Lightness Within All (Paul Lahote)

Anxiety

As Bayla and Paul reached Emily's house she swiftly jumped off his back and made her way to the porch, all smiles as she walked into the house where the tension cold be cut with a knife.
Jacob, Jared, Quil and Embry sat at the table with Sam with serious looks plastered on their faces, Leah and Seth perched against the kitchen counters listening in with their arms crossed over their chests and Emily sat beside Sam listening to every word with a worried look on her usual bright happy face .

"Ahh Your here good, we have a plan" Sam said meeting Baylas gaze. She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around her torso, not liking how serious everyone was being .
"Come here Bay" Jake said opening his arms out, knowing she was feeling upset about everything .
Bayla walked over to Jake and sat down on his lap, looking at Sam and he continued just as Paul walked through the door and stood silently beside the door.

"We want you as far away from the action as possible. However we don't want them to track your scent anywhere you don't have protection. Since we will all be in the fight, minus Seth and Edward who's staying with your sister we are going to set you up a tent. It's going to be up the mountain, far away from the fight. Paul is going to cover your scent so they can't track you up there, and If for any reason they do Edward will be there, along with Seth." Sam said, filling everyone in on the plan.

"Bella's going to be there too right?" Bayla asked, her tiny hands almost shaking with fear.
"Yes. You'll camp out there the night before the fight" Sam said still with a serious tone that she acted so much .
Bayla only nodded her head and looked down at the table, letting out a small sigh. She hated it. She hates the plan. She hated being so far away from Paul while he was fighting. She hated The newborn army. The battle that was taking place. She hated that the pack was jumping in head on, just because she was Paul's imprint, and mostly she hated hating it all .

Jacob rubbed her back offering her comfort though it did no good, and his raspy voice cut through the air.
"You'll be okay. Those bloodsuckers won't get anywhere near your" He said, the boys pitching in their name calling but all fall of deaf ears as Bayla just nodded her head in response.

Once Sam's conversation came to an end some of the boys went to play football in the yard while daylight was still out and Bayla joined Emily in the kitchen, both sharing the same worry.
"Are you staying for dinner?" Emily asked as she prepared the chicken for grilling .
"I'm not really in the mood to eat" Bayla said softly, ignoring the look paul have her from the table.
"Well you need to eat sweet girl, have to get some food in that ring belly of yours" Emily said trying to cheer her up.

Bayla let out a snort and rolled her eyes, anxiety now setting inside her.
"Why? I'll be dead in a few days anyways" Bayla said now perching herself up on the counter .
Emily stopped cutting the chicken and looked at Bayla with a sad look on her face and Paul came over, now not caring to sit back any longer. He placed his hands on both sides of her cheeks and forced her to look at him, her emerald green eyes full of worry and fear.
"We told you nothing is going to happen to you. You here me Bayla Swan. Nothing is going to happen to you." Paul said. His voice speaking truth that the pack members swore by.

"I know it's hard but try not to worry about it Bay. Just try." Emily said giving her a small smile as she went back to cutting chicken . Bayla nodded but knew she couldn't just not worry and she thought to herself how can Emily not worry?
She was worried for everyone around her. Including herself and Bella, and the next two days had only been worrying.
She spent her time at Emily's house soaking up the laughs and jokes they provided, feeling a bit better as time passed.

She had almost forgotten about the battle, thanks to Embry's nonstop jokes and Seth wrestling around with Jared but as the hours passed by Sam began to pace back and forth, his nerves setting in for what would take place the next day and Bayla caught on, looking at Paul with a nervous look.
"It's okay babe. It will all be over tomorrow" Paul said with a kiss to her forehead .
Tomorrow. Tomorrow the battle would take place. A battle between cold hearted, vicious newborns that thirsted for blood, not just any blood but Bayla and Bellas. Tomorrow lives would be lost, perhaps some from the Cullens, perhaps the pack would lose a member, maybe Paul would leave Bayla for the after life .

Was her life really worth it? Was Bella's life? How far do you go for the people you love? Bayla couldn't fathom how Paul was okay with going to battle just to keep her safe and as they walked up the mountain with Jake and Bella not too far behind them, the lingering questions continued in her mind, not stopping the closer they got to the mountain top.

It seemed as if the last few days had been a blur, like she wasn't even there in the moment but instead trapped inside her mind, her body, far from reality. Even as she walked hand in hand with Paul she didn't feel as if she was really there, anxiety Carlisle and called it. "It should pass once the battle is over" he had said to Paul who came to him worried as his girlfriend only stared blankly into space and as the reached the mountain top seeing two tents that were waiting for both her and Bella, Paul only hopes and prayed Carlise was right.