Show Me Love

AN: This is a songfic based on "Show Me Love" by Hundred Waters. If you haven't heard the song, I recommend you listen to it before reading this. It's a beautiful little piece of music and I felt that it perfectly captured the relationship of an angry, confident Paul and a gentle, self-doubting Bella, and how the two could balance each other out.

My apologies, I had to repost the story with a few edits to avoid violating the content guidelines.

Disclaimer: SM happens to own this world, I'm just writing in it.

The angry wolf snarled, disgusted at his pack mate for his weak feelings for the leech lover. He strolled out of the woods next to Sam and Jared, ready to be done with this. Done with this pathetic little girl. Done with the whiny baby alpha that couldn't have her. As they exited the woods, said little girl turned towards them, recognition registering on her face followed quickly by fury. She stomped over to the tall natives, determination in every step, to stand directly in front of the current alpha.

"You did this! He didn't want this!" she said furiously.

"We didn't do anything, why don't you ask your old friends leech lover," he sneered at the small brunette.

Hurt crossed her features before she tamped down on them, replacing them with anger. Faster than he thought a human could move, the small girl reared back and struck him across the face. Anger, blinding white and hot, flashed through his system. Before an alpha order could touch him he was standing on four paws in front of the pale face. Surprisingly, she had not backed down. In fact, she had not moved at all. She stood at the edge of the Blacks' yard, unmoving, looking a volatile shifter in the eye, waiting. He stared deep into her chocolate eyes, and there he saw it. Her pain. His cruel words had hurt her, carving deeper into the existing hole in her chest. Looking into those endless windows, he felt himself slipping. Suddenly, everything that once held him to this world, his anger, his fury, his rage, all slipped away. Nothing remained but those soft, warm chocolate brown eyes. Steel cords latched themselves from him to her, irrevocably tying together their souls.

Slipping easily back into his human skin, he uttered the only words he could muster.

"Forgive me for my cruelty."

The pack was gathered at Sam's for the holidays. All of the wolves joking and laughing, all of the imprints mingling with them. Emily and Bella had gone all out, cooking all day, so that everyone was stuffed by the end of the meal. Quil had broke into his grandfather's "special" moonshine that was strong enough to make many of the shifters stumble after a few glasses. Paul had abstained, he would much rather get drunk off the scent of his imprint, who had spent most of the meal curled up in his lap. Currently, she had wandered to the kitchen, whispering and giggling with Emily about the younger wolves' antics as they wrestled with each other on the living room floor. Bella turned back to her Paul, smiling as she made her way across to him, skirting around the boys on the floor.

Quil, who had partaken in more than his fair share of moonshine, slung his arm around her shoulders. "Bell, you are the prettiest girl I know! I told Jared that you would be this soft too," he slurred, as his arm drifter lower and he grabbed a generous handful of her rear. "Lay off Quil, I think you've had too much fun," Bella said good-naturedly, easily ducking out of his arms and completing her trek to the far side of the room. Ignoring the sudden silence in the house, she easily positioned herself on Paul's lap. Also ignoring his trembling figure, she looked directly into his eyes. "I'm not hurt. There's no scratch or bruise on me. He meant no harm. And you will not ruin this party," her tone brooked no argument. After another beat of silence, he ceased trembling and smirked at his imprint, "Yes ma'am." The pack breathed a sigh of relief and noise picked up again. Sam leaned over to Emily and murmured, "That girl just saved our living room." Emily smiled knowingly, "His ugliness has no place with her around."

He had finally given in, though he knew it was only a matter of time. He recalled confiding in her soon after they imprinted. A sad story of a sick mother who died too young, and a drunken father who followed soon after. She had held him when he revealed his tragic backstory to her, but she did not look at him with pity. No, she looked at him with understanding, and with love. His Bella never required anything from him, so when she quietly asked to meet them, he could not deny her. It was cold as they trudged out to the cemetery. He pulled her closer in his arms when she shivered. They stopped at an overgrown plot. Bella immediately kneeled and began removing the weeds until she could see the graves and their marking. He could not move. He was caught in his anger once again. Anger at his mother's illness. Anger at his father's weakness. Anger at a universe that left a scared young boy alone to face the world. It almost consumed him until he felt a small cool hand slip into his. "Let them go Paul," she whispered. He breathed in sharply, and then exhaled, long and slow. He fell to his knees and bowed his head. Finally, the last of the weight on his chest lifted, and he could finally breathe unhindered. Turning to the angel at his side, he smiled. "The evil is gone, thank you."

