Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own anything that is related to the awesome show "Roswell", but I can dream, can’t I?

Summary: A new student shows up at Roswell High and shows an instant interest in Isabel, but is the guy really who he says he is? Alex is suspicious, and when Isabel’s date with the new guy goes horribly wrong, Isabel has to face the biggest challenge of her life— would she be able to make a decision like Max’s? Would she change fate to save a friend’s life?

**********

Isabel was standing at her locker, listening to her friend Jenny ramble on about her manicure when the new student walked through the doors of Roswell High. Jenny caught a glimpse of him over Isabel’s shoulder, and her story about her “fabulous” French manicure ended as quickly as it had began.

“Well, who do we have here?” Jenny asked, studying the guy.

Isabel turned to see what Jenny was talking about. She smiled slightly as she replied, “New kid.”

“Has potential, don’t you think?”

Isabel shrugged gently. “I suppose he’s kinda cute.”

Isabel smiled softly as she studied the boy. He wasn’t *kinda*. He was *extremely* cute. He had a lean 6’1 frame and short sandy blonde hair that he kept running his fingers through. Isabel wondered what color his eyes were, but she couldn’t get a glimpse of them because he was staring down at a piece of paper she assumed to be his class schedule.

Jenny grinned. “*Kinda* cute? Your standards are even too high for me, Isabel.”

To the girls’ surprise, the boy stopped in the hallway, looked towards them, and smiled crookedly. As he started towards them, Isabel and Jenny glanced at each other nervously.

But the boy didn’t say anything to them. He just smiled quickly at them again and began working the combination to the locker beside Isabel’s.

Jenny smiled at Isabel and patted her on the shoulder. “I gotta get to class. See ya at lunch.”

Before Isabel could reply, Jenny disappeared in the crowd in the hallway. As Isabel slowly closed her locker door, the boy groaned.

“Damn it,” he mumbled under his breath.

Isabel glanced at him as she turned her locker knob to make sure it had locked. The boy glanced back at her as he said, “I feel like a real dumbass, but do you think you can help me out here?”

Isabel smiled gently as she replied, “Um, sure.” She placed her hand over his lock as she said, “What’s the combo?”

The boy slowly read the numbers off the piece of paper he held, and Isabel, making sure his attention was not focused on her, opened the locker with her powers. When people were looking, Isabel *did* open her locker the hard way, but she always found it more convenient to simply use her powers. Isabel pulled the handle of the locker, the door swinging open.

“Ta-da!” she said.

He smiled at her, adjusting the strap of his backpack on his shoulder. “Must be magic.”

“Excuse me?” Isabel asked, slightly concerned by his comment.

Realizing he had caught her off guard, he replied, “Oh, it was a joke. It wasn’t the best joke, but my humor tends to come to me after I’ve had lunch.”

Isabel laughed lightly. “I’m sorry.”

“Jeff Marshall,” the boy said, holding out his hand for Isabel to shake.

Hesitating, Isabel finally shook his hand. “Isabel.”

“Thanks for the help, Isabel.”

“No problem,” she replied quickly. “Hey, sorry to cut this short, but I have to head to class. See ya around.”

“Yeah, see ya,” Jeff said as Isabel walked away.

**********

It was lunchtime before Isabel saw Jeff Marshall again. She was sitting at a table outside, flipping through a novel for her literature class, when someone placed a cafeteria tray upon the table. Isabel looked up to see Jeff smiling sheepishly at her.

“Hi, it’s the new guy again,” he said as if apologizing for his presence. “Um, do you mind if I sit with you?”

Isabel stared at him, silent, as she wondered who the hell this guy was.

He sensed her hesitation and added with the same silly smile, “I completely understand if you ban me from your table, but can I make an argument for myself here?” When Isabel didn’t respond, he continued, “I’m sure you, yourself, have been the new girl in school before, and you know how badly it sucks to be singled out as the new kid. So, with that in mind, could you show me even a little bit of charity?”

Isabel smiled slightly. “Normally, I don’t do this, but I guess you can sit here. But only for today. After this, you need to find someone else to stalk.”

Jeff nodded as he sat. “It must be a popularity thing. I promise that if any of your popular friends drop by, I’ll jump into the bushes and hide until they’re gone. How’s that?”

Isabel smiled. “That will work perfectly.”

**********

Meanwhile, as Isabel and Jeff talked, Alex sat on the other side of the courtyard with Maria, watching the whole situation. He sighed in frustration as he watched the two interact.

“Who does this guy think he is?” Alex fumed, biting angrily into his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “He thinks he can just waltz in one day with his new-guy status and his Hollywood good looks and just start talking to Isabel Evans?”

Maria laughed quietly, biting into her apple. “Alex, honey, have you ever looked up the word *obsession* in the dictionary?”

Alex looked at her, smirking. “Oh yeah, you’re one to talk, Miss I’m-so-over-Michael-yet-I-try-to-find-ways-to-torment-him-every day.”

Maria looked at him, insulted and shocked. “I beg your pardon. I *am* over Michael. I could care less what he does.” Alex raised an eyebrow at her as she continued, “Besides, I’ve at least *had* a relationship with one of the Czechoslovakians… which, I might add, *you* haven’t.”

Looking wounded, Alex replied, “Ouch, Maria. Another comment like that, and I’m going to need therapy until I’m forty.”

Maria sighed in response. “Sorry, Alex, I didn’t mean it. I mean, I just get that way when someone mentions Michael. That name just agitates me. But take my advice, Alex, don’t get involved with her. I mean, it seems all exciting and tawdry at first, but after a few days, it’s a downhill spiral to hell, my friend.”

Alex turned his attention back to Isabel as he replied, “I think Isabel’s different though.”

Maria shook her head. “She’s *no* different, Alex. She can be just as cold and unwelcoming as the others.”

Alex glanced at Maria as he said, “I *know* she’s different.”

Maria gave him a curious look. “How do you know *that*?”

Alex hesitated as he thought about the paper Isabel had written for their writing class a few weeks before. She had written about the person she most admired at their school, and she had chosen Alex. She had even gone as far as to give him a copy, but he had promised her that it would be their secret.

“I just know,” Alex replied.

Maria smirked. “Fine, Mr. Psychic-Friends. Get involved, but I’ve warned you. So, technically, my conscience is now clear.”

