Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

AN - This is a style that I don't indulge myself with very often, but I enjoy it occasionally. I hope you enjoy it too. There are no real warnings on this one, except for one for language, because I tend to drop the F-bomb a little more than is child friendly.

I can't do it at home... gotta do it somewhere :P

Also, I have a question that I'm hoping ya'll can help with. I have 14 BellaJasper fics, 7 BellaPaul fics, 3 BellaCarlisle fics, and a few other bits and bobs, on my laptop. They're all incomplete, but I add more to them all the time. Would people rather I finish a story before I post it, or should I start posting what I have and then just update sporadically, as and what a chapter is complete? What works best? Thoughts?

For now though, enjoy the story, and please let me know what you think :)

Almost A Fairytale

Hey! Yes, you there! Stop looking at your screen like you've gone mad. I'm really talking to you. I'm sure you're wondering what the hell is going on right now, but I'd like to put your mind at ease. I'm just here to tell you a story. A love story… sort of.

I'm the keeper of the stories, and let me tell ya, this one's a doozy! Around here, most of the stories start with once upon a time and end with happily ever after, but in real life… well, not so much. Not that nobody ever gets a happy ever after, but life just isn't that simple.

Let's be honest; nobody ever lost a glass slipper and found a prince outside of Cinderella.

So, we'll start our story with a young woman, and a young man. Sounds simple, right? Except the woman is still healing from her vampire boyfriend's abandonment, and our young man is barely out of the teenage werewolf stage.

It's going to be a bumpy ride…

"Why the hell are you pushing me so hard on this, Jake?" Bella asked, huffing as she shuffled around her tiny apartment, straightening the already straight cushions and wiping away imaginary dirt.

"Because he's miserable without you around," Jacob replied with a sigh. "And I know that you're not much happier being away from him."

"I'm doing just fine," she snapped. "I don't need him in my life, and I'm sure as hell not going to force my presence on him when he made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want me!"

"He knows he messed up, Bells. Just give him a chance."

"If he wanted a chance that much, Jacob, he has my phone number. And he knows where I live. He could have come himself instead of sending you as a messenger pigeon."

"Messenger wolf," Jake corrected idly. "And you're right. But… Please, Bells? It's just a bonfire, and you used to come to them all the time."

"Until he ruined everything with his fucking imprint," she grumbled. "Stupid wolfy gene bollocks."

Jake snorted. "You know, most people consider imprinting a gift from the gods."

She nodded. "Yeah, but they didn't get stuck with a jackass Alpha who's got his head stuck so far up his ass he'll need an operation to remove it."

"Will you come to the bonfire?"

Sighing, she nodded. "I suppose so."

He grinned. "Thanks Bells… You got any food?"

Let me jump in for a moment. I know, I know, I'm irritating you, you wanna go back to the story and so on. I just want to explain something. Bella moved to Forks when she was seventeen and almost immediately got into a romantic relationship with Edward Cullen, a teen vampire. She was in love and thought she would be with him forever.

When he broke up with her, Bella didn't take it too well. Sam Uley, Wolf Alpha, found her in the woods, and took her home. It wasn't until later, after Bella had discovered the pack secret, that their eyes actually met and Sam imprinted on her.

See, imprinting is how a wolf finds their soulmate. Jared and Paul had both found their own soulmates and it was all hunky dory, instant lust with the love making it's own appearance a short time later. Sam tried to deny the imprint.

In all his wisdom, he managed to hurt the imprint. Not break it, because only death could break the connection, but by staying as far from Bella as possible, and dismissing her when he did come into contact with her, he damaged the bond.

Sam's an idiot.

It's been a year since then, and let me tell you, it's been a miserable year for both of them. Bella started college in Port Angeles and got her own apartment in Forks, not wanting to be too far from her father. Sam continued his Alpha duties and worked himself harder than he should have on the construction sites he was contracted too.

Anything to take their minds off each other.

Enter Jacob, our figurative fairy god-wolf, who is trying to fix things for his friends, and that's where we're up to. Damn, I forgot how difficult it was to tell stories… Shall we continue?

"We're here, Bells," Jacob murmured, nudging Bella slightly.

She rolled her eyes. "I can see that," she replied, nodding her head at the window.

"So why are you not getting out of the car?"

"Because this was a bad idea," she replied, wrinkling her nose delicately.

Jacob shook his head. "It wasn't. The guys miss you. Come on, Paul's been waiting to see you for weeks."

