Title: The Kiss
            Author: Lori R 4/03
            Email: Gussywussy55@y...
            Category: Cliffie
            Rating: PG
            Disclaimer: I write about these characters for my own
            enjoyment. Yada, yada, yada.
            Feedback: Would be nice even if you don't like it.
            Summary: Isabel and Michael find a ruse turning real. 
            It's short, but hopefully good.
            Dedicated to: Diosa


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

            "Hurry! This way!" whispered Michael as he and Isabel
            ran down the back alleys of Roswell in the cover of
            darkness. A storm was brewing so the moon was almost
            completely hidden, and the lights in the alleys gave
            off the minimum of light at best, so hiding was easy. 
            "I can barely see you, Michael," whispered back Isabel
            as she struggled to keep up with him in the dark.
            Michael stopped under a dim light and stuck out his
            hand. "Here."
            Isabel took his hand and they slowly made their way
            down the alley again, hugging the walls and skirting
            the dumpsters and boxes that were there.
            Rain began to fall in heavy, yet sporadic drops.
            "Great," mumbled Isabel looking up. She hugged her
            leather jacket to her and grimaced at the thought of
            it being ruined in the rain.
            "Hey, it'll help us hide better. Maybe they'll call
            off their search," whispered Michael. 

            They had been leaving the Crashdown after Michael's
            shift when they had spotted the agents following them
            to Isabel's car.

            "Can we stop a minute? My feet are killing me and I
            don't hear anyone following us," asked Isabel.
            Michael stopped and looked down towards Isabel's feet.
            "Why are you wearing boots that hurt anyway?"
            Isabel frowned. "They are comfortable when I'm not
            running from the FBI in the rain. Besides, I was
            supposed to have a date."
            "Over here," said Michael pulling Isbael under an
            awning. "We can wait here to see if we lost them."
            Isabel sat down on a box to take pressure off of her
            feet. "Thanks."
            Michael stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket
            and leaned back on the wall.
            After a few minutes of quiet he asked, "Who was your
            date with and why was it so late?"
            Remembering his reaction to all of her other dates
            Isabel wasn't eager to share the guys name. "You don't
            know him and it wasn't late. He got sick and had to
            cancel."
            "What do you know about him? Maybe he's the reason
            we're being followed! Maybe he's not sick but setting
            us up! Did you think about that?" came Michael's
            irritated reply.
            "He's not the reason we're being followed, Michael.
            He's just a guy from my college class," said Isabel.
            She grew weary of the constant battle with Max and
            Michael over her love life. They didn't see the need
            for her to have one, while it was okay that they did.
            "I'm just saying that we have to be careful. We can't
            let anyone else in. You know that," said Michael.
            Isabel ran her hands through her damp hair. "I'm not
            having this discussion with you, Michael. Not now, not
            here, not...."
            "Shhhhhh!" whispered Michael suddenly straightening
            and putting his hand on her shoulder to silence her. 
            Isabel tensed and held her breath as she listened.
            Footsteps were running towards them.
            Suddenly Michael pulled her to her feet and pushed her
            back against the wall. 
            "Clothes!" he whispered quickly.
            Isabel ran her hand over her jacket turning it red
            from black, while Michael pulled his hair back tightly
            to slick it down after changing his jacket from brown
            to black. Isabel raised her hand to her own hair and
            turned the blond locks brown.
            Then before Isabel knew what was happening Michael was
            pressing into her and covering her mouth with his.
            After the initial shock Isabel realized that he was
            trying to make whoever was running towards them think
            that they were just a couple making out in the alley.
            The footsteps were closer and Michael's hand was
            resting just beneath the swell of her breast as his
            mouth gently kissed hers. 
            Isabel gave herself over to the kiss. It made her
            light and all fluttery inside. Like butterfly wings.
            Michael flicked his tongue lightly over Isabel's lips
            and he tasted strawberries. His stomach felt like
            something inside was fighting to get out, but it
            wasn't a bad feeling either.
            A light flashed on them. 
            "What the hell?!" yelled Michael throwing up an arm to
            ward off the light. "Can't a guy get some action
            without being disturbed?!"
            The light continued to shine on them and Isabel and
            Michael waited anxiously to see if their ruse would
            work. 
            "It's some kids making out in the alley," came a
            faceless voice.
            "You're sure it's not them?" came another.
            The light continued to blind them as the agents
            observed their prey.
            Under Michael's hand he could feel Isabel breathing
            hard with fear. He was struggling with his own and
            needed to keep it together for her. They had been
            through FBI hunts before, but for some reason now he
            felt like he had to protect Isabel more than ever.
            "Dude! We didn't do nothing. We're just looking for a
            place for a little privacy. We'll move on if that's
            what you want," he told the agents.
            "It's not them. Let's go." And just as suddenly as it
            had come the light was gone.
            Michael and Isabel breathed a sigh of relief as they
            listened to the footsteps move off and there was
            nothing but the sound of the rain starting to fall
            hard and fast.
            Michael looked at Isabel and found her watching him.
            "There gone now."
            "I know."
            He slowly moved his hand to her waist. 
            "Sorry. I just...we needed a cover," he told her, now
            embarrassed by his actions. Yet he was also stirred by
            the kiss he had just shared with his friend. The
            memory was branding its self into his brain.
            "Yeah, I know." Isabel felt sad when Michael moved his
            hand down to her waist. 
            Their eyes continued to hold one anothers, their
            breathing ragged. The rain beat down on them and
            neither seemed to take notice. 
            "Strawberries."
            "What?" Isabel asked softly.
            "You taste like strawberries." His eyes fell to her
            lips and he licked his own without realizing it. "How
            do you..."
            "Lip gloss." Her teeth pulled gently at her bottom
            lip. 
            Michael moved in closer, his hand creeping back up to
            its original spot. 
            Isabel could feel his breath on her skin and she grew
            tingley. Her lips parted.
            Without further thought Michael kissed her again.
            Soft. Sweet. Gentle. 
            Isabel's arms wound around Michael's neck as she
            pushed her body closer to his. 
            The rain poured down on them, the thunder and
            lightning putting on a show in the sky above them.
            Michael pulled back and searched Isabel's eyes.
            "Are you feeling what I'm feeling?"
            Isabel nodded. "What do we do now?"
            Michael looked up at the sky and then said, "We get
            out of the rain."
            "And after that?" 
            Michael looked back at Isabel. "I'm all for
            researching this feeling some more."
            "Yeah, me too," she told him with a small smile.

            End