Alex smiled at her before turning to watch Isabel and the new guy again.

**********

“So, Isabel, what’s there to do in lovely Roswell, New Mexico?” Jeff asked, grabbing a fry from his tray.

Isabel closed her novel, placing it upon the table as she replied, “You sure are full of questions.”

Jeff shrugged. “Well, I’m from Chicago so it’s not like I know anything about this place. The only thing I know about Roswell comes from The X-Files.”

Isabel hesitated before asking, “So… do you believe in the whole Roswell-alien connection?”

Nibbling on another fry, he replied, “Why wouldn’t I? I mean, it would be kind of arrogant to think we’re the only life form in the whole universe, like we’re really *that* important and unique.” He paused to take a drink from his can of soda before he continued, “Besides, I was abducted by aliens when I was ten.”

“Excuse me?” Isabel asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Jeff looked up at her and smiled. “That was yet *another* joke. I can’t believe you thought I was serious. Either you’re extremely gullible, or I’m one hell of an actor.”

Isabel smirked. “I wouldn’t give you that much credit. So, Jeff, what brings you to Roswell?”

“Divorce,” he simply stated. Playing off of Isabel’s odd expression, he added with a smile, “My *parents’* divorce. My mom grew up here so she packed me and my little sis up, and here we are. It’s pretty sad when your parents can’t even stay in the same house, nonetheless the same time zone.” Jeff sighed quietly as he said, “So, we’re going to catch a movie tonight?”

Isabel raised an eyebrow at him. “When did I ever agree to go to a movie with *you*?”

“You didn’t,” Jeff answered nonchalantly. “I just thought my odds would be better if I just *told* you we were going out instead of *asking*you.”

“Is that how they do it in *Chicago*?” Isabel asked, trying her best to hide her smile.

Jeff hesitated, smiling. “I’ll just say, yes.”

The tone echoed across the campus, signaling the end of the lunch period. Isabel grabbed her book and shoved it inside her backpack. As she stood, Jeff asked, “So, I’ll pick you up at seven?”

Isabel laughed quietly, amused by his persistence. “I never said yes to your little date.”

He held up a finger to stop her, a devious smile on his face. “And that would be a problem *if* I had asked you, but I didn’t. So, seven?”

“If I agree to this little date, will you leave me alone?”

“Boy Scouts Honor.”

Isabel smiled as she reached into her backpack for a pen. As she took Jeff’s hand and wrote her address on his palm, she replied, “If you’re not there by seven, the date is officially over.”

Jeff nodded. “I’ll be there early then.” Isabel laughed and walked away before Jeff could say anything else.

**********

Isabel, dressed in pink Capri pants and a white blouse, strolled into the family room as she placed her diamond stud earrings in. Max and Michael, who were in the middle of a game of poker at the coffee table, watched her as she looked out the window for her date.

“Where are *you* going?” Michael finally asked.

“Out,” Isabel snapped back, running her hands through her slightly curled hair.

“Like out to the *store*, out to get *gas*?” Michael continued, trying to get as much information out of her as possible.

“If you must know,” Isabel replied, turning to them, “I’m going out on adate.”

“A date? With who?” Max inquired.

“The new guy at school, okay?”

Max sighed as Michael groaned loudly. “You’re going out with the new kid? Smart move, Isabel,” Michael said.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean, Michael?” Isabel countered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Come on, Isabel, give me a break,” Michael replied, hastily. “Do you even know anything about this guy? He could be some dangerous undercover agent for all you know.”

Isabel sighed, the frustration evident in her voice as she began to speak. “You know, I am so sick and tired of this double standard from you two. It’s okay for you two to go date and dump the Olsen twins, but I can’t even have a single date with a decent guy.”

“Isabel,” Max tried to intervene, fearing the argument was going to take an ugly turn soon.

“No, Max,” Isabel interrupted, a fierce anger in her eyes. “You two act like I’m going to end the world if I go out on a date. Jeez, it’s just a *date*. I mean, look at you two.” Isabel turned to Michael first as she said, “You, Mr. Rebel-Without-a-Cause, not everyone is out to get us. There *are* some decent people out there in the world, and if you would just get out of your damn conspiracy realm, you would see that.”

She turned to Max, who waited patiently to hear what she was going to say. “And you, Max. I mean, you healed someone in *public*. You risked all of us by healing some girl you have been pining for since grade school.”

Max nodded slowly in response, her words wounding him more than he had expected. “But, Isabel, you don’t understand. I had to save Liz. It wasn’t her time.”

“Who *says* it wasn’t her time, Max? Maybe it *was* her time. Maybe she was meant to die in that diner that day. You can’t just up and change fate like that. You’re not God, Max.”

“I know I’m not, but, Iz…” He sighed, frustrated. “You just don’t understand.”

“What don’t I understand, Max? I mean, explain it to me. What is it that I don’t get?” Isabel asked, exasperated.

“You just… you’ll never understand until you’re in the situation I was in, until you have to make the decision I had to.”

Isabel’s tone softened as she replied, “Maybe you’re right, Max, but I will never put myself in that kind of situation. And no offense, but if I did find myself in a situation like that, I would *never* make the choice you did.”

Before Max could reply, the doorbell rang. Isabel cleared her throat and grabbed her purse off of the couch. “Now, if you excuse me, I have a date I need to go on.”

She walked out of the family room as Max and Michael stared at each other in silence.

**********

“Are you okay?” Jeff asked as soon as they were in the car. “You seem mad.”

Isabel sighed, shaking her head. “I just had this big fight with mybrother.”

He glanced at her, smiling, before he turned his eyes back to the road. “I know the feeling. Believe me, my little sister can be a pain in the ass at times.”

Isabel smiled softly, looking over at him. “It’s just that my brother and I never fight so when we do, the fights are usually big and bad.”

Jeff nodded, understanding completely. “I learned that lesson from my folks. They never fought. They were always so caring and loving towards one another, but man, when they did start fighting, you just wished you were in a different *country*.”

“I’m sorry,” Isabel replied, watching the headlights from oncoming cars reflect off his face, causing his silvery blue eyes to twinkle in an odd way. “Was the divorce bad?”

