Roswell Fic: "Ten Years Later..."(CC ALL, Mature)pt 15 8/26

[midwestmax]

Thanks to everyone for their fb and patience! :D

Part Four

Max looked like he was going to be sick as he paced the short width of the motel room. His eyes darted unseeing, and when his hand went to his mouth, Liz could see his fingers trembling. She sat impotently at the end of the bed, her own stomach in knots, her entire being on edge.

“There’s nothing I can do,” Max mumbled to himself. “I can’t stop her.”

Liz bit the corner of her mouth, wished there was something she could say or do.

“She’s going to do it, I can tell. She’s going home.” He stopped his pacing as if coming to a sudden acceptance, dropped his hand and turned to face Liz. “She’s going home,” he repeated in finality.

Liz held out her hand to him, beckoning him to sit beside her. He hesitated a moment, then dropped to the bed, his head immediately falling into his hand.

“Oh God,” he sighed in defeat.

Liz wrapped her arm around his shoulders and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s just calm down, okay?” she said soothingly. “Take a couple of deep breaths.”

“I can’t calm down,” Max said, dropping his hand and tilting his head to look at her. “She’s going to jeopardize everything.”

Liz gave a little shrug. “What? What is she going to jeopardize?”

Max started to say something, but stopped, his mouth half open as though he couldn’t find the words he needed.

“She’s going home, Max, not you.”

He blinked a couple of times, then Liz saw a devastated sadness settle into his eyes. It was the resignation of a man who knew he was powerless to stop something precious from being taken from him.

“Let her go,” Liz said softly, kissing the side of his head. “Just let her go.”

*~*~*~*~*

Driving a hundred miles had not tempered Isabel’s anger. Much like her brother, she was also pacing a path, only she was doing so in the living room of the apartment they rented in Erie.

“Arrogant asshole!” she spat.

On the couch, Michael cringed, knowing all too well the power of the Ice Princess’s wrath.

“How dare he!” she snapped. “All of this time, Michael! Running around with friggin’ Liz Parker, all sexed up and happy while you and I are stuck in this, in this – THING!”

It may have been the fact the sometimes Michael felt the uncontrollable need to laugh at inappropriate times, it may have been his own mechanism for releasing the tension from finding out that Max had been lying for the last year and a half – but for some reason hearing the words “sexed up and happy” come out of Isabel’s mouth nearly made him belly laugh. Thank God her anger had paced her in the opposite direction when the smile flitted across his lips. That smile vanished like an apparition when she stopped her mad trek and spun to face him.

“You should have seen them, Michael. Giggling, holding hands like any other stupid newly-wed couple in Niagara Falls. Just Guy and Girl America, starting their new life together. While you and I sit here in BFE Pennsylvania getting old.”

“BFE?” Michael ventured.

She pinned him with a glare, knowing full well he knew what that stood for, knowing full well that he was making fun of her. “Doesn’t it make you angry?”

His eyes drifted away, to the silent TV on the other side of the room. Was he angry? Jealous? Happy for Max? He couldn’t really tell. He felt sort of numb inside. After all, ties with Roswell had been cut so long ago that he hadn’t even considered contact a possibility. Speaking of which – how had that happened?

“When did he contact her?” Michael asked, trying to remain the level-headed one for once.

Isabel blew out a snort and threw a hand in the air. He noticed that she was flushed and that her hair was a little disheveled – it had been a long time since he’d seen her this upset. “You’re gonna love this one! He didn’t find her – she dreamwalked him.”

“Wha-?” Michael’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Yeah – great, huh? Little miss brainiac, always the over-achiever. I didn’t stick around to get the details, but apparently she’s been developing powers over the last ten years.”

“How?” He didn’t like how his voice went up in pitch, how he almost sounded panicked.

Isabel shrugged, some of the fight leaving her. “Who knows? Maybe a result of Max healing her. Dumb ass.” Her conviction was entirely gone now, the last words said without much malice.

“Wow.” Michael’s eyes drifted back to the TV and he irrationally wondered who the Penguins were playing tonight. He was still trying to unmuddle his thoughts when he felt weight beside him on the couch. He turned to face Isabel. “What are you going to do?”

She was silent for a moment, then turned sincere eyes in his direction. “I want to go home.”

Michael remained expressionless. “Is that safe?”

“Why not?” she replied, a tinge of defensiveness in her tone. “I haven’t done anything wrong. And neither have you. Don’t you want to go home?”

For some reason, he felt a twinge in his belly, a sudden longing. His mind flashed back to a night so many years ago, Scooby Doo plates and spaghetti. A song about a black bird. And he closed his eyes in agony.

“I mean, I want to see Mom and Dad,” Isabel continued, obviously having looked away and not noticing his anguish. “Roswell is my home, Michael.”

“It’s not mine,” he said quietly. “I have no home.”

With a tug of empathy, she picked up his hand in hers. “Your home will always be with me.”

“And what about Max?”

Isabel’s jaw tightened. “What about him?”

“Isn’t he part of our home, too?”

She sighed tiredly. “I can’t forever be tethered to Max, Michael. He’s got his own cross to bear and apparently she’s chosen to bear it with Liz Parker – no pun intended.”

“You know he can’t come back to Roswell.”

“Then he’ll have to stay here. And maybe someday when I’m not monumentally pissed at him I’ll come back here to visit him.”

Michael withdrew slightly, surprised. The Evans children had always been inseparable and he wondered if this was only Isabel’s anger speaking.

“I want to go home,” she repeated, meeting his dark eyes with her own. Then her bottom lip quivered and tears flooded from those eyes. “I want to go home,” she cried.

Being a dutiful friend, Michael put his arms around her and held her to him. He didn’t hold her as a lover would, however, didn’t bury his face in her pretty auburn locks, didn’t try to absorb her pain as his own. He held her like a friend, like a brother, like a warm shoulder to cry on.

Because in reality, that’s all he was. His heart had never belonged to his wife. It had always belonged to someone a thousand miles and a lifetime away, someone he never thought he’d have the chance to see again.

Until now.

*~*~*~*~*

“So, that’s it then?” Max’s voice seemed small in the chilly afternoon air.

Standing beside him, bundled up in a sweater and jacket, Liz nodded.

“They’ll leave,” he said.

“You don’t know that Michael will go.”

He smiled knowingly at her. Max knew that Michael had never forgotten Maria, had never really been able to let her go. And he knew that if the tables were turned and it was Max who had the chance to see Liz again, he would go, knowing that Michael would understand.

“He’ll go,” Max said. “They’ll both go back to Roswell.” He looked up at the gray sky, at the light mist that had started to fall, remembered that the skies in New Mexico never looked like the ones in New York and Canada. “And you’ll go home too.”

Liz reached out and took his hand. “Only because I have to,” she said softly. “But I will return as often as I can.”

He dropped his gaze to hers and shook his head. “It will be too risky now. Once Michael and Isabel go home, people will ask questions about where I am. I can’t ask them to lie and say I’m dead or something.”

“Max, they won’t give up your location,” she half-laughed in disbelief, not wanting to think that Max would think them traitors.

“I know. But they will be watched and so will you. I don’t think you’ll get away with the expedition excuse anymore.”

Liz paled, knowing it was true. “What if you came home with me?”

He raised a quick eyebrow and shook his head. “You know I can’t, Liz.”

“But what if the sheriff could help?”

“And what if he can’t?”

Her eyes desperately searched his and then fell to the damp sidewalk. He reached over and lifted her chin, gave her a soft kiss.

“This isn’t goodbye,” she denied, trying to force the lump out of her throat.

Max only tilted his head and gave her a small smile.

“I won’t let it be goodbye,” she said defiantly. “We’ll find some other way.”

He nodded but she felt as though he was patronizing her.

Unable to stop them, silent tears seeped from her eyes. She wiped them away with the cuff of her jacket sleeve, looked away while she fought the rest of the deluge away. Across the street, a young couple dashed around a mud puddle, laughing as they held hands and ran for cover. Lovers, newly weds. People who would be infinitely happier than she would be.

“We have one more night,” Liz said, turning her attention back to Max, who’d been watching her silently. “I don’t want to talk about being apart, I just want to spent our time with each other.”

He gave her a nod.

“But I need to make that call first,” she said, snapping out of her funk and rummaging in her purse for her cell phone. “It’s not fair to have her blind-sided.”

She paused before hitting the speed dial code, gave Max one last look, searching for approval. He nodded again, rubbed her arm in reassurance. Liz hit the button, put the phone to her ear and waited until it was picked up on the other end.

“Maria, it’s Liz. No, I’m fine, nothing’s wrong. It’s just that I have something to tell you. Please don’t be mad.”

tbc

[nibbles2]

great part.

can't wait to see Maria's reaction. And to find out exactly why Max can't go back to Roswell.

[midwestmax]

Nibbles, this is growing into a beast all of it's own - are you going to hold it against me if it's not done in a month?

Part Five

One hour earlier.

