Isabel finds something out
She rocked back and forth. Her tears making a puddle under her chin. Lifting the folder, she stopped. Gazing at it, deciding if she should look.
She gazed at it, knowing that nothing would be the same, once she saw it. Taking a deep breath she peeled away the cover. Lifting the note inside. It was old, and crumpled. The handwriting was hers- but in another language.
Isabel set it aside, and lifted a photo. She stared at the familiar faces. Kivar and Vilondra- hugging. "It was the happiest day of my life." A voice remembers. Isabel looked up, sniffling, but silent. "Our vacation." She reminds. "That's right." Kivar steps into the room gently. Softly placing each foot, quietly approaching the shaken woman.
"I know you must think I'm an awful person." Kivar sighed, sitting down beside her. "Don't you ever wonder why you loved me?" He faces her, cupping her face with his palm. "You're not a bad person, Isabel, Vilondra wasn't evil- yet she loved me. I'm not a bad person either." Kivar insisted. "What does it matter what I think? You'll only make me into Vilondra again..." Isabel snuffed.
"I won't, if you don't want it." Kivar said weakly. "What?" Isabel said quietly. "Vilondra- Isabel... I know this is hard for you to believe. But when we first met, I no intentions of taking Zan's throne." Kivar explained. Isabel listened, silently taking it all in. "In fact, you hated me." He laughs at the memory. "Much like you must now." He weakly smiles, trying to lighten her heart. "You were arrogant, and stuffy." Isabel begins to remember on her own. "Yes. My court face- my how you hated the way I acted on the job!" He laughs harder. Isabel lets a small giggle free.
"You came to one night, in the dead of winter. You told me that Zan wasn't going to allow us to marry, do you remember?" Kivar asked. Isabel shook her head no, but she was lying. "Well. You did." He insists, beginning again. "I was terrified at the thought of loosing you. You told me that if I were king, and you Queen, our love would last like no other. That it would on forever...I was captivated by you- I still am..." Kivar touched her cheek. Isabel's eyes were watering, but she remained silent.
"I informed you that I had thought about it. You know... over powering Zan. I'm not saying I've never done anything wrong, I have. But so have you." He bent in and kissed her, but she refrained from kissing him back.
He broke away, seeming hurt. "You must think I'm really stupid." Isabel said quietly. "What?" Kivar asked. "I know." She said, threatening him. "I know, I remember what happened, the day you killed Ava... that's how you got Zan to attack first. That's why the people sided with you!" Isabel shoved him away. "I killed her for us!" Kivar insisted. "No! You killed her for yourself- I was just a bonus!" Isabel hissed, hurt. "All I could think about was being with you... imagine how hurt I felt when you sided to marry Rath? Did even consider that i was heartbroken? I loved you- I still do. I was crushed by your actions. So yes! I carried out the plan- against your wishes! Imagine the hurt, the pain when you jumped in front of him- instead of staying by me side! It drove me crazy- I'd killed you!" Kivar slammed his fist against the wall, shaking the building.
"You were just mad, because you didn't get everything you wanted!" Isabel yelled. "I can't believe I'm even arguing with you about this! It doesn't matter..." She heaved. "It does... this fight is long over due..." Kivar snapped back. "Yes, it is..." Isabel stopped. Kivar staring at her. "You know what I say is true." Isabel nodded. "I know. But I am not Vilondra- I am Isabel, and I can't love you, it ends here." Isabel slammed her foot on the ground.
On the road
"Where are we going?" Michael asked. Nicolas was driving the car, as they all crammed in the back. "To get Isabel. Then Max will had the throne over to me. If not I'll kill her myself." Nicolas warned.
Tess looked up at Max, who was staring at Nicolas. "Max..." Tess breathed. He turned. "Huh?" "Max... he's lying. Isabel... I'm not sure Kivar is going to kill her- remember what Liz said- about Iz being the only one he wanted alive..." Tess reminded, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "This seems all to familiar." She hissed. Max nodded, in agreement. "It does. If things start to go crazy, I want to and Michael to get away- go home, get my son... be safe." Max insisted. "I-" But Tess could finish that thought.
"We're here." Nicolas announced as they came across a huge, abandoned building. "She's in there?" Michael asked. "Yes." He assured. They walked up the door, side by side- three lost people looking for a fourth.
Inside
Isabel stood silent, pondering something. "I know what is and isn't true." She explains. "Good." Kivar nods. "I know most of what you said really happened, in one way or another- Kivar." She begin weakly. "I-" She stopped. Stepping up to him, and taking her hands on his cheek. She sighed, hugging him gently. Kivar smiled sweetly, closing his eyes and placing his head on her shoulder. They rocked in each others arms. His hand stroking her hair. "I really love you Isabel." Kivar sighed. Isabel shut her eyes- he used her name...
The door slowly slid open. Making nothing but a small sound. Michael slipped in first, then Tess and Max after. He stopped and peeked into the other room. Max and Tess couldn't see past him. "What is it?" Max whispered. "It's Isabel- she's with him..." He choked.
There right in front of him was Isabel, freely laughing and hugging Kivar. Thousands of images flooded Michael, like a catalyst. He remembered the first time he caught her with Kivar, when he over heard them and much more. He was overwhelmed and fell back. "Michael?" Tess cried, wondering what had happened. But she looked up, and realized. "Oh- God..." Tess whispered. "Max, look." She pointed. Max brought his gaze up, from Michael to the image of his sister with the enemy.
He watched in horror as they began to kiss. It wasn't a pretend kiss, not something you do to get out a situation. Max felt her emotion. She wanted it almost more than he did. She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him. This had been it, the moment of truth. Max gasped. Had she betrayed him again? Was it all going to end so badly once more? He motioned Tess to go behind him, but she refused. "No Max, I'm more powerful than you- remember?" She said, stepping in front of him. "Tess!" Max hissed. "Go, now!" He pointed at the doorway, Tess sadly ran outside. Max puffed up his chest and took a giant step into the room where his sister stood, in the arms of the devil. "Isabel!" His voice boomed.
