Roswell Fanatics

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating:Teen/Mature

Couples: Gazer/CC

Disclaimer: Roswell belongs to first to Melinda Metz, then to Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox. She created them; they killed them. I’m just borrowing them.

Author’s Note: This is a gift for Pooh – just because. Sorry for the lack of nookie Pooh, but some things you just can’t change. I've been promising her this forever, and I've been working on it for quite a while. This is all I have that's postable.

“Come on, damn it, answer the phone,” Isabel said, pacing the small room at the Tumbleweed Motel. She tracked nervously back and forth, banging into a chair upholstered in vinyl as she waited impatiently for Max to answer his cell phone.

“Hi, this is Max, leave a message,” his voice mail responded, and Isabel disconnected the call abruptly. She didn’t need her brother’s voice mail she needed him.

She started to dial Liz’s number but paused, her attention drawn to the figure lying on the bed. His breathing was shallow, almost imperceptible, and his skin was a sickly shade of gray. Without warning, his eyes fly open, and stare unseeing at the motel’s grimy ceiling.

“Why are you doing this to me?” he pleaded. “I did everything you wanted. I figured it all out. You have everything you need. Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Alex, Alex, what is it?” Isabel dropped to her knees beside the bed and stroked his forehead gently. “Can you hear me? Wake up Alex.”

If she had looked in the mirror, she would have been horrified by her appearance. Mascara streaked down her face, her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. Her hair, which had been arranged in an elegant up do hours before, hung in disheveled clumps around her face, and her once pristine gown was a wrinkled mess. But Isabel noticed none of this. She was focused entirely on the person lying unconscious on the bed.

Without conscious thought, she punched buttons on her cell phone, biting her lip anxiously while praying for someone to answer.

“Hello?”

“Max? Is that you?” Isabel asked. It didn’t sound like Max, but who else would be answering Liz’s cell phone.

“Uh, no, you must have the wrong number,” the voice answered.

“No, I can’t have the wrong number. Is this Liz’s phone?”

“Yeah, hang on, I’ll get her for you.”

There was a muffled sound and the voice called out, “Hey, Parker, your phone wants you.”

When Liz’s voice came over the line, Isabel almost collapsed with relief. If anybody knew where Max was, it was Liz.

“I need Max, Liz. Something’s wrong with Alex,” Isabel said without preamble.

“What’s wrong with Alex?” Liz asked.

“I don’t have time for this,” said Isabel, panic creeping into her voice. “Just put Max on the phone.”

“I don’t know where he is,” said Liz, pain creeping into her voice. “He’s probably with Tess. Isabel, where are you? What’s wrong with Alex?”

“We’re at the Tumbleweed. I have to go,” Isabel said. “I have to find Max.”

“Wait, what’s wrong?” Liz shouted, but Isabel had already ended the call.

She began to pace around the room again trying to control the panic that threatened the tenuous grasp she had on her composure. Max wasn’t answering his cell phone, and she didn’t know Tess’ number. It didn’t occur to her to wonder why Max was with Tess, nor whom the mysterious voice was that answered Liz’s phone. Her attention was focused entirely on the situation at hand.

She looked again over to the bed where Alex laid, still unconscious. He needed help desperately. She wished she had the ability to heal, but instead, she had the ability to dream walk people, and that wasn’t going to do anything for her, or Alex. “Or would it?” she wondered to herself.

She quickly dialed Max’s number again and left him a brief voice mail, telling him where she was, and giving him a brief overview of what was happening. Then she grabbed the small satin clutch bag she had filled with the many trivial necessities she thought she would need to get through prom night with Alex. She pulled out a small billfold and flipped through it until she came to a picture of her brother, and another of Alex.

Isabel lay on the bed next to Alex and touched the picture of Max, and struggled to enter his mind. It worked best when the other person was asleep, but her need was so great, she was willing to try anything to contact Max.

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

Tess leaned against Max suggestively. She had worked hard to get everything to play out the way it did tonight. It killed her to mind warp Kyle into thinking he liked her as a sister. She wanted him in the worst way possible. She was hot just thinking about him, but he wasn’t her objective – unfortunately. No, she had to seduce the boy king – again. It was bad enough that she had to sleep with him when she was his wife. Her father had forced her to go after Zan in order to secure himself a position in the Antarian government. She got Zan, and her father got himself killed for playing both Zan and Kivar against each other.

And here she was, back in the same position, only this time it was Nescado calling the shots. He’d made a deal with Kivar, and offered her up as a willing sacrifice. Steeling herself, Tess prepared to proceed as she had been instructed from the time she emerged from her pod.

Tess lightly ran a finger up and down his arm, trying to get a reaction out of Max. When that failed, she placed her hand on his cheek and began to lightly bring his head down to meet her mouth. Her lips caressed his lightly, and her tongue traced the contour of his lips. Slowly her tongue parted his lips, and she suppressed a shudder as her tongue found it’s way into his mouth. She toyed with the idea of pretending she was kissing Kyle, but she was afraid she’d somehow transmit that image to Max.

Without warning, Max stiffened and pulled away, and Tess blanched slightly afraid that she had accidentally let Max see the image of Kyle that had crept into her mind.

“What is it Max?” she said, struggling to make her voice a seductive whisper, and grimacing when it came out like in a frightened squeak.

“Isabel. Something’s wrong,” Max said. “Where’s my cell phone. I have to call her.” He searched his pockets, looking for his phone.

Tess pulled at his arm, trying to capture his attention. “Come on, Max you’re imagining things.”

Max ignored her and searched his pockets frantically for his cell phone cursing softly when he saw the battery was dead. He used his powers to charge the battery and found multiple voice mails waiting for him. Before the first message was ended, Max was on his feet, dragging Tess out of the pod chamber and back to his jeep.

“Max, stop, where are we going?” Tess asked, panting in her struggle to keep up with him.

“Isabel needs me,” he said. “Something’s wrong with Alex.”

