USE SOMEBODY

seven. all the bad

▬▬ "CASSIE?" Paul called out as he shuffled on Cassie's bed to get more comfortable. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She chuckled as she used her crutch to push the door open. "You worry too much."

"Well, you are a little accident prone." He shrugged and she stopped on her way to the bed, her eyes narrowed. "You've been hurt twice in the past few days alone."

"Shut up." She muttered, rolling her eyes at him as she put her crutches to the side. Then she used the nightstand to keep her balance as she hopped towards the bed.

Paul rolled off the bed and moved to stand behind her, placing his hands on her hips to keep her upright. "You could've waited."

"I was trying to do it myself." She told him, hopping forward and he just barely shuffled his feet behind her until she dropped to her knees on the mattress.

"I know, baby, but you gotta take things slow or you're gonna hurt yourself."

"I don't know if I like you being overprotective or not." She mumbled as she flopped onto her mattress, her face in the pillow and he laughed, rubbing her back as he sat next to her.

"I can't help it." He told her, running his fingers through her hair. "You're clumsy." She picked her arm up and punched his thigh, all he could do was laugh at her attempt to hurt him. "What? You are."

"Whatever." She muttered, moving a little so her head rested on his thigh and he gently scratched at her scalp. She let out a soft sigh as she moved closer to him, nearly melting against him as she closed her eyes. "How long can you stay?"

"I should get going soon. Got a patrol run."

"Right." She nodded, but he could tell something was off.

"What?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, making his eyebrows furrow as he tilted his head a little. She still had her eyes closed but she had snuggled closer to him.

"Tell me."

"I just want you to stay."

"I wish I could." He leaned down and kissed her forehead and she opened her eyes to look up at him. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Hmm." She hummed, her hand finding his and their fingers intertwining. "Just be careful, okay?"

"Always." He smiled then brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Now, get some sleep."

"You know, I used to stay up super late, now I go to bed super early and it's your fault."

"My fault?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Cause you do the head-scratchy-thingy." She huffed and he let out a quiet chuckle. He shook his head, his fingers still moving across her scalp.

"Get some sleep, Cassie. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay." She closed her eyes and moved a little to get comfortable as he moved off of the bed, his hand leaving her hair as he pulled the cover over her.

"I love you." He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head, which brought a smile to her lips as she looked up at him again.

"I love you." She mumbled, obviously tired, as she sat up a little and connected their lips. He placed one hand on her cheek and the other on the mattress to keep himself from falling over, then he pulled back, a wide smile on his face.

"Goodnight, baby."

"G'night." She hummed as she laid down, tugging the covers up and he smiled as he stood up. Then he grabbed his shoes and made his way towards the door, he gave her another look before he turned off the lights. But he didn't miss the blush that had coated her cheeks as she snuggled into the blanket, her eyes squeezed closed. Then he stepped into the hall and shut the door.

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▬▬ "THANKS FOR THE RIDE." Cassie smiled over at her brother as he put the car in park, they had been lucky enough to find a spot close to the stairs.

"You don't have to thank me." He shook his head. "Now, let's get you up those stairs." He moved to open the door, but she stopped him.

"Sam?" He turned to face her again and he could instantly tell what she wanted to ask, it was all over her face. "What happened last night?"

"You should talk to Paul."

"He won't talk to me." She huffed. "He texted this morning and said he couldn't give me a ride to school and when I called him he told me everything was fine, but he didn't sound like everything was fine."

"We were chasing the redhead."

"The vampire?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "And the Cullens were there. She jumped the border and the big one followed, he and Paul got into a. . . disagreement. And the redhead got away." He watched as her face fell, her eyes filling with worry. "He's fine." He added quickly. "He's just a little on edge."

"Is he at home or at Emily's?"

"Emily's."

"Then let's go."

"You have school and I don't think Charlie would appreciate me letting you skip."

"I won't be able to focus unless I know that he's okay."

"He's fine."

"I need to see him." She told him, her expression stern. "Please, Sam." She pleaded, her eyes softening and he couldn't say no. He wasn't exactly sure what it was like for the imprintee, but he understood the worry that came with loving someone.

