Title- Paladin
Author- PML with an assist by Mt. Gazer
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Category- CC-A/I
Rating- Mature - for now it will stay here, but it may ratchet up to adult.
Summary- This is a companion piece to A Kiss to Build a Dream On. Unlike the others it will contain more than one part. Essentially there is a LOT of things that were happening to Alex and Isabel behind the scenes on Friday at the party and a little beyond. This will cover that. It also will have a portion of the overall Epilogue for Alex and Isabel.
It starts on the Saturday after the events of A Kiss to Build a Dream On, but most of it will be flashbacks on the events that actually occurred during that story.
Hope you folks enjoy.
Paladin Prologue-
Alex walked through the house, straightening everything up for his parents who would be back tomorrow morning.
So much had changed. HE had changed.
Alex closed his eyes and felt for his other half. She had had a tough night last night. Had been unable to sleep in her own room. Alex had offered to let her stay here, but her parents had been stressed enough about the firebombing of the party she had been at, added to the fact she had been missing…..
That was not an option.
But they had shared a dream orb. Both of hem had been tempted to do more than hold hands, but they were both still haunted by Aric. By what Aric had done to both of them.
Alex closed his eyes. How were they ever going to get over this? How were they ever going to heal? It wasn’t like there was anyone who could extend therapy to any of them. Assuming anyone didn’t think the whole story was nuts, they could easily turn them in.
Alex had no doubt that they still had enemies lurking out there. Both alien and human. But as long as all of them stuck together he was fairly certain that could defeat them.
Tess had mentioned that Nicholas, Lonnie, and Rath had all been killed by Aric in New York before they had left. Aric had been clearing up loose ends.
But there were other Skins probably. And other people like Livian and Larek who could possess humans.
All of them would have to stop in and check up on Vicky sometime in the next couple of days. It would be strange to have someone not part of the group that knew, but he had a feeling that they could trust her.
Strange. So very strange all the changes.
He reached into his jacket to pull out another. Alex lifted the now empty pistol and did the recommended safety checks before setting it down. He would need to clean it before she got home. But she likely would notice that it had been used.
He looked at the delicate inlaid word on the pistol. ‘Durandal’
Alex’s father usually bought one gun for Gloria each Christmas, but two Christmas’s ago he had started something new. He started having the guns labeled after a famous sword from the past.
So now his mother had one pistol labeled Gram and another labeled Durandal. Dad had jokingly said he was going to give her Excalibur this year. But it would likely be some other lesser known blade.
Durandal had been Roland’s sword, one of Charlemagne’s Paladins.
Alex snorted. That had been half the reason for the names. His mother and a half dozen of her colleagues had an active Dungeons and Dragons campaign that had been going on for several years. In this day and age! A game solely on paper!
Alex shook his head and the absurdities of his parents.
He would clean the gun a little later. Not now.
Too many memories of last night. He shuddered at the memory of his wild grin as he emptied the gun into Aric.
He had killed a person. An evil person. Someone who deserved it. But still….
Maybe he should talk with Michael, find out what Michael had done after killing Pierce. Because it was going to bother him. He hadn’t thought it would but….
It did.
Maybe his mom would understand. He wished he could talk to her about all of this. His father…. His father would understand some of it, but he really knew his mom would be the one who would know.
She had killed in self defense before.
He walked out of the work room and into the living room, still festooned with some of the dice and other paraphernalia of his mother’s games.
He gathered the papers and straightened them up. And on top of the page was the character sheet for his mother’s character, the one she had been playing over the course of these several years…. The reason the first gun that his father had named had been named Durandal.
His mother played a Paladin. A knight in shining armor.
Alex closed his eyes. And wished real life were that easy, that simple. That he could think himself good simply because he had vanquished the evil that had threatened all of them.
He could feel as Isabel’s essence flowed into him, as she supported him as he felt himself buckle. He fell to his knees and cried. Cried for all the pain and the destruction of innocence that the last few days had wrought.
How he wished he could think of himself as good, as some sort of true and pure knight. As a Paladin.
But life was never that simple.
And Alex cried. Cried and remembered.
Paladin (CC,A/I,MATURE) Completed - 02/26/12
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
Paladin (CC,A/I,MATURE) Completed - 02/26/12
Last edited by PML on Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:44 pm, edited 12 times in total.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Prologue - 07/03/10
Here is the first main chapter to Paladin, which is a combination of flashback to Friday night and how they cope the next day. It will make the most sense if you have read A Kiss to Build a Dream On, Falling Snow, and A Sinister Reverie. The other Companions, particularly the AI ones would help too. But these are fairly essential to understand Paladin. Thank you.
Mt Gazer- Thank you for the aid on this chapter as well as the nice feedback.
chanks_girl- Thanks. Hope you enjoy. I would agree, Alex took the hardest hit here. I don't know if they can go back to what they were, but they can rebuild. Something like this always leaves scars. But often wisdom as well.
mary mary - Thanks.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringment is intended.
Paladin Chapter one
Alex - Friday night at the party.
Alex walked around trying to mingle. But so many of the other students were not quite sure where he fit on the school’s pecking order.
Was he in? Was he out?
No one was really sure. He had always been the friendly kind of geeky guy that everyone liked. But he had never been one of the popular crowd. And that was most of who was here. Popular or rich or both. A mix of jocks just to complete the schools high level hierarchy.
How had Tess conned him into going to this party anyway?
Alex didn’t really belong here. And he could feel it. These people were so plastic, trying to pretend like they were grown or so much more important than they really were.
It was funny. It really was.
He looked across the room and saw a crowd surrounding Max and Liz. Now there was a change. Both of them had been liked, liked by quite a few people. But not like this. Neither of them had ever been at the height of the local social scene, but it certainly seemed like they were now.
From the little he could see, they were positively fawning over the couple. And from the looks Max was receiving from the guys, it seemed like they were as jealous of him having Liz as all the girls were of her for having him.
So many changes in such a short span.
He moved and felt the hidden Durandal move slightly. Alex had managed to hide the gun fairly well, and still get it so he could draw it out reasonably fast. But the extra clip…..
Well, Alex doubted he’d have the opportunity to reload anyway.
He spotted Isabel across the way. She also seemed like she was holding court. She at least fit here. Or could easily pretend to.
He looked at her. She truly was a princess. So very far above him.
She stopped talking to the person she was with and turned and met his eyes. And they locked. He knew that she was his and he hers.
Forever.
Alex smiled at her and she smiled back. It was a wistful smile, one that spoke of so much. So much of the pain they were in now.
There was so much to rebuild. So much to over come.
A thrill of anger surged through him. Aric. All of their problems centered on the evil shape shifter. His hand absently drifted over to the hidden pistol.
No.
Calm. He had to remain calm. Fear and hate and love and every other emotion in the world might have its place putting him on this battlefield. But he needed to keep his head and remain calm. Because despite the calm he was very much in a combat situation.
How he wished he had paid more attention to his mom’s endless prattling on the need to remain calm and to keep his head clear at all times. He had listened, but he had never thought he would be in this situation. One where he and his friends were trying to seize the initiative from Aric. To ambush him for a change.
Pam ran down stairs and into him. She stopped and righted herself. “Where is he?”
Alex placed a hand on her arm to steady her. “Who? What is wrong? Where is Kyle? Is Vicky okay?”
Pam looked so very distraught, a bruise forming on her cheek. “I need to find Kyle! Where is he? He promised he would PROTECT her!”
Alex looked at Pam. Calm. Must remain calm. “What exactly is going on, Pam?” He kept his hand on her shoulder, trying to tell her that he would and could help her.
Pam took a deep breath. She grabbed his arms, “It’s Doug. He found Vicky. I tried to stop him, but he is too strong! Kyle. I have to find Kyle…..”
“Maybe I can help. Where are they?”
Pam sized him up. She chuckled sadly, “Seriously, Alex. I don’t mean to be insulting, but he would make mincemeat out of you.”
“Then at least I could delay him a little in hurting Vicky. Never again. If I can stand I am not going to let it happen again.” Alex could feel the anger burn in him.
No. Calm, he had to remain calm.
Pam’s eyes suddenly softened, “Kyle told us about Isabel and, I am so sorry. But I don’t want to see you get hurt. Not again.”
Alex pleaded with her, “Pam, I can’t just stand by, not if. Not if Doug…..”
Pam reached up with one hand and wiped a tear. “Upstairs. The only open door. And Alex, please. Don’t get hurt. I am tired of my friends getting hurt…..” She broke away from him and ran off to find Kyle.
Alex stalked up the stairs.
Jan was waiting to stop him. She opened her mouth once. Took one look at his eyes and let him past.
Then he was at the door.
The sight of Vicky fighting and losing to Doug. Of Doug pushing himself into her and grunting obscenities….
It was more than Alex could take.
The world went red in his eyes and his calm was shattered. He didn’t even consider that he had a gun. He wanted to take apart the evil bastard with his bare hands.
Alex attacked…..
-------
Isabel- Present
Isabel was taking her third shower that morning when she felt Alex collapse. She leaned against the wall and sent all of her support for him.
He needed her. Badly.
She was too far away. She needed to be close. To hold him.
She turned off the water and tried to ignore her powers playing with various towels and bath accoutrements around the bath room. She leaned against the wall and sent a pulse telling him that she was coming.
She felt him still there. Broken but still there.
He had been supporting her since last night. And finally he had broken down. Isabel bit her lip.
She had leaned on him too hard. Not tried to help him in her own need.
Her turn.
She grabbed the towel and made a hurried if half hearted attempt to dry herself, noting that there was still lather in her hair.
Isabel would deal with it later.
She grabbed her robe and left the bath room. Her powers were still acting up, but she closed her eyes and tried to focus. She felt a little pop behind her and hoped that had ended their antics. She continued on to her room.
And stood there. Her heart began to speed up and fear began to seep into her. She began to shake and a light sweat formed on her brow.
Diane walked up behind her, “Good Morning Izzie. I need to talk to you.” She chivvied the younger woman into Isabel’s bed room.
Isabel tried to keep her breaths even, tried to calm herself down. Her mother walked over the spot where Alex had lain, and Isabel had to hold back a shriek.
Clothing. She needed clothing and to get out of here. As fast as possible.
She ignored her mother and stripped, grabbing whatever clothes were nearby. They might not match, but they were clean. And she could leave this haunted room.
Hopefully forever.
Diane sat in Isabel’s desk chair and watched as Isabel moved in a flurry. “Is something going on that I don’t know about? One of your Christmas things?”
In truth Isabel’s mind had pretty much dropped all her Christmas list. She had actually made out apology notes to everyone she usually worked with.
There were a couple she would not be able to get out of, but Alex had promised to help her.
Oh, Alex. She needed to be there. “Um, yeah. One of my Christmas things. I, uh, need to go.”
“Not until we have had a little talk.” Diane was starting to look a little worriedly at Isabel. But shook her head. “I really need to ask you about Max and Liz.”
Isabel stopped for just a moment. “What about them? They are good for each other.”
Diane nodded, “Maybe. But I am really worried how fast they seem to be moving. Last time it went so fast. And I had to deal with months of a broken hearted Max. And lets not even start about this summer….”
Isabel balanced from one foot to the next. “I really have got to go.”
Diane stood, “Please, Isabel. Just a moment of your time. I am very worried about your brother. He seemed like he was finally over this girl and was spending so much time with your friend Tess. And now, I went into his bedroom this morning and Liz was already there. Both of them bundled up sipping coffee and eating muffins from her parents restaurant.”
“Just leave them alone. They are right for each other, and I think they have finally dealt with their issues for good.” Isabel’s vision seemed to fog. She absently wiped her eyes. How could she escape?
Diane looked away. “But what I am worried about is simply how close they seem. Like they couldn’t stop touching each other. Has your brother told you anything? Said how far he has gone with her?”
Isabel ignored the cold tracks of the tears now working their way down her cheeks. She needed to be there for Alex. He needed her so badly. And she was stuck here. “Oh, right. Like my brother discusses his romantic triumphs with his sister. Let me tell you how many notches he has carved in that bed of his!”
Diane was staring at Isabel, “What is wrong with you? I am worried that your brother is going to far and too fast with a girl that has repeatedly broken his heart and all you can do is mock me?” Her anger faded as she took the tear struck girl in. Really saw Isabel. And said with a near whisper, close to pain, “What is wrong with you Isabel?”
Isabel just wiped away a few more tears and began to move to the door. “He needs me, I need to go. Bye.”
Diane grabbed Isabel’s arms. “No. We are dealing with this now! Something is wrong with you, and I need to know what it is. I, I have missed some signs, focused on your brother when I should have been on you. But I can’t help you if you don’t let me!”
Isabel could feel her powers begin to slip again. Felt as they began to flail through the house, moving things. Now. She had to leave now! “I am going!”
“No! Tell me now, what is going on?” Diane gently pushed Isabel back and onto her bed.
The response was different from what she had been expecting.
Isabel felt as her backside hit the mattress. And it came back. All of it. Flash after flash of that night of wonder and horror. And she screamed.
Her powers were completely out of control, but Isabel didn’t care. She needed to escape! Only Alex could save her, just as she was the only one who could save Alex.
She needed to be there now!
And so she left, her mother calling to her in her wake.
Alex. She needed to get to Alex.
She let nothing stand in her way. Not the lack of car keys. Nor the locked door of the Whitman’s. She did not stop until she was able to take her love into her arms.
And comfort him.
Mt Gazer- Thank you for the aid on this chapter as well as the nice feedback.
chanks_girl- Thanks. Hope you enjoy. I would agree, Alex took the hardest hit here. I don't know if they can go back to what they were, but they can rebuild. Something like this always leaves scars. But often wisdom as well.
mary mary - Thanks.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringment is intended.
Paladin Chapter one
Alex - Friday night at the party.
Alex walked around trying to mingle. But so many of the other students were not quite sure where he fit on the school’s pecking order.
Was he in? Was he out?
No one was really sure. He had always been the friendly kind of geeky guy that everyone liked. But he had never been one of the popular crowd. And that was most of who was here. Popular or rich or both. A mix of jocks just to complete the schools high level hierarchy.
How had Tess conned him into going to this party anyway?
Alex didn’t really belong here. And he could feel it. These people were so plastic, trying to pretend like they were grown or so much more important than they really were.
It was funny. It really was.
He looked across the room and saw a crowd surrounding Max and Liz. Now there was a change. Both of them had been liked, liked by quite a few people. But not like this. Neither of them had ever been at the height of the local social scene, but it certainly seemed like they were now.
From the little he could see, they were positively fawning over the couple. And from the looks Max was receiving from the guys, it seemed like they were as jealous of him having Liz as all the girls were of her for having him.
So many changes in such a short span.
He moved and felt the hidden Durandal move slightly. Alex had managed to hide the gun fairly well, and still get it so he could draw it out reasonably fast. But the extra clip…..
Well, Alex doubted he’d have the opportunity to reload anyway.
He spotted Isabel across the way. She also seemed like she was holding court. She at least fit here. Or could easily pretend to.
He looked at her. She truly was a princess. So very far above him.
She stopped talking to the person she was with and turned and met his eyes. And they locked. He knew that she was his and he hers.
Forever.
Alex smiled at her and she smiled back. It was a wistful smile, one that spoke of so much. So much of the pain they were in now.
There was so much to rebuild. So much to over come.
A thrill of anger surged through him. Aric. All of their problems centered on the evil shape shifter. His hand absently drifted over to the hidden pistol.
No.
Calm. He had to remain calm. Fear and hate and love and every other emotion in the world might have its place putting him on this battlefield. But he needed to keep his head and remain calm. Because despite the calm he was very much in a combat situation.
How he wished he had paid more attention to his mom’s endless prattling on the need to remain calm and to keep his head clear at all times. He had listened, but he had never thought he would be in this situation. One where he and his friends were trying to seize the initiative from Aric. To ambush him for a change.
Pam ran down stairs and into him. She stopped and righted herself. “Where is he?”
Alex placed a hand on her arm to steady her. “Who? What is wrong? Where is Kyle? Is Vicky okay?”
Pam looked so very distraught, a bruise forming on her cheek. “I need to find Kyle! Where is he? He promised he would PROTECT her!”
Alex looked at Pam. Calm. Must remain calm. “What exactly is going on, Pam?” He kept his hand on her shoulder, trying to tell her that he would and could help her.
Pam took a deep breath. She grabbed his arms, “It’s Doug. He found Vicky. I tried to stop him, but he is too strong! Kyle. I have to find Kyle…..”
“Maybe I can help. Where are they?”
Pam sized him up. She chuckled sadly, “Seriously, Alex. I don’t mean to be insulting, but he would make mincemeat out of you.”
“Then at least I could delay him a little in hurting Vicky. Never again. If I can stand I am not going to let it happen again.” Alex could feel the anger burn in him.
No. Calm, he had to remain calm.
Pam’s eyes suddenly softened, “Kyle told us about Isabel and, I am so sorry. But I don’t want to see you get hurt. Not again.”
Alex pleaded with her, “Pam, I can’t just stand by, not if. Not if Doug…..”
Pam reached up with one hand and wiped a tear. “Upstairs. The only open door. And Alex, please. Don’t get hurt. I am tired of my friends getting hurt…..” She broke away from him and ran off to find Kyle.
Alex stalked up the stairs.
Jan was waiting to stop him. She opened her mouth once. Took one look at his eyes and let him past.
Then he was at the door.
The sight of Vicky fighting and losing to Doug. Of Doug pushing himself into her and grunting obscenities….
It was more than Alex could take.
The world went red in his eyes and his calm was shattered. He didn’t even consider that he had a gun. He wanted to take apart the evil bastard with his bare hands.
Alex attacked…..
-------
Isabel- Present
Isabel was taking her third shower that morning when she felt Alex collapse. She leaned against the wall and sent all of her support for him.
He needed her. Badly.
She was too far away. She needed to be close. To hold him.
She turned off the water and tried to ignore her powers playing with various towels and bath accoutrements around the bath room. She leaned against the wall and sent a pulse telling him that she was coming.
She felt him still there. Broken but still there.
He had been supporting her since last night. And finally he had broken down. Isabel bit her lip.
She had leaned on him too hard. Not tried to help him in her own need.
Her turn.
She grabbed the towel and made a hurried if half hearted attempt to dry herself, noting that there was still lather in her hair.
Isabel would deal with it later.
She grabbed her robe and left the bath room. Her powers were still acting up, but she closed her eyes and tried to focus. She felt a little pop behind her and hoped that had ended their antics. She continued on to her room.
And stood there. Her heart began to speed up and fear began to seep into her. She began to shake and a light sweat formed on her brow.
Diane walked up behind her, “Good Morning Izzie. I need to talk to you.” She chivvied the younger woman into Isabel’s bed room.
Isabel tried to keep her breaths even, tried to calm herself down. Her mother walked over the spot where Alex had lain, and Isabel had to hold back a shriek.
Clothing. She needed clothing and to get out of here. As fast as possible.
She ignored her mother and stripped, grabbing whatever clothes were nearby. They might not match, but they were clean. And she could leave this haunted room.
Hopefully forever.
Diane sat in Isabel’s desk chair and watched as Isabel moved in a flurry. “Is something going on that I don’t know about? One of your Christmas things?”
In truth Isabel’s mind had pretty much dropped all her Christmas list. She had actually made out apology notes to everyone she usually worked with.
There were a couple she would not be able to get out of, but Alex had promised to help her.
Oh, Alex. She needed to be there. “Um, yeah. One of my Christmas things. I, uh, need to go.”
“Not until we have had a little talk.” Diane was starting to look a little worriedly at Isabel. But shook her head. “I really need to ask you about Max and Liz.”
Isabel stopped for just a moment. “What about them? They are good for each other.”
Diane nodded, “Maybe. But I am really worried how fast they seem to be moving. Last time it went so fast. And I had to deal with months of a broken hearted Max. And lets not even start about this summer….”
Isabel balanced from one foot to the next. “I really have got to go.”
Diane stood, “Please, Isabel. Just a moment of your time. I am very worried about your brother. He seemed like he was finally over this girl and was spending so much time with your friend Tess. And now, I went into his bedroom this morning and Liz was already there. Both of them bundled up sipping coffee and eating muffins from her parents restaurant.”
“Just leave them alone. They are right for each other, and I think they have finally dealt with their issues for good.” Isabel’s vision seemed to fog. She absently wiped her eyes. How could she escape?
Diane looked away. “But what I am worried about is simply how close they seem. Like they couldn’t stop touching each other. Has your brother told you anything? Said how far he has gone with her?”
Isabel ignored the cold tracks of the tears now working their way down her cheeks. She needed to be there for Alex. He needed her so badly. And she was stuck here. “Oh, right. Like my brother discusses his romantic triumphs with his sister. Let me tell you how many notches he has carved in that bed of his!”
Diane was staring at Isabel, “What is wrong with you? I am worried that your brother is going to far and too fast with a girl that has repeatedly broken his heart and all you can do is mock me?” Her anger faded as she took the tear struck girl in. Really saw Isabel. And said with a near whisper, close to pain, “What is wrong with you Isabel?”
Isabel just wiped away a few more tears and began to move to the door. “He needs me, I need to go. Bye.”
Diane grabbed Isabel’s arms. “No. We are dealing with this now! Something is wrong with you, and I need to know what it is. I, I have missed some signs, focused on your brother when I should have been on you. But I can’t help you if you don’t let me!”
Isabel could feel her powers begin to slip again. Felt as they began to flail through the house, moving things. Now. She had to leave now! “I am going!”
“No! Tell me now, what is going on?” Diane gently pushed Isabel back and onto her bed.
The response was different from what she had been expecting.
Isabel felt as her backside hit the mattress. And it came back. All of it. Flash after flash of that night of wonder and horror. And she screamed.
Her powers were completely out of control, but Isabel didn’t care. She needed to escape! Only Alex could save her, just as she was the only one who could save Alex.
She needed to be there now!
And so she left, her mother calling to her in her wake.
Alex. She needed to get to Alex.
She let nothing stand in her way. Not the lack of car keys. Nor the locked door of the Whitman’s. She did not stop until she was able to take her love into her arms.
And comfort him.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 1 - 07/13/10
Thank you as always to those following along. Remember this Companion has multiple parts, and is split between a flash back and current day. Hope you enjoy.
Ellie- The problem for Diane is that the only thing Max and Liz haven't done is something sexually explicit in her presence. But they have basically told her through body language that they are very close. And Liz is telegraphing that she knows she is pregnant, which she is. Diane is experiencing a parental nightmare right now. Made worse by the fact that her focus on Max and Liz has caused her to not see HUGE warning signs that her daughter is throwing off.....
Oh, and she is the second POV in this part. Enjoy
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter two
Isabel- Friday night at the party
Isabel’s gaze met Alex’s across the room. It was funny how important he had become to her. How central a pillar he was to her life.
She seriously doubted she would have been able to make it to this party without his gift earlier. Although how he had made such an alien sounding CD, Isabel didn’t really know.
She saw as a distressed Pam ran into Alex. Isabel started moving over towards him, but she was stopped. It was Vanessa.
Vanessa was wearing a Christmassy dress that usually would have sparked lots of comments from Isabel.
But she was a little worried about what was happening over with Alex. “Sorry, Vanessa, I really have got to talk to….”
Vanessa’s gaze was worried as she put her hand on her shoulder, “Isabel. We need to talk. As in now. Before your reputation gets a full body makeover of the worst kind.”
Isabel was a little annoyed, her gaze split between Vanessa and Alex. “What could be that important.”
“Look, Isabel. I am dating Malamoud right now, and he is friends with Doug. And Doug asked him to do something for him.”
“Okay, well you know I guess its good that you got a date tonight, but I still don’t see how this involves me.” But there was a part of Isabel that was a little worried. Kyle had said that Doug had been getting into some bad things. And that the bastard had been beating up on Vicky. “Can we get this to the point, I really need to talk with a friend.” Isabel couldn’t see Alex anymore, but she did see Pam walking through the crowd.
Vanessa’s voice was quiet, “You are talking to a friend. Please, I need you to come with me to some place where people won’t be able to listen.”
Isabel let herself be guided away by Vanessa, aware that she was feeling something strange from Alex. As she was being let out she did catch a glimpse of him walking swiftly up the stairs past Jan. Normally Jan stopped people from going to the upstairs rooms until later in the night, but for whatever reason she backed off of Alex.
‘Why are you up there Alex?’ Isabel mused.
Vanessa pulled her out the front doors and to a slightly secluded spot under a lamp. She pulled out a glossy photo of Isabel out in the desert, posing artfully against a rock. Sans clothing of course. “Isabel, Doug asked Malamoud to pass out these pictures. Now Malamoud… I think he thinks they are fake. But both of us know they aren’t. They are real.” Vanessa shook her head, “Oh, Isabel how could you be so foolish?”
“And you know how exactly? Been staring at my ass in gym these last couple of years, Vani?” And Vanessa did like girls as far as Isabel could tell. She just liked boys better.
Vanessa turned away, “Isabel. I am just trying to be a friend. According to Malamoud, Doug has a whole backpack full of these. Malamoud took some and went to get me. He knows we are friends, thank God he found me and not Claire first.”
They exchanged glances. Claire Redburn was a very witty and fun person to be around. But she cared only for herself. And something that would knock Isabel off the top of the social standings would give room for one Claire Redburn.
Isabel also began to feel as if the world were closing in on her. She had dreamt this. Dreamt of this scenario happening over and over.
And it usually ended bad for Isabel.
Isabel said softly, “Yeah.”
“And they are real, aren’t they? Grant?” Vanessa placed a comforting hand on Isabel’s shoulder.
Isabel looked up at her friend. Because Vani truly was her friend. “I thought I loved him. According to the Sherriff he was going to try to blackmail my parents with these.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She gave Isabel a hug. “We’ll just have to track all these photos down and pummel anyone who tries to use them.”
Isabel wiped a tear from her eyes. For some reason her emotions seemed to be less under her control than usual.
The trauma from her rape, probably. Tess might have covered it, but it was still there.
She clung to Vanessa for a few moments, letting herself be comforted.
Isabel pulled back suddenly. Something was not right. She felt a sudden rage fill her. Not hers, but very strong. And then pain. Lots of pain.
Alex needed her help. Now.
Vanessa looked up at her, “What is wrong Isabel?”
Isabel looked back at the house. She turned to face Vanessa, “Vani, all Hell is about to break loose here. Grab your friends, Malamoud if you can find him, and leave. Now.”
“But…. But why?”
Isabel smiled at her friend, “Trust me Vani, you do not want to be here anymore.”
“But I want to help!”
Isabel placed a hand on Vanessa’s shoulder. “Take a copy of those pictures and bring them to the Sherriff’s office. Tell the Sherriff that more have been found. That will be a big help. I need to go find Alex.”
Vanessa smiled, “You know, he’s not the most popular catch, but you could do a lot worse.”
Isabel smiled, “Yeah. And I have. I’ll talk to you later on tonight.” Isabel did not wait to see Vanessa leave. She stormed into the house, using the force of her personality to make a corridor to the stairs. She took them two at a time as she rushed up.
Jan was waiting, “Isabel, you know we are trying to limit the amount of abuse that happens upstairs this year and….”
Isabel just glared, “Jan, move or you will be moved.”
A brief flash of anger and contempt flashed through Jan’s eyes as she let Isabel pass.
Isabel would deal with Jan later to figure out what the whole deal was. Right now she could feel wave after wave of sickening pain coming from Alex.
Isabel walked into a nightmare situation. A half catatonic Vicky lay on the bed, the bottom half of her clothing gone and her blouse torn. Her legs were open and she was shaking in fear, tears spilling uncontrollably down her face.
Alex was laying on the floor underneath a mostly naked Doug. He was hitting Alex over and over. Alex was not even conscious but Isabel could hear and almost feel the snap of the bones as Doug pummeled her love.
Intense rage filled Isabel. She knew very well what Alex had tried to stop. Alex always the trooper, willing to face against ridiculous odds to save someone.
Her power filled her. And Doug was thrown against the wall hard.
The rage on his face as he saw her. The madness in his eyes, the need to crush the life out of her.
A tiny wisp of fear flashed through her.
Doug began to walk towards her, one hand moving to caress his dick. “So you want a piece of the action too, don’t you? I have always known you would want me someday. Want to feel what a real man is like between those luscious thighs….”
But Doug was not Aric. He had no resistance to Isabel’s blasts.
And so she blasted him. Again and again.
Tears streamed down her face, tiny filaments of her hidden memories streaming into her subconscious as she broke Doug Hoag.
------
Diane- Current day.
Diane just stood there dumbfounded. What could be wrong with her daughter?
To scream like that…..
And all of it hit her. Her daughters state of dress. Isabel did not as a rule leave the house in sweats. And her hair…..
Diane closed her eyes and felt like the world’s worst parent. She had been so consumed by her fears for Max, she had let her daughter’s problems slip by.
All of a sudden so many of the actions her daughter had taken in the last few days began to make a horrible horrid sense to her.
For Isabel’s sake, Diane hoped to God she was wrong.
Diane was shaking as she began to walk to her son's room. She knew well what could cause someone to need multiple showers.
If she was right…. Who could have done such a thing to her normally implacable daughter?
Suddenly current events seemed to paint a very dark picture for her. Because while there was always the possibility it was one of her classmates, she had a good idea of who it probably was.
Grant Sorenson.
And he was now dead.
Please, God. Please let it all be just the fancy of an over stressed mother? That her daughter had not been raped and that her son hadn’t done… something… foolish to protect her honor. Or Michael for that matter.
Despite all the differences and arguments that those three had over the years, they would do anything for each other.
Anything.
And that was what she was most afraid of right at the moment.
She was walking by the bathroom on her way to Max’s room, when she heard an odd noise. She opened the door and clouds slowly spread out from the bathroom.
Not so strange. Not entirely.
But the clouds were SNOWING.
She just stood there watching it snow softly in her hallway….
Her jaw fell open and she repeatedly shook her head. She even reached under one of the clouds and caught a snowflake and watched it melt in her hands.
Answers. She needed answers. And for once she was NOT going to back down.
She HAD seen things over the years. Had for the most part kept her tongue, knowing that her children didn’t really want to talk about how very special they truly were.
And they were going to talk about Isabel and just what had happened to her. If they were afraid to comment because of what they had done she would declare herself their lawyer and give them both lawyer client privilege. She was done being in the dark.
She took one last look at the snowstorm and walked on to Max’s room. Her knocks were thunderous. She heard a couple muffled giggles and her frown deepened.
They would also tell her exactly what was going on between the two of them. Both Liz and Max were much too close for her comfort. Certainly after all of the endless angst over the girl, to suddenly be so affectionate.
Sex. Diane was pretty sure that they had had sex.
Why? Why all of this, all at once?
It was Liz who opened the door. Her pretty olive complexion flushed and her eyes shining.
Diane’s eyes tightened. What exactly had those two been up to in here? She looked into the room and saw her guilty looking son avoiding her gaze.
And tucking in his shirt. There was what looked like a bite mark on his neck. Her eyes narrowed even more as she turned her gaze to Liz.
Liz just looked up at her serenely. There was almost a glow to the girl, her eyes filled with good will and happiness. Liz leaned against the door, both arms crossing her belly.
Diane felt alarms ringing as she noted that while Liz was trying to remain calm, she was rubbing her belly ever so slightly. Diane looked at the girl. Tried to read her.
And underneath the gentle good will, underneath the soft brown eyes there was steel. And it was protective and defiant.
“Mom. What do you want. Is there something we can help you with.” Max walked up and wrapped an arm around Liz, and she leaned against him.
Liz’s eyes looked up and met his before returning to Diane’s. The steel was still there, if anything harder.
Diane looked up into her son’s eyes. And found them hard. She’d seen him like this before. Like when he was protecting something… or someone. Usually it was Michael or Isabel he was sticking up for. And he had been dogged in his belief that Liz was truly the one for him.
Isabel even used to whine about how love sick her brother was. It had made the crash of the relationship even harder.
They seemed very much in love right this second. And very young. And if she was right…..
Oh God.
Isabel raped. Liz pregnant?
Why? Why did it seem like her family was poised to go completely out of control.
Diane’s voice was much harsher than she had intended, but the strain she was under….. ‘Why did Phillip have to choose today to go up to Santa Fe?’ “I need answers. From both of you. About everything.”
Liz’s voice was calm, soothing almost. “How can we help? What did you need to know?’
Max on the other hand, “Everything? Um, isn’t that kind of a broad question?”
Diane closed her eyes. She knew her kids were smart. They probably had potential to be much smarter than she was. But they were still young, and she resented the fact that they thought they were so much more knowledgeable about things.
They still had a lot to learn.
She opened her eyes and glared at her son. “You want specific questions? Hmmm? How about what is wrong with your sister? Or dealing with the fact I think you and Liz are moving WAY too fast right at this moment. We are going to need to have a little chat about that. Lastly, and least importantly, you can tell me about your gifts. The ones you’ve tried to hide for years, mostly successfully. But right now, I want it all, Max. Everything. And I know you know at least a little about what happened to you before you came to live with us. I want that too.” She ran her hands through her hair. “Right now I am really worried. About all of you. I think Isabel has been, oh, I don‘t know if I can even say it. But she’s been hurt badly somehow. And I think you know what it is. And I am afraid, afraid it may have made you or one of your friends do something… rash.”
Max just stood there and looked at his mother, a stubborn cast closing in about his face.
Liz reached up and kissed him. “She needs to know Max. She needs to know about Isabel.” She kissed him again, and in a resigned voice, “She might as well learn about our situation as well.”
Diane felt as two bolts slammed deep into her heart. Something was indeed dreadfully wrong. And these kids knew it. Knew it and had not come to her for help. Nor had Isabel, for that matter. The second was Liz’s term situation.
Diane had always wanted Grandkids. Just not quite yet. But they were coming.
