Title: "Leaving Roswell"
Author: Scorpio81
E-mail:
Rating: PG
Summary: The story starts as Max, Isabel, Michael, Liz, Maria and Kyle are driving away from Roswell in season three after the graduation. I'm not sure how long I'll take this.
Max and Michael looked out the windscreen on the dark road ahead of them. Not much of their surroundings were lit up by the headlights but there wasn't so much to see out here in the desert anyway. Out here in the middle of nowhere, far from civilization, they felt more alone than ever. A van filled with six people going nowhere and anywhere. Whatever lay in front of them it was going to be tough times. All they had was the clothes on their backs and the few dollars they had in their pockets. The fact that they all were alive and together was a small comfort when the hunger and fear of the future were growing within.
"It's like a funeral back there." Kyle commented, crawling up to the other young men. Max, who was driving, looked into the front mirror watching his sister absentmindedly staring out the window into the dark, starry night. He could see the glistening tears on her cheeks as she cried silently, still trying to hold up a brave front. The other two girls sitting behind her were sobbing loudly enough to make any guy's heart break. He shifted the mirror so he could take a look at them. A wave of anguish and regret hit him when he saw how small and young Maria and Liz looked where they sat with their arms wrapped around each other, trying to get warmth and comfort from the other.
Michael too looked over Kyle's shoulder to look at the girls and then looked back out the window, remaining silent and withdrawn into his own shell.
Kyle looked from Max's serious face to Michael's cold, reserved one and then back again. "Right. Guess there's not really a party up here either."
"Did you want something?" Michael snapped, turning his head to outstare Kyle.
The former basketball player held up his hands in defeat. "Not trying to step on anyone's toes here."
"Michael." Max said, sounding very much as an adult reprimanding his child, and Michael turned to look at him. There was a surprising amount of sadness in his brown, soulful eyes but also the ever-present challenge. Max softened his tone of voice. "Please."
Michael sighed and turned to Kyle. "I'm sorry, man. I just...you know."
Kyle gave Michael a small grin. He knew that an apology from Michael seldom got better than that. "Yeah, I know."
Michael gave Kyle's shoulder a friendly pat. "Wanna change seats?"
"Sure." Kyle happily slid down next to Max and immediately turned on the radio. He kept it respectfully low, just enough to cut out most of the crying in the backseat because he felt that give it another minute or so he would be the one crying like a baby. Kyle tried to keep his mind blank, not thinking of leaving his father behind in Roswell. "Where are we heading anyway?"
Max swallowed. "I guess we just keep driving for awhile. There was a sign recently that said there's a nightly open café coming up down the road. We'll stop there and figure out what to do next."
Kyle nodded, not sure he was happy that he had asked. Still he hadn't a better plan himself so he kept his mouth shut, focusing his eyes on the road and listening to the country song on the radio.
Michael put his arm around Isabel and pulled her close. She resisted at first but then rested her head on his hard chest, taking in his familiar scent.
"I feel so lost." She whispered tiredly.
Michael kissed her forehead. "It'll be alright."
"Promise?"
"I promise." Michael tried his best to sound sincere.
"Liar." Isabel pulled away from his embrace and nodded towards the girls in the back. "Make them stop, ok? They're giving me a headache."
Michael sighed. It was a long time ago since Isabel had really let him close. After the whole Alex thing Isabel seemed to have slipped away from both him and Max. Michael gave Isabel's knee a comforting pat but she was already in her own mind, staring back out into the night. Michael uncomfortably slid down between Maria and Liz and held them tight. They clang to him as if their lives depended on it and he didn't really mind.
"My mom is going to be so heartbroken." Maria said. "I'm all she has! I'm like the sunshine of her life! Without me she'll wither and die."
"She has Sean." Michael pointed out.
Maria gave him a soft punch in the gut. "That's so not comforting."
"Sean's not that bad, Maria." Liz mumbled, closing her eyes as she used Michael's chest as a pillow. Maria was too tired to argue and too fell asleep in the safety of Michael's arms. Michael took one look at the sleeping angels next to him, then at his sister Isabel, his brother Max and his good friend Kyle before he too closed his eyes in a silent prayer. Leaving Roswell was much harder than he had expected. Now when he finally was leaving he saw the town for what it really was. Home.