Inquiring Minds (AU/CC MATURE) [COMPLETE] 9-7

[kj4ever]

I am so sorry I let this get into the dead and buried section! I promised I would finish it and I will! Life has been crazy and I got involved in a new business pursuit that has just been very satisfying and lucrative If you want to check it out it's at http://kel.uppercaseliving.net

I am going to finish this, and here's a small part if there are any of you still reading! I'm thinking there are 4 chapters left, with a posibility of a sequel. I should be able to do at least a chapter a month, and hope to have the rest of this chapter up next week.

Again I am so sorry and I have not left this fic or Rosfic! No matter how busy I get, I love this place and all the people that frequent it

Chapter 16 A

Kyle watched from a distance as he saw the group of six unload their truck. His fingers gripped the steering wheel in anticipation as he willed himself to stay where he was, to keep out of site, and to keep a safe distance between him and them.

He knew he should have went to his Father with his suspicions, but he wanted to prove once and for all that he could handle these types of situations. His Grandfather had given up a lot because of aliens, and his Father was still there, still in Roswell trying to make his Father's sacrifice not be in vain.

He really did like Liz, but felt a little guilty when he thought how he had used her. Liz's sudden interest in aliens perked his interest, because usually the scholastic types didn't fall for all those alien stories. Liz was a scientist through and through, and she would need proof to believe it.

Kyle couldn't help but think that Liz had that proof, and he took a huge risk in showing her that photo. He just had to see her reaction, and her face going pale was the reaction he needed. He tried in vain to start up a more intense relationship with her, and though it hurt his mission, he was glad when she rejected him. Deep down Liz was one of the best people he knew, and he couldn't stand using her like that. Still, he had to try, had to figure out what she knew.

Kyle noticed all the camping supplies and figured they were planning on staying the night in the woods. He also figured that they were headed to the caves, where all that alien technology laid. All Kyle knew was one way or another, this would all be over soon and his Father would realize that he could handle this all on his own. It was time for this to be over.

After he watched them head into the woods, Kyle waited another ten minutes and pulled out. All he had to do was go to the caves, which would provide cover for him, and wait.

____________________________________________________________


"That was a genius idea Alex and Isabel," Maria said, grateful her pack was way lighter then carrying some big vinyl tent or pots and pans.

"It was all Alex," Isabel said, smiling at him as a tinge of blush colored his cheeks. Maybe it was all the years of hiding that made them not have ideas like that. In the camping store Alex began to worry about carrying all this stuff for a 8+ hour hike. Since the aliens could change the molecular structure of things, couldn't they just buy yards of gauze and transform it into the canvas that made tents? Couldn't they find sticks in the woods and make them the poles?

Isabel and draw the line at any food though, because alien altered food just didn't taste right. So the girls carried packs of gauze while the guys carried the heavier supplies, which were way lighter then it would have been originally.

They had walked for a couple of hours when Michael noticed the others were falling farther and farther behind.

"We need to step it up if we are going to get half way by nightfall," Michael yelled to the stragglers. Liz and Max were strolling hand in hand like they were on a date. Isabel and Alex were joking around, not really paying much attention to where they were going.

"Eh, we'll make it, don't worry. Besides, we have all day tomorrow, right?" Maria said.

"Well you and I might make it, but those four," he said, running his hands through his hair exasperated.

"You have to remember, they aren't used to walking like we are," Maria pointed out. The two of them, coming from the wrong side of the tracks, had made many a trip on foot over to their respective friends houses, trips that were miles long. Walking to their houses beat seeing the pitying look their friends parents had on their faces whenever they picked them up.

Maria had been keeping right up with Michael, even with his long leggs. In her heart she knew this waiting must be killing him, and by the looks of things who knew how long it would take to get there.

Michael sighed. "Would you stop making so much damn sense?"

Maria laughed. "Why?"

"Because it's really aggravating," he said as she playful slapped him on the arm.

"Someone's gotta keep you rooted in reality. It's a hard job, but someone's gotta do it," she said with a sparkle in her eye.

Michael's grumbling response only made her laugh harder, and before she knew it the sky was the ground then the ground was the ground again and she was hoisted over Michael's shoulder.

"Who's rooted now?" Michael asked as Maria, between laughs and cries insisted he put her down.

"We better catch up to them," Liz said, watching her best friend kicking and punching at Michael as he set her back on the ground. "You know, before they kill each other."

Max laughed. "I doubt that will happen. I think we are making good time." Really, they weren't, but he looked at Liz, who really was going as fast as she could with how short she was. He knew Alex and Isabel could probably already be there, since their legs were 3/4ths of their bodies. They were going slow so that Liz didn't feel bad.

All of a sudden Max scooped Liz up in his arms and raced his way up to Michael and Maria. Just as he expected, Alex and Isabel caught up with no problem. "Just to give you peace of mind," Max said as he winked at a shocked Liz. "If I were a betting man, my money would be on Maria."

"Would be on Maria for what?" Michael asked.

"I think he's talking about a battle to the death between the two of you," Alex contemplated, "and I must say I agree."

"Whatever," Michael said as he rolled his eyes.

Maria was giggling as Michael stopped dead in his tracks. Max gently set Liz down, and Isabel seemed frozen as a statue.

"Do you feel that?" Isabel asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Feel what?" Alex asked, confused.

"Yes, I do," Max said, closing his eyes in concentration.

"It feels so familiar," Michael said, reaching his hands out in front of him.

"Do you mean that buzz?" Liz asked. Max's head whipped around to look at Liz.

"You feel something different?" he asked.

"Yes, it's like a different energy, almost like it's buzzing around us, but it's far away, faint," she said, looking at a shocked Michael, Max, and Isabel. "Do you two feel it?" she asked Maria and Alex.

Alex rasied his shoulders and Maria said she felt nothing.

"What does this mean?" Isabel asked.

"I think it means we are moving in the right direction, and it definitely proves that I changed Liz in some way," Max said, looking worried.

[kj4ever]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad to see that some of my favorite feedbackers are still out there! You guys rock!

Chapter 16B

Michael was pacing the camping site like a caged tiger. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you would help," Isabel said after transforming the gauze into the second tent. Yes, they had powers but they were limited, and they did need time to recharge. At this rate they wouldn't have enough energy left for air mattresses, and Isabel had no intention of sleeping on the cold, hard ground.

Alex gave Isabel a look that said "don't" and went to the edge of the campsite. "It must be hard to stop like this when we are so close to finding answers," Alex stated.

