Part B...
******
They were interrupted, their parents had stepped out of the room to leave them to themselves when they had started to discuss the nightmares. And they had retrieved some things to add into the conversation. Diane came in carrying a tray full of lemonades for everyone and a plate full of cookies, the ones she and Isabel had made earlier. Of course the standard Tabasco sauce was waiting on the tray for the Evans’ kids. As well as small paper saucers.
Everyone loaded up his or her plate and the elder Evans sat down in their chairs again.
“It appears you’re all getting along now,” Philip noticed. “But this conversation is far from over. I know there are still questions and things that need to be understood, so lets let you guys have your refreshments while we take a turn.”
Diane reached next to her chair and pulled out an item wrapped in a dishtowel.
“Max do you remember this?” She asked as she walked over and placed it into his lap.
He unwrapped it as she stood there with her hand supportively resting on his shoulder. Now lying on his lap was a ceramic house that he had been given when he was a small child.
A look of confusion crossed his face as he said, “The magic house. You always said that it would bring me to my home.” He looked up to catch his mother’s gentle blue eyes as he worked through what he was saying, “I could only think about where I had come from as being home, and it never did bring me home.” Tears started to sting his eyes… “But it did? Didn’t it?” he looked up in question; to the most loving eyes he’d ever seen. ‘They are so open, honest, accepting. How could I not see this before? This is why Isabel told her. She knew…’
Diane watched as the acceptance started to hit, as Max finally started to feel his belonging.
His mother sat down next to him on the couch as it grew more crowded and she placed her arm around his shoulder. The crowding of the couch was easily solved. Isabel took her place on Alex’s lap. And they moved over to allow Diane room next to her son. “You always wanted me to feel at home here. You were trying to say this is my home.” Max asked her directly.
“How do you feel about that Max?” She gazed at him tenderly. “And while you’re thinking that over, its time for your Dad to talk as well.”
Max was choking up, and he looked over the house carefully, studying it as if held a secret. Turning it every which way as well as upside down. It gave him something to focus on so that he would not have to reveal the state of his current emotions. So he kept turning it over and around.
Philip grabbed the item from next to his chair and walked over to the couch silently, touching the young couple’s shoulders and motioning them into his chair. They quickly took up their new spot as Philip sat down in the spot they had just vacated. He and Diane were now flanking Max.
Isabel and Alex squished into the chair and completely made themselves comfortable, she was firmly ensconced on his lap. Philip looked over to them and smiled warmly, pointing to the floor beside the chair. Alex peered over the edge and saw a somewhat thick file, which he picked up.
Philip then put a similar looking file onto Max’s lap. At that point Max looked up to realize that Isabel and Alex had changed locations with his dad and that Dad was sitting next to him.
“Max, I want you to look at this,” Philip said as he opened the more than likely, fifty plus page document to the top pages. He looked over at the couple and motioned for them to do the same.
So sharing the file Isabel and Alex each held it open with one of their hands. He from below held the left side and she held the right.
Max started to read. After a short time he held it up curiously as he stated, “Its our case history from child services, and the papers granting you the right to adopt us.”
Isabel squealed like a giddy child as she grabbed a paper out from the back, “Its our adoption certificates Max…” Which Philip pulled from the back and placed at the top of the stack. Isabel then leaned into Alex’s chest as she shared hers with him. She belonged right here, to these people, and this paper proved it.
Max shook his head at his sister’s display, and then turned to look at his father more closely, “Why did you show us these? What are you trying to say?” Philip responded by guiding him back to the case history on the first few pages. Isabel looked up and caught her dad looking at her. She winked. She had an idea of what he was trying to convey.
“These are your adoption papers. Your mother and I never had a prouder moment than the day we brought you and Isabel home.” Philip placed his arm around his son’s shoulders. “I know things were very rough at first, but we worked hard to make you ours and to hide your auspicious beginnings. The information is closed. People can’t just dig up your history. We wanted it hidden for your protection, because parents protect their kids. And we chose to be your parents the day we found you.” Philip gave Max’s shoulder a small squeeze.
“You don’t know how grateful we are for your finding us and giving us a home.” said Max.
“Max! You’re not getting it.” Philip rebutted his son. “Read off what family services described you like.” Isabel quickly turned to the first few pages in her file as well.
Max started, “The minor, John Doe, was found North East of Roswell in the vicinity of the Maideckizne Rock outcropping on the Pohlman Ranch property.” Lots more writing and specific detailed location was given.
The next section contained some personal information of how the child had appeared when he was first discovered:
Max read aloud, “Initial evaluation has shown the child to be seriously behind peers in all areas: social, mental, and language. The circumstances surrounding said minor’s location, are undetermined.
The minor presented unable to speak, use the bathroom, or feed himself. He seems scared of everyone, and it is not known at this point if the child is capable of hearing. He presents sitting in a guarded stance, watching everything, but saying nothing.” Max swallowed and looked up from the manuscript for a moment.
Isabel’s file pretty much read as Max’s but there were a few things added:
Isabel read, “She presents sitting in a huddled state. Knees drawn to her chest with arms wrapped around them, rocking repeatedly. Won’t stop crying, won’t sleep. Terrified when left alone, scared of light. Likes the dark.” She laughed a bit. “I still hate to be alone, and I still love the night.”
After skimming through some pages of more jargon and evaluations she read out loud, “Possible diagnosis of Autism, to be determined later.”
Also skimming through a bunch of legal and agency stuff, Max read on, “Possible diagnosis of Retardation, Muteness, and or Deafness. Will test and determine mental, and physical acuity later.”
“Its no wonder you thought something bad had happened to us, we seemed messed up.” He looked up in surprise. “Why? Why did you ever take us in?”
Diane smiled to her husband and joined in, “We know inside that we were just meant to find you. We needed kids and you two most certainly needed love and parents. We would have accepted you even if you had been seriously damaged, and been through some major trauma. Its what we always thought was the case until we learned the truth a short time ago, anyways. And all this time you’ve never stopped being ours, and we’ve never stopped loving you.”
“When our families were told about you, they all thought we were crazy to take in such messed up kids. You know, your grandparents who you love so much. Well you all had to grow on each other. We basically told them off and kept to our own small family for a while as we trained you in all the basics.” Dinae placed her hand on her son’s arm, “All the basics Max. You learned everything that your peers could do. And you were given a great evaluation and all your problems seemed to disappear after some time of intensive work.” Diane volunteered.
“But no one is able to access your file and dig up your past. It’s sealed for your protection.” said Philip
“How come you’ve never shared this with us?” Max asked.
Philip wrapped his arm supportively around Max, and touched his forearm with his other hand. “This is being asked by our serious, secretive son?” He laughed.
Diane finished for him. “Because we love you. Because we are your parents. And because we always felt that digging up your past would hurt you, and we don’t want to cause you any pain.”
“So to reiterate the question your mother asked earlier,” Philip looked at his son, “How do you feel about everything?”
Alex knew how Isabel felt for her body was shaking in silent sobs, she was crying out of extreme happiness. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tightly, her head on his shoulders, as he kissed the top of her head. For once her tears were of happiness.
Max still wasn’t as ready to release as Isabel was so he sat there in silence for a few moments processing all the information that his parents absolutely loved him and wanted him. He looked over the house carefully again, and perused the papers in the file. A couple of tears slowly trickled down his cheeks. Philip and Diane smiled as their arms were overlapped around their son’s shoulders, and they watched as Max came to terms with himself. “You really want me? Even though you know I’m not from around here?” he asked, using the question from a few days before when he discovered they had known of the alien secret.
“Yes Max.” They answered their son in unison.
“You really sealed our records for our protection? And it’s really ok with you that we’re different?” He was aware of the answer, but it just seemed logical to ask it, to finalize it, to really make himself sure.
“Yes Max. We keep telling you, you are our son, you are safe here, and we’ve got your back. We’ve had it since the day we found you.” Philip smiled at his son.
“I can answer now,” Max looked up and quirked a wry grin. “I want to be your son. Thanks for everything.”
“We love having you.” Diane started to cry, Max was finally ready to let them in. He finally knew he was safe. He finally felt accepted. She couldn’t contain her emotion any longer; she had refused to look over at the chair where her daughter was because that would have set her off even earlier.
“Yeah! Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!” Isabel choked out.
“Come here you two.” Diane held open her arm that wasn’t around Max. Isabel rushed over and threw her arms around her Mom and tightly onto Max. The family united in a group hug, which Alex was more than a part of. The women were sobbing tears of happiness and the guys were all trying to keep everything in check. But yet you could hear them sniffling.
After awhile, a long while, Max pulled out of the hug and looked directly at his dad. “I don’t think we’re done.” he stated empathically.
Philip nodded in his understanding, “What next Max?”
The Evans parents retook their chairs, and Isabel and Alex returned to the couch.
Max looked to his Father, “I have to think that letting Isabel leave town last weekend, and what we just did to Alex’s car outside falls under the protection clause. Would I be right?”
Philip nodded silently.
“OK… But what were you protecting her/them from?” And he turned back to his sister, “And why did you leave town when you were feeling so sick? Isabel you passed out and you were as cold as ice. Why did you leave?”
Alex scooted in behind her and wrapped his arms securely around her middle, as she locked her fingers in with his, overlapping his arms with her own. She looked over at Max, who had noticed Alex’s instant protection as the question was asked, and she bit her lip.
“Isabel?” He asked softly, “Did something happen at the UFO Center on Saturday?
She nodded ever so slightly, as she started to cross and uncross her ankles in her uncomfortable state. Alex pressed her even tighter to himself and Max watched that as well.
“Iz? Please?”
“FBI Max. I had to get out of Roswell.”
“Wow! OK! How do you know? Why didn’t you just go home?”
Isabel started to explain the best she could, “This might not make a lot of sense but I had a strange uneasy feeling most of the week, and when I walked into the Center on Saturday Morning, it was more than a feeling. I wanted to get out of there immediately. I felt panic. But I stayed by Alex after he fixed the computer. “Then that man…” Isabel sat there reliving the feeling of being face to face with Agent Pierce, her hand went to her chest as she struggled to take in a breath. Clearing her throat she tried again, “He ran into me and I almost threw up.” ‘I’m not feeling good right now thinking about it.’ Her hands started to shake slightly, and so Alex held them more tightly. Max never noticed. “I’ve never felt anything like that Max. I felt fear, and sick, nauseous, and dizzy all at once. I just wanted to get out. I grabbed Alex and took him into another room where I faked passing out to create a diversion and then we left. Left Roswell.”
“Man he freaked you out bad, you’re still reacting. Do you know who he was?” Max was concerned for his sister. “I felt your fear when I healed you. That was another of those images…”
“No!” Isabel immediately lied, “But… With how I was feeling, he’s somebody extremely scary, or dangerous. Even Valenti doesn’t frighten me this bad. I don’t know who he is, but I couldn’t afford to take any chances. If he’s FBI, and I really think he is, all he’d have to do would be to watch the videotape from the day before. And he’d know who he was looking for. If he’s looking for anybody, that is. But I think he is. Me… I had to get out of Roswell. Excuse me, I’m not feeling very well. I’ll be right back.” Isabel quickly leapt off the couch and went outside for some fresh air.
Alex followed her. Isabel paced in her front yard for a time. “I can’t afford to react in front of Max.” She said in a worried tone. “I’m reacting way too much. Max is going to figure something out.”
“No Iz.” Alex held her securely to his side. “He won’t. With all that you have shared tonight, I don’t think he’ll be looking for anything more for a while; besides, I think he’s ok with how you are reacting. Remember? You did stay home sick today, and you did come home sick last night. Max knows something is going on, but he thinks you have already explained it. Are you ok though?”
She stood there taking in deep breaths and regaining her composure for a few more minutes until she was ready to go back into the house and continue with the questioning. Right before she went in she turned to Alex and said, “I already know every thing there is to know about the handprint. But I’m going to show it to Max. I have to pretend like I have no idea what happened, though I know more than even Max does.” She quipped, “Acting skills here we go…” Alex grabbed her hand in his and walked them through the door.
**********
In the meanwhile Max turned to his parents to make sense of what was playing out in front of him.
Diane said calmly, so as not to let on that she knew why Isabel was behaving as she was, “Isabel called from her cell phone while they were already on their way out of town. They apprised us of the situation, and we, like you Max, have been very worried for Isabel; but for completely different reasons.
Philip added, “And we all were waiting until she got home to make sure she was alright.”
“Which she wasn’t,” Alex chimed in from the doorway. He and Isabel had just entered the house.
“No she wasn’t,” Max and Diane said in unison.
Isabel turned to Alex for reassurance and then walked over to her brother calmly. “Max?” She liltingly asked, “I have to show you something… Its pretty important. But you have to promise to not freak out.”
“Ok.” He watched her carefully.
She stood there wringing her hands as she tried to find a way to lead up to it. “I will, but in a minute.” She said when she realized that he was waiting for something to happen.
“Did you… do… something… to me last night?” She hesitantly asked.
“Don’t you remember it?” He asked in a concerned manner.
“Not really. I don’t know fully what happened. I was pretty messed up.” She drew in a shaky breath.
“Yeah you were. Alex actually carried you into the house. You were sicker than you were at the UFO Museum.”
“What was wrong with me? What happened?” Isabel asked him sincerely.
“I don’t know Iz. You came in the door shivering uncontrollably, and unable to get warm. Alex told Mom and Dad that you’d been like that since early that morning.”
“What did you do?” Isabel continued to press for answers.
“I don’t know. I saw you lying there like that and it was as if some deep instinctive part of me turned on. I’ve healed our scrapes and stuff as we grew up, but this was so much bigger than anything like that. Yet, I just knew what to do, and I did it. You needed help, and you needed it bad.”
“You healed me, didn’t you?” She asked cautiously.
“Yeah I guess so. Why?” Max asked confused, what was she trying to ask?
She said carefully, “Because I know you did something to me. I mean this happened here, and there is only one alien besides me in the house. Look…” and with that she opened up the top neckline of her blouse and pulled it back. Shining in the upper left quadrant, right above her heart, was a perfectly formed, masculine shaped silver handprint.
“Oh My…” the words died on his lips as he stared at her chest for a second, and then down to his right hand. Blink. Blink. And then he looked back up to her chest.
“Whoa!” he said after a moment’s shock. He looked curiously at his right hand as if to find the source of the unusual manifestation. Everything looked normal. Then he turned it towards her, holding it up on the same exact angle and reaching toward Isabel.
She knelt down on the ground, before him, with Alex standing behind her, holding her steady. Max reached out his hand and grabbed his sisters in it, questioning with his eyes, as studied the print on her chest. “Does it hurt? Or… did it hurt when I healed you?” he asked.
“No!” She smiled, “It was warm. It felt soothing, but with how cold I was, I’m probably not a good judge of how it’s supposed to feel.” She laughed. It’s ok to touch it Max. I know you want to.”
“Let me,” she took her brother’s hand and laid it on the handprint. Every finger aligned perfectly. “Perfect match.” And in a rare moment of unabandoned emotion she threw her arms around her brother. “You healed me Max. Thank you. Thank-you so much.”
“No? Problem?” He stated in a partially questioning tone.
“You can back out now,” he teased his parents. “I mean,” he pointed to the handprint on Isabel’s chest, “here’s the proof that Aliens are among us, and that your son is one.” He chuckled.
They laughed. “I think we’ll keep our son.” They assured him, “looks like he can come in pretty handy.” They bantered back.
“Mom, Dad?” Isabel broke the merriment for a moment, “Can Alex touch the handprint now? It’s all he wanted to see earlier. You can be right here as he does.”
“Ok Isabel.” Diane nodded with a warm smile, “I’m sure your boyfriend really would like to check out anything unusual. Go ahead.”
Alex knelt down in front of her and lightly grazed it with his fingertip. “Doesn’t feel any different.” He stated. “I mean it looks like silver paint, but paint would be a bit rough. This is perfectly smooth.” Then he looked at her directly, “Can you feel it at all?”
“Well the fact that I know its there, I can imagine that I do.” Isabel nodded. “But really, No. No! I found it when I woke up. Otherwise I don’t think I would have known.”
“Well I’m glad its there.” He stumbled out, and the look on her face proved that that statement didn’t come out right. “I mean, if it weren’t, you’d still be sick like yesterday, or maybe worse. So this is a good thing to see. I’m so glad you are ok Isabel.” He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick peck on the lips then he pulled out and turned to her brother.
“Max, I owe you her life, thanks man.” He stood up at the side of the couch.
Max looked up and stood to join the other young man. “Actually it sounds like I owe you her life as well. Thanks for getting her out of here.”
The answered each other in unison. “No problem.” And gave each other a quick guy hug.
Alex returned his attention to the silver handprint as Max sat back down on the couch and observed them intently. The wonderment on each of the boy’s faces was matched. Alex kept looking to Isabel to make sure he was still acting properly, and Max was staring at his right hand as if it were a foreign object. ‘What was it? How did he do that?’ he was silently asking himself questions that he could not answer, and so he decided maybe his sister would shed some light on the matter.
Diane and Philip just smiled bemused by all the children in their care and for the moment, everyone was in some form of wonderment or another.
Max spoke and it broke Isabel and Alex out of their minor little trance. “Isabel?” he said in a tone that demanded attention.
“Yeah?” She questioned looking up and directing all her attention on Max. Alex backed away from the couch and came to sit beside her. They were still on the floor.
“It might be a stupid question,” Max started, “but… has anything like that ever happened to you? I mean healing leaving a print or something.”
Isabel laughed as she smiled, “Have you ever seen me heal anything Max?” She chuckled, “I can’t heal. You’ve always taken care of my little cuts and scrapes as well as your own. Mom would clean and bandage them, if you didn’t get to them first of course, and then you’d fix them.”
Diane chuckled at the memories, and then she really chuckled at Isabel’s next statement.
“Mom must have thought that we had truly amazing recuperative powers.”
Max laughed at her choice of words. “Powers would definitely be the operative word there. But Isabel, that never left any handprints or other types of marks. Why this? Why now? What’s different? Is it going to be permanent?”
How Isabel wished that she could just share everything with him, the knowledge that it would fade in a couple of days, the real cause of her nightmares, but instead she just smiled at him, as if she contained a secret. He caught the look but decided to ignore it, and smiled back.
“Well,” Isabel said cheerily, “it’s a mark I’ll cherish if permanency is the case, and I’ll just readjust my skin to look normal when that area will be visible. A little molecular manipulation should be able to do the trick. I mean I can apply or remove make-up with a pass of my hand, so I should be able to cover the mark I suppose.
“How do you know you can’t heal though?” he asked her.
“Ok… First, I wouldn’t have stayed that sick yesterday if I had even the remotest ability to heal. I would’ve taken care of myself. But secondly is the fact that I firstly dream-walked Mom when I was like seven or eight.”
“What does that have to do with it?” Max interjected.
“Hold on, you’ll see! When I dream-walked Mom, that was the first time that I’d used my powers and it happened subconsciously and naturally.” Max kept watching for her to explain herself.
“I assume it was the same way you healed the bird when you were six. Max our first use of our powers or abilities were before we ever understood that we had any.”
“That makes sense. We truly have learned it all by trial and error. I can’t help but think of the time we first learned we could change something, and we did it right in front of Mom, but she never caught on.” Max started to laugh as he took a momentary trip down memory lane.
“Oh yeah I remember that.” Isabel joined him. “Before they understood that we need larger quantities of sugar than normal humans. I think we were something like eight. You wanted soda, and Mom was making you drink water.”
Max picked up the story, “I must have completely imagined that soda, because before we realized what had happened I was drinking a glass of root-beer.”
“Yeah you passed your glass to me and I sipped the vile stuff. Recall it had no Tabasco?” She teased, but it was definitely no longer a glass of water, either.”
“Yeah I was playing a trick on Mom that day,” Max smiled, “every time I was drinking it was root beer, but as I set the glass down it was water.“ Max laughed, and looked over to his mother. “Hey! Kids always find ways around the rules, we can alter the handbooks if we want.” He teased his parents and Isabel and him looked at them in feigned innocence and shrugged their shoulders simultaneously.
Diane laughed at her son’s disclosure.
“Well I know that I made sure that we practiced for a time after that to learn what we could do.” Then Max looked thoughtful, “I guess that’s all that healing is, a deeper level of molecular manipulation. That’s all I was doing as I healed you, realtering things that weren’t quite right.
Isabel smiled.
“But it took a lot of energy and so now I’m thinking that the higher concentration of energy, and the need to be exact, forcing the mental concentration to be sharper as well… maybe the higher energy level caused the handprint, or the connection. I mean, I seemed to have somehow tapped into your thoughts for a second there.” Max was trying to piece it all together.
Diane and Philip smiled to each other as they watched their son and daughter freely interact and discuss the formerly household taboo. Anything Alien. Philip decided to rejoin the conversation, “So Max? He looked over at this son, “Do you think you understand enough of what’s been going on now?”
Max nodded.
“Well we have this to say; apparently we are the only adults privy to this knowledge. But not only are we going to keep Isabel safe, as I know you are now worried for her as we already were. But we are going to do everything we can to keep all of you, and that includes your extended group of friends, safe, as well.”
Dinane brought home the point as only a mother could, “I guess we just ended up with a lot more kids than we are actually raising. If you don’t mind our asking, how many of you kids are we protecting? You don’t have to give names, not if you don’t care to let us know, but we just are curious how big this, as Max called it, ’exclusive club’ is?”
The teens sat there silently and held up 6 fingers. All three of them matched their actions.
“Six kids and two adults, huh? Ok. We’ll have to have a meeting later, when the two of you are ready?” Diane questioned hopefully.
Isabel and Max both shook their heads; they weren’t that ready to merge the groups yet.
Diane smiled and chuckled, “Well it was worth a try.”
“So Kids?” Philip interjected, “think we are going to have anymore crises to deal with?” He joked, as he looked to his daughter in mock sadness, “We have to send Alex home today. His parents are expecting him back.”
“Sorry Isabel,” her mother teased as well. “But we can’t keep him. Much as we’d all like to.”
The teens got off the couch, Isabel and Alex straightened the guest room, and gathered up all his stuff. She walked him out to the car and after placing his things inside, she made sure that she returned him home with a proper kiss.
TBC…..
Shifting Realities (AU,A/I,MATURE) [WIP]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, ISLANDGIRL5, truelovepooh, Forum Moderators
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen-Mature. For language later in the chapter in another post...
Spoilers: Blind Date
********
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate.
LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if for any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter has has been in process for months. and even last night I was still WRITING in it.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
The thing is, when I make an original based on someone, I try to put as much of the real person as I can into their composite. I hope you four all feel honored for I was honored to place you into a piece of Shifting Realities history.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
*****
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part One: A
Dream Date
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While the Evan’s and Alex were busy discussing the Alien’s lives that Monday night, another event was taking place elsewhere in Roswell.
*****
Everyone that week was tuned into the local radio Station 101.2 FM, KROZ. They were producing a mystery Valentines date, to be held on Friday February 11. The winner was to be chosen at random by being drawn out of the proverbial “hat.” And the station was also looking for local talent to open for a popular band, whose name was yet undisclosed.
The Crashdown wasn’t yet closed but business was slowing for the day and the girls were busy cleaning, in between the taking care of their last customers. Maria was bussing some tables and Liz was wiping down the counters and appliances in the waitress station.
The radio was playing softly in the background, while Jeff Parker perched behind the counter refilling condiment containers, preparing for another business day tomorrow.
/”Right now,” the announcer spoke, “I’m heading down Main Street with my entourage…”/
Jeff called the girls close and turned up the volume. He knew that Maria had secretly entered the two of them in the drawing. The time, and location the winner was to be announced was also a mystery. The station had only told the listening audience to be prepared for they would not know when the crew would appear. It was only known that they would arrive during the hours of 8 am through 10 pm. And the station had been building up the suspense since 8 am that morning. They had quite a following of listeners as they walked down Main Street on that evening of February 7, 2000.
/”This is Dave Kzin at KROZ, and right now we are entering one of our finer places to eat, especially if you are in the mood for alien themed food… The CrashDown Café …”/
The double glass doors flew open and the local night host and radio talent extraordinaire entered, followed by rolling television cameras and a throng of fine citizens of the town..
Dave Kzin was an average man, not “Movie star” gorgeous but decent looking. He was around six-foot tall, and solidly built, it looked as if she spent a lot of time in the gym, as his strength was evident. Dave’s deep baritone voice lent itself well to Broadcasting, as it was sensual, and his ratings soared among the younger set; the single women especially, who found him to be mysterious and alluring when all they heard was his rich toned voice over the air waves. His exotic blue eyes, which were complemented by his wire-framed glasses, twinkled with a love of life and that was reflected through his charming personality. He had curly brown hair and a smile to light the room. Dave grinned broadly and played to the rolling cameras, “I hold in my hand,” he held up a small card, “the name of one lucky woman who has been chosen to enjoy a mystery Valentine’s date, An evening of fantasy and romance that will end in the most exciting concert of the year. An intimate club date with a surprise mystery band that'll put this town on the map for more than just the crash…. We are looking for our new Queen of Hearts,” he read off the card in his radio voice, “Miss Mar-i-a De-Lu-ca.” Every syllable stretched for maximum effect.
“Is there a Maria DeLuca in the house?”
Of course there was and the girl started squealing in excitement as first she dropped the entire tub of dishes she had been holding; it crashed to the floor with a bang and luckily only a few dishes shattered from the impact.
Jeff started to laugh. He’d lost dishes to the girl before, she was after all, his daughter’s wacky and overly exuberant sidekick.
Maria then ran to her friend’s side where she nearly shook Liz Parker’s arm off in her excitement. “Oh my god … Oh My God … OH MY GOD!” She exclaimed. Each time the statement became more empathic, as her voice rose to match. She began to jump up and down, dragging her friend with.
Liz peeled her wrist from Maria’s grasp and shoved her forward, for Maria had not yet addressed the radio crew standing there in the midst of the confusion. And it was then that Maria self-consciously started to pat her hair and straighten the creases nervously on her uniform.
“Maria DeLuca? Tell me? Is there anything you’d like to say to the listening audience?” Dave asked, as a microphone was shoved in front of her face, and a silver rhinestone tiara was placed upon her head in lieu of her antennae, while a large bouquet of red roses were placed into her waiting arms.
“Yeah, just one thing,” she told him before snatching the microphone out of his hand and staring straight at the flashing cameras. “Michael Guerin…Eat your heart out.”
“Do I hear the sound of a breaking heart? Well anyone out there, who wants to be this young beauty’s dream date, applications are now being taken. Stay Tuned, for in a couple of days we will narrow down the eligible bachelor pool, but for now, this is Dave Kzin saying lets make this a date no one will ever forget.“
And playing to the cameras again, he got up with a flourish and blew through the doors in much the same manner as he had arrived.
***************
Outside the Evan’s, leaning against the side of Alex’s Corolla were Isabel and Alex, in their new favorite form, kissing each other of course. She hadn’t ‘taken’ the relationship ‘public,’ but she sure wasn’t shy about publicly kissing him either. Any of her neighbors could spy on them at this given moment, though none were. She just wasn’t ready to send him home, the last two weekends only convinced her how much she wanted him around. She was truly going to miss his presence, and so they were saying goodbye as slowly as they could, with a slow, gentle, and lingering kiss.
****************
Maria was so elated and wanted to share her news so much that she raced upstairs to the Parker’s residence and grabbed their nearest phone. She needed to share something like this with her other best friend Alex, and he had mentioned something at school about being at the Evans’.
The phone rang and Max picked it up, a pained look crossed his face as he jerked the receiver about twelve inches away from his ear. Even then, the caller could still be heard plainly on the other end.
Maria didn’t care whom she was talking to. She hadn’t bothered to even find out, instead she was jumping up and down and squealing, “I won! I won! I won! Turn on your radio, I won!”
Diane was clearing the remains of the teen’s snacks, and Philip was staring curiously at his son, who was standing stock still with a bemused expression on his face. Philip laughed as he pointed to the phone and said, “Who is it?”
“Maria,” Max stated assuredly. “I can tell by the excitability level,” Philip chuckled, as Max continued, “that, and the recognizable shriek.”
Maria was still rambling on the other end of the line, unaware that she wasn’t really talking to anyone in particular. “… This is by far the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Oh my God!? What am I going to wear? I need to go shopping, accessorize, nail polish, definitely more nail polish…. ”
Max rolled his eyes and decided to have a little fun at the squealing girl’s expense, though she’d never know. He looked directly at his Dad and muttered, “Girls. Why do they squeal in a pitch only dogs would respond to when they get excited? Well, maybe dogs and ‘aliens.’ He teased. “ My alien ears aren’t doing too well here. ”
“Yeah,” Philip chuckled as he slapped his son playfully on his back, as he headed toward the kitchen, “One of the mysteries of women. Better see what she wants, her pitch has decreased.” He walked away laughing.
Max raced outside with the phone. The young couple that he was looking for was easy enough to find. Alex hadn’t left yet, obviously.
He rolled his eyes as he interrupted them. “Give it a rest you two.” He teasingly interjected, “Save some air for talking to Maria, she’s on the phone, very excited about winning some contest.”
Realization flashed across Alex’s face as he blurted out, “She won the Blind Date. I gotta go.”
“Not without me ... Shotgun!” called out Isabel as she ran around to the passenger side. Yelling as she climbed in, “Tell Mom were at the Crashdown, be back later.”
Max was left standing there as they peeled out of the driveway. He turned to the phone still in his hand, and lifted the receiver to his ear…. “Maria?”
“…And then there’s shoes … Oh! Yeah?” She tuned into Max’s voice for a moment.
“Sorry about that, but they’re on their way.” He stated.
“Ok, Bye Max.” And she hung up and went back downstairs to await the arrival of her best friend, Alex, and her new ‘girlfriend,’ Isabel.
***************
Michael was walking down Main Street, looking between his map of Roswell and the sketching Max had done of the drawings. They had to be right; it had to be a map, and he was going to find their father with it. Correction, ‘his father.’ Max and Isabel didn’t need a father, he thought to himself, they had human parents ... it was Michael who had gotten the short shrift and craved a connection to where they were from. Michael was so engrossed by his work that he didn’t notice Paulie from school coming up to him until the boy swung an arm around his shoulders. “Tough break about DeLuca.”
“What?” Michael asked puzzled.
“You haven’t heard yet?” Paulie was stunned, “Dude, I’m sorry; I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?” He asked irrated.
Paulie continued to fill Michael in, “She won the Blind Date contest. The radio is setting her up with some hunk for Friday.”
Michael stared at the jock, so, what was his point? He wasn’t dating Maria any more; he didn’t care. It made no difference to him if Maria dated other people. Heck, he’d even pay the guy and then offer his sympathies for being stuck with her. Because she was crazy, a certifiable, motor mouth, nut job. A cute nut job, with great lips, a great body, and it didn’t matter that when they kissed- Mud, he had to think about mud. No, he didn’t want to storm over to the Crashdown and demand that she cancel the date. It wasn’t like he wanted to blast whoever the radio would set her up with. Noooooooo, he didn’t care.
The two boys didn’t notice the lampposts on the street, because if they had, then they would have noticed the light bulbs growing brighter each second Michael just stood there. Brighter, and brighter, until the bulbs burst, sending sparks down to the pavement.
“What the…” Paulie stated confused.
Nope, Michael Guerin didn’t care at all.
***************
Isabel sighed as Alex and she arrived at the Crashdown. Although, Liz had won in her timeline she could honestly say that the week of the contest was one of the few times she felt somewhat relaxed. Of course, that was also when Michael set off that signal for Nasedo. She would have to make sure that he didn’t do it this time. She didn’t want Nasedo or Tess anywhere near Roswell, not yet anyway. That would be something she’d have to stop. However, right now she didn’t want to think about avoiding the future. Right now, she wanted to pretend she was normal again, and she was celebrating the fact that one of the friends won a contest. And hopefully, Michael won’t ruin her date by showing up drunk. She chuckled at the image of a love struck Michael walking the streets with a drunk Kyle Valenti.
“What’s so funny?” Alex asked her.
“I’ll explain later.” She assured him as they got out of his car, “Other timeline.”
“Oh.” Alex stated in understanding as he knocked on the glass door of the Crashdown.
Liz heard them and came up to let the pair in. “Hey, Alex, Isabel. Maria’s in my room.”
As they walked up the stairs, Isabel thought about the contest. To be honest, she was torn, because she knew that Michael loved Maria and always would. Just like she was aware that Maria really only had eyes for Michael, should she really be encouraging Maria into doing this date? Then again, Michael treated Maria horribly, breaking up with her because he was too scared.
Isabel knew that story all too well, she had authored it, for that’s what she seemed to do with Alex in her past. She would run when things got too much. So with this knowledge she also had an understanding, a perception, of what Michael was dealing with, so she realized that he treated relationships pretty much as she had, at an arms length with no attachments. Isabel came to a decision when she reached the top of the stairs.
Michael deserved to learn a lesson about women and love. Before it was too late.
“Maria! You won!” Isabel stated as she entered the room, “Are you excited?” She spoke in a tone of interest but not matching excitement.
“Are you joking? This like, like, winning the lottery, come on, you need to help me decide what I’m going to wear.” The other girl began, as she pulled Isabel over to the bed.
Isabel grinned deviously, ‘Oh, yes! She’d most definitely help Maria decide what to wear.
Something to make Michael realize what an idiot he was.
***************
The following day, Tuesday at school, Alex was posting fliers for a new singer.
Isabel and Alex had agreed that she’d be there, at the concert if he won the audition of course, so he was busy preparing for Wednesday and the audition. Still, he did have the problem of not having a singer, and was in the process of looking for one when Maria and Liz saw him. The girls walked up together.
“Hey Alex,” said Liz.
He answered, “Yeah, Hey!” he gave a short nod in her direction. “What’s up with you today?”
Maria replied, “Looks like the real question is what’s up with you?” She pointed to the flier as she asked incredulously; “You lost the singer to your band?”
“What happened to Wendy Lavely?” Liz then asked.
“Uh, she got Mono from Peter Gulla.” He said disgustedly and Maria quipped back, “Ew. She's lucky that's all she got.”
“Yeah.” He nodded, and then in a more surprised tone he stated, “Oh...oh, we...umm...we have to find somebody before these auditions tomorrow, otherwise we're totally screwed.”
“Alex, Alex, begging is so unbecoming.” Maria haughtily answered her friend.
“What?” he asked her totally confused.
“I'll do it, I'll do it. Anyway, I'm so much better than that prima donna. So, when should we rehearse?” She expected him to accept her invitation right there on the spot and so she was absolutely stunned and a little hurt when he answered, with a raised eyebrow at her remarks, “You can’t sing with us, Maria.”
Maria proceeded to stare him down and placed her hands on her hips, “And just why not? You don’t think I’m good enough?” She asked, put off by Alex’s quick refusal.
“No, no, no,” he sputtered out just as fast, trying to correct his mistake. “It’s just that you won the contest, you can’t enter the radio auditions.”
“Oh,” Maria paused, slightly put off balance by Alex’s reason. “I know, Liz, you should try out.”
“What?” Alex and Liz both asked at once, in a matched tone of utter shock..
Maria always one to act first, think second just continued to ramble on…“It’ll be fun, besides you sing with me on Karaoke Night at the Pizza Pan.”
“Yeah, one song, Maria,” quipped Liz, “and that’s Some Where Out There. Somehow I don’t think that’s what Alex’s band is looking for.” Liz retorted, she then took the opportunity to think over Alex’s problem and suggested someone to him.
“This might seem a little unconventional here but what about Geneva Owens?” Liz asked
“Geneva Owens?” he thought for a moment of what classes she might be in and turned to Liz with a look of skepticism. “The junior who’s in the Science Club? No offense Liz but I’m looking for someone who can sing, not a ‘Science Geek’.”
Liz shot him a look, “And just what’s wrong with ‘Science Geeks,’ huh?“ She ribbed him a little.
“Nothing with them I’m sure, but they’re the type to play an instrument in orchestra or something, not singing in front of crowds.” He caught the look the girls were giving him, and knew that he’d put his foot straight into his mouth. “Don’t tell me, she plays the cello or something right?“ He said in a teasing manner of absolute jest, not knowing how close he actually was to the truth.
“Violin actually,” Maria added quickly. “She’s a really nice girl.”
He brought the conversation back around to its original purpose, “You’re sure she sings?” He asked dubiously.
“Yeah, she’s really good, besides Maria, she’s the only one who gets requests at the Pizza Pan.” Liz nodded.
Alex bit back his gut reaction to tell Liz and Maria that he was looking for a real singer, one with professional experience, because he remembered Isabel’s recounting of events for the auditions, and how Maria had wormed herself into the spotlight. And so although he wanted his band to play their original songs, in the other reality, he had wanted the same thing, but had to compromise, because it was the only way the radio station would pick them. “Okay then. Well, can Geneva come over later to work with the band? We have to practice today endlessly.”
“I’m not sure, she’s kind of shy about the whole singing in front of a real crowd thing... But if Maria goes with her, she may come.”
Alex nodded at her statement, it wasn’t great, but it was better than no singer at all. He’d just audition her along with anyone else who might happen to apply.
***************
That week, the thing to do was to listen to 101.2 FM KROZ. Everyone was curious to find out what type of guy Maria DeLuca was after. Would she ask for a hometown hero, a college man, or would she ask for the unattainable rebel without a cause? All ears were glued to the radio to find out the answers.
The radio station had taken out a couple of tables for equipment and personnel, stretching a very large, very wide KROZ Blind Valentine’s Dream Date banner over the booths that sat alongside the wall.
Alex was in his garage with his band, practicing, and auditioning any potential female vocalists.
Michael had cornered the Evans’ kids at school telling them that he had figured something out about the drawings and wanted them to be at the Crashdown after school. They all arrived at the same time as Amy DeLuca. Max did the gentlemanly thing and let the women in first. Well he tried to, Michael was the first in, and then Max held the door for the ladies. Maria was with Liz in the back room being prepared by her best friend for the interview that would (hopefully) change her life. The aliens sat down in one of the out of the way booths, the siblings on one side, with Michael on the opposite. And Amy made her way to the bar where she planted her self on one of the swiveling stools, watching everything and eagerly awaiting when her daughter would state what she was looking for in a man.
Isabel realized that Michael probably wanted to talk to them about the map. She knew she had to find a way to stop him from going to the library, but how? He was still the suspicious paranoid; she couldn’t just insist that he not go. That would only make him more persistent and defiant, and she couldn’t use Max’s old argument against contacting Nasedo, because in this time line, they never met Hubble, never heard his rantings of murders. The only person they knew for certain that he had killed was Atherton. The Sheriff had the autopsy photos. And River-Dog had informed Liz and Max of Atherton’s death at the hands of the alien stranger.
Isabel began twisting her napkin. What could she say? Her mind frantically began to think of words, reasons, but nothing seemed to sound right, and Michael hadn’t even started yet. Max seemed to notice his sister’s preoccupied state and asked her what was bothering her. She hadn’t noticed the question, so he repeated it.
“Huh?” She asked distractedly, “Oh, it’s nothing, Max. Just thinking how much a pain it must be for the Parkers to have the radio station here.” She looked above their heads at the banner and around at the tables that the station had commandeered, to cover for her lack of attention.
Max sent her a look of disbelief, and Michael’s head snapped up at the mention of the radio station. He scowled a bit, but quickly waved his hand dismissively, “Whatever, can we focus here?”
Max stared at his friend’s harsh attitude; and frowned for a moment before responding, “What did you want to talk about Michael?” he asked softly.
“This,” Michael stated as he pulled the penciled drawing out onto the table.
Max and Isabel paled for different reasons. Isabel turned white because she knew she couldn’t fail. Max was upset at Michael for taking such a risk. “You shouldn’t have brought that here.”
Michael just ignored him, “Look it’s a map. Max you said so yourself after we were healed in the cave.”
“We don’t know that for sure, Michael.” Isabel stated calmly carefully choosing her words.
“I said it was a map, I didn’t say to what…” countered Max, “because that’s all I know.”
“Fine, I know it’s a map. I’m sure about it; I saw it in my hallucination.” argued Michael. “If you must know, it’s a map to right here, in Roswell.”
Isabel gave him a pointed stare, “Why are you so sure about that? You want us to believe a hallucination?” she haughtily cocked her head angrily to the side.
“Isabel, that’s a bit harsh, maybe we should hear what he has to say.” Max attempted to mollify his sister, but Isabel wasn’t willing to back down. Not just yet.
“Look! I’m just saying we don’t know what exactly the cave painting/message is for, nor do we really know anything about the person who drew it. We don’t know what you saw or why, you’re the only one who did, but we also don’t know if it meant anything either.”
“Oh, it meant something, and I think I know what it was.” Michael threw back. When the other two just looked back at him expectantly, he elaborated. “He’s left us instructions to contact him.”
Isabel closed her eyes for moment, this was what she was expecting and she needed it to stop. “And then what Michael?”
“Then we blow this Popsicle stand.” He said decisively.
“That’s it? That’s your plan?” Her tone was derisive in return, but she couldn’t help it, what was he thinking?
“Well, at least I’m not standing around trying to pretend I’m normal, and living out some silly All-American fantasy.” He glowered at her, and mouthed the word, “Alex.”
“Michael,” Max cut in at that point hoping he could get the two of them to settle down, but Isabel just ignored him.
“Max and I like what we have in Roswell, and yes, we know that it’s not easy for you, that it has never been easy for you, but we can’t change that Michael. All we have is now…“ Isabel tried to get a thought in edgewise but was cut off.
“Exactly, all we have is now, and I’m going to find out what’s out there.” Michael said as his palm landed flat on the map, leaving no confusion about what he was stating.
“You want to talk about living out a fantasy, go look in a mirror, Michael.” Isabel barked out and leaned back in her seat with her arms firmly crossed across her chest.
He narrowed his eyes at her implication, “And what is that supposed to mean Isabel?”
Uncrossing her arms, and narrowing her eyes a little, she looked right at him, “You accuse us of living in a fantasy where everything is all right, and you’re probably right. But, you live in a fantasy where everything is going to be all right.” She rapidly continued to speak her mind, she wasn’t going to be interrupted again, “You keep telling yourself that as soon as you learn something about where we come from, or what happened to the others, then your life will get better. Have you ever considered that maybe it’s better we don’t know, or that we never find the other alien?” Isabel then she uttered softly so the others didn’t hear, “Or that he doesn’t find us.”
Michael didn’t even blink an eye, “Nope! I think anything is better than this.”
‘You should be careful about what you wish for Michael.’ Isabel thought, but before she could continue, Max intervened. “Ok! Hold on! I’m not saying that I agree or disagree with what you want to do Michael, but this should be a group decision. If we do this, all of us should agree to do it together. You can’t just go alone on this; we don’t want a repeat of what happened when you went to the reservation alone do we. If you recall we both got really sick, and we left Isabel rather terrified of losing us.”
“Shut Up Max!” She ordered. She hated it when he played the brother role and reminded her of her points of weakness.
This seemed to pacify Michael a bit, but then he saw Maria come out of the back room with Liz. It was obvious that she was going to give her interview soon, and something about that didn’t sit too well with the teen. He shifted a bit in the booth, “Why do you think it’s such a bad idea, Isabel?”
“We don’t know anything about this other alien, Michael! What if he or she is dangerous?” She had to be careful now; she couldn’t afford to let him suspect that something was up, that she knew more than she was telling them. “We keep saying how we can’t trust anyone, well, just because this person is an alien we suddenly throw that rule out the window?”
“Hey, you trusted Alex.” he countered back.
“Only because I got to know him, really got to know him.”
Max jumped in, “I don’t see how you really got to know him all that well from one dream-walk. But I know that you felt the need to do what you did, so…”
Isabel turned to Max first… “I know his character. He saved your life, with an illegal act mind you.” Then she turned back to Michael, “So you are proposing that we trust a complete stranger?”
“He’s not a stranger.” Michael barked back in a tense whisper, “This person was with us in the crash, that makes them one of us. The only other person like us out there.”
“We have each other Michael, all three of us. Isn’t that good enough?” Isabel tucked her hair behind her ear. “Anyone else would be a stranger to us.” Isabel persisted. “What if, what this person tells us or does, is something that ends up doing more harm than good, are you willing to take that chance?”
Michael shook his head, “No, it wouldn’t happen.” he added defensively.
Isabel wanted to pull her hair out, what would it take to make him understand? “God, Michael how dense can you be? Don’t you realize what’s at stake?” She hissed so vehemently that both Michael and Max stared at her.
“What do you mean Isabel?” Max asked; worry seeping into his eyes.
She licked her lips before answering, “There’s a reason why the other alien left Roswell, and I’m sorry, but the reasons I think up aren’t very pleasant.”
“Like what?” Michael demanded.
“Like maybe the other alien did something wrong like accidentally assaulted someone or committed a crime, I don’t know. I mean supposedly Atherton was killed by one. That’s what River-Dog told Max.”
“Exactly,” Michael shot back, “we don’t know. They could have left to protect us from being found; they probably meant for to come back for us.”
“Then why didn’t they? Why weren’t they here to find us; are you going to sit there and tell me that it has taken them 10 years for them to find us again?” Isabel fired back. When Michael didn’t return her stare, she continued. “Maybe they’re on the run, and the last thing we should do is to lead the other alien back to us, to lead them to us.”
“’Them?’ What do you mean by that, like whom?” Max jumped into the heated argument once again.
“The police, the government, who did you think I meant?” And for a moment Isabel forgot her knowledge and her place and just continued on…
“Oh, right, like the fourth alien is stupid enough to lure the suits over to us.” Michael retorted.
“Actually, the FBI…” she answered all too quickly, ‘CRAP! I shouldn’t have said that.’ Isabel thought as she became silent hoping that Michael wouldn’t jump down her throat.
She didn’t get that lucky. “What do you mean the F-B-I?” he enounced the individual letters slowly, methodically.
“Nothing,” she quickly replied, a bit too quickly which Michael and Max both caught, judging by the glance they gave each other.
“Is-a-bel?” Max drew out her name. “What are you talking about… they already are watching you. I mean if what we talked about last night is accurate.”
Michael started to stare at the other two teens. “What is he talking about Isabel? You and the FBI?”
“Me! I’m on their radar ok? That guy at the convention Saturday, FBI for certain. Can’t prove it, just felt my skin crawling in his presence. Enough about that…” She closed her eyes again before rapidly coming up with a reasonable explanation. Sighing she looked directly at Michael, “I’m just saying, there is the possibility that maybe,” Michael threw her a disbelieving look which she countered with her own, “maybe the FBI is involved, that perhaps the fourth alien is on their radar and we shouldn’t start shooting out flares of our own until we find out some more on our own, together... as its always been before.”
“Hey! I’m still remembering the way it was before, it’s you two who seem to have forgotten, Isabel you went crazy for a human boy. Max, you allowed a human girl to discover our biggest secret. Me? I can still walk away, but you two sit there with your cherry colas and high school fantasies. So where is your human boy Isabel?”
“His name is Alex. Not human boy… and he’s practicing with his band for the auditions tomorrow. And I think we can find a way to work the way things were before, with the way they are now. Our friends would love for us to discover the mysteries as much as we would.”
Michael wasn’t pleased with her answer because let out a dissatisfied grunt before leaning back into the booth with his arms crossed, “Like we’ve been finding out anything on our own.” Isabel opened her mouth, but he continued, “We haven’t; not until this year, because Nascedo is sending things to us.”
Isabel glanced over and saw that Maria was about to be interviewed and she knew to her satisfaction that she could get the last word, so she went for it. “Not necessarily, there is the remote possibility that we haven’t found things out until this year because we weren’t ready, we weren’t old enough, and we didn’t have the understanding we needed. We’re 16/17 now… we finally have some maturity. We were kids Michael. And I’d like to take our maturity and use it as a team to discover what we need to know….”
It appeared that he would have continued, but stopped as he noticed the DJ finally indicate that he was ready to go on the air with Maria. She wasn’t wearing her Crashdown uniform, and she was checking out her reflection in the mirror. ‘God, she’s on the radio, not television. No one is going to notice what she looks like right now. No one is going to care that she’s wearing the fuzzy pink sweater that looks really good on her. No one is going to know that she’s really cute when she has those bejeweled butterfly barrettes in her hair. I mean, I don’t’
Both Max and Isabel noticed how distracted he became. “Michael?” Max tentatively asked, but his best friend didn’t register the question. So, Isabel decided to be a little more aggressive; she gave him a little kick in the shins. The resulting pain did bring Michael out from his haze slightly. “What?” was his confused and irate response.
“You shouldn’t let your personal problems interfere with your mission.” Isabel sassily told him, relieved that she could direct the conversation away from the map for now.
“I don’t care that Maria won the contest.” Michael replied automatically.
“I never mentioned the contest.” She countered.
“I don’t.”
“You know what your problem is Michael?” She asked him sweetly. When he only gave her an expectant look she answered her question, “It’s called ‘denial.’ Let me out Max, I’m going to find Alex, or go do something else. ”
When she was out of earshot, Michael turned back to Max, “I’m not in denial. Your sister is nuts.”
Max only shrugged. This was his sister, but Isabel was a bit unpredictable at times, as he was beginning to realize these past couple of months. He was about to reply to Michael’s comment, when Liz gave him a second soda.
“I thought you guys might have wanted a refill. It seemed like you guys did a lot of talking and you might have gotten thirsty.” She told them shyly. Michael only gave her a curt, dismissive nod. However, before Liz could place the second glass on the table in front of him, Michael saw two guys enter the diner.
They noticed the radio DJ and Maria and one of the guys caught the attention of his buddy. He pointed out Maria, and they proceeded to give her a once over, and their eyes ended up about a foot south of her chin. That irked him even more, he didn’t like the way they were looking at her, and since when did guys look at Maria like that.
The glass suddenly cracked while it was still in Liz’s hand. She let out a small gasp but deftly let it slip out of her hand and onto the table spilling the contents over its surface. Liz made a small show of getting napkins to stop the flowing soda. Michael belatedly realized that the cracked glass was his fault and that Liz had just covered him. He couldn’t quite look her in the eye as she apologized for dropping his soda.
Feeling the need to make amends, Max gave her a wide smile. “Thanks, Liz. Umm, it’s kind of busy here.” He stated in an attempt at small talk.
“Yeah, well, Agnes out, the contest, and Maria doing the interview, we’re a bit short-handed.” She admitted.
“Oh, um, so, do, uh, would you like some help?” Max asked hesitantly.
Liz’s eyes lit up, but she tried to play it cool. Was Max really starting to step out of ‘the box?’ “That’s really nice, Max. Thanks, but are you sure, I mean, don’t you have to go to work today?”
“It’s my day off, and I can bus, but if you...“
Liz rushed in to stop Max from changing his mind. He was finally starting to warm up to her, and she wasn’t willing to let this chance go by. “No, um, I mean, I’d really appreciate it, Max.”
Max threw a glance at Michael, “You don’t mind right?”
“Nope, by all means, go.” Michael told his friend, thinking that Max wouldn’t take him seriously.
“Thanks, bro.” Michael couldn’t believe his ears. Max was going? Where were his priorities?
***************
Maria was placed in a chair in one of the central tables, DJ Dave Kzin was sitting across from her. A microphone was perched on the tabletop and she was directed to pick up the headphones.
Dave Kzin started by flattering her… "We are here with the lovely and exuberant Maria DeLuca and might I say she is a pretty little number with short blonde hair, but quite the feisty little thing also...watch out fellas." He said in an overly exaggerated voice. “Whoever gets her will be one lucky man, but its going to take a special someone to tame this firecracker.”
“Okay, Maria, let’s talk about preferences, who’s better Dr. Mark Greene or Dr. Doug Ross from ER?”
“Well, Anthony Edwards is cute in a geeky kind of way, but George Clooney is to die for.” Maria grinned mischievously…
Okay then, then we’re looking for a rule breaker. The DJ started.
Amy sitting at the bar watched her daughter and crossed her arms at her answer, glaring at Maria who never noticed. Taking matters into her own hands she got off her stool and walked over to the table where Maria was currently sitting.
“Ma-ri-a!” Amy stated in her all too distinctly unique voice.
“What?” Maria asked as her mother sidled in next to her.
“A rule breaker Maria? What happened to bringing home a nice boy to introduce to your mother?”
“Ladies…” The DJ started only to be cut off by the younger DeLuca.
“Mom,” Maria stated assuredly and turned to look at the DJ while she spoke in a stage whisper, “a nice boy couldn’t handle me.” She grinned as she cocked her head to the side, and then turned back to her mother to drive her point home. “And you already are seeing a nice boy, so I get to have a bad boy, okay?” Maria stated firmly in hopes of ending the conversation with her mother, of course no such luck.
“Uh, ladies, the interview…“ He tried again in vain. Both DeLucas were in full-fledged debate over Maria’s choice.
“What’s that suppose to mean?” Amy countered.
“You and Valenti? Who did you think I was talking about? Oh my God, are you seeing some one else?” Maria jumped to conclusions and ran with her idea.
“No! Maria, what are you saying?” Her mother joined her in the debate.
“Oh my God, my mother is dating another single guy in Roswell, who is it?” Maria ordered as the DJ turned to his crew and shrugged, a puzzled look on his face.
“Uh Ladies, You’re on the air…” he tried again. They never heard him.
“No one!” Amy practically shouted. She waited a minute to regain her composure and then continued in a calmer tone. “Maria, whatever is going on between me and Jim…”
“Jim, oh, you call him, Jim?”
Finally aware that they were still broadcasting, Amy closed her mouth before saying anything else. Maria flashed a triumphant smile at her mother before turning her attention back to the DJ. “Where were we?” She calmly stated, as if nothing had just transpired.
“Lets just ask the next question shall we?” Dave quickly responded before these two took over again. “Blonde or Brunette?”
“Definitely dark haired.” ‘What has Michael done to me? I used to love blondes.’ Maria thought to herself.
“I thought you liked blondes, Honey,” Amy said frowning. “Doug in 8th Grade?”
“Not anymore.” Maria retorted, “and you were the one who liked them more than me, remember Dad?”
Your Dad has nothing to do with this, since when did you stop liking blondes?”
Maria peered over her mother’s head to see Michael sitting across the aisle from her. “Since now.” She stated matter-of-factly.
Luckily, Dave took control of the conversation before the two could get into yet another debate. “Well, now that we got that established, one last question? Hometown boys or out-of-towners?”
Taking one last look at Michael, Maria smiled sweetly to the DJ before giving her answer, “I need a change from the boys of Roswell.” The word boys emphasized so Michael could get her meaning.
“I think I just heard the sound of hopes falling all around Roswell. Well, Maria, what we need to do is find you a dark-haired rebel from out of town. If you or anyone you know fits the description, then come on over to the KROZ station tomorrow at 12-3 or at 5-7. Once again we’re looking for a dark-haired rebel for our newest Queen of Hearts. Who will be the one to sweep Maria DeLuca off her feet?”
While the DJ continued his speech, Amy faced her daughter, “Why don’t you go out with that Michael boy? He’s nice.”
Maria closed her eyes, clenched her hands into fists, clamped her mouth shut, and resisted the urge to scream.
“I gotta go,” she shot her mother a wary look, “I see Geneva and we have to be somewhere else. Bye...” She made a quick departure grabbing the petite, dark-haired musician from her seat and dragging her out of the doors before Amy could say anything else.
***************
The band was practicing in Alex’s garage when Maria came in with Geneva. Maria didn’t announce their presence until they finished a set. She made a remark stating that the music wasn’t really the type of music the radio station would appreciate. Alex bit back a response realizing that in a twisted way; she was right. The station wouldn’t mind new music, but for a concert like this, the crowd and the radio would be hoping for some popular songs. He just prayed that Geneva didn’t like boy bands.
Before any of his band members could protest he gathered them together for a small talk explaining Maria’s point in a less Maria way. And then he gave out the introductions briefly… “Guys, Maria and Geneva. Geneva will be trying out as our lead singer… Ladies, the guys… Nicky on lead guitar, Chris on drums there and Marcos on rhythm… And I’m in process of getting a keyboardist, Jordan Banes. He couldn’t be here today but he’ll be there for the auditions tomorrow. He and his Mom were up to something tonight.”
He turned to he lovely young woman, “And may I say welcome Geneva, to the garage. We make a lot of fine music here.”
It took a little longer than he wanted, but he got the guys to agree to hear her; she gave the band members a shy smile before taking the microphone. “Um, you guys like to play alternative right?” She asked.
“Yeah,” Nicky answered; “got a song in mind?”
“Um,” Geneva fumbled with a couple of sheets of music before handing the band their parts. “How about Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls?” It was the perfect song to showcase her talent as it also had some violin.
The band had listened to the interview during their initial practice, before Maria and Geneva had shown up… Alex felt quite satisfied with Maria’s choice for his band. This shy, unknown friend, really was the perfect singer for The Whits. Though she too shared Maria’s viewpoint about the name, it needed some more “originality.” And Alex just had to tease his best friend good naturedly he was in such a good mood…
"Ok so that was great guys." Alex said to the band with Maria nodding her head. "So…that interview was something else Maria…you cute little number you!" The comment caused a burst of laughter from the group as they all sat around.
Maria simply grinned at him as he continued to speak. "You’re looking for a rule breaker I see…and you don't like blondes anymore…that's gotta hurt somebody out there." He nudged Maria slightly with his elbow as he wiggled his eyebrows.
"What’s the matter Alex…screw up your plans of going blonde?" Maria replied, while she fingered Alex’s hair.
“HA HA! Very funny Maria,” he said while swatting her hand off his dark brown locks.
"You just wait till I tell that tall leggy blonde that you are flirting with me…you won't have any hair left, so it won't matter." She smiled sweetly at Alex.
The guys caught the interchange between the two close friends and shook their heads. They knew he had it bad; Marcos gave him a look as if to say he’d never have a chance with that girl.
“We’re just friends.” Alex said with false conviction and a nervous chuckle.
“That’s what they all say ‘girlfriend’,” answered Maria. “Lets face it Alex...you're a puppy Isabel throws a bone and you go running for it.”
“Strictly friends Maria.” He forced back, each word enunciated slowly. “She’s not dating anyone, and that’s common knowledge.”
“Well I could sit here all day and argue that fact, but I have to get back to the Crashdown. Geneva…” She turned the beautiful brunette, “sounded good.. You seem to fit in well here. See you all later.” And with that, she left Geneva to practice with the guys, and she went back to work.
After a few more rounds with their music to familiarize themselves with each other and how they flowed as a group, they were all sitting around and putting their instruments away for the night… the guys couldn’t resist teasing Alex, continuing from where they left off with Maria.
Nicky looked at Alex and raised a suggestive eyebrow, while he gave a smirk.. “So Alex? A tall leggy blonde? …Would that be by any chance…Isabel 'the catwalk model’ Evans?” he joked causing Alex to choke momentarily.
Geneva rolled her eyes at their antics. "Who doesn't like Isabel…I swear you guys will follow anything with breasts."
"Isabel?” Alex fidgeted slightly as he quickly rushed to deny his feelings, and choked out, “Come on…like I have a snowballs chance in hell of getting with her. We are only friends as I already told Maria.”
Nicky turned to Marcos. "You notice the way he says her name in a breathy manner…Isabel! Oh Isabel." Nicky said in a breathy voice as he grinned at Alex. Who then had the good grace to flush slightly as he quickly rushed to deny his feelings.
Alex looked up in time to see Geneva walking around mimicking a model and fluttering her eyelashes, her hands held out demurely like a Barbie dolls, as she strutted around tall and straight. The guys laughed out loud and dropped to the floor and bowed before her shouting, "All bow before the Great Isabel." Alex dropped his head in defeat, as he was met buy a chorus of 'Oh Isabel's,' said in the perfect mocking breathy manner. He shook his head as he looked at his friends, reaching out to shove Marcos who was sitting the closet to him… “You guys suck.”
Latching closed the last clasp on his case, “I gotta get out of here,” Alex moaned, and grabbed his bass to take to the Crashdown. He wanted to go spend time with his girls.
TBC....
*****
A/N I've been trying all this Valentine's Day to get this up and on the Boards.. but my time has been limited. I will succeed with this first of one part post by midnight of the 14th. Thank goodness I'm PST... otherwise this day would already have transferred into the new one ...
I'll get you part B soon... and the second half of this chapter will come to you in March also in two parts.
I'm doing the best I can.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen-Mature. For language later in the chapter in another post...
Spoilers: Blind Date
********
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate.
LOLSo I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if for any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter has has been in process for months. and even last night I was still WRITING in it.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
The thing is, when I make an original based on someone, I try to put as much of the real person as I can into their composite. I hope you four all feel honored for I was honored to place you into a piece of Shifting Realities history.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
*****
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part One: A
Dream Date
-----
While the Evan’s and Alex were busy discussing the Alien’s lives that Monday night, another event was taking place elsewhere in Roswell.
*****
Everyone that week was tuned into the local radio Station 101.2 FM, KROZ. They were producing a mystery Valentines date, to be held on Friday February 11. The winner was to be chosen at random by being drawn out of the proverbial “hat.” And the station was also looking for local talent to open for a popular band, whose name was yet undisclosed.
The Crashdown wasn’t yet closed but business was slowing for the day and the girls were busy cleaning, in between the taking care of their last customers. Maria was bussing some tables and Liz was wiping down the counters and appliances in the waitress station.
The radio was playing softly in the background, while Jeff Parker perched behind the counter refilling condiment containers, preparing for another business day tomorrow.
/”Right now,” the announcer spoke, “I’m heading down Main Street with my entourage…”/
Jeff called the girls close and turned up the volume. He knew that Maria had secretly entered the two of them in the drawing. The time, and location the winner was to be announced was also a mystery. The station had only told the listening audience to be prepared for they would not know when the crew would appear. It was only known that they would arrive during the hours of 8 am through 10 pm. And the station had been building up the suspense since 8 am that morning. They had quite a following of listeners as they walked down Main Street on that evening of February 7, 2000.
/”This is Dave Kzin at KROZ, and right now we are entering one of our finer places to eat, especially if you are in the mood for alien themed food… The CrashDown Café …”/
The double glass doors flew open and the local night host and radio talent extraordinaire entered, followed by rolling television cameras and a throng of fine citizens of the town..
Dave Kzin was an average man, not “Movie star” gorgeous but decent looking. He was around six-foot tall, and solidly built, it looked as if she spent a lot of time in the gym, as his strength was evident. Dave’s deep baritone voice lent itself well to Broadcasting, as it was sensual, and his ratings soared among the younger set; the single women especially, who found him to be mysterious and alluring when all they heard was his rich toned voice over the air waves. His exotic blue eyes, which were complemented by his wire-framed glasses, twinkled with a love of life and that was reflected through his charming personality. He had curly brown hair and a smile to light the room. Dave grinned broadly and played to the rolling cameras, “I hold in my hand,” he held up a small card, “the name of one lucky woman who has been chosen to enjoy a mystery Valentine’s date, An evening of fantasy and romance that will end in the most exciting concert of the year. An intimate club date with a surprise mystery band that'll put this town on the map for more than just the crash…. We are looking for our new Queen of Hearts,” he read off the card in his radio voice, “Miss Mar-i-a De-Lu-ca.” Every syllable stretched for maximum effect.
“Is there a Maria DeLuca in the house?”
Of course there was and the girl started squealing in excitement as first she dropped the entire tub of dishes she had been holding; it crashed to the floor with a bang and luckily only a few dishes shattered from the impact.
Jeff started to laugh. He’d lost dishes to the girl before, she was after all, his daughter’s wacky and overly exuberant sidekick.
Maria then ran to her friend’s side where she nearly shook Liz Parker’s arm off in her excitement. “Oh my god … Oh My God … OH MY GOD!” She exclaimed. Each time the statement became more empathic, as her voice rose to match. She began to jump up and down, dragging her friend with.
Liz peeled her wrist from Maria’s grasp and shoved her forward, for Maria had not yet addressed the radio crew standing there in the midst of the confusion. And it was then that Maria self-consciously started to pat her hair and straighten the creases nervously on her uniform.
“Maria DeLuca? Tell me? Is there anything you’d like to say to the listening audience?” Dave asked, as a microphone was shoved in front of her face, and a silver rhinestone tiara was placed upon her head in lieu of her antennae, while a large bouquet of red roses were placed into her waiting arms.
“Yeah, just one thing,” she told him before snatching the microphone out of his hand and staring straight at the flashing cameras. “Michael Guerin…Eat your heart out.”
“Do I hear the sound of a breaking heart? Well anyone out there, who wants to be this young beauty’s dream date, applications are now being taken. Stay Tuned, for in a couple of days we will narrow down the eligible bachelor pool, but for now, this is Dave Kzin saying lets make this a date no one will ever forget.“
And playing to the cameras again, he got up with a flourish and blew through the doors in much the same manner as he had arrived.
***************
Outside the Evan’s, leaning against the side of Alex’s Corolla were Isabel and Alex, in their new favorite form, kissing each other of course. She hadn’t ‘taken’ the relationship ‘public,’ but she sure wasn’t shy about publicly kissing him either. Any of her neighbors could spy on them at this given moment, though none were. She just wasn’t ready to send him home, the last two weekends only convinced her how much she wanted him around. She was truly going to miss his presence, and so they were saying goodbye as slowly as they could, with a slow, gentle, and lingering kiss.
****************
Maria was so elated and wanted to share her news so much that she raced upstairs to the Parker’s residence and grabbed their nearest phone. She needed to share something like this with her other best friend Alex, and he had mentioned something at school about being at the Evans’.
The phone rang and Max picked it up, a pained look crossed his face as he jerked the receiver about twelve inches away from his ear. Even then, the caller could still be heard plainly on the other end.
Maria didn’t care whom she was talking to. She hadn’t bothered to even find out, instead she was jumping up and down and squealing, “I won! I won! I won! Turn on your radio, I won!”
Diane was clearing the remains of the teen’s snacks, and Philip was staring curiously at his son, who was standing stock still with a bemused expression on his face. Philip laughed as he pointed to the phone and said, “Who is it?”
“Maria,” Max stated assuredly. “I can tell by the excitability level,” Philip chuckled, as Max continued, “that, and the recognizable shriek.”
Maria was still rambling on the other end of the line, unaware that she wasn’t really talking to anyone in particular. “… This is by far the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Oh my God!? What am I going to wear? I need to go shopping, accessorize, nail polish, definitely more nail polish…. ”
Max rolled his eyes and decided to have a little fun at the squealing girl’s expense, though she’d never know. He looked directly at his Dad and muttered, “Girls. Why do they squeal in a pitch only dogs would respond to when they get excited? Well, maybe dogs and ‘aliens.’ He teased. “ My alien ears aren’t doing too well here. ”
“Yeah,” Philip chuckled as he slapped his son playfully on his back, as he headed toward the kitchen, “One of the mysteries of women. Better see what she wants, her pitch has decreased.” He walked away laughing.
Max raced outside with the phone. The young couple that he was looking for was easy enough to find. Alex hadn’t left yet, obviously.
He rolled his eyes as he interrupted them. “Give it a rest you two.” He teasingly interjected, “Save some air for talking to Maria, she’s on the phone, very excited about winning some contest.”
Realization flashed across Alex’s face as he blurted out, “She won the Blind Date. I gotta go.”
“Not without me ... Shotgun!” called out Isabel as she ran around to the passenger side. Yelling as she climbed in, “Tell Mom were at the Crashdown, be back later.”
Max was left standing there as they peeled out of the driveway. He turned to the phone still in his hand, and lifted the receiver to his ear…. “Maria?”
“…And then there’s shoes … Oh! Yeah?” She tuned into Max’s voice for a moment.
“Sorry about that, but they’re on their way.” He stated.
“Ok, Bye Max.” And she hung up and went back downstairs to await the arrival of her best friend, Alex, and her new ‘girlfriend,’ Isabel.
***************
Michael was walking down Main Street, looking between his map of Roswell and the sketching Max had done of the drawings. They had to be right; it had to be a map, and he was going to find their father with it. Correction, ‘his father.’ Max and Isabel didn’t need a father, he thought to himself, they had human parents ... it was Michael who had gotten the short shrift and craved a connection to where they were from. Michael was so engrossed by his work that he didn’t notice Paulie from school coming up to him until the boy swung an arm around his shoulders. “Tough break about DeLuca.”
“What?” Michael asked puzzled.
“You haven’t heard yet?” Paulie was stunned, “Dude, I’m sorry; I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?” He asked irrated.
Paulie continued to fill Michael in, “She won the Blind Date contest. The radio is setting her up with some hunk for Friday.”
Michael stared at the jock, so, what was his point? He wasn’t dating Maria any more; he didn’t care. It made no difference to him if Maria dated other people. Heck, he’d even pay the guy and then offer his sympathies for being stuck with her. Because she was crazy, a certifiable, motor mouth, nut job. A cute nut job, with great lips, a great body, and it didn’t matter that when they kissed- Mud, he had to think about mud. No, he didn’t want to storm over to the Crashdown and demand that she cancel the date. It wasn’t like he wanted to blast whoever the radio would set her up with. Noooooooo, he didn’t care.
The two boys didn’t notice the lampposts on the street, because if they had, then they would have noticed the light bulbs growing brighter each second Michael just stood there. Brighter, and brighter, until the bulbs burst, sending sparks down to the pavement.
“What the…” Paulie stated confused.
Nope, Michael Guerin didn’t care at all.
***************
Isabel sighed as Alex and she arrived at the Crashdown. Although, Liz had won in her timeline she could honestly say that the week of the contest was one of the few times she felt somewhat relaxed. Of course, that was also when Michael set off that signal for Nasedo. She would have to make sure that he didn’t do it this time. She didn’t want Nasedo or Tess anywhere near Roswell, not yet anyway. That would be something she’d have to stop. However, right now she didn’t want to think about avoiding the future. Right now, she wanted to pretend she was normal again, and she was celebrating the fact that one of the friends won a contest. And hopefully, Michael won’t ruin her date by showing up drunk. She chuckled at the image of a love struck Michael walking the streets with a drunk Kyle Valenti.
“What’s so funny?” Alex asked her.
“I’ll explain later.” She assured him as they got out of his car, “Other timeline.”
“Oh.” Alex stated in understanding as he knocked on the glass door of the Crashdown.
Liz heard them and came up to let the pair in. “Hey, Alex, Isabel. Maria’s in my room.”
As they walked up the stairs, Isabel thought about the contest. To be honest, she was torn, because she knew that Michael loved Maria and always would. Just like she was aware that Maria really only had eyes for Michael, should she really be encouraging Maria into doing this date? Then again, Michael treated Maria horribly, breaking up with her because he was too scared.
Isabel knew that story all too well, she had authored it, for that’s what she seemed to do with Alex in her past. She would run when things got too much. So with this knowledge she also had an understanding, a perception, of what Michael was dealing with, so she realized that he treated relationships pretty much as she had, at an arms length with no attachments. Isabel came to a decision when she reached the top of the stairs.
Michael deserved to learn a lesson about women and love. Before it was too late.
“Maria! You won!” Isabel stated as she entered the room, “Are you excited?” She spoke in a tone of interest but not matching excitement.
“Are you joking? This like, like, winning the lottery, come on, you need to help me decide what I’m going to wear.” The other girl began, as she pulled Isabel over to the bed.
Isabel grinned deviously, ‘Oh, yes! She’d most definitely help Maria decide what to wear.
Something to make Michael realize what an idiot he was.
***************
The following day, Tuesday at school, Alex was posting fliers for a new singer.
Isabel and Alex had agreed that she’d be there, at the concert if he won the audition of course, so he was busy preparing for Wednesday and the audition. Still, he did have the problem of not having a singer, and was in the process of looking for one when Maria and Liz saw him. The girls walked up together.
“Hey Alex,” said Liz.
He answered, “Yeah, Hey!” he gave a short nod in her direction. “What’s up with you today?”
Maria replied, “Looks like the real question is what’s up with you?” She pointed to the flier as she asked incredulously; “You lost the singer to your band?”
“What happened to Wendy Lavely?” Liz then asked.
“Uh, she got Mono from Peter Gulla.” He said disgustedly and Maria quipped back, “Ew. She's lucky that's all she got.”
“Yeah.” He nodded, and then in a more surprised tone he stated, “Oh...oh, we...umm...we have to find somebody before these auditions tomorrow, otherwise we're totally screwed.”
“Alex, Alex, begging is so unbecoming.” Maria haughtily answered her friend.
“What?” he asked her totally confused.
“I'll do it, I'll do it. Anyway, I'm so much better than that prima donna. So, when should we rehearse?” She expected him to accept her invitation right there on the spot and so she was absolutely stunned and a little hurt when he answered, with a raised eyebrow at her remarks, “You can’t sing with us, Maria.”
Maria proceeded to stare him down and placed her hands on her hips, “And just why not? You don’t think I’m good enough?” She asked, put off by Alex’s quick refusal.
“No, no, no,” he sputtered out just as fast, trying to correct his mistake. “It’s just that you won the contest, you can’t enter the radio auditions.”
“Oh,” Maria paused, slightly put off balance by Alex’s reason. “I know, Liz, you should try out.”
“What?” Alex and Liz both asked at once, in a matched tone of utter shock..
Maria always one to act first, think second just continued to ramble on…“It’ll be fun, besides you sing with me on Karaoke Night at the Pizza Pan.”
“Yeah, one song, Maria,” quipped Liz, “and that’s Some Where Out There. Somehow I don’t think that’s what Alex’s band is looking for.” Liz retorted, she then took the opportunity to think over Alex’s problem and suggested someone to him.
“This might seem a little unconventional here but what about Geneva Owens?” Liz asked
“Geneva Owens?” he thought for a moment of what classes she might be in and turned to Liz with a look of skepticism. “The junior who’s in the Science Club? No offense Liz but I’m looking for someone who can sing, not a ‘Science Geek’.”
Liz shot him a look, “And just what’s wrong with ‘Science Geeks,’ huh?“ She ribbed him a little.
“Nothing with them I’m sure, but they’re the type to play an instrument in orchestra or something, not singing in front of crowds.” He caught the look the girls were giving him, and knew that he’d put his foot straight into his mouth. “Don’t tell me, she plays the cello or something right?“ He said in a teasing manner of absolute jest, not knowing how close he actually was to the truth.
“Violin actually,” Maria added quickly. “She’s a really nice girl.”
He brought the conversation back around to its original purpose, “You’re sure she sings?” He asked dubiously.
“Yeah, she’s really good, besides Maria, she’s the only one who gets requests at the Pizza Pan.” Liz nodded.
Alex bit back his gut reaction to tell Liz and Maria that he was looking for a real singer, one with professional experience, because he remembered Isabel’s recounting of events for the auditions, and how Maria had wormed herself into the spotlight. And so although he wanted his band to play their original songs, in the other reality, he had wanted the same thing, but had to compromise, because it was the only way the radio station would pick them. “Okay then. Well, can Geneva come over later to work with the band? We have to practice today endlessly.”
“I’m not sure, she’s kind of shy about the whole singing in front of a real crowd thing... But if Maria goes with her, she may come.”
Alex nodded at her statement, it wasn’t great, but it was better than no singer at all. He’d just audition her along with anyone else who might happen to apply.
***************
That week, the thing to do was to listen to 101.2 FM KROZ. Everyone was curious to find out what type of guy Maria DeLuca was after. Would she ask for a hometown hero, a college man, or would she ask for the unattainable rebel without a cause? All ears were glued to the radio to find out the answers.
The radio station had taken out a couple of tables for equipment and personnel, stretching a very large, very wide KROZ Blind Valentine’s Dream Date banner over the booths that sat alongside the wall.
Alex was in his garage with his band, practicing, and auditioning any potential female vocalists.
Michael had cornered the Evans’ kids at school telling them that he had figured something out about the drawings and wanted them to be at the Crashdown after school. They all arrived at the same time as Amy DeLuca. Max did the gentlemanly thing and let the women in first. Well he tried to, Michael was the first in, and then Max held the door for the ladies. Maria was with Liz in the back room being prepared by her best friend for the interview that would (hopefully) change her life. The aliens sat down in one of the out of the way booths, the siblings on one side, with Michael on the opposite. And Amy made her way to the bar where she planted her self on one of the swiveling stools, watching everything and eagerly awaiting when her daughter would state what she was looking for in a man.
Isabel realized that Michael probably wanted to talk to them about the map. She knew she had to find a way to stop him from going to the library, but how? He was still the suspicious paranoid; she couldn’t just insist that he not go. That would only make him more persistent and defiant, and she couldn’t use Max’s old argument against contacting Nasedo, because in this time line, they never met Hubble, never heard his rantings of murders. The only person they knew for certain that he had killed was Atherton. The Sheriff had the autopsy photos. And River-Dog had informed Liz and Max of Atherton’s death at the hands of the alien stranger.
Isabel began twisting her napkin. What could she say? Her mind frantically began to think of words, reasons, but nothing seemed to sound right, and Michael hadn’t even started yet. Max seemed to notice his sister’s preoccupied state and asked her what was bothering her. She hadn’t noticed the question, so he repeated it.
“Huh?” She asked distractedly, “Oh, it’s nothing, Max. Just thinking how much a pain it must be for the Parkers to have the radio station here.” She looked above their heads at the banner and around at the tables that the station had commandeered, to cover for her lack of attention.
