Reminder: SSL = Swan Sign Language

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Dad decided that his prank wasn't enough for the first go around. He decided that Dr. Cullen would be the best person to give me a more detailed sex talk. As a future step parent, and the love of my Dad's life, I almost understood his logic on why he choose Dr. Cullen's expertise.

Almost.

The whole conversation…It was embarrassing, mortifying…informative.

Not because of the sexual information, I'm still bleaching that out of my mind, but because I used my Swan amazingness and got Future Step Daddy's phone number.

He told me it was in case of emergencies. Of course, in SSL:

I can't wait to marry your father and unite our families. Even if my son is a total creep, my love for your father knows no bounds. Take this number so we can bond before the wedding.

It's meant to be! How else did he know SSL so well? Predestined Swan, of course.

I couldn't wait to set up a date with them for Dad. Now, all I have to do is meet my future Step Mother and convince all three of them to go out.

Easy. Dad's a Swan. Who doesn't love a Swan?

Everything is falling into place.

Plan One Big Happy Family Minus Creepy Cullen begins! Or OBHFMCC, for short, of course.

(It took me to my third day awake that I realized I hadn't heard from Renee.)

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"Where's Mother?" I asked.

Bella flinched. And then she mumbled, "She's…in Florida still."

"Why?" I asked suspiciously. Mother wasn't the most responsible parent but she would at least would have checked in on me during my stint of being inspired by Sleeping Beauty.

Bella fidgeted when her jacket, avoiding my gaze, and glanced around the room nervously.

Realization quickly dawned on me.

I glared at Bella's guilty face. "You didn't tell her?!"

She flinched again. "No."

"How did you get around telling her I was in a coma for two weeks?"

"I just mentioned you were sleeping every time she called."

My mouth closed with a snap. Damn it. That was good. Bella's lying skills have improved more than I expected. Grudgingly, I was impressed. I didn't drop my glare from her face though.

She sighed, reaching for my hand, and gently held it in both of hers. "You were hurt. It was scary, Isa." She whispered. "You looked-I don't think I could have dealt with her. Not with this. Not with how you looked when I found you. It wouldn't have be FAIR. I couldn't-You understand? Please…"

Big chocolate brown eyes stared at me pleadingly. My annoyance fading away at her admission. It was my turn to sigh.

I understand where she was coming from. When Mother worried, she either settled in such a deep funk not even bribes of candy and ice cream could get her out of it. Not even Britney Spears songs worked!

She would barely eat, would barely shower, and would barely function.

She just…stopped.

And, that was when I caught a mild case of pneumonia when we were twelve. Between, school, Mother, and taking care of me during the whole thing, Bella was exhausted after the whole ordeal.

"That's not fair to Renee either. You know that." I started. She looked away, shame clouding her face. My tone softened, I continued gently. "But, I do understand."

She gave a weak smile.

I eyed her thoughtfully before I reversed her grip on my hands, carefully handling her hands in mine.

"Let's make a promise-"

She gave me a look. "I told you. I'm not going to a Wiggles concert with you."

"That's not-" I attempted to say before I was rudely cut off. Again.

She sent me another look. "I'm not stalking Justin Timberlake and instigating a meet-cute moment between the two of you to gush about at your wedding."

"You said you were still thinking about!" I protested, automatically leaning closer to her, before pulling myself back. "We'll talk about this later. Now, focus."

She sighed and waited for me to start.

"Let's promise to be there for each other. No matter what." I smiled softly at her. "Bella and Isa against the world?"

She laughed, a happy grin growing on her face, and agreed. "Yeah, Isa. Bella and Isa against the world."

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I stared at the phone in my hand. The faint light of the screen shining up at me. The time, 9:47pm, flashing up at me. I glanced around the hospital room, hoping for a distraction, something to help me avoid doing this.

Dad left for the night, dropping my phone off. Bella went home a couple hours early than him.

What I would give for a nurse, or a male stripper. Huh, why do they call them male strippers, and not just strippers? Next time I see a stripper, I'll ask.

I shook my head, dismissing those thoughts, and blowing brown curls off my forehead with a quiet breath, then shifted to rest my back against the head board of the bed.

My thumb hovered the green call button. I hesitated to press it.

Did I really want to do this? No.

Did I feel like I had too? Yes.