The group had found a small clearing and decided to make camp for the night. Michael had begrudgingly agreed, even though it had about killed him. Even if they could get to the caves in a couple more hours, navigating the thick forest during the night just wasn't feasible. Someone could get hurt easily, and as much as he wanted to get there already, he didn't want anyone injured. It still frustrated him to no end.

Michael looked at Alex. He knew he was trying to help, but all it did was annoy him. He'd heard enough psycho-babble in his time to recognize it, so he just grunted in reply, which was Michael's way of not being rude.

"I supposed," Alex continued as he sat down on a log, "that I wouldn't know which to be more apprehensive about - if I'd find something or if I wouldn't."

Michael gave Alex and incredulous look. "What are you babbling about?" He at least had stopped pacing, Alex thought.

"Well, you can possibly learn two things tomorrow," Alex said thoughtfully. "Either there was a big mistake, that you were separated from your people, or they just left you."

Michael closed his eyes and tried to reign in his temper. He went through how much these people have been trying to help before he answered so that he wouldn't totally offend this guy.

"Look, I know you are trying to help, but you can't know what we are going through, you just can't, so don't even try," Michael said as diplomatically as he could, which wasn't all that diplomatic and just came out in an annoyed tone.

"Can't I though?" Alex said.

'This guy just doesn't know when to leave well enough alone,' thought Michael. "No, you can't," Michael said, then added "but thanks for the effort," in an exasperated tone.

"Well I guess if I wanted to put myself in your position I'd just have to think that instead of finding something alien I'd find my Mother in those caves," Alex said as he looked at the ground.

"What do you mean by that?" Michael asked as he sat down by Alex. "Your Mom is head of the PTA, she's like June Cleaver or something."

"Yes, she is, and she's the best" Alex said, "but she's not my biological Mother, my Dad married her when I was 6."

"Oh," Michael said.

"My Bio-Mom, well she left when I was almost five. It had something to do with 'finding herself' " Alex said, making air quotes. "Well, I guess she hasn't found herself because I haven't heard from her since."

"You may not think I can understand, but I can in my own way. On one hand I'd like to see her rush up to me and say what a huge mistake it was, leaving me behind, and on the other I'd be afraid that she just didn't want me," Alex said softly.

"I guess you can understand a little bit," Michael said, feeling horrible that he had dismissed his feelings.

"I guess so," Alex said. "You know, we aren't as different as you all think. Maria, well she was abandoned by her Father, who was a real piece of work, let me tell you, and even Liz has her crosses to bear."

"Liz?" Michael said in disbelief. "The perfect Parker?"

Alex laughed as Liz's nickname which had been given to her by a teacher in fifth grade. "You ever wonder why she's so perfect?" Alex said. "Take this weekend. Do you know she was up half the night last night, making arrangements, calling people in to work this weekend? Most parents won't leave their sixteen year old alone, and her parents do that all the time and leave her to run a business!"

"I guess I hadn't thought of that," Michael said. He was used to being on his own, fending for himself. Hank didn't care if he was taken care of, not one bit, but then again, he was Hank, not his Father.

"Liz's parents have always pushed her to be responsible, to be much older then her age. Oh, she takes it in stride, but it's got to get to you every once in awhile," Alex said, looking over at Liz who was laughing and helping Max build a fire. "This weekend is good for her. Her parents might be furious that she left others to run the restaurant, and I'm sure that's in the back of her mind, that she might disappoint them. It's good that she's willing to risk that, and about damn time I might add."

"Hmmm," Michael said in agreement. "I guess I better go help Isabel before she has an aneurysm," he said absentmindedly.

"That," Alex said, "Is the best idea I've heard all day!"

Michael got up and started walking towards Isabel. He turned around suddenly. "Oh, and Alex, thanks," he said.

"Your welcome," Alex said, but Michael was already tromping off to get his marching orders from Isabel. Alex just smiled and shook his head, ready to receive his orders too.

__________________________________________________________________________

Kyle leaned back the seat in his car, settling in for the night. It was a long walk from where Liz and the others had left, and judging by their camping supplies they weren't planning on getting to the caves tonight.

If they were who he thought they were, this discovery would be monumental. All the pain and trouble his family had suffered through the years would be worth it. All he had to do was go to the caves in the morning, which would only take an hour from his vantage point, and wait for proof.

He turned the cell phone over and over in his hands, debating if he should call her. He knew she would be so happy if they were who he suspected, the lost hybrids. She would be so happy to have found HIM, the one she had been intended to be with all those years ago.

How could he, Kyle, compete with a full blown Antarian? Yes, he had some alien juice running through his veins from his Grandfather and his Mother, but he had turned out decidedly human. Oh, there was a chance that powers might manifest themselves before he turned 18, and he prayed for that every night. Prayed for it so that Mr. Harding might think he was good enough for his daughter.

[kj4ever]

Thanks for the FB everyone! Part B is half way done, so you won't have near as long of a wait for it.

Chapter 17 A

Liz leaned back into Max's strong chest, sitting between his legs with his strong arms around her midsection. They had finished setting up camp, and the two love birds were enjoying the newly sparked fire while Alex and Isabel stargazed, sitting on a log a little outside of camp. Michael and Maria were furiously drawing in a notebook over by one of the tents.

"So do you have any theories?" Liz asked while enjoying the sensation of being in Max's arms.

"Mmmm, theories?" Max asked as he gently kissed the top of Liz's head.

"Yeah, theories," she said as she turned her head to look up at him. "About why your people brought you here. About why you were.......left."

Max sighed. "I guess I've always tried to not think about it," he admitted. "I mean, we always knew we were different, and by the time we found Michael again we pretty much came to the conclusion that we were aliens. I...I don't know, I guess if we just stuck our head in the sand we thought it would all go away. Well, Isabel and I did anyway. Michael...Michael always wanted to know. I never realized how bad things were for him," he concluded, that now familiar sense of guilt creeping in.

"Don't do that," Liz scolded. "Just like I told Isabel, if people want to hide something from you, they can do it, even if they are your best friend. I should know..." she said, looking over at Maria. A small smile lit her face as it seemed like her and Michael were about to come to blows over something they were drawing.

"She's good for him," Max said, following Liz's line of vision. "She's always been good for him it seems, I'm glad he had her all these years."

"Me too," Liz said as she reached up and kissed Max sweetly on the lips. As he started to kiss her back in earnest she pulled away.

"So...ummm theories. I have one, would you like to hear it?" Liz asked.

"I could think of better ways to keep you mouth occupied, but by all means..." he started to say as she playfully slapped his arm.

"Come on, I'm serious," she laughed and cut him off mid sentence when he started to say "i am too".

