Michael

Michael ran home, trying to figure out what had happened. Isabel would never go near him now, he thought. She probably couldn't stand him.

He knew he should have stayed and talked to her about it, but he had just acted on instinct. And he knew he couldn't have stayed with her with the dream still in his mind and her looking the way she did. Like her hands were going to cover what all she had.

If he had stayed, he would have wanted to make that dream more real than it already had been. So he ran. He ran to save his last vestige of self control. His real instinct had been to grab her and finish what the dream had started. So rather than have Isabel reject him, he ran. He ran because he didn't know what else to do.

I didn't take much time to think about it

Isabel

She watched Michael run from her. She watched as he ran and didn't look back and wondered if she had lost him for good now. And somehow it felt like it was all her fault.

But I didn't want to move too fast

Michael

It had been a couple weeks since he and Isable had spoken. The were avoiding each other assiduously. That hurt. It hurt even more because of what had happened, because he had liked the dream. What hurt most was that he saw Isabel with Kyle constantly. Yeah, that really hurt.

He watched her now, allowing himself to look because he was unnoticed. They were at school. He watched as she got her books out for her last class. It was sad, really. They were in the same class and didn't even speak.

He watched as Kyle ran quickly in the class, out of breath. He whispered something excitedly into Isabel's ear. She smiled up at him suddenly and got up to hug him. Kyle was so happy he practically lifted her off the ground.

Michael felt as if he had a fever. His stomach was queasy. Certain that he would pass out if he continued to see more of this disgusting display, he brushed past them, and walked out of the class. Screw school. He needed to go home.

Because I knew that when I saw you again
That I wouldn't want to let you pass

Isabel

Isabel watched Michael stalk out of the room. She stared after him and looked back at Kyle. He touched her face. "Still no luck?"

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. She hadn't told him about the dream, what all that had happened. She hadn't told anyone.

"I wish it would work out for you, Isabel."

Isabel shook herself out of it and smiled at Kyle. "Like it is for you?" she teased. Kyle blushed. "You're taking her to dinner?" He nodded. "That's a start Kyle. That's a good start."

She hugged him tightly again. "I'm glad for you. I hope it all works out the way you want it too."

"Yeah, me too." Then he looked at her. "Go after him Isabel. Take your chance. See what will happen."

"I couldn't."

"You aren't even speaking now, which you will have to tell me why later, so how much worse can it get?" Isabel thought about this. Kyle packed up her books and gave her the bag. "Go."

"I can't."

"You can. You told me to, and look, I have a date. Just go. Just try. At least talk to him. You will have to talk one day."

Isabel nodded.

"You better go before the teacher gets in", Kyle told her. He gave her a gentle push and watched as she ran out the door, silently wishing her luck.

Because my eyes have seen the glory

Michael

Michael sat in his apartment, looking discontentedly at the television. He thought back to Isabel and Kyle, and then to the night he was at her house. Had she been with Kyle that night before she came home? Were they together?

And the thought came unbidden into his mind - Would he ever have a chance? Could she ever love him?

But he was sure he knew the answer to that already.

In the coming of your smile

Isabel

Isabel stood in front of Michael's door uncertainly. She didn't know if she should knock or just leave. She missed him so much. Missed him being around. Missed his sarcastic attittude that complemented hers so well. She just missed everything about him.

She raised her hand to knock, stood poised for a few moments, and then put it back down. Michael didn't want to see her. He had avoided her ever since that night at her house. Any questions she might have asked him were answered that night. He didn't want to be with her. He couldn't stand to be near her.

She thought back to that night, to the dream they had shared. It had lingered in her mind ever since that night. She had tried to push it away, tried to forget because it made everything so much harder, but she couldn't. And to be honest, she really didn't want to. That was the closest she had ever come to being in his arms and she didn't want to forget. She just wanted to make it real.

She stared intently at Michael's apartment door. To leave or not to leave. That was the agonizing question. And she didn't know how to answer.

Thirty seconds later it was answered for her. Michael opened his door.

He looked at her, startled, then regain his composure. "What do you want?"

Isabel took a breath. This wasn't going to be easy. His tone was cold, his expression verging on hostile, and he looked as if he had no intention of letting her in.

"Can I come in?"

"Why? I was about to leave." He looked at her impatiently.

Definitely not easy. "I need to talk to you."

"Later." He shut his door and started walking away. She stared at his back increduously.

"Michael, please." Her voice was almost pleading.

He didn't turn around, didn't look back. Isabel wanted to cry, but she held it in. She had been right, Kyle wrong. She should have never come here.

He didn't even want to see her. He had barely looked at her. He had completely brushed her off. Why should she even bother?

