Who: Isabel and Max What: Isabel meets Max in town after she sees his net post Where: In town When: Backdated to when Max first got to town Warnings: Angst
Liz was dead.
Isabel couldn't even process that information. Liz Parker was dead. The girl who had stolen her brother's heart so many years ago and had changed everything for all of them. Isabel had spent so much time resenting Liz for everything that had happened. She hated her at first, thought she was mind numbingly boring at best. But in the end, Isabel could see how good Liz was for her brother and how deeply they cared for each other. She wanted Max to be happy. She wanted him to have love in his life. Of all the things they worried about, she never thought it would be that Liz died. She was protected, Max was a healer. Something must have gone so terribly wrong if Max couldn't reach her in time to save her.
She didn't have all the details yet. She hadn't gotten them all from Max. It wasn't a conversation she had really wanted to have over the network anyway. She really was hoping that Max would be able to tell her everything. He was so taciturn sometimes, closed off. That was why their parents had always worried about him. Max had always been a good guy but he was secretive and quiet, it made him look sneaky. Isabel had always been a lot more open and that was why her parents hadn't suspected her of covering something up until later when it became clear that she would do whatever it took to protect her brother.
A couple of zombies made the mistake of shambling out onto the road and stumbling towards Isabel. She held her hand up and in her anger, a burst of power from her palm that sent them both staggering back. Bones broke and their bodies crumbled onto the ground, still smoking. The air smelled like burned flesh as Isabel stalked past them.
She probably should have brought a buddy but Isabel didn't know who to bring besides Spike. And as much as she liked Spike, he wasn't exactly the soothing touch that Max needed right now in his time of grief. No. This was a family matter which meant Isabel had to go handle it herself in the absence of Michael. It was another reason why she didn't want to bring anyone with her. When Isabel was upset her alien powers had a tendency to act up uncontrollably. It was how her parents had found out about her. Because she had been angry, sitting in her room with all of her belongings swirling around her in a chaotic tornado. Her mother had secretly filmed her. Their secret had been let loose not because of Liz Parker discovering who they were but because Isabel was angry and reckless.
When she saw a familiar figure walking slowly towards her she picked up the pace until she was hugging her brother tightly. He looked different. There were lines etched in his face where there hadn't been lines before and it looked like he hadn't shaved in forever.