Author: Lori R 1/03
Title: 'Pact'
Catergory: Max and Isabel (Outsider) with 'hints' of
Cliffie (Michael and Isabel)
Rating: NC17... Please do not read this fic if you are
under the legal age!
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, but I write
about them for my own enjoyment.
No infringement is intended.
Feedback: Yes, good or bad.
Summary: Max and Isabel fighting what comes naturally.


**********************

"Max, no....not that one. I'm sure it's the one next
to it," instructed Isabel pointing, as Max stood on a
ladder and tried to locate the box Isabel was wanting.
Michael was supposed to have done this, but at the
last minute he had begged off and sent Max instead. 
Max sighed and looked down. "Isabel, I can't believe
you have this much stuff up here. You really shouldn't
overload the shelf like this. It's dangerous."
Isabel crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "It's
not overloaded. So just bring my box down please."
Max scratched his ear as he sighed again and turned
back to the shelf inside the closet. "Okay, tell me
again...which one?"
Isabel huffed. "That's it! Get down! I'll get it
myself!" said Isabel slapping Max lightly on the
behind.
Max jumped as Isabel quickly pulled back her hand
after making contact with his firm back end. Both were
a bit shocked by her action.
"Huh, just get down, Max. I'll do it myself," ordered
Isabel flustered as she moved back and looked away.
She could feel heat building as it moved through out
her body and she fought to keep it from getting out of
control.
Max moved down the ladder, his right buttock still
feeling the warmth of Isabel's hand after the light
tap she gave him. He turned to look at her. She was
flushed and visably upset. 
"Isabel, are you okay? It's nothing to get upset
about," said Max. 
Isabel's eyes flew to his. "I'm fine! Just step
aside!" she told him as she moved to the ladder.
Max's eyebrows shot up as he moved aside. "Isabel,
it's dangerous. Any of those boxes could fall on top
of you." He moved to stand by the ladder to hold it,
his eyes level with her own tight bottom. He felt
something stir inside that he couldn't allow himself
to feel. He licked his lips and looked away.
"It'll be fine, Max!" Isabel shot back over her
shoulder as she climbed the ladder. She leaned forward
and began searching the labels. "Here it is!" she said
pulling on one box to the side.
Suddenly the shelf shifted on its hinges making the
overloaded boxes begin to tumble down on top of 
Isabel.
"Isabel!" cried out Max as Isabel screamed and fell
backwards, the contents of the shelf falling with her.
Max threw up his hand to freeze the boxes in mid air
while catching Isabel with the other arm.
Max quickly pulled her back before the boxes unfroze
and fell crashing to the floor.
Isabel's breathing came in frightened gasps as she
realized how close she had come to getting hurt. If
not for Max's quick thinking and powers she might now
be laying hurt beneath the heavy boxes.
Max pressed his lips to the side of her hair in his
relief that she was okay. 
That's when they both became aware that Max's hand
cupped Isabel's full breast as he held her pulled
tightly back against him, her hand pressed tightly on
top of his. 
Max could feel Isabel's chest heave wildly beneath his
hand as she tried to control her ragged breathing. 
His own breathing matched hers and he knew she had to
feel as well as hear it. 
They were frozen that way a moment before Isabel
slowly moved her hand down, dragging Max's with it.
She swallowed hard as she stepped away from him and
raised a shaking hand to her hair.
"Are you okay?" he finally asked.
Isabel turned. "Y-yeah. Th-thanks for ...for
catching...me." She looked away unnerved.
Max shoved a hand in his pocket as the other brushed
the back of his head nervously. "Isabel..."
She looked away crossing her arms high to cover her
chest.
"Yeah...I...I'm glad I was here," he said quietly.
They didn't know what to say and the uncomfortable
silence grew. Finally Max said, "I'll fix that shelf
later. Don't try to do it yourself. We'll
...ah...we'll find some place for those boxes."
Isabel nodded jerkily. "Okay."
"I'll stack these out of the way," said Max moving to
the boxes.
"Great! Look, Max, I ....I can't do this! I'm sorry!"
said Isabel grabbing her purse and rushing out.
Max put down the box he had picked up and sat on it as
he looked down at the hand that had touched her so
intimately. 
The one thing he had swore to never do was to touch
Isabel in a way that would lead to something. It
couldn't. Not here. Just hugging her was torture on
him, and now because of an accident he had done more.
Granted it wasn't a lot, but it was enough. He'd
broken a pact and maybe their relationship for good.


******************

Two Years earlier....


"This is the last of it. I hope you find what you're
looking for," said Jim Valenti as he placed a box with
some others before the three aliens he had come to
know so well.
Max looked up from the box he was going through.
"Thanks, Sheriff."
Jim nodded. "I'll leave you three to your search," and
he left the room.
Isabel sighed as she tossed more useless stuff on a
pile. "We've been at this for hours Max. I don't know
what you expect to find."
Max glanced her way. "Anything to explain the dre...."
He looked away. "I don't really know what we're
looking for."
Isabel glanced away as well. She would die if she
thought he knew about the dreams she had been having
since Tess died. They were confusing and disturbing
and she didn't know what to do about them. She
certainly couldn't discuss them with anyone.
"Hey! HEY!" said Michael excitedly as he brought over
a book very similar to the one Tess had given them. 
"What do you have, Michael?" asked Max looking at what
Michael held. 
Michael began to look through the book and began to
frown. "This can't be right."
Max and Isabel joined Michael. "What's wrong?" Isabel
asked. 
Michael showed them the book. "Look at the pictures."
Max and Isabel looked down at their likenesses and
gasped at what they saw. 
Isabel stepped back from the book as if it was on
fire. "NO!" She backed into a pile of things knocking
them over at her feet.
Max stood staring down at the book. He and Isabel were
paired and so were Michael and Tess. He looked at
Michael. "We need to get the other book to use as a
reference to read this." He looked at Isabel. She
would freak if she knew what he was thinking right now
and had been for a while. 
"Look at this," said Isabel glancing down at her feet.
She picked up another book that was made of the same
material, bound the same, yet it was a different color
and the information inside appeared to be different
too. But what held her attention were the pictures
inside. Family portraits. Her family with Max, and
Michael's picture with Tess. 
Michael looked at his two friends. "Does this mean
what I think it means?"
Max's gaze fell on Isabel then back to Michael. His
heart was pounding so hard that it was all he could
hear. He licked his lips as he said, "I think it means
you were supposed to mate with Tess, Michael." His
gaze returned to Isabel. She was scared. He could see
it and knew her fears matched his own. "And Isabel and
I..."
Michael eyes widened as he looked at them both.
"Whoa."
Isabel began to shake and it alarmed both males. Max
hurried to her, but she backed away from him. 
"I remember," she whispered looking at him wide eyed.
"I remember it all. This can't be! I was paired with
Michael! I'm married to Jesse!"
Michael and Max looked to one another and realized
that they too remembered their lives before.
"How? Just a few minutes ago we knew nothing and now
we know everything? Why?" demanded Michael. 
Max looked down that the books. "It's like some sort
of veil was lifted." He turned to Isabel. "Isabel...."
"I can't handle this, Max! All of these images of us
are pouring out at me and I can't handle what it
means!What these feelings I'm having mean!" she said,
the tone of her voice shrill with panic.
Max knew exactly how she felt. This along with the
strange dreams he had been having over the past few
years was unnerving to him as well.
Max slowly walked to her and spoke as calmly as he
could so as to not alarm her more. "It doesn't have to
mean anything. We'll go on as before...make a pact to
not speak of it again amoung ourselves or to anyone
else. We're brother and sister...this won't change
anything," he assured her. But inside he felt a stab
of pain at his own words. The memories were flooding
in and he now remembered how much he loved her and it
was killing him inside.
Michael frowned as he spoke up. "Look, this is
freaking me out too, but don't you think that's a bit
hasty? We need time to let this sink in. Making this
kind of decision now is a mistake. I remember it all
too, and ..."
Isabel shook her head. "No! I agree with Max! We'll
never speak of this again. We go on as before."
The words came out, but Isabel knew she was not going
to forget. How do you forget the feelings of love you
have for the one who stole your heart? 
"It's wrong!" said Michael, but he could see they
wouldn't be swayed. 
"You two will regret this," he said shaking his head.
He never dreamed just how true his words were.
Everything from then on changed.

********************

Present........