Max played the next message on his voice mail, ignoring Tess who was jabbering in the seat beside him, and breathed a sigh of relief when this message provided him with Isabel’s location. He’d barely finished listening to that message when his cell phone rang.

“Hello?” he answered, as the jeep flew down the deserted highway back towards town.

Max, it’s Liz. Look, something’s wrong with Alex and Isabel, Liz began.

“What are you doing there, Liz?” Max demanded in a cold voice.

Isabel called me, looking for you; she said something was wrong with Alex. He’s my best friend, Max. Where else would I be?

“Fine, whatever. What’s wrong with Isabel?” Max asked, brusquely.

I’m not sure,” Liz admitted.

“Look around her and see if you see any pictures,” Max said. If Isabel had dream walked him, whose to say she didn’t try to dream walk Alex as well.

She’s holding a picture of Alex, Liz said, the cell phone giving her voice a tinny quality.

“She’s dream walking Alex,” said Max. “We’ll be there in a few minutes. Call Michael and get him over there,” he ordered.

I already did Max. I couldn’t get through to you, so I called Michael hoping he’d know where you were. They should be here any second, along with Kyle.

“Fine,” Max responded, curtly. “We’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Max ended the call and stuffed his cell phone back into his jacket pocket.

“I could have sworn I charged it earlier today,” he said more to himself than to Tess who sat nervously in the passenger seat.

Tess shivered, more from fear than the cool desert air. She had used her powers to drain Max’s cell phone when they were at the prom. Another in her long list of crimes against him and his friends.

“Did you say Isabel was dream walking Alex?” she asked.

“That’s what it looks like,” Max said, his mind not on the conversation. “Look, there it is.”

He pulled the jeep into the rutted parking lot, whipped into a parking space and killed the engine.

“Come on,” he said to Tess. “We don’t have much time.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Tess said cryptically.

Wow...I'm totally amazed by all the awesome feedback for this. Thanks everybody. You're all really great.

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating:Teen/Mature

Couples: Gazer/CC

Part Two

Isabel walked around Alex’s dream in her own state of confusion. She’d been in many dreams in her life, but none were as distorted as this. Images shifted, and the atmosphere crackled almost as if she were standing in an electrical storm instead of the dream plane.

Alex? she called out, her voice echoing in the emptiness. Alex, where are you?

Isabel? came he faint reply, and Isabel stepped in the direction of the voice.

Isabel, the voice came again, this time in the opposite direction.

Get out of here Isabel, a new voice said, and this time, the voice was clear, and completely recognizable.

Tess? What are you doing here? Isabel called out.

Go away Isabel. You don’t need to be here. Tess responded.

Isabel searched fruitlessly for either Alex or Tess, but was met with frustration at every turn. The electrical atmosphere seemed to intensify, and images began to whirl around her like she was in the center of a maelstrom. She sighed with relief when Alex emerged from the twisting images, carrying something in his hand.

Alex! she cried in relief. I’ve been so worried. What’s wrong?

There’s nothing wrong Isabel. I did it. I figured it out. She’ll be so happy. Maybe she’ll leave me alone now. Maybe she’ll make it stop hurting. 011011100101101101.

Alex, you’re scaring me. What are you talking about? Isabel asked.

Can you give it to her for me? But be careful, she’s dangerous. said Alex. He rubbed his forehead with his free hand. It hurts, Isabel. I want it to stop.

Alex, who’s doing this to you? What’s wrong? I want to help you, but I need to know who’s doing this to you, Isabel cried. She reached out to Alex, but he backed away.

01110 0011100101 00101101001. It’s destiny, Isabel. It’s her destiny.

At the word destiny, the item Alex had been holding in his hand became clear and Isabel stared, transfixed. It was the book Tess had retrieved from the library last spring with Kyle.

Alex, what are you doing with that? she asked, still staring at the book in horror.

I’m doing what she told me to do. 01101001 1101001101. Sweden was great. Leanna. I want some Thai food. Malee Thai delivers. Alex closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in intense concentration. Be careful Isabel. She doesn’t care who she hurts. She’s killing me. There’s nothing left. My mind, it’s mush. Iiissaaabeellll!

Her name came out as a scream and Isabel screamed as well, watching, helpless to do anything as Alex collapsed to the ground, his face covered in blood. She reached out to him, but he faded from sight.

I told you to get out of here, Isabel. Now I’m afraid it’s too late, said the disembodied voice of Tess.

What did you do to him? Isabel demanded to the emptiness around her.

Isabel! Isabel! Wake up, Isabel! Isabel looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice when she felt the ground around her shake and without warning, she was ripped from the dream plane.

“Isabel, wake up!” the voice shouted again.

Isabel’s eyes fluttered, then opened, and she winced slightly in the glare of the harsh motel room lighting.

“Liz, what are you doing here?” she asked in confusion.

“You called me looking for Max, remember?” Liz said. “You said something was wrong with Alex. How could I stay away?”

“You couldn’t,” Isabel said. “And I’m glad you didn’t.”

Liz reached out and hugged Isabel, and the two girls shared a moment of unusual closeness.

“I was so scared when I saw you lying next to Alex,” Liz said. “But I called Max, and he’s the one who figured out you were probably dream walking Alex.”

“I was,” Isabel said. “Liz, it was so strange. His dream was like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and certainly not like any of his other dreams that I…” her voice trailed off and her face flushed a delicate pink as she realized what she revealed.

“Don’t worry about it, Isabel,” Liz said with a small smile. “Don’t you think I’d do the same thing, if I could? What did you see?”

Isabel quickly shared what she had seen with Liz, and the two girls tried to make sense of what it meant.

“The fact that Tess kept turning up scared me,” Isabel admitted.

“I agree,” said Liz. “I’m not her biggest fan, in fact, the word hate comes to mind, but I think she may be involved. Isabel, maybe you shouldn’t tell Max,”

“Tell Max, what?” asked a new voice. “And is Alex okay?”

