#rnm nobel

[salmonthestoryteller]

Why I'll Never be Over Losing Nobel

We're closing in on the start of Roswell New Mexico Season 2, and I realized that while I have lamented about this many times, I have never explained it.  I've never gone into detail about why this was my first Roswell New Mexico OTP. What about it struck such a chord. Or why, almost a year after the reveal about the truth about Noah's character, it's still crushing to me that they chose to go this route.

There's been several good metas about how, knowing the truth, the meaning of the scenes are completely different. How suddenly everything takes on a different meaning, one that's abusive and sinister. And that is both heartbreaking and true.

But that's not what I'm here to write about. I want to take you back to what it was like on a first watch through, without knowing the truth. About how beautiful this ship was and why. So here we go.

First of all, could there be both a sexier or funnier introduction to a ship than for Isobel to be in bed with her husband and get a psychic call for help from Max?  As she quickly excuses herself, and throws an "I love you!" over her shoulder, I was already on my way to OTP doom.

This is followed by both funny lines like, "I had to untie some loose ends at home", and the far more heartwrenching "I am married to someone who can't ever know who I am, and it kills me."

It sets up the conflict they will have to overcome. Isobel has been lying to Noah about what she is their entire relationship. And, no offense, this isn't some "on again, off again" or "second chance with the one that got away" romance. This is a marriage. They've been together for years.

Yes, I have a prejudice toward committed relationships in fiction. People who have dedicated years of their life to one another? Who have actually been there for one another when they needed them? Yes. More, pls, thank-you.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. One of the least believable things about this show is that in a "small town", this many people near the age of 30 are unmarried. Heck, we know from Maria's palm readings that apparently even Hank, and another local at their reunion are unmarried. The alien part is more believable than that.

So Isobel being married was such a smart call to me. And, especially in a sci-fi show, was such a change from business as usual.  Not many shows would dare to have a main character be married, and honestly, I remember thinking it was awesome that they'd been willing to take the risk. (Of course, we know how that turned out, but I'll save that lament for the end.)

While Noah grumps about Isobel being "predictably codependent", he is still quick to offer to try to talk to Max about what's bothering him. Further, despite Michael not being Isobel's brother in the technical sense, it's clear he understands that to her Michael is her brother. Because that "predictably codependent" line isn't just about Max. Noah includes Michael in it.

He also shows zero jealousy towards Isobel's relationship with Michael. A character in a relationship showing zero jealousy towards Isobel's closeness with an unrelated character? That was so nice to see grace my screen.

The drive-in was one of the ship’s golden episodes. From Noah asking, maybe we can both be… present?  Pointing out how distracted Isobel has been since Max saved Liz.  Later in the episode, Isobel goes home and does her best to keep her promise about being present for Noah by forcing a smile, but Noah sees through it.  And this is one of those - omg, I love this.  Because guess what?  They talk.  They have communication.  They don’t scream, they don’t misinterpret, they don’t divert - they have a full-on honest conversation about things.  Don’t see that very often on a tv show, do we?

To Nobel fans “Isobel Evans-Bracken, you are my person” was on par with “I never look away” and “I would have followed you.”  We were melting, especially when Noah followed it up by showing he had set up a whole night to comfort Isobel after her bad day.  This is the type of romantic interaction people write fanfics about because it literally doesn’t get put on our screens.  It’s not “dramatic enough”, but this ship was giving it to us in spades.

And the good stuff kept coming.  Because we still got our “rocky dramatic” moments, too.  Because “committed relationship” doesn’t mean “boring.”  It doesn’t mean “And then they never had a misunderstanding or anything bad happen to them.  They lived in happy lala land for the rest of their lives.”  It actually means that when things get rocky, it both hurts more and has extra meaning behind certain actions.  And it honestly felt like, with Nobel, the writers were tackling those concepts beautifully.

Noah realizes Isobel is keeping a secret, and draws the conclusion that she’s an alcoholic.  Isobel (who doesn’t yet know “she” was the one who killed Rosa, Kate, and Jasmin) knows this is the one thing she can never tell him.  Not because she has to protect herself, but because she has to protect her brothers.  When Noah handed her the bag and said he needed time, I was in tears.  Honestly, while Liz telling Max she never wanted to see him again was very dramatic, the truth was they were not in a relationship at that time.  They had just been getting to know each other after a decade apart.  It’s very dramatic, and I’m sure Echo fans found it heartbreaking.  I was too busy crying over Noah and Isobel.  Sorry, but they were the ones in an actual relationship.  They were married.  This moment to me hurt more than any of the other moments because they were committed.  They weren’t going home to separate apartments every night.  Noah handing Isobel that bag, with the meaning of “I can’t even be in the same house as you right now”, that was the kind of pain you can’t get in a “Getting together” couple.  Only a committed one.

Noah continues to struggle with Isobel’s secrets, and whether they can fix what’s going wrong with them.  Talks to Max at the worse time, and even when he comes back starts to realize something is still wrong.  Especially when Isobel coughs up blood and collapses, but nobody will still talk to him about it.  His anger at that moment doesn’t seem off, because the woman he loves is ill and nobody will tell him anything.

But, honestly, the next big moment of Nobel gold was their confrontation when Isobel came out of her pod.  “I’m married to an egg person” remains hilarious regardless, as well as “Cowboys and aliens, it’s unnatural”, and “I would never pick that sweater.”

Noah’s struggle to accept everything (Buying the gun before they’re talk, his accusation that she had used her powers on him, and later suggesting she not use her powers) was a believable storyline.  It was actually nice, compared to the ease of every other human character on the show in accepting not only aliens, but ones with powers, to see someone struggle with it.

Of course, that was when the truth was revealed and the beauty of the whole relationship was completely destroyed.  Noah being the fourth alien, the murderer, and on top of all that having latched onto Isobel’s mind like a leech since she was fourteen?  There was no coming back from that, everything that made the ship beautiful wasn’t only a lie - it was actually Noah manipulating and abusing Isobel.

The reveal of the betrayal is very dramatic, and Karan Oberoi’s performance as the evil version of Noah is flawless.  Isobel’s confrontations with him in mindscape, both at Max’s house and before his death, are incredible scenes.  I can’t fault the storytelling there.

But I will never be over the “Could have been” because ships like Nobel aren’t common.  Committed relationships are rarely shown in a positive light.  In fact, writers seem to go out of their way to never show them as sexy or happy, but rather to show a relationship going “stale” with affairs being the most common plot they throw at every committed couple they bother to put on the screen.  Even then, the relationships are often for side or minor characters, never the more main ones.  I’ve even seen other fans of various shows ask, but what would they do with these characters if they’re in a committed relationship?  Um… exactly what they do with the characters who aren’t.  Given them plots.  Y’know, the whole non-relationship part of the show?  And how would them being in a committed relationship take away from dramatic moments like injury or kidnapping or loss?  It really wouldn’t - they could have all those same things happen.

With Nobel, they initially presented us with a pairing that was sexy, sweet, communicated, and whose relationship did and would continue to have their own set of struggles as events and truths unfolded around them.  It was gorgeous, and so rare, and, no, I’ll never be over losing that.

[suzteel]

Roswell New Mexico Week 2019 | Day 3 | Quick & Dirty

[bestillmyslashyheart]

Do you ever think about how much more of a gut punch Noah's reveal/betrayal would've been if his relationship with Isobel had been shown at the same level of Malex and Echo?

Because we had these two cosmic, epic loves shown in detail about how amazing their connection was and then there was Nobel. It wasn't bad but from episode one it definitely ranked a definitive third place in terms of passion and connection and I just- it could've been so much more

[manesalex]

Keep your soul (like a secret in your throat) Chapter 6/6

Liz returns to Roswell to investigate Rosa’s disappearance and figure out how vampires are involved. Aka, a vampire rewrite of Season 1.

Thank you so much as always to my amazing beta and friend, @insidious-intent. This fic is so much better thanks to you! Thank you as well to my wonderful friend, @i-never-look-away for all of her input. I promise I’m working on the sequel, Beka!

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Also available on AO3

Maria has never seen Alex like this. He’s always so put together. She can usually sense the pain beneath the surface, but he always hides it so well. Now he’s all pain. He may not be showing it, not really; he’s completely withdrawn into himself, but it’s like being caught in a tsunami. She can feel the self-loathing, the self-blame. It’s like his world is ending.

She’s going to kill Michael Guerin for whatever he’s done to Alex. He may be Isobel’s brother, but her friends come first. And Alex has had far too much pain in his life.

She manages to get him inside and on the couch before she’s dialing Kyle, apologizing for waking him because she knows he was going straight to bed after helping her with her mom, and telling him what’s going on with Alex.

But he promises he’ll be there soon, so she returns her attention to Alex.

“What happened?” she asks, reaching for his hands, trying to get the connection she needs for more than just the overwhelming pain Alex feels.

He pulls away, “Don’t read me right now, Maria,” his tone is deadly serious, not the usual lightness she’s come to expect from her friend.

“Alex.”

His face is blank. And that scares her. No effort at all to hide anything. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not though. What did Michael Guerin do to you?” she asks.

Alex’s eyes finally meet hers and she gasps and the sheer agony right there on the surface, “Nothing. He didn’t- It was me. I just… I’m always going to hurt him. I’m… He shouldn’t come near me. He’d be happier if he stayed away.”

