The Art of Disappearing and Reappearing (UNEDITED)

.81.

An American novelist and poet named, Erica Jong once said: "Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it... It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more."

Bear couldn't remember the last time he had something to be brave for, to fight for.

Bambi was like pulling that fresh breath of air after being under water for so long. She soothed his pain and cradled his heart with angel wing soft hands. She was warm like summer sunshine and she smelt like home.

Without her, his world was off center and cold.

"I've missed It here." A soft sigh slipped past parted lips, her head resting on Bears large shoulder as she watched the evening breeze create soft tremors in the water.

"Me too." Bears response was gruff, thick with emotion. The week spent at the clubhouse without Bambi was rough for everyone. Bear had spent almost three decades of his life without Bambi and now that she was immersed in every aspect in it, he felt like a selfish bastard, because now having spent a week waking up to a cold bed, quiet house and watching Bullet suffer- he knew he wouldn't be able to spend a day away from her.

"I want to come home." "I want you to come home."
Bambi had an itch the clinic just didn't have nails for. She could easily see her confiding in Marisol, Lisa and even Issa the way her psychiatrist wanted but Bambi couldn't. Her physical therapist made her uncomfortable, not too mention if she had to choke down another god awful plate of their food- she'd throw up her entire stomach. It made her worry for her family in Nevada, two hours on the road away on a fenced compound with barbed wire, bearded and tattoo coated men that had become in all of her nurturing nature, in Bambi's mind, her responsibility just as they were Bears. She made a commitment to love and support him and if that meant cooking a few meals or packing food for rides, she would be there. In Bambi's mind, getting better at home wasn't impossible.

Bear had been stunned by her words, both of them spoken at the same time but the message from both ends was clear. It was a desire to want Bambi to be home for the both of them, but was it a possibility? Its only been a few weeks, almost a month since her assault, she was still missing chunks of her memory.

"The doctors at the clinic say I'm getting better every day, I have almost complete control over my left arm. I can do my leg exercises on my own, I know how to use my wheel chair and I trust Doc with my life. Bear-" Bambi was rambling, unintentionally. She knew Bear kept up with her progress, he spent a lot of time talking to her doctors when he got back to the clinic, she didn't like the worry lines that creased his forehead after a bad talk.

"Baby you don't have to bargain to come home, hell you don't even have to ask. If you want to come home you will. We can make the drive for your appointments if we have to but you wont stay another night there." Like a knot being untied something loosened inside her chest. A hum like she swallowed a beehive drenched with sweet honey coated the air as Bear wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back closer to his front over the thick blanket he pulled out of the hall closet on his way out the door, along with Bambi's favorite mustard yellow cardigan. A soft crescent smile on his face as he recalls the sheer happiness on her face when he helped her pull it over her shoulders, he couldn't understand her attachment to the thing but much like everything when it came to Bambi. If it made her happy, he asked no questions, needed no reason, his woman smiling up at him with pure joy and pride in him was reason enough.

"Thank you Theo." He hummed back, resting his chin on her head as hey watched the lighting bugs flicker in a sequence only the insects themselves can understand. The night sky was decorated like a Christmas tree, bright and vibrant stars twinkling and winking down at the content couple. Bambi sighed softly, leaning down to drag her lips across the inside of Bears left wrist in a soft but firm kiss. Sending a jolt of chills up his arm and straight to his heart. "You're gonna be the death of me one day woman."

Bambi chuckled, a soft genuine giggle of a laugh as she tossed her head back slightly, grabbing Bears massive hand and holding up to the sky. Covering most of the twinkling lights before she wrapped her own hand around his, soft and calloused.

"Well I hope you've dug two graves for us my dear." Bear smiled as she softly sung the lyrics to one of his favorite songs he had played for her the day her showed her Bear Claw ink, his shop- well now their shop. Bambi unbeknownst to her had her own tattooing station in the booth across from Bears now, the furniture Bambi had picked out and ordered had arrived while he was there and he spent the nights he couldn't sleep trying to piece together the vision of the shop he and Bambi imagined. Yes, the shop was his dream at first but once he got it, it was cold, lonely and empty- until Bambi. Much like the rest of his life Bambi had came through and spread her warmth around and blossomed his null dream into a functioning business he had put her name on now too.

His week spent away Bear had spent giving Sean everything he deserved, finishing up projects and despite his excitement for Bambi's reaction to the completed projects, he knew he had been a neglectful leader and he had to get his club back in order before his world could return back to center. He wouldn't let Bambi or himself live in manic chaos again.