1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

80.

Edward watches Bambi where she stands on his balcony looking out over the view beyond. The way the sun is beaming down on her makes her look even more beautiful than she normally does. He can't help but smile having her here, having her back in his life. He should have done this in the first place. Stayed with her. Stayed here. All that time wasted when he could have been here with her. And he knows that she turned away spending time with the pack for him. That she disobeyed Sam to be here. He does hate that he is coming between them and her, but when he is the one benefiting from that disobedience how can he really complain? Edward glances at his phone as it rings, Alice's name flashing on the screen. He glances back at Bambi who tilts her head, having heard the ringtone before she looks back out over the view. Edward picks up the phone and presses it to his ear as he answers it.

"Alice" he states in greeting, his eyes on Bambi as he listens to Alice. "What?" Edward asks causing Bambi to turn to him. "Okay, I'll tell her" He whispers sadly, Bambi cocks her head as he hangs up.

"What is it?" Bambi asks him, Edward frowns a little and then lifts his eyes to her.

"Alice" He answers. "She's...seen something" Bambi tugs her jacket closer as she moves to him. "It's Bella..." She stares at him. "Bambi..." he whispers and she can tell what he's telling her from the tone of his voice.

"No" she argues. "No..."

"Bambi" he reaches for her hand.

"What happened?" she asks him.

"Alice just said that she saw..." he stops and strokes the back of her hand. "Bambi, I'm so sorry"

"I have to go home," she tells him, he nods, understands that. Charlie is going to need her. She hurries out of his apartment, and he gives her a few moments before following. Because he knows her.

...........

Edward finds her standing close to her car. She hasn't moved to get in it. Her brain having just fizzled out with the news that her sister is dead. He moves closer to her.

"Let me" He takes the car keys from her, knowing that she is no state to drive right now. He kisses her head and leads her to her car. She needs his help right now.

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

The drive back to Forks is quiet. Bambi processing the whole Bella news thing. She cries for some of the drive. Doesn't for the rest. Edward knows she is just going through it her way. But he is there for her. She knows that. He slows the car as they approach Charlie's house. Two figures stood ahead of them. Bambi cocks her head and recognizes them. Bella and Alice, and Bella is very much alive. Bambi takes a deep breath and shoots Edward a look, he shrugs back at her.

"I just told you what she told me" He argues, Bambi climbs out of the car and moves towards Bella and Alice. Edward cuts the engine and follows her out. Bambi hurries across the grass to Bella and Alice. Both of them turn to her.

"What were you doing?" Bambi asks Bella who shrinks a little under Bambi's glare, because her sister can be terrifying. Especially now.

"Hello, Bambi" Alice greets.

"Alice" Bambi counters and turns her attention back to Bella. "I thought you were dead" her voice breaks admitting it out loud. Bella didn't think that Alice would tell Edward, but she should have. Bambi looks utterly wrecked and Bella hates that it is all her fault.

"I'm sorry, Bambi" Bella whispers, Bambi takes a steadying breath and hugs Bella tightly. "Bambi...Bambi, I can't breathe" Bella tells her, Bambi pulls back from her. "I just...." Bella looks between Edward and Alice, because she hasn't even admitted this out loud to herself let alone to others. "When I did dangerous things...I saw Connor"

"You should have told me" Bambi scolds her.

"When?" Bella asks her. "You've been busy with....wolf stuff, and then.....Edward, I didn't want to burst your bubble" Bella admits wringing her hands together. "I was trying to protect you...." Bambi softens a little. "I didn't want you to have an episode and end up in another hospital" Bambi chuckles a little and shakes her head.

"Oh, Bells, those episodes had nothing to do with me being insane..." Bambi corrects her softly. Edward glances at her. "It was just when the voices got too much and I needed the quiet. It was whatever I am pushing through" Bambi looks at Edward. "I'm starting to see that now" he gives her a small smile, she turns back to Bella just as her cell phone ring. She digs into her pocket to pull it out. "It's Sam" she sighs as she stares at her phone. "I have to take it" she turns away from them and answers the phone. "Now's not really a good time, Sam" she scolds, and then listens as he talks. "Oh," she whispers. "Yeah, yeah, of course" she hangs up and lowers the phone. Tears gathering in her eyes. She turns to the others. "Harry's in the hospital," Bambi tells Bella who nods a little.

"I know, Jacob told me" Bella admits, Bambi's lets out a breath and nods. "I'm sorry, Bambi" Bella offers, she knows that Bambi and Harry had grown somewhat close since she became a wolf.

"He was the only one that actually seemed to care about me" Bambi admits. "Didn't talk to me like a child" She looks down and takes a breath. "I should go to the hospital..."

"Do you want me to drive you?" Edward asks her.

"No" she answers as she takes her car keys back from him and then leaves without another word.

"What's going on with you two?" Bella asks Edward.

"I told her you were dead" Edward admits, Bella shoots him a look. "Alice told me first, okay?" He defends. "I was just...relaying that message..and then guess what? You're not dead...." He sits on the grass and rubs his hands over his trousers. Bella watches him a moment before she follows Alice into the porch.

"They're going to be fine, right?" Bella whispers to Alice who shrugs a little.

"I can't see Bambi" Alice admits. "Haven't been able to for a while now, I think it's her wolf thing, which means that Edward has disappeared from my visions..."

"But that he's still missing from your sight is a good thing, it means they're still together, right?" Bella asks, Alice gives her a small smile and a nod. Bella makes a good point there.