“Okay, I’m getting the tequila and you’re going to tell me exactly what happened between you and Guerin.”

She walks outside, grabs the bottle off the steps, and carries it inside, taking a quick swig. Then she offers it to Alex.

He doesn’t even move in response. She wonders how quickly Kyle can get here. Because she doesn’t know how to handle this.

***

Liz is halfway through a very late dinner with Max after a very enjoyable evening when Isobel and Michael storm in.

“I have answers,” Isobel announces.

“Answers?” Liz asks, unsure what the hell Isobel is talking about and why she’s here at all.

“Yeah. About Kate and Jessica. And maybe Rosa.”

“Of course Max told you about that,” Liz gives him a look, letting him know that this is one of the many things they still have to talk about.

“Yes. Of course my brother told me that a human knows what we are. And that I may have done something that I don’t remember doing,” Isobel’s tone is harsh. “I didn’t, by the way. Just so you aren’t tempted to kill me.”

“I don’t want to kill you, Isobel,” Liz turns her attention back to her.

“I would,” Isobel says, tone completely the same as before. And that takes Liz’s breath away. She never expected that Isobel Evans of all people had a conscience.

Liz wonders whether or not she should leave right now. Go home. Give them the time they obviously need to discuss their sibling issues. But Max’s hand on her arm stills her, calms her desire to flee. Even though Isobel is smiling at her like a shark. Like she can smell blood. And Michael looks like he’s going to blow up any second.

“I figured it out,” Isobel directs them back to her original declaration.

“Hello, Max. Nice to see you, Max. How are you doing, Max?” Max responds with the irritation that one could only have for a beloved sibling.

“Yes. Sorry. I forgot my pleasantries,” Isobel snarks at him. “I figured out who killed Kate and Jasmine. Or abducted them, anyway. And Rosa too.”

“Are you waiting for an invitation from us, or are you actually going to tell us?” Michael asks her.

“Jesse Manes.”

***

Alex can’t stop thinking about it. About what he’s done. He’s been responsible for the deaths of innocent people before. Those vampires are just a tiny fraction. And he’s made mistakes that have caused people to die. This is nothing new. It should be nothing new. He’s always brought death and destruction in his wake. The smartest people, people like his mom, got out before he could ruin them.

But this is the second time that has touched Michael. He spent an entire decade running away from him except for brief, perfect moments, untouched by the outside world. It shouldn’t surprise him that, the instant he decides to stop running away, to run towards something for once, Michael loses the chance to have a family. Because of him.

He wants to tell Maria to get out, to get away from him before he hurts her too. He can’t. But he won’t let her see everything. He doesn’t want her to see what a monster he is.

“Alex, talk to me, man,” Kyle is saying, kneeling down on the floor in front of him, examining his leg. “What happened?”

“I did,” Alex answers simply. He can see the alarmed looks between Maria and Kyle. They don’t understand. This is the Manes family legacy. This is what he was born into.

“You said Guerin dropped him off?” Kyle asks.

“Yeah. He looked furious.”

“Because they’re all dead. And it’s my fault,” Alex says softly.

Kyle and Maria manage to pry the story out of him. And it’s a relief to share it, even though some part of him knows he should be doing a lot more explaining it all for Maria than he is. Oddly, just saying it clarifies so much for him. Though he’s still certain Michael should stay away from him, if only to stay away from all the damage his family does to those who dare to love them. His mom was the first victim of that.

“You aren’t like your father, Alex,” Maria says softly, squeezing his hand. “If Guerin is worth anything, he’ll understand that.” She pauses before she says, “He’s been a mess these past ten years. Drinking nonstop, picking fights. I think he’s doing better now that you’re in town.”

“But I-”

“Just talk to him, Alex,” Kyle suggests. “That helped before, right?”

He nods. They’re right. He at least owes Michael a conversation. He promised they were in this together and he owes him more than disappearing. For good this time. He can tell Michael what he wants. And, if Michael is repulsed by him like Alex thinks he should be, he can leave. He has options.

So he asks, “I left my car there. Can one of you drop me off?”

“I’ve had too much to drink,” Maria says. And it’s true. Now that he’s looking, he can see she’s finished an impressive amount of that bottle of tequila she brought with her. “And I was hoping on having a fun sleepover distraction with you. Like in high school.” He’s about to speak, when she says, “Rain check on that. You go talk to Michael. But, if you don’t mind, I’m going to crash on the couch?”

Alex nods, handing her his key. “If I’m not here by the time you leave, I’ll pick it up at the Pony.”

“Optimistic, aren’t we?” Maria asks.

“Worried he might have gone on a real bender, actually,” Alex answers.

***

This is all far too much for one day and Michael just wants to run away into a bottle, but he’s forcing himself to stay while Max works out what’s now plainly obvious to him.

“So, you know Jesse Manes took them, but how did they end up-” Max starts to ask.

“He had a bunch of people like us trapped. He was running experiments on them,” Michael answers for Isobel, trying to control the pain in his voice. He can’t afford to think about that right now. He needs to focus.

“Yeah, I saw those results. He must have pumped Kate and Jessica full of drugs and fed them to some of these… people? But what about Rosa? If he had her, is she…?” Liz asks.

“Probably didn’t kill her because she mattered to Alex. Same reason why he never went after you,” Max says, gesturing at Michael, who can’t help but respond with a dark laugh. He knows better than that.

“He didn’t let me stay out here out of the goodness of his heart. He was using me to control Alex.” He was still getting used to that. The thought that maybe Alex had cared after all. He’s not sure he knows how to be loved. Sure as hell never had it from anyone but Max and Isobel. He was supposed to have it from his mom, but- He does his best to shove his grief down again. He needs to be strong for Max and Isobel.

They’re all silent for a moment, until Liz says, “That makes a lot of sense, actually. He must have let Rosa live to control Jim Valenti.”

That throws him. He hadn’t expected it at all. “Why would Rosa…?”

“He was her father,” Liz says. And Michael knows better than to say what he thinks next. He knows that will likely earn him a punch from Max.

Isobel, however, holds no such reservations, “Which means she’s probably dead now.”

“So how do we deal with this?” Liz asks. “I don’t think Jesse Manes will be easily arrested. Or that Isobel’s repressed memories would do anything for a conviction.”

“We’re going to have to kill him,” Max answers, like it’s simple.

“Fuck, no,” Michael interrupts. “He’s a monster and he deserves to die bloody, but he’s Alex’s father. We’re not taking Alex’s family from him. Think of something else!” He can’t do that to Alex. He just lost his own family. He can’t put Alex through the same thing, even if his father is partly responsible for killing Michael’s family.

“He’s a threat to all of us, Michael!” Max argues angrily. “We will put him down. And it’ll be over.”

Michael rolls his eyes, “You’re so fucking naive, Max. It’ll never be over. That thing I saw, that wasn’t run by one man. No way in hell. We kill him, they’ll all come after us. We lay low, think things through, come up with a reasonable plan,” he says, heading toward the door. He needs to go talk to Alex. To tell him what he’s learned. He made Alex promise that they’d do this together and he sure as hell will stick to that promise too.

He ignores Max and Isobel calling after him and strides out into the night, towards his truck.

He’s opening the door when he feels a sharp pain in his neck. And he knows instantly that the cool blood that keeps him alive, that he constantly has to replenish, is rushing out. He presses his hand over his neck instinctively, but it doesn’t help. And he’s stumbling, falling to his knees, hitting the dirt. He looks up at the night sky as, one by one, the stars fade away.

***

Alex is silent in the passenger seat. And Kyle knows it’s his responsibility to speak, to say what he’s thinking. “Maybe you should see a therapist?” he suggests.

“Already seeing one,” Alex replies distantly. And then, a moment later, tone more present, “I’ll see if I can set up an emergency appointment.”

“Good. And I think you should take a break from our dad’s files. I can take over for a while. Liz has been helping.”

“You’re probably right. I need to focus on Michael. If he’ll let me.”

“And yourself.”

Kyle can practically hear the eyeroll, “And myself.” He’s silent for a moment before he asks, tone careful, “How are you dealing with all of that? It can’t be easy finding out everything about your dad.”

“He helped hunt down and experiment on vampires. I keep on trying to find an excuse for that. A reason that it’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“Sometimes people are just doing what they’re told.”

“Some of the biggest atrocities in history have been largely people doing what they’re told,” Kyle points out.

Alex is silent for a moment. “My dad is a monster. Your dad just got caught up in it. My dad can be very good at controlling people.”

“Good thing I decided to talk to you instead.”

He can see Alex shrug out of the corner of his eye. “If your dad tried to get out of it, I’m sure mine found something to use as leverage. Something to keep him in it.”

Kyle decides to change the subject. “Liz and I were talking about looking into a bunker mentioned in the files? It’s here in Roswell. Do you know how I can get into it?”

Alex is pulling his phone out of his pocket, swiping it unlocked with his thumb print. “I’ve already found my way into their system. I’ll send you a program to run. It’ll trick all the locks into opening and thinking you’re my dad.” He explains in detail how Kyle should hook his phone into the system and Kyle hopes he’ll be able to remember all of this.

Alex is typing away at his phone when he freezes, muttering the word, “Fuck” under his breath.

“What’s going on, dude?” Kyle asks, not wanting to tear his eyes away from the road, but worried about whatever Alex has found.