“But Liz, it’s too dangerous. What if another Aric shows up, or someone tries to use them as hostages or…. I don’t know if I could stand putting them into such danger.”
Diane’s jaw opened. Knowing the truth would put her into DANGER? What exactly were these kids involved in.
Somehow she knew the snow storm behind her had something to do with it.
Liz placed her hand on Max’s cheek. “Max, they already are in danger. And anyway, our enemies are ruthless enough to threaten them just on the chance that you might care. Isabel was right about this, I think. Maybe it was a good idea for a while, but that time has past.”
Max looked down, his frown melting into a loving grin. “Maybe.”
Diane had had enough. “There is no maybe, Max. You will tell me everything. Absolutely everything. And don’t think you are going anywhere Miss Parker. I have the sneaking suspicion that at least part of what is going on is linked to you.”
Liz’s eyes were sad. “Yes. In the end, I have played my part.”
Max clung to his girlfriend, “Liz, it has been so much better since you and your friends have joined us. It took us so long to see it, but…..”
Liz reached up and took hold of one of Diane’s arms. “Come in and I will tell you a story.”
Diane shook her head. “No. Not here. Five minutes. Max, you have five minutes and I want you both in my study.” Diane walked out the door and stared at the snow storm, now spreading down the hallway. “Max?”
Max took a step out into the hallway. “Mom, what do you… ne-ed?”
Liz came out and also saw the tiny little rolling clouds and the snow flakes drifting softly to the carpet below. “Now that is something you don’t see everyday.”
Diane turned back to face Max. “Fix this. Don’t deny that you can’t or that you don’t have special gifts. You do. And there is no denying it today of all days. Five minutes Max. Five! I will be in my study.”
Diane stalked off to think She was pretty sure they would give her most of the time she had given them.
. She walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured a shot of brandy. It was more of her husband’s drink, but she wanted a jolt of something to keep her aware that this was real. This was actually happening.
Her daughter had probably been raped. Most likely by someone she had cared for. Her son was moving way too fast and probably had gotten Liz pregnant. Or at least she was acting like it.
And she had proof that her kids abilities were not just phantoms of an over active imagination. They were very real. So much.
She quickly loaded the tape recorders. She should have several hours worth of tapes in the recording system.
Diane was certain that Philip would want to hear this himself when he came home. It might let them get ideas for how they would defend them if something came up in trial. Because if her kids were really capable of making a snowstorm inside the house, killing someone would be very easy.
There was a part of her that wished that she would be certain to do the right thing. Because always in her life she had. There had been times and opportunities where it might have behooved her to not, and yet she had always made sure that she had done the ethical and right thing.
But Diane knew herself. If Max confessed, or hinted that Michael might be complicit, she would not help the police. Rather she would do what she could to protect her family.
It was a weakness, but to her, family came first. She would protect Max and Isabel from anything. And Michael was as good their son as anyone. Even Tess had found a place in Diane’s heart. Diane closed her eyes, and if Liz really was carrying her grandchild. IF they truly wanted and were willing to work to be a family…..
It was far from optimal, but she would shelter Liz from her family if needed. Protect her from those who might seek to harm her at school or in anyway.
Liz and Max came in, almost at five minutes prompt. Good they were taking her seriously at least. Diane took her seat behind her desk, near the trigger to start the tapes. “Go ahead. Find some place comfy. We are going to be here for a while.” She thought again at the money Philip had spent having his friend wire this room.
Wire it and make sure it was the only listening system in the room. Pretty much everywhere comfortable was near a mike. And the switches at the desk let her set which mikes to activate. She waited for them to rest, sitting on a love seat hand-in-hand.
They did make a pretty couple.
Diane flipped the appropriate switch and cleared her throat. “So why don’t you begin Max?”
Max looked freaked as he stared at his mother.
Liz gripped his hand firmly. “I think we should start near the beginning of our story. There is a lot of background and we will get to it. As to how it affects me and Max, and what happened to Isabel and Alex.” She gave a sorrowful sigh, “And I am afraid you are right about your daughter. She was assaulted, but not I think in the way you suspect.”
“So what exactly happened?” Diane asked quietly.
Max spoke up, “She was attacked by someone who had been placed here to protect us.” He shook his head. “I guess we should start at the beginning.” He took a deep breath. “Once upon the world of Antar a King died. At his side was his sister, bride and his closest ally.” He stopped.
Diane just stared at Max. ‘What?’ was all she could think. He couldn’t seriously be saying that he and his sister were….
Max began again, looked over at Liz. “No, that is all background fluff. Important I suppose, telling you where we came from. But that was not the true beginning. That began when I went to school that fateful day and saw a certain brunette….” He kissed a supportive Liz. “No, our story, our current story starts back last year. When Liz was killed in her restaurant by a stray bullet.”
Diane sat there staring at the two of them. Visions of a wounded dove floating higher and higher in the air passing through her mind. Tears began to slip down her cheeks. Had he, had he really….
“But I loved her mom, like I always had. And I healed her.”
And they told her everything.
Ellie- The problem for Diane is that the only thing Max and Liz haven't done is something sexually explicit in her presence. But they have basically told her through body language that they are very close. And Liz is telegraphing that she knows she is pregnant, which she is. Diane is experiencing a parental nightmare right now. Made worse by the fact that her focus on Max and Liz has caused her to not see HUGE warning signs that her daughter is throwing off.....
Oh, and she is the second POV in this part. Enjoy
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter two
Isabel- Friday night at the party
Isabel’s gaze met Alex’s across the room. It was funny how important he had become to her. How central a pillar he was to her life.
She seriously doubted she would have been able to make it to this party without his gift earlier. Although how he had made such an alien sounding CD, Isabel didn’t really know.
She saw as a distressed Pam ran into Alex. Isabel started moving over towards him, but she was stopped. It was Vanessa.
Vanessa was wearing a Christmassy dress that usually would have sparked lots of comments from Isabel.
But she was a little worried about what was happening over with Alex. “Sorry, Vanessa, I really have got to talk to….”
Vanessa’s gaze was worried as she put her hand on her shoulder, “Isabel. We need to talk. As in now. Before your reputation gets a full body makeover of the worst kind.”
Isabel was a little annoyed, her gaze split between Vanessa and Alex. “What could be that important.”
“Look, Isabel. I am dating Malamoud right now, and he is friends with Doug. And Doug asked him to do something for him.”
“Okay, well you know I guess its good that you got a date tonight, but I still don’t see how this involves me.” But there was a part of Isabel that was a little worried. Kyle had said that Doug had been getting into some bad things. And that the bastard had been beating up on Vicky. “Can we get this to the point, I really need to talk with a friend.” Isabel couldn’t see Alex anymore, but she did see Pam walking through the crowd.
Vanessa’s voice was quiet, “You are talking to a friend. Please, I need you to come with me to some place where people won’t be able to listen.”
Isabel let herself be guided away by Vanessa, aware that she was feeling something strange from Alex. As she was being let out she did catch a glimpse of him walking swiftly up the stairs past Jan. Normally Jan stopped people from going to the upstairs rooms until later in the night, but for whatever reason she backed off of Alex.
‘Why are you up there Alex?’ Isabel mused.
Vanessa pulled her out the front doors and to a slightly secluded spot under a lamp. She pulled out a glossy photo of Isabel out in the desert, posing artfully against a rock. Sans clothing of course. “Isabel, Doug asked Malamoud to pass out these pictures. Now Malamoud… I think he thinks they are fake. But both of us know they aren’t. They are real.” Vanessa shook her head, “Oh, Isabel how could you be so foolish?”
“And you know how exactly? Been staring at my ass in gym these last couple of years, Vani?” And Vanessa did like girls as far as Isabel could tell. She just liked boys better.
Vanessa turned away, “Isabel. I am just trying to be a friend. According to Malamoud, Doug has a whole backpack full of these. Malamoud took some and went to get me. He knows we are friends, thank God he found me and not Claire first.”
They exchanged glances. Claire Redburn was a very witty and fun person to be around. But she cared only for herself. And something that would knock Isabel off the top of the social standings would give room for one Claire Redburn.
Isabel also began to feel as if the world were closing in on her. She had dreamt this. Dreamt of this scenario happening over and over.
And it usually ended bad for Isabel.
Isabel said softly, “Yeah.”
“And they are real, aren’t they? Grant?” Vanessa placed a comforting hand on Isabel’s shoulder.
Isabel looked up at her friend. Because Vani truly was her friend. “I thought I loved him. According to the Sherriff he was going to try to blackmail my parents with these.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She gave Isabel a hug. “We’ll just have to track all these photos down and pummel anyone who tries to use them.”
Isabel wiped a tear from her eyes. For some reason her emotions seemed to be less under her control than usual.
The trauma from her rape, probably. Tess might have covered it, but it was still there.
She clung to Vanessa for a few moments, letting herself be comforted.
Isabel pulled back suddenly. Something was not right. She felt a sudden rage fill her. Not hers, but very strong. And then pain. Lots of pain.
Alex needed her help. Now.
Vanessa looked up at her, “What is wrong Isabel?”
Isabel looked back at the house. She turned to face Vanessa, “Vani, all Hell is about to break loose here. Grab your friends, Malamoud if you can find him, and leave. Now.”
“But…. But why?”
Isabel smiled at her friend, “Trust me Vani, you do not want to be here anymore.”
“But I want to help!”
Isabel placed a hand on Vanessa’s shoulder. “Take a copy of those pictures and bring them to the Sherriff’s office. Tell the Sherriff that more have been found. That will be a big help. I need to go find Alex.”
Vanessa smiled, “You know, he’s not the most popular catch, but you could do a lot worse.”
Isabel smiled, “Yeah. And I have. I’ll talk to you later on tonight.” Isabel did not wait to see Vanessa leave. She stormed into the house, using the force of her personality to make a corridor to the stairs. She took them two at a time as she rushed up.
Jan was waiting, “Isabel, you know we are trying to limit the amount of abuse that happens upstairs this year and….”
Isabel just glared, “Jan, move or you will be moved.”
A brief flash of anger and contempt flashed through Jan’s eyes as she let Isabel pass.
Isabel would deal with Jan later to figure out what the whole deal was. Right now she could feel wave after wave of sickening pain coming from Alex.
Isabel walked into a nightmare situation. A half catatonic Vicky lay on the bed, the bottom half of her clothing gone and her blouse torn. Her legs were open and she was shaking in fear, tears spilling uncontrollably down her face.
Alex was laying on the floor underneath a mostly naked Doug. He was hitting Alex over and over. Alex was not even conscious but Isabel could hear and almost feel the snap of the bones as Doug pummeled her love.
Intense rage filled Isabel. She knew very well what Alex had tried to stop. Alex always the trooper, willing to face against ridiculous odds to save someone.
Her power filled her. And Doug was thrown against the wall hard.
The rage on his face as he saw her. The madness in his eyes, the need to crush the life out of her.
A tiny wisp of fear flashed through her.
Doug began to walk towards her, one hand moving to caress his dick. “So you want a piece of the action too, don’t you? I have always known you would want me someday. Want to feel what a real man is like between those luscious thighs….”
But Doug was not Aric. He had no resistance to Isabel’s blasts.
And so she blasted him. Again and again.
Tears streamed down her face, tiny filaments of her hidden memories streaming into her subconscious as she broke Doug Hoag.
------
Diane- Current day.
Diane just stood there dumbfounded. What could be wrong with her daughter?
To scream like that…..
And all of it hit her. Her daughters state of dress. Isabel did not as a rule leave the house in sweats. And her hair…..
Diane closed her eyes and felt like the world’s worst parent. She had been so consumed by her fears for Max, she had let her daughter’s problems slip by.
All of a sudden so many of the actions her daughter had taken in the last few days began to make a horrible horrid sense to her.
For Isabel’s sake, Diane hoped to God she was wrong.
Diane was shaking as she began to walk to her son's room. She knew well what could cause someone to need multiple showers.
If she was right…. Who could have done such a thing to her normally implacable daughter?
Suddenly current events seemed to paint a very dark picture for her. Because while there was always the possibility it was one of her classmates, she had a good idea of who it probably was.
Grant Sorenson.
And he was now dead.
Please, God. Please let it all be just the fancy of an over stressed mother? That her daughter had not been raped and that her son hadn’t done… something… foolish to protect her honor. Or Michael for that matter.
Despite all the differences and arguments that those three had over the years, they would do anything for each other.
Anything.
And that was what she was most afraid of right at the moment.
She was walking by the bathroom on her way to Max’s room, when she heard an odd noise. She opened the door and clouds slowly spread out from the bathroom.
Not so strange. Not entirely.
But the clouds were SNOWING.
She just stood there watching it snow softly in her hallway….
Her jaw fell open and she repeatedly shook her head. She even reached under one of the clouds and caught a snowflake and watched it melt in her hands.
Answers. She needed answers. And for once she was NOT going to back down.
She HAD seen things over the years. Had for the most part kept her tongue, knowing that her children didn’t really want to talk about how very special they truly were.
And they were going to talk about Isabel and just what had happened to her. If they were afraid to comment because of what they had done she would declare herself their lawyer and give them both lawyer client privilege. She was done being in the dark.
She took one last look at the snowstorm and walked on to Max’s room. Her knocks were thunderous. She heard a couple muffled giggles and her frown deepened.
They would also tell her exactly what was going on between the two of them. Both Liz and Max were much too close for her comfort. Certainly after all of the endless angst over the girl, to suddenly be so affectionate.
Sex. Diane was pretty sure that they had had sex.
Why? Why all of this, all at once?
It was Liz who opened the door. Her pretty olive complexion flushed and her eyes shining.
Diane’s eyes tightened. What exactly had those two been up to in here? She looked into the room and saw her guilty looking son avoiding her gaze.
And tucking in his shirt. There was what looked like a bite mark on his neck. Her eyes narrowed even more as she turned her gaze to Liz.
Liz just looked up at her serenely. There was almost a glow to the girl, her eyes filled with good will and happiness. Liz leaned against the door, both arms crossing her belly.
Diane felt alarms ringing as she noted that while Liz was trying to remain calm, she was rubbing her belly ever so slightly. Diane looked at the girl. Tried to read her.
And underneath the gentle good will, underneath the soft brown eyes there was steel. And it was protective and defiant.
“Mom. What do you want. Is there something we can help you with.” Max walked up and wrapped an arm around Liz, and she leaned against him.
Liz’s eyes looked up and met his before returning to Diane’s. The steel was still there, if anything harder.
Diane looked up into her son’s eyes. And found them hard. She’d seen him like this before. Like when he was protecting something… or someone. Usually it was Michael or Isabel he was sticking up for. And he had been dogged in his belief that Liz was truly the one for him.
Isabel even used to whine about how love sick her brother was. It had made the crash of the relationship even harder.
They seemed very much in love right this second. And very young. And if she was right…..
Oh God.
Isabel raped. Liz pregnant?
Why? Why did it seem like her family was poised to go completely out of control.
Diane’s voice was much harsher than she had intended, but the strain she was under….. ‘Why did Phillip have to choose today to go up to Santa Fe?’ “I need answers. From both of you. About everything.”
Liz’s voice was calm, soothing almost. “How can we help? What did you need to know?’
Max on the other hand, “Everything? Um, isn’t that kind of a broad question?”
Diane closed her eyes. She knew her kids were smart. They probably had potential to be much smarter than she was. But they were still young, and she resented the fact that they thought they were so much more knowledgeable about things.
They still had a lot to learn.
She opened her eyes and glared at her son. “You want specific questions? Hmmm? How about what is wrong with your sister? Or dealing with the fact I think you and Liz are moving WAY too fast right at this moment. We are going to need to have a little chat about that. Lastly, and least importantly, you can tell me about your gifts. The ones you’ve tried to hide for years, mostly successfully. But right now, I want it all, Max. Everything. And I know you know at least a little about what happened to you before you came to live with us. I want that too.” She ran her hands through her hair. “Right now I am really worried. About all of you. I think Isabel has been, oh, I don‘t know if I can even say it. But she’s been hurt badly somehow. And I think you know what it is. And I am afraid, afraid it may have made you or one of your friends do something… rash.”
Max just stood there and looked at his mother, a stubborn cast closing in about his face.
Liz reached up and kissed him. “She needs to know Max. She needs to know about Isabel.” She kissed him again, and in a resigned voice, “She might as well learn about our situation as well.”
Diane felt as two bolts slammed deep into her heart. Something was indeed dreadfully wrong. And these kids knew it. Knew it and had not come to her for help. Nor had Isabel, for that matter. The second was Liz’s term situation.
Diane had always wanted Grandkids. Just not quite yet. But they were coming.
“But Liz, it’s too dangerous. What if another Aric shows up, or someone tries to use them as hostages or…. I don’t know if I could stand putting them into such danger.”
Diane’s jaw opened. Knowing the truth would put her into DANGER? What exactly were these kids involved in.
Somehow she knew the snow storm behind her had something to do with it.
Liz placed her hand on Max’s cheek. “Max, they already are in danger. And anyway, our enemies are ruthless enough to threaten them just on the chance that you might care. Isabel was right about this, I think. Maybe it was a good idea for a while, but that time has past.”
Max looked down, his frown melting into a loving grin. “Maybe.”
Diane had had enough. “There is no maybe, Max. You will tell me everything. Absolutely everything. And don’t think you are going anywhere Miss Parker. I have the sneaking suspicion that at least part of what is going on is linked to you.”
Liz’s eyes were sad. “Yes. In the end, I have played my part.”
Max clung to his girlfriend, “Liz, it has been so much better since you and your friends have joined us. It took us so long to see it, but…..”
Liz reached up and took hold of one of Diane’s arms. “Come in and I will tell you a story.”
Diane shook her head. “No. Not here. Five minutes. Max, you have five minutes and I want you both in my study.” Diane walked out the door and stared at the snow storm, now spreading down the hallway. “Max?”
Max took a step out into the hallway. “Mom, what do you… ne-ed?”
Liz came out and also saw the tiny little rolling clouds and the snow flakes drifting softly to the carpet below. “Now that is something you don’t see everyday.”
Diane turned back to face Max. “Fix this. Don’t deny that you can’t or that you don’t have special gifts. You do. And there is no denying it today of all days. Five minutes Max. Five! I will be in my study.”
Diane stalked off to think She was pretty sure they would give her most of the time she had given them.
. She walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured a shot of brandy. It was more of her husband’s drink, but she wanted a jolt of something to keep her aware that this was real. This was actually happening.
Her daughter had probably been raped. Most likely by someone she had cared for. Her son was moving way too fast and probably had gotten Liz pregnant. Or at least she was acting like it.
And she had proof that her kids abilities were not just phantoms of an over active imagination. They were very real. So much.
She quickly loaded the tape recorders. She should have several hours worth of tapes in the recording system.
Diane was certain that Philip would want to hear this himself when he came home. It might let them get ideas for how they would defend them if something came up in trial. Because if her kids were really capable of making a snowstorm inside the house, killing someone would be very easy.
There was a part of her that wished that she would be certain to do the right thing. Because always in her life she had. There had been times and opportunities where it might have behooved her to not, and yet she had always made sure that she had done the ethical and right thing.
But Diane knew herself. If Max confessed, or hinted that Michael might be complicit, she would not help the police. Rather she would do what she could to protect her family.
It was a weakness, but to her, family came first. She would protect Max and Isabel from anything. And Michael was as good their son as anyone. Even Tess had found a place in Diane’s heart. Diane closed her eyes, and if Liz really was carrying her grandchild. IF they truly wanted and were willing to work to be a family…..
It was far from optimal, but she would shelter Liz from her family if needed. Protect her from those who might seek to harm her at school or in anyway.
Liz and Max came in, almost at five minutes prompt. Good they were taking her seriously at least. Diane took her seat behind her desk, near the trigger to start the tapes. “Go ahead. Find some place comfy. We are going to be here for a while.” She thought again at the money Philip had spent having his friend wire this room.
Wire it and make sure it was the only listening system in the room. Pretty much everywhere comfortable was near a mike. And the switches at the desk let her set which mikes to activate. She waited for them to rest, sitting on a love seat hand-in-hand.
They did make a pretty couple.
Diane flipped the appropriate switch and cleared her throat. “So why don’t you begin Max?”
Max looked freaked as he stared at his mother.
Liz gripped his hand firmly. “I think we should start near the beginning of our story. There is a lot of background and we will get to it. As to how it affects me and Max, and what happened to Isabel and Alex.” She gave a sorrowful sigh, “And I am afraid you are right about your daughter. She was assaulted, but not I think in the way you suspect.”
“So what exactly happened?” Diane asked quietly.
Max spoke up, “She was attacked by someone who had been placed here to protect us.” He shook his head. “I guess we should start at the beginning.” He took a deep breath. “Once upon the world of Antar a King died. At his side was his sister, bride and his closest ally.” He stopped.
Diane just stared at Max. ‘What?’ was all she could think. He couldn’t seriously be saying that he and his sister were….
Max began again, looked over at Liz. “No, that is all background fluff. Important I suppose, telling you where we came from. But that was not the true beginning. That began when I went to school that fateful day and saw a certain brunette….” He kissed a supportive Liz. “No, our story, our current story starts back last year. When Liz was killed in her restaurant by a stray bullet.”
Diane sat there staring at the two of them. Visions of a wounded dove floating higher and higher in the air passing through her mind. Tears began to slip down her cheeks. Had he, had he really….
“But I loved her mom, like I always had. And I healed her.”
And they told her everything.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 2 - 07/17/10
Thanks again to everyone. Yet another part to Paladin. Sometimes the stories just flow. Another shout out to Mt. Gazer for her beta/ demi authoring with me.
Ellie- Diane is about to have a VERY LONG day. The Max and Liz convo will likely be in a following Max and Liz story, similar to Paladin and Blind Trust. Still working on it and kicking around titles. But it will deal with the whole Max and Liz dilemna. Like the fact that she is pregnant.
keepsmiling7- Yes. Diane is taping for Philip, but also for herself. She is afraid she might need to find any small detail that might save her son or daughter. And protecting those tapes will be critical.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringment is intended.
Paladin Chapter 3
Alex- Friday night at the party
Alex had died. He had felt himself go, had the whole wandering down a tunnel of light, only….
Isabel. He hadn’t wanted to leave her. Not damaged like she was now.
It had been like swimming against the current of a river pushing him out to the sea. And he had known inside that he would want to be there. That there were others waiting for him there. That they loved him too.
But the Bond he had with Isabel…. He could also feel her as she felt him dying. And knew that she might very well suicide if he died.
His own death he could live with. But not with hers. Not even if it meant they would be together.
No, somehow he had to hold on. To pull himself back. But there was so much pain inside what had been his body. It hurt so bad.
And it was so calm and peaceful here.
This was the only way he could keep her from dying with him. He had to live. And so with a profound amount of focus he concentrated on his Bond with Isabel. And he used it to go back. To go back to his body.
To go back to the pain.
It was so very slow, so very demanding. But he could feel himself going back. Could see himself laying so very still at the base of the bed.
Isabel had a wildly struggling Doug pressed against the wall and was repeatedly blasting him. Breaking him bone by bone, organ by organ. Brief pulses of golden light flickering against his half dressed body.
Tess ran in, “Isabel you have to stop it, You are killing him!”
Isabel shook her head. “He hurt Alex. Hurt him bad. I failed him again.”
Tess’s voice was somewhat strained. “Put him down. This won’t help anything. Just put him down and we can have the Sherriff take care of this.”
Malamoud, pushed Kyle back and both of them stumbled into the doorway.
Isabel was holding a struggling Doug against the wall with one hand around his neck. Her other hand was held high, and it was gleaming with golden fire. “He’s dying Tess. Alex is dying and I can’t save him. I can’t save him, but I can avenge him. I can kill this, this monster.”
Malamoud just stared at Isabel. “ My God.”
Alex looked at the jock from his vantage point near the ceiling. ‘And so another joins the abyss.’
Kyle pulled Malamoud out of the room and started talking quietly with him. Alex turned his gaze back to Tess and Isabel. Tess was softly whispering into Isabel’s ear. Doug slumped bonelessly to the ground. Still full of anger, but not really able to do anything.
Tess was still murmuring into his love’s ears as they slowly walked to his body. When they reached it, Tess said, “I will get your brother. I will let nothing bar my way. Just hold on to him and keep him aware.”
Isabel’s eyes were sheeted with tears. Tears she ignored as she nodded and placed her hands on Alex.
Alex was suddenly snapped back into his body. His body and all the pain it was in. But he could feel Isabel with him too. He opened his swollen eyes and gazed on her.
Their eyes met.
Isabel said quietly, “I love you Alex. Don’t leave me. Max is on the way.”
There was so much he wanted to say back. But he couldn’t. There was scarcely enough air to breathe let alone talk. One of his lungs must be punctured.
And he was so very tired.
He could feel warmth and life flow into him. Supporting him and keeping him alive.
Isabel was using her life force to support his. Burning herself out to keep him warm and alive, so that her brother could save him.
And it was changing them. She could feel as her essence was sealing itself to his. The heat of the process papering in the cracks, sweeping away the debris. Tying her soul ever tighter to his.
More so than ever, they were one. Resolutely tied to one another to fight against the world and all it might throw against them.
Suddenly more than ever he was determined NOT to die. To determinedly fight through anything, to save her at all costs.
Because he knew she would do the same.
Her voice was full of emotion as she caressed his neck and shoulders softly, “Just hold on a little longer, Alex. Stay with me for just a little while more.”
‘No.’ Not for a little while. Forever.
He could feel as she was beginning to reach her limits. Oh, not permanent limits. If she could have a few moments rest she would recover just fine. She would just be a little tired, maybe a tiny bit weak.
But for her to rest would mean to let him go. To let him die.
And she wouldn’t do that.
Isabel would let the last whisper of her strength flow through him.
And they would both die.
Alex could not let that happen.
Alex didn’t have powers. He didn’t have alien knowledge that might save them.
What he did have was focus and determination. Despite the fact he spent his life flitting from one project to another, switching focus to find himself, he could indeed solidify his focus and slog through one solitary pursuit.
He had done it before. He would do it now. He was not as smart as Liz or as intuitive as Maria, but he was a hell of a lot more stubborn. He could and would take whatever pain might come in pursuit of protecting those he loved.
So what if he was dying? He was more stubborn than death. He would not LET himself die, not if it meant Isabel would follow.
He sensed her confusion as the essence she sent into him was returned. Not with the essence she sent. But with his. And it flowed through them, in a circuitous manner, traveling from one to the other and over again.... Their bent and battered souls alloying into new clean and stronger metal.
The process would take time to fully be realized. But in time…..
In time they would be stronger than they ever had been before. As long as they remained joined and together.
This was how Max found them. Tears sheeting off of Isabel as she held so very tightly to the seemingly dying Alex.
And Max healed him.
------
Gloria Whitman - current day
Gloria Whitman was whistling a jaunty tune one of her old Army pals had taught her. She paused a moment and saw an extra car parked up front.. She looked at the plates and bumper stickers.
Local car, bumper stickers of a proud mother of a kid from West Roswell….
Some friend of Alex’s must be over.
She calmly got the presents she had bought Alex out of the car and carried them up to the house. Only something was wrong. The door was ajar.
With the side of her foot she knocked the door open. Not a good thing ever. But in the winter…. She placed her boxes on the ground inside the house and pulled on a set of gloves.
If this was a break in she didn’t want to contaminate the scene. Truly she should back out and just call the cops. But she wasn’t sure.
And she was a tough enough broad for most of the wastrels who tried their hand at robbery in a backward burg like Roswell. She reached in and pulled out her pistol. She took a brief look at the lock before rushing in, her ears piqued for any noise she could hear.
She heard almost what sounded like running water.
But it was the lock that had her attention. The bolt had been cut.
By what looked like a blow torch.
Only…. She looked at the door frame. Nothing. No scorches to the paint job at all.
What the hell?
Gloria shook her head and walked through the front door. She didn’t like how exposed she felt, and had second thoughts about calling for the cops.
But there was little to no noise.
She walked into the living room. Alex had not finished his chores yet. She could see that he had made a good start, but….
Her game was still sprawled across the tables. She should have cleaned that up before she left, but she had been in such a hurry to pack….
Wait. What was a purse doing there?
Amongst the books, papers and dice were sprawled the contents of a generous sized purse. Most of them were the usual cosmetic and utility items you would expect.
But there were also a bunch of odd orangish rocks.
She need for order wanted to push everything into the purse. But…. Find out what was going on first.
She could hear the water running somewhere. That would be the place to check. But the little training she had in this wouldn’t let her leave someone behind her. So she resolutely checked every room.
She was however beginning to calm down. Particularly when she saw one of Alex’s shirts next to a pink sweat shirt.
“Oh, Alex.” Gloria shook her head. Boys would be boys after all. Not that he wouldn’t be in trouble. And Gloria would be certain to make sure that the girl had been fully complicit with whatever Alex had persuaded her to do.
At least she hadn’t seen a bra.
Yet.
She would worry more then.
She looked briefly at the shirt. Now she wished she had gone back and taken a look at the wallet the girl had dropped. She sighed and walked to Alex’s bedroom. Nothing. But along the hallway she stopped at the workroom.
And its door was also open. She looked quickly. Most of the gun safes were still locked.
One was not. And on one of the tables, Durandal lay out.
With one gloved finger she lifted it up and removed the magazine. She checked the chamber. Also empty. She took a swab from one of her cleaning kits and tested the barrel.
It should be completely clean. She hadn’t used it at all in over a month. And she had disassembled and cleaned it three times in that period.
It had been used. And fired several times.
As much as she wanted to keep it, it might be evidence so she left it there.
There were really only a couple of rooms she hadn’t checked. The guest bathroom and the master bedroom and bath.
She started to see more of Alex’s clothes haphazardly strewn about. When she saw his underwear she knew it was time for the Talk.
Only, outside of a couple of mismatched and discarded shoes, she didn’t see anything else feminine dropped..
Where were Alex’s playmates discards? Surely he wasn’t stripping for Isabel again? Gloria snorted.
The things her son would do for that girl. Probably just as well the girl did not return his affections. Alex had enough troubles focusing on his studies.
This girl would be trouble enough.
She walked up to the guest bathroom. It was a little larger than the one Alex usually used. But his was closer to his room and more private.
So who could be here now?
This door was also ajar, and she could hear the shower running.
Gloria closed her eyes. Did she really want to see this. It was one thing to know her little boy was growing up, another to see him in this sort of light.
Gloria sighed. So. Did she knock? Give them a moment of privacy to react? Or did she want to actually see what they were doing.
‘Ok. Calm down. You have never tried to hide from reality before, Gloria. Now is not the time to start.’ So she put her ear to the opening and listened.
And heard her son sobbing.
The door was open immediately, her gun ready. “Alright, what do you two think you are DOING!” she said using her best NCO voice.
They ignored her booming command.
Gloria just stood there and watched as Isabel Evans held and washed her broken son. There was nothing truly erotic about it, simply pure sensuality. But still the girl was holding her son’s dick. And now was not the time or place.
At least Isabel was mostly dressed. Although her tee shirt was so sodden it clung to her like a coat of paint. And the girl was stacked. The sodden sweat pants were half way down her hips, her underwear being dragged along for the ride.
She wasn’t sure what had happened to her son. But if he was still a virgin at this moment, she doubted he would have been had she not come home early.
Gloria’s shoes squeaked on the wet tile floor and she slipped. Her hands flew forward and touched the girl.
The gun fell into the tub.
As she made contact with Isabel’s arm, something happened. She saw something. Something surreal. Like a movie only with perfect sound and scent and touch. And emotions.
For just a brief moment Gloria wasn’t Gloria. She was her son.
Flash-
Alex felt the pain in his side from the blast. It hurt. But compared to what had happened to him earlier it was nothing.
And from the cries ahead, Aric was beating his friends. Possibly badly.
He closed his eyes and thought of Isabel. Of what failure would mean to her. Michael cared for her, would try to be as kind as he could. The problem is that was not very kind. Michael was more than a little rough around the edges.
That would not have effected his love before all of this. But now. Now with them being forced into alien pregnancies so that a deranged shape shifter could fulfill his political objectives.
Alex felt his teeth grind. Calm. He need to be calm. He had lost that calm back at the party and it had cost him. He picked up Durandal. And saw the TAG.
Kyle had shown them all how to work it. Just in case something had gone wrong. And it had. He picked it up and set it to Shock and Power Drain.
It would hit his friends but Aric more. And hurting Aric made filled him with a happiness he was not glad to feel.
He saw as Liz began to browbeat the Protector. But it was too late for that. No. No matter how useful he could possibly be, Aric was simply too dangerous.
He had to die.
Alex triggered the TAG, and walked up gun at the ready. Everyone in front of him slumped down. Aric fell twitching. “Sorry Liz. Maybe you would have been able to persuade him. Possibly even make him work for us. But we could never trust him. Not truly.”
If anything he grew angrier now that he could see the carnage Aric had made. His friends wounded and broken. Alex continued, “No. He can not be saved. Not this time. Maybe if he had been willing to talk. Willing to work with us. But you had your own ideas of what was supposed to be. Perhaps it was even the real plan.” Alex walked up to where Aric lay and twitched. “But you are supposed to be a military man. Both of my parents are military. And you know the one thing they both agreed on, is that no matter how good the plan is, things change. Situations change. And so do the plans. They have to change.”
Liz’s voice was weak, “Alex, you don’t have to do this. Let Michael or Max, but not you. You have always been the peaceful, happy one. Don’t let that change.”
“That Alex will never be able to come back unless I do this. I promised her. By my hand. And so it will be.” Alex raised the gun and pointed it Aric. “Good bye.” The gun barked loudly in the corridor. “You could have been so useful to us. You could have Protected us like you were supposed to.” Alex emptied the clip into the fallen Protector.
Tears streamed down his face. ‘You are safe now Isabel. He is dead. You are safe….’
