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CHAPTER THREE:

It was early morning, and Isabel was on her way out the door of her parent's house to head to the park. She was going to meet Michael, Maria, and Kyle, to see if they could figure out what happened to Liz. "Dammit, I hope Jesse understands missing our breakfast date," thought Isabel.

The thought of Jesse brought other problems into her head, such as how she was going to tell her parents and her friends that she was engaged to be married to a twenty-six year old lawyer who works for her Father. Jesse was putting more pressure on her to do it, and she planned on telling everyone when Max got back from LA.

As she headed for the back door, she heard a knock at the front door. Huffing slightly, Isabel headed for the front door, and opened it.

"LIZ!" said Isabel, in shock. "Where have you been? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," said Liz. "Look, Isabel..."

"Liz, everyone is worried sick about you," said Isabel. "Your Father is on the war path, and Max is headed back from LA to help find you. What is going on?"

"Isabel," said Liz. "The most amazing thing has happened. But I can't tell you what it is. I need you to trust me and come with me somewhere."

"I was supposed to meet Michael, Maria, and Kyle," said Isabel, "about finding YOU!"

"Call them, tell them I'm fine, then come with me," said Liz. "This is really important."

"What about the others?" asked Isabel.

"Not now," said Liz. "It wouldn't be....it has to be you and me alone, for now. You were asked for."

"By who?" asked Isabel.

"Isabel, you wouldn't believe me unless you see for yourself," said Liz. "Come with me, please."

Isabel was quiet for a moment, before finally replying. "Okay," she said. "If its important, but let me call the others first and tell them you're okay."

**

Isabel sat in the passenger seat of the car that Liz was driving. She didn't recognize the car, and Liz wouldn't tell her where she got it. "It belongs to a friend," was all Liz would tell her.

"So," said Liz. "Max is coming back to town."

"He should be back sometime today," said Isabel. "I hope this is worth all of the trouble you stirred up by disappearing."

"It is," said Liz.

"Yeah, well, Maria was pissed when I called her and told her that you were at my house, and wanted me to go somewhere, but that she couldn't come," said Isabel.

"She'll understand when she finds out," said Liz. "But we have to move carefully. Really, the only reason I'm bringing you into it now is because you were asked for. And I think you really need to see this person."

"Liz, I wish you wouldn't be so damned cryptic about who we're going to see," said Isabel.

"I already went through this earlier," said Liz. "You're just going to have to trust me."

Liz drove Isabel out to the old mining camp, and pulled up in front of the old cabin.

"Who am I going to meet here?" asked Isabel. "The Clampets?"

"Come on," said Liz. "But brace yourself for a shock."

Isabel got out of the car, and nonchalantly walked towards the cabin. Liz stepped up beside her.

"I just want to get this over with," said Isabel. "You being cryptic about it is getting really old!"

Isabel walked up to the cabin door and knocked. Liz stood next to her. The door opened, and Ava appeared at the door.

At first, Isabel thought it was Tess, but then realized that the blue hair was an indication of who it was. "Its...Ava, right," said Isabel. "What are you doing here? Are you the person I'm here to see?"

"No," said Ava. "Come in."

Isabel stepped into the door a little more hesitantly then she walked up to the cabin. She stood in the middle of the room, seeing only a table and a few chairs. Light came into the cabin through an open window.

"Look, why am I here?" asked Isabel.

"Because I asked to see you," said a voice.

Isabel heard the voice, and knew it was familiar. It was a guy's voice, but it took her a moment to place it. "No," said Isabel. "It can't."

A hand touched her shoulder from behind. "Isabel," said the voice.

She didn't move at first. So many times since he died, she had heard his voice. Whether it was his ghost, or just a figment of her imagination, she had seen and spoken to an image of Alex several times since that horrible night he died. A couple of the times, they even touched. They danced in a graveyard once, and he held her once when she tried to give Jesse Ramirez the shove off because of her fear of comitting to him. Suddenly, the thought of Jesse seemed sully at this moment, as she was experiencing whatever she was experiencing.

Isabel finally, slowly, turned, and saw Alex Whitman standing right in front of her, his hand still on her shoulder. "Isabel," he said. "I'm alive. I'm here."

"I wish that were true," said Isabel. "You don't know how much I do. Alex, why are you appearing to me here, and now? And why are you claiming to be alive this time?"

"Isabel," said Liz. "Alex is really here. He is no ghost, and no delusion. I promise you."

Isabel turned and looked at Liz and Ava. "You can both see him?" she asked.

"Of course," said Ava. "You aint on crack, babe. He's alive, and here."

"Isabel," said Alex, putting his hands on both of her shoulders. "I know this is a lot to take in. I had to see you, and I'm sorry you were made to think I died."

Tears began falling down Isabel's cheeks. Alex reached up and brushed them away. Isabel reached up and touched his cheek. "Why is this so real? Why can they see you?"

"How can I convince you I'm really here?" asked Alex.

