The Strength of Fragility

The mornings were quiet in Forks, only the occasional car could be heard, the birds sang and flew from branch to branch. Now and again, a child walking to school laughed.

Isabel allowed her hands to remain in the sink full of luke warm water for a moment, staring at her pale skin underneath the surface. She wriggled her fingers, feeling the nerves, and bones work in each perfectly. She sighed, and quickly cupped a large amount of water between her hands, raising them up and splashing the refreshing liquid across her face.

She washed her skin, and allowed the water to cool every inch of her face, relishing the clean feel of the scrubbed surface. Taking her hands away, her blue eyes flickered up to her reflection, and they seemed bright and vibrant amidst a face that was gray and dull. Her hair was lying limp from bed rest but several strokes of her wire brush rectified it, so her signature long waves piled around her narrow face again. A thin layer of make up was applied, her morning supplements were swallowed, teeth brushed and Isabel Steele was ready to reacquaintance herself with Isabel Cullen.

She walked down the stairs slowly, the energy she had possessed yesterday not quite within her today, and shuffled to the kitchen, where she was met with a smiling, but nervous Charlie. He wrung his hands, and looked at the various cereals, waffles( burnt of course) and syrups he had laid out.

“I, erm, I didn’t know what you would like,” he muttered in a gruff tone, but smiled after the sentence. He seemed uneasy, but yet father like. Isabel smiled widely at him, and squeezed his arm.

“Charlie, you shouldn’t have.” Her voice was rough from sleep, and she cleared her throat but smiled again, sitting down and helping herself to the meal Bella’s father had prepared. In truth, her stomach turned at the thought of food for various reasons but the kindly face of Charlie couldn’t be refused. He reminded her of her own father, god bless his soul.

She finished her small portion quickly, and stood up, car keys in her hand. “I think I’ll head on to the Cullens now. I’m quite eager to see Bella again.”

Charlie nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin and standing with her, “It’s pretty much a straight road, no junctions or turn offs. The route’s through the forest, it can be tricky for a stranger. You sure you don’t need company?”

Isabel shook her head, “I’ll think I’ll manage. And I’ll arrange a hotel tonight as well. I don’t want to invade your hospitality any longer.”

Charlie shook his head quickly, and managed a quick grin, “Isabel. It’s nice having someone in the house again. Please, take the vacant room for as long as you need to. I assist.”

Isabel looked down, hair falling to shield her face, “thank you Charlie. You’re too kind. I better go, I’ll see you later.”

Charlie waved her off, and Isabel revved her engine nosily before accelerating onto the road, and setting off to the journey to the Cullen house.

~

Bella and Reneesme bickered to each other as they assembled the jigsaw pieces of the puzzle they had pulled from under Emmett’s bed. Edward lounged on the couch, looking at his family in content.

Alice shifted in her chair slightly and Edward looked at her as her voice spoke in his mind, “She’s on her way.”

Edward nodded and less than twenty minutes later, Bella’s head shot up as the sound of an approaching car could be heard by the vampires. She looked at Edward who shrugged, and frowned. Before long, a bright yellow convertible pulled up outside their home and Alice whistled softly, her eyes gleaming. Edward rolled his own, and gave her a look to say, “you have your Porsche!”

Bella stood up, her dark golden eyes looking out the window curiously. She frowned at the blonde girl that jumped out of the car slowly. The girl leaned against her bonnet for a moment, as if catching her breath or thinking deeply, and looked up, observing the Cullen’s home. She smiled, seeming impressed.

She walked up towards the front door, and rang the doorbell, less than a second later, Alice had already answered it, and the scent of human drifted through the rooms.

“Hello, I was wondering if Bella Swan was here? Or Bella Cullen, I should say..” The girls voice was bright, but it wavered slightly. Something only Edward picked up. She was scared of seeing Bella again, after all the years, afraid of not being wanted.

Bella and Edward crossed the front room, into the wide hallway and Bella looked at the girl in front of her. She was taller than Bella, with blonde waves for hair and sparkling eyes that danced when her old friend appeared.

“Bella? Oh my goodness Bella! You’ve changed so much…but you’re still you!”

