Moving On

By Danielle

Disclaimers: These characters belong to the Roswell people, not me. I'm just borrowing them so don't sue.

Author's Notes: My attempt at trying to accept that Alex is really gone and what the future might hold for certain characters. Spoilers for Departure.

Isabel's mouth dropped open as she saw what Michael was doing to Maria. Kyle leaned over and whispered, "I didn't think it was possible for the human body to bend like that."

Michael heard the whisper, and outraged at the intrusion, looked up at them in anger. "Can't you guys go dreamwalk Liz or Max? This is private!"

Isabel laughed and waved goodbye to Michael who simply glared at her and Kyle and went back to what he was doing. The images began to shimmer, and back in the real world, Isabel and Kyle woke up laughing.

"That was so weird- I never want to see that again."

Isabel looked at her partner in crime in disbelief. "You're the one who wanted to see if Michael was dreaming!"

Kyle made a weird face. "But I didn't think it'd be so kinky."

Isabel nodded, giggling. "I know- how am I ever going to wipe the image of the two of them like that out of my head?"

Kyle shrugged. "Hey, I have no problem thinking of Maria like that- it's Michael that has to get out of my head."

She turned to look at him in mock shock. "You're such a pig, Kyle Valenti. What would the Buddha think of you peering into your friend's sex fantasies?"

"He'd probably think I hadn't gotten any in a while. Which is true and Buddha does say that before we can trim the lamp of wisdom we have to look to our physical needs. So as far as I'm concerned, he'd be cool with it."

She shook her head and grinned at him. "Your logic astounds me."

He laughed and rolled on to his side to look at her. "So what do you want to do now? Should we spy on someone else? Or do you wanna watch a movie or something?"

Isabel sat up and looked around the room. They were at the Valenti's house. Lately it seemed there was no place for them to go to get away from lovey dovey couples. Max and Liz were hanging at the Evans' house tonight, and Maria was working at the Crashdown, as Michael had been until a little while ago. Those two were almost inseparable since they'd made their giant step in Human/Alien relations, and seeing them together, even at work, was almost sickening. Maria was probably going to head over to Michael's as soon as she finished closing the restaurant, so there was no way they could hang at Michael's apartment with those two in constant grope mode.

Thankfully, though, Kyle's dad and Maria's mom were at Maria's house for once, so they had a little sanctuary in Kyle's room. And they'd decided to have some fun with their favorite extra curricular activity of late- dreamwalking. Kyle loved peering inside people's dreams, and Isabel had rediscovered the fun in being an alien with special powers thanks to Kyle.

She thought about the question he'd just asked and sighed. She was feeling a bit wistful this evening. She started college in a few days and she was more then nervous. Even though she'd only be commuting to Hondo to go to New Mexico Community College, she was still anxious about starting over someplace new without any of her friends or family. Right after Alex had died, the thought of getting away had seemed so appealing. But after they'd discovered Tess was Alex's killer and she'd taken off in the Granolith for the home planet, it seemed a lot more important to Isabel to stick close to home and spend as much time as possible with the ones she loved. It made her almost wish she hadn't graduated early and was enjoying Senior year at West Roswell high with the gang. They'd started school almost 3 weeks earlier, and she was a little jealous at the way things seemed to have gone back to normal for all of them. Not completely, but they were all getting there. "What do you say we just lie here and talk for a while? I don't really feel like moving."

Kyle smiled. "Sure. It's not every day a guy gets to say he was lying in bed with Isabel Evans!"

She smirked and gave him a quick whack to the upper arm. "Oh, stop it. So how's school, anyway?"

He propped his head up on his hand and thought about it. "I guess it's okay. Classes are fine. But you know school doesn't really interest me."

"Okay, then how's football going? When's your first game?"

He quieted. "Actually, it's tomorrow night."

She rolled over to give him a withering look. "Kyle! Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged and rolled to his back again. "I didn't think you'd want to come."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Why wouldn't I want to come? You're playing aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm playing. I just didn't think you'd be interested, what with you being a big college freshman and all. I thought you might want to leave West Roswell behind completely."

