Room 406, evening

[izzyalienqueen]

The weekend had been bittersweet at best. It had been wonderful to actually meet Victoria and all her cousins. But significantly less wonderful to find out that there was a reality where Wyatt and Savannah never made it back from Cairo in the past. Still it had been fun to spend time as a family and get a glimpse of what the future held.

But after a loud and crazy dinner, they'd had to say good-bye.

She'd spent most of Tuesday cleaning her room in preparation for her family visiting this weekend before finally settling down on her bed and flipping on the TV. Hopefully the boys of the Bering Sea would be a good distraction.

The door was open.

Comments

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Now that things had settled down from the whirlwind of prom and potential children, Chris wanted to check in on Isabel.

He tapped on her open door. "Hey, sis," he said with a smirk, leaning into the room.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel stuck her tongue out at him. "Hi Chris. What's up?"

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"Just wanted to see how you were doing after the weekend," Chris said. "I know Johnny had some trouble dealing with... Wynter."

That seemed like the nicest way to phrase it.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Nah, I'm fine with it," she shrugged. "They were stuck back there. I can't fault them for trying to find some comfort."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris nodded. "I can't imagine what life must have been like for us in that universe."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Different. Harder," Isabel said quietly. "Lonelier."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad we don't have to find out," he said.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Tell me about it," she said, looking down briefly. "It's stupid but all I could think of was what if he hadn't come back. But Victoria still turned up this weekend. It just would have been this horribly cruel might have been."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"She was adorable," Chris said. "And I'm choosing to take it as a good sign that she knew Matt and Maddie."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

That thought made her smile. "Life's going to be pretty damn interesting isn't it?"

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"Sure seems like it," he agreed. "I like the idea that we're all still close in the future."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You guys are family," Isabel said, thinking of Max and Michael and the frequent phone calls she got from them. "You'll always be close and anyone that's involved with either one of you is going to be included as well."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"I know. But Johnny and Savannah's kids calling me Uncle Chris? Was kind of awesome," he admitted. "I love the idea of having huge family parties like we did yesterday."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm not so sure about that," she teased. "I mean, me. The one who loves Christmas shopping for people? I'm intimidated by the thought of shopping for that crowd."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"Awwww, Aunt Izzy, I bet you buy the best gifts ever!" Chris teased.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel grabbed on of the extra pillows off her bad and tossed it him. "Careful. Or there's only going to be coal in your stocking!"

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris laughed and caught the pillow. "But I've been a good boy, I promise," he protested.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Well don't be too good. At least not with Summer," she teased. Wyatt wasn't there. Someone had to do it.

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, was it warm in here?

Chris's cheeks felt very warm and he shrugged. "I don't think that will be a problem."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Amused, Isabel grinned. "Good because it'd be nice to see Matt and Maddie again at some point in the future."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris smiled. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't mind seeing Victoria again either."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Eventually. Right now there's this thing called college." In separate dimensions. Over a decade apart in time. Isabel sighed. "It's going to be a long four years."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"At least your boyfriend can orb," Chris said, figuring that her sigh was related to distance.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but it'll be a little hard to explain to whatever roommate I have how my boyfriend is visiting from California so often. Unless I say he's rich and has a private plane. But there's the time thing to," she pointed out. "Which makes things even more difficult."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"Yeah... the time thing will be an issue for me and Summer, too," Chris admitted. "But apparently our future selves managed to work around it, so I'm not going to stress."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"True enough," Isabel agreed. "I guess, I don't know. I'm just used to having him around." Especially at night. There were still nights she didn't sleep well, remembering Kivar or Meris or people being sick. "It's going to be a big change. Which kind of stinks."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"Definitely," Chris said. "You could always make him apply to your school."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Too late for fall semester. And besides, I'm a big girl. I'll cope," she replied.

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"You'll make it work," he said. "Somehow, someway."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's what I keep telling myself," Isabel nodded. "And Victoria's proof. I just have to keep remembering that."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris nodded. "Defiintely. You and Wyatt are good together."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," she smiled. "He makes me happy."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"You make him happy too," he said. "Plus I think you've actually managed to tame him somewhat. Which is highly impressive."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Was he really that wild?" Isabel asked curiously.

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"I shouldn't tell stories," Chris said. "He might kick my ass."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And then I'd kick his," she promised. "One mild one? Just so I can tease him a little?"