“Kyle, what are you doing here?” Isabel asked.

“Liz called me after she called Maria,” said Kyle.

“You called Maria too?” Isabel asked weakly. “I suppose Michael was there?”

“I was trying to track Max down for you,” Liz said defensively.

“So I suppose they’ll be here…” Isabel began.

“Now,” Michael answered, walking through the door, Maria in tow. “We got here as quick as we could. Is there and change in Alex, and where’s Maxwell?”

“And the skanky ho?” Maria added.

“They’re on their way,” Liz said, her voice slightly bitter.

“I think they’re here,” said Michael, listening to the sound of squealing wheels in the parking lot.

“This is not helping Alex,” Isabel cried. “I know all of you care about him, but all of this excitement can’t be good. He’s so confused right now.”

“How do you know he’s confused?” asked Maria while Michael said at the same time. “You’re wrong, Isabel. It took all of you to help bring me back into balance last year. I think Alex needs all of us.”

“Isabel!” Max yelled bursting through the opened door. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine Max,” Isabel said. “It’s Alex. I can’t wake him up.”

“What happened?” Max demanded. “Start at the beginning, and don’t leave anything out.”

Isabel shot Liz a nervous look. She agreed with Liz. It wouldn’t do to say anything about her dream walk in front of Tess. But how give Max the information he needed with out revealing the results of her dream walk.

“Well, Alex and I came here after Prom,” Isabel began.

“Obviously, and why?” asked Max.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you, Max,” Isabel said her voice ripe with indignation. “And besides, it was Prom. Anyhow, we were on our way over here when Alex began to complain about a headache. I didn’t think too much about it, until he collapsed on the bed. I think there’s something wrong with his mind.”

“Come on,” said Tess. “I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s probably just tired, and fell asleep.”

“Does he look asleep to you, Tess. Because from where I’m standing that’s unconscious,” said Liz.

“Max, you have to do something,” Isabel said. She turned away from the bed, and they could see her eyes swimming with tears. No one looking at her could ever say that Isabel Evans was shallow and superficial. The woman that stood in front of them was a woman deeply in love, and willing to do anything to save Alex.

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating:Teen/Mature

Couples: Gazer/CC

Part Three

Liz nudged Maria and glanced at Tess. Maria quickly interpreted Liz’s message and dug her elbow into Michael’s stomach. His quick intake of breath told her she had his attention, and she quickly whispered a message to him.

Michael nodded once and spoke to the room in general. “I’m thirsty, anybody besides me want a soda?”

Maria and Liz quickly responded, as did Alex, picking up on Liz’s unspoken cue.

“Great, Tess, come on, help me,” said Michael. He didn’t wait for her to respond, instead, he just grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the hotel room.

“Michael, wait, what are you doing?” they all heard Tess yell as Michael dragged her down the stairs to the soda machine.

“Somebody want to clue me in?” asked Max.

“I dream walked Alex,” said Isabel. “His dream was so disjointed and fragmented and it was like there were bolts of lighting shooting all around, and Max, Tess was there.”

“Well, Tess being there isn’t that weird. We are all friends, after all,” said Max.

At his words, Liz turned abruptly and walked over toward the window to stare unseeingly out into the night. His words had cut her, each one like a knife being shoved deeper and deeper into her soul.

“No, Max, Tess isn’t Alex’s friend. She can’t stand him any more than she can stand Liz or Maria,” said Isabel. “Besides that’s not all. Alex had that book Tess got from the library last year with Kyle. And he was talking strange. He kept shouting out random numbers.”

“What do you mean, random numbers?” asked Max. He was growing more confused the longer Isabel spoke. He was starting to worry that something was wrong with her.

“He kept repeating zero and one over and over again, but in combinations, like 0110 1001 0010110. It was scary Max. And he kept trying to warn me. He wanted me to be sure and know something. He was telling me it was destiny, and saying that his brain was mush. Max, I’m scared. Please, can you heal him?”

“I don’t know,” said Max. “But I’ll try. The brain is so complex. I’m afraid I could hurt him more.”

“You have to try,” said Isabel. “If you don’t, I don’t think he’s going to wake up.”

Max knelt down next to the bed on the faded, dingy motel carpet and gently placed his hands on Alex’s head. He was about to begin trying to heal Alex when the slamming of the motel door stopped him.

“I can’t let you do that, Max,” Tess said. “If you do, it will ruin everything. “I’m going to have t make all of you forget about this. I didn’t mean to hurt him. I don’t wan to hurt any of you, but I don’t have any choice.”

“What are you talking about Tess?” Max asked. “You’re not making any sense.”

Michael rushed into the hotel room, panting, his face devoid of color. Tess spun around and glared him and using her powers, caused the door to slam shut.

“Sh-she tried to knock me out,” Michael panted. “She blew me across the parking lot and I whacked my head on a car.”

“Well you should have stayed unconscious, Michael. It would have made this so much easier,” Tess said.

“Tess, why are you doing this?” Isabel asked. “I thought you were our friend.”

Isabel was confused by Tess’ behavior. Tess had gone out of her way to insinuate herself into their already tight group, and Isabel had welcomed her with open arms. From the beginning she had felt a bond with the other girl. It was only after she found out that Tess was also an alien did she begin to pull away from her.

Tess turned away from Michael, and looked at Isabel who was sitting on the bed next to Alex. She felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the love Isabel had for Alex shining in her eyes. It killed her to think she’d be the one responsible for extinguishing that light, but she had no choice. She knew what she had to do, what she had been ordered to do.

“God, Isabel, will you get over yourself,” said Tess, her voice ripe with scorn. “This isn’t about you, and it isn’t about me for that matter. It’s about destiny.” Her voice lowered, “Not that destiny is all it’s cracked up to be.”

Michael started to raise his hand in an effort to subdue Tess.