I pressed the button and held the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" A confused voice sounding from the other end.

"Mother?"

"Isaac? You've finally called me back!" Mother said.

I gave a weak smile. "Yeah, I was-"

"I was almost worried. I kept missing you and then you never called me back. I don't know why you have a phone if you're not going to use it. I wondered if I did something wrong. It's been weeks." Her tone shifted, worry bleeding through. "Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me? I knew I should have kept you both from leaving. You resent me, don't you? I told Phil this would happen if you two went."

She paused to take breath. I saw my chance, and leaped into conversation.

"No, Mother-"

"I'm sorry. You can always fly back. Hold on." I heard sounds of the phone shifting against something, cloth rubbing against the speakers, and her voice appeared more muffled as she continued, clacking of a keyboard issued. "I'm going to buy tickets for you to come down to Florida. Don't worry about the cost. I'll pay for everything. It's no trouble."

"No, wait, Mother-"

She rambled on. "Was it Charlie preventing you from calling me? It's all his fault. I know it is. I know how he reallyis, I was married to him, and look how that-"

"Stop!" I shouted, my other hand balling into a fist, the beeping from the heart monitor quickening. A faint pounding started in my head.

"Isaac-"

"Everything is fine." I snapped. "I'm calling because I couldn't put off talking you anymore."

She gasped. I could practically see the hurt expression on her face. I gritted my teeth. This was why Bella didn't tell her. This is why we never told her anything of actual importance.

I ignored her second attempt of trying interrupt me, and continued on. "Bella and I don't regret coming here. We love it here. The weather, school, everything. We love Dad. " I emphasized, bitterly continuing. "It's the best thing we could have done. Dad didn't keep me from calling you. I just…couldn't talk to you."

"Why?" She whispered.

"I was busy." I flatly said, the pounding in my head growing worst. An odd silence fell over us. The only sound being our breathing.

I sighed. "I've got to go. I have homework to finish and I was just calling to say hello anyway."

"Will-will you call me back later this week?" She said quietly, hurt still coloring her tone.

"Sure." I shrugged. "Bye. Love you."

"Love you-"

I hung up the phone before she could get a chance to say anything else.

The pounding in my head beating in time with heart monitor.

I scowled down at my phone before tossing it on the bed.

Lying bothered me. But, lying to Renee was the quickest way to a resolution. At least, I wasn't lying to Dad. I promised I wouldn't do it him, and I managed to keep the promise over the years after I made it.

I slid down until my back was against the bed, closing my eyes, remembering how I told Bella it wasn't fair to Mother. But now, I really understood where Bella was coming from.

It wasn't fair to us to tell Mother the truth.

For once, being selfish was allowed.

It took almost another week for me to go home. Relearning how to walk wasn't as fun as the first time I did it. I think, I don't really remember the first time.

Dad mentioned that he bribed me with sweets the first time. I begged for some this time, but he decided I was old enough to figure it out without them.

Traitor.

Bella went back to school full time. And, she brought school work to me so I could begin making it up since Dr. Cullen ordered that I still rest a few days before attending school. I could have done without the work and all the head ache inducing formulas, but education was important. Or that's what Bella said. And Dad mentioned. And Renee talked about when she decided to sign up for college classes before she dropped them after a few weeks.

I could just coast on being a Swan.

But, who am I to deny my full potential?

Plus, the work served as a distraction.

Because a small part of me was worried, worried about what really going on. And, I wasn't the only one wondering.

I dismissed Dad's concerned looks he shot me when he thought I wasn't looking, and laughed away Bella's worries when she fussed over me, and never mentioned to Mother how serious the situation had been when I called her because Bella was right.

I didn't want to admit it. But, I was…scared.

Because.

What happened to me?

What was going on?

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Hello, everyone! I'm back :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I haven't written anything since I last posted a chapter here in 2016. I apologize for how rusty I've gotten, and I hope to do better in the future! This chapter is more serious than the pasts ones and I wanted some more Bella/Isaac bonding. And more information on the relationship between Renee/Isaac.

I wanted to thank reviewer Charm: she gave me advice on comas and the aftermath of them and she made some great points that I added to this chapter. Thank you, Charm!

I also wanted to thank everyone who followed and favorited and reviewed the story! It brings me so much joy that y'all enjoy my story :).