Still Yours (HLDR,XO,CC,ADULT) [WIP]

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 8:50 pm

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 6a
(Reach Out And Touch Someone...Any Way You Can)

Sunday Morning 4:30 AM...The Parker Household

Liz Parker's alarm began to chime softly. She made an irritated noise and slapped at it twice, finally getting it on the second try. She groaned in disbelief at the idea that she had deliberately chosen to get up this early. Then her memory caught up with her as she realized that there was a warm comforting weight against her back when she stretched. She arched into that warmth, smiled possessively and rolled over so she could watch Max. It was 4:30 AM, and her parents would start stirring in a little over an hour. The day started early for them, even if it *was* a day of dishing out cheesily named alien themed food to tourists and locals alike.

"Time to wake up Prince Charming," she thought. "Max!" she hissed quietly. "Max, wake up!". Failing to rouse him she began to gently rub his chest while punctuated her entreaties to wake up with small tender kisses on his face and neck.

Max stirred and groaned. "~Oh God, it's too early! Just give me a couple more minutes mom.~"

Liz froze. She had heard Max clearly but his lips had never moved. She thumped him on the chest urgently. "Max! I am so *not* your mother! Now wake *up*!"

Max's eyes popped open. "~Huh? Wha? Liz?~"

Liz was confused but not frightened. The last year and a half had burnt out her 'fright circuits'. And the scientist in her was intensely curious. She frowned with concentration. "~Max? Can you hear me Honey?~"

Max's eyes had started to sag closed again. Now they popped wide open. "~Liz? Where am I? What's happening?~"

Liz giggled. This could have some distinct advantages. "~Well, taken in order, yes it's me, silly. You're in bed with me. Last night we kissed and made up... and now you're having an early morning telepathic chat with your significant other.~"

Max sat up suddenly and looked around, then he turned is gaze on Liz and spoke aloud. "Last night... I thought that it was a dream! I was sure that I'd wake up this morning and everything would be.... (his voice cracked) ...the same."

Liz reached for him and cuddled him, making crooning noises. "~No Love it happened. And nothing will ever be the same again. Thank God!~"

Max stiffened and spoke aloud again. "Er..Liz? What was that about telepathy?"

Liz, who hadn't released Max yet, grinned over his shoulder. "~Telepathy? What telepathy?~"

Max pulled away slowly and studied her then frowned and deliberately went into mind to mind mode. "~You're being awfully calm about this.~"

Liz shrugged and gave him a merry grin, her eyes were twinkling. "~There's calm, and then there's calm. I've spent most of the last two years in love with an alien. Last night I slept with an alien. And, had said alien asked last night, risks notwithstanding, last night I would have made love with an alien. After that, a little telepathy is nothing the get upset over.~"

Max grinned then his facial expression changed to a mild frown as he focused on her, his eyes narrowed.

Liz was getting a wash of emotion from him. Mostly worry and curiosity. She spoke aloud. "Max, what is it?"

Max's face relaxed. "I was trying something. I was trying to read your mind. I couldn't. Try it on me?"

Liz focused, tried, and came up empty. She went into mind mode. "~Zip. Nada. Which is something of a relief. We may love each other, but I think being able to invade each other's thoughts at will would be a bit too much of a good thing. What we *do* seem to have, I think that I can get used to.~" Liz smiled happily as she snuggled up to him. "~Besides, there's no going back now.~"

Max cleared his throat quietly. "~So it would seem. But this is something new. Not just new for you, or even for you and me, but really new. We used to mess with this when we were kids and it never led anywhere. The ability seemed to be there but it was unreliable. Not like this. This is effortless. Almost instinctive.~"

Liz frowned. "~I know what you're saying Max. I've always been a science geek. You know, Ms. 'There's a scientific explanation for everything.' But this is metaphysics. So *not* my strong suit.~"

Max sighed. "~We'll talk later. This has to be connected to our...um..reunion. Right now though I'd better head home. If your parents catch me here *this* is all we'll be able to do with each other until the age of.....oh say forty five.~"

Liz grinned. "~Yupper, this may save us a lot of phone time, but telepathic cuddling will never replace the real thing!~"

Max began dressing while Liz slid over into the warm spot he'd left in her bed. The pillow smelled of Max. "~Max, try to 'call' to me when you get home. I want to see if this works over a distance, or if the 'signal' attenuates.~"

Max finished tying his shoes then leaned over to kiss Liz and nuzzle her neck. She felt his chest rumble with quiet laughter. "~Trust my lovely science geek to try and apply science to metaphysics.~"

Liz made an irritated noise and smacked his arm. "~Don't be a tease Maxwell! You're as curious as I am and you know it. *Now* hit the road buster! My mom and dad will be up in thirty or forty minutes, but it's not unknown for them to get up really early for reasons of their own!~"

Max grinned and then made a grimace of mock horror at the thought. Giving Liz an unhurried kiss farewell he snatched his jacket and beat a hasty exit through her window. Outside he paused to close it and lock it with a wave of his hand.

Liz reset her alarm to wake her at 8:00 AM, then she settled back to wait. In her mind she went back over the events of last night. This was definitely going into her journal! Max was hers again! And she was his! Twenty four hours ago she wouldn't have believed it possible. Glancing again at the clock she smiled. Even eight hours ago she wouldn't have believed it possible. This change would take a long time to digest, but one thing was clear. She owed a lot to Maria and Isabel. And to Michael. Last night had cleared the air to such a degree that all of them seemed to be breathing freely for the first time in a year. Certainly since Alex had died.

Thinking about Alex made her wince. "It's so unfair," she thought. "All of it. He dies, we live. We get love, and Alex and Isabel have their love snuffed before it can really blossom." And she was certain that it had begun to blossom there at the end. Maria felt the same way. It felt like part of their collective heart had been cut away. Liz sighed. "Life goes on. Though sometimes we wonder why."

She shook herself free of her melancholy thoughts and focused again on the now. Last night had been one for the books. She gave a feminine snort. "Or at least one for *my* book." For an instant she and Max had fused. That was the only way to describe it. They weren't Liz and Max, or even a duality joined by a bond, for an instant they were a gestalt. An entirely new entity, greater than the sum of it's parts. It was the most fulfilling, and yet terrifying, experience of her life. And when they'd been forced by exhaustion to separate it had been accompanied by an almost painful sense of loss. After that, the concept of forgiveness had been ridiculous. They had come away from the experience knowing each other more completely than either had ever imagined was possible. Where there is understanding, what need is there for forgiveness?

"~Earth to Liz! Earth to Liz! Your Lover Boy is home safe and sound! Can you read me Liz!?~" Liz jumped as Max's voice rang out in her mind.

"~Damnit Max! Don't DO that!~" she fired back.

She felt a wave of chagrin from Max. "~Sorry Sweetheart! I can see that we're going to have to work out protocols for this. Just barging in could be distracting, as well as rude. We need to be able to signal each other for a connection. For right now though, is there any weakening of the signal?~"

Liz settled down. "~Nope, it sounds like you're still in the room.~" Then she yawned. "~Max, we'll worry about protocols and science experiments after the sun comes up. Right now we had both better get some more sleep. Give me a call when you get up please?~"

Max answered, "~You know it! We have lost time to make up for! G'night Sweetheart!~"

Liz let herself relax. "~G'night Max! Sleep tight! And don't let the bedbugs bite. That's *my* job.~" Liz felt a wave of love and good humor from Max.

"~I'm positively looking forward to it! Sweet Dreams Elizabeth!~" he said.

Liz felt Max recede from her. As she drifted off to sleep she paused to consider that feeling. It was a nice feeling to have after months of being without Max. When she finally drifted off, her final waking thought was..."And it's especially nice knowing that he'll still be there in the morning...".

The Evans Household.......5:30 AM

After Max had finished his conversation with Liz he made a quick check of the house before crawling into his own bed. The doors and windows were all locked. The evidence in the kitchen sink said that Isabel had conducted a late night 'fridge raid. The lights were out, so he headed upstairs. Passing his sister's door he couldn't stop himself from peeking in on her. Normally she locked her door, and tonight was no different. Pressing his hand to the lock he quietly disengaged it. Making sure the hallway light was out, to minimize the chance of waking her, he swung the door open silently and moved into the room. After pausing to allow his eyes to adjust he moved to the edge of Isabel's bed and stood watching her sleep.

Isabel's face in repose looked truly content for the first time in months. Max had been worried. The months after Alex's death had been hard on her, on all of them. Many times he had heard her whimper or moan in her sleep, and that nightmare the night before had been a real whopper. It had to have been provoked by the funeral the day before. He was certain she hadn't gone back to sleep afterwards, regardless of her promise to do so. He looked down at her and shook his head in wonder. He had always hoped that Isabel would come out from behind her defenses and warm up to the humans. But last night had exceeded his fondest wishes. Apparently he still had a lot to learn about his sister. Caring enough about Liz to do what she had done. Trusting Maria enough to make her part of the plot. Max smiled tenderly. Yes there was a lot more to Izzy than met the eye.

Isabel's mouth curved into a half smile as he watched. She sighed and stirred, then murmured. "I'm coming Alex. Soon." Then she settled down in sleep again, still smiling that contented smile.

Max placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and backed silently from the room, closing and locking the door behind himself. Once he was in his own room he paused to ponder. A lot of his sister's personal growth the last two years could be traced to Alex's influence. They all owed Alex a lot, but six months was long enough to mourn. "I've been so involved with Liz and myself that I've been neglecting other things," he castigated himself. He couldn't demand that Iz simply stop thinking about Alex, but perhaps they could start her towards thinking about him less. He would talk to Liz and Maria about it in the morning. Perhaps if they prodded her to start dating again it might pull her out of her fixation on 'might have beens'.

Max stripped off his clothes, leaving on his boxers, and crawled into bed. "I've been a pretty crummy leader the last year or so," he thought. "Time to get my act together." He went to sleep feeling confident that, for the first time in months, their problems had finally been reduced to manageable proportions.

But, as they say, 'confidence is what you feel when you really don't understand the situation'.

Sunday 10:00 AM....The Evans Household

Max had been awake for an hour when the phone rang. He had showered and shaved, and was just dumping fresh coffee into the filter basket of the coffee maker. He had heard Isabel stirring for a while now, and the shower upstairs had started fifteen minutes ago. He was considering giving Liz a call when the phone rang. Slipping the grounds basket into the coffee maker he started the brewing cycle with a wave of his hand as he reached out snagged the phone. "Hello? This is the Evans residence."

"Max? This is mom. I just wanted you to know we got here okay. We settled at the resort a while ago, and we're on the beach. How's everything there?"

Max smiled. "Good God mom! A phone call from St. Croix must cost a bundle! We're okay here. No crises. No catastrophes. As a matter of fact, things couldn't be better!"

Sunday 10:41 AM......St. Croix US Virgin Islands

Diane Evans blinked in surprise. "Okay bub, who are you, and what did you do with the moody, 'oh so serious he's almost morose', son I left there Friday night?" She heard her son laugh and felt a burden shift off of her heart. One that had been there for over a year, and one which had grown heavier as the months had gone by. She had known for over a year that something was desperately wrong in her children's world. But try as she might her efforts to discover what was happening had come to nothing. She simply couldn't get past that reserve they had always had about them.

When Max had paired off with the Parker girl, Diane had been both surprised and pleased. After years as a confirmed loner Max seemed to finally be opening up to someone. Even that episode in which they had seemed to be getting a little too hot and heavy didn't concern her too badly. Her concern had been mostly for appearances sake, to stay in Nancy Parker's good graces. And after that the kids seemed to level out and start showing some of the good judgment that she knew they both possessed in full measure. But starting a year or so before, when that girl Tess had appeared, everything had seemed to go whacko. Liz and Max had broken up. Reunited and broken up again. They claimed to be friends, yet Diane's maternal radar detected serious trouble between them while all the time recognizing that they loved each other with a desperation that bordered on the surreal. She was at a loss to explain it. At the same time problems began to appear between Isabel and Max. And between them and Michael Guerin.....

"Mom!?"

Diane Evans snapped back to the here and now. "Yes sweetie?"

Max cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

Diane sighed. "Yes Max, just wool gathering. A symptom of age."

Max chuckled again. "Well, in case you missed it, everything is okay here. Better than okay. So go forth and enjoy your second honeymoon! Before your 'old age' has you forgetting what you're there for!"

Diane sighed. "Okay Sweetie! I love you! So does your dad, and he'd say so if he weren't trying to skip stones in the surf at this moment."

Max snorted with laughter again. " I love you too Mom! See you back in 21 days, not before then!"

Diane paused and dug a piece of paper out of her shoulder bag. "You already know where we're staying *and* you have both our cell numbers. But here's the phone number to our condo here..." Diane read off a string of numbers, and for good measure threw in the number of the resort business office. "If you have any problems, don't hesitate to call! And I'll call anyway before the end of the week."

Max sighed. "Don't worry mom, we won't starve and the bills are being paid."

Diane laughed. "I know that Max. I simply miss you both already. Bye Sweetheart. Give Isabel our love!" Diane paused a moment, considering, then she continued. "And give our best to Liz."

Max was silent for a long moment then answered in a voice that was soft with wonder and happiness. "I'll tell Liz that. Have a good second honeymoon! And Mom? We love you!"

Diane sniffled. "We love you too honey! I'll talk to you later this week! Bye!"

After the connection broke, Diane returned her cell phone to her bag and began walking towards the spot on the beach where her suddenly boyish husband was skipping rocks on the water. She had a grin of elation on her face. The ol' mom radar was still working! "I thought that only one thing could possibly make Max that chipper. And I was *right*! I could hear it in his voice! He and Liz must have patched things up. A lot must have happened since Friday evening!"

Diane had no clue how right that statement was.

As she reached her husband she slid her arms around him from behind. He dropped the stone he had just picked up, turned in her arms, and kissed her. Then he pulled her head to his shoulder, just enjoying the closeness, and the air of being alone with each other.

"How are they?" he asked.

Diane snuggled closer. "They're fine dear. And I think that Max and the Parker girl may have patched things up."

Philip sighed. "That's a good thing. A very good thing. God knows our kids could use some good news. Did you talk to Isabel?"

Diane managed to shake her head without moving it from Philip's shoulder. "No. And I worry about her more since Alex died. She was always more outgoing than Max and she seemed more resilient, but I've never seen her take something as hard as she took his death."

Philip stroked his wife's hair and rubbed his cheek against the side of her head, inhaling the spicy scent of her hair. "They all took it hard, Sweetheart. All of them." Pulling away he took her hand. "Let's go for a walk before lunch." He winked. "We have a lot of beach to cover."

Diane smiled and nodded her approval as she leaned in to kiss her husband again.

As they walked they were each thinking much the same thoughts. Thoughts brought on by many late night pillow talks. They had adopted two children, only to discover later in Michael that they had apparently adopted three, albeit the third was unofficial. Then suddenly two years ago, the three grew to four, then five, then six. Then the six had broken, reformed, changed their configuration and reformed again. The final blow seemed to have been the death of the Whitman boy. The little ad hoc family had shattered on them. It was bitterly frustrating to Philip and Diane. They loved their children. Both those they had chosen, and those they hadn't. And to watch all this happen, to only be able to guess based on appearances, to be able to do nothing, and never give a clue that you were aware that something was happening for fear of driving them away. It hurt. And now it seemed to be changing again. The healing may finally have begun. This was a fitting 'second honeymoon gift'.

"Perhaps we shouldn't waste it," Diane thought.

Diane stopped walking. Philip felt the tug of her hand. He turned to look at her quizzically and was intrigued by the shy smile on her face. It took him straight back to their wedding night. Then her smile widened out into an outright grin. "We have three weeks to play beach bums. I have something else in mind. Last one to the condo is a rotten egg!" And at that she took off running. Philip lost the race. But the prize for losing wasn't that different than the one for winning. Both involved the love of a good woman. What more could a reasonable man ask for?

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 9:35 pm

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 6b
(Reach Out And Touch Someone...Any Way You Can)

10:30 AM...The Evans Household

Isabel was just finishing in the bathroom when the odors that said 'breakfast' reached her. "Max must be home," she thought. "And in a good mood, if he was cooking. The last few months he's been to morose to do much for himself besides throwing some cold cereal and milk in a bowl." Isabel was starving. She was hungry as she hadn't been in what seemed like forever. The alluring scent of eggs, bacon, and fresh coffee were too much to resist. So she blew off everything else, threw on some clothes, and headed downstairs sans makeup and with her hair still damp. As a result Max shuddered in feigned horror at her appearance when she showed up in the kitchen, miming an imaginary crucifix with two fingers at her less than coifed countenance.

Isabel stuck out her tongue and began dishing up her own breakfast. "Good thing you cooked enough for two, brother dear. Otherwise I'd just eat yours." Snatching the tabasco sauce away from Max she liberally dosed her bacon and eggs before returning it to his outstretched hand.

Max was grinning. "You're in a good mood this morning."

Isabel snorted. "What about you? You cooked! So, who was on the phone?" Isabel asked as she buttered a piece of toast.

"It was mom, doing a check in," Max answered.

Isabel stared at Max as her foot lashed out under the table to catch him in the shin. "And you didn't call me?!"

Max winced at the kick then shrugged. "I thought that you were still in the shower. Anyway, she sent you her love. She left some phone numbers, and promised to call by the end of the week."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "I wish she'd stop worrying about us and enjoy the time with dad. You told her to, right?"

Max nodded. "Yup, but I don't think that it took. It goes with being a parent I guess."

Isabel took the conversation off on a tangent. "So, what time did you finally tear yourself away from Liz last night?"

Max flushed with embarrassment. "Actually it was about 4:30 this morning." Seeing Isabel's knowing grin he hastened to add, "Get your mind out of the gutter, Iz. I'm not stupid enough to try anything...um...noisy...with her parents right down the hall. I just held her while we slept. And we needed it!" Max paused then went on. "Speaking of Liz....."

Max turned his attention to Liz Parker and began to gently push with his mind. His efforts were rewarded a few moments later.

"~Max, is that you calling?~," came Liz's mind voice.

"~Yes Honey, you told me to call, so here I am...calling. How are you this morning?~" He felt a wave of good humor and embarrassment from Liz.

Liz spoke with mock petulance. "~Taking a shower if you must know. I slept like a baby after you left. And you?~"

Max gave a mental chuckle. "~Ditto. I haven't slept this well in a year. I threw together some breakfast, which of course drew Iz out of her cave.~"

Liz giggled. "~Well then stop pestering little old naked me and eat before it gets cold.~"

Max winced at the mental image. "~You're going to be the death of me Parker! You know that?~"

Liz had felt the suppressed passion that her words had evoked in Max and answered it in kind. "~Ah yes, but you'll die happy!~"

Max groaned mentally. "~Too true. I should know better than to try and get the best of a woman in an argument!~"

Liz sent an answering wave of warmth and love. "~How's Isabel this morning?~"

Max looked at his sister who was studying him curiously. "~She looks like I feel. Like the bluebird of happiness made a pet project of her. And at the moment she's looking pretty inquisitive about my ongoing silence while we're talking..~"

Liz paused. "~Ooops! You haven't told her? About this?~" Liz caught a mental sigh from Max.

"~Nope~," he said. "~Not yet. I haven't had time. Calling you had higher priority!~"

Liz paused in the shower with her hands on her hips...as if Max could see her. "~Well get with it Sweetheart. We have to tell everyone sooner or later. Preferably sooner. As far as I'm concerned we're out of the 'keeping secrets from each other business' for good! All keeping secrets brings is heartache!~"

Max snorted. "~To hear is to obey, heart of my heart! Before I sign off though, remind me to talk to you about Isabel later today, preferably with Maria around too.~"

Liz answered, "~Will do, Love. Now eat your breakfast so I can finish washing my hair!~"

This caused Max to laugh out loud, provoking Isabel's curiosity still further. All the more so because Max noticed and winked at her. Max returned his attention to his soul mate. "~All right, though I wish I were there to wash it for you! See you in a few hours! I love you!~"

Liz sent him something that could only be described as a mental kiss. "~I love you too! Now eat breakfast and tell Isabel, in that order! Later Love! Signing off!~"

Max felt Liz withdraw from their conversation. He then turned his attention to his now totally bemused sister.

"What?" Max asked with mock innocence.

Isabel's eyes narrowed. "What are you hiding Max?"

Max, following his better half's instructions, began eating and talking between bites. "Before I answer, you eat. I cooked this stuff, and it doesn't reheat well!" Isabel dutifully began to eat. Max chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. "Last night. What happened with Liz and I?"

Isabel grinned. "You mean that you don't know? *You're* the one that spent the night with her brother of mine!"

Max snorted. "Yes, we patched things up and I finally learned the truth. With your help, for which I am eternally grateful. But there was more to it than that. When we said that we 'merged', we so were not kidding. So before I talk about it I want to know how it looked from your point of view."

Isabel developed a faraway look in her eyes. "Well, after you two made physical contact and went into lip lock, I thought for a minute that you were going to go for it right there in the Crashdown, with us watching. But after a second the glowing started."

Max choked on his food. "Glowing? I made Liz glow again?"

Isabel smiled. "More than that brother dear. You were *both* making each other glow. It wasn't just your hands leaving glow worm trails on Liz. Her hands did the same to you. And after a minute the glowing trails weren't just following your hands. They were moving independent of your hands. Merging, increasing, jumping from one of you to the other. And eventually they merged into what I can only call a solid glowing aura. You two were burning like a miniature sun."

Max took a bite of food and chewed thoughtfully. After swallowing he spoke. "Okay, I don't know how that relates, but it *feels* right. Anyway, last night Liz and I didn't just reopen the bond. Something else happened. Something way above and beyond any bond. For a few heartbeats we fused into one individual. We weren't Liz and Max anymore. We were something entirely new. And we know each other now. Right down to the last detail. Under other circumstances it would have scared the crap out of me to have *anyone* know me that completely. But not last night. Last night was...completion."

Isabel's eyes glinted slightly. "Soul mates?"

Max shrugged. "As close as makes no difference. And it has had one interesting side effect so far."

Isabel frowned. "Side effect? Like what?"

Max studied his sister for a moment, took a long deliberate sip of his tabasco laced coffee, then continued. "Telepathy," he said. "Direct mind to mind communication when we want it. Not like that hit and miss stuff we fooled around with as kids. This is clear and unambiguous. Like being in the same room with each other. With sensing emotional nuances thrown in for good measure."

Isabel paused with a piece of bacon halfway to her mouth. She was silent for a moment, then noticed she was still holding the bacon and returned it to her plate. "Mind reading?" she asked.

Max shook his head, "No, thanks be to whatever God there is. Liz thinks, and I agree, that knowing each other's thoughts would definitely be too much of a good thing. The only time we knew each other that completely was when we fused, and that only lasted a few instants. And it really wore us out. In any event, under those conditions we aren't an 'us' anymore. We become parts of a greater whole, but only for a few instants. The thoughts don't belong to us, they belong to the 'whateveritis' we become."

Isabel swallowed convulsively. "Michael and Maria are going to freak."

Max sighed. "Possibly. Maybe even probably. But they'll get over it. They have to, because whatever has happened doesn't feel like the sort of thing you can undo. And I wouldn't undo it if I could. It feels instinctive. Natural. Liz and I were doing it this morning without even being aware of it. There's no going back!"

Isabel frowned. "Are you sure it's just you two? That you can't communicate with others?" Max shrugged. "I don't know what Liz is doing, but I've been trying with you since we sat down to eat. All that it's doing is giving me a headache."

Isabel sighed mightily then delivered a crooked half smile. "Well, even if we don't understand the whys and wherefores of it yet, if this is what it takes to get you back together with Liz, then you can glow in the dark and exchange thoughts until the end of time as far as I'm concerned."

Max didn't realize how tense he had been until that moment when he felt his muscle relax and unwind. He had been more than a little worried that Isabel might be jealous of this fallout from her efforts. When he and Liz had first gotten together, Isabel's antagonism towards her had been composed of equal parts of fear of the unknown and flat out jealousy. Time had changed that, but Max hadn't realized how much. Clearly, even taking Isabel's actions last night into consideration, he had been underestimating how far his sister had come since then. Noticing a wistful look on Isabel's face Max reached across the table and took her hand. "Don't worry Iz, your day will come."

Max wasn't prepared for the odd smile she gave him as she answered, "I know that Max. Better than you do." Max was bemused, but decided not to push it. Too many good things had come his way in the last 24 hours for him to want to risk screwing it up by being too nosy.

Isabel gave Max's hand a squeeze then scooped up their dirty dishes and carried them to the sink. Standing there rinsing them let her hide her face from him. She was uncertain about just how much had shown in her expression, but Max's words had unexpectedly loosed a riot of emotions in her. The upshot of which felt like a neon sign on her forehead declaring that she knew Alex was alive. Max stared at his sister's back a moment longer, then he rounded up the remaining dishes and cups, and joined her at the sink. While she rinsed, he loaded the dishwasher. The little domestic chore was quickly done. And hopefully, by the time they were finished, Isabel would once again firmly in control of her emotions.

Isabel finished the last dish and handed it to Max. "I have to go finish getting ready to face the day", she said. "What are you up to today?"

Max closed the dishwasher and shrugged. "Off to work at the museum. I have to finish taking down that alien autopsy exhibit."

Isabel shuddered. "I always hated that thing. I kept seeing myself on that table."

Max grinned. "Me too. Which is why I'm having a lot of fun taking it down. Brody is putting it in storage and replacing it with a hokey exhibit about recent high tech advances brought about by alien technology."

Isabel frowned. "You mean he knows about some?"

Max's grin widened. "Nope, after I take him to the Crashdown for lunch, we're going to sit down this afternoon and make some up."

Isabel's mouth fell open. "Max Evans! You're a...a...a..a flim flam man!"

Max chuckled. "Try not to think of it that way. I think of it as disinformation! The really dangerous nuts will be so busy looking for non-existent evidence of aliens that they won't even think of looking for us! At least that's Brody's plan."

