Fandom/Universe: Roswell
Characters: Michael Guerin, Isabel Max Evans, Liz, Maria, Kyle Valenti, OC
Pairings: Maria / Michael /OC, Max/Liz, Isabel/Kyle
Spoilers/Warning: N/A
Disclaimer: Roswell and all related characters are the creation of Jonathon Dukes and Jason Katims Productions, Regency Television, 20th Century Fox Television. OC's are all ME. No infringement intended.
Summary: There's aliens in Roswell.
Status: In-Progress
Author's Note: Takes place in the last 2Seasons.
Chapter: The First Act, Part IV
0+*+*+*+
Alex feels like he's forgotten something important. He can't really think of anything but the feeling is so strong he can't ignore it.
"Salut, Alex." Gagё sees his surprised look at their surroundings when he looks at her, as if he'd forgotten they were in school.
"Oh, hey…" Alex trails off as he takes another glance around the school hallway.
"Are you unwell?" Gagё frowns. He's been nice to her, has taken her picture on a few occasions, which he says is part of his job as photographer for the school yearbook. He sort of reminds her of Wade. Of all her friends, he's the one she's always treated like a brother.
"Hmm? No, I'm fine." Alex tries a smile he doesn't feel. "So, how do you like Roswell?"
"…I…" Gagё hasn't grown used to Roswell and with the Aliens being real… "Yeah, guess I'm still getting used to it." And that's just another lie she smiles through. "I heard you went to Sweden. How was that?"
"Oh." Alex just nods. "Yeah, it was great." He keeps smiling but something about that answer feels … wrong.
Gagё gives it a moment but he doesn't say anymore. "Bien, which way are you heading?" Gagё can see he's confused and then he smiles again and points over his shoulder.
"Back that way. I'm late for Math." He explains with a slight shrug.
"Oui," Gagё nods agreement. "I'm late for Science." She rolls her eyes and starts walking with Alex. "I actually enjoy the subject but Mr. Science is boring. He's killing my love for it!" she smiles at him and gets a chuckle for her trouble.
"Mrs. Anders is much better. You should see if she'll take you." Alex stops and points over his shoulder. "This is my hallway. See you later, Gagё."
"A plus tard, Alex." Gagё waves and keeps walking. She's tried to forget about the vision-memory she had in the chalk room when she'd been confined there with all the aliens. She's not sure if it was the little blond or the silent-serial killer but one of them had a very bloody memory. She hasn't told Isabel nor mentioned it to Michael. Gagё isn't sure either one of them would be able to help her figure out what happened. She still can't get the memories into a timeline they can follow and that's getting tiresome for her.
0+*+*+*+
Max follows Michael's gaze to where they both watch Gagё crossing the courtyard. He's noticed Michael's interest in Gagё over the past few weeks. Max has been more than curious himself.
"Have you told her about us?"
"What?" Michael's attention snaps to Max, he frowns. "No." he hasn't said anything at all, he's still trying to figure out how to explain what he's been able to see. And its weird! How can it be as easy as touching her hand?
Max doesn't say anything but his dark gaze seems to make Michael more nervous than usual.
"I didn't tell her anything." Michael assures but his eyes slide away, looking for her. She isn't stupid, that's for sure and Michael hasn't come out and told her he's an alien but from what they've both seen of Antar… Gagё has to know. What has Michael stumped is her silence. She isn't demanding he tell her what they're seeing or where they are other than to ask if he recognizes anything.
"We can't tell anyone, Michael. Not her-."
"I didn't." Michael snaps. He already knows how Max feels about anything to do with their other lives. Being told 'No' doesn't work for him. "She just-." He shrugs and turns away from the courtyard. "She just seems to know stuff."
They walk slowly down the hall, Max frowning. "Knows?" He's concerned about this girl and her visions of their other lives. He's always been against knowing more about what happened or who they were but with everything that's happened… Max has begun to wonder himself and all he wants now is answers.
"Yeah," Michael nods, he glances around them but the hallway is slowly emptying as students get to their next class. "Gagё is … special." He's torn, wanting to talk about what she's shown him and keep her a secret. From the moment she asked him to help her…
As nervous as she was about asking for his help, stepping into his… 'apartment'… was almost like being confined in the chalk room. She had those visions of him with that evil little blond. She looked around the sparse room, empty take out boxes, Styrofoam cups-.
"You asked me for help." Michael glared when he caught her staring, feeling embarrassed about the pigsty his living room was, now that he took a better look.