‘And so am I.’
End Flash
As the scent of remembered gunpowder faded, Gloria could still feel the complex emotions swirl through her head from Alex’s memory. PTSD at least. And that desperate need for safety from that Aric, it had felt very personal and painful. Gloria had felt like that once. When she had been a teen.
After she had been sexually assaulted. Her need to protect herself had been part of what had driven her to learn how to defend herself. A hobby she had come to enjoy.
But to have her son feel that way…..
Isabel brushed off her grasp, glowered and her hand began to glow.
Gloria flew across the room and into the hallway. Her body trembled from the mix of adrenaline and consternation. It had been a long time since she had been surprised like that.
“Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over?” Gloria muttered. She shook herself and looked up to meet Isabel’s eyes. “I don’t know who you think you are, but leave my son alone.”
Isabel’s voice was tight with emotion, “Alex is MINE! No one else can have him. I promised I would protect him, and I have failed over and OVER. I. WILL NOT. Fail again.”
Alex’s voice finally came out, “Please, its my mom. Don’t hurt her.”
“I am not letting you get hurt again on my account. I love you Alex.”
Gloria took one look at her. Not prying her son from that girl’s arms. Not if she was strong enough to fling Gloria around like that. “Ok. Here is what is going to happen. I am going to grab some towels and some robes. And you two will finish up and get in them, while I call Isabel’s mother.”
Isabel began to cry harder. “Mom will be so mad at me.” But she kept washing Alex’s back.
Alex turned to face her, “It will be okay, really, Isabel. Nothing will keep us apart.”
Gloria rolled her eyes. Yep. Life had just gotten a whole lot more exciting. She walked to the linen closet and grabbed a couple of towels. She grabbed a robe for both of them.
‘Yep. Merry Christmas, Gloria.’
She dropped the towels off. The two teens were kissing and holding one another.
Sigh.
That ship had sailed.
Now for lots of embarrassing and crucial talking to be done. She lifted her cell phone up and called Diane. For just a moment there was a busy signal accompanied by a call waiting ping.
Well that call could wait.
“Hello? Diane?…… This is Gloria Whitman…… Yes, yes she is. And be sure to bring a set of dry clothes….. See you in a couple of minutes.” She closed her cell phone.
For just a moment she closed her eyes and thought about all her plans for Christmas. The nice dinner just Alex and her…. The action movies that Charles always deplored…..
Not so much.
Gloria went to the kitchen to put on the coffee pot.
She suspected that she and Diane were going to need a LOT of caffeine, possibly enhanced by Gloria’s collection of single malt whisky…..
Gloria straightened up the house in expectation of company.
It was going to be a long day.
Ellie- Diane is about to have a VERY LONG day. The Max and Liz convo will likely be in a following Max and Liz story, similar to Paladin and Blind Trust. Still working on it and kicking around titles. But it will deal with the whole Max and Liz dilemna. Like the fact that she is pregnant.
keepsmiling7- Yes. Diane is taping for Philip, but also for herself. She is afraid she might need to find any small detail that might save her son or daughter. And protecting those tapes will be critical.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringment is intended.
Paladin Chapter 3
Alex- Friday night at the party
Alex had died. He had felt himself go, had the whole wandering down a tunnel of light, only….
Isabel. He hadn’t wanted to leave her. Not damaged like she was now.
It had been like swimming against the current of a river pushing him out to the sea. And he had known inside that he would want to be there. That there were others waiting for him there. That they loved him too.
But the Bond he had with Isabel…. He could also feel her as she felt him dying. And knew that she might very well suicide if he died.
His own death he could live with. But not with hers. Not even if it meant they would be together.
No, somehow he had to hold on. To pull himself back. But there was so much pain inside what had been his body. It hurt so bad.
And it was so calm and peaceful here.
This was the only way he could keep her from dying with him. He had to live. And so with a profound amount of focus he concentrated on his Bond with Isabel. And he used it to go back. To go back to his body.
To go back to the pain.
It was so very slow, so very demanding. But he could feel himself going back. Could see himself laying so very still at the base of the bed.
Isabel had a wildly struggling Doug pressed against the wall and was repeatedly blasting him. Breaking him bone by bone, organ by organ. Brief pulses of golden light flickering against his half dressed body.
Tess ran in, “Isabel you have to stop it, You are killing him!”
Isabel shook her head. “He hurt Alex. Hurt him bad. I failed him again.”
Tess’s voice was somewhat strained. “Put him down. This won’t help anything. Just put him down and we can have the Sherriff take care of this.”
Malamoud, pushed Kyle back and both of them stumbled into the doorway.
Isabel was holding a struggling Doug against the wall with one hand around his neck. Her other hand was held high, and it was gleaming with golden fire. “He’s dying Tess. Alex is dying and I can’t save him. I can’t save him, but I can avenge him. I can kill this, this monster.”
Malamoud just stared at Isabel. “ My God.”
Alex looked at the jock from his vantage point near the ceiling. ‘And so another joins the abyss.’
Kyle pulled Malamoud out of the room and started talking quietly with him. Alex turned his gaze back to Tess and Isabel. Tess was softly whispering into Isabel’s ear. Doug slumped bonelessly to the ground. Still full of anger, but not really able to do anything.
Tess was still murmuring into his love’s ears as they slowly walked to his body. When they reached it, Tess said, “I will get your brother. I will let nothing bar my way. Just hold on to him and keep him aware.”
Isabel’s eyes were sheeted with tears. Tears she ignored as she nodded and placed her hands on Alex.
Alex was suddenly snapped back into his body. His body and all the pain it was in. But he could feel Isabel with him too. He opened his swollen eyes and gazed on her.
Their eyes met.
Isabel said quietly, “I love you Alex. Don’t leave me. Max is on the way.”
There was so much he wanted to say back. But he couldn’t. There was scarcely enough air to breathe let alone talk. One of his lungs must be punctured.
And he was so very tired.
He could feel warmth and life flow into him. Supporting him and keeping him alive.
Isabel was using her life force to support his. Burning herself out to keep him warm and alive, so that her brother could save him.
And it was changing them. She could feel as her essence was sealing itself to his. The heat of the process papering in the cracks, sweeping away the debris. Tying her soul ever tighter to his.
More so than ever, they were one. Resolutely tied to one another to fight against the world and all it might throw against them.
Suddenly more than ever he was determined NOT to die. To determinedly fight through anything, to save her at all costs.
Because he knew she would do the same.
Her voice was full of emotion as she caressed his neck and shoulders softly, “Just hold on a little longer, Alex. Stay with me for just a little while more.”
‘No.’ Not for a little while. Forever.
He could feel as she was beginning to reach her limits. Oh, not permanent limits. If she could have a few moments rest she would recover just fine. She would just be a little tired, maybe a tiny bit weak.
But for her to rest would mean to let him go. To let him die.
And she wouldn’t do that.
Isabel would let the last whisper of her strength flow through him.
And they would both die.
Alex could not let that happen.
Alex didn’t have powers. He didn’t have alien knowledge that might save them.
What he did have was focus and determination. Despite the fact he spent his life flitting from one project to another, switching focus to find himself, he could indeed solidify his focus and slog through one solitary pursuit.
He had done it before. He would do it now. He was not as smart as Liz or as intuitive as Maria, but he was a hell of a lot more stubborn. He could and would take whatever pain might come in pursuit of protecting those he loved.
So what if he was dying? He was more stubborn than death. He would not LET himself die, not if it meant Isabel would follow.
He sensed her confusion as the essence she sent into him was returned. Not with the essence she sent. But with his. And it flowed through them, in a circuitous manner, traveling from one to the other and over again.... Their bent and battered souls alloying into new clean and stronger metal.
The process would take time to fully be realized. But in time…..
In time they would be stronger than they ever had been before. As long as they remained joined and together.
This was how Max found them. Tears sheeting off of Isabel as she held so very tightly to the seemingly dying Alex.
And Max healed him.
------
Gloria Whitman - current day
Gloria Whitman was whistling a jaunty tune one of her old Army pals had taught her. She paused a moment and saw an extra car parked up front.. She looked at the plates and bumper stickers.
Local car, bumper stickers of a proud mother of a kid from West Roswell….
Some friend of Alex’s must be over.
She calmly got the presents she had bought Alex out of the car and carried them up to the house. Only something was wrong. The door was ajar.
With the side of her foot she knocked the door open. Not a good thing ever. But in the winter…. She placed her boxes on the ground inside the house and pulled on a set of gloves.
If this was a break in she didn’t want to contaminate the scene. Truly she should back out and just call the cops. But she wasn’t sure.
And she was a tough enough broad for most of the wastrels who tried their hand at robbery in a backward burg like Roswell. She reached in and pulled out her pistol. She took a brief look at the lock before rushing in, her ears piqued for any noise she could hear.
She heard almost what sounded like running water.
But it was the lock that had her attention. The bolt had been cut.
By what looked like a blow torch.
Only…. She looked at the door frame. Nothing. No scorches to the paint job at all.
What the hell?
Gloria shook her head and walked through the front door. She didn’t like how exposed she felt, and had second thoughts about calling for the cops.
But there was little to no noise.
She walked into the living room. Alex had not finished his chores yet. She could see that he had made a good start, but….
Her game was still sprawled across the tables. She should have cleaned that up before she left, but she had been in such a hurry to pack….
Wait. What was a purse doing there?
Amongst the books, papers and dice were sprawled the contents of a generous sized purse. Most of them were the usual cosmetic and utility items you would expect.
But there were also a bunch of odd orangish rocks.
She need for order wanted to push everything into the purse. But…. Find out what was going on first.
She could hear the water running somewhere. That would be the place to check. But the little training she had in this wouldn’t let her leave someone behind her. So she resolutely checked every room.
She was however beginning to calm down. Particularly when she saw one of Alex’s shirts next to a pink sweat shirt.
“Oh, Alex.” Gloria shook her head. Boys would be boys after all. Not that he wouldn’t be in trouble. And Gloria would be certain to make sure that the girl had been fully complicit with whatever Alex had persuaded her to do.
At least she hadn’t seen a bra.
Yet.
She would worry more then.
She looked briefly at the shirt. Now she wished she had gone back and taken a look at the wallet the girl had dropped. She sighed and walked to Alex’s bedroom. Nothing. But along the hallway she stopped at the workroom.
And its door was also open. She looked quickly. Most of the gun safes were still locked.
One was not. And on one of the tables, Durandal lay out.
With one gloved finger she lifted it up and removed the magazine. She checked the chamber. Also empty. She took a swab from one of her cleaning kits and tested the barrel.
It should be completely clean. She hadn’t used it at all in over a month. And she had disassembled and cleaned it three times in that period.
It had been used. And fired several times.
As much as she wanted to keep it, it might be evidence so she left it there.
There were really only a couple of rooms she hadn’t checked. The guest bathroom and the master bedroom and bath.
She started to see more of Alex’s clothes haphazardly strewn about. When she saw his underwear she knew it was time for the Talk.
Only, outside of a couple of mismatched and discarded shoes, she didn’t see anything else feminine dropped..
Where were Alex’s playmates discards? Surely he wasn’t stripping for Isabel again? Gloria snorted.
The things her son would do for that girl. Probably just as well the girl did not return his affections. Alex had enough troubles focusing on his studies.
This girl would be trouble enough.
She walked up to the guest bathroom. It was a little larger than the one Alex usually used. But his was closer to his room and more private.
So who could be here now?
This door was also ajar, and she could hear the shower running.
Gloria closed her eyes. Did she really want to see this. It was one thing to know her little boy was growing up, another to see him in this sort of light.
Gloria sighed. So. Did she knock? Give them a moment of privacy to react? Or did she want to actually see what they were doing.
‘Ok. Calm down. You have never tried to hide from reality before, Gloria. Now is not the time to start.’ So she put her ear to the opening and listened.
And heard her son sobbing.
The door was open immediately, her gun ready. “Alright, what do you two think you are DOING!” she said using her best NCO voice.
They ignored her booming command.
Gloria just stood there and watched as Isabel Evans held and washed her broken son. There was nothing truly erotic about it, simply pure sensuality. But still the girl was holding her son’s dick. And now was not the time or place.
At least Isabel was mostly dressed. Although her tee shirt was so sodden it clung to her like a coat of paint. And the girl was stacked. The sodden sweat pants were half way down her hips, her underwear being dragged along for the ride.
She wasn’t sure what had happened to her son. But if he was still a virgin at this moment, she doubted he would have been had she not come home early.
Gloria’s shoes squeaked on the wet tile floor and she slipped. Her hands flew forward and touched the girl.
The gun fell into the tub.
As she made contact with Isabel’s arm, something happened. She saw something. Something surreal. Like a movie only with perfect sound and scent and touch. And emotions.
For just a brief moment Gloria wasn’t Gloria. She was her son.
Flash-
Alex felt the pain in his side from the blast. It hurt. But compared to what had happened to him earlier it was nothing.
And from the cries ahead, Aric was beating his friends. Possibly badly.
He closed his eyes and thought of Isabel. Of what failure would mean to her. Michael cared for her, would try to be as kind as he could. The problem is that was not very kind. Michael was more than a little rough around the edges.
That would not have effected his love before all of this. But now. Now with them being forced into alien pregnancies so that a deranged shape shifter could fulfill his political objectives.
Alex felt his teeth grind. Calm. He need to be calm. He had lost that calm back at the party and it had cost him. He picked up Durandal. And saw the TAG.
Kyle had shown them all how to work it. Just in case something had gone wrong. And it had. He picked it up and set it to Shock and Power Drain.
It would hit his friends but Aric more. And hurting Aric made filled him with a happiness he was not glad to feel.
He saw as Liz began to browbeat the Protector. But it was too late for that. No. No matter how useful he could possibly be, Aric was simply too dangerous.
He had to die.
Alex triggered the TAG, and walked up gun at the ready. Everyone in front of him slumped down. Aric fell twitching. “Sorry Liz. Maybe you would have been able to persuade him. Possibly even make him work for us. But we could never trust him. Not truly.”
If anything he grew angrier now that he could see the carnage Aric had made. His friends wounded and broken. Alex continued, “No. He can not be saved. Not this time. Maybe if he had been willing to talk. Willing to work with us. But you had your own ideas of what was supposed to be. Perhaps it was even the real plan.” Alex walked up to where Aric lay and twitched. “But you are supposed to be a military man. Both of my parents are military. And you know the one thing they both agreed on, is that no matter how good the plan is, things change. Situations change. And so do the plans. They have to change.”
Liz’s voice was weak, “Alex, you don’t have to do this. Let Michael or Max, but not you. You have always been the peaceful, happy one. Don’t let that change.”
“That Alex will never be able to come back unless I do this. I promised her. By my hand. And so it will be.” Alex raised the gun and pointed it Aric. “Good bye.” The gun barked loudly in the corridor. “You could have been so useful to us. You could have Protected us like you were supposed to.” Alex emptied the clip into the fallen Protector.
Tears streamed down his face. ‘You are safe now Isabel. He is dead. You are safe….’
‘And so am I.’
End Flash
As the scent of remembered gunpowder faded, Gloria could still feel the complex emotions swirl through her head from Alex’s memory. PTSD at least. And that desperate need for safety from that Aric, it had felt very personal and painful. Gloria had felt like that once. When she had been a teen.
After she had been sexually assaulted. Her need to protect herself had been part of what had driven her to learn how to defend herself. A hobby she had come to enjoy.
But to have her son feel that way…..
Isabel brushed off her grasp, glowered and her hand began to glow.
Gloria flew across the room and into the hallway. Her body trembled from the mix of adrenaline and consternation. It had been a long time since she had been surprised like that.
“Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over?” Gloria muttered. She shook herself and looked up to meet Isabel’s eyes. “I don’t know who you think you are, but leave my son alone.”
Isabel’s voice was tight with emotion, “Alex is MINE! No one else can have him. I promised I would protect him, and I have failed over and OVER. I. WILL NOT. Fail again.”
Alex’s voice finally came out, “Please, its my mom. Don’t hurt her.”
“I am not letting you get hurt again on my account. I love you Alex.”
Gloria took one look at her. Not prying her son from that girl’s arms. Not if she was strong enough to fling Gloria around like that. “Ok. Here is what is going to happen. I am going to grab some towels and some robes. And you two will finish up and get in them, while I call Isabel’s mother.”
Isabel began to cry harder. “Mom will be so mad at me.” But she kept washing Alex’s back.
Alex turned to face her, “It will be okay, really, Isabel. Nothing will keep us apart.”
Gloria rolled her eyes. Yep. Life had just gotten a whole lot more exciting. She walked to the linen closet and grabbed a couple of towels. She grabbed a robe for both of them.
‘Yep. Merry Christmas, Gloria.’
She dropped the towels off. The two teens were kissing and holding one another.
Sigh.
That ship had sailed.
Now for lots of embarrassing and crucial talking to be done. She lifted her cell phone up and called Diane. For just a moment there was a busy signal accompanied by a call waiting ping.
Well that call could wait.
“Hello? Diane?…… This is Gloria Whitman…… Yes, yes she is. And be sure to bring a set of dry clothes….. See you in a couple of minutes.” She closed her cell phone.
For just a moment she closed her eyes and thought about all her plans for Christmas. The nice dinner just Alex and her…. The action movies that Charles always deplored…..
Not so much.
Gloria went to the kitchen to put on the coffee pot.
She suspected that she and Diane were going to need a LOT of caffeine, possibly enhanced by Gloria’s collection of single malt whisky…..
Gloria straightened up the house in expectation of company.
It was going to be a long day.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 3 - 07/18/10
Thanks to everyone reading this story. This part is going to have a few intense moments, so you have been warned.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. And the folks who probably get the worst of these last parts to Kiss are the parents. So just like Gloria is being sucked in here, Diane is as well. And Amy will have her part to play in Blind Trust. And if I ever get moving again the ML one will floor both Evans and Parkers. Poor, poor parents.
Ellie- Thanks. Yes, Gloria was assaulted when she was a teenager. She then spent a chunk of her life making sure she was never that vulnerable again. So she should be able to help Isabel. IF they ever get to actually talk. ANd, wince. The Talk, only from Mom. Lots of fun.
Keepsmiling7-thanks. ANd for the poor parents its only going to get longer....
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 4
Isabel- Friday night at the party
Isabel rushed out of breath into the barn. Tess was right beside her.
Isabel looked over at her friend. “Do you think he found us?”
Tess shook her head, “No, we are still safe. You hold up here and I will try to sneak back and get the others. We’ll work better as a team.” Tess shook her head, tears sprouting from her eyes. “I’m pretty sure Michael is free, not so sure about Max. Max was, Max was holding Aric off. But Liz had already been shot….”
Isabel looked at her friend, “Kyle?”
Tess just shot Isabel a look of grief and despair. “I can only hope he isn’t dead. Aric must have something that’s scrambling my bond. I-I can’t feel him, but I don’t, don’t think he is dead.”
Isabel reached over and held her friend.
For just a moment a searing pain shot through her head and she wanted to run. To run anywhere from this.
No she had to remain strong. For Alex. For Max and Michael. For Tess.
“Are you sure you can go back in there Tess?” She ran her hands soothingly across her friend’s back.
Tess looked off into space, “I have to. I am the one with the gifts. Just, if I tell you he is following me, you have to be fast. Without Michael… Isabel, without Michael, you are our hammer. It all depends on you. So I will be back. Please, be careful and hide.” Tess shrugged off Isabel’s arm and walked into the night.
Isabel shook her head as she watched Tess disappear. She had been surprised when the girl had found her looking for the others. But it made sense with her powers. If any of the hybrids could turn invisible, it would be Tess.
Isabel found a good hiding place, that still let her see fairly well. She heard a slight snore from above her. For above her, in a similar spot was an unexpected surprise.
A sleeping Maria. Isabel thought a moment to wake her. But really, what good would that do? Maria would do her best, but she was only human. And they needed powers to take Aric down.
So Isabel took a quick look at her friend and placed her in a more comfortable position and arranged the blankets. “Sleep tight. Hopefully your Prince will be here to greet you soon.” And Isabel took up her position again.
She did not have long to wait. A frazzled Tess came running not minutes behind her.
Tess gripped her arms and despondently shook Isabel. “He got Max. He got Max and Liz and,” Tess crumpled from inside.
Isabel looked about worriedly. The pain was back, running up and down her skull. As was the fear.
She was so very scared. She felt small and weak and helpless and just wanted to run as fast as her legs would take her.
She had to be strong. They were depending on her.
She could feel as her mind was wavering. As despair and self-doubt began to swim to the surface. As memories held down and protected, even from herself began to break free.
No. She could not fall apart. Not now.
Isabel’s voice was rough with emotion as she said, “Tess, pull yourself together! We need to stop him. Where is he hiding? Where is Aric?”
Tess looked behind herself fearfully, “He, he was right behind me. I know he saw me. Please, you have to stop him. He’ll take any form to confuse us. Don’t let him confuse you! YOU MUST stop him! Please…..” Tess slunk back to hide as a form opened the door.
Isabel called forth her powers, bundling them, ready to blast right as he came through the door. ‘Max? Was that Max?’
Tess whimpered, “You must strike before he is ready. Or he will have you. Have you and us.”
And the Mind-warp broke. The warp the real Tess had placed to protect Isabel from her own memories, to allow her to help them take down Aric.
Isabel remembered all of it. Remembered the self-hatred and revulsion. Remembered as Aric stole the most precious night from her for all time.
Isabel didn’t wait. She couldn’t. So she used every last fiber of her being in her blast.
Max stood there staring at her, “Isabel! No!” A flicker of green appeared before him, but it was not enough. Her blast hit him hard, although not hard enough to kill.
She knew then that it had been Max. Isabel had shot her own brother.
From the side came a slow clap and a feminine chuckle. “Very good, Princess. I was wondering how I could take down the King. And then I remembered how Khivar managed it. You my dear are the perfect tool!” There was a bright light and Tess was replaced by Jan.
“No. NO!” Isabel whirled to face the Shape shifter. She threw blast after blast.
None of them connected.
She could rapidly feel herself shutting down. Giving into the terror.
Aric had taken everything from her. Taken her certainty, her sanity, had warped both her love for her brother and for Alex.
Aric taunted her, “What is the matter, Princess? Your true nature of natural fratricide coming out? You remember that your Dupe killed her brother? Well just look at the start you are making. Looks like some aspects of Destiny simply cannot be denied. Once a traitor, always a traitor.”
“No. No I never betrayed anyone, you tricked me!”
Aric smiled, and shifted into Grant’s form, “And you think being a gullible fool is a better thing to be, Princess?” He pulled a picture from a pocket. He looked at it, “You know, I believe I read you all wrong. I thought you see, that the best way to attack you was your reputation.”
Isabel was a shuddering wreck at this point. Trying to pull in power to strike at the shifter just one more time.
But nothing she did seemed able to affect him. He was unstoppable.
“Save me, Alex,” she said softly into the air.
But she knew. She knew he wouldn’t be able to. Not from this.
Isabel was doomed. She slipped to her knees and awaited her fate. Her head continuing to throb with a painful pressure.
Aric looked at her, “And that would hurt you wouldn’t it? But somehow you have changed since Antar. Because now as long as your friends stood by you; you would manage. As long as you had your little human lover, you would be alright. Besides this is your last year in High School anyway, you could leave this little burg and any scandal behind. No your real weakness is the same as the others now.” And Aric changed into Alex.
Isabel remembered the last time he had worn that form, the last time Aric had warped Alex’s face with that perverted smirk. And her powers fled her. Too frightened, too broken to manage even the smallest of blasts, Isabel watched in horror as Aric advanced on her.
“Yes,” Aric continued in a dispassionate rendition of Alex, “You have changed. I begin to see that I may have very well made some mistakes here. To assume that all of you were merely forgetful of your former selves, but still true to them. But you not are you. You are different. The ruthless power-grasping princess actually cares for this boy. Amazing. But what did they do to your make up that is so different from your Copies? Because that is all they were. You are the real Royals.”
Aric shook his head, “I guess it doesn’t matter in the end. You will all still perform the duties your destiny requires. Let’s see. How about I make you a deal. I will not destroy your precious human, and you will do what I say?”
Broken and defeated, huddling on her knees she looked up at him, and in a quavering voice said, “Never, I will never do what you say. You will have to kill me first.” Already she could feel a tiny bit of steel return. She would not betray Alex.
Aric twisted Alex’s face into a grin, “You do know what I did to him, do you not my dear? What I did to you, I did to him as well. All to catch a bit of his seed. All so that I can plant it in…..”
Aric’s form was sheathed in white as he shrank to that of Erica Munroe. She was the oldest of Isabel’s child choir at twelve. “So that I can plant it in here.” Her light soprano breathlessly continuing, “And I will make sure it sprouts if I can. Either way it will not matter, Alex will have raped a little girl, and there will be plenty of proof, my dear. So unless you do what I say…..”
Isabel could only wail in agony as the memories careened through her mind. And she could take no more.
She collapsed and Isabel was for a brief respite unaware.
-------
Diane- current day
Diane cursed under her breath, fighting against the ancient Jeep as she rushed over to get Isabel. Today had been a day of extreme revelations. Not all of them pleasant.
Although it was good to finally know what her children had been hiding.
Oh how she wished they had trusted her. Of course, she wasn’t sure she would have believed them. Not without the displays.
Of course she had known something was off with that snowstorm in the hallway. And it answered so many of the small things. Like the grease fire Max had put out saving her last year.
Or even a small bird flying away after having broken its wing.
It brought tears to her eyes. She had always known that her intense son had harbored a gentle side, but to be able to heal? To pull people back from the brink of death as he had done to Liz.
Liz was entirely another problem.
Liz was telegraphing the fact that she was pregnant. And if that were true, then the worries that Max and Liz might simply be having sex were much too simple.
How she wished her conversation had not been ended so abruptly! But Diane had every intention of continuing it as soon as she gathered her wayward daughter and added her input to her wayward son.
Where had she gone wrong? It had been not too long ago she had thought her kids model children. Not perfect perhaps, maybe a bit secretive, but teenage sex? Having communal showers with her boyfriend?
Not acceptable. They didn’t realize just how this could impact them in the future. Even if they were half human-alien hybrids. They still needed to worry about the future, and college, and…..
She just didn’t know. Diane felt as if so many of the solid things in her life had just collapsed.
Diane thought again at the wonderful talks she had had with the school guidance counselor last year about her children. Ms. Topolsky had seemed so genuine. So warm.
An FBI spy looking for her children? Hunting them down and eventually torturing poor Max? There was more to that story, she was sure.
But it had been then that Gloria, one of the most unflappable women Diane had ever known, had called. The woman had not sounded so sure of herself right then. And somehow Diane was afraid it was more than just some ill-advised teenage water sports.
Diane pulled up to the Whitman’s house, grabbed Isabel’s change of clothes and sprinted to the door. She would get down to the bottom of this whole mess soon enough.
She knocked on the door and a harried Gloria came to answer it.
“Come in Diane, I wish I could say it is a pleasure, but….”
Diane smiled at her, “I am sorry if my daughter caused any trouble. I will just grab her and get her dressed and then we can go.”
Gloria laughed a slightly nervous titter at that statement. “We will see. After today… we will see.” And with that slightly ominous beginning, her friend led Diane into the house.
As they walked into the living room, Diane was struck by how close Alex and Isabel seemed on the couch. Both of them were clad in bathrobes. Both of them wrapped to a measure of decency. But they sat right next to each other.
Alex had a look on his face that Diane recognized. It had been on her son’s face last summer. After he had been tortured, only Diane hadn’t known that. Only that the light had seemed shuttered and barred from showing forth.
It had been why they had sent him to that psychologist. To see what had happened to him. And he did indeed seem to get a little better.
But knowing what she did now, knowing that there was no way he would have confided in a stranger as to what his true problems were….. Either had had worked it out with Liz, or perhaps….
Yes that strange Maria Deluca girl. She had been a fixture of Max’s that summer. Another person in on the great secret that they had not trusted in her.
That hurt. It shouldn’t. She wasn’t sure she would have been able to tell anyone, not after what had happened to Max. But she had thought that the bond she and Isabel had shared had been close.
Not as much as she had believed. And that HURT.
Now her daughter looked up at her. And Diane saw fear. For the first time she saw her daughter FEAR her.
Why?
Isabel’s hand did not leave Alex’s as she stood. “Please! I can’t go yet. He needs me. Just a little longer, please? I am keeping him from falling apart, and if he goes, so do I. So I need to stay. Just for a little while…. Please!”
Diane looked over at Gloria. “What?”
Gloria’s voice was quiet. “They have been inseparable.”
Diane’s face hardened. “The robes?”
Gloria looked at her blankly. “Inseparable. And I will be honest. I doubt it was anything they hadn’t already seen. Diane, this ship has sailed. We just need to figure out what the problem is and help pick up the pieces.”
Diane looked up at her, “You condone this?”
Gloria was at her unflappable best, “Not precisely, but I love my son. And if he loves your daughter, well….”
“And of course they had seen everything, they were showering together!”
“Your daughter was mostly dressed. Its why I needed you to bring a change of clothes.” She looked at Alex and Isabel.
Isabel no longer the center of attention had focused again on Alex.
Gloria continued, “No, something happened here. Something horrible and they are supporting each other through it.” She shook her head, “I have seen cases of PTSD like this before, just not this severe. And I had hoped to never see it in my son. I had been so happy when he told me he was breaking with family tradition. He did not want to be a soldier. I think it was Charlie’s nightmares that did it.” Her voice dropped a bit more, “I’m usually quiet with mine. But Charlie…. Sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And sometimes you are in the right place at the right time, doing what needs to be done…. And yet you still pay.”
Diane looked at her friend. They had talked a lot before, but she knew Gloria held secrets. Secrets that Diane would probably never know.
Come to think of it. Diane now did too.
Diane sighed. “We need to get them dressed. And no matter how phlegmatic you are about it, I still am not a fan of coed dressing rooms. Not at least until they are married. Or something. Not in high school for heaven’s sake!” She reached over and grabbed Isabel’s arm. “Come on, we need to get you dressed.”
Oh, the look in Isabel’s eyes! She hadn’t seen a look like that since Isabel had been nine and told to go to sleep before ten.
“NO! I need to stay with him! He needs me!” Isabel demanded petulantly.
Diane began dragging Isabel off to the guest bathroom. She ignored Isabel’s whiny complaints. “I’ll use the guest and you use his room?”
Gloria just shook her head dubiously and all but carried her despondent son to his room. “Sure. Meet me in the kitchen. I have some coffee just about ready. And we can talk while they get dressed.”
It took a few moments. But she eventually deposited Isabel in the bathroom. It had been strange, but the farther Alex got the more desperate Isabel had become.
Something was going on here. Something that warranted staying just a little bit longer.
Diane waited a ten count and smiled as Isabel opened the door. “Going somewhere, Izzie? Get dressed. The faster you get dressed, the faster you can sit with Alex in the living room.”
Isabel searched Diane’s face, “We aren’t going home just yet?”
Diane straightened a piece of wet hair. “Isabel? What happened here?”
Plaintively Isabel said, “Don’t you understand? I just need him and he needs me. And, and that’s all. I need to keep him together, because he is all that is holding me together Mom. If you make me leave when he needs me most…. I don’t know what will happen.” A tear glistened down her cheek. “I think I would simply give up and die.”
Diane could not stop from rolling her eyes at the so very clichéd statement from her daughter. “Oh, honey. First love is always so very strong. And I think you have been riding for a fall for a very long time. No we will just be staying a little bit longer so that Gloria and I can discuss a little of what is going on and what we should do about it. Then we need to get home, and have a little Talk.”
Isabel glared at her, a look venomous that Diane took a step back. She grabbed her clothes from Diane’s stunned hand. “I need to be HERE, Mom. I NEED to!” And slammed the door in her face.
Diane just stared at the door blankly before walking thoughtfully towards the kitchen and the offered coffee. She walked into the kitchen, “Well that could have gone better.”
Gloria looked up at her as she walked into the kitchen. “So. End of the world for her too, huh?” She had several large mugs ready. Gloria asked, “Let‘s see. We have cream, sugar, black, or my favorite for such occasions, Irish? The Good Lord knows I need one.”
“Yes. I will take one too.” Diane watched as Gloria prepared the drinks. She had always wondered how you got the cream to stay on top herself.
Diane took a sip and tried to ignore the sound of a door opening and the sound of Isabel rushing to Alex. She definitely needed to talk to that girl.
Gloria seemed on the verge of saying something to Diane. But would stop. It was fascinating really.
Diane decided to see if she could break the ice. She looked at the coffee. “This is good.”
“Helps make a cold night warm, yeah.” Gloria’s mind drifted off for a moment before focusing on Diane. “Diane, I have to ask you. I-I hesitate, because well I…. No. I guess I just have to ask it. Is your daughter… special?”
“Special? That depends on what you mean. I have always found her to be of exceptional character and usually decorum. Tonight might not be her shining hour, but I assure you, she is indeed one wonderful girl.” Diane could not help wondering if Gloria had seen something…..
Gloria smiled at her, “And I am sure Alex would agree. But that is not what I am asking. And you are not weaseling out of it that easily Mrs. Evans. Trust me I don’t want to hurt her, or even call attention to her if that’s what you’re trying to avoid. No, I just need to know what my boy is getting into. Because he is sunk. I recognize the signs from Charles. The Whitman’s fall hard. Two of Charlie’s other boys have already fallen head over heels. Now its Alex’s turn. The poor boy is more than just love struck; he would do anything for your girl. And I mean anything.” She finished very softly.
Diane looked up at her, “I know. And it frightens me.” She cleared her throat. “Both of them are still young, and there is no guarantee….”
