Author: Aurora
Email: girl292@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of the characters of Roswell, the honor is held by Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, the WB and anyone else who has their hands on a copyright. And as I always, I profit nada for the following story.
Summary: 2-3 weeks post "destiny" - everything that has happened up to then happened - everything afterward does not. Michael and Isabel disclose their true feelings for each other.
Author's Notes: this was originally written as the 1st part of a trilogy. At this point, the trilogy is currently on hold.

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[Isabel's Journal]

Friday June 30th 2000

"Who would have ever thought that finally learning our purpose on this planet would be what tore us apart? I still can't believe it. It feels like some terrible nightmare that I am stuck in and if I just let it play out it will come to an end I will wake up safe in my room and find myself just a normal high school kid whose biggest concern is what to wear out on Friday night, or what to do over summer vacation. But I never wake up, and the nightmare just continues its course, slowly drowning all of us because we cannot reach out to anyone for help, and everyone that was once there for me is struggling as well.

We had worked so long and so hard to keep our true identities a secret, to lead a "normal" life, and Max changed everything that one insane second in the Crashdown. Then we had to regroup, enlarge the group that is, and it took some work. Michael had the hardest time of it but Maria, as nutty as she can be, seemed to ground him some. Gave him something to focus on besides being the outsider. The loner who couldn't afford to let anyone in and who pretended he didn't need to. And I have to admit that despite our initial misgivings toward each other I was coming around to accepting her, but now...sometimes I wish the non-hybrids had never "infiltrated" our group. Our pretend lives were going just fine for me. I was halfway through high school, was popular, could date any boy I wanted...sure I couldn't let them get close to me, to know my real self, but that's not what they wanted anyway. They wanted the illusion and I let them have it. Besides, I didn't need them I had Max and Michael. We were all in this together. At least we used to be. I thought that I would always have them...and now I have no one.

No one.

Isabel Evans - alone.

I guess I shouldn't wallow in my self-pity too much. I got off the easiest when our worlds came crashing down that day in the desert. I had just started letting them in. Alex had gotten the farthest, but I had still put him off and held him at arms length. Never calling our dates actual "dates," deluding myself into thinking that I really wanted him when all I wanted was not to be alone, wanted to feel safe, like I always had with Max and with Michael. Like they had with Maria and Liz. But who was I kidding? I couldn't let him in, and it wasn't fair to him. God, his face the day after the desert. The day after Liz walked away. The day that everything changed again - for the worse.

Alex tried to hide it, tried to be supportive and convince me that he could give me space and would always be there for me, but I could tell. I could see it in his face. That look. Like I had betrayed him. I killed our friendship that day. I see him around sometimes but he never acknowledges me and I don't blame him. I'm not sure I would want him to...there's no point in it. I stopped going to the Crashdown. The last time I went, alone of course, Alex was there talking quietly in the corner with Maria, being a friend to her, trying to help her understand why their lives have suddenly turned to shit all because of their involvement with the "hybrid freaks." Alex didn't even look at me. Maria glanced over in my direction a few times, more so to warn me to stay away from Alex than anything else. When I met her eyes she quickly turned away. I could see it though. The pain and the anger all mixed together in the dark circles around her bloodshot eyes. I'm sure when she looked at me all she could think was "ice-princess," and she would have been right, but on the outside only. I'm sure I looked perfect and together as always. After all I have an image to project. When all else fails go with what you know, and I know how to look the part even if I cannot figure out how to keep it together on the inside. So my summer so far has consisted of being alone, while pretending that I am not. Mostly I end up taking walks that lead nowhere and usually I end up in the same place: the pod chamber. It's like returning to the site of some great tragedy or some terrible loss like a train wreck. You close your eyes and try not to look but it's still there. The image of it forever burned into the recesses of your mind. It reminds me of a tomb. The place where are former selves were re-born and in the same instant the place where we lost our lives as we had once known them. It was the last place that anything made sense.

I have been helping Mom out around the house a lot lately. I know that she is worried about us. Especially Max. She hasn't asked, but I know she is dying to know what happened between us. Why suddenly her two children who used to be closer than anything are never seen in the same room together, why there is never any talking in the house unless she is speaking to one of us alone or Dad is home.

Max. He is dying on the inside. I can feel it even though we do not talk about it. My poor Max. Emotionally torn to shreds the same instant that he finds out that the weight of our world is literally on his shoulders. It's not that we had a fight or are mad at each other, it just hurts to see anything that reminds us of that day. I tried to talk to him a few times, especially after Liz left for Florida and didn't tell him. But there was nothing I could do. What does one say to repair a broken heart? What could I possibly do to fill the void in his soul left when half of it walked away? I know that he has a lot on his mind and he needs to work it out on his own, to replay every detail of these past weeks and analyze everything down to the tiniest word or movement. To take all of the blame on himself and figure out where he went wrong, but most of all how to figure out what he needs to do to get Liz back. That's my brother: the ever-cautious Max. I visit him in his dreams sometimes. I do it partly because I miss him and partly to check on him. I never interfere and I know that he knows that I am there though he does not acknowledge me. At first his dreams were the same thing over and over like a broken movie reel: Liz walking away in the desert. He would chase after her and never quite reach her. He would get close, so close he could reach out and touch her if he tried, but she would always stay just out of reach or disappear completely like an illusion or a figment of his imagination. I stopped visiting him for a while then. It was too hard to feel that pain over and over. Recently his dreams have changed. Liz is still there of course, but always on the outside. Lately they've taken on the semblance of a more normal life and most recently Maria has appeared. I think that he has been going to the Crashdown and spending time with her, as a substitute for Liz. I'm glad that he has found someone to help, although I must confess at first it hurt that it wasn't me, but I understand. Maria is Liz's best friend; if Liz calls anyone from Florida it will be Maria. Okay, so he's not getting over Liz, but at least it's a change from locking himself in his room all day and not speaking with anyone.

No one has heard from Tess. She is alone in that house now that Nasedo is gone to assume Pierce's identity, and Max has rejected her. I sometimes wonder how she feels, but I have not gone over there and haven't dared to try and enter her dreams. I keep thinking of that mindwarp power that she used on Max when she first arrived and on me at the compound when we were with Nasedo and Michael trying to save Max from Pierce. We all feel awkward around her. She knew all along and she is the only one of us willing to embrace our destiny, and who truly believes it at this point. But then again it's all she has ever known.

Then there is Michael. He made Max stop and let Liz leave that day that everything was revealed. I don't know if Max blames him for Liz leaving town or not. They really are not on speaking terms. The few times they have been in the same room together since then it just ended up in a fight and one of then stormed out, usually Michael. Their fighting puts me in the middle, and how can they expect me to choose sides? How can I possibly choose one over the other? They have been my world ever since we emerged from the pods.

I am worried about Michael. No one has seen him. I know that he tends to avoid the Crashdown because of Maria. I think that part of him wishes that Maria had been there that day in the pod chamber when we found out; wishes that she had walked away from him instead of him having to push her away and her clinging even tighter and trying to hang on to the faint hope that things will work out. I think it hurts him more that he let her in at all. If he hadn't he wouldn't have to worry about anyone but himself. Then he could go on being Michael the soldier oblivious to others as always and not worried by it in the least.

I wonder what he thinks about "our destiny." We haven't talked about it and I think that at the time he was just glad to know that he had a future that meant something, even if it was tied to a past he didn't know.

I have no idea what is going on with Michael. I went over to his apartment a few days ago and it was dark and empty, it looked as if he hadn't been there in days. Maybe he's out in the desert. Part of me thinks that he is out at the reservation despite his last experience there. I think that there is a connection with RiverDog that he has - that he wishes he had with Nasedo. Nasedo not being a father figure to Michael was a big disappointment for him I know. I had never seen him as excited as he was the night that we went to library and burned that symbol to try and signal Nasedo. My poor Michael, I have tried to visit his dreams to check on him like I do with Max, but he either never sleeps or is purposely blocking me out. I just wish we knew if he was safe...."

A noise at the window caused Isabel to lookup from her writing and lose her train of thought. At first she thought that it was just the wind, or a passing car until she heard it again. She crossed the room and slid the window open only to see Michael beckoning her silently from below. She glanced at the clock as she grabbed her black leather jacket and headed out the door -1:52 AM - typical Michael, awake when everyone else in the world was sleeping soundly.

Isabel opened her room door and waited - listening. She heard nothing but noticed on the way down the stairs that there was light coming from under Max's door, which was nothing new these days.

She crept through the kitchen and grabbed the keys off the counter before sneaking out the back door and hurrying around to the front to meet Michael. It seemed to take hours to get there, as she had to move slowly through the house in order not to be discovered. The last thing she wanted was to have to explain where she was headed at this time of night. He was standing in the same place where she had first seen him, but leaning against a tree with his head back and eyes closed - waiting for her. She touched his arm lightly to let him know that she was ready and they walked over to the Jeep. Isabel handed Michael the keys and climbed in the passenger side. Neither of them spoke as Michael put the jeep neutral and rolled out of the driveway, quickly throwing it into first, starting the engine, and leaving the street before anyone could see them.

Nothing was said between them and as Michael turned onto the highway heading out of Roswell, Isabel glanced over at Michael and was relieved to see that he looked calm and not intense and troubled like he normally was when he was on a mission or searching for something. She didn't know why it made her glad to see him this way but she said nothing and instead looked up through the open top of the Jeep at the moon and stars as they made their way out into the quiet of the desert.