"What's the matter with you, Isabel?" asked Kyle as he
watched her pace the living room of the house he
shared with his Dad.
Isabel stopped and looked at him. She started to tell
him then thought better of it and began to pace again.
"You're like a caged animal! What's happened? Should I
call Max and Michael?" asked Kyle getting really
concerned.
Isabel turned quickly towards Kyle and said, "NO!" At
Kyle's look Isabel used her hand to move the lock of
hair that fallen down into her face. "No," she replied
again a bit more calmly. She made a decision and moved
to sit on the couch next to Kyle.
"What if something happened that if you let it might
lead to something you knew could never happen?" she
asked. Her eyes were wide and almost wild.
Kyle frowned. "What? That made no sense."
Isabel closed her eyes and sighed in frustration
before opening them again and then getting up to pace
again.
"I'm sorry, Isabel, I just don't understand what
you're talking about," said Kyle. He stood up and
moved to block her path. "Slow down and try to explain
it to me again," he told her as he put his hands on
her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
Isabel teared up. "You might not understand."
"Try me," he told her.
Isabel bit her lip then said, "Max and I....we're not
what you think we are."
Kyle's frown deepened. "I don't follow. You mean
you're more than aliens? What else is there?"
Isabel tried to swallow the lump that had formed in
her throat, but it refused to budge. "Max and I....we
aren't...we aren't brother and sister," she whispered.
"Really?!" said Kyle in surprise.
Isabel nodded.
He removed his hands from her shoulders. "Well then
what are you?" he asked carefully.
Isabel only looked in his eyes pleading for him to see
what she was trying to say.
Kyle brought a finger to his lips and patted them
gently in thought. "You aren't.....you're trying to
tell me that..." His eyes widened with shock. "No
way!?"
Isabel's face fell as she sank to the couch. 
Kyle sat beside her. "But I thought he and Tess...?"
Isabel shook her head. 
"Okay, I'm all confused," said Kyle sitting back.
"Tess...Ava, was Max's...Zan's adopted sister on
Antar. She was betrothed to Michael...Rath, and
neither were too thrilled by it. She had always wanted
Zan, but we thought she was over that when Zan and
I....Vilandra..."
"Married," finished Kyle.
Isabel looked at Kyle. "Yeah. She was obessed with Zan
almost as much as Kivar was with Vilandra. He used her
to get his revenge because Vilandra chose Zan over
him. It was Ava that got us killed, not Vilandra."
"Then she comes here, gets herself pregnant with his
kid thereby getting part of what she wanted," said
Kyle. He sat up and shook his head. "So how do you
know this is the truth this time?" he asked.
"How did you find all of this out?"
Isabel looked away.
Kyle looked at Isabel. "You three knew this all along
and didn't tell us?! Max has been dating Liz and you
two are married! How could you not tell us? We have
risked our lives for you!"
Isabel needed him to understand. "NO! That's not the
way it was Kyle! When Nasedo was killed, Tess wouldn't
let us go through his things to find clues about
ourselves. She said she had already done it and there
was nothing there. When Tess killed herself your Dad
kept all of her things and Nasedo's. When we came back
home he gave them to us and we found the true book of
our history. Nasedo had faked the other," explained
Isabel.
"So you've known....how long?" asked Kyle.
"Since we returned to Roswell," said Isabel. "At first
we thought it was more dreams like Michael and I had."
At Kyle's look, Isabel explained, "We started having
dreams after Tess died. It was like some sort of
barrier had been removed and things about our lives on
Antar were returned to us. Then when we saw the books
and everything came rushing back. Every memory we ever
had on Antar was returned to us. We never would have
lied to you, Kyle. You have to believe that!"
Kyle studied her a minute then nodded. "I believe
you." He then said, "So you said you remember
everything. You and Max were married. Were you happy?
I mean are you still married? Do you still have
feelings for one another?"
Isabel sat back down and gently smiled as she
remembered. "Yeah, we were happy. Very happy," she
said softly. Then she frowned. 
"What? You don't feel the same?" asked Kyle.
Isabel looked at Kyle. "No, I think we feel the same.
In fact I sense that we do. And that's the problem."
"Wait! Didn't you two ever discuss this? Your feelings
and everything?" asked Kyle, trying to understand.
Isabel shook her head. "Not really, no. Besides, we
were raised as siblings here, Kyle. They would never 
recognize our marriage."
Kyle nodded as it dawned on him what she was saying. 
"I get it. So something happened today to change all
of this."
Isabel nodded. "We made a pact after our memories were
restored. We would live our lives as we had before we
found out all of this. As siblings. We couldn't do
anything else no matter what we realized our feelings
were. Kyle, it's been so confusing what I feel for
him. And it's been hard watching him with Liz. I can
tell he's going through the motions and feeling bad
because he's lying to her." She looked down at her
clasped hands. "Then today I fell and Max caught me.
He....touched me."
"Touched you?" At Isabel's look Kyle said, "Oh...you
mean....oh."
"It set off feelings in us that we had been fighting
to keep hidden. Now things are different." Isabel
sighed. "I don't know what to do. I love him, Kyle
and I want him as my husband again, not my brother."
Kyle put his arm around Isabel and she lay her head on
his shoulder. "You and Max, huh? That might take some
getting used to if I hadn't always thought you two
were a bit too 'close' for brother and sister, even
with Max was dating Liz and you marrying Jesse. It's
sort of a relief to know that there's not some funny
business going on" said Kyle dryly.
Isabel smiled weakly, but ended up crying. Kyle
rubbed her shoulder and wondered what would happen
next.
Alien lives were never dull and Max and Isabel's were
a mess.

*********************

"You did what?" asked Michael, a spoonful of cereal
paused in mid air at Max's words. No way had he heard
Max correctly.
"I 'touched' her when I caught her," said Max moving
to the kitchen to get a drink.
"Touched her where? I mean there's touching and then
there's 'touching'," said Michael pushing his bowl
away.
Max looked at Michael. "My hand grabbed one of
her...." he indicated with his hands. 
Michael's eyes widened as he lowered his spoon back to
the bowl untouched. "You didn't?" said Michael shaking
his head.
"I didn't mean to, but I was trying to catch her
before she hit the ground while trying to stop the
boxes from falling on top of her," said Max.
After a moment Michael looked at Max and said, "Well,
maybe it's for the best." 
Max shook his head as he moved to sit on the couch.
"This isn't for the best, Michael! You know we made a
pact! We can't start anything!" He looked at the floor
as he said sadly, "It wouldn't be right."
"Who says?" asked Michael getting up and moving to sit
next to Max. "You two were so in love on Antar. I
never saw a couple touch and kiss and just plain love
one another like you two did. Are you telling me you
don't want to do that again? Because if you have
feelings like you did then and you're denying them
then you are the most screwed up bastard I ever saw."
"Michael...."
"She's your wife, Max!" 
At Max's frown, Michael said, "You two were crazy to
make that pact. And don't tell me it can't be broken.
You're the one that broke the pact we three had to
never tell anyone about us." 
He looked straight at Max. "You know if I can see how
much you two love one another then others can too, so
why put yourselves through this? If you want to be
with her then be with her." 
"And what about Liz? She loves me too, and I care for
her in my own way. And what of our parents? The
community? There are too many people to consider,
Michael." Max sighed. "We can't do it."
"Your parents got over the fact we're aliens and
they'll live through this too. As for Liz, she's going
to be hurt, but wouldn't you rather that then to live
without Isabel the rest of your life?" argued Michael.
He watched Max fight with himself over what he should
do. He knew how he felt. When he was dating Maria in
High School and he and Isabel had thought he had
gotten Isabel pregnant through a dream he had had
mixed feelings about what he should do too. He loved
them both. He hadn't had to make a choice then, and in
his mind this time Max didn't either. 
Max stood up. 
"Where you going?" asked Michael as he watched Max
walk to the door.
Max opened it. "I don't know." Then he closed the door
behind him.
Michael looked at the closed door and shook his head
as he said to quietly, "It's not that hard a decision
to make, Maxwell. Not that hard at all."

*******************

Max sat down on the bench in the park and stared up at
the sky deep in thought. 

It had been a year since he, Isabel, Michael and their
friends had returned to Roswell. Doing so had been
risky since they been on the run from the FBI, but
when Liz got word from Valenti that her Mom had died
she said she had to be here for here Father. So after
lots of debate and hard arguing amoungst the friends
and with the reassurance from Valenti that they
wouldn't be arrested or tortured they had returned. 
They lived as quietly as possible, trying to ignore
the looks and talk that had been directed their way on
their return. At first people had been afraid,
pointing and running away. But after a time it was
like they just assumed that since it was Roswell then
it was normal to have aliens really living amoung
them. And so the town kept their secret. When the
curious came looking, no one pointed them out. The
town had watched them grow up and realized that they
were only trying to survive, so they guarded the
aliens and their friends, letting them lead normal
lives. But they would never understand this between
him and Isabel. 
It was bad enough that they hadn't understood him not
marrying Liz. 
The problem of telling Liz's Dad that they weren't
married had been difficult. Max hadn't known that Liz
had written her Dad that they were married so he
wouldn't worry about her, but on their return they had
had to tell him the truth. Liz still didn't understand
why he hadn't married her. She didn't understand what
had changed between them either. 

