1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

64

Bambi slowly walks down the stairs listening to the others talk to Billy. All of them seem surprised that this has happened to her just as surprised as she is that it's happened. She tries to remain quiet to listen to them. Her body still trembles, the threat of her fluffing out again is right there on the surface.

"She's not of the bloodline" Sam argues, trying to keep quiet.

"I have no explanation for you" Billy adds his eyes flickering around the other wolves. Then up the stairs. "Nadine" Billy greets seeing her, she shrinks into herself slightly watching them all turn to look at her. Sam takes a step towards her and she takes one back away from him causing him to stop, he understands, the others at least know him or of him before they first shift, the others knew of the legends, Bambi....well all of this is new to her.

"I'm not going to hurt you" Sam assures her quietly. "Are you hungry?"

"I want to go home now" she admits.

"We need to talk about this first" Sam counters. "Do you remember what happened?" she sniffles and shifts on her feet.

"There was an accident" she whispers. "I didn't mean to..."

"After that" Billy stops her, knowing how upset she'll get going through it again. "You went home?" she nods.

"I was going to have a shower" she admits. "And I got this feeling...Like I needed to leave, and I couldn't stop myself....I just...ran into the woods, just kept running....then" she sighs. "Poof" she whispers, Billy and Sam share a look.

"You didn't feel angry?" Sam asks her, she shakes her head.

"No" she answers. "Just...scared, upset" They share another look and Bambi knows it is at her expense, she pulls the sleeves of the hoodie down her arms and shuffles on her feet.

"Are you hungry, Bambi?" Caleb asks grabbing a plate from the table, his eyes on Bambi, she shrugs a little and then reaches up to brush her hair back from her face.

"That ring" Billy states, Bambi looks to her hand. "Did it survive the shift?" he asks surprised, Bambi shrugs.

"I guess so" she mumbles. "I never take it off" she frowns a little. "I don't remember putting it on so I guess....it survived, I don't know" she looks to her ring and spins it around her finger a little, she'd taken Edward's promise ring off before she met with him last to break up with him, it's stored safe back in her closet in a box. But this ring, she's had for as long as she can remember. Caleb piles food onto a plate and moves to her.

"We'll take these upstairs" Caleb tells Bambi, taking her arm and turning her towards the stairs. Billy watches her head away with his son. Sam looks to Billy as the upstairs door closes with a click.

"What do you think?" Sam asks.

"I need to talk to Harry" Billy states. Paul frowns.

"Why?" he asks.

"Because I have seen that ring before" Billy answers. "A long time ago" And with that he leaves, those left behind sharing a look before Sam follows the older man out.

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

Caleb strokes Bambi's hair as she lays with her head in his lap, she sniffles a little and then sits up to look at him.

"Why?" she asks him, he frowns. "Why does this happen?" she adds. "Like is it....nature or...magic or....some pimple covered hat wearing witch curse?" Caleb fights the smirk working onto his lips, she's freaking out and needs him to be serious.

"Well I guess it's a little bit of nature and a little bit of magic" he answers, she raises an eyebrow and shoots him a look. "It's the bloodline" he adds. "And usually when that bloodline picks up the scent of a....vampire, they change"

"Usually?" she asks. "But you don't think that's the case for me, right?" she asks him, he shakes his head. "Is Bella gonna change?" she adds worried. "Is this gonna happen to her?" he grabs her hands and pulls her closer.

"Hey, slow down" he scolds. "Deep breaths, you get worked up your gonna burst" he warns. "And I mean....you will actually burst into fur" her eyes widen in alarm. "Okay, that didn't help" he mumbles and wraps his arms around her, holding her tight to his chest. "It's going to be okay" he whispers. "Sam'll explain everything in a bit, 'kay?" he adds letting her shake softly against him.

"Sorry you're all stuck with me" she whispers sadly against him, Caleb shakes his head and strokes her hair. R

"We're not stuck, okay" he argues. "We're family now" he assures her.

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

Sam stands with Billy away from the cabin, far enough away.

"Harry had a sister" Billy tells Sam. "A half-sister, Marianne, she was the result of an affair their father had....she was always different, knew things she shouldn't, answered questions that weren't asked....I heard she had a child but no one knew where it went....."

"The ring?" Sam asks. "You said this was about a ring"

"Was given to Marianne by her lover not long before she ran away....I only saw it once, but it was unique, this big black stone in the centre....."

"So Bambi is of the bloodline then?" Sam asks. "Bella?"

"They were always so different growing up" Billy answers. "So very different"

"You don't think they're sisters" Sam catches up. "Do you think they know?" Billy shakes his head.

"You can't tell her...not till I'm sure, Nadine and Charlie have always been close, if she were to find out....it would ruin that bond" Sam nods a little.

"I can try" Billy nods, knowing how difficult it will be for someone with a pack mind to keep things from his pack.