Isabel shook her head and grinned at the playful genius of it. "Well you two have fun and don't do anything too embarrassing! All I really have to do is return a book to the library." Then she added to herself, "and do a little research on architecture. A building that unique *has* to be recorded somewhere. I *know* I've seen it!"

Max gave his sister a quick hug and started for the door then paused with his hand on the door handle and looked at her. "See you at the Crashdown after work?"

Isabel snickered. "Only if you and Liz hold off telling Maria and Michael about the joys of telepathy until I get there. The look on their faces should be a Kodak moment."

Max laughed. "No promises, but I'll talk to Liz about it. Bye Iz. See you there". Then he was gone.

Outside she heard his car start and fade into the distance. Glancing at her watch she hurried upstairs. For the first time in months she really had purpose in her life. The quicker she got moving, the quicker she'd have Alex with her again. "Time's wasting," she thought. "If Alex is in danger I'm not about to have him get killed...again. Not this time. Not when I can prevent it.!" Isabel hurriedly finished her makeup and hair, grabbed her bag and the book she was taking back...and was out the door.

11:00 AM...MacLeod's Dojo in Seattle

"Damnit Alex! PAY ATTENTION!" Richie was ready to pull his hair out. Mac had left him to keep up the dojo's day to day operations while he and Amanda spent the day stalking the city for Raphael Conterras. That included Alex's training as well as the regular students. And so far he was sucking at the former job. Or rather Alex was sucking at letting Richie do it. Richie had decided to let Alex warm up by sparring with the regular students. *That* had been a real stroke of genius. Not! Due to his intensive and extensive training Alex's skill level was far above the average student at the dojo. And well above even the few above average students. And so far this morning three rank amateurs had mopped the deck with him.

Alex pulled himself up off the mats staggering slightly and blinked owlishly at Richie. "Sorry Richie", he said. Then he gave a great jaw cracking yawn. "I guess I'm not at the top of my game this morning. I didn't sleep well last night."

Richie snorted. "I guess not! Look just go back to bed. I'll pull you out around 4:00 this afternoon and we'll try again!" Alex smiled his thanks and headed off to the residential part of the building, his feet shuffling tiredly. Richie watched him go as worry gnawed at his mind. He didn't look forward to telling Mac about this. As long as Conterras had his head he'd be a threat to Alex. And if you're called upon to deal with a threat when you're dead tired, you're likely to end up just plain dead. Richie shoved that worry to the back of his mind and focused on the regular students. Mac would be back before he had to wake Alex. Let him handle it.

1:30 PM...Roswell Public Library

Isabel sat at a table scattered with reference volumes. Next to her was a sketch pad with the "UFO on a stick" building drawn on it as well as she could recall. She sighed with frustration. The library was closing soon....in fact had closed half an hour ago. But the librarian was staying over to catch up on returns and Isabel had charmed her into letting her stay over. She stared morosely at the pile of architectural periodicals and assorted books. She had been at it for several hours and was no closer now than she had been when she started. She was so frustrated that she had taken to pulling random reference books off the shelves and scanning them in the hopes of seeing something familiar. She was about to continue with her latest choice when a hand touched her shoulder causing her to jump. She turned and looked up into the face of the matronly librarian who had let her stay over.

"I'm all finished dear", she said. "I'm afraid we'll have to return those books and magazines to their shelves and you'll have to pick it up tomorrow." She smiled as she looked over Isabel's choices. "Well, I have to say you're a girl with varied interests! Yesterday it was dreams, today it's architecture." Her eye fell on the sketch pad and she smiled. "My late husband and I ate there once."

Isabel looked at the pad then back at the librarian. The look on her face could only be described as dumb wonderment. "You know this?" she asked.

The librarian looked puzzled. "That *is* the Space Needle isn't it?"

Isabel looked frustrated. "That's just it! I don't know and it's driving me nuts. I saw it in a dream, and it looks familiar but"....she waved her hand at the piles of reference material...."I can't *find* it anywhere!"

The librarian looked thoughtful. "Wait here," she said. Then she made a beeline for the Travel and Leisure section. In minutes she was back with a travelogue of Washington State. Checking the index she flipped it open to the appropriate page and flopped it in front of Isabel. "Here you go dear. Is that what you saw?"

Isabel was unable to speak. There it was. In four different views, plus a fifth view from the top. Checking the caption she gained the one thing she needed to know. Seattle, Washington. "Which, as any idiot knows, is on the Pacific Coast," she thought. She sent the librarian a smile of thanks, then capped it off with an enthusiastic hug. "I can't thank you enough!" Isabel looked ruefully at the collection of material on her table. "I'll have this cleaned up and be out of your hair in ten minutes."

The librarian waved off her thanks. "That's my job dear. Aiding people in their search for knowledge. I'll just gather up my things and be right back. With my help we'll both be out of here in five minutes instead of ten."

The librarian was as good as her word. Five minutes later as Isabel and the librarian headed across the parking lot towards where Philip Evans' Blazer was parked, the librarian stopped her before cutting over to her own car two spaces away.

With a twinkle in her eye the woman smiled and said, "Someday dear you'll have to explain to me why you're dreaming about futuristic architecture instead of Brad Pitt."

Isabel shrugged. "Who knows?", she dissembled. Then she grinned. "Maybe I was Frank Lloyd Wright in my previous life!" With that they parted ways. As she started the SUV Isabel laughed at what she had just said. "There's no way the she'd believe what I *actually* was in my previous life," she thought wryly. Isabel paused and sighed. Of all the changes that Liz Parker had wrought in their lives, this is one that she could do without even though it was inextricably intertwined with the rest. All her life she had hidden in plain sight. Deceiving and lying as necessary to maintain their cover. And the only guilt she had felt at doing so was in relation to her parents. Now though, the concept of lying to good people troubled her more and more. Sighing and shaking her head she pulled out of her parking spot and headed for the street. "I guess this is what they mean by 'the burdens of adulthood'," she said aloud. "I've grown up."

Isabel had time to kill before heading for the Crashdown. Time enough to find a computer somewhere and do a little web surfing on the subject of martial arts studios in Seattle, Washington.

3:30 PM...... MacLeod's Dojo...Seattle,Washington

Duncan sighed in exasperation. "I told you not to cut him any slack, Richie."

Richie shook his head. "It wouldn't have done any good Mac. You should have seen him. The kid was totally wiped. Normally he's like you, "on" all the time. But today he could hardly stand up let alone work out. If it weren't for the fact that we don't get sick, I'd think that he was coming down with something."

Duncan frowned. "Well, let's get him out of bed and get to work. We have some time left yet. Amanda stayed out to hunt, so I don't have to go back out tonight." Duncan chuckled. "I almost pity Conterras if she finds him first. She's taking this personally. I've never seen her get as attached to someone as she has to Alex. In all the time I've known her, the one concept I've never attached to her in my mind is 'mother'. It's a terrifying thing to
see."

Richie grinned. "You learn something new every day, don't you?"

Duncan laughed aloud. "One of the benefits of being us I guess. Live long enough and you'll see anything and everything." Duncan consulted the schedule. "There's nothing left until the 6:00 PM late class. And you can handle that. Go dig Alex out of bed and start him into warm ups. Then I'll take him for the rest of the night."

Richie sketched a bow. "To hear is to obey, boss!"

Duncan kept Alex at it until 10:00 PM, long after the regular classes had ended, and working right through supper for both of them. The sleep had done Alex some good, but Duncan could see that he was still slow and distracted. Something was bothering the boy. During sword drill he had slipped up and actually injured Duncan. Being what he was it was no big deal. Still, no one likes to get poked in the stomach with four inches of
sharpened steel. He had recovered quickly, but after that further drill was pointless, because Alex was wary of causing further injuries. They could pick it up again tomorrow, after the boy recovered some of his confidence and stamina.

Duncan briefly considered calling in Cassie, but decided to give it a few days before doing anything. At 10:00 PM a seriously disgruntled Amanda came in the report no luck in tracking Conterras. Duncan decided to call it a day and sent Alex off to shower, with instructions to grab a snack and go straight to bed. Tomorrow would be another day.

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 10:48 pm

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 6c
(Reach Out And Touch Someone...Any Way You Can)

10:30 PM...The Crashdown After Hours.

"YOU CAN DO WHAT??????", Maria shrieked.

Isabel had been right. The look on Maria's face was priceless.

Liz made calming motions with her hands. "Jeeez Maria! Keep it down will you? Remember? Parents? Right upstairs?"

When Max had contacted her via what she was starting to think of as 'head phone' and asked her to hold off telling Maria until they were all together, Liz had been reluctant at first. But it had made sense from the standpoint of fostering the 'family' feeling that they had all been missing lately. Now she saw how right that view had been. Maria looked excited and envious. Michael looked stunned and rebellious. Isabel and Max were laughing openly for the first time in months. And Liz had to admit, this was fun. They were all sitting at the ET Booth having a relaxed late supper courtesy of Michael's cooking. Something they hadn't done since Alex had died. And it was finally fun again.

Liz batted her eyes innocently as she reached out to snitch a fry off of Maria's plate. "It's nothing really. Just sort of 'flashes-plus', that's all."

Maria snorted. "Uh huh!" Maria waved her hand to indicate the Pod Squad. "And these three Favorite Martians of ours are simply a figment of my overactive imagination." Isabel snickered.

Michael broke in to the conversation, primarily to derail what he saw as Maria's train of thought. "Anything else weird we should know about?" He was thinking that this sucked big time. Maria had been hurt by the lack of flashes during their make out sessions. Now that she knew that it was due to his holding back, she'd be doubly hurt by the lack of whatever it was that Max and Liz now had. Talk about 'keeping up with the jones's'.

Liz shrugged. "Nothing so far. I'd say the telepathy is weird enough for now."

Maria cleared her throat to recapture everyone's attention. "Have you tried the fusion thing again? I mean, it's really cool, but what if you guys go in and can't get back?"

Liz glanced at Max, who raised his eye brows. Max cleared his throat. "No, we haven't. I have this feeling that this isn't something to be taken lightly, or played around with."

Liz continued. "Getting 'in' was hard, and staying was harder. I think the only thing that let us do it was the fact that our emotions had been building to overload for months. And we could only stay that way for a few moments. Just long enough for us to...um...have a few issues cleared up."

Max nodded in agreement. "And those few moments exhausted both of us. While I'm not sorry it happened, I don't think that we'll fool around with this until we know a lot more than we do now."

Michael looked relieved and moved to change the subject before Maria could inquire further. "So, now that we're all in the know, what about the invasion that's supposed to happen in 2014?"

Max frowned. "That's another matter. Speaking for myself I'd like to think about this a while before we try to do anything." Max put his arm around Liz and pulled her closer. "My only regret in the whole mess is that I can't meet my future self and try to find out how I became such a self absorbed fool. That and not getting a chance to punch him right in the mouth for putting this on Liz."

Liz elbowed him gently. "If you had you wouldn't *be* here you idiot. Your future self made it clear that, had you met in person, you would have both spontaneously combusted, or something."

Max leaned over and kissed her soundly. "Okay, then I'd have Michael do it. I'm sure there are more than a few occasions on which he's wanted to pound on me some." Looking at Michael, Max raised an eyebrow in amusement.

Michael made a disgusted sound, then he picked up the banter. "Sure thing Max. Any time you want me to beat the living crap out of you, or any alternate version of you, I'll be happy to oblige. But can we get back on the subject at hand? Your future self wasn't exactly free with information. We know he was out to defeat the invasion by shoehorning you and Tess together. Which speaks for his ignorance since he obviously never knew what we know now. That she was a traitor. The question is, did all this change the future *enough* to prevent the invasion altogether? Because, in case no one's noticed, your future self's pre-conditions for our defeat have come to pass. Tess is gone. Again."

Max sighed. "That's why I want us to think about it to some degree before we do anything. Why did they bother to invade Earth at all? Just to get us? Or the granolith? Why the granolith? It seems to have been nothing more than a power source, and a one shot star ship. Albeit, one that can be hot wired for time travel."

Maria chimed in. "The skins that are already here wanted the granolith so they could get home. Maybe K'Var wanted it to burn their bridges, and yours. If that's the case, then your being stuck here makes an invasion pointless. So, maybe we can hope that he has no further interest in us."

Michael frowned. "We don't know that."

Max responded. "Actually we don't know anything. That's why we need to take some time with this. Personally I won't start to panic for another year or two."

Michael looked annoyed. "But it wouldn't hurt to get some assets in place so that when we *do* decide on where to go with this, we have something to work with."

Max looked puzzled. "Assets? What assets?"

Michael looked around the table, gauging everyone. "Ava. She's a Tess clone. If Tess is required to defeat the invasion, then maybe Ava can fill her shoes. Let's have our friendly law enforcement officer start the ball rolling to find her."

Max shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. For starters Sheriff Valenti is sheriff again because of two things. Hanson was a screwup. And the townspeople petitioned to get his job back for him. Mine and Liz's parents among them. But he's still very much on probation with the 'powers that be' around here. Until that passes we can't ask him to do any big noticeable favors for us. It wouldn't be fair. Also, he'd have to use 'official' channels. And the last thing we want is for anyone in those channels to be paying attention to any one of us."

Michael looked rebellious but calmed as Maria reached up an stroked his hair. "I thought that we had outgrown this 'fearless leader' stuff. But, if that's the way you want it played, I'll go along for now. I simply think that we're making a mistake by not moving on this immediately."

Max shrugged. "I didn't say that we would do nothing. One thing we can do is ask Larek to keep his ear to the ground back on Antar. If there are any indications that K'var might be thinking of trying something major we might get enough warning to make a difference."

Isabel had been largely silent in all this, but now she spoke up. "There's one thing that we may be missing in all this. K'var has most of what he wants right now. He has the granolith. That maroons us here which, for his purposes, is as good as killing us. For the time being anyway. And it cuts the skins off from home, giving them an incentive to get on with their mission. Which is to kill us eventually." She shot an apologetic look at Max and Liz. "He has Max's son for whatever purposes he wishes. Hostage, puppet on the throne, whatever."

Liz winced at the reference but nodded encouragement anyway. Like it or not, the boy existed. However he had come to be, sooner or later, she and Max would have to deal with his existence. Liz looked at Max. He looked torn. Torn between doing something to rescue his son, and not offending Liz.

Liz pushed against his mind gently, seeking contact. "~Patience Love, we'll get him back. And I think I'd make a
passable step mother. Don't you?~"

Max's muscles relaxed noticeably. "~Liz Parker, have I told you lately that, I love you?~" What followed was some brief mental nuzzling before Liz broke the connection to pay attention to Isabel again.

Isabel, for her part, had seen the change in their faces that marked their silent dialogue and waited patiently for them to return to the conversation. The interlude was brief. So brief that Maria and Michael never noticed. Liz finally spoke. "You said that we were missing something, Iz?"

Isabel nodded. "Yes. K'var has everything that he wants for the moment...except one thing. Vilandra. Me. Nicholas made it clear at Copper Summit that K'var still considers Vilandra to be his property. And that he wants her back."

The others at the table stiffened. "You didn't tell us about that", Michael said quietly.

Isabel sighed. "I was ashamed. It was part of the whole package of Vilandra. Finding out that, in your previous life, you were a cross between Benedict Arnold and Lucrecia Borgia isn't a fun thing. I just wanted to shut my eyes and make the whole thing go away. But I've had enough of that, thank you." Isabel reached out and took his and Maria's hands. "If this renewed family thing between the five of us is going to work, it means no more secrets. No more. He won't take me. I'll kill myself first."

Maria clenched Isabel's hand in hers. "Don't worry girlfriend, we won't let it come to that."

Liz added, "That's right, he gets to you over my extremely dead body."

Isabel swallowed and blinked at the sting in her eyes. "Th-thanks. I needed to hear that. I shouldn't have had to,
but I did." She cleared her throat.

Max looked at her inquiringly. "Anything else?", he asked.

Isabel hesitated, then shook her head. She had briefly considered springing the knowledge that Alex was alive on them, but it wasn't time yet. She needed to know more if they were to believe her.

Liz took her hesitation for doubt and said, "Besides, no greasy psychopathic alien despot gets to think of *my* future sister-in-law as 'property'."

Michael was in the middle of sipping his coke when she spoke. He snorted coke, choked, and then sprayed over everyone. The other four occupants of the booth were torn between outrage and hysterical laughter. They settled for laughter. After Michael finished sputtering and coughing he regarded Max with a teasing grin. "Anything you wanna tell us Maxwell?" he asked archly.

Max glared at Liz good naturedly. "I don't know. Liz, did something happen last night that I don't remember?"

Liz grinned saucily and said, "Well, not really. But if you think that I'm ever letting you get away from me again, this side of eternity, think again buster."

Max chuckled. "Who am I to fight fate? Just wait for me to ask you before you start mailing invitations, okay?"

Liz nodded. "Done deal, Your Majesty."

Maria yawned. "Well, this has been more fun than we've all had in a while, but tomorrow is a school day for some of us. And I have an english paper sitting in my the computer waiting for me to finish it before bed." She looked at Michael. "Let's go Space-Boy, I for sure know that you've got homework you haven't finished.."

Michael slid out of their seat and then helped Maria out. Max and Liz slid out of their seat as well. Isabel slid her chair back and grabbed her jacket. Hugs and kisses were exchanged all round.

Before breaking her hug with Liz, Maria gave her an extra squeeze and whispered, "Be sure to remember who your
friends are Chica, when you finally get to toss that bouquet."

Liz chuckled and nodded, then gave Maria a kiss on the cheek and let her go. Max stood with his arm around Liz as the others left. Then she let Max out the door and locked up. After taking a few minutes to bus their table and straighten up she headed upstairs to find Max already reclining on her bed.

"Comfy?" she asked.

Max rolled to his feet and closed the distance between them in a single step, pulling her close. "Did you mean what you said Liz?"

Liz went into mind talk mode. "~Did I mean what, handsome spaceman?~"

Max regarded her seriously. "~All bantering and baggage aside, you halfway promised to marry me tonight.~"

Liz snuggled closer and gave a sigh of contentment. "~I'm still processing the fact that you're with me again. But...yes, one day that is the logical end of all my hopes and dreams. Besides.... (Liz's body shook gently with silent laughter) ....I'd hate to waste all that time I spent practicing signing my name 'Elizabeth Evans'.~"

Max pulled back and cupped her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his and gave her a kiss. "~I just wanted to be sure that I'd heard right. After everything you've been through because of us.... because of me...~"

"~Has been worth it~," Liz cut him off. "~There were times in there where I thought I was losing myself and my sanity. *But*... (Liz pulled him close again) ....this makes it worth it. What happened downstairs tonight, with the five of us, makes it worth it. *You* make it worth it. Any other questions, quandaries, or doubts Mr. Evans?~"

Max pulled her tightly to him. "~No, Future Mrs. Evans, none at all.~"

"~Good!~", Liz thought. "~Then you'd better scoot for home. Much as the idea of spending another night in your arms appeals to me... tomorrow is a school day. And I have some last minute stuff to deal with. And I'm sure that you do too.~"

Max looked at her steadily. "~We could just say the hell with it you know.~"

Liz smiled, but shook her head. "~No we can't, and you know it.~"

Max sighed. "~I suppose not.~" Then his face altered. "~Honey, before I'm out the door there is one thing I wanted to talk to you about. Actually I wanted both you and Maria in on it since it's, in part, your territory.~"

Liz looked puzzled. "~What Max?~"

Max pulled away and went over to set down on the bed. "~It's Isabel. I'm worried. The night after the Whitman's funeral she had a nightmare. A bad one. And she wouldn't talk about it. I doubt the subject of it would be tough to guess though. And last night when I checked on her she was whispering Alex's name in her sleep. We all miss Alex. And I think that Iz was finally falling in love with him, there at the end. But six months is long enough. Can you and Maria start prodding her a bit, girl style, to start at least opening up the the possibility of dating again?~"

Liz sighed as she slipped on to the bed next to Max. "~Love, we can try. But, if it were you and I, six months wouldn't be long enough. Six years maybe, just barely. But not six months. If nothing else we can get her to open up about that nightmare.~"

Max sighed. "~That would probably help. But I can't help thinking that we should start helping her get past this. I've been so wrapped up in how to fix you and I that I forgot that there are other walking wounded around here. I've been a lousy leader, but it stops now.~"

Liz elbowed him sharply. "~Stop that this instant! You have not been a lousy leader. Confused yes. But you've been playing a game where someone else has been setting the rules. Now you know better. Next time *you* set the rules. As for the rest, we'll work on Iz, but don't hope for much. Like I said, six months wouldn't be enough time for me.~"

Max stood up and pulled Liz up with him. "~Okay Liz, you're the doctor. Just let me know if there's anything that I can do to help out. Now I've stalled long enough. I'd better hit the road.~" He pulled her close and kissed her. He had meant it to be brief, not wanting to promise more than he could deliver, but she wasn't having any. Liz clung to him tightly, and forced the kiss deeper. Max responded in kind, his hands massaging her back and bottom, then moving up into her hair. Liz gave a slight whimper at his caresses then she pushed the kiss near to meltdown and held it there. After what could have been minutes, but felt like hours, the couple came up for air. "~Wow~," Max said, even his mind voice sounded ragged. "~If we're always going to be like that, I'm going to need CPR some day!~"

Liz chuckled. "~Not to worry, I'll take some classes. By the way, the feeling is mutual!~"

Max grinned. "~Then we'll take those classes together.~" He gave her another quick kiss, pulling away before she could make more of it. "~Now I'm outta here before another kiss like that last one convinces me to stay the night again.~" Max gave her a last hug and she walked with him to the window. Once he was outside he turned to kiss her again. "~Sweet dreams Liz.~"

Liz sent him a wave of warmth and love. "~G'night Max. Sleep tight! I love you!~" Then he was gone. Liz closed and locked the window, then hurried to get ready for bed. She had homework to finish before lights out.

Same time....Michael's Apartment

Maria pulled to the curb to let Michael out. Michael opened his door and turned to Maria for a good night kiss, but paused when he saw her smirk.

"What?" he asked.

Maria chuckled. "It's you Spaceboy. I'm getting so I can read you like a book. You were scared to death back at the Crashdown. Petrified that I'd go all flaky on you, wanting a mind meld. Or whatever that is that Max and Liz did."

Michael regarded her solemnly. "Do you? If you do, we'll try for it." He sighed and smiled. "At this point I can't say no to *you*, no matter how much I might argue with Max or the others."

Maria leaned over, grabbed the back of his head, and kissed him hard. "No Michael. I don't. Not right now anyway. We aren't Max and Liz, and we don't have to do everything that they do, when they do it. If it comes, it comes when it comes. Not before. Lets just be open to it if it does. And if it doesn't, no regrets. Besides, you heard Liz, are you willing to go through the months of emotional turmoil they did to get there? I'm not. I'm happy with *now*. Let later take care of itself."

Michael regarded his lover with profound respect. Every time he thought he had her pegged, she would perform some new feat of emotional understanding and wisdom that would leave him breathless. Just how in the *hell* had he gotten so lucky in finding her, he wondered. Surely the odds were so high as to make the lottery look like a sure thing by comparison. Michael's face was a study in calm, but inside he was braying with laughter at himself. "Honest to God dimwit, if underestimating people were an Olympic event, you'd be a Gold Medalist." He looked at Maria and simply said, "Thank you, Pixie." Then he leaned in to kiss her. "Now you'd better go before you get my hormones going."

Maria nodded and leaned over for a last kiss. "G'night Spaceboy. And don't stay up to watch ESPN. Get your homework done and get to bed!"

Michael snorted. "Yeees, mooommy", he drawled.

Maria looked exasperated. Michael had already gotten out of the car and stooped to lean in and say a final goodnight. Grabbing the back of his head again she pulled him in for a thorough french kiss. Breaking the kiss she grinned. "Still think I'm your mom?"

Michael laughed. "No Maria, not unless I had a perv family. Night Pixie. You really know how to win an argument." Michael stepped away from the car as she pulled away with a brief toot of her horn. Then he shook his head in wonderment again as he turned to go in...and finish his homework before going to bed.

11:40 PM...The Evans Household

Isabel had prepped for bed in record time. Tomorrow she had to be up early to open the law office up. Philip Evans' junior partner was handling the firm's business while he and Diane were on their second honeymoon. And for some unknown reason, after years of doing without one, her father had decided that Isabel was the perfect person to be the firm's receptionist. Actually, she did know why he had done it.

After Alex's death she had been in limbo as to what to do with her life. Initially she had planned on college, but after Alex was gone everything had seemed pointless. Almost futile. So this was her father's way of giving her something to do that would occupy her mind and keep her engaged with life. She wondered again at the astounding good fortune that had delivered she and her brother to the right place at the right time in the nighttime desert of 1989 to be found by Philip and Diane Evans. It almost made you believe in divine providence.

But her reason for rushing tonight had nothing to do with work. She was anxious to continue probing at Alex for information on his situation. Willing or not. She doubted that she would get more than a few words out of him before she was shut out again. "Which reminds me," she thought, "I have to make a note to kick his butt for that once I've gotten my hands on him again." She was intensely curious now, as well as concerned. "Just what the hell happened to him that his current keepers think would be beyond the capacity of his friends to accept and understand? Alex for damn sure knows better. Which means that he was telling the truth. Whatever he's into is so dangerous that he won't risk it touching us."

Isabel sat on her bed with her yearbook open, studying his picture. "Alex," she said aloud, "you know I love you... but you're taking this self sacrifice thing too far. Liz was bad enough. We don't need *you* to throw yourself into the fire for us too. Not when you've already paid your dues there." Isabel sighed. "Flattering as it is, I'd rather have you *here* instead."

Isabel reached out and stroked his picture with one fingertip. The expected wave of distortion raced across the image and vanished. It was time. Isabel reclined on her bed, pulled the covers up, doused the light with a wave of her hand, and snuggled down to wait for sleep. As her eyes grew heavy she allowed herself a smile. "I'm coming for you Alexander Charles Whitman...ready or not."

With that, Isabel sighed herself into deep sleep. To sleep and perchance..to dream.

End of Part 6

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 5:42 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 7a
(Something Wicked This Way Comes)

THE DREAM STATE..........