Max sent her a look of disbelief, and Michael’s head snapped up at the mention of the radio station. He scowled a bit, but quickly waved his hand dismissively, “Whatever, can we focus here?”
Max stared at his friend’s harsh attitude; and frowned for a moment before responding, “What did you want to talk about Michael?” he asked softly.
“This,” Michael stated as he pulled the penciled drawing out onto the table.
Max and Isabel paled for different reasons. Isabel turned white because she knew she couldn’t fail. Max was upset at Michael for taking such a risk. “You shouldn’t have brought that here.”
Michael just ignored him, “Look it’s a map. Max you said so yourself after we were healed in the cave.”
“We don’t know that for sure, Michael.” Isabel stated calmly carefully choosing her words.
“I said it was a map, I didn’t say to what…” countered Max, “because that’s all I know.”
“Fine, I know it’s a map. I’m sure about it; I saw it in my hallucination.” argued Michael. “If you must know, it’s a map to right here, in Roswell.”
Isabel gave him a pointed stare, “Why are you so sure about that? You want us to believe a hallucination?” she haughtily cocked her head angrily to the side.
“Isabel, that’s a bit harsh, maybe we should hear what he has to say.” Max attempted to mollify his sister, but Isabel wasn’t willing to back down. Not just yet.
“Look! I’m just saying we don’t know what exactly the cave painting/message is for, nor do we really know anything about the person who drew it. We don’t know what you saw or why, you’re the only one who did, but we also don’t know if it meant anything either.”
“Oh, it meant something, and I think I know what it was.” Michael threw back. When the other two just looked back at him expectantly, he elaborated. “He’s left us instructions to contact him.”
Isabel closed her eyes for moment, this was what she was expecting and she needed it to stop. “And then what Michael?”
“Then we blow this Popsicle stand.” He said decisively.
“That’s it? That’s your plan?” Her tone was derisive in return, but she couldn’t help it, what was he thinking?
“Well, at least I’m not standing around trying to pretend I’m normal, and living out some silly All-American fantasy.” He glowered at her, and mouthed the word, “Alex.”
“Michael,” Max cut in at that point hoping he could get the two of them to settle down, but Isabel just ignored him.
“Max and I like what we have in Roswell, and yes, we know that it’s not easy for you, that it has never been easy for you, but we can’t change that Michael. All we have is now…“ Isabel tried to get a thought in edgewise but was cut off.
“Exactly, all we have is now, and I’m going to find out what’s out there.” Michael said as his palm landed flat on the map, leaving no confusion about what he was stating.
“You want to talk about living out a fantasy, go look in a mirror, Michael.” Isabel barked out and leaned back in her seat with her arms firmly crossed across her chest.
He narrowed his eyes at her implication, “And what is that supposed to mean Isabel?”
Uncrossing her arms, and narrowing her eyes a little, she looked right at him, “You accuse us of living in a fantasy where everything is all right, and you’re probably right. But, you live in a fantasy where everything is going to be all right.” She rapidly continued to speak her mind, she wasn’t going to be interrupted again, “You keep telling yourself that as soon as you learn something about where we come from, or what happened to the others, then your life will get better. Have you ever considered that maybe it’s better we don’t know, or that we never find the other alien?” Isabel then she uttered softly so the others didn’t hear, “Or that he doesn’t find us.”
Michael didn’t even blink an eye, “Nope! I think anything is better than this.”
‘You should be careful about what you wish for Michael.’ Isabel thought, but before she could continue, Max intervened. “Ok! Hold on! I’m not saying that I agree or disagree with what you want to do Michael, but this should be a group decision. If we do this, all of us should agree to do it together. You can’t just go alone on this; we don’t want a repeat of what happened when you went to the reservation alone do we. If you recall we both got really sick, and we left Isabel rather terrified of losing us.”
“Shut Up Max!” She ordered. She hated it when he played the brother role and reminded her of her points of weakness.
This seemed to pacify Michael a bit, but then he saw Maria come out of the back room with Liz. It was obvious that she was going to give her interview soon, and something about that didn’t sit too well with the teen. He shifted a bit in the booth, “Why do you think it’s such a bad idea, Isabel?”
“We don’t know anything about this other alien, Michael! What if he or she is dangerous?” She had to be careful now; she couldn’t afford to let him suspect that something was up, that she knew more than she was telling them. “We keep saying how we can’t trust anyone, well, just because this person is an alien we suddenly throw that rule out the window?”
“Hey, you trusted Alex.” he countered back.
“Only because I got to know him, really got to know him.”
Max jumped in, “I don’t see how you really got to know him all that well from one dream-walk. But I know that you felt the need to do what you did, so…”
Isabel turned to Max first… “I know his character. He saved your life, with an illegal act mind you.” Then she turned back to Michael, “So you are proposing that we trust a complete stranger?”
“He’s not a stranger.” Michael barked back in a tense whisper, “This person was with us in the crash, that makes them one of us. The only other person like us out there.”
“We have each other Michael, all three of us. Isn’t that good enough?” Isabel tucked her hair behind her ear. “Anyone else would be a stranger to us.” Isabel persisted. “What if, what this person tells us or does, is something that ends up doing more harm than good, are you willing to take that chance?”
Michael shook his head, “No, it wouldn’t happen.” he added defensively.
Isabel wanted to pull her hair out, what would it take to make him understand? “God, Michael how dense can you be? Don’t you realize what’s at stake?” She hissed so vehemently that both Michael and Max stared at her.
“What do you mean Isabel?” Max asked; worry seeping into his eyes.
She licked her lips before answering, “There’s a reason why the other alien left Roswell, and I’m sorry, but the reasons I think up aren’t very pleasant.”
“Like what?” Michael demanded.
“Like maybe the other alien did something wrong like accidentally assaulted someone or committed a crime, I don’t know. I mean supposedly Atherton was killed by one. That’s what River-Dog told Max.”
“Exactly,” Michael shot back, “we don’t know. They could have left to protect us from being found; they probably meant for to come back for us.”
“Then why didn’t they? Why weren’t they here to find us; are you going to sit there and tell me that it has taken them 10 years for them to find us again?” Isabel fired back. When Michael didn’t return her stare, she continued. “Maybe they’re on the run, and the last thing we should do is to lead the other alien back to us, to lead them to us.”
“’Them?’ What do you mean by that, like whom?” Max jumped into the heated argument once again.
“The police, the government, who did you think I meant?” And for a moment Isabel forgot her knowledge and her place and just continued on…
“Oh, right, like the fourth alien is stupid enough to lure the suits over to us.” Michael retorted.
“Actually, the FBI…” she answered all too quickly, ‘CRAP! I shouldn’t have said that.’ Isabel thought as she became silent hoping that Michael wouldn’t jump down her throat.
She didn’t get that lucky. “What do you mean the F-B-I?” he enounced the individual letters slowly, methodically.
“Nothing,” she quickly replied, a bit too quickly which Michael and Max both caught, judging by the glance they gave each other.
“Is-a-bel?” Max drew out her name. “What are you talking about… they already are watching you. I mean if what we talked about last night is accurate.”
Michael started to stare at the other two teens. “What is he talking about Isabel? You and the FBI?”
“Me! I’m on their radar ok? That guy at the convention Saturday, FBI for certain. Can’t prove it, just felt my skin crawling in his presence. Enough about that…” She closed her eyes again before rapidly coming up with a reasonable explanation. Sighing she looked directly at Michael, “I’m just saying, there is the possibility that maybe,” Michael threw her a disbelieving look which she countered with her own, “maybe the FBI is involved, that perhaps the fourth alien is on their radar and we shouldn’t start shooting out flares of our own until we find out some more on our own, together... as its always been before.”
“Hey! I’m still remembering the way it was before, it’s you two who seem to have forgotten, Isabel you went crazy for a human boy. Max, you allowed a human girl to discover our biggest secret. Me? I can still walk away, but you two sit there with your cherry colas and high school fantasies. So where is your human boy Isabel?”
“His name is Alex. Not human boy… and he’s practicing with his band for the auditions tomorrow. And I think we can find a way to work the way things were before, with the way they are now. Our friends would love for us to discover the mysteries as much as we would.”
Michael wasn’t pleased with her answer because let out a dissatisfied grunt before leaning back into the booth with his arms crossed, “Like we’ve been finding out anything on our own.” Isabel opened her mouth, but he continued, “We haven’t; not until this year, because Nascedo is sending things to us.”
Isabel glanced over and saw that Maria was about to be interviewed and she knew to her satisfaction that she could get the last word, so she went for it. “Not necessarily, there is the remote possibility that we haven’t found things out until this year because we weren’t ready, we weren’t old enough, and we didn’t have the understanding we needed. We’re 16/17 now… we finally have some maturity. We were kids Michael. And I’d like to take our maturity and use it as a team to discover what we need to know….”
It appeared that he would have continued, but stopped as he noticed the DJ finally indicate that he was ready to go on the air with Maria. She wasn’t wearing her Crashdown uniform, and she was checking out her reflection in the mirror. ‘God, she’s on the radio, not television. No one is going to notice what she looks like right now. No one is going to care that she’s wearing the fuzzy pink sweater that looks really good on her. No one is going to know that she’s really cute when she has those bejeweled butterfly barrettes in her hair. I mean, I don’t’
Both Max and Isabel noticed how distracted he became. “Michael?” Max tentatively asked, but his best friend didn’t register the question. So, Isabel decided to be a little more aggressive; she gave him a little kick in the shins. The resulting pain did bring Michael out from his haze slightly. “What?” was his confused and irate response.
“You shouldn’t let your personal problems interfere with your mission.” Isabel sassily told him, relieved that she could direct the conversation away from the map for now.
“I don’t care that Maria won the contest.” Michael replied automatically.
“I never mentioned the contest.” She countered.
“I don’t.”
“You know what your problem is Michael?” She asked him sweetly. When he only gave her an expectant look she answered her question, “It’s called ‘denial.’ Let me out Max, I’m going to find Alex, or go do something else. ”
When she was out of earshot, Michael turned back to Max, “I’m not in denial. Your sister is nuts.”
Max only shrugged. This was his sister, but Isabel was a bit unpredictable at times, as he was beginning to realize these past couple of months. He was about to reply to Michael’s comment, when Liz gave him a second soda.
“I thought you guys might have wanted a refill. It seemed like you guys did a lot of talking and you might have gotten thirsty.” She told them shyly. Michael only gave her a curt, dismissive nod. However, before Liz could place the second glass on the table in front of him, Michael saw two guys enter the diner.
They noticed the radio DJ and Maria and one of the guys caught the attention of his buddy. He pointed out Maria, and they proceeded to give her a once over, and their eyes ended up about a foot south of her chin. That irked him even more, he didn’t like the way they were looking at her, and since when did guys look at Maria like that.
The glass suddenly cracked while it was still in Liz’s hand. She let out a small gasp but deftly let it slip out of her hand and onto the table spilling the contents over its surface. Liz made a small show of getting napkins to stop the flowing soda. Michael belatedly realized that the cracked glass was his fault and that Liz had just covered him. He couldn’t quite look her in the eye as she apologized for dropping his soda.
Feeling the need to make amends, Max gave her a wide smile. “Thanks, Liz. Umm, it’s kind of busy here.” He stated in an attempt at small talk.
“Yeah, well, Agnes out, the contest, and Maria doing the interview, we’re a bit short-handed.” She admitted.
“Oh, um, so, do, uh, would you like some help?” Max asked hesitantly.
Liz’s eyes lit up, but she tried to play it cool. Was Max really starting to step out of ‘the box?’ “That’s really nice, Max. Thanks, but are you sure, I mean, don’t you have to go to work today?”
“It’s my day off, and I can bus, but if you...“
Liz rushed in to stop Max from changing his mind. He was finally starting to warm up to her, and she wasn’t willing to let this chance go by. “No, um, I mean, I’d really appreciate it, Max.”
Max threw a glance at Michael, “You don’t mind right?”
“Nope, by all means, go.” Michael told his friend, thinking that Max wouldn’t take him seriously.
“Thanks, bro.” Michael couldn’t believe his ears. Max was going? Where were his priorities?
***************
Maria was placed in a chair in one of the central tables, DJ Dave Kzin was sitting across from her. A microphone was perched on the tabletop and she was directed to pick up the headphones.
Dave Kzin started by flattering her… "We are here with the lovely and exuberant Maria DeLuca and might I say she is a pretty little number with short blonde hair, but quite the feisty little thing also...watch out fellas." He said in an overly exaggerated voice. “Whoever gets her will be one lucky man, but its going to take a special someone to tame this firecracker.”
“Okay, Maria, let’s talk about preferences, who’s better Dr. Mark Greene or Dr. Doug Ross from ER?”
“Well, Anthony Edwards is cute in a geeky kind of way, but George Clooney is to die for.” Maria grinned mischievously…
Okay then, then we’re looking for a rule breaker. The DJ started.
Amy sitting at the bar watched her daughter and crossed her arms at her answer, glaring at Maria who never noticed. Taking matters into her own hands she got off her stool and walked over to the table where Maria was currently sitting.
“Ma-ri-a!” Amy stated in her all too distinctly unique voice.
“What?” Maria asked as her mother sidled in next to her.
“A rule breaker Maria? What happened to bringing home a nice boy to introduce to your mother?”
“Ladies…” The DJ started only to be cut off by the younger DeLuca.
“Mom,” Maria stated assuredly and turned to look at the DJ while she spoke in a stage whisper, “a nice boy couldn’t handle me.” She grinned as she cocked her head to the side, and then turned back to her mother to drive her point home. “And you already are seeing a nice boy, so I get to have a bad boy, okay?” Maria stated firmly in hopes of ending the conversation with her mother, of course no such luck.
“Uh, ladies, the interview…“ He tried again in vain. Both DeLucas were in full-fledged debate over Maria’s choice.
“What’s that suppose to mean?” Amy countered.
“You and Valenti? Who did you think I was talking about? Oh my God, are you seeing some one else?” Maria jumped to conclusions and ran with her idea.
“No! Maria, what are you saying?” Her mother joined her in the debate.
“Oh my God, my mother is dating another single guy in Roswell, who is it?” Maria ordered as the DJ turned to his crew and shrugged, a puzzled look on his face.
“Uh Ladies, You’re on the air…” he tried again. They never heard him.
“No one!” Amy practically shouted. She waited a minute to regain her composure and then continued in a calmer tone. “Maria, whatever is going on between me and Jim…”
“Jim, oh, you call him, Jim?”
Finally aware that they were still broadcasting, Amy closed her mouth before saying anything else. Maria flashed a triumphant smile at her mother before turning her attention back to the DJ. “Where were we?” She calmly stated, as if nothing had just transpired.
“Lets just ask the next question shall we?” Dave quickly responded before these two took over again. “Blonde or Brunette?”
“Definitely dark haired.” ‘What has Michael done to me? I used to love blondes.’ Maria thought to herself.
“I thought you liked blondes, Honey,” Amy said frowning. “Doug in 8th Grade?”
“Not anymore.” Maria retorted, “and you were the one who liked them more than me, remember Dad?”
Your Dad has nothing to do with this, since when did you stop liking blondes?”
Maria peered over her mother’s head to see Michael sitting across the aisle from her. “Since now.” She stated matter-of-factly.
Luckily, Dave took control of the conversation before the two could get into yet another debate. “Well, now that we got that established, one last question? Hometown boys or out-of-towners?”
Taking one last look at Michael, Maria smiled sweetly to the DJ before giving her answer, “I need a change from the boys of Roswell.” The word boys emphasized so Michael could get her meaning.
“I think I just heard the sound of hopes falling all around Roswell. Well, Maria, what we need to do is find you a dark-haired rebel from out of town. If you or anyone you know fits the description, then come on over to the KROZ station tomorrow at 12-3 or at 5-7. Once again we’re looking for a dark-haired rebel for our newest Queen of Hearts. Who will be the one to sweep Maria DeLuca off her feet?”
While the DJ continued his speech, Amy faced her daughter, “Why don’t you go out with that Michael boy? He’s nice.”
Maria closed her eyes, clenched her hands into fists, clamped her mouth shut, and resisted the urge to scream.
“I gotta go,” she shot her mother a wary look, “I see Geneva and we have to be somewhere else. Bye...” She made a quick departure grabbing the petite, dark-haired musician from her seat and dragging her out of the doors before Amy could say anything else.
***************
The band was practicing in Alex’s garage when Maria came in with Geneva. Maria didn’t announce their presence until they finished a set. She made a remark stating that the music wasn’t really the type of music the radio station would appreciate. Alex bit back a response realizing that in a twisted way; she was right. The station wouldn’t mind new music, but for a concert like this, the crowd and the radio would be hoping for some popular songs. He just prayed that Geneva didn’t like boy bands.
Before any of his band members could protest he gathered them together for a small talk explaining Maria’s point in a less Maria way. And then he gave out the introductions briefly… “Guys, Maria and Geneva. Geneva will be trying out as our lead singer… Ladies, the guys… Nicky on lead guitar, Chris on drums there and Marcos on rhythm… And I’m in process of getting a keyboardist, Jordan Banes. He couldn’t be here today but he’ll be there for the auditions tomorrow. He and his Mom were up to something tonight.”
He turned to he lovely young woman, “And may I say welcome Geneva, to the garage. We make a lot of fine music here.”
It took a little longer than he wanted, but he got the guys to agree to hear her; she gave the band members a shy smile before taking the microphone. “Um, you guys like to play alternative right?” She asked.
“Yeah,” Nicky answered; “got a song in mind?”
“Um,” Geneva fumbled with a couple of sheets of music before handing the band their parts. “How about Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls?” It was the perfect song to showcase her talent as it also had some violin.
The band had listened to the interview during their initial practice, before Maria and Geneva had shown up… Alex felt quite satisfied with Maria’s choice for his band. This shy, unknown friend, really was the perfect singer for The Whits. Though she too shared Maria’s viewpoint about the name, it needed some more “originality.” And Alex just had to tease his best friend good naturedly he was in such a good mood…
"Ok so that was great guys." Alex said to the band with Maria nodding her head. "So…that interview was something else Maria…you cute little number you!" The comment caused a burst of laughter from the group as they all sat around.
Maria simply grinned at him as he continued to speak. "You’re looking for a rule breaker I see…and you don't like blondes anymore…that's gotta hurt somebody out there." He nudged Maria slightly with his elbow as he wiggled his eyebrows.
"What’s the matter Alex…screw up your plans of going blonde?" Maria replied, while she fingered Alex’s hair.
“HA HA! Very funny Maria,” he said while swatting her hand off his dark brown locks.
"You just wait till I tell that tall leggy blonde that you are flirting with me…you won't have any hair left, so it won't matter." She smiled sweetly at Alex.
The guys caught the interchange between the two close friends and shook their heads. They knew he had it bad; Marcos gave him a look as if to say he’d never have a chance with that girl.
“We’re just friends.” Alex said with false conviction and a nervous chuckle.
“That’s what they all say ‘girlfriend’,” answered Maria. “Lets face it Alex...you're a puppy Isabel throws a bone and you go running for it.”
“Strictly friends Maria.” He forced back, each word enunciated slowly. “She’s not dating anyone, and that’s common knowledge.”
“Well I could sit here all day and argue that fact, but I have to get back to the Crashdown. Geneva…” She turned the beautiful brunette, “sounded good.. You seem to fit in well here. See you all later.” And with that, she left Geneva to practice with the guys, and she went back to work.
After a few more rounds with their music to familiarize themselves with each other and how they flowed as a group, they were all sitting around and putting their instruments away for the night… the guys couldn’t resist teasing Alex, continuing from where they left off with Maria.
Nicky looked at Alex and raised a suggestive eyebrow, while he gave a smirk.. “So Alex? A tall leggy blonde? …Would that be by any chance…Isabel 'the catwalk model’ Evans?” he joked causing Alex to choke momentarily.
Geneva rolled her eyes at their antics. "Who doesn't like Isabel…I swear you guys will follow anything with breasts."
"Isabel?” Alex fidgeted slightly as he quickly rushed to deny his feelings, and choked out, “Come on…like I have a snowballs chance in hell of getting with her. We are only friends as I already told Maria.”
Nicky turned to Marcos. "You notice the way he says her name in a breathy manner…Isabel! Oh Isabel." Nicky said in a breathy voice as he grinned at Alex. Who then had the good grace to flush slightly as he quickly rushed to deny his feelings.
Alex looked up in time to see Geneva walking around mimicking a model and fluttering her eyelashes, her hands held out demurely like a Barbie dolls, as she strutted around tall and straight. The guys laughed out loud and dropped to the floor and bowed before her shouting, "All bow before the Great Isabel." Alex dropped his head in defeat, as he was met buy a chorus of 'Oh Isabel's,' said in the perfect mocking breathy manner. He shook his head as he looked at his friends, reaching out to shove Marcos who was sitting the closet to him… “You guys suck.”
Latching closed the last clasp on his case, “I gotta get out of here,” Alex moaned, and grabbed his bass to take to the Crashdown. He wanted to go spend time with his girls.
TBC....
*****
A/N I've been trying all this Valentine's Day to get this up and on the Boards.. but my time has been limited. I will succeed with this first of one part post by midnight of the 14th. Thank goodness I'm PST... otherwise this day would already have transferred into the new one ...
I'll get you part B soon... and the second half of this chapter will come to you in March also in two parts.
I'm doing the best I can.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen- Mature. For language… and sexual innuendo
Spoilers: Blind Date
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate. LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if fr any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter is always in process and has been for months.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
---
A/N I decided to forgo FB for the last chapter's half and instead to include it with this half, after you have read it. I have it written on paper but not yet typed up, and I thought you all might enjoy getting the next part to the chapter more so. It was one or the other.
And then in March I proimised to get the rest of it up. Expect two separate postings just like this has been.
I'm still working on it. And March is an extremely busy month in my family.
It starts on the 1st with a nephew's b-day, and then goes into a month of birthdays, my husband's and oldest stepson's included as well as other family members.
These next 3 months are birthday months for my immediate family as well. March, April, May... I'll do my best to be around with this story but it gets crazy around here.
So wish me luck once again on writing, ideas as well as time.
And thank-you.
And to reitierate, I will respond to your FB for Part One A as I respond to Part One B.... so in a bit I'll get back with you.
Thanks for your continued patience...
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
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Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part One: B
Dream Date
******
A couple of hours later: As the girls cleaned the cafe and Alex relaxed after all the rehearsing he had just done, he was sitting on the barstool playing his silver metallic bass at the Crashdown chatting to the girls about his winning the auditions the next day. Liz was giving him an amused smile, while Maria continued to tease his lack of talent. Isabel watched from her booth as her “boyfriend” interacted with his two best friends. Although Isabel and Alex had grown much closer over the past few weeks; they weren’t together publicly. Right now, Isabel was still comfortable with watching from the outside, a role her brother usually performed.
“Oh ye some little faith, would you?” He asked them.
“Alex, if you win the audition then I’ll, I’ll…” Maria paused undecided on what to say.
“You’ll kiss Michael on Friday.” Isabel exclaimed.
“Yeah!! I’ll…” Maria was about to repeat Isabel until the words registered and she turned to the taller girl sitting in the booth. “Wait, I’ll what?” She demanded incredulously, while she paused to fully realize Isabel’s statement. “Eww! No way!” She stated as her friends laughed at her. “No way, no how am I ever going back to Michael Guerin.”
“Sure, keep saying that, you might just believe it.” Alex threw back at her.
“Oh, please, if I got back with Michael, then check me into a mental institution because I would be out of my mind.” Maria countered.
“Sure, and that’s why the description of your date fits Michael to a tee, Maria.” Liz pointed out.
“It does not;” she protested. “I said I wanted a dark-haired guy.”
Alex, Isabel, and Liz exchanged a glance before Liz continued, “And the whole rebel thing? What was that about?”
“Okay, so I might have been thinking about him a little. Doesn’t mean that I want him back.” Alex and Liz just kept their expressions, “Okay, I want him to suffer. Are you happy now?” She asked in a tone that told her friends to back off.
“Extremely.” Said Liz.
“Quite.” Replied Alex with a nod.
Maria snorted at her friend’s antics, while Isabel fought the urge to giggle. Seeing this Maria narrowed her eyes a bit. “And what’s so funny?”
“You,” Isabel failed in her attempt to kept her laughter at bay, and it stumbled out of her mouth. Maria didn’t seem too happy with her response, so Isabel attempted to elaborate, “you three, together, you’re just hanging out here, ribbing one another; it’s cute and extremely amusing. My ‘friends’ are never like that, heck I’m not like that, even when I’m with Max.”
“What about when you’re with Michael?” Maria asked.
“Please,” Isabel gave the three a serious look, “we’re talking about Michael, what do you think?”
The other three just looked at her for a moment before nodding, “You’re right, sorry, dumb question, don’t know what I was thinking.” Maria replied.
Isabel shared a smile with the girl before getting back to business. “So, what do you say to a little wager, Maria?”
This peaked Maria’s interest as she tilted her head a bit to the left, “What are you suggesting?”
“Nothing with money, just a wager over the outcome of your date between friends.” Isabel stated calmly.
“A friendly wager?” Maria answered skeptically.
“Of course,” Isabel reassured her with her 100-watt smile.
Maria then shook her head. “See, you’re up to something. I was considering it until I saw that smile.”
Isabel put up a face of complete innocence and confusion, “What smile?”
“Oh, no you don’t; I’m not going to fall for that one.”
At this point, Liz joined into the conversation, “Come on, Maria. You haven’t even heard Isabel’s terms yet.”
The other girl relented under her best friend’s words, “All right, what were you thinking?” They all slid into Isabel’s booth so they could talk undetected.
Isabel paused for a moment, just what was she thinking? For the first time in her life she was actually hanging out and having fun. She wasn’t ordering around her “friends;” she wasn’t observing others and pretending to disdain them, she was getting involved and she was willing to admit something to herself; she was enjoying herself. Smiling at this new revelation, she also tilted her head a bit before giving Maria an answer. “I bet that you’ll be kissing Michael at the end of the date.” She smiled the same smile again.
Maria also tilted her head, “And what will you give me if I don’t kiss him?”
Isabel thought for a moment before answering, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do with my powers, like new highlights in your hair, alter your clothes, anything within reason, as long as it isn’t illegal or immoral for a week. However if I’m right, then…” Isabel paused, “then, you’ll have to admit how you really feel about Michael at the concert.” She could just see the wheels turning in Maria’s head. She also knew she wouldn’t be waiting for an answer long.
“Well, since I’m not going anywhere near Michael Guerin, this is one bet that I’m sure to win, Isabel. I think I’ll start making a list of things now.”
“I don’t know if I would do that, Maria.” Alex warned. When his friend gave him a glare he threw his hands up in front of him in mock surrender, “Just saying, you have a soft spot for the guy.”
She rolled her eyes at him, “Whatever, if you have so little faith in me, why don’t you contribute to the pot?”
Both Liz and Alex looked at each other before looking back at their best friend.
“No way am I getting involved,“ Alex raised his hands in another gesture of surrender.
“Sorry, but I don’t see the point…“ Liz backed up and shot Isabel a look as if to say, ‘You started all this.’
“Oh, come on guys!” Maria placed her hands on her hips, “What are you? Afraid? Are you chicken?”
Liz bit her lip before asking, “What do you want if you win?”
“Liz does my math homework for a two weeks, and Alex does my computer assignments for the same amount of time.”
“A half of a week,” Liz fired back.
“A week and a half.” Maria shot back.
“A week.” Liz counter offered.
“Deal.” The girls shook hands caught in the heat of the moment and forgot the third member of their little trio.
“So, what do we get in return, if we’re right?” Alex asked a bit testy that Liz and Maria negotiated terms without his say.
Maria was obviously not thinking about her chances of losing, because she had a blank expression on her face. “Umm, umm, well, I’ll do what Isabel says.”
“Oh, no, you need to do something specifically for us, since we’ll be doing different things for you.” Alex insisted. “I got it. If you do end up with Michael Guerin at the end of the date, you have to try to not overreact for a week.”
“Overreact? I don’t overreact.” Maria started.
“So, why do I have to use a Maria-filter for half of the things you say to me?” Alex pointed out. “And did you not run out of the Crashdown screaming when Liz told you the truth about Max’s origins? Or what about how you told Isabel’s secret to Valenti because of a little ‘music’ in your car, or after your dream.”
“Okay, okay, so I’m a bit high strung at times. It’s part of my charm.” Maria shrugged and defended herself in a teasing manner.
“High Strung, definitely,” Isabel teased. And Liz added in… “Just who dropped the bin of dishes when the radio station showed up last night? As if we needed yet another example.” Alex grinned while chuckling, he could envision that.
“It’s just a week, besides you’re so positive that you’ll win.” Liz pointed out.
“All right. You’re all on.” Maria grinned at each of them. And she turned to Isabel, “golden hues and an extension please…” starting to put in her order for her soon to be beauty treatment.
***************
Wednesday February 9, 2000, at school, Maria still was thrilled about the future prospect that she would meet on Friday night. She walked into school to a swarm of girls and guys alike clamoring for her attention. The girls all thought it was the most exciting thing to happen to anyone in a long time. Nothing exciting ever happened in Roswell. And so they were asking Maria questions constantly. All of a sudden, everyone, even those who had acted as if they didn’t know Maria, wanted to be her best friend. Hoping her “star status” would rub off on them.
The guys followed her ogling, for lack of a better word. “Looking good there DeLuca,” said one. While another sidled up to her, slung his arm around her shoulder and stated in a cool tone, “Hey baby! You’re looking for a dark haired rebel, look no further.” He stepped in front of her sporting his studded leather jacket, as he ran his hand through his spiked auburn colored hair.
What I said Neil was that ‘I was looking for a change from the BOYS of Roswell.’ Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get to class. All these interruptions have made me late.” Maria went to brush past him.
“That’s right baby, you were looking for a man. I can be your man, anytime you want. Lets just walk into that station together and tell them you have a date.” He raised a suggestive eyebrow.
“With whom?” She threw back, “I don’t see any men around here.” She made an open show of looking around the halls, “Yep, only the endless cache of the boys of West Roswell High. I can do better than the likes of any of you.” She waved a dismissive hand as if to shoo him off.
“Ooh, DeLuca. Burn.” Admired some of Maria’s instant fan club. Maria held her head high, and pranced into class in a manner of regality, Roswell’s Queen of Hearts that she was.
Michael who was standing to the wings and watching the whole scene smirked at her treatment of the guy. He gave a small nod of appreciation and then wandered off to wherever he was headed.
The day pretty much went in that manner, and at 5:00 was The Whits audition. She couldn’t wait to be rid of the endless stream of annoying people that hounded her every move, and at least supporting two friends, Alex and Geneva…
***************
Immediately after school Maria had taken Geneva out shopping for clothes to wear to the audition. And then with the girl donned in her uncharacteristic attire, for she got something to get the people’s attention. They headed off to the club, where not only were auditions being held but also where the winning band would perform.
They were on time as they came in before “The Whits” even went on stage. The last band was playing and Alex and group were preparing.
“That was “Crash of ‘47” playing All For You.” The Radio personnel spoke amongst themselves as The Whits took the stage. The boys, dressed in their typical everyday baggy jeans and large shirts. And Geneva took the center stage in clothing that fit right in. (But with a difference! Her tight jeans were just below illegal and the plum colored baggy shirt lost all baggyness when tied high on her midriff. The boy’s eyes shone in appreciation and she sent a glowing smile to each of them before giving a smile and a nod to the judges as she stood behind the mic.
The director nodded and whispered to the other judges, “I think she’s cute… lets see if Roswell doesn’t have what we are looking for.” Then she looked up and said, “Whenever you are ready.”
Alex stated, “We’re an alternative band but, we can also do the traditional. We’d like to share both with you if that would be alright. And we write our own stuff.”
“Are you doing your original stuff today?”
“We’d like to, but we have two other familiar songs picked out if that would be better?”
“Go ahead, show us what you’ve got. We’ve got time for the two songs but then we’ve got another band to hear. If you’re any good, maybe we can hear the original stuff at a later time?”
“Ok.” Alex was a bit depressed that the band wasn’t able to do their own stuff. He turned to the group and said, “Lets do it. Pop song first.”
***************
Geneva took the mic and Maria standing in the front gave her a reassuring wink and she started in. Singing, In the Air Tonight, True to Maria’s words the girl could sing, and not only that she was a complete natural. The song flowed from her as if she were the song.
The judges settled into their chairs and smiled softly, whispering among themselves. One of them said, “I’ll get Matt here by Friday.” The director, Stacie Rhodes, nodded in her agreement.
The pop song ended and Geneva took her Violin and waited for her part to play as the band wowed the KROZ personnel by playing Iris.
The judges found themselves bobbing their heads in time to the music and faintly smiling. Stacie, the KROZ director looked up and tilted her flattering glasses onto her nose a little tighter, as her hazel eyes landed on the young man in charge. “Thanks. We’ll let you know.” She told Alex.
“That’s it?” Asked Alex.
“That it.” The Radio team turned to the band that had appeared during The Whits try-out and said, “You’re next.”
****************
After tearing down all the instruments and putting them away the group walked out of the club a little disheartened.
Maria got between her two friends and tried to hug both their shoulders as they walked. Alex was held around the back. “You guys did great. Gen, girlfriend, trust me they loved you… they had too. I couldn’t stop moving and that violin, man that is such an addition to the band don’t you think?”
Geneva smiled at the praise. “Do you really think we were good? I mean you don’t particularly listen to alternative music and I just fit with these guys, you know?” Her shoulder length, dark brown hair, swinging as they walked.
“Girlfriend, the whole lot of you, give new meaning to the words Alternative Music You guys rocked. And I’m not just saying that. I’m not really sure that I fit with the band the way you do.”
***************
Nicky and Chris had to depart, they had things to do. Geneva brought her homework to the Crashdown where Alex was meeting Isabel. And Maria had to get back to work. Marcos and Jordan tagged along with the group.
They entered the Crashdown, Isabel looked up expectantly but she couldn’t catch Alex’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at her. He teased Geneva about her violin. “I never thought I’d need one of these babies in the band, but I can’t imagine playing without it at least sometimes. You’re officially a member of the team if you want to be… Wendy Lavely’s out. We didn’t know what we were after till Maria gave you to us. Thanks Gen. Now I see you have your homework with you and I know you do a full course load, Liz told me all the classes you are taking. So I’m going to go talk with my friend over here.” He gave her a quick hug to the shoulder and made his way over to the counter where Isabel was sitting.
“Hi?” she asked hope shining in her eyes.
“Hey Isabel. They auditioned another band right when we were done. I guess they didn’t like us.”
“Or, they were seeing what else there is to compare you with?” She whispered in encouragement.
“Yeah! We were nervous, all of us flubbed a bit. So, we probably blew it.“
“You made it through, and you did your best right?” She smiled, “and if you recovered those flops, even pros screw up the words to their own songs, or play the wrong things sometimes... So all we can do is wait right?”
“I need to talk a bit more privately can we go to a table or something?”
“Sure.” Isabel followed him over to one of the booths, the farthest one in the corner. A family currently occupied theirs.
“What’s wrong?” She asked with concern.
“Well they didn’t care to hear any of our original stuff, and the popular songs were all we were allowed to play. We got to play two.”
Isabel bit back a laugh.
“What!?” he asked incredulously. I just told you they didn’t like us and you sit there grinning. What is wrong with you?”
“Alex. Ok, I’m glad we’re talking privately. Get ready to play anything you want and as much of it as you have to kill an hour at least.”
“Why?” he raised an eyebrow in question.
Because if this timeline ends up the same, even remotely, you will be the entertainment at that concert. I won’t say what happens to the popular band but The Whits are it. Where they originally had you opening for the band with two songs, you had to pull the night together. I’d say do a mix of Pop… In the Air Tonight was what Maria used and is a real crowd pleaser…”
“Yeah that was one of the ones we used for our audition,,,, he added in while Isabel smiled. “And also some alternative...” she concluded. “Show a broad range and no one will forget you.”
“I love this.” He smiled. “You’re my own little fortune cookie aren’t you?”
She gave him a disgruntled look.
“Crystal ball?” Which was met with the same look. “I’m neither Alex. I’m just someone who’s already been down this road. I know some of the stops, that is, if they aren’t detoured.”
“Lets get something to eat alright. My parents are out of town and Max is at work and this will be my dinner tonight.” So they each ordered their usual from the Crashdown’s menu and started to eat.
***************
As they were working on their homework a couple hours later at 8:18 pm his cell phone rang. The number in the screen was unfamiliar. “Hello?”
“Hello, May I please speak to Alex Whitman of The Whits?”
“Speaking? How may I help you?”
Isabel looked up from her book and watched him curiously, the girls kept sneaking looks.
As the conversation continued Alex’s face lost all traces of his worried expression and a serenity pervaded.
Ok Thanks…Yes I will let them know. Thank-you very much. He replied in a serious business like manner as he flipped the phone shut and then the goofy animated boy took over.
He gave Isabel a lopsided grin and wink and stood up shouting… “ALRIGHT!!! WE DID IT YEA!!!!”
“Did what Alex?” asked Liz and Maria in unison. Geneva stood from her table, which was a good thing for in a flash, the taller boy was over at her seat and had lifted the smaller girl into a twirling hug, her feet were literally off the ground. Without thinking he gave her a quick kiss on the lips in his excitement, her doe eyes went wide in surprise as she laughingly smiled while Alex reset her upon the ground. “Alex!” intoned a certain tall blonde from the corner of the café. He knew Isabel had seen that. But he wanted to kiss someone and Isabel and him weren’t “dating” so it couldn’t be her. She’d get a kiss later when he took her home. And without Geneva they wouldn’t have won so…. The words bubbled out of him as if he were a fountain, “We’re in, Gen. The Whits are playing on Friday night.“
Then turning to the restaurant of people now staring at him and in his exuberance he stood on a chair and exclaimed, “I just got off the phone with Stacie Rhodes, the director of the Blind Date Auditions. We won. The Whits are playing on Friday Night!!!” He howled. “WHOOOO!!!”
Raising his hands over his head palms out he cheered, “Alex Whitman ladies and gentleman. YEAHH!!!!!”
All of a sudden Maria heard a moan from the direction of the first table, “What am I going to wear?”
She grinned. It was Geneva Owens and the reality of the situation had just hit the girl full force, and she responded in typical girl style, a fashion emergency.
Maria looked up to Isabel, “Mall tomorrow?” And then without waiting for the answer she turned to Liz’s dad. “Mr. Parker, I’m sorry to miss so much work this week but really you can understand I’m sure right? I need to be off tomorrow a bit as well.”
“Go have fun,” Jeff teased.
Then she turned to Isabel, tapping her foot impatiently and said “Well? I’m waiting?”
“What? Interrupt you?” Isabel answered in her confusion, “Oh never mind... Lets go shopping.”
She made her way over to the reason they won at all and slid in next to her. Geneva didn’t know Isabel except for her Ice Princess moniker and she slid to the wall and gulped. “What?” she asked nervously.
“Shopping? I think you’ll need something for the big night right? And Maria will want to get an outfit I’m sure, she said in a slippery tone. I’m the shopping expert. We’re going to have fun.”
“You want to take me shopping?” the girl asked nervously. “You’re not going to dress me horribly are you?”
Inwardly Isabel was laughing. But she said in an emotionless tone, “No.” And that was it. The girls were on a shopping mission the next day, right after school so that the band could practice all evening.
Alex was calling the rest of the members while Isabel was talking to Geneva and the girls. Jordan and Marcos had left quite awhile ago. Geneva, who only lived with her father, had been doing her homework at the Crashdown for the evening instead of in her lonely room at home.
And for Alex and Isabel, Wednesday night ended with a romantic kiss on Isabel’s porch.
***************
That night was very rough on Maria DeLuca. She had to keep fighting off the boys of Roswell all night. Every few minutes the phone would ring and someone else would be propositioning her for a date or more. And some even offered to father her child. She shuddered inwardly at the memory of those calls. “I wish they’d leave me alone and let me get back to my life. This town is full of insane idiots…” After a short time of that the weary girl took the phone of the hook. Moments later she was also forced to take the battery out of her cell. The battery was carefully placed into her nightstand drawer and the phone was tossed in with it. She didn’t want to look at any phones, for the same reason., all the boys wanted her.
But the incident that topped it all off was when several members of the football team showed up at her door shirtless, showing off their six-pack, four-pack, and just plain flabby abs in succession, a stunt which merited them all a frigid hosing down by Amy. Maria informed her mother that she just had to get away from the madness, that she was going to sleep at her shop for the night, and that no, nothing was going to change her mind. So walking through town a short ways she came upon ‘Amy’s Alien Abyss’ and went inside. She curled up on the small loveseat in the office and fell to sleep around midnight, or even later.
***************
The next morning found her dragging into school and not the pleasant perky person she had been the day before. Her outfit did not scream “Notice, me!” She had on a boucle’ hat pulled as low on her head as possible, and dark sunglasses hiding the sags and bloodshot of her eyes. Where the girl normally wears bright and vibrant color she had on earth tones. “Please blend me into the desert and end this nightmare.” Was rather what it whispered.
Liz came up to her, “So? How are you doing?”
She pulled down her glasses and peered at the girl, “What happened to you?” Liz whispered in shock.
“Remind me of how good my life was when this weekend ends. I thought it’d be fun to have a normal date you know? A Human? A guy who knows what hygiene is,” She quipped. “ You know, something real. And I thought it’d be romantic.”
“Its not?”
“Not at all.” Maria stated slowly, and then she gathered steam and charged ahead, “The fact that I am on radio basically announcing my need for a guy has made the entire male population at West Roswell think that they are hunting. And I’m the prey. Its open Season on Maria DeLuca. I had to sleep at my mom’s shop to get away from the calls. I buried my cell in my nightstand drawer. It’s still in my room….”
“Why?” Liz laughed.
“I had to fight off the insane idiots of this high school all evening. That was loads of fun. And girlfriend, you don’t want to hear the half of what they were thinking…. If this guy on Friday doesn’t turn up any better I’m going to scream, you know? Well this is me, gotta go.” Maria turned into the first class of the day.
***************
Isabel seemed distant to Alex. They were at the Crashdown that Thursday evening after the band’s rehearsal, and she wasn’t talking much. She and the girls had gone shopping and it was going to be a great night. But she wouldn’t talk about what they bought, said it would spoil the surprise.
Well Alex himself was keeping a secret so it probably was fair that Isabel was keeping some of her own. He was planning to do something special for her at his concert, and he only hoped it would be well received. She could feel hurt, seeing how he wouldn’t let her come to any of the band’s practices that week, but that was due to the pretense of their non-dating, and he hadn’t let Maria there either. He claimed to be too nervous to let anyone but the band be there.
Isabel had a slight frown and was deeply in thought, concerning Alex… and she wasn’t ready to speak with him regarding the matter and felt that it had to remain a secret and so she had to find an excuse to not talk to him.
“Alex, I’m sorry.” She confessed, “I’m going to head home. I’ve got a lot on my mind you know, especially after last weekend… and well… I just need to go work on it. I gotta find Michael and take care of some things, but I’ll be there tomorrow at school, and even more importantly, your concert. I won’t miss it…” She gave him a weak smile and his hand a small squeeze. Then she left.
He watched in dismay as the love of his life walked out of the restaurant. What did she mean she had things to work out about last weekend, and a lot on her mind? She had erased a good portion of last weekend’s drama to his knowledge and he really didn’t think she’d recall any of the past Alex stuff, not spurred from her nightmare anyway. Was she remembering? Right! There was that whole FBI thing… Was it that? And then he landed on it. Alex. She was probably thinking of her Alex, and rather than hurt or upset him, she made a quick recovery and left. When she would think of him her smile often turned down in the cutest little frown, and her eyes would narrow just ever so slightly. She didn’t even know she was doing it, there would just be a certain look, that proceeded those talks. The look that just walked out of the restaurant.
He deeply sighed and shook his head, more determined than ever to make Friday night special for Isabel. He would do whatever it took to make her feel better, to eliminate the conundrum she suffered over her guilt of cheating on him with him. He had two advantages however, the fact that he knew how they both felt about each other, and almost a one-year head start over the time when they finally found each other in the alternate time line. He would use both advantages to the maximum. Then leaning over he took a large sip of his orange soda. Staring at where Isabel had just been sitting, he slurped his glass dry; realizing that he needed help, that he was in over his head, and he just didn’t know what to do next.
“Liz?” He asked.
“Yeah?” She replied.
“This needs more ice. Orange soda on the rocks please.” He held up the empty glass.
Liz knowing her friend long enough to know his main drinks were orange soda and root beer, especially root beer floats; also knew that when he wanted his drink on the rocks that he was in some kind of distress of the soul. For Alex usually drank it easy on the ice. “Alex, what’s wrong?” She asked in concern, as she refilled his soda. Maria too overheard the request.
“I don’t know… “ He replied truthfully, in a toned down whisper, as Liz neared his table with the drink. “Isabel and I aren’t dating. But we are good friends and I know that I’m a steady, stable influence in her life… sometimes she just goes indifferent towards me. I know. She is the Ice Princess so frostbite is a very real possibility. But sometimes I think Isabel is thinking about someone else,,,”
Maria rushed over, this was going to be good. Isabel wasn’t dating anyone. She’d told them that she liked, more than liked Alex, back at the girl’s night, and she had seemed sincere. But now he thought she liked someone else? Maria couldn’t wait for this bit of gossip… Liz slid into the seat opposite him, placing the soda squarely in front of him, while Maria stood by the table ready to act. She would go deal with Isabel as soon as she knew who was the cause of Alex’s pain. They asked in unison, “Who?”
“Me.” He said in a confused manner. The girls both looked at each other in extreme puzzlement, and then turned their attention back to their best friend. Inside his head he was thinking, ‘The other me. The me she actually loves. As much as I am he, her thoughts fall to him a lot. I’m a security blanket, loyal, best friend, and second best. I’ll never be able to compete with his ghost. I hope my serenade doesn’t scare her off too badly.’ He didn’t hear Maria’s protestation.
“Ok girlfriend,” started in Maria. “I thought I could count on you to be the one normal guy in this town. I’ve been dealing with pervs and idiots for the last two days and am about to borrow Liz’s thesaurus to come up with words to what I’m experiencing. Just choose your SAT word… humiliating would definitely be one of them… You can’t freak out on me right now Alex. I need someone normal.” She had her hands on his upper arms and was shaking him a bit.
Alex was jerked from his thoughts by the rough treatment. “Watch the arms there ‘Ria, playing bass tomorrow night you know.” He flexed, “Gotta have these babies in shape and I can’t have them shaken off by some freaked out girl.”
“I’m not the one freaking out! You are.” She countered, sliding in next to him so that she could lower her voice but still speak emphatically. “You said Isabel was thinking about someone else, which in itself wouldn’t be too unusual. No offense, but she’s never had a guy friend this long. But then you said that you were the one she was thinking about… Now that’s freaking out, Alex. There’s no other way to word it.” She looked across to Liz to clarify what she was trying to say, or would that be to clarify what Alex was trying to say.
“Let me get this straight?” Liz summed up quietly. “You’re jealous of the time your ‘girlfriend’ thinks about you?” she said as she wrapped her hand around his in a gesture of support.
“Yea, kind of, I think.” Alex stated unsurely, as he pulled his hand from Liz’s and leaned over to take a sip of the ice-laden drink in front of him.
“Girlfriend, you’re getting way too sensitive, spending too much time on you’re feminine side. You need to spend time with Michael. Trust me, there’s a guy with no emotions… a stonewall. Watch a hockey game or go out into the desert and blow something up,,, and Alex, when you go out into the desert, take your car, not mine.” Maria shook her head. Would things never be crazy where the Czechoslovakians were concerned?
SORRY FOR THE ERROR!!! IT CONTINUES NOW!!!!
***************
Isabel knew that she didn’t want Michael to draw any unwanted attention to them by burning the symbol on the library lawn, yet that was exactly what he intended to do, and she knew that unfortunately no amount of coaxing would convince him otherwise. Instead it actually fueled the fire. But she had to talk to him again, at least about how to treat a girl, and so stepping out of the Crashdown that early evening she headed over to the Chisholm Trail Trailer Park and to where Michael resided with his abusive and neglectful foster Father Hank Whitmore.
She stepped up to the door and Hank looked her over with a leer, he made her feel rather uncomfortable. “Is Michael here??” She asked.
“Hey Mickey, gotta a girl here for ya’. “ Hank shouted inside the open door.
Micahel emerged, and quickly walked to the door, but not escaping without getting an earful. "Real looker there Mickey." Hank once again drunkenly leered at Isabel, before turning to Michael. "What a pathetic little piss like you do to deserve a girl like her. Didn't think you had the balls…she must be a pistol in the sack." He turned to Isabel again. "If you ever get tired of Mickey you know where to fine me sweet cheeks." Michael felt protective of Isabel and insulted by his poor excuse of a foster father and issued them outside.
“So what are you doing here?” Michael demanded.
“Came to talk.” She answered while they walked out on the road for a moment.
“Really Michael, that guys a jerk, why do you put up with him?”
“I can handle Hank alright. I’ve done it all my life… Now I don’t think that’s what you came for so what do you want?” He questioned her again.
“That is one of the things I came for,” Isabel turned to him and gave a pensive look, “I hate seeing you unhappy.” She stopped and placed her hand on his upper arm, forcing him to talk to her, “But the other was tomorrow night.”
“What about it?” Michael gruffly replied.
“I want you to come to the concert,” She said as she handed him the ticket he’d need to get into the door.
He looked at it, “Can’t. Got plans.” As he handed it back.
“The map and sending some kind of message??” She asked.
“Those would be my plans.” He repeated….
“Michael please? Don’t let Maria down.” Isabel pleaded.
“She’s the one who got herself a date with someone else, looks pretty clear to me that she doesn’t want me around anymore.”
You are the one who won’t let her anywhere close. I know, I have scared you and Max off pretty good, but will you two just open your eyes and take a look around you? For whatever reason, those girls like you two. You owe it to them to give it a shot. You owe it to Maria. Breaking up with her because you don’t like how intense everything is….” Isabel rolled her eyes, “The only intensity is that I let some people into the secret, very safe people. WE can all trust my parents Michael.”
“We’ll see about that Isabel.” He shot out in a retort.
“You’re infuriating you know that?” She bit out.
“Yeah! So I’ve been told.” Michael harshly bit back, “Now what did you want?”
Isabel pushed in the only way she knew how, being equally stubborn with the master of bull-headedness. “I want you to go the concert, at least for a bit of it please? And treat Maria good. I know you aren’t together, but you’d rather be with her than alone.” She smiled.
“You don’t know anything.” Michael responded quickly not allowing the fact that Isabel was speaking the truth to register.
She continued on, never giving him the satisfaction of knowing he’d even been heard. “And so you need to do something nice for her you know? Max already understands all this, but he’s not here… Working out his own issues with Liz I suppose. Anyways, girls like flowers or little presents.” Isabel decided to throw some pointers in for good measure.
Michael was disgruntled by the fact that she was ordering him, or trying to order him around. “Your human boy do that for you?”
“Alex?” Isabel had a momentary dreamy look pervade the surface of her face. “Yes he does… The three roses in my room: A gift from Alex last weekend. He understands it all too well, but you haven’t met his grandfather. That whole family just knows the art of charm.”
‘Yeah ok,” Michael crossed his arms, “so if she’s not ragging on me about how I treat her, now I’ve got you doing the same. If I’m such a loser why do you bother to hang with me?” He demanded.
“Michael you are my brother. I love you like that you know?” Isabel stated gently, and then in a frustrated manner she added, “And I didn’t say you were a loser, what I said was to give it some effort.”
“What about the girl?” Michael asked.
“Maria?” Isabel asked in confusion.
“No! Any girl? Do they have to do anything?” Michael said as internally he fought to find a reason to skip the whole date night experience.
“I’m not going to justify that with an answer, but if you are there tomorrow night you’ll realize that I’m going to do something for Alex.” Isabel smiled, and looked at him expectantly.
“You are?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Isabel pursed her lips and nodded.
“What?”
Isabel shook her head, “I’m not sure yet, but there is something that I need him to know…”
“What should I do?” Michael relented.
Isabel straightened up in surprise, “Whoa!! You’re listening to me?”
“If it’ll shut you up yeah.” He gruffly replied.
“Great way to be Michael.” Isabel countered, but seizing the opportunity she continued to tell him how to treat a girl while on a date. “Bring her a little something. Flowers are good, or a little gift. Shampoo usually doesn’t go over right, and if you do get a girl shampoo don’t get the generic kind. Ok?”
“How did we end up talking about shampoo?”
Isabel rolled her eyes yet again, “because Michael, you are the type of guy who might consider that romantic… although I’m sure Maria wouldn’t…”
He turned to his sister and grabbed her arm as they started to walk back to the trailer. “Thank-you… for the advice on dating, and now I’m convinced that it isn’t what I want to be doing tomorrow night. Too much work.”
“No wonder Maria finds you frustrating. You could try you know. “ Isabel fought to keep control of the situation... “It wouldn’t hurt you to stretch yourself a bit. Max and I are.” She pointed out how they were making an effort, if even minimally.
“Yep! Right into a human mold. You’ve forgotten everything and I haven’t. If you’re done Isabel I have a map to work on.” Michael escorted her towards the jeep, which she’d borrowed to visit him.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night Michael.” Isabel grinned mischievously.
“You will?” he choked out in surprise at her confidence that he’d be there.
“You can count on it.” Isabel continued in her confidence as she pressed the ticket into his hand.
He looked at it and then at her, “Whatever Isabel.”
“Yeah! Whatever Michael.” She returned. “Take care alright and think about everything I said.” Isabel left in frustration, so far she hadn’t managed to convince Michael to attend the concert, which only meant he’d end up at the library. She did know that he’d be curious about what she meant to tell Alex and so hopefully that was enough hook to get him there.
***************
As if the previous evenings conversation with Isabel wasn’t enough… Alex took it upon himself to give Michael pointers at school.
He impressed upon him the need to dress up for a date; to style his hair, if even a little bit and to wear better than regular everyday clothing. The more Michael was bombarded with the proper way to treat a girl ad infinitum, the more he decided he didn’t care to do any of it.
***************
After school the band got in one more rehearsal, Alex made sure that everything was running smoothly. Geneva, as well as Alex had needed a woodwind instrument for the full effect of the song that he had chosen to play for Isabel and so another musician, Jordan Banes, was added to the mix in the short week. The Whits had a keyboardist now for when they needed one, although it was primarily a guitar band. But with all the additions, the band found itself sounding rather complete.
When the rehearsal was over they all made their way to the club and dropped off instruments and then headed to the Crash for a quick bite to eat…
Liz hit Alex up as he walked in the door that something was wrong with the answering machine and, techno geek that he was, would he please fix it.
He came down the stairs to where Maria was essentially hiding in the employees lounge.
“Lot of desperate guys aren’t there?” He teased, as he stood behind her at the swinging door.
“Yeah, look at them, brunette, out of town rule-breakers... What was I thinking? And the one chosen for me is most likely not even out there yet.” She turned from the small diamond shaped window to her long-time friend. “Gorgeous men they all are, and all this is, is insanity.”
“Well even more insane would be the fact that I just had to reset the Parker’s answering machine. It got full after 100 calls. You work for the Parker’s, its not like you live here. So what are you gonna do? Get some phone numbers?” he grinned.
“Are you kidding? The old me, most definitely. This new me, the one of the last few days… No Way!! I buried my cell phone, and I’ve taken to sleeping in my mother’s store. I can’t wait until this ends. At least I get a fun night out of the whole deal. And who knows? Maybe this will turn into something more?”
“Yeah maybe.” He said offhandedly, “But don’t forget the bet…”
“Bet shmet…” She sing-song rhymed in derision, “I can win this so easy.”
“Yeah we’ll see.” Alex quipped, “Well unlike you I’m not being given a dinner, and so the band and I are just dropping in for a quick bite, then we’re off to the club for the remainder of the evening. See you later Maria and have a great time.” He leaned over and gave her a hug.
“Thanks Alex. You have fun too.”
He had a quick bite… it felt so lonely without Isabel but he knew she’d be there at the concert, she had promised him that and so he looked forward to this evening when he would once again get to see the girl who claimed too be too busy to spend any time with him today.
End part One B…. OFFICIALLY LOL
TBC....
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen- Mature. For language… and sexual innuendo
Spoilers: Blind Date
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate. LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if fr any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter is always in process and has been for months.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
---
A/N I decided to forgo FB for the last chapter's half and instead to include it with this half, after you have read it. I have it written on paper but not yet typed up, and I thought you all might enjoy getting the next part to the chapter more so. It was one or the other.
And then in March I proimised to get the rest of it up. Expect two separate postings just like this has been.
I'm still working on it. And March is an extremely busy month in my family.
It starts on the 1st with a nephew's b-day, and then goes into a month of birthdays, my husband's and oldest stepson's included as well as other family members.
These next 3 months are birthday months for my immediate family as well. March, April, May... I'll do my best to be around with this story but it gets crazy around here.
So wish me luck once again on writing, ideas as well as time.
And thank-you.
And to reitierate, I will respond to your FB for Part One A as I respond to Part One B.... so in a bit I'll get back with you.
Thanks for your continued patience...
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
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Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part One: B
Dream Date
******
A couple of hours later: As the girls cleaned the cafe and Alex relaxed after all the rehearsing he had just done, he was sitting on the barstool playing his silver metallic bass at the Crashdown chatting to the girls about his winning the auditions the next day. Liz was giving him an amused smile, while Maria continued to tease his lack of talent. Isabel watched from her booth as her “boyfriend” interacted with his two best friends. Although Isabel and Alex had grown much closer over the past few weeks; they weren’t together publicly. Right now, Isabel was still comfortable with watching from the outside, a role her brother usually performed.
“Oh ye some little faith, would you?” He asked them.
“Alex, if you win the audition then I’ll, I’ll…” Maria paused undecided on what to say.
“You’ll kiss Michael on Friday.” Isabel exclaimed.
“Yeah!! I’ll…” Maria was about to repeat Isabel until the words registered and she turned to the taller girl sitting in the booth. “Wait, I’ll what?” She demanded incredulously, while she paused to fully realize Isabel’s statement. “Eww! No way!” She stated as her friends laughed at her. “No way, no how am I ever going back to Michael Guerin.”
“Sure, keep saying that, you might just believe it.” Alex threw back at her.
“Oh, please, if I got back with Michael, then check me into a mental institution because I would be out of my mind.” Maria countered.
“Sure, and that’s why the description of your date fits Michael to a tee, Maria.” Liz pointed out.
“It does not;” she protested. “I said I wanted a dark-haired guy.”
Alex, Isabel, and Liz exchanged a glance before Liz continued, “And the whole rebel thing? What was that about?”
“Okay, so I might have been thinking about him a little. Doesn’t mean that I want him back.” Alex and Liz just kept their expressions, “Okay, I want him to suffer. Are you happy now?” She asked in a tone that told her friends to back off.
“Extremely.” Said Liz.
“Quite.” Replied Alex with a nod.
Maria snorted at her friend’s antics, while Isabel fought the urge to giggle. Seeing this Maria narrowed her eyes a bit. “And what’s so funny?”
“You,” Isabel failed in her attempt to kept her laughter at bay, and it stumbled out of her mouth. Maria didn’t seem too happy with her response, so Isabel attempted to elaborate, “you three, together, you’re just hanging out here, ribbing one another; it’s cute and extremely amusing. My ‘friends’ are never like that, heck I’m not like that, even when I’m with Max.”
“What about when you’re with Michael?” Maria asked.
“Please,” Isabel gave the three a serious look, “we’re talking about Michael, what do you think?”
The other three just looked at her for a moment before nodding, “You’re right, sorry, dumb question, don’t know what I was thinking.” Maria replied.
Isabel shared a smile with the girl before getting back to business. “So, what do you say to a little wager, Maria?”
This peaked Maria’s interest as she tilted her head a bit to the left, “What are you suggesting?”
“Nothing with money, just a wager over the outcome of your date between friends.” Isabel stated calmly.
“A friendly wager?” Maria answered skeptically.
“Of course,” Isabel reassured her with her 100-watt smile.
Maria then shook her head. “See, you’re up to something. I was considering it until I saw that smile.”
Isabel put up a face of complete innocence and confusion, “What smile?”
“Oh, no you don’t; I’m not going to fall for that one.”
At this point, Liz joined into the conversation, “Come on, Maria. You haven’t even heard Isabel’s terms yet.”
The other girl relented under her best friend’s words, “All right, what were you thinking?” They all slid into Isabel’s booth so they could talk undetected.
Isabel paused for a moment, just what was she thinking? For the first time in her life she was actually hanging out and having fun. She wasn’t ordering around her “friends;” she wasn’t observing others and pretending to disdain them, she was getting involved and she was willing to admit something to herself; she was enjoying herself. Smiling at this new revelation, she also tilted her head a bit before giving Maria an answer. “I bet that you’ll be kissing Michael at the end of the date.” She smiled the same smile again.
Maria also tilted her head, “And what will you give me if I don’t kiss him?”
Isabel thought for a moment before answering, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do with my powers, like new highlights in your hair, alter your clothes, anything within reason, as long as it isn’t illegal or immoral for a week. However if I’m right, then…” Isabel paused, “then, you’ll have to admit how you really feel about Michael at the concert.” She could just see the wheels turning in Maria’s head. She also knew she wouldn’t be waiting for an answer long.
“Well, since I’m not going anywhere near Michael Guerin, this is one bet that I’m sure to win, Isabel. I think I’ll start making a list of things now.”
“I don’t know if I would do that, Maria.” Alex warned. When his friend gave him a glare he threw his hands up in front of him in mock surrender, “Just saying, you have a soft spot for the guy.”
She rolled her eyes at him, “Whatever, if you have so little faith in me, why don’t you contribute to the pot?”
Both Liz and Alex looked at each other before looking back at their best friend.
“No way am I getting involved,“ Alex raised his hands in another gesture of surrender.
“Sorry, but I don’t see the point…“ Liz backed up and shot Isabel a look as if to say, ‘You started all this.’
“Oh, come on guys!” Maria placed her hands on her hips, “What are you? Afraid? Are you chicken?”
Liz bit her lip before asking, “What do you want if you win?”
“Liz does my math homework for a two weeks, and Alex does my computer assignments for the same amount of time.”
“A half of a week,” Liz fired back.
“A week and a half.” Maria shot back.
“A week.” Liz counter offered.
“Deal.” The girls shook hands caught in the heat of the moment and forgot the third member of their little trio.
“So, what do we get in return, if we’re right?” Alex asked a bit testy that Liz and Maria negotiated terms without his say.
Maria was obviously not thinking about her chances of losing, because she had a blank expression on her face. “Umm, umm, well, I’ll do what Isabel says.”
“Oh, no, you need to do something specifically for us, since we’ll be doing different things for you.” Alex insisted. “I got it. If you do end up with Michael Guerin at the end of the date, you have to try to not overreact for a week.”
“Overreact? I don’t overreact.” Maria started.
“So, why do I have to use a Maria-filter for half of the things you say to me?” Alex pointed out. “And did you not run out of the Crashdown screaming when Liz told you the truth about Max’s origins? Or what about how you told Isabel’s secret to Valenti because of a little ‘music’ in your car, or after your dream.”
“Okay, okay, so I’m a bit high strung at times. It’s part of my charm.” Maria shrugged and defended herself in a teasing manner.
“High Strung, definitely,” Isabel teased. And Liz added in… “Just who dropped the bin of dishes when the radio station showed up last night? As if we needed yet another example.” Alex grinned while chuckling, he could envision that.
“It’s just a week, besides you’re so positive that you’ll win.” Liz pointed out.
“All right. You’re all on.” Maria grinned at each of them. And she turned to Isabel, “golden hues and an extension please…” starting to put in her order for her soon to be beauty treatment.
***************
Wednesday February 9, 2000, at school, Maria still was thrilled about the future prospect that she would meet on Friday night. She walked into school to a swarm of girls and guys alike clamoring for her attention. The girls all thought it was the most exciting thing to happen to anyone in a long time. Nothing exciting ever happened in Roswell. And so they were asking Maria questions constantly. All of a sudden, everyone, even those who had acted as if they didn’t know Maria, wanted to be her best friend. Hoping her “star status” would rub off on them.
The guys followed her ogling, for lack of a better word. “Looking good there DeLuca,” said one. While another sidled up to her, slung his arm around her shoulder and stated in a cool tone, “Hey baby! You’re looking for a dark haired rebel, look no further.” He stepped in front of her sporting his studded leather jacket, as he ran his hand through his spiked auburn colored hair.
What I said Neil was that ‘I was looking for a change from the BOYS of Roswell.’ Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get to class. All these interruptions have made me late.” Maria went to brush past him.
“That’s right baby, you were looking for a man. I can be your man, anytime you want. Lets just walk into that station together and tell them you have a date.” He raised a suggestive eyebrow.
“With whom?” She threw back, “I don’t see any men around here.” She made an open show of looking around the halls, “Yep, only the endless cache of the boys of West Roswell High. I can do better than the likes of any of you.” She waved a dismissive hand as if to shoo him off.
“Ooh, DeLuca. Burn.” Admired some of Maria’s instant fan club. Maria held her head high, and pranced into class in a manner of regality, Roswell’s Queen of Hearts that she was.
Michael who was standing to the wings and watching the whole scene smirked at her treatment of the guy. He gave a small nod of appreciation and then wandered off to wherever he was headed.
The day pretty much went in that manner, and at 5:00 was The Whits audition. She couldn’t wait to be rid of the endless stream of annoying people that hounded her every move, and at least supporting two friends, Alex and Geneva…
***************
Immediately after school Maria had taken Geneva out shopping for clothes to wear to the audition. And then with the girl donned in her uncharacteristic attire, for she got something to get the people’s attention. They headed off to the club, where not only were auditions being held but also where the winning band would perform.
They were on time as they came in before “The Whits” even went on stage. The last band was playing and Alex and group were preparing.
“That was “Crash of ‘47” playing All For You.” The Radio personnel spoke amongst themselves as The Whits took the stage. The boys, dressed in their typical everyday baggy jeans and large shirts. And Geneva took the center stage in clothing that fit right in. (But with a difference! Her tight jeans were just below illegal and the plum colored baggy shirt lost all baggyness when tied high on her midriff. The boy’s eyes shone in appreciation and she sent a glowing smile to each of them before giving a smile and a nod to the judges as she stood behind the mic.
The director nodded and whispered to the other judges, “I think she’s cute… lets see if Roswell doesn’t have what we are looking for.” Then she looked up and said, “Whenever you are ready.”
Alex stated, “We’re an alternative band but, we can also do the traditional. We’d like to share both with you if that would be alright. And we write our own stuff.”
“Are you doing your original stuff today?”
“We’d like to, but we have two other familiar songs picked out if that would be better?”
“Go ahead, show us what you’ve got. We’ve got time for the two songs but then we’ve got another band to hear. If you’re any good, maybe we can hear the original stuff at a later time?”
“Ok.” Alex was a bit depressed that the band wasn’t able to do their own stuff. He turned to the group and said, “Lets do it. Pop song first.”
***************
Geneva took the mic and Maria standing in the front gave her a reassuring wink and she started in. Singing, In the Air Tonight, True to Maria’s words the girl could sing, and not only that she was a complete natural. The song flowed from her as if she were the song.
The judges settled into their chairs and smiled softly, whispering among themselves. One of them said, “I’ll get Matt here by Friday.” The director, Stacie Rhodes, nodded in her agreement.
The pop song ended and Geneva took her Violin and waited for her part to play as the band wowed the KROZ personnel by playing Iris.
The judges found themselves bobbing their heads in time to the music and faintly smiling. Stacie, the KROZ director looked up and tilted her flattering glasses onto her nose a little tighter, as her hazel eyes landed on the young man in charge. “Thanks. We’ll let you know.” She told Alex.
“That’s it?” Asked Alex.
“That it.” The Radio team turned to the band that had appeared during The Whits try-out and said, “You’re next.”
****************
After tearing down all the instruments and putting them away the group walked out of the club a little disheartened.
Maria got between her two friends and tried to hug both their shoulders as they walked. Alex was held around the back. “You guys did great. Gen, girlfriend, trust me they loved you… they had too. I couldn’t stop moving and that violin, man that is such an addition to the band don’t you think?”
Geneva smiled at the praise. “Do you really think we were good? I mean you don’t particularly listen to alternative music and I just fit with these guys, you know?” Her shoulder length, dark brown hair, swinging as they walked.
“Girlfriend, the whole lot of you, give new meaning to the words Alternative Music You guys rocked. And I’m not just saying that. I’m not really sure that I fit with the band the way you do.”
***************
Nicky and Chris had to depart, they had things to do. Geneva brought her homework to the Crashdown where Alex was meeting Isabel. And Maria had to get back to work. Marcos and Jordan tagged along with the group.
They entered the Crashdown, Isabel looked up expectantly but she couldn’t catch Alex’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at her. He teased Geneva about her violin. “I never thought I’d need one of these babies in the band, but I can’t imagine playing without it at least sometimes. You’re officially a member of the team if you want to be… Wendy Lavely’s out. We didn’t know what we were after till Maria gave you to us. Thanks Gen. Now I see you have your homework with you and I know you do a full course load, Liz told me all the classes you are taking. So I’m going to go talk with my friend over here.” He gave her a quick hug to the shoulder and made his way over to the counter where Isabel was sitting.
“Hi?” she asked hope shining in her eyes.
“Hey Isabel. They auditioned another band right when we were done. I guess they didn’t like us.”
“Or, they were seeing what else there is to compare you with?” She whispered in encouragement.
“Yeah! We were nervous, all of us flubbed a bit. So, we probably blew it.“
“You made it through, and you did your best right?” She smiled, “and if you recovered those flops, even pros screw up the words to their own songs, or play the wrong things sometimes... So all we can do is wait right?”
“I need to talk a bit more privately can we go to a table or something?”
“Sure.” Isabel followed him over to one of the booths, the farthest one in the corner. A family currently occupied theirs.
“What’s wrong?” She asked with concern.
“Well they didn’t care to hear any of our original stuff, and the popular songs were all we were allowed to play. We got to play two.”
Isabel bit back a laugh.
“What!?” he asked incredulously. I just told you they didn’t like us and you sit there grinning. What is wrong with you?”
“Alex. Ok, I’m glad we’re talking privately. Get ready to play anything you want and as much of it as you have to kill an hour at least.”
“Why?” he raised an eyebrow in question.
Because if this timeline ends up the same, even remotely, you will be the entertainment at that concert. I won’t say what happens to the popular band but The Whits are it. Where they originally had you opening for the band with two songs, you had to pull the night together. I’d say do a mix of Pop… In the Air Tonight was what Maria used and is a real crowd pleaser…”
“Yeah that was one of the ones we used for our audition,,,, he added in while Isabel smiled. “And also some alternative...” she concluded. “Show a broad range and no one will forget you.”
“I love this.” He smiled. “You’re my own little fortune cookie aren’t you?”
She gave him a disgruntled look.
“Crystal ball?” Which was met with the same look. “I’m neither Alex. I’m just someone who’s already been down this road. I know some of the stops, that is, if they aren’t detoured.”
“Lets get something to eat alright. My parents are out of town and Max is at work and this will be my dinner tonight.” So they each ordered their usual from the Crashdown’s menu and started to eat.
***************
As they were working on their homework a couple hours later at 8:18 pm his cell phone rang. The number in the screen was unfamiliar. “Hello?”
“Hello, May I please speak to Alex Whitman of The Whits?”
“Speaking? How may I help you?”
Isabel looked up from her book and watched him curiously, the girls kept sneaking looks.
As the conversation continued Alex’s face lost all traces of his worried expression and a serenity pervaded.
Ok Thanks…Yes I will let them know. Thank-you very much. He replied in a serious business like manner as he flipped the phone shut and then the goofy animated boy took over.
He gave Isabel a lopsided grin and wink and stood up shouting… “ALRIGHT!!! WE DID IT YEA!!!!”
“Did what Alex?” asked Liz and Maria in unison. Geneva stood from her table, which was a good thing for in a flash, the taller boy was over at her seat and had lifted the smaller girl into a twirling hug, her feet were literally off the ground. Without thinking he gave her a quick kiss on the lips in his excitement, her doe eyes went wide in surprise as she laughingly smiled while Alex reset her upon the ground. “Alex!” intoned a certain tall blonde from the corner of the café. He knew Isabel had seen that. But he wanted to kiss someone and Isabel and him weren’t “dating” so it couldn’t be her. She’d get a kiss later when he took her home. And without Geneva they wouldn’t have won so…. The words bubbled out of him as if he were a fountain, “We’re in, Gen. The Whits are playing on Friday night.“
Then turning to the restaurant of people now staring at him and in his exuberance he stood on a chair and exclaimed, “I just got off the phone with Stacie Rhodes, the director of the Blind Date Auditions. We won. The Whits are playing on Friday Night!!!” He howled. “WHOOOO!!!”
Raising his hands over his head palms out he cheered, “Alex Whitman ladies and gentleman. YEAHH!!!!!”
All of a sudden Maria heard a moan from the direction of the first table, “What am I going to wear?”
She grinned. It was Geneva Owens and the reality of the situation had just hit the girl full force, and she responded in typical girl style, a fashion emergency.
Maria looked up to Isabel, “Mall tomorrow?” And then without waiting for the answer she turned to Liz’s dad. “Mr. Parker, I’m sorry to miss so much work this week but really you can understand I’m sure right? I need to be off tomorrow a bit as well.”
“Go have fun,” Jeff teased.
Then she turned to Isabel, tapping her foot impatiently and said “Well? I’m waiting?”
“What? Interrupt you?” Isabel answered in her confusion, “Oh never mind... Lets go shopping.”
She made her way over to the reason they won at all and slid in next to her. Geneva didn’t know Isabel except for her Ice Princess moniker and she slid to the wall and gulped. “What?” she asked nervously.
“Shopping? I think you’ll need something for the big night right? And Maria will want to get an outfit I’m sure, she said in a slippery tone. I’m the shopping expert. We’re going to have fun.”
“You want to take me shopping?” the girl asked nervously. “You’re not going to dress me horribly are you?”
Inwardly Isabel was laughing. But she said in an emotionless tone, “No.” And that was it. The girls were on a shopping mission the next day, right after school so that the band could practice all evening.
Alex was calling the rest of the members while Isabel was talking to Geneva and the girls. Jordan and Marcos had left quite awhile ago. Geneva, who only lived with her father, had been doing her homework at the Crashdown for the evening instead of in her lonely room at home.
And for Alex and Isabel, Wednesday night ended with a romantic kiss on Isabel’s porch.
***************
That night was very rough on Maria DeLuca. She had to keep fighting off the boys of Roswell all night. Every few minutes the phone would ring and someone else would be propositioning her for a date or more. And some even offered to father her child. She shuddered inwardly at the memory of those calls. “I wish they’d leave me alone and let me get back to my life. This town is full of insane idiots…” After a short time of that the weary girl took the phone of the hook. Moments later she was also forced to take the battery out of her cell. The battery was carefully placed into her nightstand drawer and the phone was tossed in with it. She didn’t want to look at any phones, for the same reason., all the boys wanted her.
But the incident that topped it all off was when several members of the football team showed up at her door shirtless, showing off their six-pack, four-pack, and just plain flabby abs in succession, a stunt which merited them all a frigid hosing down by Amy. Maria informed her mother that she just had to get away from the madness, that she was going to sleep at her shop for the night, and that no, nothing was going to change her mind. So walking through town a short ways she came upon ‘Amy’s Alien Abyss’ and went inside. She curled up on the small loveseat in the office and fell to sleep around midnight, or even later.
***************
The next morning found her dragging into school and not the pleasant perky person she had been the day before. Her outfit did not scream “Notice, me!” She had on a boucle’ hat pulled as low on her head as possible, and dark sunglasses hiding the sags and bloodshot of her eyes. Where the girl normally wears bright and vibrant color she had on earth tones. “Please blend me into the desert and end this nightmare.” Was rather what it whispered.
Liz came up to her, “So? How are you doing?”
She pulled down her glasses and peered at the girl, “What happened to you?” Liz whispered in shock.
“Remind me of how good my life was when this weekend ends. I thought it’d be fun to have a normal date you know? A Human? A guy who knows what hygiene is,” She quipped. “ You know, something real. And I thought it’d be romantic.”
“Its not?”
“Not at all.” Maria stated slowly, and then she gathered steam and charged ahead, “The fact that I am on radio basically announcing my need for a guy has made the entire male population at West Roswell think that they are hunting. And I’m the prey. Its open Season on Maria DeLuca. I had to sleep at my mom’s shop to get away from the calls. I buried my cell in my nightstand drawer. It’s still in my room….”
“Why?” Liz laughed.
“I had to fight off the insane idiots of this high school all evening. That was loads of fun. And girlfriend, you don’t want to hear the half of what they were thinking…. If this guy on Friday doesn’t turn up any better I’m going to scream, you know? Well this is me, gotta go.” Maria turned into the first class of the day.
***************
Isabel seemed distant to Alex. They were at the Crashdown that Thursday evening after the band’s rehearsal, and she wasn’t talking much. She and the girls had gone shopping and it was going to be a great night. But she wouldn’t talk about what they bought, said it would spoil the surprise.