Michael pulled off of the road a ways out of town and drove straight out into the desert. Isabel was not worried, she was just glad to know that he was okay and reaching out to someone. Secretly, she was pleased that Michael had come to her. Despite the fact that she still did not know where they were headed or what Michael wanted and especially in light of the fact that Max had sought out Maria for solace instead of her. Thinking of Max she decided to check on him while they drove. She closed her eyes and pictured him in her mind trying to enter his dreams. She heard muffled talking and saw faintly colored lights and stopped trying as she realized that he was not asleep yet but most likely still up staring blankly at the TV as he had been doing most nights. She usually heard the TV still on in his room in the morning when she got up.

She opened her eyes as she felt the jeep slowing, and noticed that straight ahead in front of the jeep was the largest and most beautiful tree she had ever seen. There it was directly in front of her - a mass of branches and leaves swaying gently in the desert breeze and coated in moonlight and yet she still could not believe that it was real. She looked to her left and noticed that Michael was gone. She undid her seatbelt, climbed out of the jeep and approached the enormous tree. She walked up to it and ran her hand along its ancient trunk, feeling the rough coolness of the bark under her fingers. It was real.

She turned and looked at the scenery around her and gasped when she realized that there was nothing else around. Absolutely nothing but sand and moonlight for miles. There was just this tree. Huge and green and comforting in its cool stillness. She didn't see Michael anywhere, so she began walking around the base of the tree to the other side and there she found him sitting on the ground, leaning against the vast trunk of the great tree with his head down, his legs drawn up, and his arms draped across his knees. She walked past him and sat beside him leaning back against the bark.

Isabel looked up into the branches overhead and watched them swaying gently in the desert night and marveled at the way the moonlight made everything seem to have a life of its own. Michael was still not saying anything and she knew better than to try and make him speak when he wasn't ready, so she just sat there next to him in complete silence, staring out into the silver expanse of nothingness bathed in moonlight that the desert became at night.

She had not remembered to grab her watch and now wished she had for she could not tell how long they had been gone nor how long they sat in silence. She was just about to get up and check the clock in the jeep when Michael grabbed her hand. Isabel looked over at him and was startled to see him no longer staring at the ground but looking her straight in the eye. Not sure what to do or say, she intertwined her fingers with his and said "Hey Michael." The sound of her voice startled her and sounded strange amongst the tranquil silence of their surroundings and, if she hadn't known better, she would have expected an echo.

In response, Michael squeezed her hand, now wrapped up in his, and sighed. Isabel knew that there was a reason that they were here and that eventually Michael would let her in, but the wait was becoming tedious. She opened her mouth to ask him if he was alright - a question which she knew would irritate him but she wanted some form of response from him besides silence - when he looked out into the desert and said, "I've never brought anyone here before." Isabel was not sure what to say and was glad when he continued.

"I found this place a while ago, back when I was still trapped in hell living in that shithole with Hank. After a particularly fun evening of shouting and throwing shit, when he had consumed enough alcohol he should have been in a coma and had passed out, I stole his car and took off. I didn't know where I was going I just left. It was a clear night with a full moon and I could see for miles. I drove out of town for a while and contemplated not coming back. Just taking off and leaving it all behind, but I knew that I couldn't. I couldn't just leave Max and you behind. Not like that. After driving for a while with no destination ahead I turned off the road at this spot. I had never been here before and the way was fairly even and free of rocks and shit, which was good since I was in Hank's piece of crap car. I turned off the headlights and drove by moonlight for a while and I saw this tree in the distance. So I headed for it and all the while it kept growing larger and larger as I approached it and I thought that for sure I was hallucinating or it was night-time mirage or I was just plain losing it. But it was real. I stopped and walked up to it and did exactly what you first did. I had to touch it to see if it was really there. It just didn't make sense. Here is this massive tree out it the middle of the desert with nothing else growing around it, and no obvious water supply. Absolutely nothing to sustain it and yet it survives and flourishes. I spent the entire night out here that night. I slept right here on this side of the tree, and woke in time to see the sun come up. It was the first time in my life that I realized that it didn't matter that I was alone and had no answers to what I was, because things like this exist in this world. Things that have no rational reason or explanation, and I felt safe. For once in my entire life since we left the pods as children I felt safe. I just kept thinking to myself, this tree has no right to be here and yet it exists and that is exactly how I felt. So now whenever I get caught up in things or lose focus I come out here and spend some time and feel connected to something again. I have been coming out here a lot since that day at the chamber...."

Michael stopped talking and Isabel was too caught up in what Michael had just shared to react immediately. She had always known that he felt left out compared to her and Max when it came to having family but had never realized just how much it affected him. Until now. But before she could collect her thoughts to speak Michael said, "I don't know why but I just thought that you could use some time out here as well. All of us could but I knew that there was no way Max would accept anything from me."

Isabel could hear the hurt in Michael's voice and watched as he struggled to continue but she interrupted him. "Michael. It's beautiful and it is exactly what I needed. I needed to feel connected to something again. It's like everything we were was fractured in half that day and we are all walking around broken but too stubborn and scared to ask for help. I've been worried about you. I went by your place a few days ago and it looked deserted and I was worried that you had left us for good. I was thinking that you might have headed out to the reservation for a while, but I am glad to see that you have somewhere to go, somewhere safe."

Isabel looked over at Michael who would not look at her and she hesitated before starting the conversation they both knew needed to be had but were both dreading. She took a deep breath and felt Michael squeeze her hand again although he was still staring out into the desert.

"Michael, I wanted to ask you something."

She waited, received no response, so she continued.

"Have you thought about what was revealed that day? I mean, what it means, is it true - are we..."

"Meant to be together?"

Michael finished the sentence for her and they both stared out at the horizon. Both silent and unsure of what to say. He spoke again first, "I honestly don't know Iz. I mean if you had asked me a year ago would I ever consider you anything more than my sister I would have laughed at the question. You and Max are the only real family I have ever had. But then Tess appeared and then Nasedo and then all of sudden the alien thing was reality. We really are different. It wasn't just my imagination or wishful thinking. It was reality. Then when we activated the orbs that day and your mother appeared and told us of the past. I just knew. I knew it was the truth, I could feel it. The trouble is, I was so unprepared for it. I expected Max to be the leader, he has always been the one we look to. But I didn't expect the whole Tess being his bride thing and I dunno, I just always thought that I was your brother and that I just hadn't stayed together with you guys on the side of the road when we came out of the pods and so you and Max were found and adopted and I was left behind for going out on my own as usual. But now, I don't know. Maybe it was meant to be this way, so that I wouldn't be your brother. There is so much information that we were not given, so much we need to figure out. All of us. And here we are all fighting and avoiding each other and now there is the possibility of enemies out there. Real enemies Iz, non-human enemies. And if they decided to strike now, if Nasedo is right and we might have lead them to us with those communicators, we are in trouble."

Michael stopped talking and Isabel didn't know what to say. She had tried to listen to everything he said. Michael shared so rarely she knew she should be cherishing this moment, but it was when he said 'I knew it was the truth' that he lost her and she had felt her breath catch in her throat and her chest constrict. 'So he had felt it too,' she thought. Isabel had tried to block that day completely out of her mind; had tried to erase the memory of what she felt when she heard her mother say, 'My daughter, the man you were betrothed to, and your brother's second-in-command.' But she couldn't, she just ended up remembering those dreams that her and Michael had had. The ones that they thought were only a result of Tess's mind warping them, and it only made the ache she felt inside worse. She tried to stop dwelling on them but she knew she didn't want to forget them. Deep down inside her that was the trouble. She had tried to forget, to move on, but she didn't want to. She wanted it to be true.

She had tried to let it work with Alex but it wasn't anything more than friendship with him. It was Michael, gruff, rumpled, and grouchy Michael that she wanted. But he was so close to her. She dared not hope that there was a chance. She knew he only thought of her as a sister, and besides there was Maria to consider. Yes, he had pushed her away, but that was under the pretext of not wanting to be attached to anyone, to be the lone warrior. Did she really think that she should expect him to give her a chance?

Isabel was so lost in her thoughts that she did not notice Michael watching her. He couldn't read the look on her face but hoped that it wasn't disgust. At least she hadn't let go of his hand, if anything she was squeezing it tighter now than before. Michael couldn't stand the quiet any longer and softly said, "Iz..." Isabel turned and looked at him. 'Were those tears in her eyes?? Oh God,' he thought, 'I've done it, I've freaked her out and made her cry. I could have handled anything but making Isabel cry.'

For her part, Isabel was trying desperately to regain her composure before speaking but at this point all she could manage to get out was "Michael..." before dissolving into a mess of tears and sobbing.

Michael, completely unprepared for such a response, wasn't sure what to do, or what exactly he had done to Isabel. He quickly let go of her hand, leaned over, and cradled her in his arms while she cried. He had no idea what was going on but just held onto her and gently rocked back and forth under the protection afforded by the branches of the old tree. Isabel cried out everything she had kept hidden inside since that day they had learned the truth while Michael whispered "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Iz."over and over.

When things quieted back down, and Isabel regained enough self-control to speak, she softly said, "I'm sorry Michael, I didn't mean to lose it. It's just that I couldn't believe it when you said that you knew what my mother had said was true. I felt the exact same way, but you didn't seem to react, and never said anything about it, and then we had the whole Liz and Max and Tess thing to deal with immediately. And then telling Alex and Maria and I just thought that she meant so much to you, like Liz does to Max that there was no reason for me to even try to bring it up. So I didn't, and we all went our separate ways this summer, and Max lost it and I knew that he was rebelling as hard as he could against being with Tess and I understood and didn't blame him. But I also knew that that meant that there was no way he would understand the way I was feeling about you. I couldn't go to Tess, and Alex and Maria are out of the question so I just kept it to myself. I held onto it, I replayed those dreams. Remember those dreams?? I never felt so safe and so complete in my entire life as I did in those dreams. I was afraid to tell you, I was afraid to push you away and lose you like I'm afraid I've lost Max and I couldn't bear it. I couldn't bear being alone. Do you how many times I have wanted to tell my mom? I knew she couldn't understand and that it would not be fair to tell her everything, but I thought about asking for her advice just about my feelings for you but then I was afraid that she would say something to Max or worse wouldn't understand and then I would have alienated her and would have been entirely alone, and I just couldn't risk it. I would rather be your sister than not be in your life at all. I'm sorry for dropping all of this on you like this Michael but it's all I think about. I think that I might be losing it I think about it so much. I tried to reach you. I tried to dream walk you to see what you were thinking and see if you were alright but I couldn't get inside..."