When Isabel arrived in Alex's dream this time, she was standing in the vestibule of the building that housed the dojo. "This saves me some time," she thought. "But, now that I know this is Seattle, collecting a few street names while walking here wouldn't have hurt."

The clash of steel on steel caused her to turn towards the stairs leading up to the dojo. Thinking that Alex had another nightmare in progress Isabel hurried up the stairs. She slowed as she reached the top and she realized that, even if it were another bad dream, she couldn't interfere without making Alex aware of her presence again. As she approached the workout room she heard a curse and a thud. The voice doing the cursing was Alex's, so it kind of followed that the 'thud' must be.......

"Damnit Alex!", someone roared. "Just because this is sword work doesn't mean that you can't pay attention to your feet!" Then the voice continued in a quieter tone. "Look son, I know that you're tired, but the day may come when you *are* tired and facing a tough situation. You've got to have your reflexes honed to the point that that you can come up fighting, tired or rested, awake or asleep, anywhere, anytime, for any reason. Anything less and you won't live long."

Isabel heard all of this before peeking around the corner. The words chilled her, added to her forboding...and to her sense of urgency to get to the bottom of things. As well as her desire to get Alex the hell out of here. As she peered around the corner she saw Alex sprawled on the floor. Standing over him, sword in hand, was the pony tailed character from the cemetery dream last night. And, at the moment, he appeared to be more than a little concerned.

As Mr. Ponytail reached down to pull Alex to his feet, the a second figure stepped away from the wall of the room towards the pair. Isabel recognized him as 'Richie'. As he reached them he spoke. "Mac, you guys have been at this for 6 hours now. Don't you think that's enough?"

'Mac' glanced at Richie then turned back to Alex. "I don't know Richie." He turned to look at Alex. "Alex....this morning three students, none of whom should have been able to lay a glove on you, made you look like a fool on the mats because you were sleepy. Do you think this is enough?"

Isabel winced as she saw Alex hang his head. Clearly he was having problems with 'Mac' because he was exhausted from lack of sleep. And she knew very well why that was, even if Alex couldn't tell 'Mac'. She felt more than a little guilty that she wouldn't be able to let up on him tonight. Isabel promised him silently to make it up to him when this was over... after she kicked his ass for shutting her out to begin with.

Before the conversation could go on a new voice chimed in...from behind Isabel. "Is what enough!?"

Isabel leapt to the wall and tried to appear unobtrusive as a woman swept by her. A tall short haired brunette dressed in head to toe black. She held her breath until the woman had joined the others. Things like this were so unpredictable. Get caught in the open at the wrong time and the dreamer would notice you. After that, the only thing to do was pretend to be a part of the dream. And in Alex's case that wasn't going to work. He would be alert for any appearance she made in his dreams.

The way the woman moved reminded Isabel of a big cat. Come to think of it, all these people moved that way. Even Alex did now. To Isabel it was puzzling. If she had met these people before now in real life, she felt like they would have intimidated the hell out of her. She studied Alex again. What did that mean for him?

The newcomer moved between Alex and 'Mac', and gave 'Mac' a kiss of greeting, then she spoke again. "Is what enough?"

Mr. Ponytail sighed. "Alex had to short his training today because of lack of sleep. I was simply making the point that one day he may have to fight under the same conditions. And that pleading exhaustion won't save him then, only trained reflexes will."

The woman turned to study Alex. She reached out and gently forced his chin up so she could see his eyes. "Duncan," she said with some asperity, "look at his eyes. There are bags under them the size of steamer trunks. They're bloodshot to the point of looking like a road map. He should be in bed! You can pick this up tomorrow!"

Duncan sighed and looked at the clock. "Okay, one more round, then we'll call it quits." He paused and looked at the brunette. "So, any luck shopping?"

The woman shook her head and looked disgusted. "Nope, not a lick. And I was never one for bargain hunting either. I'll just be happy when we close escrow on this particular merchandise."

Isabel's eyes narrowed. His name was Duncan then. Mac *had* sounded an awful lot like a nickname. That would be filed for future reference. "What is with the subtext here?" she thought. "The brunette hottie is mothering Alex? And that conversation! Euphemisms much? These two haven't been around kids enough. They sounded like clueless parents trying to have a sex conversation over their kid's head. And judging from that momentary look on Alex's face, he knows exactly what they're trying to hide. And he isn't happy about it."

Duncan glanced at the woman and sighed. "So will I." He turned to Alex. "Now, let's finish this up. One more bout then you grab a snack, hit the showers, and get to bed. In that order."

Isabel grinned. "If the hottie is mama bear, I think I know who papa bear is."

As she watched, Duncan and Alex walked to opposite corners of a large square, marked off on the floor with tape. They both came to guard as Richie and the woman moved off to the side to watch. As Isabel watched they launched into a flurry of cuts and parries that had her thinking that perhaps the 'beautiful' quality of the fight in Alex's nightmare hadn't been fantasy driven after all. She'd never been into this sort of thing much, but this was bordering on being an art form. The only troubling aspect for her was that they appeared to be using real swords.

Suddenly Alex resolved the question for her as he stumbled while extended for a lunge, causing his sword to extend further than he had intended. And much further than Duncan had apparently expected, for he cursed as the tip of Alex's sword took him in the stomach. Alex finished falling then rolled over and scrambled to his feet. Richie and the brunette reached Duncan in less than a second. Duncan was holding pressure on the wound as he staggered to a bench next to a rack of free weights.

Alex was staring in horror at his sword. So was Isabel. There was blood on it. Starting at the tip and ending four to six inches back on the blade. Alex dropped the sword and dashed to where Duncan was sitting. Isabel walked over and looked at the sword. Yes, it was definitely blood, and a lot of it. There was more blood on the floor as well. And a considerable amount of blood stained Duncan's shirt, as well as the shirts that Richie and Alex had pulled off to improvise pressure bandages.

As she watched the brunette pulled up Duncan's shirt in back, apparently checking to see if the sword had passed through, while Richie and Alex took turns helping Duncan keep pressure on the wound. Isabel frowned. Something wasn't right here. They weren't *doing* anything. She would have expected at least *one* hysterical call to 911. Instead, they did nothing beyond the simplest first aid. And it wasn't long before she knew why. After a few minutes Duncan stood up and waved off his nursemaids. He pulled off his shirt and wiped at his abdomen where the sword had penetrated. There was no wound. Only a rapidly fading discoloration.

Isabel's heart seized up and she moved quickly away from the sword, out of the line of sight. There was only one sort of creature she knew of that healed like that. An alien. Her blood was running several degrees below zero and she had a ringing in her ears. But that didn't stop her from listening to what was happening.

Alex looked depressed and apologetic. As Duncan bent over to pick up Alex's sword, Alex spoke. "Oh man! Duncan, I'm sorry. I never meant...."

Duncan had straightened and was wiping off Alex's sword with what was left of his ruined shirt. As he did so, he cut Alex off. "Relax Alex. This isn't the first training accident that I've had. Or even the first training accident that *you've* had either. Granted it's no fun, but as injuries go it doesn't rate as badly as a shaving cut for your average man. Richie has done worse to me in the past. And Amanda has done *much* worse... deliberately."

The brunette hottie spoke up. "Oh really? When?" At that, everyone laughed.

Isabel felt she was missing something here, but wasn't exactly sure what. As it was, she was reaching information overload, bordering on panic. Whoever these people were, they were not human. Or at least the one named Duncan wasn't. And they were behaving as if Alex were one of them. Whether he was or not, they had him. And they were teaching him to fight. For who? For them? And why swords? Whatever was happening was beyond her. She needed more information....

*BLINK*

The dream setting had changed. She was standing in a hallway outside the open door of a large, if sparely furnished, bedroom. The only concessions to luxury seemed to be the enormous king sized bed and sitting in one corner was a desk and worktable loaded with tech gear. Two computers and assorted support hardware. The rest of the room was all second hand furniture, and quite shabby and spartan.

The sound of footsteps alerted her to someone's approach down the darkened hall, so she jumped through the door. Once in the room she looked around but there was no where to hide. The closet was too small. The bed was too low to get under. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. All she could do was stand in the shadows against a wall and try to imitate the wallpaper. Alex walked into the room wearing a towel wrapped around his waist and carrying his shaving gear. He had obviously just come from a shower. Once he closed the door he dropped his shaving kit, pulled off the towel, and finished drying his hair. Then he crawled into bed.

Isabel felt suddenly warm. She had trouble catching her breath. She was sure that she was blushing neon red from her scalp all the way to her toenails. The sight of Alex sans clothing had only lasted a few minutes, but it was enough to wake her hormones up and put them on the warpath. Alex was reclining with his arms under his head. With the covers only pulled up as far as his waist, this posture did interesting things to his muscles. From the abs, to the pecs and on up into the shoulders. Coupled with the wild boy look of his hair, it made him look positively edible.

Isabel started to become aware of a faint buzzing in her ears. She shook her head to clear it. She felt like a ditzy school girl. There was still enough of Isabel the Ice Queen in her to make her try and deny the obvious reaction she was having to Alex's physical appeal. When the rapid tattoo of her heart made it apparent that her efforts were getting no where, she groaned softly in frustration. That noise was her undoing.

Alex had been reaching for the bedside light when he stopped. He thought that he'd heard...... He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Damn", he thought. "Apple blossoms. She's here. How long has she been here?" He spoke aloud. "Allee allee outs in free! I know you're there Iz."

Isabel stepped away from the wall and into the circle of light cast by his bedside lamp. Alex sucked in his breath. " Oh my GOD, but she's beautiful", he thought. This was absolutely the last place where in he wanted to be alone with Isabel right now. Reading his own reactions right, he judged himself to be no more than a New York minute from doing something irreversibly stupid. So he stalled. "If this were my usual dream about you, you'd be wearing a lace teddy, and you would have cut to the chase by now."

Isabel smirked and sat down on the foot of the bed. "Alex, I've been in your dreams before. Not that I find your idea repulsive, quite the opposite, but I doubt that it's your 'usual'." She reached out and began to rub one of his feet through the covers. Alex felt high voltage arcing up his leg. She smiled sweetly and said, "You're simply too sweet a guy to make a habit of that."

Alex riposted sharply. "Generally I don't...not with just any girl. You however, are an exception to the rule." Alex noticed a wicked glint in her eyes and realized that he'd overplayed his hand.

Isabel's smile widened into a full out grin. And an evil grin at that. "Why Mr. Whitman, is that your way of saying that there's no other girl for you, but me?"

Her hand moved higher on his leg, causing a tactical nuke explode low in his belly. Alex swallowed hard. He had to stall long enough to find out how much she had seen. "Okay, you win. Isabel, just stop it or I'll have to force you out again."

Isabel relented. "It's a good thing you caved Alex. If you hadn't, my clothes were coming off next."

Alex shivered at the image presented. His blood was hammering at his temples, among other places. The idea was so tempting that it frightened him.

Isabel maintained her evil grin and continued. "But, regardless of the fact that you saved my dignity by caving, consider this a temporary stay of execution Mr. Whitman. We have larger issues to deal with at the moment."

"Here it comes," Alex thought. "Such as?" he asked aloud.

Isabel's eyes narrowed. "I saw quite a bit tonight Alex. I saw your little training accident. Who are Duncan, Richie, and Amanda? More importantly, *what* are they? Especially Duncan. And what are they to you?"

Alex winced. "Damn!" he thought. "Damn! Damn! Damn! I should have been more alert. She's seen way too much!" Alex sighed. "Would you accept that they're my friends and that I can't tell you anything else?"

Isabel pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. She didn't have to say a word. The unspoken 'As if!' was hanging there for anyone to see. And while Alex Whitman was far from blind, he was at a loss as to what the hell to do. The silence stretched interminably. Finally Isabel decided to force things, even if it meant getting booted out again.

"You know, I think I understand what Liz went through a little better now," she said.

Alex frowned a question.

Isabel smiled softly. "Back when Max wanted her but was still fighting it, I mean. I now know what it's like when the one you love is making all the decisions in your relationship. Deciding that it's okay if you're both miserable and apart, as long as he feels that he's keeping you safe."

Alex sighed. "Iz, if I had a choice I'd be home in a heartbeat. You have to know that! But I don't *have* a choice. The first hurdle would be making me officially undead. The second and higher hurdle is my...um..unique situation. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that just being around me could get one or more of you killed."

Isabel regarded him solemnly. "Big deal."

Alex blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Isabel looked irritated. "It means what it says. Big hairy freakin' deal! Once you, Maria, and Liz knew about us, you could have bolted. You didn't. Each of you made a choice to be with us." Isabel's voice softened with the wonder of it and she repeated herself haltingly. "To... be... with... us." Then she continued in a more normal tone. "You three didn't hesitate for an instant. You threw yourselves into what turned out to be a months long nightmare carnival ride of fear, danger, and near death experiences. And you did it despite our efforts to stop you and force you away. And if you really think about it, once Max healed Liz, the die was cast. You were all in danger simply by association. Liz was in danger because Max healed her. You and Maria were in danger because you were Liz's friends. And you would have been in danger whether you were with us or not. But at the time we couldn't see that, and you didn't care anyway. I treated you like crap and you stayed anyway. Ready to jump in anytime, for anything." She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Don't you think that *we*, your friends, have the right to make the same choice with regard to you? Whatever the stinkin' secret is, it can't be any bigger or badder than what we've already handled together!"

Alex looked uncertain. He was wavering. Isabel could see it.

"But the others don't know Iz," he said, "they don't have all the information to make an informed choice...and neither do you."

Isabel shrugged. "That's easily solved. Or it would be if you'd tell me WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!"

Alex jerked at her tone, then his face hardened. "No, I'd rather face this alone and know that all of you are safe. Once I tell you, there is no choice. Because I'll have made it, for all of us. You may have the right to choose, but I don't. Not anymore. If it comes to it, I'd rather die than have this to touch your lives."

Isabel lost it. She jumped to her feet. Tears compounded of equal parts of fear and fury began to trickle down her cheeks. She was shaking. "YOU SELFISH BASTARD!" Alex jerked at the explosion and tried to speak, but Isabel cut him off. Mount Isabel was in full eruption and there was no stopping her now. "Is that what this is about?!! You being afraid how you'll feel if one of us gets hurt, because you didn't keep us away?!! Weren't you listening at all, you idiot!??" Alex tried to speak again, but again she overrode him. "I admitted that WE were wrong to shut you, Liz, and Maria out..just because of the danger involved to both you AND to us! Because WE were AFRAID! And you sit there and try to pull the same crap, for the same reasons??!! What is this? Some sort of bizarre pay back?!"

Isabel scrubbed angrily at her tears with the back of her hand. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Alex. "I swear, if I didn't love you so much, I'd kill you myself for putting me through this! Listen up Alex Whitman, and listen well! When I thought you were dead, it felt like the best part of me had been amputated! I kept waiting for something to happen, for the grieving to pass! But it never did, because deep inside me some part of me knew that you weren't dead! I knew you were out there! I FELT you and never realized it! But, I REALIZE it NOW! You and I are bound, every bit as much as Liz and Max or Maria and Michael are! If something happens to you, I'll know it! If you do something stupid, like get careless with your life because you see your death as the best way to protect us...I'll KNOW it! And I'll follow you! Do you UNDERSTAND me Alex Whitman!? I'll be right BEHIND you, headed into the afterlife. I will NOT be left behind AGAIN!!" She glared at him through her drying tears, her heart heavy with hopeless anger and fear. "Believe it!"

Alex felt like he'd stepped off over his head into some very deep, very cold water. One thing he had to say about Isabel. She doesn't mince words. And she doesn't bluff either. The small spark of panic that had been flickering in him since her first appearance in his dreams flared into a full out inferno of fear and anger at the very thought of what she had just threatened. Panic is not a good thing for someone trying to sleep. He was trying to reach out to her when.....

*BLINK*

Monday 12:10 AM....MacLeod's Dojo

The first thing that Alex became aware of was pain. His elbow, his head, and his tailbone. "OWW!!" he howled. He was half awake as he thrashed and struggled against an invisible enemy. As he continued to fight he heard the clatter and crash of something hitting the floor. At that sound his sleep fogged senses cleared and he realized what was happening. He had tumbled out of bed, he was fighting with his covers, and unless he missed his guess...he'd just broken his clock radio.

Cursing quietly he struggled out of his covers and paused, seated on the floor with his back against the bed, to let his heart beat and breathing slow. By the time he felt composed enough to put his bed back together and crawl into it, no one had come to check on him. So he assumed that any noise he had made had passed without notice. Before going to bed he checked the clock radio. Sure enough, it was history. Duncan granted him a small weekly allowance, most of which he saved since room and board were provided for in exchange for doing grunt work around the dojo. Tomorrow he'd have to take some of it and get a new clock radio.

Ever since he'd come awake enough to realize he was on the floor, his last encounter with Isabel had played and replayed in his mind. Looking at the phone next to his computer he'd never been more tempted in all the last six months than he was that instant. It shouldn't have ended that way. "I wonder if it's a human/alien thing," he asked himself. "I wish I could talk to Maria and Liz. How can she piss me off, scare the crap out of me, AND cause me to love her...with equal intensity and at the same time? Is it like this for Liz and Maria, with Max and Michael?" Alex sighed as he settled back to sleep. "Now that I think about it, I suppose it is." He grinned as he flexed his fist, recalling the time he'd belted Michael in the mouth. "Wonder how I'd do now?" he thought as he tried to relax enough to sleep. It wasn't going well.

Alex sighed deeply and then settled into his breathing exercises. He willed himself to sleep, but it wouldn't come. After only a few minutes of it he felt like he was going to explode. Or implode. Either way, he had to get out of here and walk this off. Having made his decision he quickly rose and dressed. He paused in thought then nodded to himself. Opening his small closet he drew out his duster and sword. Slinging the sword high he pulled on the duster and checked himself in the mirror. He chuckled quietly. "I guess you could say I'm dressed to kill. I just hope it works the other way. That I'm dressed not to BE killed."

His inspection finished, Alex drew on Amanda's stealth lessons and moved silently through the dojo. As he approached the hallway that led into Duncan's loft he slowed to a crawl and listened. He heard nothing but uninterrupted snores. One set masculine, one set feminine. Alex grinned. "Does Amanda know that she snores I wonder?" Moving slowly Alex passed the hallway and then picked up the pace until he hit the street. It was raining. Not hard, but steadily. The air felt heavy. It was misty. Alex paused and looked around. The street was quiet. At this time of night there was no foot traffic, and vehicle traffic was low. Alex set off down the street in the general direction of the waterfront. He had a destination in mind, and it was only a few blocks away.

To anyone watching he was lost in the mist and rain in moments. As it happened, someone WAS watching. The unseen watcher chuckled to himself as children's rhymes about spiders and flies danced in his head. He smiled at his unbelievable luck. Usually, at this time of night, he would be curled up with a bottle of Johnny Walker Black. But every so often he would assume a vigil on top of an empty storefront up the block from the dojo, on the off hand that something interesting might happen. And, lo and behold, something had. The fates had delivered the newbie to him on a platter!

Still smiling a feral smile, Rafe Conterras abandoned his post on top of the old storefront and moved towards the roof fire escape. He had no idea where the newbie was headed, but this was like a gift from heaven as far as he was concerned. He anticipated no trouble tracking him, but if he lost him...so what. There was always tomorrow, and that was what the hunt was all about. Moving with an innate stealth Conterras set off down the opposite street, paralleling Alex's course. Tracking in for the kill.

The loft of Duncan MacLeod...a few minutes earlier

After Alex moved past the short hallway the snores stopped. Amanda sighed. "He's getting better. If I hadn't known he was coming, I'd never have heard him at all."

Duncan snorted. "I would have." He gave a loud 'OOF!' as Amanda's elbow connected with his ribs.

"Now what?" she asked.

Duncan sighed. "Now one of us follows him to make sure he gets back in one piece, then the other gets to ream him for going out alone."

Amanda nodded. "So who does which job?"

Duncan chuckled. "We cut cards?"

Amanda shook her head. "Too much trouble. Rock, paper, scissors. It's raining out. The loser gets wet."

Accordingly they raised their fists and counted the beat. Duncan showed scissors. Amanda showed rock. She smiled happily and rolled over. "I'm going back to sleep. Wake me when you get back." Then she squawked, because as Duncan swung his feet out of bed he leaned back and swung the flat of his hand to connect solidly with her rump. Amanda snap rolled onto her back and glared. "I'm going to try and pretend that didn't happen, because if I happen to remember it when you get back...you're sleeping on the floor. Now stop clowning around! If Conterras is out there and reaches Alex before you do, your life won't be worth living. I'll make it my mission in life."

Duncan jumped to his feet and hurriedly dressed without turning on the light. At his age and experience he could dress in the dark without a problem. If need be he could handle it blindfolded and standing on his head. Centuries of living on yellow alert had given him an edge. There was nothing more embarrassing than being taken by surprise in the middle of the night and having to fight buck naked. So his clothes and weapon were always close at hand when he slept. The reason for his speed had as much to do with Alex's safety as it did with Amanda's threat. Though a threat from Amanda was not to be despised for it's power to motivate.

Thus it was that Duncan hit the street just as Alex was vanishing into the clouds of suspended mist shrouding the city. Duncan hurried after him. Straining his ears until he caught sight of his young student half a block ahead. After that he stayed well back from him, trailing him in the very ragged edge of visibility. Speeding up when the mist was thick, slowing when it thinned out. He had no idea what had disturbed his pupil's sleep, but both he and Amanda had awakened to Alex's shout at the same time.

Duncan had been outside his door in seconds, sword in hand. But rather than burst in he had listened. It was time to have the boy start standing on his own two feet...or least have him think that he was. Because, with Conterras cruising Seattle like a starving shark on a blood scent, the day may be coming when his student would need that confidence to save his life. So Duncan listened until he heard Alex begin to move about the room purposefully. Duncan knew the telltale sounds that accompanied someone getting dressed. He had turned and hurried back to bed, arriving in time to alert Amanda and settle back in feigned sleep.

As he moved along behind Alex he stretched out his senses, honed by centuries as both the hunter and the hunted, seeking any trace that someone else might be shadowing Alex. Someone with less pure motives. He couldn't detect anything. But that meant nothing. Conterras' dossier from The Watchers hinted at the fact that the man made rat look like a bumbling amateur at slinking by unnoticed, buzz or no buzz. They'd come eight blocks when Alex stopped, then walked into the well lighted building across the street from him. "The bus station?" Duncan pondered. "He wouldn't run. Not now. He knows that his training isn't complete. And he for damn sure knows that there's no going home. But something has been plaguing the boy the last few days, if his performance is anything to go by. Something more than the funeral.

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 5:48 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 7b
(Something Wicked This Way Comes)

Duncan cut across the street and approached the bus station along the adjacent store fronts. As he passed the alley between the right side of the station and the last store front his 'friend or foe' radar came to quivering alert. There was a hostile around. His 'radar' wasn't as good as the buzz when it came to detecting trouble coming, but it had never truly failed him. And it had only played him false a few times over the centuries, and all that had lead to was some embarrassing incidents. In Duncan's book, being embarrassed occasionally was much better than being a head shorter once. So he paid attention to the alarm sounding in his hind brain. The place where, in all humans, the wild animal still resides. Where instinct rules. He made a dash to the right wall of the bus station and froze next to a dumpster and listened. Nothing. But Conterras was here somewhere. He was as certain of it as he'd ever been about anything in his life.

His initial impulse was to march into the nearly vacant bus station, drag Alex out by the scruff of his neck, and make a strategic withdrawal. He stifled it. For the same reason that he hadn't charged into Alex's bedroom earlier. To build the kid's confidence. This was riskier, but it was a carefully calculated risk. He was betting Alex's life that, should Conterras show his face, he could reach Alex before the butcher could.

Duncan shook himself free of his reverie began to find a position from which to wait things out. He found it on the left side of the bus station, next to a parked bus. That side was well lighted, with a mostly empty parking lot for cars and offloading buses, and the whole side of the station was glass. Floor to ceiling glass. Doors and windows alike. Aside from an occasional structural support column, his view was unobstructed. And most importantly, he was close enough to observe, yet far enough away not to set off 'the buzz'. As he settled in to wait it out he kept his senses wound up to maximum.

Scanning the inside of the station for Alex he found him easily, for he was in plain sight. "At a *pay phone*?" Duncan mused. "Who the hell would he be calling at this time of night? And why?" Duncan frowned. This was trouble in the making. He was certain of it. "One thing for sure. When I get him home and tell Amanda, his goose is cooked. She'll take her job as the designated reamer VERY seriously. It was the mother hen in her coming out." At that Duncan grinned. He knew who would be on the mats with Alex tomorrow.

The Evans Household...12:50 AM

Isabel was slowly going out of her mind. She had tried to settle down and get to sleep after being abruptly ejected from Alex's dream, but she wasn't having any luck. She was too scared. She was frightened of what was happening in Seattle. Of what MIGHT happen in Seattle. Of what was GOING to happen in Seattle. The repeated dream walks were starting to give her a stronger sense of Alex. Of what he was feeling. And what she was getting now was worrying her. A constant background buzz of anxiety that, for want of a better term, felt something like what a rabbit might feel if he knew there was a hawk around that he couldn't see. Alex was afraid, but fighting it.

She had meant her last threat. To join him in death if he did something stupid, like allowing himself to be killed without a fight...simply to end this before it endangered her or the others. "Bullshit!" she thought. "Anything that dangerous we're SUPPOSED to share. We're MEANT to share. If he can't see that, then I'll have to pin him down and bully him until he does." Isabel paused, then grinned. "Or perhaps pinning him down and wriggling a bit would work better. Because I certainly had his engine racing earlier. I don't think it would have taken much....." Isabel's internal dialogue was cut off abruptly by a faint trilling sound.

Isabel frowned and stood up...listening as the trilling went on and on. "Shit! My cell phone!" She lunged at her purse and dug into it, pulling out the ringing cell phone. She stared at the chirping phone with a mixture of hope and dread.

"Who would know that I was awake at this hour? Who would know my number?"

