A/N: Thanks to the few who stop and give out their FB. I have to believe that there are others out there who are reading (I was a lurker myself a few months ago).
Hope you guys will also enjoy...
Part 7
Alex slowly opened his eyes and tried to figure out where he was. There was something familiar about the room and he knew that he had been here before. Feeling a weight pressed on his stomach he looked down to find a feminine arm slung over him which caused him to follow the arm to the body snuggled up close beside him.
He smiled as he found her sleeping peacefully on her own stomach with her arm draped over him as If he was her favorite teddy bear. Slowly he recalled the day before and everything that had taken place. He also remembered his decision from the night before as he took her hand in his and wished he never had to let go.
Looking over at her alarm clock he found that it was already 6:30 in the morning. Soon they would have to get up for school and then later tonight he would have to face his friends and tell them of his decision. He knew that they would all take it hard but he knew what he had to do.
Slipping from under her arm he got up from the bed and watched as Isabel curled into his spot seeking his warmth. Sighing he brushed his fingers through his hair and turned to find his school bag that he had stored a clean shirt in. After changing he noticed the cold plate of food on the desk and with a shrug grabbed up the piece of chicken and bit into it hungrily.
Walking to her window he opened it and threw his bag out to the ground then he turned to gaze at Isabel for a moment trying to imprint her vision on his memory. Slipping out the window he decided to take a walk to clear his head and to come up with the best plan of action to take with his friends and the girl he loved.
Isabel heard her alarm go off and wanted just to ignore it as she reached out for Alex to snuggle close with. When she came up with just bed sheets in her hand she popped up in bed and looked around her room as he heart raced with the knowledge that he was no longer there.
She slapped the alarm off and called his name getting no answer. Jumping out of the bed she ran to the window and noticed it was unlocked with no sign of him anywhere. The chicken that she had brought up last night was gone and his shirt that he had been wearing hung over the back of her desk chair. Picking it up she held it close to her trying to reassure herself that the day before had not been a dream.
“Isabel It’s time to get up. You have school in an hour.” Her mom called through her door as she continued to stand there. Slowly she began to dress hoping that she would see him at school and he would have a good explanation for leaving her this morning.
Alex looked at his watch and then back up at the Crashdown that housed one of his best friends and her parents. He had found himself here after walking through town and he had decided to wait and make sure that his girls were truly okay.
Right on time Maria’s Jetta screamed to a stop in front of the restaurant and honked her horn. He was surprised when Michael jumped out of the passenger seat and into the back to make room for Liz. The sight of such a gentlemanly act from ‘Stonewall’ Guerin made him wonder just how close Maria and he had gotten since he last saw them. Just looking at them together now he knew something had definitely changed.
A few minutes later Liz ran out and smiled at her friends before getting in the Jetta. The sight of the three of them laughing and riding to school made Alex sad as he thought of all the times that it had been just him and his girls. Tears came to his eyes as he realized he would never have that with them ever again. He moved from the shadows of the building he was hiding in and began the walk to school alone.
Isabel slammed her locker shut as she looked around at the milling students in the hall way. At that moment there was only one that she wanted to see but even being as tall as she was and high healed leather boots she couldn’t spot him. With a sigh she made her way to her first class wondering if it was legal to strangle a dead man. Shaking her head at that thought she decided that after missing him these last months that she would be unable to physically hurt him in any way.
Walking into the class room she stopped suddenly when she saw Alex sitting in the back room with a slight smile on his face. Quickly she bypassed all the students to get to him.
“You left.” Was all she was able to get out as she looked down at him.
Alex looked up at her and gave a short nod then whispered, “I needed to clear my head and went for a walk. I didn’t want to wake you.”
She took the seat beside him never taking her eyes from him, “Where did you go?”
“I just needed to think about what was going to happen today. I had to figure out what I was going to have to do.” he ran a hand through his hair and Isabel realized that when he was stressed or agitated in any way that he did this.
“You mean what WE have to do, right?” She whispered letting him know that they were in this together, “I’ll tell the gang at lunch to meet at the Crashdown after closing tonight.”
He nodded his agreement but before he could say anything more she looked him in the eyes, “ One more thing.” she leaned over so that she was only a hair breadth apart form him, “Never, ever leave me again without saying goodbye.”
Alex felt the air leave his body as he realized what he had done. He had brought back the memory of those days right after his death when she had lost him without ever getting to say goodbye to him. “I’m sorry, Isabel”
“Don’t do it again.” was all she said before class started and she turned away from him. Letting him know with that the she was angry and hurt at the same time at what he had done to her.
Throughout the morning Alex had followed Isabel from class to class and during that time she had barely said one word or looked his way. He knew she was still angry at him for leaving her but he couldn’t take this much longer.
Seeing that they were about to pass the eraser room, he grabbed her arm and pulled her quickly inside. She was slightly irritates at having been manhandled into the small room.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he locked the door behind him.
Alex sighed as he looked at her, “Please talk to me, Isabel.” he pleaded, “You are the only person who knows who I am and your making me feel invisible by ignoring me.”
“What do you want me to say?”
He dropped his head and ran a hand through his hair, “I don’t know, Iz.”
Isabel really looked at him then and saw his frustration. Dropping her bag in the floor by her feet she stepped forward and placed her hand on his cheek forcing him, with gentle pressure, to look at her, “ You’re right, Alex. We can’t afford to not talk to each other. I don’t want to waste another moment upset with you.”
Alex dropped his own bag and pulled Isabel into an embrace holding on to her tightly. As his hand caressed her back she felt her heart quicken at his touch. She lifted her head and found his lips with her own and the world outside of the eraser room ceased to exist for them.