He seemed a bit upset and she was concerned. "Why would I want that, Kyle? All my friends are still there."

He cleared his throat before responding. "Not all of them, Is."

She slumped back onto the bed. Alex. He thought she wanted to forget all of them because Alex wasn't there anymore. Thinking about it, she knew why he would get that impression, since she'd been so adamant about her need to move on with her life right after Alex died. But she never wanted to forget her friends- the ones who were alive and those who weren't. Seriously, she turned her head to look at him. "I don't want to leave you behind, Kyle. None of you. I need all the friends I can get right now. And in case I haven't told you, you've been a pretty great friend these last few months."

She was surprised when his cheeks reddened. Kyle Valenti blushing? She must be imagining things. He cleared his throat again. "Um, thanks, Is."

She smiled at him. "So can I come to the game or what?"

He smiled back, still a little embarrassed by what she'd said about him. "Yeah, you can come, I mean, if you really want to."

Isabel, on impulse, rolled over and hugged him. "Of course I want to. One of my best friends is the star Quarterback."

Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug. "One of your best friends, huh? Never thought I'd reach that status."

She elbowed him in the ribs for that comment and buried her head in his shoulder. "Shut up. I'm being serious here. Whether you know it or not, you've become like, my best friend these last few months, Kyle. And I really appreciate it. You helped me remember how to smile."

He held her a little tighter and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I needed someone, too, you know. So thanks for being there for me."

She smiled to herself and whispered, "You're welcome." Absently, Kyle had begun stroking her back and she was surprised at how comforting and comfortable it was. Sighing, she closed her eyes, thinking how nice it was to just spend time with someone again, no pressure, no expectations.

His soft voice broke her peace and quiet. "Izzy, I think there's something I need to talk to you about."

She heard the catch in his voice- she knew what was coming. But instead of dreading it, she sort of welcomed the possibility, even though she knew the timing was off. Picking her head up, she looked into his eyes. "I know what you're going to say, Kyle."

He swallowed hard. "You do?"

"Yes. And I think maybe someday... it might be right for us. But I'm not ready Kyle. And I know you know that. You just wanted to tell me what you're feeling because you thought you might be taking advantage if I didn't know, right?"

He nodded, averting his eyes from hers. "I just didn't want you to think I had any ulterior motives for wanting to hang out with you."

She grasped his chin lightly and made him turn his gaze back to meet hers. "I would never think that, Kyle. I know you a little better than that. Maybe a little better than you think I do."

He tried to change the subject. "Okay, well as long as you know, I guess we can just forget I even brought it up, okay?"

Her eyes narrowed. "No Kyle, I won't forget it. I don't want to. I like knowing that you'll be here for me when I am ready. As long as it doesn't hurt you to spend time with me, I'm content with the way things are. We're not doing anything wrong. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be- if you didn't make me feel better about myself and about things that have happened. You make me feel human again, Kyle. Something I didn't think I was ever going to feel again after all that happened in May. But thanks to you, I'm on my way back. If you did something that made me uncomfortable, I'd tell you. But I know you won't. You're always so careful with me and my feelings, and I appreciate it. More than I can tell you. So for now, things are great the way they are. But someday, maybe even someday soon, I'm going to want more. And you'll be the first person to know when I do, okay?"

He was pretty dumbfounded by her outpouring. "Um, okay, sure. That's great."

She chuckled at his insecurity and on impulse leaned in to press her lips to his quickly. "Thank you Kyle. For just being you." She let go of his chin and cuddled her head back into his chest, getting comfy.

"You're welcome." He placed a chaste kiss on the top of her head and held her close, eyes starting to feel heavy. "Are you sure you don't want to watch a movie or something?"

She smiled into his chest, and her voice came out muffled. "No, like I said, I don't feel like moving."

"No", he said, enjoying the moment, "I don't either." Soon, he felt her breathing become even and he knew she was asleep. Just knowing that someday he might mean as much to Isabel as she was starting to mean to him was more than enough. He continued to stroke her back until he, too, fell asleep, a completely contented smile on his lips. And somewhere, Alex Whitman looked down at them and smiled, too.

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