Gloria looked away, “Oh, I know that. And love can fail in time. I know Charlie loved Karen, loved his boys. But the love died, and the divorce was … bitter.” She shook her head, “I know all that, but that is something we have to watch out for in the future. What we have to deal with is the now. They’ve almost certainly slept together at least once. And stopping them from doing so again will be powerfully hard. I do not know much about your daughter, but Alex is quite resourceful. I would probably have to send him to military school to stop this.”
Diane stopped and thought about what her daughter was capable of.
A lot.
Stopping her would basically be impossible.
This was going to be a problem.
She didn’t realize she was laughing until Gloria’s well placed slap brought her back from her hysterics.
What was Isabel capable of indeed.
Diane stifled another laugh. But shook her head at Gloria. “No, I am fine. My daughter does have a few… gifts, but the fewer who know the better.”
Gloria just nodded. There was a set of thumps. “That is them, done dressing by now. Probably on their way to the living room. How does Isabel take her coffee?”
“Double light, triple sweet?” She watched Gloria get a couple more mugs and prepare more coffee. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
Gloria looked over at her, “Sure. Don’t know about your daughter, but my son is undoubtedly hungry. He always is. There is a small tray of croissants on the counter over there. Bring them in with us.”
Diane nodded and grabbed the tray.
Both of the teenagers were back on the loveseat, hand in hand. Alex was if anything more alert, watching her very closely.
Why did his gaze make her feel a little unsure? Like he was weighing her as a potential enemy, and if it came down the wrong way she would NOT enjoy the experience.
That gaze was new. She had known Alex for years, always bright, earnest and a little goofy. Not so now.
Diane looked at her daughter. And in her eyes she saw molten defiance.
This was going to be a long day indeed.
Control. The parents HAD to be in control here. Because something was wrong and the kids were not sharing exactly what it was. That her daughter had been raped, well that was something she more than suspected now. The details, the who, and the how. The long march to sending whomever was involved to justice, one way or another.
But the kids had to have them in on this. They could not do it alone. They simply did not have the experience. Even if her daughter were some half-alien Princess, she still needed her mother to help her.
And how could Diane guide her if Isabel wouldn’t let her in? If she kept pushing her away?
No. Somehow Diane would have to reestablish control of this situation. If only so she could get to the bottom of the whole thing.
“Isabel, you need to tell me exactly what you thought you were doing when you rushed over here? And why you think you could just have a shower with Alex?”
“He needed me. But you don’t understand. You don’t understand ANYTHING!” Isabel shot to her feet.
Alex looked up at Isabel and then turned his gaze at his own mother.
Gloria’s voice was much more calm and sedate, “Alex honey, you know you have to tell us what is going on. We can’t help you if we don’t know.”
Alex swung his gaze at Diane. Judging her. It was more than a little unsettling. Because the boy didn’t seem to blink. Just fixed a heavy hazel-eyed stare at her.
‘No,’ Diane thought. ‘Her way in was through her daughter.’ “I think you will find that I understand much more than you think, Daughter. Your brother and I had quite the revealing talk before we came over.”
Isabel trembled a little bit. “You and Max? Talked? About me? What did he say?” Tears started to well in her eyes. “What did he tell you?”
Alex stood up and held onto Isabel. He tried to pull her into a hug, but she shrugged him off.
Isabel said, “I need to know, Alex. What did he say? What did he tell you?”
The house shook as a gust buffeted it.
Diane continued, “We talked about a lot of things honey. He said that you had been hurt; hurt badly recently. But I got called away before he was able to tell me the specifics.”
Isabel was being held by Alex now, her legs visibly weakened. Her voice was full of emotion, sounding half between a wail and a whine. “He told you more didn’t he? He told you EVERYTHING! HE KEPT ME FROM TELLING YOU. HE never let me. Never ever let me tell. And he TOLD YOU EVERYTHING!”
Things inside the house became…. Hectic. As small objects began to float about and winds rushed down the hallways.
Alex’s eyes bored into Diane’s. He said quietly, but loud enough that she could hear clearly. “Are you happy now? She has been on the edge for so long. And YOU pushed her off. Max I will deal with later, but for now…..”
Isabel began to shake, her eyes rolling and tiny jets of light arcing off her hands. And around her a vortex was forming of rapidly swirling air. Large enough to hold Isabel and Alex.
But no other.
All Diane could think of was bringing comfort to her daughter. She didn’t care what this other young man might think, Isabel had been her’s first. And Diane would care for her.
She felt as Gloria grasped at her, trying to pull her back. “No, I have to get my daughter…..”
Contact.
She was no longer Diane Evans. She was….
Flash-
Isabel was fully caught up in the moment now as Alex pounded into her with that glorious rhythm. Somehow it had gotten even better than the first time, although she could feel something was missing. Something important. Alex was so much better this time, but his mind was shuttered.
Words slipped so easily from her lips as she could feel herself quivering could feel her so very close….
Her head slipped off the pillow and out of the corner of her eyes she thought she saw something. Distantly a part of her was screaming at her. Trying to get her attention.
But this felt so good. Wave after wave of pleasure, building and building. She kept her eyes closed and focused. Almost there. Almost there.
Pure concentrated bliss rolled through her shaking body.
Oh, Alex…..
Only on the floor. She met Alex’s eyes. And knew.
The body above her. The body driving itself into her, wasn’t Alex at all.
It was Aric.
And she SCREAMED!
End Flash
Diane could hear the house echo with screams. The combined screams of Isabel, Gloria, and herself.
She was flung across the room and landed, her body shaking with a combination of remembered ecstasy mingled with horror and revulsion.
She heard another person slam into the couch nearby and retch loudly.
She herself had known in a way what had happened, but to have felt it. To have BEEN Isabel when that monster…..
She rolled onto her knees, searching for her daughter. She looked up and saw Alex. The real Alex. His eyes glittered in the swirling vortex.
He held a shuddering and shaking Isabel so closely and with such love. But the scathing glare he sent her in passing……
How do you fix this?
How do you make something like this right?
Diane didn’t know. She did know that she and her good friend Gloria would help these two as much as they could and were able to.
But right now, with those emotions and physical memories still rolling through her…. She did the only thing she could conceivably do.
She placed her head into her palms.
And she mourned.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. And the folks who probably get the worst of these last parts to Kiss are the parents. So just like Gloria is being sucked in here, Diane is as well. And Amy will have her part to play in Blind Trust. And if I ever get moving again the ML one will floor both Evans and Parkers. Poor, poor parents.
Ellie- Thanks. Yes, Gloria was assaulted when she was a teenager. She then spent a chunk of her life making sure she was never that vulnerable again. So she should be able to help Isabel. IF they ever get to actually talk. ANd, wince. The Talk, only from Mom. Lots of fun.
Keepsmiling7-thanks. ANd for the poor parents its only going to get longer....
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 4
Isabel- Friday night at the party
Isabel rushed out of breath into the barn. Tess was right beside her.
Isabel looked over at her friend. “Do you think he found us?”
Tess shook her head, “No, we are still safe. You hold up here and I will try to sneak back and get the others. We’ll work better as a team.” Tess shook her head, tears sprouting from her eyes. “I’m pretty sure Michael is free, not so sure about Max. Max was, Max was holding Aric off. But Liz had already been shot….”
Isabel looked at her friend, “Kyle?”
Tess just shot Isabel a look of grief and despair. “I can only hope he isn’t dead. Aric must have something that’s scrambling my bond. I-I can’t feel him, but I don’t, don’t think he is dead.”
Isabel reached over and held her friend.
For just a moment a searing pain shot through her head and she wanted to run. To run anywhere from this.
No she had to remain strong. For Alex. For Max and Michael. For Tess.
“Are you sure you can go back in there Tess?” She ran her hands soothingly across her friend’s back.
Tess looked off into space, “I have to. I am the one with the gifts. Just, if I tell you he is following me, you have to be fast. Without Michael… Isabel, without Michael, you are our hammer. It all depends on you. So I will be back. Please, be careful and hide.” Tess shrugged off Isabel’s arm and walked into the night.
Isabel shook her head as she watched Tess disappear. She had been surprised when the girl had found her looking for the others. But it made sense with her powers. If any of the hybrids could turn invisible, it would be Tess.
Isabel found a good hiding place, that still let her see fairly well. She heard a slight snore from above her. For above her, in a similar spot was an unexpected surprise.
A sleeping Maria. Isabel thought a moment to wake her. But really, what good would that do? Maria would do her best, but she was only human. And they needed powers to take Aric down.
So Isabel took a quick look at her friend and placed her in a more comfortable position and arranged the blankets. “Sleep tight. Hopefully your Prince will be here to greet you soon.” And Isabel took up her position again.
She did not have long to wait. A frazzled Tess came running not minutes behind her.
Tess gripped her arms and despondently shook Isabel. “He got Max. He got Max and Liz and,” Tess crumpled from inside.
Isabel looked about worriedly. The pain was back, running up and down her skull. As was the fear.
She was so very scared. She felt small and weak and helpless and just wanted to run as fast as her legs would take her.
She had to be strong. They were depending on her.
She could feel as her mind was wavering. As despair and self-doubt began to swim to the surface. As memories held down and protected, even from herself began to break free.
No. She could not fall apart. Not now.
Isabel’s voice was rough with emotion as she said, “Tess, pull yourself together! We need to stop him. Where is he hiding? Where is Aric?”
Tess looked behind herself fearfully, “He, he was right behind me. I know he saw me. Please, you have to stop him. He’ll take any form to confuse us. Don’t let him confuse you! YOU MUST stop him! Please…..” Tess slunk back to hide as a form opened the door.
Isabel called forth her powers, bundling them, ready to blast right as he came through the door. ‘Max? Was that Max?’
Tess whimpered, “You must strike before he is ready. Or he will have you. Have you and us.”
And the Mind-warp broke. The warp the real Tess had placed to protect Isabel from her own memories, to allow her to help them take down Aric.
Isabel remembered all of it. Remembered the self-hatred and revulsion. Remembered as Aric stole the most precious night from her for all time.
Isabel didn’t wait. She couldn’t. So she used every last fiber of her being in her blast.
Max stood there staring at her, “Isabel! No!” A flicker of green appeared before him, but it was not enough. Her blast hit him hard, although not hard enough to kill.
She knew then that it had been Max. Isabel had shot her own brother.
From the side came a slow clap and a feminine chuckle. “Very good, Princess. I was wondering how I could take down the King. And then I remembered how Khivar managed it. You my dear are the perfect tool!” There was a bright light and Tess was replaced by Jan.
“No. NO!” Isabel whirled to face the Shape shifter. She threw blast after blast.
None of them connected.
She could rapidly feel herself shutting down. Giving into the terror.
Aric had taken everything from her. Taken her certainty, her sanity, had warped both her love for her brother and for Alex.
Aric taunted her, “What is the matter, Princess? Your true nature of natural fratricide coming out? You remember that your Dupe killed her brother? Well just look at the start you are making. Looks like some aspects of Destiny simply cannot be denied. Once a traitor, always a traitor.”
“No. No I never betrayed anyone, you tricked me!”
Aric smiled, and shifted into Grant’s form, “And you think being a gullible fool is a better thing to be, Princess?” He pulled a picture from a pocket. He looked at it, “You know, I believe I read you all wrong. I thought you see, that the best way to attack you was your reputation.”
Isabel was a shuddering wreck at this point. Trying to pull in power to strike at the shifter just one more time.
But nothing she did seemed able to affect him. He was unstoppable.
“Save me, Alex,” she said softly into the air.
But she knew. She knew he wouldn’t be able to. Not from this.
Isabel was doomed. She slipped to her knees and awaited her fate. Her head continuing to throb with a painful pressure.
Aric looked at her, “And that would hurt you wouldn’t it? But somehow you have changed since Antar. Because now as long as your friends stood by you; you would manage. As long as you had your little human lover, you would be alright. Besides this is your last year in High School anyway, you could leave this little burg and any scandal behind. No your real weakness is the same as the others now.” And Aric changed into Alex.
Isabel remembered the last time he had worn that form, the last time Aric had warped Alex’s face with that perverted smirk. And her powers fled her. Too frightened, too broken to manage even the smallest of blasts, Isabel watched in horror as Aric advanced on her.
“Yes,” Aric continued in a dispassionate rendition of Alex, “You have changed. I begin to see that I may have very well made some mistakes here. To assume that all of you were merely forgetful of your former selves, but still true to them. But you not are you. You are different. The ruthless power-grasping princess actually cares for this boy. Amazing. But what did they do to your make up that is so different from your Copies? Because that is all they were. You are the real Royals.”
Aric shook his head, “I guess it doesn’t matter in the end. You will all still perform the duties your destiny requires. Let’s see. How about I make you a deal. I will not destroy your precious human, and you will do what I say?”
Broken and defeated, huddling on her knees she looked up at him, and in a quavering voice said, “Never, I will never do what you say. You will have to kill me first.” Already she could feel a tiny bit of steel return. She would not betray Alex.
Aric twisted Alex’s face into a grin, “You do know what I did to him, do you not my dear? What I did to you, I did to him as well. All to catch a bit of his seed. All so that I can plant it in…..”
Aric’s form was sheathed in white as he shrank to that of Erica Munroe. She was the oldest of Isabel’s child choir at twelve. “So that I can plant it in here.” Her light soprano breathlessly continuing, “And I will make sure it sprouts if I can. Either way it will not matter, Alex will have raped a little girl, and there will be plenty of proof, my dear. So unless you do what I say…..”
Isabel could only wail in agony as the memories careened through her mind. And she could take no more.
She collapsed and Isabel was for a brief respite unaware.
-------
Diane- current day
Diane cursed under her breath, fighting against the ancient Jeep as she rushed over to get Isabel. Today had been a day of extreme revelations. Not all of them pleasant.
Although it was good to finally know what her children had been hiding.
Oh how she wished they had trusted her. Of course, she wasn’t sure she would have believed them. Not without the displays.
Of course she had known something was off with that snowstorm in the hallway. And it answered so many of the small things. Like the grease fire Max had put out saving her last year.
Or even a small bird flying away after having broken its wing.
It brought tears to her eyes. She had always known that her intense son had harbored a gentle side, but to be able to heal? To pull people back from the brink of death as he had done to Liz.
Liz was entirely another problem.
Liz was telegraphing the fact that she was pregnant. And if that were true, then the worries that Max and Liz might simply be having sex were much too simple.
How she wished her conversation had not been ended so abruptly! But Diane had every intention of continuing it as soon as she gathered her wayward daughter and added her input to her wayward son.
Where had she gone wrong? It had been not too long ago she had thought her kids model children. Not perfect perhaps, maybe a bit secretive, but teenage sex? Having communal showers with her boyfriend?
Not acceptable. They didn’t realize just how this could impact them in the future. Even if they were half human-alien hybrids. They still needed to worry about the future, and college, and…..
She just didn’t know. Diane felt as if so many of the solid things in her life had just collapsed.
Diane thought again at the wonderful talks she had had with the school guidance counselor last year about her children. Ms. Topolsky had seemed so genuine. So warm.
An FBI spy looking for her children? Hunting them down and eventually torturing poor Max? There was more to that story, she was sure.
But it had been then that Gloria, one of the most unflappable women Diane had ever known, had called. The woman had not sounded so sure of herself right then. And somehow Diane was afraid it was more than just some ill-advised teenage water sports.
Diane pulled up to the Whitman’s house, grabbed Isabel’s change of clothes and sprinted to the door. She would get down to the bottom of this whole mess soon enough.
She knocked on the door and a harried Gloria came to answer it.
“Come in Diane, I wish I could say it is a pleasure, but….”
Diane smiled at her, “I am sorry if my daughter caused any trouble. I will just grab her and get her dressed and then we can go.”
Gloria laughed a slightly nervous titter at that statement. “We will see. After today… we will see.” And with that slightly ominous beginning, her friend led Diane into the house.
As they walked into the living room, Diane was struck by how close Alex and Isabel seemed on the couch. Both of them were clad in bathrobes. Both of them wrapped to a measure of decency. But they sat right next to each other.
Alex had a look on his face that Diane recognized. It had been on her son’s face last summer. After he had been tortured, only Diane hadn’t known that. Only that the light had seemed shuttered and barred from showing forth.
It had been why they had sent him to that psychologist. To see what had happened to him. And he did indeed seem to get a little better.
But knowing what she did now, knowing that there was no way he would have confided in a stranger as to what his true problems were….. Either had had worked it out with Liz, or perhaps….
Yes that strange Maria Deluca girl. She had been a fixture of Max’s that summer. Another person in on the great secret that they had not trusted in her.
That hurt. It shouldn’t. She wasn’t sure she would have been able to tell anyone, not after what had happened to Max. But she had thought that the bond she and Isabel had shared had been close.
Not as much as she had believed. And that HURT.
Now her daughter looked up at her. And Diane saw fear. For the first time she saw her daughter FEAR her.
Why?
Isabel’s hand did not leave Alex’s as she stood. “Please! I can’t go yet. He needs me. Just a little longer, please? I am keeping him from falling apart, and if he goes, so do I. So I need to stay. Just for a little while…. Please!”
Diane looked over at Gloria. “What?”
Gloria’s voice was quiet. “They have been inseparable.”
Diane’s face hardened. “The robes?”
Gloria looked at her blankly. “Inseparable. And I will be honest. I doubt it was anything they hadn’t already seen. Diane, this ship has sailed. We just need to figure out what the problem is and help pick up the pieces.”
Diane looked up at her, “You condone this?”
Gloria was at her unflappable best, “Not precisely, but I love my son. And if he loves your daughter, well….”
“And of course they had seen everything, they were showering together!”
“Your daughter was mostly dressed. Its why I needed you to bring a change of clothes.” She looked at Alex and Isabel.
Isabel no longer the center of attention had focused again on Alex.
Gloria continued, “No, something happened here. Something horrible and they are supporting each other through it.” She shook her head, “I have seen cases of PTSD like this before, just not this severe. And I had hoped to never see it in my son. I had been so happy when he told me he was breaking with family tradition. He did not want to be a soldier. I think it was Charlie’s nightmares that did it.” Her voice dropped a bit more, “I’m usually quiet with mine. But Charlie…. Sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And sometimes you are in the right place at the right time, doing what needs to be done…. And yet you still pay.”
Diane looked at her friend. They had talked a lot before, but she knew Gloria held secrets. Secrets that Diane would probably never know.
Come to think of it. Diane now did too.
Diane sighed. “We need to get them dressed. And no matter how phlegmatic you are about it, I still am not a fan of coed dressing rooms. Not at least until they are married. Or something. Not in high school for heaven’s sake!” She reached over and grabbed Isabel’s arm. “Come on, we need to get you dressed.”
Oh, the look in Isabel’s eyes! She hadn’t seen a look like that since Isabel had been nine and told to go to sleep before ten.
“NO! I need to stay with him! He needs me!” Isabel demanded petulantly.
Diane began dragging Isabel off to the guest bathroom. She ignored Isabel’s whiny complaints. “I’ll use the guest and you use his room?”
Gloria just shook her head dubiously and all but carried her despondent son to his room. “Sure. Meet me in the kitchen. I have some coffee just about ready. And we can talk while they get dressed.”
It took a few moments. But she eventually deposited Isabel in the bathroom. It had been strange, but the farther Alex got the more desperate Isabel had become.
Something was going on here. Something that warranted staying just a little bit longer.
Diane waited a ten count and smiled as Isabel opened the door. “Going somewhere, Izzie? Get dressed. The faster you get dressed, the faster you can sit with Alex in the living room.”
Isabel searched Diane’s face, “We aren’t going home just yet?”
Diane straightened a piece of wet hair. “Isabel? What happened here?”
Plaintively Isabel said, “Don’t you understand? I just need him and he needs me. And, and that’s all. I need to keep him together, because he is all that is holding me together Mom. If you make me leave when he needs me most…. I don’t know what will happen.” A tear glistened down her cheek. “I think I would simply give up and die.”
Diane could not stop from rolling her eyes at the so very clichéd statement from her daughter. “Oh, honey. First love is always so very strong. And I think you have been riding for a fall for a very long time. No we will just be staying a little bit longer so that Gloria and I can discuss a little of what is going on and what we should do about it. Then we need to get home, and have a little Talk.”
Isabel glared at her, a look venomous that Diane took a step back. She grabbed her clothes from Diane’s stunned hand. “I need to be HERE, Mom. I NEED to!” And slammed the door in her face.
Diane just stared at the door blankly before walking thoughtfully towards the kitchen and the offered coffee. She walked into the kitchen, “Well that could have gone better.”
Gloria looked up at her as she walked into the kitchen. “So. End of the world for her too, huh?” She had several large mugs ready. Gloria asked, “Let‘s see. We have cream, sugar, black, or my favorite for such occasions, Irish? The Good Lord knows I need one.”
“Yes. I will take one too.” Diane watched as Gloria prepared the drinks. She had always wondered how you got the cream to stay on top herself.
Diane took a sip and tried to ignore the sound of a door opening and the sound of Isabel rushing to Alex. She definitely needed to talk to that girl.
Gloria seemed on the verge of saying something to Diane. But would stop. It was fascinating really.
Diane decided to see if she could break the ice. She looked at the coffee. “This is good.”
“Helps make a cold night warm, yeah.” Gloria’s mind drifted off for a moment before focusing on Diane. “Diane, I have to ask you. I-I hesitate, because well I…. No. I guess I just have to ask it. Is your daughter… special?”
“Special? That depends on what you mean. I have always found her to be of exceptional character and usually decorum. Tonight might not be her shining hour, but I assure you, she is indeed one wonderful girl.” Diane could not help wondering if Gloria had seen something…..
Gloria smiled at her, “And I am sure Alex would agree. But that is not what I am asking. And you are not weaseling out of it that easily Mrs. Evans. Trust me I don’t want to hurt her, or even call attention to her if that’s what you’re trying to avoid. No, I just need to know what my boy is getting into. Because he is sunk. I recognize the signs from Charles. The Whitman’s fall hard. Two of Charlie’s other boys have already fallen head over heels. Now its Alex’s turn. The poor boy is more than just love struck; he would do anything for your girl. And I mean anything.” She finished very softly.
Diane looked up at her, “I know. And it frightens me.” She cleared her throat. “Both of them are still young, and there is no guarantee….”
Gloria looked away, “Oh, I know that. And love can fail in time. I know Charlie loved Karen, loved his boys. But the love died, and the divorce was … bitter.” She shook her head, “I know all that, but that is something we have to watch out for in the future. What we have to deal with is the now. They’ve almost certainly slept together at least once. And stopping them from doing so again will be powerfully hard. I do not know much about your daughter, but Alex is quite resourceful. I would probably have to send him to military school to stop this.”
Diane stopped and thought about what her daughter was capable of.
A lot.
Stopping her would basically be impossible.
This was going to be a problem.
She didn’t realize she was laughing until Gloria’s well placed slap brought her back from her hysterics.
What was Isabel capable of indeed.
Diane stifled another laugh. But shook her head at Gloria. “No, I am fine. My daughter does have a few… gifts, but the fewer who know the better.”
Gloria just nodded. There was a set of thumps. “That is them, done dressing by now. Probably on their way to the living room. How does Isabel take her coffee?”
“Double light, triple sweet?” She watched Gloria get a couple more mugs and prepare more coffee. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
Gloria looked over at her, “Sure. Don’t know about your daughter, but my son is undoubtedly hungry. He always is. There is a small tray of croissants on the counter over there. Bring them in with us.”
Diane nodded and grabbed the tray.
Both of the teenagers were back on the loveseat, hand in hand. Alex was if anything more alert, watching her very closely.
Why did his gaze make her feel a little unsure? Like he was weighing her as a potential enemy, and if it came down the wrong way she would NOT enjoy the experience.
That gaze was new. She had known Alex for years, always bright, earnest and a little goofy. Not so now.
Diane looked at her daughter. And in her eyes she saw molten defiance.
This was going to be a long day indeed.
Control. The parents HAD to be in control here. Because something was wrong and the kids were not sharing exactly what it was. That her daughter had been raped, well that was something she more than suspected now. The details, the who, and the how. The long march to sending whomever was involved to justice, one way or another.
But the kids had to have them in on this. They could not do it alone. They simply did not have the experience. Even if her daughter were some half-alien Princess, she still needed her mother to help her.
And how could Diane guide her if Isabel wouldn’t let her in? If she kept pushing her away?
No. Somehow Diane would have to reestablish control of this situation. If only so she could get to the bottom of the whole thing.
“Isabel, you need to tell me exactly what you thought you were doing when you rushed over here? And why you think you could just have a shower with Alex?”
“He needed me. But you don’t understand. You don’t understand ANYTHING!” Isabel shot to her feet.
Alex looked up at Isabel and then turned his gaze at his own mother.
Gloria’s voice was much more calm and sedate, “Alex honey, you know you have to tell us what is going on. We can’t help you if we don’t know.”
Alex swung his gaze at Diane. Judging her. It was more than a little unsettling. Because the boy didn’t seem to blink. Just fixed a heavy hazel-eyed stare at her.
‘No,’ Diane thought. ‘Her way in was through her daughter.’ “I think you will find that I understand much more than you think, Daughter. Your brother and I had quite the revealing talk before we came over.”
Isabel trembled a little bit. “You and Max? Talked? About me? What did he say?” Tears started to well in her eyes. “What did he tell you?”
Alex stood up and held onto Isabel. He tried to pull her into a hug, but she shrugged him off.
Isabel said, “I need to know, Alex. What did he say? What did he tell you?”
The house shook as a gust buffeted it.
Diane continued, “We talked about a lot of things honey. He said that you had been hurt; hurt badly recently. But I got called away before he was able to tell me the specifics.”
Isabel was being held by Alex now, her legs visibly weakened. Her voice was full of emotion, sounding half between a wail and a whine. “He told you more didn’t he? He told you EVERYTHING! HE KEPT ME FROM TELLING YOU. HE never let me. Never ever let me tell. And he TOLD YOU EVERYTHING!”
Things inside the house became…. Hectic. As small objects began to float about and winds rushed down the hallways.
Alex’s eyes bored into Diane’s. He said quietly, but loud enough that she could hear clearly. “Are you happy now? She has been on the edge for so long. And YOU pushed her off. Max I will deal with later, but for now…..”
Isabel began to shake, her eyes rolling and tiny jets of light arcing off her hands. And around her a vortex was forming of rapidly swirling air. Large enough to hold Isabel and Alex.
But no other.
All Diane could think of was bringing comfort to her daughter. She didn’t care what this other young man might think, Isabel had been her’s first. And Diane would care for her.
She felt as Gloria grasped at her, trying to pull her back. “No, I have to get my daughter…..”
Contact.
She was no longer Diane Evans. She was….
Flash-
Isabel was fully caught up in the moment now as Alex pounded into her with that glorious rhythm. Somehow it had gotten even better than the first time, although she could feel something was missing. Something important. Alex was so much better this time, but his mind was shuttered.
Words slipped so easily from her lips as she could feel herself quivering could feel her so very close….
Her head slipped off the pillow and out of the corner of her eyes she thought she saw something. Distantly a part of her was screaming at her. Trying to get her attention.
But this felt so good. Wave after wave of pleasure, building and building. She kept her eyes closed and focused. Almost there. Almost there.
Pure concentrated bliss rolled through her shaking body.
Oh, Alex…..
Only on the floor. She met Alex’s eyes. And knew.
The body above her. The body driving itself into her, wasn’t Alex at all.
It was Aric.
And she SCREAMED!
End Flash
Diane could hear the house echo with screams. The combined screams of Isabel, Gloria, and herself.
She was flung across the room and landed, her body shaking with a combination of remembered ecstasy mingled with horror and revulsion.
She heard another person slam into the couch nearby and retch loudly.
She herself had known in a way what had happened, but to have felt it. To have BEEN Isabel when that monster…..
She rolled onto her knees, searching for her daughter. She looked up and saw Alex. The real Alex. His eyes glittered in the swirling vortex.
He held a shuddering and shaking Isabel so closely and with such love. But the scathing glare he sent her in passing……
How do you fix this?
How do you make something like this right?
Diane didn’t know. She did know that she and her good friend Gloria would help these two as much as they could and were able to.
But right now, with those emotions and physical memories still rolling through her…. She did the only thing she could conceivably do.
She placed her head into her palms.
And she mourned.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 4 - 07/31/10
Thanks again for everyone reading along. Life is not being overly kind to me at the moment, but I am going to try to keep up some semblance of a posting schedule.
keepsmilng7- Thanks. Yes that whole situation was a nightmare. Good thing Aric is dead. And no, Diane is not happy with her teenage children having communal showers with their significant other. If you were in her place would you be?
Ellie- Thanks. Seperating ALex and Isabel by force..... Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. As for the reprecussions of that flash, and rememeber everyone connected when Isabel pulsed that memory shared in that, will be partly dealt with in this part.
Mary mary- Thanks. Diane just made a horrible error in a moment of stress. Just remember that most of the time, Max and Isabel tried to be perfect kids. So they would probably have pretended to be ameniable to reasoning..... just to keep up the masquerade.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. For the help and the comments.
Ti88- Thanks. Things are not so grim as all that, as you will see in this part. And helping Isabel would be a big thing. Because she is as bad or worse than Michael was when he was out of control with his powers. Only Isabel is a) more used to using them and so her powers act up even more, and b) all of them have gotten much stronger over the last year or so.
DIsclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 5a
Alex - Party Friday night
Alex walked briskly behind Michael. He asked, “So do you have an idea where he might put a bomb?”
Michael shook his head, “Seriously, this is one whacked out Protector…..” Michael stopped a second.
Alex caught up and looked at him, “Hey we need to warn Valenti.”
Michael glanced back at him, “Yeah, you do. Go on ahead. I think I might have an idea after all.”
“We shouldn’t separate. He’s been picking us off, and I can at least watch your back.”
Michael looked across the house, music still blaring from it even now. “Maria said that she first saw Aric come in as a gardener.”
“So you think….”
“I don’t know but I know I have to look. So go warn Valenti and catch up with me. I will be near the garden shed next to the house.” Michael left.
Alex shook his head and watched as Michael swiftly moved towards the garden shed. Still too impulsive. Not that he would get much in the way of patience from Maria.
She was almost as bad.
Alex ran up into the house, meeting Jan on the way. Something was off about her as she glanced at him. He couldn’t quite say what.
But then the party she gave every year had just been pretty thoroughly trashed. That might have something to do with her sour look. “Merry Christmas, Jan. Is Valenti still here?”
“He was getting ready to leave. My parents will never let me live this down. This is probably the worst night of my life.” She started to wander off into the darkness behind the house.
Possibly heading towards the barn.
Alex sighed. Why couldn’t life ever be simple? Why did people have to get caught in the crossfire like this?
Jan had always been stuck-up and annoying. Part of that clique that thought that just because her parents had money, she was important. And if you didn’t have rich or important parents….
Alex just shook his head and headed off to grab Valenti. He saw him walking toward the foyer. “Sherriff, I need a word with you.”
The Sheriff looked back at him, “Hey Alex, I am really busy right now. Kyle filled me in a little on what you are trying to do here. I wish you had trusted me with more of it. But right now, I just need to make sure that everything is bolted down tight and that no one finds the alien connection.”
“Sheriff, we think he has put a bomb inside of here. That once he has all our friends together, he will blow this place up to cover his tracks.”
The Sheriff reached up and cupped his hands over his mouth, thinking. He looked over at Alex, “You are sure about this?”
Alex nodded, “Pretty sure, but not positive. Michael is looking right now. He thinks maybe that….”
The Sheriff reached out and grabbed Alex’s shoulders. “Go to Michael, and tell him to get out of there. If there is a bomb, the last thing we need is for him to set it off or for him to get hurt. I will make sure that everyone gets out of here. Now go!”
The Sheriff ran out the front door calling for Deputy Owen Blackwood…..
Alex just shook his head. One errand down. Next errand; stop Michael from getting captured or killed.
‘Go me?’
He patted the small bulge that hid the pistol he had taken from his mother’s cache. This was his secret weapon. The bullets in the loaded clip were special too. Depleted Uranium. Something aliens couldn’t alter with their powers.
He rushed over towards Michael, when he saw a familiar sight.
Ed Harding stood gloating at the door to the barn.
Alex’s hand opened his jacket and removed the gun from its holster, quickly chambering a round. He moved a little bit closer. He followed his mother’s instructions on how to hold the pistol.
Aric closed the barn door.
‘And squeeze the trigger.’
BANG!
Aric was hit!
Alex’s ears echoed with the sound of the gun. But he was focused. ‘Line up another shot….’
‘Squeeze the trigger…..’
Only this time he was too slow. Aric blasted him.
BANG!
The shot was wild.
He saw Aric advance on him, his left arm hanging uselessly. His right hand glittered.
But what amazed Alex was how slow everything seemed to be moving now. How slow and yet so fast all at the same time.
He rolled to a prone position, to take another shot at Aric, before Aric blasted him again.
BANG!
Again he missed. But this time because Michael had blasted Aric from behind.
A brief thrill moved through Alex.
They might just win this!
And then off to his right the world ended. Or so it felt as he was tossed by the exploding house. Not too far. But he could feel the heat from the massive fire.
Fear leapt into him when he saw a burning timber set the barn on fire. He had to get up, he had to save them!
He saw Aric stumble to his feet. Alex was trying to get up himself, but the world was still spinning.
He watched as Aric stumbled over to an unconscious Michael, and with one hand threw him over his shoulder.
NO! He had to stop this. He had to!
‘FOCUS! CALM YOUSELF! Things are always hectic, always confused on the battlefield. You can do more good if you are calm. You will feel fear, and anger, even love, the whole gamut of human emotions. Feeling them is not a mistake, letting them rule you, is. SO be calm, and focus…..
And take the shot.’
He could almost hear his mother talking to him. It was a risk, but this was probably his last shot. Pistols weren’t the most accurate weapon to begin with. And every foot would make the shot harder, and possibly more likely to hit his friend.
