"You're leaving, aren't you?" Edward said when Izzy entered the room.
Izzy froze. Two seconds. That's all it took for her plan to go down in flames. She should have known better. Planning was useless when an unpredictable force like Edward Cullen was involved.
"That's ridiculous," Esme said. "Bella isn't going anywhere. Right, Bella?"
Izzy wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. "I…umm."
"What was that, Bella?" Emmett asked. "Can you speak up?"
This wasn't at all the way Izzy hoped this conversation would go. She'd hoped to ease Edward into the idea of her leaving gently.
"Are you leaving?" Esme asked Izzy.
Izzy had seen that same look on mama dogs protecting their puppies. Esme wouldn't hesitate to take down anything threatening her children even if that thing was Izzy.
"Are you leaving?" Esme repeated.
Unable to find her voice, Izzy nodded.
"But we just got them back!"
Izzy knew it was awful timing, but she couldn't do anything about that. She didn't live the kind of life where an extended break was an option.
"Why?" Esme asked. "Why are you doing this to us?"
Izzy wished that Carlisle was there. He understood the importance of everything she'd built in La Push.
"There's stuff I have to take care of back home," Izzy said, finally finding her voice.
"Is it a money thing?" Esme asked. "If it is, I'm glad to write you a check right now."
"Mom!" Edward exclaimed.
"Please, Bella," Esme begged. "It will only take a few days."
It had been a few months since Izzy had heard from Esme. She'd been hoping that time had finally brought her closure, but that clearly wasn't the case. Esme had received another tip from the hotline. Someone had seen "Edward" checking into a hotel in Miami. Esme had the plane fueled up and ready to go. All she needed to do now was convince Izzy to come with her.
"For the last time, I have a show this weekend!" Izzy exclaimed. "I can't go!"
"Skip the show," Esme replied. "This is more important."
It wasn't just some little high school band concert. It was a gig. The Gig. A show in LA that could help the Wolves bridge the gap between one-hit wonder and household name.
"This show is important too," Izzy said. "My friends and I need this."
Izzy had explained how important this gig was, but Esme didn't seem to understand. All she cared about was chasing ghosts.
"But what about Edward? Esme asked.
What about Edward? He was dead. There was nothing more that anyone could do for him. It was far past time for Esme to accept that.
"I know it hurts, but Edward is gone," Izzy said. "We have to find some way of moving on with our lives."
"So that's it?" Esme asked. "You're just giving up on him?"
What other choice was there? Spending the rest of her life in a zombie-like state crying over what she'd lost? Edward wouldn't want that for her.
"Did you ever love him?" Esme asked. "Or was he just a distraction? A way to amuse yourself in a boring little town?"
Did Esme really think so little of her?
A warm hand on Izzy's shoulder stopped her from saying something she'd regret.
"We're all loaded up," Jake said. "It's time to go."
"Ten thousand dollars," Esme said, not breaking eye contact. "All you have to do is skip one little concert and I'll give you ten thousand dollars."
Jake stiffened. The last time Izzy had to choose between him and a Cullen hadn't ended in his favor.
"Some things are more important than money," Izzy said.
Izzy turned away from Esme to face Jake. Living, breathing Jake. She wouldn't make the mistake of taking him for granted again.
"Come on Jake, let's go. We've got a show to play."
"Bella, wait!" Esme cried. "I'm sorry! I-"
The rest of Esme's apology was cut off when Izzy boarded the bus.
Before they pulled away, Izzy dared to take one last look at Esme. She was still standing where Izzy left her with tears streaming down her face. Carlisle had the clinic. Izzy had her music. Rose and Alice had their careers. What did Esme have? Nothing but an empty house and a broken heart. It was that knowledge that allowed Izzy to forgive Esme.
Remembering they had an audience, Izzy took a few calming breaths before responding. "This isn't about money."
"Then why?" Esme snapped, not giving Izzy a chance to explain. "Why are you doing this to Edward? I thought you cared about him!"
"I do care about him!"
"Then why are you leaving!"
"Because she had a life beyond me!" Edward exclaimed.
Losing Edward devastated Izzy, but it wasn't the end. Time had eased the pain and she'd grown in ways she could never have imagined as a grieving teenager. It took a few bumps and bruises along the way, but she'd discovered things to anchor her to the earth that weren't a bronzed-haired boy.
"She has friends who care about her!"
She missed playing video games with Jared and Quil. She missed cooking with Emily and pranking the boys with Leah. She even missed Paul's surly attitude. Most of all, she missed Jake. It was hard to put into words how much cold, dark Alaska made her miss her personal sun.
"A job she loves!"