She knew that Alex had committed it to memory back when they had first dated. But would he still remember ,it after all this time? Yes, of course he would. Unable to put it off any longer she answered the call..."Hello?" she said in a small voice.

There was silence on the line for a moment. Then the the sound of someone clearing their throat, followed by a soft low and very familiar voice...heavy with emotion. "Isabel?"

Isabel felt her knees start to go rubbery, and she sat down heavily on the bed. She felt like there was a weight on her chest so heavy that she could barely breathe. This wasn't a dream. And it wasn't a dream walk. Alex, very real and very alive, was on the other end of the phone. This was real! She began to tremble so badly that her voice came out in a stutter. "A-A-Alex?"

The same low voice answered. "Yeah Izzy, it's me. I just couldn't go back to sleep. I couldn't leave things the way they were between us."

With that, Isabel's reserve cracked. The damn broke. The pressure in her chest had to find an outlet. And it did. She began to sob as the emotions, that she'd rigidly held in check since Saturday, burst loose.

Seattle, Washington Bus Terminal...Same Time

The terminal was clean and quiet. Except for two winos staying out of the rain, there wasn't a soul in sight. The night custodian had long since finished his job and was sacked out in a store room. And the night manager was following the route of self supervised night workers the world over who have no work at the moment. He had retired to catch some shuteye right next to the custodian until the next bus came in. The place would have looked abandoned if it weren't for the presence of very one nervous and worried looking young man at the pay phone bank along the back wall.

Alex stood at the pay phone and listened to the woman he loved break down into tears. This was a far cry from the Ice Princess of old. And he felt like a total louse. He let her cry for a bit until her sobs began to wind down, then he tried to restart the conversation. "Isabel? Honey?" The sobs at the other end slowed further as Isabel seemed to be bringing herself under control. Though she was still gulping back the occasional sniffle, and when she finally spoke though it was very clear that she was still a long way from being happy.

"Alex Whitman! What makes you think you have the right to 'Honey' me?! After what I've been through the last two days?! Two days hell, the last six months! You son of a bitch! How dare you pretend to be dead? How could you do this to me? To all of us? What about Liz and Maria? Yes, and Michael and Max too! Do you have any idea how guilty we've felt about the fact that one of our own 'murdered' you?" Isabel's control started to slip a little, but her anger trailed off somewhat as she became plaintive. "Alex? Come home. Please? Or let us come and get you, before this whatever it is you're into gets you killed?"

Alex sighed deeply. "It isn't that simple Iz. This isn't something I'm 'into', it's more something that's into ME. I can't explain it better than that. All I can tell you is that until I'm better trained, I'm a living lightening rod. Trouble will come to me whether I like it or not. And unless I can defend myself I'm a liability. A liability that could cost the people I love their lives!"

The pendulum of Isabel's oscillating emotions swung back towards anger. "That's bullshit! Better trained to be WHAT? A killer?"

Alex's voice took on a note of grimness she'd never heard before. "Yes, if need be. Though I like to think of it more as becoming a warrior. I won't go looking for trouble. But, from now on, and for as long as I live, trouble will come looking for me."

Isabel's emotional storm subsided to a dull roar in her heart and mind. "So what? I'm supposed to play Penelope to your Odysseus? Guess again buster. Whatever you're up to you have to be able to handle here as well as you can there, with us to back you up! Come home!"

Alex was silent for a while, so long that Isabel started to be afraid that she had angered him. When he finally spoke, she discovered it wasn't anger that stilled him. It was grief.

"Home to what Iz? Yes, I would have you and the others, but this isn't something you can fix with a little molecular manipulation. I was dead. My life is gone. Everything I had. Everything I owned. Just gone. In a sense the only thing I own now is the suit I had on when they planted me... and that's all torn up. Even my parents are *dead* Iz. Even if I came home the chances are really damned thin that I could salvage my former life. What would I do? Hang around, living on what I could sponge off of you guys...until someone happened to see me who knows that NO ONE should be seeing me at all? Then all hell would break loose and you know it! I don't think you want that kind of attention Iz."

Isabel was growing desperate. "We'll work something out! Brody would help. He has the money, the skills, and the contacts."

Alex sounded puzzled. "Brody? Isn't that a touch risky? Bringing in an outsider?"

Isabel winced. In updating Alex she'd clearly missed a few things. "Um, he's not an outsider. Not anymore. After you..um, left us...Amy DeLuca and Brody both started showing signs of breakdown due to Tess' mind warp. Their minds were literally coming apart at the seams. The only thing we could do is tell them. We had to if we were going to help. Max, Michael, and I had made up our minds that no innocent bystanders were going to suffer because of us."

Alex was silent for a moment. "And it worked?"

Isabel spoke with some temper. "Yes it worked and you're ducking the issue. Brody has the money and the means to bring you home and rebuild your life. I know he does. So, come home!"

Alex was silent. When he spoke again it was in a dull monotone that reminded her of Liz the other night. "Isabel.. it's... just... not... that... easy. Things are different now."

Sitting on her bed in Roswell, Isabel could feel him out at the far end of the wispy emotional tether between them that seemed to be growing stronger every day, binding them ever closer together. Making a mental note to talk to Liz about her own bond with Max she paused in thought. She could feel his borderline acquiescence, his willingness to talk, and decided to go for broke.. She hesitated a moment, then she gave the gentlest of verbal shoves. "Different how?"

Alex glanced around the bus terminal and then fed some more money into the pay phone, rather than risk interruption. Taking a deep breath he decided to give her some information while carefully skirting the core truth. But first he had a request. "Isabel, before I answer that, could you do me a favor?"

Isabel sensed victory, but stifled any rejoicing to concentrate on the issue at hand. Trying to make light of the moment she asked playfully, '"Are you trying to come up with something that I'd actually say no to? If so, it won't work. For you? Anything. Anything at all."

Alex wasn't stupid. He knew he was being played with. And it pleased him to let her get away with it, because he HAD missed this. He had missed *her*. So he skipped a comeback and cut to the chase. "Try to check my birth records. Be careful and thorough because I'm betting the truth is hidden. I'm betting on something that my folks never told me."

Isabel frowned in puzzlement. "What would that be??"

Alex glanced nervously around the bus terminal again. "That, like you, I'm adopted."

Back in Roswell Isabel jumped to her feet and started to pace. She hadn't seen this coming. "Are you leading up to telling me that you're an alien too? If so, don't. Don't tell me something that I KNOW isn't the truth Alex! If you were one of US your blood never would have passed inspection at the hospital when Max was hurt!"

Alex sighed. "I don't know what I am. Or rather I do know what I am, I simply don't know where people like me come from. But one thing is certain. It isn't out of incubation pods! No Isabel, I'm not an alien. At least not in the sense that You, Max, and Michael are. But as different as you are from say Liz, I'm just as different from both of you....now. I always was, I simply didn't know it. My kind come into this world as foundlings. Every one of us. Abandoned babies with no biological parents that can be found. We look human. We grow up human. We're identical to humans. We ARE human until we're....changed..." He trailed off. This was getting perilously close to the central truth. And he'd rather break THAT news face to face!

Isabel had collapsed onto her bed again. This was a LOT to take in. Even so, she kept pushing. "Changed how? By what?"

Alex was quiet for a long time. "Iz, what do you think happened to me six months ago?"

Isabel was at a loss now. "I don't know," she said faintly.

Alex gave a grim laugh. "C'mon Iz, it's ok. You can say it. I died."

Isabel's head started to spin. Without prompting Alex continued.

"I got curious and hacked the coroner's report. Morbid I know, but I couldn't help it. They don't come much more dead than I was. Even if I hadn't died of a cerebral hemorrhage BEFORE the crash, I certainly never would have survived the crash itself. Skull fractured. Multiple broken bones, lacerations, and internal injuries. Knowing you guys, you tried to have Max heal me. To do that he had to SEE me. What did he say?"

Isabel's ears were ringing now. She had wanted information. Now she had it, but it was too overwhelming. From far away she heard Alex's question, and from equally far away she heard herself answer. "He didn't say anything. He wouldn't. He simply got out of the coroner's van without you and we knew. What would have been the POINT of saying anything. At that point I couldn't have stood much more anyway!"

Alex heard the stress in her tones, and more than that it was like he could *feel* how close to the edge she was. He didn't understand it, he simply followed the instincts that Duncan's training had brought to the surface. Always trust your gut, it will never play you false. He decided then and there to withhold the critical piece of information until they were together again...if they ever were. He was about to speak again when he suddenly froze.

The Evans Household....1:00 AM

Isabel was still trying to overcome her mental vertigo and speak again when the shock wave hit. Far away in Seattle Alex was suddenly terrified. His emotions were so powerful and sharp that she had the sharp copper taste of fear in her own mouth. Something was happening. She ignored her dizziness and leaped to her feet clutching the cell phone in a death grip. "Alex! What's happening?! Alex?!!"

Seattle Bus Terminal....Same Time

Alex stood frozen as the eerie creeping electric chill of "the buzz' worked it's way through his body. An Immortal was near. And he was damned certain that he wasn't lucky enough for it to be one of his friends. Not at this time of night. He had been followed! "Damn! Damn!! DAMN!!" he thought. He turned towards the glass windows facing the parking lot, his senses at full tingling alert now. He became aware that Isabel was shouting at him over the phone. Keeping his eyes alertly on the lot he spoke. "Iz, I have to go. NOW!" Despite his efforts to talk to her she continued to shout into her phone and demand an explanation.. And he simply couldn't spare the time and attention. Cursing himself and his luck he slammed the receiver back onto its cradle and spun away, stepping towards the double doors with his hand under his duster on the pommel of his sword.

Outside still observing from next to the bus at the far end of the lot, Duncan was on full alert. He had seen Alex slam the phone down abruptly and spin away to face the doors with his hand on his sword. And there was no mistaking his posture. He was on battle alert. The lad had sensed something. Duncan moved along the side of the bus away from the station to stand at the other end, thus improving his view of the rear of the building. If it was Conterras, and it very likely was, then his two best chances of attack were the rear, or the roof. Duncan cursed. "Unless of course there's a back door to that place!" he thought. As he watched Alex remained in place, scanning the lot. Duncan sighed in frustration. "Come on Alex, come on! Come outside! Don't let the bastard get behind you, if he can! Bait him in!"

A moment later Alex left his position in the terminal waiting room and answered Duncan's unheard request by moving outside. He stopped just outside the door, the moved to the right, towards the street, and waited in the shadow of one of the supports of the breezeway connecting the parking lot to the terminal. It was still raining slightly, so the shelter was welcome. The sense that he was being stalked was still there, but he still had no clue where his hunter was. Which made him less than happy. He was scared to death, but suppressing it. The white noise of rain fall masked sounds, and the water already of the ground dampened any noises that might have been made there.

The minutes ticked by as all the parties involved in the little life and death poker game were trying to outwit each other. As you might have expected, Conterras' patience folded first.

Alex was so tightly strung that he wanted to scream when he heard a scrabbling sound that he couldn't place at first. Then he heard a thud towards the rear of the terminal building as a body hit the ground.

It was Conterras. He had lain in wait on the roof, trusting "the buzz" and his mere presence to drive the newbie into a panicked run. Experience had taught him that once you get them running, they were easier to kill. They'd exhaust themselves and be unable to fight, and their fear would sap their ability to make an organized defense. But this kid had the patience of a clam. He had grown more irritable with each passing minute. "I should be back in bed by NOW!" he muttered. "How dare this little cabrone keep me awake for longer than it takes to shorten him?" Finally his patience snapped and he made the short drop from the terminal roof to the ground, letting his knees collapse on impact and going into a shoulder roll to take up the momentum.

When he bounced to his feet the last thing he expected was to see Alex with his sword out at the ready. He'd expected the kid to still be cowering somewhere in the terminal. Perhaps in the ladies room. Somewhere from which Rafe would have to pry him before taking his head. Now though he paused. He didn't think the kid could be a serious challenge, but all his immortal life he'd done things the easy way. Why change that now? He paused just a little too long, because a moment later he felt "the buzz" accompanied by a shout and the sound of running feet could be heard before being overwhelmed by the roar of the incoming inter-urban bus from Eugene.

Duncan saw Conterras drop off the roof and cursed. He was already moving across the lot at a run before "The Angel of Death" rolled to his feet. He shouted for Alex to back away, but he was drowned out by the roar of a big diesel engine as a North bound bus rolled in to disgorge passengers from Oregon, California, and points South. Thus the encounter was halted before it began. Immortals don't conduct their business well in a crowd.

Duncan reached Alex, who had sheathed his sword as soon as the bus rolled in. Conterras had never even drawn his. Neither had Duncan. So, from all appearances, they were simply three men in long coats having a conversation. As the noisy passengers came through the breezeway into the terminal, Duncan and Alex moved to the side into the still gently falling rain, and out of earshot of those entering the terminal. Rafe Conterras matched their movement by backing away.

Looking at Alex, Conterras laughed. "You got lucky cabroncito. Had the bus been a few minutes later those passengers would have been greeted by your headless corpse."

Duncan glared. "You know the rules. He's my student. To challenge him you have to get through me first."

Conterras laughed again. "Ah, but you have to be there to take the challenge MacLeod. And you can't be everywhere at once. In fact I have it on good authority that it won't be too long before you aren't anywhere at all. Sooner or later I'll shorten him. Why make this hard? Look after your own life." He looked at Alex. "What do you say you introduce me to that chica that was at your parents funeral in Nueva Mejico? What was her name? Isabel? Ai! What a girl! Don't worry cabroncito I promise that after I finish with you, I'll put a smile on her face that will last her the rest of her life! Which, come to think of it, shouldn't be more than a few minutes after I'm done with her." Conterras drew his finger across his throat theatrically.

Alex snarled and would have charged him then and there if Duncan hadn't put a hand on is shoulder. Addressing Conterras he said, "Whatever you know, or whatever you've heard, forget it. People have tried to take my head for centuries. I'm still here. And while I'm here, my pupil and everyone associated with him are under my protection. Mess with them and I'll make you a personal project of you! But, if you want to do this the right way, I'll meet you. Anywhere, anytime."

Conterras grin never left his face. He waved his fingers in a latin gesture of negation. "No no my friend. I make it a policy never to do things the hard way. That honorable combat crap is not for me! All I have to do is be patient. As I said, you have problems enough. Sooner or later this child will be mine. Until then a bid you good chances." As he turned to go he beamed another smile Alex's way. "One thing cabroncito? Is she your sister? Or your girlfriend? I like to know who I'm ravishing."

Alex snarled again, but Conterras had already spun away into the darkness. In a blink he was gone. Alex spun on Duncan. "What the hell are we waiting for??!! You heard what he said! Let's go!"

Duncan shook his head. "That blowhard won't try anything with the girl while you live. He's too much of a coward to do anything else. And besides, while I might catch him, you have no experience at this kind of night chase. So I'd have to leave you behind. There would be nothing to prevent him from doubling back and trying to take your head while I was chasing a false trail. Even money says that he's out there right now, watching for that very thing. What I'm really waiting for is an explanation for YOU! What the hell were you thinking of? Who was so important that your call couldn't wait? Or that you couldn't be make it from within the dojo?"

Alex blinked. "I can't tell you."

Duncan looked stern. "Can't? Or won't?"

Alex looked sorry, but stuck to his guns. "Can't."

Duncan stared at him a moment, then he shrugged. "All right, have it your way. This isn't over. I'm sure Amanda will have some words for you when we get home. Let's go!"

Now that Alex's adrenaline was winding down he was aware of an uncomfortable feeling of panic in the back of his mind that just wouldn't fade. At first he put it down to the thought of facing Amanda's wrath. But it didn't feel like that at all. He pondered it for a moment as he and Duncan made their way back to the dojo. Then he thought back to that gut feeling about Isabel's state of mind when he was talking to her. Without questioning he followed his instincts and began to think soothing thoughts. Clearing his mind of conflict and worry. Without words he touched the panic and said, "I'm okay and I love you." Whether it was really Isabel or not, the feeling seemed to relax and vanish from his mind. He hoped that she was okay. Having dealt with that he recalled Conterras' threat. And remembered who he had threatened and gave a grim chuckle.

Duncan heard him laugh, but he was in no mood for humor. Glaring at his pupil he said, "And just what do you find so funny about this?"

Alex shrugged. "It just hit me that it would almost be worth it."

Duncan looked puzzled. "What would be worth it?"

Alex laughed but shook his head, preferring to keep his thoughts to himself. "It would almost be worth it," he thought, "to let that jerkoff take my head. So I could stand up in the hereafter and watch what happens to him when he tries to make good on his threat against Isabel. You'd be able to bury what would be left in a thimble. If there's any woman on Earth that's one hundred percent rape proof, it's Isabel." Alex chuckled again and shook his head. When Duncan tried to pry an explanation out of him he refused.

Duncan stared at him a moment longer and then picked up the pace. It was still raining and he wanted to salvage *some* sleep before dawn. Answers could wait until morning. He didn't know that his thoughts of the moment closely matched those that a certain teenage reincarnation of an alien king was having at the moment in Roswell , NewMexico...after his sister's screams had dragged him from a sound sleep for the second time in three days.

Duncan and Alex hurried on into the night. Tomorrow was another day. And Max was thinking THAT too.

End of Part 7

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 6:20 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

Author's Note: It has been called to my attention that some of my readers are "Highlander" challenged. That being the case, a reminder about Cassandra. She has a bad history with Methos. A better history with Duncan. She's a couple millennia old. She practices a form of 'magic'. The key in this is "Voice". All her dialog in Voice mode will appear in Double Quotes. As in...""Dialog"". When she speaks to you in Voice you cannot help but obey. Now, enjoy troops!

STILL YOURS - Part 8a
(Revelations)

The Evans Household....9:00 AM Monday Morning

A bleary eyed Max Evans snapped awake and realized that he'd fallen asleep eating breakfast. For the second time that morning. His first thought of "Oh shit I'm late for school!" subsided when he remembered that he had taken the day off to look after Izzy. His second was that he'd just had another near miss with going face first into a bowl of Cheerios, milk, sugar, and tabasco sauce. He gave a melancholy sigh as he thought about the reason for his exhaustion. If Friday night's nightmare had been bad, last night's was a 10 on the Richter scale. Isabel had been borderline hysterical most of the time, with occasional forays across the border into total lala land. After a while though, just as her hysteria reached it's height, something had happened. It was like some invisible emotional rubber band had snapped back. She had calmed down and fallen asleep almost immediately. She was still sleeping. Max had stayed up the rest of the night, standing watch over her. And he was genuinely frightened.

"~Max, are you ready to tell me what's wrong?~," came the soft, but very welcome voice in his head.

Max had contacted Liz this morning via their newly minted telepathic connection and told her that he was staying home from school, asking her to catch a ride with Maria. She had sensed his tension and worry, but had let him alone when he promised to tell her what was wrong later.

Max sighed. "~Where are you? Some place that we can talk without your being distracted or interrupted? It's a long story.~"

Liz giggled mentally. "~I'm in the eraser room, missing my big handsome spaceman. It beats early study hall. If we didn't have a test in honors chemistry today I'd have cut school completely to be with you.~"

Max shook his head ruefully. "~Sweetheart, I'm a bad influence on you! Tell me honestly, did you ever in your life cut school until I came along?~"

Max felt a wave of tenderness backed by impatience from Liz. "~No Love, but then I never had a reason to. Until you came along. And if you hadn't come along I'd never have had the chance at all, because I'd be dead! And you're trying to evade my question. Are you ready to talk?~"

Max chuckled. Liz must be taking "Maria" lessons. " ~Okay, okay, you win! I'd love to Liz, but you have to bear with me. I haven't slept all night! So I'm gonna ramble a lot.~"

Liz chuckled mentally. "~You're already rambling.~" Then she took the sting from her words with some mental cuddling.

Max grinned sheepishly. While they had been talking he had given up on further efforts at breakfast, rinsed his dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. Now he headed upstairs to check on his sleeping sister, while continuing to talk to his better half..

"~It was pretty bad, Liz. Isabel had another nightmare. At least I think it was a nightmare. I heard her scream. And believe me, I never want to hear her make another sound like that again as long as I live. I was out of bed and into her room like a shot. She was curled up in the middle of her bed clutching her cell phone, sobbing hysterically. I don't think I ever saw her like this, Liz. Not even after Alex died. She was always so controlled. But not last night. I couldn't get anything out of her except 'He's scared, he's scared'. She just seemed to get worse and worse, until I was actually starting to get beyond being worried and into outright afraid for her.~"

Approaching Isabel's bedroom door, Max paused. "~Hang on a sec Liz, I'm going in to check on Isabel.~"

Max quietly walked into the dim half light of his sister's bedroom. Her back was to the door. He walked around to the other side of the bed, and stared at her face, still streaked with the tracks of dried tears, and half hidden by her hair. He gently brushed her hair back and placed a kiss on her forehead. Isabel stirred in her sleep, murmured something unintelligible, and settled back again into slumber. Max left as quietly as he had entered, closed the door silently, and resumed his conversation with Liz.

"~Where was I? Oh yeah, afraid for Isabel. Anyway, whatever was happening reached the point where I thought she was going to snap. She was totally terrified. Then something happened. The only way I can describe it is a 'release'. It all just stopped. She went limp, muttered what sounded like 'he's okay', and fell asleep. She's been asleep ever since. I sat up watching her most of the night. Liz, I'm scared witless here.~"

Liz was silent for a long moment then she spoke. "~I can see why. In your shoes I'd be worried too. I'm NOT in your shoes and I'm worried.~" She paused again. "~Max, I always thought that there was more going on with her after Alex died than she let on. Like she was suppressing a lot. That can't be healthy. It could be that the Whitman's funeral opened a crack in the dam, and what you saw last night was the ultimate result of months of pent up emotion. All that grief, all that anger, finally coming out into the light of day. Look at what pent up emotion resulted in with the two of us? Only for Isabel, there can be no resolution. She's stuck. There's no one for her to expend it with. And all that has to come out before she can heal. Or even START to heal.~"

Max entered his bedroom and sprawled out on his unmade bed. "~I hope so. God, I hope that's the case. If she's losing it, I don't know what we'd do. We can't take her to a shrink. I don't even think that drug therapy would work, because we haven't a clue what drugs designed for normal humans would do to us.~"

Liz sent soothing waves of love and understanding into his mind. "~I don't think it will come to that, Love. The fact that she passed the crisis and went to sleep is probably an encouraging sign. If you want, I'll grab Maria after work tonight and swing by for a little ice cream therapy. Maybe we can get her to talk.~"

Max sighed with relief as he returned her love. "~Thank you Honey. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Do you suppose you could give her a nudge about dating while you're at it?~"

Max picked up a spike of impatience from Liz. He could almost read the thought in her mind....'Men!' "~Max, it's too soon. If this WAS the crisis, it's way too soon to start talking about that! It would just make her shut down again. Or if she did start dating she'd likely just shelve everything again. It's better that she deals with it NOW, so when she does start dating, she can give it all her attention. As it is, if she started dating now and got serious, it'd just turn out to be a really weird sort of love triangle between her, Alex's memory, and the poor bastard she was dating. No, no dating, no TALK of dating.~"

Max sighed sleepily. "~Okay, you and Maria are the boss on this. I'm kinda tired, so I think I'm going to try and make up for lost sleep before Izzy wakes up. I want to be fresh and rested to handle any new problems.~"

"~Sleep well Sweetheart~," Liz's mind voice crooned. "~I'll round up your class work and drop it off this afternoon on my way home. I Love You!~"

Max smiled as sleep began to take hold of him in earnest. "~I Love You Too, Liz! Have a good day at school! And tell Michael what's going on, will you?~"

Liz's voice was fading now, but he still heard her mind say, "~Will do! Sleep tight Your Majesty!~"

Max chuckled a last time as he lethargically slipped out of his clothes and pulled his covers up. He was blissfully asleep in moments.

MacLeod's Dojo...Seattle...same time....

Alex cautiously regarded the people staring at him across the breakfast table. His face was as hard set as theirs. He had known from the moment that Duncan had silently waved off his farewell last night, as they went to their separate beds, that he was in for it this morning. But dealing with Duncan, Richie, AND Amanda before he had any caffeine in him had been taxing. So he had put them off. Breakfast had proceeded in stony silence broken by the occasional polite requests to pass the sugar or salt. The meal was over now, and the interrogation had resumed.

Richie shook his head. "Alex my man, that was a bone head thing to do. You could have gotten yourself killed. For a freakin' phone call?"

Alex gave a snort of disgust. "Knowing that this evil Don Quixote wannabe was out to collect MY head would have been helpful. If you want me to play by the rules, knowing the rules helps. Besides, I'm still alive."

"But you wouldn't be if one of us hadn't followed you!" Amanda exploded. "For God's sake Alex! I thought I taught you better than that. As a new Immortal you AREN'T the 'cat'...you're the MOUSE. Caution in all things! What the hell was so important that you had to use a phone away from here, hmmmm?"

Duncan looked stern and serious when he chimed in with, "Alex, I'm not stupid. There would be only one reason for you to do what you did. You wanted to hide the phone call from us. From me specifically. I'd be willing to bet that, if I could check it out, the other end of that call would end up being somewhere in the state of New Mexico. Wouldn't it? You know the rules. You've allowed someone from your previous life, a mortal, to know you're still alive. That could create serious problems for all of us. For every Immortal alive!"

Alex flushed painfully, but he stood his ground stubbornly. "There won't be a problem, I'm making it my business to see that there isn't one!"

Duncan had to admire the boy's grit. He wasn't denying anything, but neither was he backing down an inch. But then he had expected that. The kid was honest to a fault. Deceit came hard for him...which was what Duncan was counting on. "In this, your business IS our business. What the hell possessed you to do such a foolish thing? Besides that, if we hadn't been awakened by your nightmare, you'd be just another headless body in someone's dumpster right now!"

