Author: Lori R     3/18/06-2/4/07
Email: Gussywussy55@yahoo.com
Title: 'Solace'
Category: Cliffhangers (Michael/Isabel) and Groundzero aka Girlfriends (Max/Maria) of 'Roswell'
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, but I do enjoy writing about them.
Feedback: Yes, please. It helps to know what people like to read.
Summary: Tragic circumstances force friends to seek solace in each other.
S3 occurred differently.



                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shortly after 2:30 A.M…

Max quickly came awake and sat up in bed, startled by the sudden ringing of the doorbell. 
He glanced over at the clock beside his bed and noted the time, then frowned. Who would 
be ringing the bell this time of night? Michael, and even Liz, used the window and Liz was 
out of the country. He listened for his parent's voices or footsteps and hearing none his 
frown deepened. He slipped on a T-shirt and some pajama bottoms over his boxers then 
headed for the door of his room. Opening it he ran into Isabel in the hall putting on her 
robe as she went. Their eyes met.

"It's 2:30 in the morning, Max. Why isn't Daddy up and answering the door?" asked Isabel as 
she headed to her parents room and knocked. 

 "Daddy? Mom?" She opened their bedroom door to find the bed made and the room empty. 
She turned to Max, apprehension creeping into her voice. "Where are Mom and Dad, Max?" 

"They must not be home yet," replied Max trying to hide his worry. His parents were due 
back at midnight from the airport, but had called to say they were delayed and would be in 
around 1:00 and so he and Isabel should go ahead to bed. But now it appeared their parents 
hadn't arrived yet. A sensation of fear began to creep over him. 

The bell kept up it's ringing now followed by a loud pounding on the door. 

Isabel clutched Max's arm to her body as they slowly made their way down the stairs.
"Max, I'm scared. We have no idea who or what is on the other side of the door?" whispered 
Isabel.

Max shook his head as he felt his way along the wall. "An enemy wouldn't ring the bell and 
pound on the door. Something's wrong."

Isabel's breath caught in her throat as the fear that was building in Max covered her as 
well. "Max, don't open the door! Please don't open the door!" she whispered urgently, as her 
heart pounded within her chest.

Max moistened his lips as they reached the door and stopped. "We have to, Isabel. We have 
to know who is out there and why they're here." He reached out to grasp the doorknob just 
as the phone began to ring, scaring them both to death. 

Isabel stifled a scream at the sound, while Max's heart jumped up into his throat. Both 
could hear a voice outside the door and turned as they heard it on the machine as well when 
it picked it up.

"Max! It's me, Jim. Open the door!"

Isabel turned worried eyes to Max as he quickly opened the door and found Jim Valenti 
standing there with a strained, grave look on his face. 

"Sheriff, what's wrong?" asked Max as he held the door open to allow Valenti into the foyer. 

Valenti nervously twirled his Stetson hat in his hands as he glanced between the two young 
people standing before him. He gestured towards the living room as Max closed the door. 
"I think we need to sit down." 

Max and Isabel cautiously led Valenti into the living area, Max and Isabel sitting on the sofa 
while Valenti sat on the coffee table before them.  Max and Isabel waited for Jim to speak, 
but the Sheriff just stared at his hat hanging in his hands. 

"Okay, we're sitting. "What's wrong?" asked Max, afraid he already knew.

Isabel tightly clasped her hands in front of her as she struggled to stay calm. Valenti would 
only be here at this time of night if something bad were happening. The Special Unit had 
been quiet for too long. They must be back. It was all she could think of. Valenti had come 
to warn them. But why risk having her parents find out by ringing the doorbell? 
What she heard was the one thing she never expected.

Jim Valenti cleared his throat, the words he had prepared seemed inadequate to him now so 
he spoke from his heart. 

"Max…Isabel," he looked at both then said as gently as he could, "There's been an accident."

"An accident? What kind of accident? Where?" asked Isabel her heart beating out of 
control inside of her chest. This had nothing to do with the Special Unit or aliens. Fear took 
over and she began to shake, her teeth clattering softly inside of her mouth as she waited 
for Valenti to finish speaking.

"Isabel…let him speak," said Max, already knowing in his heart what was to come. He took 
hold of Isabel's hand, holding it tightly even as her neatly trimmed nails dug into the side of 
his hand. 

Valenti looked down so they wouldn't see the tears welling in eyes. He wiped them away then 
looked back up and said with genuine sadness, "You're parents are dead. I'm so sorry." 

Isabel felt as if she had been slapped. Her eyes widened and her mouth flew open trying to 
suck in air as Valenti's words rang in her ears. Her head shook in denial as her hand pulled 
away from Max's and moved to cover her mouth as she cried out, "NO! No, you're wrong! 
Mom and Dad…they…they are on their way back from the airport. They…they…" She dropped 
her hand and turned wide tearful eyes on Max. "Tell him, Max! Tell him they are fine and on 
their way home!"  'This was NOT happening again! It wasn't! Not to her parents!'

But Max sat there staring into space his world having been shattered too. 

"TELL HIM!" screamed Isabel, her eyes wild, as she wrapped her arms tightly around her 
body. "MAX! TELL HIM!" 

Max stared into space, his mind trying to accept what Valenti was telling them. It couldn't 
be true. This was a dream…a nightmare… and he was still in the bed.  He just needed to wake 
up! But Isabel's tortured cries told him it wasn't a dream. This was real and yet it was still a 
nightmare from which he wanted to wake up.

Valenti tried to take one of Isabel's hands in his, but she pulled away. "NO!" she wimpered, 
shaking her head as she hugged her body and began to rock. Her lips quivered uncontrollably 
and tears began to stream down her face unchecked. "Noooooo…" she moaned softly.

Valenti's head fell forward as he sighed then looked back up.
"The cab driver that picked them up pulled onto the 'on ramp' of the freeway just outside of 
the airport. The driver of the semi said he was changing lanes and didn't see him until it was 
too late to avoid hitting them."

Both Max and Isabel sat as if neither seemed to hear Valenti's words, but he continued 
anyway. 

"The driver's record appears to be clean. As far as we know it was just an accident, but 
there will be an investigation to see if either driver was under the influence. As far as we 
know it was just a tragic accident. They…your parents and the driver… they never even knew 
what hit them."

Max suddenly stood up. In a strained, yet urgent voice he said, "I want to see them. It 
might not be too late!"  If he got to them now he could still heal them! They would know his 
secret, but it would be worth it to have them back. He would deal with the consequences 
after he brought them back.  Visions of Alex lying dead in the ambulance came to him and 
how he hadn't been able to save him. But he could save his parents!

Valenti stood and shook his head and looked Max in the eye. "You can't fix this, Max. They're 
not…" He swallowed to try to ease the burning in his throat. "We…we identified them by 
objects in the car."  

Isabel let out an anguished cry as she covered her mouth and jumped up to run down the hall 
and up the stairs to her bedroom slamming the door behind her. 

Max's tears fell unchecked down his cheeks, his fists coming up to push into his sockets as 
he sobbed. 

"I'm so sorry, Max. If you and Isabel need anything…" his voice trailed off as he watched 
the young man slowly nod.  

"Thanks," Max replied as he sniffed and wiped at his face with the back of his hand. "We'll 
be fine." He gazed off as if at nothing and quietly repeated, "We'll be fine."

He and Isabel were of legal age now and therefore all on their own. 

Jim nodded. "Never the less I'm here if you need anything. If you want me to help with 
arrangements or anything, you just call me and I'll be there for you and for Isabel."
He glanced up. "Would you like me to check on Isabel?"

Max shook his head. "No, she'll be fine. I'll look in on her later. She just needs to be alone 
for a while." He sucked in a deep breath and his voice quavered as he said, "Isabel and Mom 
were…" he stopped as he struggled to control himself. "Isabel and Mom were very close. And 
Dad…" he gave a shaky laugh, "She had him wrapped around her little finger."  His face 
contorted with new pain as he remembered his parents. Wiping at new tears and sucking in a 
cleansing breath, he stood up and looked at Valenti. "Thank you for coming to tell us. I 
know…I know it wasn't easy." 

Jim stepped forward and hugged Max, his arms wrapped tightly around the young man as if 
to lend him strength to get through this terrible time in his young life. 
When he stepped back he headed for the door. "I'll be checking back with you sometime 
today, but you call me if you need me."

Max nodded as he walked his friend to the door. "Thanks, I will." 

Closing the door after Jim left, Max headed upstairs to his room and closed the door, his 
hand reaching for his phone.
He needed Liz.

                                                                      ~~~~~~~~~




Grieving…

Isabel lay on her side quietly sobbing as she hugged a picture of her parents to her chest.
She wanted her Mother. She needed her, and her Daddy too. Why had this happened? They 
didn't deserve to die like that. 
New tears began to fall as Isabel felt a deep physical pain in her chest. She had thought 
she couldn't go on when Alex had died, but that pain didn't prepare her for what she felt 
now as her world crumbled beyond repair with the loss of her parents.
She wiped at her eyes as she heard Max moving about in his room. Heard him slam the phone 
down and then heard it hit the wall. She sat up and moved into the hall towards his room, 
but stopped when she heard him began to cry harsh, hard sobs of grief. She backed up a 
step in hesitation. The sound of Max's grief added to her own devestation. He was the one 
she depended on, the one who took care of everything, but now he needed her too, and that 
frightened her. Taking a quivering breath she tried the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Max?"  Isabel called his name, but he didn't answer.  "Max…please…" But he didn't answer.
 
Isabel laid her forehead on the door while her body shook with silent tears. 
He had closed himself off from her. She knew she could use her powers to enter his room, 
but his message was clear: he wanted to be left alone. 
A few moments later she pushed her hair out of her face and then turned back to her own 
room and closed the door. She moved to the corner of her room and sank down against the 
wall and began rocking back and forth with grief and fear as she clutched tightly to her the 
picture of her parents she had taken off her dresser as she had passed by. Fresh tears 
began to fall as she realized she had been left to grieve alone.

                                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Max lay on his bed, his fists pushed against his eyes as he quietly sobbed out his pain.  
First he had lost his son and now his parents. He had tried calling Liz, but couldn't get 
through. When she left to spend the summer in Europe as a traveling companion to her Aunt 
things between them had been tense. She had still been hurt and angry that while they were 
broke up Max had slept with Tess and gotten her pregnant.  But Tess was gone now, back to 
Antar, taking his then unborn son with her.  And Liz, needing time to heal her wounds, had 
left to accompany her Aunt on a long trip abroad. But they had talked by cell phone and 
things were better, both eagerly waiting for her return so they could be together again. 
And now when he needed her most he couldn't reach her. In his frustration he had thrown 
the phone at the wall.
He had to get out of here. 
Sitting up he ran the back of his hand across his eyes and nose and then grabbed his car 
keys and headed out the door.  



Roswell…

Max drove the empty streets of Roswell, on his way back from the desert, trying to erase 
the last few hours from his mind, but they wouldn't go away. His parents were still dead and 
nothing was going to change that. 
He was driving past the Crashdown when he saw Maria drive into the alley on her way to 
work to get ready for the breakfast crowd.  He turned his car into the alley behind her and 
got out.
Maria turned at the sound of the car behind her, the lights bright in her face then suddenly 
gone as they were turned off. 

"Max?" Her confusion grew as she saw Max bare foot, dressed only in his pajamas, get out 
of the car.  Alarm set in and fear. 

"OH MY GAWD! What's wrong?! Is it Michael? What?" she asked as she ran towards him on 
shaking legs. The look of pain in his eyes made her draw up short. "Oh my gawd…Max…?" She 
was really scared now.

"My parents…they're …they're dead." His eyes were red and glazed and his shoulders 
slumped from crying. He seemed lost, very unlike the leader she knew him to be.
 "I need Liz. I tried to call her, but …"

Maria's eyes welled up as she watched and listened to Max. She immediately wrapped her 
arms around him and held him close, the chill of his skin penetrating to her own. 

"Max, I'm so sorry….my gawd, you're freezing!  Come inside…come on," she said as she led 
him inside the back door of the Crashdown and found Jeff Parker, Liz's father, already busy 
with the morning crew preparing for the breakfast crowd.  

Jeff Parker glanced up from the load of plates he was carrying and then quickly set them on 
the counter beside him and rushed over to where Maria was helping Max sit on the couch. 

"What happened?" he asked Maria. 

"He said his parents are dead," she whispered. "I think he's been driving all night with the 
top down because his skin is freezing." 

"Max, I'm so sorry." When the young man didn't reply Jeff Parker looked at Maria and said, 
"I'll get him some coffee," and he hurried off.

Maria took off her coat and threw it over Max then bent to take his cold feet in her lap and 
wrap her apron around them to try to get them warm. 

"Max, can you tell us what happened?" asked Jeff as he returned with the coffee.

Max unconsciously accepted the mug, his hands wrapping around it as the heat began to 
warm him up. He looked down at the piping hot dark liquid and without hesitation poured the 
contents down his throat, the scald of it in his mouth as it rolled over his tongue nothing 
compared to the pain of losing his parents.  He clutched the empty mug as he told them 
what happened.

"I tried to call Liz, but I can't get through," he told them. 

Jeff shook his head. "Liz won't have cell service or any type of phone service for the next 
several weeks. Her Aunt has decided to 'rough it' for part of the trip by driving herself and 
Liz through the country and staying where they can which means no phone service in some 
areas and where there is service her Aunt won't allow Liz to use her cell. She said it takes 
away from the atmosphere of their surroundings."  He had let his Aunt know he didn't like 
his daughter traveling in a strange country without being able to contact her, but he wasn't 
there and had thereby had no say in the matter. All he did know was that Liz was enjoying 
her self despite missing Max. 

Max felt his gut wrench inside. He needed Liz! 

"How's your sister…Isabel, right? How's she handling this?" asked Jeff. 

Max blinked and looked at Jeff.  'Isabel!'  He'd not even thought about her he had been so 
lost in his own grief. 

"Isabel…I…" He pushed his hand through his hair as he realized he had left her all alone at a 
time when they should have been together. He felt horrible. Isabel must be scared out of 
her mind by now wondering where he was. That's all she needed on top of losing their 
parents.  

Maria frowned. "Max, where's Isabel?" 

"At home. I needed to get out and…" his voice tapered off as he hung his head between his 
hands. 

Maria placed Max's feet back on the floor then jumped up and ran to the phone, calling the 
only other person she knew Isabel trusted more than Max. 

"I have to get home to Isabel." Max made to get up, but Jeff pushed him back down.  

"You are in no condition to drive. I'll have Maria drive you home after you've rested here a 
bit. You're going to need some rest to get through the next few days." 

Max nodded and sat back, his head resting on the back of the beat up couch.  He closed his 
eyes to rest them, but soon he was in an uneasy sleep. 

                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Evan's Home…

Michael didn't bother to knock when he arrived at the Evans's home. Instead he let himself 
in the back door and after a quick search downstairs made his way up to Isabel's room. 
He thought about knocking on her bedroom door, but decided to go on in. Taking a deep 
breath he slowly opened the door and stopped at the sight of Isabel sitting on the floor in 
the corner with her knees pulled to her chin, rocking back and forth, staring into space. His 
heart wrenched at seeing her like this. He took a deep breath and called her name. 

"Isabel…" he gently said so as not to spook her, but she didn't even blink.

He frowned and moved to where she was and sat next to her, putting his arm around her 
shaking shoulders. To his surprise Isabel immediately turned towards him, her face buried 
in his neck as she again sobbed out her grief. Michael wrapped his arms around her and held 
her tightly to him as she cried, a point of the picture frame she clutched to her cutting into 
his chest. Then to his own shock he began to cry with her. Not the harsh sobs she cried, but 
silent burning tears of grief for her, for Max, and for the two people that helped him when 
he needed it. Diane and Phillip Evans had welcomed him into their home despite his 
background being so different from their own. They trusted Max and Isabel's judgment and 
so they trusted him too. How many nights had he crashed on Max's floor and eaten meals in 
this house before Phillip Evans had helped him to gain emancipation and get his own place. 
And now they were gone. 

Sometime later Isabel stopped sobbing, but didn't move. Michael continued to hold her 
knowing she still needed the contact. 

"They're gone, Michael. Dead."

It was said in a soft, wounded, rasp due to her long bout of crying, but Michael heard her. 
He stroked her hair and arm as he said, "I know." He swallowed hard and whispered, "I'm 
here for as long as you need me."

Isabel nodded, and moments later Michael could feel her weight get heavier against him and 
felt her head droop. She had cried herself to sleep. He wondered if he should carry her to 
her bed, but decided against it thinking it might wake her. Instead he made himself as 
comfortable as he could on the floor against the wall and held Isabel in his protective 
embrace for as long as she would allow herself to find sleep. 




                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isabel awoke screaming an hour later, her nightmares not allowing her more time to rest.
Michael held her close and shushed her softly as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. 

"Why did they have to die, Michael?" she asked as she regained her sense of awareness. 

"I don't know, Isabel. No one knows. It's just a freak thing that happened." 

"I need to get out of here," she said as she suddenly pushed herself off of Michael and 
struggled to stand up. 

Michael looked up at her and then stood himself, his legs tingling from being on the floor 
for so long.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked her. He knew he wasn't about to let her go anywhere 
alone.

Isabel shoved her hands through her long hair as she shook her head. 

"I don't know…I…" She stopped and looked at Michael. "Yes, I do."

The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice told Michael all he needed to know.

"Are you sure? Why don't we just drive out to the desert?  You know, clear your head 
before doing that." 

Isabel looked at Michael with determination in her eyes as she shook her head. 
"I have to do this now." 

Knowing that once Isabel made up her mind to do something there was no changing it, 
Michael said, "Let's go then." He took her arm and escorted her through the house and out 
the back door. Holding the passenger car door for her he asked, "Don't you think you should 
wait on Max?"

Isabel's jaw tightened as she shook her head as she fastened her seatbelt. "No. Who knows 
when he'll come back and I want to do this now." She looked at Michael. "I need to do this 
now."

Michael nodded then closed her door and circled the car to get in on the drivers side.
He took another look at Isabel before starting the car and heading towards their 
destination.  

As they turned the corner of the street from the opposite end came a little red Jetta that 
stopped in the Evans driveway.

Max got out and ran into the house calling Isabel's name.  When he got no answer he and 
Maria checked every room meeting again in the hallway upstairs.

"She's gone," said Max tiredly as he slumped back against the wall and closed his eyes as he 
realized he hadn't seen her car in the drive. "Where could she be?" He was worried about 
her going off alone in the state of mind she must be in. 

"Maybe she's with Michael," suggested Maria pulling out her cell phone and dialing Michael's 
number.

"Michael! Is Isabel with you?" she asked anxiously into the cell.  She looked at Max and 
nodded with relief. "She's with Michael." 

Max stood up straight against the wall. "Where are they?"

"Michael, where are you?"  Her body tensed again as she asked him,  "You're where? What 
are you doing there?" She glanced at Max worriedly.

Max frowned. "Where are they?"

"Yeah, I'll tell him. Bye".

Maria slowly put the cell back in her pocket and looked at Max.  "They are at the funeral 
home. Isabel is finalizing arrangements for your parents memorial service."

Max blanched at her words. Isabel hadn't waited for him.  "She…without me?" The hurt and 
confusion in his voice pulled at Maria's heart.

"Will you go with me?" he asked Maria. 

Surprised by his request, Maria finally said, "Yes, of course. I just need to go home and 
change. Okay?" Supporting Max during this time is what Liz would want her to do.

Max nodded and then turned to go get ready himself.


                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Few Days Later…

Isabel sat staring at the portrait of her parents that was propped at the front of the 
Church. The sanctuary had been standing room only as so many of her parent's friends and 
her Father's clients had attended.  Her Grandparents on her Mother's side were behind her 
and her Aunts and Uncles, siblings of both parents, beside them. Liz's parents had attended 
as well which she was sure Max appreciated. 
Max. 
She glanced out of the corner of her eye at him sitting beside her. They had not really 
spoken since he had shown up the day pre-arrangements her parents had been made years 
ago for the service were finalized. 
She was still a bit angry with him and more than a little hurt. When they should have been 
sharing their pain and grieving together for their parents he had walked out on her seeking 
solace on his own. 
If not for Michael she would have been lost. 
Michael. 
He sat on her other side and held her hand giving her strength when she needed it most. 
Behind them somewhere Maria sat with Liz's parents.  Michael told her that Liz was out of 
reach for now which is why she wasn't here. A part of her felt sorry for Max that Liz wasn't 
here, but a part of her was glad too. She was sure that Max had tried to seek out Liz to 
share his grief with instead of sharing it with her. 
The Minister concluded the service and the people behind her rose to leave the building. 
She had thought Max would balk about the Church and the Minister, but he had agreed that 
this is what their parent's, especially their Mother had wanted. No matter his personal 
feelings on Religion he hadn't questioned the plans for the service, only that she had started 
finalizing them without him. 
Now it was over and they were supposed to go on with their lives, but how were they to do 
that? Tears started to fall again just when she thought the service had taken them all. 

"Isabel? Are you ready?" Michael quietly asked from beside her.  He looked past her to his 
friend.  "Max? Are you guys ready to go?"

Max turned and looked at Isabel who was staring straight ahead, tears gently falling down 
her face.  "Isabel?" She was angry with him and he knew why, but he couldn't undo things. 
All he could do now was try to rebuild her trust in him. 

Isabel wiped at her tears with the tissue Michael offered her from the box he had swiped 
off of the desk in the funeral director's office, and finally nodded. "I'm ready." She stood 
up and paused as Max offered her his arm.  Putting aside her anger and hurt she slid her 
arm into the crook of his and with Michael taking her other arm she gave the portrait of 
her parents one last look before the three of them exited the building. 


                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Evans Home…

The crowd of mourners finally had gone after hours of milling about the house eating food 
prepared by the Church and neighbors, and reminiscing about Philip and Diane. 

Max and Michael sat in the backyard quietly watching Isabel as she walked near her 
Mother's potted flowers watering them with the water can. Before leaving the cemetery she 
had insisted on leaving flowers at Alex's grave. So their little group of intimates had headed 
over to Alex's grave, each standing and saying something quiet in their own way to Alex 
before returning to the house.

"She's mad at me," stated Max.  His face reflected the pain he was feeling from not only his 
parent's death, but from the unintentional pain he had caused Isabel.  

"You hurt her," replied Michael as he watched Isabel put the can down on a bench nearby 
and then push back the hair off of her face that had come loose from her bun.  She bent 
down and plucked one bloom from a pot at her feet then twirled it between her fingers 
before bringing it to her nose to smell.  She wore black, her naturally beautiful face devoid 
of make up, and her blond hair beginning to fall free from its knot at the nape of her neck, 
but still she exuded grace and quite strength belying how fragile he knew she really was 
right now.

"I didn't think. I just…reacted. I needed Liz," said Max knowing Isabel felt he had 
abandoned her.  He too watched her sniff the flower and knew that it came from a plant 
that Isabel had given their Mother on her last birthday. 