Her lips parted in invitation as he sought entrance by sliding his tongue over them. Isabel moaned as they sunk deeper into the kiss exploring hungrily what the other one had to offer. Alex sank his hands into the tresses of her thick blonde hair that hung down her back trying to pull her closer wanting more of her incredible taste.
Needing air, Alex pulled back only a breath apart from her and looked into Isabel’s eyes, “I love you, Isabel Evans.”
She felt herself begin to glow at his words and she broke out in a huge smile, “ I love you too, Alex Whitman.” she paused for a second, “or is it Xander Man?”
Alex chuckled as he ran a finger across her cheeks with a light caress, “Both of them love you madly.”
Isabel pulled him back to her and their lips found each other again. Only the sound of the bell was able to pull them apart both breathless and both groaning at the interruption.
“We better go.”
She nodded as she ran her finger over his lips using her powers to erase the lipstick traces and then touched up her own. Alex watched fascinated by her abilities as if it had been the first time he had seen her do something. Isabel realized he would always in some way be in awe of her and it made her love him even more.
“So you will tell the others to meet at the Crashdown during lunch?” he asked as he picked up their bags from the floor.
Isabel took her bag from him and then frowned, “Where are you going to be?”
“In the Computer Lab.” He replied slipping his bag on his shoulder, “I have some things I need to take care of.”
‘Alex is keeping something from me.’ Isabel thought to herself as they continued to stand there. She wanted to ask him what was bothering him but knew that when he was ready then he would tell her.
“We better get to class.”
At lunch Isabel went looking for her friends and instead found Michael and Maria, in the quad, wrapped in each others arms. The memory of Alex holding her a few hours ago resurfaced and she felt a tinge of jealousy toward her friends who were showing their love for each other in public while she and Alex had to remain in the shadows.
“Hey Isabel” Michael smiled up at her and not for the first time did she notice how relaxed and happy her brother was. Maria was definitely a good influence on the guy who two years ago barely spoke.
“Hey.” She smiled back and sat down across from them, “Where’s Max and Liz?”
“Right behind you.” She heard Max say and she turned to find Liz with him. She took in how close they stood to each other and she wondered what had been going on with them. For the last couple of months she had been in her own world and had not made any connections with the others so she really was out of the loop. She hoped to rectify that soon though.
After everyone sat down and began to eat their lunch it was Michael who brought up the subject that was weighing on her mind.
“So, Isabel, what have you found out about the new guy?”
Looking around at all of her friends who returned her stare she took a deep breath to steady herself, “Actually that is why I wanted to talk with you. Can we all meet at the Crashdown after it closes tonight?”
“A meeting?” Max ever the leader asked with a frown, “What’s going on, Is?”
Isabel shook her head letting them know she would not be answering any questions now, “I’ll explain tonight. Just make sure that Kyle and the Sheriff are there as well.”
The 2 male aliens and the 2 human girls then watched Isabel get up from the table, after making them promise to be there tonight. All were puzzled and slightly afraid of what she had to tell them.
“What’s going on with, Isabel?” Michael voiced their thoughts with a frown at his sisters back.
“I don’t know,” Max shook his head at the other, “but I guess we will found out tonight.”
Alex sat back in his chair in front of the computer terminal and shook his head. He hadn’t really thought it would be that easy to get the information he needed. Grabbing a pen and paper he quickly jotted the name and phone number down and shoved it into his pocket for safe keeping. Then he began to delete the files he had been viewing wanting to make it hard for anyone to trace any evidence back to him.
Quickly he search one more sight and satisfied with what he found he began to shut the computer down. Alex knew that every second that he stayed in Roswell he was in danger of being spotted by either a skin or some one who had known him. Starring at the blank screen of the computer he began to think of his decision that he had made the night before.
Alex had realized that all those months that he had been held captive he had held on to the dreams of one day returning home to his loved ones. Now that he was here he understood that it had just been a fantasy. It was too dangerous for them if he stayed so the only choice was for him to leave in order to protect them and himself.
He shook his head in order to keep the tears away as he realized the helplessness of the situation. There was no way around the situation so he had searched the internet hoping to find someone who could help him start over with a new name. He had used all of his computer skills but was able to come up with some one near the Mexican border which worked out well since he planned to cross over into Mexico at the first chance he got. He figured he would then be able to disappear into the crowds
Sighing he pushed back the chair preparing to get up and get some lunch. While stacking his books and papers two hands came around to cover his eyes causing his vision to go into a black void. All of a sudden the memories of Nicholas and his interrogation techniques came rushing back to him and he pulled away quickly with a shout of horror. His only thought was that he had brought the Skins right to Isabel and the others.
“Calm down, Alex.” said a familiar feminine voice and he spun around to find Isabel standing before him with worry in her eyes. “Are you alright?”
Alex couldn’t find his voice to speak so he just nodded and turned around to pick up the books and papers he had dropped.
“No your not, Alex.” she frowned taking his hand in hers, “Your shaking.”
He saw the love and anxiety in her eyes and it made him feel even worse so he tried to reassure her, “I’m fine.”
Isabel didn’t believe him but knew she would not get anything else from him. Instead she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him wanting to give him some sense of comfort. She rested her head on his shoulder and gave a silent sigh when she felt his own arms engulf her.
Knowing what Nicholas was capable of, Isabel had an idea of why Alex reacted to her hands over his eyes. There was nothing she could do to erase the memory of those painful months but she hoped that maybe she would make his future so happy that he wouldn’t think about those days.
TBC...