Alex fired one last time. A brief surge of euphoria as he saw Aric stagger.
But Aric kept moving.
Not enough. Alex had hurt him.
But not enough.
He was still trying to get up when Tess drove off with his hybrid friends and Aric.
All Alex could do was watch them and cry. Too likely to hit his friends at that range. Too likely to hit Isabel.
And so he made his plans. He would finish Aric.
By his hand and no other.
It would happen.
Alex would make certain of it if he had to chase Aric all the way to Antar to finish him off.
But it would happen.
And he cried.
-------
Isabel - current day
Isabel sat up and unwound herself from Alex. It was dark outside now, only a few glimmers of light streaming in from outside.
She could feel him dreaming. Even now he was dreaming of her.
Isabel could feel parts of herself at war. The need to be a part of him, and the need to be apart. To be detached always from the normal human realm.
Because she wasn’t truly human after all. This whole human thing had been a way of marking time, of waiting.
Waiting for what? Her destiny?
Isabel sighed and walked across the room and stared at Alex. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to recover the warmth she had lost when she had moved from him. How could he mean so much to her? How could he be so important for her sanity….
Yet she was frightened by him. By his single-minded devotion. By how very sharply he could focus his mind. And it all focused on her.
Only he no longer saw her as perfect. He saw her for what she was. Without pretense. And he still loved her anyway.
Just as she did him.
That scared her even more.
Little half memories of possible futures with him played out in her mind. And all of them ended badly. Either in the end she flew to Michael’s arms or she and Alex simply imploded. Not once did they have a happy life.
And something was… wrong about that. Because he was so important to her. Why did they always implode in her little fantasies?
Isabel shook as the answer came to her. Aric. It always came down to Aric.
Tess had told Isabel about some of what Aric had done to Liz. Basically programming her to act against her own self-interests to help Tess win Max. The whole Future Max debacle had just been his ability to get into another’s head writ large.
Whispering softly into her dreams day after day…..
So too with these memories.
How much had he messed with her head? He had hated her. That much Isabel knew. Had hated Vilandra for some reason.
It was why he had raped her.
Isabel wasn’t sure if it made her blood colder to realize she had been raped not to attack her. But rather to attack whom she had been. To attack Vilandra. One of the people Aric had been supposed to guide and protect.
Isabel shook a little on the loveseat, wrapping her arms more tightly around herself, and continued her watch of Alex.
Would they ever be free of him? Would Aric’s… taint ever leave them?
The door opened quietly.
Isabel startled, a blast at the ready.
Gloria Whitman slowly walked into the room. Her hands were clearly visible, palms facing Isabel. Light from the next room followed her, but still kept Alex in relative darkness. “Good evening, dear. I presume you realize I mean you no harm. Quite the contrary.”
Isabel eyed her hostess warily, “What happened? Where is my Mom?” Isabel couldn’t quite let the little trickle of power leave her hand. She was so tired of being frightened all the time.
“You became hysterical. You lost control of your gifts and my son comforted you. In time you both fell asleep. Neither Diane nor I felt it wise to move either of you. Neither of us was exactly sure how you would react. Diane went home a couple of hours ago. But she left a couple of changes of clothing for you. I should be able to provide other essentials that you might need.” Gloria cocked her head slightly sideways, “How are you feeling now?”
Isabel looked up at the older woman. Someone she had once seen only as one of her mother’s friends. But now…. Alex had the strangest memories of her.
It was hard to see the same woman between the two visions. One a decorous lady who had always seemed calm and polite. The other swinging toy swords double handedly at Alex as the two of them sparred.
Gloria was not her enemy. Isabel knew that. And yet she remained nervous about the older woman. What Isabel wanted to say was that she was hungry and she would like a nice and long hot bath.
Instead Isabel went by her old standby. “I am fine.”
Gloria looked at her. She said softly, “Fine. I see. My dear, my son does love his sleep. Would you like to come to the kitchen with me and have a nice cup of coffee? I must say I mix it with the best.”
Isabel looked over at Alex.
Gloria laughed, “Oh, don’t worry. He will be up soon and hungry as a bear. Speaking of which, when was the last time you ate, Isabel?”
“I…” The mere thought of food had her stomach rumbling. She looked up at Gloria with a trace of dismay at her body’s betrayal.
Gloria crossed the distance between them, “Don’t worry, Alex will be safe.” She reached a hand down to Isabel.
Isabel took it and got up.
Gloria smiled, “Let’s get you something then. Odds are moderately good the food and the coffee will wake Alex up anyway, but he hoards every moment of sleep. Just so you know.” And she led Isabel into the kitchen.
Isabel took a seat at the small table and watched as Gloria started up the coffee. Gloria then stood in front of the refrigerator, muttering to herself.
Gloria turned to face Isabel and said nonchalantly, “Are there any dietary quirks or allergies I should be aware of?”
Isabel’s mouth flew open. ‘How much did Gloria know?’
Memories of her summoning the wind to protect her and Alex…..
Probably quite a bit.
Isabel looked down self consciously and said, “Sweet and spicy.”
“Excuse me my dear? Did you say sweet and spicy?”
Isabel looked up and said, “Yes. We, I, like the contrasts. It just makes everything taste so much better.”
Gloria said, “This I have to see.” She pulled out a tamale and a jar of marshmallow fluff, “If you don’t mind?”
Isabel sighed and dipped the tamale into the fluff.
Gloria tried one. Her grimace showed Isabel what she thought. Gloria looked at Isabel, “Must be an acquired taste.” She walked back to the refrigerator and stared deeply into it. “Right. Sweet AND spicy. Think broader.”
Isabel just watched and munched on her tamale. It wasn’t too bad with the fluff.
Gloria took the fluff away from her.
Isabel just stared at her in bemusement.
Gloria took out some bread and slathered marshmallow fluff on it. She then placed the last tamale from the fridge on and looked at it for a moment, and turned to face Isabel. She then whisked the tamale she had been eating out of her hands and put it on the sandwich. “Sorry, I need to borrow that for a moment.”
Isabel just looked at her and licked a tiny bit of fluff remaining on her hand.
Gloria looked at her. “Next time I will come up with something better. But for now, this will have to do.”
Isabel took a bite. Actually quite good. She waved her hand over it to heat the tamales. The only thing that would make it better…. Tabasco. “Um, do you have any Tabasco?” She licked a bit of fluff that had tried to escape.
Gloria nodded, “Now I know why having some was so important to Alex. None of us use much of it normally.” She crossed to the pantry and opened a bottle for Isabel. “Here you go. No need to wait for me. I am just going to have a boring old turkey sandwich.”
Isabel dug into her food and watched while Gloria made a sandwich for herself.
Gloria sat down and took a sip of coffee. She looked over, “I got yours right? Triple sweet, double light? That is what your mother told me this morning.”
Isabel took a sip of her coffee. And it was good. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
Gloria took a bite of her sandwich and mulled over the question while she chewed. “Mostly because you are important to Alex, dear. But then it’s usually a good policy to be nice to people in general. You never know when someone might be more important than what they seem.”
Isabel arched one eyebrow. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
“I think you know my dear. There is so much more to you than the Queen Bee type you try to pretend you are at school.” Gloria smiled, “You know your mother was actually worried about you being so self-absorbed. When really it was all a ruse. Hiding who and what you are from everyone. Am I not right?” Arching a brow to match Isabel’s own.
Isabel just backed up into her chair. Little tendrils of fear filling her again.
Gloria continued, “Diane and I had quite the chat here this afternoon. In part it was to comfort each other. Neither of us expected anything like this for either of our kids. And apparently there is more going on with your brother Max as well. And well, after what we saw when you threw us like dolls…. We decided that in some ways it would be easier if I talked to you first. If only because of my own experiences with it.”
Isabel’s retort was harsh, as she pulled her legs up to her chest. “What could you possibly know about what I have gone through?”
Gloria put her sandwich down and met Isabel eye to eye. Her hazel eyes a trifle more gray than her son’s. “About being a teenage alien with superpowers hiding from the government and various alien enemies? Absolutely nothing. About being a woman who has been raped, quite a bit actually. And I can tell you that it WILL shape you. But you have a choice how it will. And in that I can help you.”
Isabel looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it. What good would it do anyway? It happened. Let’s just leave it in the past.”
Gloria’s smile was grave and sad. “I am sorry dear. But you really can’t. It won’t just go away. Wouldn’t it be better to figure out how it will shape you, to figure out where you can go from here, than simply hiding? Aren’t you tired of being afraid? Because I know that I was. But then I was younger than you. Fifteen, certain that it could never happen to me.” Gloria shook her head, “I was lucky he didn’t simply kill me. He had before. No. Me, I got lucky. He left me stripped naked and beaten on the side of a hill outside of the city.”
Isabel just watched as the older woman related her tale.
Gloria continued, her gaze averted. Her voice full of emotion, cracking in a few places. “But I have always been a stubborn bitch, then and now. I found my way to a road, to the police. And it took us a year and a half but we nailed that bastard to the wall.” Gloria’s eyes took on a dreamy cast. “I remember staring him down in court, at his surprise as I testified against him. The stupid prick thought he had finished me! And I wasn’t the only one there. Too damn squeamish to make sure his victims were dead. Surprising the idiot hadn’t been caught earlier.” Gloria closed her eyes and cried.
Isabel bit her lip and tentatively reached out and grasped Gloria’s hand.
Gloria opened her tear-stained eyes and squeezed Isabel’s hand back. She wiped her eyes. Her voice was still thick as she continued, “So you see. I might not be able to help you with it all. But I think the part that hurts you most…. That I can help you with. Because, my dear, I have been there.”
Isabel simply didn’t know what to say. Saying this would have been so hard with her mom. In truth it would be hard enough to talk about now. But she felt a kinship with this woman.
A mixture of Alex’s fond memories and Gloria’s own tale? Hard to say. But what had seemed impossible didn’t seem quite so impossible anymore.
Maybe she could talk about this. Maybe she could move on.
Isabel opened her mouth a couple of times. But nothing would come out. She could feel herself shake with frustration.
Gloria came around the table and held her. “I know it’s hard Isabel. It is hard and it is not fair. But you need to talk it through. It never really goes away, but it does get better. That much I can promise you.”
So Isabel clung to Gloria and told her. “It began last week, on Thursday night when I went on a date with your son…..”
And like Gloria, she held back nothing.
keepsmilng7- Thanks. Yes that whole situation was a nightmare. Good thing Aric is dead. And no, Diane is not happy with her teenage children having communal showers with their significant other. If you were in her place would you be?
Ellie- Thanks. Seperating ALex and Isabel by force..... Bad idea. Very, very bad idea. As for the reprecussions of that flash, and rememeber everyone connected when Isabel pulsed that memory shared in that, will be partly dealt with in this part.
Mary mary- Thanks. Diane just made a horrible error in a moment of stress. Just remember that most of the time, Max and Isabel tried to be perfect kids. So they would probably have pretended to be ameniable to reasoning..... just to keep up the masquerade.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. For the help and the comments.
Ti88- Thanks. Things are not so grim as all that, as you will see in this part. And helping Isabel would be a big thing. Because she is as bad or worse than Michael was when he was out of control with his powers. Only Isabel is a) more used to using them and so her powers act up even more, and b) all of them have gotten much stronger over the last year or so.
DIsclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 5a
Alex - Party Friday night
Alex walked briskly behind Michael. He asked, “So do you have an idea where he might put a bomb?”
Michael shook his head, “Seriously, this is one whacked out Protector…..” Michael stopped a second.
Alex caught up and looked at him, “Hey we need to warn Valenti.”
Michael glanced back at him, “Yeah, you do. Go on ahead. I think I might have an idea after all.”
“We shouldn’t separate. He’s been picking us off, and I can at least watch your back.”
Michael looked across the house, music still blaring from it even now. “Maria said that she first saw Aric come in as a gardener.”
“So you think….”
“I don’t know but I know I have to look. So go warn Valenti and catch up with me. I will be near the garden shed next to the house.” Michael left.
Alex shook his head and watched as Michael swiftly moved towards the garden shed. Still too impulsive. Not that he would get much in the way of patience from Maria.
She was almost as bad.
Alex ran up into the house, meeting Jan on the way. Something was off about her as she glanced at him. He couldn’t quite say what.
But then the party she gave every year had just been pretty thoroughly trashed. That might have something to do with her sour look. “Merry Christmas, Jan. Is Valenti still here?”
“He was getting ready to leave. My parents will never let me live this down. This is probably the worst night of my life.” She started to wander off into the darkness behind the house.
Possibly heading towards the barn.
Alex sighed. Why couldn’t life ever be simple? Why did people have to get caught in the crossfire like this?
Jan had always been stuck-up and annoying. Part of that clique that thought that just because her parents had money, she was important. And if you didn’t have rich or important parents….
Alex just shook his head and headed off to grab Valenti. He saw him walking toward the foyer. “Sherriff, I need a word with you.”
The Sheriff looked back at him, “Hey Alex, I am really busy right now. Kyle filled me in a little on what you are trying to do here. I wish you had trusted me with more of it. But right now, I just need to make sure that everything is bolted down tight and that no one finds the alien connection.”
“Sheriff, we think he has put a bomb inside of here. That once he has all our friends together, he will blow this place up to cover his tracks.”
The Sheriff reached up and cupped his hands over his mouth, thinking. He looked over at Alex, “You are sure about this?”
Alex nodded, “Pretty sure, but not positive. Michael is looking right now. He thinks maybe that….”
The Sheriff reached out and grabbed Alex’s shoulders. “Go to Michael, and tell him to get out of there. If there is a bomb, the last thing we need is for him to set it off or for him to get hurt. I will make sure that everyone gets out of here. Now go!”
The Sheriff ran out the front door calling for Deputy Owen Blackwood…..
Alex just shook his head. One errand down. Next errand; stop Michael from getting captured or killed.
‘Go me?’
He patted the small bulge that hid the pistol he had taken from his mother’s cache. This was his secret weapon. The bullets in the loaded clip were special too. Depleted Uranium. Something aliens couldn’t alter with their powers.
He rushed over towards Michael, when he saw a familiar sight.
Ed Harding stood gloating at the door to the barn.
Alex’s hand opened his jacket and removed the gun from its holster, quickly chambering a round. He moved a little bit closer. He followed his mother’s instructions on how to hold the pistol.
Aric closed the barn door.
‘And squeeze the trigger.’
BANG!
Aric was hit!
Alex’s ears echoed with the sound of the gun. But he was focused. ‘Line up another shot….’
‘Squeeze the trigger…..’
Only this time he was too slow. Aric blasted him.
BANG!
The shot was wild.
He saw Aric advance on him, his left arm hanging uselessly. His right hand glittered.
But what amazed Alex was how slow everything seemed to be moving now. How slow and yet so fast all at the same time.
He rolled to a prone position, to take another shot at Aric, before Aric blasted him again.
BANG!
Again he missed. But this time because Michael had blasted Aric from behind.
A brief thrill moved through Alex.
They might just win this!
And then off to his right the world ended. Or so it felt as he was tossed by the exploding house. Not too far. But he could feel the heat from the massive fire.
Fear leapt into him when he saw a burning timber set the barn on fire. He had to get up, he had to save them!
He saw Aric stumble to his feet. Alex was trying to get up himself, but the world was still spinning.
He watched as Aric stumbled over to an unconscious Michael, and with one hand threw him over his shoulder.
NO! He had to stop this. He had to!
‘FOCUS! CALM YOUSELF! Things are always hectic, always confused on the battlefield. You can do more good if you are calm. You will feel fear, and anger, even love, the whole gamut of human emotions. Feeling them is not a mistake, letting them rule you, is. SO be calm, and focus…..
And take the shot.’
He could almost hear his mother talking to him. It was a risk, but this was probably his last shot. Pistols weren’t the most accurate weapon to begin with. And every foot would make the shot harder, and possibly more likely to hit his friend.
Alex fired one last time. A brief surge of euphoria as he saw Aric stagger.
But Aric kept moving.
Not enough. Alex had hurt him.
But not enough.
He was still trying to get up when Tess drove off with his hybrid friends and Aric.
All Alex could do was watch them and cry. Too likely to hit his friends at that range. Too likely to hit Isabel.
And so he made his plans. He would finish Aric.
By his hand and no other.
It would happen.
Alex would make certain of it if he had to chase Aric all the way to Antar to finish him off.
But it would happen.
And he cried.
-------
Isabel - current day
Isabel sat up and unwound herself from Alex. It was dark outside now, only a few glimmers of light streaming in from outside.
She could feel him dreaming. Even now he was dreaming of her.
Isabel could feel parts of herself at war. The need to be a part of him, and the need to be apart. To be detached always from the normal human realm.
Because she wasn’t truly human after all. This whole human thing had been a way of marking time, of waiting.
Waiting for what? Her destiny?
Isabel sighed and walked across the room and stared at Alex. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to recover the warmth she had lost when she had moved from him. How could he mean so much to her? How could he be so important for her sanity….
Yet she was frightened by him. By his single-minded devotion. By how very sharply he could focus his mind. And it all focused on her.
Only he no longer saw her as perfect. He saw her for what she was. Without pretense. And he still loved her anyway.
Just as she did him.
That scared her even more.
Little half memories of possible futures with him played out in her mind. And all of them ended badly. Either in the end she flew to Michael’s arms or she and Alex simply imploded. Not once did they have a happy life.
And something was… wrong about that. Because he was so important to her. Why did they always implode in her little fantasies?
Isabel shook as the answer came to her. Aric. It always came down to Aric.
Tess had told Isabel about some of what Aric had done to Liz. Basically programming her to act against her own self-interests to help Tess win Max. The whole Future Max debacle had just been his ability to get into another’s head writ large.
Whispering softly into her dreams day after day…..
So too with these memories.
How much had he messed with her head? He had hated her. That much Isabel knew. Had hated Vilandra for some reason.
It was why he had raped her.
Isabel wasn’t sure if it made her blood colder to realize she had been raped not to attack her. But rather to attack whom she had been. To attack Vilandra. One of the people Aric had been supposed to guide and protect.
Isabel shook a little on the loveseat, wrapping her arms more tightly around herself, and continued her watch of Alex.
Would they ever be free of him? Would Aric’s… taint ever leave them?
The door opened quietly.
Isabel startled, a blast at the ready.
Gloria Whitman slowly walked into the room. Her hands were clearly visible, palms facing Isabel. Light from the next room followed her, but still kept Alex in relative darkness. “Good evening, dear. I presume you realize I mean you no harm. Quite the contrary.”
Isabel eyed her hostess warily, “What happened? Where is my Mom?” Isabel couldn’t quite let the little trickle of power leave her hand. She was so tired of being frightened all the time.
“You became hysterical. You lost control of your gifts and my son comforted you. In time you both fell asleep. Neither Diane nor I felt it wise to move either of you. Neither of us was exactly sure how you would react. Diane went home a couple of hours ago. But she left a couple of changes of clothing for you. I should be able to provide other essentials that you might need.” Gloria cocked her head slightly sideways, “How are you feeling now?”
Isabel looked up at the older woman. Someone she had once seen only as one of her mother’s friends. But now…. Alex had the strangest memories of her.
It was hard to see the same woman between the two visions. One a decorous lady who had always seemed calm and polite. The other swinging toy swords double handedly at Alex as the two of them sparred.
Gloria was not her enemy. Isabel knew that. And yet she remained nervous about the older woman. What Isabel wanted to say was that she was hungry and she would like a nice and long hot bath.
Instead Isabel went by her old standby. “I am fine.”
Gloria looked at her. She said softly, “Fine. I see. My dear, my son does love his sleep. Would you like to come to the kitchen with me and have a nice cup of coffee? I must say I mix it with the best.”
Isabel looked over at Alex.
Gloria laughed, “Oh, don’t worry. He will be up soon and hungry as a bear. Speaking of which, when was the last time you ate, Isabel?”
“I…” The mere thought of food had her stomach rumbling. She looked up at Gloria with a trace of dismay at her body’s betrayal.
Gloria crossed the distance between them, “Don’t worry, Alex will be safe.” She reached a hand down to Isabel.
Isabel took it and got up.
Gloria smiled, “Let’s get you something then. Odds are moderately good the food and the coffee will wake Alex up anyway, but he hoards every moment of sleep. Just so you know.” And she led Isabel into the kitchen.
Isabel took a seat at the small table and watched as Gloria started up the coffee. Gloria then stood in front of the refrigerator, muttering to herself.
Gloria turned to face Isabel and said nonchalantly, “Are there any dietary quirks or allergies I should be aware of?”
Isabel’s mouth flew open. ‘How much did Gloria know?’
Memories of her summoning the wind to protect her and Alex…..
Probably quite a bit.
Isabel looked down self consciously and said, “Sweet and spicy.”
“Excuse me my dear? Did you say sweet and spicy?”
Isabel looked up and said, “Yes. We, I, like the contrasts. It just makes everything taste so much better.”
Gloria said, “This I have to see.” She pulled out a tamale and a jar of marshmallow fluff, “If you don’t mind?”
Isabel sighed and dipped the tamale into the fluff.
Gloria tried one. Her grimace showed Isabel what she thought. Gloria looked at Isabel, “Must be an acquired taste.” She walked back to the refrigerator and stared deeply into it. “Right. Sweet AND spicy. Think broader.”
Isabel just watched and munched on her tamale. It wasn’t too bad with the fluff.
Gloria took the fluff away from her.
Isabel just stared at her in bemusement.
Gloria took out some bread and slathered marshmallow fluff on it. She then placed the last tamale from the fridge on and looked at it for a moment, and turned to face Isabel. She then whisked the tamale she had been eating out of her hands and put it on the sandwich. “Sorry, I need to borrow that for a moment.”
Isabel just looked at her and licked a tiny bit of fluff remaining on her hand.
Gloria looked at her. “Next time I will come up with something better. But for now, this will have to do.”
Isabel took a bite. Actually quite good. She waved her hand over it to heat the tamales. The only thing that would make it better…. Tabasco. “Um, do you have any Tabasco?” She licked a bit of fluff that had tried to escape.
Gloria nodded, “Now I know why having some was so important to Alex. None of us use much of it normally.” She crossed to the pantry and opened a bottle for Isabel. “Here you go. No need to wait for me. I am just going to have a boring old turkey sandwich.”
Isabel dug into her food and watched while Gloria made a sandwich for herself.
Gloria sat down and took a sip of coffee. She looked over, “I got yours right? Triple sweet, double light? That is what your mother told me this morning.”
Isabel took a sip of her coffee. And it was good. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
Gloria took a bite of her sandwich and mulled over the question while she chewed. “Mostly because you are important to Alex, dear. But then it’s usually a good policy to be nice to people in general. You never know when someone might be more important than what they seem.”
Isabel arched one eyebrow. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
“I think you know my dear. There is so much more to you than the Queen Bee type you try to pretend you are at school.” Gloria smiled, “You know your mother was actually worried about you being so self-absorbed. When really it was all a ruse. Hiding who and what you are from everyone. Am I not right?” Arching a brow to match Isabel’s own.
Isabel just backed up into her chair. Little tendrils of fear filling her again.
Gloria continued, “Diane and I had quite the chat here this afternoon. In part it was to comfort each other. Neither of us expected anything like this for either of our kids. And apparently there is more going on with your brother Max as well. And well, after what we saw when you threw us like dolls…. We decided that in some ways it would be easier if I talked to you first. If only because of my own experiences with it.”
Isabel’s retort was harsh, as she pulled her legs up to her chest. “What could you possibly know about what I have gone through?”
Gloria put her sandwich down and met Isabel eye to eye. Her hazel eyes a trifle more gray than her son’s. “About being a teenage alien with superpowers hiding from the government and various alien enemies? Absolutely nothing. About being a woman who has been raped, quite a bit actually. And I can tell you that it WILL shape you. But you have a choice how it will. And in that I can help you.”
Isabel looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it. What good would it do anyway? It happened. Let’s just leave it in the past.”
Gloria’s smile was grave and sad. “I am sorry dear. But you really can’t. It won’t just go away. Wouldn’t it be better to figure out how it will shape you, to figure out where you can go from here, than simply hiding? Aren’t you tired of being afraid? Because I know that I was. But then I was younger than you. Fifteen, certain that it could never happen to me.” Gloria shook her head, “I was lucky he didn’t simply kill me. He had before. No. Me, I got lucky. He left me stripped naked and beaten on the side of a hill outside of the city.”
Isabel just watched as the older woman related her tale.
Gloria continued, her gaze averted. Her voice full of emotion, cracking in a few places. “But I have always been a stubborn bitch, then and now. I found my way to a road, to the police. And it took us a year and a half but we nailed that bastard to the wall.” Gloria’s eyes took on a dreamy cast. “I remember staring him down in court, at his surprise as I testified against him. The stupid prick thought he had finished me! And I wasn’t the only one there. Too damn squeamish to make sure his victims were dead. Surprising the idiot hadn’t been caught earlier.” Gloria closed her eyes and cried.
Isabel bit her lip and tentatively reached out and grasped Gloria’s hand.
Gloria opened her tear-stained eyes and squeezed Isabel’s hand back. She wiped her eyes. Her voice was still thick as she continued, “So you see. I might not be able to help you with it all. But I think the part that hurts you most…. That I can help you with. Because, my dear, I have been there.”
Isabel simply didn’t know what to say. Saying this would have been so hard with her mom. In truth it would be hard enough to talk about now. But she felt a kinship with this woman.
A mixture of Alex’s fond memories and Gloria’s own tale? Hard to say. But what had seemed impossible didn’t seem quite so impossible anymore.
Maybe she could talk about this. Maybe she could move on.
Isabel opened her mouth a couple of times. But nothing would come out. She could feel herself shake with frustration.
Gloria came around the table and held her. “I know it’s hard Isabel. It is hard and it is not fair. But you need to talk it through. It never really goes away, but it does get better. That much I can promise you.”
So Isabel clung to Gloria and told her. “It began last week, on Thursday night when I went on a date with your son…..”
And like Gloria, she held back nothing.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 5 - 08/07/10
Thanks to everyone reading this story. Hopefully the next part won't take quite so long.
Ellie- Thanks as always. Yep. They can all help each other. And seperating Alex and Isabel would be unwise right now. They need each other. As to Alex's reaction, well you will see some of it here.
Carrie- Thanks. KIss left some pretty big loose ends. These stories are to deal with them a little. There just was a lot to say. Hope you continue to enjoy.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 6
Isabel, Friday night as a prisoner of Aric’s at Eagle Rock
Isabel lay huddled under the blankets. She really would have given herself to Michael to save Alex. It would have broken her. But she would have done it.
But now. Now she could feel a difference in the bond. The incredible focus that filled Alex’s mind had changed.
Gone was the tightly bound rage and focused hate. Now he just wanted to see her. To make sure she was safe.
His own soul tasted of ashes. He had always been such a kind and good man.
And now he had killed. For the good of them all. But still… The murder lay heavily on him.
Isabel understood entirely. Her own life was shattered around her. She no longer truly knew who or what she was.
She was still sobbing silently when Tess came into the room. Tess lightly patted her arm. “Aric is dead.”
Isabel looked up at Tess. At this new honest Tess. Funny how they had all changed so much in the last few days. How her friends had grown.
Even Alex had grown, if in ways he was not happy with. What did she have to show of the last few days, except horrific pain?
Once more she had been the weak link that had allowed the enemy to nearly succeed.
And yet….
She could feel Alex’s burning need for her. Could feel his love and desire for her still. He loved her.
Why? Why did he still love her? He was the hero now. A veritable knight in shining armor. A paladin amongst men.
And yet even now he wanted her. Just her.
Isabel said softly, “I know. Alex killed him. He promised me.” She began rocking herself slightly, tears slipping down her cheeks. “Good old Alex. Always keeps his promises, no matter how much it hurt him. And this hurt him…. I can feel it. I can feel the pain, feel the…. Feel the love. He still loves me. Even now, even after all that I have cost him. Why? Why does he love me so?”
Tess just held her. “I don’t know why Kyle loves me either. All I have done is lie to him.”
Isabel’s voice a touch of her old self, “and lie with him. This is Kyle we are talking about.” A tiny smile peeked out, “With the chemistry you two have, I am surprised I didn’t see it earlier.”
“Feeling better?”
Isabel shook her head, “No. But Alex is coming and he will need me.” She said wonderingly, “He really needs me as much as I need him. It’s funny.”
Tess gave her another hug and handed her some clothes.
Isabel smiled and slowly started putting them on. Even Tess’s presence made her nervous with her nudity. She could remember being proud of her appearance. Almost arrogant at the exquisitely engineered body those who had re-created her had gifted her with...
She closed her eyes and tried to remember the girl who had stood and posed naked against the desert backdrop for Grant. She remembered shivering and laughing under a small waterfall near the rock where she and Alex had Stargazed so awkwardly those early days. When she had not known his worth.
When HE had not known his worth.
In many ways he still didn’t.
She had gladly given most of herself to a man who had not loved her. A man who had given her expensive gifts and honeyed promises. But she had known Grant hadn’t really wanted more than what most of the boys at West Roswell had wanted.
And like them, she had denied him home plate. It wasn’t so much that she had been saving herself, but she had wanted her first time to be with someone who at least thought he loved her.
Grant had made her feel so special at times. With him it had all been an act. But Alex….
Alex really loved her. Somehow, someway his crush, for that is what it had been in those early days had truly turned to love for her.
Something that she had missed for so long. Something she had denied in her effort to keep him her faithful and trusty friend. It had seemed so much safer to have him as a friend than as something more, as someone who could truly see her. Could see her and love her anyway.
Isabel sat back and waited for Alex to arrive. She could feel him move closer, his heart clenching so deeply it made her own heart ache. She nervously bit her lower lip as she watched him enter the room.
His normally gleeful eyes looked so shuttered and drawn. He looked so empty standing there. He plaintively raised a hand for her to hold. His eyes showed that he thought she would reject him now. Reject the killer that he had become.
It took all of her showmanship to raise and grasp his hand without wincing or showing a sign of aversion. He would not understand, not at the moment, that it was the memory of Aric in his body that made it so hard. He would think she would fear him. A seed of rejection that neither of them could afford.
But it was so hard. So bitterly hard to remember that this was not Aric. That this was her Alex. Was the man who had done everything he could to save her. For the first time she was truly nervous about the signals her body was sending to a boy. Nervous that he would see the fear, would see the self-doubt and weakness in her. And reject her.
She knew he needed her, but not as much as she needed him. Not now.
She smiled wanly. “It’s finally over.”
Alex smiled, the smile seeming only a little forced, “No, my dear, it has now begun….”
Tess excused herself.
Isabel and Alex just gazed into each other’s eyes, both searching.
It was Isabel who broke the silence. “Where do we go from here?”
Alex’s voice was soft, “I don’t know. From the beginning I guess.”
Isabel looked away. “I can’t do that Alex.”
She could feel his heart drop. Could feel him wait for the rejection he expected. To once more be kicked to the curb. Maybe with a bread crumb or two to keep him eager.
She could feel his hand retract. Could feel him steel himself.
But she would not let his hand go. She turned to face him, eyes bright with tears. “I can’t start again with you. Not from the beginning. I love you Alex. I truly do. And I think we both know how you feel.” She paused to catch her breath. “I don’t know what or how we will proceed, we are both so broken. But if you are willing… If you still love me….”
Alex engulfed her and gave her a passionate kiss. One that filled her with desire.
And terror.
Both of them backed away and stared at each other. Both of them full of the same love, desire, and terror. Both of them broken in the same way by the same evil creature.
Isabel cried as she looked at him, “I am sorry.”
He also had tears in his eyes, “It will take time. Time for us to heal. But know that I will ALWAYS love you Isabel. I don’t think that is ever going to change.”
Isabel could only smile and wipe a tear from his eye. She let hers rain down.
He smiled at her, and for the first time since entering, it was genuine. “Let’s go, our friends are waiting.”
-------
Gloria - current day (Late Saturday/ Early Sunday morning)
Gloria was exhausted. Physically, mentally, spiritually, she was just about at empty. Funny how once she had been like the girl across the table from her.
Running on empty and yet having the limitless energy of youth.
Isabel Evans had been through the fire. And yet, Gloria was fairly certain that she would make it. There was a toughness to the girl, fragile though she seemed now.
She would be changed by her experiences, Gloria certainly had been. But that energy could be channeled to positive outlets. Productive outlets.
It might be years before the first fruits of Isabel’s recovery showed, but Gloria planned on being there for the girl. Whether she remained with her son or not.
They shared a bond now. A painful bond, but a bond never the less.
One that she shared with her son too.
Gloria closed her eyes in pain.
“Are you okay, Mrs. Whitman? It is kind of late. Thank you for showing me these pictures, but if you need to go to bed…”
“No, no, I am fine. Here let me grab you out the book when we moved here. Alex had such a hard time getting settled into school here.” So had she. Oh, it had been better than being in Omaha, near Charles’ ex-wife and his other kids. But still she had been adjusting to life outside of the army, to the life of an assistant professor at the local community college.
Hard days. The fights from before their move had lingered and poor little Alex had been so tense that his dad would leave him for his other family.
Isabel laughed at Alex’s bowl haircut and braces. Poor Alex had been so awkward that year. She turned the page, and said fondly, “Maria and Liz to the rescue.”
Gloria smiled softly, “They were just what he needed. And he repaid them back by supporting them. It worked. I always wondered if he would ever choose one or the other or if they would all simply remain friends.”
“Yeah, well I was still pretty shy that year. I had my friends, but still….”
“Your mother said you hang out with the popular crowd these days.”
Isabel shook her head, “I do. I did. After all that has happened, I don’t know… But I think some of them; some of them are still my friends. But you know, high school…. So much pointless drama.”
Gloria’s lips curled into a full smile, “Well adult life feels like that too sometimes I am afraid. There was this one time, back when I was in the Army that….” Gloria stopped. Her son, stood gingerly in the doorway.