Jeff chucked softly. “Compared to the last couple of years of their marriage, the divorce was like a vacation in the Bahamas. It was like paradise. No more listening to them scream at each other at the top of their lungs in the middle of the night. No more having to hear my little sister cry herself to sleep because ‘mommy and daddy couldn’t get along’.”

Isabel listened attentively, wondering what it must have felt like to live in that kind of situation. She had never really heard her parents fight, and when they did, they were small arguments that usually ended in a hug and a kiss. Listening to Jeff talk about his parents’ divorce, Isabel wondered what she would do if the only parents she had ever known suddenly decided that they didn’t love each other anymore. What would happen to her family? What would happen to her and Max?

Jeff glanced over at her, smiling. “Have I told you that you look great tonight?”

Isabel smiled in response. “I believe that would be the third time since you stood on my doorstep.”

“Well, it needs repeating.”

“So, what movie are we going to see?”

Jeff shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought I would let you choose when we get there. I mean, I *did* kind of force you into this date. The least I can do is let you choose the movie, don’t you think?”

Isabel grinned at him as she replied, “I think that would be fair.”

**********

Maria walked over to the booth in the Crashdown with a sigh. She placed a tall glass of Cola in front of Alex, adding to the two empty glasses already present on the table.

“Alex, babe, you cannot drown your sorrows in Cola all night,” Maria said as she sat across from him, removing the alien antennae from her head and placing them on the table. “I mean, what if you get this horrible sugar buzz, huh?” She paused and added in an exaggerated voice, “What if you get *a cavity*?”

Alex ignored her attempt at humor as he asked, “Did you hear the rumor? Apparently, new kid and Isabel are going out on a date tonight.”

“They are?” Maria asked, obviously shocked.

“Yeah, everybody knows.”

“Well, *I* didn’t know,” Maria replied, stunned. “When the hell did I fall out of the gossip circle? I mean, I am the *queen* of gossip. I know the gossip *before* it happens. When Kim Daniels cheated on her boyfriend with the star quarterback of the rival school, *I* knew it first. When Rita Jackson had her quote-unquote *confidential* plastic surgery, *I* knew about it first. How the hell did this slip by my gossip radar?”

Alex stared at her, groaning. “Maria, if this Cola doesn’t give me a headache, you sure will.”

Maria grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s just… I hate being out of the loop, you know.” She gently patted his hand as she said, “Look, me and Liz get off in a few minutes. How about us three go catch a movie or something?”

Alex nodded, sighing deeply. “That’s fine. I don’t think it’s humanly possible for my body to hold any more liquid anyway.”

“Great,” Maria replied with a tender smile, placing her antennae back on her head. “I’ll go tell Liz.” She slipped out of the booth as Alex looked at the new drink she had brought him, groaned in disgust, and pushed it away from him.

**********

As Alex, Liz, and Maria approached the refreshment counter at the Multiplex Theater, they ran into Isabel and Jeff. For a moment, everyone stood in silence, the awkwardness of the moment overwhelming them all. Liz was the first to speak, hoping to end the suffocating silence.

“Hey, Isabel,” she said, smiling widely. “Imagine running into you here.”

Isabel sighed, smiling. “Yeah, imagine.” She glanced at Alex, who immediately turned his eyes elsewhere.

Although she knew she shouldn’t have cared, Isabel felt like a jerk as she stood before Alex and his friends with her date. As she stared at Alex, she could almost feel the pain emitting from him, and it upset her to think that she was the one causing him such torment. She wondered if this was how Max felt whenever he accidentally hurt Liz.

“Um, I’m Jeff,” Jeff finally said as he realized Isabel wasn’t going to introduce him.

Liz shook his hand happily as she said, “Oh, hi, you’re the new guy at school, right?”

Jeff smiled, “Yeah, word spreads fast, huh?”

“Well, I’m Liz, and these are my friends Maria and Alex.”

Maria gave a dainty, polite smile and waved while Alex simply nodded and mumbled, “Hey.”

As the uneasiness settled over the group again, Isabel quickly turned to Jeff and said, “We better head to our seats. I hate missing the previews.”

Jeff nodded and turned to the others as he said, “It was nice meeting you guys.”

Before they could walk away, Alex cleared his throat and asked, “Just out of curiosity, which movie are you guys checking out?”

“That new Matt Damon flick,” Jeff replied, a slight smirk. “Of course, it wasn’t *my* first choice but…”

Liz’s strained smile became wider as she replied, “That’s actually the movie we’re headed to see. What an odd coincidence, huh?”

Isabel nodded, smiling weakly. “Yeah, I guess we’ll see you inside then.” She grabbed Jeff’s hand and drug him away towards the theater they wanted.

Alex groaned as he looked at Maria, “Okay, whose bright idea was it to come to the movies?”

Maria returned the stare, giving an irritated sigh. “Hey, don’t blame me, buddy. I didn’t know they were going to be here. I was just trying to get you out of the Crashdown and cheer you up a bit before you drank your weight in cola.”

“Sorry, Maria,” Alex replied, “but I think that goal has been officially crushed.”

Liz sighed, placing an arm around Alex’s shoulders. “Look, we can still have fun, okay? We can just exchange tickets and go see a different movie. We don’t have to let a little coincidence ruin our entire night.”

“I hate it when you’re optimistic,” Alex said with a slight grin. “You know, if you guys were really my friends, you would let me ride this depression cloud for all it’s worth. You would let me sit alone in my room, reading Edgar Allen Poe novels and listening to REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ on a continuous replay.”

Maria shrugged. “Why be depressed alone when you can be depressed with us?” She nudged him with her elbow, “Besides, you don’t even own any Poe novels. You’d probably just read the Cliff Notes version.”

Liz nodded. “Exactly. So let’s go exchange these tickets and have fun, all right?”

Alex sighed, rolling his eyes, as Maria and Liz grabbed his arms and dragged him back towards the ticket counter.

**********

“I had a great time,” Jeff said as he pulled his car in front of the Evans’ residence.

Isabel smiled. “So, did I. Sorry about the whole awkward thing with my friends at the theater.”

Jeff shrugged. “Oh, I’ve had the experience of running into my ex with her friends while I was on a date so…”

Isabel laughed, interrupting him. “Oh, no, you have it all wrong.”

Jeff smirked at her, confused. “You mean that Alex guy wasn’t you ex?”