“Mmm, something smells good,” Jesse said as he wrapped his arms around Maria from behind.

“It’s the apple pie,” she explained, gesturing toward the pastry cooling on the counter.

“Oh! My favorite!” And just like that he abandoned her to lean over the pie and breathe in deeply.

Maria smiled at him, finished rinsing the pot she’d been washing and wiped her hands on a dish towel.

“Where did you learn to bake?” Jesse asked.

“My mom,” Maria sighed, remembering all too well her mother and the sheriff flirting over pies, using way more innuendo than she cared to dwell on.

Jesse straightened. “Really? I’ve never seen your mother bake anything.”

Maria grimaced slightly. “That’s because she saves all of her ‘pie’ for Jim.” She shuddered, then moved for the cupboard, pulled out three plates.

“Oh, I forgot – Eric won’t be joining us,” Jesse announced as he moved to get silverware from the drawer.

Inside, Maria leapt for joy. She didn’t mind most of Jesse’s friends, even the frat boys who dropped in every now and then from Cornell and Harvard. She didn’t, however, care at all for Eric Hughes. Maybe it was because the reporter always seemed to be snooping, like everyone was holding out on him, harboring the next big scoop. She didn’t even like having her mail lying around when he came to visit. Of course, the fact that she held one of the answers to one of the biggest secrets in Roswell history probably helped fuel her paranoia.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” she said as she put one of the plates back into the cupboard. “Out chasing aliens again?”

Jesse laughed at the joke. “Probably. Actually I didn’t ask him where he was going. Maybe he’s finally got a girlfriend or something.”

“Who would have him?” Maria muttered, then felt a surge of guilt. Jesse hadn’t heard her, apparently, as he didn’t react in any way.

They set the table, a rehearsed dance of those who have lived together for a long time. Once the place settings were laid, Jesse retrieved a bottle of wine from the cellar and popped the cork.

“I saw Phillip Evans today,” he said as he poured them each a glass.

Maria stiffened, hoped she’d covered her reaction. “Really? How’s he doing?”

“He made me that offer again.”

She stopped and turned to him, leaned against the counter, hated the excitement she saw on his handsome face. “Jesse, I don’t know why you even listen to him. It would be a step down for you.”

“Maybe, but only temporarily. I like what he’s doing over there, Maria. I like his drive. I’ve never seen a man of his age so motivated.”

She turned away before he could see her face. Phillip Evans was driven because he had nothing else left in his life. In one night, ten years ago, all he believed to be true came crashing to the ground. His children were a fraud. His life was a fraud. He’d been duped to the nth degree. Anyone who’d endured that would bury himself in his work.

Maria felt warm, strong arms on her shoulders.

“Hey,” Jesse’s voice, soft and close to her ear. “Talk to me.”

She turned around, pinned between his body and the counter. His dark eyes were searching, looking for her pain. It was always this way – he’d look and she would never give in. He must have been so confused.

“Why do you want to work for Mr. Evans?” she asked levelly.

“I’d like to live a little, Maria.”

She glanced around their palatial home, at their fine things. “This isn’t living?”

“This is just stuff. I’d like to roam a little, before I’m old and gray or we have kids. Don’t you want to know what it’s like to live somewhere else? Phil has contacts in Boston. Wouldn’t it be cool to live there?”

Maria knew she paled. It was bad enough that she was going to change her name – Jesse preferred that she didn’t hyphenate – but now he wanted to relocate thousands of miles away as well. There’s no way Michael would ever find her when he came back.

Immediately she felt sick, sick that she’d even had that thought. Michael was not coming back. Not in this lifetime. He was gone, probably dead. And she had no right to even think about him while she stood in Jesse’s arms, while she slept in his bed and lived in his home and claimed to love him.

“Hey, you okay?” Jesse asked.

One hand went slowly to her mouth and she nodded unconvincingly.

“Here, sit,” he said, pulling out a chair for her at the table. “Do you need some water?”

“No, Jesse, I’m fine. It’s just…too much right now.”

He studied her for a moment, then broke into an understanding smile. “Of course, we have the wedding to think about. That’s a lot of stress. What am I thinking?” He kissed the top of her head and caressed her cheek. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t considerate of me.”

Maria breathed a small laugh and touched his hand. He was a kind man. And he was here, on this world. What more could she want?

“Let’s get dinner on the table,” she said, pushing herself up and going to the stove. As she pulled the roast from the oven, she tried to push thoughts of alien-hunting reporters and weddings and jobs in Boston from her head.

They talked amicably while they ate, and when they were done, Jesse pulled a brochure from his jacket pocket. Maria eyed it with interest.

“I’ve been thinking about our honeymoon,” he teased.

“Oh – the good part,” she said, leaning forward to try to sneak a peak at the pamphlet.

Jesse turned his shoulder so that she couldn’t see what was in his hand. “I thought of someplace warm.”

“Like New Mexico isn’t?”

“Not that warm. And with water. Lots of water. And palm trees.”

“I’m hooked already.”

Grinning widely, he held up the brochure. La Jolla. The first thing Maria’s eyes lit on was the image of a golfer happily stepping into a golf cart. Her expression froze, then she lifted her eyes to her fiancé’s.

“Golfing?” she finally said.

“There are other things to do,” he half-sputtered, as though he hadn’t been expecting an objection to golfing.

“Like?”

“Snorkeling.”

“I can’t swim.”

“Hiking!”

“I hate the woods.”

“Shopping?”

“Okay, you’ve got me there.”

He beamed and slid the leaflet toward her. “I’ll leave this with you. Check it out, tell me what you think. Go on the web, see what else is near. I think it would be fun.”

She managed a smile and took the advertisement. The least she could do was look it over.

But it would have to wait until later. Now it was time for dessert. She placed the pie on the table, then got some Reddi-Whip from the refrigerator. As she was getting plates, she noticed Jesse shaking the can of whipped topping slowly, his mind elsewhere. When she returned to the table, he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

Slowly, sensually, he ran his tanned fingers across her fair skin, toward her shoulder. “Do you remember?” he asked, his voice low. “Do you remember that time in the kitchen where you used to work?”

Maria smiled, excitement suddenly racing through her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think you do.” With his free hand, he gave the can a couple of slow shakes. “You were in the back, cleaning up all by yourself. I stopped in, just to say hi.” His eyes shifted to the red and white can. “And there on the counter…”

Maria swallowed hard, bits and pieces of a memory flashing through her head. A darkened kitchen, a glowing exit sign, the heat of his skin, the chill of the can…

“I see you do remember,” Jesse murmured.

Turning her hand over, he sprayed a small stream of cream onto her palm, then licked it off with the lightest of touches. She shuddered, in a good way.

“Dessert can wait,” he said, jumping to his feet and crushing her against him.

Just as the first bits of clothing were being shed, Maria’s cell phone rang, and she recognized the ring tone as the one she’d assigned to Liz.

“I have to get that,” she said between kisses.

“It can wait.”

“I promised I’d pick up if she called.”

“She can leave a message.”

But Maria pulled away anyway, to rummage in her purse for the phone. Jesse followed her, placing small kissed against her neck.

“Hello?”

“Maria, it’s Liz.” She sounded flustered and Maria’s brow immediately furrowed.

“Is something wrong? You sound upset or something.”

“No, I’m fine, nothing’s wrong. It’s just that I have something to tell you.”

Uneasiness settled into Maria’s body, enough so that Jesse pulled away and looked at her with concern. “What is it?”

On the other end, there was a sigh of desperation. “Please don’t be mad.”

tbc

[nibbles2]

I think I'll find it in my heart to forgive you. Just like I'll forgive you for going over 5000 words. I'm magnanimous like that.

[midwestmax]

Part Six

The apartment was dark and silent by the time Max returned home from Niagara Falls. He quietly pushed the door closed behind him, carefully laid his keys on the kitchen counter and shed his coat. Michael wasn’t camped on the couch like he normally was and Max frowned. Either Michael was in his own bed, or he was in Isabel’s, comforting her. Max hated the thought – not because he begrudged Isabel the sympathy, but simply because there was a need for it.

Stepping cautiously, he walked down the hall, heard a distinct snore emitting from Michael’s room. One side of Max’s lip quirked into an amused smile – not even a revelation like Liz Parker knowing where they were could rob Michael of slumber. A couple of more steps and he was at Isabel’s door. Before he could even debate if he should wake her or not, she rolled toward him; it was too dark to see her face, but Max knew she was looking at him.

“Can I come in?” he asked softly.

There was a pause, a sigh, then a rustling of bed linens as her lamp jumped to life and illuminated the room in a soft glow. She sat up, against the headboard, and looked at him with what he could only describe as no expression.

Swallowing back his discomfort, Max stepped into the room and gently tugged the door closed behind him; no sense in waking Michael. He spared Isabel the indignity of asking her why she was still awake.

“Where’s Liz?” she asked, no malice in her tone, but something shined briefly in her eyes.

“She’s on her way back to Roswell. She was going anyway.”

