1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

66.

A/N - I wrote a whole chapter with no dialogue in what so ever. None was needed.

Billy Black is a sentimental old fool some times. He's the sort of man that keeps photos, ticket stubs, Christmas cards, wedding invitations, shells from days out with his kids. But right now....he's glad for it. All these photos of Harry and Charlie and Billy. But Billy is concentrating on a collection of photos from almost 20 years ago now. That Christmas. The last time Marianne Clearwater had visited her family. The last time she went by Clearwater before she changed her name to Foster. The last time anyone from the reservation saw her. He touches the edges of the photo and smiles sadly seeing the image of Harry and his half-sister stood together, smiling widely at one another. Billy knew he'd seen that ring before. There, on Marianne's hand, wrapped around Harry, is that ring. Is Bambi's ring. Billy frowns a little. He had no idea she'd had a kid. And she must have been pregnant in this photo, early but definitely carrying. Did she know then? Did she knowingly visit her family pregnant and not tell them? He wonders if it's because she and Harry fought, did she visit to tell them she was expecting? Did that fight with Harry put her off? Billy already knows Harry regrets those words to his sister the day she left and never came back. Looking at this photo, remembering Marianne's face, how much he can see Bambi in her and vice versa. Bambi looks so much like her mother he feels like an idiot for not seeing it before. If Bambi is Marianne's daughter, then where is Marianne? Why isn't she here raising her daughter? Why is some other man raising her daughter? Billy has a bad feeling about it all. Because he grew up with Marianne, he knew her, knew how much she wanted a family....she would never willingly give away her chance at being a mother. Billy sighs and closes his eyes. There is only one way to know for sure. And he needs to do it without Nadine's knowledge. He does not want to break that bond she has with Charlie and Bella. Charlie, though maybe not her blood father, raised her. He can't break that bond.

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Charlie watches Bambi worried as she pulls on her jacket, her eyes dull and distant as pulls the item of clothing along her arms. He's worried about her again. He knows. He knows that after the car accident and the death of that hiker that things aren't going to be normal for a while, that it is going to change her, to affect her in ways he will never understand. And whilst he is right. She is changed. And she is haunted and affected by recent events. It's not all of her problems. It's all just building and building and she's not sure how much more she can take. She glances to Charlie who offers her a small smile, trying to reassure her, it doesn't work. She plugs in her head phones and turns up the volume on her phone before leaving the house heading into the trees, the night air cool on her heated skin, the moon illuminating the sky above her. How werewolf.

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Bambi stares up at the Cullen house tucking her hands in her jacket pockets, music playing in her ears, her eyes a little brighter. She climbs the steps of the front porch and looks around before forcing her way in, shoulder pushing the door open, she sneezes a little as the breeze disrupts the dust. Wrinkling her nose Bambi closes the door again. Honestly she doesn't know why she's here. She took a run and this is where it lead her. To this house. She moves forward, looking around. But everything is so cold and dark and...lifeless. Bambi sniffles and heads further into the house. Everything is gone. Every trace, except for the house itself.

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Late Bambi pulls her jacket closer, she can't feel the cold any more but it's not a chill she's shielding herself from but more from her own feelings. She's not coping with her change. She can't cope with it. She sits huddled against the wall of one of Edward's room, eyes staring at the wall beyond her. She just needs the quiet. Charlie's worry is as loud as a fog horn, Bella's concerned eyes track her every move and when she's with the pack they all stare at her; none of them understanding why her. Yeah, well she doesn't know either. And Jacob; he keeps texting, calling, he just wants to make sure she's okay. And she is grateful, of course she is, what sort of monster wouldn't be, but it's all too much. She drops her forehead against the top of her knees, her shoulders start to shake and she finally lets herself really cry. She lets it all out. Everything that has happened.

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Bambi stays in that position until she starts to fall asleep. And she seriously debates becoming a squatter in this house. It's not like she has to worry about the heating. But she does suppose food would be a problem. There is none. So she'd have to go back and forth to either Charlie's or Sam's and both men would ask questions about where she is going and where she is staying. With a groan Bambi pushes herself up. Too many questions. She'll just walk home. Checking her phone she almost swears seeing that it is after midnight and Charlie has to be worried sick. She keeps giving him reasons to worry about her. Reasons that he may use if she breaks again. If he needs to lock her away for her own good. Maybe she should have him do that. Maybe being locked up and safe will make this all go away. Bambi sighs and closes her eyes. When did her life get so screwed up that she wanted to go to the nut house??

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Billy sits in front of Harry who is holding the same photo Billy had been looking at earlier. His lips pulled into a worried line. Everyday he's worried about Marianne. Every single day since she left. And now he's learning he might have a niece out there. A niece who is inflicted with the curse. The first female wolf. He finds slight amusement that Marianne's daughter would be the one. She was always wild and loud and quick to anger. Never listened to anyone and did what she wanted. Run off to follow a band across the country. Broke their parents hearts in the end. He should never have said what he did that last day. Pushed all the blame on her. But he was angry and upset and he missed her. Harry lets out a breath and shares a look with Billy.