“My dad never got on the plane to Niger. He’s still around here somewhere.” Kyle can hear him dialing, hears the other line ringing. “You should be fine. He doesn’t know you’re involved. Just… Be careful?” And then he mutters to his phone, “Fuck, Guerin, pick up your phone.”

***

Isobel waits until after Michael has left before asking, “What do you want us to do, Liz?”

Liz isn’t certain what she wants. She doesn’t want to be a killer, doesn’t want to be responsible for taking a human life. She already feels sick about having hunted vampires. Now that she knows that they are capable of living without killing. But she also knows she can’t leave Jesse to torture and kill any more people. He needs to be stopped.

She’s about to ask for more time when she hears a phone ringing loudly outside. It just keeps going until it stops.

“He never answers,” Isobel rolls her eyes.

It starts up again instantly and Liz realizes that Michael has had more than enough time to reach his truck and she hasn’t heard it start. So she heads slowly for the door, looking for anything she can use for a weapon. Just in case. “Shouldn’t he have driven away by now?” she asks the twins.

She’s barely through the question when Max and Isobel barrel past her, shoving through the door and into the night.

She follows close behind, finding Michael Guerin laying on his back on the ground, a shard of glass next to him, a gaping wound in his throat and blood soaking into the dirt around him.

She claps her hand over her mouth in horror, barely taking in the commotion around her.

That is, until Max is dragging Jesse Manes towards them. And Isobel ducks down into her line of vision, “Please, Liz. I promised myself I’d let you decide what you wanted. But.. Please let us save my brother?”

Liz just nods. And, when she realizes what they’re about to do, she turns, closing her eyes, covering her ears, wishing she could drown out the sounds that she’s afraid will be imprinted on her memory forever.

***

Jesse’s body drops to the ground once Michael is done and Max knows he’ll have to do something about that sooner rather than later, but… He lives out in the middle of nowhere, so, for now he’ll just move the body out of sight.

Isobel’s attention is on Michael and Max’s certain that, with everything that’s gone on between them, all the distance, perhaps that’s better. What matters is that his brother is okay.

So he turns his own attention to Liz, stepping in front of her. Her eyes are closed tight, hands over her ears.

He’s thankful that they caught Jesse, that they were able to get him to Michael so quickly. Because he knows that wouldn’t have killed him. Michael would have been frozen like that until they found someone, anyone, to help him. Anyone for him to feed off of.

But he can’t help but feel guilty for making Liz witness it.

He taps her arm lightly, watching her hands fall away from her ears and her eyes open. She looks so calm. Too calm. Max is certain she must be in shock. He’s sure it won’t be long before she realizes fully what he is. It won’t be long until she’s terrified of him.

When she finally meets his eyes, he asks her, “Can I drive you home? Make sure you get there safe?”

Liz just shakes her head, “I drove my own car here. I can get home by myself, Max.”

“I know you can,” he reassures her. He knows Liz is smart and capable, but he doubts he’ll get the sounds Jesse Manes made as he was dying out of his head any time soon and, Liz, well, she’s far better than he ever could be. “Would you mind if I follow you? Just to reassure myself that you’ve gotten home safe.”

She’s silent for a moment, but finally, she nods. “Sure.” She pauses halfway to her car and turns to him again. “Will you come with me tomorrow to check out this bunker nearby? Kyle and I found it when we were looking through the files. I just… Need to know what we’ve gotten ourselves into. Maybe there’ll be more answers there?”

So she’s not afraid of him after all. At least not yet. “I’ll be there.”

“Good,” she responds, climbing into her car.

Max spends the ride following her car in silence. He stops in front of the Crashdown, watching her climb out of her own car and unlock the door to the restaurant. She turns around to wave at him before she steps inside and locks it behind her. He waits until he sees her bedroom light turn on before he pulls away and heads back home.

***

“I know you want to talk to Alex,” Isobel follows Michael to his truck, “But you are coming back to my place first.”

“Is-”

“No. You have next to no water pressure at yours and you are… Just, really gross.” She wrinkles her nose, reaching out but not quite touching. She’s not sure anywhere is clean enough to touch. “He does not need you coming to him in the middle of the night covered in blood.” She pauses, “You can wear one of Noah’s shirts. He forgot a few.”

It’s not just that, of course. They’re not exactly the emotional conversation types, but she’s well aware that Michael has had an especially traumatic day, even before the shard of glass in his neck. And he needs to take a step back, let some of it out rather than heaping another probably difficult conversation onto all of it.

He finally agrees and follows her to her house. It’s comforting for her to see Michael’s truck following her car, to know that he’s there. She’s been alone for a matter of days and she’s already tired of it. She doesn’t complain when he follows her into the house with muddy boots, not bothering to take them off. She’ll deal with that later.

They’re inside for less than a minute when he speaks. “He’s not going to forgive me, Is. Not for this.” She’s surprised to hear Michael opening up to her of his own accord.

“You don’t know that,” she argues. She can’t see how Alex would be happier with Michael practically dead and his dad on the loose, probably hunting them all. But, then again, she’s only seen bits and pieces of Michael’s relationship. And she barely knows Alex at all.

“I fucked up,” Michael scrubs a hand over his face, dried blood flaking off his hand as he does so. It’s not the right time for it and she knows it, but Isobel idly considers having new carpet installed in the entire house. “I found my mom. And then I fucked up and got her and a whole bunch of other vampires killed. And now it’s my fault Alex’s father is dead and I don’t-”

She can hear the panic rising in his voice and the tears starting, so she interrupts him by grabbing him and dragging him to her couch, pulling him to sob against her chest. She’ll deal with the bloodstains later. Maybe by burning the couch.

She lets him sob himself out while she tries to soothe him, like he did for her after Noah left. She wonders when and if she’ll ever see him again. And what she will do if she doesn’t. When do you let go of a marriage? And does she even want to fight for this one?

***

Maria is asleep when the pounding comes on the door. She stumbles off the couch and onto her feet, upending the thankfully capped bottle of tequila in her haste to get there. Her head is pounding and her mouth is dry. And Alex should be dealing with this, but, well, he never came home. She hopes that’s a good thing.

But, to her surprise, Michael Guerin is standing at the door, looking like a complete mess and wearing a shirt that is most definitely too nice to be his. “I need to talk to Alex,” he says instantly.

“I gathered as much. He’s not here.” Michael is starting to turn and head back to his truck, when she says, “He really loves you, you know.” He stops still, so she continues. “Alex doesn’t open up easily. I’ve seen him fall apart maybe twice. Once, when Rosa died. The second when you dropped him off here.” She pauses, “You’re the guy who kissed him at the UFO Emporium, aren’t you?”

Michael’s voice is barely there when he responds, “You know about that?”

“He wouldn’t tell me who it was. I thought-” she takes a deep, shaky breath. “I thought it was some guy who was experimenting with him. Who wanted him to keep it secret. I honestly thought it was just some crush Alex hadn’t gotten over. But now I’m starting to wonder if you’re just jerking him around for some reason.”

“Were you just experimenting with Isobel?” Michael retorts, anger clearly rising to the surface. “Are you just jerking her around?”

“I love your sister. But she’s married,” Maria refuses to back down or back off. “I can’t-” she cuts herself off. “If you do love Alex, tell him.”

“It’s not that simple,” he sounds exhausted. And Maria is certain that, in his mind, that’s true

“It is. If you don’t love him, end things with him now. For good. Let him find someone who can love him the way he deserves.” She takes note of the myriad of facial expressions he makes at that. Jealousy, hurt, sorrow. She knows she just needs to keep pushing. He loves Alex. And Alex deserves to be happy. One of them deserves to get their happy ending, as much as anyone can. “If I see him hurting like this again because of you, I will cut off your favorite appendage,” she threatens, well aware she won’t have to make good on that threat.

“I wasn’t experimenting with him,” Michael answers softly. “I’m bi. And, for the record, I never wanted to keep it a secret. I’ve been in love with Alex since I was seventeen years old. But… He keeps walking away. And maybe he’s right to.”

“You’re an idiot,” Maria replies, rolling her eyes. “I mean, you’re right that you don’t deserve him. I have to seriously question Alex’s taste in men. But…” She sighs, “He’s not walking away. I very much doubt he ever really did. He’s waiting for you at your Airstream. To fight for you.”

Michael starts to walk toward the truck again, hesitates, and turns, “Maria? Isobel still loves you.”

“I think, in this case, love just isn’t enough, Guerin.”

***

Isobel has been staring at her phone for the last ten minutes, considering. Planning. She knows she should wait until morning, but maybe she needs to say this now, while she still has the courage to do so.

She’s been thinking about her brothers, how they’ve followed her advice but she’s failed in that regard. They’re trying to be themselves, to be honest with the people they love. They’re choosing to live as they are, rather than this perfect Pinterest life Isobel has modeled for herself off of what her parents have. What she thought she was supposed to want.

Some part of her does love Noah. He’s not her first love, not passion, excitement, magic. He’s safe and kind. He’s good. Better than she deserves, if she’s being honest with herself. And he loves her. Loved her. Maybe, if they work at it… Maybe he can love her for who she truly is.

Finally, she grabs her phone, dialing, holding it to her ear.

Voicemail. What she expected, considering how late it is.

