PETRICHOR , paul lahote.

032. i love you (and i hate that guy!)

PAUL AND LENA STOOD IN SILENCE ON Emily and Sam's doorstep. Dinner was over and they we're about to put on a movie, but Paul insisted that Lena and him talk first. She agreed, ready to hear what he had to say.

"Lena, I'm sorry." Is what he landed on, "For everything I said that day, I—I know you don't have a reason to believe me or—or forgive me, but I didn't mean anything I said. I was pissed, and I let my anger get to me again. But I wasn't angry that you were leaving the pack, I was—I was just scared to lose you. I'd fought for so long to finally get where I wanted to be with you and—and it all went crumbling down the second you chose Bella over the pack. But I know you did it for a reason, and I respect that, and I don't care about it anymore. I just need you back, please."

She stood quietly, processing everything he'd said. Then, "You said some really mean stuff, Paul."

"I know." He hung his head, ashamed.

"You know I can't hear you guys anymore." She told him, "I'm not a member of the pack anymore."

He swallowed, "I know."

"I don't think I ever will be again."

"I know."

She frowned, looking at him, "How do you feel about that?"

"I don't care." He responded, shaking his head, "I still love you."

She froze. He froze. Because sure, they'd said it before, but once and it was months ago, and Lena was too busy bleeding out in Paul's arms to really make sense of what she was saying at the time. Even after they got together, it was as if they were a young couple scared to say those three little words. The words he'd just said.

"You love me?" She asked, "Like, for real?"

He cracked a grin, "For real."

She smiled back at him, "I love you too, Paul. You know that."

"Yeah, I knew that." He muttered, stepping closer until they were centimetres apart. "I don't wanna lose you again."

"Paul..." She hesitated, "We can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?"

"This." She gestured around them, "We can't keep going back and forth."

"Then we'll stop." He begged, "Seriously this time. Lena, I promise. Whatever you do now, I'm on your side. Even if it means leaving the pack."

She paused for a moment, "I won't ever ask you to do that."

"You won't have to." He responded, putting his hands on either side of her face, "I'll burn down the world for you, Lena. Please, let me."

There was a tense quiet, so silent it was almost deafening.

"I can't." She whispered.

Paul froze, "Why not?"

"Not yet." She explained, "We can't keep doing this to ourselves, Paul. We can't just...jump right into this like we did last time. All of this...everything that's happened, it—we can't do this now."

"So when?"

She sighed, "I don't know. I need time."

"I'll give you it." He responded immediately, "As much as you need. And I'll wait, forever if you want me to."

She smiled, "Thank you, Paul."

Then she went home.

The next morning, Lena returned to the Cullen household with a smile on her face. It was early, and the entire household was awake — except Jacob.