Sam
Bella pov
We left the beach and drove the short journey back to Billy's, I was tired, I was hoping that I was tired enough not to have a nightmare tonight and sleep peacefully. I wrapped my arms around my body, I didn't want to see Ed... him tonight not even in my dreams. The last thing Billy probably wanted to hear was me screaming his place down and waking him up when he has to go to work the next day.
Sam parked his truck next to Billy's and opened his door, "everything ok Bella?" He asked, sounding worried.
I nodded and then realised, that my arms were still wrapped around my body.
"Come on, it's late and you look tired." He said, before jumping out the truck. I opened my door, and was not surprised to see Sam's hand offer to help me down. I took his hand, and almost sighed loudly when the heat from his skin travelled up my arm. I quickly hid my disappointment when he let go of my hand.
I followed Sam up the porch to the door and walked in after him.
"Hey, you two" Billy called out, as we walked through the front door, to find Billy sat watching television with a can of beer in his hand.
"Hi, Billy" I answered him and taking a seat on the sofa.
"Did you have a good night?" He asked, looking directly at me and sitting more forward in his chair.
"Yes, it was informative."
"Are you ok with that?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
I nodded "Doesn't change anything."
"Good, well it is late and I have work in the morning, Sam I will see you tomorrow night for the council meeting."
Sam walked in to the kitchen and I followed behind him, I watched from the door way as he filled the kettle and put it on the stove and turned the hob on.
"Do you like camomile tea?" he asked, turning to face me.
" It's ok, my mom used to drink it, when I lived with her."
I watched as he pulled a box of tea out of the cupboard and grabbed a mug from the cupboard next to it. Once the kettle boiled, he took it off the heat and poured it in to the mug after he put the teabag in, before placing it on the table.
"Come, sit down and drink this." Sam beckoned me over, I sat down and took a sip.
We sat in silence for a while, waiting for the tea to cool down. "Do you work?" I asked Sam, breaking the silence.
I smiled when he smiled before he told me all about his construction and repairs business that he started up a few months after he became a wolf. How Paul joined him, once he graduated school.
"Do you enjoy doing it?" I asked.
"Honestly in the beginning no, my plan was to go to college and work in sports. So for a while it was just a job to pay for food, clothes and the few bills the council refuse to pay. But now, the thought of sitting in a classroom for hours each day , my wolf would be howling at me to get out."
"So the council pays for the pack?"
"The house is in my name because I am the Alpha and paid in full, the council give us a stipend each month that just about covers the utilities. Mine, Paul's and Jake's earnings cover the rest."
"What about the others, do they work"?
"Jared is at college, training to become an electrician, Jake repairs cars, Embry is taking a year out to decide what he wants to do, Emily doesn't work, she makes the house a home and keeps us fed. Kim is a senior in high school like you, and then she plans to go to college."
It all sounded and seemed like they worked and lived has a family.
"What do you want to do once you graduate from high school?" Sam asked, taking my mind from my thoughts.
"I don't know, I've never given it much thought to be honest."
"The community college in Forks and Port Angeles offer loads of different courses, or there are the bigger colleges." Sam suggested."
"I will look into it," in reality I didn't make any plans because I thought I would be with them and would have to go where they went. I finished my tea, and put my hand over my mouth when I yawned.
"I think it's bedtime." Sam suggested, putting my empty mug in the sink.
I nodded in agreement, and stood up also. I followed him to the door, he lent forward and gave me a quick peck on my forehead before walking off the porch.
"Night Bella, don't worry about locking the door just shut it." I smiled and waved, before just closing the door.
I made my way into the bedroom, grabbing a t-shirt and pyjama bottoms before going into the bathroom to change. I tried to take my time, but I also tried to be has quiet has possible, so I wouldn't disturb Billy.
Sam pov
After leaving Billy's, I ran into the forest and phased, ready to run a quick patrol before laying down to sleep near Billy's just in case Bella has another nightmare.
I felt Jared's thoughts has soon as I phased in and watched where he was in the Reservation.
I showed him our evening and felt his relief when she didn't judge Paul.
What's with her wrapping her arms around her body?
I think she does that when she thinks of the leeches, like a self comfort thing.
He showed me an image of us pulling her arms down and wrapping our arms around her instead.
We could try, I thought, she would either push us away or hug us instead.
Well no new scents up around her, I'm going to call it a night, howl if you come across anything. Embry has offered to run patrol in a few hours, don't forget you have the mayor's cabin to work on tomorrow. Jared thought, before he turned around and started to run back towards the house.
Can you get my truck from the Blacks and take it back to the house with you, the keys are in the ignition? I thought before he got to the house.
Sure, but wont you need it for tomorrow?
"Paul can bring it with him in the morning, he has to grab me some stuff." I thought back.
