kept a secret was how you two met."

I laughed, knowing that he wasn't fond of that memory. "It was at school, and someone had bumped into me, sending my art flying across the hallway. I was picking up my art, and he stepped on one that was precious to me and kept walking."

"No apology or anything?" I shook my head, a small smirk making its way to my lips. "Damn kid..."

"It wasn't his fault," I rushed out, remembering the rush of courage that built up. "I called him an ass, then I asked for an apology, and he apologized... eventually."

"Asked for an apology?" I was startled, hearing Paul behind me. "That apology, sweetheart, was a demand... one of which I was happy to comply with." I couldn't fight the grin that made its way onto my face. I felt his arms wrap around me, and quick kisses were planted on my cheek and the crown of my head. "Hi, pops." I rolled my eyes at him, rubbing his arms.

"No hug or kiss for your old pops?" I patted Paul's arm, letting my hands drop to my lap. Paul let go of me, moving to his dad to lean down and hug him. I smiled at him, feeling warmth burst in my chest at how tightly they held each other. "You've gotta stop growing..."

Paul grinned, pulling back. "When did you get in?"

"Eightish..." Bly sipped his coffee, watching Paul settle in. "Hungry?" Paul shook his head, the grin not leaving his face. "I messaged you. What happened to your phone... clumsy." I snorted, slapping my hand against my face when Paul's head snapped to me.

I glanced at Bly, seeing the grin on his face. He held his knuckles out to me, and I leaned over, knocking mine against his gently. "Et Tu, my love?"

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks at the endearment and how he boldly chose to use it in front of his dad. Paul smirked, reaching over to take my hand, and I intertwined our fingers, feeling warmth bubble up in my stomach. "Id est quod id est."

Coffee spewed out of Bly's mouth, landing over the table and my arm. "Dear one, I am so sorry." He grabbed napkins, blotting the sleeves of my shirt, while Paul snickered through his dad's apology. "You caught me off guard with your response."

"It's alright," I smiled, patting his frantic hand. "Excuse me." I felt my phone buzz rapidly in my pocket, and I glanced at the new notifications from John and Jayden.

John: Can we talk?

Jayden: I'm home. Where r u?

I ignored them for the moment, pocketing my phone again. "I'm going to let the two of you catch up. But celebratory dinner tomorrow night, shall we say six?"

Paul glanced between his dad and me with an adorably confused look. I stood up, getting ready to gather my plate, only Bly stopped me, "I got it." I nodded, smiling at him. "Dear one, I am glad I finally met you." He opened his arms, and I hugged him tightly. "Tomorrow at six sounds good." He pulled back, ruffling my hair.

"I'll walk you out," Paul got up, taking my hand. Once we were away from his dad, in his room, he pulled me into a kiss that stole my breath away. I let myself relax in his arms. I pulled back, grinning up at him, shaking my head at his antics. "I love you."

"Even if I outed you as clumsy to your dad," I asked, smothering my laughs when he rolled his eyes at me.

"Even then." Paul reached down, gathering my bag and keys. "I will always love you." I stood on my tiptoes, brushing my nose against his, pressing my lips to his in a chaste kiss. My body felt warmth coursing throughout it. I stared at him for a few seconds, letting my fingers trace his face as I tried to memorize every detail of him. I looked at the floor, pursing my lips. "What is it?"

"Just waiting to melt into a puddle of goo," I laughed, feeling his hand squeeze my side. "I love you too, so much." I pulled him out of his room, sending a quick wave to his dad.

When we reached the front door, I tried to let go of him, but he held fast. "Be back in a sec, pops." He opened the door gesturing for me to go out first. I stepped out into the chilly morning air, feeling warm arms wrap around my waist again, and Paul pushed himself against my back, setting his chin on my shoulder the second the door closed. "I don't want you to go just yet."

"Babe, you haven't seen your dad in so long..." I reached back, running my fingers through his thick hair. He grumbled, making himself comfortable on my shoulder. "Spend some time together."

Paul hummed, shifting his face to press his lips against my neck. My legs started to feel weak, and I was thankful for his arms holding me up. "I keep thinking about last night." I closed my eyes, shivering at his low tone. I thought about last night and how amazing he felt with his warmth and weight pressed against me and his breath across my skin. His fingers were brushing against me, and my mind told me to stop him, but the more he kept on, the more I didn't want him to. His lips found my weak spot, and I forcibly shook myself out of the daze, pressing my hand against his face. I turned in his arms, glowering at his cheeky smile, making sure to put some space in between us. My breath was coming out hard, and he didn't seem the least bit fazed, which made me feel disappointed.

