Better Than You Knew
AUTHOR: Helen, for now.
DISCLAIMER: Roswell doesn't belong to be, but Max Evans will........lol. I
wish.
RATING: PG-13
SPOILERS: Just the basic Roswell plotline.
CATEGORY: Michael/Isabel
FEEDBACK: YES, YES, YES!!! lol
DISTRIBUTION: Put it anywhere as long as you let me know.
STATUS: Chain Fic.
"While, unremembered and afar,
I watched you, as I watch a star
Through darkness struggling into view,
And loved you better than you knew. "
NY City, 2006
Isabel woke up to the sound of alarm **I HATE that thing** she thought.
She got out of bed and went to tak a shower. She blew her hair dry in front
of
a mirror and sat there for a while She finally got up and went out
in the
morning room. As she went through her mail, she switched on the messages
on
her answering machine. She absently listened to all the messages as she
read
her mail. There was one from her 'boyfriend', one from some girl from
Sorority. There were bunches of messages from guys she knew from college.
Then there was Alex's message, he wanted to know if she got "THE
news". Isabel frowned and forwarded through the rest of the messages until she came
to the one from Liz Parker. She hadn't talked to her in like forever.
She
put away her mail and gave the message her full attention as memories came
rushing back to her. Liz sounded very happy.
"Hello? Isabel. I know I should wait until I actually get to talk to you but I HAVE to tell you! Max wanted to be the one to tell you, but I beat him to it. Max and I are getting married!" Liz shriked happily. "In 2 weeks. I know you are on a vacation, so you have to come!!! Plus, it's long overdue. We haven't seen you in like a year. And that was only for a day. You and Maria will have to be in charge of everything. God, I am babbling. So call me when you get the message. Max will be calling you too" Liz hung up.
Isabel just stared at the phone. She had always known that Liz and Max would end up getting married. But then again, she had also thought that her and Michael were meant for each other. Instead he had married........
Maria came on: "Hello Isabel? It's Maria. DeLuca. Remember?" Maria laughed nervously. "I just got a call from Liz. And I was hoping that you would be coming. It's been years since I have talked to you. Well, give me a call" Maria hung up.
Isabel sighed. She hadn't talked to Maria since her divorce with Michael 2 years ago. She hadn't talked to Michael in years. She took out her electronic diary and looked for Maria's number. When she found it, she dialed.
"Hello?" Maria picked up the phone.
"Hey. This is Isabel." she said uncertainly.
"Oh, Isabel! I am glad you called. It's been such a long time." she said.
"Yea." Isabel said.
"So are you going to the wedding?" Maria asked.
"It's Max's wedding. Of Course I am going! Plus it won't be as good if I am not there." Isabel said confidently.
"So what have you been doing?" Maria asked.
"Currently, I am taking time off. You?" she asked.
"I am studying to become a psychiarist." Maria replied.
*A psycho psychiarist* Isabel thought *how ironic* "It's great." She said.
Maria flinched at Isabel's sarcastic tone. "Well, Isabel. It seems like we're kind of getting off on the wrong start here. So let's just . . . see how things go at the wedding. If I go. All right?
Isabel regretted being mean. "Yes, sure. It WAS nice of you to call. See you at the at the wedding."
"Yeah. See ya" Maria said, thinking. **And good luck getting your Texas size ego across the New York border**
Isabel hung up the phone and let her thoughts drift. She didn't hate Maria. Not really. Maria was actually very nice. In fact, she didn't even hate Michael. She was so over him. Or at least that's what she had been telling herself since that day.........
**Flashback**
Graduation Day...........
Isabel was getting ready for the after-graduation party. Isabel took out a
blue slip dress and put it on. Michael was supposed to pick her up
in 15 minutes scine Max and Liz had left together. She was planning on telling
him
how she felt about him. Tonight. In the 2 months that Michael
had broken up with Maria, him and Isabel had regained their closeness. Michael
occasionally flirted with her and she could tell that he liked her.....a lot.
She smiled as she put on light make up and pulled her hair back. As
she was putting on her shoes, Michael came in.
"You ready yet, Iz?" he asked, sitting down on her bed.
Isabel looked up at him and smiled. She nodded and stood up. "Let's go." she said.
Michael grabbed her hand and pulled her down beside him. "Wait. I have something to tell you." he said, smiling brightly.
Isabel smiled. "What is it?" she asked.
"You are the first one I am telling this too........." Michael paused.
Isabel held her breath.
He went on. "Maria and I are back together and we are getting married in June!" he said.
Isabel blinked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Just when she had started thinking that there was hope for them.......... "That's great, Michael." Isabel said finally, trying her best to hide her feelings. She even managed to smile.
"You did not see the bitter trace
Of anguish sweep across my face;
You did not hear my proud heart beat
Heavy and slow beneath your feet: "
********Flashback end********
Isabel pulled herself out of her thoughts. Michael and Maria had gotten married that summer. Isabel had not atteneded the wedding, she had spent that day with Alex........and the night. After making love with Alex, she had cried all night while he had tried his best to comfort her. She had always thought that her first time would be with Michael, then again, she had also thought that he was in love with her. She had felt bad for using Alex like that but she was on the rebound. Michael hadn't gone to college; he had started up some stock exchange business and made a fortune. Maria had started college 2 years ago, after her divorce. Isabel sighed. She was over Michael now and she will have no problem spending 2 weeks with him. At least that's what she told herself. Isabel picked up the phone to get the next filght to Roswell.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning, Isabel arrived in Roswell, along with her 15 suitcases.