"Isabel needed you," Michael reminded him. "She still does." 

"I know. And I need her whether she believes it or not," replied Max.  He looked at his 
friend and said, "I never thanked you for watching out for Isabel that night. I'm glad you 
were there for her, Michael." 

Michael nodded as he loosened his tie.  "I couldn't let her be alone." He glanced quickly at 
Max. "Sorry, Maxwell. I know this is hard on you too. I just keep remembering how she was 
when I found her." Maria had told him how Max had been at the Crashdown and he knew his 
friend was going through his own nightmare. 

"No apologies necessary, Michael."
Max looked towards the house as his Grandmother came outside.  

She looked between her grandchildren with sadness and said, "Max, Isabel, we need you to 
come inside so we can talk to you." 

Isabel looked towards Max and found him and Michael watching her. Turning towards her 
Grandmother she nodded and took her arm in hers as they entered the house. 

"I can wait around out here if you want," said Michael, uncertain as to what he should do, 
yet unwilling to leave.  He wanted to be there for his friends, but this was a family moment 
with people he didn't know nor was comfortable with. 

Max shook his head. "We need you inside with us." 

Michael felt his heart tighten at Max's words. His friends had always been there for him 
and now they needed and wanted him there for them. He nodded and followed his friend 
inside, his hand on his shoulder to show his friend he was there for him to lean on if need 
be.

The living room was full with the Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Max, Isabel, and Michael. 

A few looked at Michael wondering why he was there. Max saw their questioning looks and 
said, "Michael's like family to us. I've asked him to stay."

 "Isabel, is that okay with you that your friend stays?" asked her Grandfather. 

Isabel looked back at Michael standing behind her and nodded. "Yes. Like Max said, 
Michael's family to us."

The older man nodded to Michael then sat down.

Max and Isabel waited expectantly for someone else to speak and presently their Father's 
brother did. 

"Max…Isabel, your Father made me executor of his and your Mother's estates shortly after 
they adopted you two. They also made your Aunt and I your guardians." 

Max and Isabel waited for him to continue as Michael stood behind them.  Michael could see 
Isabel clutching the flower in her hand and knew that she was close to losing it again. He 
stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder to remind her that he was here if she 
needed him. 

"You're both of legal age now and have no further need of a guardian as set out in your 
parents Wills. That means you are also old enough to accept the responsibility of your 
inheritance. Your parents thought you both showed maturity despite your young ages so 
instead of waiting until you are older they decided to allow you full control of your trusts at 
age 18 should that be your age at the time of their death." He paused a moment and looked 
between his niece and nephew and said, "Your parents have provided a small trust fund for 
each of you as well as having left you their entire estate with the exception of a small 
donation to the law school Phillip attended."

Max and Isabel sat in shock. Neither had really considered that they might not even have a 
home to live in or how to pay for things, that their parents had touched them both deeply. 

"I don't understand. They left everything to us?" whispered Isabel. She looked at Max with 
tears in her eyes. 

"You're their children. They loved you more than I think either of you really realize," said 
their Aunt. "You were an answered prayer for them when they found you in the desert." 

"We'll work out details later. Selling your Father's law practice…insurance, etc. Maybe even 
investing some of the money for your future and for the future of any children you will 
have. Just know that the house is yours to do with as you wish with full instructions for the 
upkeep, insurance, etc. If you decide to keep it or sell it that will be up to you." 

Max brought his fingers to his lips to still their trembling not only for what his parents had 
done, but also at the mention of 'children', his son coming briefly to mind. He nodded. 
"We'll let you know in a few days."  The shock of what his parents had provided for he and 
Isabel was staggering.  

"You have a huge responsibility on you now, but you aren't alone. Anytime you need any of us 
we're here for you," stated their Grandfather as he hugged his grandchildren to him.  

"We'll stay as long as you need us to," added their Grandmother as she caressed Isabel's 
hair.  

Isabel laid her head on her Grandmother's shoulder and closed her eyes.  She didn't care 
about the money. All she wanted was her parents back. 

Michael stood back watching the family envelope Max and Isabel in hugs. 
Now that his friends were set financially he wondered if they would consider leaving 
Roswell… and him. 

                                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The house was quiet now. 
Michael had gone and the family was asleep now. 
Max finished locking up the house and turning off the lights before heading up stairs to his 
room. He stopped short as he spied the light on under Isabel's door and turned to knock. 
He heard her call out for him to enter and took a steadying breath before doing so.

Isabel knew it was Max at the door before she saw him enter the room. There was no one 
else it could be. She sat in her pajamas on her bed looking at a photo of the four them taken 
the past summer. 

"I was hoping we could talk," Max said as he closed the door behind him. 

Isabel looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, I guess we should." She was tired. Tired of 
hurting and tired of being angry. She just wanted things to be normal again.

Max sat on the bed beside her still dressed in his clothes from the service, minus his tie 
and coat, his sleeves rolled up quarter length. He was exhausted and it showed.

The silence between them grew until Max finally spoke.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Isabel. I never meant to do that."

Isabel felt tears rise to her eyes, but kept them in check. She was so tired of tears. 

"Well you did, Max. You just left…you didn't even tell me you were going…didn't see if I 
needed you. And I did Max. I needed you." Her anger and hurt rose a new to the surface 
making her want to strike out at him.  She turned angry eyes on him. "But you weren't 
there!" 

"I know. I was wrong. I was in shock, Isabel. I have no other excuse for leaving you alone 
like that and going off. All I can do is ask for your forgiveness and to tell you I won't ever 
leave you alone like that again." He reached up and placed a hand on the back of her neck 
and gently began to rub.  "Please say you forgive me."

Isabel turned and hit him hard in the chest surprising Max with the strength behind the 
punch.  

"I'm the one you should have turned to, Max! ME!  They were MY parents too!"

Just as suddenly she collapsed against him and began to sob, her anger and hurt at him just 
as suddenly gone.  

Max held her as she cried, his own tears coming too, as they finally shared their grief for 
their parents together.  He realized that not only had she been hurt and angry that he had 
left her alone, but also that he had sought solace with someone else instead of her. 
But now things between them were healing and they could begin to put their lives back 
together. 



                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~



A Few Weeks Later…

Maria sat on the couch in the back of the Crashdown listening to Max in the hallway on the 
phone to Liz. 

"It's been hard. Isabel's not mad at me anymore, but she's still not herself. She's had 
nightmares every night since it happened. Losing Mom and Dad has been really hard on 
her…on us." 

Maria wiped a tear away. She didn't know what she would do if she lost her Mom. They 
argued a lot, but they loved and depended on one another. After her Dad left they relied on 
one another so much that now she couldn't imagine her life without her. 

"You're staying longer? But …I…No, I know it's a once in a lifetime opportunity it's just that 
you've been gone so long and ….I miss you, Liz. I…I need you."

Max's voice was low so as not to be over heard, but Maria did. He was hurting that Liz was 
staying with her Aunt instead of immediately coming home.  She didn't tell Max that Liz had 
called her last night to tell her that she was staying the rest of the summer with her Aunt. 
She may never have this chance again to see something outside of Roswell and she wanted 
to take advantage now.  But her heart wanted to be here for Max too.  So she had called 
Maria to ask her advice and to ask her to watch out for and be there for him. 
Her attention was brought back to Max as she heard him ending his call with Liz.

"Yeah…no, it's okay. You should stay there. You need to experience something outside of 
Roswell. I'll…I'll see you when you get back. I love you too….bye."

Max hung up the phone and slowly came to sit beside Maria.

"She's staying there until summer is over."

"I know."

Max looked at her and gave a sad smile.  "She told you before she told me." He looked away, 
hurt. 

Maria felt horrible for letting him know that he wasn't first to know Liz's plans. 

 "She felt bad, Max. She really wanted to be here with you, but…."

"Yeah, I get it." Max rubbed his hands on his knees then looked at Maria. "You wouldn't want 
to go for a drive with me would you?"

Maria's brows went up. "A drive? Where?" 

"Anywhere but here," said Max standing up. He looked down at Maria and held his hand out. 
"Well?"

Maria took his hand and stood up. "My shifts over sooo…yeah…I just need to change 
clothes." 



                                                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




"Okay, I give. Where are we going?" asked Maria as she and Max drove down the highway. 

"I don't know. I just needed to get away. Driving helps me relax sometimes." Max looked at 
Maria and asked, "Do you want to go back?" 

Maria shook her head as her hair whipped about her face. "No, just curious. I've no plans 
and getting away sounds good to me too."

Max smiled his first genuine smile in weeks and Maria was reminded again how lucky Liz was. 
Max was everything a woman could want in a man and yet he belonged to her best friend.  
Sighing Maria leaned her head back and let the wind blow through her hair while she 
hummed along with the song on the radio. 

Max glanced sideways at Maria as she began to hum with the radio. 

"You can sing if you want to. I don't care," said Max. He actually thought Maria was good and 
enjoyed her voice, as did others. 

Maria smiled. "I'll sing if you sing," she teased. 

Max shook his head. "I can't sing."

"Don't give me that. I seem to remember you doing pretty well when we located 'Enigma'." 
At his groan Maria pleaded. "Come on. It's just me and I promise not to judge you."

Max shook his head with a shy grin, but it wasn't long before he was humming along with the 
music too, and starting to sing along with Maria when she finally gave in to the sound of the 
music. 

"See? You're not half bad," said Maria smiling. It wasn't a great voice, but Max could hold 
his own.

"I can't, not really. Not like you," he replied.  Looking ahead he asked, "Are you hungry?"

Maria nodded. "I could eat."

So Max pulled into the diner he saw up ahead and they went inside.

Burgers, cokes, and a shared basket of fries later they were sitting back enjoying being 
away when Maria asked, "Have you decided what you are going to do now that things are 
beginning to settle down?" 

Max stopped sipping on his straw and nodded. "I'm going to start College in the fall like I 
had planned. Since Isabel and I decided to keep the house I'm going to commute. The drive 
will take some getting used to, but I'll still be here." 

"With Liz," said Maria quietly as she put her napkin on the table.

Max nodded. "Yeah.  We can be together that way. The school has a good Science 
Department so she can study Molecular Biology if she wants." 

"And Isabel? Michael said something about being her being undecided what to do. I thought 
she would go to school to study fashion or some glamorous thing like that since she's such a 
fashion plate."

Max's mouth curled up slightly at the description. "That she is, but I'm not sure what she's 
going to do. She still keeps to herself a lot when she's at home… when she's even there." 

Maria's eyes came up. "I thought you two were okay now about everything."

"We are, but Isabel was really close to Mom and was Daddy's little girl in every respect. 
Losing them has really hurt her." 

He remembered back when Isabel had argued with him and Michael over how much she 
needed her Mother and how telling her they were aliens wouldn't change how their Mother 
felt about them. Until now he hadn't realized the extent of Isabel's need for her Mother. 
They both loved and missed his parents immensely, but Isabel also missed the Mother-
Daughter bond that had been created between her and their Mother. 

"I wouldn't know about the Daddy's little girl thing, but I can understand about missing her 
Mom. I don't know what I would do without mine. It's a female thing I guess," Maria said. 

Max nodded his head slightly as he began to understand a bit of what Isabel was going 
through. Then he looked at Maria and said, "I'm ready to head back. How about you?" 

Maria picked up her purse to get her half of the check when Max threw down enough for 
both of them. "I'll get it. It's my treat." 

"That's okay, I have money in here somewhere," she replied as she dug around inside her 
purse.

"Maria." She looked up at him. "It's my treat," said Max with a small smile. "You've been a 
good friend and it's just a small way of saying thanks."

Maria smiled and nodded. "Okay then. Thanks." She was so used to paying for herself AND 
Michael that it felt nice to be treated for a change. 

After waiting for her to exit the booth Max placed his hand in the small of Maria's back and 
they headed to the car and back towards to Roswell. 






                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Michael's Apartment Days Later…

Michael opened his eyes as the smell of coffee hit him.  He blinked as he covered his eyes 
with an arm. 

"You're awake."

"I should be asleep," groaned Michael.  He lowered the arm and leaned on it to look at 
Isabel. 

"What?" she questioned.  She'd let herself in again and had started a pot of coffee like she 
had the other mornings and had been about to settle down to read a new magazine when she 
had heard Michael stir. 

"I just don't want Max or Maria to get the wrong idea if they realize you're spending a lot of 
time over here."

Isabel leaned against the wall and continued drinking her coffee. 
"Why would they do that? There's nothing going on." 

"I know that and you know that, but they don't know that and you know Maria," replied 
Michael as he sat on the edge of the bed.  He looked down at his feet as he wriggled his 
toes. "You can't keep doing this, Isabel." 

Isabel tensed then gave a little mirthless laugh. "Doing what?"

Michael looked up at her making eye contact. "Using my apartment to hide in." 

Isabel lowered her cup as she looked down at its contents.
"That's ridiculous. I'm…I'm not doing that," she replied shaking her head.

Michael stood up and walked towards her.  When they were face to face he said, "Yes, you 
are. Maybe you don't realize you're doing it, but you are." He watched as Isabel's eyes 
clouded over.  Quietly he added, "You have to get on with your life, Isabel. Hiding here isn't 
going to help you do that."

Isabel blinked and moved away from the wall and Michael to the kitchen to put her cup in 
the sink.  Michael watched her quickly move to the chair where she gathered her purse. 

"What are you doing?" he asked. When he realized she meant to leave he said, "Isabel, I 
didn't mean that you should leave. I just meant that…"

Isabel shouldered her bag and looked at Michael briefly before stating, "I'm sorry I've been 
in the way or a burden by spending so much time here. I should have realized." Her face 
took on a brief wounded look and then as if realizing it swept it away replacing it with her 
'Ice Queen' persona. "You don't have to worry about me invading your life anymore. But 
thank you for being there for me when I needed someone."
Michael started towards her. "Isabel, that's not what I meant! Don't lea…." he brought his 
hands up to his head and rested them on top in frustration as he watched the door close 
behind her. "…ve." He squeezed his eyes shut in frustration then stared at the closed door. 
"Damn!"



                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




The wind coming in the car window blew Isabel's ponytail strands about her head and she 
pushed them back, her tears making them briefly stick to her face.
She didn't know where she was going only that she was running.  
She should have realized that she was cramping Michael. After all he wasn't there to take 
care of her or to tell her what to do with her life. But she'd found herself leaning on him 
more and more apparently taking advantage of her friend and she regretted that.
Max didn't understand how much losing their parents meant to her. She knew he hurt too, 
but she had felt 'normal' when she had been with her parents. Laughing, playing games, going 
on family trips, shopping with her mother and sharing things mothers and daughters shared.  
Those meant so much to her and now they were only memories.  But Michael was right, she 
needed to get on with her life, she just didn't know how.
She continued driving until she realized she was near the Reservation.  Seeing the road up 
ahead she made the decision to turn in and seek the guidance of someone she hadn't seen in 
years that maybe had some wisdom to share with her.

Her car stopped in front of the small store and the people there stood about staring at the 
tall blond dressed in stylish jeans and a black tank top.  
An older man came out on the porch and stood shielding his eyes until they focused on the 
young woman below him.  His expression gave nothing away as he nodded his head and 
beckoned her with his hands to come up the stairs.  

"Isabel," he said, his eyes searching hers.  

She nodded her head in relief, glad that he remembered her. "Hello, River Dog."




                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Max looked up from the mail he was reading as Michael walked into the room. 

"Where's Isabel?" asked Michael looking around.

"I don't know. Shopping I guess. Why?" replied Max, setting the mail on the aside.

Michael put his hands on his hips and glanced up trying to think how to phrase his words. 
Deciding there was no way this conversation was going to be easy he looked at Max and said, 
"We had a few words this morning and she left upset with me. I was hoping she came back 
here." 

Max frowned in confusion. "What kind of words and why was she upset with you?"

Michael scratched his brow in indecision and asked, "Do you even know where Isabel goes 
everyday?"

Max shook his head as he stood and shoved his hands inside his pockets. "No. I just assumed 
she was shopping or volunteering somewhere."

Michael shook his head. "She's been at my place everyday since your parents died." 
He waited for Max's reaction and it came immediately. 

"Your apartment? But why?" he asked as he stood up straighter, his hands coming out of his 
pockets. 

"To escape. I think she's been using my apartment as a place to runaway so she won't have to 
think about what to do next with her life now that your parents are gone. She realizes that 
she is fully responsible for her own life now," he shrugged, "and she's scared." 

Max sat down confused and hurt that she hadn't come to him. Apparently she still hadn't 
regained her trust in him. "I had no idea. I really thought she was out volunteering or 
something." He looked at Michael. "Why did you argue?"

Michael paced around the table.  "I told her that hiding at my place wasn't going to help and 
that she needed to move on with her life. That's when she left."  He looked at Max. "I guess 
it wasn't really an argument, but I know she was upset with me." He sat down. "I told her I 
would be there for her no matter what and then basically told her to get out, and I didn't 
mean it that way. I didn't mean to hurt her. I would never do that. I just wanted her to 
start living her life again." 

He still felt like a bastard for making Isabel feel the way he had. He had to learn to think 
before he spoke or so Maria was always telling him. 

"I know you wouldn't. So you have no idea where she went?" asked Max beginning to get 
worried. 

"The cave?" suggested Michael with raised brows.

Max nodded. "Let's go take a look."




                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Reservation…

"So your parents death has left you lost. You are searching, but you not for what," said 
River Dog as he handed Isabel a cup of tea. 

Isabel took a sip then nodded. "I was hoping you could …I don't know what I was hoping you 
could do quite honestly." She sighed and set the cup down.  "I don't know anything anymore."

River Dog looked at her thoughtfully and said, "You should stay here and let your mind be 
free of things. Let your heart search for what it wants to do."

Isabel blinked. "Stay? You mean sleep?" She looked around. "Here? I don't know…" she 
replied uncertainly.

"No, not here. In the cave where we healed your friend."  River Dog watched as Isabel 
considered his words.  "Just a few days. I think there you will find your answers."

Isabel bit her lip. Stay alone in the cave? "Is this like a vision quest thing or something?"

River Dog looked deep into her eyes and replied, "Or something."

Isabel knew in that moment she would stay and she slowly nodded. "Okay."






                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Two Days Later…

Maria stood behind Max and Michael as they sat at Michael's table looking at maps. 
Suddenly Max shoved his hands into his eyes and his shoulders shook. He felt sick inside. 
If something had happened to Isabel to harm her in anyway then he didn't know what he 
would do. She was all he had left of his family and he'd vowed to protect her. His body grew 
cold with fear as he raised his head and asked what had been in his mind for the past two 
days.

"What if we're wrong? What if the Special Unit has her? If they do to her what they did to 
me… " 

Maria's eyes widened at Max's words and she shook her head vehemently. 
"No Max, don't even think like that!" She looked at Michael pleadingly to agree.  
"I'm sure she's okay where ever she might be."

Michael's fingers formed a 'V' shape as he covered his mouth. Max had voiced what he 
himself had been afraid to dwell on. What if his little talk with Isabel had caused her to be 
captured by the Special Unit? His stomach rolled at the thought. He'd never forgive himself 
if they or anyone had her and were hurting her. He promised himself then and there that he 
would kill anyone who harmed her in anyway. 

"It's been two days, Michael. Where could she be if not captured?" asked Max. 

"So ask Valenti to see what he can find out. Surely he still has contacts somewhere," 
suggested Maria looking between the two.

Max sat back and wiped his eyes then nodded. "I don't think we have any other choice but to 
bring Valenti into this."

"I'll get on it," said Michael rising. He looked at Max who started to rise.  "Sit, Maxwell.  
Someone needs to be here if Isabel comes back. I'll go."  He couldn't sit here thinking that 
horrible things could be happening to Isabel. He had promised to take care of her and he'd 
failed.  Now he had to find her.  

Max hesitated feeling he should go after Isabel himself, but Michael was right, he should 
be here in case Isabel came back or there was word from her. He nodded. "Okay. Talk to 
Valenti."

Michael briefly looked on as Maria bent over Max and hugged his shoulders, whispering 
softly to him that they would find Isabel.  Hoping it was true he headed out the door to find 
Valenti.

Maria moved to sit next to Max. "We'll find her, Max."

Max nodded. "I hope so. If I lose Isabel after…" he couldn't go on as his eyes became bright 
with unshed tears, but Maria understood. She went to Max and held him while he clung to 
her praying that Isabel was okay.



                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Sheriff's Office Roswell, New Mexico…

"You two should have come to me before now," said Valenti as he sat talking to Michael. 
He too wondered if foul play had occurred with Isabel. 

"We didn't think and now it might be too late!" said Michael getting angry at the time lost in 
locating Isabel.  His hands were clinched together so tightly in front of his face that his 
knuckles were white. 

Valenti leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I don't know if I can help, but I'll try, 
Michael. I just don't know if my contacts can or are willing to help anymore."

Michael nodded. "Anything you can do would be great." He stood, as did Valenti, who walked 
around his desk and sat on the end. 

"You look like hell, Michael. You need to get some rest. I'm guessing that Max looks the 
same."

Michael shook his head. "I can't sleep until I know she's okay." 

"You need rest, Michael. You can't think clearly without it," reminded Valenti.

Michael looked at his friend and finally said, "I can't. I can't stop thinking about Isabel. 
When I close my eyes she's there."

Valenti nodded. "I'll get on this right away and get back to you as soon as I hear something."




                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





The Reservation…

Isabel sat crossed leg on the ground, her face raised to the sky listening to the wind blow 
softly through the near by trees.  The silence here the past few days was deafening at 
times only to broken by the sound of the wind, the screech of a bird, or her own cries. 
Her companion's voice broke through her thoughts. 

"Soon you will be ready to leave. Soon he'll come for you."

Isabel opened her eyes and turned to look at River Dog where he sat on a rock near her. 

"I should have called him. Max must be worried out of his mind." 
She felt guilty for not calling him or Michael.  Once River Dog had brought her here all she 
had done was sit and think and talk to the old man. Now she felt selfish. 

River Dog shook his head. "No, not him. The one you speak so much of. The one we healed 
named 'Michael'."

"Michael?" Isabel's brows rose. "I don't…"
 
"You do not listen to yourself speak as I do. Your words have been filled with his name and 
the time spent with him." He looked closely at Isabel. "You care for him." 

Isabel frowned a bit at his words. "Of course I care for him. He's my friend. We…" 
 
River Dog shook his head as he waved away her words. "You care for him deeply in here," he 
said tapping his chest over his heart, "but not as a friend."  

Isabel quickly stood up and dusted off her pants all the while shaking her head. 
"I love him as a friend. Michael's my friend and that's all." 

She began to pace short steps back and forth in front of River Dog while her hands 
gestured in the air. 
"Sure we were betrothed on our planet, but he's with Maria! We don't think of one another 
like that. Not since the dreams a few years back, but that doesn't mean…" 
 
"Your words protest, but your body tells a different story when you speak of him."