"Back in '47, there were a ton of sightings, of space ships," she said. "A lot of people thought it was just because of the publicity from the Roswell crash, but maybe it wasn't. Maybe your people, I don't know, immigrated here? Maybe it was just your ship that crashed, and they couldn't find you."

"The thought has crossed my mind," Max said, scratching behind his ear. "It still doesn't explain why we came out of the pods in 1989 looking like 6 year olds. For all intensive purposes we age like humans. Why aren't we in our 50's?"

"Maybe you were in some kind of stasis?" Liz asked. "You didn't start aging until you came out?"

Max pulled Liz back into his chest. "Could be," he thought. "One thing I know for sure, we are going to find out. I have to be sure you are going to be ok after what I did to you."

"You make it sound like a bad thing," Liz said softly. "You saved my life."

Max pulled her closer, if that was even possible. "I know, but you haven't had time to adjust to this kind of life. We always have to be careful, always afraid someone will find out. If you get....powers....what if they come out in front of people? What if the wrong people get their hands on you? God, I'd never forgive myself."

Liz turned and looked straight into Max's eyes. She tenderly cupped his face. "That won't happen. We are in this together. All of us, and we'll make it through this together." she said with determination. Max leaned forward to kiss her, and his anxiety relieved a bit when she did, in fact, let him kiss her in earnest.

______________________________________________________________________

"God, there they go again," Maria said as she tried to write a symbol on Michael's sketch pad. Michael looked up and grunted. "They're like puppies in heat," she said as Michael's lip quirked up in that sarcastic little smile that was starting to make her heart race whenever it presented itself on his face.

He slapped at her hand. "Stop it," he growled when she tried to write something on his pad.

"What?" she asked, exasperated. "I thought we were playing Alien Tic Tac Toe?"

"Not anymore," Michael said as he drew furiously. Maria sighed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Whatever," she said as she started to get up.

"Wait!" Michael said as he grabbed hold of her wrist. "I remember something, and I can concentrate better when you are near," he said, looking in her eyes while both of their hearts stopped beating for a couple of beats.

"Ok," Maria said softly as she sat back down. She sat there quietly, watching what Michael was drawing. There were the symbols she remembered from the cave, but there were other ones she didn't remember.

Maria scrunched up her nose. "It looks like a game," she said.

Michael's eyes flew up to her, wide with recognition. "Could you find me some small rocks?" he asked, excited.

"Sure," she said, looking at Michael like he had just lost it. She got up and found some small rocks. "Here," she said, handing them to Michael. He took them in the palm of his hand and closed his eyes in concentration. When he opened them, they had changed to small, smooth pebbles in a variety of wild colors.

"Max, Isabel, you need to come over here!" Michael all but shouted. Isabel stopped mid-laugh at something Alex had just said, and got up and rushed to Michael. Max untangled himself from Liz, and grabbing her hand, went over to Maria and Michael.

Michael set the over sized sketch pad on the ground, and knelt next to it. Max and Isabel followed suit, and Michael shook the now shiny stones in his hand, throwing them across the drawing.

The stones each landed on a symbol, and instinctively the all changed the coordinating symbols on the sheet to match whatever color the rock was that landed on the original. Liz squatted down next to Max, and touched the paper, turning the last symbol to a murky blue. It wasn't as vibrant as the blue rock Michael had made, but blue none the less.

"Oh my God," Maria said, her eyes wide.

Liz fell to her butt, in shock.

"Well I guess that answers the question if Liz is going to develop powers," Isabel said as Max sat down next to Liz.

"Are you ok?" Max asked.

"Yeah, I'm...I'm ok," Liz asked, staring at the game. "What does this mean?" she asked, her face scrunching in concentration.

"I think it means you are more like us then we thought," Max said softly.

"No, I mean what does this mean? For you?" Liz asked, looking up at Max with a million questions on her face. "You all knew what to do. You knew what this was for?"

"It was...It was a child's game," Isabel said, her brow furrowing. "How can we know this if we were just in pods the first six years of our lives?"

"Oh my God," Maria repeated, as tears stung her eyes, he face going pale.

"Maria?" Michael asked concerned. The flashes hit as soon as he had her in his arms.


He saw a little girl, who was around 3 with blond curly hair and green eyes. She looked up adoringly at a man with the same green eyes.

"Come on Ria, you can do it," he said gently, pointing to the game that looked very much like the one in front of them now.

Little Maria touched a color and it didn't change. The man let out a sigh of frustration and ran his fingers through his hair. "Try again," he demanded, in a much less gentler tone.

"Just leave her alone!" a younger version of Amy said as she picked up a very confused little Maria. "You are going to have to deal with it if she comes out human," she said, punctuating the word "human" poignantly.

"This is your fault!" the man said angrily. "I find it hard to believe that your genetics are more dominate than mine!"

"Don't you do that, don't you act like you are better then me," Amy shouted back. "I will not let you make our little girl think she is anything less just because she didn't inherit any of your...your....talents!"

Little Maria was full out crying now, and Amy turned her attention to her little girl. "It's ok baby, shhhhh," she said softly as she cradled Maria in her arms. "Where are you going?" Amy asked as the man turned the knob to the front door.

"I'm out of here," he said, and Michael knew that was the last time the man ever darkened that doorstep.


Maria put her face in her hands, crying. Michael just sat there helpless, while the others stood on in confusion.

"Maria, Maria!" Alex said. "What's wrong?"

"Huh!" Maria said through the tears, bitter laughter bubbling in her throat. "What's wrong? What's wrong is that I'm right. That I've always been right. He left because of me. He left because I wasn't good enough," she said, falling into tears again as Michael hugged her to his chest.

"If I ever see that bastard, I'll kill him," Michael whispered in her hair, thinking about what this meant, and how the hell he was going to explain it to the others.

[kj4ever]

Thanks for the feeback everyone! I'm so glad that some of you are continuing on with the story! You're the best, and your feedback is very helpful!

Chapter 17 B

The group sat around the campfire, digesting the latest information.

Maria was an alien, or half alien, or something like that. Her Father had left because she wasn't showing any alien powers.

"I can't believe we tramped all the way through the woods when I could have just asked my Mother!" Maria said in frustration. Michael was right next to her, holding her hand, and hadn't let her go since the flash hit. "What I don't understand is how can we all know the same game? You two pretty much went straight to the Evan's, and you into foster care, right?" she asked Max, Michael and Isabel.

Isabel nodded. "But what I remember, we..we were young, like really young, around 3 or 4," she said.

"I was 3 1/2 when my Dad left. I guess that's why I don't remember it or him, I mean how much do you really remember when you are that age?" Maria said.