"Max?" 
Max looked up at the familiar voice. "Sheriff."
Jim pointed to the bench. "Mind if I join you?"
Max shook his head. 
Jim sat down. "What brings you out here this late,
Max?"
"I guess I could ask the same thing of you. Don't you
have Deputies for this sort of thing?" asked Max.
Jim smiled. When the counsel had asked him to take
back his old job, Jim had been thrilled. Seems Hanson
was a great Deputy, but a lousy Sheriff. 
"Yeah, I do, but when it comes to friends, I like to
make sure they are okay on my own," he replied. "Kyle
called me."
Max frowned. "Kyle? Really." He didn't know why Jim
was telling him this.
"Seems Isabel paid him a visit this afternoon," Jim
told him as he watched for the young mans reaction.
Max's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh." He looked
away. "What did he tell you?"
Jim leaned back and looked around the quiet park.
"Seems you and Isabel have been holding out on us,
Max."
Max sighed then looked at Jim. 
"You should have told us, Max," Jim told him. 
"How were we supposed to do tell you? We're still
struggling with it ourselves," said Max, the pain in
his voice evident to Jim.
"Have you two talked about it? I mean beyond this pact
you two made?" asked Jim.
Max shook his head. "No, not really. What if it
brought out more feelings? We can't have that."
Jim shook his head. "I take it Liz doesn't know."
Max shook his head. "No. But I need to tell her. I'm
just afraid of her reaction."
"If you aren't interested in being with her then you
need to tell her why and let her get on with her life.
That's the only fair thing to do. And I think you need
to talk to Isabel too," said Jim.
Max rubbed his eyes. "Michael thinks we should leave
here."
Jim sighed as he looked away. "He might be right.
Either leave together to make a life, or one of you
should leave to create a new one alone. But you need
to talk. Kyle said Isabel was really upset."
Max looked at Jim and nodded. 
Jim placed his hand on Max's knee and squeezed it for
reassurance. "Talk to her." Then he got up and left.
Max shoved his hands down in his pockets and made a
decision.

*****************

Liz woke up when she heard tapping. She got up slowly
and made her way to the window. Her breath caught when
she saw Max outside. She opened the window and smiled.
"Max." 
Max gave her a small smile. "Can we talk?"
Liz nodded and moved back from the window to let him
in.
Max didn't move. "No. Out here."
Liz's smile faded from her face as she nodded. "Oh,
okay." She climbed out the window and walked over to
where Max had moved near the chairs on her balcony.
"What are you doing here, Max?" she asked quietly. "We
haven't done this in quite a while. In fact I really
haven't seen you at all lately." Max heard the
disappointment in her voice.
Liz's heart almost stopped when she saw the look on
Max's face. "Somethings wrong."
Max pointed to the chair across from him. "Sit down,
Liz."
Liz shook her head. "No. Tell me what's wrong?
Something is wrong!"
"Please, Liz," pleaded Max.
Liz slowly sank to the chair, her eyes never leaving
Max.
"I'm going to tell you something that you won't like.
I wish there was some way to say it....make things
right. Something that is going to...."
"Just tell me, Max!" said Liz sharply.
Max nodded. "I know you've wondered why I didn't ask
you to marry me like we always thought I would. Why
I've been distant."
Liz couldn't breathe. She was holding her breath so
hard she couldn't breathe. Breathe, she told herself.
Max met her eyes. "Remember when Tess died? Well this
sort of 'barrier' was lifted from Michael, Isabel, and
I and we got our memories back."
Liz gasped. "You got them...back?"
Max nodded. "When we returned to Roswell, Valenti gave
us Tess and Nasedo's things. It confirmed what we were
remembering."
Liz slowly shook her head. "I don't understand. Are
these memories different than before?"
"Yes," Max said quietly.
Liz felt the dread building deep inside. "Wha-what was
different?"
Max swallowed. 
"Max, what was different?" demanded Liz.
"I was married, but it wasn't to Tess," said Max.
The words sank in, but Liz couldn't believe it. 
"Who were you married to, Max?"she asked, her hand
clinching and unclinching at her side.
Max met her eyes and said quietly, "You know who."
Liz felt her world spinning out of control. "NO! That
can't be!"
"There's more."
Liz shook. "More?"
"Isabel and I loved one another deeply on Antar....we
still do," he told her. He didn't say it to be cruel,
only to help her to understand.
Liz's mouth dropped as she shook her head in denial.
"You....no you....she's your sis...no, this has to be
a lie!"
Max looked at her sadly and shook his head. "It's not
a lie, Liz. It's not a trick, it's real."
Liz suddenly got up and stumbled to the edge of the
wall and vomited.
Max followed alarmed, but Liz held up a hand to hold
him off. "NO!"
She wiped her face with the back of her shaky hand
then turned around.
"So we were a lie. It was all a lie," she whispered.
Max shook his head. "If I hadn't regained my memories,
I don't think so. You've always been special to me,
Liz, you know that. But I love her. She was my reason
for everything on Antar. We've wondered why we are so
close, and then the memories came flooding back. We
still love one another. But I know that if I hadn't
remembered her I would still be with you."
At her silence he said, " I'm so sorry. I know this
causes you pain and I never wanted that. I never
wanted to hurt you, Liz. I hope you believe that."
Liz wrapped her arms around herself. "So you are going
to be with Isabel now."
Max turned away. "No. I'm leaving."
Liz's arms fell. "What?"
"We can't be together. No one would understand. I
can't be near her and not be with her like we were
meant to be," said Max. He looked at Liz. " So I'm
leaving." A tear slipped down his cheek that he wiped
at with the back of his hand.
"I can't believe this," said Liz shaking her head, her
own tears rolling down her cheeks. 
"I'm sorry, Liz. I know this hurts you. We can't hurt
any more people. So I'm going. It's easier for me to
leave than Isabel," said Max.
"And she's just letting you leave? It really sounds
like she returns your love, Max," said Liz bitterly.
Max turned back to Liz. "She doesn't know. We made a
pact to never seek out the relationship we had and to
continue with our lives the way they were to avoid
hurting everyone and drawing more attention to
ourselves," Max told her.
Liz stared at him. "So you are giving up
everything...even us."
"I can't be with you while I want to be with her. It's
not fair to you or me. That's why I had to come and
tell you why I was leaving. I want you to get on with
your life," said Max.
Liz sat down on the chair. "I can't believe this is
happening."
Max moved to the wall and put his leg over the side to
the ladder. "Good-bye, Liz. Thanks for being my
friend." Then he disappeared.
Liz sat with her heart breaking as she heard his
footsteps in the alley below. Then silence.
"Good-bye, Max. I love you."

*************************

Maria's mouth dropped open then closed as Liz told her
about Max's visit.
"I can't believe it!" She put her arms around Liz.
"I'm so sorry, Liz. Really. And Michael knew and
didn't tell me! I'll kill him!" she said.
Liz pulled back. "I'm not getting him back this time,
Maria. He loves Isabel. We've always known they had a
special bond, but ....I never dreamed this was why."
She wiped her eyes. "It's not like with Tess. This is
real and I can't stop it this time."
"So now what?" asked Maria, handing Liz a tissue.
"I love him. I can't have him, but I still want him
happy, Maria. He gave up his son, his planet....so
much. He deserves to be happy and I'm going to try and
see that he is," said Liz.
Maria shook her head amazement. "You're kinder than me
girlfriend. I would want him to suffer."
Liz shook her head as she looked at Maria. "I was
angry at first, but he didn't have to tell me. He
could have just left and I would have always wondered
why...if it was me. But he didn't. He cares enough for
me that he told me the truth knowing I might hate him.
He can't help it, Maria. We don't choose who we love.
Just like I can't help still loving him." She sniffed
and wiped her eyes. 
"So how do you plan on making him happy?" asked Maria.
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea," said Liz.

*************************

Isabel sat in the booth of the Crashdown and stared at
her untouched plate of Saturn Rings.
"You're supposed to eat them, not stare at them," said
Michael sliding in the booth across from her. He
grabbed a ring and tossed it in his mouth.
Isabel slid the plate across to him. 
Michael poured ketchup and Tobasco on top and picked
up another ring.
"Max came to talk to me," he said before putting the
ring in his mouth.
Isabel raised her eyes to Michael's. "What ...what did
he say?"
Michael shrugged as he ate another ring. "Just that he
touched his wife when she fell." He looked at Isabel.
Isabel sat up straighter. "He said that? He called me
his...." She looked around. "...wife?"
Michael put down the ring he had just picked up. "Well
not exactly. I called you that and he didn't
disagree."
Isabel sat back and sighed. "We have to be more
careful. Not be alone together. Avoid temptation." She
looked at Michael. "Right?"
Michael shook his head. "Wrong. He's your husband,
Isabel. You two love each other and this ridiculous
pact you two made needs to stop!"
"We can't, Michael! There are others to consider..."
said Isabel.
Michael leaned back. "Save it! I've heard this
arguement from Max and it's crap! We were sent to this
planet to strengthen our powers and procreate with our
mates in order to go back and save Antar. Now Tess and
I never had what you and Max did and still do, but if
we had nothing would have kept me from her and it
shouldn't be keeping you and Max apart now!"
Isabel sighed. "I don't know what to do."
Michael stood up. "Well if you wait too long, Liz just
might win him after all and then it will be out of
your hands," he told her before he walked away.
Isabel wiped her eyes. How she wished things were as
simple as Michael made them out to be.

************************

Isabel sat on her bed looking at pictures of Max and
herself and sighed. She traced his face and then
hugged the picture to her body. She didn't need to
dream walk him to know how he felt about her. She knew
he loved her as much as she loved him. The question
was could she give him up to Liz and not regret it?
She lay down on the bed, her mind drifting back to
when they had all three realized that they had been
deceived. The shock, the immediate longing, and
finally the horror of that she and Max had felt came
rushing back to her. Right then they had decided to
keep their lives as they had always been on Earth, and
not rekindle what they had had on Antar. Michael had
argued it was foolish to make such a decision without
taking the time to sort through their feelings and
what it all meant. Who would have guessed that Michael
would be right.

