Wishful Thinking CC A/I TEEN [COMPLETE]

[StargazerUK]

Wishful thinking.

Author: StargazerUK.

Email: david.meade@virgin.net

Category: A/I, with M/L & M/M.

Rating: TEEN

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these Roswell characters, I have borrowed them.( If I did Alex & Isabel would be living happily ever after. )

Author's Note: It seems I am incapable of thinking up my own stories so I need the help of others. This time Trude was kind enough to give me this idea and I just hope I can do it justice. As is now the norm Stacey is practically writing this for me.
This story is set towards the end of season 2, at the time of ‘Cry Your Name’ and beyond. Liz and Isabel have a plan.


Chapter 1

Liz sat on the edge of her bed and turned the photo over in her hand. To say these past few weeks had been the worst in her short but eventful life was a huge understatement. She had recently seen the love of her life kissing the she bitch from hell but infinitely worse than that was the loss of her best friend in a supposed suicide.

Liz stopped turning the photo and looked at the picture. It was of her with Alex and Maria. They were all laughing and smiling, naturally, as Alex had just told one of his awful jokes, which always made them laugh.

Alex had perfected the knack of telling really old, really terrible jokes but they were so bad you couldn’t help but laugh.

Liz felt the tears starting to well up in her eyes. Every time she had a moment to herself she couldn’t help but think of Alex. When that happened it was only a few short moments until the tears arrived.

Liz angrily brushed away the tears that had started to fall on her sad face. The reason for her anger was something she had felt since the news of Alex’s death had finally sunk in. Much more than having lost a friend she loved with all her heart she had lost a friend because of her.

It may have only been a matter of days since his death but Liz had found plenty of time to think about what had happened and why. Firstly she had been concerned with the idea that was being passed around that Alex had taken his own life. Liz had never been surer of anything in her life than she was about the fact that in no way did Alex take his own life.

‘His own life’, what life? He was seventeen years old, was still at school and had only just started dating Isabel. His entire life lay out in front of him and it was all good so there was no way he had taken his own life. While Liz was concentrating most of her efforts on proving Alex had not committed suicide she also found time to question her role in these events.

That was the second thing she had been working on and whichever way she looked at it Alex had died because of her. It may have been indirectly but when something happens to a loved one it doesn’t take much to find a path of blame that leads straight to your own door.

Liz knew it was only natural to second-guess ever action, every conversation she had had with Alex when it came to their alien involvement. She had thought about when she finally told Alex the truth about Max, Isabel and Michael. Could she have held out longer? Continued to keep Alex in the dark and kept him out of harms way?

Maria had tried long and hard to get Liz to stop blaming herself for what happened but try as she might it was apparent she was unsuccessful. Liz had only expressed her thoughts to Maria going back as far as the party at the soap factory and Liz and Alex’s subsequent arrest and incarceration.

What she hadn’t told anyone, not even Maria, were her thoughts on their whole alien involvement. If Max hadn’t saved her that day in the Crashdown Alex would be alive today. If Max hadn’t risked everything for her Tess may never had found them and she wouldn’t have been able to sink her evil claws into Max or to bring up any of that destiny crap.

Although she didn’t know the reason for Alex’s accident she knew that if Max saving her in the Crashdown hadn’t occurred their lives would have taken a completely different route so Alex wouldn’t have been in his car on that night, driving to who knows where. That was all the logic she needed to blame herself.

It was true that if Max hadn’t stepped in and saved her she would have been long since dead but if it came to a straight choice between her dying and Alex she knew what she would pick and why. They may still have been quite young but the one thing in life that Liz did not doubt was the love and friendship she enjoyed with Maria and Alex.

Almost immediately Liz knew she had made life long friends when she met both Maria & Alex and even though it wasn’t something they had ever discussed Liz knew that given the chance her two friends would lay their lives down for her and she honestly felt she would do the same for them.

When it came to Alex she hadn’t been given the chance. The last time she had seen him he was truly on top of the world. He worshipped and adored Isabel and they had just been to the Prom together and had the time of their short lives. Alex had spent years worshipping Isabel from afar and once he had been brought into the inner circle of friends he had continued to purse her despite constant knock backs.

Finally things had started to go right for him and for Isabel. He may have been the one who had desired Isabel but both Liz and Maria knew that if Isabel managed to get her self in order and realise what a catch Alex was he was going to make her a very happy woman.

All of that appeared to have fallen into place, culminating with the Prom. Alex had told them how Isabel had pursed him and she wanted him to ask her to the Prom. Liz had never seen Alex happier than when recounted his brief conversation with Isabel in the library. It wasn’t as thought he was gloating over his apparent triumph in his battle for Isabel. On the contrary he was merely happy at the thought of having his dreams realised.

In spite of her own problems with Max Liz was still able to see what a wonderful couple Alex and Isabel made at the Prom. She had never seen either of them smile so much. Although Isabel was as beautiful as she always was Alex made a dashing sight in his Tuxedo and he was equal to Isabel in the elegance stakes.

Liz shook her head again trying to fight off more tears and to knock herself out of her self-pity party.

A sudden knock on the door pulled Liz out of her slump. “Come in.”

The door opened and Liz was surprised to see Isabel smiling softly at her as she moved into the room and closed the door behind her.

“Hi, Isabel. Everything OK?” Liz asked.

Isabel nodded and moved to sit on the bed beside Liz. As she allowed herself to relax once she was actually sitting on the bed it appeared her attempt at a calm exterior gave way as Isabel suddenly burst into tears.

At the mere sight of her friends tears Liz couldn’t help herself and she too gave in to her mournful feelings and began to cry. As she leaned into Isabel she wasn’t surprised to meet her tall friend leaning in to meet her. They wrapped their arms around each other and just allowed all of their pent up emotions to come flooding out.

After several minutes of unadulterated crying both girls slowly managed to get a grip on their feelings and the tears began to decrease as they slowly pulled apart. Under any other circumstances one or both of the girls might have been forgiven for feeling a little embarrassed or foolish for such an out-pouring of emotion but as both knew all too well the reason for their sadness it was only comfort that they felt when they finally were able to look at each other.

“Sorry for barging in on you.” Isabel reached for a tissue. “But I knew I was going to lose it big time and I wanted to be near you and/or Maria when it happened. If I thought I could have gotten Maria over here in time we could have all had a good cry.”

Liz smiled at Isabel words. “I’m very glad you came over. I know you have thought of Alex as a good friend for quite some time and with what went on at the Prom I think we all knew that you had decided to take the plunge and let him in.”

Isabel wiped at her tear stained face. “I can’t believe that I had this wonderful guy who had wanted to be with me for so long and just when I decided the time was right he had to be snatched away from all of us like this.”

Liz reached for Isabel’s hand. “Isabel you do know that as tragic as Alex’s death is he was never happier than when he was with you on Prom night.”

Isabel’s face contorted into pain and the tears started to flood down her face again. After several moments of uncontrollable crying Isabel recomposed herself. “Without wishing to turn this into a mutual admiration society I am sure you know that both you and Maria were Alex’s whole life. He loved you more than anything in this world and he spoke about the pair of you non-stop when you weren’t around.”

Both girls sat in silence while their last comments swirled around their heads.

“I know you have been beating yourself up about Alex and I am here to tell you that you have to stop.”

Isabel’s sudden words caused Liz to lose her train of thought for a moment.

“What makes you think I am beating myself up over Alex’s death?” Liz questioned.

Isabel gave Liz’s hand a squeeze. “For the same reason that Max is currently sitting at home, in his room, blaming himself for Alex’s death. You are both caring and responsible people and you have both taken it upon yourselves to take the blame for what happened to Alex.”

Liz gentle shook her head. “He didn’t kill himself Isabel and I won’t rest until I have proof of that. I don’t know what did happen to him but I know he had too much to live for to throw it all away.”

Isabel nodded. “I hope and pray you are right Liz. I can’t believe that Alex would take his own life and even though it won’t bring him back to us it would certainly put everyone’s mind at rest to find out what really happened. What have you got there?”

Liz followed Isabel’s gaze and saw she was looking at the picture she had been holding. “It’s a picture taken about a year ago of me Alex and Maria. My mom took it when we were having a sleepover.”

Isabel raised her eyebrows questioningly at Liz’s statement.

Liz smiled. “Alex was a very special guy and amongst his many talents was his ability to shed all his macho tendency’s and allow himself to just be a friend. It was becoming a little more awkward with us all developing differently but we never let that get in the way of a sleepover or a video night.”

Isabel’s eyes started to water again. “I just wish I had told him how I truly felt about him, how he was such a positive influence on my life.”

Liz placed an arm around Isabel and started to rub her back. “Isabel he knew how you felt. You may not have had long together but how open and honest you were with him before he died meant everything to him. I can promise you that Alex is sitting up in heaven with a big grin on his face, an orange soda in his hand and a heart full of love for his friends and family who he left behind.”

“It’s just that I wish…..”. Isabel trailed off for a moment. “I just wish I could go back and change things. I would do so many things differently if I had my time over again. I would give anything to put things right between us from the very start.”

Liz pondered Isabel words for a moment and she could not believe what she would have to divulge to explain what she said to her tall friend next. “There might be a way to go back.”


To be continued…………..

Chapter 2

Isabel frowned. “What? What do you mean there might be a way to go back?”

Liz got up from where she had been sitting next to Isabel on the bed and started pacing. She was already regretting what she had said but she was just so desperate she was willing to clutch at any straw to try and ease the loss of Alex.

Isabel watched Liz pacing. “Liz is there something on your mind? Something you want to tell me?”

Liz started to shake her head vigorously. “I don’t know if I am losing it or if I am just going to make a bad situation worse but I think if I don’t tell someone I will explode.”

Isabel couldn’t make head nor tail of what Liz was saying but having experienced the loss of a loved one so recently she was willing to forgive any and all erratic behaviour. That being said Liz was normally the personification of level-headed thinking but she had just made an outlandish statement, which despite the surreal time they were all going through warranted an explanation.

“Liz you said there might be away of going back.” Isabel stood up. “What did you mean?”

Liz could feel her palms sweating and she left all semblance of decorum behind as she wiped her hands on her jeans. “I am going to tell you something. It is going to be very hard for you to believe and to understand but I have opened the door so the least I can do is step through it.”

Isabel sat back down, as it was apparent Liz was about to explain herself.

“A while back I had a visitor.” Liz knew this was going to be difficult to explain. “A visitor who came to give me a message.”

Liz paused as though trying to find the right wording. Isabel was all for giving Liz time but this was getting too much. “Who came to visit you Liz?”

“Max!” Liz finally got out. “Max came back from the future to tell me I had to change the events in our timeline to stop the earth from being destroyed.”

Isabel sat in stunned silence. She had tried to imagine what was causing Liz to be so troubled and even with a limitless imagination she hadn’t come up with anything as fanciful as that.

After a long pause Isabel spoke. “So you are saying Max came back in time. How? Are you telling me he had a time machine?”

Liz shook her head and came to sit beside Isabel. “No he doesn’t have a time machine, we do.”

Isabel rose slowly to her feet and started to fidget with her hands. “Liz, I of all people can understand things being out of the ordinary. I mean Jesus look at me. I’m an alien/human hybrid princess from another world but I am having a hard time taking all this in.”

Liz knew that this must be the most incredible thing to try and understand. She hardly believed it and she had lived through it. “Isabel I know this is hard to take in but if you give me a chance to explain it will become a lot easier.”

Isabel looked at her petit friend as she sat on the bed pulling at a piece of tissue. She had totally let go of the comment about going back in time as she was still reeling from the revelation that her brother came back to visit Liz so she could stop the end of the world.

“I think I am going to need some ice-cream.” Isabel finally stated.

Liz couldn’t help but smile. “OK. Let’s get some ice-cream and spoons before I try and explain the world’s most complicated story.”


Over the next two hours Liz explained the whole future Max episode. She explained how Max came back to warn her about the possibility of Tess leaving the group and what catastrophic implications that event would have. They talked about how Liz had to drive a wedge between her and Max so that he would turn his affections towards Tess.

When Liz finally revealed what she had done to push Max into Tess’s arms for the sake of all their futures Isabel couldn’t help but break down in tears. It was true that she had leapt to her brother’s side when it appeared that Liz had betrayed him with Kyle but now she was aware of what a huge sacrifice Liz had made she felt humbled by her friend’s actions.

Isabel was still shaking her head twenty minutes later. “I can’t believe you did that. I can’t believe you gave up what you would have had with Max to keep us all safe. To not even be able to tell anyone about it must have taken such strength I can’t comprehend.

Liz sat trying not to get embarrassed as Isabel continued to heap praise on her for her unselfish actions. She had asked Isabel to stop, twice, but she continued to admonish herself for being such a bitch to Liz when she thought she had slept with Kyle as well as continuing to extol all of Liz’s virtues.

“Liz I’m sorry but I still need to ask you about what you said earlier on, about going back.” Isabel felt bad for pushing Liz but she needed to know.

Liz dropped her gaze to her hands. “Actually I am hoping I haven’t got you hopes up too high as I think I might have spoken out of turn.”

Isabel took Liz’s hand in hers. “I think there are two other people in this world who are going through what I am going through. That’s you and Maria. The one thing I do know is that in all the time I have known you you have never spoken out of turn. You speak only when you have something to say and I know from your expression you have something to say.”

Liz smiled and lifted her gaze to Isabel. Much as Isabel was seeing Liz in a different light after her revelation that she pushed Max away to save their lives, Liz was seeing a new side to Isabel. This was obviously the side that Alex had always talked about. He had spent hours talking to both Liz and Maria, explaining how there was so much more to Isabel than good looks and a bitchy personality. Seeing Isabel in the days since Alex’s death had brought home to Liz what a beautiful person Isabel really was and what a perfect match she made with Alex.

Feeling her resolve restored Liz took a deep breath. “Max used the granolith to travel back in time to visit me. He said he used a crystal to operate the granolith and I have just been wondering if I could get my hands on that crystal maybe I could go back and save Alex.”

Isabel raised her eyebrows in question. “How would you know how to use the granolith as a time machine?”

Liz blushed, which was the last reaction Isabel had expected. “I actually danced with future Max as I was never going to get my wedding dance. I think that because of my natural connection to Max and the fact that it was such an intimate moment I had an influx of flashes from him. I didn’t pay that much attention at the time as I was so taken by Max but afterwards when I was able to think back I started to piece together what I saw. It seems it is only a matter of realigning the crystal’s to get the granolith to carry out your desired task. The only problem is I have no idea where this crystal is.”

Isabel couldn’t help but let her hopes build. “But you think if you can get hold of this crystal you can go back and save Alex?”

Liz nodded. “I would only have to go back a few days and stop Alex getting into the car and he would be saved.”

“What about all the theory behind time travel?” Isabel was stopped as Liz raised her hand.

“Isabel don’t even go there. According to the laws of physics time travel is impossible and I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen future Max standing in front of me.”

“But you think it will work.” Isabel continued.

Liz shrugged. “To the best of my limited knowledge it will. If I am honest I am willing to try anything if it will bring Alex back.”

“Me as well.” Isabel grinned. “So where do we start looking for this crystal?”

Liz let out a heavy sigh. “Anywhere, that’s the problem. I have been pounding my brain trying to think where it might be but I just don’t have a clue. It could literally be anywhere.”

“Well tomorrow I will go to the cave to look over the pod chamber. Maybe there will be a clue to what we want in there.” Isabel said enthusiastically. “And if you keep going over the flashes you received from Max maybe you can come up with a clue.”



Over the coming days Liz divided her time between looking for clues to Alex’s death and trying to workout where this elusive crystal might be.

Isabel visited the pod chamber on several occasions but she didn’t have any success trying to locate the crystal.

The girls decided to keep their plan a secret, as they didn’t want to build up their friend’s hopes of getting Alex back. Liz found it the most difficult as she always hated keeping secrets from Maria but if she thought there was a possibility they could get Alex back she would be uncontrollable.

As time passed Liz became more and more obsessed about finding Alex’s killer, to the extent that she was willing to go to Sweden. That trip had been halted at the last moment by a phone call from Mr Stockman at the Swedish embassy. He had informed Liz that the building that was standing behind Alex in the photograph had been torn down in 1994, he had never been to Sweden.



Liz sat in her room contemplating the sudden turn of events. She had just returned from a trip to Las Cruces with Maria and Michael. The trip was part of her ongoing search into who killed Alex but they had ended up with infinitely more than they thought possible.

They had found a translation of the book of destiny and a crystal in a box. Under normal circumstances this would have been good news but as they now had the translation of the book it meant the aliens now had an opportunity to return home to Antar. They would need the crystal to operate the Granolith, which meant their plan to go back to save Alex had been thwarted.

A knock at the door pulled Liz out of her thoughts. She stepped up and opened the door to find a very mournful looking Isabel standing in the hallway.

“Hi, Isabel. Come in.” Liz stepped back to allow Isabel into her room.

Isabel came in and settled herself down on a chair across from Liz’s bed. Liz closed the door and sat back down on her bed, looking at tall friend.

“Michael just told us about your findings. He said we now have a way of getting to Antar.” Isabel explained.

Liz smiled. “You don’t look too happy. I would have thought that might have counted as good news.”

“It’s all happening so suddenly. They are talking about going very soon. I am supposed to say goodbye to my parents, leave my entire life behind and head off to who knows where.” Isabel became tearful. “What are we going to do about going back for Alex?”

Liz shrugged. “I assumed that once you guys had a way back to Antar that would be the end of the matter. It was only ever a possibility to go back to save Alex. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.”

Isabel looked confused. “I was meaning to ask you, how would we have been able to go back with our previous selves still there?”

Liz smiled and shook her head. “I told you Isabel time travel is a nightmare to understand. The only thing I can tell you is that Max said he couldn’t be in the same place as his previous self otherwise it would end in tears.”

“What happened to future Max?” Isabel asked.

Liz dropped her gaze. “He disappeared once the plan had worked. It seems once the timeline was changed he no longer existed.”

Isabel got up from her chair and moved beside Liz, taking her hand as she sat down. “It must have been very difficult for you to do what you did. I thought what you went through was tough enough but to find out you had to watch the man you love disappear before your very eyes breaks my heart.”

“I don’t know how I managed.” Liz explained. “The only thing I kept telling myself was that it was for the best. As difficult as it was I knew that in the long run it would all turn out alright. Or at least better.” Liz added.

Liz watched Isabel and she appeared to be deep in thought. “Isabel, are you OK?”

Isabel snapped out of her daze. “Huh, Oh yeah sorry Liz I am fine. Your words set me thinking and I was getting a little carried away.”

Liz raised her eyebrows in question. “What were you thinking about?”

Isabel gave a little smile. “Well it was just you saying it was for the greater good that you did what you did. That both future Max and Liz gave themselves up for a better life second time round.”

“And?” Liz pushed.

“And I was thinking we were going to go back to save Alex. We planned to go back in time a few days to prevent Alex getting into that car.”

“And to find Alex’s killer.” Liz added resolutely.

Isabel continued. “So what is to stop us still doing that? Why can’t we still go back and save Alex?”

“You said it yourself.” Liz could see Isabel’s hopes building. “The others are talking about using the granolith to go back to Antar as soon as possible.”

“But that is my point.” Isabel said standing up. “We have a time machine. The one thing we are not is pressed for time. We can go back in time by a week, stop Alex getting into the car and still look for who would want to harm him. There wouldn’t be anything to stop you still going to Las Cruces to find the translation and the crystal.”

This time it was Liz’s turn to stand. “Isabel I am not sure it works like that. I told you it is very difficult to work out time travel. It may not be just a case of going back and being able to start our search again.”

“Why not?” Isabel stood in front of Liz. “You already know future Max still had his memories of what had gone before. We don’t want to save the world just save Alex. Can you imagine having Alex back Liz? We could make all these decisions but we would have Alex by our side.”

Liz was struggling. She was fighting between what she knew was fact and what she hoped might be. The thought of being able to go back and save Alex was almost too tempting.

Liz tried to play devils advocate. “What if we do go back and save Alex but something happens and we are unable to find the crystal a second time? What if you lose the chance to go to Antar?”

Isabel thought for a moment. “That’s a chance I am willing to take.”

“And what about the others?” Liz questioned.

“Well I would have thought you and Maria would have been on my side so if it comes to the group doing what the majority wants I think going back for Alex is the right choice.” Isabel said firmly.

Liz dropped to the bed. “That was what I was thinking but I wasn’t sure if I was thinking straight. Getting Alex back and having you guys stay here is preferable to no Alex and you lot blasting off into space.”

Isabel sat back down beside Liz. “That is exactly how I feel about it. The one thing I do know is that I don’t want to live without Alex. Without him I will spend my entire life thinking about what might have been. In life you are supposed to regret the things you do and not the things you don’t do. I would rather go to my grave knowing I tried and failed to go back for Alex when we had the chance instead of taking the easy way out and going to a world I have never seen.”

“Then it’s settled.” Liz smiled. “We’re going back for Alex. When do you want to go?”

Isabel returned Liz’s smile. “How about now?”

To be continued……………

Chapter 3

Isabel pulled the car to a halt. “I can’t believe how nervous I am.”

“You’re nervous?” Liz choked out. “I’m the one who has to change the granolith from a space ship to a time machine.”

“Piece of cake.” Isabel joked as she got out of the car.

Liz closed the car door and followed Isabel towards the pod chamber. “I’m glad you are retaining you sense of humour. This could be dangerous.”

Isabel turned to look back at her friend. “Liz it is all I can do to keep my feet on the ground. We could be a matter of minutes from getting Alex back.”

Liz continued to struggle on the climb to the cave. ”Technically Alex will be getting us back as we are the ones travelling back in time.”

Isabel smiled. “Liz I couldn’t really care as long as this works.”

Liz drew level with Isabel on the climb up the hillside and caught her arm. “Isabel I think you are putting too much faith in my ability. I have no way of knowing if this is going to work. We could as easily be climbing back down to the car in an hours time having failed miserably.”

Isabel looked at Liz. “I understand. It’s just too much to contemplate failure. Not only would we not get Alex back but I will end up going to Antar.”

“You don’t have to go.” Liz said softly.

“I know.” Isabel smiled weakly. “But if that’s where Max and Michael are going to go then that’s where I will go. Max is leaving because he says he can’t stay here without you in his life and I won’t stay without Alex or Max. I really do love you and Maria but I have to admit to loving Alex and Max more. No offence”

Liz smiled. “No offence taken. I love them as well.”

The girls continued until they reached the entrance to the cave. Isabel placed her hand over the secret switch to open the door and they both stepped inside. They climbed through into the chamber, which contained the Granolith. Liz gazed at the bright lights and colours that the granolith shed onto the surrounding walls.

“I’m going to leave you alone so you can concentrate on what you are doing. If you have to recall the flashes you received from future Max the last thing you want is me hoping about behind you, putting you off.” Isabel smiled.

“OK but don’t go far, I think I need the morale support.” Liz nodded. “It shouldn’t take long.”

Isabel climbed back out to the other side of the pods. She settled herself down on the rocks and tried to clam her fraught nerves. She resisted the urge to keep checking her watch. Liz had only been in there a few minutes and she really didn’t need to be disturbed while she set up the granolith.

Isabel found herself thinking about what she should tell Liz. She knew her petit friend had pushed Max towards Tess to save the world from ending in fourteen years but she didn’t know what effect it had already had. Should she tell Liz about the baby?

Isabel shook her head vigorously. What Liz didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. The fact that they were going back to save Alex meant Isabel might have a chance to put things right between Max and Liz.

The smile spread across her lips as she thought of the possibilities going back to save Alex presented them with. Not only could she save Alex, which would mean the world to her, but she could also stop Max from rushing headlong into something with Tess that he might regret later on. As difficult at it might be to keep Liz in the dark it was definitely the right thing to do in her opinion.

After what seemed likes hours but had in fact only been about ten minutes Liz emerged from behind the pods.

Isabel looked at Liz and she looked terrified. “Is it done?”

Liz nodded slowly. “I think so.”

Isabel’s eyebrows shot up. “You think so?”

Liz shrugged. “It’s not exactly something I do everyday and there is only one way to test it. I am sure I have done exactly as I saw it in the flash from future Max.”

Isabel smiled. “Then that is good enough for me.”

Liz smiled at her friend’s confidence in her. If only she could feel that confident herself she could stop her heart trying to beat it’s way out of her chest.

Isabel stepped forward and gave Liz a hug.

As Isabel stepped back Liz tried to hide her shock. “What was that for?”

Isabel shrugged. “For so many reasons. For giving up Max to save us. For being here with me now, trying to bring back Alex. And last but not least for making my brother so happy.”

“You are getting me worried.” Liz smiled. “It’s like you are giving a farewell speech.”

Isabel shook her head. “Not a farewell speech, more a new beginning.”

“So are you ready?” Liz asked.

Isabel nodded. “As I’ll ever be.”

Both girls climbed back through to the hidden chamber. Isabel noticed the lights and colours being given off from the granolith were somehow different.

“So how far are we going back?” Isabel questioned.

Liz smiled sheepishly.” Well having seen ‘Back to the future’ a dozen times with Alex I am not going to make the mistake of not giving us enough time to save Alex. I have set it so we go back ten days. That way we are a couple of days before the Prom and we can make sure we get to Alex and change things. Have you given any thought to what you will do to change Alex’s actions, so we change the timeline?”

Isabel shook her head. “Not really. I just know I am not going to let him out of my sight for a week that way I know things will be different. If I have to lock him in my bedroom and keep him there against his will then that is precisely what I will do.”

Liz laughed. “The phrases ‘Locking Alex in your bedroom’ and ‘Against his will’ do not belong in the same sentence when it comes to Alex. If you do that the only thing we will have to worry about is his heart. The thought of you two in the same bedroom for a week might give him a heart attack.”

Both girls laughed at Liz’s joke. After a few moments they fell into silence, the gravity of what they were about to do was taking its toll.

“Are you ready?” Liz asked.

Isabel took hold of Liz’s hand and nodded silently.

With her free hand Liz placed the crystal into the base of the granolith and braced herself for what would happen next.




Isabel slowly opened her eyes. She was confused in that she had to shield her face from the sun that was beating down on her. The fact that they couldn’t be in the cave if the sun was on her face sent her heart racing.

As she tried to move her head she had a stabbing pain, which forced her to lie still. ‘Lie still’, she was lying down. She was beginning to think she had passed out from the affects of the granolith.

Finally as her eye adjusted to the light she realised she was on her bed with the curtains open. That was why there were rays of sunlight bathing her face. Despite the pain in her head she forced herself to sit up right. As she gazed around the room she knew things weren’t right but she couldn’t make out why.

“Oh know.” Isabel said out loud. If she was in her own bed that could mean only one thing. They had tried and failed to go back and save Alex and the others must have found them and brought them home.

Isabel swung herself round so her feet landed on the floor. She lifted herself up but she only fell back onto the bed. After a few more minutes she tried again, this time managing to stay on her feet.

Isabel looked down and was surprised to find she was in her pyjamas. It had better have been her mom or Maria who had changed her she thought to herself. Isabel moved towards the door and opened it.

As she shuffled down the hallway she could hear Michael and Max messing about in the kitchen. She had a sudden thought to turn back to her room. With her head as sore as it was she was in no mood for a lecture from Max about doing stuff without his knowledge or endangering people’s lives. But a sudden pang of guilt lanced her. What was she thinking? The though hit Isabel that they had failed. She and Liz had tried to go back and save Alex but it was apparent they had failed.

That thought struck Isabel to her very soul. She continued on towards the kitchen, she no longer feared an ear bashing from Max as her heart was broken. What did she care about being told off?

Isabel moved slowly into the kitchen.

“Whoa Iz. Nice morning hair.” Michael joked.

“You’re one to talk.” Isabel turned and took a look at Michael as she was getting her retort ready. “Hey when did you start spiking your hair again?”

Michael ran his hand through his over gelled hair. “I’ve always kept my hair this way, what do you mean?”

Isabel was in no mood for games with Michael. She grabbed a cup and some orange juice and sat at the table.

“Are you alright Iz? You don’t look too good.” Max questioned.

“I’m fine Max.” Isabel sighed. “And if you are about to lecture me please wait until my headache clears.”

Max turned to Michael questioningly but he only shrugged.

When Max never said anything Isabel took it as a sign to let it slide. She thought a change of subject might be a good idea. “What are you guys doing today?”

“The same thing we do everyday Iz, why would you think we’d do something different?” Michael scoffed.

Isabel furrowed her brow. “What do you do everyday?”

Michael sighed. “It’s not what I do it’s what he does, moon over the parker girl.”

Now Isabel was really confused. “You’re back to mooning over Liz? What about Tess.”

Max looked at his sister in confusion. “Who’s Tess?”

Isabel could feel she was getting light headed when the phone rang.

Max reached over and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

Isabel watched as Max’s face turned from smiling to a shocked look. He slowly handed the phone to Isabel. “It’s Liz Parker”

“Calling here?” Michael shouted. “How freaky is that after we were just talking about her. When did Isabel and Liz Parker become friends?”

Isabel caught the tail end of Michael’s comments before she answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Isabel thank god.” Liz cried over the phone. “Iz what is the last thing you remember you and I doing?”

Isabel turned her body away from Max and Michael in an attempt from some privacy. “We were at the cave….” She whispered.

“Isabel.” Liz interrupted. “Are you sitting down?”

“Yes, why?” Isabel was confused by Liz’s question.

“I think I made a slight miscalculation.” Liz’s voice was barely audible.

“Why what do you mean?” Isabel was getting scared.

“Isabel we didn’t go back ten days.”

Isabel stood up while still holding the phone. “How far did we go back?”

There was a long pause before Liz spoke. “Isabel it’s the 18th September 1999, the day I got shot!”