Isabel stopped and slowly moved to sit on the rock beside River Dog.
"It does? What does it say?" she questioned with a nervous softness in her voice.

River Dog stared out at the desert before him as he spoke. "Your mouth smiles and your 
eyes light up when you speak of him. His name falls softly from your lips." He looked at 
Isabel. "That is what your body tells me."

Isabel grew quiet as she thought back to her conversations with River Dog and realized he 
was right. She had spoke of many things, but Michael had been central in their 
conversations. Looking further back over her life she realized that she had always felt close 
and comfortable with Michael, but since her parents death her feelings had turned to 
something deeper. But love?

""No, no, no, no! I am not in love with Michael! He just my friend, that's all!" she again 
protested as panic crept into her voice.  

"Love is not a path you choose to take, but one that is destined to find you."

Isabel's hands dropped as she straightened and looked at River Dog whispering, "What did 
you just say?"

The old man looked at her knowingly. "Listen to your heart." 

River Dog stood up and said, "I must get back now. I will return tomorrow."

Isabel nodded absently as the old man left her to her thoughts. 



                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Kyle Valenti pulled up in front of the store at the Reservation and got out of the truck he 
was driving.  Finding no one about he leaned in the window of the truck and honked the horn. 

"Hey! Anyone around? I have the tow truck you asked for!"

He continued to look around until a single man came walking up to him. 

"You called for a tow truck?" Kyle asked.  

"My names Eddie and yes, I called you," he replied. He motioned to a truck a few feet away.  
"It won't start. Your boss said you could look at."

Kyle walked over to the truck and popped the hood of the old Chevy. He looked around 
inside then said, "I can fix it, but it will take a while. The part will have to be ordered to fix 
it since we don't carry stuff for old ones like this."

"I can't afford a lot. If it's real expensive then tell me now and save us both a lot of 
trouble," Eddie told him. 

Kyle understood about money. He looked around the Reservation and back at the truck in 
thought.  "I might can find a replacement at the junk yard. Costs less, but will still take time 
to find. The best I can do."

Eddie nodded and stuck out his hand. "Thank you."

Kyle moved the tow truck about until after a while he had Eddie's truck on the back. 
After Eddie had signed the needed paper work Kyle hopped up in the tow truck and started 
it. As he was pulling out he noticed a familiar car to the side and wondered what Isabel was 
doing here on the Reservation. 

"Probably buying trinkets," he muttered to himself as he headed back to Roswell. 



                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Valenti Home…

"Nothing? You're sure this was someone you could trust? I can't believe they don't have 
her," said Michael with growing panic as he stood across from the Sheriff. 

"I trust them completely, Michael. They don't have her. I don't even know where to start 
looking," replied Valenti in frustration.

Kyle entered the room at that moment and headed to the kitchen sink where he began to 
wash the grease off his hands.

"Kyle, do that out back," his Father told him. 

"Too late," replied Kyle as he turned and grabbed a towel to dry off.
He noted the serious looks of the two other men and asked, "What's going on?"

"Isabel's missing, son. She's been gone two and a half days and…." 

"Gone? I saw her car on the Reservation just a few hours ago," Kyle told them. 

Michael and Valenti stared at one another then at Kyle. 

"What did you say?" demanded Michael coming closer to Kyle. 

"I saw her car on the Reservation when I went out there to pick up a tow. I figured she was 
buying trinkets. I didn't know she as missing or I would have called someone," Kyle said as he 
mentally kicked himself for not checking to make sure everything was okay.

"Kyle, did you actually see Isabel?" Valenti asked his son. 

"No, but I don't think anyone would just leave her car in plain sight if they had her hidden 
somewhere," replied Kyle. He looked at his Dad suddenly unsure. "Right?"

Michael gestured with his raised arms as he pointed a finger at Valenti and said, 
"Call Max! Tell him I'm going after Isabel!" 

"I'm coming with you," said Valenti as he grabbed his holster.

"No, I'm going alone! If it is alien related you can't help!"

"But it might not be and you'll need the law," reminded Valenti, his outward calm belying his 
inner feelings.  He thought of Isabel like a daughter and didn't want to think that anything 
bad had happened to her.

Michael paused knowing Valenti was right. He nodded. "Okay." Glancing to Kyle he said, "Call 
Max." Then he and Valenti headed out the door.

On the drive to the Reservation he wondered what had led her there and why she hadn't 
called.  Had she driven there on her own or had someone forced to her drive there? 
All he knew was that she had better have some good answers for putting him and Max 
through hell if he found her safe and sound.



                                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




The Reservation…

There's her car!" said Michael anxiously, pointing as Valenti pulled closer to the store. 

Valenti parked beside Isabel car and he and Michael got out just as River Dog walked out of 
the store and to the top of the steps.

"I told her you would come," he told Michael as the young man sprinted up the stairs to 
come face to face with the old Indian.

"Where is she River Dog? What have you done with Isabel?" Michael demanded. 
He remembered how ill he was after the sweat lodge and feared for Isabel's life.

River Dog shook his head, yet he remained solid in his stance, unfazed by the accusation. 
"I have done nothing. She came to me seeking answers.  No harm has come to her."

Michael searched the Indian's face and nodding knowing he was telling the truth. He'd never 
lied to him before and he knew he wasn't now. He felt bad for accusing the old man of 
harming Isabel.

"Why didn't she call us? Or why didn't you? We've been worried sick about her," said 
Michael. 

"It was not my place to call. She was very troubled when she arrived here. She sought my 
help and I gave it," the old man replied. "I told her you would come," he said again with a 
nod.

"Where is she, River Dog?" asked Valenti.  "Her brother is worried about her."

"At the cave where we healed you," River Dog told Michael.

"Then we need to get her and go. It will be dark soon," said Valenti.

"No."

Both men looked at River Dog. 

"He will go alone to bring her back," the old man told them. 

"Alone? Why alone?" Valenti asked, always one to side with caution. 

Michael didn't understand either, but he trusted River Dog.

"It was meant that he should go alone," was all that River Dog would say.

Valenti looked at Michael. "It's up to you. If you trust River Dog and what he says then I'll 
wait here."

Michael shook his head. "You don't need to stay. Just go back and let Max know what's going 
on and that I'll have her home soon."

Valenti nodded. "I'll take care of it," he replied as he got back inside his SUV and started 
back to town.

Michael looked back at River Dog. "The cave huh?" 

River Dog nodded. 

"But you won't tell me what she's been doing out here?"

River Dog shook his head. "That is for her to tell."

Michael sighed and began his journey to the cave, wondering as he walked what Isabel was 
doing there and praying he didn't throttle her for scaring him and Max half to death. 



                                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Evans Home…


Max sighed in relief as he listened to Valenti on the other end of the phone. 

"But you're sure she's okay? …Yes…okay. Thank you. Thank you so much for calling!" 

Max hung up the phone and turned to Maria, "They found her! She's okay!" His smile was 
huge with relief.  "She was on the Reservation just as Kyle said she was."

"What's wrong? This is good news!" Maria said as she watched him begin to frown.

"She's been at the Reservation all this time. Why was she there and why didn't she call?" he 
asked trying to rub away the tension in the back of his neck.

Maria didn't have any answers, but she knew Max and Michael had plenty of questions for 
Isabel when she came home.

"Max, you know that you guys have to listen to what she says when she gets back don't you? 
You two can't just go off yelling at her without giving her a chance to let you know why she 
did what she did. You know that right?" 

She didn't know why she was trying to protect Isabel from the alien inquisition since they 
had never been close, but something inside told her Isabel had good reason for pulling her 
disappearing act. 

Max looked at Maria curiously. "Since when did you start standing up for Isabel?" 

"Look, I'm just saying…" replied Maria with a shrug. "…you know, don't throw start throwing 
questions at her. Let her do the talking." She paused a moment and added with another 
shrug as she looked down and began to twist one of the bracelets on her arm, "And it's not 
that I don't like Isabel…."

"But she intimidates you," supplied Max. He nodded. "I know. Liz feels the same way though 
she tries to hide it from me." Max leaned on the counter and asked with a raised brow, 
"Why you are suddenly taking up for her?" 

Maria looked up and found Max watching her and waiting for her answer.  She began tugging 
at a lock of her hair and wrapping it around her fingers nervously. 
"Because she's your sister and you care for her as does Michael," replied Maria honestly. 
She put her hands on her hips and said, "Now…promise." When he didn't reply she stomped 
her foot and shook her finger at him saying, "MAX! Promise!"

"Yes, I'll let her explain herself," Max replied quietly as he began to stare intently at Maria. 

"Yeah?"  Maria's brow rose slightly. 

Max slowly nodded. "Yeah, I promise." He stared at Maria a long moment, his face 
registering something she couldn't read. 

"What?" she asked self- consciously. "Do I have something on me?"  She began wiping at her 
face and searching her clothes to find what Max was staring at.

Max slowly moved so that he was close enough to Maria to feel her breath on his face when 
she looked up. He noticed the glints of color that the light was picking up off of her hair 
and reached up to gently smooth down a stray piece of hair that was flying off by itself. 

"Did I ever thank you for being here when I needed someone?" asked Max softly. 

Maria was caught totally off guard by the move and stuttered, "Um…ye…" she cleared her 
throat as she began to gesture with her arms behind, "…yes, you did. When you paid for the 
check back at the…" she stared into Max's eyes and wet her lips…"um…back at the 
um…diner."  

'What was wrong with him?'  Maria wondered. Whatever it was he was making her very 
uncomfortable being so close and staring like that. 

"Max, what are you doing? You're sort of…um…invading my personal space here, dude." She 
gave a nervous giggle as her eyes met his.

Max suddenly licked his lips as he took Maria's face in his and kissed her softly.

Maria's eyes widened in shock and her arms stiffened by her side as Max's lips met hers. 
To her further shock she closed her eyes and began to kiss him back! Her hands came up to 
lightly touch his shoulders while she hesitantly returned his kiss, his arms coming around 
her pulling her tighter to him as his tongue danced with hers. 
His lips on hers were soft, yet firm. It was a kiss that melted you from head to toe and 
made you want to stay a puddle.  No wonder Liz was always in a dreamy state.

Liz.

Maria jerked back to reality at the thought of her friend, her face registering shock at 
what they had done. She was ashamed of herself kissing Max when her best friend had 
trusted her with him. She pushed away from Max and stumbled away in horror at what she 
had just done.

Max was shocked back to reality as well when Maria pulled broke the kiss, his own shame at 
his actions matching hers. How could he have kissed Liz's best friend?

"Maria…I'm sorry," Max apologized. "I don't know why…I can't believe that I just…" 
He silently begged her to look at him and when she did his confusion of what had just 
transpired was evident on his face.  "I'm so sorry. Please…" he shook his head, "… don't tell 
Liz what I just did. I promise it won't happen again." 

Maria wiped her lips and with shaking legs went to pick up her purse. Turning she said, "I 
wouldn't dare tell Liz. And I won't tell Michael either." Opening the door she said, "Good 
night, Max." Then she was gone.

Max hit the nearby wall with his fist then lay his head against it in anger at himself. 
What had he done and why?



                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Reservation…

Isabel looked up from where she sat outside the cave watching the sun begin its descent. 
She sensed he was there before he even came into view. 
River Dog had said he would come and yet she hadn't believed it.
She didn't know how to act now that she had realized her feelings for him had begun to 
change.  She needed to remain normal. Normal. When had that term ever fit her life?

She stood up, her heart beating faster with anticipation, as he rounded the end of the cave 
where he stopped short when he spied her.  He was hot and sweaty from his hike out to the 
cave and his face anxious with what she knew was worry. She could see his eyes, quickly 
assessing that she was okay, turn from relief to dark with anger. He put his hands on his 
hips and bit his lip for a moment in an attempt to calm down. 

"Are you okay?" He asked tightly, his anger simmering as he struggled to keep it under 
control.

Isabel nodded slowly and sucked in bottom her lip nervously before nodding and answering. 
"Yes, I'm fine." When he didn't reply she wet her lips and said, "I guess I owe you and Max 
an explanation." 

That's when he exploded.

"YOU GUESS ?!" He dropped his arms and came to stand before her, his height giving him a 
small advantage to tower over her as he said, "You need your ass spanked, Isabel, and I have 
a good mind to do it for what you put Max and me through!"

Isabel's brows rose briefly at his words before her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms 
in a defensive gesture, though she couldn't blame him for his anger.

"Michael, that was uncalled for. You don't understand what…." But Michael cut her off.

"You're right! I DON'T understand! Do you even know what you have put Max through? After 
losing your parents he thought he had lost you too! Did you even stop to think about him?" 
He paused in his tirade and took a deep breath as he wiped his hands over has his face and 
tried to calm his temper. When he felt in control he added quietly, "We thought the Special 
Unit or an alien had you."

Isabel blanched as her arms dropped to her side. 

"I…I'm sorry." She looked away then sat down on the rock behind her and stared at her 
hands. "I didn't think." The guilt she felt made her ill. She knew what Max had gone through 
at the hands of the Special Unit and for her to have put him or Michael through even a 
moment of thinking she was being held by them and treated the same was unforgivable. 

Michael came and sat beside her. 

"I'm sorry too. What I said back at my apartment came out all wrong." After a moment he 
asked, "Why did you come here, Isabel?" He looked around then back at her. "Why here? 
River Dog said you needed answers. What answers could you find here that you couldn't find 
at home?"

Isabel shook her head and shrugged. "I didn't know. I just knew I had to get away before I 
lost it." She sighed and was a quiet a moment. Her only revelation while she had been here 
was her feelings for Michael, which she could never share. "I just started driving and found 
myself at the Reservation." 

Michael could understand that. What he didn't understand was her not calling. 

"You could have called," he told her as he picked up a rock and turned it over in his hands 
before tossing it aside. 

"I was in no shape to think, much less call anyone, Michael.  River Dog has been listening to 
me as I try to make sense of everything." 

Michael took that in then looked over at Isabel and asked, "And have you? Made sense of 
everything?"

Isabel shrugged slightly after a moment of thought. "Some, but not everything" She took a 
deep breath and blew it out. "Mom and Dad are gone." She paused a moment as the pain 
threatened to rise up again, but she pushed it back down.   "It hurts, but I can't bring them 
back. And I can't expect Max or you to fill that void.  I have to move on and make a new 
chapter in my life."

"Any ideas how you plan to do that?" asked Michael, aware that Isabel did in fact seem a bit 
more at peace about her parent's death. But something else wasn't right. She still seemed 
afraid, but of what? 

Isabel took a steadying breath and turning to Michael said, "I need to leave Roswell."