After doing a small circuit, I ran back to Billy's and settled down near the back of the house. Resting my head on my paws, I heard my truck start and pull away before I closed my eyes and forced myself to relax and fall asleep.
I growled and woke up to screams, I quickly phased back and got dressed before jogging to Billy's front door, praying that Bella listened to me and didn't lock the door. The door opened and I saw Billy walk out of his bedroom and was about to walk into the other room that Bella was in.
"Billy, I've got her," I smiled when he jumped and turned quickly to look at me, he nodded and went back to bed. I walked into the bedroom and rushed straight to the bed that Bella was currently rolling around in screaming and looking like she was trying to fight something off her.
I grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her, moving out of the way when her fist came flying towards my face.
"Bella! wake up Bella, your safe. Bella its Sam, come on wake up."
I pulled her into my arms, so the top half of her body was against her chest. I felt her take a deep breath before she started to cry.
"Why won't they leave me alone." She whispered, wrapping her arms around me.
I pulled her closer to me, so she was almost sat on my lap, "who won't leave you alone?" I asked her.
"Them, they left me, but they won't leave my dreams." She replied, letting her arms drop and sitting back up, leaning against the wooden headboard of the bed.
"Give it time Bella and they will, do you want to tell me about your
dreams? It might help them stop."
"No, I don't want to talk about them."
I nodded, to be honest I really didn't want to talk or hear about them
either, "move over and let me sit next to you." I told her, before
standing up, I watched has she shifted over leaving me enough
room to sit down and copy the same position she was in. I wrapped
my arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer towards me, so
her head was rested on my shoulder.
"what are you doing Sam?" Bella asked, I could feel her face heating
up.
"Comforting you Bella." I told her "You don't need to deal with this
alone, maybe if I'm here my wolf will chase the nightmares away."
I felt her chuckle, "You can't stay up all night, don't you have work
tomorrow."
"Yes, but I'm used to having less sleep, then working all day, I will be
fine."
"What do you have to work on tomorrow?" Bella asked, has she
relaxed more.
"The mayor in Forks, bought a run-down cabin on the Sol Duc river,
we are updating the kitchen and bathroom and painting it."
"Why would he buy a cabin, so close to where he lives?" she asked,
sounding confused.
"Probably to rent out to hunters or fishermen." I guessed, I never
asked the customers why, just usually found out what they wanted
and gave them a price.
We sat there silently for a while, I thought she had gone to sleep until
I felt her shuffle so her legs were closer to mine. I made a list in my
head, so that I would awake of what Paul and I had to do
tomorrow, the tiles in the kitchen, and the sink in the bathroom had
to be plumbed in and then it was just painting every room. That was
when I came up with an idea for Bella, to keep her busy so she would
be too tired to dream.
"How much school work do you have left to do?" I asked her, closing
my eyes briefly when she jumped.
"Not much, I don't think, why?"
"what are your painting skills like?" I asked her.
"I can't draw, and I haven't painted since I was at middle school."
"How do you fancy coming to work with me and Paul tomorrow, we
have a kitchen, den and two bedrooms to paint." I suggested.
"You really want me there? I'm clumsy, I might end up making more
mess."
"No, you won't, it's all low-level painting, with a small roller or a
brush." I explained to her, hoping that she would want to come.
"Ok," she nodded.
I smiled and removed my arm before getting up, "You need to get
some sleep, we have to be up early in the morning."
I watched her lie back down and nod, pulling the blankets up around
her. "What time will you be here in the morning?" She whispered.
"I'm going to text Paul now to pick us up here and I will sleep on the
couch."
I bent over and lightly kissed her on the forehead, before leaving her
room and closing the door slightly.
I sent a text to Paul to bring me, what I will need for the morning, before lying down on the couch and closing my eyes. It felt like I had just closed my eyes when I could hear shouting and my name being called, I sat up and realised it was Bella. I rushed into the room to find Bella dreaming again, I touched her shoulder and she seemed to relax and go back into a deeper sleep. I gently picked her up and moved her to the other side of the bed, so there was room for me to get in. Bella can moan and complain in the morning about sharing her bed without her permission, we both needed to get some sleep.
Bella pov
I woke up with half my face resting on a very warm body, I pulled away slightly and opened my eyes wide when I realised that I had slept on Sam. I discreetly wiped my mouth, hoping I didn't dribble in the night.
"Morning" Sam grumbled, I looked up at him, noticing that his eyes were watching me.
"Um, when did you get into my bed?" I asked him, feeling my face heat up with my usual blush.
"You were having another dream, when I touched you, you calmed down, so I thought, we both needed sleep and you obviously needed me to chase away your nightmares." He chuckled, has he sat up and went to get out of the bed. I nodded embarrassed, before looking down.
