However, Isabel's worries soon returned. When they did she sighed deeply and looked up into the night sky. Somewhere up there was her home planet. A planet that she had lived and died on. A planet which had been enslaved, and which was now relying on her, Max and Michael to free it. Isabel tried desperately to make sense of all this but she could not, and eventually she gave up trying. It was then that she realised a car had just pulled up behind her. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she had not heard it approaching. The driver got out and began walking towards her, but Isabel did not bother turning around. Somehow she knew it was Alex without looking.

"How'd you find me?" she asked, her gaze once again falling upon the shimmering water.

"I know you like to come here to think," Alex replied. "And I figured you'd have a lot to think about tonight."

"That's an understatement." Isabel looked over at Alex and found his soulful eyes looking back at her, a look of sympathy and concern etched on his face. "So, you've heard about the whole destiny thing?"

"Yeah. Liz told me," Alex replied, his voice soft and caring. "That's why I'm here. I thought you might like someone to talk to." He paused slightly before adding, "Of course, we don't have to talk if you don't want to."

Isabel was suddenly very glad that Alex was there with her. His mere presence made her anxiety slip away, and she began to feel like her usual self again. She wanted desperately to tell Alex everything she was feeling, but she was not sure if she could explain it in a way that Alex would understand. For a long moment Isabel was silent, trying to put her feelings into words.

"All I've ever really wanted is a normal life," she finally began, turning her gaze back to the lake. "And I've finally started to have one. I've got two great parents who love me. I've got a great bunch of friends. I've. I've got somewhere that I can call home. All I want to do is live my semi-normal life here in Roswell. But instead I'm supposed to return to my home planet and free it from. whoever enslaves it."

Isabel let out a frustrated breath and fell silent once again, but Alex did not urge her to continue. He knew this was difficult for Isabel, so he just stood silently by her side and followed her gaze down towards the lake.

"I don't want to leave Roswell, Alex," Isabel said finally, her voice quivering slightly. "I don't want to leave my parents or my friends. I don't want to leave you. I know it's supposed to be my destiny, but. but."

Alex glanced back at Isabel and could see the tears welling up in her eyes. He reached out and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her to comfort her. Isabel hugged him back fiercely as the tears began to slide down her cheeks.

"I don't want to give up my life," Isabel managed to whisper before she broke down completely in Alex's arms.

Alex said nothing. He just held Isabel and let her cry into his shoulder. They remained in their embrace for a long time, gently swaying back and forth as moonlight saturated them. Only when Isabel had finished crying did Alex say anything.

"Do you believe in fate?" he asked.

"What?" Isabel replied, caught totally off guard by the question.

"Fate," Alex repeated. "Do you believe that there's some higher power controlling our lives, making our decisions for us?"

"I-I don't know," Isabel stammered. "I've never really thought about it."

"I don't believe in it," Alex told her. "I think we make our own decisions. That means we're in control of our own destiny."

Isabel thought about this for a moment before she asked, "But what if there is a higher power controlling our lives?" She was not really sure if she wanted to hear the answer, but she had to ask anyway.

"Then that power's in control of our destiny," Alex replied honestly. "But either way, no one can tell you want your destiny is." He looked at Isabel to make sure she knew what he was saying. "Just because someone says you'll go back home one day doesn't mean that you will."

"Really?" Isabel asked hopefully.

"Really. For all we know your home planet might already be free, and your destiny could be to stay here on Earth. No one knows what the future holds, Isabel."

"I hope you're right, Alex."

"So do I. But no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you."

"So you still want to be my boyfriend?" Isabel asked nervously. "Even though I could have to leave any day?"

"Of course. We'll just take each day as it comes. Okay?"

"Okay," Isabel replied, a smile spreading across her face. Her future was still uncertain, but she felt like she could face anything knowing that Alex would be there beside her.

Alex noticed a stray lock of Isabel's hair hanging down in her face and tucked it behind her ear. As he did this Isabel leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. This momentarily caught Alex off guard, but he soon returned the kiss. It started out gently at first, but it soon became very passionate. The stray lock that Alex had just replaced was once again knocked out of place as he began to run his hands through Isabel's hair. Isabel responded to this by pulling Alex even closer to her and running her hands up and down his back, occasionally running her fingernails across the nape of his neck.

After what seemed like an eternity, Isabel finally managed to pull herself away from Alex's lips. "Thank you," she whispered breathlessly as she rested her forehead against Alex's.

"For what?" he asked, equally out of breath.

"For always being there for me. For helping me with my problems. For being my boyfriend." Isabel giggled. "Basically, thank you for just being you, Alex."