To be continued……………..

Chapter 4

“Isabel?……Isabel are you there?” Liz pressed.

Despite Liz not being able to see her Isabel nodded her head. “I’m here Liz.”

“We need to talk and quickly.” Liz continued.

“I’ll come to the Crashdown.” Isabel was barely audible.

“I’ll be waiting.” Liz went to put the phone down but had one last thought. “Isabel we are going to be fine. Don’t worry.”

Isabel listened while Liz replaced the handset. Despite the call having ended Isabel stood holding the phone to her ear for a few moments before replacing the handset on the phone base.

“Iz are you OK?” You look like you are going to hurl.” Michael enquired with a lack of subtlety Isabel hadn’t heard for quite some time.

Isabel shook herself out of her dazed state. “I’m going to get dressed and then I am going to the Crashdown.”

Max almost choked on his orange juice. “You’re going to the Crashdown to see Liz Parker! I didn’t even know you knew Liz Parker.” Max followed Isabel while wiping the spilt orange juice from his T-shirt.

Isabel couldn’t help but smile as she came down the stairs on her way out to the car. If she had any money she would have bet it all on Max being at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her and for him to come up with some lame excuse to go to the Crashdown with her.

As Isabel reached the front door she was aware she was being followed.

“Erm Iz. I think I will catch a lift with you if you are going to the Crashdown. I erm, I am really in the mood for pancakes this morning but we have run out of the mix to make them.” Max rambled.

Michael scratched his head. “No Max. I saw a packet of…….”

A swift elbow to the ribs sent the air rushing from Michael’s lungs. Isabel turned to see Michael doubled over holding his side while Max was looking at her with pleading eyes. God she had missed their time of innocence. They had been through so much in the last two years Isabel could hardly remember the time when Max’s biggest concern was when could he next catch a glimpse of Liz Parker.

“OK. You can come if you want but I need to speak to Liz in private about a science project we are doing so you aren’t sitting with us.” Isabel set her conditions and both boys nodded. Although Michael wasn’t sure what he was agreeing for, he didn’t have a crush on Liz Parker or a science project.

Max drove the jeep over to the Crashdown with Isabel opting to sit in the back so she could get some things straight in her mind before she met Liz. They had gone back almost two years rather than ten days, which was a big deal but it wasn’t life threatening. There had to be both an upside and a downside to this event.

Isabel knew she only had a few moments before they would reach their destination so she tried to think fast. The first downside she could see was she was back two years so she was younger then before but she also had to repeat her last two years of school. Still homework wouldn’t be a problem, as her photographic memory would allow her to remember all the results of her last two years of studying.

Upside? Well it should be limitless especially with what they had gone through in the last two years. If they stop Liz getting shot they wouldn’t expose themselves and that would stop so many of their later mistakes.

Isabel started to smile. ‘Tess’, they may never have to deal with Tess if they don’t send out the signal from the alien artefact.

“Oh my god!” Isabel cried.

Max almost lost control of the jeep at Isabel’s sudden cry. “Isabel what’s wrong?”

Tears began to appear in Isabel’s eyes. “Nothing. Sorry about that I just remembered I haven’t done all of my homework.”

“Are you crying?” Michael asked looking over his shoulder.

Isabel shook her head. “No I think the wind has blown some sand or grit into my eyes and it is causing them to water. I’m fine really.”

Isabel smiled at both boys and they seemed to except her comments as they both sat back in their seats looking forward again, no longer giving Isabel a second glance.

Isabel fought back her tears. ‘Alex!’ she had totally forgotten about the biggest upside as far as she was concerned. Alex was still alive.

By the time they pulled up outside the Crashdown and jumped out of the car Max and Michael were surprised to find Isabel grinning from ear to ear.

Max eyed his sister. “Isabel I am starting to get worried. We’ve had shouting, crying and now grinning. Are you on medication?”

Isabel simply smiled, stepped forward and kissed both Max and Michael on the cheek before almost skipping into the Crashdown.

“Now that’s why I don’t date chicks.” Michael said while following Isabel.

“Hey! That’s my sister and she is not a chick.” Max called after Michael. “And you don’t date ‘women’ because you don’t know how to talk to them.”

Michael stopped following Isabel and turned on Max. “Asking for a cherry coke and a Will Smith burger does not count as talking to women.”

Max looked at his large friend who was anything but intimidating to him. “I some times ask for Saturn rings.”

“Oh Brother!” Michael exclaimed and turned to sit at a booth. “You’ve got it bad Maxwell, real bad.”

Now that his attention was no longer on Michael Max was amazed by what he saw further down the line of tables. His sister was standing in the centre of the Crashdown hugging Liz Parker. What the hell was going on? And more to the point why couldn’t he be the one Evans kid who got to hold onto Liz Parker?

Max sat down opposite Michael and watched as Liz and Isabel sat at a booth at the back, well out of earshot from any of the customers.


“Isabel I am so sorry.” Liz started. “I can’t believe I made such a mistake.”

Isabel caught hold of Liz’s hand. “Liz you have nothing to apologise for. Ten days or two years do you know what you did? You have sent us back and we can save Alex. I don’t care if you returned me to third grade as long as I remember why I came back.”

Liz smiled. “Thanks for being so supportive. I was worried you might blast me into oblivion.”

“You know what this means don’t you Liz?” Isabel said mischievously.

Liz narrowed her eyes at her friends look. “What does it mean?” She asked slowly.

“Well for one it means my brother is still sitting over my shoulder mooning over you.” Isabel moved sideways slightly to reveal Max looking in their direction. He quickly looked away when he caught sight of Liz Parker looking directly at him.

“Oh my god, Oh my god.” Liz repeated quickly. “What am I supposed to do?”

Isabel lowered her voice. “Well keeping in mind we are not going to allow the shooting to take place you are going to have to come up with a plan for how you and Max are going to get together.”

Liz threw her hand to her mouth. “In all this excitement I nearly forgot about the shooting.”

Isabel gave her friend a reassuring smile. “With all we have to do that is actually the least of our problems. You know when the shooting takes place so I will be here to cause some sort of distraction, which will drive all of the customers out and the fight will never take place.”

Liz regarded her friend for a moment. “You are taking this all very well and you seemed in total control.”

“I am.” Isabel nodded. “I plan to make the most of this second chance. I mean you do realise what a gift we have been given. When I think about all the mistakes I made with Alex I can tell you now I don’t intend to let him slip through my fingers again. He won’t know what hit him.”

Isabel looked at Liz and she could see something was wrong. Before Isabel could ask her friend what the matter was she heard something she thought she would never hear again.

“Orange soda, easy on the ice. Thanks.”

Isabel could feel her throat run dry and tears began to well up in her eyes. She could see the effect the voice was having on Liz as she too started to cry. Isabel turned slowly and the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in her life fell before her.

Alex Whitman was sitting at the counter of the Crashdown as he had a thousand times before. He was completely oblivious of the effect he was having on the two girls that were watching from the back booth.

As he innocently looked around at the clientele he was surprised to see Liz sitting at the back booth with the vision that was Isabel Evans. He gave them both a smile and turned back to his drink that had been placed on the counter in front of him.

“I can’t believe it.” Liz said hoarsely. “He’s just sitting there without a care in the world. As though it is the most natural thing in the world to be doing.”

Isabel reached for a napkin to dry her eyes. “I’m not sure I can just sit here and do nothing while he is sitting less than ten feet away from me.”

“Isabel you can’t do anything to raise his suspicions. It’s already bad enough that we are sitting here talking. Remember we weren’t friends two years ago.” Liz tried to calm her friend. “I know what you are saying. I just want to go over there and hug him and not let go.”

When Liz finished her comment a smile broke out across her face.

“What?” Isabel questioned.

“Follow my lead and for God sake don’t get carried away.” Liz got up from the table followed by Isabel.

“Hi Alex.” Liz’s voice cracked a little but nothing too noticeable.

“Hi Liz.” He replied. “Hi Isabel.”

“Hi.” Was all Isabel could manage, she thought she might faint.

“Alex, could you help us?” Liz enquired.

Alex nodded. “Sure. Anything.”

“Isabel and I have to do a couple of science projects and one is sensory input.” Liz said lying. “And we need to carry out a little experiment on you. If you don’t mind.”

Alex smiled. “As long as you don’t hurt me you can do anything you like. What do I have to do?”

Liz reached out and took Alex’s hand, pulling him off of his stool, allowing him to stand up right.

Isabel was fighting the battle of her life not to just reach out, pull him close and hold on with all of her might. She was also aware that Max and Michael were looking on but as Liz was in such close proximity she knew Max couldn’t careless what she did.

Liz smiled up at Alex. “All you have to do is give me a hug and tell me how it felt.”

Alex turned a slight shade of red at that comment. Isabel thought it was adorable and Liz knew it wasn’t because he was shy about hugging her as they had hugged hundreds of times.

Liz stepped forward into a hug with Alex and she allowed herself to melt into his tall, lean frame. She just wanted to confirm to herself that she really had gone back and she was now holding onto Alex.

Finally she managed to find the strength to pull away from her best friend and she was trying to hide her emotional state. “How was that Alex?” she squeaked.

“Erm, really great. The best hug I have ever had.” Alex grinned. The smile fell from his face as he turned to Isabel. Was she really going to hug him?

Initially Isabel couldn’t move but when she realised she might miss the chance to get her hands on Alex she broke out of her stupor and stepped forward.

As Alex’s arms wrapped around her body she could feel the electricity coursing through her veins. She didn’t stand on ceremony so as soon as she was in his arms she buried her head into his neck and squeezed with all she had. She was exactly where she wanted to be. There wasn’t another time or place she would choose to be other than right here and now in Alex’s arms. She was home.


To be continued……….

Chapter 5

Maria pushed through the swing doors into the main restaurant and stopped. She surveyed the scene that lay before her and then slowly reversed out of the main room and back into the work area.

“One, Two, Three, Four, Five.” Maria counted. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door again.

No! They were still there. Alex was standing in the middle of the Crashdown holding onto Isabel Evans and freakier than that Isabel Evans was holding him back. Maria glanced around the rest of the Crashdown to check if there was anything else she could report to Ripley’s Believe it or Not. But seeing the customers going about their own lives and Max staring longingly at Liz it appear that other than the surprising sight of Isabel Evans in Alex Whitman’s arms everything else looked normal.

Isabel knew she was creating a spectacle but she really couldn’t care. She had lost Alex for what she thought would be forever but here she was with her arms round him and she wanted nothing more than to never let go.

Alex knew he was dreaming. Admittedly this was a new one on him but he knew there was no way he was really standing in the middle of the Crashdown with his arms around Isabel Evans, he simply wasn’t that lucky or that deserving.

“Do I need to get a bucket of water?” Maria asked.

Reluctantly Alex and Isabel broke apart. Isabel could see the red flush on Alex’s face but she could feel her own face must have been shining rosy red as she could feel the burn on her normally cool exterior.

“How was that?” Isabel asked seductively while reaching up to unbutton Alex’s top shirt button.

“What?” Alex choked out.

“How was that?” Isabel repeated. “The hug.”

Alex suddenly remembered he was part of a scientific process. “Erm Wonderful. Simply wonderful.”

“Good.” Isabel turned and went to join Max and Michael at their booth.

Maria glanced from Liz to Alex and then back again to Liz. “Girlfriend you and I need to have a little talk.”

Maria put the tray she had been carrying on the counter and turned for the back room. As she pushed open the door she looked back at Alex. “Alex if you don’t close your mouth you will catch flies.”

Alex snapped his mouth closed and retook his seat at the counter in a daze.

Liz followed Maria into the back room and waited for the impending onslaught.

“What the hell is going on?” Maria questioned. “Has everyone lost their mind?”

Maria didn’t get any reply to her questions and she realised Liz was eyeing her strangely, almost looking her over.

Maria subconsciously moved her hand to her hair. “Is there something wrong? Is my hair sticking up?”

Liz snapped out of her stupor. “No. Sorry Maria. I was just taken by how short your hair is now.”

Maria frowned. Something strange was going on, as Liz knew exactly how short her hair was. And she hadn’t even started on the whole Alex hugging his dream girl thing that had just played out in the restaurant. It was now Maria’s turn to eye Liz and she had a brief feeling that something was different but seeing her best friend standing in front of her as she did on a daily basis she couldn’t see anything wrong so she put it down to the fact that it was going to be one of those days.

That being said it didn’t stop Maria wanting to find out why people were appearing or acting strange and Liz was as good a place to start the questioning as any.

“What’s with you and Isabel Evans?” Maria decided to start gently. “Don’t tell me you have a second member of that family following you around.”

Liz couldn’t stop a laugh escaping at Maria’s comments. “It’s nothing really. We have been paired to do a couple science experiments and Alex was just helping out on one of them.”

“There’s a science experiment that involves Alex hugging the girl he has desired since the third grade?” Maria scoffed. “What did he do, bribe the science teacher?”

Liz shook her head and continued to smile. “He was just in the right place at the right time.”

“If that is how Alex’s luck is going to run I will have to get him to buy me a lottery ticket.” Maria joked.

Mr Parker pushed through the swing door. “There you are. I wondered why I was paying for three waitresses when I can only see one out there working.”

“Sorry dad.” “Sorry Mr Parker.” Came the reply from each girl in turn as they scurried back out to the front of the Crashdown.

Liz stood at Maria’s side as the girls took in their surroundings.

“I’ll go refill peoples coffee while I allow you to go and take lover boys order.” And with that Maria was gone leaving Liz to calm her nerves before approaching the booth where Isabel, Michael and her soul mate where seated.

Liz had no trouble grasping their new situation. It was unreal that they had actually travelled back in time but while they were here Isabel had already made it clear she was going to make the most of it and so should she.

Liz moved towards the booth and was pleased to see the reassuring smile she received from Isabel. Michael was Mr Uninterested as he had been back when Liz met him first time round but for the first time Liz was able to see Max’s secret adoration in close up.

“What can I get you guys?” Liz took out her pen and order book.

“I’ll have a full breakfast.” Isabel saw both boys turn to look at her. “What? A girl’s got to eat and I am starved.”

“Just Orange juice,” Max said gazing up at Liz.

Michael looked at his friend. “I thought you wanted pancakes?”

“Owww!!” Michael made a grab for his ankles. “You both kicked me. What did you kick me for?”

Isabel smiled. “Sorry Michael. I just stretched my legs and I must have caught you by accident.”

Michael looked at Max but knew what was coming. “Let me guess. You were also stretching and caught me accidentally.”

Max simply nodded and smiled at his friend.

Liz turned to walk away but turned back. “Oh Michael. I heard you are a good cook.”

Michael’s eyes went wide at Liz’s insightful comment. “Wait a minute we don’t even know each other. How do you know about that?”

“I told her.” Isabel quickly interjected.

“How do you know?” Michael was both defensive and confused.

Isabel shrugged. “I’ve seen you in our kitchen at home. You obviously know your way around.”

“Anyway.” Liz said pulling them back to the original conversation. “My dad needs another cook to help Jose and I was wondering if you would like me to put your name forward?”

“Liz, that’s a wonderful idea.” Isabel said a little too enthusiastically.

Max nodded. “You’re always saying you could do with a little extra money as Hank never seems to give you any.”

Michael eyed Liz suspiciously but then relented. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

“I’ll mention it to him. He will probably want you to work one night so he can see what you can do but I know you will do fine. I had better get your food.” Liz turned and headed to the counter.

Isabel got up from her seat. “I just need a quick word with Liz as I want double bacon.”

Liz was still at the counter when Isabel came to her side. “That was wonderful Liz. Thank you for doing that.”

“No worries Isabel.” Liz smiled. “With our inside knowledge I think the things that worked first time round should be set in motion as quickly as possible.”

Isabel turned to look at Michael. “And getting Michael away from Hank has to be top of our list.”

Liz nodded. “Exactly what I was thinking. That’s one of the reasons I mentioned the job.”

Isabel turned back to Liz. “One of the reasons?”

As Liz went to answer Maria came out from the back carrying change for the cash till. Liz watched her friend give them a quick glance but continued heading towards the front. “And that is the second reason. They are so made for each other but they won’t ever know it without a helping hand.”

Isabel’s face suddenly went serious. “So when exactly was the shooting?”

Liz grimaced as she recalled the events of that fateful day. “It was not long after Maria and I got to work after school, around 5pm. Do we need the precise time?”

Isabel shook her head. “No I am not going to take any risks. I’ll be here after school and as soon as we see the two guys involved in the shooting are here I will create a diversion, forcing everyone out of the Crashdown.”

“What sort of diversion?” Liz enquired.

“A small kitchen fire should do it.” Isabel could see the shock on Liz’s face from her comment, she moved quickly to reassure her friend. “Don’t worry Liz it will only be enough to set of the smoke alarm and force people out into the street. I’ll make sure I put the fire out before it causes any real harm. We just want enough smoke to make people leave their food.”

Liz was beginning to relax towards the plan. “If we set the fire alarm off it will call the fire rescue team and the sheriff. That should be enough to frighten away the men with the gun.”

Isabel reached for Liz’s hand. “Will you by OK seeing those guys again?”

Liz nodded. “To tell you the truth I never gave them much thought first time round so I barely remember what they look like.”

“Just know that I will be here and as soon as we confirm they are the same guys I will do the rest. I won’t let them harm you Liz.”

Liz nodded and smiled to her tall friend. With Isabel watching her back and Max waiting to unwittingly save the day if needs be she was surprising calm about the whole plan.

“We are going to have so much fun.” Isabel whispered, trying to lighten the mood. She looked along the counter at the far end where Alex was still sitting trying to make out he was concentrating on his drink when Isabel could tell he was watching her every move.

“What do I do about Alex?” Isabel looked to Liz.

Liz broke out into the broadest smile. “It’s so easy now that we have all of the inside information. Watch this.”

Liz moved around the counter until she was on the far side from Isabel and then moved along until she was in front of Alex. Alex looked up from his drink.

“Alex Isabel has been lumbered with an assignment to do with Astronomy and I told her you are an expert.” Liz explained.

“I am?” Alex questioned. The realisation of the opportunity Liz was offering him suddenly hit him. “I mean I am. Anything you want to know, I’m your man.”

Isabel couldn’t stop her smile. “Great. If you don’t mind I’ll call you to arrange a date. I mean a time for us to get together to go Stargazing.”

As the word date hit Alex he felt the room had started spinning. He made a grab for the counter but in his confusion he missed and slipped off of his seat and went crashing to the floor.

Before anyone could react and before half the customers were even aware of what had just happened he leapt to his feet and retook his seat at the counter. The red hue on his face told Isabel of his embarrassment

Alex continued as if nothing had happened. “Should I give you my number?”

Isabel smiled and shook her head as she walked past Alex on her way to rejoin her brothers. “No that’s OK. I already have it.”

Alex watched in awe as she retook her seat. ‘Isabel Evans had his number’.


To be continued…………..

[StargazerUK]

Chapter 6

Despite her earlier bravado Liz was beginning to feel a little anxious about what was coming. Both she and Maria had arrived back from school and were getting ready to start their afternoon shift. As Liz couldn’t remember too much about the guys that had started the fight first time round she was unsure if they would have been already sitting in the Crashdown when she returned from school. She had to hide her relief from Maria when she pushed open the door to find the restaurant fairly quiet, with no sign of her would be killer.

“Did you see how rude that Guerin boy was today at school?” Maria said interrupting Liz’s thoughts.

“What?” Liz said blinking away her stupor. “No, what did he do?”

“What did he do?” Maria exclaimed as though the crime of the century had been perpetrated against her. “He came barrelling out of class and knocked both me and my books flying. Did I get an apology or a helping hand picking up my books? That would be a big fat NO!”

“Maybe he was in a rush.” Liz said coming to his defence. “He has a lot on his plate that most people don’t know about or understand.”

Maria eyed Liz. This was not the unconditional support for her rant that she had been looking for. “OK sister, spill.”

Liz frowned at her gal pal. “Spill what? I don’t understand.”

“Where should I begin?” Maria questioned. “You and Isabel Evans inexplicably appear to be good friends. Alex told me you seem to be doing everything to push Isabel towards him and more surprising is she appears willing. You haven’t mentioned Kyle, your boyfriend, all day but you appear to be welcoming the attention of Max Evans after living in denial for the last few months. You are on the verge of getting Michael Guerin a job here and now…….”

“OK, OK. I get it Maria.” Liz interjected. “It’s not that big a deal. I already told you I have been partnered with Isabel for science projects and now that I have spent a little time with her she isn’t the ice princess most people would have you believe. As for Alex we both know how he feels about Isabel so now that I have been able to spend some time with her she isn’t as unworthy of him as we first thought. And as for Michael Isabel told me he has been going through some rough times at home and if I can help him out I will.”

Maria continued to look at Liz.

“What?” Liz felt she had told Maria all she wanted to know.

“Haven’t you forgotten something?” Maria pressed. “You seemed to have skipped over the small problem of Max Evans being infatuated with you and your boyfriend Kyle who isn’t going to be too impressed if you start to move your affections towards your rebel without a clue.”

Liz couldn’t help but laugh. “Rebel without a clue? That’s a bit mean.”

Maria smiled. “I’m not being mean Liz. He has the looks and the body but he wouldn’t say boo to a goose.”

Liz became defensive. “That just means he’s cool and calm. They say still waters run deep, not everyone has to be loud and in your face.”

“Like a certain football player we both know?” Maria offered.

Liz shook her head. “Since when did you become so interested in my life?”

Maria closed her locker. “Since you started keeping secrets.” She said pointedly.

Liz was relieved that Maria had a smile on her face as she walked towards the swing door that led to the main restaurant. Things were beginning to get complicated already. She had been putting off the whole Kyle thing but it was something she would have to deal with sooner rather than later. That being said she had to deal with one crisis at a time and the one that was currently unfolding would have to take precedence. She had a small matter of not getting shot to contend with.

Liz pushed open the door and froze. Sitting at a booth further down the room towards the front where two men who she now recognised as the two who had the fight the day she got shot. Just as panic started to set in someone walked across her line of vision, breaking her trance and when she realised it was Isabel who had crossed her path. She couldn’t hide her relief.

Isabel walked up to Liz with a gentle smile on her face. She had seen Liz come out of the back and was saddened to see the terrified look that adorned her face when she saw what must have been the two men they had been waiting for.

Isabel knew she had to act quickly and firmly. “Liz there is no time to lose. I followed you back from school and once I confirmed they weren’t already in the Crashdown I waited outside for them so you were never in any danger as I promised.”

Isabel’s words were having a calming effect on Liz and she was able to return her breathing to normal. “I never doubted you Isabel but when I opened the door and saw them just sitting there it brought it all back.”

Isabel glanced over her shoulder and saw the two men still sitting at their booth. Suddenly her attention was drawn towards the door and she could see Max and Michael coming in and taking a seat.

Liz began to panic again. “Isabel things are falling into place. I think it’s only a matter of minutes before the fight starts.”

Isabel was about to respond to Liz when she saw her friends face crease in confusion. Isabel followed her gaze and saw Alex coming into the Crashdown and heading for a seat at the counter.

“Isabel I don’t understand?” Liz was starting to lose it. “Alex shouldn’t be here, he wasn’t here the day of the shooting. It means our actions have already started to change things from the original timeline.”

Isabel took hold of Liz on either arm. “Now’s not the time Liz. We need to stop this before it starts. Go into the kitchen and distract Jose.”

Liz took a deep breath. ”OK. Be careful Isabel.”

Isabel nodded and smiled. Liz turned and made her way into the kitchen. As Isabel glanced round before following Liz she could see not only Alex keeping a furtive eye on her but both Max and Michael were watching her every move. It would appear things were going to be more difficult than she had first thought.

With time running out Isabel made her way back to the kitchen and she could see through the open door that Liz had moved Jose to the corner of the room and they were both locked in deep conversation over a number of cans of food that were sitting on a shelf.

After a quick glance round to check no one could see her and that Liz had Jose distracted Isabel raised her hand and let out a small burst of power that caused the oil in the fryer to flashover. Within seconds flames were licking around the ceiling above the fryer.

Liz let out a scream as the fire began to take hold. As Liz, Jose and Isabel made their way from the kitchen out into the restaurant the fire alarm sounded sending the customers into a panic.

As people made there way towards the exit both Liz and Isabel watched to make sure the reason for the fire was successful. As both men made their way out into the street both girls gave each other a knowing smile. Whatever was going to happen they had changed things from the original timeline.

“Liz you go outside. I need to stop the fire from spreading any further.” Isabel said turning back towards the kitchen as thick smoke began to billow out of the back.

Liz came coughing and spluttering out of the front door and ran straight into Alex’s arms. “Liz, are you OK? What happened?”

Liz shook her head. “I’m not sure, we were in the kitchen and I think the fryer caught alight.”

Alex looked around the crowd for Isabel. He could see Max and Michael who appeared to be looking for Isabel as well as she was nowhere to be seen.


Alex looked at Liz in a panic. “Where’s Isabel?”

Liz searched for an excuse to cover her friend’s absence. “I think she went to the back to see if anyone was left inside, she’ll be out in a minute.”

Before Liz could react Alex had released his grip on her and he ran back into the apparently burning building. “No, Alex wait!” Liz cried but it was too late.

Isabel held one hand over her mouth to prevent smoke from entering her lungs, with the aid of a little alien know how. Once again after a quick glance round to make sure she was alone she raised her hand and with minimal effort she extinguished the flames.

Having learnt from Max’s mistakes when their mom had been involved in a grease fire Isabel grabbed the fire blanket from its position on the wall, ripped it out of its packet and placed it over the still smouldering fryer.

Just as she was taking stock of the situation Isabel felt a strong pair of hands grab her by the arms. “Isabel we need to get you out of here.”

Isabel spun round to find Alex trying to man handle her out the door. Realising she shouldn’t really have just been standing round she allowed Alex to help her make their way out side into the waiting crowd.

As they stepped out into the sun the fire crew and the sheriffs department arrived to take control of the situation.

Alex bent over, dropping his hands to his knees as Max and Michael rushed to Isabel’s side. She also saw Maria and Liz huddle together off to one side.

“Isabel, are you OK?” Max’s concern was evident. “We couldn’t find you.”

“I’m fine,” She glanced to Alex who was still coughing but now standing up right. “Thanks to Alex.”

“What were you doing going back in there like that?” Michael made no attempt to hide his annoyance.

Isabel looked a little sheepish. “I forgot my bag and I didn’t want to lose all my school work.”

Alex felt hands reaching round his back in a comforting motion. He looked to see both Liz and Maria reaching for him.

“Alex what were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed going back in there like that.” Maria admonished her tall friend.

Alex looked embarrassed. “I couldn’t leave Isabel in there on her own and by the time I had got inside she had already put out the fire, it was amazing.”

Isabel smiled shyly and shrugged. “I simply grabbed the fire blanket and threw it at the fryer.”

“Thanks Isabel.” Liz was smiling.

“Any time.” Isabel replied with an equally broad smile. The hidden meaning was not lost on either of them.

“Lizzie, Lizzie” Came a frantic call.

Liz turned. “I’m here dad and I am fine.”

Mr Parker came up pulling his daughter into a hug. “Oh thank god.” He turned and saw Maria holding onto Alex. He reached forward and grabbed her, pulling her into a hug as well. He looked round the group of unlikely friends. “Are you kids OK?”

Everyone nodded and smiled. “We’re fine dad. It looks like it was a flash fire but Isabel managed to put it out before it took hold.”

Mr Parker realised his hold on Liz and Maria and stepped towards Isabel, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you so much. I don’t care about the restaurant I am just grateful you were able to get everyone out safely. It was an incredibly brave thing you did.”

Isabel felt very embarrassed and very fraudulent. “It was nothing honestly, spur of the moment thing.”

“Mr Parker?” A member of the fire crew called.

“Lizzie I have to go. Maria, make sure you call your mom and tell her you are safe. Kids…as soon as the Crashdown is back up and running I want you all to come in for a meal, on the house.” And with that Mr Parker was gone.

Liz was eyeing both Max and Michael when she could see them visibly stiffen. Just as she wondered what had just happened her unspoken questions were answered.

“Hi kids, what’s going on?”

The group turned to see sheriff Valenti standing with his hands on his hips. He was wearing his customary mirrored sunglasses, which prevented them from seeing where he was looking exactly.

“We just had a kitchen fire but it was soon brought under control.” Liz explained.

The sheriff turned to Isabel. “And I understand it is you we have to thank for that.”

Isabel pulled herself up to her full height, which was taller than the sheriff. “I guess I was in the right place at the right time.” She said confidently.

Max and Michael exchanged a look. Since when did Isabel stand toe to toe with the sheriff? He was the cause of many a nightmare in previous years. This was yet another example of their sister’s unusual recent behaviour.

The sheriff eyed Isabel before turning to leave. “I know where to find you if I need you.”

“If you need anything else just let me know.” Isabel called after him. That comment caused the sheriff to turn and look at the group one last time before leaving.

“Since when did you get all little Miss Civic?” Michael questioned.

Isabel shrugged. “I haven’t done anything wrong and I am only too happy to help.”

“Weird.” Was all Michael said.

“Alex, are you OK now?” Isabel was concerned for her gallant rescuer.

“I’m fine thanks.” Alex tried not to blush at the attention he was getting.

Isabel leaned forward to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Alex’s attempts not to blush went out the window. “What was that for?” He stammered.

Isabel smiled. “For coming to my rescue.”

“I don’t think you really needed rescuing, you had the fire under control when I went in there.” Alex replied.

“But you weren’t to know that.” She said reaching for Alex’s top button.

“Bucket” Michael called causing everyone to look at him. “If I see much more of this mutual admiration society I think I might hurl”

“That’s charming.” Maria rounded on the spiky haired boy. “Polite conversation lost on you is it?”