“Don’t even try it, Michael,” she said without turning around. “You won’t like the end result. Remember, my powers are a lot more developed than yours.”

“Tess, what are you doing?” Max asked, trying to stall for time. “Alex is our friend. Why don’t you want me to help him?”

“He’s not my friend,” Tess spat. “None of you are my friend. You have this tight little group, and yeah, you pretended to let me in, but you didn’t. None of you care anything about me. Especially you, Max. I was you’re wife, Max, and you don’t even remember me.”

“That’s not my fault, Tess, you know that. You were the one living with Nescado. He told you about our lives on Antar. None of us knew anything about that. We only knew we were different.”

“Tess, how can you say we don’t care for you?” Kyle asked, joining the conversation for the first time. “We let you into our lives, into our home for that matter. You’re part of our family now.”

“I’m sorry Kyle, I really am. I wish this could be different, but it’s not my choice. Nescado made a deal, and I have to honor it,” Tess said. “I can’t let you find out what he knows.”

She raised her hand and pointed it at Alex, and Isabel screamed. Without warning, Tess was propelled across the room from some unseen force, colliding against a wall.

“Thank you, Michael,” Maria said in relief.

“I didn’t, it wasn’t,” Michael began, but it was lost in the confusion as Max knelt down to heal Alex, and Maria and Kyle hurried to restrain Tess.

Michael turned to look at Liz, who stood silently next to him, her hand upraised. The shocked look on his face matched hers as they both looked from her hand to Tess’ prone body.

“Did you do that?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“I don’t know, came her quiet reply. “Don’t say anything, please,” she begged.

A shout of victory across the room pulled them from their reverie, and both looked up to see Alex, sitting up on the bed, hugging Isabel tightly.

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating:Teen/Mature

Couples: Gazer/CC

Part Four

They all turned away from Alex and Isabel, wanting to give the couple a chance at privacy, despite their desire to shoot a barrage of questions at Alex.

“You guys can turn around now,” Isabel said.

The all turned around, and Maria catapulted herself onto the bed next to Alex and Isabel.

“You had us all worried,” she said, hugging her friend. “Don’t you ever do that again.”

“Yeah, sure Maria. I’ll be sure to avoid having my brain attacked by Tess, from now on,” Alex said.

“Is that what happened?” asked Max. He sat down gingerly on the other bed in the hotel room. Healing Alex had depleted a lot of his energy, and the flashes he received from Alex were as disjointed as the ones Isabel said she saw in her dream walk.

He was shaken from his reverie at the sight of his sister stalking across the small, cramped motel room. She stood before Tess, her eyes flashing, and her hair streaming down her back like some warrior maiden hell bent on saving her village from pillaging marauders.

She raised her hand, prepared to blast Tess into oblivion when Alex jumped up from the bed and stood between her and Tess.

“Get out of the way, Alex,” Isabel said. “I need to kill her.”

“No, you don’t, Isabel,” Alex said. “You don’t really want to, and you’ll hate yourself forever if you do it. Besides, none of this is really her fault.”

“Alex, she nearly killed you. You were unconscious, I couldn’t wake you up,” Isabel said, her voice shaking. I went into your dreams Alex. I saw you. You were so upset. Nothing you said made any sense. She did this to you, Alex. She deserves to die.”

“Isabel, don’t,” Alex repeated. “I won’t let you. There’s more to the story than you know. I think Tess deserves to be heard.”

“Fine, maybe she can’t do it, but I will,” Liz whispered. She raised her hand to fire a blast of energy at Tess, but was stopped by Michael.

“Don’t do it,” he whispered. “Alex is right, Isabel isn’t a killer, and neither are you. Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.”

Reluctantly, Liz lowered her hand and listened to what Alex was saying.

“There’s more to Tess than we ever realized,” Alex said. “And I can promise you that the last thing she wanted to do was hurt me.”

His legs buckled slightly, and Isabel cried out and wrapped her arms around him. Kyle moved in and helped her lead Alex back to the bed and once he was settled moved back to stand in front of Tess.

“Can any of you revive her?” Alex asked. “She deserves to be awake during all of this.

“Alex, we don’t have to do this now,” Isabel said, stroking his hair gently. “You need to rest and get your strength back. We can do this later.”

“No, Isabel, it has to be now,” Alex said, his voice uncharacteristically firm. “You’re all ready to play judge and jury for Tess. I think you need to hear her side.”

“Her side. Her side!” Isabel yelled, her voice getting louder. “Her side is she tried to kill you.”

“Isabel, stop it!” Alex yelled. “I may love you, but you are sorely trying my patience right now.”

A shocked silence filled the room, and everyone stared first at Alex, then at Isabel. The color drained from Isabel’s face, and she slowly raised her hand to her mouth.

“You what?” she whispered.

“You heard me, I said I love you,” Alex said. “Maybe this wasn’t the best time or place, but I needed to say it. But right now, I need you to back off Tess and to listen to her. I meant what I said before. A lot of this isn’t Tess’ fault. Yeah, she had choices, and maybe she made some bad ones, but if you listen to what she has to say, maybe you’ll understand why she did what she did.”

“Isabel, maybe Alex is right,” Max said.

A sharp intake of breath across the room captured their attention and everybody looked over to see Liz staring at Max, her eyes filled with unimaginable pain.

“You should probably shut up, Max,” Maria said, in an attempt to draw the focus away from Liz. “If Alex wants us to hear Tess’ side of the story, we’ll hear it. Can somebody wake the bitch up?”

It was Kyle who knelt down beside Tess and began to shake her gently.

“Tess, come on. You need to wake up,” he said. “Tess.”

“Oh Jesus, Kyle, spare me,” Maria said. “In case you’re forgetting, Alex almost died because of her. You don’t need to be quite so gentle.”

She climbed off the bed and stalked to the bathroom and filled a glass with water. She walked back into the room and knelt down beside Kyle.