"Which is probably why we didn't remember it until it was triggered by something," Max said.

"But we were six when we came out of the pods Maxwell," Michael pointed out.

"Maybe...Maybe you were put in the pods to travel here?" Liz said, thinking out loud. "Then something went wrong, the crash, and you were lost. Maybe you were in stasis all those years so no one knows to look for you?"

Michael's heart swelled with hope. All he ever wanted was to know his family, his family besides Max and Isabel. Maybe they were out there, maybe he could leave Hank and go live with a real family.

"It makes sense," Alex said. "Maria's Mom probably never said anything to her because she didn't show any alien tendancies. Perhaps she was trying to keep her innocent. At least if we don't find anything at the caves we know we can find something out from Ms. Deluca," he said. Everyone nodded in agreement, lost in their own thoughts.

"Maria, can I talk to you for a minute?" Liz said as Max looked at her with understanding. Maria nodded numbly and got up, Michael holding on to her hand a little to long.

"I'll just be a minute," she said, giving him a small smile. Michael slowly let go of her hand and watched her sadly as she walked into the woods with Liz. Isabel looked on in astonishment as Alex got up and followed the two human girls.

"It must be a human thing," Isabel said, wrinkling her nose.

Liz found a fallen log and took a seat with Maria and Alex following suit.

"Are you alright Maria?" Liz asked.

"I don't know Liz, I just don't know," she said. "You know, kids always think their parents break up because of them. It is one thing to think it and have people tell you it's not true, and it's another to find out that is exactly why."

"Maria, I didn't like it when you said you weren't good enough," Liz said sternly. "You are the best of all of us. You keep us grounded, you make us have fun, you take care of everyone."

"But I don't have powers. I'm just human," Maria said tiredly.

"Well I don't have powers, so am I somehow less?" Alex asked.

"Of course not," Maria argued.

"They why would you think it of yourself?" Alex said in all seriousness. Maria sighed. "Well we could always shoot you and have Max bring you back to life and you could be some kind of alien human hybrid like Liz," Alex suggested.

"Yeah, I don't think so," Maria said laughing.

Liz smiled. "That's better," she said, hugging her friend.

"Besides, it could be worse. At least your Dad had some weird alien excuse for leaving. My Mom left just because she was a bitch," Alex said as Liz and Maria looked on with shock.

"Alex, I don't think I've ever heard you curse before," Maria said.

"I don't, well not often, only when it's warranted. My Mom left because she was a selfish bitch, and guess what? It is her loss. I realized that a long time ago, and your Dad, well it is his loss too," Alex said as Liz nodded in agreement.

"I know," Maria said in a small voice. "It still hurts though, you know?" she said as Alex and Liz both pulled her into a tight embrace.

_______________________________________________________________________________


Liz awoke to the most obnoxious noise she had ever heard in her life. It had taken her forever to fall asleep, with her brain going a million miles a minute with all this new information and her worry for her best friend. She looked over and there was Michael, snuggled up to Maria on the outside of her sleeping bag snoring loud enough to wake the heavens. She looked to her other side and saw that Isabel was gone. She must have already abandoned the tent for quieter conditions.

Michael must have come into the tent sometime after they fell asleep. How Maria could sleep with that noise so close to her head was beyond Liz, but she couldn't help the smile on her face when she saw how peaceful they both looked. She quietly got up and grabbed her pillow and blanket, slowly unzipping the tent as not to wake them.

She stepped out into the night air and was surprised to see Max outside, poking the fire. He must have been out there awhile, because they had extinguished it and it was at full rage again.

"Hey," Liz said as Max looked up.

"Hey," he said with a small smile. "I see Michael has finally chased you out."

Liz laughed. "He sure did. How anyone can sleep listening to that is beyond me," she said and laughed harder when Max pulled out a set of orange ear plugs.

"They are a necessity," he said. "Is Maria alright?"

"I think she's going to be ok," Liz said. "I think she'll feel a whole lot better when she gets to talk to her Mom," Liz said with a yawn.

"Tired?" Max asked.

"Umm hmmm," Liz said lazily.

"Well Isabel has taken over the boys tent, and when I woke up to see her snuggled in Alex's sleeping bag I just had to, you know, leave," Max said shuddering.

"I'll bet," Liz said dryly, rolling her eyes. "Well let me tell you, that isn't exactly a vision I want swimming in my head either Max Evans," she said playfully. "Maybe we are just going to have to really rough it and sleep under the stars," she said tilting her head up to look at the beautiful New Mexico sky.

"Yeah, sure," Max said nervously. Sleeping under the stars with Liz Parker was something he would fantasize about, but not something he would ever thought would become a reality.

"Well if you can turn this into an air mattress," she said, pointing to the blanket Max had, "We can use my sleeping bag as a cover."

"OK!" Max said with a bit to much enthusiasm. Not only was he going to sleep under the stars with Liz Parker, he was going to be sleeping with her, like close enough to hold her in his arms all night.

He quickly did as he was asked and watched Liz unzip her sleeping bag so it would cover the two of them. They laid down and Max took a deep breath, telling himself that he would be nothing but a perfect gentleman.

______________________________________________________________________________

Kyle heard the SUV before he saw it. As the white Explorer turned the corner, he couldn't help but think she didn't waste any time getting there.

Tess jumped out of the vehicle and ran to the passenger door of Kyle's Mustang. She opened it and flopped down in the front seat. "Are you sure? I mean, are you really sure Kyle?" she asked, her eyes full of hope.


"I'm about 99% sure," he said as he watched her beautiful face light up with a great big smile.

"I knew it! I knew they were alive! I could feel him Kyle, I really could," she said enthusiastically. Kyle nodded curtly and Tess went on. "You'll never know how much it means to me, that you believed me, that you kept your eye out all this time," she said as she squeezed his hand.

Kyle looked down at Tess's hand and smiled a sad smile. If only her family would accept him, if only he could develop powers, things could be so much different. "No sweat Tess, I am nothing but your humble servant," he said doing a slight bow and exaggeratedly kissing her hand.

Tess slapped him on the shoulder. "You know I don't buy into that BS, not anymore anyway," she said sheepishly. Tess had been raised by Ed Harding, a pure Antarian, and when she was little he had fed her a lot about how she was one of the last full bloods left and they needed to keep the line going to preserve their heritage. He looked down on people like Kyle, who were a mix of human and Antarian. Tess had met him a year ago when there was a joint cheerleading/football camp. There weren't a lot of people there who were "not of this world", and Tess and Kyle instantly bonded. How anyone could look down on someone so loyal, so funny, and really so damn cute was beyond Tess. He had changed her mind and made her realize that she had grown up with a very small view of Earth, their new home.

