Fan Fic and More

Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.


Chapter 14: Friend or Foe

Alex sputtered, “Tess! I didn’t hear you walk up!”

Liz’s eyes narrowed at the small blonde girl in front of her. “There’s something different about you…”

The small blonde looked at her and said, “Yeah…is there somewhere else we can go talk?” Her eyes darted nervously around the group.

Michael shifted uneasily in his seat. Liz was right, there really was something different about Tess. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was though. Suddenly, an outburst from the girls told him exactly what was different.

As one, Liz, Maria and Isabel said, “Ava!” Maria grabbed Michael to prevent him from blasting Tess’ double.

Ava gave them a quick nod before saying, “How could you tell? I copied Tess’ look hoping to blend in here.” She narrowed her eyes and studied the other girls. “You have the sight don’t you?”

“You feel different than Tess. I can’t believe I didn’t see it when you were here with Lonnie and Rath. You’re so…not Tess.” Maria said.

Ava looked back and forth between Michael and Maria. “You bonded. Well that changes everything then…” Ava trailed off in thought for a moment.

“Why are you here? What happened to your accent?” Michael was as blunt as ever. He wasn’t entirely convinced that this wasn’t Tess.

“I’m here because something bad is going down and you need to know about it. My accent was mostly put on for Lonnie and Rath’s benefit. It made me sound stupid…easily overlooked. It kept em’ off my back.” Ava answered both of Michael’s questions with only the slightest hint of a New York accent.

“What’s so important that you had to come all the way out here to tell us? I thought you were going back to New York or something?” Michael, as usual, was not the most patient one in the bunch.

Ava looked around for potential eavesdroppers. “Isn’t there somewhere else we can go to talk about this? Not exactly a good topic for a high school campus, you know?”

Everyone decided it would be best if they left school and regrouped at the quarry. They knew they were taking a risk leaving school with a virtual stranger but they needed to hear what Ava had to say. If she got out of line, Michael and Maria could take her down.

After everyone arrived at the quarry, Ava looked around at the group for a minute before telling her story. “Years ago Nasedo paid us a visit and tried to fill our heads with this four-square destiny crap. Kept telling us that we’re destined mates and the four of us make up some special unit blah, blah, blah. Lonnie and Rath bought it hook, line and sinker. I never really believed it. I loved Zan, but the whole destiny bit…it didn’t feel right, you know? I think Zan knew it was wrong all along.” Ava paused for a minute remembering Zan.

“Anyways, after that Rath and Lonnie wanted to go home. When the emissaries came to tell us about the summit, Zan said it was a trap and he wanted no part of it. Lonnie and Rath killed him and came up with the idea to dupe Max into going in his place. When we got here I met Tess and I could tell she was bad news just like Lonnie and Rath. I knew I was just as disposable to them as Zan was so I stayed behind when they left for the summit.” Ava took a deep breath before continuing.

“They assumed I was never coming back so I was able to slip back into the hood later without them noticing. I wanted to be close enough to keep an eye on them. Keep your enemies close and all that jazz. Before your friends came back here, Tess made a deal with Lonnie and Rath. I didn’t catch all the details but I know that it had something to do with Tess seducing Max and then somehow using the granolith to go home. Lonnie and Rath are planning on leaving with them. I’m thinking Lonnie and Rath intend to step in as you two. Max wouldn’t know until it’s too late.” Ava looked at Michael and Isabel as she finished her story.

Liz was silently fuming. Tess actually thought she would seduce Max so easily? Tess had been flaunting her assets at Max for months and it didn’t do her any good. Liz remembered how hard she’d tried to get Max to accept his ‘destiny’ but even her efforts hadn’t worked. Tess’ betrayal of her supposed ‘family’ kindled a quiet fury in Liz.

“How do we know if we can even believe anything you say Ava? You grew up with Lonnie and Rath but now you expect us to just blindly trust you? How do we know they didn’t send you here?” Michael wasn’t ready to trust the blonde girl in front of him. When they last met, she hadn’t exactly seemed smart enough to be the secret agent type. Lonnie and Rath were dangerous, that he was sure of, but he wasn’t entirely sure if Ava was with them or against them.

“Ask Isabel and Maria. They know…they can see.” When Ava said this, Maria and Isabel both nodded in response. They knew she was telling the truth because they had both tried to scan her mind as she was talking. Oddly enough, Maria picked up on an intense fear in Ava. It was like she was just as afraid of them as she was Lonnie and Rath.

Michael scowled at the small blond in front of him. “You’re going to have to give me more than that. You could be warping them.”

“Look, I know you have no reason to trust me but this situation is going to end badly for all of us if we don’t work together.” Ava let out a sad sigh. “I always knew I was different than the others. I never really fit in. From the day we came out of the pods there was something off about them you know? Like they were born evil or something. I felt the same thing the first time I met Tess. I think she came out wrong too.” Ava looked so lonely as she said this.

“Hey, wait a minute! Michael, didn’t that air force guy tell you that there were eight pods on your ship?” Maria asked.

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?” Michael looked at Maria with a frown.

“Oh my God you’re right!” Isabel exclaimed. “Lonnie said that they had to make two sets because the first one was defective somehow. Something was wrong with them from day one!” Isabel was clearly shocked that they’d missed something so obvious until now.