Well Alex himself was keeping a secret so it probably was fair that Isabel was keeping some of her own. He was planning to do something special for her at his concert, and he only hoped it would be well received. She could feel hurt, seeing how he wouldn’t let her come to any of the band’s practices that week, but that was due to the pretense of their non-dating, and he hadn’t let Maria there either. He claimed to be too nervous to let anyone but the band be there.
Isabel had a slight frown and was deeply in thought, concerning Alex… and she wasn’t ready to speak with him regarding the matter and felt that it had to remain a secret and so she had to find an excuse to not talk to him.
“Alex, I’m sorry.” She confessed, “I’m going to head home. I’ve got a lot on my mind you know, especially after last weekend… and well… I just need to go work on it. I gotta find Michael and take care of some things, but I’ll be there tomorrow at school, and even more importantly, your concert. I won’t miss it…” She gave him a weak smile and his hand a small squeeze. Then she left.
He watched in dismay as the love of his life walked out of the restaurant. What did she mean she had things to work out about last weekend, and a lot on her mind? She had erased a good portion of last weekend’s drama to his knowledge and he really didn’t think she’d recall any of the past Alex stuff, not spurred from her nightmare anyway. Was she remembering? Right! There was that whole FBI thing… Was it that? And then he landed on it. Alex. She was probably thinking of her Alex, and rather than hurt or upset him, she made a quick recovery and left. When she would think of him her smile often turned down in the cutest little frown, and her eyes would narrow just ever so slightly. She didn’t even know she was doing it, there would just be a certain look, that proceeded those talks. The look that just walked out of the restaurant.
He deeply sighed and shook his head, more determined than ever to make Friday night special for Isabel. He would do whatever it took to make her feel better, to eliminate the conundrum she suffered over her guilt of cheating on him with him. He had two advantages however, the fact that he knew how they both felt about each other, and almost a one-year head start over the time when they finally found each other in the alternate time line. He would use both advantages to the maximum. Then leaning over he took a large sip of his orange soda. Staring at where Isabel had just been sitting, he slurped his glass dry; realizing that he needed help, that he was in over his head, and he just didn’t know what to do next.
“Liz?” He asked.
“Yeah?” She replied.
“This needs more ice. Orange soda on the rocks please.” He held up the empty glass.
Liz knowing her friend long enough to know his main drinks were orange soda and root beer, especially root beer floats; also knew that when he wanted his drink on the rocks that he was in some kind of distress of the soul. For Alex usually drank it easy on the ice. “Alex, what’s wrong?” She asked in concern, as she refilled his soda. Maria too overheard the request.
“I don’t know… “ He replied truthfully, in a toned down whisper, as Liz neared his table with the drink. “Isabel and I aren’t dating. But we are good friends and I know that I’m a steady, stable influence in her life… sometimes she just goes indifferent towards me. I know. She is the Ice Princess so frostbite is a very real possibility. But sometimes I think Isabel is thinking about someone else,,,”
Maria rushed over, this was going to be good. Isabel wasn’t dating anyone. She’d told them that she liked, more than liked Alex, back at the girl’s night, and she had seemed sincere. But now he thought she liked someone else? Maria couldn’t wait for this bit of gossip… Liz slid into the seat opposite him, placing the soda squarely in front of him, while Maria stood by the table ready to act. She would go deal with Isabel as soon as she knew who was the cause of Alex’s pain. They asked in unison, “Who?”
“Me.” He said in a confused manner. The girls both looked at each other in extreme puzzlement, and then turned their attention back to their best friend. Inside his head he was thinking, ‘The other me. The me she actually loves. As much as I am he, her thoughts fall to him a lot. I’m a security blanket, loyal, best friend, and second best. I’ll never be able to compete with his ghost. I hope my serenade doesn’t scare her off too badly.’ He didn’t hear Maria’s protestation.
“Ok girlfriend,” started in Maria. “I thought I could count on you to be the one normal guy in this town. I’ve been dealing with pervs and idiots for the last two days and am about to borrow Liz’s thesaurus to come up with words to what I’m experiencing. Just choose your SAT word… humiliating would definitely be one of them… You can’t freak out on me right now Alex. I need someone normal.” She had her hands on his upper arms and was shaking him a bit.
Alex was jerked from his thoughts by the rough treatment. “Watch the arms there ‘Ria, playing bass tomorrow night you know.” He flexed, “Gotta have these babies in shape and I can’t have them shaken off by some freaked out girl.”
“I’m not the one freaking out! You are.” She countered, sliding in next to him so that she could lower her voice but still speak emphatically. “You said Isabel was thinking about someone else, which in itself wouldn’t be too unusual. No offense, but she’s never had a guy friend this long. But then you said that you were the one she was thinking about… Now that’s freaking out, Alex. There’s no other way to word it.” She looked across to Liz to clarify what she was trying to say, or would that be to clarify what Alex was trying to say.
“Let me get this straight?” Liz summed up quietly. “You’re jealous of the time your ‘girlfriend’ thinks about you?” she said as she wrapped her hand around his in a gesture of support.
“Yea, kind of, I think.” Alex stated unsurely, as he pulled his hand from Liz’s and leaned over to take a sip of the ice-laden drink in front of him.
“Girlfriend, you’re getting way too sensitive, spending too much time on you’re feminine side. You need to spend time with Michael. Trust me, there’s a guy with no emotions… a stonewall. Watch a hockey game or go out into the desert and blow something up,,, and Alex, when you go out into the desert, take your car, not mine.” Maria shook her head. Would things never be crazy where the Czechoslovakians were concerned?
SORRY FOR THE ERROR!!! IT CONTINUES NOW!!!!
***************
Isabel knew that she didn’t want Michael to draw any unwanted attention to them by burning the symbol on the library lawn, yet that was exactly what he intended to do, and she knew that unfortunately no amount of coaxing would convince him otherwise. Instead it actually fueled the fire. But she had to talk to him again, at least about how to treat a girl, and so stepping out of the Crashdown that early evening she headed over to the Chisholm Trail Trailer Park and to where Michael resided with his abusive and neglectful foster Father Hank Whitmore.
She stepped up to the door and Hank looked her over with a leer, he made her feel rather uncomfortable. “Is Michael here??” She asked.
“Hey Mickey, gotta a girl here for ya’. “ Hank shouted inside the open door.
Micahel emerged, and quickly walked to the door, but not escaping without getting an earful. "Real looker there Mickey." Hank once again drunkenly leered at Isabel, before turning to Michael. "What a pathetic little piss like you do to deserve a girl like her. Didn't think you had the balls…she must be a pistol in the sack." He turned to Isabel again. "If you ever get tired of Mickey you know where to fine me sweet cheeks." Michael felt protective of Isabel and insulted by his poor excuse of a foster father and issued them outside.
“So what are you doing here?” Michael demanded.
“Came to talk.” She answered while they walked out on the road for a moment.
“Really Michael, that guys a jerk, why do you put up with him?”
“I can handle Hank alright. I’ve done it all my life… Now I don’t think that’s what you came for so what do you want?” He questioned her again.
“That is one of the things I came for,” Isabel turned to him and gave a pensive look, “I hate seeing you unhappy.” She stopped and placed her hand on his upper arm, forcing him to talk to her, “But the other was tomorrow night.”
“What about it?” Michael gruffly replied.
“I want you to come to the concert,” She said as she handed him the ticket he’d need to get into the door.
He looked at it, “Can’t. Got plans.” As he handed it back.
“The map and sending some kind of message??” She asked.
“Those would be my plans.” He repeated….
“Michael please? Don’t let Maria down.” Isabel pleaded.
“She’s the one who got herself a date with someone else, looks pretty clear to me that she doesn’t want me around anymore.”
You are the one who won’t let her anywhere close. I know, I have scared you and Max off pretty good, but will you two just open your eyes and take a look around you? For whatever reason, those girls like you two. You owe it to them to give it a shot. You owe it to Maria. Breaking up with her because you don’t like how intense everything is….” Isabel rolled her eyes, “The only intensity is that I let some people into the secret, very safe people. WE can all trust my parents Michael.”
“We’ll see about that Isabel.” He shot out in a retort.
“You’re infuriating you know that?” She bit out.
“Yeah! So I’ve been told.” Michael harshly bit back, “Now what did you want?”
Isabel pushed in the only way she knew how, being equally stubborn with the master of bull-headedness. “I want you to go the concert, at least for a bit of it please? And treat Maria good. I know you aren’t together, but you’d rather be with her than alone.” She smiled.
“You don’t know anything.” Michael responded quickly not allowing the fact that Isabel was speaking the truth to register.
She continued on, never giving him the satisfaction of knowing he’d even been heard. “And so you need to do something nice for her you know? Max already understands all this, but he’s not here… Working out his own issues with Liz I suppose. Anyways, girls like flowers or little presents.” Isabel decided to throw some pointers in for good measure.
Michael was disgruntled by the fact that she was ordering him, or trying to order him around. “Your human boy do that for you?”
“Alex?” Isabel had a momentary dreamy look pervade the surface of her face. “Yes he does… The three roses in my room: A gift from Alex last weekend. He understands it all too well, but you haven’t met his grandfather. That whole family just knows the art of charm.”
‘Yeah ok,” Michael crossed his arms, “so if she’s not ragging on me about how I treat her, now I’ve got you doing the same. If I’m such a loser why do you bother to hang with me?” He demanded.
“Michael you are my brother. I love you like that you know?” Isabel stated gently, and then in a frustrated manner she added, “And I didn’t say you were a loser, what I said was to give it some effort.”
“What about the girl?” Michael asked.
“Maria?” Isabel asked in confusion.
“No! Any girl? Do they have to do anything?” Michael said as internally he fought to find a reason to skip the whole date night experience.
“I’m not going to justify that with an answer, but if you are there tomorrow night you’ll realize that I’m going to do something for Alex.” Isabel smiled, and looked at him expectantly.
“You are?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Isabel pursed her lips and nodded.
“What?”
Isabel shook her head, “I’m not sure yet, but there is something that I need him to know…”
“What should I do?” Michael relented.
Isabel straightened up in surprise, “Whoa!! You’re listening to me?”
“If it’ll shut you up yeah.” He gruffly replied.
“Great way to be Michael.” Isabel countered, but seizing the opportunity she continued to tell him how to treat a girl while on a date. “Bring her a little something. Flowers are good, or a little gift. Shampoo usually doesn’t go over right, and if you do get a girl shampoo don’t get the generic kind. Ok?”
“How did we end up talking about shampoo?”
Isabel rolled her eyes yet again, “because Michael, you are the type of guy who might consider that romantic… although I’m sure Maria wouldn’t…”
He turned to his sister and grabbed her arm as they started to walk back to the trailer. “Thank-you… for the advice on dating, and now I’m convinced that it isn’t what I want to be doing tomorrow night. Too much work.”
“No wonder Maria finds you frustrating. You could try you know. “ Isabel fought to keep control of the situation... “It wouldn’t hurt you to stretch yourself a bit. Max and I are.” She pointed out how they were making an effort, if even minimally.
“Yep! Right into a human mold. You’ve forgotten everything and I haven’t. If you’re done Isabel I have a map to work on.” Michael escorted her towards the jeep, which she’d borrowed to visit him.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night Michael.” Isabel grinned mischievously.
“You will?” he choked out in surprise at her confidence that he’d be there.
“You can count on it.” Isabel continued in her confidence as she pressed the ticket into his hand.
He looked at it and then at her, “Whatever Isabel.”
“Yeah! Whatever Michael.” She returned. “Take care alright and think about everything I said.” Isabel left in frustration, so far she hadn’t managed to convince Michael to attend the concert, which only meant he’d end up at the library. She did know that he’d be curious about what she meant to tell Alex and so hopefully that was enough hook to get him there.
***************
As if the previous evenings conversation with Isabel wasn’t enough… Alex took it upon himself to give Michael pointers at school.
He impressed upon him the need to dress up for a date; to style his hair, if even a little bit and to wear better than regular everyday clothing. The more Michael was bombarded with the proper way to treat a girl ad infinitum, the more he decided he didn’t care to do any of it.
***************
After school the band got in one more rehearsal, Alex made sure that everything was running smoothly. Geneva, as well as Alex had needed a woodwind instrument for the full effect of the song that he had chosen to play for Isabel and so another musician, Jordan Banes, was added to the mix in the short week. The Whits had a keyboardist now for when they needed one, although it was primarily a guitar band. But with all the additions, the band found itself sounding rather complete.
When the rehearsal was over they all made their way to the club and dropped off instruments and then headed to the Crash for a quick bite to eat…
Liz hit Alex up as he walked in the door that something was wrong with the answering machine and, techno geek that he was, would he please fix it.
He came down the stairs to where Maria was essentially hiding in the employees lounge.
“Lot of desperate guys aren’t there?” He teased, as he stood behind her at the swinging door.
“Yeah, look at them, brunette, out of town rule-breakers... What was I thinking? And the one chosen for me is most likely not even out there yet.” She turned from the small diamond shaped window to her long-time friend. “Gorgeous men they all are, and all this is, is insanity.”
“Well even more insane would be the fact that I just had to reset the Parker’s answering machine. It got full after 100 calls. You work for the Parker’s, its not like you live here. So what are you gonna do? Get some phone numbers?” he grinned.
“Are you kidding? The old me, most definitely. This new me, the one of the last few days… No Way!! I buried my cell phone, and I’ve taken to sleeping in my mother’s store. I can’t wait until this ends. At least I get a fun night out of the whole deal. And who knows? Maybe this will turn into something more?”
“Yeah maybe.” He said offhandedly, “But don’t forget the bet…”
“Bet shmet…” She sing-song rhymed in derision, “I can win this so easy.”
“Yeah we’ll see.” Alex quipped, “Well unlike you I’m not being given a dinner, and so the band and I are just dropping in for a quick bite, then we’re off to the club for the remainder of the evening. See you later Maria and have a great time.” He leaned over and gave her a hug.
“Thanks Alex. You have fun too.”
He had a quick bite… it felt so lonely without Isabel but he knew she’d be there at the concert, she had promised him that and so he looked forward to this evening when he would once again get to see the girl who claimed too be too busy to spend any time with him today.
End part One B…. OFFICIALLY LOL
TBC....
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:38 am, edited 4 times in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
25:2 Part A
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen - Mature… For language…
Spoilers: Blind Date
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate. LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if fr any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter is always in process and has been for months.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
The thing is, when I make an original based on someone, I try to put as much of the real person as I can into their composite. I hope you four all feel honored for I was honored to place you into a piece of Shifting Realities history.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part Two: A
Dream Date
------
As Alex had already observed the Crashdown was getting crowed that evening. Many people were there to see what the winner of the blind-date looked like as well as whom she was being set up with. However the DJ and crew were only arriving, and they hadn’t started setting up the equipment yet…
*****
Isabel was lying on her bed writing something in a notebook when she heard a knock at her door. Opening it she discovered Michael standing there. She seemed a bit surprised to see him, and realized that whatever he wanted to say he must have deemed rather important due to the fact that he must have come through the house, and her parents were not yet home, and neither was Max, who finishing up at work. Michael shoved his way through and backed her against the wall as he brushed inside.
“Listen up Isabel.” He started right in. “Last chance to work this out with me. I’m going to the library, I know that is what the symbol corresponds to and I’m going to leave a message for Nasedo. You can’t stop me.”
She was fidgeting as he talked, while bouncing on the balls of her feet ever so slightly. Then she started to rearrange the little things on her dresser. “Michael,” she answered his comment, “Alex got us all tickets. Wouldn’t you like to see who Maria ends up with? See who you’re competition is?” She teased.
“No!” he answered brusquely. “I want to see who we are. Where we come from. Aren’t you the least bit curious?” He demanded.
She moved from rearranging the little things to start in on her top dresser drawer, dumping its contents out onto her bed she started to sort out everything, as she sat upon it. “No! Not really. I’m not. Not without Max. After a pause she pleaded, “Don’t do it Michael,” while she put all the make-up in one pile, all cleansing products in another …
“You just don’t care do you Isabel?” he accused.
She looked up at him momentarily and heaved a large sigh, “I do care Michael. But like Max said a couple days ago, I don’t want a repeat of when you got sick and Max had to rescue you, ending up sick himself. Sometimes its better to think of all of us.” She turned her attention to the mess all over her bed, ‘Lipsticks? Gloss? Same? Or separate?’ She made two piles and differentiated them for now.
“Isabel why don’t you want to know where we come from?” Michael pinned her down on logistics.
“I never said that Michael. I said we’re a team and we should explore everything as a team.” ‘Nail polish? With make-up or separate? With! For now! … I can’t think.’ She thought to herself frustrated with the conversation.
“Its all make-up. Its all girly, just throw it back in the drawer!” He exploded. “You always look good so it won’t matter from which pile you got it.”
Isabel was reaching a stressed point, “It has to be in order, it makes it easier to find.” She breathed out in retaliation. “See all these bins,” she pointed to the little divider trays that rested in her drawer, “each of them keeps it all separate and readily accessible.” She grabbed a handful of nail color and dumped it into one of the trays to prove a point.
Michael noticed the slight quivering of her hand, as he heard the bottles clinking against each other while they were in the palm of her hand. “Isabel what’s wrong?” He ordered.
“Nothing! Who said anything was wrong?” She responded in kind. The cleansing products were dumped into another bin, as she swallowed hard. “Why Michael? Why must you do this? Why without us?” She pleaded.
“I’m looking for family….” Was his short reply.
“I thought we were family? The three of us?” She looked up at him with hurt in her eyes. “We’re the only ones like ourselves that we know of.” She dumped the hair products into another basket while slipping a rubber-band around her wrist to keep twisting it while she talked.
“It’s different for you and Max. You got the Evans… I got Hank. Your parents will do anything for you, look at this past week… you’ve got someone who will come for you, who will rescue you. I don’t. I want to find our father, the person who was with us in the crash.” Michael’s mind was made up, he was going to the library.
“Michael, you listen to me!!” Isabel demanded, “I don’t like it. I don’t trust anyone but us and our group.” She turned her back from him with her arms crossed, “I know you think I’m irrational… that’s fine… Women supposedly have a sixth sense about things and I do. I have a bad feeling about this.” She turned back to him, and said gently, “I’ll always be there for you. Max will too. And believe it or not, so would Maria. Tonight’s gonna be over so soon. That guys gonna be history, he will, just mark my words. But really, if she’s the one you want, you have to let her know. And then you’ll need to figure yourselves out. She won’t be there forever.” Isabel spoke from her horridly learned experience in the last timeline, and she hated to watch Michael making the same mistakes.
“Its not the same Isabel.” He retorted.
“How would you know?” She answered back, “Its actually more intense and more family than even parents. You never had anyone who cared for you except Max and me so you don’t even know how it’s supposed to feel…” Isabel was on her feet and squaring off with him, pulling herself to her full height. “You won’t understand this I’m sure, but Alex feels like my other half sometimes. I’ll deny I said that if it ever is repeated.” She gave a shake of her head as her errant blonde hair was quickly swept back. “We’re not supposed to be at that stage yet. But he is, and I can’t be without him.”
“What are you going to tell him tonight?”
“If you come you’ll find out won’t you?” She refused to be rational or give logical answers anymore.
“Is there another reason Isabel? Another reason you’d rather I’m at the concert and not at the library?” Michael knew her too well.
“Michael here’s the other thing I want you to think about regardless of the other alien… the FBI. I’m on their radar Michael.” She looked him directly in the eyes as she spoke and licked her lips nervously, “I can’t help that. But as far as I know they aren’t aware of either you or Max. If you do something stupid you could draw their attention so fast. I’d hate to see what would happen to any of us if they got wind of our existence. I’m not using my powers anymore publicly, haven’t you noticed?”
“I’m not saying I won’t go, but I’ve heard you alright?” He gave her a quick hug around the shoulders. “I promise you one thing… I’ll be careful. Ok Isabel? I’ll be careful.”
“Please do Michael.” She pleaded.
Then he moved to her doorway, “See you later though… got places to go now and things to do…”
“Yeah bye.” She gave a weak smile, and as he left she heaved an even larger sigh than when he’d first come. The only thing to do was to calm down and nothing like a hot shower to get ready for a date, so Isabel moved off to the bathroom.
***************
When the shower was over Isabel headed to her closet determined to find a beautiful dress. The first one she pulled out was burgundy. “Nope!” And then another, and another. Finally the dresses, or outfits, had more potential and she actually tried them on, each one not proving to be what she wanted. She wanted the PERFECT dress,, and though these were all amazing and or pretty, none was PERFECT. She let out a frustrated scream as she sank onto the end of her bed, with her head in her hands. All that shopping with the girls this week; Maria would look sexy, Geneva would look great, but Isabel had not purchased anything. She hadn’t found anything she liked.
“Isabel are you ok?” Diane popped her head into her daughter’s doorway. “I heard you scream and thought I’d check on you.”
“Hi Mom. You’re home?” Isabel shook her head…. “I can’t find anything to wear.” She moaned
Diane stepped into the room and looked around, “I noticed.” Diane pointed to the floor, which was littered with every conceivable outfit, even a few pant-sets were in the mix. “ What’s the occasion?” She asked as she came over to join her daughter on the bed. Isabel had thrown on her thigh length silky robe, lightly tied at the waist, its hem resting on the middle of her thighs, right below the bottom of her panties.
“Valentine’s Day.” Isabel stated softly.
“Not for a couple days Isabel.” Diane corrected her daughter.
“True!!” She nodded, “But it’s ours… we both decided tonight was the night with the atmosphere right from the blind date and all.”
Diane raised a silent eyebrow at the statement. “Tonight?” She questioned softly.
“Yeah!!!” Isabel nodded, “I’m going to show Alex how much love him. I just owe him that you know?”
Diane swallowed as she thought of what her daughter was implying, but to clarify she engaged her in a bit more discussion, “What are you going to do? What are your plans?”
Isabel shook her head and sighed, “I don’t know. I really don’t have much of plan except for the end of the evening, and so I guess I’ll just play it by ear. Whatever. It will be right and the timing is perfect. Tonight is the night that Alex will know what he means to me.”
Diane sat in silence for a moment, “Sweetheart?” Diane sucked in her lower lip, as her hand rested on her daughter’s leg. “Do you have….” She swallowed as she forced the last word out in a whispered tone. “Protection?”
“What?” Isabel asked in confusion as she looked at her mom curiously, and then it registered what she had said, and how her mother had once again misconstrued it, “Oh My God…” Isabel started to laugh, shaking her head. “Mom… you have got to stop thinking of me and sex, in the same thought. I think I need to tell Alex I love him before I ever consider sleeping with him! … Don’t you think?” She asked demurely.
It was Diane’s turn to be a bit confused, “What?
“I’m going to tell Alex I love him. Tonight. At the end of the evening most likely.” She looked at her mom and smiled a relaxed smile; “I’m most definitely not sleeping with him… just taking the next step in our slow moving relationship.” She got up and started to walk in her room, “I’ve been thinking about it most of the week, for me this is the next step. Which is why I don’t have anything to wear… nothing matches the occasion. I want tonight to be perfect Mom. It has to be. We both already decided that this is our Valentine’s Day. And I know he’s got a little something planned, for he kind of promised me a quiet date when the evening has ended. So I want to tell him I love him tonight as well. But depending on his plan is why I don’t have one. The only plan I can make is that he will hear the three words from my lips that he has been longing to hear.” She came to a full stop in front of her mother.
“So you haven’t said it yet huh???” Diane asked in clarification.
Isabel sat back down next to her mother, as she shook her head, “Not really. I mean I have, when I first got back, but it was more by proxy you know. I was telling him, but in my heart I was telling the other Alex as well.” She shook her head as her look turned solemn, “I never told him either.” She then smiled, “Tonight is the first time that I will look Alex Whitman in the eyes and speak those words to him alone. Any Alex.”
“I see… Thanks for confiding in me.” Diane patted her daughter’s knee and stood up. “Now would you mind if I took a look in the closet?”
‘Doesn’t matter…” Isabel moaned, “There isn’t anything.” She bit her lip nervously.
Diane walked to her daughter’s closet, gingerly stepping over discarded options. She pulled out a dress her daughter wore to some function at the country club last year. “How about this?”
“No, I wore that last year. Its not special enough.”
“Ok”... Diane next pulled out a gorgeous tube top leather blouse with black leather slacks…
“NO! I want to wear a dress.” Isabel declared adamantly, “I know that much.”
Diane could tell Isabel really was in a quandary for she kept staring at the pile on the floor as if she could make any of those outfits work.
“Your beautiful blue dress from Clovis?” Diane questioned, as she neared the end of the selections in the closet.
“NO WAY!!! He saw me in that last weekend. I’m not going to wear it two weeks in a row.” Isabel sighed and then pouted, “Mom I don’t have anything at all…. Do we have time to go shopping? Please?”
Diane looked at her watch and laughed. “ No Honey, we don’t.”
“I don’t have anything... What am I going to do?” the distressed teen wailed.
“SHHH! Let me think Isabel,” her mother cautioned, “I’m sure we can come up with something here. Put on something you don’t care that much for.” Her mother ordered.
“MOM!!!”
“No really! Trust me here. I think I have an idea.” Diane stated as a plan formulated in her mind, and she wandered around Isabel’s room looking at her pictures and sketches. She asked into the air, “Got something on?”
“Hand me that dress I wore to the country club.” Isabel sighed, still not sure what her mother was thinking, and really not wanting to be stuck in that whatever dress. Her mother passed it over.
Isabel put it on somewhat petulantly.
“Isabel, we’re going to knock the socks off Alex, and every other male within a ten foot radius. You ready to do an experiment with me?” Diane was removing some sketches from Isabel’s cork, bulletin board; and looking them over carefully.
“Yes Mom?” She asked skeptically.
“Alright then, sit down on the bed and allow me touch you, wherever I need to... OK?” Diane gave her daughter a reassuring smile.
Isabel silently nodded her assent.
Diane filled her in on every step, “I’m going to trace on you what I think might look good, your job is to create it. I’m the designer using your ideas right here. You ready?”
A huge smile crossed Isabel’s face, “Yeah! Sounds good.”
“Ok…. Its a very important night for you and Alex and you want to be in a dress. Lets go with black.” Diane started. “Your turn.” She smiled at Isabel.
Isabel rose to the challenge and touched her fingertip to the maroon colored fabric and caused the very material to swirl and integrate into a black dress.
“We want Alex to really notice you.” She looked at a sketch, and walked over to her daughter, kneeling before her she traced a straight line right above her breasts, and said, “Straight bodice with spaghetti straps.”
Isabel did as told. The sleeves of the fabric shrunk and moved up her arms disappearing into the main body of the dress, leaving delicate spaghetti straps in their place.
Diane stepped back and pensively looked at her daughter while holding a hand to her cheek and thinking. “But it’s not right for tonight. I’m going to retrace a neckline, just work with me.” So once again kneeling before Isabel, Diane took her two index fingers and started to draw a dip in the center of Isabel’s chest, revealing a little cleavage.
“MOM!?” Isabel asked a bit shocked that her mother would actually create this. Not that she wouldn’t wear it, but moms were supposed to complain about how much skin was showing, not show the skin.
Diane just silently raised her eyebrows as she smiled at her daughter. Then she drew a higher side from the dip and after a slight rounding of that an even higher arch, joining into the spaghetti straps on her shoulder, creating a scalloped sweetheart neckline in the front. The effect was perfect. Isabel was showing off a bit of cleavage, enough to tantalize Alex, but yet remain tasteful. Now Philip, however, would never approve of such a dress. Good thing he was gone for the evening. Diane laughed at that thought, while Isabel reformed the neckline and looked at her mom. Diane gave a nod of approval.
“Stand up Sweetheart.” She said taking her daughter’s hand.
Isabel stood and laughed at the discontinuity of the dress. The dress that was being reformed had been a loose fitting, lettuce edged, cap sleeved casual dress. The dress that it was becoming, was a solid black, scalloped sweetheart neckline with spaghetti straps, form fitting and very dressy for evening wear.
Diane hugged her hands to her daughter’s waist and ran them down ending just above her knees, and shaking her head, then she trailed down to just below them and nodded again. “Your turn Isabel, follow the pattern I laid out. It’s longer because I don’t want you showing off too much skin. See I’m still a mother?” Diane teased.
Isabel and her mother watched as the fabric cinched itself to Isabel’s shapely body, hugging her waist and flaring out slightly over her hips, ending right below her knees, a tasteful slit, showing off a bit of her knees was eased into the hem to allow for movement.
“A couple more things here,” Diane stated. “Silk.” She smiled again, really enjoying the bonding time she was having with Isabel.
Isabel touched the dress and the whole feel of the fabric changed from chiffon to a heavier and elegant silk. The material had taken on the silky sheen and shone in the light. “What else Mom?”
“Starlight…” Diane answered dreamily.
“What?” Isabel was slightly confused.
“We want it to sparkle in the dim light of night. Glitter, up here,” she traced the neckline. “And down here,” she added while rubbing the hem.
Isabel did as asked and shook her head.
“What? What’s wrong?” Diane asked as she saw the look on her daughter’s face.
“Not the hem,” Isabel studied the whole design of the dress and shook her head, “just the neckline. It’s the perfect dress.” A huge 1000 watt smile crossed her face. “Thanks Mom.” Isabel threw her arms around her mother’s neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for going “shopping” with me.”
Diane laughed, “Yeah that was the most fun shopping trip I think I’ve ever had, and tailored to perfection too.” Diane hugged her back. And then she reminded her “You still need a trip to the ‘Salon’.”
Isabel grinned happily feeling so hopeful about her impending evening, “Hairstyle I’ll do right now,” she said as she tipped her head upside down and ran her slightly charged hand through it. Soft spiral curls evolved from the straight tresses. She pulled her head up and shook out the curls.
“Beautiful!” Diane gushed. “What about putting it up?”
“Exactly.” Isabel tucked all the curl on top of her head and left a couple of tendrils framing her face.
Diane felt bittersweet about the moment as it happened, her little girl had grown into a lovely young woman, and tonight was giving a young man her heart. She had to make it perfect for Isabel, for she understood how much this night meant to her daughter.
Diane gushed, “Ok, its my daughter’s big night, I’m going to get to do something here. Sit down and I’m applying your make-up.’
Isabel sat down elegantly and directed her mother to her top dresser drawer, where currently her stash of make-up was being stored.
“What happened here?” Diane laughed in shock as she opened it to find overturned divider trays and out of order make-up thrown haphazardly into the drawer.
“Don’t ask…” Isabel moaned and flicked her hand absently towards the drawer. In front of her mother’s very eyes, everything relocated to an orderly place; at least it was all in the now upright trays again. Isabel would organize it later. When she felt like it.
Isabel gave her mother free-rein over her cosmetics and when Diane was done, Isabel was an absolutely stunning work of art. “You’re sure you’re not going to sleep with him tonight?” Her mother teased seriously.
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Isabel swallowed. “I’m not so sure I’d let you dress me, as I think we’d both feel a bit awkward if that were the case.”
Diane hugged her tightly and then said softly, “In that case, close your eyes and wait, I’ll be right back.” Isabel did as asked. A couple minutes later her mother returned and started to fasten a necklace around her daughter’s neck. It felt slightly weighted, and the bottom of it rested about an inch higher than the lowest dip on the bust line, Isabel perceived with her eyes closed. She also felt earrings being inserted into the tiny pierced holes in her lobes. “Go ahead Sweetheart, open your eyes.” Diane whispered.
Isabel turned to stare in the mirror, and a look of shock was all over her face.
“Mom? Its your diamond set.” Isabel swallowed. “Dad got that for you for Twentieth anniversary!!” Diane smiled at her as she came around her daughter’s back and hugged her tightly while looking into the mirror’s reflection with Isabel. She was bejeweled with a stunning silver and diamond cluster necklace, which fell into a curved shape, that mimicked the sweetheart curve of her dress, right above the dip. In her ears dangling delicately were diamond chains. Three sizes of diamonds graduated from smallest to largest on a single silver chain.
Isabel was shocked to be wearing something so valuable. “Why?” Isabel whispered breathlessly, as she delicately fingered the silver chain.
“Because I know how important this night is to you, and I trust you.” Diane kissed her daughter’s cheek. “But if you were going to have sex tonight, I wouldn’t have done this for you, as you already mentioned, we would have felt awkward. So have a great night and enjoy yourself. And …. Make sure my jewelry returns home in one piece.”
“Of course I will.” Isabel swallowed.
After putting on her hose, she completed the ensemble with her double- strapped black heels from the weekend before.
And she and her mother sat in her room chatting while all the while Max rushed to get ready for his date with Liz.
***************
At the same time that the Evan’s kids were preparing for their dates, another date was getting underway in downtown Roswell.
This is DJ Dave coming to you LIVE from the Crashdown Café where we have tonight’s special event.... The Mystery Dream Date of the vixen and the bad boy… And what a vixen she is…We are standing here with Maria DeLuca the winner of our Dream Date contest. Maria, I must say, I can't see how you would have any trouble looking for dates! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a striking shorthaired blonde here that must be leaving a trail of broken hearts behind her. Do you have anything to say Maria?"
A Microphone was shoved into her face once again that week.
"Mmmm well I wouldn't want to miss the chance to meet someone different. I mean this is special you know? This might be who I’m looking for. You just never know.”
“Special, Huh? So before tonight, has there been a special someone in your life?"
"Mmm not exactly, but I'm working on it."
"Alright then… well for those listening in on tonights Vixen and the Bad boy live from the Crashdown Café Lets introduce tonights mystery man. Ricky Bonns."
A tall, 6 foot-two brunette with a short spiked military haircut, and hypnotic blue eyes strode confidently through the main doors of the restaurant. His eyes zoomed in on his prize for the evening and he gave her a wink. (Think Val Kilmer with brown hair for a visual reference.)
“No way!” Thought Maria. ‘This guy has arrogant written all over him.’ She grinned broadly, however, and played to the crowd…
“Our 20 year old hot shot charmer is already well on his way to becoming a Air Force fighter jockey, one step away from his dream of flying the hottest ride of all, a NASA space shuttle. He received his civilian pilot’s license at the age of 16 and has already completed basic flight instruction at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. Ricky Bonns is now a member of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base here in Albuquerque while he attends
the Earth and Planetary Science program at the University of New Mexico “The UNM” in Albuquerque.”
“Maria meet your mystery man…” Ricky walked up close to Maria and glanced sideways at her with a cocky smirk. "Hey sweet thing."
‘What did I get myself into?’ Maria demanded in her thoughts, while fighting the urge to roll her eyes. She simply smiled to him and said quietly “Hi.”
The Microphone once again found its way into her face…
“Would you check out that brown hair, just the way you like it. So why don’t you run your hand through his brunette locks, I know you want to.”
Ricky lifted his hand and tousled what there was of his hair and Maria reached up her hand and tentatively rubbed it. She gave a perfunctory smile to the DJ.
“Oh, yeah, that's the stuff. And now it's off for a romantic dinner for two at Chez Pierre where we leave off and l'amour does the rest. Are you two lovebirds ready?”
As we’ll ever be, Maria answered with a smile as she allowed Ricky to interlock her hand in his arm.
After Michael left the Evans’ he had made a cursory first stop to peek in the Crashdown window. He was checking out the competition as Isabel put it. He saw Maria on the arms of a tall, good looking, well dressed gentleman. He was wearing a black tux with no tie and carried in his hands a vase of flowers, which he proceeded to give to Maria. She was in a heart-stopping black halter dress with a plunging neckline and handkerchief bottom. Her feet were adorned with black sling back heels… He took in every part of her, and he couldn’t help but notice that Maria was smiling and seemed quite pleased with the station’s choice for her date. An uneasy feeling rose up in him that was unfamiliar. He didn’t care, hadn’t he already stated that to everyone including himself… yet he felt like he did care. She looked happy and she wasn’t supposed to be, not if it wasn’t with him.
Michael left the Crashdown and disappeared into the crowd and down the streets of Roswell. Car alarms started to beep, squawk, whoop and a whole other cacophony of sounds they made as their windows shattered as the young man walked by. Michael never noticed, he just kept walking until he reached the trailer park… it was time to find home. He marched into his room as the TV exploded while Hank was perched in front of it.
Michael jumped at the sound and turned to stare in the direction of Hank. He was already passed out so at least he wouldn’t cotton onto that fact for sometime.
Grabbing his map, and Hank’s keys, Michael headed outside. A can of gasoline and a rope were already waiting in the trunk of the turquoise colored ’57 Chevrolet Nomad wagon.
Michael drove over to Roswell Public Library and sat in the car for a moment, gauging the map and surrounding while trying to determine the proper location for the symbol. Whatever he did, he promised Isabel that he’d be careful. He really hadn’t thought of how to extinguish the fire after he set it. But he’d come up with something. He got out of the car and his mind found that it wasn’t on the task at hand but on rather two different girls, and for two different reasons.
***************
Across town at Chez Pierre, Maria sat quietly eating salmon, while her date had a filet, as she listened to Ricky rambling on about himself and his life, and why he joined the air force. “ I have always had a fascination with planes as I grew up, "Well, I did get my pilot’s license at 16. My Grandfather taught me how to fly. You should see me in his Piper. I'm the best pilot there ever was. Really it’s only logical that I joined the Air Force… They would be foolish to pass me up… That and by my doing my service to my country, they pay my tuition.” He also bemoaned the fact that he could never seem to keep a date for longer than three times, and anything else that he thought of to converse about.
“Well our bachelor seems to be quite involved in a conversation with our lovely young lady, This date seems to be running quite smoothly.” DJ Dave spoke softly into the mic for the listening audience.
Ricky took another bite of his filet, not really enjoying it much if his facial expression was anything to go by. ‘Too undercooked,’ he thought to himself. “Would you mind if I tasted your salmon?” He asked Maria.
She was still hoping to make some kind of impression on the guy, so she graciously obliged his request. He nodded, as he took a tiny forkful. It was good, and so in an unthought out move he took another bite from her plate.
She straightened up and held her tongue. He was so cute, there had to be some redeeming quality she had yet to discover. He had to be talking about himself non-stop because he was nervous. That had to be it. He was so cute… Maria watched him eat her food and sighed as she leaned back and threw her hands up, “No go ahead, enjoy yourself…” She muttered to herself.
A second later Ricky asked, as he pointed to her plate, “Mind if we trade?” And then he didn’t wait for her reply as he reached over and took her plate from in front of her and traded it with his.
Maria looked down at the plate in front of her and grimaced as Ricky continued talking. For now sitting in front of Maria was a filet of beef of some type, the minor issue was that Maria doesn’t eat that much red meat. She and her mother are health conscious freaks as Liz sometimes teases her. Surrounding the beef was a small serving of steamed vegetables; that had been Ricky’s. This wasn’t even her meal, she lost her appetite for dinner at that moment.
“Our charming bachelor doesn’t seem to have liked his filet and has traded meals with the lovely Maria, with no argument from her. It looks like this date is going really good.”
***************
Meanwhile back at the Public Library Michael hadn’t yet made a move. He was thinking about the two girls in his life…
Firstly he thought about Maria and her tall, gorgeous, Adonis. And wishing that he were in her company instead.
His brain went into imagining Maria’s date, and in the manner of silent movies he pictured the whole thing in his mind…
Maria’s head was tilted back in laughter as her short hair brushed the nape of her neck while the guy told a hilarious joke.
Enjoying his company, Maria edged her chair over nearer to his and touched his shoulder as she leaned into him to get closer to his scent.
She tousled his perfect military haircut, her hands lingering a moment longer than they should.
Ricky took her hand from his head and kissed it while the twinle in his eyes asked for more.
And with a bright star shaped twinkle in her eyes, Maria leaned in with those perfectly puckered succulent lips to give him a kiss….
Michael shook his head to clear his thoughts, “No Attachments…” he said to himself. ‘MUD,’ he had to think about MUD. He shook his head again, banishing all thoughts of Maria from his mind and transferring them onto the next blonde in his life. His sister. Isabel.
The thoughts of Isabel came rapidly and he found to his chagrin that they were none too pleasant either as flashbacks to the conversation in her room a few hours previous played in his mind…
Flash…
“I thought we were family, the three of us.”
Flash…
She was sorting out her drawer in front of him…
Flash….
“I’ll be there, or Maria…”
Flash….
“The FBI…. I’m on their radar…”
He stood against the car locked in deep thought as he ran through all the events of the past week in his mind. Isabel really was adamant about this one in particular. But didn’t she realize that this was the only night the entire town would be occupied and the lawn was vacant??
He crossed his arms and started to reanalyze the events again…. Once again calling them up on the screen of his mind, but this time paying closer attention to Isabel’s body language.
She was more than insistent… her hands were shaking, weren’t they as she reordered her drawer… Wait?! She was reorganizing her drawer, in front of him. She didn’t do it privately; she was very open about it…. “OH SHIT…” He exclaimed loudly as if he had tripped hard over something, as his hands went up to ruffle his hair. “She’s scared to death…. How did I miss it?” he turned around and slammed his palms flat on the top of the car.
Isabel, he found, wasn’t safe to think about at all.
‘Maria, maybe I can think about her, but not her date…’
“Ok what was that Isabel said about how to treat a girl on a date… I’m not on one but maybe, if I just go to the club, I can talk to that Maria girl afterwards.” He asked himself.
Michael got back into the car. Never realizing that his every move had been observed by a person with night-vision goggles, sitting in a non-descript vehicle parked across the street from the library.
***************
At the same time that Michael was coming to conclusions about his two blondes, Maria was still in the presence of Ricky Bonns on her date.
Ricky threw his fork onto his plate and leaned back in his chair. “That was fantastic... ” Then he pointed to still full plate in front of her and mentioned, “You didn’t eat yours.”
Maria countered snidely, "Well kinda hard to eat something somebody else is shoving down their throat."
Ricky stared at her in confusion as if that statement had made no sense to him whatsoever. He shrugged and then offered, “Dessert?”
“Sure why not,” she smiled a little too sweetly, all the while thinking, ‘I probably won’t get to eat it either…’
Ricky ordered the filled, sweet dessert crepes while Maria went for her indulgence, chocolate. She ordered a serving a chocolate mousse, which was adorned with a mint sprig. The bright green, beautifully contrasted by the dark creamy brown.
They chatted a bit, Maria actually got to get a few words in edgewise, but the conversation hadn’t been equal by any standards.
She had enjoyed two dreamy bites of the creamy mousse before the next catastrophe struck.
Ricky, talking with his hands, had somehow sent the vase of flowers he had given her earlier tumbling onto the tabletop, right into her dessert. The flowers in yellow and white, looked quite pretty against the cocoa colored backdrop. But unfortunately the dessert was now inedible as it pooled with water... Maria grabbed as many napkins as she could while she tried to stem the flowing tide, but unfortunately was unable to stop it as it cascaded off the table’s edge, landing directly in the center of her lap. She threw her hands up in frustration as she now turned to the pooling water in her lap. She yanked his napkin right out of his hand as he sent her an insulted look, and she rubbed at the spot. She stood for a second and excused herself to the ladies room.
The DJ taking in the whole scene, spoke to the audience some more… “Well the couple appears to have been a match made in heaven… They shared their meals early on in the evening. They’ve got a spark to light a forest fire, yet they share a comfortableness with each other as if they were a married couple. A minute ago there was a minor mishap as the vase of flowers spilled over. Our lovely young lady calmly cleaned it up as she allowed our gentleman to finish his dessert. She is a very gracious young lady, and he is really a very lucky young man.”
***************
While Maria was on the date, at the same time, Michael made his way back to his house with the pointers given by both halves of the same couple jarring his brain. And so the first thing he did was to enter the house hurriedly. Shit… Hank was awake, he’d be sure to notice the TV…
Micahel was barely in the door before Hank turned on him.
“What the hell ya do to my TV you little bastard?” he demanded.
“Nothing.” Michael forced back.
“You sneaking out too, you shit, trying to steal my car huh? Always knew you were stealing gutter trash?” a drunken Hank accused.
“I didn’t fuckin’ do anything to the TV.. and I borrowed the car. See here’s the keys.” Michael slammed them onto the tabletop.
Hank was angry, and wouldn’t back down, “You're lying….you smash my fucking TV then try to run away….”
“The fucking thing is old Hank why the hell would I break it??” Michael counterargued.
“Cause you're a moron… Now why don't you don't you do the dishes and see if you can't fuck that up too… worthless piece of trash.” Hank ordered, “I'll deal with the rest of this shit tomorrow when I can hit harder.”
“After my shower, I’m going out. Not doing the fucking dishes, and I’ll be back later.” Michael felt anger... He was jealous of Maria and now everything wrong was getting blamed on him as always, even though unfortunately this time he was responsible in his own way.
A repeat of the streetlights from a few days previous played out in the tiny cramped trailer…. The bulbs in the lamps grew brighter until they burst, once again raining down shattered bits and slivers of glass.
“How'd ya do that you little fuckin freak?” Hank insisted.
Michael yelled, “I'm standing in the doorway, how the hell could I have fuckin done that. Must be this shitty trailers fucked up wiring.” And to himself, ‘her,’ he thought. 'I've gotta get out of here before anything else chooses tonight to shatter.'
So after a quick shower and spiking his hair, and wearing his better clothes he headed out. Hank’s keys and car were left at the park, on the table and he was on foot.
***************
Dinner hadn’t gone so well and they still had time to kill before they could go to the club and so Maria directed her date into the park for a casual stroll along the bridge and winding paths.
Dj Dave trailed behind them watching their mannerisms.
The chill of the night air hit the wet spot on Maria’s dress and made her shiver. She shot Ricky a look and he immediately responded by putting his arm around her shoulder. And then he noticed the stain on her dress, and as he laughed he had the gall to mention it out loud. “Really Maria, you need to learn to hold it in longer.”
She immediately thought to herself, “Oh I am, you big immature jerk, I am…”
They continued to leisurely stroll as the DJ spoke to the audience once again….
“Well, she shivered from the chilly air and gentleman that he is, he put his arm around the lady to warm her up. At the rate this is going, we’ll likely have a kiss before the night is out.”
They walked in silence a time longer and came to the edge of the park. Ricky stopped walking and looked into her eyes, he leaned in to kiss her and found that he ended up kissing the palm of her hand as she shoved it away from her mouth.
“Ohh, heres the kiss… DJ Dave continued..”
“In the words of one of my friends,” Maria hissed, “A kiss is to be shared between two people... And I’m not sharing anything else with you tonight! Take me back to the club; we have a concert to attend.“ She stood there with her hands crossed on her chest, and glaring at him.
“OOHHH she dodged the kiss, looks like she is playing hard to get.” The DJ continued the play-by-play of the evening. “I told you guys, this one is a little spitfire.”
Ricky and Maria left the park, no longer with his arm around her, as she marched slightly ahead of him.
***************
As Michael neared the center of town he stopped at a corner vendor and made a small purchase for Maria, not knowing if she would appreciate it or not, but deciding that if he came empty handed Isabel would really give it to him, so to keep the peace with his sister, he made the stop.
And then he slowly continued the walk to the Club…. If nothing else he’d be there for Isabel… she was sure to be happy to see him.
***************
Ricky had the audacity to keep talking after everything he’d done this evening, “Wonder what cover band they have....probably a crappy one… you know, local teens trying to get into the spotlight… and as anyone knows, they’re just a bunch of wannabes… wannabe singers, wannabe musicians… no one really is going to listen to a bunch of kids, they're here to hear the real band... I wonder whose playing?” Then he turned to Maria and asked, “Should we find out? They should be on soon. I can hear the other band already playing.”
That was it, Maria had held it in all night and had given this guy his fair share of chances, but he had more than crossed the line when he spoke of the band that way… “That bunch of “Wannabes” as you called them are my friends...” She seethed, causing Ricky to back up in surprise. “And if I weren't on this pathethic date, I'd actually be singing in the band. I sing well, but you wouldn’t know that, I never got a chance to talk about myself tonight. And you know what really burns?? I lost that wonderful opportunity to be in the band because I’m out on this date with YOU. And then in the most ironic of ironies, Maria found herself thinking that Michael was actually a good boyfriend… and she poked Ricky in the chest as she had him against the wall, “Do you know that the guy I was dating before you actually knows how to treat a girl right?” She couldn’t believe the words that were escaping her lips, as she thought to herself, “Michael’s clueless but he knows more than this jerk and he can still learn. There is no excuse for this idiot.’
She motioned the DJ over and said, “I want you get this please,” as she smiled at him.
She turned to her date as soon as she knew whatever she would say would be broadcast and started in, “Ricky,,, I can see why you never have any dates and you had to resort to letting a radio station fix you up... you have absolutely no idea how to treat a woman… You don't steal their food. You assist when there is a spill. You offer them your coat when they are cold…. And not that you have done this yet, but… Never, ever walk through a door without holding it open for them. And lastly; DON’T INSULT THEIR FRIENDS!” She shouted. “Dude. I feel very sorry for the poor girl who decides to go out with you next... I'd rather be alone then on a date with you for the rest of the night… I am going into the club to listen to MY FRIENDS play…. They are good. But you aren't going to get to find that out… This date is OVER!!!” Ricky stood there as if in shell shock, and she turned to the DJ, “Did you get that DJ DAVE? Over!!”
The DJ stood there stuttering. "Wha...its over but you guys were doing so good."
The most incredulous look crossed her face as she stated slowly with every word enunciated clearly, “We… were… never… doing… good.
"Well I thought..." He stammered.
“Thought? Thought What?” Maria flashed her angry look toward the bewildered DJ.
"I ...um....I..." he continued to stutter, as Maria stared at him, with her hands on her hips and impatiently tapping her foot…
“Lets go inside...” she led the way.
Alex’s band was playing a song as she marched in, it ended and everything came to a standstill as Maria and DJ Dave stood on the stage. Maria stood alone, the radio announcer in a quandary over what to do, she had just dumped her date. And was now solo. They were broadcasting the evening live and had gotten the whole scene on air. What was he to do now? Dave Kzin was puzzled to say the least.
TBC…
I am sorry for the abruptness of the ending but there is another part to go sometime soon, and this was as good as any place to end it… And also I have now officially caught up to myself which is truly a scary place to be. So wish me luck as always and thanks for it.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen - Mature… For language…
Spoilers: Blind Date
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate. LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if fr any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter is always in process and has been for months.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
The thing is, when I make an original based on someone, I try to put as much of the real person as I can into their composite. I hope you four all feel honored for I was honored to place you into a piece of Shifting Realities history.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part Two: A
Dream Date
------
As Alex had already observed the Crashdown was getting crowed that evening. Many people were there to see what the winner of the blind-date looked like as well as whom she was being set up with. However the DJ and crew were only arriving, and they hadn’t started setting up the equipment yet…
*****
Isabel was lying on her bed writing something in a notebook when she heard a knock at her door. Opening it she discovered Michael standing there. She seemed a bit surprised to see him, and realized that whatever he wanted to say he must have deemed rather important due to the fact that he must have come through the house, and her parents were not yet home, and neither was Max, who finishing up at work. Michael shoved his way through and backed her against the wall as he brushed inside.
“Listen up Isabel.” He started right in. “Last chance to work this out with me. I’m going to the library, I know that is what the symbol corresponds to and I’m going to leave a message for Nasedo. You can’t stop me.”
She was fidgeting as he talked, while bouncing on the balls of her feet ever so slightly. Then she started to rearrange the little things on her dresser. “Michael,” she answered his comment, “Alex got us all tickets. Wouldn’t you like to see who Maria ends up with? See who you’re competition is?” She teased.
“No!” he answered brusquely. “I want to see who we are. Where we come from. Aren’t you the least bit curious?” He demanded.
She moved from rearranging the little things to start in on her top dresser drawer, dumping its contents out onto her bed she started to sort out everything, as she sat upon it. “No! Not really. I’m not. Not without Max. After a pause she pleaded, “Don’t do it Michael,” while she put all the make-up in one pile, all cleansing products in another …
“You just don’t care do you Isabel?” he accused.
She looked up at him momentarily and heaved a large sigh, “I do care Michael. But like Max said a couple days ago, I don’t want a repeat of when you got sick and Max had to rescue you, ending up sick himself. Sometimes its better to think of all of us.” She turned her attention to the mess all over her bed, ‘Lipsticks? Gloss? Same? Or separate?’ She made two piles and differentiated them for now.
“Isabel why don’t you want to know where we come from?” Michael pinned her down on logistics.
“I never said that Michael. I said we’re a team and we should explore everything as a team.” ‘Nail polish? With make-up or separate? With! For now! … I can’t think.’ She thought to herself frustrated with the conversation.
“Its all make-up. Its all girly, just throw it back in the drawer!” He exploded. “You always look good so it won’t matter from which pile you got it.”
Isabel was reaching a stressed point, “It has to be in order, it makes it easier to find.” She breathed out in retaliation. “See all these bins,” she pointed to the little divider trays that rested in her drawer, “each of them keeps it all separate and readily accessible.” She grabbed a handful of nail color and dumped it into one of the trays to prove a point.
Michael noticed the slight quivering of her hand, as he heard the bottles clinking against each other while they were in the palm of her hand. “Isabel what’s wrong?” He ordered.
“Nothing! Who said anything was wrong?” She responded in kind. The cleansing products were dumped into another bin, as she swallowed hard. “Why Michael? Why must you do this? Why without us?” She pleaded.
“I’m looking for family….” Was his short reply.
“I thought we were family? The three of us?” She looked up at him with hurt in her eyes. “We’re the only ones like ourselves that we know of.” She dumped the hair products into another basket while slipping a rubber-band around her wrist to keep twisting it while she talked.
“It’s different for you and Max. You got the Evans… I got Hank. Your parents will do anything for you, look at this past week… you’ve got someone who will come for you, who will rescue you. I don’t. I want to find our father, the person who was with us in the crash.” Michael’s mind was made up, he was going to the library.
“Michael, you listen to me!!” Isabel demanded, “I don’t like it. I don’t trust anyone but us and our group.” She turned her back from him with her arms crossed, “I know you think I’m irrational… that’s fine… Women supposedly have a sixth sense about things and I do. I have a bad feeling about this.” She turned back to him, and said gently, “I’ll always be there for you. Max will too. And believe it or not, so would Maria. Tonight’s gonna be over so soon. That guys gonna be history, he will, just mark my words. But really, if she’s the one you want, you have to let her know. And then you’ll need to figure yourselves out. She won’t be there forever.” Isabel spoke from her horridly learned experience in the last timeline, and she hated to watch Michael making the same mistakes.
“Its not the same Isabel.” He retorted.
“How would you know?” She answered back, “Its actually more intense and more family than even parents. You never had anyone who cared for you except Max and me so you don’t even know how it’s supposed to feel…” Isabel was on her feet and squaring off with him, pulling herself to her full height. “You won’t understand this I’m sure, but Alex feels like my other half sometimes. I’ll deny I said that if it ever is repeated.” She gave a shake of her head as her errant blonde hair was quickly swept back. “We’re not supposed to be at that stage yet. But he is, and I can’t be without him.”
“What are you going to tell him tonight?”
“If you come you’ll find out won’t you?” She refused to be rational or give logical answers anymore.
“Is there another reason Isabel? Another reason you’d rather I’m at the concert and not at the library?” Michael knew her too well.
“Michael here’s the other thing I want you to think about regardless of the other alien… the FBI. I’m on their radar Michael.” She looked him directly in the eyes as she spoke and licked her lips nervously, “I can’t help that. But as far as I know they aren’t aware of either you or Max. If you do something stupid you could draw their attention so fast. I’d hate to see what would happen to any of us if they got wind of our existence. I’m not using my powers anymore publicly, haven’t you noticed?”
“I’m not saying I won’t go, but I’ve heard you alright?” He gave her a quick hug around the shoulders. “I promise you one thing… I’ll be careful. Ok Isabel? I’ll be careful.”
“Please do Michael.” She pleaded.
Then he moved to her doorway, “See you later though… got places to go now and things to do…”
“Yeah bye.” She gave a weak smile, and as he left she heaved an even larger sigh than when he’d first come. The only thing to do was to calm down and nothing like a hot shower to get ready for a date, so Isabel moved off to the bathroom.
***************
When the shower was over Isabel headed to her closet determined to find a beautiful dress. The first one she pulled out was burgundy. “Nope!” And then another, and another. Finally the dresses, or outfits, had more potential and she actually tried them on, each one not proving to be what she wanted. She wanted the PERFECT dress,, and though these were all amazing and or pretty, none was PERFECT. She let out a frustrated scream as she sank onto the end of her bed, with her head in her hands. All that shopping with the girls this week; Maria would look sexy, Geneva would look great, but Isabel had not purchased anything. She hadn’t found anything she liked.
“Isabel are you ok?” Diane popped her head into her daughter’s doorway. “I heard you scream and thought I’d check on you.”
“Hi Mom. You’re home?” Isabel shook her head…. “I can’t find anything to wear.” She moaned
Diane stepped into the room and looked around, “I noticed.” Diane pointed to the floor, which was littered with every conceivable outfit, even a few pant-sets were in the mix. “ What’s the occasion?” She asked as she came over to join her daughter on the bed. Isabel had thrown on her thigh length silky robe, lightly tied at the waist, its hem resting on the middle of her thighs, right below the bottom of her panties.
“Valentine’s Day.” Isabel stated softly.
“Not for a couple days Isabel.” Diane corrected her daughter.
“True!!” She nodded, “But it’s ours… we both decided tonight was the night with the atmosphere right from the blind date and all.”
Diane raised a silent eyebrow at the statement. “Tonight?” She questioned softly.
“Yeah!!!” Isabel nodded, “I’m going to show Alex how much love him. I just owe him that you know?”
Diane swallowed as she thought of what her daughter was implying, but to clarify she engaged her in a bit more discussion, “What are you going to do? What are your plans?”
Isabel shook her head and sighed, “I don’t know. I really don’t have much of plan except for the end of the evening, and so I guess I’ll just play it by ear. Whatever. It will be right and the timing is perfect. Tonight is the night that Alex will know what he means to me.”
Diane sat in silence for a moment, “Sweetheart?” Diane sucked in her lower lip, as her hand rested on her daughter’s leg. “Do you have….” She swallowed as she forced the last word out in a whispered tone. “Protection?”
“What?” Isabel asked in confusion as she looked at her mom curiously, and then it registered what she had said, and how her mother had once again misconstrued it, “Oh My God…” Isabel started to laugh, shaking her head. “Mom… you have got to stop thinking of me and sex, in the same thought. I think I need to tell Alex I love him before I ever consider sleeping with him! … Don’t you think?” She asked demurely.
It was Diane’s turn to be a bit confused, “What?
“I’m going to tell Alex I love him. Tonight. At the end of the evening most likely.” She looked at her mom and smiled a relaxed smile; “I’m most definitely not sleeping with him… just taking the next step in our slow moving relationship.” She got up and started to walk in her room, “I’ve been thinking about it most of the week, for me this is the next step. Which is why I don’t have anything to wear… nothing matches the occasion. I want tonight to be perfect Mom. It has to be. We both already decided that this is our Valentine’s Day. And I know he’s got a little something planned, for he kind of promised me a quiet date when the evening has ended. So I want to tell him I love him tonight as well. But depending on his plan is why I don’t have one. The only plan I can make is that he will hear the three words from my lips that he has been longing to hear.” She came to a full stop in front of her mother.
“So you haven’t said it yet huh???” Diane asked in clarification.
Isabel sat back down next to her mother, as she shook her head, “Not really. I mean I have, when I first got back, but it was more by proxy you know. I was telling him, but in my heart I was telling the other Alex as well.” She shook her head as her look turned solemn, “I never told him either.” She then smiled, “Tonight is the first time that I will look Alex Whitman in the eyes and speak those words to him alone. Any Alex.”
“I see… Thanks for confiding in me.” Diane patted her daughter’s knee and stood up. “Now would you mind if I took a look in the closet?”
‘Doesn’t matter…” Isabel moaned, “There isn’t anything.” She bit her lip nervously.
Diane walked to her daughter’s closet, gingerly stepping over discarded options. She pulled out a dress her daughter wore to some function at the country club last year. “How about this?”
“No, I wore that last year. Its not special enough.”
“Ok”... Diane next pulled out a gorgeous tube top leather blouse with black leather slacks…
“NO! I want to wear a dress.” Isabel declared adamantly, “I know that much.”
Diane could tell Isabel really was in a quandary for she kept staring at the pile on the floor as if she could make any of those outfits work.
“Your beautiful blue dress from Clovis?” Diane questioned, as she neared the end of the selections in the closet.
“NO WAY!!! He saw me in that last weekend. I’m not going to wear it two weeks in a row.” Isabel sighed and then pouted, “Mom I don’t have anything at all…. Do we have time to go shopping? Please?”
Diane looked at her watch and laughed. “ No Honey, we don’t.”
“I don’t have anything... What am I going to do?” the distressed teen wailed.
“SHHH! Let me think Isabel,” her mother cautioned, “I’m sure we can come up with something here. Put on something you don’t care that much for.” Her mother ordered.
“MOM!!!”
“No really! Trust me here. I think I have an idea.” Diane stated as a plan formulated in her mind, and she wandered around Isabel’s room looking at her pictures and sketches. She asked into the air, “Got something on?”
“Hand me that dress I wore to the country club.” Isabel sighed, still not sure what her mother was thinking, and really not wanting to be stuck in that whatever dress. Her mother passed it over.
Isabel put it on somewhat petulantly.
“Isabel, we’re going to knock the socks off Alex, and every other male within a ten foot radius. You ready to do an experiment with me?” Diane was removing some sketches from Isabel’s cork, bulletin board; and looking them over carefully.
“Yes Mom?” She asked skeptically.
“Alright then, sit down on the bed and allow me touch you, wherever I need to... OK?” Diane gave her daughter a reassuring smile.
Isabel silently nodded her assent.
Diane filled her in on every step, “I’m going to trace on you what I think might look good, your job is to create it. I’m the designer using your ideas right here. You ready?”
A huge smile crossed Isabel’s face, “Yeah! Sounds good.”
“Ok…. Its a very important night for you and Alex and you want to be in a dress. Lets go with black.” Diane started. “Your turn.” She smiled at Isabel.
Isabel rose to the challenge and touched her fingertip to the maroon colored fabric and caused the very material to swirl and integrate into a black dress.
“We want Alex to really notice you.” She looked at a sketch, and walked over to her daughter, kneeling before her she traced a straight line right above her breasts, and said, “Straight bodice with spaghetti straps.”
Isabel did as told. The sleeves of the fabric shrunk and moved up her arms disappearing into the main body of the dress, leaving delicate spaghetti straps in their place.
Diane stepped back and pensively looked at her daughter while holding a hand to her cheek and thinking. “But it’s not right for tonight. I’m going to retrace a neckline, just work with me.” So once again kneeling before Isabel, Diane took her two index fingers and started to draw a dip in the center of Isabel’s chest, revealing a little cleavage.
“MOM!?” Isabel asked a bit shocked that her mother would actually create this. Not that she wouldn’t wear it, but moms were supposed to complain about how much skin was showing, not show the skin.
Diane just silently raised her eyebrows as she smiled at her daughter. Then she drew a higher side from the dip and after a slight rounding of that an even higher arch, joining into the spaghetti straps on her shoulder, creating a scalloped sweetheart neckline in the front. The effect was perfect. Isabel was showing off a bit of cleavage, enough to tantalize Alex, but yet remain tasteful. Now Philip, however, would never approve of such a dress. Good thing he was gone for the evening. Diane laughed at that thought, while Isabel reformed the neckline and looked at her mom. Diane gave a nod of approval.
“Stand up Sweetheart.” She said taking her daughter’s hand.
Isabel stood and laughed at the discontinuity of the dress. The dress that was being reformed had been a loose fitting, lettuce edged, cap sleeved casual dress. The dress that it was becoming, was a solid black, scalloped sweetheart neckline with spaghetti straps, form fitting and very dressy for evening wear.
Diane hugged her hands to her daughter’s waist and ran them down ending just above her knees, and shaking her head, then she trailed down to just below them and nodded again. “Your turn Isabel, follow the pattern I laid out. It’s longer because I don’t want you showing off too much skin. See I’m still a mother?” Diane teased.
Isabel and her mother watched as the fabric cinched itself to Isabel’s shapely body, hugging her waist and flaring out slightly over her hips, ending right below her knees, a tasteful slit, showing off a bit of her knees was eased into the hem to allow for movement.
“A couple more things here,” Diane stated. “Silk.” She smiled again, really enjoying the bonding time she was having with Isabel.
Isabel touched the dress and the whole feel of the fabric changed from chiffon to a heavier and elegant silk. The material had taken on the silky sheen and shone in the light. “What else Mom?”
“Starlight…” Diane answered dreamily.
“What?” Isabel was slightly confused.
“We want it to sparkle in the dim light of night. Glitter, up here,” she traced the neckline. “And down here,” she added while rubbing the hem.
Isabel did as asked and shook her head.
“What? What’s wrong?” Diane asked as she saw the look on her daughter’s face.
“Not the hem,” Isabel studied the whole design of the dress and shook her head, “just the neckline. It’s the perfect dress.” A huge 1000 watt smile crossed her face. “Thanks Mom.” Isabel threw her arms around her mother’s neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for going “shopping” with me.”
Diane laughed, “Yeah that was the most fun shopping trip I think I’ve ever had, and tailored to perfection too.” Diane hugged her back. And then she reminded her “You still need a trip to the ‘Salon’.”
Isabel grinned happily feeling so hopeful about her impending evening, “Hairstyle I’ll do right now,” she said as she tipped her head upside down and ran her slightly charged hand through it. Soft spiral curls evolved from the straight tresses. She pulled her head up and shook out the curls.
“Beautiful!” Diane gushed. “What about putting it up?”
“Exactly.” Isabel tucked all the curl on top of her head and left a couple of tendrils framing her face.
Diane felt bittersweet about the moment as it happened, her little girl had grown into a lovely young woman, and tonight was giving a young man her heart. She had to make it perfect for Isabel, for she understood how much this night meant to her daughter.
Diane gushed, “Ok, its my daughter’s big night, I’m going to get to do something here. Sit down and I’m applying your make-up.’
Isabel sat down elegantly and directed her mother to her top dresser drawer, where currently her stash of make-up was being stored.
“What happened here?” Diane laughed in shock as she opened it to find overturned divider trays and out of order make-up thrown haphazardly into the drawer.
“Don’t ask…” Isabel moaned and flicked her hand absently towards the drawer. In front of her mother’s very eyes, everything relocated to an orderly place; at least it was all in the now upright trays again. Isabel would organize it later. When she felt like it.
Isabel gave her mother free-rein over her cosmetics and when Diane was done, Isabel was an absolutely stunning work of art. “You’re sure you’re not going to sleep with him tonight?” Her mother teased seriously.
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Isabel swallowed. “I’m not so sure I’d let you dress me, as I think we’d both feel a bit awkward if that were the case.”
Diane hugged her tightly and then said softly, “In that case, close your eyes and wait, I’ll be right back.” Isabel did as asked. A couple minutes later her mother returned and started to fasten a necklace around her daughter’s neck. It felt slightly weighted, and the bottom of it rested about an inch higher than the lowest dip on the bust line, Isabel perceived with her eyes closed. She also felt earrings being inserted into the tiny pierced holes in her lobes. “Go ahead Sweetheart, open your eyes.” Diane whispered.
Isabel turned to stare in the mirror, and a look of shock was all over her face.
“Mom? Its your diamond set.” Isabel swallowed. “Dad got that for you for Twentieth anniversary!!” Diane smiled at her as she came around her daughter’s back and hugged her tightly while looking into the mirror’s reflection with Isabel. She was bejeweled with a stunning silver and diamond cluster necklace, which fell into a curved shape, that mimicked the sweetheart curve of her dress, right above the dip. In her ears dangling delicately were diamond chains. Three sizes of diamonds graduated from smallest to largest on a single silver chain.
Isabel was shocked to be wearing something so valuable. “Why?” Isabel whispered breathlessly, as she delicately fingered the silver chain.
“Because I know how important this night is to you, and I trust you.” Diane kissed her daughter’s cheek. “But if you were going to have sex tonight, I wouldn’t have done this for you, as you already mentioned, we would have felt awkward. So have a great night and enjoy yourself. And …. Make sure my jewelry returns home in one piece.”
“Of course I will.” Isabel swallowed.
After putting on her hose, she completed the ensemble with her double- strapped black heels from the weekend before.
And she and her mother sat in her room chatting while all the while Max rushed to get ready for his date with Liz.
***************
At the same time that the Evan’s kids were preparing for their dates, another date was getting underway in downtown Roswell.
This is DJ Dave coming to you LIVE from the Crashdown Café where we have tonight’s special event.... The Mystery Dream Date of the vixen and the bad boy… And what a vixen she is…We are standing here with Maria DeLuca the winner of our Dream Date contest. Maria, I must say, I can't see how you would have any trouble looking for dates! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a striking shorthaired blonde here that must be leaving a trail of broken hearts behind her. Do you have anything to say Maria?"
A Microphone was shoved into her face once again that week.
"Mmmm well I wouldn't want to miss the chance to meet someone different. I mean this is special you know? This might be who I’m looking for. You just never know.”
“Special, Huh? So before tonight, has there been a special someone in your life?"
"Mmm not exactly, but I'm working on it."
"Alright then… well for those listening in on tonights Vixen and the Bad boy live from the Crashdown Café Lets introduce tonights mystery man. Ricky Bonns."
A tall, 6 foot-two brunette with a short spiked military haircut, and hypnotic blue eyes strode confidently through the main doors of the restaurant. His eyes zoomed in on his prize for the evening and he gave her a wink. (Think Val Kilmer with brown hair for a visual reference.)
“No way!” Thought Maria. ‘This guy has arrogant written all over him.’ She grinned broadly, however, and played to the crowd…
“Our 20 year old hot shot charmer is already well on his way to becoming a Air Force fighter jockey, one step away from his dream of flying the hottest ride of all, a NASA space shuttle. He received his civilian pilot’s license at the age of 16 and has already completed basic flight instruction at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. Ricky Bonns is now a member of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base here in Albuquerque while he attends
the Earth and Planetary Science program at the University of New Mexico “The UNM” in Albuquerque.”
“Maria meet your mystery man…” Ricky walked up close to Maria and glanced sideways at her with a cocky smirk. "Hey sweet thing."
‘What did I get myself into?’ Maria demanded in her thoughts, while fighting the urge to roll her eyes. She simply smiled to him and said quietly “Hi.”
The Microphone once again found its way into her face…
“Would you check out that brown hair, just the way you like it. So why don’t you run your hand through his brunette locks, I know you want to.”
Ricky lifted his hand and tousled what there was of his hair and Maria reached up her hand and tentatively rubbed it. She gave a perfunctory smile to the DJ.
“Oh, yeah, that's the stuff. And now it's off for a romantic dinner for two at Chez Pierre where we leave off and l'amour does the rest. Are you two lovebirds ready?”
As we’ll ever be, Maria answered with a smile as she allowed Ricky to interlock her hand in his arm.
After Michael left the Evans’ he had made a cursory first stop to peek in the Crashdown window. He was checking out the competition as Isabel put it. He saw Maria on the arms of a tall, good looking, well dressed gentleman. He was wearing a black tux with no tie and carried in his hands a vase of flowers, which he proceeded to give to Maria. She was in a heart-stopping black halter dress with a plunging neckline and handkerchief bottom. Her feet were adorned with black sling back heels… He took in every part of her, and he couldn’t help but notice that Maria was smiling and seemed quite pleased with the station’s choice for her date. An uneasy feeling rose up in him that was unfamiliar. He didn’t care, hadn’t he already stated that to everyone including himself… yet he felt like he did care. She looked happy and she wasn’t supposed to be, not if it wasn’t with him.
Michael left the Crashdown and disappeared into the crowd and down the streets of Roswell. Car alarms started to beep, squawk, whoop and a whole other cacophony of sounds they made as their windows shattered as the young man walked by. Michael never noticed, he just kept walking until he reached the trailer park… it was time to find home. He marched into his room as the TV exploded while Hank was perched in front of it.
Michael jumped at the sound and turned to stare in the direction of Hank. He was already passed out so at least he wouldn’t cotton onto that fact for sometime.
Grabbing his map, and Hank’s keys, Michael headed outside. A can of gasoline and a rope were already waiting in the trunk of the turquoise colored ’57 Chevrolet Nomad wagon.
Michael drove over to Roswell Public Library and sat in the car for a moment, gauging the map and surrounding while trying to determine the proper location for the symbol. Whatever he did, he promised Isabel that he’d be careful. He really hadn’t thought of how to extinguish the fire after he set it. But he’d come up with something. He got out of the car and his mind found that it wasn’t on the task at hand but on rather two different girls, and for two different reasons.
***************
Across town at Chez Pierre, Maria sat quietly eating salmon, while her date had a filet, as she listened to Ricky rambling on about himself and his life, and why he joined the air force. “ I have always had a fascination with planes as I grew up, "Well, I did get my pilot’s license at 16. My Grandfather taught me how to fly. You should see me in his Piper. I'm the best pilot there ever was. Really it’s only logical that I joined the Air Force… They would be foolish to pass me up… That and by my doing my service to my country, they pay my tuition.” He also bemoaned the fact that he could never seem to keep a date for longer than three times, and anything else that he thought of to converse about.
“Well our bachelor seems to be quite involved in a conversation with our lovely young lady, This date seems to be running quite smoothly.” DJ Dave spoke softly into the mic for the listening audience.
Ricky took another bite of his filet, not really enjoying it much if his facial expression was anything to go by. ‘Too undercooked,’ he thought to himself. “Would you mind if I tasted your salmon?” He asked Maria.
She was still hoping to make some kind of impression on the guy, so she graciously obliged his request. He nodded, as he took a tiny forkful. It was good, and so in an unthought out move he took another bite from her plate.
She straightened up and held her tongue. He was so cute, there had to be some redeeming quality she had yet to discover. He had to be talking about himself non-stop because he was nervous. That had to be it. He was so cute… Maria watched him eat her food and sighed as she leaned back and threw her hands up, “No go ahead, enjoy yourself…” She muttered to herself.
A second later Ricky asked, as he pointed to her plate, “Mind if we trade?” And then he didn’t wait for her reply as he reached over and took her plate from in front of her and traded it with his.
Maria looked down at the plate in front of her and grimaced as Ricky continued talking. For now sitting in front of Maria was a filet of beef of some type, the minor issue was that Maria doesn’t eat that much red meat. She and her mother are health conscious freaks as Liz sometimes teases her. Surrounding the beef was a small serving of steamed vegetables; that had been Ricky’s. This wasn’t even her meal, she lost her appetite for dinner at that moment.
“Our charming bachelor doesn’t seem to have liked his filet and has traded meals with the lovely Maria, with no argument from her. It looks like this date is going really good.”
***************
Meanwhile back at the Public Library Michael hadn’t yet made a move. He was thinking about the two girls in his life…
Firstly he thought about Maria and her tall, gorgeous, Adonis. And wishing that he were in her company instead.
His brain went into imagining Maria’s date, and in the manner of silent movies he pictured the whole thing in his mind…
Maria’s head was tilted back in laughter as her short hair brushed the nape of her neck while the guy told a hilarious joke.
Enjoying his company, Maria edged her chair over nearer to his and touched his shoulder as she leaned into him to get closer to his scent.
She tousled his perfect military haircut, her hands lingering a moment longer than they should.
Ricky took her hand from his head and kissed it while the twinle in his eyes asked for more.
And with a bright star shaped twinkle in her eyes, Maria leaned in with those perfectly puckered succulent lips to give him a kiss….
Michael shook his head to clear his thoughts, “No Attachments…” he said to himself. ‘MUD,’ he had to think about MUD. He shook his head again, banishing all thoughts of Maria from his mind and transferring them onto the next blonde in his life. His sister. Isabel.
The thoughts of Isabel came rapidly and he found to his chagrin that they were none too pleasant either as flashbacks to the conversation in her room a few hours previous played in his mind…
Flash…
“I thought we were family, the three of us.”
Flash…
She was sorting out her drawer in front of him…
Flash….
“I’ll be there, or Maria…”
Flash….
“The FBI…. I’m on their radar…”
He stood against the car locked in deep thought as he ran through all the events of the past week in his mind. Isabel really was adamant about this one in particular. But didn’t she realize that this was the only night the entire town would be occupied and the lawn was vacant??
He crossed his arms and started to reanalyze the events again…. Once again calling them up on the screen of his mind, but this time paying closer attention to Isabel’s body language.
She was more than insistent… her hands were shaking, weren’t they as she reordered her drawer… Wait?! She was reorganizing her drawer, in front of him. She didn’t do it privately; she was very open about it…. “OH SHIT…” He exclaimed loudly as if he had tripped hard over something, as his hands went up to ruffle his hair. “She’s scared to death…. How did I miss it?” he turned around and slammed his palms flat on the top of the car.
Isabel, he found, wasn’t safe to think about at all.
‘Maria, maybe I can think about her, but not her date…’
“Ok what was that Isabel said about how to treat a girl on a date… I’m not on one but maybe, if I just go to the club, I can talk to that Maria girl afterwards.” He asked himself.
Michael got back into the car. Never realizing that his every move had been observed by a person with night-vision goggles, sitting in a non-descript vehicle parked across the street from the library.
