Disclaimer: Not mine but i wish Max was!
Summary: Isabel left Roswell in order to get away from destiny and her mixed up life but she found herself in more trouble. When she comes across the roswell gang again, will they be able to help her out?
Pairing: UC & CC
Note: Continuation will be posted soon. Please tell me what you think so far!

Fleeing Love

PART 1

She sat huddled in the corner of her room, dirty tear streaks down her cheeks. Her once bright, twinkling brown eyes were now dull and lifeless. A pool of sadness and loss. She let her blond hair fall limply around her face, so that he wouldn't see her cry. He hated it when she cried. She didn't want to make him anymore angrier than he already was, especially when he was drunk.

*God, what did I see in him anyway? * She wondered for the hundredth time that day. He had seemed so wonderful and caring when they were dating. She was so smitten by his good looks and rich life and the normal life he offered, that she accepted his marriage proposal. But once they got married, his demeanour changed. She let out a bitter laugh. *Who would have thought that Isabel Evans…Isabel Moore would be so helpless? * She hated her life, hated it with a passion. But she didn't have the guts to do anything about it. Richard held such a power over her, not of love but of fear. Fear of being seen as a failure.

As she sat there, crying she wondered for the millionth time what everyone was doing. Max, Michael… * God, they must be so worried! And Alex! * She felt so bad for breaking his heart the way she did. She had trampled on it, broken it into a million pieces. She would never forget the hurt in his eyes, but which was only laced with love. Love for her, always for her. *I'm paying now Alex. * She told him silently. *I'm paying for what I did to you! *

She never thought that life would take such a turn for her. After graduation, she had packed up and left to get away from all the destiny crap. She thought that if she just went away from Michael, from Alex then maybe life would seem to make sense. But she had just fallen deeper and this time she had no one to pull her back up.

The door clicked open and she stared wide-eyed towards it. *Please Richard, stay away! Not tonight! * She silently pleaded. Her husband stood leering over her.

“What a waste!” he sneered as she cowered away. “To think I married garbage like you!” Isabel closed her eyes as he kicked her swiftly in the ribs. Tears trickled down her face but there was no sympathy from Richard. “You should have stayed in that crappy small town where you belonged!” he slurred, his voice dripping with hatred and superiority.

Isabel sat cringing slightly waiting for the beatings, but was relieved when he just threw the whisky bottle at the wall above her and left. She glanced around at the wet plush carpet scattered with glass. She shook the fragments out of her hair and winced when she saw the cut on her arm. It was bleeding but she could do nothing to heal it.

She felt too weak to use her powers. She wondered whether she had any at all. She felt too weak to do anything. Richard left her drained. She silently thanked god that he didn't know about her ‘special ness'. It wasn't much use anymore. She couldn't even dream walk now.

Suddenly a fire went through her. She had enough. She had to get out of here. She wiped away her tears and grabbed a duffel bag with shaking hands. She packed it with whatever she could lay her hands on. Then without a backward glance she left her plush New York apartment.

*****

*Oh my god! What am I doing? * Isabel wondered as she walked down the New York streets. *What good is this? * She pulled her light sweater closer to her freezing body. In her hurry to leave, she had forgotten to take her jacket and it was cold. She glanced around and weighed her options. There was nowhere she could go.

*He's going to find me and he'll be even angrier! * Isabel thought, scared. She had to go back home. She had nowhere else to go. She didn't have enough money to go back to Roswell; hell, she didn't have enough for a cab. She briefly wondered about Max but she didn't know where he was or any of the others for that matter. She had never kept in touch. She had just left it all behind her.

*I have nowhere to go! * Isabel realised how lonely her life had become. Where were all those friends she was once surrounded by? She had to go back. She had no choice. She looked up to see where she was and found herself outside Central Park. She walked further in, trying to get away form the chill wind. She thought about what she would say to Richard when she got back, when he would ask her where she was. She thought about going home to Roswell.

*I'm so tired. * She thought wearily as she slumped on the bench. *I'll just rest here for a few minutes and leave. * But even as she said this, her eyes fluttered close. She felt herself being pulled into her dreams. *Funny, it used to feel this way when I dream walked Alex. * She briefly thought, but then she fell asleep.

****

PART 2

Alex looked around and felt confused. He could have sworn he was at home in his apartment. *What is this place? * He wondered, looking at the greyish surroundings. Dead trees were scattered over a desert. *This looks like Roswell! * He thought. *I'm in someone's dream! * He realised. *But who's and how? * He began to walk around, taking in the surroundings. He couldn't believe how gloomy this place was. It was as if for this person happiness had ceased to exist.

