Isabel and Kyle sat at Calhoun Park, the remnants of their picnic strewn about the blanket they

were sharing.

Iz grabbed an apple slice and brought it to her lips, "So."

"So what?"

"You want to talk about it?"

"No."

Iz continued to stare at him as she munched.

"You're not giving me an option are you?" Kyle asked smirking.

"No." Iz admitted.

Kyle sighed, "Things are very weird. Strained you know, I mean I care about her but I've

got this nagging case of Déjà vu."

Iz snorted. "Yeah, that's been going around."

"You know the worst part? I can't think of Sera without remembering all the destruction

Tess caused."

Isabel flinched at the name but her eyes remained on Kyle.

"I hate what she did, to me, to you, all of us. But some sick, sad part of me won't let me hate

her. I wonder where she is, what she's doing, if she ever thinks of me."

"Do you think that's why you can't forgive Sera.Serena?"

"I'm scared. If we get back together I'm always going to be wondering what's the next

bombshell she's going to drop."

"I think she's pretty much come clean. Max said he's almost positive we know all she knows

and then some, thanks to the latest hologramatic message from my parents. We know she

was our friend, we know that she promised to protect us, and she's the reason we were sent

here."

Kyle looked at his best friend, "But, do you trust her?"

Isabel swallowed hard and looked away. "I don't know. Wrapping my head around the fact

that there is another alien in our lives is somewhat a bitter pill to swallow.

I understand her wanting to keep her powers a secret, before the attack at Amy's shop. She

didn't realize her powers were of another world until then. I empathize with her

apprehension to tell us. She didn't know we had a whole other life in the past, or that there

were fou.three of us here just like her. She just assumed she was a lone freak who could

alter molecules with a wave, I know that feeling."

"You're not a freak."

"She's a lot like me Kyle-The me before Alex, the one who was afraid to trust anyone, to

really let anyone in. She has the same fears that I had before I got to know you guys. That

fear of rejection. Look at how we reacted when we found out about her secret."

"We weren't out of line."

"No, but we took our frustrations and our guilt over Tess out on Sera. The more I think

about her situation: being adopted, believing everything is normal until one day; poof, your

doing some freaky redecorating to your room, and no one is there to confide in. I had Max

and Michael, Sera didn't have anyone. She was a scared 13-year-old girl who had just lost

her father, and suddenly she had to deal with this new power.

Max told me that Sera wanted to tell her mother, but was afraid. I get that you know. I

wanted to tell Mom so many times, but Max and Michael wouldn't hear of it. I wanted to

trust her, but I was afraid at the same time."

"Isabel your mother would understand."

"Would she? Eventually yes, but her initial reaction wouldn't be much different than

anyone else's. Max told me once that Mom-Diane, wasn't our mother. It hurt, I knew it

was true, biologically, but it hurt nonetheless. Dealing with something SO big and I couldn't

tell the most important person in my life. I get Sera's fear, more than anyone."

Kyle closed his eyes. "Iz."

Iz reached out and took Kyle's hand. "Look, I'm not trying to sway you or tell you what to do.

I'm just letting you know that I understand where she's coming from."

He nodded, not yet trusting his voice.

Isabel smiled softly and punched him in the shoulder. "You ready to hit the court?" she asked

pointing to the tennis courts in the distance.

"I'm so going to wipe the floor with you Evans."

"Dream on Valenti! You're mine!"

END CHAPTER