“Noah, it’s me. Isobel. I… I’m sorry I hid everything from you. I think I hid a lot from myself too. And I want to… I want to figure out who I am. With you, if you’re still interested. I want to try to let you know who I am. I want to see if we work. But I understand if there’s too many lies and too much pain between us. Please just… Call me and let me know? If you don’t want me anymore, I think I deserve to know. I love you.”

She hangs up and sets her phone down, considering who else she owes the truth to.

***

“Oh thank god,” Alex says the instant Michael steps through the door. “My dad never got on that flight to Niger and he’s probably out there looking for you right now and why do you never answer your phone?” It’s rare to hear Alex talking this much, so Michael just leans against the door and lets him continue. He’s not quite ready to hurt him yet. “And I guess that’s beside the point.” Michael watches as he takes a deep breath in, pushing it out on the exhale like he’s forcing it past those perfect lips.

“I needed to tell you… I meant what I said back there, Guerin. You’re my family. So I completely understand if you blame me for everything that happened there and I can get out of your way if that’s what you need, but I just-” He shakes his head, like he’s trying to make the words come out right. “I need you to know that I love you. And I’m here. If you want me to be. If you don’t… I’ll be around.”

Michael makes his way towards Alex, who is perched on his bed. “I don’t want you to go anywhere, Alex,” he replies. He knows what he needs to tell Alex. And he needs to do it before someone else finds out and tells him. “Your dad already found me. At Max’s house. Isobel and Liz were there too.”

“Are you okay? Are they okay?”

Michael kneels on the floor in front of him, reaching for his hands, “He- I-”

But Alex’s brow is furrowing and he’s taking Michael’s left hand in both of his, tracing the smooth, healed skin, examining it thoroughly before looking up to meet Michael’s eyes. And he feels pinned there, beneath his dark gaze, waiting for Alex to piece it all together and push him away.

“This was my dad?” he asks, tone even.

Michael just nods.

“And Max, Isobel, and Liz? Are they okay?”

He nods again, waiting for the inevitable.

“I’m sorry,” Alex says, voice gentle, eyes sad. Michael almost falls backward in shock, but Alex continues. “He should have been in Niger. He shouldn’t have been able to come after you. But I fucked up and… I trusted that he would go. I didn’t see how big this was and he could have killed you.”

Michael’s wet laugh is the only thing that stops him on his recrimination tour. “Darlin’, none of that is your fault.”

“I should have-”

“No. You did everything you could. You tried to protect me. You tried to save my… You tried to stop what happened back there.”

“I didn’t do enough,” Alex objects.

“You did more for me than anyone has ever done before,” Michael admits. And then he asks, “You’re not angry at me about your father?”

Alex reaches for Michael, thumbs tracing his cheekbones, eyes taking him in as he says, “I know my father. It was him or you. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He pauses, giving Michael a sad smile. “I was coming here to figure us out, but maybe this isn’t the right time?”

Michael hates to admit it, but Alex is right. Yes, he wants to bury his pain in the delicious feel of Alex’s skin against his own, but he knows how that ends. And, if Alex truly wants to start over, he’s not going to risk that for comfort. “I’m not… With everything that happened, I can’t really do the us thing right now. I want to. But I’m not…”

Alex saves him with, “You’re not ready for a relationship right now?”

Michael nods tiredly.

“Got it. Let me know when you are? I’ll be here.”

Michael knows he should say he can’t ask Alex to wait, but Alex seems to be offering and fuck if he’s not grateful to know he’s not losing him because he’s telling him what he needs. He’s sure that, if he were losing Alex, he’d take back everything he said, insist he’s ready. Because he doesn’t think he can handle Alex leaving again.

Alex reaches for his cane, but Michael stills his hand on it, “Stay?” He’s not sure he’s prepared for the nightmares that are sure to come. And he’s aware that it's not fair of him to ask Alex to stay with him through it. But he thinks that, if he can wake up knowing Alex is safe, that might just fend off the worst of it.

Alex simply nods, before asking, “Do you mind if I…?” he gestures at his right leg.

“Can I help you?” Michael asks softly. He’s well aware that Alex is sore and tired, knows that some of it is his fault. He just wants Alex to not put any more on himself.

Alex nods after a moment, leaning back, hands on the bed behind him as Michael unbuttons his jeans. He’s tempted to do more than just pull them off when Alex lifts his hips, but they’re both too tired for that and, really, he does need to work on some things before he’s ready for this.

If the jeans were his, he’d just toss them on the nearest chair, but, instead, he folds them and sets them neatly to the side, hands moving up the smooth metal until he reaches the top with one hand, pushing the button on the suction valve and sliding his prosthetic off. He can’t resist the urge to kiss Alex’s bare skin right above the sock before he sets the prosthetic to the side.

“How did you-?” Alex asks, voice soft, wondering.

“Youtube,” Michael shrugs, eyes moving to the sock, carefully sliding it down, soothing over Alex’s skin with cold hands, stopping when Alex makes a noise he can’t quite interpret. “Too cold?” he asks.

“No. The opposite. Feels good.”

So Michael just finishes removing the sock before sliding his hands over what’s left of Alex’s calf, soothing over the end of the stump. He presses a kiss to scarred skin, whispering, “I told you. Beautiful.” And it’s true. Alex Manes is the most beautiful person Michael has ever laid eyes on.

He knows what he said, what he should do, but he still wants to nuzzle into the warm skin of Alex’s thighs and follow them up. It’s been too long since he’s tasted him. And he’s never been good at denying himself where Alex is concerned.

“Guerin,” Alex’s tone is firm, so Michael meets his eyes. “Sleep.”

It’s only then that the exhaustion fully hits Michael. He barely manages to stumble out of his clothes and follow Alex into the bed, letting Alex pull him close until his head is resting on Alex’s bicep, his back against Alex’s strong chest. And then he’s sliding into sleep, content in the knowledge that Alex is safe and that he stayed.

***

Isobel has been waiting at The Wild Pony for a while when Maria walks in, somehow managing to look both hungover and as beautiful as always.

“I don’t have time for this, Isobel,” Maria groans instantly. But, otherwise, she seems to ignore Isobel, going about her usual morning rituals.

“I’m sorry for the way I ended things between us. I was scared.”

“Yeah, I know,” Maria replies, surprising her. She doesn’t understand how Maria could possibly know that. But, then again, Maria has always understood her.

“I loved you so much and I wanted to tell you everything. And that scared me.”

Maria finally stops and looks at her, leaning against the pool table, waiting for her to continue.

So Isobel does, “I thought my life would be easier if I made it simple and safe. That’s all I really wanted when I was a kid. To have what my parents have. Something easy and safe. And, you...  Maria, you are not safe.” She pauses. “I’m sorry I let my fear ruin what we could have had.”

Maria swipes tears from her eyes.

“But I wanted you to know… I wanted to let you see who I am. Even if that doesn’t really matter now.” She takes Maria in, tries to memorize this woman as she is, before. Before she’s terrified of her. And then she speaks, “I’m a vampire.”

“You’re an idiot,” Maria laughs wetly. “My mother is a witch. And a psychic. You think she didn’t tell me I was in love with a vampire?”

“You knew?”

“I figured it was like coming out,” Maria explains. And, actually, that sounds reasonable to Isobel. “You’d tell me when you were ready. And you did. Just took a bit longer than I hoped.” She pauses, before speaking, “I need you to let me let you go, Isobel. You married Noah, but you never really left. You’re always here. Always everywhere. I need to be able to move on.”

It’s Isobel’s turn to wipe the tears from her eyes. But she nods, picking up her purse and heading toward the door.

She steps out into the morning sun, sliding sunglasses on to hide her tears, and stepping into her car. It’s time to let go. And leave the past in the past. Where it belongs.

***

Kyle is already at the bunker when Max and Liz reach it. But he’s clearly waited for them before opening it. He just pushes a button on his phone and the panel lights up green.. She can hear the sound of the door unlocking, and reaches down to lift it, Max reaching past her with his damn chivalry. “You do know I’m the Slayer, right?” she asks. “I mean, I could open my own damn door if I were purely human, but I have super strength.” Yeah, it’s sweet. But she doesn’t want him thinking it’s okay to treat her like she’s helpless.

“Got it,” he replies, gesturing her to lead the way. So she does.

It’s dark in the bunker, a few emergency lights on, but nothing else. So she takes her phone out and turns on the flashlight, directing it around the room.

She freezes when she sees the same ghostly vision again.

Rosa. Dark hair far longer than it was in life, skin pale like death, mouth open wide.

She’s done being scared by this vision of her sister. She knows what happened to her and it’s time for her to confront it. She steps closer. She’s maybe a foot away when Rosa lunges.

Max is right there, pushing her out of the way and then he has Rosa’s teeth attached to his throat.

It takes an embarrassingly long time for her to understand what is happening.

Rosa is a vampire. And Jesse Manes has kept her trapped and maybe starving for ten years. That’s how he used her against Jim Valenti.

She jumps when Max’s body crumples to the floor, Rosa watching him, head tilted, examining.

Liz is absolutely certain she’s next, as Rosa stalks toward her.

But her eyes are her normal brown, her face returning to normal, if ten years older, rather than rabid vampire as they had been before. “Liz?”

***

Jesse Manes opens his eyes to see the sun dawning and hears the sound of car wheels on gravel. The engine shutting off. Door opened.