“Oh brother!” Michael exclaimed. “Is this to do with earlier today when you ran into me?”

“When I ran in to you?” Maria exploded. “When I ran into you? You’re twice my size and if you spent half as much time paying attention to where you are going as you do to your hair we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Michael’s hand automatically moved to his hair. “What’s wrong with my hair? Not every one can pull off the pixie look.”

“Pixie look?” Maria shouted, advancing on Michael. It was only Alex’s strong arms that pulled her away from her desired target.

“I think it’s time to go.” Alex said diplomatically.


To be continued………….

Chapter 7

“So you are sure you are fine.”

Liz nodded. “For the tenth time I am fine mom. It was over as quickly as it began and the fact that Isabel, Maria and Alex were all there as well means I wasn’t alone. I know you are concern for me but I promise everything is fine. In fact it is better than fine, it’s peachy.”

Mrs Parker looked at her daughter and as worried as she had been earlier when she heard the news about the fire the fact remained that her daughter did indeed look better than fine.

“OK I’ll go then but you if need someone to talk to or you need anything just let me know Honey.” Mrs Parker smiled at her daughter as she backed out of the room and closed the door.

A few minutes later she heard a soft knock on the door, which sent Liz’s eyes darting to the ceiling. This was going to be her dad. “Come in.” She called.

As the door slowly opened the figure of Kyle Valenti came into view. Liz stood up, as her unexpected visitor caught her off guard. She knew she had to face Kyle at some stage but she had been hoping to put it off for a year or two, just until she had decided what she wanted to say.

Kyle came up and enveloped Liz in a hug. “Hi Liz. I’m glad you are OK.”

Liz slowly moved her arms to encompass her friend. It had been a couple of years since she had to think of Kyle as a boyfriend, not counting the night they ‘Pretended’ to sleep together.

It took some getting used to since she had come to rely on Kyle as a friend and an ally so to suddenly be thrown back into a relationship with him was somewhat disconcerting. She knew she had to break up with Kyle all over again but she was more determined than ever not to hurt him. Well, to hurt him as little as possible anyway.

“Kyle I am glad you are here, I think we need to talk.” Liz began.

“That’s the worst way to start a conversation, Liz.” Kyle said sitting down on Liz’s bed.

Liz started pacing. “Kyle I am not sure there is an easy way to say this.”

“As long as you aren’t breaking up with me you can say anything you like.” He joked.

As Kyle saw the look on Liz’s face change at his joke he realised he had inadvertently hit the nail on the head.

Kyle stood up to face Liz. “You can’t really want to break up with me, I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Liz shook her head vigorously. “No Kyle it isn’t anything you have done. It’s….”

“Wait a minute.” Kyle said raising his hand to stop Liz in her tracks. “Please don’t tell me you are giving me the ‘It’s not you it’s me speech’, I’m not sure I could take that.”

“Kyle I would never want to deliberately hurt you but I have been thinking about this for a while and I just don’t think it is going to work out between us.” Liz explained.

“Does this have anything to do with Max Evans?” Kyle demanded.

Liz was caught off guard by Kyle’s question. “No, not at all. Why would you ask such a thing?”

Kyle eyed Liz suspiciously. “I have seen the way he follows you around with that Guerin freak and the way he is always looking at you.”

Liz shook her head again. “It has nothing to do with Max Evans. I barely ever speak to him outside of class and I have never looked at him in any way other than as a friend I promise.”

Did that count as lying? Liz asked herself. She had done way more than think of him as a friend in her timeline but could this be counted as different? Either way Liz didn’t care as long as it allowed her to let Kyle down lightly and to make sure Kyle didn’t regard Max with the sort of suspicion he had in her timeline.

“So there is nothing I can say to make you change your mind, you definitely want to dump me?” Kyle asked looking crest fallen.

“No Kyle I am not DUMPING you.” Liz tried to lighten the mood. “I have thought long and hard about this and decided it is for the best thing for both of us.”

Kyle returned Liz’s smile. “Are you just trying to help me save face?”

Liz smiled full tilt at Kyle as she felt this was going better than she had dared hope. “You can tell your friends you dumped me because my boobs weren’t big enough if that helps.”

Kyle couldn’t help but laugh. He stepped forward and pulled Liz into one last hug. “I’ll tell them you were too good for me and that I hope you will change your mind at some stage in the future.”

Kyle’s comforting words brought Liz to tears. She always knew that Kyle’s obsession with Max was down to his conviction that Max had done something to her the day of the shooting in the Crashdown. Now that she was able to end things with Kyle without involving Max it was apparent he was going to be the friend that he had grown into over the last two years

Kyle stepped back from Liz. “Please don’t tell me you are crying over me?”

Liz gave Kyle a playful slap on the arm. “Get out of here before your head gets too big when you realise how devastated your ex-girlfriends get when you leave them.”

Kyle gave Liz one last kiss on the forehead before heading out. As he closed the door he looked back at Liz. “I’m not happy about this.” He said with a sad look on his face.

Liz nodded slowly. “I know and I am sorry.”

Kyle finally closed the door and Liz slumped onto her bed. The break up had gone easier than she dared hope but it had hurt more this time round as she view Kyle as more of a friend than she did last time. He meant more to her and she relied more heavily on him than she had cared to realise.

Liz leaned over and grabbed the phone. Without thinking she dialled a number from memory. “Hi Isabel it’s me…….What? No, everything is fine but I feel the need for some ice-cream and some girl talk, do you feel up to it? Great twenty minutes it is.”

Liz replaced the phone for a second before picking up a second time. Again she dialled a number by memory before speaking. “Hi Maria. I have just invited Isabel over for ice cream and some girl talk and I want you to come over as well…….What? No, I don’t love Isabel more than you. I asked Isabel first because I wanted to let you know whether or not she was going to be here before you arrived and the only way I could do that was ask her first………..Maria!….No Maria…?!….Fine! Maria if you don’t want to come then don’t but I thought you would want to know I broke up with Kyle……OK, I’ll see you in five minutes.”

Liz replaced the phone with a smile on her face despite feeling sad for what she had just done to Kyle.

Sure enough five minutes later Maria was standing on the doorstep. As Liz opened the door Maria blew past her like a tornado. “I’m only here as you are blatantly in your hour of need. I still don’t understand the requirement to get Isabel involved but I would never want you to say Maria Deluca wasn’t there for you when you needed her most.”

Liz smiled as her friend grabbed some spoons and a large tub of ice cream and stormed off upstairs.

When Liz caught up with her friend she was pleased to see she had planted herself securely on the bed with spoon and ice cream at the ready. Liz closed the bedroom door behind her and settled herself on the bed.

“OK let me have it.” Maria pushed.

Liz smiled at her friend. “Firstly we have to wait for Isabel before we start. Secondly you and I need to have a little chat.”

“Don’t tell me.” Maria cried. “You’re dumping me as well! What is it? Let’s replace everyone in my life day and no one told me? First you replace Kyle with Max and now me with Isabel. Have the Evans family got a hold over you?”

Liz couldn’t help but laugh. She thought Maria was funny at the best of times but after her long speech she still had a serious face as though she meant every word she uttered.

When Liz had calmed her laughing she managed a reply. “I did not dump Kyle and certainly not for Max Evans. I am not dumping you but I do intend to bring Isabel Evans into our little circle of friends.”

Maria went to speak but Liz continued. “Maria do you trust me?”

Maria knew this was one of those trick questions where you couldn’t win. ”Yes, assuming you aren’t being unduly influenced.”

Liz shook her head. “I am not being unduly influenced but I have come to realise what a great girl Isabel is. I promise you Maria if you just give her a chance and spend a little time with her you will find out how nice she really is.”

Maria furrowed her brow. “Why are we making this effort to get to know Isabel Evans if it isn’t for you to get closer to Max Evans?”

Liz decided to try a different tack. “Do you love Alex?”

Now Maria was really concerned because Liz was asking questions she already knew the answer to. “Yes and you know I do.”

“Well what if Alex starts dating Isabel Evans?” Liz reasoned. “What will you do then? Because you will have to be nice to her otherwise you will hurt Alex and I know you would never want to do that.”

Maria stabbed her spoon into the ice cream. “You’re just fighting dirty by throwing Alex in my face. I trust you Liz and if you think I should spend time with Isabel then I will but I am still unsure of your hidden reasons.”

Liz smiled at her friend. “There aren’t any hidden reasons but as long as you give it a try I will be happy. I know you will like her.”

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Isabel came in, closing the door behind her. “I’m sorry I am late I had to drop in at the shop to get a couple of bits.”

Isabel emptied one of the two bags she was carrying and the girls gasped at the assortment of chocolate and candy that lay before them. Isabel then pulled out the contents of her second bag and placed it on the bed.

Maria eyed the present with surprise. “Double chocolate chip! My favourite.” Maria couldn’t help but think that maybe being Isabel’s friend wouldn’t be so bad after all.

To be continued………………

Chapter 8

“Well? We’re waiting!” Maria complained.

Isabel grinned at Maria’s impatience. She had grown to know and love Maria over the last two years and it was extremely odd to find herself back at the start of a relationship with her small friend. They had so much to catch up on and, unfortunately, even more that she would have to keep hidden.

Isabel would discuss it with Liz but she already knew their first order of business would be to get Michael away from Hank and then they would have to work their magic on Maria and Michael to get their relationship back on track. Isabel was confident that it actually wouldn’t take much on their part to get them together as they were painfully made for each other. So all they needed to do was get them within close proximity to each other and allow nature to take its course. Having Michael working at the Crashdown should do the trick.

Maria was conscious that Isabel was looking at her. Under any other circumstances she would have fronted out the girl for being so rude but as Liz had just given her a little talk on making an effort when it came to Isabel it would only get her in trouble if she confront the Amazonian queen sitting beside her.

It was true to say that she didn’t know Isabel Evans very well but she felt she already knew what she needed to know. She was way too tall for Maria’s liking. She was too beautiful, too confident and far too aloof. She didn’t even want to get started on her best friend Alex’s obsession with her but she would admit that that left her somewhat confused.

Alex was never the type to be led around by a lower part of his anatomy but from the first time he laid eyes on the Evans girl he had been hooked. Maria understood what men saw in Isabel but that was usually the opposite of what women look for in a girl. Maria trusted Alex’s opinion, she should do after all the years of training her and Liz had put him through. If he saw something in Isabel Evans then maybe it was worth a look, just to be sociable.

“OK. Well I just broke up with Kyle.” Liz blurted out.

“You did?” Isabel asked in surprise, noticing a lack of shock on Maria’s part.

Maria looked at Isabel and shrugged. “She told me on the phone.”

Isabel knew why Liz broke up with Kyle but this would be one of many occasions when she would have to play dumb. “What made you do that?”

Liz gave her friends a gentle smile. “It just wasn’t working out. I think Kyle is more a cheerleader man than a scientist man. I hadn’t planned to do it so soon, even though I have been giving it some thought, but when he came round to see me earlier the time seemed right.”

“So…Do you have your eye on anyone else?” Maria asked. “A certain sibling of Isabel’s perhaps?”

Both Liz and Isabel smiled. “You’re right Maria. I think Liz has been looking at Max in a different light recently. I know he has been mooning over her for sometime and it gets a bit embarrassing but as I know what a great girl Liz is I am all for it.”

‘Damn.’ Maria thought. The last thing she was expecting was to be agreeing with Isabel straight off the bat. “What about you and Alex?” Maria asked, catching both Isabel and Liz out with her direct question.

“What about me and Alex? I wasn’t aware there was a ‘me and Alex’.” Isabel said defensively.

“I know.” Maria said nodding. “It’s just that you must know he has been keen on you for sometime and after seeing what was going on this morning in the Crashdown before school I just wanted to check what your intentions were towards him.”

“MARIA!” Liz exclaimed in shock. “We’re not his parents for Isabel to answer too.”

“Liz that’s OK.” Isabel cut in before turning back to Maria. “I know you and Liz are his best friends so I wouldn’t expect anything other than for you to be weary of me. And I know about the ice princess reputation that I have in school but the only thing I can tell you is I like Alex, a lot. I would never do anything to deliberately hurt him and I am happy for you to keep an eye on me and if you think I am being mean to him you can pummel me into the ground.”

‘Damn.’ Maria thought for a second time. This wasn’t going well. Isabel was being far too agreeable and understanding for her liking, this wasn’t what she had been expecting at all.

“If we are being honest and open.” Isabel said cutting into Maria’s thoughts. “What about you and Michael?”

“Guerin?!” Maria asked in shock. “Are you kidding me? He’s obnoxious, he’s rude and he is so not my type.”

“Some might say a match made in heaven.” Liz joked.

Maria glared at Liz for her comment. “I’ll have you know I am a picture of feminine charm when it comes to most people but he just rubs me up the wrong way.”

Liz laughed out loud. “Wishful thinking?”

Maria was shocked into silence for a moment. “Are you just looking to deliberately goad me into an argument? The thought of getting involved with such a Neanderthal sets my blood boiling.”

Isabel laughed at the very thought. “He has a very gruff exterior but underneath he has a heart of gold. He is very protective and would do absolutely anything for a friend. He just doesn’t have too many friends.”

“No offence Isabel but that doesn’t come as a surprise.” Maria offered. “I have no plans to get underneath Michael Guerin.”

Maria stopped talking but suddenly realised the double meaning to what she said. She felt her skin flush with embarrassment as her two friends laughed, leaving her nowhere to hide.

“Well you’ve got it big time for Max.” Maria threw out defensively, trying to move the attention of the group from her to Liz.

Isabel nodded. “On that we are totally agreed Maria.” Isabel could see her chance to make Liz squirm as she tried to avoid Maria’s probing comment with regards her true feelings for Max.

“I do not.” Liz shrieked. “I have a few classes with him and that is it. Nothing more.”

Liz was struggling to maintain her composure. With Isabel egging Maria on it was going to be difficult for her to remain focused on the task at hand. If you asked her how she truly feels about Max she could answer in a split second but she was conscious she had to answer the way she would have two years ago. She couldn’t say ‘He’s my soul mate and I love him’.

Her two friends eyed her suspiciously.

“Me think you protest too much.” Isabel joked. “You know the Crash festival is on at the weekend, maybe I could ask him for you.”

Liz swatted Isabel with a pillow. “That’s not fair. Why are we suddenly fixated with my personal life?”

“Everyone gets a turn.” Maria explained. “We have done me, we have done Isabel and all that is left is you.”

“OK.” Liz said playing along. “So does that mean I can phone Alex and ask him to go along for Isabel or ask Michael to go along for you?”

“Firstly you would need to call the paramedics before you phoned Alex. Love him as we do we both know if you were to phone him and tell him Isabel wanted to go on a proper date with him he would need resuscitating.” Maria joked. “And secondly the chances of me going on a date with Michael Guerin are as likely as find aliens living in Roswell.”

Both Isabel and Liz froze for a split second at that comment before laughing it off as another one of Maria’s jokes. If only she knew how close she was to hitting the mark with that comment.

“Well despite all our jokes I know Max and Michael are going to go to the festival. Will you two be going?” Isabel asked.

Liz glanced to Maria and then back to Isabel, nodding. “We normally do. It seems a little tacky to be doing something like that these days but there are so few social events in Roswell it’s one of the few chances we get to go out.”

As a silence fell upon the group Liz decided a little spice might perk up their little get together. “How about a quick game of truth or dare?”

Maria looked at Liz in shock. “Have you been drinking? You just seem full of surprises lately.”

Liz smiled. “It doesn’t have to be serious or stressful, just a little fun to break the ice at our inaugural gathering.”

“I’m not so sure.” Isabel interjected. “Truth or dare can me quite intrusive and embarrassing.”

Maria eyed the tall girl suspiciously. “Why? Do you have something to hide?” she asked with a smile.

Isabel looked at Maria for a moment before returning the smile. “I’m game if you are.”

“Great.” Liz called. “I’ll go first. Maria, truth or dare?”

“Me first?” Maria questioned. “OK. Erm My life is an open book so I have nothing to hide….Truth.”

“How do you really feel about Michael?” Liz went straight for the jugular.

Maria was taken aback by the question. As she was giving it some thought Liz interrupted her.

“And you have to be honest.”

Maria tried to look hurt but Liz knew her better than anyone and she could always tell when she was lying.

Maria left out a heavy sigh. “First I really, honestly don’t like him. He’s just rude and annoying on so many levels.”

“But?” Isabel knew there was a ‘but’ coming.

“But he makes me feel funny.” Maria was searching for the right words. “He makes my skin tingle when he is near me and I get butterflies in my stomach. But I really don’t like him.” She repeated in a hurry.

“Now it is my turn!” Maria said with glee. “Isabel, truth or dare?”

“Truth.” Isabel replied.

Maria rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “What was going on with that whole science experiment this morning with Alex? There wasn’t any science experiment was there?”

Isabel couldn’t tell Maria the real reason for the hug but she also knew she couldn’t fob the girl off with another lame excuse. She would have to say something believable and close to the truth. “I told Liz that I have started to have feelings towards Alex, strong feelings but I wasn’t sure how to act on them. Liz said she would help me but I didn’t think that included getting me to hug him in the middle of the Crashdown. But I must admit I am glad she did.”

“Oh this is so great.” Maria said bouncing on the bed. “It’s down to Liz this time.”

Isabel looked at her brunette friend. “Truth or dare?” She asked simply.

“Dare.” Liz replied to both Isabel and Maria’s surprise. She didn’t want to lie to Maria if she could help it so dare was a better way to go, she concluded.

“Please let me do this.” Maria begged Isabel. “I’ll be your friend for ever.”

Isabel laughed. “How can I refuse an offer like that? Away you go Maria.”

Maria turned to Liz with an evil smile. “Your dare is to carry on the experiment you started with Isabel this morning.”

“What?” Liz asked in disbelief.

“You have to walk up to Max tomorrow and hug him.”


To be continued…………..

Chapter 9

“You cannot be serious.” Liz almost shrieked.

Maria couldn’t help but do an impression of Tigger on Liz’s bed. “I can’t wait, I can’t wait! This is going to be so much fun.”

Isabel simply sat grinning at the exchange between the two girls.

“Maria, how am I supposed to go up to Max and just grab him?” Liz was looking for a way out.

Maria shrugged. “The same way Isabel did today. You saw Alex’s face when he let go of Isabel. It was Christmas, Easter and his birthday rolled into one. Max will be no different. I have seen the way he looks at you and the fact that he is a scientist at heart, like you, means he will be only too happy to help with your scientific research.”

Liz sat cursing her luck. She had chosen dare over truth so she wouldn’t have to lie to Maria. Boy had that come back to bite her on the ass. Liz could see she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Maria as she was so pleased with herself. Liz turned to Isabel.

“Well I don’t know what you are looking so happy for.” Liz spat out as Isabel continued to smile. “You’re going to have to talk your brother into letting me hug him.”

Isabel reached over and gave her friend a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I think I have had more difficult things to do in my life than talk my love sick brother into hugging the girl of his dreams.”

Liz got up from the bed, turning to look at her friends. “You two are having way too much fun with this. I know I wanted the two of you to bond but I didn’t think the pair of you would be teaming up on me within fifteen minutes.”

Maria stood up and placed an arm around Liz. “Liz, sweetheart. We are not teaming up on you. We have simply backed you into a corner and we are milking the situation for all it is worth.”

Suddenly Liz started to smile. It started out as a normal smile but slowly it grew into an all out grin. In fact one might say an evil grin. This did not bode well for Maria.

Maria, seeing the grin, pulled away from Liz. “What? Why are you so happy?”

Liz sat back down on the bed. “Oh I just remembered a little bit of information I meant to pass onto you earlier.”

“And what would that be?” Maria asked tentatively.

“Michael starts work at the Crashdown tomorrow.” Liz finally revealed.

“WHAT!”



The next morning Maria had picked up Liz and Alex and was heading towards the school. They had fallen into a silence in the last couple of minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Unbeknownst to them their thoughts all had something in common, their alien friends.

Alex decided to finish a conversation he had been having with Liz a short while earlier.

“So all I am saying is that if you need any further help with your research I am only too willing to help.” Alex explained.

It was all Liz could do to stop herself from laughing. “Alex if there is any further hugging of Isabel Evans required you are my man, top of the list.”

Alex started to blush. “No….No, not just Isabel. I’m not doing this just because of Isabel I am trying to be helpful.” Alex stammered.

Liz turned in the front seat of Maria’s Jetta to look at Alex. “Alex, I know you are. I was only kidding.” She lied, to save her friend from further embarrassment.

Alex could feel his embarrassment subsiding. “OK, As long as we are clear.”

Liz nodded and turned back in her seat. As she faced round she could see Maria trying to hide a huge grin from their best boy pal in the back seat.

“So I came into the Crashdown last night to see how bad the damage was and your Dad mentioned that he thought he would be up and running by this morning.” Alex started.

Liz knew where this was leading. If Alex came to the Crashdown but didn’t drop in to see her in meant her Dad told him they were having a girl’s night in, specifically a girl’s night in involving Isabel.

“When the fire rescue team had checked the place over it seemed it just needed a good airing and the walls above the kitchen fryer needed cleaning.” Liz explained. “Thanks to Isabel’s fast actions, using the fire blanket, she stopped the flames from spreading.”

Liz turned in her seat again. “And don’t think it went un-noticed that you rushed into a burning building to save a damsel in distress. It was very brave of you.”

Alex looked a little sheepish at Liz’s comments. ”Are you kidding? I panicked when I couldn’t see Isabel so I ran in only to find she had the situation under control and in the end she almost ended up carrying me out, a few seconds more and she would have had to hoist me over her shoulder. How embarrassing would that have been? Plus did you see the two of us afterwards? I was almost on my knees unable to breathe and she looked as though she could have run a marathon.”

Liz regarded Alex for a moment and then did something unexpected. She reached over and punched him in the arm.

“What was that for?” Alex said rubbing his arm in shock.

“That’s for you doing what you always do.” Liz was looking stern faced. “You ran into a burning building to save someone and what do you end up doing? Putting yourself down and making light of the situation. I don’t care how out of breath you were or how stunningly good-looking Isabel looked despite having just been in a fire. Don’t keep second-guessing how other people see you Alex, you’re too good for that. You need to have a little more belief in yourself, I know what you are capable of and the sooner you realise what that is the better.” Liz turned back in her seat.

The car fell silent for several minutes after Liz’s rant. Liz knew she had let out a little more of her hidden feelings than she intended but this was Alex. She had a second chance with him and she would make sure she took it or she would kill him trying.

Liz glanced at Maria who, amazingly, seemed lost for words. She finally looked over her shoulder at Alex. “You know I love, right?”

Alex nodded silently.

“You just need to see what a great guy you are and not let anyone tell you any different. I love you and Maria loves you and I can tell you we don’t just love guys here and there. You have to have a certain something to have the love of us two women.” Liz was pleased to see Alex smile at her comments.

“So…Alex.” Maria called trying to change the subject and lighten the mood. “Isabel Evans!”

Alex furrowed his brow. “What about Isabel Evans?”

Maria shrugged. “Oh just that you seemed to make a cute couple while taking parting Liz’s science experiment.”

“I wish.” Alex said ruefully. “It must have been ‘Be kind to a stranger day’ or something.”

Without waiting Liz swung round and hit Alex again.

“Hey that hurt.” Alex said pulling at this arm.

“I warned you.” Liz said glaring at her friend. “I will punch the living daylights out of you if I have to. It was not ‘Be kind to a stranger day’ and I think more than anything you are doing a disservice to Isabel with a comment like that.”

Alex laughed. “What are you telling me? Isabel Evans, the queen of the school, who can have any boy she wants, is interested in me?”

Liz looked at Maria. “What did she say last night?”

Maria thought for a moment. “I do believe the words were ‘I like Alex, a lot’.”

“No way!” Alex exclaimed, throwing himself forward so his head was almost level with his friends in the front seat.

“Now Alex, stay calm.” Liz said, trying to reign in her friend. “She just said she likes you and the only reason we are telling you is because you are always so down on yourself. You need to have a little more belief in who you really are.”

Alex sat quietly for a moment before speaking. “Thanks Liz, Maria I appreciate the pep talk.”

Liz grinned. “That’s OK Alex.”

“Anytime girlfriend.” Maria added.

‘Girlfriend?’ Alex thought. ‘I really need to make some male friends and fast.’


Maria turned the car into the school car park and pulled up. Just along from where she brought the car to a halt she could she Max, Isabel and Michael standing by Max’s Jeep.

“Right! So you heard what I said.” Isabel repeated.

Michael shook his head. “This is a really bad idea. Since when did we start hanging round with humans? I thought we agreed we are always to keep ourselves to ourselves and keep out of sight.”

Isabel looked to Max and she could see he was torn. On one hand Michael was right. They had always shied away from spending time with humans for fear of having their secret known. On the other hand when were they supposed to start living their lives?

They had spent years combing the desert looking for where they came from or any sign of their ship but they had always been unsuccessful. Isabel had asked them to give making friends a try. In what seemed like no time at all Isabel had struck up a friendship with Liz Parker and now it seemed she was bonding with Maria Deluca.

Max had also seen the way she had been looking at Alex Whitman in he last couple of days and it was so unlike his sister. Isabel showing a particular interest in one boy? And Alex at that. No disrespect to the boy but he really wasn’t Isabel usual type, not that it was a bad thing that she was moving away from ‘The in-crowd’.

Isabel was offering him the chance to meet Liz Parker outside of class and he really wanted to take it but he couldn’t abandon Michael. Once Michael’s mind was made up there was no changing it and as his tall friend leaned against the jeep with his arms folded across his chest it was apparent they weren’t going anywhere soon.

Isabel was fuming as see watched her three friends climb out of Maria’s car and slowly make their way over to where she was standing.

“Hi Liz, Maria. Thanks for last night.” Isabel looked to Alex. “Hi Alex.”

“Hi.” Was all Alex could manage, any more and he would faint.

“Hi Isabel. Thanks for coming over, it was fun.” Liz replied.

“I enjoyed it.” Maria nodded, Unable to hide her growing smile.

Liz was feeling entirely uncomfortable. She knew she had this forfeit to do but she couldn’t just leap on Max, could she?

“Liz I was explaining to Max about the science experiment that he saw us start yesterday in the Crashdown with Alex’s help.” Isabel gave a quick glance in Alex’s direction and she could see he had started to blush. She quickly looked back at Liz. “But of course we need more than one subject. Max maybe you could help us out?”

Max had hardly heard a word Isabel had said since they approached his car. He knew he was staring at Liz but he was finding it difficult to look away. Her beauty was almost hypnotic. However he must have been listening on some level because when his sister mentioned the possibility of giving Liz Parker a hug he snapped right out of his stupor.

He had sat next to Liz on countless occasions in science and they had been partners on many projects but he had always managed to keep his distance. He wasn’t sure what an inadvertent brush of skin might do to him. That being said he no longer cared. He just had this unquenchable desire to hold Liz Parker.

Max was struck by a sudden thought. He had science with Liz Parker, they did school projects together. Why the hell was his sister suddenly carrying out field experiments? Looking at Liz as she gazed back at him he found he no longer cared. Gradually he realised Isabel was still speaking so he tuned her back in. “……and finally we have to give in our findings next Monday.”

Liz stepped forward towards Max and the look on his face made her step back, he looked like a deer caught in a cars headlights. The memory of a painfully shy Max came flooding back to Liz. She had forgotten how much they had all grown over the last two years, none more so than Max.

“Isabel we really don’t have to do this.” Liz said, trying to find a way out for Max. “I can’t go leaping on every boy in school, I’ll get myself a reputation.”

Max’s throat went dry. Could Liz tell how he was feeling? He so desperately wanted to step forward and pull her into his arms but then he had wanted to do that for the last couple of years.

He could see the opportunity ebbing away. ‘Just step forward’ he screamed to himself, ‘Just step forward’. He never moved.

“Liz didn’t you say the project was on Sensory input? Couldn’t you just hold hands rather than a full on hug?” Maria questioned.

‘God bless you Maria Deluca.’ Max thought. Sure he could cope with holding hands.

Liz just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole but at Maria’s comment she could detect a definite change in Max’s attitude. Maybe a little handholding would be a small step Max could take.

Max stepped forward giving Liz the answer to her question.

God she was so small and so beautiful he thought to himself. Over and over in his mind he kept telling himself. ‘Remember everything, remember everything.’ Max was sixteen years old and this was his first chance at taking a hold on Liz Parker, who knew when the next chance would be.

Finally the shortest distance was finally bridged as Liz moved and extended her hand towards Max after what seemed like an eternity Max reached out and took her hand in his. He didn’t hold her hand as though for a handshake, he held it as though at any minute he would lean forward and kiss it as she had seen in all the old romantic movies she and Maria made Alex watch with them.

Max hadn’t had much contact with many girls. In fact other than his mom and his sister he hadn’t had any contact with girls. Holding onto a girl like Liz Parker was different to holding on to his mom or his sister in so many wondrous ways.

Max could feel electricity pulsing through his connection with Liz. Something wasn’t quite right but he couldn’t put this finger on it. He looked at Liz and he could see she was looking at him as though she could see his very soul. Under any other circumstances he would have pulled away and retreated to a quiet corner, hoping he could dissolve into the background but for once he want Liz to see him and to continue to see him.

Liz was simply in heaven. She had almost forgotten how it felt to have a physical connection to Max Evans. She was pleased to see the look on his face soften from sheer terror to just blind panic. Liz remembered how difficult Max used to find it to make a connection to someone and she took heart to see he was willing to make some sort of concession to her.

Suddenly Liz pulled away abruptly leaving Max blink in surprise. “That was great, thanks Max.” Max was left confused by Liz’s actions.