The lovers broke apart. She gasped as it dawned on her that they'd seen it all. "Max I-" But she stopped herself. "I just... how could you?" He cried. Isabel looked down. "You betrayed me, again?" He whimpered. "Get away from her!" Michael screamed, desperate for blood. "Not again." Kivar rolled his eyes. "This is getting repetitive. "Two life times haven't changed any of you one bit... where's the Queen, hmm? Send her away, even though she's your biggest gun?" Kivar smirked. Max looked back at the door, empty, he had sent Tess away. "I suppose this is when I try and kill you, right?" Kivar seemed strange.
"Kivar, don't!" Isabel cried. "Hey... sh..." He smiled, touching her lips. "I promised I won't kill you're family unless I have to, and I won't." Kivar promised.
Nicolas came walking in, dragging Tess with him. "Max- it's happening again, you can stop-" But she was cut off by a gag tied tightly in her mouth. "Let her go!" Max cried. "Um... now, let me think... This was Ava... and Ava married into your family, so that means- Ooo I can kill her- and the warrior dummy." Kivar laughed, he knew he was acting stupid and thought it to be funny.
Tess was on her knees, being forced down by Nicolas. "Goodbye Queen Ava, it was a pleasure..." Kivar raised his hand, and shot Tess in the chest, sending her flying into a wall. She was dead. "No!" Max croed, running to her body. He check her pulse, she was dead. "Tess." He rubbed her cheek, The salty tears filling his eyes, choking his throat. "Kivar!" He hissed, eyes wet, burning with hot tears. "Uh oh... looks like it happened, all over again..." Kivar shrugged, smugly.
He scratched his head, pretending to try and remember. "Now.. what was it that happened next, oh yes... I was supposed to kill you!" Kivar pointed at Michael. He stood up, facing Kivar. Isabel watched in horror. She took and deep breath and pulled Kivar on top of her, just as he was shooting Michael. The shot split in two.. the larger part hit her in the stomach.
He rolled off her, clasping her hand in his. "Vilondra?" He cried. His throat now to burned with tears choking him. "Pl-please don't leave me again." He whimpered, but she was gone.
Max stood up, seeing Michael rolling on the ground in pain, and agony over is Isabel. "See what you did. It happened again, because of you. You killed her. You killed the one person you've loved more than your own life. Now no one will ever know her- no one will get to have her love, you took that away from everything, and everyone... including yourself. I hate you- I want to kill you, and I should. But I think you should live with this, knowing you can never fix it, that this time- she won't come back."
Max turned quickly to Tess, her hand was moving. She began to cough up blood. His eyes lit up for a moment, as he ran to her, healing her enough so she was okay. He scooped her up, helping her to stand.
Michael painfully got up, glaring at Kivar, who remained motionless. He walked directly to Isabel, scooping her body into his arms, and walking out. Max followed. Tess stood alone, facing him. As the door shut, and he knew the were gone, she approached Kivar, and the broken shell of a man he's become. "I just thought you should know that- if you have just told her what you were going to do, she probably would have left, with you, to keep it from happening... I want you to know that she did love you, enough to keep you from killing some innocent man. Here." Tess took an object out of her pocket. "I came back... to give Isabel this." Kivar reached out for it, looking at it, but Tess wouldn't let him touch. "It's the key to the city- you know the city- home. I was going to give it to her... as a token of respect. She was going to be Queen. Your a fool." Tess spit of the ground by his feet and walked out, limping to one side and holding her stomach.
Outside
Michael lay Isabel down on the ground. Max turned to Tess who had just walked out. "What did you tell him?" Max asked. "Nothing, just that he was a fool to let it all happen, when he could have had everything, if you'd just left it alone." Tess explained. "Come here." Tess took Max's hand. "Watch this." Tess' voice was all knowing.
The watched as Tess bent on one knee over Isabel, placing her hand of her hear. She zapped it. Isabel's body arched with energy. When it rested again, they could see her breathing. "Isabel?" Michael gasped. She sat up, hugging Michael. "I'm so sorry." She cried. "Iz. It's okay, it wasn't you." Max smiled, just glad it was over.
As they helped the girls in the back seat of the car, Liz came running out from behind the building. "Max, oh Max! Thank god!" She heaved. "Liz?" Max turned. "Max hey!" Said. "You know, me, Liz... Parker- from school?" Liz asked. "Um, Liz is this some joke, of course I know you." Max was getting irritated. "Good... um I don't know where I am, and I can't get a ride, Maria's not answering her cell. Could you give me one?" Liz asked, strangely.
Max stopped what he was doing. He studied her for a moment, his eyes widening as something dawned on him. "Liz what year is it?" He asked. Liz seemed a little shocked by the question. "1999- I think, but now I'm too sure." She admitted. "A lot does seem foggy." Max took her and helped her into the car. "What's your name?" Liz asked, looking to Tess. "Oh, her- she's my... wife." Max interrupted. "You wife!" Liz was shocked. "Wow... How much did I miss?" She asked, laughing.
Everyone laughed, smiled and hugged her jokingly. "You must have been in a fight- you don't remember a thing?" Isabel asked. "No- the last thing I remember was having some kid standing over me, and... just touching my forehead... then he told me my friends were over here- that's where I found you guys." Liz admitted.
Michael spoke up. "You don't believe in aliens now do ya?" He asked, with a smile. "Um, that's a little bizarre, no." Liz said, smiling, thinking it had been a joke. "Good." Michael sighed, as Max puled out of the building and headed back for Roswell.
THE END