She avoided her reflection, at all costs. She knew what she would see. Nothing but too pale, too bony, too gaunt. Not good enough. Never good enough. She pulled on the long sleeve shirt, careful to pull the sleeve down over the scar on her arm. "Stop that," Paul said as he entered the room. "Stop what?" she asked, not meeting his eyes. "Doubting yourself. You are beautiful, inside and out," he replied sternly. She merely nodded in agreement. He sighed, realizing he would have to show her. He stepped forward, bringing her into the circle of his arms. "You. Are. Beautiful. And. Perfect." At each pause, he placed a light kiss on her forehead, her eyes, her nose and finally a sweet peck on her lips. She smiled faintly and leaned closer to him. Still sensing some of her hesitation, he turned her toward the mirror she had been avoiding. Framed by his perfectly sculpted form, she lowered her eyes so she did not have to look at the comparison and her shortfalls. "I love you Isabella Swan," he began, "I love your smooth porcelain skin, I love your soft feminine curves, I love your brilliant smile." As he spoke, he ran his hands up her arms and to her face, coaxing her head up so she could meet his eyes in the reflection. "Most importantly, I love your story. Every step you took brought you to me, and I don't want you to regret a single one of them." Her breath caught as he picked up her arm and slowly pushed the sleeve up to her elbow. Turning her to face him, he leaned his head down and gently pressed his lips to the scar. His warm breath chased away the chill that normally resided in the mark. "You are strong. Anyone who looks at you can tell." He lifted his head to look deep into her eyes as the beginning of a genuine smile began on her face. "You are not weak Bella, you did not break."

They had tried. And tried. And were met with nothing but failure. Doctors and specialist had been consulted, and none had answers. Three years after their marriage, they remained childless. Bella could do nothing but blame herself. Knowing that she was the one in the relationship without the supernatural healing and strength, it was logical that something was wrong with her. Her wolf could see her slipping, sliding back into that deep depression that she had entered when the Cullens left. So he distracted her. He took her out on dates, took her to the beach, reminded her of their love. The pack gathered in support of their sister. They often dropped by and visited, reminding her of her family. Bella recognized what they were doing, and did as much as she could to match their efforts. She knew what her first bout of despair had done to those around her and had no wish to repeat it. It was hard to live with her failure as a woman, but the hurt in Paul's eyes cut deeper. So when he held her, she held him back.

On their fourth anniversary, Paul took her to their special spot in the woods where he had set up a picnic at the base of their tree. He had been in a good mood all day, almost bouncing in excitement at the surprise he had for Bella. She found his mood infectious, and grinned happily through her exhaustion. Despite going to bed early the last week, she had still been waking up tired. They finally sat down on the blanket when she had enough. Laughing she spoke, "Alright, out with it. I can hardly stand the suspense." His smile stretched impossibly wider as he reached over and placed a warm palm on her stomach. "I heard it a couple of weeks ago, and I had to get Jake to confirm so I wouldn't think I was crazy," he took a deep breath, "You're pregnant Bells." Her mouth dropped open and all of the breath whooshed out of her lungs. "But… I thought… that's not… what..?" She murmured breathlessly. Still smiling, Paul gathered up his speechless mate in his arms and pulled her, and his unborn child, closer to his chest. "I always had faith in you baby, I knew you could do it." With his words, the reality finally set in. Happy tears leaked down her cheeks as she shook off the last of her apathy. Wrapped in her wolf's arms, cradling her stomach that carried her child, she finally felt complete.

Ninety years. Four children. Seven grandchildren. One wonderfully surprising great-grandchild. A lifetime had passed. She was no longer the young, wide-eyed girl that arrived in Forks so many years ago. She now knew that the world was a lot more complicated than it let on. There are many things out there that go bump in the night. But none that she ever had to worry about with her wolf by her side. She always thought of him as her wolf, long after he stopped phasing to let a new generation take over. Watching her first-born, her oldest boy phase for the first time was one of the most excruciating things she had ever faced. But her boy was strong, and he took after his father, slipping into the role of the warrior with ease. Her second boy's phasing was easier to handle, as was her third's. Her daughter's was just as hard as the first, but they worked through that one as well. Years flew by as more children were added to the family. Weddings and funerals and reunions and birthdays. She had lived a long and happy life, and now as she lay in the hospital bed, surrounded by family and friends, clutching the hand of the one she loved most, she felt at peace. Holding his hand and seeing the love that he had in his eyes, she was not scared of the next step, because she knew that he would follow soon enough. No force could keep them apart forever. "I love you so much Bella. It's okay to let go, I'll be there soon," he whispered.

"Don't rush. I'll wait for you as long as it takes. I'm not afraid of the one I'm going to face."

Show me love.