Suppressing her laughter, Isabel replied, “Oh, no, Alex is… Alex is just a good friend.”

“My bad. I just assumed with all the tension in the group, but I guess that’s what I get for assuming, huh?” He smiled at her as he added, “So, we’re going to do this again next week?”

Isabel grinned. “Are you forcing me out on a date again?”

“No, this time I’m asking you. So, do you want to go out again next Friday?”

Smiling, Isabel leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. As she pulled away, she asked, “What does that tell you?”

“That’s the best no I’ve ever heard,” he replied, smiling.

“Night, Jeff,” Isabel said as she stepped out of the car.

“I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning,” he called over the passenger seat as she shut the door. Isabel waved goodbye and made her way up to the front porch.

As he drove away, Jeff reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his cell phone, dialing with his free hand.

“Hello,” came the male voice on the other end of the line.

“Hey, it’s Marshall. I’m just calling to check in,” Jeff said, the tone of his voice gone from the playfulness it had been with Isabel to more determined and professional.

“How’d it go?” the mysterious man on the other end of the line asked.

“Just as planned, sir. The girl will definitely lead me to her brother.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“If things keep going this smoothly, I may have all the information we need by next Friday night.”

“Great. Keep up the good work, Marshall, and keep in contact.”

Jeff smiled slightly as he replied, “Yes, sir.” He hung up the phone and tossed it into the empty passenger seat.

**********

Isabel hesitated in her bedroom doorway as she debated whether or not to go speak with Max. She sighed deeply as she made her way down the hallway to her brother’s room. She stood in his doorway as he laid on his bed, reading a novel.

Without his eyes ever leaving the book, he said quietly, “How was the date?”

“Good,” Isabel replied as she entered the room, closing the door behind herself.

“So, you gonna go out with him again?” Max asked, sitting up and placing the open book on his lap.

Isabel hesitated before nodding. “Yeah, next Friday.”

When Max simply nodded in response, she frowned and asked, “Okay, so where is it? Where’s the typical Max and Michael lecture?”

“I’m not going to lecture you, Izzy. Actually, I spent the rest of tonight thinking about what you had said earlier.”

Isabel cringed at the mention of their argument. She sat down beside him as she said, “Max, I won’t apologize for or take back what I said earlier, but I *am* sorry I said it the way I did.”

“Why? I mean, you were just saying what you felt, what you feel is true.” He smiled lovingly as he added, “And if there’s one thing I’ve learned to expect from you over the years, it’s brutal honesty.”

“It’s just you guys made me *so* mad,” Isabel replied, clenching her fists in frustration.

“And you were right, Iz, you do deserve to be able to go out with people. But you also have to see it from Michael’s and my perspective. We can’t just go leaping into relationships without knowing people, who they really are. That’s how we get in trouble.”

“I’m not *leaping* into any relationship, Max. I was just trying to go out on a date. I just want to feel normal again. I miss feeling like a normal teenage girl, and I don’t think you and Michael understand that.”

“Iz…”

“I mean, I’m *Isabel Evans*. I’m suppose to be this above-average standard all the other girls in school have to measure up to. But how can I be that when I don’t even feel *average* anymore?”

“Isabel, I know you feel like I ripped something away from you when I saved Liz that day, but I had to do it. I had to save Liz.”

“I know, Max, but did you ever stop to think about how your decision would affect the rest of us? I mean, Michael already had a paranoia-conspiracy complex, but after that day, he’s gone off the charts. It wouldn’t surprise me if he thought the *milkman* was out to get him.”

Max laughed quietly as he replied, “Michael has always been the eccentric one.”

Isabel sighed as Max’s smile disappeared. “But, seriously, Max, you made a decision that affected each and everyone one of us. And like I said earlier tonight, I don’t think I would ever make a choice like that, not without thinking about how it would affect you and Michael.”

Max sighed, frowning. “And like I told *you*, you won’t really understand until you’re placed in a situation like I was. And I bet you would make the exact same decision I did.”

Isabel shrugged, running a hand through her hair. “Maybe. Maybe not. I just… I wanted to know we were okay, you know? We rarely fight, but when we do, I feel all icky and guilty afterwards, and guilt is *not* one of my best qualities.”

Max smiled and kissed his sister’s forehead. “We’re always okay, Izzy.”

Isabel stood, smiling. “Good. I mean, with our parents oblivious to the fact that we’re *different*, when it all comes down to it, all we have is each other.”

Taking a moment to absorb what she had just said, Max asked, “Is *that* why you hated Liz in the beginning? Because you thought she was going to break up the group?”

“Yeah…but I never *hated* Liz, Max. Just took me a while to warm up to her.” She walked over to the bedroom door as she said, “I need to get some beauty sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Night, Isabel,” Max said as she smiled at him over her shoulder and walked out of the room.

**********

The next Friday.

As Alex watched Isabel make her way to her locker, he realized it was now or never.

“Just suck it up,” Alex said to himself as he peeked around the row of lockers. “Just be a man, and do it. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? She rejects you, laughs in your face, and you’re utterly and completely embarrassed.” He paused with a groan. “I really need to stop giving myself these little pep talks. Well, here goes nothing.”

“Hey, Isabel!” Alex called out as he walked over to her. Isabel turned around to him and smiled.

Seeing her smile at him made him feel a lot better, like he actually had a chance with her. Alex had always loved her smile, even when they were little. There was just something about her smile that was just welcoming, like whenever she smiled at someone that smile was only meant for that person and that person only. And as she smiled at him, Alex felt like they were sharing some intimate moment that no one could interfere with.

“Oh, hey, Alex,” she said happily. “I haven’t seen you around in a while.”

“Yeah,” Alex replied, shifting uncomfortably, “I’ve been around.”

They stood in silence for a few moments before Isabel said, “So, what’sup?”

Alex felt his heart begin to race as he stammered, “I, um… I was wondering if maybe, possibly, you’d like to catch a movie tonight or something.”

“Tonight?” Isabel asked, frowning.

Alex could feel the wave of shame and embarrassment coming over him as he turned a light shade of red. He knew she was about to reject him.

He could just feel it. “Um, yeah.”

“I’d love to, Alex, but…”

Alex held back his groan of agony as he continued to stare blankly at Isabel.

“But I actually have some other plans tonight.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Alex said, holding up his hands to stop her. “It was just a long shot. I mean, I should have known that you of all people would be busy on a Friday night.”

