So, I'm back! I really didn't think I'd come up with another story so quickly, but an idea came to me and before I knew it I had everything planned out and the first chapter written. I usually wait to post until I have at least the first three chapters written, but I wanted to get your thoughts on my new story. It's another PaulOC story since I can't seem to get away from the tempermental wolf. I was thinking of doing a JacobOC story, which I think I might try after this one, but I went with Paul once again. I hope you like the first chapter, and PLEASE let me know what you think! Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight.

Chapter One

Camilla Monroe felt as big as a house as she practically waddled down the aisle of the small grocery store in Forks, Washington. Being a young woman of twenty, single, and seven and a half months pregnant in a town about the size of the head of a pin was not easy. Especially when it was the small town Camilla had grown up in and vowed to never come back to unless it was for a weekend or holiday to visits her parents. Now, she was back until further notice and living with her parents.

Coming home at the end of her sophomore year at NYU, Camilla had been beyond nervous since she had yet to break the news of her pregnancy to her parents. Granted, she had only found out a few weeks before she boarded the plane home but she knew her parents were going to be beyond disappointed with her.

Thankfully, that night when she sat down with her parents and, in tears, told them about the baby, they didn't yell at her, they didn't tell her they were disappointed, and they didn't give her the cold shoulder. Her mother, Teresa, and her father, Peter, simply took turns hugging her and assuring her that everything was going to be all right. Though her parents were supportive and had been at her side every step of the way, the father of Camilla's unborn baby had been anything but.

Her now ex-boyfriend, Travis, had all but called her a whore and said the baby wasn't his the night she told him before he told her it was over between them and walked out of the coffee shop. He had even gone so far as to change his cell phone number and turn his friends, and his sister, against her. After two weeks of hang ups and name calling, Camilla threw in the towel. If Travis, a twenty-three year old, was going to act like a twelve year old and not take responsibility for his part in their child's life, than he didn't deserve to be a part of the baby's life. She didn't care how hard it was going to be or how scared she was, she wouldn't let her baby suffer. She'd make it work and she'd make sure her son or daughter would know just how much he or she was loved.

"Camilla?" a voice asked as Camilla was standing in front of the cereal section trying to remember the brand her mother had asked her to pick up since she had forgotten the list. "Camilla Monroe?" the voice asked and Camilla finally looked away from the cereal boxes to see one of the last people she ever wanted to see in her current condition. "Well, I don't believe it," Jessica Stanley said with a light scoff as she walked over to Camilla. "How are you?"

"Fine," Camilla said, feeling awkward, as Jessica surveyed her. It didn't matter that Camilla was wearing a rather bulky jacket, it was obvious to see that she was pregnant and as Jessica's eyebrows quirked and glanced at her bare left hand, Camilla swore she saw a smirk on her lips as Jessica looked at her.

"Are you home for winter break from NYU?" Jessica asked and Camilla internally sighed. She knew that Jessica knew that she wasn't home for winter break. Jessica's mother was one of the town's gossips, and Camilla had no doubt that Mrs. Stanley had already informed her daughter of Camilla's 'mistakes' and lectured her daughter not to do the same.

"Actually, I'm taking a bit of break from school for a while," Camilla said and Jessica nodded before she gestured to Camilla's stomach.

"That's too bad, but I see congratulations are in order," Jessica said and Camilla's right hand moved to her stomach.

"Thanks," Camilla said.

"I can't believe you're pregnant," Jessica said. "I couldn't imagine having a baby right now. There is so much that I still want to do before I tie myself down with a family; but you and your boyfriend must be looking forward to having a family."

"I'm looking forward to being a mom, but I can't say that the baby's father is all that happy about him or her," Camilla said.

She had never liked Jessica, and it was obvious the brunette hadn't changed since high school. Jessica had been a year ahead of Camilla in high school, but their school was so small it didn't really matter because everyone knew everybody and was always in someone else's business. Camilla didn't care if she was going to give Jessica a little more fuel to add to the blazing rumor fire that was already circling her, she wasn't going to lie.

"He broke up with me when I told him I was pregnant." The smugness seemed to slowly leave Jessica's expression and Camilla swore she saw pity in the other young woman's eyes. "It was nice to see you again, Jess, but I need to finish the shopping and head back home before Mom calls Chief Swan to look for me." She grabbed a random box of cereal before tossing it into her cart and moving down the aisle, leaving a loss for words Jessica behind.

