Lost – Intervention

So the trip was a bust. It was supposed to distract me from Edward, but it only made me want him more. Sadly, I came home to an empty room and even worse an empty bed.

"Alice, that had to be your worse idea ever," I grumbled into the Edward-laced pillows.

"Well, it would have been better if you weren't so caught up in getting a fix." Alice's voice dripped with disgust as she placed the shopping bags into the closet. "I know what you need, Bella. You need a hobby." Alice stood in front of me as I lay curled on the bed chanting Edward's name. I was trying to render him to my side. I was an official addict of Edward – my husband. "What you are going through right now is a common characteristic of an addict and I need to wean you off of him."

"I'm not a puppy, Alice," I groaned. "I just want my man. Can't that be a hobby?"

"No," she said, while pulling me up from the bed. "You need to pull yourself back together again. You're a half-healed spirit and I need to patch the rest of you back up. Hobby is the way to go."

"What am I supposed to do? Stay home and knit?"

"Well, that is always a possibly…" Alice said, raising her voice an octave. She quickly grabbed my feet and tried with all her might to pull me from the bed. "Come on, Bella," she strained through gritted teeth. "You. Have. To. Work. With. Me."

But I was not letting go of this wonderful bed. I held steadfast to the sheets, but then I thought that too much of our strength could seriously wreck the bed. I slackened in resistance, and Alice quickly took advantage of it.

"But Alice," I whined as Alice dragged me from the bed.

"Don't 'but Alice' me. Let's go." A vampire speed she led me downstairs to Esme who was relaxing on a divan reading a French Vogue magazine.

"Esme, can you help me find Bella a hobby?"

She folded down the magazine in her lap and sat up. "Well, Bella, dear, what do you like to do?"

On instinct I thought Edward, but I couldn't say that aloud. I thought for a moment. "I like to read? And cook." Esme considered my only two interests while Alice zoned out into her own vision. This was a face I had seen many times before, but this was one of the only times it scared me.

"Perfect," Alice clapped while she snapped out of a vision.

"What did you see?" I groaned.

"Bella, we are going to visit Tanya."

"Hold up, why? Do you remember the "smack down" that went on in your kitchen the other day?"

"Of course, but we have to go visit Tanya, okay?"

"So, the key to my happiness is with Tanya," I reviewed flatly.

"Yes."

I burst into giggles, but instantly muffled them when Esme and Alice looked at me like I was crazy. Alice's face showed no traces of humor; she was serious.

"I'm not going." I walked out of the room with Alice on my tail.

"Aww, come on, Bella, you have to go. Edward said you needed to make amends with people, which includes Tanya. So why not?"

"Because Tanya still wants my man, I don't think I will be able to control myself around her."

"Well, according to my vision –"

"Well, are our visions aren't always concrete are they?" Alice's face dropped into anger, and Esme can see an argument arising. "Didn't think so?"

"Bella – your tone," Esme scolded. I apologized.

"I don't think you decided on this anyways," Alice smirked. "All I have to do is push the speed dial number and zip, we're off to Alaska."

"Alice," Esme groaned. Alice apologized.

I knew to whom she was referring to – Edward. All she would have to do was explain to him what she saw and then he would be more than thrilled to help me. Ugh, they cared too much. "I guess I could try…"

Alice started to bounce in glee.

"But only one condition: Edward gets to come, too."

"Deal breaker Bella," Alice began. "Edward can't come; that's like having alcohol in your possession as you are in rehab. That's contraband. No Edward."

"No fair!"

"Girls!" Esme reprimanded. "Can't we carry on as civilized young ladies? Now, here's the plan. Bella," she said turning to me. "You will go to Alaska and get some help, okay?" I nodded in understanding. "Alice," she directed her attention away from me. "You will supervise the whole thing. Yes? But, Edward can go…" I started to smile. "…as long as you guys go to school. No school. No husband. Do we have a deal?"

I had to consider that: did I really desire to go to college just to have Edward. Was it worth it? "Yes, we have a deal," I announced; Edward was definitely worth it.