Liz turned to Alex and Maria. “Isabel and I need to get to class to hand in our findings on our science project I will catch you both at lunch.”

Liz turned, grabbed Isabel’s hand and stormed off without a glance at Max.

“What’s wrong?” Isabel asked as they got out of earshot.

“I need to get away from Max.” Liz said, continuing her trek towards the school.

“Liz why are you in such a rush to get away from Max?” Isabel pressed. “What happened?”

“I couldn’t let him see my reaction.” Liz said, finally stopping and turning to Isabel

“Reaction to what?” Isabel was still confused.

“To the flashes that passed to me!”

To be continued………………

Chapter 10

Liz sat at the counter in the Crashdown checking over the receipt book. Maria was running round keeping the customers happy while her dad and Jose were in the back talking about Michael’s impending arrival.

Liz had managed to steer clear of Max and Michael for the rest of the day. She had a quiet lunch with Maria and Alex and tried to put the thought of flashes from Max to the back of her mind.

Her quiet lunch had actually involved giving Maria a long and stern lecture about Michael’s new job at the Crash. She knew they were volatile together so she didn’t want either of them quitting on his first night. She would endeavour to keep the two of them apart as much as possible until he had settled in.

Liz kept glancing towards the door but she was unsure if it was because she was waiting for Michael or if she was worried if Max was going to show up. She knew she had received flashes from Max but she didn’t feel he had received any from her. Not only because she would have known by his reactions if he had received flashes but also she had never been healed by Max in this timeline so she put her ability to receive flashes down to her connection with original Max.

Liz gave a small wave and a smile to Alex, who had arrived a short while ago and who was currently waiting for his food order to arrive. He had stayed away from sitting at the counter, as he didn’t want to disturb Liz’s paperwork.


Michael pulled open the door to the Crashdown and stepped inside. He had spent so much of his time in here over the last year due to Max’s obsession with Liz Parker it was actually beginning to feel quite familiar and safe.

He still hadn’t worked out why Liz Parker had offer him this chance but having spoken to Isabel and being aware of her reputation it seemed she wasn’t above doing good turns for people without any hidden agenda or need for a reward.

He could really do with the extra cash if he ever wanted to getaway from his overbearing foster father and he hoped this would be the first step in that ultimate goal. His ears were still ringing where Max and Isabel had lectured him on being a little less volatile and having to make a good impression. It actually went against every firm belief he had taking a job in the middle of people that he usually tried to steer clear of but as they hadn’t invented the job whereby you could sit in your own room listening to heavy metal he realised he was going to have to put himself out there.

As he glanced round the room he could see the Deluca girl buzzing round serving customers. When he glanced towards the counter he saw Liz looking up from what appeared to be some paperwork and she was giving him a welcoming smile.

‘Here goes.’ Michael thought to himself.

“Hi Michael.” Liz beamed. “Glad you could make it.”

Michael’s mind started racing. ‘What did Isabel tell him?’ He thought. ‘Manners cost nothing and to be polite when speaking to people’. She had told him he didn’t have to be a chat show host but he did have to use more than his usual grunts that he relied on so heavily in school.

“Hi Liz.” He replied to her greeting. “I erm….I wanted to say thanks for getting me this job.”

Liz continued to smile. God love him, Isabel must have beaten that into him she thought. “That’s OK Michael. We could always use good help and Isabel tells me you aren’t scared of a little hard work.”

Michael nodded and gave what passed for a smile.

Mr Parker came striding out from the back. As he looked around he could see his daughter urging him to come over.

“Dad this is Michael, Michael this is my Dad.” Liz said doing the introductions.

Mr Parker extended a hand. “Good to meet you Michael. Don’t worry about tonight, just relax. Liz tells me you are a friend from school and that you know your way around a kitchen. It isn’t exactly rocket science so as long as you don’t burn the burgers or give anyone food poisoning you will get on fine.”

Michael took Mr Parker’s hand and shook it firmly. Max had told him a firm handshake speaks volumes about you. “Thank you for the opportunity…..Sir.”

Mr Parker gave Liz and Michael a smile, released his grip on Michael’s hand and headed towards the register at the front.

“Friend from school?” Michael said turning to look at Liz.

Liz shrugged and smiled. “Was I lying?” She said turning the tables on Michael.

That was almost two ‘nearly smiles’ from Michael in the last two minutes. This was going to do him the world of good. “I’ll take you through and introduce you to Jose.”


Maria picked up her latest order and ferried it over to Alex. “One Star Trek burger, hold the Klingons. Refill?”

Alex nodded. “Yes please miss.”

“You had better eat up fast, before you lose your appetite.” Maria said grinning.

“Why would I lose my appetite?” Alex queried

“Hi Alex.” A seductive voice said from over his shoulder.

Alex turned to see Isabel and Max standing behind him.

“Hi Isabel, Max. What can I get you?” Maria said trying to hide her smile

“I’ll just have a cherry coke please Maria.” Isabel looked back at Alex and smiled before heading for the counter.

“Max?” Maria questioned.

“Oh sorry Maria. I’ll have the same. Hi Alex.” Max said before joining his sister at the counter.

Maria headed behind the counter to get the drinks while shaking her head. It was apparent that Isabel had it big time for Alex and was almost oozing sex appeal whenever she came within fifty feet of him. Max was simply looking for Liz but there was nothing new in that.

Liz pushed her way out from the kitchen and immediately caught sight of Max and Isabel taking seats at the counter. She made brief eye contact with Max before he looked away so she could tell things were still the same between them. More significantly she could see Isabel eyeing Alex.

“Isabel can I have a quick word?” Liz called.

Isabel got up from her seat and followed Liz out to the staff rest area. “Everything OK?” She asked.

“Everything is fine.” Liz said smiling. “I need to have a quick word about Alex.”

“I’m not going to leap on him or anything.” Isabel said laughing.

“I know.” Liz also laughed. “But I just wanted to remind you of how things are with you at this stage of your relationship. You already know he has it for you in a big way but this time round you are ready. I just don’t want you to ruin anything by rushing him. Remember it would be a dream come true for Alex just to spend time with you.”

Isabel nodded. “I get what you are saying and I am grateful for the advice but I am happy to take it slow as long as I can have him in my life. It was all a little over powering yesterday, seeing him after we had thought we lost him forever but now I have my second chance I won’t ruin it.”

Liz smiled. “In that case good luck and go get him.”

The two girls hugged briefly before making their way out to the seating area again. Isabel could see Maria had placed their drinks on the counter and she had just placed an Orange soda on a tray. “Is that for Alex?” Isabel queried

“Yes it is.” Maria smiled. “Would you do me a favour and give it too him?”

Isabel mouthed a ‘Thank you’ to Maria as she picked up her drink and Alex’s before heading to his booth.

“Can I join you?” Isabel said placing his drink on the table.

“Sure.” Alex cleared an area for Isabel to put her drink down.

“What’s that you are reading?” she asked as she sat down.

Alex closed the book that he had been reading while eating. “A brief history of time”

“By Stephen Hawking.” Isabel said nodding. “I read it. It’s pretty good and I agree with most of his findings.”

“You’re read this and found things you disagree with?” Alex had never been more turned on in his life.

Isabel smiled at his enthusiasm. “I hope I didn’t embarrass you too much yesterday with that hug. I felt bad for throwing you in at the deep end but I didn’t want to hug anyone else. Some of those boys just want to paw me and you would never want to do that.”

“I wouldn’t?” Alex said forgetting himself for a moment. “I mean I wouldn’t, no that would be terrible.”

Isabel tried to stifle her laugh. “So are you going to the Crash festival tomorrow?”

Alex shrugged. “I’m not sure. Liz and Maria have asked me to go but I think it is all a little old hat and cheesy so I am not sure if I want to go. I mean what are we celebrating? If a ship really did crash here in 1947, which I strongly doubt, why would we celebrate its demise? Shouldn’t we mourn its loss?”

Isabel was taken aback by Alex beautiful sentiment. She managed to snap herself out if it before tears appeared. “Oh I was hoping you would be going.”

Alex’s head snapped up to eye the tall beauty sitting opposite him.

“Max and Michael are going for awhile but I was hoping you, Liz and Maria would be going as well so we could all get to know each other a little better.” Isabel explained.

“Michael is going?” He asked in surprise. “I thought he’d be working.”

Isabel nodded. “Liz cleared it with her dad for them all to go early on before coming back to finish the late shift here.”

Alex started to shift in his seat. “Well I didn’t say I was definitely not going.”

Isabel smiled broadly. “Good. Then I will see you there.”

To be continued……………..

[StargazerUK]

Chapter 11

“You’re going to wear that?” Liz asked incredulously.

Alex looked himself up and down. “Why? What’s wrong with it?”

Liz shook her head. “Nothing I just pictured you wearing something else.”

Alex was still looking at his costume. “I’m a Vulcan. It’s classic alien apparel.”

“Alex calm down.” Liz laughed. “You look great I just didn’t know that was what you were going to wear.”

Liz’s bathroom door opened and Maria appeared in her full, alien glory.

“Lime green!” Alex exclaimed.

“What?” Maria questioned.

“You’re going as a Lime green alien?” Alex continued.

“Oh and I suppose there aren’t any lime green alien’s out there in an infinite universe?” Maria said defensively.

Alex shook his head. “You’re missing my point. You were only saying a couple of days ago how lame this was and if we had something better to do we would. Now you are step out looking stunning as a lime green alien goddess, you’ll catch every ones attention.”

“Stunning?” Maria repeated. “Alien goddess!”

Liz couldn’t help but grin. “God Maria you are so shallow. As soon as a guy hits you with a compliment you melt like a polar ice cap.”

Maria stopped looking at herself in the mirror. “I do not. It’s just when Alex first spoke I thought he was saying I looked terrible. Now that I know he was giving me a compliment I can relax as my job here is done.”

“As for you Liz.” Alex said turning his attention to his brunette friend. “Wow!”

Liz looked at her leather outfit. “Thanks Alex. You guys don’t think it is too much?”

Maria shook her head. “I can tell you who won’t think it is too much……”

“Maria if you finish that sentence I will not leave this room.” Liz said firmly.

Maria held her hands up. “I was only going to say…..”

“Maria!” Alex interrupted his friend before she said anything further. “Let’s get going.”

The three friends made their way out into the street to be greeted by the sight of dozens of passers-by dressed in various alien costumes. The friends made their way down to the festival site, as it grew dark. As the sights and sounds began to increase the three friends allowed themselves to get into the party mood.

As the night went on Liz could see the towering figure of Isabel being sheepishly followed by Max and Michael who were obviously dressed as the guys from Men in Black.

“Alex, just remember to breathe.” Liz shouted at him.

“What do you mean? Breathe!” Alex asked, as he had no idea what she was talking about.

Before Liz got a chance to explain her comment Isabel came into view. Alex watched wide-eyed as she strode purposefully towards them. Isabel was almost six feet tall in her bare feet but put her in a silver cat suit and high-heeled boots and she stood out in a crowd, to say the least.

Isabel came to a halt in front of Alex with a broad smile on her face. “Nice ears.”

“Nice cones.” Alex replied before he could censor himself.

Isabel laughed out loud while Alex blushed furiously. “I’m sorry I just meant….”

“Alex it’s OK. I know what you meant.” Isabel said helping Alex save face.

“Hi Max, Hi Michael.” Liz said, breaking the moment.

Michael nodded at Liz but turned away from Maria.

“Hi Liz, Maria.” Max replied. “You all look great.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” Maria said pointedly, trying to shun Michael, which was quite difficult as he wasn’t paying any attention too her.

“Can I get anyone a drink?” Alex offered.

“Cherry coke please, Alex.” Isabel said smiling

Alex looked at the other two girls and they were both nodding their heads in agreement.

“Max, Michael why don’t you give Alex a hand?” Isabel said to her two brothers.

Michael let out a sigh loud enough to be heard over the background music. Max just nodded and followed the rapidly disappearing Alex.

“Those two look cheerful.” Maria offered.

“Not exactly their scene.” Isabel replied over the increasing noise

“It looked like you and Alex were having a nice little chat last night in the Crashdown.” Liz said smiling.

“It was really nice.” Isabel said as she saw Maria watching her. “He’s just such a nice guy I could listen to him for hours.”

“Don’t tell him that.” Maria interjected. “He’ll be talking to you about electronics, music and sci-fi all night.”

All three girls laughed at that.

“Are you guys going to be here when they re-enact the alien crash?” Isabel asked.

Both girls shook their heads. “We have to get back to work before that.” Liz explained. “I can’t say I am sorry.”


Alex, Max and Michael reappeared carrying drinks. Alex handed his to Isabel, Max handed his to Liz and Maria stood waiting for hers. Finally and begrudgingly Michael handed over her drink. “Don’t strain yourself.” Maria fired at the tall boy.

“That’s an incredible outfit.”

Max’s statement really caught Liz off guard. “Thanks. It’s a little much but I couldn’t think what else to wear.”

Max gave her a nervous smile. “You hair looks good with the wet look and it swept back off your face.” As soon as he said it his face flushed causing him to look at his feet.

“Thanks.” Liz said bringing his head back up. “You look pretty special yourself.”

Michael couldn’t help but give another sigh while sending his eyes skywards.

The friends spent the next hour or so trying to enjoy the festive spirit. It took some doing, as it appeared none of them really wanted to be there but the time passed soon enough, finally reaching the point when the three workers had to head to the Crashdown.

“Alex, Max and I were going to go home, get changed and meet back up at the Crashdown for some food Do you feel like joining us?” Isabel offered

Alex looked a little reticent. “I wouldn’t want to bother you or break into a family meal.”

Isabel looked to Max. “Alex you wouldn’t be bothering us and as for breaking into a family meal you will be stopping Isabel from picking every aspect of my life to pieces. I’d welcome the company.”

Alex grinned broadly. “Great. I’ll see you at the Crash in half an hour.”

Alex walked back to the Crashdown with Liz and Maria to pick up his car and go and get changed. Michael headed back to the Evans house to change into his work clothes before head in.

Thirty minutes later Alex made his way into the Crashdown, which by this time was packed to the rafters with customers. As his ears became accustomed to the noise he spied Isabel waving at him from a booth at the back.

As Alex approached he began to sweat on where he was going to sit. Simply he could sit next to Isabel or next to Max. If he sat next to Isabel would it be too forward. If he sat next to Max would he be sending Isabel a signal that he wasn’t interested in her when he blatantly was interested in her.

His decision was made for him as he reached the table Isabel slid further into the booth and patted the seat next to her. Alex sat down and was greeted by smiles from both Isabel and Max.

“Goodness me! I have never seen it so packed in here.” Alex professed.

Isabel nodded. “It was only because Liz held the booth for us that we managed to get a seat here.”

“Hi guys, what can I get you?” A smiling Liz asked.

“A Will Smith burger, fries and a cherry coke.” Max said his well-rehearsed order.

Alex nodded. “I’ll have the same but with Orange soda.”

Liz looked at Isabel. “I’ll just have a Cherry coke. I’ll take some of Max and Alex’s fries if I get hungry.” Both girls started laughing

“See what I mean?” Max said to Alex. “No peace at all when she is around.”

Liz went and placed the food order while Maria had taken the drinks order from her and was getting it ready. Almost immediately Maria appeared at the table carrying a tray of drinks.

“Here I forgot this.” Liz said placing a bottle of Tabasco sauce on the table.

Both Isabel and Liz froze.

“Oh I think I have the wrong table.” Liz said grabbing the bottle and leaving.

Max eyed her suspiciously.

“I can’t believe her.” Maria sighed. “It’s amazing she hasn’t made more mistakes. I mean splitting up from your boyfriend must take some toll on your ability to think.”

“She what?” Max exclaimed.

Maria nodded. “Yeah, didn’t you know? She broke up from Kyle yesterday.”


To be continued……………..

Chapter 12

Liz could not believe her slight lapse in restraint when she had placed the bottle of Tabasco sauce on the table without being asked for it. Under normal circumstances it would have been a nothing thing but a slip up such as that could set Max or Michael thinking and cause suspicion, which was the last thing they needed.

More to the point it could cause Max to withdraw even further into himself and that was something Liz definitely didn’t want to happen, as she was currently half way through project ‘Coax Max out of his shell’.

As Liz continued to wait tables she saw Kyle come into the Crashdown and he appeared to be holding someone’s hand. Liz watched Kyle approach her with a rather sheepish look on his face. As he came to a halt in front of her she could see it was Vicky Delaney who had a hold on her ex-boyfriend.

Kyle turned to his apparent date. “Vicky, why don’t you try and get us a seat at the counter. I just want a quick word with Liz.”

“OK.” Vicky said moving past Kyle. “Hi Liz.” She said as she moved by.

“Hi Vicky.” Liz replied, a smile breaking out on her lips.

“Look Liz I……..” Kyle began.

Liz held her hands up. “Kyle you don’t have to say a word. It’s really not a problem and I really like Vicky, she’s nice.”

“It isn’t like I am trying to replace you in a rush or anything but she wasn’t going with anyone, I wasn’t going with anyone and it just seemed a shame to not go together.” Kyle explained.

Liz shook her head. “Kyle I told you I am glad for you.” Liz leaned in to whisper to Kyle. “I broke up with you remember, you have nothing to explain. I’m just glad you didn’t go for someone like that Pam Troy otherwise then I’d be upset.”

Kyle laughed. “I hadn’t quite reached that depth of despair. But we are still friends, Right?”

“Right!” Liz nodded.

Kyle joined Vicky at the counter while Liz continued clearing tables.


“So Liz broke up with Kyle.” Max was still fixated with this news.

Alex shrugged. “I think she mentioned something about it but she didn’t go into any detail so I thought she mustn’t have wanted to talk about it.”

Max looked to Isabel.

Isabel looked guilty. “Well she did tell me but she wanted to keep it quiet for a few days to let it all blow over.”

“Liz broke up with Kyle and you didn’t think to tell me.” Max questioned.

Isabel eyed her brother for a moment. “Why are you so interested? Are you planning to ask her out?”

Max looked away from his sister and thought for a moment. “No it’s just……It’s just good to know what is going on that’s all.”

“Hi Guys, everything all right?” Liz said approaching the booth.

Both Isabel and Alex nodded and smiled but Max spoke up. “Everything’s great.” He said as a smile broke out on his face.

Liz looked at the handsome young man for a moment. Something was different but she couldn’t tell what it was. “If everything’s OK I’ll go check on Maria and Michael.”

Liz turned and headed into the back. Alex and Isabel exchanged looks and smiled.

“What?” Max said, unable to hide a smirk. “I was just being polite.”

Liz pushed her way into the kitchen to find Maria and Michael having words.

“All I am saying is that if it says well done on the order you should be cooking it ‘Well done’.” Maria said slowly to emphasize her point.

Michael took a deep breath before replying. “And all I am saying if I have already burnt it to a cinder I can’t cook it any more.”

“Well if you….” Maria started before being pulled out of the kitchen by Liz.

“Hey Liz what are you doing?” Maria said in surprise.

“Maria I thought I told you that you were to stay away from Michael because you know you two don’t get along.” Liz looked mad.

“Liz it’s not my fault he can’t do as instructed. Anyway you’re my friend, why aren’t you sticking up for me?” Maria put her hands on her hips.

“Two things Maria.” Liz said calmly. “First of all, since when did you need someone to stand up for you? I’ve seen you reduce grown football players to tears and secondly Michael works in the kitchen, not anywhere else. If you get upset or want some space you can go out the front, out the back or in here. He can’t go anywhere as he only works in here so it is like you have him cornered and that’s not fair.”

Maria was stunned into silence by Liz’s impassioned argument. “I didn’t intend to be mean.” Maria whispered.

Liz put her arm around her friend. “I know you didn’t. I also know that once you two have spent a little time together you will get along fine. But for the time being I’d put the emphasis on ‘A little time’.”

Maria grinned and nodded. She turned from Liz and headed for the kitchen.

“Maria I just told you to leave him” Liz said in shock.

“Trust me.” Maria said as she continued on into the kitchen.

Michael was scrubbing the grill as he saw the petit powerhouse come back into the kitchen. He never said anything but his look screamed, ‘What now?’

“I just came to say I am sorry.” Maria said softly. “It’s like a mad house out there and I think I was taking out on you.”

Maria waited for a reply but he said nothing. “Well don’t get all emotional on me.” Maria hissed as she turned and stormed out of the kitchen and back to the restaurant.

Michael sighed and placed his hands on his hips as his look fell to the floor. “God she was so infuriating and so annoying and yet…..” Michael shook his head and got back to work.


“So Alex got any plans for the weekend?” Isabel said, trying to make creative conversation.

He shrugged. “Not really. I am supposed to be organising some practice time with my band but it’s difficult to find the time when we are all available. There’s a Star Wars marathon on at the local cinema that I was thinking about going to see.” Alex looked up at the goddess who was hanging on his every word. “But I don’t think I’ll go.” He added in a rush. He didn’t want to look like a geek in front of Isabel.

“Really?” Isabel asked in surprise.” Why not? I love Star Wars.”

“You do!” Alex’s head snapped up to look at her in surprise.

“Are you kidding?” Max interjected. “Our mom had to do Isabel’s hair so she looked like Princess Leia for months. She looked like she had two cakes strapped to the side of her head”

As soon as Max said it he knew he had just made a huge mistake. Isabel was obviously taken with Alex and the last thing she would have wanted was him picturing her dressed as a Star Wars character with some pastry tied to her head.

Max wanted to not look at Isabel but it was more than he could manage. He was being drawn to look at her. Finally his eyes met his sisters and she had been waiting.
“You’re going to tell Alex about me being dressed as Leia?” Isabel queried. “Does that mean I get to tell Liz how you used to dress up as GI Joe and go everywhere in battle fatigues on your belly?”

Max started cringing.

Isabel continued. “Or how about when you used to pretend to be the invisible man and Mom instructed us all to ignore you so you thought you were really invisible?”

While this went on Alex wasn’t hearing a word of what was being said, he was else where deep in thought.

One of Alex’s biggest problems was over thinking things. He could never just go for the simple answer or take something at face value. He always had to investigate or check every angle.

Now that was a good thing if you are into Computers and Electronics as he was but in normal life it usually caused him more harm than good. It was one of the reasons he loved Maria and Liz so much. They had no hidden agenda or ulterior motives for anything they said or did and putting it simply what you saw was what you got.

But Alex’s mind was working overtime. Max had just made a mistake and disclosed a little known childhood fact about Isabel that she felt was embarrassing. Alex thought it was really cute but that was for another time.

It was Isabel’s reaction that interested him. Rather than just laughing it off or tearing Max into little piece’s her first reaction was to offer a similar slip in payment for Max’s error, a sort of like for like punishment. Now if Isabel’s threat to Max was to tell someone he was very fond of a secret from his past did it mean Max had just done the very same? Tell Isabel’s secret to someone she was very fond of?

Alex’s eyes went wide as the possibility of what he was trying to work out hit him. Could it be, in any way, shape or form, that Isabel Evans was beginning to feel about him the way Max Evans felt about Liz? If there was one thing that Alex knew it was that Max had feelings for Liz.

“Alex, are you OK?”

Alex snapped out of his daydream to see a concern looking Isabel looking back. “I’m fine Isabel.” He said as a smile started to spread across his face.

‘In fact I am better than fine.’ He thought to himself. ‘I’m great because I think Isabel Evans really likes me!’


To be continued…………………

Chapter 13

Alex sat staring at the computer screen but still the words didn’t come. He had been trying to do his history project for school for almost an hour but he hadn’t written a single word.

He had tried to put it down to the fact that he still had several weeks before the project was due but deep down he knew that wasn’t the real reason. The real reason was about six feet tall, blond with a figure to make Cindy Crawford run for baggy clothing. As strange as it might seem the assets he had just pictured weren’t the reason he was so infatuated by the girl. Sure it was nice to have someone on your arm that was good looking, even drop dead gorgeous but if they don’t have it in the brains department you might as well be dragging round a mannequin.

Alex hungered after Isabel Evans and, sadly, so did most of the other boys in school. It became a little difficult when Alex tried to run different scenarios through his head, trying to convince Isabel that he wasn’t after what all the other boys wanted. It was what he wanted but not only that and it wasn’t his number one priority.

Hope is a terrible thing to give a desperate man and Alex had been handed hope in truckloads in the last few days. It had all started somewhat bizarrely earlier on in the week when Liz had asked him to hug Isabel as part of a science experiment. He found it all very confusing but he didn’t really care why he was holding onto Isabel Evans, only that he was holding onto the girl of his dreams.

Then he had managed to spend more time with Isabel over the last few days than he had done in the previous eight years. All of a sudden she seemed to be noticing him more and more and she seemed to be genuinely interested in what he had to say, which was a first. The only people who ever listened to him were Liz and Maria.

He had withstood a torrent of abuse from Liz, but only the good kind of abuse. The kind that created the phrase ‘Cruel to be kind’. Liz had explained to him that he had been selling himself short and he needed to have a greater belief in himself and to prove her point Liz deemed it necessary to clean his clock on no less than two occasions in the car.

That had been the downside of his trip to school with Liz and Maria. The upside was being told by his two best friends that Isabel liked him, a lot. The more Alex thought about it the more he thought he had either been dreaming or he was the victim of an incredibly cruel joke. He trusted Liz and Maria with his life so if it was a joke they weren’t in on it but then he thought about Max and Isabel Evans and from what little he had seen of them up close he couldn’t believe such cruelty from them so that left dreaming.

Actually that left dreaming and one even more remote possibility, the possibility that this was all true. That Isabel did really like him and she wanted to spend time with him, simply because she wanted to.

Alex sighed heavily. That was another trip on the Alex and his strange week merry-go-round and it had eaten away another twenty minutes of his life. This was why he hadn’t started his history project and it was why he was unlikely to ever start his history project.

The phone rang pulling Alex out of his thoughts.

“Hello?” Alex started.

“Hi Alex, its Liz.”

“Hey Liz. What are you up to?”

“Alex, its Saturday morning. What do I do every Saturday morning?”

“Sorry.” Alex smiled. “Stupid question. How’s work?”

“Much the same. It’s quiet, which is a good thing, as Michael has gone missing and Maria is off doing a stock check or something. The pair of them are either at each others throats or nowhere to be seen. How about you, what are you up to?”

Alex flopped back onto the bed. “I’m trying to do some school work but I can’t get my mind to focus.”

“Nothing to do with a tall sex bomb I suppose.” Liz laughed down the phone.

Alex smiled. “Liz I have been thinking about Isabel Evans for years. I have managed to split my mind into wishful thinking mode and schoolwork mode. It just seems that for whatever reason it isn’t working today.”

“Maybe you will get a little help from somewhere.” Liz offered.

“I hope so.” Alex sighed. “Else I will be stuck here all day with nothing to show for my history project.”

“OK. I’ll let you go. I was just calling to see how you are and to check everything was alright.”

“Everything’s fine Liz but thanks for asking. I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, bye Alex. I’ll catch you later.” Liz put the phone down.

Alex placed the handset back on the phone base and continued to lie on the bed thinking empty thoughts. After a few minutes the phone rang again.

“Don’t tell me you found Maria under a fallen box of straws and you need a hand to dig her out.” Alex joked.

“Erm….No I haven’t found Maria but I do need a hand if that’s OK.” A voice said.

Alex lurched forward into a sitting position. “Isabel?”

“Hi Alex. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.”

“No Isabel, not at all. I’m sorry I thought you were Liz.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you.” Isabel said, pretending to be hurt.

“Oh no! I’m not disappointed. I’m glad you called as I was just thinking about you.” Alex stammered.

“You were?” It was all too easy for Isabel.

“When I say I was thinking about you...” Alex began, while praying the ground would open up and swallow him whole. “I mean you were on my mind.”

“Well that’s a coincidence as you were on my mind Alex.”

Alex was trying to stay calm. ”Really?” Alex couldn’t help but ask. “Why?”

Isabel let out a loud sigh over the phone. “Do you know anything about history? I mean are you any good at history as I have to do a project.”

“You do?” Alex asked, while giving thanks for his continued run of good luck when it came to Isabel Evans. “I’m just doing some revision for my history project.”

“Great.” Isabel cried. “If you have no other plans why don’t you come over here and we can revise together. My parents are out for the day and Max is at work.”

“That would be great.” Alex could feel his head spinning. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Isabel tried to control her laughter. “I’ll see you in ten.”

Alex placed the phone back down and started to jump around the room. Even with his negative attitude to his luck with girls the fact remained that Isabel had just called and invited him over for a study date. He didn’t care if she was inviting him over to clean her car as long as he got to spend time with her.


The phone in the Crashdown rang and Liz picked it up. “Crashdown. How can I help you?”

“Liz, its Isabel.”

“How did it go?” Liz whispered into the phone.

“Perfectly.” Isabel giggled. “I did exactly as you told me. I said I had a history project and could he give me a hand.”

“And?” Liz pressed.

“And he will be here in a few minutes.” Isabel said if a rush. “What about you?”

Liz frowned. “What about me?”

Isabel knew Liz was being coy. “What about you and Max? It’s not just me who has come back to put things right second time round.”

“I know.” Liz stated. “But you know how Alex feels about you and you are ready to give it a try but Max is a different man to whom I left nearly a week ago. He can barely look at me let alone find the courage to talk to me.”

“Well I thing that is about to change.”

Liz knew Isabel had some news. “And why is that?”

“It might have something to do with Maria letting slip that you and Kyle broke up and that you are back being young, free and single.”

“And you think that will change things?” Liz was trying not to let her hopes build.

“Liz I still don’t think he is ready to sweep you off you feet, throw you on to a Crashdown table and have his wicked way with you but I do think he is a step nearer starting a conversation with you.”

