The Seekers, A&I with CC -Teen- 23 Nov [COMPLETE]

[stargazer md]

“The Seekers”
Chapter 1
by Stargazer MD

Disclaimer: The characters don’t belong to me. If they did, the show would still be on.
Some text is borrowed from the show, I didn’t treat it any worse than the original writers.
Setting: Future Fic, Five years after graduation.
Category: Alex/Isabel with CC
Rating: Teen

Back-story: S-2 ended on a good note, Tess turns out to be okay, Alex lives, S-3 never happened.

**********
Michael slapped his hand around the nightstand looking for the phone. “Yea?”

“Do you know what time it is?” he asked gruffly.

Maria reached and turned on the light on her side of the bed. She watched as Michael took the call.

“Where?” he asked hopefully.

“Yea, okay, I’ll be ready.” Michael hung up the phone and looked at Maria.

“Where?” she asked.

“Maryland.” He looked at her, bewildered, “What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to do the same thing you always do. You’re going to get dressed, grab your bag, and get going.”

He placed his hand on her stomach. “But this isn’t like every time,,,”

“Give me a break Spaceboy, the baby’s not due for another three months. You’ll be back in a week.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone right now,” he responded softly.

“But you have to; besides, I won’t be alone. If I need anything, the biggest problem will be to decide whether to call Liz and Max or Kyle and Tess. Now get going,” she said, kissing him. “Good luck.”

**********
Jim was working the overnight covering for a deputy that had called in sick. He noticed a car flying towards him and turned on his lights. He recognized the car as he pulled off the road behind the offender. He walked to the passenger window and leaned down. “Evening Michael, where are you folks headed to in such a hurry?”

“Evening Sheriff,” Michael said apologetically. “We’re headed for Maryland.”

“Well I know it’s almost impossible to ask, but try to keep things under control. This time you didn’t even get out of town before you got stopped for speeding.”

“We’ll be careful Sheriff,” Michael sighed, not believing it.

“Well good luck, be careful,,,” he was cut off as the car sped off, leaving him standing in a cloud of tire smoke. He watched as the tail lights faded in the distance, ‘God, please look out for them. They are going to need all the help you can give.’

**********
The cashier sat at the register at the end of the counter. She was looking forward to going home after a long day in the short-handed eatery. She looked up as the bell over the door chimed, looking at the new arrival.

“I’m here about the ‘help wanted’ sign in the window.”

The cashier said to wait while she went into the back. “Agnes, there’s a fresh one out front.”

**********
“No, turn left!” Alex said, his voice near panic. “It should be right around the corner.”

Michael found the place, Richardson’s restaurant, just as promised. “Remember, we agreed. I’ll do the talking.”

“I don’t care, can we just get in there?”

Several minutes later Michael was talking to the owner. “Yes Ma’am, this is a picture, but it’s five years old, and the hair may be different.”

“Sorry, I can’t help you.”

“Could you look again, please?”

“I’m sorry, no one like that’s been through here.”

“Is there anyone else we can talk to, someone who may have been working while you were off?”

“Listen, I own the place, I do all my own hiring and firing. I know every one who works here and I can’t help you.”

Michael turned in defeat. “Come on Bud, we’ve got two days of driving to get back home. Maybe next time.”

“Two days? Washington’s only an hour away,” the woman commented.

“How do you know about Washington?” Michael asked hopefully. “We’re not FBI, we’re from Roswell, New Mexico. We’re her family,”

The woman only shook her head. “That doesn’t change anything. I can’t help you.”

Michael turned back to his traveling companion, “Come on Alex, we have to get back.”

Alex didn’t move. In fact he looked so close to the point of collapse that Michael thought he might have to carry him. “Why Michael? I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”

“Of course you can, you have to, for her. This is just like the last time, and the times before that. You’re going to get a couple days of rest and then we’ll start over. We’ll keep going until you find her.”

“Alex? Your name is Alex? You’re dead.” The woman said softly.

“Only on the inside,” Alex replied, to upset by another failure to recognize the significance of the woman’s comments.

“How do you know about Alex?” Michael asked carefully.

She pointed to Alex, “I don’t think anyone can fake feelings like that. But if you’re lying to me, so help me God, I hope you both burn in hell.”

“Believe me, I’ve offered.” Alex sighed. “The devil’s not making any deals. Please? I’ve been searching so long. Is she here?”

“Tell me this. If I mentioned the word Prom, what would you say?” the woman challenged.

“She wore a red dress,” Alex replied without hesitation.

The woman sighed, coming to a decision. “I wish I could help you. She was here most of the summer, but she left a week ago.”

“Did she say where she was going?” Michael asked excitedly.

“No, I’m sorry. She said she was going up north to look at the foliage, but nothing more specific than that.” The woman’s face lit up, “I’ve got something for you.” She reached under the counter and pulled out a photo. “It was taken at my birthday last month.”

Alex took the photo almost reverently. He showed it to Michael. It showed the owner of the restaurant wearing a party hat and standing next to a tall woman. Both men were able to recognize Isabel despite her shoulder length auburn hair. Alex could plainly see that the smile she was wearing never reached her eyes.

The woman was touched as she watched bittersweet tears start to flow down Alex’s face. “Keep that, I ordered double prints.”

“Thank you,” Michael said with feeling. “This is more than we’ve had in a long time.” He turned to Alex, taking him gently by the shoulders. “Come on Bud, I’ll take you home. Everyone’s going to want to see that picture.”

“Alex?” the woman added as they started to leave. “I hope you find her. She is the loneliest person I have ever met. But I’ll tell you one thing, dead or alive, she has never stopped loving you.”

**********
“So, you’re not from around here, are you?” Agnes asked.

“No, is that a problem?” the young woman asked. “I mean; I’ve got experience. I’ve worked at a lot of small places just like this.”

“It’s not the experience I’m worried about,” the owner replied. “It’s the end of the season, and I really want someone local who is willing to work a couple of hours here and there.”

“Listen, I really need this job. You don’t even have to put me on your payroll, I would be willing to work for meals and tips.”

“Things get pretty slow around here during the winter,,,”

“I don’t need to work that long, only a couple of weeks or a month or two at the most. When you don’t have enough work for me I’ll leave, no questions asked.”

Agnes looked at the new girl, “You sound too good to be true. Who are you running from? I don’t want any trouble with the law.”

“I’m not in trouble with the law,” the tall auburn haired beauty replied.

“You don’t want to be put on the payroll. There’s usually a good reason for that.”

The new girl looked at Agnes and saw that she wasn’t judging her. She decided to follow her instincts and trust the older woman. Her instincts had been right so far. “I’m haven’t done anything wrong, well except meet a really nice guy. Handsome, polite, a good job working for the government. But then he started trying to change me. ‘Wear this, do that.’ He started telling me that I could only socialize with his friends. When he told me I had to stop spending time with my family I knew things had gone too far. He works for the FBI, and I have to keep far enough away from him until he loses interest in me.”

Agnes took a minute to make her up her mind. “Well, I’ll use you until business slows down to the point there won’t be enough tips for you to get by on and I also have a room in the back you can use, that will save you some money.” She reached her hand out. “My name’s Agnes, and that’s Betty on the register.”

The new girl shook the offered hand, “My name’s Diane Philips. Thank you, you won’t regret this.”

TBC

[stargazer md]

“The Seekers”
Chapter 2
by Stargazer MD

Isabel sat on the back steps of the diner, stroking her hair with the brush that Alex had used so long ago. She looked up at the stars, and quickly found Orion. She often talked to the ageless hunter, having no one else to confide in, besides Alex. “It was just about this time of year the first time Alex and I went camping together.” She smiled at the memory. “You were the first constellation I showed to him. I still see him, you know.” Her eyes became misty as she put the brush down. “We were both so innocent back then, but even so I knew that just by being with me, he was in danger. He’s in a better place now, where nothing can hurt him, but every night he still visits me in my mind.”

Isabel picked up her brush and walked inside. ‘The stars must think I’m crazy,’ she thought, ‘Talking to them as if they could understand me. I probably am crazy. I simply exist during the day, so I can go back to bed every night and dream of my lost love, keeping him alive in my mind. I know it’s just my imagination, but some nights the dreams feel so real, so comforting, especially the ones I have about that night at Frazer Woods. I feel so warm and so cared for, it almost makes up for all of the nightmares.’ She settled down on her bed, “Okay subconscious, I’m placing myself in your hands. You’re all I have left since I gave up using my powers. How about a nice dream tonight, and please don’t disappoint me.”

**********
Alex threw his tee shirt on the floor and pulled the rough army surplus blanket over himself. He recalled again the year they were separated while she was in San Francisco, longing for the times they had connected in the dream realm. It was different now, as if their individual dreams leaked from their minds. While the other may have shared the dream, there was no connection, no awareness of the loved one, no way to communicate. Alex had used many details from her dreams to find places where she had been, but he wanted more. He would give anything for just one dream-walk, long enough to tell her that he was looking for her, that he was alive and desperately trying to bring her home to her family. But it was not to be. Isabel alone ruled the dream realm. She alone had the power to dream walk, and she was not using it to reach out for someone that she thought was lost to her forever.

Alex lay in bed looking at the picture of Isabel that he had been given in Maryland. “Good dream. Find Izzy. Bring her home.” He repeated this chant over and over until he reached the point of exhaustion and fell asleep.

Alex sat on Isabel’s desk, watching her sleep. He recognized this dream, her room in San Francisco. He had seen it many times before, at first as a shared dream with Isabel, but later his mind began to replay the dream as his own. This was the dream that had started it all. The dream within a dream.

He watched as Isabel readied herself for bed. She took his picture from her dresser and held it tenderly. “Alex, I don’t know why you put up with me. I just wish I didn’t have this final tomorrow morning; I really wanted to be at your graduation tonight. At least the party isn’t until the weekend. I can’t wait to see you again.”

Isabel lay down and pulled her covers up to her neck. “Okay Alex, let’s see what happens tonight. I wish I was closer, I seem to have trouble targeting everyone at this distance.” She laughed, softly stroking the outline of his face on the picture, “Last time I tried to dream-walk you I got Kyle by mistake. I was so angry with you, thinking it was you kissing Tess.”

