Someone Call the Lifeguard.

[Izaak Finch]

Izaak stood on the shoreline of the beach, where the waves curled close enough to lap lightly against his toes, and kept his azure eyes faithfully on the forever emptying ocean. It was a weekday and there were few people in the surf, his job was practically useless at the moment. But it was protocol that Izaak could do little but follow. With a lingering sigh, he drew his arms tightly across the muscular planes of his chest which were currently lost amongst the thick, blue material of his uniform and took a quick glance at his watch. 57. Three minutes till everything came crashing back down on his shoulders again.

The job was one he had gotten shortly before Bella had fallen ill, and after she had flown to Japan it had been his saviour of sorts. While his mind was occupied with lugging struggling backpackers from the surf or keeping an eye out over the horizon for the always dreaded fin of a shark, Izaak’s heart had gotten some well earned relief. It was almost as if it were him before he had known about Bella and before he had fallen in love with Alexis. On the beach he was just Izaak, pure and simple.

“Oi Finch!” A young man, a few years older than Izaak, called from the seat of a rumbling quadbike that had just been tearing along the shoreline. The nineteen year old cast his gaze away from the surf with an amused smile stretching smugly across his lips. “Get the bloody hell out of here.” The man on the quad was grinning now, simply waiting for Izaak to bite back with his own witty remark. But Izaak simply sighed and checked his watch again, 4:02. “Nice working with you too Josh.” He laughed and shook his head at his colleague, before throwing him a wave and trudging along the shoreline towards the cemented steps that he had raced down so many times before.

 

[Leighton Marsters]

Leighton took time off work to look after Autumn, he thought it would be a nice idea ifhe took the young girl to the beach near where he lived. Maybe she could splash around in the tide pools, and he could build an amateur sand castle so she could do her best to knock it down. He dressed her in a little yellow polka dotted swimming costume, and some sandles, with a little floppy cotton sun hat. Notforgetting to lather her from head to toe in sunscreen, so she didn't get burnt from the harsh sun. A back pack was nessecary in taking all the essentials to the beach; Towels, pale and spade, floaties, a small tent, sandwiches and baby food, and lots of sunscreen. He put on a rash top, and shorts, thinking he might hook up the baby seat offBella's broom and putiton his bike instead... He certainly wouldnt want to blow the magic folks cover, and he wouldn't know how to ride a broom anyway. Autumn seemed to be all kinds of excited and thrilled, as her big boy cousin strapped her in the seat, and he mounted his bike, pushing off onto the road.

They went round a few street blocks and they soon arrived at Bondi Beach. Picking Autumn up out of her seat, he carried her over the sand, and scanned the place for some where to set up their spot. It was pretty crowded, with families, and couples, he found a spot away from everyone none the less. He took the the back pack down off his shoudlers and began setting up the tent. It didn't take long considering it was pretty springy, and it bounced open straight away. He reached into the enormous camping bag and grabbed out Autumn's toys. "Ooh, look what I got for yooouu!" He cooed playfully, and set the bucket full of floatytoys and spade in front of her, and she new exactly what to do with the bucket and spade. She banged the spade on the bucked like a drum, and Leighton laughed. She laughed too, like she was making a joke, and started to pat at the sand with her tiny fist.

 

[Izaak Finch]

The closer Izaak drew to the stairs, the further he delayed his steps, curling his bare toes around the grains of sand that covered the beach. He had promised Leah that he’d take her and Jay out for dinner, an occasion that Izaak didn’t particularly want to entertain but he owed it to her, he had been a reasonably horrible brother over the past few weeks. He was not in the mood to clean up and spend hours at a bustling restaurant waiting for an overpriced meal. He’d much rather laze about on the couch and munch on toasted sandwiches until his heart was content. But that was all he had really been in the mood for lately.

With another regrettable sigh, Izaak scoped his gaze across the shoreline once more, fishing for an excuse to stay right where he wanted to. He hadn’t been expecting to find one and a reasonable one at that. But there they were, Autumn and Bella’s cousin Leighton, a man that Izaak had found himself acquainted with after the turn of recent events. Izaak felt his heart jolt, it seemed so unnatural without Bella nearby. Just imagining her lifeless body centred among those chanting monks raced shivers up and down his spine. But for the sake of what was sensible and responsible (as much as he’d rather not partake in either of those things at the current moment), Izaak shrugged the horrible feelings off. Shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his shorts, the nineteen year old slowly made his way over to the pitched tent.