Bella's lips tilted against her wishes when she heard that. Slipping the seat belt off, she opened her door and stepped out of the car, wrapping her arms around herself to protect against the cold.

"You want my jacket?" Jake offered, moving to slide it off his shoulders.

"You know that will cause problems," she replied quietly. "It's not worth the drama."

Jake nodded looking sheepish. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her to the beach.

"Oh! Look who showed up!" Jared called, a wide smile on his face. He moved across the sand quickly, scooping her up in a hug.

"How are you, Shorty?" he asked, burying his face in her neck. "We missed you."

"I'm fine, Jellybean," she replied, chuckling when he huffed at her. "I missed you too."

"You should come see us more often," he complained as he set her gently back on her feet.

"I have studying to do," she murmured, though they both knew that wasn't the real reason she'd stopped visiting La Push. "Besides, ya'll know where I live."

"Only one at a time fits into that teeny tiny apartment of yours," he replied, ruffling her hair.

She snorted. "It's not that bloody small!"

Arms around her waist made her squeak, and she found herself being lifted and spun around in a circle. "Hey, Kitten."

A kiss was pressed to her temple as her attacker turned her to look at him and she was suddenly in a tight embrace, her face pressed into the comforting scent of her big brother from another mother.

"I missed you, Paul."

"I missed you too, Kitten," he assured her, squeezing her briefly before he put her down. Keeping his arm around her shoulders, he led her towards the fire, where the flames flickered, warm and inviting in the biting night air.

"He's here, you know," he whispered in her ear, turning her slightly so she could see him.

Bella turned away, looking up at Paul. "I knew he was here as soon as I got out of the car," she told him. "I can feel him whenever he's near."

Paul shook his head sadly. "He's being an asshole."

"He's your Alpha, Paul," she replied warningly.

Paul shrugged. "Don't care. What's he going to do, order me to not tell the truth?"

"I could always order you to keep your mouth shut altogether," Sam growled as he approached the fire, though his eyes were on Bella. "Isabella. I didn't know you were coming."

"Jake fetched me," she replied, refusing to drop her eyes from his intimidating gaze. She refused to give him that power over her, though the temptation to submit to him was almost overwhelming.

Paul stiffened beside her, but she gripped his shirt tightly, a silent warning to hold his tongue and his temper.

"You've been missed," Sam told her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Not a day goes by that I don't hear one of my wolves or their mates lamenting the lack of your presence on the reservation. You've had quite the effect."

Bella looked up at Paul and smiled, noticing how his eyes softened when they met hers.

"I missed them too," she said, returning her gaze to Sam. "But it's difficult to be here at the moment. I'm never completely sure of my welcome."

"Please," Paul said, stroking her cheek with his knuckles. "You're always welcome here, baby-girl. Hell, my Emily would move you in tomorrow."

Bella snorted. "Where is she, anyway? She's normally attacked me for being too thin by now."

"She'll be here soon. Quil, Embry and Seth are gathering up the last of the food for her."

A low growl forced Bella to snap her head around to Sam. He was glaring at Paul, a slight tremble running through him. She felt a brief shiver of fear but shook it off. She would not allow him to frighten her. He had no right.

"Give us a minute, Paul," she murmured.

"You sure?"

"I'll be fine," she assured him, and he nodded, glancing back at Sam for a moment before he kissed her temple and loped off, moving to where Jared and Jacob were watching carefully from a distance.

"Why do you do that?" she asked Sam, as he took a step closer to her. "You've made it abundantly clear that you have no wish to be near me, and yet, if the others so much as look at me with affection, you growl and snarl at them like they've just attempted to steal the crown jewels."

"You are mine, Isabella. The sooner you understand that, the better."

"I am not yours," she refuted, glaring at him. "I am my own damn person, and I won't let you treat me like a possession to be abused whenever you damn well feel like it."

His eyes flashed and he took another step towards her. They were in reaching distance now, and she wanted to lift her hand, to run it through his hair, to caress his cheek and show him the love that he clearly desperately needed.

She didn't. She remained frozen in place, her hands clenched into tight fists by her sides.

He took in a deep breath and seemed to relax slightly, taking another, smaller step towards her. He lifted a large hand, and with surprising tenderness, cupped the side of her face. She couldn't help her reaction to him, and she leant into his touch, her head tilting as she pressed her cheek against his palm.

