Shutting her locker door, Izzy slipped her arms into her hoodie and zipped it up halfway. Not even attempting to hide the yawn that escaped her, Izzy swung her purse onto her shoulder and made her way along the dimly lit chilly corridor. If she was perfectly honest, all Izzy wanted to do was go home, relax in a hot bath and sleep. However, Grace had called, and she had made it sound as though it was a matter of some importance that Izzy head over to hers before returning home.

"Oh Izzy...don't forget the staff meeting at 8.30 tomorrow morning, we need to get the final plans for the gala sorted."

Izzy closed her eyes and groaned at Wilbur's words, cursing at having been spotted as she walked past his office.

"Wilbur, I'm not in tomorrow, you already okayed it that I could have Tuesday off seeings as I've been here all bloody day today," she reminded him, slightly exasperated.

"Yes, but your organizational skills are out of this world...and I really need your help," Wilbur explained with a whine.

Izzy leant against the doorframe, her hands stuffed firmly in the pockets of her hoodie.

"Wilbur, I'm just not sure right now if I can be part of all of this, I've got a lot of stuff going on that's...well, it's just going on," she told him quietly.

Wilbur placed his pen on the desk and leaned back in his chair.

"Izzy, I really thought you would have been a little more enthusiastic about all of this, especially as your department is getting a huge slice of the donation," Wilbur pointed out, hoping to get her to change her mind.

"Should have seen that one coming," Izzy retortred with a bitter laugh.

"I don't know what's going on with you right now Izzy, but we can't afford to let anything go wrong with this. Charles Hamilton-Forsythe is a very important man."

"No Wilbur, he's really not. He's nothing but scum who doesn't care who he crushes in his path to get what he wants," Izzy straightened herself up. "I'll see how I feel in the morning Wilbur, but don't expect miracles," she called behind her, heading down the corridor once more.

Izzy shivered as she stepped outside onto the museum steps, in spite of the warm night air. Slowly trudging down the steps, Izzy headed for her car, just wanting nothing more than for this horrible mess to go away. With a sigh she continued walking as she began to root around in her purse for her keys.

"I bet they're in the front pocket, that's normally where you keep them."

Looking up, her heart began to pound rapidly in her chest. Izzy stood looking at him sitting on the hood of her car, not even sure what to say.

"Izzy?" Brian questioned, as if unsure what to make of her silence.

Not caring if he was there with good or bad news, Izzy ran towards him, falling into his arms, breathing in his delicious scent as he held her close.

"Thank fuck," he whispered, taking her face in his hands and gazing at her.

Without another word, Brian kissed her softly, savouring the feel of her lips on his, taking in the vanillary scent of her perfume, losing himself in the way her fingertips danced lightly across the back of his neck, sending little shivers of pleasure throughout him.

"I'm sorry," he apologised, his forehead resting against hers.

"Brian, I'm as much to blame here as you, I...."

Brian shook his head, looking deep into her tired blue eyes.

"Just hear me out a minute. I know everything about your father Izzy, and I now understand why you keep that hidden. I've spent the last few hours with your mom, and she told me everything I needed to hear to make me understand why your past is so painful for you to talk about. Admittedly, we're both in the wrong for keeping stuff from each other, but from what I gather, the fact that you planned to tell me was a huge step for you. I, on the other hand, shouldn't have gotten mad at the fact that you knew who I really was. I should have realised that you hadn't mentioned it because you weren't bothered by it."

Brian reached up, running his fingers along her cheek in a gentle caress.

"I love you Izzy. I know it may seem too soon, but I know how I feel. You're engrained in here...and here," he told her, indicating to his head and his heart. "When I'm with you, life just seems so simple and easy, and it makes me realise that there is so much more out there than getting drunk off my ass in a club every night and allowing myself to behave in ways that when I'm sober, I hate myself for. But with you, I can be me, I'm Brian. And I have never been happier than what I am when I'm with you. I've fallen in love....and I don't want to be without you."

Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, Izzy managed a smile.

"I love you too," she answered softly, leaning in to kiss him again.

"Bugger! I've got to get to mum's," Izzy remembered as she pulled away.

"I know, I was gonna wait there for you, but couldn't wait to see you. Amber dropped me off, I'm coming back with you though....I promised your mom I'd be there."

Izzy nodded, retrieving her keys from the front pocket of her purse.

"Just one question," Izzy began as she started the engine "Mum didn't happen to drag out any photo albums whilst you were there did she?"

Brian just grinned.

"Joy!" Izzy mumbled, pulling out of the lot and heading for home.

*********

Grace sat and watched Izzy reading through the papers she had earlier shown Brian for what seemed like an eternity. It was almost as if her daughter was going over it again and again, trying to absorb every word that was laid out before her in black and white. Brian rubbed Izzy's back soothingly as she ran a shaky hand through her red hair, her blue eyes finally meeting those of her mother.

"Grandpa denounced me, and Charles never told me?" she asked quietly, her voice hitching in her throat.

"It looks that way sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Grace replied.

Izzy shook her head, a sad smile fixed on her face.

"You have nothing to be sorry for mum, you weren't to know that even he could stoop this low," Izzy reassured her.

Brian looked over at Grace, slightly confused at how Izzy was remaining so calm over what she had just discovered. Grace returned the look, obviously having expected a more angry reaction to the one they were getting.

"Baby..."

Izzy turned to look at Brian, the same sad smile greeting him.

"I don't know how to feel about this right now," Izzy admitted. "Should I be angry, relieved, full of hatred....I just don't know. I have to face this man next week, and yet, right now, I have no idea what I'm going to say or do."

Wrapping his arms round her, Brian leant back, kissing the top of her head. There had to be some way of bringing this to a head, of making Charles more than aware of how he had been found out, and that in fact his plan to make Izzy's life as difficult as possible had been thwarted, that she was free of everything that he had endeavoured to keep her tied to.

"You said Wilbur wants your help right?"

"Mmhmm," Izzy answerd with a nod.

"Ok, so tomorrow, we both go in and we explain everything to him, and say that you're willing to help as long as you can have your moment."

Izzy sat up and looked at Brian, a little unsure what he was getting at.

"My moment?" she questioned.

"Izzy," Brian began, sitting up straighter "Charles is no fool, he's going to see next week as the perfect oppurtunity to let people know just who you are..or were rather. You have to fight fire with fire....expose him for what he is and what he's done."

"I know you're not normally one for public displays honey, but I think Brian's actually right, you need to do something."

Izzy turned back to look at her mother, and knew that she would never encourage her to do something she didn't believe to be right.

"Will you be there with me?" she asked Brian, searching his eyes for reassurance.

Brian pressed his lips to her forehead and smiled.

"Every step of the way."