Bella could feel her energy waning between the wine and far more socializing than she had grown accustomed to.

She sighed as she topped the empty wine bottle and gently tossed it into her bag before heading down the beach. Bella walked alone, listening to the surf as it lapped over the shore. The cool water against her feet calmed her as she left the firelight behind, and the stars seemed to brighten as her eyes adjusted to the dark.

It didn't take long for her to reach the same favored spot and take a seat. She contemplated the events of the day and the complex feelings that kept her continuously reeling. More than anything, she thought about how comfortable her husband had seemed at her side throughout the day. The lengths to which he'd changed never ceased to amaze her, and as much as she hated to admit it, she'd already fallen head over heels for Jamie, too.

One thing she'd noticed since coming home was how much free time Paul seemed to have. Was he still working? To her knowledge, he had listed the same income for years, often having to pay in rather than having taxes taken from his paychecks. Wanting to know as little as possible, Bella simply forwarded the emails of their tax forms to an accountant each year.

How was he supporting himself and Jamie if he didn't have a full-time income? Bella could understand why Paul wanted the divorce but wondered if losing extra funds during tax season would hinder them. She wasn't sure if he realized how much extra she sent compared to what he earned alone.

If she intended to give the council more donations, couldn't she set up a trust for Jamie? It was worth considering. Bella wondered what Paul needed to get Jamie's adoption underway so he could legally have the rights to claim his son. She intended to look into it.

Bella looked up at the sound of footsteps as someone jogged toward her, their bare feet slapping against the surf. She couldn't help but ogle him as Paul emerged from the darkness and slowed into a walk. He had put his t-shirt back on, which she was thankful for since she seemed to become stupefied without it.

But then, he raised one hand to push his hair back and smiled. The muscles in his arm flexed with the gesture, and his shirt rose enough to give a brief glimpse of the definition underneath. Bella's lips parted as she took a deep breath. She saw a hint of apprehension as he appeared to 'shift gears,' both mentally and physically, halting in his tracks. They silently stared for a long moment, Bella unconsciously holding her breath while his chest heaved, panting from the run.

He looked away and tried not to laugh as she finally remembered to breathe. Bella was about to ask 'What?' when he teased, "You gotta stop looking at me like that unless you want me to do something about it."

Now, that was the man she remembered.

She blushed from nose to navel and her skin tingled from the rush of heat that followed. Bella opened her mouth, hoping to make her own teasing reply, but she had none. He'd always done this to her, making her skin redden and mind spin, instantly flustering her with the slightest flirtation or lascivious remark. There wasn't a single blonde white boy on earth that made her feel like this - that definitely included Mike Newton.

That's why she dated them, though, avoiding anyone who reminded her of Paul. Somehow, her husband could turn her back into a simpering, awestruck teenager with a single gesture.

Bella dug her teeth into her bottom lip as she gathered her long hair at the base of her neck and twisted it over one shoulder, exposing her skin to the night air.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the blonde hair, but you're still beautiful," he said, looking back to her face.

She smiled. "Not a fan of the blonde?"

"No, it's fine. Great, even… I just have all these memories of your natural hair color. I swear, I was picking your hair off my clothes and out of my ass crack for days after that weekend together…"

Her mouth dropped open, and he cackled at the shocked expression on her face. "Didn't see that one coming," she muttered and laughed.

"Yeah, neither did my shower drain," he teased.

"Well, at least you got rid of them eventually." Unlike the faint scar on her inner thigh from his teeth that, luckily, no one had bothered to comment on during her many, very short-lived relationships.

His brow furrowed as he dropped his gaze to his feet. "Oddly enough, I kind of missed it when they were all gone."

Bella blinked in surprise at the sentiment in his voice. Had he missed the inconvenience of a long-haired woman, or had he simply missed her? She felt torn between hoping he missed her and hoping he didn't. It would make things much easier for them both if he didn't.

Paul turned to stare across the water, able to see much farther than she, thanks to his enhanced vision. However, she didn't need to see it through the darkness to know he was looking toward the island, to the place where his brother was buried. It reminded her of her dream of the wolves, of Jared's odd silence as he pointed straight at Paul.

Suddenly, Bella had another sensation of Déjà vu that made her gasp aloud.