Isabel settled her head down onto her pillow. ‘Okay, lets see where I end up tonight.’


Isabel found herself standing on the corner of the stage of what she now realized should have been her high school graduation. She watched proudly as Max and her friends marched into the gymnasium. Due to the size of the graduating class, the school did not try to arrange the seniors into any special order, which allowed her group of friends to stay together. She looked into the audience and noticed that all of their parents were also seated together.

The student speakers took the stage and talked of how it was the Class of 2002’s turn to make their mark on the world. They talked of opportunity and excitement, how they could change the world. ‘If only you knew,’ Isabel thought. Isabel listened to the guest speaker, Bryce McCain, and then watched as the principal took the podium. He asked the seniors to rise, as their attention was riveted on the table covered with red diploma cases.

The graduates stood and walked onto the stage in single file. As each teen passed the announcer at the podium, they handed him a card with their name on it. They then shook hands with the principal as their name was read aloud. Next they shook the hand of the school board chairwoman and were handed a blank diploma case. Their actual diploma would arrive in the mail a week or so later.

Max led his little band of followers over to the side of the stage, where Amy was ready with her camera. They quickly lined up, but when Amy’s flash went off, it was accompanied by what sounded like thunder. Max and Michael went down before anyone knew what was happening. The second salvo cut down Tess and Kyle, who fell together. Alex realized what was happening, and drew Liz and Maria into his arms, desperately trying to shield them with his body as he tried to push them out of the line of fire. It was no use. The third pair of full metal-jacketed 5.56mm NATO rounds tore through him, continuing on through the girls. The childhood friends died as they lived, together.


“Isabel,” Alex pleaded, “it’s not real! Somehow you tapped into Liz’s premonition. We’re safe; we’re alright, all of us. We’re looking for you. I’m looking for you. I need you. Just give me a clue, where are you?”

Alex didn’t get a moment to recover before the next dream started. Next he found himself on the sidewalk in front of Isabel’s apartment. He watched her park her car in the nearest space she could find, more than a block away, returning to her nearly empty apartment after finishing her last exam. Alex watched with dread, as she, still upset by what she regarded as a bad dream, didn’t notice the black Crown Victoria in front of her building.

Isabel finally snapped out of her fog when she saw a man in a suit walk out of the doorway carrying what looked to be her laptop. She was just far enough away to duck into an alley. Looking around and finding herself momentarily alone, she transformed her appearance into that of a young African-American woman. She took a deep breath to gather her courage before approaching her worse nightmare.

She crept into her building and approached her apartment. She was counting on the fact that the student who lived across the hall had left for home yesterday. She stopped at her neighbor’s door and carefully used her powers to unlock the door. As she turned the knob she looked over her shoulder into her own place, watching as the agents tore her life to shreds.

“What are we looking for, anyways?” one of the agents asked. “The place is almost empty.”

“Anything we want to,” came the answer. “Welcome to the world of John Ashcroft and the Patriot Act.”

“Zitkus,” the first agent replied, “You’re such an asshole.” He looked over and noticed Isabel in the hall.

“Asshole? Pervert?” Zitkus replied, “Make up your mind.”

“Miss?” the agent said as he approached her. “Agent Garven, FBI. Do you mind if we ask you a couple of questions?”

“Ahhmm, did I do something wrong?” Isabel asked timidly.

“No, we’re just looking for your neighbor,” he said leading Isabel into her own entryway. “Do you know her?”

“I talked to her a couple of times,” Isabel answered. “Our schedules are different. We usually just pass each other in the hall.”

“Do you know where she is?” the agent pressed.

“I saw her yesterday. It looked like she was putting her bags in her car and going home for the summer,” Isabel said, skirting the truth. She had almost everything she owned already stuffed into her car, ready to return to her family. Isabel was done with San Francisco, and was transferring to the University of New Mexico, Las Cruces, where she would return to school in the fall, this time with Alex.

“Do you know where home is?” The second agent asked.

“Yea, Exeter New Hampshire, I think,” Isabel bluffed, not wanting them to think she knew too much. “You know, the UFO place, ‘Incident at Exeter?’” (A.N. There have been two beaucoup UFO incidents in New Hampshire, one ten miles from my house, the other a double abduction.)

“Might you mean Roswell?” Garvin asked in reply.

“I don’t know, Exeter, Roswell,” she acted indifferent. “I don’t believe in that stuff.”

“Roswell,” agent Zitkus laughed as he overheard their conversation. “Talk about jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. There’s going to be a hot time in Roswell tonight after that little fracas at their high school graduation.”

Isabel’s blood ran cold. ‘It was just a dream, wasn’t it?’ She had to get away from here and find out what happened.


Alex’s heart broke as he watched Isabel sitting in her car sobbing uncontrollably. She had returned to her natural appearance, and was parked in the remote end of a rest stop outside of the city. She stopped for a copy of the USA Today newspaper to find out what had happened in New Mexico, but she turned away in shock after seeing the front page through the door of the vending machine. The headline, “Tragedy in Roswell,” confirmed what she had seen in her dream.

Alex sat in the passenger seat, trying to reach her. “Isabel! It’s not true. Buy the paper, read the story. The Sheriff arrested the snipers, we’re alright. We’re on the way to get you right now. I’ve been driving all day and all night, just stay here another day. Call me. My cell phone’s turned off right now so they can’t track us, but leave a voice mail. Please,,, I need you.”

Alex watched as Isabel took a deep breath, and retreated into her Ice Princess persona. He listened to her repeat the words that have broken his heart every night for the past five years.

“It’s true, everyone I care about is lost to me. My brothers, my friends, all dead. My parents are in danger because of me, I can never see them again.” A single sob cracked her wall as her heart broke. “Alex, my dear, sweet, innocent Alex. You told me once that you would risk it all to be with me, that life wasn’t living if we played it safe and stayed apart. Forgive me Alex,,,”

Another part of Alex died as he watched Isabel blame herself for his failure,,,

“If I had been strong, If I had stayed away from you, maybe you would be with your family right now. But I was selfish. I let you in. I killed you as surely as if I had pulled the trigger myself.” Isabel took a picture of Alex out of her wallet and kissed it gently. “Sleep well my love, and know this. You are not alone. I died with you, as surely as if they had shot me too. Isabel Amanda Evans, may you rest in peace, because whoever I am now will never know peace again.” Isabel looked at herself in the mirror. She changed her hair color to auburn, and shortened it to just touch her shoulders. She changed her eye color to grayish green. The hair that Alex had loved to touch was gone forever.

Alex awoke in a rage. He went to the window and looked at the stars. ‘Why her?’ he thundered in his mind. ‘Why would you hurt someone who is so innocent and beautiful? Why bring her here from across the galaxy and from another lifetime only to treat her like this. She has so much potential, so full of life. Please, I beg of you, bring her back to her family. Let her return to those who love her. I’ll give anything I have, my heart, my life, and my soul. Just let us find her.’ “Please,” Alex added quietly, “Let me find her and bring her home to her family.”

Alex returned to his bed, heavy of heart. He had nothing to offer the powers that be. No one would want him, he was a failure. He had failed Isabel. No matter how many times he offered himself up in exchange for her, he knew that every moment of her agony was his fault. He should have called and warned her the moment he learned of Liz’s premonition. He should have called her the moment they escaped from the gymnasium. He should have left for San Francisco sooner, or driven faster, or known where to find her. He should have left his cell phone on. But he was a coward. He had failed her, his one and only love. Out of concern for his own safety he had played it safe, he didn’t do whatever it was that would have saved her. Over the past five years Alex had seen every one of her nightmares, and he was responsible for every one of them. It was no wonder that God, of both Earth and Antar, the devil and the powers that be refused to deal. He was a broken man, an admitted failure, and he had nothing to offer in exchange for the princess that was Isabel.

He returned to sleep and let the nightmares continue.

Alex broke free of Max’s grasp and ran into Isabel’s apartment, screaming her name. He relived the shock of finding her apartment empty and ransacked. His shock turned to panic as he imagined her in a white room, a prisoner of the sadistic bastards who had made all of their lives a living hell on Earth. Alex was filled with doubt. Should he stay here and attempt to find her? Should he attempt to rescue her from the FBI? What if she had left for Roswell not knowing the drama that was playing out in her life? She could be headed right for a trap. He grabbed her phone, and finding that it still had a dial tone, dialed her cell number. His voice ran cold when he heard a man’s voice answer.

Michael saw Alex slam the phone down. “Alex! What did you do? Who did you call?”

“Someone has her phone,,,” he started to say.

“Alex,,,” Max exclaimed. “Now they know we’re here.” He looked around the room. “We’re out of here, NOW!”

The gang practically ran for the door, when Maria looked around. “Where’s Alex?” She reached out and grabbed Michael by the arm. “Spaceboy?” she pleaded.

“I’ll find him.” Michael found Alex in Isabel’s bedroom. He was standing next to her bed, holding her pillow up to his face. “Alex!” he barked, but he softened his voice as Alex lowered the pillow, revealing his tear-streaked face. “Come on bud, we got’s to get out of here. You’re not going to do her a bit of good if you’re in a cell somewhere.” Michael took his tall friend by the shoulders and led him out to the van.


The scene changed again as Alex watched Isabel carry the final tray of dirty dishes into the back of yet another greasy spoon restaurant. “No Isabel,” he shouted. “Don’t go back there.” But of course she couldn’t hear him. He watched in horror as the bastard who was washing dishes grabbed the only woman he had ever cared about.

“Don’t you ever lay a finger on me again,” Isabel demanded, “Or you’ll rue the day you were born.”

Instead of heeding the warning, the mother’s mistake reached out and grabbed Isabel’s uniform. He tore it open, revealing the utilitarian white cotton bra underneath.

Isabel grabbed a pot of coffee, and threw it into her attacker’s face, breaking his hold on her, and winning her release. Isabel listened to his screams as she pulled her coat on, her time in this town over.


Alex watched as she settled into her bed. He hated the bland flannel pajamas that she wore, the spartan existence that she had settled into. While she was still the most beautiful person that he had ever seen, he could not help but notice that the spark of life that made her unique in all the world had been snuffed out.