They simply looked at each other for a moment, then Isabel motioned to the end of the bed. “Sit down,” she said. “You’re hovering.”

He sat obediently, his gaze falling to her Liz Claiborne comforter. It was grayish blue and had leaves all over it. He remembered when she bought it, that day they’d shopped for their own Christmas presents, making jokes about how this was how gift-giving should be done. He thought that maybe Christmases now on would be much different.

“I’m sorry, Isabel,” he finally said, lifting his eyes to hers.

She worked her mouth, but didn’t reply.

“I was wrong. I should have let you and Michael know about Liz. But there’s something you haven’t considered.”

She looked at him with curiosity.

“You accused me of having everything I ever wanted. And it’s true that I have a very large part of what I’ve always wanted, but…” He looked around the room, up at the ceiling, then back to his sister. “Do you really think this is all I ever wanted for myself? Do you think I wanted to be living in this dead city, working in a dead-end job, using aliases everywhere I go? Do you think maybe I wanted something more for myself, and for Liz?”

Max fell silent, his questions rhetorical, then drew in a deep breath. “I know that I can’t go back there, that Liz will have to continue to lie because of me and what I’ve done. I knew that I had the chance to at least have her with me, sometimes. Maybe I was a little tunnel-visioned because of that. If I could go back sixteen months, I’d do it over again. But I can’t. All I can do is fix the future. I can’t go back, Isabel, but I want you to.”

Isabel’s dark eyebrows rose sharply and Max held up a hand to stop any protests on her part.

“I’m not giving you permission,” he clarified. “It’s not my place. I just want you to know that I’ll understand if you want to go.” One corner of his lip lifted in a sad smile. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again, but I’ll understand.”

There was a long pause, then Isabel reached out and pulled her to him in a tight embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered against his ear.

*~*~*~*~*

Not dead.

Alive.

Not gone.

Here.

Maria listened to the rain as it pattered against the windows of her bedroom. On the bed, Jesse slept facing away from her, unaware that it was three in the morning and she was still awake, still replaying Liz’s phone call in her mind.

“I’m not on expedition, Maria. I’ve actually never been on an expedition.”

At first, Liz’s words had frightened her. What had she gotten herself into? Was it something with the FBI? Was she working undercover for them or something?

Then the next sentence had shocked Maria to the core.

“I’m with Max.”

Maria closed her eyes, still able to hear her friend’s voice in her ear.

“Please don’t be mad.”

Mad? She didn’t think she had the capacity to be mad, not when every emotion inside of her collided and ground her world to a halt. She’d momentarily forgotten that Jesse was there, then she’d excused herself to take the call in private.

“What are you telling me, Liz? That they’re alive? That they’ve come back to earth?”

“No, Maria. They’re alive, but they never left.”

“They never left? Where have they been for ten years?” Anger had definitely flared there, when she thought about the hours and days and months and years of grief that she’d endured. “Is Michael with them?”

A pause. “Yes.”

Maria’s eyes shifted to Jesse. She’d lied to him this night, told him that Liz’s aunt in Florida had passed away, that’s why Liz was upset and Maria was a little shaky. He’d never met nor heard of this aunt from Florida, so he’d had no way of knowing that she’d died seven years ago, victim of a boat crash off the Keys. He’d been compassionate, held her for a while, ceased his romantic onslaught.

Maria’s eyes narrowed as she remembered a conversation before dinner. He’d wanted to see the world, move to Boston. Looking back on it, she had to wonder if he’d been testing her. He’d already lived in the Boston area, when he’d gone to Harvard – why would he act so excited about it now?

Just to see if she’d be excited too? Just to find out why she had no desire to leave New Mexico and its hot, dusty climate? It was possible. Maybe he hadn’t been able to figure that out about her, why someone who liked designer-label fashion and followed the music industry like a fanatic would choose to stay here.

And she knew there was only one reason she languished here, in a tourist-trap of a small town. So that one day if Michael Guerin happened to float back to earth, he’d know where to start looking for her. Well, it appeared that the joke was on her, since Michael hadn’t floated anywhere and hadn’t cared at all to look for her. It hurt more than she could have imagined.

What about Tess? Was she still with them? Was she the reason Michael hadn’t bothered to contact Maria? Was he protecting her? It was possible that the others had figured out that she killed Alex, just as Liz had figured it out. Maybe running was their only option. But to think he’d throw away all he’d worked for to protect that tramp angered Maria more than Liz’s deceptions ever could.

There hadn’t been time to have all of her questions answered. It still wasn’t safe to discuss some things over the phone. Maria would have to wait until Liz returned that morning to get the answers she wanted. She hoped she had the stomach to hear it all.

*~*~*~*~*

The bell attached to the door of Amy’s shop chimed happily as Maria pushed through it, a cardboard tray filled with coffee cups in her hand.

“Well, lookey here,” Jim said in greeting, playing the gentleman and taking the tray from her. “Aren’t you a pleasant sight this morning?”

Of course, the sight of her was more pleasant than it could have been, considering her Ray Bans were covering the dark circles under her eyes. “Is my mom here?” she asked.

Jim’s smile faded a bit, having sensed that something wasn’t quite right. “She’s in the back, I can get her if –”

“No, that’s okay. Just leave her coffee and come with me.”

The ex-sheriff’s brow furrowed, but he conceded anyway. He called into the back room that he was stepping out for a moment, then followed Maria outside. It was early in the day, but the sun was already baking down on them.

“Is everything okay?” he asked as he pulled the door closed behind him to preserve the air conditioning.

Maria motioned up the street. “Let’s walk a bit – I don’t want Mom to see us and ask questions.”

Jim watched her curiously as they moved down the block to where Maria’s car was parked out of view of the store. “Okay, I think we’re far enough away. What’s going on?”

“Liz called me last night.” She crossed her arms over her midsection in an act of vulnerability that she immediately hated. “From Niagara Falls.”

Jim’s scowl deepened. “I thought she was in one of the Dakotas, digging up fossils.”

“Oh, she’s dug up more than that. She was with Max.”

Jim stopped, his mouth opened slightly, but he recovered quickly. “That right?”

Maria nodded. “I guess this has been going on for awhile now. Isabel busted them because Max got careless with some hotel information. Liz wanted me to find out before someone might pop up that shouldn’t.”

“Wow.” Jim put his hands on his hips and looked at the sidewalk, then back to Maria. “So they’re coming back here?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know much at all. But I do know that if they just reappear unannounced, it’s going to throw Kyle for a loop.”

Jim ran a hand through his graying hair, his expression one of worry and resignation. They both knew that Kyle hadn’t dealt well with the happenings ten years prior. There was no predicting how he’d react to the hybrids’ return.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll see if I can talk to him.”

“There’s something else,” Maria said, her voice a little more tense. “I didn’t have time to get all of the details from Liz, but I think Tess might be with them. I want you to promise she’ll pay for killing Alex.”

tbc

[nibbles2]

great part. can't wait for more.

[nibbles2]

bump a doodle do.

[midwestmax]

Sorry! This week turned out to be more hectic than I thought it would be. Thanks for your patience!


Part Seven

Liz’s eyes burned and no amount of digging them with the heels of her hands seemed to be helping. In the last year, she’d discovered that flying across the country was never easy, especially when the Midwest was involved – thunderstorms and snowstorms seemed to pop up without much warning, delaying and sometimes canceling flights.

Which is exactly what had happened to her the night before. She’d said goodbye to Max, then had packed up the car and headed for the airport in Buffalo. As soon as she’d gotten there, she’d watched the monitors display delays one by one, until her flight was ultimately cancelled. She’d refused the airline’s offer of a room for the night, for fear that she’d oversleep and miss her opportunity to book the first flight in the morning, and had instead camped on a series of chairs that had been contoured for peoples’ butts rather than their backs.

All of her toiletries were packed in her bag and had already gone through security, but she’d been lucky enough to purchase a toothbrush and toothpaste at the gift shop – at a premium, of course.

Liz dropped her hands from her red eyes and sat back in her seat. She supposed she could have called Max and they could have spent one more night together, but she’d already said her goodbyes and didn’t want to have to go through that again. Every time they parted, it was like a little piece of her heart died. And this time was different – with their cover about to be blown, Max would be on the run again and she really didn’t know when she’d see him again.

Momentary anxiety flared beneath her breastbone at the thought. She remembered all too well what it was like all of those years, wondering where he was, if he’d survived the trip to Antar. It had been agonizing, but now she realized that she could find him again through the use of her powers.

It was a hollow comfort. Because all of this time, Maria had probably been feeling the same loss and uncertainty that Liz had felt. And Liz had withheld information from her, had kept it her big secret, had been selfish enough to think that Maria had moved on.

But she had moved on, hadn’t she? After all, she was picking out Vera Wang wedding gowns and ordering caviar and champagne for her wedding – a nuptials that did not include Michael Guerin. What good could come of knowing that he was still alive and on earth? Maria was better off with Jesse.