A knock on her door drew her attention and she made
her way to the front door.
Looking out the peep hole she sighed and closed her
eyes. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Liz."
Liz stood there nervously playing with her hair as she
looked at Isabel. Part of her wanted to claw her eyes
out, but the bigger part knew that Isabel ached as Liz
did, and that part wanted to console her.
"Can I come in?" asked Liz.
Isabel nodded and opened the door wider to let Liz in.
"Can I get you something?" asked Isabel.
Liz shook her head. "No. I just wanted to talk to you.
About Max."
Isabel drew in a ragged breath as she crossed her
arms. "Max. Of course. What did you want to discuss?"
She sat down.
Liz sat down as well and then after a moment said.
"Max told me about you two."
Isabel tried to hide her surprise. Surely Max hadn't
told Liz about them. 
"He told you what, Liz?" she asked.
"That you two were...are married. That you....
love.... one another still," said Liz. She felt sick
but went on.
"That you made a pact to not be together because of
what others would think."
Isabe closed her eyes. Max had told her everything. 
"I love him, Isabel. But you know that," said Liz.
Isabel opened her eyes. Liz saw Isabel's pain at her
words. "I know."
"He doesn't want me."
Liz had said it quietly, but Isabel still heard.
"What?"
Liz shook her head. "He told me it wasn't fair to
either of us to marry me. Be with me when he was in
love with you."
Isabel was stunned. She had never expected that. "I'm
sorry, Liz." And she was. They had destroyed another
human life. What they hadn't wanted to do.
Liz nodded. "But I still love him and in doing so I
still want to see him happy."
She looked at Isabel. "He's leaving."
Isabel's mind whirrled. "What? He told you that?"
Liz nodded. "He said he can't stay and not have you so
he's leaving. I'm here because I don't think you want
him to leave."
Isabel sat quietly, her heart breaking. 
"Break the pact Isabel. Don't let him leave. Or at
least go with him where you can start over as you were
meant to be," whispered Liz. She swallowed. This was
so hard. 
Isabel was crying now as she looked at Liz. "Why? Why
would you do this for us?"
"Like I said, I love him and I want him happy," said
Liz crying. She stood up and walked to the door. 
Isabel's voice stopped her. 
"Liz?" 
She turned around. 
"Thank you," said Isabel. 
Liz nodded then left.
Outside the door Maria waited. She put her arms around
Liz and together they silently walked towards home
with tears falling down their cheeks.

*******************

That night....

"So you're just leaving? I never thought that I'd see
the day Max Evans turned coward," said Michael
sarcastically as he watched Max pack his duffle. 
"Shut up, Michael," said Max as he stuffed another
shirt into his bag. "You said it yourself, if you can
see how Isabel and I feel about one another then
others can too. I can't put her through gossip and
maybe having the whole alien thing dragged up again. I
want her to have a life and to be safe. She'll have
that with me gone." He shoved the shirt deeper into
the bag as he quietly said, "I love her too much to
anything less."
Michael shook his head. "I think you're wrong! You
should at least talk to her."
"No. It would only make it tougher on the both of us,"
said Max looking down at a picture of him and Isabel
before he stuffed it in the duffle. He zipped the bag
and lifted it up to sling over his shoulder. He looked
at Michael. "Well....this is it."
Michael stood up. "You're making a huge mistake,
Maxwell. Don't do this."
Max shook his head. "Take care of her for me,
Michael."
Michael realized that Max's mind was truely made up
and he nodded as he watched Max head for the door then
turn back as he opened it. "Bye, Michael."
Michael's attention was drawn beyond Max to the hall
outside his door. Max's brow furrowed as he turned and
found Isabel standing there staring at him with
wounded eyes. She glanced to the bag and back to his
face. He wished he could wipe away the tears that
started to fall down her cheeks, but he didn't dare.
"So it's true. You're leaving."
Michael looked between his two friends and moved
outside the door. "I'm going to leave you two alone in
the hopes that you cancel that damned pact you made
and finally decide to do what you were meant to do."

Isabel stepped inside the room and Max closed the
door. He had wanted to avoid this. He could never
stand to see Isabel's tears. See her in pain. And now
he was the cause of her pain.
Isabel turned to face him. "You weren't even going to
tell me good-bye were you?" It wasn't really a
question, just a statement of fact.
Max didn't even consider lying to her. "No."
Isabel looked away so he wouldn't see how much he was
hurting her before she faced him again. "You don't
have to go."
Max took a step towards her. "I don't want to go, but
I have to. You know I do."
Isabel shook her head vehemently. "No, I don't! You
don't have to go! I don't want you to go!" She covered
her face with her hands as she began to cry. 
Max couldn't stand to see her tears. He went to her
and pulled her close, hugging her tightly to him as
she sobbed quietly into his neck. "Max, I don't want
to live if you're not with me. Please don't leave me.
I love you," Isabel begged.
Max cried silently at her words. They were breaking
their pact by admitting their feelings. He caressed
her hair, his kisses falling on the silken strands
that met his lips.
"I love you too, Isabel. I love you so much, but we
both know that we can't be who we really are here."
"Then take me with you, Max. At least we'll be
together," said Isabel.
Max shook his head. "I don't know where I'm going or
how I'll make a living. I won't pull you into a life
of living out of a suitcase wandering from town to
town again, Isabel. I swore I'd never do that to you
again. I love you too much for that."
Isabel pushed back from him. "If you loved me, you
would understand that all that matters to me is being
with you." She wiped her tears and said, "Since we
found out about ourselves it's been so painful staying
here where everyone knows us as brother and sister,
but at least you were close by. You're my husband
Max. I can't look at you, tell you that I love you,
touch you like other wives do because of who we are. 
But at least your near by. Don't ask me to totally
give you up. I can't do that. It may be selfish on my
part, but I can't help it."
Max looked at her sadly. "Iz..."
Isabel knew he wasn't going to change his mind. He
truely thought what he was doing was for the best. 
Her heart was dying inside.
She raised her head and said, "Then I have one request
before you go."
Max sighed raggedly as he tried to hold back more
tears. "Anything, you know that."
Isabel looked at Max and whispered, "I want one night
with my husband the way we were meant to be. The way
we were once in another lifetime."
Max looked at his beautiful wife and knew he wouldn't
deny either of them this one night. Something to cling
to when they could no longer be together. 
He cupped her face in his hands and gently raised it,
his eyes looking deeply into hers before closing his
own and lowering his lips to hers.
Isabel's hands covered Max's wrists while her eyes
closed and she lost herself in their first kiss on
Earth.
It was gentle...soft...a kiss that melted one's heart
and ran throughout the body like liquid fire. Their
kiss became hungry as they sought to fullfill in one
night what they had and would miss in this lifetime. 
Max wrapped his arms around Isabel bringing her
tightly to his body, her voluptuous form molding to
his own hard form as if made for one another. He
could taste her salty tears mixing with his own and
resolved right then to not let her see his sadness.
These hours with her would be happy ones to remember
later on.
He looked at her face and said, "Isabel, no more
tears. For tonight we will forget about me leaving and
just pretend that we are what we dreamed to be. A
couple that love one another. That's all."
Isabel knew what he was trying to do and took a deep
breath as she nodded and smiled tremulously at him.
Max walked over to the stereo and chose one of
Michael's few romantic CD's to play. He held out his
hand to Isabel and said softly, "I would like to dance
with my wife please."
Isabel placed her hand in his and Max pulled her into
his arms, leading them in a slow sway to the music. 
"Barry White?" she questioned with some amusement.
"I think only Maria and I, and now you, know Michael
has this Barry White CD," he murmered in her ear.
Isabel smiled and snuggled her head down on Max's
shoulder, breathing in his personal scent so she would
never forget it.
Max savored his dance with Isabel. They had taught one
another to dance years ago, but this one was special.
This time they knew they were husband and wife and it
made it more intimate.
Isabel raised her head to look at him and Max kissed
her, his tongue lightly tracing her lips before
delving into her mouth to seek out the delights there.
Isabel thrilled as Max's hands began to wander her
back and lower to inch up her shirt and seek what was
underneath. She could feel the hardness in his jeans
pressing against her and knew that soon they would be
together as one and it made her feel anxious, and
scared, and excited all at once.
Max pulled back and looked at Isabel, seeking to find
out if she was ready for what they both desired.
She smiled at him and he smiled back before leading
her to Michael's bed. They looked down at the rumpled
bed. Isabel frowned then waved her hand over it. The
sheets were suddenly clean and soft and begging for
lovers to wrap themselves in them.
Max lowered the lights to a romantic glow and turned
to Isabel. He reached up and ran his hand across her
cheek, behind her ear and around to the back of her
head pulling her upturned face to his and kissing her
lightly, his tongue flicking over her lips before
seeking entrance. 
Isabel ran her hands over Max's back, pulling at his
shirt until her hands made contact with his warm skin.
She pushed up until he broke their kiss and raised his
arms to let her pull his shirt from his head and toss
it aside. 
Max's fingers began to fumble with Isabel's buttons
before finally tearing them off as he pulled the shirt
in frustration to get at what he desired. "Sorry," he
whispered against her mouth as he tossed the garmet
aside.
"Don't be," she breathed as his hands found the tops
of her breasts heaving over the top of her bra. 
Max traced the line of her bra then ran his hands over
her shoulders to the straps and moved them down. He
looked down at her breasts waiting to spill over into
hands and reached behind her to set them free.
He admired her fullness before caressing the globes
and illiciting a sigh of pleasure from her. 
Isabel moaned as he bent to take a hardened nipple
into his mouth to suck. Her hands wound themselves in
his hair and held him to her as she lost herself in
his touch.
He moved them backwards to the bed and then stopped.
Reaching down he slipped his hands inside her pants
and slid them down, her panties going with them and
then tossed them into the growing pile.
He sucked in his breath as he looked down at what he
had only been able to dream of until now. 
Isabel was gorgeous standing there before him. And she
was his. He pushed back the thought that it was only
for one night because he didn't want to marr the
moment.
He reached for his own pants and quickly divested
himself of them until he stood naked before his wife.
Isabel ran her eyes over his form and couldn't hold
back a gasp at the sight of his member thick and hard
standing out from him. 
"What?" he asked uncertainly.
Isabel smiled with embarrassment. "I just
didn't...you're so...I mean...."
Max hid a grin. "Does that disappoint you?"
Isabel shook her head. "No, not in the least," she
replied as she pulled him down to the bed with her.
Then she grew serious as she ran her fingers across
his chest. "I'm not....this won't be ....it won't.."
Max understood. "It doesn't matter, Isabel. You were
married to Jesse and I was with Tess. We didn't know
what we know now. That's passed. Now it's just us. No
one else is in this bed except us."
Isabel nodded as she pulled him to her. "And Liz?"
"Never with Liz. Not like that," he said.
Isabel smiled. "I love you, Max."
"I love you too," he breathed as he ran his hand along
her body, touching her in places that were unseen by
others. As he suckled at her breast he fondled the
other, molding it with his hand and marveling at it's
silken feel. He inched it lower across her flat belly
to her mound, her open legs welcoming his touch.
"Aaaawwwww," she breathed as he slid a finger into her
dripping opening and caressed her inside, his thumb
flicking over the hard nub he encountered. Her hips
bucked up to meet his hand while her legs opened
wider.
"Maaaxx," she hissed as she reached down to find him.
Grasping what she sought she illicted a hiss from him
as she began to move her hand over the hard silky
skin, the throbbing vein and weeping head letting her
know just how much he wanted her.
"Please Max. Please," she gasped.
Max withdrew his hand as she released him and settled
himself between her thighs. Slowly he entered her,
sliding with ease into her well lubricated body until
he touched her core. She was so tight. Tess had never
been this tight and she had been a virgin. Isabel's
walls contracted around him trying to hold him in as
he moved inside her. 
"Am I hurting you?" he asked. 
Isabel shook her head. "Nnnnnoooooo. I'm fine, Max. I
have you inside of me. That's all I ever wanted."
Max looked down in Isabel's eyes and held her gaze as
they moved together as one. Though he told her it
didn't matter he was bothered by the fact that Jesse
was here before him. But he had what Jesse could never
have. Isabel's love and that pushed all other thoughts
away. 
Max's body moved in Isabel slowly as he savored every
minute inside of her. He could feel the familiar
feeling of rising fire growing in his body as it
sought release within hers. Not yet. He wanted her to
feel it first. 
Isabel wanted to cry, the pleasure Max was giving her
was so great, but she had promised no more tears. She
wanted him to feel what she was feeling. Feel the
intense fire that rampaged inside of her, so she 
wrapped her legs high around his waist pulling him
deeper inside of her and moved until it felt like he
was going to go through her body to the bed beneath. 
Max didn't know if he could hold out much longer at
her actions and redoubled his own to help her come
first. His movements sped up as his body met hers. The
fire was buring out of control and there was only one
way to put it out. He pulled out of Isabel completely
before swiftly entering her again and giving Isabel a
few hard thrusts. He grunted in satisfaction as he
felt her body began to respond and she cried out in
ecstacy. 
Isabel's eyes widened as her nails clawed Max's
shoulders, her orgasm a firey ball rolling in her
body until it exploded and sent her into an endless
shiver or delight.
At Isabel's cry Max gave into the need clawing at him
and his body spewed his seed deep within her as he let
the fire consume him and carry him off on an orgasm
like he'd never known before. He cried out her name
and then grew fell heavily upon her, their bodies both
in slight spasam as the moment contiuned to roll over
them.
"Max....oh gawd Max....never....I never...." Isabel
whispered in suprise.
"I know," he said as he kissed her shoulder. "It
wasn't like that for me either." He looked deep into
her eyes and said, "Isabel, I love you. That's why it
was so good. Because I love you."
Isabel's eyes grew bright, but the tears remained
unshed as she touched his face. "I know, I love you
too."
He moved to her side and spooned behind her. Isabel
pulled his arm tighter to her breasts and when she
thought he was asleep she silently cried. 
Max lay their feeling the gentle movements of Isabel's
body as it shook with her silent tears. What she
didn't know was that he cried with her.