At his angry voice, Gagё flinched and turned her attention to him. Michael automatically felt bad, then he got angry because of it.
"Oui." Gagё nodded, her voice trembling. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to meet in the middle of the night without telling anyone. She tried to back away and ended up stepping on a cushion.
Michael saw her begin to trip and reached out. He grabbed her wrist and felt that pulse of energy that warned of another vision. He didn't want her to see anymore than she had but he couldn't just let her fall either.
Gagё barely had time to suck in a breath when her forward momentum had her smacking into a hard chest. "Merde!" she felt his arms around her waist and tried not to shove him away. The last thing she wanted was to piss him off anymore. "Bien, ehm…" Gagё took a tentative step away from Michael. She wasn't sure he'd let her go… But then he did, and took a step away from her too. ".. I…" Gagё drew a breath and quickly told Michael she knew he could hurt her with his mind powers if he felt like it. "And I'd rather you didn't blow me up."
Michael's jaw clenched. It had her taking another step away from him.
"I'd-. I may be able to help you. I mean, if you want to see more of your past life…" Gagё rambled, anxious about his continued silence.
"What are you talking about?" Michael frowned, wondered if she was one of those nuts…
"Uh…" Gagё fidgeted under his scowl. "I'm… My grand-mere…merde! Maybe we just pretend-."
"You know who we are." Michael was almost sure about it. "So tell me who you're working for. What do you want?" because if there were other Skins still after them…
"Mon diu," Gagё frowned. She couldn't tell him that Isabel had outed them all especially when Gagё didn't really believe it. Not all of it. "Pig headed… I'm not working for anyone and as for who you are; first impression is you're an ass." The last was said with annoyance. "Which has been confirmed, once more, right now." She turned away from him, deciding she didn't need to ask him anything after all. "Forget I even came here."
Michael blocked her way, standing in front of the door. He wasn't sure if he believed her but there hadn't been anything that pointed to her being a Skin. And with Nasedo gone…
"Please move." Gagё glared at him, mad that she had to stare up since he was so much taller.
"I'm not…" Michael clenched his jaw, never the one to tell anyone their secret. The words were on the tip of his tongue, ready to come out.
"I can and will make you move." Gagё threatened and took a small step towards him. She wasn't a stranger to fighting, wasn't afraid of being hit. But she was afraid of the alien blowing her up, only she couldn't let him see that.
Michael almost smiled. Only there wasn't anything funny about Tess insisting on wiping her. Or the visions that Tess had been torturing her with. "That wasn't exactly a past life."
Gagё closed her eyes, sighed and crossed her arms. She'd promised Isabel not to say anything and here was Michael, about to spill their secret. Which, Gagё was having a very hard time making herself believe was just some story to cover up whatever deep dark secret they all had.
"Yes, you saw this me. But …that other guy, he was me. A different me." Michael waited, wondering if he'd made a mistake to even say that much.
Gagё dropped her crossed arms. "I'm not exactly a… 'regular girl'. I'm… I've got sort of a…gift." She fidgeted with her hands as she moved away from Michael and the door. "But I don't know how to use it. …My grand-mere says we may be able to help each other."
"How?" Michael hesitated then moved away from the door.
"I don't know how to…control what I …'see'. Or even when to see it. And I haven't wanted to acknowledge my voo-doo side." She looks at Michael with some concern. "And I say 'voo-doo' in a non-black magic or threatening way. Don't want you to freak out."
Michael scoffs, an almost laugh he can see gets her mad.
"I didn't drag you into a closet demanding answers… why did you?" Gagё didn't get any details about that from Isabel during their dream-walk. "Are you in trouble?"
"Not right now." Michael finally answers. He can't keep from smiling just a little.
"Oh, you think you're funny." Gagё rolls her eyes and half turns away from him to hide her own smile. She doesn't want to be amused but it does make her feel better about what she's doing with him if he can crack some jokes. "Bien, will you keep my secret, Michael?" she faces him again, just a bit nervous. She's going to have to trust him with a part of herself she hasn't wanted to accept let alone acknowledge. "I'm the new girl here. And if you go talking about-."
"I'll keep quiet." Michael cuts her off. "As long as you do, too."
"Oh, oui." Gagё nods. "Of that you can be sure." Gagё can absolutely promise him that without a problem. The last thing she wants is to be the girl that shouts aliens are real and they live in Roswell.
