Even though Max and Isabel both suspected differently because of something Isabel saw as she crouched down when Max was holding Pam. She looked across the street and saw a glimpse of a blonde hair woman running away. A petite blonde. Tess came to mind and she hated the idea of their past coming back to haunt them.
Especially Tess. She was supposed to be dead. What is going on?
While she helped her deeply distressed brother up the stairs in the house and into the guest room since he didn't want to sleep in his room that he had shared with Pam. She put the covers over and watched as her brother fell asleep and remembered the police station. Max had come out of his state enough to blast -not literally- the offices for thinking he might hurt or hire someone to hurt his wife.
The officers had heard about their fight, and Max was incensed and told them that he had no intention of hurting his wife, he loved her.
And he had. Just not as much as he had Liz
And Isabel knew it. And she was powerless to stop it. "Damn it!" she thought to herself, knowing she would be honest with her brother in the morning when they woke up. Walking to her own room, she did the only thing she could. She had to protect her family. Doing so, she took out a book she hadn't looked at in a long time.
Pointing at a picture of a long ago teenage girl, settling herself and presto she was off into dream world!
And Liz Parker's world!
But it wasn't anything she was prepared to see. And still she didn't get any answers. Only disturbing vibes. Why is Liz frightened? Why is she cursing Max? Being shot in the first place. Living and then she saw a young dirty blonde kid.
Waking up with a start, she realized something needed to be done. NOW!
But she couldn't wake up Max because he needed his rest. "Who was that boy?" Isabel wondered. "And who were the kids in the picture Liz held in her dream?"
Tired of thinking, she fell asleep for real and was awoken the next morning when the phone rang. Mumbling to herself as she looked at her clock, and saw it was only 6:33 a.m. "Damn, whomever is calling me needs to be shot!" she muttered to herself.
"What do you want!" she gruffly said into the phone.
"Isabel," came the whisper and she sat up with a shot. How did he know she was here? How did he get the number, so she asked that very question, "How did you get this number?"
"The alien network," came the reply and she had to giggle. "How are you doing Isabel?" the voice said.
"Fine!" Isabel said with a smile, even though she knew she shouldn't smile.
"Good, very good." the voice said.
"What do you want Kyle at this hour of the morning?” she whined.
"Trouble. Houston, we have a problem!" Kyle said as the planned password. "Can you talk?"
"Yes,” Isabel muttered as she rolled out of bed, and sat up and tried to concentrate on the problem at hand. “But I really should be checking on Max!"
"Why?" Kyle asked.
"Trouble on this end too," Isabel muttered.
"What happened?" Kyle asked. “Or do I even want to know?”
"You really don't want to know," Isabel said as she knew she should check on Max, so she got off her bed, grabbed a robe and walked with her cordless phone and went down the hall, and opened the door a touch while looking in and seeing that Max was still sleeping, and apparently breathing.
"I think I do," Kyle said.
"I can't," Isabel sighed as she thought of her sister-in-law. “Give me some time, as it’s a little fresh, so why are you calling? How did you get this number?" she asked again. "And I expect a different answer."
"You don't have to worry, no one knows it." Kyle said. "It’s only me because Liz, Maria and Michael don't even know it."
"Gee, that helps...a lot, not!" Isabel said as she made her way back to her bedroom and sat back on the bed and looked at the clock and winced at the time. "I did a little traveling of my own last night. I could tell there is trouble in your land of paradise, too."
"Yeah, what can I say? Life has been too easy these past months." Kyle muttered.
"What happened?"
"Tess!" Kyle blurted. "Tess is what happened. She’s struck again, and mucked up our lives..."
Isabel's heart stopped.
Tess. Tess Harding. Tess Harding - murderer. The name made the hairs stand up on her back, neck, everywhere. She thought they had gotten rid of her, so many years ago and then got rid of any ties. Zan. Max's son with the murderous traitor. It's not like she hated the baby. He was so adorable the little time they got to spend with him, but he was a reminder why Alex wasn't with them anymore. Because Tess had murdered him by mind-warping one too many times. Deliberate if not intended and then Tess disappeared, and Liz believed her to be dead, due to a big fiery explosion.
And now the name had popped up again. "What do you mean, Tess struck again?" Isabel whispered into the phone. “She’s dead, isn’t she?”
"Um, Isabel." Kyle said.
"Look you called me." Isabel said. "It wasn't me who instigated this call. What's going on?"
"Zan", came Kyle's voice. And Isabel froze again and looked to the door of her bedroom. "What?" she whispered.
"He showed up. But not using that name," Kyle said. "He said his mother dropped him off with a note signed by Tess!"
"Oh my god," Isabel whispered. Max's son has shown up, due to Tess. What happened to the adoption? Heck what happened to Tess dying?
"I know you're thinking a lot of things and have numerous questions," Kyle answered back. "But unfortunately, I can't answer them..."
"Oh god Kyle, what are we going to do? Isabel asked.