"So tell me about them," Tess said, sitting back in her seat and getting comfortable.

"Well at first I thought one of them was a human, Liz Parker," he said, scratching his head. "I'm still not sure where she fits in all of this, but she is not human, and the only one that gives off any signals. Lately she's been like the forth of July."

"It has happened that people have given powers to humans by healing," Tess said. "It is really, really frowned on though. You don't think one of them can heal? Maybe the girl, Isabel's her name, right?"

Kyle took a deep breath. He really didn't want to tell Tess this. She had been brought up to believe that if Max was ever found that they belonged together. As much as he didn't want that to happen, he couldn't help but think everyone in their lives would do everything they could to get the two of them together, the last of the full bloods.

"Actually I think it must have been Max," he said gaging her reaction. "They seem to be uhh dating, and Max seems to have always been drawn to her. I would catch him staring at her while we were dating all the time."

"Well things change Kyle," she said, trying to act nonchalant. "If somethings meant to be, it'll happen."

"Right," he said. "So anyway, I haven't figured Liz out yet, but I think Max changed her. I'm thinking the ones from your pod are Max, Michael, and Isabel."

"I just don't understand why no one in your town has figured it out," Tess said. "We can usually identify each other before we even see each other."

"I know," Kyle said, "but I have a theory on that. They obviously came out of the pods before you, and after some digging I found out the Evan's adopted Max and Isabel when they were 6. You were 7 when you came out, right?" Tess nodded and Kyle continued. "So they know nothing about any other aliens on Earth. They've probably thought they were all alone. Fear is a big emotion Tess, and I'm thinking they have probably been drawing their energy in when they noticed they could feel it in each other but not in humans. It probably started happening when they were little and realized they were different. They had to have been scared to death."

"Especially Michael," Tess said wistfully. "He grew up in Foster care, right?"

"Yeah," Kyle said softly.

"Does he at least stay with a nice family?" she asked.

"No," Kyle said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tess nodded her head and closed her eyes. Kyle cursed himself silently. He was always so wrapped up in what finding Max would mean that he would totally forget that Michael was Tess's brother.

"He's happy though," Kyle said. "I think he has a thing for Maria Deluca, he grew up next to her you know."

"Maria? The Maria? Your secret cousin Maria?" Tess asked. She had been fascinated about the story of Maria Deluca. Her Father, Kyle's Dad's brother, had promptly left when it looked like Maria would not develop powers. Her Mother had been so hurt she had turned her back on the alien world and adamantly refused to let her daughter know her true heritage. Sheriff Valenti and Ms. Deluca would argue about it endlessly as he wanted to know his niece, but try as he might he couldn't convince her that he was not like his brother.

"The one and only," Kyle said, a smile on his face. He wished he could be a part of his cousin's life. Two powerless aliens would have a lot to talk about, but he was forced to act like she was any other person at Roswell High. He did get to know her a little bit when he was dating Liz, and he could just imagine all the trouble he could get into with his cousin.

"Ms. Deluca is going to have a fit, isn't she?" Tess laughed.

"Oh yeah, she may be human, but that woman can do some serious damage," Kyle said. "My Father is scared to death of her," he laughed. He couldn't help but think of his Father, who he was pretty sure had a major crush on Amy Deluca. Maybe this would bring them together?

Tess yawned. "How long until we have to leave for the caves?" she asked, trying to stiffle another yawn.

"A couple of hours," Kyle said, and his heart about burst when Tess lifted up the console, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Do you mind if I rest my eyes for a minute?" Tess asked.

Did he mind? She could rest her eyes for years as long as she was on his shoulder. Well, that's what he wanted to say but instead he just said, "That's cool."

Kyle felt her totally relax and heard her breathing even out, telling him she was asleep. Kyle couldn't sleep if his life depended on it. He couldn't calm his mind, knowing how tomorrow would change the lives of many, many people.

[kj4ever]

Thanks for the FB everyone!

Chapter 18 A

The six teenagers were nearing the cave, everyone but Alex feeling it's pull getting stronger and stronger, even Maria, who hadn't felt it a couple of years before, felt it now. It was so strange, but familiar. As everyone commented on it Isabel looked at Alex. "I'm sorry if you feel left out," she said, squeezing his hand.

"Me? No, not at all," Alex said happily. "I like being different, a rebel if you will," he said wiggling his eyebrows. "In this case, being all human makes me different."

Isabel rolled her eyes and half heartily punched Alex in the shoulder. This is why she liked him so much, he could just roll with anything.

As the caves came into sight, Max took a deep breath. Part of him was scared about what they would find, but he knew it needed to be done. Last night he wasn't quite the perfect gentleman he had every intention of being, and they had come to their senses when there was a break in Michael's snores, just as Max was about to round third base. He was glad for the interruption, because he didn't know how Liz would take him trying to go there so fast, but it was like he just couldn't stop.

It had been incredible really, more incredible than he had ever imagined, touching and kissing so intimately. He was pretty sure that he was compatible with humans from what they had learned so far, but he had to be sure, be sure that he wouldn't hurt Liz. One thing he did know, he wanted to be with her forever.

Michael looked worriedly over at Maria. She just seemed lost in thought. He had known what it was like to be not wanted, to feel like you had been thrown away. Adults had done it time and time again to him, until he landed with Hank, who didn't care about anything other than the monthly check he got from the government.

He never understood the whole family thing, but he did understand they could bring great pain. Michael had always thought he would just be alone with Max and Isabel, but waking up and seeing Maria sleeping soundly next to him, seeing her wake up and giving him a small smile when she realized he was there, well Michael's priorities were changing, and changing fast. Normally his first instinct would be to push away, but as soon as she smiled at him a storm cloud came over her eyes as she remembered the pain from last night. He could never push her away when she was so hurt.

They reached the entrance of the cave and stopped. They stood there for a moment, knowing their lives would change forever once they stepped through the mouth of the cave.

Isabel was the first, prodded by Alex, and she turned around. "Who has the flashlight?" she asked.

"Helloooooooooo?" she said when no one answered her. They were all staring at her like she had food in her teeth. Did she have food in her teeth? This camping stuff sucks.

Slowly she turned around and noticed a faint green glow had lit up the cave walls, showing them a path. Michael and Max stepped forward, and the glow intensified.

"Cool!" exclaimed Alex as he took off down the tunnel.

"Alex, wait!" Isabel said as she rushed to catch up to him.

The six followed the glow until they were in a room with a large cone shaped object that seemed to hum. Strange marking adorned the walls that looked strangely familiar, some matching the game they had played last night and some that didn't.