They stand in silence for a while, then Michael extends his hand. Gagё stares at it, not sure about taking it. She glances up at Michael and hesitantly reaches to take his hand. The moment their palms touch, she closes her eyes with a wince.
Its immediate, what they see is a dark expanse that slowly fills with light. There's a beautiful cloud glowing pink and lavender with millions of sparkles that twinkle and glitter. The next breath, everything blurs and they stumble. Gagё is shocked to see the soft glow of moonlight in the garden they're in. Everywhere she looks there are phosphorescent flowers glowing a pale blue…
Michael turns, he lets go of her hand and in the next instant the garden is gone. He has to blink against the change of light in his apartment and then he smacks into the side of the couch.
Gagё stumbles and winces with a soft hiss as her side hits the tiled counter. She frowns, rubs her side and looks around. "Where was that?"
Michael glares at the cushions on his couch.
"Why are you laying down?" Gagё doesn't even hide the annoyance in her tone at finding him face first on his couch…
"What do you mean?" Max stops them, he glances around but they are alone.
Michael pushed aside thoughts of that first night with Gagё. They'd tried again, after that… "She saw them." Michael says in a whisper. "She saw the other me, that past. Max, she can show it to me. Its like I'm there, present and living it."
Max feels excitement growing but he's trying not to show it, he can't. How many times has he come down on Michael for wanting answers about their past? "She… can show you?"
Michael nods. "Yeah, but there's… she gets pieces. Its…difficult to put them together." They hadn't gone back to that same place, the second time. They'd ended up somewhere else, some place dark ... "I haven't been able to build a timeline. And she can't do it for long."
"Why?" because he wants to know about Zan, he needs to know what happened and how to fix things.
"It-." Michael frowns and looks away remembering how she'd looked when he woke up to find her beside him. "She passed out. The first time. We both did." He admits. He can already tell that Max is going to flip out and holds up his hand to stop him. "We're fine."
"How do you know?" Max scowls. "You don't know-."
"I said its fine." Michael snaps. "It hasn't happened again. She just gets tired and we have to wait a few days."
"Michael."
"What?" he scowls, waiting for this newest order. He's tired of being the 'screw up'. He's beginning to see that he's not the one that gets them in trouble, not all the time.
"We need to be careful."
"We?" Michael echoes. "The same 'we' that decided to tell people about us?" he shakes his head and walks off.
Annoyance. That's been the major feeling he's always had with Michael. Love too but annoyance is right up there. Its never been easy to deal with Michael and now that there's another person that knows who they really are …
Max spends the rest of the day curbing his curiosity and watching Gagё. He spots Michael at her locker and hides but he never sees them touch.
What makes her special?
Max thinks about asking Isabel to dream walk them, or rather him, into the girl's mind but she'd likely say No. now that Max thinks about it, his sister hasn't been all that interested in seeing their other selves, or in learning about their other versions…
0+*+*+*+
Isabel is standing in the arch just outside of the building. She's watching Michael with a sad smile on her face as he's sharing a lunch with Gagё. The new girl has brought about a change, in all of them, if Isabel wants to admit. She's noticed it mostly in Michael and then he laughs and Isabel smiles wider, eyes a little shiny.
'He's happy.' And that's something Isabel hadn't seen much of. Out of the three hybrid aliens, Michael's had the worst experience. Foster homes and abusive assholes…
Alex walks up to Isabel and slips his arm around her waist. "What's wrong?" he gently pulls her into his side and she wraps her arms around him, her cheek resting on his shoulder.
"Nothing's wrong, Alex." Isabel keeps watching them. Gagё flicks her spork and the lump of rice smacks Michael in the face. He doesn't even get mad and that's out of his normal. Instead he wipes the rice bits stuck to his cheek and laughs.
"Hey," Alex notices them. "Why don't we sit with them?"
"No." Isabel is quick to pull Alex back into the building. "No, he's… let him enjoy his lunch." She turns to Alex and he's got this curious expression on his face. "He's happy. She's got him laughing… I don't want to make him uncomfortable by just barging in on them."
"Gagё wouldn't mind." Alex notes but with another glance at the pair he agrees with Isabel. "Yeah, then… where to?"
As answer, Alex gets a soft kiss from Isabel. He's smiling as they walk down the hallway, happy but then… there's something that feels ….off. He's been getting that feeling more and more lately, but he pushes it aside once more. He turns to Isabel and gets lost in today, which is easy to do with her.
0+*+*+*+
She's fiddling with the radio when Michael finally opens the door. "Running late?"