"I know." Michael softly whispered, interrupting her, "I felt you and tried my hardest to block you out."

"You what? Why Michael?"

He didn't answer her immediately. He was still holding onto her and slowly rocking back and forth. Isabel had her head resting on his shoulder and he could feel her breathing, feel her exhale against his neck and he couldn't think. He needed to think. Needed to process what she just admitted. Needed to pinch himself to see if was awake or not.

Isabel didn't say anything either. She knew him well enough to know that he would answer, in his own time. She closed her eyes and soaked in the moment. She was here in this beautiful place with Michael - her Michael - a place that he had never shared with anyone else but her. She was in his arms and they were being honest and talking about "it." The "it" that she had so dreaded talking about for fear that her answer would drive him away.

In the quiet, Michael had been trying to think about how to answer her. Why had he blocked her out? He couldn't concentrate. He didn't want to risk screwing this up. He was here with her and they were okay - for the moment. He knew that she wouldn't push him, wouldn't speak or try and change the subject until he answered. He liked that she knew him so well; knew how he worked. That was something that Maria had never figured out. When he was quiet and tried to shut her out she just kept talking and pushing and didn't know how to let him think. Isabel knew and she waited for him.

After a while, Michael answered her. "I didn't know what to do. I had pushed Maria away. Told her it was over, and I meant it. I didn't want her to get hurt and I still don't. She cares about me and she shouldn't. Then there was this gigantic destiny hanging over me and there was you. And I wanted to go to you and tell you that I knew. I knew it was the truth but I couldn't. I was afraid Iz. Afraid that you would shut me down, or think I was just trying make a point to Maria to push her further away. You have always been so headstrong and independent, a lot like me and I didn't think that there was anyway that you would let me in. Or let me take care of you, even as a brother. I saw the way you were rebelling against Max and I didn't want that. So that first night, about a week after that day, when I felt you trying to reach me, I made myself wake up. I didn't know what you wanted, I knew you were checking on me, but I didn't want to chance you finding out how I felt and resenting me. So I blocked you out. And whenever I felt you try. I made myself wake up, and eventually you stopped trying."

Isabel sighed, she was glad that she was the reason and it wasn't Maria. She knew that it wasn't fair to feel that way but she did. She then knew that there was something else, something she needed to know. She only hoped that he would answer her. He had said so much to her tonight, she didn't want him to put the walls back up just yet and be the Michael that everyone else knew.

"In a weird way, I'm glad you blocked me out. If it meant that I could find out how you felt here in this place, with you and not just on my own in your head. But Michael, there is something else that I have to ask you, and I will understand if you don't want to tell me but I at least need to ask. Okay?"

Michael knew what was coming and nodded his approval.

Isabel took a deep breath and asked it quickly, partly because it hurt her to think about it and partly because she just wanted to get it over with.

"Did you love her? I mean, are you in love with her still?" She then held her breath waiting for him to say something - anything - just so that she could breathe again.

Michael wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, here he was with beautiful, precious Isabel and she is concerned about Maria. He took a deep breath and then tried to answer her.

"I honestly don't know Iz. I have thought about it a lot these past weeks and I still haven't been able to answer it for myself. Maria was the one that broke down my walls. The walls I put up to keep me unattached so that I could leave Roswell behind without regret. I cared about her. I care about her still. I know that she loves me, why I will never know, but she does. She also hates me right now as well. The best I could come up with after all the time I spent analyzing it is that I do care about her. But I don't think that it was or is love. Whatever it is, it's not like what I feel for you. With Maria everything was a struggle. She tried to make me into what her idea of a boyfriend was, and I tried occasionally to appease her but always to no avail. Her quirkiness makes her seem selfish sometimes but despite it she is a kind and sweet person and I honestly never meant to hurt her, but she doesn't know me. Not like you do Isabel. I can't figure her out and I don't think that I ever will. But I know you Isabel. I've known you my entire life and it seems before that and you know me. And I think that what I feel for you is love. I've always loved you Iz, it's only recently that I've realized just how much and how real it is. Not like I always felt for you and Max together and not like I tried to make myself believe I loved you, but real love. I don't have to pretend with you. I don't have to live up to some ideal notion of what a boyfriend should be, and I don't have to just be your boyfriend. So I'm sorry that I can't really give you an answer regarding Maria. And before you say anything, I know exactly what you and Alex had and I'm not worried about it. I could tell. When I saw you two together I could see it in your face. He adored you, but you didn't let him in did you? Now both he and Maria are hurting and we did that to them." Michael stopped abruptly. He was worried that he had said too much, but it didn't matter. It had to be said. He had to get it out in the open and stop it from continually gnawing at his insides, making him crazy. Isabel was quiet and he looked down at her, still laying against his chest. She was playing with the collar of his shirt. It looked like she was intensely concentrating on a string that had begun to unravel. Michael couldn't stand the silence. It was beginning to unnerve him. The irony of that fact didn't escape him. That he, Michael Guerin, the king of retreating into silence for protection couldn't stand it now. He felt emotionally naked and incredibly drained. Both were new sensations for him and he wasn't quite comfortable with either. He had to fight the urge to change the subject, to talk about the weather, anything just to stop the silence and the waiting. Just when he thought he could take it no longer Isabel spoke.

"I couldn't let him in. I tried, I really did. Alex is a great friend but I couldn't let go. I was afraid he wouldn't understand."

Michael smiled. He did understand. He'd been there. It seemed that Max and Liz were the only ones that were able to completely let go and let each other in. Michael understood what Max was going through and why he would never let go of Liz for Tess. Michael knew because that's how he felt about Isabel.

It was quiet again. He looked down at Isabel and she was sound asleep. He smiled again. He was glad that he had chanced it and brought her here. He was afraid that he would chicken out and not be able to say to her everything that he had been practicing over and over in his head. He had almost backed out while he was waiting for her in the front yard, but when she touched his arm and he had opened his eyes and saw her standing there waiting for him, he knew that he couldn't go back. He couldn't go back to being just Michael, her other brother. He had to try. He just couldn't believe that she brought it up. He had been sitting there silently asking for strength to do this and she brought it up. He yawned. He was finally tiring. He didn't have a watch but could see that the edge of the horizon was starting to be tinted with pink. He thought that they should head back but he was too tired to move and was not willing to give up this moment; Isabel asleep in his arms here at the only place he had that was really his. His eyelids were soon too heavy to resist and he was asleep, along with Isabel, while the sun slowly made its way up the horizon. The first rays shining on the sleeping kids cradled in the roots of the old tree.

****

Max was awakened by the sound of someone calling his name from far away and the sensation of someone shaking him. His first thought was 'Liz' but it was quickly dispelled as he approached consciousness and remembered where she was. When he finally opened his eyes it was the face of his mother, Diane Evans, he saw staring down at him. She looked disheveled. No, she looked frantic. Her hair was a mess, her bathrobe was twisted around and her lips were moving rapidly. It took Max a few seconds to emerge from the last remnants of sleep enough to comprehend what she was saying.

"Max!! Wake up!! Izzie's gone, the jeep's gone, she's missing! Max!!!"

"What?!?" The full meaning of her words had registered and Max sat straight up in bed nearly knocking his mom over. "Wait, what do you mean Isabel's gone?"

"I got up this morning earlier than normal. I just couldn't sleep. I went outside to get the paper on my way to the kitchen and that's when I noticed that the jeep wasn't in the driveway. At first I thought that it had been stolen. I went upstairs and woke your dad who went outside to see what had happened to the jeep. It didn't help that when he came back inside he said that there was no evidence of someone breaking into the vehicle but the top could have been left down. We went into the kitchen to call the police and that is when your dad noticed that the jeep keys were missing from the bowl by the phone where they always are. So we ran upstairs to check on you guys and you're here and Izzie is not and her bed is made and doesn't look like it has been slept in. Where could she be Max? I know you two have not been on the best terms lately but please if you know where she is you have to tell us!"

While his mother was frantically prodding him for answers Max was busy working out various scenarios in his head as to where Isabel could possibly be. He hadn't gotten very far when his mother interrupted his thoughts. He looked up at her and answered, "I'm sure that she's fine Mom. You know Isabel, there's bound to be an explanation."

At this point his dad spoke up and Max wondered why he hadn't noticed him there in the doorway earlier. "Are you sure you two didn't have a fight? You guys have been so distant lately."

Max struggled to come up with something to assuage his parents worries long enough for him to figure out what to do to find Isabel. His parents were staring at him expectantly, so he quickly answered, "Yes dad. I'm sure. I heard her mention something the other day about cooking breakfast for everyone this morning. She's probably out getting everything early hoping to have it all ready and waiting when you guys got up. You know how she is, everything has to be just right and I'm sure that she didn't expect Mom to be up at 630 am on a Saturday. Why don't you guys go downstairs and start the coffee and we'll wait for her to get home and all cook together since she has gone to so much trouble to get everything ready."