“No, Alex,” Isabel replied, gently touching his shoulder. “I’d really love to. Hey, if you want to do something tomorrow night, we can…”

Just then, Jeff walked up to them, interrupting. “Hey, Isabel,” he said. He smiled at Alex as he asked, “It’s Alex, right?”

“Yeah,” Alex replied, not trying to hide the frown that was on his face. Jeff nodded and, instantly, turned back to Isabel. “So, are we still on for tonight? We’ll catch a movie and then cruise the desert for awhile, do a little star-gazing. What do you say?”

“That sounds cool.”

“Great. I’ll be by your place at seven then.” He turned to Alex as he said, “See ya around, man.”

“Yeah,” Alex mumbled as Jeff winked at Isabel and walked away.

Sighing, Isabel turned back to Alex. “Where was I?” She paused to collect her thoughts. “Oh yeah. Alex, if you want, we can do something tomorrow night.”

Alex shook his head, frowning. “Uh, you know what, Iz? I’m, uh, busy tomorrow night. Maybe…maybe we can try again next weekend.”

“Are you sure, Alex?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s cool,” Alex replied happily. “Just…have fun on your date tonight. I’ll catch you around.”

Before Isabel could say anything, Alex took off down the hallway. She frowned as she turned to make her way to her locker.

**********

“Hey, Maria!” Alex called out as Maria made her way to her car in the student parking lot. He ran up to her, smiling widely.

“You must need a ride,” Maria concluded as she unlocked her door.

“Yeah, that too,” he said.

Maria looked at him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. “*Too*? Too implies that you need another favor as well.”

“You are on a roll, my beautiful friend,” Alex replied, grinning slightly.

“Okay,” Maria sighed, holding up her hand. “Now, you’re starting to freak me out. The last time you threw a compliment like that my way, I ended up being the rear-end of a horse for the 8th grade Halloween party.”

“Paranoia does not become you, Maria,” Alex quipped.

“What do you want, Alex?”

“What are you doing tonight?”

“What am I *doing* tonight? Well, you mean besides *not* trying to get into any kind of trouble? Nothing.”

“I need your help with something.”

Leaning against her car door, Maria replied, “Something as in, I have a paper due Monday morning and I need some help? Or something as in, I’m making a major drug deal at the Mexico borderline?”

“Um, somewhere between those two. I need you to help me trail Isabel and new guy when they go out on their date tonight.”

Maria scoffed, shaking her head. “You have got to be kidding me. Okay, Alex, you have one minute to convince me to give up a peaceful night of watching old Tom Cruise movies for tailing Isabel and her date.” She glanced at her watch as she added, “Starting… now.”

Alex stared at her, dumbfounded. “You’ve got to be joking!”

Still watching her watch, Maria replied, “You now have fifty seconds. Tick tock, Alex.”

Realizing she was being quite serious, Alex quickly began to explain. “Okay, I know this may seem like an odd thing to ask of you, but I really don’t trust this Jeff guy. Okay, you can rack it up to me being insanely jealous, which I will admit I am, but he just gives me a bad vibe, you know? And it’s not even like the typical oh-he’s-an-asshole kind of vibe, but like this whole Charles-Manson-loony kind of vibe, you know? It’s like he’s off the deep end of normal and taking a couple of laps in the lunatic end. I mean, I thought that all of us were supposed to be friends, and as friends, it’s our responsibility to look out for each other and…”

“Time’s up!” Maria declared, interrupting him.

Alex sighed, frustrated. “Okay, Maria, if you were in my place right now, I would help you stalk Michael in a heartbeat.”

Maria raised a finger at Alex as she replied, “First of all, I would *never* stalk Michael, okay? *He* should be stalking *me*. Second of all, stalking someone while they’re out on their date is creepy in a major way, Alex.”

“Oh, come on, Maria. Can’t you find it in your heart to just do me this itsy bitsy favor?” Alex pleaded. “I mean, my gut instincts are really acting up on this one, Maria.” He frowned slightly as he added, “Then again, it *could* be that burrito that I had for lunch today.”

Maria sighed. “I don’t know, Alex.”

“Maria, have my instincts ever been wrong before?”

“You mean, besides the time when we were eight and your instincts told you that you would be able to fly from the treehouse if you tied your magical towel around your neck?”

“I did fly there for a second,” Alex replied, smirking.

“Alex, there’s a difference between flying and flailing your arms around wildly while you drop to the ground. And is this the same intuition that told you a year later that it would be a good idea to make snow angels naked?” Maria’s smile widened as she continued. “Oh, and is this the same *intuition* that told you that you’d be the coolest guy at the 6th grade dance if you came in some horrible polyester suit, that I *swear* came from the wardrobe trailer of Saturday Night Fever? And how about in 8th grade when…”

“Okay, Maria,” Alex interrupted. “Okay, we’ve established the fact that I’m an idiot, which is much the more reason for you to help me. If I do this by myself, it’s a horrible accident waiting to happen.”

Maria sighed as she began to give in to Alex’s pleads. “Fine, Alex. Fine, I’ll help you.”

He smiled and hugged her tightly. “Thanks, Maria. I will be forever indebted to you.”

“Yeah, I know,” Maria replied, smirking. She nodded towards the car as she said, “Just get in the car, Alex.”

**********

Alex stood off in a corner of the multiplex, watching the doors for Maria. He had seen Isabel and Jeff enter earlier, and he had hid behind a large potted plant as he watched them enter theater number four. He was about to give up on Maria all together and stalk Isabel by himself when he saw her finally enter the multiplex.

Alex waved her down, and as she walked up to him, he suppressed the urge to laugh. She was dressed head-to-toe in black— black boots, black jeans, a black turtleneck, and a black beret sat crookedly upon her head.

“What’s with the *hepcat* costume, Maria?” Alex finally asked, grinning.

She adjusted her beret as she replied, “I’m going for the undercover, inconspicuous look.”

Alex scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “*Undercover*? Yeah, you don’t look suspicious at all dressed like that.”

“Look, pal,” Maria frowned, “I’m doing you a favor, okay? So, if you keep on insulting me, I’ll be forced to return to my Tom Cruise movie night.”

“Okay, sorry. Well, let’s get this mission underway.”