Liz was trying to control the flush rising on her face at the thought of Max having his wicked way.

“And anyway,” Isabel cut into Liz’s thoughts. “He should be there any moment.”

“Any moment?” Liz was lost. “What do you mean?”

“Well I thought I would repay your kind gesture.” Isabel explained. “You set me up with a day in the company of Alex studying. Unfortunately I couldn’t set up a whole day but I did tell Max he needed to pick up an apple pie from the Crashdown before lunch to avoid the rush.”

As Isabel finished her comment she heard a knock on the door. “Liz I have to go, I think Alex is at the door.”

Liz gazed across the restaurant at the front door. “Yeah I have to go as well.” Liz barely whispered.

“Liz, are you OK?” Isabel asked.

“Yes.” Her voice trailed off. “Max is here and he is carrying a bunch of flowers.”


To be continued………………….

Chapter 14

Liz watched as Max approached the counter. He had a new look about him that Liz couldn’t recall seeing in the last few days. He looked like he had a purpose about him but he obviously still found it difficult to make eye contact with Liz judging by his downward gaze as he reached where she was standing.

“Hi Max, what can I do for you?” Liz decided to make it easy on Max.

“Hi Liz. Isabel asked me to pick up an apple pie. She was worried you would sell out so she asked me to pick one up before lunch.” Max explained, finally lifting his gaze.

Liz smiled as she prepared a box in which to place the apple pie. “Nice flowers.” Liz nudged.

Max glanced at the bouquet that he was resting on the stool in front of him. “Yeah, I just picked them up from down the street.”

Max looked at Liz and he realised he hadn’t explained himself very well. “I bought them for Isabel. It’s kind of a, ‘I’m glad you are safe’ thing after her run in with the fire the other day.”

Liz smiled, hoping to hide her disappointment. “That’s sweet and a lovely thing to do for your sister.”

Max flushed and dropped his gaze back to the floor.

Liz eyed him now that she didn’t have to worry about him catching her in the act. He was so good looking, just like the man she had fallen in love with over the last two years but there was something else. The only thing Liz could put it down to was innocence. Max had his youth snatched away from him with all the talk of leadership and royal responsibilities. As Liz spied him now he was just your average teenage boy who was hiding an extraordinary secret.

Max looked up at Liz causing her to panic for a split second having been caught ogling the young man. Liz gave an embarrassed smile as she placed the pie in the box and sealed it.

“How much is that?” Max asked softly.

Liz pushed the pie across the counter towards him. “On the house.”

Max shook his head. “Thanks but I can’t have you giving away food, this is your business.”

Liz nodded. “Yeah and we wouldn’t have a business if it wasn’t for your sister’s quick thought and actions. It really is the least we can do.”

Max put his money back in his pocket and reached for the box. He turned to walk away but stopped and placed the box back onto the counter.

Liz could see he was weighing something up in his mind. She felt so sorry for him because he was still so painfully shy and almost any interaction with her must have been agony for him.

Max turned back to Liz and she could see he was holding a rose in his free hand. It became apparent that he had just removed it from the bouquet. He gently leaned across the counter and extended his hand towards Liz.

Liz used ever ounce of self-control to stop herself from crying. It wasn’t the romantic gesture that was causing her desire to tear up but the fact that she could see Max’s hand shaking as he handed her the rose. It must have been pulling him apart inside the amount of effort it would have taken to make such a gesture.

Liz took the rose from his hand, allowing her fingers to brush gently but deliberately against his firm hand. “Thank you.” Liz whispered.

Max’s face was burning with embarrassment but he forced himself to continue to look at Liz. “Isabel would have wanted me to offer you a flower as a thank you for the present.”

Liz nodded slowly. She knew he was trying to remove the significance of what he had done, for her benefit. “Then tell Isabel that the flower is beautiful and I will treasure it forever.” Liz hoped he understood the subtext in what she was saying.

Max smiled, picked up the box with his free hand and headed towards the front door. Liz scurried around the counter to reach the door at the same time as Max. She pulled opened the door for the handsome man, as he didn’t have a hand free. “I’m working all day so if you have a little free time later drop by and we can chat.”

Max moved slowly through the open door, he turned to look back at Liz. “I’d like that.” He said, smiling.

‘THERE IT WAS!’ Liz screamed inside her head. The smile, the unrestrained smile, which she hadn’t seen from this Max due to his chronic shyness. He was beginning to open up to her.




Isabel stopped in front of the still closed front door. This would be the first time she had been alone with Alex since the Prom in her timeline. She had been thrilled to have him back in her life but she had used the fact that there were always other people about to help her focus on different things, other than Alex.

Now as she was allowing herself to spend an afternoon studying with Alex she would have nothing to stop her from fixating on her soul mate but she couldn’t lose control. As Liz had told her this was a different Alex and one wrong move from her and she could scare him away, permanently.

Isabel pulled open the front door with a big smile on her face. “Hi Alex, glad you could make it.”

Alex looked like he was about to meet his future wife’s parents rather than spend the afternoon with the object of his affection. He must have changed, as he wasn’t wearing his usual baggy jeans and un-tucked, open shirt. He was wearing a pair of normal fitting jeans and a tight black t-shirt that held him firm in all the right places.

“Wow Alex! You look great.” Isabel enthused.

Alex stepped into the hallway, out of the morning sun. “Liz and Maria have been telling me I should stop hiding myself away behind baggy clothes so I bought some new stuff during the week. Don’t tell Liz and Maria though because they will be upset that I wore my new clothes without letting them check them over first.”

Isabel reached up and smoothed her hand along his broad shoulder. She had gotten so used to unbuttoning Alex’s top shirt button it was now a natural reaction to reach for the tall boy. As her hand snaked out she realised he didn’t have a top button so instead she satisfied herself with smoothing out a nonexistent crease in his T-shirt.

Alex looked down at her hand that was resting on his shoulder before looking at Isabel.

Isabel recoiled in a flash as she felt the hue of her skin change to a slight reddish colour. “Sorry, just brushing away a bit of lint.”

“Thanks.” Alex smiled.

Isabel thought quickly. She wanted Alex to spend time with her but she didn’t want to scare him or rush him. Restraint and patience were the order of the day. “I was thinking we could study in the family room if that’s OK.” Isabel wanted to drag him up to her bedroom kicking and screaming but that didn’t fit in with Liz’s advice.

Isabel made her way down the hall, through the kitchen and finally into the family room. As Alex settled himself on one of the couch’s Isabel allowed herself a small pat on the back. She had only been back less than a week and she had Alex sitting in her home and willing to spend the afternoon with her. It was only about a one thousand percent improvement on the first timeline.

“Drinks?” Isabel offered. “I have Orange soda.”

Alex went to answer but was stopped by Isabel’s second comment. “I love Orange soda, how did you know?”

Isabel shrugged gently. “I saw that was the drink Maria asked me to pass to you in the Crashdown so I knew you were a fan.” ‘Nice save’ Isabel thought.

Isabel busied herself in the kitchen and when she had prepared a couple of drinks she made her way back to Alex. She placed the drinks on the table and then pulled out her school bag. Having given it a small amount of thought Isabel proceeded to empty out the contents of her bag all over the second couch and chair leaving her nowhere else to sit but beside Alex on the remaining free couch.

For the second time within a few short minutes Isabel mentally congratulated herself on her deviousness. She has managed to get herself next to Alex while making it look like it was a choice forced upon her.

“Where do you want to begin?” Alex started.

Isabel couldn’t have cared less. The one downside to her ploy to get Alex over to her house was he thought they were there to study and even though Isabel would have done anything to be in Alex’s company now that she had him where she wanted him she would have preferred some other excuse like a science experiment to monitor the exchange of body heat between two naked people or how close can you get to the person next to you without actually touching.

“Isabel, are you OK? You look a little flushed. Should I open a window?” Alex asked with concern.

Isabel shook her head to rid herself of her inappropriate thoughts. “I’m fine Alex but it is a little warm in here.” Without thinking Isabel stood up and pulled her sweater up over her head revealing a white blouse, which was straining under the pressure of her heaving chest.

Isabel looked down and realised she was wearing one of her pieces of clothing reserved for wearing only around the house. She hadn’t intended being seen in it and she had the back up of wearing it under a sweater. All of that had gone out of the window with the effect Alex was having on her.

Of all people she didn’t mind Alex seeing her in such a figure hugging shirt but as she was supposed to be taking things slowly shoving her ample bosom at the young man who would have thought she was God’s gift in sack cloth and ashes wasn’t necessarily the best plan of action.

Alex being the polite young man he had always been took one look at Isabel’s chest, turned the deepest red she had ever seen, and buried his head in his book.

Isabel threw her sweater onto the arm of the couch and settled back down beside Alex. Now that her burgeoning chest wasn’t directly in his line of sight Alex allowed his eyes to lift from the page he had just read three times.

“Sorry about my grubby clothes but I was all set to clear out the garage before I remembered my history project.” She explained.

“That’s OK Isabel.” Alex caught her gaze for a moment before looking away. “You always look amazing no matter what you wear.”

As Alex started to outline his ideas for how to layout and plan his project Isabel allowed herself to tune his voice out. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to hear his thoughts or to hang on his every word, just the opposite but she had thoughts of her own to formulate. While she could hear Liz’s voice and her own voice of reason telling her to take it slow the fact remained she simply wanted to leap on him.

It didn’t take much thinking about. He was all she ever wanted but she had lost him once but now that she had a second chance she wasn’t going to lose him again. Sure he would be confused if she suddenly leapt on him but that didn’t mean he would fight her off.

It was that thought that brought her to a decision. Liz was right. This was their Alex and she knew things about him he didn’t know himself. She knew how incredibly brave he could be, how incredibly loyal he could be but most of all she knew how incredibly loving he already was.

If she leapt on him it would be for her own benefit not for his. She didn’t doubt that if she stripped naked and dived on top of Alex he would love her forever but equally she knew that over the course of the afternoon if she allowed herself to just lean into him that little bit closer so she was invading his private space, if she let him know that she was where she wanted to be and who she wanted to be with he would love her just as much.

She would ruin it if she went stampeding for the prize. Part of the fun was the pursuit and she would take as much enjoyment over their first hand hold, first kiss and first date as he would.

Time to set the plan in motion. As Alex continued to speak about the American civil war Isabel slowly allowed herself to lean just a little bit closer. Then a little bit closer still until her left breast pushed against Alex’s arm. She felt him tense up and even move away slightly but she knew that was just Alex trying to save her embarrassment in case she had rubbed up against him accidentally.

This was no accident so when she closed the space between them again Alex stood his ground this time. After a few minutes it became apparent that they had settled into a comfortable position for both of them. Isabel could feel that with every passing moment Alex was becoming more and more comfortable in her presence and she was allowing herself to just breathe in his closeness with every tick of the clock

They sat like that for several hours. Isabel was overjoyed that even when Alex got up to refresh their drinks he came back and sat as close to Isabel as he had before. He was obviously enjoying this closeness as much as she was and he didn’t want it to end.

The afternoon ran on into the evening but it was apparent neither wanted to be anywhere else.

Isabel looked at Alex as he put a book onto the table. “I was wondering if you would let me buy you dinner.” She blurted out.

Alex shook his head causing Isabel to deflate. “NO! But you can let me buy you dinner.”

Isabel nodded enthusiastically. “I’m ready when you are.”


To be continued…………….

Chapter 15

Alex pulled open the door to the Crashdown café and stepped back to allow Isabel to enter first. As the tall blond stepped through he followed her as she made her way down the line of tables and slid into a booth near the back.

As Alex followed Isabel to their booth he caught sight of Maria and Liz behind the counter. As he came level with his two best friends he couldn’t help but smile as both girls gave him a thumbs up. They obviously approved of his dinner companion.

“What the heck is going on with Alex and Isabel Evans?” Maria turned to Liz. “I mean my opinion of her has sky rocketed in the last week but who would have thought the Queen of Roswell and our very own Alex.”

Liz looked over to where Alex and Isabel were looking at a menu. “I think Isabel woke up one morning and decided her priorities had changed. Maybe she is no longer bothered about who to be seen with rather who she cares about.”

Maria placed an arm around Liz’s shoulder and squeezed. “Our little boy’s growing up. Soon he will want us to take the training wheels off of his bike and allow him to cross the street on his own.”

Liz started laughing at Maria’s jokes. “I think our time of worrying over our little boy may never come to a complete end because he will always be our best friend but it looks like there is a six foot Amazon who will be watching out for him from now on.”

Maria sighed. “I just realised I am a little sad. Our boy is growing up and he doesn’t need us any more.”

Liz nodded in agreement. “I think he is more interested in Isabel kissing his cuts and bruises better rather than us.”

“What has she got that we don’t?” Maria asked. Continuing her jovial mood Maria glanced down at her chest, across at Liz’s chest and then up to Liz’s face. “Don’t answer that. I know what she has.”

Both girls started laughing loudly, loud enough to draw the attention of Alex and Isabel. When the two girls saw the couple looking at them they made their way over to the booth.

“You two look happy.” Maria held nothing back as usual.

Alex nodded. “We just spent a very enjoyable day studying history.”

Maria frowned. “I’m sorry! I think I misheard you. Did you say an enjoyable day study history?”

Isabel let out a small laugh. “It isn’t the subject, more the company that made it enjoyable.” Isabel glanced at Alex who was busy blushing.

“What can we get you?” Liz enquired.

Isabel looked to Alex who nodded for her to go first. “I’ll just have a cherry coke and a salad. If I get hungry I can steal some of Alex’s food.”

Liz turned to Alex. “And for you sir?”

Alex smiled. “I’ll have my usual thank you young lady.”

“One Will Smith burger, fries and an Orange soda coming up.” Liz recounted from memory.

As Liz went to turn away Maria caught her arm. “Erm Liz, we need to have a talk.”

Alex and Isabel looked on as Liz glanced at Maria with a confused expression. “Talk about what?”

Maria turned slightly to look at Alex. “Alex appears to be wearing new clothes. Did you go shopping with him?” Maria turned back to Liz with an accusatory look.

Liz laughed at Maria’s serious face. “I haven’t been shopping with Alex unless you were there.”

Maria turned to Isabel. “Have you been shopping with Alex?”

Isabel threw her hands up in mock surrender. “Don’t look at me. I think Alex looks great but I didn’t buy the clothes with him.”

Finally Maria turned to Alex. “Have you been seeing someone behind our backs?” Maria questioned.

“Maria.” Alex began. “I’m sixteen, nearly a foot taller than you are and I have been tying my own shoe laces for almost a year. I can buy my own clothes.”

“Not from where I am standing.” Maria fired back.

Liz and Isabel exchanged a glance that only lasted a second but spoke volumes. This was why they had risked everything to come back. It wasn’t just to save Alex, although that was the main reason. It was to save them all. How could they live without Alex in their life? Simply they couldn’t.

“Are you saying you don’t like my clothes?” Alex said, continuing his pretend argument with Maria.

Maria shook her head. “NO I think you look fine but Liz and I have been trying to get you out of your clothes for years.”

“MARIA!” Liz exclaimed.

Maria thought about what she had just said for a minute. “I didn’t mean it like that and you all know it.” She said defensively.

Alex was having fun with the banter that was passing in between him and Maria but he knew it was only going to end up with Maria divulging the many embarrassing stories she knew about him.

He needed to distract his little friend and he knew just the thing. “How’s Michael?”

Maria froze. Liz and Isabel exchanged another look, this time one of interest. What was happening between Maria and Michael?

Maria put her hands on her hips, which was her usual defensive stance. “How would I know how Michael is?”

Alex shrugged. “I just thought you might know as the two of you now work together I wasn’t implying anything.”

“Max gave Liz a flower.” Maria blurted out, trying to deflect the attention that was being directed at her.

“He did!” Isabel said before she could control her reaction.

Liz looked quite pleased with herself. “He came in with a bouquet of flowers this morning and when he was leaving he gave me a rose.”

Isabel couldn’t help the huge grin that had spread across her face. “That’s great Liz.”

Liz thought for a moment before replying. “It is isn’t it?”

Liz and Maria headed off to get the order. “Liz I’ll hand in the food order if you grab the drinks.”

Liz handed Maria the written food order from her pad and headed behind the counter to get the drinks.

“One special order.” Maria called as she placed the sheet of paper from Liz’s pad on the carousel.

Michael came over to the serving hatch and picked up the order and looked at it. “What’s special about this?”

Maria sighed as though it was an effort to even speak to Michael. “The order is for Alex and Isabel. As Alex is my best friend and Isabel is one of only two friends that you have its special because we want to look after them.”

Michael still didn’t understand. “What are you saying?”

Maria glared at him. “I mean don’t burn the burger. If you drop anything don’t put it back on the plate and for God sake don’t give them food poisoning.”

Michael was fuming. “I do not burn the food. I have never dropped anything but if I do it will go in the bin and I have never given anyone food poisoning but thanks for your support.”

Maria blinked at the spiky haired boy. “I’m sorry. There’s no need to get your panties in a bunch.”

Maria turned and walked away. She couldn’t believe she was on the verge of tears. She had only been joking and she had exchanged heated words with better men than Michael Guerin so why was she so upset?

Maria pushed open the swing door to the back of the restaurant, looking for some privacy.

Liz had watched the scene unfold but decided now was not the time to step in.

Maria dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Stupid men.” She said, under her breath.

“I’m sorry.” I strong voice said from behind her even though it was little more than a whisper.

Maria spun round and was surprised to see Michael standing in front of her. “What have you to be sorry for? These tears aren’t for you I just have something in my eye.”

Michael knew lies when he heard them, he had told enough of his own and that was a lie. “I didn’t mean to bite your head off. You just caught me at a bad time.”

Maria looked up at the large boy. He was only sixteen but he was built like a fully-grown man but as he stood in front of her there a vulnerable look about him that she hadn’t seen before.

“Is it something you want to talk about?” Maria questioned.

For a split second Michael contemplated let her in. Telling her what was causing problems in his life but as quickly as the thought entered his head it was gone, his defences had shut him down as they always did. “It’s nothing.”

Liz allowed the swing door to close fully from where she had been holding it open an inch or two. She hated nothing more than deceiving friends but she had an inkling of what was going on and with the few words that were spoken she had her fears confirmed.

Alex and Isabel were on their way. She and Max were heading in the right direction. All she needed to do now was sort out Michael & Maria and the first step would be to get Michael into a new home or his own place.

Liz would speak to Isabel tomorrow.

To be continued………………..

[StargazerUK]

Chapter 16

Alex finished the last bite of his burger and placed his knife and fork back on his plate while slumping in the chair with a contented look.

“You look a very happy man Alex.” Isabel grinned.

“I am.” He said patting his stomach. “I always seem at my most contented when I have a full belly.”

Isabel shook her head. “I don’t know where you put it all. You’re so slim and athletic, what’s your secret?”

Alex tilted his head slightly towards the ceiling as though in deep thought. After much contemplation he looked back at Isabel. “Nervous energy.” He said resolutely.

Isabel frowned. “Nervous energy? I don’t understand.”

Alex shrugged. “I just normally feel wired, like I have fifty thousand volts running through me so I think I burn it off that way.”

“But you always seem so relaxed. I can’t say I have noticed this ‘Coiled spring’ state.” Isabel continued.

“I think I realised long ago there isn’t any point fretting over things you can’t change. I have a relaxed outlook on life which counteracts my wired state.” Alex said, matter-of-factly.

Isabel nodded. “Well that’s something I didn’t know.”

“I think that is why I get on so well with Liz and Maria. They have the same view on life as I do and we just make the most of what we have got.” Alex stated

“Unlike someone like me, who has to wear all the right clothes and be seen with all the right people?” Isabel asked.

Alex shook his head vigorously. “That’s not what I am saying at all. If you have good taste in clothes you have good taste in clothes, it’s as simple as that. I do think this whole ‘In crowd’ thing is a waste of time but I certainly wasn’t picking on you.”

Isabel smiled. “I know, sorry. What I said came out wrong, I just meant that until recently I hardly ever talked to you, Liz and Maria and now look at us. I can’t believe how much fun Liz and Maria are. I could spend all my free time with them. They have so many more interesting things to say than the people I am used to hanging round with.”

“Aren’t you worried about losing face with your friends?” Alex questioned.

“Friends?” Isabel furrowed her brow. “What friends?”

“Come on Isabel.” Alex eyed his companion. “I have seen you out and about with some guys from the track team and when you and the girls from school get together you look like a gaggle of geese.”

Isabel let out a laugh. “A gaggle of geese?”

Alex blushed. “You know what I mean. I wasn’t being rude.”

“I know.” Isabel let her face go serious. “I know what you meant and I know what you mean. I guess I have decided to get my priorities in order that’s all.”

“Well I for one am glad.” Alex smiled.

“Oh Alex! What time is it?” Isabel exclaimed.

Alex checked his watch. “It’s a little after eight why?”

Isabel started to get up from the table. “I just remembered I was supposed to pick up the dry cleaning for my mom. I just need to run along to the shop and pick it up before it closes.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Alex offered.

Isabel smiled and shook her head. “I’ll be fine. It will only take five minutes and if you come with me we will lose our table.”

At that comment Alex smiled and relaxed back in the seat. Isabel didn’t want the evening to end yet, which please him no end.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Isabel turned and dashed towards the front door.

Maria watched her best boy pal as he sat in the booth. She was so pleased for him because not only was he spending time with a girl he had lusted over since before he knew what lust was but having spent time with Isabel Maria was glad to report that she felt the tall blond was good enough for her Alex.

As she watched the smile that had adorned his face as Isabel left the table was slowly replaced with a perplexed look. Alex’s change of expression was so extreme Maria made her way round the counter and headed towards the booth.

Alex was sitting, staring at the empty plates in front of him when a figure sat down opposite him causing him to snap out of his reverie.

“Are you OK sweetie?” Maria asked.

Alex quickly pasted a smile across his face. “I’m fine why would you ask?”

Maria leaned her elbows on the table. “This is me you are talking to. Since when did you keep things from me?”

Alex eyed his friend for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. “It’s just that I am a little confused about what has been going on. I keep trying to push it from my mind but things are going so well at the moment I am sure either something is going to go drastically wrong or that this is all a lie.”

Maria rested her chin on her hands as her elbows sat on the table. “Alex you know what you are like. You have difficulty taking things at face value. You aren’t Mr Glass is half empty or half full you are Mr who’s been drinking my drink?”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh at Maria’s metaphor.

Maria reached out and took one of Alex’s hands in her own. “Look Hun. I love you and you know that right?”

Alex sat nodding to Maria’s question.

“You have spent so long thinking about Isabel that you have built it up into some big thing that you are struggling to analyse. I have no doubt you are sitting here thinking ‘Why is she showing interest in me now?’” Maria arched her eyebrows in question to which Alex continued to nod.

“Well let me tell you something. Isabel is probably walking down the street at this very moment thinking ‘Why is Alex so keen on me?’ She will gain as much if not more out of spending time with you so don’t sell yourself short.”

At Maria’s last words he pulled back from his petit friend.

“What?” Maria was unsure of his actions. “What’s the matter?”

Alex smirked. “I thought you were going to hit me. When you mentioned selling myself short I flashed back to Liz in your car the other morning and I thought you were going to punch me.”

Maria smiled. “I still might if I catch you doubting yourself. All I am saying is don’t ruin something before it has a chance to happen. You look like you are enjoying spending time with Isabel and she certainly looks like she is having a good time with you so just let whatever is going to happen………….happen.”

Alex sized up his little female friend. “When did you get so wise?”

Maria shrugged. “It’s the way of the Deluca women. We can sort other people’s love lives out but not our own.”

Alex glanced up to the counter where Max was sitting talking to Liz. Maria followed his gaze and saw the two deep in conversation.

“I know what you mean about things being different all of a sudden.” Maria agreed.

Alex nodded. “No disrespect to Kyle as I quite like him but I always saw Liz with someone like Max Evans rather than the captain of the football team.”

Maria nodded. “I couldn’t agree more. He’s definitely good looking with those eyes and the smouldering looks and as for that body…..”

“You do remember I am a guy, right?” Alex interrupted. “I sometimes worry that I spend too much time with you girls and you forget I am all man.”

“Who’s all man?” Isabel asked as she approached the booth.

Maria slid out of the booth to allow Isabel to sit down.

“Maria, don’t get up on my account. Stay and chat awhile.” Isabel asked.

Maria smiled and shook her head. “No I was just keeping your seat warm and anyway I need to clear these dishes before Liz spots them and starts barking orders.”

“Maria!” Alex called to his friend. “Liz has never raised her voice to you in her life and by the looks of her she wouldn’t notice if I ran through this place butt naked reciting the pledge of allegiance.”

Both girls slowly turned to look at Alex and the blush of his skin slowly moved up his face.

“I just meant….” He stammered.

Maria turned to look at Isabel. “It’s just too easy but he is just so darn cute when you can make him blush.”

While still being embarrassed Alex was pleased to see Isabel nodding in agreement with Maria’s last statement.

Maria cleared the table and made her way back into the kitchen leaving Alex and Isabel alone again.

Isabel looked at Alex and her expression turned sad. “Sorry Alex but I think I need to get these bits of clothing home to my mom.”

Alex felt a little crest fallen. ”Oh…..Ok. It has been a long day after all.”

Alex and Isabel got up from the booth and made their way to the register. They stood there for a moment and when it became apparent that Liz only had eyes for Max Alex let out a discreet “Ahem”.

Liz realised she had customers waiting and she finally managed to tear herself away from her conversation. “I hope you enjoyed your meal.” Liz smiled.

“It was lovely thank you.” Isabel returned the smile. “Liz I need to have a chat can I call you tomorrow?”

Liz nodded as she gave Alex his change. “Sure, anytime.”

“See you later Liz and please say goodbye to Maria for me.” Alex asked.

Liz nodded and headed back behind the counter to continue her discussion with Max. Both Alex and Isabel gave Max a wave as they left but they didn’t want to disturb his quiet chat.

“Alex would you mind walking me home?” Isabel asked.

Alex couldn’t help but grin. “I’d love to.”

As they started walking slowly down the street Isabel debated whether or not to take hold of Alex’s hand. Under any other circumstances she wouldn’t have hesitated but as she was supposed to be taking things slowly and not scaring Alex she needed to take her time.

After a quick think Isabel gently linked arms with Alex as they turned the first corner. That was affectionate enough without being aggressive.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Alex asked.

Isabel thought quickly. She would love nothing more than to spend the day with Alex but if she suddenly went from spending no time with Alex to every waking moment she was going to arouse suspicion. As much as she hated doing it she was going to have to tell him a lie. “I am busy all day helping my mom clean the garage.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah I remember you mentioning having to clean out the garage earlier.”

They made the rest of the short journey in silence. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence and the two were so lost in their thoughts the trip was over almost as soon as it had begun.

Alex and Isabel came to a halt outside her house. “Here we are.” Isabel stated.

Alex smiled. “Thanks for a lovely day Isabel.”

“No thank you.” Isabel replied. “You’re the one who saved my history project.”

Isabel prepared herself for a good night kiss. She didn’t want to seem too obvious but she made sure she was sending all of the right signals.

Alex was shaking. Was he supposed to kiss her? He knew he wanted to but he didn’t want to make a fool of himself in front of Isabel. Alex quickly weighed up the pros and cons of trying to kiss Isabel, finally he came to a decision.

“Bye Isabel I’ll see you at school.” He said turning and walking away.

Isabel stood dumb struck. What had gone wrong there? She could hear Alex muttering to himself as he walked along the road. A smile broke out across her face. Alex was currently beating himself up over the fact that he didn’t kiss her, which was a little harsh on Alex but Isabel was overjoyed. It simply meant that he wanted to kiss her but Alex being Alex he was worried about upsetting her.

Isabel pushed open the front door. This was going to be so much fun, teasing the first kiss out of Alex. Again she thought back to Liz’s words about not moving too fast, which she took to mean she had to let Alex do the running.

OK, fine. She thought. If Alex had to make the first move she could live with that but it didn’t mean she couldn’t give him some kind on incentive. Isabel considered her options as she entered the kitchen. Should she flash a little extra flesh at Alex next time she saw him or better still should she visit him in his dreams?

“Now that’s an interesting thought.” She said out loud.


To be continued………………….

Chapter 17

Isabel lay on her bed looking up at the ceiling. She had been like that for almost an hour and she could see no end to her mental debate. When she returned from her day with Alex a few hours earlier she had a thought about dream walking him, which she initially had decided was a great idea. If she was not allowed to pursue Alex in the real world for fear of scaring him off she could join him in the dream world where she could observe him with impunity.

That was where the cause of Isabel’s dilemma lay. Thanks to the close proximity of people like Liz, Maria and especially Alex over the last two years she no longer found herself able to just go waltzing into other people’s dreams without suffering a huge pang of guilt. What she used to consider a game was now an invasion of privacy, which she didn’t take lightly.

If it was for investigation purposes or to help out the gang she would do it in an instant but to do it just to amuse herself was no longer on the cards. However this was Alex she was thinking about visiting and that made things even more complicated still.

In the previous timeline she had visited Alex when they were worried about what he might tell the sheriff so it was justified. She had visited him since then with his consent but that permission was not valid anymore, was it?

Isabel picked up the yearbook and opened it to the page she knew so well. It never failed to warm her heart to see the smiling face of Alex Whitman looking back at her. That reminded her. She needed to speak to Liz and Maria about getting some better photos of Alex. As good as he looked in his yearbook picture Isabel was sure his best friend’s would have better and larger photos of her man.

Finally Isabel came to a decision. She had wasted too much time in the previous timeline by not being with Alex at every opportunity and she was not going to make the same mistake twice. She would go into his dream and if it was something she shouldn’t see she would simply come back out but if it wasn’t anything untoward she would spend as much time with her love as she possibly could.