He stopped walking suddenly. He had heard someone sobbing. “Hello?” he called out, walking slowly towards where he heard the sound come from. The sobbing grew louder and it sounded familiar. Suddenly it struck him who was sobbing. “Isabel!” he cried out in disbelief.

After a moment's pause, he heard a weak voice call out. “Alex?”

“Isabel!” Alex said rushing towards the barren trees from where the voice came from. *Oh god! This is her sub-conscious? What had happened in all these years that made her like this? * He wondered horrified. The dream walks he remembered were so colourful and full of life before. Never so dead and lifeless. He stopped short when he found Isabel cuddled into a ball crying. She looked so lost and trapped, as if the walls were caving in on her. *Is this how she feels? * He thought. Alex reached down and grabbed her, shaking her lightly. “Isabel! Izzy!” He cried out, trying to stop her sobbing, but she just kept on crying.

*****

Alex sat up in bed abruptly, gasping for breath. His forehead was beaded with sweat. His papers were scattered all over his floor but he couldn't care less. Those images of Isabel! He couldn't get them out of him mind. He had never felt their contact so strongly in all these years as right now. He knew she was in trouble and she had called out to him.

He hurried out of bed and put on some clothes. He grabbed whatever he could find, jeans, and an old sweatshirt. He had no idea what to do but he felt he had to go look for her. He grabbed his jacket on his way out and hurried downstairs onto the cold New York streets. He wasn't even sure whether she was in this city or not, but he hoped the park he saw in a flash was Central Park. It looked familiar enough. *What happened? * His mind screamed. *Why did Isabel feel so scared? *

He hurried his steps as he almost ran to the park. He looked frantically at every place he could think of. He was about to give up when he saw a head of gold. His heart stopped as he saw Isabel lying cold and wet on the park bench. “@#%$!” he swore as he hurried over to her. He propped her up gently. She felt so cold and clammy, as if she had no life left in her.

He patted her cheek gently, worried beyond belief. “Isabel! Wake up! Izzy, please wake up!” he pleaded. Slowly her eyes fluttered open. The dazed look in her eyes made him take in his breath sharply. She seemed so lost.

“Alex?” she asked weakly. “What are you doing here?”

Alex smoothed her matted, dull blond hair away from her face as he helped her up. He put his jacket around her shoulders to keep her warm. She let herself fall against him. “Shh, come on Izzy. Let's take you home.”

She nodded drunkenly. “Home…yeah…”

Alex stared sadly at her, knowing that she had no idea what was happening. She seemed so broken. He thanked God that he had found her in time. He managed to walk her home and up to his apartment. He led her to the couch and lowered her down gently.

“Alex?” Maria's voice floated down the hall. “What's going on?”

“Nothing Maria.” Alex told her over his shoulder as he covered Isabel with blankets. “Go back to sleep.”

A very pregnant Maria waddled into the den. “Why did you-” she broke off, staring wide-eyed at the sight in front of her. “Oh my gosh! Isabel!” She hurried over as quickly as her weight allowed. “What happened? How did you find her?” she asked frantically.

Alex had a crazed look in his eyes. “I felt her Maria! I saw her in my dream and had to look. I found her like this in Central Park!”

“Oh God!” Maria cried. “Izzy!”

Alex soothed her, even though he himself was worried. “Go back to bed Ria. You need your rest!” he told her gently.

“No!” Maria argued. “I am staying here. I have to call the others.”

Isabel managed to open her eyes slightly when she heard that. Through her fog she realised Maria was here with Alex and pregnant! “Hey Maria!” she greeted weakly. “You're pregnant!” With that she promptly fell back to sleep.

****

PART 3

Maria grabbed the phone sitting on the coffee table and hit speed dial. She hoped Liz did not have a night shift today. *Come on Lizzie! Pick up! * Maria ordered silently. After three rings a sleepy Liz picked up the phone.

“Hello?” She answered groggily.

“Liz! Get Max and get to Alex's quick!” Maria commanded

“Maria what's wrong? It's three in the morning? Are you okay?” Liz asked, sleep shaken from her by Maria's frantic screaming.

“It's Izzy! Alex found her in a park and my God, Lizzie she's so cold! Please hurry!” Maria pleaded

Liz sat straight up in bed, shaking Max, who was sleeping next to her, awake while she told Maria what to do. “What's wrong Liz?” Max asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“It's Isabel! She's at Alex's!” Liz hissed, covering the mouthpiece with her hand, while Maria ran to get some blankets.