"Something on your mind, Swan?"

She slowly turned her gaze toward him, up his lengthy form, and finally met his eyes as she stood, trying to shake away the eerie feeling. Of course, she hadn't known about Jared's passing when she had the dream, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign.

She and Paul seemed to gravitate toward one another until they stood side by side, just as they had that previous afternoon. Like magnets.

Well. I'm here, Jared. What next?

"What the fuck did you say?" Paul glared at her quizzically and Bella realized she'd mumbled the thought aloud.

Bella hesitated before explaining, "I dreamed about him. The other night. He was… irritated with me, and he just… pointed at you. He never said a word, just glared at me and pointed at you. I assumed my subconscious was telling me how much I'd probably fucked things up for you. And I'm sorry if I did, for whatever that's worth..."

She held his gaze, silently begging him to see how sincere she was. She was sorry, for so many things. But she couldn't be sorry for letting him go anymore, no matter how much she wanted to be. If she hadn't, he wouldn't have Jamie. It didn't stop her from wanting him, though. She was unsure that anything ever could.

"That little smartass bastard," Paul smirked, looking toward the island in disbelief.

Amused by his reaction but still confused, she asked, "What do you mean?"

He sighed as if he was reluctant to tell her. His reaction felt familiar, as though she'd expected it and she realized she was memorizing his mannerisms. He was so much calmer now, so open and patient. He'd become the perfect mix of strength, steadiness, and restraint while maintaining the cocky, flirtatious, and outspoken parts of himself that had always drawn her in.

Everything about that made her want him more and it scared her half to death.

"I got hammered one night when Jamie stayed at Sam and Emily's. I had a lot on my mind about our lives… tying up loose ends and things. Trying to make sure I'm as prepared as possible before fully adopting Jamie because he deserves that. You know?"

Bella nodded in understanding, and he said, "I asked Jared to tell me what the fuck I needed to do." Paul chuckled. "Seems like he went to you instead."

"Oh…" Bella tried to wrap her head around it. The idea of Jared visiting her in a dream wasn't entirely unimaginable, especially considering every other supernatural occurrence in her life. "Well, I never questioned his anger. Jared had never liked me much. Like I said, I figured it was my subconscious, telling me to confront my mistakes."

He leaned back, his eyebrows rising as he said, "Wow."

Bella couldn't tell if she'd offended him, and that made her nervous. "I'm not saying you're a mistake, Paul," she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady. "Maybe a drunken wedding in a casino was a mistake, but those two days I spent with you weren't. The way I left things when I walked out was a mistake."

Bella couldn't escape the trembling of her hands or the slight ache in her chest as she added, "I just want you to have what you want and need now. I want that for Jamie, too."

Paul tensed, refusing to look at her as he said, "Sometimes what we want is the exact opposite of what we need."

She could assume several things from that statement, and none made her feel better.

Bella stepped into the water, hoping it would help calm her. She regretted not swimming while the sun was out and the air was warmer. Water had been her grounding tool for years. Whether it was a shower, pool, or the ocean, water lulled her. Ironically enough, the habit started shortly after she nearly drowned, jumping from the cliffs in La Push. She had showered often after Edward's return, almost too often. While everyone assumed she cared about the clashing scents between the wolves and vampires, she hadn't cared so much about that. In truth, Edward and Jacob often made her so frustrated that she needed that time alone to soothe herself and reflect.

Turning to look at Paul, she found him side-eyeing her as if still trying to absorb what she'd said or untangle his thoughts. She could only imagine what was running through his mind. He cared about her, of that she was sure. Paul had willingly displayed that fact throughout the day. He'd even flirted with her, if only in private. That didn't imply he wanted anything more from her… but then again, it didn't imply that he didn't either.

The rush of the water across her ankles wasn't enough to soothe her, and she was quickly growing irritated with her whirling thoughts and the urge to say something, despite having nothing to say - and Paul wasn't talking.

She ached to press her cheek against his warm, steady chest, and feel the same comfort they'd given each other earlier. The water at her feet was the opposite of that sensation, cool and undulating, never remaining still. And she could tell by the slight trembling of his fisted hands at his sides that he was far from feeling still or steady now.