Music wasn't just a job, it was a calling. It got her through the dark times. It gave her life meaning when it seemed like there was no reason to keep going. It helped her channel her feelings into art. Since arriving in Alaska, she hadn't been able to work on her music. Truth be told, all those hours of silence were starting to take a toll.
"Dogs who depend on her!"
Rebel, Angel, and over three hundred others were waiting at home for her. There were kennels to clean, food to serve, and forever homes to find. The work they did was both physically and mentally taxing, but well worth it in the end. The world could be a dark, cruel place but Black Pack made it a little brighter one dog at a time.
"But!" Esme interjected.
"But nothing!" Edward snapped. "It will hurt to say goodbye, but I understand why we have to. Izzy has built a wonderful life for herself. Asking her to give all that up to sit in a hospital room is selfish!"
If anyone was selfish, it was Izzy. What right did she have to feel homesick? She'd only been away for a few days. Edward hadn't been home in years.
"I'm sorry," Izzy said.
Izzy had been juggling with glass balls for years. School, the rescue, and a million other things vied for her attention. Up until recently, she'd always found a way to keep things in balance. It was just her luck that fate decided it was time to throw something else her way. She'd have to drop one ball to save the others. Why did that ball have to be Edward?
"Bella, look at me," Edward said.
Izzy looked into Edward's golden eyes.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Edward said, taking her hand. "You have so much going on in your life yet you didn't hesitate to drop everything when I needed you. You have no idea how much that means to me."
How very Edward to see the best in her. How would he feel if he knew she'd only come to Alaska for a free vacation?
"It's okay for you to go," Edward said. "I'll be fine."
Izzy didn't share Edward's gift of people reading. Did he mean fine as in he'd be okay or fine like he was on the verge of falling apart? Izzy for one was a prime example of the second type of fine.
"Go home and take care of whatever it is you need to take care of," Edward said.
"Are you sure?" Izzy asked, a lone tear slipping out.
"No tears," Edward said, wiping it away with his thumb. "It won't be forever. I'll be back home before you know it and we'll pick up right where we left off."
What if they couldn't pick up where they left off? What if five years apart had placed them on two incompatible paths? What if her battered heart already belonged to someone else? Would Edward still be fine then? Would she?
"If Izzy is leaving won't Emmett have to go too?" Alice asked.
"No way!" Emmett exclaimed. "I'm not leaving my brothers behind!"
Crap! Izzy hadn't even thought about what would happen to Emmett if she left.
"I understand why you're hesitant to leave your brothers but it isn't safe for you to stay here," Nurse Julie said. "While your condition has been improving over the last few hours, you may end up needing more transfusions."
"I could do another donation before I leave," Izzy offered.
Izzy had been feeling a tad light-headed since her last donation, but she'd gladly give more blood to help Emmett.
"It's kind of you to offer, but you've already exceeded the amount of blood we'd typically like to accept one donor." Nurse Julie said.
"You've been giving me my little sister's blood!" Emmett roared.
Emmett was a teddy bear most of the time. However, when someone threatened his family, that teddy bear turned into an angry grizzly.
"We had no other choice," Edward said. "Izzy is the only person we could find with the right blood type. You could have died without the transfusion."
"You knew about this?" Emmett shouted. "How could you just let them take her blood after everything we've been through!"
"It's not a big deal," Izzy said. "What're a few pints between friends?"
"Pints? As in plural? How much blood have you given me?"
"Around three pints."
"Three? Are you insane? Why would you put yourself at risk like that?"
It was at that moment Jasper decided to make another break for freedom. Thankfully, Alice was quick enough to intervene. She grabbed him by the arm and kicked the door closed. Jasper struggled and showed off his teeth, but Alice didn't let go.
"Jasper, did you know that I went to Italy last year," Alice asked, keeping a tight grip on his bicep. "I got to do a photoshoot in Pompeii. Would you like to see the pictures?"
Jasper didn't give her a yes or a no, but he did stop struggling.
"Let's go somewhere quiet and I'll show you," Alice said.
Esme looked ready to protest, but a dirty look from Alice made her reconsider. If anyone could reach Jasper it was Alice.
"I think it may be best to take Jasper home," Nurse Julie said once Alice and Jasper had left the room. "We can't provide him with the psychiatric care he needs here."
"He isn't crazy!" Esme exclaimed.
"No one is saying that," Nurse Julie said. "I'm just suggesting that Jasper may feel more comfortable healing at home."
"I hate to admit it, but I think you might be right," Emmett said. "Being here isn't doing him any good. Maybe he'll start talking when we get home."
Esme slumped down in her chair. "There's no other choice, is there?"
Emmett shook his head.
"I guess it's settled then," Esme said. "You, Bella, Alice, and Jasper will go back to Forks and I'll stay here with Edward."