***************
At the same time that Michael was coming to conclusions about his two blondes, Maria was still in the presence of Ricky Bonns on her date.
Ricky threw his fork onto his plate and leaned back in his chair. “That was fantastic... ” Then he pointed to still full plate in front of her and mentioned, “You didn’t eat yours.”
Maria countered snidely, "Well kinda hard to eat something somebody else is shoving down their throat."
Ricky stared at her in confusion as if that statement had made no sense to him whatsoever. He shrugged and then offered, “Dessert?”
“Sure why not,” she smiled a little too sweetly, all the while thinking, ‘I probably won’t get to eat it either…’
Ricky ordered the filled, sweet dessert crepes while Maria went for her indulgence, chocolate. She ordered a serving a chocolate mousse, which was adorned with a mint sprig. The bright green, beautifully contrasted by the dark creamy brown.
They chatted a bit, Maria actually got to get a few words in edgewise, but the conversation hadn’t been equal by any standards.
She had enjoyed two dreamy bites of the creamy mousse before the next catastrophe struck.
Ricky, talking with his hands, had somehow sent the vase of flowers he had given her earlier tumbling onto the tabletop, right into her dessert. The flowers in yellow and white, looked quite pretty against the cocoa colored backdrop. But unfortunately the dessert was now inedible as it pooled with water... Maria grabbed as many napkins as she could while she tried to stem the flowing tide, but unfortunately was unable to stop it as it cascaded off the table’s edge, landing directly in the center of her lap. She threw her hands up in frustration as she now turned to the pooling water in her lap. She yanked his napkin right out of his hand as he sent her an insulted look, and she rubbed at the spot. She stood for a second and excused herself to the ladies room.
The DJ taking in the whole scene, spoke to the audience some more… “Well the couple appears to have been a match made in heaven… They shared their meals early on in the evening. They’ve got a spark to light a forest fire, yet they share a comfortableness with each other as if they were a married couple. A minute ago there was a minor mishap as the vase of flowers spilled over. Our lovely young lady calmly cleaned it up as she allowed our gentleman to finish his dessert. She is a very gracious young lady, and he is really a very lucky young man.”
***************
While Maria was on the date, at the same time, Michael made his way back to his house with the pointers given by both halves of the same couple jarring his brain. And so the first thing he did was to enter the house hurriedly. Shit… Hank was awake, he’d be sure to notice the TV…
Micahel was barely in the door before Hank turned on him.
“What the hell ya do to my TV you little bastard?” he demanded.
“Nothing.” Michael forced back.
“You sneaking out too, you shit, trying to steal my car huh? Always knew you were stealing gutter trash?” a drunken Hank accused.
“I didn’t fuckin’ do anything to the TV.. and I borrowed the car. See here’s the keys.” Michael slammed them onto the tabletop.
Hank was angry, and wouldn’t back down, “You're lying….you smash my fucking TV then try to run away….”
“The fucking thing is old Hank why the hell would I break it??” Michael counterargued.
“Cause you're a moron… Now why don't you don't you do the dishes and see if you can't fuck that up too… worthless piece of trash.” Hank ordered, “I'll deal with the rest of this shit tomorrow when I can hit harder.”
“After my shower, I’m going out. Not doing the fucking dishes, and I’ll be back later.” Michael felt anger... He was jealous of Maria and now everything wrong was getting blamed on him as always, even though unfortunately this time he was responsible in his own way.
A repeat of the streetlights from a few days previous played out in the tiny cramped trailer…. The bulbs in the lamps grew brighter until they burst, once again raining down shattered bits and slivers of glass.
“How'd ya do that you little fuckin freak?” Hank insisted.
Michael yelled, “I'm standing in the doorway, how the hell could I have fuckin done that. Must be this shitty trailers fucked up wiring.” And to himself, ‘her,’ he thought. 'I've gotta get out of here before anything else chooses tonight to shatter.'
So after a quick shower and spiking his hair, and wearing his better clothes he headed out. Hank’s keys and car were left at the park, on the table and he was on foot.
***************
Dinner hadn’t gone so well and they still had time to kill before they could go to the club and so Maria directed her date into the park for a casual stroll along the bridge and winding paths.
Dj Dave trailed behind them watching their mannerisms.
The chill of the night air hit the wet spot on Maria’s dress and made her shiver. She shot Ricky a look and he immediately responded by putting his arm around her shoulder. And then he noticed the stain on her dress, and as he laughed he had the gall to mention it out loud. “Really Maria, you need to learn to hold it in longer.”
She immediately thought to herself, “Oh I am, you big immature jerk, I am…”
They continued to leisurely stroll as the DJ spoke to the audience once again….
“Well, she shivered from the chilly air and gentleman that he is, he put his arm around the lady to warm her up. At the rate this is going, we’ll likely have a kiss before the night is out.”
They walked in silence a time longer and came to the edge of the park. Ricky stopped walking and looked into her eyes, he leaned in to kiss her and found that he ended up kissing the palm of her hand as she shoved it away from her mouth.
“Ohh, heres the kiss… DJ Dave continued..”
“In the words of one of my friends,” Maria hissed, “A kiss is to be shared between two people... And I’m not sharing anything else with you tonight! Take me back to the club; we have a concert to attend.“ She stood there with her hands crossed on her chest, and glaring at him.
“OOHHH she dodged the kiss, looks like she is playing hard to get.” The DJ continued the play-by-play of the evening. “I told you guys, this one is a little spitfire.”
Ricky and Maria left the park, no longer with his arm around her, as she marched slightly ahead of him.
***************
As Michael neared the center of town he stopped at a corner vendor and made a small purchase for Maria, not knowing if she would appreciate it or not, but deciding that if he came empty handed Isabel would really give it to him, so to keep the peace with his sister, he made the stop.
And then he slowly continued the walk to the Club…. If nothing else he’d be there for Isabel… she was sure to be happy to see him.
***************
Ricky had the audacity to keep talking after everything he’d done this evening, “Wonder what cover band they have....probably a crappy one… you know, local teens trying to get into the spotlight… and as anyone knows, they’re just a bunch of wannabes… wannabe singers, wannabe musicians… no one really is going to listen to a bunch of kids, they're here to hear the real band... I wonder whose playing?” Then he turned to Maria and asked, “Should we find out? They should be on soon. I can hear the other band already playing.”
That was it, Maria had held it in all night and had given this guy his fair share of chances, but he had more than crossed the line when he spoke of the band that way… “That bunch of “Wannabes” as you called them are my friends...” She seethed, causing Ricky to back up in surprise. “And if I weren't on this pathethic date, I'd actually be singing in the band. I sing well, but you wouldn’t know that, I never got a chance to talk about myself tonight. And you know what really burns?? I lost that wonderful opportunity to be in the band because I’m out on this date with YOU. And then in the most ironic of ironies, Maria found herself thinking that Michael was actually a good boyfriend… and she poked Ricky in the chest as she had him against the wall, “Do you know that the guy I was dating before you actually knows how to treat a girl right?” She couldn’t believe the words that were escaping her lips, as she thought to herself, “Michael’s clueless but he knows more than this jerk and he can still learn. There is no excuse for this idiot.’
She motioned the DJ over and said, “I want you get this please,” as she smiled at him.
She turned to her date as soon as she knew whatever she would say would be broadcast and started in, “Ricky,,, I can see why you never have any dates and you had to resort to letting a radio station fix you up... you have absolutely no idea how to treat a woman… You don't steal their food. You assist when there is a spill. You offer them your coat when they are cold…. And not that you have done this yet, but… Never, ever walk through a door without holding it open for them. And lastly; DON’T INSULT THEIR FRIENDS!” She shouted. “Dude. I feel very sorry for the poor girl who decides to go out with you next... I'd rather be alone then on a date with you for the rest of the night… I am going into the club to listen to MY FRIENDS play…. They are good. But you aren't going to get to find that out… This date is OVER!!!” Ricky stood there as if in shell shock, and she turned to the DJ, “Did you get that DJ DAVE? Over!!”
The DJ stood there stuttering. "Wha...its over but you guys were doing so good."
The most incredulous look crossed her face as she stated slowly with every word enunciated clearly, “We… were… never… doing… good.
"Well I thought..." He stammered.
“Thought? Thought What?” Maria flashed her angry look toward the bewildered DJ.
"I ...um....I..." he continued to stutter, as Maria stared at him, with her hands on her hips and impatiently tapping her foot…
“Lets go inside...” she led the way.
Alex’s band was playing a song as she marched in, it ended and everything came to a standstill as Maria and DJ Dave stood on the stage. Maria stood alone, the radio announcer in a quandary over what to do, she had just dumped her date. And was now solo. They were broadcasting the evening live and had gotten the whole scene on air. What was he to do now? Dave Kzin was puzzled to say the least.
TBC…
I am sorry for the abruptness of the ending but there is another part to go sometime soon, and this was as good as any place to end it… And also I have now officially caught up to myself which is truly a scary place to be. So wish me luck as always and thanks for it.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen - Mature.…
Spoilers: Blind Date
******
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate. LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if fr any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter is always in process and has been for months.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
The thing is, when I make an original based on someone, I try to put as much of the real person as I can into their composite. I hope you four all feel honored for I was honored to place you into a piece of Shifting Realities history.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
<center>-----------------------------------------------
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part Two: B
Dream Date
-----------------------------------------------</center>
And the bad news kept getting worse, they, the KROZ station, had just been informed by Stacie that the popular band was arrested in Albuquerque because of the drummer’s disorderly conduct. This high school band was the entertainment for the night. They’d do ok, and the few songs they had already pulled off were well received. But who doesn’t like “In the Air Tonight” or other songs of its type? Dave sighed as he motioned Stacie to go inform The Whits of the dilemma.
He was trying to salvage the night as he played to the crowd and informed them of the success or lack thereof of Roswell’s bachelorette. "Ok. Well it looks like Maria was too much of a spitfire for the gentleman we picked for her…but hopefully all is not lost. I'm sure someone out there is willing to take her on." He winked at the crowd eliciting hoots from them.
"Any takers…" he chuckled uncomfortably as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Maria walked closer to the edge of the stage and blew a kiss out and offered a seductive wink.
"I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that spicy treat." A guy in the audience shouted causing the crowd to scream is excitement.
Maria took the mic from the DJ. "Promises, promises big boy." She said as she gave the crowd a pout.
Come on up here, he motioned to the guy. A tall gentleman wearing a casual button down black shirt and khaki pants stepped up onto the stage.
"Well it seems we might have someone to tame our Queen of Hearts." Dave encouraged the crowd’s excitemant.
******
Stacie Rhodes made her way to the band… “I need to talk to you guys for a second…” She pulled them aside for a moment as David kept the crowd busy with the Blind Date…. “The band isn’t coming…” After giving the reasons she said, “I hope you’re ready to do your own stuff, or a lot more of anything, because you guys are it. Good luck.”
“No problem.” Alex grinned confidently as he took the reins. “Guys… Just like we practiced, lets do an alternative but familiar tune and warm up the crowd a bit more…” They all took their places, and slowly started a rhythm…, the beginning notes to Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls, but not actually singing yet. They just kept the opening measure playing while the scene on stage continued.
*******
“Well we don’t have the time to go on another date, and we have to decide right now if this is the heart throb of young Maria DeLuca… So why don’t you give the lady a kiss??” DJ Dave turned to the bold young man. The crowd started to cheer in anticipation…
Maria played along with a flirtatious tilt of her head, “What you got Big Boy?”
With that the gentleman pulled in close to her and gave her a gentle but thorough kiss, lips touching, but mouths closed.
The kiss wasn’t short but it wasn’t passionate either, it was being done for the show that it was, as the crowd whooped and hollered.
All of a sudden the man’s cell phone, which was clipped to his belt, gave him an electric shock, small but definitely noticeable. He jerked away from the kiss, eyes wide, wondering what was going on.
He stared at Maria in his confusion and she said, dismissively, “ Nope!! … Look Bud, … Even your phone thinks that kiss sucked…” and with a mischievous twinkle in her eye she turned to the audience once again, but more specifically the corner by the door, and she challenged, with a cock of her eyebrow, “Next…”
For all the while the mystery man’s phone, after shocking him in what must have been an obvious malfunction, began to ring, playing the ending measure to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The notes playing in sequence repeatedly. He grabbed at his belt and removed the lime, alien green colored cell-phone with the alien head sticker on the flip down mouthpiece. He tried to answer it but it was stuck in its musical sequence, at times altering the tempo from extremely fast, to extremely slow, but always playing the same tune. He couldn’t shut it off for any reason… he shrugged and looked at Maria helplessly… and then headed out of the club in a hurry, he had to get his annoying phone shut off, and so was running outside.
However, while fumbling with the troublesome piece of technology, he ran into a taller guy who was perched at the door, his feet in a wide shoulder width apart stance, with his arms crossed. The first thing heard was the crinkling of cellophane as he, the hurried man, plowed into what might have been a bouquet, in the other man’s arms.
The second sound was a mumbled apology by the same man whose phone had chosen this moment to get even louder and faster in its tune, and lastly a grunt in response from the other young man as he reached out his hand to steady the first gentleman, by placing his hand on the first man’s chest.
If his phone had not gone so crazy at the entrance as he was headed out, the first gentleman was certain that he would have noticed the six-foot wall of person in front of him, but no, he had to embarrass himself further by plowing right into the guy. He mumbled a second apology and raced outside, rather mortified.
***************
“Ok, that’s two down… do we have any other takers?” The DJ pleaded. “Or will our Queen go away empty handed.”
“Anyone???” … After a moment of silence, he said, “Well if no one else will step forward I guess the band will continue to play and we’ll wrap up this evening.”
The whole time, Maria’s eyes were glued to door, and she keep discreetly motioning with her head to someone buried in the inky blackness of the club.
DJ Dave looked at her face and noticed that there was a certain spark in her eyes… so he went for broke…”Well it seems as if we have we might have another VERY brave man. Our little spitfire has already chewed up and spit out two... count them, TWO gentlemen tonight, but yet… there seems to be someone in this place who has caught her eye.” He looked in the direction of the door.
“Have we found that certain someone who will tame this fiercesome beauty’s heart? Lets see who he is…”
*****************
In the meantime Alex’s band was still waiting for the scene to play out …. as they quietly filled in the silence with continued background music, minus the vocals.
Isabel stood to the middle where she had the best view of her handsome, though geeky, attired bass guitar player. He loved the attention she could tell, even though Maria was literally Center Stage.
And a glance to her right showed Max and Liz standing rather close to one another on another date. Max had actually asked her to go with him, picking her up and everything. Of course, poor Isabel had to tag along for the ride. But hopefully she would leave in other company.
******
Maria had seen Michael standing shyly against the door, not really wanting to walk forward any further without an invitation. He held in his hands a loose bouquet of wildflowers picked up from a corner vendor. It was languishing for need of water. The flowers were hodge-podge and it wasn’t exactly a perfect bouquet.
Especially seeing how his jealously had gotten the better of him when he watched Maria kissing that guy on stage. It had gone a bit rampant, starting with the guy’s phone, but also draining the water right from the flowers in his hands. That guy plowing into the brittle bouquet really hadn’t helped much. It sure wasn’t an attractive arrangement anymore. It had been pretty by Michael’s standards when he first bought them, but now, he’d likely hear about it from Isabel. ‘You don’t give a girl a dead bunch of flowers!!!’ He grimaced.
Maria had never seen a sight more beautiful. She caught Michael’s eyes and smiled. Inside she was thinking about the flowers. ‘He really tried. Those are for me?’ She nodded for him to join her.
As Michael stepped up to side Dave Kzin launched into a new round of questioning. “So, who would this heartthrob be? What is your name young man?”
“Michael Guerin,” he mumbled.
“Would that be the same Michael Guerin that was eating his own heart out earlier in the week?” The mic was shoved into his face once again.
“Yes he is…” Maria quickly jumped in. And as usual acting before she thought it out, she grabbed the mic from the DJ’s hands and said, “Yes! This is THE Michael Guerin… the one and only. I had no idea what I was missing. You know they always say you don’t know what you’ve lost till its gone??? Well that is most definitely the case here… After that date from… Well you know where? And the way he insulted my friends, and indirectly myself. And was rude and arrogant… I realized that I could at least give this guy another try. So No!!! I am not available anymore. I’m done being the prey and fantasy of every idiot in Roswell. I’m back with Michael Guerin.” She shook her head and looked adoringly at Michael who was kind of just standing there, shoulders hunched and nervous.
Isabel stood to the side grinning and Liz gave Maria a hasty thumbs up. Maria’s quick backwards glance at Alex showed him rubbing his thumb and first two fingers together in an unspoken gesture of ‘pay me,’ while he quirked a wry grin, and turned his attention back to his bass.
It was at that moment that the words of the entire week came rushing back to Maria. How she had said that she would never get back with Michael. How she could win the bet so easily… And she found herself about to eat a very large Humble Pie. Maria decided to go for broke. She had already lost the bet as Alex had so lovingly pointed out. She had already stated to the entire radio audience that she was back together with Michael. And so she leaned up and gave him a kiss. In front of everyone.
“A kiss. She gave him a kiss...” DJ Dave started in again.
Michael and Maria left the stage side by side; it was time for a dance for Roswell’s not so mystery couple. The band was directed to play and so Michael found himself standing in Maria’s arms swaying to “Iris” but the Goo Goo Dolls. He couldn’t dance and he honestly couldn’t be more embarrassed. He was ready to start bickering with her, but that too would be captured. So he just swayed and hoped all the riveted eyes would find something else interesting to watch and soon.
***************
“Well it wasn’t the way we expected the date to go, but our Queen of Hearts has most definitely lost hers tonight…” Dave announced. “Looks like we finally found the guy to tame her wild heart. And lo and behold, it was the one she had all along. Can tonight get any stranger?”
After a few more energetic and original songs by the band, Michael’s embarrassment long since forgotten as the club moved and swayed and danced to the music, the last song ended and Alex’s band got the attention of the crowd…
“We The Whits have really enjoyed playing for you this evening and for your listening pleasure we have one more song. We are sending this out to all the couples in love... Happy Valentines Day.”
Geneva picked up her chestnut colored violin, which was beautifully contrasted against her black form fitting fringed velour top, and all the other members got ready. Alex had been very insistent with this song so they were the most proficient with it…
Alex leaned into the mic a little closer than before and gave a nervous glance over to Isabel. Then he gave a slight smile to Geneva as she nodded and smiled in return. With a silent nod to the band the music began…
Jordan softly started an imitation of a woodwind on his keyboard, as Geneva plucked the strings on her violin. Her beautiful voice, soprano for this song, for she truly could cover all ranges, started with the …
“Ooohhh,”
Joined by the cymbals with a tis, tis, sound as they softly gathered the rhythm.
“Aaaahhh Ahhh, Oh Ye-ah… Do do do do do do doo…”
Alex smiled as he leaned into the mic and took over as lead, starting to strum the bass as the drums also came into play.
The DJ commented, “The bass player is taking a turn singing. He’s been back up most of the night…”
“Loving you is not just luck or illusion
It's in the make-up of our DNA”
Isabel’s heart started to race faster as her palms grew moist on their own accord. Inside her was a tumult of emotions, she was feeling joyful elation yet at the same time scared, and not to mention supremely embarrassed. She felt her cheeks flush a bit from the excitement. Isabel stood a little taller as her eyes went wide in realization. Alex was singing directly to her and had picked the perfect song that spoke what he felt about them.
It's not by chance we make the perfect solution.
He gave her a quick wink.
Don't fight it baby, you know that it's just destiny's way.
Tensing in nervousness, Isabel wrung her hands a bit uncomfortably; she didn’t know what she should do. No one had ever singled her out nor sung to her before. She didn’t know how to respond.
“The bass player seems to be serenading someone in the audience, but whom? I wish we could find this mystery person.” The DJ continued…
Max was staring longingly into Liz’s eyes as the word Destiny was sung. ‘Could it be? Could I have a life with a human?’ And she was staring back, a bit unsurely but still returning the gaze. They both were thoroughly enjoying Alex’s song and neither of them realized that he was singing to Isabel, for they were gazing at each other.
The song went into the chorus for the first time, all the instruments minus the violin joined …
Baby lovin' you
Comes easily to me
It's what I'm living for
It's all in the chemistry
Baby lovin' you
Is how it's meant to be
It's something that is oh so natural to me
Natural
The crowd was enjoying the beat and swayed to the music as Alex relaxed a bit and started to feel the music while all the while pouring his heart and his soul into the lyrics, as he sang directly to Isabel, catching her large expressive eyes. He’d never forget that look on her face as long as he lived.
She had so many conflicting emotions in her now that she was becoming overwhelmed. ‘I can’t believe he did that!’ she thought to herself. But she continued to stand and to listen, while nervously shifting on her feet.
Alex sang lead and Geneva handled the back-up/echo…
We got the answers but there's no explanation (no explanation)
We got each other baby come what may (come what may)
It's in the science, it's genetically proven (genetically proven)
Cuz when you touch the reaction it just blows me away
Michael and Maria were leaning a bit into each other and he smirked at the words. And he nodded while he whispered, “Yeah. Sure does.”
The DJ looked into the room and watched Maria the original focus of the evening. “We seem to have all sorts of romantics in here tonight...”
Alex went into the chorus again with full gusto…
Baby lovin' you
Comes easily to me
It's what I'm living for
It's all in the chemistry
Isabel never broke eye contact with Alex, and she started to panic, she was about to lose it publicly. But she shouldn’t care what others thought, and then what was she to do with Alex? He was being so open and honest and bold about it. It was a thrilling feeling yet at the same time…
Baby lovin' you
Is how it's meant to be
It's something that is oh so natural to me
Natural
Tears started to well in her eyes and she blinked them back. She felt scared, because she had to open herself in way she never had before. She had to tell Alex, this timeline’s Alex, what she was feeling. And this little surprise of his was not making that task any easier.
The chorus went into another round…
The DJ looked around and said, "I wish we could find who this song is for…"
As the song continued, Isabel looked around discreetly at the friends. They weren’t aware the song was for her; none of them were even gazing in her direction. They were focused on each other or the band but definitely not her…
Baby lovin' you
Comes easily to me
It's what I'm living for
It's all in the chemistry
Baby lovin' you
Is how it's meant to be
It's something that is oh so natural to me
Natural
The song went into the bridge…
Turn off the light
The song was waging an internal battle inside of Isabel and unfortunately it was winning.
Lay your head next to mine
She felt the tears rising to the surface, but she wasn’t sure what emotion was causing them, so many were bubbling to the surface… She knew however that she couldn’t give any of them place. So she swallowed and rapidly tried to blink them into submission. Isabel smiled weakly at Alex. He gave a slight grin in return, and another wink.
Take it slowly a step at a time
It wasn’t working; the tears would not obey her command.
Come on get close, Closer to me
Isabel demurely wiped them away with the back of her hand, and gave a quick shake of her head. ‘Damn It!’ she thought to herself, as she left her choice position, she had to get out of there… She just couldn’t let Alex see her like this.
He had been looking down at his guitar when Isabel left, and so he hadn’t seen her depart.
Its Oh so Natural,
Its oh so easy to see
Alex looked up a broad smile on his face, expecting to meet the brown eyes that could melt him in an instant. She wasn’t standing where he had last seen her. His hand kept strumming the bass, as his eyes quickly darted around the room, trying to locate her.
The chorus played again,
Isabel wasn’t there. He couldn’t see her anywhere and his heart broke. But not for himself, for he knew Isabel hadn’t left, probably had just gone outside. ‘I blew it.’ He chastised himself. ‘It was too much…’ He weakly smiled as he continued the final part of the song, his heart was no longer in it, but he had to finish it. ‘I knew serenading her was risky… I just… I wanted her to know... I just wanted to tell her how much I love her.’ The song ended. “Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen, The band and I hope that you have had a great evening. This is Alex Whitman of The Whits.” He placed the bass on its stand and hopped off the stage. The audience cheered for more, they wanted an encore. Alex wanted to find Isabel; he had to apologize. ‘It was too public, I should’ve know. What the Hell was I thinking, anyways?”
******
“Alex, get up there,” Maria ordered him. She and Michael were standing side by side on the floor. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Where’s Isabel?” He whispered
“Don’t know, but the audience wants more… Get up there, go play something.” She shoved him back towards the stage.
A confused Alex walked back onto the stage, quickly conferred with his band over what they should do and as they all readied themselves to play, the lights in the building suddenly died.
Mics were tapped and blown into… “Testing 1-2- Test…” their sound carried strong throughout the club.
The DJ stood there in front of everyone, not that he could be seen, and said, “Well its not a power failure or we would have lost the sound system as well. This has certainly been one weird Blind Date… I wonder what’s in store for us next, an Alien abduction?” The crowd laughed perfunctorily at the joke.
“Ladies and Gentleman, we are having a technical difficulty and we’ll get the lights back on as soon as we can, but for your listening pleasure, The Whits…”
The crowd started to clap their appreciation… and a soft gentle feminine voice spoke clearly over the speakers. “I have something I need to say to someone. If he is hearing me, he already knows who he is.”
‘What the hell is she doing?’ Alex thought to himself, as he stood there having a bit of trouble breathing. If there was one thing he would recognize anywhere it would be Isabel. Be it her voice, her form, or anything about her. And she was the voice speaking over the loud system. He blinked a couple times as his eyes darted around the room.
‘You idiot! The lights are off and you are not an alien…” he laughed at the thought, Isabel was probably laughing at him right now for trying to have night vision… ‘You’re never going to see her, nor anything else for that matter.’ He once again chastised himself for his stupidity.
The hidden speaker started her speech again, “We’ve been in the dark. The lights have been off in our relationship… As things in the dark are hidden, and not easily seen, so has our relationship been. Its been hidden, or in the dark so to speak...
The DJ talked into the radio mic for a moment… “Apparently the night has yet one more surprise. There is a mystery woman hidden in this place who is speaking to a mystery man. She obviously planned this and I think she’s the reason for the sudden darkness.
Isabel from her concealed spot behind the band’s stage turned the Director, Stacie Rhodes and asked for the lights to be brought up to a dim setting. Stacie smiled and obliged the young woman informing the lighting crew of the new direction.
The lights came on dimly, and everyone adjusted to the sudden light. And once their eyes were acclimated everyone was furtively looking for the mystery woman.
Both Michael and Max with their powerful alien/cat like eyes already knew that Isabel was nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t in the main front, for they could clearly distinguish everything.
“Is it Isabel?” Liz asked Max who stood beside her, his arm wrapped around her shoulder.
“Likely it is, based on Alex…” Max joked. “Look at him.” Max pointed to the stage where the bassist had the guitar in his hand but his eyes were frantically darting around the room, making circuits.
“Calm down Whitman.” Whispered Nicky harshly. “Its ok man.”
‘Yeah… Easy for you to say,’ Alex thought in a mutter to himself, ‘She's not PUBLICLY trying to get your attention.’
Isabel started again, “In the dim light things aren't clear. Shadows are distorted, and there isn't enough light to work from. Things aren’t very evident or obvious. Nothing is distinct. She smirked and chuckled, “People are wondering about us. Are we friends or more?” She added in a sexy voice. “We know that answer don't we Honey? For we've been living in the shadows. Our relationship has been in the twilight...”
Alex knew he was going to die, if he didn't end up crying first… Isabel was speaking directly to his heart. He stood there stock still in utter amazement, as everyone in the club’s eyes were glued to the young man on the stage. He just waited for her next move…
Max and Liz spoke again to each other, as Max whispered, “She’s got guts. I never thought Isabel would go public like this... We always stay hidden.”
“She sounds like she’s tired of hiding Max.” Liz smiled at him, resting her head against his chest and whispered, “Isabel feels secure.”
“What does that mean?” he questioned.
“Nothing,” Liz shook her head, “except she feels safe with Alex, safe enough to reveal their hidden relationship.” Max pondered on the meanings in Liz’s words.
Maria and Michael had found a pole to lean against and she pointed out the scene playing on the stage. “She’s going to tell him she loves him.” Maria grinned.
“What!?” Questioned Michael.
“Oh you are so clueless,” Maria said teasingly. “Isabel is building it up, she is going to tell Alex what she feels and she is going to do it in front of all these people.” She smiled at Michael. “You Go Girl!” she whispered.
Michael stood there confused, Would Isabel really do that? She had said something about telling him something at the concert, was this her plan. And what happened to hiding, in plain sight. Wasn’t that their motto? Why was Isabel wiling to risk everything? Maria smiled at him in an effort to calm him; she watched the storms play upon his face as he more than likely mulled over Isabel and her relationship with Alex.
Alex was past amazement and now stood there transfixed, he couldn’t move. The band gathered their instruments, and softly talked amongst each other deciding on a song in which they could forgo the bass.
DJ Dave Kzin spoke softly into the mic again.
“We’re going to have to peel this boy from the floor before the night is over, but the mystery man is none other that tonight’s leading entertainer. Alex Whitman of The Whits, the bass player. He appears to be your average teen but on the tall side, dark brown hair and a charming smile. Nothing exotic or mysterious I’ll tell you that though. I wonder why they have a hidden relationship. And is the mystery woman the same that he was singing to earlier?? Maybe the answers will be revealed tonight…”
******
Isabel loved the suspense that she had created; they were playing right into her hands where she wanted them. She loved the control she had over the entire crowd, and she took a short breath and turned to Stacie Rhodes beside her again and directed for the lights to be brought to full but only at a specific moment. Stacie quickly relayed the information through her headphone mic and turned to Isabel. This girl had somehow melted her heart from the moment she walked to the back table and took over. Stacie laughed to herself as she remembered a few minutes earlier…
Isabel had stepped up and looked over everyone, as well as all the equipment on the table. And then she said to Stacie when she realized she was in charge of the on air stuff, “You are coming with me. I need you.” She grabbed a cordless mic from the table before anyone could react.
“What?” Stacie was standing now.
“That song, up there, is for me.” She said with a tone of certainness.
“So?” Stacie countered.
“I don’t want him to see me. I need you for your mic.” Isabel tapped on the headpiece to emphasize her point.” And then Isabel grabbed Stacie’s arm and pulled her away. In the back of the stage, behind the curtain she explained her plan, which she had concocted on the spur of the moment and she offered to pay the director. Money can make people do what you want and Isabel knew that. So she placed a fifty-dollar bill into the woman’s hand and became the new “director” from that moment.
Stacie came out of her reverie, placed the money back into Isabel’s hand…which Isabel tucked into the bosom of her dress for she had no where else to stash it. She then smiled warmly at the younger woman and said, “Go get him Honey… Are you ready??”
“Yeah.” Isabel smiled and nodded her head as she walked to the curtain and peered out from behind it. “Well here goes, wish me luck…” Isabel whispered to herself, but not so quietly that Stacie didn’t hear it. She raised her crossed fingers and said, “You’ve already got it.”
Isabel took her cordless mic again and said, over the softly playing music, “In the dark things are hidden. And in twilight or dusk they can be seen yet not clearly. But in the full light of day everything is bright. Shadows are clear and distinct. In full light things hidden become disclosed. In the full light everything is known.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out, “I’m ready for broad daylight.”
“Alexander Charles Whitman?” She drew back the curtains and those in front of the stage could now see her… however Alex’s back was turned to her and he yet hadn’t laid eyes on his Valentine.
‘She’s using my full name, why is she using my full name?’ Alex started to over think to himself as was his custom. Not quite hearing as she spoke… he was about to enter an overload status.
Isabel at the same time continued to speak, “I want to love you with the lights on.” As her foot stepped onto the stage on the word ‘lights’, the stage became awash in illumination, as was Isabel’s cue; yet the house lights were left low.
‘What did she say… lights? Something about lights… You moron you were supposed to be listening to her.’ He fought with himself to just maintain control at this moment.
Breathtaking gasps of awe or sighs of admiration were heard throughout the audience and Alex turned to look at the sight before him. There stood Isabel, walking towards him, a slightly coy yet shy smile playing upon her perfect dark pink lips. She was a vision of loveliness in that stunning and modestly revealing black dress. She was bejeweled in what appeared to be diamond jewelry, and the slit on her skirt was tasteful yet tantalizing, showing off the side of her knee. Her luxurious hair was piled atop her head in a mass of curls with a couple of loose spiral tendrils framing her angelic face.
The young man stood there as he mouthed silently, “OH WOW!!!” ‘My God… she’s gorgeous.’ He thought quickly as she stepped up to him. Knowing a thing or two about stage performances she discreetly turned them sideways so that neither of their backs were to the audience.
The DJ whispered into his mic for the listening audience… “The mystery lady is none other than a stunning tall blonde goddess. If you could see her, she could be classified as perfection personified.”
Isabel pried the bass from his hand; he had a death grip on it and had not released it from the time she started to talk to him from her hidden spot. It was quite warm she realized. She smiled at the thought that she had him glued to the spot; goofy, animated, Alex was a statue for all intents and purposes. She gently laid his first baby in its cradle, lovingly placing it down. And then reaching for his hand which she took in hers she held it joined in front of them. She clicked off the cordless mic that she had been holding and slowly lowered it to the floor. It was time for a private, yet very public moment with her love.
“I’m ready, Alex!” She smiled softly as she realized that his hand was trembling in hers.
“…For a relationship…” she stroked his cheek with her other hand, as she stared intently into his grayish green eyes. Alex was struggling hard to maintain his composure at this time and to not start crying. But the tears were already stinging his eyes. If she just stopped talking, he’d hold together, but that would be rather unlikely for the look on her face, the love and devotion begged to say something else.
“And I want it to be with you, and not with anyone else I know.”
She just had to speak didn’t she? Those last words spoken sent him over the edge. It was a hidden meaning to him alone, she was letting him IN, and consciously starting to move on from her other Alex, “the anyone else” in reference.
Alex was moved beyond words, and tears started to course unbidden down his cheeks. He also noticed a distinctly wet shine in her dark chocolate colored ones.
She stood there blinking, trying to figure a way for them not to lose it completely in front of God knows how many people, and before she had a chance to utter another syllable, Alex’s hands had wrapped around her back and his lips were fused to hers.
“Here goes the kiss,” DJ Dave whispered again.
Isabel melted into his embrace, her hands around his shoulders, and let him hold her up for the moment. Their tears mingling together once again as they had done during their first kiss a couple of weeks before.
“And what a kiss it is… our goddess seems to be swooning in the young mans embrace.”
“Way to go Whitman,” hollered Jordan from the keyboard.
“YAY ALEX…” Liz cheered loudly, letting out a shrill whistle.
“Go Isabel!!” Maria chimed in, and then softly in a moment of quiet reflection, “Way to get your man.”
Max and Michael who had made their way closer to each other during the stage drama shared a look and a joint shrug of their shoulders. If Alex made Isabel happy, then so be it. But her public display left both of them puzzled, for Isabel hates to draw unnecessary and uncomfortable attention to herself. Yet she had just done exactly that.
And the friends weren’t the only ones cheering… The room erupted into a chorus of cheers and whistles for the young couple standing there basking in each other’s love. They were still fused at the lips, and it didn’t seem likely they would withdraw at any moment, but their kissing had become more intense, as if they were drawing actual vitality from each other and needed the other to live.
“And they have a fan club…” Dave started again, “I’ve never heard such riotous applause over a seemingly normal couple…. If they were stars of some type I could understand… but this couple has stolen the hearts of everyone in the room….”
Cheering wasn’t the only sound that could be heard, there were obviously in attendance, for most of Roswell was, members of the social elite of West Roswell high also there, and they made sure to express their displeasure as loudly as possible.
Ashley Slaton, as Isabel’s nemesis; as well as Pam Troy who was Liz’s, started up Boos of disdain. Isabel Evans had just crossed social lines… The Ice Princess was secretly dating the Geek? Well that was one thing, but to make it public? She had just committed social suicide and blackened all their names. It was time for redemption. The followers of Isabel were confused as to how to respond momentarily until they saw Ashley start the booing and hissing and they joined in. Isabel Evans was on the blacklist. No longer was she to be associated with… Ashley was the new queen of the elites… she’d played second string to Isabel long enough… She couldn’t wait.
Dave grabbed the mic and continued, “It just gets stranger folks, they really are stars of some form…. They must be, for not only do they have a fan club, but they have enemies. I hear booing and hissing amongst the cheering of the crowd. The sounds at times are canceling each other out, take a listen, he held out his mic to the audience as the sound system was turned up for the listening audience. “What is it about these kids? A goddess she most definitely is, but he must be a god in disguise. There is no other way to explain what has transpired here…”
“A stranger blind date I’ve never seen… The little spitfire that we originally set up on a Dream Date met her match after a couple tries and failures on our part. And then a mystery woman took over the night and look at her, and him… Ladies and Gentlemen… we should have been timing this kiss, for this could definitely get into Guinness… they are still locked at the lips and I fear someone has forgotten the key.”
Isabel and Alex never heard anything, the thunderous applause and cheering nor the disdainful ridicule. The stood there drawing strength from each other in a non-ending kiss, as the lights in the place started to flicker out and the mirrored balls on the ceiling started to spin and throw out starlight.
Dave knew that the night couldn’t end more perfectly, so understanding the art of leaving them wanting more, he wrapped it up.
“This is KROZ reminding you that love comes in all forms. Tonight we’ve united Two couples. Yes two, and through absolutely no effort of our own…” he laughed. “This is Dave Kzin saying, ‘Good night and Happy Valentine’s Day’.”
***************
After a long while, and the band had torn down the set… Isabel and Alex pulled from each other’s embrace. There was still the small matter of a Valentine’s date for them to attend to.
They said their goodbyes, to their friends and family who had found seats to watch the show that was Isabel and Alex , and they drove to Frazier Woods, for a short, romantic, date.
Reminiscent of the Brandy laced chocolates in the movie Blind Date, Alex had painstakingly injected Tabasco into chocolates for Isabel the night before, leaving just a few untainted, so that he could share her pleasure with her.
He gave her a bouquet of coral roses, the meaning desire, it’s contrast stunning against the silky black backdrop of her dress, and in the manner of Valentines everywhere, a heart shaped box of chocolates. He pointed out the untainted ones and she lovingly fed him a chocolate truffle…arm interlocked with his as he at the same time fed her one. Not to be outdone; Isabel also had a gift for Alex. She gave him her heart.
The night ended in their absolute favorite spot, Stargazer’s Rock as they had named it, deep in the heart of Frazier Woods.
It was the location of their first kiss, and it was now the place where Isabel proclaimed her love. For after she had fed him the chocolate, she planted herself on his lap and did exactly what she had planned to do for this evening. She looked Alex Whitman deeply in the eyes and said the three words that he had longed to hear from her gentle voice…. “I Love You!”
TBC….
Music: Natural by S Club 7
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: Teen - Mature.…
Spoilers: Blind Date
******
A/N: I owe this chapter to so many wonderful Rosfic lovers without whom it would never have been written and we would all be stuck where my muse was unable to operate. LOL
So I shall start with the Shout-Outs.
Jadeling: Even though you disappeared due to RL hardships last fall, you gave me some awesome jumping off points and I most certainly must dedicate this entire chapter to you, for you helped to write it in a big way. And without you I would still be stuck with minimal ideas in my head, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t have any way to convey it.
When you, Jadeling, dropped out, the slack was picked up by Biged.
Thanks Ed for absolutely everything you’ve done for this chapter and for being so willing to assist me even though you have many of your own personal projects going. I have enjoyed the late night chats and assistance, you are an awesome good friend.
ChrystalKay: I did use a bit of your stuff, but mostly I stayed with Ed’s, for he and I were live on IM as I wrote. But thanks for being willing to help if fr any reason no one else were available.
To StargazerMD: once again for being an awesome beta and helping me with things I just don’t know, (as always). And for being willing to assist on an incredibly short notice. I’m so sorry for that. This chapter is always in process and has been for months.
**********
And then I must give-out shout-outs of a different nature as well.
There are some original characters in this chapter whom are derived from online friends…
So a big Shout-Out to
David/StargazerUK: You are awesome dude, and I hope the humor your character has in this is in the right form and amount. It is your humor that jumps up and surprises in your fics, from which I derive the humor in mine.
Rick/Kzinti Killer: I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I miss you. You are a good friend and I really appreciate how you were there for the hardships I faced last year. And likewise I could share in some of yours. Hope you return to us someday soon.
To Stargazing101/Kay: You picked the name for your character, and I hope I did her justice. I tried to make her as much YOU as I possibly could. I wrote this chapter around you, and the other aforementioned people. I miss you lots girl.
And finally last, but not least, TrueLovePooh.
Thanks for being my friend, and in Roswell anyways, my kindred spirit. You are MY GIRL and I love ya lots. You also picked the name for your character and I hope she is acceptable to you as well.
The thing is, when I make an original based on someone, I try to put as much of the real person as I can into their composite. I hope you four all feel honored for I was honored to place you into a piece of Shifting Realities history.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
<center>-----------------------------------------------
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Five: Part Two: B
Dream Date
-----------------------------------------------</center>
And the bad news kept getting worse, they, the KROZ station, had just been informed by Stacie that the popular band was arrested in Albuquerque because of the drummer’s disorderly conduct. This high school band was the entertainment for the night. They’d do ok, and the few songs they had already pulled off were well received. But who doesn’t like “In the Air Tonight” or other songs of its type? Dave sighed as he motioned Stacie to go inform The Whits of the dilemma.
He was trying to salvage the night as he played to the crowd and informed them of the success or lack thereof of Roswell’s bachelorette. "Ok. Well it looks like Maria was too much of a spitfire for the gentleman we picked for her…but hopefully all is not lost. I'm sure someone out there is willing to take her on." He winked at the crowd eliciting hoots from them.
"Any takers…" he chuckled uncomfortably as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Maria walked closer to the edge of the stage and blew a kiss out and offered a seductive wink.
"I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that spicy treat." A guy in the audience shouted causing the crowd to scream is excitement.
Maria took the mic from the DJ. "Promises, promises big boy." She said as she gave the crowd a pout.
Come on up here, he motioned to the guy. A tall gentleman wearing a casual button down black shirt and khaki pants stepped up onto the stage.
"Well it seems we might have someone to tame our Queen of Hearts." Dave encouraged the crowd’s excitemant.
******
Stacie Rhodes made her way to the band… “I need to talk to you guys for a second…” She pulled them aside for a moment as David kept the crowd busy with the Blind Date…. “The band isn’t coming…” After giving the reasons she said, “I hope you’re ready to do your own stuff, or a lot more of anything, because you guys are it. Good luck.”
“No problem.” Alex grinned confidently as he took the reins. “Guys… Just like we practiced, lets do an alternative but familiar tune and warm up the crowd a bit more…” They all took their places, and slowly started a rhythm…, the beginning notes to Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls, but not actually singing yet. They just kept the opening measure playing while the scene on stage continued.
*******
“Well we don’t have the time to go on another date, and we have to decide right now if this is the heart throb of young Maria DeLuca… So why don’t you give the lady a kiss??” DJ Dave turned to the bold young man. The crowd started to cheer in anticipation…
Maria played along with a flirtatious tilt of her head, “What you got Big Boy?”
With that the gentleman pulled in close to her and gave her a gentle but thorough kiss, lips touching, but mouths closed.
The kiss wasn’t short but it wasn’t passionate either, it was being done for the show that it was, as the crowd whooped and hollered.
All of a sudden the man’s cell phone, which was clipped to his belt, gave him an electric shock, small but definitely noticeable. He jerked away from the kiss, eyes wide, wondering what was going on.
He stared at Maria in his confusion and she said, dismissively, “ Nope!! … Look Bud, … Even your phone thinks that kiss sucked…” and with a mischievous twinkle in her eye she turned to the audience once again, but more specifically the corner by the door, and she challenged, with a cock of her eyebrow, “Next…”
For all the while the mystery man’s phone, after shocking him in what must have been an obvious malfunction, began to ring, playing the ending measure to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The notes playing in sequence repeatedly. He grabbed at his belt and removed the lime, alien green colored cell-phone with the alien head sticker on the flip down mouthpiece. He tried to answer it but it was stuck in its musical sequence, at times altering the tempo from extremely fast, to extremely slow, but always playing the same tune. He couldn’t shut it off for any reason… he shrugged and looked at Maria helplessly… and then headed out of the club in a hurry, he had to get his annoying phone shut off, and so was running outside.
However, while fumbling with the troublesome piece of technology, he ran into a taller guy who was perched at the door, his feet in a wide shoulder width apart stance, with his arms crossed. The first thing heard was the crinkling of cellophane as he, the hurried man, plowed into what might have been a bouquet, in the other man’s arms.
The second sound was a mumbled apology by the same man whose phone had chosen this moment to get even louder and faster in its tune, and lastly a grunt in response from the other young man as he reached out his hand to steady the first gentleman, by placing his hand on the first man’s chest.
If his phone had not gone so crazy at the entrance as he was headed out, the first gentleman was certain that he would have noticed the six-foot wall of person in front of him, but no, he had to embarrass himself further by plowing right into the guy. He mumbled a second apology and raced outside, rather mortified.
***************
“Ok, that’s two down… do we have any other takers?” The DJ pleaded. “Or will our Queen go away empty handed.”
“Anyone???” … After a moment of silence, he said, “Well if no one else will step forward I guess the band will continue to play and we’ll wrap up this evening.”
The whole time, Maria’s eyes were glued to door, and she keep discreetly motioning with her head to someone buried in the inky blackness of the club.
DJ Dave looked at her face and noticed that there was a certain spark in her eyes… so he went for broke…”Well it seems as if we have we might have another VERY brave man. Our little spitfire has already chewed up and spit out two... count them, TWO gentlemen tonight, but yet… there seems to be someone in this place who has caught her eye.” He looked in the direction of the door.
“Have we found that certain someone who will tame this fiercesome beauty’s heart? Lets see who he is…”
*****************
In the meantime Alex’s band was still waiting for the scene to play out …. as they quietly filled in the silence with continued background music, minus the vocals.
Isabel stood to the middle where she had the best view of her handsome, though geeky, attired bass guitar player. He loved the attention she could tell, even though Maria was literally Center Stage.
And a glance to her right showed Max and Liz standing rather close to one another on another date. Max had actually asked her to go with him, picking her up and everything. Of course, poor Isabel had to tag along for the ride. But hopefully she would leave in other company.
******
Maria had seen Michael standing shyly against the door, not really wanting to walk forward any further without an invitation. He held in his hands a loose bouquet of wildflowers picked up from a corner vendor. It was languishing for need of water. The flowers were hodge-podge and it wasn’t exactly a perfect bouquet.
Especially seeing how his jealously had gotten the better of him when he watched Maria kissing that guy on stage. It had gone a bit rampant, starting with the guy’s phone, but also draining the water right from the flowers in his hands. That guy plowing into the brittle bouquet really hadn’t helped much. It sure wasn’t an attractive arrangement anymore. It had been pretty by Michael’s standards when he first bought them, but now, he’d likely hear about it from Isabel. ‘You don’t give a girl a dead bunch of flowers!!!’ He grimaced.
Maria had never seen a sight more beautiful. She caught Michael’s eyes and smiled. Inside she was thinking about the flowers. ‘He really tried. Those are for me?’ She nodded for him to join her.
As Michael stepped up to side Dave Kzin launched into a new round of questioning. “So, who would this heartthrob be? What is your name young man?”
“Michael Guerin,” he mumbled.
“Would that be the same Michael Guerin that was eating his own heart out earlier in the week?” The mic was shoved into his face once again.
“Yes he is…” Maria quickly jumped in. And as usual acting before she thought it out, she grabbed the mic from the DJ’s hands and said, “Yes! This is THE Michael Guerin… the one and only. I had no idea what I was missing. You know they always say you don’t know what you’ve lost till its gone??? Well that is most definitely the case here… After that date from… Well you know where? And the way he insulted my friends, and indirectly myself. And was rude and arrogant… I realized that I could at least give this guy another try. So No!!! I am not available anymore. I’m done being the prey and fantasy of every idiot in Roswell. I’m back with Michael Guerin.” She shook her head and looked adoringly at Michael who was kind of just standing there, shoulders hunched and nervous.
Isabel stood to the side grinning and Liz gave Maria a hasty thumbs up. Maria’s quick backwards glance at Alex showed him rubbing his thumb and first two fingers together in an unspoken gesture of ‘pay me,’ while he quirked a wry grin, and turned his attention back to his bass.
It was at that moment that the words of the entire week came rushing back to Maria. How she had said that she would never get back with Michael. How she could win the bet so easily… And she found herself about to eat a very large Humble Pie. Maria decided to go for broke. She had already lost the bet as Alex had so lovingly pointed out. She had already stated to the entire radio audience that she was back together with Michael. And so she leaned up and gave him a kiss. In front of everyone.
“A kiss. She gave him a kiss...” DJ Dave started in again.
Michael and Maria left the stage side by side; it was time for a dance for Roswell’s not so mystery couple. The band was directed to play and so Michael found himself standing in Maria’s arms swaying to “Iris” but the Goo Goo Dolls. He couldn’t dance and he honestly couldn’t be more embarrassed. He was ready to start bickering with her, but that too would be captured. So he just swayed and hoped all the riveted eyes would find something else interesting to watch and soon.
***************
“Well it wasn’t the way we expected the date to go, but our Queen of Hearts has most definitely lost hers tonight…” Dave announced. “Looks like we finally found the guy to tame her wild heart. And lo and behold, it was the one she had all along. Can tonight get any stranger?”
After a few more energetic and original songs by the band, Michael’s embarrassment long since forgotten as the club moved and swayed and danced to the music, the last song ended and Alex’s band got the attention of the crowd…
“We The Whits have really enjoyed playing for you this evening and for your listening pleasure we have one more song. We are sending this out to all the couples in love... Happy Valentines Day.”
Geneva picked up her chestnut colored violin, which was beautifully contrasted against her black form fitting fringed velour top, and all the other members got ready. Alex had been very insistent with this song so they were the most proficient with it…
Alex leaned into the mic a little closer than before and gave a nervous glance over to Isabel. Then he gave a slight smile to Geneva as she nodded and smiled in return. With a silent nod to the band the music began…
Jordan softly started an imitation of a woodwind on his keyboard, as Geneva plucked the strings on her violin. Her beautiful voice, soprano for this song, for she truly could cover all ranges, started with the …
“Ooohhh,”
Joined by the cymbals with a tis, tis, sound as they softly gathered the rhythm.
“Aaaahhh Ahhh, Oh Ye-ah… Do do do do do do doo…”
Alex smiled as he leaned into the mic and took over as lead, starting to strum the bass as the drums also came into play.
The DJ commented, “The bass player is taking a turn singing. He’s been back up most of the night…”
“Loving you is not just luck or illusion
It's in the make-up of our DNA”
Isabel’s heart started to race faster as her palms grew moist on their own accord. Inside her was a tumult of emotions, she was feeling joyful elation yet at the same time scared, and not to mention supremely embarrassed. She felt her cheeks flush a bit from the excitement. Isabel stood a little taller as her eyes went wide in realization. Alex was singing directly to her and had picked the perfect song that spoke what he felt about them.
It's not by chance we make the perfect solution.
He gave her a quick wink.
Don't fight it baby, you know that it's just destiny's way.
Tensing in nervousness, Isabel wrung her hands a bit uncomfortably; she didn’t know what she should do. No one had ever singled her out nor sung to her before. She didn’t know how to respond.
“The bass player seems to be serenading someone in the audience, but whom? I wish we could find this mystery person.” The DJ continued…
Max was staring longingly into Liz’s eyes as the word Destiny was sung. ‘Could it be? Could I have a life with a human?’ And she was staring back, a bit unsurely but still returning the gaze. They both were thoroughly enjoying Alex’s song and neither of them realized that he was singing to Isabel, for they were gazing at each other.
The song went into the chorus for the first time, all the instruments minus the violin joined …
Baby lovin' you
Comes easily to me
It's what I'm living for
It's all in the chemistry
Baby lovin' you
Is how it's meant to be
It's something that is oh so natural to me
Natural
The crowd was enjoying the beat and swayed to the music as Alex relaxed a bit and started to feel the music while all the while pouring his heart and his soul into the lyrics, as he sang directly to Isabel, catching her large expressive eyes. He’d never forget that look on her face as long as he lived.
She had so many conflicting emotions in her now that she was becoming overwhelmed. ‘I can’t believe he did that!’ she thought to herself. But she continued to stand and to listen, while nervously shifting on her feet.
Alex sang lead and Geneva handled the back-up/echo…
We got the answers but there's no explanation (no explanation)
We got each other baby come what may (come what may)
It's in the science, it's genetically proven (genetically proven)
Cuz when you touch the reaction it just blows me away
Michael and Maria were leaning a bit into each other and he smirked at the words. And he nodded while he whispered, “Yeah. Sure does.”
The DJ looked into the room and watched Maria the original focus of the evening. “We seem to have all sorts of romantics in here tonight...”
Alex went into the chorus again with full gusto…
Baby lovin' you
Comes easily to me
It's what I'm living for
It's all in the chemistry
Isabel never broke eye contact with Alex, and she started to panic, she was about to lose it publicly. But she shouldn’t care what others thought, and then what was she to do with Alex? He was being so open and honest and bold about it. It was a thrilling feeling yet at the same time…
Baby lovin' you
Is how it's meant to be
It's something that is oh so natural to me
Natural
Tears started to well in her eyes and she blinked them back. She felt scared, because she had to open herself in way she never had before. She had to tell Alex, this timeline’s Alex, what she was feeling. And this little surprise of his was not making that task any easier.
The chorus went into another round…
The DJ looked around and said, "I wish we could find who this song is for…"
As the song continued, Isabel looked around discreetly at the friends. They weren’t aware the song was for her; none of them were even gazing in her direction. They were focused on each other or the band but definitely not her…
Baby lovin' you
Comes easily to me
It's what I'm living for
It's all in the chemistry
Baby lovin' you
Is how it's meant to be
It's something that is oh so natural to me
Natural
The song went into the bridge…
Turn off the light
The song was waging an internal battle inside of Isabel and unfortunately it was winning.
Lay your head next to mine
She felt the tears rising to the surface, but she wasn’t sure what emotion was causing them, so many were bubbling to the surface… She knew however that she couldn’t give any of them place. So she swallowed and rapidly tried to blink them into submission. Isabel smiled weakly at Alex. He gave a slight grin in return, and another wink.
Take it slowly a step at a time
It wasn’t working; the tears would not obey her command.
Come on get close, Closer to me
Isabel demurely wiped them away with the back of her hand, and gave a quick shake of her head. ‘Damn It!’ she thought to herself, as she left her choice position, she had to get out of there… She just couldn’t let Alex see her like this.
He had been looking down at his guitar when Isabel left, and so he hadn’t seen her depart.
Its Oh so Natural,
Its oh so easy to see
Alex looked up a broad smile on his face, expecting to meet the brown eyes that could melt him in an instant. She wasn’t standing where he had last seen her. His hand kept strumming the bass, as his eyes quickly darted around the room, trying to locate her.
The chorus played again,
Isabel wasn’t there. He couldn’t see her anywhere and his heart broke. But not for himself, for he knew Isabel hadn’t left, probably had just gone outside. ‘I blew it.’ He chastised himself. ‘It was too much…’ He weakly smiled as he continued the final part of the song, his heart was no longer in it, but he had to finish it. ‘I knew serenading her was risky… I just… I wanted her to know... I just wanted to tell her how much I love her.’ The song ended. “Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen, The band and I hope that you have had a great evening. This is Alex Whitman of The Whits.” He placed the bass on its stand and hopped off the stage. The audience cheered for more, they wanted an encore. Alex wanted to find Isabel; he had to apologize. ‘It was too public, I should’ve know. What the Hell was I thinking, anyways?”
******
“Alex, get up there,” Maria ordered him. She and Michael were standing side by side on the floor. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Where’s Isabel?” He whispered
“Don’t know, but the audience wants more… Get up there, go play something.” She shoved him back towards the stage.
A confused Alex walked back onto the stage, quickly conferred with his band over what they should do and as they all readied themselves to play, the lights in the building suddenly died.
Mics were tapped and blown into… “Testing 1-2- Test…” their sound carried strong throughout the club.
The DJ stood there in front of everyone, not that he could be seen, and said, “Well its not a power failure or we would have lost the sound system as well. This has certainly been one weird Blind Date… I wonder what’s in store for us next, an Alien abduction?” The crowd laughed perfunctorily at the joke.
“Ladies and Gentleman, we are having a technical difficulty and we’ll get the lights back on as soon as we can, but for your listening pleasure, The Whits…”
The crowd started to clap their appreciation… and a soft gentle feminine voice spoke clearly over the speakers. “I have something I need to say to someone. If he is hearing me, he already knows who he is.”
‘What the hell is she doing?’ Alex thought to himself, as he stood there having a bit of trouble breathing. If there was one thing he would recognize anywhere it would be Isabel. Be it her voice, her form, or anything about her. And she was the voice speaking over the loud system. He blinked a couple times as his eyes darted around the room.
‘You idiot! The lights are off and you are not an alien…” he laughed at the thought, Isabel was probably laughing at him right now for trying to have night vision… ‘You’re never going to see her, nor anything else for that matter.’ He once again chastised himself for his stupidity.
The hidden speaker started her speech again, “We’ve been in the dark. The lights have been off in our relationship… As things in the dark are hidden, and not easily seen, so has our relationship been. Its been hidden, or in the dark so to speak...
The DJ talked into the radio mic for a moment… “Apparently the night has yet one more surprise. There is a mystery woman hidden in this place who is speaking to a mystery man. She obviously planned this and I think she’s the reason for the sudden darkness.
Isabel from her concealed spot behind the band’s stage turned the Director, Stacie Rhodes and asked for the lights to be brought up to a dim setting. Stacie smiled and obliged the young woman informing the lighting crew of the new direction.
The lights came on dimly, and everyone adjusted to the sudden light. And once their eyes were acclimated everyone was furtively looking for the mystery woman.
Both Michael and Max with their powerful alien/cat like eyes already knew that Isabel was nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t in the main front, for they could clearly distinguish everything.
“Is it Isabel?” Liz asked Max who stood beside her, his arm wrapped around her shoulder.
“Likely it is, based on Alex…” Max joked. “Look at him.” Max pointed to the stage where the bassist had the guitar in his hand but his eyes were frantically darting around the room, making circuits.
“Calm down Whitman.” Whispered Nicky harshly. “Its ok man.”
‘Yeah… Easy for you to say,’ Alex thought in a mutter to himself, ‘She's not PUBLICLY trying to get your attention.’
Isabel started again, “In the dim light things aren't clear. Shadows are distorted, and there isn't enough light to work from. Things aren’t very evident or obvious. Nothing is distinct. She smirked and chuckled, “People are wondering about us. Are we friends or more?” She added in a sexy voice. “We know that answer don't we Honey? For we've been living in the shadows. Our relationship has been in the twilight...”
Alex knew he was going to die, if he didn't end up crying first… Isabel was speaking directly to his heart. He stood there stock still in utter amazement, as everyone in the club’s eyes were glued to the young man on the stage. He just waited for her next move…
Max and Liz spoke again to each other, as Max whispered, “She’s got guts. I never thought Isabel would go public like this... We always stay hidden.”
“She sounds like she’s tired of hiding Max.” Liz smiled at him, resting her head against his chest and whispered, “Isabel feels secure.”
“What does that mean?” he questioned.
“Nothing,” Liz shook her head, “except she feels safe with Alex, safe enough to reveal their hidden relationship.” Max pondered on the meanings in Liz’s words.
Maria and Michael had found a pole to lean against and she pointed out the scene playing on the stage. “She’s going to tell him she loves him.” Maria grinned.
“What!?” Questioned Michael.
“Oh you are so clueless,” Maria said teasingly. “Isabel is building it up, she is going to tell Alex what she feels and she is going to do it in front of all these people.” She smiled at Michael. “You Go Girl!” she whispered.
Michael stood there confused, Would Isabel really do that? She had said something about telling him something at the concert, was this her plan. And what happened to hiding, in plain sight. Wasn’t that their motto? Why was Isabel wiling to risk everything? Maria smiled at him in an effort to calm him; she watched the storms play upon his face as he more than likely mulled over Isabel and her relationship with Alex.
Alex was past amazement and now stood there transfixed, he couldn’t move. The band gathered their instruments, and softly talked amongst each other deciding on a song in which they could forgo the bass.
DJ Dave Kzin spoke softly into the mic again.
“We’re going to have to peel this boy from the floor before the night is over, but the mystery man is none other that tonight’s leading entertainer. Alex Whitman of The Whits, the bass player. He appears to be your average teen but on the tall side, dark brown hair and a charming smile. Nothing exotic or mysterious I’ll tell you that though. I wonder why they have a hidden relationship. And is the mystery woman the same that he was singing to earlier?? Maybe the answers will be revealed tonight…”
******
Isabel loved the suspense that she had created; they were playing right into her hands where she wanted them. She loved the control she had over the entire crowd, and she took a short breath and turned to Stacie Rhodes beside her again and directed for the lights to be brought to full but only at a specific moment. Stacie quickly relayed the information through her headphone mic and turned to Isabel. This girl had somehow melted her heart from the moment she walked to the back table and took over. Stacie laughed to herself as she remembered a few minutes earlier…
Isabel had stepped up and looked over everyone, as well as all the equipment on the table. And then she said to Stacie when she realized she was in charge of the on air stuff, “You are coming with me. I need you.” She grabbed a cordless mic from the table before anyone could react.
“What?” Stacie was standing now.
“That song, up there, is for me.” She said with a tone of certainness.
“So?” Stacie countered.
“I don’t want him to see me. I need you for your mic.” Isabel tapped on the headpiece to emphasize her point.” And then Isabel grabbed Stacie’s arm and pulled her away. In the back of the stage, behind the curtain she explained her plan, which she had concocted on the spur of the moment and she offered to pay the director. Money can make people do what you want and Isabel knew that. So she placed a fifty-dollar bill into the woman’s hand and became the new “director” from that moment.
Stacie came out of her reverie, placed the money back into Isabel’s hand…which Isabel tucked into the bosom of her dress for she had no where else to stash it. She then smiled warmly at the younger woman and said, “Go get him Honey… Are you ready??”
“Yeah.” Isabel smiled and nodded her head as she walked to the curtain and peered out from behind it. “Well here goes, wish me luck…” Isabel whispered to herself, but not so quietly that Stacie didn’t hear it. She raised her crossed fingers and said, “You’ve already got it.”
Isabel took her cordless mic again and said, over the softly playing music, “In the dark things are hidden. And in twilight or dusk they can be seen yet not clearly. But in the full light of day everything is bright. Shadows are clear and distinct. In full light things hidden become disclosed. In the full light everything is known.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out, “I’m ready for broad daylight.”
“Alexander Charles Whitman?” She drew back the curtains and those in front of the stage could now see her… however Alex’s back was turned to her and he yet hadn’t laid eyes on his Valentine.
‘She’s using my full name, why is she using my full name?’ Alex started to over think to himself as was his custom. Not quite hearing as she spoke… he was about to enter an overload status.
Isabel at the same time continued to speak, “I want to love you with the lights on.” As her foot stepped onto the stage on the word ‘lights’, the stage became awash in illumination, as was Isabel’s cue; yet the house lights were left low.
‘What did she say… lights? Something about lights… You moron you were supposed to be listening to her.’ He fought with himself to just maintain control at this moment.
Breathtaking gasps of awe or sighs of admiration were heard throughout the audience and Alex turned to look at the sight before him. There stood Isabel, walking towards him, a slightly coy yet shy smile playing upon her perfect dark pink lips. She was a vision of loveliness in that stunning and modestly revealing black dress. She was bejeweled in what appeared to be diamond jewelry, and the slit on her skirt was tasteful yet tantalizing, showing off the side of her knee. Her luxurious hair was piled atop her head in a mass of curls with a couple of loose spiral tendrils framing her angelic face.
The young man stood there as he mouthed silently, “OH WOW!!!” ‘My God… she’s gorgeous.’ He thought quickly as she stepped up to him. Knowing a thing or two about stage performances she discreetly turned them sideways so that neither of their backs were to the audience.
The DJ whispered into his mic for the listening audience… “The mystery lady is none other than a stunning tall blonde goddess. If you could see her, she could be classified as perfection personified.”
Isabel pried the bass from his hand; he had a death grip on it and had not released it from the time she started to talk to him from her hidden spot. It was quite warm she realized. She smiled at the thought that she had him glued to the spot; goofy, animated, Alex was a statue for all intents and purposes. She gently laid his first baby in its cradle, lovingly placing it down. And then reaching for his hand which she took in hers she held it joined in front of them. She clicked off the cordless mic that she had been holding and slowly lowered it to the floor. It was time for a private, yet very public moment with her love.
“I’m ready, Alex!” She smiled softly as she realized that his hand was trembling in hers.
“…For a relationship…” she stroked his cheek with her other hand, as she stared intently into his grayish green eyes. Alex was struggling hard to maintain his composure at this time and to not start crying. But the tears were already stinging his eyes. If she just stopped talking, he’d hold together, but that would be rather unlikely for the look on her face, the love and devotion begged to say something else.
“And I want it to be with you, and not with anyone else I know.”
She just had to speak didn’t she? Those last words spoken sent him over the edge. It was a hidden meaning to him alone, she was letting him IN, and consciously starting to move on from her other Alex, “the anyone else” in reference.
Alex was moved beyond words, and tears started to course unbidden down his cheeks. He also noticed a distinctly wet shine in her dark chocolate colored ones.
She stood there blinking, trying to figure a way for them not to lose it completely in front of God knows how many people, and before she had a chance to utter another syllable, Alex’s hands had wrapped around her back and his lips were fused to hers.
“Here goes the kiss,” DJ Dave whispered again.
Isabel melted into his embrace, her hands around his shoulders, and let him hold her up for the moment. Their tears mingling together once again as they had done during their first kiss a couple of weeks before.
“And what a kiss it is… our goddess seems to be swooning in the young mans embrace.”
“Way to go Whitman,” hollered Jordan from the keyboard.
“YAY ALEX…” Liz cheered loudly, letting out a shrill whistle.
“Go Isabel!!” Maria chimed in, and then softly in a moment of quiet reflection, “Way to get your man.”
Max and Michael who had made their way closer to each other during the stage drama shared a look and a joint shrug of their shoulders. If Alex made Isabel happy, then so be it. But her public display left both of them puzzled, for Isabel hates to draw unnecessary and uncomfortable attention to herself. Yet she had just done exactly that.
And the friends weren’t the only ones cheering… The room erupted into a chorus of cheers and whistles for the young couple standing there basking in each other’s love. They were still fused at the lips, and it didn’t seem likely they would withdraw at any moment, but their kissing had become more intense, as if they were drawing actual vitality from each other and needed the other to live.
“And they have a fan club…” Dave started again, “I’ve never heard such riotous applause over a seemingly normal couple…. If they were stars of some type I could understand… but this couple has stolen the hearts of everyone in the room….”
Cheering wasn’t the only sound that could be heard, there were obviously in attendance, for most of Roswell was, members of the social elite of West Roswell high also there, and they made sure to express their displeasure as loudly as possible.
Ashley Slaton, as Isabel’s nemesis; as well as Pam Troy who was Liz’s, started up Boos of disdain. Isabel Evans had just crossed social lines… The Ice Princess was secretly dating the Geek? Well that was one thing, but to make it public? She had just committed social suicide and blackened all their names. It was time for redemption. The followers of Isabel were confused as to how to respond momentarily until they saw Ashley start the booing and hissing and they joined in. Isabel Evans was on the blacklist. No longer was she to be associated with… Ashley was the new queen of the elites… she’d played second string to Isabel long enough… She couldn’t wait.
Dave grabbed the mic and continued, “It just gets stranger folks, they really are stars of some form…. They must be, for not only do they have a fan club, but they have enemies. I hear booing and hissing amongst the cheering of the crowd. The sounds at times are canceling each other out, take a listen, he held out his mic to the audience as the sound system was turned up for the listening audience. “What is it about these kids? A goddess she most definitely is, but he must be a god in disguise. There is no other way to explain what has transpired here…”
“A stranger blind date I’ve never seen… The little spitfire that we originally set up on a Dream Date met her match after a couple tries and failures on our part. And then a mystery woman took over the night and look at her, and him… Ladies and Gentlemen… we should have been timing this kiss, for this could definitely get into Guinness… they are still locked at the lips and I fear someone has forgotten the key.”
Isabel and Alex never heard anything, the thunderous applause and cheering nor the disdainful ridicule. The stood there drawing strength from each other in a non-ending kiss, as the lights in the place started to flicker out and the mirrored balls on the ceiling started to spin and throw out starlight.
Dave knew that the night couldn’t end more perfectly, so understanding the art of leaving them wanting more, he wrapped it up.
“This is KROZ reminding you that love comes in all forms. Tonight we’ve united Two couples. Yes two, and through absolutely no effort of our own…” he laughed. “This is Dave Kzin saying, ‘Good night and Happy Valentine’s Day’.”
***************
After a long while, and the band had torn down the set… Isabel and Alex pulled from each other’s embrace. There was still the small matter of a Valentine’s date for them to attend to.
They said their goodbyes, to their friends and family who had found seats to watch the show that was Isabel and Alex , and they drove to Frazier Woods, for a short, romantic, date.
Reminiscent of the Brandy laced chocolates in the movie Blind Date, Alex had painstakingly injected Tabasco into chocolates for Isabel the night before, leaving just a few untainted, so that he could share her pleasure with her.
He gave her a bouquet of coral roses, the meaning desire, it’s contrast stunning against the silky black backdrop of her dress, and in the manner of Valentines everywhere, a heart shaped box of chocolates. He pointed out the untainted ones and she lovingly fed him a chocolate truffle…arm interlocked with his as he at the same time fed her one. Not to be outdone; Isabel also had a gift for Alex. She gave him her heart.
The night ended in their absolute favorite spot, Stargazer’s Rock as they had named it, deep in the heart of Frazier Woods.
It was the location of their first kiss, and it was now the place where Isabel proclaimed her love. For after she had fed him the chocolate, she planted herself on his lap and did exactly what she had planned to do for this evening. She looked Alex Whitman deeply in the eyes and said the three words that he had longed to hear from her gentle voice…. “I Love You!”
TBC….
Music: Natural by S Club 7
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
Post in two parts
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: MATURE… For Sexual Innuendo, Violence, Language
Spoilers: Independence Day
A/N: The place to finish up business before the chapter. FIRST: Thanks Ed for all the assistance with Hank in this part. Great job.
And the second order of business is that I’m officially changing my numbering system. I can end up with so many parts and half parts to chapters that they will now be given a # and alphabetical letter, until the chapter concludes. This one is Chapter 26 Part A.. the next part will be B and so on. If I need to split a chapter for posting purposes I will use a number. Hope that was clear.
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Six: A Part One
Liberation
******
RECAP: The day was Friday, February 11, 2000 the night of the Mystery Dream Date. Maria had won the not so wonderful Blind Date. Isabel and Alex had proclaimed their love publicly. Maria and Michael were given another shot with each other. And even Max was once again talking to humans, i.e. Liz.
<center>Liberation[</center>
------
After Isabel and Alex left, the rest of the gang who were still hanging around the club started to disburse.
Outside Michael actually gave the now poor excuse of a bouquet to Maria, who just stared at him with adoration in her eyes. Michael had actually tried, and better yet, succeeded, at capturing a part of her heart. No small feat to be sure. They walked out into the cool brisk February night air. They were side by side but not holding hands. Michael’s were stuffed tightly into the pockets of his dark blue denim jeans, with the too long legs rolled up.
“Have you ever seen anything more romantic than Isabel tonight?” Maria asked and continued to prattle on about the wonderful evening and how Isabel pulled out all the stops and won her man etc…
Michael had the good sense to agree that he never thought she would do something as bold as that.
“And did you notice Liz?” Maria asked. “She was with Max. Leaning into him and whispering at times. Finally… everyone is where they belong? Don’t you think Michael? Everyone has someone for Valentine’s Day.”
Michael made a noise in his throat as he answered truthfully… “Yah don’t know what the big deal is with that.”
“What the Big Deal Is?!!!” Maria echoed back in angered shock. “Well it’s only the day for lovers.” She advanced into his space and thumped him on the chest with the cellophane wrapped flowers as she continued the tirade. “The most romantic day of the year, but you wouldn’t know anything about that? Would you?!”
Michael’s undoing unforuntately stemmed from his upbringing. He backed up from the angry pixies battering with both hands raised in surrender and said bluntly. “Romance is highly overrated.”
“Why do I even try?” Maria crossed her arms on her chest, as she turned away from him for a second. Then she looked at the flower arrangement now resting against the outside of her upper arm and turned back, holding out the crumbling bouquet as she questioned, “Well if its so overrated then why did you bring me flowers at all?”
“Umm… Isabel…” Michael answered abruptly.
Maria wasn’t expecting to hear Isabel’s name, and as usual launched into her soliloquy without skipping a beat. “What!? What do you mean Isabel? You weren’t giving them to her were you?” She stared at him with fire flashing in her darkened bright green eyes.
‘God but she’s beautiful when she’s mad…’ Michel thought to himself realizing that she was waiting for an answer. He was a bit slow on the draw and as he opened his mouth to continue, he was steamrolled over by Maria’s exaggerated outburst. His mouth quickly clamped shut.
“I should’ve known… “ Maria accused him. “Of course the only girl you’d give any flowers would be your sister. It’s all you can think about…. Your family. Where you’re from. The three of you. Well there are other people on this planet too you know.”
“I just…” he tried to interrupt but heaven forbid Maria not being able to finish a thought.
“It’s not like she needs the flowers you know?” Maria said somewhat dejectedly. “She’s probably in some romantic spot right now holding a huge bouquet of perfect red roses. Its not like I’d ever get any roses.”
Michael sighed deeply as he realized that speech right now was pointless and so he yanked the flowers from her hands that he had previously given to her, and angrily threw them to the ground. He looked at her and restuffed his hands into his pockets. He didn’t know what else to do at this moment, as he waited for her next tirade.
Sure enough she was right on target, “What’d you do that for!?” she pointed with one hand to the flowers on the ground.
There was only one thing left to do, one recourse he could take, and so he did. His hands found themselves flying out of his pockets and towards her face as they grabbed her cheeks and held her still as he harshly kissed her and took her breath away.
When they broke apart… she immediately questioned him. “What’d you do that for!?”
“Same as always,” he exclaimed. “To shut you up.”
This time as she struggled to find the choice words to counteract his brusqueness, she was the one overrun as he continued. He leaned over and roughly picked up the now battered and beleaguered bouquet. “They’re not roses, got that. But they are flowers and they are yours.” He shoved them into her open hands, and stormed off.
‘She is more trouble than she is worth. She is infuriating.’ He thought to himself. That little waif of a girl could make his alien blood boil faster than anything. No matter what he said to her, no matter how hard he tried, she would misconstrue something that he said, and it would turn into one of these… whatever they weres, and they’d bicker. Again.
As he stormed off and his retreating form was all she could see, Maria stood there in shock and tried to call out this name. “Michael.” No answer. “Michael, please?” But the young man with the wildly unruly hair just continued on his fast pace away from her. ‘Did I drive him away?‘ She thought to herself. ‘No one but Michael can get me all fired up so fast. What is it with the boy?’ She sighed and looked down to her hand at the arrangement that had seen much better days, and the funny thing was that they were just a few short hours ago.
Somehow besides making that guy’s cell phone go insane; Michael had drained the water right out of the flowers as he held them. It was almost a dried arrangement that he had actually managed to get into her hands. It was severely in need of water if that would even revive them. The fragile asters clung to their broken stems on a haphazard angle, as if a puff of wind would be all it would take to break them further and snap the heads from the stems completely. She watched that as he rounded the corner, his hands were once again shoved deeply into his pockets. And then he was gone, out of sight.
***************
Michael had enough stuff to deal with back at the trailer that he called home. Especially after the way he left. He had no idea if he was back together with the little spitfire or not. And at this moment he just couldn’t care. He just didn’t need to be informed of how he was a terrible “boyfriend” as well.
He decided that it would be too exhausting to be someone’s boyfriend. And then he wondered just how in hell Alex managed to have enough energy to deal with Isabel. There was another girl who could get bent out of shape, easily. Not the same way as Maria but still….
He had a lot to think about and a lot to mull over as he stalked back to the Chisholm Trail Trailer Park. Tonight likely held other bigger issues that needed dealt with but to be determined by Hank’s inebriated state. If Hank was conscious there would be hell to pay more than likely, and if not, well he’d go to sleep quickly and be out in the morning before Hank arose.
***************
Maria was pretty accurate in her assessment of Isabel and Alex; for at that exact same time she was nestled in his arms and secure on his lap kissing him senseless out in their personal spot deep in the heart of Frazier Woods.
As of this night, they were officially a couple and she could do whatever she pleased now, social status rules were no longer valid.
As Isabel was there, planted on his lap, he’d decided to let out just a tiny bit of his bad boy streak for fun. His hand was slid under the skirt of her dress and was caressing her knee and slightly above it in loving touches. But that was as far as he would allow himself to touch.
Her left hand was lovingly resting on the back of his neck and head, while the other pressed him tightly to herself as it was wrapped around his lower back and slid under his shirt at waist level. She was giving as good as she got.