Isabel took a small picture from the nightstand. It was worn, and one corner was missing, but it was now laminated in plastic, hopefully preventing further degradation. She kissed the picture gently. She smiled as if she could hear her boyfriend bemoan her attire. “No Alex, no satin and no red. That was only for you, and I will never wear them again. I live for my dreams now, not the ones I have every night, but those special ones of you I am blessed with every so often, the ones that seem almost like you’re still here with me. Good night Alex, I still love you.”


The scene changed again as Alex sat in the car next to Isabel, singing at the top of his lungs,

“Oh there were five, five, five, five, constipated men, in the Bible, in the Bible.
There were five, five, five, five, constipated men, in the fi-hive books of Moses.”

Isabel shook her head and stared out the snow-streaked windshield.

“Now the first, first, first, first, constipated man, was Cain, he was not Able.
Now the first, first, first, first, constipated man, was Cain-he-was-not-Able.”

Alex saw Isabel smile. Maybe she’s hearing me, which caused him to sing all the louder.

“Now the second, second, second, second, constipated man, was Moses, he took the tablets.
Now the second, second, second, second, constipated man, was Moses-he-took-the-tablets.”

Isabel nodded off, her head snapping up as she caught herself. She stretched, then opened her window letting a blast of cold air shock her awake.

“Now the third, third, third, third, constipated man, was Samson, he brought the house down.
Now the third, third, third, third, constipated man, was Samson-he-brought-the-house-down.”

Alex’s tears started as he realized that it was going to happen again, that he could not keep her awake. Isabel fell asleep at the wheel as he threw himself in front of her in a vain attempt to keep her from getting hurt as the car veered into the snow bank. Alex was almost in hysterics, seeing her beautiful face covered in blood. His horror was soon tempered with pride however. Here was his girlfriend, facing a crisis, all alone in the middle of winter. Not only did she manage to bandage her own injuries, but also she used a shovel from her trunk along with two ‘welcome’ mats for traction to get her car out of the snow bank. She was soon back on the road, with little more than a busted head light and a bad headache.

Alex raged while Isabel wept, and in the dream realm, another night lost the battle against the sun.


TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 3

Isabel awoke, still tired, and even though it was her day off, she quickly washed and dressed. She had lived in enough ‘rooms out back’ to have learned that she had to be dressed and alert before the other employees arrived for work, and in a restaurant that did a majority of it’s business during the breakfast hours, that was early.

She went out to the restaurants entry way, and perused the rack of brochures for the area’s tourist attractions. “Hummm,” she said to herself out loud. “The Olympic Village at Lake Placid. Just an hour away.” She returned to her room, her plans made for the day.

**********
Alex awoke and scurried into the bathroom. Moments later he was back in his one room studio apartment scrounging on the floor to find the least offensive shirt in the laundry pile. He pulled the shirt on, and then walked over to his workstation. Feeling hungry, he opened a pack of Twinkies and stuffed one into his mouth. It would have to do for now. The major advantage of where he lived was the fact that Liz or Maria visited almost every day bringing care packages from the Crashdown. If not for his friends, he would be distracted from his quest. He reached for a can of Tab, and finding it empty, threw it towards the trash, missing by a mile. He found another open can, this one with some soda in it. ‘Good, now I don’t have to waste time going to the refrigerator,’ he thought.

**********
Isabel spent the day exploring the Olympic Village. She learned the trick of camera angles on the ski jump hill. While the athletes looked to be flying through the air on television, the hills were designed so that the jumper was actually only about ten feet from the ground. ‘I bet Alex would be able to come up with a mathematical formula for this.’

Later she went into the figure skating pavilion. ‘Alex would love it here,’ she thought. ‘We could rent skates and spent the afternoon grabbing onto and falling all over each other. Alex, I miss you so much,’ she added as a tear rolled down her cheek unheeded.

**********
Brody leapt out of his seat when he saw his friend approaching the office. “Maria, you shouldn’t be running around in your condition.” He led her to a chair in his office.

“Brody, I’m pregnant,” she teased, “I’m not an invalid.” She put a bag on the corner of his desk. “Galaxy sub, no mayo, double pepper jack. Just the way you like it.”

“And to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure,” Brody beamed.

“Oh nothing special, she replied. “Now that Mr. Parker is on the city council and running for mayor, Liz is practically running the Crashdown on her own. She just thought it would be nice to send a treat over for you.”

“Somehow I think that you also dropped off a Will Smith burger upstairs with Alex before you came down here,” Brody teased.

“You know all my secrets,” Maria laughed. “Yup, well done with a toasted bun and fried onions.”

“Alex gets fried onions?” he said with surprise. “I thought you lost those little perks when Michael didn’t have time to cook anymore?”

“Oh it doesn’t have anything to do with Michael,” Maria bragged. “I have a love hate relationship with all of the cooks.”

Brody looked at his favorite pixie, his eyebrows reaching for the sky.

Maria laughed, “Either they love me, or they hate getting smacked.” Maria reached into her pocket and took out a flask of cedar oil. Brody watched as she took a calming whiff. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” he replied without hesitation.

“Is Alex doing okay?” Maria asked softly.

“I guess that depends on how you define okay,” he answered with concern. “I have seen many people just like Alex. He has the blessing and curse of many great programmers. Alex has a sense of purpose that most people can not understand.” He watched as Maria unwrapped his sandwich and took half. “Did you know that in the early days Bill Gates used to have his employees give him a sniff test whenever they had clients visit him?”

“No,” Maria said intrigued. “What do you mean by a sniff test?”

“Bill could go to work and not leave for days if not weeks at a time. He would get so focused on a project that he never noticed the passage of time. He wouldn’t eat, he wouldn’t sleep, and he wouldn’t bathe. So after working four days straight on a piece of code, his staff would pull him away from the computer for a meeting with an important client. He would be so focused on the project that they would have to tell him to take a shower and change clothes before the meeting.”

Maria swallowed a big chunk of Brody’s lunch and asked, “You’re saying Alex is like that?”

“What I am saying is that when Alex isn’t chasing down a hunch about Isabel, he’s a wonderful programmer, and I’ll always be able to arrange work for him. He throws himself into his projects so deep that nothing else matters. That’s how he gets through his waking hours.”

“And at night?” she asked gently.

“At night he’s searching for her,” came the answer.

“Wow! What’s going to happen to him if he never finds her,,,” Maria gasped and put her hand over her mouth, realizing what she had just said.

“No Maria,” Brody said, his voice troubled. “Failure is not the worse thing that can happen to Alex, because he will never stop looking for her. No, I’m afraid of what will happen to him when he is eventually successful. He is fixated on one goal, to bring Isabel home. That’s his whole life. I am afraid of what will happen when he no longer has that purpose in life. I’m afraid of what will happen when he finds out that the reality of her being home may not match the expectations that he has built up for himself.”

**********
The following evening Alex was free of his prison over the UFO center. He had been invited to the Evan’s for a pizza party, and his friends made sure that he attended. Liz made sure that he had several slices of pepperoni mushroom pizza and his favorite orange soda.

After they finished dinner, Alex allowed Maria to lead him into the living room and settle him on the couch next to her. He watched as Claudia Isabel ran back and forth between Diane and Philip collecting hugs and kisses. He was delighted when the little girl ran to him to get a hug and kiss from Uncle Alex.

Liz watched as Claudia climbed into Alex’s lap sending her a mental wish to set still for just a minute, but as always Claudia fidgeted in Alex’s lap. Uncle Alex always hugged too tight and too long.

As the evening wore on, Kyle watched Alex with concern. Alex looked pretty badly worn, and he began to look worse as the evening wore on. When everyone got ready to go home, Kyle looked over to his wife. Tess nodded in agreement with him, and he approached his friend. Kyle put his arm over Alex’s shoulder, “Come on Alex, you’re coming home with us tonight.”

**********
Saturday morning, after breakfast at the Crashdown, Jeff Parker, Philip Evans, and Sheriff Valenti took their seats in Brody’s office. They were there for their weekly unofficial meeting of their unofficial foundation. The adults had come together after the kids were forced to scatter during graduation. While they had been shocked at the trials and tribulations the pod squad had suffered while they were in school, they were just as determined that no one and nothing would ever hurt them again.

Jim started first. He turned towards Philip regretfully. “I’m sorry to say that I still haven’t been able to find any information on Isabel. All I can say is that I remain confident that no news is good news.” His face and the sound of his voice didn’t reflect the optimism of his words.

Jeff went next. “I’m happy to say that with all of your support, it looks like I have the election in the bag. More importantly, it looks like Judge Lewis will not hold his seat on the counsel. His sins of the past are catching up with him. On the wider front, as the local Chamber of Commerce liaison to the state legislature, I don’t see anything on the horizon that can hurt the kids.”

Now it was Philips turn. “As usual I have nothing to report. First of all, thanks to our friend Brody, we still have enough funds to chase down any leads we may be able to find on my,,,” Philips voice cracked, “Any leads we may get on Isabel.” He took a moment to collect himself, just like during the last meeting, and the meeting before. He turned towards Brody, “I can’t thank you enough, for everything,,,”

“Please Philip,” Brody interrupted. “It is me who is thankful. I owe my life to our visitors, and more importantly I owe Sidney’s life to Max. I’ll do anything I can to find Isabel and to keep them all safe once we have them home where they belong.”

Philip returned to his informal report. “Ever since Brody’s little traveling road show hit prime time, the government is afraid to so much as talk about aliens, let alone actively search for them. I’ll keep in touch with my friends in Washington. To be honest they would like to see the government try something. They have a class action lawsuit all ready to go for everyone who has been harmed by the governments witch hunts, and all they need to file it is a target.”


Brody’s thoughts wandered back several years. He was sitting in Washington, DC, across the desk from Larry King, live on CNN.

Larry went through a rather lengthy introduction of Brody, praising him as one of the key architects of the internet, and a believer that ‘We are not alone.’ “So what brings you to Washington tonight?” The world renown interviewer asked.

“Well Larry,” Brody started, “As promised I come bearing gifts. Tonight I am going to place into the public domain, technology that will revolutionize the computer networking industry. I am also going to inform the public about one of the governments dirty little secrets.”