He gets to his feet, watching from out of sight as Isobel Evans-Bracken’s handsome husband walks to Max’s door, knocking lightly.

And he considers what he wants to do. Plan A had been reckless. Plan B… Well, he had missed his chance for that and was on to Plan C. His daily dose of vampire blood has served him well. And now Noah Bracken’s surprise reemergence gives him an intriguing new option.

Ten minutes later, he’s in his car, driving away from Roswell for a while, licking the warm metallic taste from his lips.

***

And that’s it, everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this fic. And, as I said above, I am working on a sequel.

[andrea-lyn]

It's all hands on deck when the Tesseract becomes a threat to all alien life, from thawing out Captain America to beckoning aliens from a galaxy far, far away. In terms of teamwork, they should be able to band together, but it's not without a few speed bumps along the way.

Here we are with the Avengers fusion! Yes, it is WIP, but I have the next two chapters pretty much in top shape, so those should be coming out soon.

[liz-max]

haven't watched rnm since 4x01 so as far as i am concerned max and liz got married and drove off together to california. they have a beach house and max writes bestsellers while liz gets that nobel prize.

[schwubadub]

unrelated to anything but i just realized

birds like to play and exhibit playful behavior which is a trait really only found in birds and mammals with higher intelligence

birds are evolved from dinosaurs

 did dinosaurs play???

[frankchurchillsaysrelax]

So who all are your RNM ships or is it just Malex

I mainly ship Malex and Echo.

I ship non-canon Nobel and Rosobel.

And I want Kyle and Jenna to just go at it.

I don’t mind M/M as an idea and I’m even incorporating it into a fic im working on.

I mostly want a new character brought in for Maria. Someone she deserves who is just hers.

[aliensandidentity-f21]

RNM 2.3

This girl Liz literally brought a living organism’s cells back from the dead!! How is she not already a Nobel Prize recipient on the cover of Time Magazine?? How corrupt can capitalism get??

[salmonthestoryteller]

Roswell New Mexico Ships - Plot Speculation

(Blame it on Roswell High)

Okay, so, after reading the book series, I notice that a lot of the plots for RNM come directly from it.  They’ve been altered in various ways to fit different characters and the time skip, but the basic points fit.

Examples (Spoiler Warnings for Roswell High ahead!):

A Stowaway caused the ship to crash.

There is a civil war occuring on the Pod Squad’s homeworld.

The group believes one of them has committed a murder, but it turns out they were mind controlled by another alien - an adult who survived the crash.

Both Sheriff Valenti and Major Manes (Kyle & Alex’s fathers) are involved in Project Clean Slate. (The Book’s version of Project Shepherd.)

Cameron (who Jenna Cameron is based on) is blackmailed by Valenti (who is the RH version of RNM’s Jesse Manes) to spy on the Pod Squad.

There is a secret facility that houses another survivor of the crash (though in this case only one, not a large group), and that facility is blown up.

Project Clean Slate has a secret weapon that targets alien biology.

Jim Valenti is killed by an alien, and Kyle does investigate. (Though their characters are not sympathetic in the books.)

I’ve posted a lot of excerpts about different plots in the book, but - despite it being a large portion of the series - I’ve left out a lot about the romances along the way. So I figured I owed a whole speculation post about them.  Spoilers for the whole series ahead!  Read at your own risk.

Echo, Kyliz, (and Liz x Adam)

Echo in the book runs something like this:

Max is in love with Liz

He saves her life when she is shot

Echo get together

Max breaks up with Liz because he feels he’s putting her in danger

Liz goes on a date with someone else (not Kyle), and Max gets jealous

Liz and Max share a moment when their lives are in danger

Max then reiterates they can’t be together because it’s too dangerous

Max is in danger of dying

Echo gets back together while the group searches for a way to save Max

Max’s life is saved

Echo are together and happy

Max personality slowly changes as the Collective Consciousness begins to take over his mind and life.

Max’s altered personality draws Liz closer to Adam (Another alien from the books)

The Collective Consciousness literally break in while Max is kissing Liz (Ew)

Liz breaks up with Max when she realizes he is no longer the same person.

Liz and Adam share a couple moments

Liz tells Adam she isn’t in love with him, and that she’s still in love with Max.

Adam is killed by DuPris

Max’s body is completely taken over by the Collective Consciousness

The group searches for a way to save Max

Max tries to communicate with Liz through dreams

Max manages to seize control of his body once, when Liz kisses him

Max almost dies with the Collective Consciousness - his molecules disbanding

Liz manages to save Max with the power of their bond

Echo get their HEA

While I’m not sure the ten year gap counts as the break up, we’re pretty much at Max almost dying in their plot points - though the plot points are a bit jumbled for RNM. In our case, Max is actually dead right now.  So the group searching for a way to save him comes second, not first.

It’s also true that we don’t currently have an Adam, and while I kind of hope we will get an Adam, I’m also hoping they leave him as a teenager the group looks after.  I don’t think his plot would work with the time skip.  Nor do I think they could convince you that maybe Liz might end up with him as they do in the books.

However, in RNM we have Kyle.  Kyle was who Max was jealous of, not a random character, early in season one.  Liz trusts and cares about Kyle in RNM, which is similar to how Liz feels for Adam in RH.

While I feel the plot involving the Collective Consciousness in RH isn’t really directly translatable to RNM, the idea that Max is different when brought back after dying could be done for other reasons.  He was already acting oddly after killing Noah, so changing more after coming back to life is believable.  (I’m still kinda hoping for Dark Max.  But Lightning High Max flaunting his powers could be interesting as well.)

This could draw Liz closer to Kyle, and eventually lead to an Echo break up, during which we get lots of Kyliz moments that make us question whether Liz will end up with Kyle instead of Max.  I do suspect if that is the case, that we’ll eventually have a scene, like Liz and Adam have in the book, where Liz tells Kyle she still loves Max and Kyle accepts it with the same heartbreaking grace that Adam did.  Because that’s very much a thing our RNM Kyle would do.

I’m not sure, without repeating his nearly dying again, how the end of the novels would translate for Echo. Which is a pity because I really liked the literal use of Max’s earlier line: “Even if my molecules were spread out from here to whatever galaxy my home planet is, that wouldn’t stop me. All my molecules would be like little homing pigeons. They’d all zoom to you, and then I’d reform.”

Whatever danger they choose to put Echo in instead of the Collective Consciousness, I definitely feel like Echo will get their HEA.

Malex, Miluca, (Michael x Iz, Michael x Cameron, Alex x Iz, Alex x ?)

This is a lot more jumbled due to the change of love interests.  I do feel that RNM has swapped Alex into Maria’s position in the books (romantically) more than Michael into Isobel’s.  And, likewise, has swapped Maria into Isobel’s place.  There is a chance they are swapping Maria into both Isobel and Cameron’s place, but it seems unlikely.  Also including Alex’s romantic plot because they could be mashing them.

Michael and Maria grow close, and he spends a lot of nights in her room rather than with his foster families.

Michael feels jealous when he spies Maria with a guy in one of her dreams. (It’s him, but he doesn’t realize that. I have no explanation for his level of cluelessness)

Michael and Maria kiss (This is important because it’s their only kiss until the ending.)

Maria gets ahold of one of the Stones of Midnight, granting her psychic powers and bringing her under attack by psychic alien bounty hunters

Michael takes the Stone of Midnight, faces off with the psychic alien bounty hunters and nearly dies

Maria confesses to Michael she’s in love with him

Michael is captured by Project Clean Slate, and grows close to Cameron

Michael and Isobel share a moment after his rescue

Maria demands Michael choose between her and Isobel, and Michael chooses Cameron.

Michael discovers Cameron was a spy for Project Clean Slate and breaks up with her

Michael and Isobel attempt to share another moment, but realize they’re too much like siblings and this isn’t going to work out.

The Stowaway puppets Maria and Michael into a makeout session against their will (WTH is with the villains in RH all being voyeurs?)

Maria uses the moment to break his control over her by connecting to Michael through their bond, which leads to the whole group being able to connect and fight back against the Stowaway

Cameron comes back to help save them from the Stowaway

Cameron leaves in the end because Michael can’t bring himself to trust her again.

Michael and Maria suck at being just friends and act more like a couple but don’t realize it.

Michael has a brother, Trevor, who turns out to be a traitor, and Maria is who comforts him

MIchael’s brother redeems himself, and asks Michael to return to their Homeplanet with him

Michael tries to put distance between Maria and himself, causing her to think he doesn’t love her the way she loves him

Michael realizes he can’t leave Maria at the last possible moment. (Literally at the wormhole)

Michael and Maria finally get their HEA... in Book 10

Alex and Isabel start to get together after he discovers the alien secret

Nikolas spies on Alex and Isabel’s date. (See what I mean about the villains?)

Isabel breaks up with Alex for Nikolas (another alien)

During Isabel’s breakdown after Nikolas’s death, Alex sits outside her door night after night, telling her stories so she won’t feel alone.