"You soothe me like nothing I've ever known," he murmured, his words almost too low to hear. "I've come to the realisation that I need you, Isabella. From what I've seen in Jacob's mind, the feeling is mutual. You've been suffering my absence."

It wasn't a question. She was irritated that Jacob had shown her vulnerability to the man who'd made her that way in the first place, but she also knew that she couldn't really blame him. The pack-mind was inescapable.

"You don't need me," she whispered, forcing herself away from his touch. She took two steps back, and paused. "You need the presence of your imprint, and I'll give you that. I'll come to more pack gatherings and start spending more time on the reservation."

"You are my imprint," he replied, frowning.

She smiled softly. "I know. You could have imprinted on anyone though, Sam. You don't know me, you've never attempted to get to know me, and from what I can tell, you don't even like me. So I'll stick around. I'll ease the bond for you. Just don't pretend like it's me you need. It's not."

She turned and walked away, back to her friends, back to people she knew loved her for herself, not for a supernatural bond.

Bella is stubborn as all hell isn't she! Yes, it's me again. Can't say I blame her though. Sam is being a world class idiot. Though… I do feel some pity for the poor boy. He's not had the easiest of times, and being the Alpha of a group of teenage and barely adult werewolves would put a strain on the strongest of people.

So, you'd believe this to be a turning point for our star crossed… yeah, that reference doesn't work here either, does it. Anyway, you'd believe this to be a turning point, yes? Only, not really.

You see, Sam can't get his head around the difference between knowing his imprint and knowing Bella. As far as he's concerned, she is his imprint and she should be with him. He's seen it first hand with Paul and his Emily, and Jared and his Kim. Surely it would make sense for Bella to be Sam's Bella.

On the other hand, Bella was determined that she wouldn't fall for some supernatural bond the way she had before. Edward had told her that she was his mate, his love, his life, and then he'd left her on her own, breaking her heart and her spirit in the process.

With that happening, she refused to just fall in love with Sam because something supernatural told her too. She wanted to be loved, really loved and she wouldn't settle for less than that.

So, the turning point never came. Bella stuck to her word and spent three or four evenings a week on the reservation, never complaining when Sam would stand close to her, or when he growled at the others for being affectionate with her. She was patient with him. At the same time, she became a closed book. She would exchange nothing more than small talk with him, if she spoke to him at all, and she kept herself distant.

She also refused his touch.

While frustrating for the two of them, it was more frustrating for those around them. Even Paul, who loved to rebel against Sam for laughs, didn't like seeing his Alpha in pain.

So, the wolves began plotting, and a month after the bonfire, their first plan came into action.

"I love you," Jacob announced, taking the large tray from Bella's hands.

She laughed at him as he leant forward to inhale the scent of the brownies under the foil. He led her into the house, depositing the tray in the kitchen as he did.

"Hey sweetheart," Emily said, embracing her gently. "How's the studying going?"

"It's going," Bella groaned as she stepped back. "Right through the fucking door if I've got anything to do with it."

Emily laughed shaking her head. "I bet you're top of your class."

"If only. There's a guy, thinks he's god's gift, you know the type, who seems to believe that only men should be able to work in a kitchen. Fucking asshole. And the worst part? He's really fucking good."

"Ooh, Bella's swearing. It must be bad," Leah said, ducking her head to kiss Bella's cheek. "Want me to come and show him just how strong a woman can be, Babe?"

"Christ, you'd terrify him," Bella replied, a chuckle escaping her.

"Are we all here?" Jared called from the living room. "I've been waiting for a week to watch this movie and I'm starting with or without you!"

"Bells, gimme a hand in the kitchen?" Emily asked as the others all headed for the living room. Bella nodded, dutifully helping Emily uncover and arrange the many dishes that had been deposited there. It was enough food to satisfy an army, but she knew that they would be lucky if there were crumbs left at the end of the night.

Entering the living room, Bella looked around with narrowed eyes. Emily dropped onto Paul's lap, settling into his arms happily, even as she glanced at Bella, her lips twitching.

The only empty place for her to sit was on the two person loveseat; the one that Sam was currently occupying.

"Bloody meddling puppies," Bella grumbled under her breath, yelping when Paul slapped her ass when she passed him.

"I'll show you puppy," he growled, though she could see the playfulness in his eyes.

"Bring it on, Fido," she replied, airily. "You'll only get distracted with chasing your own tail."