Her coral roses and box of Tabasco laced chocolates were resting against the side of their big rock. And the two were completely lost in their own world, where they remained until sometime later when they each had to return home.
****************
Upon arriving back at the trailer Michael noticed the shards of glass that littered the living room; more than likely they were caused by the little episode earlier he thought to himself. But that wasn’t the only broken glass he noticed lying on the floor, there was also the telltale signs of thick jagged brown glass… smashed beer bottles. They too were littered and scattered among the debris. Michael stared at the mess, and then let his gaze wander to above the TV. Sure enough, dark streaks of liquid and scratches as well as gouges marred the brown wood paneling of the walls. Hank had obviously drunken himself into a rage over the busted TV and in a fit had thrown his bottles at the wall. The strong smell of beer prevailed throughout the tiny living room.
Luckily however, Hank was passed out cold in his chair. Michael wouldn’t have to deal with him tonight, but could he make it through the weekend? He stalked off to his room and fell into a restless sleep. But that was the way he slept when here. Restless. Always on alert.
Nights like these, when Hank was out of control and conscious, were the types of nights that Michael sought the refuge of the Evan’s home, more specifically, Max Evans’ bedroom floor. But tonight with Hank passed out, he’d stay here.
The next day, Saturday, Hank didn’t stir till around 11 am. Michael however had been up and out since 7. He left as soon as he awoke.
It was now around 3 pm. And the young man steeped through open door of the dilapidated old trailer.
The mess from the night, and days before remained as he had left it. Michel knew that if he didn’t clean it, no one would. Not that he cared that much if Hank was living in the squalor, but he’d been in the Evans’ house enough to know that normal people kept things neat and cleaned and he was not by nature a slob. Unmannered and uncouth he definitely could be, but slovenly no.
Hank stumbled out, his white Wife-Beater a dingy grey with food stains on it, he stumbled out to the living Room and found Michael standing in the midst of the chaos. “Sho Mick-ky?” Hanks slurred out, “You’s home. Clean this fucking plache up.” He smacked his lips on his words in is drunken state. You Fuck up everything around here, and you owe me for everything I do fer you.”
Michael stormed right back out slamming the trailer door in emphasis as he disappeared for the remainder of that day.
And the next day Sunday passed rather much as Saturday had done except now the smells in the tiny cramped trailer were overpowering. As Michael entered at 5 pm on that Sunday evening, the smells of 2-day-old beer, mingled with other assorted alcoholic beverages, soured milk, and rotten food, assaulted his senses upon his walking in the door. He took one look inside the house and mumbled to himself, “Bad weekend to be here.”
He was about to walk right back out the door again, but Hank was waiting. He was sitting in his chair and he looked up… “Where ya been ya little shit? Get in this house!” Michael held his breath to acclimate himself to the awful smells and stepped in.
“Take off for days at a time, no one knows where yous is. Don’t do nothing.’ No wonder your parents didn’t want ya. You’re a worthless punk. Now get busy and clean this shit up before I teach you some respect you little shit!” He bellowed.
Michael decided that cleaning was the better course of action for the moment and rather than have a run-in with Hank he grabbed a large black plastic garbage bag and rustling it open proceeded to dump all the emptied glass bottles that littered the floor of living room. He then systematically cleaned the empty food wrappers and containers and moved onto the other assorted things such as clothing that was lying around, and threw it into the hallway to deal with later. He shrugged his shoulders at the mess that still remained. Glass slivers and shards still littered the carpet, but he could do nothing to repair that, for the vacuum had broken a couple of months prior and Hank did nothing to replace it. Unless he used his powers the floor would remain as it was. But if he resorted to that he’d likely burn the trailer down or something so instead Michael slung the bag over his shoulder and took it to the trash bin outside and dumped it.
“Bring me a drink,” Hank ordered Michael as he reentered the house. Michael made his way to the refrigerator as Hank continued with the interrogation.
“Where’s the blonde, you know with the …” He made a rude gesture of imitating Isabel’s chest size, as he wiggled, while jerking the beer from the young man’s hand. “Go spend a few days with her? That where you go when ya leave this place for days at a time?” Michel went to work in the kitchen his back turned to Hank as he tried to ignore him.
"She must be one great fuck, I'd never come home if I had me a girl like that. So Mickey. We’re going to get this straight right here and right now. Guess you’re a man now with a broad like that waiting for ya. That blonde bitch had better not be bringing any bastard babies around here, got it? I ain’t gonna be no grandfather to some welfare punk’s bastards. If you knock her up, you’re outta here. You got only a short time left I’d guess, with her around. Don’t know what she sees in ya, but if fuck her up good, go shack up with her.” Hank scoffed.
Michael tolerated as much as he could handle of Hanks tirade while he washed the dishes, still trying to ignore the other man. But he’d gone way too far. He was talking about Isabel in ways she should never be referred. Isabel who was sometimes the only reason that Michael had any sanity left after living in this hellhole for the past years. He exploded, and he turned on Hank.
“Never talk about my friend like that again!!!!” He seethed through clenched teeth. “The blonde? She’s my friend.” Under his breath he mumbled, “one of the few I have on this God forsaken planet.”
“I need clothes for work,” Hank bellowed. “Why don’t you do them instead of throwing them into the hall?” He stood to his full height and started to remove his belt.
Michael started to cross through the living room to get to the pile as well as the back part of the trailer to grab the rest of the laundry, for he had already determined to do the wash… his clothing was dirty too.
As his back was turned to Hank he felt a sharp pain against his side accompanied by a sound rather like the crack of a whip. His ribcage was aching but his anger kindled hotter…
“I do all the work around here when you are drunken off your ass or completely shit faced. Which is always. Food! I usually have a bowl of cereal. You order me around and now you insult my friends. You're not Father of the year and you only keep me around for the damn check. Now you hit me, what the hell is wrong with you; you sick bastard!" Came Michael's sharp retort.
"Don't take that tone with me again you little prick." Hank slurred as he advanced on Michael. He raised the belt again by the buckle, but Michael’s alien reflexes were prepared. He grabbed it as it cut through the air stopping the whoosh into a silence. The energy in his hand sizzled and disintegrated the length of leather that he grasped, directly into ashes upon contact. One part was left in Hank’s hand and the other dropped silently to the floor near Michael.
“I knew it!!!” Hank yelled out in fear, “I always knew you were a little freak!!” he shouted as his other hand balled into a fist and made contact with Michael’s eye, and jaw in one fell motion.
Michael felt the pain tear through his upper mandible (jawbone) as his eye swelled almost shut and started to tear.
Michael retaliated with a punch, "Don't you ever hit me again you son of a bitch!! You understand me?! Never hit me again!" He looked down at the tear on his shirt, and then swung a punch into Hank’s stomach, causing him to fall to his knees in pain and gasp for air. Michael didn't stop however, swinging again and hitting Hank on the face sending him falling limply to the floor. “Go to Hell Hank.”
Michael yanked the ruined shirt from his torso and threw it with the others; he didn’t choose to resume the laundry, instead he stormed angrily into his bedroom and shut the door locking it tightly closed.
***************
The next morning he sauntered out into the hall, having not heard any sound coming from the living area and he peered into the kitchen. Hank Whitmore still lay prone in the position he was last in when Michael had rendered him unconscious.
Michael was worried for a moment that he had killed him, ‘I didn’t hit him that hard,’ he thought to himself. ‘No harder than he hit me.’ So he leaned down to check the other man’s pulse and found a steady rhythm coursing under his fingertips. He breathed a sigh of relief and stepped over the body to grab a bowl of cereal.
Hank would wake up sometime later, and then there would be an accounting to give. Michael thought to himself that it was definitely a good night to bunk out at Max’s.
***************
He got to school and looked around at the students that were gathered, and not seeing any friends or family, he was thankful for the clear coast as he stepped into the bathroom and up to the large full-length mirror.
He leaned in closely to his reflection and took in the black eye that still stung terribly. The whites of his eye were red and bloodshot, and the surrounding skin was puffy and a blackish purple color. He looked awful.
He then lifted his shirt a little to look at the strap mark that was emblazoned on his side. Letting the shirt fall, he then turned on the cool water and ran it for awhile as he soaked his face.
He never heard the door open or notice that anyone had walked in until he looked up in the mirror. Too Late! He really did not want to be face to face with this person at this particular moment, but he was. And there would be no denying what he saw.
“Guerin.” Alex nodded with short shake of his head. He didn’t make any mention of what he might have seen.
“Whitman.” Michael answered in the same manner with a brief nod.
Alex walked over to the paper towel dispenser and quietly pulled a few out. The only sound in the room was the quiet whoosh as each one came out. Then he turned to an adjacent sink and started to run the cold water. He folded the towels into a neat little square and ran the water over them. When they were sufficiently wet, he wrung them out a bit and handed the compress to Michael. “I know how your eye feels.” he said as Michael took it, “keep the cold on it, it’ll feel better. “
Michael raised the eyebrow of his good eye at the boy in question.
Alex shrugged and responded with a quirked grin as if he were proud of himself... “I’ve been in fights before. Don’t tell Isabel.” Then he leveled with the truth. “I got my ass kicked. The first time I was 7. The next time I was 9 or 10. I lived in Roswell during that one. I got wailed on. You know, just the bully beating up the wimp scenario… you know my role in that…. That’s what big brothers are good for... “ He smiled and nodded in remembrance. “I know how your eye feels. What happened man?”
“Yeah like you said,” Michael shrugged, “ got in a fight yesterday. Got this while defending myself.” he said coolly as he pointed to his injury.
“Man… I didn’t think anyone would have the nerve to take you on. People are kind of scared of you, you know?” Alex shook his head, “Here let me get that wet again.” He grabbed the compress and after dousing it, Alex returned it. “So I guess I’ll see you later?” he said.
“Yeah sure Whitman. We didn’t just run into each other did we?” Michael asked pointedly.
Alex smiled in understanding. “Not unless you want to have. See Ya.”
He left the bathroom, and headed to the lounge area for soda. “Great way to start the day,” he muttered to himself. But he’s Alex, he had to calm himself somehow over what he had seen. And the fact that he was in a relationship with Isabel Evans meant that he wouldn’t be able to keep a secret like this from her. She’d know something was up if he so much as looked at her. So he stood in the lounge drinking a root beer, doing the same thing Michael Guerin was currently doing. Hiding from Isabel Evans while delaying the inevitable.
***************
Michael ducked out of the bathroom and made his way to the drinking fountain at the end of the hall. He briefly caught sight of Isabel, and she was alone. She started to walk towards him and he quickly evaded her and ducked back into the men’s room.
*****
Max and Liz were standing in the hall talking as Isabel walked up. She tapped her brother and seemed tense. “Hey.” Max turned his attention to his sister.
“Something's up with Michael. He's acting weird.”
Max asked in jest, “Weirder than usual?”
And a nervous Isabel answered, “Yeah. No. I just saw him at the other end of the hall, and he just went the other way.”
Max thought she was acting a bit paranoid, “Well, maybe he didn't see you.” He pointed out.
“No! He saw me.” She countered. “He was ignoring me. He practically ran into the bathroom. Will you just go in there and see what's going on?”
Max agreed that it might be the best thing to do. “Right.”
“Thank you. “ She curtly replied.
“Sorry Liz, I gotta go.” He shrugged.
“Yeah no problem Max.” After he left she turned to the tall blonde, “So Isabel? What’s going on?”
“You heard me… Michael’s acting weird.”
Alex slung his left arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder, as he appeared at her right side. His soda now a few inches from her mouth, as his other hand held onto his backpack strap. He was talking to Liz as they walked.
Isabel noticed the root beer and couldn’t resist teasing him a bit. She reached up with her right hand and grabbed it and took a sip, forcing his hand to make a motion to her mouth as he still held onto it.
“Wha?” he puzzled as he looked at her impishly smiling at him, while still taking a sip... She then she lowered the soda and kissed him. Publicly in the halls of the school, Alex Whitman was being kissed by the Goddess Isabel Evans. It almost made him forget everything of the morning. Almost, but not quite. He asked the girls, “Where’d Max run off to in such a hurry?”
“Yeah we don’t know Alex,” Liz said.
“He went to find Michael.” Isabel realized Liz was still around and she needed to let Alex in on the past again. She turned on the flirt and said with a purr. “I haven’t spent much time with my boyfriend in the past couple days. I need some time before school starts.” She looked at her watch. “Can we go somewhere alone please?”
“Eraser Room?” He whispered with a mock leer.
“Nah. I was thinking outside.” She was indiscreetly trying to motion with her head towards the bathroom and she rolled it on her shoulders so it appeared as if she were getting out a kink.
“You’re busy, I’ll go. “ said Liz. “Have fun, but realize there are only a few more minutes before school starts.”
*****
“So what is going on… I somehow think this has absolutely nothing to do with your handsome boyfriend.” Alex said as they walked outside and the doors shut behind them.
Isabel whispered worriedly, “Max went to find Michael because he was acting weird. I know why… this is one of those events that’s nearly the same anyways. I have to pretend like I don’t know the circumstances, but I do, and I want to do something about it now!”
“Calm down, Iz.” He gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Now? What’s going on?”
She sighed and in a rush whispered out, “Michael’s foster father has crossed the line from verbal to physical abuse. Michael is being beaten by Hank.”
Alex looked around and grabbed her arm and pulled to an even more secure location.
“What?” She asked in concern as he pulled her away.
“That would explain everything…” Alex whispered.
“Explain what?”
Alex darted his eyes once more to make sure no one was around and then he lifted his shirt and reached around to his back touching high up on his ribcage and tracing in a diagonal stripe around the side to the front, ending on his waist. “He has a belt mark or something from here to here,” he spoke as he traced. “I saw him today when I went into the bathroom. He never knew I was there till he saw me in the mirror. He also has one hell of a black eye.”
“He’s got a belt mark?” asked Isabel in fear.
“Yeah it appears something like that…”
“This is worse than last time,” she moaned. “Last time he only had the black eye.”
“What’d you do?”
“We emancipated him…” Isabel explained, deciding to leave out the sordid details, let alone her suspicions about what Nasedo had done to Hank.
“What??” Alex asked confused.
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Look, go find Max ok…. I gotta think of what to do next. We need evidence; we’ve got to stop Max from healing him.”
“What if we reported it?”
She was shaking her head again, “Not going to happen. Michael won’t… I refuse to betray him like that. He’ll need to come around on his own with…” she paused, “a little help…” She was in planning mode, deciding what to do.
“Go Alex, go find them.” She said irritated that he was still standing there and doing nothing.
As luck would have it, or maybe it was the Hand of Providence, but a moment later the two boys walked outside together and headed for the parking lot. Alex gave Isabel a quick kiss and said, “I’m following them. See ya.”
Isabel sighed as she helplessly made her way back indoors, it was shaping up to be a very long day.
***************
Alex got into his car and tailed the jeep. They drove until they were slightly out of town at the train tracks. Michael was throwing rocks along the side of the tracks as he talked to Max. They were discussing his black eye and Hank. As a train passed by drowning out all conversation for a moment; Alex used the opportunity to scoot in closer, crouching down behind some bush that was near them.
Alex stayed back for a bit and listened to the conversation. ‘The things I’ll do for Isabel.’ He thought to himself. ‘I’m spying on her brothers.’
Just as Max had reached up his hand to heal Michael’s face, Alex stepped out from his concealed location. “Don’t do it Max!”
“What?” Max asked in confusion his hand dropping to his side.
“Whitman.” Michael growled. “What are you doing here? This doesn’t concern you.” He ground out.
“Ask to see his side Max.” Alex ordered stepping in closer to the two young men.
“Whitman, Get out of here…” Michael ordered.
Max caught the tension between the two and turned to Michael. “What’s he talking about??”
Michael said nothing but with a look of annoyance at Alex he quickly lifted his shirt and let it drop.
Alex seeing it for the second time turned to Max, “Hank can get arrested…”
“Whoa how’d you know his name?” Michael suspiciously watched him.
“That’s easy, I was listening to you guys.” He answered, “But Max, Hank can get arrested and we can get Michael out of there.”
Michael stepped over and shoved him. “I don’t need your help. Where the hell am I supposed to go if you do that?” He then turned to his brother for all intents and purposes and said, “I can handle Hank. He’s just pissed off about the TV. I accidentally broke it. You know that my powers don’t work like your and Isabel’s. It blew up. Luckily Hank was passed out. He’s not going to hurt me again. I won’t let him... You know, just take care of this and no one will ever know. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll know,” said Alex. “So will Max, but hiding and lying seem to be more your guys style.” He quipped. Turning serious though he repeated, “But I’ll know. And I will know that you are in danger. I won’t be able to keep that from Isabel. After the way you were acting when she saw you at school, she’s already worried about you. She’ll get it out of me… there’s no way I can keep this hidden from her man.”
“So what are you going to do Max?” Michael asked, forcing Max to choose.
“I don’t know.” He moaned as he stood there thinking over everything and turned to the injured young man. “Michael. You’re only in school half the time as it is… What’s another day? Lay low. We’re both gonna talk with Isabel and come up with something. Where you gonna be hiding yourself?”
“I don’t know. Around. You’ve always found me before right?”
Max nodded. “Yeah.”
Michael got in his face, “So you’re not gonna take care of this Maxwell?”
”Not right now.” Max shook his head with a sigh. “We’ll go from here.”
They drove back into town and Michael headed away from school for the remainder of the day.
***************
After school, Alex, Isabel and Max all went out to the train tracks to further discuss the situation. They had been working on it for a short time already and Isabel was getting impatient. They had to do something; she had to work this out.
“Max!” she informed. “Abused people don’t quit being abused, and they grow up to be abusers. Haven’t you read the statistics?” She paced for a few before turning back, “Michael’s already got out of control powers. We can’t leave him in this situation.”
“She’s right Max,” Alex joined in. “Whatever we do, we need to do it quick and to get him out of there.”
“I know!” Max answered helplessly. “I just don’t have the answers for this.”
“Has he ever hurt him before?” Alex asked pointedly. Max nodded, “He says he has, but that the other times never left a mark. This is the worst of it.”
“I’ll say it is. And it’s also the end of it.” Isabel harshly bit out. “We have to do something Max, and we have to do it NOW!!”
“I know Isabel… “ He looked at his sister with worry seeping into his eyes.
“I know… what about our parents?” she said as an “idea” hit.
“What about them? He repeated.
“Remember that case?” She nodded her head excitedly, “The one where dad helped a boy to live on his own… that was kind of a situation like this. They could help.”
“Get Michael to agree to that. I wish you luck Isabel.” Max retorted.
“Max!!” she barked out, “We can’t leave Michael there any longer and I refuse to.”
He sighed and pointed out the obvious, “We don’t have a plan yet.”
“Hanks hurting him. I don’t need a plan. We’ll just bring him home with us and go from there.” She stepped up in control.
“Is-a-bel,“ Max said in a warning tone.
“Really Max,” she said in a manner that indicated the discussion was over, her mind was made up, and the plan would commence henceforth. “Mom and Dad would be ok with it. Michael needs to be one of the family. He’s one of us. They did ok with us right?” She was using everything she could to her advantage.
“What are you going to tell them?” he sent back.
“I don’t know. We’ll figure something out. Please Max,” she wined. “I don’t want Michael to go back there.”
“Alex what do you think?” He turned to the other member of the conversation.
“Isabel’s right. You’ve gotta do something.” His hands were supportively holding her shoulders from behind. “Even if he hates what you do. You can’t leave him there.”
“OK then...” Max nodded and got ready to engage, “Isabel you’re with me. See you tomorrow Alex. We’re going to go get Michael.”
“Tomorrow sweetheart.” Alex said as he wrapped his arms around Isabel and drew her in for a short kiss.
Max rolled his eyes and started up the jeep. Isabel ran over and climbed in.
Alex took his own car and headed out for the day. ‘Funny he thought,,, its almost like fate knew we wouldn’t get to spend Valentine’s Day together tonight. Glad that’s out of the way. So I’ll just be getting off…’
<center>Chapter 26:A, Part B in next post...</center>
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: MATURE… For Sexual Innuendo, Violence, Language
Spoilers: Independence Day
A/N: The place to finish up business before the chapter. FIRST: Thanks Ed for all the assistance with Hank in this part. Great job.
And the second order of business is that I’m officially changing my numbering system. I can end up with so many parts and half parts to chapters that they will now be given a # and alphabetical letter, until the chapter concludes. This one is Chapter 26 Part A.. the next part will be B and so on. If I need to split a chapter for posting purposes I will use a number. Hope that was clear.
Shifting Realities
Chapter Twenty-Six: A Part One
Liberation
******
RECAP: The day was Friday, February 11, 2000 the night of the Mystery Dream Date. Maria had won the not so wonderful Blind Date. Isabel and Alex had proclaimed their love publicly. Maria and Michael were given another shot with each other. And even Max was once again talking to humans, i.e. Liz.
<center>Liberation[</center>
------
After Isabel and Alex left, the rest of the gang who were still hanging around the club started to disburse.
Outside Michael actually gave the now poor excuse of a bouquet to Maria, who just stared at him with adoration in her eyes. Michael had actually tried, and better yet, succeeded, at capturing a part of her heart. No small feat to be sure. They walked out into the cool brisk February night air. They were side by side but not holding hands. Michael’s were stuffed tightly into the pockets of his dark blue denim jeans, with the too long legs rolled up.
“Have you ever seen anything more romantic than Isabel tonight?” Maria asked and continued to prattle on about the wonderful evening and how Isabel pulled out all the stops and won her man etc…
Michael had the good sense to agree that he never thought she would do something as bold as that.
“And did you notice Liz?” Maria asked. “She was with Max. Leaning into him and whispering at times. Finally… everyone is where they belong? Don’t you think Michael? Everyone has someone for Valentine’s Day.”
Michael made a noise in his throat as he answered truthfully… “Yah don’t know what the big deal is with that.”
“What the Big Deal Is?!!!” Maria echoed back in angered shock. “Well it’s only the day for lovers.” She advanced into his space and thumped him on the chest with the cellophane wrapped flowers as she continued the tirade. “The most romantic day of the year, but you wouldn’t know anything about that? Would you?!”
Michael’s undoing unforuntately stemmed from his upbringing. He backed up from the angry pixies battering with both hands raised in surrender and said bluntly. “Romance is highly overrated.”
“Why do I even try?” Maria crossed her arms on her chest, as she turned away from him for a second. Then she looked at the flower arrangement now resting against the outside of her upper arm and turned back, holding out the crumbling bouquet as she questioned, “Well if its so overrated then why did you bring me flowers at all?”
“Umm… Isabel…” Michael answered abruptly.
Maria wasn’t expecting to hear Isabel’s name, and as usual launched into her soliloquy without skipping a beat. “What!? What do you mean Isabel? You weren’t giving them to her were you?” She stared at him with fire flashing in her darkened bright green eyes.
‘God but she’s beautiful when she’s mad…’ Michel thought to himself realizing that she was waiting for an answer. He was a bit slow on the draw and as he opened his mouth to continue, he was steamrolled over by Maria’s exaggerated outburst. His mouth quickly clamped shut.
“I should’ve known… “ Maria accused him. “Of course the only girl you’d give any flowers would be your sister. It’s all you can think about…. Your family. Where you’re from. The three of you. Well there are other people on this planet too you know.”
“I just…” he tried to interrupt but heaven forbid Maria not being able to finish a thought.
“It’s not like she needs the flowers you know?” Maria said somewhat dejectedly. “She’s probably in some romantic spot right now holding a huge bouquet of perfect red roses. Its not like I’d ever get any roses.”
Michael sighed deeply as he realized that speech right now was pointless and so he yanked the flowers from her hands that he had previously given to her, and angrily threw them to the ground. He looked at her and restuffed his hands into his pockets. He didn’t know what else to do at this moment, as he waited for her next tirade.
Sure enough she was right on target, “What’d you do that for!?” she pointed with one hand to the flowers on the ground.
There was only one thing left to do, one recourse he could take, and so he did. His hands found themselves flying out of his pockets and towards her face as they grabbed her cheeks and held her still as he harshly kissed her and took her breath away.
When they broke apart… she immediately questioned him. “What’d you do that for!?”
“Same as always,” he exclaimed. “To shut you up.”
This time as she struggled to find the choice words to counteract his brusqueness, she was the one overrun as he continued. He leaned over and roughly picked up the now battered and beleaguered bouquet. “They’re not roses, got that. But they are flowers and they are yours.” He shoved them into her open hands, and stormed off.
‘She is more trouble than she is worth. She is infuriating.’ He thought to himself. That little waif of a girl could make his alien blood boil faster than anything. No matter what he said to her, no matter how hard he tried, she would misconstrue something that he said, and it would turn into one of these… whatever they weres, and they’d bicker. Again.
As he stormed off and his retreating form was all she could see, Maria stood there in shock and tried to call out this name. “Michael.” No answer. “Michael, please?” But the young man with the wildly unruly hair just continued on his fast pace away from her. ‘Did I drive him away?‘ She thought to herself. ‘No one but Michael can get me all fired up so fast. What is it with the boy?’ She sighed and looked down to her hand at the arrangement that had seen much better days, and the funny thing was that they were just a few short hours ago.
Somehow besides making that guy’s cell phone go insane; Michael had drained the water right out of the flowers as he held them. It was almost a dried arrangement that he had actually managed to get into her hands. It was severely in need of water if that would even revive them. The fragile asters clung to their broken stems on a haphazard angle, as if a puff of wind would be all it would take to break them further and snap the heads from the stems completely. She watched that as he rounded the corner, his hands were once again shoved deeply into his pockets. And then he was gone, out of sight.
***************
Michael had enough stuff to deal with back at the trailer that he called home. Especially after the way he left. He had no idea if he was back together with the little spitfire or not. And at this moment he just couldn’t care. He just didn’t need to be informed of how he was a terrible “boyfriend” as well.
He decided that it would be too exhausting to be someone’s boyfriend. And then he wondered just how in hell Alex managed to have enough energy to deal with Isabel. There was another girl who could get bent out of shape, easily. Not the same way as Maria but still….
He had a lot to think about and a lot to mull over as he stalked back to the Chisholm Trail Trailer Park. Tonight likely held other bigger issues that needed dealt with but to be determined by Hank’s inebriated state. If Hank was conscious there would be hell to pay more than likely, and if not, well he’d go to sleep quickly and be out in the morning before Hank arose.
***************
Maria was pretty accurate in her assessment of Isabel and Alex; for at that exact same time she was nestled in his arms and secure on his lap kissing him senseless out in their personal spot deep in the heart of Frazier Woods.
As of this night, they were officially a couple and she could do whatever she pleased now, social status rules were no longer valid.
As Isabel was there, planted on his lap, he’d decided to let out just a tiny bit of his bad boy streak for fun. His hand was slid under the skirt of her dress and was caressing her knee and slightly above it in loving touches. But that was as far as he would allow himself to touch.
Her left hand was lovingly resting on the back of his neck and head, while the other pressed him tightly to herself as it was wrapped around his lower back and slid under his shirt at waist level. She was giving as good as she got.
Her coral roses and box of Tabasco laced chocolates were resting against the side of their big rock. And the two were completely lost in their own world, where they remained until sometime later when they each had to return home.
****************
Upon arriving back at the trailer Michael noticed the shards of glass that littered the living room; more than likely they were caused by the little episode earlier he thought to himself. But that wasn’t the only broken glass he noticed lying on the floor, there was also the telltale signs of thick jagged brown glass… smashed beer bottles. They too were littered and scattered among the debris. Michael stared at the mess, and then let his gaze wander to above the TV. Sure enough, dark streaks of liquid and scratches as well as gouges marred the brown wood paneling of the walls. Hank had obviously drunken himself into a rage over the busted TV and in a fit had thrown his bottles at the wall. The strong smell of beer prevailed throughout the tiny living room.
Luckily however, Hank was passed out cold in his chair. Michael wouldn’t have to deal with him tonight, but could he make it through the weekend? He stalked off to his room and fell into a restless sleep. But that was the way he slept when here. Restless. Always on alert.
Nights like these, when Hank was out of control and conscious, were the types of nights that Michael sought the refuge of the Evan’s home, more specifically, Max Evans’ bedroom floor. But tonight with Hank passed out, he’d stay here.
The next day, Saturday, Hank didn’t stir till around 11 am. Michael however had been up and out since 7. He left as soon as he awoke.
It was now around 3 pm. And the young man steeped through open door of the dilapidated old trailer.
The mess from the night, and days before remained as he had left it. Michel knew that if he didn’t clean it, no one would. Not that he cared that much if Hank was living in the squalor, but he’d been in the Evans’ house enough to know that normal people kept things neat and cleaned and he was not by nature a slob. Unmannered and uncouth he definitely could be, but slovenly no.
Hank stumbled out, his white Wife-Beater a dingy grey with food stains on it, he stumbled out to the living Room and found Michael standing in the midst of the chaos. “Sho Mick-ky?” Hanks slurred out, “You’s home. Clean this fucking plache up.” He smacked his lips on his words in is drunken state. You Fuck up everything around here, and you owe me for everything I do fer you.”
Michael stormed right back out slamming the trailer door in emphasis as he disappeared for the remainder of that day.
And the next day Sunday passed rather much as Saturday had done except now the smells in the tiny cramped trailer were overpowering. As Michael entered at 5 pm on that Sunday evening, the smells of 2-day-old beer, mingled with other assorted alcoholic beverages, soured milk, and rotten food, assaulted his senses upon his walking in the door. He took one look inside the house and mumbled to himself, “Bad weekend to be here.”
He was about to walk right back out the door again, but Hank was waiting. He was sitting in his chair and he looked up… “Where ya been ya little shit? Get in this house!” Michael held his breath to acclimate himself to the awful smells and stepped in.
“Take off for days at a time, no one knows where yous is. Don’t do nothing.’ No wonder your parents didn’t want ya. You’re a worthless punk. Now get busy and clean this shit up before I teach you some respect you little shit!” He bellowed.
Michael decided that cleaning was the better course of action for the moment and rather than have a run-in with Hank he grabbed a large black plastic garbage bag and rustling it open proceeded to dump all the emptied glass bottles that littered the floor of living room. He then systematically cleaned the empty food wrappers and containers and moved onto the other assorted things such as clothing that was lying around, and threw it into the hallway to deal with later. He shrugged his shoulders at the mess that still remained. Glass slivers and shards still littered the carpet, but he could do nothing to repair that, for the vacuum had broken a couple of months prior and Hank did nothing to replace it. Unless he used his powers the floor would remain as it was. But if he resorted to that he’d likely burn the trailer down or something so instead Michael slung the bag over his shoulder and took it to the trash bin outside and dumped it.
“Bring me a drink,” Hank ordered Michael as he reentered the house. Michael made his way to the refrigerator as Hank continued with the interrogation.
“Where’s the blonde, you know with the …” He made a rude gesture of imitating Isabel’s chest size, as he wiggled, while jerking the beer from the young man’s hand. “Go spend a few days with her? That where you go when ya leave this place for days at a time?” Michel went to work in the kitchen his back turned to Hank as he tried to ignore him.
"She must be one great fuck, I'd never come home if I had me a girl like that. So Mickey. We’re going to get this straight right here and right now. Guess you’re a man now with a broad like that waiting for ya. That blonde bitch had better not be bringing any bastard babies around here, got it? I ain’t gonna be no grandfather to some welfare punk’s bastards. If you knock her up, you’re outta here. You got only a short time left I’d guess, with her around. Don’t know what she sees in ya, but if fuck her up good, go shack up with her.” Hank scoffed.
Michael tolerated as much as he could handle of Hanks tirade while he washed the dishes, still trying to ignore the other man. But he’d gone way too far. He was talking about Isabel in ways she should never be referred. Isabel who was sometimes the only reason that Michael had any sanity left after living in this hellhole for the past years. He exploded, and he turned on Hank.
“Never talk about my friend like that again!!!!” He seethed through clenched teeth. “The blonde? She’s my friend.” Under his breath he mumbled, “one of the few I have on this God forsaken planet.”
“I need clothes for work,” Hank bellowed. “Why don’t you do them instead of throwing them into the hall?” He stood to his full height and started to remove his belt.
Michael started to cross through the living room to get to the pile as well as the back part of the trailer to grab the rest of the laundry, for he had already determined to do the wash… his clothing was dirty too.
As his back was turned to Hank he felt a sharp pain against his side accompanied by a sound rather like the crack of a whip. His ribcage was aching but his anger kindled hotter…
“I do all the work around here when you are drunken off your ass or completely shit faced. Which is always. Food! I usually have a bowl of cereal. You order me around and now you insult my friends. You're not Father of the year and you only keep me around for the damn check. Now you hit me, what the hell is wrong with you; you sick bastard!" Came Michael's sharp retort.
"Don't take that tone with me again you little prick." Hank slurred as he advanced on Michael. He raised the belt again by the buckle, but Michael’s alien reflexes were prepared. He grabbed it as it cut through the air stopping the whoosh into a silence. The energy in his hand sizzled and disintegrated the length of leather that he grasped, directly into ashes upon contact. One part was left in Hank’s hand and the other dropped silently to the floor near Michael.
“I knew it!!!” Hank yelled out in fear, “I always knew you were a little freak!!” he shouted as his other hand balled into a fist and made contact with Michael’s eye, and jaw in one fell motion.
Michael felt the pain tear through his upper mandible (jawbone) as his eye swelled almost shut and started to tear.
Michael retaliated with a punch, "Don't you ever hit me again you son of a bitch!! You understand me?! Never hit me again!" He looked down at the tear on his shirt, and then swung a punch into Hank’s stomach, causing him to fall to his knees in pain and gasp for air. Michael didn't stop however, swinging again and hitting Hank on the face sending him falling limply to the floor. “Go to Hell Hank.”
Michael yanked the ruined shirt from his torso and threw it with the others; he didn’t choose to resume the laundry, instead he stormed angrily into his bedroom and shut the door locking it tightly closed.
***************
The next morning he sauntered out into the hall, having not heard any sound coming from the living area and he peered into the kitchen. Hank Whitmore still lay prone in the position he was last in when Michael had rendered him unconscious.
Michael was worried for a moment that he had killed him, ‘I didn’t hit him that hard,’ he thought to himself. ‘No harder than he hit me.’ So he leaned down to check the other man’s pulse and found a steady rhythm coursing under his fingertips. He breathed a sigh of relief and stepped over the body to grab a bowl of cereal.
Hank would wake up sometime later, and then there would be an accounting to give. Michael thought to himself that it was definitely a good night to bunk out at Max’s.
***************
He got to school and looked around at the students that were gathered, and not seeing any friends or family, he was thankful for the clear coast as he stepped into the bathroom and up to the large full-length mirror.
He leaned in closely to his reflection and took in the black eye that still stung terribly. The whites of his eye were red and bloodshot, and the surrounding skin was puffy and a blackish purple color. He looked awful.
He then lifted his shirt a little to look at the strap mark that was emblazoned on his side. Letting the shirt fall, he then turned on the cool water and ran it for awhile as he soaked his face.
He never heard the door open or notice that anyone had walked in until he looked up in the mirror. Too Late! He really did not want to be face to face with this person at this particular moment, but he was. And there would be no denying what he saw.
“Guerin.” Alex nodded with short shake of his head. He didn’t make any mention of what he might have seen.
“Whitman.” Michael answered in the same manner with a brief nod.
Alex walked over to the paper towel dispenser and quietly pulled a few out. The only sound in the room was the quiet whoosh as each one came out. Then he turned to an adjacent sink and started to run the cold water. He folded the towels into a neat little square and ran the water over them. When they were sufficiently wet, he wrung them out a bit and handed the compress to Michael. “I know how your eye feels.” he said as Michael took it, “keep the cold on it, it’ll feel better. “
Michael raised the eyebrow of his good eye at the boy in question.
Alex shrugged and responded with a quirked grin as if he were proud of himself... “I’ve been in fights before. Don’t tell Isabel.” Then he leveled with the truth. “I got my ass kicked. The first time I was 7. The next time I was 9 or 10. I lived in Roswell during that one. I got wailed on. You know, just the bully beating up the wimp scenario… you know my role in that…. That’s what big brothers are good for... “ He smiled and nodded in remembrance. “I know how your eye feels. What happened man?”
“Yeah like you said,” Michael shrugged, “ got in a fight yesterday. Got this while defending myself.” he said coolly as he pointed to his injury.
“Man… I didn’t think anyone would have the nerve to take you on. People are kind of scared of you, you know?” Alex shook his head, “Here let me get that wet again.” He grabbed the compress and after dousing it, Alex returned it. “So I guess I’ll see you later?” he said.
“Yeah sure Whitman. We didn’t just run into each other did we?” Michael asked pointedly.
Alex smiled in understanding. “Not unless you want to have. See Ya.”
He left the bathroom, and headed to the lounge area for soda. “Great way to start the day,” he muttered to himself. But he’s Alex, he had to calm himself somehow over what he had seen. And the fact that he was in a relationship with Isabel Evans meant that he wouldn’t be able to keep a secret like this from her. She’d know something was up if he so much as looked at her. So he stood in the lounge drinking a root beer, doing the same thing Michael Guerin was currently doing. Hiding from Isabel Evans while delaying the inevitable.
***************
Michael ducked out of the bathroom and made his way to the drinking fountain at the end of the hall. He briefly caught sight of Isabel, and she was alone. She started to walk towards him and he quickly evaded her and ducked back into the men’s room.
*****
Max and Liz were standing in the hall talking as Isabel walked up. She tapped her brother and seemed tense. “Hey.” Max turned his attention to his sister.
“Something's up with Michael. He's acting weird.”
Max asked in jest, “Weirder than usual?”
And a nervous Isabel answered, “Yeah. No. I just saw him at the other end of the hall, and he just went the other way.”
Max thought she was acting a bit paranoid, “Well, maybe he didn't see you.” He pointed out.
“No! He saw me.” She countered. “He was ignoring me. He practically ran into the bathroom. Will you just go in there and see what's going on?”
Max agreed that it might be the best thing to do. “Right.”
“Thank you. “ She curtly replied.
“Sorry Liz, I gotta go.” He shrugged.
“Yeah no problem Max.” After he left she turned to the tall blonde, “So Isabel? What’s going on?”
“You heard me… Michael’s acting weird.”
Alex slung his left arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder, as he appeared at her right side. His soda now a few inches from her mouth, as his other hand held onto his backpack strap. He was talking to Liz as they walked.
Isabel noticed the root beer and couldn’t resist teasing him a bit. She reached up with her right hand and grabbed it and took a sip, forcing his hand to make a motion to her mouth as he still held onto it.
“Wha?” he puzzled as he looked at her impishly smiling at him, while still taking a sip... She then she lowered the soda and kissed him. Publicly in the halls of the school, Alex Whitman was being kissed by the Goddess Isabel Evans. It almost made him forget everything of the morning. Almost, but not quite. He asked the girls, “Where’d Max run off to in such a hurry?”
“Yeah we don’t know Alex,” Liz said.
“He went to find Michael.” Isabel realized Liz was still around and she needed to let Alex in on the past again. She turned on the flirt and said with a purr. “I haven’t spent much time with my boyfriend in the past couple days. I need some time before school starts.” She looked at her watch. “Can we go somewhere alone please?”
“Eraser Room?” He whispered with a mock leer.
“Nah. I was thinking outside.” She was indiscreetly trying to motion with her head towards the bathroom and she rolled it on her shoulders so it appeared as if she were getting out a kink.
“You’re busy, I’ll go. “ said Liz. “Have fun, but realize there are only a few more minutes before school starts.”
*****
“So what is going on… I somehow think this has absolutely nothing to do with your handsome boyfriend.” Alex said as they walked outside and the doors shut behind them.
Isabel whispered worriedly, “Max went to find Michael because he was acting weird. I know why… this is one of those events that’s nearly the same anyways. I have to pretend like I don’t know the circumstances, but I do, and I want to do something about it now!”
“Calm down, Iz.” He gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Now? What’s going on?”
She sighed and in a rush whispered out, “Michael’s foster father has crossed the line from verbal to physical abuse. Michael is being beaten by Hank.”
Alex looked around and grabbed her arm and pulled to an even more secure location.
“What?” She asked in concern as he pulled her away.
“That would explain everything…” Alex whispered.
“Explain what?”
Alex darted his eyes once more to make sure no one was around and then he lifted his shirt and reached around to his back touching high up on his ribcage and tracing in a diagonal stripe around the side to the front, ending on his waist. “He has a belt mark or something from here to here,” he spoke as he traced. “I saw him today when I went into the bathroom. He never knew I was there till he saw me in the mirror. He also has one hell of a black eye.”
“He’s got a belt mark?” asked Isabel in fear.
“Yeah it appears something like that…”
“This is worse than last time,” she moaned. “Last time he only had the black eye.”
“What’d you do?”
“We emancipated him…” Isabel explained, deciding to leave out the sordid details, let alone her suspicions about what Nasedo had done to Hank.
“What??” Alex asked confused.
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Look, go find Max ok…. I gotta think of what to do next. We need evidence; we’ve got to stop Max from healing him.”
“What if we reported it?”
She was shaking her head again, “Not going to happen. Michael won’t… I refuse to betray him like that. He’ll need to come around on his own with…” she paused, “a little help…” She was in planning mode, deciding what to do.
“Go Alex, go find them.” She said irritated that he was still standing there and doing nothing.
As luck would have it, or maybe it was the Hand of Providence, but a moment later the two boys walked outside together and headed for the parking lot. Alex gave Isabel a quick kiss and said, “I’m following them. See ya.”
Isabel sighed as she helplessly made her way back indoors, it was shaping up to be a very long day.
***************
Alex got into his car and tailed the jeep. They drove until they were slightly out of town at the train tracks. Michael was throwing rocks along the side of the tracks as he talked to Max. They were discussing his black eye and Hank. As a train passed by drowning out all conversation for a moment; Alex used the opportunity to scoot in closer, crouching down behind some bush that was near them.
Alex stayed back for a bit and listened to the conversation. ‘The things I’ll do for Isabel.’ He thought to himself. ‘I’m spying on her brothers.’
Just as Max had reached up his hand to heal Michael’s face, Alex stepped out from his concealed location. “Don’t do it Max!”
“What?” Max asked in confusion his hand dropping to his side.
“Whitman.” Michael growled. “What are you doing here? This doesn’t concern you.” He ground out.
“Ask to see his side Max.” Alex ordered stepping in closer to the two young men.
“Whitman, Get out of here…” Michael ordered.
Max caught the tension between the two and turned to Michael. “What’s he talking about??”
Michael said nothing but with a look of annoyance at Alex he quickly lifted his shirt and let it drop.
Alex seeing it for the second time turned to Max, “Hank can get arrested…”
“Whoa how’d you know his name?” Michael suspiciously watched him.
“That’s easy, I was listening to you guys.” He answered, “But Max, Hank can get arrested and we can get Michael out of there.”
Michael stepped over and shoved him. “I don’t need your help. Where the hell am I supposed to go if you do that?” He then turned to his brother for all intents and purposes and said, “I can handle Hank. He’s just pissed off about the TV. I accidentally broke it. You know that my powers don’t work like your and Isabel’s. It blew up. Luckily Hank was passed out. He’s not going to hurt me again. I won’t let him... You know, just take care of this and no one will ever know. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll know,” said Alex. “So will Max, but hiding and lying seem to be more your guys style.” He quipped. Turning serious though he repeated, “But I’ll know. And I will know that you are in danger. I won’t be able to keep that from Isabel. After the way you were acting when she saw you at school, she’s already worried about you. She’ll get it out of me… there’s no way I can keep this hidden from her man.”
“So what are you going to do Max?” Michael asked, forcing Max to choose.
“I don’t know.” He moaned as he stood there thinking over everything and turned to the injured young man. “Michael. You’re only in school half the time as it is… What’s another day? Lay low. We’re both gonna talk with Isabel and come up with something. Where you gonna be hiding yourself?”
“I don’t know. Around. You’ve always found me before right?”
Max nodded. “Yeah.”
Michael got in his face, “So you’re not gonna take care of this Maxwell?”
”Not right now.” Max shook his head with a sigh. “We’ll go from here.”
They drove back into town and Michael headed away from school for the remainder of the day.
***************
After school, Alex, Isabel and Max all went out to the train tracks to further discuss the situation. They had been working on it for a short time already and Isabel was getting impatient. They had to do something; she had to work this out.
“Max!” she informed. “Abused people don’t quit being abused, and they grow up to be abusers. Haven’t you read the statistics?” She paced for a few before turning back, “Michael’s already got out of control powers. We can’t leave him in this situation.”
“She’s right Max,” Alex joined in. “Whatever we do, we need to do it quick and to get him out of there.”
“I know!” Max answered helplessly. “I just don’t have the answers for this.”
“Has he ever hurt him before?” Alex asked pointedly. Max nodded, “He says he has, but that the other times never left a mark. This is the worst of it.”
“I’ll say it is. And it’s also the end of it.” Isabel harshly bit out. “We have to do something Max, and we have to do it NOW!!”
“I know Isabel… “ He looked at his sister with worry seeping into his eyes.
“I know… what about our parents?” she said as an “idea” hit.
“What about them? He repeated.
“Remember that case?” She nodded her head excitedly, “The one where dad helped a boy to live on his own… that was kind of a situation like this. They could help.”
“Get Michael to agree to that. I wish you luck Isabel.” Max retorted.
“Max!!” she barked out, “We can’t leave Michael there any longer and I refuse to.”
He sighed and pointed out the obvious, “We don’t have a plan yet.”
“Hanks hurting him. I don’t need a plan. We’ll just bring him home with us and go from there.” She stepped up in control.
“Is-a-bel,“ Max said in a warning tone.
“Really Max,” she said in a manner that indicated the discussion was over, her mind was made up, and the plan would commence henceforth. “Mom and Dad would be ok with it. Michael needs to be one of the family. He’s one of us. They did ok with us right?” She was using everything she could to her advantage.
“What are you going to tell them?” he sent back.
“I don’t know. We’ll figure something out. Please Max,” she wined. “I don’t want Michael to go back there.”
“Alex what do you think?” He turned to the other member of the conversation.
“Isabel’s right. You’ve gotta do something.” His hands were supportively holding her shoulders from behind. “Even if he hates what you do. You can’t leave him there.”
“OK then...” Max nodded and got ready to engage, “Isabel you’re with me. See you tomorrow Alex. We’re going to go get Michael.”
“Tomorrow sweetheart.” Alex said as he wrapped his arms around Isabel and drew her in for a short kiss.
Max rolled his eyes and started up the jeep. Isabel ran over and climbed in.
Alex took his own car and headed out for the day. ‘Funny he thought,,, its almost like fate knew we wouldn’t get to spend Valentine’s Day together tonight. Glad that’s out of the way. So I’ll just be getting off…’
<center>Chapter 26:A, Part B in next post...</center>
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
26:A: Part 2
Shifting Realities
Chapter 26: A, Part Two
Liberation
****************
The Evans kids scoured the small town of Roswell looking for Michael… They tried the Crashdown first, the stores, all the rest of the restaurants, the park… in desperation they then tried the bowling alley, he’d been there a couple of times in his life. And when absolutely nowhere in town turned up Michael Guerin, they headed out to the desert. Michael spent countless hours of his free time searching for where they had crashed or anything that might have to do with them…. But today the desert lived up to its name, a vast wasteland of sand and setting sun. No matter where they looked they just couldn’t find him. It was a fruitless search.
In a last ditch effort later on the evening of February 14, 2000, they pulled into Chisholm Trail trailer park, and parked near Hank’s Turquoise ’57 Chevy Nomad Wagon.
As they neared the door they heard the sounds of arguing and shouting inside the tiny space. They didn’t knock but barged on into the house.
“What are you doing here?!” Michael demanded, as he fought to keep from unleashing his powers on Hank. His hand was pressed to his side, however balled into a fist, and there was a glistening sheen of sweat covering his brow as he fought to maintain control.
Max could tell that the situation needed intervention. Michael was barely holding together.
“Mick’s girl huh?” Hank looked Isabel over, his eyes landing on her well-endowed chest.
She stood there tensely clenching her teeth, swallowing and nervously working her fingers which were in a balled fist at her side.
“Wanna have a drink with me Shweetie?” He slurred the question as he poured an alcoholic beverage into a nearby already used glass.
Max, standing to her side said, “She doesn’t want a drink,” while she imperceptibly shook her head and bit her lip invisibly, troubling it repeatedly... She was so hoping that this didn’t play like last time.
“Who the hell are you her law-yer?” Hank was offended. “I ashked her a question and I’m waiting for her ansher.” He slurred out drunkenly, while placing his arm around Isabel’s shoulder as he handed her the glass.
“Leave her alone Hank,” said Michael from the other side of the kitchen.
“Here’s your answer,” bit out Isabel as she grabbed the glass from him and his arm in the other and threw the drink in his face. “If you ever touch Michael again I will kill you!!!” She shouted.
Hank’s rifle was in the corner and this girl had just got up his ire, who was she to come into his house and order him around. He started for his gun as he shouted, "You'll kill me!!???" but partway there he turned around unexpectedly in a state of fury, his hand flying out towards Isabel. "I don't think so!!!" he shouted as the back of his closed fist made contact with Isabel’s jaw... She was thrown off balance and landed against the back wall, the back of her head hitting it. She passed out momentarily from the intense pain.
No one saw it coming and noone could have prevented it. As his sister was hit, Max leapt forward out of instinct, his fist connecting with Hank’s face. He felt the snap of bones underneath. The tremendous force of the blow snapped Hank’s head back, jarring his brain against his skull. “Don’t mess with my family!!!” he ordered as Hank fell unconscious to the ground. At the same time Michael’s hand was unconsciously raised and all sorts of mayhem ensued. A chair slid across the floor and shattered against the wall, the blinds blew up and down as if there was a wind in the house, the cupboard doors opened and banged shut repeatedly, the shaking and force causing the dishes inside to break as they fell out.
“Grab your things Michael. We’re outta here!!” demanded Max as Michael raced down the hall to his room. Seeing Isabel stand up although wobbly, he rushed to her side to steady her and ordered, “Isabel go the jeep now and wait for me….” She staggered out in compliance.
“What are you going to do Maxwell?” Michael shouted from his room.
“We were never here… I’m straightening up. We’ve gotta go, now…”
Michael in his room quickly threw the barest of essentials into his duffel, all the clothes were dirty and in the hamper, and he just grabbed what he could…
At the same time Max was using his powers to rapidly repair and restore anything that had just suffered an ill fate at the hands of Michael’s powers. He left the rest of the trailer in the disarrayed mess it had been in before they arrived. Hank Whitmore lay unconscious on his kitchen floor... Max had checked his pulse, so he was alive. When he first crumbled and with the sound as his head snapped, Max wasn’t sure of that fact, so as he repaired the damage he determined for himself that Hank Whitmore was knocked out and would awake with one hell of a headache, and probably little remembrance of the event that had just transpired.
Michael came racing out of his room a duffel semi-filled slung over his shoulder, “Lets go… GO...” he said as he ran to the jeep and leaped into the back.
Max followed him briskly and got in, raising his finger in a “shh” gesture he threw the gear into first and then rapidly into second as he tore out of the trailer park.
***************
Once they were out they drove to one of their meeting places, the quarry… it was dark and quiet: a perfect place to discuss the new turn of events ,but first, he had something much more important to do.
“Isabel turn to me please….” He grabbed her chin and tried to examine her. She blinked rapidly, stemming the rising tide of unadulterated pain. He could see with his night vision alien cat-like eyes, but he didn’t want to miss anything either. And he wanted to give her something to focus on so that all her attention would not be on her pain. “We need some light,” He whispered to her gently, “Can you hold your hands out and cup them and create a little for me here?” He took her palms and faced them upwards, helping her to facilitate him.
Isabel did as asked and held the small glowing orb of white light up at about chin height so that Max could look her over. Her jaw was clenched in pain and she stared trustingly at her brother while fighting back tears.
He cupped her chin gently and turned her face so that he could see where his sister had been struck. He felt sick at the thought of what he had witnessed, as he looked at the marred area on her perfect features. Her skin was darkening where the blow had registered; she had an indentation on her mandible where Hank’s knuckles had made direct contact. It was bruised and swollen. The color was turning into an ugly mottled dark purplish pink… His fingers feather lightly ran over the contours of her cheek and Isabel winced in renewed pain as he barely touched it. A ridge of distortion was felt under his fingertips. ‘Did he break her jaw? He smacked her pretty hard…’ Max asked himself, not wishing to vocalize the thought out loud...
He looked very tenderly into her eyes, “Does it hurt?” he softly asked, as he rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment… ‘Stupid question,’ he berated himself mentally, ‘she’s in absolute agony.’
“Hell… Ye-ah!” She muttered through clenched teeth, wincing as she spoke, each word an extreme effort. Breathing a few sharp breaths she continued, choppily…
“I… think… he crac-ked….my….jaw.” She said while struggling to speak. “Max… Please!” She pleaded, “It… hurts…” Max nodded and raised his hand near the right side of her face; she grabbed it reflexively in both of hers. She knew that even the healing would hurt.
Max looked deeply into her eyes and forged the connection before he brought his warm palm flat against her burning cheek, as she clung to it with both hands. He made sure that he was already locked in and sending her soothing and cool thoughts so that she had something to focus on before he caused the final amount of pain that his touch would render. With a small nod that she would need to let him work, she moved her grip to his wrist, his hand uncupped and laid directly on the injured part of her face. She still jumped slightly from the contact, but kept her eyes trained on his. Looking into her eyes he started to knit the bone back together, following the fracture upward and repairing several of her teeth that had been loosened at the same time.
Michael interrupted. “What about me… I mean I can see that she is hurting bad, but your just gonna heal her and leave me like this? I can see where your loyalties are Max, I’m outta here.” With that Michael leapt from the back of the jeep and started to walk away.
Max found himself in a quandary. Although his near instantaneous connection with Isabel had allowed him to quickly heal her more serious injuries, he was not finished. She had a lot of soft tissue damage that still caused her to suffer silently, and he still needed to see if she had any damage to the back of her head from where she had hit the wall. Now Michael’s rash departure was making him choose between his sister and the man who was like a brother to him. He just hoped Isabel would understand. “Just stay!” Max said dubiously to Isabel as he held up his hand in a wait gesture. “I’ll be right back.”
“Damn it Michael…” he protested as he raced out of the jeep to catch up with the taller angry young man. “Where are you going?” He ordered as he caught up to Michael and stepped into a stride beside him.
“I don’t have anywhere to go, so it really doesn’t matter now does it?” Michael forced out. “You just came and in some saintly move took me out of my house, I didn’t ask you to do that… and now thanks to the two of you I can’t go back. So what was the brilliant plan anyways?”
‘Oh yeah, Michael’s going to love this,’ Max thought to himself disgustedly….
“Believe it or not, Isabel thought that you stay with us and let our parents help get you on your own or something. Our dad’s done it before.”
“That’s the great plan? Get this straight; I’m not a charity case. I don’t need people to know what happened and I sure as hell don’t need to draw any more attention to us. Isabel’s already made it clear that she has the FBI or someone watching her, not to mention Valenti. I know Hank’s a jerk, buts he’s all that I’ve got and you two just screwed that up for good.”
“Hank’s not going to remember it Michael,” Max countered. “And what he does remember he won’t be able to prove. I repaired everything, as I said we were never there… You are coming home with us!!! It’s not open for discussion; now get back in the jeep. Isabel is in agony... I don’t think you realize the severity of what he did to her.” Max started to walk back leaving Michael to follow.
Michael reluctantly climbed back into the back seat.
As Max turned to Isabel, Michael threw out, “Still don’t get why you’d heal her…and not me.”
“Because Michael,” Isabel ground through clenched teeth as her hands gripped the seat on both sides; wincing, she took in some sharp breaths as she continued… “We are trying to fix things for you, but you have more problems than a black eye, and we need our parent’s help. They can’t see me like this…” Isabel panted as she gathered her strength to speak, releasing her hold on the seat she shot Max one of her patented looks signifying, ‘don’t stop me now.’ “They’d be all over Hank like a Rabid dog, he’d never know what bit him.” She clenched her eyes shut against the onslaught of pain, swallowed and started again….
“They don’t know you that well, they don’t know how you got your black eye. You don’t have to tell them anything right now, they will be curious, but that’s up to you….” She closed her eyes tightly shut for a moment, opened them and panted through the pain again as speech was forcing her jaw to work and it was excruciating to move it… “You need to tell them and to let them help you…. But we’re not going to force you. Right Max?” She shot him another look as she elbowed his leg and he turned to her with confusion written on his face but he wisely answered her, “Right.”
She continued, forcing herself through the pain barrier, “But I can’t go home looking like this unless you want to tell them everything right away, Michael. Because that would make it about me and not you. You decide…” She collapsed against the back of the seat, exhausted, as she scrunched her eyes tightly closed to stop the pain that was radiating and now throbbing from consuming her, as she let everything she had spoken sink into Michael. The pain was too great, and unable to tolerate it any longer she ordered, “Now Max… God, this hurts… Please?” She choked out through the tears that were now trickling intermittently down her cheeks.
Michael’s rage had been mollified by the concern that his podmates had shown him, a situation which now allowed him to see how much pain Isabel was in. “Max,,,” he said, nodding his head towards his sister.
Max tenderly got her attention and gently reestablished the connection and continued inventorying her injuries. The first thing he turned his attention to was the back of her head, where she’d been thrown. Unbeknownst to her the force of her blow had caused a hole in the trailer wall, where she landed headfirst. He slipped his hand under the sticky strands of his sister’s hair, and checked her neck, spine, and back of her head for any injuries. There were, miraculously, no noticeable medical injuries, save for a small laceration, which had already finished bleeding, and one hell of a lump. He gently diminished those leaving her good as new while removing the sticky blood from the locks of her golden tresses. And then he turned his attention to her greater pain; a tear in the ligament at her temporomandibular joint, followed by the swelling in her cheek and jaw.” He smiled as he watched while the discoloration on her beautiful face faded and was replaced by her healthy complexion. With the swelling gone, everything smoothed back into perfect alignment, as if she were never injured in the first place. Isabel tested her jaw by opening and closing her mouth a few times... The pain was gone. She smiled and mouthed thanks to Max and reached with her left hand to cover Michael’s hand, which was resting on her left shoulder in an unspoken gesture of support.
“Feeling ok?” Max asked hesitantly, wanting to make sure it was complete.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “OK, that’s done… next order of business?” She replied in a business like manner as if she’d never been in pain at all and it was an item on a check off list.
Max smirked, ‘Leave it to Isabel to not dwell on the fact that she was in pain and somewhat out of control. Nope. Not allowed.’
“Take a minute. Reflect on this.” Max cajoled her, “Isabel you had a broken jaw.”
Michael gasped. Max turned to him, “Yeah I told you it was bad.”
“I had one, I don’t anymore.” She said matter-of-factly. “We have to deal with Michael now. I’m fine. Mom and Dad should be out for the night, but someone has a cell. I say we call them and let them know we’ll be home later. And then we go to the Taco Shack and get some dinner. We can’t go to our usual places unless we want everyone to see Michael.
*****
Max drove to the Taco Shack and they were eating dinner while Isabel made the call. Yep Isabel was in charge. The phone call made revealed her parents were out on a date for Valentine’s Day and wouldn’t be around for sometime tonight.
Hitting end and flipping the cell closed she turned to her brothers with a smile on her face. Michael was stuffing his face, some from his bad manners, but the other was from nervousness. Whatever Isabel had done had just changed everything in his life forever.
His cheeks bulging he looked up.
Max watched her cautiously…
“What?” She questioned as they both stared at her. “Ok, this is perfect. We’ll go home from here. And we’ll more than likely be in bed before Mom and Dad realize anything different. I’ve had a long day, and I’m getting tired. What about the two of you?” Not allowing them a word edgewise she continued, “Anything else we need to do will be saved until tomorrow to take care of. The important thing is done now, Michael is safe.” With a very large sigh of relief she turned to her food, and reheated her taco very discreetly and started to eat. The boys shook their heads and dove into their food as well.
Once they were done they headed back to the Evans’ and all three of them talked long into the night as they gathered in Max’s room. And true to Isabel’s predictions, her parents arrived after they had already gone to sleep.
***************
February 15, 2000… The three teens were sat at the table all eating bowls of cereal when the obviously love-struck parents arrived in the kitchen.
Philip, was poking his wife’s sides in an attempt to tickle her, she was squealing and laughing while swatting his hands away. “Stop it Philip!” He poked again… as she jerked back laughing… “Philip, the kids…” she intoned as she wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her husband…
“Have already seen enough,” Max finished for his mother drolly, as he watched them. “Get a room.”
Isabel was trying to nonchalantly eat her breakfast.
“We already had one,” Diane answered unabashed, with a quirk of her eyebrows. Philip chuckled in validation. Isabel coughed. Sidling up to her husband’s side Diane wrapped her arm around his waist while her hand went for his rear. She pinched it and he startled in response, jerking momentarily.
Isabel’s eyes went wide at the scene and then thinking of what she was witnessing, her face scrunched in distaste. “Oh please!!!” She moaned. “Save our virgin minds. We so don’t need to see this… We don’t need any ideas.” She mock shuddered as she exaggerated her discomfort at her parents display.
“Yeah Right.” Philip bantered back. “ You and Alex are allowed a little PDA. Mind you, you are NOT married. WE ARE. Get used to it.” He returned his wife’s gesture.
Isabel’s eyes went wide and she somewhat squeaked.
Michael really didn’t know how he was to respond to this, as he scratched his brow with two fingers. And from the look of it, neither did the Evans’ siblings.
Max was hiding a smirk behind his hand; short strangled laughs were disguised by staccato coughs. Isabel threw down her spoon and melodramatically stomped off. “I’ve seen way too much. I think I’ve been ruined forever!” she exclaimed as she bolted for the downstairs bathroom. “Ugghhh.” They all heard from the kitchen. Isabel turned on the water to wash her eyes. Her poor tainted eyes.
“You’re so bad…” Diane playfully slapped her husband’s chest, as love mingled with lust shone in her eyes.
“Yeah and you love me…” he replied turning them around, “Women like risk takers, they love a bad boy,” His voice answered hers huskily as he wrapped both arms around her and kissed her while squeezing her rear, as he pushed her into the counter. His hands were hidden from the kid’s sight but still…
This time it was Max’s eyes that went wide in understanding. “She’s right. That’s more than enough.” Max quickly left the table, unfortunately no-one in the house was acting right and the momentary disruption of routine caused him to forget that he left Michael sitting there witnessing that.
He pounded on the bathroom door… “Iz!! Is there room for two in there?” The door immediately opened and her feminine hand yanked him inside. Closing the door behind them.
Both of the elder Evan’s exchanged a look riddled with unspoken subtext before they burst out giggling at their children’s display.
Michael watching the odd scene cleared his throat and choked out uncomfortably… “Is this normal around here?”
“Oh …” Philip cleared his throat as Diane straightened up, and backed away from her husband momentarily. “Hey Michael. Stayed over again huh?” Philip wasn’t doing well with the small talk as he reiterated the obvious upon finding the third teen in his kitchen.
“Uh Yeah.” Michael droned in a duh type manner.
“Well make yourself comfortable then,” Diane said as she advanced on her husband again.
“O-k,” Michael said in confusion to no one in particular as he watched the adults who were acting far more like love struck teens than he ever knew adults could do.
The Evan’s parents disregarded him, he had stayed over, he was eating, all three were off to school… it was no big deal to them. They were making out against the cabinet and Michael just shook his head.
At the same time, Isabel demanded of Max… “And just why are you in here?”
“I had to get out of there. They’re polluting our minds. Dad was teasing mom about how girls love a bad boy, as he pushed her into the counter. The way he said it, the way she responded… no teen should have to witness that!! EVER!!!” He shuddered, for real.
The thought simultaneously struck both of them. And they said in shocked unison… “Michael!” And then again in unison… “We left him with them!!!”
Then they raced out of the small space nearly tripping on each other as fast as they could back to kitchen.
Michael was still sitting at the table wearing his customary smirk with a hint of a smile disguised by it. He gave an imperceptible approving nod. The Evans’ family was an entertaining to watch as a TV show.
The elder Evans were once again moving in tandem. And that’s when the younger two came racing in to halt to a complete standstill as they took in the whole room...
Isabel especially recognized the look on her parent’s faces. Absolute love and desirous longing… But unlike her prom (in the past timeline) when she had last looked like that, they WERE going to do something about it. And with that thought foremost in her brain, she decided that they should all be getting to school and encouraged them to leave before they really WERE ruined for life.
None of them wanted to be in the house anymore so it was easy to agree with her. And they were off.
***************
A couple minutes after they left, Philip attacked his wife’s neck with kisses. “Are they gone?” he asked in a lustful voice.
“Oh yeah…” Diane answered seductively, her head thrown back as her husband embellished it with kisses.
“Good thing we don’t have any early appointments today…” he fairly growled into her neck…
“Oh Just One…” she said seductively as she stepped back and started to unbutton a bit of her top. Garnering her husband’s full attention she teased, “Race You” and they took off to the top of the stairs, to the room at the end for the only appointment scheduled for that morning. Reviewing familiar material, with a well-practiced lawyer.
***************
In the jeep the kids talked.
“What the Hell was that?” Max asked still in shock.
“Valenitines Daa-te.” Isabel said in a drawn out manner with a sharp Tuh sound on the T.
“Never seen that at my house.” Teased Michael.
“Uh… Neither have we.” replied Max. “And I think its all Isabel’s fault.”
“What!?” She turned to sharply look at her brother.
“You and Alex…” he said matter-of-factly. “Mom and Dad forgot what its like to be young and in love. They’re taking lessons from you and Alex…” he cleared his throat as he smirked at his sister.
“That’s crazy,” Isabel answered her brother and then a beat later. “That’s sick.”
“Good point Maximillian,” mumbled Michael.
“Yep.” Max said with a glint… “If anyone’s corrupted the house it would be Isabel.” he said in tease.
“Ouch!!” He hollered as he sharply pulled the car back into its proper lane. He had unconsciously swerved left when Isabel slapped him upside the head.
“And Michael,” she turned to the back seat. “If I could reach you, you know you’re not without excuse. You actually encouraged him.”
“We’re here.” ‘And not a moment too soon.’ Max said turning the jeep into a parking spot. They all quickly hopped out.
Michael informed Max he’d catch them after school. There was no way he was going in there looking as he did.
“Ok…” Max answered. “But you are going home with us, and I guess tonight we’ll let them know that you are staying.” He chuckled in remembrance… “Sure couldn’t do that this morning.”
“Bye Michael. See you after school.” Isabel watched him take off and wondered where he always hid himself, for he’d never been arrested on truancy charges.
***************
A few minutes later as Isabel and Max were in the hall talking Alex showed up.
“Hey Beautiful,” he said as he walked over to the love of his life, “how’d it go last night?”
She shook her head in disbelief and uttered, “I wouldn’t know.”
Alex looked up in question and caught her brother’s eyes. Max shrugged. “What she said.” And then Isabel chimed in… “Our parents got home quite late last night. And their date wasn’t officially over this morning.” She shuddered at the thought, “They were practically mauling each other in the kitchen.”
“Yep.” Max nodded as he chuckled, “Hardly noticed Michael was there, or us either for that matter.”
Alex wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Max? Where were you last night?” Liz came over to the gathered group and started to speak to Max. They walked a bit aways leaving Alex and Isabel alone.
Alex wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. He felt the familiar sensations of Isabel Evans in a toned down connection. But he still startled in surprise, as the sensation struck him. He’d have to get used to this, still. Breaking the kiss his widened hazel eyes just stared into her hesitant brown ones. She bit her lip nervously as she studied him.
“Come with me,” he ordered softly as he took them to the Eraser Room.
Entering it he locked the door and leaned back into his girlfriend’s personal space, foreheads touching as his hands rested on the sides of her face. He pulled back and stared at her with unadulterated love while she stared back at him with the same love shining in her eyes. He caressed her cheekbones with his thumbs as he softly whispered three words….
“He…. Hit… You...” Alex spoke it very softly and succinctly, in an emotionless tone.
Isabel nodded silently.
He wrapped his arms around her and tightly pressed her to himself. “Baby! How did that happen?”
So Isabel, in the safety of his arms, whispered out the story. “….And then Hank was going for his gun in the corner,” she continued. Michael realized that and dove for the gun, causing Hank’s anger to be turned on me. He turned unexpectedly and punched me with his closed fist. Max jumped in and retaliated with a powerful blow that knocked him out cold. Then we escaped.” She pulled from the tight embrace. Wringing her hands nervously as she stood before him.
“Are you ok?” He asked in concern as he looked at her cheek gently holding her chin in his hand.
“I am now…” she nodded. And thinking if she wanted to tell him everything or not she made her decision and in the tiniest whisper, so he had to strain to hear her she revealed, “Hank broke my jaw and loosened some of my teeth…” She saw pain flash on Alex’s face at her revelation. “I’m so glad we have Michael out of there. No matter where he is, anywhere is better than there.” She quickly tried to change the subject.
Alex leaned down and very tenderly dropped a kiss on her mouth. And then dropping tender kisses while working his way along her right cheekbone and jaw where she’d been struck. “Max does good work,” he added.
“Yeah.” She whispered.
He then reversed the path he had just kissed, and ended with his mouth on hers.
The final bell sounded and they knew they had to get to the first class lest they be late. They almost were anyways. ‘What’s a final kiss?’ They decided.
Stepping out of the Eraser Room, hands interlocked, a couple of Elites took notice of them and sneered at Isabel. Most kids however were scurrying in all directions to make it to their respective classes, the final bell had rung and the day had officially begun.
“See you in English,” he added as he let his hand hold hers until it no longer could and their fingers fell away from each other. Then they each raced in opposite directions down the halls of West Roswell High. They were late for their classes.
TBC...
Chapter 26: A, Part Two
Liberation
****************
The Evans kids scoured the small town of Roswell looking for Michael… They tried the Crashdown first, the stores, all the rest of the restaurants, the park… in desperation they then tried the bowling alley, he’d been there a couple of times in his life. And when absolutely nowhere in town turned up Michael Guerin, they headed out to the desert. Michael spent countless hours of his free time searching for where they had crashed or anything that might have to do with them…. But today the desert lived up to its name, a vast wasteland of sand and setting sun. No matter where they looked they just couldn’t find him. It was a fruitless search.
In a last ditch effort later on the evening of February 14, 2000, they pulled into Chisholm Trail trailer park, and parked near Hank’s Turquoise ’57 Chevy Nomad Wagon.
As they neared the door they heard the sounds of arguing and shouting inside the tiny space. They didn’t knock but barged on into the house.
“What are you doing here?!” Michael demanded, as he fought to keep from unleashing his powers on Hank. His hand was pressed to his side, however balled into a fist, and there was a glistening sheen of sweat covering his brow as he fought to maintain control.
Max could tell that the situation needed intervention. Michael was barely holding together.
“Mick’s girl huh?” Hank looked Isabel over, his eyes landing on her well-endowed chest.
She stood there tensely clenching her teeth, swallowing and nervously working her fingers which were in a balled fist at her side.
“Wanna have a drink with me Shweetie?” He slurred the question as he poured an alcoholic beverage into a nearby already used glass.
Max, standing to her side said, “She doesn’t want a drink,” while she imperceptibly shook her head and bit her lip invisibly, troubling it repeatedly... She was so hoping that this didn’t play like last time.
“Who the hell are you her law-yer?” Hank was offended. “I ashked her a question and I’m waiting for her ansher.” He slurred out drunkenly, while placing his arm around Isabel’s shoulder as he handed her the glass.
“Leave her alone Hank,” said Michael from the other side of the kitchen.
“Here’s your answer,” bit out Isabel as she grabbed the glass from him and his arm in the other and threw the drink in his face. “If you ever touch Michael again I will kill you!!!” She shouted.
Hank’s rifle was in the corner and this girl had just got up his ire, who was she to come into his house and order him around. He started for his gun as he shouted, "You'll kill me!!???" but partway there he turned around unexpectedly in a state of fury, his hand flying out towards Isabel. "I don't think so!!!" he shouted as the back of his closed fist made contact with Isabel’s jaw... She was thrown off balance and landed against the back wall, the back of her head hitting it. She passed out momentarily from the intense pain.
No one saw it coming and noone could have prevented it. As his sister was hit, Max leapt forward out of instinct, his fist connecting with Hank’s face. He felt the snap of bones underneath. The tremendous force of the blow snapped Hank’s head back, jarring his brain against his skull. “Don’t mess with my family!!!” he ordered as Hank fell unconscious to the ground. At the same time Michael’s hand was unconsciously raised and all sorts of mayhem ensued. A chair slid across the floor and shattered against the wall, the blinds blew up and down as if there was a wind in the house, the cupboard doors opened and banged shut repeatedly, the shaking and force causing the dishes inside to break as they fell out.
“Grab your things Michael. We’re outta here!!” demanded Max as Michael raced down the hall to his room. Seeing Isabel stand up although wobbly, he rushed to her side to steady her and ordered, “Isabel go the jeep now and wait for me….” She staggered out in compliance.
“What are you going to do Maxwell?” Michael shouted from his room.
“We were never here… I’m straightening up. We’ve gotta go, now…”
Michael in his room quickly threw the barest of essentials into his duffel, all the clothes were dirty and in the hamper, and he just grabbed what he could…
At the same time Max was using his powers to rapidly repair and restore anything that had just suffered an ill fate at the hands of Michael’s powers. He left the rest of the trailer in the disarrayed mess it had been in before they arrived. Hank Whitmore lay unconscious on his kitchen floor... Max had checked his pulse, so he was alive. When he first crumbled and with the sound as his head snapped, Max wasn’t sure of that fact, so as he repaired the damage he determined for himself that Hank Whitmore was knocked out and would awake with one hell of a headache, and probably little remembrance of the event that had just transpired.
Michael came racing out of his room a duffel semi-filled slung over his shoulder, “Lets go… GO...” he said as he ran to the jeep and leaped into the back.
Max followed him briskly and got in, raising his finger in a “shh” gesture he threw the gear into first and then rapidly into second as he tore out of the trailer park.
***************
Once they were out they drove to one of their meeting places, the quarry… it was dark and quiet: a perfect place to discuss the new turn of events ,but first, he had something much more important to do.
“Isabel turn to me please….” He grabbed her chin and tried to examine her. She blinked rapidly, stemming the rising tide of unadulterated pain. He could see with his night vision alien cat-like eyes, but he didn’t want to miss anything either. And he wanted to give her something to focus on so that all her attention would not be on her pain. “We need some light,” He whispered to her gently, “Can you hold your hands out and cup them and create a little for me here?” He took her palms and faced them upwards, helping her to facilitate him.
Isabel did as asked and held the small glowing orb of white light up at about chin height so that Max could look her over. Her jaw was clenched in pain and she stared trustingly at her brother while fighting back tears.
He cupped her chin gently and turned her face so that he could see where his sister had been struck. He felt sick at the thought of what he had witnessed, as he looked at the marred area on her perfect features. Her skin was darkening where the blow had registered; she had an indentation on her mandible where Hank’s knuckles had made direct contact. It was bruised and swollen. The color was turning into an ugly mottled dark purplish pink… His fingers feather lightly ran over the contours of her cheek and Isabel winced in renewed pain as he barely touched it. A ridge of distortion was felt under his fingertips. ‘Did he break her jaw? He smacked her pretty hard…’ Max asked himself, not wishing to vocalize the thought out loud...
He looked very tenderly into her eyes, “Does it hurt?” he softly asked, as he rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment… ‘Stupid question,’ he berated himself mentally, ‘she’s in absolute agony.’
“Hell… Ye-ah!” She muttered through clenched teeth, wincing as she spoke, each word an extreme effort. Breathing a few sharp breaths she continued, choppily…
“I… think… he crac-ked….my….jaw.” She said while struggling to speak. “Max… Please!” She pleaded, “It… hurts…” Max nodded and raised his hand near the right side of her face; she grabbed it reflexively in both of hers. She knew that even the healing would hurt.
Max looked deeply into her eyes and forged the connection before he brought his warm palm flat against her burning cheek, as she clung to it with both hands. He made sure that he was already locked in and sending her soothing and cool thoughts so that she had something to focus on before he caused the final amount of pain that his touch would render. With a small nod that she would need to let him work, she moved her grip to his wrist, his hand uncupped and laid directly on the injured part of her face. She still jumped slightly from the contact, but kept her eyes trained on his. Looking into her eyes he started to knit the bone back together, following the fracture upward and repairing several of her teeth that had been loosened at the same time.
Michael interrupted. “What about me… I mean I can see that she is hurting bad, but your just gonna heal her and leave me like this? I can see where your loyalties are Max, I’m outta here.” With that Michael leapt from the back of the jeep and started to walk away.
Max found himself in a quandary. Although his near instantaneous connection with Isabel had allowed him to quickly heal her more serious injuries, he was not finished. She had a lot of soft tissue damage that still caused her to suffer silently, and he still needed to see if she had any damage to the back of her head from where she had hit the wall. Now Michael’s rash departure was making him choose between his sister and the man who was like a brother to him. He just hoped Isabel would understand. “Just stay!” Max said dubiously to Isabel as he held up his hand in a wait gesture. “I’ll be right back.”
