Soul contact. {Paul Lahote}

eight; freaks

Four days later, 11th December. 

Hospitals were a familiar yet melancholy feeling for Dallas. Familiar because she had spent the majority of her childhood within this very building, usually waiting for her mother to finish work. Monica did her residency when Dallas was only eight, so if she wasn't at the Black's, Clearwater's, Aterea's or The Call's home she was in the waiting room or the break room with her mother's favourite nurses. The melancholy feeling arose whenever she walked past a room with a sick patient, or the realisation that someone might never make it out of this hospital and the last thing they ever saw would be four white walls with an old fluorescent light shining down on them in their despondent final moments.

As she walked down the familiar hallway that connected the waiting room to Mason Foster's room, she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Mason had been admitted again, he had to have an extensive round of chemo. The doctor's also wanted to take a few precautions, it was flu season and with Mason's lack of immune system, he was high risk for pneumonia. 

She glared at the bold letters 247 with tears in her eyes. How was it possibly fair that someone so full of life had to go through this before they even lived theirs? How was it fair that while his friends had sleepovers and rode their bikes through the streets of Forks, that Mason was inside or in a hospital bed, throwing up the empty contents of his stomach while his mother rubbed his back soothingly and stifled down sobs of anguish? There wasn't an answer. Because as beautiful as life could be, it could also be very dark. But all the little boy had really experienced was darkness. Dallas didn't understand. She so badly wished that she could trade places with the seven year old, she couldn't count how many times she had prayed that she would be sick instead. 

She shook her head and blinked back tears while plastering a fake smile on her face. Light knocks were heard through the small room as Dallas opened the door and smiled at Marie. Marie looked exhausted. Her normally bright green eyes were dull and lifeless, purple bags sat under her eyes, giving her the look that she hadn't slept in days. Her messy brown hair was thrown up in a tangled knot on her head, and her jumper hung off her showcasing how much weight she had lost. Still, she smiled back at Dallas and stood up to hug her.

"How are you, Dallas?" Her soft voice whispered, as she peered over at her sleeping son when they pulled away.

Dallas frowned at the older woman, completely blown away. "You're asking how I am? I should be asking how you are. How are you? When was the last time you slept, or ate?" Marie chuckled once at the scolding questions, Dallas was so much like her mother. Who had visited every day after her rounds to give Marie something to eat, or beg her to take a nap.

"I'm fine," Dallas glared at her which she smiled at. "Don't look at me like that I am." Dallas crossed her arms over her chest as she glared up at the brunette.

"I don't believe you, but I know you're far too exhausted to argue with me. How's Mase?" She whispered the last part, as she sat down on the uncomfortable chair beside his bed. She lightly ran her thumb over his cheek and smiled to herself when a small smile appeared on his sleeping face. 

Marie sighed as she sat on the other side of her son. "He isn't responding well to the treatment, they want to try radiation therapy." Dallas swallowed the second lump in her throat as she kept her gaze locked on the sleeping child.

"I'm so sorry this is happening. If you need anything at all, please call me or Mom. We are here for you guys through this." Marie offered a watery smile as a few tears fell out of her eyes and on to her pale cheeks.

"I wouldn't have been able to do this without you both, thank you so much." Dallas only smiled in response, not trusting her words at that moment. She loved this little boy so much, so much so that she knew it would nearly kill her if he didn't make it. She chose not to think about that, and instead decided to play card games with Mason and his mother when he awoke an hour ago. That's what she did, shoved any negative thought into the back of her mind and focused on making sure this boy knew how valued and loved he was.

Because he was. 

::::

12th December. 

Paul had called every day since the awkward moment the duo shared. He had also texted, which Dallas barley replied too, and if she did it was blunt. She wasn't mad at him, she was truthfully embarrassed. She had thought her childhood crush on the Lahote boy had faded out as the years went on, but that near kiss had brought every emotion bubbling to the surface. Dallas was almost positive he didn't see her in the same light that she saw him, regardless of what Embry claimed about him having 'the worlds biggest crush on her.' Ever since she was a child, she never thought she was deserving of any sort of relationship. Dallas would only admit it to Embry and her mom, that she had severe 'Daddy issues'. Embry of course understood, as he never knew his father the same way Dallas never did. Embry was the only person who truly understood what it felt like in their small group of friends, Quil had both his parents present and Jacob always had his father in his corner. 

Dallas knew that she would have to talk to him, which is why she was currently pacing around her living room as she anxiously awaited the arrival of Paul. 

A knock on the door sent her heart into her stomach as she attempted to calm herself down. She quickly walked to the door, and took a deep breath before she opened the door. Paul was standing on her doorstep, looking and feeling every bit as anxious as she was. "Hey, thanks for coming." Dallas began, slowly feeling the anxiety slip away as she looked up at him. She stepped to the side and allowed Paul to walk through the threshold. He pulled his denim jacket off and hung it on the coat rack, before turning to face the small blonde.

Offering her a small smile, he gazed at her with an apologetic look. "Thanks for inviting me, do you wanna sit on the lounge?" Dallas nodded, and began walking towards the cream lounge in the cosy living area.

"Look, I think for both our sanity and our friendship, that we should like pretend it never happened?" Dallas began as the imprint duo sat down. Paul felt a wave of disappointment hit him, but he brushed it off with a small smile. 

"Yeah, well if that's what you want then of course we can."

Dallas sighed, relief flooding her body. "Good, I don't even wanna talk about it. It's too awkward." Paul ignored the pang in his chest as he nodded at her words. He didn't want to forget it, he wanted to open his mouth and explain that he wanted to do that. That he wanted to kiss her, that he's had the biggest crush on her since they were only kids. That she was his soulmate, and they were destined to be together if she chose that.

But like the coward he was, he just nodded.

Dallas threw her arms around his shoulders suddenly, shoving her face in the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arms around her small waist. "Thank you. I missed you, let's not ignore each other again. Deal?" Paul laughed as he rested his head on top of hers.

"Deal. I missed you too."

Their hug was cut off by Paul's phone ringing. He pulled his phone out of his pocket when Dallas pulled away, her face full of confusion as Paul's face dropped.

She couldn't hear the other person speaking, but she knew it wasn't good when Paul's eyes stayed locked on her own. "Right now? I didn't think he would.... No Sam I know... Look I'm leaving now.... Okay..... Right.... God..... Bye...." Paul shoved his phone back in his pocket as he stood up abruptly.

"Something has happened, Sam needs me. I'll come by later if I can, please do me a favour and stay inside for the rest of the day. I'll explain when I can." Paul's words were rushed as Dallas followed him to the front door. She didn't get a chance to answer as he was already sprinting down the driveway, and towards the woods behind her house.

"You forgot your, jacket." She said to herself, holding the denim jacket in her hands. She sighed, and locked the door, taking the jacket with her as she walked upstairs to her room. 

She had tried to ring Embry and tell him her and Paul were on speaking terms again, but he didn't answer. She didn't think much of it, as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep the rest of the day away.

{Authors note}

The drama is finally starting, next chapter will be longer as it's nearing Dallas finding out.