Only the "Strong" Survive | Paul Lahote |

*chapter fourty-seven*

Christmas came around quickly, I was excited for it this year. Last year I had opted out of everything with the pack and taken a shift at the diner, Paul and I hadn't even gotten each other gifts because I refused to celebrate. But this year, we'd gotten our own little tree, decorated with little gold and red bulbs and an angel on top. We had hidden presents from each other and when they were wrapped we'd placed them under the tree. The plan was to have dinner with the pack at Sam and Emily's, and then we'd go back to our place and open our gifts.

The looming of the Volturi was still there, and the pack had gained two more members since the Cullens began recruiting witnesses. Collin and Brady were young, too young for all this craziness in my opinion. But the boys took them under their wings, and Seth was grateful not to be the youngest in the pack anymore. Paul did the best he could to put my worries aside, constantly reminding me that a fight wasn't the plan - they were just going to try to prove to the Volturi that Renesmee was half-human, and they would simply be there as witnesses themselves.

Everyday however, I was more and more anxious and the exhaustion that was taking over my body wasn't helping anything. I was waking up multiple times in the middle of the night, taking naps in the middle of the day, no matter how much or how little I rested I felt tired. Today was the only real exception, but I was sure that once we started moving around and getting ready to leave the house I would feel the same way I did everything.

Paul began moving next to me, rolling over on his side and placing his head on my thigh. I could tell he was still half asleep, but he looked so precious like this - I started running my nails up and down his back as I smiled at him.

"Good morning baby." He said softly as he started to sit up. His hair was messy, eyes half closed, a goofy grin lining his lips - I loved him like this, I loved him always, but especially like this.

"Morning handsome. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas." Paul chuckled getting out of bed, his boxers falling down a little as he stretched drawing my eyes directly to his v-line.

"Quit staring."

I laughed, and pulled the blankets off me standing up too, "But I like the view."

His arms wrapped around me and his lips pressed gently to mine. I could stay in this moment all day, but I had to pull away as I felt that familiar feeling my stomach. It'd become a daily thing for me to be nauseous, I figured out it was a blood sugar thing and if I ate right after waking up then I would feel better. Pulling Paul with me we headed down to the kitchen, I popped a bagel in the toaster and he began making coffee.

"Mmm, is that a new brand?" I asked him taking in a big wiff of the coffee that was brewing.

"No? Same as we always get."

"Well it smells extra good today," I shrugged.

We sat at the table and ate, we'd be spending most of the day with the pack and I knew Emily would have two dozen appetizers put together for everyone to eat. I'd spent the night before helping her put them together. I headed up stairs to shower, while Paul cleaned up the kitchen. The water felt nice on my back, I stretched under it feeling little pops throughout it and couldn't help but sigh in relief. I really needed to get us a mattress topper because the mattress was too hard for my back and caused it to hurt every single day.

Paul was dressed when I got back to our room, he'd put on some dark jeans and a black T-shirt. This was his version of dressing up. With a wink he watched as I pulled a black corduroy skirt from the closest and a white long sleeve, a long with some tights, a bra and underwear. I still felt embarrassed changing in front of him, despite him having seen and kissed practically every inch of my body. Jokingly he covered his eyes, knowing I'd change regardless if he watched me or not.