“Damn it Michael…” he protested as he raced out of the jeep to catch up with the taller angry young man. “Where are you going?” He ordered as he caught up to Michael and stepped into a stride beside him.
“I don’t have anywhere to go, so it really doesn’t matter now does it?” Michael forced out. “You just came and in some saintly move took me out of my house, I didn’t ask you to do that… and now thanks to the two of you I can’t go back. So what was the brilliant plan anyways?”
‘Oh yeah, Michael’s going to love this,’ Max thought to himself disgustedly….
“Believe it or not, Isabel thought that you stay with us and let our parents help get you on your own or something. Our dad’s done it before.”
“That’s the great plan? Get this straight; I’m not a charity case. I don’t need people to know what happened and I sure as hell don’t need to draw any more attention to us. Isabel’s already made it clear that she has the FBI or someone watching her, not to mention Valenti. I know Hank’s a jerk, buts he’s all that I’ve got and you two just screwed that up for good.”
“Hank’s not going to remember it Michael,” Max countered. “And what he does remember he won’t be able to prove. I repaired everything, as I said we were never there… You are coming home with us!!! It’s not open for discussion; now get back in the jeep. Isabel is in agony... I don’t think you realize the severity of what he did to her.” Max started to walk back leaving Michael to follow.
Michael reluctantly climbed back into the back seat.
As Max turned to Isabel, Michael threw out, “Still don’t get why you’d heal her…and not me.”
“Because Michael,” Isabel ground through clenched teeth as her hands gripped the seat on both sides; wincing, she took in some sharp breaths as she continued… “We are trying to fix things for you, but you have more problems than a black eye, and we need our parent’s help. They can’t see me like this…” Isabel panted as she gathered her strength to speak, releasing her hold on the seat she shot Max one of her patented looks signifying, ‘don’t stop me now.’ “They’d be all over Hank like a Rabid dog, he’d never know what bit him.” She clenched her eyes shut against the onslaught of pain, swallowed and started again….
“They don’t know you that well, they don’t know how you got your black eye. You don’t have to tell them anything right now, they will be curious, but that’s up to you….” She closed her eyes tightly shut for a moment, opened them and panted through the pain again as speech was forcing her jaw to work and it was excruciating to move it… “You need to tell them and to let them help you…. But we’re not going to force you. Right Max?” She shot him another look as she elbowed his leg and he turned to her with confusion written on his face but he wisely answered her, “Right.”
She continued, forcing herself through the pain barrier, “But I can’t go home looking like this unless you want to tell them everything right away, Michael. Because that would make it about me and not you. You decide…” She collapsed against the back of the seat, exhausted, as she scrunched her eyes tightly closed to stop the pain that was radiating and now throbbing from consuming her, as she let everything she had spoken sink into Michael. The pain was too great, and unable to tolerate it any longer she ordered, “Now Max… God, this hurts… Please?” She choked out through the tears that were now trickling intermittently down her cheeks.
Michael’s rage had been mollified by the concern that his podmates had shown him, a situation which now allowed him to see how much pain Isabel was in. “Max,,,” he said, nodding his head towards his sister.
Max tenderly got her attention and gently reestablished the connection and continued inventorying her injuries. The first thing he turned his attention to was the back of her head, where she’d been thrown. Unbeknownst to her the force of her blow had caused a hole in the trailer wall, where she landed headfirst. He slipped his hand under the sticky strands of his sister’s hair, and checked her neck, spine, and back of her head for any injuries. There were, miraculously, no noticeable medical injuries, save for a small laceration, which had already finished bleeding, and one hell of a lump. He gently diminished those leaving her good as new while removing the sticky blood from the locks of her golden tresses. And then he turned his attention to her greater pain; a tear in the ligament at her temporomandibular joint, followed by the swelling in her cheek and jaw.” He smiled as he watched while the discoloration on her beautiful face faded and was replaced by her healthy complexion. With the swelling gone, everything smoothed back into perfect alignment, as if she were never injured in the first place. Isabel tested her jaw by opening and closing her mouth a few times... The pain was gone. She smiled and mouthed thanks to Max and reached with her left hand to cover Michael’s hand, which was resting on her left shoulder in an unspoken gesture of support.
“Feeling ok?” Max asked hesitantly, wanting to make sure it was complete.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “OK, that’s done… next order of business?” She replied in a business like manner as if she’d never been in pain at all and it was an item on a check off list.
Max smirked, ‘Leave it to Isabel to not dwell on the fact that she was in pain and somewhat out of control. Nope. Not allowed.’
“Take a minute. Reflect on this.” Max cajoled her, “Isabel you had a broken jaw.”
Michael gasped. Max turned to him, “Yeah I told you it was bad.”
“I had one, I don’t anymore.” She said matter-of-factly. “We have to deal with Michael now. I’m fine. Mom and Dad should be out for the night, but someone has a cell. I say we call them and let them know we’ll be home later. And then we go to the Taco Shack and get some dinner. We can’t go to our usual places unless we want everyone to see Michael.
*****
Max drove to the Taco Shack and they were eating dinner while Isabel made the call. Yep Isabel was in charge. The phone call made revealed her parents were out on a date for Valentine’s Day and wouldn’t be around for sometime tonight.
Hitting end and flipping the cell closed she turned to her brothers with a smile on her face. Michael was stuffing his face, some from his bad manners, but the other was from nervousness. Whatever Isabel had done had just changed everything in his life forever.
His cheeks bulging he looked up.
Max watched her cautiously…
“What?” She questioned as they both stared at her. “Ok, this is perfect. We’ll go home from here. And we’ll more than likely be in bed before Mom and Dad realize anything different. I’ve had a long day, and I’m getting tired. What about the two of you?” Not allowing them a word edgewise she continued, “Anything else we need to do will be saved until tomorrow to take care of. The important thing is done now, Michael is safe.” With a very large sigh of relief she turned to her food, and reheated her taco very discreetly and started to eat. The boys shook their heads and dove into their food as well.
Once they were done they headed back to the Evans’ and all three of them talked long into the night as they gathered in Max’s room. And true to Isabel’s predictions, her parents arrived after they had already gone to sleep.
***************
February 15, 2000… The three teens were sat at the table all eating bowls of cereal when the obviously love-struck parents arrived in the kitchen.
Philip, was poking his wife’s sides in an attempt to tickle her, she was squealing and laughing while swatting his hands away. “Stop it Philip!” He poked again… as she jerked back laughing… “Philip, the kids…” she intoned as she wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her husband…
“Have already seen enough,” Max finished for his mother drolly, as he watched them. “Get a room.”
Isabel was trying to nonchalantly eat her breakfast.
“We already had one,” Diane answered unabashed, with a quirk of her eyebrows. Philip chuckled in validation. Isabel coughed. Sidling up to her husband’s side Diane wrapped her arm around his waist while her hand went for his rear. She pinched it and he startled in response, jerking momentarily.
Isabel’s eyes went wide at the scene and then thinking of what she was witnessing, her face scrunched in distaste. “Oh please!!!” She moaned. “Save our virgin minds. We so don’t need to see this… We don’t need any ideas.” She mock shuddered as she exaggerated her discomfort at her parents display.
“Yeah Right.” Philip bantered back. “ You and Alex are allowed a little PDA. Mind you, you are NOT married. WE ARE. Get used to it.” He returned his wife’s gesture.
Isabel’s eyes went wide and she somewhat squeaked.
Michael really didn’t know how he was to respond to this, as he scratched his brow with two fingers. And from the look of it, neither did the Evans’ siblings.
Max was hiding a smirk behind his hand; short strangled laughs were disguised by staccato coughs. Isabel threw down her spoon and melodramatically stomped off. “I’ve seen way too much. I think I’ve been ruined forever!” she exclaimed as she bolted for the downstairs bathroom. “Ugghhh.” They all heard from the kitchen. Isabel turned on the water to wash her eyes. Her poor tainted eyes.
“You’re so bad…” Diane playfully slapped her husband’s chest, as love mingled with lust shone in her eyes.
“Yeah and you love me…” he replied turning them around, “Women like risk takers, they love a bad boy,” His voice answered hers huskily as he wrapped both arms around her and kissed her while squeezing her rear, as he pushed her into the counter. His hands were hidden from the kid’s sight but still…
This time it was Max’s eyes that went wide in understanding. “She’s right. That’s more than enough.” Max quickly left the table, unfortunately no-one in the house was acting right and the momentary disruption of routine caused him to forget that he left Michael sitting there witnessing that.
He pounded on the bathroom door… “Iz!! Is there room for two in there?” The door immediately opened and her feminine hand yanked him inside. Closing the door behind them.
Both of the elder Evan’s exchanged a look riddled with unspoken subtext before they burst out giggling at their children’s display.
Michael watching the odd scene cleared his throat and choked out uncomfortably… “Is this normal around here?”
“Oh …” Philip cleared his throat as Diane straightened up, and backed away from her husband momentarily. “Hey Michael. Stayed over again huh?” Philip wasn’t doing well with the small talk as he reiterated the obvious upon finding the third teen in his kitchen.
“Uh Yeah.” Michael droned in a duh type manner.
“Well make yourself comfortable then,” Diane said as she advanced on her husband again.
“O-k,” Michael said in confusion to no one in particular as he watched the adults who were acting far more like love struck teens than he ever knew adults could do.
The Evan’s parents disregarded him, he had stayed over, he was eating, all three were off to school… it was no big deal to them. They were making out against the cabinet and Michael just shook his head.
At the same time, Isabel demanded of Max… “And just why are you in here?”
“I had to get out of there. They’re polluting our minds. Dad was teasing mom about how girls love a bad boy, as he pushed her into the counter. The way he said it, the way she responded… no teen should have to witness that!! EVER!!!” He shuddered, for real.
The thought simultaneously struck both of them. And they said in shocked unison… “Michael!” And then again in unison… “We left him with them!!!”
Then they raced out of the small space nearly tripping on each other as fast as they could back to kitchen.
Michael was still sitting at the table wearing his customary smirk with a hint of a smile disguised by it. He gave an imperceptible approving nod. The Evans’ family was an entertaining to watch as a TV show.
The elder Evans were once again moving in tandem. And that’s when the younger two came racing in to halt to a complete standstill as they took in the whole room...
Isabel especially recognized the look on her parent’s faces. Absolute love and desirous longing… But unlike her prom (in the past timeline) when she had last looked like that, they WERE going to do something about it. And with that thought foremost in her brain, she decided that they should all be getting to school and encouraged them to leave before they really WERE ruined for life.
None of them wanted to be in the house anymore so it was easy to agree with her. And they were off.
***************
A couple minutes after they left, Philip attacked his wife’s neck with kisses. “Are they gone?” he asked in a lustful voice.
“Oh yeah…” Diane answered seductively, her head thrown back as her husband embellished it with kisses.
“Good thing we don’t have any early appointments today…” he fairly growled into her neck…
“Oh Just One…” she said seductively as she stepped back and started to unbutton a bit of her top. Garnering her husband’s full attention she teased, “Race You” and they took off to the top of the stairs, to the room at the end for the only appointment scheduled for that morning. Reviewing familiar material, with a well-practiced lawyer.
***************
In the jeep the kids talked.
“What the Hell was that?” Max asked still in shock.
“Valenitines Daa-te.” Isabel said in a drawn out manner with a sharp Tuh sound on the T.
“Never seen that at my house.” Teased Michael.
“Uh… Neither have we.” replied Max. “And I think its all Isabel’s fault.”
“What!?” She turned to sharply look at her brother.
“You and Alex…” he said matter-of-factly. “Mom and Dad forgot what its like to be young and in love. They’re taking lessons from you and Alex…” he cleared his throat as he smirked at his sister.
“That’s crazy,” Isabel answered her brother and then a beat later. “That’s sick.”
“Good point Maximillian,” mumbled Michael.
“Yep.” Max said with a glint… “If anyone’s corrupted the house it would be Isabel.” he said in tease.
“Ouch!!” He hollered as he sharply pulled the car back into its proper lane. He had unconsciously swerved left when Isabel slapped him upside the head.
“And Michael,” she turned to the back seat. “If I could reach you, you know you’re not without excuse. You actually encouraged him.”
“We’re here.” ‘And not a moment too soon.’ Max said turning the jeep into a parking spot. They all quickly hopped out.
Michael informed Max he’d catch them after school. There was no way he was going in there looking as he did.
“Ok…” Max answered. “But you are going home with us, and I guess tonight we’ll let them know that you are staying.” He chuckled in remembrance… “Sure couldn’t do that this morning.”
“Bye Michael. See you after school.” Isabel watched him take off and wondered where he always hid himself, for he’d never been arrested on truancy charges.
***************
A few minutes later as Isabel and Max were in the hall talking Alex showed up.
“Hey Beautiful,” he said as he walked over to the love of his life, “how’d it go last night?”
She shook her head in disbelief and uttered, “I wouldn’t know.”
Alex looked up in question and caught her brother’s eyes. Max shrugged. “What she said.” And then Isabel chimed in… “Our parents got home quite late last night. And their date wasn’t officially over this morning.” She shuddered at the thought, “They were practically mauling each other in the kitchen.”
“Yep.” Max nodded as he chuckled, “Hardly noticed Michael was there, or us either for that matter.”
Alex wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Max? Where were you last night?” Liz came over to the gathered group and started to speak to Max. They walked a bit aways leaving Alex and Isabel alone.
Alex wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. He felt the familiar sensations of Isabel Evans in a toned down connection. But he still startled in surprise, as the sensation struck him. He’d have to get used to this, still. Breaking the kiss his widened hazel eyes just stared into her hesitant brown ones. She bit her lip nervously as she studied him.
“Come with me,” he ordered softly as he took them to the Eraser Room.
Entering it he locked the door and leaned back into his girlfriend’s personal space, foreheads touching as his hands rested on the sides of her face. He pulled back and stared at her with unadulterated love while she stared back at him with the same love shining in her eyes. He caressed her cheekbones with his thumbs as he softly whispered three words….
“He…. Hit… You...” Alex spoke it very softly and succinctly, in an emotionless tone.
Isabel nodded silently.
He wrapped his arms around her and tightly pressed her to himself. “Baby! How did that happen?”
So Isabel, in the safety of his arms, whispered out the story. “….And then Hank was going for his gun in the corner,” she continued. Michael realized that and dove for the gun, causing Hank’s anger to be turned on me. He turned unexpectedly and punched me with his closed fist. Max jumped in and retaliated with a powerful blow that knocked him out cold. Then we escaped.” She pulled from the tight embrace. Wringing her hands nervously as she stood before him.
“Are you ok?” He asked in concern as he looked at her cheek gently holding her chin in his hand.
“I am now…” she nodded. And thinking if she wanted to tell him everything or not she made her decision and in the tiniest whisper, so he had to strain to hear her she revealed, “Hank broke my jaw and loosened some of my teeth…” She saw pain flash on Alex’s face at her revelation. “I’m so glad we have Michael out of there. No matter where he is, anywhere is better than there.” She quickly tried to change the subject.
Alex leaned down and very tenderly dropped a kiss on her mouth. And then dropping tender kisses while working his way along her right cheekbone and jaw where she’d been struck. “Max does good work,” he added.
“Yeah.” She whispered.
He then reversed the path he had just kissed, and ended with his mouth on hers.
The final bell sounded and they knew they had to get to the first class lest they be late. They almost were anyways. ‘What’s a final kiss?’ They decided.
Stepping out of the Eraser Room, hands interlocked, a couple of Elites took notice of them and sneered at Isabel. Most kids however were scurrying in all directions to make it to their respective classes, the final bell had rung and the day had officially begun.
“See you in English,” he added as he let his hand hold hers until it no longer could and their fingers fell away from each other. Then they each raced in opposite directions down the halls of West Roswell High. They were late for their classes.
TBC...
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
If you are not yet aware... there is authors FB in the previous post.
now lets continue.
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: TEEN -MATURE…
Spoilers: Independence Day (Loosely)
<center>******************************************
Shifting Realities
Chapter 26:B
Liberation
******************************************</center>
Later that evening the Evans’ parents arrived home from a later day at the office, making up for the lost time of the morning. And they were much more sedate than they had been when the kids last saw them.
Michael was sitting in the living room, in Philip’s chair, watching ESPN, in particular a Hockey Game. Isabel was in her room finishing up homework, and Max arrived around the same time as his parents.
Isabel raced down the stairs at the sound of the front door closing… and everyone converged on the living room, and Michael.
“Hey Michael,” Philip quickly threw out. “Good Game?”
Michael briefly looked up at the tall man and mumbled, “Yeah.” His eyes turned back to the screen at the announcer’s voice.
Philip tried again, “So who’s winning?” Michael attempted to look up but quickly seeing that his team was about to score his eyes riveted back on the screen, “Oh…” he waited for the goal, “Yeah….” He said excitedly with his hands raised in victory as another goal was scored.
Diane turned her daughter, “Michael’s still here? Is there anything you wanted to tell us?”
Isabel nodded softly, “Yeah I do, but it can wait. Its not anything that needs dealt with right now. We’ll talk later after you are more relaxed.” That got Diane’s suspicion raised faster than if Isabel had kept silent.
Philip took advantage of the moment, “Does it have anything to do with why Michael is sitting in my living room, entrenched in my chair, watching a hockey game on my TV?”
“Yeah Dad. Hope you won’t mind.” Max chimed in. And Isabel finished the thought, “We’ll talk later.”
********
A few minutes later everyone was seated around the kitchen table, the Evans had brought home Chinese food. Diane was getting drinks out, as Michael started serving himself.
Isabel gave him a quick sideways kick to the shin.
“What?” he hissed.
“We wait for everyone to be seated before we begin to serve ourselves.” She whispered. And he responded in typical fashion, “Why?”
“It’s polite and respectful.”
“Here comes the juice,” said Diane as she carried over a pitcher of cherry juice, her children’s favorite.
“Mom let me help you with those glasses,” Max jumped up and gathered all the tumblers placing one at each person’s spot.
Michael was busy eating.
Isabel shot him another look, sighed, and kicked him again. “I’m going to have a bruise if you keep doing that.” He growled under his breath, leaning into Isabel.
“You wouldn’t if you would just show a bit of manners!” She shot back and then smiled to her dad with an innocent expression.
As Diane sat down Philip smirked at the exchange between Isabel and their houseguest. And then he said, ”Well now that Max and Diane have gotten the drinks together and everyone is seated, we can dig in.” He pointed to a box rather in the center of the table. “Michael would you please pass that box of Mu Shu Pork there to me.”
“Can’t you reach it? Your arms look long enough,” Michael countered. “It’s the same distance from either of us.”
Isabel rolled her eyes, and Max was the one smirking this time. Dinner tonight might get a little interesting. Isabel quickly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I’ll pass it,” as she lifted from her seat to reach for the white box.
“Isabel,” Diane whispered softly.
“It’s no problem, really Mom.”
“I’m sure its not, but sit right back down. Michael was asked for the food. And Michael is the one who needs to pass it.”
Isabel lowered herself back onto her chair, and whispered curtly, “Just pass the food to my dad and don’t make a big deal of it.”
“Yeah…” Michael handed over the box.
“Thanks Michael,” Philip graciously accepted the awaited food. And Michael grunted in response. Isabel sighed in frustration as her mother did so in relief, “Max honey… could please pass me the rice?”
“Sure Mom, here you go.” Max passed the white carton through his dad, and down to his Mom’s side of the table.
Everyone that night made an exaggerated attempt at exhibiting proper manners throughout the remainder of the meal. Unfortunately, most of the lesson was lost on Michael who still grabbed across the table, took more than his share, and chewed with an open mouth.
That dinner, conversation was forgone in lieu of just making it through the meal. And after dinner they all adjourned to the living room for an overdue conversation.
********
Philip started quickly in, “So Michael what brings you to our house for two meals in the same day, Breakfast and Dinner…”
Isabel jumped in, “ He didn’t have anywhere else to go. His foster father had to leave suddenly, and just left Michael there, and so we decided that he could stay with us. Its ok with you guys right?” She smiled reassuringly, “I mean we would have asked before, but you do have to admit that you were kind of busy this morning.” She sent the guilt expertly back onto her parents.
“So how long are you planning to stay Michael?” asked Diane.
“Hell if I know.” Michael muttered as he caught Isabel’s foot rocking on her ankle in his peripheral vision. She was sending the message, “Not good manners.”
“So Max,” Diane turned to her silent son, who as of yet had not contributed to this conversation, “Who decided to bring him here? And why was that again?”
“That would be me,” Max looked at his mother and then gave a covert wink to Isabel. “His foster father really did just take off suddenly, and rather than Michael’s being alone, we didn’t think it would be too much trouble for us to bring him here. Isabel agreed with the plan and so we brought him here last night. He’ll probably need to stay with us for a few days, and I’m sure we’ll know something more, soon.” He lied expertly.
Diane and Philip gave approving nods, and turned to Michael. “So what is your foster fathers name?”
“Hank. Hank Whitmore.” Michael responded. Which was met with, “And just what line of work is he in that he got called out so quickly?”
Michael tensed and Isabel answered, “He’s in marketing.”
“Isabel, please let Michael speak for himself.” her mother added.
Philip then continued, “Alright then, we’ll have to get a hold of him somehow, doesn’t he have a cell number or some way for you reach him if there was an emergency or anything?”
“Nope... No cell phone.”
Philip looked very closely at the young man and his own two children to see if there was anything else he could deduce from this conversation but the kids weren’t talking. “Ok then. Might as well make yourself welcome to our home, and know that in the time you stay here, you will be treated in much the same manner as if you were one of ours. In other words, you’ll be treated as Max and Izzy are, and you will be held to the same rules. Think you can work with that?”
Michael quickly glanced at Isabel’s ankle to see if she had any more warnings for him, but she was just demurely sitting there. “That’s fine,” he answered in a small tone.
“OK so now that you are an honorary Evans for the week at least, lets lay a few things straight. Be mindful of everyone in the house, this is my chair and even the kids don’t sit here (when I’m home) But its no big deal really. Just there are a few places that are truly a man’s, and one is his chair.” Philip stated boldly.
“Phil stop,” Diane slapped her husband’s arm playfully in front of them all as she answered, “Michael, ignore him… The kids think the world of you, and so therefore any friend of theirs is more than welcome for as long as needed. Max and Izzy honestly don’t bring too many friends around; they just don’t have a lot. So you are more than welcome…”
“Are we done?” the young man wanted to make an exit. “Yes Michael we can be finished if you’d like,” Diane stated gently. Then she added as a surrogate mother would, “So would you like to take the guest room down here with its soft and squishy bed or would you prefer to keep camping out on Max’s floor in a sleeping bag? The choice is yours.”
“Yeah. I’ll stay with Max.” Was his quick reply.
She nodded in her understanding, “Ok, that’s fine; whatever feels the most comfortable for you.”
Philip stepped back into the conversation, bringing up the one point that yet hadn’t been broached, “We also couldn’t help but notice your black eye, want to tell us about it?
“Nothing to tell.” Michael shook his head. “Got in a fight.”
“Ok. Tomorrow night we all play a game as a family, and you are more than welcome to join us if you’d like.” They set the plans for the following day.
“I’ll think about it.” Michael sighed in a bored manner.
“Ok you do that.” Philip walked out of the room.
Isabel called and talked to Alex on the phone, Max did homework, and Michael retook over the living room while the Evans went into their home office to do some work. And the evening ended rather peacefully.
********
The next evening, the Evans and Michael took in a game of Monopoly… and as it had in the past timeline, it wasn’t going well. Isabel was ready to loan Michael money to be reminded that they play by the rules and only the bank can give out loans. But for Michael who had no houses as collateral, there wasn’t much they could do.
Michael determined that he no longer wanted to play, by the rules or no, and he in a state of absolute frustration headed out the back door to the small-enclosed porch.
Isabel came out to join him, she encouraged him to stick it out, and to rejoin them and be easier on her dad and an assortment of other suggestions. Michael wanted none of it, and after a heated discussion with the girl he considered a sister he headed off, for he felt confused. He truly was grateful for how the Evans were treating him, but the attention was something he was entirely unaccustomed to. It made him feel uneasy. That and Isabel kept pressuring him to talk to her parents about everything.
So he left. Took off out into the night, out into the darkened streets of Roswell with no specific destination in mind. Michael was miserable and didn’t know what he should do. So he let the thoughts roll around in his head. Should he talk to Isabel and Max’s parent’s? And if he did, should he tell them about the abuse? Or even the alien issue? He knew that they had made him feel more at home in the last couple of days than he ever had before with Hank at the trailer home. So he found it rather ironic when that was the place he ended up at late that February 16th.
He came upon the trailer home that had been home for as long as he could remember and something felt wrong, something felt off…
It was …
The trailer stood there dark and imposing, seemingly deserted. Hank’s 1957 turquoise colored Chevrolet Nomad was nowhere in the vicinity, and all the lights were off.
When he tried the doors, they were locked fast, and rather than use his powers to let himself in, the frustrated young man headed off again. It was better than calling attention to himself if his powers for any reason failed him and exploded the building or any other such thing.
Hank had truly done it. He’d threatened to many times, but this time he had. He really had abandoned Michael when he didn’t return for a couple of days. And Michael realized that what was left of his belongings were sequestered in the trailer and he couldn’t think of a way to retrieve them, unless Hank returned. Which honestly didn’t look too likely at the moment.
The night that the Evans’ siblings had pulled him out of there, only two nights before, what he had stuffed into his bag was paltry. There might have been three or four changes of clean clothes; the least favorites that he owned, hence why they were still clean and not in the laundry pile. He also had packed his denim jacket and his favorite Mettalica shirt and his couple of cd’s that he owned. And that was it. The bag wasn’t filled by any standards.
And the denim jacket was rather inefficient in moments such as these as it soaked in the rain, from the rainstorm that was pelting down on the somber young man.
Michael’s mind was so addled with confusion, and he felt so lost… Hank had truly dumped him; and the Evans? They couldn’t truly want him could they? They were being hospitable and charitable because he was their kids’ friend, right? Or even if they were just nice, they certainly wouldn’t help him without questions would they? Everything in this world came at a price… that much he knew.
Isabel had assured him that he would be fine if he talked to her parents; but his experiences with other adults hadn’t led him to the same conclusions. ‘Adults are the enemy and can’t be trusted.’ It was his motto, his mantra, and he firmly held to it, despite Max and Isabel’s flagrant disregard for the very same.
Michael left his feet to lead him to destinations unknown.
********
After a few minutes of running and then much slower walking while in the pouring rain, the young man abruptly stopped. He stared into the large window as multi-colored floral beads hung in front of its pane from the inside, while rain traveled in rivulets on its outside.
She was brushing her nape-length golden hair, and seemed so innocent, and carefree. Oh to feel that free. Just for even one night of his life. But that wasn’t what had been dealt to him…. he just silently stared, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets as he stood there longing for the warmth… He never let his presence be known, or made any motion at all. And all of a sudden the occupant of the room turned quickly to the window, almost as if she could sense him there.
She separated the beads and peered out into the darkened yard. Then she shook her head and let the beads fall back together while they tangled and twisted and swayed from the movement, as she poured a vial of some bitter liquid into her mouth. Her face grimaced as she forced herself to swallow. Michael watched her every move.
Then she turned her attention back to the window. She spoke to his shadowy figure. “ NO! No you can’t be here.” She ordered. “I know what you want, and I know what your plan is and it just isn’t going to work this time.” He drew closer to the window as if an invisible magnet were pulling him in; it sure wasn’t of his own accord to his knowledge.
“You can’t be here Michael. Just go home.” she insisted, “I don’t know what we are right now, or what the status of our relationship is, but you need to go.”
Michael didn’t budge and continued to stare forlornly into her room.
“You really need to go,” Maria stated in a tone that no longer held the importance it had a second ago; as she pulled the beads back once again to get a better look. With the look on his face, her compassion took her over and with a muttered, “What am I doing? My mother is so going to kill me?!” She opened the window, and pulled the rain soaked Michael Guerin into the safety and warmth of her bedroom.
Leaving him standing in its center momentarily she hurried out to grab some towels and then returned.
She toweled off his hair, as he stood there shivering and silent. He just stared at her and through her with complete abandon; his trust absolute as he let her touch him and dry him off. He felt secure, safe to be exact, and he wondered briefly if this was what Isabel was talking about when she had said that Alex was like her second half. Or when she had stated that he was more family than even family is. He never heard Maria talking to him, as he stood there lost in his thoughts until he felt her tugging at his collar. “Come-on Michael. We need to get this soaking jacket off of you. You could catch Pneumonia. Whatever were you doing out in the rain?”
The jacket clung tightly to him because of its water-soaked quality, and it was hard to remove. Michael just shrugged out of it and let Maria take it from him. She hung it over her doorknob so that it could hang to dry.
Then she returned all her attention to the somber young man. She reached up and tenderly stroked his cheeks with her delicate fingers. The dark colored nail polish contrasting against his creamy skin, as she very lightly touched his face. Her eyes lingering on his, she examined his black eye carefully, softly and gently caressing the skin around it with the pad of her thumb. Michael flinched at her feather-light touch.
The tenderness with which she was treating him, and the boundless love that he felt coming off her in waves, caused his stone-wall to crack. Tears came to the surface as he stood silently watching her, a pleading look on his face. His shoulders started to silently heave from his crying. Never had she ever seen Michael so free, so unguarded, and she certainly wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize it. So she led him ever so cautiously to her bed, so that she could get a better grip on him and comfort him in the process.
As he lay down on her bed, the tears started to flow from his eyes. Michael Guerin, Stone-Wall and tough guy started to cry. Maria wrapped her arm around him as she lay behind him gently kissing his exposed shoulder. “Shhh! Michael. It’ll be ok. You don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to. I’m here. Just let it go! I’m right here.”
With Maria whispering loving reassurances to him, the distraught young man cried himself to sleep in the arms of the girl he loved. The only human he’d ever let remotely close, one of the only humans he trusted.
********
Meanwhile at the Evans’
Philip after calling or searching every place that he could think of, which of course weren’t that many, went to sleep in a state of frustration over Michael’s disappearance at around 1:00 am.
Diane at nearly 2:00 am, an hour later, was pacing the kitchen floor and acting as if she were a concerned mother. She had no idea where Michael was and she was frankly worried for him.
Isabel snuck down from her room shortly after and found her mother wide awake at the kitchen table, a mug of lukewarm coffee wrapped firmly in her grasp, while she stared off into space with a worried expression.
She turned to her daughter upon hearing her enter the kitchen, “Oh? Hi sweetheart.” Diane said as Isabel raided the refrigerator for a pre-sleep midnight drink. Isabel pulled from its shelves the bottle of Tabasco and the pitcher of cherry juice. Taking them to the table she retrieved a glass from the cupboard, “Hi Mom,” she responded as she proceeded to make herself a mixed drink and sat down at the table.
“I didn’t wake you did I? … I just can’t get to sleep and I know I’ve been making noise down here with my pacing and puttering in the kitchen and all.” Diane apologized for the interruption of Isabel’s sleep if that were the case.
“No mom you didn’t wake me. I haven’t exactly been ‘asleep’ yet. Spending a little ‘personal’ time with Alex on the dream plane. We often reconvene around midnight or so. Now, he’s asleep… But a dream-walk isn’t the same as actually sleeping for me. I can pull out of them and be awake again.” She laughed. “What are you still doing up?”
“Michael left here so upset hours ago and he hasn’t called or showed up, to state the obvious. I’m worried for him.” Diane shrugged.
“Would you worry for Max or I like this?”
“Of course sweetheart, but I think even more so with your alien declaration. I just have to know that you are alright before I go to sleep. You don’t know this, or maybe you do, but I come into your rooms to check on you as I retire for the night. You’re often awake and I just say goodnight. Mothers do that anyways, checking on their kids, but after all you’ve told us, it’s an obsessive ritual for me right now. And we told Michael that he was being held to the same rules as you guys, yet we don’t even know how to track him down. He shouldn’t be out there, but safe in here.”
“Go to bed Mom.” Isabel pulled her mother from her chair and guided her towards the stairs. “Michael will be fine. You’ve seen how the last two dinners went. He doesn’t understand the rules.”
“Are you sure he’ll be fine?” Diane asked, as they seemed to effortlessly change places, with Diane the worried and Isabel the confident. Usually it is the mother’s job to be the reassuring factor.
“Well, I can’t say that I know where he’s gone either... But yeah, he’ll be fine. But you will not if you don’t get some sleep. Max and I function on a lot less than you ‘humans.’ The alien daughter teased. “Max averages 2-4 hours a night, and I average 3-5. Of course we need to have a normal human amount once in awhile to regulate. But we’re wired for less sleep. Humans however need 8-10 hours, every night.” She gave her mother a condescending look. “If you go right to sleep now, let’s see it’s nearly 3:00 am,” she stated looking at the wall clock. “ You’ll be up at 5:30 am. You are going to get 2 ½ hours of sleep if you are lucky, and isn’t it a Clovis day? Go to bed, I’ll keep up the vigil here.“
“Goodnight Isabel. I really am tired.” Diane mentioned.
“I’ll bet. Love you mom.” Isabel kissed her mother’s cheek.
“You too. Sleep well if or when you do.” Diane responded and with that headed up the stairs and out of sight.
Isabel cleared the remains of their drinks from the table and headed up herself.
********
That morning of the 17th, the bright February sun was filtering through the large window, the first rays of the day were creeping through the darkness while the nightlight illuminated any other residual blackness.
Amy DeLuca in her pajamas and robe, had just retrieved the newspaper, and was making her morning rounds. Waking Maria was usually on the list, for the girl loved to sleep in. But then with how hard Maria worked and schooling and everything, Amy didn’t mind the little concessions she had to make. “Maria honey. You need to wake up now or you’ll be late.” She yawned as she lazily alerted her daughter to the morning. This morning however, she did mind the concession, and she certainly wished she hadn’t seen what she did.
She looked up for a moment and then she screamed, “OH MY GOD!!!“ The sound of her mother’s shrill surprise forced Maria to an instant state of wakefulness. “Get out of this bed this instant.” Amy rolled up the newspaper and started to hit to the second occupant of the bed. A Boy. “Get Out!! Out now!!! And don’t ever let me catch you in my daughter’s bed again.” The young man scrambled to his feet. Maria’s mother treated newspapers as if they were deadly weapons…. And Michael was receiving her blows the whole time he remained in Maria’s room. He grabbed his still damp jacket and fled from the room.
All the while Maria was trying to diffuse the situation, “Calm down Mom its not what you’re thinking.” And or she was trying to call out to Michael. Neither person was hearing her. And the front door slammed shut.
Amy turned to her daughter with a fiery look in her eyes. “Maria! Kitchen! Now!“ she said in short, single words… its importance not lost on any teen. Once they were there, Amy slammed a container of Granola down on the table in front of Maria and launched in… “My baby girls having sex.”
Maria countered with, “I’m not having sex Mom. You can trust Michael; he’s a good guy. Something was clearly wrong. That’s why I let him stay.”
“You let him stay??” Amy shot back, “Knowing the rules of this house, you still decided to let him stay???”
“Mom, look. Not me nor any of my friends are having sex alright.” Maria blurted out. “We’re all good kids. Not that that even matters, but you can trust me, your daughter. Something was wrong; I wouldn’t have let him stay otherwise.”
“Maria… you just don’t get it do you?” Amy started to pace around her tiny kitchen, “It starts just like this, with falling for a rough around the edges guy. Then he finds himself in some kind of trouble and you want to help. Before you know what has happened, you find yourself in a dependant relationship because he needs you so much. And you give your heart and your self away before you even realize it has happened. And then one day, he just up and disappears. And you’re left on your own, rediscovering yourself, reclaiming all the lost time and putting the pieces of your shattered life back together. Because he was your world.” She stopped directly in front of Maria tapping her foot.
“MOM. Listen to yourself. He wouldn’t. Michael isn’t Dad.”
“He’s the same type Maria.”
“Mom please?” The teen pleaded imploringly. “ You can trust me. And you can trust Michael; he’s a good guy. He really is.”
“Honey. I’ve heard these same words before, from the lips of another very independent young woman I’ve known. MYSELF. And look at my life, look at where I’ve ended up?” Maria was tuning her out while Amy continued, “You have so much going for you, you’re strong, and smart, and so full of potential. And so because of this I say, No Boys. No sleepovers. No way!!! I will not have your life go down as mine. You’ve so subtlely pointed out that my life is basically a train wreck…
Maria was thinking about everything her mother was saying. Not that she hadn’t heard it a million times before, Amy made a point of making sure Maria would not turn out like her. But Maria was thinking about Michael the night before. What had happened to him? Why did he have a black eye? And why had he gone to her? But most importantly, why had he even let his guard, his self described ‘stone-wall’ down so far that he had chosen to let her into his private pain?
“MA-RI-A!!!… Are you even listening to me?” Amy challenged her daughter.
“I’m listening Mom.” She answered quickly and on cue, “I’m worried about Michael, I mean didn’t you notice, he had a black eye?”
“A black-eye honey?” Amy groaned as she stared her daughter in the eyes, “Oh this just gets better and better doesn’t it?” Sarcasm dripping from her lips.
“Of course you didn’t notice, how could you?” Maria fired back, “You were too busy hitting him with the morning news. And in the future I’d prefer it if you didn’t go around whacking my friends with newspapers, Alright Mom?” She heatedly retorted.
“What? Since when are you telling me how to operate things in my house?! My house, Maria. I pay the bills. I own the place. Do you? Do you get to state the rules? Not the last time I checked…” Maria heaved a huge sigh, this was what she knew she was risking as she let Michael in the night before; her mother’s wrath.
“Maria. No matter how noble, how innocent your intentions are. No more sleepovers with boys. This morning’s shock has left its mark indelibly emblazoned on my brain… Finding a boy in bed with you!?,, What are you trying to do to me, kill me? It’s not like we don’t have a couch,,,” she threw out.
“He could stay?” Maria asked in her utter shock, seizing an opportunity to use her mother’s slip against her.
“That’s not what I said,” Amy stammered. “You should have talked to me first.” She continued to fumble and find a way to regain a control of the conversation that her daughter was quickly taking.
“I couldn’t. Mom, you have to trust me on this, Michael won’t talk to anyone. He wasn’t ready to talk to me. If I had challenged him or called you he would have run out into that cold rainy night again. I couldn’t let him do that.”
“Why? What’s so important that you broke all the rules?” Amy fired back.
“I can’t tell you that.” Maria whined, “Could he stay if necessary or not? We need to clear this up.” She defiantly looked up at her mother’s still blazing eyes.
Amy found herself caving, because after all Maria was raised right and she did have a good head on her shoulders and had always shown good judgment until last night, “Well, maybe in an emergency,” She so hoped that she wasn’t making a huge mistake. But Maria had seemed so adamant with her position this morning. “AND only in the living room. I do not want to wake up to find a boy in your bed again.”
“Thanks Mom.” Maria jumped from her chair and threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “ Now I’ve got to get ready.”
“We both do. But know that this amended rule is only because I trust you. Honey,” she said in a warning tone, “if you break that trust…”
“I won’t mom. Thank you.”
********
Michael never went to school that day either, and with different events taking place in this timeline, Isabel really was starting to become concerned for where he might have gone. Last time she was, but he had been at Maria’s. Is that where he went this time? Would Maria even let her know if that were the case? She hadn’t said anything all day at school. Come to think of it, Maria seemed as if she was avoiding her. And the last timeline found Michael in the custody of Sheriff Valenti as he was arrested and questioned on the issue of Hank’s disappearance. Is that what happened this time? Isabel had no idea where he was.
It was in this state, that the tall, agitated, teen stepped into the Crashdown that afternoon. She wanted answers, and she would find a way to get them.
The girls were in a discussion as Liz bussed the counter and Maria was animatedly talking. About which Isabel couldn’t hear. Upon seeing her arrive however they immediately clammed up. A fact that wasn’t lost on Isabel.
Maria launched in… “There’s one of the Czechs now.” She shot a derisive look toward the taller teen. “So what was the whole deal with Valentines Day huh? We waited for you, all of you. You know we were all dressed up and ready for a fun night. But you all stood us up…” She swallowed as she continued, “Alex made some flimsy excuse that absolved you. But he seemed upset; he wasn’t his usual self you know?? I’m sick of this. You guys have no feelings for anyone but yourselves. Whatever you need, you take. You use us. We have to coddle your emotions; we have to pick up the pieces, but what about us? What do we get out of all this?? Apparently nothing. Just sitting at an empty table, waiting. That’s not how friends treat each other.”
Isabel couldn’t get a word in edgewise… but if she knew Maria, and she was pretty sure she did, she knew Maria was upset about something else and had to fight about another issue, not the direct one.
Isabel raised her eyebrows at the girl’s tirade, and said very succinctly, “Where’s Michael?”
“I didn’t say anything about Michael…” Maria countered.
“You didn’t have to.” Isabel smirked, “And I thought you were going to be calm this week. You know, not overreacting. Lost a bet remember? Alex did not make up a flimsy excuse, I guarantee we really were busy.” She shot out defending the man she loved.
“You were busy fixing your hair?” Maria continued the altercation, throwing Isabel off track, and leaving her confused. “What?”
“That’s what Alex said, that you were having a hair crisis and wouldn’t leave the house. But we know that’s a very flimsy excuse, considering...” She made a motion of waving her hand in the air over her hair… “and its done.”
“Yeah whatever.” ‘Oh I was having a crisis alright.’ “ Now where’s Michael?” Isabel went right back to her previous topic.
“I haven’t seen him all day.” Maria threw out, while internally thinking, ‘Not since my mother chased him out.’
“If you do I’m looking for him.” Isabel shot back.
“Get in line Isabel… Don’t you spend enough time with him at is it? What’s so important that you need to find him?”
Isabel sighed and made a face. “Because he’s in trouble.” She whispered out harshly. “I can’t say anything. I promised not too. I’m just worried. OK?”
Then Maria softened and added, “Me too. He was with me all night.”
Liz stared at her wide-eyed. “He was with you? WHY?”
And Isabel nodded in response, softly to herself. ‘At least it’s playing out somewhat right.’
“I don’t know.” Maria stated honestly, “I’ve just never seen him like that.”
Isabel dove in. “Hank did it. His foster father has been hurting him.”
“My God Isabel,” answered Maria not quite feeling the whole impact of the situation yet.
“That’s terrible,” said Liz.
“Yeah well. Max and I are doing what we can, and trying to help him and all. But he just ran off, into the night last night and no one had heard from him since.”
“How are you doing Isabel?” Asked a concerned friend.
“How do you think I’m doing Liz?” She hissed, “Michael’s AWOL, my parents are panicked, and Max and I are trying to fix everything before it all blows up in our faces. But Michael is the deciding factor.”
“Have you told Alex? I’m sure he’d be there for you?” She softly added.
“Have I told Alex?” Isabel slowly repeated the statement, “He told me. He’s the first one who knew anything…” The bell above the door tinkled a newcomer’s arrival and all three girls eyes instinctively raised to the spot.
“Speak of the Devil,” Isabel muttered.
“Hey Alex come here for a sec.” Liz called to the third member of the human trio. The boy ambled over, “Whats going on?”
“Isabel said something about Michael and that you were the one to tell her…” Liz questioned him.
“Yeah... don’t know the details really.” Alex shrugged, “But I know that in a drunken rage Hank hurt him, badly. Isabel and Max took it from that point. On Valentine’s Day got him out of there and took him home with them.” He quirked an eyebrow in Maria’s direction.
“Valentine’s Day?” Asked an abashed Maria
“Yeah. Might explain where your missing dates disappeared too. Huh?” He teased them.
“And here I thought we’d been stood up.” Maria moaned.
“Overreacting as usual?” He chided her. “I thought you weren’t going to do that this week…”
“Shut it Alex.” Maria ordered, “You could have just told us.”
“Nope. Isabel was telling no-one, so…”
“Subject change.” Liz jumped in before those two ended up in some sort of verbal sparring, “Michael’s staying with you guys?” She directed the question to Isabel, “What did you tell your parents?”
Isabel huffed, “Nothing. Another Lie. We’re waiting for him to tell them in his own good timing. But knowing Michael, that might be … Never!!!”
“So why was he at your house Maria?” asked Liz. Alex looked on in confusion.
“Like I said I don’t know. He was really upset. He actually shed tears.” She shook her head.
“Michael cried!?” asked a shocked Isabel.
“Yeah. And he was soaking wet. He’d been in the rain for a little while at least. But why’d he end up at my house if he’s staying with you guys?”
“He’s Michael.” Using her famous line when the boy’s actions made no sense, “He was uncomfortable. He ran off, when a game we were all playing didn’t go so good.”
“And I ask again, how are you doing Isabel?” Liz was concerned for her friends.
“Better than my parents.” Isabel replied truthfully.
“Your parents?” questioned Alex, feeling caught up in some respects and more than a little lost in others.
“Yeah.” Isabel nodded, “You’d think Michael was one of theirs, the way my Dad didn’t go to bed till quite late after exhausting all possibilities of where he might be. And Mom went to bed around 3:00... They’ll be so tired tonight.”
“No sign of him?” Alex asked.
“Not since this morning,” Maria shook her head. And Alex returned a confused look. “Imagine my mother waking up to find Michael in my bed??” She added.
Alex’s eyes went wide in understanding.
“Yeah,” Maria intoned. “Exactly.”
“He’ll turn up.” Liz tried to soothe the emotions in the group.
“I know he will. But when or where is what I’m worried about.” Answered Isabel.
“Well hate to do this, but we’ve really got to get back to work. Good Luck on the Michael situation Isabel.” Sing-songed Maria.
“Yeah. Thanks.” She smiled as the girls rushed over to the waiting customers, “So what are you doing here?” Isabel turned to Alex.
“Hanging out with my girls. May I escort the beautiful lady home?”
“I’d like that. Bye” She waved to the occupied waitresses as she interlocked their fingers and walked out into the twilight with Alex at her side.
“Do you think she’ll be ok?” Maria asked as they parted earshot. “I mean you know how much Max and Michael mean to her?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s got Alex.” Liz reassured her best friend of a lifetime.
“Yeah I guess you’re right.” Maria smiled in return. “How can one not be ok with Alex?”
********
Much later that evening, around 10:00 pm to be exact, Max home from work, the Evans’ were all at home and talking amongst other things. When who should decide to appear, but Michael Guerin?
He walked through the front door in a stride of confidence as if he belonged there.
Diane, in a completely worried mother manner, jumped from her seat and threw her arms around the now confused young man. He stood there stiffly as her arms wrapped around him and squeezed before she let go again. “Oh Michael, Thank God you’re alright. I’ve been worried sick about you. Are you hungry? Have you eaten anything?” She asked him to fill the space and to give her something to focus on that wasn’t just the rigid boy.
“Where’ve you been keeping yourself?” Philip jumped in. “And just so you know, that of this very moment; you are grounded.
“What!!!?” exclaimed all three teens in a tone of matched surprise. Max and Isabel sure hadn’t been expecting that, but the expert parental handling that their dad did, led them to think that he had planned exactly that.
Philip continued, “I told you that you were welcome to stay, but since it was an elongated length of time, that you would be held to the same rules as our kids, and those rules are again for the record: A phone number where you can be reached. A knowledge of where you are and who you are with. And finally, if you are going to be gone for any length of time, especially and including past curfew, you will call and inform of that fact. But it was past curfew, when you left. Are you aware that my wife didn’t get any sleep last night because she was waiting for you? So where’d you go?”
“Out. Around. Look Mr. E. You’re not my father. So...”
“That’s right I am not. But I am Max and Izzy’s father, and you are staying in our house as their/our guest. And as someone whom we are currently responsible for you are not to wander around as you please. There are rules to abide by and you will inform your hosts, being us, as to your whereabouts. Is This Clear??” He looked the teen directly in the eyes.
“Yeah.” Michael’s gaze flitted to the side. The eye-to-eye contact was making him feel claustrophobic.
“Good.” Philip said while clapping him on the shoulder. “You will come home immediately after school tomorrow and you will have no social contact with anyone outside of this house for the remainder of the day. Again clear?”
“Clear.”
“Good again. Now go to the kitchen, Mrs. Evans held dinner for you.” He issued the boy out and turned to his kids.
“Dad what are you doing?” Isabel jumped in as soon as Michael migrated to the kitchen.
“Isabel, Max,” Philip looked his children in the eyes simultaneously. “Michael will not treat our home here as a hotel. He is our guest, not a patron guest, and he will afford us the respect that comes with that.”
“Fine. But grounding him?” Max mentioned.
“As long as we are acting in the stead of his foster father, he will be treated in a manner equal to you.” Philip Evans’ tone left no room for argument and his kids knew that what he said was final. They stared at their dad collectively and silently. “Any more issues, anything else to solve tonight?” Philip squarely looked them in the face, as he walked in front of them with his hands behind his back in much the manner a Drill Sergeant sizes up the troops.
“No.” They each shook their heads.
“Alright then. I’ll be upstairs if you need me. I’ve got things to do.”
********
Michael really didn’t know how to react or what he should do at this point. He now felt as if he were a prisoner of the Evans’ with Philip’s grounding order and all. He just wasn’t ready to share with anyone what was upsetting him, (everything in general really.) His night with Maria last night was confusing enough.
He stalked off to Max’s room after eating his fill of Mrs. Evans’ delicious homemade chili. And after the Evans’ had made their nightly rounds and had gone to sleep, he waited for the house to go silent; after it had, he grabbed his bag and started to stuff it with all his belongings.
Max turned to him from his desk. “What are you doing?”
“Getting out of here. Your dad hates me, trapped me here and I can’t go anywhere.”
Max jumped up and moved over by his bed, standing there watching Michael in disbelief as he still spoke, “He grounded you for one day Michael. He doesn’t hate you; this is what parents do. Isabel and I would be grounded far worse if we pulled the same stunt. My dad’s just looking out for you, that’s all. You should be grateful.”
Michael snorted a hissing sound from his nostrils, “I can take care of myself. Done pretty good so far haven’t I?”
“What are you going to do?” Max asked in a controlled tone. This was met with another shirt being yanked silently but forcefully from the drawer that Michael was currently using and being plunked unceremoniously inside his bag. “Where do you think you’re going?” Max tried a little bit harsher. Michael repeated the unspoken statement with his jeans. “You just wait right there. I’m getting Isabel.” Max tore out of his bedroom and raced upstairs.
He blew through her closed door, “I need you right now!!” He immediately absorbed the sight of what was all over her bed, all the alien artifacts, the symbol drawing, the pendant, the healing stones which she was rolling in her hands, and the book by Atherton. “What are you doing?” they asked each other in unison.
“See this stuff? Its all there is about us or where we’re from. These stones are from the day that you guys got sick. The day I realized that there is more out there, a real place, a home… She was about to repeat the entire statement from the past but Max interrupted her train of thought and ordered, “Yeah grab it quick and bring it to my room. Maybe you can talk some sense into Michael; he’s always had a soft spot towards you.”
“What’s he doing?” She asked.
“From the looks of it, packing his bags and leaving if I’m not mistaken.” Max was waiting impatiently in her doorway.
“Oh No... Not again.” She mumbled somewhat softly recalling the past timeline when Michael had run away.
“What?” Max asked, not sure if he had heard her correctly.
“Oh nothing.” She quickly recovered, “You know he just does what he wants…” and then in a feigned shock she uttered, “He’s just leaving?”
“From what I can tell. Are you coming or not?” he was in a hurry for he already knew that Michael answered to no one and he might make it out the door before Isabel got up.
She quickly secured all the alien things into the pouch and raced out of her room on her brother’s heels quickly down the stairs.
They caught up with Michael who was in the living room, bag slung over his shoulder and about to walk out the living room door. Isabel barricaded his way. “Where are you going?” she demanded.
“Somewhere else.” He replied hotly.
“Where?” She ordered again.
“Away from Roswell. There’s absolutely nothing left for me here now.” He put the back of his hand on her shoulder and tried to force her out his way. She didn’t budge instead she stared directly into his eyes with fire. The anger in her eyes was belied by her statement which she spoke in a controlled manner, “What about us, aren’t we something? We’re here, in Roswell? Maria. Yeah she’s here too.”
Michael turned his head to look at Max and said, “Say goodbye you two.”
“NO!” they vociferously answered together.
Turning back the girl he’d always loved as a sister he stated softly but forcefully, “Isabel don’t make this any harder. Say goodbye now, I’ll keep in touch ok.”
“Not good enough.” She continued to level him with her glare. “I’m not saying goodbye,” she thought for a moment and turned to her brother, “unless Max does for me. I’m going with you.” She moved slightly from her stance in the doorway.
“No you will not!” Michael countered. “You stay here, you like this little life. I’m going to find Nasedo, find our parents, find our real home. I just don’t belong here anymore.” He stated confidently, as Max joined them in the doorway.
Speaking in a tone of authority, “If he left that symbol for us in the woods wouldn’t you think he’s rather close to Roswell?” Max sent out. “We’re not saying goodbye until you’ve heard us out. You can leave afterwards if you must, but you are going to hear us, now go sit down.” He pointed in the direction of the Living Room and ordered Michael with just a look. Michael stood stiffly, stubbornly as his bag slid to the floor. He crossed his arms on his chest and waited. Max took their dad’s chair, sitting on its armrest, and Isabel nervously stood, wringing her hands.
Max began, “Ok Michael? Why don’t you want to stay?”
“I can’t.” he answered. ‘Why not?’ Isabel nearly screamed in her mind as the words silently lip-synced across her lips. No-one caught it however for her back was turned to the aggravated alien. Instead she said in a surly manner, “Such a non-committal answer that answers nothing. Talk…Michael.” She turned to him in a blur of motion and for a brief second he wondered if she’d hit him, “Ok, listen Michael. You’re running off to find someone…” with a swallow she stared at him even more, “Someone else who has never been apart of our lives. We’ve always been part of each other doesn’t that count for something?” The fire that had earlier been in her eyes was by now a raging inferno; he could almost feel the heat radiating from her. There was no Ice Princess here. Try the Goddess of Fire perhaps, but not Ice. “And where are you going to start searching? If that night in the woods indicates anything, as Max pointed out, that other one is already around here.” She watched him as if she were a cat about to pounce on its prey.
Michael had so hoped to leave without any of this emotional crap that was now transpiring between them. It would have been so much easier.
Then Max spoke and she understood the reason behind it, “Michael? Did you know that Isabel had nightmares for the first three years after we hatched and got separated? She would cry every night. That continued until we found you again. We’re connected somehow. We are a family.”
She jumped back in “That’s right,” A softening smile crossed her lips as she placed her hand on his tense arm. “Family. I always thought that we’d anything for each other. Think anyone else would? Think anyone else would just rush to our aid? NO! And how are we going to know to come to yours if you are no longer around? What’s going to happen to YOU Michael?”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.” He denied while Isabel heaved a sigh and shook her head as it was averted downwards. When she looked back up he could see that mingled with the flames was an impassivity. She was not going to let this go. “I’m not staying. You need to let me go and say goodbye.” He looked directly into her eyes.
“No! Michael we can’t. You understand, we just… can’t.” Her voice held a tone of sadness, but she kept her emotions in check.
Trying one last attempt, “Alright Michael listen up, “ Isabel got in his face, “You got a raw deal. No-one says you didn’t. But rather than running away, can’t you just ask for help? My parents would gladly give it. So would it kill you to ask for help even this once?”
“Yes Isabel, it would.” She sighed resentfully, and paced off.
Watching everything but having said little Max reentered the fray, “Fine I’ll add only one more thing,” said Max. “You are jealous of us.”
“NO!!” Michael denied again.
“Yes.” He went into his brother’s space, “You always say how we got such a great family, and great house to live in, and everything. You’ve had a very small taste of that the last couple days, the thing you are jealous of, and you’re ready to throw it all away. Just like that.” He waited silently for moment as he let that sink into Michael. “Its harder for us than for you. When we screw up, we have to take responsibility and consequences for our actions and there is no excuse. But you can do or say anything because of Hank. And you have an excuse for everything and why its so messed up. But if you leave, what will happen to you without him, without a fall-guy for your mess-ups? What then. It’ll all be on you is then what.”
“Leave it up to me to still screw up huh Maxwell?” Michael retorted.
“Its ok Michael,” Isabel turned back in, “If you do we’ll all still be there for you. Maybe its time you started to think of other people besides just yourself. Maybe its time to stop acting like a child. But if you must go, know that we are connected, and we always have been.” She said softly.
“That’s right. We’re a family.” Max added following Isabel’s lead once again.
“You don’t know that, you don’t know what we are. You have no idea if we’re related.” Michael re-slung the bag over his shoulder.
“You are so infuriating to talk to.” Isabel hissed, “We’re the only ones like us. That makes us related, by default if nothing else. It makes us family. But if you’re leaving, take this. None of it means a thing without you. And know that we’ll miss you. I’ll miss you.” She kissed his cheek as she handed him the pouch of artifacts. When he looked into her eyes he realized that the fire was being extinguished by its natural enemy. Water. Isabel’s eyes were misting at the thought of losing him and it was driving her anger into a resigned sadness.
Yet that wasn’t enough to convince him to stay. “Yeah goodbye.“ And with all they cajoled and tried to coerce him, he remained inflexible and stubborn. And somewhere between two and and three am on the morning of February 18, 2000 Michael Guerin walked out the door, and out into the night to start his new life alone, and away from Roswell.
TBC ....
IMPORTANT A/N: I really, really, wanted to add a song to this section. But I couldn't find any that I particularly liked, didn't bookmark/favorite the one site I was reading lyrics and it got lost, as well as the paper I wrote it down on. It too is missing. And I don't listen to Metallica.
Please can someone of you readers help me find an appropriate song for this chapter. You will be given due credit of course.
You've read the chapter now, so you have a feel for all the scenes. I prefer a Metallica song because thats Michael's Favorite band and this is a Michael chapter more so. But anything that he listens too is fair game as well.
Thanks already to anyone who wishes to assist. Please provide links to the lyrics site as well if possible.
You can e-mail me or PM me.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
now lets continue.
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: TEEN -MATURE…
Spoilers: Independence Day (Loosely)
<center>******************************************
Shifting Realities
Chapter 26:B
Liberation
******************************************</center>
Later that evening the Evans’ parents arrived home from a later day at the office, making up for the lost time of the morning. And they were much more sedate than they had been when the kids last saw them.
Michael was sitting in the living room, in Philip’s chair, watching ESPN, in particular a Hockey Game. Isabel was in her room finishing up homework, and Max arrived around the same time as his parents.
Isabel raced down the stairs at the sound of the front door closing… and everyone converged on the living room, and Michael.
“Hey Michael,” Philip quickly threw out. “Good Game?”
Michael briefly looked up at the tall man and mumbled, “Yeah.” His eyes turned back to the screen at the announcer’s voice.
Philip tried again, “So who’s winning?” Michael attempted to look up but quickly seeing that his team was about to score his eyes riveted back on the screen, “Oh…” he waited for the goal, “Yeah….” He said excitedly with his hands raised in victory as another goal was scored.
Diane turned her daughter, “Michael’s still here? Is there anything you wanted to tell us?”
Isabel nodded softly, “Yeah I do, but it can wait. Its not anything that needs dealt with right now. We’ll talk later after you are more relaxed.” That got Diane’s suspicion raised faster than if Isabel had kept silent.
Philip took advantage of the moment, “Does it have anything to do with why Michael is sitting in my living room, entrenched in my chair, watching a hockey game on my TV?”
“Yeah Dad. Hope you won’t mind.” Max chimed in. And Isabel finished the thought, “We’ll talk later.”
********
A few minutes later everyone was seated around the kitchen table, the Evans had brought home Chinese food. Diane was getting drinks out, as Michael started serving himself.
Isabel gave him a quick sideways kick to the shin.
“What?” he hissed.
“We wait for everyone to be seated before we begin to serve ourselves.” She whispered. And he responded in typical fashion, “Why?”
“It’s polite and respectful.”
“Here comes the juice,” said Diane as she carried over a pitcher of cherry juice, her children’s favorite.
“Mom let me help you with those glasses,” Max jumped up and gathered all the tumblers placing one at each person’s spot.
Michael was busy eating.
Isabel shot him another look, sighed, and kicked him again. “I’m going to have a bruise if you keep doing that.” He growled under his breath, leaning into Isabel.
“You wouldn’t if you would just show a bit of manners!” She shot back and then smiled to her dad with an innocent expression.
As Diane sat down Philip smirked at the exchange between Isabel and their houseguest. And then he said, ”Well now that Max and Diane have gotten the drinks together and everyone is seated, we can dig in.” He pointed to a box rather in the center of the table. “Michael would you please pass that box of Mu Shu Pork there to me.”
“Can’t you reach it? Your arms look long enough,” Michael countered. “It’s the same distance from either of us.”
Isabel rolled her eyes, and Max was the one smirking this time. Dinner tonight might get a little interesting. Isabel quickly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I’ll pass it,” as she lifted from her seat to reach for the white box.
“Isabel,” Diane whispered softly.
“It’s no problem, really Mom.”
“I’m sure its not, but sit right back down. Michael was asked for the food. And Michael is the one who needs to pass it.”
Isabel lowered herself back onto her chair, and whispered curtly, “Just pass the food to my dad and don’t make a big deal of it.”
“Yeah…” Michael handed over the box.
“Thanks Michael,” Philip graciously accepted the awaited food. And Michael grunted in response. Isabel sighed in frustration as her mother did so in relief, “Max honey… could please pass me the rice?”
“Sure Mom, here you go.” Max passed the white carton through his dad, and down to his Mom’s side of the table.
Everyone that night made an exaggerated attempt at exhibiting proper manners throughout the remainder of the meal. Unfortunately, most of the lesson was lost on Michael who still grabbed across the table, took more than his share, and chewed with an open mouth.
That dinner, conversation was forgone in lieu of just making it through the meal. And after dinner they all adjourned to the living room for an overdue conversation.
********
Philip started quickly in, “So Michael what brings you to our house for two meals in the same day, Breakfast and Dinner…”
Isabel jumped in, “ He didn’t have anywhere else to go. His foster father had to leave suddenly, and just left Michael there, and so we decided that he could stay with us. Its ok with you guys right?” She smiled reassuringly, “I mean we would have asked before, but you do have to admit that you were kind of busy this morning.” She sent the guilt expertly back onto her parents.
“So how long are you planning to stay Michael?” asked Diane.
“Hell if I know.” Michael muttered as he caught Isabel’s foot rocking on her ankle in his peripheral vision. She was sending the message, “Not good manners.”
“So Max,” Diane turned to her silent son, who as of yet had not contributed to this conversation, “Who decided to bring him here? And why was that again?”
“That would be me,” Max looked at his mother and then gave a covert wink to Isabel. “His foster father really did just take off suddenly, and rather than Michael’s being alone, we didn’t think it would be too much trouble for us to bring him here. Isabel agreed with the plan and so we brought him here last night. He’ll probably need to stay with us for a few days, and I’m sure we’ll know something more, soon.” He lied expertly.
Diane and Philip gave approving nods, and turned to Michael. “So what is your foster fathers name?”
“Hank. Hank Whitmore.” Michael responded. Which was met with, “And just what line of work is he in that he got called out so quickly?”
Michael tensed and Isabel answered, “He’s in marketing.”
“Isabel, please let Michael speak for himself.” her mother added.
Philip then continued, “Alright then, we’ll have to get a hold of him somehow, doesn’t he have a cell number or some way for you reach him if there was an emergency or anything?”
“Nope... No cell phone.”
Philip looked very closely at the young man and his own two children to see if there was anything else he could deduce from this conversation but the kids weren’t talking. “Ok then. Might as well make yourself welcome to our home, and know that in the time you stay here, you will be treated in much the same manner as if you were one of ours. In other words, you’ll be treated as Max and Izzy are, and you will be held to the same rules. Think you can work with that?”
Michael quickly glanced at Isabel’s ankle to see if she had any more warnings for him, but she was just demurely sitting there. “That’s fine,” he answered in a small tone.
“OK so now that you are an honorary Evans for the week at least, lets lay a few things straight. Be mindful of everyone in the house, this is my chair and even the kids don’t sit here (when I’m home) But its no big deal really. Just there are a few places that are truly a man’s, and one is his chair.” Philip stated boldly.
“Phil stop,” Diane slapped her husband’s arm playfully in front of them all as she answered, “Michael, ignore him… The kids think the world of you, and so therefore any friend of theirs is more than welcome for as long as needed. Max and Izzy honestly don’t bring too many friends around; they just don’t have a lot. So you are more than welcome…”
“Are we done?” the young man wanted to make an exit. “Yes Michael we can be finished if you’d like,” Diane stated gently. Then she added as a surrogate mother would, “So would you like to take the guest room down here with its soft and squishy bed or would you prefer to keep camping out on Max’s floor in a sleeping bag? The choice is yours.”
“Yeah. I’ll stay with Max.” Was his quick reply.
She nodded in her understanding, “Ok, that’s fine; whatever feels the most comfortable for you.”
Philip stepped back into the conversation, bringing up the one point that yet hadn’t been broached, “We also couldn’t help but notice your black eye, want to tell us about it?
“Nothing to tell.” Michael shook his head. “Got in a fight.”
“Ok. Tomorrow night we all play a game as a family, and you are more than welcome to join us if you’d like.” They set the plans for the following day.
“I’ll think about it.” Michael sighed in a bored manner.
“Ok you do that.” Philip walked out of the room.
Isabel called and talked to Alex on the phone, Max did homework, and Michael retook over the living room while the Evans went into their home office to do some work. And the evening ended rather peacefully.
********
The next evening, the Evans and Michael took in a game of Monopoly… and as it had in the past timeline, it wasn’t going well. Isabel was ready to loan Michael money to be reminded that they play by the rules and only the bank can give out loans. But for Michael who had no houses as collateral, there wasn’t much they could do.
Michael determined that he no longer wanted to play, by the rules or no, and he in a state of absolute frustration headed out the back door to the small-enclosed porch.
Isabel came out to join him, she encouraged him to stick it out, and to rejoin them and be easier on her dad and an assortment of other suggestions. Michael wanted none of it, and after a heated discussion with the girl he considered a sister he headed off, for he felt confused. He truly was grateful for how the Evans were treating him, but the attention was something he was entirely unaccustomed to. It made him feel uneasy. That and Isabel kept pressuring him to talk to her parents about everything.
So he left. Took off out into the night, out into the darkened streets of Roswell with no specific destination in mind. Michael was miserable and didn’t know what he should do. So he let the thoughts roll around in his head. Should he talk to Isabel and Max’s parent’s? And if he did, should he tell them about the abuse? Or even the alien issue? He knew that they had made him feel more at home in the last couple of days than he ever had before with Hank at the trailer home. So he found it rather ironic when that was the place he ended up at late that February 16th.
He came upon the trailer home that had been home for as long as he could remember and something felt wrong, something felt off…
It was …
The trailer stood there dark and imposing, seemingly deserted. Hank’s 1957 turquoise colored Chevrolet Nomad was nowhere in the vicinity, and all the lights were off.
When he tried the doors, they were locked fast, and rather than use his powers to let himself in, the frustrated young man headed off again. It was better than calling attention to himself if his powers for any reason failed him and exploded the building or any other such thing.
Hank had truly done it. He’d threatened to many times, but this time he had. He really had abandoned Michael when he didn’t return for a couple of days. And Michael realized that what was left of his belongings were sequestered in the trailer and he couldn’t think of a way to retrieve them, unless Hank returned. Which honestly didn’t look too likely at the moment.
The night that the Evans’ siblings had pulled him out of there, only two nights before, what he had stuffed into his bag was paltry. There might have been three or four changes of clean clothes; the least favorites that he owned, hence why they were still clean and not in the laundry pile. He also had packed his denim jacket and his favorite Mettalica shirt and his couple of cd’s that he owned. And that was it. The bag wasn’t filled by any standards.
And the denim jacket was rather inefficient in moments such as these as it soaked in the rain, from the rainstorm that was pelting down on the somber young man.
Michael’s mind was so addled with confusion, and he felt so lost… Hank had truly dumped him; and the Evans? They couldn’t truly want him could they? They were being hospitable and charitable because he was their kids’ friend, right? Or even if they were just nice, they certainly wouldn’t help him without questions would they? Everything in this world came at a price… that much he knew.
Isabel had assured him that he would be fine if he talked to her parents; but his experiences with other adults hadn’t led him to the same conclusions. ‘Adults are the enemy and can’t be trusted.’ It was his motto, his mantra, and he firmly held to it, despite Max and Isabel’s flagrant disregard for the very same.
Michael left his feet to lead him to destinations unknown.
********
After a few minutes of running and then much slower walking while in the pouring rain, the young man abruptly stopped. He stared into the large window as multi-colored floral beads hung in front of its pane from the inside, while rain traveled in rivulets on its outside.
She was brushing her nape-length golden hair, and seemed so innocent, and carefree. Oh to feel that free. Just for even one night of his life. But that wasn’t what had been dealt to him…. he just silently stared, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets as he stood there longing for the warmth… He never let his presence be known, or made any motion at all. And all of a sudden the occupant of the room turned quickly to the window, almost as if she could sense him there.
She separated the beads and peered out into the darkened yard. Then she shook her head and let the beads fall back together while they tangled and twisted and swayed from the movement, as she poured a vial of some bitter liquid into her mouth. Her face grimaced as she forced herself to swallow. Michael watched her every move.
Then she turned her attention back to the window. She spoke to his shadowy figure. “ NO! No you can’t be here.” She ordered. “I know what you want, and I know what your plan is and it just isn’t going to work this time.” He drew closer to the window as if an invisible magnet were pulling him in; it sure wasn’t of his own accord to his knowledge.
“You can’t be here Michael. Just go home.” she insisted, “I don’t know what we are right now, or what the status of our relationship is, but you need to go.”
Michael didn’t budge and continued to stare forlornly into her room.
“You really need to go,” Maria stated in a tone that no longer held the importance it had a second ago; as she pulled the beads back once again to get a better look. With the look on his face, her compassion took her over and with a muttered, “What am I doing? My mother is so going to kill me?!” She opened the window, and pulled the rain soaked Michael Guerin into the safety and warmth of her bedroom.
Leaving him standing in its center momentarily she hurried out to grab some towels and then returned.
She toweled off his hair, as he stood there shivering and silent. He just stared at her and through her with complete abandon; his trust absolute as he let her touch him and dry him off. He felt secure, safe to be exact, and he wondered briefly if this was what Isabel was talking about when she had said that Alex was like her second half. Or when she had stated that he was more family than even family is. He never heard Maria talking to him, as he stood there lost in his thoughts until he felt her tugging at his collar. “Come-on Michael. We need to get this soaking jacket off of you. You could catch Pneumonia. Whatever were you doing out in the rain?”
The jacket clung tightly to him because of its water-soaked quality, and it was hard to remove. Michael just shrugged out of it and let Maria take it from him. She hung it over her doorknob so that it could hang to dry.
Then she returned all her attention to the somber young man. She reached up and tenderly stroked his cheeks with her delicate fingers. The dark colored nail polish contrasting against his creamy skin, as she very lightly touched his face. Her eyes lingering on his, she examined his black eye carefully, softly and gently caressing the skin around it with the pad of her thumb. Michael flinched at her feather-light touch.
The tenderness with which she was treating him, and the boundless love that he felt coming off her in waves, caused his stone-wall to crack. Tears came to the surface as he stood silently watching her, a pleading look on his face. His shoulders started to silently heave from his crying. Never had she ever seen Michael so free, so unguarded, and she certainly wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize it. So she led him ever so cautiously to her bed, so that she could get a better grip on him and comfort him in the process.
As he lay down on her bed, the tears started to flow from his eyes. Michael Guerin, Stone-Wall and tough guy started to cry. Maria wrapped her arm around him as she lay behind him gently kissing his exposed shoulder. “Shhh! Michael. It’ll be ok. You don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to. I’m here. Just let it go! I’m right here.”
With Maria whispering loving reassurances to him, the distraught young man cried himself to sleep in the arms of the girl he loved. The only human he’d ever let remotely close, one of the only humans he trusted.
********
Meanwhile at the Evans’
Philip after calling or searching every place that he could think of, which of course weren’t that many, went to sleep in a state of frustration over Michael’s disappearance at around 1:00 am.
Diane at nearly 2:00 am, an hour later, was pacing the kitchen floor and acting as if she were a concerned mother. She had no idea where Michael was and she was frankly worried for him.
Isabel snuck down from her room shortly after and found her mother wide awake at the kitchen table, a mug of lukewarm coffee wrapped firmly in her grasp, while she stared off into space with a worried expression.
She turned to her daughter upon hearing her enter the kitchen, “Oh? Hi sweetheart.” Diane said as Isabel raided the refrigerator for a pre-sleep midnight drink. Isabel pulled from its shelves the bottle of Tabasco and the pitcher of cherry juice. Taking them to the table she retrieved a glass from the cupboard, “Hi Mom,” she responded as she proceeded to make herself a mixed drink and sat down at the table.
“I didn’t wake you did I? … I just can’t get to sleep and I know I’ve been making noise down here with my pacing and puttering in the kitchen and all.” Diane apologized for the interruption of Isabel’s sleep if that were the case.
“No mom you didn’t wake me. I haven’t exactly been ‘asleep’ yet. Spending a little ‘personal’ time with Alex on the dream plane. We often reconvene around midnight or so. Now, he’s asleep… But a dream-walk isn’t the same as actually sleeping for me. I can pull out of them and be awake again.” She laughed. “What are you still doing up?”
“Michael left here so upset hours ago and he hasn’t called or showed up, to state the obvious. I’m worried for him.” Diane shrugged.
“Would you worry for Max or I like this?”
“Of course sweetheart, but I think even more so with your alien declaration. I just have to know that you are alright before I go to sleep. You don’t know this, or maybe you do, but I come into your rooms to check on you as I retire for the night. You’re often awake and I just say goodnight. Mothers do that anyways, checking on their kids, but after all you’ve told us, it’s an obsessive ritual for me right now. And we told Michael that he was being held to the same rules as you guys, yet we don’t even know how to track him down. He shouldn’t be out there, but safe in here.”
“Go to bed Mom.” Isabel pulled her mother from her chair and guided her towards the stairs. “Michael will be fine. You’ve seen how the last two dinners went. He doesn’t understand the rules.”
“Are you sure he’ll be fine?” Diane asked, as they seemed to effortlessly change places, with Diane the worried and Isabel the confident. Usually it is the mother’s job to be the reassuring factor.
“Well, I can’t say that I know where he’s gone either... But yeah, he’ll be fine. But you will not if you don’t get some sleep. Max and I function on a lot less than you ‘humans.’ The alien daughter teased. “Max averages 2-4 hours a night, and I average 3-5. Of course we need to have a normal human amount once in awhile to regulate. But we’re wired for less sleep. Humans however need 8-10 hours, every night.” She gave her mother a condescending look. “If you go right to sleep now, let’s see it’s nearly 3:00 am,” she stated looking at the wall clock. “ You’ll be up at 5:30 am. You are going to get 2 ½ hours of sleep if you are lucky, and isn’t it a Clovis day? Go to bed, I’ll keep up the vigil here.“
“Goodnight Isabel. I really am tired.” Diane mentioned.
“I’ll bet. Love you mom.” Isabel kissed her mother’s cheek.
“You too. Sleep well if or when you do.” Diane responded and with that headed up the stairs and out of sight.
Isabel cleared the remains of their drinks from the table and headed up herself.
********
That morning of the 17th, the bright February sun was filtering through the large window, the first rays of the day were creeping through the darkness while the nightlight illuminated any other residual blackness.
Amy DeLuca in her pajamas and robe, had just retrieved the newspaper, and was making her morning rounds. Waking Maria was usually on the list, for the girl loved to sleep in. But then with how hard Maria worked and schooling and everything, Amy didn’t mind the little concessions she had to make. “Maria honey. You need to wake up now or you’ll be late.” She yawned as she lazily alerted her daughter to the morning. This morning however, she did mind the concession, and she certainly wished she hadn’t seen what she did.
She looked up for a moment and then she screamed, “OH MY GOD!!!“ The sound of her mother’s shrill surprise forced Maria to an instant state of wakefulness. “Get out of this bed this instant.” Amy rolled up the newspaper and started to hit to the second occupant of the bed. A Boy. “Get Out!! Out now!!! And don’t ever let me catch you in my daughter’s bed again.” The young man scrambled to his feet. Maria’s mother treated newspapers as if they were deadly weapons…. And Michael was receiving her blows the whole time he remained in Maria’s room. He grabbed his still damp jacket and fled from the room.
All the while Maria was trying to diffuse the situation, “Calm down Mom its not what you’re thinking.” And or she was trying to call out to Michael. Neither person was hearing her. And the front door slammed shut.
Amy turned to her daughter with a fiery look in her eyes. “Maria! Kitchen! Now!“ she said in short, single words… its importance not lost on any teen. Once they were there, Amy slammed a container of Granola down on the table in front of Maria and launched in… “My baby girls having sex.”
Maria countered with, “I’m not having sex Mom. You can trust Michael; he’s a good guy. Something was clearly wrong. That’s why I let him stay.”
“You let him stay??” Amy shot back, “Knowing the rules of this house, you still decided to let him stay???”
“Mom, look. Not me nor any of my friends are having sex alright.” Maria blurted out. “We’re all good kids. Not that that even matters, but you can trust me, your daughter. Something was wrong; I wouldn’t have let him stay otherwise.”
