The Road Ahead of Us

"Alright, so let's plan this out." Jack started after he parked the van outside of Isabelle's former apartment where they were about to go collect her things, hoping to do it as fast as possible. "Are you for sure that he is here right now?" Isabelle nodded, pointing at the red Honda Accord that was parked a few feet away from them.

"That's his car." She told them. They all sat in silence, staring at the car before shrugging and turning back to Jack who had began to speak again.

"Okay, do you want to see him or would you like us guys to go up there and get rid of him first?" He asked her, making her shake her head.

"I can just stay away from him. He said he'd have most of my stuff packed up anyway so really all we'll have to do is load up what he has packed and make sure that he didn't miss anything. I'd like to be in an out within an hour." She told everyone, making them nod. So they all climbed from the van.

Alex reached over to lace his fingers with Isabelle as they walked up to the door. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door before leading the way into the apartment and to the elevator. Her and Alex crammed into the back corner of the elevator after she pressed the button for the correct floor.

"You okay?" Alex asked her as they started to slowly make their way up to the correct floor.

"Yeah, I can't wait to be out of this place though." She told him, making him nod. He leaned down to peck her lips, earning a small smile from her. Soon the door dinged open and they all piled out, Isabelle and Alex making their way to the front of the group so she could lead them to the correct apartment. When they got to the correct door she stopped, staring up at the small number 7E that was nailed to the door. It was worn and faded from being on the door for so many years, even the wood around the peephole had begun to chip away, leaving the brown door looking very weathered.

"Want me to knock? I'll deal with Adam so you don't have to talk to him." Alex told her, seeing how distressed she was about this whole situation. She looked up at him, her eyes wide as she nodded. He brought up his hand that wasn't laced with Isabelle's and knocked on the hard wood three times before they all stood in silence, listening to the foot steps behind the door. Isabelle gulped and took a deep breath as they heard the lock click before it swung open.

It was obvious that Adam hadn't slept in days. He had large bags under his eyes, his sandy blonde hair was greasy and flying everywhere. He was wearing a flannel shirt, which was buttoned wrong and a pair of basketball shorts. His eyes glanced around the group in front of him before resting on Isabelle.

"Hey." He said to her softly. She stared back at him, trying to suppress the ache in her heart and the tears that were wanting to well up in her eyes. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. She wanted to do for him what he had done for numerous times in the last four years that they had known each other. The firm grip that Alex had on her hand though kept her rooted in her spot, knowing that it was her fault that he was such a mess and that it wouldn't be right to comfort him.

"We are here for her stuff. You have it packed up, right?" Alex spoke, his voice loud and firm. Adam looked up at him before looking back down at the linked hands. Isabelle watched the pain ripple across his face. She bit her lip and looked away, into the apartment behind him. She saw that there were a few bags piled up beside the couch, probably containing her things.

"Yeah... beside the couch." Adam responded quietly, stepping aside. Alex pulled Isabelle's hand gently, leading the way into the apartment that Isabelle had lived in basically all through college. She stared around at the familiar surroundings, the large window on the wall, the red and black swirled curtains that they had picked out years ago. The black leather couch that they had spent so much time curled up on together. She looked to the left at the small dining room table set with four chairs, beside it the small kitchen where they had spent numerous evenings attempting to make nice meals, which always ended in them burning it to a crisp and having to order take out.

"You guys take this stuff down to the van, me and Izzy will look around the place, make sure there isn't anything left." Alex ordered after they were all in, Adam shutting the door after them.

"Sounds good." Rian said, leading the way to the pile of bags. With as many people as there were, they had all the bags and were heading out of the apartment in one trip. Isabelle looked up at Alex who smiled at her softly, leaning down to kiss her temple before gesturing towards the hallway where the bedrooms were. She nodded and lead the way to the bedroom that her and Adam had shared for years. She had spent months decorating this to her liking.

It had a large queen size sleigh bed. The bed clothes were a deep red satin with black and red throw pillows. The bedside tables were a dark brown, almost black, oak with lamps sitting on top that had red shades. The curtains over the window matched the red of the pillows. The dresser was the same dark oak as the bedside tables. This bedroom had always been her sanctuary and now she was leaving it for good.