“I can’t believe we didn’t see it when she was here before. I mean, it was right in front of our faces the whole time!” As Liz added her own comment, Michael looked around at the girls in utter confusion.

Alex had a better chance of catching on to what the girls were saying due to years of practice dealing with Liz and Maria. “OK, slow down a minute here. So you’re saying that one set of Royals was made wrong or something. When the ship crashed, the protectors put the good Ava with the New York crew and the bad one with you guys. Now, the bad guys have joined forces to dupe Max into hitching them a ride home on the granolith. Do I have that right?” As the three girls nodded in response, Michael looked at Alex with an expression of awe.

“I don’t even want to know how you figured that out man. I’m not even going there. What I want to know is, does the granolith actually work for space travel? How would they know their plan was going to work?” Michael looked around at the group for an answer.

Ava jumped in with her theory. “Some weird little guy named Nicholas told her all about it. The Granolith is really powerful. That’s why Kivar wants it so bad. I think Lonnie believes the ‘four-square’ can control the granolith…make it do whatever they want.” Ava waited for a reaction from the others.

“Guys, I hate to break up the party but it’s three o’clock already. If we don’t get going, people are going to start to wonder where we are.” Alex pointed out.

Isabel turned to Ava, “Ava, do you have somewhere to stay? Tess can’t see you or she’ll know something’s up.”

Maria jumped in, “You could stay at my place for a few days. My mom’s out of town at another one of her buyer’s convention thingies. You won’t catch Tess anywhere near my house…we’re not exactly close if you know what I mean.” She did a pretty good impression of Michael’s devilish smirk as she said that.

“I don’t know…are you sure Maria?” Ava’s doubtful tone made Maria feel bad for her. It was obvious this girl really wasn’t used to people being kind to her.

“I’m sure. We can take your car over to Michael’s apartment building. It’ll blend in there and no one will notice it. Then we’ll get you set up over at my place.”

“Where did you get that car anyway? You didn’t have one when you were in Roswell last time. You can’t just leave it sitting at my place if it’s stolen.” Michael glared over at Ava, waiting for her answer.

“It’s not stolen.” Ava mumbled, hurt that he thought so little of her. “I had a little cash stashed away for emergencies. I bought that car from the junk yard for fifty bucks and fixed it up…” Ava trailed off, wiggling her fingers to indicate she’d used her powers to bring the vehicle to life.

The group made plans to sneak Ava back into town. Michael was not thrilled at the thought of Ava staying at Maria’s house because he just wasn’t ready to trust her completely yet. He made a silent vow to camp out at Maria’s for the duration of Ava’s stay to keep an eye on her.

They all decided it would be best to follow the original plan about telling the others. Liz and Maria would tell Kyle the latest developments tonight at work and Isabel would tell Max later at home. Now however, there was so much more to tell.

Wow! There was so much in those chapters! I can't believe Maria's blasting power is stronger than Michael's, and she picked up Tess' feelings when Isabel couldn't... though Tess was blocking Isabel, it's true.

Maria snorted. “Well it seems Michael shared his more…explosive…powers with me. So far it seems like I’m great at blowing things up, setting things on fire and boiling stuff. Oh, and things start flying if I’m mad enough.” The group just stared at Maria with their mouths wide open. Michael was the only one not surprised since he’d witnessed all of this first hand more than once in the last week. Their typical ‘heated’ arguments had moved on to a whole other freaky level now that she had powers.

“Oh Buddha save us. A nuclear Deluca. Why am I not surprised?” Kyle seemed to be the only one in the group that found Maria’s tale amusing.

And Liz's dream! That was fortunate, because she backed up Maria's feelings about Tess. And now Ava has confirmed it. So they know to watch out for Tess!
And Maria had a great idea asking Isabel to read it from her mind!

Maria rolled her eyes and then turned to Isabel. When she ‘read’ Isabel during their training session she caught on to her love for Alex and Maria didn’t want to be the one to spill the beans before Isabel was ready to tell everyone. “I have a better idea. Isabel, I want you to read me for a second. Like you did with Alex. Can you do that? I’ll try to show you what I saw yesterday.”

I hope that with their new powers... and Ava's help... they'll be able to defend themselves and blast Lonnie and Rath... and Tess. I know Maria will! :


Gerry

Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.


Chapter 15a: Forming Alliances, Part I

That night the whole group, minus Tess, met up at Maria’s house. As luck would have it, Tess had made other plans for the evening so she never even clued in to the meeting. Most of the group found Ava’s presence unnerving but Isabel, Liz and Maria trusted her. Everyone had now heard about the theory of the mixed up Ava pods but not everyone was ready to believe it.

“So you went back to New York to spy on Lonnie and Rath? I thought you wanted to get away from them?” Max asked. She was so different than Tess and Liz trusted her so he was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“I wanted to get away, really I did, but I couldn’t just hide out for the rest of my life never knowing where they are or what they were doing. They’re dangerous and they hurt people whenever it suits them. I couldn’t just disappear and pretend they don’t exist. Someone had to keep an eye on them…” Ava looked so tired as she said this.

“So how do you know they made a deal with Tess? You were here when we were in New York so how would you know what happened?” Max was not willing to just accept Ava’s story on faith. There was too much at stake here.

