Isabel's Apartment in Vegas, Tuesday afternoon

[izzyalienqueen]

Spending a weekend dealing with drunken podiatrists would have been taxing at any time. Doing it while dealing with a constant desire to be doing things with her boyfriend that shouldn't be mentioned in polite company? Hell.

But somehow, mostly because when she wasn't dealing with podiatrists, she was doing unmentionable things with Wyatt, Isabel survived. She just didn't sleep much.

Recovering from a lack of weekend sleep was probably the reason Isabel overslept on Tuesday morning and had to dash out the door to make it to her summer class on time. After class she hit the gym, then met a friend from school for a long lunch. All that meant it was mid-afternoon before she returned home and checked her email.

"Crap."

Isabel couldn't imagine what had happened that would cause Parker to bolt, especially when she was supposed to be leaving at the end of the week. They hadn't talked since Isabel had made her quick trip over to fix the shoes. Somehow when she called, she always got Parker's voicemail. But Parker had responded to her emails, a few short notes that assured Isabel that she was fine. Not that Isabel believed it. Still, she didn't push, unable to think of what to tell Parker that didn't revolve around questioning if it was all really worth it.

Relieved that she didn't have to work that night, a quiet and worried Isabel set her laptop aside and curled up on her couch to brood.

[for phone calls, emails, or anyone that feels like stopping by]

Comments

[blessed_twice]

Anyone who felt like stopping by would include the boyfriend, who was amazed he had the strength to orb after the rather exhausting weekend he'd had with Isabel. He immediately picked up on Isabel's mood when he orbed into her living room. "Hey -- what's wrong?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Her laptop was on the coffee table, still opened to Parker's email. Isabel pushed it an inch towards Wyatt with her foot. "Read it," she said quietly.

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt leaned over the laptop and read the email. "Huh? What the hell is she doing?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Running. I just don't know from what." Frustrated because she didn't know the answers, Isabel shook her head. "I knew she wasn't okay. I should have had you take me over there this weekend."

[blessed_twice]

"She probably would've told us to get lost," Wyatt said, sitting down beside Isabel and pulling her into his arms.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel burrowed into Wyatt's side.

"I don't know. Maybe. But maybe I could have bugged her enough to talk." Or they could have found Lyle and orbed him to Antarctica. Without a coat.

[blessed_twice]

"She'll be okay," Wyatt said, stroking her hair. "She knows how to take care of herself."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know, but I'm still going to worry."

Because it was the only thing she could do.

She couldn't get in touch with Jarod. The only person at the Centre she could contact was Sydney, and Isabel doubted he could help. Plus her sense of self preservation thought it was probably best not do anything to draw attention to herself.

[blessed_twice]

"We can go looking for her, if you want," Wyatt said. "Between witch-fu, whitelighter-fu, alien-fu, and good old-fashioned detective work, I bet we can find her."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Maybe. But if she's running it's for a good reason. I don't want to accidentally draw attention to her if we find her. And," Isabel admitted after a long moment. "I don't want to draw attention to us. We're just going to have to wait."

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt hated feeling helpless. "I'm sorry," he said. "Is there anything I can do?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"This," she said quietly as she closed her eyes and rested her head against Wyatt's shoulder. "This is good."

[blessed_twice]

"That I can do," Wyatt said. He wrapped his arm more tightly around her. After a moment, he murmured, "You ever run away like that, I would never stop looking for you."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"If I ever had to run, it would be to you," Isabel replied. "I feel safe when I'm with you."

[blessed_twice]

"You know exactly what to say to inflate my manly ego," Wyatt grinned. He pounded his chest with his free hand. "Me protect woman."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Her answering laugh was weak. "Yeah? And who do you think is going to watch your back when you need it?"

[blessed_twice]

"Woman protect man when man is dumb," Wyatt said. "Or she rolls her eyes a lot, depending on the situation, I guess."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"She also sighs heavily when man is particularly boneheaded," she replied.

[blessed_twice]

"And I certainly don't give you any reason at all to do that," Wyatt grinned.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel tilted her head to study Wyatt as a single eyebrow raised.

[blessed_twice]

"...at least not today?" Wyatt offered.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No, not today," Isabel agreed, snuggling close once more.

"Since I don't have to work tonight? Want to order in some food and spend the night watching stupid movies?" Hopefully it would help keep her from thinking too much about friends on walkabout.

[blessed_twice]

"I can definitely get behind that," Wyatt said. "What are you in the mood for? Chinese, Thai, pizza? And I think there's some cheesy monster movie on SciFi. We're talking Mansquito-level quality."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm easy. Whatever you're in the mood for. Just be sure to break out the Tabasco." As if he'd forget after almost two years.

"Oh? Is it the one where the vampires can be killed by regular bullets? Or the one with the growling shark?"

[blessed_twice]

"All right, Thai and Tabasco it is," Wyatt said. "And I think it's the one with the shark. But not, unfortunately, Mega Shark versus Giant Octopus."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel pouted. "Awww. But I wanted to see it eat the airplane in flight."