My Sunflower || Lance Sweets

Chapter Twenty: Let's be Friends

"Hey!"

"Hey." Her voice was hoarse was misuse. She had spent more time listening rather than talking these past few weeks. But now.... Now was enough for her. "How was work?"

"Busy. I actually punched a guy for being a little shit." Isabelle raised her eyebrow. "Okay, when I say little shit, he was pervving on the other nurses. He squeezed Annalise's ass so that's when I punched him." That made Isabelle laugh.

"Classic." Mel nodded and dropped her things on the ground before unceremoniously dropping onto the couch and kicking her sneakers off.  She sighed and rested her head back on the couch and patted the seat beside her. Isabelle shuffled over and sat down, keeping her self cocooned in her blanket as she curled around herself and faced Mel. "Have they..." Mel shook her head.

"Nothing since yesterday. He's still on the lam. Booth came in with a concussion this morning- he also punched the perv." Isabelle snorted again. "It was hilarious. Dude now has two black eyes. And a fractured jaw. Booth has a wicked fist on him."

"That doesn't surprise me." Isabelle responded. "He looks like he has a mean right hook." Mel nodded her head and grabbed the TV remote and flicked the TV on to the news. The two of them sat there in silence as they watched the headlines play across the screen. It was Isabelle who spoke first. "You know, maybe tomorrow we should go out for lunch." Mel looked over at her slowly, not moving too fast as if scared to scare Isabelle into retracting her statement and staying in her room and never leaving it again.

"Yeah... That would be nice. We can definitely go out for lunch."

"Maybe that little bistro down the roads?"

"Pierre's?"

"Yeah." Mel smiled and reached over to squeeze her shoulder.

"Alright then. Tomorrow we go out for lunch." She nodded. They turned their attentions back to the TV and sat there in silence, watching the news flash by on the screen.

Hours later, Isabelle lay curled in her bed, staring at the wall. Mel had been called back into work for an emergency and had left Isabelle watching a movie in peace. Keeping her out of her room for at least a few hours had been a big step for her. But she had returned to bed shortly after she had left, electing for the safety of her bedroom. She held her blanket to her like a teddy bear, warm and safe. Isabelle nuzzled down into her blanket and closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would take her peacefully and quietly.

That, however, was not the case this night.

Most night were dreamless, sometimes with the occasional flash of Munroe's face or a random image of trees with a spike of pain through her abdomen. Sometimes she felt like there was a hand on her throat squeezing the air out of her lungs.

That night, she woke up in a cold sweat and Mel sitting over her, shaking her awake.

"Iz!" She had the main light on, the bright bulb blinding her slightly as her eyes shot open. "What the heck?"

"I.... I don't know." Mel rubbed her shoulders and wiped away something from her cheek. "What happened?"

"You were crying and yelling something. You sounded like you were choking." Isabelle choked and she felt the tears this time. Mel sighed and pulled her forward, hugging and rocking her like one would a baby. "It's okay... Shhhh, it's okay." They stayed like that for a few minutes before Isabelle moved away and wiped her face and sniffed. Mel let her go and watched her.

"He was choking me." Isabelle managed to get out. She put a hand to her throat and rubbed at it, taking deep breathes as she did so. "And it was cold."

"Is this because you decided to go out tomorrow?" Isabelle shrugged and started to rock herself back and forward. Mel sat and watched, letting her get it out before she started to talk again. "You know, Iz, you've been incredibly strong these last few weeks. I am so proud of you for getting through all this. And tomorrow? Tomorrow is a big step to go out and you made that decision." Mel tilted her head as she spoke, speaking softly and gently, not pushing her as she spoke but slowly, carefully, bringing Isabelle back down to earth.

"No one- and i mean, no one, can make that first step for you. So the fact that you have made the first step towards getting some part of your life back and not letting that sick son of a gun win is the best thing you could ever do and i am so proud of you and I will say that as many times as you need to hear it." Isabelle sniffed and looked her friend in the face. "You're amazing, you know?"

"I know." Mel laughed and rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Mel."

"Always. Now go to sleep. We have a fun day planned for tomorrow." Isabelle took a deep breath and rolled herself on to her side. "Are your eyes closed?"

"Yes mother."

"Good night." Isabelle felt the end of her bed creak as Mel got up and flicked her light off, leaving the bedside lamp to illuminate her room. A few tears still slipped out and over her nose, wetting her pillow and stinging her eyes. She pulled the blankets closer around her and closed her eyes, allowing herself to slip back into sleep.

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"You know, we don't have to go." Mel stood outside on the pavement, car keys in hand as she waited for Isabelle. She stood by the front door, staring at her shoes. Today was the first day she had gotten dressed properly. She didn't miss jeans. They were uncomfortable to get on.

"No, no we can go. We will go. I just.... Need a moment."

"Okay. That's okay. Take your time." Mel leaned against the wall and looked down at her watch. Isabelle wrung her hands together and took a breath. Her head was rushing. To leave the house, step out the door. Just.... Out the door. There was the sound of  car coming to a stop on the street. Mel looked out towards the street and her eyes went wide. "It looks like we have a guest."

"Oh thank heavens." Isabelle gave a sigh of relief. "Who is it?"

"Uhhh...."

"Isabelle?" A familiar voice was heard. Isabelle's eyes widened as Mel looked at her, eyes wide as she looked back and forward.

"Wendell?" Isabelle whispered. Her head spun a little bit as he came into view. She blinked a few times. "What..."

"I... Hi."

"Hi." Isabelle grabbed the door frame. Her heart felt like it had leaped into her throat. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to... I needed to see you." He stopped at where Mel stood, watching Isabelle cautiously. She watched him back while Mel stood beside him, looking between the two of them.

"I'm... Going to wait in the car?" She looked at Isabelle who tentatively nodded her head. Mel walked away, leaving the two of them. Isabelle stepped forward and before she could even think, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Wendell froze before carefully wrapping his arms around her waist. She felt him shudder as she hugged him, allowing herself to relax into him as they stood there.

"I missed you." She whispered to him. Wendell held her a smidge tighter and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I missed you too. I needed to see you. We.. We need to talk." Isabelle nodded and squeezed her eyes shut as she hugged him.

"We do."