Fan Fic and More

TIME PASSAGES

Disclaimer: Roswell, and it’s characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them.

Rating: Teen

Author's Note: Okay, this is the FIRST story I ever wrote. I'm editing and revising as I repost, but be gentle..it's still my baby



November 1: I'm Liz Parker and I've decided it's time for some changes in my life. Last night was Halloween and Max Evans showed up and put on another one of his foolish alien displays. He had jack-o'-lanterns floating up to my window all night long. What if someone had seen him? Doesn't he ever think? Wait that's a stupid question of course he doesn’t think. He had sex with Tess. How could anyone in their right mind do something like that? I don't know what has come over me. I forgave him far too easily. It's almost like someone was doing the talking and thinking for me. One minute I’m enraged that he let himself be with HER when he said he loved me, and the next minute I’m holding a gun on a store clerk in Utah.

"Liz, can you come down here for a minute?" Nancy yelled upstairs to the apartment above the CrashDown Café.

"Just a minute Mom." Liz replied. She opened the journal back up and continued writing.

And the way I’ve been treating my parents. That's not like me. I don't understand what is going on anymore, and the only way I can figure things out is if I stay away from Max Evans.

Liz put her journal on her bed and headed downstairs to find her mother waiting impatiently for her.

"Yeah Mom, what's up?" asked Liz.

"I need your help with something. It's about you, and your father," Nancy said.

"Yeah Mom, about that, I don't understand why I've been acting this way,” Liz said in a rush. “I’m going to try and work things out with you and Dad. I'm not saying I won't screw up again, but I don't foresee and trips to Utah in my future," she finished gazing first at the floor then into her mother's eyes.

“Oh baby,” said Nancy, opening her arms to her daughter. Liz hesitated a minute before she hugged her mother tightly, tears streamed down both their faces.

"Liz, we love you. We only want what's best for you. I was thinking, you and your dad have always been so close, why don't you and he go out to dinner together. Just the two of you," Nancy continued through her tears.

"That sounds like a great idea mom. I'll ask Dad about it after the lunch shift today. I'm going to run upstairs. I'll be down for work in a minute," Liz said.

They hugged again and Liz ran up to her room and sat down with her journal.

It's 10:30 in the morning and I think I just made a start with mom. Next up Dad. He's been kind of strange lately with his proclamations. WE FORBID YOU TO SEE MAX EVANS. Yeah, as if he could do that. But I know he only wants what is best for me.

A pounding at the door, shook her from her thoughts.

“Liz Parker!” her mother yelled from the other side of the door. “What are you thinking? It’s 12:30. You were supposed to be downstairs helping with the lunch rush. I thought you said you wanted to get along with us. Let me tell you something, this isn’t the way.

Liz dropped her journal and ran for the door and opened it, a confused look on her face.

“Mom, I’m so sorry. I only swear, I only meant to come up for a second. I must have fallen asleep or something. I’ve been so stressed lately. I don’t know what came over me.”

Nancy looked at Liz, missing nothing from her distraught expression, to the dazed look in her eyes. She did look as if she had woken up suddenly. Nancy bit back the tart rejoinder that sprang to her lips and instead hugged her daughter.

”I can see that, honey,” she answered. “Don’t worry, this has been hard on all of us. Go get into your uniform, and I’ll smooth things over with your dad.”

Back in her room, Liz quickly changed into her uniform, and grabbed her journal, intent on putting it back in it’s hiding place. She learned her lesson the hard way when her journal went missing a couple of years ago. She didn’t want to take any chances of having the wrong person this time. She glanced down at the heading as she crossed her room, and stopped in shock.

10:30? she thought to herself. That can’t be right. I was only writing for a second. What happened to those two hours? I couldn’t have slept that long.

Vowing to think about it later, she quickly pulled her hair back, slipped on the antenna deely boppers and dashed down the stairs. She rushed into the café and waved to Maria before walking up to her father.

“Dad,” she said without preamble. “I’m sorry I’m late. I went upstairs to get ready, and I fell asleep. It was my fault, and it was totally inexcusable.”

Jeff looked at his daughter and smiled. “No problem, sweetie. Things like that do happen. I appreciate your honesty. Now, get to work, you have tables 8, 9 and 10, and you’re splitting the counter with Maria. And, you may want to thank her. She covered your tables for you during your impromptu nap.