As his parents left the room, Max hoped that his lie would hold them long enough for him to figure out what to do. He knew that he needed to reach Iz, but had no idea where she could be. It wasn't like her to just disappear without telling anyone. At first he was afraid that someone had discovered who she was and gotten to her. Someone or something. He shuddered as he recalled the warning they had received: their enemies were on this planet. But when his mom had mentioned the keys being missing he had stopped worrying as much. While it was possible that she had been taken along with the jeep, there was apparently no sign of struggle in her room and he relaxed as he remembered that she would have tried to contact him by now if she were in trouble. She would have tried to dream walk him like she had done when Pierce had him in the white room. Dream-walking. That was it! Max climbed out of bed and threw on a t-shirt and some sweats and went into the bathroom to splash some water on his face. He had been trying to figure out where to start looking but he knew that there wasn't anyone she would go to if she was upset. She had always come to him or Michael but now...well things were different at the moment. He sighed as he remembered just how strained things had become between them. 'She wouldn't have come to me,' he thought, 'she hasn't even checked on me in my dreams in a while, and I turned to Maria for help. Maybe Michael.' Max glanced at his reflection in the mirror and silently hoped she was at Michael's before returning to his room and grabbing the phone. He dialed Michael's apartment and let the phone ring at least 25 times before giving up. 'I should have known' he thought 'No one has seen Michael in weeks.' He walked over to his bookcase and picked up the picture of he and Isabel sunburned and drenched to the bone after a water balloon fight summer before last at Dad's annual firm picnic. Dream-walking. He took a deep breath as he realized it was his only option. He'd only tried it once and Isabel had been with him, helping him focus and even then it was all foggy and he had given up quickly assuming that it was just her gift like healing was for him.

Max walked over to his bed and sat down holding the picture on his lap. He glanced at the clock - 6:53 AM - he was glad that his parents had not woken up before six or the breakfast story would have been even less plausible. At least this early there was a good chance that Iz was still sleeping, she normally never emerged from her bed until 11am on Saturdays, and Max hoped that despite her unknown whereabouts she was at least asleep.
He took a deep breath and then laid down concentrating on Isabel's picture. He blanked out his mind and tried to establish a connection with his sister. He tried to pretend she was there with him and he could look into her eyes and form a connection with her like he did that night at the Crashdown with Liz when he reversed the connection and showed her his soul - Liz - Max fought hard to push Liz out of his mind and concentrate on Isabel. He stared at her eyes in the photo so long he could swear they were following him and then... Suddenly, there was a flash of white and series of images rushing past him too fast for him to recognize. They seemed familiar but he couldn't place them. Max willed himself to concentrate and try and bring things into focus. He could feel himself descending at a rapid pace but he couldn't see anything but a figure looming in the distance which he was quickly approaching. The nearer he got the clearer the image became until he realized that it was not a figure at all but a tree. An enormous tree. It was beautiful. He could see that it was in the desert but could find nothing else around to provide him with a clue as to his actual location, if it existed outside of a dream at all. Max lost himself for a moment just taking in the splendor of the great tree but something in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned towards it. 'The jeep!' he thought. But where is Isabel? And where was he at? They had been almost everywhere in the desert surrounding Roswell and he knew that he had never seen this place. Was he hallucinating or was it all in Isabel's mind? As he thought he absent-mindedly wandered around the tree and that's when he noticed it. Leaning against the far side of the tree. At first it appeared to be a pile of clothing and he had to concentrate to bring it into focus. It was then that he noticed the blonde hair. 'Isabel!' - and sure enough he could just make out her face. She was sleeping and he noticed that she was not alone. There was a set of arms wrapped around her. Max looked above Isabel's sleeping face and saw him. "Michael." He stated this latest discovery out loud, and the sound of his voice in Isabel's mind startled him. Isabel. Max remembered why he was there.

"ISABEL!!" he summoned all the strength he had and screamed her name as loud as he could. "ISABEL!!"- over and over. She began to stir but would not wake. Max could feel himself slipping out of the dream. He was losing his focus and could not hold on. "ISABEL!!" He managed to get out one last time before waking up in his room. He was gasping for breath and couldn't believe how much effort it took to enter someone's dreams. He briefly wondered if it was this taxing for Isabel and if so, why she even bothered, and then he remembered that she had made the effort just to check on him since that day and he briefly smiled to himself.

****

Isabel gasped as she startled awake. "Max?" she whispered. It took her eyes a second to adjust to her surroundings and then it took a few more for her to remember where she was.

Michael.

"Michael, wake up! We have to go now!"

Michael, still sound asleep, stirred and made various grumblings in protest to being shaken madly by some person who should just leave him alone to sleep. He then rolled over and was starting to drift off again when Isabel leaned over and yelled in his ear, "MICHAEL!!"

In response, Michael bolted straight up nearly slamming heads with Isabel. "Wha - What is it?" It took a few seconds for him to recall just where he was and when he saw Isabel standing over him the reality of what had happened last night suddenly hit in him in the light of day. Part of him was embarrassed, he had said so much to Isabel; things that he had never told anyone before. He shyly smiled and glanced up at her but her the look on her face pulled him immediately out of his reverie.

"What is it Iz? What's wrong?"

He stood up and took a step toward her, entering his Michael-the-protector mode. Isabel was trying to remain calm, but various scenarios were already starting to play themselves out in her head about what could be happening with Max.

"Max was in my dream. I don't know what he wanted but he was there. He yelled my name. I'm afraid something has happened to him. We have to go now."

Michael had the jeep up and running and in a matter of seconds he and Isabel were headed back to Roswell. Although he was reluctant to leave this place, he was even more unenthusiastic about what might await them ahead.

As they hit the edge of town Isabel grabbed Michael's hand and motioned for him to pull over at the gas station. "I want to call home first and see if Max is there. It will give us an idea of what we could be walking into."

Michael turned off the engine and replied, "Good idea. I'll go get us some coffee." He smiled as he walked into the store. This was the gas station where he stole Maria's mother's Jetta, with her in it, and started on that road trip that eventually led them to Nasedo and their past and led him back to Isabel. He watched her talking on the phone, carefully studying her expression, as he walked toward her with the coffee. She was finishing her conversation as he handed her the cup.

"Okay, thanks Max. No really, I mean it. Thanks. We'll be there in about half an hour."

She hung up the phone and he asked, "So what was all that about? Everything okay?"

Isabel took a sip of the steaming liquid and smiled at him. At least that was a good sign.
"Everything is fine. Max wanted to let me know that our parents were up unusually early this morning and just happened to notice that both the jeep and myself were missing. They scared Max half to death when they woke him up to interrogate him as to my possible whereabouts. The first thing he thought was that something had happened to me, an alien-related something. He had to make up a cover story on the spot that would convince mom and dad and buy him enough time to try and reach me. He told me how hard it was for him to try and dream-walk me, oh and Michael...he saw the tree and he saw you too. I didn't say anything about it hoping he will just think that it was a part of a dream, but I did tell him that I was with you. I told him that we were up late talking and must have fallen asleep."

As he listened to her relating the details of her conversation with Max, Michael was relieved that she hadn't said anything to him about what had happened between them last night. He needed time to process it all himself, to relive it, to have the memory of it all to himself for awhile, and besides they hadn't even spoken of it yet this morning and he knew they still needed to decide what they were or were not going to tell the others. As his mind processed all this something Isabel had said suddenly struck him as odd.

"Wait, why did you say we would be there in half an hour? We are only 10 minutes away from your house - tops."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Max's cover story for why I was missing so early this morning was that I had planned on surprising them by making breakfast for everyone before they got up. He mentioned to our parents that I had most likely just run to the market for something and would be back soon. He didn't know what he was going to do if he couldn't find me in a reasonable amount of time, and is relieved that he didn't have to face that situation. But to cover the amount of time it's been since mom and dad noticed me gone and now, we decided to say that the jeep had a flat on my way back and that I called you to help me fix it. It should alleviate any awkward questioning on the part of my parents as to why you are awake at this hour on a Saturday and showing up with their previously unaccounted for daughter. Pretty clever huh?"

As they headed back toward the jeep a question occurred to Michael. "But wait a minute, why would you call me? Why not Max or your dad?"

"My aren't we the worrier this morning," she smiled as she continued to sip from her cup, "Well, first off you live much closer to the market than we do and second why would I call and wake up the very people I am trying to surprise and third Max and I haven't been on the best terms lately. So there you go. It all fits together and you get a free breakfast out of the deal without really having to change a tire."

Despite the plan, he was none the less worried about the prospect of facing Max after the night they had just had. "Iz, speaking of Maxwell. Despite your current speaking terms, he is the only one at the house who knows that I was with you last night. What are we going to tell him about..."

"About us?" Isabel interrupted him. Michael smiled shyly and looked at the ground.
He liked the sound of her saying that word 'us.' He looked up when he felt her staring at him. She was smiling bemusedly at him and his stomach tightened. What was with him today? He knew he'd need to get a grip if he was to survive the rest of the morning.

"I don't know what you are thinking, but being that I have been the one living in the same house with him these past weeks, I don't think that we should tell him anything just yet. He's still reeling from Liz leaving and is having a hard time coping with that on top of the whole 'king' situation. I know it's been hard on him and I haven't made it any easier. I'm embarrassed to admit it. I think we should focus on getting through today. We still have a lot to talk about, just between us, without having to worry about everyone else just yet. Don't you think so?"

"Yeah, I definitely think we should play it safe this morning. I was worried that we would end up dropping all this on him right now, when we haven't even had time to sort through it. I don't want to hurt Max and strain our friendship any more than it already is. But things are complicated with us - you know that better than anyone Iz."

