Isabelle rested her chin on top of her drawn up knees. She wrapped her arms around them as she stared out at the pale moonlight spilling across the lake. It had taken every bit of strength, and energyshe had to get out here, but her mother had insisted upon a walk, and she had been too tired to put up an argument. Her mother sat silently beside her, gazing out at the lake as she slowly rocked the swing back and forth.
“I miss him,” Isabelle mumbled.
“I know you do.”
“I never wanted this,” she whispered. “I never wanted to feel like this. I tried so hard to avoid it.” Her voice broke on asob;she had to pause to take a deep breath before she could go on. “I stayed away from everyone, stayed away from humans, just so this wouldn’t happen.”
Her mother looked at her questioningly. “So what wouldn’t happen?” she askedgently.
“This! Look at me! I’m a mess!” she cried. “I hurt so bad, emotionally and physically, that I can hardly breathe, let alone survive! I never wanted to be like you and dad! I didn’t want it!” She was sobbing again, her body shaking as tears slid down her face. Her mother touched her arm gently as she continued to sob out her misery. “Before he came, I hadn’t cried since Ethan and Ian cut off my hair, and now I can’t stop! I feel likeI’m dying!” she sobbed. “Ineverwanted to feel this vulnerable because of another person!”
“Isabelle, hiding away from the world wasn’t going to stop anything. What is meant tobeis meant to be. You twowere meant to be together, no matter what you did, youweren’t going tochange that fact.”
“No, we’re not!” she yelled. “He wouldn’t have left then! He never should have come here! What is the matter with me?”
“Nothing,” her mom assured her, gently stroking her hair. “There is nothing wrong with you Isabelle.”
Isabelle hugged her legs tighter, fighting against the fierce tremors that wracked her pain stricken body.“Yes, there is.Abby and Vicky like everyguy they meet.I’ve never felt anything, for anyone, until I met him!”
Her mom sighed softly, her hand curledgently around the back of Isabelle’s head.“Because a part of you knew that he was out there, that he would come for you. Vicky and Abby may not have that person.”
“Why couldn’t that have been me? They want soul mates.I don’t.I don’t even know if he is,or not! I don’t know anything anymore.” She started shaking with the force of her sobs, and misery.She leaned against hermotheras she hugged her tightly. “I never wanted my life, my existence, to hang on someone else’s. I know that what you and dad have is special, but if he dies, than you die, and vice versa. I never wanted to be so vulnerable! Now... now...”
She broke off, unable to speak through her sobs. She buried her head in her mother’s shoulder as she continued to gently stroke her hair. “It’s a wonderful thing Isabelle,” she whispered. “It’s frightening, and it’s scary, but it is truly wonderful. What you have discovered is something magical, something that mostpeople never find. Something that your sisters, your brothers, and the stooges may never find.”
Isabelle shuddered;agony torethrough her as she feltStefan’sloss deep in her bones.“It doesn’t matter, he’s gone, and it hurts somuch,” she whispered.
Her momsighed gently, her hand stilledon Isabelle’s hair.“You could try and find him.”
Isabelle shook her head. “He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t love me, otherwise he wouldn’t have left.”
“Do you love him?”
Isabelle closed her eyes as she thought over her mother’s question.“I don’t know. I didn’t even like him, but he made me feel things I’ve never felt before, made me feel complete, and whole, and safe, and so many other things,” she finished shyly.
Her mom chuckled softly. “I understand,” she assured her.
Isabelle knew that she did, but it didn’t help to ease the awful pain that twisted her entire being. “Do you think that he really is my soul mate?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She sighed softly and gently pushed the swing back. “You didn’t see him when you were hurt Isabelle. He wanted to attack everyone that came near you, including your father. Hedidattack Ethan.” Isabelle shuddered atthe thoughtofwhat could have happened to Ethan,if David hadn’t stopped Stefan. It would have killed her if Ethan had been seriously hurt. “He was losing control of himself. I think that’s why he went away. It’s a very frightening thing. I remember when your father went through it. He was confused, and angry, and scared that he would hurt everyone, including me.”
“Daddy would never hurt you,”Isabelle whispered.
“He would have then. He wouldn’t have meant too, but he would haveif I had insisted on stayinghuman. Itis confusing Isabelle, and itis frightening, but it is worth it. I promise you that much.”
“What do I do?” she whispered forlornly.
“I don’t know sweetie.”
Isabelle grew silent as she allowed herself to be somewhat comforted by her mother’s warm embrace, but it wasn’t enough. She needed him, she knew that now, but it was too late. She had fought him so hard, and he had left because of it. Now all she wanted was to have him back. She wouldn’t fight him now, if he would just come back. She wished that there was some way that she could bring him back, some way that she could reach him and tell him to come back. Tears slid silently down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.
The air was warm and still, not even a breeze stirred it, and yet, something did. Isabelle sat up quickly, her gaze dartedtoward the woods.
“Isabelle,” her mom said softly.