"Don't worry Dad, I will," said Liz.

Liz grabbed a tray full of waters and whispered to Maria as she passed her on her way to her tables, “ I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.”

Maria shot her a puzzled look. “What’s the matter, Chica? You’re really starting to freak me out. You’ve never been this mad at your parents before, and you’ve never let it affect your work. Not showing up like that was totally irresponsible. It’s something I’d expect from Space Boy over there, not you.”

“Look Maria, relax, will you. Sniff some cypress oil or something. I need you to calm down. This is important,” said Liz.

Maria reached into the pocket of her alien apron and removed a vial. She opened it and inhaled deeply. “Okay, that’s better,” she said. What’s up?

“Well, I’m either losing my mind, or losing time. Take your pick,” said Liz.

“What do you mean, losing time?” asked Maria. She took some of the glasses off the tray Liz held and placed them on the table in front of them. Once the tray was empty, they began to clear a table littered with dirty dishes while Liz explained.

“Um, Liz, sweetie, maybe it’s you who need the cypress oil. You’re sounding way stressed out,” Maria said, her tone as calm as she could make it.

“Damn it, Maria, don’t patronize me, just listen. Think about how I’ve been acting, it’s not like me at all. I’ve been rude, reckless and careless. I pretended to rob a convenient store, for crying out loud. Why? And Max. How could I forgive Max for what he did to me? How could you let me?

Patrons of the café began to stare as Liz’s voice got louder. Maria laughed and took a bow. “Part of our new dinner theater folks. Hope you all enjoyed the show.” She lowered her voice and whispered to Liz, “You need to calm down, and we need to talk about this in a place that’s not here. Let’s get Michael, and we can figure out what’s going on.”

”No, not Michael. I don’t want any of them involved,” Liz said, her voice shaky.

“That isn’t fair, Liz. Michael was willing to help us prove that Alex was murdered. He’ll be on our side. Just let me tell him. We can all meet at his place tonight,” Maria said in a slightly injured tone.

”Let me check with my parents, first,” Liz said. “I’m trying to get back on track with them.” She walked over to where her dad stood, manning the register, and smiled at him.

“Dad, can I go out with Maria and Michael tonight? We aren’t going anywhere with Max, or anything. We just want to hang out or something.

Jeff looked over at Maria, a doubtful expression on his face. Liz feared that he would say no, and quickly offered another suggestion. “Or could they come over here and hang out with me upstairs? That way you’d know for certain I wasn’t with Max. Come on Dad, I’m trying here. Could you cut me a little slack, please?”

Jeff nodded, and Liz gave him a quick hug. She turned to tell Maria, then stopped suddenly and turned back toward Jeff. “Wait, I was going to ask if you wanted to go to dinner tonight, just you and me. Would it be okay if they came over after we got back?”

Jeff smiled, happy to have his little girl back, instead of the stranger who had been inhabiting her body for the past few years. “Lizzie, that sounds like a great idea. In fact, why don’t we bring dessert back for all of you?”

Liz hugged her father again and walked over to Maria. She explained her plan before asking, “What do you think? Can you guys come over after my dad and I go to dinner?”

Sure thing, chica, don’t worry. We’ll figure out what’s going on. Together.

Part 2

A mariachi band played in the background while Liz and her father laughed over their dinners.

“This is nice, Lizzie,” Jeff said. “I’m glad you asked me to do this. I’ve missed spending time with you.”

“Me too, dad,” Liz said. I told mom, and now I’m telling you. I’m really sorry about everything that’s happened lately. It’s almost like I was somebody else, or something.”

Jeff laughed a little before he answered. “Lizzie, you have to accept responsibility for your actions,” he said. “You can’t blame them on somebody else.”

”No, Dad, that’s not what I meant. I made the mistakes, nobody else. I’m not saying I didn’t, but it didn’t feel like me." she said.

Lizzie, Lizzie, relax. I get what you’re saying. Don’t forget, I raised some hell in my life, too,” Jeff reassured her.

“Yeah, Mom kinda told me some of that. She told me about your girlfriend dying. I’m sorry dad; I know how much that hurts. When Alex –“ Liz stopped talking to wipe away the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Her dad reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I know, sweetie. We all miss Alex. What you went through is actually quite normal. You lost someone you loved and you acted out in an inappropriate manner.”