                                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Evans Home…

The ride back to Roswell from the Reservation had been tense. 
Michael had been so angry that Isabel was considering leaving Roswell that he hadn't spoken 
to her at all since leaving the Reservation, but then enough had been said before they had 
even left.

~~~~"What do you mean you're leaving Roswell? Just where do you think you're going to go?" 
demanded Michael, with shock. "You can't run away every time something bad happens, 
Isabel!"

She had felt like she'd been slapped.  

"I don't do that, Michael!" 

"Yes, you do, Isabel! When Alex died you did the same thing, now here you are again running 
away!" 

"Michael, you don't understand. With Mom and Dad gone the memories are just too hard," 
Isabel tried to explain, hurt that he was attacking her like this. She couldn't tell him she 
also needed to get away from him and the new disturbing information she had discovered 
about herself on the reservation.  

"Do you really think leaving is going to make them any easier?" Michael demanded. "What 
about Max? How do you think he's going to feel if you leave? What about…." He stopped and 
shoved his hands through his hair as he tried to control the emotions flooding through him 
before putting his hands on his hips and looking at Isabel saying,  "You know what? Just 
forget it! Get your stuff and lets go!" ~~~~

She hadn't been given a chance to reply, not that she had one. Leaving Max was going to be 
difficult just as leaving Michael would be, especially now that she knew she had feelings for 
him that she was still confused over. But that was just another reason to go. He couldn't 
ever know how she felt about him because it would change things between them and she 
didn't want to lose him as a friend. 

Michael killed the engine and looked at the house. He couldn't believe Isabel was considering 
leaving. He felt a mixture of shock, anger, and pain and didn't know which to deal with first. 

"You're still angry with me aren't you?" Isabel said. 

"Does it matter?" Michael replied brusquley.

Isabel bit her lip. "I don't want you angry with me, Michael. I want you to understand."

He looked at her then. "Well I don't. I don't understand at all. And Max won't either."
He got out of the car and slammed the door, walking up to the house without waiting for 
her.

Isabel closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then got out and followed silently behind. 

Inside the house Max stood waiting by the open door for Isabel to come in. Judging by the 
expression on Michael's face he mentally braced himself for Isabel's explanation of where 
she had been and why she hadn't contacted them. 

Isabel stopped just inside the door and looked nervously at Max.  He didn't look angry. 
He looked hurt, maybe even relieved, but not angry.

"Isabel!" Max said and hugged her tightly to him. "I've been so worried that I had lost you 
too!" He whispered near her ear.

Isabel clung to Max, but looked at Michael and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

Max pulled back and closed the door before running a hand up and down Isabel's arm and 
then hugging her to him again. "You're home now, that's all that matters."

Isabel again met Michael's eyes and he looked away as he crossed his arms. 

Max followed Isabel to the sofa and he asked, "Why Isabel?"

So Isabel related to Max what she had told Michael leaving out her plan to leave Roswell. 

"I'm sorry I caused you worry, Max. You too, Michael," she said looking at the tall young man.

Max again noticed how silent and even angry Michael seemed with Isabel and asked, "Is 
there something going on I should know about?" He looked between the two and sat up 
straighter as both averted their eyes.  "What's going on?"

"Tell him, Isabel," said Michael. 

Isabel swallowed and glanced at Max.

"Tell me what?" asked Max, a feeling of dread beginning to build up inside of him as he 
looked at Isabel. 

Isabel again swallowed, her heart beating hard within her chest. She wet her lips as she slid 
her shaking hands together between her knees. 

"Max…I had time to think while I was on the Reservation. Clear my head and really think," 
Isabel began.  She was nervous. She remembered the last time she had wanted to leave 
Roswell and Max's reaction. Since their parent's death she had no idea how he was going to 
react.

Max didn't interrupt her since he could see this was difficult for her, but he was more than 
a little curious as to what it was Isabel had gone to the Reservation to think about.

"I …I made a decision while I was there….one that I think is the best thing for me."

And he knew. "You want to leave."  It was said quietly and with sadness.

Isabel met his gaze and slowly nodded. "Yes," she replied softly, her eyes filling with tears 
that she wouldn't let fall.  She bit her lip nervously waiting for the explosion she knew was 
to come.

"Where? When?" asked Max. 

Both Isabel and Michael were taken off guard by Max's quiet acceptance of her decision. 

"Um, I don't know where. I haven't really thought that far ahead…but as soon as I can. A 
few days maybe."  She had expected him to fight her on this as he had before.  "You're not 
going to try to stop me?" She still didn't believe it had been this easy.

"No. I'm not going to try to stop you." He knew that if he did he would never see her again.

Isabel's brows rose still not sure he meant it. "What happened to 'we have to stick together 
or else'?"

"I said I won't stop you and I meant it," replied Max, his heart aching inside.

"You really can't mean to let her go!" demanded Michael.  'Why wasn't Max ordering her to 
stay?'

Isabel turned to the angry alien. "Let me go!? I'm not asking for permission, Michael! It's not 
anyone's decision but mine!" She looked at Max and said, "You know I love you, Max, but I 
need to get as far away from Roswell as I can right now." 

Max stood up and put his arms around Isabel. "I know." He hugged her tightly to him and 
closed his eyes. He couldn't stop her this time though he wanted to. 
He stepped back. "Why don't you go get cleaned up and we'll talk more later."

Isabel raised a hand to smooth her hair behind her ear and nodded. "I could use a shower." 
She gave one quick glance to Michael and headed upstairs. 

"I can't believe you are letting her do this, Maxwell! What's gotten into you?" demanded 
Michael. 

Max sat down and brushed a hand over his face before bringing it to rest over his mouth. 
Shaking his head as he dropped his hand he asked,  "What am I supposed to do, Michael? 
Forbid her to go? I did that once before if you remember and it nearly destroyed our 
relationship. I won't do it again. I don't want her to go, but I won't try to keep her here 
either. If I let her go now she'll come back when she's ready." 

"She's running, Max, that's all she's doing," said Michael crossing his arms and looking down 
on his friend.

"I know, but I'm not going to stop her. She's been through an awful lot in the past several 
years with the Special Unit, and Alex dying, and now this…"

Michael dropped his arms and sat beside Max. "I know that, but she'll be unprotected. What 
if something happens to her?" 

The worry in his voice was not lost on Max as it mirrored his own. 

"I know, but we have to trust that she'll be okay."
 
Deep inside he was afraid for Isabel. Afraid that she wouldn't be okay and he would never 
see her again… and afraid that she would be okay and he still would never see her again. 

"We can't stop her, Michael. We have to let her go."

Michael leaned his head back on the couch and mentally cursed knowing Max was right.



                                                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~


The Crashdown…


Maria brought the last of the dishes from the dining area and carried them to the sink 
where Michael stood in deep thought staring at the soapy water below him. 

"Michael! What are you doing? The dishes won't wash themselves," said Maria as she set the 
dirty ones in her hands beside him.  

He'd been quiet all day and at first she had thought Max had told him about their kiss, but 
since Michael had said nothing then she decided that couldn't be it. 

"MICHAEL!"

Michael barely glanced at her or the dishes as he stuck his hands in the water and began to 
wash the pans already soaking. 

"Michael, here's your check. I sure am sorry to lose you," said Jeff Parker as he brought in 
an envelope with Michael's last pay inside. 

Maria stared open mouthed, but didn't say a word as she watched Michael wipe his wet 
hands on his apron and then take the envelope and shake hands with Liz's Dad. 

"Thank you, sir. I'm sorry to leave you with little notice," said Michael as he shoved the 
envelope into his back pocket. "Something came up that I have to take care of though." 

Jeff shook his head. "We'll manage. I'll find someone pretty quick to fill the spot. We'll miss 
you though. Your moody, you leave without warning, and you've got an attitude, but you 
learned to be a good cook and a good worker, plus you have been one of my daughter's good 
friends. Besides, you remind me of the rebel I used to be. If you decide you want your job 
back just give me a call." 

Michael nodded and gave a small uncomfortable smile at the compliment. He stuck out his 
hand again. "Thanks again, sir." 

"You bet. Take care now," said Jeff as he left the kitchen.

Maria's mouth closed and opened, words failing her for a moment before she finally began to 
speak.  

"You quit? You quit your job? What the hell do you have to take care of that you have to 
quit your job? Did you get more hours at Meta-Chem because I'm not paying your bills again, 
mister!"

Michael put his hands on his hips and looked up at the ceiling thinking of how to tell Maria 
what he was going to do. No matter what he said she was going to be furious and hurt.
Looking down at her he said, "I quit there too. I won't be needing you to pay the bills 
because I'm giving up my apartment."

Maria's eyes grew round as her mouth fell open in stunned disbelief. "What? W-w-why?"  
She didn't like where this was going.

Michael scratched his brow and said, "Keeping it doesn't make much sense since I need to 
leave Roswell and I don't know when I'll be back." 
He looked at her and saw the pain in her eyes.

"Why? Is it some alien thing? Is the Special Unit back? The Skins? What? Why are you 
leaving?" she demanded with a quavering voice.

"No, none of those things. Well not exactly. I just have to go."

Maria looked confused. "You just have to go? What about us? You're just going to leave me 
here?"

Michael looked away a moment then back without speaking. 

"You were. You were just going to leave me here." She couldn't believe it.

"I have to. And before you say it, no, you can't go." He turned back to finish the dishes and 
winced when she hit him on the arm.  Not that it hurt, but he knew she was, and that hurt 
him.

"That's no explanation, Michael Guerin, and you know it! Why are you leaving? Why don't you 
know when you'll be back?" When he didn't reply she asked, "What about Max and Isabel? 
Are they leaving too?" 

Michael continued washing the pot he was trying to get chili out of before finally answering. 

"Not Max."

Maria felt the air rush out of her as if hit in the stomach. 

"But Isabel is," she said with quiet dawning. She looked off with a wry smile as she shook 
her head. " Of course. It would have be something to do with Isabel."

Michael turned around and wiped his hands on his apron as he eyed Maria. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

Maria stepped up toe to toe with Michael.  "I think you know, Michael."

Michael shook his head as he crossed his arms and looked down at Maria. "Do not go to the 
dream thing again. This has nothing to do with destinies. Isabel needs to get away from 
everything here and is leaving Roswell. I'm just going to make sure she gets where ever it is 
she's going okay."

Maria stared up at Michael contemplating his words before crossing her own arms and 
asking, "If she needs to get away from everything here why is it you are going along?"

Michael looked away uncomfortably. 

Maria's eyes narrowed. "She doesn't know you're going along does she?"  

Michael squirmed a moment longer before admitting, "No, but that doesn't matter. She 
needs someone to make sure she's okay. I'm better suited for that task than Max is right 
now." 

Maria took in his answer before asking, "Why give up your apartment? You act like you might 
not be back." 

"Because I don't know how long I'll be gone and I can't afford to pay for it if I'm not here 
and working." 

"But where will you live when you get back?" asked Maria.  "You ARE coming back aren't 
you?" She still wasn't sure.

"I plan to, but like I said, I don't know when that will be. It could be a few weeks or longer. 
But I'll find something when I come back."

Maria frowned. "Longer? Like how long?"

Michael dropped his arms in exasperation. "I don't know, Maria!  A month…two…six…a year or 
more! I just don't know!" 

"And it doesn't bother you that I'll be here wondering when you are coming back?"
She couldn't believe they were going through this good-bye thing all over again after all 
they had been through.

"Maybe you shouldn't wait then!" At her startled look he said, "Look, this has nothing to do 
with you or me, it's about Isabel finding a life that is normal for her again and seeing her 
settled so she can get on with her life. That's all that matters right now so whatever little 
jealousy thing you have going on can stop. I'll be back whenever I'm satisfied that Isabel is 
okay."

If he had stabbed her in the heart it couldn't have hurt more. Tears welled up and she 
covered her mouth and ran from the kitchen to her locker where she grabbed her purse and 
continued out the door, all the while Michael was behind her calling her name asking for her 
to understand. 

He grabbed a fistful of his hair and tugged, giving a growl of frustration as he did.
He'd screwed it up with Maria once again. He didn't get why she was so jealous of Isabel and 
why she couldn't understand that Isabel needed him right now whether either girl 
understood that or not.



                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Evans Home…

"I had Kyle go over the car for you and filled the tank so you don't have to worry about it 
breaking down," said Max as he watched Isabel close her bag.  

His chest ached inside from the pain of knowing in a few short minutes his sister would be 
gone and he didn't know if they would ever see one another again. It had been a week ago 
that she had told him she was leaving and that she was planning to just drive until she felt 
the need to stop and make a life somewhere. 

"Are you sure, Isabel? This is what you want to do?" He had to ask at least one more time. 

Isabel looked at Max as she finished zipping her bag. "Max…"

He nodded. "I had to ask. I just don't understand why you can't wait one more day and leave 
tomorrow like you had planned. Michael and Maria are going to come over tonight and we're 
going to have a going away party, remember? Why leave now? Besides you can't leave without 
saying goodbye to Michael." 

She tensed at the mention of Michael. 

"Max, please don't make this any harder than it already is." Isabel blinked back tears that 
threatened to fall. 

Seeing Max look away with sadness in his eyes Isabel went to him and hugged him tightly to 
her as she lost the battle with her tears. 

"I said I wasn't going to cry. We've both done enough of that lately. I'm going to miss you, 
Max. I'm sorry about leaving early and the party. I just don't think I could handle a long 
drawn out goodbye."  

Max wrapped his arms so tightly around Isabel she almost couldn't breathe. 

"I won't pretend to understand.  I don't like it or agree with it, but I won't try to stop you."  
He kissed her and held her tightly one more minute than let her go. "I'll carry this down for 
you." And he picked up her bags and left the room. 

Isabel looked around her bedroom one last time thinking of the times she, Max, and Michael 
had met here to discuss alien things, how she and her Mother would laugh over things only 
mothers and daughters understood, and how her Father would come in and share some corny 
joke or words of wisdom with her, before picking up the remaining bag and her purse and 
following Max down to the car.

He watched her leave, both with tears in their eyes, but brave smiles on their faces. 
When he could no longer see the car he went inside and sat alone in the dark and wondered 
what was to happen to him now that all of his family was gone.



                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Michael walked into the darkened house and was surprised to see Max sitting in the dark. 

"Maxwell, what the hell are you doing?" asked Michael turning on the light. "Where's 
Isabel?"  He had come over to tell Max that he would be going with Isabel to see her 
settled. 

"Gone."

Prickles of dread and fear came over Michael at the one word. 

"Gone? Gone where?" He prayed it was the store, but in his heart he knew what Max meant. 

"She left an hour ago." Max rubbed his eyes suddenly tired from everything. 

"LEFT! She's supposed to leave tomorrow!" said Michael feeling the wind knocked out of him.  
"How could you let her go?" he demanded.

Max looked up at Michael, "I think we've had this discussion."

"MAX! Why did she leave early?!" Michael's tone was sharp, drawing Max's attention.

"She said she couldn't stand a long drawn out goodbye. Why?"

Michael ran his hand over his face in frustration and then looked at Max.  "Did she say 
where she was going?"

"No, only that she would just drive and would know when she got to where she needed to be 
going. Michael, what's going on?"

Michael's hands went to his hips. "I'm going with her to make sure she gets where she's 
okay." He waited for his news to register with Max.

"Why? Did Isabel know that?" Max asked.  Did she leave early because she hadn't wanted 
Michael coming along?

Michael shook his head. "No, I was afraid she would leave early or tell me no. I was just 
going to show up and with my stuff when I came to say what she was to think was 'good-bye'. 
Damn it! Why couldn't she have waited? Now I don't know which way she went!"

"I still don't understand why you were going. You have two jobs that you need to be here 
for…and Maria." He looked around. "Speaking of…where's Maria?"

Michael shook his head. "Home I guess. I quit my jobs and gave up my apartment. I knew you 
couldn't go to watch over her so I am."

Max was stunned. 
"She doesn't want either one of us to do that you know. If you find her she'll be furious," 
replied Max.  After a moment he added, "I can't believe Maria is okay with this." 

"Yeah, well." Michael's guilt at leaving Maria was still strong, but he really felt he needed to 
be with Isabel right now. She wasn't thinking straight in his opinion and could get in a lot of 
trouble without someone to watch over her.  "Which direction did she take, Maxwell. I need 
to catch up to her."

After getting the direction he hugged Max to him. "Watch over Maria for me will ya? 
She was really pissed at me for doing this." 

Max's stomach did a little lurch and his eyes widened at the request, but he nodded.  He bet 
his friend wouldn't have made the request if he knew that his best friend had kissed his 
girl.
He swallowed hard and nodded. "Sure thing. Just make sure you call her and tell her what 
you're doing." Michael nodded. "And watch over Isabel. Make sure she stays safe." 

The two parted and Max watched once again as someone he loved went away.




                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


285 South…

Isabel rolled her aching shoulders as the sun began its descent from the sky.  
She really should have planned better. She thought there were would be more places along 
the way to stop for the night, but she had waited to late to stop and all she had found so 
far were places that she really didn't want to stay in. Images of the 'Sultan's Hide Away' 
where she, Max, and Liz had found Michael and Maria came to mind and she quickly pushed 
them aside. The last thing she wanted to do was stay at some bad motel or think about 
Michael with Maria.  
She slowed down as she spied a motel up ahead with a diner and pulled into the parking lot. 
Looking around she wished it were better, but realized she couldn't be choosey.  She went 
into the lobby of the motel and waited while an older man with thinning gray hair and a beer 
belly gave her the once over before asking how long she planned to stay. 

Isabel swallowed, uncomfortable by the man's leer, but not outwardly showing it.  
"One night."

At that moment from the office area a woman appeared, also older, thin, wearing glass with 
hair pulled back into a tight bun. She too gave Isabel the once over as she stood next to the 
man behind the counter. The man took on a nervous look. 

"We don't let rooms to your kind," she said looking Isabel up and down. 

Isabel's mouth fell open slightly, but her posture straightened considerably as she realized 
the woman's meaning. 

"MY kind? And just what kind do you think I am?" she asked, a bit of bite in her tone.

"I'll not have whores plying their trade in one of my rooms," the woman replied.

Isabel placed both hands on the counter and leaned forward slightly as she gave the woman 
one of her famous frosty looks and said, "I beg your pardon, but I am NOT a whore! I've 
just driven from New Mexico and all I want is a room to sleep in ALONE! Now do I get one 
or not?" 

The woman's eyes widened slightly as she backed up a small step. She gave Isabel one more 
look that was now more curiosity then anything, before saying to the man beside her, "Well 
don't just stand there, give the girl a room." Then with one more look towards Isabel she 
said, "You better not be servicing no one in that room, missy. I don't have that kind of place 
here." Then she went back into the office and slammed the door. 

The older man sighed before beginning to quietly chuckle as he got the key for Isabel and 
had her sign for room. "Never seen her back off like that before. That was something to 
see right there." 

As he held out the key to Isabel he suddenly pulled it back saying, "You know, I could give 
you this room for half rate and she wouldn't have to know…. if you was to be kind to me 
later." He winked at Isabel and smiled.

Isabel leaned forward with a mock smile plastered on her face as she snatched the key 
from the man and replied with tightly, "I don't think so." 
She slid some bills onto the counter and left leaving the shocked man staring after the tall 
blond beauty as she walked away. The icy look she had bestowed on him as she had taken the 
key gave him the impression that if he had persisted in trying to get into her pants that she 
would definitely do him some bodily harm. 

Isabel entered her room and then closed and locked the door then leaned back on it and 
tried to still her heart.  She would have to be on guard just in case the man at the desk got 
any ideas.  She pushed away from the door and dropped her bag on the bed as her stomach 
began to growl. Her hand went to her belly and she rubbed. She had left the basket of food 
she had packed in the car hoping to make it last as long as she could during the day while 
eating out only at night.  Looking out the window she could see the diner next door with 
trucks and a few cars lined up outside the parking lot. Well that was a good sign or at least 
she hoped. Her belly rumbled again and her decision was made. Grabbing her purse she 
unlocked the door and headed back out intent on getting something fast to satisfy her 
hunger and then head to bed. 


                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~



Michael gripped the handlebars of his motorcycle tighter as he fumed at the amount of 
time he had lost.  He had been looking for over 3 hours. For all he knew he was going in the 
wrong direction.  Damn it! Why couldn't she have left tomorrow when she was supposed to?!

He spied another motel up ahead and got ready to pull in to search the parking lot as he had 
every business along this stretch of highway on the off chance that he would find her.  He 
pulled off the road just inside the lot so he could get a good view of the cars there and was 
surprised and relieved to see Isabel's car parked in front of the motel. Now he had to find 
out which room. He figured it was the one she was parked in front of, but he wasn't taking 
any chances. He pulled a few spaces up from her car and killed his bike. Taking off his 
helmet he rubbed the top of his head and then placed the helmet on the back of his bike 
before heading to the room in front of her car.  Looking around and seeing no one in site he 
gave his attention to the room, noticing that there wasn't any light coming from the edges 
of the window curtain, no sound from a TV. He knocked and waited and then knocked again. 
When no one answered he looked around again and then used his powers to unlock the door 
and step inside. 
By the light from outside the door Michael spied Isabel's bag on the bed and sighed in 
relief.  But where was Isabel? He stepped back outside the door and looked up and down the 
sidewalk his eyes finally falling on the diner. She had to be there. He would wash up and 
then head there himself for a meal and to let Isabel in on his plan.



                                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Crashdown…

Maria was busy putting away plates when she heard the bell tinkle over the door signifying a 
customer. 

"Sorry, we're closing in a few minutes!" she called out. 

"That's okay, I don't want to order anything."

Maria whirled around and found Max standing by the door watching her. The pace of her 
heart seemed to pick up and she nearly dropped the stack of dishes she had in her hands.  
Nervously she put them back down then wiped her suddenly damp hands on her dress before 
shoving them deep inside of her alien apron. 

"What are you doing here, Max? I thought you would be at home spending what time you had 
left with Isabel."

Max shook his head. "She's already gone. I didn't want to be alone so I came here. 
I hope you don't mind. I can leave if it's too awkward," he told her, half pointing behind him 
to the door, but his face told her that he hoped she wouldn't ask him to leave.

Maria's face briefly registered her surprise at the news. "She's gone? I thought…." She 
frowned. Why hadn't Michael called to tell her?

Max moved to sit on a stool at the counter and clasp his hands together in front of him on 
the bar. "She said she couldn't stand a drawn out goodbye and left this morning." 
He knew he shouldn't be here considering what happened last time, but he did promise 
Michael that he would keep an eye on Maria.

Maria reached out and slowly began to wipe the already clean counter as she said, "So I 
guess Michael was pretty pissed off when he found out she was gone. I mean since he had 
planned to go with her."

Max nodded cautiously as he watched her face. "Yes, he was mad. But then he headed on out 
to find her." At Maria's pained look he said, "He didn't call you?"

Maria shook her head and gave a little laugh as she started wiping the counter again then 
threw the rag down.  "No, he didn't tell me." She rolled her eyes to keep the tears from 
coming. "That is so like him to just leave like that."  

Max didn't know why Michael hadn't called Maria, but he felt the need to defend his friend.
"Hey, I bet he will call later He was just angry Isabel was gone and he had no idea which 
direction she had taken. I'm sure he'll call to explain things." But he really wasn't sure.

Maria nodded and then reached behind her to untie her apron. 

"Done?"

Maria nodded. "I just need to lock up."

"I'll wait on you." 

"You don't have to do that, Max. I can lock up and see myself home." 
 
"I know. I was just hoping maybe you would want to catch a movie or maybe just talk."

"Max…" The memory of their kiss hung between them. Both were vulnerable right now and 
being alone together might not be such a good idea.

Reading her look he said, "Please? Unless you're tired that is.  Look, you don't have to worry. 
I just don't want to be alone."

Maria heard his plea and sighed as she nodded.  She had promised Liz to watch after Max 
and she needed to keep her promise no matter what.  "I need to run by my house and change 
clothes." 
 
Max gave a small smile of relief. "Great. I'll wait for you to lock up and then follow you 
there."

Maria went about locking the doors and turning off lights, but her mind was split between 
two things:  why Michael hadn't called her …and a kiss that didn't need repeating. 




                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~






Along 285 South…

Michael walked into the diner and his senses were assaulted by the wonderful smells coming 
from the kitchen. He wondered if the food tasted as good too.  The place was busy, but he 
easily spotted Isabel sitting in a booth by herself staring out a window.  She looked 
exhausted, but so was he. And he was still angry. 

"Only you, honey? You may have to wait a bit," a woman's voice broke into his thoughts.