Emily, Kim and Leah let out a burst of laughter at her words, even as Bella sat down beside Sam, as far from him as she could possibly get on the small sofa.

"Are we finally ready?" Jared groused.

Kim kissed his cheek and nodded, even as Jake jumped up from his beanbag to turn off the lights. As soon as the darkness filled the room, Bella became hyper aware of the body beside her. He hadn't so much as greeted her when she entered the room, but she could feel his heat on her side even without touching him and she was uncomfortable with their proximity.

"Can you even see the screen?" he asked suddenly.

She nodded, knowing he could see her, even though she couldn't actually see the whole screen. He sighed, reaching out a large hand and pulling her towards him. She didn't fight his grip, knowing it would only end in bruises for her if she did, and he arranged her with her back to him, pressed firmly against his side.

He tilted her head so it was leaning against his shoulder and wrapped a secure, muscled arm around her waist, his fingers instantly tracing patterns against her stomach.

She was tense, being so close to him was not a good idea she knew, but his ministrations on her stomach had her turning into a puddle of mush against him in minutes. Relaxing fully, she fell back against him, her eyes on the screen that she could now see properly, her mind on the man wrapped around her.

He was so comfortable, her body seemed to fit against his like a jigsaw puzzle. He was hot too, and his warmth seemed to seep into her, making her eyes heavier as she tried to concentrate on the movie.

Paul raised his eyebrow when he heard Bella's breathing grow slower and heavier, and he glanced over at the loveseat to see her leaning back against Sam, her eyes closed, clearly fast asleep.

Sam met his eyes, then glanced down at his imprint. When he looked back up at Paul, he nodded once, then turned his attention back to the screen, his spare hand lifting to sift casually through Bella's hair. Bella let out a content sigh that drew the attention of all the wolves, and they exchanged smiles between them.

Hopefully this would be a positive step forward for their Alpha and sister. Hopefully.

Bella woke up slowly, feeling more rested than she could ever remember feeling. It was dark in the room, and for a moment, she couldn't work out where she was. When her pillow moved beneath her though, her memory flooded back.

"You okay?"

His voice was rough with sleep, but somehow, she found she liked it.

"I'm fine," she replied, clearing her own throat when her words came out a lot huskier than she'd planned. She sat up, his arm falling away from her as she did. When she turned, it was to see him watching her, his eyes softer than she'd ever seen them.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you," she whispered, the darkness seeming to prompt her quietness.

"Don't ever apologise for that," he murmured, sitting up so their faces were mere inches from each other. "I've never been comfier."

As he echoed her thoughts, his fingers touched against her cheek, the feel of them making her jump. He waited until she relaxed, then brushed her hair behind her ears.

"You're beautiful," he murmured. "So beautiful. I'm sorry, Isabella."

She frowned. "For what?"

"I've treated you appallingly. I… I have no excuse for the way I've behaved. I can only apologise and hope that you'll consent to giving me another chance… a chance to show you that I can treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Like a princess."

She sighed, rubbing her cheek against his hand in a lupine gesture that made his eyes brighten as he watched her.

"It was never about being treated like a princess, Sam. It was about building a real relationship. I don't want to rely on the imprint bond like it's the be all and end all. I want something…"

"Something real," he finished for her. "I understand. May I take you on a date, Isabella?"

"Really?"

He smiled softly. "Really."

"I'd like that, Sam."

Awww, ain't that sweet?! So, Sam pulled his head out of his ass, and Bella is feeling cautiously hopeful. What could possibly go wrong?

Bella nerves had been building all day, and when Sam picked her up, she'd been about ready to curl up in a quivering mess in a corner. They drove in silence, though she knew that his eyes were flicking to her every few seconds. She could feel his gaze on her like a laser beam.

He took her for a picnic! A picnic! She'd been so surprised that he'd put that much thought into their date that she'd stumbled over air and almost ended up in A and E instead of the pretty cliff top he'd taken her too.

He caught her of course, an amused gleam in his eyes as he did, and she noticed he didn't release his hold on her until he was seating her on a blanket.

After the initial awkwardness, they fell into conversation over food, playing twenty questions in an attempt to get to know each other.

"Favourite colour?" Bella asked, blushing slightly when he raised his eyebrow.

"I'm partial to blue," he replied. "And brown. You?"

"I like brown too," she replied quietly. "And purple."