“Dad,” Liz said, staring at her father in awe. “You sound like a shrink or something.

“Well, actually,” he said. “I did talk with one after all of this started.”

“Dad, how could you?” Liz exclaimed. “How could you talk about me to some stranger without my permission.”

“Liz, I talked with Dr. Newsom about me and how poorly I was dealing with your situation. She pointed out that by putting so many restrictions on you, I may actually drive you away rather than protect you.”

“May I bring you anything else tonight?” the waitress asked.

“Yes, could we get an order of sopapilias for six, and a cheesecake to go. Oh, and the check as well, please?” asked Jeff.

When she left, Jeff continued with what he had been saying. “Honey, I think Dr. Newsom may be right. You’re almost an adult, and it’s time for me to accept that fact. I was wrong to forbid you from seeing Max, and my comment about not even looking at him in school was way out of line. My only defense is that I love you so much and I want to protect you. In fact, I’m going to come right out and say it. If you want to see Max again, I won’t stand in your way, and Max is welcome in the CrashDown again.”

“Dad, I- I don’t know what to say. Thank you for allowing me to make my own decisions, but honestly, I think it’s best if I don’t see Max for a while. I think I need to figure out what’s going on with me before I let anybody else into my life.

The waitress returned with their takeout order and their bill. Jeff glanced at it, dropped several bills on the table and picked up the take out packages. “Ready, honey?”

“Yeah, I am. Thanks for dinner dad. It was really great.”

Jeff pushed open the door to the restaurant and waited for Liz to walk outside before he continued their conversation.

“Liz, whatever you decide regarding Max is okay with your mother and I, but I can’t say I’m unhappy with your choice. You both lost a very special friend recently, and that’s bound to have affected the both of you.”

”Dad, someday, I’d like to hear about your girlfriend. Well, if it’s not too painful for you.”

“I’d like that sweetie, I’d like that a lot,” Jeff said.

A peaceful silence settled around them as they walked down the street, both of them lost deep within their own thoughts. Liz thought about the chunks of time that just seemed to disappear and what could be causing them. Jeff thought about Sarah. H remembered the way the sun shot golden highlights through her dark hair and how she was interested in almost everything. He remembered the almost magical things that seemed to happen when she was around, and the memory brought a smile to his face.

He didn’t believe in magic, but some of the things Sarah could do were just that – magic. He sighed softly as he remembered the way he felt when he was around Sarah. Like he was strong, invincible even. Too bad it wasn’t true. He remembered the last time he saw Sarah, lying in the hospital the night she died – the night Liz was born.

Part 3

Liz was sitting in her room, brushing her hair when Maria arrived.

“Hey, where’s Michael?” she asked, setting the brush down on her dresser.

“It’s bowling night,” Maria said with a long-suffering sigh. “He’ll be over later. So come on, spill. What’s with this losing time thing you were wigging over today. ‘Cause right now, girlfriend, I have to say, I’m starting to think you’re doing some serious drugs.”

“Okay, look, it’s hard to explain,” Liz said. “But even you have to admit, I haven’t been acting like myself lately.”

”Well, no,” Maria agreed. “Robbing convenient stores isn’t exactly what I’d call a normal date night activity, but I’m not exactly making the connection between that and the time thing.”

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Liz crossed the room and opened the door to find her mother standing on the other side.

“Would you girls like to come down and have some cheesecake with us before Michael gets here?” Nancy offered.

“Umm, I think I’ll pass on the cheesecake Mrs. Parker, but I’d love a Snapple,” Maria said. She jumped up off of the bed she had just sat down on and followed Nancy out the door.

“I’ll be right down, Mom,” Liz said, turning to pick up her journal.

** * ** * ** *

“What happened?” Liz cried. She looked around the room in a daze, frightened when she found Michael and Maria reclining on her floor drinking Snapples and eating sopapillas.

“What are you talking about Liz?” Michael asked looking confused. He grabbed another sopapilla, doused it with Tabasco Sauce and popped it in his mouth. We were just sitting here listening to you go on about the greatness that is Max, and the two of you getting a place together.”


Liz started to shake violently as waves of fear passed through her body.