"Great, I will call Tanya now and make the arrangements and you, two, start packing." Alice and I excused ourselves from Esme and went up to pack.

One problem: how long would I be in Alaska? I had no idea how long it was going to take me to rid myself of this infectious desire for Edward.

"Just pack enough for two weeks. I will have the rest traveled up with the boys." Alice was standing at the door.

"Okay," I answered while heading into the closet. The clothes overwhelmed me; there were too many for me to look at. I was never into clothes as much as Alice was, but I had grown to appreciate them more. But when it came to packing, I hated to pick and choose between what to take.

I started in the far corner throwing down a couple of blouses and jeans. I pulled down several jackets though I knew I wouldn't need them. I hate having to disguise myself in public, but then I thought Edward had to do this for me. I guess I could do it, too.

Soon, I had three suitcases full of undergarments, jeans, shirts, sweaters, jackets, and a nice pair of boots and sneakers.

"All packed?" Alice asked as she was trailed by five suitcases. I eyed them unnervingly. She followed me attention and laughed. "Oh, these? Two of them are shoes alone."

I almost had a heart attack. Who in there right mind would need so many shoes? I was only bringing two pairs and Edward could bring the rest, but no, Alice had two suitcases full and still had more she wanted Jasper to bring.

"Oh, and I kind of invited Rosalie," Alice smiled.

"WHAT!"

"Well, she asked and I said 'yes.'"

I slouched and flopped onto my bed. "Wow, is everyone going to be involved in my little rehabilitation?"

"Weren't we all before?"

I glared at her. "This is different. I'm not crazy. I just…no, I am crazy. But, that's beside the point. Are we all going to enroll in school, now?"

"Yes, but everything is going to work out just fine. We will be going to school as a sort of…safety net for you."

"Oh, so you mean you all will be the huge guys dressed in white who sedates patients who have suffered a relapse?"

"If you want to think of it that way then," Alice said weighing her words carefully. "Then, yes, we are."

"Great, now I have an entourage."

"Bella, it won't be so bad. You just need something else to occupy your time."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I mumbled.

Alice and I headed down stairs and began to load up the car again. Wasn't I just in this car? Esme came around the corner with Rosalie.

"I just got off the phone with Tanya. She said she would love to have you all as company and is anxiously awaiting your arrival," Esme spoke.

I had a feeling that Tanya just waited to see me again. I would be on turf.

Rosalie also began to load her own car up with our luggage and before I knew it, I was on the road again.

Alice manipulated her radio to whatever station she wanted, though I was in no such mood to enjoy music. "Are you still upset?"

"No," I said, almost too quickly.

"Come on, Bella, we're only doing this for your own good," she smiled, and playfully nudged me in the shoulder.

"What if I don't want help?"

"That's the first sign: denial."

"Shut up, Alice."

"Bella, it is going to be fun. Don't you want to be independent from Edward? Don't you want to be able to be free from the desire of him?"

"Is it really that bad?" I questioned.

"Sadly, hon, but yes, you are now venturing in some very left wing addictions and the only person who can help you right now is Tanya."

"And how can Tanya help me?" I spat back.

"Lose the temper. And you will have to ask her once we get there. Your best bet right now is to relax. And I watching you so don't pull any funny business."

I didn't intend to, but I wasn't sure about Tanya's intentions.

EDWARD

"Alice just called, she wants us to meet her in Alaska," I announced to the guys as we were heading home.

"Why?" Jasper asked.

"Intervention for Bella. Apparently, she is not healthy and they are going to Tanya's."

"Insane in the membrane," Emmett sang. When I smacked him, he just laughed. "What? She's your crazy wife."

"How I know it," I muttered.

"Well, whatever Alice has planned, I'm sure it will make Bella better and balanced," Jasper assured. He always spoke so insightfully. "So, what are we to do?"

"She said packed clothes and pick up the rest of their luggage. We are to meet her at Tanya's house, but she said to make sure they are whether suitable because we will be enrolled into school."