“I got back there right after you guys left. I learned to block Lonnie and Rath years ago so they never knew I was nearby. I hid out in the sewer tunnels so I could keep an eye on them. From what I could hear, Tess is planning on getting pregnant with your baby and then convincing you that the baby can’t survive here. Assuming that you wouldn’t risk the life of your child, you’d be forced to go home to Antar with her. Lonnie seemed convinced that the four-square could use the Granolith to get home. Somehow she and Rath planned on being the other pair in that four-square. I couldn’t hear everything but I assume they plan on stepping in as Michael and Isabel at some point.”

The group was silent for a moment as they all thought about the implications of Ava’s story. If Lonnie and Rath were nearby, no one was safe anymore.

“So those nut jobs are here in Roswell then?!” Kyle was never known for being subtle.

“They’re here.” Liz said with a nod. The group had all heard about her strange dream and now it seemed that Ava was confirming everything she had seen.

“I followed them as far as Hondo. I know they were planning to meet Tess out there somewhere last Saturday but I had to stay away because I wasn’t sure if Tess would sense me. Tess is probably with them right now.” Ava said.

“How do you know Tess won’t sense you here at Maria’s?” Alex asked.

“I don’t. I think that I might be able to block her just like I do Lonnie and Rath. If that doesn’t work maybe she’ll assume it’s Maria she’s picking up on…you know, because of her new powers.” Ava replied, shrugging. Maria had already filled her in on recent events within their group, including the tale about her powers and her theory about their origin.

“When you were here, you told Liz that she would be different now…because I healed her. What exactly did you mean?” Max had wanted to ask that question ever since he heard about Ava’s prediction.

“In order to bring her back from the brink of death, you would’ve had to form a bond with her. I only remember random bits and pieces of our other lives but I do remember that much. That kind of healing requires a really strong connection. I don’t think you would’ve been able to form a strong enough connection without bonding with her first. If it had been anyone else who was shot that day, you might not have been able to save them.” Ava noticed the way Liz sneaked a glance at Max.

“So you think Liz’s powers came from the bond, not the healing then?” Max asked urgently. If she could confirm Maria’s theory, it could bring him one step closer to a life with Liz.

“Like I said, I only remember bits and pieces. I get these vague memory flashes once in a while but they’re never very clear. I think that when our people bond with their mates, their powers sort of adjust to each other.” The others looked at her skeptically.

“I know I’m not explaining this very well. OK, it’s like how roommates who’ve lived together for a long time start to develop the same kinds of mannerisms, biological rhythms and stuff. I think our powers are sort of like that…they adjust.” Ava looked around, trying to gauge the others’ reactions to her explanation.

There was a short period of silence as the group tried to assimilate what Ava had told them. It certainly would fit with what little they knew about the cause of Liz and Maria’s powers so far.

Jim decided now would be a good time to ask one of the questions that had been nagging at him ever since Kyle had come home and told him about the current situation.

“I have to admit, it’s a little unnerving to see you sitting here looking so much like Tess. How will we tell you apart?” He asked. Jim was taking the news of Tess’ treachery very hard. He and Kyle had accepted her into their home and into their family.

“Wait a minute! We’re actually going to let her stay here?! How do we know she’s even telling the truth?!” Kyle was taking the news even harder than his father. He and Tess had become very close lately, or so he thought. The idea that he was just a pawn in some creepy plot to seduce Max and steal the Granolith made his veins boil with anger. He just didn’t want to accept Ava’s story.

“Maria and Isabel can tell the difference. They can sense it. As for the rest of you…I don’t know. Maybe a code word that I have and she doesn’t?” Ava was intimidated by the animosity she felt rolling off Kyle. She was trying to be strong but after years of abuse from Lonnie and Rath, she just wanted a break from all the hatred. Why did she have to be the hated one?

Liz pointed out, “It has to be something we could ask either one of you without looking suspicious. Oh I know! We could ask ‘How are you doing today?’ and you could answer ‘I think I’m coming down with the flu.’ Tess would never say that!” Liz looked around for a reaction from the others.

Max smiled at Liz’s quick thinking. “Yeah, that could work. Michael and Isabel, we’ll need you to use those code words too so we know you’re not Rath or Lonnie. They waltzed right into my house undetected last time they were here…that can’t happen again.”

“I am NOT babbling about the flu every time someone asks me how I’m doing Maxwell.” Michael barked, scowling.

Max fell back into leader mode and began issuing orders. “You would only have to say that when one of us was asking. It’ll be fine Michael. If any of you run into Lonnie or Rath, try to get to a public place immediately. In fact, maybe we should think about getting cell phones. That way we could contact the rest of the group right away if they make trouble.”

“Oooh good idea! We could get a bunch of those prepaid cell phones for everyone.” Isabel already had a cell and used it so much it nearly became a permanent part of her anatomy.

Sheriff put a damper on Isabel’s glee. “With your doubles running around, what are you going to do about your parents Max? They’ll have no way of knowing that they’re dangerous.” The group sucked in a collective breath as the startling realization hit them.


To be continued...

