Part One – No Matter What
Disclaimer: I don't
own them. If I did, Roswell would be a
totally different world. This wouldn't
be necessary. And I would be SUCH a
happy camper. Also, I don't own "No
Matter What" by Boyzone (I love the Notting Hill Soundtrack!). So please don't sue me.
Author's Note: Alex
and Isabel didn't get to play out the story most of us know they deserved. Since the writers chose to kill off a
wonderful character, and therefore can't tell the story that still needs to be
told, I've decided to attempt it.
Obviously, in my AU world, Alex doesn't die. Feedback will keep me writing, so if you want more, you've got to
tell me. This one is for Liz,
WitmanChick, Kelsey, Ruby Alien and Margarita, who reviewed earlier chapters –
thanks so much. And Kelsey – I hope that
Isabel's sudden change of heart is explained enough in upcoming chapters so that
it doesn't seem so out-of-character.
Distribution: Ask
and ye shall receive.
Alex POV – No Matter What
I grinned when I saw
her. She had spread a blanket under a
tree and was lying across it, smiling softly, her eyes closed. I couldn't resist, so quietly, I lowered
myself next to her and gently kissed her.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty."
"Alex!" Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at
me, but I could see something sad in her eyes.
"What's wrong,
Izzy?" I prayed silently that she
hadn't had second thoughts about us.
"Nothing…"
"Sweetie, I can see
it in your eyes." I leaned against the
tree and pulled her into my arms. She
rested her head on 'her' spot and looked up at me. Tears glistened in her eyes.
"I told Max and Michael
about us this morning…Max wasn't really happy. He's with Tess now…and he's talking about destiny, and what we
owe our people…"
//No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true//
I swallowed. At least she hadn't said she was leaving me,
but Max…he was her brother. The centre
of her universe for a long time. Her
king, her best friend. How could I
compete with that? "Izzy…do you regret
last night? Is it over?"
She whipped her head
around to look at me. "No! How could you even think that?"
"He's important to
you, Isabel. You love him."
"Yeah, I do. He's my brother. But he doesn't run my life.
And neither does some crackpot destiny that some woman I don't even know
spouts from another planet."
"She's your mother,"
I say quietly.
"Alex, she may have
been my mother, but she isn't, not anymore.
I will always wonder about her, and some part of me will always miss her
and an even bigger part of me will always love her, but I refuse to let her
rule my life. How does she know my
destiny? How can anyone? I really believe we make our own destinies. And my destiny is to be with you."
"What about your
planet?"
"I don't have to
marry Michael to save a world. I want
to be with you, for however long we have.
I can play warrior princess as long as I know you're waiting for me."
"I won't be waiting
for you, Isabel."
"What?" Her voice
was tiny, and she sounded like a little girl.
"I won't be waiting
for you because I'll be right next to you.
If this – me - is what you want, then I'm never letting you go. No matter what Max says, or your mother
says, or destiny says. We're meant for
each other. I truly believe that."
//No matter what
they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We'll find our own way back//
"I love you…" she whispered
as she kissed me.
I smiled against her
lips. This was heaven.
And then the flashes
began. She told me she loved me last
night and she opened her soul to me. When
Isabel Evans decides to do something, she does nothing halfway.
I saw her argument
with Max and felt how hurt she was. I
broke the kiss regretfully, but I knew she needed me to listen to her right
now. We had forever to kiss. "I saw the fight, Izzy."
"Oh." She buried her head in my chest, like she
couldn't bring herself to look at me.
I tilted her chin up
until she looked me in the eye. "I know
this thing with Max bothers you, Sweetie.
But I'm not going anywhere, no matter how pissed off he gets. Not until you tell me to go, anyway."
//I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I'll know our love's forever
I'll know no matter what//
"I'll never tell you
to go," she whispered as she kissed my jaw, then my chin, and finally my mouth.
"I know we're forever. No matter what."
//If only tears were laughter
If only night was day
If only prayers were answered
Then we would hear god say//
I smiled at her. She loves me, I know,
but she also hated the rift between her and Max. A single tear trickled down her cheek, and I swore I would do
everything in my power to turn her tears into laughter.
//No matter what they tell you
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach you
What you believe is true//
"Max will come
around. I promise."
"Are you sure?" This was the real Isabel, the vulnerable
one.
"Yeah. Liz was upset this morning, too…he's
probably just in a bad mood because they had a fight or something."
"I hope that's all
it is…I guess misery loves company or something. He said he's with Tess."
"I thought you liked
Tess."
She bit her lip and
her face grew serious. "I do. I did.
I do. It's just…when he
was with Liz, Max was happy. I didn't
want to admit that at first, but he really loves her. With Tess…it's all about destiny. I don't think there are any real feelings there. She's going to make him miserable."
"They'll find their
way back to each other, Izzy, if they're meant to be together, no matter what
Tess pulls. Just like we did."
//And I will keep you safe an strong
And sheltered from the storm
No matter where it barren
A dream is being born//
"Alex…I have to tell
you something. I've been having a
horrible dream for weeks. Ever since
Vegas. It's really odd. It's kind of like watching a movie play in
your head. I couldn't talk to anyone
there, but I could see what was happening.
In the dream…I'm at your funeral, Alex."
Tears were trickling
down her cheeks now. Her mascara had
dribbled down her face and left dark smudges under her eyes. I pulled her into my arms and rested my chin
on her forehead. "I'm right here,
Isabel. I'm not going anywhere, not for
a long, long time."
She sniffled. "I know.
But the dream…it seemed so real.
And the dream-me. She was so
sad. She spoke to me, told me to admit
how I felt to you before it was too late.
She said it would keep me from making the same mistakes she did."
I felt a chill run
down my spine and fought to hold back a shudder. I didn't want to scare her any more that she already was, but I
got that eerie feeling, like people say happens when someone walks over your
grave. I would do anything to protect
her.
I couldn't hide
anything from her, though. One of her
arms crept up my back as her face tilted up.
And then she kissed me. Soft and
tentative, at first, and then more passionate before she finally pulled away.
"I love you,
Alex. Don't ever doubt that. The dream just woke me up, made me realize
what I was missing…"
"I know."
//No matter who they follow
No matter where they lead
No matter how they judge us
I'll be everyone you need//
She smiled at me
then. That beautiful smile she gives
only to me.
//No matter if the sun don't shine
Or if the skies are blue
No matter what the ending
My life began with you//
"This is our chance,
Izzy. Our life together begins
today. The minute I saw you across the
playground, all those years ago…that was the day my life really began. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life
making you happy. No matter what."
//I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know this love's forever
That's all that matters now - no matter what//