His eyes were… strange. The emotions moving so quickly across his face, she wasn’t quite sure where to peg them.
Isabel turned around, “Alex?”
Alex’s voice was soft, “Um. Sorry. I, uh, didn’t mean to disturb you two. I, uh, will go back and just sit down.” He turned and fled.
Isabel’s eyes were wide as she looked from where Alex had been over to Gloria. Her mouth twisted into a slight worried frown as she stood up, “I, I think I should talk to him.”
Gloria nodded. “Yes. He will need you.” Gloria’s stomach did sick flip-flops. To see her son in such pain… To know exactly how he felt.
To suffer at the hands of another. To kill in defense of one’s self and your loved ones. Alex had done both.
So had she.
She could still remember that group of thugs that had invaded her home. They had beaten Charles, had threatened little Alex.
Gloria could remember fleeing to her bedroom. They had thought it had been simple fear. One of them had whispered what they would do to her. How they would take and rape her. That if she were good they would see that she enjoyed it.
But if she made it hard for them they would make her suffer. Would slit her Alex’s throat…..
Only it hadn’t been fear that had driven her to her room. She remembered her hands trembling as she used the key to open the gun safe.
The door had shuddered. It had buckled under the second assault of the angry man’s shoulder. She remembered his eyes as he burst into the room.
Eyes, frightened eyes, as he saw the gun.
She had shot him. Had moved smoothly through the house and killed them all. They had shot at her too. But they really weren’t ready for her. Weren’t really trained for violence.
She had killed them all. They had needed to die. Just like Aric had.
But it had never left her.
She hadn’t even seen Isabel leave her. She mechanically got up and did what she was certain would help her son the most. Isabel could provide the comfort here. Gloria would help, but she knew that she was no longer truly the woman first in his heart.
And that was okay. Earlier than she had expected, but okay.
She made several of the large Dagwood style sandwiches she knew Alex liked and grabbed a mug of coffee. He would be hungry.
Gloria came out and saw Isabel holding a sobbing Alex as he told her everything. And she stood there listening to the young woman who would be her daughter in law comfort her broken son. As she had him share in words what had happened to him, and what he had done.
At one point, he glanced up and saw her. And he stopped.
She smiled tremulously.
Isabel looked fondly at Gloria and looked over at Alex. “Go on, Alex. She understands. She really does.” She waved Gloria over to a chair nearby. “She should hear this, it will be hard. For both of you. For all of us. But then you will understand. And someday it will be okay. “
Gloria put the sandwiches down on a side table near Alex. “For you. I will go if you want me to.”
Alex looked from Isabel to Gloria. He closed his eyes and said softly. “No. Stay. Maybe, maybe you will understand too.”
So he continued.
And he left out nothing.
-------
Isabel, hours later, Early Sunday morning.
Isabel yawned as she shifted restlessly on the couch.
Something was missing. She simply couldn’t get comfortable.
It had been a difficult night. A painful week. But for the first time she thought she might just make it.
It was more than just that Aric was dead. More than Alex loving her. No, she thought she might be able to recover herself. To once again be the Isabel Evans she had always thought she was again.
Maybe a little wiser. A little more careful. But still herself.
Gloria had given her hope. For herself and for Alex. Listening to him had been hard. In some ways harder than telling Gloria had been. Somehow the words just made it seem so much more real.
She rolled to her feet, catlike, and moved silently through the house. Her powers were back, and a trick she had long learned let her use even the smallest amount of light to see.
She quietly walked to Alex’s room and opened the door. And she stood watching him.
He was shuddering in the grips of some dire nightmare.
It was so strange. He had been so strong when they had been facing Aric. Had he worn himself out doing what he had needed to do?
She should help him. She turned to go back to her couch, to enter his dreams, when she stopped. Gloria already knew that she had slept with Alex. She might not be totally happy with Isabel if she slid in with Alex, but if it helped her son, Isabel was fairly sure she would endorse it.
Besides it would simply be sleep. More than that…
Isabel shuddered.
More would take a while.
So she lifted the covers and prepared to lay down with him. She stopped as she stared at his bare back.
She remembered the first time. Where the bond had grown. The feel of his skin against hers….
It had increased the intensity of the bond, that closeness. She looked down at her sweats. A green pair her mother had gotten her last Christmas.
How hard could it be? She raised the hem of her top. And stopped as the fear gripped her.
Isabel closed her eyes.
Always she had let fear hold her back. It had protected her in some ways, but in others….
Alex would not hurt her. He would die first.
She didn’t need to do this. She knew that. It would be just as good with a thin layer of fabric between them.
But she ached for that connection. For that closeness.
She paused a second and took a deep shuddering breath, and tore off her top, flinging it onto the floor.
She wasn’t going to let her fear stop her.
The bottoms were staying on. No need to scandalize poor Gloria more than she would now.
Before her fear could stop her she slid in behind Alex and wrapped the blankets around them both.
The connection flared up between them, tiny trails of light leaking from the blankets.
Sex.
There was a large part of Isabel that thought she might never be able to bring herself to want it again. The thought of it struck fear. Of her body pleasuring itself while her true love was forced to watch.
That got her every time. She had KNOWN something was wrong, but had been so caught up in the pure sensation. Had let herself get fooled again. And if what Whitaker had told her were true, if the hints that Nicholas had dropped were even partly true. If she had been even the slightest bit like Lonnie….
She couldn’t trust herself with sex. It would lead her to sell out all that was good and pure in her life.
And she knew that wasn’t strictly reasonable. That it was drawing from her fear of what had happened to her. It still made her view the act as one that she would never feel safe indulging in.
Not just for her sake but for others.
But, maybe she was wrong. Maybe more would be sooner than she thought. Maybe she would be able to trust herself with someone who was truly honest. Honest like Alex.
Maybe with him she would be safe.
A tiny wisp of fear left her and she settled in and enjoyed the sensuous pleasure of his body against hers. More than this would be a long way off.
No need to rush. Not when she knew that one day she would get there. And she would. With Alex at her side she would get there.
She felt Alex wake. “Isabel?” His voice was a combination of shock, pleasure, and a worry.
Isabel pulled him close, “Sleep, my dear. Just sleep. I will be here for you and you for me.”
Alex looked at her, probably not realizing she could see him. “Just sleep huh?”
Isabel wriggled against him, trying to find the most comfortable fit. “Just sleep,” She said commandingly. And coyly finished, “For now.”
He chuckled, a real laugh.
It took time for their bodies to settle, but they slept.
And they slept in peace.
Ellie- Thanks as always. Yep. They can all help each other. And seperating Alex and Isabel would be unwise right now. They need each other. As to Alex's reaction, well you will see some of it here.
Carrie- Thanks. KIss left some pretty big loose ends. These stories are to deal with them a little. There just was a lot to say. Hope you continue to enjoy.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 6
Isabel, Friday night as a prisoner of Aric’s at Eagle Rock
Isabel lay huddled under the blankets. She really would have given herself to Michael to save Alex. It would have broken her. But she would have done it.
But now. Now she could feel a difference in the bond. The incredible focus that filled Alex’s mind had changed.
Gone was the tightly bound rage and focused hate. Now he just wanted to see her. To make sure she was safe.
His own soul tasted of ashes. He had always been such a kind and good man.
And now he had killed. For the good of them all. But still… The murder lay heavily on him.
Isabel understood entirely. Her own life was shattered around her. She no longer truly knew who or what she was.
She was still sobbing silently when Tess came into the room. Tess lightly patted her arm. “Aric is dead.”
Isabel looked up at Tess. At this new honest Tess. Funny how they had all changed so much in the last few days. How her friends had grown.
Even Alex had grown, if in ways he was not happy with. What did she have to show of the last few days, except horrific pain?
Once more she had been the weak link that had allowed the enemy to nearly succeed.
And yet….
She could feel Alex’s burning need for her. Could feel his love and desire for her still. He loved her.
Why? Why did he still love her? He was the hero now. A veritable knight in shining armor. A paladin amongst men.
And yet even now he wanted her. Just her.
Isabel said softly, “I know. Alex killed him. He promised me.” She began rocking herself slightly, tears slipping down her cheeks. “Good old Alex. Always keeps his promises, no matter how much it hurt him. And this hurt him…. I can feel it. I can feel the pain, feel the…. Feel the love. He still loves me. Even now, even after all that I have cost him. Why? Why does he love me so?”
Tess just held her. “I don’t know why Kyle loves me either. All I have done is lie to him.”
Isabel’s voice a touch of her old self, “and lie with him. This is Kyle we are talking about.” A tiny smile peeked out, “With the chemistry you two have, I am surprised I didn’t see it earlier.”
“Feeling better?”
Isabel shook her head, “No. But Alex is coming and he will need me.” She said wonderingly, “He really needs me as much as I need him. It’s funny.”
Tess gave her another hug and handed her some clothes.
Isabel smiled and slowly started putting them on. Even Tess’s presence made her nervous with her nudity. She could remember being proud of her appearance. Almost arrogant at the exquisitely engineered body those who had re-created her had gifted her with...
She closed her eyes and tried to remember the girl who had stood and posed naked against the desert backdrop for Grant. She remembered shivering and laughing under a small waterfall near the rock where she and Alex had Stargazed so awkwardly those early days. When she had not known his worth.
When HE had not known his worth.
In many ways he still didn’t.
She had gladly given most of herself to a man who had not loved her. A man who had given her expensive gifts and honeyed promises. But she had known Grant hadn’t really wanted more than what most of the boys at West Roswell had wanted.
And like them, she had denied him home plate. It wasn’t so much that she had been saving herself, but she had wanted her first time to be with someone who at least thought he loved her.
Grant had made her feel so special at times. With him it had all been an act. But Alex….
Alex really loved her. Somehow, someway his crush, for that is what it had been in those early days had truly turned to love for her.
Something that she had missed for so long. Something she had denied in her effort to keep him her faithful and trusty friend. It had seemed so much safer to have him as a friend than as something more, as someone who could truly see her. Could see her and love her anyway.
Isabel sat back and waited for Alex to arrive. She could feel him move closer, his heart clenching so deeply it made her own heart ache. She nervously bit her lower lip as she watched him enter the room.
His normally gleeful eyes looked so shuttered and drawn. He looked so empty standing there. He plaintively raised a hand for her to hold. His eyes showed that he thought she would reject him now. Reject the killer that he had become.
It took all of her showmanship to raise and grasp his hand without wincing or showing a sign of aversion. He would not understand, not at the moment, that it was the memory of Aric in his body that made it so hard. He would think she would fear him. A seed of rejection that neither of them could afford.
But it was so hard. So bitterly hard to remember that this was not Aric. That this was her Alex. Was the man who had done everything he could to save her. For the first time she was truly nervous about the signals her body was sending to a boy. Nervous that he would see the fear, would see the self-doubt and weakness in her. And reject her.
She knew he needed her, but not as much as she needed him. Not now.
She smiled wanly. “It’s finally over.”
Alex smiled, the smile seeming only a little forced, “No, my dear, it has now begun….”
Tess excused herself.
Isabel and Alex just gazed into each other’s eyes, both searching.
It was Isabel who broke the silence. “Where do we go from here?”
Alex’s voice was soft, “I don’t know. From the beginning I guess.”
Isabel looked away. “I can’t do that Alex.”
She could feel his heart drop. Could feel him wait for the rejection he expected. To once more be kicked to the curb. Maybe with a bread crumb or two to keep him eager.
She could feel his hand retract. Could feel him steel himself.
But she would not let his hand go. She turned to face him, eyes bright with tears. “I can’t start again with you. Not from the beginning. I love you Alex. I truly do. And I think we both know how you feel.” She paused to catch her breath. “I don’t know what or how we will proceed, we are both so broken. But if you are willing… If you still love me….”
Alex engulfed her and gave her a passionate kiss. One that filled her with desire.
And terror.
Both of them backed away and stared at each other. Both of them full of the same love, desire, and terror. Both of them broken in the same way by the same evil creature.
Isabel cried as she looked at him, “I am sorry.”
He also had tears in his eyes, “It will take time. Time for us to heal. But know that I will ALWAYS love you Isabel. I don’t think that is ever going to change.”
Isabel could only smile and wipe a tear from his eye. She let hers rain down.
He smiled at her, and for the first time since entering, it was genuine. “Let’s go, our friends are waiting.”
-------
Gloria - current day (Late Saturday/ Early Sunday morning)
Gloria was exhausted. Physically, mentally, spiritually, she was just about at empty. Funny how once she had been like the girl across the table from her.
Running on empty and yet having the limitless energy of youth.
Isabel Evans had been through the fire. And yet, Gloria was fairly certain that she would make it. There was a toughness to the girl, fragile though she seemed now.
She would be changed by her experiences, Gloria certainly had been. But that energy could be channeled to positive outlets. Productive outlets.
It might be years before the first fruits of Isabel’s recovery showed, but Gloria planned on being there for the girl. Whether she remained with her son or not.
They shared a bond now. A painful bond, but a bond never the less.
One that she shared with her son too.
Gloria closed her eyes in pain.
“Are you okay, Mrs. Whitman? It is kind of late. Thank you for showing me these pictures, but if you need to go to bed…”
“No, no, I am fine. Here let me grab you out the book when we moved here. Alex had such a hard time getting settled into school here.” So had she. Oh, it had been better than being in Omaha, near Charles’ ex-wife and his other kids. But still she had been adjusting to life outside of the army, to the life of an assistant professor at the local community college.
Hard days. The fights from before their move had lingered and poor little Alex had been so tense that his dad would leave him for his other family.
Isabel laughed at Alex’s bowl haircut and braces. Poor Alex had been so awkward that year. She turned the page, and said fondly, “Maria and Liz to the rescue.”
Gloria smiled softly, “They were just what he needed. And he repaid them back by supporting them. It worked. I always wondered if he would ever choose one or the other or if they would all simply remain friends.”
“Yeah, well I was still pretty shy that year. I had my friends, but still….”
“Your mother said you hang out with the popular crowd these days.”
Isabel shook her head, “I do. I did. After all that has happened, I don’t know… But I think some of them; some of them are still my friends. But you know, high school…. So much pointless drama.”
Gloria’s lips curled into a full smile, “Well adult life feels like that too sometimes I am afraid. There was this one time, back when I was in the Army that….” Gloria stopped. Her son, stood gingerly in the doorway.
His eyes were… strange. The emotions moving so quickly across his face, she wasn’t quite sure where to peg them.
Isabel turned around, “Alex?”
Alex’s voice was soft, “Um. Sorry. I, uh, didn’t mean to disturb you two. I, uh, will go back and just sit down.” He turned and fled.
Isabel’s eyes were wide as she looked from where Alex had been over to Gloria. Her mouth twisted into a slight worried frown as she stood up, “I, I think I should talk to him.”
Gloria nodded. “Yes. He will need you.” Gloria’s stomach did sick flip-flops. To see her son in such pain… To know exactly how he felt.
To suffer at the hands of another. To kill in defense of one’s self and your loved ones. Alex had done both.
So had she.
She could still remember that group of thugs that had invaded her home. They had beaten Charles, had threatened little Alex.
Gloria could remember fleeing to her bedroom. They had thought it had been simple fear. One of them had whispered what they would do to her. How they would take and rape her. That if she were good they would see that she enjoyed it.
But if she made it hard for them they would make her suffer. Would slit her Alex’s throat…..
Only it hadn’t been fear that had driven her to her room. She remembered her hands trembling as she used the key to open the gun safe.
The door had shuddered. It had buckled under the second assault of the angry man’s shoulder. She remembered his eyes as he burst into the room.
Eyes, frightened eyes, as he saw the gun.
She had shot him. Had moved smoothly through the house and killed them all. They had shot at her too. But they really weren’t ready for her. Weren’t really trained for violence.
She had killed them all. They had needed to die. Just like Aric had.
But it had never left her.
She hadn’t even seen Isabel leave her. She mechanically got up and did what she was certain would help her son the most. Isabel could provide the comfort here. Gloria would help, but she knew that she was no longer truly the woman first in his heart.
And that was okay. Earlier than she had expected, but okay.
She made several of the large Dagwood style sandwiches she knew Alex liked and grabbed a mug of coffee. He would be hungry.
Gloria came out and saw Isabel holding a sobbing Alex as he told her everything. And she stood there listening to the young woman who would be her daughter in law comfort her broken son. As she had him share in words what had happened to him, and what he had done.
At one point, he glanced up and saw her. And he stopped.
She smiled tremulously.
Isabel looked fondly at Gloria and looked over at Alex. “Go on, Alex. She understands. She really does.” She waved Gloria over to a chair nearby. “She should hear this, it will be hard. For both of you. For all of us. But then you will understand. And someday it will be okay. “
Gloria put the sandwiches down on a side table near Alex. “For you. I will go if you want me to.”
Alex looked from Isabel to Gloria. He closed his eyes and said softly. “No. Stay. Maybe, maybe you will understand too.”
So he continued.
And he left out nothing.
-------
Isabel, hours later, Early Sunday morning.
Isabel yawned as she shifted restlessly on the couch.
Something was missing. She simply couldn’t get comfortable.
It had been a difficult night. A painful week. But for the first time she thought she might just make it.
It was more than just that Aric was dead. More than Alex loving her. No, she thought she might be able to recover herself. To once again be the Isabel Evans she had always thought she was again.
Maybe a little wiser. A little more careful. But still herself.
Gloria had given her hope. For herself and for Alex. Listening to him had been hard. In some ways harder than telling Gloria had been. Somehow the words just made it seem so much more real.
She rolled to her feet, catlike, and moved silently through the house. Her powers were back, and a trick she had long learned let her use even the smallest amount of light to see.
She quietly walked to Alex’s room and opened the door. And she stood watching him.
He was shuddering in the grips of some dire nightmare.
It was so strange. He had been so strong when they had been facing Aric. Had he worn himself out doing what he had needed to do?
She should help him. She turned to go back to her couch, to enter his dreams, when she stopped. Gloria already knew that she had slept with Alex. She might not be totally happy with Isabel if she slid in with Alex, but if it helped her son, Isabel was fairly sure she would endorse it.
Besides it would simply be sleep. More than that…
Isabel shuddered.
More would take a while.
So she lifted the covers and prepared to lay down with him. She stopped as she stared at his bare back.
She remembered the first time. Where the bond had grown. The feel of his skin against hers….
It had increased the intensity of the bond, that closeness. She looked down at her sweats. A green pair her mother had gotten her last Christmas.
How hard could it be? She raised the hem of her top. And stopped as the fear gripped her.
Isabel closed her eyes.
Always she had let fear hold her back. It had protected her in some ways, but in others….
Alex would not hurt her. He would die first.
She didn’t need to do this. She knew that. It would be just as good with a thin layer of fabric between them.
But she ached for that connection. For that closeness.
She paused a second and took a deep shuddering breath, and tore off her top, flinging it onto the floor.
She wasn’t going to let her fear stop her.
The bottoms were staying on. No need to scandalize poor Gloria more than she would now.
Before her fear could stop her she slid in behind Alex and wrapped the blankets around them both.
The connection flared up between them, tiny trails of light leaking from the blankets.
Sex.
There was a large part of Isabel that thought she might never be able to bring herself to want it again. The thought of it struck fear. Of her body pleasuring itself while her true love was forced to watch.
That got her every time. She had KNOWN something was wrong, but had been so caught up in the pure sensation. Had let herself get fooled again. And if what Whitaker had told her were true, if the hints that Nicholas had dropped were even partly true. If she had been even the slightest bit like Lonnie….
She couldn’t trust herself with sex. It would lead her to sell out all that was good and pure in her life.
And she knew that wasn’t strictly reasonable. That it was drawing from her fear of what had happened to her. It still made her view the act as one that she would never feel safe indulging in.
Not just for her sake but for others.
But, maybe she was wrong. Maybe more would be sooner than she thought. Maybe she would be able to trust herself with someone who was truly honest. Honest like Alex.
Maybe with him she would be safe.
A tiny wisp of fear left her and she settled in and enjoyed the sensuous pleasure of his body against hers. More than this would be a long way off.
No need to rush. Not when she knew that one day she would get there. And she would. With Alex at her side she would get there.
She felt Alex wake. “Isabel?” His voice was a combination of shock, pleasure, and a worry.
Isabel pulled him close, “Sleep, my dear. Just sleep. I will be here for you and you for me.”
Alex looked at her, probably not realizing she could see him. “Just sleep huh?”
Isabel wriggled against him, trying to find the most comfortable fit. “Just sleep,” She said commandingly. And coyly finished, “For now.”
He chuckled, a real laugh.
It took time for their bodies to settle, but they slept.
And they slept in peace.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 6 - 09/05/10
Thanks to everyone following this story. Originally this was going to be the last part before the epilogue. Isabel and Alex had other ideas. And a big help to my beta and demi-coauthor on this story Mt. Gazer.
Leila- Thanks. I am trying to aim for an after the storm type story. Alex gets a couple of hugs in this part. How effective they will be in helping him I will let you be the judge.
Ellie- Thanks. Hope you are feeling better and are well rested. Sleep is precious. ANd you are right it will take them some time before they recover.
Carrie- Thanks as always.
Cameramandc- Thanks. Glad you like it. As for this part, well it kind of got shanghaied by the characters as you will see.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 7
Alex-
Alex lay there on his bed. It was so much colder without Isabel. Life was so much colder without her.
Cold and empty. That was how he felt. A shell of who he had been. But somehow she gave his life some meaning. Gave his actions meaning.
He could still feel her. Feel as she slowly drove away.
In the night the bond had changed yet again. And he could feel more of her now, he could feel some of her emotion.
He suspected she could do so with him as well.
It was so funny, so funny and so strange. There had been a time when he would have given anything for just a tiny bit of the emotion in that glance. Some tiny hope that she might one day love him as much as he could feel course along the bond.
He would gladly give it all up if it could spare Isabel the pain she had gone through. Things had changed and she was no longer the proud Isabel he had once known. It would be hard for her to pretend to be the same girl when school started up again.
Things had changed in the night. But would it be enough? Enough to counter the dire events of the past few days?
They had hardened and strengthened his friends.
They had broken Isabel and himself. He had her love now. He did not doubt that. But the cost had been so very high.
There was a slight rapping at his door.
Alex looked over.
His mother softly smiled at him. “I figured since Isabel had to go home you would be awake and brooding. So I decided to make breakfast.”
Alex rolled over and turned his back on his mother. He was so ashamed of what she knew. It was one thing to know that your mother knew about your sex life. But to know that you had sex with a shape-shifting alien? That you have been so weak as to be unable to make enough noise so that Isabel could defend herself?
The horror of what had happened to him was a pale shadow in his mind of watching as that thing had whispered to her. Had tried to poison her mind against him. And then as he raped her. As he took Alex’s form and brought her to pleasure, only to destroy her just like Aric had already broken Alex, himself.
No action of his could ever take that back. Could remove that sense of helplessness and betrayal.
How could he ever be worthy of her after that?
But his own unworthiness was such a small thing to the sense of terror that now lurked in Isabel. She who had always been so strong and brave….
Both of them had told themselves and each other that nothing would or could happen last night. After they had fallen asleep, even the feeling of her breasts against his back hadn’t been enough to rouse him to do more than a few jokes.
They had gone through too much stuff. But then came some random time in the night. Where their dreams had become entangled.
Alex couldn’t remember it that much. Some weird mix of her movie fantasies mixed with his. A suspenseful murder mystery chick flick with lots of science fiction and fantasy elements. It had been a little confusing.
But at one point they had saved each other. Cue the love interest required intimate scene. The bedroom had been pretty surreal, both of them subconsciously adding touches.
Maybe if it had stayed there things would have been okay. But as above, so below. Who started it really didn’t matter. Because soon their dreams were becoming real enough.
The kissing and caresses started getting serious. And he could feel as a mingling of wonder and joy and sheer terror began to work its way into them. Both of them were full of need and desire, but as the desire grew so grew the fear.
The seed that Aric had sown was now fully grown.
Things in his room had gotten a little strange at that point. Wind was blowing all through out it, and they were hovering several inches from the bed’s surface. The blankets dangling as they began to drift.
Leverage should have been a problem at that point. The stickler at the back of his mind knew that. But it didn’t matter. For in some way he was in her and she in him. What he needed for leverage, for what he wanted to do, was provided to him.
Electric pleasure surged through her as he worked his way from her neck through the valley of her breasts and further down along her belly. He could feel the feedback from that sensation, feel her pleasure from his actions soaring into him through the bond.
What his mother would have thought of the scene, Alex could only wonder. Not that he had cared at that moment. He was more interested in the joyous moans coming from Isabel.
Isabel’s hands were busy too. Caressing his back and one hand snaking along his torso and underneath his boxers. To touch him. To hold him.
His already stiffening penis became hard under her fingers. He moaned as she stroked him.
He looked up at Isabel and moved to kiss her. One hand to move her face close to his, the other pushing her lacy underwear just slightly askew for him to enter.
And he saw her face. Truly saw the terror akin to madness as she began to guide him into her.
He suddenly sobered. He wanted this. He needed this. But not at the cost to her. Because she was more fragile than she looked.
She wanted this too. Desperately wanted the pleasure it would give her. Knowing the level of connection if would bring. Knowing how much true bliss waited for her at the end.
Alex could see it in her eyes. But also lurking there were all the comments of all the enemies she had ever faced. Calling her a whore who had sold out her race. A woman so entranced by pleasure that she would do anything to embrace it.
In her mind she was seeing the truth of it. Seeing in herself all the evil that they had said she embodied. Making of herself in her mind the very whore they had called her.
He felt himself fully attuned to her. Fully feeling what she felt. And she was shaking. His body couldn’t feel it. Buried under the other sensations from the floating. But her body was trembling like a leaf. He could feel her steel herself for what was to come.
The glory and pleasure. The bliss.
The degradation of soul.
Her hand gripped him and placed him at her entrance, rubbing his tip against her folds and slowly trying to entice him in.
They were looking eye to eye now, gazing into each other more deeply than they ever had before. She smiled wanly, waiting for his push. But the smile was face surface only. A skill brought forth from years of hiding. She was waiting for him to take her
To make her his own and to possess her as utterly as any had on Antar. Most might not notice the difference. But the old Isabel would be gone.
Gone forever.
All it would take is one little push. One tiny push and he could possess her forever.
And he wanted it so badly. He knew the pleasure and bliss that would be his. That he would own her body and mind. But never the soul. That would be lost and shrieking in self-hatred as it had been back in the days when she had been broken on Antar.
What horrors had happened to that woman so deeply in her soul, in another life, that she could still expect it? Had she been broken by some Aric there as well? Had it been Khivar? Or someone before him?
They were floating in a torus of air, inches above the bed. Both paused as a choice that would decide their fate.
Alex could possess her forever. She was offering it to him. And he wanted it, had wanted it for so long.
He felt as a spasm ran through him and pushed him a tiny bit inside of her.
Isabel’s eyes began to tear as her certainty of fate began to fill her. He could feel her soul begin to close off, feel the bond as it became increasingly shallow.
And feel as his pleasure began to increase as he slowly slid into her as the torus that surrounded them tightened. The sense of feedback continued, as the two bodies shared the pleasure of their slow languid joining.
And in that joining he would lose the best part of her forever
He had to stop this.
But how? He was fighting not just himself now, but her as well. And in mere seconds he would gain what he had once lusted for at the cost of her mind and soul which he had come to love.
This felt so very good. So very good and so very right all at the same time.
Except that it was wrong... No pleasure was worth the pain that it would cause them both in the long run.
Alex reached into himself and tried to pull in every extra resource to stop this. And inside him there was found a tiny growing pool of light that was slowly filling him.
He reached for it, for it to strengthen his resolve. And he pushed away from the tightening winds that were driving him into his love.
Tears sheeted Isabel’s face, her smile growing pronounced as she moaned at his intrusion. Her eyes were almost dead, and from her lips came almost a whisper, “And I thought you were real.” She closed her eyes.
And he knew that they would be empty of the real Isabel when they next opened. Then the pleasure would begin. He could already feel her rocking slightly as he slid further into her, making him sigh with bliss and unhappiness.
What happened next was completely unexpected as Alex blasted Isabel. As blasts go it could be considered absolutely pathetic.
Still it caught Isabel by surprise. It broke the concentration that had been keeping them afloat in the synchronized torus of air.
And they fell apart, Alex feeling a mixture of anguish and victory as he exited her. His body was shaking with so much tension. He ignored the bruises and got up to turn on the main light to look at his love.
She was weeping. Not trying to cover herself, and just sobbing. Her hands covering her face. She lay fitfully on her side, turned just enough to allow him a view of her whole body.
He tried to be respectful, to not drink in her body, but he couldn’t help himself. His dick still throbbed, still demanded to be sheathed within Isabel. And Isabel’s body wanted it too. He could feel it as the bond still connected them.
He took a step towards her. She rolled over, onto her back, peeking slightly through her buried hands and opened her thighs. Her panties were still moved to the side. Her opening available, a tiny trace of fluid slipping out of the engorged labia.
The smell of her, the smell of sex, permeated the room. And he wanted her more than anything. Just not at the price it would cost him. “Isabel, we can’t do this.”
She peeked out from between her hands, and said petulantly, “Why not?” She moved her hips suggestively. “I am cold and you make me feel so much warmer. I feel so cold and empty inside. I need you to fill me.”
He spoke from the heart, with a bitter honesty. "Isabel there is nothing in the world I would want to do more than that." He sighed sullenly and closed his eyes, "You are so closely bonded to me as to know that. But you will hate yourself. Aric has poisoned your mind. And I don't want you if you can't love yourself, Isabel."
He could feel as she rolled off the bed and approached him. He felt as her hand softly caressed his cheek. “You don’t love yourself at the moment either. Why can’t we just find this pleasure between ourselves? And hope that somewhere in it we can find ourselves again.”
Alex simply didn’t know what to say. Because it was true. What he had done earlier this week, what he had found himself capable of scared him.
There was a knock at the door behind them. “Okay, kiddies, you have sixty seconds to cover-up whatever you are ashamed of. Starting now.”
Isabel giggled softly. She moved close enough so that he felt her breast’s hard nipples brushing against his chest. As she moved his dick that had been poking her in the belly and guided it once more into her.
He should move away. He knew this and opened his eyes. They burned with wistful desire, “We aren’t ready for this.” He added with a moan.
Isabel’s eyes were clear. Herself now wearing a sardonic grin. “Oh, I know that. This is more of a tease than anything really satisfying. I mean, your mother is at the door. How much can we really do in sixty seconds anyway?” The angle wasn’t well set for him to go in very deeply. She whispered seductively. “All I want is just a taste. Don’t you want a taste of me Alex?”
Alex could only nod. His body completely in tune with hers, he reacted long before he believed she would actually do it.
She leapt on top of him, literally spearing herself on him. His body slamming against the door at the extra weight of her. He watched her face in a mix of elation and horror, to see if the damage he had feared would happen.
His mother’s voice was uncertain as it asked, “Are you two okay in there?”
He slid swiftly into her, her moan ending with a grunt. She closed her eyes and adjusted herself to comfort. Once there she opened her eyes and responded. Her voice was a bit throaty and her breathing fast, “Fifty seconds right? Just give us fifty seconds.”
Alex leaned against the door, trembling from the exertion and from the sheer pleasure of it all. “Why?” She encased him in a hot silken vise, and just the random movements as she prepared herself, setting her feet against the door, made him sigh in pleasure.
His heart was pounding and he was soaked with sweat.
Isabel was much the same. Her eyes were bright as she twisted slightly, “It’s a nice cozy fit, huh?”
Alex could only dumbly nod. It felt so good. The sensations he felt from her so much clearer this time. Almost as if they had merged more than physically.
She kissed his forehead. “You proved you wouldn’t just use me. Wouldn’t use me when we both needed it. And so you are right. We aren’t really ready for this. Besides, we only have about forty seconds now.”
Alex just leaned against the door for all he was worth and promised to start a workout regimen as soon as possible.
Isabel wasn’t light. But this felt so damn good; it was going to happen again.
Isabel continued, “Neither one of us is going to be anywhere close to satisfied after this. You are going to need a long cold shower and I will need an icy bath! But I just want a taste, just a taste….” She began to move, her feet propped against the door and his hands reflexively doing what she needed. “Just let me drive.”
Alex could feel the tendrils of her thought merge with his and drive his muscles to lift her from him. Alex was content to exist in delicious agony as she moved against him.
She pushed out. A half moan, half spoken, “One- one thousand”
She slid back in. “Two-one thousand”
Eight seconds later she stopped. Her gaze was a mix of determination and agony. She pulled herself out again, one foot leaving the door to provide her some stability.
As she walked away from him.
Alex just stood there stunned, propped up against the door. Surely she couldn’t truly mean…. This was madness. He could feel both of their bodies ache, simply aching for completion. Moments from ecstasy, she couldn’t truly mean to just… walk away?
Isabel slid her panties all the way down as she expertly walked through his room. She opened a drawer and pulled out a couple of beach towels. She tossed one at him. “You my dear are going to need one of these.”
He caught it with one hand, his back still against the door. His voice was a hoarse whimper, “Isabel?”
Isabel arranged the pillows and the blanket on the bed. She turned to face him. “You proved to me that you wouldn’t use me, even when I asked for it.” Again tears shone in her eyes, but her eyes were bright and happy. Although he could read signs of frustration, sexual frustration in her body language. “But I had to prove to myself, that I could pull back. That I could do it. That I am not Vilandra.”
“Isabel…. You are not Vilandra. I don’t think I have ever seen her inside you, and I have seen pretty deep into your soul now. And even if she did exist deep inside you, it’s you that I love Isabel. It’s you that I want. Not just your body, but all of you.” He looked down at his slowly drooping member, still slick from her juices. “Although I will admit to really wanting that body right about now.” He nervously laughed, “Well this sure puts a different spin on Love Hurts?”