Liz frowned. When had it become her right to make that decision for her best friend? It wasn’t her right and it was an insult to think that Maria couldn’t make that decision for herself. Groaning, Liz rubbed her forehead – she’d made a horrible mistake, had an awful mess to come home to. Maria may never speak to her again.

And it wasn’t only Maria who was angry. Liz couldn’t get the look on Isabel’s face out of her mind. The Ice Princess had practically frozen her to the floor of that tacky motel room. When they’d first encountered her in the parking lot, Liz hadn’t recognized her – Isabel’s hair color was different, but it wasn’t just that. The years had had a hardening effect on her – she seemed harsh around the edges. Liz wondered if Michael had endured the same.

Almost as though her mind had suggested it, Liz’s eyes fell on a man standing at the check-in counter. Absurdly, she thought that he looked like Michael Guerin, but this person was thinner, his hair cropped close to his head. Couldn’t be him – it was her mind conjuring him up since she’d just been thinking of him.

Then he turned around and Liz’s eyes popped open wide. It was Michael, only a slightly modified, matured version of him. She knew it for sure when her eyes shifted to his left and found Isabel stuffing her ID back into her wallet. Liz’s heart jumped – they were on the same flight.

*~*~*~*~*

Jim paused outside of the garage, his eyes drifting upward to the sign above the bay doors – Kyle’s Custom Cars. Inside, he felt a tug of pride. It hadn’t been an easy go for his son, not given his less-than-stellar academic record compounded by some pretty traumatic extra-terrestrial activity. But somehow the boy – no, Jim corrected himself, the man – had managed to put together a successful business that had nothing to do with alien tourism in a town that was all about alien tourism.

Several years after graduation, Kyle had found an abandoned garage on the outskirts of town, then had busted his ass with every job he could find – sometimes three at a time – to get enough money to buy it. While he was saving, he’d studied every car manual available, had gone to junkyards to strip cars then dissect their parts, to determine how they worked. Within two years, he opened his own car shop and within a few months of that had his first customer.

And he’d never looked back. It was all about supping up the new cars and refurbishing the old ones. He really had a knack for it, for understanding what his customer wanted and the best way to deliver. He’d even worked to the point of being able to hire a helper, a young kid still in high school who was one of the most naturally-born grease monkeys Jim had ever met.

Today’s car was a ’69 Firebird convertible, still covered in primer and missing its wheels and ragtop. When Jim pushed through the door of the shop, he found Kyle on the phone, negotiating for a carburetor.

“Come on, Lance – I know you want that T-bird clutch I’ve got,” Kyle said into the receiver, giving his father a nod when he spotted him. “Oh, bullshit!” he laughed. “You know I’ve got the only one left in the southwest. So why don’t you swap me the clutch for the carburetor straight up? No? Alright then, there’s someone in Clovis who’s been dying to get their hands on it. What? Sure I’ll give you time to think about it. How does an hour sound?”

Obviously having been hung up on, Kyle laughed and replaced the receiver. Jim chuckled at the sight of the phone – it was still an ancient desktop-type, the kind that if it were a few years older would still have a rotary dial. Kyle had found it within the junk abandoned in the garage and had kept it when he discovered it still worked.

“Hey, pop,” Kyle said, leaning forward on the counter. “She’s a beauty, huh?”

Jim eyed the Firebird skeptically, but knew in his heart that in a few months she would definitely be a beauty and would haul in a nice penny. “She sure will be.”

“I’m going to paint her red. She just screams to be red.”

Jim nodded in agreement.

“So, what brings you by?” Kyle asked, tossing the phone book onto a shelf with a stack of papers. For the neat work area he ran in the shop, he desperately needed someone to organize his office.

Jim shifted his weight and stuck his hands into his pockets, tried to act casual. “Saw Maria Deluca this morning.”

Kyle grinned. “Yeah? How’s she doing?”

“Um, she has some news, Kyle.”

Kyle’s smile faded. “What? Is someone sick?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Whew. Thank God.”

“She talked with Liz last night. Kyle, she’s been seeing Max Evans.”

All of the color drained from Kyle’s face as he froze and for one long moment Jim thought he was going to faint.

“You okay, son?”

“Why?” Kyle managed. “I mean, how?”

“They’ve been living in Pennsylvania.”

Kyle swallowed. “Since when?”

“Not sure exactly. They probably moved around a bit at first, but I get the feeling they’ve been in PA for a while now.”

“At first?” Some of the color was returning to Kyle’s face, and it was decidedly red. “What do you mean at first?”

“They never left. They’ve been here the whole time.”

“Son of a bitch,” he breathed, braced his palms against the countertop.

“Maria wanted me to break the news to you,” Jim said calmly.

Kyle shot him a look. “Why? It’s not like I’m heading to Pennsylvania for a happy reunion.” He must have read his father’s expression, because he straightened, disbelief in his eyes. “Or are you telling me they’re coming here?”

Jim gave a little shrug. “I don’t know anything for sure. But now that their cover’s been blown, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them back here sometime down the road.”

Kyle’s jaw set so hard Jim thought he might break his teeth. “Well,” he finally said. “I suggest you keep them away from me. Because I can’t promise I won’t kill at least one of them.”

*~*~*~*~*

Liz tried to act like she was engrossed in her book, but there was no ignoring the shadow that fell over her. Slowly she lifted her eyes, up toward the ceiling where they encountered the stoic face of Michael Guerin. Behind him, Isabel was a little less expressionless, her head and hip cocked in annoyance.

“Good book?” Michael asked.

Liz felt a stab from the past, since it had been so long since she’d heard Michael’s voice. It was the same voice, coming from this different person. She didn’t bother to answer the book question.

“Going home already?” she asked, her eyes flitting to Isabel. “That didn’t take much time.”

“I’ve been wanting to go home for the better part of ten years,” Isabel snapped. “Why should I wait?”

Michael glanced over his shoulder, then Isabel huffed and walked away rather quickly. He watched her go, then turned back to Liz.

“It’s not your fault,” he said. “She’s just upset and needs to take it out on someone. Max isn’t here, so you’re the lucky one. Good book?”

Liz looked down at the novel. “Not really,” she said quietly.

Michael paused a moment, then sat down beside her, his long legs stretched out casually before him. “What seat are you in?”

She looked at him curiously and when he lifted his eyebrows in question, she dug the boarding pass out of the book and glanced at it. “32A.”

“Good. We’re in row 15 – I won’t have to play referee all of the way to New Mexico.”

Liz sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I didn’t mean to sound like such a bitch. I just didn’t expect you guys to come home so quickly. I don’t think other people are expecting that either.” She gave him a pointed look, hoping he got the message.

Which apparently he did as he pursed his lips and gave a nod. His eyes settled on Isabel, who was getting coffee at a kiosk a ways down the midway.

“She knows,” he said rather than asked, speaking of Maria rather than Isabel.

“Yeah,” Liz said slowly. “I couldn’t let her be blindsided.”

“Still a good friend.” He looked away for a moment, then asked, “Does she have kids?”

Liz shook her head.

“Is she married?”

Involuntarily, she looked down at the ring on Michael’s finger. “No.”

There was a hint of hope in his eyes that hit Liz right in the heart. She couldn’t do this, couldn’t let him be taken off guard any more than she could let that happen to Maria. Heaving a sigh, she rubbed her forehead.

“She’s engaged.”

Michael’s head snapped in her direction.

“He’s a lawyer. They’re getting married in six months.”

“Oh.” He paused. “Is she happy?”

Liz wanted to lie and say yes, just to send Michael in the opposite direction, but she couldn’t lie about anything anymore. “I don’t know.”

tbc

[tequathisy]

great part. I love this fic.

[midwestmax]

Part Eight

Michael shifted his weight in the cramped airplane seat, shoved one of his feet into the aisle only to move it five seconds later when the flight attendant needed to pass with her drink cart. In truth, he hated flying, hated it with a passion. Not because he was afraid of crashing or anything like that, but because he disliked everything about it – being confined for hours on end, being confined with two hundred strangers, being confined in a seat that was built for a ten-year-old’s ass and not a grown man’s. He found the whole experience confining and frustrating.

Beside him, Isabel had her face turned to the window, but he could tell she was smiling – grinning from ear to ear, actually. While it did his heart good to see her truly happy for the first time in years, he couldn’t say that he wasn’t somewhat leery about going home. What were they going to say to her parents? Was the truth of what really happened any worse than the truth Max and Isabel had recorded on the family video camera that fateful night? And how did they know that the Evanses hadn’t been spearheading an anti-alien campaign since they’d received confirmation that their children were definitely “different”?

Because Liz wouldn’t set them up that way. He tried to let that be a reassurance, but he had never truly trusted Liz and now he felt like they were talking one giant leap of faith.

“Drink?” the flight attendant asked, startling him out of his musing.

“Nothing for me,” he said, trying to smile and knowing his in no way matched hers on the perkiness scale.