"Let's go." He sits and scowls out the windshield as Gagё drives out of town. She doesn't say anything because it's going to annoy him more than his not-girlfriend. And that makes it harder to get a glimpse of the other Michael.
'Rath. That's the other ones name.' She has to remind herself it's not the boy sitting in the passenger seat, but that other him makes her nervous. She doesn't want to admit Rath kinda scares her. What she's been able to see so far hasn't been kind; Rath is angry and violent.
Gagё glances at the boy at her side. 'So maybe there's that in common.'
"What?" Michael's jaw clenches as soon as he snaps at her. It's not her fault Maria was bitching at him. Again. Okay, so maybe Gagё has a little of the blame because Maria saw the Bronco and knew Gagё was waiting for him. Then again, it's not the first time she's picked him up from the diner. They're up to twice a week now since that first night a little over a month ago.
"I can drop you off at home anytime…" she's definitely not going to take his attitude, much less try and force a glimpse if he's just going to be mad. She's the one who ends up paying for it anyway and that's just not fair.
"No." Michael tries to sound 'nice' but he can tell she doesn't believe him. "No, come on-."
"Not happening." She shakes her head and makes the u-turn back to town while ignoring the aborted hand he reaches over to try and stop her.
"I'll do that thing." He says it with just a slight note of desperation, because he really doesn't want to but he'll do it if that'll get her to help him.
"Meditation works when you actually want to center yourself." She glances at him again and shakes her head. "You're not in the mood for it to work and I'm not going through that again."
He remembers and he's honestly not looking forward to the pain once they regain consciousness, either. He's also not looking forward to a night of wondering what they could have found out. The last time...
"It's not just you that wants this to work." Gagё sighs and pulls over. She stares at her hands still on the steering wheel. She picked him as her guinea pig because Michael was the safest choice. So far its worked, he's been … calm..? At least he listens. She's not sure it would've worked out with the other teenage aliens.
"I know." He regrets his bad mood even more, right now. It's been a week since the last attempt, and it hadn't gone well. He tries not to scowl but thinking about Maria's bitching just puts him in a bad mood. And now he's been having the same tired argument with Max.
"Do you?" She's wondered about that. Gagё told him all she needed to know was why. She wouldn't force him to tell her everything, because it wasn't her place to demand that of him. She doesn't think anyone does. Just like telling him her story is her right and all he needs to know about her is that she's willing to help so she can learn to control her gift. It would be impossible to go her whole life avoiding people's touch. "Yes, you're the alien hybrid." She waves him off like it's no big deal, which she knows confuses and annoys him. "I'm just a human. A girl that just happens to be... weird. Not in the normal kind of weird, either. I get to be a weird ... weirdo."
Michael tries to hide his amused grin, but she frowns at him.
"I don't see how it's funny."
"At least the government will leave you alone." He shrugs seeing the annoyed expression she uses to hide the look of sadness, just thinking of what they'd to someone like him. Michael doesn't know what to do with pity, so he gets angry and that always ends up bad.
"Non, they'd take me too, Michael..." She sighs and turns to stare at the road. If she was anything like the teen aliens… there'd be nothing anyone could do to stop the men in black from taking her away.
They sit in silence for a few minutes, not at all in a hurry to get back to town. Michael likes being quiet with her. It doesn't feel like he has to say something and Gagё doesn't ask him a billion questions trying to get him to talk about his feelings. He likes that a lot.
"I miss the moon from the bayou."
Michael kinda frowns but stares at the shinning circle before them. "It's the same one, isn't it?"
Gagё sighs and turns toward him just a bit annoyed. "Non, not the same." Because this is Roswell. Not New Orleans. This isn't home...
"So why here?"
Gagё glances at him again, questioning what he means and says; "Well, I didn't see a parking lot..."
"Not where you decided to park." He scowls. "Why'd you come to Roswell?"
"Ah, you think I have a say on where my parents decide to work?" She laughs, shaking her head. "I'm 16 and my parents allow me to have a say in most things that will affect me. Their jobs, mostly, take us to ...interesting places. This time, it's Roswell." She looks at him again and chuckles shaking her head. "And as it happens, there really are aliens here."
"Ha, ha." He glares.
"Oh stop." She sighs. "I'm not making fun of you. Or aliens..." She leans towards him and pokes his arm. "Quit being such a girl."