Camilla quickly finished her shopping as fast as she could before checking out. Graham, the younger teenage cashier, offered to take out her bags but she declined knowing she could handle the two bags on her own. She walked out of the store and over to her mother's van with a soft sigh as she blew her dark bangs from her eyes. She had to be careful as she walked given the freshly fallen snow that had made everything a bit slippery, and thankfully she had made to the car safely before she was on her way home.

Sighing as she drove, she ran her left hand through her hair. She was on edge from her very brief conversation with Jessica and she needed to calm herself down. Her emotions lately had been a regular rollercoaster lately and if she didn't get herself into check her mother wouldn't let her leave the house again until the baby actually came. It had taken her a half an hour just to get Teresa to agree to let her run to the market for the few things they needed, and if she came home a wreck, she knew she'd be confined to the house and only be allowed to leave for her doctor appointments.

Ten minutes later, Camilla got herself together just as she pulled into her parents' driveway and parked the van in front of the closed garage before she clamored out of the van and grabbed the bags out of the backseat. She waddled her way to the side door that would take her into the mudroom which would lead her into kitchen of the modest two story house. She walked up the steps and opened the door before sighing at the warmth that wrapped around her.

"Mom? Dad?" she called as she gently kicked the door closed and wiped her boots on the mat in front of the door. "I'm home." Just then her father, Peter, was at the doorway that led into the kitchen.

"Let me get those, Millie," her father said and Camilla smiled at him before he took the bags from her.

"Thanks Dad," she said and he smiled at her as she unwound her scarf from her neck. She took off her jacket while Peter winked at her and moved into the kitchen. She laughed and hung up her jacket and scarf before she slipped off her boots and pulled her sweater down over her stomach.

"How did you get your mother to let you out of the house on your own?" Peter asked and Camilla laughed quietly.

"It wasn't easy, but I talked her into it after playing the stir crazy card," Camilla said as she moved to help her father unload the few groceries that she had picked up. Peter chuckled and shook his head before he returned his eyes to the bag in front of him.

"What's this?" her father asked as he held up the box of Captain Crunch cereal and Camilla realized that she had most definitely grabbed the wrong kind of cereal in her haste to get away from Jessica. Camilla blushed lightly before she shrugged and took the box to put it away in the pantry.

"I felt like something sweet for in the morning," she said and her father chuckled before he shook his head. "Where's mom?"

"Right here," Teresa said as she walked into the eat in kitchen with the house phone in hand. "You'll never guess who just called," she said as she sat at the stool resting in front of the side island.

"Who?" Dad asked while Camilla folded up the empty bags and put them under the kitchen sink next to the small trash can.

"Sue Clearwater," she said and Camilla smiled at the woman's name. Camilla had always liked Sue, and thanks to the occasional Saturday summer afternoon that her family used to spend at First Beach, Camilla knew both Clearwater children well enough. However, she hadn't seen either one of them in roughly four years. Her last two years of high school were spent buried in books to make sure her grades were good enough to get a few scholarships for college and the last two years she'd been busy at college and now dealing with the chaotic mess her life had become because she fell in love and gave in. "Charlie asked her to marry him a few months ago and she wants me to do their wedding cake."

"Seriously?" Camilla asked and both her parents looked at her with raised eyebrows. "I meant the part about Chief Swan asking her to marry him, not about the cake. Everybody knows Mom's bakery is the best within a hundred miles of here."

"Well, they have been seeing each other for a while," Teresa said. "I'm really not surprised. They make a good couple, don't you think?"

"Oh the best," Peter said dramatically making Camilla laugh as she ran her hand down her stomach while Teresa clicked her tongue in annoyance at her husband before she looked at Camilla.

"Their wedding is actually coming up pretty quickly, which is why she called me at home," Teresa said. "Thankfully they want a simple three tier cake and nothing too fancy, but they don't know what flavor they want. Would you mind going to her house tomorrow with a few samples with me? I could use the extra hands."

"Why can't she come to the bakery?" Camilla asked with a small frown and Teresa laughed lightly.

"She twisted her ankle yesterday and is laid up," Teresa said and Camilla smiled. "Would you mind helping me so Mindy and Tracy can handle the bakery?"

"I don't mind," Camilla said honestly. She'd do just about anything to get out of the house again.

"Good," Teresa said with a smile. Camilla smiled at her mother until a sudden kick by the moving baby both startled and hurt her at the same time. Gasping, Camilla's hands moved to her stomach as she hunched over slightly.