“Now when you approached my producers and requested an interview,” Larry replied skeptically, “We almost wrote you off as a crackpot.”

“Oh I am a crackpot,” Brody replied. “But I am a crackpot with both credentials and resources. That’s what I like about America. People listen to you when you have two hundred million dollars. Tonight I am going to give away technology that is easily worth as much, if not more, and all you have to do in exchange for it is to listen to me tell my story.”

“Well,” Larry King replied, “Go ahead, the world is listening.”

Brody quickly started his pitch. “During the next hour I am going to reveal technology in support of a new wireless networking technology, and I am going to expose government programs that waste taxpayer dollars and put innocent lives at risk. He called for a graphic to be displayed on the screen. “First I want to point out that for everyone’s convenience, the full contents of my presentation will be available on my web site at the end of this broadcast.

“I would like to introduce you to a project that I have been working on for over a year now. I call it Wireless G, which is short for Gee Wiz. This technology is up to five times faster that the current 802.11b wireless standard now in use. I offer this technology to the world, and make it available to anyone who can use it, asking only that you listen to me for the next hour.

“The second thing I wish to share with you, or more specifically CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and every investigative reporter looking for a story, is irrefutable proof of the existence of government agencies dedicated to hunting down and exterminating alien life forms within the United States.”

Larry chuckled. “So the government is looking for aliens. Isn’t it their duty to look into things like this? I mean they have a responsibility to make sure that there isn’t any real underlying problems with these incidents. Who knows, maybe someone who has seen little green men may need medical help. Isn’t it the governments responsibility to get these people help?”

Brody smiled. “I’m talking about much more than taking a little old lady to her doctor. Furthermore, I doubt the FBI and the military are running around looking into incidents that are later reported to the general public. When you see the amount of money they are spending on this you will be shocked.”

“Okay, you certainly have my attention,” Larry King replied. “But the first thing I have to ask is, why are you doing this?”

“Why?” Brody asked back with an enigmatic look, “Because I can. I already have more money than I can spend in two lifetimes, but at the same time I have been unable to right a great injustice. If giving this technology away will get my message out, it will be a small price to pay.” Brody took a deep breath. “Three years ago the Sheriff of Roswell New Mexico captured a squad of snipers who were intent on killing several of out teenagers during their high school graduation ceremony.”

“Now wait a minute,” Larry interrupted. “My researchers found out about that incident after you approached us. They were a bunch of militia type want-a-be’s who went on a drinking binge and got into trouble.”

“Your researchers took that information off the internet. Who knows where that story started, or who authored it.” He reached into his valise. “Here are certified copies of the official reports from the Roswell Sheriff’s Department. The men were active duty military, and they were as sober as a judge. I’ve done my own research. Here are their military service records. They were highly decorated both before and after the Roswell incident.”

“Now another thing we uncovered,” Larry continued, “Was a congressional hearing several years ago about a special unit of the FBI and Cadmium-X. The unit was shut down.”

“Larry,” Brody sighed, shaking his head. “You’ve been in this town long enough to know that bureaucrats come and go, but programs live as long as they have funding. After that hearing Agent Pierce of the FBI was forced to resign, but the programs went on. I am going to show you the five places within the federal budget where over sixty million dollars of your hard earned money is wasted on these programs every year. That’s right. While our roads and bridges are falling apart, while our school children are using textbooks that are older than they are, while our elderly citizens are cutting pills in half because they can’t afford proper healthcare, the government is spending sixty million dollars per year trying to hunt down and kill little green men. If you want a program to die, you have to kill the money, and I’m going to show everyone where it is.”

“Well,” Larry replied. “If what you say is true, I’m sure that we have a number of viewers who will make sure that there is an end to this government abuse. And we’ll return go into more detail about these funding sources later in the hour. In the mean time, tell me how this wireless technology works.”


Brody smiled, remembering a job well done. Despite the fact that his Roswell information never made it into the national press, he had accomplished what he had set out to do. While the networking industry rolled out Wireless-G equipment to great fanfare, dozens of government auditors and investigative reporters couldn’t resist the draw of such a juicy story, especially one backed up with such irrefutable documentation. Within weeks, the Special Unit of the FBI and the other programs within the military were quickly dismantled,


“Brody!” Philip repeated.

“I’m sorry,” he replied. “My mind was wandering. Like the Sheriff and his official sources, my trap that I placed on Isabel’s California drivers license isn’t showing any activity. But let me assure you, if she is still using it, I’ll know the moment she gets a parking ticket.

“As far as Alex and Michael goes, I trapped a credit card transaction just a couple of minutes ago. It appears that they are on the way back.” He turned towards Philip. “I’m sorry, but I’m sure they would of called if they had good news.”

Philip tried to remain strong. “Well it was a long shot. After all , from what Maria told Max, all he had to go on was just a glimpse of a ski jump and a skating pavilion. It’s not like when he knew where she was working or staying, she may of only been there for a day or two.”

Jim looked at Philip, his disappointment matching the parents, “We’ll find her, it’s only a matter of time. And Philip, you know Alex will never stop looking.”

“I know,” Philip sighed. “But have you seen him lately? I don’t know how much longer I can ask him to keep looking.”

It was Jeff’s turn to reply. “No one’s ever asked him to do this,” he said softly. “And no one will ever be able to make him stop.”

**********
The following morning, Diane Philips sat thinking about the dream that she had every night for the past week, of a beautiful toddler named Claudia Isabel running around collecting hugs. What she could not figure out is who might be still alive that would name their child after Liz’s grand mother, and why the child would be at her own parents’ house. She sighed, realizing that after spending another restless night trying to solve the puzzle, there was only one way that she could get the answers she needed. She climbed out of her car, walked up the driveway, and rang the door bell. She looked up as the door opened. Her voice cracked, “Daddy?”

TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 4

Philip was dumbstruck for a moment when he opened the door, but his love for Isabel outweighed his shock and he swept his crying daughter into his arms. He placed a hand against the small of her back and guided her into the house, slamming the door behind him. Once safely inside, he moved his free hand to the back of her head and pulled her into a tight hug. “Diane!” he shouted. “Diane! Come out here, Now!”

“What’s all the shouting about,” he heard his wife call from the back of the house. “I’m getting ready to take the chicken out of the oven.”

“Screw the chicken,” Philip shouted joyfully. “Isabel’s home!”

Philip continued to hold Isabel close to himself, but he turned so that the two of them were facing the kitchen. He watched his wife come out of the kitchen, wringing her hands.

“Oh, Oh, Oh,,,” Diane exclaimed, her shock showing on her face.

Isabel broke free from her father. “Mom!” she cried as she launched herself into her mother’s arms.

Philip, not willing to let go of his daughter so soon, wrapped his arms around both of the now crying women. ‘I have everything I’ve ever wanted in life,’ he thought, ‘Right here in my arms, my family,,, Max!’ Neither woman noticed as he went for the phone.

**********
Liz looked at the caller ID before answering the phone. Although they were fewer now, they still received an occasional call from a reporter trying to find out why the government was after them, why they had gone on the run so many years ago. At first Liz tried to be patient and explain what happened from their point of view. ‘It didn’t matter what they had done. When men with guns and your picture come after you, you run. We had to run, wouldn’t you?’ she would ask them incredulously. Now she didn’t answer the phone unless she recognized the caller.

“Hi Philip,” Liz answered cheerfully, not ready for the onslaught.

“Liz!” Philip roared. “Is Max there?”

“Of course he is,” Liz answered, puzzled at her father-in-law’s sense of urgency. “Let me get him,,,”

“No!” Philip interrupted. “You don’t need to,,, Isabel’s home,,, Get over here!”

Liz turned to watch as Max, intrigued by her end of the conversation entered the room holding Claudia. “You heard from Isabel?” she practically shouted as her face lit up.

“No,” Philip explained. “She’s here. Get over here.”

“We’ll be right there!” Liz squealed, hanging up the phone. “She’s home!” she shouted, in answer to the hopeful look on her husband’s face.

**********
Liz was still talking on her cell when Max pulled into the driveway. He yanked open the back door and started to reach for Claudia’s car seat.

“Go!” Liz exclaimed. “She’s your sister. I’ll take care of Claudia.”

Needing no further encouragement, Max turned and ran for the door.

Diane and her daughter were still sharing hugs and tears, no words were necessary during this happy reunion. Diane saw her son enter the room, and opened a arm to include him.

“Isabel,” Max cried as he slowly moved forward, instinctively wary of overwhelming his sister.

Isabel was stunned. Her breath caught I her throat. She turned to see a ghost standing in front of her. “Max?” she asked, not believing her eyes. “You’re, you’re,,,

He slowly raised his arms, tears running down his face. “Standing here waiting for a hug.”

Liz arrived just in time to witness the reunion between the two siblings. She stayed back, not wanting to interfere, but that didn’t keep Philip from wrapping an arm around her. Claudia didn’t want to be left out either. She held out her arms until Gramps took her.

Isabel launched herself at her pod mate. As Max wrapped his arms around her, she truly felt home. No longer was she the only one of her race struggling to remain hidden in plain sight. For the first time in five years, no matter what had happened to the others, she began to feel at peace.

The kitchen door slammed against the wall and the room was filled with a ear shattering shriek. Isabel turned just in time to be slammed by a overjoyed Maria, who had been followed into the house by a just slightly more sedate Amy. “Where the hell have you been?” the blond pixie demanded through her tears. “Didn’t your mom teach you to call when you’re going to stay out late?” Maria couldn’t keep up the pretense and pulled Isabel back into a tight hug, well as tight as she could under the circumstances.

When Isabel finally let her go, she looked down at Maria’s rotund stomach. “Maria! You’re, you’re,,,”

“Pregnant!” Maria shouted. “Spaceboy finally did something right.”

“Michael,,,” Isabel gasped, the news just kept getting better and better. “You mean there’s going to be another one of us?” she asked excitedly.

Maria answered with a grin. “Yes, another one, but not the first.” She took Isabel by the elbow and gently turned her. “I think you’ve missed someone.”

“Liz” Isabel shouted, throwing her arms wide. She bore down on her petit friend and practically crushed her in her arms, setting off another round of tears. When she finally released her Liz reached for her daughter.