Maria’s eyes suddenly narrowed with suspicion. “Michael, that was probably the best gift ever. I want you to know that. You let me see you; the real you and it was amazing. BUT don’t even think for a second that’s getting you out of buying me a present for Christmas!”

just have to tell you, i've read the first several parts and this rocks. come on please tell them about fm and eotw. so tess is bad...then who does my...opps sorry tracie...kyle end up with.

this is my favorite quote so far. typical maria. and i love how michael and maria sort through things adn reach a conclusion.

so max is thinking about this who liz and powers thing. well hello max kyle was healed about 6-9 months after liz, so duh he isn't going to have powers yet if he's going to have them. plus part of the reason liz was able to contact you, you ninny is that she loved you.

Maria’s eyes suddenly narrowed with suspicion. “Michael, that was probably the best gift ever. I want you to know that. You let me see you; the real you and it was amazing. BUT don’t even think for a second that’s getting you out of buying me a present for Christmas!”

just have to tell you, i've read the first several parts and this rocks. come on please tell them about fm and eotw. so tess is bad...then who does my...opps sorry tracie...kyle end up with.

this is my favorite quote so far. typical maria. and i love how michael and maria sort through things adn reach a conclusion.

so max is thinking about this who liz and powers thing. well hello max kyle was healed about 6-9 months after liz, so duh he isn't going to have powers yet if he's going to have them. plus part of the reason liz was able to contact you, you ninny is that she loved you.

just have to tell you, i've read the first several parts and this rocks. come on please tell them about fm and eotw. so tess is bad...then who does my...opps sorry tracie...kyle end up with.

this is my favorite quote so far. typical maria. and i love how michael and maria sort through things adn reach a conclusion.

so max is thinking about this who liz and powers thing. well hello max kyle was healed about 6-9 months after liz, so duh he isn't going to have powers yet if he's going to have them. plus part of the reason liz was able to contact you, you ninny is that she loved you.

just have to tell you, i've read the first several parts and this rocks. come on please tell them about fm and eotw. so tess is bad...then who does my...opps sorry tracie...kyle end up with.



so max is thinking about this who liz and powers thing. well hello max kyle was healed about 6-9 months after liz, so duh he isn't going to have powers yet if he's going to have them. plus part of the reason liz was able to contact you, you ninny is that she loved you.

ok i left you reall cool feedback, but some stupid debug thing came up and won't left me leave it. i cna't figure out what i did. so great job

How are they going to keep the parents safe from the dupes. Please post soon, I can't wait for the second part. Thanks

Ti88 - The board's been giving me that odd DEBUG error too. I got your awesome feedback though. Thank you! :D

Roswell Aliens - Thanks again for the feedback. I hope Part II came quickly enough for you! :D



Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.


Chapter 15b: Forming Alliances, Part II

Isabel started to bring up the same sore subject she’d broached hundreds of times before.

“We have to tell them Max! They’ll be defenseless…they won’t even see it coming if Lonnie and Rath attack! Leaving them in the dark like this will harm them more than it will help them, you have to see that…” Isabel trailed off, as Max shook his head no.

“We’re not telling them…yet. We need to slow down and figure out exactly what’s going on first. Things could get even more complicated if we start telling more people and that’s the last thing we need right now. Michael…if the need arises…would you rather we don’t tell them about you?” Max looked to Michael expecting the grouchy alien to make a scene. Michael scratched his brow nervously.

“Here’s the thing Maxwell. Your parents aren’t the only ones that would be fooled by Lonnie and Rath. If they’re working with Tess, then she’s probably told them everything about us by now. We have ties to Maria’s mom and the Parkers too.” Michael paused as Max’s face crumbled at the realization.

Isabel cut in, fearing that Michael was about to protest telling her parents. “Michael, we have to tell my parents! It’s different for them…we live with them. They’ll welcome Lonnie right into the house without a thought!”

“I know that Iz. And the Parkers will welcome Rath right in to the Crashdown because I work there. Maria’s mom would let Rath into the house thinking it was me…probably the Whitmans too. They won’t stand a chance alone…unless they knew they weren't alone. If they all knew…” Isabel abruptly cut off Michael by pulling him into a huge hug. The rest of the group just stared at him in shock.

Ava asked, “You would risk telling them all just to keep them safe? Even though you know that exposing yourselves could buy you a one way ticket to the FBI labs?” She looked around at the others with an expression of awe. No one knew what to do when they saw the tears start to spill down her cheeks. Isabel narrowed her eyes and began trying to subtly read Ava’s thoughts.

“Ava, if we tell them about Max, Michael and Isabel, we might not have to tell them about you. You have to understand though. These people are our friends and families. We have to think about their safety too.” Sheriff tried to explain to the sobbing blond girl but was cut off by Isabel.

“It’s not that she’s afraid of being exposed. Up until just now she didn’t know if she could trust us. She grew up with a group of sociopaths wearing our faces. We’re doing exactly what she would’ve done…now she knows that we really aren’t like the others at all.” Maria nodded in agreement and the group fell into a stunned silence.

As Liz and Maria smothered Ava in a group hug, her tears subsided a bit. “If you tell your parents about this you’ll have to tell them about me too. They have to know everything or we aren’t really helping them.” As Ava said this, Kyle took a really good look at her for the first time.

“You would trust a bunch of strange humans with your secret? You’re not even going to argue?” Kyle was waiting on the edge of his seat for her answer.