“Could I have soda with a splash of cranberry juice?” Isabel piped in.

The attendant went about making the drink while Michael waited patiently. Once Isabel had her soda and the woman had moved on, he cleared his throat and jerked his thumb toward the back of the plane.

“Nature’s calling,” he said to his travel mate, then hastily made his retreat.

It felt good to stand, which was a good thing since there was a line for the lavatory – another thing he hated about air travel. While he waited, though, he spotted Liz in one of the last rows, her gaze fixed out the window. To him, she looked small and sad and not at all like she was trying to avoid him like she had back at the airport. He felt a tug of sympathy for her – while he and Isabel were returning home in excitement, Liz had said goodbye to everything she loved.

And now maybe he’d have to say goodbye to everything he loved as well. He may have had Isabel’s ring on his finger, but there was only one girl he’d ever really loved. And from what Liz had said, she was about to marry someone else. While he wanted to be selfish and fight to have her back, he knew he’d given up that right ten years prior.

*~*~*~*~*

“What do you want me to do? Do you want me to call 911?”

Maria was surprised that her voice was as calm as it was, considering that Kyle was doubled up on the bed in his apartment behind the garage, his hands tightly clasping his head.

“No,” he said, his voice strained.

In her pocket, her cell phone started chiming out a Latino dance tune.

“God, shut that fucking thing off!”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled apologetically, reaching into her pocket and silencing the device. “Kyle, it’s never been this bad – tell me what I need to do.”

“Just go away.”

“I can’t and I won’t.” She glanced at her watch. In an hour she’d have to leave to get Liz at the airport, but Kyle didn’t need to know that. Besides, perhaps paying a cab to bring her home would be a good penance for Ms. Parker. “Let me help you.”

Kyle uncoiled enough to look at her through the slits of his eyes, his breath a shallow pant. “There’s nothing you can do.”

“Wanna bet?” She gave him a little smile and reached for his head.

“Don’t touch me!” he cried in panic.

“It’s okay,” she said soothingly, gently pushing his hands out of the way. “Everything is okay.”

Slowly, she started massaging his temples in small circles. At first he flinched and tried to push her away, but she was persistent, rubbing all of the important pressure points.

“It doesn’t hurt that bad, Kyle,” she whispered. “It doesn’t really hurt at all.”

His body started to relax and he started to breathe more evenly.

“If you go to sleep, the pain will be all gone when you awake.” Or at least she hoped.

“I can’t believe they’re coming back,” he hiccupped and Maria realized there were wet tracks on his cheeks.

“They are,” she agreed, wiping away his tears with her thumbs. “But we can take them. You and me.” She gave a little laugh, hoped he bought it, then her fake joviality diminished. “I won’t let them hurt us again.”

Shifting her weight, she slid onto the bed with him and gently laid his head on her shoulder.

“Try to sleep,” she said. “I’ll stay here with you. Then later I’m going to bring you some of that soup that you like from the Crashdown, okay? Just sleep, Kyle.”

As she lay there staring at the ceiling and listening to his ragged breathing, worry crowded her mind. The headaches were getting worse and she wondered at what point they would begin to harm him or threaten his life.

*~*~*~*~*

As Michael exited the airplane bathroom and edged past the next person in line, he saw Liz drop her cell phone to her lap in frustration. Without invitation, he slid into the empty seat beside her.

“No reception?”

She jerked his way, then blew out a tired sigh. “No, that’s not it. I’ve been trying to call Maria for the last hour and her cell phone is going straight to voicemail.”

Michael shrugged. “No problem. Iz and I are renting a car, so we can give you a ride…” His voice trailed off as Liz pursed her lips.

“Maria is my ride, Michael. I called her in Buffalo, before I knew we were on the same flight.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t want her to be blind-sided.”

“Of course not.”

Liz sighed again. “Look, can you just try to avoid her? You guys will probably exit the plane before me since I’m sitting so far back. I don’t think she’s expecting you to be back in Roswell so soon and…” She stopped, glanced around. “I haven’t told her everything, Michael. Some things still can’t be said over the phone.”

“Understood. I’ll warn Isabel.”

“Thanks.”

Michael hesitated a moment. “Is there something else?”

“Something else?”

“You seem upset.”

“Why would I be upset? I’ve been lying to my best friend for the last year and a half, she’s about to be taken off guard by her old boyfriend and I had to leave Max behind. Again.” Her voice lost its vehemence once she got to Max’s name.

Michael nodded in understanding as she talked, then waited a few moments for her to compose herself. “I know you know why Max couldn’t come back with us,” he began. “And if it weren’t for what he did, we wouldn’t be around to come back at all. You get that, right?”

Liz nodded slowly, though Michael could tell she didn’t buy it one hundred percent. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and he suddenly wondered if maybe Max hadn’t spilled all of the gruesome details to her.

“Sir,” the attendant said from the aisle. “I need you to go back to your seat. We’re about to start our descent.”

“Of course,” he said, pushing himself up and walking in confusion back to his seat.

Isabel’s eyebrows lifted when she saw him. “You okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Just thinking.”

“Yeah, me too,” she said hurriedly. “I want to go to Mom and Dad’s as soon as we get the car, okay?”

“Sure,” he agreed, because he didn’t really care and there wasn’t anyone in Roswell he needed to visit anyway. “Oh, by the way, Maria is picking up Liz at the airport.”

Isabel’s expression went neutral as she was trying to find meaning in that statement.

Michael filled in the blank for her. “So try not to be a bitch, okay?”

*~*~*~*~*

Maria hustled through the airport, the piece of paper with Liz’s flight information scratched on it clutched firmly in one hand. It had taken Kyle a long time to fall asleep and now she was running late.

“Gate B,” she said to herself, cursing for having worn the Jimmy Choo’s today – definitely poor for running.

She located the gate, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the plane had just taxied to the gate. Not that having to wait a bit would have done Liz any harm, Maria thought with a snort. Funny how she kept trying so hard to fulfill her commitments to her friend and then would think of a punishment for her in the next breath. Something told her the bitterness was going to last a long time.

But at least they would have some time to sort things out before the alien invasion happened again. This time they would have a game plan, figure out what to do about the alien abyss, help each other from being sucked in – even though Maria suspected Liz had never really extracted herself from it.

Things would be different this time. They wouldn’t allow them to get under their skins, to put out their ET vibes. She was ten years older now, she knew what she was doing.

But when her eyes landed on a tall man coming down the jet way, she realized it was ten years later and she still didn’t have a clue. Her heart seemed to stop in her chest, then pound so hard it took her breath away. At first she hadn’t recognized them, due in part to the fact that Isabel’s hair was way different and Michael’s was mostly missing. But there was no denying that gate, that attitude, that vibe.

Then he was standing before her, looking somewhat guilty and horribly handsome. She was at a loss and supposed her mouth was agape. Then reality came back to her and she realized that once again he’d thrown her off guard, had appeared way before he was supposed to, giving her and Liz no time at all to ward off the attack.

And she said the only thing that she could think of.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

tbc

[nibbles2]

great part.

[tequathisy]

what did Max do that means the others can come home but he can't?

Michael is interesting, he has nothing and nobody in Roswell to come back to except Maria. Did he come to win her back, just to see her, to support his wife? Does he even know?

[midwestmax]

Part Nine

I can't go. Ever since we came out of the pods, I've been on some quest to figure out where I belong. I finally found home. The weird thing is, it's here, it's on earth.

He would have stayed for her, no matter that the end result was not what they’d all anticipated. He’d been ready to walk away from those he’d called his family his entire life, knowing he might very well never see either of them again. He was prepared to give away his only chance to see his home world, to get answers he’d craved to the questions he’d had since he could form logical thought. And it would have been worth it, just to wake up to her pretty face every day…

But now that face was glaring at him with something that looked a lot like hatred. Her eyes practically blazed in her skull and if not for the fact that Michael was stunned that she had grown even more beautiful, he might have feared for his life.

Beside him, Isabel snorted. “And you were afraid I was going to be a bitch.”

Maria’s eyes flicked at her once, then back to Michael. “Speaking of bitches, where is she?” She tried to look around him, but he only stood rigidly, his brow furrowed.

“Maria, this isn’t Liz’s fault,” he began.

Maria pointed an exquisitely manicured finger at him. “Some of this is Liz’s fault, but she’s not the bitch I’m talking about.”

The crease in Michael’s brow deepened. “I don’t understand.”

Maria leaned out again, her eyes skimming over the arriving passengers. “Tess, Michael. Where is the little whore? I’m going to kick her stupid blonde ass.”

Michael’s gaze jerked to Isabel, whose eyebrows had shot up in surprise.

Maria straightened. “So, where is she?”

Isabel cleared her throat. “She’s…um, she’s not with us.”

“She didn’t come with you?” Maria threw her hands up in the air. “Well, hallelujah, there is a god!”