"Okay." He nodded. "Buckle up." She did as told. He turned the key and the car rumbled to life, then he put it in reverse and started backing up. Once he had enough room to turn he put the car in drive and started for the exit. On the way, they passed Mike, who stood next to Tyler's van with the others. Their eyes met briefly but her mind was preoccupied, she didn't even register the concern on the blond boy's face, then they were on the road and headed towards that small house that was tucked into the trees.

Once they had pulled up outside of Emily's, Cassie started climbing out, using the car to hold herself up as she closed the door, then she hopped forwards only to have Sam run up behind her and wrap his arm around her waist.

"Wait a second." He huffed.

"Sam."

"Let me get your crutches, then you can hobble away."

"I don't hobble." She muttered, but she let him carry towards the backdoor of the car. Her crutches were laid out along the backseat, he reached in and pulled one out before reaching for the second. Once he had them, he closed the door and put Cassie back on her feet, well, her foot. Then he held them out to her and she glowered as she took them and situated them so she was comfortable.

"Cassie?" The girl looked over her shoulder and she let out a breath at the sight of Paul as he stepped off the porch. "You told her." He huffed as she looked over at Sam and Cassie turned, but it was difficult with the crutches.

"I had to." Sam shrugged, caring little about what the boy might say. But Paul just sighed and met Cassie at the hood of the car.

"Cas-"

"Are you hurt?"

"No." He shook his head and she raised her crutch and wacked his thigh. "What was that for?"

"For not telling me what happened." She told him, then she hit him again. "And for ignoring my calls."

"Cassie." He stopped her from hitting him again. "I'm fine. I was just a little worked up and I didn't want you to see me like that."

"Why not?" She asked, her brows still pinched in anger.

"Because that's not me, at least, not any more. And I didn't want to scare you. You'd look at me differently. And I really like the way you look at me."

"Idiot." She huffed with the shake of her head as she leaned against the car, taking some weight off of her leg. "I want you to come to me with stuff like that. I want you to be able to talk to me, to show me all of it. That's what this is." She waved her hand between them and his lips twitched up into a smile. "I lay all my crap on you and I want you to be able to do the same, no matter how bad you think it is. I want it all. All the good and all the bad."

"Really?"

"Yes." She nodded and his smile grew, then he stepped closer to her, locking his arms around her waist as he pulled her up then he pressed his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her crutches clatter to the ground as she wrapped her legs around him.

"I love you."

"Yeah, I love you, too, ya big oaf." She smiled then she leaned forward and connected their lips again, it lasted a few seconds before he pulled back, his eyebrows pinched.

"Did you just call me an oaf?"

"A big oaf." She corrected and he laughed, leaning his forehead against hers.

"What am I gonna do with you?"

"I could think of a few things." She raised a suggestive eyebrow as her lips pulled into a smirk and his eyes went wide in shock. He parted his lips, but no words came out. He was stunned, to say the least.

"Okay." Sam cut in, with the clap of his hands. "We should head inside." He told the two and they turned to look at him, both had forgotten that he was still there.

"Yeah." Paul nodded, looking back at Cassie, a smile on his lips.

"Could you-"

"I got your crutches." He cut the girl off and she smiled, tightening her arms around Paul as he turned and started towards the house.

"Thanks, Sam!" She called out and he waved her off as he bent down and picked them up, then he followed the two into the house.

"Cassie!" The guys cheered, all smiling at the girl as she waved.

"I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be at school." Emily stated when she saw the couple, Cassie holding tightly onto Paul's shoulders. He had his hands firmly on her ass to keep her up.

"Not today." Cassie mumbled, kissing Paul's cheek as he sat on the couch, making sure she moved her feet so he didn't hurt her worse.

"She insisted on coming over." Sam told his fiancée as he walked into the house, leaning Cassie's crutches against the wall. "Couldn't talk her out of it."

Embry narrowed his eyes at the couple that sat on the couch talking and smiling, and sharing kisses. Then the girl moved off of the boy's lap and tucked herself into his side, her eyes falling closed but the smile never left her face.

"You guys are nauseating." The boy mumbled, his tone teasing but also a bit bitter.

Paul turned his head, a wide smile on his face. "We know."