“Look, I have to trust your judgment on this one. All I know is that you guys were willing to completely expose yourselves just because you want them to be safe. That’s the big difference between you guys and the others. They never do anything for other people unless it somehow benefits them. You have no idea what it was like living with them…” Ava trailed off puzzled as Kyle started laughing.

“Actually, maybe we do. That’s exactly what Tess is like. She would never have agreed to tell the others. She sees humans as insignificant and has been known to point that out, loudly, on a regular basis. I thought maybe she felt differently about my father and I but now…” The pained look in Kyle’s eyes was enough to finish his point. He believed Ava was one of the good guys and deep down he knew that Tess couldn’t be trusted.

As the meeting wound down, the group agreed to watch Tess and proceed with the plan to translate the Book. For the time being, Ava would continue to stay at Maria’s. They all agreed that the parents would be told after Maria’s mom got home from her convention on Thursday. Maybe if everyone were told at once, there would be less of a chance of the parents having a meltdown.

I have a feeling that Amy is going to spaz. : This is a really cool story. I think it's cool too that Maria's powers are stronger than Michael's. I felt sorry for her that she had to hide for awhile. I can't wait to read more and see what Lonnie and Rath are up too with Tess.

That was really good and very fast. Thank you for sharing. I can't wait to see what will happen with Rath and lonnie.

Ella1022 - Amy spaz? Whatever would make you think that?

Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.


Chapter 16a: Day of Truth, Part I

Wednesday after school, Isabel, Maria and Liz went on a shopping spree to pick up prepaid cell phones for the group. Ava was shocked when they came back from the trip with a phone for her too. Tess continued to stay at the Valentis’ like there was nothing wrong.

The group had planned to gather at the Crashdown at closing time on Thursday to tell the parents and they didn’t have to worry about Tess trying to tag along because conveniently, she told Valenti she’d be out late doing some power shopping over in Hondo. Thursday night, all the families showed up at the Crashdown as planned for the meeting.

“What’s this all about Maria? So help me God, if you’re dragging me down here to tell me you’re getting married…You’re not pregnant are you?!” Mrs. Deluca was talking a mile a minute as they walked into the restaurant.

Maria rolled her eyes. “No one is pregnant and none of us are getting married, OK?”

She leaned over, gave Michael a quick kiss on the cheek and said; “I know you’re doing this for me. Thank you.” Michael nodded, blushing. He noticed Amy Deluca glaring ferociously at him so he rushed over to the nearest booth and sat down.

The Evans family entered right on the heals of the Delucas. Dianne Evans appeared to be just as nervous as Max was. His father on the other hand was unusually subdued. He was hoping to finally hear what had caused the immense changes in his son recently.

Max crossed to the front of the room and addressed the group. “If everyone is here now, we should probably get started.”

When he looked around and saw all the faces staring at him in anticipation, he started to lose his resolve. What could he possibly say to these people to make it OK that he’d been lying to them for years?

Liz moved to stand by his side and took his hand in a gesture of comfort. He smiled down at Liz and then began addressing the group.

“I know you’ve all been concerned about us keeping secrets lately. I know my parents have been trying to get us to open up for a long time…” Max began to tell the group his tale. He was so scared and the only thing that kept him going was Liz’s small hand clutching his. There were only a few interruptions while Max spoke.

“This is a nice story but…aliens? Are you guys on drugs, is that it?” Nancy Parker didn’t believe for one second that the kids sitting in her restaurant were anything other than angsty teenagers.

“You’ll have to show them Max.” Liz rubbed Max’s arm in comfort, knowing that she was asking him to do something that terrified him. She knew deep down that he was afraid of being rejected by his family and friends because he was different.

Isabel walked up to Max and touched his black T-shirt, turning it white. The parents crowded in closer and demanded that she do it again. She touched Michael’s grey shirt and turned it blue. Gasps could be heard around the room. Since it was apparent that the parents believed them now, Max continued his story.

“Wait a minute! You mean to tell me that my daughter really was shot?!” Mr. Parker turned his wounded gaze on Liz. “Lizzie, why would you keep something like that from us?”

Liz took a deep, shaky breath before responding. “Dad, the fewer people that knew, the better. You have no idea what the FBI would do to them…they don’t care that they’re just kids like the rest of us.” Max’s pale face and pained expression tipped the parents off to the fact that there was so much more to the tale that they had yet to hear. Mr. Parker gave Liz a weak smile and then nodded for Max to continue.

Max finished the story, with a few side notes added from Michael and Isabel. For the most part, the parents sat listening in a stunned silence. Before he knew it, Max had spilled forth the whole story. He left very little out. The parents didn’t necessarily need to know every detail about how he and Liz found the Orb in the desert or Future Max’s comments about them ‘cementing’ so he left those parts out.

Amy Deluca’s voice shattered the silence. “So you’re telling me that my Maria bonded with Michael? Define ‘bonded’ because from where I’m sitting…” She was glaring furiously at Michael.

“Mom, we think bonding is like this psychic connection where you can see the other person’s hopes, fears, memories…no sex involved, I swear. It’s like when you completely open yourself to another person.” Maria trailed off as her mother approached Michael, backing him into a corner.

“Do you love my daughter, Michael?” Amy asked through clenched teeth. Michael shuffled his feet, struggling to remain calm. He realized that if he ever wanted to see Maria again, he’d have to be completely honest with her mother.