With that she pushed past her old acquaintances and approached Liz, who had just exited the jetway. Liz looked appropriately guilty and apologetic all at the same time. Her eyes shifted to Michael and Isabel, then back to Maria.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I tried to call but your cell must be off.”

“I turned it off because I was with Kyle,” Maria said tersely. “He’s…” Her voice trailed off and she stole a sideways glance at the new arrivals. “He’s sick again.”

At that, Isabel dropped all pretense of being made of ice. “Kyle’s sick? When? How? Is it serious?”

Maria’s eyes narrowed as she placed a hand on her hip. “You would know if you’d bothered to pick up a phone in the last ten years!”

Several people turned to look at her and Liz quickly grabbed her by the arm.

“Not here,” she whispered. “I know you’re upset, but not here, Maria.”

Something in Liz’s tone must have hit home, as some of Maria’s attitude dissipated. She pinned Michael with a gaze, then tossed her head toward baggage claim.

“Let’s get your stuff and get out of here,” she said.

She didn’t give Michael or Isabel another look at they passed. Liz, however, looked over her shoulder and gave them a look of empathy. They didn’t get far when Maria pivoted on one heel, returned to stand before Michael and jabbed a finger in his direction again.

“And you!” she spat. “I haven’t been able to watch one episode of Scooby Doo since you did what you did! You’ve even ruined that for me!”

Michael looked like he wanted to smirk, but that went away when he looked down at her hand. “Nice ring.”

She seemed momentarily thrown, then all of the attitude came back. “Don’t think I didn’t notice yours as well.” Her eyes moved to Isabel. “Congratulations. He’s quite a prize.”

Isabel only looked away, her eyes downcast.

“Maria,” Liz pleaded. “Let’s just go.”

Her friend finally relented, though Liz could feel the anger coming off her in waves.

As they walked away, Isabel turned to Michael. “I’m worried about Kyle. Has Max said anything about him?”

Michael pursed his lips. “When would he have said something? I only found out yesterday he was even talking to anyone here. Then you had to hurry up and come home and all I got to say to Max was ‘See you later.’”

The edge to his tone was not lost on her; her eyes narrowed immediately. “Don’t start this shit, Michael. You didn’t have to come.”

Involuntarily, his eyes moved to Liz and Maria – specifically Maria – who were quickly disappearing from sight.

Isabel snorted. “Oh, please. Did you really think she waited for you? Is that why you wanted to come here? It’s been ten years!”

“But I waited for her,” he said quietly.

Isabel’s brow furrowed. “I don’t want to talk about this. I want to get our bags, get a car and go see Mom and Dad. This is supposed to be a happy time, Michael.”

Maria was finally gone from sight, so Michael turned his attention to Isabel. “I am happy. Can’t you tell? Happy, happy.”

*~*~*~*~*

“I can’t believe they’re here,” Maria griped, tossing Liz’s bag roughly into the back of her Volvo. She hadn’t stopped complaining since they’d left the aliens at the arrival gate.

“It’s not my fault,” Liz said for the tenth time.

Maria angrily jerked open the driver’s side door. “Of course it’s your fault. Why did you let them come?”

Liz blinked twice, then got into the car and had to concentrate to not slam her door. Maria slid behind the wheel and jabbed the keys into the ignition.

“I didn’t let them come,” Liz defended. “They adults, they can go wherever they want.”

“Really? Since when? I thought they’d been shackled to a wall in Pennsylvania, the way you talked yesterday. And if they could go wherever they wanted, why haven’t they been home in ten years?”

Liz looked like she wanted to say something, then fell back in her seat, her gaze fixed out of the windshield.

“Well?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Oh, for the love of God!” Maria spat, throwing her hands into the air. “I haven’t heard that excuse out of you in a decade! Max Evans comes back into your life and all of a sudden it’s complicated?!”

Liz ran a hand through her hair but didn’t respond.

“I’m not stupid, Liz! I can understand complicated situations! So why don’t you do me a favor and give me the whole complicated story?”

“Maria, I can’t talk to you like this,” Liz said. “And I think you’re too agitated for driving.”

Maria looked around them – they were still sitting in the parking lot. “I’m not driving. In fact, I’m not going to drive at all until I get some answers from you.”

Liz looked at her, round-eyed.

“Did you know Michael and Isabel were married?”

“Yes,” Liz answered quietly.

“How long?”

Liz’s brow furrowed. “Since I reconnected with Max –”

“No, how long have they been married?”

“I don’t know. Why does it matter? You’re engaged to Jesse.”

Maria paused for a moment as if thrown, then continued the inquisition. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d found them?”

“It wasn’t just you. I didn’t tell anyone, Maria.”

“Why not?”

“Max didn’t want anyone to know where he was.”

“You didn’t have to tell me where he was – he could have just told me you’d found him.”

Liz lifted an eyebrow. “Like that would have stopped you from asking? From demanding? Look at you right now – you can’t stop yourself.”

“I have a right to know, Liz! Michael was the love of my life and I thought he was dead! Do you think I might have wanted to know he was okay, at least?”

Liz looked into her lap, played with her thumbs. “I guess.”

“This has never been just about you and Max, even though you might think so.”

Liz’s head snapped up. “Oh, Maria, I never felt that way.”

Maria tossed a hand in the air. “Whatever. Tell me why Tess didn’t come back with them.”

“She can’t.”

“Why didn’t Max come back with them?”

“He can’t.”

“Are they married?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the problem? How come if he’s the love of your life, he didn’t hop on a plane as soon as he knew no one here was looking for him? There’s no FBI, no alien hunters – everyone has forgotten about them by now. So why didn’t he – and the little whore – come back here?”

Liz rubbed her face tiredly.

“You know I want to kill that bitch for what she did to Alex.”

“And that would make her want to get on a plane and come here, huh?”

“Are you sympathizing with her?” Maria accused.

“No. I just wish you’d listen to yourself.”

“I want answers, Liz. I want to know when Tess is coming here so I’m ready, so that I’m not blind-sided like I just was.”

“I already apologized for that.”

“Whatever. When is she coming here?”

“She’s not.”

“How do you know?”

Liz looked out the window in defeat, then turned a steady gaze to her friend. “I know for a fact she will never come back to Roswell. It’s impossible.”

For the first time since they’d gotten into the car, Maria hesitated in confusion. “Why?”

“She won’t be coming here because Max killed her.”

tbc

**Used some dialogue from "Departure"

[nibbles2]

great part.

[tequathisy]

finally - an answer to one queston. only about seventy five more to go.

great part.

[midwestmax]

Happy New Year everyone! The pieces are going to start being revealed in the next parts, including what happened the day the aliens were supposed to have left earth. In this part, Michael reveals a secret of his own Nibbles, sorry I'm months overdue with finishing this

Part Ten

Dead.

Maria stared down at the surface of her vanity, her eyes not seeing anything before them. It was inconceivable that Tess Harding was dead, and had been dead for the last ten years. It was even harder to believe that Max Evans had killed her and her unborn child.

But there hadn’t been a child, had there? Wasn’t that what Liz had said? Maria grimaced and rubbed her forehead. She wished she’d reacted better when Liz had told her Max had murdered Tess – Maria had been so shocked that she hadn’t taken in much after that. Something about the pod chamber and the granilith and an explosion…or something. Now that she was over the initial shock, she wanted Liz to tell her slowly, like she was a four-year-old, all that had taken place on that day so many years ago.

Of course, part of the shock was due to the fact that Maria realized how useless her hatred of Tess had been. How many hours, days, weeks had she spent mentally enacting the day that she’d see Tess again? Oh, how she’d had plans to take her hatred out on that little bitch! Sometimes thoughts of slapping the crap out of Tess had kept Maria awake at night, anger and anticipating creating an unsettling vibe within her. Now she knew that while she’d been fantasizing about revenge, Tess Harding was more dead than dead. What a waste…

Nice ring.

The words still echoed inside of Maria’s head, were bouncing around in there for what seemed an eternity. It wasn’t so much the words but the way they were spoken - with spite, sure, but also with something else. That something else had been in his eyes as well. Pain? Loss? Remorse? For a brief moment, it touched her that he was sad she’d moved on.

But that moment was fleeting and was quickly replaced with anger. What did he expect? He’d pretty much lied to her for ten years, acted like he was either off the planet or dead. Did he think she’d sit around and pine for him anyway?

But she had, hadn’t see? She looked up and met her own gaze in the mirror. There was no hiding from the truth. While fantasizing about harming Tess had kept her up, so had fantasies of reuniting with Michael. She’d dated a few guys here and there and while she’d kicked up the commitment a notch with Jesse, somewhere in the back of her mind she was waiting. Waiting for a day like today.

Her eyes fell back to the ring on her finger and slowly she slid it off, held it between her thumb and forefinger. The light danced off it, oblivious to her gloom.

“I hope you’re not reconsidering.”

The words were said lightly, but Maria could detect the uncertainty underlying them. She turned to find Jesse standing in the doorway, his hands shoved into the pockets of his Hugo Boss suit pants. She offered him the best smile she could muster at the moment.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asked.