As she settled back in her pillow she allowed her breathing to slow and her body to relax. As she felt sleep starting to take a grip she gently touched the picture of Alex as she drifted off. Within a moment she saw Alex’s dream begin to appear in front of her.

Isabel slowly became familiar with her surroundings. She was in school, which for an Alex dream wasn’t a big surprise. As she slowly moved through the halls she could see students milling about and it appeared people were getting ready for class. After turning the next corner Isabel could see a figure moving slowly down the corridor in the direction of what she knew to be Alex’s locker.

Even from the back Isabel knew she was following dream Alex. It took her a moment to confirm it was Alex as she could tell he wasn’t moving in his usual, carefree way but he appeared to be trudging along with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

As she couldn’t be seen in the dream world unless she wanted to Isabel moved nearer to see what was up with Alex. Once she had moved closer she became aware that the other students were pointing at Alex and either laughing or talking about him, as though he was the topic of some interesting gossip.

Isabel could feel rage building as she continued to follow the object of her affection. Even in the dream world she would not stand for people being mean to her Alex not least because he would never do anything to warrant such behaviour.

Alex continued to ignore the other student’s comments and taunts and finally arrived at his locker. As he unlocked it and started to root around for some books Isabel was able to hear some of the comments being directed at Alex.

“What were you thinking Whitman? A girl like that could never be interested in a Geek like you.”

“Don’t you know when a girl speaks to you it is only out of pity?”

“Isabel Evans can have any guy she wants, why would she want you?”

Isabel felt her heart break. Alex was dreaming about having spent time with her but rather than think it was because she wanted to his lack of self-confidence was telling him it was out of pity or some other such nonsense.

Again Isabel felt her anger increase. Anger towards the know-nothing fools who had no idea of how she truly felt about Alex but also a little anger towards Alex. He was better then all of these sheep and if it was the last thing she did she would make sure he knew it.

Isabel looked down at her apparel and decided that if she was going to make herself seen in Alex’s dream fluffy pyjamas weren’t the way to go. With a wave of her hand she was standing in a black leather mini skirt and an all too tight white blouse, which was thin enough to hint at the colour of her bra without being obscene. Her attire was totally inappropriate for school but as this was a dream and she wanted to get a specific message across to Alex she would do all she could to inflate his ego.

With a conscious thought Isabel placed herself within the dream off to the side where she wasn’t in anyone’s direct line of sight. With a swing of her hips she began the slow saunter towards where Alex was still head deep in his locker.

Isabel could see all of the eyes turning to look as she moved, cat like along the corridor making sure every red blooded male within a mile radius could sense the approach of a vamp. Despite only being in Alex’s dream Isabel actually felt uncomfortable with what she was doing. There had been a time when she happily hid in plain sight but that time had long since passed. There was only one person she wanted to look at her with lust filled eyes and he was currently head first in his locker.

Isabel came to a halt behind Alex who was still oblivious to what was going on. As Alex seemed to be lost in his desire to find whatever was eluding him in his locker Isabel decided to catch his attention in what she deemed to be the best way possible under the circumstances. Isabel reached out towards Alex and cupped his right buttock in her hand, giving it a mighty squeeze. She was struck by three things at this action. Firstly she was pleasantly surprised at how firm Alex’s bottom felt. Secondly was pleased she was getting the desired reaction from the on lookers at her most unexpected action. Finally she was amused at the little girlie shriek Alex allowed to escape his mouth at the unexpected contact.

Alex spun round to find a smiling Isabel standing immediately in front of him. Alex couldn’t stop himself from running his eyes up and down the tall goddess who stood in front of him and he found he was blushing at both how sexy Isabel looked and at how sexist his leering must have appeared.

“I’ve been looking for you Honey.” Isabel said in a loud enough voice so that all the on lookers could hear.

“You….You have?” Alex stuttered.

Isabel stepped forward, closing the small gap that had existed between them. “You don’t think I could last a whole morning without seeing you did you?”

Alex continued to be unsure of himself. “I didn’t know if you would want to see me so often.”

Isabel reached up and unbutton Alex’s top button. “Alex I keep telling you that I am enjoying our time together. I don’t care what other people may or may not think. I am just interested in spending time with you.”

Alex nodded his head nervously. “OK. I just didn’t want to keep you from your friends.”

Isabel smiled. “I am spending time with my friends. That’s you, Max, Michael, Liz and Maria. I am not concerned with anyone else.”

Alex let out a breath he didn’t realise he had been holding. “Fine. Now I know how things stand I will stop being so reticent.”

“Good.” Isabel continued to smile. “Shall we go to lunch?”

“Lunch?” Alex queried. “It’s not lunchtime………….”

Alex trailed off as he looked at his watch. It was lunchtime but he didn’t remember going to class this morning. Isabel tried to hide her grin. She sometimes forgot how much control she had over people’s dreams and how much fun it was to change things.

Isabel got her mind back to the case at hand. What had started out as her simply needing to see and spend time with Alex had ended up as a confidence building exercise, which wasn’t finished yet.

Alex closed his locker and turned to Isabel. As this was a dream Isabel found she could be more forceful than she was currently allowed in the real world so she took hold of Alex’s hand and draped his long arm over her shoulder as they made their way down to the quad. Isabel stopped to turn and look at the lines of students who were currently watching their every move. In the real world them being together would have caused minimal fuss other than to Isabel’s ‘In crowd’ who would no doubt have an opinion but in Alex’s self-conscious mind his every move was being monitored. Time for Isabel to protect her man.

Isabel eyed the watching masses. “Problem?” She asked as she looked around the students, making sure she made eye contact. Quickly people began to go about their business or avert their gaze from Isabel’s stern face.

Isabel returned her gaze to Alex. “OK sweetie?”

Alex allowed himself a nervous smile and nodded. “I’m fine now, thank you.”

“Good.” Isabel grinned as they continued their way outside.

Isabel spent the rest of her time in Alex’s dream bolstering his confidence in every way she could. She had a few of the other female students send admiring smiles in Alex’s direction, which went totally against the grain for Isabel but as she was only there to help Alex she had to bite the bullet and allow Alex to bask in the glow of admiration.

Of course should anything like that happen in the real world Isabel would put a stop to it in an instant by any means necessary. No one would get to flirt with her Alex when she was around.

After spending several hours together in the dream world Isabel decided it was time to take her leave. She had been having a wonderful time with Alex but it had to come to an end at some stage and she thought it best not to have Alex fixated on her so less was more in this case.

Isabel had asked Alex to walk her home so just as they had found themselves outside Isabel’s house many hours earlier in the real world they now found themselves in the same situation in the dream world.

It didn’t come as any surprise to Isabel that she found it just as hard to say goodbye to Alex in her dreams as she did in her waking hours. She was pleased to see that after his initial shock at her actions earlier in the dream he had now relaxed into his normal laidback self.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow Alex.” Isabel said firmly.

Alex nodded but Isabel could see that yet again Alex was having his internal fight over whether or not to kiss her. Isabel kept a soft smile on her face and made sure she leaned ever so slightly towards the tall boy.

Suddenly Alex leaned forward and sent his lips crashing down on to Isabel’s. Despite knowing he was trying to make a decision Isabel wasn’t confident he would make the right one so she had started to resign herself to his turn and leave move that he had perfected earlier. When he had leaned forward and kissed her it was such a welcome event that she totally lost her cool for a moment. Once she was back under control Isabel wrapped her arms around Alex to make sure he couldn’t pull away until she had tasted the full extent of his much wanted lips.

Finally the two pulled apart.

“See you tomorrow Isabel.” Alex said breathlessly.

Isabel found she had trouble forming words so she simply nodded and smiled.

Alex turned and headed down the path from the Evans house. Isabel took great satisfaction in the change in Alex. It may only have been in the dream world but he had kissed her nonetheless and he was currently striding down the street like a man with an air of confidence. Mission accomplished.

Isabel woke from her dream. Checking the clock she could see it was still the middle of the night. She dropped back onto her pillow as a broad smile slowly spread across her face. Even though she had struggled with herself earlier over whether or not dream-walking Alex was the right thing to do she was now confident it was a good move for the both of them.

Alex lurched forward in his bed into a sitting position. That was the most amazing and vivid dream he had ever had. He could picture every moment and remember every word that was said. He allowed himself to drop back onto his pillow.

As he lay in his bed in the middle of the night he couldn’t help but think about the words that Liz, Maria and Isabel had all said to him in the last few days. “Be more self-confident, believe in yourself”. Liz and Maria were his best friends and Isabel’s words had come to him in a dream but either his friends were trying to tell him something or his subconscious was. Wherever the advice was coming from Alex made a decision to try and follow it. What did he have to lose?

He didn’t plan to sweep Isabel Evans up into his arms but he would allow himself to believe that if she approached him it was because she wanted to and not for any other reason. Also that if he did spend time with Isabel people would be looking at him because he was a lucky man and not because he didn’t deserve her.

A broad smile spread across his face. This was going to be fun.


To be continued…………………

Chapter 18

Despite her adventure filled night Isabel woke bright and early Sunday morning. After her visit to Alex on the dream plain last night she was feeling a lot more positive about things, especially when it came to Alex.

After taking her time over a long hot bath and some much-deserved pampering Isabel decided it would be easier to visit Liz at the Crashdown rather than try and catch her over the phone. From what she remembered the café was usually quiet after the early morning rush and as it was fast approaching 10am that had long since passed.

Isabel pulled open the restaurant door and as she stepped inside out of the bright sunlight she realised her earlier thought about a lack of customers was correct as the number of customers was almost out done by the number of staff.

Isabel could see Liz and Maria standing behind the counter while Liz’s dad sat motionless by the register just inside the door. Isabel could also see Jose leaning against the work surface just the other side of the serving hatch in the kitchen.

“Hi Mr Parker.” Isabel said pulling him out of his daze.

“Oh hi Isabel. Sorry I was a million miles away.” He said smiling.

Isabel made her way over to the counter where her two friends had been watching her approach.

“Hi Isabel.” Both girls said in unison.

“Hi.” She replied as she sat down.

“What can we get you?” Maria asked, pulling out her order pad.

Isabel took a brief look at the chalkboard menu above the girl’s head. “I think I’ll have some orange juice and some strawberry pancakes.”

“Coming right up.” Maria said, spinning to head towards the serving hatch.

Isabel silently beckoned Liz towards her. “I managed to pick these up from my dad’s office earlier in the week. I thought if we had them fall into Michael’s hand s he might come to a decision of his own accord.

As Isabel had been speaking Liz had been eyeing the leaflets that her friend had handed to her. The heading on the first leaflet was all Liz needed to see, ‘Emancipation of a minor and the law’. Liz quickly placed the leaflets in the front pocket of her apron before Maria turned back towards them having spoken to Jose.

“So what are you plans for today?” Liz said loudly as Maria came within earshot while she was getting Isabel’s orange juice.

Isabel shrugged. “I think I am pencilled in to help my mom clean out the garage.” Isabel decided to continue the little white lie she told Alex in case he spoke to either girl today, which was quite likely.

As Isabel started to eat her breakfast she heard the doorbell over the entrance sound to announce the arrival of another customer. When she turned to look she was surprised to see Michael making his way inside.

“Hi Iz.” He said as he slumped in the chair next to her. The next word out of his mouth nearly caused her to start choking on her food. “Hey.”

“Hi Michael.” Liz said in reply to his greeting.

“Hey.” Maria replied.

Isabel looked at Liz wide-eyed. No word was spoken between the two but what passed between them spoke volumes.

Did Isabel’s hearing deceive her or did Michael just say ‘Hey’ to both Liz and Maria, unprompted?

“What are you doing in this morning?” Isabel nodded towards the kitchen. “Jose is here.”

Michael reached over and stole a strawberry from Isabel’s plate. “Mr Parker asked me if I wanted some extra money for coming in this morning to help remove and clean all of the kitchen filters so who am I to pass up the chance to earn more cash.”

Isabel nodded. “That’s very mature and sensible of you Michael, are you feeling OK?”

“Ha Ha, very funny Iz.” Michael said getting up from his chair.

As he began to saunter towards the back to get changed Liz hurried herself into the back and into the staff area. When Michael pushed open the door he saw Liz searching around in her bag for something.

As Michael removed his sweater and stuffed it into his locker he caught Liz eyeing him. “What’s up? Is it my hair?” He asked moving his hands to his spiky hair do.

Liz let out a small laugh while shaking her head. “No sorry I just wandered if you would pass me those leaflets beside you on the table.”

Michael turned to follow Liz’s gesture and saw a handful of leaflets on the table. He reached down and picked up about four or five leaflets and tried to hand then to Liz.

“That’s OK. I just need a couple for my social studies class.” Before Michael could react she whipped a couple of leaflets out of his hand, threw them into her bag and headed back out to where Isabel and Maria were sitting at the counter.

As Michael went to place the leaflets back on the table the heading caught his eye. He looked long and hard at the leaflets before putting them back on the table. He closed his locker and made his way into the kitchen. Just before he went in to give Jose a hand he slipped a folded leaflet into the back pocket of his jeans.


“So where’s Alex?” Maria said with a mischievous grin.

Both Liz and Isabel looked at their grinning friend. “How would I know?” Isabel asked slowly.

Maria shrugged. “Oh I don’t know. Maybe the fact that the pair of you have been joined at the hip since midweek might have something to do with my question. Or the fact that I saw the two of you leave together last night.”

“God Maria! Have you been spying on them?” Liz scoffed.

Maria turned to Liz. “Don’t even get me started young lady. As soon as I am done with Isabel I shall be turning my attention to you and her brother. You and Max seemed to be quite good pals by the time your dad levered him off the seat at closing time last night.

Liz blushed slightly at Maria’s comments. “It was nice to be able to talk to the guy without school work getting in the way.”

Isabel nodded. “Yeah and I bet that wasn’t all you were enjoying.”

“Well excuse me!” Liz exclaimed. “That’s your brother we are talking about.”

Isabel smiled. “I don’t want any details just as long as the two of you are getting along that is all I am concerned about.”

Isabel could see Maria eyeing her questioningly. “Anything to stop him from moping around after Liz.” Isabel answered to Maria’s unasked question.

“Anyway. What about you and Michael?” Liz asked, turning her attention to Maria.

Maria frowned. “What about me and Michael? There isn’t a ‘Me and Michael’.”

Liz shrugged. “Oh, nothing. It just seems that every time one of you has a break the other one goes missing and vice-versa.”

“What are you implying?” Maria put her hands on her hips, which as far as Liz was concerned as good as confirmed there was, in fact, a Maria and Michael even if neither of them was willing to admit to it at the moment.

Liz shook her head. “I am not implying anything Maria, I was only kidding.” Liz said, letting her friend off the hook, for the time being.

Liz glanced towards the service hatch and saw Michael reading what appeared to be one of the leaflets she had left him holding a short while ago. When Liz looked back she saw Isabel looking at her, with a surreptitious nod she confirm what Isabel had been hoping for.

“Why are you two smiling?” Maria asked her friends. “I haven’t lost another button on this damn uniform have I?”

“No.” Isabel quickly covered. “We were smiling because I was thinking about asking Alex out on a date.”

“You are?” Maria asked, with only a small amount of surprise.

Isabel nodded. “Well we are independent women so we should be able to ask out who we like without waiting for the man to make the first move.”

“Right on!” Maria called, forgetting her whereabouts for a moment.

Isabel smiled to herself. If there was one sure fire way to get Maria onto another topic it was to mention men oppressing women or standing up for women’s rights. If you had a just cause Maria would follow you to the ends of the earth.



Isabel ended up spending the entire day with her two friends. After the lunchtime rush the three friends had retreated to Liz’s bedroom to try on different nail polish, watch videos and dish the dirt on all the other girls in school. Maria was having a great time as having Isabel as a friend meant she go to get all the latest gossip on all the allegedly popular people. She was finding out who was cheating on whom and which girl had gone all the way with which guy.

Before Isabel knew it her day was gone. As she closed the front door to her house behind her Isabel could hear a conversation taking place in the kitchen. As she moved further down the hall towards the voices she could hear Max and Michael but then she heard her father as well. It was unusual to have all three taking part in a discussion.

When Isabel finally entered the kitchen she found all three men sitting at the table while her mom was standing silently, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Am I interrupting?” Isabel asked as she approached her mom.

“No Honey.” Diane Evans said, smiling at her daughter. “Michael was just asking your father for some advice.

“Oh really?” Isabel asked innocently. “What about?”

“Becoming an adult and getting my own place.” Michael replied.

To be continued…………….

Chapter 19

Liz stood outside the Crashdown waiting to be picked up by Maria for school. It was first thing Monday morning and she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy.

She had received a call from Isabel last night telling her that Michael had set the wheels in motion to be able to get his own place, as far away as possible from that poor excuse for a man, Hank his foster parent.

Of course it didn’t mean he would be successful and Liz wasn’t deluding herself. Each time they changed the timeline from the one they originally encountered it meant they were opening themselves up more and more to the unknown. That being said not knowing your future is how things are meant to be so it was somewhat of a relief that things were beginning to settle down.

She hadn’t been shot so Max didn’t have to save her. The upside was the alien secret was still unknown to most people but the downside was Liz never got to make her connection to Max, which was something she missed. Isabel was using incredible restraint to keep her hands off of Alex and to allow a relationship to naturally evolve without taking things too fast. Finally Maria and Michael were slowly but surely making a connection, which Liz hoped would lead them to the same place they reached in her timeline.

Liz watched as the Jetta rounded the corner and came to a shuddering halt in front of her.

“You’re late.” Liz said to her friend as she climbed into the car.

“I know, I know.” Maria cried as she screeched away from the sidewalk. “I couldn’t find my cedar oil this morning and you know I can’t face school without a little aroma therapy in my bag in case of emergencies.”

“Are we picking up Alex?” Liz enquired.

As Maria pulled a sharp right, causing the cars tyres to scream in protest at their rough treatment Liz got her answer.

“Maria I would rather get to school five minutes late than to heaven fifty years too early.” Liz exclaimed, as she held tight to the cars door handle.

“Stop fussing woman.” Maria complained. “I am in complete control of my motor vehicle.”

The car came to a halt in a cloud of burning rubber as Maria pulled an emergency stop outside the Whitman house.

“Get in.” Maria called to Alex who was standing on the sidewalk.

Alex shook his head.

“What do you mean NO?” Maria cried. “Get in, we’re late.”

Alex shook his head again. “Not if you are going to use us as crash test dummies.”

“Get in you big girl and stop moaning.” Maria was losing what little patience she had. “I promise I will get you to school in one piece now come on.”

Alex tentatively opened the door and climbed in. As soon as he was over halfway in Maria pulled the car away and accelerated down the road, heading towards the school. Once the cars forward momentum had evened out Alex was able to sit up from his slumped position on the back seat.

“Has someone been feeding you food additives again?” Alex joked. “You know how you get if you eat something that contains sugar or food colouring.”

Maria wasn’t impressed by Alex’s comments and when she threw a sideways glance at Liz she could see her friend was trying to stifle a laugh.

“I’m fine it’s just I checked my horoscope this morning and it said I was in for a pleasant surprise.” Maria explained.

“Oh Maria!” Liz exclaimed. “I keep telling you astrology is a load of hot air and you shouldn’t try to live your life by some vague prophecy.”

Liz turned in her seat. “Don’t you agree Alex?”

“Totally.” Alex nodded his head. “I think if something isn’t based in scientific fact I don’t want to know. It’s how I live my life and I have never had any problems……Touch wood.”

Both girls started laughing. “Alex you are such a faker.” Maria cried from the front. “Any chance you get to mock me or my beliefs and you take it with both hands.”

“Maria you know I love you. The fact that you have different beliefs to me simply means I love you more.” Alex explained. “Just as Liz is the scientist amongst us you are our free spirit. With both of you with me I will never have anything to worry about.”

Finally Maria turned into the school car park and pulled into a parking space.

The three friends made their way into school just as the first bell sounded.




At lunch Isabel made her way out to the quad being followed, less than enthusiastically, by Max and Michael. As she stepped out into the afternoon sun she could see Alex, Liz and Maria sitting at a picnic table at the far end.

“You guys up for some company?” She asked, without looking back.

Max and Michael followed Isabel’s gaze and saw the three friends sitting at the table. The two boys looked at each other and after a quick shrug from Michael they continued their obedient pursuit of Isabel.

“Hi guys.” Isabel said, with a beaming smile. “Can we join you?”

All three seated friends smiled and nodded. Isabel made a point of moving round to sit next to Alex, a move that he definitely appreciated. Max tried to casually drop in the seat next to Liz but he hadn’t quite mastered cool yet so he looked a little more eager than he intended. Even when Michael sat next to Maria he didn’t turn himself away from the group like he might have done just a week earlier.

“What are you eating Alex?” Isabel questioned.

“An American classic.” Alex replied. “P, B & J.”

Isabel tried to cover her smile with her hand. “You’re eating Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?”

Alex nodded proudly. “Breakfast of champions.”

“Alex I think that was something else.” Liz laughed. “I think P, B & J are the breakfast of Sesame Street.”

Alex shrugged. “Anything to keep my linebacker physique.”

“Linebacker?” Maria questioned. “Don’t you have the build of a kicker?”

“Alex I think you look just fine.” Isabel said, coming to his rescue.

“Colour me surprised.” Max joked.

Isabel glared at Max and he realised he needed to change the subject, fast. “Michael didn’t you bring any lunch?”

Michael shook his head. “No I’m fine.” The tall boy tried to avoid everyone’s looks.

Maria slid the uneaten half of her sandwich towards Michael.

Michael looked at the petit girl. “I said I am fine. I’m not hungry.”

“I know.” Maria said nodding. “It’s just I can’t eat anymore, you would be doing me a favour. If you don’t eat it I will throw it in the trash.”

Michael continued to the eye the pretty thing sitting next to him before picking up the remainder of the sandwich. “Thanks.”

“So how is your history project?” Liz asked Isabel.

“Fine Liz, thank you for asking.” Isabel deflect Liz’s little nudge. “Thanks to Alex I think I have it all covered.”

“Oh!” Alex let out.

Everyone turned to look after his small exclamation.

Alex shrugged. “It was just if you wanted anymore assistance I would be happy to help.”

Isabel perked up at that statement. “Well when I say done I don’t mean finished.” She said back tracking.

“What exactly did you mean then?” Maria took great pleasure in pushing Isabel.

Isabel tried not to blush, as she knew it would all be out in the open if she did. “I simply meant it wouldn’t hurt to get someone to check it over for me.”

“Well I’m free tonight.” Liz offered.

Isabel was well aware of what was going on. Liz and Maria knew of her feelings for Alex and now that they had an audience and she was on the back foot they were trying to make the most of the situation and embarrass her in front of the object of her affection.

Well they obviously hadn’t played with the big girls before. “Thanks Liz but I think I would prefer Alex to take a look for me. After all he is the one who was helping me on Saturday and didn’t you say to me earlier that you wanted Max to help you with your Chemistry project?”

With one deft comment Isabel had turned the tables on Liz and when she had finished with one friend she would turn her attention to Maria.

“I’d be only too happy to help if you need it Liz.” Max said softly. “Not that I can imagine you having problems with Chemistry.”

“Thanks Max. I think I will take you up on your offer.” Liz said smiling at Isabel. “As Isabel said it can’t hurt to have someone knowledgeable to check over my findings.”

Maria glanced embarrassingly at Michael who shrugged. “I can help you if you are having problems with cookery classes.”

“Don’t remind me.” Maria frowned. “I’m failing domestic science.”

“Well that’s settled then.” Isabel said a little too bright and bubbly. “It looks like we all have study dates.”


To be continued……………………

Chapter 20

Liz sat at her desk trying to concentrate on her textbooks but she could feel his eyes burning into her back and it was the most enjoyable and welcome sensation she had ever encountered. As she turned to look Max quickly returned his gaze to the books, that he had lain out in front of him on the bed.

Max had arrived at the Parker residence about forty-five minutes earlier and they had made their way up to Liz’s room for some privacy and space to work. Liz noticed her mom’s eyes follow them as they made their way through the back of the restaurant and up to the family’s living area. There was no doubt that she would get the third degree from her mom once Max was gone although she could already tell her mom liked Max more than she had liked Kyle. Max was being allowed upstairs.

It was true to say her mom had never really taken the time to get to know Kyle but as the captain of the school team in both football and basketball her opinion was probably formed before she had ever met him.

Max was a totally different proposition to Mrs Parker. She had seen him on countless occasions in the Crashdown with the big boy with the spiky hair and she had seen the way he looked at Liz. Unlike Kyle who was often the centre of attention Max was completely the opposite. If you weren’t paying attention you wouldn’t even know he was there.

That had all changed in the last week or so. Liz had told her mom that she had broken up with Kyle and that she was going to take a step back from dating for a short period of time. That short period had been even shorter than she imagined as Max was not only continuing to be a regular fixture in the café but he now appeared to be taking centre stage with all the time he was spending with Liz.

Liz reminded herself to call Isabel later and thank her for this whole study date thing. It had only started out as her and Maria having a little fun at Isabel’s expense, trying to embarrass her in front of Alex but the two girls should have known better than to mess with Isabel Evans. With one deft comment she had totally reversed the situation on them and they had been fighting to not be embarrassed themselves.

The outcome of it all was Liz found herself in her bedroom pretending to be studying Chemistry with Max. Isabel was going to be heading for the Whitman residence for a final look at her history project while Maria and Michael were going to be trying to cook a pie without burning down the Deluca home.

Liz turned again and found Max looking at her for the second time within a few, short minutes. Again his gaze dropped to his books and even though his face was looking down she could see enough of his skin to see he was blushing.

“Max.” Liz said, causing the embarrassed boy to look up from his books. “I think we have this Chemistry thing pretty much covered. How about we go downstairs and grab some food and a drink?”

Max smiled and nodded. “Sure if that’s what you want.”

Max didn’t care about the food, didn’t care about the drink. All he cared about was spending time with Liz Parker. He still wasn’t sure exactly what was going on but since he discovered his sister and Liz had become friends he was able to get closer to Liz than he had ever dreamed possible.

An invite to come and study Chemistry with Liz was too good an opportunity to pass up but he was still confused nonetheless. Liz was a straight ‘A’ student in all her classes and Chemistry was her speciality so her need for a study partner came out of the blue but who was Max to argue with whatever the Gods had decided?




Amy Deluca opened the front door to see an enormous boy with spiky hair filling the doorframe. “Can I help you?” She eyed the boy with suspicion.

“I’m Michael and I am here to see Maria.” Michael moved nervously from one foot to the other.

Amy continued to look at the tall boy but after a moment she moved aside to allow him to step inside.

“MARIA!” Amy called. “There’s a Michael here to see you.”

A door at the far end of the room burst open and a dishevelled and flour caked Maria appeared looking anything but calm. “Hey Michael.”

Maria released her hold on the open door, allowing it to close behind her as she moved further into the room. “Mom this is Michael Guerin a boy from school who is going to help me with my domestic science homework.” Maria turned to Michael. “Michael this is my mom, Amy Deluca.”

“Hello Michael.” Amy reached out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Michael took the offered hand and shook it firmly. “Hey.”

Amy started to head out of the room. As she left she called back over her shoulder. “Remember kids you don’t set fire to anything and I want that kitchen scrubbed and cleaned by the time you have finished.”

Both kids watched as Maria’s mom finally disappeared into another room.

“I though you were going to be here at 7.30pm.” Maria said firmly.

“I thought you were supposed to bake with the flour and not wear it.” Michael fired back.

Amy Deluca moved away from her position by the closed door. She didn’t want to spy on her daughter but this new boy had suddenly appeared in her life and she couldn’t help but feel protective. Men had been such a transitory part of both their lives it had become a big deal when either of them decided to invite one back to their home.

Maria hadn’t invited many boys back to the house so Amy was starting to wonder if her lack of success with men was beginning to have an adverse effect on her daughter, as she grew older. She had been so grateful for the arrival of Alex into her daughter’s life all those years ago. It was all important to have a positive male influence on a young girls upbringing and as she had been unable to provide a father figure that would stay around longer than five minutes the fact that Alex had been in her life for more than tens years was all important. He had grown into a reliable figure in her daughters life who treated women with the utmost respect, which was exactly what she needed right now but she was keen her only daughter didn’t make the same mistakes that she made.

After hearing the opening comments between the two in the living room Amy decided they could be left alone. Maria was never short of a word or comment and to find someone who was willing to come to her house to help with schoolwork but was also willing to stand their ground when it came to discussions could only be a good thing.

“It looks like a bomb has gone off in here.” Michael said, pushing his way into the kitchen.

“Over dramatise much?” Maria pushed past the tall boy. “As you weren’t here at 7.30pm I thought you weren’t coming so I decided to try on my own.”

“I’m sorry I was late.” Michael said softly. “I was over at the Evans house talking to Max and Isabel’s dad about some stuff I need to sort.”

Maria stopped tidying the kitchen and turned to look at Michael. “Is this the whole being an adult and getting you own place thing?”

Michael frowned in confusion.

Maria saw his look and reacted quickly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t prying I just heard Max and Isabel talking about your visit to their house. They weren’t telling anyone it was a private conversation that I stumbled in on, Liz and Alex weren’t even there.”

“That’s OK.” Michael tried to ease Maria’s concern. “It will be common knowledge soon enough and I trust Max and Isabel with my life so I know they wouldn’t speak out of turn deliberately.”

“Is it really that bad living in foster care?” Maria couldn’t stop her mouth from running away with itself.

Michael shrugged. “I have nothing to compare it with as it is the only life I know. I can tell you it seems a lot more hard work than what Max and Isabel have to put up with. Maybe I am just difficult to live with.”