“I do. I swear, I never wanted her to be mixed up in all this. I tried to stay away from her…I thought she’d be safer. She wouldn’t let me though. I love her with everything I have Mrs. Deluca.” Michael laid his heart bare for the whole room to see. They were all stunned by his honest confession.

“So you didn’t disrespect her or use sex to lure her into all this? Tell me that you didn’t trick her into being some loyal subject Michael. She always had a choice right?”

“Maria can leave at any time.” He looked away with pained eyes and whispered, “I would completely understand if she wanted to get away and live a normal life.” He quickly wiped at his eyes, hoping that no one saw the tears.

Amy leaned in close to him so that only Michael and Maria could hear her. “You just told me all I needed to hear Michael. BUT…no more secrets you guys. I mean it. I understand that your lives are rather…unconventional, but I’m still Maria’s mom and you WILL keep me in the loop. Are we clear?!”

Michael and Maria silently nodded as Amy fixed them both with a stern look. She had every intention of continuing this discussion with Maria at home but for now, she had Michael in her sights.

“Now Michael, why don’t you tell me more about those powers of yours.” Amy took his arm and steered him away from Maria, his lifeline. Maria looked around the room to survey the fallout from their confession.

Jeff Parker’s first instinct was to drag Liz upstairs and make her start packing for the private school in Vermont he and Nancy had looked into. Much to his surprise, Nancy was furious at his reaction and said he was being irrational.

“Are you crazy?! We can’t send her away now! They said she’s changing…getting powers. How is she supposed to handle that alone in Vermont?” Nancy crossed her arms and gave her husband a deadly look.

“It’s not safe for her here anymore! They nearly got her killed rescuing Max from the FBI! It’s our job to keep her safe and we obviously haven’t been doing a very good job of it.” Jeff stood toe to toe with Nancy, not ready to back down.

The entire room could hear their angry rants. Nancy leaned forward and barked, “You need to cool down for a second and remember that Max saved her life. Our daughter would have died, on the floor right over there, if Max hadn’t risked everything to save her. We didn’t protect her that day…Max did. You remember that.” She punctuated every sentence with a poke to the chest. Jeff stomped off, leaving the building through the back exit.

Maria saw Liz frowning at her parents from across the room. “Don’t worry babe. Your dad will come around.” Maria enveloped her in a big hug. The girls sat down for a chat, while the rest of the parents resumed grilling their own teens.

Jeff was outside, cooling off, when he realized that he had been letting his temper get the best of him. He quietly went back into the restaurant to have a talk with his daughter. The girls never even saw him walk up.

“It’s not that he’s being unreasonable I guess, but I’d hoped…I don’t know what I was hoping for. Maybe I wanted them to just accept Max with open arms so that I could too." Liz blushed. "I know that sounds stupid.”

Maria smiled. “It’s not stupid. You still love him...you probably always will. Your mom didn’t completely freak out. And no offence Liz, but I'm really surprised about that." Liz giggled.

Maria continued. "I think they’re just worried about you throwing your whole future away on some boy. Alien King or no…you’re their daughter so they’ll worry no matter what.”

Jeff interrupted, surprising the girls. “Well said Maria. Can I have a minute alone with my daughter?” As Maria walked away, Jeff took a good hard look at his daughter.


To be continued...

Ch 4 - feedback. Oh no. I mean you told us, but I still wasn't prepared for it. So she's in connection with them psycho dupes. I love your diaolgue. An evil Tess fic...and no one knows it yet. This is going to be good.

Kyle is hysterical throughout this part.

“So wait, you’re saying that I’m not going to wake up one day with little green antennas then? Thank you Buddha!”

And I love this observation about him.

Ah, you can always count on Kyle to ruin a perfectly broody moment. It’s a real talent.

Maria is a hoot.

“Maybe we should all take a quick break. I know Tess could use the chance to freshen up…Her ugly streak is showing again.”

And Jim stopping Tess from commenting. Loved it.

But my absoulty favorite part was the Michael/Isabel exchange.

“So you’re mad that Maxwell and I discussed this without you? Angry that Max came up with a plan you don’t approve of and frustrated that there’s nothing you can do about it because he made up his mind before he even got here? Well, welcome to my world Isabel. Get over it.”

Ch 5 feedback -

I knew it couldn't last with those two. Oh man. But wait. Who broke the vase? Maria? Michael? Tess or the dupes? I don't think Max is going to find out exactly what he thought he was going to find out, I mean. I mean if he was just right about Liz, then I don't think Tess would be as upset. In fact I think she wants them to translate it, but with her so she can cloud it, not with Alex. And she'd better not hurt Alex, or I'll give her that slap and something worse.

Ch 6 feedback -

Intense. Thats the word for it. Totally intense. So its about bonding. Didn't Ava say that?
Love Maria. She put them all into their places. I hope her and Michael can work things out. I can see he is his usual self at the moment. But come on Michael you can't actually think they would be better off without you guys. The bad people already know about them. Silly silly fools.

I love Liz's Moms reaction and Maria's moms toe to toe with Micchael. What about Max and Isabels parents??

Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.