He stopped when he noticed her giving him that look. The one he and Max dubbed "The Isabel" - the one that she usually reserved for when they were being insufferable or when she wanted her way, and he knew exactly what she wanted and continued before she had a chance to speak, "Okay, okay, I promise I will try and be on my best behavior this morning. But it doesn't mean that everything is suddenly forgiven between Max and I. There was a lot that was said between us that day that just being civil isn't going to erase. I know you want things to return to normal, but we've always butted heads, even before we knew the truth. Everything just has more significance now. Okay?"

She raised her eyebrow at him and kissed him on the cheek before climbing back into the jeep. Michael sighed. Could his day get any better? He remembered the tire and walked around to the rear of the jeep, used his powers to change the tire to the spare, then hopped into the driver's seat and pointed them towards the market. All the while silently hoping that everything would go as smoothly this morning as Isabel seemed to think it would.

****

Max smiled despite himself as he opened the front door for his sister and Michael as their arms were laden down with groceries. It felt good to smile. It had been so long since he had smiled and actually meant it. Not just faking it for the sake of his parents when he would pass them in the hall. For an instant it almost felt like his life had returned to normal. Almost.

LIZ.

The thought crept up on him, freshly tearing open all the same wounds. He had to stop doing this to himself. She left. She walked away from him. He had turned his back on his destiny right there in front of them all. There in the pod chamber where his life as he knew it, as he believed it, had both begun and ended. Right there, in front of Tess, he turned to Liz and bared his soul and she left. Although somehow he always knew she would. When he heard those words 'your young bride,' he knew she would let him go. It was her nature and he loved her even more for it. He knew she didn't do it because of Tess, she did it for him. And just as he knew what she would do, he knew that he would go after her. He would never be able to accept Tess. Not as his wife, not like Liz. Tess.
It wasn't her fault, but he didn't want to even think about her. He forced himself to stop thinking about it and walked into the kitchen.

Isabel and Michael were already there and he wanted to see his sister in the role of her life convincing their parents of her surprise breakfast disaster. He entered the kitchen and leaned against the doorway listening to her recounting her perilous trip to the market and how Michael had come to her rescue.

Michael. Max looked over at him. He was unloading the bags and watching Isabel as she spoke. What was it about Michael? Max had to think for a second. That tree. He was there with Isabel, asleep. Max had been surprised when he recognized Michael in the dream. And that tree? Was it real? Isabel had said that they stayed up talking all night and had lost track of time but she didn't say where they were. He had assumed at Michael's place, but then again he had called there first and there was no answer despite the number of times he had let it ring. Definitely long enough that one of them should have woken up and found the phone. There was something that wasn't making sense. He was about to approach Michael and suggest that they have a little talk despite the certainty that it would end up in a fight. Max felt it was worth it to find out what was going on, especially as he watched Michael watching his sister. And why did they both seem so calm? Max decided against it though when Michael offered to help his mom and Isabel cook and instead went over to the table and sat next to his dad who was reading the morning paper.

Breakfast went smoothly enough. It seemed to Max that their parents had bought the whole breakfast charade and they both appeared relieved to see their two children actually at the same table together. Max helped to clear the dishes with his dad since the others had cooked. Damned house rules! And could only watch as Isabel and Michael left the table and disappeared through the living room doorway.

With Max out of earshot for the moment and her parents in the kitchen, Isabel took the opportunity to remind Michael that the less they told Max about last night at the moment the better. Michael brought up the possibility that Max might ask either one of them what they were talking about last night. Isabel considered this for a moment. She didn't want to lie to Max but telling the truth was not an option they had at the moment. She and Michael decided that if by chance he did ask them before they had worked out what they planned to do, that they should just tell him that they were discussing what had happened in the aftermath of that day in the chamber. Both of them were hoping that there was no way he would want to go into anything that happened that day and would drop the inquiry. Besides, that is technically what they were talking about so Max wouldn't feel like they lied to him once he found out the details later on.

Isabel was ready to change the subject, she didn't want to think about the possibility of hurting Max any more than he already had been. Michael was starting to yawn and she could tell that he was getting antsy and was ready to get out of there. He really had been on his best behavior during breakfast. He had offered to help cook and he even sat across from Max and was very polite and non-confrontational. Very non-Michael. Isabel had had to continually pinch herself hard on the leg to keep from grinning like an idiot at him across the table. She had purposely focused on talking to her mother who was next to Michael or her father at the head of the table so that she would not get caught staring at him by Max. A few times she did sneak a glance at him out of the corner of her eye, and had to quickly look down at her food when he met her gaze to keep from laughing out loud. She could feel Michael struggling as well, but he was much better at hiding his feelings. He'd had much more practice. Max was quiet during most of the meal, but that was really nothing new these days.

Max entered the hallway where Isabel and Michael were finishing their conversation and Michael excused himself to say good-bye to their parents, leaving Max and Isabel alone. Isabel walked over to the mirror in the hall and pretended to be fixing her hair. Did she really look this bad?? Sleeping on the ground did not flatter her. She could feel Max eyeing her suspiciously but ignored him. Fortunately, Michael was back in a second or two not giving Max anytime to start a conversation with her. Michael said good-bye to Max and was just about to open the door to leave when Max pulled the keys to the jeep out of his pocket and offered to drive him home.

"Sure. Thanks Maxwell."

Isabel flashed a warning look to Michael as Max walked out the door. "Good-bye Michael and thank you." She saw a grin pass across his face as he replied, "No problem Isabel" and he walked outside.

Michael watched as Isabel shut the door and noticed that Max had caught him doing so. Michael pretended to sneeze to cover the fact the he was still staring at the door.

"Bless you."

"Uh yeah thanks man."

Michael headed toward the jeep and left Max staring after him. He stood there for a second, watching as Michael climbed in the passenger side. He then walked around to the driver's side noticing the left rear tire that Michael had changed to the spare. "You guys thought of everything didn't you," he said as he started the engine.

Michael had been avoiding looking at Max and so his comment caught him off guard, and immediately put him on the defensive, wondering what Max getting at. "What?" He tried to remain calm and show no emotion in his voice.

"The tire. You guys even put on the spare. Good thinking."

He was relieved that Max was talking about the tire, "Oh, yeah. Thanks Maxwell. Look could we get going, I am really exhausted." Michael did not want to spend any more time not moving in the direction of his apartment. The less time that they had to talk the better. It would be hard to avoid any questions from Max if they started talking. Michael hoped that he could just pretend to be asleep for the majority of the trip and that Max would leave him alone.

"Don't let me forget to change the tire back when we get to your place. I'll just tell my parents I had the flat repaired while I was out."

"Sure thing Max." Michael replied, resting his head back against the seat and closing his eyes as Max backed out of the driveway. He really did not want to be alone with Max at this moment. In fact, this is the last place in the world he would have chosen to be. He wished he was still in the desert at the tree with Isabel. All that had happened last night still had not sunk in and all he wanted was some time alone to let it. He also needed to talk to Isabel. They needed to figure things out and needed some definite answers before Max started questioning them. Really questioning them. And despite the recent problems in the group he didn't want to have to sneak around to be with Isabel behind everyone else's backs. He wanted everything out in the open as soon as possible in order to avoid inflicting any more pain than was necessary on anyone. God knows they had had enough of that lately. They all had, everyone was hurting because of them. There were a lot of people to consider now. Things no longer involved he and Max and Isabel, there was the group to think about and it still took some getting used to on his part. He knew that it was something that had to be done but he couldn't focus on that right now. He couldn't concentrate. He was pulled out of his deliberation by the distant sound of Max's voice.

Max had been saying Michael's name for at least a minute straight. When he received no response, not even a flinch, he figured he was still party to the silent treatment despite this morning's civility. While he never expected them to be back on good terms instantly (there was too much that was said and left unsaid between them these past weeks for that) he still didn't expect to be ignored. So he kept repeating Michael's name over and over as he drove, hoping that any second he would reach Michael's annoyance threshold and force him to respond, even if it was in anger.

"What?? Did you say something Max?" Michael opened his eyes and looked over at Max who was now turning onto Michael's street. 'Just a little farther and I'm safe' he thought.

Max hesitated before speaking, even when things were good between them Michael was quick to lose his temper and with the way things were now he knew that he would have to choose his words carefully. "I was just asking how Isabel is doing. We haven't been on the best terms lately and I'm worried about her. I wanted to make sure she is alright." Max hoped that the concerned sibling approach would give him some ground with Michael, allow him room to answer but also a way out, just in case. He wanted to see what Michael would say, and had already decided to check on Isabel when he returned home.

Michael knew Max well enough to know that he wasn't just asking about Isabel. He knew that he was allowing him the chance to discuss the state of things between them as well. Michael took a deep breath before answering, he knew that he had to be careful with what he said but also make sure it was the truth. If not for Max then at least for Isabel's sake.

"She's actually doing better Max. We both are. It was nice to have an actual conversation with someone without having to pretend to be happy or interested, you know?"

Michael stopped talking, hoping that by being vague he could close the subject.
Max was quiet while Michael spoke. He had pulled up in front of Michael's place and stopped the jeep. He was resting his hands on the steering wheel and staring out ahead into space just listening. He knew Michael was being honest but also knew that it wasn't everything. An awkward silence hung between them and Max decided it best to let it go for now.

"That's good to know. Thanks Michael."

"Alright. See you later Maxwell."

Max watched him walk to his door and got out to fix the tire as Michael went inside.

