Room 406, afternoon.

[izzyalienqueen]

After meeting Max at the Meet & Greet, Isabel led him up to her room.

"Xander's gone," she said as she led him into the room. "And I've been lucky enough that I haven't gotten another roommate. Well unless you count Annie." Hearing her name the small kitten poked her head up out of her basket.

[Locked to emo_alien_king.]

Comments

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"Is that her?" Max stuck his hands in his pockets, and slowly approached the kitten, looking around Isabel's room as he did so. "She's really cute."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Isn't she? I had no intention of getting a pet when we went," Isabel said, shutting the door and taking a seat on the bed. "But she was so cute I couldn't resist. You can pick her up, she's very friendly."

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

Carefully, Max scooped her up, and she immediately wriggled and started to purr against his hand. "Who's we? And, uh. How are things going?" He winced. No, not awkward at all.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Jack, Parker, Sam," she said. "Jack wanted to get a fish for Cedric, Parker had the car and Sam and I went along for the ride." Isabel shrugged, "It's good. I'm happy. I like it here." Of course she couldn't explain exactly why she liked it here.

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"Yeah? That's good." He put Annie down on the bed, then sighed, pushing a hand through his hair. "I owe you an apology for some stuff."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Oh?" she said carefully. "Ya think?" She really couldn't help that sarcasm.

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

Max glared at her a moment, then glanced away, looking around the room. "I guess-- I get you wanting to be normal more, now. I still think you're kidding yourself, Isabel." He looked back at her, and tried to keep any criticism out of his voice. "But I get it. And I get--" He stood up to look out the window, too uncomfortable to say the next part of his apology aloud yet.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel glared back. "Everything this summer? That wasn't about being normal. It was about trust. If we could tell Mom and Dad...It just would make things easier. They'd understand. I know they would."

"As for me? Around here? I am normal. And I like it."

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"Can you guarantee it? Seriously?" Max looked away, shaking his head. Keeping his voice low, he said, "And what if they don't understand, Isabel? Or what if they understand, but it puts them in more danger? Can you tell me what's going to happen then? Because if you can't, we don't have the right to screw up their lives like that. Now more than ever." He shook his head, gritting his teeth. "And of course you like being normal. You think I wouldn't like it? You're lucky you have the option," he said, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "But someone has to deal with everything while you hide out."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Max they love us. Finding out the truth is going to change that!" she insisted. "And how can they be in anymore danger then they already are? We love them. They're our parents. That's more then enough to make them a target." Disturbed by the tension Annie curled up in Isabel's lap. "And don't you dare say I'm hiding out. I would have stayed. But we all agreed that I should come back and see what I could find out," Isabel hissed.

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"Okay, okay, that was a cheap shot." Max held up his hands, then folded them across his chest, hugging himself. "I'm a little jealous that it's easier for you." He looked away, trying to figure out where he'd screwed up this conversation. "I don't want them more involved than they are. We tell them, they start looking for ways to help, or ways to get us out of it, and it just-- it's too much. It's just one more thing. It *is* simpler if they don't know." He grimaced. "Langly proved that to me."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"It was. And it's not easier," she said. "There's things I'd want to say, or do to help and I can't." Isabel felt mildly guilty for lying to him about people not knowing the truth. But she was being honest about how it wasn't easier, it's just that that stopped being an issue seven months ago. "But you are right, they would want to help us, and I do understand why that could be too much." She rubbed Annie's belly, smiling as she purred. "Langley? The shapeshifter? What exactly happened? Maria wasn't sure of the details."

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"I screwed up," he said softly, staring at the floor. "I was so focused on getting back to Antar, I didn't think..." Max shook his head. "We found a ship that could take us back. It was on a government base. But to get to it, the shapeshifter had to blow his cover. And now his life here is over, basically. He has to start over, and I-- I didn't think it would matter to him, I figured he'd adjust, but-- he said I was selfish, putting him in that position." He shrugged his shoulders, not looking at her. "He was right. And I thought, maybe that's what I've been doing to Isabel."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Not always," Isabel said quietly. "Most of the time you were trying to look out for all of us, trying to do the right thing."

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

Max look up, his voice intense, and said, "I was. I swear I was, Isabel. I wasn't doing it to be a dick." He quirked a smile at her. "I don't want to let anyone down. Not again. Not Antar, or Michael, or Liz. Or you. Sometimes it seems like there's no way not to disappoint someone, though."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know that Max," Isabel said, quirking a smile. "There's probably not a way to keep everyone happy. You're right. But if you're honest, and listen to what we're worried about, and trust what we have to say...that helps at least."