They were looking around the room in awed silence when part of the wall slid open and there stood a pretty blonde girl and.....Kyle?

As they all looked at the two of them in shock tears started to stream down the blonde girl's face. "I knew it," she said quietly. "I knew I could feel you this whole time!"

Kyle tried to stop her as she ran towards Max, but it was no use. He didn't want to see her embarrass herself, and he had seen the way Max had been with Liz at school. He was to late.

Then, much to Kyle's surprise she ran right past Max and flung herself at Michael, a very confused Maria taking a step back.

For a moment Michael was just as confused as Maria, but as the small girl brought her arms around him hugging him with all her life he had a flash. They didn't want to go in the pods, but they knew they had to for the trip. He grabbed his sister's hand. "It'll be alright Ava," he said.

"A...Ava?" Michael asked.

"You remember!" she said happily, hugging him again.

"This is just to weird for me, so I'm just gonna go," Maria said, holding her hands up. She didn't think she could take much more. First she was a defective alien, now Michael had some busty blonde with blue eyes hanging on him.

Michael disentangled himself from Tess. "Maria, wait," Michael said. "I want you to meet my sister Ava," he said as Maria, for once, was speechless.

"It's Tess now," she smiled as she held her hand out to Maria.

Maria shook her hand, relieved that she wasn't some former alien girlfriend.

"What is going on here?" Isabel asked. "Kyle, what the hell are you doing here?" The Sheriff's son? This was the last thing they needed. Isabel had spent a good majority of her life being terrified of Sheriff Valenti, as the whole family were infamous alien hunters. Well mostly infamous because they had never proved aliens existed, but Isabel always figured that would make them even more determined to find one.

Kyle, seeing the fear in her eyes, felt sorry for Isabel. "Do you know where you are from?" he asked gently.

"I'm from Earth," Isabel said, giving Kyle a death glare.

"No you're not, you're from Antar," Kyle said slowly, noticing the registration show on Max, Michael and Isabel's face. "You guys really don't remember, do you?"

It had taken a bit to get everyone calm enough to listen, but eventually Liz and Max, Michael and Maria, Isabel and Alex had sat down around the "Granilith" or so they called it. Kyle and Tess looked at each other, wondering where to start.

"How much do you guys remember?" Tess asked, looking to Michael.

"We don't remember anything Av..Tess," Michael said. "Until I saw you, I didn't remember anything, but now I can remember being put in the pod. Last night we started remembering some game, but that's it."

Tess smiled. "That makes sense. We were only three when we left Antar," she said.

"I still want to know what Kyle is doing here," Isabel said, looking uneasily at the younger Valenti.

Kyle chuckled. "Well Isabel, I am part Antarian," he explained. "My Father was half, and my Mother was a pure blood."

Isabel looked at Kyle like she didn't believe him. "Prove it then," she said, folding her arms. If he was really like them, he would know to change something.

"I can't," Kyle said. "I don't have powers. When we mix with human you don't know whose offspring will and won't get powers," he looked at Maria. He wondered if she had figured it out. "Like Maria."

"What? How did you know? I mean I didn't even know until last night!" Maria practically screamed.

"Because....Well because," Kyle sighed in frustration. "Maybe we should just start at the beginning," he said, looking at Tess.

"A couple thousand years ago, back on our planet, our sun started to die," Tess explained. The six kids in front of her all leaned forward, listening intently. "They knew it was happening, so they sent out ships searching for another planet in the solar system with the same atmosphere, somewhere we could survive."

"One of the ships came back with images of Earth. It was almost just like our planet. The colors were different, but it had the same oxygen content and water. It was already inhabited, and it's sun wouldn't die for billions of years," she said.

"The ship that was sent out was unmanned, like the ones we send out now to take pictures," Kyle said. "It had taken the ship 100 years round trip, so our people started working quickly to find a way to reach the planet faster."

"It had seemed to be no use, to travel that far so fast. Then a scientist came up with a brilliant idea. If the ship had been able to get to Earth before by itself, then it could do it again. We were all podded and frozen for the trip. The pods were supposed to start thawing when we were five years away from Earth, starting with the oldest Anatarians. It would be close enough to start gather information on Earth by satellites, their language, their customs," explained Tess.

"Then the one ship crashed," Kyle said. "Ships were landing all over Earth that week, but when the ship crashed in Roswell things went horribly wrong. There was one set of pods that hadn't defrosted yet, the youngest of the Antarians, and it was on that ship."

"We were lost," Tess said sadly. "We were thrown from the ship and into that cave. They did look for us, but by the time it was safe to search the area, by the time the government had left, they couldn't find us. We had settled into a remote area of the desert."

Max, Michael, and Isabel nodded. Even they couldn't point out where there pods were, and they had been there.

"We learned from that experience that humans weren't ready for the fact that others lived in the universe with them," Tess said. "They took some of our pets into custody, thinking they were aliens. Thankfully they didn't suffer long while they did horrific experiments on them."

"So the big headed, big eyed images we see all over town are not what we look like?" Michael asked.

"No, they were kind of Antarian's version of a dog," Tess explained. "Our planets were practically identical, and evolution followed the same path as here. We were just around a lot longer and Antarian's started developing a greater use of their brain, where our powers come from. There are some differences, and our animals and plants were different, but we are completely compatible with humans."

"Is that why your taste buds are different than ours?" Liz asked.

"Yes," Tess said, looking at the girl who was being held very close by whom she figured was Max. She looked awfully familiar. "We all ate the same thing back on Antar because we couldn't taste anything. Here on Earth, we could finally taste things if they were really spicy."

"So anyway most people believed that you four had perished that day. Your pods disintegrate into dust once all the fluid is gone, and after years of searching they finally gave up," Kyle said.

"Our parents never stopped looking though," Tess said quietly.

"Our parents?" Max asked. "Are they still...alive?"

"No," she said softly. "They found me when I came out of my pod, but you three were already gone. They were very old then, and your pods were gone, but they never stopped looking. Since your pods had totally disintegrated by that point, they didn't know how long you had been out. It could have been forty years ago."

"But Tess always knew you were alive, that she could feel you Michael," Kyle said, giving Tess a smile. He had always thought Tess was talking about Max when she said that, and was very happy to learn she had been talking about Michael.

"Didn't anyone think to look for missing children? For oh I don't know, a couple of children found wandering on the side of the road naked?" Alex asked.

"We never got any reports about you two," Kyle said. "Your parents must have hidden it well." He knew the Evans were powerful lawyers in New Mexico. They must have burried the reports to protect the children. In reality, they had, and very few people, like the Parkers, knew where they had found their children.