Michael glares at her, lips pressed into a tight line but she doesn't flinch away. Instead, she leans closer and grins at him, daring him to stay mad.
"Whatever." He huffs, indignant and sullen as he turns away from her. She laughs and pokes his side which still annoys him but he's not really mad anymore. "Quit." He orders when she pokes him again. He's kinda confused by her reaction to him. Most of the time, people just glare back or stay away from him. Maria would look at him…scared-
"Ooh, is the bear grumpy?" She chuckles and ignores the narrowed eyes now daring her to poke him again. Instead, Gagё chooses to drive on to the road. Michael just sits back, arms crossed until she takes a turn not in the direction of his place. "Non, not taking you home." She smiles at him seeing the side glance. "Unless you want me to..."
"Then where?" because there's nothing for him to do at home except maybe clean up again. He's not looking forward to sitting on the couch and staring at the tv until he finally falls asleep.
She laughs. "What if I'm kidnapping you?"
That makes him laugh. He looks at her, she's a tiny girl and human. He shakes his head because there's no way she'd pull it off.
"Oh, so you're laughing at me." She nods, it's to be expected so she doesn't mind it, too much. "I could, you know. There's ways of making it happen. So don't temp me just to prove I can."
"Okay." He rolls his eyes and stares at the road. It doesn't take long to get back in town and then she's pulling into her driveway. He glances at her but she just smiles and gets out of the Bronco.
"Allez." She waves him out and waits until he finally jumps out. "I am extending an invitation to dinner." She smiles and starts walking to the front door.
"Gagё! What-?"
"Allez, Michael. After dinner we can try again. If you're in a better mood." She warns over her shoulder. The door opens and Michael pauses, he's wary of going in, of sitting at the table and feeling even more out of place than he already does.
"I promise," Gagё steps away from her front door and lightly grabs his sleeve. "We eat, talk about boring academics with my parents… " she smiles and gives his sleeve a little tug. "Then we can try again. Or we can watch a movie. Your choice."
"So you did kidnap me." Michael still feels anxious but at her laugh some of his worry eases.
0+*+*+*+
Maria is complaining about Michael, yet again. Its been the same complaint all month. Liz is having a hard time being a good friend to Maria because its getting tiresome. Worse is the constant fighting in the back of the CrashDown between them. She's tired of promising her Dad it wont happen again….because Liz knows it certainly will. Any time that Gagё drops in…
Then Liz wonders if Maria is fed up with the late night talks about Max that inevitably include conversations of Tess and her sudden arrival in Roswell… Which ends up back where the whole rant began.
Maria is on her latest rant about how Michael has been ignoring her; "And he didn't even call me this weekend. And he said he would, he said we'd hang out." Which had been right before Maria noticed him staring out the pass through window at the new girl sitting at the counter. "Then he never calls and he wasn't even home…" she trails off, embarrassed to have admitted she'd even gone to his apartment looking for him. She'd half expected to find the new girl there. And then being relieved the apartment had been empty.
"Maybe we should both…" Liz trails off as she spots Michael coming down the hallway. She knows Maria's spotted him as well because she's off and the moment Michael sees her, there's a scowl on his face.
Liz actually considers walking off. She wouldn't be a good friend, if she did that. Its just that Liz hadn't thought Maria would be so much work, especially when they both had sort of a similar situation going on. The aliens they'd been dating and the sudden arrival of another girl, in Liz's case its an old flame, a wife, actually. Zan's queen…
That's the part that always hit Liz the hardest. Knowing that Max had a past with Tess, a past the little blond wasn't afraid of reminding him of. Even if Max kept fighting the pull Tess has on him, even if he insists that he would always choose Liz… she can't trust that's real. Liz isn't ever going to forget the things Tess showed them.
"You stood me up!" Maria smacked her hand on Michael's chest as she stepped in to his path.
"Knock it off." Michael glares down at her. He'd been in a good mood and he was upset it was this easy to get mad. This was the part of Rath he'd been working on so hard to control because it didn't help, all that did was hurt him and Gagё when they took those trips into the past.
"Why?" Maria shoved him again and Michael backed up. "What lie are you going to tell me now?"
"I already told you, I'm not interested." Michael snapped. "Don't touch me again." He warned before turning on his heel and walking back the way he'd come.
Liz jumped forward the moment Maria started to go after the alien that had just dumped her. Again. And in front of the stragglers in the hallway.
"Let's go." Liz grabbed Maria's arm and yanked her backwards. "C'mon!"