Alex and Isabel get back together

Alex introduces Isabel to his family

Isabel breaks up with Alex when an old crush on MIchael rears its head

Alex is accidentally sent to the alien homeworld

Isobel writes Alex letters when he’s on their homeworld, sending them up into the sky on fireworks

Isabel sneaks into Alex’s house and steals Manes’s computer files in an attempt to find a way to save Alex

Alex manages to return on his own, with a Stone of Midnight and pursued by another alien

Alex makes it to the Evans house and collapses in Isabel’s arms

After everything, however, Isabel and Alex talk and realize they just want to be friends

Michael's brother is the alien out to kill Alex for the Stone of Midnight

Alex ends up going out with multiple girls after he and Isabel end things

Alex finds out Isabel’s life is in danger, and demands an alien tracking device from his father

Alex is who Isabel turns to when Trevor asks her to return to their homeworld with Michael and him

Alex and Isabel are the snarky commentary for the two couples at the end of the book, neither in a romance

Well, damn.  This is convoluted.  And, frighteningly, both Michael and Alex’s romances are full of constant breakups, love triangles, and Michael doesn’t actually get together with his will-they-won’t-they until the series is basically over.  I really, really, hope, they don’t do this for Malex.

However, you definitely see where Alex took over Maria and Michael's book plot in the flashbacks.  With Michael staying at Alex's toolshed rather than Maria's room, sharing moments, etc.

Basically, we’re at the love triangle in Michael’s plotline.  Which did strain Maria and Isabel’s friendship (and they were good friends by the time that plot came up in the book), but which is thrown a loop when Michael chooses someone completely different.  I actually approved of that, because it really did end the love triangle in an unexpected way.  However, they already gave us Cameron’s whole book plotline, linking her to Max instead of Michael.

I'm a bit at a loss of how they'll handle the love triangle.  While I've considered it, having Maria betray them to Project Shepherd seems unlikely. Introducing a third love interest to betray them seems like a repeat of Cam's plot. Part of the reason Michael and Isabel considered each other in RH was because they were members of the Pod Squad.  It was basically about the fact they were both aliens and trusted each other completely.  That part of why there was a love triangle doesn't exist in RNM because Isobel isn't the third party. My best guess is they'll end Michael and Maria the way they ended Alex and Isabel in RH - with them simply deciding they're better as friends.

I can see both Michael being captured by Project Shepherd and Alex being sent to the alien homeworld as plots. With lots of pining and worrying involved.  I would love for Michael's brother Trevor to be a character in RNM, and him gunning for Alex would be seriously awesome angst.

If we steal from Alex’s plot, we can have Alex dating a lot of different guys..  Then him demanding a piece of Project Shepherd technology to save Michael with.

While a scene where Michael chooses Alex over returning to his homeworld would be incredible, can we please take a hint from OG and not wait until the end of the series for it?

Nobel, Maribel, Kybel (Isabel x Nikolas, Isabel x Alex, Isabel x Michael, Isabel x Trevor)

Isabel has a crush on Michael when they’re younger

Alex and Isabel start to get together after he discovers the alien secret

Nikolas spies on Alex and Isabel’s date

Isabel breaks up with Alex for Nikolas (another alien)

Nikolas pushes Isabel to use her powers in ways she’s uncomfortable with

Valenti shoots Nikolas

During Isabel’s breakdown after Nikolas’s death, Alex sits outside her door night after night, telling her stories so she won’t feel alone.

Alex and Isabel get back together

Alex introduces Isabel to his family

Isabel’s old crush on MIchael rears its head after she spies herself in a dream of his

Isabel breaks up with Alex after Michael and her share a moment after he is rescued from Project Clean Slate

Michael and Isobel attempt to share another moment, but realize they’re too much like siblings and this isn’t going to work out.

Alex is accidentally sent to the alien homeworld

Isobel writes Alex letters when he’s on their homeworld, sending them up into the sky on fireworks

Isabel sneaks into Alex’s house and steals Manes’s computer files in an attempt to find a way to save Alex

Alex manages to return on his own, with a Stone of Midnight and pursued by another alien

Alex makes it to the Evans house and collapses in Isabel’s arms

After everything, however, Isabel and Alex talk and realize they just want to be friends

Isabel and Trevor share a moment during a party at the UFO Museum

Trevor betrays the group to DuPris

Isabel enters Akino, and Trevor helps them get her through it without joining the Collective Consciousness

Trevor, Michael and Alex kill DuPris after he kills Adam

Isabel and Trevor have several more moments

Trevor asks Isabel to return to their homeworld with Michael and him

Isabel chooses to stay because “My family is here. My whole family. I can’t leave.”

Trevor promises her he’ll return someday

Alex and Isabel are the snarky commentary for the two couples at the end of the book, neither in a romance

Okay, I get the notion of “Not everyone needs a romance to have a HEA”, but after pairing Isabel with pretty much every guy in the book who wasn’t her brother, not giving her a romantic HEA seemed pretty messed up to me. I adore her and Alex as both friends and a couple.  I didn’t really care for Trevor with her, so in a way I’m kind of glad she stayed and their romance was left with an ambiguous, “I will return someday” rather than him staying. But, seriously? Can Isobel end at least one series in a happy, committed relationship?

I feel like they purposefully set up Noah as a lawyer and Isobel’s husband because OG fans would connect him to Jesse.  Where he’s much closer to a mix between DuPris and Nikolas.  Isabel was given Adam’s plot of killing someone while being puppeted, though in her case it’s Rosa and the Girls rather than Valenti. But Noah’s death came early in the series, like Nikolas, unlike DuPris who is not revealed as the villain until much later, and remains a major villain for most of the series.  (I am currently eyeing Grant Green, seeing as DuPris ran the alien news tabloid, and Grant ran the fake alien news radio broadcast, but that has nothing to do with Isobel’s romances.)

We know her entire romantic plot with Alex is out the window in RNM.  I also feel like they will not be touching on any notion of her and Michael together at all. They’ve stressed the Pod Squad’s connection as familial a lot, and I don’t think they’ll be changing that.

Bookwise that only leaves Trevor as Isabel’s official book romance.  I want them to bring in Trevor because I feel his overall plot would be a great addition.  But if they do pair him with Isobel, I really hope they give a lot more time to their romance.  More interactions before the reveal Trevor is a traitor.  Definitely him helping to save her life somehow and redeeming himself against whoever he betrayed them for.  More time after he rejoins the group, before they have to make the decision to return to their homeworld or not.  Maybe the leaving scene can be season 3 or 4, so he can return in a later season, and Isobel can have a romantic HEA.  If that is where they go.

I still have hope for Maribel in RNM.  Honestly, Maria and Isabel have the closest relationship for her after her and Alex, and so if we’re reading subtext - how is this: While telling Trevor she can’t leave, she is holding Max and smiling at Maria.

Or, alternatively, since Kyle is so awesome in RNM, we can have her Naughty Nurse dream visit in a totally different scenario, and have Kybel?

Basically, Izzy’s romantic future is completely in the air.

[salmonthestoryteller]

Why Can't You Just Let Isobel Be Happy??

Spoilers

Spoilers

Spoilers

I don't even have the heart for a funny spoiler tag right now.  I guessed it was most likely, but I kept hoping they wouldn't do it.  Noah is the fourth alien. I'm so heartbroken. I love Isobel and I loved nice guy, supportive Noah and I loved Nobel and I need the week to get over this before next episode. Because it is no doubt going to destroy me more.

I mean, yah, in hindsight, I can see the foreshadow for it throughout the season.   A betrayal like this is supposed to be surprising and heartbreaking for the characters, and, yah, it definitely was.  But, did you have to? I mean, why can't Isobel catch a break?

In the OG series she didn't get a happy ending. Her first love interest was murdered, her past self was in love with the villain, and she leaves her husband when they have to go on the run in the final episode.

I haven't read the book series, but I read about them and the short term goes like this: Her first boyfriend is an alien psycho who gets killed.  Neither of her next two love interests work out. Her final is Michael's brother, and despite mutual feelings, he returns to their home planet and she stays on Earth.

Now, in this series, Isobel was so traumatized by what happened with the Drifter at twelve, she had blackouts from it in the months that followed.  She didn't trust any guy besides her brothers for years afterwards. (Think about this, she was supposedly the Mean Girl Queen Bee of Roswell High and she took her brothers to the Prom. Why do you think that was?) Her reliance on Max and Michael to feel safe was so deep that the realization they weren't going to be around anymore after graduation restarted her black outs at seventeen.

After the murders, and sending Liz away, Isobel had a pair of brothers who were broken.  Who she needed to be strong for. So she was. Along the way she fell in love. She gave her trust to a man, the first besides her brothers.  She let herself be vulnerable with him, to rely on him. And now it turns out he never loved her. That he's been using her. That he is responsible for the murders that destroyed their lives.

You know what scene really killed me last night?

She tells Max she's going to prove Noah isn't an alien, but that isn't the question she asks him.

She asks him, “Do you love me?”

I just. I can't.  That hurts too much.

Whatever else happens in this series, can I petition to Give Isobel a Happy Romantic Plotline?  Please?

[salmonthestoryteller]

Salmon’s Roswell New Mexico Meta Masterlist

This is the last season, but I’ve written so much on this series, it kind of deserves its own list separate from the fanfics.