"Someone was sent to see Michael I think," he said, scratching his head. "You three, you don't send out the normal energy we feel around Antarians. There are a lot of rules we have to follow, and we don't bring anyone into this unless we are 100% sure. Whoever went to see you Michael was positive you weren't an alien."

"We think we learned to hide it, the energy signature, when we were kids," Michael explained. "But they never stopped looking for us? Our parents I mean?"

"No, never," Tess said. "I remember our parents wanted to visit you in foster care, to make sure for themself, but they were too old. They were in their late 80's by then. It was getting harder for them to comb the desert, harder to travel. I...I only lived with them a couple of years before they passed on."

"And my Dad, well he always watched for signs that you were not of this Earth," Kyle said. "He never felt anything from you Michael. My family, well they are stationed at Roswell for a reason. Yes, they have always been in law enforcement, but the reason they act so alien obsessed is so that if anything ever leaks they will be the first ones told."

"And Max and Isabel were never on his radar because they didn't know how they were found," Liz thought out loud.

"It was a sad loss for our people," Tess explained. "You see, the four of us are a bit of a legend to them."

"Why?" Isabel asked.

"It had gotten to the point that it was very hard for our people to reproduce," Tess explained. "Scientists began matching people by DNA to be compatible, reproduction wise. It worked somewhat, and people began having children again. If they were lucky, they would have one child before they were to old."

"Then the four of you came along," Kyle explained. "Two sets of twins, which was unheard of on our world. Twins hadn't been born in a thousand years."

Tess looked at Kyle and continued. saying what he wasn't willing to say. "We were also compatible, reproduction wise. Isabel and Michael, Max and I," she said. "Everyone took it as a sign."

"So Isabel and I, you and Max," Michael said.

"We are meant to be together," Tess finished for him. "It's our destiny."

Isabel leaned into Alex who pulled her close, Liz's stomach dropped, Max swallowed hard, and Michael and Maria looked at each other.

How far would the Antarians on Earth go to make this destiny come true?

[kj4ever]

Thanks for all the FB!

Chapter 18B


"I'm with Liz," Max said sternly, looking the blonde girl hard right in her blue eyes, pulling Liz closer.

"Well duh," Tess said, rolling her eyes. "It isn't like they will make us be together, but some of the hard core people in our race may try to push it."

"They can push all they want, Isabel is like my sister for Christ's sake!" Michael said, "and I'm with Maria."

Maria opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Did he just say what she thought he said?

"Look, Tess was just making sure you all were prepared, alright?" Kyle said as she gave him a grateful smile. "You don't understand yet, but you will. There are thousands of us on Earth, and a lot of people will be very happy to find that you are alive. Your births, and the fact that you were compatible, well it gave them the will to go on, gave them the hope that their mission would be successful."

"Some people in our race were very against mixing with humans to begin with," Tess explained. "I was raised by someone like that, someone from our family Michael, Uncle Ed. Technically he's our nephew but it gets really confusing," she said with a sheepish grin. "I...I used to think that way too, until I got older and met more of our people, more humans, people like Kyle," she said, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks.

Liz studied the girl and that blush. At that moment she knew she didn't have anything to worry about.

"There are also a lot of rules that were established before our ancestors left Antar, and I'm afraid it seems you have broken most of them," Kyle said smiling.

"You can't break rules you don't know about," Isabel said haughtily, but inside was a little afraid. What if they had done something really wrong?

"True," Tess said. "I don't think they'll hold anything against you or there will be punishment. We aren't supposed to tell any humans under any circumstances unless they have been properly screened. Our people knew Earth wasn't ready to know that aliens existed, much less were living among them. When the ships landed, a lot of people didn't make the trip. The rules were changed when it was clear there wouldn't be enough of our own kind to keep our species alive for more then a few generations. Like I said our Uncle and most of our family is dead set against it Michael, but they will deal with it."

"If this is going to endanger Liz, Maria or Alex maybe we just shouldn't let them know that we have been found," Max said.

Tess couldn't hide the hurt that crossed her features. "We aren't killers," she said, giving Max a death glare. "They would never hurt innocent people."

"And we can't do that Max," Kyle said. "Don't you think that Michael's family would like to meet him? Don't you think that your family that is still living deserves the chance to know you?"

"As long as these rules won't put them in danger, then yes, of course," Max said stubbornly. Michael and Isabel both nodded. They were all on the same page. He knew that Michael wanted a family more than anything, but he wouldn't do it if it put Maria in danger.

"I have a 20,000 question," Kyle said, breaking the tension. "Where do you come from Liz?"

"Excuse me?" Liz asked, looking puzzled at her ex boyfriend.

"I mean, for awhile I thought you could be Isabel. Every once in awhile I would feel this weird energy coming from you. It's not quite Antarian, not quite human, I just don't get it?"

"I'm from Earth Kyle," Liz said, rolling her eyes. She felt Max tense beside her and she understood. Maybe they shouldn't tell them everything.

Kyle saw Max tense up and narrowed his eyes. "You're hiding something."

"I think this has been enough for one day," Michael said, his eyes burrowing through Kyle.

"No, it's not," Kyle insisted. "They'll be able to tell you know, that she's different. Liz, you know I would never do anything to put you in danger, we are good friends. I wouldn't ask this if I thought Tess would put you in danger."

Liz smiled. She knew Kyle was right. He would never do that. She turned and looked at Max, conveying her feelings through one look.

"When I was younger I had leukemia and Max healed me," she said softly.

Kyle let out a low whistle. "Wow Max, that's really impressive. It usually takes people decades to be able heal something that big, and most can't ever do it at all."

"I suppose that is against the rules too?" Max asked cautiously.

"We've been known to heal our loved ones," Tess said. "It's just unheard of for someone so young to be able to do it. My God, do you know what a stir this is going to make in our community? I mean, Michael, you can come live with us, and Max and Isabel, I'm sure your family will want you to move in with them."

"Tess, I am very excited to meet my...family," Isabel said. "But I already have parents. I have no intention of leaving them," she said, looking at Max who nodded whole heartily.

"I don't think I want to move either Tess," Michael said. "I may not have the best home, but Roswell is home. Max, Isabel, Maria, Liz, and Alex, they are my family too," he said as Liz and Alex felt a little tug at their hearts to be included in Michael's family. "Besides, I've been looking into getting emancipated, where I could live on my own. That would probably be best for me," he said, and after taking Tess's crestfallen look added "but I can't wait to get to know my other family," and was happy to see his sister's smile return.