They continued with favourite movies, favourite music, favourite foods and favourite season, before Sam asked Bella about her mother.

"My mom… she was more like a best friend or an older sister than a mom, you know? I took care of her more than she took care of me, but it never bothered me. I love her."

Sam nodded. "I've noticed that about you. You're a caregiver. You always put others before yourself."

"What about you? Your parents? What are they like?"

His eyes darkened for a moment, but he answered her anyway. "I never really knew my father. He left when I was very young. My mother… she tried, I suppose. When she couldn't try any longer, she turned to Alcohol."

"That's why you don't drink," she whispered, her eyes tracing his face. "I'm sorry."

He smiled, lifting a hand to cuff her chin. "It's fine, Isabella. Besides, I have a much brighter outlook for my own future than I ever did before."

That caused her to blush and look down, but he just chuckled and asked his next question. Not until it was dark did she realise just how long they'd spent talking. He drove her home, the ride much more comfortable than the one they had taken only hours before, and he walked her to her door.

"Would it be too much to ask, for a goodnight kiss?" he wondered, his eyes on her own.

When she shook her head and licked her lips, he smiled. Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers, softly at first. When she wrapped her arm around his neck, he lost some of his strict control and pulled her body flush with his, pressing his lips to hers more insistently.

Bella gave as good as she got, and when he swept his tongue along her lower lip, asking permission to deepen their kiss, she opened her mouth willingly, relishing the contact and taste of him. Their tongues locked in a silent battle until she gave him her submission, relinquishing herself to him.

It was her moan of arousal as he pushed her against the door that brought him back into the moment, and he slowed down, peppering her with butterfly kisses along her jaw.

"Thank you," he whispered as he took a step back, smiling down at her.

"For what?" she asked, still breathless from their kiss.

"For the best day of my life," he replied. "I should go. May I see you again soon?"

She nodded. "Of course. Thank you for our date, Sam. I had a really good time."

"I'll call you tomorrow."

He got in the car, but waited until she'd gone inside before he drove away, a lazy smile on his lips as he realised that he'd finally got something right with his Isabella.

Annnd, that's a wrap!

But actually it's not, because while our young woman and young man have just shared their first kiss and are happier than pigs in… let's not go there, anyway, they're happy and flushed with the joy of a first date gone exceptionally well, but that isn't the end of our story.

Following that first date, the two of them got closer. They had a few more private dates mixed in with pack gatherings and their relationship seemed to go from strength to strength. The pack relaxed, Sam relaxed, even Bella relaxed, and that's really saying something because that girl…

Of course something had to go wrong. You've been waiting for something to go wrong. Love never did run smooth for Isabella Swan after all.

Can you guess what causes the drama?

I knew you'd get it right. What else could it be?

Fucking Vampires.

Not just any vampire, oh no. The carrot topped sparkly disaster that broke Isabella's heart into tiny pieces. Oh, Sam was not even slightly impressed with that idea, and the worst part of it all? Isabella was demanding to see him.

Oh dear.

"You can't tell me what to do, Sam! You're not my freaking father!" She shouted, throwing her hands up.

"Are you forgetting that I was the one who found you after the leech threw you away, Isabella? Do you think I've forgotten the state you were in, the way you cried for him, the way you almost died from hypothermia out on the forest floor? Do you think that any of us has forgotten the months of you walking around like a fucking zombie because that bastard stole all of your self worth?"

She stared at him for a moment, before she shook her head. The pack watched on with worried expressions, none of them happy about Bella demanding to see Edward, but also knowing that she wouldn't let anyone tell her that she couldn't do something.

Not even Sam.

Maybe especially not Sam.

"Why can't you trust me to know what I'm doing?" she asked, leaning back against the wall.

"I don't want you to be hurt again," Sam growled, trying to force himself to calm down. "Especially not by him. He's not worth your tears."

She sighed. "You refuse to take me to meet him at the border?"

"I won't take you to him and watch him take you away from me," he snarled, stomping away. She heard the ripping of his shorts as he phased at the treeline, disappearing from view.

"Kitten… maybe he's right," Paul said after a moment. "Don't look at me like that, just think about it for a minute."

"I have thought about it," she replied. "I need to see Edward. Will you take me, or do I have to go to the house and wait for him there?"

Paul rolled his eyes. "Turn around while I phase," he muttered.

