A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in days! Kind of over my writer's block, so here's chapter 8! I've redone the ending of Chapter 7, so please go and have a look if you have time! I do agree, the ending hadn't seemed like something Bella would say, so I've gone back and changed it! 182 reviews for seven chapters! I'm impressed:) I love you guys, you've kept me going and encouraged me through the process of this story! Be warned, this chapter is a little sad. Remember to always REVIEW! You know you want to! I dedicate this chapter to all my fantastic and supportive reviewers! LOVE you guys so much!

Lolly

THEY ARE ALL HUMAN.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse.

Pursuit of Gaiety

Chapter 8

Memories

EPOV

My classes dragged pass slowly for the rest of the day. All I could think about was Isaac being Bella, and Bella being Isaac. My mind shot out various kinds of explanations every few seconds. Isaac being a – girl would explain my odd feelings towards him – her.

An image of Isaac in a dress and with long hair flowing around her heart-shaped face filled my mind. I quickly shook my head and tried to concentrate on my class.

I noticed that a few people glanced my way, their eyes sparkling with curiosity, but they were too afraid to speak to me. I smiled sadly to myself as I remembered why.

Begin Flashback

"Edward Mister, come now. Missus Cullen was in a car accident. She's fainted now. She's in the hospital now. Oh, please, Edward Mister, come quickly," Sharon, my mother's maid, had called me at school through the office.

My heart skipped a beat and my face stiffened as the news sank in. My mother was involved in a car accident. She was in hospital now, unconscious. I slowly placed the phone back onto the hook and stumbled out of the office in a daze.

"Edward, do you need to be excused from class?" The office lady with a squeaky voice called out after me.

I didn't want to talk to anybody, let alone the annoying office lady.

Shaking my head furiously, I ran as fast as I could, against the wind, in the direction of the hospital.

I shoved open the door of the hospital entrance and ran frantically towards the receptions.

"Esme Cullen, please, what's her room number?" I yelled at the woman sitting at the receptions.

"Shhh, not so loud, young man. There are other patients in here as well, they need their rest and quiet," she retorted. I groaned in frustration. My mother was unconscious, after a car accident, and this woman wanted to play word games with me. I tried again.

"Please, just tell me the room number and level of Esme Cullen," I retreated to begging.

"I'm sorry, but what are you? Some terrorist?" She smiled, flashing her white, rabbit teeth, and winked at me. She was trying to flirt with me, while my mother was possibly dying. I growled at her in fury.

"No, my mother, Esme Cullen, is in this hospital right now, unconscious. I would appreciate it greatly if you could possibly tell me where her room is," I spat out, word by word, hoping she would get the point.

"Oh!" She looked startled. "Well, in that case, young man, wait here, I'll go check."

She winked at me again before she skipped off to look through the files. The hospital had to fire her immediately; I made a mental note in my mind.

"Level 2, see that elevator? You can go up from there," she pointed at the elevator, waving her manicured finger several times. "Now, turn left and keep going, then turn right at the first intersection. You will see room 51. So … What's your number?"

She was definitely being over helpful. I nodded, showing her that I'd understood all her instructions and ran off.

"Hey! What's your number, young man?" She called out after me. I pressed the button of the elevator hysterically, hoping to avoid her.

I was out of breath when I reached my mother's hospital room. A middle-aged man with streaks of grey hair in a doctor's uniform walked out and looked up at me.

"You would be Edward Cullen, yes?" He asked, pointing at me with his folder. "I am Doctor Feldman."

"Yes, I am Edward Cullen. Doctor Feldman, how is my mother doing?" I pleaded with all my heart that she would be alright.

"I'm sorry; we've tried all we could." My heart sank again. I lowered my head and waited for him to finish speaking. "Your mother had all but three of her ribs broken. Her internal organs are distorted. We've sedated her for time being. She had not long to live, but she is awake now. Make the most of your time. You may go in."

He shook his head sadly and walked pass me, brushing my shoulder lightly. Two nurses followed him out.