Maybe because she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take the silences, couldn't take the tension, couldn't take not knowing. Not anymore. If they were going to be this way, she wanted them to be this way for a better reason.

"Michael", she called again, but there was no response. He had already gone.

She stood undecisively for a moment, tears threatening to come, before she took a deep breath and unlocked his door. She slipped into his apartment, lay down on his bed and waited.

So I swear if you ever come round again

Michael

Michael sat at the Crashdown, eating his sundae, sometimes stopping to refresh the Tobasco sauce in it. He was brooding.

Dammit, didn't Isabel know how hard things were for him, he wondered, all the while knowing there was no way she could know.

He felt bad. He had treated Isabel pretty badly a while ago, but had not been able to help himself. When his emotions took over he had no control of his mouth or his actions. And just seeing her there when he hadn't really seen her in so long had taken him off guard. He hadn't known what to say, hadn't wanted her there then, not when he was dealing with seeing her with Kyle. He couldn't handle seeing her with that on his mind. And definitely couldn't stay and have a nice little chat with her. He wished she could see that.

He shoved his sundae aside and put his head on the table. Thoughts flew through his head like a whirlwind, his problems just seemed to be building up.

He sat up, running his hands through his head. He glanced over to his right where Maria and Alex were flirting openly whenever she passed him by. Liz was watching them with wide eyes, frequently glancing over at him to see if he would say anything. Michael guessed that Maria hadn't told Liz what all was going on yet.

Kyle walked into the Crashdown, Tess on his arm. Michael looked at them suspiciously. They were laughing together. Tess began taking off the light jacket she was wearing and Kyle hurriedly went to help her. Michael noticed that she had on a very nice dress. Kyle was also dressed nicely.

Liz went to wait on them. Michael tried to listen without being obvious. Liz asked them what they wanted, and Tess replied that they just needed dessert, that they had just had a fabulous dinner at one of the nicer restuarants over in the next town. Liz looked surprised.

"Wow, that sounds nice. Are, you, uh, are you two on a, umm, a date?" She asked.

Tess looked at Kyle a moment and smiled. "Something like that", she responded.

Michael couldn't believe it. Not only was Tess with a guy that was not Max, she was with Kyle. The Kyle that had been all over Isabel lately.

Michael stood up, not wanting to be in the same building with a guy that could act that way. He stalked out of the Crashdown, not speaking to anyone as he left, simply throwing Kyle a look of complete disgust as he walked out.

He wondered if Isabel knew. He debated for a while on what to do, and then made the decision and started walking to her house. He needed to apologize anyway.

Mrs. Evans told Michael that Isabel wasn't home. No, she wasn't sure where she was. No, Max wasn't home either, he was with his father. No, she didn't know what time Isabel would be home, why, should she be worried?

Michael told her no, that she had mentioned hanging out with some girlfriends from school, but she hadn't been sure about it. He had just checked here for her first. No reason to worry. Then he left, wondering where she was.

He took the long way home, darkness already starting to settle when he reached his apartment. The walk hadn't helped him any. He still felt upset, angry, confused, alone.

Michael walked into his apartment, turned on the lights. And stared. Something was different. It was clean.

He didn't even have to think about how it happened. He knew. As he looked, a big, goofy grin spread over his face.

Isabel.

He wondered where she was now. Had he just missed her going home?

He carefully laid his jacket on a chair, not yet wanting to ruin the cleanliness that left a feel of Isabel in his home. It felt as if part of her was still there.

He walked into his bedroom and saw that all of her was still there and quietly sleeping in his bed.

The grin left his face and was replaced with an expression of shock.

Please stay for awhile

Isabel

Isabel heard someone softly saying her name. She opened her eyes and saw Michael leaning over her. The urge to pull him down to her was to much for her to bear. She sat up quickly to prevent herself from doing something stupid and knocked heads with him.

"Ouch", they both yelled in unison, each clutching their heads. Michael looked at Isabel less than favorably.

"Dammit, that hurt!"

"Sorry", she muttered groggily, still not quite with it yet. Then she looked at Michael, him with his hand on his head, sitting like a nervous old maid on the very edge of the bed and began to giggle.

Why was she giggling? She hated girls that giggled. But still, the giggles came. Apparently Michael didn't like it when girls giggled either.

"No offense", he began coldly, "and thanks of cleaning up my house, but what the hell are you doing here?"

The giggles stopped abruptly.

"I came to talk to you, remember?"

"Yes, and I remember telling you that I didn't want to talk to you right now. That we could wait until later. So why are you here?"

She looked at him, hurt. "I can't keep waiting until later", she whispered, looking down.

Michael wondered at that for a moment, before asking "Does Kyle know you are here?"

