Title: Better Than You Knew
Author: Trinity Day
E-mail: trinityday@hotmail.com
Spoilers: Basic Roswell plotline
Category: Michael/Isabel
Feedback:  What do you think?  Of course I want feedback.  I live for
feedback.  It is my bread and water (and my junk food, too)
Distribution: Umm, anywhere the rest of it is archived.
Status: Chain Fic
Rating: This part's probably R.
Note:  This part as a UC (as in Isabel and someone else).  Don't
worry, it's not a love thing, Isabel's still head over heels in love
with Michael.
Previous parts can by found at my site,
http://alienattraction.tripod.com

*        *        *

Part 3

Isabel had a miserable night.  After wandering around aimlessly for
an hour, she stumbled into a club.  That only served to make her even
more depressed.  She watched everyone around her dancing and laughing
with their friends.  The few people who, like her, were there on
their own, were hanging out at the bar, getting drunk.  She couldn't
even drown her miseries like any normal human being.

After a few drunken advances Isabel was ready for the alcohol,
consequences be damned.  Only the fear that she, while in a drunken
stupor, would go back to Michael and confess everything, making an
ass out of herself, stopped her.  He had made it perfectly clear who
he wanted.  Isabel was not going to make a fool out of herself.

Finally Isabel could take no more.  She left the club, ignoring the
yells of the angry people she bumped into as she rushed out.  She
started to walk, fast and furious, trying to burn the memories of
Michael out of her head.

The next thing she knew, Isabel was in front of the library.  That's
when she lost it.  She sat down and burst into tears.

The library was the place all those years ago where she had made her
promise to Michael.  That no matter what happened, she would always
be there for him.  It was her first attempt at trying to tell Michael
her feelings.  It was also her first big failure.  No matter what she
did, Michael always went back to Maria.  *Just like tonight,* a
little voice said.  Isabel told the little voice to shut up.

"Isabel?  Isabel Evans?" a hesitant voice called out from across the
street.

Isabel quickly stopped crying, wiped away her tears and looked up to
see who it was.  "Kyle?" she exclaimed incredulously.  "Kyle
Valenti?"

Kyle smiled brightly as he trotted over to her.  "I haven't seen you
in years," he said.  When he got closer, he stopped suddenly as he
got a better look at her face.  "Are you alright?" he asked, alarmed.

Isabel realized that it must be apparent that she had being crying.
"I'm fine," she said, but her voice wavered.

"No you're not," Kyle said.  "What's wrong?"  He sat down beside her.

Isabel couldn't stand it any longer.  She burst into tears, burying
her face into his shoulder.  Kyle was surprised at first, but then he
pulled her closer and let her cry.

"Shh," he said soothingly.  "It's alright."

Isabel felt bad about doing this to Kyle.  She hadn't seen him since
graduation.  They had been close during the last year of high school;
Isabel had even dated him once or twice.  But after grad, Isabel cut
the ties from almost everyone in her former life.  She had been
determined to start anew.

"What's the matter?" Kyle asked when Isabel's sobs had become less
hysterical.

"It's nothing," Isabel said.

"It's obviously not nothing.  Something's upset you."

Isabel stopped crying.  She sniffed.  "Michael," she whispered
inaudibly.

Then, without warning, it started to rain.  Not just rain, but pour.
Isabel shrieked and leapt up, trying in vain to cover herself from
the rain.

Kyle, who had also jumped up, had taken off his jacket and held it
above his and Isabel's head.

"C'mon," he shouted over the noise of the rain.  "My house is just
down the street."

Together they sprinted to Kyle's house.  He pulled out the key and
unlocked the door as quickly as possible.  The rushed inside, slammed
the door and leaned against it, panting breathlessly.

Kyle walked down the hall, turning into a room on left.  Isabel
followed him.

He had led her into his living room.  He pulled two blankets from the
couch.  He draped one around Isabel's shoulders and wrapped the other
one around himself.

"Thanks," Isabel said, shivering.

It was too much to handle.  She hadn't been in the best state of mind
to begin with, but now that she was cold and wet, she was worse.
Tears were streaming down her face, but she hoped Kyle would mistake
them for raindrops.