Later.....

Max looked down at Isabel asleep on the bed and lay a
note on the pillow beside her. He carefully leaned
down and kissed her gently on the lips. Rising up he
picked up his duffle and quietly left the apartment.
As the door closed Isabel sat up and clutched the
sheet to her, her body wracked with sobs as she heard
Max drive away.

********************

Michael let himself back into the apartment when he
saw Max's car gone. Isabel must have walked over last
night because her car wasn't there when he left last
night. Hopefully they had done away with the pact and
gone back to Isabel's. He pulled up short at the
unexpected sight of Isabel sitting naked in his bed
except for a sheet to cover her. She was crying and
holding a piece of paper in her hands.
He would have had to be an idot not to know what had
happened. He walked over to the bed and sat down next
to Isabel and pulled her to him. He rested his head on
hers and said, "I'm sorry."
He picked up the letter she let fall to the bed and
read....

"My dearest wife,
Last night was the most wonderful night of my life
and I'll cherish it always. That memory along with
those of our life together on Antar will be of some
comfort when I long to hold you in my arms and can't. 
Michael has promised to watch out for you if you need
anything, so don't hesitate to call on him.
I love you, Isabel. That will never change. If
anything my love for you will only grow stronger.
Be happy, Isabel.

love your husband,
Max

Michael put the note down and let Isabel cry. He was
so angry with Max he could kill him. But Isabel didn't
need to see his anger right now. He would make her
life as easy as he could to make up for Max leaving
her alone.

Isabel sat up. "Thanks, Michael," she sniffed. She
gathered the sheet tighter around her.
Michael eyed the material as he fingered it. "Do I
have new sheets?"
Isabel sniffed as a smile played at her lips. "Yeah,
do you mind? I can put back what you had."
"Clean ones will do just fine," he answered, then
hated himself for reminding her of what had happened
on these sheets.
"Michael, it's okay. It's not like I'm going to ever
forget about it. You don't have to tiptoe around the
fact that I spent the night here making love with
Max," she told him.
Michael nodded. "Are you hungry? Want something to
drink?"
"A shower," she answered.
"I do have clean towels so shower away," he told her
as he stood up. He glanced around the room. Something
was missing, but he couldn't figure out what. He
shrugged. Oh well, it would come to him later.

Isabel wrapped the sheet around herself and padded to
the bathroom. She let the sheet fall to the floor and
grabbed some towels from the shelf and began to get
ready for her shower. She turned towards the mirror
and stopped as a wave of light headedness washed over
her. She held on to the sink and waited for it to pass
before turning on the water to splash some of the cool
liquid on her face. That's when she felt it. A tiny
fluttering inside. She stood up slowly uncertain at
what had just happend. She again began to ready
herself for her shower when she felt the fluttering
again. She turned towards Michael's full length
mirror on the back of the door, approaching it
apprehensively. Her hands slid down her naked body
until they rested low on her abdomen. Again she felt
the fluttering. Realization hit her like a ton of
bricks. Both fear and happiness hit her at the same
time. She sank to the floor, her hands resting low on
her belly.
Unless she missed her guess, Max had left her more
than just memories when he left.

Her mind was in a whirl. What was she going to do if
it was true? She closed her eyes. They had been lost
in the moment. Their one time to be together and
neither had thought of the consequences. Then she
began to cry. Max left her to keep her safe and now
she was in more danger than ever. 

She showerd slowly trying to take this new development
in. The more she thought about it the more scared she
became until by the time she stepped out of the shower
she was shaking not from a chill, but from fear for
her child. She took Michael's robe off of a hook and
pulled it on before opening the door.
Michael sat at the bar eating cereal, but he looked
deep in thought. He turned when he heard her.
"I thought you might be trying to drain Roswell of its
water supply," he cracked. When he saw her face he put
his spoon down and walked over to her. "What's wrong?"
Isabel shook her head slowly as she clutched the robe
to her. How could she tell him? He would be furious.
But she needed him. He was all she had now.
"It's about Max leaving. I know it sucks, but....."
"I felt it, Michael. Little flutterings...like
butterfly wings," Isabel suddenly whispered, her eyes
wild with tears as her hands moved low on her abdomen.
"What?" Michael asked, at first confused then aware of
what she meant. His eyes rolled upwards then clinched
shut as he silently cursed Max. That's what was
bugging him. What he thought was missing. He hadn't
seen any condoms. 
He looked at Isabel. "You think you're pregnant."
Isabel slowly nodded her head as she whispered, "I
know I am. Michael, what am I going to do? Tess had
Zan within a month after she conceived him. A month,
Michael!" Her voice was beginning to edge on hysteria.
"I need Max! I need ...him."
Michael folded his arms around her. "Shhhh we'll take
care of it. Don't worry. It'll be alright. I promise."
He felt Isabel relax a bit against him as he took on
her worry and tried to figure out what to do.

