MS3T2 A Pleasant Dream (April 1996)

Isabella decided she was going to need to tell him more in order for him to help her. She spent the next 30 minutes talking about the area in relation to where the initial attack happened and surrounding towns. She knew the logistics of why that area had been chosen because she had lived through it, but of course she couldn't tell him that. She had an extremely convincing case and she hoped he would see it that way.

Mark got on the phone and made contact with a Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. A high ranking Air Force officer with boots on the ground in Kazakhstan. He had himself and Isabella on speaker phone. Isabella's map had longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates and she relayed them to the Air Force personnel. On the other line James wanted to know how they came across these coordinates and Mark made up a story about a lead the CIA had followed up. He needed someone willing to follow up on the lead. James said he would pilot the mission himself.

When he hung up the phone he turned to Isabella. "I'm still kind of baffled how you know so much about something that's been Top Secret for weeks," Mark said. "I think it might be a good idea not to leave the city Isabella," Mark said and he gave her his card. "We'll want you back in here if...things go south," Mark said. "I...do hope you were being honest Isabella. I'm sticking my neck out here," Mark said then bid her farewell. When she looked at the time it was 4:30PM. Frank likely expected her back hours ago.

Isabella was relieved when Mark got on the phone with Rhodey. She knew Rhodey from the other life she had lived, but of course she couldn't say that. She was relieved when he agreed to check out the coordinates himself. She knew that Mark was taking a huge risk with this, but she knew what she was talking about. She just couldn't reveal how she knew what she knew. She took his business card and then realized how late it was. She quickly left and headed back to Queens. She walked inside and found Frank in the living room. "I'm sorry I'm so late. I had something work related that I needed to take care of."

Frank was in the kitchen when he heard Isabella come through the door. He was making sauce for the Chicken Alfredo. It was her night to cook but Frank didn't know when she would be back. He heard the tone in her voice and he shifted back to look at her. "Well, that was a lie...did you want me to use all of this chicken? Or save some for something else?" Frank asked without missing a beat. Ever since this morning he knew something was odd about Isabella...Off. But he just assumed it was a woman thing. It started though with talk about Tony Stark and now they come to find out he's been captured? It was just all odd. James got up and ran to her. "Momma! i drew this for you!" He said as he showed her his drawing of their house and the three of them and another huge dinosaur in the background. James was actually somewhat talented ad drawing and art for a 6 year old

Isabella blinked when Frank straight called her out on her lie. She just looked at him a moment and she started to open her mouth to say something when James got up and ran over to her with a drawing. She took it and was quite impressed by what he had drawn. She smiled at him. "Sweetie, this is wonderful. Why don't you put it on the fridge for me? Then, why don't you go hang out in your room until I call you for dinner?" 

She waited until James had done as she had asked before she looked at Frank. "Go ahead and use all of the chicken." She sighed a little. "Listen, I really can't talk about what's going on, but it has to do with Tony Stark's capture."

Frank was mixing the sauce when he heard her mention Tony's name again. He let go of the wooden spoon and it shifted into the pan with a clatter and he turned around. He had a white apron on, he always used aprons when he cooked. He hated his clothes to get grease spots.

"Tony Stark...again!?" He seethed. "Ever since you mentioned him this morning...whats going on Isabella? It's like you're obsessed with him or something. What 'were' you doing today?" He asked in a very accusatory look. It wasn't like her to lie but Frank had let it go because he figured she'd just tell him when she was ready. But something was going on and he wanted to know what.

Isabella reached around Frank and grabbed the wooden spoon and pulled it out of the sauce. She sighed and walked over to the sink and put it in there and then turned around and looked at him. "Ok, you need to relax and take a few deep breaths. I simply had an idea on where they could look for him. I was reading the information on the subway and I got an idea at lunch. Turns out Mr. Whiteside thought my idea was strong enough to hand over to the military. I'm not obsessed with him. I may not like the weapons he's creating, but that doesn't mean I want him to die."

"Why lie about it then? Why didn't you talk to me first? You know that car is still there. Did you even ask about that?" He asked. When she just looked at him he sighed in exasperation. "Ofcourse you didn't," He said and took a step away from her headed toward the backdoor. Frank was not usually a jealous man but Isabella was usually very much with it mentally. She wasn't herself and she wasn't telling him everything. He knew that in his bones. The problem was, he couldn't imagine why? He always listened to her troubles and concerns. He was her rock. But right now, he felt like she was shutting him out and he hated that feeling. That and he just didn't understand it.

As Isabella watched Frank walk off she felt a wave of emotions ripple through her. Even though she knew she didn't belong here she did know Frank and she had loved him. Looking around her, she realized that she had the life she had wanted for them...the one she had dreamed of. A house with a yard...a son....She had never seen Frank as happy as she had here. However, deep in her heart she knew that this was not where she was supposed to be. Every second she felt more and more memories of her "life" in this world fall away like sand through her fingers. Frank deserved more than that. He deserved true happiness. She didn't know what she was going to do, but until then she would cherish the time she had with him.

She followed him outside and stood in front of him and looked into his eyes. She reached up and took his face into her hands. "I love you Frank."

Frank was touched by her gesture and he began to wonder if this was indeed job related. There were times that she had things happening where she could not talk to him about. Were those men in that car keeping an eye on her? Was she working on something involving Tony Stark? It was feasible. It was and so he gave her the benefit of the doubt on this. He kissed her and took her into his large, thick arms. Frank was a beast of a man and Isabella was a thin, slight woman.

"I think it's just been too long since we went somewhere...together...alone. My friend at work, Jacob said I could use his families cottage whenever I wanted. He owes me one. Why don't we have your folks watch James next weekend and you and I...go upstate and spend a long weekend together?" Frank suggested as he pressed her body up against him. "Ya know, its kinda secluded...you can be as loud as ya want," Frank said with a smile as they kissed again. "There's a casino up there, restaurants, no cooking required...what do ya say babe?" Frank said in the same way Tony did when he was trying to sway her into something.

Isabella wasn't certain what was going to happen over the next week, but she couldn't say no to Frank. She wanted him to be happy and it did sound nice. She smiled up at him. "I think that sounds wonderful," she told him honestly. She leaned up and kissed him again and then pulled back and smiled at him. "I'm hungry and that Chicken Alfredo smelled delicious. Why don't we go in and have dinner?"