I stepped closer to him, pressing my hand against his cheek. "You feel so good against me," I brought myself closer to him, standing on my tiptoes, grinning when he leaned down to accommodate me so I could whisper in his ear. His hand pressed against the bare skin on my lower back, and I kissed his cheek, "Even though I am patient, I can only think about how much I want to touch you." Paul pulled back, his eyes widening as he looked down at me. My body shivered when I saw how dark his eyes were, and the disappointment flew out the window. "Sorry," I tried to smother my grin, but he narrowed his eyes at me.

"You will regret teasing me, sweetheart," He murmured, shaking his head at me, taking a deep breath in closing his eyes for a moment.

"I don't live with regrets," I smirked, running my fingers against his arm.

Paul snorted, looking down at me, gripping my chin between his fingers. "I love you so fucking much." He crashed his lips against mine, and he was everywhere. He overwhelmed my senses, his woodsy scent engulfing me completely, his hands were everywhere, and my legs almost gave out when he nibbled on my lower lip. I whimpered in his mouth, and he swallowed the sounds, claiming them as his. Paul pulled away, and I tried to follow after him, not ready to break away, "What happened to your patience?" He teased, brushing my hair away from my face.

"I kicked it to the curb," I pressed my hand against his stomach, trying to put space in between us so I could think clearly. "I love you too." He grinned, pressing his forehead against mine. "I'm supposed to leave, not make out with you."

"Successfully distracting you, Paul, five points, Laryssa-" I quirked an eyebrow at him, "still in the lead," He amended quickly.

"Good boy..." I leaned down to grab my discarded bag by his feet. I smirked at him, "Have fun with your dad."

"I'll see you tonight," He said in a lower tone, grasping my free hand and pressing a kiss to my wrist. He smiled, his eyes glancing at something behind me, the smiling disappearing off his face completely, and I felt his body tense. I turned around only to see the car that splashed Em and me yesterday pulling in behind Paul's truck. "Will you stay with me a little bit longer?"

"As long as you need me," I looked up at him, rubbing his arm, feeling the tension leave him. "I'll be with you, always." I watched Tiffany get out of the car, flicking her ponytail back and forth. She pulled her black leather jacket closer, stopping when she saw us.

Paul let out a heavy sigh; his hand grasped mine, taking the bag from my shoulder. The door opened behind us, and I peeked over my shoulder, seeing Bly poke his head out. "Dear one, what are you still doing here?" He grinned at me, frowning when his eyes moved over to Paul. "Son?"

I turned my attention back to Tiffany, watching her closely as she eyed Paul and me. "Did you need something?" I called her, and her shocked green eyes darted to look at me like she wasn't expecting me to talk to her.

"I want to talk to..." She took a few steps closer.

"I don't think so," Bly pushed past us, standing in front. I glanced at Paul, and he looked just as shocked as I did. "When you left the fifth time, I told you not to return. I meant it, now get in your car and leave."

"But I just need-" I could see her eyes start to water.

"I frankly don't care what you need," Bly cut her off again, crossing his arms. "You held no regard for my son when you did what you did to him." I felt Paul let out a shuttered breath, and I rubbed his arm, trying to soothe him.

"Paul," Her voice broke, and I saw her silent pleads with him.

He glanced down at me, and I pressed my hand against his cheek. I didn't care who would see us; all I could bring myself to care about was him. "Whatever you need to do, I trust you. If you want closure, see if you can get it. You never want to see her, then you don't have to. Whatever you need, Paul, I'll support you; however, I can."

He closed his eyes, pressing his cheek into my hand. "Can you give me a moment?"

He gestured to his dad, and I nodded, squeezing his hand first, letting go to touch Bly's shoulder. Bly frowned, glaring at Tiffany, and he stayed planted in front, not daring to budge. "He can handle it, and he wants to. Trust him."

Bly huffed, turning to glance at Paul. Paul clasped a hand on his dad's shoulder, and Bly deflated slightly. Bly grabbed my bag from Paul's shoulder, whispering something I couldn't quite hear. Paul glanced at me quickly, his deep brown eyes softening, "Never." It sounded like a promise, and I felt confused for a moment. Paul smiled at his dad, "Go with Pop inside; I'll be in shortly."

"Come on, dear one. It's cold," Bly shuffled inside, holding the door open for me.

I glanced at Tiffany, seeing a smug look cross her face. I trusted Paul, and not even her stupid smug face would try an make me go against it. I smirked at her, seeing her face drop slightly when I refused to be intimidated, "If she puts her hands on you, she will regret it."