Isabel watched as her father passed Liz the toddler. “Claudia Isabel?” her name sake queried. The room was suddenly so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All were stunned at Isabel’s statement.

Liz answered softly. “Yes, this is your niece. Claudia Isabel Evans.”

Claudia, always a happy baby, reached for her new aunt.

As Isabel carefully took the child into her arms, Liz asked the question everyone needed the answer to. “How did you know her name?”

“I saw her in a dream,” Isabel answered softly. Claudia Isabel was in the living room collecting hugs from Mom and Dad. That dream’s the reason why I came home.”

“Alex is the only one who calls her Claudia Isabel,” Maria said, her voice full of wonder. “Alex got through! He did it. Alex brought Isabel home!”

“Alex is alive?” Isabel asked brokenly, this last bit of information was more that she could take.

Max stepped forward and tool a hold of Claudia. “Alex is alive. He’s on the way home from Lake Placid New York, where he and Michael went looking for you.” Seeing her confusion, he gave a bit of an explanation, “Jim prevented the shooting, but we weren’t safe. We were on the run until a couple of months ago, but you don’t need to hear that story right now. All you need to know is that with your return home, we’re all safe, and that the whole time, we never stopped looking for you.”

Isabel looked about ready to collapse. Philip stepped in and swept her up into his arms. He carried her into the living room headed for the sofa. He treated her as if she was the most precious thing in his life.

**********
Deputy Hanson hung up the phone and reached for the radio. He paused for a moment, thinking about how he would convey this message. During his career he had been required to deliver more than his share of bad news, so he was going to enjoy this.

~~”Stationhouse to Roswell One,,,, copy update on attempt to locate.”~~ he said, not entirely keeping the joy out of his voice.

After a moment Sheriff Valenti responded, ~~”Go ahead”~~

~~”Cancel attempt to locate missing female at 6-0-2-5 Murray Lane. Subject has returned home.”~~

~~”Is that,,, Confirm!!!”~~ came the response. Hanson would of probably heard Jim without the radio.

~~”Confirmed Jim,”~~ Hanson almost cheered. ~~”I just got off the phone with your wife. Isabel’s home.”~~

~~”YEE HAW,”~~ Jim shouted back. ~~”Score one for the good guys, and show me as enroute to that location. Deputy put me down as off duty!”~~

~~”You are off duty Sheriff, Deputy Blackwood only needed you for a moment.”~~ Hanson replied laughingly.

~~”Well,”~~ Valenti hesitated. ~~”Lets keep it that way!”~~

**********
Maria called Michael on his cell. “Where are you?” she asked.

“We’re almost into Amarillo, Why?” he questioned wearily.

“So you’ll be home about dinner time?” she asked hopefully.

“No,” Michael sighed. “Alex is totally wiped out, he was really restless last night. I’m going to get a room somewhere and let him get some rest. We’ll probably be home sometime during the night.”

“Michael,” she continued softly, looking over at Liz. “Why don’t you put Alex in the back seat and push through?”

Michael sighed, “I don’t think so. It seems like every trip is harder on him, I want to make him as comfortable as possible,,,”

“Spaceboy,” Maria interrupted, as Liz shook her head no and waved her arms. “There are times where you should be on the road, and there are times you should be home.” She softened her voice, “Michael, come home, bring Alex home to where we all love him and can take care of him.”

“Okay, Michael relented. “I’ll stop at a scarf-and-barf. I’ll gas up and get him something to eat. We’ll be home about six o’clock.”

“I’ll be waiting for you,” Maria promised. “We’ll all be at Max’s parents house. We’ll have pizza. Call if you think you’ll be late. Love you, bye.”

“Me too Pixie,” Michael added tenderly. “Rub the baby for me.”

Isabel watched as Maria ended the call. “You couldn’t tell them about me?” she said hesitantly.

“Isabel,” Liz answered for her friend. “If Alex knew you were here Michael wouldn’t be able to control him. He wouldn’t stop for anything, not food, not gas, maybe he wouldn’t stop for a red light. We’re afraid he’d get into an accident.”

“It’s better this way,” Maria added.

**********
At six o’clock on the dot there was a knock on the kitchen door, followed by the sound of Michaels voice as he let himself in. He zeroed in on Maria’s location and quickly went to his wife. “It is so good to be home,” he said, gently sweeping her into his arms.

Maria finished their kiss and then looked at him with a gleam in her eyes. “Really? It’s good to be home?” she teased. Maria looked around his shoulder, “What do you think? Is it good to be home?”

“Definitely,” Isabel agreed. “It is so good to be home.”

Michaels face showed his shock as recognition dawned on him. He turned to see Isabel standing behind him. “Oh my God, Isabel,” he exclaimed, pulling her into his arms, and setting off another tear fest among the gathered.

Once everyone had caught their breath again, and had completed another round of hugs, Isabel turned back to Michael. “Where’s Alex?”

“I left him in the car,” Michael explained, almost forgetfully. “He’s sleeping. I’ll go get him,,,”

“No!” Isabel commanded, putting her hand out to block the way to the door. “I want to do this.”

Isabel approached the back seat of the Ford Taurus. Despite the fact that Brody had given it to them less than two years ago, it looked like it had led a short but hard life. She opened the back door and gently shook her boyfriends shoulder.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Alex sighed, not really paying attention to anything as he wearily climbed out of the car. He looked down towards the ground. “I didn’t find her. I failed again.”

Isabel’s family and all of her friends watched from the doorway as she took a small step closer to Alex. She reached for him and gently placed her fingertips under his chin, lifting his eyes towards her own. “You didn’t fail, Alex. You found me, and you brought me home.

Alex didn’t trust his head, this couldn’t be real. It was too much to hope for. He didn’t trust his eyes, he had seen her too many times in his dreams. It couldn’t be her, he couldn’t see through the tears. But the moment Isabel pulled him into her arms, he knew that they all were truly home.

Philip led the others into the house, leaving the young couple to continue their greeting.


TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 5

Isabel had spent the last five years totally on her own, and while she never thrived under those circumstances, she did consider herself to be more than capable of dealing with whatever life threw at her. But Isabel had never dreamed of this, of having her family, her life, returned to her. She was safe at home, warm and dry, surrounded by her loved ones.

Isabel never realized how much she had missed her room, which her parents had kept exactly the same as it was while she was away in college. She loved her bed, with it’s white iron frame and her favorite red and white coverlet. But her favorite long lost possession was her leopard print pillow. She had thought it was lost forever in San Francisco until Alex had returned it to her the evening she came home. Although it was soiled and darkened by age, and one seam was torn allowing some of the stuffing to leak out, she wouldn’t sleep without it. She even refused her mothers offer to launder or mend it. Washing would remove Alex’s scent, for he had slept with it clutched to his chest every night for the past five years.

Isabel rolled over and checked the time. Nine o’clock. It had been years since she had stayed in bed this late. “What a change a couple of days can make,” she said softly to herself. It was one week ago this morning that she packed her stuff and started the drive back to Roswell, to find the answer to her dreams. Now just four days after knocking on her parents door, she had gone from being a strong independent woman to being a strong independent woman who was allowing her loved ones to pamper her like a spoiled child.

Isabel’s first morning back was greeted by breakfast in bed. Diane served up her favorite comfort food, chocolate chip pancakes. Philip and Max were always close by, with a grin that nothing could seem to diminish. Isabel thought back to their high school days when she got annoyed at Max’s constant hugs. Now she couldn’t seem to get enough of them. Michael and Tess had both seeked her out privately to express their joy that she was back home, that the four-square was once again whole. Even the rest of her friends, Liz, Maria and Kyle, had made the time to spend with her. They took her to the Crashdown for dinner, where both Jeff and Nancy greeted her like a long lost member of their own family. Jim stopped by every evening just to make sure that everything was alright. Little Claudia had been over to visit at least once every day. She was taken with her new Auntie Izzie. It seemed that Isabel’s niece had an endless capacity to store all of the hugs and kisses that she insisted on collecting every time she saw anyone she knew.

And Alex, he was everywhere that Isabel was, always in the background. He just watched, taking joy I what ever she did. Whether Isabel was greeting a friend, or enjoying an order of Saturn rings, Alex was there watching her, protecting her, with a sheen of tears in his eyes that he struggled to keep under control. Isabel suddenly realized that he still did not believe that she had come back, that she had returned to him. It was almost as if he expected her to be taken away from him at any moment.

“Alex,” Isabel exclaimed, bolting upright in her bed just as Diane entered her room and sat on the edge of the bed.

Philip started to follow his wife into the room, but was called away by the door bell.

“Isabel?” Diane questioned.

“Today’s Alex’s day,” Isabel explained. “He’s my boyfriend, and I haven’t spent any time with him.”

“Isabel,” Diane said softly. “Alex has never left your side since you pulled him out of his car. You haven’t been neglecting him.”

“I know Mom,” Isabel said with a smile on her face, thinking of him. “But today, It’s just him and me.”

**********
Alex checked the time on the dash of his Rabbit. It was nine in the morning, surely it was late enough that no one would complain when he came back to his Isabel. He smiled just thinking of her. It didn’t matter what she wanted to do, as long as he could be close by. He reached out and rang the door bell, an action which would change his life.


TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 6

“Okay,” Max started. “We’re here to figure out what’s going on with Alex. I don’t know if he’s gone on one of his side trips, or if he,,,” Max’s voice trailed off as he saw Isabel entered the room.

“If he took off for good.” Isabel concluded for him, with a catch in her throat.

“Has anyone seen him the past several days?” Max asked hopefully.

“We haven’t seen him.” Michael answered, receiving a nod from Maria in confirmation.

Tess turned towards Kyle, with a look of near panic on her face.

Kyle gave her a hug, and put a single finger over her lips. “Guys,” he said, “We may have a problem.”

“No kidding Dick Tracy,” Maria blurted out. “We finally found Isabel and then just a couple of days later Alex takes off. If that’s not a problem I don’t know what is,,,”

“No Maria,” Liz interrupted. “This is crap. Alex didn’t take off, something’s wrong. He’s spent the last five years searching for Isabel and then just days after,,,” her voice trailed off as she looked at Max. “What do you think,” she continued in a softer voice. “I can’t think of a single thing that would make him leave her side.”