Then, he leaned down closer to Isabel, and brought his lips to hers. She pulled back at first, frightened of the prospect of a ghost trying to kiss her. But then, she could feel his breath on her face. He was so real. She had to know. Alex leaned in, and she angled her lips to meet his. Then, they kissed. It was a small kiss at first, but soon their lips were interacting more passionately.

Alex broke the kiss, then cupped her cheek with his hand. "I'm so sorry I've been away for so long," said Alex. "But I'm here now. Isabel, I love you."

Isabel was crying openly now, and would have collapsed to the ground if Alex had not caught her. He tried to move her to a chair, but Isabel stopped him.

"No," she said. "Just...just...hold me. Don't let me go. Just hold me!"

Alex pulled her into his arms, and kissed her cheek. "Shh, its going to be okay," said Alex. "We'll be okay."

***

Liz and Ava left Alex and Isabel alone in the cabin to talk. They sat down on the bed in the backroom of the cabin, and held onto each other while Alex explained what happened. Isabel listened while she kept her eyes focused on his face, in order to maintain the firm conviction that he was really here, and really alive.

"So, I asked Liz to bring you here," said Alex, finishing the story of how he survived Tess' mindwarp. "I had to see you before anyone else. Isabel, you were the one thing I focused on that gave me the strength to fight my way back to consciousness. That night we kissed on the dance floor at prom, all of my dreams were finally coming true. I could feel your love for me in that kiss, and I was doing my best to project my love to you. Then, this...happened."

"Seven months," said Isabel. "I...can't believe you were here for seven months, and all the time I thought you were dead. I was destroyed by your death. It took me a lot of time to put my life back together again."

"I'm so sorry, Isabel," said Alex.

"Its not your fault," said Isabel. "It was Tess that caused this. And it was my fault, too..."

"No!" said Alex. He gently turned her face to look at his, cupping her cheek with his left hand, while his right hand reached out for her hand. "Isabel, none of this was your fault!"

"I introduced you to her, Alex," said Isabel. "I let her into my life, our lives."

"Isabel, she had everyone fooled," said Alex. "She was good at playing little Miss Innocent, I'll give her that. But Isabel, none of that matters now. I'm here, I'm with you, and...I want to start where we left off. Like I said, that night, at the prom, I could feel the love growing between us."

Isabel looked away from Alex, as reality came back into her realm of thought. She knew what Alex wanted, but also knew the new reality that was her life now. Getting up from the bed, she walked over to a window, and looked outside at the desert. She could hear Alex get up behind her, and walk over to her.

"Maybe I'm presuming, too much," said Alex.

"No," said Isabel. "You're right. That night...at prom. It was the best night of my life. I was falling in love with you. When you died, I felt such loss. But....seven months, is a long time. My life had to go on."

"I know a lot can change in seven months," said Alex, gently caressing Isabel's now brown hair. "Exhibit A to prove that. By the way, I like it...the hair. Though, you could die your hair purple, and I would still like it."

"Alex, I don't know what you are expecting," said Isabel. "No, actually, I think I do know, but..."

"Isabel, I know this is going to be difficult," said Alex. "I'm not looking for us to just pretend nothing happened. Hell, I don't even know how I'm going to get my life back! But I do know that I want you in that life. I want the chance we didn't have before because of Tess. I want us to begin again, and see where it leads us."

"Alex, you're not hearing me!" said Isabel, turning to look pointedly at him. She wanted to turn away, and not say what she had to say to his face. She knew she had to tell him, and knew it had to be while looking into his eyes. She owed him that.

"Seven months, Alex," said Isabel. "You died! And I mourned you! I cried for you! I even thought I was talking to your ghost sometimes, and this ghost even told me I had to live! I had to live for you! For ME! I had to go on! Alex, I...I met someone. I fell in love with someone. His name is Jesse. And a week ago, we...got engaged."

Alex stared at her in silence, his face expressionless for several moments. He looked down at her hands, and touched her fingers. Isabel looked at her fingers, and realized what he was looking for.

"I haven't told anyone else yet," said Isabel. "I'm not wearing the ring until I do. He...works for my Father, and...I don't know how he and Mom will take it. Not to mention Max and the others."

He let go of her hands, and turned around. Slowly, he walked out of the room, and headed for the cabin door.

"Alex, wait!" said Isabel. "We have to talk about this!"

Before she could say more, Alex took off out of the door to the cabin. Isabel ran up to the door, and saw walking at a fast pace towards a nearby rocky outcropping. She considered running after him, but decided to let him be for a while.

Liz and Ava came up to her. "Hey, where did Alex go?" asked Liz.

"He...left," said Isabel. "Ran to that outcropping." She let out a sob, and wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I had to tell him."

End of Chapter Three. Chapter Four coming soon.

Well, Isabel knows Alex is alive, and Alex knows she's engaged to another man. For those who thought Jesse wasn't in the picture-think again. Plenty of emotional drama to follow, folks, so don't miss the next installment to find out what happens next. In the meantime, please do provide feedback by posting a review. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.