********************

Later at Valenti's......

Jim and Kyle sat listening to Michael while Isabel sat
quietly on the couch next to him.
"So we're afraid of the special unit coming back in
when they realize Isabel's having a baby. They've been
quiet, too quiet. The towns people have guarded us,
but for how long? When they realize aliens are
procreating their not going to be so placent. They'll
think we're trying to create an army to take over,"
said Michael.
Jim placed his pointed finger tips to his lips in
thought. "I doubt they'll think that, but you do have
every right to worry. Not everyone may be as loyal as
they have been." He looked at Isabel. "How do you
feel, Isabel?"
"Fine. No different except for small flutterings," she
said. Her hand went to her flat belly without thought,
but it drew all three males eyes.
"She can't tell everyone the baby's Max's," said Kyle,
stating the obvious.
"We know that, Kyle," said Isabel quietly.
Kyle blushed. "I mean....I know. That was stupid. I'm
sorry."
"Not stupid," said Isabel wearily. "What am I going to
tell my parents?" asked Isabel as she bit her
fingertip.
Jim came to sit on the coffee table before Isabel. He
took her hands in his and looked up at her. "Well if
you're sure Max isn't coming back then I'm going to
suggest you tell them it's Michael's."
Michael and Isabel looked at one another. 
"I'm not saying pretend to be married. But if anyone
asks, then tell them it's Michael's," said Jim.
Isabel looked away. She was greatful for Michael being
there, but this was more than what he should have to
do. 
"Isabel, you're going to have a baby. Right now it
doesn't seem like good news, but later on you'll be
glad you have that child. If Max isn't going to come
back then you need to what you have to do to protect
it," said Jim.
Isabel nodded.
Michael looked at Isabel thoughtfully. "Let's go,
Isabel," he said as he stood up. He looked at Jim and
Kyle. "Thanks."
"We're here if you need us," said Jim walking them to
the door.
As he and Kyle watched them walk away Kyle said, "Max
Evans needs his ass kicked."
Jim nodded. "I couldn't agree more."


In Isabel's car.....

"Michael, I don't expect you to pretend this baby is
yours," said Isabel.
"Why not?" asked Michael as he pulled up to Isabel's. 
"Because it's not fair to you," she replied. 
"Let me be the judge of what's fair to me," said
Michael getting out. He brought up what both had been
avoiding. "We can't stay here, Isabel. Once they know
you're having a baby they'll be out for us again."
"I know." She laughed without any humor. "Max left me
behind to protect me from gossip and now I'm in more
danger than before. Sort of ironic don't you think?"
"We need to leave in the next few days. We'll tell
your parents so they don't worry, but then we leave,"
said Michael.
Isabel nodded.
Michael went around and opened the door for Isabel.
She had noticed he was alot more attentive now that
she was pregnant. "Thanks," she said. He nodded.
"Want me to come in and stay with you?"he asked.
Isabel looked towards her door. "Do you mind? I
just...I don't want to be alone yet."
Michael threw his arm around her shoulders and headed
towards the door. 


Isabel handed Michael a pillow and a blanket. "It's
supposed to be comfortable," she said indicating the
sofa.
Michael nodded as he continued to watch the hockey
game on TV. "Okay. Night."
Isabel watched Michael yell over a play in the game
and headed for her room, closing the door behind her.
Crawling into bed she curled up on her side and cried
herself into an exhausted sleep.
Outside on the sofa, Michael listened to her cry and
again cursed Max. 


*******************


A few days later......

Michael was making a list of what he figured he,
Isabel and the baby would need when a knock sounded on
the door. When he answered it he found Maria standing
on the other side. "What?" he asked.
"You weren't going to tell me Isabel's pregnant?" she
demanded quietly.
Michael sighed and let Maria in. "Who told you?"
"Kyle."
"Son of a bitch!" said Michael angrily. "Who else did
he tell?"
"Well to be fair 'he' didn't tell me. I overheard him
tell his Dad they needed to get Isabel a baby gift. I
can't believe Max got her pregnant and left anyway!"
said Maria slapping her purse down on the bar.
"He doesn't know," said Michael sitting down and
popping open a drink.
"So what's Isabel going to do?" she asked. 
Michael looked at her sideways then said matter of
factly, "We're going to tell her parents it's mine."
Maria's mouth fell open. "You can't!" 
"I can and I am." He looked at Maria and said quietly,
"And we're leaving Roswell."
Maria looked like she was going to cry. "Leave? But
why?"
"This baby changes our safety. People will want to put
it under a microscope and we can't let that happen.
Especially if it's human like Zan."
"When?" asked Maria with tears falling down her
cheeks. They may not be together anymore, but she
still loved him.
"In a few days," replied Micheal. 
A few days and life as they knew it would change.

********************

"Isabel...Michael, we're glad you 're here. Why didn't
Max come too? Where is your brother?" asked Diane as
Phillip sat beside her waiting for an answer.
"Max is...out of town. I'm not sure when he'll be
back," said Isabel evaisively. 
"Is he in some sort of trouble again?" asked Phillip
with concern. "You know since you guys told us about
being...well you know...we want to help."
Isabel looked at Michael as he said, "Well that's good
to hear because we sort of have a problem now."
Diane and Phillip looked at Michael then at Isabel.
"What sort of problem?" asked Phillip.
Isabel swallowed as she rubbed her hands on her skirt.
"Mom....Dad...." she took a deep breath. "I'm going to
have a baby."
Dead silence and shock met Isabel's announcement. 
Michael took over. "Alien pregnancies take about a
month so Isabel's going to give birth in a few weeks.
We can't be here and risk the baby and us being put
under the microscope again...or worse."
"Oh gawd," whispered Diane as she looked at Isabel.
Phillip looked at Michael. "You're the Father?"
Michael met Phillip's eyes. "Yeah."
Isabel raised a hand to her head and closed her eyes
at the lie. 
"Isabel, honey are you okay?" asked Diane concerned.
Isabel opened her eyes. "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine."
"You're sure? Do you need something? A drink of
water?" asked Diane hovering about.
Isabel smiled at Diane. "Mom, I'm fine...really."
"We're surprised....and ....well we just never thought
you two.." said Phillip.
"Yeah, us too," said Michael.
"So where are you going to go?" asked Phillip.
"We don't know, but it will be soon," said Michael.
"We'll let you know when the baby is born," said
Isabel.
Michael threw her a look which Isabel chose to ignore.
"We'll miss you, but we're glad for another grandchild
even if it's not...." she stopped.
"Human?" finished Michael.
Diane shook her head. "No. I was going to say ...well
none of our grandchildren seem to have parents that
are....well married." 
An uncomfortable silence filled the air. Finally
Michael glanced at Isabel then at the Phillip and
Diane and said, "Yeah, well maybe that will change."
Isabel threw him a look as Diane smiled and said,
"Max will be sad he missed you when he returns. He's
going to be so surprised!" said Diane hugging Isabel.
Isabel savored Diane and Phillip's embraces just as
guilt washed over her for lying to them. She prayed
that someday they would forgive her.

***********************


Nearly a month later out on the reservation.......

"Isabel, do you want anything to drink?" asked
Michael. 
Isabel turned from the cave entrance and shook her
head as she placed a hand to the center of her back.
"No thanks." She turned back to look out at the sky
and its setting colors. "I wonder where he is."
Michael came to stand behind her and said, "I don't
care."
Isabel sighed as she turned to face Michael. "Michael,
don't. I'm so tired of having this same arguement. He
did what he thought was right."
"How can you defend him after he left you like this?"
demanded Michael.
"Because I love him," Isabel answered as she placed
her hands over her burgeoning belly.
Michael blew out a breath as he relented due to her
condition. "Yeah." He motioned to the entrance. "Do
you want to go sit outside awhile?"
Isabel nodded, and Michael took her hand and led her
to a rock that had a terrific view that they had found
shortly after their arrival at the cave.
He helped her to lower to the ground then sat behind
her and leaned back against the rock, pulling her in
between his spread legs so that she leaned back on him
for comfort.
"I miss him, Michael," said Isabel softly.
"I know you do," said Michael wrapping his arms around
her. 
"I'm scared."
Michael's arms tightened. "I know. But don't be. I'm
not going anywhere."
Isabel rubbed his arm. "I know. You've been good to
keep your promise to Max and me. Thanks."
"Marry me," he said from behind her. 
Isabel tensed up and shook her head. "I'm already
married. To Max. That isn't going to change and I
don't want it too."
"Isabel, you're baby needs a father. I grew up without
one. Don't make it be without one too," said Michael.
"You grew up without parental love, Michael. My baby
will know it's loved by me...and you. And maybe
someday by it's Daddy," said Isabel wistfully.
Michael lay his head back on the rock in frustration.
"I just don't want it to feel....."
Isabel took his hand in hers and brought it to her
lips. "I know. Thank you, Michael."
Michael placed his hands on her shoulders and began to
gently rub them, moving down her back as he felt her
relax. 
After a bit Isabel whispered, "I don't want to raise
my baby in a cave."
Michael smiled. "You won't. We'll stay just until the
baby is born then move on."
"But where?" asked Isabel. "We can't seem to agree on
where to go."
"No, you just don't like the idea of moving away in
case Max comes back," replied Michael tightly.
Suddenly Isabel tensed up and gasped as she clutched
at her belly. "Michael....oh gawd!" 
"What?!" asked Michael alarmed. 
Isabel gasped as another pain hit her.
Michael felt fear claw at him, but stayed calm for
Isabel. "The baby. Okay, I'm getting up and then I'll
help you up. Okay?"
Isabel nodded then gasped again as another pain shot
through her.
Michael slid out from behind Isabel and helped her up.
He half carried her back to the cave and to the area
they had been living in. After she was settled down
he told her, "I'm getting River Dog. Will you be
okay?"
Isabel nodded, but she was afraid. The pains had come
on her fast and without warning. 
Michael headed out to find the old Indian that had
befriended them leaving her to suffer alone.