It wasn't long after that that they had all packed into Kyle and Tess's cars and were dropped off back at Alex's SUV. The Antarians on Earth were about to get the shock of their lives. The three missing twins lived.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

"This is just amazing Tess," Ed Harding was saying, barely able to contain himself. "You do realize that Max and Isabel's real parents were the head of this expedition. They were our leaders. Max will be right there to step up, I just know it, and you will be at his side. You will have the most powerful children ever!"

Tess was getting really angry. No matter how many times she had told him about Max already being in love, no matter how many times she told him that she didn't even know if she liked Max as a person much less as a mate, he wouldn't listen. The thing that was really pissing her off was he seemed to care less that Michael had been found.

It had been a week since the news broke. She had talked to Michael on the phone several times, but they were letting things sink in. A lot had happened. The Antarian Council had decided that The Evan's would be told at once. Any people that would take in two children like Max and Isabel would protect them with their life. She knew it had been a whirlwind for the three of them, meeting people, learning things. Michael's emancipation was also about to go through, since the judge was umm, Antarian.

A lot of the rest of her extended family also disappointed her. She had lived in this town for so long, this town made up of mostly their people. They full well expected her to be with Max as was determined all those decades ago. She was under so much pressure, and they kept reminding her that her parents would have wanted that.

It was true that Max hadn't been as bad as she thought. He had even called an appologized for his behavior at the cave, saying he was just worried about Liz and his friends, and she couldn't blame him. They had dropped quite the bombshell on them.

"Max doesn't want to be with me," she said, silently adding she didn't want to be with him to herself. Ed would never get it.

"Listen," Ed practically growled. "You have a duty to your people. Do you really think a human can stand in your way? You have gifts, gifts that half freak whatever she is doesn't have. It shouldn't be hard to figure out. You can make people see things that aren't really happening. Use your imagination Tess, it shouldn't be hard to break them up."

"We aren't allowed to use our powers on humans unless it's an emergency ED," she said. She always called him just Ed when she was pissed at him.

"Well understand this," he said, bringing his face close to hers. "If you don't even make an attempt, you could lose everyone. Your friends, your family. They all want this Tess, and you know it is what you are destined for." With that he turned and walked out of the room.

Tess swallowed hard. Did she really want to lose everything?

[kj4ever]

Ahhh and so it ends. As my second Roswell Fic I learned a lot from this one. It was only supposed to be three or four chapters when I started, and I learned that it can be really tough when you don't, as Liz would say, "have a plan"...lol

Now I'm not promising anything, but there could be an Inquiring series out of this one. I may go back and show some of the stuff between the last chapter and this, and I may write one that shows the current pod squad and their struggles with fitting both lives in. I have to work on finishing Criminal Minds and Inescapable Fate before I make any promises

Oh, and thank you to all of you who stuck around with this story I am always so happy to have feedback and know you are enjoying my work!



Epilogue

Max sat on his front porch watching the two little children waiting for the bus. "God, they remind me of myself and Isabel so much," he said looking at the dark haired little boy and the blonde little girl.

"I think we have the most beautiful children in the world," Tess said with a big smile. She noticed the concerned look on his face. "Max, they are going to be fine, really," she said earnestly, giving his hand a squeeze.

Max smiled at the beautiful blonde, chuckling when he remembered how he viewed her as such a threat when she came into their life nearly ten years ago.

"What's so funny?" Liz asked, walking out the front porch with a steaming cup of coffee.

"I was just thinking about when we first met Tess, and how the whole destiny thing made me view her as an enemy," Max said, taking the coffee cup from Liz and pulling her into his lap.

A small, sad smile graced Tess's face as she thought how she truly could have been an enemy. It had been ugly for awhile there, many of their own people upset that the four children were not going with tradition and being together.

Tess had taken the brunt of it, mostly because Max, Isabel, and Michael didn't really know many people from their community. Tess had spent her whole life with them, and it was a harsh lesson in life when some of the people she considered friends and family turned their backs on her when she told them that she had no intention of following destiny.

Many people were shocked when she went to the council meeting and turned her Uncle in for trying to get her to use her powers to change Max's mind. It was a serious offense, and they were even more shocked when she produced proof. She had gone to Michael with her dilema, and together with him had taped her Uncle giving her step by step instructions on how to mindwarp Liz and Max until they no longer cared for each other.

One thing was for certain, she had learned what it meant to have truly loyal people in her life, and she wouldn't take a damn thing back.

"Do you two ever quit?" Tess asked, rolling her eyes.

"Nope," Liz asked as Max handed her coffee back. "Do you really think we should be doing this, sitting here watching them? It's bad enough Max took three rolls of film of them before they even finished their breakfast."

"At least we aren't up in a tree," Tess said as all eyes looked up to see Kyle in the huge tree across the street, binaculars trained on his small daughter.

"Or driving them to school," Max said. Michael had flat out refused to let his kids ride the bus, which might have been a good thing. Maria and Michael's twins were quite a handful, inheriting Michael's stubborn side and Maria's passionate side.

The bus pulled up, and Max smiled as his son turned to wave and give them a small smile.

"Our baby's growing up," Liz said with tears in her voice as Max squeezed her a little tighter.

The big door closed and the bus pulled away. Kyle had climbed down from his hiding place in the tree. "I don't start my shift until 9," he said to Max. "How about we go get some coffee Max?"

"Sounds like a plan," Max said giving Liz a guilty smile and getting up to follow Kyle.

"No, nu uh, you are not following that bus Kyle!" Tess exclaimed, but the two had already bolted for Kyle's police cruiser.

"What are we going to do with them?" Tess asked as Liz laughed and put her arm around her good friend.

"I honestly don't know," Liz chuckled.

Both of their eyes were drawn to the commotion from across the street. Maria had gotten out of her car and was walking towards her two friends, mumbling to herself.

"I swear, Michael is like going to drive me crazy!" Maria said. "We dropped the kids off, and he practically jumped out of the moving car as we pulled away, saying he was going to get coffee," she finished, plopping down next to Liz and Tess, who started laughing.

"What?" Maria asked.

Liz wiped at her watery eyes. "Nothing, just that I don't think any of us will ever have boring lives," she laughed.

"Amen," Tess said, smiling at her two friends, wondering what great adventures there would be in the future.

Sure, there were still those who were bitter about the four children who had been such a hope for their planet not getting together, and there were those who thought they shouldn't hide among the humans anymore. With Michael and Max poised to take place on the council and Kyle holding down the fort in Roswell, their families would have a major impact on the future of the Antarian race.

Whether it be good or bad, Tess, Liz and Maria all knew they would get through it, and they would get through it together.