"WHAT!" Jasper and Emmett shouted in unison.

"I could have sworn I just got out of school and now I have to go back?" Emmett complained. Jasper just groaned.

"Alice said it shouldn't be too bad; we're only going to make sure Bella doesn't get out of hand," I explained.

"Then, why are you going?" Jasper asked.

That was a good question; why was I going? Wasn't I the root of all Bella's problems? And how did I end up on board with the plan?

We pulled into the garage and ran into the house to see Esme waiting by the stairs.

"Boys, may I have a quick word?" We stopped to listen to mother. "When you go up to Alaska, don't make it hard on each other. Bella needs help and that's the initial plan. Don't do anything stupid." Her attention was turned to Emmett.

He put up his hands in defense. "I won't. I promise, mom." But I knew better.

"Okay, and Edward, don't be Edward," she smiled.

"Okay," I chuckled.

"And Jasper, be on the constant look out for changes in her attitude." But I knew Bella could manipulate her emotions and hide them from Jasper, now. But I didn't want to disclose that information aloud.

"I love you all," Esme finally finished before drawing us into a hug. "Make me a proud mom." She released us and went into our bedrooms to find suitcases waiting to be picked up. I came out better than anyone else.

I came down the stairs to see Jasper complaining to Emmett about the shoes Alice packed.

"I mean, why does she need so many shoes? I told her I wasn't going to let her buy anymore and you know what she did? She had a vision. A vision! And she said 'you wouldn't dare.' I knew right then that Alice had more control over me than I had previously imagined."

"I understand," Emmett said. "You see, Rosalie has her moments of control. But the thing is I let her pretend she is in control, so I come out looking like the good guy. But sometimes, I just have to put my foot down and say 'Women, we are going to do this my way.' And you know what? She listens."

"She actually does what you tell her to do?"

"No," Emmett continued. "But she listens."

I couldn't help but laugh. This was way too funny. "I don't know what you're laughing about, Eddie. Last time I heard, you're girl has you whipped," Emmett said.

"No she doesn't," I retorted.

They burst into laughter. "Yeah, she does." Emmett finished putting the last of Rosalie's luggage into the car. "Edward, when Bella says 'jump', you say 'how high?' You guys practically float around each other. She has you whipped."

"No," I tried in defense. But, it was true. Bella had me and I was hers. I didn't mind following her, forever.

They continued to laugh as we got into our respected cars. Jasper rode along with Emmett and I could see they were still laughing at me. I saw Emmett pretend like he was cracking a whip. I turned away from their humiliation and started my car.

We traveled down the highway, but my mind kept drifting back to the comment about Bella being in control. Did I really let her have that much power? Is that where our troubles begin? I guessed so, but there was that moment that I was in control and the plan backfired. Bella still came out on top.

BELLA

After several hours in a car, I saw Tanya standing outside ready to greet us. Here goes nothing.

I stepped out the car and was immediately immersed into a hug with Tanya. "Oh, Bella! It's sooo nice to see you again!" she exclaimed. "I couldn't wait until you got here! Oh my, look at Alice."

She continued to greet Alice and Rosalie while she shuffled me to the side. Oh no she didn't. I saw the rest of her coven assemble outside of the house. I didn't no if I was supposed to come over and introduce myself so I stayed put. If anybody wanted to talk to me, they can come over.

I saw one blond vampire come over towards me. I surveyed her. She was just like a miniature Tanya; her demeanor was coquettish.

"Hi, you must be Isabella. I'm Irina," she smiled. I shook her hand.

"Hi."

"Tanya has told me so much about you.'

"I bet she has," I said sarcastically.

"But just so you know," she said bringing her voice down. "I don't like you." I opened my eyes in confusion. "Hope you enjoy your stay," she smiled while blithely strolling back to her sisters.

I wondered if anybody noticed this little exchange. But, sadly, they all seemed caught up in their own conversations. I drew up my sleeves and stepped towards where Irina was. If I couldn't have Edward, I could at least kick some vampire butt.