"He's-." Maria turned red, shiny bright eyes on her. Fresh tears had already spilled down her cheeks.
"Enough." Liz kept pulling her until they were outside of the school and in the parking lot. "No." Liz shook her head and help up a hand to stop whatever fresh tirade Maria was going to start on. "No, we can't keep doing this. To ourselves." She shook her head and looked away from her friend. "Max is…I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. And you need to stop. Just stop!"
"He just humiliated me-."
"You did that!" Liz cut in. "You went after him, Maria. You keep picking fights with him, at school and the Crash Down and I'm tired of talking my Dad out of firing you. Because he's not getting rid of Michael." She points out when Maria tries to defend herself.
"Me?!" her screech is loud enough to scare a flock of birds. "Of course," Maria throws both hands up and turns. "Its my fault. Right?" she glares over her shoulder at Liz. "Its never the guys fault-."
"I didn't say that-." Liz hadn't thought it either but Maria was on a roll and she wasn't going to stop to let her explain.
"How is it ok for Michael to use me!?" Maria screeched even louder then kicked the tires of the car they were standing next to. "Then… this…nobody! She just comes here and Michael…!"
Liz drew in a heavy sigh, watched her friend drop onto the ground and sit there sobbing. She wanted to walk away… she even looked over her shoulder but then Maria blubbered an 'I'm sorry'.
Liz stepped closer and sat next to Maria.
0+*+*+*+
She's not paying attention because she's too busy trying to get a fry out of the bag and not drop her drink in the process. Gagё is startled to find Max just standing there in the dark by her Bronco, that she almost drops her food. She stops, doesn't say anything. There's that image of the older him – the alien version that isn't so nice.
Max is so still, his eyes on her and it irks her; his silence.
"Can you help me?"
Confusion flits over her features. Max can see her eyes narrow on him then quickly flit around to scan the parking lot before she's staring at him again.
"Like you're helping Michael." He clarifies and there's a slight widening of her eyes before she masks what she's feeling. He stops that forward step towards her as Gagё takes a step back. Her eyes dart around wishing someone would come and interrupt this 'proposition' but nope, nobody comes to her rescue.
"Uhm…I'll think about it." But she's not about to go into his head looking around for that alien version. She's seen enough of that war that sent the royal four to Earth. "I better get home." Her arm jerks up with the bag of food. "My parents are waiting."
Max looks at the bag then at her and after a longer pause, moves out of her way. He'll have to try again, another time… But he is going to get answers.
Gagё hurries into her Bronco being super careful not to touch him at all. She'd sigh in relief that he doesn't get near her or offer to help. Gagё drives off, allowing herself that sigh of relief. Her eyes slide over to the bag on the passenger seat. She's thankful Max didn't question why there was only one drink. The easy explanation is because her parents have a late class at the university and she totally just lied in order to get away for the silent psycho.
0+*+*+*+
Isabel is staring at the picture of Gagё. They haven't really spoken since the last dream-walk and its been over a month. She's noticed Michael's interest which has Isabel thinking that Gagё took her grandmother's advice.
Watching them last week, eating and Michael laughing…
Isabel lays back, places the picture on her chest, both hands resting on top and closes her eyes. This time it takes a little longer to connect.
Its darker, the noise is different than before and Isabel runs up to the decrepit old porch and quickly pushes the door open. The light inside comes from the fireplace and the two lanterns on the table. Isabel spots the girl in question laughing.
Gagё looks up, her smile fading as she realizes who it is that walked in on the pre-back-to-school camping trip. She looks back at her friends and they haven't taken notice of Isabel standing just inside the door.
"Je me suis endormi…" Gagё drops her cards and sighs. "Salut, Isabel." She looks up and waits for the blond to explain why she's invading her dream.
"Hi…" Isabel looks around, she's not sure what to say now that she's here. "I'm…"
"Trespassing." Gagё waves off the apology about to come out of Isabel's mouth and stands up. "Son Bien. I suppose you have a good reason and you're here to tell me."
"Right…" Isabel nods and looks again at the group of kids laughing and joking.
"Yes, they're mes amis… and," Gagё casts a sad glance around the cabin. "This is where we'd come before going back to school."
"The camping trip…" Isabel nods and smiles. "I… this is a happy memory for you…"
"Oui, so why are you here?" Gagё steps away from the group and crosses her arms.
Isabel sighs and takes a few steps towards the table with the lanterns. "You've been spending a lot of time with Michael… and…well, I've noticed he's…different-, happy."