Duncan wasn't saying so out loud, but seeing Conterras' in action he'd come to have second thoughts about Alex's chances against him. Conterras' leap and landing off the terminal roof had been clumsy. And his recovery had been slow. That had shown Duncan enough to know that Alex was probably faster than Conterras, and most likely had better reflexes to boot. Raphael Conterras been killing helpless newbies for a almost century now. And Alex had been trained by some of the all time champions at walking away alive with the other fella's Quickening. In a stand-up fight he gave Alex even odds. In another year, it would be no contest worth mentioning. None of which he was going to say out loud for fear of making the boy cocky.

Duncan placed his elbows on the table and leaned in towards Alex. "Alex, I thought it was understood that contact with people from your past, even people that you were close to, *especially* people that you were close to, was a bad idea?"

Alex gave Duncan a small grin and glanced around the table at Richie and Amanda. "Before we get into that Duncan, answer me this. You've had mortal friends before. People who knew what you were?"

Duncan threw up his hands. "That's beside the point!"

Alex shook his head. "Tessa...and Ann?"

Amanda made a show of staring off into space. No woman likes to hear the ex's brought into the discussion. Duncan glanced at her then turned to glare at Richie. He really had no reason to blame Richie. It wasn't really a secret, and it could have been Methos, or Joe who had told Alex about Duncan's past...but Richie was the one within reach. So he was the recipient of Duncan's ire.

Duncan turned back to Alex. "And this is your justification?"

Alex shrugged. "No, I see no need to justify it. I'm just saying that the situations are comparable, with a slight twist."

Duncan stared at him. Had Alex just flashed Duncan a peek at that hole card of his? Duncan's face gave away nothing. "What twist?" he asked.

Alex looked like he was considering something. And he was. He was going to have to play the same game with Duncan that he was with Isabel...and hope that he could keep the two halves of his life, both past and present, from colliding with one another. Alex nodded to himself then looked at Duncan. "I didn't have a choice but to call Duncan. They found me first."

Duncan looked puzzled. "How?"

Alex flushed faintly. "I can't tell you."

Duncan paused and seemed to shake his head, as if he hadn't heard Alex correctly. "I could swear that you just said that you can't tell me. Cannot? Or will not?"

Alex shrugged. "There's a difference in this case? Duncan, as old as you are you must have a million secrets you've kept. Confidences you've never broken. This one is mine." Alex's mouth twisted wryly at the irony of it. "To borrow the words of a friend of mine, 'It's not my secret to tell'."

"And all of this means what?", Duncan asked.

Alex sighed. "Just what I said. One of my friends found me somehow. I can't tell you how or why. She...they have been badgering me for information. They already know more than they should. So I'm caught between good people there who want to protect me, and good people HERE who want to protect me. Good people in BOTH places that I want to protect. And I can't tell you about them, or them about you. But I thought that I could tell them enough about ME to stall things. In the end, it doesn't matter though. I simply can't tell you. I swore to keep the secret until I died, and I don't see the minor technicality that I DID die as letting me off the hook!"

Duncan looked irritated, but proud at the same time. Alex might not have any deceit in him, but he had a streak of honor a mile wide. Duncan hadn't missed the Freudian slip either. "She?" he thought. He shook himself away from his thoughts. "We aren't finished with this yet", he said, "But for now, go get your sweats on and start to warm up. You've lost enough time the last few days." Duncan caught Richie's eye and spoke sternly. "Richie, go with him."

Once Alex was out of earshot Duncan looked at Amanda. "Well? What do you think?"

Amanda leaned back in her chair and pursed her lips. "I haven't got a clue. I can tell you this, you won't get it out of him with straight forward questioning. The only person I've ever met that's more stubborn than he is, is you. And muscling him won't do it either, he'll just set his jaw and endure it. That's *another* thing he has in common with you." Amanda stared at the ceiling for a few moments the looked back at Duncan. "I can do the feminine thing and try to wheedle it out of him if you want."

Duncan frowned. "I'm more interested in how they found him. Or rather how 'she' found him, and how she gets to him."

Amanda laughed. "I wondered if you caught that stray pronoun. She. As in a girl." Amanda picked up the coffee pot and poured the dregs into her cup, and tasted it. Making a face she laced it with double portions of cream and sugar before being satisfied that it was drinkable. After taking a sip she turned her eyes back to Duncan. "You supervise his every waking moment Duncan. When would he have time to be contacted by her? Other than last night? And then it was Alex doing the contacting."

Duncan rubbed his temples for a moment. Amanda's words had sparked something. "Waking moments?" he thought. "Nightmares?" He couldn't afford to dismiss it casually. He lived long enough believe anything...once. He stood and walked to where the phone lay, on the kitchen counter. Hitting the speed dial he waited until a rich husky contralto voice answered.

"Hello?" the woman said.

Duncan got right to the point. "Cassandra? I have something here that I need your help with. It's right up your alley I think."

Cassandra answered, "Really? How so?"

Their conversation went on for nearly half an hour as Amanda listened with widening eyes. When Duncan finally hung up the phone, after Cassandra promised to be there later that night, Amanda could restrain herself no longer.

"Duncan, that whole idea is crazy," she said. "And besides, if it works, it's one hell of an invasion of privacy!

Duncan shrugged. "In 400 years I've seen things a thousand times stranger. And if there's one person I know who's equipped to deal with it, it's Cassandra. I don't see any other way to tackle it. We can't keep him awake around the clock, seven days a week. And besides that I noticed that he didn't bring up the girl that Conterras threatened while we were talking. Isabel was her name. I heard him say her name when we were in New Mexico as well, though I don't think he realized at the time that he had spoken it aloud. It HAS to be her. You know him as well as I do. Under the circumstances he'll be wild to protect her from Conterras. Even if it doesn't show now, he must be close to the breaking point. Close enough to risk telling her everything to save her. We have no choice. *I* have no choice!"

Amanda nodded in acquiescence and sighed. "You know that if she's hurt because of this, he'll never forgive you?"

Duncan looked grim. "All the more reason to find that bastard Conterras and put paid to him once and for all. Which reminds me, I have to talk to Joe about something Conterras said." Duncan picked up the phone again and began to dial. Then he paused. "After I'm done here I'm going hunting again. You up for it?"

Amanda stood up and walked over to the closet that she shared with Duncan and began getting into street clothes. "I'll be ready when you are," she said.

Duncan turned back to the phone and resumed dialing....

On the Kingsgate Estate East of Vancouver, BC.....same time.....

Roland Kingsgate aka Britanicus Musa sat in his office and surveyed the information that his inquiries had turned up on Alex Whitman. His front, a respectable skip trace firm in Toronto had turned up nothing of consequence. The sheriff's office in Roswell, New Mexico to whom the inquiry had been forwarded, had telexed back a skimpy dossier. Parents dead. No known associates. A confirmed loner. Britanicus sighed. Well, it had been worth a try. And it was only money. Besides it never hurts to be thorough. A soft knock on his office door drew his attention. "Enter!" he shouted.

The door opened to reveal his majordomo Joachim Kriegmeister, in his mortal life formerly a lieutenant in the Adolf Hitler Division of the Waffen SS. He had come into his destiny in the battle of the Falais gap, when his division had fought itself to destruction holding open the gap as the then allied armies strove to pinch it closed, trapping tens of thousands of retreating German troops within the Falais pocket. Standing with military erectness his nordic features betraying no expression as he waited for permission to speak, he looked the part of the perfect majordomo.

Britannicus regarded his deputy with satisfaction. The boy had been a real find! He'd been with Britanicus since 1945, when he'd found Joachim wandering Western Germany in a daze, unable to understand what had happened to him. Britanicus had gotten him out of Germany and into Canada. After some convincing and training he'd become the most capable subaltern that Britanicus had had since before the fall of Byzantium. Britanicus gestured peremptorily. "Speak!"

Joachim bowed stiffly. "Excellency, all the preparations are complete. Air travel has been procured, as well as accommodations at the Radisson in Seattle. The men are all on the estate. We are staged to fly out on Friday as you instructed."

Britanicus rubbed his hands together briskly. "Excellent! Excellent! With any luck we'll execute this little raid over the weekend and be back in Canada before the local US authorities even notice that MacLeod and his friends are missing!" Then he noticed a slight frown of disapproval on Joachim's normally phlegmatic face. "Is there a problem, Joachim?"

Joachim cleared his throat. "Some trouble with a few of the rankers sir. They dislike your order to remain on site until we move out. One or two have expressed a desire for a little recreation while they're waiting."

Britanicus' frown gathered like a thunder cloud. "You mean one in particular don't you? That Balkan bastard Radu! Tell him the answer is no. I'm not having any problems...like missing school girls...delay our launch date. If he gives you a problem, let me know. I'll handle it. I'll make an object lesson of him for the ranks!"

Joachim bowed again with a grim smile. "As you wish Sire." He was clearly wishing to see that object lesson come to pass. "Before I go, do you require anything?"

Britanicus pursed his lips. "Yes, have my meals served here in the study. It wouldn't do to eat with the ranks in the dining room. Familiarity breeds contempt." Then he added with a chuckle, "And I already find them contemptible enough!"

Joachim bowed again then backed out of the room, and silently closed the door.

Britanicus smiled to himself and leaned back in his chair as he again opened the file on Adam Pierson's country home in the hills above Seattle. This was going to be more fun than he'd had in *decades*!

The Evans Household....Monday Noon

Isabel groaned as she awakened. She had a headache and she felt sticky. When she tried to open her eyes she winced. It felt like the back of her eye lids were upholstered with sandpaper. She levered herself up on one arm and managed to squint at the alarm clock. It read 12:00. She groaned again and collapsed back on her bed. She may have felt like road kill, but there was nothing wrong with her memory. She remembered last night. Alex's call. The wonder. The joy. The mystery. And above all the terror. Both hers, and what she had felt from Alex. She could still feel him, more strongly than ever before, so she knew that he was all right. His mind was a buzz of surface thoughts. Those of someone going through a routine day. So she put the matter on hold...until tonight.

She also remembered Max. Poor Max! She must have scared him out of ten years of his life! She'd have to talk to him today. Convince him that she was all right. And she needed to start bringing the others in on this. The situation was getting out of hand. If she had another night like last night, the others might start seeing her as a candidate for the rubber room!

She pulled herself out of bed feeling creaky. She had to get cleaned up and get dressed. She was *supposed* to be playing receptionist today! Granted it was busy work, but she hated to be a slacker. Staggering into the bathroom she locked the door and shed her pajamas before turning on the shower. While waiting for the water to heat up she ran a damp washcloth over her eyes to clear them of sleep grit. The shower was starting to billow steam when she finished. It was then that she noticed the piece of paper taped to the bathroom mirror. The neat handwriting on it was easily recognizable as Max's. She pulled it off and read.....

Iz,

"I left this here because I knew that this would be the first place that you'd head for when you woke up. I was pretty wiped out after last night. I stayed up a while to keep an eye on you. Once I thought you were going to sleep through the night I went to bed myself. As soon as you get yourself together, please come and wake me up.

Love,
Max

PS...."I called dad's office and told Mr. Stein that you were sick today. So, if he calls to check up on you, try to sound like you're at death's door, huh? "

Isabel winced when she hit the part about him staying up to watch over her, and made up her mind to pull herself together and fix them both something to eat! It was bad enough that Max had cut school because of her! He shouldn't go hungry too. By now the bathroom was filling up with steam, so she tripped the exhaust fan, grabbed a loofa and her shower gel, and got in the shower.

Forty five minutes later and feeling like a new woman she stood by Max's bed. Gently she reached out and shook his shoulder, calling his name. He groaned and woke slowly. Opening one bleary eye he made a stunning observation.

"You're awake," he said.

Isabel smiled and spoke. "Well brother of mine, you're only *half* awake. So get thee to the bathroom and shower up while I get together some food for us!" Then she leaned down and brushed his forehead with her lips. "And thank you for looking after me last night. I'm sorry to be such a pain."

Max tried to stifle a yawn, then gave up the battle and yawned and stretched anyway. "You mean that you're sorry to be more of a pain than usual, don't you?" Then he rolled out of bed as she yanked a pillow away from him and threatened to whack him with it. "Now that's the Iz we all know and love!" he said with a smile. "And you're very welcome. That's what brothers are for."

"You jerk!" she growled. Then she smiled to take the sting out. "Get into the shower. I'm headed downstairs. Since we've both just gotten up, I think that brunch is the best way to go. Pancakes?"

Max grinned and nodded his agreement as he pulled a robe on over his boxers and rounded up his clothes. "You're a lifesaver Iz. See you in about twenty or thirty minutes."

Isabel headed downstairs to begin making pancake batter. She was feeling good. Better than she had in a while. Today she would tell them about Alex. And tonight she would finally get to the bottom of things. She gathered the necessary ingredients from around the kitchen and set to work. As she did so she began to hum. She wasn't even aware that she was doing so. It was "Unchained Melody"...by the Righteous Brothers.

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 6:30 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 8b
(Revelations)

West Roswell Highschool...Lunch time....

Liz had reached the E.T. table first and staked out their usual position in the center court. Dropping her book bag she unzipped it and hauled out her lunch. She was just opening the bag as Michael and Maria emerged from the double doors leading into the court, with Kyle in tow. Maria spotted Liz and waved. Liz put off starting her own lunch until they had arrived at the table and sat down. The three of them dropped their books and settled down for lunch.

Liz had barely taken a bite of her chicken salad when Michael spoke up.

"Where have you been all day?! Maria told me in second period that Max had stayed home today because of Isabel! What the hell is wrong with Isabel?"

Michael had been sensitive about the state of the alien three's health ever since his own brush with mortality. He waited impatiently as Liz finished her bite of food and took a drink of water.

"She had another nightmare, Michael."

Michael frowned. "Another nightmare? *Another*? I didn't know she'd had a *first* nightmare!" Glaring at Maria and Liz he folded his arms, looking so 'Michael' that Maria had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. Then he continued. "Just how long has *this* been happening?"

Even Kyle was trying to hide his smile when Maria laid her hand on Michael's arm. "Chill out Spaceboy! She had one Friday night. Though I understand that the one last night made Friday's look like sunshine and lollipops by comparison."

"Is she okay?" Kyle asked. "Did Max say what it was about?"

Liz said, "Hang of a second, I'll try to find out." Turning her focus inward she began nudging Max for telepathic contact. "~Max?~"

As the connection deepened and broadened she felt a rush of emotion from him. Amusement and embarrassment.

"~Yes Liz?~" he answered.

"~Caught you at a bad time did I?~" she asked. She felt laughter flowing off of him in waves.

"~I was just getting ready to step in the shower!~" he said.

Liz giggled mentally. "~Well, turnabout is fair play! But I didn't call to tease Sweetheart. I'm at lunch and the gang wants to know how Isabel is doing. Michael's being an overprotective pain about it.~"

Max's amusement grew. "~He's being Michael. Tell them she's fine. Or at least she looks fine She woke me up a while ago, and now she's downstairs getting a meal together while I clean up.~"

"~Okay, I'll tell them~," Liz responded. "~Don't forget to tell Isabel that Maria and I may be by tonight.~

"~I won't~," Max answered.

Liz gave him a warm mental cuddle. "~Okay then, I'll see you in a couple of hours with your school work.~"

"~Thanks Liz~," he said. "~I'll see you in a few hours. I love you!~"

Liz sent him a mental kiss. "~You're welcome Sweetheart! I love you too!~"

As Liz emerged from the connection she noticed that all three of he friend were staring at her. Michael and Maria looked expectant, but Kyle's expression defied description. He looked afraid and puzzled all at once.

For his part Kyle was all that and more. As a part of the 'I know an alien club' he expected the weird and unusual. As one of those healed by Max Evans he was now a PART of the weird and unusual. He accepted that. But watching Liz zone out in some weird trance to 'talk' to El Presidente Evans made it all seem a lot more real. Nothing had changed except his perspective. He saw Liz looking at him with a worried expression and inwardly winced. "She's worried about me," he thought. "Worried about how I'll handle the freak show that our lives have become since this bunch of lost Jedi came into them. How *will* I handle it? Good question. And I honest to Buddha don't know. But I'll be karmically damned if I'll let it throw me!" So thinking he spoke in a low voice before anyone else.

"While Michael and I were slacking during gym class, he told me that you and Max had this...um...telepathic 'thing' going. But it still weirded me out a bit seeing you do it. It's not you, it's me. It makes me wonder what's waiting for me down the road." Kyle chuckled. Then sent an apologetic glance to Michael. "It's one thing if your planet becomes an alien colony. It's another thing if you *yourself* become an alien colony!" Noticing that they were all looking a little concerned now he waved his hand in negation. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna freak out on you. It's just that, as a small town guy I'm not used to having to change the way I look at the world and life so often. Buddha teaches us that the occasional epiphany is a good thing. But I'm thinking once in a lifetime, not once a week." He laughed aloud this time. "Don't worry, I'll deal!" He paused, looking at Liz. "Now, how's Isabel?"

Liz smiled when he'd finished. "She's just fine. Max said she was downstairs fixing them some food." Liz looked at Maria. "Maria, I know I should have asked first, but I told him that you and I would swing by after work with some ice cream and try to do a little girl talk with Isabel. Maybe we can start getting whatever is eating at her out in the open now. It sounded like she reached some sort of crisis last night. If she did, the door may be open to help her unload some of that baggage she's been carrying around."

Before Maria could speak Michael cut in. "Liz, I know you mean well. But maybe this is an 'alien' thing. That means that Max and I can probably handle it better than you and Maria."

Kyle winced and thought, "Michael my man, I may not be the sharpest crayon in the box when it comes to women, but I know a mistake when I see one. And judging by the look on Maria's face you're about to find out just how big!"

Michael winced as Maria's dainty fist connected with his left biceps. Hard!

"Michael Guerin! I thought we'd gotten past this "us" vs "them" crap a long time ago!! Then she realized how loud she was and lowered her voice, though it's intensity was still hot enough to melt steel. "Alien stuff indeed!" she hissed. "You idiot! This is about a girl who's finally starting to mourn the boy she loved!" She pointed at herself then at Liz. "She's OUR girl friend! This is a girl thing!" Then Maria slapped her forehead. "Oh yeah! I forgot! You're a guy, that'd put you on an entirely different planet from girls anyway. So it'd STILL be an 'alien' thing...to YOU!"

She punctuated the last word with another shot to Michael's already sore arm, then scooted away from him in a huff and turned her attention to her lunch, completely ignoring a chastened Michael's attempts to get her attention again.

Michael had sat speechless through Maria's diatribe. Then he looked up and frowned as he saw both Kyle and Liz dividing their time between trying to eat and shaking with silent laughter. "Some friend!" he thought, glaring at Kyle. "I'd expect as much from Liz! She and Maria practically hatched from the same egg! But from a guy?"

Kyle noticed Michael's impotent glare and finally broke out in full blown laughter, which resulted in him choking on a bite of his sandwich. Liz reached out and walloped him on the back, as he coughed and wiped at streaming eyes. Kyle took a sip of Coke, cleared his throat experimentally then caught Michael and Maria watching him with some concern, their argument forgotten for a moment. Kyle shook his head, chuckled, and resumed eating.

Once she was sure that Kyle was okay, Maria didn't turn away fast enough to avoid Michael catching her eye. Having been so caught she made the best of it by raising her chin defiantly while holding his eyes with hers. The whole effect projected screamed, 'WELL?!'

Michael's shoulders slumped a bit as he glanced at Liz and Kyle. He was going to have to apologize. Publicly. "Oh well, at least they're friends," he thought. "That may gain me some brownie points." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said.

Maria leaned forward. "What was that? I didn't hear you."

Michael sighed with frustration and spoke louder. "I'm sorry Pixie Girl!" He leaned forward and spoke in a softer tone. "Please forgive me?"

Maria gave a victorious smirk and scooted back close to him. Closer than she had been before. As she leaned in to give him a hug she whispered in his ear. "Don't think that this gets you off the hook completely Spaceboy. But the we'll talk about *that* later. Alone." Then she pulled back and gave him a kiss that made his head spin.

They emerged from the kiss to the sound of a chorus of hoots and catcalls from the surrounding tables. The old Michael would have pulled away, perhaps even have fled in embarrassment and anger. This Michael simply settled back and enjoyed the fact that the spectators had a reason to hoot.

Once the ripples of the little spat settled down, Maria recalled what had prompted it. Liz's plans. Maria reached out, touched Liz's hand, and said, "I'm there Chica. But are you sure we can pull it off? On a school night?"

Liz shrugged. "I don't see why not. My homework is light for a Monday. I can get most of it done on breaks tonight. The new girl Dolores is taking the late shifts Monday through Thursday since dad taught her how to close the register. And maybe we can get some study time in at the Evans, though it's no big deal. That Chem. test today was the last of the biggies for a while."

Maria smiled and spoke a little sardonically. "That's not what I'm talking about Chica. You? Max? Same house? Parentals gone? Your dad and mom will just be thrilled to death."

Liz looked apprehensive, but stood her ground. "They trust us now."

Maria shook her head. "Not *that* much they don't, Chica. Max is a nice guy. You know it, I know it, even the angels know it. But all your parents see when they look at him is...a guy. A guy that's too close to their baby girl for their comfort zone to be...um...comfortable."

Liz sighed mightily and said, "Well then *we'll* just have to convince them, that's all. Besides, this isn't about Max and I. This is about Isabel. Anyway, it's my problem, I'll solve it. What about you?"

Maria looked thoughtful. "I think that I can pull it off Lizzie. My homework is no big deal so far today either. I guess the teachers are too busy grading tests."

Liz nodded with satisfaction and was about to speak again, but at that moment the bell rang, ending their lunch period. Scooping up their remains they tossed them in the trash. Maria gave Michael a kiss and then joined Liz in a dash for their English class. Michael headed off towards his art class, leaving Kyle to head off towards slow death in a class that he had joined because the athletes curriculum at West Roswell required it. Home Economics.

Kyle winced as he approached the too cheery class room filled with the sound of feminine laughter. The only bright spot in all this was that he had two fellow sufferers with him. Jocks. "Thank God *this* day is nearly over!" he thought as he passed into the room to face yet another hour in cooking hell.

The Evans Household...Monday 12:30

Isabel watched as Max used his last bite of pancake to chase maple syrup and tabasco sauce around his plate. All through the meal she had noticed him studying her surreptitiously. As if he expected her to shape shift at any moment. Whenever she caught him at it he would glance away self consciously. Finally she sighed and was getting ready to break the stalemate when he spoke.

"Iz, would you...um...mind if Liz and Maria stopped by tonight?" he asked.

Isabel thought that her puzzlement must have shown on her fact because he continued.

"They would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to know that something is going on with you. If for no other reason than that Liz can read *my* emotional states now. And my emotional state hasn't been all that good with regard to your...um...well-being. So, anyway, they thought that you girls could do was some female bonding over a couple of quarts of Ben and Jerry's.... or whatever."

Isabel grinned. This was to perfect. She really hadn't wanted to start the ball rolling with the boys anyway. Besides that, Liz and Maria were Alex's best friends. If anyone deserved to know first, that he was alive, it would be them. Plus it would give her some time to discuss the whole 'bond' issue with Liz before they took the news 'public'.

Realizing that Max was waiting for her to say something, she spoke to put him at ease. "Of course I don't mind! Actually I was looking for a reason to spend some time with them. Before Tess showed up (Isabel winced as Max's face turned to stone at the name) we were starting to develop as friends, and as something more than friends. All that got derailed by 'destiny'. I think it's time that we put it back on track! And besides, I have a few issues I want to discuss with them."

Max sighed with relief. He didn't know why he had thought this would be a hard sell, but he had. "Okay, I'll let Liz know before she leaves school so she and Maria can plan accordingly. Before then, if there's anything you need to talk about, I'm here now." He looked at her hopefully.

Isabel ground her teeth at the need to hurt his feelings by holding back, but she *really* wanted to tell Liz and Maria first. She sighed deeply. "Max, I really want to, and to satisfy you this much...there *is* something to tell. Something we all need to know about. But I need the girls first. I-I-I need to sort this out with them in my own heart and mind before I talk about it to you and Michael. Okay?"

Max was crestfallen, but that was only part of it. At the moment he was sad that Iz was passing up his offer to help for someone else, and at the same time he was elated that it was for Liz and Maria. All their lives, all they had had was each other and Michael. When he had healed Liz he had thrown the door to a whole new world of possibilities open. In all truth Michael and Isabel had resisted that brave new world. They had to be dragged into it kicking and screaming. But once there they had accepted the necessity of it. And first Michael, then Isabel, had seemed to embrace it completely. He had worried that, in breaking it off with Alex the first time, Isabel was only paying lip service to it to hang on to Max and Michael. It was an irrational fear and he knew it, but it was there none the less. But the last few days had seen it's last remnants dwindling away as Isabel seemed to take an active role in binding their little ad hoc family together. And, just a moment ago, when Isabel had chosen *human* girl friends, over her alien brother, his last shreds of lingering doubt had melted away. And that was what won out in his heart. So he did the natural thing. His face blossomed into a grin that would have given the Cheshire Cat an inferiority complex.

Isabel had studied the play of emotions on her brother's face with extreme puzzlement. There was disappointment, which is exactly what she had expected. But it had been replaced by a look of wonder and happiness so intense that it was almost blinding in it's intensity. Inwardly she sighed. There were times that she would never understand Max. Was it an alien thing? A guy thing? Or just a plain old sibling thing? Isabel didn't waste time pondering.

"Why look a gift horse in the mouth?" she thought. And so thinking she gathered her dishes and headed for the sink, giving her still beaming brother a kiss on the cheek in passing.

"What was that for?" Max asked.

Isabel shrugged. "For being there for me. For watching me last night. For opening up our lives the way you did. For not being stinky difficult about my talking to the girls first. For being you."

Max flushed faintly. Even when there were just the three of them, such moments with his sister had been rare. In a low voice he said, "You're welcome Sis'."

Isabel had finished loading the dishwasher so she turned and folded her arms. "Now what?"

Max grinned and shrugged. "I have a few hours to kill before Liz arrives with my homework, so I think I going to hit our video library and pick out a couple of good kungfu and machine-gun flicks. You?"

Isabel made a face. "No thanks, wallowing in blood, gore, and broken bones is so *not* my idea of entertainment! I'll be in dad's office surfing the web." Giving her brother a passing hug she said, "Call me when Liz gets here will you?"