Isabel looked at him confusedly. "What?"

"You heard me."

She sat up more, still not understanding. "Why would it matter to Kyle if I am here or not?"

"From what I saw tonight it obviously doesn't matter to him where you are", he said coldly, "I asked if he knew."

"Why does it matter?" Isabel repeated, looking at Michael. What was he talking about? Why was he talking about Kyle?

"Oh, come on Isabel, don't play dumb", he said, his eyes hard, "You and he are all over each other all the time, I would think he might want to know that you're in another guy's bed. But maybe that makes it easier for him to be with Tess tonight."

It wasn't just his words, it was his tone, the way he spoke to her. She had never done anything to deserve this from him.

"I don't what the hell you're talking about Michael, and why the hell you keep harping on Kyle, but I don't have to put up with this shit." She started to climb out of his bed.

"It's disgusting the way you two act with each other", he remarked, looking down at her disdainfully.

Something in Isabel snapped. How dare he comment on how she behaved with Kyle when he was simply her friend? When Kyle seemed like the only friend she had these days?

"We're disgusting? Kyle and I?" Michael nodded. "Of course when you and Maria fondle each other in public, it's never disgusting, is it? You and Maria practically doing it on counters, in closets, against the wall in front of everyone is just fine, right?"

Michael looked at her surprised by the sudden onslaught and didn't know how to respond. She got up out of the bed and stood to face him.

"How can you even be so judgemental? Especially since Kyle and I are just friends. Friends, Michael. Do you understand that?" She held back tears. This was not how she wanted things to happen. "And yes, he knew that I came here, and yes, I knew he was on a date with Tess. I encouraged him to do it. That's what friends do."

Isabel took a breath. Michael was unreadable as always and silent. Why was he doing this to her? "And how can you of all people talk about how others act in public? You aren't exactly the expert on conduct."

"What do you mean by that?" Michael inquired.

"I already told you! The way you and Maria act together. When I think about people all over each other, I think of you two. And you! Always doing whatever you want to do, just like Max, but expecting me to be unhappy and lonely forever."

Now the tears were flowing down her face. She hated herself for crying in front of him, but she couldn't stop. He didn't seem to care anyway.

"So don't talk to me about how to act, especially with my friend. Look to yourself first, Michael. But you won't, will you? You'll just keep on the way you are, doing what you want, not caring who it hurts..." Isabel broke off quickly, afraid of revealing too much. She had been a fool to think that she should do this.

"And who does it hurt, Isabel?" Michael asked softly.

Isabel bent to pick up the clothes she had left scattered when she had changed into her exercise clothes she had worn when cleaning Michael's apartment. Very un-Isabel like, she began shoving them haphazardly into her backpack. She avoided Michael's eyes and his question.

"Who does it hurt?" he repeated.

Isabel straightened, and placed the backpack on the bed. "Nobody, of course, Michael." She tried to laugh convincingly. It didn't work. "I was just upset. People say odd things when they're upset."

"Isabel, look at me."

Unwillingly she raised her eyes to meet his. He looked concerned and confused. She was confused as well. Confused about what to do.

"I'm sorry about what I said about you and Kyle. You're right. I'm definitely not one to judge."

"No problem", she said quickly.

"And it's not that Max and I don't want you to be happy. We do. We're both worried about you, though, and we always worry about you. It's concern."

Isabel nodded, looked down, and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Well, he had given her the answer she sought. He felt concerned. How nice. How nice for it to be so easy for him.

"Well, Michael that is just so sweet of you both. But save your concern for someone who needs it, and that's not me. I'm fine." This was said rather harshly. Michael was taken aback. He recovered quickly though.

"What's your damn problem?" He yelled. "I'm just trying to explain to you!"

"I don't have a problem Michael. You and Max do. You both treat me like a little girl and I'm tired of it." She turned on him quickly. "Do you understand me? I'm tired of it. I'm not a little girl Michael, not anymore. I don't need the pats on the head, the condescending attitudes. I can't date anyone without the both of you breathing down the back of my neck, but oh, it is sooo different with you two."

She bent over to fix the bedcovers. "You two can screw around with whomever you want and get offended when I say anything. If I don't fit into the perfect little idea of me that you've constructed in your head, both of you freak out. I can't take it anymore, Michael. I'm not perfect. And I'm not little. Dammit, Michael, I killed someone! I killed someone, I am no perfect little girl. I have a mom and dad that I love completely but I can't tell them all about me, about my problems, because you and Max won't let me. I have a brother that is in pain that I can't help. I dumped the one guy that ever gave a damn about me, but whenever I think of dating someone else, I have to deal with you two. Max is in pain now, but he will live. And we all know that he and Liz will be together again one day. It is just a matter of time. And you and Maria, playing your little games with each other, one minute your together, the next your not, acting as if you will never be together again. It's such bullshit! You and Max will have someone. You will be loved. You are loved now." She wiped the tears impatiently from her eyes. "But me, what do I have? Nothing. Nobody. And I doubt I ever will."

