Full of Laughter

[Please Read the authors note :)]

Caroline stretched her legs as she stood up from the dark brown couch she had been previously sitting on. She looked at the scene in front of her; Paul had been her cushion, and he was positioned in such a way. Emily was curled into the side of Sam’s body. He on the other hand, had his arm around his fiancé but his body was sprawled across half of the couch. Caroline smiled at the scene. The four young adults had just finished watching “Transformer” (a Paul pick) after having spent the entire day laughing, conversing, and general ‘hanging out’. It had been the most fun day that Caroline had had in a while.

“I think I’m going to leave now, guys.” Caroline said, looking towards Paul. His eyes dropped and filled with sadness knowing that Caroline wouldn’t be spending more time with him.

“I’ll walk you.” He said, hoping that he could spend just a little more time with Caroline. She smiled brightly towards Paul when she heard those words come from Paul.

In such a short time Caroline had developed such a strong feeling towards Paul, as if there was a rope that could not be cut holding the two of them together. Caroline so desperately wanted to be spending the nigh with Paul, to feel his muscular body keeping her small frame warm. His body heat, she learned, was not something to worry about, but to embrace. Seeing as Caroline is always so cold, especially in an area where there is hardly any sun, Paul’s body heat was an advantage.

Caroline pulled her sweater closer to her body as she prepared to go out into the cool summer night. Paul stuffed his large feet into some sneakers and the two headed out of the front door of the small house.

Paul reached to grab Caroline’s hand. A small wave of electricity ran through Caroline at the touch of Paul’s rough hand on hers. She has yet to get used to the feeling that Paul’s rough touch brought to her. Caroline and Paul walked at a slow pace, wanting to elongate the time they had together.

“I’ve decided that I’m going to buy my own house.” Paul spoke first, bring Caroline’s attention to the words that he had just said.

“Really?” Caroline wasn’t sure how she should react to Paul purchasing his own house. What did that say about him? That he was ready to be responsible for something other then what his duties to the reservation require. Paul knew that by taking this step, he would be showing Caroline how ready he was to take care of her, and to raise a household.

“Yeah really. I think that I’m ready to have my own house.” Caroline nodded her head, smiling at the thought of spending nights with Paul at his house, and that maybe one day it would be their house. A pang of fear struck Caroline’s heart. Was she even ready to think about those kind of things. She’s only eighteen, and yet she feels completely ready to leave home and live with a man.

Paul smiled at the thought of Caroline cooking for him in his house, and of him waking up with her on his side. He knew that it would probably be a while until Caroline warmed up to the idea of them living together. Paul may be ready to take that step in his life, but Caroline sure was not.

Paul gently pulled Caroline from the path they had previously been walking on, to another path. Caroline kind of remembered where the path led, but she was certain she had not travelled on it much before. The trees enclosed around the couple, narrowing the already small path. Slowly, the rough dirt path turned into a smooth sand path. Caroline smiled, realizing that they were walking towards the La Push beach.

The trees started to clear and the smell of the fresh water filled Paul and Caroline’s noses. Caroline calmed at the aroma. She look a deep breath in and look up towards the sky. The full moon lit the lake and the stars in the dark blue night sky were bright.

Caroline jumped as she felt Paul wrap his strong arms around her small frame. She relaxed into his arms. It had been such a quick transition from the ‘I-feel-like-I-should-hate-his-guts’ feeling to the ‘I-love-this-man’ feeling for Caroline, and she knew that it was completely worth it.

Paul leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Caroline’s soft cheek. His lips turned up into a smile as he thought about the last two days he had spent with Caroline. He was inches away from taking all his belongings and driving across the country, and then she gave him the chance that he needed to show her how much he needed her. Paul cleared his throat and looked down at Caroline, ready to ask her a very important question.

“I have a question for you.” He said softly. The disturbance of the silence caused Caroline too turn around and look Paul in the eyes, silently wondering what the question was. “I was wondering, if you would like to be my girlfriend.”

Caroline was slightly thrown off by the question. She hadn’t expected Paul to ask her so soon, seeing as his old habits may still have been lurking in the shadows.

“Of course.” She said shortly, but sweetly. She knew that she wanted to be with Paul and that he would never cause her any harm, especially if he felt the same way that she felt, and Caroline was extremely certain that he did. The couple smiled at the newly formed relationship.