Alex vs Jesse

All about Isobel

Echo’s Series Finale Ending

End of Season 2 Reactions and Season 3 Speculation (RNM)

End of Season 3 Overall Likes and Season 4 Wishlist (RNM)

Friendships - Roswell New Mexico

How to Side Character - RNM Version I Have a Theory (RNM s4 Plot Speculation - Collective Consciousness)

Isobel and Female Character Stigmas

Just Gonna Nope on Wyatt Long’s Arc in RNM S3

Let Maria Be Angry (s2)

Liz & Michael (s2 & s3)

Liz Ortecho (s1)

Malex - Bunker Scene s2 Argument

Malex & Character Growth

Malex - The Guitar and Financial Status

Malex - Heading in the Right Direction (Season 2)

Malex - s2 Growth Malex - Summer Flashback and Miscommunication

Maria & Being a Caretaker

Maria - Being Irresponsible over her Health (s2)

Maria - Loneliness and Hope

Maria, Mimi, Elderly Care & Undiagnosed Illness

Maria’s POV (S1)

Marosa Feels Michael & Alcohol

Michael & Liz

Michael Funds His own Science Lab Michael’s Headspace 1x13

Michael’s Mindset (s2)

Mr Jones and Alien Powers Spec

My Struggles with the Writer’s Character Choices for Maria

Not Cool Max Part of why I dislike Miluca in s2

Pick a Character - Liz

Pick a Character - Max Please Stop Kidnapping Your Characters - I’m Begging You!

RNM Kidnapping Plot Struggles

RNM Season 2 & Health

RNM Season 3 Complaints RNM Season 4 Episodes 1-2

RNM Season 4 Episodes 3-4

RNM Season 4 Episodes 5-6

RNM Season 4 Episodes 7-8 RNM Season 4 Episode 9 RNM Season 4 Episodes 10-11

RNM Season 4 Episode 12 RNM Season 4 Episode 13 - Rant RNM Seasosn 4 Episode 13 - Rave RNM s04e06 Rant

RNM s04e08 Rant

Roswell New Mexico Ships - Plot Speculation (written before s2)

S1 Miliuca vs S2 Miluca Science Bros Season 4 Parallels The Stowaway and Nora - 47 Flashback Speculation

That Darn Love Triangle

That Scene (02x06) Tripp Manes & More 47 Flashbacks Speculations

Why I’ll Never Be Over Losing Nobel Why Wyatt Long’s Insto Redemption is Cringey

[salmonthestoryteller]

Malex & Character Growth

Okay, RNM Fandom, I’m going to address this whole “toxic relationship” bit and not everyone is going to like what I have to say, but I’m going to say it.  Yes, I believe Malex is end game, and with Nobel turning out the way it did, that makes them my top ship of the show.  However, to me - personally- that doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to the negative aspects of a ship or the characters.

Alex and Michael’s relationship when it first starts in high school is beautiful and innocent.  They give each other a level of trust they don’t share with anyone else.  It’s a hint of what their relationship could be.  Then Jesse Manes and Noah happened, and both their relationship and their lives got fucked over.

For every beautiful scene we’re shown between Michael and Alex in S1 - once again giving us a hint of what their relationship could be - we are also given moments like these:

“Quick, Alex, run and tell your daddy.”

“You’re wasting your life.”

“What happened at the reunion can’t happen again.”

“What happened? I was pretty wasted.”

“I’m an Airman, I can’t be with a criminal.”

“Guess you’re just the guy looking for any excuse to walk away.”

“Sometimes the world ends with a whimper.”

“We’ve been holding onto this thing. And what? It’s gotten us nowhere.”

There is a constant push-pull.  They come together only to shove each other away.  And, yes, we are given a very clear picture of why.  These are two highly traumatized individuals, neither who has healed from these past traumas, and who are experiencing new ones (Caulfield) while they’re at it.  But knowing why they’re pushing each other away doesn’t erase that it has a negative effect on them every time they do it.  They love each other, but they’re also hurting each other because they haven’t taken time to heal themselves. They haven’t found the courage to fight off that need to push away when they get too vulnerable.  To stay instead of leave; to talk instead of fight.

You know what that means?  That they’re relationship - not the love they feel for each other, but the way they were handling their relationship - was negative.  It was “toxic”.

How many posts have I seen about what we want their relationship to be like in future episodes?  We want them to tell each other the truth, to support one another, to go on dates (to share their funnel cake!), to be domestic and adopt a beagle together.

You know what that means?

It means we all know that is not the relationship they currently have.

And, yes, in the final episodes, Alex proves he’s come far enough to change that.  He’s ready to actually talk.  He’s ready to start over, to fight for what we’ve been hinted at they could be.

You know what?  Michael isn’t. Alex’s character growth in S1 was way beyond Michael’s.  He faced down Kyle, and reconciled their past. He faced down his father. He faces down Michael about their past. He calls Flint on his BS.  Alex’s character growth is phenomenal.

Michael’s isn’t.  Michael doesn’t really start to grow until after Episode 6 when all their secrets are out.  Then he slowly starts to get somewhere.  He begins to reconcile with Max. He begins to care for Liz and Maria. (The first humans besides Alex he has let himself care for his entire life that we know of.) But those baby steps are all but erased by Caulfield and Noah. Max’s death?  That’s only going to make this tailspin worse.

Michael has not matched Alex’s character growth and until he does they will never be able to have the kind of relationship they deserve and we as an audience want to see.

Just breathe.  We’ve got thirteen new episodes to look forward to. Did anyone expect what we got at Caulfield in 01x12?  I read everyone’s posts, I know none of us saw it coming.  We got sucker punched with it.  Personally, I’m ready for my S2 version of that.

[salmonthestoryteller]

We’re not saying maria knows because she is psychic! She knows because Alex confirmed it! And if you want to add the psychic part or even just the ‘best friend’ attuned to his feelings she knew how Alex felt in high school about museum guy. She knew how Alex felt recently because of museum guy and then she knows it’s Michael and throws that all at the window? It’s poor writing and the only person to blame for the decimation of Maria’s character is the writing room.

My comment on the psychic bit was in direct reply to being told "she felt it psychically." My response was, no, that wasn't what we were shown. She picked up a few hints, and the she worked out the rest by Alex's reaction, not his words.

Which, btw, no, Alex didn't confirm anything about his feelings with words. Alex's only actual verbal response was, "Michael isn't bad after a shower, but you know that."

And, honestly? That actually says "I slept with him" not "I'm madly in love with him."

I've seen the psychic bit brought up multiple times and used to say Maria has to know all this stuff about her friend's feelings. The woman is psychic, not omniscient. She didn't even realize Liz was bluffing about spying on Max. She's good, but she's not not that good.

Not everyone agrees that Maria's character was ruined. If you've read my responses, then you know I said I like Maria over Alex or Michael. She's second only to Isobel among my favorite Roswell New Mexico characters.

I've made multiple posts about Maria, her story arc (which I love), where she was as a character in 01x13 (nowhere good mentally), small town dating (very different world than big city), my opinion on the love triangle (horrible plot choice but not poorly executed), and I've made it beyond clear I find Maria the least to blame in the whole mess.

While I'll never be a fan of Miluca, my issues with it all revolve around how it will affect Maria's character arc, including her future romantic pairings, and absolutely nothing to do with how it was presented in the actual show.

Is her decision going to hurt Alex? Of course.

Do I think that makes her a horrible, unredeemable character? No, I think it makes her human.

I'm sorry. I do try to feel all of your pain over the whole love triangle bit, and see where this hatred of Maria's character comes from. I do. But here's the thing.

My original RNM OTP was Nobel.

My ship turned out to be about my fav character being in an abusive relationship with a guy who was a pedophile and had a necrophilia shrine to the dead teenager he was in love with.

That is character decimation.

I've really got nothing left to be outraged over Maria kissing a guy she's been heading steadily into a relationship with for two straight months after that.

[salmonthestoryteller]

Salmon’s Roswell New Mexico Masterlist

I was originally gathering links to post a masterlist for all my fics, but I posted so much about RNM (including Fics, Slideshows, Metas, Theories, and Headcanons) since coming back to tumblr, it kinda deserves its own post.

Fics

One Shots:

Against All Odds 03x03 Coda with Isobel and Michael (Ship(s): Malex (mentioned))

And all the old romances retold Pirate AU ficlet where Alex is a pirate and Michael a Shipwright (Ship(s): Malex)

Be My Valentine Gregory and Isobel play matchmaker to Alex and Michael (Ship(s): Malex, hints of Belmanes and Kybel) (Canon Divergent from s2)

Call Me Al Michael’s friends the main group never met (and vice versa) (Canon Divergent from s1)

Chance Encounters Alex runs into Noah before the Reunion

The Crossroads After an argument with Liz, Rosa shares moments with Maria, Alex, and Kyle. (Canon Divergent from s1)

Deck the Halls In which Echo and Malex are attacked by alien hunters while trying to do holiday activities, and Isobel is Isobel.  (Ship(s): Echo, Malex)

Don’t You Forget About Me Maria develops Memory Loss similar to Mimi’s (Ship(s): Miluca) (Canon Divergent from s1) Do You Dream About Me? Post S4.  Max dreamwalks to let Liz know he’s returning from Oasis. (Ship(s): Echo, mentions of Malex & Kybel)

Everybody Wants to Rule the World A Roswell New Mexico/Last Starfighter Fusion AU

Flowers & Hearts High School Rom-Com AU Roswell Fanfic  (Ship(s): Echo, Marosa, Side Malex - mentioned only)

Hazard Liz’s sister Rosa Ortecho disappeared ten years ago under mysterious circumstances.  Newly graduated, Liz and and Kyle, Rosa’s half brother and Liz’s lifelong friend, go to the town Rosa disappeared from in search of answers.  The Watcher in the Woods Fusio AU. (Ship(s): Hints of Echo and Malex but not focused on either.)