Michael shook his head. "No, I see my friend sitting over there. I'll join her."

The woman nodded and went off to get a glass of water and a setting of silverware for the 
new comer.

Isabel sighed as she pushed her hand into her hair and rested her head on it. She was so 
tired. A good night sleep was all she wanted aside from the food she was waiting on.

A sudden movement in the seat across from her made her look up with a frosty glare ready 
to put the person in their place just as she had the other men who had tried to pick her up.
But one look at the person in front of her and she knew that this man wasn't going to go 
away with one of her icy looks. 

"Michael!"  At first she was surprised and felt a moment of happy relief that he was here, 
but that was replaced by a great deal of annoyance followed by anger. "You followed me?!'

"Someone had to. Max couldn't so it had to be me," he replied sticking his foot up in the seat 
next to her.

Isabel looked down at the foot then up at Michael, anger flaring stronger in her eyes.
"I didn't want nor do I need Max OR you to follow me, Michael." 

Michael leaned forward. "Yeah, well I disagree. You've been through too much lately to just 
go off on your own like this. Someone needs to watch your back and that someone is me."
He leaned back in his seat as the waitress brought his water, a set of silverware, and a 
menu. 

"I'll have a burger, fries, and a Cherry Coke," he told her, without looking at the menu, his 
eyes never leaving Isabel's face.
The waitress took the order and the menu and left.

Isabel sat across from Michael fuming. "I'm not a baby nor helpless, Michael. I can take 
care of myself. You and Max just refuse to see that unless you need my help with 
something."

Michael had the good grace to give her a guilty look. What she said wasn't entirely wrong. 
She could hold her own when needed, but this was different.  She wasn't in a good frame of 
mind, in his opinion, to be making this trip or any trip alone. Things were just too dangerous.

"Look, we could argue this, but we both know I'm not going away so get over it. I'm here until 
I'm satisfied that you are safe or you go back to Roswell, and I'm thinking the last is what 
you should do." 

Isabel's food arrived stopping her from a retort. After thanking the waitress she glared at 
Michael. 

"You don't get a say in this, Michael, and you are not staying! I'm doing this to get away from 
everything. I can't do that if you are here."

The waitress returned with Michael's food and placed it before him.

"Thanks," he replied, never removing his eyes from Isabel's angry ones. It had become a war 
of wills. 

"How's the food, honey?" She asked Isabel, noting she hadn't touched it yet. 
"Anything you folks need?" 

"No, everything's fine," replied Isabel, her eyes finally breaking from Michael's to 
acknowledge the woman.

"Okay then, you folks just give a hollar if you need something," she told them before 
heading to another customer.

"You should eat," said Michael, motioning to Isabel's food. He took the Tobasco sauce on the 
table and doused his coke and food then took a big bite of burger. He watched as Isabel 
again glared at him, her food remaining untouched.  Rolling his eyes at her stubbornness, he 
swallowed and said, "Look, you may be pissed at me, but you need to eat."

Isabel sighed, and looked down at her food knowing he was right. She picked up the Tobasco 
and doused her food as well and then grudgingly began to eat. The food was delicious and 
soon her hunger took over and she finished the whole burger she had ordered.

Michael sighed with satisfaction as he leaned back, his own plate clean. They had eaten in 
silence and now it was deafening. 

"Can I get you folks some dessert? Pecan pie is the specialty," asked the waitress whose 
nametag Isabel now noticed read 'Ann'. 

Isabel shook her head, but gave the woman a small smile. "I'm stuffed. Just my ticket 
please."

Ann looked at Michael who shook his head too. "Great food. I'm a short order cook myself 
and this was good." 

"Really? Well I won't tell Bill you liked his food, it would swell his head even more than it 
already is," she said winking. "Pay up front folks," she told them as she placed a ticket on 
the table.

Isabel picked up the check then sighed as she realized the woman had combined their 
checks. She prepared to leave the booth then stopped and looked at Michael, her 
expression telling him to remove his foot from its place beside her so she could leave.  

Michael slowly removed his foot. Not because he wanted to irritate Isabel, but because his 
leg was asleep. He watched as Isabel stood up and then reached in her purse for a tip, a 
generous tip at that. A small smile came to his lips as he finally stood too.

"What?" Isabel demanded.

"Nothing," he replied as he snatched the ticket from her hand and headed to the cash 
register to pay, Isabel fast on his heals.

"What do you think you are doing? Do you even have money?" she whispered testily as she 
neared him. 

Michael stiffened a bit at the question. Instead of replying he reached in his pocket and 
pulled out a wallet with money inside and paid for their bill. 

Isabel immediately regretted her words. She may be angry he was here, but she also knew 
how sensitive Michael had been about his shortage of money and Maria having to pay for 
dinners out and some of his utilities.  She followed him out the door and said, "I'm sorry. 
That was uncalled for." Taking a deep breath she said, "Thank you for paying for my dinner 
too. You didn't have to do that."

Michael's look softened a bit at her apology and he gave her a small smile back in 
acceptance. Her remark had stung, but he realized she had spoken out of anger because she 
was pissed he was here.

"What room are you staying in?" she asked as she noticed his motorcycle just down from her 
car. She pulled out her own room key and watched as he walked up to her door.

"Your room," he told her as he leaned against the frame. He wasn't taking any chances with 
her leaving without him again.

Isabel's mouth dropped open and she shook her head. "No, you're not ei…."

"Hold it right there, Missy!" came a woman's voice from behind them. 

Isabel and Michael turned and were greeted by an angry woman and a huffing and puffing 
man. 

"I told you I don't put up with your type here and I meant it. I don't run no whore house so 
get your things and get out!" the woman told her, her finger shaking in Isabel's face.

Michael stiffened and stepped in front of Isabel before she could even respond, his face a 
mask of anger.

"Michael, no!" Isabel quickly said as she reached out a hand to his shoulder. 
By now people had started coming out of their rooms and stood staring, attention they 
didn't need. 

"Did you just call my wife a whore?" he asked quietly, his tone seething as he heeded 
Isabel's warning.

"Wife?" The woman said skeptically as she crossed her arms. "I don't see no ring and she 
checked in alone. Didn't say she was expecting anyone either."

"Honey, I think it's okay. If they say they are married who are we to say different?" the 
man said nervously looking around as he patted his wife's arm.  After the young blond had 
put him in his place earlier he certainly didn't want to anger the young man in front of him 
anymore than necessary or lose any customers. 

Michael reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple silver band and held it up. 

"Happy? She's lost weight in her fingers and it keeps falling off." He stuck it on his pinky 
and then said, "And not that it's any of your business, but I wasn't supposed to meet up with 
my wife until tomorrow, but I got lucky and did so tonight." He looked around at the people 
standing and listening to the scene then back at the woman. "If we weren't so tired we would 
demand our money back and move on down the road to a business that doesn't treat its 
customers like you just treated us.  Now I expect an apology to my wife and then we are 
tired and want to go to bed, that is unless you have something else to say or accuse us of." 
His expression clearly told them that he wasn't to be messed with.

The woman looked furious, but also cautious as she eyed the two in front of her and the 
other guests surrounding them. Being the businesswoman that she was and knowing she 
couldn't disprove the couple's claim of marriage she looked at Isabel and said, "I apologize 
for any misunderstandings." 

Isabel had watched quietly, her own anger at the woman's accusations slowly leaving her as 
Michael spun his lies. Her shock at seeing the silver band that he produced from his pocket 
was missed by the others around them.  

"Thank you," she managed to get out, though she doubted the woman was sorry at all. 
Isabel was glad she would be gone from here tomorrow.

She looked down as Michael took the key from her hand and unlocked the door, guiding her 
inside and closing it behind them, locking it.
Outside they could hear the crowd disperse and the owners arguing as they returned to the 
office.

Michael was breathing hard as he leaned back against the door and let himself give into the 
anxiousness mixture of fear and relief that was clawing at his body. That had been close. 
They had to be careful not to attract any more attention to themselves.

Isabel sat on the bed and stared at her hands a moment contemplating what had just 
happened before softly saying, "Thank you."

Michael blinked at her words and took a deep steadying breath before pushing away from 
the door and sitting beside her on the bed.  "Yeah, well she shouldn't have said that." 

Both fell deep into their own thoughts, neither comfortable with what they found.

"I didn't know you carried Maria's ring with you. I guess it was a good thing you had it," said 
Isabel, as she broke the silence.

Michael looked down at the ring still stuck on his pinky. "I don't. It was two quarters until a 
few minutes ago."  

"Very resourceful of you," she smiled with a little bit relief at the knowledge that it wasn't 
Maria's. 

Michael handed it to her. "Might as well keep it. You never know when you might need it 
again."

It disturbed him how easily the lie had come to his lips that Isabel was his wife and how 
fast he had thought to create the ring from the two quarters given to him as change back 
at the diner. If he got rid of the ring then he wouldn't be reminded of the lie.
Isabel's stifled yawn beside him drew his attention again. 

"Tired?" At her nod he replied, "Me too." He stretched and walked over to turn on the light 
by the bed and look around. 

"Great, a room with one double bed."  He had hoped for a King to share or at least two 
doubles. 

"I hadn't planned on company," Isabel reminded him as she slid the ring on her left hand. 

She couldn't very well toss him out with the lie that had just been told, but things had just 
been made difficult for the night. Here she was trying to get away from Michael and now 
they were going to be sharing a room. 
She stared at the ring a moment noting that it was a tiny bit large, but not enough to easily 
fall off.  A part of her warmed inside knowing he had made the ring for her, no matter the 
reason.

"I guess it's the floor for me then," Michael said as he grabbed a pillow from the bed.
He had noted Isabel slipping on the ring and staring at it and wondered what she was 
thinking.

Isabel stood up and looked at the floor of the room. She hated the thought of Michael 
sleeping on the room's dirty floor no matter how many times he had slept on Max's. At least 
Max's floor had been clean, but sharing a small bed wasn't ideal either. She watched him 
toss the pillow on the floor and start to take off his shirt. Her breath quietly caught in her 
throat and she nearly missed hearing her name spoken. It was then she realized he had 
pulled the shirt back down and she was embarrassed that maybe she had been caught 
staring.

'Isabel, I left my bag outside and have to go get it. I'll be back in a few minutes".

Isabel nodded and watched him leave the room as she mentally lashed out at herself for 
reacting the way she had.  Thinking of Michael in that way was the last thing she needed to 
be doing.  She reached for her bag and silently begged her emotions to keep quiet before 
heading into the bathroom to prepare for bed.

Michael returned with his bag noted Isabel was in the bathroom before pulling out what 
toiletries he would need himself. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on the nearby chair 
and then sat on the bed to wait on Isabel to give him his turn.  His mind was on full tilt over 
the earlier scene outside that he didn't need nor want to revisit. He leaned over to the 
nightstand and grabbed the remote turning on the TV, taking only a few quick clicks to find 
a hockey game on to give him some distraction.

Isabel exited the bathroom 10 minutes later and pulled up short at seeing Michael sitting 
without his shirt on watching TV. She had seem him shirtless countless times, but now for 
some reason seeing his bared upper body while he sat on the bed in a room they were about 
to share seemed …naughty.  Granted he was taking the floor, but still…

"It's all yours," she told him as she hurried to her bag to put away her things and grab a 
brush.

Michael nodded then looked up and stared at Isabel dressed in boxers, a tank top, and a pair 
of socks ready for bed. He quickly grabbed his own stuff and bee lined to the bathroom 
trying to block out the image of her nipples pebbled against the shirt. It wasn't like he had 
never seen her in her night stuff before or seen her in a swimsuit, but for some reason 
tonight it was different, and he found it very disconcerting. He reached inside the shower 
and turned on the water, setting it colder than he had planned.

Out in the room Isabel turned down the bed, and then looking at the pillow on the floor went 
and grabbed it and placed it back on the bed. Climbing in on her side she retrieved the 
remote and turned off the TV before sitting crossed legged to brush her hair while silently 
asking herself if it was really wise with her feelings to let Michael share the bed with her, 
innocent though it was meant to be.

Michael returned from the bathroom and stopped short at seeing the pillow back on the 
bed. 

"You're sharing the bed?" He was a bit surprised considering how angry she had been about 
him being here and sharing the room. He shoved his things into his bag and then turned to 
the bed looking at how small it was for two people. Maybe he 'should' take the floor.
"You don't have to. I said I would take the floor."  He reached for the pillow again.

Isabel put her brush down and looked at him. "Yes, I do. Besides, the floor is nasty and 
hard."  

Both knew that using their powers would make the floor cleaner and softer and that Michael 
had slept on worse.

Michael was torn. He knew Maria and maybe Max would have a fit if he slept in the bed, but 
he really didn't relish sleeping on the floor either. But they weren't here.  "Okay, if it will 
shut you up so I can get some sleep, then fine!"

He sat on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes and socks then lay down on his side of 
the bed sighing as the softness welcomed his tired body. 

Isabel knew his gruff response wasn't meant to be rude, but was his way of saying thanks. 
She put her brush on the nightstand and turned off the light before settling down on her 
half of the bed.

Both stayed close to their edge of the bed, Michael on top of the sheet and blanket, Isabel 
beneath, not due to modesty, but from habit.

"Michael?"

"Yeah?" He replied tiredly.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Isabel."

Both lay there for the longest time acutely aware of the closeness of the other before 
sleep finally came to one, yet for the other a restless night was all they had in store.


                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roswell…

Maria flipped on the lights in the kitchen of the house she shared with her Mom and 
preceded on to her bedroom calling over her shoulder, "Get something to drink if you want. 
I'll be right out."

Max looked around the kitchen and then got a soda from the refrigerator before moving 
into the living area. He had been here before, but it always struck him as strange to see the 
alien stuff mixed with the hippie stuff that Ms. De Luca decorated her house with. 
He moved to the wall and looked at pictures of Maria that he had not noticed before.
She had been a cute little girl, sort of sad in some of the pictures though. He wondered if 
those were when her father left.  He looked at his watch and wondered if they would have 
time to make the movie.

In her bedroom, Maria sped about looking for the right thing to wear. 
Not too blah, but nothing sexy either. She didn't want to give Max the wrong idea.
She grabbed a pair of jeans and a black sweater before heading to the living room to find 
her boots. 

Max turned around as he heard Maria enter the room and a small smile formed on his face 
as he watched her begin to crawl around looking for the mate to the boot she held in her 
hand. 

"Need some help?" he asked bending to set his drink down. When he looked up he was 
greeted with Maria's bottom moving in the air as she dug under the sofa. He froze, his eyes 
focused on her rounded rear end encased tightly in her jeans.

"Found it!" she called out as she straightened up and held the shoe up high.
She turned around to sit on the sofa and put her shoes on never noticing Max watching her.

"So do we still have time to make that movie?" she asked as she stood up. "Max? The movie. 
We have time to make it, right?"

Max blinked and swallowed as he banished the picture of Maria's bottom out of his mind. He 
focused really hard on Liz's bottom and then her smile. Yeah, just keep focusing on Liz. But 
focusing on Liz was hard to do when she wasn't here or returning his calls.

 "Sure, but we need to hurry," he replied, not really in the mood to seeing a movie anymore.

Maria nodded and headed to the door. "Then lets go."

Max followed as he realized that his relationships with Liz and Michael were being tested as 
well as the one with Maria. His thoughts continued on to Isabel and suddenly he didn't want 
to be around a lot of people, even if it was at a movie. He needed Liz and Isabel to come 
home, and he needed his parents to be alive again. 

Maria watched as Max opened the door for her, but she didn't get in. Something was wrong. 

"You don't want to go to a movie anymore do you?" she asked.

Max held on the top of the door and shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. I did, but…"

Maria closed the car door and said, "Back in the house, and tell Maria what's on your mind."
She took hold of his arm and led him inside, acting as though his arm touching the side of 
her breast didn't matter. 


                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



285 South…


Michael stretched and rolled over as he slowly came awake, blinking with surprise to see a 
sliver of sunlight coming through the edge of the curtain. 'How long have we been sleeping?'
He couldn't believe how solid he had slept. Turning his head he saw Isabel's side of the bed 
was empty. 'Must be in the bathroom,' he thought. After a while the pressure on his bladder 
begged for relief and he got up and went to the door and knocked. 

"Isabel? Hey, I need to get in there too."

When she didn't answer he knocked again a bit louder. "ISABEL! Come on! At least let me in 
long enough to use the john!"

When there was yet again no answer Michael became alarmed and opened the door to find 
the bathroom empty.

"What the hell?"
A quick search of the room revealed that Isabel and her things were gone.
He ran his hands into his hair and gripped patches as he swore in anger and frustration.
She'd taken out on her own again.





                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Road…

Isabel had been on the road most of the day, barely stopping so she could create a large 
enough distance between her and Michael. She had prayed she could get away without 
waking him and was relieved when she had.  She knew he would be furious with her and that 
he would undoubtedly try to find her, but she hoped that changing the color of her car, her 
plates, and the large distance would keep him from finding her. But she had to leave him 
behind. She had barely slept all night long due to the awareness of Michael lying in the bed 
next to her. At one point when she had actually drifted off to sleep only to awaken to find 
that she was cuddled up next to Michael with his arm around her. The last thing she needed 
with her confusing emotions was to get too comfortable with Michael around. He would be 
leaving at some point and heading back to Maria and she didn't need her heart to get 
anymore attached to him than it already was. She had enough heartache in her life without 
dealing with that too.

Isabel gave in to a large yawn, her lack of sleep catching up with her. A billboard alerted her 
to a nice chain hotel up ahead and she decided to give in to the need for sleep and stop.
Surely there was enough distance between them now. Or maybe he wasn't following her at 
all, but had decided to head back to Roswell and Maria. She frowned at that and then 
mentally chastised herself for wanting him to follow her and knowing he shouldn't.

Isabel pulled into the hotel drive and went inside the building, easily gaining a room on the 
second floor, and room service was available too. No need to go out and hunt up dinner 
somewhere. After parking her car and gathering her bags she found her room and was 
relieved to find it clean, pleasant, and with a view of the pool, though swimming was the last 
thing she had on her mind right now.  She ordered from service and after finding out it 
would take 30 minutes to arrive she set about gathering her things for a bath. 

Isabel sank down in the tub and sighed as the heat of the water began to soothe her. 
The radio in the room was set loud enough for her to hear and the smell of her own scented 
soap wafted in the air as she began to lather her body. When she was done cleaning herself 
she settled back to wait for the water to cool off, enjoying the sound of the music as she 
closed her eyes and allowed herself to doze, unsettling thoughts of Michael finding their 
way in to her lite dreams.


                                                              ---------------



Michael knew without a doubt that the car he was standing by was Isabel's. He gave her 
credit for changing the color and the plates, but she had neglected to remove the alien 
sticker from the rear passenger window that someone had stuck on there during one of 
Roswell's Alien conventions. It was small, but still noticeable and he was surprised she had 
not remembered to change it. If not for that he might never have found her.  He had pulled 
in at the Speedy Mart next door for gas and had been filling his tank when his eyes 
wandered to the hotel parking lot. The make and model of the car caught his attention and 
curiosity had him come over to look to see if Isabel had possibly changed the color to throw 
him off. Sure enough it was her car. It was pure luck and nothing else that had led him here. 
He would have gone on looking for her and she would have been here sleeping in a comfy 
hotel. He looked up at the building and wondered which room she was in. Finding out might 
not be as easy as it was last time. 

Inside the hotel Michael knew that asking at the desk would probably be useless. For all he 
knew Isabel had given a fake name. He waited a bit until he saw a person from housekeeping 
and approached her.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for my wife. Attractive blond, tall…." Michael used his hands to 
indicate height.  The lie again came easily to his lips. 

"We aren't allowed to give out information on hotel guests, sir."

"I understand that, but …" he dug into his pocket brought out a $20. "Any help you could 
give me would be appreciated."  He was glad that he still had the receipt from dinner last 
night in his pocket to change into a $20. 

The housekeeper looked thoughtful as she eyed the money in the nice looking man's hand, 
then looking around she swiftly took the money and pocketed it saying, "Follow me."

She took Michael to the second floor and said, "She is in there," indicating a door.

Michael smiled and nodded at the woman. "Thanks. I appreciate your help."

The woman nodded and hurried away before she was caught breaking the hotel rules and 
was fired.

Michael looked around and seeing no one about he used his powers to unlock the door and 
entered the room. The room was clean, airy, but no sign of Isabel, only her bags. The radio 
was playing louder than normal and he heard a slight splash of water coming from the 
bathroom. The sound of water draining filtered out to him and he realized Isabel had been 
bathing. He went to one of the chairs in the room and sat down to wait for Isabel to appear, 
his anger and relief warring with one another as he prepared himself for the fight he knew 
was to come. 




                                                               -----------------




Isabel stepped out of the tub and wrapped the large white towel around her.
She rubbed at the mirror with her hand to erase the steamy glaze and then stared at her 
reflection.  She had dreamed Michael had kissed her. Not the dream of kissing at the rocks 
like before, this time they were some place she couldn't identify. It was the feelings she 
had felt when his lips touched hers that disturbed her most. It was so real that she had to 
remind herself it was just a dream, or maybe it was a fantasy. Whatever it was she didn't 
need it.

"Why is this happening to me? Why can't I stop feeling like this?" she asked the face in the 
mirror.  Of course no one answered, but that didn't stop the question from hanging there.

Isabel turned and entered the now darkened bedroom and headed to the bed. She was 
about to loosen her towel when a voice came to her from the corner of the room. 

"Unless you plan on putting a show on for me I wouldn't drop that towel if I were you."

Isabel gasped and whirled, one hand outstretched in defense, the other clutching her towel 
tightly to her. She looked stunned at Michael as he stood up and approached her.

"Michael," she whispered as her outstretched hand lowered and the one gripping her towel 
clinched tighter. "How…."

"How did I find you? I choose not to answer that. After that stunt you pulled on me this 
morning I don't think you deserve an answer." 

Isabel heard the anger and hurt in his voice and knew that if anything she had made things 
worse by trying to ditch Michael. 

A knock sounded and they both looked towards the door.

"Expecting company?" he asked looking her up and down.  He was still pissed she had ditched 
him.

Isabel's eyes widened then narrowed at Michael's tacky remark. "It's my dinner, you idiot," 
she snapped back. She started towards the door when Michael stopped her. 

"Planning on flashing the guy as a tip?" he asked sarcastically as he crossed his arms.

Isabel halted, her face flaming as she realized she was still dressed in a towel.  
But Michael's words infuriated and stung. It was like he was trying to pick a fight with her 
to get back at her for leaving him this morning. Throwing back her shoulders and swallowing 
her pride, Isabel grabbed her bag off the dresser and continued to the door.

Michael's arms dropped and a deep frown grew on his face. 
"You're not opening the door like that." 
Seeing she was intent on doing just that he crossed his arms again and said stubbornly, 
"Fine! Flash the guy!"

Isabel opened the door and a stunned, nice looking busboy stood there with the cart holding 
Isabel's dinner.  Gathering himself together at his luck at finding a hottie in a towel he 
flashed Isabel a smile and said, "Room service. Where would you like it?" He gave her a wink 
hoping he was going to be leaving her after a romp in the bed.

Isabel flashed him a smile as she opened up the door to allow him to enter the room. 

"Over there by the bed is fine," she told the young man as she continued to smile at him. 
She recognized his kind as the type that thought they were a gift to all women and he 
thought he was about to put another notch on his belt, but she wouldn't cut him down in 
front of Michael. Not after Micheal had said those things to her. She dug into her bag and 
came up with what she hoped was sufficient money to cover the bill and a tip.  

The young man pulled up short at seeing Michael in the room. The guy looked pissed. 
He wondered if they were together, but the woman didn't act like it.

"Thank you so much," Isabel said as she flashed him a brilliant smile and walked back over to 
the door with the now confused and perturbed young man following behind. 

As she handed the man the money he took a chance and said with meaning, "You're welcome. 
Please call if you need 'anything' else." He followed the statement with a once over and wink 
which revolted Isabel, but she smiled back at him anyway just to irritate Michael.

Fuming by now at the scene going on before him, Michael walked over to the door and 
pushed the guy on out telling him, "She's my wife dick head, so stop trying to come on to her 