“Long enough,” he said gently, then entered the room and came to stand before her. “I don’t know why you’ve been sad. I can’t even pretend to venture a guess. I know it can’t be the thing with Liz’s aunt – you barely knew her.”

Maria looked down at her hands, slid the ring back into place. Her actions were only a means to avoid his eyes.

“If you ever need to talk,” he continued. “About anything – even if it’s something I don’t want to hear – you know you can, right?”

She nodded without looking up.

“Good.” He paused a moment, then moved for his closet. “Since you seem glum, let’s do something to cheer you up.”

Her brow furrowed as she looked at him questioningly.

“Get changed,” he grinned. “Wear something casual.”

*~*~*~*~*

Liz finished emptying her suitcase and stood back to survey the two piles of laundry she’d created. It never ceased to amaze her that when she when to visit Max, the “dirty” pile was always shorter than the “clean” pile. Then again, when she went to visit Max she really didn’t spend much time in her clothes.

She sighed as she remembered that it could be a very long time before she would see Max again. She knew as soon as Michael and Isabel were gone from the apartment, he would have packed up his belongings and headed for a new place to roost. It was uncertain whether he would have stayed local or would have gone to an extreme. Maybe tonight, after she went to sleep, she’d dreamwalk him and find out where he went. It was her only consolation.

As she moved to put away her clean clothes, she heard a rap on the window. Startled, she jerked her head that way and nearly dropped her laundry. Outside of the window, she found Isabel looking expectant. For some reason, that really irritated her. Depositing the clothes on top of her dresser, Liz walked to the window and hoisted it open.

“Can I come in?” Isabel asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

“I have a door,” Liz said, trying to hide the irritation in her voice and failing.

Isabel glanced around the spacious bedroom. “Oh.”

“Unless you want to climb in through the window?”

“Um, no, I’ll go around front.”

Liz slid the window shut without reply, then looked to the floor and counted to ten before going to open the front door of her apartment for her guest. When they were teenagers, they never used doors, preferring windows so as maybe not to be seen coming or going. But now they were adults, Liz had her own place, what was the point? But she knew old habits died hard and being hostile wasn’t going to help matters.

When she opened the front door, she found Isabel looking sheepish.

“Sorry about that,” Isabel said, her cheeks flushed slightly. “Force of habit.”

“It’s okay,” Liz said in resignation, stepping out of Isabel’s way so she could enter.

The alien looked around the large living room. “Wow, this is a nice place, Liz.”

“Thanks.” Did she want something?

Isabel shifted her weight, worked her hands together. “Look, I’ll just get right to the point. I need to see Kyle.”

At that, Liz gave a burst of laughter. “Um, no.”

Isabel’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”

“Because he doesn’t want to see you, Isabel. You guys just about wrecked him. He doesn’t want to see any of you.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to see him, Liz. I said I needed to see him.”

Now Liz looked confused. “Why?”

“At the airport Maria said he was sick again. Sick as in how?”

Liz paused for a moment, then frowned slightly. “I don’t think Kyle would want me to share his business with you. Would you like something to drink?”

She started to move toward the kitchen, more as a means to rid herself of the conversation than to be hospitable, when Isabel reached out and took her by the arm. Liz looked down at the other woman’s hand, then met her eyes with waning patience.

“I need to know what happened before we went to the pod chamber,” Isabel said. “I need to know if Tess did anything to Kyle.”

Most of the animosity rushed out of Liz’s body and Isabel slowly released her grip.

“Why?” Liz asked.

“Just tell me. I really don’t know what you and Maria found out during the time when we were preparing to leave.”

Liz hesitated, then let out a sigh. “From what Kyle told us, Tess mindwarped him into carrying Alex’s body to his car the night she killed him.”

Isabel paled. “Liz, has he been having headaches?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

The blonde alien rubbed her forehead. “Did you and Max ever talk or did you spend all of your time in bed?” she said in exhaustion.

Liz recoiled. “Isabel –that’s none of your business.”

Isabel dropped her hand and regarded Liz steadily. “Tess mindwarped Alex to death, Liz. And now I’m worried that she harmed Kyle as well.”

*~*~*~*~*

“Mmmm, I think I’ll have a rocket launcher,” Jesse said, slapping his menu shut and giving the waitress a toothy smile.

She wasn’t impressed. “And you?” she said to Maria.

“The low fat frozen yogurt with a side of fresh fruit,” Maria said, then caught Jesse’s disapproving look. “Scratch that. Hot fudge sundae with extra whipped cream.”

The waitress moved away and Jesse beamed at his fiancé.

“See?” he said. “This place always makes you fell better.”

She pasted on a grin and glanced around the Crashdown, which hadn’t changed much over the years. The place didn’t necessarily make her feel “better”, but it did bring back old memories. Like right over there for instance – that was the spot where Michael kissed her for the first time, just to calm her down…

“And so does ice cream,” she said to Jesse as a means to quell the other memories threatening to resurface. “Listen, I was thinking.”

“Yeah?” He pushed their menus back into their spot behind the napkin dispenser.

“Maybe we should look into Boston. I mean, maybe it’s time for a change.”

Jesse watched her warily. “What brought this on?”

“Nothing. I’m just starting to realize that you’re right. We’re still young. We should be out roaming the world before we get too old or before we have kids or something. Meet new people, make new friends…” Her voice trailed off because she knew in her heart that she would never really be able to erase everything and everyone in Roswell from her life.

“Is this why you’ve been sad? Because you’ve been thinking of this?”

“I wouldn’t say sad,” she said quietly. “I’ve just been thinking a lot.”

He folded his napkin into his lap and with sad realization, Maria noted that Jesse had become so polished and successful that even in jeans and a T-shirt he looked distinguished. There was no “casual” for him anymore.

“Tell you what,” he began. “Why don’t we take a trip there? I’ll show you around the area, you can see what east coast life is like. And if you like it, we can go. If not, we come back and continue as we are.”

She started to smile, but that dropped away quickly as her eyes fell on the front door. Immediately her heart jerked in her chest and her blood started to boil. Nice ring.

Jesse caught her expression and looked over his shoulder. “Who’s that, honey?”

She was about to say that it was nobody in hopes that Michael had the sense to keep moving, but instead he started walking toward them. As he reached the end of the table, Maria explained and introduced at the same time.

“This is Michael,” she said, keeping her temper in check. “We went to school together.”

Michael’s eyes shifted to Jesse, then back to Maria.

“That’s Jesse. My fiancé.” She put a little extra stress on the last word, one that didn’t get past either man.

Michael held out his hand to Jesse. “Michael Guerin.”

Jesse took it and shook, though Maria could see confusion beneath the surface. “Jesse Ramirez.”

Maria was suddenly glad that Jesse looked expensive. In fact, it was all she could do not to gloat. Look how well I’ve done, Michael. Without you. She folded her arms on the table.

“Honey, guess who Michael is married to.”

Jesse shot her a confused look, tinged with just a little embarrassment at her behavior. “I wouldn’t know.”

Michael’s look was a little more desperate, a little bit pleading. “Maria, don’t.”

“Why not? Shouldn’t all of Roswell know? How long has is been? Nine, ten years?”

“I’m asking you,” he said in a strained voice. “Please don’t go any farther.”

Victory shined in Maria’s eyes as she looked to Jesse. “Seems like Michael here has eloped with – ”

She let out a squeak as Michael grabbed her by the arm and nearly dragged her from the booth. She tried to act indignant, but it was hard to do when she could feel his touch so firm and hot on her arm.

“Excuse us,” Michael mumbled to Jesse, then proceeded to drag Maria into the back room of the Crashdown. Just like old times.

Halfway there, indignation did indeed set in, probably because people were starting to stare at them. Not to mention that Jesse had to be baffled beyond belief.

“Let me go!” she protested.

“In a minute,” Michael said, pushing her through the swinging doors. When he released her, she spun on him.

“How dare you –”

“Shut up, Maria. I’ve only got a few seconds before Captain Incredible comes in to rescue you. You can’t tell people Isabel and I are married.”

“Why not?” she demanded.

“Because,” he said, “we’re not married. It’s only cover.”

And with that he gave her a look that spoke a thousand words, but a few rather prominently – How could you have doubted me?

tbc

[nibbles2]

awesome part.

[tequathisy]

I love the last line and needed to hear it. Though Michael still has a lot of explaining to do.

[midwestmax]

Part Eleven

The windshield of the BMW illuminated briefly in the streetlights of Roswell, dimmed momentarily and lit up again as they raced through the city streets. The car was silent, not even the radio playing for entertainment. The top was up, the air conditioner cranking out chilly air.

The ride to the Crashdown had been much different than the return trip. The top had been down, the warm night air had been whipping through their hair, and Jesse had been singing at the top of his lungs, attempting to lighten his fiancé’s mood. Now, he was gripping the wheel so tightly Maria thought he might stress fracture his fingers. Either that, or he was going to crack a few molars with the way he was clenching his teeth.