Hell Is... What if Max, Isobel, and Michael were caught for Rosa’s murder? (Spooky Prompts) (tw: mentions of torture and imprisonment)

How Do I Live? Liz and Isobel seek comfort in a handprint connection with each other in the wake of Max’s death. (Ship(s): Past Echo, Hints of Liz/Isobel) (Canon Divergent from s1)

I Do (Cherish You) Max and Liz are on a rescue mission. Afterwards Liz accidentally asks Max a question. (Ship(s): Echo)

If x(y)=n… Michael takes care of a drunk Liz, and they discuss their similar failures at long term relationships (Ship(s) referenced: Echo, Malex) (Canon Divergent from s2)

I Remember It Well Sheriff Valenti visits Mimi while she is in the care home.  (Ship(s) Michelle ValentixMimi)

Last to Know In which Noah is always the last to know. AU where Noah isn’t an evil alien. (Ship(s): Nobel) 

Light and Dark Pre S1 - Post S1 Relationship Exploration/Comparisons (Ship(s): Malex, Miluca) (Canon Divergent from s1)

Lover Man, Oh, Where Can You Be 1940s Carhop AU (Ship(s): Malex, Kyliz)

Missing Mimi goes missing for the first time

Missing Pieces Isobel knows someone is missing (Ages 7, 9, and 11)  The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Isobel’s plans for a perfect Christmas aren’t going as planned.  But maybe that’s for the best. Christmas Movie AU - Roswell New Mexico/The Most Wonderful TIme of the Year Fusion Ficlet. (Ship(s): Kybel, side Malex)

Never Forget Kyle and loss (Ages 7, 22 and 23)

Nocturnal The women of Roswell borrow Alex’s cabin for a weekend escape that turns out to be anything but restful as a strange prowler stalks the area. (Written for RIP Roswell prompt Monsters.)

No Looking Back Liz has a motto: No Looking Back (Ages 17, 20, and 27)

Obsession Michael is captured by Project Shephard (AU)  (tw: mentions of torture and imprisonment)

One Flew East, One Flew West For Crash Fest 2019: A high school class with all of the characters in it 

Parallel Line Roleswap AU where Maria & Isobel are Liz & Max (Ship(s): Maribel, Malex, Michael x Noah, Echo mentioned)

Pickup Man NSFW.  Smut, Trucks, Cars, and Malex.  (Ship(s): Malex)

Picture Perfect Arturo buys a camera when Rosa is born.

Remembrance The Pod Squad pays their respects to those lost at Caulfield.

Respect & Love Drabbles - Alex talks to each of his brothers (ship(s): Malex)

The School of Hardknocks Michael pulls himself up from homelessness, starvation, and injury during the ten years after high school… not that anyone notices. (Ship(s): Malex, briefly) 

Sharing a Drink They Call Loneliness Episode 1x13 Fix-it (sort-of?) (Ship(s): Malex,  Maria & Michael Friendship)

Sometimes Things End Episode 04x04 Coda - Michelle finds out about Mimi’s death. (Ship(s): Michelle Valenti x Mimi DeLuca)

Space Camp AU Ficlet of a RNM/Space Camp Fusion AU (Ship(s): Echo, Malex, Kybel, Marosa, Michelle x Mimi)

Talk to Me An extended version of Max & Michael’s Talk in 1x11

This Used to Be My Playground After the events of s01e13 friendships fracture, and come back together (Ships Mentioned: Malex, Miluca, Echo) (Canon Divergent from s1) Trio Young Isobel and Max meet Michael again for the first time in years. (1890s/1900s AU)

Unclean Michael learns not to believe in the goodness of humanity. Ages 7-14. Hurt/No Comfort  TW: Childabuse

White Noise Isobel struggles whenever entering Michael’s Mindspace

Would You Like Fries with That? Liz and Michael being Science Bros from Arturo’s POV

Yesterdays Maria and Michael discuss love and regrets. (Ship(s): Miluca, mentioned past Malex, mentioned past one-sided Marosa) (Canon Divergent from s1)

Series:

Bunker (NSFW): I Want You Bunker Sex in the Project Shepherd Bunker. (Ship(s): Malex)

I Need You Bunker Sex in Michael’s Secret Lab Bunker. (Ship(s): Malex)

I’d Die to Find Out Bunker Sex in Alex’s Cabin Bunker. (Ship(s): Malex)

Destiny:

Destiny A Roswell New Mexico/Krull Fusion AU Fanfic (Ship: Malex) 

Lost Kingdom A Roswell New Mexico/Krull Fusion AU Fanfic (Ship(s): Malex) (Part 2 of Destiny)

Army A Roswell New Mexico/Krull Fusion AU Fanfic (Ship(s): Malex) (Part ? of Destiny)

The Emerald Seer A Roswell New Mexico/Krull Fusion AU Fanfic (Ship(s): Malex) (Part ? of Destiny) The Widow of the Web A Roswell New Mexico/Krull Fusion AU Fanfic (Ship(s): Malex) (Part ? of Destiny)

Prisoner of the Beast A Roswell New Mexico/Krull Fusion AU Fanfic (Ship(s): Malex) (Part ? of Destiny)

Kryptonite:

If I Go Crazy, Then Will You Still Call Me Superman? AU - Maria is on a supply run in a zombie apocalypse (Ship(s): Maribel)

If I'm alive and well, will you be there and holding my hand? AU - Alex reunites with Michael ten years after the start of the Zombie Apocalypse (Ship(s): Malex)

I’ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might AU - Liz runs into Max, who she thought died at the start of the Zombie Apocalypse ten years ago (Ship(s): Echo) I really don’t mind what happens now and then AU - Michael and Alex attempt to go on a date, but it’s not that easy during a Zombie Apocalypse (Ships(s): Malex)

New Identity: (Canon Divergent from s1)

New Identity Rosa gets a new identity for her return to Roswell after her resurrection.

Breakfast of Champs Liz and Arturo share breakfast (Part II of New Identity) (Ship(s): Echo referenced)

You’re Probably Not What You Seem Rosa, now known as Romina Ortiz, talks to Arturo about Rosa.  (Part III of New Identity) 

Two Plus Two Equals:

Two Plus Two Equals… Alex and Michael buy a house together, but things begin to happen they can’t explain. (Spooky Prompts) (Ship(s): Malex)

Four Minus One... Michael doesn’t think anything is wrong with his powers, but maybe he’s wrong?  Or maybe he’s right and the real problem is something he can’t explain. (Spooky Prompts) (Ship(s): Malex, Echo)

Three Divided By One Equals… Alex and Michael square off with the spirit haunting them, and then have to decide what to do next.  (Ship(s): Malex)

Metas

Now has its own Masterlist

Slideshows

(Slideshows of scenes with attached Meta, Headcanons, and Speculations)

Alex and Flint:

1/3

2/3

3/3

Alien Powers:

¼

2/4

¾

4/4

Isobel and Noah’s Conversations in Mindscape:

1/5

2/5

3/5

4/5

5/5

We Are Ophiuchus

Who are the Pod Squad?:

1/2

2/2

Fanart

Antar Crashdown Sign Fanart (Parallel Universe)

Crashdown Sign Fanart

Rosa’s Fanart

The Pods Fanart

Graphics

Cowgirls Don’t Cry (Sheriff Valenti)

Echo & Malex Angst (I Never Want to See You Again/Just Let Go)

Teenage Echo & Malex

What I Really Meant to Say (Malex)

Roswell High Book Club Posts

Now has it’s own Masterlist

[salmonthestoryteller]

hi there! Since you don't have anon msgs turned on, your gifter for the Cosmic Love Exchange asked me to pass along this message: hey! it's ur love exchange buddy. just wanting to say hi and ask for a few things: ur fave rnm episode, ship, and character. and for a bonus: ur fave trope. can't waaaaait! :D

I didn't know I had anonymous messages off. I will work on correcting that.

Fav episode. Hm. I'll say Episode 01x08: Barely Breathing. It has Pod Squad feels, that really awesome scene between Isobel and Kyle, the start of Science Bros Liz & Michael... And on the shallow side Isobel covered in silver goo. (I'm only human...)

My current fav ship is Malex. It was Nobel before the 4th alien reveal, tbh. But the reveal ruined everything about the ship I loved. So, Malex moved up from second place and claimed the top spot. I do love our two failures at communication, too. I just don't understand why so many tv writers seem to lack the imagination to properly use a committed relationship in a show as opposed to every character being single/in new relationships/will they won't they type of deal... Sorry for my soap box.

My fav character remains Isobel, though. I adore her so much more than I ever imagined I would.

Bonus fav trope. I'm going to give you two. Lol

Because my absolute fav trope is not a romance trope. It's "The Power of Friendship." I know, I know, but I'm totally weak for it.

My fav romance trope... Marriage Before Romance. All the Political Marriage/Arranged Marriage/Marriage of Convenience/This is just a business arrangement, damn when did feels get involved type romance stories.

I will try to get those Anon messages fixed in case you have anymore questions.