before I tear your head off and shove it up your ass!" Then he slammed the door in the 
guy's face. 

"MICHAEL!" She was shocked, confused, and angry by his actions.

"What the hell was that?" he asked as Isabel simultaneously said, "Stop telling people I'm 
your wife!"

Michael stared a moment then retorted, "It didn't bother you last night when that bitch 
called you a whore, but then the way you look and were acting just now…" 
 
She slapped him with everything she had in her surprising them both.
 
"DON'T! Don't you DARE finish that sentence, Michael Guerin! How dare you say that to me!" 

Isabel fumed as she tossed her purse on the dresser. She turned away, her lip quivering as 
she struggled to regain her composure.  Her hand hurt from the slap. She couldn't believe 
she had done it! She rubbed her arms and took a deep breath, but her chest hurt too much 
to let her breathe normally. Her heart was hurt.

Michael's face stung to the point that tears were in his eyes from Isabel slapping him, at 
least he thought it was from the slap.  He felt horrible inside so he wasn't sure. Why he had 
goaded her like that? Why had he said those things to her? He knew they weren't true, but 
it was like he couldn't stop himself.  He caught Isabel's reflection in the mirror and knew 
she wasn't aware he could see her struggling not to cry. She was angry and hurt, and he 
couldn't blame her at all.  They had fought before, but never anything like this where they 
were trying to hurt one another. What the hell was wrong with them?

He looked down for a long moment at the light blue carpet then up at Isabel and said 
quietly, "I'm sorry. I had no right or reason to say those things to you."

Isabel heard the sincerity in his apology and nodded. "Thank you." She wiped at her face and 
then turned around hoping no tears showed. "I'm sorry I slapped you."

"No, you're not." He had deserved it and they both knew it.

Isabel sighed.  "I don't want to fight, Michael."

"Me either." He took a step closer.  "So why are we?"

Isabel looked away. "I need to put some clothes on." She pointed to the cart and said 
quietly, "Help yourself. I'm not hungry anymore."

Michael watched as she took her nightclothes to the bathroom and shut the door.

He sat on a chair and stared at the bed wondering why things had gone to hell while pushing 
aside the question of why he cared about other guys looking at Isabel.



                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Roswell….

Max rolled his head to the side as he slowly began to wake up. He felt as if something was 
wrapped around his body, but it took him a moment to realize just what it was. 
He opened his eyes and craned his head to look down at the top of Maria's head sleeping on 
his chest while his arm cradled her shoulder. Her arms were wrapped around him, but it was 
the one leg she had nestled up between his own against his crotch that alarmed him. 
Max's head flopped back down as his eyes widened at the predicament he was in. 
He couldn't let Maria wake to find them both like this, but how the hell was he supposed to 
get loose without waking her? He pinched the area between his eyes as he tried to think of 
a way to roll her to the side without waking her. 

"Mmmmm…" Maria moaned as she snuggled down tighter against Max.

Max closed his eyes and struggled not to groan as Maria got more comfortable against him. 
He glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised at the time. They had slept practically 
all day! They had talked all night and into the early morning then apparently fallen asleep. 
He hated to wake her, but he really needed to move her knee. He tried shifting, but she 
just snuggled down more.  Then without warning she began to stretch and reposition her 
self against him, the hand that had been on his chest slid down to his waist while her leg 
moved up and down his as she unconsciously moved her body so his leg was now tight 
between her legs. She moaned again, long and low, ending with a soft sigh bringing a hot 
flush to Max's face as their predicament grew worse. 

Maria slowly woke to the slight rise and fall beneath her head confusing her for a moment. 
She rubbed at her nose and blinked as she opened her eyes, but they flew open wider at 
discovering chest beneath her head, the sound of a rapid heart beat sounding in her ear.  
She bit back a gasp as she realized she was sleeping on top of Max and the realization that 
he was awake. She lifted her head and looked up at him through the curtain of her hair.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sleep on top of you." 'Oh my gawd this is so not good! How do I 
gracefully get off of him without embarrassing the both of us?'

Max nodded. "Yeah, well I guess we were both pretty tired."  He waited for her to move, 
but she seemed to be as thrown by the situation as he was.  

"All that talking I guess," she replied.  Her body seemed so rested even though she wasn't in 
her bed, but on Max.  

Max shifted a bit to keep his leg from going to sleep, but when he did his knee bent right 
into Maria's crotch causing her to give a sharp gasp. 

"I'm so sorry!" Max said as his face flamed. 

Maria quickly moved off of Max and sat up on her side of the couch, feet on the floor. 

"You can use the bathroom in the hall if you need to," she said as she nervously tucked her 
hair behind her ear.

"Okay, thanks," came Max's reply. He couldn't stand right now if he had wanted to. Not with 
the erection he had going on right now. 

Neither looked at one another for a long moment then they looked up at the same time.

"Ladies first," Max said, hoping that would get Maria moving.

"No, guests first," she replied.

Max looked off then finally said, "I can't go until you do. So if you would please ..."

Maria frowned then noticed Max's hands pulling his shirt down over his crotch and his leg 
bouncing. "Oh, ohhhhhh! Yeah, sure." She hopped up and headed to her room and leaned on 
her door as she thought about how she and Max had wakened.

At this moment in time she really wished she wasn't Liz's friend because having feelings for 
her friend's boyfriend was not good.



                                                         ------------------



Max painfully got up off the couch and hurried to the hall bathroom where he practically 
slammed the door in his hurry to release himself from his jeans.  As he relieved himself he 
wondered if Maria had any idea of the feelings he was beginning to have and if so did she 
hate him as much as he hated himself. 

'Surely after the kiss she has to know I feel something for her. Stop! I can't think about 
that. I can't and won't cheat on Liz again, especially with her best friend, no matter how 
much I'm being drawn to her.'

"You can't spend the time with Maria anymore. You can't think about her and you especially 
can't kiss her again," he said aloud to his reflection in the mirror as he washed up.

They met in the kitchen a while later, both trying to act like nothing had happened.

"Soooo….um, do you want something to drink or eat?" Maria asked, still a bit thrown by 
things earlier.

Max shook his head. "No thanks. I should get home." He started towards the back door and 
turned back. "Thanks, Maria. Thanks for listening last night." 
 
Maria gave him a small smile and nodded. "Any time."

They looked at one another, each remembering how they had awoke and how good it had 
felt, both knowing nothing could come of it. Max nodded with a small sad smile knowing that 
there couldn't be a next time. 

"Um, let's not tell Liz about this morning, okay?" he requested as he put his hand on the door 
knob.

Maria raised her hand and swore. "I don't think Michael needs to know either. Of course he 
might not care." The fact that Michael hadn't called hurt her.

"He would care," Max assured her. "Bye, Maria."

"Bye, Max," Maria replied quietly as she raised a hand in good-bye.

When he was gone she knew that she had to keep things with Max as platonic as possible no 
matter how she felt about him. She couldn't risk losing her best friend even though she 
knew she was losing her heart to her friend's man.




                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Hotel…

Isabel came out of the bathroom to find Michael sitting and staring at the bed.

"Aren't you hungry?" she asked eyeing the untouched cart.

"No." Michael leaned his head back on the wall and closed his eyes. "Just tired."

Isabel looked at the bed and dreaded sharing it with Michael again with the way her 
feelings toward him were going, but she knew he would not try to get his own room either. 
She glanced his way and found him watching her.

"Don't worry, I'll take the floor. I don't imagine sharing the bed with me is anything you want 
to do after what happened." He got up and dragged the spread to the floor then went to the 
side of the bed to get a pillow.

Isabel watched as he finished creating his make shift bed and sighed. 

"Michael. I'm not mad." At his look she amended, "Not anymore."

He nodded, giving her a small smile and then headed to the bathroom. Looking back as if 
undecided he said, "Don't run on me again, okay?"

Isabel knew without a doubt that he would find her again if she tried, and nodded. 

Michael went in the bathroom and closed the door.

Isabel settled down in the bed skipping her nightly routine.  She just wasn't in the mood 
after everything that had happened.

Michael came out and shut off the lights before settling down on the floor.

"Goodnight, Isabel," he said tiredly, his mind still confused about how he had reacted 
earlier.

"Night, Michael," she replied quietly.

They lay there for the longest time, each knowing the other wasn't sleeping, but they were 
lost in their own thoughts.

"Isabel?"

"Yes?" she replied, startled by the break of silence.

"Why did it make you mad that I told that guy you were my wife?"
It had bugged him that she had been so upset by him telling that dick head they were 
married.

Isabel lay there quietly for a moment twisting the ring on her finger that Michael had given 
her before answering. 

"Because I'm not your wife." She answered with the truth, but doubted he would 
understand.

He was confused. "It didn't bother you when I told that woman last night that you were my 
wife."

Isabel leaned up on her arm and asked, "And why did you tell her that, Michael? Why did you 
tell her and the guy tonight that I was your wife?" She held her breath as she waited for 
him to answer.

Michael shook his head in the dark. "I don't know. I just didn't want her talking about you 
like that. It seemed the thing to do at the time."

Isabel wiped at a tear. 'And the guy tonight?"

Michael stared at the darkened ceiling. "I don't know. I guess with the way he was oogling 
you I was just trying to protect you."

Isabel lay back down knowing she shouldn't have expected more. 

"Goodnight, Michael."

Michael heard the sadness in her voice, but chalked it up to their fight earlier.

"Goodnight, Isabel."



                                                        ---------------------- 




Screaming woke him. 

Immediately coming wide awake, Michael was on his feet and scanning the darkened room as 
he tried to make his way to the bed where Isabel was screaming and sobbing in her sleep. 
In his rush to reach her he tripped on the spread then kicked it to the far wall before he 
quickly climbed in the bed beside Isabel and grabbed her tight to his body trying to quite 
her down before she caused a huge disturbance. 

"Shh…it's okay, Isabel. Hey, I'm here…shh," he whispered against her hair as he rocked her 
trembling body. She fought him at first, but he held her tight as he listened to her 
anguished cries.  It reminded him of when her parents had died and he hoped that wasn't 
what was causing her nightmare. Finally she began to quiet down, but he doubted she was 
really aware.

A knock sounded on the door followed by a voice claiming to be the hotel Manager 
demanding that the door be opened.

Michael swore under his breath as he turned his head towards the sound. He hated to leave 
Isabel like this, but knew he had to open the door or the situation could grow worse.

"I have to open the door, Isabel. I'll be back. I'll be right back," he whispered next to her 
ear. He kissed the top of her head and then carefully moved away from Isabel, leaving her 
sobbing on the bed.

The knocking had become pounding and Michael ran to the door and opened it.

"Sir, there have been reports of a woman's screams coming from this room.  I believe I 
heard them myself just a few minutes ago. What's going on in there? I want to speak to the 
woman," demanded the Manager as he eyed Michael. Behind him stood a Security Guard and 
beyond them were the open doors of other hotel guests who were taking it all in.

Michael pointed behind him and said, "She had a nightmare. Sorry about the noise."

"I want to see for myself that she's okay," said the Manager.

"You don't believe me?" asked Michael getting angry. "She had a nightmare and that's it!"

"Sir, I want to see the young woman NOW!" His tone left little doubt that he wouldn't leave 
until he saw things were okay himself.

Michael clinched his jaw to keep in the swear words that threatened to spill out as he 
opened the door to allow the Manager and Security Guard inside.

The Manager turned on the lights and walked over to the bed.

"Miss….Miss…are you okay? Do you need help?" He observed that she was trembling with 
what he assumed was fear and that the spread from the bed was against the wall.  Nothing 
else in the room seemed out of the ordinary.

Isabel slowly became aware of her surroundings and looked in confusion at the men standing 
next to the bed with Michael behind them. She was trembling and her heart was pounding 
deep inside her chest. 

"Miss, are you okay? Has this gentleman hurt you in anyway?" asked the Security Guard.

Isabel stared wide-eyed at Michael and saw the anxious look he cast on her. She vaguely 
remembered him holding her and trying to calm her down. She also realized that her 
nightmare had brought trouble on them since these men thought her screams were due to 
Michael physically hurting her. 

Isabel shook her head and wiped her eyes as she pushed her tousled hair out of her face. 
"N-no, I…I'm fine. My…my… husband was trying to help me…calm me down from my…I had a 
nightmare. I'm so sorry I disturbed everyone."  Unconsciously she began to twist the sheet 
in her hands.

Michael tried not to show surprise at Isabel calling him her 'husband' and he wondered if 
she even realized she had done it. He also noted the sheet she was clinging to. 
'What the hell had she dreamed that upset her so?' 

The Manager and Security Guard looked at one another and seeming satisfied with what 
they saw and heard thanked Michael and Isabel for their cooperation, explaining that they 
had to be careful with their guest's safety, then left. 

Michael locked the door behind them and then walked back to the bed and looked down at 
Isabel.  "Are you okay?" he asked with concern. 

Isabel nodded her head, but tears sprang to her eyes again and the trembling started anew.

"No, you're not." He went to the bathroom for tissues and a glass of water. Returning to the 
bed he handed the box to Isabel and then waited while she drank some of the water before 
setting the glass on the nightstand and climbing in the bed beside her. "Come here."

Isabel went without hesitation into Michael's arms and cried on his chest.

"Want to tell me about it?" Michael asked as he gently rubbed hit thumb around in a slow 
circle on her shoulder. He was worried because her nightmare still had her so upset.

"No," sobbed Isabel.  She took more tissues from the box that lay on the bed beside her 
and blew her nose.

"Want me to leave you alone?" Michael asked, unsure if that was even the right thing to do.

"NO!" Isabel cried as she clung tighter to him. 

Michael frowned. "Maybe if you talk about it…"

"NO!"  She felt Michael's chest rise and fall as he expelled a helpless sigh. 

"Isabel, I just want to help you."

"Then just hold me," she snuffed.

Michael held her tighter to him and said, "I'm here, just close your eyes and I'll keep you 
safe."

Isabel nodded and closed her eyes, but she was haunted by her nightmare. Much later she 
fell asleep, the security of Michael's arms surrounding her. 

Michael knew when Isabel finally fell asleep and relaxed. Whatever demons had entered her 
dreams had apparently been chased away. He carefully slid his arms out from under Isabel 
and made his way back to the floor, but for him sleep did not come as easily for his mind 
was still on events from earlier in the evening. It was near morning before he finally fell 
asleep, answers still eluding him.




                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~






A Few Weeks Later…

Max walked in the kitchen, his thoughts on Maria and the night spent with her. It had been 
weeks, but still he thought about it. Innocent though it was he couldn't get it or their kiss 
out of his mind. He had tried, but he couldn't push her from his thoughts. He put down the 
bag of groceries he had carried in from the back of his car and reached for his cell phone 
as it began to ring. 

"Hello."

"Max, it's me."

The familiar voice caught him off guard and a flare of guilt began in him. It took him a 
moment, but he finally said, "Liz?" 

"Yeah, Max, it's me." A brief moment of silence occurred before she asked, "How are you?" 

Max swallowed the knot in his throat as he stared off into space. "Okay. You? How…how's 
your Aunt?" His heart was beating overtime in chest and his palms were moist at hearing 
Liz's voice.

"She's fine. I'm fine. I've enjoyed my trip. I knew there was more than Roswell, but I never 
dreamed that I would ever see the things that I have. It's been a great opportunity for me."

Another pause occurred before Max asked, "Liz…when will you be coming back home?"

"I…I don't know," she replied quietly.

She sounded different, but Max couldn't put his finger on why. 

"Liz, are you okay? You sound…I don't know…different."

There was more silence before Liz said, "I'm fine, Max. Just fine."

He didn't believe her, but what could he do?

"I've missed you."  The small knot of guilt began to grow again, but he pushed it aside.

The silence grew until he said,  "Liz?" 
 
"I have to go now, Max. It was good talking to you…goodbye."

The sound of their call being disconnected left him stunned. She hadn't even waited for him 
to say goodbye. He replaced his phone in his pocket and got inside his car.  Something wasn't 
right and he knew just who to see to find out what was going on. But would she talk to him?


                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Crashdown…

Maria pushed the swinging door open with her hip as she wrangled the bus tub of dirty 
dishes through it on her way to the sink.

"Maria, I need to talk to you," came Max's voice from beside her.

Maria screamed and dropped the bus tub sending its contents of dishes and half eaten food 
crashing to the floor.

"Oh my gawd, Max! Why did you scare me like that?! Look at this mess! Liz's Dad will have 
half my paycheck to pay for this!" she complained as she began to clean up the broken pieces 
and slip them back in the bus tub. 

She avoided looking directly at Max like she had been since the morning they had awoke on 
her couch in that compromising position. She hadn't wanted him to know that being around 
him was giving her feelings she shouldn't be having for him. But things were getting more 
complicated.

Max immediately bent to help clean the mess he had inadvertently made her create.

"I'm sorry. I saw you coming this way and didn't think about startling you like that." 
 
He picked up the bus tub for her and set it on the counter by the sink. He couldn't use his 
powers to clean the mess or repair the dishes since the cooks and another waitress had 
seen the accident. 

"I'll be pay for the damages," he told Maria, when she finally looked at him. 

Maria shook her head and nervously pushed her headband back up on her head. 
"No, it's okay. I'll say I slipped or something." 

Max frowned a bit. "Are you okay? You're acting …weird."

Her mouth dropped open and shut again before she replied, "Yeah, uh, I'm just upset. 
Michael finally called last night. Doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry to return." 
In fact the conversation had been rather short considering it had ended on an angry note 
about why it had taken him so long to call her. She had her suspicions, but what upset her 
even more was her lack of caring that he hadn't been calling her…missing her.

Max nodded in understanding. "He called me too.  I guess Isabel decided not to ditch him 
again since he found her. Neither seems to know where they were going though only that 
Isabel will know when they get there." 
Once again he was glad Isabel wasn't traveling alone.

Maria's brows rose at Max's reply. "Wait a second. She ditched him more than once?" 
If anything that just confirmed in her mind that Michael had wanted to follow Isabel 
because of something more than wanting to protect her.  

Max realized what her questions meant. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew."

Maria waved her hand and rolled her eyes upward. "I'm okay, Max." She took a deep breath 
and asked, "What was it you came here to talk to me about?"

"Did Liz call you last night?" He watched for her reaction to his question and immediately 
got one. 

Maria straightened up and nervously picked at her collar as she began to walk around as if 
searching for something. 

Max watched her for a moment then having had enough he went and took her arm, forcing 
her to face him. 

"Maria, what did Liz tell you?" Then as an after thought he searched her eyes as he quietly 
asked, "Or what did you tell her?"

Maria knew what Max was referring to and replied, "I didn't tell her about how we woke 
up….or that we kissed if that is what you mean." She looked down at his hand on her arm and 
he did too before slowly releasing her.

"I'm sorry. I just don't understand. She was different sounding on the phone and I don't 
know why?" He looked at Maria again. "Did she tell you anything?"

He looked so disturbed that Maria finally said, "No. She didn't tell me anything."

Max's shoulders dropped as he nodded. "Thanks." He walked towards the door and as he 
opened he said, "Let me know if she tells you anything okay?"

Maria nodded and then watched him go, knowing that if she opened her mouth she would 
correct the lie she had told.




                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Texas…

The radio played low, not his usual Metallica, but something quieter as Michael rolled his 
shoulders then repositioned his hold on the steering wheel. He glanced over at Isabel and 
was glad to see she was sleeping. She had been having the dreams every night and it 
disturbed him that she still refused to talk about them.  They still continued to share a 
room with him taking the floor until he heard her cries. He would lay with her until she fell 
back asleep and then head back to the floor. This morning though may have changed the 
room situation. Upon waking for the second time he had realized that he had fallen asleep in 
the bed instead of returning to the floor. Coming further awake he had been shocked to 
discover Isabel's bottom tucked neatly next to his crotch and his hand comfortably cupping 
her breast as he curled around her, apparently as he had done in their sleep, and he had 
been in no hurry to move. He had actually lay there amazed at the fullness of her breast and 
the gentle swell it had formed in his hand as she slept. He cursed himself again as he 
remembered giving her breast a light squeeze and feeling her nipple start to pucker under 
the pressure as she moaned softly with pleasure at the touch. It was when she had pressed 
her rounded buttocks into his crotch as she got more comfortable in her sleep that he had 
grasped the seriousness of sleeping in a bed with Isabel, no matter how innocent it was 
intended. He had managed to extract himself without waking her, but he had needed a cold 
shower to help him relieve the pressure in his shorts while he tried to understand why he 
had touched her like that. If anything Isabel would castrate him for taking liberties like 
that, and rightfully so. Thankfully she had been unaware or they would not be in this car 
together right now.

Isabel gasped softly and her eyes flew open, blinking as she tried to focus against the 
bright sunlight streaming in the window. She straightened up, grimacing when her arm 
tingled as it regained circulation after leaning on it in her sleep. She looked around as she 
rubbed her arm and asked, "Where are we?" 

Tightening his grip on the wheel with guilt over his thoughts and actions of last night, 
Michael glanced over and replied, "San Antonio." 

"San Antonio? A bit far down in the state aren't we?" she questioned as she looked around. 

Michael shrugged. "You said 'drive', you didn't say anywhere specific."

Isabel realized he had a point. Besides, San Antonio was just as good as any place else to 
head to for a while.  Looking at Michael she asked, "Do you think we could find some place to 
stop? I could use a break."

Michael got her meaning and nodded. "Why don't we go ahead and find a place for the night 
and call it a day?"

"Sounds good to me," Isabel replied. 

She looked out the window trying block out the dream she'd had of Michael's hand on her 
breast lightly arousing her as she spooned against him, his need for her apparent as his 
aroused penis pressed against her bottom.  But it was all a dream and that is all it would 
ever be. 

"Okay, let's try here," said Michael as he pulled into a hotel and killed the motor.
"Coming in or waiting out here?" he asked glancing over at her.

"In. I need the ladies room," she replied as she opened her door.

As they passed the back of her car he checked on his motorcycle riding in the small trailer 
they had attached to the back of the car. Satisfied Michael continued on into the lobby to 
the desk to inquire about a room while Isabel took off in a different direction.

Isabel hurried across the lobby after spying the Ladies room sign and made her way there 
while Michael registered them.  Upon return she noted Michael seemed upset.

"What's wrong? No room?" she asked as she shoved her hands down into her back pockets.

Michael shook his head and held up a key card. "No, they had a room," he said with a hint of 
something in his voice that Isabel couldn't identify.

"What's wrong then?" She couldn't imagine why he was upset and why he was looking 
everywhere, but her eyes when he spoke to her.

Michael bit down on his bottom lip, flipping the key card up and down against his palm before 
he eventually met Isabel's eyes and replied, "I had to take the last room they had. 
It doesn't become available to us for a little while though since they need to clean it."

Isabel still didn't know why Michael was upset. She sighed. "Okay, tell me the rest of it. 
Is the room really expensive? Maybe we can get a special rate because it's all they have." 

Michael rolled his eyes and cleared his throat before replying under his breath, "It's um, 
the Bridal Suite." He scratched above his eye and then rested a hand on his hip as he looked 
away then back, afraid of what Isabel would say. He crossed his arms and his brows raised 
as she began to do the last thing he expected, laugh.  

"You find this funny?" he asked, irked by her laughter.

Isabel's continued to laugh until the irony of the situation fell on her. "No," she said as she 
suddenly sobered up. Sleeping with Michael in a regular room was one thing, but sleeping 
with him in one specifically designed for newlyweds and all that entailed was something else, 
especially since they had continued to travel as a married couple for safety purposes, and 
the way she was feeling about him. 

"Seriously? The Bridal Suite?"

Michael nodded.  "I took it, and they did give us a reduced rate, but if you want we can keep 
looking."

Michael was as unnerved about the situation as she was. Waking to find himself groping her 
in his sleep wasn't something he wanted to repeat. 

 Isabel bit her lip and shook her head.  "N-no, it's fine. I mean it's just a room, right?"

Michael looked at her a moment then nodded. 

"Right. It's just a room like any other. Okay, well lets go get our stuff and leave it at the 
desk. They said they would take it up for us when the room was clean."

After delivering their things to the desk Isabel asked, "What do we do for the next hour or 
so?"

"The Manager suggested the Alamo, but it closes in an hour. He also suggested the River 
Walk. It's this long river that runs through the town with places to eat and stores and stuff 
along it. What do you think?" he asked.

Isabel smiled and said, "The River Walk sounds good. I could use some fun." 

Michael agreed. Fun and distraction from other things was just what they needed. 
"Then lets go."



                                                           -------------------------




Senor Chows…

In the back booth Kyle pushed the last of his food around on his plate as he watched Maria 
absently twirl her straw in her coke, her food was untouched and growing cold.  He poked 
the fry into his mouth before wiping with a napkin and asking, "What's up? Why aren't you 
