Before the Storm

'Some time' for Paul meant a few weeks. Ever since learning that Althea had been transformed into a vampire, things hadn't felt the same. Would he still love her as much as he had before? Would her dazzling smile still be the same? Would she still be the same as she always was, so free and wild?

He decided that the only way to get answers was to find out by himself. He hadn't told the rest of the pack that she was transformed yet. He didn't want the guilt of letting her get this way. Paul constantly had a slight nagging feeling in his stomach that Althea's transformation was due to him. If he had been ten seconds faster, she might still be human. He got over himself and picked up the phone in Sam's kitchen and dialed the Cullen's number.

"Hello?" The voice twinkling in sound, but Paul instantly recognized it. It was the voice that he known, and loved for so many years now.

"Thea?!" His breath caught in his throat as he took in her sound.

"Paul!" She laughed.

"H-how are you? Are you...alright?" He didn't know quite which words were right to use, but these sounded okay. Like they could have been exchanged between anyone.

"I'm feeling okay," her voice grew a little more morose, "things just don't feel the same. I miss you."

"I miss you too," he smiled a little bit and before he could think about what he was doing, "I'm scared."

"Why?" Althea's voice was now barely above a whisper but Paul could hear it ringing in his ears.

"I'm scared that you're not going to be the same," he sighed and bit his lip.

"I don't feel the same. But I think I am the same," she laughed a little bit, reassuring both of them.

"Can I see you?" 

"I don't know. They said I'd have to be away from human and others for a while," 

"How long is a while?"

"I don't know," she said sadly, "no one's home though. Can you come over?"

"I think so,"

"Hurry then!" She said in a rushed whisper before hanging up and rushing to her room and picked out an outfit.

"Bye," Paul said into the dial tone and hung up. He decided not to deal anyone where he was going and snuck out of Sam's house and as soon as he was in the clear, flat out sprinted towards the Cullens' house.

-----

Althea waited patiently for Paul as she sat in the living room. She could hear the sound of breathing and footfalls and ran to door, throwing it open and anticipating him.

As soon as she could see him, her voice broke into a huge grin and she shouted, "Paul!"

A few seconds later, Paul was standing a few feet in front of her, a frown in his face. Even though he knew his imprint on her might fade away now that she had changed, he still wasn't ready for it. He tried to push this feeling out of his mind, as he took in her smiling face.

"Thea," he smiled weakly.

"I've missed you," she grinned and threw her arms around him. He stiffened at her touch and didn't move.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you thirsty- I mean-"

"No, I'm not," she sighed, "I forgot."

"I'm just not used to this yet," he said shyly.

"Don't worry, neither am I! But just to say it, you smell like a dog!" She almost burst out into laughter as they walked into the yard and found a comfortable place to sit.

"No offense, but you don't smell so great either," he shot back at her, smile playing on his face, "you look so different."

"I know. I feel different. I wish life was normal again," she sighed and pulled her knees into her chest.

"So do I," he said quietly.

"What's wrong?" She sensed there was something he wasn't saying.

"I-I'm not in love with you anymore," he mumbled as fast as he could. Althea stopped breathing, even though it didn't matter, and her face fell.

"Well, at least you didn't sugarcoat anything," her voice was uneven and she stood up in a flash, "goodbye then, Paul."

"Thea-"

"No, Paul. I don't think there's anything left to say."