"Isabel, don't say that." Michael reached out and touched her arm, "You don't know. You can find someone-"

Isabel interrupted angrily, "Someone? Who? Would you want me to find someone and tell him all about me?" She looked at his face, he didn't answer. "I didn't think so." She laughed hollowly. "Do you think I want that kind of relationship? I want love, Michael. Not some faked up relationship of convenience." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I want someone that knows me, knows all of me and still loves me. I want a guy that can deal with all my moods, can deal with my attitude when I have it, and still look forward to seeing me. I want someone that can put his arms around me and tell me it will all be alright as long as we're together. A guy that won't run away from me when things get hard. A guy I can talk to, laugh with, cry with, a guy that just wants to be with me because he loves me, because he's happy with me. I know all that sounds corny and unoriginal, but that is all I want." She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "And I wish you were the guy that could give it to me."

She walks by me every day
Her and love are the same
The woman has stolen my heart
And beauty is her name

Michael

Michael stood uncomprehending for a few moments. Did Isabel just say what he thought she said, or was this just one of his many fantasies? He had created different scenarios over and over in his head of moments not unlike this. Was this one of those times?

He pinched himself. It hurt. Apparently it was all real.

"I don't want to mess things up between us, Michael", she was saying now, "but I can't keep on like this anymore. I know you hate the thought of our destiny, but I don't. I wanted it before I was even told what it was. I've wanted you."

Michael sat down on his bed with a thump. This was really happening. He looked at Isabel, who was looking at him nervously, "You want me? You want to be with me?" She nodded. "Oh my God." He buried his head in his hands.

"Okay", she whispered softly, "I guess that is it. I'm sorry it isn't anything you ever wanted to hear from me, but I'm glad this is over with. I just wish I didn't feel so dumb."

She grabbed her backpack, tears streaming down her face and walked out the bedroom door and shut it.

A voice penetrated Michael's thoughts, letting him know she was leaving, and he jumped off the bed and hurried after her. He jerked open his bedroom door, and Isabel, who had been leaning up against the door crying, stumbled backwards right into him.

Michael put both arms around her to steady her. Then he kissed her.

Nothing that had ever happened in any of the dreams could ever compare to that one kiss. Everything melted away. All that was there was Michael and Isabel and how they felt as soon as their lips touched. It felt like coming up for air after an eternity of being underwater, but at the same time they were descending into a place neither of them had ever been. It felt right, like nothing else ever had.

Michael pulled away and looked at Isabel, who looked up at him, astonished.

He walked with her over to the bed, both of them with shaky legs, and sat down carefully, motioning for her to sit beside him. She still looked shocked.

"I've wanted it too, Isabel, for a long time now." He looked at her almost shyly. "I think I always have, I just never realized it, not until those dreams we started having. And then I wanted it to be true. I wanted you to be with me."

He touched her face gently, turning her towards him. "I want you to be with me."

She looked up at him, eyes bright, lips trembling. He touched her lips, softly tracing them with his finger. She was so beautiful.

He leaned closer and kissed her again, laying down and pulling her with him. He rubbed his hands up and down her body, loving the feel of her in his arms. Loving the way her lips felt on his, loving how close they were, wishing they were closer.

He stopped for a moment and looked at her. "Is this okay Isabel?"

She kissed him tenderly on the lips. "This was more than I ever hoped for. Are you sure that this is what you want? Is this more than a weak moment that you'll regret later on?" She closed her eyes, "I need this to be more Michael, or I need to leave now."

"This isn't a weak moment Isabel. This is what I want. And I never want you to leave. Never."

She whispered something so softly that he had to strain to hear her. Then he pulled her close to him. "I love you, too, Isabel. So much."

He kissed her tears gently off her face, then kissed her lips. He kissed his way slowly down her body, removing clothes as he went. He went back up to kiss her lips again, pulling her close, needing her skin against his.

"I want to be with you for as long as you want to be with me", he told her, running his hands up and down her body. "Is that what you want?"

She nodded, and said "That's what I've always wanted. Nothing more."

Then she considered for a moment. "Well maybe one thing more."

"What's that?"

She looked him in the eyes, "I want to continue that dream we were having, but I want it to be real."

Michael took a long, shaky breath, then smiled.

He started at her toes, and worked his way up. But this time no alarm clock interrupted them.