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

Max winced, thinking of the mess with the baby and Tess. "Yeah. It's not easy, but-- yeah." He studied her a moment, then tentatively asked, "So are we good? Right now?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"We're good," she smiled, quashing the guilty feeling that tried to creep in over everything Fandom related she wasn't telling him.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

After class, Jack has just wandered around, watching the assembled parental hordes, and trying not to think about anything. When it got too much, he headed up to the dorms, feet leading him unerringly to Izzy's door.

It was closed, but he figured knocking couldn't hurt. So he did. Probably louder and longer than he really needed to.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And that sounds like a crisis. We have a lot of them around here," Isabel told Max. "Here. Cuddle Annie, she likes." Without waiting for him to respond, she dropped the kitten in his lap and went to open the door.

"Jack? What's wrong?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack registered that there was someone else in the room, and figured it was probably her brother, since he didn't recognise him, but he didn't hesitate to reach out and pull Isabel into a huge hug, just about lifting her off her feet.

"Sam kind of disappeared," he told her, trying to keep his voice light.

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

Max raised his eyebrows, then narrowed his eyes, watching the new guy, and remembering 'Jack' from Isabel's letters. Sam he wasn't so sure about -- his girlfriend, maybe? He waited for Isabel to introduce them, not wanting to interrupt anything he might overhear.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"She what?" Isabel asked, returning the hug fiercly, knowing that Jack probably needed it. "How? Why? When?"

Max was pretty much forgotten as she focused on Jack.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack did need it - a lot - and he buried his face in her hair and held her tightly. "Last night, in a flash of light, she just disappeared, right out of my arms." He drew in a deep breath, and was surprised at how shaky it was. "The flash of light came back for her shirt," he quickly added, because it was the only positive thing he had to offer. "So wherever she is, she wasn't helpless."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel couldn't help it, she snickered. "She was shirtless in your arms? Oh god, she must have been pissed with whoever took her." Isabel ran her fingers into his hair and ruffled it, gave him one last squeeze and then stepped back. "Given who she used to work with? Maybe they needed her for something?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack let her go reluctantly, but he smiled at the image. "Yeah, whoever took her would have got a hell of a shock." He reached for Isabel's hand, twining their fingers together, because he didn't want to let go completely. "I dont know who she used to work for--but if they're the sort of people who'd just snatch her? I'm glad she doesn't work for them anymore."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Leaning into his side, Isabel squeezed his hand. "It is kind of rude. But she's going to be okay, I'm sure of it. And you know I'm never wrong." She tugged him towards Max. "There's someone you need to meet. Max, this is Jack, one of my very best friends. Jack, this is my brother Max."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack eyed Max, then summoned his most charming smile, because falling apart in fornt of Isabel was one thing, but he wasn't going to do it in front of a stranger, no matter who he was related to.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Max," he said as he offered him his hand, the other still holding Isabel's. "She's talks about you all the time, but she never told me how cute you were."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel's eyes got wide but she didn't say anything. Instead she waited to see what Max would do.

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"Uh, yeah?" Max gave Isabel a what the hell? look, and said, "Isabel didn't exactly say anything like that about you, either. Not that I'd want her to. And she knows that. So..." He shook Jack's hand, watching him carefully, trying not to get into a macho contest. At least, not in the first two minutes.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack smirked, very grateful for the distraction, and smoothed his thumb across Max's knuckles, keeping his grip light but firm. "Izzy, I'm disappointed you haven't been spreading the word about your incredibly handsome Jack." He slanted her a wicked glance and a wink that he was pretty sure Max wouldn't be able to see. "But meeting your charming brother more than makes up for it."

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

Max was almost sure this guy was messing with him. Almost. "Yeah, that's, uh... great." He managed to disengage his hand and avoid any repeat performance by sticking both hands in his back pockets. "Isabel? Dinner? Right?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Unable to control herself any longer, Isabel burst out laughing. "You! Behave! Or I'll tell Cedric and Sam." she ordered, thwapping Jack on the back of the head. "Ignore him," Isabel told Max. "He can't help himself. But he'll behave now. You'll be safe. The Perk has good sandwiches and coffee. Want to head there? Jack? You want to come with us?" she asked, not willing to leave him alone to worry about Sam.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack laughed and ducked away from Isabel, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Hey! Cedric and Sam both let me flirt. But she's right," he said to Max, "I'll behave, I promise."

He let her go and ran a hand through his hair. "I'd love to come, if you're sure you don't mind?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I don't obviously," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "And I'm sure Max doesn't either. He came here to see the school and meet my friends after all. Right Max?" Isabel asked. There was really only one correct answer to that question.

[emo-alien-king.livejournal.com]

"Right, sure." Hey, keeping an eye on the handsy guy was probably a good idea anyway. "I'm the visitor. Point me in the right direction."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Luke's probably has the closet thing to a Galaxy Melt," Isabel said, tugging Jack towards the door. "So why don't we head there."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

And they did