eating?"

Maria blinked and looked down at her food before pushing her plate away. 
"Just not hungry I guess," she replied a bit too quietly.

Kyle nodded and reached for her plate. At her look he said, "You don't want it, right?"
When she shook her head he switched his plate with hers and said, "Then why waste it?" 
He took a hefty bite and waited, knowing that sooner or later Maria would tell him what was 
on her mind. Sooner came quicker than he thought.

Maria cleared her throat and asked, "Kyle, did you ever care about someone you shouldn't?"

Kyle contemplated her question while he chewed the food in his mouth. He swallowed and 
replied, "Yes, but we all know how that turned out." Thoughts of Tess entered their minds 
and were quickly pushed away as Alex's death rose up too. "Why are you asking?"

Maria took the straw out of her glass and twisted it tightly around her finger until the loss 
of circulation made the tip turn blue.  Taking a breath she untwisted the straw and said, 
"I've done something really bad."

Kyle put his fork down and wiped his hands on the napkin as he waited for Maria to continue. 
Whatever was eating at her he realized she needed to get it off her chest. 
That he was the one she was trusting with her burden wasn't lost on him. 

He pushed his plate away and put his elbow on the table so he could rest his chin on his 
hand. "Okay, shoot."

Maria leaned forward and whispered, "I kissed Max," her face full of the guilt she felt. 

Kyle's arm fell with a light thud to the table as he shook his head in shock at Maria's 
pronouncement. "Noooo! I'm…I'm stunned! That is so not what I expected." 
He stared in her eyes as if trying to make sense of what she had just said. "Why?"

Maria sat back and hung her head. "I know," she replied miserably. "I was surprised at first, 
but then when it happened again…"

"You did it more than once?!" Kyle questioned, as his hands slapped the table and his voice 
rose an octave louder. He caught himself and looked around before giving his attention back 
to Maria.

"No wonder you're acting like you are. I can't believe you kissed Liz's 'soul mate'!" His fingers 
curved in the air at the term.  "Does Liz know?"

Maria shook her head in misery. 

Then Kyle sat back as dawning occurred. "You asked did I ever care about someone I 
shouldn't." Watching her closely he asked, "Do you care for Max?"

A tear slid down her cheek as she nodded, her misery clearly reflected on her face. 
She grabbed a napkin out of the holder and dabbed her eyes. 

Kyle whistled low. "Wow," he whispered.  "Does Guerin know?" He wouldn't want to be around 
the brooding alien when he found out.

Maria shook her head.

"Does Max know you have these feelings for him?" 

"I don't know. He initiated the kissing, but I really didn't put up too much of a fight. I know 
it was wrong. I've horrible ever since. We've been spending so much time together since his 
parents died. And now with Isabel and Michael gone things just sort of …"

"You two haven't…? Kyle questioned alarmed.

Maria shook her head quickly. "No, nothing like that." Then she said, "Well we did fall sleep 
on my couch and when we woke up it was very… intimate." She squirmed in her seat at the 
memory, her body reacting in a way she didn't want it to.

"Geeze!" said Kyle as he ran a hand over the top of his head, still trying to take it all in.  

"There's more."

"MORE?!" He looked around again then asked quieter, "More? What kind of more?"

"Kyle, you can't tell. I probably shouldn't be telling you any of this, but I had to talk to 
someone. Promise you won't tell!"

Kyle nodded wondering what more she could tell. "Hey, I promise! You're secret is safe with 
me. I seem to have lots of those the past few years so adding few more won't matter." 

Satisfied, Maria said very low, "I lied to Liz by not telling her about what had happened, but 
I also lied to Max about Liz." 

"And?" The more he heard the more shocked he became.

Maria looked at Kyle and said, "There's a guy she met while traveling with her Aunt."

Kyle leaned back stunned.  "No way!" And here he had thought Maria and Max kissing was a 
shocker. 

Maria nodded. "Kyle, it will kill Max when he finds out, but Liz won't let me tell him. She 
wants to tell Max in person, not on the phone."

"I thought they were supposed to be so in love. Look at all they have been through 
together!" replied Kyle. He could not get over what Maria was telling him. 

"Things change, Kyle," her own thoughts going to Michael. She realized that lately they had 
been more like friends with benefits than two people that were in love.  Focusing back on 
Kyle she said, "Liz didn't plan to have feelings for another guy just as I didn't plan on having 
these feelings for Max."

She wiped a tear at the corner of her eye and asked, "Kyle, what do I do? Do I tell Max 
about Liz and then about my feelings and if I do is it because I think he should know or 
because I want him for myself? Or…or do I stay quiet and be miserable if they stay 
together…or …or what if they break up and he hates me for not telling him about Liz?
I…I don't know what to do."

Kyle blew out a breath and shook his head. "Honestly? I don't know."

Maria sniffed, her eyes puffy and red from crying. "Liz is my best friend, Kyle. My very 
best friend since we were kids. No matter what I decide I could lose her and I don't want 
that to happen."

Kyle reached over and gave her hand a squeeze saying, "I'm afraid I'm not very good in 
things of the heart. In fact the record will show I pretty much suck at them. I'm afraid I'm 
no help. I'm sorry."

Maria nodded as her eyes welled again.  "It's okay. I need to work it out myself anyway." 
She sniffed as she returned Kyle's squeeze and said, "Thanks for listening."

"Look, which you want more? Liz's friendship or maybe something with Max?"

Maria sighed.  "I want both."

Kyle felt for his friend, but he was glad he wasn't the one making the decision. He honestly 
didn't know what he would do if he was in her position. He stood up and said, "Look, I'll get 
the check." 
 
Though she had invited him she appreciated his gesture. "Thanks."

Kyle gave her a small smile. "Hey, I'm around if you need a shoulder again."

Maria nodded and went back to her thoughts as Kyle walked off. 

"What am I going to do?"




                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~




San Antonio…

Michael and Isabel headed to the River Walk, but upon finding the Alamo was on their way 
they had walked around the front side of the building reading the words and looking at the 
pictures carved in the stones. They hadn't been able to walk the entire Alamo, but there had 
been time before closing to walk into the main chapel where some artifacts were held, they 
saw the bullet holes in the walls, read the history, and walked the paths where the battle 
had been fought.
Since then Michael had been quiet. 

Now walking the narrow stone path along the rivers edge of the River Walk, Isabel asked, 
"You're quiet. What are you thinking?"

Michael shoved his hands in his pockets as he kept walking then replied, "They fought and 
they died for what they believed in." He stopped and looked at Isabel. "It's what we did up 
there. For all we know it's what they are still doing." 

Isabel blinked. That was the last thing she expected him to say. But she had to admit that 
the Alamo had affected her as well. "We don't know that, Michael. Kivar…" She looked 
around then whispered, "murdered us, but we don't know that fighting is still going on."

"Then why would Kivar and the Skins still be searching us out? Why did the council meet in 
New York? Why did your Mother say they waited for us?" he asked in a rush. He took a 
breath as he rubbed his face then rested his hands on his hips before saying more calmly, 
"How do we know they aren't still waiting on us to save them?" 
 
"Even if it's true there is nothing we can do about it. We're here living different lives now," 
reminded Isabel shaking her head. 

Michael was quiet then finally nodded as he dropped his hands and took one of Isabel's in his 
without thought. "I know. I guess it just really hit me in there what it meant to fight for 
what you believe in. I wonder if I was any good at it. I was the soldier, the Second in 
Command meant to protect all of us. I mean we all died so how good could I have been."

Isabel jerked her hand away as she stopped walking and hissed under her breath, "Stop it! 
Stop it right now! You didn't get us killed... if anyone did it was me!" She stopped and took a 
breath and then more calmly said, "I know deep in my heart you were a good soldier, 
Michael. You would never have been Second in Command if you weren't! But that life is 
behind us. Leave it be. Please."

Michael studied her face, saw the sincerity and pleading in her eyes, and gave in by asking, 
"Hungry? 'Cause I'm starving!" 

Isabel smiled and nodded as Michael in his own way agreed to drop the matter.

Locking her arm in his, they headed into one of restaurants on the river and settled in while 
they ate Mexican and enjoyed the music. 

While they ate Isabel broached a subject that had long been on her mind.

"I imagine Maria is more than ready for you to return to Roswell. You two must miss one 
another a lot." She suddenly lost her appetite and wished she hadn't brought up the subject.

Michael blinked then put down his fork full of food at her question.  "What?"

"Maria. She must miss you a great deal. You must miss her too," Isabel clarified, her hand 
gripping her glass.

Michael shrugged then shook his head. "She was mad I came, and when I call her all we do is 
fight. I'm thinking she won't forgive me for this."

Isabel noted what he didn't say about how he felt and replied, "You should have stayed with 
her in Roswell."

Michael shook his head. "It doesn't matter if I'm here or there, Maria will find something 
that I've done to piss her off. This is just the current one."

"But I imagine you miss her," commented Isabel taking a drink of her Tobasco laced Coke. 

Michael moved his fork around his plate, no longer hungry. The fact was he really hadn't 
given Maria much thought after the first few days on the road. He felt guilty about that, 
but chalked up his lack of phone calls and thoughts of Maria on being concerned for Isabel.
"Sure." He looked uncomfortable and said, "Look, let's not talk about Maria, okay?"

Isabel nodded, rebuking herself for even bringing the topic up.

Both sat in silence lost in thought until the waiter came to ask about dessert, which neither 
wanted. 

The sun began to set and Isabel's attention drifted to the boats along the river and taking 
note Michael said, "I suppose you want to play tourist."  
At Isabel's questioning look he replied, "Walk around, see the sites…ride the boats." 

Isabel's face brightened up and after paying the check they headed to the area where the 
boats were stationed.  After what seemed to Michael a lengthy wait they were sitting at 
the end of the boat and out on the water, the night air cooler since the sun had gone down. 
They listened to the guide use corny jokes as he rattled on about the river and enjoyed the 
lights, music, and people as the boat made its way lazily around the river.

Michael rested the crook of his arm on the rail behind Isabel and without thought began to 
run his finger lightly along her shoulder as he watched waiters along the river began to light 
heaters for their outdoor guests.

Startled by the intimate caress to her shoulder Isabel's breath caught then slowly released 
as she closed her eyes and committed to memory the way she was feeling right now with 
Michael touching her the way that a lover would. 

Michael glanced sideways and saw Isabel's eyes closed. "Tired?"

Isabel's eyes flew open and she moved slightly to remove Michael's finger from her 
shoulder. 

"No. No, I'm not tired," she replied softly, as she pressed a hand to her hair to smooth it 
down.  She shivered.

"Cold?"

Isabel nodded. "I didn't think about how cool it would be.  I should have brought a jacket."

Michael watched as she shivered again. "Come here."

Isabel looked at him and frowned. "What?"

Michael put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her his way. "Come here."

"Why?" 
 
"You said you were cold so come here."

When she didn't move he released her saying, "Fine. Stay cold."

Hesitating, Isabel slowly moved closer to Michael's side and stiffened as his arms closed 
around her.

Michael frowned. 'What the hell is wrong with her?'  

He watched her smile as a little girl next to her squealed with delight as they passed along 
the outdoor theater alive with song and dance. Isabel's face lit up when she smiled causing 
him to smile too. A piece of Isabel's hair came loose of her 'pony tail' and whipped around 
her face and he reached out and moved it gently behind her ear. 

Isabel jumped slightly at Michael's action and re-tucked the 'fly away' strand.  

Their hands brushed one another and Michael retracted his, shocked, as he realized what 
he had done.

"It was in my face," he lied.

"Sorry," Isabel said as she moved out of the warmth of his arms.

Michael felt a loss when she moved away that he didn't understand and it confused him. 

"The kid, she's got one of those ear splitting squeals," he said motioning with his head, in an 
attempt to break tension that had fallen between them.

Isabel knew what he was trying to do and nodded. "She's excited."

 She turned back as if to watch the people walking along the river walk, the lights and 
laughter from the clubs and restaurants along the edge bidding the rivers patrons to come 
in, but inside her head she replayed the last few moments and wondered at Michael's actions 
and what he would do if he realized how he effected her.

Once the ride was over Michael and Isabel walked the river again, the crowded sidewalk 
making their progress slow as groups of people, some lovers, strolled along.  They ended up 
behind a young couple that was alternating between walking and kissing making both Isabel 
and Michael uncomfortable. 

Suddenly Isabel grabbed Michael's arm.  "Come on."

They headed up some steps and into a club where piano playing and singing was going on.
From where they stood they could see people standing about, sitting in groups talking, and 
nearly all were watching people on the dance floor. Everyone was drinking. 

Michael put his hand on Isabel's shoulder to stop her from heading further inside.

"We're not going in there!" he said loudly in her ear.

"There's dancing!" she replied. When she needed to work through things she ran, but right 
now it was too late to run in a strange city so dancing was her next choice.

Michael turned her so she had to face him.  "Isabel, take a look around. We need to leave."

Isabel looked back around and watched as some girls began dancing dirty with one another 
apparently for the enjoyment of a guy that was sitting nearby smiling. Others were 
watching and shouting encouragement as one of the girls began to peel off her top and 
stood gyrating in her bra. Most of the people in here seemed to be drunk or on their way. 
Michael was right. 

"You folks comin' or goin'?" the bouncer at the door asked them. "There's a cover if you're 
stayin'."

Isabel sighed and turned back.  "We're going."

In the fresh air Michael said, "That wasn't the place for us, Isabel. If we drank by accident 
we could say or do things we shouldn't." He put his hands on his hips as he breathed in the 
cool night air. "Personally, I don't want a repeat experience." 
The memory of last time he had alcohol in his system still made his head ache.

"You were right. I didn't think," admitted Isabel. "I just heard the music and felt the need 
to dance."

Michael felt bad.  This trip was all about Isabel and he had just dragged her away from one 
of the things he knew she loved. He wanted to see her smile again like she had watching the 
little girl on the boat.

"We can find something else to do," Michael said as he tried to stifle a yawn.

She shook her head. "No, that's okay. The room should be ready now anyway," Isabel said as 
she checked the time.

"You're wanting to head back?" Michael asked. 

"Well it's been hours."

"True, but there are more things we could do." 

"Michael, you're yawning. Waking up because of me every night and then sharing in the 
driving must have you exhausted. I'm sorry." She felt guilt over his lack of sleep.

Michael shook his head as if to brush off her comment as yet another yawn came on him. 
"I'm fine. You know if you just tell me about the nightmares they would probably stop."

Isabel's back stiffened. "Forget it, Michael. I'm not discussing them with you." She began to 
walk back towards the hotel. "Maybe there's a movie or you can find a game to watch on TV."

"Great," replied Michael without enthusiasm as he followed her. For some reason he felt 
they really should have kept looking for another hotel, one with two rooms.




                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Max's House…

Max stared at Maria standing at his door, her nervousness was apparent, yet seemed to be a 
constant with her lately. She had been a bit standoffish with him lately since the night at 
her house so he was surprised she sought him out now.

"Maria. Come in," he said as he allowed her entry.

Maria went into the living room and walked over by the sofa to stand.  She hadn't said a 
word and appeared deep in thought.

"Maria, what is it?" Max was getting worried. Something was wrong and he wanted to know 
what it was. "Is it Liz? Has something happened to Liz?" 

At the mention of Liz's name, Maria turned to Max.

He froze, a sick feeling building in the pit of his stomach. "What is it?"

Maria sank to the sofa and burst into tears.

The blood left Max's face and he felt like he would be ill as he too sank to the sofa beside 
her. "Tell me," he whispered.
  
Maria looked up at the strange sound of Max's voice and immediately realized he had drawn 
the wrong conclusion.

"NO! Oh gawd no! It's not that!" she rushed to say, her hands waving out in front of her. "Liz 
is okay."

When he sighed in relief it made it harder for Maria to say what she came to say.

"I lied to you." 

At his look she hastened to add, "Not just now." She hesitated then quieter said, 
"Earlier…when you asked me if I had heard from Liz. I lied."

Max blinked. "Why? Why lie? Did Liz ask you to lie to me?"

Maria began to grip her fingers tightly together until the knuckles began to whiten. 

Max grabbed her hands and to still them and asked, "Why?"

Maria looked up and with tears in her eyes she replied, "I don't know."

Max sat back. He didn't believe her. "Maria, I think you're lying to me right now."

Maria rubbed her hands against her knees, the dampness in her palms was beginning to itch.

Max leaned forward and once again and with one hand on Maria's he asked, "Why did you 
lie?"

"Because Liz is going to hurt you and I couldn't bare for you to be hurt again," she 
whispered.

Max's mouth fell open in shock. "W-what? I don't understand."

Maria turned tear filled eyes towards Max and said, "She met someone else, but wanted to 
tell you herself."

Max sat back stunned. He tried to process what Maria was telling him. Liz was breaking up 
with him. That explained why she had acted so strange on the phone the past few times. 
But oddly enough he wasn't as upset as he thought he would be. Sure he hurt, but his heart 
wasn't breaking as he thought it would be. He leaned over and put his arm around Maria to 
comfort her.

"Thank you for telling me."

Maria looked in his eyes confused. "You're not mad at me? At Liz?" She sniffed and wished 
she had a tissue.

As if reading her mind Max leaned behind him and grabbed the box of tissues that sat on 
the sofa table. Offering her the box, Maria took a tissue and wiped her eyes then blew.

"I should have known it was another guy by the phone conversations we've had lately," Max 
replied. "And no, I'm not mad. Hurt, confused…not mad."

"But all this time…" Maria didn't understand."

Max took her hand in his and said, "I think it's because I'm covered. Or I hope I am." 
His eyes searched out Maria's and saw dawning appear in them.  
 
"Me?" She was afraid to ask, afraid to hope.

Max caressed the top of her hand and said, "I kept telling myself how horrible I was to put 
you in the position I did by kissing you. But I liked kissing you. I liked waking up with you."
He waited for her reply.

He didn't have long to wait.

Maria leaned over and cupping his cheek she kissed him lightly on the lips, her eyes closed 
savoring the moment.
"What's going on?" asked a familiar voice from behind them.

Max and Maria sprung apart and looked up.

"Liz," they replied quietly at the same time.



                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The Hotel…

It was a nice suite with a large bedroom and living area, and a bathroom with a large glass 
shower with the rain feature and a tub with jets.  They had a balcony with a view of the 
River Walk, and a bed that looked to be heaven. What they apparently didn't have was a TV. 

"What the hell! Where's the TV?" Michael demanded looking around.

"I'm guessing they expected people to be otherwise occupied and not wanting to watch TV," 
replied Isabel, the butterflies in her stomach turning into bats.

"Yeah, I forgot about that," said Michael suddenly uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I know you wanted to watch a game," said Isabel.  What were they going to do 
now with no TV? That had been her safety while being trapped in a room with him.

When he didn't reply, Isabel said, "I'm going to check out that wonderful tub." 
Seeing Michael still standing and looking around the room Isabel asked, "What will you do?"

"Check out room service and sit out on the balcony, I guess. Nothing else to do," he replied 
going and picking up the menu by the phone. 

"You're hungry again? We ate a little over an hour ago."

"I'm hungry," he replied, shrugging. At her look he added, "Okay, I'm always hungry."

Isabel couldn't help a smile. Then going to her bag she gathered her things for a bath and 
headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Michael nosed around at the things on the nightstand and in the drawer. He frowned when 
he found a remote. "A lot of good this does me. The TV must be out for repair."
Out of habit he pushed the button on the remote as he began reading the room service 
menu. The sound of people talking in the room surprised him. 

Isabel jumped with fright as Michael let out a loud whoop. She pulled her top together and 
ran from the bathroom in time to see Michael sit back on the bed, a happy grin on his face. 

"Awww sweet! This is the best!" he sighed.

"MICHAEL! You scared me to death!" Isabel yelled, her heart still pounding in her chest. 

Michael looked at Isabel and the grin slid from his face as he saw her standing there in her 
panties clutching her top closed in front of her.  

"I um, I found the TV," he replied quietly as he motioned to the wall.

Isabel's head turned to where he pointed and saw a plasma screen TV that had appeared 
from behind a sliding painting in the wall. 

"Wow! That is one big screen," she said then turned back to him. Nervously she fingered her 
top as she realized how she was dressed. "I guess you're happy now."

Michael nodded and swallowed. "Go get your bath," he managed to get out.

The hoarseness in Michael's voice didn't go unnoticed. Isabel made her way back to the 
bathroom and as she continued undressing and sunk down in the tub she pushed aside any 
hope that the look Michael gave her actually meant something.



                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Crashdown…

Max climbed the ladder to Liz's balcony and found her exactly where he thought he would, 
sitting there on a lawn chair staring at the stars.  She had run out without even waiting for 
explanations after finding him and Maria kissing.

"Can I come up?" he asked from the edge as he clung to the ladder rails.

Liz wiped at her eyes, but didn't reply.

Max slowly made his way over the side and went to sit in the chair next to Liz.

"You can't be mad, Liz. Not at Maria and not at me. You have no right."

Liz looked at Max with resignation. "Maria told you."

Max nodded. "Right before you walked in. You should have told me, Liz, not her."

"I know, but I didn't know how and then I wanted to do it face to face. I thought I owed you 
that."  She swallowed then finally got the courage to ask, "How long have you and Maria been 
together?"

"Maria did exactly as I'm sure you asked her to do. She watched after me when my parents 
died." His voice caught as he said the last. Taking a deep steadying breath he went on. "I 
needed you, Liz, but Maria was the one that was here. She never encouraged anything more 
than friendship. I'm the one that started things, and today right before you walked in was 
the first time I ever told her. She's innocent in this so don't blame her."

Liz hung her head then nodded. "By the looks of things she cares about you more than just 
as a friend." 

Max softly smiled. "I hope so. We haven't had a chance to talk since I came over here after 
you ran out."

"I assume Michael doesn't know."

Max felt his gut twist. His best friend had trusted him to watch his girl for him, but even 
Max wasn't sure if Michael still considered Maria his girl. His lack of calls to Maria while he 
had been gone had hurt her. But their relationship was so 'off and on' that he really didn't 
know what Michael would think. 

"No, he doesn't. But we will tell him."

Silence hung between them for a few minutes as each thought about their past feelings for 
one another, both realizing that the love they thought would never die had actually changed 
forever. 

"Do you love him?" asked Max. 

Knowing whom Max meant Liz smiled gently as she thought about Brian. "Yes." She cleared 
her throat. "He's studying to be a Doctor." 

"Another healer," he pointed out. 

Liz smiled wryly. "I guess so. We met at a party my Aunt was invited too. We hit it off right 
from the start."  Then the guilt washed over her again. "I'm sorry."

Max sighed. "I told you to go out and see the world, Liz. I didn't want you to regret missing 
out on anything because of me, of what I am. I'm glad you did or look what you…us…would 
have missed out on."

"Does that mean what we felt…what your Future self told me was a lie?" asked Liz. 

"I don't think so. I think we rewrote our futures." 

"Just as Tess did," Liz replied quietly. 

Both grew sad as they thought of Alex, and Max thought of his son. 

Max stood up and Liz followed suit. 

"What about Maria? Are you going to forgive her?" Max didn't want to think his feelings for 
Maria would end her relationship with Liz. They meant too much to one another.

Liz was conflicted. "I need time, Max."

Not what he had hoped to hear. "And us?"

"Time. I think all of us need time to absorb things," said Liz as she crossed her arms. 

Max nodded hoping in the end they could all look past and remain friends. 

"Good-bye, Liz."

"Bye, Max."

He lowered himself down the ladder and when he reached his car he headed it the only place 
he wanted to be.



                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Maria stood up from the table where she had been drinking coffee as Max walked into the 
house, her nerves were a mess. She had been trying to take in everything from the last hour 
and it was finally sinking in: Max was interested in her. She searched out Max's face to see 
if things had changed. Maybe he realized he still cared about Liz and wanted to take back 
what he had said.  His face was unreadable.

"So…" she clasped her hands together, her knuckles turning white at the tightness.

Max walked over to her and took her in his arms. Maria began to cry in relief.

Max leaned back and wiped at a tear with his thumb. "You're crying."

Maria wiped at her eyes feeling foolish about her tears. I wasn't sure…"

"You weren't sure if I would change my mind," Max realized.

Maria nodded. 

Max took her face in his hands saying, "It's you I care for, Maria. You." Then he kissed her.

Maria covered Max's hands with her own and kissed him back, this time their kiss was one of 
promise.  

Reluctantly breaking apart for air Maria asked, "Liz?"

Max moved his arms around her waist. "It will take time. I think things will be fine between 
the three of us, but it will take time."

Moving to the living room and the sofa Maria moved into Max's arms as they sat side by side. 

"Maria, we have to tell Michael."

"I know."

"How do you think he will react?" asked Max. Though he knew Maria cared for him and 
apparently desired the relationship he wanted with her, he wasn't sure what kind of feelings 
she still had concerning Michael.

"I don't know. Pissed because it's you, but I don't think it will bother him overly much that 
I've moved on. I think he's actually been looking else where."

"Really? Who?" Max couldn't believe there was a girl that Michael was interested in that he 
didn't know about.

"Isabel."

Max was shocked. "No, you're wrong about that. Michael and Isabel are friends. Neither one 
has ever mentioned having feelings for the other." But now that Maria had planted the seed 
in his mind he wondered if that was why Michael had insisted on following Isabel.

