(2) Wild Horses (E. Cullen)

Chapter Two

Bambi manages to avoid Bella for the entire day. She counts that as an actual achievement, considering they are in the same classes. She manages to swerve and walk away whenever there is even a slight risk it might happen. The problem is, that Bella is her sister, and Bambi would do anything, even forgive her, if in a conversation long enough, so she knows she has to stay away for her own sanity. She can't just forgive what Bella wants. She's suffered enough. Being stuck in the supernatural world. Her whole future stolen from her with no choice. Bella wants to choose this life for herself. Bambi cannot wrap her mind around that. She cannot understand why someone would choose this life. This life that has ruined Bambi's plans. Her life in London is a mere fantasy now. She can never do that. She can never have that life now. Everything she has ever wanted, has now been stolen from her. How can she approve of Bella throwing her mortality and her future away when she herself would give anything to take it back? She would give anything to be human again. To be normal. It's just really difficult for her to process. But the end of the day brings with it, an afternoon with Charlie, which she is happy about. She's missed her father. And the fallout over the summer meant that she hasn't seen him as much as she wanted to. It did take her a while to forgive Charlie, but the more she thought about it, the more she came to see that he was still her dad. Every moment of her life, he has been there. The first time she skimmed her knee. The first time she fell off her bike. The first time she picked up the violin. The first time she dreamt of more. He was there. Encouraging her. Pushing her to be great. How could she ever think he kept the truth from her to hurt her? Of course, he didn't. Charlie is her dad. And she intends to treat him as such. Regardless of biology. He is her father. She smiles watching Charlie as he watches the game. It is when he is most relaxed. She glances around at the tidy apartment. Edward had cleared out any sign that he shares this space with her. To Charlie, she is living alone, she's 18, that's not a big deal. He argued, but with her finding out about her true biology, he didn't want to deny her anything, he did what he thought would make her happy. She knew he wouldn't understand her need to live with Edward, so she kept it from him. He's not prepared for the truth. She can't tell him what's going on. He's human. He wouldn't understand. He would probably look at her as if she was a monster. It's what she feels like most days. With what she can do. Edward lets himself into the apartment and smiles at Bambi, raises an eyebrow in question, she shrugs a little.

"He has a key?" Charlie asks her.

"Yeah" Bambi answers with a nod and then a shrug noting his expression, she looks away and pulls a face, knows what might be coming.

"Aren't you just...a little young?" Charlie whispers to her. "I mean...I don't want to...."

"Dad" She scolds a little. "Look, what Edward and I have....it is special." Charlie gives her a look, rather sceptical about that. "But we haven't even....." She gives him a look, he doesn't seem to get it, she sighs a little. "He's very...old fashioned" She tries instead, trying to reassure him.

"Oh" Charlie realises and then relaxes, he nods. Happy with that. Old fashioned means his daughter is going to remain untouched for a long time. "Okay" He whispers and takes a breath. He can live with them not having sex and Edward having a key to her apartment. He can trust Bambi. And now he knows he can trust Edward. Old fashioned means no sex before marriage. And it will be a long time before Edward allows Bambi to marry.

"I didn't run off to Italy, Dad" Bambi reminds him, it's a low blow, but a blow she is willing to use. Bella was stupid and reckless, and the longer she can remind Charlie of that, the longer he will punish her for what she did. She deserves it. Bambi doesn't. She doesn't deserve any of the bad that's happened. Bella is running towards danger and bad and supernatural, she deserves to be grounded.

"I know" Charlie assures her. "Doesn't mean I don't worry about you just as much" Bambi looks down. "Bambino, you had a really tough year...with that hiker" She closes her eyes. "And then....." He lets out a breath. "You know it doesn't matter to me, right?" He asks her sadly. "That you are my little girl" She nods and fights tears. "And I know I should have told you"

"Dad" She stops him. "You don't have to keep apologising" She assures him. "I know why you kept it a secret...." She sniffles and shrugs. Edward's eyes sad on her because he knows how much this still actually bothers her. "It's...fine" Charlie looks at her and nods a little. A little awkward but he notices that she's upset.

"Maybe go see the boys" Charlie offers, and she knows just who he is talking about. It's obvious he means Jacob and Caleb. She hasn't seen them since Harry's funeral. She doesn't want to face them, any of them. But she also knows that Jacob and Caleb haven't done anything wrong. They are following Sam's prejudice regarding Edward. She's scared they are going to reject her, so she avoids them. It's the best she's got.

"Dad" She whispers and looks at him. "I just...I love Jake, and Caleb, you know I do, but...."

"They really miss you" He offers, Bambi bites her lip, because firstly, how dare they go to Charlie and secondly, she misses them too, but with them, comes Sam, and the others, and they were willing to dismiss her imprint because it didn't suit them, she is not ready to forgive that.