"I spent so much time, money, and effort getting this room together... I love it so much.." She told Alex after he closed the door after them, making sure Adam couldn't hover over them and bother them. Alex could already see how upset Isabelle was, he wanted her to see Adam as little as possible.

"It is very nice." He agreed, looking around at the room that was completely Isabelle. "You can do it again, make it even better, at the new place with Kara." He told her, making her shrug.

"Maybe after I get a job and have some money..." She sighed and went about the room, opening drawers and looking through the closet, making sure that none of her stuff was around. She was glad to not see any of her belongings.

"Or...." Alex started to trail off, making Isabelle frown and turn to look at him standing in the middle of the room, his hands in his pockets. "Whenever you move in with me we can do it to my bedroom.." He said quietly.

"Really?"

"I'm not saying that you will be moving in any time soon, it could be years from now but I do know that I am not letting you go ever again so we will be together forever and living together and I promise that you can remake our room to however you want, I will pay for it, no matter what the cost." He told her, making her smile. She made her way across the room to him, wrapping her arms around his torso while his went to wrap around her waist.

"You are too good to me." She said, making him shake his head.

"You deserve the absolute best, and that is what I will give you for the rest of our lives." She grinned up at him before reaching up to press her lips to his in a firm kiss. She felt him smiling against her lips shortly before he pulled back. "Did he get all of your stuff from here?" She nodded and went to rest her head on his shoulder, his arms wrapping around her tighter.

"I can't wait to be back home in Baltimore, getting a place with Kara, going out on dates with you, hanging with you all again. It just feels so right to be back in the group. I should have never left." She said, her eyes sliding shut as she savored the feeling of Alex's arms around her.

"Well you are back now, so it's alright." He kissed the top of her head before releasing her. "Now come on, let's go check the rest of the place so we can get outta here and on the road back home already." She agreed so they left the room and spent the next fifteen looking to make sure nothing of hers was left behind. They found nothing so it was now time to leave. Everyone stayed down in the van when they took the bags down, having no reason to come back.

"So... this is it?" Adam asked when they came back into the living room after looking through the cabinets in the dining room.

"Yeah, we must go now. So.... goodbye." Alex said, stepping forward to hold his hand out to Adam. Adam looked down at the mans hand before placing his own in it. They shook quickly before Alex went to stand beside Isabelle who was looking anywhere but at Adam.

"Well.... goodbye." He said. She looked up at him finally, seeing that he had tears welling up in her eyes. This made her break and finally step forward to fall into his arms, burying her face in his chest. They stood in each others embrace for some time, both of them crying and clutching at the other tightly. "I love you so much, Isabelle..." He whispered. "I am so sorry for all of this.... I made a mistake and it will haunt me for the rest of my life... I lost the greatest thing that anyone could ever have..." Isabelle let a sob escape her throat before lifting her head to look up into his tear stained face.

"I love you too, Adam. I have for years... I'm sorry too, for making us go on that road trip, none of this would have happened if I hadn't let Jack talk me into it..." Adam smiled softly, shrugging before glancing back at Alex who stood by the door, his hands in his pockets, watching them closely.

"Hey, at least now you are with your soul-mate, right? I've spent the last four years watching you cry over him, so I know he is who you are meant with. I'm giving you up to someone worthy of you at least." Isabelle smiled.

"Let's not let this be a final good bye, alright? Come and see me in Baltimore, won't you?" She asked, bringing a hand up to wipe at Adam's tears that were still falling down his cheeks.

"Just give me a call and I'll be there." She nodded and smiled before reaching up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek, her lips lingering on his soft skin for as long as she dared. "I love you." He whispered when she pulled back.

"I know." She stepped back, giving him one last smile before turning and heading towards the door, which Alex opened for her. She quickly walked out, leaving Alex with Adam.

"Take care of her, won't you?" Adam asked him, making Alex smile softly and nod.

"Always." Adam nodded. Alex sighed before following his girlfriend out of the apartment, closing the door after him softly. "Well that wasn't so bad, was it?" He asked her as they stood in the elevator as it made its way down to the lobby.

"No, it really wasn't. Now, it's all behind me, behind us, and we can move on and be happy together." She told him, looking up at him. He smiled, nodding before leaning down to kiss her lips gently.