Bella did as she was told, and wasn't surprised when she turned at his prompting to find Jake and Jared both phased as well. Paul lowered his back so she could climb on, and when she was steady, he set off at a jog, Jake flanking him on one side, Jared on the other.

When they reached the border, Bella's heart constricted when she saw Edward leaning against a tree, his eyes on her. His legs were crossed at the ankle, and he looked… well, he looked as perfect as he always had.

"Why are you here?" she asked, tilting her head to the side when Paul stopped at the treaty line. Edward straightened up, stepping towards her. Paul let out a warning growl.

"I missed you," Edward replied simply. "I couldn't stay away any longer. You… I can't live without you, Bella. I love you."

"No… you don't."

"I do," he insisted. "If this is about the last time… I lied, Bella, I lied. I love you more than anything on the planet. I love you, so much."

"If you'd loved me, you'd never have left me, Edward."

"I thought I was keeping you safe," he replied, his head dropping a little. "I was trying to make your life better."

"That's bullshit," she murmured, making his head shoot up in surprise. "If you'd loved me even half as much as you say you do, you'd never have been able to leave me. Thing is, it doesn't matter anymore. I forgive you for leaving, Edward."

"You do?"

The crooked smile that had always made her melt appeared on his face, and he lifted a hand to beckon her to him.

She shook her head. "You misunderstand me. I forgive you, but I don't want you. What we had… Edward, it was unhealthy. God, I changed everything about myself to make sure I was what you wanted. I let Alice dress me in clothes you would like, I changed my mannerisms to make sure that I was the proper lady for you… and you, you couldn't be yourself. Jesus, Edward, you could barely even kiss me without wanting to kill me. That's… nothing about us was healthy."

"You… you don't want me? You don't love me anymore?"

"You're my first love, Edward. Part of me, a very small part of me, will always be yours and yours alone. Now though… I've moved on."

"You're an imprint," he whispered, and she rolled her eyes, tugging at Paul's fur. He huffed out an approximation of a laugh and she shook her head.

"I've found my soulmate, Edward," she murmured. "If you give yourself chance, you'll find yours. I wish you every happiness in your future, but your future isn't with me. I'm sorry."

He nodded. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, before he looked up and met her eyes.

"May I hold you? One last time?"

She slid off Paul's back, ignoring his warning growl, and stepped towards Edward. When he gently wrapped his arms around her, she hugged him back.

"I'll always love you," he whispered in her ear.

He pulled back and pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek before she stepped away from him.

"I wish you every happiness. Goodbye, Edward."

"Bella… goodbye."

So, Bella got her closure, and we're almost to the happy ever… well, the happy part anyway. Of course, Sam watched the meeting through Paul's eyes, and he was as shocked as he was happy at watching his Isabella telling the Cullen boy that they were done.

I'll return us straight to the story, where Sam is awaiting the return of his fair princess… well, something like that.

Paul crouched a little so Bella could once more slide from his back. She moved straight into the waiting arms of Leah and Emily, letting them lead her into the house. Sam was sitting at the table, his eyes on her as soon as she entered.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You saw?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

"I saw," he confirmed, holding a hand out for her to take. As soon as she did, he pulled her until she was standing between his legs, their eyes at a matched height for a change.

"You never had anything to worry about, Sam. Even without the imprint… this belongs to you," she told him quietly, raising a hand to rest over her heart.

His embrace was fierce and almost painful as he pulled her into his arms, wrapping himself around her as he buried his face in her neck. She could feel his tears dripping down her chest. Glancing at the others, she nodded for them to leave, winking at Paul when he looked a little worried.

Stroking Sam's hair, she hushed him gently.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he whimpered, pulling back to look at her. She wiped away the tears resting on his cheeks and cupped his face in both hands.

"Never. I love you, Sam."

The smile he gave her made the months of anguish worth it. He crashed their lips together, pushing everything he was feeling into it, and she melted against him.

His lips brushing against hers, he said, "I love you, my Isabella. I love you."

Annnnd that's a wrap. No, really, it's done. They mated shortly after this, and he marked her as his own, and they lived happily… for the most part. They argued and Bella sulked occasionally, Sam would spend a little time in the figurative dog house occasionally, but all in all, they had what Bella wanted.

A real relationship.

What they always had was love. Love of each other and love of the pack. One big, slightly dysfunctional, family. Marriage and kids were still a long way off for all of them, but it would come, eventually. That's for another storyteller to tell you though, because this one needs a drink.

I'm hoarse from all this talking.