"Millie?" Peter asked quickly, his left hand going to rest on her right shoulder and she heard her mother practically knock the stool she was sitting on as she got up so quickly.

"I'm okay," Camilla said as the baby continued to move around and kick every once in a while. She lifted her head and looked at her parents. "The baby just caught me off guard." Her parents visibly relaxed and Peter's hand left her shoulder before Teresa smiled and held out her hand. Camilla nodded and watched as her mother put her hand on her stomach to feel the baby moving around. It was a surreal moment, but one that was not uncomfortable.

Camilla was certain that it didn't matter if Travis was in the baby's life or not. He or she was definitely going to be loved and he or she would know nothing else but that.

"I'm okay, Mom, don't worry," Camilla said as Teresa started to fuss with her to make sure she was okay on the slippery walkway that led to Sue Clearwater's house in La Push. "Go. I'm right behind you," Camilla said as she gestured with her chin towards the house and followed her mother with a few of the sample boxes in hand.

"Okay, okay," Teresa said and Camilla laughed lightly as she watched her mother walk up to the house. However, she didn't even have to knock because the door was swung open by a very tall and broad shouldered young man. "Oh, hello, Seth," Teresa said and Camilla blinked as she drew closer to the house. That was Seth Clearwater? Last time she saw him he was small thirteen year old. Now he was a very big almost eighteen year old.

"Hi Mrs. Monroe," Seth said. "Let me help you."

"Oh, I'm fine, Seth, but if you wouldn't mind taking the boxes from Millie, that'd be great," Teresa said and Seth looked at Camilla then who smiled at the young man.

"Hi Seth," Camilla said and the young man chuckled before she stepped aside to let Teresa in before he moved to Camilla and took the boxes from her. "Thanks," she said with a soft sigh as she rested her gloved hand on her stomach over her coat and he nodded his head.

"Come on in and out of the cold," he said and Camilla gladly did just that. Seth carried the boxes into the living room with Camilla following. Sue was sitting on the sofa with her left leg propped up on the coffee table and her ankle wrapped in ice. Chief Charlie Swan sitting beside her as they looked at Teresa and laughed at something Teresa said.

"Hello Camilla," Sue said upon seeing the young woman and Camilla smiled at Sue as she brushed her bangs out of her eyes after she took off her gloves.

"Hi Sue, Chief Swan," she said a little breathless.

"Hi Millie," the mustached man said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she said as he her hand found her stomach again. "I feel as big as a house, but other than that I'm fine."

"Good," he said with a slight nod of his head and a light chuckle from everyone.

"Seth," Sue said as Seth sat the boxes on the coffee table next to the other ones and the young man looked at his mother. "Why don't you take Camilla into the kitchen and fix her some hot chocolate?"

"Okay," Seth said before he looked at Camilla. "That sound good to you?"

"Sounds lovely, actually," Camilla said and the very tall young man chuckled before he put his hand on her upper back and led her into the kitchen.

"Take a seat," Seth said and Camilla unzipped her jacket before she removed the dark blue coat from her body and rested it on the back of her chair before she slowly and awkwardly sank down onto the wooden chair.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Seth. You must have had a couple of growth spurts since then," Camilla said as she watched him gather what he would need to make the hot chocolate. Seth grinned as he looked at her.

"A few," Seth said and Camilla smiled before she sat back in the chair with a sigh. The baby had been unsettled all morning and constantly moving since she woke up; and Camilla was pretty sure he or she was going to grow up to be soccer player or something with all the kicks she had suffered through over the last few hours.

"You didn't look all that surprised when you saw me," Camilla said and Seth looked at her after he pulled two mugs out of the cupboard.

"You know how small towns work, Camilla," Seth said with a small yet understanding smile as he looked at her. "Word travels."

"Most of what's being said isn't true, you know," Camilla said, for some reason feeling the need to defend herself to Seth even though she knew she didn't have to.

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Camilla," he said. "The only thing I actually listened to was the fact that you were going to have a baby. The rest of the gossip I just ignore." She smiled at him and he grinned at her again before he set to making their cocoa. She had had no intentions of getting up from the chair until her mother was ready to go, but her bladder and the fact that the baby was currently using it as a soccer ball changed her mind.

"Um, Seth, is it okay if I use your bathroom?" she asked and Seth nodded.

"Sure," he said. "First door on the left," he said as he gestured towards the hall.

