Title: Consequences
Author:Lori
Email:Gussywussy55@yahoo.com
Category:Max/Isabel
Rating:PG13-R Subject matter.
Disclaimer:Owned by The WB and not me.
Summary: Max finds Isabel in serious trouble...


*****


Isabel stood on the edge of the quarry and looked down
below. A pebble slid down the side as her toe brushed
it. One could easily end it here. But she had not come
here for that. Not now. Maybe once, but not anymore.

Max watched her as she stood so close to the edge. He
wanted to go to her, and pull her back, to hold her,
but he couldn't. Not yet. So he just watched, ready to
go to her when she was ready.

Isabel knew Max watched her, waiting. She wouldn't
jump and he knew it. Knew why. She sighed and finally
turned to walk to him slowly. 
"I'm okay Max. No screaming, no jumping. Not anymore."
Max searched her face seeing that she was speaking the
truth. He also saw that she needed a good cry.
"Isabel, crying is okay you know. No one would blame
you if you did. I wouldn't," Max said softly.
The tears gathered in her eyes as Isabel went into
Max's open arms. She cried her pain into his neck as
she clung to him. He rubbed her back and held her
close, knowing that he could have prevented some of
her pain by being there for her to begin with.

*****

A week earlier...

Max could hear Isabel in the bathroom that they
shared, and she sounded like she was crying. He got up
and made his way groggily to the door and knocked.
"Hey Izzy, are you okay? Is something wrong?" he asked
concerned , rubbing his sleep weary eyes.
"Go away Max, please," said Isabel, her voice cracking
with pain and tears.
Max became instantly alert.
"Isabel, something is wrong! Open the door and let me
in right now!" Max said anxiously.
Isabel stifled a moan of pain , but another escaped
her unwillingly.
Max heard her, and using his powers, unlocked the door
and entered. 
The sight that greeted him froze him to the spot.
Isabel was on the floor with her knees to her chest ,
blood forming on the floor under her.
"Oh my God, Isabel what's happening to you?", cried
Max hoarsely.
"Awwww it hurts so bad...help me Max....please,"
Isabel cried, clutching her abdomen.
Max went quickly to her side, and held her close. His
tears at her pain blurred his vision. Wiping at them
he rolled her over to see where the blood was coming
from.
"Isabel, you've got to tell me where all of this is
coming...oh my God!"
Max saw that the blood was coming from between
Isabel's legs.
"Do you know why this is happening? What's going on?"
he fairly shouted at her.
Isabel gasped for air as the pain continued to grip
and tighten her insides.
How could she tell him what she had done? But he was
her only hope.
"I'm having a miscarriage...," she whispered.

Max couldn't believe what he had just heard.
Isabel pregnant? How? When? And worst of all, who? 
The pain he felt at her words was put on hold as he
mentally shook himself, speeding into action to help
Isabel. 
He straightened her out ,despite her moans of pain,
and placed his hands above her abdomen and focused. 
The pain he felt was tremedous. He saw them as
children, saw her watching him, longing for him,
hiding her feelings from him. He felt her loneliness,
and dispair at watching him with Liz. And he saw her
give herself to some stranger in Vegas just to feel
alive. A man who had left her pregnant.
Max collapsed beside her when he knew he had healed
her inside. She was breathing easier.

She wouldn't look at him. She knew what he had seen
and was ashamed. 
Max got up and began to pull her clothes off of her
and drop them in a heap on the floor. He would dispose
of them later.
The fetus lay in a bloody mess between her legs as he
pulled her underwear off. He felt sick as he quickly
rolled it up, and put it with the things to throw out.

Lifting her naked form in his arms, he went to the tub
and lowered her carefully. He turned on the water and
let the tub fill as he began to gently wash away the
blood from her body. 
Isabel lay crying quietly in Max's arms letting him
bathe her.
She knew she should have told him, but she was so
ashamed, and afraid when she had found out she was
pregnant from a one night stand. A night when she had
pretended that a stranger was Max and had given him
what she felt should have been Max's.