Not that she blamed him. Michael’s little display at the café had been anything but subtle. It wasn’t every day that a complete stranger dragged your bride-to-be out of the booth across from you and hauled her away. As Michael had predicted, Jesse had been hot on their heels, come to rescue his bride.

If only he’d come a split second later, perhaps he wouldn’t have seen the look on Michael’s face. Or on hers, for that matter. For there had been no hiding Michael’s pain or her complete devastation. Jesse was a smart man, trained to pick up the most subtle of clues in human behavior. She knew he knew Michael wasn’t just a friend from high school.

“Who was he?” Jesse asked, almost as if on cue. His voice was strained, barely contained.

Maria turned to look at him, his face intermittently light then dark in the passing lights.

“And don’t lie to me,” he warned.

“I knew him in high school,” Maria began, her voice sounding small and timid – she hated her apparent weakness immediately.

“I said no bullshit!” Jesse thundered, making her jump.

“I know you did,” she said quickly. “I wasn’t done.”

“I’ll finish for you,” Jesse said, eerie calmness in his tone. He glanced at her once and she nearly withdrew from the look in his eyes. “I’ll tell you what I saw. I saw hurt and anger in his eyes. I saw passion there, not simple familiarity. If he’s not a former lover, then I deserve to be disbarred.”

Maria looked into her lap, twisted her ring around her finger.

“Since Liz called yesterday, you’ve been dancing around like a cat with an itch it can’t reach. I don’t for one moment believe the story about her aunt mysteriously dying – I don’t even believe she has an aunt. I believe you lied to me, Maria. You’ve never lied to me before, why now?”

She realized his question was rhetorical and she was better off not saying a word.

“I thought it was just stress from preparing for the wedding. And maybe I’m right – maybe you’re stressed because Liz stumbled on this Guerin guy and now you don’t know what to do.”

Maria swallowed, felt like there was a softball stuck somewhere in her throat.

“So I – like a schmuck – decide to take you out to cheer you up and up pops this guy who grabs you and drags you into the back room of a restaurant where neither of you works. And I didn’t notice you fighting him for one moment, Maria. There wasn’t even a backward glance for me to help you. Do you know what it was like to sit there and witness that?”

She shook her head silently.

“It was my worst nightmare. Until I followed you. I saw the way you looked at him. And the way he looked at you. Friend from high school, my ass. So tell me – who was he? Was he a lover?”

Maria nodded.

“Was he?”

“Yes,” she answered, her voice small.

Jesse’s hands tightened on the wheel, to the point that the leather cried in protest. “When? Why didn’t you tell me about him? I thought I knew everyone in your past - you know everyone in mine. When did this guy come about? Why did you keep him secret?”

Inside, Maria cringed, her own words of criticism, directed at Liz, coming back to her. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated? Theoretical physics is complicated, Maria. Your past relationship with Michael Guerin is not.”

The car came to a jerking halt and Maria looked up to see that Jesse had pulled up in front of their house. She looked at him quizzically, wondering why he hadn’t pulled into the drive.

Jesse swiveled in his seat to address her, his demeanor that of the master interrogator, homing in on the kill. “Are you sleeping with him now?”

Maria’s eyebrows shot up. “What? No!” Though her heart did skip a beat at the thought.

Jesse held her gaze until she looked away, then he motioned toward her door. “I’m not coming in.”

Her head whipped in his direction. “Why not?”

“I need to think. Good night.”

There was finality in his tone that made her question him no more. She climbed out of the car and stood on the sidewalk watching in turmoil as he tore off into the night.

*~*~*~*

Kyle sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. The pain was worse than it had ever been, to the point that he was starting to pray for unconsciousness. Just once, during that awful “win a blind date” night that KROS had sponsored, he’d drank so much that he wished he were dead the following morning. The pain then had been only a fraction of what he was enduring at the moment.

There had been days when he’d thought of ending the pain permanently. There was no escaping the pressure in his head, something that was aggravated with every movement, every sound, every word he tried to speak. There were plenty of ways he could have an “accident” out in the shop, so maybe his father wouldn’t believe his only child had committed suicide. Because Jim was the last person he’d want to hurt.

Kyle shuddered then felt like sobbing. He lacked even the strength to off himself. He was stuck here, stuck in this hell, his head a throbbing mass atop his neck. A moment later, he cringed and clamped his hands over his ears – someone had wrenched open the bent metal back door of the garage, the sound nearly debilitating him.

“Kyle?”

The word was whispered, but it still drove daggers through his brain, even with his hands over his ears. There was a shadow across his eyelids – someone was standing before him. Taking a risk, he squinted open one eye, saw a blurry Liz Parker before him. But there was another shadow, standing toward the door. The squint became a crack and Kyle focused enough on his other visitor to make out long legs and short, reddish hair. As he tried to clear his vision, though, the short red hair morphed into long blonde hair, then back again.

“No,” he moaned, unable to flee. “No, no, no.” He fell slowly over onto his side, away from his guests, and pulled his knees up to his chest. Mercifully, the movement caused darkness to seep in from the corners and he slid into nothingness.

Behind him, Liz stood from her crouch and met Isabel’s eyes. The alien looked concerned, her brow furrowed deeply.

“I’ve never seen him this bad,” Liz admitted.

“He needs Max,” Isabel said, her voice filled with emotion and Liz wondered if she was about to cry, even though her outward appearance was strong.

“Isabel, if Max comes back here, he faces murder charges,” Liz reminded her. “You know that.”

She nodded, then her eyes shifted to their friend. “Then maybe we can take Kyle to him.”

Liz shook her head. “He won’t go. He hates Max, hates Michael. Probably isn’t too fond of you either, from the way he reacted.”

“But he’s going to die. It’s going to be – and has already has been – slow. I can’t sit by and watch this.”

They both fell silent, minds working to come up with a resolution.

“We need help,” Liz finally said.

“Maybe, but who?”

A small smile curved Liz’s lips. “I know just the person.”

*~*~*~*~*

In the morning, Maria found the house empty. Jesse had not returned as the BMW was not in the garage or drive. Afraid he’d been so angry that he’d wrapped the small convertible around a pole, she called the police department, the fire department and the hospital to make sure he hadn’t been admitted. No one had seen him. Which as a relief.

Until she got a sudden image of Jesse going on a bender, picking up a hooker and going to a motel.

Maria held her face in her hands. He had every right to be angry, but the most humiliating part for her was that he’d been accurate in all of his assumptions and observations. No wonder Phillip Evans was so intent on snaring him.

She caught her reflection in one of the sliding glass doors and felt like she was staring at a stranger. A lost stranger who didn’t know where to turn next. Her head was confused.

And one of the reasons she was so confused was that she didn’t know what had transpired to keep the aliens here on earth, or why Michael had been masquerading as Isabel’s husband, or why Max had killed Tess. Even though she dreaded the confrontation, she needed to get the answers.

*~*~*~*~*

Jim Valenti was stocking green and silver birthday party decorations when Liz entered Amy’s shop.

“Well, good morning Ms. Parker,” he said jovial, then stopped at the look on her face. “Is everything okay?”

She wrung her hands together and for a moment Jim saw her as a teenager, trying to approach him for help, her alien/hybrid boyfriend a captive of the FBI.

“I need your help,” she said, affirming his intuition. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

*~*~*~*~*

Maria pulled the Volvo to a stop in front of the Evans home and removed her sunglasses. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been here, not that she’d been here a lot in their high school years. In those days, she had been more interested in Michael’s ramshackle apartment than Max’s opulent home.

Sighing in dread, she pushed open the car door and walked to the front door. The doorbell sounded on the other side and she waited patiently, glanced around the neighborhood, remembered what it was like to think that she’d never live in a home as nice as these. Not that she was big on bragging, but she would bet that Jesse’s house was more expensive than any of these.

With a pang, she realized that “their” home had suddenly become “Jesse’s” home.

The door jerked open abruptly and Maria found herself looking into Isabel’s dark eyes. Surprisingly, there wasn’t any animosity behind them.

“I’m sorry,” Maria said before she could stop herself.

“For?” Isabel asked with a raised brow.

“Being a bitch yesterday.”

Isabel waved her off. “It happens.”

Maria didn’t know how to respond to that, so she looked at her feet, then back up. “Can I speak to Michael?”

“He’s not here.”

“Oh.” All of the anxiety rushed out of Maria’s body, making her feel exhausted and relieved at the same time. And disappointed, it was an odd mix.

“He went to pick up some stuff for breakfast,” Isabel explained. “Do you want to wait?”

Maria shook her head. “No, just tell him I stopped. Thanks.” She turned to leave.

“Maria?”

She turned back to the door.

“Just so you know, he was going to stay. For you.”

tbc

[tequathisy]

Great part. Poor Jesse. I'm so glad Maria is going in search of answers because I for one am very confused about what happened in the past and why Max can't come back.