She had no such luck.  Kyle noticed and pulled her into his arms
again.  Isabel sobbed silently into his chest again.  It just seemed
as if the world was against her tonight.

Without knowing what she was doing, Isabel tilted her head up and
found Kyle's mouth.  She started to kiss him softly.  He deepened the
kiss.  The next thing she knew, they were frantically tearing each
other's clothes off.  The fell to the floor, still kissing.

When Isabel woke up the next morning, she was lying beside Kyle.
Both of them were naked.

She grabbed the blanket and clutched it to her breast, trying to hide
her nakedness.  The action woke Kyle up.  He turned over sleepily and
looked at her.

"Oh, god, oh god," Isabel said.  She was rocking slightly back and
forth.

Kyle was now fully awake and he looked just as horrified.  "We
didn't, did we?"

Isabel nodded.  "We did."

"Oh god," Kyle said.  "I have a girlfriend!" he exclaimed.  "How
could we do this?"

"I'm sorry," Isabel said.  "It was my fault.  I was upset over the
Michael thing."

Kyle cut her off.  "It wasn't just your fault.  I'm to blame too.  I
could've stopped you.  I should've stopped you."

"I shouldn't've started in the first place," Isabel said.  She got
up, the blanket still wrapped around her, and gather her clothes.  "I
should go," she said, getting dressed as quickly as she could.

Kyle pulled some boxers on and walked her to the front door.

"I'm sorry about this," Isabel said again.

"Me too," Kyle said.  Then Isabel left.

*        *        *

Michael was pacing back and forth.  "Where is she?" he asked for the
millionth time.

"I don't know," Maria said, very annoyed, from the couch.  She had
fallen asleep there the night before.  She and Michael had waited up
for Isabel to come home.  Maria given up and gone to sleep around
three in the morning.  Michael hadn't.  He had paced the entire
night.

"Where could she be?" he asked.

"I *don't* *know,*" Maria yelled.  "I don't know now, I didn't know
then and I won't know next time you ask me, so STOP!"

Michael stopped his pacing long enough to scowl at her.

"Argh!" Maria exclaimed.  She turned over on the couch and buried her
head under her pillow.

That's when Maria heard the door open.  She got up and saw Isabel
come in.  Isabel looked awful.

"Where were you?" Michael demanded.

"Out," Isabel said shortly, avoiding Michael's eyes.

"Out where?"

"With my friend.  The one I had dinner with."

"Why didn't you come back till now?" Michael asked.

Isabel glared at him.  "Why do you think?" she asked sarcastically.
Then she ran upstairs to her room, leaving Michael standing
dumbfounded in the hall.  Maria could hear a door slam.

"Ouch," Maria said to herself.

Michael didn't answer.  Isabel hadn't closed the front door.  He
slammed it and kicked it several times for good measure.

"Are you alright?" Maria asked quietly.

"What do you think?" Michael said nastily.  He stormed into the
kitchen.  Maria followed him.

"I'm sorry, Michael," said Maria.

Michael laughed bitterly.  "Why are you sorry?  It's nothing I
shouldn't've expected.  I mean, I never told Isabel how I feel.  What
else could I expect from her?"

Maria was going to answer, but was interrupted by Liz and Max.

"What's all the noise about?" Liz asked.  She was rubbing her eyes
sluggishly.

"Nothing," Maria said.  "Michael and Isabel has a little fight."

Max frowned.  "She's back, then?"

"She just got in," Maria confirmed.

Michael was staying out of the conversation.  He was staring out the
window, ignoring them.  Max looked at him.  He had a troubled
expression on his face.  He didn't say anything about it, though.

Liz yawned and stretched.  "May as well get up, then.  What time is
it anyways?"

Max looked at the clock on the stove.  "Nine."

Liz sat down at the table.  She looked at Max.  "Will you make me
some breakfast?" she asked, sticking her lower lip out slightly.

Max laughed and kissed her lightly.  "Of course, love.  Anything for
you."

Michael made a strangled noise and left the kitchen.  Liz stared
after him.  "What's his problem?" she asked.

Max and Maria exchanged a glance. Maria got the feeling that Max knew
exactly what was bothering his friend.

Neither of them answered Liz.

End Part 3
So who's going to pick it up?
Trinity Day