Maria jumped up and crossed the floor to the bed where Liz was sitting. “What is it sweetie, what’s wrong?”

“I – I don’t remember any of it,” she said. “The last thing I remember is you going downstairs to get a Snapple with my mom. I grabbed my journal to put away before I went down, and that’s it. The rest is a complete blank.”

“Liz, that was over forty-five minutes ago. You came downstairs and started talking about how it was good that you were apart from Max, and how healthy it was for you. Then we came up here, and Max suddenly became a god, and you were ready to strip down and worship at his shrine.”

”I don’t like this,” said Michael. “This is weird beyond belief.”

“Don’t you dare tell me what’s weird, Michael Guerin. I didn’t even want you here. You’re nothing but Max’s second. He’s the ruler, the King, and I am his wi…”

Without warning, Liz collapsed in a heap on the floor. Maria started shaking her, trying to wake her up.

“Liz, Liz, can you hear me? Wake up!”

“Wh-what happened? Liz asked, faintly as she regained consciousness. She looked around her confusion apparent on her face. “What am I doing on the floor?”

Part 4

While the three teens talked late into the night, Jeff Parker slept fitfully, tormented by nightmares of Sarah, and the night she died.

"Come on, Sweetie, go faster. Make the car go faster," Sarah laughed as they drove down the street.

"I can't, much as I’d like to. Something's wrong with the car and she won't go much faster," said Jeff as he threw one arm around her.

Sarah leaned forward and put her hand on the dashboard. A silver glow emanated from her hand. "There, now try it," she said, with a knowing grin on her face.

Jeff complied and put his foot down on the pedal. The car shot off down the street.

"Sarah, what did you do to my car? It never ran this good!" yelled Jeff in amazement as they flew down the street, the wind whipping through their hair. "Make it slow down. We have to be careful. What if we get caught? I'm already in enough trouble."

Without a word, Sarah put her hand over the dashboard and the car began to slow down. "Jeff, pull over. I...I have something I need to tell you."

Jeff pulled on the steering wheel and the car swerved over to the side of the road. "What is it Sarah, what's wrong?"

"I'm leaving Jeff. I can't stay here any longer, it isn't safe for me or for you."

"What are you talking about? Safe from who? From what?" His confusion was apparent on his face.

"I can't tell you. I just have to protect us. The three of us."

"Wait a second, what do you mean, ‘the three of us?’ I don't get it," said Jeff as he grabbed her hand.

”Let me start at the beginning,” said Sarah. She looked around cautiously as if to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard, but the only thing around were the crickets chirping in the night air. “I – I can do things, Jeff. Things like make your car go faster. And sometimes, I know things that are going to happen. Nobody else knows about it. I’ve never told anybody until now. You need to know what you’re up against. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

"Sarah, what are you talking about? You mean the stuff you did with the car? I don't see how that can put us in any danger," Jeff's voice rose as his anger and fear came to the surface.

"Jeff, look don't interrupt ok, just listen. My parents adopted me. They were never able to find any information about my birth parents. I was found wandering in the woods when I was about two or three. I didn't speak any English. In fact, I didn't speak any language that anyone could recognize, but my parents didn't care. They took me home. Social Services let me stay with them and, eventually, they adopted me. They raised me like I was normal, but Jeff, I'm not normal. I can do things. I can move things with my mind, open locked doors. I can do so many things that normal people don't or can't do."

Sarah took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down before she continued her tale.

"I've never cared before, but lately. Strange things have been happening. There’s always a dark blue car parked by my house. I always feel like someone is watching me. And when I use the phone, I can hear all these strange clicks, like someone is listening in. Jeff, I'm scared, and it's not just me I have to worry about anymore. It's." Sarah faltered as the tears started slipping down her cheeks. "Jeff, I'm pregnant, we’re going to have a baby. Soon."

Jeff looked at her in shock and amazement. "Sarah. Are you sure? I mean about the soon part, you don't look very pregnant. Honey, don't worry. I'll take care of you and our baby. I'll protect you. Let's call Nancy. She's your best friend. She'll help us too, I know it."

"No! Jeff, you can't tell ANYBODY! Not even Nancy. She can't ever know. I can't put anyone else in danger!" Sarah yelled, almost hysterically.