Max looked like he had been struck, but no one noticed as Kyle exclaimed, “Listen! We have to find him, soon.”

“Of course we do,” Michael answered. “We found Isabel, we’ll find him.”

“I don’t know how long he’ll last without,,,,” Tess whispered, her voice trailing off.

Isabel waved everyone to silence and then turned back to Tess. “How long without what Tess?” she asked softly. “His friends? Money?”

“Without me,” Tess whispered, tears flowing freely. “I haven’t mind warped him in over a week.”

“What do you mean, you were mind warping him?” Liz snapped.

Max looked at his sister with concern. “Maybe we should continue this later,,,”

“No!” Isabel exclaimed. “I don’t want anyone holding back because of me. I’ve already had five years of my life, five years with Alex, stolen from me. I don’t want to loose another day because someone holds something back. Don’t try to spare my feelings, I need to know.”

“Tess?” Max asked softly.

“He would come to me for help when he couldn’t take it anymore, or if he looked like he needed help we would intervene. When he had gone too long without sleep, or when the dreams became too much.”

“What dreams?” Isabel needed to know.

“Alex had nightmares. I don’t know how he could stand them, but he insisted that he had to. That none of us had any way of reaching you during the day, but that the two of you had been so close, and while you were in college the two of you were dream walking almost every night. While you were missing there were times where he could sense your dreams, and despite the nightmares, it was the only way we ever had of finding information about where you were.”

“No, that’s not true. Alex had bad dreams, but they went away after a couple of months.” Maria said hopefully.

Liz looked at Tess, recognition slowly dawning on her face, “They didn’t stop, did they?”

“No.” Tess said, her voice almost a whisper. “He learned how to contain them. He knew that he was upsetting everyone when he awoke screaming, so he learned to stop doing that.”

“How long,,, I mean how often did he,,,” Isabel asked, visibly afraid of the answer.

Tess looked at Isabel, tears running down her face. “You don’t want to know,,,”

“I have to know,” Isabel choked out.

“Almost every night, sometimes six or seven at a time.” Tess tried to get closer to Kyle, desperate for comfort from the hurt she was being forced to share.

“Tess?” Isabel was on her knees now, looking Tess in the eyes. “How long?”

Tess took a deep breath. “They started the night he lost you and continued until he found you and showed you enough to make you come home.”

“You knew he had nightmares for five years and didn’t bother to tell us?” Liz exclaimed.

“Lay off Tess!” Michael shouted. “At least she was trying to help him. Everyone of us knew how close he was to the edge.” He looked at the other couples. “We had each other. Me and Maria, Max and Liz, Kyle and Tess. Alex was the one who wasn’t whole, and it drove him insane that Isabel was out there alone.”

“Michael, I don’t think we knew,,” Max started to say.

“No Max, we knew. You were our leader, but you never tried to tell Alex what to do, you never questioned anything he asked for. Liz, you were always making sure he had his comfort foods, his orange soda. When food or money was tight I saw you go without, but you always took care of him. Maria, you always watched him, always with a look of concern on your face. You made sure we didn’t leave him behind somewhere when he wasn’t paying attention to things, and you always made sure he had the most comfortable place to sleep. Kyle, you never, not once complained about the time that Tess spent taking care of him. In fact I remember a couple of times that you sent her to him. And me? I never questioned his hunches. If the group wasn’t able to go looking for you,” he said, looking at Isabel, “I would go with him on a side trip. We searched everywhere. Boston, New York, Baltimore, Denver, San Francisco twice, and a number of towns in between.”

Isabel said softly, “I was in San Francisco three times actually, but I was in every one of those places.” She turned back to Tess. “What were the dreams about?

“Every one was about you in one way or another,” Tess continued. “Every night they started with the dream of how we didn’t get to you in time when the FBI came looking for you.

“He dreamed about you getting hurt when you got into an accident in your car, he dreamed about your almost getting assaulted in the kitchen of a restaurant somewhere. He dreamed of a hundreds times when you were afraid of the police, or didn’t have any money for food, or had to live in your car because you couldn’t afford a place to stay. His subconscious worked overtime, giving him one dream after another where you needed him and he couldn’t help you.

“But the worse one was of the two of you dancing in the high school gym. He was in a tux, and you had a red dress on. Save Ferris played “Let Me In.” The FBI came in and took you away from him. He couldn’t stop them, he fought as hard as he could, but there were too many of them. He pleaded for them to let you go, and after you were gone he fought so hard he expected them to kill him, but once they had you safely away they let him go. They just stood there and laughed at him. They told him that he would suffer more knowing what they were going to do to you than if they killed him.”

Isabel was stunned. “That dream is the only thing I’ve had to hang onto for the last five years. I don’t know what I would have done ifi had ever seen his ending, if he was taken away from me like that.”

“We’ll find him,,,” Michael said softly. “We have a lot of practice.”

“No,” Isabel exclaimed, “I’ll find him. For five years he reached out me in my dreams, but I didn’t know to listen. In all that time I haven’t used my powers, trying to hide in a world that took everything from me that I cared for. No one’s going to take him from me again. This time I’m not going to hide. I own the dream realm and I’m going hunting.”

“And during the day?” Maria questioned.

“I have a plan for that too,” Isabel said with a chilling smile.

**********
Isabel’s next stop was the Sheriff’s office. She waited for Jim to arrive in response to her call, and then stomped into his office right behind him. “I need to report a crime.”

Jim was instantly filled with concern. He led her to a chair and them closed the door to his office. “Isabel, what happened?” his voice filled with shock and concern.

“It’s Alex,” she exclaimed, steeling herself to go through with this. “We had a fight, before he left. He, he hurt me. I need you to find him. I need you to find him and bring him back.”

Jim visibly relaxed, “Isabel,,,”

“Don’t Isabel me,” she demanded. “I want you to put out an APB, (all points bulletin) or a BOLO, (be on look out) or an ATL (attempt to locate) or whatever you use here. I want him found, I want him arrested, and I want him dragged back here.”

“Isabel,” Jim said gently, “The only thing Alex did to hurt you was to leave. Tess already talked to me about how important it is to find him, and I have already issued a general broadcast for him to be picked up and held. I even listed him on NCIC. (National Crime Information Center) If he gets stopped for speeding anywhere in the country I’ll know about it ten minutes later.”

Isabel took a deep breath, “Thanks, I wasn’t thinking straight. I should of just asked in the first place.”

“Hanson!” Jim shouted. When the eager deputy stuck his head in the door he asked, “Can we get some coffee’s in here? I think Miss Evans here could use one.”

“Sure thing Sheriff, he replied. “Miss Evans, How do you take your coffee? I have Decaf and French Vanilla today.”

“Decaf, light and double sweet, if it isn’t too much trouble,” she smiled at the eager young man.

After Hanson left Jim asked, “Now how did you find out all this police jargon? I thought you were in hiding all this time.”

“I was,” his now calm guest replied. “Do you want to hear the short version?” she asked with a smile.

“Yea,” Jim laughed. “I bet this is going to be a dozy.”

“Well, no one wants to help you when you’re on the run, they are afraid you’re in trouble with the law, and they don’t want to get themselves into hot water by helping you. So I came up with my own little story. It took a while, but I refined it and it was working pretty good for a long time.

“After loosing the love of my life in a tragic accident, I met a really nice guy from the FBI. Jesse was so nice at first, but after the first couple of times we went out he turned into a controlling bastard who began stalking me. Finally I had to go on the run.”

Jim smiled while watching her and shook his head.

“One thing Sheriff, I have never met a young buck cop who wouldn’t do anything for a pretty young girl in trouble, especially if he could screw the FBI in the process.”

“Yea, they really have that effect on people,” Jim laughed. “I know a couple of other sheriffs who have had them come into town in their big SUV’s, push all the locals aside, and then send us out for coffee. I bet you got a lot of help.” (Authors note: I have a true story about the Washington DC sniper capture that FBI ‘fans’ would like. Let me know if you are interested. Starry)

“Well it didn’t hurt that I used a real name. I saw this agent in the paper talking about an arrest he had made. He sounded really arrogant, a real horses ass. So he became my boyfriend. I was waitressing in California getting paid under the table, when one of the other waitresses had her police officer boyfriend check me out. Well of course I didn’t have any ID, but I did have a good story. Jesse Ramirez, Albuquerque field office, check him out. Well the boyfriend had a friend who had a friend on the New Mexico State Police. Sure enough it all checked out. The agents a real bastard. Not only did they help me out, they hooked me up with a domestic violence program that issued me a legit drivers license.”

“So whatever happened to this agent Ramirez?” Jim asked.

“I think he got transferred to Alaska or something. I bet he’s pissed,” Isabel added with a smile.

TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 7

Isabel searched though her drawers looking for just the right garment. She wanted the red silk pajamas that she wore the night that she first realized how she felt about Alex. When she had gone to college, she had left them home. After all, Alex was in Roswell, not San Francisco. She knew instinctively that Alex would remember her from the dream where they danced together, and hoped that the memory would help her calm him.

She looked around her room but could not find a picture of Alex. “Mom, MOM!” she shouted, running down the hall.

Diane stopped Isabel with a hand on her shoulder. “What? What’s all the yelling about?”

“Mom, I need my old yearbook. It was always on my nightstand. I can’t find it,” she pleaded.

“Well, let me think. We used it to keep track of the kids in your classes after you were gone.” She turned and walked down the stairs. “Why do you need it now?”

“I need it for a dreamwalk,” she said with steel in her voice. “I’m going hunting for Alex tonight, and I’m not going to stop until I find him.”


Several minutes later, Isabel entered the dream realm, but unlike the times she had dreamwalked Alex in the past, she did not immediately enter his dream. She thought about this for a moment, and then smiled as she began to hum “Let Me In.”

Isabel saw a dark cloud approaching, and suddenly she was drenched in a torrential downpour. Lightning crashed all around her, illuminating the otherwise dim landscape. She was in the ruins of a desert oasis, surrounded by sharp stones, broken and burned trees, and thorny bushes and cacti.

