The memories of the car accident still fresh in her mind, she had snapped earlier, throwing things, shouting accusations that weren't fair. Blaming Liz for asking Max to drive her to work, blaming Max for doing it, blaming HIM for no reason at all.

The hurt and pain in Alex's expressive eyes made her stop and realise what she had done. She was destroying her anchor and that realisation made her melt like an ice cube in the sun.

She cried in his arms and begged forgiveness. She just felt lost in a world where fate had dealt a cruel blow.

She had lost a brother...she had lost a sister and now life was meant to go on.

Isabel just wished the pain would lessen...

She didn't really blame Max for choosing death over life without Liz. Isabel had known they had the kind of love she could only wish for. She had just expected their deaths to be many years in the future...not like this, not so young.

Right before their horrified eyes, Michael, Maria, Isabel and Alex had watched the jeep careen wildly out of control, after hitting an oil patch on the road...everything seemed to go so slowly.

Now it was though their group was thrown off kilter, their balance was shaken. Isabel doubted they would fully regain that balance until they were joined again in whatever afterlife death held for them.

Despite the deaths of Max and Liz, the six were still connected, the link was still strong.

Alex's arms tightened around her. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, his voice soft as though not wanting to disturb the silence around them.

Isabel smiled sadly. "Connection," she replied, her voice equally soft. She felt him nod her head and bury closer to her. She knew he understood.

Isabel did not regret the events since that fateful day at the Crashdown...September 17...the day Liz got shot and her life changed forever..

For the better. Isabel knew that now.

She now had an extended family she never thought she would have...Max, Michael, Liz, Maria and, of course, Alex...connected...forever. Not even death could change that.

She wouldn't change the way her life was now, despite their recent tragedy. They had Max to thank.

It was he who saved Liz and told her the truth, changing the course of all of their lives.

It was he that started the connection between them all, first with Liz, then slowly spreading it around to join them all.

It was he who died for a love that was pure, proving to Isabel that love was worth any price.

It was he who gave her the strength to carry on with her life and enjoy it with her own love.

Isabel smiled gently into the darkness as she felt the storm lessen.

"Thank you, Max."