“Watch and learn, Valenti,” she said with a grin.

She looked at Tess, and quelled the desire to dump the entire glass on her head, and instead, dipped her fingers in the glass and sprinkled some water in Tess’ face.

It didn’t take long for the other girl to come around. She opened her eyes and they slowly focused on the group of people staring down at her.

“I can’t believe you haven’t killed me yet,” she said.

“Believe me, I wanted to,” Isabel said in a cold voice that was so unlike her. “But Alex wants us to hear your side of the story, first.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him!” Tess cried. “I really didn’t.”

“Sure you didn’t,” Liz said from her spot across the room. “I bet you didn’t mean to do a lot of things.”

“Before Tess tells you her story,” said Alex. Why doesn’t everybody find a place to sit? It’s kind of unnerving having everybody standing over you, I’m sure.”

“Alex, why are you being so nice to her?” Isabel asked. “She tried to kill you.”

“No, she didn’t,” Alex said. He reached out and laced his fingers through Isabel’s and squeezed gently. “She never wanted to hurt anybody. She only wanted to protect herself.”

“How do you know, Alex?” Isabel asked. “Because she told you?”

“No, because when she was in my mind, I saw into hers.” Alex said, simply. “Now promise me you’ll let her talk without interrupting.”

“You saw into my mind?” Tess asked. “You know what I did, and you’re still defending me? Why?”

“Because when I saw into your head, I also saw into your heart,” Alex said, simply.

That sentence, more than anything else Alex had said did much to soften Isabel’s attitude toward Tess. He was one of the kindest most honest, open people she’d ever met, and no matter how hard she tried to push him away, he kept pushing right back. Now, he was such an important part of her life, she couldn’t imagine a world without him in it. For Alex, she’d listen to Tess, and try to keep her heart and her mind as open as his.

sorry this wasn't up last night like I promised, but better late than never

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating:Teen/Mature

Couples: Gazer/CC

Part Five

“I can’t do this,” Tess said. “Everything I say will only sound like an excuse, and Isabel is right. There isn’t any excuse for what I did.”

“Well, at least we agree on that,” Isabel said bitterly. “Alex, look, I said I’d try, but if she’s not going to tell us anything, then why are we wasting our time on her?”

“That’s right, Isabel. You can sit there in all your condescending glory, judging me. You don’t even know you. You never bothered to try!” Tess cried.

“Bull,” said Isabel. You came to Roswell with your own agenda. You fooled us – most of us,” she said with a nod in Liz’s direction. “But not any more. Alex says you have something to say, now say it. Because I’ll tell you something, Tess, he’s the only thing standing between you and death.”

“Well then, maybe you should just kill me,” Tess said. “Because I don’t think there’s anything I can say that will change your mind anyhow.”

Isabel fixed a steely glare on Tess, causing the smaller girl to look away, her face awash with color. Alex reached out and squeezed Isabel’s hand. He understood her anger; he was angry himself. But he knew if they could just hear what Tess had to say, they’d look at her differently.

“Remember when you were in the white room, Max?” Alex asked finally. “Well what you suffered was nothing compared to what Tess went through on a regular basis.”

“Are you trying to tell us she was captured by the Special Unit?” Michael asked. “Because I’m thinking they should have kept her.”

“Worse,” said Alex. “What happened to Max was horrible, and I’m not trying to take anything away from him, but he was captured by your enemies. Tess was tortured by the person who was sworn to protect her.”

All eyes swung to Tess as if looking for confirmation, but none was forthcoming. The petite blond hung her head and stared at the stained carpet rather than look up and see the hate she felt for herself reflected in their eyes. She steeled herself and took a deep breath determined to continue the story.

“I wasn’t ready to come out of my pod when you did,” she said. “But I also wasn’t ready when Nescado came back and found that the three of you were gone. He was enraged. I could feel his anger, even from inside my pod.”

“What’s this got to do with anything?” Maria asked. “While this walk down memory lane is interesting and all that. I want to know what the hell you did to my best friend.”

“Look, I don’t want to say this any more than you want to hear it,” Tess said, her eyes flashing. “I know that nothing I say is going to change the fact that you all hate me an wish I were dead.”

“Then why waste our time,” said Liz, caustically.

Liz’s words seemed to sap all the strength out of Tess, and she reminded Isabel of a tattered and forgotten rag doll that was left behind. While she agreed with Liz completely, she forced herself to remember that Alex thought what Tess had to say was important.

“All right,” Isabel said. “We’ll listen, and without interruptions, either.” She looked around the room, practically daring the others to disagree with her. When no arguments were forthcoming, she nodded at Tess, her regal bearing giving some indication of the princess she was in her former life. “Go ahead.”

“Nescado ripped open my pod, and pulled me from it. He was screaming at me in English and Antarian, but I didn’t understand either language. This only made him angrier, and he threw me down to the ground and stormed out of the pod chamber. I was scared and alone. I didn’t know where I was, or who I was, or what I was supposed to do, so I climbed back into my pod and tried to close it up, but it wouldn’t work.”

Tess looked around hopefully, looking for some sign of forgiveness from any of them, but other than Alex and Kyle, they all stared at her with hate filled eyes.

“He came back a short time later acting all sweet and nice,” she continued. “He gave me clothing and food and took me with him, but I was afraid. I was always afraid that he’d abandon me again. Did you know that Nescado was actually in a white room of sorts at one time?” she asked the room in general. “He was,” she said, not waiting for their answers. “He was tortured in every possible way you could imagine.”

“And I suppose you’re going to tell us he did the same thing to you,” Michael said.

“He did worse, Michael,” Tess said after a lengthy silence. She didn’t want to revisit the horrors that Nescado had visited upon her, but she would, if it would help them to understand. “Nescado has the ability to dream walk, did you know that?” she said, almost conversationally. “He’d come into my dreams every night, and he’d put me in the white room. He’d torture me every night in my dreams. I know it doesn’t sound bad, it was only a dream, after all, but imagine it happening every night for your entire life.”