The next bolt of lightning revealed Alex standing in front of her.

“Isabel, what are you doing here? It’s not safe for you,” Alex shouted as a bolt of lightning crashed close by. “I can’t protect you. You have to leave before you get hurt.” Alex pulled a parachute harness out of thin air and started strapping Isabel into it.

“Alex,” she shouted. “What is this place? Why are you here?”

Alex held her by the shoulder straps and forced her to look at him. “Isabel, this isn’t a place, this is me. This is my mind. It’s all that’s left after my failure to protect you, after dying a little every day after not being able to find you. This is what I need to protect you from.”

A bolt of lightning crashed, striking a cactus next to Alex, which made Isabel flinch in fear. Not for herself, but for him, for she knew beyond any doubt that he would never hurt her, even in his dreams.

Isabel grabbed his hand. “Alex, let me help you. This is a dream, you know the power I have here. I can make this better.”

“No,” Alex insisted. “I made a deal, I would give anything so that you would return home safely. It’s time for me to pay my debt.” He shook his hand loose from hers and continued buckling her into the harness.

“With who?” Isabel pleaded. “Who is making you do this?”

“I don’t know?” Alex said truthfully. “Maybe it’s just with myself. Maybe this is the price I have to pay for failing you, for not getting to you before this all started.” Another bolt of lightning slammed into him, throwing him to the ground.

“Alex!” Isabel screamed

“Isabel, it’s time to get you out of here,” Alex said softly, “But I don’t think I had a chance to say that I’m so glad you came home to your family.” He finished with her harness, and then looked at the ground. “I wish things had turned out differently,” he sighed. “The times we spent together were the best times I’ve ever had,” he added, raising his head and looking her in the eyes with sincerity.

Isabel returned his gaze, her eyes intense.

Alex couldn’t resist the look in her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

Isabel saw his face break as he backed away from her. She reached out and grabbed him, pulling him for a kiss. She poured her entire heart and soul into the kiss, trying to show him how much he still meant to her.

Isabel slowly released Alex and looked into his eyes. He was sobbing uncontrollably. “Why Alex, why did you do that?”

“I,,, I needed something to remember you by,” he replied taking a breath to compose himself.

“Just tell me where you are,” Isabel pleaded, realizing she was loosing him. “Let me come and take you home.”

“No, Max was right,” Alex said, taking a step back. “You have your family. You need to let them take care of you.”

“What does Max have to do with any of this?” she asked desperately.

“He’s right. You need your family now, I’m too far gone. I’ll do you more harm that good.” Alex reached for the rip cord on her harness. “I remember a quote from somewhere. If you love someone,,,” his voice caught and he closed his eyes. “If I love,,, you,,, I have to let you go.”

Isabel grabbed his hand in both of hers. “I know that quote Alex. Do you know the second half? If they come back, they are yours forever. I’m going to come back. You can try to run, and you can try to hide, but I’m going to find you. I won’t stop until I have you back.”

Alex pulled the handle before he lost his will. Isabel was snapped up and away from him. She awoke back in her bed.

“I swear Alex,” as a tear ran down her cheek. “I owe you the rest of my life. I will find you.”

TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers,
Part 8

Liz awoke to the sound of smashing wood as the door to their house was blown into their living room. Max was instantly alert besides her. “Claudia!” Liz exclaimed, jumping up and reaching for her robe.

Max stopped her. “Don’t worry, Claudia will be fine.”

“Max!” they heard shouted from below.

“Isabel?” Liz asked confused. “Max, what’s going on?”

“What the hell have you been up to Max?” Isabel shouted as she stomped up the stairs.

Max took Liz by her upper arms and pushed down, guiding her to sit on her side of the bed. “I’m sorry Liz. I made a mistake, and I’m not going to be able to fix it.” He moved away from her.

Isabel appeared in the doorway, her arm outstretched. It glowed with a fierce red energy that looked barely under control. She looked at her brother, her face broken.

“Isabel!” Liz pleaded. “Claudia,,,”

“I already visited Claudia. She will sleep until morning.” Isabel reassured Liz, never taking her eyes off Max. “Right now she’s dreaming that she’s with your father learning how to make ice cream sundaes.” She turned her attention back to Max, “What did you do to Alex?” she demanded. “Why did you send him away?”

“Iz,” Max pleaded. “I didn’t tell him to leave,,,”

“Liar!” Isabel fired a burst striking Max in the shoulder and knocking him against the wall. “He told me he left me because of you. Tell me what you did.”

“You found him?” Max asked hopefully. “Where is he? I have to go get him.”

“I found his dream,” Isabel wailed. “I don’t know where he is, but he’s in his own personal version of hell. Why Max, why did you send him away?”

Max kept his hand extended towards Liz, his shield protecting her and holding her away from him and out of Isabel’s line of fire.

“Isabel,” Liz cried. “What’s gotten into you?” She turned towards her husband, “Use your shield! Protect yourself.”

Another burst slammed into him, “I don’t deserve a shield,” he groaned.

“I want to know,” Isabel demanded. “Why my boyfriend told me you wanted him to leave.”

“Max?” Liz gasped, not believing what she was hearing.

Max slumped to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees, pulling them to his chest. “It was about a week ago. You were home three days and the shock of finding us had worn off, but you were still in a fragile state of mind. Mom was in your room with you when Dad came looking for me. Alex showed up to see you. He was in rough shape, his clothes were filthy, he hadn’t taken a bath, and I don’t think he had slept in days. Dad,,, We,,, I thought that it would be better if he got,,, well,,, I thought it would be better if he cleaned himself up and got some rest before he tried to see you,,, he wasn’t ready to help you. I know what I intended, and I know what I said,,,” Max’s voice faltered as he lowered his head to his knees.

“I don’t care about what you said,” Isabel asked, her voice in near hysterics. The charge at the end of her arm practically boiling. “You know how close to the edge he was, so tell me, What Did He Hear?”

Max’s face was pain filled as he looked at his sister, tears streaming down his face. “I can understand how he misunderstood,,, how he thought we,,, how he thought I wanted him,,, “I told him it would be better for you,,, if you didn’t see,,, him like that.”

Isabel let loose with a scream that sounded inhuman. She looked at her brother who’s head was now resting on his knees, uncaring about what she might do to him. Suddenly she moved her hand away from him, as her bolt released. She barely missed Max, blowing a hole through the wall. She collapsed onto the bed, her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Max leapt from the floor racing to his sisters side. “Iz, I had no idea,,,”

”What am I going to do?” Isabel cried, turning to bury her face in his shoulder.

Liz, freed from her temporary prison, sat on Isabel’s other side.

“I lost five years with my boyfriend,” Isabel bemoaned, shaking her head. “I finally got him back only to loose him again.”

“Isabel,” Max pleaded. “I promise you, we’re going to find him.”

“How Max,” she turned to look at him. “You heard Tess, we don’t have that kind of time. What happens if I can’t find him in time, before,,,”

“We’ll find him,” Liz reassured her friend. “We have to.”

**********
The following night, Isabel stormed into the dream realm, and went hunting for Alex. She could not find him, but she could feel his presence. She hummed their song, and watched with a smile on her face as she watched his dream approach. But her joy turned to dismay, as her view of his dream was distorted, out of focus. It was looking through moving water. The harder she tried to see inside, the more out of focus the view became. She could not see inside, nor could she enter the dream. Not only couldn’t she find Alex, but now she couldn’t connect with him either. Isabel never gave up. Her battle within the dream realm lasted until dawn.

TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 9

Isabel spent every night in the dream realm, but while she could feel Alex’s presence, and she could call his dream to her, she could not enter it. Every night she became more and more dismayed, as she was forced to witness his night time agony. After several weeks she noticed that his dream orb was present for shorter and shorter periods each night, and she realized that he was trying to go without sleep, trying to avoid his tormentor. This cut her to her soul, knowing that his tormentor was within him, and there was no way he could escape.

**********
Jim looked up to see Deputy Blackwood standing in the doorway.

“You better take line two Jim,” he said with a grim look on his face.

“Sheriff Valenti,” Jim said efficiently.

“Sheriff, I hope that you can help me,” the caller said.

“Well, that’s what we’re here for. What can I do to help.”

“My name is Linda Russell, and I run a homeless shelter in Las Vegas. The reason I’m calling is that I’m concerned about one of out volunteers here.”

“I don’t know what I can do to help you in Las Vegas,” Jim interrupted.

“I understand Sheriff, but I think you have to hear the rest of my story. My husband is a police officer here, and he’s the one who suggested I call you. He did what little he could and came up empty.”

Jim settled back in his chair and ran his hand through his hair. “OK, why don’t you tell me what you can.”

“We had a guy come in here about a month ago. We actually had to turn him away for about a week because we didn’t have any more room for him. Well one evening the only computer we have here crashed. Evan came in, and despite the fact I had to turn him away again, he stayed and fixed the computer for me before going back out into the rain. I found a bed for him about a week later, and he’s been working here ever since, doing odd jobs and the like.”

Jim felt a chill run up his spine. “Tell me more about this Evan.”

“He goes by the name Evan Bell. I doubt that’s his real name, my husband ran a record check on him, he even called in a favor and ran a triple-I, but everything came back not on file. He looks about twenty five, six foot, slight to medium build, light completion, dark hair and green eyes.”

“This could be someone I’m looking for, but I assume there’s more to this story,” Jim asked, starting to get excited.

Linda hesitated before continuing, “I don’t know Sheriff, this is a good kid, I can’t believe he’s in any trouble,,,”

“No, no,” Jim interrupted. “My guy isn’t in trouble, he’s just someone who hasn’t been able to get an even break in years. He doesn’t have a family, his parents were killed in a fire a couple of years ago, his friends just want to find him and bring him home so we can take care of him. How did you know to call me?”

“Sheriff, Evan has a drinking problem. Normally we don’t allow that, but as a volunteer he has a private cubicle, and he’s told me that it’s the only way he can stop the nightmares from coming. He was still asleep this morning when I came in, which is also unusual for him. When I went to wake him he was talking in his sleep about Roswell.”

“I’m going to give you back to my deputy so he can get information on how to find your place,” Jim exclaimed as he stood and reached for his hat with his other hand.