"Isabel!" she heard Max call and turned to find him and Liz standing not 2 feets away.
Isabel walked over to them and hugged Max first and then Liz. "I am so glad that you guys are finally getting married." Isabel said. She really was getting tired of their on and off love affair.
Liz smiled. "It's great that you are here. Now, i can finally go shopping for my wedding dress." she said.
"That's the only reason you wanted me to come?" Isabel said, making a face.
"Exactly." Liz said, looking at Isabel's luggage. "So you are finally moving back to Roswell?" she joked.
Isabel started to say something but just then she saw Michael coming up to them and her heart started beating faster. **I AM over him** she said to herself. Michael smiled brightly seeing her. Isabel smiled back and hugged him akwardly. "Michael" she said.
"Wow, you recognized me!" Michael said, sarcastically. "I was beginning to think that you didn't remember me." he said.
"Bite me, Michael." Isabel said.
"Where?" Michael asked, grinning.
"Can we go now?" Liz asked. "I have a project due that I really have to work on." she said.
Isabel looked at her. "You are not out yet?"
Liz led the way. "Almost. We have this one big final project and then I'll be done. Most people are out. It's just for antanomy classes."
Isabel nodded and followed her out the airport.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I need to get to work" Liz said pulling away from Max. "It has to be done by tomorrow night." she said.
"You have been working on that for 2 days already." Max complained.
"Well, it's not my fault that I can't draw." Liz stood up and walked to the table.
"Who can't draw?" Michael asked, walking in the living room.
Max sighed. Liz looked at Michael. "Me. I have this project thing........."
"I'll draw for you." Michael offered.
"I don't think........." Liz started.
"Let him do it, Liz." Isabel said walking in. "We need to go shopping!" she finished excitedly.
Michael rolled his eyes. Isabel ignored him, like she had been doing since she arrived. Though it was getting harder. That's why she wanted to get away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning, Isabel was up early. She took a shower and put on a pair of jeans and skin-tight red shirt. She figured that everyone else was still sleeping, so she went down to get some breakfast. As she was passing through the living room, she saw Michael working on what she figured was Liz's project.
"Hey, Izzy. Come help me with this." Michael said as she passed by.
Isabel groaned. "What is it?" she asked in not a very friendly tone.
"It won't take but a minute." he said. "I need to trace a human.....i mean a person......for this thing.........then fill out the body parts like.........."
"Spare me the details." Isabel said. "What do you want me to do?"
Michael smiled. "Just lie down here so I can trace your outline"
Isabel started to protest.
"I am doing this so you and Liz can go shopping." he added.
Isabel sighed. "Fine." she said as she walked over to the table and lied down on the sheet of white paper. "This is so dumb!" she said.
Michael picked up his pen and looked down at her, frowning. "Isabel....." he said. "Could you........well.........spread your legs a little?" he said.
Isabel burst out laughing as she obliged. "Be gentle, Michael" she said as Michael bent down to trace her.
"Funny." he said.
Then Isabel fell silent as Michael started tracing her. As he started to trace her upper body, his hand brushed against the side of her breast and Isabel felt her body responding to his touch. **Damn** she thought and closed her eyes. Then she noticed that Micahel had stopped. She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her. "Michael?" she whispered uncertainly.
Michael didn't say anything as he brought his mouth down on hers. Isabel didnt even think of resisting as she kissed back. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his came around her waist.
"Michael?" Max called from the stairs.
Isabel quickly pulled away. What was she doing? Michael glared at Max as he entered the room.
"What are you two doing up so early?" Max asked as he walked towards the kitchen.
"Stuff" Michael said as Isabel got off the table and followed Max to the kitchen. Michael shook his head slightly as he got back to drawing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Isabel took out a deep violet colored skirt & blouse and put it on. She put on simple jewelry and light make up. She smiled as she put her hair up in a french twist. Liz and Max had gone out. She was having dinner with Michael in the garden. As she started to leave the room, she wondered what the hell she was doing. It wasn't like Michael and her were dating. All he did was kiss her and here she was acting like she was 16 years old again. Isabel looked back in the mirror and took out the pins from her hair and left her hair down. She was still in love with him and she hated it. But at least now he knew she was alive. This time around, she was going to get him. She walked down the stairs and out to the garden only to find Michael hugging Maria.........who seemed to have just arrived.........out in the garden. He seemed to have forgotten that Isabel was even alive. Isabel tried her best to hold back her tears as she ran back inside. As she entered her room, she came to a decision: she was NOT going to allow Michael to do this to her again. Ever. She was over him now.....this time for real.
"That every step of high emprise
But left me lowlier in your eyes:
I watched the distance as it grew,
And loved you better than you knew. "