"I don't know, but I thought I should tell you and Max. Where is he by the way. Can I speak to him? Not that I want to mind you, but I think I should." Kyle said as he looked at Liz who was still asleep in her bed, and for now, peacefully. They were only friends, but she had been emotional, and Maria had called him to come over the previous night. Of course, none of them could figure out what to do with newly name Evan. Liz had been tremendously generous and agreed to allow the boy to stay until they could figure out why the child was at her doorstep, but it was obvious to both him and Maria that for Liz it opened a gaping wound that had never truly healed.
"He can't come to the phone," Isabel said quickly, a tad too quickly for Kyle's taste.
"What happened?"
"He's had a rough night, and I don't think it's wise to add this to his worries." Isabel said. "How is Liz dealing with it?"
"You know Liz, she is a trooper, but I can tell it's not easy for her. Especially since the boy looks so much like Max and Tess."
"Geez," Isabel said as she knew this wasn't what Max needed to know, that his son had shown up and was messing with Liz and rest of the gang. "I think you should know...something has happened with Max," she whispered and went on to tell Kyle the story of what happened to Pam. Kyle groaned as he heard the story along with shock as he heard that Isabel had been sure she had seen Tess for only a split second.
"Oh god! Is she everywhere? What she is trying to accomplish as you would think she would relish that Max and Liz are apart and try and keep it that way." Kyle said a tad too loud and Liz stirred in her bed, so he walked out of the room and closed it and walked downstairs after doing a quick check in all the kids to make sure they were all sleeping safe and sound inside the house. Although he had to take a quick glance at Evan who looked like an angel sleeping in the spare bed in Parker's room. So young and innocent, and yet the child had the devil for a mother.
"Yeah," Isabel said.
"What's happening," Kyle asked and Isabel had to think while at the same not thinking to check her door at the same time, otherwise she would have seen Max staring at his sister while she talked on the phone and had overheard some of the conversation. She was rattled at hearing the news and he paled at the knowledge that Liz could be targeted also. Sensing something finally, Isabel looked up and was hesitant when she saw Max staring at her. She knew he had heard. "Kyle, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later in the other manner. You know what I mean."
"I'll be waiting," Kyle said as he disconnected the call while Isabel did the same thing and looked at her brother.
"You're awake."
"Yes," Max said. "What is going on Isabel? What is this about Liz?"
"You shouldn't be worrying about this right now," Isabel said, "You need your sleep, and I do too… Maybe we can talk about this later."
"No." Max said. "I want to know what is going on as I could hear your concern for Liz. What is going on Iz, what has happened to Liz?"
While Isabel was forced to deal with her distraught brother, Kyle went back to Liz's bedroom and found she had awoken and was sitting up, having reached for a robe while he was gone. "How are you doing?" he asked. Liz smiled but Kyle could see the tension that existed underneath. "Maybe I should go get Maria!"
"No," Liz said as she waved off his concern. "I'm fine."
"You're not fine Liz. You're worried to death and that is not good for you, or anyone." he said softly. "I'm sorry if I woke you up with my phone call."
"Who were you talking to?" Liz asked. “I can’t be thinking who I am thinking Kyle…”
"Isabel!" Kyle said as she he knew he had to be honest with his friend and one-time girlfriend.
"Isabel Evans?" Liz asked as her eyes widened at the implications as she brain pondered just exactly how long Kyle and Isabel had been keeping in contact and why this was just coming out now "What's going on Kyle?"
"If you're asking how long I have been talking to her. This was the first time in a long time. I don't make a habit of it, knowing how precarious our situation is...despite having our freedom to live our lives.”
"Did you tell her, about Evan?" Liz asked as she still hadn't figured out her own emotions regarding the little boy who had shown up on her doorstep. The child resembled Tess with his blondish hair but also most importantly Max, which is why she was having a tough time sending him away and why she had a tough time sleeping. The child had grown attached quickly to his half-sister and brother, and they to him and therefore making it truly a tough decision in what to do in the long run with the boy. And whether to turn the boy away and into the system. She didn't want to, which was scary to her and to Maria, Michael, Kyle as they witness the emotional turmoil in their friend.
"Yes!" Kyle nodded. “I had to.”
"And?" Liz asked. “Did they find the boy. I always assumed Max was with his son. I guess I was wrong to assume. Evan was obviously with his mother all this time, so what does this mean and what has it meant for Max? Sorry, you can see I have all kinds of questions.”
"She reacted like we would think she would." Kyle said, and Liz could sense something was being kept from her. “We never talked about the boy, as it was always quick check ins to make sure all was alright, and I truly haven’t heard from her in many months. Probably because Isabel knew that Max had moved on, and gotten married and didn’t want to break the news.
"What?" Liz asked. "What aren't you telling me?"
"There is something you don't know," Kyle said. "And I'm not sure you want to know."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because I know you won't..."
"Try me!" Liz said a tad uneasy but knew she should know whatever Kyle was keeping from her. "Kyle..."
"Okay, okay" Kyle said. "I found out something and felt you might want to know." he tried to smile, but it appeared false to Liz. "Max was married...here on earth" and before he was finished with what he was going to say, Liz paled at the words as they penetrated her brain, and collapsed.
Before hearing the rest, "but his wife is dead." as he knelt to help his fallen friend.