Michael was glad when he walked into his apartment and heard Max pulling away in the jeep. He felt emotionally drained, which was a nice change from his normal state of holding everything inside until he felt as if he would explode from the pressure. He thought about taking a nap, but he wasn't really tired and besides he couldn't have sat still if he wanted to. What he really wanted to do was continue his conversation with Isabel.
There were still a lot of things they needed to discuss not to mention some major decisions to be made and Michael was anxious to get it over with. He decided to call Isabel and see if she could come over later to work some of this out and started frantically searching for the phone when he realized he'd need to reach her before Max returned home. He finally found the phone on the floor by his bed under a pile of clothing and he quickly dialed the Evans' household. Michael held his breath as it rang, hoping that Iz would be the one to answer. He let out his breath when a female voice answered but it wasn't Isabel it was her mom. Michael panicked not knowing what to say. Diane had said hello a second time when Michael finally blurted out "Is Isabel home?" Diane didn't seem to recognize his voice, or if she did she didn't say anything and asked to him to hold on a second. While he waited he tried out various ways of asking Isabel to come over and was afraid that everything would sound rehearsed and that his voice would betray the sudden shyness he felt around her since last night.

"Isabel phone!" Her mother's voice startled her and as she grabbed the cordless off her dresser she wondered who could be calling her. The phone hadn't rang in weeks. "Hello."

"Isabel. Hey."

It was Michael. She smiled as she replied, "Hey, I couldn't figure out who would be calling me. I'm glad it's you. So, to what do I owe the honor of this phone call?"

"I wanted to see if you could stop by my place this evening some time so we could talk. You know, finish our conversation from last night."

"Umm, I think that we definitely need to talk, but I don't know how feasible my going out again tonight would be, with Max I mean. I think that he is curious as to why we were together last night as it is. Even though I told him we were just talking."

"I told him the same thing, and I couldn't read his reaction to it. I see your point about you leaving but I don't want this to wait until Max is no longer curious. What if I come over there later on. I'll sneak in your window and we can talk without anybody wondering where you are. Just leave your radio or TV on tonight when everyone is asleep that way if they hear voices in your room they won't be suspicious."

"Okay, we'll do that. What time do you think you'll come over?"

"Late. Preferably after everyone is asleep. How about around one?"

"Sounds fine except Max hardly ever sleeps so just be as quiet as possible getting in here. I'll leave my window open once it gets dark just in case you're early. Hey, I just heard a car pull up. I think that Max is home, I have to go Michael. I'll see you tonight."

"Sure. See you soon Iz."

Isabel quickly hung up the phone and prayed that Max wouldn't come talk to her. She wanted to avoid talking to him before she and Michael had decided what they were going to do because she hated the thought of having to lie to him. For once since that day in the pod chamber she silently prayed that he would continue avoiding her. She could hear the front door open and close and heard muffled voices downstairs. She listened intently as the voices died down and Max started up the stairs. She held her breath as he passed her room and went into his. When she heard his door close she relaxed and decided that it might actually be a good idea to take a nap. She didn't get much sleep last night and she didn't think that Michael would appreciate her yawning and nodding off during his visit tonight. She changed into her pyjamas, curled up under the covers and drifted off into a sound sleep, so soundly that she did not notice the knock at her door a few minutes later.

"Isabel." Max received no answer so he lightly knocked at her door again and cracked it a bit. It looked like she was asleep but he needed to talk to her. He wanted to talk to her. It seemed like ages since he'd really talked to Isabel about anything. He was about to go ahead and wake her when he thought better of it and decided to let her get some rest. He'd try later this evening. He didn't feel like staying in his room all afternoon so he headed back downstairs and out the door, yelling to his parents that he was going out and would probably be at the Crashdown later on if they needed him.

****

After Michael hung up with Isabel, he busied himself cleaning up his apartment. He couldn't remember it ever actually being clean, except for when he had just moved in and Max and Isabel helped him with his stuff. Isabel had been obsessed with getting everything wiped down at least once. The cleaning was over soon and he quickly ran out of things to do and still couldn't bring himself to stay stationary for more than a moment. Time was passing too slowly. He focused all his effort on trying to sleep but couldn't relax. He was starting to feel stir crazy so he decided to try and pass the time in town. He grabbed a jacket for later on and left. He didn't have any destination in mind but figured he would find something to do.

****

As Max left his street the only place he wanted to be was with Liz, but since she had left town he had to settle for second best: the Crashdown. He kept going back even though it hurt him every time he walked through those doors, each time bringing to mind the memories of that day. The day that Liz was shot. The day he forgot about everything but her and the fact that her life was ending with every breath as she lay bleeding in front of him. Michael had tried to stop him then too, but he didn't let him. Not then, not like he did in the desert when he should have gone after Liz. Max sighed as he headed toward the café. He could have driven there with his eyes closed but he made a conscious effort to concentrate on every motion, forcing himself to feel even the routine tasks associated with driving just to keep him from dwelling on Liz. It seemed like his entire life he had been drawn to her: when they were kids, in the Crashdown, in the desert. He had always worried that their worlds would keep them apart but now she was the one pushing him away, and he couldn't take it. He parked out front and walked in. It was busy as it usually was on Saturdays. He didn't think that Maria would be there, she usually worked the evening shift on the weekends, but wasn't too surprised when she met him at the counter. She looked terrible, and he knew she'd been working extra shifts not only to fill in for Liz but also to avoid having time to think. As he looked at her he realized that he probably looked worse, but the thought left him as she spoke, "I didn't expect to see you today. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just didn't want to spend another day in the house."

"I know the feeling, I find myself actually wanting to come to work and have even stopped completely loathing all customers, although I still have a word or two for the 'Miss? Oh Miss. Yoo hoo Miss' people."

Max smiled at her frustration and couldn't help but laugh at the deadpan way she imitated just about every tourist to grace the tables of the restaurant. Max's laughter caught Maria off-guard and she smiled in spite of herself. Max looked back up at her and she knew exactly what he would say even before he opened his mouth. It was the same thing he started every one of their conversations with these days, and her answer was always the same, but not by any choice on her part.

"So, have you heard from Liz yet?"

Maria sighed and thought 'He's hopeless, utterly hopeless' before shaking her head in response and having to watch as he tried to hide the pain in his face from her. Max struggled to regain some composure.

"So how have you been doing? Any better." He tried to listen intently but felt his mind wandering even as she started in on the new list of reasons why Michael is the world's worst everything all rolled into one and her new resolve to rid herself of everything Michael in her life. Maria continued speaking without noticing that Max was not with her. It didn't matter - to either of them.

As Maria continued to speak in Max's general direction, Michael arrived at the Crashdown. On his quest to find something to do he'd realized that he was starving. He'd been far too nervous to really eat this morning and besides that was hours ago. He figured the Crashdown would be a safe bet as he wouldn't have to deal with Maria at this time of day. He knew she didn't work the mid-shift on the weekend. He entered the diner and sat down at the booth in the corner by the door before he noticed her at the counter talking to Max. The sight of them together startled him at first and had it been any other time, Michael would have used Maria as an excuse to start a confrontation with Max, but not now. Things were different now. He looked at Maria. She looked terrible, pale and skinny with dark circles under her eyes and Michael suddenly felt guilty. He'd never really had that feeling before, but it hit him now. He felt bad that he had been the one that started everything between them. The irony of it all hit him as he watched her and realized that this was the very place where it had begun. That night. The heat wave. It seemed like ages ago. When he had just showed up here after-hours and they had made out like crazy on the floor behind the counter. He hadn't planned it. There was just something about her that got to him, under his skin, and he was drawn to her that night. He was still staring at them when Maria noticed him and gasped. Her eyes widened and Max looked over his shoulder at him. Max didn't react as Maria had. Instead he turned back to her and touched her hand before he started over to where Michael was seated.

Michael looked down at the table as Max lowered himself into the booth across from him and he could feel Maria eyeing them intensely.

Max wasn't sure if Michael would even stay if he started a conversation with him, but he had nothing to lose by trying. Michael was silent and avoiding Max's gaze, so Max spoke first, "Hey Michael."

"Hey Maxwell, what's up?" Michael replied, purposely playing with the silverware on the table so that he wouldn't have to look Max in the eyes.

"Nothing. Care if I sit here for a while?"

"Nah man, help yourself."

"Are you going to eat? I am starving, I'm not used to eating so early especially these days." Max looked over at Michael who was still looking down but glanced up at him and smiled as he said "I know what you mean."

They ordered some food (Maria did not want to be their server and had to bribe another waitress to do it for her because they were in her section) and while they waited they actually talked. Not the strained me against the world conversations that had been the norm of late but an actual conversation. It had happened inadvertently. Michael had intended to sit in silence reading the menu or shredding napkins and reassembling them while they waited. The change came when Michael answered Max by saying 'I
know what you mean,' with a look that they both knew had deeper implications
than just food and amazingly enough it produced a brief instant of mutual understanding between them, like back when they were all kids and they had discovered that they were "different" and it had reinforced the bond that had always been there between them. It was the first time since that day in the desert that they each actually acknowledged that they understood the problems the other was facing (Michael more so than Max knew at that moment) and it allowed them to look past all the times that they had butted heads recently and much to Max's surprise, Michael started the conversation.

"So how have you been Max?"

"Fine, you know."

"No, I mean it really. How have you been? With the Liz and the whole...you know, everything?"

Max was unprepared for Michael's question but decided not to waste the moment hedging the answer.