Max nodded and said, "Will do.

And Isabel left, headed for their dad's office. While Max spent an entertaining few minutes deciding between "Crouching Tiger" and "Kickboxer" before settling down to an early afternoon murder and mayhem film festival.

The Evans Household..Some Hours Later...After School...

Max met Liz at the door with a warm kiss. But one that stopped at going all out because Maria was tagging along behind. When Max and Liz finally broke, they met Maria's dancing eyes.

"Relax kids," she said. "No need to be self-concious around me. You forget, I was there the night that you two did your imitation of some sort of Martian firefly." Then she winked.

Both of them blushed and Max backed up and waved them into the house as he turned and bellowed, "ISABEL, THEY'RE HERE!"

This brought Isabel at a rapid trot from her father's office where she had been perusing various web sites in or about Seattle, Washington. With a special emphasis on martial arts studios. Her next move would be to get her hands on a Seattle telephone directory. Arriving at the front door she delivered a hug to both Liz and Maria.

Liz handed off Max's classwork and reading assignments. Then she said, "We can't stick around. We both have the late afternoon shift at the Crashdown." Before leaving though she peremptorily dragged Max into the dining room, out of sight of their audience, and gave him a much more thorough and lingering kiss. Then she settled into his embrace and molded herself close as she gently pushed at him with her mind, requesting telepathic contact. Max responded immediately, as if expecting it.

"~Yes Love?~" he responded.

Liz sighed happily as the contact broadened. "~Max there's something we need to discuss quickly, something that Maria pointed out. Sweetheart, you and I both have given our parents reason to be unhappy with us... as parents will be. And while they seem to be mostly over it, my mother has been known to carry a grudge. So, while they may be cool with Maria and I hanging with Isabel for some unchaperoned girl time, *you* are another matter. I'm going to do the wheedle and beg thing, but if that doesn't work...I need a plan B.~"

Max considered. He hadn't thought of this. And he should have. It was so obvious. After considering several ideas all of which entailed lying to Liz's parents...with the accompanying possibility of getting caught, Max settled on the fact that Isabel's problem was the more important issue here. So he looked at Liz, smiled sheepishly, and said, "~How about this.....~" And he outlined his idea.

By the time he was finished Liz didn't know whether to be shocked or break into giggles. "~Max! They'll never go for it!~"

Max sensed the struggle in her and chuckled. "~Well the alternative is having Isabel come to you. It's your choice.~"

Liz considered it and rejected it. "~Sweetie, if the object is to let Isabel talk about things comfortably, then she's more likely to do it *here*. In *her* comfort zone.~"

Max massaged her back as he agreed. "~There's another reason that the idea has merit. If nothing else, the fact that we would propose such a thing would show your folks that we're bending over backwards to accommodate their fears, and can therefore be trusted alone.~" Max's hand strayed down to caress her butt. As she sighed and leaned into him harder, he continued. "~And believe me I DO want to be alone with you Elizabeth Parker! Just because I haven't tried anything yet doesn't mean that I haven't *thought* about it!~" Max took a deep breath and continued, "~ *And* it will show them the importance we attach to this. I know that my Mom and Dad asked your folks to keep an eye on us while they're gone. Tell them why you want this. About Isabel's nightmares and why you think they're happening. And if all else fails, plan C is, I ask Isabel if she'd like to do the 'ice cream social' at your place.~"

Liz pulled back slightly and gave him another deep kiss that left his ears buzzing. Then she spoke out loud. "Okay, I'll put it to the folks as soon as I get home. Speaking of which, Maria and I are going to be late."

Max walked her back to the front door where Isabel and Maria were waiting. As they approached Maria handed Isabel a dollar.

Liz studied them suspiciously. "What was that for."

Maria and Isabel started chuckling. "I bet Isabel a buck that we'd have to drag you away from Max to get you out the door."

Liz made a derisive noise as she glared at Isabel and Maria. "Some friends! Betting on my love life?" Then she gave Max a last quick kiss before grabbing a still snickering Maria's arm and dragging her out the door. "Let's go laughing girl, we'll see how funny you find an ice cube down the back of your uniform tonight."

Max watched as Maria pulled out of the driveway and tooted her horn before driving off. Then he turned back into the house to get started on his homework. For her part, Isabel made them both a couple of sandwiches before going back to web surfing. After delivering the Max his sandwich and a glass of milk...with tabasco on the side...she headed back to her father's office and his computer.

The Crashdown....6:00 PM

The dinner rush was in full swing, and the cafe was packed. Liz paused at the pickup window undo her hair and re-tie it in an effort to deal with an irritating wisp that had pulled free and kept getting in her face. Michael was working the grill, and at that moment he put her latest order up and hit the bell to tell her it was ready. Hurriedly finishing her task she scooped up the food and delivered it to table four. After checking the water and coffee in her section she went to the waitress station. She collapsed on to a stool there and wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Maria had just returned from the ladies room and completed a check of her customers. She joined Liz at the station, setting down the carafe of ice water she'd been carrying.

"My God Liz", she said. "The place is a madhouse tonight!" Then she noticed that Nancy Parker was in the kitchen. Jeff had been back there all night helping Michael deal with the rush. Maria nudged Liz to get her attention then nodded in the direction of the kitchen. Liz saw her mother at the same instant that Maria gave her a gentle shove in that direction. Liz needed no further prompting.

All afternoon Liz had been trying to catch her folks in the same place at the same time so she could make her pitch, or if necessary, Max's pitch to them. Right now the place was packed, but there weren't any orders outstanding. And Maria could handle watching her section for a few minutes. So, Liz made a beeline for the kitchen and caught up with her mom restocking the condiment table. To mollify her mother a bit she grabbed a pickle jar from the refrigerator and began to help out. It only took a few minutes to finish the job, and her mother flashed her a smile and gave a murmur of thanks before she turned to begin her next chore. She halted in mid turn as Liz cleared her throat.

Liz hesitated, then plunged in. "Mom, I need a quick family conference."

Her mother's eyebrows rose. "Honey, can't this wait?" Nancy asked. "We're sort of busy here."

Liz glanced at the clock and shook her head no. "This will only take a second, after that you can think it over until my shift ends."

Nancy beckoned Jeff over from the dishwasher he was struggling with. As he approached he could be heard muttering under his breath.

Nancy smiled. "What was that dear?"

Jeff grimaced and said, "If you must know I *said* that the damned thing has burnt out three heating elements in the last 4 months. Those things are expensive to replace. If we strike a good balance this quarter, I'm replacing that hunk of junk entirely!" He paused for breath, then glancing at Liz he asked, "Now, what did you need me for?"

Nancy nodded at Liz. "Ask our daughter. She's the one that wanted you."

Jeff looked at Liz. "What is it Honey? And make it quick, you know that we have a rush going."

Liz took a deep breath and started in. "Look, I know the Evans' asked you to keep an eye on Max and Isabel while they were gone, and this sort of has to do with that. Can I have your permission to go over there tonight after work? Possibly for an overnight?"

Jeff frowned. He wasn't blind. He'd noticed the change in Liz the last few days. And after Diane had given voice to suspicions regarding Max and Liz in her check in call yesterday he'd thought about it and reached the same conclusion as she did. Somehow they'd healed whatever rift had been between them for the last year. And while part of him secretly rejoiced for his little girl's happiness, the father in him had other ideas. Accordingly he said, "Liz, you should know better than that! It's a school night! And besides that, while we may like Max, he's a guy in love with a girl." He glanced at his wife and gave a half smile. "And as I recall from my days in that state, it colors your thinking a lot. And since the girl in question is *our* daughter, we're not allowing any late night rendezvous while his parents are out of town."

Nancy nodded in agreement, but was curious none the less. "Honey what did you mean when you said this had to do with looking after things for Phil and Diane?"

Liz paused to collect her thoughts. Her dad had just scuttled plan A. Any wheedling or begging now would just irritate her parents. Time for plan B. Accordingly she took another deep breath and started over.

"Max is worried about Isabel. Ever since Alex died we've had this feeling like she was stonewalling. Not dealing with her grief. Well, after the Whitman's funeral Friday she woke Max out of a sound sleep with a screaming nightmare. And again last night."

Nancy frowned with worry. "Does Diane know about this?"

Liz shook her head. "Not yet mom. She's a world class worrier, and she'd likely grab the first plane home if she knew. So Maria and I want to try our own prescription first. Ice cream and girl talk."

Nancy nodded understandingly. "So why not invite her here?"

Liz shrugged. "Max and I thought that she'd be more willing to let her hair down on her own turf. And if we wait until this weekend the opportunity to get at what's bothering her might pass."

Jeff cleared his throat. "Lizzie, as much as I admire your desire to help, I don't see how that changes the fact that you have homework, and it would put you and Max in the same house. Perhaps all night." He grinned ruefully. "Somehow you've chosen a parent's worst nightmare."

Liz blushed and said, "Well, the homework I can deal with. We've been into midterms all week. I took the last one today. Either the teachers were feeling generous, or they're up to their eyeballs in grading tests, because they didn't give us much to do today beyond some light reading. That I can handle. As for Max and I... um... Max foresaw your objection and he offered a compromise."

Jeff looked surprised. "This ought to be good," he thought. Then he asked, "Such as?"

Liz's blush deepened, but she went ahead. "He wants Maria and I to talk to Isabel. She's as much as told him that she wants to talk, but not to him. At least not yet. So, since your problem is not being able to keep an eye on us, he thought that you might settle for keeping an eye on one of us."

Jeff looked puzzled, but Nancy had an inkling of where this was headed. So she asked the question. "Which one?"

Liz smiled faintly and said, "Max. A trade. Me for him. He'll park himself here under your eyes all night. Doing homework, studying, reading, or helping out if you need him to. And he won't leave until I get back. Even if he has to spend the night."

Jeff looked nonplused. He wanted to object, but couldn't think of a valid reason to do so. Nancy on the other hand was elated and amused. She had long wished for a chance to study Max Evans close up under conditions where Liz wasn't there to run interference, and he couldn't escape. The thought of poor Max squirming under her studied stare as painfully funny as well. She had nothing against the boy, but instilling a little discomfort in him might serve to slow him down in the future. And she had to hand it to the kids. They took their desire to help Isabel seriously enough to inconvenience their desire to be together. She was proud of both of them on that account. So before Jeff could think of a reason to object Nancy spoke up.

"Sweetie? Exactly what time would this trade take place?"

Liz hide her joy well and said, "Around 8:00, give or take a little bit."

Nancy looked at her husband and lifted an eyebrow in query. He shrugged to say it was okay with him if it was okay with her.

"Okay Honey, you have our permission. Tell Max that he has a deal. But you don't leave until his butt is parked in a booth out there. And if you stay overnight, he stays overnight. Got it?"

Liz beamed happily. "Got it!"

At that moment a very hassled looking Maria DeLuca stormed the kitchen. "Liz! I'm dying out here! A little help please?"

Liz gave her parents both a quick hug and enthusiastic thank you's before dashing out to bus tables and wait on customers....and to place a telepathic call to Max informing him that his terms were acceptable to her parents.

Jeff and Nancy simply exchanged grins and went back to work. Though Nancy's smile lingered longer than Jeff's did. She was looking forward to instilling a little respect (spell that f-e-a-r) in Max Evans where her daughter was concerned.

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 7:15 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 8c
(Revelations)

The Crashdown.....7:30 PM

Liz Parker felt him before he walked in the door. Anyone looking at her in that moment would have recognized a resemblance to The Mona Lisa in that little half smile on her face. She turned towards the door and was already moving forward when Max Evans walked in. She walked straight into his arms without even breaking stride. After a quick kiss and a hug she escorted him to the ET booth and went to get a cherry coke and a bottle of tabasco.

The Crashdown had quieted down somewhat. The dinner crowd was mostly gone now. All that was left were a few transients, some late diners, and Jim Valenti enjoying a cup of coffee and a piece of pie at the counter.

Liz returned and slid back into the booth beside Max with her leg brushing against his. Max, whose blood pressure was starting to rise, rubbed his leg back for a moment and leaned over to kiss her before the sound of a clearing throat brought him to attention. He saw Nancy Parker regarding him with a frown.

Without preamble Nancy said, "You're early."

Liz gave her mother a vaguely disgusted look as Max pulled away from her blushing faintly. He smiled faintly and tried to put forward a brave face in the harsh light of motherly disapproval.

He said, "I didn't want Liz to have to wait around when she got off work, Mrs. Parker. And my time off today let me get the class work, that she dropped off to me, done early. I had so little left to do that I was actually reading ahead of some of my assignments."

Nancy's frown deepened as she glanced at Liz. "Time off?" she queried. "You don't look sick."

Liz made a vaguely impatient sound. "Mother! Quit interrogating him! If there's one thing that Max *isn't*, it's a slacker."

Max made calming motions towards his girlfriend. "It's okay Liz. It's all right. If you recall, your mom and dad are supposed to keep an eye on things for *my* mom and dad." He glanced at Nancy. "That would include me I suppose."

Nancy had to give Max high marks on being reasonable. She smiled faintly and nodded at her daughter. "Liz, Maria is getting changed, and Dolores is here early. Why don't you go get into some street clothes honey, and take off."

Liz regarded her mother suspiciously.

Nancy sighed. "Oh go on dear, I'm not going to eat him alive! I'm a mother! That gives me the right to play the heavy a bit where *any* kid is concerned." Then she added to herself, "Let alone one who's the odds on favorite to be my future son-in-law."

Liz shared a lingering look with Max, who gave her a brief 'parent safe' kiss before letting her go. Before she pulled away she murmured in his ear, "If you need me, call me. I'll call you later anyway."

Max stroked her cheek with his then let her go; saying, "Have fun Sweetheart!"

Max then turned towards Nancy who looked like she still had some questions to be answered. He smiled and motioned for her to sit down across from him.

Nancy returned to her original question. "Time off?"

Max nodded. "I was up most of last night sitting by Isabel's bed. I didn't go to bed until the wee hours of this morning. I didn't see the point in going to school."

Nancy winced. "How bad was it, Max?"

"Pretty bad Mrs. Parker," he answered. "I've *never* heard anyone scream like that before, let alone Iz. It was like she was a damned soul on judgment day."

Nancy looked concerned. "If she's that bad, shouldn't you contact your folks?"

Max flinched as he read between the lines and saw 'I should call Diane'. "Mrs. Parker I'm trying to balance things here. I'm trying for a measured response instead of bringing in the heavy artillery right off the bat. All that would happen is that my folks would hop the first plane home. And they couldn't be here for 24 hours even if they did. They've waited a long time for this trip. I'd rather try other options before I ruin it for them."

Nancy blinked. He was counseling her to prudence? Clearly Max had some depths she hadn't imagined. Before she could respond he continued.

"Isabel was pretty chipper when she got up. And she made it clear that she wants to talk, she simply *won't* talk to *me*. And she has said specifically that she *will* talk to Liz and Maria. So, here I set. As I see it, an evening of my time is a fair trade for leaving my parents free to enjoy the trade winds."

Nancy felt uncomfortable as she had to upgrade her assessment of Max Evans for the second time that evening. The remarkable maturity he was showing was at odds with how the protective mother in her wanted to see him. She was saved further thought by a loud crash in the kitchen. She leapt to her feet and, followed by Max, dashed back into the kitchen to find her husband muttering imprecations over the dishwasher. As they watched he cursed softly and backed away from the balky machine.

Looking at his wife Jeff grimaced. "Well, it's not a question anymore of whether or not we strike a good balance this quarter. It's good and well busted."

Nancy sighed and glanced at the clock. They had over two hours until closing. She turned to Max and spoke. "You're sure that you're caught up on your school work?"

Max nodded. "Completely sure. Why?"

Nancy gave him a long suffering look. "I hope that you and Liz don't take this the wrong way, but how would you feel about washing some dishes? "

Max laughed. "I'd be delighted."

Nancy showed him the routine and then stepped aside to let him work. She glanced at Jeff whose eyes were twinkling somewhat before he shrugged and went back to work himself. She smiled softly at Max's
back and retreated to the stockroom while musing over the same thing that every good mother does, sooner or later. That perhaps she'd raised her daughter right after all, and that as a result said daughter had some pretty good taste in men.

Max had only been at it for a few minutes when an elbow nudged him and Michael asked in a sardonic voice, "What'd you do to get sentenced back here?"

Max shrugged. "It's the only way they'd let Liz spend some unsupervised time with Isabel. They trust us, within limits, and spending the evening at my house with the folks gone is beyond them for now, unless I'm gone too."

Michael grinned. "I suppose they told you that, as the cook, I have the lowly dishwashers under my command? Look alive Your Majesty, we're running out of forks!"

Max groaned and muttered something about 'never seeming to escape alien tyrants'. As he set to work again he muttered, "It's gonna be a long night."

The Evans Household.....7:50 PM

The doorbell rang three times before Isabel reached it. She jerked the door open to find Liz standing patiently and Maria reached for the doorbell a fourth time. The door hadn't even finished opening before Maria was through it with a mumbled apology, vanishing up the stairs like a shot. Isabel stared a question at Liz, who shrugged and said with a grin, "Too many iced coffees". Isabel chuckled and motioned her inside. Closing the door she followed Liz into the living room where they were joined a few moments later by a chastened and seriously *relieved* Maria. Before Isabel could speak Maria broke in, apologizing profusely.

"Sorry I was so...um..rude Isabel. It's just that I've been worried and wound up. So I took out my frustrations with caffeine."

Isabel laughed and waved at her to sit down while she relieved Liz of the grocery sack of ice cream she was carrying, "We've all been there and done that at one time or another." Then she considered before continuing. "Ladies, you have some homework to finish up before we get down to some serious girl stuff. What do you say I leave you to it? I'll just slip this," as she hefted the ice cream, "in the freezer. Then I'll go hide out in my dad's office for a while. Just come and get me when you're ready to start the party."

Liz looked at Maria and shrugged. It suited her. For Maria's part, she was studying Isabel with a critical eye. Looking for signs of serious emotional strain. She found none. If anything Isabel's impish grin betrayed high spirits and good news. Catching Liz's shrug she nodded and spoke.

"Sounds like a plan. The gods of education were kind to us today. We don't have anything more than some reading to get done. And I'd guess that we can clean that up in an hour or an hour and a half", She said.

Isabel nodded. "Okay then, I'll be waiting. See you in about ninety minutes."

With that she beat a retreat into the kitchen. In a few minutes she returned with some drinks before heading back to her father's office and her continuing research on Seattle and it's martial arts studios.

Once she was out of earshot Maria turned to Liz and spoke.

"This ought to be good," she said. "Did you see her?"

Liz looked puzzled. "See what? She looked all right to me."

Maria nodded. "That's just it! Remember why we're here? Does she look like a girl at the end of her emotional rope to you? Whatever is going on, I have this funny feeling that you and I are about to step off into the alien moderated Twilight Zone again, Chica."

Liz giggled. "Well, whatever it is, we won't find out any quicker if we don't get busy."

Maria gave an exaggerated sigh at her friend's display of common sense and collapsed into a chair to begin reading her history text. Liz followed suit, cracking her english book and beginning to read. Such was the spur of their curiosity that it was comfortably under the ninety minute deadline when Liz quietly padded into Mr. Evans' office to find Isabel intently hunched over his computer. Reading over her shoulder made Liz even more curious.

"Martial arts?" she thought. "What the hell was up with *that*?"

Liz cleared her throat and Isabel turned casually, making no effort to hide what she was working on. Following the direction of Liz's stare she chuckled.

"It ties in with what we have to talk about, Liz. Trust me."

Liz stared at her for a moment then gave her an impish grin. "Okay, I'll buy it. Lets get the ice cream and make with the powwow. Last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg!"

Ten minutes later the girls comfortably ensconced around the living room, each with a dish of their favorite diet destroyer. As Liz and Maria watched Isabel had unwrapped a newly purchased CD and started it running on the stereo. The only odd thing that struck both Maria and Liz at the same time was her choice of music. The Isabel that they knew wasn't exactly a golden oldie sort of girl. They both studied Isabel as The Righteous Brothers crooned in the background. She was making an intense study of her ice cream, but seemed to be eating very little of it. When she looked up they both caught a hint of strain on her face. Liz thought that she had hit on it after all. That it was unexpressed grief. She couldn't have been more wrong.

Isabel was upset all right, but her trepidation had nothing to do with grief. It was fear. Now that the moment of truth was here, what would they think? They loved Alex as much as she did. Would they hear her out? Or would they simply drop a net over her? Isabel sighed as she studied the questioning and concerned looks on both their faces. It was now or never. Time to...umm..let the cat out of the bag. So thinking, she cleared her throat and got the ball rolling.

"Liz? I need to ask you some thing personal."

Liz had been waiting and watching for some minutes, wondering how to get things started. She was relieved when Isabel saved her the trouble, but surprised by her request. And even more by the solemn serious way in which it was presented.

"Absolutely Isabel. Anything at all", she answered.

Isabel took a bite of ice cream as she considered just how to word what she wanted to say. "Um, your connection with my brother. How did it work exactly? Early on I mean?"

Liz had been in the act of lifting a spoonful of ice cream when Isabel asked her question. She put the spoon down and frowned in thought. "What the hell does *that* have to do with anything?" she wondered silently. Then she realized that Isabel was waiting on her answer. Liz opened her mouth then realized that she had never really given it serious thought. Not enough to describe it anyway. Time to dig a little further. So she asked. "Exactly how do you mean, Isabel?"

Isabel looked thoughtful. "I mean how did it work? I don't mean the flashes. I mean did you sense him? Did you know he was there, even when he wasn't?"

Liz nodded. "Sometimes. Not always, not until we were apart for so long. It's like the separation boosted our sensitivity to unbelievable levels. I always knew when and where he was. I could feel him at times, like this buzz in the back of my mind. If there was one strong overriding emotion, I could get a sense of what it was. It was unpredictable. So unpredictable that I had to be careful about sorting out whose feelings were whose. Which ones were from me, and which from him." Liz paused for breath, the went on. "Now though, since we...um..fused, it's easy. Words and feelings flow naturally, and I have no trouble sorting out his from mine." Liz looked up at Isabel. "Does this make sense to you? Why did you want to know? And what does this have to do with your dreams?"

But Isabel wasn't listening. She had a far away look in her eyes. Mulling over Liz's words, she turned her gaze inward and reached out along the gossamer tether that seemed to bind her to Alex. Gently she stroked the nexus of thought and emotion associated with him. This seemed a little easier for her than Liz had just described. But, as the alien half of this duo, it probably would be. She wished that she could get Max's opinion on that. "Is it like this for Alex?", she wondered in thought. "Separation is the word that Liz used. I guess absence really *does* make the heart grow fonder...and the bonding grow stronger."

"ISABEL!" The sound of her name snapped her out of her introspection and she looked around to find Liz and Maria regarding her with worry. Liz was the one who had shouted at her.

"Er, sorry. I must have dozed for a second," was all that Isabel could get out.

Maria wasn't buying it. "Dozed hell, Iz. You zoned out on us, alien style. Now what the *hell* is going on? Max is scared, and we're worried! So spill!"

Isabel poked halfheartedly at her ice cream and sighed. "You're gonna think that I'm crazy," she said as she ate a spoon full.

Liz glanced at Maria, who was fairly quivering with anticipation. "Try us," Liz said.

Isabel took a deep breath and began. "Okay, last Friday night after the funeral I went to bed and I had a dream."

Maria pursed her lips and answered, "That much we know. What has this got to do with Max and Liz's bond?"

Isabel hesitated then continued. "It was weird. Dreams I've had. And I've performed dreamwalks. But this was the first time I've ever dreamt a dreamwalk...if you get what I'm driving at?"

Liz looked puzzled. "Your dreamed that you were in a dreamwalk? What's so bad about that?"

Isabel shuddered at her remembered fear and shock. "For one thing I'd never imagined that it could happen. It's like, in my mind, dreams and dreamwalks were mutually exclusive. So it didn't make sense. And if it *were* a dreamwalk, then I didn't consciously initiate it. And then there was the content....."

Neither Liz nor Maria had missed Isabel's shudder.

"The content?" Liz asked. "What was it about?" Then daylight dawned. "Are you saying that you think that it *was* a dreamwalk? That you entered someone's dreams without realizing it? Like with Laurie Dupree?"

Maria had been studying Isabel intently. "She's saying more than that, Liz. She's saying that whoever it was, she now has a bond with them. Like yours with Max." Maria put down her empty ice cream bowl then went on. "That *is* what you're trying to tell us, isn't it Izzy? Who is it? Someone we know? Or someone new?"

Liz was flabbergasted. Max was hinting around about them trying to get Isabel interested in someone new. And now it appeared that she just might have stolen the march on them. Hesitantly she asked, "Isabel, are you saying that you have a boyfriend?"

Isabel started violently "What?! NO!" Then she calmed. "No, it's no one new." Then she developed a soft smile. "In fact it's someone old, you might say."

Maria was suspicious. "You sound like you're sure that it was a dreamwalk."

Isabel nodded. "I'm sure. The next night, on the off chance that it was, I tried to connect deliberately. I made it. And again last night as well."

Maria focused on Isabel's terror and on the "someone old" comment. "Isabel, please tell me it wasn't K'var?"

Isabel winced and then grinned. "I said 'old' Maria, not fossilized."

Maria snickered and nodded, feeling relieved. "Okay so who?"

Isabel paused with her mouth open. It was the moment of truth, and her vocal chords had just gone on strike.

Liz took in her hesitancy. Without understanding it, she knew that this was make or break. So she prodded. "Isabel, please tell us? Who was it? And why is it so upsetting? I promise, even if it *were* K'var, we wouldn't freak."

Isabel took a deep breath and muttered, "Oh, you'll freak all right." Then in a normal tone she went on. "I need something from you both first. A solemn promise of silence until we're done here tonight. Doubt me all you want while we're talking. Call me crazy, but don't call the guys. I'm not ready to bring them in on this until we three thrash it out. You'll see why in a second. Liz, once I shoot my mouth off, Max is going to feel your emotional turmoil meter go through the roof. And he's going to want to know what's going on. No telepathic chit chat please? Please?" Glancing anxiously back and forth between her two girl friends, who were looking increasingly mystified she asked, "Do I have your promise?"