Maria moved forward and placed a hand over Michael’s hand that was resting on the back of a kitchen chair. “Don’t say that, don’t ever say that.”

Michael fought the urge to pull his hand away. “Why not say that? It might be true.”

Maria shook her head. “I would never believe that, not for one second. I look at people who have two parents and seem to be living a happy life and I look at me and how fortunate I am to have my mom. If it weren’t for her I would be in a foster home so I think I know what I am speaking about. Every child, not matter who they are or where they are from deserves to be happy and to be loved.”

Michael eyed the petit girl that stood before him. He had never been close to any female other than Isabel and he hadn’t imagined that ever changing. Sure Isabel was beautiful but that was all she would ever be to him. They were like brother and sister so he would never be able to think of her in any other way.

Standing in front of him was this little female who did things to him he simply didn’t understand. He didn’t mean adolescent urges or hormonal reactions he meant feelings. If he wasn’t having the desire to sweep her up into his arms and crush her in an all consuming hug he felt the need to unburden his very soul to this young woman he hardly knew.

Michael had spent years keeping Max company, as he virtually stalked Liz Parker and he had never seen the attraction. Sure Liz was pretty but not enough to cause him to want to spend the rest of his life with her, Maria was different.

‘Wow! Where did that thought come from?’ Michael thought to himself. ‘Damn it!’ he knew he had been spending too much time with Max and it was starting to rub off.

“Shall we clean up this mess and get started?” Michael said trying to move away from the very scary thoughts he had been having. “I think we should start with a basic pastry and move on from there.”




Isabel checked her watch. She was on time but she had been ringing the bell and not getting any answer. Suddenly she heard footsteps running towards the closed door in a hurry.

Alex pulled the front door open and let out a huge sigh at seeing Isabel. “Hey Iz. Come in and make yourself at home. I am having a minor domestic crisis and will be with you in a minute.”

After Isabel stepped inside Alex quickly closed the front door and ran off down the hall and disappeared out the back. Isabel couldn’t help but let a smile spread across her face as she stepped into the nearest room. Alex had just called her ‘Iz’, which in the real world didn’t mean a great deal but to her it meant everything. He was starting to relax around her and was becoming familiar.

Isabel eyed the decoration as she moved from room to room throughout the house. Alex had told her earlier that his parents did their weekly food shopping on Monday nights so she knew they wouldn’t be back for a while so she and Alex had the house to themselves.

As she continued to move around the house she found she loved it more and more. Despite the Whitman family being made up of a mother, father and four sons, three of whom were away with the armed forces the house had a very feminine touch without being all frills and lace.

All the doors to each room were left open, which helped give the house a light and airy feel. Isabel smiled when she came across some family photos containing Alex at a very young age. He had hardly changed over the years other than growing quite tall but it warmed Isabel’s heart to be getting to know more and more about him. This is what she should have been doing first time round she scolded herself.

Isabel took a step back from where she had been looking at the photos and knocked into a small table that had been situated behind her. As she turned to see what she had bumped into she heard a crash as something shattered on the floor.

Isabel threw her hand to her mouth in shock as she saw the remnants of what must have been a china statue lying on the floor. Isabel couldn’t believe it, her first visit to the Whitman home and she had just broken what would no doubt be Alex’s mom’s favourite piece of valuable china, which would have been handed down through the generations.

Isabel glanced towards the door and realised Alex was still nowhere to be seen or heard. Maybe she still had time to put this right.

Isabel quickly got up from her kneeling position and closed the door at the far end of the room. She then ran across to the door through which she had entered, which led from hallway. She checked to make sure Alex was nowhere in sight and she closed that door before returning to the broken statue.

Isabel dropped to her knees again and held a hand over the shattered pieces of china and started to concentrate. Within a couple of seconds the pieces began to vibrate and then move in a circular motion. Slowly the mini tornado of pieces began to rise and form an object. After only a couple of seconds a large, fully formed statue to a young woman carrying a pail of water stood in pristine condition on the floor.

Isabel picked up the statue and stood upright as the door from the hall suddenly opened. Isabel smiled at Alex as he advanced into the room. He was carrying something small in his hand.

“What did you do?” Alex asked incredulously as he eyed the statue she was still holding on to.

Isabel looked at the statue in her hands. “Oh I’m sorry. I hope you don’t mind I was just looking at this beautiful piece of china. It’s very pretty and very delicate, is it your moms?”

Alex stood staring at the statue in Isabel hands. Slowly he moved his gaze up to her face. “Isabel what did you do?”

Isabel began to feel her cheeks burn red hot. What did he want to know? She had made sure he couldn’t see what she did, as the doors were closed. “What Alex? I don’t understand.”

“I knocked the statue onto the floor just when you started to knock on the front door. I managed to pick up the broken pieces and place them on the table before going to let you in. I was running to get this when I let you in.”

Isabel looked to Alex’s outstretched hand and saw he was holding a tube of all-purpose glue.

Isabel was trying not to panic but her mind was racing at a million miles an hour while she tried to find an excuse for what she had done.

“Isabel I asked you a question.” Alex’s voice became insistent. “What did you do?”


To be continued…

[StargazerUK]

Chapter 21

Isabel came to a decision. It had only taken her a second but now that she knew what she was going to do she felt her tense body start to relax and her pounding heart slowed to its normal rhythm.

Alex was still standing in front of her with a perplexed look on his face. Isabel had been careful not to allow him to see her unusual talents but either fate, bad luck or both had intervened and backed her into a corner, one that she couldn’t get out of without divulging her closely guarded secret.

“Alex do you trust me.” Isabel spoke softly but firmly.

Alex blinked at her unexpected question. It wasn’t a difficult question to answer it just wasn’t the first thing he was expecting out of Isabel’s mouth. “Yes but this isn’t a case of trust, It’s a case of impossibilities.”

Isabel smiled, weakly. “I will explain all but first I need you to go and get us both a drink of water.”

“I don’t want a drink of water.” Alex replied. He wasn’t trying to be argumentative but his brain wasn’t functioning properly. That wasn’t anything new around Isabel Evans but this was brain stupor times ten.

“Alex I asked you if you trusted me and you said yes.” Isabel continued in her soothing voice, anything to calm an obviously fraught Alex. “I really do think that by the time I have told you what you want to hear you will at least require a drink of water and probably something a lot stronger.”

Alex was still fighting to think straight. He didn’t fear Isabel at all but the last thing his brain told him before dropping off the face of the planet was that what she had done wasn’t humanly possible.

“You won’t leave?” Alex asked tentatively.

Isabel shook her head. “I promise. I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Alex slowly turned and made his way out of the living room and down the hall towards the kitchen.

Isabel couldn’t believe her change in mood in the last few minutes. After the initial shock of having Alex question her over the broken statue she now felt an inner calm, which she could only put down to relief. She knew this day would come at some stage, she just never imagined it would be so soon.

The second thing she realised was she had already been through something similar before. It was true that she hadn’t broken the news to Alex of her alien heritage but that had been one of many regrets she had had to live with in the previous timeline.

She truly believed Alex was her soul mate and yet her biggest and most treasured secret had been broken to the man she loved by a friend while locked up in jail. Even then Alex was only told to stop him going to the sheriff as he mistakenly thought both Liz and Maria were in trouble.

Isabel moved to one of the two couches in the room and sat down. The more she thought about what she was about to do the more she found peace with it. Alex was all she ever wanted and she couldn’t have him without being totally honest, this would be the first step.

Alex came back into the room carrying two glassed of water. As he handed Isabel a glass it broke her heart to see his hand shaking but as he sat down he afforded her a slight smile, which told Isabel that Alex was nervous but he wasn’t scared.

Isabel took a sip of water and placed the glass on the coffee table in front of where she was sitting. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that Alex had retreated to one of the chairs at the end of the couch she was sitting on. His nervousness was telling him to give Isabel space, which she didn’t like.

“Alex I have something to tell you. It has always been my intention to tell you this secret that I hold but I will admit I didn’t intend to tell you so soon.” Isabel began.

Alex looked very jumpy. “Actually Isabel I am not sure I want to know what you are about to tell me any more. You don’t owe me any sort of explanation and if you deemed it fit to keep this secret from me who am I to force you to tell me now?”

Isabel continued to eye Alex. “She knew he didn’t mean a word of what he had just said and that he was just worried about what she was about to say.”

If you had asked Alex he would have confessed to being a coward but Isabel knew, through experience, that there was nothing further from the truth. If Alex was guilty of anything it was modesty and not cowardice. Isabel knew for a fact that Alex would do anything to protect her, Liz and Maria in any situation and that was what he was doing right now. The logical side of his brain would be dying to know how she fixed the statue but his compassionate side wouldn’t want to force Isabel into something she didn’t want to do.

“Alex what I am about to tell you is going to come as a big surprise but I need you to know that I am being truthful with you and I would never lie to you.” Isabel’s face had turned grim.

Alex nodded. “OK Isabel. I will try to stay calm but I must admit the longer this goes on the more worried I am about what you are about to tell me. You’re not a man are you?”

Isabel looked at Alex in shock. “What did you say? Do I look like a man?”

Alex shook his head vigorously. “No, not at all but as I told you the longer this goes on the more nonsensical I will become. I am trying to think what the most unbelievable thing is that I can think of and as you are just so perfect in every way I thought what if you were a man...”

Isabel was still taken aback by Alex’s comment but his explanation went some way to assuaging her concerns. “Alex I am not a normal human.” Isabel blurted out.

Alex frowned. “Not normal as in?”

“Not normal.” Isabel repeated. “I’m different, I have powers.”

Alex thought for a moment. “You’re not a witch are you?”

Isabel sighed. “Alex you have got to stop watching so much TV. How can I put this in terms you will understand?” Isabel stood up and started pacing.

Isabel suddenly spun on her heels to look at Alex. “Have you seen Close Encounters?”

Alex let out a laugh. “Of course I have, it’s a classic.”

“Well.” Isabel paused. “You are having a close encounter of the third kind right now.”

The smile that had been sitting on Alex’s face suddenly fell away. “You don’t mean that you are a…I mean a close encounter of the third kind means actually meeting…”

“An alien.” Isabel finished for him. “You can say the word Alex, it’s Alien.”

Alex stood up in front of Isabel. “You can’t expect me to believe that you are an alien from outer space.”

“Well technically I was born in Roswell but let’s just say some of my parts come from outer space.” Isabel tried to keep the conversation light.

Alex slumped back into his chair. “I knew it!”

“Excuse me?” Isabel asked in shock.

Alex finally made eye contact with Isabel. “I knew there was something different about you and I should have guessed.”

Isabel continued to stare in amazement. “You should have known that I was an alien hybrid?”

“You’ve always been too beautiful, right from the very first time I say you.” Alex was lost in his own words, no longer paying attention to Isabel. “There has always been something about the way you looked, the way you held yourself that told me there was more to you than meets the eye. I have seen good looking women before but none can hold a candle to you.”

Isabel could feel her cheeks burning. She was aware that Alex was lost in his own thoughts and he was actually thinking out loud but it didn’t stop her from feeling embarrassed at all the wonderful things he was saying about her.
“Alex, are you OK?” Isabel asked with concern.

Alex snapped out of his daze. “I’m fine, thanks Iz. I suppose if I was ever to bump into an alien princess it would be here in Roswell.”

“Princess?” Isabel repeated. “Why would you think I was a princess?”

Alex was caught out by Isabel’s forceful question. “Sorry Iz it was just an expression. When you see a beautiful, young alien woman in films and on TV they are normally princess’s who are betrothed to another but they fall in love with some poor commoner.”

Alex looked at Isabel and when he saw her reaction to his words he too began to blush. “I’m sorry. I ramble when I am nervous, please ignore anything I say.”

Isabel sat down on the couch beside Alex’s chair. “Are you sure you are OK?”

Alex nodded and smiled. “I’m shocked but I am fine. Isabel, can I ask something of you? I will understand if you say no.”

Isabel was a little nervous but this was Alex who was asking. “I’ll try.”

“Can you show me your power, the way you fixed the statue?” Alex asked hesitantly.

Isabel gave Alex a small smile and nodded. She reached forward and picked up Alex’s glass of water that he had also placed on the coffee table earlier. With one wave of her hand the contents changed colour to bright orange. Isabel offered the glass to Alex. “Taste it.”

Alex slowly reached up and took the glass from Isabel. He moved it to his lips and took a sip before a large grin spread across his face. “It’s orange soda.”


To be continued…

Chapter 22

“Change it again.” Alex said, excitedly.

“Alex I am not a circus performer here for your amusement.” Isabel eyed the tall boy sternly.

“Sorry Iz. I guess I am getting a little carried away.”

Isabel continued to watch Alex. “You seem to be taking this very well.”

Alex shrugged. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it but as I have seen it I can’t very well deny it now, can I?”

“I guess not.” Isabel smiled. “But all the same I am glad you are staying so calm.”

Alex was tapping his fingers on the table with what Isabel put down to nervous excitement. “Alex, I know I keep asking this but are you alright?”

Alex looked at his tapping fingers and stopped his noise making. “I guess I am a little hyped up finding out this momentous news. I think I might need to let off some steam.”

“Would you like to go for a walk?” Isabel offered.

Alex leapt to his feet. “I think that is a great idea.”

Alex allowed Isabel to step out into the hallway first and the pair made their way down to the front door. Alex pulled the door closed behind them and they sauntered slowly down the path to the sidewalk.

“Any preferred destination?” Alex questioned.

Isabel simply shook her head.

“This might seem a bit creepy.” Alex began tentatively. “But how about a walk to the graveyard.”

Isabel stiffened at Alex’s unexpected request.

Alex could see Isabel’s reaction and started back tracking quickly. “It doesn’t have to be the graveyard. I only offered as it was quiet and out of the way and I thought we might like to talk.”

Isabel quickly regained her composure. “Alex, its fine. Actually it’s better than fine. The graveyard is an excellent idea as the one thing we do need to do is talk.”

The pair turned to walk in the direction of the nearby graveyard. Isabel had baulked at the idea of going to the place where she had mourned the loss of Alex but she quickly realised if she was going to go back to such a traumatic site the fact that Alex was going to be standing beside her meant she would be able to cope.

Suddenly Isabel felt something brush her hand. She tried not to react as she allowed her hopes to build when for a second time something came into contact with her. This time she felt a strong hand intertwine with hers and she realised Alex had taken a grip on her. She glanced at the tall boy and she realised he was looking a little bashful.

“I was going for subtlety but that flew out the window when I missed first time round.” Alex said sheepishly.

“Well it was subtle enough for me.” Isabel grinned. “I was just building up to take hold of you but I am pleased to say you beat me to it.”

Alex let out a heavy sigh. “Well you can get it next time. It nearly killed me to build up the courage to do it this time.”

Isabel gave Alex’s hand a squeeze. “Well you don’t need to build up the courage anymore. Anytime you want to take hold of my hand you just grab on and don’t let go. Are we clear?”

“Yes Miss.” Alex said, returning the broad smile that sat on Isabel’s lips.

As the couple entered the deserted graveyard the sun was still high enough in the sky to give the surrounding area a warm, comforting feel as opposed to any cheesy horror film where the graveyard was only visited at night with rolling mist and strange howling noises off in the distance.

They came to a wooden bench and sat down together. They were still holding hands and Isabel was pleased to see Alex had sat close enough so their bodies were touching.

“I imagine you have lots of questions.” Isabel began.

“Lots of questions…Yes!” Alex replied. “Lots of questions that I want answered now…No!”

Isabel frowned at Alex’s statement.

“I can think of a million and one things that I want to ask you but more than any of that I just want to be with you. I’m worried if I start bombarding you with questions you might runaway or worse still stop talking to me.” Alex didn’t look at Isabel as he spoke. “How about you can tell me anything you feel comfortable with and I will listen?”

Isabel watched as Alex finally turned to look at her with his final question. God he was so wonderful and so lovely. It was all she could do to stop herself from crying, as she found she was finally able to spend quality time alone with the love of her life.

For the second time in an hour Isabel had a life altering decision to make. Last time it was whether or not she was going to tell Alex about herself and this time it was whether she was going to tell him about Max and Michael. Also she needed to decide, quickly, how much she was going to tell him. The one thing she was sure of was that she wasn’t going to mention time travel, not today.

“Max and Michael are like me.” She said suddenly.

Alex nodded. “I thought so.” Was all he said.

Isabel looked at Alex in surprise. “You thought so?”

Alex smiled. “I just meant it is understandable. Max is your brother and Michael might as well be your brother so it was likely if you were special they would be special as well. At the very least I guessed they would know. I mean that would be like Liz and Maria being aliens and me not knowing about it.”

Isabel was simply amazed. Alex was taking it all so well and looking at everything logically without getting hysterical. More than that he called her Special!

Alex could see Isabel eyeing him. “What?”

Isabel smiled and shook her head. “I had been thinking about when would be the best time to tell you and how but with all of the scenarios that I ran through my head none of them came close to turning out like this.”

Alex thought for a moment before speaking. “It’s somewhat embarrassing but I think we both know I have been keen on you for a number of years. I also think we both know I have been watching you for the same amount of time. Nothing creepy.” Alex said looking to Isabel. “Just if you were in the lunch queue at school I would watch you or if I was sitting behind you in class I would watch how your golden hair ran down you back.”

Isabel gave Alex’s hand another squeeze. “It’s OK Alex. Trust me when I say I was and am flattered.”

Alex began to look nervous. “What I was trying to say is that in all that time I never once saw you do anything to arouse my suspicions or give cause for alarm.” Alex started to fidget. “I’m not explaining myself very well. What I mean is that you look normal to me. I would say you look like every other high school student but we both know that would be a lie. All I am saying…”

Alex never got to say what he was saying. Isabel had been restraining herself for the last few minutes, managing to keep her hands off of this adorable boy but no longer.

Isabel tried not to make the kiss too passionate but she wanted to convey a message to Alex. A message that told him he didn’t have anything to feel nervous or uncomfortable about. To tell him that it was the right move to reach for her hand and that she was very glad that he had done so. Finally, and most importantly, she wanted to tell him that they were at the start of something, something that was important and would last forever, if she had her way.

Over the next hour or so Isabel tried to fill Alex in on her alien background. She struggled to tell Alex all of the pertinent facts without mentioning time travel, different timelines and the fact that Liz also knew.

One thing Isabel was sure of was that allowing Liz to tell Alex that she also knew about the three aliens was a good move. As much as Isabel loved Alex she knew, at this time, she didn’t own him. Not the way she intended to in the future. She didn’t doubt Alex had feelings for her and that those feelings would grow but right now Alex had two other women in his life, namely Liz and Maria.

‘God!’ Isabel thought to herself. ‘How are we going to tell Maria?’


To be continued…

Chapter 23

The next day Liz and Isabel found themselves standing in the hallway that led out into the quad just after the lunchtime bell had sounded.

After Isabel’s long and enjoyable chat with Alex in the graveyard the night before she had done nothing but tried to figure out a plan of action. The two time travellers were fast approaching what would be their most difficult task, telling their friends the alien secret.

Even though she had been concerned about telling Alex her secret and the timing of when she told him was forced upon her by an unfortunate accident it was still a case that she could rely on Alex’s feelings for her to temper any knee jerk reaction from her new boyfriend.

That would not be the case when it came to telling Maria, Max & Michael. Both girls knew their three friends very well so they each knew that Maria would freak out, Michael would explode and blame Isabel and finally Max would simply shutdown. He would recoil into himself while he gave himself time to figure out what went wrong and what to do about it.

“So we tell them tonight?” Liz repeated.

Isabel nodded. “I told Alex yesterday and he took it way better than I could have hoped for.”

Liz smiled. “It’s almost how he reacted when I told him first time round. There wasn’t any histrionics just, ‘I believe that you believe’. Of course he didn’t understand fully until you did your trick with the ketchup.”

“He told you about that?” Isabel asked in amazement.

“Only about 100 hundred times.” Liz laughed. “I think he was more impressed by the fact that you were willing to open up to him than the fact that you could actually change ketchup into mustard.”

The two girls fell silent for a moment.

Finally Isabel spoke. “Is this going to work?”

Liz reached for the much taller girl’s hand. “Iz it will be fine. It’s not going to be pretty and we might have a tough couple of days ahead but I am sure it will turn out fine in the end.”

“You told me first time round that Maria ran screaming from your home.” Isabel gave a slight smile at that imagery. “Michael was all set to leave Roswell and it breaks my heart to think of having to put him through that again.”

“Isabel, if there is one thing the two of us have come to realise over the last two years it is that we work better as a team, no secrets. The whole reason we came back was because we both decided we couldn’t function without the whole group involved, we came back for Alex remember?”

Isabel nodded slowly. “I’m not likely to forget that now, am I? It just seems every time we have a little happiness in our lives something comes along to ruin it.”

“This is temporary Isabel.” Liz squeezed her friend’s hand. “Once we do what we have to do we can get back to normal.”

“Normal?!” Isabel let out a snort.

“Well, what passes for normal round here.” Liz smiled. “I know a certain tall musician who is out in the quad waiting for you.”

As Isabel pushed opened the door to the quad she looked back at her following friend. “So that’s how it is going to be from now on, when you see me a little down you are going to throw Alex in my face.”

Liz returned Isabel’s smile. “As long as it continues to have the same effect on you, namely cheering you up and making you smile, it will always be my first tactic.”

The two girls could see their friend’s sitting at a table at the far end of the quad so they slowly headed over to them.

“When will you tell Alex you know about me?” Isabel asked quietly.

“I’ve arranged for him to come to the Crash later so I can talk to him.” Liz replied, equally as hushed. “And then we tell Maria.”

Isabel gave her friend a look of sympathy at that final statement as she moved round to sit next to Alex at the table.


Alex pushed open the door to the Crashdown and made his way inside. Liz had asked him to meet her at 7pm, which was when her evening shift always ended.

As he sat down at the counter Alex was pleased to see his two best gal pals were busy tiding up and wiping down tables. Alex often thought he should have gotten himself a job at the Crashdown as he was in here so often he could do exactly the same job as the girls with his eyes shut.

From experience he knew that both girls were getting ready to end their shift so they were hurriedly clearing things away ready for the next batch of customers. Of course it would be the evening shift that would have to deal with them so they had an added incentive to clear away quickly so they could get out of there.

Liz grabbed Maria’s arm just as she was about to carry a tray full of dirty dishes into the back. “Maria, can you cover for the last couple of minutes while I have a word with Alex?”

Maria eyed her friend suspiciously. “What’s going on? First you tell me you have something important to tell me after work. Now you need to tell Alex something as well. You’re being very mysterious.”

“I know.” Liz smiled. “But I promise it will all be clear in a very short while.”

“OK, Chica.” Maria lifted her tray. “We’re all but done here. I assume we will be talking in your room.” Liz nodded. “Then I’ll give you and Alex a five minute head start before I head on up.”

Liz gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best Maria.”

“Try to remember that next time I ask your Dad for a raise.” She said, pushing her way into the kitchen.

Liz made her way to Alex while still smiling at Maria’s last comment. “Hi Alex.”

Alex turned to look at his arriving friend. “Hi Liz. Why all the mystery?”

Liz linked arms with Alex, pulling him off the stool he was sitting on. “No mystery. Can’t a girl talk to her friend?”

The two made their way into the back and up the stairs to the Parker residence. “Talk…yes. Have clandestine meetings…No.”

Liz smiled as she entered her bedroom. When Alex had come in and sat down on her bed she closed the door behind her.

Alex eyed Liz as she turned to look at him. She didn’t exactly look troubled but she did look like she had something to get off her chest.

Liz had thought how best to approach the subject matter and had decided that quickly and to the point would be best. “Alex I know about Isabel, Max and Michael!”

Other than a slight frown Alex never reacted. “You know?…know what?”

Liz felt a mixture of guilt and pride at one and the same time. Alex was feigning ignorance to protect his new found secret that made Liz feel guilty, as she knew what he was hiding. It also made her feel proud as Alex was the man she always knew him to be, reliable, discreet and trust worthy.

Liz had a flashback of sorts as she thought back to how she had once concealed the very secret that Alex was now hiding. She wasn’t comparing these circumstances to hers from the first time round as that time Alex was solely worried about Liz and Maria. He thought they were in trouble and he only wanted to make sure they were OK. This time Alex was unaware of any trouble and he was simply being a good friend to Isabel by respecting her privacy.

Liz sat down taking his hand in her own. “I know about Isabel and the others and she told me this morning that you also know their secret.”

Alex went to speak but Liz raised a hand, stopping him. “She told me to tell you, ‘Orange Soda’, if you weren’t sure if I really knew what was going on.”

Alex allowed himself to slump slightly as he hadn’t realised he had tensed up when Liz first started to speak. “God I only found out this huge secret last night and I thought I would end up taking it to my grave but here I am talking to you about it already.”

Liz smiled. “Don’t worry Alex. I know it is a lot to take in but I think you already know it doesn’t make any difference to who they are. They really aren’t any different to us.”

Alex creased his forehead at Liz’s statement “How long have you known? You seem very at ease with this.”

Liz blushed slightly. “I’ve known for a couple of weeks. I’m sure you noticed Isabel and me getting closer over the last couple of weeks.”

Alex nodded. “Things are falling into place.”

“Alex there is one more thing.” Liz’s face had turned serious. “Maria is about to come up here and the two of us need to tell her what is going on.”

“Need to?” Alex was confused. “Why need to?”

Liz sighed. “Let’s just say that Isabel and I have talked it through and decided that ‘We’, as a group, need to all be on the same page. You and Isabel are sort of dating. I think we both know how Max feels about me and I feel the same about him. Finally Maria seems pretty keen on Michael and Michael…Well who knows what Michael thinks but Maria appears to have gotten closer to him in the last couple of weeks than anyone else has in the last couple of years.”

“Maria’s keen on Michael?” Alex questioned.

Liz smiled and shrugged. “Well keen as Maria gets about a guy. We both know if she doesn’t like someone she simply ignores them and never speaks about them. If you have spent anytime with her in the last week she hasn’t stopped moaning or complaining about him so I think we know how she feels.”

“Wouldn’t it have been easier for Isabel to be here and do a little party trick to convince Maria?” Alex queried.

Liz gave a rueful smile. “Isabel is busy with a much more difficult task, she is currently telling Max and Michael we know about them. If you think we have a hard task telling Maria I wouldn’t swap places with Isabel right now if my life depended on it.”


To be continued…


Chapter 24

“Why have you brought us here Isabel?” Michael hurled a stone into the deep waters of the quarry.

“We have some things to talk about and I needed somewhere private and also somewhere it was less likely that you were going to storm off and leave without talking things through.

Michael stopped his stone throwing and turned to look at Isabel properly. “Tell me what you did Isabel.”

Isabel was anything but afraid of Michael but that wasn’t to say she enjoyed it when he became all stern and aggressive. Isabel glanced at her brother who had remained silent all through the journey out to the quarry, as he seemed lost deep in thought. As she looked at him now it wouldn’t have come as a surprise if he had worked out what she was going to say.

“I’ve been a little complacent and also had a little accident.” Isabel began.

Max moved from where he had been leaning against the jeep. “Please tell me you haven’t been using your powers in public.”

Both boys could see the look on Isabel’s face so they knew something serious had happened.

“It’s nothing to do with the sheriff is it? What does he know?” Michael continued to advance.

It had been awhile but Isabel kicked into Ice Princess Mode. It had been sometime since she had needed to do it but she knew she would have to defend her actions. She pulled herself up to her full height, never being more pleased she was the same height as her brothers and not some dainty little sister. “I’ve told Liz and Alex about us.”

Max froze while, as predicted, Michael exploded. “YOU WHAT?!”

“Michael, calm down.” Isabel looked at him sternly. “Liz has known for a couple of weeks and she isn’t going to tell anyone and I told Alex last night.”

“So that’s it!” Michael roared. “A guy wants to get in your pants and you go and tell him all about us.”

Isabel rounded on Michael. “Don’t you dare speak to me about Alex like that. That isn’t what is going on and you know it. I’ve watched as Max has pined over Liz Parker for years. I have no doubt he has dreamt about telling her about us but has never believed a time would come when he could do just that. What did you expect us to do Michael? Live our lives as three siblings, never being allowed to let someone in or to be close to anyone?”

“Exactly!” Michael exclaimed. “That’s exactly what I thought. We are not normal Isabel, we aren’t even human. You more than any of us has grown up worrying about being taken away in the middle of the night to be experimented on. How has that changed? More importantly what gives you the right to do this without our permission? It’s our secret as well as yours. It’s our lives you have put in danger and not just yours.”

Isabel knew this was the least that was going to happen so she was happy to let Michael vent on her. She remembered having all the same feelings and questions first time round. With two years experience under her belt Isabel knew exactly how and why Max reacted the way he did that day in the Crashdown when Liz got shot. Now, as she eyed her brother, he had remained silent.

“Don’t you have something to say Max?” Isabel asked softly.

“Yeah Max!” Michael yelled. “Have you any thoughts on your sister ruining our lives?”

Max let out a heavy sigh. “Firstly Michael she is our sister not mine. Secondly I think you just need to calm down so we can think this through.”

“Calm down!” Michael started pacing. “Calm down he says! My life is over and we have to leave Roswell but I am supposed to calm down.”

Max turned his attention to Isabel. “What brought this about? Why didn’t you speak to me?”

Isabel took a deep breath. “I didn’t intend for it to work out this way it just did. If I had a plan to tell people I would have spoken to you but that wasn’t how it happened.”

“How did it happen?” Max asked.

Isabel eyed her brother. “Does it matter now?”

Max shook his head. “I suppose not.”

Isabel looked at her feet. “Liz saw me use my powers to remove a stain on my blouse at school a few weeks ago and Alex saw me fix a statue I broke at his house yesterday.” That statement was only half a lie so Isabel only felt slightly bad about deceiving her brother.