"Not good Michael. Honestly for a while there, after she left, I really thought I was losing it. Everything hurt, you know? I couldn't sleep because she was in my dreams, always leaving me. Always running. I couldn't eat, I couldn't even think because the pain was too much to endure. Then finally I realized that I needed to show her how I felt. That I didn't want Tess. That I needed her. So I forced myself to come here. It was hard. I sat in the jeep for 15 minutes, forcing myself to come inside. But she wasn't here. I had come and she was gone. Maria had to take me into the back and tell me that she left for Florida. I think that was the lowest point in my life. I felt like Liz had betrayed me. Maria was the only reason I kept my sanity. She told me how hard it was for Liz to leave, but that she had to go. She made me see that if I didn't try and pull myself together that Liz would have no reason to come back to me when she came home. So from then on, whenever I start to lose my grip on reality, I usually wind up here with Maria."

Max hesitated before continuing. He didn't know how Michael would handle his newly found friendship with Maria and wanted to give him a chance to respond, to gauge his feelings before saying any more. Max had been playing with his fork as he spoke and not watching Michael. When he stopped and looked up he saw Michael looking over at Maria but he couldn't tell what the look meant. He waited for some kind of acknowledgement from Michael before speaking again.

"I never meant to hurt her."

Max was shocked to hear Michael admit something personal so freely. "I know."

"No, I mean it Maxwell." Michael said purposefully and looked Max straight in the eyes. "I don't know why I started things with her. I didn't plan it, I just couldn't stay away. It was like I was drawn to her that night. I knew it wasn't right but I let it continue, let her get involved and it was wrong. I should've stopped it that night but I didn't and now look at her."

They both glanced over at Maria who quickly looked away as she was caught staring at them.

Max was startled at Michael's revelations regarding Maria. Maria was the last thing he'd ever expected Michael to start a conversation about. He tried to sympathize and said, "I know how you feel Michael. Believe me. I know how badly it feels to have no control over something that hurts the person you love." Max hoped that his comment would allow he and Michael to discuss their "destinies" and find away around them, and was completely unprepared for how Michael responded.

"No, you don't get it Max!," Michael raised his voice, his emotions coming to the surface for once, "I don't love her. That is the problem. I feel bad that I hurt her, that I ever got involved with her, and I do care about her but I don't love her. I never have. I never will."

Max sat there in silence. He was completely in shock. He knew that Michael had a hard time opening up to people but it seemed that he had let Maria in. He knew that Maria loved him and he had always just assumed that Michael felt the same way, at least on some level.

"She loves you Michael."

"I know that! Which just makes everything that much more difficult. I never told her that I loved her but I never said that I didn't. I just let her assume because it was easier than facing the truth. I didn't want to hurt her but I could never be what she wanted. I didn't want to be who she wanted, and every time that I see her it just makes it worse. I can see what I did to her just by telling her that I needed to be alone. Look at her Max. She's a wreck and I did that. Michael Guerin 'world's worst boyfriend' Can you imagine what it would do to her if she knew that I didn't love her? That I wasn't just pushing her away to be the lone soldier? There's nothing that I can ever to do to make up for what I have already done to her. And anything that I do from here on out is just going to make it worse for her. Maybe it would be better if she could just hate me. She could just hate me and move on and keep hating me indefinitely. But she doesn't hate me does she?"

Max hesitated a second before answering, "Not really. She's hurt and confused and she's upset but she's still holding on." He waited for Michael to respond before continuing. "Are you sure that you never had feelings for her? Maybe you're just scared to let her in and admit it..."

"Dammit Maxwell!! Don't patronize me, I'm not a child! I know how I feel and I know what love is and I didn't nor will I love her. I used her, okay? That's what it comes down to. Plain and simple. Michael the slime ball okay? Just because you and Liz have this soul mate connection doesn't mean that everyone else did. So stop trying to talk me into feeling something that I don't just because it would make things easier for you. Next you're going to be telling me that Alex and Isabel were in love too!"

Isabel. Shit. Michael had not meant to bring her up at all. He was watching Max's face to see if anything registered there and he hoped that his emotional outburst had kept him occupied on Maria and not on Isabel. Max wasn't saying anything and Michael felt bad about how he had reacted.

"Hey, I'm sorry Max. I didn't mean to get so upset. Things have just been so screwed up between everyone lately I think that at least the four of us need to get together to work some of this out. We need to at least be able to work together if something does happen this summer and the way things are going at present we can't even all be in the same room together without fighting. Truce, okay?"

"The four of us Michael? I know who three of us are, but the four of us?"

"I'm including Tess. Just because you don't want to marry her doesn't meant that you can shut her out of the group. She is one of us Max. If we are in danger then so is she. And don't forget that she is the only one of us who really knows how to use her powers. I'm not saying that you have to kiss and make up. I'm not even suggesting that you have to like her, just think about it Max. We need to stop the fighting and focus. Nasedo may be in Washington helping with the Special Unit, but we have other enemies out there. I know you haven't forgotten. Look at how worried you were about Isabel this morning. I know the thought crossed your mind. Look at us we have got to at least be civil enough to each other to be able to work together in case something does happen to one of us. Please think about it Max. I'm not suggesting that you forget about Liz, but I am saying that you should at least try and get things back on track as best as you can while she is gone. Take Maria's advice and give her something to come back to. Be the leader Maxwell. We need you. Okay?"

Max sat silent as Michael spoke. Tess. He didn't want to be in the same room with her. Those feelings that he had had for her when she first arrived always seemed to come to mind when she was around. She was always giving him that look. That 'how can you give me up?' look. But he knew that Michael was right, at least on some level. In their current state, they were vulnerable to attack if they were identified. He always knew that he'd have to face Tess, he just wanted to do it with Liz by his side.

"Alright Michael. We'll have a meeting, just the four of us. But you have to give me some time, at least a day or two, to prepare myself for the conversation ahead, okay? I'll let you know when I decide where and when to meet."

"And you can tell Tess. You owe at least that much to her."

Max cringed. He had hoped that Michael would be the one to let Tess know about the meeting, but he knew that Michael was right. He would have to face her. He was the leader.

Their food had arrived while they were talking, and both of them were glad to have something else to focus on. They ate in silence, both relieved to at least be on speaking terms again but neither of them looking forward to what was ahead.

Michael stood up to go after he was finished and said, "So, what are you going to tell Maria?"

"Nothing that she doesn't already know. Anything else will have to come from you."

Michael smiled as he realized that Max was paying him back for forcing him to have to speak to Tess, "Touché, Maxwell. Touché." Michael turned to go and saw Maria quickly look down at the counter where she had been watching him. He wondered how much she had heard of their conversation, but given how crowded it was he didn't think it would have been much. He knew that Max would tell him if she had heard anything crucial. He quickly left without looking back at Maria. That was one conversation that he wished he would never have to have.

Max watched as Michael hurried out of the café and looked over his shoulder to find Maria looking over at him expectantly. He ate the last of his fries before heading over to her. He only wished he knew what he was going to say.

****

Michael returned to his apartment and sighed as he realized that he still had hours before it would be dark and he could see Isabel. He was surprisingly relieved by the conversation that he and Max had had earlier. He knew that if they were all going to be meeting soon that he and Isabel would have to figure things out fast. He grabbed the remote off of the bar and plopped down on the couch to pass some time.

When he woke up it was dark outside. He hadn't remembered falling asleep. The TV was still offering up its never-ending series of images in front of him. Michael stretched and got up off of the couch. What time is it? He groped his way into the kitchen in the dark and glanced at the clock on the stove. Shit. It was after midnight. He hurried to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. No time for a shower now. He took a final glance in the mirror and grabbed his jacket as headed out the door.

****

It seemed like the time would not pass and Isabel grew impatient waiting. All day long she tried to occupy herself. Mostly helping her mom around the house, but there was only so much domesticity she could handle on top of the breakfast that morning. She was anxious to see Michael again. Things were so different now. Strange how fast things could change. She should have been used to her whole world being turned upside down in a day's time but it still shook her each time it happened. There was a lot to be accomplished tonight and she tried to go over everything that had happened yesterday and plan what she definitely wanted to resolve this evening but she couldn't concentrate on tonight. Her thoughts kept returning to what he had told her in the desert: 'But I know you Isabel. I've known you my entire life and I think that what I feel for you is love. I've always loved you Iz, it's only recently that I've realized just how much and how real it is.'

She felt so light and so happy inside, she couldn't ever remember feeling this way. Not since they were children. She had to fight off a pang of guilt when she thought about Max and his troubles with Liz. Despite her giddiness over her and Michael's feelings for each other she knew that they had to tell Max and soon. She brushed the thought aside not wanting the heaviness of their situations to dispel the happiness she felt at the moment. Max had been gone all day, or at least since she woke from her nap. Their mother had said that he went out and was going to the Crashdown. Probably to talk with Maria. Isabel hoped that he wouldn't bring up any suspicions he might have about Michael and her and especially their night out together. Maria would definitely not take that well.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, darkness fell. As Isabel paced in her room she heard the front door slam.

Max returned late from the Crashdown. It had taken a long while to placate Maria after his and Michael's very public conversation that afternoon. At first he had worried that she had heard Michael's assertions regarding his real feelings for her but the needy, imploring, look on her face when he returned to the counter after Michael left told him she was still clinging to the hope that he would eventually relent and return to her. No matter how futile it was. Max had a hard time convincing her that he and Michael weren't speaking about her. He told her that they were re-hashing their last confrontation about Max's chronic indecisiveness and lack of action. A tactic which seemed good at the time but served only as the impetus for Maria to launch into one of her tirades about how Michael is too rash and hotheaded and of course the world's worst boyfriend. Max didn't really mind it though, especially in light of Michael's real feelings for her. He felt she at least deserved some time to vent. He even stayed and helped her clean up. When he got home his parents were already upstairs in bed and the house was quiet. He made his way quietly upstairs and noticed the light on in Isabel's room. He paused outside her door. He wondered what Michael and her had spoken about the night before, especially given Michael's newfound change in behavior. Today had been so strange compared to what had become the norm of late, Max figured it wouldn't hurt to try and talk to Isabel as well. He silently wished that he knew how to reach Liz, maybe the good mood that seemed to affect them would strike her, but he pushed the thought away as he knocked on Isabel's door.