Gagё frowns, not sure what Isabel is talking about. "…?"
"What I'm trying to say is," Isabel takes a breath but she can see that Gagё doesn't have a clue of what this means. "He hasn't been… happy. Not like this… and you're the reason. I mean," she laughs and her eyes fall again on the kids by the fire. "You're not like anyone else here. Roswell… and you're not like… other girls."
Gagё scoffs. "Oui, I'm weird."
Isabel smiles but shakes her head. That's not what she'd been thinking. "Well, yeah. That too."
Gagё laughs. "I like that you're telling the truth." She nods towards the teens. "It's a trait my friends and I value. We don't lie to each other and since I will be in Roswell for an indefinite period…" she heaves a sigh and rolls her eyes to the ceiling. "I would like to count you as a friend…" she waits, hoping that the few encounters they've had the past three months can become more than just a passing acquaintance.
"I know about the rumors…" Isabel lowers her gaze just a little bit. She feels bad about it and their part. "Tess-."
"Oh, oui. Je sais ce démon l'a pour moi." Gagё scowls.
"What…?" Isabel frowns.
"She's on my last nerve." Gagё says instead.
They stand in silence for a moment. The light from the fireplace flickers over their faces…
"I'd like us to be friends, Gagё." Isabel almost holds out her hand but she remembers how easily Gagё can pull them into a memory of Vilandra's so she draws back.
Gagё arches a dark eyebrow eyeing the hand Isabel quickly clasps in front of her. "Bien…I'd like that too."
She smiles then looks around and eyes Isabel again. "And, maybe, the next time you'd like to take a tour of my old life…"
"I'll ask." Isabel smiles.
0+*+*+*+
Michael shows up to her house ready for another session. Its been a week and the waiting is what gets to him now that he's seen more of the life they had.
"Hi." Farren opens the door wider and steps aside to let him in and calls for her daughter. "How are the lessons coming along?"
"Uh, fine." Michael answers. His eyes lock on Gagё as she hurries into the living room. She's barefoot and her shirt is more like a dress or maybe it is, he wouldn't know. He frowns at where his thoughts are going and blames it on the time he's been spending with her.
"We'll be upstairs, Mom." She smiles and waves for Michael to follow her.
"Gagё…" Farran calls from the bottom of the stairs. "Do be careful. Its better safe than sorry-."
"Non!" Gagё can feel her face grow hot but she refuses to look at Michael. "Maman, I don't need le discours again." She grabs Michael's arm and shoves him ahead while shaking her head at her Mom who finds it amusing.
"The condoms are in the nightstand. My side, your Father is a little forgetful when he gets excited."
"Oh, diu…" Gagё is mortified and more when she sees Michael trying not to laugh. "Yes, this happens when you get an anthropologist for a Mom." She walks past, making an effort to hide her embarrassment. "Now, Dad, on the other hand… well, he's not so much on the talk but yup he can embarrass me too."
Michael flops on the bed laughing, he's embarrassed as well about the assumption her Mom just made. He hasn't let himself think of her along those lines Gagё is different, she doesn't nag at him, she's not bossy or demanding… they've been hanging out more now, even without their scheduled lesson and he likes that time too. Michael has learned a few things about her; the history of her gift - her grandmother explaining it the first time Gagё freaked out. He was curious about how she was able to see with just a touch, what it took Max and Liz a little more- well, more than just a simple touch. Its not like Michael hasn't thought about that, with Gagё. But he's been afraid to ruin their sessions and what if she turned into another Maria? No, Michael can barely handle that one in doses and really, its not even worth the trouble.
He sits up and frowns because she hasn't taken her usual seat next to him on her bed. "Uh… I'm not… I mean, your Mom…" he rubs a hand over the back of his neck, once again tongue tied. He glances at the closed door and wonders if he should open it-.
"Why did you tell him?" Gagё's soft voiced question draws his eyes to her face. She looks at him, disappointed and sad. "I… you're the one I chose to trust."
Michael is silent. He doesn't know what to say because even as he made the admission to Max it had felt like a betrayal to Gagё.
"He wants me to show him. To help him see that other life." Gagё waits but Michael still doesn't say anything. "I don't want to deal with him." She says just above a whisper. It gets him on his feet and Gagё stops her instinctive step away from Michael.
He stops, just little hurt she'd pull away from him. He knows she's afraid of that other version of him; Rath. Michael has done his best to show her that isn't him, that he wouldn't hurt her… and here it is. He's become protective of her, of their time together and he sure as shit doesn't want her spending time alone with Max.