Bella stared a moment longer, before clapping her hand over her mouth, “Izzie? Izzie Steele?”

Izzie nodded and both girls squealed and hugged each other tight, Izzie with all her strength, Bella with none.

Bella turned around, a smile gracing her features beautiful, “guys, this is an old friend of mine from Phoenix. Izzie Steele. Izzie, this is my husband Edward, cousin Reneesme, and Edward’s sister Alice. Come in.”

Alice skipped alongside Izzie as they made their way back to the front room. Reneesme was beaming, already loving her new friend. Edward tried to concentrate on Izzie’s thoughts. But he couldn’t hear them…unlike Bella’s which didn’t exist at all in his head, he could only hear faint whisperings of Izzie’s. As if her thoughts and mind were fading in and out. He shook his head, not understanding and instead tuned in to the conversation.

“So Izzie, I’m presuming you’re an Isabel as well?”

Izzie laughed, and clutched Bella’s arm, “Yeah, I am…we were the two Isabel’s. But Bella’s Bella, and I’m Izzie. Neither of us ever really went by our birth names.”

Alice nodded, asking more questions before stopping, and observing Izzie quietly, “You look very familiar…as if I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

Izzie blushed and looked down, “No, I don’t think so.”

But Edward could pick something up from her thoughts, “You’re an actress?”

Izzie rose her head to meet his strange golden eyes, “Yes,” she sighed. “I am.”

Bella gasped, “Oh Izzie! You made it! When?”

Izzie looked at her, an accusation entering her eyes, leaving just as quickly, “A week after you left. After the first year, I got so busy. I’m sorry I stopped writing.”

Bella looked away, her eyes meeting Edward’s quickly. No doubt she stopped writing as well, during her dark period without him.

“I’m sorry too Iz, “ Bella looked at her apologetically. But Izzie smiled broadly, and shook her head, “It doesn’t matter.”

“So, Izzie, why have you come to see Bella?” Edward and Bella could both tell Alice wasn’t seeing much for Izzie’s reasons nor her future reasons to stay. She was as much a mystery to Alice as she was for Edward. Nothing was working on her.

Izzie smiled softly, “I’ve taken a break from work, decided I needed some time off…I wanted to see my best friend again.” She squeezed Bella’s hand but Bella was caught at the strange shadow that passed over Izzie’s face. She was hiding something. The real reason she had sought out her old friend…

Izzie stayed several hours, meeting Esme and Emmett who arrived back from Port Angeles. Rosalie was visiting their friends in Alaska and Jasper was hunting. Alice managed to get most of Izzie’s story, her life in Hollywood, her movies and career history, her family and celebrity friends. Finally, Izzie stood up.

“I really should get going. I think Charlie will worry I’ve been eaten by a bear if I don’t return before dark. He really is wonderful Bella, you’re so lucky.”

Bella nodded, squeezing Izzie’s hands. She had been there when Izzie’s father had died, and she knew how much she had missed and yearned for the father figure back in her life.

They all walked Izzie to the door, and waved her to her car. They all gathered inside, as she reached her vehicle, and began to root around for her keys. Finally, she located them at the very bottom of her bag, but they slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the ground. Izzie cursed under her breath and bent down to pick them up, jumping violently when she suddenly saw a pair of feet in her vision.

She stood up quickly, taking a step back to look into the golden eyes of a strange man. He observed her quietly, cocking his head to one side as he felt her fear, and then curiosity. She smiled at him, “you must be Jasper? Back from your hike…I’m Izzie, Bella’s friend.”

Jasper nodded curtly, “Mornin’, I mean…night, evening?”

Izzie laughed softly, unable to rip her eyes away from the stranger. Something was pulling her in…but she didn’t know what. “Good morning, night and evening to you too, Mr. Cullen.”

Jasper smiled a little, “Hale Ma’am…the name’s Jasper Hale.”

Izzie nodded, “Hale…I like that. Well, goodbye Jasper Hale.”

She got into her car, and as she drove off, looked back in her rear view mirror where the reflection of the southern gentleman could still be seen, looking after her…