"All right, just calm down. We won't tell Nancy. But why do you think the baby will be here soon?"

"I just know it. I know I don't look it, but I can feel the baby moving all around. I, damn it! Jeff, I just know it, okay?"

Suddenly a car pulled up behind them. Two dark figures climbed out and approached the car.

"Jeff," Sarah whispered fear making her voice tremble, "That's the car that I've seen by my house. I know it."

Without a word, Jeff started the car and slammed it into gear, tearing off down the street.

"Sarah, whatever you did before, do it again or we’ll never get away!"

Sarah placed her hand on the dashboard of the car and it began to pick up speed. Jeff looked in the rear view mirror. He saw the two men jump into their car and begin to follow them. Houses and trees passed by in a blur as the car flew down the street. Jeff jerked on the wheel and the car turned down a side street.

Sarah looked back and yelled, "They're still following us Jeff."

Suddenly, another car pulled out from the curb and tried to force them off the road.

"Sarah, can you do anything? He's hitting the side of the car, I don't know how much longer I can keep the car under control."

"I'll try," she said. But with one final bang, the other car forced them off the road and over the embankment.

The two cars parked by the side of the road. Four men climbed out and looked down at the car lying on its side.

"Good job, Agent Royce. Now, we need to make this look legitimate. What's your plan?" asked the tall dark haired man who remained in the shadows.

Agent Royce looked at the other man and said, "I have it under control, Sir. We'll fill the back seat with all these empties and pour this bottle of vodka on him and in him."

"Handle it," barked the shadowy figure as he nodded. He and his companion got into their car and drove away. Royce and his partner climbed down the embankment and proceeded to fill the back seat of the car with empty beer bottles. Royce force fed Jeff the vodka and dumped the rest on his clothing.

"The girl doesn't look like she's going to make it" said his partner.

"Good. That was the plan," Royce said. "What about the boy?"

"Don't worry. After we get done with him, nobody will ever believe him."

"Excellent," said Royce as the two men climbed up the embankment and drove away.

Whoa, Tracie! That sounds ominous! So Liz is Sarah's daughter, and Sarah is obviously an alien, and now the agents are setting Jeff up. And what are these time lapses that Liz is having??? Come back with more soon!

Island Breeze wrote:Whoa, Tracie! That sounds ominous! So Liz is Sarah's daughter, and Sarah is obviously an alien, and now the agents are setting Jeff up. And what are these time lapses that Liz is having??? Come back with more soon!

- you already know how this ends Gerry - at least I think you do

I've read it before. But I'm reading again... refreshing my memory. :D

Part 5

"What?" asked, Liz looking at Michael and Maria. When they hesitated she asked again, this time more insistently. "I said what?"

”This is so whacked,” said Michael. “You’re right, Liz, something freaking is going on here. We need to get Maxwell.

“No, not Max,” Maria and Liz said in unison.

Michael glared at the two girls, while at the same time; Liz squeezed Maria’s hand in gratitude.

“Why the hell not?” demanded Michael. “We need everybody in on this.”

Look, there’s a lot I need to tell you,” said Liz. “It all started last year.”

Liz made short work of explaining the story of Max traveling back in, and the set up with Kyle to convince Max that their relationship was over. As her tale unfolded, Michael stared at Liz first in shock, and then in horror as the extent of her duplicity was revealed.

“What gives you the right to play with our lives like that?” he asked in a voice that was so cold, it cut right through Liz. “You had no right to make decisions like that for any of us. You should have told us. There might have been something else we could have done. Something..” Michael’s voice faded out a he realized that it wasn’t duplicitness; it was in fact the only thing Liz could have done to save their lives. “I suppose you knew about this?” he said to Maria.

“Well, d’uh, Space Boy. Liz is only my best friend, of course she told me,” Maria answered, sarcastically.

"Well d'uh. Liz is only my best friend, of course she told ME," she answers sarcastically.

"And I'm your boyfriend, so why didn't you tell me?" Michael asked.

"It wasn't my secret to tell. Contrary to what you think, I can keep secrets. I never told Liz about that night with the lime Jell-O or..." Maria said, her voice trailing off as she realizes what she just said. "Look, just forget that last part, ok?"

Liz stared at the floor, blushing, trying hard not to imagine what they did with the Jell-O when Michael broke into her reverie.

