1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

79.

Bambi decides that she really does have to hear Sam out. They're a pack now. They have to at least get along in some aspect. So here she is. Sitting across from him in his and Emily's home when all she wants it to be back with Edward in that little flat. She hates how far apart they feel. Sam takes a breath and leans forward onto his knees.

"I may have overreacted" Sam admits.

"May have?" she asks him. He lets out a breath and nods.

"I did" He corrects himself. "It was just a shock, I didn't even know it could happen and yes, I reacted in the worst way possible. You are a part of this pack, and I should have talked it through with you instead of...."

"Acting like a complete dog?" she asks, he glances at her, she's smirking a little, he lets out a small laugh and nods.

"Forgive me?"

"That's the thing, if you did this now, what about further down the road? What if something happens and I am forced to pick a side? What if something.."

"What if" Sam stops her. "What if the world ended? What if the sky turned red? What if it actually rained cats and dogs?" he offers, she sighs a little. "The best thing we can do now is move forward and try and put this behind us. Come to terms with what happened."

"Come to terms with" she repeats. "Like it's...something bad"

"Nadine" he starts.

"I get it...to you it is bad, but to me, finding out that my imprint is someone I already love, someone that loves me, how is that bad?"

"Because he's a vampire" He argues.

"And I turn into a canine the size of a freakin' car...." She counters. "You can't be picky here" she snaps. "Would you prefer that it were some human...to risk them like you risked Emily"

"Don't" he stops her.

"Look at what being human and being around you did to her" she shakes her head. "I honestly came here to hear you out, considering we're supposed to be this big family thing now....but no, I can't do this with you. You do not get to decide how I live my life....Edward is staying in my life and you cannot stop that. You will not stop that. Alpha or not. I will fight you on this...." she warns him, he searches her eyes to seek out her seriousness. He doesn't know what happened with his alpha voice and her, or why she is so much harder to get along with compared to the rest of the pack, why everything is harder with her.

........................

Bambi rests her head against the window of her car. Her conversation with Sam replaying in her mind. She knows that this isn't her fault. She knows that. But fighting with Sam about this, yet again. It makes her feel empty and bored. She actually feels bored fighting with Sam, like it doesn't mean anything. Behind her, Harry's car pulls up to the house before he gets out, his eyes on Bambi.

"Nadine?" Harry asks her, she takes a breath and turns from her car to face him. "Everything okay?" She shrugs a little.

"Yeah, I guess, just..." She looks at the house and shakes her head.

"Still can't work it out?" he asks, she glances at him. "It's not a mistake, the Cullen boy being your imprint. You have no control over who is chosen for you, only that they are chosen for you, and they are meant for you. Give Sam some time...."

"Is that what you would do?"

"It's what I should have done" he counters. "My sister, she was the only wolf to come of our generation. Things didn't really work out the way any of us wanted to with her, and she left....never to come back. Because of harsh words and quick actions. Sam won't make the same mistake"

"We'll see" Bambi counters and then opens her car door. "Thanks" she then adds. "For...looking out for me"

"Anytime" he assures her, she smiles and nods before climbing into her car. Honestly, Harry's interest in her life is concerning but at least someone is, right? Someone that knows about all the wolf stuff. Someone that understands. Someone that is impartial to it all. She takes a breath and starts the car. All she wants to do now is see Edward, but it is impracticable to go all that way when she promised Charlie. She needs to start being more mature, to grow up, show Charlie that she can be trusted, and then he will lift the limitations on her life. If she behaves then he might unground her but until then she needs to behave, follow his rules, be the good daughter she pretends to be.

....................

Bambi answers her phone as it rings, her car stopping just outside of Charlie's home. She smiles a little knowing who is going to be on the other end.

"Hey" she greets.

"Hey" Edward counters warmly. "Are you busy?"

"No..." She answers. "I just got back from Sam's" she admits as she cuts the engine.

"How did that go?" Edward asks her, she laughs humourlessly and shrugs to herself.

"About as well as could be expected......I don't think the whole pack thing is for me"

"I hate that I am coming between you and them" Edward admits. "I know how important the whole pack thing is to you wolves....and I'm causing you trouble" She laughs softly this time.

"Eddie, you were causing me trouble before the wolf thing" she teases, he laughs. "I don't feel like it is that way for me" she admits. "I mean Jacob and Caleb are my friends, just as they were before, but I don't feel bonded to the rest of them. Caleb said when he phased for the first time he felt a brotherhood to them, but I don't feel that.....I can't even do this right"

"Perhaps your other....things will explain why you don't feel that way" he offers. "Maybe it's less about them and more about you"

"Maybe" she agrees a little. She's not sure, she just doesn't think the wolf pack mentality is for her. She was never really one for doing as she was told before the wolf thing happened, so why should it be any different for her now?

"Do you need me to come over?" He asks her.

"No" She answers. "No, I'm going to spend some time with Charlie, make up for my recent behaviour"

"He'll forgive you" Edward assures her. "Probably already has" She smiles and nods.

"Yeah, maybe, I just..."

"I know" he stops her. Knows that with everything going on she may have been neglecting Charlie a little, and she should make up for that.