Max finished bathing Isabel, and turned off the water.
He picked her up ,and carried her out of the tub.
Setting her on her feet, he grabbed a towel and began
to dry her off.
Isabel closed her eyes as Max patted her dry , and
wrapped her in the huge towel. He carried her to her
bed and lay her down. Going to her dresser, he pulled
out a gown, and brought it to her, pulling it over her
head. He covered Isabel with the covers and sat by her
on the bed.
"Tell me why Iz," he said quietly.

Isabel knew that she could no longer hide anything
from Max, not after he had seen what he had when he
healed her.
Curled up on her side in the fetal position , and not
looking at him she said,"I was lonely. All of you had
someone, and were having so much fun, so I went
looking for love too."
Max closed his eyes , his heart aching. 
He also felt anger that Isabel would do something so
stupid and irresponsible. 
With someone who wasn't him. 
But then she hadn't know about his feelings.
"You could have said something you know," he said.
Isabel finally looked at him and said,"What was I to
say,'Hey Max, I love you , but you love Liz and we are
supposed to be brother and sister even though we're
not.' I really don't think so Max."
Max smiled a sad smile. "I would have said ,'Isabel I
love you, but I have to pretend to love Liz so people
won't get suspicous of my feelings for you.' That's
what I would have said if you had told me."
His anger at her resurfaced some as he said, "You were
irresponsible Isabel. What if I had not been here, or
if Mom and Dad had been here? The consequences of what
you did could have been worse." 
He stopped, his anger disapating as he choked out,
"You could have died, then what would I have done
without you?"
Tears formed in her eyes as he said this to her. They
had both loved, and needed each other, and had never
said so. Now she had spoiled it.
"I'm so sorry Max," she cried. "I know and I'm so
ashamed at what I did. I tried to pretend he was
you,and then I realized I was pregnant." 
She choked on this. Sobbing she said,"I was pregnant
with a child that wasn't yours and I didn't want
it.All I wanted to do was die. I thought about killing
myself rather than have that baby ...or face you. Then
I had cramps..., and the bleeding started. I knew I
was losing it. I knew what was happening, and did
nothing. That's why it's dead. Because I didn't want
it," she finished in agony.

Max's tears fell down his cheeks as he reached for
her.
"Isabel you did not cause this. It wasn't meant to be.
Nature took care of it for you, not you." 
He choked back a sob that burned his throst before
adding," Never say you want to kill yourself. I
couldn't bear to lose you."
He stroked her hair , and kissed her head as he said,
"I'm sorry you felt you had to go to a stranger for
affection instead of me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I
love you before now."
He took her face in his hands , and said,"We are
together as of right now. I'm going to take care of
you ,and love you forever, and let everyone else be
damned."
He kissed her forehead and said,"You go to sleep now
and rest. Your body needs to recover ,and so does your
mind. Whether you wanted that baby or not, it was
still tramatic for you. So you just sleep. I'll be
here with you, so don't worry."
Isabel nodded and closed her eyes, falling into a
restless sleep.

*****

Present....

Max held Isabel as she cried ,and then snuffed her
tears away.
Leaning back he wiped at her eyes and kissed her.
"Are you okay now?"
Isabel smiled slightly and nodded.
She may not have wanted the baby she had carried, but
she still felt the loss.
"You know someday we will have a baby , and it will be
wanted, and loved beyond belief by its' parents," Max
told her.
Isabel nodded as she looked at him.
"I know, I'm okay really, I just want to move on with
us."
Max pulled her to him and kissed her gently on the
lips. She felt the stirrings that she knew were
feelings of love and desire for him.
She deepened her kiss and felt his response against
her belly.
Max pulled away and sighed.
"We can't Isabel. Not yet anyway. You're not ready
physically. I know I healed you, but we need to wait a
while longer."
Isabel nodded and then smiling mischieviously said ,
"Waiting is something I have to do Max, not you. Let's
go home, and I'll take of you."
Max looked shocked ,and then intrigued with her
suggestion.
"Okay. But only if you want. I'm not forcing you to do
this you know," he said.
"I know Max. Let's just say I'm doing it because I
love you."
He put his arm around her and kissed her. Then he led
her to the jeep and they drove home. 

The End