"Bella, there is nothing to be embarrassed about, we both needed some sleep. That was all it was, I didn't touch you, it was you that rolled over towards me." I nodded again, before looking back up at him, has he went to climb out of bed.
"Do you still want to come painting?" Sam asked.
"Yes, but I haven't got any old clothes."
"That is sorted, Paul has an old pair of joggers from Kim, and he has grabbed an old t-shirt from my clothes. Get up and let's eat, once Paul is here, you can get changed and we can go."
I followed him out of the bedroom, stopping at the bathroom, to wash up and brush my teeth before going into the kitchen where Billy and Sam were sat drinking coffee and eating eggs.
"Sam told me you are going to work with him today, so I've made you some eggs and there is toast in the toaster for you." Billy, spoke up, looking directly into my eyes.
"Yep, and thanks Billy for the breakfast." I went further into the kitchen, poured myself coffee before plating up the food, I joined Billy and Sam at the table and began to eat.
After eating about half, I put my cutlery down and pushed my plate away, intent on finishing my coffee, when Sam's hand pushed my plate back in front of me, I looked up at him, before looking back down at the plate ready to push it away again.
"You need to eat more than that, if you want to have the energy to last all morning."
I looked up at him and raised my eyebrow, what was his thing with food, at this rate I will end up weighing two hundred pounds by the weekend. "I'm full thanks."
"Bella, eat." Sam commanded, I looked directly into his eyes without blinking. He seemed to be doing the same, I realised, I wasn't going to get my way, so picked my fork up and continued eating.
Stupid bossy shapeshifting wolf, eat this, eat more, that's not enough food I thought biting my tongue so I wouldn't snap at him.
"Bella, honey, you really do need to eat more, you are all skin and bone." Billy spoke up, obviously also feeling he had a right to have an opinion on my eating habits.
I rolled my eyes at both of them, and tucked my head down, forcing myself to eat the rest of the food.
With my plate now empty, Sam got up to start washing the dishes, while Billy stood up to finish getting ready for work. He came back into the kitchen; and kissed my cheek before grabbing my bag.
"Have a good day Bella, maybe tomorrow you can come to work with me."
Billy worked for the local logging company, chopping down trees and pulling them on to the truck. "I think I will pass on that Billy." I chuckled, having absolutely no interest in spending eight hours stood in the forest while its cold and wet.
He laughed, before waving goodbye and walking out the front door, I listened to his truck pull away and then a few seconds later another truck pulling up and the truck door slamming closed.
"Paul is here." Sam said before the front door opened, and Paul walked into the kitchen.
"Morning Bella, Sam." He grumbled, placing a bag in front of me.
"Paul is not a morning person, ignore his grumpiness, he will be his usual self by lunch time." Sam explained, when Paul sat heavily down in the chair opposite me and started tapping the table.
"Fuck off, Sam"
I chuckled, when Sam turned around and stuck his middle finger at him. "Bella, go get changed, while I finish getting ready in the bathroom." Sam looked at me, rolling his eyes towards the bag.
I got up and went back into the bedroom, pulling out the clothes that were in the bag. The black jogging bottoms obviously belonged to one of the girls at the house, I pulled down my pants and put them on, I had to roll the top of them to make them fit around my waist, otherwise they fit perfectly. I pulled the red t-shirt out, and grinned, it was massive, and it fit me like a dress.
Once I was changed and my hair was brushed and put into a ponytail, I left the room and walked towards the kitchen, where Paul was sat.
He looked up from his mug, that he had made while waiting for us to get ready and started to laugh loudly, causing my face to heat up and no doubt turn bright red.
"You look kind of lost in that t-shirt." He chuckled, while shaking his head.
"Thanks" I mumble and turning to leave the room.
"Leave her alone Paul, better to ruin these old clothes than her normal stuff. Come on both of you before we are late." Sam, said stopping in front of me, so I couldn't leave the room.
Sam then turned around and started to head towards the front door, I went to follow him, but was stopped when I felt a hot hand on my shoulder.
"Sorry, Bella, I didn't mean to embarrass you." Paul whispered in my ear.
I nodded at him, before walking slightly ahead of him.
When we got outside, Sam was already sat in the truck, I felt Paul put his hand to the bottom of my back and lead me towards the passenger side.
Once the door was open, I climbed in and moved over to the middle seat, making sure I left enough space for Paul to get in and close the door.
Sam started the truck and reversed out of the Blacks drive, we sat in silence for a few seconds before Sam started to hum the seven dwarf's song from the Disney cartoon Snow White. Paul laughed, causing me to chuckle.
Paul leant forward and put the radio on "Too early to listen to Sam try to sing." Paul chuckled, making me smile.