************

Inside the theater, the lights hadn’t been turned down yet. Alex and Maria stood in the back of the theater, looking for Isabel and Jeff.

Maria soon spotted them towards the center of the theater and pointed eagerly at them as she said, “Ooh! There they are!”

Before Alex could even respond, Isabel turned to look over her shoulder. Freaking out at the idea of being seen, Alex and Maria panicked and scrambled to hide in the last row of the theater. Tripping over each other, they managed to grab two empty seats.

Sitting low in their seats, Alex complained, “Oh yeah, this is going to be an interesting night.”

**********

After the movie had ended, Jeff and Isabel drove out to a peaceful part of the desert to watch the stars. After leaving his headlights on so they could see where they were going, they laid together on the blanket Jeff had spread out on the ground, staring up at the stars.

Trying to impress her with his knowledge of astronomy, he tried to name each star that they saw, and every once and a while when he got stumped, Isabel would chime in with the correct answer.

Sitting up on his elbows, Jeff looked over at her and smiled. “You know a little bit of everything, don’t you?” he finally asked after she named yet another star.

Isabel laughed quietly. “No, I just spent a lot of time staring at the stars when I was a kid.”

**********

Meanwhile, Maria and Alex watched everything from a safe distance within Maria’s car. Maria peered through binoculars she had found in the bottom of her closet as Alex pestered her about what she was seeing.

“They’re just sitting there,” Maria told him. She gasped loudly as she said, “Oh my God! They’re making out now! Look at them go!”

“What?!” Alex asked as he snatched the binoculars from Maria’s hands.

He peered through them to see Isabel and Jeff sitting on the blanket, still talking. He frowned and tossed the binoculars back at Maria. “Real funny, Maria.”

Maria chuckled as she replied, “Alex, babe, just chill out. I say we head home. Nothing’s going to happen. I think you just worked yourself up over nothing.”

“Maybe,” Alex replied, the disappointment evident in his voice. “Let’s just stick around for a few more minutes. Then, we can head out of here.”

“Whatever. It’s your call.” Maria began to peer through the binoculars again.

**********

“Stay right here,” Jeff said as he got to his feet. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Isabel said as she watched him walk over towards his car.

**********

“That’s odd,” Maria mumbled as she continued to spy.

“Cut it out, Maria. I’m not falling for it again,” Alex complained as he turned the dial to her radio station.

“No, I’m not joking. He’s looking for something in his car.”

“What?” Alex asked, interested again. Maria shrugged as she continued to squint through the binoculars.

**********

Isabel watched as Jeff reached into the backseat of his car, obviously looking for something. Curious, she stood and began to approach him. “Jeff, what are you looking for?”

When Jeff turned back to her, Isabel froze in her steps. “I wouldn’t come any closer,” he said as he aimed his gun at her.

“What the hell is going on here?” Isabel demanded.

“I want to ask you a few questions about your brother— Max Evans.”

“What about my brother? Who *are* you? FBI?”

Jeff chuckled quietly. “No, the FBI and I don’t get along.”

Isabel stared at him, speechless. If he wasn’t FBI, then who was he? Then, everything began to fall into place in her mind. A few months before, Max had mentioned to her that Liz had informed him that when Alex and she had discovered Topolsky’s true identity, Topolsky had hinted at the idea that she wasn’t the enemy and was actually there to protect Max. Isabel hadn’t believed it then, but suddenly, she began to wonder if she and the others had been mistaken.

“*Who* are you?” Isabel insisted.

“I guess you would call me a bounty hunter,” he replied casually.

“And what do you want with me?”

“I don’t want anything from *you*. I want your brother. I hear he’s very *special*, and you’re going to lead me to him.”

**********

“What’s happening, Maria?” Alex asked, fidgeting in his seat.

“I don’t know. Okay, maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been staring out of these stupid binoculars for almost an hour, but I think….” She paused to stare harder through the lenses. “I think… Alex, he has a gun.” She turned to Alex, her eyes wide with fear.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked, his own face filled with dread.

Maria nodded, silent.

**********

“I don’t know why you would want my brother. He hasn’t done anything,” Isabel replied.

“Oh, cut the crap, Isabel,” Jeff said, agitated. “You and I both know that your brother isn’t… well, one of us.”

“My brother is more human than you’ll ever be,” Isabel growled back.

**********

“Stay here, Maria,” Alex said as he reached for the passenger door handle.

Maria frantically grabbed his arm. “Alex, what the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re gonna get yourself killed!”

“Look, Maria, she needs our help…”

“Look, I’ll just call the police…” She grimaced as she realized what she was saying. “Damn. Okay, so the police aren’t an option.”

“Just stay here, okay?” Alex insisted as he climbed out of the car.

“Alex! Alex!” Maria whispered loudly after him. She hastily beat her hands against the steering wheel as she said, “Oh God! Oh God! Why couldn’t I have stayed home tonight?”

**********

Jeff sighed. “Isabel, I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. I had hoped I wouldn’t have to hurt you, and you would just agree to help me in turn.”

“I am *not* giving you my brother. Do whatever you want to me, but you will *not* hurt Max.”

“You just gotta love the family loyalty,” Jeff replied, smirking. “So, you’d take a bullet for your brother, huh?”

Without hesitation, Isabel replied, “Yeah, I would.”

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that, Isabel. It was nice knowing you.”

Isabel closed her eyes, bracing herself for the shot when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She opened her eyes to see Alex running towards them.

“Well, this has turned into a real party, hasn’t it?” Jeff asked, waving his gun from Isabel to Alex. “Nice to see you again, Alex.”

“Alex, get out of here,” Isabel whispered harshly.

“No, I’m not leaving you out here,” he said, determined.

“Alex, please,” Isabel pleaded, trying to get him out of the danger she had unknowingly created for herself.

“Well, you know what, Isabel. I’ve had a change of heart. I won’t kill you after all.” He paused as he aimed the gun at Alex. “But I *will*kill him.”

Before Isabel could react, Alex was shot. He hit the ground hard, and Isabel instantly dropped to her knees beside him.

“Oh God, Alex,” she pleaded as she watched his blood seep through the tear in his shirt. She cradled his head in her lap as she asked,“Alex?”