Chapter 16b: Day of Truth, Part II

“Lizzie, you know that I love you very much right?” Off her nod Jeff continued. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate that he saved you and it’s not that I don’t see how much you two love each other. The thing is, I don’t want to see you lose yourself in all this.” Liz started to protest but Jeff cut her off.

“I know you don’t want to believe this, but you guys are still kids. I want you to have a long, prosperous life. I’m not willing to let you give that up. I know you’re a part of this now but that doesn’t mean you have to give up absolutely everything for the cause.” Jeff looked at his daughter and was startled to see the brave young woman staring back at him. How could he have not noticed everything that was going on in her life?

“About those powers of yours…what is it that you can do?” Jeff needed some kind of confirmation that she could defend herself before he could agree to let her stay in Roswell. The FBI hunted these kids and he had no doubt that Liz was on their radar now too.

“Well Max told you what the others could do. Max heals, Isabel dreamwalks, Michael blasts and Ava mindwarps. Maria picked up Michael’s defensive powers. Dad, she’s amazing! Kyle calls her Nuclear Deluca. I don’t know what I can do yet though. There was the astral projection thing when Max was in New York but Isabel was helping me so who knows which one of us did it. Future Max said I started to get premonitions in his timeline but we don’t know if that’ll happen this time around. The dream I had the other night could have been an extension of that or some kind of remote viewing type of thing maybe.” Liz shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

“Isabel said the powers might have something to do with emotions. If you want to learn…you know, to see what you can do, maybe you need to do some soul searching. You’ve been holding so much back Lizzie…from everyone.” Jeff looked away to hide the hurt look on his face. After an uncomfortable moment of silence, he continued.

“You’re so much like me sometimes. In case you hadn’t noticed, I can be a bit stubborn too.” Jeff gave her a sheepish grin before continuing.

“Maybe you need to let go a bit and listen to what your heart is telling you.” He inwardly flinched at the thought of telling her to follow her heart when he knew that it would ultimately lead her to Max. He wasn’t against her finding love, but the danger would follow Max everywhere was undeniable.

“I know you’ve made your choice to be a part of this…you made that choice a long time ago. If you can learn how to do whatever it is that you’re capable of now, maybe it’ll keep you safe.” Jeff didn’t know if he truly believed what he was saying but he was too overwhelmed at the moment to say much else.

The Whitmans reacted much the same as Alex had. They moved from disbelief to momentary fear, and then immediately to awe.

“Is that…is that their real form?” Gloria Whitman was mortified when she realized she had asked that question a little too loudly. Across the room, Kyle very unsuccessfully tried to cover a snicker with a cough.

“Yes mom.” Alex turned thoughtful for a second. “I think so anyway. They don’t know what they looked like in their last life. That doesn’t really matter though does it?”

“No, I guess it doesn’t. I imagine your girlfriend over there could turn heads no matter what planet she was on.” Gloria laughed, watching the crimson blush flood over her son’s face. Alex hadn’t come right out and declared his love for Isabel, not to his parents at least, but it was quite obvious anyway.

Philip and Dianne Evans accepted their children’s otherworldly status just as Isabel suspected they would. That closely guarded secret wasn’t enough to stop the love they felt for their children.

“It makes so much sense now. That video Max, the one where you healed the bird…I understand why you wouldn’t answer my questions after the kitchen fire. You thought we would turn you in, didn’t you?” Dianne Evans looked at her son with a wounded expression.

“No! That wasn’t it at all! I never thought you would tell. I just thought that you would be better off not knowing. Our enemies couldn’t use you for information that way…” Max tried to leave it at that, though it was obvious to his parents there was much more to it.

“You didn’t think we would look at you the same way anymore…you thought we would be afraid of you. Am I right?” Philip hit the nail on the head with that comment. Max’s uncomfortable look confirmed his father’s suspicions.

“We will always love you Max, no matter what. We always knew you guys were special. I thought maybe it was a psychic thing. I’ll admit, I was a bit thrown to find out you were aliens, but that doesn’t change how I feel about you. Your father and I love you guys for who you are, not what you are.” Dianne pulled Max into a tight hug.

From across the room, Alex and Maria watched the scene between the Evans family. They both laughed when they heard Isabel tell her brother, “I told you so Max!”

The parents put their foot down about all the secrecy. They insisted that everyone meet weekly talk about any new developments with Lonnie, Rath, Tess and their future. Amy swatted Michael upside the head when she heard him mumble, “Just what we need…more meetings.”

Every parent in that restaurant left vowing to protect the kids and carry their secrets to the grave if need be. It was decided that Ava would be allowed to stay at the Deluca household for now. Amy felt horribly that the girl had never had a real family to speak of. She knew what it was like to feel alone and scared and she wasn’t about to let this girl feel that way any longer.

Ti88 and Roswell Aliens - Thank you for the great feedback! All of you guys here sure do know how to make a new author feel good. :D


Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.


Chapter 17: The Interrogation

Late the next evening, the parents all met up at the Whitmans’ house to have a serious discussion. Many of them were concerned about the fact that Jim, a fellow parent, had known the truth about their children for over a year and had never said a word. The teens had been told in no uncertain terms that this was a parents-only meeting.

“Jim, I don’t understand why you didn’t come to us. These are our kids for heaven’s sakes! You had no right to keep this from us.” Dianne Evans had put a lot of thought into the stories they heard yesterday and she was furious to know her kids had been in danger but Jim had never said a word.