“Maria… you just don’t get it do you?” Amy started to pace around her tiny kitchen, “It starts just like this, with falling for a rough around the edges guy. Then he finds himself in some kind of trouble and you want to help. Before you know what has happened, you find yourself in a dependant relationship because he needs you so much. And you give your heart and your self away before you even realize it has happened. And then one day, he just up and disappears. And you’re left on your own, rediscovering yourself, reclaiming all the lost time and putting the pieces of your shattered life back together. Because he was your world.” She stopped directly in front of Maria tapping her foot.
“MOM. Listen to yourself. He wouldn’t. Michael isn’t Dad.”
“He’s the same type Maria.”
“Mom please?” The teen pleaded imploringly. “ You can trust me. And you can trust Michael; he’s a good guy. He really is.”
“Honey. I’ve heard these same words before, from the lips of another very independent young woman I’ve known. MYSELF. And look at my life, look at where I’ve ended up?” Maria was tuning her out while Amy continued, “You have so much going for you, you’re strong, and smart, and so full of potential. And so because of this I say, No Boys. No sleepovers. No way!!! I will not have your life go down as mine. You’ve so subtlely pointed out that my life is basically a train wreck…
Maria was thinking about everything her mother was saying. Not that she hadn’t heard it a million times before, Amy made a point of making sure Maria would not turn out like her. But Maria was thinking about Michael the night before. What had happened to him? Why did he have a black eye? And why had he gone to her? But most importantly, why had he even let his guard, his self described ‘stone-wall’ down so far that he had chosen to let her into his private pain?
“MA-RI-A!!!… Are you even listening to me?” Amy challenged her daughter.
“I’m listening Mom.” She answered quickly and on cue, “I’m worried about Michael, I mean didn’t you notice, he had a black eye?”
“A black-eye honey?” Amy groaned as she stared her daughter in the eyes, “Oh this just gets better and better doesn’t it?” Sarcasm dripping from her lips.
“Of course you didn’t notice, how could you?” Maria fired back, “You were too busy hitting him with the morning news. And in the future I’d prefer it if you didn’t go around whacking my friends with newspapers, Alright Mom?” She heatedly retorted.
“What? Since when are you telling me how to operate things in my house?! My house, Maria. I pay the bills. I own the place. Do you? Do you get to state the rules? Not the last time I checked…” Maria heaved a huge sigh, this was what she knew she was risking as she let Michael in the night before; her mother’s wrath.
“Maria. No matter how noble, how innocent your intentions are. No more sleepovers with boys. This morning’s shock has left its mark indelibly emblazoned on my brain… Finding a boy in bed with you!?,, What are you trying to do to me, kill me? It’s not like we don’t have a couch,,,” she threw out.
“He could stay?” Maria asked in her utter shock, seizing an opportunity to use her mother’s slip against her.
“That’s not what I said,” Amy stammered. “You should have talked to me first.” She continued to fumble and find a way to regain a control of the conversation that her daughter was quickly taking.
“I couldn’t. Mom, you have to trust me on this, Michael won’t talk to anyone. He wasn’t ready to talk to me. If I had challenged him or called you he would have run out into that cold rainy night again. I couldn’t let him do that.”
“Why? What’s so important that you broke all the rules?” Amy fired back.
“I can’t tell you that.” Maria whined, “Could he stay if necessary or not? We need to clear this up.” She defiantly looked up at her mother’s still blazing eyes.
Amy found herself caving, because after all Maria was raised right and she did have a good head on her shoulders and had always shown good judgment until last night, “Well, maybe in an emergency,” She so hoped that she wasn’t making a huge mistake. But Maria had seemed so adamant with her position this morning. “AND only in the living room. I do not want to wake up to find a boy in your bed again.”
“Thanks Mom.” Maria jumped from her chair and threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “ Now I’ve got to get ready.”
“We both do. But know that this amended rule is only because I trust you. Honey,” she said in a warning tone, “if you break that trust…”
“I won’t mom. Thank you.”
********
Michael never went to school that day either, and with different events taking place in this timeline, Isabel really was starting to become concerned for where he might have gone. Last time she was, but he had been at Maria’s. Is that where he went this time? Would Maria even let her know if that were the case? She hadn’t said anything all day at school. Come to think of it, Maria seemed as if she was avoiding her. And the last timeline found Michael in the custody of Sheriff Valenti as he was arrested and questioned on the issue of Hank’s disappearance. Is that what happened this time? Isabel had no idea where he was.
It was in this state, that the tall, agitated, teen stepped into the Crashdown that afternoon. She wanted answers, and she would find a way to get them.
The girls were in a discussion as Liz bussed the counter and Maria was animatedly talking. About which Isabel couldn’t hear. Upon seeing her arrive however they immediately clammed up. A fact that wasn’t lost on Isabel.
Maria launched in… “There’s one of the Czechs now.” She shot a derisive look toward the taller teen. “So what was the whole deal with Valentines Day huh? We waited for you, all of you. You know we were all dressed up and ready for a fun night. But you all stood us up…” She swallowed as she continued, “Alex made some flimsy excuse that absolved you. But he seemed upset; he wasn’t his usual self you know?? I’m sick of this. You guys have no feelings for anyone but yourselves. Whatever you need, you take. You use us. We have to coddle your emotions; we have to pick up the pieces, but what about us? What do we get out of all this?? Apparently nothing. Just sitting at an empty table, waiting. That’s not how friends treat each other.”
Isabel couldn’t get a word in edgewise… but if she knew Maria, and she was pretty sure she did, she knew Maria was upset about something else and had to fight about another issue, not the direct one.
Isabel raised her eyebrows at the girl’s tirade, and said very succinctly, “Where’s Michael?”
“I didn’t say anything about Michael…” Maria countered.
“You didn’t have to.” Isabel smirked, “And I thought you were going to be calm this week. You know, not overreacting. Lost a bet remember? Alex did not make up a flimsy excuse, I guarantee we really were busy.” She shot out defending the man she loved.
“You were busy fixing your hair?” Maria continued the altercation, throwing Isabel off track, and leaving her confused. “What?”
“That’s what Alex said, that you were having a hair crisis and wouldn’t leave the house. But we know that’s a very flimsy excuse, considering...” She made a motion of waving her hand in the air over her hair… “and its done.”
“Yeah whatever.” ‘Oh I was having a crisis alright.’ “ Now where’s Michael?” Isabel went right back to her previous topic.
“I haven’t seen him all day.” Maria threw out, while internally thinking, ‘Not since my mother chased him out.’
“If you do I’m looking for him.” Isabel shot back.
“Get in line Isabel… Don’t you spend enough time with him at is it? What’s so important that you need to find him?”
Isabel sighed and made a face. “Because he’s in trouble.” She whispered out harshly. “I can’t say anything. I promised not too. I’m just worried. OK?”
Then Maria softened and added, “Me too. He was with me all night.”
Liz stared at her wide-eyed. “He was with you? WHY?”
And Isabel nodded in response, softly to herself. ‘At least it’s playing out somewhat right.’
“I don’t know.” Maria stated honestly, “I’ve just never seen him like that.”
Isabel dove in. “Hank did it. His foster father has been hurting him.”
“My God Isabel,” answered Maria not quite feeling the whole impact of the situation yet.
“That’s terrible,” said Liz.
“Yeah well. Max and I are doing what we can, and trying to help him and all. But he just ran off, into the night last night and no one had heard from him since.”
“How are you doing Isabel?” Asked a concerned friend.
“How do you think I’m doing Liz?” She hissed, “Michael’s AWOL, my parents are panicked, and Max and I are trying to fix everything before it all blows up in our faces. But Michael is the deciding factor.”
“Have you told Alex? I’m sure he’d be there for you?” She softly added.
“Have I told Alex?” Isabel slowly repeated the statement, “He told me. He’s the first one who knew anything…” The bell above the door tinkled a newcomer’s arrival and all three girls eyes instinctively raised to the spot.
“Speak of the Devil,” Isabel muttered.
“Hey Alex come here for a sec.” Liz called to the third member of the human trio. The boy ambled over, “Whats going on?”
“Isabel said something about Michael and that you were the one to tell her…” Liz questioned him.
“Yeah... don’t know the details really.” Alex shrugged, “But I know that in a drunken rage Hank hurt him, badly. Isabel and Max took it from that point. On Valentine’s Day got him out of there and took him home with them.” He quirked an eyebrow in Maria’s direction.
“Valentine’s Day?” Asked an abashed Maria
“Yeah. Might explain where your missing dates disappeared too. Huh?” He teased them.
“And here I thought we’d been stood up.” Maria moaned.
“Overreacting as usual?” He chided her. “I thought you weren’t going to do that this week…”
“Shut it Alex.” Maria ordered, “You could have just told us.”
“Nope. Isabel was telling no-one, so…”
“Subject change.” Liz jumped in before those two ended up in some sort of verbal sparring, “Michael’s staying with you guys?” She directed the question to Isabel, “What did you tell your parents?”
Isabel huffed, “Nothing. Another Lie. We’re waiting for him to tell them in his own good timing. But knowing Michael, that might be … Never!!!”
“So why was he at your house Maria?” asked Liz. Alex looked on in confusion.
“Like I said I don’t know. He was really upset. He actually shed tears.” She shook her head.
“Michael cried!?” asked a shocked Isabel.
“Yeah. And he was soaking wet. He’d been in the rain for a little while at least. But why’d he end up at my house if he’s staying with you guys?”
“He’s Michael.” Using her famous line when the boy’s actions made no sense, “He was uncomfortable. He ran off, when a game we were all playing didn’t go so good.”
“And I ask again, how are you doing Isabel?” Liz was concerned for her friends.
“Better than my parents.” Isabel replied truthfully.
“Your parents?” questioned Alex, feeling caught up in some respects and more than a little lost in others.
“Yeah.” Isabel nodded, “You’d think Michael was one of theirs, the way my Dad didn’t go to bed till quite late after exhausting all possibilities of where he might be. And Mom went to bed around 3:00... They’ll be so tired tonight.”
“No sign of him?” Alex asked.
“Not since this morning,” Maria shook her head. And Alex returned a confused look. “Imagine my mother waking up to find Michael in my bed??” She added.
Alex’s eyes went wide in understanding.
“Yeah,” Maria intoned. “Exactly.”
“He’ll turn up.” Liz tried to soothe the emotions in the group.
“I know he will. But when or where is what I’m worried about.” Answered Isabel.
“Well hate to do this, but we’ve really got to get back to work. Good Luck on the Michael situation Isabel.” Sing-songed Maria.
“Yeah. Thanks.” She smiled as the girls rushed over to the waiting customers, “So what are you doing here?” Isabel turned to Alex.
“Hanging out with my girls. May I escort the beautiful lady home?”
“I’d like that. Bye” She waved to the occupied waitresses as she interlocked their fingers and walked out into the twilight with Alex at her side.
“Do you think she’ll be ok?” Maria asked as they parted earshot. “I mean you know how much Max and Michael mean to her?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s got Alex.” Liz reassured her best friend of a lifetime.
“Yeah I guess you’re right.” Maria smiled in return. “How can one not be ok with Alex?”
********
Much later that evening, around 10:00 pm to be exact, Max home from work, the Evans’ were all at home and talking amongst other things. When who should decide to appear, but Michael Guerin?
He walked through the front door in a stride of confidence as if he belonged there.
Diane, in a completely worried mother manner, jumped from her seat and threw her arms around the now confused young man. He stood there stiffly as her arms wrapped around him and squeezed before she let go again. “Oh Michael, Thank God you’re alright. I’ve been worried sick about you. Are you hungry? Have you eaten anything?” She asked him to fill the space and to give her something to focus on that wasn’t just the rigid boy.
“Where’ve you been keeping yourself?” Philip jumped in. “And just so you know, that of this very moment; you are grounded.
“What!!!?” exclaimed all three teens in a tone of matched surprise. Max and Isabel sure hadn’t been expecting that, but the expert parental handling that their dad did, led them to think that he had planned exactly that.
Philip continued, “I told you that you were welcome to stay, but since it was an elongated length of time, that you would be held to the same rules as our kids, and those rules are again for the record: A phone number where you can be reached. A knowledge of where you are and who you are with. And finally, if you are going to be gone for any length of time, especially and including past curfew, you will call and inform of that fact. But it was past curfew, when you left. Are you aware that my wife didn’t get any sleep last night because she was waiting for you? So where’d you go?”
“Out. Around. Look Mr. E. You’re not my father. So...”
“That’s right I am not. But I am Max and Izzy’s father, and you are staying in our house as their/our guest. And as someone whom we are currently responsible for you are not to wander around as you please. There are rules to abide by and you will inform your hosts, being us, as to your whereabouts. Is This Clear??” He looked the teen directly in the eyes.
“Yeah.” Michael’s gaze flitted to the side. The eye-to-eye contact was making him feel claustrophobic.
“Good.” Philip said while clapping him on the shoulder. “You will come home immediately after school tomorrow and you will have no social contact with anyone outside of this house for the remainder of the day. Again clear?”
“Clear.”
“Good again. Now go to the kitchen, Mrs. Evans held dinner for you.” He issued the boy out and turned to his kids.
“Dad what are you doing?” Isabel jumped in as soon as Michael migrated to the kitchen.
“Isabel, Max,” Philip looked his children in the eyes simultaneously. “Michael will not treat our home here as a hotel. He is our guest, not a patron guest, and he will afford us the respect that comes with that.”
“Fine. But grounding him?” Max mentioned.
“As long as we are acting in the stead of his foster father, he will be treated in a manner equal to you.” Philip Evans’ tone left no room for argument and his kids knew that what he said was final. They stared at their dad collectively and silently. “Any more issues, anything else to solve tonight?” Philip squarely looked them in the face, as he walked in front of them with his hands behind his back in much the manner a Drill Sergeant sizes up the troops.
“No.” They each shook their heads.
“Alright then. I’ll be upstairs if you need me. I’ve got things to do.”
********
Michael really didn’t know how to react or what he should do at this point. He now felt as if he were a prisoner of the Evans’ with Philip’s grounding order and all. He just wasn’t ready to share with anyone what was upsetting him, (everything in general really.) His night with Maria last night was confusing enough.
He stalked off to Max’s room after eating his fill of Mrs. Evans’ delicious homemade chili. And after the Evans’ had made their nightly rounds and had gone to sleep, he waited for the house to go silent; after it had, he grabbed his bag and started to stuff it with all his belongings.
Max turned to him from his desk. “What are you doing?”
“Getting out of here. Your dad hates me, trapped me here and I can’t go anywhere.”
Max jumped up and moved over by his bed, standing there watching Michael in disbelief as he still spoke, “He grounded you for one day Michael. He doesn’t hate you; this is what parents do. Isabel and I would be grounded far worse if we pulled the same stunt. My dad’s just looking out for you, that’s all. You should be grateful.”
Michael snorted a hissing sound from his nostrils, “I can take care of myself. Done pretty good so far haven’t I?”
“What are you going to do?” Max asked in a controlled tone. This was met with another shirt being yanked silently but forcefully from the drawer that Michael was currently using and being plunked unceremoniously inside his bag. “Where do you think you’re going?” Max tried a little bit harsher. Michael repeated the unspoken statement with his jeans. “You just wait right there. I’m getting Isabel.” Max tore out of his bedroom and raced upstairs.
He blew through her closed door, “I need you right now!!” He immediately absorbed the sight of what was all over her bed, all the alien artifacts, the symbol drawing, the pendant, the healing stones which she was rolling in her hands, and the book by Atherton. “What are you doing?” they asked each other in unison.
“See this stuff? Its all there is about us or where we’re from. These stones are from the day that you guys got sick. The day I realized that there is more out there, a real place, a home… She was about to repeat the entire statement from the past but Max interrupted her train of thought and ordered, “Yeah grab it quick and bring it to my room. Maybe you can talk some sense into Michael; he’s always had a soft spot towards you.”
“What’s he doing?” She asked.
“From the looks of it, packing his bags and leaving if I’m not mistaken.” Max was waiting impatiently in her doorway.
“Oh No... Not again.” She mumbled somewhat softly recalling the past timeline when Michael had run away.
“What?” Max asked, not sure if he had heard her correctly.
“Oh nothing.” She quickly recovered, “You know he just does what he wants…” and then in a feigned shock she uttered, “He’s just leaving?”
“From what I can tell. Are you coming or not?” he was in a hurry for he already knew that Michael answered to no one and he might make it out the door before Isabel got up.
She quickly secured all the alien things into the pouch and raced out of her room on her brother’s heels quickly down the stairs.
They caught up with Michael who was in the living room, bag slung over his shoulder and about to walk out the living room door. Isabel barricaded his way. “Where are you going?” she demanded.
“Somewhere else.” He replied hotly.
“Where?” She ordered again.
“Away from Roswell. There’s absolutely nothing left for me here now.” He put the back of his hand on her shoulder and tried to force her out his way. She didn’t budge instead she stared directly into his eyes with fire. The anger in her eyes was belied by her statement which she spoke in a controlled manner, “What about us, aren’t we something? We’re here, in Roswell? Maria. Yeah she’s here too.”
Michael turned his head to look at Max and said, “Say goodbye you two.”
“NO!” they vociferously answered together.
Turning back the girl he’d always loved as a sister he stated softly but forcefully, “Isabel don’t make this any harder. Say goodbye now, I’ll keep in touch ok.”
“Not good enough.” She continued to level him with her glare. “I’m not saying goodbye,” she thought for a moment and turned to her brother, “unless Max does for me. I’m going with you.” She moved slightly from her stance in the doorway.
“No you will not!” Michael countered. “You stay here, you like this little life. I’m going to find Nasedo, find our parents, find our real home. I just don’t belong here anymore.” He stated confidently, as Max joined them in the doorway.
Speaking in a tone of authority, “If he left that symbol for us in the woods wouldn’t you think he’s rather close to Roswell?” Max sent out. “We’re not saying goodbye until you’ve heard us out. You can leave afterwards if you must, but you are going to hear us, now go sit down.” He pointed in the direction of the Living Room and ordered Michael with just a look. Michael stood stiffly, stubbornly as his bag slid to the floor. He crossed his arms on his chest and waited. Max took their dad’s chair, sitting on its armrest, and Isabel nervously stood, wringing her hands.
Max began, “Ok Michael? Why don’t you want to stay?”
“I can’t.” he answered. ‘Why not?’ Isabel nearly screamed in her mind as the words silently lip-synced across her lips. No-one caught it however for her back was turned to the aggravated alien. Instead she said in a surly manner, “Such a non-committal answer that answers nothing. Talk…Michael.” She turned to him in a blur of motion and for a brief second he wondered if she’d hit him, “Ok, listen Michael. You’re running off to find someone…” with a swallow she stared at him even more, “Someone else who has never been apart of our lives. We’ve always been part of each other doesn’t that count for something?” The fire that had earlier been in her eyes was by now a raging inferno; he could almost feel the heat radiating from her. There was no Ice Princess here. Try the Goddess of Fire perhaps, but not Ice. “And where are you going to start searching? If that night in the woods indicates anything, as Max pointed out, that other one is already around here.” She watched him as if she were a cat about to pounce on its prey.
Michael had so hoped to leave without any of this emotional crap that was now transpiring between them. It would have been so much easier.
Then Max spoke and she understood the reason behind it, “Michael? Did you know that Isabel had nightmares for the first three years after we hatched and got separated? She would cry every night. That continued until we found you again. We’re connected somehow. We are a family.”
She jumped back in “That’s right,” A softening smile crossed her lips as she placed her hand on his tense arm. “Family. I always thought that we’d anything for each other. Think anyone else would? Think anyone else would just rush to our aid? NO! And how are we going to know to come to yours if you are no longer around? What’s going to happen to YOU Michael?”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.” He denied while Isabel heaved a sigh and shook her head as it was averted downwards. When she looked back up he could see that mingled with the flames was an impassivity. She was not going to let this go. “I’m not staying. You need to let me go and say goodbye.” He looked directly into her eyes.
“No! Michael we can’t. You understand, we just… can’t.” Her voice held a tone of sadness, but she kept her emotions in check.
Trying one last attempt, “Alright Michael listen up, “ Isabel got in his face, “You got a raw deal. No-one says you didn’t. But rather than running away, can’t you just ask for help? My parents would gladly give it. So would it kill you to ask for help even this once?”
“Yes Isabel, it would.” She sighed resentfully, and paced off.
Watching everything but having said little Max reentered the fray, “Fine I’ll add only one more thing,” said Max. “You are jealous of us.”
“NO!!” Michael denied again.
“Yes.” He went into his brother’s space, “You always say how we got such a great family, and great house to live in, and everything. You’ve had a very small taste of that the last couple days, the thing you are jealous of, and you’re ready to throw it all away. Just like that.” He waited silently for moment as he let that sink into Michael. “Its harder for us than for you. When we screw up, we have to take responsibility and consequences for our actions and there is no excuse. But you can do or say anything because of Hank. And you have an excuse for everything and why its so messed up. But if you leave, what will happen to you without him, without a fall-guy for your mess-ups? What then. It’ll all be on you is then what.”
“Leave it up to me to still screw up huh Maxwell?” Michael retorted.
“Its ok Michael,” Isabel turned back in, “If you do we’ll all still be there for you. Maybe its time you started to think of other people besides just yourself. Maybe its time to stop acting like a child. But if you must go, know that we are connected, and we always have been.” She said softly.
“That’s right. We’re a family.” Max added following Isabel’s lead once again.
“You don’t know that, you don’t know what we are. You have no idea if we’re related.” Michael re-slung the bag over his shoulder.
“You are so infuriating to talk to.” Isabel hissed, “We’re the only ones like us. That makes us related, by default if nothing else. It makes us family. But if you’re leaving, take this. None of it means a thing without you. And know that we’ll miss you. I’ll miss you.” She kissed his cheek as she handed him the pouch of artifacts. When he looked into her eyes he realized that the fire was being extinguished by its natural enemy. Water. Isabel’s eyes were misting at the thought of losing him and it was driving her anger into a resigned sadness.
Yet that wasn’t enough to convince him to stay. “Yeah goodbye.“ And with all they cajoled and tried to coerce him, he remained inflexible and stubborn. And somewhere between two and and three am on the morning of February 18, 2000 Michael Guerin walked out the door, and out into the night to start his new life alone, and away from Roswell.
TBC ....
IMPORTANT A/N: I really, really, wanted to add a song to this section. But I couldn't find any that I particularly liked, didn't bookmark/favorite the one site I was reading lyrics and it got lost, as well as the paper I wrote it down on. It too is missing. And I don't listen to Metallica.
Please can someone of you readers help me find an appropriate song for this chapter. You will be given due credit of course.
You've read the chapter now, so you have a feel for all the scenes. I prefer a Metallica song because thats Michael's Favorite band and this is a Michael chapter more so. But anything that he listens too is fair game as well.
Thanks already to anyone who wishes to assist. Please provide links to the lyrics site as well if possible.
You can e-mail me or PM me.
Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
Time for the new part YAY!!!!!
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: TEEN -MATURE…
Spoilers: Independence Day
Recap: When we last left off, Philip had grounded Michael for staying out all night. He was at Maria’s, recall? He ran away at the end of the part against Max and Isabel’s protestation. This starts where we left off…
<center>******************************************
Shifting Realities
Chapter 26:C
Liberation
******************************************</center>
-----
Isabel and Max stared at each other after Michael left, a ‘What do we do now?’ look mirrored on each face.
“Do you want to talk Isabel?” Max ventured, certain that his sister must be going through some serious emotional pain right now.
“Not to you…” she reasoned.
Said Max with a heavy sigh. “Yeah! Me neither.”
They stood there in the silence, both lost in their own thoughts and deciding what to do. Turning to each other, “You’re going to have to cover for me.” They each said in perfect unison.
Isabel grabbed her handbag, “I’m out of here.” She said while walking towards the door.
Max stepped in her way. “Going to try to track down Michael?” He asked.
She stopped for a moment, “Nope. Just going for a walk.” She shook her head as she moved to go around him.
“Alex?” Max asked pointedly as he stepped firmly in front of her.
“What!?”
“Are you going to Alex?” he repeated himself.
“What is to you what I do right now?” Isabel was getting upset... Michael was hard enough to deal with but King Max, who at this point in time didn’t even know he was king… was really getting on her nerves. “I said I was going out. Now. Move. Away.” She leveled him with one of her famous glares, reserved for impeding brothers and other would be nuisances.
He sighed while he stared at the ground, he really wasn’t trying to upset her and definitely not at that hour. He ran his hand through his hair and he let out another resigned sigh, trying again. “Isabel, you wanted me to cover. And I know what I’m thinking of doing.” He gave a small smile as he tilted his head to look at her, hand resting on the back of neck, “so I thought maybe you were thinking the same. That’s all.” He stepped aside a bit; not enough that she was fully released to just walk out the door, but he knew she’d answer him for she had calmed down a bit with his statement.
“Liz?” She asked gently.
“Yeah.” He nodded, a light playing in his eyes; just the thought of going to Liz’s made him feel less stressful over the entire situation. Not that he really knew how she’d receive him. He hadn’t exactly treated her very well for the past few weeks.
Isabel nodded understandingly, “Then yeah, Alex.”
“Well since neither of us will be here to cover for each other, I guess we’re both going to be in trouble huh?” Max teased her.
She sent him an annoyed look but a sly smile. “Its worth it.” she whispered.
“Yeah.” Max agreed, “Need a ride?”
“He’s three blocks away!!” Isabel whispered incredulously, “Walking remember?”
“See ya then.” Her brother stepped completely out of her way and let her leave.
“Yeah, bye.” And with that Isabel stepped out the door and headed east on Newton Avenue.
**********
She arrived at a very darkened house, it was quite early in the morning and everyone was sound asleep. The cars were all in the driveway, so she’d do good not to get caught there she realized since both of his parents were home. She just needed to talk. She very quietly snuck to the side of the house, bypassing all the vehicles, then opening, and after she slid silently inside, closing, the side gate with her powers and forcing it to be silent. She then began the seemingly long trek to his room as she tiptoed through the patio triggering the motion sensor light, which came blazing on nearly blinding her with its brightness. Isabel certainly hoped that his parents were heavy sleepers as she slowly crept past the pool, carefully avoiding the table and chairs lest she trip into them, while she made her way to the far corner where Alex’s room was in the back portion of the house and around to the side. She wondered just why the gate wasn’t on that end, it would make sneaking into his room that much easier. But then again it wouldn’t be logical to have the gate next to the bedrooms and it was quite logical to have it nearer to the living room, so of course she had to act stealthily.
She silently stood at his window bouncing on the soles of her feet just a bit, as she rapped at the glass with her fingernail. No response. She knocked just a tiny bit louder, with her knuckles. She so did not want to alert the elder Whitmans to her presence. “Alex Whitman, I know you sleep like the dead. But wake up!!!” she murmured in a whisper at his window. If she remained out there much longer, she would be discovered; the neighbor dogs had begun to bark. Of course they had, there was an intruder in the backyard, her, and so she used her powers and let herself in. First she unlocked the window latch, and then with a small burst of power the blinds went noisily hissing their way up the track. “Shhzzhhtt.” It opened rapidly upwards on itself, unaided by the pull string. “Shhh,” she whispered to the inanimate object. “Be quiet.”
He rolled over drowsily and mumbled almost incoherently, “Na ye’ mom, its still mil-le of da night.”
The window started to open softly, a cool breeze instantly entering the room.
He sat up in the darkness, “Whose there?” He asked the darkened room, heart hammering in his chest.
“Alex! It’s me.” Isabel whispered from the window seat, which she was now climbing off, as she resealed the window.
“Isabel? What?” he whispered out confused, “What’s my beautiful dream-walker doing in my room, or is this part of my dream?” He got a sly smile on his face… “Although I don’t remember this exact part of it…” he sighed happily.
“Alex!! I’m not in the mood for your dirty mind right now!” she snapped.
He was stunned. She knew what they dreamed about, and his mind hadn’t gone into the dirty category to his knowledge, at least not in their shared dreams. She continued, “I just needed to talk. And you’d rather be talking to some other version of me so… I’ll just be going.” She was forcing him into action. He flicked on the bedside light.
“Whoa, Iz. Whoa… Give a guy a second to catch up here ok? I mean… come-on?? You did just break into my house, my room. What’s going on? Is something wrong?” Alex climbed out of his bed upon her downcast silent affirmative nod. “Its Michael,” she whispered. Sitting on his window seat with her he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and drew her into his side. “Is there anything I can do to help?” He whispered in return. “What’s wrong with him?”
She looked up at him finally, letting the emotions in her eyes be read by the one who could so well, “He just left.” She said it as if she was in a state of shock. One thing Alex had come to do was to understand her varied emotions, she sure had been through enough of them since she had returned in time for him. He decided to see if he could clarify her statement.
“Left?” Alex asked confused.
A very weary sigh escaped the blonde, “Yeah. He heard everything Max and I had to say, but that that wasn’t good enough for him.” She said bitterly. “He still took off!!”
“Left? Do you think he went to Maria’s again?” Alex ventured a guess.
“Aren’t you hearing me?” She stared at him angrily, her whispered voice rising in frustration, “He LEFT, Ran Away. Took all his stuff. He’s just… gone. He said he was going to find his family Alex, as if we’re nothing.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean that Iz.” Alex said soothingly, “The three of you are as close as blood.”
“He meant it.” She stared down dejectedly at her lap again. “I’m really worried for him Alex. I can’t lose him, not again.” Isabel sounded so hurt, Alex wasn’t sure what she wanted from him. Obviously she needed him to assuage her pain again, but how?
“Ok Iz. I know you said you emancipated him in the past timeline. Is anything else the same? Anything we can work with?” He thought maybe the clues would lie in the past… Isabel sat there silently. “Iz?” He tilted her head up, noticing the dampness in her troubled eyes, as she stared into his concerned ones. She shook her head softly. “I don’t think so,” she answered sadly. “So far the only thing the same is that Hank hurt him.” She paused for a moment… “Ok he went to Maria’s and everything then too, but, I don’t know…” She mumbled in utter helplessness, “That time he did come to our house, but it was not for as long, and my parents didn’t quite act the same...”
“What?” Alex interrupted her soliloquy.
“My dad grounded him, for staying at Maria’s.” She answered, not making any sense to him.
“Then?” he asked.
“Now! Tonight! Keep up Alex!” She pulled out of his grasp and leaned back in a huff against the window, arms folded against her chest, guarded.
“I’m trying.” He responded equally helpless, “So you’re dad grounded him and he left?”
“That’s what I told you isn’t it?” She barked out in a whisper…
“Alex, as I’m reliving this I can only realize one thing,” she said as she got up to pace. He watched her intently from his spot.
“The dates in question, they’re not the same. They are close, but not the same, not exact.” She crossed her arms around herself, “What happens if the dates change? Does that change what happens? Does that mean that, that… Mi… Michael won’t come back?” She stumbled out in a pained question as she circuited the room.
“Isabel. He’ll come back because he needs you guys. He’ll realize that. You have to have faith.” Alex cautioned her but wasn’t quite expecting her reaction.
She turned on him, and harshly bit out. “You know what? He only realized that last time because this guy that he hitched a ride with had said all sorts of things that made him think. And his thoughts led him back home. But if the dates aren’t the same, and they aren’t, what if that guy’s not making his southwesterly soda run? What if Michael hitches a ride with someone else?” Her voice rising hysterically, although still under the parents radar… but it wouldn’t remain that low if she continued. Alex leapt from the window seat to gather her back into his arms. “What if I never see Michael again?” He walked her back over to his window seat and held her tightly in his arms, as a few silent tears strolled down her cheeks.
He did not have much to say, he didn’t know how to comfort her, and he knew that all her questions were extremely valid. So he held her in his arms and rocked her, gently reassuring her that it would be ok. Murmuring softly into her hair that Michael would return. He felt her still in his arms a few minutes later as she regained control. Isabel yawned deeply.
“Tired?” He whispered, looking at her carefully as he cupped his hand to her cheek. She stifled another yawn. “This thing with Michael?” She hissed.
“Yeah?” he asked nervously.
“Exhausting. I need to sleep for 12 hours to make this all up.” In that he could hear her stating an equivalent to I need to sleep for a week.
“Come on Izzy.” He stood to his feet and held his hand to her. She took it and he walked them to his bed, pulling back the covers he patted it and motioned for her to climb in.
“Alex?” She asked worriedly.
He gave her a look of disbelief. “Our parents have conferred on the rules, we’ll follow them.” He stated assuredly. “Now I can’t get you 12 hours, but, I can hold you for what you can get here. Let me do this for you alright?”
She was so tired that she was pretty certain she would be unable to make the walk back home and so she easily acquiesced to his gentle command. “OK.” She slid in, feeling the residual warmth of the sheet against her back as she relaxed into his mattress. He pulled his covers up over her, then he walked over to his door and opened it wide, rehashing a mental checklist; ‘Door open. Check. Light on. Check. Not sharing covers. Check.’ Making his way to his closet he pulled out an extra blanket for himself.
Alex climbed onto his bed next to Isabel, spooning her from behind, but from on top of the covers. His hand stroked her hair as she breathed softly.
“Izzy?” he whispered carefully into the quiet.
“Yeah?”
“I have a question.” He paused to think… “Now I love being your boyfriend.”
“Mmm… I love having you.” She answered sleepily but contentedly.
He continued, “And I know that you have a whole hell of a lot going on keeping both timelines intact.”
“Yeah?” She answered worriedly.
“And how you’re always relying on me to help you through all of it.”
“OK? Spill it Alex.” Isabel was wondering at the turn this conversation was taking.
“I just am wondering if the feeling is mutual, if the relationship would be reciprocated. I mean if I should ever need you for anything. I want to know that you are not using me. But that you’d be here.” He certainly hoped she didn’t think he saw her as uncaring or aloof. That’s not what he was trying to convey…
She rolled to the edge out of his reach as she then rolled over completely to gaze into his eyes. (hard to roll when tucked against another person who is holding down your blankets). She said as she gave him a quick peck to the lips, thinking to herself that they were knowingly breaking the household rules by kissing of any kind in the bedrooms, “I can’t promise that I’ll do it right.” She kissed him longer again. “I’m really rather clueless when it comes to relationships.” She smiled softly. “But I promise, that I will be here if you should need me.” Looking him directly in the eyes she slyly grinned. “What is it they say in marriage vows?”
“We’re not talking marriage right now… are we?” He choked out.
She chuckled softly, “Not exactly… but isn’t it in good times and in bad, that you’ll be there for each other? I’ll be here.” She leaned in very closely her forehead to his, “Now! Is something wrong?”
“No. Nothing.” Alex threw back his head as he chuckled slightly his heart swelling with the love she had just stated. He initiated the next deeper kiss. “My life is absolutely perfect.” They went back to leaning their foreheads together. “I just needed to know.”
“I’m here Alex, whenever and wherever you might need me.” She yawned widely, and asked drowsily, “Sleep now?”
“No Problem. Tuck your head right here,” he patted his chest after he rolled over onto his back, “I’ve got you.” Isabel snuggled into his chest, the blankets were confining and she certainly wished she could have full access to Alex, but these were the concessions her parents had made because of the level of their relationship and how it had already traversed Time. His parents were abiding by the same set of rules… Her eyes closed and her breathing grew slow and steady, yet she still hadn’t drifted off to sleep. Alex chose to hum their song Everything I Do to her as a gentle lullaby, stroking her hair and calming her down until she very softly drifted off in his arms. And then he pulled his blanket up over himself, as he sighed contentedly, loving how perfect his life currently was, while resuming caressing the soft silky strands of his sleeping goddess’s hair.
**********
Meanwhile at the same time, in another section of Roswell, Max had climbed up the fire escape to Liz’s balcony. He crouched next to her window, and lightly knocked on it. Peering inside he saw her sleeping with a nightlight on, its soft glow illuminating the darkness. She seemed so innocent and Angelic he thought as her hair spilled over her pillow in a dark halo. He hated to wake her, but he really needed someone to talk to. So he gently knocked again. “Liz?”
She awoke for she had been sleeping lightly, and looked toward her window from a sitting position. “Max? Is that you?” She called out. Her window was slightly ajar to let in some cool air while she slept.
“I’m sorry Liz. I need to talk.”
“No problem Max. I’ll be right there.” She pulled her thick pink robe over her petite, lithe frame and made her way to her window. Max seemed upset, his eyes held a measure of sadness she realized as she looked at him. “I heard about Michael. Isabel and Alex kind of filled us in. Are you ok?” Liz carefully asked.
“Not really!” Max shook his head. “I’ve never seen him so upset, its like he’s forgotten everything. He packed his bags in front of me. If I’d been asleep, I’ve a feeling he’d have left without saying goodbye.” Max was diving in and sharing from the heart. How was this to go, and how was he supposed to do it?
Liz answered back, “Well maybe he wouldn’t go through with it you know. I can’t believe that he’d just leave you guys.”
“Yeah.” Max sighed rubbing the back of his neck with his palm. “I hope you’re right. He already left. A few minutes ago.” Each sentence was choppy and filled with regret.
She placed her delicate hand on his shoulder. “Max?” She asked as he turned to look at her.
“I can’t lose him Liz. He’s like my brother. I can’t go through that, the uncertainty and the fear again. And I know Isabel can’t.” He had bared a little more of his heart, his heart that was so deeply buried by his strong almost suffocating need for self-preservation at any price. This wasn’t his usual, unless he was having a heart to heart with his sister, but lately even those were few and far between.
Her voice cut through the addled fog in his brain. “Families can be hard Max.”
“Is that what we are? Are we a family? Michael’s right. We don’t know anything about ourselves.” He said almost mournfully.
“If you consider him your brother Max, than that is who he is to you. That’s what makes you a family. It sure doesn’t have to be blood but you know that already.”
He stared at her helplessly, “I always thought he cared more for even Isabel than he did me you know? Those two have some kind of connection that even she and I don’t have. But after tonight, I’m afraid that I don’t know anything. Michael left after she pleaded with him not too. And so here we’ve got another Czechoslovakian situation….” He was interrupted by the look of sheer confusion on her face as he continued softly, “We have parents who are more than ready to assist in whatever way we need, yet we can’t ask them or talk to them about it.” He sighed deeply again.
She voiced her perplexity, “Why not Max?”
“They don’t know about Michael.” He very succinctly answered her.
“Hmm.” She thought silently before asking gently and in complete concern, “How’s Isabel taking all this?”
“How do you think Liz?” Max turned to her as the blow of the situation caused him to feel a chill from the inside as the weight of the matter fell on him. “She headed over to Alex’s, looked pretty shell-shocked when she left.” He stated devoid of emotion.
‘Like you look? You’re not doing too well either.’ Liz thought to herself as she asked, “And you came here?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. We’re overdue for a talk. And I needed someone. Isabel was gone, same as Michael. And you were here. I’ve missed you.”
‘So I’m the last resort huh?… No-one else was around and so therefore he talks to me!? Ought to count myself privileged to be graced by his presence.’ But her anger at being an afterthought was tempered by her concern for her friend, and so she didn’t let him into the private dealings in her mind but instead asked him what she wanted to know. “How?” ‘How did you miss me?’ her mind was screaming.
“Doesn’t’ matter.” He shrugged, “I’m here, we’re talking, and I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too Max.” Liz crawled out of her window with a couple of blankets and came to sit in one of her lounge chairs, issuing Max into the other as they continued the long overdue conversation late into the morning.
**********
While his siblings were seeking refuge in the arms of the ones they loved, Michael was deeply soul-searching.
The timelines seemed to have an overlap, for Michael was able to hitch a ride with the same person as before. And as Michael sorted through all the alien things, the guy droned on about how dead Roswell was, and that there was nothing in that town.
It had the same affect as the time before; it caused Michael to realize that there was indeed something for him in Roswell. Family: Max and Isabel. But if he hadn’t wandered out, if he hadn’t attempted to run away, he’d have never been fully sure of that fact. But as he hitched a return ride, with another stranger, he was more than sure that he was making the right choice. At least for now he was. And it was time to be on his own, which meant swallowing his pride, and with what little dignity he still maintained, speaking with the Evans.
**********
Later that morning, Nancy Parker awoke and went to check on her daughter to make sure that she was up and getting ready for school. She thought she heard low voices coming from outside when she stepped into Liz’s room, and her daughter’s bed was unmade, and not currently being slept in.
Nancy walked to the window and stuck her head outside, Liz and the Evans’ boy were sitting in the crisp air having a conversation in hushed tones. “Honey?” She called out. “Its time to come in please.”
“Mom??” Liz looked up, a bit embarrassed to be found outside, “What time is it?”
“Time to be getting ready for school,” her mother yawned, “Have you been out here all night?”
“Most of it I’m afraid.” Her daughter revealed, “Max had something going on and he just really needed a friend to talk to.”
“Hi Max.” Nancy Parker added, as he greeted her as well. Then she added while still looking at him, “Go wash up, you’re eating in the diner, breakfast is on us.” Turning to her daughter once again, “Well go on and get ready for school… and Max, we’ll see you downstairs.” He pulled himself stiffly from the chair and made his way through her open window and down the inside steps.
Nancy Parker turned back to her daughter, “Liz Sweetie. I know you’ve pulled all nighters and gotten Maria through things before, but usually you don’t stay outside all night, especially on a school night.” She added as an afterthought, “It must be really important huh?”
“Yeah Mom.” Liz answered softly, while biting her lip just ever so carefully, but giving away her complete nervousness to her mother’s practiced eyes. Calling her daughter over to the window Nancy looked her over very carefully as she peered into her eyes, “I guess just this once, then, its no big deal.” She softly stroked her daughter’s hair, “So if you get tired at school or anything, feel free to call. One of us can get you ok?”
“Yeah thanks Mom.” Liz sighed in relief as she climbed back through her window to be met with the next obvious question, “Is Max ok?” her mother asked.
“He’s fine.” Liz nodded. “And I can’t tell you what we talked about. Just know that I’m a responsible girl, and I knew that I needed to be here for him. Its not like I’m going to do this all the time.” Nancy was pleased that her daughter was merely assisting a friend and not sneaking out all night with a boyfriend, for it was no mystery the way Max watched her, and she had taken in a date with him that once, when they went out during that December heatwave…. She added to Liz, “You can eat with Max if you hurry. I’m sure he was glad to have a friend like you last night.”
“Thanks again Mom…”
**********
And other people were starting their early morning elsewhere in Roswell too.
The Evans had awakened to find the house oddly quiet for having three teenagers residing in it. No sounds were coming from the kitchen, and no one was getting a shower. They decided to investigate, Diane took the upstairs and Philip took the down.
They reconvened at the bottom of the stairwell. Philip spoke first. “Not here. It appears they never were. Find anything in Izzy’s room?”
“A made bed.” Diane answered assuredly, “She’d sat on it or something, it’s a bit rumpled and not smooth. But it wasn’t slept in, bed’s cold.”
“You checked the temperature?” Philip asked in awe of his wife’s ingenuity.
“Mother’s have their little tricks, maybe she’d left early you know?” Diane finished, “But she didn’t. She definitely never slept here.”
Philip nodded with a heavy sigh, “Well knowing the household rules, lets expect a note on the table from our children, or a message on the machine,” he started to lead into the kitchen.
“Yeah, lets hope.” Diane stopped walking and turned to look imploringly at her husband, “But Philip really... Something is going on with them and Michael don’t you think?”
He sighed as he pulled her close while answering, “She’s been running some kind of interference since he stepped into this house. Of course something is going on. And they think that we’re so stupid that we can’t see it.”
Diane matched his wearied sigh, “And so, we’re in the dark trying to figure out what’s going on with our kids. Again. I’m getting really sick of this Philip.”
“Yeah. Me too. Now lets find that note. Or else they’re really in for it.”
They searched the kitchen over, checked their cells for messages, and tried the answering machine. They found absolutely nothing.
**********
And finally but not least, the last people awakening that morning, at the same time...
Gloria stumbled into her hallway after descending the stairway and started to head towards her son’s room. Yawning widely she pulled her robe tightly closed. The door at the end of the hall was open, ‘Hmm. That’s not right.’ She watched cautiously down the hallway and realized that a soft light was also coming from that room’s interior.
Slipping into her youngest son’s room early that morning, she just didn’t know how quite to react to the sight that met her eyes as her hand went to her chest while she sucked in her breath. The two teens were sleeping soundly together. Her baby boy was with a young woman, and they were sharing his bed, his covers, at least partially… They were pulled back and resting just loosely on Isabel’s waist so she was able to see that at least the top halves of their bodies were clothed. Astride the edge of the bed lying near the teens lay a very rumpled separate blanket. It was draped somewhat across the mattress but mostly rested in a bunched pile on the floor. All she could assume was that at one point it had been used during the night. It was more than obvious to her trained mother’s eye that the sleeping teens were very comfortable.
They must have sensed her presence, but not yet awakened, for they both got a little more comfortable as they lay there, Isabel snuggled into her spot even deeper, and Alex tightened his grip in response as the blanket fell off Isabel’s hips.
Gloria breathed out a quiet sigh of relief upon realizing that both kids were completely dressed, although well intertwined. And she mentally calculated their current position. Isabel’s head was nestled upon her baby’s heart, and her right leg was pressed flat, and stretched its entire length, against his outer left leg; while her left leg was bent at the knee and possessively crossed over both of his, her ankle locking around his right calf. Isabel’s left hand was resting on his chest, making direct contact with the skin underneath his grey tank top which was bunched up against her forearm. And her right hand was resting palm down on his left shoulder, thumb tucked under her head as it rested on it… His chin was nuzzled into her hair, while he held her close. His left arm, tucked underneath her, had its hand on the on the small of her back, pushing her shirt upwards and out of the way a little bit, as he had rubbed in an absent feather light touch. His hand had rested there as he had fallen asleep. And finally his right hand was resting on her left upper arm as she lay across him, it too had stopped midstroke as they fell asleep. They looked so peaceful, Gloria hated to interrupt, but she must…
She sighed and tiptoed quietly over to her son’s bed. “Alex Honey. You need to get up now.” At the same time she reached over to smooth back Isabel’s hair from where it had fallen over her face. “ Good morning Isabel.” She whispered. “I trust your parents know you are here?” The blonde girl slowly blinked a couple of times in response as their eyes completely met. Gloria understood the unspoken answer. “Just as I assumed.” She walked over to the doorway, maintaining eye contact with both kids to assure herself they were completely awake, “Well, we’ll have plenty of time to deal with that in a few minutes. Breakfast will be waiting for you in the kitchen as soon as you are ready. And Isabel, I expect you to eat with us considering the fact that you are already here.”
“Yes ma’am,” Isabel whispered politely. How else does one respond when found in the boyfriend’s bed and insisted to stay to breakfast? A new panic sliced through her tranquil thoughts. ‘How am I ever going to make it through what is probably a ‘human’ breakfast?’
“Good. Now get a move on, and get yourselves ready.” With that Gloria rapped lightly on the door a couple of times and headed in the direction of the kitchen.
Alex looked at Isabel and smirked. She met his eyes, as his hand stroked her cheek, ever so gently tracing its contours. Their current position was too tempting, too inviting, and she perched herself onto her right elbow as it propped up her head and she leaned in for a kiss. They continued like this for a few silent moments before they rearranged themselves on his bed for maximum kissability. She rolled over and completely pressed him to his mattress, her blonde hair falling as a curtain down around their faces as she initiated a morning exploration of the inside of his mouth, which he eagerly returned.
As Gloria poured the batter into a pan and stirred sausage links in another she hollered down the hall, “You two had better not be making out.” Laughing to herself, knowing they were caught, without ever having to check on them as she continued to make breakfast.
**********
Isabel was so embarrassed, she leapt from Alex’s bed and stood there nervously wondering what to do. Alex took it all in stride, “Yes Mom,” he called out as he leisurely climbed out of bed. “We’re not.” He came around to Isabel’s side and gave her a quick peck on the lips. They both felt the loss of the contact instantly, and he couldn’t stand it. Her lips were so soft and luscious, and just needed so much more attention than a tiny peck, that he advanced into her space, whispering, “Whose kidding who?” He gave her a wink, and resumed the kiss from earlier, a full mouth assault, that required the both of them to deliciously duel, while he struggled to walk them both backwards to his window seat as they never parted lips. He sat her down, and then pulled away, a smile beaming on his face, “I could definitely get used to this.” He implied.
He left her sitting there as he went to make his bed, leaving her collecting her thoughts as she watched him. First he meticulously straightened one side and then the other, the side that was across from her so he could sneak looks. He grinned as he worked and she started to chuckle softly.
“What?” He feigned annoyance. “Did I miss a spot? Is it not lump free enough for the Princess. She sure didn’t complain last night.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Isabel laughed softly in reply.. “No it’s your mom. I can’t believe she was so calm and didn’t throw me out on my ass or shout at me or smack me with the morning news or… something.”
“Yeah, Pops already has that.” Alex teased.
“She’s not Amy DeLuca that’s for sure,” Isabel laughed in return. Alex looked up at her and found himself laughing along, as they both recalled how Michael woke the morning before.
Alex walked over to the window and said in a tone of contemplation, “React first and think later? No Mom is definitely not like that. She’s the type to think first and to react later.” He glared at Isabel in utter seriousness “Which is ultimately worse, because when she deals with you, she KNOWS what she is doing. I guarantee that she knew you were here before she ever entered the room. Mom doesn’t miss a trick. And I can also pretty much guarantee, that we,” he motioned a finger between them, “collectively, haven’t heard the end of this.” Smiling he added, “Now its time for a shower and then off to breakfast.”
**********
Showers done, the two kids stepped into the kitchen holding hands. Plates were resting at each individual’s spot, as well as a glass of orange juice.
The sight was a bit disconcerting to Isabel; she couldn’t get away with a bowl of cereal. It was one of her hidden fears manifest, eating somewhere else, where her dietary quirks would not only be noticed, but also likely not understood.
“Good Morning.” They were pleasantly greeted. “I trust you slept well.” A smirk. While Alex and Isabel shared an unspoken, uncomfortable look.
“Spending the night together is getting to be rather commonplace now isn’t it?” They were asked. “Lets see, we’ve got the woods, the weekend in Clovis, and now last night, here, in this house?” A questioning eyebrow was raised.
“Pops! Enough!” Alex jumped in. “Clovis was one night on business, not a weekend. The night we returned I slept at her house, in her guest room, not her bed. “ He quickly rushed to defend.
Isabel shot him a hard stare. “Sorry Iz,” he mumbled, “didn’t mean it quite like that.” He looked up to meet his father’s eyes, “because she was sick and I was worried about her.” He sighed and shook his head. He led them to the table as he continued, “She needed me last night.” Another look from Isabel, Another arched eyebrow from his dad. “To talk... that’s all…” Charles shot a disbelieving look that silenced his son and Gloria lightly laughed to herself, while walking over to the two of them.
Charles could sense his son’s discomfort and was satisfied that his point had been made. He turned sideways on his chair and pulled out another section of the newspaper to read. His meal was pretty much complete.
“Isabel dear,” the tall, average, woman with short, currently tousled, light auburn hair stepped in. “Please take this seat across from Alex here.” She issued her son’s houseguest into a place, and placed three perfect warm pancakes on her plate, as well as a couple links of sausage. Then she moved to her son’s side and served him as well.
“Thanks Mom,” He smiled up at her then leaned over to sniff at the aroma of the delicious meal. “Mmm, these smell so good. You know how much I love your pancakes.”
“I know Alex.” Gloria Whitman good naturedly kissed her son’s cheek, “Now enjoy them.” She said as she ruffled his damp hair.
He nodded and was about to dive right on in when he realized that Isabel hadn’t touched hers yet and she was staring at them. She swallowed a couple of sips of orange juice but continued to watch her plate.
Gloria sat down with her plate and joined them at the table. “Are you alright dear?” She asked concerned. “Aren’t you feeling well? You haven’t touched your food, and they are Alex’s favorite.”
Isabel smiled, a tight closed lip smile, “I’m fine.” Inside she ordered herself to get it together. ‘Deal with it Iz. You can get through this!!’ “If its not any trouble, would you happen to have any coffee?” She asked. Alex’s head snapped up, midbite, as she proceeded to eat some of her sausage.
“Oh not a problem dear. I’ll get you some. Charles?” Gloria hopped up to accommodate the guest.
“Huh? Oh yeah sounds good.” He mumbled.
Alex tapped the tines of his fork against his plate discreetly motioning for Isabel to try some.
Isabel broke off a small corner with her fork and placed it in her mouth. She’d never had pancakes without syrup and Tabasco in her life. And the sad thing was her Tabasco, although in her purse, wouldn’t do at this meal, for she felt as if she were being observed.
She chewed the mouthful, deciding that she thoroughly hated pancakes at that moment; the doughy texture, the customary blandness, and once swallowed, the way it dryly caught in her throat, forcing her to cough. She quickly gulped a draught of her orange juice to dislodge the stuck food and she sighed.
She looked up and mumbled, “Swallowed wrong,” Lying to redeem herself and what must really seem odd, she speared the second to last bit of sausage in a vain attempt to seem perfectly normally and chewed it carefully.
Trying again with the pancake, she poured syrup all over it and encountered the next dilemma. No spicy. It was now semi-sweet due to the fact that the bread absorbed the syrup on contact. But it was without a spicy kick. She really hoped that coffee was done brewing soon. She’d drink a mug of coffee and grab donuts or something on the way to school, explaining to the Whitmans that she really wasn’t that much of a breakfast person. A few more bites of this, and she’d most likely have satisfied her hosts.
The pot finished brewing and Gloria bounced up from her seat again. Isabel smiled, “I’d like that in an 18 oz. Latte mug, with ¼ of it 1% milk, with 4 tablespoons sugar.” Isabel stated confidently. ‘Sweet and bitter. Close enough.’ She had no idea how odd the request sounded.
Charles discreetly peered out from behind his paper, Alex glanced up at her and then back down to his plate in thought, and Gloria stood in the center of the kitchen, a mug on the counter in front of her ¼ filled with milk and her hand poised above the sugar. “I must have misheard you. You wanted four teaspoons of sugar right?”
“No!” Isabel shook her head in emphasis, “four tablespoons will be great. And if possible do you have any cinnamon sticks??” She took another bite of her pancake.
“Right?” Gloria sounded perplexed, “I’ll see what I can find.”
“Thank you.” Isabel ate another bite, and polished off the last of the meaty morsel...
Alex looked up at her and realized that she had barely touched her pancakes, if she were eating it was in microscopic proportions. And he realized with her coffee request that she was developing an improvisational but perfectly ‘normal’ form of sweet and somewhat spicy. This time in a tart base. She wasn’t able to eat any of the food in front of her without a struggle. He frowned slightly in deeper thought and then bounced up from his chair, nearly knocking over his mother who was just bringing over the mug of coffee. They spun to avoid each other as he whisked it out of her hands. ‘Wha??’ “I’m in the mood for some good old fashioned hot chocolate.” He stated.
“Al-ex?” his mother questioned, as he maneuvered around her and proceeded to plant the mug at his father’s spot. Charles watched his son. Alex returned to his mother’s side and whispered, “Isabel doesn’t even like coffee.”
“But she…”
“Trust me here mom.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek. Charles chuckled.
“Isabel, we have peppermints or cinnamon hearts, which would you prefer?” Again his parents looked over at the houseguest.
“Peppermint please?” Isabel answered with a grateful smile. Alex was coming to her rescue.
He quickly rummaged through the cupboards and refrigerator and a few minutes later had all the ingredients mixed and stirred together, and boiling on the stove. He took a sip with a tablespoon. “Perfect.”
He grabbed a fresh mug and poured the hot cocoa into it, and then added two, and thinking of how the morning and night went, rethought his plan and added two more unwrapped red and white striped peppermint candies into the bottom of her mug. He stirred it together; spoon clinking gently and he took a tiny sip with it. Sweet and spicy, definitely perfect for his Isabel. He walked over and placed the mug before her. “Thank you,” she mouthed. A small kiss, chaste and parent safe. And then he looked up to meet his father’s eyes.
“I’d like to try it like that...”
“Yes sir.” Alex added some peppermints to his father’s cup as well. However only two.
Gloria chose to have it plain, and Alex added two of the striped candies to his as well. Going to have to adjust to spicier things with Isabel around.
Charles blew on the hot liquid and proceeded to take a sip. A small smile crossed his face. “That’s really good Isabel. Thanks for showing us another way to enjoy our hot chocolate. I’m sorry, we seem to be the plain type of people around here.“ He sipped slowly at his drink as he continued to read his paper.
She silently smiled, pleased with how Alex had made everything run so smoothly.
‘Back to those dreaded pancakes.’
Alex then brought over the little crystal heart dish filled with cinnamon hearts. His family’s Valentine’s tradition was to have those around.
Then bouncing over to the cupboard, he rummaged for a second until he found the final ingredients he was looking for, powdered sugar and with a quick hop to the spice rack, ground cinnamon. He came back to the table and set those before Isabel as he grabbed their plates from the table and deposited them in the microwave for a quick reheat. He set it before her when it had beeped, and went back to his place and his pancake. She could take it from there.
**********
Isabel dropped a small amount of red-hearts into her orange juice and stirred them up a bit, hoping they would quickly dissolve. Then she liberally sprinkled ground cinnamon on one of the plain pancakes, ‘Spicy’ and then with an equal amount of powdered sugar. ‘Sweet.’ It didn’t stick right so she poured syrup over that, and it seized and clumped together, creating some sort of paste. This she clumsily spread all over the pancake, tearing it in the process, and proceeded to take a bite. His parents surreptiously watched her and he refused to. Isabel realized that cinnamon did far better cooked, it wasn’t very spicy at all in its raw state and it left a chalky, dry and powdery feeling as it clung to the roof of her mouth. However it also tingled the inside of her nose, much in the same manner as Wasabi or horseradish would do, but tamer. She indiscriminately shrugged and took another bite, swallowing a large gulp of hot chocolate at the same time, thankful for the pungent quality of the cinnamon at least.
She smiled to Alex who by this point was mostly done and asking for seconds, ‘Guys sure can eat.’ And she turned to the last pancake, there had to be something she could do with all the choices in front of her. She took a small sip of her cinnamony, spicy, orange juice, and then another. It was perfect; she relaxed and tackled the final golden disk. Pouring out a small pile of cinnamon hearts on her plate she placed a few in her mouth and sucked from them their tangy, sweet flavor as she proceeded to work on her breakfast.
Charles cleared his plate from the table lest he be found staring at the girl. He couldn’t help staring at her, yet he’d taught his children not to, and so to be a good example he removed himself. And continued to observe from another part of the kitchen.
Imagining it cut into a grid, Isabel placed 3 cinnamon hearts in the lower left corner of the pancake, and then another three about ½ of an inch to the right of those, systematically placing three hearts every certain measurement. She took a sip of the hot chocolate, cut out the lower left corner, took a bite when she had completed and smiled. ‘Success.’
Charles had seen enough. He excused himself from the odd houseguest and went to get further ready for work. Gloria watched in amazement, realizing that Isabel had aligned the hearts to be in the center of every single bite. She’d worked it out. And Alex devoured his second plate of pancakes smiling to Isabel, knowing she was fine now.
When done with that pancake Isabel then proceeded to place cinnamon hearts on the first one which was covered in syrup. She liked that combination even better. She settled into the meal.
“So dear?” Gloria asked, “What brings you to our house, ‘and our son’s bed’ this morning?”
“Umm, I‘m really sorry about that,” Isabel took a draught of the hot chocolate which was now nearly gone. “I just had a fight with someone at my house and I needed to get out of there. I came here.”
“A fight? At that time of night?” Gloria arched a pensive eyebrow.
“Um, yeah.. I was a wreck, and I-I figured I could talk to Alex. I didn’t plan to sleep here. I didn’t come over to sleep with him; you’ve got to believe me.” ‘My parents did raise me right.’
Gloria smiled in admiration of the girl’s honesty. Isabel stood to clear the plates from both her and Alex; Gloria joined her, turning to her son. “You two don’t have much more time so…”
She was interrupted. Charles walked out with the handset to a cordless phone, he leaned over Isabel and said, “Your parents. They are looking for you.” She accepted the receiver and moved a bit away for minor privacy “Bye Glory,” he kissed his wife, “Nice to have you Isabel,” he mentioned to the figure in the corner of the kitchen, “Alex.” A short nod toward his son. “I’ll be home tonight.” And with that Charles was out the door.
‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire,’ Isabel thought as she raised the mouthpiece to her ear. A short conversation, “Yeah I’m here.” A small sigh…” No Max isn’t.” She looked up at Alex, as he briefly left the room to comb his hair. “I can’t tell you. I wish I could but…” A shake of her head, ”No! I have no idea where he is. Max might be with Liz.” She sighed. “Yeah, the same time.” Isabel shrugged, “I’m sorry,” she said plaintively, “I just needed to. I needed Alex to get me through something.” She listened briefly, “No not any nightmares, something else.” A large sigh as she ran her hand flat through her hair. “I understand. Yeah love you too. Bye.” She somberly hung up the phone, sighed, and looked up at the Whitmans that remained, Alex had rejoined his mother in the kitchen.
“Thanks for the breakfast Mrs. Whitman. The food was good.”
‘Yeah Right!’ Gloria chuckled at Isabel’s proclamation, obviously borne out of sheer politeness. To Isabel she said while placing a gentle hand on her arm, “Honey? How about I throw some Red-Hots directly into the batter next time, alright?”
‘Would you?’ Isabel’s eyes shone with relief, Gloria did not miss it. She smiled at the girl, “If you don’t mind I’d like to speak with my son for a few minutes.” Isabel nodded and got Alex’s attention, while she walked out into the living room to look at the framed family photos.
Gloria pulled him out of Isabel’s earshot. “Is Isabel ok? Breakfast went kind of …” she paused searching for a way to state herself, “weird?”
“Mom! Don’t ever bring it up again. She tried so hard and did really well too if you want my opinion.” Alex bristled.
“Alex?”
“She eats sweet and spicy mixed together as a combination. She needs to. Her brother is like that as well, it must be something genetic, from their birth parents or something… but, she’s self conscious about it and today was really difficult for her.” He defended Isabel.
“Alex? What does she normally eat?”
“Well she uses Tabasco a lot. On a lot of different things. She’s even got it in her purse for ‘situations,’ but today with you guys watching her every move, she couldn’t use it.”
“Alex?”
“No Mom.” He continued, “This is Isabel, this is the girl I love. This is how she eats, and I’m fine with it.“
“Ok lets try again?” Gloria wasn’t getting very far except for an overprotectiveness of Isabel from her youngest son. “To have her eat here I need to create some crazy sweet, spicy, possibly tart combination?” Gloria queried.
“You could.” He nodded, “Or you could just understand her when she pulls out the Tabasco, and maybe reaches for the sugar.”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Thanks Mom. I know I can count on you.”
“You need to get to school..”
“Yep… gone,” he said as he grabbed the brown paper lunch sack and headed to the living room.
“Iz? Ready?”
“Yeah!”
They made a brief stop at the Evan’s so that one Isabel could change her clothes, and so that two, she could grab her backpack for school. The elder Evans had already left for the day, but their presence was strongly felt in a note they left on the kitchen table.
“Max and Izzy,” it read in mom’s fluid and pretty cursive:
“You did not leave a note, a phone number, or any knowledge of where you were or how to reach you. You didn’t even have your cells. They rang in other parts of our house, when we dialed them.
Effective immediately, you two are grounded. The duration is currently unknown. We need to discuss this. And Isabel that goes for your nocturnal visits as well. No Dream-Walking during the course of the discipline.
We still love you.
Have a good day,
Mom and Dad.”
Alex sympathetically wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “If its any consolation, I’m in trouble too,” he stated giving her a kiss on the temple.
“I didn’t hear your parents punish you. They were rather calm about everything.” she bit back.
He laughed softly. “I haven’t been punished yet. I told you Mom knows what she is doing when she deals. She loves first. Then strikes. The pancakes... my favorite today? Ok not my absolute favorite breakfast, but my favorite pancakes. That’s the love. The punishment is forthcoming, and if our parents at all talk… Oh Boy!!!” He finished the rambling on the current note.
“I’m sorry Alex. It’s my fault.”
“No. You needed me. I ‘slept’ with you, woke up with you and shared breakfast with you today. It’s a great day.”
“Yeah,” she turned on him in one of her instant mood swings, “Speaking of breakfast! Don’t ever do that to me again. I had to figure out everything on my own. I was dying in there.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” he countered. “I realized what was going on and immediately helped you the best I could. And now Mom knows about your Tabasco affinity. The next meal will go a lot smoother.”
“There's not going to be a next meal.” She ordered.
“Oh yes there will Isabel.” He stated in complete confidence.
“Fine. Anyways ground cinnamon and powdered sugar doesn’t mix. I almost didn’t make it though breakfast. Regular sugar might have been better you know? Kind of like cinnamon toast?”
“You did fine, Isabel. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger right? You are definitely stronger and more ready to handle that situation should it ever arise again.” Alex teased, knowing she was upset and that might not be his best move so he continued the conversation, “But knowing my mom, she won’t accept your Tabasco… he trailed off leaving Isabel dangling in more than one way…
“But you just said…” Isabel took the bait.
“I said, ‘She’ll accept you.’ There are going to be some interesting meals in my house when you are around.” He laughed wrapping his arm around her shoulder while walking them to the front door.
“She’d do that for me?” Isabel was feeling slightly overwhelmed.
“Count on it sweetheart.”
TBC….
A/N (Question) If there are any Dreamers out here reading this, I know I had a small Max/Liz scene… how was it? Please let me know? Thanks…
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: TEEN -MATURE…
Spoilers: Independence Day
Recap: When we last left off, Philip had grounded Michael for staying out all night. He was at Maria’s, recall? He ran away at the end of the part against Max and Isabel’s protestation. This starts where we left off…
<center>******************************************
Shifting Realities
Chapter 26:C
Liberation
******************************************</center>
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Isabel and Max stared at each other after Michael left, a ‘What do we do now?’ look mirrored on each face.
“Do you want to talk Isabel?” Max ventured, certain that his sister must be going through some serious emotional pain right now.
“Not to you…” she reasoned.
Said Max with a heavy sigh. “Yeah! Me neither.”
They stood there in the silence, both lost in their own thoughts and deciding what to do. Turning to each other, “You’re going to have to cover for me.” They each said in perfect unison.
Isabel grabbed her handbag, “I’m out of here.” She said while walking towards the door.
Max stepped in her way. “Going to try to track down Michael?” He asked.
She stopped for a moment, “Nope. Just going for a walk.” She shook her head as she moved to go around him.
“Alex?” Max asked pointedly as he stepped firmly in front of her.
“What!?”
“Are you going to Alex?” he repeated himself.
“What is to you what I do right now?” Isabel was getting upset... Michael was hard enough to deal with but King Max, who at this point in time didn’t even know he was king… was really getting on her nerves. “I said I was going out. Now. Move. Away.” She leveled him with one of her famous glares, reserved for impeding brothers and other would be nuisances.
He sighed while he stared at the ground, he really wasn’t trying to upset her and definitely not at that hour. He ran his hand through his hair and he let out another resigned sigh, trying again. “Isabel, you wanted me to cover. And I know what I’m thinking of doing.” He gave a small smile as he tilted his head to look at her, hand resting on the back of neck, “so I thought maybe you were thinking the same. That’s all.” He stepped aside a bit; not enough that she was fully released to just walk out the door, but he knew she’d answer him for she had calmed down a bit with his statement.
“Liz?” She asked gently.
“Yeah.” He nodded, a light playing in his eyes; just the thought of going to Liz’s made him feel less stressful over the entire situation. Not that he really knew how she’d receive him. He hadn’t exactly treated her very well for the past few weeks.
Isabel nodded understandingly, “Then yeah, Alex.”
“Well since neither of us will be here to cover for each other, I guess we’re both going to be in trouble huh?” Max teased her.
She sent him an annoyed look but a sly smile. “Its worth it.” she whispered.
“Yeah.” Max agreed, “Need a ride?”
“He’s three blocks away!!” Isabel whispered incredulously, “Walking remember?”
“See ya then.” Her brother stepped completely out of her way and let her leave.
“Yeah, bye.” And with that Isabel stepped out the door and headed east on Newton Avenue.
**********
She arrived at a very darkened house, it was quite early in the morning and everyone was sound asleep. The cars were all in the driveway, so she’d do good not to get caught there she realized since both of his parents were home. She just needed to talk. She very quietly snuck to the side of the house, bypassing all the vehicles, then opening, and after she slid silently inside, closing, the side gate with her powers and forcing it to be silent. She then began the seemingly long trek to his room as she tiptoed through the patio triggering the motion sensor light, which came blazing on nearly blinding her with its brightness. Isabel certainly hoped that his parents were heavy sleepers as she slowly crept past the pool, carefully avoiding the table and chairs lest she trip into them, while she made her way to the far corner where Alex’s room was in the back portion of the house and around to the side. She wondered just why the gate wasn’t on that end, it would make sneaking into his room that much easier. But then again it wouldn’t be logical to have the gate next to the bedrooms and it was quite logical to have it nearer to the living room, so of course she had to act stealthily.
She silently stood at his window bouncing on the soles of her feet just a bit, as she rapped at the glass with her fingernail. No response. She knocked just a tiny bit louder, with her knuckles. She so did not want to alert the elder Whitmans to her presence. “Alex Whitman, I know you sleep like the dead. But wake up!!!” she murmured in a whisper at his window. If she remained out there much longer, she would be discovered; the neighbor dogs had begun to bark. Of course they had, there was an intruder in the backyard, her, and so she used her powers and let herself in. First she unlocked the window latch, and then with a small burst of power the blinds went noisily hissing their way up the track. “Shhzzhhtt.” It opened rapidly upwards on itself, unaided by the pull string. “Shhh,” she whispered to the inanimate object. “Be quiet.”
He rolled over drowsily and mumbled almost incoherently, “Na ye’ mom, its still mil-le of da night.”
The window started to open softly, a cool breeze instantly entering the room.
He sat up in the darkness, “Whose there?” He asked the darkened room, heart hammering in his chest.
“Alex! It’s me.” Isabel whispered from the window seat, which she was now climbing off, as she resealed the window.
“Isabel? What?” he whispered out confused, “What’s my beautiful dream-walker doing in my room, or is this part of my dream?” He got a sly smile on his face… “Although I don’t remember this exact part of it…” he sighed happily.
“Alex!! I’m not in the mood for your dirty mind right now!” she snapped.
He was stunned. She knew what they dreamed about, and his mind hadn’t gone into the dirty category to his knowledge, at least not in their shared dreams. She continued, “I just needed to talk. And you’d rather be talking to some other version of me so… I’ll just be going.” She was forcing him into action. He flicked on the bedside light.
“Whoa, Iz. Whoa… Give a guy a second to catch up here ok? I mean… come-on?? You did just break into my house, my room. What’s going on? Is something wrong?” Alex climbed out of his bed upon her downcast silent affirmative nod. “Its Michael,” she whispered. Sitting on his window seat with her he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and drew her into his side. “Is there anything I can do to help?” He whispered in return. “What’s wrong with him?”
She looked up at him finally, letting the emotions in her eyes be read by the one who could so well, “He just left.” She said it as if she was in a state of shock. One thing Alex had come to do was to understand her varied emotions, she sure had been through enough of them since she had returned in time for him. He decided to see if he could clarify her statement.
“Left?” Alex asked confused.
A very weary sigh escaped the blonde, “Yeah. He heard everything Max and I had to say, but that that wasn’t good enough for him.” She said bitterly. “He still took off!!”
“Left? Do you think he went to Maria’s again?” Alex ventured a guess.
“Aren’t you hearing me?” She stared at him angrily, her whispered voice rising in frustration, “He LEFT, Ran Away. Took all his stuff. He’s just… gone. He said he was going to find his family Alex, as if we’re nothing.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean that Iz.” Alex said soothingly, “The three of you are as close as blood.”
“He meant it.” She stared down dejectedly at her lap again. “I’m really worried for him Alex. I can’t lose him, not again.” Isabel sounded so hurt, Alex wasn’t sure what she wanted from him. Obviously she needed him to assuage her pain again, but how?
“Ok Iz. I know you said you emancipated him in the past timeline. Is anything else the same? Anything we can work with?” He thought maybe the clues would lie in the past… Isabel sat there silently. “Iz?” He tilted her head up, noticing the dampness in her troubled eyes, as she stared into his concerned ones. She shook her head softly. “I don’t think so,” she answered sadly. “So far the only thing the same is that Hank hurt him.” She paused for a moment… “Ok he went to Maria’s and everything then too, but, I don’t know…” She mumbled in utter helplessness, “That time he did come to our house, but it was not for as long, and my parents didn’t quite act the same...”
“What?” Alex interrupted her soliloquy.
“My dad grounded him, for staying at Maria’s.” She answered, not making any sense to him.
“Then?” he asked.
“Now! Tonight! Keep up Alex!” She pulled out of his grasp and leaned back in a huff against the window, arms folded against her chest, guarded.
“I’m trying.” He responded equally helpless, “So you’re dad grounded him and he left?”
“That’s what I told you isn’t it?” She barked out in a whisper…
“Alex, as I’m reliving this I can only realize one thing,” she said as she got up to pace. He watched her intently from his spot.
“The dates in question, they’re not the same. They are close, but not the same, not exact.” She crossed her arms around herself, “What happens if the dates change? Does that change what happens? Does that mean that, that… Mi… Michael won’t come back?” She stumbled out in a pained question as she circuited the room.
“Isabel. He’ll come back because he needs you guys. He’ll realize that. You have to have faith.” Alex cautioned her but wasn’t quite expecting her reaction.
She turned on him, and harshly bit out. “You know what? He only realized that last time because this guy that he hitched a ride with had said all sorts of things that made him think. And his thoughts led him back home. But if the dates aren’t the same, and they aren’t, what if that guy’s not making his southwesterly soda run? What if Michael hitches a ride with someone else?” Her voice rising hysterically, although still under the parents radar… but it wouldn’t remain that low if she continued. Alex leapt from the window seat to gather her back into his arms. “What if I never see Michael again?” He walked her back over to his window seat and held her tightly in his arms, as a few silent tears strolled down her cheeks.
He did not have much to say, he didn’t know how to comfort her, and he knew that all her questions were extremely valid. So he held her in his arms and rocked her, gently reassuring her that it would be ok. Murmuring softly into her hair that Michael would return. He felt her still in his arms a few minutes later as she regained control. Isabel yawned deeply.
“Tired?” He whispered, looking at her carefully as he cupped his hand to her cheek. She stifled another yawn. “This thing with Michael?” She hissed.
“Yeah?” he asked nervously.
“Exhausting. I need to sleep for 12 hours to make this all up.” In that he could hear her stating an equivalent to I need to sleep for a week.
“Come on Izzy.” He stood to his feet and held his hand to her. She took it and he walked them to his bed, pulling back the covers he patted it and motioned for her to climb in.
“Alex?” She asked worriedly.
He gave her a look of disbelief. “Our parents have conferred on the rules, we’ll follow them.” He stated assuredly. “Now I can’t get you 12 hours, but, I can hold you for what you can get here. Let me do this for you alright?”
She was so tired that she was pretty certain she would be unable to make the walk back home and so she easily acquiesced to his gentle command. “OK.” She slid in, feeling the residual warmth of the sheet against her back as she relaxed into his mattress. He pulled his covers up over her, then he walked over to his door and opened it wide, rehashing a mental checklist; ‘Door open. Check. Light on. Check. Not sharing covers. Check.’ Making his way to his closet he pulled out an extra blanket for himself.
Alex climbed onto his bed next to Isabel, spooning her from behind, but from on top of the covers. His hand stroked her hair as she breathed softly.
“Izzy?” he whispered carefully into the quiet.
“Yeah?”
“I have a question.” He paused to think… “Now I love being your boyfriend.”
“Mmm… I love having you.” She answered sleepily but contentedly.
He continued, “And I know that you have a whole hell of a lot going on keeping both timelines intact.”
“Yeah?” She answered worriedly.
“And how you’re always relying on me to help you through all of it.”
“OK? Spill it Alex.” Isabel was wondering at the turn this conversation was taking.
“I just am wondering if the feeling is mutual, if the relationship would be reciprocated. I mean if I should ever need you for anything. I want to know that you are not using me. But that you’d be here.” He certainly hoped she didn’t think he saw her as uncaring or aloof. That’s not what he was trying to convey…
She rolled to the edge out of his reach as she then rolled over completely to gaze into his eyes. (hard to roll when tucked against another person who is holding down your blankets). She said as she gave him a quick peck to the lips, thinking to herself that they were knowingly breaking the household rules by kissing of any kind in the bedrooms, “I can’t promise that I’ll do it right.” She kissed him longer again. “I’m really rather clueless when it comes to relationships.” She smiled softly. “But I promise, that I will be here if you should need me.” Looking him directly in the eyes she slyly grinned. “What is it they say in marriage vows?”
“We’re not talking marriage right now… are we?” He choked out.
She chuckled softly, “Not exactly… but isn’t it in good times and in bad, that you’ll be there for each other? I’ll be here.” She leaned in very closely her forehead to his, “Now! Is something wrong?”
