Author: Josephine

Category: Max/Isabel

Rating: PG-13ish

Max stared at his hands, so much blood, his hands were shaking or his vision was doubling. The smell that faint metallic smell and leather; Alex’s jacket. He couldn’t see Alex’s face there was too much blood, thank God for that. He pressed his hand into the destroyed flesh again, he saw the energy flash but it wasn’t white it was murky yellow like the clouds that come out of factory smoke stacks. He had to get out of this van, it reeked of death. The only thing that cemented him to the spot was the desperate haunted look in Isabel’s eyes. He wanted to bring back Alex for her. He couldn’t stand her pain, he felt it as if it were his own.

Max covered his face with his arm and took a sharp breath so he wouldn’t smell the blood. Then he redoubled his efforts. Again the light enveloped Alex’s body but once again it muddied and became sickly yellow. There was nothing that he could do. He launched himself at the doors almost tumbling out of the van. He felt Isabel’s panic and pain as she realized he wasn’t able to revive Alex. He wanted to run to her and hold her tightly so that she wouldn’t feel the pain as acutely. But he knew that that comfort wouldn ’t be enough. Her pain was etched on his own features as he reached the group. Isabel’s features still held a desperate thread of hope. When he was close enough to touch her she ran, he looked at his friends and their combined pain hit him like a tidal wave, he almost swooned from his loss of energy and the emotions that assaulted him. He heard Tess speaking to him as if from miles away.

“Go after her Max, Max go after her”. Instructed Tess.

“Yes, go after her Max.” added Liz coldly.

Max took one more look at his friends then ran after Isabel.

He found her in the park, bursts of energy flew from her hands causing the swings to fly dangerously around her sometimes hitting her back or a leg. All the park lights smoked, she had shattered every one of them.

Max gasped as he saw a swing chain graze her cheek leaving behind a red slash.

With one burst of energy from Max’s depleted reserve he caused every swing to fall harmlessly to the ground.

Isabel looked up at Max through her tears.

“No Max! you can’t fix this. You can’t make this better so go away!” cried Isabel as she crumpled amongst the fallen swing sets.

“Your hurt.” Stated Max quietly as he glided towards her.

“Don’t, don’t heal me, I want the pain. I want the pain because it helps to cover the real pain. Oh God Alex! “ sobbed Isabel as she watched a drop of blood from her cheek hit the ground only to be swallowed up by the sand.

Max was kneeling beside her now. He raised her chin to his face studying her. Before she could stop him he placed a hand over the wound. The pain faded and she could feel the wound close. She sighed in resignation, she knew Max could no more let her suffer than he could ever harm another being. Max took Isabel’s hand and guided her to her feet. Then he startled her by picking her up and carrying her towards their Jeep parked 20ft away. She lay her head on his shoulder powerless to not be comforted by him. She felt his grief and love for her; it was overwhelming. She watched his face, it was a study in stoicism. Once he placed her in her seat, he slid behind the wheel.

“I can’t go home.” Stated Isabel numbly.

“Where do you want to go?” asked Max.

“Will you drive, I mean just drive towards the desert.” Asked Isabel hopefully.

Max turned the jeep in the direction of the 285 south. They sat in companionable silence for some time, until Max spotted a motel. He had been driving for a couple of hours, and in his weakened state he was almost passing out from exhaustion. He turned to Isabel; she had finally stopped crying and was simply staring blankly at the road.

“Isabel, I need to pull over, I’m weak from, from…”.

“I know Max, it’s okay.” Replied Isabel weakly as if the effort of speech drained her.

Max pulled into the motel and paid for a room. Isabel was standing by the jeep waiting for him. Her hair was being tossed by the wind, at some point during the drive her pony tail had come undone. She looked like a goddess in the pre-dawn light. She held herself as if chilled despite the balmy temperature. Max took her hand leading her to their room.

Max opened the door and was grateful to see a clean room simply appointed. He wanted nothing more than to collapse on that bed, but first he needed to shower. He felt as though the dank, metallic air of the van had permeated his clothes and hair. Isabel took her shoes off and crawled under the top comforter of the bed. Assured that Isabel was alright Max headed into the shower. He tossed the clothes on the floor, and entered the shower. Hot needles of water hit him, slewing the horrors of the day from him. His skin was flushed when he finally got out of the shower. He dried himself eyeing the pile of clothes, he grimaced at the thought of wearing them again. He pulled on his boxers and headed for the bed. Isabel was sleeping peacefully (so far).

Max slid under the comfort trying not to disturb her or touch her, though he longed to wrap his arms around her. He fell asleep almost instantly.

Dream:

“Alex, oh thank God, Alex you’re here you’re really hear!” Isabel’s hands were on his chest as if to reassure herself he was not a figment of her imagination.

“Isabel I’m so sorry, I gave you a scare didn’t I? It was all a misunderstanding, I’m here with you.” Reassured Alex hugging Isabel to him letting his chin rest on the top of her head.

Isabel was now quaking with sobs. “Alex, I thought you were dead. And what Liz said, she said… No it doesn’t matter now, the only thing that matters is you’re here and I can tell you…”

“Don’t say it Isabel.” Said Alex gently.

“What? How do you know what I’m going to say?” asked Isabel fearfully as a horrible realization began to sink in.

“I know you want to be able to tell me that you love me, that I am your soul mate. But I think we both know that’s not true.” Alex stroked her hair gently, almost in a fatherly way.

“Alex, you’re not really here are you?” sobbed Isabel.