“Tell them the rest, Tess,” Alex prompted, gently.

“It wasn’t just in my dreams,” Tess continued. “He abused me physically, too. I’ve been hit with too many energy bolts to even count. He always knew just how much I could take physically.”

“Why did he do that?” Isabel asked. She’d been drawn into Tess’ story in spite of herself. Having visited countless dreams over the years, she could very well imagine the hell Tess had experienced.

“Apparently, Nescado had made a deal with Kivar before he left Antar. After we emerged from our pods, he was supposed to return us to Antar and to Kivar,” Tess explained. “Only we were supposed to emerge as adults. The three of you coming out on your own as children and me not emerging at all really screwed up their plans.”

“Keep going,” Max said.

“Nescado has been in contact with Kivar all this time,” Tess continued. “And they devised a new plan. They wanted me to infiltrate your group and get you back to Antar any way I could. And if I didn’t, they were going to kill me. I tried fighting against them, but they were so strong. Every night, my dreams were filled with unspeakable horrors, and every day, he’d torture me in a thousand different ways.”

“So why hurt Alex?” demanded Liz. “He can’t get you back to Antar.”

“Actually, he was the only one who could,” said Tess. “Alex decoded the book for me, per Nescado’s orders.”

“Wait, why didn’t Nescado just translate the book himself?” asked Kyle.

“Nescado was nothing but a servant on Antar,” said Tess. “He had no education. He lived only to serve his master, and that was Kivar. His plan was we were to emerge from our pods as adults with a fully functioning knowledge of our lives on Antar as well as Earth culture. We were to decode the book and go back on our own. That’s what I had Alex doing. I mind warped him into doing it. But I didn’t realize how much damage the warps were doing to him. I swear I didn’t.”

“I’m sorry, Tess,” Isabel said, her voice uncharacteristically harsh. “You know what’s right and what’s not. You didn’t have to go along with this stupid plan of theirs.”

“Really?” Tess said. “Well let me ask you something, Miss Isabel Perfect Evans. Why are you such a Miss Perfect? Little Miss Ice Princess, never bring a boy home, always make the honor roll, always look perfect. Why?”

“What, since when is this about me?” Isabel said. “This is about the evil, vicious thing you…”

“Just answer me!” Tess shouted. “Why are you such a God damned goody goody?”

“Well, I, uh, I don’t want to disappoint my parents, I guess,” stammered Isabel. I wanted them to be proud of me I mean, God, they rescued us from the desert.

“And why should I be any different?” Tess demanded. “He was all I knew. I’m not any different than you, Isabel. I wanted to make the closet thing I had to a parent love me. Maybe I was wrong, and maybe I made some bad choices, but I [/I]never[/I] meant to hurt Alex, or any of you. I just did what I was told.”

Isabel opened her mouth to refute Tess’ statement, but she couldn’t because it was true. From a way out in left field approach, what Tess said made sense. People did do just about anything to make their parent’s happy, even if their parent was a psychotic maniac.

Isabel looked at Alex. She was starting to understand why it was so important to him that they listen. She still wasn’t sure she was buying into everything Tess said, but she was starting to understand a little more.

Alex glanced around the room. He could see that Kyle was shocked by Tess’ revelations. Michael and Maria were a harder sell, but even they weren’t immune to her story. Liz and Max still needed more convincing, but he knew even they would be won over. But it was Isabel he was concerned with. If she didn’t forgive Tess, he knew the others would be influenced by her decision. He looked over at Isabel and smiled. Despite her ice princess façade, he knew she was probably the most compassionate person he knew. The tears in her eyes told him that Tess’ story was reaching her. Maybe everything would be okay.

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating:Teen/Mature

Couples: Gazer/CC

Part Six

“This is your call, Isabel,” Max said, when Tess finished her story.

“Wait a second, why is this Isabel’s call?” Alex asked. “Remember me, I’m the one who was lying there comatose. If it’s anybody’s call, it should be mine, and I say forgive and forget.”

He looked at Isabel, hoping she’d understand why he felt the way he did, and he wasn’t disappointed. She looked at him the way he’d always wanted her to look at him. With absolute love and trust. He could see – everyone in the room could see the love shining in her eyes.

“Wait, there’s more,” Tess said. “I have do this all at once. It wasn’t just Alex I was mind warping. All that stuff last year, the dreams Isabel and Michael were having. That was me; I was trying to break you away from Maria and Alex, and make you think you belonged together.”

“Why the hell would you mess with our heads like that?” Michael yelled.

“She had to do it, Michael,” Isabel said, suddenly. She’d been trying to put herself in Tess’ place, trying to imagine what it was like living with a monster, and being tortured on a nightly basis, and threatened on a daily basis. It was an existence she couldn’t imagine and wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.

“Michael, your life with Hank was bad, we all know it, but from the sounds of it, Nescado was a million times worse. Imagine Hank with powers. Hank was evil, now imagine that evilness having the power to mess with your mind, or worse, kill you. I’m not condoning what she did, but she did what she had to in order to survive.”

“Are you saying you forgive me?” Tess asked, her voice hopeful.

“I don’t’ know if I’m ready for that,” Isabel said. “Besides, I’m guessing there’s still more to the story, isn’t there?”

Tess nodded, ruefully and swallowed deeply. She didn’t want to keep hurting them, and every time she opened her mouth, it seemed she hurt another one of them.

“Max,” Tess began. She spoke to Max, but it was Liz she was looking at. Liz whose forgiveness and understanding she would need if any of them would ever forgive her. “All those times you thought you were attracted to see, all those dreams you had, they were false. I did that to you. You don’t love me; you don’t even like me. You belong with Liz. You always have and you always will.”

“Tess, why didn’t you ever try to convince me to give up Max?” Liz asked, curiously.