I rushed into my mother's room and approached her bedside.

"Mother," I choked out, grabbing at her hand and shaking it.

She stirred gently and opened her eyes just a slit and tried to smile at me.

"Mother, hold on, please don't die, I need you, we need you. Jasper and Father needs you. Our family needs you," I begged with her.

"The doctor said Missus Cullen hasn't got long to live," Sharon told me as she turned to leave so I could have some time with my mother.

"Edward, what do we do now?" My brother, Jasper, spoke up for the first time. I hadn't noticed he was there before. He had always been good at going unnoticed. His face was tear-stained and he had purplish bags under his tear-filled blue eyes. His blond hair was a mess and his body looked limp on the hospital chair.

"I don't know," I told him truthfully, still not leaving my Mother's side. "I truly don't."

Jasper sighed heavily, his eyelids drooping slightly.

"Jasper, get some sleep," I told him gently, reaching over to pat his head.

He immediately tried to open his eyes wide. "No, I'm not going to sleep. Mother needs me."

I smiled sadly as I looked back at Mother. Her skin was growing colder by the second. Rubbing my hands against hers for some friction and warmth, a tear fell down on my cheek and dropped onto Mother's.

"Edward …" My Mother's voice, weak and strained, whispered. "Jasper …"

"I'm here," I comforted my Mother. Jasper sat up straight and jumped over to Mother's other side, taking her hand upon hearing his name.

"The doctors said I don't have long to live," Mother murmured. Jasper started sobbing again. "Edward, take care of Jasper for me. Please."

We both nodded furiously.

"Edward, I know how much you love music. Don't ever give up, not for anything. Follow your dreams. Everything will be alright, you'll see," she smiled softly at me. All I could do was nod more. Mother mustn't waste her breath.

"Jasper, keep on going with art. You paint beautifully. You mustn't give up either. Not for anything or anyone, follow your dreams, my dear boy," Mother turned to Jasper. He nodded at her.

"I love you both … very much … And Carlisle …" Her hand suddenly froze. Her eyes closed slowly and her head drooped onto the white pillow.

Jasper and I started shouting at her, encouraging her to wake up. It was all done in vain. Mother was gone. Forever.

We dropped our heads on her broken body and sobbed, staining her bed sheets with our tears.

"Esme?" A voice called. Jasper and I turned around to see our Father standing in the doorway. He was wearing a surgeon's uniform, splattered with blood.

He rushed over to her bedside.

"Oh, my sweet Esme, I'm so sorry. Wake up, Esme," Father whispered hear her ear. He started to weep.

"She's gone," Jasper stated in a daze. "Gone …"

All three of us, Father, Jasper and I were huddled around Mother's bedside. Too shocked to mutter a single word. We stayed that way for who knows how long, seconds, minutes, hours, days … It didn't matter. Mother was gone.

Three days later, it was her funeral. Jasper and I, dressed in black, sat in a corner with blank faces while Father attempted to keep up a nonchalant mask, greeting all the guests.

After the funeral, we barely said a word to each other. Father never remarried, he would work from sunrise to sunset, always keeping himself busy. I moved out a few months later to Forks. My only regret was not knowing what became of Jasper.

End Flashback

Ever since then, I've always kept to myself. I hadn't allowed anyone into my enclosed area. People knew to keep away from me, just by looking at me. I was never disturbed. When sudden images from my past flashed in my mind, I would resort to playing my piano. It was a way of avoiding, and hiding, but it worked for me. Playing until all of the painful images were gone. It had been like that for two years … until now that Isaac had intruded in my fruitless life.

I shook my head again as the bell rang. I gathered my books and followed the crowd out of the classroom.

Was it sad? Did you cry? ;sniffles; If you did, REVIEW! If not, review anyways! xD If you review, you will only get the next chapter quicker, it's a win-win situation! Anonymous reviews ACCEPTED! I will respond to all reviews (apart from anonymous reviews, that is). If there are any mistakes, typos or anything, tell me!