“Sheriff,” Linda said hesitantly, “This guy’s circling the drain, I don’t know how long he’s going to hold on. If it takes a couple of days or weeks for someone to come,,,”

“I’m sorry,” Jim interrupted. “I didn’t make myself clear. Alex is my friend as well. If I can’t get a flight I’m going to drive. Either way I intend to be there by nightfall.”

**********
Jim entered the Crashdown, and approached the back where the pod squad had taken up residence in support of each other. He saw Isabel leaning on her brothers shoulder. Liz was sitting opposite the siblings, and she was holding Isabel’s hand between both of hers. He saw her perk up at his entrance, but when he approached Kyle and Tess, who were sitting at the counter, she put her head back on Max’s shoulder.

Jim stopped in front of his son. “May I borrow your wife?” he asked quietly.

Tess looked at Kyle, but didn’t say anything. She followed him to the front of the café where, for the moment at least, there were no customers, and they could talk privately.

Jim turned and looked at her, his expression blank. “I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up just yet, but can you take a trip?”

“Yea, I have a bag already packed in the back of the mustang,” Tess replied.

Isabel watched the conversation, her interest instantly spiking as she watched Tess’ face. She had seen a flicker of hope. It is all she needed. She was at their side moments later. “You found him?”

“Isabel,” Jim sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”

“But you have something,” she pleaded, “Right?”

“It could be nothing,” Jim sighed. “We’ll call as soon as we know anything,” he added, looking over her shoulder as the rest of the group came to hear the news.

“You don’t really think you’re going without me?” Isabel said in a voice that chilled the room.

“I don’t want you to get your hopes up,” Jim said softly, shaking his head.

“How many times did you say that to Alex,” she demanded. “Did it ever stop him?”

“No,” Jim agreed, “Nothing ever stopped him.

“Good,” Isabel agreed. “Then what are we doing standing here. Lets go get my boyfriend.”

“Isabel,” Jim questioned. “We’ll have to swing by your house so you can pick up an overnight bag.”

Isabel held up her hand. “I’ve got everything I need right here, a change of clothing, cosmetics, toiletries.” She turned and headed for the door. “Are we flying or taking the Taurus?”

“Have you ever tried to book a flight to Vegas? It’s a sixteen hour torture trip through Albuquerque and Denver, and with the next flight not leaving until this afternoon, we won’t get there until about ten tomorrow morning,” Jim explained, struggling to keep up. “We can drive it in fourteen hours, which should get us there about midnight, and since you both filed a missing person’s report on Alex, this is an official police matter. The trip is on the City of Roswell. We’ll take my Explorer.”

TBC

[stargazer md]

The Seekers
Part 10

Darkness found the rescue party two hours away from Las Vegas on Route 93, an arrow straight highway through the middle of the Mohave Desert. Isabel had the powerful Ford Explorer wound up to a hundred, (160 kph) and was holding it there. Jim was worried.

“Isabel,” Jim probed. “Why don’t you pull over and let me drive for a while. You’re going to land us all in jail at the speed you’re going.”

Isabel put a little more pressure on the accelerator. “At this rate we should be there by eleven, and I want to get to Alex before he goes to sleep. I don’t know what’s happening to him during the night anymore, and it’s worrying me.” She turned and looked at him for a moment. “Besides, who’s going to stop a marked cruiser on an empty road in the middle of the desert?”

“I just don’t want to have to explain to the city council why a civilian is driving,” Jim sighed. “That’s all.”

“If the city council says anything to you,” Isabel said with a chill in her voice. “Just let me know. I’ll take care of it.”

“I bet you would,” Jim rebutted with a laugh in his voice. “Are you sure you’re not getting tired?”

“We don’t need much sleep, and I really need to get to him,” Isabel explained. “Why don’t you get some rest. Tess can start the drive back, and then you can take over come daylight.” She turned towards him and softened her voice. “It’s safer this way. We can command ourselves to stay alert, and you can’t compete with our night vision.”

“Oh,” Jim challenged. “Now you have this great night vision?”

“Yea,” Isabel teased, accepting the challenge. She pointed out the windshield, “What does the next sign say?”

“What sign?” Jim replied, baffled.

“Blue,” Isabel replied confidently. “Rest stop. One mile.”

Jim looked out the windshield, and not seeing anything, started counting. When he got to eighteen he saw the sign appear in the headlights. He did some quick mental math. “You could see the sign a half mile (0.8 Km) past your headlights? That’s amazing!”

Isabel smiled in the dark. “No, I could see the sign much farther than that. I could read it a half mile past my headlights.” She improvised a tune from an old TV commercial. “Go (Greyhound) Alien, and leave the driving to us.”

**********
Tess placed her hand on Isabel’s shoulder, and held her back. “I need to do this alone.”

As Tess approached Alex’s small room, Linda Russell asked softly, “Sheriff, what’s she was going to do?”

“Tess is my daughter-in-law, Jim explained patiently. “She has experience in dealing with Alex when he’s like this. She’ll figure out what condition he’s in, and if he’s safe for travel. She may be able to talk him to a calmer place, or she may have to hypnotize him.”

Isabel didn’t hear a word of their conversation. She only had eyes for Alex, and she was intently watching Tess’ interaction with him.


“How you doing Alex?” Tess asked as she stepped into his room.

“Tess!” Alex exclaimed, turning away from his laptop.

Tess sat on the edge of his cot and took his hands in hers. “I’ve been worried about you. Are you getting any sleep?”

Alex sighed. “If I get tired enough, I can get a couple of hours. And this week I’m trying vodka. It’s tough though. If I don’t drink enough I still have nightmares, but if I drink too much I puke all night.” He shook his head slowly, “Sleeps really not important anymore, though. Isabel found her way home to her family. It’s like,,,” Alex faltered, stumbling for words. “What happens to me doesn’t matter.”

Isabel’s heart was breaking, but Tess ignored his self depreciating comments. The two women had agreed that the priority was to get him calmed down and ready for travel. Isabel would work on his bigger issues once he was safely at home.

Tess made contact with Alex before he could protest. She simply looked into his eyes, and spoke in a soft voice. “That’s it Alex, let me in. Let all of your cares slip away. This is your time,” she continued softly. “You’ve done everything that you had to do, and now it’s your turn to let your friends take care of you for a little while.

“Just let your mind relax, and go to that special place,” Tess continued.

Alex stood in the middle of his favorite room, standing between the tools of a classroom on one side, and a delicately lit and decorated dance area on the other side. He waited patiently for his reason for living to appear.

“Music is so important to you,” Tess said softly. “Listen carefully, and you’ll be able to hear your favorite song.”

A single guitar note sang out as Isabel appeared at the edge of the dance area. “Hello Alex,,,” she said as she reached for his hand.

“And now the nighttime sky,” Tess concluded. Not the night time of loss and pain, but a warm breeze under a starry sky.”

Alex was back at Frazer Woods with Isabel, her head on his shoulder, where it belonged. Before the FBI, before San Francisco, before he lost her. Just two lovers sharing a dream.

Tess looked at the doorway and nodded. Isabel stepped into the room and softly led him out to the Explorer, while Jim and Tess quickly packed his belongings.

When they got out to the SUV, they found Alex lying on the back seat, with his head in Isabel’s lap. She was gently stroking his hair as tears streamed down her face.

Tess and Jim took turns driving back to Roswell. They stopped for fuel, meals, and to use the rest room. But Isabel never left her seat. She never took her eyes off Alex, she never let him go.

**********
The following night, Isabel awoke instantly knowing that something was wrong. She threw on her robe and ran to the guest room. Alex was missing. She looked at both the closet and bureau. Both were still welded shut, limiting his access to his clothes and everything else that he would need to run away again. That left him with his pajamas, robe, and slippers. He couldn’t have gone far.

Isabel quickly dressed, and having a good idea where he went, quickly drove to the park across from where he grew up. She parked the car and quietly approached him. Isabel knew just what to say to him, how to get through to him.

Alex felt her approach, and turned towards her.

“Alex, don’t scare me like that. I almost died when I saw your room was empty.” She picked his hand up and held it in both of hers. “Alex, I need you. I need you to be strong for me. I’ve lost five years of my life, and finding you is all so sudden, all so new. I can’t go through this alone. I need you, now more than ever.”

“I don’t know, Isabel. I don’t know if I’m the one you should turn to. I don’t have anything to offer you.” He looked across the street at the vacant lot where his home once was. “I lost everything Isabel. We had to run, and when it was finally safe to return, there was nothing to come home to.” His voice failed him as the tears streamed down his face. “I never got a chance to say good-bye. Where do I go from here? What do I do?” he asked, his voice conveying more misery that any one person should have to endure.

Isabel noticed that he was shivering in the cool desert night. She removed her jacket and tenderly placed it over his shoulders. “Of course you can do it Alex,” Isabel responded softly. How do you think I made it this far? You’ve been with me every step of the way, you’re not going to give up on me now, are you? As far as where you’re going to stay, you’ll come back with me. I’m your home now. As far as what you’re going to do, we’ll get through that one day at a time. If a day overwhelms us, we’ll get through it one hour at a time.”

Alex turned and looked at her. “You really still need me?” he asked softly.

Isabel saw something in his eyes for the first time in a long time. Hope. “Alex, I’ll always need you. Are you willing to help me? Are you willing to do this together?”

Alex willingly jumped headfirst into Isabel’s carefully laid velvet trap, lifting her hand in his, and kissing it. “Oh course Isabel, I’ll do anything for you, but I don’t trust my own judgment anymore. You’ll have to help me too.”

“Lets go home,” was all she said.

Six months later
Alex led Isabel out to their car and opened the door for her. They were going to the Crashdown and have a celebratory dinner. He had told Isabel that they were going to celebrate the fact that their therapist had recommended that they cut their sessions back to just once per month. He, on the other hand, wanted all of their friends to be there, having promised them something special.

Isabel watched Alex walk around the front of the car. She looked at the bulge in his pocket with a smile. “When are you going to learn that you can’t keep anything from me,” she said softly to herself. She used her powers to finish giving herself a French manicure. It would go perfect with the diamond she was going to receive with dinner. She could hardly wait.

End