"Of course, my love," Paul chuckled while I turned on my heel walking back into the house.

Bly shut the front door, and I sat on the couch. He set my bag to the side, huffing as he sat on the recliner. He hunched over himself, clasping his hands tightly in front of him. His knee kept bouncing up at down. "He won't go back to her," Bly murmured, trying to reassure me, but it felt like it was for his benefit more than mine.

"No, he won't," I confirmed, patting his arm. Bly eyed me as if he was trying to figure out what I was thinking. "I trust him," I didn't have a concrete answer for him because trusting him came so easy to me; it was like breathing. I could feel my phone buzzing in my pocket; I squeezed his arm before pulling out my phone, seeing Jay's goofy smile on my screen. I clicked the green button, "Good morning, punk," I murmured affectionately, hearing his angry huff.

"Why didn't you answer my text," Jay asked, his tone on the edge of a hiss. I waited for a moment for him to calm himself. "I was worried Troy said you left late last night and didn't come home."

"John passed out in my room, and I didn't want to be there with his friend," I said, brushing the imaginary lint from my jeans. "So I left. I am still waiting for you to tell me good morning."

"Good morning," He huffed, and I held in my snicker. "When will you be home?"

"Not sure. Before playing the game, make sure you get something to eat and do your chores." Bly smirked at me when I nagged.

"Alright. Tell Paul I said hi," He hung up, and I rolled my eyes at the phone.

"Little brother?" I nodded, a fond smile making its way on my lips as I shook my head at how abruptly he hung up. "How's your mom?"

I felt the smile fall off my face at his inquiry. "I'm not really sure. But, good, at least I hope."

"Do you want to talk about it," Bly asked kindly, "I am a good listener." I nodded, setting my phone on the coffee table, letting myself get comfortable.

9:10 a.m. Lahote House, La Push, Washington

Paul watched Laryssa disappear back into his home. He caught the grimace on Tiffany's face at the endearment before she hid it. He looked at his dad, taking note of his meaningful look before the door closed. Paul couldn't hold the smile as he replayed his dad's words, "don't hurt her." From his dad's comment, he already knew his dad welcomed her into their family.

Paul heard the crunch of gravel, and he turned his attention to Tiffany. She sent him a soft smile, and it was the one that used to get him excited. Now it only brought unease. "I thought I had told you; I have nothing more to say to you."

Her smile wavered as she stopped a few feet away from him. "You must have something if you sent them away and wanted to speak to me alone," Tiffany said, taking a step closer.

"It is not in the way you are thinking," Paul sighed, keeping the distance. "I am not curious about what you want. This is the last time I will say this. I want nothing to do with you, and I am not saying it to make you jealous or for you to keep trying. I don't want to see you again."

"Paul, can't we just try one more time. I've moved back home," Tiffany attempted to close the distance. "I've changed, and clearly so have you."

"Don't show up at my home again; just leave us alone," Paul moved back. Her green eyes started to water, and he couldn't find it in himself to care. "Oh, and you can tell your brother to leave my girlfriend alone, and he knows I have never put my hands on anyone, so he can stop acting like I would."

Tiffany huffed, wiping her eyes, "She is not good enough for you; she will never know you the way I do."

"You're right; the way you knew me barely even scratched the surface of how she does. Don't try and compare yourself to her... you will never come up to her level." Paul watched Tiffany's eyes flash, "I don't want to see you again." He turned, opening the door taking in his dad and Laryssa sitting together, laughing at something. The only thing missing was Jay. He stared at them, feeling his heart feel at ease. He closed the door without looking back, and they both looked at him with smiles on their faces. He set his hand on his dad's shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, squeezing his shoulders gently, silently telling him how thankful he was for coming to his defense. His dad patted his hands, grinning up at him.

Paul glanced at Laryssa, and he watched her eyes trail over his body before she met his eyes. She smiled at him, silently asking if he was okay. He moved to her quickly, leaning down to wrap his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, loving the feeling of her hands on his arms, holding him to her. She relaxed in his arms. "Sit down," His dad murmured, gesturing to the spot beside Laryssa. Paul let her go briefly, hopping over the couch, ignoring his dad's displeased look, laying his head on her lap. "Or lay down."

Laryssa shook with laughter at his dad's displeased tone. She ran her fingers through his hair, "Feel better?"

"Yeah," He laughed, closing his eyes and letting himself relax with her touch and the sounds of them laughing at the expense of some of his embarrassing school experiences.