A/N: hiatus over!! Hope you enjoy this short chapter. And, most importantly: The work below does NOT reflect my personal views on abortion. It is just what I believe my characters would think

Disclaimer: I do not own Wuthering Heights (even though I'm not even sure its copyright is effective anymore, since it's been about 150 years)

Izzie's story:

"After we left that day, he told me that he didn't have a place yet. He promised that we would buy one. We went to this old house. It looked abandoned and it was in the middle of nowhere. He wouldn't tell me how he found it or who lived there. We got married in a courthouse, and I wanted to write to you but he told me it was a bad idea. I should've seen it then, the way he acted when I said your name." Tears were flowing down her cheeks,

"Everything was fine until two weeks ago, when he heard about the wedding." Now she was shaking with fear at the memory, "I wanted to call, to go back and congratulate you. Oh god, Edgar, I'm so sorry." She could barely speak through her tears. He held her and reassured her until she was ready to continue, "He wouldn't even let me call. He yelled. He asked me how I could lie and say that I loved him when I was constantly siding with the things he hated the most. He got angrier than I'd ever seen him. He grabbed me and yelled at me. He called me terrible things and told me that I was useless and stupid for believing him. I was terrified, but I wasn't ready to give up on him. I stayed in that house.

The next morning he was...different. He ignored me completely. When I asked him what was wrong he yelled again. I finally packed my suitcase and told him I was leaving, but he...he wouldn't let me go. He grabbed me and told me to go back to my room. I'll never forget what he said. He kept telling me that he was in Hell and we all deserved to go down with him; you, me, and Caty." She paused at her sister-in-law's name, "He couldn't even stand me saying her name. It was what made him the angriest. That's when I knew she was right. I even heard him scream her name in his sleep once. It was terrifying."

"So you left?" prompted Edgar,

"I finally did, but he reported me. I had to hide for days. I've been in a motel paying cash for two days now, but I was going to come here after all the news coverage died down." She looked over her shoulder subconsciously, as if she was expecting HC to walk through the kitchen door. Instead, she saw Caty, leaning against the doorframe. Her face was expressionless, but inside she was a hurricane. She was hurting him, and now he hated her. She could never, ever hurt him. How could anybody? He was strong and heartless, unlovable, but she had broken him. She sat down at the table and squeezed Isabella's hand, "Why do you think he reported you?" It's not like he cares about you.

Izzie was too weak to read through Caty's words as she usually did, and answered softly, almost whispering, "I guess he knows." Her brother looked at her in confusion, waiting for her to elaborate. Something told Caty what was in her silence, "Izzie, are you…?" Izzie nodded and stared at her hands, neatly folded in her lap. A sob shook her whole body and Edgar held her again. Worry creased his brow as he understood the situation. Without letting go, he asked, "how long have you known"

"A few weeks. I left as soon as I found out. I didn't want him to…" she broke into sobs again, "I don't know what to do, Edgar. What if he finds me?"

Caty cut in with a practical response, "What if I take you to the clinic tomorrow? We can still fix this."

Izzie turned to her and glared, "No! I ran away for this baby. I am not going to take its life just because of who its father was." Edgar looked frustrated, but didn't say anything out of fear of losing her again. He got up and took her back to her room. Caty was left sitting at the table, unsure of how she really felt.