Liz and Maria were both feeling like they were about to take a big leap into the unknown. Whatever was troubling Isabel was major. And apparently not just for her. For all of their group. But both gave their word without hesitation.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," said Maria.

Liz nodded. "You have my word Isabel."

Isabel closed her eyes and summoned her courage as tears began to leak, then she took the plunge.

"It was Alex. He's alive."

MacLeod's Dojo.....10:05 PM

Cassandra was standing next to the bed of the already sleeping Alex Whitman when she finished quietly reciting words in a language that was already old when Gilgamesh was a stripling boy. Then she made one slow pass of her hand over the sleeping boy's head and torso. Alex stirred briefly then settled back into deep slumber. As soon as he had settled she spoke in a more normal voice and said, "All right, it's done. You can come in now!"

The bedroom door opened to admit Duncan and Amanda to the room. They both surveyed the their sleeping ward curiously.

"He won't wake up?" Amanda asked.

Cassandra chuckled. "No, he won't. The spell will keep him asleep until I release it. You could set a bomb off under his bed right now, and he'd sleep right through it."

Amanda looked curious. "If the idea was to put him to sleep, wouldn't it have been easier for us to just slip a little something into his supper?"

Cassandra frowned as if she tasted something bad. "Not really. Drugging him might have interfered with, or even completely suppressed, his natural dream cycle. If Duncan is right about this, I want him to dream."

Duncan sighed. "Oh, I think that I'm right. Now what?"

Before answering, Cassandra walked out into the hall and retrieved the large flat rosewood case that she'd brought with her. It was only about three inches thick, but nearly five feet square and heavily decorated with white scroll work in Native American symbols. Undoing the snap locks she opened it, revealing what had to be the great grand daddy of all Amerind 'dream catchers'. It was enormous, completely filling the case. And it was far more ornate than the usual sort of thing that tourists turn up with. There was an air about it that suggested great age. Cassandra whispered a prayer then picked it up and moved towards a picture hanging on the wall. Removing the picture she replaced it with the dream catcher. She muttered another prayer as she passed a hand over the dream catcher. The feathers that were integrated into it stirred briefly in the breezeless room, and then settled.

"There," she said, "now we wait."

Amanda looked at the artifact curiously. Her experience in assessing and stealing antiquities of all kinds led her to believe that what she was looking at was priceless.

Noticing her interest Cassandra spoke. "It's over two hundred years old. It was a gift from a Lakota Shaman named Burning Wind."

Amanda's eyebrows rose. "What's it for?"

Cassandra chuckled and waved her hand at the sleeping Alex. "The trap is baited." Then she indicated the dream catcher. "And the alarm has been set. If Duncan is right, and she comes tonight, I'll know about it
when it happens."

Amanda nodded. "Then what?" she asked.

Cassandra looked somber. "Then I go into the undermind and see about having a little 'chat' with Alex's hypothetical nocturnal visitor."

Amanda looked stunned. All she could say was..."Oh".

End of Part 8

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 7:31 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

"The time has come, the Walrus said, to speak of many things.
Of shoes and ships and sealing wax. Of cabbages and kings."
-Lewis Caroll-

STILL YOURS - Part 9a
(Of Cabbages and Kings)

The Evans Household......10:05 PM Monday Night

Liz and Maria stared at each other thunderstruck. This was awful. It was impossible. It was tragic. It was all of the above! They hadn't seen it coming, and Isabel's tears were forestalling any attempt at a response on their part. They waited together silently for Isabel to pull herself together.

Maria broke the silence first. "Isabel," she said gently, "Alex is dead. Max saw him. There's just no way...."

Isabel cut her off. "I know all that Maria!" she snapped. Then she sighed. "I'm sorry Maria, I shouldn't have been so bitchy. It's just that I've been scared to death the last three days. And the more I learn, the more frightened I become."

Liz finally broke out of her own mental vapor lock and said, "I can see where having dreams like that would scare you. But Isabel, he can't be alive. We went to his funeral. We were all there. Jim Valenti identified his body. So did his parents. And Max too. He simply can't be alive. There's just no way. Surely you can see that?"

Isabel sighed. "Look, you promised not to tell the guys. I think there's an implied fair hearing in there don't you? Will you listen instead of telling me what can't be?"

Liz started to speak then held up her hand. "You were right Isabel. Max is signaling for a connection. Hang on while I deal with this will you?"

Isabel broke in. "Liz, you promised! No head talk!"

Liz froze. It had been the natural thing for her to do. But she *had* promised. She sighed deeply then stood and walked over to Isabel. Taking Isabel by the hands and looking her in the eyes, Liz spoke. "Iz, I promised not to tell him, and I won't. But I have to take this. I'm not trying to split hairs on you, honest. A promise is a promise. But if I don't answer, he's going to assume that something has gone disastrously wrong. After that, one of three things is going to happen. He'll leave the Crashdown and race back here, thus breaking our word to my parents. Or he might use the phone...but he'll be pissed at both of us. Or he'll stick to the plan and be *majorly* pissed at *me*. Anyway you look at it, it sucks. The only way that it won't suck is if you trust me to take the call, and not spill the beans." Liz gave Isabel's hands a gentle squeeze. "The other night I made a decision to place my fate with Max and our group in your hands. I never made a better choice in my life. I trusted you. Trust me now...please?" By now Liz was blinking a few tears away.

Isabel was shedding a few of her own tears when she released Liz's hands and pulled her into a hug and said, "And I never made a better choice than I did when I decided to intervene." Isabel gave Liz a kiss on the cheek. "And my brother never made a better move than he did the day that he saved your life! Go talk to him Liz, and get him to chill." With that she released Liz after tightening her hug just a bit to let her know that she meant what she said.

Liz nodded. "Thanks Iz. I'll just be a minute." Then she sat down as her eyes got that vacant look that they always did when she turned inward to converse with the love of her life.

The Crashdown....10:05 PM...45 minutes until close.

Max paused with a soapy dish in his hand as he felt Liz's anxiety spike sharply. He instinctively began nudging their connection, seeking contact. After a few moments he felt her assent and the connection began to deepen. "~Liz? What's wrong Baby?~"

Liz sent him a mental kiss. "~I won't say nothing is wrong Max, because you know that I'd be lying. You'd feel it. But I can tell you that things are under control. She just surprised me that's all. I was right, Alex is at the root of her problems. But I promised her not to bring you into it until we've thrashed it out. Maria made a similar promise about Michael.~"

Max sighed. "~So I guess I just wait it out?~"

Liz answered, "~I'm sorry Sweetheart, but I'm afraid so. Which brings me to my next issue. I think this is going to be an all nighter, so as soon as we're done I'm calling my mother to let her know.~"

Max launched a wave of love and gratitude towards her. "~That's okay Liz, whatever it takes. But I'll miss you.~"

Liz chuckled. "~I miss you to Love, now I'd better scoot before Isabel thinks that I'm ratting her out. Oh, and beware Sweetie. If Iz pulls out any more surprises like this last one, you'll probably feel my emotions going like a yo-yo. Sorry Love.~" Liz gave him a brief mental nuzzle, then she began to back away.

Max sighed in acceptance and returned her nuzzle with the words, "~Good night Sweetheart! I love you! And good luck!~"

From far away Liz's mind voice came. "~G'night Max! I love you!~"

Then the connection was broken. Or rather damped down to it's low level norm.

Five minutes later Jeff Parker came into the kitchen. " Well Max", he said, "Nancy just got off the phone with Liz. Apparently her little therapy session is going well, but she wants to stick with it. So it looks like you're our guest tonight. Does that suit you?"

Max shrugged with a grin. "It's what I signed up for sir. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it."

Jeff stifled a laugh, but his eyes were twinkling. "Well, we'll try not to leave any bruises that show. I hope you don't mind sleeping in Lizzie's bed tonight."

There was a choking sound from across the kitchen. Jeff and Max swung in its direction.

"Something Michael?" Jeff asked.

Max simply glared.

Michael pretended to be extremely busy with the grill in order to hide an uncontrollable grin. "Do I mind sleeping in Lizzie's bed sir?" he thought. "Oh no sir! I found it very comfortable the other night when I *slept* with your daughter sir!" Hello to half-alien blood just all *over* the floor. Clearing his throat he tossed a reply over his shoulder. "Nope, just a little dry throat is all."

Jeff nodded. "Well get something to drink. It's almost time to close, and the place is near empty. If Dolores has something to do, just walk out and get it yourself. You won't shock anyone." Turning to Max he asked, "You brought a change of clothes?"

Max nodded. "And a few small items. Razor, toothbrush, comb and such."

Jeff clapped him on the shoulder. "All right then. Back to work We close at eleven sharp, and I expect you to be wrapped up by eleven thirty and be in bed not to long after that." Jeff started to walk away, then he paused. "Oh, and Max?"

Max looked up. "Yes sir?"

"Don't forget to take out the garbage. The truck comes early." Then Jeff went back upstairs to rejoin his wife.

Max turned back to ream Michael for his untimely slip, but the swinging kitchen doors indicated that he had already fled out front to get a drink. Muttering under his breath, Max returned to work.

Michael was drawing a cherry coke when he heard the sound a throat being cleared. He turned to find Jim Valenti seated at the counter sipping a cup of coffee. Michael frowned, then he walked over to where Valenti was sitting.

"You've been in here an awful lot today Sheriff," Michael said in a low voice. "Is there something cooking I should know about? Trouble?"

Jim shook his head. "I'm not sure Michael. I need to talk to Max. While I was here earlier I couldn't catch him alone, but I overheard something about him being here tonight. Is he back in the kitchen?"

Michael smirked. "Filling in for a busted dishwashing machine while Liz does an all night thing at his house."

Jim smiled as his eyebrows rose. "My oh my, the things a man will do for love... or to get in good with his love object's parents."

Michael nodded. "Yup, he's whipped all right. Look, he has to take the garbage out at closing. There's nothing that says he can't do it a bit early. Why don't you meet him around back?"

Jim smiled his thanks. "Thank you Michael. I'll see you later."

Michael answered, "Anytime for our favorite law enforcement officer. Go ahead, I'll send him right out."

With that Valenti stood up and dropped some money on the counter for the coffee and the tip, then headed for the door. Once he was outside Michael returned to the kitchen. There was nothing happening so he walked over to Max and tapped him on the shoulder. Max turned with a frown.

"Just what the hell were you trying to do a moment ago Michael?" Max asked. "Get me killed? Or worse, leave me alive but banned from seeing Liz until we all die of old age?"

Michael chuckled. "Hey Fearless Leader, I performed the save didn't I? Honestly Max, I'm sorry. It was simply Mr. Parker's question about Liz's bed. It was too funny for words."

Max's frown battled with the inherent humor of the moment. Battled and lost. He chuckled. "Just don't let it happen again. I hope to marry Liz one day. And I won't be worth much to her on our wedding night if her father turns me into soprano now...will I?"

Michael's eye's dancing. "True, but you'll sing so beautifully at the wedding." Then he ducked as Max took a playful swing at him. "Anyway, it's time to take out the trash."

Max glanced at the clock. "What are you talking about? I have over half an hour yet!"

Michael nodded and then indicated the alley door with his eyes while mouthing the word "Now". Max frowned, then shrugged and hefted the kitchen garbage cans as well as the bags from out front and headed for the alley. Carrying the garbage can and bags he approached the Crashdown's dumpster and tossed the bags first. After emptying garbage can he had turned to head back to the kitchen when he heard a familiar voice call out quietly. "Max?"

Max froze and scanned the alleyway. After a moment a shadow detached itself from the wall twenty feet past the restaurant's back door. It was Jim Valenti.

"What can I do for a friend this evening, Sheriff?" Max asked.

Jim chuckled. "It's more like what the friend can do for you. I don't know what this means yet. But I have information on something odd. Something the team may be interested in."

Max frowned. "I *knew* that things were too quiet!" he thought. Aloud he asked, "What's been happening?"

Jim had a far away look on his face. "When I got into the office this morning I had a telexed information request from Toronto, Canada in my in box. It was couched as a fugitive information request. I checked the source and verified that it's from a respectable skip trace outfit based in Canada. One that operates on both sides of the border."

Max wore a puzzled look. "What did they want to know?"

Jim regarded him soberly. "Background information and known associates of one Alex Whitman."

Max heard a roaring sound in his ears. He staggered, but held himself erect by propping himself up with one arm against the alley wall. Shaking his head to clear it he looked at Jim Valenti, who was looking very worried.

"Max, are you okay?" Jim asked.

Max shuddered. "I think so, but I'll know better in just a second. Because I could have sworn that you said that you received an official information request on....Alex?"

Jim nodded. "That's exactly what I said. Someone wants to know about him and anyone associated with him."

Max sat down on an empty crate with a thump. Cradling his head between his hands he scrubbed at his face briefly then looked up at the Sheriff. "The Feds?" he asked in a weak voice.

Jim Valenti looked thoughtful. "I doubt it. If it were them, why would they take such risks, why use such clumsy subterfuge, and tip their hand while they're at it? If the coroner's report had shown anything "alien" I'd have known about it. And I suspect that, if they had anything...I'd have known about *that* too. Ever since Peirce I've been alert for any signs of Fed activity. That bunch doesn't know the meaning of the words "subtle" or "overkill". The Special Unit may be history, but the principles it operated under are still there. If they had anything I wouldn't have gotten a telex from them, I'd have had a flock of suits it my office faster than you can say "illegal wire tap". And like I pointed out, they wouldn't risk compromising their security by using a third party to make their approach. Stuff like that they tend to keep 'in the family'."

Max sighed as his initial reaction calmed. "So what's it about then?"

Jim Valenti shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest. But I sent back a non report, claiming that he had no friends and was a confirmed loner, because the last thing we want is attention directed at his 'friends' ....meaning you, Michael, and Isabel. As well as the rest of us. Then I notified Brody. He'll use a few contacts and grease a few palms, to try and feel out what's happening. I brought it to you for two reasons. For one thing, he was a member of the family, so to speak. You deserved to know. The other is, did you ever get a hint that he or his family might have been into something that wasn't strictly kosher?"

Max looked flabbergasted. "Not a chance, Sheriff. Not Alex. Not his folks. As arrows go, they're the straightest in the quiver. They certainly wouldn't rate this kind of attention."

Jim nodded. "So I thought. But I wanted you to know and get your opinion at the same time. Brody and I will keep checking discreetly. In fact, one thing that just occurred to me is that someone, a criminal, may be running around out there using Alex's identity."

Max's face hardened like granite. That such people actually existed.... "If you learn anything else let me know, will you Sheriff? If someone *is* out there dirtying Alex's memory, I'd like to help do something about it! After everything that's happened, he doesn't deserve *that*, of all things!"

Jim Valenti reached out and took Max's hand, pulling him to his feet. "Will do Max. I assume that you're telling the others?"

Max paused in thought. "Michael yes. The girls no, not yet. My sister still hasn't come to terms with Alex's death. Besides which, right now she seems to be going through a rough patch in that regard. And I'd hate to think of what Liz and Maria would do if they even suspected that someone was out there using Alex's identity. They can be relentless when they're pissed."

Jim Valenti nodded with understanding, and extended his hand. "Okay, your call. I'll talk to you later, Max. Have a good night."

Max shook Valenti's hand and bid him good night before wandering back into the Crashdown in a daze.

As he arrived in the kitchen a glaring Michael intercepted him. "For cryin' out loud Max! What happened out there? Did you get lost?" Then he noticed that distant troubled expression on Max's face. "Max? What's wrong buddy?"

Max snapped out of the thousand yard stare he was in and focused on Michael. "Tell ya in a minute. Right now I have to take a call."

Max turned his gaze inward and allowed his connection to Liz to open fully. She'd been storming the ramparts of his mind for the last ten minutes. Ever since his emotions had gone berserk out in the alley. Liz and he were going to have to learn to keep a lid on things like this....they couldn't go pestering one another every time one of them banged their shin or got ticked off about something.

As the connection unfolded like a flower, Liz's presence flooded his awareness with her love and concern.

"~MAX! Just what the *hell* is going ON over there!!??~"

The Evans Household...10:10 PM

Isabel and Maria disposed of the empty ice cream bowls while Liz was in conversation with Max. Maria had returned to the living room to sit on the love seat by Liz while Isabel stayed in the kitchen to load a tray with drinks and munchies. Chips, dips, nachos, salsa, drinks, ice...and of course, tabasco sauce. It took only a few minutes because she'd prepared much of it earlier. Returning to the living room with the tray fairly groaning she found Liz looking at her with clear eyes, indicating that she was home from Max-sylvania.

Maria jumped to her feet and cleared a place on the coffee table for the tray. Isabel sat it down and then flopped on the floor between the sofa and the coffee table. After getting comfortable she took a sip of her drink and looked at her friends. The silence streeeetched.

Isabel sighed. "So?"

Liz giggled. And Isabel frowned at her. "What's so funny?" she asked.

Liz continued to laugh but managed to wheeze out, "Us! We're acting like some Old West gunfighters meeting at high noon. We're each waiting for the other guy to draw!"

The humor wasn't lost on Isabel. She began to laugh and Maria joined her. But she sobered at a memory.

Liz's laughter died too as she saw Isabel's face fall. "What is it Isabel?" she asked.

Isabel sighed. "I just remembered Max saying something similar about his relationship with you, back before we ironed things out. He was so scared Liz. Terrified to do something. Terrified *not* to do something. I *don't* want that to happen here. Just hear me out, okay? The evidence is sketchy and subjective at best, but I'm not crazy. And I'm *not* imagining things."

Liz looked at Maria, who nodded and turned to Isabel. "We're here for you girl friend. And we won't let things get that way. Just between us girls we have more sense than to let that happen.....unlike our estrogen challenged better halves."

Liz nodded vigorously. "So start at the beginning and take your time. And don't leave anything out!" Then grabbed a paper plate and loaded it with plunder from the tray.

Isabel closed her eyes and collected her thoughts, then she took a deep breath and began to talk.

"It really started the night after the funeral, but as time has gone on I've been seeing things from before that didn't fit. Now they do."

"Like what?" Maria asked.

Isabel shrugged. "Like the fact that I couldn't seem to make myself grieve for Alex's death. I kept waiting for something to happen. For the catharsis to hit. It never did. Now I think that it's because I'm bonded to him, and that on some level my mind couldn't grieve because it knew he was still alive. I mean, on and off I've been sensing him for six months. I thought it was my imagination playing games with me. But the day of the funeral it was so strong it was like I could feel his breath on my neck." She looked at Liz. "Liz, do you remember at the end there, how I halted when we were leaving and looked back?"

Liz frowned and then nodded.

Isabel went on. "It's because I felt him more powerfully than I ever had before. Like he was actually there."

Maria was in the act of eating a nacho when she paused and asked, "Any particular reason for that?"

Isabel nodded. "Yes. Because he *was* there. On a low hill about a mile away, watching through binoculars."

Maria choked on her nacho and began to wheeze. Liz walloped her on the back and she swallowed mightily, then chased it with a gulp of coke. "He was WHAT?"

Isabel smiled. "You heard me, he was there. Watching. I busted him at it in dream walk. And I reamed him thoroughly, believe me."

Maria looked nonplused. "Iz, I don't know if I believe yet or not, but if it's true...then anything you could have done to him can't possibly match what *I'll* do to him when I catch him!"

Isabel looked pained. "Maria, I don't have all the information yet. But he may not have had a choice. I'll be going back in tonight, but from what I *have* been able to piece together he's trying to protect us."

Liz wore a puzzled look. "From what?" she asked.

Isabel's face softened with something like wonder as she said, "From what he is now."

Maria's face took on a shadow. "Okay, not liking your choice of words here. He's protecting us from *what* he is?"

Isabel nodded. "That's right. I said 'what'. Look, let me do this from the beginning, and just hold any questions. Then you look at what I have and see what *you* make of it. Okay?"

Maria nodded her assent, but Liz looked lost in thought...and white as a sheet. Maria glanced at her friend and said, "Liz? Chica? What's wrong?"

Liz's hand was shaking as she reached for her drink. "Something's wrong. Within the last minute Max's emotions are off the chart. I'm trying to raise him telepathically, but he isn't answering."

Isabel reached out and grabbed her purse. After fishing around for a second she came up with her cell phone. "We could call the Crashdown and ask."

Maria shook her head. "Thereby causing people to ask awkward questions about how we knew about whatever is happening there, should the wrong person happen to answer the phone? No, I don't think so."

Liz waved to get their attention. "Whatever is going on is ramping off. He's still tense, but his emotions are calming. He still won't answer my call though."

Isabel nodded. "He may be stuck talking to someone. Just keep up the pressure while we talk." She noticed Maria staring at her significantly. "What? He's my brother too. And if Liz reported that he was still off the scale we'd all be in your car and on our way by now. As it is, all we can do is wait."

Maria sighed and shrugged. "You're right of course." She glanced at Liz. "Are you okay to go on Liz?"

Liz smiled wanly. "Yeah, I'll be fine. But Max and I are going to have to work on some protocols here. I can't be panicking over every little thing."

Isabel nodded in agreement before starting in again. "Okay, where was I. Oh yeah, the night after the funeral. I was getting ready for bed and I had one of these 'talks' with Alex I usually have late at night. I open our yearbook, look at his picture, and talk to him. That must have triggered it. At some point I must have touched it and keyed the 'walk. Once I was asleep, the next thing I knew I was in a strange city, walking. I was near the sea, because I could smell salt in the air. Anyway, I kept hearing this music. It kept drawing me on until I arrived at this building that turned out to be a martial arts studio." Isabel glanced at Liz who had the question on her face. "That's right Liz, that's what I was surfing after on my dad's computer."

Maria cleared her throat. "Did I miss something? When was this?"

Liz spoke up. "When I went to get Iz to start this shindig, she had a page up on the screen about martial arts studios."

Maria nodded, then looked at Isabel. "Okay, go on."

Isabel continued. "Anyway, once I got inside, the place looked like a set from a Jackie Chan movie...except there were about a zillion candles lighting it, live singers singing, and Alex and 'I' were on the dance floor."

Maria waved her hand. "Sorry to interrupt, but what music?"

Isabel picked up the remote for the CD changer and consulted the back of the CD case that she had left on the coffee table. She hit the right numbers and the song began to play.

"Wo-oh my love, My Darlin'.
I've hungered for your touch,
A long, lonely time.
And time goes by, so slowly.
And time, can do so much.
Are you, still mi-i-ine?"

Liz blinked at the sting in her eyes. "Maria and I both wondered why you were suddenly into oldies. That's the music?"

Isabel nodded.

Maria coughed to clear the lump in her throat. "That's our Alex. He still knows romance, inside and out."

Isabel nodded again and added, "I remember thinking much the same thing. Then I started noticing some differences. People tend to carry their body image with them into their dreams. And Alex's was changed."

"Changed how?" Liz asked.

Isabel developed a distant look. "Older, harder, and more muscular. And the way he moved. Like a cat. He looked like he could take on any jock at West Roswell, break them in two, and keep on going without changing stride. And he looked sad and lonely, like he was carrying the weight of the world. When I called to him, the whole dream changed. The singers vanished, the music stopped, my alter ego disappeared. And then he walked over to me. He knew it was me. Not some dream conjuring. And he was scared for me to be there. That was when he touched me, and this connection thing flared up and I felt him."

"Felt him?" a spellbound Maria squeaked out.

Isabel was far away now. "His living presence. His soul. It's hard to describe, but it was him. My soul would know his anywhere."

Liz nodded encouragingly. "I know exactly what you're talking about Isabel. Exactly. I....." Liz broke off and sighed. "Max is answering, hang on a second."

Liz's gaze turned inward. As they watched she developed a frown that deepened then smoothed out to a blush. A few moments later she was back.

"Well?" Maria asked.

Liz sighed. "He wouldn't tell me."

Isabel gave a snort. "Wouldn't?"

Liz smiled wanly. "Yeah, wouldn't. He said that it was important, but not 'right now' important. And it would only 'serve to distract me from the business at hand'."

Maria looked like she'd bitten into something sour. "It sounds to me like maybe His Majesty is a bit miffed over being shut out of what's happening at the squaw party"

Isabel chuckled and said, "If he is, just leave him to me."

Liz shook her head slowly. "No, I can see his point of view. And it's every bit as valid as ours is. He has news, but it isn't relevant to what we have going here. So lets just skip it." She glanced at Isabel then resumed her attack on her chips and dip. "So, we left off with you and Alex in the dream walk. You formed this connection and things got out of hand from there. How am I doing?"

Isabel nodded. "Exactly right. As soon as I was aware that this was Alex I was dealing with, the real article, I freaked. I sat straight up in bed and shrieked at the top of my lungs." She rolled her eyes. "Hello to nightmare the first."

Maria looked fascinated. "Okay, then what?" she asked.

Isabel paused to gather her thoughts then went on. "Okay lets fast forward to the next night. After I got home from the ambush and light show," she paused to glance at Liz who was flushing red, " I was trying to stay awake. At that point I still thought that it was all some bizarre dream. Then I had this weird intuition and decided to follow it. I grabbed the yearbook and touched Alex's picture. Now, whenever I perform a dream walk, I use a picture to connect with my subject. The result is this funny distortion wave that races across the picture and vanishes. Well, when I touched Alex's picture I saw that wave, indicating that I had connected. And you can't connect with a ghost." She paused to grin. "Or at least I don't *think* that you can."

Maria looked irritated. "Ghosts have nothing to do with this anyway. Mush girl friend! Make with the explanations!"

Liz chuckled at Maria's impatience. Isabel flushed a faint pink, and then smirked.

"Just for *that* Maria, you get to wait while I visit the ladies room!" Isabel said. Then she jumped to her feet and dashed for the bathroom. When she got back a few minutes later, Liz was laughing at Maria who looked ready for a full out meltdown.

"Trouble?" Isabel asked.