“Lets take you home now.” Paul said quietly, knowing that Caroline was ready to fall asleep but he wished that they could stay out until the sun rise. Caroline took in the peaceful moonlit surroundings before turning on her heels and following her boyfriend.

The two of them rounded the corner to Caroline’s small clearing. Immediately, there was a shift in the atmosphere. It was no longer light and filled with love, but it had been dampened and was clouded with anxiety. There was something different about the clearing. Something had changed, or had been moved. Caroline looked up at Paul, she knew that Paul could feel the tension as well. He had spent many nights in the clearing, watching over Caroline, so he would know if there was something different about the wooded area.

It wasn’t long before Paul took notice of small, old and beat up Honda Civic that sat in the middle of the clearing. He cocked his head to the side in question. Caroline looked over to the object that held Paul’s attention, there sat the car of her nightmares. The automobile that carried the last person that she had ever wished to see.

The closer the young couple got to the car, the more nervous Caroline became. Paul could sense the hesitation that Caroline had suddenly acquired. Paul watched as Caroline’s eyes widened as they got closer to the house. There on the door step sat a man that Caroline had prayed that she would never have to see ever again.

Ryan

Ryan was tall, but not as tall as Paul. He was muscular, but not as muscular as Paul. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and a smile that could cause your heart to break in half. He looked rugged, as if he hadn’t showered in a few days. His hair was longer then what Caroline remembered, and it hung lazily in front of his eyes.

Caroline had stopped walking completely by now, frozen in shock and fear of Ryan. Paul could feel Caroline’s fear and stepped in front of his love.

“Who are you and why are you here?” Paul questioned, a small growl apparent within his words. Ryan chuckled looking at the lovers that stood a few meters in front of him.

“Well look at what we have here. Little Caroline has herself a protector now, doesn’t she?” Caroline shivered at the sound of his raspy voice, the voice that narrated all her nightmares. “I’m here to get Caroline back, obviously.”

Caroline stepped forward, her steps slightly shaky. Paul pulled on her hand lightly, silently asking her to stay behind him.

“How did you find me, Ryan?” The man laughed loudly at Caroline’s question, as if it were the most ridiculous thing that he had ever heard.

“Well my dear, I just asked your lovely grandmother, who always did like me, where you might be. And she kindly gave me the address. Pretty simple.” Paul growled towards the man. He could feel the urge to rip his throat out. Ryan looked towards Paul, a hint of cockiness in his eyes. “And you, you don’t scare me on bit.”

Paul stepped forward, feeling his muscles begin to contract and grow. Paul chuckled darkly, his eyes getting dark with anger as he approached the man who was much smaller then he was.

“Well you should. I could be your worst nightmare.” Ryan stepped back at the, almost, supernatural man that stood erect in front of him. Paul pushed Ryan as he tried to take a step towards Caroline. He fell back a few feet away. His eyes widened in shock at the strength that Paul had. “I think it’s time that you left before I do something that I’ll regret.”

Ryan’s eyebrows bent with anger as he looked from Paul to Caroline. He stood up looking Caroline straight in the eyes.

“I’m coming for you Lin, and next time your body guard wont be around to protect you.” Ryan walked off towards his beat up car. Driving out of the clearing, and, hopefully, out of the reservation.

Paul relaxed on the car was out of sight. His features softening as he looked towards his love. Her eyes were clouded over in fear, and her body was turned in, attempting to protect itself.

Caroline jumped slightly when she felt Paul’s strong arms wrap themselves around her short body. Caroline rested her head against Paul’s hard chest. She could hear his fast, strong heart beat. The sound calmed her nerves, and the shivering had stopped as Paul’s warm body temperature warmed her up.

Slowly, the tears that Caroline had been holding in slipped out from her green eyes.
Paul quickly wiped them away. His heart dropped as he saw how upset Caroline was. He wanted so desperately to ask her about that man, but he knew that he shouldn’t, he didn’t want to upset her even more then she already is.

Caroline struggled out of Paul's grasp and quickly made her way into her house, not looking towards Paul. She just needed to be by herself. She knew that she was probably hurting and confusing her new boyfriend. But she needed to figure out how to tell Paul, and what her next steps would be.

Paul stood dumbfounded by Caroline’s actions. What would he do next? What did Caroline want him to do next? Paul paced the small clearing for a few minutes, hoping that Caroline would come back outside and explain everything to him, deep down he knew that Caroline would not be joining him outside until the morning.

Paul quickly phased into his large gray wolf form, paced slightly before solemnly laying down, ready to spend the night waiting.