“Consider that your warning, Miss Evans,” Jeff replied as Isabel looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “Next time, it’ll be your brother. Just remember, Isabel, even if you don’t see us, we’ll always be right behind you.”

Jeff climbed into his car and pulled away, as Isabel saw Maria running towards them, carrying a large flashlight.

“Alex?” Isabel asked again.

His eyes fluttered open as he grimaced at the pain. “Man, it never seems to hurt this bad in the movies,” he gasped. He forced a smile as he added, “I guess this is adios, kid.”

“Damn it, Alex, you are not going to die on me,” Isabel said. Isabel could tell from just the amount of blood Alex was losing that Jeff had hit a major artery. If she didn’t act fast, Alex *was* going to die on her.

Maria ran up to them, screaming Alex’s name. When she finally stood over them, she placed her free hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. Seconds passed before she regained some of her composure and reached into her pocket for her cell phone.

“We need an ambulance,” Maria mumbled as she began to dial clumsily with one hand.

“No, don’t call!” Isabel yelled.

“But he needs a doctor. He needs…”

“All he needs is me,” Isabel replied as she ripped open his shirt.

You won’t understand until you’ve been in the kind of situation I was, Isabel heard Max say in her head.

“I understand now, Max,” she whispered as she placed her hand over Alex’s bleeding wound.

Isabel began to feel dizzy as the images began to come to her. She closed her eyes to steady herself.

With one flash, she was on the elementary school playground, watching Alex, Maria, and Liz play a rambunctious game of tag. She felt an overwhelming urge to join in when the image disappeared…

As Isabel sat at her desk in Mr. Raddish’s fifth grade class eagerly opening her Valentine’s Day cards, Alex walked up to her. He handed her a card made out of macaroni and glitter and gave her that goofy Alex smile that she had always found charming in a way…

Alex sat on one of the tables on campus, strumming at his guitar and staring longingly at Isabel who was oblivious to him staring at her as she gossiped with her popular friends. When she did happen to look up, he gave her that same goofy smile, and she smiled back despite herself…

When Isabel finally opened her eyes, Alex was staring up at her. He had stopped bleeding, and when she removed her hand, she found that his wound was completely healed.

“Are you okay?” she finally asked.

Sitting up, Alex replied, “I think…” He touched his chest where the bullet had gone through. “I think I’m okay.”

Maria and Isabel helped him to his feet as Maria said, “Well, I must say. I don’t think anybody has had the honor to see *both* of their best friends return from the dead.”

Maria hugged him tightly as she added, “I am never doing you another favor again, Alex.”

Alex laughed quietly. “Yeah, next time I have a bright idea, just remind me about tonight.”

Maria laughed as she released him and kissed his cheek. Alex turned to Isabel as he said, “Thank you.”

Isabel shrugged, smiling gently. “I told you I wasn’t going to let you die on me.”

Alex ran his hands through his hair, shaking all the sand out as he said, “Can we go home now? I think I’ve had enough for one night.”

**********

It was midnight when Maria finally dropped Isabel off at her house. She crept inside and snuck into Max’s room, turning on his bedside lamp to wake him.

She knelt beside his bed as he turned over and blinked at her, groaning. “Isabel, what is it about you and Michael that you can’t stand to see me sleep peacefully?” Noticing her frazzled look, he sat up and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Just promise me you won’t say I told you so.”

He rubbed his eyes gently as he said, “Fine, I won’t. Now, what’s wrong?”

“Okay,” Isabel replied as she stood, revealing the blood stains on the legs of her jeans.

“Holy…” Max started, but Isabel clasped a hand over his mouth to quiet him. She placed an index finger to her mouth, signaling him to be quiet as not to wake their parents.

When she removed her hand from his mouth, Max asked, “Isabel, what happened? Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry,” she replied, waving her hand over her jeans and removing the stains. “It’s not mine.”

“Why doesn’t that put my mind at ease?” he asked, throwing back his covers and dangling his legs over the edge of the bed.

“I hate to say it, Max, but you and Michael were right.” She sighed as she sat down beside him. “Jeff wasn’t who he said he was.”

“Then, *who* was he?” Max asked, concerned.

“Bounty hunter.”

“There was a bounty hunter after you?”

“No,” Isabel replied, shaking her head, “he was after *you*. *I* was just his way to get to you.”

“Isabel, what happened tonight? I mean, *whose* blood was on you?”

Ignoring Max’s question, Isabel replied, “After the movie, we went out to the desert to go star-gazing, and he pulled a gun on me. When I wouldn’t cooperate with his demands for me to lead him to you, he threatened to kill me. I told him I would take a bullet for you, and I think that pissed him off even more.”

Max stood and began to pace nervously around the room. “Why did he want me?”

“Why do you think? I mean, *everybody* seems to know, Max. I mean, someone could have easily found out from the sheriff, hacked into Topolsky’s files. There are a lot of ways they could have found out about what happened in the diner.” Isabel hesitated before continuing, “Jeff warned me that they’ll be watching us.”

Still pacing, Max ran a hand nervously through his hair. “Who’s*they*?”

Isabel shrugged, watching her brother and feeling her own anxiety increase as he walked back and forth across the floor. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s government-related. I mean, when I mentioned the FBI, he acted like he and them were some kind of rivals. Maybe he’s just a free-lance alien hunter, but Max, whoever Jeff is or who he works for, this thing is serious. They’re out for your blood.”

Max stopped pacing, looking directly at Isabel as he said, “You never answered my question, Isabel. Whose blood were you covered in?”

Isabel looked down at her shoes, unable to look Max in the eyes. “Alex’s,” she mumbled.

“What?!” Max asked, unable to hide the fear on his face. “Alex? Is he okay?”

Isabel looked back up at him as she replied, “He and Maria just came out of nowhere. Apparently, they had been following me all night.”

“Isabel,” Max asked, frustrated with his sister’s ambiguous remarks, “*is Alex okay*?”

“Yeah,” she finally answered. “Yeah, he’s fine.”

“Isabel, why were you covered in Alex’s blood?”

“Because he was shot,” she stated calmly. “Jeff wouldn’t kill me, but he shot Alex as a warning.”

Max studied his sister silently for a moment before saying, “You healed him, didn’t you?”

Isabel sighed as she stood. “I had to, Max. I mean, he was going to die if I didn’t.”