"I don't know about Isabel. Michael denies having feelings other than friendship for her, but 
I think he's always felt something more for her than he would admit. I think it's why he 
followed her." 

She realized in that instant that it no longer bothered her that Michael had up and left or 
hadn't called.  She turned to look at Max.

"How do you feel about it if they really do have feelings for one another?"

"I don't know," he admitted.  "It will take some getting used if it's true."
He began going over moments in his mind, things that had been said by Michael and Isabel, 
and tried to pick up anything that he might have missed that should have caught his 
attention.

"Max."

"Yeah," he replied as Maria's voice broke into his thoughts.

"Think about you and me right now, not Max and Isabel."

Max hugged Maria tightly to him and kissed her up turned mouth in reply.




                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Florida…The Beach…

Isabel jogged along the beach near the hotel she and Michael were staying at, her mind a 
jumble of thoughts.  The scent of the ocean was strong and the sound of the waves lightly 
lapping against the shore soothing.

Things had been different between she and Michael the past several weeks since that night 
they had arrived in San Antonio. He had been quieter, more contemplative and she wasn't 
sure why. Maybe he wished he hadn't followed her on her quest to find a place to put down 
new roots. But if that was so then why didn't he just leave?

She reached a cropping of rocks and began to walk in a slow circle to cool down. 
They had been here for two weeks now, and she spent most of her time running or lying on 
the beach thinking about how her trip to find a new life for herself was not going as 
planned, not that she'd had a set plan in the first place.

She looked down as a sand crab came up out his hole and then buried himself deeper in the 
sand. She felt like the crab. She was burying herself in the sand instead of facing things in 
her life.  She had thought she had come to terms with things on the Reservation, but now 
she could see there was one thing she still hadn't taken care of, her feelings for Michael.
She had left Roswell so she wouldn't have to see him and deal with her feelings, and yet 
when he had come after her she hadn't exactly worked hard enough to lose him or push him 
away.  Now she had to be honest with herself.  She knew Michael was never going to love 
her like she loved him. She had been fooling herself since Michael had found her.  She 
realized now that she hadn't tried harder to go on alone because deep down inside she had 
hoped that in having Michael near he would come to care for her as she did for him, but 
that had not happened. She couldn't allow him to put his life on hold because of her anymore 
and knew what she had to do. Wiping away a tear she made her way back to the hotel 
knowing that soon she would truly be on her own.


                                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Michael sat on the railing of the parking lot watching Isabel make her way back towards the 
sidewalk after her run. Guys stared and whistled appreciatively as she jogged by in her 
bikini top and shorts, her shirt tied around her waist. A few even jumped up to run along 
side of her only to fall back when she wouldn't acknowledge them. Michael's jaw began to 
ache from clenching as he watched the scene below him.  He'd warned her soon after 
arriving that she shouldn't jog wearing something so revealing like that as it put thoughts in 
guys heads and invited trouble. He thought she had listened to him, but seeing her now he 
knew she had not. 

Isabel slowed down near where she had left her shoes and towel and did a light cool down 
before slipping on her shoes and gathering her towel. She started towards the steps, but 
hesitated slightly as she saw Michael sitting on the railing watching her. He didn't look 
happy and felt she knew why. It could be the opportunity she needed.

"I thought I told you that you shouldn't wear that when you run. Guys 'oogle' your goods and 
get ideas in their heads."

Isabel raised her brows as she walked past Michael without replying. He hopped down off 
the railing and caught up with her. 

"Did you hear me?" 
 
"I heard. Let them stare. It wouldn't be the first time guys have 'oogled my goods' or 
whistled at me." She swung the towel over her shoulder and added, "Besides, nothing is 
going to happen if I don't want it to."

"Isabel, that's not the point," ground out Michael frowning at her last remark.

She stopped and stared at him intently. "Then what is the point, Michael? Why do you 
care?"

Michael stared back and then swallowed and looked away as he shoved his hands in his 
pockets before looking back at her and replying, "Because I promised Max I would look 
after you."

Isabel stared at him a bit longer then turned and continued to make her way back to the 
hotel in silence with Michael following slowly behind contemplating her question and his 
reply.

When they reached their room and entered Isabel untied her shirt from her waist tossed it 
on the bed then kicked off her shoes and picked up a bottle of water to drink.  'Just do it, 
Isabel. Get it over with and move on.' 

"I think it's time we moved on. Head North," said Michael.

Isabel emptied the bottle then slowly capped it and tossed it in the trash before looking at 
Michael and asking, "Why? This is 'my' trip and I'm not ready to leave."  Pain crawled its way 
through her heart, growing with every moment as her 'Ice Queen' persona fell into place.

"I am," replied Michael. They had yet to stay this long in one place and now he was surprised 
she wanted to stay knowing he wanted to move on.

"So leave. You invited yourself along on this trip, I didn't invite you."
The pain in her heart grew stronger.

His eyes widened at her reply. It hurt that apparently after all this time she still didn't 
want him here. He had thought they were past that and had come to have deeper bond than 
before.

"Someone had to watch out for you," the hurt evident in his voice though he tried to hide it.

"I can take care of myself, Michael."

"In Roswell maybe, but you've never been on your own before, Isabel. The world isn't like 
Roswell."

"And you would know about the world because…?" she replied crossing her arms.

"Because I just do!" he retorted, crossing his arms as well.

They stared at one another for a long moment in a stand off, neither willing to give ground 
before Isabel dropped her arms and began to take off her shorts. 

Michael stared a moment with a mixture of shock and anticipation at her actions. When her 
swimsuit bottoms appeared he let out the breath he didn't know he was holding until he 
heard the air release from his mouth. He watched as she slipped her feet into some sandles 
and pick up a towel and lotion before sliding some sunglasses up on top of her head.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded.

"For a swim," Isabel replied as she proceeded past him. 

"Oh no you're not! This isn't finished, Isabel!" Michael told her as he took hold of her arm.

Isabel's eyes narrowed. "I don't belong to you, Michael. You can't tell me what to do." 
Her heart was breaking inside as she said it, but she kept her 'Ice Queen' persona up. 
She couldn't let him see how much it hurt her to say those words to him. 

Michael's brows rose then knitted together as he released her arm. 

As Isabel turned to go Michael grabbed her left hand and held it up to her face.

"You don't mind flashing this when it suits your needs. Seems to me that's the same thing as 
letting others think you belong to me." He released her hand, but continued to look her in 
the eye.

Isabel removed the ring and placed it on the nearby dresser and with quiet calm stated, 
"That is just a few coins molded into a ring to support a lie, Michael, nothing more. I don't 
belong to you. You can't tell me what to do. I don't need you to watch out for me anymore."

Michael felt as if she had slapped him.  "Fine. If that's the way you want it then you're on 
your own." He stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Isabel covered her mouth with her hand stifling the cry that threatened to come out as 
tears gathered in her eyes. She heard a motorcycle outside and hurried to the window in 
time to see Michael ride out of the parking lot.  She collapsed on the floor by the window 
and gave in to her tears whispering, "I'm sorry, Michael, I'm so sorry."



                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Michael sat on the rocks watching the sunset as the tide came in washing the water up on 
the rocks in crashing waves.  Earlier he had taken his bike down the road at a roar it's sound 
matching the anger he felt inside. He didn't even know how they had gotten to this point! 
Things had been fine…or so he had thought…but then this afternoon she'd turned on him! 
What the hell had happened? He went over and over in his mind everything that had 
happened the last several months that they had been together on the road. True, he had 
invited himself on her trip, but it was only to see her safely to where ever it was she was 
going. But after a while she didn't seem to mind his company. She seemed to be glad he was 
around! Even the pretending they were married at times didn't seem to bother her. 
He thought she even enjoyed it at times. 

He sat up a little straighter as a new unsettling thought entered his mind. HE had enjoyed 
it! He liked being in bed with her and holding her when she was having her nightmares, 
calming her down and soothing her until she fell back asleep. He didn't like when other men 
stared at her, but realized he had enjoyed the envy on their faces when they saw the ring 
he had made on her hand proclaiming to the world that she was his even if they both knew it 
was a lie. He liked her laugh, her smile, the way she tossed her hair, and stood up to him 
when she thought she was right. He liked the way she made him feel…protective. He liked 
how she looked at him when she thought he wasn't looking. He liked her smell, her softness, 
and the way she moved. 

"Oh hell," he sighed in resignation as he tossed a rock out into the water. "I love with her." 
He closed his eyes and sighed.  "I'm such an idiot." 

He didn't know when it had happened, but he knew without a doubt that he was in love with 
Isabel and now that he thought about it he was pretty sure she felt the same way about him 
too. So why was she acting the way she was? "Only way to find out." He stood up and made 
his way back to where he'd left his motorcycle determined to get the woman that he loved. 



                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was gone. 

He returned to find her things cleaned out of the room and the ring still on the dresser 
where she had left it.  He picked it up and stared at it a moment before shoving it in his 
pocket and began to gather up his own things then went to check out only to find she had 
paid her half of the room. She had several hours on him and he was determined to find her 
and tell her how he felt and make her admit her own feelings for him. He realized now that 
is what she had been trying to get him to do earlier when she asked why he even cared that 
other guys stared at her.  She was trying to get him to admit he cared for her. After his 
on/off relationship with Maria he guessed she wouldn't admit anything to him first. 

"Maria." He hadn't called her in weeks, but they were no longer together either, something 
that he had ended very badly. In his phone calls to Max he gathered that she was over him 
though, something that surprised him. He was just glad he didn't have to deal with her if 
things did happen with Isabel.  If? WHEN things happened with Isabel.

But for now he needed to find her.




                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Roswell, Days Later…

The incessant ringing of the phone roused Max from sleep. He rolled away from Maria and 
reached for the phone. 

"Hello?" he managed to get out.

"Hello?" he said again as he was greeted with silence.
 
He yawned and glanced back at Maria still sleeping. 

"Great," he muttered. He was about to hang up when two thoughts occurred to him, both 
raising the hair on his arms.  It was either someone who knew what he was like a reopened 
Special Unit, or …

"Isabel?" Silence. "Isabel, is that you?" More silence ensued. 

He was instantly awake and sat up as he glanced at the clock. 2:00 AM. The silence grew and 
so did his anxiousness. 

"Yes," came her soft, strained reply.

Max frowned as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up and began to walk. 

"Isabel? Where are you? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I…" she became quiet.

He heard a soft sob and he grew more alarmed. "Isabel, did something happen? 
Did something happen to you or to Michael?"

Maria, waking at Max leaving the bed, suddenly became alert and sat up. "Max? Who…"

Max waved a hand to quiet her as he waited for Isabel's reply.

"Isabel… Izzie, you have to talk to me! What's wrong?"

"I don't want to be alone, Max," whispered Isabel, a sob escaping as she spoke.

Max stopped his pacing.  He sat on the edge of the bed and said gently, "You're not alone, 
Isabel. You have me and you have Michael. Put Michael on."

"Noooo, I don't." The sob that came out now was hard and he could hear the fear and 
sadness in her voice. Tears gathered in his eyes at her words and it broke his heart. 

"Isabel, put Michael on the phone." He was beginning to be afraid that something had 
happened to Michael and that was why Isabel was so upset.

"I can't." There was a pause. "I left him behind days ago," she rasped out, her voice hoarse 
from crying. 

Max rubbed his eyes and sighed. What had happened that she had run from Michael again?  

"Isabel …come home." 

Maria came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him as she laid her head on his 
back.

"Isabel…come home," he repeated. "Please."

He heard the phone click and then the tone ending the call.  He hung up and sighed as he 
wiped his eyes.

"Well?" asked Maria as she rubbed her hands up and down Max's arms. At the mention of 
Michael's name she had become concerned, but didn't feel the jolt she had expected. 

"I don't know. She's run again and she's scared. I don't know what happened, but I'm going to 
find out." He picked up the phone again and dialed Michael's number. 



                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



A Week Later in Roswell…

Michael opened the back door of the Evans home and was met by Max as he entered the 
kitchen. 

"Where is she?" Michael asked without preamble.

"She's not here," Max replied. 

"What? You said she was here when you called me! Where the hell is she?" demanded 
Michael, gestering with his arms.

"Sit down, Michael," Max requested as indicated the table. "We need to talk."

"I don't want to sit down! Just tell me where Isabel is!" said Michael, shoving one hand into 
his hair with anger and frustration.

"Michael."

Michael swung around at the sound of Maria's voice, his anger dissipating to be replaced by 
confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Sit down and listen to what Max has to say," Maria replied coming to sit beside Max.

Michael hesitated then pulled out a chair and sat. "Talk fast, Maxwell, because I intend to 
knock the crap out of you if you don't tell me where Isabel is in the next few minutes."

Maria put her hand on Max's.  The move didn't go unnoticed by Michael.

"What the hell? Are you two…?" He looked between the two and it was clear they didn't 
need to answer. He sat back stunned, shaking his head. Looking at Max he asked, "Is this 
what you wanted to talk to me about? Does Liz know?"

"She knows. And no, this wasn't what Max wanted to talk to you about, but now that you 
know how do you feel about it?" answered Maria clutching Max's hand.

Michael stared at Maria, then down to the clinched hands. Never in a million years would he 
have thought Max would fall for Maria. On the other hand Max was the type of boyfriend 
Maria had always wanted. The kind 'he' wasn't for her, but she had tried to make him into.
After a minute he said, "I guess I'll have to be okay with it."

Max and Maria sighed in relief. 

"You're sure? We know we should have told you sooner, but…" Maria said only to be 
interrupted by Michael.

"I said I'm okay with it. Look, I just want to know where Isabel is! Where is she?"

"The reservation." 

Michael blinked in surprise at Max's words then started to stand, but Max grabbed hold of 
his arm to stay him.  "We still have to talk."



                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~






The Reservation…

River Dawg watched the motorcycle as it approached the house where he sat rocking in the 
shade of the porch.

Michael cut the motor of his bike and took off his helmet. He stared at River Dawg and 
realized the old Indian had been anticipating his arrival. He got off of the bike and placed 
his helmet on the seat before he made his way to the bottom of the steps and looked up at 
the man who at one time had saved his life.

"River Dawg."

The old man nodded his head slightly in greeting. 

Michael looked around at the few people milling about in the distance, respecting the 
privacy of the Indian elder and his visitor, before looking back up at River Dawg.

"You knew I was coming didn't you?" It wasn't really a question, as both knew the answer.

The old Indian kept on rocking.

"Same place?" Michael asked.

"Same place," the Indian replied watching the young man intently.

Michael gave a small nod and smile of thanks and headed off toward the rocks. 

The old Indian smiled knowingly as he continued to rock on the porch .



                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~



The Rock…

Isabel let the breeze wash over as she sat watching the sun go down. A coyote began to 
howl in the distance with another howling in return.  She shivered from the cold and fed 
another piece of wood to the fire she had started earlier then picked up her cup and drank 
of the warm cocoa it held, the heat from it warming it's way through her belly. 

Suddenly she grew alert then she relaxed a bit, but only a bit. 
He had come.
She knew he would, had hoped he would, but she had dreaded it too.

"You should take lessons in sneaking up on people from River Dawg," she said without looking 
as she heard a twig snap behind her.

Michael circled around her until he stood on the other side of the fire staring down at her.

"You promised you wouldn't run away again."

"I didn't run away. I left," she replied as she gripped her cup. 

"Same thing," he said as he crossed his arms and moved until he sat close beside her.
He picked up a stick and began to poke at the fire.

"Because you were mad at me," Michael commented.

"No." She put her cup down and locked her fingers in her lap.

"But you left."

"I had to go on alone," she told. She took a deep breath and drew in the scent of him mixed 
with the smoke of the fire.

"If I ask you a question will you answer it?"

Isabel looked sideways at him with apprehension. "It depends on the question."

"Tell me about your nightmares," he asked quietly.

Isabel's eyes shot to his and shook her head. "No, I told you before I don't want to talk 
about them." She looked back at the fire.  "I'm sorry you had to deal with them…with me."

He ignored her last comment. "They were about Alex and your parents… and Max and me 
weren't they?"

He saw her eyes well up with tears as she pulled her knees up and began to rock. He didn't 
want to cause her pain, but he wouldn't let up. It was important that she tell him what he 
had already guessed.  He figured it was the only way to stop the nightmares.

"Max said when you called you were very upset. He said you told him you didn't want to be 
alone.  You're afraid you'll lose us too, aren't you?"

Isabel wiped at the single tear that had begun to fall.  "He shouldn't have told you." After a 
moment she spoke again. "I still had the nightmares after I left you in Florida and this 
time… I had to face them alone." She took in a quavering breath. "I don't want to lose you 
and Max too. I left before partially because I thought it was better to leave than remain in 
Roswell waiting for it to happen."

Michael's heart ached for her. He placed his arm around her.

"Max is not going to die and neither am I."

"Yes you will. We all did before." She wiped at her eyes and nose.

"That was different. Death's inevitable, Isabel, we just don't know when it will happen. You 
know that from Alex and your parent's deaths. Max, you, and I could live a long time or die 
tomorrow. No one knows. It's horrible all of the losses you and Max have had, but you have 
to let them go and move on. Once you do I think your nightmares will end. I hope so anyway."

"I know, but I'm still scared." 

"I know." 

They sat in silence for a long while watching the fire before he spoke again. 

"You said 'partially'? What was the other reason?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Isabel bit her lip and shook her head uncomfortable with his question. "I don't know."

Michael thought about her reply a moment then asked as the answer dawned on him.
"You left because of me." 
 
Isabel stood up, confused and unnerved by the direction of the conversation. "Michael…"

"You asked me why I cared," Michael persisted, standing too. 

Isabel walked to the other side of the fire and stared down at it while rubbing her hands up 
and down her arms to ward off the chill she was feeling though the heat from the fire was 
intense. 

"I shouldn't have asked you that," Isabel said shaking her head.

Michael moved beside her, his lips parting as he gazed down at her. He wet his lips and 
cleared his throat before saying, "But you did ask and here's my reply." He swallowed the 
knot in his throat. "I care because somewhere along the way I fell in love with you, Isabel. 
I don't know when, but I did."

Isabel turned wide eyes to his afraid she had misunderstood. 

"What did you say?"

"I said 'I love you'." He looked at her in a way she had never seen him look at her except in 
their dreams. "I love everything about you, Isabel, and I think deep down I always have, but 
I was too stupid to know it or maybe too afraid you would reject me," Michael told her, his 
voice low and full of love.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out something small and held it up before Isabel. 

 "I know it's nothing special, two quarters melted into a cheap ring, but I was hoping you 
would wear it and then maybe some day you would let me get you a real one…for the real 
reason."

Michael slid the thin ring onto Isabel's shaking left hand then hugged her hand to his chest 
while he ran his other hand beneath her hair to her neck and said, "I love you. I was just too 
late too see it."

Isabel looked down at the ring he had made her months ago then back up at him. 

"You love me?" This seemed like a dream and if it was she didn't want to wake up. 

"More than I ever thought I could love anyone," he replied as he bent his head to take her 
lips with his. 

Not even how they had felt in their dreams so long ago could prepare them for the way they 
felt now when they kissed for the very first time. The kiss was soft and lingering, but full 
of passion and desire, with the promise of a lifetime of love.  Vague visions of what was once 
before in another lifetime while vivid ones of what had occurred between them since finding 
one another after coming out of the pods burst between them. They kissed until they could 
no longer breathe. Michael pressed his forehead to Isabel's before pulling her tight into his 
embrace and held her as if afraid she would run from him again. 

"Michael?" 'Surely…?'

"I saw them too. The visions from our past."  He was unnerved by what he briefly saw and 
awed as well.  What they had seen was enough to let them know that what they were feeling 
was right.

"I love you, Michael," she whispered into his ear.

They kissed again, this time with more passion than before. Isabel's toes began to tingle and 
her heart beat wildly in her chest. Michael felt her beating her heart and his replied, two 
hearts beating as one. 

The sound of a log falling and hissing on the fire brought them apart.  They sat once more 
arms around one another as they thought about the new relationship they were entering. 

"The ones that sent us here…I wonder what they would think right now," mused Michael, 
looking up at the stars. 

"I think they would be happy," Isabel replied snuggling closer to Michael, happier than she 
had been in a very long time.



                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



One Year Later…

Isabel stood next to Max at the cemetery looking down on their parent's graves. 

"Do you want to go first?" Max asked. 

"No, you can," Isabel replied. She held tightly to the bouquet of flowers she had brought 
with her. 

"Okay." Max cleared his throat then bent and placed his own bouquet of flowers on his 
Mother's grave.

"Mom…Dad…um it's been a while since I was here. I'm sorry about that." 

He looked over at Isabel and she nodded encouragement.

"A lot has happened this past year. I found someone to share my life with…not whom you 
would have thought though. But you know her. Her name is 'Maria' …Liz's 
friend…uh…Michael's old girlfriend. That's all a long story I won't go into now. But what I 
wanted to tell you is that we got married a few months ago and I'm really happy. I love her a 
lot and I think you would have too." 

Max reached down and took Maria's hand in his and squeezed it. 

"We just found out we're going to have a baby. A boy." 

He knew a brief moment of sorrow and regret as he thought briefly about his son with Tess 
and wondered how he where and how he was. 

"I wish you were you here so he could get to know you. But I'll tell him stories about you and 
teach him all of the things you taught me." He wiped his eyes.  "I miss you Mom and Dad," he 
said as a small quaver entered his voice.

Maria pulled his arm to her and squeezed it as she laid her head on his shoulder. 

Max looked at Isabel and nodded.

Isabel bent and placed her bouquet on her Daddy's grave and stepped back. 

"Daddy…Mom…it's been a while since I was here last, but it's not because I didn't care. I had 
some issues I needed to work through before I could come back. I told you about how lost 
and afraid I felt, but what I didn't tell you was that …I felt all alone."

Max winced at her words, guilt trying to form again, but he refused to let it grow. That was 
past now and Isabel had forgiven him.

Isabel spoke on. "But I'm not alone now.  I found someone that makes me feel loved and 
happy, and I'm no longer lost or afraid." 

She felt a hand on her back and nodded. 

"I married Michael. He's become a good man and he's a good husband. He takes care of me 
and I know he'll be a great father when our baby arrives."

Isabel heard the gasps beside her and smiled as she touched her flat belly.

"I love him and I'm happy. I just wish you were going to be here when my baby comes. It's 
not right that won't you be."

She wiped her eyes and then kissed her fingertips and touched the double stone of her 
parent's graves.

"Bye for now…I love you."

Michael's arm went around her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Isabel nodded as they turned with Max and Maria to walk back to the car.

"So, congratulations are in order for you too, huh," Max said, as he hugged Isabel to him.

"Thanks," Isabel replied. She looked back at the graves and asked, "Do you think they 
know?"

Max followed her gaze. "I don't know. I would like to think so."

He turned to Michael and clasped his hand in his before slapping him on the back and 
smiling.

Maria looked at Michael as she rubbed her small belly. "Did you ever think we would end up 
like this?" 

Michael shook his head. "No. But I'm happier than I have ever been in my life…no offense."

"None taken," she laughed. "I feel the same way." She hugged him. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," he smiled. He took Isabel's hand and said, "You sure you're okay?"

Isabel nodded.  "I miss them though." 

"I know." He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "Let's go."

The four of them continued on to the car were they headed to the Crashdown for lunch. 

Michael sat in the backseat with Isabel and fingered the ring on her left hand. He looked 
down at it then at her.

"I wish you would let me get you a better ring. We can afford it now you know."

Isabel shook her head. "I don't want another ring. This one has sentiment for me and is 
priceless." 

"It's fifty cents, Isabel," Michael replied, but inside it pleased him she still loved the ring 
he had made for her, no matter the reason. 

"It's priceless to 'me' and I'll treasure it always," she said as she kissed him. 

"Any regrets?" she asked him as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"None. I have what I've always wanted and more," he replied patting her still flat belly.

"Me too," Isabel said, smiling as her hand covered his. "Me too."

The End


































































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