“I did,” Tess said. “So many times, I tried, but you always shook it off, somehow. All of you did actually, but you more than anybody. It’s as if you knew that you and Max were meant to be.”

“So you just played with our minds,” Maria said.

“I did what I had to do,” Tess said, hanging her head.

“What about Kyle?” Isabel asked suddenly.

Tess laughed, but it was a laugh filled with sadness, a laugh that yanked at Isabel’s heart. She was fairly positive that she new what Tess was going to say. She was positive that Kyle felt about Tess the same way that Alex felt about her, and she was more than positive that the feeling was mutual. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Tess looked at Kyle the way she looked at Alex.

“Yeah, I mind warped Kyle, too,” Tess admitted.

“You what?” Kyle exclaimed. “So my liking you was all just a big alien joke?”

“No, the exact opposite,” Tess said, shame-faced. “I was trying to mind warp you into thinking I wasn’t anything more than a sister to you.”

“Nice, really nice. Your karma is going to be so out of whack, Tess,” Kyle said.

“Uh, isn’t karma a Hindu thing?” Michael asked. “I thought you were into Buddhism.”

“Yeah, whatever,” said Kyle, still very angry. “Her ass is seriously fucked up in the next life, that’s all.”

“Uh, excuse me,” Alex called out. “You’re losing sight of the bigger picture here. Moving past this, letting bygones be bygones, remember?”

The angry burst of chatter that erupted filled the small room. Isabel looked around at her friends. Five of them were angry, and rightfully so. One of them looked as though she feared for her very life, and again, rightfully so, but it was Alex who grabbed her attention and held it. He looked so sad and so lost; it made her want to cry. His hand threaded through hers, and she felt a jolt of electricity, almost as if they were communicating. Maybe they were. When you loved someone as much as she loved Alex, maybe you were privy to their thoughts and emotions.

“Stop it! All of you, just stop it!” she shouted. “Do you know what tonight is? It’s PROM. Alex and I had plans for tonight, and you know what? This was NOT it. Now, granted, something horrible happened, and someone we love almost died.” Died came out as a sob, and Isabel struggled to maintain her composure. “But he didn’t. It shouldn’t have happened, but it did, and now that we know the circumstances around it, maybe we can understand why. I don’t know about the rest of you, but while I’m not willing to forget, I’m at least willing to forgive. What you do is up to you. But if all of you don’t get the hell out of here now, and leave me alone with Alex, I am going to get seriously angry.”

“So you’re saying we should just walk out this door and let it all go?” Michael asked.

“No, I’m saying what you do is up to you,” Isabel explained. “Alex is the one who lost the most here, and I’m willing to guess there’s even more to the story that we haven’t heard yet.” She looked to Alex for confirmation, and he nodded slightly.

“He wants to forgive Tess, and I’m saying he’s probably the one in the best position to make that decision. What you do is up to you, but I’m willing to try it Alex’s way.”

And in that moment, Isabel did something she had never done before, at least not in this lifetime. She put all her trust and faith in one person – Alex Whitman. She turned to look at him, and saw the love she felt for him, reflected in his eyes, and she knew, he felt exactly the same.

“Come on,” he said, standing up and holding his hand out to her. “Let’s get out of here. They can hash it out for as long as they want, but you and I have other plans.”

Together, without another glance back at their six friends, Alex and Isabel walked out into the night.

TBC……

It’s Not Too Late and It’s Not Too Bad

Rating: Mature/ADULT ( this part only)

Couples: Gazer/CC

Author’s Note: Even though this story started out as a gift for the one and only TruelovePooh, she thoughtfully offered to co-write this last part with me because well, I suck at smut lol, and we all know that Pooh is the Smut Queen of the Universe. Yeah, that sounds really bad, but you know what I mean. And I just want to give a huge WARNING there is some pretty graphic nookie in here!

Epilogue

“Alex, where are we going?” Isabel said struggling to keep up with him. The long light dress she wore hampered her ability to do anything other than take short steps, which were no match for his long stride.

“Just come on,” Alex said.

“Are you sure you shouldn’t maybe just go home and get some rest,” Isabel said.

“Uh, was I or was I not just in a coma?” Alex asked. “Rest is something I don’t need. Now are you coming?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Isabel said.

“Not yet you’re not,” Alex whispered under his breath, “But you will be.”

Alex helped Isabel into his car, and shut the door carefully. As he made his way around to the driver’s side, he thought about how lucky he was. Not that he almost died, but that he had the most beautiful girl in the world sitting in the car next to him. He climbed into the car next to her and put the key in the ignition.

“What are you waiting for?” Isabel asked when he didn’t start the car right away.

“This,” said Alex. He leaned across the gearshift and put his arms around her. He kissed her, tentatively at first, and then with a growing passion. Isabel’s tongue wandered into his mouth and back out and traced a pattern around the edge of his lips. His hands, which had been caressing her back, slowly found their way to her breasts and began to caress them gently.

Using all his willpower, Alex pulled away. “Not here,” he said, panting slightly. “Not like this.” He placed one more quick kiss on her lips and pulled away and started the car. “Can you get in and out of your house without your parents knowing?” he asked.

“They don’t expect me home at all,” she answered. “I told them we were going to that big party out at the canyon. Why?”

“I want you to go inside and change into something really warm. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.”

“Won’t you at least tell me what we’re going to do?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise,” Alex said. “One I hope you’ll remember for the rest of our lives.”

Alex pulled the car into the curb and waited until he was certain Isabel had made it inside. He made short work of the drive to his own house and parked several houses down from his own so he wouldn’t wake his parents. He snuck into the garage and found the camping equipment his father rushed out to buy after their ill-fated camping trip to Frazier Woods. From there, he slipped into the laundry room and grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He stuffed his feet into a pair of sneakers and snuck back out through the garage.

Carrying the two sleeping bags, Alex whistled softly to himself, enjoying the way the moonlight filtered through the trees.

