1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

28.

Bella hurries into Bambi's room, the older twin grumbling as she wakes and sits up in her bed.

"Bella?" she asks as Bella turns on the lights, Bambi yawns and hears a snap! outside the window. She rises and moves to her window as Bella digs into her purse for the pepper spray Charlie gave her, and moves to stand with Bambi at the window. She looks out all she sees is the wind blowing hard. But she's rattled. Bella closes the curtains and moves to Bambi's bed, Bambi frowns at her. "What's going on? Why are you wearing your freaked out face?" Bambi asks following her and sitting next to her. "Can I go back to sleep yet?" she asks leaning against Bella who pulls out the book she bought earlier, laying the pepper spray within reach. She looks to Bambi who is now asleep against her, despite her fear, Bella smiles and turns gently laying her sister down against her pillows before turning back to her book. As she leafs through she sees photos of ancient, carved masks, comical, menacing, haunting... then she stops on a photo of a white mask with black eyes and a row of sharp teeth. The inscription reads, The Cold One. Bella quickly goes to Bambi's computer and Googles "Cold One " - several beer ads appear. Frustrated, she closes the pop-ups, revealing a link to: 'The Cold One: Apotamkin'. Several pictures begin loading: the seductive Apotamkin with his ice-blue skin, devouring his victims in tapestries, engravings, paintings. Creatures beautiful and horrific. Craven, skeletal demons attacking villages; perfectly sculpted predators, luring innocent maidens... it's all murder, blood, sexuality. Several words catch her attention: Speed. Strength. Cold skinned. Immortal. Then finally: Blood drinker. Her eyes land on a picture of a handsome man biting a woman's white neck, but in her mind she starts to see Connor biting her neck, blood dripping. She reels back from the computer in utter disbelief.

"... it's not possible" she whispers.

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

Bambi yawns around her orange juice as Bella pokes at her cereal, she's quiet, quieter then usual that is.

"What's up with you?" Bambi asks. Bella looks to her.

"You're into all the sci-fi stuff, right?"

"You know I am" Bambi answers. "Why?"

"You ever thought....maybe....maybe this stuff could be real?" Bella asks, Bambi smirks.

"It is real" Bella looks hopeful. "Once a year, October 31st" Bella shoots her a look.

"No, real real" Bella states. "As in....what if they are walking among us?" Bambi sets her glass down and turns to her sister.

"Alright....like who?" Bambi asks. "Mike Newton?" she teases then gasps. "Not sweet Angela...." Bella throws her spoon at her sister who snatches it out of the air with a laugh.

"I'm being serious, Bambi! I think..." Bella looks around and then lowers her voice. "I think they may be.....vampires at school" Bambi sighs.

"Except everyone goes to school during the day...."

"Maybe so but...maybe not all the myths are true, maybe it's not like....burning in the sun...maybe it's...."

"Okay, fine" Bambi interrupts standing and grabbing her empty breakfast plates. "Who?" she asks moving to the sink. Bella remains quiet, Bambi takes a deep breath and looks to her. "Bella" she warns.

"Edward and Connor" Bella admits. "And possibly their whole family"

"Okay" Bambi whispers. "Why do you think that?"

"The speed Connor moved across the lot to save me, the dent in my truck, his hands are freezing and they all look the same even through they're adopted and Connor...he can...communicate through thoughts" Bella shuffles closer. "Have you not noticed anything weird with Edward?" Bambi sighs and shakes her head.

"No...." Bambi tells her. "I just don't notice things like that....I notice that he is...sweet, kind, talented....and he makes me smile...." Bella smiles at her. "And he doesn't look at me like I'm this...freak"

"You're not a freak, Bambi" Bella tells her. "You're a little weird but you're not a freak"

"Yes, I am" Bambi corrects. "I know I am....but it's just nice that he doesn't look at me like I am one...he looks at me like....Like mom did that time we went to that art studio....and she stood staring at that one painting, like she was mesmerised ....and she said"

"It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever laid eyes on" Bella finishes and smiles wider at her sister who smiles back.

"Don't...ruin this for me" Bambi tells her.

"Okay" Bella tells her back. "Don't worry about it" Bella stands and hugs Bambi. "But I am going to talk to Connor" Bambi sighs.

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

Bambi closes her car door and looks to Bella as she steps out of her truck.

"Are you sure?" Bambi asks approaching her sister who nods. "Alright....if you need me" she whispers, Bella takes her hand and smiles.

"Thank you"

"What are sisters for?" Bambi asks and hugs her before heading to class, just as the Cullens arrive. Edward climbs out of his car and smiles at Bambi, who gives him a small smile back, she looks to Connor who frowns looking between the twins, Bambi tucks her hands into her pockets and walks away. Connor looks back to Bella, she walks to him, eyes meeting his... her look says, we have to talk... and she continues directly past him, into the dark forest that borders the school. He watches her disappear in the trees, then takes a step to follow. Jasper moves in front of him, Rosalie grabs his arm.

"Connor, don't go" But Edward gently removes Rosalie's hand from his arm.

"He's already there" Alice tells her. Connor follows after Bella, Edward looks the way Bambi went. He'll wait to see what Connor does, and then decide what he will do, but honestly after their talk in the car, he wants to tell her, he knows that if anyone will understand being different, it will be her.