“Liz, look at me,” he said in a soft, almost gentle voice that was as unlike Michael Guerin as you could possibly get. “We’ll work on this together, and we’ll figure it out. I promise.”

“I – I, asking for help is hard,” she admitted. “I’m usually the person with the answers.” She toyed with the cover of her journal, trying to mask her discomfort.

“Come on, Chica, you know there isn’t anything we can’t figure out,” Maria said. She reached out and put her arms around Liz’s shoulders in what was supposed to be a comforting gesture. Without warning, a burst of energy emanated from Liz, and Maria flew across the room and crashed into Liz’s dresser.

“Don’t you touch me, you stupid bitch,” Liz snarled, her disgust apparent in both her face and her voice. “I never did like you anyway. You’re a vain self-righteous little witch. Just stay out of my life!”

Maria picked herself off the floor, tears streaming down her face, more from Liz’s violent diatribe than anything else. Michael reassured himself that Maria was uninjured before trying to restrain Liz.

”Liz!” he yelled, shaking her shoulders slightly. “What the hell are you doing?” He looked closely at her face and turned to Maria. “Get me some water, quick.”

“Water? Are you nuts, Michael? I’m not your freaking waitress, and why aren’t you over here consoling me, anyhow?”

“Maria, just shut up and get me the water,” her ordered. “Now!”

Something in his voice demanded immediate obedience, and she rushed into the bathroom, and returned quickly with a glass of water. Michael reached out and grabbed it from her and threw it into Liz’s face.

“What was that for?” Liz sputtered, wiping the water from her face with the edge of her comforter. “Maria, can’t you control him?”

Liz looked up and the smile that was forming on her lips slowly died as she caught sight of her friend’s tear streaked face.

“What’s wrong, Maria? What happened?” she asked.

“As if you didn’t know,” Maria whispered. The harsh bitterness of her tone echoed through the room louder than if she had yelled. “You just did some weird almost alien thing and flung me across the room.

“That wasn’t Liz,” Michael said.

“What do you mean, ‘that wasn’t Liz?’” Maria asked. “I only see you, me, and her in this room, so unless she’s channeling the spirit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or something, it was Liz.”

“Maria, be reasonable,” Liz said. “I flung you across the room? Seriously, do I look like I’ve been eating my Wheaties every day?”

”Do the two of you suppose you could shut up for a minute and I’ll explain,” Michael said in exasperation. “This is Liz,” he said, pointing at Liz, but Liz didn’t do that,” he added pointing to the dresser across the room. “I think it was Tess.”

“What, no way?” Maria cried, a look of horror crossing her face. “How could it be Tess? She’s gone. “Remember the spinny thing that blew out of the rocks. That was her, wasn’t it?” she added, some doubt creeping into her voice.

“I don’t know,” said Michael. “None of this is making any sense, but you have to admit, that display was way more Tess than it was Liz.”

“No. No way. No way, no way, no way,” raged Liz. There is no way that skanky ho is in my head. Maybe I’m losing my mind or something. Anything is better than what you’re suggesting, Michael.”

“I’m sorry, Liz. I really am. I know how much you hate her. We all hate her, but when I touched you, and you turned towards me, I got a flash of Tess. Her face was um, superimposing itself over yours.

“Oh, God,” Liz whimpered, sinking to the ground. “Michael, I think you’re right. Oh, God, what have I done?”

Skanky ho Yep, Liz is on to her!

"It wasn't my secret to tell. Contrary to what you think, I can keep secrets. I never told Liz about that night with the lime Jell-O or..." Maria said, her voice trailing off as she realizes what she just said. "Look, just forget that last part, ok?"

Liz stared at the floor, blushing, trying hard not to imagine what they did with the Jell-O when Michael broke into her reverie.

That was too funny! I'm remembering this as I go. :D

Oh goodness! How exactly is Tess possessing Liz? And poor Maria to have to hear those words come out of her best friend's mouth. Update soon!

I have read this before and was so excited to see that you're reposting it! :D I love this story!!

lime jell-o...need i say more. what is it with lime jell-o? i would say great story, but i run the risk of repeating myself...oh what the hey. great story

wow great fic tess is in liz that sucks and love the part about the lime jell-o anyway can't waite for the next part :D

Need more! 8)