“Going somewhere, Mr. Whitman?” a voice asked.

“Sh-sheriff Valenti,” Alex squeaked. “What are you doing here?”

“I think the proper question is what are you doing here?” the sheriff asked, counting on the darkness to hide his smile. “It’s a little past curfew, isn’t it?”

“Oh, I, uh,” Alex stammered.

“And where exactly did you leave Miss Evans?” the Sheriff continued, enjoying the sound of discomfort in Alex’s voice. “I’m trusting you didn’t leave her waiting on a corner for you?”

“NO! Of course I didn’t, she’s at her house waiting…” Alex’s voice trailed off as he realized what had just revealed.

“Alex,” the sheriff said, struggling not to laugh. “Do we need to have a little talk about where babies come from?”

“No, really, I’m good,” Alex said. He was blushing so hard he was surprised he didn’t light up the surrounding area.

“Well, I won’t tell you to be good,” Jim said. “But Alex, be careful, and not just on the roads.”

“I will, Sheriff, thanks,” Alex said, throwing the sleeping bags into the back of his car.

“Incidentally, have you seen Kyle or Tess, lately?”

“Uh, yeah,” Alex said, unwilling to share their whereabouts for obvious reasons.

“Just tell me their safe,” said the Sheriff. “I don’t need to be worrying about any of you tonight.”

“They’re safe,” Alex said with obvious relief. “I’ll uh, I’ll see you later, Sheriff, okay?”

Alex didn’t wait for a response. He jumped behind the wheel of his car and took off down the road while the sheriff watched him leave, a smile on his face. It seemed like hours to Alex, but it was barely minutes before he pulled up out front of the Evans house to find Isabel waiting outside for him.

She climbed into the car even before he had the chance to completely stop, and he smiled a bit to realize she was every bit as anxious as he was.

“I thought you were never going to get here,” she said.

“Yeah, I, uh, ran into a few things at home,” he hedged.

“NNow will you tell me where we’re going?” she asked.

“You’ll see,” Alex replied, cryptically.

** * ** * ** *

“Alex, this is perfect,” Isabel said, nestling into his arms. “And pretty fitting, actually.”

“Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn’t think it was too cheesy,” he answered, running a finger down the bridge of her nose. “But Frazier Woods means something to us, at least it means something to me. I mean before we went on that camping trip, I kind of, you know, worshiped you, but it was on that trip that I fell in love with you.”

“If you ever tell anyone this, I’ll deny it, and then I’ll kill you for telling,” Isabel said, “But I actually like cheesy, romantic stuff. And I don’t think anything could be more romantic than this. And, well, before everything happened, I was pretty sure I was ready to take this step with you. But after you almost died, I realized I’m more than sure. I want nothing more than to be with you, in every way possible.”

“I think we can manage that,” Alex said. He kissed Isabel deeply, enjoying the sensations her lips arose in his body. He tore his lips away from her mouth and began to plant light, feathery kisses on her cheeks and down her neck.

In one fluid movement, Isabel sat up and tore the sweatshirt over her head, revealing her naked body underneath. Alex gasped and paused to savor the view of her the moonlight shining down on her breasts. He leaned forward and captured one rosy nipple in his mouth and Isabel moaned softly with pleasure. He began to suck gently, while his hand moved slowly down her body.

“Oh, God, Alex, that feels, that feels wonderful,” she whispered. “But I want more.” She wiggled out of her jeans and panties and threw them out of the sleeping bag. When she was completely naked, she reached over and pulled Alex’s shirt off. “One of us seems to be a bit more dressed than the other,” she said playfully.

“I can take care of that,” Alex said. He stood up and pulled off his jeans, without a shred of embarrassment. Something about being here with Isabel totally removed all of his inhibitions.

“Alex, you’re beautiful,” Isabel said, and he was. He didn’t flaunt it, and often wore baggie clothes, but his body was lean, but muscular. A sprinkling of dark hair danced across his chest, not enough to be repulsive, but enough to make him look incredibly sexy.

Isabel knelt up on the sleeping bags and held out her hands to him, beckoning him to join her. The sight of her long blond hair skimming the tops of her breasts, and the moonlight making her skin shimmer sent a rush of blood to his already engorged cock.

He knelt down across from her and stared at her body, like a starving man at a banquet table. She was incredible, and unbelievably, she was his. His hand reached out and cupped the back of her head and he leaned in and kissed her once again. Isabel moaned softly and her hands reached around the expanse of his chest and began to move softly on his back.

As one, they lay back down in the sleeping bags and began to explore each other’s bodies. Alex pulled his lips away from hers and moved his mouth lower, trailing kisses down her body until he reached her breasts. Again, he took one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked gently, while his other hand snaked down across her body.

Isabel gasped in pleasure as Alex’s hand flicked gently across her clit, sending spasms of pure delight through her body. He carefully inserted one finger inside of her, and she thrust her hips upward, instinctively rising up to meet him.

“Oh, God, Alex, I need you inside of me,” she moaned. “All of you.”

She pushed his hand away and then used her own hands to spread open her lips to welcome him into her. The gesture wiped away any semblance of control Alex had and he covered her body with his own and allowed her to guide his throbbing manhood into her.

After a second of initial resistance, he began move his body, thrusting in and out. Alex groaned when Isabel’s legs snaked up and wrapped themselves around his waist giving him deeper access to her. They moved together faster and faster, an excitement building in their nether regions. Isabel came first, calling out either his name, or Gods, he wasn’t sure which, but it only served to excite him further. The contracting of her body sent him into his sent him over the edge as he achieved his own release.

Hours later, when the paroxysms of delight finally dwindled, the two snuggled together, watching as the stars slowly faded away and a rosy glow appeared on the horizon.

“Is it always like that, or is it just because it’s us?” Alex asked.

“Just because it’s us,” Isabel said, kissing him. “Just because it’s us.”