“Shh shh, now.” Alex continued to stroke her hair. “I know you love me Isabel, but you’re not in love with me. It’s alright Isabel. I still love you. I’ll always watch out for you. “ Alex lifted her chin to look deeply in her eyes, then he kissed her deeply.

Isabel clung to Alex, returning his kiss, she drew away from him to catch her breath, but when she looked into his face, it wasn’t Alex’s face that she saw. Max gazed down at her. She gasped and stared at Max. Max looked at her drowsily a small sad smile curving his lips.

“Isabel, don’t do this to yourself. You need to sleep.” Murmured Max touching the side of her face gently.

Suddenly they weren’t sitting in the Crash Down. They were standing, surrounded by beach and the ocean. A balmy wind teased at Isabel’s hair. Max stood in front of her in black swimming trunks. She looked down at herself and she was wearing a bikini and a wrap clung to her hips.

“I know this place.” Spoke Isabel softly, the sound of crashing wave and wind should have drowned her out but Max heard her.

“I know it too, I think we were here a few years ago with mom and dad.” Replied Max just as softly.

They should have been squinting in the bright sunlight but neither one of them had trouble seeing. Isabel suddenly was bombarded with memories of this holiday. She saw flashes of her mother, her mother with a sunburn that should have blistered, but Max had pretended to brush sand off her healing the burn instantly. She saw children running and squealing as they hit the surf, and Max’s face as he laughed watching them; a rare unguarded moment for Max. She saw herself taking her wrap off her hips and drenching it in the salt water and then running with it to soak Max who wore a grey tshirt and black swimming trunks.

“Ok Max we’re at the beach for crying out loud! Lose the shirt.” Laughed Isabel as she flung the soaking wrap onto his chest.

Max jumped up shouting as the cold wet material soaked him.

“Is you, you… erggh” Max peeled the soaked tshirt off.

Isabel took in a sharp breath as his muscular torso was revealed.

Isabel snapped out of her revelry as Max spoke to her.

“Isabel, is this a dream? Is it your dream or mine?” asked Max

“It’s mine Max you can’t dreamwalk, you’re not real.” Replied Isabel.

“I think that I am. I still feel exhausted from…today.” Replied Max unwilling to talk about what had happened today.

“Do you remember when that little girl gave us the shells? She had a crush on you I think. She kept coming over to our blanket and asking if we were married. And if we were did we have any kids for her to play with.” Laughed Isabel.

Max smiled at the memory. “She looked like you, all golden tendrils and big brown eyes.” Mused Max.

“All this, this is so that I won’t dream about Alex, I guess my sub-conscience can’t take anymore pain.” Reflected Isabel.

“And your sub-conscience brought me here to take care of you?” asked Max taking her hands in his own.

“MMhmm, let’s lie down on the blanket. It feels so good to have the sun on me. I feel, I feel content.” Said Isabel as she guided dream Max toward the blanket.

Max lay down and was startled to see Isabel lie beside him laying her head on his chest. Her hands explored his chest, causing him to breathe harder. He tried to concentrate on the clouds overhead.

Isabel had forgotten how beautiful Max’s body was. She remembered that it was that vacation that she first had thoughts about Max that were definitely un-sibling like. She could do anything she wanted right now though, couldn’ t she? This was a dream a fantasy to escape for just a few hours from her grief. She wondered why Max hadn’t wrapped his arms around her yet if this was her dream. Dreams were unpredictable though. They sometimes took strange turns and couldn’t be controlled even though they were produced by the brain.

Isabel gasped at feeling Max’s hands in her hair. She wanted to kiss him, not innocently but with passion. He wasn’t her biological brother after all and this was just a dream.

Sliding her way up his body Isabel took Max’s face in her hands gazing deeply into his depthless eyes. They were ancient soulful eyes, filled with pain and longing. Before she could change her mind Isabel descended on his full sensual mouth. They kissed deeply, slowly. Max lifted himself from the ground so that they both sat up still kissing. His hands slid from her hair down her throat, down her arms and then sliding beneath her arms pulling her to him forcefully. Isabel’s own hands dropped to Max’s neck pulling him closer to her. They were forced to part for air.

“I don’t think this is just a dream.” Stated Max still holding Isabel.

“I know.” Replied Isabel stroking his cheek mesmerized by his eyes, they were shaded by the canopy of his lashes.

Max studied the curve of Isabel’s lower lip before responding. “Is it helping?” he asked his voice edged with concern.

“Yes.” Answered Isabel simply.

“I love you, no I want to be clear. I’m in love with you Isabel.” Spoke Max just above a whisper.

“You’re my soul mate.” Answered Isabel softly. It was all so clear now. She took a breath drawing all the ocean’s tangy flavours into her. It was her first true drawn breath. It cleansed her. She gazed into Max’s eyes, she remembered all the lingering looks that they had exchanged in the past. She remembered every embrace, every comforting touch. They had loved each other all their lives.

Max watched the storm of emotions flit across Isabel’s features, and smiled to see the love she felt for him etched in her smile. He raised his face to the sun, a balmy breeze pushed his hair from his forehead. When he looked back down at Isabel she was studying his mouth. She drew closer to him exploring the curve of his jaw with her gentle kisses. He sunk his hands into her hair again murmuring devotions to her, and promises that he would keep when they awoke.

Isabel felt a warm presence pass through her. And a phrase appeared in her mind.

Love him, Isabel.

I’ll always with you.

End