"I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun, Wait by the door and light a cigarette,
If he wants a fight well now he's got one, And he ain't seen me crazy yet,
He slapped my face and he shook me like a rag doll, Don't that sound like a real man,
I'm going to show him what a little girls are made of, Gunpowder and lead!"

- Miranda Lambert

( ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ )

"Isabella.. My dear.. I hear you're feeling under the weather."

Izzy froze.

The last person she wanted to see just yet was the arrogant, self absorbed, headache inducing prick of a coppertop now standing at the foot of her bed.

"She's doing better now. Your father has been taking care of her." Marie said coming to stand by Izzy's shoulder.

"Ah, Mrs. Swan. I didn't see you there. You look lovely today." Edward all but simpered with a slight bow from the waist.

Marie arched an eyebrow. Edward quickly changed tactics. Clearly, she wasn't one to be won over by compliments.

"How are your roses? I bet they look marvelous as always." He tried again.

"They're dead. It's the wrong time of year to grow them." She replied frostily.

Izzy bit her lip and looked down at the blanket across her lap. She had to hide her smirk less Edward see it and an argument started. She'd never seen a man fight so hard to compliment a woman before.

'Yes you have. Every night.' Bella reminded her of the nights in the clubs when men would try to compliment her and she'd simply brush them off.

So that's where the look came from. She'd have to thank her grandmother.

'Hush you!'

Izzy was seriously wondering if it would be a good thing to have Bella as the 'little voice of reason' inside of her head.

"Izzy, I'm going to call Angela. She shouldn't be too far away. She'll be thrilled that you're awake finally. Would you like me to pull your father from his meeting as well?"

Izzy sighed. "No. it's important to him. I'll see him this weekend." The bitterness was only lost on Edward. Marie only shook her head and smiled.

Edward took a seat beside her. "That was very generous of you, Isabella. Your parents work very hard to give you the best in life."

Marie pursed her lips and walked stiffly towards the door. Before she left, she made it known that she wanted the door left open at all times. Propriety demanded nothing less. Edward nodded in agreement and waited until Marie was around the corner before walking back to the side of the bed.

"Hw are you really feeling, love?"

Izzy could clearly see he was already bored. Huh. She smirked inwardly. She just had to wait. Edward didn't have a prayer to save him. All she had to do was wait for the most opportune moment to make it known that she wasn't going to be cowed anymore.

"I'm well enough, thank you. Your father has taken great care of me. I'll be able to go home tomorrow." She said quietly. "It was just a panic attack caused by too much stress." She added.

"That's good news then. You had everyone worried. Perhaps you should take a semester or two off. Limited time with friends and fewer social outings as well. It would greatly reduce the stress to your person."

"Oh, no. Edward, really I'm fine. There's only one more semester before the end of the school year. It wouldn't look too good if I were to quit now."

'Ha! Argue THAT.' Izzy crowed to herself.

Bella snorted. 'You know he was captain of his prep school's debate team?'

'No one ASKED you!'

'Temper, temper. You'd better listen before he realizes he doesn't have your undivided attention.'

Izzy could already picture a smug smile from Bella. She really didn't like it either. Not for the first time since their little.. Agreement.. She was wondering just how crazy she really was.

"Isabella?"

"Forgive me Edward. I'm getting tired."

Edward's smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's alright love. Rest now." He said leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Izzy frowned. "Edward?"

"What is it?"

"Why do you smell like another woman's perfume?"

"You must be mistaken, love. I wouldn't fool around when I'm in a committed relationship."

Even Izzy could tell it was a jab to her. She sucked in a breath and stared at him with her jaw slightly opened.

Edward grimaced. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have said that. How can I make it up to you?"

And there was her foot in the door.

"First off, you can take your loving, caring act and fly it and yourself out the window!" Izzy said with a smirk.

"I beg your pardon? Isabella! That is NO way for a lady of your standing to speak! What would your parents think? Why are you even talking like that?!"

"Izzy. My name is Izzy you self absorbed, egotistical, limp dicked jackass."

Edward was shocked. He'd never seen this side of her. He'd be a fool to admit that he found it rather refreshing from her porcelain doll act. "Where is this even coming from?"

"I don't like being lied to Edward. I called your bluff and you STILL deny you were fucking someone else!" She hissed.

"Isabella! Listen to yourself! Ladies of your social standing do NOT speak like this!" Edward glared back.

"And for the record, while I WAS in the arms of another man- yes, I say man, not boy like you- it never ONCE escalated to anything more than dancing and a few very passionate kisses! What can you say about the woman you were so obviously with before you came to see me?"

Edward was stunned. He'd been so careful. "I don't know what to say right now.. Clearly you've taken leave of your senses, love. I'll have to speak to-"

A knock on the door frame was all the warning they had before Marie walked back in with Angela, Paul and Embry in tow. "Look who I found, Izzy, dear."

"Isabella! Oh! I'm so happy you're awake!" Angela grinned.

"Hello Angela. My grandmother said I just missed you before I woke up."

"I was happy she caught us. I was almost to my car. When she told me you were awake, I rushed right back here to see how you were doing."

Edward cleared his through haughtily. He raised an eyebrow when Angela looked up at him.

"Oh, Edward, hello." She said politely. "I almost didn't see you there."

"Ms. Webber. I was just getting ready to take my leave. Isabella is getting rather tired. She needs her rest. I was told too much stress placed her here and was discussing measures to help reduce her stress levels. It's best she not get too excited right now." He said while glaring at Paul and Embry.

"You need to leave, Edward. My friends are here to see me." Izzy almost growled.

"But, love, surely you wish for me to stay. After all, you don't know Ms. Webbers… friends. It would be inappropriate for a lady such as yourself to be in the presence of men without a chaperone."

Marie rolled her eyes. "She's asked you to leave. And if you hadn't noticed, I'm here. I'll see to it that nothing scandalous happens."

Izzy grinned at the sarcasm in her grandmother's voice. Even Angela had to hide a smile behind her hand. Embry and Paul, however, did nothing to hide their amusement.

"If it helps, Edward, these are my friends- Embry Call and Paul Lahote. Embry, Paul, this is Edward Cullen. I met them in the coffee house I visit every morning, Edward. They're perfect gentlemen."

Edward eyed them. They didn't LOOK like gentlemen. They looked like hoodlums. Renee was NOT going to like this at all.

Paul arched an eyebrow and watched his 'competition' stalk angrily from the room. "So… that was Edward then?"

"Pompous ass." Izzy muttered.

Embry grinned. "Welcome back Izzy."

"Thank you."

Marie simply smiled. "Now that Edward is gone, and you're not so stressed with your friends, I'll take my leave. I'll be back in an hour. I'm going to go for some lunch. Angela, Embry, would you care to join me?"

Angela smiled. "That sounds wonderful, thank you Mrs. Swan."

Embry eyed them. "Yeah. I guess. You still gonna be here Paul?"

"I'll be here. Jared wanted to come say hi. I have to wait for him."

Izzy smiled. "I'll see you guys later."

Paul watched them leave before closing the door and moving to sit next to the bed. "Hey gorgeous."

"Hush with that. Flattery will get you nowhere."

Paul raised a brow. "You sure."

"For now." She said with a smirk.