"Thanks," she said as she started to get up, but failed miserably in her attempts to get up from the low chair. "Um, Seth?" she asked again and he looked at her. "Would you mind giving me a hand?" she asked and he chuckled before he shook his head and walked over to her, taking her hand into his before he helped her up from the chair with ease. "Thanks," she said before she shook her hand. "You've got really hot hands," she said absently and he smiled before he shrugged.

"I run hot for some reason," he said and Camilla chuckled.

"I wish I had that luxury these days," she said. "My hands and feet are always cold." Seth smiled at her and Camilla smiled in return before she excused herself to the restroom.

For the first time in a long time, Camilla had a pleasant morning/early afternoon keeping the company of someone other than her parents. Seth was always a bubbly kid, and he hadn't changed much at all over the years. His dark eyes weren't judgmental as he looked at her and his expression was open and warm. Seth was in the middle of telling her a story that had her laughing harder than she had laughed in months, and Seth seemed pleased with himself for making her laugh, when they were interrupted.

"If that isn't the nicest thing I've heard in a while, I don't know what is," Teresa said, smiling upon seeing her daughter with a flushed face and laughing with Seth. Both looked at her with smiles on their faces.

"Did they finally decide on what flavor they're going with?" Seth asked through his smile and Teresa chuckled as she nodded.

"Devil's food," Teresa said.

"Mm, sounds good," Seth said and Camilla laughed lightly and looked at Seth who was grinning at her.

"Well, we should get going, Millie," Teresa said. "I don't want you getting sick from this weather."

"Mom, seriously, I'm fine," Camilla said. "You don't have to keep me in a bubble all the time. I'm pregnant not dying."

"I know," Teresa said, "I just worry about you."

"I know," Camilla said with a small smile.

"I'm going to go and warm up the van," Teresa said before she looked at Seth. "It was nice to see you again, Seth."

"You too, Mrs. Monroe," Seth said with a nod of his head.

"I'll be right out," Camilla said when Teresa looked at her and Teresa nodded before she left. Camilla could hear her mother saying her goodbyes to Charlie and Sue; and she sighed quietly as she looked at Seth. "Would you mind helping me up again?" she asked and he smiled and shook his head before he stood and once again took her hand. "Thanks," she said again as she smiled up at Seth.

"You're welcome," he said as he let go of her hand and grabbed her coat before helped her into it. Camilla was zipping it up when the back door to the Clearwater house was opened.

"Seth, you missed the meeting and Sam for some reason sent me to get your ass. What the he-," the voice stopped when Camilla had turned around to see who had come inside.

She didn't know the young man standing in the doorway staring at her with wide brown eyes, but she was pretty sure he was insane seeing as he was dressed in only a pair of jean cut offs and it was about twenty-five degrees outside. She blushed under his gaze since he was looking at her like she had just told him the meaning of life or something, and she was very uncomfortable. She looked at Seth who looked both happy and concerned at the same time as he looked at her.

"I should go," she said. "Mom's waiting. It was nice to see you, Seth, and sorry for making you miss a meeting."

"Don't worry, Camilla, it's fine," he said as he looked away from her for a second. "See you around?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'll see you," she said before she sent the staring man a small unsure smile and left the kitchen.

"Wait," the staring man said and Camilla looked at him as he walked further into the house.

Seth put a hand on the man's left shoulder, and he growled slightly at Seth who just rolled his eyes before he said something quietly to the other man. He looked at her again, really looked at her, and she saw him swallow hard before his dark eyes met her green. Seth lowered his hand and the man walked over to her. Like Seth he towered over her five feet five inch frame, but he was broader and . . . and she was pretty sure she had never seen more muscles so pronounced on a guy's body before that moment.

"I'm Paul," he said as he looked down at her.

"Camilla," she said quietly and he smiled.

"Camilla," he said softly and Camilla did not like the way her stomach knotted and her heart spluttered as he repeated her name. Also, for the first time since she woke up the baby calmed and that startled Camilla more than anything else. However, she decided the reason the baby had finally settled was becuase he or she was finally tired out and not because of the warm tone in which Paul used to say her name. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Camilla cut him off.

"I need to go," she said and with that she turned as quickly as she could on the balls of her feet before she left the kitchen. She said quick goodbyes to Charlie and Sue before she practically ran to her mother's van, and thankfully she didn't slip as she did so.

"What's wrong?" Teresa asked when she saw her daughter's flustered expression.

"Nothing," Camilla said with a small smile and Teresa nodded her head as she started to back the van out of the driveway. Looking at the house, Camilla swore she saw Paul standing in the picture window, watching the van pull out of the driveway with a strange look on his face.