Liz shook her head laughing. "I was just having a little fun with Maria. She's been antsy ever since you left."

Maria glared at Liz. "Stow it Chica. We have business to attend to." She switched her glare to Isabel. "Now, you were saying? Before you let a piffling thing like potty issues get in the way that is."

Isabel laughed. "I was only gone a couple of minutes! Okay, I'll try to pick up the pace. The next night I got in again, and this time was even more scary. Now that I knew it was a dreamwalk I was trying to be just another part of the landscape. Usually, if I don't actually draw attention to myself, I can go unnoticed. It helps in..um..information gathering."

Maria laughed. "In other words, it's better for spying. Right?"

Liz was taking a sip of coke when Maria spoke, and as a result she snorted a healthy amount and began coughing. In spite of that, and her streaming eyes, she still managed to laugh as she swatted weakly at Maria. "Don't say things like that when I'm taking a drink!" she gasped.

Maria, for her part, wore a look of innocence that simply said, 'Who me?' "I'm sorry Chica," she said merrily. "Just call it one of the hazards of being one of DeLuca's friends." Turning back to Isabel she went on, "You were saying, Mata Hari?"

Isabel shook her head with a smile and picked up where she'd left off. Telling them about the fight she'd seen, and the trip to the hill overlooking the cemetery. By the time she was done she saw her own feelings echoed in her girlfriends' faces.

Liz was the first one to speak. "So you don't think that the fight was real?"

Isabel nodded. "The guy was like a dream monster. Alex was giving as good as he got, but this guy was like the Terminator. Too good and too scary to be real."

Maria got her voice back next. "But from what that guy on the hill said this may be his life now. Headhunting for God's sake? Why? I mean, I can see why Alex would want to keep that away from us. I know him. This is him all over the place. He'd want to protect us at all costs, the idiot."

Liz nodded in agreement. "I've known him for years, and been tight with him most of that time. Yeah, he'd fall on his sword for us." She glanced apologetically at Isabel. "Forgive the pun."

Isabel smiled her forgiveness.

Maria broke in and asked, "But what was with the guilt trip those guys laid on Alex? I mean jeeez! It sounded like this was old hat to them!"

Isabel grimaced. "You noticed that too? It bothered me because it reminded me way too much of the 'keep off the humans' pep talk that Max, Michael, and I used to use on each other to prevent us from developing attachments. And the way that the big guy said it, referring to us as "ordinary mortals" bugged the hell out of me. Until last night."

Maria leaned forward. She had a feeling that this would be the clincher.

Liz was equally transfixed. "What happened last night?", she asked.

Isabel looked at them and saw belief written on their faces. Whether she had proven it, or they simply had faith in her, she didn't know. But what mattered was that they believed her. Blinking back tears she said, "I got in again. But that wasn't what had me in hysterics. Though I did see some disturbing stuff, it's what happened after the 'walk that gave me fits."

Maria snorted with impatience. "Don't keep us in suspense Iz! What happened?"

Post by **Kzinti_Killer** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 7:46 am

Title: Still Yours
Author: KK
Disclaimer: The characters that count in this do not belong to me in any way shape or form. I simply borrowed them from someone else's toy box.
Category: Crossover Roswell/Highlander A/I +CC
Rating: MATURE shifting to ADULT later on.

STILL YOURS - Part 9b
(Of Cabbages and Kings)

Isabel smiled weakly and sniffed. "He called me. On my cell phone. I talked to him. For real."

Neither Liz nor Maria said anything for a moment, then Liz crawled around the coffee table to reach Isabel. Once there she stood on her knees, placed her arms around the sniffling girl, and pulled Isabel's head down to her petite shoulder. That was all it took. Isabel gave in to her feelings and sobbed brokenly. Liz stroked her hair and whispered softly. "Shhhhh, let it out. That's what we're here for. Just let go of it."

Maria stood blinking back her own tears and walked unsteadily around the table to sit on the sofa behind Isabel. Once she was there she began rubbing the tension out of Isabel's shoulders.

It took a while, but Isabel cried herself out. Eventually she sat up, but not before kissing Liz on the cheek and gently trapping Maria's hand for the same purpose. "Th-th-thanks. I needed that. More than I knew. I'm afraid I did the same thing when he called too. I was so happy to hear his voice. But at the same time I was so angry at him for hiding from us. I just broke down."

Liz nodded as grabbed her drink and took a long swallow to clear the lump in her throat. Maria gave Isabel a quick hug from behind before returning to the other side of the table.

Maria studied Isabel solemnly. "Girl friend, you should have told us sooner. Carrying all this must have been driving you crazy."

Isabel gave a weak laugh. "I thought that maybe I *was* crazy. Or that *you* would think I was crazy. And besides," Isabel gave Liz a hug, "carrying this around was nothing compared to what Liz did in carrying what she did for us. With her as my example, how could I share this until I had proof?"

Liz elbowed her gently. "I don't recommend myself as an example of discretion. In hindsight I'd have done better taking the whole thing to you guys directly. At the very least I should have taken it to Max."

Isabel chuckled. "I'll take that under advisement. Until then you're stuck on a pedestal. For Alex too. I told him how dogged you were in unraveling his murder."

Maria shifted uncomfortably. "Which brings us back to the subject at hand. What the hell happened? He obviously didn't die. So who was it that we buried?"

Isabel developed a haunted look. "I don't know Maria, I only know that Alex told me that if we were to dig that grave under his headstone up, we'd find it empty....now."

Maria swallowed. "So you're saying what? That he rose from the dead?"

Liz was looking skeptical, so Isabel took a deep breath and started in. She told them about the combat drill she'd seen, and the accident. And about the healing. Liz and Maria grew pale.

Liz spoke. "Do you think that they're..."

"...aliens?" Isabel finished for her. "I don't know. Taken together with Duncan and Richie's attitude on messing with "ordinary humans", it's the first thing that I thought of. But there's something of about the whole thing. That woman Amanda was mothering Alex. He didn't seem like a prisoner. If what I saw and what he said on the phone is anything to go by then he doesn't feel threatened by them. If anything he considers them friends."

Liz looked thoughtful. "None of which answers the question of who died six months ago. Obviously even Tess thought that it was Alex she killed."

Isabel sighed. "I don't know Liz. I just don't know. Here's what Alex said about it...and she recounted the phone conversation, along with its abrupt ending and accompanying wave of blinding fear from Alex."

Liz put an arm around her again and squeezed.

Maria folded her hands, her brow furrowed in thought. "So this is what we have. Alex says that he's different from regular humans. But not any sort of alien like Max, Michael, or you. Different, but not different enough to blow a blood test. Yet different enough to play dead for real and live to tell about it? That there are others like him, and that they just pop up as abandoned babies? That his life is now too dangerous for him to live it around us? And that he lived his life in complete ignorance of all of this? This is either too much information, or not enough."

Liz cleared her throat. "Not enough I'd say. That Duncan guy may have recovered quickly from a serious stab wound, but he obviously didn't enjoy the experience. And they're teaching Alex to fight with deadly weapons. Even if Alex is like Duncan, he still isn't invulnerable. If he were, why train to fight? I hate to say it but it sounds like he's being trained to war."

Isabel winced. "That's exactly what he called himself. A warrior."

Maria flopped back against the love seat. "You said that you were going back in tonight?"

Isabel nodded. "Come hell or high-water."

"Well, see if you can find out where he is will you?" she asked.

"Oops," thought Isabel. "I missed something." Then she went on aloud. "Um....I must have forgot to mention. I know where he is."

Both Liz and Maria stared at her as if she had sprouted a second head.

"Well! Don't keep us in suspense!" Maria burst out.

Isabel looked chagrined. "I'm sorry, there was just so much information! On the second 'walk I saw this odd building on the horizon. Like a spire with a UFO impaled on it. Given that people tend to incorporate their surroundings into their dreams, I guessed that it was a landmark where ever Alex was. It was pretty distinctive. It looked familiar, so I made a sketch and went to the library to do some research. I got no where until the librarian looked over my shoulder and recognized my sketch. She found this travelogue that had pictures. It's the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington.

"Seattle?" Liz breathed. Then she sat up and looked at Isabel. "Not just Seattle, but a martial arts school *in* Seattle. Right?"

Isabel nodded tiredly. "That'd be my guess."

Maria glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantle. It read 11:15 PM. Past their bedtime if they were going to be even half alive for school tomorrow. "Look, you said that you were going back in tonight, right?"

Isabel smiled indulgently as she nodded yes to confirm it again for an antsy Maria.

"Okay, it's past bedtime for all of us then." Maria said. "I move that we adjourn for tonight and reconvene in the morning to discuss anything new that you've picked up. All in favor say aye?"

With an awesome display of timing and coordination, both Isabel and Liz stifled yawns while mouthing, "Aye!" Both girls looked at each other and laughed.

"Tomorrow I'll take over the web surfing after martial arts places in Seattle if you don't mind Isabel" Liz said.

Isabel nodded tiredly. "Not a problem. I'm not half as computer savvy as I'd like to be. I found myself wishing more than once that I could appeal to Alex for his input."

Maria chuckled at Isabel's gambit then asked, "Sleeping arrangements? Who sleeps where?"

Isabel smiled. "Well, I didn't think that there was any way that we'd keep Liz out of Max's bed."

Maria laughed at the double entendre, while Liz flushed.

Isabel continued. "So I figured we'd toss a coin, the result decides whose bed you share DeLuca."

Liz snickered, but Maria affected not to notice. "Nothing against you girl friend, but I'll sleep with Liz," she said. "If you're going under to explore Alex's psyche again, I think the last thing that you need is me kicking you in your sleep."

Isabel grinned. "Suit yourself Maria. That's just more covers for me."

Isabel took the dishes into the kitchen and rinsed them while Liz and Maria grabbed their bags and headed for the bathroom to get ready for bed. By the time she'd rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher they were already in bed. Isabel bid them both goodnight and went through her own preparations quickly. Getting into bed she pulled out the much used yearbook and studied Alex's picture. Reaching out with one finger she stroked the picture delicately. As she watched the expected distortion wave race across the picture she murmured. "Ready or not, here I come." She waved the light off, but instead of dropping the yearbook to the bedside floor as she had before, tonight she folded it tightly in her arms as if it were her lover. Sleep was beginning to take her when a soft knock on her door pulled her back. "Come in," she said drowsily. The door opened to admit Liz and Maria. They stood looking at her for a moment then approached the bed.

Liz sat on the edge of the bed and touched Isabel's hand before she spoke softly. "Iz, we're sorry to disturb you, but we have a favor to ask."

Isabel yawned. "Granted, but only if I don't have to get out of bed to do it."

Maria was standing behind Liz with her hand resting on Liz's shoulder. "You don't." She moved around Liz and leaned down to kiss a startled Isabel on the cheek, and Liz followed suit half a heart beat later."

Isabel looked puzzled. "What was that for?", she asked.

Liz smiled and said, "When you go, take our love with you. And when you see him.." Her voice hitched. "When you..." Her face crumpled as the central truth behind the events of this evening came home to her. "Tell him that we miss him!" she wailed.

Isabel sat up and laid the yearbook aside as she pulled the sobbing girl into her arms. Now it was her turn to offer solace. "Shhh! Don't worry. Before I leave him tonight, he'll know that you love him...if he doesn't already." Looking over Liz's shoulder she saw that Maria too was on the ragged edge. Opening one arm she beckoned the petite blond forward. For a long time she held both girls in a sisterly embrace, until they had cried themselves out. Once their sniffles died away they both stood, looking embarrassed. Isabel smiled to ease their feelings. "Don't worry, I'll bring him home to us, one way or another," she said.

Liz nodded her silent thanks, not trusting her voice. Then she fled the room. Maria managed to squeak out, "Thanks Izzy," before she followed Liz.

Isabel sighed and began to calm herself. As the balm of sleep began to pull her down once more, she groped for and found the battered annual. Cradling in close she settled back, already reaching out towards her sleeping soul mate with her mind. Her last waking thought was, "Geronimo!".

Liz's Bedroom....11:30 PM

Max was trying to get to sleep but the emotional roller coaster that Liz was on kept distracting him. And the fact that Liz's scent was all around him didn't help either. Between them they were contriving to drive him out of his mind. He had been occupying himself replaying the scene less than an hour ago when he'd shared Valenti's news with Michael. Michael had been torn between flat out disbelief and naked fury. In the end he had echoed Max's sentiments that, should it prove to be a criminal making use of Alex's good name that had triggered this, there wouldn't be a hole on Earth deep enough to hide him from them.

Max was about to try counting sheep again when Liz began to frantically page him over their bond link. It was only moments ago that he'd felt her emotional balance had pitch over hard. It had taken a supreme act of will on his part not to contact her. As a result he was a little grumpy. So he was overwhelmed when the link opened fully and Liz swarmed through it into his mind. She was borderline hysterical. "Good God!" he thought. "What the hell did Iz tell her? I sent her over there to deal with Isabel's issues, not grow some of her own!" Trying to calm her he said, "~Liz? Baby? What's the matter? Talk to me?~" Instead Liz went straight into close contact, forcing the link open further. His eyes widened as he realized what she was trying for. "~Liz Honey, I don't think this is a good...~"

She cut him off in a shaky mind voice, thick with emotion. "~Please Max, please. I need...I need you.~"

Max was shaking with the force of her need. He sat up in bed and reached for his clothes. "~I can be there in a few minutes Love, hang on.~" He was stunned by the force of her reply.

"~NO, too long! I need you now! And besides, if my parents find you gone, they'll know where you are. And we won't see each other again until we're old and gray. Please just let me...~"

Max felt the first flickers of what was to come, together with her love and overwhelming need. So he laid back down and relaxed, allowing their bond to dilate completely, giving himself fully to his lover's need.

*FUSION*

The entity that was greater than the sum of it's parts was aware again. It felt the distress in it's composite mind and reached for the source. It considered the evidence dispassionately and began constructing event scenarios. As a construct of energy rather than matter it operated at nanosecond speeds. Considering dozens of alternative explanations, testing them, discarding them in the space of seconds. Finally it arrived at it's conclusion. It's real work done it idled for a few moments, enjoying awareness. Then it realized that it's primary reason for existing in this here and now was over. It was a servant of it's constituent parts. Time to sleep again....

*FISSION*

This time the separation wasn't such a shock. The real shock came afterwards. Rather it was, as the Bard wrote, a "sweet sorrow". Max returned to awareness laying in Liz's bed. The dreamy lassitude that he felt was quickly dispelled as the knowledge gained from Liz and the conclusions drawn by their Composite sank into his conscious mind. He tried to move but found that one thing hadn't changed, the exhaustion. If anything it was worse this time. He had no idea how long they had held to fusion, but he felt like he'd just run a triathlon through the Mojave in August...and lost. He reached out to Liz with his mind. "~Liz? Honey? Are you all right?~"

At first there was nothing. Which frightened him, but just as he was summoning the energy to try and get dressed to reach his Beloved he felt the stirrings of their link.

"~Oh My GOD~," came Liz's rejoinder. "~I've never been this tired in my LIFE! Is this what it's going to be like every time, I wonder?~"

Max chuckled in relief. "'~Don't blame me Princess. You're the one that was on the verge of blowing a fuse.~"

"~Can you blame me?~" she responded tartly. "~And speaking of blown fuses, Michael will have a cow when he finds out that we did this again.~"

"~No~," Max said thoughtfully. "~I can't blame you a bit. You were supposed to get some answers and help Isabel. You can't help it if the result was so mind bending. And as for old 'stick-in-the-mud', he'll be pissed all right. But that's just his 'protect the group' side coming out. Bear that in mind when he blows his top, will you?~"

Liz giggled mentally. "~Roger wilco Your Majesty.~" She was silent for a moment then she went on soberly. "~Max do you think that the inquiry Valenti got has anything to do with what Iz told us tonight?~"

Max paused in thought. "~I don't know. You've got the same information and conclusions that I do now. And vice versa. The whatever it is that we become seems certain that, based on the evidence, Alex is alive. From
what Iz told you it sounds like he's going to war. If *you* were an enemy of his, wouldn't *you* want to know everything you could about your opponent? I think Valenti did all of us a major favor when he sent in that false report on Alex..~"

"~Max! We can't leave him alone to deal with this!~" Liz cried across their link.

Max sent soothing thoughts of love to his distraught soul mate. "~We won't Love. But before we do a single thing we'll have to come up with tangible proof. Michael and the Valenti's, among others, aren't going to be convinced without physical evidence.~"

"~Like what?~," Liz asked.

Max gave a mental sigh. "~Well, Alex *did* say that his grave was empty didn't he?~" Max could feel Liz's mental shudder across their link.

"~Surely you aren't suggesting that we, er look and see?~" she asked.

"~I don't see any other way Honey~," Max responded.

The Evans Household....Same time

Laying on the Evans' living room couch Liz yawned, hardly able to keep her eyes open. She'd come out here to be comfortable and to have some privacy while she was talking to Max. Now she was too tired to join Maria in bed. With an effort of will she reached up and managed to pull the throw off of the back of the couch. Spreading it over herself was a major project in her state. As she snuggled down into the warmth she gave Max a sleepy rejoinder. "~Well, it's too much to consider tonight. Sweetheart I'm about dead here. I need some sleep before school tomorrow, and so do you. Lets call it a night and pick it up tomorrow, please?~" She heard Max's warm chuckle at felt a soothing wave of tenderness from him was over her.

"~Killjoy~," he said teasingly. "~Sleep tight Princess! I'll talk to you in the morning!~" He sent her a mental kiss as he began to back out of their connection.

Liz was already half asleep as as her mind murmured to his. "~D'nigh' Max...~"

The Crashdown......Liz's Bedroom

Max stretched and then rolled over. Tucking a pillow under his head he closed his eyes and let fatigue drag him down. One of the anchors that had weighed on his soul for half a year was gone. Alex was alive. Obviously in danger, true. But, for their little ad hoc family, that seemed to be business as usual. He could foresee a thousand problems and troubles surrounding the resolution of this situation. But the key fact was the important one. Their friend was alive.

Max fell swiftly and dreamlessly asleep for the first time in a year. Peace of the soul will do that for you.

Still, it's the troubles that you *can't* see that come up and bite you in the ass when you aren't looking. Fortunately for Max his sleep sodden mind was in no shape to be properly pessimistic.

He slept peacefully as somewhere, far away, two lovers met in a dream tryst.

MacLeod's Dojo............11:15 PM

Amanda stifled a yawn. They'd been waiting for over an hour, with no success. As a professional thief, she had patience when it counted. But this situation was an unknown. Thus her patience was wearing thin...and it naturally followed that her temper of the moment was slightly shorter than a snake's hind legs. She turned her gaze to the sleeping man/boy on the bed. As funny as her friends found her behavior towards Alex, she herself found it even funnier. "Who would have thought that, in my second millennium I'd be answering the call of motherhood?" she mused. As a first timer at this particular calling, she had a difficult time dealing with the emotions it brought out in her. There was one in particular that she was dealing with as they waited for this unknown girl to invade Alex's sleep again. If such a thing were even possible. "Who is she? What is she like? What is she to Alex? What is Alex to *her*?" she thought. If only Amanda had known. She was feeling the same thing that countless mothers through the ages had felt when their sons brought home a girl for them to meet, of unknown and possibly questionable reputation.

The three of them, Duncan, Cassandra, and Amanda, were sitting quietly around Alex's room in some chairs from Duncan's dining room table. Keeping watch.

Fighting off another yawn she turned to Cassandra. "How long do we have to wait?" she asked.

Cassandra shrugged. "Until our little mindwalker comes to call."

Amanda looked unconvinced. "Are you *sure* about this?" She nodded at Duncan. "As flights of fancy go, this sounds pretty over the top, even for him!"

Cassandra looked thoughtful then shook her head. "The alternative is to believe that either Alex has been sneaking out, or she has been sneaking in, unmarked by anyone, for days. Granted it's a reach. I didn't even want to believe it myself, when Duncan proposed it. But mindwalking isn't unheard of. With enough time and the proper training, a few people can do it. Me for instance. But it's taxing for those that can. And they were never many to begin with. And, of all of those, I had thought that I was the only one still alive."

"Well then obviously you thought wrong Glinda!" Amanda said with asperity.

Duncan cleared his throat. "Calm down Amanda. Giving Cass a hard time isn't going to make this go any faster."

Cassandra spoke. "It's okay Duncan, this sort of cat and mouse game can get on anyone's nerves." Turning to Amanda she said, "There's an exception to the rule. In all my overly long life I never knew of more than a dozen of people that could manage the training to master this. As far as I know I'm the only one still alive, by simple virtue of the fact that I'm the only Immortal ever to swing it. The exception is, the naturals. I never met one. But I've heard of three, widely scattered across centuries.. Born with the innate ability. No training required. And where those of us that developed it as a mental discipline tire easily and quickly, the naturals never seem to tire at all. They take to it like a duck takes to water."

Amanda glared suspiciously. "How come I've never heard of them then?"

Cassandra shook her head sadly. "Of the three, all were mortals, and the last died over 1500 years ago. None ever lived to maturity."

This was news to Duncan. They all died? He frowned. "What, is there some flaw or vulnerability that comes with the gift?"

Cassandra sighed. "Only if you count a vulnerability to the bigoted hatred of those around them. In the benighted era that they were born into a talent like theirs was something to be feared. They were all killed as children, as soon as they displayed their talents. Either by their parents, or their frightened neighbors. Even today I wonder what would become of one, should one emerge with The Gift. A zoo animal? A lab specimen?" Cassandra shook her head in negation again. "No, the human race hasn't changed so much. It's just gotten better toys to play with now. It's been so long since I've even heard *rumor* of one that I thought that The Gift had died out for good. A pity. Given the fact that a few of us can, with training and time, do the same thing in a lesser way....I've often wondered if the talent isn't latent in everyone. And it was just a fluke that turned it on in those unlucky three."

Amanda's irritation had faded. Now she looked thoughtful. "Are you saying that this girl, if she shows, is one of the naturals?"

Cassandra nodded yes. "She would have to be. If she's the girl that Duncan saw at the funeral, then she's too young to have had the time to learn the necessary mental disciplines. I doubt that, at that age, she'd have the required will power anyway. No, she has to be a natural. And a pretty restrained and crafty one at that. To reach the age she has, undiscovered, would require a great deal of patience and self-restraint."

Amanda nodded. She walked over to where Alex lay sleeping and gently brushed an errant lock of hair from his forehead. Then without looking up and to no one in particular..she spoke. "All of which makes her dangerous."

Duncan sighed. "Here we go," he thought. "Amanda's having a mommy attack." Then he said aloud, "Amanda, you don't know that."

Amanda spun on him. "I don't? She screws up his sleep three days in a row, making him so punchy that he can't even train...let alone fight? That's not dangerous? Good God Duncan! Because of her he went out into the night yesterday and could have gotten himself killed!"

Duncan held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not saying that he wasn't in danger. But I'd think that it's mostly a result of ignorance on her part."

Cassandra spoke up. "I agree. If she's from his mortal life, then she probably thought he was dead until she got into his head. Probably by accident. Enough love and yearning could do that."

Amanda looked at them incredulously. "Love? What the hell are you talking about?"

Duncan winced. "Oh my," he thought. "This is worse than I thought."

Cassandra continued. "Yes, love. Certainly Alex took a big risk last night. Who hasn't for love? And she still loved him enough to manage to reach him when, for all she knew, he was beyond the grave. That's what's going to be toughest about this."

Duncan chimed in. "Just look at him Amanda. We all know the kind of person he is. Do you think that he'd cuddle up to evil?"

Amanda's shoulders slumped briefly in defeat. Then they straightened and she looked up. "I'm not saying that she's evil. She doesn't have to be bad to be bad *for* him. Besides, he's a boy scout. Just like you are Duncan. That makes you gullible sometimes. Would I have been able to pull half the crap that I have on you in the last 300 years if you weren't?"

Duncan almost burst out laughing. Amanda was afraid that this mystery girl was just like her? How many mothers want their son to marry a woman *better* than themselves? "Lets give her the benefit of the doubt before we pass sentence, shall we?"

Amanda managed to look puzzled and pissed at the same time. "If you're so convinced that she's one of the good guys then why are we setting an ambush for her?"

Duncan sighed. "Because we may have a ton of trouble coming at us, and if it works out the way I think it's going to, then the fewer variables we have to deal with the better that I'll like it. And right now this girl is a big fat wild card in the deck. A deck that we're going to need heavily stacked in our favor."

Amanda looked at Cassandra, who wasn't looking the least bit surprised. "What have you been holding out on me?" she demanded. "And why does the Good Witch know what I don't?"

Duncan smiled grimly. "To take your questions in reverse, Joe Dawson called while you were out shopping earlier. He reported on something I asked him to check on when I called him this morning. Our good friend Conterras has a big mouth, which he was flapping pretty hard last night. Hard enough to make me curious. So I had Joe pull his file again and make some inquiries as to who our dear Rafe has been spending time with the last year or so. He got back to me with it tonight, and I told Cass when she arrived.

"And just who has the little rodent been spending quality time with? The ghost of Elvis?" Amanda snarled.

Duncan told her.

Amanda turned pale. All that she could manage to get out was, "Oh shit."

Duncan nodded. "So you see, we *don't* need any complications. And neither does Alex. But I don't fancy that she'll be willing to listen to sweet reason. And neither will he. So Cass is going to slap a temporary fix on the situation. As you pointed out, if the girl got hurt, he'd never forgive me. In this situation her odds of 'getting hurt' in a really permanent way are damned near certain."

Amanda glared at him a moment longer, then collapsed back into her chair, her posture betraying a defeat that was anything but graceful, grumbling about 'the damned Boy Scouts'. She looked up and said, "Well, I'm bored to tears. Anyone up for cards? I'll get the deck and...."

At that moment everyone in the room froze as a mellow low frequency hum filled the air. They didn't have to look far for the source. The resonance was easily traceable to dream catcher. It's feathers danced and jittered as ghostly fox fire wound it's way up and down it's web. Abruptly the air was swamped with the warm springtime scent of apple blossoms.

"She shoots! She scores!", Amanda thought silently.