1: Skinny Love (Ed. Cullen)

56

Caleb sets a mug of coffee in front of Bambi as Jacob wraps one of his hoodies around her before sitting at her side.

"I only had one drink" she admits softly pushing the heels of her hands into her eyes, the effects of whatever she'd taken working out of her system already. Jacob strokes her arm and motions to the coffee.

"Drink" he tells her, she looks to him.

"I'm sorry" she offers sadly. "I didn't..."

"Just drink your coffee" Jacob interrupts her touching her arm softly, wrapping his fingers around. Caleb rubs her shoulder.

"You're okay" Caleb whispers. "You can stay tonight and then....face Charlie tomorrow" she looks up at him. "It'll be fine" she nods a little.

"Thank you" she tells him, tells both of them. "I can't believe you both came for me" she adds.

"We're your friends" Caleb adds.

"Best friends" Jacob corrects. "We'll always be here for you" she looks to him and smiles warmly at her. She starts to cry. "Okay" Jacob whispers and brushes them away. "Time for bed" he tells her and then stands pulling her up.

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

"You're allowed to be upset" Jacob assures Bambi as she climbs into his bed, she shrugs and looks down.

"How can I be?" she asks. "Bella doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep and even when she does she's screaming herself awake....one of us has to have a level head" she whispers and looks to him. "Even if I want to scream at the world. I don't think she does it on purpose" Jacob sits on the bed with her and holds out a hair tie, she smiles and takes it.

"Tell you what....when you're with me" he offers and takes her hand. "You can be as screwed up as you want" she looks to him. "You can laugh, you can cry, you can scream...." she hugs him. "Oh" he closes his eyes and hugs her back.

"Thank you" she whispers warmly. She really has no idea what she would do without Jacob. She hugs him harder.

"Get some sleep" he whispers laying her back before taking the space at her side. "Everything will be better in the morning" she rolls onto her side and presses her head to his chest.

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

Charlie stands when Bambi returns home, she looks to him embarrassed and nervous.

"Dad" she whispers. He walks towards her. "I'm sorry" he nods.

"I know" he whispers. "It's been...a tough few months" she nods in agreement and Charlie's voice filters into her head. He's worried about her. Really worried. He thinks she's close to having one of her 'episodes'. And she hates that. Bambi offers Charlie a smile.

"I'm okay, Dad" she assures him, trying her hardest to sound convincing, he glances to her, and she can see him start to believe it. He nods and reaches for her before stopping and lowering his hand.

"Good" he offers and nods. "Why don't you get changed and we'll watch the game?" she nods and then walks away dropping her smile.

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

Bambi grabs her cell phone from the bed as it rings and glances to the caller id, she sighs and then presses answer turning to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Edward" she greets softly brushing her hair back.

"Hello, Bambi" he greets back, relief and adoration in his voice. "It's so nice to hear your voice" he admits softly.

"Yeah" she agrees. "It seems like forever ago" she admits.

"I know" he agrees. "I've actually been thinking" he starts. "Maybe next time, we can....take longer to ourselves, a few days, a week..."

"Eddie" she whispers.

"I just want to spend some time with you" he admits. "Real time...just you and me. I miss you" she sighs a little.

"You know I miss you too" she admits softly. "You have no idea how much" she whispers.

"Did something happen?" he asks, she touches the ring on her finger and shakes her head.

"Nothing" she lies. "Nothing happened. "You wanted to talk about...meeting up" she changed the course back to the original topic.

"I was thinking that we could go to London" he offers. "We can look around and see if you like it. The college has an open day this month" Edward offers.

"Their open day is in February" she corrects. "I looked"

"I...convinced them you are worth seeing early"

"Edward" she starts. "I've not even decided if I want to go to the music college yet"

"Just a few days" he offers.

"Bella....she's not okay for me to leave her for that long" Bambi tells him grabbing her jacket. "She....she needs me"

"She's always going to need you" Edward points out softly. "You're her big sister.....just think about it, a few days, it doesn't even have to be London"

"Okay" she offers. "I'll think about it"

"That's all I ask" he states. "I just miss you" he admits. "It feels....out of place not seeing you everyday, or hearing your voice....."

"It...was your decision" she reminds him.

"It was better then the alternative" he argues. "I didn't...I don't want to loose you" she sighs a little. "I'm sorry that I'm causing you pain" he struggles to get out getting upset. "That my family is causing you pain"

"Let's not...talk about this" she begs of him, tears already threatening to spill over.

"Alright" he agrees. "Any plans for today?" he asks.

"Me and Charlie are going to watch the game"

"Sounds fun" Edward offers. "I'll call you later" he promises. "I love you"

"I love you too" she whispers before hanging up, she presses the heels of her hands into her eyes and then stands.

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

Charlie pulls the blanket off the back of the couch and wraps it around Bambi as she dozes against his side. The game on the tv playing. Two bowls of chicken noodle soup cooling on the table and a bag of chips open next to them. She's not asleep but she's not fully awake either. She's listening to Charlie 'think', it's mostly on the game, and her and Bella, worry and concern. And she both loves him for it and hates that she's made him think like this, if she'd never fallen in love with Edward none of this would have happened. This is all her fault. Her own pain, Bella's pain, Charlie's worry.