Isabel bit her lip to keep from giggling out loud. Where moments before he had worried about her losing her very soul, now she radiated a portion of her old confidence and a serene sense of victory and exultation. She set herself artfully on the bed, not reaching for the covers at all. Preening almost as if for a picture. “Trust me, I need you too. And someday. Someday soon. Now, cover yourself and let your mom in. You need to take a shower and I need to talk with her.”
His boxers were still tented from his reaction to her, but it would have to do. “Isabel, shouldn’t you cover up?” He shifted his position slightly from the growing discomfort he was feeling.
She had one hand holding up her head, her body fully displayed to be seen from the door. Her smile was seraphic as she waved her hand over her glorious body, “I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Alex could only shake his head. He knew Isabel had moments of sheer brazenness, but this….
He felt the door open behind him, firmly moving him out of the way. There was a look of worry and potential dismay on Gloria’s features. Expressions that did not fade as she took Isabel in.
Alex took one long last look at her before he attempted an escape to the showers. She really was glorious. But there was little hiding what they had been doing. From the flush that ran from her cheeks to her upper chest, to the small pool of fluid that flowed from inside her along her thigh and into his bedding.
Isabel didn’t say a thing. Although he could sense a tinge of worry underneath her veneer of calm and serenity.
Gloria’s expression was grim, “I see you two have been… busy.”
Isabel said, “We need to talk.”
“I can see that.”
Alex tried to slip out, but his mother’s grip was strong. “Where do you think you are going, young man?”
Alex turned and pleaded, “Just going to take a quick shower.”
“Please, Mrs. Whitman. Gloria, please, just let him go. He’s a little… uncomfortable now at the moment.”
“I see.” Gloria let go of Alex’s arm, “Okay, I will play it your way Isabel. Alex, go take a nice... long... cold... shower. No need to hurry. Miss Evans and I need to chat.”
Alex moved out into the hallway and the door slammed shut behind him. He was torn between listening at the door and moving toward the bathroom.
But neither of the two women inside that room would be happy with him if they saw him linger. And discretion being the better part of valor, he went off to take a long shower.
It helped. Some. But not nearly enough.
He looked over at his mother as she set her hand on his forehead. “Nope, no fever. Just industrial strength moping. Don’t worry son, you will survive.”
Alex sighed and turned to face his mother. Her attitude after talking with Isabel had been completely different. A mixture of scandalized and amused.
She wouldn’t tell him what Isabel had told her. Just that Isabel had been very honest.
And had blamed the honesty solely on Alex.
Whatever she had said had completely won his mother over. They had both been drinking coffee when he had finished. That was when he learned that Isabel was going home.
He had given them both a kiss and then tromped off to his room. He couldn’t really face Mrs. Evans eye to eye at the moment. Not after what he and Isabel had done, or almost done earlier.
The very thought of her being so far away as a few blocks was hateful to him. Even as he felt the bond stabilize, as she reached her home, he ached to be with her again.
To hold her again, to one day feel her body move against him. To feel her mind and soul merge with his….
Gloria looked at her son and chuckled. “Oh, you have it bad, my dear. If it makes you feel any better, Isabel was crying as she left. Wouldn’t stop looking at your room. That Bond you share must be something.” She shook her head. “I can’t wait until I can tell your father about this. Once I convince him that she’s not some Reptiloid looking to dominate the human race. Or whatever wacky theory has got his attention these days.”
“Mom, Isabel isn’t some….”
Gloria smiled down at him, “I know. In fact there is something I want to show you. A family heirloom I have been saving for a special occasion.” She thumped him on the shoulder. “Now get up and help me make breakfast. Your father has already called and is on his way from the airport. He’s going to be absolutely exhausted and I promised breakfast so…”
Alex got up to help his mother. Today was going to be a busy day.
One more eventful and important than he knew.
Leila- Thanks. I am trying to aim for an after the storm type story. Alex gets a couple of hugs in this part. How effective they will be in helping him I will let you be the judge.
Ellie- Thanks. Hope you are feeling better and are well rested. Sleep is precious. ANd you are right it will take them some time before they recover.
Carrie- Thanks as always.
Cameramandc- Thanks. Glad you like it. As for this part, well it kind of got shanghaied by the characters as you will see.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 7
Alex-
Alex lay there on his bed. It was so much colder without Isabel. Life was so much colder without her.
Cold and empty. That was how he felt. A shell of who he had been. But somehow she gave his life some meaning. Gave his actions meaning.
He could still feel her. Feel as she slowly drove away.
In the night the bond had changed yet again. And he could feel more of her now, he could feel some of her emotion.
He suspected she could do so with him as well.
It was so funny, so funny and so strange. There had been a time when he would have given anything for just a tiny bit of the emotion in that glance. Some tiny hope that she might one day love him as much as he could feel course along the bond.
He would gladly give it all up if it could spare Isabel the pain she had gone through. Things had changed and she was no longer the proud Isabel he had once known. It would be hard for her to pretend to be the same girl when school started up again.
Things had changed in the night. But would it be enough? Enough to counter the dire events of the past few days?
They had hardened and strengthened his friends.
They had broken Isabel and himself. He had her love now. He did not doubt that. But the cost had been so very high.
There was a slight rapping at his door.
Alex looked over.
His mother softly smiled at him. “I figured since Isabel had to go home you would be awake and brooding. So I decided to make breakfast.”
Alex rolled over and turned his back on his mother. He was so ashamed of what she knew. It was one thing to know that your mother knew about your sex life. But to know that you had sex with a shape-shifting alien? That you have been so weak as to be unable to make enough noise so that Isabel could defend herself?
The horror of what had happened to him was a pale shadow in his mind of watching as that thing had whispered to her. Had tried to poison her mind against him. And then as he raped her. As he took Alex’s form and brought her to pleasure, only to destroy her just like Aric had already broken Alex, himself.
No action of his could ever take that back. Could remove that sense of helplessness and betrayal.
How could he ever be worthy of her after that?
But his own unworthiness was such a small thing to the sense of terror that now lurked in Isabel. She who had always been so strong and brave….
Both of them had told themselves and each other that nothing would or could happen last night. After they had fallen asleep, even the feeling of her breasts against his back hadn’t been enough to rouse him to do more than a few jokes.
They had gone through too much stuff. But then came some random time in the night. Where their dreams had become entangled.
Alex couldn’t remember it that much. Some weird mix of her movie fantasies mixed with his. A suspenseful murder mystery chick flick with lots of science fiction and fantasy elements. It had been a little confusing.
But at one point they had saved each other. Cue the love interest required intimate scene. The bedroom had been pretty surreal, both of them subconsciously adding touches.
Maybe if it had stayed there things would have been okay. But as above, so below. Who started it really didn’t matter. Because soon their dreams were becoming real enough.
The kissing and caresses started getting serious. And he could feel as a mingling of wonder and joy and sheer terror began to work its way into them. Both of them were full of need and desire, but as the desire grew so grew the fear.
The seed that Aric had sown was now fully grown.
Things in his room had gotten a little strange at that point. Wind was blowing all through out it, and they were hovering several inches from the bed’s surface. The blankets dangling as they began to drift.
Leverage should have been a problem at that point. The stickler at the back of his mind knew that. But it didn’t matter. For in some way he was in her and she in him. What he needed for leverage, for what he wanted to do, was provided to him.
Electric pleasure surged through her as he worked his way from her neck through the valley of her breasts and further down along her belly. He could feel the feedback from that sensation, feel her pleasure from his actions soaring into him through the bond.
What his mother would have thought of the scene, Alex could only wonder. Not that he had cared at that moment. He was more interested in the joyous moans coming from Isabel.
Isabel’s hands were busy too. Caressing his back and one hand snaking along his torso and underneath his boxers. To touch him. To hold him.
His already stiffening penis became hard under her fingers. He moaned as she stroked him.
He looked up at Isabel and moved to kiss her. One hand to move her face close to his, the other pushing her lacy underwear just slightly askew for him to enter.
And he saw her face. Truly saw the terror akin to madness as she began to guide him into her.
He suddenly sobered. He wanted this. He needed this. But not at the cost to her. Because she was more fragile than she looked.
She wanted this too. Desperately wanted the pleasure it would give her. Knowing the level of connection if would bring. Knowing how much true bliss waited for her at the end.
Alex could see it in her eyes. But also lurking there were all the comments of all the enemies she had ever faced. Calling her a whore who had sold out her race. A woman so entranced by pleasure that she would do anything to embrace it.
In her mind she was seeing the truth of it. Seeing in herself all the evil that they had said she embodied. Making of herself in her mind the very whore they had called her.
He felt himself fully attuned to her. Fully feeling what she felt. And she was shaking. His body couldn’t feel it. Buried under the other sensations from the floating. But her body was trembling like a leaf. He could feel her steel herself for what was to come.
The glory and pleasure. The bliss.
The degradation of soul.
Her hand gripped him and placed him at her entrance, rubbing his tip against her folds and slowly trying to entice him in.
They were looking eye to eye now, gazing into each other more deeply than they ever had before. She smiled wanly, waiting for his push. But the smile was face surface only. A skill brought forth from years of hiding. She was waiting for him to take her
To make her his own and to possess her as utterly as any had on Antar. Most might not notice the difference. But the old Isabel would be gone.
Gone forever.
All it would take is one little push. One tiny push and he could possess her forever.
And he wanted it so badly. He knew the pleasure and bliss that would be his. That he would own her body and mind. But never the soul. That would be lost and shrieking in self-hatred as it had been back in the days when she had been broken on Antar.
What horrors had happened to that woman so deeply in her soul, in another life, that she could still expect it? Had she been broken by some Aric there as well? Had it been Khivar? Or someone before him?
They were floating in a torus of air, inches above the bed. Both paused as a choice that would decide their fate.
Alex could possess her forever. She was offering it to him. And he wanted it, had wanted it for so long.
He felt as a spasm ran through him and pushed him a tiny bit inside of her.
Isabel’s eyes began to tear as her certainty of fate began to fill her. He could feel her soul begin to close off, feel the bond as it became increasingly shallow.
And feel as his pleasure began to increase as he slowly slid into her as the torus that surrounded them tightened. The sense of feedback continued, as the two bodies shared the pleasure of their slow languid joining.
And in that joining he would lose the best part of her forever
He had to stop this.
But how? He was fighting not just himself now, but her as well. And in mere seconds he would gain what he had once lusted for at the cost of her mind and soul which he had come to love.
This felt so very good. So very good and so very right all at the same time.
Except that it was wrong... No pleasure was worth the pain that it would cause them both in the long run.
Alex reached into himself and tried to pull in every extra resource to stop this. And inside him there was found a tiny growing pool of light that was slowly filling him.
He reached for it, for it to strengthen his resolve. And he pushed away from the tightening winds that were driving him into his love.
Tears sheeted Isabel’s face, her smile growing pronounced as she moaned at his intrusion. Her eyes were almost dead, and from her lips came almost a whisper, “And I thought you were real.” She closed her eyes.
And he knew that they would be empty of the real Isabel when they next opened. Then the pleasure would begin. He could already feel her rocking slightly as he slid further into her, making him sigh with bliss and unhappiness.
What happened next was completely unexpected as Alex blasted Isabel. As blasts go it could be considered absolutely pathetic.
Still it caught Isabel by surprise. It broke the concentration that had been keeping them afloat in the synchronized torus of air.
And they fell apart, Alex feeling a mixture of anguish and victory as he exited her. His body was shaking with so much tension. He ignored the bruises and got up to turn on the main light to look at his love.
She was weeping. Not trying to cover herself, and just sobbing. Her hands covering her face. She lay fitfully on her side, turned just enough to allow him a view of her whole body.
He tried to be respectful, to not drink in her body, but he couldn’t help himself. His dick still throbbed, still demanded to be sheathed within Isabel. And Isabel’s body wanted it too. He could feel it as the bond still connected them.
He took a step towards her. She rolled over, onto her back, peeking slightly through her buried hands and opened her thighs. Her panties were still moved to the side. Her opening available, a tiny trace of fluid slipping out of the engorged labia.
The smell of her, the smell of sex, permeated the room. And he wanted her more than anything. Just not at the price it would cost him. “Isabel, we can’t do this.”
She peeked out from between her hands, and said petulantly, “Why not?” She moved her hips suggestively. “I am cold and you make me feel so much warmer. I feel so cold and empty inside. I need you to fill me.”
He spoke from the heart, with a bitter honesty. "Isabel there is nothing in the world I would want to do more than that." He sighed sullenly and closed his eyes, "You are so closely bonded to me as to know that. But you will hate yourself. Aric has poisoned your mind. And I don't want you if you can't love yourself, Isabel."
He could feel as she rolled off the bed and approached him. He felt as her hand softly caressed his cheek. “You don’t love yourself at the moment either. Why can’t we just find this pleasure between ourselves? And hope that somewhere in it we can find ourselves again.”
Alex simply didn’t know what to say. Because it was true. What he had done earlier this week, what he had found himself capable of scared him.
There was a knock at the door behind them. “Okay, kiddies, you have sixty seconds to cover-up whatever you are ashamed of. Starting now.”
Isabel giggled softly. She moved close enough so that he felt her breast’s hard nipples brushing against his chest. As she moved his dick that had been poking her in the belly and guided it once more into her.
He should move away. He knew this and opened his eyes. They burned with wistful desire, “We aren’t ready for this.” He added with a moan.
Isabel’s eyes were clear. Herself now wearing a sardonic grin. “Oh, I know that. This is more of a tease than anything really satisfying. I mean, your mother is at the door. How much can we really do in sixty seconds anyway?” The angle wasn’t well set for him to go in very deeply. She whispered seductively. “All I want is just a taste. Don’t you want a taste of me Alex?”
Alex could only nod. His body completely in tune with hers, he reacted long before he believed she would actually do it.
She leapt on top of him, literally spearing herself on him. His body slamming against the door at the extra weight of her. He watched her face in a mix of elation and horror, to see if the damage he had feared would happen.
His mother’s voice was uncertain as it asked, “Are you two okay in there?”
He slid swiftly into her, her moan ending with a grunt. She closed her eyes and adjusted herself to comfort. Once there she opened her eyes and responded. Her voice was a bit throaty and her breathing fast, “Fifty seconds right? Just give us fifty seconds.”
Alex leaned against the door, trembling from the exertion and from the sheer pleasure of it all. “Why?” She encased him in a hot silken vise, and just the random movements as she prepared herself, setting her feet against the door, made him sigh in pleasure.
His heart was pounding and he was soaked with sweat.
Isabel was much the same. Her eyes were bright as she twisted slightly, “It’s a nice cozy fit, huh?”
Alex could only dumbly nod. It felt so good. The sensations he felt from her so much clearer this time. Almost as if they had merged more than physically.
She kissed his forehead. “You proved you wouldn’t just use me. Wouldn’t use me when we both needed it. And so you are right. We aren’t really ready for this. Besides, we only have about forty seconds now.”
Alex just leaned against the door for all he was worth and promised to start a workout regimen as soon as possible.
Isabel wasn’t light. But this felt so damn good; it was going to happen again.
Isabel continued, “Neither one of us is going to be anywhere close to satisfied after this. You are going to need a long cold shower and I will need an icy bath! But I just want a taste, just a taste….” She began to move, her feet propped against the door and his hands reflexively doing what she needed. “Just let me drive.”
Alex could feel the tendrils of her thought merge with his and drive his muscles to lift her from him. Alex was content to exist in delicious agony as she moved against him.
She pushed out. A half moan, half spoken, “One- one thousand”
She slid back in. “Two-one thousand”
Eight seconds later she stopped. Her gaze was a mix of determination and agony. She pulled herself out again, one foot leaving the door to provide her some stability.
As she walked away from him.
Alex just stood there stunned, propped up against the door. Surely she couldn’t truly mean…. This was madness. He could feel both of their bodies ache, simply aching for completion. Moments from ecstasy, she couldn’t truly mean to just… walk away?
Isabel slid her panties all the way down as she expertly walked through his room. She opened a drawer and pulled out a couple of beach towels. She tossed one at him. “You my dear are going to need one of these.”
He caught it with one hand, his back still against the door. His voice was a hoarse whimper, “Isabel?”
Isabel arranged the pillows and the blanket on the bed. She turned to face him. “You proved to me that you wouldn’t use me, even when I asked for it.” Again tears shone in her eyes, but her eyes were bright and happy. Although he could read signs of frustration, sexual frustration in her body language. “But I had to prove to myself, that I could pull back. That I could do it. That I am not Vilandra.”
“Isabel…. You are not Vilandra. I don’t think I have ever seen her inside you, and I have seen pretty deep into your soul now. And even if she did exist deep inside you, it’s you that I love Isabel. It’s you that I want. Not just your body, but all of you.” He looked down at his slowly drooping member, still slick from her juices. “Although I will admit to really wanting that body right about now.” He nervously laughed, “Well this sure puts a different spin on Love Hurts?”
Isabel bit her lip to keep from giggling out loud. Where moments before he had worried about her losing her very soul, now she radiated a portion of her old confidence and a serene sense of victory and exultation. She set herself artfully on the bed, not reaching for the covers at all. Preening almost as if for a picture. “Trust me, I need you too. And someday. Someday soon. Now, cover yourself and let your mom in. You need to take a shower and I need to talk with her.”
His boxers were still tented from his reaction to her, but it would have to do. “Isabel, shouldn’t you cover up?” He shifted his position slightly from the growing discomfort he was feeling.
She had one hand holding up her head, her body fully displayed to be seen from the door. Her smile was seraphic as she waved her hand over her glorious body, “I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Alex could only shake his head. He knew Isabel had moments of sheer brazenness, but this….
He felt the door open behind him, firmly moving him out of the way. There was a look of worry and potential dismay on Gloria’s features. Expressions that did not fade as she took Isabel in.
Alex took one long last look at her before he attempted an escape to the showers. She really was glorious. But there was little hiding what they had been doing. From the flush that ran from her cheeks to her upper chest, to the small pool of fluid that flowed from inside her along her thigh and into his bedding.
Isabel didn’t say a thing. Although he could sense a tinge of worry underneath her veneer of calm and serenity.
Gloria’s expression was grim, “I see you two have been… busy.”
Isabel said, “We need to talk.”
“I can see that.”
Alex tried to slip out, but his mother’s grip was strong. “Where do you think you are going, young man?”
Alex turned and pleaded, “Just going to take a quick shower.”
“Please, Mrs. Whitman. Gloria, please, just let him go. He’s a little… uncomfortable now at the moment.”
“I see.” Gloria let go of Alex’s arm, “Okay, I will play it your way Isabel. Alex, go take a nice... long... cold... shower. No need to hurry. Miss Evans and I need to chat.”
Alex moved out into the hallway and the door slammed shut behind him. He was torn between listening at the door and moving toward the bathroom.
But neither of the two women inside that room would be happy with him if they saw him linger. And discretion being the better part of valor, he went off to take a long shower.
It helped. Some. But not nearly enough.
He looked over at his mother as she set her hand on his forehead. “Nope, no fever. Just industrial strength moping. Don’t worry son, you will survive.”
Alex sighed and turned to face his mother. Her attitude after talking with Isabel had been completely different. A mixture of scandalized and amused.
She wouldn’t tell him what Isabel had told her. Just that Isabel had been very honest.
And had blamed the honesty solely on Alex.
Whatever she had said had completely won his mother over. They had both been drinking coffee when he had finished. That was when he learned that Isabel was going home.
He had given them both a kiss and then tromped off to his room. He couldn’t really face Mrs. Evans eye to eye at the moment. Not after what he and Isabel had done, or almost done earlier.
The very thought of her being so far away as a few blocks was hateful to him. Even as he felt the bond stabilize, as she reached her home, he ached to be with her again.
To hold her again, to one day feel her body move against him. To feel her mind and soul merge with his….
Gloria looked at her son and chuckled. “Oh, you have it bad, my dear. If it makes you feel any better, Isabel was crying as she left. Wouldn’t stop looking at your room. That Bond you share must be something.” She shook her head. “I can’t wait until I can tell your father about this. Once I convince him that she’s not some Reptiloid looking to dominate the human race. Or whatever wacky theory has got his attention these days.”
“Mom, Isabel isn’t some….”
Gloria smiled down at him, “I know. In fact there is something I want to show you. A family heirloom I have been saving for a special occasion.” She thumped him on the shoulder. “Now get up and help me make breakfast. Your father has already called and is on his way from the airport. He’s going to be absolutely exhausted and I promised breakfast so…”
Alex got up to help his mother. Today was going to be a busy day.
One more eventful and important than he knew.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) Part 7 - 09/22/10
This was supposed to be the last part before Epilogue. But no. Still two more parts to go. This story WILL be done before November 1st though. That much I promise. Thanks for everyone reading along.
Earth2Mama- Thanks. Um yeah. Isabel simply would NOT stop. Well, obviously she did. (Poor Alex) And it ended on a positive if physically frustrating level for Isabel. As to the long term ramifications.... I really do like happy endings.
Mt. Gazer- Yep it was all a question of whether it would be an Isabel living a new and potentially happy life or reprising her life on Antar.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. And yep, a busy morning to be followed by next parts busy night. And then the Epilogue (crosses fingers)
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 8
Diane- Sunday morning (Christmas Eve)
Diane watched the weeping girl in the passenger side seat. Isabel had been so reluctant to leave the Whitman’s, even as she vocally said she knew she had to. Even now Isabel kept looking out the car window in the direction of Alex.
After several discussions with Max, she knew it was their Bond. That they were connected on some subconscious level all the time. It was directional and empathic.
Liz had been adamant that it was NOT telepathic though. That half of her and Max’s problems had stemmed from their over reliance on their connection.
Young aliens in love.
Diane shook her head. She wasn’t sure she had her head fully wrapped around the whole thing. It just seemed so far fetched. And yet, she couldn’t deny what she had seen the last few days.
Or what she had felt. Memories of the flash Isabel had given her and Gloria still resonated in her mind. It wasn’t just the vividness, she had BEEN Isabel for those moments. Had felt the glorious physical bliss turn into existential horror inside.
There had been one point where she’d been afraid she would find one of her kids in a compromising position. She’d been afraid it would be Max after last year with Liz out on the desert. A fear that those two kids might go too far.
Which had also happened. Liz was adamant about it, she was pregnant by Max. Deliberately so.
Was Isabel pregnant too? “Honey? Can you talk?”
Isabel looked over at her. She hiccupped and wiped her eyes. “Yeah. I’m better. I really am.”
Diane glanced over, “Honey, that is going to take time. Gloria told me it took her years.”
Isabel nodded. “But she made it and so will we.”
“You know about Liz and Max?” She glanced over, “She claims to be pregnant.”
“Yes. Don’t worry about me. Alex used a condom on Thursday night. Aric wanted a clean womb for Michael’s seed.” Isabel trembled. “Mom he came so close to breaking me. So very close.”
“Aric. Well he is dead.” It disturbed Diane a bit that her kids had played vigilante, but it disturbed her worse that they’d HAD to. That there had been so little the regular authorities could do.
They pulled up to the house. Diane opened her door and looked over at Isabel.
Isabel’s face was pensive. Nervous. “Yes. I must face my fears mustn’t I?” She got out of the car and marched to the house.
“Isabel?” Diane caught up with her daughter. “What are you doing?”
Isabel looked over at her seriously, “Part of what I did at Alex’s. I didn’t mention it in the car, but we kind of had unprotected sex this morning. More a tease than anything else. Enough to make us ache for more before I stopped it.”
“So there is a chance? Isabel….”
“No, Mom, its complicated.” She looked over towards her bedroom past the living room. “I guess we can talk first. Coffee?”
“Sure honey.”
Both of them walked into the kitchen where Isabel started up a pot of water. She then grumbled and the water boiled.
Isabel looked up, “It’s usually not worth the bother to speed heat water, but well. I want to get this over with.”
“What?”
“All of it.” Isabel looked away for a moment as she poured and prepared coffee for both of them. “Now, I know Max spilled his guts about us. But how much did he tell you about me? About the part my predecessor played in all of this?”
Diane took the proffered cup and took a sip. “Not much. Just that you had been a princess. Which certainly has explained your attitude at times!”
“Hey! I tried real hard to be the best daughter I could. And Mom, the number of times I wanted to tell you….” Isabel wiped a couple of tears angrily from her face. “God, I am so tired of crying. Tired of being weak.”
“Isabel…”
Isabel waved her off imperiously, “Let me get this out. The problem with what I know about Vilandra, and that is what she was called, is that most of what I know are from tainted sources.”
“Your enemies,” Diane said gravely.
“Yes. But they keep reacting in certain ways, ways that lead me to believe at least some of it is true.” Isabel let out a sigh. “He told you about our copies?”
Diane nodded and watched her daughter carefully, “He said they were completely different from what your group is like. Like a mirror image.”
Isabel nodded distantly, “In some ways, yes. But there are more similarities there than Max probably wants to see.” She shook her head, “We never did meet the Max clone. But I know that I felt close to my copy. It was like she was me, only meaner. I didn’t realize just how dangerous she was then. That she would convince Max to New York.”
“That she was a killer. Isabel there is no need to torment yourself like this.” She placed her hand on Isabel’s.
“But I am Mom. I killed Congresswoman Whitaker when I saved Tess on my birthday. God, that was what? Two months ago.”
Diane pulled back her hand and stared at Isabel in dismay. “You killed our local Representative, but… but she died in a car wreck near that little town in Arizona she was from….”
Isabel smiled sadly, “She was an alien Skin. She tortured Tess and offered to help me recover my place at Khivar’s side if I would only help her. Nicholas had much the same story later. As did Lonnie. All of them sang the same tune. And, and I could feel that some of it was true. Not all, and sometimes small things can completely change what actions mean.”
Diane just looked up at her daughter, no longer sure she truly knew the girl.
Isabel continued, “That is when I started getting serious with Grant. Sorry about that, about making you worry. And truthfully you were right to worry. I was going too far and too fast. I almost lost my virginity to him.” She closed her eyes, “I definitely lost my innocence.”
“So.” Diane paused a moment, “These feelings for Alex are new?”
Isabel looked down, a tear slipping from her closed eyes. “No. That just makes it all worse. They aren’t new at all. It crept up on me. It really did. But last year, say around April, I realized that I really cared for him. And it scared me.” Isabel shook her head and looked directly at her mother, “That whole summer was a nightmare really. A pleasant one, but still. I had heard my Destiny, saw my ‘mother’, and thought I needed to be above the whole human emotional scene.”
Diane watched as another round of tears began welling up in her daughter’s eyes. “Obviously you still cared for him.”
“Yes, but I treated like utter crap, Mom. Seriously, I first met and flirted with Grant right in front of him. In front of him! After shooting down seeing a movie with him as friends. I told him I couldn’t get involved. And in comes Grant, and whatever you think of him, he was eye candy. And compared to the boys at school, rich and educated. Someone who could take care of me. Someone not touched by my alien life.” She sighed again, “Most girls dream of secretly being the princess. I just wanted to be normal.”
“Isabel…. Why didn’t you ever come to me? Your brother admitted that he kept you from talking to me, but surely you could have let me in. If only a little.”
Isabel looked at Diane a flash of fear crossing her features. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She muttered, “Honesty, Isabel. Honesty is the only thing that will set you free.” Her eyes flashed open and met her mother’s. “I was afraid. It is as simple as that. I know Max was too, and so I let him stop me. If I had more courage, hadn’t been so frightened that you would reject me….. But I was.” Her face switched to a sad smile, “You may not know this, but growing up here, having you as parents…. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Diane watched in fascination as an almost alien cast came to Isabel’s face, her eyes darkened and almost elongated. Her posture more regal than normal.
A chill rushed through her. Vilandra. She was seeing an echo of who Isabel had once been. A fragment of her complicated daughter.
Isabel continued, “I know it must seem strange, my talking about past lives. About who I once was. But in a way it frames me. The crimes I may or may not have committed.. The person I may or may not have been. In many ways, so much of what I have tried to do is… Atone for who I was. For I fear, I so very much fear that I was not a good person in that life. I wanted to be. To be admired and loved. Only I think I was used. And the knowledge, the simple knowledge that Alex loves me. And not just as someone he can possess, not just use for his own convenience.”
Her daughter’s voice shifted, becoming almost dual toned. And it was full of anguish. “On Antar I was used. Toyed with and given enough love to draw me in and nothing more. I don’t truly know if my accusers are right. I do not remember. But I know that this life, this simple uncomplicated live is what I desired. To have a loving family. To have friends and compatriots who truly care for me, the real me and not just what I can provide for them….. To have a lover who loves me mind and body and soul. Who wants me to be who and what I am because he loves me.
“Today I offered myself to him. In the only way I knew how. For deep inside, the part of me that remembers who and what I am. The part that was awoken by Aric. It knew how to reward my hero, how to sate the man who had saved me. As I did once before on another world I sought to buy his love with sex. So certain that my body was all that he wanted, that it was all he could possibly want. For deep inside I knew how unlovable I truly was. I was so certain that he was false as all the others had been.” Isabel put her head down and began to sob. Utterly terrifying in those odd multiple tones.
“Isabel?” Diane said hoarsely.
It was Isabel who answered. Her normal voice coming through strong. And while her eyes were full of tears, it was not sorrow that filled them. Or rather it was sorrow for what had gone before. And hope and surprised joy that suffused her mien. “I was wrong Mom. Alex was willing to push me away once he realized what it would have cost me. What it would have cost him. He loves me. He really loves me.” Her voice almost giddy at the end.
They looked at each other for a few moments. Diane desperately trying to understand her daughter. For Isabel was obviously trying hard not to hide.
Isabel smiled at her, “So in a way it doesn’t really matter who or what I had been. He loves me, just as I love him. And together we will be magnificent.” She chuckled a bit, “In his own way he needs me as much as I need him. Which is why I am trying to face all my fears and speed up my healing. And his too. So we can get back on track to having a wonderful life.”
Isabel bounded to her feet, an odd mix of tears and happiness.
“Isabel what are you trying to do?”
“Face my fears.” Isabel marched out of the kitchen.
Diane followed her. “Don’t you think you should take this slow? Make sure you are ready?”
Isabel moved through the living room. “Probably, but I am not going to. The sooner I get this done the sooner Alex and I can have wild hot sex on a regular basis.” She turned to face her mother, “And yes, we will use protection. Liz, while I love her to death, is absolutely nuts. I don’t care what the monarchy demands. I am not ready.” Her face split into a massive grin, “Don’t mind being an Auntie, but that’s a different story.” She turned to go again, paused and turned back. “And no the wild hot sex is non-negotiable. I will get a job and move out if I have to, but it will happen. Luckily for you neither of us are in psychological shape for it today. Not without causing us more trouble that its worth. Damn Aric to the deepest fires of HELL!” She continued her march to her room.
Diane watched as Isabel paused took a breath and walked into her own room. Somehow the obvious effort made the whole thing feel so much more real. Diane followed her daughter inside.
Isabel was wandering about, ignoring her bed as much as she could. Lifting up one thing or another. Isabel gasped and pulled back when she touched the closet. “He, he was in there. A-A-Alex w-watched Aric r-rape me, he sa-saw the whole thing. I, I” Reflexively she moved back from the closet.
And tripped over a pillow that had not been picked up.
Falling onto her bed.
Isabel touched the surface and screamed. It wasn’t a normal scream. It dug deep into Diane somehow, attacking her very sanity.
She needed to move her daughter now.
The room began to fill with small objects, moving almost randomly smashing into one another.
“Philip! Get in here!”
Her husband came barreling in and stopped, watching the floating objects. “What the hell?”
Diane snapped at him, “Get over here and help me with her. Take her to the couch in the living room. And don’t be too surprised if Alex shows up in a few minutes.”
“What is with her?” Philip asked as he lifted up his daughter and carried her awkwardly to the living room.
Diane helped as much as she could. Neither of them were exactly young anymore. “She’s psychologically fragile mixed with apparently good powers of psycho kinesis.”
“What?”
“You know that storm Thursday? The sudden snow storm followed by whatever they are calling what came after?”
Philip just grunted an assent as they lifted her onto the couch.
“That was Isabel.”
Philip just stared at her. “Excuse me? Are you saying my lovely daughter can control the weather?”
“Yes, no… I, I think you would have to ask Max or Liz to explain it. But apparently its something that takes a fine touch and its very limited. There was a storm in the area and she manipulated it to snow.” She smiled, “Alex wanted a White Christmas I suppose.” She shook her head, “What came after was to kill her attacker. To kill the one who had raped her.”
Isabel had stopped screaming, but she was whimpering and calling for Alex.
The phone rang.
Diane shook her head. “Gee, I wonder who that could be.” She looked at Philip, “Just watch her for a couple of moments and make sure she doesn’t bolt for the door.”
Diane left to grab the phone. “Hello?”
“Mrs. Evans this is Alex. I can’t leave. My dad just got home and well, it’s a bit interesting here. But there is a CD that I mixed that might help. It will sound a little strange, but it WILL calm her. It is in her CD player in the living room.”
“Thanks. Tell your mother that we will be expecting all of you for dinner tonight.” Diane clung to her phone tightly.
“Give Isabel my love, Mrs. Evans. IF I could be there I would be.”
“I know. And thank you. I can’t say I am thrilled at how advanced your relationship is with both of you being so young. But thank you for caring so much for my daughter.” She said sincerely.
Alex was silent for a moment. “She is my life, Mrs. Evans. We will be there.” And he hung up.
Diane simply sobbed for a moment. When would life get back to normal again.? Would it truly? Now that she knew what her children’s life really was.
But then did she really want it to? Or did she simply want her children to be happy? Could she be happy for them with all the craziness, with the alien abyss always present?
Did she want to truly know?
Yes. Yes she was glad. Now she could help. Now they would know.
Understand that she was aware of who and what they were, and loved them anyway.