“That sounds oddly familiar,” Max replied, nothing but seriousness in his voice.

“Yeah, it does. But, Max, we have bigger things to deal with now. I mean, this is serious. We got off lucky this time, but next time… Next time, fate may not be on our side.”

Max groaned, frustrated. “I just… I just wish I knew who the hell we’re dealing with.”

“I don’t know, Max, but if these guys can easily pass as high school kids, we’re in deep trouble. I mean, who do we trust *now*?” Isabel sat back down on the bed as she continued, “I mean, are we destined to live like Michael now— trusting no one and fearing everyone?”

Sitting beside her, his voice soft, he replied, “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea for now. We’ll just keep a low profile for now, only talk to people we *know* for sure.”

“Well, there goes my dating life,” Isabel complained.

“Just for a while, Isabel,” Max tried to reassure her. “Just to give us time to find out who the hell we’re dealing with.”

As Isabel rubbed her temples to ease the migraine she felt coming on, Max said, “Thank you, Isabel.”

“What for?” Isabel asked, turning to him.

“For not turning me in, which I know you would never do.” He added with a smile, “And for understanding me.”

“What do you mean?”

Max hesitated before asking, “So, why did you save Alex?”

Isabel frowned slightly, “This is the part where I look like a huge hypocrite because of my earlier ranting about you changing fate and acting like God by saving Liz, right?”

Max smiled. “I didn’t say that. I just wanted to know why you saved him.”

Isabel shrugged, pulling nervously on a strand of her hair. “I don’t know. Maybe because I thought the bullet was meant for me and not him. Like it wasn’t suppose to happen that way. Like it shouldn’t have been him. Like… like…”

“Like it wasn’t his time,” Max finished.

“Yeah,” Isabel answered quietly. Isabel stood with a sigh. “I’m gonna go take a bath. I feel so disgusting right now.”

Watching his sister head for the door, Max called out quietly, “You know that I didn’t *want* to be right about Jeff, don’t you? I didn’t *want* my worst fears to become reality. I really did want you to find a nice guy to go out with.”

Looking over her shoulder as she opened the bedroom door, Isabel smiled gently. “I know, Max. Good night.”

“Night, Isabel,” he smiled back as she left, quietly closing his bedroom door.

**********

Alex sat under a tree on campus, away from the lunchtime crowds, strumming on his guitar and singing quietly to himself. Isabel walked over to him, smiling. When he didn’t look up to acknowledge her, she cleared her throat loudly. Alex looked up and smiled crookedly at her.

“Hi,” Isabel said.

“Hey, Isabel.”

“Do you mind?” Isabel asked, motioning towards the ground.

“My grass is your grass,” he replied, patting the ground.

Isabel removed her backpack and tossed it hastily to the ground as she sat beside Alex. “Aren’t you normally eating lunch with Maria or Liz right about now?”

Alex nodded as he began to strum his guitar once more. “Normally.”

“Can I ask why you’re *not*?”

Still not looking at her, he replied, “I’ve just felt… *weird* lately, you know. I’ve been thinking about a lot of stuff.”

Isabel nodded, knowing that he was talking about the night in the desert, but she asked just to make sure. “What kind of stuff?”

Alex laughed quietly as he finally looked up at her, his eyes bright and full of life. “Well, there’s that little thing where you removed a bullet from my body. Kinda makes a guy stop and think about life. I know I’ve already thanked you once, but I don’t think I could ever thank you enough for what you did.”

Isabel smiled as she gently touched his arm and stared deeply into his eyes. “*I* should be thanking *you*, Alex. I mean, *yes*, it was weird to think that you and Maria were following me all night long, but I know that you were just looking after me. And I really appreciate that.”

After a moment of tense silence, Alex said with a grin, “Well, Isabel, I believe we’re having a moment here.”

Laughing, Isabel replied, “Yeah, it seems that way.”

“I do have one question for you, Isabel.”

“What’s that?”

“When you touched me, when you healed me, did anything weird happen for you?”

“What do you mean by weird?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. I had these—I don’t know—visions. I mean, maybe it was just because I was dying, but it was like…” Alex sighed as he tried to collect his thoughts. “It was like my life was flashing before my eyes, you know.”

“Really,” Isabel replied, not ready to reveal that she had seen the visions as well.

“Yeah, I mean, there were just these flashes of my life, and it was just…” Alex shook his head, stopping himself. “Never mind.”

“What, Alex? What is it?”

“No, it’s too… No.”

Giving him a playful shove, Isabel replied, “Come on, Alex, you’re talking to the girl who healed you.”

Alex looked at her and smiled. “Okay. You’re probably going to think I’m some obsessive weirdo when I tell you this, but when I had these visions of my life, you were there. I mean, you were *always* there.” He paused, trying to read Isabel’s expression. “I give you full permission to run away screaming now.”

Isabel smiled tenderly at him, “It’s actually kind of flattering, Alex. I mean, maybe these visions were trying to tell you something.”

“What would that be?”

“There’s lots of reasons, but it’s up to you to debate them and figure out which one is the true meaning of your visions.” Isabel hesitated before continuing, clearing her throat. “So, were they happy visions? I mean, were you happy in them?”

Alex’s smile widened as he replied, “Yeah. Yeah, I was. Even when it didn’t look like I was happy, deep down, I was.”

“Was *I* happy?”

Alex nodded. “I’d like to think so.” He strummed happily on his guitar as he said, “Hey, you wanna hear the new song I’m working on?”

Isabel nodded eagerly. “What’s it called?”

“Bulletproof. Needless to say, it came to me after our little trek in the desert. You still want to hear it?”

Isabel smiled, “Most definitely.”

As Alex began his song, Isabel listened intently, loving the mellow sound of the guitar mixed with Alex’s soft vocals. As she listened, she wondered if she would ever have the courage to tell Alex that she had seen the visions as well, that she had seen how they had been meant to be friends sooner or later in their lives. And as she sat on the grass with Alex, she realized that for the first time since the incident with Max and Liz in the diner, Isabel now completely understood why Max had saved Liz in the diner. It was the same reason why she had saved Alex. Her life wouldn’t have seemed complete if she didn’t have Alex’s quirky humor and goofy grin on a daily basis. Even if she didn’t admit it to anyone, Alex was a major part of her life, and she didn’t want to experience it without him nearby.

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