Isabel lay on the mattress in the cave and looked up
at he ceiling as another pain gripped her. She had
thought being alien she might be spared some of the
pain of childbirth, but she was wrong. Very wrong. The
sudden pains frightened her . She hadn't expected it
to hurt so much so fast. She wished Max were here. 
"Please Max. Please come to me and our baby. Please,"
she wimpered as the pains again gripped her.
This time she screamed, the sound echoing in the cave
and in her ears.

Michael returned with River Dog, both hurrying at the
sound of Isabel's screams.
"Isabel! We're here! We're here! Oh gawd!" he said as
he spied the rush of fluid that gushed from her body
and soaked the mattress. 
"The labor seems faster than humans. Go find more
sheets," said River Dog settling down beside a
writhing Isabel. "Soon you will have no more pain.
Soon you will hold your baby in your arms."

Michael rushed outside and without thinking twice he
called Maria's cell. "It's time." He ran a shaking
hand over his face. "Come to where I was healed." Then
making a quick decision he added, "And Maria, bring
her parents." He hung up and took a deep breath before
grabbing the sheets and returning to the cave.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww," screamed Isabel as she
felt another wave of pain roll over her.
"What's taking so long?" demanded Michael as he bathed
her brow.
"Babies come in their own time. Not ours," replied
River Dog sitting nearby.
He looked at Michael. "This child, it is not yours."
Michael looked at the old Indian then back at Isabel. 
"It's the dark haired one. Max. He is the Father of
her child," said River Dog, knowingly.
Michael again looked at River Dog in surprise.
"How....?"
Voices at the front of the cave drew their attention
as Maria, Diane, Phillip, and Liz came into the cave.
She looked at Isabel with wide eyes.
Michael looked towards Maria at Liz's entrance. 
"She wanted to come," she told him.
Diane moved to Isabel's head and brushed the hair from
her brow. "I'm here sweetheart. I'm here." She turned
to Michael then eyed the Indian in the corner warily.
"How long has she been like this? She needs to in a
hospital with a doctor!"
"NO! We can't! They might take the baby from her and
who knows what else," said Michael.
"But it's a cave," said Phillip worriedly.
"Mmmmmmma" screamed Isabel as she clutched the sheet
tightly in her fists.
"ME! She needs me!" said Michael quickly as he grabbed
Isabel's hand. "I'm here, Isabel." He looked at Maria
and Liz worriedly.
Isabel's eyes flew open. "It's coming!"
River Dog and Diane both moved to help her. Diane
looked at the Indian. "What do you think you're
doing?"
"Helping them both," he replied.
"Mrs. Evans....please....he knows what he's doing. Let
him help her," said Liz stepping forward. 
Diane looked to Phillip who finally nodded. Diane
stepped back. 
"Look at me," he ordered Isabel, as he lay a hand on
her brow. "The child needs to be born."
Isabel did as she was ordered and soon she calmed
down. With coaching on River Dog's part and a lot
of pain on Isabel's, she gave birth to a son. He came
out screaming and perfect.
Diane took the baby and cleaned him up, her face
taking on a look of deep thought as she worked. 
She took the baby to Isabel and lay him in her arms. 
"Your son, sweetheart. He's just beautiful," she
whispered tearfully. 
Phillip stood behind her and looked down. His face too
took on a thoughtfull look. "He's ...he's handsome,
sweetheart." He looked at Diane and hugged her. 
Michael came over to Isabel and looked down at the
tiny bundle she held. "You okay?" he asked her.
Isabel nodded as tears slipped from her eyes. Michael
gently wiped them away with his thumb. "I know," he
whispered close to her ear.
Liz wiped her eyes as she stood back from the scene in
front of her. Reality came crashing in on her world in
the form of another little baby. And this one wouldn't
be sent away.


*******************


Max's eyes flew open and he sat up gasping and
shaking, drenched in sweat. He rubbed his face then
grabbed his cell phone and pushed a preset number. 
"It's me."
His face paled as he listened to the voice on the
other end, then hung up. He dropped the phone and
pushed his hands into his damp hair and clinched them
tightly as a mix of emotions ran threw him. He quickly
dressed and grabbed his duffle and a sleeping bag and 
tossed them in the back of his car before heading
off like a mad man towards the reservation.


********************


A few hours later.........


Michael sat at the edge of the cave entrance guarding
those within. He stood up as he sensed someone
approaching.
"So you came," said Michael scathingly, crossing his
arms and standing tall in a defiant gesture to the
one who had appeared. "I wasn't sure after that call
since you didn't say anything."
"Where is she, Michael?" demanded Max anxiously as he
moved to pass Michael.
Michael pushed him back. "No! You left her, you son of
a bitch! You left her pregnant and alone! What makes
you think you can just waltze back in here now?!" he
demanded.
"Michael, I didn't know. I would never have left her
if I had known," said Max. It was clear how upset he
was, but Michael wasn't letting him off the hook.
"And now you do so you think you can just show up here
and make it all okay? Well you're wrong!" said
Michael. "I'm the one whose cared for her! And now
they all think the baby's mine!"
Max hadn't thought about Michael claiming the baby as
his, but it didn't matter. 
"I'm greatful you helped her, Michael, but I don't
have time for this. I just want to see Isabel," said
Max trying again to move past Michael, but he refused
to budge. 
"What is it with you, Maxwell? Do you think you have
to get every girl you sleep with pregnant?" Michael
asked angrily. 
Max's fist slammed into Michael's jaw. 
Michael rubbed the injury and then hit Max back,
knocking him to the ground. "Get up!" Michael yelled.
Liz and Maria came running out of the cave. 
"What's going on?" Liz yelled. Then she saw Max. She
pulled up short. "You came back," she whispered.
Max was surprised to see her, but nodded as he stood
up and wiped his jaw. 
"Isabel's inside...with your parents and River Dog,"
said Maria tightly as she stood by Liz's side. "Oh,
and your son."
Max's eyes widened when he learned his parents were
there. He didn't think twice as he hurried into the
cave until he came to where Isabel lay asleep on the
makeshift bed. His Father and River Dog stood nearby
talking quietly and his Mother sat on a crude chair
rocking the baby. 
They all looked his way when he entered followed by
the others.
"Max!" said Diane as she rose with the baby.
Max glanced at her as she stood there holding his son
in her arms. He then hurried over to Isabel and knelt
down. 
"How is she?" he asked with quiet worry, as he held
her hand and gently touched her brow. He had cursed
himself all the way here for not being more careful
when he had been with Isabel. How could he have been
so foolish as to not remember how easily Tess had
gotten pregnant. Now Isabel had bore him a son as
well. He should never have left her. She had begged
him to take her with him and he hadn't listened.
Diane's voice came from behind him. "She's tired. It
was hard on her, but she did good."
Max turned as he heard his son wimper. He stood up and
took his first good look at the son he and Isabel had
created.
His voice caught slightly with emotion as he said, 
"He...he's beautiful." When he noticed Diane watching
him he said, "Isabel must be proud." He looked down
at her sleeping form and wiped at his eyes.
"Max." 
Max turned as Diane said his name.
"Take your son, Max." She held the baby out to him.
Max's eyes flew to hers in anxious surprise.
Phillip came to stand behind Diane putting his hand on
her shoulder.
"The baby looks just like you, Max. And after seeing
Zan....there is no doubt they're brothers. You're this
baby's Father."
Max started to cry as he took his son. "I know what
you must think, but please believe me when I tell you
that it's not what it looks like. We should have told
you everything. But....." Max looked down at the tiny
bundle he had in his arms. 
"Tell us now, Max," said Phillip. "What's going on?
You and Isbael are more than what you told us aren't
you?"
He and Diane knew that where their children were
concerned things were not always as they seemed and
they prayed that this was the case now.They didn't
want to believe that something terrible had been going
on between these two they had raised as their
children. They never imagined that they would be
praying to hear that it was something alien.
And so Max related to them about the books and how
their memories had returned. But mostly he told them
how much he loved Isabel and how he would never leave
her again.
Diane leaned against Phillip. "Married. They're
married, Phillip," she said with relief. It was going
to take some getting used to that her children were
married to one another, but it was better than what
she had feared. Then she looked alarmed. "Max, where
were you?"
Max told them about leaving and why. He knew he was
hurting them, but he had hurt Isabel more. 
"I thought I was doing the right thing by going away.
I never meant for this to happen," said Max.
"I made a mistake. It almost cost me more than I ever
thought possible."
He looked down at Isabel. "I'm taking her and the baby
away from here. Roswell may have tolerated us as
brother and sister after they found out we're aliens,
but I'm not sure about husband and wife. And now that
we have a baby....I can't take any chances."
"Max?" 
Max turned as he heard Isabel weakly call his name.
"Isabel?!" He knelt down close to her side. He brushed
her hair back and kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry,"
he whispered against her brow.
"For what? We have a healthy son. I'm not sorry for
that," she told him as she raised a hand to touch her
son's head.
"I didn't know, Isabel. I would never have left you if
I had known," said Max rubbing his thumb on her cheek.
"I shouldn't have left you at all. I'm sorry."
"No, you shouldn't have. I'm glad you came back
though." Then she asked, "How did you know?"
Max shrugged. "The same way I knew about Zan's birth.
I felt him."
Isabel wiped the tear falling down Max's face in
understanding. "Oh, Max. I wish Zan was here with us
too."
Max sniffed and said, "I couldn't care for him then,
and it's too late now. But I think about him everyday
and miss him so much."
The baby cried. 
"He's hungry, Isabel. He imagine he needs to be fed,"
said Diane.
"Maybe we should leave them alone," said Phillip. 
So everyone left Max and Isabel alone with their son
as she nursed him for the first time.
"What are we going to name him, Max?" asked Isabel as
she settled in to this unfamiliar, yet wonderful part
of motherhood.
"I don't know. It's happened so fast for me. What
would you like to call him?" said Max as he watched
his son.
"Alex. He has to be called Alex," said Isabel kissing
the babies head.
Max touched her hair. "Yeah. He has to be named Alex,"
he agreed softly.

