Chapter 5

"That's absolutely ridiculous." Maria said, shaking her head. "It's…impossible, inane, ludicrous, far too alien for my life right now…" She said, denying everything her four friends had just told her about Alex. How and why Tess had killed Alex, her plan to betray Max, Isabel, Michael, and bizarrely enough, Max's unborn child. "Plus, how can Alex be dead, I just got home from practice with him and the band. He was very much alive! Dead people can't play guitars, you know."

"I know, Maria." Liz agreed. "That's why I was so surprised when he came into the Crashdown earlier. He's gone, Maria." She said, taking her best friend's hand. "Can one of you show her?" Liz asked, looking at Max. Max walked slowly over to Maria. Her eyes were beginning to tear as she forcibly pulled her arm out of Max's gentle touch. "Maria, we know it's hard to believe." She said. Her eyes pleading with Maria's to allow Max to help. Maria relaxed and took Max's hand.

"Nothing too harsh, please." She requested. Max transmitted images of Tess, of the scene of Alex's accident, and lastly, a somber vision of Maria singing Amazing Grace while she and Alex's loved ones said their goodbyes. Max slowly dropped Maria's limp hand and watched the tears stream down her face. "My voice cracked." She attempted a small smile as she opened her eyes to meet her friends.

Liz pulled Maria into a hug. "We know it's hard to believe, Maria, but it happened. We all have these false memories of the past few weeks, but that is all they are Maria. They're false. Tess created them so she could deliver Max's baby to Kivar."

"What do we do now?" Maria asked, wiping the tears as she began to remember and accept Alex's death. "I know I won't be able to look at his face without breaking down into tears. And I know that won't help the cause much." She said as Michael took her hand and pulled her up off the table and into an embrace.

"We know, but we couldn't go about business without you knowing. We don't know if anyone will remember any of this when it's over. We don't know if Alex will still be here after we get rid of Tess." Michael replied, massaging Maria's shoulders. "All we know is that we have to get a hold of Tess and get her to end this never-ending nightmare. Our big problem is how do we get to her?"

The group was silent for a few seconds. Max and Liz, Maria and Michael were consoling each other, leaving Isabel on the outside. There was still an ache in her heart from watching the scenes of Alex's funeral. Of watching her own reaction to the news of her love's death. Alex had always been one of the only guys Isabel had dated who had actually dated her for her substance, rather than her looks. As teardrops of grief began drifting down her cheeks, Isabel turned and began running away from Maria's house and away from everyone who wanted to destroy the only true love she'd ever known.

*****

Isabel didn't bother going to the front door. She went directly to the first window on the back left side of the Whitman's house. A soft tap on the window brought Alex, yawning, to answer.

"Isabel…" Alex cried out of surprise. "What are you doing here?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair and straightening out his shirt.

"Can't I come in?" Isabel asked cheerily, to cover the pain she was feeling. Alex held out a hand, Isabel grasped his hand and stepped inside. She kept a hold of his hand as she steadied herself. "Alex…I…" Isabel tried to speak before she began to cry again. She brought her free hand to meet his face, tracing the lines of his features. She brought his face to meet her own and kissed him lightly. Isabel pulled away slowly and pulled him to her, holding him tightly in her arms. "I don't want to lose you again." Isabel whispered as he wrapped his arms around her.

"What do you mean, 'again'?" Alex asked, stepping back to look into Isabel's eyes.

"I mean, sometimes I push people away. I don't realize how quickly someone can be taken from me. Sometimes they're taken away before you get to tell them how you feel, or before you get to spend enough time with the person to feel a sense of satisfaction." She tried to explain. Alex's face showed his confusion.

"I don't…" He began.

"I mean I love you."