She went back to the living room to a touching scene. Philip was cradling their daughter and singing a lullaby like he had when she was young and frightened.
Isabel had always been closer to her, but there had been times when she had needed her dad. This was one of them as Philip slowly sung her to sleep.
Around a half hour later Isabel was sleeping soundly.
Diane looked at her husband fondly. “Good work. I think you might just find yourself a little luckier than average tonight.”
Philip said, “Shhhh. Not in front of the kids.”
“Oh, honey.” She hugged him tightly. She said into his ear quietly, “I talked with Max yesterday and taped the conversation. It will fill you in on a lot of what is going on.” She backed away. “Then we should talk.”
“What about Isabel?”
“I’ll be here for her. I will call you if I need help. Just you should know what is going on, so scoot.”
Philip gave her and then Isabel a kiss. “See you two lovely ladies in a bit.”
Diane grabbed the CD player and began to play the CD. It was strange, just like Alex said. But strangely soothing. She draped both herself and Isabel with a couple of blankets and was surprised to find herself drifting off to sleep.
Her dreams were fragmentary and pleasant, dealing with a small laughing Isabel and herself playing on a play ground.
She woke suddenly when Isabel asked her where her daddy was.
Diane looked at her watch. Several hours had passed. She had a ton of work to do for tonight’s party.
And where was Philip? The tapes had gone on for over and hour, but surely he was finished with them by now.
Isabel looked up at her. “Thank you, Mom. I will be okay.”
Diane looked at Isabel, “Max said you could enter dreams.”
“Yes. I was in your dreams. Thank you. Mine were…. Much less pleasant.”
There was a knock at the door. Diane crossed the room to get it.
It was Liz. She looked up at Diane, “Is she okay? Alex said she was having some trouble, and I got off work early. So…..”
“Come in. You are always welcome. Are your parents coming tonight.”
“Yes. I didn’t tell them everything. It was surprising how easily they took it all in.”
Diane smiled, “So you told them about Max, but not about your own issues?”
Liz smiled brokenly up at Diane, “Please give me a few months of freedom. Once mom and dad find out, Max having saved me from certain death might lose some of its favor. Let them get to know him. He’ll win them over. And then, then we will deal with it.”
Diane was totally serious, “Liz, this isn’t a small thing. Your lives are going to be totally changed by this.”
Liz nodded. “I know but it really does have to be done. Sooner of later some alien group will come looking for him, and this will let them know where we stand.” She shook her head, “I should take a look at Isabel.” Liz walked past her and began talking to her daughter.
Diane watched a few moments before trying to find her husband. She tried the study first, certain he was mulling over the tapes. But no. Nor was he in their rooms or the den.
She found him in Isabel’s room, on the floor with his legs pulled up to his chest. He was softly sobbing and muttering, “My poor baby.” over and over.
Diane walked up to him. “Philip? Are you okay?”
He shook his head. “No. I am not okay. I saw it all, Diane. I felt it. I LIVED it.”
Diane squeezed his shoulder.
Philip continued, “You know how I have never believed in any of this hocus pocus stuff. Even after listening to the tapes, looking at some of our experiences in a different light…. Still I didn’t really believe it could affect me. Liz had mentioned on the tapes that Isabel had been assaulted here. And I decided to figure out what happened, to get a mental picture. Its just what I do.”
Diane crouched down, joining her husband on the floor, holding him close.
“It started with the closet. I though for just a moment that I felt something. A cold ghost like moment. The window too felt saturated, but it wasn’t as bad. Didn’t feel too scary. Then I sat on the bed, trying to mull it all over. And I saw it. I saw it all, Diane. Alex assaulted out daughter. Only there was another Alex on the floor, the real Alex and I…. I don’t know Diane. What exactly happened? And how can I help her? I can I help Isabel?”
She looked Philip directly in the eye. “The being that raped Isabel wasn’t Alex. It was a shape shifting alien named Aric. Apparently the kids called him Nasedo mostly.”
Philip’s eyes were grief-stricken, “So it’s real. It is all real.”
“Yes. Alex killed Aric. So our daughter is safe. From it anyway. Alex and Isabel…. They are inseparable.. Trust me.”
“Okay. We’ll find a way to fix all of it. Find a way to make it all safe for them.”
“Yes.” But Diane looked at the bed looming beyond her husband. What did you do to a malignant memory trapped in a piece furniture.
Philip turned to follow her gaze. “Yes, but what do we do with that?”
Liz answered from the door, her voice cold. “We burn it.”
Diane looked over.
Liz stood protectively in front of Isabel. Isabel’s eyes flicked around the room, but avoided her bed.
Liz looked up and held one of her daughter’s hands, “Tonight we burn it, okay Isabel? We burn it and you move on.”
Isabel hugged the smaller girl. “Together, all of us together. Family.”
Diane got up and helped her husband get up as well. She gave Philip a kiss. “We will talk in a little bit. But first, girls. I have a ton of things to do before tonight. Would you mind helping me?
Liz’s smile was a bright, “Sure. Anything I can do to help.”
Isabel’s voice was tight, “I will not let him ruin Christmas for me. This is going to be the best damn Christmas party in the history of Roswell!” She turned to face her father. “Did you ever find those burnt out bulbs on the string above the garage?”
Philips smile was faint but real, “I will get right on it.”
Diane smiled back at all of them, “Well we had better get cracking.”
And they began the preparations for a much larger holiday feast than originally planned.
It would be quite an eventful party.
Earth2Mama- Thanks. Um yeah. Isabel simply would NOT stop. Well, obviously she did. (Poor Alex) And it ended on a positive if physically frustrating level for Isabel. As to the long term ramifications.... I really do like happy endings.
Mt. Gazer- Yep it was all a question of whether it would be an Isabel living a new and potentially happy life or reprising her life on Antar.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. And yep, a busy morning to be followed by next parts busy night. And then the Epilogue (crosses fingers)
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 8
Diane- Sunday morning (Christmas Eve)
Diane watched the weeping girl in the passenger side seat. Isabel had been so reluctant to leave the Whitman’s, even as she vocally said she knew she had to. Even now Isabel kept looking out the car window in the direction of Alex.
After several discussions with Max, she knew it was their Bond. That they were connected on some subconscious level all the time. It was directional and empathic.
Liz had been adamant that it was NOT telepathic though. That half of her and Max’s problems had stemmed from their over reliance on their connection.
Young aliens in love.
Diane shook her head. She wasn’t sure she had her head fully wrapped around the whole thing. It just seemed so far fetched. And yet, she couldn’t deny what she had seen the last few days.
Or what she had felt. Memories of the flash Isabel had given her and Gloria still resonated in her mind. It wasn’t just the vividness, she had BEEN Isabel for those moments. Had felt the glorious physical bliss turn into existential horror inside.
There had been one point where she’d been afraid she would find one of her kids in a compromising position. She’d been afraid it would be Max after last year with Liz out on the desert. A fear that those two kids might go too far.
Which had also happened. Liz was adamant about it, she was pregnant by Max. Deliberately so.
Was Isabel pregnant too? “Honey? Can you talk?”
Isabel looked over at her. She hiccupped and wiped her eyes. “Yeah. I’m better. I really am.”
Diane glanced over, “Honey, that is going to take time. Gloria told me it took her years.”
Isabel nodded. “But she made it and so will we.”
“You know about Liz and Max?” She glanced over, “She claims to be pregnant.”
“Yes. Don’t worry about me. Alex used a condom on Thursday night. Aric wanted a clean womb for Michael’s seed.” Isabel trembled. “Mom he came so close to breaking me. So very close.”
“Aric. Well he is dead.” It disturbed Diane a bit that her kids had played vigilante, but it disturbed her worse that they’d HAD to. That there had been so little the regular authorities could do.
They pulled up to the house. Diane opened her door and looked over at Isabel.
Isabel’s face was pensive. Nervous. “Yes. I must face my fears mustn’t I?” She got out of the car and marched to the house.
“Isabel?” Diane caught up with her daughter. “What are you doing?”
Isabel looked over at her seriously, “Part of what I did at Alex’s. I didn’t mention it in the car, but we kind of had unprotected sex this morning. More a tease than anything else. Enough to make us ache for more before I stopped it.”
“So there is a chance? Isabel….”
“No, Mom, its complicated.” She looked over towards her bedroom past the living room. “I guess we can talk first. Coffee?”
“Sure honey.”
Both of them walked into the kitchen where Isabel started up a pot of water. She then grumbled and the water boiled.
Isabel looked up, “It’s usually not worth the bother to speed heat water, but well. I want to get this over with.”
“What?”
“All of it.” Isabel looked away for a moment as she poured and prepared coffee for both of them. “Now, I know Max spilled his guts about us. But how much did he tell you about me? About the part my predecessor played in all of this?”
Diane took the proffered cup and took a sip. “Not much. Just that you had been a princess. Which certainly has explained your attitude at times!”
“Hey! I tried real hard to be the best daughter I could. And Mom, the number of times I wanted to tell you….” Isabel wiped a couple of tears angrily from her face. “God, I am so tired of crying. Tired of being weak.”
“Isabel…”
Isabel waved her off imperiously, “Let me get this out. The problem with what I know about Vilandra, and that is what she was called, is that most of what I know are from tainted sources.”
“Your enemies,” Diane said gravely.
“Yes. But they keep reacting in certain ways, ways that lead me to believe at least some of it is true.” Isabel let out a sigh. “He told you about our copies?”
Diane nodded and watched her daughter carefully, “He said they were completely different from what your group is like. Like a mirror image.”
Isabel nodded distantly, “In some ways, yes. But there are more similarities there than Max probably wants to see.” She shook her head, “We never did meet the Max clone. But I know that I felt close to my copy. It was like she was me, only meaner. I didn’t realize just how dangerous she was then. That she would convince Max to New York.”
“That she was a killer. Isabel there is no need to torment yourself like this.” She placed her hand on Isabel’s.
“But I am Mom. I killed Congresswoman Whitaker when I saved Tess on my birthday. God, that was what? Two months ago.”
Diane pulled back her hand and stared at Isabel in dismay. “You killed our local Representative, but… but she died in a car wreck near that little town in Arizona she was from….”
Isabel smiled sadly, “She was an alien Skin. She tortured Tess and offered to help me recover my place at Khivar’s side if I would only help her. Nicholas had much the same story later. As did Lonnie. All of them sang the same tune. And, and I could feel that some of it was true. Not all, and sometimes small things can completely change what actions mean.”
Diane just looked up at her daughter, no longer sure she truly knew the girl.
Isabel continued, “That is when I started getting serious with Grant. Sorry about that, about making you worry. And truthfully you were right to worry. I was going too far and too fast. I almost lost my virginity to him.” She closed her eyes, “I definitely lost my innocence.”
“So.” Diane paused a moment, “These feelings for Alex are new?”
Isabel looked down, a tear slipping from her closed eyes. “No. That just makes it all worse. They aren’t new at all. It crept up on me. It really did. But last year, say around April, I realized that I really cared for him. And it scared me.” Isabel shook her head and looked directly at her mother, “That whole summer was a nightmare really. A pleasant one, but still. I had heard my Destiny, saw my ‘mother’, and thought I needed to be above the whole human emotional scene.”
Diane watched as another round of tears began welling up in her daughter’s eyes. “Obviously you still cared for him.”
“Yes, but I treated like utter crap, Mom. Seriously, I first met and flirted with Grant right in front of him. In front of him! After shooting down seeing a movie with him as friends. I told him I couldn’t get involved. And in comes Grant, and whatever you think of him, he was eye candy. And compared to the boys at school, rich and educated. Someone who could take care of me. Someone not touched by my alien life.” She sighed again, “Most girls dream of secretly being the princess. I just wanted to be normal.”
“Isabel…. Why didn’t you ever come to me? Your brother admitted that he kept you from talking to me, but surely you could have let me in. If only a little.”
Isabel looked at Diane a flash of fear crossing her features. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She muttered, “Honesty, Isabel. Honesty is the only thing that will set you free.” Her eyes flashed open and met her mother’s. “I was afraid. It is as simple as that. I know Max was too, and so I let him stop me. If I had more courage, hadn’t been so frightened that you would reject me….. But I was.” Her face switched to a sad smile, “You may not know this, but growing up here, having you as parents…. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Diane watched in fascination as an almost alien cast came to Isabel’s face, her eyes darkened and almost elongated. Her posture more regal than normal.
A chill rushed through her. Vilandra. She was seeing an echo of who Isabel had once been. A fragment of her complicated daughter.
Isabel continued, “I know it must seem strange, my talking about past lives. About who I once was. But in a way it frames me. The crimes I may or may not have committed.. The person I may or may not have been. In many ways, so much of what I have tried to do is… Atone for who I was. For I fear, I so very much fear that I was not a good person in that life. I wanted to be. To be admired and loved. Only I think I was used. And the knowledge, the simple knowledge that Alex loves me. And not just as someone he can possess, not just use for his own convenience.”
Her daughter’s voice shifted, becoming almost dual toned. And it was full of anguish. “On Antar I was used. Toyed with and given enough love to draw me in and nothing more. I don’t truly know if my accusers are right. I do not remember. But I know that this life, this simple uncomplicated live is what I desired. To have a loving family. To have friends and compatriots who truly care for me, the real me and not just what I can provide for them….. To have a lover who loves me mind and body and soul. Who wants me to be who and what I am because he loves me.
“Today I offered myself to him. In the only way I knew how. For deep inside, the part of me that remembers who and what I am. The part that was awoken by Aric. It knew how to reward my hero, how to sate the man who had saved me. As I did once before on another world I sought to buy his love with sex. So certain that my body was all that he wanted, that it was all he could possibly want. For deep inside I knew how unlovable I truly was. I was so certain that he was false as all the others had been.” Isabel put her head down and began to sob. Utterly terrifying in those odd multiple tones.
“Isabel?” Diane said hoarsely.
It was Isabel who answered. Her normal voice coming through strong. And while her eyes were full of tears, it was not sorrow that filled them. Or rather it was sorrow for what had gone before. And hope and surprised joy that suffused her mien. “I was wrong Mom. Alex was willing to push me away once he realized what it would have cost me. What it would have cost him. He loves me. He really loves me.” Her voice almost giddy at the end.
They looked at each other for a few moments. Diane desperately trying to understand her daughter. For Isabel was obviously trying hard not to hide.
Isabel smiled at her, “So in a way it doesn’t really matter who or what I had been. He loves me, just as I love him. And together we will be magnificent.” She chuckled a bit, “In his own way he needs me as much as I need him. Which is why I am trying to face all my fears and speed up my healing. And his too. So we can get back on track to having a wonderful life.”
Isabel bounded to her feet, an odd mix of tears and happiness.
“Isabel what are you trying to do?”
“Face my fears.” Isabel marched out of the kitchen.
Diane followed her. “Don’t you think you should take this slow? Make sure you are ready?”
Isabel moved through the living room. “Probably, but I am not going to. The sooner I get this done the sooner Alex and I can have wild hot sex on a regular basis.” She turned to face her mother, “And yes, we will use protection. Liz, while I love her to death, is absolutely nuts. I don’t care what the monarchy demands. I am not ready.” Her face split into a massive grin, “Don’t mind being an Auntie, but that’s a different story.” She turned to go again, paused and turned back. “And no the wild hot sex is non-negotiable. I will get a job and move out if I have to, but it will happen. Luckily for you neither of us are in psychological shape for it today. Not without causing us more trouble that its worth. Damn Aric to the deepest fires of HELL!” She continued her march to her room.
Diane watched as Isabel paused took a breath and walked into her own room. Somehow the obvious effort made the whole thing feel so much more real. Diane followed her daughter inside.
Isabel was wandering about, ignoring her bed as much as she could. Lifting up one thing or another. Isabel gasped and pulled back when she touched the closet. “He, he was in there. A-A-Alex w-watched Aric r-rape me, he sa-saw the whole thing. I, I” Reflexively she moved back from the closet.
And tripped over a pillow that had not been picked up.
Falling onto her bed.
Isabel touched the surface and screamed. It wasn’t a normal scream. It dug deep into Diane somehow, attacking her very sanity.
She needed to move her daughter now.
The room began to fill with small objects, moving almost randomly smashing into one another.
“Philip! Get in here!”
Her husband came barreling in and stopped, watching the floating objects. “What the hell?”
Diane snapped at him, “Get over here and help me with her. Take her to the couch in the living room. And don’t be too surprised if Alex shows up in a few minutes.”
“What is with her?” Philip asked as he lifted up his daughter and carried her awkwardly to the living room.
Diane helped as much as she could. Neither of them were exactly young anymore. “She’s psychologically fragile mixed with apparently good powers of psycho kinesis.”
“What?”
“You know that storm Thursday? The sudden snow storm followed by whatever they are calling what came after?”
Philip just grunted an assent as they lifted her onto the couch.
“That was Isabel.”
Philip just stared at her. “Excuse me? Are you saying my lovely daughter can control the weather?”
“Yes, no… I, I think you would have to ask Max or Liz to explain it. But apparently its something that takes a fine touch and its very limited. There was a storm in the area and she manipulated it to snow.” She smiled, “Alex wanted a White Christmas I suppose.” She shook her head, “What came after was to kill her attacker. To kill the one who had raped her.”
Isabel had stopped screaming, but she was whimpering and calling for Alex.
The phone rang.
Diane shook her head. “Gee, I wonder who that could be.” She looked at Philip, “Just watch her for a couple of moments and make sure she doesn’t bolt for the door.”
Diane left to grab the phone. “Hello?”
“Mrs. Evans this is Alex. I can’t leave. My dad just got home and well, it’s a bit interesting here. But there is a CD that I mixed that might help. It will sound a little strange, but it WILL calm her. It is in her CD player in the living room.”
“Thanks. Tell your mother that we will be expecting all of you for dinner tonight.” Diane clung to her phone tightly.
“Give Isabel my love, Mrs. Evans. IF I could be there I would be.”
“I know. And thank you. I can’t say I am thrilled at how advanced your relationship is with both of you being so young. But thank you for caring so much for my daughter.” She said sincerely.
Alex was silent for a moment. “She is my life, Mrs. Evans. We will be there.” And he hung up.
Diane simply sobbed for a moment. When would life get back to normal again.? Would it truly? Now that she knew what her children’s life really was.
But then did she really want it to? Or did she simply want her children to be happy? Could she be happy for them with all the craziness, with the alien abyss always present?
Did she want to truly know?
Yes. Yes she was glad. Now she could help. Now they would know.
Understand that she was aware of who and what they were, and loved them anyway.
She went back to the living room to a touching scene. Philip was cradling their daughter and singing a lullaby like he had when she was young and frightened.
Isabel had always been closer to her, but there had been times when she had needed her dad. This was one of them as Philip slowly sung her to sleep.
Around a half hour later Isabel was sleeping soundly.
Diane looked at her husband fondly. “Good work. I think you might just find yourself a little luckier than average tonight.”
Philip said, “Shhhh. Not in front of the kids.”
“Oh, honey.” She hugged him tightly. She said into his ear quietly, “I talked with Max yesterday and taped the conversation. It will fill you in on a lot of what is going on.” She backed away. “Then we should talk.”
“What about Isabel?”
“I’ll be here for her. I will call you if I need help. Just you should know what is going on, so scoot.”
Philip gave her and then Isabel a kiss. “See you two lovely ladies in a bit.”
Diane grabbed the CD player and began to play the CD. It was strange, just like Alex said. But strangely soothing. She draped both herself and Isabel with a couple of blankets and was surprised to find herself drifting off to sleep.
Her dreams were fragmentary and pleasant, dealing with a small laughing Isabel and herself playing on a play ground.
She woke suddenly when Isabel asked her where her daddy was.
Diane looked at her watch. Several hours had passed. She had a ton of work to do for tonight’s party.
And where was Philip? The tapes had gone on for over and hour, but surely he was finished with them by now.
Isabel looked up at her. “Thank you, Mom. I will be okay.”
Diane looked at Isabel, “Max said you could enter dreams.”
“Yes. I was in your dreams. Thank you. Mine were…. Much less pleasant.”
There was a knock at the door. Diane crossed the room to get it.
It was Liz. She looked up at Diane, “Is she okay? Alex said she was having some trouble, and I got off work early. So…..”
“Come in. You are always welcome. Are your parents coming tonight.”
“Yes. I didn’t tell them everything. It was surprising how easily they took it all in.”
Diane smiled, “So you told them about Max, but not about your own issues?”
Liz smiled brokenly up at Diane, “Please give me a few months of freedom. Once mom and dad find out, Max having saved me from certain death might lose some of its favor. Let them get to know him. He’ll win them over. And then, then we will deal with it.”
Diane was totally serious, “Liz, this isn’t a small thing. Your lives are going to be totally changed by this.”
Liz nodded. “I know but it really does have to be done. Sooner of later some alien group will come looking for him, and this will let them know where we stand.” She shook her head, “I should take a look at Isabel.” Liz walked past her and began talking to her daughter.
Diane watched a few moments before trying to find her husband. She tried the study first, certain he was mulling over the tapes. But no. Nor was he in their rooms or the den.
She found him in Isabel’s room, on the floor with his legs pulled up to his chest. He was softly sobbing and muttering, “My poor baby.” over and over.
Diane walked up to him. “Philip? Are you okay?”
He shook his head. “No. I am not okay. I saw it all, Diane. I felt it. I LIVED it.”
Diane squeezed his shoulder.
Philip continued, “You know how I have never believed in any of this hocus pocus stuff. Even after listening to the tapes, looking at some of our experiences in a different light…. Still I didn’t really believe it could affect me. Liz had mentioned on the tapes that Isabel had been assaulted here. And I decided to figure out what happened, to get a mental picture. Its just what I do.”
Diane crouched down, joining her husband on the floor, holding him close.
“It started with the closet. I though for just a moment that I felt something. A cold ghost like moment. The window too felt saturated, but it wasn’t as bad. Didn’t feel too scary. Then I sat on the bed, trying to mull it all over. And I saw it. I saw it all, Diane. Alex assaulted out daughter. Only there was another Alex on the floor, the real Alex and I…. I don’t know Diane. What exactly happened? And how can I help her? I can I help Isabel?”
She looked Philip directly in the eye. “The being that raped Isabel wasn’t Alex. It was a shape shifting alien named Aric. Apparently the kids called him Nasedo mostly.”
Philip’s eyes were grief-stricken, “So it’s real. It is all real.”
“Yes. Alex killed Aric. So our daughter is safe. From it anyway. Alex and Isabel…. They are inseparable.. Trust me.”
“Okay. We’ll find a way to fix all of it. Find a way to make it all safe for them.”
“Yes.” But Diane looked at the bed looming beyond her husband. What did you do to a malignant memory trapped in a piece furniture.
Philip turned to follow her gaze. “Yes, but what do we do with that?”
Liz answered from the door, her voice cold. “We burn it.”
Diane looked over.
Liz stood protectively in front of Isabel. Isabel’s eyes flicked around the room, but avoided her bed.
Liz looked up and held one of her daughter’s hands, “Tonight we burn it, okay Isabel? We burn it and you move on.”
Isabel hugged the smaller girl. “Together, all of us together. Family.”
Diane got up and helped her husband get up as well. She gave Philip a kiss. “We will talk in a little bit. But first, girls. I have a ton of things to do before tonight. Would you mind helping me?
Liz’s smile was a bright, “Sure. Anything I can do to help.”
Isabel’s voice was tight, “I will not let him ruin Christmas for me. This is going to be the best damn Christmas party in the history of Roswell!” She turned to face her father. “Did you ever find those burnt out bulbs on the string above the garage?”
Philips smile was faint but real, “I will get right on it.”
Diane smiled back at all of them, “Well we had better get cracking.”
And they began the preparations for a much larger holiday feast than originally planned.
It would be quite an eventful party.
Re: Paladin (CC/AI - Mature) A/N - 11/01/10
Second time trying to post. Thanks to Mt. Gazer for her betaing
Ellie- Thanks. This has to be a nightmare for these parents.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks for your help
Ti88- Thanks. A tough time for all the parents involved.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 9
Gloria- (Christmas Eve)
Gloria could not help the fact she was nervous. She had really hoped that she would be able to work on Charles a bit more before the secret would come out.
But that was not to be. She had spoken briefly with Diane before coming over. Apparently there was going to be a ceremony at the end of the night. And the aliens would be using their powers....
It had to do with the bed that Isabel had been raped on. Apparently she’d laced it full of emotional overload. And it needed to be gone.
So after dinner they were going to take it out to the quarry and burn it.
She looked over at her son. He worried her.
Oh, it wasn’t like he was visibly fretting. Or even acting the slightest bit nervous.
No, he was acting completely normal and despite the fact she kept unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, he kept buttoning it up.
Frustrating.
The car stopped in front of the Evan’s. It looked to be an even larger dinner than she had expected. She had not thought that the Parkers would be here too. But she could see both the truck Jeff used for his business and the little coupe Nancy used for her tasks.
Did they know?
Nancy was nowhere to be seen, but Jeff was sitting at the wheel of his truck staring blankly out into space. There was a heavy tarp over the bed of his truck, something bolted firmly down.
Oh.
The bed.
If Jeff had touched it…… Her heart went out to that poor man. She had experienced it herself, but she had been steeled by her own experiences. How much harder for Jeff Parker?
Charles got out to speak with his old friend. Gloria looked worriedly after her husband, and hoped for the best. But in truth she could only hope that he didn’t cause too much trouble.
She herself could not wait to talk with Diane. Both Alex and Isabel needed each other, but from the discussions she’d had with Isabel they would need time. And access to each other.
That would be complicated and there was a part of her that simply wanted this all to have never happened. She wanted her little boy back.
Michael and Max called out to him. Kyle yelled down from the roof.
Placing lights apparently. Lots and lots of lights.
Alex stopped a moment to talk with them.
Gloria shrugged and moved toward the entrance of the Evans’ home. Alex laughingly caught up with her. Part of her wanted him back the way he had been, sure. To have that sweet innocence radiate from his eyes just once more.
The experiences of the past few days had burnt it out of him. Completely.
Oh, he was still Alex. Still the boy she had raised. But there was more to him now. And not simply the powers. He had found steel inside himself. The ability to make the tough choices, and to act when necessary.
To do what one must.
They were at the door. She turned a slightly smiling Alex to face her again. And one last time adjusted his shirt. If he would wear the stupid tie he had with him it would be one thing, then that last button needed to be closed. But since he’d argued about wearing it, surely he could see….
He buttoned it back up one last time. “Trust me, I know what I am doing.”
Gloria sighed and nodded.
It was Isabel that answered the door. And she looked radiant. Gloria could still see the darkness in her, just as she could in her son. It would take a long time for them to recover.
But she suddenly knew that both of them would.
Isabel made an exasperated noise and opened Alex’s shirt. “Honestly, Alex. How many times do I have to do this?”
He just gave her a little kiss on the cheek. “How can I help? I am sure there are still a million things to do…..”
Isabel looked at him and smiled, “Just come right in, I can think of a few things you can do for me….” She looked over and blinked, “Oh, sorry, Mrs. Whitman!”
Gloria nodded, “Gloria remember, for you it’s Gloria. And just direct me to your mother?”
Alex looked up at his mother and winked, his top button again undone, this time by Isabel. She understood.
Isabel pointed off towards the kitchen.
Gloria moved toward the kitchen, wondering at all the scents coming from it. She knew Diane was a passable cook. But this smelled absolutely delicious.
She came on Diane standing in the entrance way watching as Amy, Maria, Nancy and Liz all were busy bustling around. “What is going on?”
“I’ve been kicked out of my own kitchen.” There was no rancor in Diane’s voice. Diane was watching Liz with a fond proprietary look.
From time to time Liz would look at some sort of list and ask one of the other women a question. There was no doubt who was running this kitchen at the moment. Liz looked up and saw the two of them. She walked over. “Hey, can you guys get the dining room set up. Don’t forget to put a place for the Sheriff, he will be late but he will be here.” Her brown eyes flickered with joy for a moment, “This is a night that shouldn’t be missed. By anyone.”
Gloria was chuckling at the authoritative tone of the young woman, “Sure thing, Liz. Need us to ready water glasses and the like?”
Liz smiled at her, “Would you? That would eliminate one more item. Oh and make sure Isabel helps you. Or decorates something. She will want to help us and….”
Gloria said, “And?”
Diane laughed and said, “My daughter burns water.”
Gloria looked back and said, “Good thing Alex can cook then.”
Diane smiled as she led her friend to the drawers with the best silverware. “Yeah.”
Both of them stopped as they saw Isabel and Alex simply talking quietly. Both of them were so close you could almost feel the devotion radiating between them. So much love. And the other kids…. She had seen bits of that too. Alex had told her all that he had known about the others.
“So precious.”
Diane’s breath just caught in a sob and nodded.
And they set the table. For it truly was not a night to be missed.
Ellie- Thanks. This has to be a nightmare for these parents.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks for your help
Ti88- Thanks. A tough time for all the parents involved.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Paladin Chapter 9
Gloria- (Christmas Eve)
Gloria could not help the fact she was nervous. She had really hoped that she would be able to work on Charles a bit more before the secret would come out.
But that was not to be. She had spoken briefly with Diane before coming over. Apparently there was going to be a ceremony at the end of the night. And the aliens would be using their powers....
It had to do with the bed that Isabel had been raped on. Apparently she’d laced it full of emotional overload. And it needed to be gone.
So after dinner they were going to take it out to the quarry and burn it.
She looked over at her son. He worried her.
Oh, it wasn’t like he was visibly fretting. Or even acting the slightest bit nervous.
No, he was acting completely normal and despite the fact she kept unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, he kept buttoning it up.
Frustrating.
The car stopped in front of the Evan’s. It looked to be an even larger dinner than she had expected. She had not thought that the Parkers would be here too. But she could see both the truck Jeff used for his business and the little coupe Nancy used for her tasks.
Did they know?
Nancy was nowhere to be seen, but Jeff was sitting at the wheel of his truck staring blankly out into space. There was a heavy tarp over the bed of his truck, something bolted firmly down.
Oh.
The bed.
If Jeff had touched it…… Her heart went out to that poor man. She had experienced it herself, but she had been steeled by her own experiences. How much harder for Jeff Parker?
Charles got out to speak with his old friend. Gloria looked worriedly after her husband, and hoped for the best. But in truth she could only hope that he didn’t cause too much trouble.
She herself could not wait to talk with Diane. Both Alex and Isabel needed each other, but from the discussions she’d had with Isabel they would need time. And access to each other.
That would be complicated and there was a part of her that simply wanted this all to have never happened. She wanted her little boy back.
Michael and Max called out to him. Kyle yelled down from the roof.
Placing lights apparently. Lots and lots of lights.
Alex stopped a moment to talk with them.
Gloria shrugged and moved toward the entrance of the Evans’ home. Alex laughingly caught up with her. Part of her wanted him back the way he had been, sure. To have that sweet innocence radiate from his eyes just once more.
The experiences of the past few days had burnt it out of him. Completely.
Oh, he was still Alex. Still the boy she had raised. But there was more to him now. And not simply the powers. He had found steel inside himself. The ability to make the tough choices, and to act when necessary.
To do what one must.
They were at the door. She turned a slightly smiling Alex to face her again. And one last time adjusted his shirt. If he would wear the stupid tie he had with him it would be one thing, then that last button needed to be closed. But since he’d argued about wearing it, surely he could see….
He buttoned it back up one last time. “Trust me, I know what I am doing.”
Gloria sighed and nodded.
It was Isabel that answered the door. And she looked radiant. Gloria could still see the darkness in her, just as she could in her son. It would take a long time for them to recover.
But she suddenly knew that both of them would.
Isabel made an exasperated noise and opened Alex’s shirt. “Honestly, Alex. How many times do I have to do this?”
He just gave her a little kiss on the cheek. “How can I help? I am sure there are still a million things to do…..”
Isabel looked at him and smiled, “Just come right in, I can think of a few things you can do for me….” She looked over and blinked, “Oh, sorry, Mrs. Whitman!”
Gloria nodded, “Gloria remember, for you it’s Gloria. And just direct me to your mother?”
Alex looked up at his mother and winked, his top button again undone, this time by Isabel. She understood.
Isabel pointed off towards the kitchen.
Gloria moved toward the kitchen, wondering at all the scents coming from it. She knew Diane was a passable cook. But this smelled absolutely delicious.
She came on Diane standing in the entrance way watching as Amy, Maria, Nancy and Liz all were busy bustling around. “What is going on?”
“I’ve been kicked out of my own kitchen.” There was no rancor in Diane’s voice. Diane was watching Liz with a fond proprietary look.
From time to time Liz would look at some sort of list and ask one of the other women a question. There was no doubt who was running this kitchen at the moment. Liz looked up and saw the two of them. She walked over. “Hey, can you guys get the dining room set up. Don’t forget to put a place for the Sheriff, he will be late but he will be here.” Her brown eyes flickered with joy for a moment, “This is a night that shouldn’t be missed. By anyone.”
Gloria was chuckling at the authoritative tone of the young woman, “Sure thing, Liz. Need us to ready water glasses and the like?”
Liz smiled at her, “Would you? That would eliminate one more item. Oh and make sure Isabel helps you. Or decorates something. She will want to help us and….”
Gloria said, “And?”
Diane laughed and said, “My daughter burns water.”
Gloria looked back and said, “Good thing Alex can cook then.”
Diane smiled as she led her friend to the drawers with the best silverware. “Yeah.”
Both of them stopped as they saw Isabel and Alex simply talking quietly. Both of them were so close you could almost feel the devotion radiating between them. So much love. And the other kids…. She had seen bits of that too. Alex had told her all that he had known about the others.
“So precious.”
Diane’s breath just caught in a sob and nodded.
And they set the table. For it truly was not a night to be missed.
Last edited by PML on Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:01 am, edited 2 times in total.