He's heard her stories of life in New Orleans and the trouble she managed to get into with her friends. Pranks played on the staff at her school, to the point where her parents had to be called. And not one apology from Gagё or remorse, which her parents didn't seem to mind. As long as Gagё took responsibility and accepted the consequences…
It's a side of her that Michael hasn't admitted wanting to see. He'd even follow her to that city she loves and explore it with her… He closes the distance between them, hands almost reaching for her but hesitates.
"Or his witch." She adds with some heat. Gagё looks up at him, her slight frown turning to confusion when she feels his hand on her cheek.
Michael understands, he witnessed some of the mind warps and feels guilty he didn't do anything to stop it. He slips his hand behind her neck and leans into her. She doesn't stop him, doesn't move, doesn't say anything, so he takes that as permission to kiss her.
Gagё isn't sure what it is she wants to do. He's gentle, almost tentative with his kiss which she wasn't expecting. Michael just doesn't seem the type to be gentle and there's Rath …
Michael draws her into his arms, he's trying to keep the past from intruding but with Gagё its not easy. There's a flash of light between them and then the familiar race through galaxies before they are on Antar.
There's a roar, the voices of millions of people screaming and yelling. Explosions rock the building they're in and knock them off their feet.
Michael looks around, sitting up and dragging Gagё next to him against the wall. She drags in a breath and grabs his arm. They've never seen a memory like this one and she's frightened because it feels real. As real as all the memories they've seen since they started.
Another explosion sends a shower of rocks and glass to their left. Its close enough they can feel the heat and Gagё is startled into a yell. Michael hunches over her, trying to protect her from the debris that reaches them. He can feel the heat of the fire at his back and the smoke as it fills the room they're in.
"What is this? Michael?" Gagё pushes off the floor, eyes taking in the destruction and trying not to see the bodies.
"I don't know." Michael gets to his feet and pulls her up. "Come on!" he takes her hand and starts for the nearest exit he can see.
"You don't know where you're going!" Gagё panics and tries to pull out of his grasp but his grip tightens.
Michael stops beside a pillar as another explosion rocks the building. He pulls Gagё into his chest and tries to keep her protected.
"Let go!" she screams but he can barely hear her over all the noise. Gagё shoves on him as another explosion knocks them down. Michael can't keep his hold on her and Gagё pulls away.
Gagё slams into the wall and slides down to the floor, blinking her room into focus and breathing hard.
Michael blinks, he sits up and spots Gagё in front of him. He doesn't know how he ended up on the floor but he's quick to scoot closer though he stops before touching her. He can feel her breath on his face and the wide eyes she quickly scrunches shut. But she can't unsee the bodies from that memory.
Michael lands on his butt again only this time Gagё has her arms wrapped around his neck and her face tucked into his chest.
"I'm sorry." Michael breathes past her ear. He holds her, slowing his breathing and thinking. What they saw was different than any memory from before.
"Did you know?" Gagё pulls away enough to look at him.
He shakes his head. "No. I wouldn't… Gagё…" he really hopes she believes he wouldn't kiss her for some glimpse at the life he had on Antar. They've been to the gardens a few times, in the throne room where Vilandra's corpse had bobbed in the pool in her own blood, watched Rath in training with some of the royal soldiers, all of them in sleek charcoal suits, the crescents on the collar the only sign of rank. They've even been to a banquet where the royal four had sat apart from their subjects and watched them eat, drink and get stupid rowdy.
"You wouldn't let go." She whispers, trying very hard to keep her voice from shaking. Not once in the past 2 months had they ever landed in a memory like that. Yes, there was that argument with Vilandra, Rath and Max where they'd almost come to blows. She'd been shaken by that memory, by the anger she'd felt there. Gagё knew that love could turn to hate and they'd been so angry… she kinda thought it was the reason those four had been killed. Someone had turned their love into hate and they'd been broken, easy prey for the little blond witch that seemed to be repeating her story with Max.
"I'm … Gagё, I'm sorry." He smoothes dark strands out of her eyes with his hand. "I wasn't thinking. I should've let go, I know. I just-." He breathes out the tension and his next words are just a whisper. "I was trying to keep you safe."
It's the truth and with it, Michael realizes Gagё is more than his view into Rath. His instinct had been to get her out of danger, when all he had to do was let go.
0+*+*+*+