Room 406, late Saturday night

[izzyalienqueen]

After getting back from Washingon, Isabel left a message for Wyatt, and stretched out on her bed. She was trying hard not to think about what could possibly go wrong in the morning but her mind kept offering up lots of worse case scenarios.

The door was open.

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[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's a stupid idea." But sadly not surprising for Michael at this point in his life. "It's wrong. I know that. I'm hoping Fandom will change that."

[intraspective]

She stomped her foot. "It's unacceptable! He won't make things better for himself because he doesn't think it matters as long as you two are happy because you've got 'more to lose' than he does," her voice was starting to climb despite her efforts to stay calm, "and that's, that's shit."

"He's allowed to want things for himself!" She railed, "And, and have a white-picket fence and an SUV if he wants to, because he said he didn't but it sounded like he does, and he won't because he's scared and, and I don't know what to do about it!"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Ino, I'm not arguing with you," Isabel said, her own voice raising a bit. "So don't yell at me. You're right. It's wrong that he feels that way. But things have happened, he's had to deal with things. It's made him feel that way. And it's going to take time and effort to change it."

[intraspective]

"I'm not yelling at you," Ino said, slightly miffed, because really she wasn't. Not compared to how she could be when she really go going. Still though... this was Michael's sister so she could probably be a bit nicer, or something. "Sorry." Whatever. She looked slightly helpless. "I don't know how to help him."

She couldn't just give him a ribbon like she'd done for Sakura years ago. And Ino was only fourteen.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel had a lot on her mind at the moment, things like ten year old girls in White Rooms, and worries that she could wind up joining them if things went wrong. She was bit tense and possibly a bit sensitive where Michael was concerned.

"Be his friend. That's what he needs the most." Ino wasn't Maria, but the mere fact that she was there, angry on Michael's behalf meant a lot. She'd be good for him.

[intraspective]

Her chin raised. "I'm already his friend," because otherwise she wouldn't be here, "but that's not going to be much use if all he doesn't learn to think of himself more. I think he's worth a lot, but it's like he doesn't believe me when I tell him that."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"It took repeated beatings about the head before Michael started believing it in my particular universe," Isabel admitted. Most of them administered by Maria. "He is worth a lot more. Trust me. There's thing we found out. Things he did...He's smart, he's brave, he's so many things. But most importantly he's happy. He also has six more years of experience. It makes a difference."

[intraspective]

Another foot stomp. "I want to make a difference," Ino's lips trembled very slightly, "I don't get it. And, and I feel useless."

She hated feeling useless.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I wish I could tell you more," she told her, thinking of Hank and what he put Michael through. It was easier talking to Dean. At least then she knew Michael had admitted some of what was going on to him. "That's there's an easy answer. Unfortunately there's not. But you're not useless. Just by being his friend, for no reason other then you think he's a good guy? That's so much more then he's ever had."

[intraspective]

...

"Why didn't he have a friend before?" Ino demanded, "That's so wrong."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Because no one wanted to play with a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Because Michael kept to himself to avoid having to make too many explanations about Hank. But Isabel couldn't, wouldn't, tell Ino that.

"Michael kept to himself because he was, is, planning on leaving and going back to our planet. And he felt it would be easier to leave if he didn't have any ties holding him here."

[intraspective]

"Except that doesn't make any sense because he won't leave without his Isabel and Max and they've got ties," Ino said scathingly, "and I know his school was, was plain bad but that's crazy. Not even one person?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"We would leave with him, ties or not. We did leave with him," she admitted quietly. "But you can't tell him that. I'd have to explain too many things. And he's not ready to hear them."

Isabel shook her head sadly. "No, not even one person. Just Max and I."

[intraspective]

Hearing that they had, in fact, left with him made Ino feel a bit better. Just a little bit, because she'd been right that they did care that much for him.

"I won't," she said, meaning it, "and, and, I don't get why no one wanted to be his friend before, but I'll do my best to be a good one." If a very bossy one.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

It's hard to be friends with someone when they push you away and do everything in their power not to draw attention to themselves. But that was Roswell. Michael was in Fandom now.

"Good," Isabel smiled. "Because I graduate in a few months. And he's going to need someone to look out for him."

[intraspective]

"I'll take care of him," Ino said confidently, then wrinkled her nose, "even if he thinks he's got to take care of me."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Take care of each other," she said.

[intraspective]

Ino looked mildly irritated. "I don't need to be taken care of, really," even if it was a bit sweet, "but I guess I don't mind as long as it's not too much."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You may not need to? But sometimes? It's nice to know that someone's looking out for you," Isabel replied. "Trust me, I've learned that lesson." Which was why she was a bit nervous about telling Wyatt what she was going to be doing in the morning. Because he was going to want to look out for her. By being there.

[intraspective]

"I know that," Ino admitted, "we're trained to work well in teams back home, but..." she shrugged, looking slightly amused, "I seriously don't need help to climb up onto a counter."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel blinked. "Climbing up on a counter? Was it really tall counter?"

[intraspective]

"The counter at Luke's," Ino said, "no taller than a regular counter, I guess."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And he helped you? That's sweet!" Isabel was truly a sappy romantic at heart.

[intraspective]

She mentally facepalmed. "It was sweet, I guess," and completely unnecessary.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"It's nice. That he's willing to do that for you," she tried to explain. "I mean, I know you're more then capable of sitting at a counter yourself. And I'm sure he knows it to. But if he's willing to go to that little bit of extra effort for you? It means you matter to him."