Staring Eyes
by
Disclaimer: Not mine. UPN, WB, Jason Katims, all have some claim. I don't.
Author's Note: This is the third such fanfic in this vein, fifth if you include poetry. I'm still trying to deal with Alex's death and Tess's betrayal, because I was a loyal Stargazer and Rebel. (Those damn producers really messed me up!)
Summary: Summer post- S2. Isabel deals... but doesn't, really.
Rating: R
Prologue-Introduction
Max
Her eyes are blank too often.
You know how people just close out sometimes, and their eyes, even though they're open, aren't actually looking at anything?
They look like they're looking through something.
Usually me.
I don't know what to do for her. It's been a long, hard summer for all of us, but luckily, no more enemies, no word from Tess, and no huge unveiling of secrets to the world in order to save lives. Most of us are content, if troubled, as usual.
But Isabel...
She's like this huge emptiness. She doesn't react to much of anything anymore. I think that Alex dying, coupled with the Tess and leave/don't leave fiasco, sapped all of her strength. She's retreated within herself for some reason, I'm not sure what it is.
She doesn't speak. Mom and Dad take her to a psychiatrist, who thinks that she's like this because her best friend and boyfriend were killed within months of each other. I almost laughed when they said this.
In truth, Isabel is a strong person. Alex's death left her with a huge hole, that she had been filling in, slowly, but assuredly. Tess's betrayal, among other things, cause that filling to collapse, and I can't help wishing occasionally that Tess had died, as opposed to what she did to our group.
The strain of leaving our parents, this entire world, also took a huge toll on her. But how's any psychiatrist supposed to know that? The only way she could help us is if we took her into our confidence, and we can't do that. It's too risky, for us and her. Not to mention that any therapist would simply assume that Isabel and I were suffering from some kind of mental illness. After all, aren't we crazy enough to be seen by her, even without this psychosis?
Our friends have been truly amazing. Liz and Maria have tried to draw Isabel out of her shell, but failed. Still, I was a little surprised, and very grateful that they tried. They don't know each other that well, but it was a kind gesture.
I think she's lost all confidence in our friends, though. She won't speak to me or Michael, and though I thought I heard her talking to Kyle once, when they were in the other room, they both deny it. Or, at least Kyle does. She didn't speak.
Human or otherwise, I'm willing to accept that my hopes got the better of my hearing, though I wish it weren't so.
[Introduction] [Silence] [Clouds]