“Please hurry Liz!” Maria begged.

“We're on our way!” Liz told her.

By the time Liz had hung up Max was already pulling on some clothes. Liz grabbed whatever was close and hurried to get some medical equipment of hers.

“Max, it's going to be okay.” Liz told him. Max was driving so fast, that Liz was clutching the door handle. But she kept silent, knowing how worried Max was. Max just nodded as he sped to Alex's house.

****

Maria pulled the blankets around Isabel in hopes of warming her freezing body. She noticed the cut on her hand and wondered if it needed stitches. It was still bleeding slightly. She prayed that Liz and Max get here quickly.

She heard Alex come into the den, laden with gauze and washcloths. “Here, it's to help stop the bleeding.” He told her as he handed the stuff over to her.

Maria gently wrapped the gauze around her hand and hoped that it would do until Liz could see it. “Did you call Michael at his hotel?” she asked.

Alex nodded. “Yeah. He's on his way here. He said he'd grab the first flight he can find.”

Maria bit her lip and nodded. She could imagine the panic Michael must be in. She remembered how worried he had become when Isabel had left Roswell all those years ago. He had searched for her in everyway possible. She remembered how devastated both he and Max were when they could not find her. *He holds everyone so close now. Almost as if afraid that they would also leave him. * Maria realised. Isabel and Max had been his only family and to have that family torn apart had been tough for him.

The doorbell rang and soon Liz and Max were rushing into the den. *How fast did Max drive? It must not have been ten minutes since I called! * Maria wondered, but soon her concern for Isabel drove that thought away.

“Izzy!” Max whispered upon seeing her. “What happened to her?”

“I don't know! I saw a dream…and well it's a long story but I found her like this in Central Park!” Alex told them as he watched Liz examine her.

“We have to get her out of these clothes!” Liz told them. “Someone give me a hand. Alex can I borrow some of your sweats?”

Alex nodded and hurried to get them while Liz and Max led a barely conscious Isabel to Alex's room.

After the guys had left, Maria helped Liz change Isabel.

“Isabel, honey. I need you to help me.” Liz said soothingly. “Do you understand?”

Isabel gave no answer but just looked serenely at her and held up her hands. Maria looked sadly at her. “She was like this when Alex brought her.” Maria told Liz as she handed her the top. “What do you think happened?”

Liz shook her head. “I don't know…ohmigod!”

“What?”

“Look at these bruises?” Liz said taking in a sharp breath. “They are all over her ribs and hands.”

Maria stared wide-eyed at the blackish-purple marks. “How did she get these? Some of these look pretty bad!” Maria exclaimed.

“Maybe Max can heal them?” Liz asked hopefully. But Maria shook her head.

“No he can't. Michael once told me that they can't really heal bruises. Their DNA doesn't allow it.”

“But Max heals his own cuts.” Liz told her, perplexed.

“Sure they can heal cuts and scrapes but black eyes and bruises…he couldn't at least.”

“Then I have to bandage it. At least the one on the ribs. The cut on her arm is not that bad. I'll just clean it up and bandage it.” Liz said going into her doctor mode, as Max liked to call it.

After everything was done Liz told Maria to go back to bed. She protested but Alex made sure she did. “You are in no position to exert yourself.” Max told her. “Try and get some rest. We'll wake you when Michael gets here.” When Maria just glared at him, he gave her a small smile. “I promise Maria!”

She sighed and nodded. She was tired. All this had really exhausted her. Plus she knew with Lizzie, Max, and Alex, Isabel would be fine.

Once Maria had gone into her room, Max pounced on Alex. “What happened? How did you find her?” Max demanded.

Alex sat down wearily on the couch, rubbing his aching head. “It's a long story. I'm not even clear on some parts of it. I guess only Isabel can help us out on those.”

“Well then tell us your tale! I mean, for gods sake! She has been missing for five years Alex!” Max said feverishly. “Five long years. Five years of worry, about how she is, where she is and suddenly you find her! In New York of all places! What are the odds?”

Liz laid a comforting hand on Max's shoulder. “Max, it would do no good to panic. Let Alex rest, he can tell us when Michael gets here.” She turned to Alex, who gave her a grateful smile. He wasn't up to recounting the details. His mind was too confused. “You did call him, didn't you?” Liz asked.

Alex looked at her, distracted. “What? Oh yeah, I did. He'll be here by morning.”