Wanting to break them both from the awkward silence they were standing in, she turned and headed back to the driftwood as she reached for the zipper on the back of her dress. At the sound of the metal teeth opening, she felt him turn toward her.

Suspiciously, he asked, "What are you doing?"

Bella carefully pulled the dress off over her head and draped it over a tree root before removing the hair tie from her wrist and piling her hair onto her head. He gaped as she turned around, looking over the pale bikini and every exposed hint of flesh between. A playful smile slowly traversed his face, but his eyes harbored another emotion altogether - one that immediately renewed the heat in her cheeks as she walked past him. He crossed his arms over his chest, watching her slowly sink into the cold depths of the inky black water. Bella gasped when the cold hit her back and heard him chuckle behind her.

"Gotta be a little warmer than the last time you were in there," he teased.

"Much better," she said, recalling how the freezing water had felt like knives pricking her skin the day she'd nearly drowned.

"Well, that's the difference between March and mid-June, I guess," he said and snickered.

"I can't believe you remember what month that was." Bella hissed as she sunk to her shoulders. She immediately moved back a few steps, hoping to keep her head out of the water.

"I remember everything about you." Raising his voice, he teased, "I don't remember those, though. Don't get mad I asked, but did you get a boob job at some point? Because those are definitely different."

She laughed as she looked down at her breasts and shook her head. "Women in my family are simply late bloomers, Paul. My mom didn't get boobs until she was like thirty-five."

He glanced toward her cleavage again before winking at her, and she laughed. Now this was much better than the awkward silence, even if flirting hadn't been her intention.

When Paul reached up to pull off his t-shirt, her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected him to join her in the water, either, but the next thing she knew, he was setting his cell phone and keys on top of his discarded shirt and strutting toward the water.

Unlike Bella, once he was waist deep, he dove forward head first and disappeared from her sight. She giggled at his enthusiasm, inching deeper into the water as she waited for him to emerge. It was impossible to see him, and her smile faded as he failed to resurface. She moved closer to where he went under, hoping like hell that the blind dive hadn't caused him to collide with a rock or worse.

Beginning to worry, she yelled, "Paul!"

After a few seconds, she turned around, hoping to see his head pop out of the water somewhere. Her heart raced as panic bubbled in her stomach and she carefully swung one long leg out, hoping to connect with him somewhere despite knowing the undercurrent could have already pulled him away if injured.

Rising panic was clear in her voice as she screeched, "Paul!"

God, where the hell is he? The thought of him drowning, leaving her and Jamie behind scared the hell out of her. Using the current to her advantage, she pushed herself back from what felt like a rocky ledge under her toes, carefully wading toward the shore. Once the earth felt more solid beneath her feet, she stood upright and walked backward out of the water, screaming, "Paul!"

"Calm down. I'm right here," he said from behind her.

She spun and gasped in relief as she spotted where he leaned against the driftwood beside his shirt. As he laughed over his little prank, her relief turned to fury.

Bella stomped toward him, yelling, "You son of a bitch. You scared me half to death." It only made him laugh harder.

Now THAT was the boy she remembered. She slapped at his arms and chest with both hands upon reaching him, furious with his audacity. He continued laughing as she assaulted him until her right hand rose to slap his cheek.

Paul caught her wrists to stop her, spun her around, and pressed her back against the driftwood as he pinned her hands beside her head. He glared into her eyes as she panted, both from the sudden exertion and prior panic.

"I think we know what happened the last time you slapped me in the face," he growled, despite the half-smirk that came with it.

Bella wasn't sure where it came from as an angry sob ripped from her throat and her eyes welled with tears. She glared back at him through the watery mess, as she simultaneously shuddered and sucked in a deep, ragged breath.

His bottom lip puckered out, and he glanced away guiltily, keeping her hands pinned where they were. Paul's tone softened as he asked, "Did I really scare you that much?"

"Yes, you jackass!" She tried to hold back another sob, but her angry tears fell, anyway.

He finally surrendered one hand to cup her face and brushed his thumb across her cheek. Then, with an intensity she remembered all too well, Paul leaned in to caress his lips against hers. And just like that, the long-ignored inextinguishable spark between them burst into flame.