“You’re a little rockstar in the making, aren’t you Autumn.” Izaak grinned as he crouched down beside his niece and tousled gentle with her silken hair before flicking his attention to the man. “What’re you guys doing here, Leighton?” Izaak asked curiously, wondering if it might have something to do with seeing him or if they had just set out to enjoy themselves.

 

[Leighton Marsters]

Leighton was scooping sand in his cupped hands when he heard a voice. Autumn looked around to see her faveourite uncle looking down at her. She squealed in delight and raised her arms up at him, opening and closing her little hands. Leighton tried to hide a scowel with a plastic smile that idicated he didn't like this fellow very much. He had full confidence that it was hsi fault that Bella was like this, and he wouldn't be able to hold his emotions steady with what he had to so unfortunatly tell him on such circumstance. "I only live around the corner from here, and since there is actually a beach, I thought I might dedicate my time to Autumn like I do anyway..." he said rolling his eyes unjder his sunglasses, and continuing to scoop together sand. "She has been so restless lately... She really misses her mum." Leighton placed a finger behind the lenses of his sunnies and sniffed quietly to himself, but still looked visibly strong inside and out.

 

[Izaak Finch]

Izaak could not help but succumb to the warming powers that his niece so unknowingly cast over his whole being. Jay boasted the exact same ones and yet both still remained so oblivious to exactly just how far they were able to lift him up, no matter their size or strength. Their innocent minds had yet to encounter dirty habits such as drinking oneself stupid and cheating on loved ones, or the ominous gloom of death. Being in contact with both Autumn and Jay allowed Izaak to completely forget the pitiful state of his life, even if only for a little while. “Hey cutie,” He grinned brightly as he watched her miniscule fists open and shut in what he took to be a greeting before rocking back to take a seat in the sand beside his infant niece.

His shockingly blue eyes traced from the innocence of Autumn’s genuine smile to one that look particularly false, plastered to Leighton’s face. Izaak frowned inwardly as he felt a low-rolling vibe of irritation hit the pit of his stomach. Bella’s cousin seemed like an alright guy, so why on earth was Izaak getting such a negative feeling? But Izaak listened both patiently and intently to the slightly older man’s words. "She has been so restless lately... She really misses her mum." The sickening jolt that wrenched on Izaak’s insides triggered a defence mechanism to slave away at building those heavy walls around his heart. It was instinct to avoid the topic because if he dwelled on it, the nineteen year old would surely fall victim to a dark mood swing. “Yeah, I think we all do… But I’m sure the beach will do her good, its such a good day for it.” Izaak gazed up at the sun as it continued to fall in the pastel blue of the sky. The weather? You can do better than that Izaak, he thought to himself with a scowl. But as it was, there was not much else he could think of to deter the subject.

yuckk

 

[Leighton Marsters]

Leighton smiled and nodded slowly, and Autumn continued to raise her arms up at Izaak, but started to whine and grumble. Leighton jumped in quickly "I think she wants you to hold her," he said in his really deep man voice, and he reached back into the tent to get his bag.. "Want a sanga?" he asked, in a usual Aussie idiom he liked to use alot.

 

[Leah Bennet]

wrong one

 

[Izaak Finch]

Izaak hastily took Autumn’s grumbles as a sign that she wasn’t getting what she wanted, however Leighton spoke before he could lift the baby girl onto to his lap. So Izaak merely nodded at his words before curling his steady hands around Autumn’s middle and pulling her gently onto his lap. “Better?” He laughed amusedly as she immediately ceased her whinging and bounced excited up and down on his legs. The nineteen year old leant in and pressed his lips softly to the crown of her head, breathing in that baby-smell coupled with hints of Bella which, to his surprise, was actually rather calming.

"Want a sanga?" Izaak shook his head in refusal of the offer after quickly being reminded of what he had promised Leah and Jay. “Nah, I’m good thanks. I’m actually going out to dinner soon…” With a small shrug of his squared shoulders, Izaak let his voice trail off into his thoughts. Perhaps it would be good after all, it would certainly take his mind off of things. “What else have you two been up to?” Visiting Bella went without saying, it did on Izaak’s part anyway and he hoped that maybe he’d be entertained by a movie that they had gone to see or something of the like.