Later......

Max approached Michael where he was sitting on the
hood of the car.
"Michael, I know you're pissed at me, and you should
be. I'm just so greatful for all that you did for
Isabel. I don't even want to think about what would
have happened had she been alone."
"Maxwell, listen to me really well, because I'm only
going to say this one time," said Michael with deadly
calm when he finally looked at Max. "If you ever pull
anything like that again, I promise I'll kill you and
not think twice about it."
Max was shocked a moment, but then nodded. "I
understand."
Michael eyed him a moment then jumped off the hood of
the car to hold out his hand. "Congratulations. You
don't deserve it, but I won't put Isabel through any
more pain."
Max knew how close he had come to losing Michael's
friendship over this whole thing and he wasn't taking
Michael's words lightly. It would take time to regain
his full trust. Max took the proferred hand and said,
"I know. And thanks, Michael."
Michael nodded then walked off as he saw Liz approach.

Max turned and spying Liz said, "I was surprised to
see you here."
Liz nodded. "Yeah, well when Michael called Maria, I
knew I had to be here too."
Max nodded, not knowing what else to say.
"Max, I just wanted to say congratulations and I hope
you and Isabel can finally lead the life you always
wanted," said Liz.
Max looked at her. "Thanks, Liz." He knew what it cost
her to say that and then after hesitating he hugged
her.
Liz clung to Max and closed her eyes. She knew that
never again would he hold her and she savored the
moment. Then stepping back she said, "We're going now.
If I don't see you before..."
"Yeah, me too," said Max.
Liz nodded then joined Maria. Max watched as they
drove away and silently closed another chapter in his
life.


******************

It had been a week since Isabel had given birth and
tomorrow they would be leaving.
Max, Isabel, and the baby had stayed in the cave alone
most of the time while Isabel regained her strength
and they decided where to go. 
"River Dog says we can stay on the Reservation a while
longer if we need to, or if you want we can head
south. What do you want to do?" asked Max looking at
the map.
"I don't care as long as we're together," said Isabel
pulling her shirt down and putting the baby on her
shoulder to burp. "That's all that matters to me."
They looked at one another as they heard voices at the
entrance then alarmed when they heard a child.
Max stood up as Phillip and Diane appeared with Diane
holding a small child in her arms.
"Zan!" whispered Max in shock. He walked slowly
towards his son and held out his arms.
Isabel's eyes flew to her Father's. "How?"
"I never put him up for adoption. I had him with a
family I could trust with the understanding that I
would return for Zan one day," said Phillip watching
Max with Zan. 
"But I told you...." Max couldn't finish. He just
hugged Zan to him and was surprised when the child
hugged him back as if he recoginized him.
"I know. You told me that you wanted him safe. That
you couldn't care for him. Well Max, you can care for
him now. And there's something else." His tone was
grave, and only Isabel and Diane picked up on it.
"What?" Max asked as he happily looked at his son.
"He has powers, Max. He can change things when he
touches them if they're not what he wants," said
Phillip. 
Max and Isabel were stunned. Max slowly looked from
Zan to Phillip and back. "What?! But Tess said he was
all human!" he whispered. "She lied." He hugged Zan as
he looked at Isabel.
"Or she was trying to keep him safe in her own way.
Give her the benefit of the doubt, Max," said Isabel.
Max nodded as he kissed Zan's head. Then he carried
the child over to where Isabel held Alex and knelt
down.
"Zan, this is your brother, Alex. And this," he looked
at Isabel. "This is your mother."
Isabel smiled as Zan bent down and kissed Alex's head.
"Baby," he said.

Phillip and Diane stood off watching and Diane slipped
her arm in the crook of Phillip's and said, "I think
you did the right thing, Phillip."
Phillip nodded. "I wasn't sure at the time. But now I
know I did too."

************************

Isabel yawned as she tossed her robe on the bed and
sank down beside Max. "They are both finally asleep." 
Max rubbed her back slowly then pulled her close to
him.
"Can we do this, Isabel? Raise two babies when we
barely know if we can care for ourselves?" asked Max
as he spooned her.
Isabel patted his arm. "I think we can. We have too."
But she too wondered if they could do it.
"I asked Michael to come along," said Max as he kissed
Isabel's shoulder. "He said he might in a few weeks.
It depends on his relationship with Maria."
Isabel felt shivers of delight flow over her body.
"Max....." Isabel hummed. 
He had healed her body from childbirth and she was
good as new. Now she wanted her husband.
"What?" he asked with pretend ignorance as he
continued his assault on her shoulder.
Isabel rolled over. "I want more."
Max smiled. He looked down at Isabel's bare chest and
slowly moved his hand over the fullness of a breast,
rolling the nipple between his fingers and then
pinching it lightly. Milk droplets formed and he bent
his head to lick at them.
Isabel arched up pushing the breast at Max's mouth. 
She rolled them over catching him off guard.
"What are you doing?" he asked in surprise.
Isabel sat up and looked down on Max. "Taking the
lead," she whispered as she ran her fingers over Max's
chest and trailed them along in a light caress. She
bent to kiss him, taking his bottom lip in between her
own full ones and gently sucking on it. Then she
pulled out a condom from under her pillow and dressed
Max's hardness in it. Max was so turned on that he
almost came when Isabel rose up and slowly impaled
herself on Max's hard shaft, both of them gasping at
how far she took him in. She began to ride him, slow
easy strokes that had her sliding Max in and out of
her velvet sheath. She closed her eyes as her body
undulated over his with a rhythum they both understood
with Max's hands guiding her hips over his own as she
rose and fell repeatedly to give them both pleasure. 
"Isabel," breathed Max as she rode him faster. He
loved watching her. She was lost in pleasure and
totally goregous. He was ready to explode, but he
wanted her to come first. But Isabel would have none
of it.
She rose off of Max and then plunged back down on him
taking him in deeper. Over and over she rode him
harder and faster until Max was crying out, his body
spurting his juices until he could come no more.
Isabel gave a cry of satisfaction as she felt him lose
himself in her body then she sought her own pleasure.
Max placed his fingers at her entrance as she rode him
and helped her along by massaging her hard nub. 
She cried out as she came, her body falling limp on
top of Max. 
Max's arms came around her as he kissed her. 
"That was utterly amazing," he whispered. 
"I can't believe I just did that," she said
embarrassed. 
Max rolled her over and looked down at her. "I loved
it. I loved watching you."
Isabel smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck
and kissed him.
"We better sleep while we can. One or both of them
will wake up soon," said Isabel.
Max kissed her again, slow and wonderfully gentle
before they lay in one anothers arms and slept.


************************

Max looked behind him. "Are you boys ready to go on
adventure?"
Zan clapped his hands as Alex slept. 
Max looked at Isabel. "This is it."
Isabel leaned over and kissed Max. "I love you, Max."
Max kissed Isabel back as he started the car. "It's
going to be different. Just ourselves to rely on."
"We aren't on our own, Max. We have family and friends
who we can call on if we need them," said Isabel.
Max, nodded. "I know, but we'll be farther away from
them now. It will be different."
"We'll do fine, Max. "We're together. We'll be fine,"
Isabel told him.
And they were.


End