“I am sorry that I didn’t tell any of you. The day I found out about their ‘other-worldly’ status, I almost lost my son. Trust me, I know how serious this stuff is.”

“But why would you keep us in the dark then?” Philip asked.

“Look, I’m not going to say I made the best decision but I had very limited choices at the time. You have to understand, your kids were terrified of people finding out the secret …if their secret came out, they were going to leave town. Alone. I was the only adult who knew the secret so it was up to me to keep them as safe as possible. I couldn’t risk them running.” Jim shook his head, knowing it must sound like a lame excuse to the others.

“They were going to run? What were they going to do about money? What about food, shelter, clothing?” Nancy was flabbergasted the kids had been so afraid that they’d leave town completely.

“That’s why I couldn’t risk telling anyone. They would’ve just hopped in the Jeep and drove as far as it would take them. They assumed they would be able to get jobs and find a place to rent in some random town, wherever they ended up.” Jim shook his head sadly before continuing.

“We have a very strong, smart group of kids but they were scared. They’re just teenagers for Pete’s sakes! I suspect if they had run they would’ve found a way to get by, but I didn’t want it to come to that. I had to make a decision and I felt they’d be safer here.”

Charles Whitman was the first to break the silence that had fallen over the group. “I appreciate your honesty Jim. I’m sure this hasn’t been easy for you.”

Amy Deluca walked over and knelt next to Jim. “Thank you for helping them Jim.” She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek before continuing.

“I can’t think of one person I’d trust more with Maria’s safety…” Her sweet gaze suddenly turned deadly serious. “Except for me that is. I’m her mother and you will never keep me in the dark again. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?”

Jim’s mouth went dry and he nodded in fear. He’d known Amy long enough to realize that she was going easy on him right now. You do not cross Amy Deluca and live to tell about it. He was lucky to get that kiss on the cheek instead of a smack to the head. She was the toughest darned hippy he’d ever met and that was one of the many things he loved about her.

The tense atmosphere in the Whitman living room was shattered by the sudden laughter that erupted. It was just too funny watching Amy make the Sheriff squirm. It worked wonders for lightening the parent’s spirits.

“I have a few questions and I need you all to know, I don’t mean to offend anyone.” Jeff needed a few honest answers and he thought Jim might be a more objective source than Liz.

“Other than their powers…are the kids different in any way?” A few of the other parents shot angry glares at him, so he clarified a bit. “I mean, we’ve all seen the ridiculous Hollywood movies and heard the wild rumors since the crash…all of that stuff is total rubbish, right?”

Jim chuckled before addressing Jeff’s question. The other parents were glaring indignantly but secretly they wanted an objective opinion too. They didn’t really consider the pod squad to be dangerous but they all wanted to know if they were different.

“Let’s see here. They don’t have antennae, and they obviously aren’t little green men. The uncaring, heartless alien portrayals are completely wrong. These kids have more heart than some of the humans I’ve met over the years.” Jim smiled fondly and then rebutted a few more alien myths.

“They aren’t here to take over the Earth, but you’ll never hear them say ‘We come in peace’ either. They did hatch from pods but they have no intention of creating ‘pod people’. They don’t eat brains, or any other part of the human anatomy for that matter.” This last comment was met by a bunch of disgusted groans. Ignorance knows no bounds in Hollywood it seems.

“They do seem to have an affinity for covering sweet foods in Tabasco sauce. Isabel calls it their dietary quirk…sweet and spicy. They like going to the movies on the weekends and hanging out with their friends every chance they get. They hate homework and elevator music.” Jim stopped, thinking he was starting to make his point clear. These kids were not really as unusual as you’d think.

“Isabel used to talk on the phone for hours on end. When she was little, she idolized Madonna but she’ll never admit it now…apparently that’s not cool anymore.” Dianne smiled in remembrance.

“Max loves that clunky old Jeep of his even though it barely runs. A boy’s first car you know…” Philip added with a wink.

“Michael has read Ulysses cover to cover at least twenty times. War and Peace too. He has such a gruff exterior but he’s actually a very intelligent young man. He can inhale a novel faster than most people can read the TV Guide. From what I’ve heard, he’s also quite a gifted artist.” Jim told the shocked group.

“Ava taught herself to sew in New York. They didn’t have anyone to look out for them, so she learned to make do by herself. She made a beautiful full size quilt for Maria’s bed earlier this week. Handmade quilts like those sell for a hundred dollars or more. She said it’s just a relaxing hobby but honestly, I think she could make a real career out of it if she wanted.” Amy added, since she was the only one in the group who’d had much of a chance to meet Ava.

The parents continued their discussion for another half an hour or so before heading home for the night. There were plenty of fond memories about each of the podsters to share with the group. Jeff’s question certainly got quite a few responses, but he still wasn’t one hundred percent sure that Liz would be safe in Roswell. Well-loved yes, but safe?

Great new parts!
It was fun seeing the parents' reactions to Max and then to Jim later telling them about their children.
And I loved this:

Amy Deluca’s voice shattered the silence. “So you’re telling me that my Maria bonded with Michael? Define ‘bonded’ because from where I’m sitting…” She was glaring furiously at Michael.

:


Gerry