 

[Leighton Marsters]

Leighton shrugged dejectedly, and laughed, as if to say 'like you don't know?' "I have been looking after my second cousin. "I don't suppose you've seen that Casey girl, because Autumn misses her." He said and shrugged. This guy really should've just left already, he had done enough damage, and he didn't even know the worst of it about to come.. He was hesitant in saying anything because Leighton could only go by what his descisions were. He thought Izaak really had no right to know, because he wasn't even in her life as much as Leighton was, because of circumstances. "Bella won't be able to be kept alive forever, and if it's too long... She can get permanent damage on her part." Leighton's voice quaked at the thought. He tried to keep the tears away, but he couldn't.

 

[Leah Bennet]

Did it again

 

[Izaak Finch]

The more time Izaak spent with this relation of Bella’s, the more he felt the frustration grow heavier within him. The jesting sarcasm was not something Izaak was in the mood for, and although he could be facetious at times, being so right now was way out of line. However, the nineteen year old’s azure eyes flashed dangerously for a brief moment at hearing the way he had addressed Casey. If Leighton was close to Bella at all then he should’ve have known that Casey deserved far more respect than that. Not to mention that that Casey girl happened to be his very best friend. “Casey,” Izaak began with a warning growl hint in the timbre of his voice. “Is at school. She can’t leave, it’s policy.”

Leighton began speaking again and Izaak caught himself wishing that he would stop. "Bella won't be able to be kept alive forever, and if it's too long... She can get permanent damage on her part." The tone of the words was miles away from optimistic, exactly what they didn’t need right now. Izaak clenched his jaw, grinding his rows of teeth together in an attempt to keep his furiousness at bay. “So what are you suggesting? That we just give up all together?!” He pressed incredulously, now struggling to check his anger. The depressive thought of just letting Bella go like that wrenched violently at his heart strings.

soooo out of it.

 

[Leighton Marsters]

Leighton grew red with frusteration, at this guys attitude. "Would you rather have her dead or retarted, Izaak. She is just a floating speck of skin and bone now and there is nothing we can do!" he groweled fiercely at Bella's brother. "I don't know why, but they just expect you to make that desiscion, and you could only make the worst possible choice, because that's all. She's there because she couldn't deal with your drama, and now she's half dead." Leighton's voice quivvered again a tear rolled down his cheek, but the hot, humid wind dried it off before it was visible.

Leighton clenched his fists in the sand, and shook his head slowly. He had the idea that none of them cared for Bella, otherwise they wouldn't of let this happen. He felt so helpless for the first time in his life.

 

[Izaak Finch]

Izaak had tried his hardest to suppress the anger that was coiling indignantly through his veins but as Leighton snapped a harsh ultimatum, he could no longer help himself. In one last attempt to be gentle, Izaak hoisted Autumn from his lap and set her down on the safety of the sand before springing unnervingly to his feet. His 6’1” frame glowered above Leighton as he continued to throw blow after blow to the sensibility of what Izaak chose for his sister. And worse yet, accusing Izaak for all that had happened.

“She's there because she couldn't deal with your drama, and now she's half dead." The Izaak’s irises blazed heatedly with the colour of a blue flame, and with the intensity of one. That was it, that had to be the final straw. “It’s my all fault is it?! What went down was between Alexis and I, no one else. So I hardly believe that’s true. What do you care anyway? You think she’s better off dead!” The nineteen year old drew a jagged breath, fighting to straighten his mind when all he truly wanted to do was throw at punch at this guy’s face. “Thank god you’re not her brother. There’s a chance, and I don’t care how bloody small it is, that she’ll be fine. And I’m gonna take it, whether you like it or not.” Izaak spat viciously before raking a square hand through his golden brown hair and turning his back to Bella’s cousin, eager to leave his company.

 

[Leighton Marsters]

Leighton swirved, and scrambled to his feet. Autumn began to scream and cry, but Leighton sought it to waste his energy. "F*ck off, you little twit!" he yelled and pushed Izaak with penetrable strength grabbing hold of his shoulders and extending his arms to show full strength of the contours of his arms. "You don't know how long that girl had had to suffer... She's been dying all her life, and we've never been able to help her as much as we wanted too with all our hearts!" he panted, with beads of sweat dripping down his beat red face. "Don't you dare say that I think she's better off dead!" He yelled down at Izaak's face, turning around to pick up Autumn, and walking away, with her in his arms.