He watched Max laid his head on Liz's lap and she stroked his hair. He got up from the couch and headed to his room. He watched Isabel sleep. Her golden hair laid spread across the pillow. She looked so peaceful while sleeping. It was as he remembered her. But the look in her eyes, when he saw her was something he soon wouldn't forget. He wanted to know what had happened. He had so many questions for her. But they would have to wait. He curled up on the rocking chair in the corner of his room. He would watch over her tonight. It looked like she needed a friend.

****

PART 4

Max jumped awake when he heard the door click open and a second later Michael came barrelling in. “Gee Michael You could have knocked. People might get suspicious if they see you opening a lock with your powers.” Max commented.

“Where is she?” he bellowed, ignoring Max.

“Michael, calm down!” Liz said, getting up from the chair.

Michael whirled around, seething with unrepressed rage. “Calm down? Calm down!” he yelled. Then he quickly lowered his voice to menacing growl. “It's seven in the morning. I have been on a plane for three hours; I'm jerked awake by the news that my long lost sister is back! I'm hungry and worried sick! You tell me to calm down!”

“Well…since you put it that way…”Max began. Michael began to head towards Alex's room.

Liz gave Max a glare before running up to Michael and catching hold of him. “Wait, wait, wait!” Michael gave her a frustrated glare. “You might not want to disturb her. She's had a tough night.”

Michael paused, considering Liz's request. Finally, he nodded reluctantly. “Okay. Can I see her though? I promise I won't wake her.”

Liz nodded and led him quietly to the room. Michael stood near her bed, watching her sleep. He noticed Alex get up from the rocking chair and stand behind him. It was a comforting gesture. Michael knew that Alex was taking good care of her. *She looks so vulnerable. * He thought as he looked at Isabel for the first time in five years. He glanced at the bandages and asked, “What happened?”

“Cuts and bruises.” Max told him.

“How did you find her?”

“Let's come outside. It's a long story.” Alex told him. Michael stood stubbornly next to the bed, not wanting to leave. Max gently pulled him away.

“We'll be right here. Nothing will happen.” Max told him. Michael finally took his eyes of her frail body and followed Alex and Max back to the den. Liz was pouring coffee into mugs. “You might want to wake up your wife.” Liz told him. “We promised we would when you arrived.”

Michael smiled slightly as he headed down to Maria's room. She spent so many days here that it was now converted from a guest room to her bedroom. Michael sighed. He wished he was home more but his work often took him to other cities for a couple of days.

He shook Maria awake. She rolled over and smiled when she saw him. “Hey pixie!” he whispered, kissing her lightly.

“Hey Spaceboy. When did you come back?” she asked.

“A while ago.” He answered but his smile faded. “I saw Isabel.”

Maria looked sad as she hugged him. “She'll be fine, now that we're here.”

“Yeah.” He agreed. “Now come on. Alex wants to tell us what happened.”

He gently guided Maria to the den and placed her on the couch. He sat next to her, with her feet on his lap. Max sat on the love seat with Liz while Alex placed himself on the chair.

He sat and looked around nervously. “Well…this is confusing even for me.” He began. “I don't know how it happened. I don't think Izzy meant to do it…but it just…happened.”

“Stop stalling! What happened?” Michael demanded.

“Dream walking! I managed to dream walk Isabel. Not her dream but her sub conscious. It was the gloomiest place I had seen. There was no life in her, as if she never experienced happiness.” Alex's eyes had a far off look, filled with horror and deep sadness. “It was not the Isabel I knew. I found her in a ball crying. She called out to me but then kept crying, as if something was suffocating her. The place felt so lonely and trapped. In that one moment, I felt whatever she felt and it shook me. Such despair and utter helplessness. Before I managed to talk to her, I was pulled back out. I had flash, before the dream ended. Off Central park so I took a hunch and went to look for he there. After what I had seen, I had to go on a whim to check. I found her on a park bench, barely conscious and freezing.”

Alex stopped and glanced around the room. Liz and Maria were crying and Max and Michael were staring stone-faced at him. “I brought her here and well, then Maria came and bandaged her up a bit and warmed her. Liz then checked her up, so she should know what happened.”

Everyone turned to Liz. She sniffled as she began to tell them about the bruises and cuts. Everyone sat horrified as Liz described the bruises.

“We-we can't heal them…”Max began.

“I know.” Liz told him.

“But how did she get them? Was she hurt?” Alex asked.

Maria shook her head. “Who knows? We have to wait for Isabel to wake up and clear up a few details.” * Like the last five years for instance. *

tbc..