“No. Nothing.” Alex threw back his head as he chuckled slightly his heart swelling with the love she had just stated. He initiated the next deeper kiss. “My life is absolutely perfect.” They went back to leaning their foreheads together. “I just needed to know.”
“I’m here Alex, whenever and wherever you might need me.” She yawned widely, and asked drowsily, “Sleep now?”
“No Problem. Tuck your head right here,” he patted his chest after he rolled over onto his back, “I’ve got you.” Isabel snuggled into his chest, the blankets were confining and she certainly wished she could have full access to Alex, but these were the concessions her parents had made because of the level of their relationship and how it had already traversed Time. His parents were abiding by the same set of rules… Her eyes closed and her breathing grew slow and steady, yet she still hadn’t drifted off to sleep. Alex chose to hum their song Everything I Do to her as a gentle lullaby, stroking her hair and calming her down until she very softly drifted off in his arms. And then he pulled his blanket up over himself, as he sighed contentedly, loving how perfect his life currently was, while resuming caressing the soft silky strands of his sleeping goddess’s hair.
**********
Meanwhile at the same time, in another section of Roswell, Max had climbed up the fire escape to Liz’s balcony. He crouched next to her window, and lightly knocked on it. Peering inside he saw her sleeping with a nightlight on, its soft glow illuminating the darkness. She seemed so innocent and Angelic he thought as her hair spilled over her pillow in a dark halo. He hated to wake her, but he really needed someone to talk to. So he gently knocked again. “Liz?”
She awoke for she had been sleeping lightly, and looked toward her window from a sitting position. “Max? Is that you?” She called out. Her window was slightly ajar to let in some cool air while she slept.
“I’m sorry Liz. I need to talk.”
“No problem Max. I’ll be right there.” She pulled her thick pink robe over her petite, lithe frame and made her way to her window. Max seemed upset, his eyes held a measure of sadness she realized as she looked at him. “I heard about Michael. Isabel and Alex kind of filled us in. Are you ok?” Liz carefully asked.
“Not really!” Max shook his head. “I’ve never seen him so upset, its like he’s forgotten everything. He packed his bags in front of me. If I’d been asleep, I’ve a feeling he’d have left without saying goodbye.” Max was diving in and sharing from the heart. How was this to go, and how was he supposed to do it?
Liz answered back, “Well maybe he wouldn’t go through with it you know. I can’t believe that he’d just leave you guys.”
“Yeah.” Max sighed rubbing the back of his neck with his palm. “I hope you’re right. He already left. A few minutes ago.” Each sentence was choppy and filled with regret.
She placed her delicate hand on his shoulder. “Max?” She asked as he turned to look at her.
“I can’t lose him Liz. He’s like my brother. I can’t go through that, the uncertainty and the fear again. And I know Isabel can’t.” He had bared a little more of his heart, his heart that was so deeply buried by his strong almost suffocating need for self-preservation at any price. This wasn’t his usual, unless he was having a heart to heart with his sister, but lately even those were few and far between.
Her voice cut through the addled fog in his brain. “Families can be hard Max.”
“Is that what we are? Are we a family? Michael’s right. We don’t know anything about ourselves.” He said almost mournfully.
“If you consider him your brother Max, than that is who he is to you. That’s what makes you a family. It sure doesn’t have to be blood but you know that already.”
He stared at her helplessly, “I always thought he cared more for even Isabel than he did me you know? Those two have some kind of connection that even she and I don’t have. But after tonight, I’m afraid that I don’t know anything. Michael left after she pleaded with him not too. And so here we’ve got another Czechoslovakian situation….” He was interrupted by the look of sheer confusion on her face as he continued softly, “We have parents who are more than ready to assist in whatever way we need, yet we can’t ask them or talk to them about it.” He sighed deeply again.
She voiced her perplexity, “Why not Max?”
“They don’t know about Michael.” He very succinctly answered her.
“Hmm.” She thought silently before asking gently and in complete concern, “How’s Isabel taking all this?”
“How do you think Liz?” Max turned to her as the blow of the situation caused him to feel a chill from the inside as the weight of the matter fell on him. “She headed over to Alex’s, looked pretty shell-shocked when she left.” He stated devoid of emotion.
‘Like you look? You’re not doing too well either.’ Liz thought to herself as she asked, “And you came here?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. We’re overdue for a talk. And I needed someone. Isabel was gone, same as Michael. And you were here. I’ve missed you.”
‘So I’m the last resort huh?… No-one else was around and so therefore he talks to me!? Ought to count myself privileged to be graced by his presence.’ But her anger at being an afterthought was tempered by her concern for her friend, and so she didn’t let him into the private dealings in her mind but instead asked him what she wanted to know. “How?” ‘How did you miss me?’ her mind was screaming.
“Doesn’t’ matter.” He shrugged, “I’m here, we’re talking, and I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too Max.” Liz crawled out of her window with a couple of blankets and came to sit in one of her lounge chairs, issuing Max into the other as they continued the long overdue conversation late into the morning.
**********
While his siblings were seeking refuge in the arms of the ones they loved, Michael was deeply soul-searching.
The timelines seemed to have an overlap, for Michael was able to hitch a ride with the same person as before. And as Michael sorted through all the alien things, the guy droned on about how dead Roswell was, and that there was nothing in that town.
It had the same affect as the time before; it caused Michael to realize that there was indeed something for him in Roswell. Family: Max and Isabel. But if he hadn’t wandered out, if he hadn’t attempted to run away, he’d have never been fully sure of that fact. But as he hitched a return ride, with another stranger, he was more than sure that he was making the right choice. At least for now he was. And it was time to be on his own, which meant swallowing his pride, and with what little dignity he still maintained, speaking with the Evans.
**********
Later that morning, Nancy Parker awoke and went to check on her daughter to make sure that she was up and getting ready for school. She thought she heard low voices coming from outside when she stepped into Liz’s room, and her daughter’s bed was unmade, and not currently being slept in.
Nancy walked to the window and stuck her head outside, Liz and the Evans’ boy were sitting in the crisp air having a conversation in hushed tones. “Honey?” She called out. “Its time to come in please.”
“Mom??” Liz looked up, a bit embarrassed to be found outside, “What time is it?”
“Time to be getting ready for school,” her mother yawned, “Have you been out here all night?”
“Most of it I’m afraid.” Her daughter revealed, “Max had something going on and he just really needed a friend to talk to.”
“Hi Max.” Nancy Parker added, as he greeted her as well. Then she added while still looking at him, “Go wash up, you’re eating in the diner, breakfast is on us.” Turning to her daughter once again, “Well go on and get ready for school… and Max, we’ll see you downstairs.” He pulled himself stiffly from the chair and made his way through her open window and down the inside steps.
Nancy Parker turned back to her daughter, “Liz Sweetie. I know you’ve pulled all nighters and gotten Maria through things before, but usually you don’t stay outside all night, especially on a school night.” She added as an afterthought, “It must be really important huh?”
“Yeah Mom.” Liz answered softly, while biting her lip just ever so carefully, but giving away her complete nervousness to her mother’s practiced eyes. Calling her daughter over to the window Nancy looked her over very carefully as she peered into her eyes, “I guess just this once, then, its no big deal.” She softly stroked her daughter’s hair, “So if you get tired at school or anything, feel free to call. One of us can get you ok?”
“Yeah thanks Mom.” Liz sighed in relief as she climbed back through her window to be met with the next obvious question, “Is Max ok?” her mother asked.
“He’s fine.” Liz nodded. “And I can’t tell you what we talked about. Just know that I’m a responsible girl, and I knew that I needed to be here for him. Its not like I’m going to do this all the time.” Nancy was pleased that her daughter was merely assisting a friend and not sneaking out all night with a boyfriend, for it was no mystery the way Max watched her, and she had taken in a date with him that once, when they went out during that December heatwave…. She added to Liz, “You can eat with Max if you hurry. I’m sure he was glad to have a friend like you last night.”
“Thanks again Mom…”
**********
And other people were starting their early morning elsewhere in Roswell too.
The Evans had awakened to find the house oddly quiet for having three teenagers residing in it. No sounds were coming from the kitchen, and no one was getting a shower. They decided to investigate, Diane took the upstairs and Philip took the down.
They reconvened at the bottom of the stairwell. Philip spoke first. “Not here. It appears they never were. Find anything in Izzy’s room?”
“A made bed.” Diane answered assuredly, “She’d sat on it or something, it’s a bit rumpled and not smooth. But it wasn’t slept in, bed’s cold.”
“You checked the temperature?” Philip asked in awe of his wife’s ingenuity.
“Mother’s have their little tricks, maybe she’d left early you know?” Diane finished, “But she didn’t. She definitely never slept here.”
Philip nodded with a heavy sigh, “Well knowing the household rules, lets expect a note on the table from our children, or a message on the machine,” he started to lead into the kitchen.
“Yeah, lets hope.” Diane stopped walking and turned to look imploringly at her husband, “But Philip really... Something is going on with them and Michael don’t you think?”
He sighed as he pulled her close while answering, “She’s been running some kind of interference since he stepped into this house. Of course something is going on. And they think that we’re so stupid that we can’t see it.”
Diane matched his wearied sigh, “And so, we’re in the dark trying to figure out what’s going on with our kids. Again. I’m getting really sick of this Philip.”
“Yeah. Me too. Now lets find that note. Or else they’re really in for it.”
They searched the kitchen over, checked their cells for messages, and tried the answering machine. They found absolutely nothing.
**********
And finally but not least, the last people awakening that morning, at the same time...
Gloria stumbled into her hallway after descending the stairway and started to head towards her son’s room. Yawning widely she pulled her robe tightly closed. The door at the end of the hall was open, ‘Hmm. That’s not right.’ She watched cautiously down the hallway and realized that a soft light was also coming from that room’s interior.
Slipping into her youngest son’s room early that morning, she just didn’t know how quite to react to the sight that met her eyes as her hand went to her chest while she sucked in her breath. The two teens were sleeping soundly together. Her baby boy was with a young woman, and they were sharing his bed, his covers, at least partially… They were pulled back and resting just loosely on Isabel’s waist so she was able to see that at least the top halves of their bodies were clothed. Astride the edge of the bed lying near the teens lay a very rumpled separate blanket. It was draped somewhat across the mattress but mostly rested in a bunched pile on the floor. All she could assume was that at one point it had been used during the night. It was more than obvious to her trained mother’s eye that the sleeping teens were very comfortable.
They must have sensed her presence, but not yet awakened, for they both got a little more comfortable as they lay there, Isabel snuggled into her spot even deeper, and Alex tightened his grip in response as the blanket fell off Isabel’s hips.
Gloria breathed out a quiet sigh of relief upon realizing that both kids were completely dressed, although well intertwined. And she mentally calculated their current position. Isabel’s head was nestled upon her baby’s heart, and her right leg was pressed flat, and stretched its entire length, against his outer left leg; while her left leg was bent at the knee and possessively crossed over both of his, her ankle locking around his right calf. Isabel’s left hand was resting on his chest, making direct contact with the skin underneath his grey tank top which was bunched up against her forearm. And her right hand was resting palm down on his left shoulder, thumb tucked under her head as it rested on it… His chin was nuzzled into her hair, while he held her close. His left arm, tucked underneath her, had its hand on the on the small of her back, pushing her shirt upwards and out of the way a little bit, as he had rubbed in an absent feather light touch. His hand had rested there as he had fallen asleep. And finally his right hand was resting on her left upper arm as she lay across him, it too had stopped midstroke as they fell asleep. They looked so peaceful, Gloria hated to interrupt, but she must…
She sighed and tiptoed quietly over to her son’s bed. “Alex Honey. You need to get up now.” At the same time she reached over to smooth back Isabel’s hair from where it had fallen over her face. “ Good morning Isabel.” She whispered. “I trust your parents know you are here?” The blonde girl slowly blinked a couple of times in response as their eyes completely met. Gloria understood the unspoken answer. “Just as I assumed.” She walked over to the doorway, maintaining eye contact with both kids to assure herself they were completely awake, “Well, we’ll have plenty of time to deal with that in a few minutes. Breakfast will be waiting for you in the kitchen as soon as you are ready. And Isabel, I expect you to eat with us considering the fact that you are already here.”
“Yes ma’am,” Isabel whispered politely. How else does one respond when found in the boyfriend’s bed and insisted to stay to breakfast? A new panic sliced through her tranquil thoughts. ‘How am I ever going to make it through what is probably a ‘human’ breakfast?’
“Good. Now get a move on, and get yourselves ready.” With that Gloria rapped lightly on the door a couple of times and headed in the direction of the kitchen.
Alex looked at Isabel and smirked. She met his eyes, as his hand stroked her cheek, ever so gently tracing its contours. Their current position was too tempting, too inviting, and she perched herself onto her right elbow as it propped up her head and she leaned in for a kiss. They continued like this for a few silent moments before they rearranged themselves on his bed for maximum kissability. She rolled over and completely pressed him to his mattress, her blonde hair falling as a curtain down around their faces as she initiated a morning exploration of the inside of his mouth, which he eagerly returned.
As Gloria poured the batter into a pan and stirred sausage links in another she hollered down the hall, “You two had better not be making out.” Laughing to herself, knowing they were caught, without ever having to check on them as she continued to make breakfast.
**********
Isabel was so embarrassed, she leapt from Alex’s bed and stood there nervously wondering what to do. Alex took it all in stride, “Yes Mom,” he called out as he leisurely climbed out of bed. “We’re not.” He came around to Isabel’s side and gave her a quick peck on the lips. They both felt the loss of the contact instantly, and he couldn’t stand it. Her lips were so soft and luscious, and just needed so much more attention than a tiny peck, that he advanced into her space, whispering, “Whose kidding who?” He gave her a wink, and resumed the kiss from earlier, a full mouth assault, that required the both of them to deliciously duel, while he struggled to walk them both backwards to his window seat as they never parted lips. He sat her down, and then pulled away, a smile beaming on his face, “I could definitely get used to this.” He implied.
He left her sitting there as he went to make his bed, leaving her collecting her thoughts as she watched him. First he meticulously straightened one side and then the other, the side that was across from her so he could sneak looks. He grinned as he worked and she started to chuckle softly.
“What?” He feigned annoyance. “Did I miss a spot? Is it not lump free enough for the Princess. She sure didn’t complain last night.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Isabel laughed softly in reply.. “No it’s your mom. I can’t believe she was so calm and didn’t throw me out on my ass or shout at me or smack me with the morning news or… something.”
“Yeah, Pops already has that.” Alex teased.
“She’s not Amy DeLuca that’s for sure,” Isabel laughed in return. Alex looked up at her and found himself laughing along, as they both recalled how Michael woke the morning before.
Alex walked over to the window and said in a tone of contemplation, “React first and think later? No Mom is definitely not like that. She’s the type to think first and to react later.” He glared at Isabel in utter seriousness “Which is ultimately worse, because when she deals with you, she KNOWS what she is doing. I guarantee that she knew you were here before she ever entered the room. Mom doesn’t miss a trick. And I can also pretty much guarantee, that we,” he motioned a finger between them, “collectively, haven’t heard the end of this.” Smiling he added, “Now its time for a shower and then off to breakfast.”
**********
Showers done, the two kids stepped into the kitchen holding hands. Plates were resting at each individual’s spot, as well as a glass of orange juice.
The sight was a bit disconcerting to Isabel; she couldn’t get away with a bowl of cereal. It was one of her hidden fears manifest, eating somewhere else, where her dietary quirks would not only be noticed, but also likely not understood.
“Good Morning.” They were pleasantly greeted. “I trust you slept well.” A smirk. While Alex and Isabel shared an unspoken, uncomfortable look.
“Spending the night together is getting to be rather commonplace now isn’t it?” They were asked. “Lets see, we’ve got the woods, the weekend in Clovis, and now last night, here, in this house?” A questioning eyebrow was raised.
“Pops! Enough!” Alex jumped in. “Clovis was one night on business, not a weekend. The night we returned I slept at her house, in her guest room, not her bed. “ He quickly rushed to defend.
Isabel shot him a hard stare. “Sorry Iz,” he mumbled, “didn’t mean it quite like that.” He looked up to meet his father’s eyes, “because she was sick and I was worried about her.” He sighed and shook his head. He led them to the table as he continued, “She needed me last night.” Another look from Isabel, Another arched eyebrow from his dad. “To talk... that’s all…” Charles shot a disbelieving look that silenced his son and Gloria lightly laughed to herself, while walking over to the two of them.
Charles could sense his son’s discomfort and was satisfied that his point had been made. He turned sideways on his chair and pulled out another section of the newspaper to read. His meal was pretty much complete.
“Isabel dear,” the tall, average, woman with short, currently tousled, light auburn hair stepped in. “Please take this seat across from Alex here.” She issued her son’s houseguest into a place, and placed three perfect warm pancakes on her plate, as well as a couple links of sausage. Then she moved to her son’s side and served him as well.
“Thanks Mom,” He smiled up at her then leaned over to sniff at the aroma of the delicious meal. “Mmm, these smell so good. You know how much I love your pancakes.”
“I know Alex.” Gloria Whitman good naturedly kissed her son’s cheek, “Now enjoy them.” She said as she ruffled his damp hair.
He nodded and was about to dive right on in when he realized that Isabel hadn’t touched hers yet and she was staring at them. She swallowed a couple of sips of orange juice but continued to watch her plate.
Gloria sat down with her plate and joined them at the table. “Are you alright dear?” She asked concerned. “Aren’t you feeling well? You haven’t touched your food, and they are Alex’s favorite.”
Isabel smiled, a tight closed lip smile, “I’m fine.” Inside she ordered herself to get it together. ‘Deal with it Iz. You can get through this!!’ “If its not any trouble, would you happen to have any coffee?” She asked. Alex’s head snapped up, midbite, as she proceeded to eat some of her sausage.
“Oh not a problem dear. I’ll get you some. Charles?” Gloria hopped up to accommodate the guest.
“Huh? Oh yeah sounds good.” He mumbled.
Alex tapped the tines of his fork against his plate discreetly motioning for Isabel to try some.
Isabel broke off a small corner with her fork and placed it in her mouth. She’d never had pancakes without syrup and Tabasco in her life. And the sad thing was her Tabasco, although in her purse, wouldn’t do at this meal, for she felt as if she were being observed.
She chewed the mouthful, deciding that she thoroughly hated pancakes at that moment; the doughy texture, the customary blandness, and once swallowed, the way it dryly caught in her throat, forcing her to cough. She quickly gulped a draught of her orange juice to dislodge the stuck food and she sighed.
She looked up and mumbled, “Swallowed wrong,” Lying to redeem herself and what must really seem odd, she speared the second to last bit of sausage in a vain attempt to seem perfectly normally and chewed it carefully.
Trying again with the pancake, she poured syrup all over it and encountered the next dilemma. No spicy. It was now semi-sweet due to the fact that the bread absorbed the syrup on contact. But it was without a spicy kick. She really hoped that coffee was done brewing soon. She’d drink a mug of coffee and grab donuts or something on the way to school, explaining to the Whitmans that she really wasn’t that much of a breakfast person. A few more bites of this, and she’d most likely have satisfied her hosts.
The pot finished brewing and Gloria bounced up from her seat again. Isabel smiled, “I’d like that in an 18 oz. Latte mug, with ¼ of it 1% milk, with 4 tablespoons sugar.” Isabel stated confidently. ‘Sweet and bitter. Close enough.’ She had no idea how odd the request sounded.
Charles discreetly peered out from behind his paper, Alex glanced up at her and then back down to his plate in thought, and Gloria stood in the center of the kitchen, a mug on the counter in front of her ¼ filled with milk and her hand poised above the sugar. “I must have misheard you. You wanted four teaspoons of sugar right?”
“No!” Isabel shook her head in emphasis, “four tablespoons will be great. And if possible do you have any cinnamon sticks??” She took another bite of her pancake.
“Right?” Gloria sounded perplexed, “I’ll see what I can find.”
“Thank you.” Isabel ate another bite, and polished off the last of the meaty morsel...
Alex looked up at her and realized that she had barely touched her pancakes, if she were eating it was in microscopic proportions. And he realized with her coffee request that she was developing an improvisational but perfectly ‘normal’ form of sweet and somewhat spicy. This time in a tart base. She wasn’t able to eat any of the food in front of her without a struggle. He frowned slightly in deeper thought and then bounced up from his chair, nearly knocking over his mother who was just bringing over the mug of coffee. They spun to avoid each other as he whisked it out of her hands. ‘Wha??’ “I’m in the mood for some good old fashioned hot chocolate.” He stated.
“Al-ex?” his mother questioned, as he maneuvered around her and proceeded to plant the mug at his father’s spot. Charles watched his son. Alex returned to his mother’s side and whispered, “Isabel doesn’t even like coffee.”
“But she…”
“Trust me here mom.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek. Charles chuckled.
“Isabel, we have peppermints or cinnamon hearts, which would you prefer?” Again his parents looked over at the houseguest.
“Peppermint please?” Isabel answered with a grateful smile. Alex was coming to her rescue.
He quickly rummaged through the cupboards and refrigerator and a few minutes later had all the ingredients mixed and stirred together, and boiling on the stove. He took a sip with a tablespoon. “Perfect.”
He grabbed a fresh mug and poured the hot cocoa into it, and then added two, and thinking of how the morning and night went, rethought his plan and added two more unwrapped red and white striped peppermint candies into the bottom of her mug. He stirred it together; spoon clinking gently and he took a tiny sip with it. Sweet and spicy, definitely perfect for his Isabel. He walked over and placed the mug before her. “Thank you,” she mouthed. A small kiss, chaste and parent safe. And then he looked up to meet his father’s eyes.
“I’d like to try it like that...”
“Yes sir.” Alex added some peppermints to his father’s cup as well. However only two.
Gloria chose to have it plain, and Alex added two of the striped candies to his as well. Going to have to adjust to spicier things with Isabel around.
Charles blew on the hot liquid and proceeded to take a sip. A small smile crossed his face. “That’s really good Isabel. Thanks for showing us another way to enjoy our hot chocolate. I’m sorry, we seem to be the plain type of people around here.“ He sipped slowly at his drink as he continued to read his paper.
She silently smiled, pleased with how Alex had made everything run so smoothly.
‘Back to those dreaded pancakes.’
Alex then brought over the little crystal heart dish filled with cinnamon hearts. His family’s Valentine’s tradition was to have those around.
Then bouncing over to the cupboard, he rummaged for a second until he found the final ingredients he was looking for, powdered sugar and with a quick hop to the spice rack, ground cinnamon. He came back to the table and set those before Isabel as he grabbed their plates from the table and deposited them in the microwave for a quick reheat. He set it before her when it had beeped, and went back to his place and his pancake. She could take it from there.
**********
Isabel dropped a small amount of red-hearts into her orange juice and stirred them up a bit, hoping they would quickly dissolve. Then she liberally sprinkled ground cinnamon on one of the plain pancakes, ‘Spicy’ and then with an equal amount of powdered sugar. ‘Sweet.’ It didn’t stick right so she poured syrup over that, and it seized and clumped together, creating some sort of paste. This she clumsily spread all over the pancake, tearing it in the process, and proceeded to take a bite. His parents surreptiously watched her and he refused to. Isabel realized that cinnamon did far better cooked, it wasn’t very spicy at all in its raw state and it left a chalky, dry and powdery feeling as it clung to the roof of her mouth. However it also tingled the inside of her nose, much in the same manner as Wasabi or horseradish would do, but tamer. She indiscriminately shrugged and took another bite, swallowing a large gulp of hot chocolate at the same time, thankful for the pungent quality of the cinnamon at least.
She smiled to Alex who by this point was mostly done and asking for seconds, ‘Guys sure can eat.’ And she turned to the last pancake, there had to be something she could do with all the choices in front of her. She took a small sip of her cinnamony, spicy, orange juice, and then another. It was perfect; she relaxed and tackled the final golden disk. Pouring out a small pile of cinnamon hearts on her plate she placed a few in her mouth and sucked from them their tangy, sweet flavor as she proceeded to work on her breakfast.
Charles cleared his plate from the table lest he be found staring at the girl. He couldn’t help staring at her, yet he’d taught his children not to, and so to be a good example he removed himself. And continued to observe from another part of the kitchen.
Imagining it cut into a grid, Isabel placed 3 cinnamon hearts in the lower left corner of the pancake, and then another three about ½ of an inch to the right of those, systematically placing three hearts every certain measurement. She took a sip of the hot chocolate, cut out the lower left corner, took a bite when she had completed and smiled. ‘Success.’
Charles had seen enough. He excused himself from the odd houseguest and went to get further ready for work. Gloria watched in amazement, realizing that Isabel had aligned the hearts to be in the center of every single bite. She’d worked it out. And Alex devoured his second plate of pancakes smiling to Isabel, knowing she was fine now.
When done with that pancake Isabel then proceeded to place cinnamon hearts on the first one which was covered in syrup. She liked that combination even better. She settled into the meal.
“So dear?” Gloria asked, “What brings you to our house, ‘and our son’s bed’ this morning?”
“Umm, I‘m really sorry about that,” Isabel took a draught of the hot chocolate which was now nearly gone. “I just had a fight with someone at my house and I needed to get out of there. I came here.”
“A fight? At that time of night?” Gloria arched a pensive eyebrow.
“Um, yeah.. I was a wreck, and I-I figured I could talk to Alex. I didn’t plan to sleep here. I didn’t come over to sleep with him; you’ve got to believe me.” ‘My parents did raise me right.’
Gloria smiled in admiration of the girl’s honesty. Isabel stood to clear the plates from both her and Alex; Gloria joined her, turning to her son. “You two don’t have much more time so…”
She was interrupted. Charles walked out with the handset to a cordless phone, he leaned over Isabel and said, “Your parents. They are looking for you.” She accepted the receiver and moved a bit away for minor privacy “Bye Glory,” he kissed his wife, “Nice to have you Isabel,” he mentioned to the figure in the corner of the kitchen, “Alex.” A short nod toward his son. “I’ll be home tonight.” And with that Charles was out the door.
‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire,’ Isabel thought as she raised the mouthpiece to her ear. A short conversation, “Yeah I’m here.” A small sigh…” No Max isn’t.” She looked up at Alex, as he briefly left the room to comb his hair. “I can’t tell you. I wish I could but…” A shake of her head, ”No! I have no idea where he is. Max might be with Liz.” She sighed. “Yeah, the same time.” Isabel shrugged, “I’m sorry,” she said plaintively, “I just needed to. I needed Alex to get me through something.” She listened briefly, “No not any nightmares, something else.” A large sigh as she ran her hand flat through her hair. “I understand. Yeah love you too. Bye.” She somberly hung up the phone, sighed, and looked up at the Whitmans that remained, Alex had rejoined his mother in the kitchen.
“Thanks for the breakfast Mrs. Whitman. The food was good.”
‘Yeah Right!’ Gloria chuckled at Isabel’s proclamation, obviously borne out of sheer politeness. To Isabel she said while placing a gentle hand on her arm, “Honey? How about I throw some Red-Hots directly into the batter next time, alright?”
‘Would you?’ Isabel’s eyes shone with relief, Gloria did not miss it. She smiled at the girl, “If you don’t mind I’d like to speak with my son for a few minutes.” Isabel nodded and got Alex’s attention, while she walked out into the living room to look at the framed family photos.
Gloria pulled him out of Isabel’s earshot. “Is Isabel ok? Breakfast went kind of …” she paused searching for a way to state herself, “weird?”
“Mom! Don’t ever bring it up again. She tried so hard and did really well too if you want my opinion.” Alex bristled.
“Alex?”
“She eats sweet and spicy mixed together as a combination. She needs to. Her brother is like that as well, it must be something genetic, from their birth parents or something… but, she’s self conscious about it and today was really difficult for her.” He defended Isabel.
“Alex? What does she normally eat?”
“Well she uses Tabasco a lot. On a lot of different things. She’s even got it in her purse for ‘situations,’ but today with you guys watching her every move, she couldn’t use it.”
“Alex?”
“No Mom.” He continued, “This is Isabel, this is the girl I love. This is how she eats, and I’m fine with it.“
“Ok lets try again?” Gloria wasn’t getting very far except for an overprotectiveness of Isabel from her youngest son. “To have her eat here I need to create some crazy sweet, spicy, possibly tart combination?” Gloria queried.
“You could.” He nodded, “Or you could just understand her when she pulls out the Tabasco, and maybe reaches for the sugar.”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Thanks Mom. I know I can count on you.”
“You need to get to school..”
“Yep… gone,” he said as he grabbed the brown paper lunch sack and headed to the living room.
“Iz? Ready?”
“Yeah!”
They made a brief stop at the Evan’s so that one Isabel could change her clothes, and so that two, she could grab her backpack for school. The elder Evans had already left for the day, but their presence was strongly felt in a note they left on the kitchen table.
“Max and Izzy,” it read in mom’s fluid and pretty cursive:
“You did not leave a note, a phone number, or any knowledge of where you were or how to reach you. You didn’t even have your cells. They rang in other parts of our house, when we dialed them.
Effective immediately, you two are grounded. The duration is currently unknown. We need to discuss this. And Isabel that goes for your nocturnal visits as well. No Dream-Walking during the course of the discipline.
We still love you.
Have a good day,
Mom and Dad.”
Alex sympathetically wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “If its any consolation, I’m in trouble too,” he stated giving her a kiss on the temple.
“I didn’t hear your parents punish you. They were rather calm about everything.” she bit back.
He laughed softly. “I haven’t been punished yet. I told you Mom knows what she is doing when she deals. She loves first. Then strikes. The pancakes... my favorite today? Ok not my absolute favorite breakfast, but my favorite pancakes. That’s the love. The punishment is forthcoming, and if our parents at all talk… Oh Boy!!!” He finished the rambling on the current note.
“I’m sorry Alex. It’s my fault.”
“No. You needed me. I ‘slept’ with you, woke up with you and shared breakfast with you today. It’s a great day.”
“Yeah,” she turned on him in one of her instant mood swings, “Speaking of breakfast! Don’t ever do that to me again. I had to figure out everything on my own. I was dying in there.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” he countered. “I realized what was going on and immediately helped you the best I could. And now Mom knows about your Tabasco affinity. The next meal will go a lot smoother.”
“There's not going to be a next meal.” She ordered.
“Oh yes there will Isabel.” He stated in complete confidence.
“Fine. Anyways ground cinnamon and powdered sugar doesn’t mix. I almost didn’t make it though breakfast. Regular sugar might have been better you know? Kind of like cinnamon toast?”
“You did fine, Isabel. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger right? You are definitely stronger and more ready to handle that situation should it ever arise again.” Alex teased, knowing she was upset and that might not be his best move so he continued the conversation, “But knowing my mom, she won’t accept your Tabasco… he trailed off leaving Isabel dangling in more than one way…
“But you just said…” Isabel took the bait.
“I said, ‘She’ll accept you.’ There are going to be some interesting meals in my house when you are around.” He laughed wrapping his arm around her shoulder while walking them to the front door.
“She’d do that for me?” Isabel was feeling slightly overwhelmed.
“Count on it sweetheart.”
TBC….
A/N (Question) If there are any Dreamers out here reading this, I know I had a small Max/Liz scene… how was it? Please let me know? Thanks…
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
-
Mt Gazer
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 145
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 1:10 pm
- Location: Living in my own mind!!!!
Disclaimer: I in no way own the rights to Roswell or anything related to it. All rights belong to Jason Katims, 20th Century Fox, Regency Entertainment, etc… I am borrowing their awesome characters, and including my own.
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: TEEN -MATURE…
Spoilers: Independence Day (Loosely)
RECAP: Michael had run away and Max and Izzy had gone to their humans’ houses to talk. The Evans had a left a note informing them they were grounded.
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Shifting Realities
Chapter 26-D
Liberation
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After his return trip back into town, Michael stayed hidden as always, school held no importance for him and so as usual, he avoided it.
At 2:35 that afternoon of the 18th, before West Roswell High School had even let out for the day, a timid young man stepped into the elegant foyer of Evans and Associates Law Firm. The green silk plants which lined the corners, as well as the living ones which also graced its presence, and the gilding on the frieze which ran the perimeter of the room on the ceiling without so much as a spoken word told of the young man’s poverty. The opulent backdrop made him look strangely out of place, with his rolled cuff, worn denim, non-brand name jeans, and his cut off shirt. The edges of the short sleeves were frayed from where there had once been longer ones. They were clothes from charity. One reason Michael hated it so much is that the donations were other people’s rejects. Not always of course, but Hank never care what he wore, he grabbed whatever the proper size was at the time and gave them to Michael. There were always some good clothes that Michael procured, not everyone donated junk, and Isabel always made certain that he was given at least one decent outfit every Christmas. So Michael did have some clothes that he liked to wear, but with the dramatic overturn in his life as of the last few days, all of those favorites were in the inaccessible trailer; his best clothes were left inside, in the hamper and the only clean clothes that he took with him were outfits he never wore. And now they were all he owned. He truly was wearing his rejects, day in and day out now. It felt just like his life he thought with a sigh.
The young man’s station in life was so dramatically contrasted against the opulence of the office that the secretary took notice of him right away. She eyed him suspiciously as if he were casing the place for future reference. She made a mental note of everything about him as she asked, “May I help you?”
Michael stood there for a moment weighing his options as the secretary watched with increased concern. Then he spoke, with a heavy sigh. “I’d like to speak to Mr. Philip Evans.”
After a short required chat with the front desk, revealing the busyness of the proprietor and so forth, she finally buzzed Philip Evan’s desk. “Mr. Evans. There is a young man here seeking a meeting with you.” She hurried on, “He has no appointment and I’ve informed him you were busy and preparing for the next client but he insists on speaking with you. His name is Michael Guerin.”
Philip’s face registered complete surprise at the name and he asked for Michael to be brought to his office. Shortly after, Michael was escorted inside.
“Take a seat Michael,” Philip motioned toward the leather bound chairs against the wall that similarly matched the style of the ones in the Evans’ office at their home. “I assume you have a reason for being here?”
The moment of truth was upon him and Michael didn’t know what to say or how to say it. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and silently paced the length of the office.
That put Mr. Evans on full alert. “Michael? Did you want to say something?” he asked tersely. “Michael?” Philip asked again.
The frazzled young man turned to look at Philip and said the unlikeliest of statements, which was fragmented at that. “Do you always do that?”
“Do what Michael?” Philip asked, trying to understand the question.
“Take in strays,” the young man continued, leaving Mr. Evans totally bewildered. “Excuse me? What?”
“Your kids, they were strays right?” Michael stated simply.
Philip knew he was lost; whatever Michael wanted to say wasn’t coming out at all clearly, and must have been lost in translation. He would need an interpreter, and so he called his wife from the office down the hall. She was busy for the moment and would come in a few minutes.
In the meantime he offered Michael to take a seat again.
“I’ll stand.” Was the reply, as he shoved his hands back into his pockets and paced the room again.
“Suit yourself…” Philip Evans’ shook his head. “Now. I’m pretty sure your question didn’t come out right? Care to rework it?” Philip once again tried to engage the young man…
“I’ll wait.” Michael curtly replied.
Again Philip was getting frustrated but he said for the second time in less than a minute, “Suit yourself.”
After finishing up in her office, Diane appeared. “Honey what was so important you need….” The words died on her lips, as the question immediately changed upon seeing the occupant in her husband’s office. “Michael? What are you doing here?”
The young man stared at the two of them and refused to speak. So Philip reiterated the strange question of earlier.
“Strays? Michael?” She repeated looking at him curiously. “I’d really rather not think of my children in such a light…”
“What exactly are you trying to get at?” Philip tried to pin down the logic.
Michael shrugged. “I was wondering if you’d treat everyone like that, or is it only Isabel and Max?”
“Take a seat. I insist. I’m getting lightheaded watching you circuit the room.” Philip teased him.
Michael eased himself stiffly into one of the chairs, gripping at its polished wooden armrests while staring at theses two adults who could hold the answers for his shattered life….
“What’s going on?” Philip directed the question.
He started the next series of fragmented conversation. “Yeah, well Isabel said you could help me.”
“With?” Diane looked at him curiously for her vantage point leaning against her husband’s desk as her hands were cupped against the edges, palms on the top and fingers curled underneath.
“They said you helped a kid live on his own.”
“Ok, they shouldn’t have mentioned anything but… is there a reason you mentioned that specifically?” Philip was wondering why his kids had shared a bit of a case with anyone, but especially why that one.
“Could you do that for me?” the boy quietly added.
Philip looked at the young man, now sitting there stiffly holding onto the wooden armrests. He was not in the slightest bit comfortable. “Well we will need to know more of your situation in order to understand how to proceed and why.”
“Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself.” Diane added.
Michael shrugged his shoulders, “What’s to tell? No family. Never had one. Lived in the Children’s Home until I was placed with my foster father. That’s not working out good. I’d do better on my own.”
“Where do you live?” Philip Evans continued to get as much information as was possible from the reticent young man. “In the years that you and Max and Izzy have been friends, we’ve never met your foster father, nor known where you reside.”
Michael shook his head, “No big loss.”
Philip looked curiously at the young man, around the same age as his kids, and until the recent alien involvement, his teenager’s only known friend as his wife jumped in. “Well I think we just solved the mystery of how or why you three are friends. You three all are orphans or abandoned children or something, you share a commonality.”
Michael stared at him while imperceptibly shaking his head and visibly shrugging his shoulders again.
Just as they had hoped to get more answers, the secretary buzzed with the next appointment.
Philip turned to Michael. “We really do want to hear more of your case and to help you if possible. But we have scheduled clients right now and you did just drop in. We can schedule you for Tuesday afternoon after school, or we can resume this tonight, at home. In the off chance that you will be there correct?” He teased.
Diane advised Michael of the family situations for the evening, “Max is working late, being that it’s a Friday night. We will be home later ourselves today and if you’d like we can probably talk Alex into entertaining Isabel for the evening. “ She laughed, knowing Isabel would like that.
“So they won’t be there?” Michael looked up at the adults in the room.
“No.” They answered together.
“Good.” He nodded, “Its not like they don’t know this stuff.. But yeah. I don’t want them there. Tonight I guess.” He had caught Philip’s tease of being at the house and so he asked, “Am I still grounded?”
Again they replied in unison, “Yes.” While chuckling, “You haven’t honored the grounding order yet. We’d like you to stay put for the day.”
Diane stood to walk both her and Michael out of the office, “At our home tonight you will have our undivided attention. Now, I’ll get hold of Alex and arrange for Isabel to be with him tonight. Philip we’re out of here. Take your client and I’ll make the plans after I take my next client.” Turning to the young man at her side she added, “Michael, we’ll see you in a few hours.” Diane took charge and stepped the two of them out of Philip’s office.
**********
Later that evening, Alex arrived for a surprise date with Isabel. She met him at the door with her hair done in a sloppy ponytail, and wearing sweats that she wouldn’t be caught dead in public in. She panicked at the sight of him, why was here, especially when he knew she was grounded? She shouldn’t be talking to him in “any” form today. She shut the door quickly leaning against it to gather her composure and then reopened it, staring at him curiously. He smirked, as he arched his eyebrow. “Go get dressed. You’ve got seven minutes,” Alex ordered as he looked at his watch.
“What!?” She startled, looked up into his eyes.
He stepped into the house and leaning his head into hers, as the back of his fingers delicately caressed her cheek, “Well, I always think you’re beautiful…” he pulled back and said in a serious tease, “But unless you want everyone else to see that outfit,” he stated as he looked her over real quickly, then stroking her hair and tucking the loose strands behind her ear, “you’ve got six minutes and forty seconds to change it.”
She grabbed his wrist and looked at his watch watching a few seconds tick by and wondering if this was a joke as she met his eyes … Those five seconds wasted he amended the countdown, “6 minutes and 34 seconds…” The seriousness on his face caused her to race upstairs and she demanded he inform her as to what exactly was going on while she got dressed.
Isabel dropped the sweatpants she was wearing and looked around for something Alex would like.
“Your parents are going to be busy with work tonight and they needed me to take you out, and your mother postponed the grounding….”
“What!?” She hollered as she wriggled into her skintight jeans. That made no sense; she doesn’t need a babysitter usually.
Alex hollered the reasons up the stairs… “You can’t talk on the phone so it would do no good to try to call you.” Another glance at his watch, “Five minutes…”
She yanked her pale pink sweatshirt from her body and rushed to the closet.
“I just got off band practice.”
A quick donning of her orange, lightweight, pullover sweater in it’s stead.
“Your mother had to call my mother to get my cell number.”
She grabbed her black leather jacket, that Alex had purchased for her.
“Your mom got hold of me during practice and I rushed straight over here when it was over…”
She leaned into her vanity for a quick and final touch-up with a wave of her hand, and another yank on the rubber-band to disengage the ponytail.
“Your mom wanted to surprise you.”
Isabel then slipped into her black heels. It wasn’t her most put together look but Alex was giving a continual countdown and she had no time to decide on any outfit, just to grab the nearest things and wear them. Isabel grabbed her purse from the floor, and she was racing down the stairs with a toss of her golden mane, ready to go. “Oh I normally don’t like surprises. … But we’ll make an exception.”
She added while flying around the corner.
His eyes lit up at the sound of her admission, a quick glance at his watch as he heard her racing down the stairs, and as he looked up she was standing before him, ready to go. He smiled and winked. “Perfect.” He said as he glanced at his watch with a final nod. “I knew you could do it. We’re outta here then?” He questioned. “Yeah!” She answered as Alex wrapped his arm around her and placed his hand on the small of her back as he escorted them towards the entrance. A quick grab of her keys in case her parents weren’t around later and they were out the door.
**********
A short time later the Evans decided to talk to Michael after he awoke from a brief nap he was taking when they’d first arrived. That gave them a few minutes to prepare anyway.
He came down the hall and stood in the living room uncomfortably.
“So Michael, you wanted to talk?” Philip motioned toward the couch. “Sit on down and lets get started.” It was not a suggestion; it was a command and so he plopped himself on the squishy cushion.
Diane turned to him, a notebook in her hand and an enquiring look on her face. “So?” She started where they had left off that afternoon, “You mentioned that you are a ward of the state and as such have never known your parents?”
“Right. “ He replied.
“You don’t remember them at all?” She softly ascertained.
“Nope. I never had any, not for a single day of my life ok. Been in and out of a few foster homes until the one I got now. That’s just not working out.”
Nodding as she jotted down some notes Diane continued, “Ok,,, We’ll be asking you to explain that further in a second but first? When did you start living in your current placement?”
Michael thought it over for a moment and looked up, “Third grade, I met Isabel. “ Sighing and nodding, “Right before third grade I guess.”
“Third grade, I met Isabel.” Michael thought back. Looking up at his current benefactors he added, “Right before third grade I guess.”
”Philip volleyed the next question. “Ok. and what is your relationship with Mr. Whitmore like?” Michael huffed as he crossed his arms guardedly on his chest
Michael scoffed, “We don’t have one. We mutually hate each other.” Michael huffed as he crossed his arms guardedly on his chest, nodding he grunted, “The only reason he keeps me around is for the damn check.”
Diane jotted some notes in her book as Philip continued with the questions, “And your placement before your current one was where?”
“Dona Ana County, at the Las Cruces Children’s Home.”
Diane nodded, “Ok. And you wish to be emancipated? Given the rights of an adult while not having the legal age thereof? Are we correct?”
“Yeah.” Michael nodded.
Philip continued, “Ok. We are going to have to launch a minor investigation into your life, and we will have to speak with the Children’s Home and others. Will you be alright with this?”
“Whatever.” Michael said while shaking his head. This wasn’t going as he had hoped. He’d hoped that he would talk and it would be over, he had no idea how much legalities were involved.
“OK, Philip teased, “We’ll take that as Teenage vernacular for ‘ok’ or ‘alright.’ That done now we need to ask you why you wish to be emancipated?” Looking the young man in the eyes as best he could, “Why do you feel it would better serve your needs?”
Michael tensely answered, “What do I have to tell you? Why do I have to tell you all this? No one, and I mean know one, knows my life and I like to keep it that way.” He groaned.
Diane wrote some more in her book. She looked up. “Lets do this as easily as we can. We’ll ask some questions and all we ask from you is a simple answer. Think we can do this?”
“Whatever.” Michael said again as he sighed and crossed his arms tighter. It was a more comfortable and natural position for him. Diane raised her eyebrow at him and so he then answered more cordially, with a shrug, “Yeah.” Sighing inside he was thinking ‘Why not… lets get it over with?’
They predominantly took turns with the next round of questions, starting with Philip. “Do you have your own room?”
A shrug and a response, “Yeah.”
“With a locking door?” He nodded.
“Do you have food to eat?” Diane took a turn.
“Yeah. …. Sometimes.” He nodded as if occasionally eating was normal.
They were horrified, ‘Sometimes?’ Moving on to the next question…
“How about the living quarters? Are they clean and presentable?”
A big sigh as the young man got more agitated, an gesture not lost on either legal eye. “Hell No!! The vacuum busted a couple months ago and the floor just gets progressively worse. It don’t look a thing like here.” He said pointing around at the clean abode.
“What does Mr. Whitmore do for a living?” Philip asked.
Well its sure as hell not Marketing like Isabel told you, I can assure you that. He works in the mill or refinery. He goes between jobs constantly.”
“So his job is not very stable?” Diane stated the obvious to try to draw more information out of the young man.
“NO!!”
“Ok, the questions are about to get a bit more personal, shall we continue?” Philip turned to stand.
“Yeah.” In his head Michael was thinking, ‘lets just get this over with…’
“Would you like a drink?” Diane also was standing and she caught him off guard with the next question.
They were acting strangely; first they were questioning him, now they wanted to know if he was thirsty? What the hell?’ “Why? Of what?” he asked in confusion.
“Water, Soda? Juice or whatever else we happen to have?” Catching the puzzled look on his face she stated, Sometimes people get thirsty when revealing hard things, or they just need something soothing… I’m just offering you a drink before we continue, because its about to get more intense.”
“NO!! I’m not thirsty alright? Can we just get on with it!!?”
Philip took the opportunity of discussing drinks to somewhat segue into the next round of questions, “Ok. Does Mr. Whitmore drink?”
Michael grunted and nodded, “Yeah.”
“Would this be as in a little drinking like social drinks at a party? Or as in a lot, and becomes inebriated?”
Diane smacked her husband’s arm lightly, “Don’t lead the witness, Philip. Let Michael answer without our guidance.” She teased.
They both looked at him. He sat on the couch bristled at the last question, eyes tightly shut in silence, very silent for the next few moments. “Michael?” They asked in unison… More silence, and then the aggravated young man leapt from the couch and started to pace the distance of the room while he decided that he would reveal his pathetic life to these people who might be able to assist him.
He turned to them and exploded out his answers. “Yeah. Hank drinks ok? He’s drunk off his ass most of the time. He doesn’t do anything. Of his two jobs, he only makes it work on occasion if he’s not passed out somewhere.” He ran his hands through his hair making the spikes even more pronounced.
He spoke angrily while furiously pacing. “You asked if I ate. That answer is sometimes. I taught myself to use the stove probably earlier than I should, but I had to do something. There isn’t usually anything to have, however, and so I eat cereal. Ok? Cold cereal. It’s dry half the time... Why? No milk. He’s told me to use beer instead of the milk you know?…”
‘Shit!!!’ Philip thought to himself.
“I’m his slave. I am the one who cleans or keeps the place generally running. It’s why I know I can keep up a place on my own, I’ve already been doing it for years.”
With a large sigh and knowing the answer even before she asked it Diane asked tenderly, “Do you feel safe there?”
Michael laughed derisively, “SAFE? HELL NO… All those nights I’ve stayed over here in Max’s room? Those are nights I have to get away…”
“Get Away?” They asked jointly.
“Yeah.” He groaned.
“From what?” They asked again.
“Hank of course.” Michael hissed.
“Why? Has he ever hurt you?” Philip rationalized out loud.
Turned away from them he answered, ever so softly that he was barely heard, “Yeah. Yeah he has.”
Continuing with the questions, “Has it ever left a mark or bruise?”
Michael stood silently breathing, loud audible calming sighs escaped but no words were uttered. He turned to face them and stood there silently, staring at the ground. When he raised his eyes to theirs they could see a look of pain written in his eyes.
They sat there in concern; the silence was palpable. “Michael.”
He tapped at his cheek below his darkened eye, which had now healed for a few days but had enough of a bruise to still be somewhat noticeable... “Its how I got this.” Michael softly replied.
“He hit you?” Philip asked while standing up.
“Punched me… Yeah.”
“When did this occur?” Diane asked tenderly again…
“Sunday night.” He sighed.
“And Monday the 14th, Valentine’s, was when you came home with the kids…” He was piecing the week together, “Did they see you at school and decide to take matters into their own hands?”
“Something like that I guess.” He mumbled.
“Michael?” Diane asked as she stood up next to him. “Could I examine your eye a bit more thoroughly in the brighter light of the kitchen?”
With a sigh Michael led the way, “Guess not.…”
Philip escorted his wife into the kitchen and they continued to discuss the situation about Hank… Diane turned on the overhead fluorescent light fixture and very closely examined his face. Turning it to see every angle as she then asked some more questions… “Is this the only place, or did he hit you anywhere else?”
“Hey look,” Michael jerked back and moved a foot away instantly, “I don’t want to be a poster child for domestic violence you know. Everyone’s got problems. I just don’t want everyone to know.”
With a sigh Philip added, “If he has hurt you anywhere else, you’re going to need to tell us. You came to us for help. We’re trying to give it to you. But we need your full cooperation.”
“Fine. Look.” Michael jerked his shirt upward and quickly dropped it again. “There done. Seen It. We’re good right?” he glared at them.
Sighing Philip added, “We need to ask you to relax, you’ve done the right thing by coming to us. Now, we need to see that again.”
Michael didn’t want to be weak, but this was taxing on him. Clenching his eyes tightly and issuing a sigh that bordered on tremulous, he lifted his shirt and stood there in the light of the kitchen, while the Evans as his lawyers examined the strap mark across his back and ribcage.
When they were done with their examination the three all reconvened in the living room once more.
Philip started the next round, “Ok. We understand your need to keep this quiet, but the fact is that you have been assaulted. That is grounds for pressing charges. We will proceed and call Sheriff Valenti on your behalf.”
“Does HE have to be involved? Can’t we do this without him?” Michael groaned as he shook his head worriedly.
“We’re sorry Michael, but you are a minor who has lived under neglect and abuse. This is a legal matter now and as such needs reported.” Diane gently reassured him. “We won’t be able to emancipate you or to even proceed further if you are withholding information or unwilling to cooperate with the proper authorities.”
Sensing the young man’s hesitation Diane asked, “Is there any reason you don’t want Sheriff Valenti notified?”
“Yeah. I don’t like him.” Michael answered truthfully.
“Ever have a run in with him?”
“Yes. I have.”
“Do you have a record?”
“Ummm, likely no.“ Michael shook his head, hoping the sheriff had nothing on him. “I think the charges were dropped, it was all some mistake. And he’s been out to the trailer a couple of times in the past when Hank’s been yelling, I was little. You know, domestic disturbance type stuff? I get so uncomfortable when he’s around. I just feel like he’s watching me and I really don’t want the attention.” He was trying to make it seem that all his fear was from his childhood, but in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“He intimidates you, in other words?”
“Yeah.” ‘Big time.’
“OK. We don’t fully understand, but we still are going to have to make the call... You need to remember this however; we are here with you and on your side ok? He will learn your background, which will likely help you in the long run we’d assume. Everyone just wants your best in this situation Michael alright?”
The call was placed and after a half-hour or so, when he was done with a domestic dispute on the far end of town, Sheriff Valenti arrived, took off his mirrored sunglasses and hooked them into his pocket. Then he proceeded to ring the Evans’ doorbell.
**********
After taking the Evan’s statements, the Sheriff also needed to examine Michael’s injuries, which he then used a camera to take pictures of. This really agitated the teen. “What are the pictures going to be used for?”
‘Evidence.” He stated.
“Who’s going to see them?” Michael ordered.
Valenti looked him at him carefully, patted his glasses in his pocket and stated, “Only the people to whom it matters Michael. Myself. The Evans as your lawyers. Likely the judge. And maybe some people from CPS. Your case will be investigated, and you may have to undergo some examinations, but your situation will be kept as confidential as is at all possible… We will be investigating everything more fully. But know this, because of your friends and these fine people here you are now safe son. And we will all work to ensure that it stays that way. You will not be going back to that home. Ever.” Ironically, Michael was staring into the steel blue eyes of his worst nightmare, and yet for this moment of time the man was not even a remote threat. Michael nodded softly and stated even softer, “Thanks.”
“Its our job.” Then he talked at length with Michael in the kitchen about the situation and took down Michael’s statements about the abuse and his years of neglect. After awhile and gathering all the information he could procure from this place, the Sheriff slipped back on his mirrored glasses and left the house.
Michael turned to the Evans when he was sure the Sheriff was gone. “What the Hell do I do now?” He moaned.
“Well! To start with, I guess you enjoy a grounding with the kids on the weekend and on Tuesday you will attend school with them, since Monday is a holiday.” Philip added. “Then at our earliest convenience we will head to Las Cruces and start gathering information in that town. It will be one step at a time as needed from here on in. This might be an open and shut case, or it might have lingering tendencies. We will do everything to make sure that only your best is served in the end. All right?”
“Why are the kids grounded?” Michael changed the subject.
“Everyone was gone last night. Including you.” Diane mentioned. “And we had no knowledge of any of your whereabouts. Care to share?”
“Nope.”
“Ok then.. None of you are going anywhere this weekend. Might as well make the best of it.”
“This is just great. No-where?” he asked incredulously.
“Got anywhere to go?”
“Yeah… Maybe.” He stood tall and defiantly.
“Well the kids do too and they will not be able to. Work is the only acceptable reason for leaving the house. Got a job?” they questioned him, knowing full well his forthcoming answer.
“Of course not. I was Hank’s slave. That was my job…”
“Right.” Well, We’ve got lots to do so make yourself at home and do whatever you feel. TV is available; you can raid the cupboards for a drink or snack. Whatever. We’ll see you in a bit.”
“Yeah.” Michael went to the kitchen looking for something to munch on.
Continued in next post....
**********
Perhaps in this part and in parts to come I am or will be borrowing some scenes, and I will borrow direct dialog and use altered dialog at times.
Title: Shifting Realities
Author: Mt Gazer/Velvet Skye
Category: CC/ AU?
Rating: TEEN -MATURE…
Spoilers: Independence Day (Loosely)
RECAP: Michael had run away and Max and Izzy had gone to their humans’ houses to talk. The Evans had a left a note informing them they were grounded.
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Shifting Realities
Chapter 26-D
Liberation
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After his return trip back into town, Michael stayed hidden as always, school held no importance for him and so as usual, he avoided it.
At 2:35 that afternoon of the 18th, before West Roswell High School had even let out for the day, a timid young man stepped into the elegant foyer of Evans and Associates Law Firm. The green silk plants which lined the corners, as well as the living ones which also graced its presence, and the gilding on the frieze which ran the perimeter of the room on the ceiling without so much as a spoken word told of the young man’s poverty. The opulent backdrop made him look strangely out of place, with his rolled cuff, worn denim, non-brand name jeans, and his cut off shirt. The edges of the short sleeves were frayed from where there had once been longer ones. They were clothes from charity. One reason Michael hated it so much is that the donations were other people’s rejects. Not always of course, but Hank never care what he wore, he grabbed whatever the proper size was at the time and gave them to Michael. There were always some good clothes that Michael procured, not everyone donated junk, and Isabel always made certain that he was given at least one decent outfit every Christmas. So Michael did have some clothes that he liked to wear, but with the dramatic overturn in his life as of the last few days, all of those favorites were in the inaccessible trailer; his best clothes were left inside, in the hamper and the only clean clothes that he took with him were outfits he never wore. And now they were all he owned. He truly was wearing his rejects, day in and day out now. It felt just like his life he thought with a sigh.
The young man’s station in life was so dramatically contrasted against the opulence of the office that the secretary took notice of him right away. She eyed him suspiciously as if he were casing the place for future reference. She made a mental note of everything about him as she asked, “May I help you?”
Michael stood there for a moment weighing his options as the secretary watched with increased concern. Then he spoke, with a heavy sigh. “I’d like to speak to Mr. Philip Evans.”
After a short required chat with the front desk, revealing the busyness of the proprietor and so forth, she finally buzzed Philip Evan’s desk. “Mr. Evans. There is a young man here seeking a meeting with you.” She hurried on, “He has no appointment and I’ve informed him you were busy and preparing for the next client but he insists on speaking with you. His name is Michael Guerin.”
Philip’s face registered complete surprise at the name and he asked for Michael to be brought to his office. Shortly after, Michael was escorted inside.
“Take a seat Michael,” Philip motioned toward the leather bound chairs against the wall that similarly matched the style of the ones in the Evans’ office at their home. “I assume you have a reason for being here?”
The moment of truth was upon him and Michael didn’t know what to say or how to say it. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and silently paced the length of the office.
That put Mr. Evans on full alert. “Michael? Did you want to say something?” he asked tersely. “Michael?” Philip asked again.
The frazzled young man turned to look at Philip and said the unlikeliest of statements, which was fragmented at that. “Do you always do that?”
“Do what Michael?” Philip asked, trying to understand the question.
“Take in strays,” the young man continued, leaving Mr. Evans totally bewildered. “Excuse me? What?”
“Your kids, they were strays right?” Michael stated simply.
Philip knew he was lost; whatever Michael wanted to say wasn’t coming out at all clearly, and must have been lost in translation. He would need an interpreter, and so he called his wife from the office down the hall. She was busy for the moment and would come in a few minutes.
In the meantime he offered Michael to take a seat again.
“I’ll stand.” Was the reply, as he shoved his hands back into his pockets and paced the room again.
“Suit yourself…” Philip Evans’ shook his head. “Now. I’m pretty sure your question didn’t come out right? Care to rework it?” Philip once again tried to engage the young man…
“I’ll wait.” Michael curtly replied.
Again Philip was getting frustrated but he said for the second time in less than a minute, “Suit yourself.”
After finishing up in her office, Diane appeared. “Honey what was so important you need….” The words died on her lips, as the question immediately changed upon seeing the occupant in her husband’s office. “Michael? What are you doing here?”
The young man stared at the two of them and refused to speak. So Philip reiterated the strange question of earlier.
“Strays? Michael?” She repeated looking at him curiously. “I’d really rather not think of my children in such a light…”
“What exactly are you trying to get at?” Philip tried to pin down the logic.
Michael shrugged. “I was wondering if you’d treat everyone like that, or is it only Isabel and Max?”
“Take a seat. I insist. I’m getting lightheaded watching you circuit the room.” Philip teased him.
Michael eased himself stiffly into one of the chairs, gripping at its polished wooden armrests while staring at theses two adults who could hold the answers for his shattered life….
“What’s going on?” Philip directed the question.
He started the next series of fragmented conversation. “Yeah, well Isabel said you could help me.”
“With?” Diane looked at him curiously for her vantage point leaning against her husband’s desk as her hands were cupped against the edges, palms on the top and fingers curled underneath.
“They said you helped a kid live on his own.”
“Ok, they shouldn’t have mentioned anything but… is there a reason you mentioned that specifically?” Philip was wondering why his kids had shared a bit of a case with anyone, but especially why that one.
“Could you do that for me?” the boy quietly added.
Philip looked at the young man, now sitting there stiffly holding onto the wooden armrests. He was not in the slightest bit comfortable. “Well we will need to know more of your situation in order to understand how to proceed and why.”
“Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself.” Diane added.
Michael shrugged his shoulders, “What’s to tell? No family. Never had one. Lived in the Children’s Home until I was placed with my foster father. That’s not working out good. I’d do better on my own.”
“Where do you live?” Philip Evans continued to get as much information as was possible from the reticent young man. “In the years that you and Max and Izzy have been friends, we’ve never met your foster father, nor known where you reside.”
Michael shook his head, “No big loss.”
Philip looked curiously at the young man, around the same age as his kids, and until the recent alien involvement, his teenager’s only known friend as his wife jumped in. “Well I think we just solved the mystery of how or why you three are friends. You three all are orphans or abandoned children or something, you share a commonality.”
Michael stared at him while imperceptibly shaking his head and visibly shrugging his shoulders again.
Just as they had hoped to get more answers, the secretary buzzed with the next appointment.
Philip turned to Michael. “We really do want to hear more of your case and to help you if possible. But we have scheduled clients right now and you did just drop in. We can schedule you for Tuesday afternoon after school, or we can resume this tonight, at home. In the off chance that you will be there correct?” He teased.
Diane advised Michael of the family situations for the evening, “Max is working late, being that it’s a Friday night. We will be home later ourselves today and if you’d like we can probably talk Alex into entertaining Isabel for the evening. “ She laughed, knowing Isabel would like that.
“So they won’t be there?” Michael looked up at the adults in the room.
“No.” They answered together.
“Good.” He nodded, “Its not like they don’t know this stuff.. But yeah. I don’t want them there. Tonight I guess.” He had caught Philip’s tease of being at the house and so he asked, “Am I still grounded?”
Again they replied in unison, “Yes.” While chuckling, “You haven’t honored the grounding order yet. We’d like you to stay put for the day.”
Diane stood to walk both her and Michael out of the office, “At our home tonight you will have our undivided attention. Now, I’ll get hold of Alex and arrange for Isabel to be with him tonight. Philip we’re out of here. Take your client and I’ll make the plans after I take my next client.” Turning to the young man at her side she added, “Michael, we’ll see you in a few hours.” Diane took charge and stepped the two of them out of Philip’s office.
**********
Later that evening, Alex arrived for a surprise date with Isabel. She met him at the door with her hair done in a sloppy ponytail, and wearing sweats that she wouldn’t be caught dead in public in. She panicked at the sight of him, why was here, especially when he knew she was grounded? She shouldn’t be talking to him in “any” form today. She shut the door quickly leaning against it to gather her composure and then reopened it, staring at him curiously. He smirked, as he arched his eyebrow. “Go get dressed. You’ve got seven minutes,” Alex ordered as he looked at his watch.
“What!?” She startled, looked up into his eyes.
He stepped into the house and leaning his head into hers, as the back of his fingers delicately caressed her cheek, “Well, I always think you’re beautiful…” he pulled back and said in a serious tease, “But unless you want everyone else to see that outfit,” he stated as he looked her over real quickly, then stroking her hair and tucking the loose strands behind her ear, “you’ve got six minutes and forty seconds to change it.”
She grabbed his wrist and looked at his watch watching a few seconds tick by and wondering if this was a joke as she met his eyes … Those five seconds wasted he amended the countdown, “6 minutes and 34 seconds…” The seriousness on his face caused her to race upstairs and she demanded he inform her as to what exactly was going on while she got dressed.
Isabel dropped the sweatpants she was wearing and looked around for something Alex would like.
“Your parents are going to be busy with work tonight and they needed me to take you out, and your mother postponed the grounding….”
“What!?” She hollered as she wriggled into her skintight jeans. That made no sense; she doesn’t need a babysitter usually.
Alex hollered the reasons up the stairs… “You can’t talk on the phone so it would do no good to try to call you.” Another glance at his watch, “Five minutes…”
She yanked her pale pink sweatshirt from her body and rushed to the closet.
“I just got off band practice.”
A quick donning of her orange, lightweight, pullover sweater in it’s stead.
“Your mother had to call my mother to get my cell number.”
She grabbed her black leather jacket, that Alex had purchased for her.
“Your mom got hold of me during practice and I rushed straight over here when it was over…”
She leaned into her vanity for a quick and final touch-up with a wave of her hand, and another yank on the rubber-band to disengage the ponytail.
“Your mom wanted to surprise you.”
Isabel then slipped into her black heels. It wasn’t her most put together look but Alex was giving a continual countdown and she had no time to decide on any outfit, just to grab the nearest things and wear them. Isabel grabbed her purse from the floor, and she was racing down the stairs with a toss of her golden mane, ready to go. “Oh I normally don’t like surprises. … But we’ll make an exception.”
She added while flying around the corner.
His eyes lit up at the sound of her admission, a quick glance at his watch as he heard her racing down the stairs, and as he looked up she was standing before him, ready to go. He smiled and winked. “Perfect.” He said as he glanced at his watch with a final nod. “I knew you could do it. We’re outta here then?” He questioned. “Yeah!” She answered as Alex wrapped his arm around her and placed his hand on the small of her back as he escorted them towards the entrance. A quick grab of her keys in case her parents weren’t around later and they were out the door.
**********
A short time later the Evans decided to talk to Michael after he awoke from a brief nap he was taking when they’d first arrived. That gave them a few minutes to prepare anyway.
He came down the hall and stood in the living room uncomfortably.
“So Michael, you wanted to talk?” Philip motioned toward the couch. “Sit on down and lets get started.” It was not a suggestion; it was a command and so he plopped himself on the squishy cushion.
Diane turned to him, a notebook in her hand and an enquiring look on her face. “So?” She started where they had left off that afternoon, “You mentioned that you are a ward of the state and as such have never known your parents?”
“Right. “ He replied.
“You don’t remember them at all?” She softly ascertained.
“Nope. I never had any, not for a single day of my life ok. Been in and out of a few foster homes until the one I got now. That’s just not working out.”
Nodding as she jotted down some notes Diane continued, “Ok,,, We’ll be asking you to explain that further in a second but first? When did you start living in your current placement?”
Michael thought it over for a moment and looked up, “Third grade, I met Isabel. “ Sighing and nodding, “Right before third grade I guess.”
“Third grade, I met Isabel.” Michael thought back. Looking up at his current benefactors he added, “Right before third grade I guess.”
”Philip volleyed the next question. “Ok. and what is your relationship with Mr. Whitmore like?” Michael huffed as he crossed his arms guardedly on his chest
Michael scoffed, “We don’t have one. We mutually hate each other.” Michael huffed as he crossed his arms guardedly on his chest, nodding he grunted, “The only reason he keeps me around is for the damn check.”
Diane jotted some notes in her book as Philip continued with the questions, “And your placement before your current one was where?”
“Dona Ana County, at the Las Cruces Children’s Home.”
Diane nodded, “Ok. And you wish to be emancipated? Given the rights of an adult while not having the legal age thereof? Are we correct?”
“Yeah.” Michael nodded.
Philip continued, “Ok. We are going to have to launch a minor investigation into your life, and we will have to speak with the Children’s Home and others. Will you be alright with this?”
“Whatever.” Michael said while shaking his head. This wasn’t going as he had hoped. He’d hoped that he would talk and it would be over, he had no idea how much legalities were involved.
“OK, Philip teased, “We’ll take that as Teenage vernacular for ‘ok’ or ‘alright.’ That done now we need to ask you why you wish to be emancipated?” Looking the young man in the eyes as best he could, “Why do you feel it would better serve your needs?”
Michael tensely answered, “What do I have to tell you? Why do I have to tell you all this? No one, and I mean know one, knows my life and I like to keep it that way.” He groaned.
Diane wrote some more in her book. She looked up. “Lets do this as easily as we can. We’ll ask some questions and all we ask from you is a simple answer. Think we can do this?”
“Whatever.” Michael said again as he sighed and crossed his arms tighter. It was a more comfortable and natural position for him. Diane raised her eyebrow at him and so he then answered more cordially, with a shrug, “Yeah.” Sighing inside he was thinking ‘Why not… lets get it over with?’
They predominantly took turns with the next round of questions, starting with Philip. “Do you have your own room?”
A shrug and a response, “Yeah.”
“With a locking door?” He nodded.
“Do you have food to eat?” Diane took a turn.
“Yeah. …. Sometimes.” He nodded as if occasionally eating was normal.
They were horrified, ‘Sometimes?’ Moving on to the next question…
“How about the living quarters? Are they clean and presentable?”
A big sigh as the young man got more agitated, an gesture not lost on either legal eye. “Hell No!! The vacuum busted a couple months ago and the floor just gets progressively worse. It don’t look a thing like here.” He said pointing around at the clean abode.
“What does Mr. Whitmore do for a living?” Philip asked.
Well its sure as hell not Marketing like Isabel told you, I can assure you that. He works in the mill or refinery. He goes between jobs constantly.”
“So his job is not very stable?” Diane stated the obvious to try to draw more information out of the young man.
“NO!!”
“Ok, the questions are about to get a bit more personal, shall we continue?” Philip turned to stand.
“Yeah.” In his head Michael was thinking, ‘lets just get this over with…’
“Would you like a drink?” Diane also was standing and she caught him off guard with the next question.
They were acting strangely; first they were questioning him, now they wanted to know if he was thirsty? What the hell?’ “Why? Of what?” he asked in confusion.
“Water, Soda? Juice or whatever else we happen to have?” Catching the puzzled look on his face she stated, Sometimes people get thirsty when revealing hard things, or they just need something soothing… I’m just offering you a drink before we continue, because its about to get more intense.”
“NO!! I’m not thirsty alright? Can we just get on with it!!?”
Philip took the opportunity of discussing drinks to somewhat segue into the next round of questions, “Ok. Does Mr. Whitmore drink?”
Michael grunted and nodded, “Yeah.”
“Would this be as in a little drinking like social drinks at a party? Or as in a lot, and becomes inebriated?”
Diane smacked her husband’s arm lightly, “Don’t lead the witness, Philip. Let Michael answer without our guidance.” She teased.
They both looked at him. He sat on the couch bristled at the last question, eyes tightly shut in silence, very silent for the next few moments. “Michael?” They asked in unison… More silence, and then the aggravated young man leapt from the couch and started to pace the distance of the room while he decided that he would reveal his pathetic life to these people who might be able to assist him.
He turned to them and exploded out his answers. “Yeah. Hank drinks ok? He’s drunk off his ass most of the time. He doesn’t do anything. Of his two jobs, he only makes it work on occasion if he’s not passed out somewhere.” He ran his hands through his hair making the spikes even more pronounced.
He spoke angrily while furiously pacing. “You asked if I ate. That answer is sometimes. I taught myself to use the stove probably earlier than I should, but I had to do something. There isn’t usually anything to have, however, and so I eat cereal. Ok? Cold cereal. It’s dry half the time... Why? No milk. He’s told me to use beer instead of the milk you know?…”
‘Shit!!!’ Philip thought to himself.
“I’m his slave. I am the one who cleans or keeps the place generally running. It’s why I know I can keep up a place on my own, I’ve already been doing it for years.”
With a large sigh and knowing the answer even before she asked it Diane asked tenderly, “Do you feel safe there?”
Michael laughed derisively, “SAFE? HELL NO… All those nights I’ve stayed over here in Max’s room? Those are nights I have to get away…”
“Get Away?” They asked jointly.
“Yeah.” He groaned.
“From what?” They asked again.
“Hank of course.” Michael hissed.
“Why? Has he ever hurt you?” Philip rationalized out loud.
Turned away from them he answered, ever so softly that he was barely heard, “Yeah. Yeah he has.”
Continuing with the questions, “Has it ever left a mark or bruise?”
Michael stood silently breathing, loud audible calming sighs escaped but no words were uttered. He turned to face them and stood there silently, staring at the ground. When he raised his eyes to theirs they could see a look of pain written in his eyes.
They sat there in concern; the silence was palpable. “Michael.”
He tapped at his cheek below his darkened eye, which had now healed for a few days but had enough of a bruise to still be somewhat noticeable... “Its how I got this.” Michael softly replied.
“He hit you?” Philip asked while standing up.
“Punched me… Yeah.”
“When did this occur?” Diane asked tenderly again…
“Sunday night.” He sighed.
“And Monday the 14th, Valentine’s, was when you came home with the kids…” He was piecing the week together, “Did they see you at school and decide to take matters into their own hands?”
“Something like that I guess.” He mumbled.
“Michael?” Diane asked as she stood up next to him. “Could I examine your eye a bit more thoroughly in the brighter light of the kitchen?”
With a sigh Michael led the way, “Guess not.…”
Philip escorted his wife into the kitchen and they continued to discuss the situation about Hank… Diane turned on the overhead fluorescent light fixture and very closely examined his face. Turning it to see every angle as she then asked some more questions… “Is this the only place, or did he hit you anywhere else?”
“Hey look,” Michael jerked back and moved a foot away instantly, “I don’t want to be a poster child for domestic violence you know. Everyone’s got problems. I just don’t want everyone to know.”
With a sigh Philip added, “If he has hurt you anywhere else, you’re going to need to tell us. You came to us for help. We’re trying to give it to you. But we need your full cooperation.”
“Fine. Look.” Michael jerked his shirt upward and quickly dropped it again. “There done. Seen It. We’re good right?” he glared at them.
Sighing Philip added, “We need to ask you to relax, you’ve done the right thing by coming to us. Now, we need to see that again.”
Michael didn’t want to be weak, but this was taxing on him. Clenching his eyes tightly and issuing a sigh that bordered on tremulous, he lifted his shirt and stood there in the light of the kitchen, while the Evans as his lawyers examined the strap mark across his back and ribcage.
When they were done with their examination the three all reconvened in the living room once more.
Philip started the next round, “Ok. We understand your need to keep this quiet, but the fact is that you have been assaulted. That is grounds for pressing charges. We will proceed and call Sheriff Valenti on your behalf.”
“Does HE have to be involved? Can’t we do this without him?” Michael groaned as he shook his head worriedly.
“We’re sorry Michael, but you are a minor who has lived under neglect and abuse. This is a legal matter now and as such needs reported.” Diane gently reassured him. “We won’t be able to emancipate you or to even proceed further if you are withholding information or unwilling to cooperate with the proper authorities.”
Sensing the young man’s hesitation Diane asked, “Is there any reason you don’t want Sheriff Valenti notified?”
“Yeah. I don’t like him.” Michael answered truthfully.
“Ever have a run in with him?”
“Yes. I have.”
“Do you have a record?”
“Ummm, likely no.“ Michael shook his head, hoping the sheriff had nothing on him. “I think the charges were dropped, it was all some mistake. And he’s been out to the trailer a couple of times in the past when Hank’s been yelling, I was little. You know, domestic disturbance type stuff? I get so uncomfortable when he’s around. I just feel like he’s watching me and I really don’t want the attention.” He was trying to make it seem that all his fear was from his childhood, but in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“He intimidates you, in other words?”
“Yeah.” ‘Big time.’
“OK. We don’t fully understand, but we still are going to have to make the call... You need to remember this however; we are here with you and on your side ok? He will learn your background, which will likely help you in the long run we’d assume. Everyone just wants your best in this situation Michael alright?”
The call was placed and after a half-hour or so, when he was done with a domestic dispute on the far end of town, Sheriff Valenti arrived, took off his mirrored sunglasses and hooked them into his pocket. Then he proceeded to ring the Evans’ doorbell.
**********
After taking the Evan’s statements, the Sheriff also needed to examine Michael’s injuries, which he then used a camera to take pictures of. This really agitated the teen. “What are the pictures going to be used for?”
‘Evidence.” He stated.
“Who’s going to see them?” Michael ordered.
Valenti looked him at him carefully, patted his glasses in his pocket and stated, “Only the people to whom it matters Michael. Myself. The Evans as your lawyers. Likely the judge. And maybe some people from CPS. Your case will be investigated, and you may have to undergo some examinations, but your situation will be kept as confidential as is at all possible… We will be investigating everything more fully. But know this, because of your friends and these fine people here you are now safe son. And we will all work to ensure that it stays that way. You will not be going back to that home. Ever.” Ironically, Michael was staring into the steel blue eyes of his worst nightmare, and yet for this moment of time the man was not even a remote threat. Michael nodded softly and stated even softer, “Thanks.”
“Its our job.” Then he talked at length with Michael in the kitchen about the situation and took down Michael’s statements about the abuse and his years of neglect. After awhile and gathering all the information he could procure from this place, the Sheriff slipped back on his mirrored glasses and left the house.
Michael turned to the Evans when he was sure the Sheriff was gone. “What the Hell do I do now?” He moaned.
“Well! To start with, I guess you enjoy a grounding with the kids on the weekend and on Tuesday you will attend school with them, since Monday is a holiday.” Philip added. “Then at our earliest convenience we will head to Las Cruces and start gathering information in that town. It will be one step at a time as needed from here on in. This might be an open and shut case, or it might have lingering tendencies. We will do everything to make sure that only your best is served in the end. All right?”
“Why are the kids grounded?” Michael changed the subject.
“Everyone was gone last night. Including you.” Diane mentioned. “And we had no knowledge of any of your whereabouts. Care to share?”
“Nope.”
“Ok then.. None of you are going anywhere this weekend. Might as well make the best of it.”
“This is just great. No-where?” he asked incredulously.
“Got anywhere to go?”
“Yeah… Maybe.” He stood tall and defiantly.
“Well the kids do too and they will not be able to. Work is the only acceptable reason for leaving the house. Got a job?” they questioned him, knowing full well his forthcoming answer.
“Of course not. I was Hank’s slave. That was my job…”
“Right.” Well, We’ve got lots to do so make yourself at home and do whatever you feel. TV is available; you can raid the cupboards for a drink or snack. Whatever. We’ll see you in a bit.”
“Yeah.” Michael went to the kitchen looking for something to munch on.
Continued in next post....
**********
Last edited by Mt Gazer on Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth". ~author unknown
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."
Karar Renkenberger
2-8-08
1 lb. 2 oz.
"Too beautiful for earth."