"Iz, you awake?"

Max's knock startled Isabel. She quickly glanced over at the clock to see how much time she had until Michael was supposed to arrive. It was after midnight, not much time. She knew that Max knew she was up so there was no use in trying to pretend otherwise. She walked over to the door and opened it, hoping that whatever he wanted could be dealt with quickly.

"Hey Max. Just getting in?" She positioned herself defensively in the doorway and feigned annoyance at his interruption.

"Yeah long night. Listen, I know it's late so I won't keep you but I wanted to talk to you. Can I come in?"

Isabel reluctantly stepped aside to let him enter. Max sat down on her bed and she remained standing, leaning against the edge of her desk.

"Look Isabel, I know that things haven't exactly been good between us lately and most of it is my fault. But I wanted you to know that I am working on it. I want us to be able to talk again, to be friends again. And, I....uh, I wanted to apologize to you."

Isabel struggled to maintain her indifferent composure but his statement caught her off guard and she answered before she could think "Apologize, Max? For what?"

"For not being here for you lately. I shouldn't have shut you out. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair. I should have been there, should have pulled everyone together instead of allowing us to avoid dealing with everything and end up in the mess that we are all in now. I'm sorry Iz."

"Max..." Isabel went over and sat next to him on her bed, "You don't have to apologize to me. No one blames you, well maybe Tess does, but Michael and I don't," She paused as the comment about Tess caused Max to stiffen, "We understood. No one expected you to be able to handle all this on your own. You may be the leader but you are not made of steel. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. I wasn't there for you either and I let you shut me out. I wanted you to. None of us wanted to be reminded of that day. I shouldn't have let this go on so long. I should've kicked your ass," a grin from Max, "Look I'm sorry too okay?"

They hugged and as Max got up to leave he remembered his conversation with Michael at the Crashdown. "Oh Iz, I talked to Michael today...at the Crashdown." Isabel stiffened at his comment and waited for him to continue to see just what he was getting at.

"Really? Michael and you in the same room and no chairs went flying, no windows breaking?"

Max smiled at her reference to his and Michael's typical form of communication lately, "No, we actually had a real conversation. You know with words and sentences and feelings. We talked about the way things are between all of us right now and he suggested that in light of the possible threat of enemies that I call a meeting, just the four us, so we can sort of all this out and move on."

Isabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. Michael making a suggestion and Max taking it??

"Are you really going to include Tess Max?"

"I have to. Michael's right. She is one of us and she's in the same danger we are. Despite my personal feelings for her, it wouldn't be right not to include her."

"Wow. I honestly never thought I would see the day when those words would come out of your mouth Max. So, when is this big meeting?" Isabel was hoping that it wouldn't be too soon. She didn't want to have to face the group before her and Michael had at least squared some things away.

"A few days I think. I haven't decided yet, but when I do you'll be the first to know."

Isabel smiled at his last comment. She was happy to have Max coming to her again. Now all she had left was to figure things out with Michael.

"I'll let you get to sleep now. See you in the morning Iz."

"Yeah, good night Max. Oh, and Max..."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

He smiled at his sister as he closed her door. He hadn't meant to go into everything now, but he wanted her to know. He yawned as he flipped on the light in his room. Maybe a little change was alright, just as long as it didn't involve he and Liz.

****

Michael was out of breath when arrived on the Evans' street. He forced himself to walk the rest of the way to give himself time to calm down. He was nervous. The realization of it surprised him. He was never nervous around anyone, especially around Isabel. He crossed the lawn and saw her window cracked open. He took a deep breath before climbing up and through to her.

"Michael!" Isabel looked up from the magazine she was flipping through on her bed when she heard him coming through the window. He was right on time, very non-Michael. She hesitated a second before getting off the bed to greet him. It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea what to do. Should she hug him? A handshake would be out of place but a kiss seemed too forward. She finally decided to just wait and see what he did.

Michael saw her before he made his presence known by starting through the window. She was beautiful. He still couldn't believe he felt this way about Isabel. She was on her bed, lying on her stomach with her ankles crossed behind her in the air, propped up on her elbows reading. He had to force himself to keep moving or he would have stayed there watching her all night.

He saw her get up to greet him as his feet found the floor. Damn. She looked amazing, even in pajamas. Only Isabel could make pajamas look that good. He just stood there taking it all in. Her, this moment, and even the dull roar of the TV in the background did nothing to dissuade him from his thoughts. He drank her in, staring unabashedly at her long blonde hair and the way it fell around her shoulders ending shiny ringlets that he desperately wanted to wrap around his fingers, at her long slender neck and the hollow at the base of it that was making it really hard for him to concentrate, at her standing there in front him in a lavender tank top and deep purple satin pajama pants. He even noticed her feet, the nails perfectly manicured and coated in a shimmery light pink. As he slowly absorbed every inch of her he was suddenly hit with the realization that he was unworthy, even undeserving of such a woman as her. He had never done anything but reject people, life, and the world and here he was in love with this creature and she with him. He could have cried at the sheer weight of the realization which threatened to consume him but she spoke and everything inside of him responded.

Isabel had stood quiet and still as Michael looked at her and she felt a blush rising up from her toes. She had never been looked at in that way, she could feel his eyes on every part of her, coursing through her and she didn't want him to stop. She only spoke when she saw that look, the one that he always got when he was wounded or about to run. He was about to shut down and close her out, and she didn't want to lose him...not yet. She didn't know what had caused the change but it bothered her and when he took his eyes off of her she reacted.

"Michael."

"Isabel." His reply betrayed a thinly veiled attempt at concealing his fear, but his eyes never wavered.

"Are you going to stand there all night or do you want to sit down?" She hadn't meant it to sound as curt as it came out but he was starting to worry her.

He didn't acknowledge her last remark and remained standing. The air in the room had suddenly shifted. It was heavier, palpable. She didn't want him to run so she avoided crowding him. She watched his face for a clue to his sudden shift in mood. He gave away nothing, an easy feat after years of practice. It was taking all the effort she had not to break down under the weight of the struggle between her newly realized feelings for him and the fear over his sudden change in mood. As if he didn't mean it, no longer cared, as if.... "Michael?"

No answer.

"Michael please. Please don't shut me out." She pleaded, turning to him, her eyes slowly rising to meet his, unsure of what she might find staring back at her in his.

"This is real Isabel." He said it simply, more as admonition than a statement of fact, "I thought I knew what it meant last night. I had been over it so many times in my head since that day, and I knew it was true. But I didn't know. How could I know? And just now, when I saw you, really saw you. Oh God Iz, I don't even think I can explain it. Everything that I felt, am feeling, it...it was so familiar and yet new at the same time. It was like seeing another part of me in you, a part of me that I never knew existed and I suddenly realized that I have never done anything to deserve you. Never. And the idea that I could hurt you even unintentionally...it is just too much to bear."

Isabel stood silent and tense as he began to speak. When the meaning of his words began to hit her, she felt all the tension that had seized her just moments earlier melt away. She was wrong. He still meant it.

She made her way over to him and gently took his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eye, not letting him shy away and retreat back into his usual defense of protective solitude.

"Michael. You don't have to do anything to earn me, you've always had me. I'm not a prize to be won. I'm Isabel, the same person you have always known. I'm not rushing into this, believe me I have thought about you and I together since that day we found out. This whole time, while we were all apart and miserable, you were all I thought about. I know what I am risking and to me it's worth it. You're worth it. I told you last night that I would rather have you in my life as my brother than risk losing you and now that I know that you feel the same, there's nothing that can stop me from wanting to try Michael. Don't you see how important you are to me? How important you've always been? I know that this is hard but I never expected it to be easy. I realize that we risk alienating Max and losing his support but if he truly loves us and if he feels for Liz even
1/10th of what I feel for you then he should understand. He of all people should understand. I choose you Michael. It's my choice. I'm not acquiescing to destiny or resigning myself to fate. It's already inside of me. It's always been there, you've always been there. Michael I trust you but you've got to trust me too."

When she finished speaking, he didn't answer her. It didn't matter; she knew what his answer was by the look in his eyes. That look. She knew that look. It resonated somewhere deep within her and she knew that she had seen it before. In another time perhaps, but more importantly, she also knew that she wanted what came along with that look.

Before either of them had time to think about what they were doing, Michael's hands found Isabel's shoulders and pulled her to him. His mouth covered hers and she surrendered to his touch. He was gentle with her at first, cautious despite the growing warmth flooding his senses, shooting out from inside him to the tips of his fingers and toes. She stifled a soft moan and pressed into him as he parted her lips with his tongue wanting desperately to feel her, to drink her in, to be close, to hold on and never let go. She kissed him back deeply, feverishly. Her hands had moved from his face to his neck where she was languidly trailing her fingernails up and down the back of his neck and playfully tangling her fingers in his hair, sending chills down his spine. He held onto her for dear life as they both sank into the abyss of each other's mouths together. It was like this was the moment that he was born for; that he had lived for all these years without being conscious of it. Isabel. Her name gave him strength. He could feel it, in his blood, coursing through his veins, bringing him life, sustaining him. How had he ever survived without her?

Isabel. They way he whispered her name as they kissed, it sent sparks through her body. She had never wanted anything more in her life than she wanted him to hold onto her that moment. She was starting to feel light-headed and was spinning on the inside. She met his mouth with hers again and that is when it happened.

The flash.