“How did they take it?”

Isabel couldn’t stop a smile from slowly spreading across her face. “They both took it really calmly and really well. They both know we aren’t that different to them and I know we can trust them.”

“You know we can trust them!” Michael interjected. “And what makes you such an expert on human beings all of a sudden?”

“Not human beings Michael.” Isabel replied softly to his angry question. “Just Alex and Liz. They are both straight ‘A’ students who are honest, intelligent and trust worthy.”

“Well that makes it ok then.” Michael said sarcastically.

Isabel looked from one brother to the other. “Look I didn’t do this deliberately but it is done now so we have to face up to the consequences. This really doesn’t change things that much. I know we are not used to anyone else knowing about us but now we will. Alex knows about the really me but his attitude hasn’t changed towards me, he still wants to date me. Max, Liz hasn’t changed how she feels about you…”

“How she feels about me?” Max interrupted. “She has feelings for me?”

“Oh brother.” Could be heard from Michael.

“Look how things are going between you and Liz. “ Isabel said, ignoring Michaels comment. “She dumped Kyle and you two have been seeing a lot of each other lately. If Liz is the one for you would you really want to keep part of yourself hidden from her?”

Max gave Isabel question some thought. “If it would keep her safe I would.”

Isabel gave a slight smile. “I wouldn’t doubt you would do anything to keep Liz safe but she knows and more to the point she wants to know. I don’t see why things should get any worse with them knowing, I think it will only get better.”

“And why would you think that?” Michael asked. “Because you have suddenly got yourself a boyfriend and Max is suddenly getting to spend time with the Parker girl you think all is right with the world.”

Isabel turned to face Michael directly. “OK Michael. You want to do this lets do this. Yes I am overjoyed at having Alex Whitman in my life and I will admit to having had every intention of telling him about our secret but not yet. It was only down to a stupid accident that I had to tell Alex yesterday.”

Isabel turned to look at Max who was back leaning on the jeep, deep in thought. “Look at Max. He’s had feelings for Liz Parker for years and has never been comfortable enough to act on them. Well here’s a newsflash for both of you. Liz likes Max…a lot! What’s more she knows about his deepest, darkest secret and she doesn’t care.”

Isabel turned back to Michael. “Finally we have you Michael. Just think about what has been going on with you over the last few years but then think about what has been happening with you on the last few days. From my perspective I have seen you start to come out of your shell. You have started a job that I know you like despite your bitching. You have been round to our house to speak to our Dad about getting away from Hank and getting your own apartment. And whether you want to admit it or not I think you like Maria Deluca and what may seem more amazing is I think she likes you.”

Both boys stood staring at Isabel in amazement, even Michael had stopped ranting. Neither had ever seen Isabel so impassioned.

Isabel stepped towards the two boys. “I know this is a huge shock to you both and I am sorry I have done this to the two of you. Michael you, yourself said just a few minutes ago that I am the one who had the nightmares when we were younger about being taken away, about losing my family. Look at me now Michael. Do you see me panicking or running for the hills?”

Both boys continued to stand in silence.

Isabel shook her head at her own question. “No you don’t. If there is one thing I can promise the two of you is that I know Alex and Liz and I trust them with my life. Neither will ever do anything to hurt us and they all want to help.”

Max glanced to Michael and then back to Isabel while letting out a sigh. “Well I suppose the damage is done.”

“Well almost.”

Both Max and Michael looked at Isabel in confusion at her last statement. “I think we need to have a word about Maria.”



To be continued…

Chapter 25

“So are we clear?” Liz asked Alex.

“Are we clear?” Alex repeated. “You’re kidding right?”

Liz frowned. “What’s the problem?”

“You just told me we are about to tell Maria the most amazing tale involving our friends who are really Aliens hiding in plain sight. You then tell me that no matter what happens we are not to allow Maria to leave this room until she has calmed down. Finally you tell me that, if needs be, we are going to physically restrain Maria to stop her from leaving.”

Liz simply nodded.

Alex looked on in incredulity. “Firstly Maria is going to freak. Secondly we both know she once beat the crap out of me for cutting the hair off her feminist Barbie doll so the likelihood that I am going to be able to hold her down while she throws a hissing fit is somewhat unlikely. Lastly she is going to freak.”

“Sweetie I think we have the fact that Maria is going to freak covered. “ Liz smiled. “Alex I have this vision of Maria running out of the Crashdown, screaming her head off and I am just trying to stop that from happening. It was years ago when she used to beat you up. You’re about a foot taller than her now so have a little faith.”

Before Alex could reply a knock at the door caused both friends to jump.

“Are you two decent or should I come back in a few more minutes?” Maria said, pushing her way into the room with one hand covering her eyes.

“Maria you can stop that and come in.” Liz laughed. “It’s not as though we were up to anything untoward.”

Maria dropped herself on to Liz’s bed beside Alex with a broad grin. “I know but with all these mysterious meetings I thought you and Alex might have something important to tell me.”

Liz glanced to Alex and the back to her friend. “We do have something to tell you but it isn’t to do with me or Alex and more to do with our new friends.”

Maria frowned. “Oh! Don’t tell me you have had a fight and we are now not supposed to talk to any of them anymore. Don’t get me wrong, if we have had a falling out with them I will back you up 100% but I must admit I was really enjoying having Isabel Evans as a new friend. She knows all the juiciest gossip about all the important people.”

Maria suddenly leapt from her sitting position and advanced on Liz. “Honey you haven’t had a falling out with Max, have you? I know you were just starting to make some headway with him and I think you two would have made such a perfect couple.”

Liz grabbed Maria’s outstretched hand. “Maria it isn’t about me and Max.”

Maria spun to look at Alex. “That bitch hasn’t done anything to hurt you has she?” Maria released her hold on Liz’s hand and moved to be beside Alex on the bed again. “If she was messing you about or has hurt you in anyway I will slap that cow till Christmas.”

Alex looked on in amazement. “Wait a minute! Firstly Isabel hasn’t done anything to hurt or upset me. Secondly 30 seconds ago you were saying how much you like her and were enjoying her friendship.”

“I was, I mean I am.” Maria explained. “It’s just you take priority so if she hurt you in anyway I would drop her like a Linebacker drops a Quarterback, literally.”

Alex snaked out a long arm and wrapped it around Maria’s shoulder. “Thank you for your support but if you would just keep your mouth shut for 10 seconds Liz and I can talk to you about what we wanted to discuss rather than you trying to guess.”

Maria suddenly felt a little sheepish. “OK. Sorry but if you leave me to my own devices my imagination can get carried away with itself.”

Liz moved to sit beside Maria on the bed, taking her hand in her own.

Maria glanced from one friend to the other. “Why are you two flanking me? Oh God! You have bad news to tell me…You’re moving away and leaving me!”

“Maria!” Liz yelled. “We are not leaving you and it is not bad news.”

Maria reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle, which she proceeded to open and take a hearty sniff from. “God bless Cedar oil.” She said, as she replaced the top.

“Maria, Alex and I have something to tell you which isn’t bad and won’t adversely affect you but it is something we think you need to know.”

Maria turned her gaze to Alex when he started to speak. “What we are about to tell you will come as a big shock and it is so outlandish that you probably won’t believe us but I promise you it is the truth. I think it’s best if Liz tells you so if you need me I am here for you OK?” Maria nodded and Alex smiled, stepping up from the bed.

Maria now turned her full attention to Liz who looked troubled. “Don’t worry Liz. If it isn’t bad news and both you and Alex know then I am sure it can’t be that bad. Just spit it out.”

“Max, Michael and Isabel are aliens.” Liz blurted out.

Both Maria and Alex looked on in amazement.

“What!” Maria asked. While at the same time, Alex mumbled. “Way to go Liz, very subtle.”

“I’m sorry Maria.” Liz said, tightening her hold on Maria’s hand. “But I don’t know of any other way to tell you.”

Maria took a deep breath. “So you are telling me that our three new friends are aliens.” Maria glanced in between Liz and Alex. Both friends nodded.

“So are they in trouble? Are the I.N.S. after them?” Maria looked concerned.

Liz sat with her mouth open for a minute. “Maria…Not Alien as in ‘In this country without permission’. They are Aliens as in ‘Not of this earth’, they are from another planet called Antar.”

The room went silent for a few moments before Maria suddenly burst out in gales of laughter. Liz and Alex exchanged looks and realised that, without any preamble, Maria had kicked into denial.

“Maria it is not a joke.” Alex said sternly. “Our new friends are different and we need to keep it a secret.”

Maria’s laughter started to die down. “Oh I get it. There’s this big secret that no one should know so the first thing you do is tell me.”

“We’re telling you as we trust you and you are part of the group.” Liz explained.

“We’re a group now?” Maria questioned. “So where is the rest of this group if this is all so life and death important?”

Liz sighed. Sorry to see her friends scepticism but understanding the reasoning behind it. “Up until now they have kept the secret between themselves, not even their parents know. Isabel is currently telling Max and Michael that we now know their secret.”

“So I am just supposed to believe this.” Maria asked her friends. “I know I trust you both with my life but how am I supposed to believe something like this?”

“Maria I wouldn’t have believed it until I saw proof with my own eyes.” Alex explained. “All I can say is that other than complete shock and utter disbelief nothing has changed. Isabel is still the girl I thought she was. I just didn’t imagine what it was that made her so special.”

Maria turned to Liz. “And you. Do you still feel the same way you were starting to feel about Max? Even after finding out this new stuff.”

Liz nodded. “Maria I know it will take time to adjust but when you do it will start to answer so many questions.”

Maria frowned at Liz’s comment.

“If you factor in their need for secrecy and their need to keep themselves out of the spotlight it all starts to fall into place. The fact that Max is so quiet, that Michael is so defensive and antisocial…”

“That Isabel’s a cheerleader and ‘IT’ girl, in everyone’s eye-line. Very clandestine.” Maria cut in on Liz.

Liz shook her head. “That’s my very point. We’ve watched Isabel over the years and we both know she is Miss Popular. Why doesn’t she ever have a steady boyfriend? Why don’t we ever see her go out with a guy more than once? The entire school knows of her ‘Ice Princess’ reputation. Can’t you see Maria? It all fits.”

For a second time the room fell into silence.

Alex came and sat back down beside Maria. “Look Ria. We don’t expect you to just believe us straight off. What we are doing here is giving you a heads up. Trust me when I tell you they are more than capable of proving they aren’t from around here but we thought it was best to let you know that we believe, which might help you believe.”

“So what do we do now?” Maria’s asked, quietly.

“We speak to Isabel and find out how her meeting went. Then, if they are still talking to us we arrange a get together.” Liz finished.

“That should be fun.” Alex quipped.


To be continued…

Chapter 26

Isabel pulled open the front door to find the petit figure of Liz Parker standing before her with a look of relief on her face.

“Well I told her and we didn’t have any screaming, which I am not sure is a good thing. How did you get on?” Liz asked.

Without saying a word Isabel stepped forward and enveloped her smaller friend in a hug.

Liz was surprised by her friends actions but knowing how difficult it had all been for the three Aliens first time round for Isabel to have to relive it must have been difficult to say the least.

Isabel released her grip and stepped back. “Sorry Liz. I just needed a little contact with someone who didn’t look like I had just betrayed them.”

“Was it really that bad?” Liz followed Isabel into the house.

Isabel shrugged. “Well I suppose in some respects it could have been worse. I mean no one stormed off and there was very little name calling.”

Liz laughed at that last comment. “I’m not sure even an angry Michael would dare to call you an unsavoury name.”

“I don’t know.” Isabel returned a smile. “I think it was a measure of how upset he was that he came very close.”

Liz had been following Isabel to her room. She made her way over to the bed and sat down as Isabel closed the door and moved to the chair by her desk.

“Where are Max and Michael now?” Liz said trying not to emphasize Max’s name.

“Off for a walk.” Isabel sighed. “Max took the news quite well while remaining almost silent. Michael on the other hand took the news as expected and proceeded to explode so the two of them have gone off to regroup.”

“Are you worried?” Liz questioned.

Isabel shook her head. “No, not really. I remember how this all went first time round. Thankfully this time we don’t have a shooting or the sheriff to deal with. Max has always found it difficult to keep the secret as he always thinks the best of people.”

Liz was confused at Isabel’s statement.

Isabel continued. “You remember how Max used to be before all the Alien crap came crashing down on his shoulders. I know he used to dream about what it would be like having a close circle of friends who knew our secret but didn’t care about it, just as we had. What’s the old saying? ‘A trouble shared is a trouble halved’. I think that was what Max used to think. He won’t be too upset that you know as long as we keep the secret safe that will be his main priority.”

“And Michael?”

Isabel thought about Liz’s question before answering. “Michael will be Michael. His anger will blow over but initially not much else will change. He will be upset with me but that won’t last long. He’ll be upset with you guys and that might last awhile. Finally he will come around and accept you all as part of the group. Then he will be as loyal and protective as he has always been. How did your meeting go?”

Liz gave Isabel a gentle smile. “I think a lot calmer than yours. I think Maria is at the stage that Alex was at when I told him in the jail cell. If I remember correctly Alex said something like, ‘I believe that you believe’. I think it may get a little tenser once you show Maria that you aren’t from around here but she will be fine. There is one problem though.”

Isabel straightened up in the chair at the mention of a problem.

“When I was explaining to Maria about you not being from around here I let slip that you are from Antar.” Liz said looking very apologetic.

“And?” Isabel pressed.

“And first time round no one knew that information not even you, Max or Michael.” Liz explained.

“God Liz you scared me.” Isabel put her hand to her heart. “Telling Maria we are from Antar is least of our worries. Did she pass comment on it?”

Liz shook her head.

“Then it probably passed her by. Especially if you were in the middle of telling her about Aliens from another world. Even if she does bring it up, which is unlikely, I will simply say I had a visitation in a dream that told me I was from Antar and that I told you about it. Never forget Liz that we have been here before and at the moment we hold all the cards.” Isabel smiled.

“So what do we do about all the other stuff? The Alien artefacts, the Skins and Agent Pierce? To name but a few.” Liz asked nervously.

Isabel reached forward and took Liz’s hand. “Liz we don’t need to get ourselves into a state. As far as I can see when Max saved you in the Crashdown that day it set off a chain of events that eventually spiralled out of control and ended with the death of Alex. We came back to save Alex, which we have done, but more through luck than judgement we have prevented the shooting. Now I know that we can’t control what happens in this timeline and that the further we get away from the day of the shooting the less in control we will be but I am happy with where we are and with what knowledge we have. My be all and end all is Alex. Now that I have him within my reach everything else is a bonus. We have two years experience to slowly pass on to the group. Knowledge is power Liz and we have it. If I can help it at all I am happy for us to never meet the Skins or Tess. I don’t plan on giving anyone a signal to let them know where we are and most of all I intend to keep the group safe.”

Liz watched on wide-eyed. “When did you become this confident, go-getting leader?”

Isabel smiled. “Back in the Crashdown when I held Alex again after I thought I had lost him forever. Liz I have lived in a world without Alex Whitman and I am not going to do it again, I can’t. I will do anything to keep us safe and together and I mean anything.”

“Does that include organising our first group get together?” Liz asked.

“I’m an Alien princess Liz, not a miracle worker.”




The next morning Maria pulled her car up along side the already parked jeep. She wasn’t sure why they had to meet out by the quarry but if it gave them the privacy they desired she supposed it would do.

As the three friends climbed out of the car Maria could see Isabel, Max and Michael standing over by the quarries edge.

Isabel watched as Alex, Liz and Maria came to join them. It wasn’t lost on Isabel or the others that Maria was staying close to Alex and was keeping her tall friend in between herself and her new friends. Isabel fluttering heart was calmed by the thousand-watt smile Alex gave her. How could things not be right with the world when she had Alex Whitman to smile at her?

“Hi guys.” Isabel started.

Everyone exchanged his or her greetings except Maria who remained silent. Even Michael appeared to grunt in the direction of the new arrivals, which didn’t go unnoticed by any of the friends.

“I know this is a little awkward but it will pass in time.” Isabel tried to reassure her friends.

Liz shrugged. “As far as I am concerned nothing has changed. It doesn’t matter to us where you came from, you’re no different to us.”

“That’s very big of you.” Michael spat out.

“MICHAEL!” Isabel called to her rude friend.

“That’s OK.” Liz interrupted, turning to the spiky haired boy. “I know this can’t be easy Michael and I don’t know what you are going through but all I can tell you is that your secret is safe with us and if you ever need help…”

“We won’t!”

“If you ever need help,” Liz continued despite the interruption. “We will be here.”

“How are you doing Maria?” Isabel asked.

Maria visibly shrunk behind Alex. “I’m fine, if a little confused.”

“Maria will be fine.” Alex started. “It’s all a little too much to take in at…”

“She can talk for herself.”

Alex was stopped in his tracks by the intrusion. He looked to where the words came from and was surprised to see Michael staring at him. “Sorry?”

“I said Maria can speak for herself.” Michael stepped forward. “She doesn’t need any of us to talk for her.”

“You’re right Michael.” Alex nodded in agreement, turning to Maria. “Sorry. I don’t normally presume to speak for you and I won’t start now.”

Maria gave her friends arm, which she had been holding onto, a squeeze of reassurance.

After a long pause Maria stepped forward towards Michael as everyone looked on. “Show me something.”

Michael eyed the petit blond, she looked so small. “What?”

Maria glanced round at Alex and then back to Michael. “Alex said Isabel could change things and that was how he knew she was special. Will you change something for me?”

Michael could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Why was he so nervous? And for that matter whom did she think she was asking? He wasn’t a circus freak to perform at anyone’s request.

Suddenly Michael bent down and picked up a large handful of sand. He held his closed hand out towards Maria and a gentle glow began to emanate through his clenched fingers. Finally Michael opened his hand, palm facing upwards to reveal a small glass alien figure.

Maria looked on in amazement as she tentatively reached forward to pick up the ornament. As she turned it over in her hands she was lost for words. When she went to return it to Michael she was stopped in her tracks.

“Keep it.” Michael said softly so only Maria could hear.

Maria clasped the new possession in her hand tightly as she returned to her position beside Alex.

Liz looked around the group of friends. She suddenly locked eyes with Max and realised he had been watching her all this time. As she looked on she felt as if everything else had just fallen away and it was just the two of them. ‘Her and Max’, that was something she was beginning to think she would never get to think about again but if things continued as they were currently going it may become second nature. That was something she could definitely get used to second time around. Suddenly she snapped out of her stupor and found everyone looking at her. “We can make this as easy or as hard as we like. We’re friends and I think, over time, we will come to trust and rely on one another as our friendship grows.” Liz turned to Isabel, Max and Michael. “All I can say is we won’t betray your trust and we are here if you need us.”

“You’re not going to make us group hug are you?” Michael said breaking the tension.

“No.” Liz laughed. “But I will buy you breakfast at the Crash if you want to join me.”

“Michael, turn down free food?” Max queried, still looking at Liz as they all moved back to the cars. “You really do have a lot to learn about him.”

“And you’ll be the man to teach her?” Alex joked.

“Well I’d get Isabel to teach her but I have a feeling she might be busy in the next few weeks.” Max retorted, causing Alex to blush.

Isabel could see Alex fidgeting about where he stood beside Maria. She could tell he was contemplating something but she never dreamed he would take his next action, not least with Max and Michael present. Slowly Alex’s hand snaked out towards Isabel and the tall blonds had her breath taken away when their hands finally touched. Alex wasn’t even looking at Isabel as their fingers intertwined. She knew it must have taken a huge amount of courage to show such affection on his part in front of her brothers. When Alex finally lifted his gaze to meet hers she made sure she returned his earlier thousand-watt smile. Finally she glanced at her two brothers and silently dared them to ruin this blissful moment for her. Both knew better and decided it would be wise to keep their mouths shut.

“OK. Everyone shut up and get into the cars.” Isabel cried. “It’s going to be a long drive back if you lot keep up with these mocking comments.”

“Free food should sort that out.” Michael almost smiled.


To be continued…

[StargazerUK]

Chapter 27

Epilogue – Six weeks later.


Isabel pulled her car to a halt outside the Whitman house and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Things had been moving along nicely over the last month or so and stories of Skins and FBI agents seemed a lifetime ago, which they were.

As she walked up the path to the front door she could see both of Alex’s parents in the front garden tending to the plants.

“Hello Isabel.” Said Mr Whitman standing up. “It’s lovely to see you as always.”

Isabel looked up at Mr Whitman reaffirming which side of the family Alex got his height from.

“Hello Dear.” Mrs Whitman said joining her husband by the path. “My you look very pretty in that dress. Do you and Alex have plans?”

Isabel smiled and nodded. “Thank you. Yes, we are going for a picnic with our friends. Is Alex about? I know I am early.”

“He was up in his room last time I checked.” Mrs Whitman smiled. “Don’t stand on ceremony dear, you go on up and hurry him along.”

Isabel said goodbye and headed on inside. If ever a son was a composite of his parents it was Alex. He had his father’s height and disposition with his mothers caring nature and ability to put people at their ease.

Isabel moved along the hall until she reached Alex’s bedroom door, which was slightly opened. While trying to put the image of bumping into a near naked Alex out of her head Isabel pushed opened the door to find the bedroom empty. ‘Oh Well’ she thought. ‘That’s one fantasy that will have to wait for another time.’

Isabel tried to stop herself blushing as she stepped into the empty room. If Alex walked in on her now she would have trouble explaining why she was so flushed. It was then that Isabel heard it.

Initially she couldn’t quite make it out but as she stepped further into the room it became more and more clear, Alex was singing in the shower. A grin spread across Isabel’s face and she even had to hold her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud as she thought it was the most adorable thing she had ever heard.

Of course she knew Alex could sing but nothing quite reached the honesty of someone belting out an old song at the top of their lungs when they think they are alone in the shower.

Isabel knew the song was familiar but she still couldn’t quite make it out so she moved to the closed bathroom door and leaned in a little closer. Suddenly she was able to pick out the words and the song fell into place.

“…It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A. It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.”

Isabel thought she was going to pass out in hysterics. The singing continued.

“…You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal, you can do whatever you feel…”

Isabel knocked loudly on the door causing the singing to stop. Finally a voice was heard from the other side of the door. “Mom? Dad? What do you want? I need to get ready because Isabel will be here soon.”

Before Isabel could muster a reply Alex spoke again. “Isabel?”

“Hi, Alex.” Isabel called, still trying to contain herself.

“Erm..How long have you been out there?” Alex stuttered.

“Not long…Why?” Isabel decided to prolong her boyfriend’s agony.

“No reason.” Alex added hurriedly. “Am I late?”

Isabel shook her head. “No. I’m early. There’s no rush you take your time. I’ll just wait here if that’s OK.”

“I’ve only just got in the shower.” Alex continued. “I’ll be a few minutes.”

“That’s OK. I’m sure I will find something to amuse me.” Isabel turned from the door.

Isabel glanced round the room. The thought hit her that the last time she was in this room was the night she came to ask Alex to the Prom in the previous timeline. She was starting to spiral into a depression when she heard Alex again.

“First I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side…”

She started laughing again. Was Alex a closet disco queen from the 70’s and she just never knew?

Isabel decided to dispel all sad thoughts from her mind. She had come back in time to put things right and to the best of her knowledge she had. Alex was everything to her and that was all that mattered…the only thing that mattered.

She stood up from where she had sat down on Alex’s bed and moved slowly round the room, stopping at his book shelf or his CD rack to see what her boyfriend got up to while she wasn’t around. She was relieved not to see a 1970’s compilation album on the CD rack. Alex must get his inspiration elsewhere.

When Isabel reached Alex’s desk she saw several books laid out across the work area that she recognised as schoolbooks. Then, sitting open on top of the pile was a book she hadn’t seen before. It was a full page of handwritten notes so Isabel imagined it was a workbook that Alex used for school.

As she reached over to close the book she couldn’t help notice her name appeared several times on the written page. Her natural curiosity was starting to get the better of her and she felt the urge to pick up the book but then her feelings for Alex came flooding through. She loved Alex and she intended to spend many decades proving it to him and she wasn’t going to start by invading his privacy. As she stepped back from the desk she was startled by a voice behind her.

“You can read it.”

Isabel spun round to find Alex standing in the bathroom doorway. She wasn’t sure if it was the sight of Alex standing in front of her, still wet from his shower with only a towel round his waist that had her heart pounding in her chest or the thought that Alex might think she had been reading his private thoughts. “I didn’t touch it.”

Alex smiled as he moved a little more into the room. “Of that I have no doubt. I trust you with my life Isabel so I am not worried about a book. That being said I would like you to read it.”

Isabel shook her head. “Alex I didn’t want to pry and it is none of my business…”

Alex cut Isabel off. “My business IS your business. Wait there one moment.”

Alex picked up a couple of items of clothing that were lying on the bed and retreated to the bathroom once more. A few minutes later Alex stepped out of the bathroom fully clothed. He walked over and picked up the open book from the desk and moved to sit beside Isabel who had sat down on his bed once more.

Alex placed the book on their combined laps and looked at Isabel. “Please…for me, will you read it? I want you to as it say things I am not sure I am able to say to you face to face but I want you to know.”

Isabel looked into his soulful eyes and realised she couldn’t refuse him any request. She glanced down at the open book and realised she was looking at a journal.

Alex cut into her thoughts. “I told Liz about four or five weeks ago that I was finding a couple of things a little strange and I couldn’t get things straight in my mind. She told me she used to feel like that and she started to write a journal so she could keep track of things in her life and she said it helped to sort things out by actually writing them down. I have been doing it for a few weeks now and I must say it is helping.

Alex looked into Isabel’s brown eyes. “I had already made the decision to show you it as I wanted you to know how I feel.”

Isabel leaned forward slightly until their foreheads were touching. She slowly closed her eyes and allowed the feeling of their connection just wash over her. Had she ever been so happy?

Pulling back she returned her gaze to the open page.


November 3rd, 1999.

My life just keeps getting better and better. I spent the day at the library with Isabel working on my paper for science. Isabel had to work on some history paper but it meant we got to spend the day together. I could see all the other students watching and whispering but every time I felt my confidence fading Isabel would do something to build it back up while sending a message to those who were watching.

I tried my best not to stare at her but I failed miserably. She’s so forgiving though as she never makes a big deal about it as I think she knows it makes me happy. Maria told me that if I stared at her much more she might have to get a restraining order but I told her that if she got one to stop me seeing Isabel I would get one to stop her seeing Michael so she soon went quiet.

I have finally decided to show Isabel my journal. The works of Shakespeare it isn’t but I think I might have a better chance of showing her how I feel and that I am willing to wait for the full truth.


The last comment caused Isabel to look way from the journal and at Alex. “Willing to wait?”

Alex smiled and nodded. “If you read a little more it should be explained.”

Isabel returned her gaze to the journal.


If there is one thing I have done over recent years it is watch Isabel. I have really tried to fight it but I have always found her so interesting as well as so beautiful that I find I have always been drawn to her.

Then something happened and I don’t mean the obvious thing that Isabel Evans was suddenly interested in me, great as that was. It isn’t just that Isabel is interested in me, she watches me. In fact I would go as far as to say she never let’s me out of her sight.

Now the fact that she is a beautiful woman means I couldn’t be happier about this state of affairs but getting to know Isabel as I am tells me there is something more to it. When she thinks I’m not watching I see her drift off somewhere, somewhere that has her frightened and she has the cares of the world on her shoulders. But the strange thing is it only seems to take a smile or a touch from me and she is back, beautiful and carefree as ever.

That is why I am willing to wait. There’s more to us than meets the eye and I don’t mean the Alien thing either. I see it in Liz as well but not to the degree that I see it in Isabel. Ever watchful, ever vigilant. I know when she is ready she will tell me. Maybe it isn’t a case of when she is ready but when I am ready. I’ll be here waiting…loving.


Isabel pulled a tissue from her purse and wiped at the tears that were streaming down her face. She and Liz had sat down and had a long conversation about when and what to tell their friends and they had both decided that now was not the time for stories of time travel. How would she ever be able to sit down and tell Alex he had died? She wasn’t sure she could but that was for the future. In the future if anyone questioned her and Liz’s right to keep things from them she would simply point at Alex. He was her reason for being here and nothing else mattered to her. They could call her bitch or selfish and she really wouldn’t care as long as Alex Whitman was by her side.

They had taken the steps to keep their secret unknown for the time being. As difficult as it was to keep things from Alex she had closed off the part of her mind that had memories of the first timeline. She knew she could do it as Michael had once told her how he regretted keeping flashes from Maria when they were first together.

Liz’s memories were a slightly trickier problem but after a couple of connections she had finally managed to block off Liz as well so she wouldn’t pass any flashes to Max should they connect. It wouldn’t take much for Max to find what she had done should he go looking but the chances of Max wanting to trawl through Liz’s mind looking for anything untoward were remote to say the least.

Alex cut into Isabel thoughts. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Isabel shook herself out of her thoughts and looked into the loving eyes of her boyfriend. “Stand up!”

Isabel’s words were somewhat abrupt, causing Alex to leap to his feet. Isabel placed her handbag on the bed and stood up and faced Alex, eye to eye. She could feel Alex was slightly nervous due to her actions but she knew how to calm his nerves.

Isabel’s lips came crashing down on Alex’s mouth as her arms wrapped themselves around the tall young man. Alex didn’t need a second invitation so he copied Isabel and wrapped his arms around her warm, soft body.

Isabel poured every ounce of love she could into their connection, making sure Alex knew exactly how she felt.

She had lived several days with Alex dead and gone from her life, but that was the past. She was now just about to live an entire lifetime with Alex alive and well, firmly in her arms.


The End.